The Contrarians

It’s taken close to ten years for MOANA to get a sequel - an uncommon length of time for a movie so successful. Does it hold up as we prepare for the further adventures of Moana and Maui? Even better: does it live up to the hype for someone who had never seen it before? And what are the odds that The Rock dresses up as Maui on his next wrestling match? The answers to this (and more!) lie in this Real Talk segment.

TIMELINE

00:01:26 Do You Know Who You Are?

00:02:20 Real Talk

00:50:15 The Future & Patreon Stuff

- Interested in more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on our Patreon Page! Deleted clips, extended plugs, bonus episodes free from the Tomatometer shackles… It’s everything a Contrarians devotee would want!

- Our YouTube page is live! Get some visual Contrarians delight with our Contrarians Warm-Ups and other fun videos!

- Contrarians Merch is finally here! Check out our RED BUBBLE MERCH PAGE and buy yourself something nice that’s emblazoned with one of our four different designs!

- THE FESTIVE YEARS have been letting us use their music for years now and they are amazing. You can check out their work on Spotify, on Facebook or on their very own website.

- Our buddy Cory Ahre is being kind enough to lend a hand with the editing of some of our videos. If you like his style, wait until you see what he does over on his YouTube Channel.

- THE LATE NIGHT GRIN isn’t just a show about wrestling: it’s a brand, a lifestyle. And they’re very supportive of our Contrarian endeavors, so we’d like to return the favor. Check out their YouTube Channel! You might even spot Alex there from time to time.

- Hans Rothgiesser, the man behind our logo, can be reached at @mildemonios on Twitter or you can email him at [email protected] in case you ever need a logo (or comics) produced. And you can listen to him talk about economy on his new TV show, VALOR AGREGADO. Aaaaand you can also check out all the stuff he’s written on his own website. He has a new book: a sort of Economics For Dummies called MARGINAL. Ask him about it!

Up next, it gets spooky around here as we tackle the Russell Crowe thriller THE POPE’S EXORCIST! Until then, let us know what you thought of Moana: Could The Rock have used some singing lessons? Should Auli’i Cravalho have committed to the live-action remake? Does Alan Tudyk laugh all the way to the bank every time? E-mail us at [email protected] or share your thoughts with us on Threads or BlueSky!

Every now and then, Disney likes to apply its Disney Template to other cultures in an effort to diversify the way it makes trillions of dollars. As the release of Moana 2 looms in our immediate future, it may be a good time to revisit the original MOANA and try to figure out why critics keep falling for the same tricks over and over. Listen to Alex and Julio as they try to figure out if the novelty of an animated Dwayne Johnson is all this movie has going for it!

TIMELINE

00:01:24 Moana

00:13:26 Contrarians Corner

- Wanna know how we really feel about MOANA? Check out the Real Talk (RT) episode, on your feed RIGHT NOW! (or pretty soon — Spotify can be a pain when it comes to refreshing the feed)

- Interested in more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on our Patreon Page! Deleted clips, extended plugs, bonus episodes free from the Tomatometer shackles… It’s everything a Contrarians devotee would want!

- Our YouTube page is live! Get some visual Contrarians delight with our Contrarians Warm-Ups and other fun videos!

- Contrarians Merch is finally here! Check out our RED BUBBLE MERCH PAGE and buy yourself something nice that’s emblazoned with one of our four different designs!

- THE FESTIVE YEARS have been letting us use their music for years now and they are amazing. You can check out their work on Spotify, on Facebook or on their very own website.

- Our buddy Cory Ahre is being kind enough to lend a hand with the editing of some of our videos. If you like his style, wait until you see what he does over on his YouTube Channel.

- THE LATE NIGHT GRIN isn’t just a show about wrestling: it’s a brand, a lifestyle. And they’re very supportive of our Contrarian endeavors, so we’d like to return the favor. Check out their YouTube Channel! You might even spot Alex there from time to time.

- Hans Rothgiesser, the man behind our logo, can be reached at @mildemonios on Twitter or you can email him at [email protected] in case you ever need a logo (or comics) produced. And you can listen to him talk about economy on his new TV show, VALOR AGREGADO. Aaaaand you can also check out all the stuff he’s written on his own website. He has a new book: a sort of Economics For Dummies called MARGINAL. Ask him about it!

It wasn’t that long ago that we praised Steven Spielberg’s gritty take on the war genre. Does Clint Eastwood’s similar approach to Westerns manage to capture our interest the same way? UNFORGIVEN is just as celebrated as Saving Private Ryan, but you could argue we have less of a connection to its origin and its stars. So do we find anything transcendent in Eastwood’s most acclaimed cowboy adventure? It’s all in this Real Talk segment!

TIMELINE

00:01:26 I’m Coming Out!

00:01:57 Real Talk

00:53:10 The Future & Patreon Stuff

- Interested in more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on our Patreon Page! Deleted clips, extended plugs, bonus episodes free from the Tomatometer shackles… It’s everything a Contrarians devotee would want!

- Our YouTube page is live! Get some visual Contrarians delight with our Contrarians Warm-Ups and other fun videos!

- Listen to Paul (and his delightful co-host Wayne) wrap an incredible run as THE COUNTDOWN comes to a close - and catch up on their old episodes!

- Contrarians Merch is finally here! Check out our RED BUBBLE MERCH PAGE and buy yourself something nice that’s emblazoned with one of our four different designs!

- THE FESTIVE YEARS have been letting us use their music for years now and they are amazing. You can check out their work on Spotify, on Facebook or on their very own website.

- Our buddy Cory Ahre is being kind enough to lend a hand with the editing of some of our videos. If you like his style, wait until you see what he does over on his YouTube Channel.

- THE LATE NIGHT GRIN isn’t just a show about wrestling: it’s a brand, a lifestyle. And they’re very supportive of our Contrarian endeavors, so we’d like to return the favor. Check out their YouTube Channel! You might even spot Alex there from time to time.

- Hans Rothgiesser, the man behind our logo, can be reached at @mildemonios on Twitter or you can email him at [email protected] in case you ever need a logo (or comics) produced. And you can listen to him talk about economy on his new TV show, VALOR AGREGADO. Aaaaand you can also check out all the stuff he’s written on his own website. He has a new book: a sort of Economics For Dummies called MARGINAL. Ask him about it!

Up next, we sync with the present as much as we can, as we tackle the first MOANA (in anticipation of the sequel)! Until then, let us know what you thought of Unforgiven: Was Morgan Freeman robbed of an Oscar? Did Clint Eastwood set himself up to coast for the rest of his career? Did you know Lochlyn Munro had been in a Western? E-mail us at [email protected] or tweet at us or facebook us and share your thoughts!

Props where props are due: back in 1992, Clint Eastwood figured out a way to turn his status as an aging cowboy into an asset. UNFORGIVEN may be an unremarkable Western, but Clint managed to trick critics and audiences into buying it as an exploration of the first half of his career - successfully fueling the second half. Listen to Alex & Julio as they try to determine if this movie has anything to say beyond “Eastwood is still a badass”!

TIMELINE

00:01:24 Unforgiven

00:14:04 Contrarians Corner

- Wanna know how we really feel about UNFORGIVEN? Check out the Real Talk (RT) episode, on your feed RIGHT NOW! (or pretty soon — Spotify can be a pain when it comes to refreshing the feed)

- Listen to Paul (and his delightful co-host Wayne) wrap an incredible run as THE COUNTDOWN comes to a close - and catch up on their old episodes!

- Interested in more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on our Patreon Page! Deleted clips, extended plugs, bonus episodes free from the Tomatometer shackles… It’s everything a Contrarians devotee would want!

- Our YouTube page is live! Get some visual Contrarians delight with our Contrarians Warm-Ups and other fun videos!

- Contrarians Merch is finally here! Check out our RED BUBBLE MERCH PAGE and buy yourself something nice that’s emblazoned with one of our four different designs!

- THE FESTIVE YEARS have been letting us use their music for years now and they are amazing. You can check out their work on Spotify, on Facebook or on their very own website.

- Our buddy Cory Ahre is being kind enough to lend a hand with the editing of some of our videos. If you like his style, wait until you see what he does over on his YouTube Channel.

- THE LATE NIGHT GRIN isn’t just a show about wrestling: it’s a brand, a lifestyle. And they’re very supportive of our Contrarian endeavors, so we’d like to return the favor. Check out their YouTube Channel! You might even spot Alex there from time to time.

- Hans Rothgiesser, the man behind our logo, can be reached at @mildemonios on Twitter or you can email him at [email protected] in case you ever need a logo (or comics) produced. And you can listen to him talk about economy on his new TV show, VALOR AGREGADO. Aaaaand you can also check out all the stuff he’s written on his own website. He has a new book: a sort of Economics For Dummies called MARGINAL. Ask him about it!

This one’s for the fans. And for us, honestly. It’s been ten years since we sat down to record the first episode of The Contrarians, and the journey has been fun, rewarding, and well-worth celebrating. So allow us to be more than a little self-indulgent as we stroll down memory lane, go over some of the show’s milestones and listen to messages from our friends and patrons!

TIMELINE

00:00:59 Ten Years Have Passed

00:06:43 Not Just Our Friends And Family

00:11:40 A Magic Mailbox

00:23:38 Worlds Collided

00:29:48 Good Stories Need Time

00:37:52 A Big Joke That Got Out Of Hand

00:44:25 Deserves A Solid 40% More

00:50:16 Can’t Believe I Defended Green Book

00:55:26 In The Same Box As Ad Astra

01:04:23 Someone’s Comfort Movie

01:08:36 Punches Swinging A Mile Wide

01:13:35 Proves That We Can Do Anything!

01:19:41 We Don’t Need Thomas Jane

01:29:03 A Film About Accepting Brexit

01:37:17 Bullet Daddy

01:42:15 You’re Plugged In, Man

01:44:50 Ebert Wrote The Essay

01:53:11 A Nod To 60s Batman

01:56:10 Best Comedian of The 90s?

02:03:52 The Ninja Turtles Wave

02:08:42 A Happy Accident

02:18:28 Absurdist Comedy Brilliance

02:30:25 Present Day

- Interested in more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on our Patreon Page! Deleted clips, extended plugs, bonus episodes free from the Tomatometer shackles… It’s everything a Contrarians devotee would want!

- Our YouTube page is live! Get some visual Contrarians delight with our Contrarians Warm-Ups and other fun videos!

- Contrarians Merch is finally here! Check out our RED BUBBLE MERCH PAGE and buy yourself something nice that’s emblazoned with one of our four different designs!

- THE FESTIVE YEARS have been letting us use their music for years now and they are amazing. You can check out their work on Spotify, on Facebook or on their very own website.

- Our buddy Cory Ahre is being kind enough to lend a hand with the editing of some of our videos. If you like his style, wait until you see what he does over on his YouTube Channel.

- THE LATE NIGHT GRIN isn’t just a show about wrestling: it’s a brand, a lifestyle. And they’re very supportive of our Contrarian endeavors, so we’d like to return the favor. Check out their YouTube Channel! You might even spot Alex there from time to time.

- Hans Rothgiesser, the man behind our logo, can be reached at @mildemonios on Twitter or you can email him at [email protected] in case you ever need a logo (or comics) produced. And you can listen to him talk about economy on his new TV show, VALOR AGREGADO. Aaaaand you can also check out all the stuff he’s written on his own website. He has a new book: a sort of Economics For Dummies called MARGINAL. Ask him about it!

Up next, we start Year Eleven by tackling THE Clint Eastood movie, UNFORGIVEN! Until then, feel free to share your favorite Contrarians-related memories or, even better, your Contrarians Movies! E-mail us at [email protected] or tweet at us or facebook us with your contributions!

In a Contrarians year dominated by Peter Bogdanovich and PJ Hogan, will their filmographies take over our annual awards ceremony? The only way for you to find out is to listen to The Embries 2024, as we celebrate the last twelve months of Contrarians awesomeness by giving away Embries, Hooeys, Ruffalos, Gads, and The Lancaster Dodd Grant!

TIMELINE

00:01:24 The Embries 2024

00:12:55 Supporting Actress

00:23:58 Supporting Actor

00:37:24 The Ruffalo

00:44:34 The Lancaster Dodd Grant for the Development of White People Movies

00:49:55 Lead Actor

01:04:42 Lead Actress

01:19:54 The Gad

01:35:14 The Hooey

01:41:31 The Embry

01:47:11 The Future & Patreon Stuff

- Interested in more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on our Patreon Page! Deleted clips, extended plugs, bonus episodes free from the Tomatometer shackles… It’s everything a Contrarians devotee would want!

- Our YouTube page is live! Get some visual Contrarians delight with our Contrarians Warm-Ups and other fun videos!

- Contrarians Merch is finally here! Check out our RED BUBBLE MERCH PAGE and buy yourself something nice that’s emblazoned with one of our four different designs!

- THE FESTIVE YEARS have been letting us use their music for years now and they are amazing. You can check out their work on Spotify, on Facebook or on their very own website.

- Our buddy Cory Ahre is being kind enough to lend a hand with the editing of some of our videos. If you like his style, wait until you see what he does over on his YouTube Channel.

- THE LATE NIGHT GRIN isn’t just a show about wrestling: it’s a brand, a lifestyle. And they’re very supportive of our Contrarian endeavors, so we’d like to return the favor. Check out their YouTube Channel! You might even spot Alex there from time to time.

- Hans Rothgiesser, the man behind our logo, can be reached at @mildemonios on Twitter or you can email him at [email protected] in case you ever need a logo (or comics) produced. And you can listen to him talk about economy on his new TV show, VALOR AGREGADO. Aaaaand you can also check out all the stuff he’s written on his own website. He has a new book: a sort of Economics For Dummies called MARGINAL. Ask him about it!

Up next, a very special episode as we celebrate ten years (TEN YEARS!) of The Contrarians being part of the podcasting world. Join us as we take a trip down memory lane and reminisce about everything that’s happened on this little show since its inception! Until then, let us know what you thought of The Embries 2024: which awards did you agree with? Who got snubbed? Have we convinced to watch any of the nominees or winners? E-mail us at [email protected] or tweet at us or facebook us and share your thoughts!

We dragged poor Paul from The Countdown, kicking and screaming, through a Contrarians Corner dedicated to one of his favorite movies. Now it's time for the all-out praise-fest to be unleashed... or is it? How do we truly feel about SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, and what do we make of that American flag waving us goodbye as the end credits get ready to roll? It's a heavier Real Talk segment than the one in our Shakespeare in Love episode, for sure!

TIMELINE

00:01:26 Days Like Today

00:02:12 Real Talk

00:56:59 The Future & Patreon Stuff

- Listen to Paul (and his delightful co-host Wayne) wrap an incredible run as THE COUNTDOWN comes to a close - and catch up on their old episodes!

- Interested in more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on our Patreon Page! Deleted clips, extended plugs, bonus episodes free from the Tomatometer shackles… It’s everything a Contrarians devotee would want!

- Our YouTube page is live! Get some visual Contrarians delight with our Contrarians Warm-Ups and other fun videos!

- Contrarians Merch is finally here! Check out our RED BUBBLE MERCH PAGE and buy yourself something nice that’s emblazoned with one of our four different designs!

- THE FESTIVE YEARS have been letting us use their music for years now and they are amazing. You can check out their work on Spotify, on Facebook or on their very own website.

- Our buddy Cory Ahre is being kind enough to lend a hand with the editing of some of our videos. If you like his style, wait until you see what he does over on his YouTube Channel.

- THE LATE NIGHT GRIN isn’t just a show about wrestling: it’s a brand, a lifestyle. And they’re very supportive of our Contrarian endeavors, so we’d like to return the favor. Check out their YouTube Channel! You might even spot Alex there from time to time.

- Hans Rothgiesser, the man behind our logo, can be reached at @mildemonios on Twitter or you can email him at [email protected] in case you ever need a logo (or comics) produced. And you can listen to him talk about economy on his new TV show, VALOR AGREGADO. Aaaaand you can also check out all the stuff he’s written on his own website. He has a new book: a sort of Economics For Dummies called MARGINAL. Ask him about it!

Up next, it’s our annual awards ceremony, celebrating the last 12 months of Contrarians goodness - get ready for The Embries 2024! Until then, let us know what you thought of Saving Private Ryan: Did Spielberg ruin the war genre for every other filmmaker? Are the bookend sequences unnecessary Titanic pandering? Was the wonderful Tom Hanks miscast? E-mail us at [email protected] or tweet at us or facebook us and share your thoughts!

Oscars are like Pringles: you can't stop at just one. And that's why Steven Spielberg spent several years chasing the high of winning all those Academy Awards for Schindler's List - a journey that culminated in a Best Director Oscar for SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. The price? Sucking the fun out of the war movie genre forever. Listen to Alex & Julio - joined by SPR Superfan Paul from The Countdown Podcast - question if the man was worth the mission!

TIMELINE

00:01:24 Saving Private Ryan

00:15:42 Contrarians Corner

- Wanna know how we really feel about SAVING PRIVATE RYAN? Check out the Real Talk (RT) episode, on your feed RIGHT NOW! (or pretty soon — Spotify can be a pain when it comes to refreshing the feed)

- Listen to Paul (and his delightful co-host Wayne) wrap an incredible run as THE COUNTDOWN comes to a close - and catch up on their old episodes!

- Interested in more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on our Patreon Page! Deleted clips, extended plugs, bonus episodes free from the Tomatometer shackles… It’s everything a Contrarians devotee would want!

- Our YouTube page is live! Get some visual Contrarians delight with our Contrarians Warm-Ups and other fun videos!

- Contrarians Merch is finally here! Check out our RED BUBBLE MERCH PAGE and buy yourself something nice that’s emblazoned with one of our four different designs!

- THE FESTIVE YEARS have been letting us use their music for years now and they are amazing. You can check out their work on Spotify, on Facebook or on their very own website.

- Our buddy Cory Ahre is being kind enough to lend a hand with the editing of some of our videos. If you like his style, wait until you see what he does over on his YouTube Channel.

- THE LATE NIGHT GRIN isn’t just a show about wrestling: it’s a brand, a lifestyle. And they’re very supportive of our Contrarian endeavors, so we’d like to return the favor. Check out their YouTube Channel! You might even spot Alex there from time to time.

- Hans Rothgiesser, the man behind our logo, can be reached at @mildemonios on Twitter or you can email him at [email protected] in case you ever need a logo (or comics) produced. And you can listen to him talk about economy on his new TV show, VALOR AGREGADO. Aaaaand you can also check out all the stuff he’s written on his own website. He has a new book: a sort of Economics For Dummies called MARGINAL. Ask him about it!

Okay, level with us, Judge Dredd fans: is the hate mostly about the helmet? The Contrarians are barely familiar with the 2000 AD comics, so it's very likely this Real Talk segment won't reflect the feelings of the average Dredd fan. But surely we can find common ground? Surely we can agree that Stallone looks great? And can this movie be judged as a 90s Sci-Fi Flick, separate from its comic book origins?

TIMELINE

00:01:26 You Betrayed The Law

00:02:13 Real Talk

00:57:43 The Future & Patreon Stuff

- Interested in more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on our Patreon Page! Deleted clips, extended plugs, bonus episodes free from the Tomatometer shackles… It’s everything a Contrarians devotee would want!

- Our YouTube page is live! Get some visual Contrarians delight with our Contrarians Warm-Ups and other fun videos!

- Contrarians Merch is finally here! Check out our RED BUBBLE MERCH PAGE and buy yourself something nice that’s emblazoned with one of our four different designs!

- THE FESTIVE YEARS have been letting us use their music for years now and they are amazing. You can check out their work on Spotify, on Facebook or on their very own website.

- Our buddy Cory Ahre is being kind enough to lend a hand with the editing of some of our videos. If you like his style, wait until you see what he does over on his YouTube Channel.

- THE LATE NIGHT GRIN isn’t just a show about wrestling: it’s a brand, a lifestyle. And they’re very supportive of our Contrarian endeavors, so we’d like to return the favor. Check out their YouTube Channel! You might even spot Alex there from time to time.

- Hans Rothgiesser, the man behind our logo, can be reached at @mildemonios on Twitter or you can email him at [email protected] in case you ever need a logo (or comics) produced. And you can listen to him talk about economy on his new TV show, VALOR AGREGADO. Aaaaand you can also check out all the stuff he’s written on his own website. He has a new book: a sort of Economics For Dummies called MARGINAL. Ask him about it!

Up next, it’s a big one, as we tackle Steven Spielberg’s SAVING PRIVATE RYAN with the help of Paul from The Countdown Podcast! Until then, let us know what you thought of Judge Dredd: is it an insult to the comic book and its fans, or is it a valid interpretation of the character? Did Danny Cannon overdo it with that “Fear Me” stunt? Is it time for another attempt at a Dredd movie-verse? E-mail us at [email protected] or tweet at us or facebook us and share your thoughts!

Find us a more pitch-perfect casting than Sylvester Stallone's granite jaw as Judge Dredd. Find us a more delightful comic relief sidekick than pre-MAGA Rob Schneider. Find us a hotter cop/lawyer hybrid than Diane Lane. But the Tomatometer didn't care, and it stamped the 1995 JUDGE DREDD adaptation with a rotten 22% score. Listen to Alex & Julio as they celebrate a comic book movie that wasn't afraid to have fun with violence!

TIMELINE

00:01:24 Judge Dredd (1995)

00:10:20 Contrarians Corner

- Wanna know how we really feel about JUDGE DREDD (1995)? Check out the Real Talk (RT) episode, on your feed RIGHT NOW! (or pretty soon — Spotify can be a pain when it comes to refreshing the feed)

- Interested in more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on our Patreon Page! Deleted clips, extended plugs, bonus episodes free from the Tomatometer shackles… It’s everything a Contrarians devotee would want!

- Our YouTube page is live! Get some visual Contrarians delight with our Contrarians Warm-Ups and other fun videos!

- Contrarians Merch is finally here! Check out our RED BUBBLE MERCH PAGE and buy yourself something nice that’s emblazoned with one of our four different designs!

- THE FESTIVE YEARS have been letting us use their music for years now and they are amazing. You can check out their work on Spotify, on Facebook or on their very own website.

- Our buddy Cory Ahre is being kind enough to lend a hand with the editing of some of our videos. If you like his style, wait until you see what he does over on his YouTube Channel.

- THE LATE NIGHT GRIN isn’t just a show about wrestling: it’s a brand, a lifestyle. And they’re very supportive of our Contrarian endeavors, so we’d like to return the favor. Check out their YouTube Channel! You might even spot Alex there from time to time.

- Hans Rothgiesser, the man behind our logo, can be reached at @mildemonios on Twitter or you can email him at [email protected] in case you ever need a logo (or comics) produced. And you can listen to him talk about economy on his new TV show, VALOR AGREGADO. Aaaaand you can also check out all the stuff he’s written on his own website. He has a new book: a sort of Economics For Dummies called MARGINAL. Ask him about it!