Gratuitous Pausing Podcast

Our Game of Thrones mini-series continues. This week we talk about all of the relationships budding in Winterfell before the battle, the significance of subterranean locations this season, redemption arcs for a number of characters, and a long list of death predictions for next week's episode.

Sarah Hollowell's Bang of Thrones article

This week, in our Right Hand of Doom Sized Special, we're diving into glorious Urban Fantasy Pulp by watching Every Hellboy. We'll start with a review of the Hellboy that came to theaters last week and is LEAVING theaters this week, if you need an indication of how well it's doing, and then diving into the rest after. We'll also dig into the use of tone and color, monster designs and metaphors, women being allowed to do things, our ongoing adulation of practical effects, and Troll in Central Park. We hope you enjoy. 

Timestamps: 

Hellboy (2019) (Spoilers) - 6:30

Comic - 24:44

Hellboy (2004) - 31:17

Sword of Storms/Blood and Iron - 39:00

Hellboy II: The Golden Army - 47:45

Dog Soldiers 2: Strays

Welcome to the first episode of our new Game of Thrones mini-series. Here we dig into the opener of the final season, discuss the reunions, murder plots, and looming undead army that we have to look forward to in the coming episodes.

Sarah Hollowell's GoT relationship recap Bang of Thrones

In the FINAL MATCH of our SECOND BRACKET, we compare Road To Perdition (2002) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990). Because these films are so different, we have to get GRANULAR. There are POINTS. We'll dig into The Bechdel Test, the proper use of light, music, and editing, and what REALLY makes for a good comic book film.

This is the last match before the finale. Which animal themed comic film gets a shot at the top spot, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) or The Crow (1994)? To find out we look into the symbolism of fire and eyes, cut plotlines, character death, weak motivations, and spend much too long analyzing 56 seconds of film. 

Because it's March Madness Month, we decided to do a bracket! (Of two films! (Because we were already doing brackets.)) Anyway, it's Western Week with Road to Perdition (2002) and Cowboys and Aliens (2011). This week includes an eclectic playlist, Star Wars Hot Takes, and we figure out how to make Cowboys and Aliens good.

Any problems with the audio quality are caused by all this gritty drama clashing as we look at The Crow (1994) and Watchmen (2009). We'll examine dead men, deader horses, tort reform, and rain. As always with these two, there is a trigger warning.

Also thanks to Mike Knoll of The Equelizers and A Study in Granada for lending his voice to the episode

We have two very different takes on anthropomorphic animals this week between the titular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles(1990) and Snoopy of The Peanuts Movie(2015). Listen to our musings on mentor figures, anti-consumerism, inconsistent characterization, and some poor dialogue choices for children's media. Also be prepared to learn more about the TMNT film and cartoon franchise than you ever wanted to know.

This week covers all things we associate with boyhood, wild west action, lasers, aliens, dangerous pranks toward the elderly, and a near complete lack of empathy. As we once again discuss Dennis the Menace(1993) and Cowboys & Aliens(2011) we'll get into the storied histories of both franchises, failed character arcs, gender dynamics, & toxic masculinity.

The Story of Handbook for Mortals

A Study in Granada

Welcome to Round 2 everyone, we're starting things off with revisiting two very enjoyable, but very different films, Men in Black (1997) and Road to Perdition (2002). We'll get into the history of the franchises, including their history with each other, commercial vs critical success, and the ways both films depict violence and women.