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On the podcast this week, Steven and Sean are leaving this rundown planet and blasting off into outer space to chase after our true robot loves with the Andrew Stanton film from 2008, WALL•E.
You know those evergreen films? Like, say, Casablanca, The Godfather, and The Shawshank Redemption. Well, I think it’s time to add a charming movie about a trash compacting robot who falls in love with an advanced bot from space to that list. This film is just as entertaining, meaningful, and downright excellent as anything that usually ends up on lists of “The Best Films Ever.”
Maybe you wouldn’t think that to look at it. I mean, it’s just a kid’s movie about an endearing little robot with human emotions, right?
To that I say, where’s the magic in your heart and eyes? What happened to extinguish your flame of wonder and joy? Who hurt you, friend? Sure, the world can be tough and cruel sometimes. That’s just the way things are, unfortunately. Is that a good enough reason to write off a work of great beauty and art like this film? It still holds up and is as delightful as it’s ever been.
Okay, if you still don’t believe me, then I ask you to do me a favor. This one’s just about a half hour long. 90 stinkin’ minutes. Head into Disney+ or whatever you’ve got, put this one on, and just have a good time. We certainly did. We had so much fun that I bet one of us watched the entire thing again shortly after we finished recording this episode.
(It may have been Steven. Sean’s got an out of control list of things he’s trying to watch and is drowning under the weight of available content. Send help!)
Leave it to Pixar to craft something so powerful, simple, and genuine. There’s hardly anyone out there who can do what they do, and do it so consistently. We live in a special time—we get to sit down whenever we want, pop on one of their films, and just have a good time. In this case, we get to fall in love, travel through space and the stars, and save humankind in the process.
WALL•E is a special little robot.
(Recorded on February 15, 2021)
Links to Stuff We Mentioned:
WALL•E - IMDb
WALL•E trailer - YouTube
Napoleon Dynamite - IMDb
11 crazy things you never knew about sumo wrestling - InsideJapan Blog
GameStop short squeeze - Wikipedia
Batmobiles | Batman Wiki - Fandom
Too Many Satellites in Orbit: How the Planet Will Look in 9 Years - ITIGIC
Spaceballs - IMDb
Wall•E Protect Your World Shirt - Lonelyshirt.com
WALL•E Animation Sound Design, part 1 - YouTube
Ben Burtt - IMDb
Vincent van Gogh - Getty Museum
Jurassic Park - IMDb
The Lost World: Jurassic Park - IMDb
Slumdog Millionaire - IMDb
The Dark Knight - IMDb
Fred Willard -
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On the podcast this week, Steven and Sean are standing up to our oppressors and giving a well-deserved “screw you” to the Nazis in this episode about the 2019 film from Terrence Malick, A Hidden Life.
I think it’s safe to say that no one alive can make a film as beautiful as Terrence Malick can. Can we just get that out of the way at the beginning? If you’ve seen any of his work, and I hope you’ve at least seen this one, I think you’ll agree with me here.
Let’s look at a few of them:
Those are all remarkable works of art. His eye is finely tuned toward the beautiful and the majestic. He can see in light and colors that few others can. Malick is an auteur of huge renown, and for good reason. His work captures emotions and life in a unique, organic way. We’re all lucky to be alive in a time when he’s making films.
And when this director turns his considerable attention toward the true story of Franz Jägerstätter, a conscientious objector in Austria during World War II, a man who (spoilers) died for his beliefs, you know it’s going to be meaningful, emotional, and gorgeous.
It’s also going to be a heavy one. It’s hard to say what any of us would do if we were in Franz’s place, but I think it’s safe to say that it’s damn tough to embody the courage and determination he did. That’s not even to mention the family he left behind because of his adherence to his morality. We all say we stand firm on our beliefs, but it’s another matter when your life is on the line because of them.
This film should be required viewing for all people. It shows how cold, cruel, futile, and pointless war (and Nazis) can be. It depicts a man, and his family, who fights against those who would execute someone who doesn’t want to kill others for a monster (Hitler, in this case). It gives us the gift of knowing about a real hero.
(Recorded on February 08, 2021)
Links to Stuff We Mentioned:
A Hidden Life - IMDb
A Hidden Life trailer - YouTube
Ted Lasso - IMDb
Terrence Malick - IMDb
The Tree of Life - IMDb
To the Wonder - IMDb
Days of Heaven - IMDb
The Thin Red Line - IMDb
Crispy Baked Teriyaki Tofu - Connoisseurus Veg
WALL·E - IMDb
Franz Jägerstätter - Wikipedia
Sankt Radegund - Wikipedia
St. Radegund - meinbezirk.at
(This website’s in German, but there are still some nice pictures throughout the page.)
Saving Private Ryan - IMDb
Gettysburg - IMDb
The Detention Camps at the Border Are a Crime - The Atlantic
How the U.S. Border Camps Fit into the History of Concentration Camps - GQ
Genocide - Wikipedia
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On the podcast this week, Steven and Sean are defending Earth from a marauding swarm of murderous space bugs! Or is it that we’re the real monsters and the space bugs just want to live their buggy lives, raise a horde of their own little insect babies, and maybe retire to Shlergen-5 one day if their retirement accounts perform well enough? Either way, this week, we’re talking about the Paul Verhoeven film from 1997, Starship Troopers.
Here’s what we’ve all got to look forward to in the future:
Weird, that list sounds all too familiar. Could it be the case that this film is actually a mirror being held up to our lives and society? Are we currently living in this Starship Troopers future world? Let’s see:
Oh, boy. That’s a lot of checks.
Could it be the case that this film is actually a great satire aimed at humanity’s insistence on blowing up any opposition and certain countries’ fawning obsession with the military? Well, yeah. That’s the whole point of this film. Sure, there are loads of drama, butts and boobs, and grisly violence, but that’s just what’s on the surface.
To get to the real meat of the story, you need to dig about as deep down as the bugs do for their labyrinthine, underground homes. When you get there, the story opens up and becomes a lot more than just what’s on-screen. Not only is this one a great b-movie for us to share, it’s also a great indictment of humanity’s lust for conquest and blood. Take that, us!
(Recorded on January 25, 2021)
Links to Stuff We Mentioned:
Starship Troopers - IMDb
Starship Troopers trailer - YouTube
Paul Verhoeven - IMDb
RoboCop - IMDb
The Lion King - IMDb
Aladdin - IMDb
The Evil Dead - IMDb
UNSC Starship | Halo Alpha - Fandom
Casper Van Dien - IMDb
German diaspora - Wikipedia
The Wizard of Oz - IMDb
The Price Is Right - IMDb
Schutzstaffel - Wikipedia
Pacific Rim - IMDb
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith - IMDb
The Dark Knight - IMDb
Tropic Thunder - IMDb
Some People Still Definitely Don't Get The Joke Behind Rob
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On the podcast this week, Steven and Sean are going on a thrilling, backwoods adventure with our new best friend and becoming the wrestlers we always dreamed we would be in the 2019 film from Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz, The Peanut Butter Falcon.
We could all learn a thing or two about how to be decent people from Zak. All he ever wants to do with his life is become a pro wrestler and be the best family he can be to the people for whom he cares. No backhanded nonsense. No lying. Nothing but enthusiasm, empathy, and love. If he’s not the ideal we should all strive for, then I don’t know who else is worth emulating.
“Swell” might not be a weighty enough word to describe him, but it’s certainly a nice and appropriate one. Zak is just so damn swell.
You know who else is swell? Tyler and Eleanor. Tyler because he wants Zak to live up to his full potential and Eleanor because she wants to protect him from harm. They’re both wonderful because, by the end, they don’t see Zak as someone with a disability, or even someone who’s less capable. They see him as a friend, and they give him the love he deserves.
That’s another thing we should all be so lucky to receive.
This is a movie that has a sweetness about it. Its sweetness is also likely to sneak up on you. There are moments of gripping danger, along with antagonists who ridicule Zak for thinking he’s somehow less than they are. There are moments where you’ll think all is lost. You may even shout at the screen or let loose a few tears (which we’d completely understand). By the end, though, you’ll feel that golden light of having just watched something exceptional.
This film cares. This film shows truth and love. Of course, this film also follows the number one rule: PARTY!
(Recorded on February 01, 2021)
Links to Stuff We Mentioned:
The Peanut Butter Falcon - IMDb
The Peanut Butter Falcon trailer - YouTube
Shia LaBeouf - IMDb
Dakota Johnson - IMDb
Zack Gottsagen - IMDb
Starship Troopers - IMDb
Short Term 12 - IMDb
Brie Larson - IMDb
Rami Malek - IMDb
FKA twigs Sues Shia LaBeouf, Citing Abusive Relationship - The New York Times
Shia LaBeouf opens up about his mother’s rape, says he has PTSD - USA Today
Sexual abuse in the American film industry - Wikipedia
Lawless - IMDb
Lawless | More Movies Please! - Libsyn
FKA twigs
Shia LaBeouf arrested on public drunkenness charge - CNN
Jake Roberts - IMDb
Mick Foley - IMDb
Little Miss Sunshine - IMDb
Sunshine Cleaning - IMDb
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On the podcast this week, Werewolf Steven and Count Sean are enjoying our blood drinking, werewolf fighting, Stu loving afterlives in the 2014 film from Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, What We Do In the Shadows.
[Editor’s note: this is not the FX tv show, but that one’s also amazing. Watch it the moment after you finish listening to this episode if you haven’t seen it. If you have seen it, then watch it again. Thanks!]
These aren’t your granddaddy’s vampires. They aren’t your aunt-who-loves-sexy-vampires-a-little-too-much’s vampires, either. These vampires are funny, and have a wide variety of personal interests. They’re the sort of vampires we wouldn’t mind hanging out with any day of the week. Except for maybe during feeding time.
Look, they can be friendly and deceptively deep, but they’ll still chomp into your neck and drain you until you’re dry and dead. That’s a no-go for us.
On the other hand, if you’re nice to them, and maybe teach them how to use the internet, then they’ll end up being your best friends. Who doesn’t want that? You can hang out in all the coolest Auckland vampire nightclubs, get in near-scrapes with local werewolf packs, and witness excellent bat fights.
We’re eternally grateful that the true reality of these wonderful creatures has finally been captured on film. Sure, there are those terrifying, Dracula-like vamps out there that only want to wreak as much havoc as possible during their long lives. However, we’ve now got some indisputable proof that not all vampires are bad. Sometimes they just want to be understood. They want to be seen for the complex creatures they are. They even want to find love out in this crazy, cruel world.
The documentary crew that captured this clearly real brood of vampires did humanity a huge favor. Wait, not brood. This family of vampires. May we all one day find the same love and acceptance they give to those for whom they care. Life wouldn’t get any better than that.
(Recorded on January 25, 2021)
Links to Stuff We Mentioned:
What We Do In the Shadows - IMDb
What We Do In the Shadows trailer - YouTube
Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles - IMDb
The Lost Boys - IMDb
Blade - IMDb
Twilight - IMDb
Rubber - IMDb
Vampires and Silver - Gods and Monsters
Let the Right One In - IMDb
Let Me In - IMDb
Nosferatu - IMDb
Vampyr - IMDb
Dracula - Wikipedia
Bram Stoker's Dracula - IMDb
Keanu Reeves - IMDb
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure - IMDb
Gary Oldman - IMDb
Léon: The Professional - IMDb
What We Do in the Shadows (tv show) - IMDb
The IT Crowd - IMDb
You're Dead | Norma Tanega - YouTube
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On the podcast this week, Steven and Sean are teaching our young protégé the fine art of contract killing in the 1994 film from Luc Besson, Leon: The Professional.
If I ever meet Gary Oldman, I don’t know if I’ll be frightened, starstruck, or some combination of the two. He’s an amazing actor and steals the spotlight every time he’s onscreen in this one. He also plays a murderous psychopath who also happens to work for the police. Dude is intense. Gary—I’m going to call him just Gary—is probably a sweet man who wouldn’t hurt a fly in real life, though.
Still, he can tap into something raging and dark. The man knows how to be intimidating.
On the flip side, you’ve got Jean Reno and Natalie Portman playing equally dangerous characters. Yet, I don’t feel nearly as intimidated by them. Their characters mean well, so long as you don’t cross them. I bet they’re probably pretty swell in real life, too.
These wonderful actors come together to make one hell of a film. This one can rightly be called a classic. It’s a paragon of action filmmaking that continues to influence films made even now. That’s a tough feat to accomplish.
Reno plays Leon, a killer-for-hire. Portman plays Mathilda, a young girl whose family (most importantly her younger brother) is murdered by Stansfield, played by Oldman. Leon saves Mathilda’s life, but she wants revenge. He teaches her how he fulfills his contracts. Things get, shall we say, dicey when Stansfield figures out who’s after him.
Yes, this film is problematic. We’ll be among the first to say it. The relationship between Mathilda and Leon is creepy at best. Does anything extremely untoward happen onscreen? No, but that doesn’t change the fact that the film depicts a twelve-year-old falling in sexually charged, pre-teen love with the man who’s teaching her how to murder people. This aspect of the film has not aged well.
It’s also still a good action film. If for no other reason, watch it for Oldman and all the explosions.
(Recorded on January 18, 2021)
Links to Stuff We Mentioned:
Leon: The Professional - IMDb
Leon: The Professional trailer - YouTube
Jean Reno - IMDb
Ronin - IMDb
Mission: Impossible - IMDb
Dick Grayson | Batman Wiki - Fandom
Godzilla - IMDb
Baba Yaga - Wikipedia
John Wick - IMDb
Natalie Portman - IMDb
Killing Them Softly - IMDb
batinthesun - YouTube
(This is the channel that does all the Super Power Beat Down videos that Steven referenced.)
Gary Oldman - IMDb
The Fifth Element - IMDb
Bram Stoker's Dracula - IMDb
Heath Ledger - IMDb
Michael Badalucco - IMDb
Pretty Woman - IMDb
The Mask - IMDb
Natalie Portman opens up about experiencing "sexual terrorism" after starri
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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
Ed Harris - IMDb
Cast Away - IMDb
Wilso
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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:
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
Léon: The Professional - IMDb
Samuel L. Jackson - IMDb
Star Wars: Episode I
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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
James Gandolfini - IMDb
Subway Fight | John Wick 2 - YouTube
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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 - IMDb
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark - IMDb
Galaxy Quest - IMDb
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