More Than a Hot Take

The boys watch one of Jon's all-time favorites, Django Unchained (the D is silent) this week. This movie is a doozy; it's a revenge story based on a romance between a slave separated from his wife and the German gentleman who helps him enact his revenge on the slavers that bought her. Quentin Tarantino flexes all of his writing and directing muscles to bring some singular performances from the entire cast. It also doesn't shy away from being violent and profanity-laden, so watch at your own discretion, adult supervision is required. 

In this episode, Mikey and Jon discuss one of the MCU's highlights: Jon Favreau's Iron Man. Join us as we contemplate the serious philosophical inconsistencies in Tony Stark, a man who traded killing millions as a weapons engineer for unintentionally killing millions by taking on a career of destroying cities and planets alongside "earth's mightiest heroes." Oh yeah, we also discuss the vital role Pepper Potts plays in this ordeal (a topic in which Mikey and Jon heavily disagree). But don't worry, we give credit where credit is due--and credit is entirely due to Robert Downey Jr. (and Stan Lee)! 

Mikey and Jon watched a movie that let them dive deep into their fascination with morals and ethical values, the David Fincher film, Se7en. Who would have thought that a movie about gruesome murders that starred Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman would have been a great vehicle for talking about worldview and the ethics of justice and punishment? And if that bores you then there are some action scenes and solid cop drama; something for everyone, right?

Jon and Mikey watched a certified money maker: Jurassic Park. It is a blockbuster with brains, action, and heart. It's the complete package unless you're Mikey Smith, who is too young and biased to really enjoy this movie. It's a certified classic, everyone should go rewatch it for the great characters, great writing, and (if I'm being honest) to let the inner child who was fascinated with dinosaurs feel something again. It truly is an adventure 60 million years in the making. Enjoy.

To kick off the New year Mikey and Jon are watching some of the biggest box office hits and first on the list is the box office sensation, Inception. A movie that took the audience's imagination by storm and made every wonder if the weirdest dreams they've ever had contained some deep hidden message that could be stolen. Christopher Nolan's mind meld of a film really is a great heist film that is secretly about humanity, grief, loss, fatherhood, and dealing with the real world. But with dream security and a murderous femme fatale, like all the classics.

Jon and Mikey are taking the holiday week off (and we hope you are too!), but we wanted to take some time to wish you a Merry Christmas and thank you for your support thus far! We will be back next week to discuss 2013's "Snowpiercer"! 

Mikey and Jon watched a spook from the late '00s that defied expectations, Paranormal Activity. It's tense, well-crafted, and a downright enjoyable found footage film. An overall satisfying watch and proof that less is often more when it comes to horror.

Mikey and Jon watched Rian Johnson's "Knives Out". It's a classic whodunnit that keeps you guessing right to the end. It's chock full of witty dialogue, love-to-loathe characters, and a detective that Agatha Christie would be proud of. Most importantly Daniel Craig does a southern accent and its Foghorn Leghorn levels of southern. Come for the Hot Takes, and stay for the thoughtful analysis, it's all a good time on More Than a Hot Take.