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Welcome to Wild and Wonderful Movie Podcast Weekly. This is Episode 098, where Jason broadcasts from Moundsville, West Virginia. He’s joined by his friends Andy and Josh. Karl is absent. In this episode, we bring you Feature Reviews of “Into the Storm,” “About Alex,” “Magic in the Moonlight” and “The Hundred-Foot Journey.” (We’ll be covering “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” for you next time.) Also, Jason brings you a post-script of the late breaking news about the unexpected death of Robin Williams. And even though the audio quality of this episode isn’t quite up to our usual standards, there’s something wacky and bizarre about this show, so we hope you’ll listen.
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. Introduction
— Jason broadcasts from Moundsville, West Virginia (Sorry about the decline in audio quality for this show. We’ll be back to normal next week.)
II. Mini Reviews
Andy: Devil’s Knot, West of Memphis, The Last Days on Mars, Prince Avalanche, Deterrence
Josh: Lucy, A Most Wanted Man, Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains, Guardians of the Galaxy
Jason: Guardians of the Galaxy, Evan Almighty, Adventure Time (TV), X-Men: First Class, Holy Ghost People (2013) and Holy Ghost People (1967) documentary
III. Feature Review: THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY (2014)
Josh = 6 ( Rental )
IV. Feature Review: MAGIC IN THE MOONLIGHT (2014)
Josh = 5.5 ( Low-priority Rental )
V. Feature Review: INTO THE STORM (2014)
Jason = 5.5 ( Theater / Low-priority Rental )
VI. Feature Review: ABOUT ALEX (2014)
Josh = 8 ( Strong Rental )
VII. Two Newsworthy Tidbits:
— The Death of Marilyn Burns
— Dave “Dr. Shock” Becker reaches 4 years on DVD Infatuation.com
VIII. Wrap-Up / Plugs
IX. Post-Script:
— The Death of Robin Williams
NEXT WEEK:
We will be reviewing LET’S BE COPS and TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES and THE EXPENDABLES 3.
Links for this episode:
Horror Movie Podcast: Episode 022
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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.
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Thank you for listening, and join us again next Monday for Movie Podcast Weekly.
Adventure Time is a post-apocalyptic cartoon, inspired by Dungeons and Dragons. If you think adventure time is bizarre you should check out Super Jail. Not for children…..
Watching both this weekend. Thanks!
Will watch both this weekend!
Funny how Josh bash the fake french accents in THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY while Karl has prised fake German accents in A MOST WANTED MAN. I’m with Josh on it, Germans should speak German and French should speak French. It would be tremendously funny when anybody would speak to me English with a fake Dutch accent. Although I like ‘Allo ‘Allo very much, but they are Brits not Americans 😉
Yes, absolutely. I’ll give A Most Wanted Man a break because, hey, it’s Phillip Seymour Hoffman, but Helen Mirren really isn’t bringing enough to her role in The Hundred Foot Journey to have the entire French contingent of the cast speak English to one another. They occasionally work in some contrivances to try and make sense of it, but it would’ve been much better to bring in someone like Catherine Deneuve for the role.
Oh yeah, Catherine Deneuve – I would love this!
I have a bit trouble with PSH though. He says in the movie that he is too old for Rachel McAdams, but in real life they are only 11 years apart – I have many friends with more years difference living happily. Indeed he looks like trash compared to her, but this is not the age issue, rather his approach to life.
Hey there chaps. Great episode as always. This time your soothing voices helped me through a devil of a hangover.
It’s very upsetting to hear about Robin Williams. As someone who was a kid in the 90’s he stands out as a figure that helped define my childhood. They may not all be the greatest movies but stuff like Aladdin, Mrs. Doubtfire, Flubber and Ferngully were all very prominent movies for me growing up. Even Hook (which seems particularly unloved) has a special place in my heart. It’s maybe a tragic coincidence that I have amazingly vivid and fond memories of being about 9 years old and sitting cross legged on the carpet of a hostel recreation room on a school trip, watching Hook with tears of laughter running down my face, a laughter I shared with the kid sat beside me; Chris who was probably the funniest childhood friend I ever had but who very sadly took his own life also.
Anyway the point is that there was some kind of amazingly appealing childlike magic in Williams screen presence in these kind of movies but where I think he really shines and remains somewhat underrated is in his capacity as a dramatic actor. Jay, you mentioned my 3 favourite movies featuring Williams; One Hour Photo, Insomnia and The Fisher King (which you should definitely rewatch, it’s fantastic). To me those 3 films are demonstrative of his brilliant gift as a nuanced character actor, his ability to create pathos in the darkest of places. A true talent and a sad loss for us all. R.I.P. I offer my thanks for making my childhood world a happier place to be.
– David
I wish we’d all have had a chance to comment on Williams. I agree with all of the movies you listed, David, but I still think Good Will Hunting is a near-flawless film, even though it has had some backlash over the years.
As a weird aside, it’s funny that Stellan Skarsgård appears in Good Will Hunting as William’s nemesis in 1997 and, that same year, stars as the protagonist in the original Norwegian version of Insomnia, a film Williams would later remake with Pacino and Nolan, but in the antagonist role. Odd coincidence.
BTW, the original Insomnia has a beautiful new Criterion BluRay release.
Josh, I actually totally forgot that Insomnia was a remake, I’m glad you reminded me because I need to check out the original.
To add to the shame I’m going to have to admit that I’ve never seen Good Will Hunting. I know that’s probably ridiculous, especially considering that I’m a big Elliot Smith fan and that movie got him nominated for an Oscar, but it’s just one of those films that’s passed me by. I was a bit too young to be interested in it when it first came out and it just never seems to be at the forefront of my mind when selecting something to watch. On my list it goes!
P.S. I’ve been checking out Moviestreamcast recently and really enjoying it, you and Rachel make for a great podcasting team and you covered a really interesting selection of movies. In fact it’s inspired me to check out The Act of Killing which will most likely be the next movie I watch. I was wondering if there’ll ever be any new episodes though?
– David
Hi guys! I’ve been away for a little while because I’ve been pretty busy, but I have been keeping up with the podcast and you guys keep doing a great job week after week. It’s pretty late and I have to work tomorrow, but there’s a movie that I have to talk about because it’s been on my mind 24/7 ever since I saw it. I finally got to see Enemy and it blew me away! The trailer and Josh’s discussion on it piqued my interest, but I still had no idea what kind of a ride I was going into. Honestly, I was a little concerned about the challenge factor. Josh mentioned that he thought it was a pretty challenging film and in a way it is. But I just connected and understood Jake Gyllenhaal’s character so well, that it was almost like seeing myself in the movie. It’s been a few days since I’ve seen the film, but I still think about it all the time. I’ve read a few theories as to what really happened and I think all of them are right. In my opinion, Enemy is one of those movies where even though there could be a “definitive” version of what happened, the subject matter and the imagery that accompanies it are so flexible that they can be interpreted in several different ways and it still would make sense. For me, it was a very personal journey where I saw a lot of myself in Gyllenhaal’s character(s). His quest for individualism and his “double personality” are themes that resonate with me. There are tons of clues throughout the movie that will help you come up with an “answer” to the film, but even those can be interpreted in different ways. I am thinking about revisiting Enemy a second time to see if I look at things differently, but I’m sure I’ll be just as shocked by that ending. The ending you guys! It has to be one of the best/scariest/most confusing endings I have ever seen. And the credits sequence that follow said ending is great. Enemy is a 9 for me. Josh, your 7.5 rating seems a bit low to me, but to each their own I suppose.
P.S. David, I’m currently drinking this crazy stout that I think is fitting to talk about because it’s one of the most challenging beers I have encountered. It is a double stout by Clown Shoes by the name of Luchador En Fuego. It is spiced with vanilla, cinnamon, ancho and chipotle peppers and aged in bourbon barrels and man does it have a kick! I’m a little woozy I have to admit, but it’s delicious and totally worth seeking out. By the way is there a way to reach you more directly? I just feel a little weird directing my messages to you on a forum. Anyway, cheers mate!
Man that stout sounds absolutely amazing. The ancho and chipotle peppers are particularly interesting elements, flavours that I love in food but that I’ve never had infused in a beer before and of course anything aged in bourbon barrels sets off my beer radar.
I’m all for open discussion where anyone can join in but if you want to contact me directly you can always drop me an email at tapecollageforeloise@hotmail.co.uk
I can be a little slow at checking for new emails but I always get around to it eventually.
Glad you responded to it so much, Juan. I agree that I think the film is designed so that you can clearly interpret it at least two ways. And there are other explanations that make sense as well, if you can wrap your head around them.
I’d probably raise my rating now if I were to rate it since I have had more time to mull it over. It is definitely a film that has stayed with me as well.
I actually just bought the BluRay and I’m looking forward to diving in deep on my next viewing.
Hey guys, I’ve not been watching much in the way of movies this week but I just thought I’d let you know that I’m finished season 4 of The Wire now and I’m starting to feel sad that there’s only one season left for me. It’s one of those shows that I wish just kept going interminably.
Season 4 was another 10/10 for me though Season 2 remains my favourite. Any preconceptions I had about this show that might have prevented me from watching it in the past have been proven totally unfounded. I just can’t say enough good things about it. Time for season 5 I think!
I’d love you guys who are fans of the show to sometime do a special spoiler-inclusive The Wire podcast where you all expound in great detail about the show and all it’s intricacies and nuances. That’s probably a pipe dream but what the heck!
That’s a good idea. I’d actually like to do a TV special sometime and talk in-depth about some of our favorite shows. Seasons 2 and 5 of The Wire are my favorites, so I hope you enjoy 5 as much as I did, seeing as we’re on the same page re: 2. Very different, of course.
Thanks for always taking the time to reply Josh, it’s very much appreciated.
As I’ve mentioned before I can’t help but feel that TV has far outpaced mainstream cinema when it comes to taking risks and offering challenging and intelligent content. Why should I watch some neutered PG-13 horror or action movie that’s been dumbed down for the purpose of appealing to the most brain-dead teens when I can get inventively gruesome practical effects, complex characters and engaging story-lines in “Hannibal” or “Game of Thrones”. And why would I watch the latest, predictable, cliché ridden crime thriller when I’ve got “The Wire”, “True Detective” and “Breaking Bad”.
Apologies for disparaging the medium that this podcast is about, but I do feel that there’s a lot of great shows out there that just take the risks that modern studios are unwilling to for fear of alienating a section of their audience and negating their all important profits. That said, James Gunn’s ascent to Blockbusterdom does give me hope.
Excellent episode, gents. I’ve always appreciated the generally fine caliber of sound on MPW, but I honestly didn’t really notice the deficiencies in this episode, particularly once the conversation really got going. I enjoy so much hearing the gang talk about movies that I’d probably listen even if the entire episode was recorded as a series of text message fed through a free online TTS service. Great to hear the late-breaking discussion of “Guardians of the Galaxy,” following from last week’s initial report.
I was almost instantly amused regarding Jay’s complaint about how many movies tie up their fantasy or sci-fi storylines with a big explosion at the end of the film. I understand, and even broadly sympathize, with the larger point that Jason is getting at. One the other hand, two of my all-time fave films would have to be considered first-class offenders: “Star Wars” and “Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan.” And I’d even accept the indictment of another all-time fave, though it’s a more loose fit for what Jay is describing: “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” I will accept no arguments that any of those three films is defective or substandard. Therefore, I am forced to conclude that Jay’s argument is imperfect at best, and possibly seriously flawed.
Also, I’ve always been somewhat “meh” regarding “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains.” I feel like it’s about 1 in 3 whether a returning player either equals or improves upon their first appearance. So when the entire cast are former players, there’s a huge amount of dead weight. Rupert, for example, never recaptured the magic of his first appearance on the show, though HVV is at least an improvement on his technically successful but functionally drab reappearance in “All Stars.” And when you get all of the biggest personalities together, you end up drowning out of a lot of the magic. Tyson worked it like a pro in “Blood vs. Water,” but was practically invisible in HVV (with his self-immolation being really his only memorable contribution). And remember how faceless poor Rob Cesternino was in AS? Sandra was a weak winner, too, which always drags down any season.
P.S. I’ve also been listening to “Classic” MPW episodes: The podcast about “Lincoln” (No. 8, I believe) reminded me what a great film that is. Really enjoyed that discussion.
Oh, and “Evan Almighty”? Seriously?! What a muddled sub-mediocrity that film is.
Ahhhh … but it’s a pleasant watch with the kids. Those are hard to come by for me.
Excellent examples re: explosions of power, Cody. And if Jason was a man, he’d reply to your wise insight. He just brought it up again last night on a Horror Movie Podcast recording for Halloween 3 (that releases in October). You shut him down. Jason is convinced that I’m his great nemesis, but he really needs to have you on the podcast more.
I take your point with Heroes vs Villains and I did find it a bit underwhelming upon re-watch for those reasons, but as a late-comer to the show, All-Stars and Heroes vs Villains were the seasons that hooked me, so I’ll always appreciate them.
Of course Tyson was exceptional on Blood vs Water, but I saw Tocantins after HvV and he really wasn’t much better there. I’m actually shocked he was brought back following either of those seasons, he’s such a non-entity in both. But, I think that illustrates how much we miss that the Producers see. Why keep bringing back Tyson? We couldn’t see his potential, but the Producers could. Same with Candice. I didn’t see much value to her as a player or character prior to BvW, but now I love her. And she was far more enjoyable in HvV too, having seen a different side of her in BvW.
Colby takes a lot of crap about HvV, but as that late-comer that doesn’t find much joy in Australian Outback, I’ve actually found that HvV Colby is my favorite. I also love the redemption of Jerri. She shows a real vulnerability here and her Survivor arc comes to a close in a very cathartic way. Yes, Sandra is maybe my 3rd choice for the money out of this final 3, but her win here actually elevates her Pearl Islands win for me, which was far more disappointing than this. If they had been playing better, they’d have voted her out. Simple. Also, Coach is freaking hilarious on HvV. Pure insanity.
Sure, you’re favorite players are almost always going to lose some shine upon repeat plays, but I still think it is a blast. I love returning-player seasons. Mainly, because I love to see strong game play. Rob C couldn’t hold his own against Boston Rob? That’s the way the game goes … don’t get cocky.
In some ways, I think a season like Caramoan is more successful because you are bringing back players that didn’t play all that well to begin with, but had a little something that showed their potential. Cochran and Phillip could only go up and, for me, they did. Same with Coach on South Pacific. A second chances season maybe offers us more than a full-on All-Stars. Having said that, I’m not a huge fan of the Fans vs Favorites format, because the fans are essentially just 9 wasted characters. They have yet to do anything interesting except a little give and take with immunity idols and necklaces.
Anyway, HvV was in my top 3 for a long time but now, after having seen far more seasons and having re-watched it recently, it drops a few spots. I’d assume it’s still strongly in my Top 10. I guess I need to sit down and make a list to know for sure.