Proletarian Contrarian

Merry Christmas in August! Molly (@ socialistdogmom) joins Lewis and Nick to tackle the first Pro/Con holiday film, "Look Who's Talking Now" (1993). The disastrous third entry of a quirky, ADR-laden trilogy, the film features strong voiceover performances from Danny DeVito and Diane Keaton as a couple of lovable mutts. John Travolta and Kirstie Alley also appear.

Molly's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/socialistdogmom

Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pro_con

"Why Look At Animals" essay by John Berger https://bit.ly/1uxIyDO

Music-

"Jingle Bells (Instrumental)"

"when the struggle itself becomes identified with a series of defeats" by 红山郡 (hongshanjun.bandcamp.com/album/-)

"The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)" by David Seville and The Chipmunks

The neoliberal hellscape we live in was brought to life right before our eyes...just in time for the end of the summer. Mark (@ Rhea_Wept) brought one of his favorite movies to Pro/Con: "In Time" (2011). A horrifyingly accurate vision of the present, "In Time" strips away all pretense, eradicating any perceived boundaries between time and capital. Such an archetypal sci-fi premise demands strong performances and writing, which the cast and crew, led by one Justin Timberlake, somewhat shockingly deliver with aplomb.

https://www.patreon.com/pro_con

Music-

"when the struggle itself becomes identified with a series of defeats" by 红山郡 (hongshanjun.bandcamp.com/album/-)

"In Time" by Mark Collie

CALLING ALL MINIONS--CALLING ALL MINIONS: Pro/Con has devoted an entire episode to cracking the code behind "Minions" (2015), and they've recruited their own minion to do so. Lucas (@ OofMadonn) joins Lewis and Nick to lend his expert Minion Opinion, gleaned from exhaustive posting across various Minions Memes Facebook pages. The film is a late capitalist masterpiece, uncomfortably representative of the state of labor today. The Minions themselves are perfect as farcical representations of the absurd, dispossessed 21st century laborer, stumbling and cackling their way through the vicissitudes of work. Clean those goggle lenses, comrades, this is Deep Minions Lore.

https://www.patreon.com/pro_con

Music-

"when the struggle itself becomes identified with a series of defeats" by 红山郡 (hongshanjun.bandcamp.com/album/-)

"Revolution" by The Minions

Take a bunch of up-and-coming young actresses, a slew of guns and katanas, and a few tabs of acid. Drop everything in the blender of a 14-year-old boy's mind and you get "Sucker Punch" (2011), Zack Snyder's homage to fantasy ultraviolence, surviving the toxic patriarchy of the U.S. mental health system, and independent female characters. A very weird film, "Sucker Punch" devotes too much of its run time to its convoluted frame story structure at the expense of the emotional development of its characters. Somewhat surprisingly, the characters are fleshed out and believable for the most part--it's no feminist tract, but the film refrains from devolving into hollow jerkoff material.

https://www.patreon.com/pro_con

Music-

"when the struggle itself becomes identified with a series of defeats" by 红山郡 (hongshanjun.bandcamp.com/album/-)

"Army of Me" by Björk

Pop on those shades, strap on your knives, and step into the daylight with Lewis and Nick as they take the fight to this week's target: "Blade: Trinity" (2004). Following the groundbreaking "Blade" and the spirited "Blade II," Trinity is a disappointing finisher to say the least. Wesley Snipes knew the score, nevertheless putting in admirable effort to this bloodless finale, elevating certain sequences and infusing the flick with enough zest to keep it stumbling until it reaches its demise. However, the true villain of the film--indeed, of the past two decades of comic book movie adaptations--remains a shadowy presence. Whoever could it be?

https://www.patreon.com/pro_con

Music-

"when the struggle itself becomes identified with a series of defeats" by 红山郡 (hongshanjun.bandcamp.com/album/-)

"The Edge of the Blade" by Mystikal

Who's a more believable badass, Arnold Schwarzenegger or Jim Belushi? Correct answer: Fred Hampton, because all three star in 1988's "Red Heat" (a caricature of Hampton has a strong supporting role, at least). Given that this flick was the first American film with the distinction of being allowed to film in Moscow's Red Square, follow the Pro/Con boys as they travel from the USSR to Chicago, doggedly chronicling the tired Schwarzenegger/Belushi buddy cop energy. Shockingly enough, "Red Heat" doesn't go completely overboard with the red-baiting. Benign ignorance or revolutionary agitprop? You know which direction Lewis and Nick are going to take it.

https://www.patreon.com/pro_con

Music-

"when the struggle itself becomes identified with a series of defeats" by 红山郡 (hongshanjun.bandcamp.com/album/-)

"State Anthem of the Soviet Union" by Paul Robeson

You wouldn't like us when we're angry....you also probably wouldn't like us when we're trying to remember D-list Marvel character names. Join Lewis and Nick as they tackle "Hulk" (2003), one of the more infamous of the pre-Disney Marvel movies. Directed with admirable aplomb by Ang Lee, "Hulk" is as big and as bold as its titular character. Catholic repression, the War on Terror, nerds being too pedantic to appreciate a good thing before it's gone...this one's got it all.

https://www.patreon.com/pro_con

Nick Nolte Mugshot - https://twitter.com/ProletarianC/status/1148034499705548801

The Religious Affiliation of Comic Book Characters - http://www.adherents.com/lit/comics/comic_book_religion.html

Music-

"when the struggle itself becomes identified with a series of defeats" by 红山郡 (hongshanjun.bandcamp.com/album/-)

"The Incredible Hulk 1966 Theme" by Dominik Hauser

A lean, hardened outlaw rode straight onto the Pro/Con screens from the dry, dusty wasteland of the 90's this weekend: "Posse" (1993), directed by and starring Mario Van Peebles. Join Lewis and Nick as they follow the winding, wayward quest of a group of Buffalo Soldiers on the run from Cuba to New Orleans to the Western US Territories. An uncommonly political film for the 90's, "Posse" captures a bold, revisionist snapshot of a history more fascinating than is commonly remembered.

https://www.patreon.com/pro_con

Music-

"when the struggle itself becomes identified with a series of defeats" by 红山郡 (hongshanjun.bandcamp.com/album/-)

"The Posse (Shoot 'Em Up)" by Intelligent Hoodlum

Coming to you from a team of podcasters with attitude is Pro/Con's review of "Saban's Power Rangers," (2017). This is one of the more unique genre films reviewed on the show in that it's pretty good, based primarily on the strength of the fairly deep characterization of all five leads. This is 90's nostalgia done about as well as it can be done, folks.

https://www.patreon.com/pro_con

Lil Nas X surprising the kids of Lander Elementary - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yvxqwlENxU

Music-

"when the struggle itself becomes identified with a series of defeats" by 红山郡 (hongshanjun.bandcamp.com/album/-)

"Go Go Power Rangers" by Aaron Waters

We picked a real bomb coming off Star Wars Month: 2001's "Glitter," shockingly *not* Mariah Carey's film debut, but certainly the role that cemented her diva reputation. Inversely, of course, this movie is pretty boring, only managing to differentiate itself from the legions of other artist narratives by presenting a surprisingly cynical depiction of show business. Come for Carey's voice, stay for the weird, wonky edits and special effects.

https://www.patreon.com/pro_con

Music-

"when the struggle itself becomes identified with a series of defeats" by 红山郡 (hongshanjun.bandcamp.com/album/-)

"Loverboy" by Mariah Carey