Swords and Satire

Nothing says happy holidays like a movie about an avatar of hatred and misery, who gains a conscience through a near-death experience of sadness, fear, and threat of bodily harm. So that’s why we decided to cover A Christmas Carol for our holiday special, a film based on the Dickensian classic about class struggle and the ultimate wish fulfillment of scaring your boss into being a better person. So curl up next to the fire and listen to our haunting holiday tale!

(music by Dexter Britain and Loyalty Freak Music, intro skit sounds and music obtained from Zapsplat.com)

Our patrons have spoken and have thus decreed that we explain the convoluted plot and examine the tired tropes and potentially disturbing lore of The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, a Disney holiday flop. But this is a fantasy film, and we review these types of things, so we have taken up the challenge! So listen in to hear us piece together our critique of this film with gum and shoestring, about a girl who travels to another realm to find out what she needed was inside of her all along, a la Kung Fu Panda and The Narnia Chronicles. Perhaps we are the only ones who are uniquely suited to truly help you understand this film!

(music by Dexter Britain and Loyalty Freak Music, intro skit sounds and music obtained from Zapsplat.com)

This week we cover a horror holiday classic, at least in our minds, Krampus! We talk all about this loveable demonic sater, including the historical lore and how he is depicted in this devotional film in all of its campy glory. We also take what is perhaps a somewhat controversial stance about the relationship between Krampus and Santa and their status as a morality system for children to explain how the main character of the film, Max, is actually a Christmas witch. All we have to say is beware of someone who tries to give you a bell around the holidays!

(music by Dexter Britain and Loyalty Freak Music, intro skit sounds and music obtained from Zapsplat.com)

Check out our final discussion of Over the Garden Wall, episodes 7 through 10, in which our intrepid explorers face their final tests of telling friend from foe and resisting pure despair, and they have their long awaited confrontation with The Beast! We also get a bit of their backstory on how they became lost among the lands of The Unknown, and what they stand to lose if they cannot make it back home. We talk about the symbolism and weaknesses of The Beast, and just what makes him so alluring. Like, seriously, he seems like he would be cool to hang out with. We also delve into the nuances of how Greg and Wirt’s different personalities shape their experiences of The Unknown. So strap on some comfy headphones and prepare to be intrigued, mystified, and disgusted by your faithful Satirist crew!

This week we watched a movie about a fantastical native group in a sacred jungle that is under threat from colonizers, who want to take all of the natural resources and destroy the native group’s home. And no, this isn’t James Cameron’s Avatar, it’s Ferngully, a movie about fairies and these fantastical people called humans. We talk about environmentalism, conservation, representation, wanton destruction of our natural resources, and of course, poop jokes. We also have one of our new producers, Alisha, on as a guest in this episode! Listen in and join the conversation on social media with us @swordsandsatire!

(intro skit sounds and music obtained from Zapsplat.com)

Listen in to our evolving discussion of Over The Garden Wall, episodes 4 through 6, in which Greg, Wirt and Benjamin Franklin, a.k.a. George Washington, continue their pilgrimage to find their way home, while evading the Beast and that sussy Woodsman. We talk about friendship and betrayal, identity and personal potential, the proper names of frogs, and money graveyards. Things are ever more twisted and uncertain in the land of the Unknown for our wayward travelers as they are beset by both physical and social traps and the Beast dogs their every step, like a relentless, yet patient hunter, always pursuing but never tiring. And on that cheery note, dear listener we invite you to check out this riveting episode!

This week we cover Kung Fu Panda, the animated movie about a loveable Panda who turns himself from a zero to a hero with the power of belief. We delve into the problematic body shaming jokes in this film, while simultaneously acknowledging the positive messages contained within, which are mainly spoken by Master Oogway. And let’s be honest, he’s the best and we could all use a little Master Oogway in our lives from time to time. So strap on some headphones and prepare yourself for our words of wisdom!

(intro skit sounds and music obtained from Zapsplat.com)

So as the spooky season comes to a close this year we are going back to our usual cadence with our coverage of TV shows every other week, and this week we start our exploration of Over the Garden Wall, episodes 1 through 3. Join us as we delve into The Unknown with Wirt and Greg in a dark fantastical land full of frightening beasts, talking animals, and endless amounts of pants candy. Things aren’t what they seem in this strange land, so listen in and come along for an auditory ride as we venture into these dark and tangled woods.

As our spooky special Scares and Satires series comes to a close we are covering From Dusk Till Dawn, and it is truly terrifying indeed! This movie is full of monsters, and not just of the vampire kind, and it can be damn hard to tell who is the most bloodthirsty of them all...okay fine, you want us to admit it? It’s Tarantino, he’s the most twisted and bloodthirsty villain as far as we can tell. We stared into the inky blackness unflinching, and dared the horrors of this film, all for you dear listeners, so strap on your favorite earbuds, cuddle up with a warm blanket, and listen to our frightful tale.

This week we cover the sequel to the best villain redemption movie (at least by Disney), Maleficent, so listen in as we attempt to unpack the themes and messages in this convoluted and confusing follow-up to the best fantasy movie about a goth queen we have covered so far! If you have seen this movie, then you may have questions like, “Why is she called the ‘Mistress of Evil’ even though she renounced her evil ways?” or, “Why would Aurora marry Phillip in a patriarchal society when she’s already a queen in her own right?” or, “Were all of those holocaust references really necessary?” (Spoilers, they weren’t!) Well, fear not dear listeners, for we endeavor to answer these questions and more, along with our guest Miki, friend and patron of the show!

(intro skit sounds obtained from Zapsplat.com)