Franchise Detours

Tom Cruise made his film debut in 1981's Endless Love. But it wasn't until five years later in Top Gun that Cruise truly emerged as an A-list leading man. That film -- directed by the late Tony Scott -- sparked a phenomenon that has endured for more than three decades. Case in point, 2022's long-awaited sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, became the year's biggest hit. On this episode, film critic and podcaster Karen Peterson of Citizen Dame and The Watch and Talk joins us to talk the legacy of both films. We'll discuss how Top Gun developed into a franchise, what the two movies say about Cruise's career, Top Gun: Maverick's wild box office run and awards chances, and explore whether we'd want to see a third installment. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Subscribe to Crooked Table on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@crookedtable

Follow Crooked Table on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/crookedtable

Crooked Table Productions is powered by Riverside.fm. Start your own audio or video project here 👉 https://riverside.sjv.io/c/2356989/2648500/28064

Superhero cinema these days seems unwaveringly dedicated to never-ending stories. But a full decade ago, Christopher Nolan followed his groundbreaking 2008 blockbuster The Dark Knight not with another sequel but with the grand finale of his interpretation of the Batman mythos. But does 2012's The Dark Knight Rises end the trilogy on a satisfying note? Film critic Richard Newby joins us to delve into the installment of Nolan's Batman trilogy. We'll discuss the decision to leave Heath Ledger's Joker unaddressed, how the movie redefined Bane as a character, and why The Dark Knight Rises' themes feel more resonant today. Also, we'll address whether we want to see the DC Universe explore more of the Nolan-verse. Plus, we'll reveal which entry in The Dark Knight trilogy is our guests' favorite! Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Subscribe to Crooked Table on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@crookedtable

Follow Crooked Table on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/crookedtable

Crooked Table Productions is powered by Riverside.fm. Start your own audio or video project here 👉 https://riverside.sjv.io/c/2356989/2648500/28064

Batman Begins singlehandedly revived the DC superhero's film career. And The Dark Knight, well, it ensured that Batman would never stray far from the silver screen again. In this 2008 sequel, director Christopher Nolan took Christian Bale's Batman down a deeper, more morally complex path by pitting him against his ideological opposite: Heath Ledger's indelible Joker. Darin Lundberg of NostalgiaCast joins us to talk all about how Nolan and Bale expanded on their version of this iconic character. We'll discuss whether The Dark Knight lives up to its sterling reputation, which cast member gives a wildly underrated performance, and how the film's focus on theme and character set a new template for comic book movies. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Subscribe to Crooked Table on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@crookedtable

Follow Crooked Table on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/crookedtable

Crooked Table Productions is powered by Riverside.fm. Start your own audio or video project here 👉 https://riverside.sjv.io/c/2356989/2648500/28064

Batman was in a characteristically dark place in the early 2000s. After 1997's Batman & Robin, Warner Bros. struggled to figure out what its next move would be for Bruce Wayne's DC Comics alter-ego. Then an up-and-coming filmmaker named Christopher Nolan came in, and the resulting trilogy would leave an impact that still lingers within superhero movies. Film critic Nguyen Le joins us to kick off our mega-series on Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy with an in-depth chat about 2005's Batman Begins. We'll discuss Christian Bale's indelible performance in what is the first live-action Bat-movie about Bruce Wayne, Nolan's grounded approach to Gotham City and the Batman mythos, and how Batman Begins paves the way for what would come next. Are you ready to begin? Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Subscribe to Crooked Table on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@crookedtable

Follow Crooked Table on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/crookedtable

Crooked Table Productions is powered by Riverside.fm. Start your own audio or video project here 👉 https://riverside.sjv.io/c/2356989/2648500/28064

On paper, the introduction of an evil doppelganger for Kermit the Frog sounds like a worthy addition to the Muppet mythos. So why didn't the much-anticipated sequel to 2011's The Muppets connect with audiences? With the characters' popularity seemingly restored, Muppets Most Wanted saw Disney deflate this "viable franchise" soon after its reintroduction. Brandon from the Film Code Podcast joins the final episode of our Muppets mega-series as we investigate how Muppets Most Wanted failed to renew the fan goodwill of its predecessor. We'll discuss all those celebrity cameos (Lady Gaga! Tom Hiddleston!), what Constantine reveals about Kermit's role in the Muppets, and how Disney can reinvigorate the future of the Muppets. Also, we'll reveal which of the eight theatrical Muppet films our guests think is the pinnacle of the characters' big-screen career! Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Subscribe to Crooked Table on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@crookedtable

Follow Crooked Table on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/crookedtable

Crooked Table Productions is powered by Riverside.fm. Start your own audio or video project here 👉 https://riverside.sjv.io/c/2356989/2648500/28064

It was a dark time for moviegoers. After Muppets from Space failed to meet expectations, the Muppets took an extended break from the big screen. But following Disney's acquisition of the characters in 2004, they finally made their long-awaited return to cinemas with 2011's The Muppets. And judging by the box office receipts, the world welcomed them back with open arms. Film critic Dede Crimmins joins the show to talk about the Disney-produced legacy sequel that (temporarily) restored Kermit and friends to their former glory. We'll talk about how Walter (performed by Peter Linz) brings a fresh perspective to the franchise in The Muppets, the film's balance of human and Muppet characters, and Kermit and Miss Piggy's relationship status. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Subscribe to Crooked Table on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@crookedtable

Follow Crooked Table on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/crookedtable

Crooked Table Productions is powered by Riverside.fm. Start your own audio or video project here 👉 https://riverside.sjv.io/c/2356989/2648500/28064

In 1999, Muppets fans probably expected Kermit and friends to dive headfirst into a third consecutive literary adaptation. Instead, Jim Henson Company Pictures -- this time under Sony Pictures, not Disney -- decided to boldly go where no Muppet movie had gone before: the realm of science fiction. And so Muppets from Space was born. Sandro Falce from Oldie But a Goodie stops by to discuss the black sheep of the Muppet movie franchise, the one installment that stands alone in the characters' eight-movie run. We'll discuss the decision to build the story around Gonzo, Pepe the Prawn's big break, and crown "the people's Muppet." Also, can someone please direct us to The Muppet House? Thanks! Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Subscribe to Crooked Table on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@crookedtable

Follow Crooked Table on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/crookedtable

Crooked Table Productions is powered by Riverside.fm. Start your own audio or video project here 👉 https://riverside.sjv.io/c/2356989/2648500/28064

Once you've done Ebenezer Scrooge, the next logical step is Long John Silver, right? That's what Disney, Jim Henson Productions, and director Brian Henson apparently thought. After the success of 1992's The Muppet Christmas Carol, the Muppets stuck with literary adaptations, this time plugging them into Robert Louis Stevenson's 1883 novel Treasure Island. On this episode, screenwriter and actor Bri Azmoudeh joins us to talk all about 1996's Muppet Treasure Island. We'll discuss why making a pirate movie in the mid-1990s was such a bold move, how Henson's film works as an adaptation of Stevenson's book, and -- naturally -- the splendor that is the great Tim Curry's performance as the duplicitous Long John Silver. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Subscribe to Crooked Table on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@crookedtable

Follow Crooked Table on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/crookedtable

Crooked Table Productions is powered by Riverside.fm. Start your own audio or video project here 👉 https://riverside.sjv.io/c/2356989/2648500/28064

Following the death of Jim Henson, the Muppets were absent from the big screen for nearly a decade. But under the guidance of director Brian Henson, Jim's son, Kermit the Frog and company finally returned with a twist in 1992. And 30 years later, The Muppet Christmas Carol is one of the most beloved installments in the Muppet movie franchise. In this episode, film critic Morgan Roberts joins us to discuss how The Muppet Christmas Carol marked a new beginning for the Muppets. We'll cover how Jim Henson's death informed the movie, the decision to put the Muppets into a literary adaptation, Michael Caine's iconic Scrooge, and why the removal (and recent restoration) of a certain song matters. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Subscribe to Crooked Table on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@crookedtable

Follow Crooked Table on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/crookedtable

Crooked Table Productions is powered by Riverside.fm. Start your own audio or video project here 👉 https://riverside.sjv.io/c/2356989/2648500/28064

First, the Muppets got a movie. They solved a great caper. But taking Manhattan? In this economy?! Well, that's next in our Muppets mega-series. In 1984's The Muppets Take Manhattan, Kermit and company aspire to become Broadway stars. And director Frank Oz brings as much heart and unforgettable songs as fans would expect from a Muppet movie. The Vern from Cinema Recall joins the show to delve deep into the third theatrically released Muppet film. We'll discuss how Oz's film meddles even more with the Muppets' already loose canon, which musical numbers tug at our heartstrings the most, and The Muppets Take Manhattan's standing as the final entry in the franchise featuring Muppets creator Jim Henson. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Subscribe to Crooked Table on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@crookedtable

Follow Crooked Table on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/crookedtable

Crooked Table Productions is powered by Riverside.fm. Start your own audio or video project here 👉 https://riverside.sjv.io/c/2356989/2648500/28064