Movie Podcast Weekly Ep. 076: 300: Rise of an Empire (2014) and Non-Stop (2014) and Grand Piano (2014)

Episode 076

Movie Podcast Weekly, Episode 076 features our reviews of “300: Rise of an Empire,” “Non-Stop,” and “Grand Piano,” with the help of special guest WILLIS WHEELER of the Terror Troop horror podcast. We also encourage everyone to check out the news coverage of Andy’s amazing feat of being the first person from Utah to climb to all 50 U.S. highpoints.

Watch Andy’s video here below:

 

Movie Podcast Weekly features four hosts (and frequent guests), who give you their verdict on at least one new movie release that’s currently in theaters, mini-reviews of what they’ve been watching lately, and specialty recommendation segments. New episodes release every single Monday.

SHOW NOTES:
I. Intro
— Congratulations, once again, to Andy on his great achievement
— Welcome guest Willis Wheeler

II. Mini Reviews:
Andy: Sherlock, Season 1; Hell Baby; Breaking Bad, Season 1
Willis Wheeler: Bloody Bloody Bible Camp, The Phantom of the Opera (1989), WWE Network for $9.99 monthly
Karl: Veronica Mars, Season 1 (TV show)
Jason: Nebraska, 12 Years a Slave, Austenland, The Nature of the Beast, In Fear

Clownhouse (1989) – full movie on YouTube (Thanks, Willis!)

III. Feature Review: 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE (2014)
Willis Wheeler: 8 ( Theater IMAX 3D / Buy it! )
Que: 7.5 ( Buy it! )

IV. Feature Review: NON-STOP (2014)
Jason: 6.5 ( Rental )
Karl: 7.5 ( Theater / Rental )
Que: 6 ( Rental )

V. Feature Review: GRAND PIANO (2014)
Jason: 4 ( Avoid )

VI. Genre Recommendation Segments

ANDY’S ABSURD ASSOCIATIONS: Andy’s Favorite Christopher Guest Movies
1. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
2. Best in Show (2000)
3. For Your Consideration (2006)
4. Waiting for Guffman (1996)
5. The Princess Bride (1987)

ROBOTIC ROMANCES WITH KARL HUDDLESTON:
Romance: Moonstruck (1987)

JAY OF THE DEAD’S CREEPS AND CRIME:
Crime: Untraceable (2008)

VII. MPW’s DVD / Blu-ray / Redbox Ratings Reminders for March 11, 2014:

Homefront
Jason = 6.5 ( Rental )
Jason’s mom = 8 ( Rental )

Out of the Furnace
Jason = 10 ( Theater / Buy it! )
Andy = 8 ( Rental )

The Book Thief
Karl = 8 ( Rental )

At Redbox:

The Counselor
Jason = 4 ( Avoid )
Karl = 3 ( Avoid )
Andy = 5 ( Avoid )

The Last Days on Mars
Jason = 4.5 ( Avoid )

In Fear
Jason = 5 ( Low-priority Rental )

VIII. Wrap-Up

NEXT WEEK:
We will be reviewing Need for Speed, Veronica Mars, The Broken Circle Breakdown and Diana.

Links for this episode:

Willis Wheeler’s plugs:
Willis Wheeler on TV’s Toy Hunter
Terror Troop horror movie podcast
Cinema Beef Podcast
On Twitter: @NastyWillDC
Willis On Facebook
Willis on the NFW Movie Commentary Podcast (mostly horror-related)

Read about Andy’s Recent Victory!

NEW! Remember to add Movie Podcast Weekly to your Stitcher playlist here: Stitcher.com

Jason says to check out his wife (and Andy’s wife) discussing books here: Book Review Podcast

Jason and Josh, especially for horror fans: Horror Movie Podcast

Josh covers streaming movies: Movie Stream Cast

Follow Movie Podcast Weekly on Twitter: @MovieCastWeekly

Special thanks goes out to singer-songwriter Frederick Ingram and the Blue Claw Philharmonic for the use of their music and the voice talents of Midnight Corey Graham from The Electric Chair Podcast, Willis Wheeler from the Terror Troop Podcast and Spike Real for their help with our recommendation segment intros.

We’d also like to thank The Dave Eaton Element and Dave Eaton himself for the use of his music for our theme song.

If you like what we do here at Movie Podcast Weekly, please subscribe and leave us a review in iTunes. If you want to support the show, we have PayPal buttons in our right-hand sidebar where you can make a one-time donation or you can become a recurring donor for just $2 per month.

You can always contact us by e-mailing MoviePodcastWeekly@gmail.com. Or you can call and leave us a voice mail at: (801) 382-8789. And you can leave us a comment in the show notes for this episode.

Thank you for listening, and join us again next Monday for Movie Podcast Weekly.

19 thoughts on “Movie Podcast Weekly Ep. 076: 300: Rise of an Empire (2014) and Non-Stop (2014) and Grand Piano (2014)

  1. Hi guys,

    thank you for including my reviews! i am glad that we all seems to agree (at least me and Wallis) that there should be a sequel coming following the 300:ROAE, I only hope this time around we don’t have to wait for 8 years long, since the original 300 came out 2006.

    awesome show as always guys!

  2. Hey guys. Long-time listener, first-time commenter. Just wanted to pay the dealer by saying thanks for all the great episodes. I discovered the podcast about a month ago, listened to every single one. I also listened to most of the CTS casts, as well as Horror Movie Podcast and the Donut Show You guys get me through my long days at work. I’ve been through a great deal of casts before I found this one. They were either overproduced, under-produced , or just not good enough to warrant a weekly listen. The conversations flow so well here, and I appreciate all the hosts and their opinions individually, though the host I usually agree with the most is Josh. That’s it just wanted to speak up and let you guys know how awesome you are!

    Ps- more Willis please.

  3. B-Rye,
    Thank you so much. Comments like yours make it all worth it. I can’t believe you caught up on all 76 episodes of MPW in a month (as well as all the other stuff)! We’re flattered. If you like the horror shows, be sure to check out The Weekly Horror Movie Podcast (epic battles!) and Horror Metropolis. All 36 of those episodes can be found at Horror Movie Podcast.com. And the fact that you agree with Josh the most often tells us that you’re smarter than Andy, Karl and me. : )
    Thanks again.
    Jason (aka Jay of the Dead)

    • Hah, doubt it about the ‘smarter’ part, but thanks. By the way I can’t remember if you guys have discussed Inside Llewyn Davis yet or not. I just caught up on it On Demand. I’ve always been a big fan of the Coens. Fargo, Barton Fink, Raising Arizona and The Big Lebowski would easily rest in my top 100. This movie is awesome though and could join those in the ranks. It’s available for rental. If you guys have discussed, forgive me, but if not I highly recommend you guys see it! I’d like to hear your thoughts about the film, as well as the character of Llewyn Davis. He is a highly despicable, yet incredibly watchable and interesting character. The movie is entertaining in a way only the Coens can make it. Anyway, thanks again. Can’t wait til the next go around. Like to hear about Aaron Paul’s foray into the world of film with Need for Speed.

      • Hi B-Rye,
        This is so weird! I just got your comment (and I just now finished watching “Inside Llewyn Davis” for this upcoming episode). So, the timing is wild! I just watched it from Redbox, and I can’t stop thinking about “The Death of Queen Jane” song. More on this Monday! Thanks for mentioning it!
        Jason

  4. Hi guys,

    Thanks again for another great show. Honestly, it’s one of the best. This one was weirdly short but after last week’s epic length, understandably so.

    Jay, even though I’ve picked on you a (little) bit recently, you’re worth it. Some days I think, I wish I had some Jay to listen to. Then I feel sad if I don’t.

    I’ve really come to enjoy the varying opinions and the reactions I have to some of the various viewpoints on the show. Listening in has been training me to ‘battle’ as BillChete would call it, and I thank you guys for getting together every week and sharing.

    Anyways, Carl: I usually disagree with you, but man, you are exactly right about Transformers: DSOTM and the boring action scenes. That movie hurt me because I can’t get that time back, and I tend to enjoy bad films.

    As far as Ebert goes? Willis, I agree. I respect the guy, but don’t respect his opinions on horror thirty years ago. He did lighten up quite a bit in his later years. His review of the F13 remake was not scathing.

    And Jay, I don’t like Princess Bride either. And when you say that to a person who loves the film, they look at you like you’re crazy! I just don’t get it. Of course, you love some controversial films that most critics don’t like, and you hate some that they exalt. You confuse me sometimes. I like it.

    Also, watch Hannibal ASAP. It’s on Amazon Prime streaming and if you don’t have that, I highly recommend renting it right away. The acting is great and while Hopkins is great as Hannibal, Madds is creeeepy and boy is it well-written. I love it.

    • I really wish I could be there to have that ‘intellectual conversation’ with you for 300:ROAE but well, very glad we enjoyed the movie nevertheless

  5. I was surprised when looking at the show notes that Willis was going to do a mini review on “Phantom of the Opera”. I should have known that it was not the one I was thinking of. 🙂

    • Well, of course. The one with Robert Englund was tight.

      I last saw it when I was 13, but this just means I must find it again.

  6. Well, I am very sorry we didn’t hit on the same note for Non-Stop. But I guess that is okay, we disagreed on many films in the past, only this time you found out. J

    I was often being suggested by my wife that when watching a thriller/mystery movie, I tend to be over analytical as a critic – paying great deal to the pace and details of the movie crafting overlooking plot itself, and as result I became not affected by the story and the twists.

    I wish there is a way that we can go through what I saw and felt through the movie without involving the spoilers, but I guess that is really difficult… the police character is the one I found the most flawed in the story design – but that is okay… agree to disagree right?

    Also I was told that I am a very hard on giving marks. Guess I am just not a loving person? 😛

    • Que,
      I think a tough critic is a good critic. Roger Ebert once said if he wasn’t making at least some people angry with his reviews, then he wasn’t doing his job properly. I think there are two kinds of “bad critics”: those who love everything (ie. Larry King) and those who hate everything (because they hate movies). But my favorite critics are those like you and I who are hard on movies simply because we love them so much.
      Jason

  7. Enjoyed the show

    Quick message for Karl
    Season 1 of Veronica Mars is great – other two are not bad but first is 100% the best

    Hoping to catch the movie over the weekend if I can

    New British show (well nearly new ) is line of duty (second season on at the
    minute), its up there with Sherlock which I love.

    Guys I loved when you priduced your best of 90s list and was wondering if any plans to do a best of 80s list as this would be great.

    thanks again for all the hard work and looking forward to next show

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *