Filmlosophers

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, take a crash course in child prodigy psychology for Colin Trevorrow’s latest project, The Book of Henry (2017). Starring Naomi Watts, Dean Norris, Sarah Silverman and newcomer Jaeden Lieberher, the tale offers a unique take on the mentality and influence of a young genius while asking serious questions about the responsibilities of parents and citizens in a modern society.

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, take to the seven seas for six pieces of eight and a shanty song for the Pirates of the Caribbean film saga from Walt Disney Studios and Bruckheimer Films. From The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) to Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017), the franchise has at turns entertained, disappointed, delighted and confused moviegoers while reinvigorating the career of lead actor Johnny Depp and introducing whole new generations to one of the oldest rides in the Disney theme parks.

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, journey back to the days of World War I for a review of the highly anticipated new DCEU film Wonder Woman (2017) from Patty Jenkins. Starring Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Connie Nielsen, David Thewlis and more, the film marks the second appearance - and first solo outing - of the most popular female superhero in comics.

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, head to the stars for a review of Ridley Scott’s newest film, Alien: Covenant (2017). Starring Michael Fassbender in a dual role and new characters played by Katherine Waterston, Danny McBride and Billy Crudup, among others, the latest installment is a successor to Prometheus (2014) - but does it do its job in terms of leading into the original Alien franchise?

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, pull sword from stone and rack up some hit points in this week’s review of Guy Ritchie’s mythbusting King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017), starring Charlie Hunnam, Jude Law, Djimon Hounsou and Eric Bana. With a new, streetwise take on one of Western literature’s most recognizable figures, and a series of sequences that seem plucked straight out of a video game, how does the modernized Arthurian tale compare to the more faithful interpretations of the past?

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, welcome back Trenton Brewer and Sacramento cosplayer Marquis Sweat-Keaton to turn on the Walkman and get in the groove on all things Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 (2017). With five mid- and post-credit scenes and the presence of both Tango and Cash (Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell), there’s a lot to love in this sophomore outing from James Gunn, Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel - to the tune of more than $400 million worldwide within its first week of release.

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, welcome back frequent guest Hannah Porter to prep for this week’s Marvel Studios release with a fun, feisty review and dissection of Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), the MCU gambit that paid big dividends. With the sequel set to make a Milano-sized haul at the box office this weekend, what were the elements of the first film’s success?

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, play mad scientist and try to dissect the anatomy of a summer blockbuster while also diving deep into the economics of moviemaking in this special edition report. What traits make a film predisposed for box office success, and how has the influence of foreign markets impacted the moviemaking practices of Hollywood executives?

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, blow it up (like the record-setting global box office haul) with this week’s review of The Fate of the Furious (2017), starring Vin Diesel, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Charlize Theron, Tyrese, Ludacris, Jason Statham, Kurt Russell and several others. How did the crew fare without Paul Walker, and what did/didn’t work about Dom Torreto’s double-cross?

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, welcome long time fan and movie enthusiast Marcus Hunter and Sacramento’s own cosplay extraordinaire Trenton Brewer for this week’s review of Power Rangers (2017). The film reboots the prolific children’s television show from the 1990s with a new take on Jason, Billy, Kimberly, Zach and Trini, and how they come to acquire their powers. Featuring Bryan Cranston as Zordon and Elizabeth Banks as Rita Repulsa, the film was directed by Dean Israelite.