Motion Picture Pals

Zack Snyder’s Justice League is an anomaly in many ways, and the story of how this once fabled director’s cut came about is worthy of a movie itself. But how does the film itself stack up? It depends on your level of interest and knowledge of the comic book worlds it’s citing. Snyder’s take on superheroes has been divisive since Man of Steel, alienating those who just came out to have a good time and were uninterested in the internal struggles of Superman, and the politics of a world in which he exists.

It’s those thematic deep dives, coupled with a real page-to-screen visual flair, and an often crippling reliance on external comic book lore, that sets the “Snyderverse” films apart from the typical superhero flick. For better or worse, this restored cut of Justice League feels uncompromised and singular, as though the man could finally just make his damn movie without interference. Only one thing’s for certain: if you’ve never heard of Martian Manhunter, you’re in for a weird one.

Motion Picture Pals is hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Caleb Warwick, and producer Travis Lien.

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Ohoho what’s this? A new release? You better believe it, buster. We’ve tightened up our supply chains and we’ve vertically integrated in order to deliver our takes from the Hollow Earth directly into your earholes in 5-7 business days or your money back, guaranteed.

That said, you might be wondering “Hey, what’s your take on Godzilla vs. Kong?” Well, I’m so glad you asked. Some of us liked it and some of us didn’t. We have all sorts of reasons for this, but we all agreed that it wasn’t very good in spite of however much we happened to enjoy watching it.

The plot is a huge mess, the human characters are really hit-or-miss (and there are way too many of them), and worst of all, you couldn’t see the guys in some of the fights. I mean what the heck is that, I’m sitting here trying to watch two kaiju (Japanese for big ol’ guys) kick each other’s asses and you’re telling me you chose an aspect ratio that prevents me from seeing the guys? Give me a freakin’ break!

At the end of the day, there’s enough positive in Godzilla vs. Kong that it’s probably worth a shot if you have HBO Max, but it didn’t quite live up to our expectations. Especially in a franchise where Kong: Skull Island already showed how much fun these movies can be, Godzilla vs Kong felt far too much like King of the Monsters. We hope to see more Big Guy movies, maybe with some Space Guys or some Robot Guys, and get into a discussion of how the Monsterverse can make that happen.

Motion Picture Pals is hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Caleb Warwick, and producer Travis Lien.

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Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals

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Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

We close out the month with the conclusion to our Cruise / Spielberg double feature, War of the Worlds. It’s a decidedly post 9/11 film featuring a classic Spielbergian family with a divorced dad, rage fueled adolescent son, and an increasingly traumatized young daughter. Spielberg portrays the scope and damage of a global alien invasion with a seamless blend of CGI tripods and practical destruction that still looks great 16 years later. The US military is aggressively present in this film, with Tom Cruise’s son Robbie hell bent on joining the troops despite their inability to put up much of a fight. It’s a commentary on warfare and military occupation that often feels less than self aware about what it’s trying to say, but still worth a watch for anyone in need of a good disaster / alien flick, or a small window into the liberal Hollywood politics of 2005.

Motion Picture Pals is hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Caleb Warwick, and producer Travis Lien.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss

Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals

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Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

Minority Report contains multitudes. On one hand, it depicts a dystopian, Cyberpunk-Esque future America with an even more powerful police state. On the other hand, there are slapstick scenes that would be at home in an episode of The Three Stooges, of people puking on one another’s faces and women walking around folded up in weird yoga poses. The real beauty of the film is that it manages to strike a balance between these elements and provide a fun and engaging watch through the length of its formidable two-and-a-half-hour runtime.

There’s plenty to love in this movie for the most dedicated sci-fi fans, but its genius lies in its accessibility to average folks: at the end of the day, it’s a lot of fun despite its broodier themes. Minority Report may be one of Spielberg’s best (especially if you’re like Travis and you don’t think Indiana Jones is very good), so give it a go if it’s been a while. Just try not to commit any precrimes until then.

Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Caleb Warwick, and producer Travis Lien.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss

Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals

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Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

Kong: Skull Island slipped under the radar for a lot of folks, this podcast included. Whether people were feeling disappointed by the “Monsterverse’s” inaugural Godzilla (2014), or simply uninterested in another movie about big monkee, it’s a real shame because Kong: Skull Island is a real gem of an action movie. In many ways it’s the opposite of 2014’s Godzilla - funny, self-aware, fast-paced, and full of the actual monsters, presumably what you’re here for in the first place.

Even the human element, a frequent point of criticism in the Godzilla films, is a delight this time around, with incredible performances, especially by John C. Reilly and Samuel L. Jackson, and character motivations that are simple and logical. That Skull Island’s every frame is a stylized, video game inspired visual delight just goes to show that yes, gamers should be allowed to make more movies.

Even if you’ve no interest in the upcoming Godzilla vs. Kong, do yourself a favor and watch Kong: Skull Island if you haven’t yet. It’s a real hoot.

We’re joined once again by guest Caleb Warwick.

Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, and producer Travis Lien.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss

Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals

Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals

Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

The dead whisper through time and space. They speak to a rodent, driven by pure ambition, rejecting its assignment as a bottom feeder of humanity’s filth. Rather, it will infiltrate their world. It assimilates into a culture of fine dining and western cuisine, a parasite in the body of the naïve. Like itself, the man desires to thrive. But the rat seizes his being, a coup d’état of the body, control wrested from less fortunate to least fortunate, and the rat ascends.

Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, and producer Travis Lien.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss

Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals

Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals

Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

Cucks, large adult sons, parasitic super-organisms: Vivarium has it all! Lorcan Finnegan’s surreal take on modern horror was one that we liked overall, even if some of us were underwhelmed by the ending. Trying to solve the mystery of The Boy/Martin was a definite highlight, especially unpacking the ways in which the story incorporates Irish folklore and real-world biology. The story wraps up like an old episode of the Twilight Zone, which could be good or bad depending on which of us you ask. The art direction and set design also stood out, as did the performances and imaginative use of CGI.

We determine in this episode that horror for a young audience is essentially just real life, and when it comes to life there’s only one rule: good vibes only.

Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, and producer Travis Lien.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss

Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals

Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals

Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

White God opens on an eerie, apocalyptic scene. The streets of Budapest are empty, and a lone girl bikes through the city. Suddenly, dogs. In perhaps the only film to feature 250 real (not CGI) dogs on screen at once, director Kornel Mundruczo weaves together a coming of age story about the strained relationship between a girl and her father with a dark version of Homeward Bound, featuring a live action dog performance as moving as it is realistic. White God might not be everyone’s bowl of dog chow, but we were captured by its surreal ending and its use of dogs vs. humans as a heavy handed allegory for human rights and labor issues.

Interview with director Kornél Mundruczó

Interview with dog handler Teresa Ann Miller

Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, and producer Travis Lien.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss

Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals

Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals

Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

Our final episode of 2020 revisits the classic teen pregnancy film Juno (2007), starring Elliot Page, who recently came out as trans. With this in mind, we explore the gender dynamics of a film about pregnancy, in which the pregnant character is played by a man. This film came out when we were teens and sparks memories about our music taste and wanting to be hip like Juno. Now on the other side of high school, this viewing illuminated new perspectives and complexities we didn’t fully understand before. If you take nothing else away from this episode, just know that you too can be a track and field dork and still get laid.

Gag take

Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, and producer Travis Lien.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss

Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals

Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals

Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

Ridley Scott takes us on yet another journey into the distant future (2019) with all the neon and yellow peril we’ve come to expect from the 1980s. In the future, people are governed by megacorporations, cops have exclusive access to advanced technology, and advertising is downright invasive; it’s a good thing we managed to avoid all that.

In this episode, we are joined once again by Caleb Warwick where we discuss the moral and philosophical themes in what is perhaps the seminal film in the cyberpunk genre. We share stories about targeted advertising and get in our feelings about humanity, true love, capitalist alienation, and the most important question of all: did J. F. Sebastian’s creepy toy people steal Deckard’s window?

Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss

Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals

Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals

Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/