Thirty Minute Reviews

Adam, Peter, and Josie discuss weekly news and Fantastic Four (2015).

Adam, Peter, and Josie discuss The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Adam, Peter and Josie discuss Eight Crazy Nights, this week's headlines, and things they enjoyed this week.

Going into week 9 of the football season, Adam and Peter discuss their progress and the film Donnie Darko and the 9th episode of Daredevil.

Adam is joined by Peter and Josie to revisit Avengers: Age of Ultron, break down the sequel’s biggest problems, and explain how they would have improved Ultron, Hawkeye, Quicksilver, Tony Stark’s character arc, the overcrowded story, and the film’s constant stream of misplaced jokes.

The conversation also covers the newly released Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer, Mark Ruffalo joining Thor: Ragnarok, possible directions for Marvel’s Phase Four, Daredevil’s introduction of Stick, and the show’s weekly NFL predictions.

Originally recorded in 2015. Some news, schedules, promotions, language, and predictions reflect the time of the original recording.

Adam, Josie, and Peter break down Mamma Mia! song by song, examining how the film adapts the stage musical, which performances work, where the story begins disappearing beneath the ABBA soundtrack, and whether its increasingly elaborate musical sequences help or overwhelm the movie.

The group discusses Meryl Streep’s performance, Pierce Brosnan’s divisive singing, Colin Firth’s comic timing, the mystery surrounding Sophie’s father, and musical numbers including “Dancing Queen,” “Lay All Your Love on Me,” “The Winner Takes It All,” and “Take a Chance on Me.”

The episode also continues the weekly Daredevil discussion, reacts to Marvel’s revised Phase Three schedule and early Punisher footage, and introduces Adam’s short-lived retail-etiquette segment.

Originally recorded in October 2015. Some news, language, announced projects, and predictions reflect what was known at the time.

For the tenth episode of Thirty Minute Reviews, Adam, Josie, and Peter celebrate the start of hockey season with Disney’s Miracle, the cult hockey comedy Goon, and ESPN’s 30 for 30 documentary Of Miracles and Men.

Adam examines how Miracle places the 1980 United States Olympic hockey team within the political and cultural uncertainty of the era, highlights the film’s use of Jimmy Carter’s “Crisis of Confidence” speech, and breaks down its transition from recreated commentary to Al Michaels’ original “Do you believe in miracles?” call.

The group also discusses The Goonies, the early episodes of Marvel’s Daredevil, upcoming television and movie plans, and the continuing evolution of the podcast as it reaches its tenth episode.

Originally recorded in October 2015. Some terminology, predictions, promotions, schedules, and commentary reflect the time of the original recording.

Adam, Josie, and Peter revisit Disney’s 1997 animated Hercules, discussing its memorable music, James Woods’ fast-talking interpretation of Hades, the mix of hand-drawn and computer animation, its adult humor, and where it belongs within the Disney Renaissance.

The conversation expands into a debate over the best Disney animated movies, including Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Before the review, the group ranks its favorite licensed video games, from GoldenEye 007 and the Batman: Arkham series to Ultimate Spider-Man, Toy Story 2, and SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom.

The episode also continues the weekly discussion of Daredevil with Episode 4, “In the Blood,” and looks ahead at several forthcoming Marvel projects.

Originally recorded in late September 2015. Some news, terminology, predictions, and announced projects reflect what was known at the time.

Adam and Josie discuss The Drop and make the case that James Gandolfini’s final film performance deserved an Academy Award nomination over Robert Duvall’s work in The Judge.

The conversation examines Gandolfini’s portrayal of a fading neighborhood mobster, Tom Hardy’s quietly unsettling performance, the emotional weight of The Drop, and why The Judge feels overlong and dependent on familiar family-drama clichés.

The episode also reacts to the premiere of Fear the Walking Dead and introduces “Fix a Movie,” a new segment in which the hosts propose one change that could improve an existing film—beginning with Captain America: The First Avenger and Frozen.

Originally recorded on August 25, 2015. Some news, terminology, release information, and opinions reflect the time of the original recording.