Tower of Babble

Now that the premiere is out of the way, the team at Lucasfilm Animation can focus on driving the story forward with authority. The pacing is much improved this week as time feel more evenly dispersed across the characters. There's a greater concentration on characters who can wield a lightsaber and it's appreciated. No shade to the crime syndicate storyline, but we've kind of seen all that already (it was quite literally a 'Clone Wars' arc). The action remains strong while taking another step forward with lightsaber duels joining the mix. Plus, the fast cutting from last week seems to have been dialed back, which is appreciated as it provides more clarity in action scenes. For example, Devon's engagements with Maul are gripping, and with the additional time provided to Master Daki, the stakes feel ratcheted up. Kevin Kinner's music remains a highlight, the illusions to the Anakin vs Obi-Wan Mustafar theme was a particular highlight. In general, there is still room for more character growth, especially with characters not named Maul, who really can't/won't change - but happy to proven wrong! This show feels like it's in full swing already, which is good because next week things look to be really heating up as we hit the half way mark. Julian and Rachel unpack it all!

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It's been some time since we've been able to sink our pointy teeth into a meaty Star Wars animated project. Since the finale of 'The Bad Batch' all the way back in May of 2024, all we've had to tie us over were anthology installments of varying quality. Praise the Force, that wait is finally over with the release of 'Maul: Shadow Lord', the latest full length series from Lucasfilm Animation. The series marks another technical leap forward for the animation studio, taking their patented visual style and adding another layer of detail and artistry that jumps off the screen. The story follows the titular, Maul shortly after the fall of the Republic and the rise of the Empire, he's looking for revenge and the series wastes no time dropping us right into the thick of things (3 car/speeder chases in 40 mins is impressive). And while we know much of Maul's criminal dealings (and most of the rest of his life actually), the introduction of a new Padawan into the mix, another apprentice-to-be for Maul, adds a layer of intrigue to an otherwise underworld focused story. Join Julian and Rachel as they unpack Chapter 1: "The Dark Revenge" and Chapter 2: "Sinister Schemes", in intricate detail.

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In honour of Matt strapping on the goalie pads again for the first time in many years (and not completely pulling his groin), it only made sense to revisit the classic hockey comedy, 'Slap Shot' from 1977. This isn't the first time seeing the movie for either Julian or Matt but it's been a long time so there are plenty of questions still to answer. Here's a few examples: How well shot are the hockey scenes? Does the movie feature more or less actual hockey than 'Heated Revelry'? Does the plot and/or humour hold up all these years later? All these questions are answered in time, but we're also trying something new this month. Instead of a traditional movie review, Julian and Matt decided to go a layer deeper and add a full commentary track for the movie as well. So enjoy the full review, which takes place, before, during, and after the movie itself, and sync up your own copy of the movie (there's a countdown before we start) to get the full experience!

Next Month: Taxi Driver (1976)

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Matt and Julian are back to unpack the results from last Sunday's Academy Awards ceremony. While the show itself had few surprises (there was a tie though so that's something!), between Conan's bits, the winners, and the losers, there is plenty to discuss. Congrats to 'One Battle After Another', PTA and all the winners ('Sinners' probably deserved a better fate, but respect to MBJ for his ascension)! Plus, I still can't believe the bit about making Leo into a meme actually made another meme. Join us for the full deep dive!

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Julian - Who I WANT to win (aka my favourites): https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/oscars-ballot?srsltid=AfmBOorVH56YAmjeAByHAA6JGVDw6wgVvhNz8dUrUT-dknS8xFmzqc9h&uid=f0b81c187324d6bca1aa8e214e55de86

Julian - Who I think WILL win (aka my predictions): https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/oscars-ballot?srsltid=AfmBOorVH56YAmjeAByHAA6JGVDw6wgVvhNz8dUrUT-dknS8xFmzqc9h&uid=a723c39830696a29fd2957c49c9dd2c4

Matt - TBD

Julian is back from vacation just in time or the 98th Academy Awards! Airing tomorrow (Match 15th), hosted once again by Conan O’Brien, it’s the most prestigious night in Hollywood (after the Tobies of course). This is Matt’s first time on the preview show, so the format is tweaked a bit from our traditional reviews of Oscar noms, though there is still some of that. A broader approach is taken, with a larger focus on the ceremony itself, a peak at the front runners in each category, as well as the betting odds. It’s not all new-school though, find Julian’s traditional “will win”/’want to win” ballots below (Matt will put his together privately) for those curious. Lastly, look for a follow-up show discussing the ceremonies, unpacking the winners, and scoring the ballots next week. Until then, grab your tux, hit the red carpet, rub elbows with the celebs, and enjoy the 2026 Oscars!

If you enjoy the show please subscribe and leave a nice review on Apple Podcasts, and check out Patreon.com/TowerBabbleCast to become one of our latest patrons.

Julian - Who I WANT to win (aka my favourites): https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/oscars-ballot?srsltid=AfmBOorVH56YAmjeAByHAA6JGVDw6wgVvhNz8dUrUT-dknS8xFmzqc9h&uid=f0b81c187324d6bca1aa8e214e55de86

Julian - Who I think WILL win (aka my predictions): https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/oscars-ballot?srsltid=AfmBOorVH56YAmjeAByHAA6JGVDw6wgVvhNz8dUrUT-dknS8xFmzqc9h&uid=a723c39830696a29fd2957c49c9dd2c4

There have been rumours circulating for years about the eventual retirement of Kathleen Kennedy from her role as President of Lucasfilm. Never mind the seemingly constant swirling demands for her head from segments of the fan base. And while those rumours and demands may have felt at times unwarranted, they were nevertheless always going to be right... eventually. Kathleen Kennedy, after 14 years as head of the studio announced that she would be stepping down and returning to a more traditional producer role, and her successors would be Dave Filoni on the creative side, and Lynwen Brennan on the business side. Julian and Rachel unpack the announcement, the press coverage, and even Kennedy's exit interview with Deadline, reading between the lines and trying to get a read on her legacy. As well as examining what life might be like under Filoni as Star Wars enters a new era under his watch. Plus, a check-in on 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' following the underwhelming Super Bowl spot.

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• https://www.starwars.com/news/lucasfilm-leadership        

• https://www.lucasfilm.com/leadership/lynwen-brennan/  

• https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/star-wars-kathleen-kennedy-steps-down-dave-filoni-1236465012/

• https://deadline.com/2026/01/kathleen-kennedy-exit-interview-1236665253/

As noted by the recent Tobies, awards season continues in full flight, so it's no surprise to have The Oscars drop their nominations just in time for Matt and Julian to break them down. 'Sinners' taking home 16 noms sets an Oscars record and (more importantly) validates Julian's recent Tobie pick. Plus, the guys return to a more traditional news format with headlines about James Bond, Game of Thrones, He-Man and more! Finally, the guys look into their crystal balls, gazing into the future, to make entertainment-based predictions for the year 2026. How will the WB/Netflix deal play out? Will Star Wars have a hit with 'The Mandalorian and Grogu'? Will Nolan's 'The Odyssey' be as big as 'Oppenheimer'? Only the ToB hosts can tell you! (No future lotto tickets or sports almanacs unfortunately)

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• Oscar Nominations - https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2026 

• Rumour - Pierce Brosnan wants to return as James Bond (he's 72!)

• Speaking of being old - George Clooney reveals that he’s getting the gang back together (Pitt, Cheadle, Damon, Julia Roberts) for another ‘Oceans’ movie. 

• Trailer - ‘Masters of the Universe’

• Sam Raimi tried to make a Batman movie but he couldn’t get the rights.

• Chrsitina Hodson, who wrote the shelved ‘Batgirl’ movie, has been tapped to write ‘Batman: Brave and the Bold’ for James Gunn’s DCU.

• James Cameron says he needs to find a cheaper way to make the ‘Avatar’ movies in order to make more. Avatar 3 still made $1.28B at last check.

• Idirs Elba is receiving a knighthood.

• Game of Thrones:

• Early reviews of ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ are mostly positive.

• A different ‘Game of Thrones’ spinoff is now being discussed. A sequel series that would follow Aria Stark’s journey.

• The story of Aegon’s conquest is being considered for a movie (Dune sized epic) or HBO series.

• ‘House of the Dragon’ will end with season 4.

• Duffer Bros say they started S5 production of ‘Stranger Things’ without a finished script for the finale. They also said that the rock in the briefcase is “essential” to the spinoff series.

• Trailer - ‘Maul: Shadow Lord’ - two-episode premiere on Disney+ on April 6, 2026 - finale on May 4

• The WB/Netflix deal finally goes through, Netflix keeps its word about maintaining the WB theatrical window (45 days), but still doesn’t fully commit to theatrical and pulls a few BS moves with which movies are in theatres which days anyway.

• The Mandalorian and Grogu

1. Will make decent money because SW has been out of theatres for so long + baby yoda - approx $700m+

2. The movie itself won't feel cinematic in the way we’re used to from SW projects. It’ll feel small and tangential.

3. They won’t have a good excuse for bringing back the Razorcrest.

4. The fan community will be divided and there will be stories about how it marks a rocky start to Dave Filoni’s era as creative director at Lucasfilm.

• At least 1 new SW movie will be green lit and actually enter production. Likely for a 2028/2029 release.

• Christopher Nolan's ‘The Odyssey’ won’t be as big of a deal as ‘Oppenheimer’ was.

• Dune 3 and Avengers: Doomsday won’t ultimately release on the same day. Dune will likely move.

• Speaking of Avengers Doomsday - it will make over $1 billion but it won’t be able to recapture the magic of Infinity War or Endgame.

1. The RDJ as Doom stuff WILL work, but it will be distracting.

2. The movie will NOT do proper justice for the Fox X-Men.

3. Cap returning will be the best part but will overshadow new characters, leaving them back at square 1.

• HBO’s Green Lantern series will be good, people will like the actors in their roles, but be disappointed by the lack of outer space stuff.

• Another videogame adaptation (movie or show) will be another unexpectedly massive hit.

• Julian - 28 Years Later: Bone Temple

• Julian - Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring - 25th Anniversary

• Matt - The Rip

• Matt - Andor

• Matt - Pluribus

With the Golden Globes holding their annual ceremony last week, it signals only one thing - it’s AWARD SEASON BABY! And of course, when one thinks of the most prestigious awards in entertainment, of course names like Oscar, Tony, and Emmy might come to mind. But held on equal footing with those self-congratulatory titans is of course the name Tobie. That’s right y’all THE TOBIES ARE BACK for another go around at the top three best movies and shows of year. And while there may be a new host in the rotation, the format and the prestige remain unchanged. Join Julian and now Matt to explore what, upon reflection, was a pretty damn good year for visual storytelling on both the big and small screens.

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1. Andor S2

2. Severance S2

3. Pluribus

Honourable Mention:

• Netflix Animation (Blood of Zeus S3, Castlevania Nocturn S2, Splinter Cell: Death Watch, Tomb Raider S2), Tires S1 and S2, The Bear S4, The Sandman S2

Disappointment:

• Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld

1. Task

2. The Chair Company

3. Running Point

Honourable Mention:

• Miami Vice, The Simpsons, The Studio, Adolescence

1. Sinners

2. One Battle After Another

3. 28 Years Later

4. F1

5. Guillermo Del Toro's Frankenstein

Honourable Mention:

• Conclave (2024), The Phoenician Scheme, Ballerina

Disappointment:

• Avatar: Fire and Ash, Tron: Aries, Eddington, Captain America: Brave New World

1. One Battle After Another

2. F1

3. Friendship

4. Happygilmore 2

5. Predator: Killer of Killers

1. Jaws: 50th Anniversary

   a) Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair

1. Superman

   a) Thunderbolts*

1. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

1. Guillermo Del Toro's Frankenstein

1. Predator: Badlands

   a) Predator: Killer of Killers

1. Dead Poets Society (1989)

   a) Sideways (2004)

Reference article: https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-best-of-2025

Happy holidays ToB Fans! Completing a string of 3 straight publicly available Film Club episodes, commemorating the show's relaunch, we finish with our annual tradition of doing a Christmas movie for December. This year, with Matt joining the show it was his choice. He went with a movie from the mid-2000s that he's revisited time and again - 'Surviving Christmas'. A Ben Affleck vehicle that comes from a rocky era of his, just one year removed from 'Gili'. Fortunately, it features a strong supporting cast, with both Catherine O'Hara and the late James Gandolfini stealing the show and preventing this from being a complete disaster. Devoid of any type of strong holiday message, we spend much of the movie indulging Affleck's character's obnoxious desires, and despite some funny moments peppered throughout and a relatively strong third act, the tonal inconsistency and unlikability of the main character leave this movie mired in mediocrity. See you all again in 2026!

Next Month: Paul Thomas Anderson’s classic hit from 1997 ‘Boogie Nights’.

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