53 thoughts on “Movie Podcast Weekly Ep. 145: Terminator Genisys (2015) and Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015)”

1. Dino, did you get to watch it? I did :/

   Reply ↓

   • Yep, I saw it Wednesday afternoon. It’s a tough nut to crack.

     So… it obviously wasn’t very good, but I had fun with it. The movie is the worst kind of fan service mess. On the other hand, it’s the best kind of fan service mess, and as a fan, I really liked those elements.

     Trying to be as non-spoilery as possible (because I went into the movie completely blind, and I’m glad I did), I’ll say that the movie did a good job of introducing a lot of plot twists and turns. For the most part, I liked them and think they worked well. That said, I still don’t know how I feel about the BIG plot twist. I’m seriously conflicted by it. My biggest disappointment with the film, though, is Emilia Clarke. I love this girl, but I just was not feeling her as Sarah Connor. Very sad about that.

     In the end, I think I come in on this movie at a 7.5/10. I know, I know… that’s probably about 2 points higher than it should be. But, this movie served up pretty much all of the Terminator fan porn I was craving. I had a lot of fun with it, and I know I’ll probably be watching this one again from time to time.

     My feelings for TERMINATOR GENISYS are probably akin to J’s feelings for JURASSIC WORLD – his fanboy-ism made him come in on that movie about 2 points higher than he should have, just as I did with GENISYS.

     I’m looking forward to hearing what the guys have to say about this movie, although I’m sure little-to-none of it will be favorable. About the only thing I do know is Andy will think it was stupid because, and “we’ve talked about it before, all time travel movies are inherently stupid.”

     And that’s ok. I can’t really argue against any of the criticisms they’re likely to throw at the movie. But, despite its many shortcomings, I still had fun with it.

     What did you think?

     Reply ↓

     • Listened to the show this morning, and I was extremely surprised by how easy everyone was on GENISYS. Honestly, I was expecting them to come down hard on it, but it looks like some of my words above were more scathing. And see, I thought I was going to have to apologize for my enjoyment of the movie.

       *****POSSIBLE MILD SPOILERS FOR TERMINATOR GENISYS*****

       Something that was said on the podcast made me think a little differently about Emilia Clarke’s performance. Since the movie takes place in an alternate timeline, we’re seeing a completely different Sarah Connor from the earlier films in the franchise. She’s been preparing and training for this war for several years, so she’s not the helpless and confused woman from the beginning of the first movie. This is obvious. But, when they mentioned it on the show, it dawned on me that she’s also not the older, “prison hardened” (I know it was a mental institute) woman of the second film (probably also obvious, but I was too busy fanboying all over the film to think about it). So, her softer, less mature tone is probably appropriate for this timeline.

       That said, I still don’t think she was the right choice for the part… and it pains me to say that.

       Reply ↓

     • I also find it amusing that I rated GENISYS higher than everyone except Karl, yet, it seems from the discussion that I actually thought it was a worse film than they did. Then again, I also admitted that I probably came in 2 points higher than it probably deserved, so that would bring my rating down below all of their’s.

       Juan, the suspense is killing me… what did you think of it?

       Reply ↓

     • Trying to be spoiler free even in the comments. You’re such a gentleman. But alas! In order for me to really let you know how I feel, I need to be a little spoilery. So, BEWARE, SPOILERS BELOW!!!!

       Whoa! I literally agree with everything you said including your major complaint. I love, LOVE Emilia Clark but man was she miscast! First of all, I hated her take on Sarah Connor. Yes, I know this Sarah is not the same character that we know and love, but why did she have to be so whimsical and immature? Given her circumstances, I get how she could grow up to be the way she is, but I just couldn’t tolerate it. Very sad indeed.

       I also loved the intertwining of the timelines. It was messy and it could’ve been done with more class, but you can’t argue with Arnold vs. Arnold. That was probably my favorite scene in the entire movie and it was a bit disappointing that they were never able to top it.

       Another thing that bothered me was that we were given young Arnold, but they didn’t deliver on Robert Patrick. He was such an important and iconic role that it hurt me seeing him replaced by some random guy, who was actually pretty great, but the scenes with the T1000 could’ve been way better had they brought in his likeness. Missed opportunities.

       The John Connor twist bothered me, but I would’ve been more ok with it if they had brought in Edward Furlong to play the part. He’s the right age and that would’ve gotten the audience to sympathize more with the guy. Terminator John could’ve have been a great, tragic character. Another missed opportunity.

       One last major thing and then I’ll shut up. I loved the idea of upgrading Arnold into a T1000, BUT they did it wrong! Instead of giving us a predictable, last minute addition that I have no doubt was only added so there could be a sequel, they could’ve worked it in such a way where they mirrored Arnold’s seeming demise during his fight with the T1000 in T2 and then brought him back to have one final badass fight to the death.

       Ok one more thing. This new Terminator never seemed that threatening until the very end where all of a sudden he’s coming at our heros with all he’s got. Where were all these abilities before then? In all previous Terminator movies, the threat is so overwhelming that it’s fun seeing Arnold and the crew trying their best to even escape. Here, it was all groovy all the time. There weren’t any close calls. With the gap between technologies being this big, I feel like Arnold and crew should’ve had a much harder time defeating their foe.

       Having.said all this, I still enjoyed the movie a lot more than I wanted to. The fan service was high, but so was the corruption of the franchise. The supporting cast was weak, but Arnold shined as always. All in all, not my favorite, but not the worst either. I put this just behind T3, but way above Salvation. It’s a 6 for me.

       Reply ↓

       • Yep, sounds like we’re pretty much in agreement on this one. I guess the only exception is that I really kind of hated the Arnold upgrade at the end. I just thought that was dumb. Sorry, bro.

         And I still don’t know how I feel about the John Connor twist. Really, I go back and forth between “potentially great, tragic character” to “dropping a deuce on the franchise.”

         Reply ↓

         • It was dumb in execution, but was it really dumb, Dino? Was it? I guess, it will all depend on how they use his new abilities in the sequel, and you know there will be a sequel. The T-800 is classic Arnold. It’s the role he was meant to play and the role that suits him and his look the best. But I’m open to the idea of giving him a little more life. Whether the T-1000 upgrade was the best way to do it is still up in the air for me. Like I said, I love the idea. I didn’t love the execution. But I do hope they can make it work.

           Reply ↓

         • Yes, I think it was dumb.

           The execution was super cheesy and downright silly, for sure. But, the main reason I think it was dumb is because it kills one of my favorite aspects of the Terminator sequels – I loved how technologically over-matched the protagonists were with their out-dated Arnold terminator in their corner compared to the T-1000 and other upgraded models. Now, whatever suspense and tension that came from that is completely eliminated (or, at the very least, seriously hindered) by upgrading Arnold’s terminator to liquid metal.

           I understand how from a practical, filmmaking perspective, making an aging actor who IS the character (I mean, let’s be honest, nobody else can play THE terminator… that’s Arnold) a liquid metal terminator makes things easier. So, as he gets older, it’ll be easier to choreograph and execute crazy action sequences when he’s in liquid metal form. Still… duuuu-uumb.

           I always try to keep an open mind, though, so I hope any subsequent Terminator films prove me wrong.

           Reply ↓

         • I realize this, Dino, but don’t you think that the next terminator model will be even more advanced, so in theory the gap will still be pretty sizeable. But yeah I know what you mean, bro.

           Reply ↓

         • In theory, I suppose, but I still think it cuts the stakes at the knees. Plus, there’s just something about good ole fashioned Arnold terminator….

           Reply ↓

2. Jay, I have a request for a future movie review. The movie is not in theaters anymore, but it’s a 2015 release that may end up in many people’s top lists. “It’s called Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter”. It tells the story of a Japanese girl that believes the treasure buried in the movie Fargo to be a real life treasure and so she embarks on a mission to find it. It is a masterpiece and I completely overlooked when choosing my masterpieces in last week’s episode. I would love to hear what you guys think of it and even better if you can get Josh and maybe Kill Bill Kill or Cody Clark (or all three) to review it with you guys. I think it’s going to be a hit with everyone. It’s funny, quirky, sad, depressing, but strangely uplifting. It’s a 10!

   Reply ↓

   • Absolutely, Juan. In fact, Andy and I have been very anxious to review this, and we’re planning to cover it within the next two weeks! Can’t wait! I’ll see what I can do about your guest requests.
     Thanks,
     J

     Reply ↓

3. Woah! Dope and Me and Earl and the Dying Girl back to back?! Very interested to hear this.

   Reply ↓

   • Josh,
     Before you get mad at me for not liking “Dope” very much, just know that The /Filmcast didn’t like it, either (except for Devindra).
     J

     Reply ↓

     • Well, I don’t have the same reverence for those guys that you do. I think David is among the best living movie podcast hosts–along with you, Adam from Filmspotting, and Sean from Film Junk–but I don’t generally jive with their taste in films at all. If Jay and Frank from Film Junk said it sucked, I’d believe them.

       But, also, I wouldn’t get mad at this stage because I haven’t even seen it. Just heard great things out of Sundance about both of these films. And the trailer for Dope looks like something I would love, but you never know …

       Reply ↓

4. Have any of you guys seen a 2008 Korean movie called “The Chaser”? I only just caught it the other night and it blew me away. Entertaining, tense, brutal and thrilling from beginning to end.

   Reply ↓

   • That’s a great movie, David. I remember liking it quite a bit. I would place it in the same category as movies like Oldboy and I Saw the Devil, which I’m sure you’ve already seen, but if you haven’t then I’d say they’re right up your alley.

     Reply ↓

     • I actually haven’t seen “I Saw The Devil” yet. Something gave me the impression it was approaching a torture porn sort of place and that put me off a little. For all I know that’s utter nonsense though. Either way I really do need to give it a chance.

       Reply ↓

       • I think you’ve got the wrong impression, David. If you can stomach movies like Oldboy and The Chase, then you’ll be fine. This not much different than those two in terms of violence and gore. I do think I Saw the Devil goes a bit further with the idea of exacting vengeance through violence and because of its run-time (about 30 minutes longer than the aforementioned films) it might feel more punishing, but in the end it’s just a very satisfactory, bloody, violent, superbly shot Korean revenge tale.

         Reply ↓

         • I will check it out!

           Reply ↓

       • You need to queue up I SAW THE DEVIL now. Forreals, bro.

         Reply ↓

         • Yes, agreed!

           Reply ↓

   • I’m on it, David! It’s high on my list now. Thanks!
     J

     Reply ↓

5. Jay, I’m glad you like “Eraserhead”. That was the first David Lynch movie that I ever saw and it’s still probably the closest I’ve ever seen to a film absolutely capturing the feel of a real nightmare. I don’t think Karl will like it very much though.

   Also, if you guys are doing Lynch movies would it be possible to get Josh as a guest on some of the coverage? I think he’ll bring a lot to the table when you’re discussing such unconventional filmmaking.

   Reply ↓

   • I love “Eraserhead.” And you’re probably right about Karl. And I’ll see if Josh is available. I’d definitely like to have him on for “The Elephant Man.”
     J

     Reply ↓

     • The Elephant Man? That’s a Karl film. I’d love to discuss Lost Highway and Mulholland Drive, though. Chris Excess would be great on such a show as well.

       Reply ↓

       • Yes! Lost Highway and Mulholland Dr. You’re on, Josh! Join us. : )
         Thanks,
         J

         Reply ↓

6. Well, it’s always nice to find out where you stand. Karl, Andy and Josh are good, but apparently I rate lower on Jason’s list of the Finest Things in Utah than watching hot air balloons land in Provo.

   Enjoyed hearing from GeekCast Dad in this episode. All of his masterpiece picks are good, but I am especially down with “Dave” and “Witness.” I honestly wish I could vote for Dave Kovic in every election in the real world, and I almost-as-sincerely wish I could have just given the damn Oscar to Harrison Ford for “Witness.” (Does anyone even remember “Kiss of the Spider Woman” or William Hurt in “Kiss of the Spider Woman” in 2015?) I don’t think Good Hat Harry’s ever getting another shot, and that’s a shame.

   This episode actually turned me around a little on “Terminator: Gynynnynynnynysys.” The terrible trailers had me convinced I could pass it up altogether. After hearing the generally positive consensus, however, I skipped the spoiler section for now (which I don’t usually do; hearing the extended discussion of whatever it is from the MPW team is almost always more entertaining than the moderate loss of entertainment value from knowing a few “twists” in advance), and I may even try to catch it in theaters, or at least at the dollar movie. My love of the first two “Terminator” movies knows no bounds, so I’ll probably be disappointed, but I’m willing to at least give it a whirl.

   Reply ↓

   • I think the guys were a little easy on GENISYS, to be honest. But, like I said above and they pretty much said on the show, if it’s Terminator fan porn you crave, then GENISYS will probably fulfill your wishes.

     Reply ↓

7. Because, speaking of masterpieces, I want to own “The Karate Kid” on VHS — in all formats, really — I will give MPW the same homework that I formerly gave Sir Anthony Howell for his Unseemly Homework segment, which I’m sure he has long since forgotten about. These are two film that are unseemly only in the “not in keeping with established standards of taste” sense of the word. They are not gonzo, or skeevy, or super weird, or ultraviolent, or any of that. Just … different. One is the exceedingly deliberate but deeply reflective documentary “Into Great Silence,” about French monks who take a vow of silence; and the other is the exceedingly naturalistic, fact-based pioneer drama “Meek’s Cutoff.”

   Reply ↓

8. Just wanted to drop a quick note that I thought the guest appearance by Ry’s dad was great. And it’s a little eerie how similar they sound.

   Reply ↓

9. Love the episode. I lambasted Terminator: Genysis in an article that kind of sucked.

   heraldextra.com/entertainment

   It’s somewhere in there. Gotta get caught up on MPW!

   Reply ↓

   • Can’t find it. :-/

     Reply ↓

10. I saw three new movies in the last two days: MINIONS, SELF/LESS, and THE GALLOWS. I had low expectations going into all three films (although, I was excited for THE GALLOWS), but only one of them fully lived “up” to those expectations. Here are some brief thoughts on the three films…

    MINIONS (2015) – 3/10
    This was the worst movie I’ve seen in theaters since WINTER’S TALE in February 2014. It was awful. I didn’t expect it to work because the minions are only the comic-relief sidekicks of the Despicable Me movies, but it achieved a whole new level of suck that I didn’t expect it to reach.

    The biggest problem of the film is that there is no real emotional spine to it. Gru is that foundation in the Despicable Me movies, and his absence here is felt. There’s no real emotional anchor for the audience to latch onto; Kevin is supposed to be that anchor, but it doesn’t work because, in the end, he’s just another minion. It might have worked a little better if they further developed the relationship between Scarlett Overkill and the three intrepid minions. If they had, the accidental betrayal *slash* misunderstanding would have had more emotional weight behind it, but they didn’t go that route. Also, the movie isn’t funny – I didn’t find it funny and my 5 y/o son didn’t find it funny. Instead, it’s just obnoxious and wears on the viewer after just a few minutes. The minions work well in the Despicable Me movies because they’re worked into the film sporadically in bite-sized segments (again, as the comic relief), but relying on them to sustain 100+ minutes of movie on their own did not translate well.

    I would avoid seeing this unless forced to by family obligation. Unfortunately, the movie is killing it at the box office, so we’re likely to see more of them made in the future.

    SELF/LESS (2015) – 6.5/10
    I was pleasantly surprised by this one for what it was – a low-rent sci-fi action thriller. That may be a backhanded compliment, but I got the impression this movie knows what it is. And, that’s ok because it does “what it is” well.

    The over-arching concept is one that resonates with all of us – the prospect of immortality. The premise is ridiculous, but it never attempts to make sense of it in a self-serious way. The movie simply asks the audience to accept, as fact, that the notion of “shedding” is possible. I’m fine with that because the point of the movie isn’t about the science behind consciousness transfer, but more about the mystery surrounding Phoenix Biogenic and the vat-grown bodies. To that end, once this movie gets going, just buckle up and enjoy the ride. Is it stupid? Yes. Is it predictable? Absolutely. But, it still is a fun ride.

    The best way I can sum up this movie is to say it’s rather solid overall, yet unspectacular in any particular way. It reminds me of THE MECHANIC (2011) in that way, in both tone and quality. The visual style is interesting and the cinematography is beautiful at times. Otherwise, it’s a rather enjoyable, however, forgettable film. It’s worth seeing in the theater if you’ve seen everything else that’s out now, but you might be better off leaving it as a solid rental on a snowy day later this year.

    THE GALLOWS (2015) – 7/10
    (I’ll only talk about this briefly here because I’m sure we’ll get into more discussion over at HMP when the review drops in the next week or two.)

    I had a good time with this movie. It doesn’t bring anything new to the found footage sub-genre, but it is a fun and morbidly interesting little flick.

    The movie does a good job of laying out the character backstory in a reasonably quick and efficient manner (something that can be a pain point in found footage films), and gets into the scary bits rather early on. The setting of an empty school at night works for me; it is exceedingly creepy, and conjures up some good memories from my high school days. The four main actors also do a decent job, and aren’t particularly grating like many found footage characters can be.

    The overall tone in the school is creepy and eerie (those are two different things, right?), and the movie succeeds in building up the tension as it progresses. In addition to the overall dread and suspense, there are several solid scares scattered throughout the movie, only one of which I would call cheap (yet, it was effective… and funny).

    The handful of plot twists are a bit predictable, but it’s no less satisfying a story. If you’re a horror fan, especially of the found footage sub-genre, then I would say go see this in the theater. If not, then it’s a solid Halloween rental.

    *****

    On a side note, I had a rare day to myself yesterday… it was rainy and miserable outside, so I decided to do a double feature of SELF/LESS and THE GALLOWS. It’s the first time I ever did a double feature at the theater like that, and I would highly recommend giving that a try if you haven’t already. Especially on a rainy afternoon.

    Reply ↓

    • Even though I can’t say I trust Forbes with my craft beer, this seems like a pretty legit list. I’ve heard of a few of them and I’m not gonna lie, this makes me want to take my next vacation in Vermont. At the very least, you’ll enjoy the pretty pictures.

      http://www3.forbes.com/lifestyle/the-13-best-craft-beers-in-america/?utm_campaign=13-best-craft-beers&utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=3

      Yes, I’m aware this has nothing to do with your reviews, which are great by the way, but hey, beer bro!

      Reply ↓

      • This list proves a big reason why I haven’t had a Hill Farmstead beer yet – it’ll probably ruin all other beer for me, forever.

        The other reason is because I’ve never been able to find a Hill Farmstead beer. 🙁

        I agree, this list is pretty legit. I just wish they had more sours represented.

        Reply ↓

        • They guy did say that he was partial to hoppy Vermont ales. But yeah, I agree with your statement on sours. Speaking of sours, I managed to pick up a few beers from the Wild Sour series that you’ve been posting. I only saw three different types. Do you know if there are more?

          Reply ↓

          • There are seven in the series, according to their website >> http://www.destihlbrewery.com/Wild_Sour_Series_2.html

            I’ve only been able to find the two I’ve checked in on Untappd. I’m really hoping to come across the Flanders Red at some point, though. Which three did you grab?

            Reply ↓

          • I’ve got green, pink, and yellow. I gotta say, I only got them because of your ratings, but otherwise I would’ve ignored them. They look like sodas :/

            Reply ↓

            • Is pink the Lynnbrook Raspberry?

              Yeah, I passed on them several times before finally giving them a try. Was pleasantly surprised. I don’t think they’re particularly mind-blowing, but they’re solid little sours.

              Reply ↓

              • Yeah sure sir, it’s the raspberry one. I think I’m looking forward to Counterclock Weisse (yellow) the most. We’ll see.

                Reply ↓

                • Of the two I tried, I preferred the Gose… slightly.

                  Reply ↓

11. I went to see t5 I did not mind the movie at all . It never going be as good as part 1 or 2 , but the movie was way better then part 3 and 4 . I think why most people did not mind the movie who went to see it had very low exceptions when they came out they was like it was better then it could have been . And I have a patreon page so if u want to help me out that’s cool https://www.patreon.com/user?u=575985&ty=h

    Reply ↓

12. Hi guys, I would like you to review the Pusher trilogy, original Danish one and not the remake. For me every sequel was better than the previous one, with the last one my top http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0425379/
    Very realistic and showing criminal world from the middle.
    Netflix should have it.

    Reply ↓

    • I second this, Michal. I’m a huge fan of the Pusher trilogy though for me the first two are masterpieces and the third one is just really good.

      Reply ↓

13. When will the new episode be out, Jay? Us junkies need our fix.

    Reply ↓

    • WITHDRAWAL: Usually self-diagnosable
      [Rarely requires lab tests or imaging]

      Symptoms may include anxiety, fatigue, sweating, vomiting, depression, seizures, and hallucinations.

      People may experience:

      Whole body – excessive hunger, fatigue, lethargy, loss of appetite, nausea, night sweats, shakiness, weakness, clammy skin, craving, feeling cold, or sweating

      Cognitive – disorientation, mental confusion, racing thoughts, or slowness in activity and thought

      Mood – boredom, feeling detached from self, inability to feel pleasure, or nervousness
      Psychological – delirium, depression, hallucination, paranoia, or severe anxiety

      Behavioral – agitation, crying, excitability, irritability, or self-harm

      Sleep – insomnia, nightmares, sleepiness, or sleeping difficulty

      Gastrointestinal – gagging, vomiting, flatulence, or stomach cramps

      Nasal – congestion or runny nose

      Also common – dilated pupil, excess tears, muscle pain, restlessness, seizures, sensitivity to pain, slurred speech, teeth chattering, tingling feet, trembling, or tremor

      Reply ↓

14. Hi All,
    Jay here. MPW would have been out early this morning, but the power was out at my house, and I had no Internet. But this week’s episode should be up this evening (Friday, July 17) by 9 p.m. Eastern time.

    HMP will be up tomorrow.

    There will be rewards in heaven for the patience of our audience.

    Thanks,
    J

    Reply ↓

    • But what if it turns out that there is no heaven? Then we all get to burn in hell together, AND we didn’t get our free podcasty goodness right the moment that we wanted it when we were still alive on Earth.

      Reply ↓

      • Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies! Rivers and seas boiling! Forty years of darkness! Earthquakes, volcanoes… The dead rising from the grave! Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together… mass hysteria!

        Reply ↓

15. Episode 146 is finally posted: https://moviepodcastweekly.com/movie-podcast-weekly-ep-146-self-less-2015-and-minions-2015-and-strangerland-2015/

    Sorry. Tough week.
    J

    Reply ↓

16. I was hoping for new Terminator to be awesome. I was a bit surprised it doesn’t get great reviews. And guys, I didn’t say we don’t know Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory in Poland. I just said it wasn’t appealing for me to actually sit down and watch it. Especially after Andy’s reviews. =)

    Reply ↓

    • Don’t listen to Andy, he’s always way too hard on older movies with slower paces. The original “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” is a magical movie and far, far superior to the Tim Burton remake.

      Reply ↓