ReelBlend

It’s a big week at the theaters with the highly anticipated A24 release The Green Knight (starring Dev Patel, Alicia Vikander and Joel Edgerton), Jungle Cruise (starring Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson), as well as Matt Damon’s latest drama Stillwater.

Before we get to our reviews of those films though, we have to touch on the Director’s Guild recent rule change which will exclude films without a theatrically exclusive release window from competing for their awards show next year. This puts HBO Max’s day-and-date strategy in a difficult spot with awards hopefuls such as Denis Villeneuve’s Dune. 

What’s your favorite movie from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson? That’s the topic of this week’s BlendGame. Next week, we’re taking a look at James Gunn’s unique career. Play along on Twitter using #JamesGunnBlend. 

- The Last Mercenary (Netflix)

- Stillwater

- Jungle Cruise

- The Green Knight

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Be sure to subscribe to ReelBlend on YouTube (YouTube.com/ReelBlendPodcast) for full episodes of the show in video form. 

ReelBlend - @ReelBlend

Sean - @Sean_OConnell 

Jake - @JakesTakes

Kevin - @KevinMcCarthyTV

Gabe - @gabeKovacs

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6:11 - Weekly Poll

14:19 - Will HBO Max Backtrack on Streaming Strategy?

30:28 - Stillwater Review

37:14 - Jungle Cruise Review

42:32 - The Green Knight Review

53:59 - Our Favorite Dwayne Johnson Movies

1:05:31 - Outro

Writer/director M. Night Shyamalan joins the show to talk bout his new film Old hitting theaters this week. We discuss his incredible camera work, how he chooses an aspect ratio for any given film, casting and working with actors, the moment from his childhood which seemingly sent him down the path of making thrillers and so much more. What an honor! 

We also discuss Black Widow dropping a considerable amount in its second week at the box office. The trailer for Ridley Scott’s new film The Last Duel just dropped, as well as the trailer for Jackass Forever. 

This week’s BlendGame has us chatting about our favorite food-centric scenes in movies. Next week, we are looking at our favorite movies/performances from The Rock with #DwayneJohnsonBlend. Send in your pick on Twitter to play along! 

- Ted Lasso: Season 2 (Apple TV+)

- Joe Bell 

- Snake Eyes

- Old

Sign up for an extra episode a week, a bi-weekly newsletter from Sean, and ad-free episodes at cinemablend.com/reelblendpremium

Be sure to subscribe to ReelBlend on YouTube (YouTube.com/ReelBlendPodcast) for full episodes of the show in video form. 

ReelBlend - @ReelBlend

Sean - @Sean_OConnell 

Jake - @JakesTakes

Kevin - @KevinMcCarthyTV

Gabe - @gabeKovacs

We have all kinds of fun merch for dedicated Blenders to flaunt their fandom with pride. (cinemablend.com/shop)

4:34 - Weekly Poll

10:34 - M. Night Shyamalan Interview

33:56 - Black Widow Box Office Drop

58:33 - The Last Duel Trailer

1:05:18 - Jackass 4 Trailer 

1:09:41 - Ted Lasso: Season 2

1:12:59 - Joe Bell Review

1:19:08 - Snake Eyes Review

1:22:58 - Old Review

1:30:33 - Our Favorite Food Scenes

Director Adam Robitel joins the show to discuss his new horror sequel Escape Room: Tournament of Champions. He touches on the resurgence of genre films, his approach to a sequel, his upcoming series with Darren Aronofsky and more. 

We have’t yet had the chance to chat about Marvel’s return to the big screen on the show. So this week we spend some time breaking down Black Widow’s triumphant box office performance, the potential lasting effects of its success on Disney+ and of course review Scarlett Johansson’s final adventure in the MCU. 

The world lost a true icon of filmmaking with the passing of Richard Donner. This week, we pivot our BlendGame to #RichardDonnerBlend in order to reflect on his work and celebrate his astonishing accomplishments in the craft. 

More info on the OUATIH Giveaway: https://bit.ly/QTxRBgiveaway

• Pig
• Die in a Gunfight
• Gunpowder Milkshake
• Escape Room: Tournament of Champions
• Space Jam: A New Legacy

Sign up for an extra episode a week, a bi-weekly newsletter from Sean, and ad-free episodes at bit.ly/reelblendpremium.

Be sure to subscribe to ReelBlend on YouTube (YouTube.com/ReelBlendPodcast) for full episodes of the show in video form. 

ReelBlend - @ReelBlend

Sean - @Sean_OConnell 

Jake - @JakesTakes

Kevin - @KevinMcCarthyTV

Gabe - @gabeKovacs

We have all kinds of fun merch for dedicated Blenders to flaunt their fandom with pride. (cinemablend.com/shop)

5:20 - Weekly Poll

9:22 - Adam Robitel Interview

36:56 - Black Widow Box Office

51:12 - Black Widow Spoiler Free Review

58:49 - Black Widow Spoilers

1:17:21 - This Week In Movies

1:19:05 - Gunpowder Milkshake Review

1:25:14 - Escape Room: Tournament of Champions Review

1:26:57 - Space Jam: A New Legacy Review

1:35:07 - Favorite Richard Donner Movies

1:50:02 - Outro

The legend Quentin Tarantino returns. This time, we sat down with the filmmaker at the launch of his novelization of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood in front of a wonderful crowd at The New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles. 

We discuss moments and scenes in the book which were excluded from the film, why he gives us more details on Cliff Booth’s ambiguous past, some of Uma Thurman’s reservations on her iconic Kill Bill tracksuit, his 10th and final film and more. 

Sign up for an extra episode a week, a bi-weekly newsletter from Sean, and ad-free episodes at bit.ly/reelblendpremium.

Be sure to subscribe to ReelBlend on YouTube (YouTube.com/ReelBlendPodcast) for full episodes of the show in video form. 

ReelBlend - @ReelBlend

Sean - @Sean_OConnell 

Jake - @JakesTakes

Kevin - @KevinMcCarthyTV

Gabe - @gabeKovacs

We have all kinds of fun merch for dedicated Blenders to flaunt their fandom with pride. (cinemablend.com/shop)

Josh Lucas stars in the new Purge installment, The Forever Purge, from director Everardo Gout, and he joins the show for an incredible discussion on making the film. Not only that, but we cover some moments throughout his decade-spanning career, the directors and cinematographers he’s chased after, the few he has left on his list, and a great story about turning down Martin Scorsese. 

Sign up for an extra episode a week, a bi-weekly newsletter from Sean, and ad-free episodes at bit.ly/reelblendpremium.

Be sure to subscribe to ReelBlend on YouTube (YouTube.com/ReelBlendPodcast) for full episodes of the show in video form. 

ReelBlend - @ReelBlend

Sean - @Sean_OConnell 

Jake - @JakesTakes

Kevin - @KevinMcCarthyTV

Gabe - @gabeKovacs

We have all kinds of fun merch for dedicated Blenders to flaunt their fandom with pride. (cinemablend.com/shop)

Chris McKay, director of The Tomorrow War starring Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski and J.K. Simmons, joins the show. We discuss working with a mega-star like Chris Pratt, working with practical effects on such a massive scale, and if his Nightwing movie will ever see the light of day. 

This week is packed with the releases so get right into our reviews of some of the major films hit theaters and streaming services. This includes Steven Soderbergh’s No Sudden Move, Janicza Bravo’s Zola, The Forever Purge starring Josh Lucas (who will be joining the show later this week) and more. 

In honor of Soderbergh’s latest film, we take a look back at his career to determine which of his works is our absolute favorite in #StevenSoderberghBlend. You can play along with next week’s BlendGame using #FoodSceneBlend to let us know which scene in movie history that is primarily focused on cuisine is you favorite. 

Sign up for an extra episode a week, a bi-weekly newsletter from Sean, and ad-free episodes at bit.ly/reelblendpremium.

Be sure to subscribe to ReelBlend on YouTube (YouTube.com/ReelBlendPodcast) for full episodes of the show in video form. 

ReelBlend - @ReelBlend

Sean - @Sean_OConnell 

Jake - @JakesTakes

Kevin - @KevinMcCarthyTV

Gabe - @gabeKovacs

We have all kinds of fun merch for dedicated Blenders to flaunt their fandom with pride. (cinemablend.com/shop)

2:54 - Weekly Poll

8:07 - Chris McKay Interview

22:50 - This Week In Movies

24:52 - The Forever Purge Review

30:52 - The Tomorrow War Review

36:02 - No Sudden Move Review

43:45 - Zola Review

48:05 - Favorite Steven Soderbergh Movies

1:03:19 - Outro

Director Janicza Bravo joins us for a great chat about the making of her new film Zola, starring Taylour Paige, Riley Keough and Colman Domingo. The film is based on viral Twitter thread chronicling a stripper named Zola’s truly wild journey on a road trip to Florida. 

Sign up for an extra episode a week, a bi-weekly newsletter from Sean, and ad-free episodes at bit.ly/reelblendpremium.

Be sure to subscribe to ReelBlend on YouTube (YouTube.com/ReelBlendPodcast) for full episodes of the show in video form. 

ReelBlend - @ReelBlend

Sean - @Sean_OConnell 

Jake - @JakesTakes

Kevin - @KevinMcCarthyTV

Gabe - @gabeKovacs

We have all kinds of fun merch for dedicated Blenders to flaunt their fandom with pride. (cinemablend.com/shop)

Steven Soderbergh, the legend himself, joins the show to discuss his new film No Sudden Move, starring Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Toro, Jon Hamm. We cover moments from across his filmography, from Sex, Lies and Videotape to Ocean’s Eleven to Contagion. 

F9: The Fast Saga hits theaters in the US this weekend, and our opinions couldn’t be differ any more. Let us know on social what you thought of the latest in the Fast and Furious franchise. In other news for the week, Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment signed a deal with Netflix that put folks in a stir. Is this a major shift in the director’s recent comments towards the streamer? Will he direct a film for Netflix in the near future? We discuss. 

This week’s BlendGame looks at the incredible cinematography from Rachel Morrison. Next week, we’re looking at Steven Soderbergh’s filmography to decide which of his films is our absolute favorite. Play along on Twitter using #StevenSoderberghBlend

- The Ice Road (Netflix)

- False Positive (Hulu)

- F9: The Fast Saga 

Sign up for an extra episode a week, a bi-weekly newsletter from Sean, and ad-free episodes at bit.ly/reelblendpremium.

Be sure to subscribe to ReelBlend on YouTube (YouTube.com/ReelBlendPodcast) for full episodes of the show in video form. 

ReelBlend - @ReelBlend

Sean - @Sean_OConnell 

Jake - @JakesTakes

Kevin - @KevinMcCarthyTV

Gabe - @gabeKovacs

We have all kinds of fun merch for dedicated Blenders to flaunt their fandom with pride. (cinemablend.com/shop)

4:32 - Weekly Poll

6:57 - Steven Soderbergh Interview

59:18 - Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners w. Netflix

1:05:21 - The Suicide Squad Trailer

 1:15:51 - This Week In Movies

1:20:45 - F9: The Fast Saga Review

1:46:05 - Favorite Rachel Morrison Movies

1:51:00 - Outro

Director Justin Lin joins the show to discuss F9: The Fast Saga, the latest in the Fast and Furious franchise, starring Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez and the rest of the fam. He discusses opening the film with a vintage Universal Pictures logo, shooting on film, weighing practical effects with visual effects and more. 

This week, we also review Disney Pixar’s Luca, Netflix’s Fatherhood (starring Kevin Hart), and The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard (starring Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, Salma Hayek). John M. Chu’s In the Heights failed to meet expectations a the box office its opening weekend. We discuss why that might be, and the future of HBO Max’s release strategy. 

- The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard

- Luca

- Fatherhood

Sign up for an extra episode a week, a bi-weekly newsletter from Sean, and ad-free episodes at bit.ly/reelblendpremium.

Be sure to subscribe to ReelBlend on YouTube (YouTube.com/ReelBlendPodcast) for full episodes of the show in video form. 

ReelBlend - @ReelBlend

Sean - @Sean_OConnell 

Jake - @JakesTakes

Kevin - @KevinMcCarthyTV

Gabe - @gabeKovacs

We have all kinds of fun merch for dedicated Blenders to flaunt their fandom with pride. (cinemablend.com/shop)

3:25 - Weekly Poll

6:48 - Bo Burnham’s Inside

15:58 - Justin Lin Interview

39:11 - In the Heights Box Office

54:43 - Tick, Tick…Boom! Trailer 

1:13:44 - Favorite Ian McKellen Movies

1:31:05 - Outro

We were able to screen the first two episodes of Marvel’s new Disney+ series Loki starring Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson. We give our spoiler-free takes on the series so far, and it’s shaping up to be the best Marvel series to date. 

Jake was able to screen Jon M Chu’s In the Heights before it hits theaters this week, and gives us his thoughts on the hotly anticipated musical from the mind of Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda. 

- Loki (Disney+)

- Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway

- In the Heights (Theaters, HBO Max)

Sign up for an extra episode a week, a bi-weekly newsletter from Sean, and ad-free episodes at bit.ly/reelblendpremium.

Be sure to subscribe to ReelBlend on YouTube (YouTube.com/ReelBlendPodcast) for full episodes of the show in video form. 

ReelBlend - @ReelBlend

Sean - @Sean_OConnell 

Jake - @JakesTakes

Kevin - @KevinMcCarthyTV

Gabe - @gabeKovacs

We have all kinds of fun merch for dedicated Blenders to flaunt their fandom with pride. (cinemablend.com/shop)

2:55 - Weekly Poll

11:20 - Box Office Return Continues

21:58 - Loki Episodes 1 & 2

32:30 - In the Heights Review

39:56 - Our Favorite Elliot Page Movies

50:56 - Outro