Tentpole Trauma

Considering the success of 2016’s Suicide Squad, a solo outing focusing on Margot Robbie’s celebrated portrayal of super villainess Harley Quinn seemed a no-brainer for the struggling DCEU. But despite a winning female team both in front and behind the camera, Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn failed to deliver the box office windfall the character deserved. Join Sebastian and Jennifer as they try to have the last laugh with this irreverent and enjoyable superheroine romp.

It’s always a challenge to bring a cult comic book character to the big screen successfully; in the case of 2000 AD’s gruff, helmeted lawgiver Judge Dredd, the attempt was made twice, both in 1995 and 2012. Despite the presences of Sylvester Stallone and Karl Urban in the titular role neither attempt drew in big box office, but at least one take emerged from the scorched earth as something of a cult classic. Join Sebastian and Malcontent Media’s Sean Farina as they try to determine who is the law and dispense harsh justice on Judge Dredd and Dredd.

While no one was expecting Richard Kelly’s 2001 sci fi brain-boiler Donnie Darko to be a tentpole film, it’s meager box office returns were disappointing even for such a low budget genre feature. But the film has garnered a significant legacy by introducing the world to both Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal, and is now revered as a cult classic by lovers of gonzo cinema. Join Sebastian and Jennifer as they close the time loop on this delightfully dark and funny lightning in a bottle film.

Excalibur meets Star Wars — in 1983 that elevator pitch was all that was needed to green light the big budget sci fi fantasy epic Krull. But despite a seasoned director at the helm and high production values — as well as then unknown Liam Neeson and Robbie Coltrane in supporting roles — the film landed with a thud at the box office. Join Sebastian, Troy and Richard as they wield the Glaive to conquer the convoluted world-building of Krull!

Double the Will Smith means double the boffo box office, right? Well, when it came to Ang Lee’s 2019 sci fi spy thriller Gemini Man, not so much. Despite Lee’s assured direction and the star power of Big Willy in dual roles, the film failed to generate any action at the box office or with critics. Join Sebastian, Jennifer and Viewer Discretion Advised’s VQ as they battle their younger selves to determine why this high concept thriller suffered a financial and critical headshot.

We’re doubling down on trauma this week by discussing two Terminator films in one episode! How can a once blockbuster sci fi franchise that  sprang from the mind of James Cameron fail to revive itself twice in a row? Join a sent from the future Sebastian and Malcontent Media’s Sean Farina as they say hasta la vista baby to both 2015’s Terminator Genisys and 2019’s Terminator Dark Fate!

A Men in Black ripoff starring Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges as mismatched afterlife cops — who wouldn’t want that right? Well, it turns out pretty much no one, but that doesn’t mean that Robert Schwentke’s 2013 box office bomb isn’t worth discussing! Join Sebastian and Jennifer as they exhume the nearly forgotten exquisite corpse of this ill-conceived Boston based supernatural action comedy.

Ahoy mateys! The careers of director Renny Harlin and star Geena Davis were as hot as their romance in 1995, so what better way to celebrate their love than to make a mega budget pirate movie? Unfortunately for the couple, the resulting effort was a box office bomb so massive it landed in the Guinness Book of Records, but is it really that much of a shipwreck? Join Sebastian, Jennifer and Richard as they hoist up the old Jolly Roger and set sail for Cutthroat Island!

Attempting to capitalize on Johnny Depp and Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean heat with a fresh take on a classic western IP probably seemed like a good idea back in 2013. Add to that rising star and cannibal fetishist Armie Hammer as a co-lead and what could possibly go wrong kemosabe? Join Sebastian and Jennifer as they climb aboard Gore Verbinski’s 250 million dollar box office trainwreck and peek under the mask of The Lone Ranger.

It took nearly 20 years, but Warner studios finally managed to coax the Wachowskis — well, one of them at least — to resurrect their most viable franchise, the Matrix. But considering the lackluster box office returns of The Matrix Resurrections, the world may not have been ready for Lana Wachowski’s bitter red pill of a movie. Join Sebastian, Chris and Rodney as they reconvene down the rabbit hole for this perplexingly meta rebootquel.