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Happy 2017! We’re usually pretty humble on Movie Podcast Weekly, but this nearly four-hour episode has to be The Best Damn 2017 Movie Preview on the Internet. That’s right! In Episode 221, Jason and Ryan begin with the first Friday in January and discuss just about every known release, week by week, for 2017. We started recording this episode on January 2, 2017, and it ran over into January 3. We can’t get too arrogant, though, because this episode also represents a first-time failure on MPW… It is the first time in 221 episodes that we fail to bring you at least one Feature Review (review of a new movie that’s playing in theaters).
But not to worry: We waste your time (and ours) with other dumb stuff, such as movie news and mini reviews. Ryan also confesses that he finally saw “The Walk” (2015), and he reveals his verdict here. Oh, and Ryan and Jason also debate the comparative merits of the Hulk wearing armor, versus no armor … as well as the merits of squirrels wearing armor, versus no armor. It’s nuts! Join us!
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!
SHOW NOTES:
I. Introduction
— Happy new year! It’s 2017!
— First time in 221 episodes no Feature Reviews…
— Listener feedback from Jody, Saif, Andrew
— New Year’s Eve time zone quandary
— Mariah Carey’s NY’s Eve Times Square performance
II. Movie News
– 600 new Academy voters
– Record box office ticket sales in 2016
– VidAngel is finished…
[ 0:40:33 ] III. Mini Reviews
Ryan: Stripes, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, The Bachelor (TV show), Ryan’s trashy TV habits…
Jason: Train to Busan, The Flash (1990 TV series), Moonrise Kingdom, Moana, Pixels
— Negative listener feedback from Alfonso
III. New in Theaters This Past Weekend (Friday, Dec. 30, 2016):
Eye Kandi: The Kandi Burruss Story
Fences
Hemisphere
Hidden Figures
Devil Child
Raw Is War: Confessions From the WWE
Live by Night
20th Century Women
[ 1:17:21 ] IV. A Preview of the Upcoming Movies of 2017
January 6, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
A Monster Calls
Hidden Figures
Underworld: Blood Wars
January 13, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Patriots Day
Silence
Live by Night
Sleepless
The Bye Bye Man
Monster Trucks
January 20, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
xXx: The Return of Xander Cage
Split
The Founder
January 27, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter
A Dog’s Purpose
Gold
February 3, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Rings
The Space Between Us
February 10, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
John Wick: Chapter 2
The LEGO Batman Movie
Fifty Shades Darker
February 17, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
The Great Wall
Patient Zero
A Cure for Wellness
Fist Fight
February 24, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Collide
Get Out
Rock Dog
The God Particle
March 3, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Logan
Leap!
The Shack
Before I Fall
Table 19
T2 – Trainspotting
March 10, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Kidnap
Kong: Skull Island
The Last Word
March 17, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Beauty and the Beast
Dean
Free Fire
The Belko Experiment
Weightless
March 24, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
CHiPs
Power Rangers
Life
March 31, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
The Boss Baby
The Zookeeper’s Wife
Ghost in the Shell
April 7, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
The Case for Christ
Sleight
Wonder
Smurfs: The Lost Village
Going in Style
April 14, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
The Fate of the Furious
Spark
April 21, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Unforgettable
Born in China
The Lost City of Z
April 28, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
The Circle
The Promise
May 5, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
May 12, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
Snatched
Low Riders
May 19, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Alien: Covenant
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul
Everything, Everything
May 26, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
Baywatch
June 2, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Wonder Woman
Captain Underpants
June 9, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
The Mummy
June 16, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Cars 3
The Book of Henry
Rock That Body
June 23, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Transformers: The Last Knight
The Beguiled
June 30, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Despicable Me 3
The House
Amityville: The Awakening
July 7, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Spider-Man: Homecoming
July 14, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Bad Dads
War for the Planet of the Apes
Midnight Sun
July 21, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
Dunkirk
Girls Trip
July 28, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
The Dark Tower
The Coldest City
August 4, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
The Emoji Movie
All I See Is You
August 11, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Baby Driver
Annabelle 2
August 18, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature
The Hitman’s Bodyguard
August 25, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Cadaver
Polaroid
Villa Capri
September 1, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
* * *
September 8, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
IT
September 15, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
The Solutrean
September 22, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
The LEGO Ninjago
Granite Mountain
Victoria and Abdul
September 29, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Flatliners
American Made
October 6, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Kingsman: The Golden Circle
Blade Runner 2049
My Little Pony: The Movie
October 13, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Friday the 13th
The Snowman
The Commuter
October 20, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Same Kind of Different as Me
The Mountain Between Us
War With Grandpa
Geostorm
Insidious: Chapter 4
October 27, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Cloverfield 2017
Saw: Legacy
November 3, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Thor: Ragnarok
A Bad Moms Christmas
November 10, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Red Sparrow
The Star
Show Dogs
November 17, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Justice League
November 24, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Coco
Let It Snow
Murder on the Orient Express
Darkest Hour
December 1, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
He’s Out There
December 8, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
?
December 15, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Star Wars: Episode VIII
December 22, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Jumanji
The Six Billion Dollar Man
Pitch Perfect 3
Downsizing
Ferdinand
December 29, 2017
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
?
A few others (for the road):
Desierto
Suburbicon
Annihilation
The Killing of a Sacred Deer
Chicken Soup of the Soul
Road House
Labyrinth
Super Troopers 2
Death Wish
The Life and Death of John Gotti
The Masterpiece
VI. Wrap-Up / Plugs / Ending
COMING UP ON MPW NEXT WEEK:
Episode 222 where we’ll be reviewing “Hidden Figures” and “Fences” (2016). Join us!
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Fake movie titles by Jason:
Eye Kandi: The Kandi Burruss Story
Hemisphere
Devil Child
Raw Is War: Confessions From the WWE
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Thanks for listening, and join us again next week for Movie Podcast Weekly.
J !
I’ve seen you have decided your upcoming films to review in you next podcast . But I hope you haven’t recorded it yet!. If not can you sneak a 5 mins West World Review in at the end?
(Also Train to Busan….Finally you have seen it!!! I only suggested it a few months ago, Hahaha)
Cheers John
Ha ha. Hi John,
Yes, Episode 222 is already recorded. I’m editing it and hoping to post it this weekend, too. We were on a few-weeks-in-a-row “West World” kick, I think, during Episodes 214 through 217, if you haven’t heard those shows’ mini reviews… (The show notes can tell you for sure.)
Basically, Ryan finished the first season and loved it, and I gave up on it with only a couple of episodes to go… I think I got to Ep. 7 or 8 but started to think it was becoming too much like “L O S T,” which is to say, a potentially huge waste of time… ha ha ha The quest involving “the maze” rang way too similar to “the hatch” and “the Others” and all the other dumb stuff on “L O S T.” Plus, I was extremely irritated that we won’t get any more “West World” until 2018… I hate TV series for this very reason…
But if you’d like, I’ll ask Ryan to chat more about “West World” for you when we record MPW Ep. 223.
And yes, “Train to Busan” is incredible! Thanks for recommending it!
Jay
Yes i agree the wait will be so long! but i wasn’t let down by this season, even if parts were predictable at the end . And yes if Ryan doesn’t mind, I just want to know his verdict on the season as a whole and where he thinks the next season will go?
Also I watched the Invitation, Great film I kept switching sides and was almost convinced he was deluded! Great film.
Cheers, John
It would be my honor.
Jay, I think my browser might not be calibrated properly. I’m looking at MPW in what I believe is the latest version of Firefox, but what I’m seeing here is that this episode was posted on Jan. 4? I tried Google Chrome, but it says Jan. 4 there, too. Are you getting that error on your end as well?
Haha 😉
Cody,
I think it’s probably because you’re using a PC…
J
🙂 #MacAttack
So… Where’s that discussion we were promised in the message board? Eh?
Sorry, RedCap. Which discussion are you referring to?
Thanks,
J
The response to your Rogue One backlash. I was kind of looking forward to it. =)
Oh, sorry RedCap Jack! You’re exactly right! It was completely unintentional. I’ve been a chicken with my head cut off… We’ll do it this upcoming week in MPW Ep. 223. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. (You know I’m not sheepish about rabble-rousing… ha ha)
Your pal,
Jay
I forgot to put in my email my favourite part from all the podcasts. It was when Jay was throwing up. I felt sorry for him but I was also laughing at the same time. He tried to keep talking and you can hear him trying to control it and not throw up again. I couldn’t believe he continued with the show.
Ok Jay I watched Predestination so I could report back to you. I am finding it difficult to pin down my feelings about this movie.
I have been thinking about it ever since I watched it trying to get my head around it. It is definitely a unique movie (as far as I know). I love Ethan Hawke and he was great.
It involves time travel so Andy would hate it.
I love the premise of the movie and I did really enjoy it. I think you just have to sit back and enjoy it. If you try and work out how it’s possible for all these things to happen it could drive you crazy. I would rate it 6.5/10 and you should definitely rent it and watch it at least once.
I also the director’s cut of Donnie Darko and Triangle. All three of these movies left me feeling the same way. I’m not the smartest guy so I just sat back and enjoyed them. I couldn’t figure out how any of these movies work though. All of them are good movies and I would be interested to hear Brain explain the physics behind them.
I have seen Snowtown Jay. It was a good movie but I wouldn’t watch it again. It was pretty disturbing and one of those movies which you only need to see once.
I was shouting Ruprecht at my phone when you were asking about who the character Steve Martin plays in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels with the cork on the end of his fork ha ha ha.
I also *watched* the director’s cut.
Ha ha. Andrew, thanks for this comment. Cracked me up. Yes, I’ve been sick on the podcast before. (I spared everyone the sound effects in editing, for those who weren’t “there” for it.) But I try to be as hard-core as possible… Heart. ; )
Thanks for your thoughts of “Predestination.” I guess I need to check it out, then. I love Ethan Hawke, too. If I ever made a movie, I wanted to cast him…
J
jay! thank you because you’re the first person 2 mention that scene in Moonrise Kingdom. I posted three or four years ago on this podcast under the name B-Rye about it being kiddie-pornish and in the episode Karl read my comment aloud I believe and he didnt appreciate it too much. I’m glad you pointed that out because I thought I was alone in being creeped out.
Thank you, Brian! Yes!! It’s so weird!!
Sandy / Kandi / Handy has great experience and background in “the artifice of Law,” especially now… We’re hoping to have him address this question for us and provide more insights the next time he visits the show.
Thanks!
J
P.S. Huge Points for anyone who can identify what I was quoting from with the phrase “artifice of Law.” I’m betting Cody Clark is the only person who could come up with it… It’s hella obscure…
It’s at least obscure enough that I don’t recognize it off the top of my head. Something from Shakespeare perhaps?
“I watch these things (debates, superbowls, awards shows) because if something goes down at one of them I want to be watching.” – The Producer
You and I? I think we may have been separated at birth.
So we were watching the ball drop with friends. (Yes I can say I was there) and just before it all went down my friend Todd says; “I don’t think Mariah Carey is at the top of her game right now.” And then… Oh yes. It all proceeded to fall apart at the seams.
So you know I love you guys, but it’s time to bring down The Herman Hammer (TM).
J and Ry on The Zookeeper’s Wife: “Is this a story we really need a movie about?”
Geez. As if we need another movie about some relentless serial killer or a superhero who is just a little bit different than the previous 20 superheroes. And this said by a guy who watches “Teen Mom” with frequency. 😀
Zookeeper’s Wife is a true story about a real person who saved many lives during the most cataclysmic worldwide event in human history. This is about a real superhero and real killers. And it has Jessica Chastain, for crying out loud. If she starred in a movie adaptation of “Teen Mom,” I’d want to see it.
That being said, it looks more like a Redbox type of film for me. But I definitely want to see it, and I’m glad they greenlit this story instead of yet another cookie cutter superhero or horror film.
Long time listener, first time commentator, so here’s to chucking two more from the peanut gallery:
I thought it was interesting that Jay was skeptical about Gore Verbinski directing A Cure for Wellness, especially after checking his horror cred on The Ring.
The Ring is a special film that terrified me for years because I saw it at the correct childhood age (11) during which such scars are formed.
Watching it again as an adult, it occurred to me that it is so effective because Verbinski filmed it in that uncomfortable, blue-toned way that the viewer feels uneasy during their entire watch, and they can’t quite say why….
I experienced similar discomfort while watching the Cure for Wellness trailer, and I have high hopes that it will be exceptionally unsettling. Fingers crossed.
Also, I have to stick my neck out for The Dark Tower. I have no doubt they might bungle it, but let’s not forget that King distanced himself from his greatest work brought to the screen (The Shining) because Kubrick took liberties and more with his story.
King is the master of horror, but his taste in his own adaptations may be a little misguided.
At least we will have IT to save the day if the Dark Tower crushes our hopes and dreams.
Watched Christine last week. Not the Stephen King car thing… This is a 2016 film based on a true story about a woman who is a TV reporter at a news station in the early 70’s and has something of a breakdown. Very well depicted in terms of how she gets to where she does, and great performances by the lead and others. There are some real heartbreaking moments, including one unexpected turn involving a guy at the station who she has some romantic interest in. I knew where this was going, but was still very engrossed. I’d say this is not for the faint of heart or those struggling with depression. 8/10
The Viggo Mortensen Q&A viewing of Captain Fantastic was the other night, and the Q&A session ended two questions before I would have asked mine. D’oh! But it was great to see the movie again (still holds at a 9.5 for me), and Viggo had a lot of interesting things to say about the movie and the process of making it. He seemed pretty nervous or out of his comfort zone at first, talking to a theater full of people like that, but gradually warmed up and was quite endearing and charming.
I wish I could remember more specifics, but one of the more interesting questions/responses was about whether he takes roles that tend to match his beliefs (his character in Captain Fantastic has very strong and particular beliefs). It wasn’t a surprise to me that he said no, but his response was very good, talking about the most important thing being whether the character is interesting and has depth, and something he feels he can give something of himself to, whether he agrees or not with the character’s principles. He acknowledged that his character in Captain F. was conflicted and contradictory, as many people are, but also dynamic and compelling and committed to his family.
Another thing of note was that the decision to shave his beard near the end of the movie was the director’s, and it wasn’t a light decision, because it meant that they would have to move the whole crew back to Washington State from New Mexico to shoot certain scenes with that change, which was very costly compared to just shooting those scenes while they were already in Washington (before going to New Mexico). They debated about using a fake beard for some scenes to avoid having to do that, etc., and Viggo suggested just not shaving it, but the director did end up insisting on doing that.
That would have been so awesome to go to. It’s a shame you didn’t get to ask a question. What were you going to ask him?
I just re-watched A History of Violence last night.
Oh sorry. I meant to reply the other day and spaced it…
I was going to ask him about how the viewing experience of this movie, or any he has been in, is like. For me, I’ve seen it three times but still can get lost in it as if it’s a real experience I am following, and I am still fully engrossed in it. He had talked in his intro to the film (Q&A was after) about taking it around to several film festivals and having the chance to watch it in different places with different audiences. When he sees it the first time, the third time, the twentieth time… is there a difference? Is he seeing it like we are, and able to lose himself in the experience, or is he thinking about how that one scene took forever to shoot, or he might have said that line another way, or how hot it was that day, etc. (I joked to my date that I could ask if it was cold that day, as a reference to a scene where he’s naked, but I wouldn’t have actually done that.)
Eh, it wasn’t a terribly original question… I’ve heard that kind of thing asked in interviews of other actors. But I thought it was a fitting follow-up to his talking about seeing the movie many times at festivals and special screenings, and I’d have been interested in his response.
Jay, I just want to correct you really quick about John Wick. It is not a guilty pleasure at all. It’s a very well made action movie. One of the best one of the last 10 years. It’s also one of the few action movies that had some actual world building in it. It’s subtle but it’s enough to establish a very specific tone and rules within that world.
Jay, please stop hating on Emma Watson. She is lovely and perfect for the role of Belle. It’s not just about looks, if she plays the part the right it’ll work.
Jay, your new “diva voice” is very disturbing. I kind of liked it at first, but you kept doing it over and over whenever you disagreed with a release you felt was unnecessary and started to become super creepy. Stop it bear!
Just saw Lion. Wow. Powerful true story about a boy who is lost on a train from his small town in India, ending up 1,000 miles away in Kolkata, and his later search to find his home.
The first 45 minutes of this are particularly poignant, as we follow the (incredibly adorable) boy and his journey into a new land and new life, harrowing as it is. It’s heartbreaking to see he is one of thousands, though a very fortunate one to later be adopted into a nice Australian family.
The later parts of the boy (now a man) living in Australia and doing his search via Google Earth bog down just a little, but there is very emotionally powerful ending. And there is a detail in the epilogue text that is absolutely huge and gives some incredible weight to some of what came before, and to the whole story, really. (So whatever you do, don’t look up the details about this story before seeing the movie.) I can’t think offhand of a film where the epilogue text was as impactful. But it also made sense to save that information until then.
I hadn’t even heard of this until very recently, but it will likely make my final updated top 10 of 2016. I give it a 9. I don’t know if it’s a must-see in the theater, though there is some beautiful cinematography. But it’s definitely a must-see.
You mentioned a movie in a past episode that sounded interesting to me. I can’t remember the name and I was hoping you could help me out? All I remember was that the plot involved figuring out where to hide a dead body.
Did you guys mention The Discovery? It’s a Netflix film airing March 31. I just heard about it today. Looks bleak from the trailer, but then finding out that the reason people are committing suicides en masse is because they’ve apparently proved an afterlife… now that’s an interesting premise.
Here’s the trailer: https://youtu.be/rm-FjYW24JY
The worst thing about “Room” is that it was an outstanding book before it was a movie and I’m so glad I was able to experience the impact of that book before I saw the movie (which didn’t diminish my enjoyment of it – one bit).
It’s going to happen again with “Wonder”, slated to release (sometime in the fall, I think it was). It’s a terrific book aimed at young readers (grade/middle school) and has the most amazing message delivered in a unique and original way. If you like to read at all, you owe it to yourself to read this before the movie comes out. You’ll want to share it with any children you might have or come across.
I thought 2016 was the year of “a few people stuck in a small place” thrillers, but the first new film I saw of 2017 fits that premise as well.
I ended up liking Split less than 10 Cloverfield Lane, Green Room and Don’t Breathe, but there’s still a lot to recommend. In particular, James McAvoy in his role (er, roles) as an abductor who has Dissociative Identity Disorder. I thought that he and Daniel Radcliffe were both pretty weak in Victor Frankenstein from 2015, but McAvoy absolutely kills it in this film. And it’s not just the virtuosity and challenge of doing the multiple personalities, but I thought he really showed great range and connection with all that he did.
The writing isn’t Shyamalan’s best, though, especially in terms of dialogue by side characters, which really comes across as forced at times. The dialogue of McAvoy’s therapist, played by Betty Buckley, is often meant to seem inquisitive, but it’s really very obvious exposition, and feels like it. The direction is solid, though, and the pacing and intensity of things builds nicely throughout.
There’s a detail revealed in the outro that is super clunky in terms of how it’s delivered, but also really cool to see. Its implications being a possibility occurred to me during the film, but I didn’t expect it to actually be part of the movie, so that was fun. You’ll know what I mean when you see it, especially if you’re a fan of Shyamalan’s work.
I’d say M. Knight is definitely back in the game, and I’m really glad for that. This may not be top notch (I thought The Visit was more original and interesting), but he is a solid filmmaker and I hated to hear him be talked about as a failure for some years there. The theater was packed, so it won’t surprise me if this does well, and that should help him continue to do more big releases again.
I’ll give it an 8, but I think it’s really more of a 7 or 7.5, with McAvoy’s performance giving it the extra bump. Definitely worth seeing for that alone.
This makes me so happy to hear, Eric. I won’t be seeing this until next Friday (because a friend wants me to go with him). I’m with you on The Visit. I really liked that film and I thought it was an extremely strong comeback. Hopes for Split are high given the positive reviews and word on the street.