Movie Podcast Weekly Ep. 089: Edge of Tomorrow (2014) and Chef (2014) and The Double (2014) and Blended (2014)

Episode 089

In Episode 089 of Movie Podcast Weekly, we bring you the gripping conclusion of our “Saw” bet: Will Karl rate “Saw” a 6 or higher, thus requiring Andy to buy a Peanut Buster Parfait from Dairy Queen for Jason? Listen to find out. Also, we bring you Feature Reviews of “Edge of Tomorrow,” “Chef,” “Blended” and “The Double.” We also spend some time debating about the MPAA, “This Film Is Not Yet Rated” and especially the type of nudity found in “Doc Hollywood.” If you dig our show, please subscribe for free in iTunes. Thanks for listening.

Movie Podcast Weekly typically 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
— The purpose of MPW

II. Mini Reviews:

Karl:
Saw (2004) = 7 ( Rental )
License to Kill (1989) = 7.5 ( Rental )
(Next week: GoldenEye (1995) — join us!)

Andy:
The Family (2013) = 6 ( Rental )

Josh:
Survivor: Cagayan – Brawn vs Brains vs Beauty (TV series finale)
Fargo (TV series )
The Story of Film: An Odyssey – Part 4: The Arrival of Sound = 8 ( Stream it )

Jason:
Edge of Darkness (2010) = 7 ( Rental )
(Later in the show) – Enemy (2014) = 6 ( Rental )
The Story of Film: An Odyssey – Part 4: The Arrival of Sound = 7.5 ( Stream it )

III. Feature Review: EDGE OF TOMORROW (2014)
Jason = 9 ( Theater / Buy it! )
Karl = 9 ( Theater / Buy it! )

IV. Feature Review: CHEF (2014)
Josh = 7 ( Theater / Rental )

V. Feature Review: BLENDED (2014)
Karl = 6 ( Rental )

VI. Feature Review: THE DOUBLE (2014)
Jason = 5 ( Low-priority Rental )
Josh = 5 ( Rental )

VII. Witless Banter
— The MPAA Rating System
— This Film Is Not Yet Rated
— The type of nudity in “Doc Hollywood”

VIII. Wrap-Up

NEXT WEEK:
We will be reviewing 22 JUMP STREET and THE FAULT IN OUR STARS and MALEFICENT (as well as The Story of Film Part 5 and GoldenEye.)

Links for this episode:

Jason on Book Review Podcast, Ep. 022

Vanity Fair: The Making of Ghostbusters

Horror Movie Podcast, Episode 018: Sometimes Horror Is About the Absence of Peace

The Resurrection of Zombie 7 Podcast: Ep. 97 – SAW

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

Follow Movie Podcast Weekly on Twitter: @MovieCastWeekly

Check out Book Review Podcast

Horror Movie Podcast Ep. 016: The Sacrament and Contracted and We Are What We Are and Lizzie Borden Took an Ax

Josh covers streaming movies: Movie Stream Cast

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

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.

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.

24 thoughts on “Movie Podcast Weekly Ep. 089: Edge of Tomorrow (2014) and Chef (2014) and The Double (2014) and Blended (2014)

  1. Congratulations on winning the bet Jay! I’m glad to hear Karl enjoyed “Saw” but I can’t help feeling a little bad for Andy, his antics and snoring are always entertaining to hear so maybe he deserves a delicious ice cream treat too.

    Also, with regards to “License to Kill” I think it’s worth noting that a major reason for it not being particularly successful upon release could be that it received a higher rating for it’s emphasis on violence and a few moments of profanity. Correct me if I’m wrong on this but I don’t think any of the previous Bond movies were rated higher than a PG and then “License to Kill” came along and was given a 15 certificate (I think it may have been a PG13 for you guys) and I believe it still remains the Bond with the highest rating to this day. It’s a great movie anyway; as I said last week it’s my favourite in the franchise and I’d give it a solid 8/10.

    – David

  2. Hey, all- I had intended to mention B-Rye’s comment about the Fargo television series (from the Episode 88 comments board) during my Episode 89 review of the show, because our takes were so similar, and I wanted to give him credit and not have anyone think one of us was ripping the other off. I totally spaced it. Sorry, B-Rye. If you didn’t see his comment from last week’s show, here it is: “Fargo (TV series ) – 7.5/10 (saw the first 3 … was waiting till I had ‘em all on demand … so far it’s a 7.5, but if all goes well and they elaborate more on certain parts and explore what needs explorin’… who knows, maybe it will become a TV classic)”

    • Hi there Josh. Apologies that this reply is somewhat irrelevant to your above comment but after the discussion about R-rated movies and religion in the comments last week I did a little research on “Cleanflix” and my interest was piqued so I was wondering if you could tell me whether or not the DVD is region free and if so is there somewhere online I can buy it? I checked the website but it seems that the “buy it now” link isn’t working.

      -David

      • I think it is region free, let me check on that and get back to you, and I think you can get the DVD in the UK via Canadian Amazon. I know there was some form of UK distribution at some point, but I don’t remember who it was through. Sorry, I’m so out-of-the-loop on all of that, our distributor doesn’t tell us anything, but I will find out.

    • Wow, Josh you continue to surprise me with callbacks and recognition. I totally appreciate that, man. I’m glad you caught up a little on the show. I agree about Freeman’s accent, but by the end of that first episode his performance and that character rose above those trappings in my opinion. He is, behind Billy Bob, the most watchable and intriguing character. Still haven’t watched any more episodes, but I plan on it this weekend.

      Like I said though, I love the recognition and appreciate everything you do. You don’t have to, definitely, but I appreciate it.

  3. Saw – 7 (Rent if just watching this one, but Buy the series!) I like the first Saw, and sure, it went downhill as a franchise eventually, but as a whole it is fun to dissect each entry and compare… but I enjoy collecting horror franchises in my DVD and Blu-Ray collection, so I may be biased.

    GoldenEye – 8/10 I may be the minority, but I like Brosnan, and this is his best entry.

    The Family – N/A didn’t even finish it. Bleh. Meh.

    Edge of Darkness – 7.5 (Rent) I feel like this was a bit overshadowed by Gibson’s real-life drama, but what a solid action/thriller. Mel Gibson is great at revenge, what can I say.

    Recently watched:
    The Amazing Spider-Man 2 – 6/10 (Rent) Got to catch this in an empty theater, alone. Dane Dehaan’s character, Harry Osborne, is so underdeveloped that it is a crime. The action beats are varying in quality. Jamie Foxx is great as a caricature when he is a nerdy guy, awful as a CGI baddie (not his fault). Overall, bleh. I miss Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire even more now.
    Grand Piano – 7.5/10 (Rent) Wow, this film has some great moments, intentionally calling back to classics, while being a thrilling little film all its own. The only part that ticked me off was the McGuffin.

    I’m going to see Edge of Tomorrow and 22 Jump Street this weekend at a drive-in for my b-day this weekend. You guys have me pumped for E.O.T.

    Thanks for another great podcast, as always guys.

  4. I saw “Edge of Tomorrow” this past weekend. I also loved it and gave it an 8.5/10. What a great movie! My wife also enjoyed herself, calling it “the best action movie she has seen in years.” (She doesn’t watch many, so maybe that isn’t saying too much…)

    I didn’t mind the amount of things Tom Cruises’ character was able to accomplish when reliving the day. I found it believable, especially when you consider the shortness of the major beach battle. At one point Cruise’s character proclaims that everyone on the beach dies in the first five minutes of combat. A quick battle like that leaves a lot of free time in a day. Also, the reset only occurs when he dies, so sometimes he had 10 hours to work with, other times less, other times more. No problems for me in that regard.

    I do understand your issues with the conclusion, though in the end I was mostly happy with how things turned out. As for my nit-picks, the only thing I could think of was I wanted a bit more from the supporting cast during the final conflict.

    It’s an awesome summer movie (and no super heroes! …though it is based on a Japanese comic). People should definitely check it out.

  5. I just saw on IMDB.com, Emily Blunt’s character on “Edge of Tomorrow” shares the same name as Andie MacDowell’s character on “Groundhog Day”. Both Rita. Probably not a coincidence, right?

  6. Just wanted to throw out there – I just watched The Double and Enemy back to back. What a double feature.

    The Double – 6.5/10 (Rent) Pretty solid, didn’t realize this was directed by Richard Ayoade. He’s pretty funny, and I really didn’t see this visual and audio-style coming when I saw his name. The colors were definitely vibrant and I’m sure held a higher meaning, I didn’t really invest too much in the first viewing as I was watching my daughter during this one, but I plan on re-watching. Jesse Eisenberg had a few good scenes, he’s pretty range-y in this one I’d say, more than the norm. I loved the scene when everyone was approaching him while he swung an object, I won’t say what, wildly at them, and I loved the funeral scene. the ending tied it up, still have some questions… Now, on to the other doppelganger…

    Enemy – 8/10 (High-Priority rental) This film was just superb. The structure was way tighter, Jake Gyllenhaal rocked it. He is always great, but I absolutely loved this performance, or dare I say, these performances. I can’t really say much without getting to spoiler-y I’m afraid, but from a cinematography and filmic standpoint, I’d say this is darn near perfect. the atmosphere is impressively handled, the shots of the city (with a lumbering, giant spider) were great, the way the camera moved, and Gyllenhaal really emoted perfectly, allowing the viewers to get in the psyche of both characters. The female leads were awesome. I recognized the one from Inglorious Basterds, but the other actress really caught my eye. I hope to see more of her in the future. There were some good, shocking scenes, and that ending- wow. Great ending. I think the film is impressively open to many ideas, I’ve already heard plenty through friends and different podcasts, including yours. I have my own. All in all this was a great, inwards-spiraling, effective little diddy.

    • Yes! Love that you went and saw these films and felt the way you did about them. That is so satisfying as a reviewer! I love Enemy too. It has really stayed with me.

  7. Oh man all this doppelganger talk is making me really jealous. I guess I have some homework to do this weekend.

    Guys I just saw the trailer for the new Iñarritú and it look incredible! I’m super excited for this one. And even more excited to see Michael Keaton back. I can’t get enough of the guy. He’s one of my favorites and I think he’s very underutilized.

    • Thanks for posting these Josh. “Birdman” looks especially intriguing and it’s great to see Michael Keaton getting this kind of a role.

      On a somewhat unrelated note I’ve recently found myself craving some good documentaries and was wondering if you’ve ever done a top ten list of your favourites? That’s a list I’d be quite eager to check out.

      – David

      • We’ve talked about it before (not sure which episode), but maybe I could do a formal list on our 100th episode. If there is a type of doc you’re craving, in particular, let me know and I’ll get you a recommendation sooner.

        • That sounds like a great idea for the 100th episode. To be honest the documentary is an element of cinema which I am non too familiar with. I always enjoy the standard historical/natural world/science docs that’re often on TV but they tend to be more informative than artful so I’m looking for something a little less rudimentary. I’m open to anything really, but here’s a short list of some of the docs I’ve seen that I’ve enjoyed:

          The Devil and Daniel Johnston
          American Movie
          In the Realms of the Unreal
          Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills
          Cropsey
          I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
          DiG!

          So I guess I seem to have a predilection for alternative music docs and horror related stuff. But as I say I’m open to anything so long as it’s engrossing and well made.

          -David

          • Thanks Chad that definitely seems like my kind of documentary! I’m nothing more than a very casual fan of The National (through no fault of theirs; what I have heard by them has been great but I just haven’t given them enough time) but that said I’m not a huge “Wilco” fan and I’m not a fan of “The Dandy Warhols” or “The Brian Jonestown Massacre” at all (probably even less so after seeing Dig!) and I still thoroughly enjoyed the docs concerning those bands. I might have to wait until this one comes out on DVD but I’ll definitely add it to my list.

            -David

          • You do not need to be a fan of The National at all to enjoy this. It is not really about the band at all, but ends up being more about the lead singers brother and how he copes with the success of his brother. Very interesting and at times very funny to watch.

  8. I think Andy Loses a Peanut Buster Parfait should be a new regular feature on MPW. Maybe Dairy Queen would even sponsor it. The dramatic reveal of the outcome of the Karl’s Reaction to “Saw” Wager was fun, especially hearing Jason repeatedly say the words, “Peanut Buster Parfait.” (The only thing missing was an audio clip of Eddie Murphy from “Shrek:” “You know what ELSE everybody likes? Parfaits! Have you ever met a person, you say, ‘Let’s get some parfait,’ they say, ‘Hell no, I don’t like no parfait?’ Parfaits are delicious!” [Mike Myers:] “NO! You dense, irritating, miniature beast of burden! Ogres are like onions! End of story! Bye-bye! See ya later.” [Back to Eddie:] “Parfaits must be the most delicious thing on the whole damn planet!”) Even better, though, was the impromptu Peanut Buster Parfait brouhaha over “Doc Hollywood,” complete with Josh hastily finding the film in his collection, popping it in, and narrating the Big Reveal. That was EPIC. A true MPW gem. (I’m sincerely curious, Josh: How many DVDs/VHSes do you own that you could just trot off to The Collection and pull a random, largely forgotten Michael J. Fox comedy from 1991 out of the stack? That’s truly impressive. I bet there aren’t 500 people in the entire United States right now who actually own “Doc Hollywood.” [In, say, 1993? A considerably larger number, no doubt. But 20 years down the road?] Hey, how about it, Andy? Would you take that bet? I want a Peanut Buster Parfait if I’m right.)

    Also, this happened: ANDY: “Suck. Now I have nothing to say this whole podcast. I didn’t watch any movies, and I now owe a stupid Peanut Buster Parfait.” JOSH: “You were just planning on ribbing Jason for the rest of the episode?” Love it!

    A good episode for slyly winking Jason-isms: Jason, I appreciated your taking the time to clear up any potential “Edge of Tomorrow” vs. “Edge of Darkness” confusion. (I also found it funny that Andy contributed in this vein without even realizing it when he reported about watching “Star Trek Into Darkness” with his kids. I, for one, didn’t get why Jay was talking about Mel Gibson and Boston accents without even mentioning Benedict Cumberbatch or Alice Eve’s underwear, until Andy’s timely reminder that “Edge of Darkness” and “Star Trek Into Darkness” are two different movies.) I also enjoyed the comedy-around-the-edges references to “The Double,” like having its poster up twice all week in the preview sidebar, and Jay repeating his introduction to the “Double” review segment.

    Finally, just to clarify any potential confusion: I have not seen “Blended,” nor do I encourage anyone else to see “Blended,” despite Karl’s semi-astonishing positive review. Adam Sandler has boldly gone beyond not even trying in his comedies anymore. Now it’s like he doesn’t even show up. They’re just using old footage. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that his entire performance in “Blended” was really just outtakes from “50 First Dates.” Also, in last week’s epic comment, I actually mentioned “Blended” twice, to illustrate two different points, which is why Jay didn’t get Josh’s on-air summation. At any rate, I’ve probably now said more about “Blended” than any other movie I’ve never seen.

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