While KoE works on an upcoming project; Wade, James, and Hugh talk about the state of criticism, the state of media literacy, and how that relates to Culture, past and present.  Why don't certain people even pretend to read books anymore?  

After this the discussion switches over to recent politics.  Which you can access on the patreon if that's your thing:

https://patreon.com/kickersofelves

We talk about One Battle After Another, but then get caught up in what others might think of his tenth movie *cough* Quentin, where's your last movie? *cough*

What directors are in text streams together?

Just how humane a filmmaker is Paul Thomas Anderson and how does he compare to Quentin Tarantino, David Fincher, Ari Aster, Guillermo Del Toro, Martin Scorcese, and -of course- the Coen Brothers?

We go back to the old ways:  Three of us having disagreements about a science fiction television show.

We talk a while about Noah Hawley as craftsman and artist, and what we think about the first four episodes of Alien: Earth on FX.

Find more of us talking over at Patreon!

patreon.com/kickersofelves

Why is Wade crying all the time?  What a wimp.

Was Superman good? 

How does Superman, a movie we all watched, compare with Fantastic Four, a movie only Hugh saw? 

Is Supes anti-Israel?  Does it have first act problems?

Are we as a nation ready to walk away from super hero movies?

What would Benjamin Sisko have to say about the retro futurism of the Fantastic Four?

In Kickers of Elves fashion, we let the conversation wind all over the place.

Get more of that on patreon, where you can hear us talk about Hulk Hogan and more this week:

https://patreon.com/kickersofelves

We're living in a transitional moment for American history.  So lets talk about the Western in cinema and American identity.  

Was this simply a tense movie about how we all lost our minds during Covid, or an evil inverse of the John Ford Western?

We all saw Ari Aster's Eddington.  You should too because we spoil it pretty thoroughly in this in depth discussion.  

If you want that Star Trek Strange New Worlds update before Star Trek Resignation covers it check out the patreon!  But be prepared to hear us talk about cats.

https://patreon.com/kickersofelves

We talk a bit about Ryan Coogler's excellent vampire movie Sinners, then we talk some other movies and such, but then hey don't worry the conversation swings back to Sinners at the end... by way of Greek philosophy and Epicurious. Yeah, that's right.

Hear more from Kickers of Elves over at Patreon!

https://patreon.com/kickersofelves

We watched Pee Wee: Himself.  As kids of the 90s I think we're required to.  

For more after the explosion, try out the patreon

https://patreon.com/kickersofelves

Wait no! Star Wars!

For a podcast that started in "the Golden Age of Television,"  we talk about one of the best shows we can remember here on the other side, past "Peak Tv," and sliding down the post-streaming decline.  How does Andor compare to The Sopranos, for instance?

You've had time to watch it.  Here we finally talk about it. Tony Gilroy made a Star Wars show for grown ups. How bout that?  

Check out more content on Patreon, and help pay the hosting fees, if you feel like it. https://www.patreon.com/c/kickersofelves

Listen to hear how we would punch up Reacher, stay to hear how we'd cast Bones for Strange New Worlds. James is trying to stomach Disco. Will he try to Picard? Audience capture and being trapped in Ryan's World. Wade reflects on what he got out of watching Discovery.  

Check out the patreon for more on Mickey 17, the docuseries The Center Seat: 55 Years of Star Trek, TNG, and details on James' Trek pilot script!

https://www.patreon.com/posts/mickey-17-plus-125151195

James is back on Star Trek. So we talked about it.

Listen in while James workshops his pitch for a new Star Trek show that will never get made BUT ONE THAT WOULD BE GOOD!

On the Patreon you can hear us go on about that new Captain America movie.  It's ok if you didn't see it. Only Hugh did.

https://patreon.com/kickersofelves