Movie Podcast Weekly Ep. 219: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

Episode 219

Merry Christmas from Movie Podcast Weekly! A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…. three hosts brought you Episode 219, where we Feature Review Rogue One: A Star Wars Story while also discussing solutions for loud, scrunchy popcorn bags inside the theater. We also fight more about the ending of Bridget Jones’s Baby (includes spoilers), as well as a pretty epic battle over the cinematic merits of “Gods of Egypt.” Join us by voting on our poll question below!

If you’re new to our show… Movie Podcast Weekly typically features four hosts — Jason, Andy, Karl and Geek Cast Ry — 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. New episodes release every single week!

Please vote on this poll question!

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SHOW NOTES:

I. Introduction
— Merry Christmas from Movie Podcast Weekly!
— Christmas movie-watching annual traditions
— Coming up next week: MPW’s Top 10 Best Movies of 2016!
— Jason sings “A Long December” for karaoke.
— Check out HMP Ep. 106: Reviewing 20 Horror Movies of 2016


[ 0:12:04 ] II. Mini Reviews
Karl: “Ask Dr. Karl” segment: TV shopping advice for Ryan; Die Hard Christmas ornament; Blade Runner 2049 teaser trailer
Jason: Jason’s boy watches Stranger Things, Boyhood, Downfall, Natalie Pyles on the ending of Bridget Jones’s Baby (Spoilers)
Ryan: Gods of Egypt, The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Andy: k


Movie Podcast Network Holiday Greeting From: Movie Stream Cast


III. New in Theaters This Past Weekend [Friday, Dec. 16, 2016]:
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Collateral Beauty
Solace
The Bad Kids
Wiggle Room
Portside
Rack
A Kind of Murder
Neruda
The Demon Within


FEATURE REVIEWS HAVE TIME STAMPS:

[ 1:08:01 ] IV. Feature Review: ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY (2016)
Jason = 6 ( Theater / Rental )
Karl = 8.5 ( Theater / Buy it! )
Ryan = 9 ( Theater / Buy it! )

[ 1:47:40 ] V. SPOILERS: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) [SPOILER DISCUSSION]


VI. Wrap-Up / Plugs / Ending
— Question from Eric Herman: What would you ask Viggo Mortensen? (Please leave your suggestions in the comments below for this episode.)
— Thank you to our donors! You keep us afloat!
— Shout-out to Joel and Heather Robertson. Check out Heather Robertson’s Half Size Me.com


COMING UP ON MPW NEXT WEEK:
Episode 220 where we’ll bring you our end-of-the-year episode when we’ll count down our Top 10 Best Movies of 2016 (as well as the MPW listenership’s Top 10 and a few other notable lists). We’ll also be Feature Reviewing “La La Land,” “Passengers” and “Collateral Beauty.” Join us!


LINKS FOR THIS EPISODE:

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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Ry’s BIO
Ryan’s New Facebook Page
Ry’s flagship show: Geek Cast Live Podcast
DONATE here to facilitate the creation of more Geek content!
Blog: Geek Cast Live
Web site: Geek Harder.com
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Twitter: @GeekCastRy

Jason recommends supporting: Operation Underground Railroad

Listen to MPW:
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Josh’s links:
Hear Josh named as one of the Top 5 Up-and-Coming Directors on The Film Vault Podcast!
Twitter: @IcarusArts
Josh covers streaming movies on: Movie Stream Cast
Hear Josh on The SciFi Podcast
Hear Josh on Horror Movie Podcast

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

Ryan’s Fake Titles for this episode:
The Demon Within
Rack
Portside
Wiggle Room


If you like 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. (Every little bit helps!)

Thanks for listening, and join us again next week for Movie Podcast Weekly.


55 thoughts on “Movie Podcast Weekly Ep. 219: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

  1. Jason, why do you hate the cinema so much? Rogue One a six? Come on. I haven’t had a chance to listen yet but I can’t wait to hear why you rated it so low.

  2. Ryan’s great fake movies reminded me of the fake movies on Seinfeld. I think Ryan’s are generally better at blending in with the real ones, but of course some of Seinfeld’s are meant to be satirical. Anyway, here’s the list:

    The Pain and the Yearning
    The Muted Heart
    Cold Fusion
    Blame it on the Rain
    Cry, Cry Again
    The Other Side of Darkness
    Brown-Eyed Girl
    Chow Fun
    Cupid’s Rifle
    Mountain High
    Agent Zero
    Ponce de Leon
    Checkmate
    Blimp: The Hindenburg Story
    Prognosis Negative
    Means to an End
    Flaming Globes of Sigmund
    Chunnel
    Death Blow
    Rochelle, Rochelle
    Firestorm
    Sack Lunch

  3. Quote of the Show! “This is Coming from the God’s of Egypt guy over here so put it into context!” ~ Ryan So funny I spit out my beverage you guys kill me!

  4. Ugh 2016 needs to end. Just heard that Carrie Fisher passed away. Very sur-real to have just watched a digital version of her in Rouge One and now to see how that changes Episodes 8 and 9. God Bless you Carrie and prayers to your family and friends. You will be missed.

  5. I just do not get it. Sincerely and deeply, I cannot even grasp or comprehend… what?

    Jay… This isn’t even a matter of opinion or taste or genuine affection for one film over another- this is just flat out wrong on so many levels. It’s not even wrong in an interesting way- this is wrong in a way that literally flies in the face of all reason. I can’t help but feel that you are trolling the listeners with your ratings discrepancy between the following two films…

    Gods of Egypt is a travesty to all cinema. A movie that not only white-washes it’s casting choices in the most egregiously insulting and racist manner, but it also fails to deliver on even one single performance throughout the whole of it’s run time. This is a film that managed to snag some truly remarkable character actors, each of whom went on to either chew up scenery or deliver the most purposefully bland performance they could conceive of. A brogue-accented villain god, Geoffrey Rush as a blinking doof, and Mighty Morfin Power Ranger levels of character designs. You rated that travesty of a film with a 7.5…. am I clear on this? Seven point five and a “rental”… a movie that lacked any sort of stakes, other than the rule of one “god” over another. A movie that required super powers at every turn and the “revelation” of a secret power whenever the characters were stuck. A film where there was NO serious conflict or stake… no! Stop it, Bear! No no no no…. this is so wrong. SO VERY WRONG!!!

    But that one thing could just be a difference in taste… maybe there’s something you connected with in regard to this particular film. And I could possibly accept that… I could! But then you turn around and you rate Rogue One a 6…. A SIX?!?!! In comparison with Gods of Egypt, you claim that Rogue One is a point and a half LESS well made, less enjoyable, less worth experiencing than Gods of Egypt. You are stating that the poor CGI, the laughably nonsensical series of “epic visuals” are a point and a half MORE impressive than the model and CGI work of Rogue One’s final space clash in the final thirty minutes of the film. You are stating that “Faith and begorrah, me lucky charms!” is a point and a half more menacing than Darth Vader silently mowing through rebel forces in the final ten minutes of Rogue One, that “gotta steal to eat, gotta’ eat to run” generic street rat is a point and a half MORE compelling than a woman whose father is forced to build a doomsday machine while she comes to terms with the horrors of an intergalactic war. You are stating that, “Tea and crumpets, they took my eye how terribly rude of them” is a point and a half MORE compelling than a spy and saboteur who continually sacrifices parts of his humanity in order to fight for one more day against the Empire.

    Was there too much exposition? Yes, absolutely. Was there a really bizarre performance from Forrest Whitaker? Yes, absolutely. But in those first 80 minutes we also got to know and understand the stakes… not threat of the death star, but the desperation of the rebels, the divisions within their ranks, the fear, the costs in lives and families. We got to see extremists, we got to see desperation, and we got to know a number of characters throughout those “80 minutes of exposition”… seriously?

    This may be the most awful review you’ve ever had- I just don’t understand your criticism of this film in any way.

    You just went from an 8 out of 10 in cool points.. to a measly 5.5 and a low priority rental.

    Good day.

    I said “GOOD DAY”, sir!

  6. Jack, I didn’t love Rogue One. Parts of it, sure. I generally agreed with J’s assessment of it, though (I gave it a 7.5). But… yes, J is baffling sometimes with his ratings. I haven’t seen Gods of Egypt, but as you say, even just based on his own comments about it and about Rogue One, there does seem to be a huge discrepancy.

    The only thing I can suggest is that sometimes we might rate films based on what their own intention is, and not compared to anything else. So perhaps J thought that Gods of Egypt was a better Gods of Egypt than Rogue One was a Rogue One, if that makes any sense. There are films that are objectively better than other films that I’ve rated lower than other films, because they didn’t do as well a job at achieving their potential. I’m not sure that’s the case here, but just a possibility.

    I think I’m right in the middle of you all (J, Karl and Ry) on Rogue One, and agreed with most of what you said, good and bad. One thing I’ll disagree with you guys about, though, is what is better between Rogue One and Force Awakens… Force Awakens is clearly a better film than Rogue One in almost every measurable way. The retread homage of its storyline notwithstanding, the Force Awakens characters are far more interesting, there is a real energy to it throughout (not just in the last 45 minutes like Rogue One), a better sense of visual impact, much better dialogue, and many imaginative and memorable moments. Rogue One had some of that, but not nearly as consistently as Force Awakens.

    Even some of the great things in Rogue One, like Darth’s saber massacre at the end, are kind of overshadowed by Force Awakens with something more creative. We expected Darth to easily cut through everyone in that moment, and of course the one guy would just manage to get the file through at the last second. But Kylo’s destructive light saber tantrums were more original and interesting, showing his character and also providing a nice visual gag later with the stormtroopers.

    The CGI Tarkin and Leia were TERRIBLE. Ugh, what a bad choice. Imagine the guy who plays Tywin Lannister as Tarkin. He’d have killed it. If they did that, could you imagine anyone thinking, “oh, they shouldn’t have recast Tarkin with this great actor who even looks a lot like Peter Cushing… they should have made a fakey CGI version of Cushing!” Every time Tarkin was on screen I ended up cringing at some point, especially the more he talked. It’s a phenomenon known as “the uncanny valley” (you guys should ask The Brain about that), and it does affect some people more than others. It *really* bothered me. Considering her untimely passing today, I can almost be glad they did that for Leia, regardless, to have that younger Princess image as a closer for this film as sort of an unintentional homage. But it still did not look good.

    This is my ranking, 100% correct and true! 😀

    Ep. 4: 10
    Ep. 5: 9.5
    Ep. 7: 9.5
    Rogue One: 7.5
    Ep. 6: 6
    And the prequels are all down in the 3-5 range.

    P.S. J, I also disagree when you said that Force Awakens was much worse than Rogue One in terms of its violence, or something of that nature. I’m at a loss to see how that could be the case. It seemed like there is much more death and violence in Rogue One. What are you referring to in Force Awakens that made you so angry?

      • SPOILERS FOR “The Force Awakens”:
        Yes, but it’s not the fact that Han Solo is killed, it’s how exploitatively mean-spirited the film is about portraying it.
        J

          • Jay, I love you, but you make no sense. No Escape, your number one film of all time is a million times more exploitative than TFA could ever hope to be. And that’s not rhetoric, that’s fact.

    • I fall more in line with Karl and, in particular, Ryan on Rogue One. I thought it was excellent, and while I don’t personally think it’s better than The Empire Strikes Back, I certainly would not scoff at someone for making the argument that it’s better than The Force Awakens or even A New Hope.

      I don’t see how you can categorically say that The Force Awakens is a better film than Rogue One. I think they are very comparable in overall quality, but it’s tricky to compare them point by point as you did because they are two completely different beasts. TFA is setting up a new trilogy, while R1 is a completely self-contained film that has to deal with the constraints inherent in a 2-hour runtime (when compared to upwards of 6+ hours in a trilogy). So, yes, TFA has more time to develop complex and interesting characters. Also, R1 is operating in a time span whose visual style has already been established, whereas being set in a completely new time period affords TFA more visual and narrative freedom. We also know the ultimate outcome of R1 since we’re dealing with well-established characters and it leads into A New Hope – we know Darth Vader will saber his way through the Rebel crew and we know that the Death Star plans will make it through to Princess Leia – but, again, TFA is operating in completely new territory and so will more easily surprise us with Kylo Ren tantrums and the such. I am not giving R1 a pass because of these constraints – in fact, I feel character development was one of the weak areas of the film – but it does make it difficult to do a 1-to-1 comparison of these individual elements.

      That said, I disagree with your notion that TFA had more memorable moments than R1. In fact, I feel like some moments in R1 are among the most memorable and impactful in the entire Star Wars Saga. As the guys said on the show, this film went places and made choices that I did not think Disney/Star Wars would have the gumption for. I think it also sets a very important precedent for what a film in the broader Star Wars Universe can be, as Ryan said on the show, which is incredibly exciting. Personally, I’m hoping for a future film that shows Luke trying to rebuild the Jedi Order following the destruction of the Empire, but that might muddy the waters between the broader Skywalker story and these side stories. But I digress…

      Despite the aforementioned narrative constraints, R1 actually succeeded in surprising me with an interesting story despite already knowing the ultimate outcome. We know the Death Star plans reveal a flaw in the construction of the weapon, and that those plans are successfully delivered to the alliance. But we never knew why that flaw was built into the Death Star in the first place. I think R1‘s explanation of that was excellent and, yes, surprised me.

      Which leads into the most notable difference between the two latest entries in the Star Wars Saga – while the events of TFA somewhat lessen the outcome of events from the original trilogy, R1 lends much more substance and impact to the events and dialogue of A New Hope. In that sense, R1 is a far more successful film in my opinion.

      Regarding the CGI, R1‘s trip through the uncanny valley with Grand Moff Tarkin and Princess Leia did not bother me nearly as much as the Voldemort-fetus character design of Snoke in TFA. But, as you said, that is a highly subjective element.

      With all that in mind, I don’t mean to slog TFA. I still loved that film, and I think my ultimate feelings for it will be affected by what happens in Episodes VIII and IX. At this moment, though, I just feel Rogue One was slightly better for the reasons I mentioned. And, at the very least, I don’t think you can categorically say one is better than the other.

      Just for shits and giggles, my current Star Wars Saga film rankings are as follows:

      1. The Empire Strikes Back
      2. A New Hope
      3. Rogue One
      4. The Force Awakens
      5. Return of the Jedi
      6. Revenge of the Sith
      7. Attack of the Clones
      8. The Phantom Menace

      p.s. I’m with you on the violence level between R1 and TFA – I think the former is far more violent and dark in tone. The only two reasons I can think of Jason thinking the opposite is that we actually see blood smeared across Finn’s helmet in the opening scene of TFA and, of course, Kylo Ren’s execution of a key character towards the end.

      • I fall more in line with Eric on this one. I’m not the biggest Star Wars fan, so I lack that special attachment that people like Ryan or Dino have. I’m not trying to sound dismissive of the film, but perhaps it’s because of this that I fail to see what was so great about Rogue One.

        I agree that it’s unfair to compare a standalone film to one that is part of a trilogy, but the characterization alone should make TFA the clear winner. Time constraints shouldn’t have prevented R1 to lack the emotional impact it should’ve had. When a movie makes me feel more for a villain than for a whole group of heroes, that’s impressive. R1 spent so much time and energy trying to make me care for its bland lead, Jyn, when it should’ve spent more time fleshing out the characters around her that ultimately were so much more interesting to me.

        As far as memorable moments go, I think the reason why R1 seems to stand out more is because of its very long battle sequence, but really, that’s the only memorable moment in the entire movie. I rather have smaller moments sprinkled throughout than one big one at the very end. Of course this is all subjective, because what’s memorable to me might not be memorable to some of you, but in the context of the Star Wars world, how is a battle—as grandiose and well executed as it was— more memorable than the death of one of the most beloved characters of the franchise? I personally prefer the more intimate moments to the adrenaline rush of the big battle sequences, unless they involve a light saber that is. But again, with our personal preferences being so different, it’s hard to declare one more memorable over the other.

        I don’t understand what’s so surprising or brave about where the movie went. It was expected and to me it seemed like the only obvious choice, so I’m not sure why Karl or Ryan were so over-the-moon about this.

        I agree that certain elements of the story added to the events of a New Hope, in particular the flaw of the Death Star. But how is it that TFA lessens the outcome of the original trilogy? I’m a little confused by that statement.

        In the end, I didn’t hate the movie. I liked it quite a bit, actually, but I didn’t think it was great and certainly not better than TFA. It’s a 7.5 for me and worth seeing in the theater.

        • Dino, you’re fired from Weekly Movie Podcast. Juan, you’re hired! 😀

          Just kidding, of course… Dino has tenure.

          If the Han Solo death was what bothered you, J, why? I found it very impactful, and more importantly, in the moment it didn’t feel inevitable. I actually thought he might talk Kylo into to relenting, and Adam Driver’s performance there was excellent to convey his conflicted nature. I mean, I wasn’t surprised that he did end up killing him, but I thought that was a very well portrayed dramatic moment.

          • Eric, I feel the same way about that scene. Kylo Ren’s internal struggle was much more interesting, impactful, and dark than anything in Rogue One. I know that’s just my opinion and it doesn’t make it a fact, but let’s face it, it’s a fact.

            • Regardless of what you guys are saying now, I think it’s important that we don’t lose sight of the fact that you both liked Rogue One better than Jason. Which, of course, begs the question…

              Why does Jason Pyles hate the cinema?

              • This is true. And at the end of the day, the movies aren’t competing with one another. They’re trying to build upon the overall story and some are bound to be better than others just like you’re going to have your favorites and I’m going to have mine. Once the trilogy is completed, we should all have a meetup, watch the entire saga, discuss, re-rate, and re-rank the movies.

        • Juan, I’m with you and Eric as well. I had a fine time watching the film and have become less interested in it since. It’s probably a 6.5.

          I also agree with Ryan on God’s of Egypt. It is horrendous and just offensive to all of the senses. It’s a 1 and I am irritated I forgot about it last week when I submitted my top ten list because it should be a dishonorable mention.

          And the Auteur theory (which I don’t think holds much merit but that’s another discussion) does not state none of said director’s films aren’t bad. Hitchcock made Topaz and Torn Curtain. No one is perfect.

  7. J, have you seen Neon Demon? You’ll want to catch that before your year-end horror film tally. (It’s free on Amazon Prime now.) It might not seem like a horror film (16 year-old girl goes to L.A. and quickly moves up in the fashion world), but I guarantee it is, psychological and otherwise. I would have sworn the same person who made Under the Skin made this (similar visual style and use of music), but it wasn’t. Very interesting and disturbing, though, and some poignant moments and quotes about the nature of beauty and the shallow and fickle nature of that fashion world. I give it an 8.

    I also watched I Am Not a Serial Killer, about a sociopathic teenager who struggles with thoughts of murder, and whose town is experiencing a wave of bizarre murders. Christopher Lloyd is great as a friendly but suspicious old-timer. Not fantastic, but worth a look. 6.5

    • I can’t remember if Jason has seen it yet or not, but I’m 99% sure he will hate The Neon Demon.

      p.s. You’re on the right path with I Am Not a Serial Killer, but ultimately wrong – it’s fantastic!

      • Dino, have you seen Autopsy of Jane Doe, and if so, how would you compare it to I Am Not a Serial Killer?

        I think J might like Neon Demon. There’s a level of which you can just appreciate it as a poignant look at beauty and competition in the fashion world, but then it also has a bit of a twisted horror element. Probably slower than he would *love*, but he might like it okay.

        • If either you are big readers, the books that I Am Not a Serial Killer are based on are fantastic. “Serial Killer” is the first book and this year I believe the fifth book in the series was released.

        • I have seen Autopsy, and I would say it compares favorably to Serial Killer. I think they are two of the most fun and well done indie horror movies of the year, which is saying something because this has been an excellent year for horror.

          While I agree that Jason might appreciate the vibrant colors and ostentatious cinematography of The Neon Demon, I stand by my original assessment – he will hate it. For the record, that’s not necessarily my opinion (I thought it was dazzling at times, ridiculous at others; ultimately, I think it’s a top 25 horror movie of 2016).

            • Don’t look at my Letterboxd, then.

              Btw, working on my top 10 submission right meow… the hardest part is trying to figure out how to fit 18 movies into a top 10. :-/

              #thestruggleisreal

              • I won’t. I’ll have to login eventually to settle on the order. I think I’m done, but I need to give it another look before sending it to Jay.

          • That’s easy, Dino. You just have 8 ties in your top ten list.

            Autopsy will most likely be in my top ten, but not sure where yet. I still have a couple of movies to watch tonight before I submit my list.

            • Which movies are you squeezing in tonight, Jonathan? I have at least one (The Eyes of My Mother), maybe two (Demon), that I want to squeeze in before finalizing my list.

              • Eyes of My Mother ftw. I haven’t seen Demon, so I don’t want to take away from it because it actually looks like my kind of movie, but it doesn’t look horror enough for me to want to squeeze in for my end of the year list. It’s still a high priority, just not at the very top.

                • I broke down and read the premise of The Eyes of My Mother, and now I’m even more excited about it. Sounds like something right down my alley.

                  I also kind of wish I didn’t read the premise. :-/

          • Demon is on my short list to watch along with Train to Busan (I will definitely be watching that). I would also like to watch ‘Last Girl Standing,’ and ‘Under the Shadow.’ I’m also debating ‘Love Witch’ but not sure how much of a horror film that is, but it looks great and everything I’ve been hearing about it makes it seem like it would be right up my alley.

          • Oh my gosh. Dino and Juan! WHERE are you EVEN getting these movies? You (and Eric, below) are saying words I’ve never even heard right now!

          • Jenifer, do you mean where are we seeing these movies? A lot of things are available to rent on iTunes, so that’s usually where I’ll go if they’re not on Amazon or Netflix. Neon Demon is free with Amazon Prime, and I think I Am Not a Serial Killer was an iTunes rental. Fences was in my local theater. Should be in wide release now.

  8. Jason.
    There is no way that the first 80 minutes of Rogue One is boring. I thought the very start of the movie was a bit all over the place where it kept jumping around to all the different planets. Once it settled down into the story though I was completely drawn in and that was after about 5 or 10 minutes not 80 min.
    You don’t sound like you love the Star Wars world as much as Ryan or Karl but that movie deserved more than a 6.
    I do love everything Star Wars and watch them all at least once a year and I am always so excited to see new stories and characters. Like Ryan said it was so exciting to see the battle that was mentioned in the opening crawl of A New Hope.
    The last 30 or so minutes of the movie was epic. There was one thing I did agree with you Jason, Darth Vader was brutal in this movie and I think that was my favourite part too. That is the most deadly Vader we have seen so far and I wanted more!
    I will buy this movie because it was such a great movie (and so I don’t get punched by Karl). This movie is an 8.5 out of 10. Go and see it if you haven’t already. I will be going to see it again very soon.
    Jason this is the most mad you have ever made me. I respect your opinion though (even if it is wrong).

  9. Ryan, just one quick addition to Karl’s excellent TV recommendation – I would make sure that whatever 4K TV you buy also has HDR. That’s the new hotness in TV technology and, if you’ve seen a set with HDR, then you’d know why. It produces a much wider and richer contrast in colors.

    I would echo Karl’s Vizio M-Series recommendation. They have a 70″ M-Series set that’s 4K w/HDR. If you’re ok with spending a little extra for a slightly bigger and better TV, then take a look at their 75″ P-Series.

  10. Hey everyone, I’ve figured out what Jason’s problem is with Star Wars

    You know when you find yourself in a discussion where you fall on one side, and no matter how close to center you are when that discussion begins, you move further and further toward your side’s extreme as it goes on?

    I strongly believe that^^ is the root cause of Jason’s ire toward the Star Wars Saga films. He’s spent so long beating the drum of “can’t they come up with something other than a Death Star story” that he’s become blind to the movies themselves.

    That’s the only explanation.

    • Its like that Kermit the frog/evil Kermit the frog memo.

      Jason – “Star Wars is such a good franchise and the new movie is awesome!”

      Evil Jay (Who is wearing Jay Goggles) – ” Tell them its a six!”

    • Personally, as someone who has never been a huge fan of Star Wars, I think Rogue One is a fairly weak film. Sure the action is good and the CGI is mostly very good, but I found the plot and characters lacking.

      The more I think about it the less of a difference I see between Rogue One and a movie like Suicide Squad. Both were jumpy and hard to follow in the first 20 minutes for people not fimiliar with the lore. Both introduced characters at a rate that could not keep up with developing them. And both had weak “stand-in” bad guys, while the actual bad guys make cameos in the movie.

      “Fun” is the kindest word I can use to describe Rogue One.

  11. Saw FENCES yesterday. Powerful in many ways, and Denzel’s performance is a tour de force. Viola Davis, too, though she is mostly background for a lot of it. There is one scene in particular, though, where the combination of the writing and her performance just absolutely tore me to pieces. That scene alone will likely get her an Oscar.

    That being said, it’s only an 8 for me (that sounds odd, as that’s a very high mark for me this year), because it felt more like a stage play than a movie. And I love plays, but something about the dialogue and acting seemed more fitting to the stage and was just a little bit over-the-top in a film. Not always, but for big chunks of it.

    And I also felt like the story was pretty… uh, what’s the word… formless, maybe? Denzel’s father is a one-of-a-kind character, and bigger than life and certainly worthy of a character study, but to some extent it’s just a lot of his little colorful stories and dramatic moments strung together. Entertaining and illuminating, regardless, but I’m not sure it quite earned its cinematic gold star for me, and the final epilogue didn’t really ring true in some ways, based on what had happened (though there’s an absolutely wonderful moment involving a trumpet that had me cheering).

    Regardless, I do highly recommend seeing it. Must-see rental, at least. And I probably will catch it again to see if it gels together better on a second viewing.

  12. Hi Everybody,
    Jason here. I have three important notes for the listeners I love:

    1. I will be addressing the rabble-rousing Rogue One comments directed at me above… You’ve brought up some great discussion items that we may just end up addressing during MPW Ep. 221. (Thank you!) I respect and appreciate when y’all call me out… I am ready (I’ve just been busy producing Top 10 shows of late).

    2. Due to illness, we did not record the MPW Top 10 show on Monday night; we recorded it on Wednesday night (12/28). Even Andy was present, though his participation level is debatable… ha ha The show is 3 1/2 hours, and it is as raucous and ridiculous as you would expect. Interesting Factoid: ***Only one 2016 film made it onto all 5 Top 10 lists (4 hosts lists and a listener list). I dare you to guess which film it is… Anyway, my fervent goal was to release Ep. 220 this morning. (I still tried and pulled an all-nighter last night. I’m close!) But I’m fairly certain it will be released late tonight or early tomorrow morning, Dec. 31. I want it to be available, in case someone doesn’t have any New Year’s plans: You could start the show about 3 hours before the ball drops (2017) and spend New Year’s Eve with us! We’d be honored.

    3. I forgot to mention this in Ep. 220, but in Ep. 221 (next week’s podcast), we’re talking about our Most Anticipated Movies of 2017. Some of you already sent your lists, but feel free to e-mail the films you’re looking forward to in 2017 to MoviePodcastWeekly@gmail.com, and we’ll try to discuss them!

    Thanks!
    J

    • I’m guessing it was Arrival that made all of the lists. I recall that you guys all really liked it (can’t remember if Andy had seen it), despite the lighting issue for some (that didn’t bother me at all).

    • I’m with you Eric, but I feel like that may be too obvious of an answer. Knowing Andy probably didn’t see it, and taking into account Jay’s comment about his participation being questionable, I’m going with Deadpool instead. Final answer.

  13. Hey guys, love the podcast. I just wanted to propose the idea that maybe the AT-ATs (pronounced with the letters) were easier to destroy in Rogue because they were still in development/ “working out the kinks”. The ones we see in Empire have been perfected after more use. Just throwing it out there.

    I side most with Karl on my favorite Star Wars with New Hope in first and then Force Awakens and Rogue. Force Awakens is farther ahead because it is the first one I’ve seen in the theaters. Looking forward to the review of La La Land! Also Happy New Year!

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