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Movie Podcast Weekly Episode 121 brings you two Feature Reviews of Foxcatcher and Blackhat. This week, Jason is broadcasting from West Virginia again, so the audio quality is a little lower than usual; however, to compensate, MPW has brought back special guest William Rowan Jr. for this episode! Your guys also bring you some Oscar talk, where they discuss the nominations (and snubs) of the 87th Academy Awards. Don’t miss it!
If you’re new to our show… Movie Podcast Weekly typically features three hosts — Jason, Andy and Karl — along with frequent guests. We give you our verdicts on at least one new movie release from the current year that’s currently playing in theaters, as well as several mini reviews of whatever we’ve been watching lately. And we usually provide specialized genre recommendations. New episodes release every single Tuesday. Join us!
SHOW NOTES:
I. Introduction
— Welcome special guest William Rowan Jr.
[ 0:02:15 ] II. 87th Academy Award Nominations
Jason: The nominees and snubs of this year’s Oscars
[ 0:26:53 ] III. Mini Reviews
Karl: From Paris With Love, The Lincoln Lawyer
William Rowan Jr: Being There
Andy’s Re-runs: The Whole Nine Yards (again), Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (again, one year later)…
IV. What’s New in Theaters This Past Weekend
Foxcatcher [ Expansion ]
Blackhat
American Sniper
The Wedding Ringer
Paddington
Escobar: Paradise Lost
Spare Parts
Son of a Gun [ LA/NY ]
Match [ Limited ]
Little Accidents [ Limited ]
Still Alice [ Limited ]
FEATURE REVIEWS HAVE TIME STAMPS:
[ 0:38:35 ] V. Feature Review: FOXCATCHER (2015)
Jason = 7.5 ( Rental )
William Rowan Jr. = 8.5 ( Rental )
[ 0:58:39 ] VI. Feature Review: BLACKHAT (2015)
Karl = 8 ( Theater / Buy it! )
[ 1:10:02 ] VII. Specialty Segments:
ANDY’S UNSEEMLY HOMEWORK: (Here Andy gives another re-run of Karl’s recommendation segment from MPW Ep. 021)
Dark Star (1974) = 7 ( Rental )
JAY OF THE DEAD’S 1970s HORROR-THON:
Grizzly (1976) = 4 ( Avoid )
KARL HUDDLESTON’S GREAT PERFORMANCES AND MIGHTY LINES:
Film: Phenomenon (1996)
Great Performance: John Travolta as George Malley
VIII. Wrap-Up / Plugs / Ending
COMING UP ON MPW NEXT WEEK:
AMERICAN SNIPER — Join us!
LINKS FOR THIS EPISODE:
Hear William Rowan Jr. on Movie Stream Cast!
Movie Stream Cast 41: Snowpiercer
Movie Stream Cast BONUS: Da Sweet Blood of Jesus
Jason recommends supporting: Operation Underground Railroad
Contact MPW:
E-mail us: MoviePodcastWeekly@gmail.com.
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Follow MPW on Twitter: @MovieCastWeekly
Leave a comment in the show notes for this episode.
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Right-click to download the MPW 100 Rap
Keep up with Josh:
Twitter: @IcarusArts
Josh covers streaming movies on: Movie Stream Cast
If you’re a Horror fan, listen to Jason and Josh on HORROR MOVIE PODCAST
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Thanks for listening, and join us again next Tuesday for Movie Podcast Weekly.
Jay, my man, you’re back!
You gave Grizzly a 4? Really? Didn’t you champion it a bunch of times in previous episodes?
Nope. That was a movie called “Bear,” you’re thinking of. I really like “Bear” (2010). But it has a 2.9 on IMDb, so apparently, most other people disagree. : )
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1468703/
Jay
Oh no! Now I’m going to have to take back what I said about you over on HMP. You’re wrong, Jay. This movie is pure gold! You’re forcing me to go VERSUS all over your candy ass. I’ll report back after getting a hold of Bear.
By the way, no disrespect with that candy ass comment. I just know you like wrestling and I thought you’d appreciate it haha. Can you smell what I’m cooking?
“— It DOESN’T MATTER what you think …” ; ) (That was the best Rock gimmick ever.)
“Bear” is great to me because the internal drama within the group becomes more dire than the bear threat. Not executed super well, but I still appreciate what they were going for…
Jay
Hahaha nice Jay, very nice.
Wow, Jay. On the road and you still got the episode up early!
Also I really like the fact that even in Josh’s absence we’re still getting William Yolo Jr. guest appearances!
It’s a bit like he’s sleeping with my girlfriend, isn’t it? Haha. No, William’s a consenting adult, so that’s wonderful for these two if they want to hookup, no matter how creepy I might find it.
Josh, you told me that I was the only one.
So technically you’re cheating on me with Jason.
I dare any of you to keep this metaphor going, because it’s going to get real weird real quick.
No, you’re my long-time girlfriend in this equation. Jay’s my more recent internet romance.
David,
You have no idea how complicated it was for me to keep appearing as a guest host. The amount of red tape could’ve reach to the moon and back. We even had to get Andy’s legal expertise to write up the appropriate paperwork.
Even Karl got involved. Something to do with a conflict of interest, because he works at the same place that my mother does.
But when it comes right down to it, I have a sort of life debt to Josh. I am the “Chewbacca “to his “Han Solo”. And that is always taken into consideration.
But in the end it all worked out. And I have been reassured that I will be on the podcast as usual.
You look more like Han and I’d much rather be Chewbacca.
I can’t believe I already casually tossed away “William Solo Jr.” in some some punk band conversation. What a reckless waste.
Yes, David. Hard core! In fact, I’m sitting up in the wee hours at a hotel in Iowa, preparing a BONUS episode for this Friday on HMP!
Jay
Damn Jay…I was wondering what that picture was about…you could have crashed at my house…
My town is right off I 80…
I would have loved to meet you and watch the master at work and I could have shown you some Iowa hospitality…
I wouldn’t have turned you or your mom into a walrus or armadillo…I swear!!! 🙂
Haha
A bonus episode of HMP is just what I need right now Jay. Excellent news!
NOT A COMMENT ABOUT Ep. 121: I haven’t had a chance to listen to this week’s episode yet, but I have to back Andy’s review of SELMA. Wow is that movie awesome. All of the historical resonance that Andy described is present. It bleeds out of every frame. But the truly amazing thing is how impressive the filmmaking is without even taking the historicity into account. I was blown away. Blown. Away. Beyond being an incredibly stirring (and timely) tribute to a truly magnificent person (people, really; the film is packed to the gills with memorable real-life heroes), it’s a masterful piece of art and storytelling. There’s so much care and consideration given to every beat of every scene. It’s also a deeply, movingly spiritual film. Like all of us, Martin Luther King Jr. was a flawed individual, but he was also a towering spiritual giant, and the film beautifully captures that. 10/10
Also, because I’m still catching up on all of the old MPW episodes that I missed the first time around (and because I love to make lists), after I caught Ep. 53 the other morning, I had to bang out a quick response to Hammer’s ABC+#+3 challenge. The only letter I had to abstain from is Y, although I think I’d probably be thrilled to roll with Josh’s pick of “Yojimbo.” I just haven’t ever seen it, so I can’t say for sure … yet. (That one’s on my Lifetime To-Do List.) Without further ado:
A-Z
Almost Famous
Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid
Catch Me If You Can
Dances With Wolves
The Empire Strikes Back
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Great Escape
The Hudsucker Proxy
The Incredibles
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Kung Fu Panda
The Last of the Mohicans
The Matrix
The Natural
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Quigley Down Under
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan
True Grit (2010)
Up
Valkyrie
The Winslow Boy
X-Men
Y … (Young Frankenstein? Young Einstein? Young Guns? You Only Live Twice?)
Zodiac
+#
(500) Days of Summer
+3
A Man for All Seasons
Inception
Wreck-It Ralph
Cody — after your comment here and Andy’s review, I’m dying to see “Selma” now. I’m planning to see “American Sniper” today in Des Moines, Iowa, with my Mama, but I’m tempted to take an extra travel day and do a Double Feature!
Also: Impressive list. Most impressive…
Jay
I’m anxious to hear what you think of “Selma” on next week’s Mini-Reviews, Jay. I think it’s one of those movies that’s so well made that it transcends individual tastes: If you like movies, then you’ll like “Selma.” But I’ve been wrong before when making that call.
I don’t even remember what the challenge was. Favorite movie for each letter of the alphabet? I guess I stand by YOJIMBO. I like you BUTCH & SUNDANCE pick better than whatever I put. Love the mentions of QUIGLY DOWN UNDER and YOUNG EINSTEIN. I second that emotion. Yes to ZODIAC. I am calling your bluff on (500) DAYS OF SUMMER, however. That’s some BS.
Hammer’s idea is that you pick the only 30 movies you get to watch for the rest of eternity: one for each letter of the alphabet, one with a title that starts with a number, and three wild cards.
You said “The Burbs” for B. B&C didn’t even crack your list of 7 honorable mentions for the letter B. If I’m remembering right, S and T had the most painful omissions for me. I tried not to overthink my picks, figuring that my first couple of reactions on each letter are the movies closest to my heart.
Not bluffing about “(500) Days.” I get why people find it gimmicky, precious, arch, etc., but it just works for me. I yam what I yam.
This was really fun. For the most part I went with Cody’s method of assuming the ones at the forefront of my mind probably mean the most to me but some of them did require quite a lot of consideration:
A – Z:
Alien
Bladerunner
Creature from the Black Lagoon
The Devil and Daniel Johnston
The Empire Strikes Back
The Graduate
Harold and Maude
Invasion of the Bodysnatchers (1979)
Jason and the Argonauts
Kwaidan
L.A. Confidential
Metropolis
The Neverending Story
One Hour Photo
Papillon
Quatermass and the Pit
Return of the Jedi
Star Wars
The Thing
The Usual Suspects
Vibes
The Warriors
Xtro
Yôkai hyaku monogatari
Zodiac
#:
12 Monkeys
3 Wildcards:
This is England
Midnight Cowboy
The Bride of Frankenstein
That is a great list David. I would be totally content with that list.
Damn you peer pressure!
Well, I thought that since I’m going to be stuck with these 30 movies that I should avoid anything too depressing, so I concentrated on movies that bring me the most joy. Ultimately though, I couldn’t stay away from sad and depressing, but overall it’s a pretty happy list I think. I have to say that it was very painful omitting many of my favorite movies and there were a few letters that gave me a really hard time:
Alien
Back to the Future
Christine
Dumb and Dumber
E.T the Extraterrestrial
The Fly
Ghostbusters
Haute Tension
Inception
Jurassic Park
The Karate Kid
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Memento
Ninja Scroll
Oldboy (2003)
Pulp Fiction
Q (1982)
Robocop
Starship Troopers
The Terminator
Unforgiven
The Vanishing (1988)
WALL-E
X-Men: First Class
Y Tu Mama También
Zodiac
#:
5 Centimeters Per Second
3 Wildcards:
Akira
The Raid
Goodfellas
Thanks William, that means a lot coming from a man of refined tastes such as you!
And Juan: Yours is one of the most fun movie lists ever! I would enjoy the hell out of watching those movies for the rest of eternity.
Thanks David. Your list is pretty awesome too, though there are about five movies that I’ve never seen. They’re going on my list.
I second Cody’s “bluff”. I loved (500) Days of Summer. I guess that makes me a yam.
No, I think it makes you a sweet potato. Either way, it makes Josh outnumbered: 2-to-1!
What’s the difference between Sweet Potatoes and Yams? I read “Things Fall Apart” and didn’t know what the hell was going on!
I was deeply touched by the dedication and when I played it for my son…Logan…he said that it was very cool…I’ve got a little over 3 weeks of pain to go before my sergury…but its the little things in life like this that lifts a persons spirits…I feel so lucky and blessed to be a part of this family…and today I got a new facebook friend…JUAN!!! David I’d be honored to be your friend too…As for the episode…Jay’s enthusiasm was off the hook and it seemed to spread to everyone…I guess never having to go back to West Virginia again will do that to a guy!!! Just kidding…I just couldn’t help myself…:) Love you all!!!
Well I’m afraid I haven’t used facebook in years but for what it’s worth I consider you my MPW/HMP comments friend!
So the only movie I saw this week was “Blow Out” from 1981. This is a movie that I’d never paid much attention to before because I guess I underestimate John Travolta. But I kept hearing/seeing Josh praise this movie and even though he’s gone-from-this-place-and-never-to-return-or-be-spoken-of-again I still like randomly following up on some of his recommendations.
I was entirely glad to have followed up on this one because I really, really enjoyed this movie. So good! Please let me know if there are more 70’s/80’s thrillers out there in a similar vein as this because it’s exactly the kind of movie that I just adore!
I am so glad you liked this!
It’s hard to recommend anything as good as BLOW OUT. It really is a very unique film and one of my all-time favorites.
A couple others you might try, though, are Brian DePalma’s BODY DOUBLE, David Mamet’s HOUSE OF GAMES, and Irvin Kirshner’s EYES OF LAURA MARS (written by John Carpenter). I recommend them in that order. If you like those, try DRESSED TO KILL, SOMEONE’S WATCHING ME, and BODY HEAT.
I am a moviegoer with a 4 year old daughter and a wife that doesn’t enjoy the movies as much as I do. Therefore, most of the movies I see are kids movies in the theaters (Frozen, 3 times). I am a long time listener to the show and try to listen to every show I can. I saw two movie this past week with my daughter since my wife was out of town and wanted to give my quick review of both.
Paddington, this was a good movie. My daughter is still in the phase where most of the movies she will sit through are only animated. If she is not interested in the movie she will get very fidgety and at that point I have to make the choice to leave, with that was a refundable at the box office. But I enjoyed the movie, and she sat through and enjoyed it as well. I give it an 8.5 for a kids movie.
Strange Magic is the other movie that I saw this week with my daughter. I was very hesitant to see this movie after reading critic reviews on IMDB,, and Rotten Tomatoes. There seems to be a large variance between critic reviews and user reviews on both sites. It appears this movie is getting slammed by the critics, and seems to be most users enjoy it. The critic reviews seem unfair after seeing this movie with my daughter. Is it a George Lucas hate fest with critics? Or is it critics watch these movies without kids? Although this movie is not on par with Toy Story, Shrek, or Despicable Me, I do think it is more deserving than an IMDB score of 25/100. The Nut Job had a 37/100, and Epic a movie that is very similar a 52/100, and both of those movies were very lacking. Though this movie is not great, and I did seem some things in the movie that should have been rethought I think there was good animation, funny/cute kids humor, the characters were creatively designed, and my daughter sat through the whole thing and she and I both enjoyed. The negatives of the movie: Roland character’s voice Sam Palladio sounds like Elvis which is distracting and the whole character top to bottom lacks creativity, the Elves are seem to be all African American while all the fairies are white are about twice the size of the elves, where better clothes, are better off, and at the end the King dad has a reaction that it points toward this more, this was such a miss here that it is laughable they didn’t catch this in production, even if it is a take on a Shakespeare play that plays on differences often. All in all I think the movie was fairly a 7 out of 10 kids will enjoy and it has enough moments to keep parents from wanting to fall asleep.
Foxcatcher sucked.