Retro Grade Podcast

“EVERY PILGRIM REACHES THE END OF IT’S JOURNEY… SOME SOONER THAN OTHERS.“

On this week’s episode, we go over the 2010 cult classic Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, directed by Edgar Wright. The cast of the film featured mega stars before they were mega-stars: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Anna Kendrick, Alison Pill, Aubrey Plaza, Jason Schwartzman, Brandon Routh, Brie Larson, and Chris Evans!

We dive deep into this Edgar Wright film. We talk about how we were first introduced to the film, and how our love of video games immediately drew us in to this unique world where boss battles and fighting combos are a regular occurrence. We talk about the film’s fight scenes and how they hugely influenced by classic Jackie Chan films and the person responsible for bringing the action choreography to life. Rest in peace Brad Allen.

We talk about the musical soundtrack partly composed by Beck, and the various musical themes scattered throughout the film that references various video games. We go over how Edgar Wright was able to incorporate video game mechanics into the story and, somehow, make a good “video game movie.”

We also talk about the one thing that sticks out as soon as you start the movie, that might be more uncomfortable now than before. The fact that Scott Pilgrim, a 22-year old, is dating a 17-year old high school student. Does the less than appropriate age difference take us out of the movie?

Join us as we do a deep dive of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World  with this week’s special guest, Adrianne!

Music is from Triune Digital and audio clips pulled from movies we will be reviewing in other episodes.

Artwork by @jannelle_o

WAIT, WHAT HAPPENED TO 028?

It’s officially been one year since Retro Grade Podcast has been online! Throughout our first year in podcasting we’ve had a lot of memories and
moments behind the scenes that have have made the experience so enjoyable and fulfilling. We’ve also had moments where it was clear to us now, we had no idea what we were doing. However, part of the journey is making mistakes and learning from them to make the future of the podcast the best we can make it. And of course, we’d couldn’t do it without the support of our friends, family and loyal listeners!

On this episode, we take a look back at some of our favorite and least favorite moments of the process of podcasting. We also get into what the future holds for the podcast, talking about future episodes for the rest of the calendar year, launching a Patreon next year, and some ideas we have to make the listening experience more enjoyable.

In preparation for this special, we’ve both gone back over our previous episodes and Jorge has decided he’s not done disagreeing with Austin over the film Independence Day (even though the conversation happened over a year ago.)

Closing out the episode, we take some questions from our listeners! A preview of some of the questions:

”Who are your top 3 film directors in the game and why?”

“How has this podcast changed the way you see movies?“

“You guys talk about movies you love, but what are some movies you HATE?“

Tune in to find out the answers to those questions on our first annual Retro Grade: Retrospective (an episode title coined by Jorge Montoya)

Don’t forget to check out our merch! Check out our Instagram @retrograde_pod and check out our link in the bio, or just click HERE.

Music is from Triune Digital and audio clips pulled from movies we will be reviewing in other episodes.

Artwork by @jannelle_o

“YOU EVER HEARD OF THE DREAM TEAM? WELL, WE’RE THE MEAN TEAM, WUSSY MAN!”

This week on Retro Grade Podcast, we talk about 1996’s Space Jam, featuring Michael Jordan and the Looney Tunes. We revisit this classic film in response to the recent release of Space Jam: A New Legacy. Having been conceived by a series of commercials featuring Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny, this Warner Bros. classic marked the beginning of a new era of digital filmmaking, combining 2D animation with live action actors in a green screen studio that had to be created entirely in computers from that time. It was NOT easy.

From animating the Looney Tunes characters into the real world to adding Michael into the animated world, we dive deep into the animation process and talk about the movie’s unsung heroes: the animators who brought this film to life. We talk about the reception of the film from critics, the box office figures both domestically and internationally, and the legacy the film has. We go into Michael Jordan’s basketball career, what inspired him to take up baseball, and ultimately how the film incorporates these events into the narrative.

Lastly, we go over the marketing of the film, from the tie in soundtrack featuring Seal, R Kelly, Quad City DJs, Coolio, Busta Rhymes, LL Cool J, Method Man, B-Real, Salt N’ Pepa, Monica, (and very young Jay-Z!) to the merchandising of the film and how that helped the film cement its place in cinema history. So everybody get up it's time to slam now, we got a real jam goin' down, welcome to the Space Jam episode of Retro Grade Podcast!

Also, next week we are celebrating our ONE YEAR anniversary for a special episode: Retro Grade: Retrospective! A title entirely crafted by the creative genius of Jorge Montoya. On this episode we will look back and celebrate our wins, critique our short-comings, and open the floor up to our listeners and answer some of your hard hitting questions! It’s gonna be fun.

Don’t forget to check out our merch! Check out our Instagram @retrograde_pod and check out our link in the bio, or just click HERE.

Music is from Triune Digital and audio clips pulled from movies we will be reviewing in other episodes.

Artwork by @jannelle_o

“YOU REMIND ME OF THE BABE“

We just covered a David Bowie-inspired film, but how about a film with the man himself? On this episode of Retro Grade Podcast, we are talking about 1986’s Labyrinth, directed by Jim Henson, starring Jennifer Connelly as Sarah, and David Bowie as the Gobling King, Jareth.

On this episode, Labyrinth super-fan, independent puppet filmmaker, and Etsy Shop proprietor, Marissa! We talk about what started her life long obsession with this film. What is it about Labyrinth, a film that wasn’t received well financially or critically, that stuck with it’s fans and granted it a cult status some 30 years after its theatrical run? Is this a film that could only be appreciated by children, or does it have any qualities that adults can enjoy?

We also get into what it took for the filmmakers to create this fantastical world full of characters, (with only two of them being humans) innovative set pieces, what the message is behind all of the prosthetics, and what impressions were left on us watching this today.

Even though Jorge and Marissa have been friends for many years, Jorge has refused to watch this film, and may have even fabricated an act of God in order to evade watching Marissa’s favorite film. Is Jorge a bad friend? Why has he avoided this movie for so long? And what does he think of the film now that he has been forced to watch it? Are they still friends?? Listen to the episode and find out!

Also, we have merch! Check out our Instagram @retrograde_pod and check out our link in the bio, or just click HERE.

Music is from Triune Digital and audio clips pulled from movies we will be reviewing in other episodes.

Artwork by @jannelle_o

“FUNNY HOW SOME PEOPLE NEVER LOVE AT ALL“

In honor of Pride Month, we revisit the 1998 cult classic, Velvet Goldmine. Directed by Todd Haynes (Carol, Far from Heaven, and I’m Not There) and starring Christian Bale, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Ewan McGregor, Toni Colette and Eddie Izzard.

We go back in time to the 1970s Glam Rock era. The era of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, T. Rex, Roxy Music, The Velvet Underground, and Iggy Pop. An era of gender fluidity, platform shoes, and glitter. Does Glam Rock still holds up?

We discuss whether the reception the film got back during its release was justified or if it joined the long list of films that were unfairly neglected and criticized. We talk about the depiction of Brian Slade (or, according to Jorge, David Slade, since he mistakenly refers to Brian by David throughout the episode) and talk about his connections to the late, great, David Bowie. Austin educates Jorge on the many musical references laid throughout the film, including tidbits about the rumored relationship between David Bowie and Mick Jagger, his soured friendship with Elton John, and Bowie coming out as gay and several years later backtracking on his sexuality. We also discuss the lack of LGBTQ+ representation in modern mainstream media, and how major studios will cash in on the shallow inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters to draw in positive press. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy this special Pride Month episode of Retro Grade.

If you are having trouble finding this film, we recommend you search through your local libraries first! Austin was able to find a library and had a DVD of the film in his PS4 within an hour and a half by using the site: World Cat, but if you can’t find one there we always summarize the movie so people who don’t have immediate access to the film can listen along.

Below are some additional resources if you would like to see what people smarter than us had to say, and also, special shout out to the Live Journal vardathemessage who compiled the most comprehensive list of Velvet Goldmine trivia in the world.

https://www.nylon.com/articles/velvet-goldmine-costumes-camp-aesthetics

https://www2.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/features/velvet-goldmine-todd-haynes-david-bowie

https://www.culledculture.com/on-the-verge-of-what-what-have-been-bowies-70th-birthday-velvet-goldmine-feels-more-validated-than-ever/

Also, we have merch! Check out our Instagram @retrograde_pod and check out our link in the bio, or just click HERE.

Music is from Triune Digital and audio clips pulled from movies we will be reviewing in other episodes.

Artwork by @jannelle_o

“THESE TANKS TODAY ARE BETTER. MUCH BETTER.“

A few months ago we got an email from an avid fan of a movie called “The Beast“ (or sometimes called “The Beast of War.“) We had never heard of the film before, but Nick talked it up describing it as one of the best films of 1988, but was only released on two screens in the entire US. Being our first request from an anonymous fan who thought to contact us, we just had to look into it!

The film takes place during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. A tank gets separated from its unit and gets lost in a valley, where vengeful mujahideen seek to get revenge for the village it destroyed. We go into the real life events about the war to get some context about the film, and stumble upon a crazy real life events that inspired the writer, William Mastrosimone to tell this story. We talk about how American actors like Jason Patric and Stephen Baldwin speaking American English while playing Soviets, changes the modern viewings of the film, given that since the Soviet invasion, the US has followed suit. We also talk about the casting of the Muslim characters and how poorly that may have aged, but conversely, how the film frames them as people, not props. Something very uncommon in film even to this day.

We talk about how masterful the film is constructed, how every scene makes sense and belongs in the movie, characters making choices based off of what’s true to their characters, and how powerful cinematography and attention to detail all come together and create a near-perfect suspenseful film. If you are curious about this film, you can watch it for free on Amazon Prime, Tubi, and Pluto TV.

Hope you enjoy our episode! Especially you, Nick!

Also, we have merch! Check out our Instagram @retrograde_pod and check out our link in the bio, or just click HERE.

Music is from Triune Digital and audio clips pulled from movies we will be reviewing in other episodes.

Artwork by @jannelle_o

“LOOKY LOOKY, I GOT HOOKY!“

On this week’s episode we talk about 1991’s Hook, directed by Steven Spielberg. We revisit the same year Terminator 2: Judgement Day was released, and we go back to another Steven Spielberg film that isn’t Jurassic Park. Austin walks us back to his childhood, reminiscing about when he would rewatch the VHS tape of Hook and cheering “RUFIO, RUFIO, RUFI…O!” when Dante Basco would make his entrance into the film.

But does the film hold up? We talk about the inclusion of Rufio in the film and what it meant to Asian Americans who were underrepresented in the film world. We delve into the writing, specifically how we felt about Captain Hook, the female characters, and about the message and theme of the film. But for the wildest segment, our special guest this week educates Jorge and Austin in the making of the film. Like how Frank Castle, the original actor for Michael Myers from Halloween was supposed to direct the film, and how at one point a major popstar was set to play the role of Peter Pan, ultimately losing the role to Robin Williams.

To find out who that popstar was, and what Austin and Jorge think of the film, tune in for this week’s episode of Retro Grade Podcast!

Also, we have merch! Check out our Instagram @retrograde_pod and check out our link in the bio, or just click HERE.

Music is from Triune Digital and audio clips pulled from movies we will be reviewing in other episodes.

Artwork by @jannelle_o

“IF YOU CHASE SOMETHING TO GET SOMETHING, SOMETHING WILL COME CHASING YOU.“

Today, on the first foreign film we have covered on the podcast, we take a look at 2008’s action-comedy or “kimchi western“ as the director describes it, “The Good the Bad the Weird“ directed by South Korean auteur, Kim Jee-woon. If you aren’t familiar with Kim Jee-woon, this might be the best place to start!

On this episode we discuss what the cinema landscape looked like in South Korea in 2008, and how they protect their cinema from the big Hollywood studios from dominating their domestic box office. We also talk about how this director directs his action films compared to Hollywood action films, even including Kim’s Hollywood action film: The Last Stand, with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

This film is not only fun and hilarious, but also takes place in a very interesting setting. When we think “westerns“ we think of the American West in the 19th century. So what does that look like from a Korean persepctive? How do the desert imagery, colonial themes, bandits and gunslingers translate into 1930’s Manchuria? Does this film also borrow from Italian westerns, aside from the obvious play on words title borrowing from Sergio Leone’s The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly?

Although this film was generally reviewed well, we talk about how fair the consensus’ phrasing “style over substance“ applies to this film, as well as some of the implicit racism in the reviews (even from the ones that LIKE the movie!)

We also discuss one of the biggest lies in the film industry: “no Animals were harmed during the making of this film.“ when doing a bit of research on some of the “horse stunts“ in this film.

If you haven’t seen this movie, you can do so on Hulu, Amazon Prime, iTunes and more. We encourage you to watch this film if you care about spoilers, because we talk about the ending, and how the easily available “International Cut“ varies from the original “Korean Cut.” Hope you enjoy the episode, see you in two weeks for Hook!

Also, we have merch! Check out our Instagram @retrograde_pod and check out our link in the bio, or just click HERE.

Music is from Triune Digital and audio clips pulled from movies we will be reviewing in other episodes.

Artwork by @jannelle_o

“MY NAME IS GRACE LEE.“

After the deliberations and listener suggestions from the previous episode, we decided on what movie(s) we should discover next. As fate would have it, the random picker wheel landed on listener suggestion: “The Grace Lee Project“ a documentary from 2005 by director and producer, Grace Lee. This film isn’t just about having a name in common with thousands of others, but also a film about the female Asian-American identity. An identity that is so often ignored and spoken over, and given recent events, we really wanted that to change. Maybe Chloé Zhao’s recent wins at the Oscars means that more people are willing to listen?

In the film, Grace Lee travels across the states (and briefly to Seoul, South Korea) meeting different Asian women with the same name. She asks about how they have dealt with having a common name and what they do to distinguish themselves from the “typical Asian woman“ stereotype. Filmmaker Grace Lee meets several other Grace Lees, including a reporter from Hawaii, an 80 year old activist from Detroit, a pastor’s wife, and suburban mom with a very non stereotypical story.

In case you are curious to watch the film you can do so on Kanopy for free (with an LA Library card): HERE and also on Vimeo for $4: HERE

Also, we have merch! Check out our Instagram @retrograde_pod and check out our link in the bio, or just click HERE.

Music is from Triune Digital and audio clips pulled from movies we will be reviewing in other episodes.

Artwork by @jannelle_o

On this week's episode of Retro Grade, we decided to take you behind the scenes of the podcast and show you how we go about finding the films to talk about…a long with a very special announcement at the end.

Each host brings in 4 movies they want to record an episode for, and they each can veto 2 films from the other's list. We then look at the final four picks and hold them to our special criteria, one that we made for this episode. The criteria consists of things that we feel make a good Retro Grade episode, things like: the disparity in audience and critical reception, the pop culture staying power, films that are fun to talk about, a film one or both of us has strong feelings about, one that bears some relevance to today’s socio-economic, and/or political climate, and lastly a film we have a personal story/relationship with.

And in the final round, whatever film wins, they must go through one last contender, the wild card, a randomly picked film that was submitted by our followers on Instagram. What movies do each of us bring? Which film walks out ahead? And which audience submitted film gets to go toe to toe with our pick? Tune in for this special episode to find out.

Music is from Triune Digital and audio clips pulled from movies we will be reviewing in other episodes.

Artwork by @jannelle_o