HollywoodOutsider

Lost, Breaking Bad, Battlestar Galactica, Dexter, Friends, etc. Hit shows have to eventually come to an end, and typically when they do, our expectations are high. We have endured this journey for years, and because of that, we each have a conclusion somewhere in the back of our minds. But when we finally reach that last episode, and anticipation has overtaken our own internal logic, how many TV shows actually end perfectly?

On this episode, we take a look at audience expectations on TV series finales. With Game of Thrones set to end in just a few weeks, millions of fans are gearing up for what they expect to be an amazing conclusion...but is that fair? Do the show-runners owe us a fantastic conclusion, or should they be allowed to tell the story as they see fit?

Speaking of Game of Thrones: after our normal show, be sure to listen to our new Patreon exclusive podcast covering the final season! We have released the first episode here to whet your appetite, and every week after until the finale, you will be treated to a new episode. Be sure to sign up to keep listening at Patreon.com/ TheHollywoodOutsider

Also this week: a news roundup, a listener asks us to rid the world of one actor each, review of Hellboy, and much more. Come back next week for our 2019 Summer Movie Preview!

• (0:00 – 27:53) Opening | News Roundup
• (27:54 – 36:21) Review: Hellboy | New Releases
• (36:22 – 1:22:20) From The Outside In: Can TV Series Finales Ever Live Up To Our Expectations?
• (1:22:21 - 2:06:06) Game of Thrones Season 8 Premiere Discussion
• Email topic suggestions or episode reactions to [email protected]

Set in West Virginia, Back Fork takes a brutal look at the opioid crisis affecting millions of people every day. Josh Stewart stars as Waylon and A.J. Cook portrays Nida, a married couple dealing with an overwhelming family tragedy. When coping proves impossible, pills find their way into Waylon's life to dull the pain. When he finds himself in a place he never thought possible, Waylon is forced to face his inner demons or surrender to his addiction forever.

You’ve seen Josh Stewart in films like The Collector, The Dark Knight Rises, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, as well as numerous TV projects like Criminal Minds, Dirt, and most recently Shooter and as that viciously likable foe John Pilgrim in the final season of The Punisher.

Stewart is also a writer and director, and his first project, The Hunted, revolved around a pair of hunters trapped in the West Virginia mountains with an unseen force. With his latest film, Back Fork, he returns to West Virginia and takes on a much more serious horror: opioid addiction.

On this exclusive interview, we sit down with writer-director-star Josh Stewart as he discusses a myriad of topics including his career, why the story of Back Fork was an important one to share, and why he loves shooting in West Virginia. This is an enlightening interview with a rising talent you won't want to miss!

Back Fork is now available on VOD everywhere. Listen or read the full interview https://www.thehollywoodoutsider.com/

On this week's episode, we take a look at the movie adaptations of arguably the greatest horror author in history, Stephen King. For several decades now, both readers and audiences have been terrified by the works of Stephen King, in all forms of entertainment. As with anything, not all of his adaptations click, and occasionally the results are scarier than the source material. But those that do, have become classic films that have horrified generations.

Because we love King, we left it to our listeners to decide the final eight films with which we'd handle our latest Movie Battle Royale, and the nominees are all great in their own way: Pet Sematary, The Mist, Misery, Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, Stand By Me, IT (2017), The Shining. Which will end up as the greatest Stephen King adaptation of all-time?

Also this week: a news roundup, Amsterdam takes on 5D, a Stephen King iteration of Movie Innuendo, reviews of Pet Sematary and Shazam, and much more.

• (0:00 – 24:29) Opening | News Roundup, Amsterdam goes 5D | Movie Innuendo
• (24:30 – 52:10) Reviews: Shazam and Pet Sematary | New Releases
• (52:11 – 1:48:10 From The Outside In: Stephen King Adaptation Movie Battle Royale
• (1:48:11 - 1:55:12) Closing | Outtakes
• Email topic suggestions or episode reactions to [email protected]

As Game of Thrones sets sail for their final season, we have arrived to wrap up the past as we discuss all of the comings and goings in Westeros during Season 7. On this special episode, we take the major happenings over the past 7 episodes and discuss what we loved or loathed about our favorite heroes and villains in the Seven Kingdoms.

Unlike many podcasts, we will not be breaking things down chronologically. Instead, we take on each territory as we inch toward The Great War that has been prophesized for years. From Dragonstone to the Citadel, From the Twins to winter finally hitting King’s Landing, from Winterfell to the destruction of The Wall – it’s all wrapped up in this exciting series recap.

Jon, Dany, Cersei, Jamie, Euron, Tyrion, Sansa, Arya, even The Hound! The gang’s all here, and we’re ready to tackle this season in the most cutthroat way possible. Take a listen to our Game of Thrones Season 7 Recap and Reactions Podcast!

Enter our Game of Thrones Season 8 contest at THIS LINK

Discussed on this episode of The Hollywood Outsider Movie and TV Podcast:

• Each territory covered on the series, and the happenings of the characters within each
• The show has greatly sped up travel time, did it affect your enjoyment?
• The special effects this past season as situations amp up
• Is the show maintaining its strength now that the showrunners, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are in full command and George R. R. Martin's work remains unfinished?
• Best and least favorite moments
• Wants, needs, and predictions for Game of Thrones to come
• Email us your thoughts on the episode, answer our ‘What’s This Movie?’, or suggest a topic to [email protected] or leave us a message at 818-814-6246
• Please support The Hollywood Outsider by visiting Patreon.com/TheHollywoodOutsider

On this week's episode, we take a look at that weirdly connective phenomena which is known as the "TV crossover". Networks have utilized these for years as examples as to how to sell their television shows to people who might not be watching them: Mulder and Scully went to COPS, Angela Lansbury headed to Magnum P.I., and the CW combines an entire DC universe once a year. These events can often be nothing more than publicity stunts, but often times they create something beautiful. And we're going to throw our two cents in the mix, crossing over TV shows to create several brand new properties! Oh, we have some ideas.

At the end of our show, we then tackle Jordan Peele's latest opus, US. A film which follows Lupita Nyong'o as Adelaide, a wife and mother headed back with her family to Santa Cruz, a place where tragedy struck her decades earlier. As they grow closer to the beach where everything happened, Adelaide begins to sense things are very wrong. When four strangers arrive that night in the driveway of their remote home, the terror of US begins to unfold.

A follow-up to his wonderful debut, Get Out, Jordan Peele again tackles societal discussion under the guise of horror to mixed results. Take a listen as we dive deep into Peele's complex mythology and debate what works and what doesn't in our US spoilercast!

Also this week: a news roundup, Apple TV+ is announced for the Fall, and The Matrix turns 20 years old.

Find more info at 

• (0:00 – 22:49) Opening | News Roundup, Apple TV+ Announced
• (22:50 – 50:11) Significant Anniversary: The Matrix Turns 20 | New Releases
• (50:12 – 1:17:08 From The Outside In: Television Crossover Ideas
• (1:17:08 - 2:06:33) Jordan Peele's US Spoilercast
• Email topic suggestions or episode reactions to [email protected]

The South by Southwest Festival is one of the largest of its kind in the world. Every year, thousands of fans arrive in downtown Austin, TX to partake in a couple of weeks of great music, technology, and film. For this special episode of The Hollywood Outsider, we take you along for our annual deep dive into the heart of the film festival portion, and even further into the films themselves.

Over the course of nine days, the 2019 SXSW Film Festival screened over 130 features, many from first-time filmmakers (consisting of World Premieres, North American Premieres, and US Premieres), shorts, virtual reality exhibits, title design, and other works. These films were selected from thousands of overall submissions, and – while we can’t see them all – we have a nice sample to share with you of what came out of this stellar lineup of independent films. Over 20 films are on our docket this year (see below for a complete list), and we review them all…with more than a few surprises along the way.

So sit back and relax. You’re about to experience South by Southwest from the comfort of your own home.

Find complete details on the movies discussed at https://www.thehollywoodoutsider.com/sxsw-2019-south-by-southwest-345/

On this week's episode, we take a look a several superhero movies that we feel didn't quite work. Was it a moment, or an entire script that broke that respective film? Whatever it was, can it be fixed? From there, we offer a few minor tweaks that possibly could have saved a franchise or too. That's right, we're going to fix a superhero movie!

At the end of our show, we then wade into the waters of Marvel's latest attempt at launching another hero: Captain Marvel! Brie Larson stars as Carol Danvers, who essentially wakes up unaware of who she is, or why she has so many powers. The film follows Carol's journey of self-discovery as she partners up with Sam Jackson's Nick Fury to, you know, save the planet. We discuss Marvel's latest introduction of a major character, what works and what doesn't, and where we want Captain Marvel to go next.

Also this week: Review of Triple Threat, listener questions, and much more.

• (0:00 – 42:30) Opening | From The Outside In: Let's Fix A Superhero Movie
• (42:31 – 50:19) Review: Triple Threat | New Releases
• (50:20– 1:07:21) Listener Questions
• (1:07:22– 1:39:15) Captain Marvel Spoilercast
• Email topic suggestions or episode reactions to [email protected]

Did you grow up on films like Airplane, Blazing Saddles, or There's Something About Mary? Films that often made light of race, gender, sex, handicaps, and all other manners of things that shouldn't be mocked? If you're like us, you remember laughing at things that you knew, deep in your soul, were horrible to make light of. Yet, at the same time, these inappropriate outbursts of comedic inspiration broke down even the strongest composures, and even occasionally sparked a conversation that was previously too uncomfortable to have.  Our topic for this week revolves around politically incorrect comedies, and specifically if the concept of such is currently as dead as the western.

Then we turn our focus to the Beloit International Film Festival (BIFF), which takes place annually in the city of Beloit, Wisconsin. Running for 10 days, typically at the end of Feb or the beginning of March, the festival plays 100+ films from over 25 different countries ranging from narrative features, to documentaries, to shorts, and even features a showdown between Illinois and Wisconsin filmmakers.

The films screen in a variety of local venues, so not only is it a festival where a vast assortment of films can be found, but it also supports the local economy and involves residents working as volunteers as well. On this episode of The Hollywood Outsider, we turn a spotlight to BIFF and our thoughts on the festival, as well as reviews for several of the films we screened there.

Also this week: Trailer spoilers rage on again, Steven Spielberg takes on Netflix, a special guest drops by for a major announcement, our review of A Madea Family Funeral, and much more.

• (0:00 – 39:32) Opening | News: trailer spoilers rage on again, Steven Spielberg takes on Netflix, a special guest drops by for a major announcement, and much more
• (39:33 – 48:59) Review: A Madea Family Funeral | New Releases: Captain Marvel, Walk. Ride. Rodeo., and After Live
• (49:00 – 1:21:52) From The Outside In: Are Politically Incorrect Comedies Dead?
• (1:21:53– 2:03:21) The Beloit International Film Festival | Closing
• Email topic suggestions or episode reactions to [email protected]

For our first Movie Battle Royale of 2019, we decided to climb aboard the Oscar train and look at some of the Best Picture winners of decades past. If you took a single decade, and looked at all 10 winners, which film would stand the test of time to be crowned the greatest film of that respective decade?

So this week, we’re discussing the Best Picture winners of the 2000s. A decade ripe with classics, but only 10 verified winners of The Academy Award’s top prize. Previous guest Scott Calgaro joins us to debate and decide on which one film rises above the others to win the title of the Best Picture of the aughts! ! Will it be Gladiator, Slumdog Millionaire, The Hurt Locker, Crash, Chicago, A Beautiful Mind, Million Dollar Baby, No Country for Old Men, Gladiator, The Departed, or Lord of the Rings: Return of the King? You’re about to find out.

Also this week: Rotten Tomatoes comes to their senses with audience scores; A Quiet Place 2, Escape Room 2, and The Haunting of Hill House Season 2(now known as The Haunting of Bly Manor) are all happening; and we discuss our reactions to this year's Oscar ceremony. From the winners, to the shocks, to the ceremony itself.

• (0:00 – 20:08) Opening | News: Rotten Tomatoes comes to their senses with audience scores; A Quiet Place 2, Escape Room 2, and The Haunting of Hill House Season 2 are all happening
• (20:09 – 1:06:44) Oscars 2019 Reactions | Contest Winner
• (1:06:45 – 1:55:38) From The Outside In: The Academy Awards Movie Battle Royale: Best Picture 2000s Edition
• (1:55:39 – 2:04:29) Recommendations | Closing | Outtakes
• Email topic suggestions or episode reactions to [email protected]

Found footage is a subgenre in which all or a substantial part of the film is presented as if it were discovered film or video recordings. The events on screen are typically seen through the camera of one or more of the characters involved, often accompanied by their real-time, off-camera commentary. The footage may be presented as if it were "raw" and complete or as if it had been edited into a narrative by those who "found" it.

While it wasn’t the first, The Blair Witch Project is the movie that truly launched found footage into the stratosphere, as many people believed that these “TAPES” were real, and that these kids had disappeared in the woods. Other films like Paranormal Activity and Cloverfield took the genre to varying heights, and countless others proved that it was the cheapest possible option to make a movie on an indie budget. Like any genre, found footage is stacked with pluses and minuses.

On this week's podcast, we discuss the highs and lows of found footage, what works and what turns us off about the entire genre. We also each put together our personal takes on the genre itself and build a perfect found footage film.

Also this week, Netflix and Marvel officially parts ways plus a slew of entertainment news. Reviews of How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World and Alita: Battle Angel, a peek at new releases, and much more.

• (0:00 – 30:10) Opening | News: Netflix and Marvel get a divorce, a slew of entertainment news, and much more |
• (30:11 – 58:25) Reviews of Alita: Battle Angel and Paranoia Tapes 2: Press Play | New Releases: How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World and Donnybrook
• (58:26 – 1:40:39) From The Outside In: Building A Perfect Found Footage Film
• (1:40:40 – 1:53:38) Recommendations | Closing | Outtakes
• Email topic suggestions or episode reactions to [email protected]