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Finally! It’s our big Oscars show! Welcome to Movie Podcast Weekly, Episode 126. In this show, Jason, Andy and Karl welcome back special guest Geek Cast Ry of the Geek Cast Live Podcast. We also welcome first-time guest (and avid listener of MPW) — Blackbelt Jenifer! (Yes, only one “n.”) And for the first time ever in Movie Podcast Weekly history, we get to hear from the former host of the Book Review Podcast — Shawn, who happens to be Andy’s wife!
During this epic episode we bring you three Feature Reviews of Hot Tub Time Machine 2 and The Duff and McFarland, USA. But most importantly, we talk to you ad nauseam about the and 87th ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS.
And by the way, Movie Podcast Weekly is now on SoundCloud. Help us promote MPW by sharing these short highlight recordings on SoundCloud! By all means — please join us!
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.
SHOW NOTES:
I. Introduction
— Welcome special guests: Geek Cast Ry and Blackbelt Jenifer!
II. What’s New in Theaters This Past Weekend
Hot Tub Time Machine 2
The Duff
McFarland, USA
Gloria
Wild Tales
FEATURE REVIEWS HAVE TIME STAMPS:
[ 0:06:05 ] III. Feature Review: HOT TUB TIME MACHINE 2 (2015)
Jason = 1 ( Avoid )
[ 0:20:01 ] IV. Feature Review: THE DUFF (2015)
Karl = 7.5 ( Theater / Buy it! )
[ 0:32:46 ] V. Feature Review: McFARLAND, USA (2015) with special guest Shawn
Andy = 5 ( Low-priority Rental )
Shawn = 4 ( Avoid )
[ 0:48:54 ] VI. Feature Review: 87th ACADEMY AWARDS Commentary and Reflections
VII. Wrap-Up / Plugs / Ending
COMING UP ON MPW NEXT WEEK:
Episode 127 when we’ll be reviewing “The Lazarus Effect” and “Focus”
LINKS FOR THIS EPISODE:
Remember! Movie Podcast Weekly is now on SoundCloud. Help us promote MPW by sharing these short highlight recordings on SoundCloud!
Jason recommends watching Jimmy Fallon and Michael Keaton do a table reading of alternative “Birdman” scripts.
Geek Cast Ry’s links:
A great time: Geek Cast Live Podcast
DONATE here to facilitate the creation of more Geek content!
Blog: Geek Cast Live
Web site: Geek Harder.com
Facebook
Twitter: @GeekCastRy
Jason highly recommends: Horror Movie Podcast Ep. 043: Friday the 13th Parts 2 through 4
Jason recommends supporting: Operation Underground Railroad
Contact MPW:
E-mail us: MoviePodcastWeekly@gmail.com.
Leave us a voicemail: (801) 382-8789.
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
We’d like to thank The Dave Eaton Element and Dave himself for the use of his music for our theme song. Buy Dave’s Eaton’s music: BandCamp.com
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Thanks for listening, and join us again next Tuesday for Movie Podcast Weekly.
I looked :/
Man, we all looked.
I thought the DUFF acronym was common knowledge? I thought I’d find something different at IMDB, but nope, just what I thought it was.
I looked too. And it’s a depressing acronym. But I don’t understand how Mae Whitman conforms to that stereotype at all. It was the same when she was in “Arrested Development”. Am I the only one who thinks she’s kind of cute?
Hmm I’ve never seen her before. I wouldn’t call her a DUFF by any extent of the imagination, but I don’t find her particularly attractive either. A perfectly normal and healthy looking girl or PNHLG for short.
I guess I have a thing for PNHLG’s then? Which I’m fine with because I’ve never been one for the whole ultra-perfect super model sort of look anyway. Normal girls and crazy babbling old guys who loiter about summer camps are my idea of a good time.
I don’t think most people go for the ultra-perfect super model, David. In any case, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Just watch Shallow Hal.
Wise words as always Juan!
I haven’t even listened to this episode yet, and Andy and Shawn are already killing me with their disdain of “McFarland, USA.”
On a related note, I have to add that there’s less of me left to die inside than there was before I listened to Jay’s review of “Jupiter Ascending” from a few episodes back. Jay and Karl are HUGE FILM NERDS, but the best they could do to introduce “Jupiter Ascending” is to memorialize the Wachowskis as the peeps who made “Speed Racer” and, um, oh yeah, “Cloud Atlas” (which I agree is a fine film). The FIRST THING that is mentioned whenever the Siblings Wachowski are spoken of should ALWAYS be that they wrote and directed “The Matrix.” (The two sequels: eh.) I will accept no argument on this point. I know pop culture has mostly moved on, but it was still astonishing to hear an at-length discussion of a new sci-fi film from the Wachowskis with no mention made whatsoever that these are the guys who created arguably the most revolutionary and influential sci-fi film since “Star Wars.”
“who created arguably the most revolutionary and influential sci-fi film since “Star Wars.””
But Star Wars paved the way for a lot of good movies Cody. In my eyes “The Matrix” paved the way for lots of style-over-substance schlock full of CGI action sequences, people wearing shades in daylight and obnoxious bullet-time effects! I mean “The Matrix” was undoubtedly an era defining movie and though it’s not my cup of tea I understand why it was so popular but it also seemed to be the point at which sci-fi/action/horror blockbusters started doing stupid crap with slow down/speed up shots and really egregious CGI. It is odd that Jay and Karl didn’t mention the movie at all in their “Jupiter Ascending” review though. It’s probably the best thing that the Wachowski’s have done.
As you say below, David, you can’t really blame The Wachowskis/”The Matrix” for everyone else’s having learned all the wrong filmmaking lessons from them/it. Lots of people actually have the same view of “Star Wars,” really: That it cheapened the cinema by ushering in an era of massive blockbusters that emphasize special effects and spectacle over storytelling.
Mostly I’m just astounded that, in the Wachowskis’ own lifetime, people who are SERIOUS film lovers reviewed a new sci-fi movie by them and brought up only “Speed Racer” and “Cloud Atlas” as examples of their earlier films. Nobody said even in passing, “Hey, didn’t these guys also do ‘The Matrix’?” It would be almost like reviewing a new sci-fi film directed by George Lucas, but only mentioning “THX-1138” and “American Graffiti” as examples of his past work.
“Lots of people actually have the same view of “Star Wars,” really: That it cheapened the cinema by ushering in an era of massive blockbusters that emphasize special effects and spectacle over storytelling.”
That’s an exceptional point Cody. I can’t argue with that. I guess Star Wars and it’s subsequent fall-out years have always seemed like classic times in cinema for me but I can certainly imagine folks at the time, used to the grittier, artier cinema of the 60’s and earlier 70’s seeing it that way.
Although that’s not to imply that those negative results were the fault of “The Matrix” (though some blame might be placed on the sequels!). It seems more likely that filmmakers/studios missed the point, failing to note that what made “The Matrix” work was more to do with the fascinating concept than the action scenes and stylish visuals.
Cody- you can’t possibly like McFarland USA. Have you seen it?
Guys, it’s truly a shame that Dave couldn’t be on this show but Ry, Jenifer and Shawn were all phenomenal guests and it made for a really lively, entertaining and funny episode. Great stuff!
Also on the topic of high school comedies what do you all think of “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”? I only saw it for the first time recently, having been put in the mood for 80’s comedy by Josh’s recommendation of “Clue” (which was also great) and I really loved it. I had a fairly uneventful/repressed time in those years of my life so I’m not normally a huge fan of watching teenagers party and act all promiscuous and “Fast Times” certainly has its share of risqué content but it also has so much heart, humour and such a great soundtrack that I couldn’t help but love it.
We’ll always have Phoebe Cates. (And so will Kevin Kline.)
My introduction to Phoebe Cates was Drop Dead Fred. And it’s funny because I had already seen both Gremlins, but I had no recollection of her. I guess I wasn’t into girls yet… or something. Anywho, Fast Times at Ridgemont High is one of my very favorites. It’s got one of the best cast, if not the best cast, for that type of movie. Everyone brings so much to the table. I didn’t get to see this until I was in high school and my re-introduction to Phoebe Cates was pretty memorable because I had no idea about the pool scene. I was quite the innocent kid too, so that moment definitely left its mark.
I actually really love that pool scene not so much for the boobs but the fact that everything about it is just so unbelievably 80’s. And the way it ends is hilarious.
“I actually really love that pool scene not so much for the boobs but the fact that everything about it is just so unbelievably 80’s.”
Ha! Aren’t boobs very ’80s?
Don’t get me wrong. I think boobs are as 80’s as Duran Duran!
Jennifer was a great guest!!! And Jason, for all the build up to the Oscar show I didn’t feel very much love coming from your corner! I thought the Oscars were lots of fun and while I agree with some of your issues I felt overall that the Oscars were to quote Borat ” great success.”
Geek Cast Ry you should probably put a picture of your white tree tattoo on the mpw website cause it sounds freaking awesome.
Andy a recommendation or at least a curiosity to hear what you think about a fairly recent Kevin Costner movie called Mr. Brooks, I really enjoyed it especially William Hurt.
Lastly I just watched The Drop. Slow burn that ends with such a tense show. Definitely a great flick!
Also my wife won the Oscar pool at our party with 15 correct I only had ten right ouch!
Kevin, I think Mr. Brooks is great! It totally changed my perception of Kevin Costner if only for a little bit. Good throwback movie, man!
“The Drop” is amazing. I think Jay was too hard on it in his review. It’s so good!
One more thought. I laughed quite a bit at Karls refusal to spoil a plot point that is in the trailer for DUFF but thinks it outrageous for people to have not heard the ending of American Sniper! Good times!
Also, Didn’t “Nightcrawler” win anything? I just got to see that fairly recently and it was excellent, probably a 9.5/10.
Hey, guys. I was on a holiday and just trying to catch up with all the recent episodes on those three podcasts. First of all I have to say it, guys. Poland won Oscar for Ida! So exciting and great! Second of all considering everything around Academy Awards I do think that it misses many genres, as well. Even though not many movies from other genres are really good. Cutting speeches by playing music seems rude to me. Yes, they do have 30 seconds and they do know about it. However, it looks completely ridiculous and offensive.
Jenifer! She was amazing and I truly hope to hear her more often on the show. As well as Andy’s wife. Such a entertaining episode. Jenifer, if you by any chance can read this – you’re officially my favorite female podcaster out there.