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On the podcast this week, Steven and Sean are calling out to ground control. Steven and Sean to ground control, we’ve stepped through the door and we’re floating in a most peculiar way. Ground control, the stars look very different today. Ground control, we’re talking about Alfonso Cuarón’s 2013 film, Gravity.

This film shows, in extensive, breathless detail, what’s easily one of my greatest fears. The thought of floating, weightless and untethered, into the dark, where I’ll slowly expire and remain for all eternity is enough to give me chills. We tip our hats to all the filmmakers involved with this one because it’s a clear masterwork, but damn is it a tense film.

Sandra Bullock plays Dr. Ryan Stone on her first space mission. She’s up there with a small crew to make essential repairs to the Hubble Space Telescope. Among the crew is the wise-cracking Matt Kowalski, played with joy and professionalism by George Clooney. This is not his first space mission, indeed, he’s very close to setting a spacewalking record.

Following the destruction of a Russian satellite, a wave of deadly debris rockets toward them, destroying the shuttle they’re attached to and killing everyone on the crew, save for Ryan and Matt. To survive and make it back to Earth, they’re going to have to float their way over first to the International Space Station and then the Tiangong space station. It’s a harrowing, butt-clenching journey that tests their will to live and shows them that there’s always a reason to survive.

Also, it’s a frightening film. It hardly ever lets up for very long. If Stone isn’t narrowly avoiding small chunks of debris threatening to punch holes through her body, she’s on the verge of just giving it all up and killing herself. And who can blame her with all she’s going through? I can’t imagine what it must be like to wonder if every second that passes will be the last one you ever have.

This entire movie is why I’m more than okay with not being an astronaut, or spending any time way out in the ocean for that matter. I plan on keeping both feet firmly planted on (mostly) friendly, trustworthy land for the rest of my life. Will I miss out on traveling through the universe and seeing amazing things? Probably, but then I’ve also seen enough Star Trek to know that advanced and dependable star ships are still prone to getting exploded by angry space aliens.

I don’t want that either.

What I want instead is to tell you that this film is wonderful. It’s a technical marvel; it deserves every accolade it received for its cinematography, visual effects, and sound work. It’s engrossing, terrifying, and jubilant. Sandra Bullock also gives one of the greatest performances ever. It’s a good film that’s sure to stick with you for a long time.

(Recorded on January 04, 2020)

Links to Stuff We Mentioned:

Gravity - IMDb

Gravity trailer - YouTube

Inaccuracies in Gravity | Gravitymovie Wiki - Fandom

Alfonso Cuarón - IMDb

Emmanuel Lubezki - IMDb

Apple’s new spatial audio feature turns the AirPods Pro into a home theater for your ears - The Verge

Sandra Bullock - IMDb

George Clooney - IMDb

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On the podcast this week, Steven and Sean are celebrating our very first b-movie bonus episode of the year with a… Well, not a paragon of ‘90s action goodness, per se. More of a middling example of guns going pew-pew in a movie. It’s the Keenen Ivory Wayans film from 1994, A Low Down Dirty Shame.

Not only is this our first b-movie bonus episode, it’s our first four person “roundtable” show. This time, we’re joined by returning guest Johnny SoCal and first-time guest Greg Vander Velde. We’re thrilled to have them both on.

This film is a good example of the sort of generic action movie that was produced during most of the ‘90s. Many of them feel like they were stamped out of a giant roll of films by a large cookie cutter. They’ve got many of the same qualities:

• An entire small nation’s supply of bullets shot at every single character,
• Troublesome objectification of women (who can still give as good as they take),
• An antagonist that you’re going to struggle to remember even before the end credits start rolling, and
• Production quality that’s, well, it’s fine. It’s just fine.

On the plus side, this one has the distinction of hardly having a single white person in the entire cast. That’s a welcome change, and was unfortunately novel back when it was made. I mean, I love me some Terminator 2, Speed, and Mission: Impossible, but diversity was not really a hallmark of this era.

This one is a b-movie for a reason, though. We’ll give it this: it’s got a hell of a lot of heart. It’s apparent that every single actor wanted to make this a great film, and that helps immensely. Where the story may falter, the enthusiasm of its creators makes up for its shortcomings. Keenen Ivory Wayans plays it cool, Salli Richardson-Whitfield keeps you guessing, and Jada Pinkett Smith is just a straight-up bad-ass.

A b-movie it may be, but it’s a worthy addition to our catalog.

(Recorded on January 11, 2021)

Links to Stuff We Mentioned:

A Low Down Dirty Shame - IMDb

A Low Down Dirty Shame trailer - YouTube

Avatar: The Last Airbender - IMDb

The Legend of Korra - IMDb

A Brief History of Nickelodeon Slime | NickRewind - YouTube

Keenen Ivory Wayans - IMDb

Lethal Weapon - IMDb

Lethal Weapon 4 - IMDb

Jada Pinkett Smith - IMDb

Michael Bay - IMDb

Jurassic Park - IMDb

Eat Pray Love - IMDb

Hero's journey - Wikipedia

Catwoman - IMDb

Halle Berry - IMDb

Gotham - IMDb

(Jada Pinkett Smith did not, in fact, star as Selina Kyle in this show. Sean could not have been more confidently wrong in this episode.)

The Matrix Reloaded - IMDb

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On the podcast this week, Steven and Sean are, well, we’re not killing anybody, softly or… hardly? That’s for damn sure. I mean, Brad Pitt may be cool and all, and he makes a goatee look halfway decent, but the dude’s character is a straight-up contract killer in this one. We don’t support that. Anyway, this week it’s all about the 2012 film from Andrew Dominik, Killing Them Softly.

And let’s talk about Pitt’s performance. It’s entrancing. It’s quiet. It’s menacing in its kindness and grotesque in its violence. It’s also quite the thing to juxtapose next to his Jeffrey Goines character in 12 Monkeys. Have there ever been two more disparate people?

…

None are springing to mind. Hats off to this wonderful person. He’s been a real, self-made (arguably thanks to a great many talented people along the way) actor. He’s got humble beginnings growing up in Springfield, Missouri, and now he’s one of the most well-regarded actors of his time. It’s remarkable to see someone who knows what he’s capable of and is still willing to make relatively small films like this one. It goes to prove how humble and dedicated to his craft he is when he’s willing to take these non-flashy roles, although it’s still impossible to take your eyes off him.

Okay, enough gushing about this wonderful man. Onto the film!

Killing Them Softly boils down to being about the consequences a few men face after getting caught up in a robbery, and not being too smart after the event. Rule number one of robbing anyone: don’t run your damn mouth about the score afterwards! Should be pretty obvious, right?

There’s no shortage of stupid people out there and the stupidity of one of these characters ruins the good time everyone was having. What’s got to happen when the ledgers of powerful, violent people dip into the red? Well, someone’s got to balance those scales (I’ll stop mixing metaphors now). Pitt’s called in to take care of the mess these foolish thieves have gotten themselves into.

In this case, “take care of” doesn’t mean a stern talking to; people are going to die. In sometimes spectacular, slow-motion fashion.

It’s a simple film—there’s a robbery and then there are killings. Cause and effect. Doesn’t get much more straightforward than that. However, the film elevates this story with amazing visuals, some superb sound work, and acting that’ll knock your pants off. It may not be for everybody, but if you’re cool with violence and a slower-moving plot, this is definitely your cup of tea.

(Recorded on December 29, 2020)

Links to Stuff We Mentioned:

Killing Them Softly - IMDb

Killing Them Softly trailer - YouTube

Brad Pitt - IMDb

Ray Liotta - IMDb

Requiem for a Dream - IMDb

Scoot McNairy - IMDb

Ben Mendelsohn - IMDb

Vincent Curatola - IMDb

The Joker | Batman Wiki - Fandom

The Dark Knight - IMDb

Ford Fiesta - Wikipedia

Kick-Ass - IMDb

John Wick - IMDb

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On the podcast this week, Steven and Sean are trying to find out if we’re actually the love children of some freaky human-robot coupling in the Denis Villeneuve film from 2017, Blade Runner 2049.

It’s not often that you get a sequel that’s arguably just as good or even better than its predecessor. What other films can you say that about? The Godfather: Part II? The Empire Strikes Back? The Dark Knight? This one is sitting in some pretty rarified air. The first Blade Runner film was a marvel and pushed the science fiction genre forward. Its sequel not only does the same, but it’s damn beautiful to boot.

We’ve got “K,” a replicant blade runner, who’s tasked with rounding up and retiring, i.e. killing, renegade replicants. A routine retiring leads him to a pretty shocking discovery: is K actually the child of our old pals, Rick Deckard and Rachael? How would that even work? Rachael is not a human being. Giving birth to any sort of life form should be impossible. Right?

Hey, if that was the case, then we wouldn’t have this remarkable film to talk about.

K’s got quite the mystery to suss out. Along the way, he stumbles on the insane machinations of a large, global corporation, uncovers memories that may or may not be his own, and learns about a growing underground resistance movement (another sequel, anyone?). It’s riveting and played with more depth by Ryan Gosling than you would expect from a robot.

I mean, his character’s the robot. Not Ryan Gosling. We don’t mean to imply he isn’t human. We still want to be best friends with him one day and we’re not going to blow our chances here.

It’s all set in a future Los Angeles that seems bleak, oppressive, and yet, not far off from reality. It looks as if L.A. and someplace like Tokyo or Seoul joined and became one super-city. If this is the future that’s in store for us, then what a curious ride it’ll be. Hey, at least we’ll have flying cars.

This film sounds amazing. It looks flawless (and earned cinematographer Roger Deakins his first Oscar win). It’s got a brilliant story and staggering performances. I can’t think of any other adjectives to describe this one. It’s just wonderful and worth a watch.

(Recorded on December 28, 2020)

Links to Stuff We Mentioned:

Blade Runner 2049 - IMDb

Blade Runner 2049 trailer - YouTube

Love Actually - IMDb

Valentine's Day - IMDb

Ryan Gosling - IMDb

Blade Runner - IMDb

Judge Dredd - IMDb

Dune - Wikipedia

Westworld - IMDb

Westworld Season 1 Opening Credits - YouTube

Adamantium | Marvel Database - Fandom

Cylon | Battlestar Galactica Wiki - Fandom

Cyberman | Tardis - Fandom

MPC Replicating Rachael in Blade Runner 2049 – fxguide

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope - IMD

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On the podcast this week, Steven and Sean are hunting down a cadre of murderous, doomed robots in the 1982 film from Ridley Scott, Blade Runner.

This film is set in 2019, a time that, I think it’s safe to say, most of us have lived through. We’re familiar with what 2019 actually was: mostly meh, but hey, at least there wasn’t a rampaging virus ruining everyone’s time and a bunch of dumb butts who think wearing masks is a rights issue.

This film missed the reality mark quite a bit, technology-wise. We don’t have flying cars, super photo enhancers, or robots so real that they’ve pretty much passed the Turing test. It sure would be a lot cooler if we did. Who doesn’t watch a film like this one and think, “Dang, it would be so great if I could just take a nap on a long car ride. I could if I had one of those automated, flying cars!”

Maybe it’s okay that we don’t have all those things, though? Flying cars would be amazing, but who out there wants to be killed by a robot with a grudge? I can safely say that’s not how I want to go out (I’m hoping for death by puppies).

We’d end up having to entrust our safety in the blade runners. They appear to do a dang good job of dispensing all the rogue replicants, but it seems like living in this future is a tough task. It’s pissing rain all the time, bleak mega-cities are what people call home, and I’d bet the wealth disparity is off the charts. It’s a freaking dystopia! Even Harrison Ford can’t make me want to live in this world.

Still though, it’s a damn good film that encourages deep thoughts and fun conversation. It’s truly impressive how well this film still holds up many decades after its release. It set the bar high for science fiction films and has rarely been outmatched. This one is a classic that everyone should see at least once.

(Recorded on December 21, 2020)

Links to Stuff We Mentioned:

Blade Runner - IMDb

Blade Runner trailer - YouTube

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? - Wikipedia

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers - IMDb

How I Met Your Mother - IMDb

Broken Toe: Symptoms, Recovery, and More - Healthline

Unbreakable - IMDb

Candyman - IMDb

Ridley Scott - IMDb

Hampton Fancher - IMDb

The resolution war: is cinema falling behind home entertainment on innovation? - Screen Daily

Batman - IMDb

Smallville - IMDb

Brightburn - IMDb

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - IMDb

Turing test - Wikipedia

Fatman (2020) - IMDb

Mel Gibson’s alcohol abuse and legal issues - Wikipedia

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On the podcast this week, Steven and Sean are on the trail of a potential underwater madman. We’re trying to avoid nuclear catastrophe in a tense race against time with the 1990 film from John McTiernan, The Hunt for Red October.

What a way to kick off the ‘90s, right? This is a suspenseful film about a Soviet Union submarine captain trying to defect because his country was responsible for the death of his wife. This is no easy task to accomplish, especially in 1984, when this story is set. International relations between the U.S. and the Soviets was strained, to say the least.

We’ve got a defecting captain and a two warring sides who don’t really know what the hell is going on with this man’s sub. Is he going to attack the U.S.? Is he trying to screw over the Soviets by giving up all their closely held secrets?

Either way, Marko Ramius, played by peak-awesomeness Sean Connery, is in a tough position. This guy just wants to make it to safety alive, and he does it with such a calm, debonair attitude. “Oh, these subs are firing torpedoes at my sub? Ain’t no thang, we’ll just juke out these explosive life-enders and keep going on our merry way.”

If I could learn how to keep as calm as he does under intense pressure, I’d probably be able to do anything.

This is the first Jack Ryan movie, and it’s amazing. It set the standard for films starring relatively unassuming office workers who find themselves trying to save the world. A young Alec Baldwin stars as Ryan, a stable counterpart to Ramius. The confidence these two men possess is needed in a film that’s chock-full of other people who are just freaking the hell out all the time.

It all makes for a compelling and exciting film that holds up and will continue to be an excellent film. The technology we see here is certainly obsolete, but a superb film doesn’t stop being great just because we have iPhones now. This one is top-notch and you’d do yourself a favor to see it.

(Recorded on December 14, 2020)

Links to Stuff We Mentioned:

The Hunt for Red October - IMDb

The Hunt for Red October trailer - IMDb

Sean Connery - IMDb

Alec Baldwin - IMDb

Tom Clancy - Wikipedia

(What do you know, Clancy didn’t have a military career. Dude apparently had truly terrible eyesight. Minus one podcast point for Sean who said he did.)

Jack Ryan (character) - Wikipedia

John Grisham - Wikipedia

Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark - IMDb

The resolution war: is cinema falling behind home entertainment on innovation? - Screen Daily

Big Game - IMDb

Jack Ryan (film series) - Wikipedia

John Krasinski’s super muscly muscles - Train Mag

Emily Blunt - IMDb

The Office (U.S.) - IMDb

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Guess who’s back? Johnny’s back! And this time he’s trying to take over the entire show. It’s a mutiny! A coup d’état even! We shan’t let him get away with this. Nay, say we! We shall fight him on the beaches, we shall fight him in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight him in the hills; we shall never surrender!

…

Nah, we actually invited him back because it was so much fun talking with him last time about Inside Man. This time we’ve secured him for one of our B-movie bonus episodes! We’re talking about a pretty dang Finnish film that also happens to star Samuel L. Jackson. It’s the Jalmari Helander film from 2014, Big Game.

What do you do when you’re a little Finnish boy who finds the President of the United States of America trapped in an Air Force One escape pod that’s crash-landed deep in the snowy woods of your homeland and immediately have some crazed terrorists and a bloodthirsty Secret Service member hunting you down? Well, you trek through dense forests, hike up snowy mountains, and get dangled from military-grade helicopters. You do everything you can to save the President.

You shake loose the boy you once were and become the man you’ve always dreamt of becoming!

Seriously, all that crazy stuff does happen. And it… is… amazing. If we ever find ourselves trapped in the frozen Finnish wilderness, we’re going to look for someone with a bow and arrow strapped to their back and determination burning in their heart.

You’re guaranteed to make it out alive that way.

When it comes to our monthly B-movie episodes, there’s only one question we’re trying to answer by the end: is this movie brilliant or a blunder? We’ll leave it to you to listen to the episode to find out.

(Recorded on July 16, 2020)

Links to Stuff We Mentioned:

Big Game - IMDb

Big Game trailer - YouTube

Inside Man | More Movies Please! - Libsyn

Samuel L. Jackson - IMDb

Onni Tommila - IMDb

300 - IMDb

Survivor - IMDb

15 surprising things you didn't know about 'Survivor' - Insider

Dr. Evil - Wikipedia

Battle of the Bastards | Game of Thrones - Fandom

Halo - Wikipedia

Sharktopus | More Movies Please! - Libsyn

Snakes on a Plane | More Movies Please! - Libsyn

First Blood - IMDb

Virgin birth of Jesus - Wikipedia

Sean referred to this as the “immaculate conception” and he couldn’t have been more wrong. Sorry, Baby Jesus.

The Matrix - IMDb

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - IMDb

Nuke Town Escape | Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - YouTube

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On the podcast this week, Steven and Sean are becoming horse-people—yes, freaking horse-people—in the thought-provoking, subversive 2018 film from Boots Riley, Sorry to Bother You.

It’s safe to say that this film wasn’t quite what we expected it to be. Did it seem like it would be an intelligent piece of satire that does what all good satire is capable of—shining a bright, damning light on a major problem with the world? You better believe that’s exactly what it was. Did it give any indication that Armie Hammer was turning human beings into strong, tireless horse-people for increased corporate efficiency? Nope! I can’t think of a single trailer that gave that particular tidbit away.

That’s okay, though! If a trailer made for “mainstream” audiences gets more people watching this important film, then that’s a good thing. We should all be more aware of and empathetic towards the lives of our fellow human beings. And anyway, what film studio out there is going to risk losing money by showing off horse-people penises? Don’t hold your breath.

The actual film, though… What a fascinating condemnation of corporate culture. It’s not making any attempts to hide the ass-kissing and moral depravity that seems to be required of a person who’s worth billions of dollars. It’s clear that we’re seeing analogs of the Zuckerbergs and Bezoses (Bezosi?) of the world in the Steve Lift character. You know, the greediest, most powerful, downright evilest human beings of modern society.

This film depicts the backstabbing that corporate culture can demand and doesn’t flinch away from that horror. It’s saying you have to sacrifice pieces of your humanity if you want to “succeed” at life. Oh, and you’d better be a white person, or at least sound like one.

Really, this film should be required viewing for, well, anyone with a soul. It can be tough sometimes, but that’s not a good enough reason to skip it. Challenging yourself is a good thing to do! Give this one a try and then remember that we’re all in this together.

Let’s always have each other’s backs.

(Recorded on December 07, 2020)

Links to Stuff We Mentioned:

Sorry to Bother You - IMDb

Sorry to Bother You trailer - YouTube

Boots Riley - Wikipedia

Why is Mr. Blank’s name bleeped out in Sorry to Bother You? | Evelyn Shaller-Auslander - Medium

(This is an interesting take on Mr. _______’s name and identity. I don’t know if it’s the truth, but it’s damn intriguing.)

Charlie Kaufman - IMDb

Michel Gondry - IMDb

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - IMDb

Godzilla - IMDb

Sharknado - IMDb

Danny Glover - IMDb

Roger Murtaugh is too old for this shit - YouTube

Maverick - IMDb

Lethal Weapon - IMDb

Sorry to Bother You Ending, Explained: Boots Riley Explains Equis

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On the podcast this week, Steven and Sean are making friends with a couple of giant squid aliens from outer space in the 2016 film from Denis Villeneuve, Arrival.

Now this is the sort of sci-fi we can get behind! Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot of fun to be had with your various Stars, both Wars and Trek, but those are so fantastical that it’s nearly impossible to find anything real in them to latch onto. Granted, giant, Pringles-shaped alien crafts filled with the aforementioned squid beings aren’t any easier to relate to, but there’s still so much reality happening outside those ships in this film.

With this one, we get to follow the journey of real people, with real lives. Heck, one of the characters is a university teacher. Doesn’t get much more real than that.

It becomes less “science fiction” and more of just a story about a woman learning a new language, and one that alters her understanding of time. Also, there just so happens to be aliens. This is a dazzling film, with big ideas and a huge heart at the center of its story. Still, it almost feels like what happens to Louise, Ian, Colonel Weber, and the rest of the planet could actually happen to you and me. Sure, it’d be the most remarkable, mind-breaking event to ever take place, but maybe it could actually happen.

Would we learn to speak the nigh inscrutable alien circle language with the seeming ease and expertise that Louise exhibits? Maybe yes, maybe no. Would learning such a language allow us to see both the present and the future concurrently? That’s a bit harder to agree with. Would certain nations in the world completely overreact to the presence of alien beings and try to destroy them out of ignorance and fear? Oh, most definitely. There will always be awful humans.

What we can say with great certainty is that this film is worth your time. It’s got an amazing story that invites deep thought and extended debate, as shown in this episode. The sound design is captivating, lush, and booming. The cinematography is staggering in its ability to depict these towering alien creatures and also echo the turmoil inside Louise. This is a must-see film, made by one of the greatest living directors.

(Recorded on November 30, 2020)

Links to Stuff We Mentioned:

Arrival - IMDb

Arrival trailer - YouTube

Uncut Gems - IMDb

SYFY

Independence Day - IMDb

Eric Heisserer - IMDb

Doctor Who - IMDb

The Matrix Oracle Scene - YouTube

How the short story that inspired Arrival helps us interpret the film’s major twist - The Verge

David Tennant - IMDb

Matt Smith - IMDb

The Fires of Pompeii | Doctor Who - Wikipedia

Heptapod | Alien Species - Fandom

'Arrival' Production Designer Reveals How to Create an Entirely New Type of Flying Sauc

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On the podcast this week, Steven and Sean are ruining our damn lives by not knowing when to just freaking stop with our good friend and special guest, the inimitable Landon Coats! This week, we’re talking about the 2019 film from the Safdie Brothers, Uncut Gems.

Ugh, I need to take a shower. This movie isn’t going to leave you feeling bright, chipper, and clean by the end of it. I mean, content warning: if you or someone you know suffers from a debilitating addiction issue, then this film may not be for you. That is, unless watching someone spiral all the way down the bottomest of rock bottoms is an effective deterrent for you. If that’s what you need, then this one could be your saving grace.

It sure is something to watch another human being do everything they can to ruin their life. All shown over an agonizing two hours and fifteen minutes. Except it’s more tragic than that—Howard Ratner clearly isn’t able to control himself. It’s obvious he doesn’t like getting beat up, pissing off his family, or losing more money in a matter of hours than most people will make in an entire year. Who would enjoy that? Yet, he continues to throw away whatever life-saving breaks he’s given.

The guy has a serious gambling addiction, and it’s everyone around him who has to suffer the most. He gets a quick (albeit dreadful) out at the end of the film.

This is a tough watch, and yet, it’s one of the most rewarding films of the year. It’s a complex depiction of a side of humanity that none of us want to ever witness. We turn away and hide from addiction because it’s uncomfortable to deal with. Unless you turn this film off, there’s no turning away from Adam Sandler’s character.

The Safdie brothers deserve every good thing that happens to them for their work in crafting this gruesome masterwork. However, it’s clear that Sandler is the star of this film, no doubt about it. There should be no end to the praise he receives for his exhausting, complex, deep performance. It’s a damn shame that he wasn’t given even an Oscar nomination for his performance because it was the best of the entire year. Our hats are off to him.

This is a difficult film to watch, but if you can stomach it, you’re going to witness something special. This is an experience.

(Recorded on November 16, 2020)

Links to Stuff We Mentioned:

Uncut Gems - IMDb

Uncut Gems trailer - YouTube

Can’t Lie on the Internet | State Farm - YouTube

Adam Sandler - IMDb

Daniel Day-Lewis - IMDb

Steven Soderbergh - IMDb

Let Them All Talk - IMDb

Punch-Drunk Love - IMDb

Hubie Halloween - IMDb

Billy Madison - IMDb

That's My Boy - IMDb

Murder Mystery - IMDb

The Ridiculous 6 - IMDb

Sandy Wexler - IMDb

Taylor Lautner - IMDb

Pixels - IMDb

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