Screeners Podcast

If you heard the results of the Screeners’ box office wager, you know that Daniel was...less than pleased. Turns out he was so unhappy that he’s invented another contest just to redeem himself. This time, we’ll be picking Oscar nominees. The rules are similar to those for the box office wager, but Daniel has doctored them in his favor.

Also: Money isn’t everything—or, at least, that’s what you have to tell yourself if you’re a fan of the recent adaptation of Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch. Its opening weekend was a huge letdown from a box office standpoint, but the film does have one good omen on its side: It signals the time of year when the movies are sourced from books without pictures. It’s like pumpkin spice for people who prefer words to CGI.

Once you’re done with the review, check out the contest rules on Facebook, then send in your own entries there or on Twitter!

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Special Guest: Tyler Howat.

Summer is still alive and well on the calendar (and the thermometer), but the summer box office race is officially over, so it’s time to pay the piper. Who will take home the 2019 Box Office Wager crown?

...what’s that? Of course there’s an actual crown! This contest means something, you know. The winner gets to...to...look; it’s important, alright?!

You know there will be gloating and gnashing of teeth on Facebook and Twitter after this is all out in the open, so come join the fun.

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It seems like just yesterday that we reviewed It, but turns out it’s been, like, 2 years since It was released. It’s funny how it works, you know — sometimes it seems like time moves so slowly, but then you think about it, and it’s been over 30 years since It first happened. It comes and goes as it pleases, it seems.

OK, it’s probably time to stop it. We’re reviewing It Chapter Two, though, so do stick around for that. And take any puns you might have to Facebook or Twitter, where they can be properly appreciated.

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Special Guest: Tyler Howat.

Ready or Not isn’t exactly a summer blockbuster by normal box office standards, but it’s already earned twice its budget, so that’s something, right? It’s a horror comedy that uses a wedding dress as a murder weapon to kill rich people, so that has to at least be worth a Screenes review.

And while we’re talking about murder, Netflix’s Mindhunter is back for its second season. Not everyone’s binged all of it yet, so no spoilers here, but enough of us liked the first one that it’s worth at least giving our first impressions.

Oh, and we don’t know whether you’ve heard, but there was a new trailer or something released today. We’ll talk about it long enough to give Chad a chance to tell us he hasn’t watched it. Let us know what you thought about it (or Ready or Not, or Mindhunter, or that thing that we should’ve talked about but didn’t) on Facebook or Twitter.

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Special Guest: Tyler Howat.

Everything comes in at least a pair in Hollywood, and this year’s novelty seems to be the classic rock ‘n’ roll montage set in England. First we had the Beatles bonanza that was Yesterday, and now there’s the Springsteen retrospective of Blinded by the Light. The dive into the catalogs of music greats is just the gimmick of these movies, though; they of course have their own story to tell. So far Blinded by the Light seems to be resonating more with audiences, so it’s time to hear what the Screeners think about it.

Have you seen either of this summer’s musical tribute movies? Tell us what you think on Facebook or Twitter!

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Special Guest: Tyler Howat.

It’s August. It’s hot, and the studios don’t seem to be doing all that much to convince us to brave the walk from our cars to the theater. What better time to review all the things you can watch at home that we haven’t had time to talk about yet?

And once we’re done with the small army of mini-reviews, the Screeners look to the future with a Top 3 about what we’re most excited about for the rest of the year.

Did we still manage to leave something out? Have any recommendations to fill the rest of our time until the next superhero movie? Tell us on Facebook or Twitter!

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After the insanity that was the last Fast & Furious movie, what could they possibly think of next? If you said “they join the Space Force”, we applaud your creativity—that’s what we would have done, too—but apparently that’s not the answer. The answer is “turn Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham into a comedy duo” and name the movie like it’s some kind of variety show. What the title of Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw lacks in brevity, it makes up for in absurdity. Oh well; it’s summer, so the Screeners will see anything.

And to celebrate the new dynasty that Johnson and Statham are sure to be, let’s go ahead and do a Top 3 on actor pairings. We won’t top this one, we’re sure, but maybe we can come close. Got any ideas to add to our lists? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter!

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Quentin Tarantino’s back for movie number 9, and whether or not you believe he’ll really retire after 10, you know the Screeners couldn’t pass up an opportunity to annoy Josh by talking about Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood. Maybe he’ll even show up to take the abuse.

And while we’re at it, why not just make the Top 3 about Tarantino too? That should round things off nicely. As always, if you want to get in on the fun, drop us a comment on Facebook, tweet us, or send us an email.

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Comic-Con’s just wrapping up in San Diego, so now’s the perfect time to talk about all the hottest new trailers. Maybe we’ll even find out about Tyler’s latest cosplaying adventure.

OK; we’ll talk about The Little Mermaid in due time, we promise. For now, though, Disney has remade an even bigger property in full live-ish action glory. These things are always risky, though, especially when the original Lion King was so beloved, and 90’s nostalgia is in its heyday. The Screeners won’t steer you wrong, though, especially with Daniel “The Lion King is the greatest film of all time, and everyone else should just give up” Howat here for the review.

And since 2019 is (a little more than) halfway over, this seems like a good time to do a retrospective for this episode’s Top 3, so...let’s close with that, shall we?

All that said, there’s no way The Lion King doesn’t generate some fan controversy, and we want to hear all your hot takes on Facebook and Twitter!

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Special Guest: Tyler Howat.

The third season of Netflix’s Stranger Things is live now, and instead of going to Burger King to participate in a questionable marketing campaign, why not listen to the Screeners’ take on the latest episodes? Guest host Curtis Templeton from nostalgia tour de force Beyond the Backlot is here to contribute his two cents, so this is sure to be a good one.

And you know what? We’re sorry we badmouthed Burger King—go ahead and grab yourself one of those Whoppers too. Just don’t, like, unwrap it the wrong way, or it sort of ruins the whole thing. When you’re done, tell us how your meal paired with your binge-watching session on Facebook or Twitter.

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Special Guest: Tyler Howat.