Filmlosophers

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, review Disney's Moana (2016), a non-Pixar animated tale with a colorful cast of characters and a distinctly mythological bent. Featuring song lyrics from Broadway star Lin-Manuel Miranda and starring newcomer Auli'i Cravalho as Moana alongside Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as demigod Maui, the film offers a refreshingly modern take on the well-honed Disney model of filmmaking.

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, engage in a deep discussion of Denis Villanueve's masterful new film, Arrival (2016). Starring Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker, Arrival features a strong emotional subtext and exceptional work in sound editing, cinematography, writing and directing.

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, welcome entertainment journalists Val Complex and co-host to Sacramento's largest gaming podcast, Aaron Carter, for an important discussion about the latest documentary from critically acclaimed filmmaker, Ava DeVernay, titled 13th. While you won't hear a typical "review" of the film here, you will learn much from this engaging discussion about race, criminality, American history and personal experience.

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, share a spoiler-light review of Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange (2016) starring Benedict Cumberbatch. The latest MCU film features some trippy visuals and has received criticism for some of its casting decisions. Is the whole greater than the sum of its parts, or does its ambitious stance leave the story feeling fragmented in various segments of the multiverse?

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, spend the last week of October discussing the other half of the distinctive style of Tim Burton - live-action films! From his first '"interesting" efforts with his short film made in the early '80s to discussing his directorial debut with Pee Wee's Big Adventure (1985), the duo discuss Burton's uncanny ability to create incredible live-action films. His cult classic status would be attained with his comic-book adaptation of Batman (1989), giving the world a glimpse at the creative genius that Burton would birth from, bringing forth outstanding films such as Edward Scissorhands (1990) and his deep and moving film, Big Fish (2003).

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, spend the last half of October discussing the distinctive style of Tim Burton - this week, focusing on his work in stop-motion animation. From his first professional forays in the medium in the early 1980s to integrating stop-motion into seminal classics such as Pee Wee's Big Adventure (1985) and Beetlejuice (1988), Burton later went on to spur the medium toward innovation. Burton revitalized the genre as a creative voice for the fan favorite The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), directed by Henry Selick, then pushed it further with his full-length directorial debut The Corpse Bride (2005) and kept trying new techniques for Frankenweenie (2012).

When building imaginary worlds and characters, what is the right balance to strike between practical effects and CGI? The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, take a look at the history of both disciplines in film and highlight the pioneering filmmakers that have pushed the medium forward with innovations that use both styles to wow the crowd.

Welcome to our first lightning round! Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, take things up a notch (BAM) and let the words fly, in this special edition of The Filmlosophers! Dialing up the dialogue, and taken over by the clock, the duo talk about everything from on-screen vigilantes to Netflix, with overrated directors and Halloween candy thrown into the mix - and only five minutes to tackle each subject! Does the team beat the clock and get in their thoughts? Find out in this episode of The Filmlosophers! Also, stick around towards the end as we make an announcement about our upcoming Octo-Burton Fest giveaway!

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, discuss the film that everyone has been talking about since its debut at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, The Birth of a Nation (2016). Directed by and starring Nate Parker, the film hosts an incredible ensemble of actors, including Gabrielle Union and Armie Hammer. The Filmlosophers discuss the merits of the film, which chronicles the journey of Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher in the antebellum South, who orchestrates an uprising. How do The Filmlosophers view this period film whose director and star has been shrouded in recent controversy?News items include our reaction to the first trailer for Passengers (2016), starring Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt; first impressions of M. Night Shyamalan’s latest, Split (2016); and an early look at Denzel Washington’s next turn as director and star in Fences (2016), a film adaptation of the famous August Wilson play also starring Viola Davis. All that, and we count down some of our top 5 Oscar winning films.

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, take a trip down a dirt country road and review Antoine Fuqua’s interpretation of a Western classic, The Magnificent Seven. Starring Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Haley Bennett, and many others, the film takes moviegoers on an action-packed adventure, as seven gun men in the old west gradually come together to help a poor village against savage thieves. Do The Filmlosophers succumb to the nostalgia the film brings to the table, or do they take a hard nosed look at Fuqua’s representation of one of the best Western films in cinema history?News items include our interview with producer of the controversial documentary, The Principle, Mr. Rick Delano, the announcement that Jared Leto will portray Andy Warhol in a biopic titled Warhol, and the cast images released on Instagram for the upcoming sequel to the 1995 family film of the same name, Jumanji.