Tower of Babble: Recent Episodes
Julian Meush, Daniel D'Souza and Jeremy Kozier
Julian, Daniel and Jeremy from TowerofBabble.ca chat about the goings on in geek news. Talking about the latest in movies and television in a free flow discussion. Star Wars, DC, Marvel and Disney seem to be the big drivers but if it's happening in geek culture it's up for debate.
Surprise! Another episode of Daily DVR (or maybe not so much of a surprise if you listened to our recent Tobies episode)! Julian was invited to join a panel over on friend of the show, Axel’s feed to discuss everyone’s top 10 in television from last year, plus a few disappointments for some added spice. If you felt like you could have listened to another 2+ hours of TV talk after this year’s Tobie Awards (and I cant’ blame you), then do we have an episode for you! Listen as a cast of characters from around the internet uncover the best of the best from the small screen in 2024!
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It is once again that special time, where we come together to celebrate our favourite films and shows from the last year. As part of the ceremony, your hosts look back at some of the concerns worrying Hollywood about 2024 to see if any progress had been made (the answer is mostly no). When it comes to the awards themselves, as is tradition, Jeremy refused to do a list. Which really means he has the privilege of a front row seat as Julian delivers his selections. Plus enjoy an unexpected side tangent celebrating the 20th anniversary of 'Resident Evil 4' (do you feel old yet?).
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Show NotesTVJulian1. X-Men 97’ 2. The Rings of Power S2 3. The Gentleman
Honourable Mention:
- The Acolyte, Fallout, Lower Decks S5, True Detective: Night Country, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Shogun, House of the Dragon, Skeleton Crew, Shrinking S2, Blue Eyed Samurai
Disappointment:
- Batman: Caped Crusader, The Penguin (only for refusing to acknowledge Batman’s existence), What If S3, Everyone who didn’t watch The Acolyte
MoviesJulian1. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga 2. Dune: Part 2 3. Civil War
Honourable Mention:
- Transformers One, Conclave, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Alien: Romulus
Disappointment:
- Everyone who didn’t see Furiosa, Aqua-Man and the Lost Kingdom, Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths - Part 2 & 3, Gladiator 2, Joker: Folie A Deux
Well that's all folks! Well possibly anyway. We don't yet have official word on whether Disney and Lucasfilm will bring back 'Skeleton Crew' for another season. So as it stands, this is the story. Overall pretty great, and while we can gripe a bit about the lack of an epilogue to really tie up loose ends, on the whole this finale was satisfying. All four of the kids had an arch that felt complete and inclusion of the parents helped put a bow on that (despite Wendle largely still being an idiot). The episode had strong pacing, as none of the character centric moments felt rushed, though again, it could have maybe done with a few more minutes of run time to make sure that everyone got a fair shake. KB, for instance, got short shrift. The ending itself leaves a lot of story left to be told, and thankfully given it's placement in the timeline, even if we don't get a second season, there should be plenty of opportunity to pick up on some of the loose threads in future Star Wars projects. All in all, 'Skeleton Crew' is one of the strongest outings from Lucasfilm in awhile and it's our sincere hope that it represents a sign of what's to come from the recently maligned studio.
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Penultimate; everyone's favourite TV word. When it came to 'Game of Thrones', we became accustomed to this next-to-final episodes being a big splash, before a relatively calm finale. That tradition has carried forward into all sorts of different series but Star Wars has never been one to follow the trends. So here we are, 'Skeleton Crew' now only has one episode remaining, and the big question is, did this week's lead-up do enough work setup a satisfying conclusion. In our humble opinions, yes, but that's largely on the back of what is, standing alone, a pretty amazing 30 minutes of Star Wars fun. This episode is full of twists and unexpected turns that left us genuinely surprised. The big factor here though is of course Jod (Jude Law), who has now gone full heel, which has us concerned whether the show has the balls to commit to this turn or unwind it all in the last few moments. Either way, not knowing is part of the fun and as they proved this week there are certainly a lot of ways this show can go to stick the landing. Time will tell!
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After a very strong outing last week (maybe the best of the season!), which revealed the pirate lair and cracked the mystery wide open, 'Skeleton Crew' follows that up with the shortest episode so far, which provides neither much plot progression nor anything beyond overly simplistic character beats. Despite that, there is at least one extremely interesting reveal, that begs the question, "why wait this long to reveal this?". With now two episodes left to close out the season, and especially with this week really feeling like it was dedicated to setting up a bombastic finale, we can look forward to the kids meeting the pirate hoard back on At Attin very soon!
And from all of us here at the show, we want to wish a Happy New Year to everyone in a Galaxy Far Far Away (do they celebrate galactic new year?), and to all the Small Screen Star Wars and Tower of Babble fans all around the globe. Here's to a much better year in 2025!
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Don’t let it be said that The Tower of Babble Podcast is not generous. Julian and Jeremy are in the giving spirit for the festive season, and in that spirit, they sat down on a wintery weekend morning to discuss in detail a Christmas movie that doesn't get enough attention, the Nicolas Cage vehicle, ‘The Family Man’. Both enjoyed this movie, mostly carried by the great performances, which seems to present a pretty clean moral message. But if you look a layer deeper (which the guys were happy to oblige) it reveals a pretty odd and mixed perspective on what it actually means to have an "ideal life". Luckily that tonal weirdness matches Cage's energy quite well, and ultimately creates a very enjoyable movie. But the ToB gifts don't stop there as your hosts shift gears to provide a bonus conversation around James Gunn's new ‘Superman’ teaser. Happy holidays everyone!
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After a fairly odd WWII/French resistance inspired episode last week, we turn the page to something almost as weird - a luxury spa built on top of a pirate haven. Starting smartly with some needed character work and lore building, the episode then turns into a fairly wacky romp that draws similarities to the Canto Bight side quest from 'The Last Jedi', complete with alien species and visual easter-eggs aplenty. But what really works here is the humour. They seemed to have nailed a tone that allows for effortless comedy, while when needed, are able to ratchet up the tension effectively. Speaking of which, while we thought last week's heel turn from 33 was good, it doesn't hold a candle to this week's finish, surpassing it in every way. We couldn't be more excited to see what happens next!
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Halfway through the season and 'Skeleton Crew' maintains its strong momentum, even if this fourth episode isn't necessarily a home run. The kids find themselves on a dark mirror-like version of At Attin that has been ravaged by generations of war. Unfortunately, this solid story idea is undercut by being executed slightly too simplistically, even for a kids show. That being said, there are some great moments here. The world-building, was interesting and a we get a few satisfying twists in the larger adventure, including a terrifying final moment. Of course we can't forget about Neel, who finally gets the attention he deserves, sieving upon the opportunity and becoming the internets new favourite adorable Star Wars character (at least until Grogu shows up again).
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With the two-episode premiere out of the way, 'Skeleton Crew' can start finding its groove, and while this episode is enjoyable, the show might need to keep searching for what exactly that groove is for at least another week. Despite getting to spend a full, though somewhat short, episode with Jude Law, it's the kids (and especially Nick Frost's SM 33) that continue to steal the show. It's probably just a matter of time, but Jod (Jude Law) has yet to fully land as a character. A handful of charming scenes gets him going in the right direction though. Overall, this is a relatively safe step along the path for a show that has yet to get into the meaty parts of the adventure. Our prediction? Things really pick up in earnest next week. Stay tuned!
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Ahoy me mateys! Star Wars is back on TV and this time it's pirate themed baby! Julian and Rachel return to recap and review this two-part series premiere, and are happy to report that the show is off to a great start. Star Wars has been in a difficult place as of late. Something that has been discussed a lot as of late. Each new piece of content announced or released is under a microscope, and probably rightfully so, considering the mixed levels of quality we've been getting from Lucasfilm of late. Amongst all that angst, 'Skeleton Crew' was not at the top of a lot of fans wish-lists, but sometimes low expectations can do wonders. Despite a somewhat slow first episode, the series seems to quickly figure out what it wants to be (Treasure Island in space basically) and hits it's stride through it's second episode. The child cast is charming with great chemistry, but it's Nick Frost's droid character that really steals the spotlight so far. Be warned shipmates, thar be full spoilers ahead!
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For the most part, genre entertainment news has been relatively light. Yes we’ve had a round of castings for DC projects, and Kevin Fiege is slowly opening the kimono for X-Men info, but on the whole nothing earth shattering (who knows, we might see a planet shatter whenever the ‘Superman’ trailer finally comes). This makes for a perfect time to defer the 200th episode of the show and take a look at the state of things over at DC and Marvel. They are both looking to emerge from a slump, despite taking very different approaches (though I’m sure DC would have loved a $1B hit that allowed them to have their cake and eat it too). The guys unpack the similarities and differences and sprinkle in a few different news bits along the way. All that and so much more on this week’s Tower of Babble Podcast!
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Show NotesMovies* Kevin Fiege is entering his X-Men era as he starts opening up about plans for the mutants as part of ‘Secret Wars’. Are we ready? * Channing Tatum’s ‘Gambit’ project might finally see the light of day as Marvel loved the reception to the characters recent appearance in live action. * Will DC’s casting choices and new direction pay off as James Gunn continues to stir the pot online.
TV* ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ is on the horizon. More details continue to come out. * ‘Lanterns’ has cast most of it’s titular space cops. We continue to be excited.
Agree of Disagree * Elizabeth Olson believes Marvel movies help theatres “pay the rent” and that for small movies, streaming is the “only option”, while not being interested in being part of straight to streaming projects.
What We’ve Been Watching* The Terminator (4K release) * Extraction (2020) * Godzilla: Minus One
It’s been two months since we did our “State of Star Wars” episode where we essentially eviscerated the current situation in regards to the decision making process at Lucasfilm and their seeming inability to get a movie into production, among other things. Well in that time, we’ve had a smattering of news stories of all stripes, which Julian and Rachel cover in this episode, but what really prompted another Bonus Episode was the latest piece, again from The Hollywood Reporter, exploring the situation in further depth on the movie side of the business at Lucasfilm. Your hosts deep dive on all of it, and then cap things off with something much more lighthearted. Next up, ‘Skeleton Crew’ in December, where we’ll be breaking down every episode. Stay tuned!
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Show NotesStar Wars Catchup* ‘Empire Strikes Back’ in Concert * ‘Andor’ season 2, now with “A Star Wars Story” subtitle, now has an official release date of April 22, 2025
+ K2SO and Orson Krennic to return (Alan Tudyk + Ben Mendelson)‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ is set for release in 2026.
+ Might be a trilogy - hinted at by Giancarlo Esposito.
+ Apparently S4 of the show was reworked into the movie due to the “negative reception of season 3”:
- THR - Is Disney Bad at Star Wars? An Analysis
- Disney reportedly made $1B+ from Star Wars merch in 2023.
- ‘Skeleton Crew’ set to release next month.
- Ewan McGregor says they’re “exploring ideas for ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ season 2” apparently he wants to wear the clone wars armor and do more flashbacks with Hayden Christensen.
- THR - Simon Kinberg to write and produce Star Wars trilogy
The Main Story* THR - ‘Star Wars’ Movies’ Race for Rey, and the Future of the Franchise on the Big Screen
Wild Finish* Variety - https://au.variety.com/2024/film/news/george-lucas-cut-obi-wan-death-twist-star-wars-phantom-menance-18423/
When it comes to vampires, California seems to be synonymous. At least for a certain generation that grew up with ‘Buffy’. Which is part of the reason ‘The Lost Boys’ seems to slide right into the vampire genre like a sharp fang through a soft fleshy neck, despite coming out nearly a decade prior. Well that and all the vampire tropes this movie expertly plays with. Join Julian, as he walks through this cult classic not-so-horror flick that continues to resonate all these years later. Plus, monologues on the wide world of home projector setups, why horror movies aren’t for everyone, and much more on this very special bonus ToB Film Club episode!
Next Month: We return to the 21st century (barely) as we travel through time with the Gregory Hoblit film, ‘Frequency’ from 2000.
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Julian and Jeremy sit down to discuss the surprisingly good Menendez Brothers series on Netflix, and try to better understand the draw of true crime content. Later they get into the HBO hit 'The Penguin', as well as the state of the 'Terminator' franchise. The guys also get into it about what exactly is going on with Tom Holland and his mixed messaging around 'Spider-Man 4' and the situation with the 'Blade' movie. All that and so much more on this episode of the Tower of Babble Podcast!
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Between the chaos surrounding 'Joker 2', the hate pouring out of fandoms like Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, and the commercial failures of critical darlings like 'Transformers: One', and 'Furiosa', it's easy to understand why it's so hard to predict success in these wildly uncertain times in Hollywood. Todd Phillips 'Joker' made over one billion dollars in 2019, and took home the Best Actor Oscar for it's trouble, but the sequel, which adds the massively popular Lady Gaga to the mix is set to be a massive box office bomb. Why? Julian and Jeremy examine that question, and try to put things in context with the recent Variety article about Hollywood executives cow-towing to angry fans. All this and more on this episode of The Tower of Babble Podcast!
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Following the cancellation of ‘The Acolyte’, many fans are taking a step back and asking questions about the state of the franchise. And rightly so, considering the confused state that many have been left in. Especially considering that Lucasfilm continues to leave us in the dark, with no official word following the recent cancellation. They've also done very little to inspire trust in their current creative process given the number of high profile project announcements that have never come to fruition. Meanwhile, the fandom is imploding on itself. Creators and influencers in the community are pitted against each other, seemingly in a fight for influence over control of the narrative surrounding each new project. Debates over what is or isn’t "Star Wars" wage on the internet as fans dodge bad-faith landmines across their social feeds. Julian and Rachel look at where things stand with Star Wars today, how we got here, and what the future might hold.
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Julian is joined by Matt Tworek to review 'Alien: Romulus', the latest installment in the long running space-horror franchise. A film that returns to the roots of the franchise, with a much stronger focus on the suspense and atmospheric horror of the 1979 original. But any good Alien movie today isn't complete without at least a little bit of action, ala 'Aliens' and this movie doesn't disappoint in that regard either. All-in-all this is a strong outing in a franchise that has seen a lot of ups and downs over the years. And yes, realizing that this all comes a bit late considering the movie released last month, to make up for the missed time, the guys have also brought a list of their favourite movies featuring aliens (any alien will do, we aren't picky here).
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With the news of 'The Acolyte' and it's cancellation sending ripples through the media world, it was only natural that there might be some reflection on the larger state of the television landscape. Julian and Jeremy pier out into a dark and dreary graveyard of cancelled shows and failed streaming services to take stock of the current situation. The assessment? The "Golden Age of TV" is over. What comes next is still to be determined. Plus, a grab-bag of news stories from around Hollywood to help lighten the mood.
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Show NotesMovies* ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ crosses a billion dollars at the box office, making it the most financially successful R rated film of all time * James Cameron bemoans people’s complaints about the quality of the 4k restorations of some of his classic films, such as ‘True Lies’. * Nine Inch Nails will be scoring the soundtrack to Tron 3, now titled: ‘Tron: Aries’. * The next Predator film has begun production, titled ‘Badlands’. * Kathleen Kennedy to stay on as head of Lucasfilm until at least Q2 of 2025. * Trailers:
+ ‘The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim’.
+ ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’
TV* Soliloquy for the end of the “Golden Age of TV” * ‘Batman: Caped Crusader’ review * ‘Ted Lasso’ set to return for 4th season.
Agree of Disagree Todd Phillips, the director of ‘Joker’ and it’s upcoming sequel speaks had this to say about film fans who are concerned with the budget of his film:
“Shouldn’t people be happy that we got this money out of them, and we used it to go hire a bunch of crew people who can feed their families?”
Do you agree that film fans should concern themselves with budgets?
What We’ve Been Watching* Hit Man
'Deadpool & Wolverine' is quickly rising through the box office charts and is on pace to set some records. It may even finish the summer as the highest grossing movie and that would certainly be an accomplishment. Particularly for an R rated film. That being said, that's not the reason Julian and Jeremy decided to continue their conversation on the movie following the review earlier this week. No, the reason is that the movie is so dense, so unique in it's approach, that it took a few more days to process what exactly it even is. Hopefully this follow up conversation puts things to bed for good this time. But the Marvel mayhem does not end there. No sir, the guys then turn to San Diego Comicon to discuss the massive announcements out of Marvel's Hall H panel. Surprisingly, Harrison Ford pretending to be the Hulk on stage wasn't the biggest news, he was upstaged by RDJ himself as we learn that he's returning to the MCU as Dr. Doom, and bringing back the Russo brothers to direct (don't worry they only cost like $180 million between them). Is this good news, bad news, or something in between?
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There haven't been many Marvel movies of late that have had the level of anticipation of 'Deadpool & Wolverine'. Not only is it capping of a Deadpool trilogy, it is introducing Deadpool to the MCU, AND it it's bringing back who else but Hugh Jackman as Wolverine for the cherry on top. Plus, with the less than ideal reception to the direction the MCU has taken of late, the expectations were very high for this movie, to say the least. And though we typically preach keeping expectations in check when going into a movie like this, even we had a hard time containing it. Julian and Jeremy unpack every spoilery detail in an in-depth review that covers everything from THAT cameo (you know which one), to whether the movie "saved the MCU", and everything in between.
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With the decision to go with another flashback episode last week, ‘The Acolyte’ season finale had a lot of work to do to wrap up all the loose threads left dangling. Unfortunately, the series largely didn’t leave itself enough time to conclude those plotlines in a satisfying way. Yes, the lightsaber combat continues to be amazing, and despite some very good character work in episode 6, the series continues to lack the patience (and runtime) to give the major emotional beats time to breath. The finale was no better, as it blew through some pretty big character moments, especially for Osha, without take a moment to really let them sink in. Despite that, there are still some standout moments here and some intriguing breadcrumbs to follow into a possible season 2 (which has not yet been confirmed). Julian and Rachel unpack every revelation, head-scratcher, and character cameo as they break it all down scene-by-scene.
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Unfortunately, the flashback format worked against this episode from the start. Not enough interesting new information was revealed to justify breaking the momentum the show had leading into this week. After an incredible action episode, 'The Acolyte' followed that up with a great character episode that teased a fascinating finish, despite there still being many threads left dangling. Due to the decision to place this second flashback episode, this time from the Jedi's perspective, in this penultimate slot in the season, we're now left with only one episode left to wrap everything up. The episode itself does feature some beautiful shots and some intriguing ideas, but it's a little too shaggy, given how much weight was put into these reveals earlier in this season, to ultimately feel satisfying. With a steep hill yet to climb, plot-wise, it'll be interesting to see if the show can stick the landing.
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After last week's action-heavy episode left our jaws on the floor from the sheer spectacle and shocking character deaths, 'The Acolyte' uses this follow-up episode to give us a breather. With the main characters now split between three different plotlines, we spend our time jumping between a series of one-on-one conversations, reminiscent of 'Game of Thrones' when it was at it's best. The most interesting of which is Osha and The Stranger/Qimir, as we see the beginnings of the temptation to the dark side. Never before has the Star Wars leaned into the "from a certain point of view" concept more in live action than in this episode. We finally start exploring that "Sith" perspective that has been teased by the creators. Some may call this "filler", but for our money, this is some of the best Star Wars you can get. Listen as Julian and Rachel unpack every nuanced line of dialogue and character beat in this week's Small Screen Star Wars podcast!
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Star Wars fans rejoice! ‘The Acolyte’ has delivered some of the best lightsaber action we’ve seen in many years. Unfortunately, the good comes with the bad. At least for the characters on the show. As expected, with The Master/The Stranger fully entering the story, it meant that some Jedi weren’t long for this world. That proved to be true more than I think anyone expected. However, as Jecki herself said only last week, “It’s always an honor to get to witness anything or anyone transform into the Force”. Though I’m not sure she meant so soon. This episode was chock full of brutal and surprising deaths and deep cut lore references, that I’m sure satisfied even the nerdiest of Star Wars fans. And despite a character reveal we all saw coming, many interesting questions remain unanswered as we head into the final three episodes of the season. Julian and Rachel break it all down, and predict what role the Sith have yet to play in this story.
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After a bit of a detour last week, spending an entire episode in flashback, we return to the main adventure. This week's episode, "Day", is largely a positive step forward for the series, bringing fun (if sparse) lightsaber action, improved character development, and an enhanced sense of place, as they spend less time in cramped sets and more time shooting on location. That all being said, it's the big finish that will leave the biggest impression. Unfortunately, the decision to cut things off right when the action was ramping up felt like a bit of a cheat. With a relatively short run time this week, and a story that really felt like it was hitting it's stride as we got closer to the end of the episode, the choice to not follow through on that momentum with a satisfying finish, instead using a cliffhanger, comes across as a means to brag about an extra episode in the season, as opposed to serving the story in the moment. Oh, there was also some very cool cameos this week. Listen as Julian and Rachel unpack it all!
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After starting off the series with a series of Jedi murders to set the tone, with episode 3 we flash back 16 years to Osha and Mae's secret origin. Which just happens to feature a coven of witches, Jedi space cops testing Padawans, and large force related questions about the twin's parentage. All under twin moons in eclipse. Though not perfect from an acting and pacing perspective, the intrigue offered by the force related mysticism, and what exactly happened that night that "Mae set a fire", helps keep up the shows momentum. It's hard to predict where we are going next, and that's a refreshing thing when we're talking about a prequel in a galaxy far, far away. Listen as Julian and Rachel unpack it all... after a short negativity cleanse.
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After a very short hiatus (RIP ‘The Bad Batch’, we already miss thee), Small Screen Star Wars is back to cover the latest Star Wars series on Disney+. After a heavy dose of animation, we return to live action. Our last taste being ‘Ahsoka’ late last year, which was met with mixed reviews. However, that’s about where the similarities with recent live action Star Wars end, as ‘The Acolyte’ takes us to an entirely new era. Back nearly 100 years BBY to the age of the High Republic, where Jedi are a dime a dozen, and the Sith have been presumed extinct for a millennia. This is all framing for a dramatic murder mystery as we’re introduced to a new intrepid bunch of Jedi playing detective as they try to figure out who is training force user assassins in secret. As is tradition it seems, the first two episodes were dropped as part of the premiere and Julian and Rachel are here to break it all down and recap every scene as they look ahead and try to piece together the mystery as it unfolds.
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It's hard to believe that it's been nearly a decade since we were thrust against the back of our collective theatre seats with the release of 'Mad Max: Fury Road', which is now regarded as one of the greatest action movies ever made. The return to the wasteland brought with it the introduction of a new character to accompany our titular Max, Charlize Theron's Furiosa stole the spotlight and now, 9 years later, has been rewarded with a prequel film that explores the "odyssey" of her life before the events of Fury Road. With such a formidable connection between these two films, it really only makes sense to discuss them as a whole. Julian and Jeremy unpack 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga' in context with it's predecessor to look at the whole picture. A series of films so epic is scope and ambition that it is a disservice to not mention them both in the same breath. Note that spoilers for 'Furiosa' are gated at approximately the halfway mark of the episode (Timestamp 00:35:33). Welcome back to the unhinged mind of George Miller. We couldn't wait to talk about this one. Witness Me!
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Last year on Star Wars Day (May the 4th), Lucasfilm Animation surprised us with 'Tales of the Jedi' a mini-series of shorts dedicated to showing some untold stories from before the fall of the Jedi. This seems to have become somewhat of a tradition, as this year, on the same day, we got 'Tales of the Empire'. A darker twist on the same concept. This time though, it was bit more focused. Two stories, told in three parts each, for a total of six shorts. The first story follows Morgan Elsbeth and her journey of revenge, which begins with her as a young girl on Dathomir to where we fist met her in 'The Mandalorian' season three. Unfortunately, despite another noticeable step forward in animation quality throughout, this first story-arch leaves a lot to be desired. While 'Tales of the Jedi' revealed secrets of Jedi's pasts, Morgan's doesn't really provide the audience with any new information. Instead, just expanding on a lot of which we already knew or could have inferred. The second half of 'Tales of the Empire' however does pack more of a punch. We follow Barriss Offee, a young Jedi Padawan we had not seen since she framed Ahsoka for the Temple bombing in 'The Clone Wars', as she's recruited to become an Imperial Inquisitor. These final three episodes are filled with fascinating glimpses into the Inquisitorius Program, insightful dialogue into the psyche of the fallen Jedi that make up their order, and some genuine twists that keep you guessing throughout. Listen as Julian and Rachel unpack each mini-episode, and discuss the package as a whole.
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Surprise! The ToB Podcast is back from a Star Wars caused hiatus, and just in time to cover one of the biggest nerd culture phenomena so far in 2024. We're talking of course about the revival of one of the greatest animated shows of all time with 'X-Men '97'. With only one episode remaining until the grand finale of season 1, Julian and Jeremy discuss how impressive it is that despite the lofty expectations fans had for this show, it managed it exceed them by nearly every measure. A rare treat. The guys discuss some of the biggest moments from the show as well as the creative work behind it that makes it tick. Afterwards, things shift somewhat as the discussion turns to the first reveal of David Corenswet's Superman, which was met with middling responses. All that and so much more on this week's Tower of Babble Podcast! Plus, stay tuned after the end of the show for some bonus content.
If you enjoy the show please subscribe and leave a nice review on Apple Podcasts, and check out Patreon.com/TowerBabbleCast to become one of our latest patrons.
Congrats to Ray Mills for some great selections on our Death Pool. Thank you to everyone who participated. Good riddance Hemlock, Scorch, Rampart, and many other terrible Imperials.
Congrats to Ray Mills for some great selections on our Death Pool. Thank you to everyone who participated. Good riddance Hemlock, Scorch, Rampart, and many other terrible Imperials.
REMINDER: Don’t forget to participate in our Bad Batch Death Pool! With no characters biting the dust in this week’s episode, there’s still time to place your predictions for who comes out of the series still breathing. It’s easy, just follow this link and place your picks: https://forms.gle/vcBCTsH2eeHykYE87
Death Pool: You think you know who will live or die in the final two episodes of the series? Prove it! Follow THIS LINK(https://forms.gle/vcBCTsH2eeHykYE87) to participate in the death pool and be part of the show! You can also find an imbedded version of the submission form below on the podcast episode web page.
After this week, 'The Bad Batch' is only left with three more episodes before the series wraps up entirely. Last week's two-parter set the stage for a clear endgame - The Batch need to find Tantiss Base and rescue Omega. With that in mind, this week sets up an intriguing idea off the jump - perhaps the former Admiral, now prisoner, Rampart, knows the location. Unfortunately, the episode spins it's wheels with a "mission of the week" format without really moving the plot along in any significant way, and uses information the audience already knows as if it's a big reveal. This would have been a great episode in the middle of the season, but not for the fourth from last episode. The action and visual fidelity were top notch as always, but at this point in the series that's not enough to carry the story at this critical stage.
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This final season of 'The Bad Batch' is coming at us fast. It was less than a month ago that we were treated to a dramatic two-part episode that left the team reeling, and now again this week another two-part episode drops, and it's another doozy. First, with "Identity Crises" we spend time back on Tantiss with Doctor Emerie Karr as she takes over for Nala Se on Project Necromancer. It's the first time a current or former member of The Batch doesn't appear on screen, as we instead spend the entire episode on Tantiss learning more about the insidious work being done there. It's gripping dramatic television. Next, with "Point of No Return", the stakes ramp up to 1000 as the Empire strikes out against Pabu in an attempt to recapture Omega. The action here is stunning and where the episode leaves off sets up a thrilling final few episodes as we lead into the series finale.
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The trailer for this final season of 'The Bad Batch' teased the return of a fan favourite character from 'The Clone Wars'. A Sith assassin who has been part of Star Wars since the Tartakovsky animated shorts, who seemingly died in a novel adapted from an unused story from an animated series, only to return in all her glory as neither Sith nor Jedi. That's right folks Asaj Ventress returns to the screen as the titular "harbinger" of bad news. Julian and Rachel discuss Asaj's big return, what the information she delivers about the "m-count experiments" means for Omega, and whether we think this is the last we see of this assassin turned bounty hunter.
If you enjoy the show please subscribe and leave a nice review on Apple Podcasts, and check out Patreon.com/TowerBabbleCast to become one of our latest patrons.
After an exciting two-parter last week, where the larger clone conspiracy plotline was brought to the fore, we return to something a bit more quaint. This week's episode falls more into the "mission of week" type format. Something we got pretty used to from seasons 1 and 2, but haven't seen much of this season. That is likely due to the fact that this is the final season, and there just isn't as much time to spend on episodes that don't really drive plot or character development. This week's A and B plot format attempted to tackle both of those tasks, but largely fell short of being a satisfying enough on either level. We see Hunter and Wrecker working with fan favourite bounty hunter, Fennec Shand, as they look for clues on the Empire's "M-Count experiments". Meanwhile, Omega tries to help Crosshair heal is hand tremors. Julian and Rachel unpack the episode scene by scene as well as discuss the first trailer for 'The Acolyte'.
If you enjoy the show please subscribe and leave a nice review on Apple Podcasts, and check out Patreon.com/TowerBabbleCast to become one of our latest patrons.
Julian finds some time to link up with Jeremy between the weekly ‘The Bad Batch’ reviews to discuss the winners from this year’s Oscars, the big wins from ‘Oppenheimer’ and the state of the ceremony itself. The guys also review ‘Dune: Part Two’ and preview ‘X-Men ‘97’. Plus some general Marvel and DC news to keep things flowing. All that and so much more on this week’s Tower of Babble Podcast!
If you enjoy the show please subscribe and leave a nice review on Apple Podcasts, and check out Patreon.com/TowerBabbleCast to become one of our latest patrons.
Show Notes* The Oscars
+ Recap and review of the ceremony
+ Discussion on winners and ‘Oppenheimer’
+ Prediction scores review
- ‘Dune: Part Two’ review
General News* According to a recent poll ⅔ adults in the USA prefer to watch movies on streaming rather than theaters. * The Bear is filming seasons 3 and 4 back-to-back. * Patty Jenkins is apparently working on ‘Rogue Squadron’ again. * ‘The Batman 2’ has been delayed to Oct 2, 2026. + Rumours include: - Joker being a Hannibal type in Arkham. - Clayface being a serial killer who uses his victims skin to change the appearance of his face. - There will be more actions sequences than the first movie.
- Is it actually canceled?
-
Should Batman kill?
-
James Gunn’s ‘Superman: Legacy’ has been renamed to simply ‘Superman’
- ‘X-Men ‘97’ preview
- Eternals 2 was canceled as the studio wants to take less risks and focus on more “guaranteed hits”.
- Disney’s new live action boss, David Greenbaum reportedly pitched his approach to green-lighting projects as one question: “does this film need to exist?”
- A ‘NOVA’ project is in early development.
Agree or Disagree:Jonathan Nolan says when he developed ‘Fallout’, he thought it would be a “fool’s errand” to set out to please fans:
“My approach is to make the show you want to make trusting, as fans of the game, we would find pieces that were essential to us”
The larger clone struggle returns to center stage with the return of some fan favorites, in what feels like a sequel to the stellar “Clone Conspiracy” episode from season 2. This two-part episode ramps up tension quickly and then relieves it with exciting action set pieces framed by gorgeous scenery. Crosshair and Omega continue to play a vital role at the center of the plot, and with the assassin clones becoming a larger part of the mystery, we are eager to learn more about how everything ties together. These episodes do a great job of clarifying the stakes for the remainder of the season while also planting seeds for things we know are still coming.
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The exciting escape last week left us with the unresolved conflict between Crosshair and the rest of his former squad. In the podcast we discussed how it would be a good idea for the show to slow down for a moment and let Crosshair hash things out with Hunter and Wrecker before jumping back into a larger plot driven narrative. Fortunately it seems like the folks over at Lucasfilm Animation were way ahead of us, as they did just that this week. With a return to Pabu for a reset, the team meets up with Echo to gather additional intel on the whereabouts of Tantiss. The mission takes Crosshair back to the events of "The Outpost" for a spiritual sequel, which feels more than appropriate considering where Crosshair is now in his character arc. Julian and Rachel break down every moment of discord whilst Crosshair does the difficult work of earning back trust.
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Last year, Julian was forced to look back at the Oscar alone. This was back when Twitter was still called Twitter and they still had a feature called "Spaces". He wondered aloud at that time, "what would next year's Oscars show look like?". Well Fast-forward one year and you have your answer. Things are quite different, for one thing Twitter is now called "X" for some stupid reason, and more importantly Julian is no longer alone. In the spirit of this year's ToB effort to expand the cast and bring more people into the show, he's instead joined by long time friend of the show, Axel Foley from the 'Daily DVR Podcast'. The original format returns as the two hosts take a look at each of the Best Picture nominees before moving into predictions for who they think will take home the hardware, as well as who they think SHOULD win the awards.
Play along at home with your own predictions! Find a full list of Julian's predictions linked below for reference, but feel free to fill out your own ballot with the attached PDF from Variety and send them into the show! Email them to towerofbabblepodcast@gmail.com and we'll shout out whoever had the most accurate predictions in an upcoming episode!
- Who Julian thinks WILL win
- Who Julian thinks SHOULD win
If you enjoy the show please subscribe and leave a nice review on Apple Podcasts, and check out Patreon.com/TowerBabbleCast to become one of our latest patrons.
Predictions**Winners and scoring have been added after the ceremony.
Best PictureWho We Want to Win: Axel: Anatomy of a Fall * Julian: Oppenheimer (Correct)*
Who Will Win: Axel: Oppenheimer (Correct) * Julian: Oppenheimer (Correct)*
Best DirectorWho We Want to Win: Axel: Jonathan Glazer (The Zone of Interest) * Julian: Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer) (Correct)*
Who Will Win: Axel: Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer) (Correct) * Julian: Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer) (Correct)*
Best Actor in a Leading RoleWho We Want to Win: Axel: Paul Giamatii (The Holdovers) * Julian: Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer) (Correct)*
Who Will Win: Axel: Paul Giamatii (The Holdovers) * Julian: Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer) (Correct)*
Best Actress in a Leading RoleWho We Want to Win: Axel: Sandra Hüller (Anatomy of a Fall) * Julian:* Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon)
Who Will Win: Axel: Sandra Hüller (Anatomy of a Fall) * Julian: Emma Stone (Poor Things) (Correct)*
Best Actor in a Supporting RoleWho We Want to Win: Axel: Sterling K. Brown (American Fiction) * Julian:* Mark Ruffalo (Poor Things)
Who Will Win: Axel: Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer) (Correct) * Julian: Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer) (Correct)*
Best Actress in a Supporting RoleWho We Want to Win: Axel: Da’Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers) (Correct) * Julian: Da’Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers) (Correct)*
Who Will Win: Axel: Da’Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers) (Correct) * Julian:* Emily Blunt (Oppenheimer)
Best Adapted ScreenplayWho We Want to Win: Axel: American Fiction (Correct) * Julian:* Barbie
Who Will Win: Axel: Oppenheimer * Julian:* Oppenheimer
Best Original ScreenplayWho We Want to Win: Axel: Anatomy of a Fall (Correct) * Julian:* Past Lives
Who Will Win: Axel: The Holdovers * Julian: Anatomy of a Fall (Correct)*
Best Original ScoreWho We Want to Win: Axel: American Fiction * Julian: Oppenheimer (Correct)*
Who Will Win: Axel: American Fiction * Julian:* Poor Things
Best CinematographyWho We Want to Win: Axel: Maestro * Julian:* Poor Things
Who Will Win: Axel: Oppenheimer (Correct) * Julian: Oppenheimer (Correct)*
ScoringAxel:
- Should Win: 3/10
- Will Win: 4/10
Julian:
- Should Win: 5/10
- Will Win: 7/10
With the extra large premiere out of the way, Julian and Rachel can settle back into the traditional weekly cadence. Unfortunately life finds a way to disrupt well laid plans. As such, this podcast drops a day later than usual - apologies. The episode itself was high stakes and thrilling from the jump, and had a potent finish that gave us a good reset for the rest of the season. We got to explore a new planet, Lau, which is already under a heavy Imperial presence and ruled by the iron fist of Captain Mann, a greasy Imperial leader who is out to enrich himself while stationed on a backwater world. The setting makes for an intriguing backdrop as Omega, Crosshair, and Batcher look for a way off the planet.
If you enjoy the show please subscribe and leave a nice review on Apple Podcasts, and check out Patreon.com/TowerBabbleCast to become one of our latest patrons.
When it comes to sci-fi in the real world, the idea that we'd add an extra day at the end of February, every 4 years, would rank amongst the ideas that sound like they come out of a Frank Herbert novel. Which is appropriate considering that the sequel to Denis Villeneuve's adaption of the novel of the same name, 'Dune', releases across the globe today on February 29th, 2024. To celebrate the occasion, Julian and Jeremy look back at the first installment in the series from 2021 and deliver their in-depth review (with a fun "Transformers" sidebar for good measure) as a bonus, publicly available, installment of the ToB Film Club. Something typically reserved for Patrons only, but what the heck, it's a leap year! We recommend taking a hit of some Spice Mélange before diving in. It will help you make more sense of all of Paul's visions and set you up nicely to transition directly into the sequel over the weekend.
Next Month: the 1989 Rowdy Herrington cult classic, 'Road House'. Just in time for the Jake Gyllenhaal remake!
If you enjoy the show please subscribe and leave a nice review on Apple Podcasts, and check out Patreon.com/TowerBabbleCast to become one of our latest patrons.
Smell that regs? That's the smell of fresh Star Wars animation - breath it in. 'The Bad Batch' dropped it's hotly anticipated 3-part premiere this week and your Small Screen Star Wars hosts are back to unpack each beautifully crafted moment from "Confined", "Paths Unknown", and "Shadows of Tantiss" . Buckle up, as the three episodes come in around 90 minutes in total, which means you are in for a full 2.5 hour recap and review from Julian and Rachel, as the melancholy journey toward the series finale begins. Fortunately each step (episode) on that journey so far has been up to standard. This premiere brings back the gorgeous look and feel from Lucasfilm Animation and the consistently strong storytelling to setup what looks to be an exciting final season. With the board now set it's time to tune in each week to see how this all comes together. We're betting it'll end with a well deserved bang. You know Wrecker wouldn't have it any other way.
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With TV now out of the way we can move on to the medium that TV wishes it was - film! Part 2 of the 2023 Tobie Awards focuses in on the best in movies from last year. The Oscars seem to think that there was one movie that stood head and shoulders above the rest, in ‘Oppenheimer’, at least based on how many nominations it got, and Julian, Vince, and Jeremy, certainly give it it’s due, but there is a lot of other worthwhile films to cover on this list. Especially on the genre side of things - movies that would more often than not, never fall under the Oscars purview. Buckle up as the ToB Crew discuss a wide array of top tier films from across the spectrum. Enjoy!
If you enjoy the show please subscribe and leave a nice review on Apple Podcasts, and check out Patreon.com/TowerBabbleCast to become one of our latest patrons.
Show NotesMoviesJulian1. Oppenheimer 2. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse 3. TMNT: Mutant Mayhem
Honourable Mention:
- Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Asteroid City (plus his Roll Doll shorts), The Super Mario Bros Movie, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Barbie, Killers of the Flower Moon, Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3, The Iron Claw
Disappointment:
- The Flash, Rebel Moon Part 1, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
Vince1. The Super Mario Bros Movie 2. Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3 3. Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Honourable Mention:
- Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
Disappointment:
- The Flash, Rebel Moon: Part 1, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Jeremy1. Oppenheimer 2. The Iron Claw
The prestigious Tobie Awards returns for it's 7th annual ceremony. In a bit of a change from tradition, the decision has been made to split the show into two parts. Part one, today, will cover the best of television from 2023. There was a lot of great shows to chose from, but your hosts, Julian, Jeremy, and special guest, Vince, deliver a varied list that has something for everyone. Of course the breakout hit from HBO, 'The Last of Us', gets it's fair share of love but outside of that, I dare you to guess where all the pieces fall. Next week, we dive into the best in film!
If you enjoy the show please subscribe and leave a nice review on Apple Podcasts, and check out Patreon.com/TowerBabbleCast to become one of our latest patrons.
Show NotesTelevisionJulian1. The Bear S2 2. The Last of Us 3. Ted Lasso S3
Honourable Mention:
- The Bad Batch S2, Beef, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds S2, Star Trek Picard S3, Shrinking, Only Murders in the Building S3, Ahsoka, Star Trek: Lower Decks S4, Loki S2, Scavengers Reign
Disappointment:
- Secret Invasion, The Mandalorian S3
Vince1. The Last of Us 2. Loki S2 3. Only Murderers in the Building S3
Honourable Mention:
- One Piece (Netflix), Gen V
Disappointment:
- Secret Invasion, Mandalorian S3, What If…? S2
Jeremy1. The Last of Us 2. Beef
As the ToB Crew kickoff 2024, we begin by lamenting what we lost. If only we could return to the simpler times, pre-pandemic. Alas, this is not to be, so instead Julian and Jeremy rely on "ol' faithful", which of course means reviewing the latest news concerning film and television. Unfortunately, they immediately lose focus, perhaps subconsciously staying true to the nostalgic undertone that accompany the start of a new year, and enjoy a fun sidebar discussion about the state of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and Star Wars in the early 2000s (We didn't know how good we had it back then). All of which was of course an offshoot of the news of John Williams un-retirement. Next the guys unpack some Star Wars news, and then lean into Marvel. Specifically the fresh legitimacy the Netflix 'Defenders' saga shows have received as Daredevil is pulled further into the MCU. They also save some time to review the Golden Globe winners and look ahead at the Emmys (which were happening live during the recording). All that and so much more on this week's episode of The Tower of Babble Podcast.
If you enjoy the show please subscribe and leave a nice review on Apple Podcasts, and check out Patreon.com/TowerBabbleCast to become one of our latest patrons.
Show NotesMovies & TV* Trailers + ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ + Guy Ritchie’s ‘The Gentlemen’ series
- John Williams has canceled his retirement plans saying “If a film came along that I was greatly interested in, with a schedule that I could cope with, I wouldn’t want to rule anything out.”
- Star Wars
- Dave Filoni has been promoted to Chief Creative Officer of Lucasfilm.
- Dave Filoni, in a recent interview with EW, confirms what was seemingly firmly established in Ahsoka, saying that “if you pay attention to the films you understand that the Force is an energy field created by all living things. But it takes some commitment”.
-
A ‘What If’ series for Star Wars is reportedly in the works.
-
A new ‘Star Trek’ film is in development with Toby Haynes (‘Andor’) set to direct. This is described as an origin story set decades before the 2009 ‘Star Trek’ film.
- ‘Tron: Ares’ will begin filming after the holidays. It will star Jared Leto, Evan Peters, Greta Lee, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Cameron Monaghan. It won’t have Joseph Kosinsky directing, or Daft Punk doing the score.
- Warner Brothers and Tom Cruise have agreed to a unique development deal - Variety
- ‘Fast X: Part 2’ will reportedly be a throwback to the first film with a trimmed budget and less major locations.
- Marvel:
-
‘Echo’ and the new “Spotlight” sub-brand.
- Kingpin to be the “Thanos of the street level MCU”
- The entire ‘Defenders’ saga has been added to the MCU timeline on Disney+
- Eden Henson and Deborah Ann Woll will return as Foggy and Karen for ‘Daredevil: Born Again’
- Jon Bernthal says his return as The Punisher has to be right with “real sacred integrity to the source material and to what is at the core of Frank'' … “I’m gonna do my absolute best to make sure that, if and when we do it, we do it right.”
-
The Golden Globes winners: https://goldenglobes.com/articles/diversity-front-and-center-with-golden-globe-nominations/
- Emmys look ahead
Agree of Disagree Mathew Vaughn thinks that Star Wars should have a reboot and only focus on the Skywalker family. “What are the Star Wars characters so hallowed that from 1977 you can’t re-do it for a new audience?”
What We’ve Been Watching* Whiplash * The Iron Claw * Harry Potter * Lord of the Rings
Maybe time works differently in the Star Wars universe because it feels like it was just yesterday that we were flipping over the calendar from 2022 to 2023. We were so young and naive. We didn't know a Hollywood strike would bring production of all our most anticipated projects to a grinding halt, and we hadn't yet learned to never trust a movie announcement from Lucasfilm, or that Mando S3 would land with such a thud. But here we are, a year later, looking ahead at another year of Star Wars. We are still waiting for the next movie in the franchise, while some of the best animated content is about to come to an end with the final season of 'The Bad Batch'. Plus, some intriguing new live action shows are just around the corner in 'The Acolyte' and 'Skeleton Crew', though we still don't know much about either one. It's a tumultuous time, so to kick things off on the right foot, Julian and Rachel take a moment to enjoy their Star Wars themed Christmas gifts before diving back into the nitty gritty.
If you enjoy the show please subscribe and leave a nice review on Apple Podcasts, and check out Patreon.com/TowerBabbleCast to become one of our latest patrons.
Julian and Jeremy recently sat down to record a Film Club episode and as it happens, they mad some extra time to chat about a few random topics afterwards. This is that conversation. Physical media vs streaming, Oppenheimer, Rebel Moon, Harry Potter, TV's, sound and home theatre setups. It's a hodgepodge of topics that will fit perfectly into your holiday podcast binging. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from all of us at Tower of Babble! See you next year...
If you enjoy the show please subscribe and leave a nice review on Apple Podcasts, and check out Patreon.com/TowerBabbleCast to become one of our latest patrons.
With every media company in some state of crises these day, it's nice to be reminded that there are things worth looking forward to, even if it's mixed in with a lot of other crap. You really need to try these days to cut through the noise. Fortunately, at least one new trailer dropped recently that made us feel alive again, 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga', taking us back to the simpler times of bombastic explosions and a post-apocalyptical setting. As this weeks episode title suggests, yes it is a sequel (or I suppose a prequel as well), and yes, sequels in general have been on the top of Hollywood's mind as of late. Disney's Bob Iger, who has had a rough go of it recently, chimed in saying that Disney was going to pull back on the amount of sequels it was creating. Meanwhile, Sony, who can't help themselves, released a trailer for 'Madame Web', highlighting for everyone exactly why less sequels are needed. Julian and Jeremy discuss all of this, as well as a lay-up "Agree of Disagree" featuring Chris Nolan, which dovetails nicely into a conversation on 'Oppenheimer' to close things out. All this, and more, in the week's Tower of Babble Podcast!
If you enjoy the show please subscribe and leave a nice review on Apple Podcasts, and check out Patreon.com/TowerBabbleCast to become one of our latest patrons.
Show NotesMovies Trailers* + Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga + Fallout + House of the Dragon S2 + Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom + Madame Web + The Boys S4
- Marvel/Disney
- Tom Holland discusses the potential of Spider-Man 4 saying “We have been in active discussion about it. I feel very protective over Spider-Man. I won’t make another one for the sake of making another one. It will have to be worth the while of the character.”
-
This echoes Bob Iger’s recent comments about Disney wanting to be smarter about its sequel decisions after going sequel crazy as of late, saying “moving forward we will only greenlight a sequel if we believe the story that the creators want to tell is worth telling”
-
Bob Iger has been in the press a lot lately. He also recently said that their creators at Disney have lost sight of what their job should be, entertain first, not messages. He went on to add that stories infused with “positive messages for the world” can be great but that it shouldn't be the primary job.
-
A fun rumor, Sam Rami apparently is one of the top contenders for the directing job of ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’.
-
WBD
- David Zaslav says that it takes courage to write off movies for tax purposes. His quote: “what content is going to help us win? The content that wasn’t, we made a strategic decision on. It was difficult and painful but it was necessary.”
Agree of Disagree Chris Nolan on Scorsese’s comments about superhero films:
“Established titles can assure a return in audiences and give people more of what they want, and it pays for lots of other films to be made. But there always needs to be respect for the audience’s desire for something new. A healthy ecosystem in Hollywood is about balance between those two things” - AP
What We’ve Been Watching* Oppenheimer * Hobbit: The Unexpected Journey * Harry Potter: The Goblet of Fire (4) * Invincible S2 * Scavengers Reign * Blue Eye Samurai
We're hitting the ground running as we attempt to get back to a regular cadence this week with one of the biggest stories in Hollywood right now. If you've been listening to this show for awhile you know that we've paid close attention to the troubles that have beset Warner Brothers over the last few years. My have the tables been turned. Variety has put out a pretty scathing article (hit piece?) on the current state of Marvel Studios that didn't hold back in its indictment of the management (mismanagement) by Disney for what was, up until very recently, a nearly unblemished brand. Julian and Jeremy unpack how they got themselves in this situation and ponder what moves they can make to bring people back into the world Stan built. Meanwhile, of course, WB still manages to find it's way into the limelight with it's latest attempt to burry a film for tax credits, so of course that is touched on as well.
If you enjoy the show please subscribe and leave a nice review on Apple Podcasts, and check out Patreon.com/TowerBabbleCast to become one of our latest patrons.
With crisp autumn leaves on the ground and the smell of pumpkin spice latte's in the air, it's easy to feel nostalgic about the summer that was. And what a summer it was (at least for Hollywood)! 2023 saw the resurgence of a more "typical" summer movie slate, having recovered as best as it could after COVID. Massive titles like 'Spider-Man', 'Indiana Jones', 'Guardians of the Galaxy' and don't forget the massive phenomenon of 'Barbenheimer'. It all came and went over the summer months seemingly in the blink of an eye. It was a whirlwind time that brought many surprises, both good and bad. Julian and Rachel unpack it all as they review the results of this year's Summer Movie Wager (credit to The Filmcast).
If you're wondering if you might have missed the preview episode at the beginning of summer, well put those fears to rest because there wasn't one! Unfortunately we weren't able to schedule that episode in time. Thankfully the website we use (link in show notes) keeps us honest.
If you enjoy the show please subscribe and leave a nice review on Apple Podcasts, and check out Patreon.com/TowerBabbleCast to become one of our latest patrons.
Show NotesSpoilers! It’s a TIE at 43 points. I suppose it’s not really about winning and losing, but we can all agree that we prefer only one winner next year.
Take a deep dive into at all the details for the below scoring to see how exactly we ended up in a tie, and bookmark the site to play along next year at this link: https://thesummermoviewager.com/index.php?addPlayer=ToBCast%2Craewilki&playAlongOnly=&year=2023
Julian’s Results: Rachel’s Results:
There it is folks. The big finale for Dave Filoni's first full season of live action Star Wars. Though it was a little bumpy at times, most can probably agree that 'Ahsoka' brought it in the parts that matter most. Characters and emotional through-lines were strong, the plot satisfying, the action thrilling, and most importantly they were able to stick the landing. Sure, there's still plenty of unanswered mysteries, and with no clear understanding of how the story will continue (we have yet to hear of an announcement for a season 2) all fans can do right now is unpack the story so far. And in that regard, you're in luck, because that's exactly what Julian and Rachel are here to do. The pair of hosts do a scene-by-scene dissection of the entire episode, look back at the season as a whole, and do their best to predict where things might go from here (which turned out to be surprisingly hard to do).
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Last week, Julian joined friend-of-the-show, Axel, on the Daily DVR Podcast to discuss the dire future of streaming TV as Amazon looks to introduce ads to Prime, the end of the writers strike and how audiences have yet to feel it's deferred impact on content, and a light-weight discussion on Disney's 'Ahsoka'. Think of it as a companion piece to the Small Screen Star Wars content we've been delivering. At the end, the guys chat a bit about Canadian football of all things as well. Enjoy!
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It never ceases to surprise me how quickly 8-episode seasons of TV fly by. Here we are, already at the penultimate episode of the season (everyone's favourite TV related word, maybe only next to "titular"). With only the season finale left to rap things up, there's some anxiety amongst the fandom that there won't be enough time in only one episode to provide a satisfying finish to what has largely been a very successful season of TV. Both in terms of quality of storytelling but also fan reception. Time will tell how 'Ahsoka' will tie off it's loose ends, but with a "Heir to the Empire" movie on the horizon, it may not need to neatly wrap everything up. In terms of 'Part Seven' itself, it does the necessary job of moving all the pieces into place for a big finish next week while also providing some exciting action set pieces framed with strategy sessions with Thrawn. It had this tick-tack-toe feeling to it, as Thrawn, commanding his forces remotely, faced off and was forced to adapt as Ahsoka and our heroes responded to his moves. It made for a interesting dynamic that filled most of the episode. Oh, and we got a fun cameo as we checked back in with Hera and the New Republic. Next week is the big finale. We all hope it's got a long runtime as it has quite a bit to do, and as Thrawn said this week, the season lost the only thing it couldn't afford to lose, time.
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As the title implies, we're finally in another galaxy. The "enemy" has arrived on Peridea and with it we get the resplendent return of Grand Admiral Thrawn, and his first appearance in live action. Like an old shoe, Thrawn slips right into the narrative like he's always been there (Most impressive!). We also get our first real look at another character that's been teased since the first episode, but unfortunately the emotions of that scene don't really hold a candle to the effectively bombastic entrance of the blue man. This episode, by it's nature, does a lot of work tying up loose ends, and squashing fan theories, leaving only a small handful of mysteries left to be revealed. The most intriguing of which being whatever it is that Baylon is after. His character continues to be one of, if not the most compelling on the show so far, and with Ahsoka set to make her appearance on Peridea next week, I expect things will heat up even further.
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After the final moments of last week's episode, many fans were left to wonder about the fate of the titular character, now that she found herself back within the "world between worlds". Dave Filoni stepping back into the director's role (as well as the special theatrical screenings), signaled that we may be in store for something BIG. "Part Five: Shadow Warrior" did not disappoint as it reunites Ahsoka with her former Master (who also happens to be dead, but who's counting), Anakin Skywalker, as he attempts to complete her training while she stares down death's door. Fortunately, it's more than just a nostalgia play, as the action is largely motivated by character, allowing for a satisfying "rebirth" of Ahsoka as she faces her demons. Unfortunately however, the back half of the episode lacks much of that early momentum. Although it does neatly setup the final 3 episodes, which remain a mystery, as we've still yet to see the big bad, Thrawn. Things should really heat up next week as we take out first steps into a new Star Wars galaxy (presumably).
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Despite being only a few minutes longer than last week's episode, "Part Four" of 'Ahsoka' manages to feel much grander and expansive. It not only packs a heavy action punch, with plenty of lightsabers, it also manages to expand on a lot of the most interesting character dynamics and plot points as well. Character through action is always appreciated and this episode brings that in spades. That's without even mentioning the bold and surprising turns that Dave Filoni is able to pull off here, leaving the heroes in a very tricky spot heading into episode 5, which by all accounts is supposed to be banger. There's plenty of chatter online about where this episode sits in terms of the pantheon of "The best Star Wars TV", which means it certainly holds it's own against the some of best Star Wars installments we've ever seen. Join Julian and Rachel as they break it all down, scene by scene, and make your own assessment.
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With Julian out in the woods (literally), dialing in remotely with Rachel, and dealing with some technical difficulties (and a few bears), it's a low-tech episode this week. The pair discuss Part 3 of 'Ahsoka', which despite it's surprisingly short runtime, still manages to pickup on the "will she - won't she" story thread with Sabine and the Force. It also features an exciting dog-fighting sequence, which are always very welcome in a Star Wars story. Unfortunately, it doesn't have time for much else, relegating Hera's appearance to a single short scene (which at least had a few surprises of it's own). Next week, we're back in the studio and with it the return of a more "normal" production quality.
After only a short 4-months since ‘The Mandalorian’ season 3, Small Screen Star Wars returns with more reviews and breakdowns. After having to (fairly) bow out of covering the season finale of Mando, Rachel returns to the podcast chair, alongside Julian, to unpack the two-part series premiere of ‘Ahsoka’. With these episodes coming in at nearly two full hours combined, there’s a lot of lore, character and details to sift through, so buckle up for a comprehensive exploration of every action-packed moment in this overstuffed exploration of the latest Star Wars story! (which just so happens to basically be a semi-sequel to ‘Rebels’)
As Hollywood continues to flounder in it’s own self-created mess of labour action, Julian and Jeremy return to the mic to discuss the ongoing sorry state of affairs. Fortunately, Barbenheimer is still going strong which gives the guys a bit of a distraction from the absolute disgrace that have been the major movie studios. Oh, plus there’s a some discussion about the new TMNT flick and some tangents about the length of TV seasons. That is all to say, enjoy this very casual, but somewhat frustrated, edition of The Tower of Babble Podcast!
Julian and Jeremy get together to try to make sense of the current tumultuous state of Hollywood. With the actors joining the writers on strike, the pressure mounts for studios, who are currently going through an almost unprecedented streak of box office failures. It's not looking good out there folks! Which is why it was necessary to revive the "Agree or Disagree" segment of the show to really dive into the complexities of the situation. Meanwhile, DC Studios continues to try to steady the ship by announcing casting news for 'Superman: Legacy'. Surprisingly they've gone further than just announcing who will be playing Clark and Lois, and added character announcements for the likes of Guy Gardner, Hawk Girl and more. Unsurprisingly, this leads to some debate on the merits of James Gunn's recent decision making. On top of that, the guys discuss a grab-bag of movie topics to round out the show. All this and so much more on this week's episode of the Tower of Babble Podcast!
Two bonus episodes in a row? What is this Christmas in July?! Well no not really, but Julian did guest spot on the ‘Daily DVR’ podcast again last week (along with a whole plethora of other great guests) to discuss the top 5 best TV shows of year 2023 so far. Unsurprisingly, things like ‘The Last of Us’, ‘Succession’ and ‘The Bear’ make a lot of the respective lists, but there’s still a lot of room for surprises and if all goes as planned you should be able to add a few new shows to your watch list after listening to this. Give Axel and the crew some love and check out their show page here: https://dvrpodcast.com/category/dailydvr/ .
Next Month: with 'Mission: Impossible' on the mind with the pending release of 'Dead Reckoning Part 1' we return to one of the most controversial installments in the franchise with John Woo's 'Mission Impossible 2' i.e. 'MI2'.
In what is a somewhat new format for ToB, Julian starts off this episode solo, and is joined by Jeremy mid-stream. Julian, and then also Jeremy, unpack the absolute mess that has been left in the wake of DC's latest box-office bomb. With so much weight of expectations resting on the shoulders of 'The Flash' (thanks a lot Tom Cruise and Stephen King) it may not be a surprise that it wasn't able to reach those lofty heights, but it doesn't make the situation any rosier for WB executives who backed a chaotic lead, shelved 'Batgirl', and spurned Snyder fans, for this flop. The guys discuss the film itself (was it actually any good?), possible reasons it failed financially, and what it means for the future of the DCU.
The "less-structured" format continues this week as Jeremy and Julian start by discussing a series of movie release date delays, which spins widely into conversations about a variety of random topics. Such as: the polarizing early impressions of 'The Flash', Zach Snyder's 'Rebel Moon', Lucasfilm's continued refusal to learn any lessons from 'Solo', a review of 'Across the Spider-Verse', MCU turbulence, and why people keep calling for James Gunn's head. All that and so much more on this week's Tower of Babble Podcast!
Julian and Jeremy get together for a quick news roundup, including: DC's plan to continue with Ezra Miller after 'The Flash', Martin Scorsese's new trailer and his meeting with the Pope, HBO's reluctance to greenlight the Jon Snow 'Game of Thrones' sequel, the end of the Arrowverse on CW, the latest from Quenton Tarantino, and Mark Hamill's stance on recasting Luke Skywalker. Plus Julian brings some impressions from 'Fast X'.
Julian and Jeremy reconvene after some time off to discuss the latest in film and television news, and there is no bigger story than the writers strike as it effects both mediums. The guys discuss the WGA's biggest demands, and spend some time examining how effective AI could really be in replacing creative jobs in media. After that it's a grab bag of stories including the possible return of The Rock to the Fast and Furious finale, another look at 'The Super Mario Bros Movie' and it's massive success as it continues to climb the all-time animated movie box office charts, some comments from Kathleen Kennedy on how to "eventize" Star Wars movies again, and few other odds and ends. Enjoy!
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Show Notes* The WGA goes on strike. What will this writers strike look like, and what are they fighting for? * ‘Fast X’ will now be 3-part finale to the Fast and Furious franchise, instead of it’s originally planned 2-part finale. Rumour is that the change is due to the fact that The Rock will be reprising his role despite the public beef with Vin Diesel. * ‘The Super Mario Bros Movie’ is now the 5th highest grossing animated movie of all time. * ‘Yellowstone’ will end with season 5. * Kathleen Kennedy says that she’s looking at the James Bond franchise for how to “eventize” Star Wars movies again. * ‘Kraven’ will be rated R and feature Rhino
What We’ve Been Watching* Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3
Surprise! We have a bonus episode for you this week (it maaaay be a few weeks late but you gotta provide some exclusivity time I suppose), as Julian joins Axel on the 'Daily DVR' podcast to discuss the Warner Brothers Discovery announcement surrounding the rebranding of "HBO Max" to simply "MAX" and all the adjoining bits of news. Including the 'Harry Potter' series, ‘Game of Thrones’, 'RoboCop' and much more!
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'The Mandalorian' brought it's third season to close with a climactic battle for Mandalor, capping off a rocky eight episodes that have left some fans disappointed after what was such a stellar conclusion to season two. "The Return" ties up many of the loose ends from this season and the action set-pieces alone are worth the price of admission (more jetpack heavy battle sequences please) but taking a step back, we're left with a feeling of emptiness, as we may have a worse understanding of our lead characters psyches than we did coming into the season. With so much to do in the finale, and only 39-minutes to do it in, there just isn't any time left to hear what anyone thinks about the major events that just took place. It's plot in absence of character, and it's a real shame. It's not that the show is now bad, it's just that it certainly took a step back this season in pacing, plotting, character development and probably even musically with the absence of Ludwig. The hope being that it can learn from it's mistakes and course-correct going into season four. Julian recaps all of it, beat-by-beat, all by himself, as Rachel has had her baby (Congrats!) and as such was not able to join, for obvious and very much appropriate reasons. We'll be back with more Small Screen Star Wars very soon, but before that we'll be taking a short break. Make sure to check out the main feed for 'The Tower of Babble Podcast' in the meantime to stay up to date with all things nerdy. May the Force be with you!
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As this season closes in on it's finale next week, there have been a lot of questions about this season's direction, or lack there of. Including on this very show. This penultimate episode for season 3 does a lot to answer those questions and it does so with tons of style. There's plenty of exciting action set pieces this week to sink your teeth into, which are satisfying in there own way, but it's the focus on driving the plot forward, the interesting world building, and the some deeper exploration of key characters like Bo Katan, that take this episode to the next level. That being said, it's not perfect, with a few pacing issues and the odd inclusion of another giant monster that feels ham-fisted. Overall though, the return of one of the shows best villains does a lot of heavy lifting, and certainly sets the stakes quite high for next week's finale.
Programming Note: Rachel may not be available to record next week due to having a baby. We'll update the Discord and Twitter with news on this as we know more. Thank you for your understanding.
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After the disaster that was the 1993 'Super Mario Bros' feature film it seemed like Nintendo had zero appetite for ever trying that again. Fast forward 30 years and the future of Nintendo franchises making the leap to cinema once again hangs on the hopes of Illumination Studio's 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie'. However, unlike in 1993, the reception to this movie has been much more positive, and even more importantly, it's bringing in the box office revenue, ranking as the most successful animated feature release of all time. But is the movie any good? Julian and Jeremy attempt to answer that question in this week's Tower of Babble Podcast. With decades of internalized Nintendo knowledge and a keen ability to sniff out the good and the bad for this type of adaption, you're in good hands for this spoiler-filled review.
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Most people seem to agree that season 3 of 'The Mandalorian' seems to be a bit lost in the woods. Despite strong episodes, like last week's "Pirates", overall the larger plot seems to be a bit directionless at times. It's a cloud that is hanging over the show and seems to be casting a primarily negative shadow on it's reception this year. This week's episode unfortunately continues that trend, but it also continues the trend of having extremely entertaining side missions, with the inspiration-de-jour being a 'CSI' or 'Law and Order' style procedural/neo-noir detective caper. With cameo's a plenty from well known actors, an extremely jovial escapade to a new outer rim planet that is actually wealthy for once, and plenty of Clone Wars era callbacks, it's hard not to be entertained. Thankfully, the final moments of the episode tie us back into the larger plot (in a pretty clunky way if we're being honest), and setup the last 2 episodes of the season. Which are complete mysteries at this point. Plus, Rachel and Julian discuss the three new Star Wars movie projects announced at 'Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023', and dive into the brand new 'Ahsoka' trailer.
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Just as Din seemed to be fairly aimless since his bath in the living waters, so to did the show itself. Wandering from plot point to plot point with no regard for pacing or sense of direction. That largely changed this week as Din is recruited to rescue Nevarro at the behest of an unlikely ally, all with the possibility of using the opportunity to create a new home for his cohorts. The threat of pirates brought many dangling plot threads together and helped establish a new purpose for our heroes, with the mystery of a reemerging threat lingering in darkness. That's without even mentioning some absolutely stellar action sequences realized with top tier visual effects, adding a much needed sense of quality to the whole affair that has felt oddly absent as of late. Oh, and don't forget about our boy Zeb!
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It's a rare thing to get a season finale that hits as hard as this two-part season 2 capper of 'The Bad Batch'. Lucasfilm Animation was firing on all cylinders for much of this season, with gorgeous animation, top tier performances, and scoring from Kevin Kiner that is as good as anything you'd get in a feature film. Yet somehow they took it to another level with "The Summit", and then somehow found yet another gear for the heart-wrenching "Plan 99". For which it's episode title alone now carries more emotional weight than probably any scene from 'The Rise of Skywalker'. For our money, Star Wars doesn't get much better than this folks. There probably isn't much more to be said about how great these episodes were but Julian and Rachel dedicate the entirety of this nearly 2.5 hour podcast to Clone Force 99 and it's well deserved. Look for coverage of Mando later this week, because since when "have we ever followed orders".
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A big reveal accompanied by a nice surprise are the highlights of this week's episode of 'The Mandalorian', that otherwise felt mostly inconsequential. Not quite a bottle episode (but close), we spend much of the relatively short runtime with the Mandalorian covert as they attempt to rescue a child from what is essentially a dragon. Meanwhile, over on 'The Bad Batch' we are treated to one of the best episodes of the entire series. Table setting for a finale has never been this exciting or engaging. Between prison breaks, escape attempts, and political intrigue, there isn't much more you can ask for from this show. Superb!
Note: The audio in the first 10 minutes of the podcast is less than optimal after having to do some recovery to get it back. The remainder of the episode is back to the usual high audio standard we strive for.
Note 2: The review/recap of this week's episode of 'The Bad Batch' had to be cut short. The plan is to pick up where we left off next week as a lead into the coverage of the season finale. The logistics of next week's podcasts are still up in the air but rest assured both shows will be covered in one way or another.
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Julian and Jeremy return to the mic to dissect the latest in film and TV news. As it always seems to be the case, the guys start by unpacking the latest drama with DC Studios. With 'Shazam 2' underperforming, there's more scrutiny on a botched crossover with Black Adam, James Gunn continues to get heat, seemingly for no good reason this time, and Ben Affleck is done with Batman... this time for real. Meanwhile leadership at Disney continues to blame 'Solo: A Star Wars Story' for the reason they can't seem to commit to any new Star Wars film projects for longer than 5 minutes. This coming on the heels of Patty Jenkins 'Rogue Squadron' movie being shelved. Plus, stay tuned to the end of the episode to hear a full spoiler review of HBO's 'The Last of Us' season 1. All that and so much more in this week's Tower of Babble Podcast!
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Show NotesNews* The Rock interfered with Shazam's cameo. * Ben Affleck is done with the DCU. * Snydercon * Tom Cruise requested to see 'The Flash' * Clancy Brown will play Salvatore Maroni in the upcoming ‘The Penguin’ series. * ‘Batman: Caped Crusader’ will now be released by Amazon and they have a 2 season order. * Tarantino has written is10th film, it’s called “The Movie Critic” and will apparently feature a female lead. * Bob Iger calls “Solo: A Star Wars Story” disappointing and that they are being “careful” with their future Star Wars movies.
+ This comes after the announcement of Patty Jenkns ‘Rogue Squadron’ film being shelved.
- Warner Bros and New Line are coming back together to make more LOTR movies.
- Teletoon has come to an end in Canada. It will now be rebranded to “Cartoon Network Canada”
- 'Tron 3' featuring Jared Leto is going forward at Disney with Joachim Renning set to direct.
What We’ve Been Watching* Ted Lasso S3 * The Last of Us S1
After a massive bombshell at the end of last week's episode of 'The Mandalorian', we take a sharp left turn into a completely different part of the galaxy and largely leave the Mythosaur thread to dangle... for now. The shift to concentrate on Dr. Pershing and his attempt to reintegrate into a post-war society, though surprising, was actually chalk-full of deep world building and does the leg work to set up a fascinating mystery. The Mando bookends featuring some stellar dog-fighting, and a surprisingly quick resolution to the whole "redemption" arch, were appreciated for their ability to keep the central story moving forward. On 'The Bad Batch' front, the season put the pause on things as it took our heroes on a short vacation that reminded us of what was actually at stake. It was slower, but intentionally so, and took the time to let us just "live" with the characters for a moment. Unsurprisingly, it didn't take nearly as long to unbox this episode compared to Mando.
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The Tower of Babble Podcast has always kept at least one eye trained on the biggest movie awards show of the year. The coverage has come in a variety of forms over the years. We've done round table previews with friends of the show. We've done smaller more intimate affairs with just a 2 movie lovers talking about their favorites from the nominees. We've even done live sessions on Twitter spaces. This year we return to the Twitter spaces format with Julian doing a solo show in which he gives his thoughts on the ceremony itself, before getting into each of the Best Picture nominees with thoughts on the winners from each category sprinkled throughout. What will next year's converge look like?
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Show NotesAttached are the ballots that Julian completed ahead of the show, which include the after show scoring in both formats which are traditional to ToB Oscars coverage: Who we want to win (i.e. our favorites from each category) vs Who will/should win (i.e. what is most likely to be selected by the Academy).
For quick reference the scoring was as follows:
Julian - Who We Want to Win: 9/23
Julian - Who Will/Should Win: 12/23
Coming out of a lackluster premiere, 'The Mandalorian' steps things up in a big way with "The Mines of Mandalore". They waste no time in getting to the meat of the larger story, with a much better mix of lore to chew on with very exciting action (did someone say slice and dice?). Meanwhile on 'The Bad Batch' side, Lucasfilm animation outdoes themselves yet again with another top tier episode of Star Wars animation (unfortunately it's another one without the show's titular characters). In "The Outpost" we catch up with Crosshair as he's sent on what appears to be one of the few remaining military missions left for the Clones now that they're being retired. It's full of moody character work that culminates in what feels like something long overdue. What a time to be a Star Wars fan when we get two stories of this caliber released on the same day. This double-feature experience will continue for the next 4 weeks, so buckle up!
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The big brains at Disney have decided that for the next 4 weeks, Wednesdays will be Star Wars double-header day, with episodes of season 3 of "The Mandalorian" premiering alongside the ongoing season 2 of "The Bad Batch". It certainly makes for a very fun double-feature for Star Wars fans, but also makes covering those shows on the podcast slightly more complicated. As such, Julian and Rachel will be reviewing both series simultaneously. So look for more 2-part episodes of "Small Screen Star Wars" over the next few weeks. The episodes themselves lacked much of any connecting through-lines (except the inclusion of large space monsters). Mando kicks off with a reset episodes that brings some fun adventure, and The Batch is seemingly back on track with an "Alien" inspired episode that starts the process of looping the main cast back into the wider story.
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With no ship, and no help from Cid, The Batch are all but stranded. But wait! Omega has a plan! They'll track their stolen ship by zeroing in on their defective power droid, Gonky. This takes the crew to a mining facility that has their own problems. Namely, a tale as old as time, in that the workers are being abused by a greedy boss. Fortunately, with the help of the thief who originally stole their ship, they're able to kill two birds with one stone - retrieve their ship, and solve the labor problem. This wraps up what appears to be a two-part arch (maybe there's a third next week?) that leaned heavily into character work, with sprinkles of interesting action in this second half. That all being said, the show seems to be lacking in stakes, making it feel a little weightless. Hopefully that changes soon as we are well into the back half of the season now.
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It's back to our regular scheduled programming this week with another "mission of the week". Or at least so we thought. "The Crossing" starts off in a very unassuming way but as things go from bad to worse on a this gold rush era, western themed mystery planet, it becomes evident that this episode has a little more going on under the surface (ahem, pun not intended). In what can be described as a "bottle episode" the creative team at Lucasfilm animation chose to forgo the larger plot and instead concentrate on some character work, specifically Omega struggling with change and loss after Echo's departure, as well as Tech's inability to relate to her. It's a welcome change from the less-than-complex one-off episodes we've seen this season, even if it does still feel light compared to the highs of the the two-part episodes last week.
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James Gunn waited until the last possible day to fulfill his promise of revealing details about his upcoming slate of DC projects. Releasing a pre-recorded video on January 31st, Gunn laid out the projects that will make up his first phase, which they are calling "Gods and Monsters". It will feature a Superman and Supergirl movie, a Wonder Woman prequel series, a new Batman film, this time featuring Robin, as well as series for Booster Gold, Amanda Waller, and even Green Lanterns. You can't forget the titular "Monster" either, as Swamp Thing is also getting a movie. Plus animated projects and video games are all announced to be part of this new DCU (no longer the DCEU). It's a lot to unpack, so Jeremy and Julian break down each announcement with an eye of optimism as things finally seem to be looking up for a franchise that has seen nothing but turbulence for nearly a decade.
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Show NotesDC* James Gunn’s DC Slate Announcement:
+ First phase titled “Gods and Monsters”
+ ‘Superman: Legacy’
+ ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’
+ ‘The Brave and the Bold’
+ ‘Swamp Thing’
+ ‘The Authority’
+ ‘Creature Commandos’
+ ‘Paradise Lost’
+ ‘Booster Gold’
+ ‘Lanterns’
+ ‘Waller’
+ ‘Peacemaker S2’
- ‘The Flash’ trailer
This season of 'The Bad Batch' has been a real rollercoaster. The highs of "The Solitary Clone" to the lows of episodes like "Faster". This week, the show once again elevated itself with a 2-episode drop that feels like a spiritual sequel to the great 'The Clone Wars' episode "Clone Conspiracy". In fact, the first part of this 2-part story arch, aptly named "The Clone Conspiracy", doesn't even feature our titular characters. These 2 episodes also felt like a great companion piece to last year's 'Andor' as we focus again on political intrigue and dangerous secrets. The tension is palpable and the presence of returning characters feel natural in this given situation. But the biggest revelation is that we finally have a clear understanding of the fate of the clones. There's still plenty to explore in this show, but after these 2 episodes, it has easily justified its status as must-watch Star Wars.
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We are proud to be taking part in "Star Wars Podcast Day 2023", a celebration of all the podcasts who are covering the galaxy far far away. This is our first year taking part, and as a special bonus episode just for the occasion, Rachel and Julian look ahead at all the Star Wars content coming to Disney+ and beyond. 2023 is shaping up to be one of the best years for Star Wars content in some time, what with 'The Bad Batch' already well underway, and 'The Mandalorian' season 3 just around the corner, the hype levels are already through the roof. Looking later into the year with 'Ahsoka' and 'Skeleton Crew', and although little is actually known about them at this point, it's hard not to get excited about the prospect of live action Thrawn. That's without even mentioning 'Star Wars Jedi: Survivor' the follow up to the hit game from EA. Plus more 'Star Wars Visions'. It's almost too much! … almost.
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Now we're cooking with gas! After two very insular episodes that felt very light and fluffy we're back to something with a little more (furry) meat on the bones. "Tribe" kicks off with a very moody space station sequence that leads up right into the reintroduction of a fan favourite character from 'The Clone Wars' in nonother than everyone's favourite Wookie Jedi, Gungi! He's is looking a bit older but still clearly an adolescent having dealt with a lot after Order 66. This episode does a nice job of adding stakes with the Wookies and injects some nice world building as we learn more about the state of Kashyyyk after the war. A nice change after both of those elements were barely seen in the last two episodes.
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Sure, we were a little harsh on last week's episode, 'Faster'. It felt like a diversion that was unfortunately timed to come immediacy after a standout episode of the entire series in 'The Solitary Clone'. Coming off of this week's 'Indiana Jones' inspired treasure hunt episode, we learned the show was capable of being even more aimless than we already thought possible. Wanda Sykes' character Phee Genoa returns, and we learn she's less of a pirate and more of a treasure hunter, which admittedly is a cool refinement. Unfortunately, the nature of this "mission of week" which finds the Batch exploring a desolate uncharted planet means that there is little to no plot movement for the larger story. To make matters worse, despite some relatively interesting lore possibilities (hello 'Jedi: Fallen Order'), there's also no character work here either. It's the ultimate "filler" episode. I term I loath to use, as its meaning has largely been lost in the popular lexicon, but in this case, the shoe fits.
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As the calendar flips to a new year it's always nice to look back at the best-of-the best from the last 12 months. It's become a highly prestigious tradition here at Tower of Babble - 6 years running. Therefor, as is tradition, the ToB hosts, Julian, Jeremy, and Rachel, gather together to discuss their top 3 ranked favorites in film and television from 2022. If you've been listening (or watching live!) throughout the last year, some of these picks might be predictable. That being said, there was a lot of great content to pick from so don't be shocked if something comes out of left field. Congrats to all of this year's Tobie winners!
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Show NotesTelevisionJulian1. Andor 2. Severance 3. Peacemaker
Honourable Mention:
- The Bear, The Bad Batch S1, Star Trek Strange New Worlds, Only Murders in the Building S2
Disappointment:
- Obi-Wan Kenobi, Star Trek Picard S2
Rachel1. Andor 2. Obi-Wan Kenobi 3. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Honourable Mention:
- Wednesday, Tales of the Jedi
Jeremy1. Euphoria S2 2. Obi-Wan Kenobi 3. The Bear
MoviesJulian1. Top Gun: Maverick 2. Avatar: The Way of Water 3. Everything Everywhere All At Once
Honourable Mention:
- The Batman, Sea Beast, Prey, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Glass Onion
Disappointment:
- Jurassic World: Dominion, Lightyear, Uncharted
Rachel1. The Woman King 2. Prey 3. Glass onion
Honourable Mention:
- The Northman
Disappointment:
- Avatar: The Way of Water
Jeremy1. Avatar: The Way of Water 2. Top Gun: Maverick 3. The Batman
Last week's episode of 'The Bad Batch' gave us a topsy-turvy, through the looking glass examination of the jingoistic "adventures" of 'The Clone Wars', seen through the eye's of a compassionate, respected, and likely regretful, veteran of those wars. It was near perfect - chefs kiss*. This week... well this week we got a pseudo-podracing episode that attempts to flush out Cid's past, but unfortunately it doesn't do a great job at the racing OR the character building. Tech gets some interesting things to do, and the voice cameos are fun, but largely speaking this episode feels quite disposable.
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Think back to ‘Revenge of the Sith’ - after Kenobi finishes off Grievous, Commander Cody, Kenobi’s good friend and colleague, gives him back his dropped lightsaber. This is only moments before he shoots him down when Order 66 is enacted. That moment is the last time we had seen Cody from a timeline perspective. A lot has happened since then: countless Jedi murdered, the rise of the Galactic Empire, and with it the iron boot of oppression. How does a lifelong soldier, and a man who believes he killed one of his only friends grapple with that? Well, this episode of ‘The Bad Batch’ asks those very questions as we are treated to a Clone Wars-esque mission, complete with a separatist planet and battle droids, all seen through the eyes of Crosshair. A clone who he-himself is struggling to understand where he fits into the Imperial machine. The rest of The Batch is absent from this episode but you won’t even notice in this action packed, emotionally charged installment.
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After a short holiday break, Julian and Rachel return to Star Wars, this time in the animated form, to discuss the premiere of ‘The Bad Batch’ season 2, which encompassed two episodes, “Spoils of War”, and “Ruins of War”. The two-part premiere saw The Batch take on an extremely risky “get rich quick” scheme that takes them to the planet of Serenno, Count Dooku’s old haunt, to steal a fraction of his EXTREME wealth, which is being gathered up, and shipped off-world by the Empire. With plenty of interesting themes and story threads to digest, and even a new Clone Captain to meet, there’s a lot to discuss. Join us as we break it all down!
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Hard to believe it's already the Holidays already. Seems like just yesterday we were reviewing 'National Lampoons Christmas Vacation'. Oh what a time... we were laughing, snow was falling, things were merry and bright. Well the weather is cold again, and the only way to warm up this year is with EXCESSIVE VIOLENCE! That's right, we're dusting off the action, comedy, Christmas classic 'Die Hard' for this special season. Essentially a perfect action movie, there's very little to critic, but boy is there a lot to love. Join Julian, Jeremy, and Rachel as they break down all the fun one-liners and over the top kills, plus enjoy some bonus Christmas stories from the ToB Crew to kick things off. It's Christmas miracle! Happy holidays everyone!
Next month: the 1997 Phillip Noyce action/thriller 'The Saint'
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It’s been over 10 years since we first visited Pandora (I.e. Not-Kansas), but its been worth the wait. Visionary director, James Cameron, has put together an epic sequel that rivals some of his best. Not only have the visuals taken another leap forward, with nearly photo real effects, but the action and story have also taken a big step forward. This is a complete movie (you’d hope so, considering it comes in at over 3 hours long), full of character exploration, in depth world building, family drama, action on a massive scale, and a strong heart and core message. It’s a movie that deserves to be seen on as big of a screen as possible, and yea even the 3D is good. Needless to say, we liked the movie, so please join Julian and Jeremy as they break it all down!
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After what feels like a lifetime, Julian returns to his studio to catch with Jeremy on all the latest in film and TV news. With a massive backlog of stories to cover, it's hard to know where to start. Thankfully, WB obliged with a juicy story about James Gunn's first couple moves with the newly minted "DC Studios", not the least of it being the shelving of 'Wonder Woman 3'.With more turmoil at WB, the guys dive deep into the possible ins and outs of this type of shake-up. Meanwhile, on the lighter side of things, trailers for 'Indiana Jones 5', 'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts', and 'Guardians of the Galaxy 3' all dropped around the same time, and all of it is dsucsussed in detail. All that and so much more on this week's Tower of Babble Podcast!
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What a season of television! 'Andor' is easily one of the best shows of the year, regardless of genre, but it changed the game for Star Wars. Tony Gilroy laid the gauntlet, and is now stepping back into the shadows as he prepares to wow us again with season 2. Which, unfortunately, will likely be over a year away. In the meantime, we can revisit the masterpiece that is this first season. A season that was capped off with a finale befitting the rest of the show. Without changing the formula at the last second, it held onto exactly what is was, delivering not one, but arguably three rousing speeches (with special shoutout to Marva posthumously. Twice!), but also delivering the goods with a visceral, and violent, climactic set piece. The quality of this series, from the writing, to the effects, and performances, it has all been top notch, and deserving of a moment of recognition. As a whole, it's something very special that doesn't come around often. Bravo to everyone who worked on 'Andor', we all impatiently await the continuation of Cassian's story. No pressure.
One episode left! The level of quality on 'Andor' has been so high, the show so engrossing, the final episode for this nearly perfect first season feels like it's coming way too fast. We spend much of this penultimate episode moving the pieces into position for a what is shaping up to be a thrilling finale. All roads lead to Ferrix. With Marva's tragic passing pulling all the key players, including the titular, newly escaped, Cassian into a trap that is being laid by the ISB. Meanwhile, Syril has fallen off the wagon and is heading to Ferrix as well. Mon Mothma continues to struggle with her financial troubles, and with Leita leaning further into traditional Chandrillan customs, she may very well have the decision on Davo Sculden's offer made for her, despite her massive reservations. We also see Saw again, as he and Luthen grapple with the moral implications of sacrificing Anto Krieger and his men, in what is easily the best scene of the episode. The stage is set, buckle up, everything comes to a head next week.
Defying all odds, this show continues to get better every week. With the conclusion of the heist arch, and the weight of expectations it carried, it was impressive how well it managed to stick the landing. Now four episodes removed from that dramatic escape from Aldhani, we've reached the end of the prison arch. Not only does the show deliver an epic payoff to an escape we knew was coming, it did so while layering in deep character moments for Andor, an unforgettable speech from Luthen, and a heart-pounding exchange between Mon and a mobster. This is something special folks. Buckle up, we're in the final stretch, as we move into a 2-episode mini-arch to finish the season.
Julian and Rachel review the second episode in the prison arch, as the tension heightens and we prepare for a prison break next week.
Andor is admitted to a very "different" type of prison following his swift conviction. This further adds to the fallout from the heist as we see it's even reached previously convicted prisons. Meanwhile we see how the elites are handling this while Mon hosts another cocktail event to garner votes to delay the Emperors latest "overreach". On Ferrix the Empires grip tightens as Vel and Cinta watch Andor's mom in hopes for a clue. Maybe not as "exciting" as previous episodes, this one is particularly dense with some very fun surprises!
The repercussions from last week's "successful" heist are far reaching. This character driven and world building heavy episode shows us how the Empire responds to threats (not well), and what that means for the wider galaxy. Meanwhile, Andor has to grapple with all of this in a much more personal, heartbreaking, way. Mon and Luthen spar somewhat, but the mission continues as we're treated to some very intriguing backroom dealings of her own. Plus Syril gets a desk job.
Andor’s second 3-episode arch came to a dramatic close this week as the Imperial heist we have all been waiting for was finally executed. Was it a complete success? No. But the “heroes” did come out with a decent chunk of change, striking a blow against the galactic villains; “vulnerable to manipulation” my butt. The win came at a cost though, with key members of the team not reaching the the finish line. Leading up to that climax, the episode did a great job building suspense, with eerily beautiful music paired with stunning visuals as the titular “eye” was finally visualized. Ending with a surprising twist, and a peak at the Imperial Senate, there was plenty to enjoy. Overall, it doesn’t get much better than this, but there’s still plenty of episodes left to be proven wrong.
Some might say this middle episode of this second arch is slow, but if you ask us, it’s some of the best character work ever done in Star Wars and it’s doing a masterful job of setting up a thrilling follow-up that will see Andor and his team of misfits finally take on the Empire on Aldhani. Meanwhile, we check in with Mon Mothma, as her web of lies, necessary for keeping a nascent rebellion alive, is straining her family life. Speaking of strained family life, we also get to check in with Syril and his mother as they attempt to regroup after the fiasco on Ferrix that forced him back home. We also briefly touch base with the ISB and Luthen to make sure everyone gets a scene. All in, certainly not an “exciting” episode by any traditional metric, but for our money, this is still some top notch Star Wars.
After a thrilling finale to the first three-episode arch, we pick up episode 4immediatly following the events that drove Andor from Ferrix with Luthen. As Andor gets drawn further into the ranks of the Rebellion, we also get introduced to a new plot line, as we start following an Imperial Security Bureau (ISB) agent Dedra and her colleagues on Coruscant. Speaking of which, this is the first time we’ve returned to the galactic capital in any meaningful way in live action, particularly in Imperial era, and damn is it good to be back. We’re also reintroduced to Senator Mon Mothma in one of the best scenes in the show yet. The political intrigue is ramping up fast and we’re here to break it all down!
After a thrilling finale to the first three-episode arch, we pick up episode 4immediatly following the events that drove Andor from Ferrix with Luthen. As Andor gets drawn further into the ranks of the Rebellion, we also get introduced to a new plot line, as we start following an Imperial Security Bureau (ISB) agent Dedra and her colleagues on Coruscant. Speaking of which, this is the first time we’ve returned to the galactic capital in any meaningful way in live action, particularly in Imperial era, and damn is it good to be back. We’re also reintroduced to Senator Mon Mothma in one of the best scenes in the show yet. The political intrigue is ramping up fast and we’re here to break it all down!
Small Screen Star Wars returns to cover another Disney+ adventure in a galaxy far, far, away. Julian and Rachel break down every single scene from the first 3 episodes of 'Andor'. A series pitched as being "Star Wars for adults". From writer Tony Gilroy, 'Andor' follows the titular Cassian Andor, who you may remember from such films as 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" as he joins the ranks of the Rebel Alliance. We're promised political intrigue mixed with a spy thriller. The first 3 episodes are more heavy on the latter but I suspect there will be plenty of the former over it's 12 episode first season. Join the SSSW Crew as they examine what makes 'Andor' unique from other Star Wars projects, as well as dive deep into how it shows the beginning of the rebellion from a new perspective. Yes, it's a slow burn, but have faith, as 'Andor' is shaping up to be something completely new for Star Wars; a fresh tone with mature characterizations. Who woulda thought you could pull that off in a Star Wars show?!
Small Screen Star Wars returns to cover another Disney+ adventure in a galaxy far, far, away. Julian and Rachel break down every single scene from the first 3 episodes of 'Andor'. A series pitched as being "Star Wars for adults". From writer Tony Gilroy, 'Andor' follows the titular Cassian Andor, who you may remember from such films as 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" as he joins the ranks of the Rebel Alliance. We're promised political intrigue mixed with a spy thriller. The first 3 episodes are more heavy on the latter but I suspect there will be plenty of the former over it's 12 episode first season. Join the SSSW Crew as they examine what makes 'Andor' unique from other Star Wars projects, as well as dive deep into how it shows the beginning of the rebellion from a new perspective. Yes, it's a slow burn, but have faith, as 'Andor' is shaping up to be something completely new for Star Wars; a fresh tone with mature characterizations. Who woulda thought you could pull that off in a Star Wars show?!
Following an eventful D23 Expo, and a less eventful Emmys, the boys are back to break down the latest in film and TV news, and they have a very special guest to help them do it - Axel Foley from the DVR Podcast network! On the docket is Marvel and Lucasfilm's plethora of announcements from this years D23, that includes the reveal of the 'Thunderbolts' lineup, trailers for 'The Mandalorian' S3, 'Secret Invasion' and 'Tales of the Jedi', and even a first look at 'Indiana Jones 5', which of course didn't get put online (bummer). Plus the guys break down the Emmy wins for this year, do a quick "Agree or Disagree" and dive into some initial reactions for 'Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power', and 'House of the Dragon'. All that and so much more on this week's Tower of Babble Podcast!
Following an eventful D23 Expo, and a less eventful Emmys, the boys are back to break down the latest in film and TV news, and they have a very special guest to help them do it - Axel Foley from the DVR Podcast network! On the docket is Marvel and Lucasfilm's plethora of announcements from this years D23, that includes the reveal of the 'Thunderbolts' lineup, trailers for 'The Mandalorian' S3, 'Secret Invasion' and 'Tales of the Jedi', and even a first look at 'Indiana Jones 5', which of course didn't get put online (bummer). Plus the guys break down the Emmy wins for this year, do a quick "Agree or Disagree" and dive into some initial reactions for 'Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power', and 'House of the Dragon'. All that and so much more on this week's Tower of Babble Podcast!
Another episode, another dump of bad news out of WBD. This time, following their investors call, we learn that they've been pulling content from HBO Max liberally, while 'Shazam 2', and 'Aquaman 2' get pushed again. Have no fear, they have a 10 year plan they say. Fortunately, HBO seems to have been spared the knife so far, featuring 'House of the Dragon' pulling in record numbers for it's premiere. In fact, prosperity seems to be abound across the nerd world when it comes to adapted material, with 'Sandman' on Netflix hitting the mark, and 'She-Hulk' at Disney+ capturing even Jeremy's attention. The guys sit down to discuss all of that and more, including 'Avatar's' return to theatres, 'Green Lantern: Beware My Power', and a final word on 'Prey'.
Our film club circle grows once again! This month we have a very special guest joining us to review their absolute favourite movie, another cult classic hit, 'Swingers'. Which comes to us from all the way back in 1996 (which also plays into our primarily 90's heavy selections recently). A movie that launched the careers of Doug Liman, Jon Favreau, and Vince Vaughn. A couple names you might have heard of. A true "bro movie" in that it's really just a bunch of dudes hanging out and partying, but it brings a level of truth and honesty to the situation, with deep characters that you want to root for. It wears its heart on its sleeve as we watch Mikey struggle get over his ex-girlfriend, with Favreau bringing an essential performance to the part, and really being the beating heart of the picture. Join the usual cast of characters, Julian, Rachel and Jeremy, with special guest Matt Tworek, as they unpack it all in this month's ToB Film Club!
The turmoil at Warner Brothers Discovery continues, this time in the form of bloodletting. News broke early this week that the HBO Max original ‘Batgirl’, which was finished shooting and in late stages of post production. was going to be cancelled by the studio. Shortly after, an official statement was released and the outcry online was loud. This comes amongst rumours of further shakeups coming to the studio, specifically around their HBO Max streaming service, as they apparently look to pivot away from scripted programming nearly across the board, in favor of cheaper unscripted options. Naturally, Julian and Jeremy break down all the details surrounding this unprecedented decision and what it means for the future of DC on the big and small screens. Meanwhile, on the fun side of the news, over at San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel held no punches as they discussed the next 2 phases of the MCU, and announced A LOT of new movies and shows, while finding time to drop a spectacular trailer for ‘Black Panther 2’, amongst a whole pile of other announcements. Oh and a new trailer for ‘Andor’ dropped. The show looks stunning, but you’ll have to wait an extra 3 weeks as they have pushed the premiere to September. That pretty much takes up all the time this episode, but trust us, it’s more than enough.
The era of shady business practices continues it seems in the Hollywood world. This time it's not just WB involved, but their own "distinguished competition", at Marvel that's up to no good this week. Rolling Stone released a piece on the Snyder Cut movement, identifying 13% of the online activity being attributed to bots. This on it's own is not big news, as it was largely known, but it's the timing of the piece that's most questionable. Over at Marvel, they're up to their usual tricks of not properly compensating comic book creators, now being accused of "bait and switch" tactics to stiff writers and artists when their characters appear on the screen. Julian and Jeremy break down both stories, while also diving into a plethora of more lighthearted fare, including: news on 'Mortal Kombat 2' and 'Top Gun 3', a Powerpuff Girls animated reboot, a fun "Agree of Disagree" segment, and much more on this week's Tower of Babble Podcast!
It feels like a lifetime since we did a news show. What with ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ coverage, reviews of ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ and ‘Dr Strange’ sucking up all of our time, it’s no wonder it’s been so long! Ultimately, this means that Julian and Jeremy have a smorgasbord of movie and TV news to unpack. Not the least of which being the all sorts of fun stuff coming out of the mounting ‘Avatar: The Way of the Water’ press barrage, which includes not only the teaser trailer, but also some VERY fun comments from the legend himself, James Cameron. Next up, is another round of DC related news out of Warner Bros. Between the ‘Flash’ movie now being in limbo, the lackluster trailer for ‘Black Adam’ and the constant befuddlement of their new CEO, there’s practically enough there for a whole episode on it’s own. But we have more! The guys also cover the odd reactions to Marvel’s CG in ‘Thor’ and ‘She-Hulk’, the box office success of ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, another ‘Game of Thrones’ spin-off series (this time it’s interesting I promise!), and a metric ton of “what we’ve been watching”. All that and so much more on this week’s Tower of Babble Podcast!
Well that's all folks! Only five short weeks later and we're now looking back at 'Obi-Wan Kenobi' in full context. Following an epic 2-episode premiere, it was a bit touch-and-go there in the middle. Fortunately, they pulled it together for the conclusion and absolutely nailed the final episode. Not only does it live up to the "rematch of the century", as it was billed, but it's character moments are just as strong (if not stronger), and gives the appropriate amount of closure not just to the characters, but to the fans as well. Julian and Rachel break it all down scene by scene (and even break down granular lines of dialogue!), and discuss the conclusion to a mini-series that by no means was perfect, but as a whole largely works, with satisfying character arches and interesting choices that did more than enough to justify the shows existence. Join us as we discuss it all!
'Obi-Wan Kenobi' returns to form this week with one of the strongest entries since the 2-part premiere. With the Empire baring down on Ben, Leia, and friends, we are treated to flashbacks of Obi-Wan and Anakin training, pre-clone wars (an era not often enough explored in my opinion) . This not only justifies bringing back Hayden for Vader, but also acts as an exciting, and insightful, framing for the larger "modern" story being told. Despite some odd dialogue moments, this episode feels concentrated on Obi-Wan and Anakin's relationship, and how that is reflected in Vader and Ben's choices, it's fascinating. Plus, there's also some very good action here (even some inspired by the Clone Wars I might add), with enough moments that will make you audibly exclaim, "that's cool", to largely overshadow some of the flaws this week. On to the finale!
As we pass the half-way point of the season, it comes as a bit of a surprise that Part 4 of 'Obi-Wan Kenobi' was only just over 30 min. With only 6 episodes for the full season, 30 min episodes, in my opinion, really need to justify the truncated length. Unfortunately, Part 4 ultimately still felt rushed, despite also having some very cool moments. Of course seeing Obi-Wan skulk around an Imperial instillation never really gets old, but it's everything around that core setup that felt under baked this week. We are introduced to new characters who we barely get any time to get to know, and despite some interesting allusions to a more interesting story with them, we are rushed off to a set-piece far too quickly. After the events of last week's big confrontation with Vader, I would have liked a little more time to let those moments breath, but alas, the show must go on!
We see Obi-Wan face off with Vader much sooner than we might have expected. But with only 6 episodes to work with, maybe we shouldn't be so surprised, as we're already half way through. And just as Ben reunites with Anakin this week, so to does Julian reunite with Rachel, following her return from Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim (though with much less death and agony). They break down the return of Vader, Ben's fear, Leia's intuition and much more in this over-stuffed review!
We've known about this movie for what seems like a millenium. We got the trailer for it before we knew what a "COVID" even was. Then it all fell apart. 'Top Gun: Maverick', was pushed, and then pushed again, and now finally it's in theatres. And you know what? All those delays were worth it. They must have known they had something good on their hands to wait this long to finally release it in theatres, YEARS after it's original scheduled release. 'Top Gun: Maverick' not only lives up to the original cult classic but rockets right past it. It may very well have the same staying power that the original 1986 film had, and in this modern "content" world we live in, that's saying something. It was a movie 30-something-years in the making and the modern filming technology available to Tom Cruise, and team, today make for something that begs to be seen on the largest screen possible. Join Jeremy and Julian as they absolutely gush over this film. Enjoy!
Run, dont walk, to your nearest Disney+ enabled device, because ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ is finally here and it’s been worth every excruciating moment you have spent waiting. With Rachel “on-location” at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim (don’t worry, she’s already promised to have A LOT to talk about when she’s back), Jeremy fills in to review the premiere (Part 1 and Part 2) with full spoilers. Join the guys as they gush over the execution of a series long awaited, that carries the weight of enormous expectations, yet still managed to deliver something that goes beyond what even the most strident Star Wars fan could have expected. Everything from the elevated scope and scale, to the brilliant performances by returning and new actors alike, there isn’t much to dislike here, if anything at all. This is something big that deserves your attention, so join us every week as we break down each new installment. It all starts here!
Julian and Jeremy sit down to discuss the first Marvel movie of the year with 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness', which kicks off the summer movie season (hallelujah!). Doctor Strange 2 continues what was started in 'Spider-Man: No Way Home ' and takes us even deeper into the mulitverse (which incidentally also continued Marvel's ability to completely lap DC at these ideas o the big screen). This inevitably brings some mind bending action brought to you by non-other than the legend himself, Sam Rami, with music from Danny Elfman! It's a match made in heaven, that largely delivers on the hype. You could argue that the pacing was a little quick, and it could have done with probably another 30 min of runtime, but when all said and done, Marvel's undefeated streak continued (I guess maybe discounting 'Eternals' for those haters out there), with another very solid entry into their cinematic universe (616!).
It’s been 2 years since we’ve had a complete slate of summer blockbusters to look forward to, and it looks like this time they will finally come out on schedule, and not be delayed again (or again, again, in some cases). So with the return of some normalcy, so too comes the return of an old tradition, The Summer Movie Wager (which is a game run by the folks over at The Film Cast, and which we owe 100% credit of this idea). Julian and Rachel each prepared a list of 10 movies (and 3 dark horse picks) from the slate of summer movie releases and attempt to correctly predict their box office performance (ranked 1 - 10). Join them as they discuss their picks, why they placed them where they did in their ranking, and some general wholesome movie chat goodness. Tune in again at the end of the summer as they break down the winners and losers, but until then, make sure to get out there and enjoy Blockbuster Season!
With Julian moving out of the current ToB Studio, it was only fitting that he sat down with Jeremy for a full no-holds-barred free-for-all episode to really go out with a bang! The guys discuss the recent demise of Netflix, and how it reflects on their less than recent lack of quality programming, dive into more Warner Brothers drama, talk about the genius of some of the great Hollywood directors, find a way to talk Star Wars (of course), and some of the news out of CinemaCon. All that plus SO MUCH MORE, on this very special episode of the Tower of Babble Podcast. We'll be back with a new episode very soon out of the new space, so make sure to tune in to the live show to see how it all looks!
The Sonic movies continue to have this odd lasting impact on cinema. The first one being a relatively well received video game adaption (a surprise on it's own), following controversy over the original design of the character, but it was also one of the last movies to premiere in theatres before COVID hit full force. Now with it's sequel, it's proven to not only have achieved the biggest video game movie box-office opening weekend, but also may very well be the franchise that sunsets the great Jim Carrey's career. Julian and Jeremy discuss all this (despite not having seen the actual movie yet), as well as dive into a plethora of news, not the least of which being the story that following the closing the of Warner Bros. Discovery merger that their new CEO is looking to, once again, "fix" their DC content, including mentioning the "languishing" of Superman, amongst other seemingly obvious blunders they've made recently. In addition, the guys debate a sexy new "Agree of Disagree" segment, the potential for a Tobey McGuire 'Spider-Man 4', the fallout of Will Smith's Oscars incident, and much more on this week's Tower of Babble Podcast!
Traditionally we would record an Oscars preview show, but for a littenay of reasons it was not possible to do that this year. Please enjoy this Oscars coverage in lieu. Julian sat down for a rare solo show, recorded as part of a ‘Twitter Space’ (as such please excuse the less than optimal audio quality), to give his thoughts on all 10 Best Picture nominees as well as look back at what worked, and what didn’t, at this year’s ceremony.
How long have we been waiting for trailer for the Obi-Wan show? It feels like an eternity. Well the wait is finally over and Julian and Jeremy are here to break it all down, along with some other exciting teasers for 'The Boys' season 3, a new alien themed horror comedy from Jordan Peele, 'Nope', and even Marvel's exciting new addition to their Disney+ series lineup, 'Ms Marvel'. But that's not all, there's also a metric tonne of news to cover as well. Including, Netflix's controversial move toward limiting password sharing, or in a similar vein, Disney adding an ad-supported tier to Disney+, all while WB announces another set of delays for their DC films. On a lighter note, announcements of new projects include a surprising sequel to Will Smith's 'I Am Legend', a reboot of Charlie Cox's 'Daredevil' on Disney+, a sequel series to ‘Blade Runner 2049’ with Ridley Scott attached at Amazon, and even a 'Sonic' spin-off series starring Idris Elba's Knuckles in the works. All this and so much more on this week's Tower of Babble Podcast!
It feels like we've been waiting a lifetime for 'The Batman'. It's gone through so many iterations, starting as a solo Batman movie that was to be written, directed and starring Ben Affleck. Next it was Ben Affleck starring with Matt Reeves directing, before eventually Ben stepped away entirely. After that things really started to take a turn, we learned that the sparkling vampire himself, Robert Pattinson, would be putting on the cape and cowl, and that it would stand apart from the DCEU. There were a lot of question marks but once that first trailer premiered at 'DC Fandome' way back in Feb 2020, the wait for the release of this film has been unbearable. Following a few COVID related delays, making the wait even harder, 'The Batman' finally arrived and boy did it deliver! You would be hard pressed to argue that Robert Pattinson's Batman isn't the most comic accurate live-action version of the character we've ever seen. Plus the supporting cast of Alfred, Gordon and Catwoman all feel spot on and fresh. Paul Dano's Riddler is equally as fresh, going as far the other direction from Jim Carrey's interpretation as possible, while bringing a very real and scary menace to the role. Even Colin Farrell's Penguin is amazing! The mystery plot, being driven by a Batman that is for once a great detective, certainly draws from films like 'Seven' or 'Zodiac', but the tone couldn't be a better fit. This is truly a masterpiece of comic book filmmaking. Join Julian and Jeremy as they break it all down and gush over the brilliance.
Julian and Jeremy go waaay back with ‘Uncharted’ as a series. So much so that one might say the game series was formational in their understanding of narrative in the gaming space. For years people have been calling for a film adaptation of ‘Uncharted’. So long in fact, that the movie has gone through countless directors, writers, and actors attached to the project. It took time, but it’s finally here, a true live action representation of everyone’s favourite band of misfit thieves and adventurers. Does this it live up to the years of hype or is it just another stale video game adaptation? Join Julian and Jeremy as they explore that question and dissect the film from two perspectives; how it works as an extension of the games, and how it holds up on it’s own as a movie.
With all the best intentions, it seems 'The Book of Boba Fett' caped it's first season, with more of a thud than a bang. Despite some really cool visuals this finale felt weightless and uninspired. The divergence to Mando for two episodes did not pay off enough to justify the time spent away from our main characters, thus making the final moments of the season feel disjointed. Of course having Grogu and Mando back together is nice, but at what cost? Time will tell how this all fits into the larger Star Wars TV landscape but for now it certainly looks like there's some room for improvement. On the bright side, how cool was it seeing the showdown between Boba and Bane, or a Rancor on the loose?! There's still plenty to love. Julian and Rachel dissect the good, the bad, and the ugly, and look forward to what a second season might look it. See you in May!
It feels like forever since our last news show, so in that vein we’ve decided to take things back to our roots with a wide assortment of news from across the entertainment landscape. That being said, it’s not all completely out of left-field as this years Oscar nominations were revealed, which required immediate attention. Afterwards, Julian and Jeremy move into a broader discussion on the future of movie theatres (again!), discuss the merits of computer generated acting performances, the latest from ‘The Lord of the Rings’ Amazon series, and dive into some pretty compelling “What We’ve Been Watching” entries, including ‘Euphoria’, and ‘Peacemaker’. All that and so much more on this week’s Tower of Babble Podcast!
After last week's episode we thought there was NO WAY they would spend another full chapter on Mando's story, but boy were we wrong. Not only did it pick up right after last week, with Din on his way to see Grogu, it took it to the next level with Luke playing a much larger role than I think anyone expected (by the way, the deep fake tech has apparently come a long way since 'The Mandalorian' season 2. Luke actually looks pretty great!). The most surprising part, besides the delightfully unexpected inclusion of yet another 'Clone Wars' character, was that Boba didn't have a single line of dialogue again in his own show (although, that could be considered an improvement over last week where we didn't see him at all). All that being said, maybe we shouldn't have been surprised considering we knew Dave Filoni was in the director's seat this week. It's always a pleasure seeing Dave at work, but it's his writing where I think where he really shines, in yet another solid installment of live action Star Wars now under his belt. The question now is, how the hell does this show wrap everything up in one episode?!
When we all heard the Mando whistle/theme at the end of last week's episode I think it's fair to say no one expected this! Lucasfilm decided to drop an entire episode of 'The Mandalorian' into the middle of 'The Book of Boba Fett'; essentially a Mando season 3 premiere. That being said, I was very pleasantly surprised as this episode not only brought us some awesome Dark Saber action moments, it also introduced us to an exciting new local, had some deep lore, fun prequel connections, and it all looked absolutely stunning. This is easily the best episode we've got all season, but it doesn't really feel fair to compare this to the rest of 'The Book of Boba Fett' as this is essentially an episode of an entirely different show (I mean... Boba doesn't even make an appearance this week!). With only two episodes left in the season, only time will tell if this choice will prove to fit in smoothly with the rest of the story, or if it will feel disjointed, but the tease at the end of this week certainly has us excited for what's to come!
Another pandemic year has come and gone, which means there was a lot of time for movie and TV watching (for better or for worse). But most importantly, it means that it's time for the Tower of Babble Podcast co-hosts to come together to discuss their favorite films and shows from the last year. This year's prestigious Tobie Awards, a now 5-year running tradition, sees a seat change for the first time in its history. To discuss the best of best from 2021, Julian is joined as always, by founding co-host Jeremy Kozier, and for the first time, Rachel Wilkinson takes her place at the podium. Three co-hosts deliver their top three in both a film and television category, then move on to discuss what they are looking forward to in 2022. Let the ceremony begin!
After a largely disappointing episode last week, we catch up with Boba and friends in what appears to be the final flashback sequence of the season (though I'm still holding out hope for a few more!). Boba recruits Fennec, recovers his Firespray class starship, and exacts some revenge on a certain biker gang (and sarlacc). Back in the contemporary story, Boba does some more recruiting (nice to see that wasn't the last we see of everyone's new favourite wookie), and invites the local crime bosses over for a dinner party in an attempt to gain their aid against the Pykes. Leaving us with a pending "war" and an exciting tease of a certain shiny-armoured friend.
Boba Fett's star vehicle seems to be on a bit of a rocky road. A lukewarm premiere was followed by one of the best Star Wars TV chapters yet, only to have chapter 3 stumble once again. Robert Rodriguez is behind the camera (as he was for chapter 1), and despite his action pedigree, the fight and chase sequences were underwhelming. The fights feeling oddly blocked and paced, while the chase could not have felt much slower (unless maybe they were walking?). Story-wise, the conflict with the Hutts was quickly resolved, only to leave us with a completely new enemy, and still no idea why Boba Fett even WANTS to be a crime lord. Especially one who is facing a war with another crime syndicate. With another 4 chapters left to find its way, there's still plenty of hope, but so far the track record is not strong for what was a very highly anticipated series. Join Julian and Rachel as they unpack what worked and what didn't in this week's episode of Small Screen Star Wars.
After a rocky start, with an underwhelming first chapter, there were some concerns about how the rest of 'The Book of Boba Fett' would play out. Fortunately, Chapter 2 put that all to rest with a spectacular follow up. "The Tribes of Tatooine" continues to explore the Tusken culture, and likely finished what "The Mandalorian" started, by officially winning most us over to being full fledged fans of "the sand people". Meanwhile, the "contemporary" story jacks up the stakes as some major players are introduced to threaten Boba's burgeoning criminal empire. This is all done while finding time for some very fun and satisfying nods to long time Star Wars fans throughout the episode. This is top notch Star Wars in nearly every regard. Join Julian and Rachel as they dissect it all!
It's been a long wait since the end of 'The Mandalorian' season 2 that not only reintroduced the character decades after his supposed death in 'Return of the Jedi', but it also ended with a teaser of Boba on Jabba's throne. Fans have since been speculating about the uncertain future of the galaxies most feared bounty hunter now that he's taking an eye to leadership. The first episode does little to reveal what is to come for Boba, and instead looks backwards, as we are treated to the long anticipated reveal of HOW he survived the Sarlacc. It's unclear if we'll follow Boba's journey all the way up until we meet up with him in Mando but it seems clear that they are using the full extent of the "book" motif, and will likely explore other parts of the character's life throughout the series while following his rise through the underworld.
Tis' the season for merriment and joy, so in the spirit of the holidays, the cast of the ToB Podcast has gathered to sit by the fire, sip eggnog, and review another Christmas classic movie. This year it is none other than 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation'. Delight as Julian, Jeremy and Rachel break down the Griswold family Christmas while using the opportunity to diverge into conversations about christmas traditions, and why the White Elephant/gift steal game is a pox on the whole Christmas spirit. Join us, won't you, for some Christmas cheer on this Christmas eve in "The Tower". Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from all of us at ToB!
Spider-Man in the MCU has seemingly always been a rollercoaster ride. From his first underoos appearance in 'Civil War', through to his dusting in 'Infinity War', and more. The ride continued off the off the screen as well, with Sony and Disney doing the impossible (working together) to keep it all going. And now here we are, at the end of his very own MCU trilogy. We all remember how the last Spidey trilogy ended (existential crises indeed), and the fact that the 'Amazing Spider-Man' series didn't even get it's 3rd movie. Combined with the bonkers premise the marketing was pitching for this entry, it's understandable if you were concerned if they'd be able to pull it all together. Well allow me to be the first to put those concerns to rest. 'No Way Home' is able to stick the landing with all the grace of the web-head himself. It's able to balance complex and emotional storytelling masterfully, while still being super fun and funny. Despite it's nearly 3-hour run time, it never feels long, and will make you want to jump right back in when it's over. This is a true event film that deserves to be seen on the biggest screen possible. Run, don't walk, to your nearest theatre.
After a month long hiatus (sorry about that, but Costa Rica was splendid. Thank you for asking), Julian and Jeremy return to the show to catch up on the biggest film and TV stories that were missed. Not the least of which being the Spider-Man shaped roller-coaster we’ve all been on as the release of ‘No Way Home’ rapidly approaches. With speculation that Tom Holland may be done as the web-slinger swirling, it came as a bit of a shock as Marvel and Sony announced that Tom be sticking around for at least another 3 movies, as their corporate partnership looks to continue for the foreseeable future. Sigh of relief. Meanwhile, on the other side of the Disney machine, the “creative differences” continue to pile up at Lucasfilm and Star Wars. Patty Jenkins fighter pilot film, ‘Rogue Squadron’, has been put on the backburner (as opposed to the afterburner), along with ‘Rangers of the New Republic’ on the TV side. It also doesn’t look like we’ll be getting Rian Johnson’s trilogy any time soon as that is also shelved (damn!). Plus, with the release of a new behind the scenes book at HBO, details on the failed 'Game of Thrones' spin-off series, ‘The Long Night’, have come to light. And finally, as part of an extended “What We’ve Been Watching” segment, Jeremy dives deep into his thoughts on ‘Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City’. All that, and so much more, on this week’s Tower of Babble Podcast.
It's been some time since we've had a chance to do a full news episode, and what with all the exciting trailers dropping these days, it felt like the right time to jump back into the news stream. Starting with Pixar's space-epic, 'Lightyear', a movie that seems to confound people more than excite them. At least it looks very pretty! Moving onto 'The Book of Boba Fett', which has had Star Wars fans waiting with bated breath. It was nice to finally get a glimpse into what looks like an exploration of the Star Wars underworld as Fett and his team vie for power in the wake of Jabba. Next is 'Uncharted', a movie that has been a loooong time in the making, and despite our very serious concerns, it's at least nice to see that it's actually coming out. Finally, 'Resident Evil: Welcome to Racoon City', which has Jeremy VERY excited, as this movie seems to finally explore the intricate story that the games originally laid out decades ago. Plus some news on 'Dune 2', 'John Wick' spinoffs and much more on this week's Tower of Babble Podcast!
Jeremy and Julian got together over the weekend to take in DC Fandome (find our coverage in the podcast feed), and they used some of that time to sit down and discuss the two biggest movies of the last few weeks; 'James Bond: No Time to Die' and 'Venom: Let There be Carnage'. As a huge Bond fan, Julian spills his guts raving about how Craig's final outing as the character brings back some of the more "fun" Bond elements that have been missing for a decade. On the 'Venom' side of things, the guys grapple with accepting the movie for what it is (a romcom with an alien symbiote) and their history with the character from other mediums. The consensus? It's bad? But it's also good? Either way, the real question is; what's up with that final scene?!?!
Last year’s DC Fandome set the gold standard for web events in the entertainment space. At that time we were hopeful that we’d be able to “get back to normal” by this time in 2021. Unfortunately, that’s turned out not to be the case, and with San Diego Comic-Con being a digital shell of it’s in-person self, coupled with every other entertainment companies own digital events all seemingly landing with a thud, it felt like there was little to look forward to this year for fan events. DC Fandome seemed to be the one exception. With not a peep from DC since last year’s Fandome on their major projects we here at ToB were amping up for some big reveals. Unfortunately, that is not really what we got. In a bit of a change of formats from their multi-channel approach last year, DC paired things down to one 4-hour stream. This meant everything from a new Justice League mobile game, to the ‘Super Pets’ movie and everything in between had equal representation next to the big tent pole film and game franchises we’ve all been waiting for, like namely ‘The Batman’, ‘The Flash’, ‘Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League’ and ‘Black Adam’. This made for a more muddied affair, especially as there were not many new surprises and A LOT of time spent speaking to their CW franchises (we don’t need a tour of the Kent family farm). Overall though, the things that hit, really hit (hello ‘Batman: Caped Crusader’), and the rest can largely be forgotten until they come up again at next year’s event. Join Julian and Jeremy as they discuss all the major stories from this year’s DC Fandome in this week’s Tower of Babble Podcast!
Julian and Rachel reconvene to discuss 'Star Wars: Visions'. The anime anthology series that brings together some of the biggest studios in Japan to tell Star Wars inspired stories. From the Kurosawa inspired "The Duel" that opens the series with dramatic fashion, to the more eclectic and fun "T0-B1", there's a lot to love here for Star Wars and anime fans alike. Everyone will have their favourites, and the ones they don't particularly care for, but that comes with the territory when you're dealing with such a wide variety of styles and themes. Listen as your hosts break down each short and rank their favourites.
The repercussions of every studio continuing to turn it’s gaze towards the streaming future can be felt all throughout Hollywood. Disney seems to be leading the charge as it’s doubling down on Disney+, with CEO Bob Chapek announcing that they will be doing an annual “Disney+ Day” to celebrate the service (really just a big add day). Meanwhile, you have acclaimed filmmaker, and traditionalist, Christopher Nolan, leaving his longtime studio, Warner Brothers, in the wake of the HBO Max debacle, to take his next film to Universal. Of course this comes with a steep list of demands that insures it’s theatrical window. Over on the TV front, The Emmy awards were handed out, with ‘Ted Lasso’ and ‘The Crown’ taking home most of the hardware. Julian and Jeremy discuss this and so much more on the week’s Tower of Babble Podcast.
The movie industry is in a strange place these days. What with release dates changing on a regular basis and more and more projects moving to streaming. Among those projects are a few few movies we KNOW are coming soon, but we still knew nothing about. Both 'The Matrix Resurrections' and 'Spider-Man: No Way Home", are looking like locks to hit their release dates at the end of this year. Fortunately, we can start ramping into the hype with earnest as both movies recently dropped their first trailers. Julian and Jeremy break down each one and gage our levels of excitement for them before moving on to a discussion about the new 'Injustice' animated movie that was just announced (which also dropped a trailer). All that and so much more in this week's Tower of Babble Podcast!
Although Shang-Chi as a comic book character may be fairly obscure, the pressure to deliver on a film for the character is immense. Bringing the first Asian lead to MCU is no small feat, and the path is laid with many traps, but Feige and team were undeterred, and managed to deliver yet another winner. The film is fast, fun, and the action is stunningly choreographed, all of which is executed with precision and style. The fight scenes, which are heightened by amazing scores, are worth the price of admission alone. But most of all, ‘Shang-Chi’ tells a compelling story about family and what it means to grow up, all while mixing in the fantastical. It feels right at home in the MC.
Picking up only moments after last week's episode, the season finale of 'The Bad Batch' spent much of its 28 minute runtime alternating between action set pieces, as the squad works to stay alive as Tapoka City sinks into the Kaminoan sea, and hard hitting dialogue scenes as the show unpacks Crosshair's emotional turmoil. For my money, it's the those dialogue scenes that really hit home and make this finale work. Where as I wasn't as concerned for the squads survival during the set pieces, knowing a season 2 was on the way. We are treated to continued exchanges between Hunter and Crosshair that dive deep into Crosshair's damaged psyche and make you feel genuine pity and sadness for the character. To me it's another sign that the show is willing, and capable, of tell complex stories and sets up a fascinating season 2. Overall, the first season of 'The Bad Batch' has to be considered a success. The animation quality took another step forward (the water effects alone in this episode are enough to blow me away) and the storytelling was generally consistent across the season (looking at you "Infested"). It's by far the best first season of any Lucasfilm Animation series, and as a season finale it holds its own against some of the absolute bests in Star Wars.
Note that Small Screen Star Wars will now go on a short break. Though we will return for bonus episodes and discussions on upcoming Star Wars projects. Be sure to subscribe in your preferred podcast app, and stay tuned to our Twitter (@towerbabblecast) to stay up to date with the show.
In these COVID times, it's rare that we get to review a big-time blockbuster, but with the release of James Gunn's 'The Suicide Squad' we do just that this week, and boy does it feel good. The movie out-performs almost all expectations, despite carrying the baggage of Gunn's firing, and subsequent re-hiring by Disney, the critical flop that was the 2016 film (and its miraculously massive box-office haul), and the R rating. It's focused, not concerning itself with tying into a larger world (though that larger world does exist in the periphery). The dialogue is sharp and the performances are top tier, giving additional credence to the power of Gunn's writer/director talents. It's amazing what can happen when you give a talented filmmaker the ability to make the movie they want and not just a piece of a poorly designed puzzle. Overall, the movie is an absolute blast and a hell of a ride. If you have the chance to see this in theatres safely, do yourself a favour and indulge yourself in the weird and wacky world of James Gunn's 'The Suicide Squad'.
Ever since 'Game of Thrones' set the standard for big spectacle in their penultimate episode to their season finales, nothing really has topped the bombastic heights of "The Battle of the Bastards" or other memorable moments. However, the standard had been set. Lucasfilm, not one to be outdone, delivered a truly awesome penultimate episode of their own for season 1 of 'The Bad Batch'. No, it doesn't match the nearly unreachable levels of production that GoT achieved, but it does take this series in a new direction and closes the book on a long loved chapter of Star Wars, all with it's own levels of bombast. Everything between Hunter and Crosshair worked. From the well written dialogue to the small animated facial tics and vocal performances, their interactions are really the core of the episode. But what really stood out this week was watching Lucasfilm say farewell to 'The Clone Wars' as we watched Imperials lay waste to Tapoka City, a location synonymous with one of the most interesting eras of Star Wars. It worked both as an element of this series as well as a nod to long time fans, and though it ends on a dour note, we know season 2 is on the way. We can look forward to the final episode of this season on Friday and more adventures with this dysfunctional squad next year.
Note: Apologies on the late posting, and lack of live stream; Julian is away on vacation this week. We will return to our regularly scheduled programming next week.
Rachel returns to the show to help Julian break down the first of what appears to be a 3-part arch to end the season. And what a start it was! This episode pulls no punches as it lays tonnes of groundwork for the final two episodes, including giving us insights into the proto-Stormtrooper training program. It then proceeds to ratchet up the stakes by how it leaves Hunter, and looping in another fan favorite character. Plus, from a pure spectacle perspective this episode is definitely firing on all cylinders. From a Death Star inspired escape sequence, Clone Commandos, and maybe the first time we've ever seen V-Wings in an actual dog fight, there's certainly a lot to feast your eyes on. That's without even mentioning the emotional gut punch at the end. We're fully primed for the final 2 episodes. Can't wait!
With only 3 episodes left before the season 1 (or potentially the series) finale, "Infestation" felt like a bit of a let down. Following the brilliant Ryloth 2-part arch, and Crosshair's vendetta seemingly on the verge of coming to a head, it feels like a step backwards to drop such a standalone episode into this slot in the season. That's not to say the episode itself is bad, it's fine, but in context with the rest of the season it certainly feels out of place. But I suppose that's nothing new with Star Wars animation as they've struggled with season long pacing since the beginning of 'The Clone Wars'. "Infestation", sees the squad return to Cid's parlour to find she's been ousted by a wannabee crime boss, and with a little persuading from Omega, they workout a plan with Cid to wrestle back control. Unfortunately, not everything goes as planned as they get entangled with the Pykes. Like I said, it's fine. Oh, and no Rachel this week as she's on vacation, so it's a Julian solo show, enjoy!
Apologies on the delay for this episode. Technical difficulties prevented us from being able to upload yesterday. 'The Bad Batch' returns to Ryloth this week, picking up not long after the shocking events that lead to Cham being framed and arrested. However, the show returns to a more traditional structure after somewhat breaking the mold last episode. Hera calls for help from her new friend Omega and her brothers, which results in an exciting, action packed, rescue mission. But it's the crises of conscious going on with our newest favourite clone, Howzer, that is most compelling. His actions may have wider reaching repercussions for the clone army than maybe anyone expected. Julian and Rachel discuss this and much more as they break down the episode scene by scene.
Despite (what I think to be) the very clever title for this episode, the ToB Crew actually spend much of their time discussing a wide variety of topics this week. Including an in depth review of 'Batman: The Long Halloween Pt 1', which is the latest entry in the WB Animation DC line-up, but only the 3rd with the new art design. Julian and Dan (welcome back!) give a spoiler free review of the first Marvel movie in what feels like forever, 'Black Widow'. There is also SOME Star Wars discussion, as Julian does his best to "sell" 'The Bad Batch' to Jeremy and Dan, with mixed results. Plus, the guys touch on some of the Emmy nominations, and much more on this week's Tower of Babble Podcast!
What a delightful surprise! 'The Bad Batch' turned its formula on its head this week and basically ignored the titular characters in exchange for a compelling political drama on Ryloth. A changeup that delivers one of, if not the best episode of the season yet. Not having seen the Ryloth or the Twi'lek since 'The Clone Wars', we return to the planet as the corpulent senator Orn Free Taa, and General Cham Syndulla, along with his family (hey it's Hera and Chopper!), help to sheppard in an age of peace with The Empire. But as the title of the episode suggests, the cost for peace may be too high. This episode also introduces us to a new clone, Captain Howzer, who is immediately likable and reminiscent of clones pre-order-66, which is a fascinating inclusion and raises many questions that Julian and Rachel ponder in this week's recap/review.
After 3 amazing episodes that took our heroes through an emotional wringer, 'The Bad Batch' switches gears and takes the squad to the planet Raxus, the former home of the Separatist Senate, now an Imperial outpost. The episode feels in many ways like the more politically charged episodes of 'The Clone Wars'. In fact, it takes us back to the same planet as one of those episodes, "Heroes on Both Sides". "Common Ground" tries to touch on some of the similar themes, such as working with your "enemy", but it's only very surface level. This leaves this episode feeling like a bit of a letdown despite the fun walker action sequence and gorgeous visual upgrade to Raxus since we first saw it all those years ago. Plus, it's still interesting, if somewhat less exciting, to see how the separatist planets were handled by the Empire following the Clone Wars.
Picking up only moments after the conclusion of last week's epic episode, "Reunion", we follow a wounded Bad Batch as they track Omega, who's in the custody of the notorious bounty hunter, Cad Bane! This week's episode continues the streak of absolutely stunning visuals as we're transported to an abandoned cloning facility in the clouds. Lucasfilm Animation is really outdoing themselves with this series, and the action sequences in the cloudy, sunset lit, hallways of Bora Vio are just a delight to watch. All that being said, and despite some valuable character growth for Omega, it would have been nice to have her capture last longer than one episode.
With Dan out of town, Julian and Jeremy sit down for a casual news catch-up that takes the guys through a myriad of different topics, including: Disney+ moving their original content premiers to Wednesdays, ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ announcement , Jensen Ackles Batman voice, James Cameron’s Avatar, the value of physical media and the role of “special features” in 2021, and much, much more!
This show just continues to impress. Coming off an emotional high last week with the return of Captain Rex, 'The Bad Batch' one-ups itself with episode 8, "Reunion". As the episode title suggests, Crosshair is back, and he's hunting our squad with ruthless abandon. Having a villain that knows the heroes so intimately makes for an extremely compelling 26 minutes of television. Plus, add in some really inventive camera work and cinematography and we're talking about top tier Star Wars storytelling. If that wasn't enough though, a surprise appearance from a fan favourite character really ups the ante and takes this episode, and really the show as a whole, to the next level. This is must watch Star Wars.
It's all business this week for 'The Bad Batch', as it wraps up a few lingering plot threads as we move into the second act of the season. Captain Rex also makes a return this week, with a fresh battle scar all his own, as he helps the squad remove their inhibitor chips with a visit to a familiar planet. You might wonder, how much more can they really mine from Order 66? And the answer seems to be, quite a bit actually. This episode uses the backdrop of order 66 to frame it an a whole new way as we get to live out a version of the horrifying moment through the eyes of Omega. It also nicely sets the stage for the return of Crosshair, making it easily one of the best episodes of the season so far.
This week’s episode of ‘The Bad Batch’ brings us back to the good old days of clones vs clankers… in a way. The squad is given a new mission from Cid, and then heads to Corellia to hunt down a decommissioned Tactical Droid. Plus, a surprise appearance of a pair of characters from ‘Clone Wars’ season 7. Though someone might argue that their inclusion, at all, is somewhat problematic. Julian and Rachel break it all down.
The 2011 film 'Drive' might be most closely associated with the Kavinsky song 'Nightcall'. It plays over a brilliant opening sequence and has been on my playlists ever since. 'Nightcall', as a song, isn't the most complex, but it has a lyric that goes like "There's something inside you. It's hard to explain". Those 2 sentences are able to sum up how I feel about 'Drive'. The film has something inside it that makes it stand out even after a decade. It's stylish, calm, calculated, even romantic, and to be honest, it's not that hard to explain. The only thing that confounds me about it, is the fact that 10 years have seemingly disappeared before my eyes. But maybe there's a message in that too. 'Drive' features a nameless main character that seems to almost daydream through life. If you too feel like you've been day dreaming through life, then it's time to wake up and do something! And that something is, sit down, watch 'Drive', and then listen to our excellent review. Enjoy!
We pick up with the Bad Batch as they attempt to gather intel on why Omega has a bounty hunter on her tail. The plan is to meet with an old Jedi informant to try to ID who was chasing them. The plan, unsurprisingly, goes sideways when they are recruited by the informant to do a "rescue" mission in exchange for the information. It's another step into the underworld for our squad, but also the introduction of a fascinating new character in Cid, as well as some fun connections to 'Return of the Jedi'. Listen as Julian and Rachel break it all down!
It's been hot minute since the ToB Crew gathered to discuss the latest in film and TV news, but it’s been worth the wait because there are some gigantuan stories that need to be covered, and some of them will have lasting effects for years to come. Firstly, AT&T is done with WarnerMedia, who will be merging with Discovery to become an even bigger player in the streaming wars. Speaking of streaming, Amazon is making their own moves in that space as they look to acquire MGM. On the more creative side of things, news of a new Batman animated series made waves with the announcement that animation legend Bruce Timm would be executive producing. Plus Marvel dropped a sizzle reel and a trailer for Shang Chi. So there's plenty to cover! Join Julian, Jeremy and Dan as they discuss all these stories, plus much more, on this week's Tower of Babble Podcast!
The picture of what ‘The Bad Batch’ will be like week-to-week is becoming more clear. This week’s episode “Cornered”, brings a fan favorite character to animation for the first time, but more importantly, it established that this show is not interested in slowing down, and in fact seems to be speeding up, despite there still being 12 episodes left. The pacing here is relentless but never feels rushed, even with only a 22 minute runtime, and the they are finding clever ways to blend the truly spectacular action (some of, if not the best, non-lightsaber action in recent memory) with some tender character moments. Plus, the show is apparently not afraid of getting dark as this week episode continues to prove. I’ll say it again, this is top tier Star Wars. Listen as Julian and Rachel recap the full episode right here!
After a supersized recap of episodes 1 and 2 last week, Julian and Rachel return to discuss the more subdued (but surprisingly dark) third episode of 'The Bad Batch'. With an homage to 'Empire Strikes Back' and undercurrents of political intrigue maintaining the momentum this week's episode might not move the plot forward much but it makes up for it in style. The control chip is still top of mind for all parties but new Imperial players start to lay the groundwork for a new conscripted army, all while the titular Bad Batch work to get themselves out of a jam. Join the SSSW Crew as they break it all down, scene by scene.
It's been a long 5 months since we last visited Mando and Grogu. But Star Wars Day brought a return to the galaxy far, far away with the premiere of the much anticipated 'The Clone Wars' sequel; 'The Bad Batch'. Julian is once again joined by Rachel to break down every scene from the 90 minute premiere "Aftermath", as well as the second episode of the season that came only two days later, "Cut and Run" (yes, it's a long podcast). Gorgeous animation, moving musical themes, a grittier tone and darker setting are all hallmarks of this new Lucasfilm Animation series, but will it reach the same heights as 'The Clone Wars'? Let's find out!
With more and more video games being adapted into movies or TV shows, it’s about time that we looked to our roots and revived one of the OG video game movies; ‘Mortal Kombat’. The movies from the 90’s hold cult status, and with the game franchise as strong as ever, WB felt like the time was right to bring Sub-Zero and Scorpion back to the big screen (or I guess small screen on HBO MAX). Julian sits down with Dan and Jeremy, both of whom bringing decades of MK history and knowledge with them, to dissect the film. Will this version become a cult hit like it’s forebearers? Will it do well enough to kickoff a whole new series? All these questions and more are tackled in this week’s episode of the Tower of Babble Podcast.
With less than a week left before the Oscars, it’s time for the annual ToB Oscars Preview Show! Last year, pre-covid, the festivities were much more formal (with some of the hosts even wearing fancy jackets!), but this year things are a bit more subdued. It’s just Julian and Dan this week (subbing out Jeremy) as they look forward to what should be a memorable Academy Awards celebration. Or so they tell us! With covid impacting every aspect of Hollywood, they discuss what that will mean for the broadcast. With names like Steven Soderbergh taking the reins expect things to be a dit different. According to Soderbergh himself, they want the show to “feel like a movie” (whatever that means), and don’t call the stars on stage “presenters”! No they’re cast members nows. Either way, it’s shaping up to be something interesting. After that, we move into our “main event” as the guys discuss each of the “Best Picture” nominees before moving on to predictions for the winners in the biggest categories (sorry “Costume Design”).
Just the two J’s this week as Dan is away. Julian, and Jeremy discuss Rian Johnson’s big money ‘Knives Out’ deal with Netflix, Warner Bros. cancelling ‘The Trench’ and Ava DuVernay’s ‘New Gods’, and the 10th year anniversary of ‘Game of Thrones’ premiere on HBO that they’re calling the “Iron Anniversary”. The guys also touch on some notable release schedule changes around Hollywood, and the cast list for ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’, which had a few pleasant surprises. All that, and so much more, on this week’s Tower of Babble Podcast!
Julian, Dan, and Jeremy discuss the latest ‘The Suicide Squad’ trailer, as well attempt to decipher an interview from Variety with a WB executive. Spoilers; according to them, there’s no more Snyderverse and David Ayer’s cut of the original ‘Suicide Squad’ will not be produced, plus everything else happening in the wake of ‘Zack Snyder's Justice League’. The guys then muse about the plethora of Game of Thrones spinoffs in the works. Of course it’s not an episode of the Tower of Babble Podcast unless there’s at least one Marvel story, so they also discuss ‘Black Widow’ and it’s move to Disney+, and look forward at the rest of the Marvel slate. Plus much more!
The original release of 'Justice League' hit theatres all the way back in 2017. To say it was poorly received would be an massive understatement. It was a disappointment in almost every sense. To make matters worse, the whole production was mired in studio meddling in its most incompetent form. During those turbulent times, tragedy struck. It was during that time that Zack Snyder stepped away from the project and was replaced by Joss Whedon. A decision that has been widely criticized since. When Snyder left the picture, his original vision was discarded. Replaced by something tonally similar to what Joss had brought to the MCU. Almost immediately following the theatrical premiere in 2017, fans starting calling for the "Snyder Cut" to be released, spawning the infamous hashtag. At the time, the existence of Snyder's version of the movie was considered to be a myth. But slowly over time, more evidence of the existence of the infamous directors cut began to surface. Fuelled by support from Snyder himself, as well as stars like Ben Affleck, the push for the release of the “Snyder Cut” reached a fever pitch. Warner Brothers took notice, and when they needed flagship content for their fledgling streamer, HBO Max, the dream became a reality. ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ would premiere in its full, uncut, 4 hour runtime (and even get a black and white version) to home viewers everywhere. The ToB Crew has spent those 4 long years since Whedon’s version discussing the nuances and discourse surrounding the “Snyder Cut” (for better or for worse), but the time has come to now discuss the film itself. Julian, Dan, and Jeremy break it all down and discuss what worked and what didn’t for what is, in many ways, an unprecedented piece of entertainment. Be warned, full spoilers ahead!
If you’ve been listening to the show for awhile you’ll know that the ToB Crew have been closely following ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’, or as it’s colloquially known, ‘The Snyder Cut’, since the theatrical release of the film waaay back when. So of course it’s big news when the official trailer drops, so the guys dive deep into that (and unfortunately, the ongoing drama surrounding it). But when it rains it pours, becasue we also got the trailer for the new ‘Mortal Kombat’ film (another long standing focus of the show) along with another rant from Martin Scorsese who’s back in the news talking about how streaming services are devaluing film (which means it’s time for another “Agree of Disagree” segment!). In addition to all of that, Marvel revealed the official title for Tom Holland’s ‘Spider-Man 3’ and ViacomCBS rolled out details for Paramount+. All this, and so much more, on this week’s Tower of Babble Podcast!
Some days during the pandemic it feels like Hollywood has gone to sleep, with not a drop of news. Other days, the news comes at you so fast you forget you’re even in a pandemic. This last Wednesday was one of those days. Between the news of Gina Carano’s firing from Disney, and Joel and Ellie’s casting for ‘The Last of Us’, it felt like the good ol’ days on Twitter. News coming in so hot, that before you can even formulate a thought, it’s been debunked or some other news bit is thrown at you. It was exciting. So with at least one news day worth of stories to discuss, the ToB Crew takes a look back at a busy day on Twitter as well as a ton of other stories from the last couple weeks, amd to end the show, the guys discuss the latest goings ons with ‘WandaVision’ in a full spoiler discussion. All that, and so much more, on this week’s Tower of Babble Podcast!
With 2020 now firmly in the rearview mirror, ToB can return to it's regularly scheduled programming. Or at least as close to it as we can get. It's been a few weeks since a full news show, so there's a lot to discuss. Julian, Dan, and Jeremy break down the biggest stories in the world of film and television, not the least of which being that Warner Bros is apparently doubling down on 'Harry Potter'. They've installed a new VP to oversee the franchise and a live action series is in early development at HBO Max. On top of that, rumours are swirling about the possible return of Chris Evans' Captain America to the MCU. Plus, Snyder confirms that his Justice League will not be a 4-part series afterall, and instead will be a 4 hour film. Oh did we mention that Amazon's 'Lord of the Rings' series got an official synopsis? Well the guys are covering that too! All that and so much more on this week's Tower of Babble Podcast.
The look back at 2020 continues as the ToB Crew discuss their top 3 favourite games from the previous year. Just like the movie and TV categories the rules are a little loosey goosey. That being said, there are a few key titles that can't be ignored. Listen to find out where ‘Call of Duty: Warzone’ falls on the respective lists, while waiting to hear everyone's thoughts on ‘The Last of Us: Pt II’ now that we're several months removed from it's polarizing release. Plus stick around for some Smash Bros talk (as always) and much more, on this rare episode of ToB Games.
With the year 2020 now firmly behind us, it's time to look back at the year that was and pick the best of the best. The ToB Crew gathers for their yearly tradition to pick their top three movies and TV shows from the last year. Now of course, 2020 is a year that many of us would like to forget, but that doesn't mean there wasn't great entertainment to enjoy. In fact, it likely helped much of us get us through what was a VERY challenging time. That being said, things aren't the same. The movie industry in particular was hit hard in 2020. So with that in mind, there's been a few adjustments made to the rules. Most notably, any movie or show that was new to the viewer, regardless of the year of its original release, is eligible for a Tobie this year. This opens the door to some exciting surprises in this year's picks! Now grab your champagne, get dressed up in your finest attire, and enjoy a celebration of the best of 2020 (and sometimes other years too).
For those who may not be aware, we do a monthly film club here at ToB. It’s an exclusive bonus episode for those who support us on Patreon. It’s a lot of fun and we encourage you to join! But in the spirit of giving, we decided to do a holiday special edition for everyone! Julian, Dan, and Jeremy sit down and talk about the greatest Christmas movie of all time, ‘A Christmas Story’. It’s essentially a perfect movie, which may not generate a lot of debate, but in stark contrast to last months film club ‘Coherence’, it was a ton of fun. We hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we did recording it, and we wish you a happy holidays and a joyous new year. Stay tuned for our Tobie Awards coming soon!
Wow, what a season. It really felt like ‘The Mandalorian’ came into its own as a show this year, and it never once felt like they needed to water down Star Wars to make it fit on the small screen. To be treated to the introductions/reintroductions of so many iconic characters was worth the price of admission alone, but the way each of these new, or returning, characters was treated felt like something you’d see in a blockbuster movie, let alone a streaming service. Which brings us to the finale, and what a finale it was! It jumps right into the action and never slows down, only taking a breath to acknowledge a well deserved goodbye (hopefully Din keeps his promise!). The inclusion of almost every new character we met this season (sorry Cobb!) added to the spectacle but the surprise inclusion of [redacted] was really the cherry on top. With all that said, there remains many lingering questions, and with you-know-who now watching over Baby Yoda, where does Din go next?
In a world where really only two studios can make the biggest blockbuster movies, it’s no surprise that when they decide to make a major shift into streaming, that it MAY have an affect on the theatrical experience. The guys discuss the repercussions of Warner Bros. decision to release their 2021 film slate on HBO Max the same day they premiere in theatres. Spoilers, it’s mostly bad news. Though it’s not all doom and gloom, over on the other side of the isle, Disney had their “Investors Day”, where they proceeded to vomit up a years worth of news all in one afternoon. Star Wars isn’t dead as they announced 10 new projects! On the Marvel front we got a closer look at the, soon to be released, Disney+ shows as well as a look at the future of their film slate (which surprisingly won’t be coming to Disney+ day and date). All that and so much more on this week’s Tower of Babble Podcast.
After the return of none other than fan favourite/original Mandalorian himself, Boba Fett last week, we are treated to a classic Star Wars infiltration mission to retrieve the whereabouts of Moff Gideon’s cruiser. The episode is written and directed by Rick Famuyiwa, who also directed last season’s prison break episode, so it’s not surprising to see Bill Burr’s Mayfeld character return. Although traditionally a standup comedian, and with his appearance last season raising some eyebrows, we’re glad to report that Burr’s performance in this episode is top notch. His karisma is a breath of fresh air for a show that now has two stoic Mandalorians under helmets. The episode also does some great character building. Not just for Mayfeld, but also for Mando and Cara as well. Although having a relatively short runtime again, the pacing was spot on, and laid the groundwork for next week’s unpredictable season finale, where it feels like almost anything can happen!
It was teased all the way back in season 1, and then again, more directly, in this season’s premier episode. There was a chance that the showrunners were taking it slow. Maybe we wouldnt get the big reveal until next season? But this show has been anything but shy when it comes to fan service, and this episode does nothing to change that. Like last week’s introduction to Ahsoka, that took place within the first few minutes of the episode, Chapter 14 wasted no time before giving us a hint as to what was to come. Notbaly, this episode was directed by none other than renowned action director, Robert Rodriguez. A great fit to finally show off you-know-who’s combat chops (that until now we’ve only ever heard about)! With only two episodes left this season, and two major reveals under our belt, the stage is set for what could be a very thrilling finale. A finale that may yet bring more surprises. Time will tell!
Rumours have been flying about a certain Jedi (ahem Citizen) making their appearance this season for a long time, and though those rumours may have spoiled the surprise for some, seeing that character brought to live-action was absolutely worth the wait! Besides the obvious excitement about seeing live action lightsabers on the small screen (and who is wielding them), this episode brought several other reveals that are arguably just as exciting. Not the least of which being the reveal of Baby Yoda/The Child’s actual name! Hard to believe it took a season and a half to get the name of one of the most popular characters on screen today! But wait there’s more! We haven’t even started talking about the craftsmanship of this episode or the homages to Akira Kurosawa’s work. It’s truly something special and I’m sure this episode will likely be a favourite of Star Wars fans for some time. Yes there’s a lot to unpack, but don’t let your fear (or anger) at missing everything turn you to the darkside. Julian, Dan, and Rachel break down every detail for your benefit. Enjoy!
Show Notes
Movies
Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson are developing a sequel to Wedding Crasher
Wonder Woman 1984 is coming to HBO Max (for no extra charge) on Dec 25th. It will also premiere in theatres where it can.
Disney reports its first annual loss in over 40 years, suffering a loss of over $5 Billion USD in revenue as a direct result of COVID-19.
Chris Nolan is “shocked” when people complain about the sound in his movies.
Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane, The Boys) is set to direct a new ‘Predator’ film for 20th Century Studios/Disney.
Steven Caple Jr. (Creed II) is set to direct a new ‘Transformers’ film, scheduled for release on June 24, 2022, and will be set in the Bumblebee universe.
First trailer for the ‘Tom and Jerry’ movie.
The Rock is developing a reboot for ‘The Scorpion King’.
The director of the Mortal Kombat Movie, Todd Garner, says he won’t have a release date or trailer until theaters reopen.
Mads Mikkelsen in talks to replace Johnny Depp as Grindelwald in ‘Fantastic Beasts 3’. (Has since been confirmed)
David Fincher signs a 4-year exclusive deal with Netflix. He wants to work with Netflix because Hollywood is only content making “Happy Meal” tentpole movies. He also made some pretty spicy comments about Todd Phillip’s ‘Joker’, cancel culture, and even Orson Welles, while out promoting his latest film ‘Mank’.
George Lucas reveals a few things about the prequels as well as what his sequels might have looked like, as well as saying that Fox was worried he would “destroy the franchise” by centering episode 1 on a 10 year old boy.
WandaVision will premiere on Disney+ on January 15th. Marking the first time since 2009 that there has not been any new Marvel content released.
Apparently ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ will feel like an Avengers sequel with such a full cast. This comes following news that Chris Pratt will appear as Star-Lord in the film.
Michael Giacchino is returning to score ‘Spider-man 3’.
‘Deadpool 3’ is back in the works with ‘Bobs Burgers’ writers, Wendy Molyneux and Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin.
Marvel says that they have no intention of bringing Iron Man back from the dead and promises not to use a digital double of Chadwick Boseman.
Sylvester Stallone will appear in James Gunn’s ‘The Suicide Squad’.
‘Batman: soul of the Dragon’ trailer.
Zack Snyder says there will be 2 hours & 30 min of unseen footage in Justice League, though there will be only about 4 minutes of newly shot footage. He goes on to say that his ideal version of the movie would be in black and white and in IMAX, among other ‘Justice League’ news.
Agree or Disagree
Should streaming services cut off the credits on their platforms to suggest the next thing to watch? How much are the credits a part of the experience? We ask these pressing questions. Inspired by a tweet from Mike Birbiglia, a comedian and podcaster:
“Dear streaming platforms, Please play the credits. They're part of the movies. You should know this. Your company acquires the rights to movies. Don't you like movies? Sincerely, People Who Like Movies.”
He then added: “I was just talking to one of my favorite directors Adam Leon who pointed out that the credits on streaming platforms could easily be an “opt-out” instead of an “opt-in.” Anyway, that’s it. For my money that’s the best solution. That’s the tweet.”
TV
Terence Winter (Sopranos) has exited as showrunner for the HBO Max ‘The Batman’ spinoff, ‘GPDC’ series due to creative differences with Matt Reeves’, and other producers, vision.
Netflix is in the process of testing an audio only feature to compete with podcasts.
David S Goyer is developing a scripted ‘Batman’ podcast, exclusively for Spotify. Set to release in 2021. It will apparently feature Batman’s “more nightmarish” villains.
Netflix is also testing out a scheduled programming TV channel feature.
HBO has given a series order to ‘The Last of Us’ to ‘Chernobyl’ creator Craig Mazin.
CW’s ‘Black Lightning’ will be coming to an end after it’s upcoming 4th season.
After 10 years on TBS Conan O'Brien’s late night show will come to an end in June. He will then be hosting a weekly variety show on HBO Max.
‘Darkwing Duck’ may be getting a reboot at Disney+ with Seth Rogan producing.
‘Space Force’ renewed for S2 at Netflix.
Showtime has decided to recast Cortana for their live action ‘Halo’ series. They have decided to go with the original voice actor from the games, Jen Taylor.
The Mandalorian hits the halfway point of the season with a return to a familiar setting. Mando returns to Nevarro to reconnect with some old friends, and though not particularly plot heavy, it’s certainly a fun ride. Grief and Cara need Mando’s help to take out the last remaining Imperial stronghold on the planet, but they get more than they bargained for when they discover the true nature of the base. This action packed episode drops some interesting hints to the larger Star Wars galaxy (including a reference to The Phantom Menace!), setting up an interesting mystery for the rest of the season. The show has seemingly set the groundwork for things to really start moving next week. The Razor Crest is repaired, the bad guys are mobilizing, and all signs point towards a particular Jedi/citizen making an appearance next week. Exciting!
This week’s Mandalorian brings us the shortest episode of the season but boy is it dense! Julian, Daniel, and Rachel, spend arguably too much time breaking down every minute detail, and major reveal. And this episode definitely brings it on when it comes to reveals. Without burying the lead, we are introduced to the titular heiress, Bo-Katan Kryze, for the first time in live action. Something long time Clone Wars and Rebels fans will be sure to be excited about. That’s without even mentioning the major name drop that comes at the end. These reveals create ripples throughout Star Wars, and pose a lot of additional questions . Which only makes us hope that we start getting answers soon. In the meantime, there’s certainly a lot to discuss.
After an exciting season premiere featuring a giant monster, a new character, and little overall plot development, we get the second episode of the season! Which also features a giant monster, a new character, and arguably less overall development. That’s not to say it was a bad episode, it certainly executed on the horror and creepiness it had set out to deliver. However, it’s hard not to be a little disappointed that they didn’t follow up on the interesting tease they left us with last week, or give us an inkling into what’s going on with Moff Gideon and the rest. Instead we’re treated to a monster of the week type episode (to be fair it still had a few fun surprises. Love those X-Wings!) as Mando continues his quest to find more Mandalorians.
After a brief hiatus, the ToB Crew returns to cover the latest in film and television news. Of course the film part seems to be less and less relevant these days as streaming services have become the defacto home for all things motion picture. Unfortunately, that means much of the film news is sad and depressing. Like the passing of Sean Connery, or the impending death of movie theatres. But it also means more news from the land of Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, and the like. Such as, additional details about the Green Lantern series coming to HBO Max, Oscar Isaac's casting as Moon Night for Disney+, and that Netflix is, once ,again, raising it's subscription prices. The guys also dive into an interesting 'Agree or Disagree' segment revolving around the state of Warner Brothers. Plus a brief discussion on the first season of HBO's Lovecraft Country. All that, and so much more, on this week's Tower of Babble Podcast!
Welcome back to Small Screen Star Wars! With every major blockbuster movie being delayed or moved out of 2020 there hasn’t been too much to get excited about this year. That is, until now! The Mandalorian has returned, and with it brings exciting new adventures from a galaxy far, far away. The acclaimed series returns and kicks off it’s second season with a bang. Mando is on the hunt for other Mandalorians so he can return Baby Yoda to “his kind”. This sees him return to Tatooine to hunt down a mysterious stranger in Mandalorian armour, beyond the Dune Sea. We’re introduced to new characters and creatures as Mando makes a deal to take down the apex predator of dessert, a Krayt Dragon. Julian, Dan, and Rachel are here to break down every minute detail for you. From the backstory of the titular ‘Marshal’ to the implications of the episodes big reveal. Enjoy this jumbo sized season 2 premiere recap and join us as we cover the entire second season!
With about a month since our last full show, there's been a lot of news piling up. The guys dive into all the juiciest stories to cover the latest in film and television (oh and obviously the biggest story of the month, Steve joining Super Smash Bros). Unfortunately, before getting to the fun stuff, Julian, Dan, and Jeremy, hypothesize about a grim future where movie theatre chains have all gone out of business. It's truly the darkest timeline, but one that seems all too possible, with all the remaining blockbuster releases for this year being moved into next year (or later in some cases). On a more exciting note, the news of Jamie Foxx's Electro joining the MCU for Spider-Man 3, along with Doctor Strange, begs the question if it's too soon to start introducing a multiverse in the MCU. On the DC front, it's discovered that reshoots for the Snyder Cut of Justice League will cost $70 million, and the much maligned streaming service, DC Universe, will officially close its doors as all it's major shows will move to HBO Max (don't worry, it'll live on in a comic book subscription form). Speaking of TV, 'The Boys' is getting a spin-off series, Ted Lasso is renewed for season 2 (I had to mention it) and Nick Fury is getting his own Disney+ series. All that and so much more (I know, I always say that, but this time there's literally so much more stuff!), on this week's Tower of Babble Podcast!
It's been awhile since the ToB Crew got together to talk gaming, but with some of the biggest video game news of the last 5 years unfolding before our eyes, we felt it was time to get back in the saddle. Julian and Jeremy sit down to discuss the huge news of Microsoft buying Bethesda and what that means for not only ‘Xbox Game Pass’ but also for Sony and the next-gen console battle as a whole. It's a major shift of power in the gaming space but it also means fewer independent studios (so it's not all good news). Speaking of anti-consumer moves, the guys also touch on 'Super Mario 3D All-Stars' and Nintendo's baffling decisions around the bundle. Lastly, the pricing for the next-gen consoles are unpacked and the question of "is the series S price point a game changer?" is posed. All this and so much more on this week's Tower of Babble Podcast.
With no San Diego Comic-Con (or any comic-con for that matter) this year, the big comic companies are turning to alternate means to get their message out. DC decided the best way to spread the word about their latest projects, was to host their own comic-con, completely online. With intimate panels to massive reveals across their TV, film, and print, properties, the goal was to replicate the feeling of being in the San Diego Convention Centre, but from the comfort of your own home. By all estimations, they largely succeeded in that endeavor. Their 24-hour stream was chock-full of major announcements and reveals. Not the least of which being the first teaser for Matt Reeves “The Batman”, which largely stole the spotlight. Though the trailer for the Snyder Cut of “Justice League” was also exciting (especially for Jeremy). That is without even mentioning the details we got about “Black Lightning” (JSA whaaat!), “The Flash”, or “The Suicide Squad” (gotta love that cast!). Speaking of the Suicide Squad, the latest game from Rocksteady “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League”, was also announced along with “Gotham Knights” a co-op Batman game. Long story short, there’s plenty of content to fill you ears as the ToB Crew break it all down in excruciating detail.
A lot can happen in 2 weeks. Julian, and Jeremy, are reunited with Dan after a couple weeks away, and boy howdy is there a lot to discuss. After the obligatory Tenet check-in, the guys dive deep into the layoffs at Warner Brothers. Layoffs that hit particularly hard at DC. Not unexpectedly, the much maligned DC Universe streaming service appears to be getting the axe, however, it was the move to completely gut DC Collectibles and hobble DC Comics that came as the biggest shocker. This all comes only weeks ahead of DC Fan Dome, the comic book companies much hyped digital comic-con. Fortunately it wasn’t all bad news on the DC front as it was revealed that Rocksteady’s new game would revolve around the Suicide Squad as they hunt the Justice League (which is pretty cool if we’re being honest). After that the ToB Crew jumps over to the bleak future of the theatrical experience as news of Mulan coming to Disney+ became a reality (among other downer news bits on that front). Fortunately, some good news came out of the Emmy nomination as Watchmen was (rightfully) nominated for 26 awards. All that and so much more in this week’s (extra long) Tower of Babble Podcast!
Julian and Jeremy have a casual chat about the legacy of the Dark Knight trilogy. Where it got things right and where it fell down. Afterwards the guys jump into some recent video game news. Specifically the Xbox showcase and if Game Pass will change the industry (spoilers: it probably will).
What is there to say about The Last of Us that hasn’t already been said? Masterpiece. Epc. Umatched. In many ways it’s as close to a perfect video game as you can get. Fast forward to 2020 and in the midst of a real world pandemic, the sequel to that near-perfect game is released to polarized reaction. How does the sequel to one of the greatest games ever made create such a response? Easy; by being different, by challenging the audience, by being unconventional and bold. Julian, Dan and Jeremy, in a spoiler-filled discussion, unpack every story beat and character development to try to understand what makes the The Last of Us: Pt II tick.
It’s been almost a month since the ToB Crew conveeded, and in that time A LOT has happened. Making for a jumbo sized episode of The ToB Podcast! Starting with just DC, there’s news on The Snyder Cut, Michael Keaton’s Batman, Ryan Reynolds’ Green Lantern, Henry Cavill’s Superman, two animated features, and the future of their streaming service. That’s without even mentioning the rest! The guys also dive deep into Tron 3, a reboot to Twister, the AMC Theatres saga, a new TMNT movie (and possible also a live action show?), the strangeness of Qubi, a Fallout show at Amazon Prime, and so much more (if you can believe it)! On a slightly more serious note, Julian, Dan, and Jeremy also examine the recent move of white voice actors stepping down from voicing non-white characters, as well as the deaths of Joel Schumacher and Ian Hom.
Much of Hollywood is still in quarantine, which means movie and TV news is limited, but ToB never sleeps. So Julian, Dan, and Jeremy gather to discuss the latest dribs and drabs from the world of cinema and television. A lot which seems to concentrate on sequels and delays, with the most notable of which being the delay of Tenet to July 31st. The guys ponder the fate of movie theatres as Chris Nolan continues to bet on his blockbuster to bring people back to the cinema this summer. In sequel news, Indiana Jones 5 has a new director, which in and of itself is shocking as it marks the first time Spielberg won’t be behind the camera. Meanwhile, Ridley Scott contemplates the future of the Alien franchise, the producers of the Bourne movies are look for a fresh take and the latest from production of The Last of Us at HBO, as they add some new creative talent. The guys also discuss HBO Max temporarily removing Gone WIth the Wind and what if any precedent a move like this marks (spoilers, it’s a good thing). All this and so much more on this week’s Tower of Babble Podcast.
Some people thought it was a myth, others assumed it was only an eventuality, the rest just got bombarded with the hashtag for 2 years, but against all odds, the “Snyder Cut” of Justice League is real, and it’s coming to HBO Max. Julian, Jeremy, and Dan discuss the exciting news and debate over how to process it all while trying to considering it in context of the vocal minority that made it happen (not as easy to do as you might think). The guys also dive into the latest Tennent trailer and ponder if it’s the last best hope to save movie theatres in a post COVID world. Speaking of which, AMC vs Universal Pictures is also discussed before moving onto to some less depressing news from the galaxy far far away, with the announcement of Taika Waititi taking on a Star Wars feature film of his own. All that and so much more in the latest Tower of Babble Podcast!
So this is how liberty dies...with thunderous applause. Or perhaps it's the applause of the millions of Clone Wars fans all giving Dave Filoni and his team the standing ovation they deserve for capping this beloved series on such a perfect note. Though only coming in at around 24 minutes, and standing alone, likely not best Star Wars: The Clone Wars episode ever (that may belong to part 2 of this arch), the final moments of this episode, and in turn this series, are as close to Star Wars perfection as you can get. Ending one era and transitioning into the next, “Victory and Death: treat us to an emotional, action packed, and gorgeously drawn/animated series finale that encapsulates all the best that The Clone Wars had to offer. Light touches of humour, stunning lightsaber dances and force moves, lovable droids, pathos, lore and drama all came together to close out a series over a decade in the making. There isn't much else to say other than goodbye and thanks for the memories. We look forward to whatever this amazing animation team will bring us next, and may the force be with you... always.
It’s finally happened. The moment we’ve all been waiting for, but dreading all the same. Order 66 has come to our beloved Ahsoka and Rex. A foreboding sense of creeping doom hung over the first half of the episode like a guillotine with the score, once again, being used to the fullest to build suspense and tension. When the order was finally given, we were treated to one of the most intense moments we’ve ever seen in The Clone Wars. However, it was Dave Filoni and his team's ability to continue to exceed our expectations, particularly for a scene we all knew was coming, that was truly impressive. Every beat felt perfectly crafted to fit the narrative we already knew, while at the same time felt fresh and true to the characters. So far, every episode in this 4-part finale has been near perfect Star Wars, and “Shattered” maintains that streak. Which leaves us with one final episode to wrap up the series, and no matter what happens in part 4, I think we can all agree, it's been one hell of a ride.
It’s hard to say whether or not last week’s episode, part 1 of this 4-part finale, was better than this week’s part 2, but it almost doesn’t matter because they’re both almost perfect. Picking up at the exact moment that we left off on last week, “The Phantom Apprentice” begins like it ends, in a confrontation with Maul. With everything in between dripping with subtext and nuance as Maul deals with Ashoka’s arrival on Mandalore. All of this is keystoned by a lightsaber duel for the ages that includes the return of Ray Park to the role of Maul for one last fight. But as good as this episode is, ultimately we know where this leads. Order 66 looms large, and will likely be addressed in part 3, giving us a chance to see the iconic moment from a new perspective.
After taking a short break from the regular show (lots of Star Wars: The Clone Wars content for you though!), the guys are back to discuss the latest in film and television news. It’s been a few weeks so there are a couple lingering stories to catch up on. Not the least of which being the new photos from the set of Dune and the cancellation of Comic-Con. There was also a fair bit of Disney related news. Some good, some bad. The good news, Disney+ has surpassed 50 million subscribers, the bad news, COVID19 is costing the company $30 million a day. Julian, Daniel, and Jeremy (via the internet) break all of that down, and much more, on this week’s Tower of Babble Podcast!
Star Wars: The Clone Wars has reached the final stretch, and they aren’t messing around. Part 1, of the final 4-episode arch, kicked things off with a bang! From the very first frame showing the green “Lucasfilm Limited” title card, to the humming of lightsabers over the final credits, you could feel how special this was. Every scene felt purposeful, every line of dialogue thoughtfully written. There was a certain air of importance that seemed to hang over everything. Nothing driving that home more than the music. For the first time, The Clone Wars was able to use the full John Williams score. It started with the opening fanfare and continued with perfectly cued-up classic Star Wars themes throughout the episode, driving the emotional core. And what an emotional episode it was. Dave Filoni and the gang at Lucasfilm poured so much heart into the final goodbye between Ashoka and Anakin alone, that there couldn’t have been a dry eye in the audience. Nevermind the other 28 minutes of the episode that spared no opportunity to tug at the heartstrings. Overall it’s a near perfect episode of The Clone Wars, and will likely go down as one of it’s best.
Although one episode longer than we might have liked, this week’s episode, one of the best of the arch, brings the Martez story to a close - at least for now. Ashoka and the Martez sisters found themselves in an overly familiar location at the beginning of this week’s episode but it quickly improved from there as the Pikes, with their own neck on the line, gave them one last chance to “return” the spice. What followed was some Han Solo-esque hijinx from the Martez sisters and a little Jedi espionage from Ashoka. It all felt very crisp and snappy, despite the somewhat clunky final moments. We can now
Coming out of a pretty strong outing last week, our expectation was that this episode was going to bring this arch to a close. Boy were we wrong! Not only does it continue into next week’s episode “Together Again”, but with the appearance of a certain Mando, it looks like it might flow directly into the Mandalorian arch as well. This wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing if it didn’t feel like the show was dragging its feet somewhat. Nothing making that more apparent than how this week’s episode ended. That being said, in and of itself, “Dangerous Debt” brought some exciting action beats as well as a backstory to the Martez sisters (that may leave something to be desired for some).
After a lackluster episode last week, The Clone Wars storms back with a much stronger outing. Now that Ahsoka’s new friends have been established, we can finally head out on a larger scale adventure. It even takes us to a Clone Wars era Kessel, to further test Ahsoka’s faith in the Galactic Republic. Clocking in at 26 minutes, the episode is also one of the longest of the season so far and it uses the extra length well. It leans hard into some classic Star Wars adventuring and character work, while still taking a breath to set up a larger plot to this arch, which looks to come to an exciting conclusion next week.
With the engagement on Anaxes now dealt with, The Clone Wars turns its attention to Ahsoka and her recent self exile from the Jedi Order. She’s now on her own and apparently trying to find herself on the lower levels of Coruscant. The episode takes us to the notorious level 1313 (with even some fun easter eggs to the cancelled video game from a few years ago), when her chopper inspired (no not the droid) speeder bike breaks down, she’s introduced to a pair of hard on their luck sisters. In the process she reconnects with the everyday galactic citizen and has a run-in with a cross-wired demolition droid.
With much of the world in lock down due to the Corona Virus, it doesn’t hurt to turn to the world of entertainment for a little distraction. Unfortunately, Covid-19 has effected that as well. Julian and Jeremy discuss the delays resulting from the virus, including James Bond: No Time to Die, Mulan, and more. Afterwards, in an effort to lighten the mood, the guys discuss the latest in film and TV news, with The Last of Us announcement from HBO taking up much of the discussion. Finally, a review of the latest DC Animation adaptation concludes the show with a in depth look at Superman: Red Son. Stay healthy everyone, and stay tuned for more ToB Podcasts during these trying times!
Anakin and Rex have found and rescued Echo from the clutches of the Techno Union, but they’re now neck deep in droids and it’s time for an escape from Skako Minor! The Bad Batch and the rest of the gang are left to fend for themselves with no backup, hundreds of feet in the air, and completely surrounded. Luckily, they have a plan! Julian and Rachel break down a very action heavy episode, that also happens to be one of the shortest in the series. Unfortunately, It’s not the strongest episode either, but it does make you consider what choosing sides in a war really means, and how its not as black and white as it might seem. Oh and there’s a “Devastator”… that’s not that devastating.
Better late than never! A saying that could apply to this week’s episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, as well as this podcast (snare drum*). This week Julian is joined by special guest, Rachel Wilkinson, to help break down the the action Speaking of action, there was plenty of it this week as Anakin joined Rex and the Bad Batch on their mission to rescue Echo. There was also plenty of character moments to go around, not the least of which being a rare scene between Padme and Anakin, that lead into an interaction with Obi-Wan that revealed a lot, in very little screen time.
The Clone Wars is back for it’s final season! Having bounced around from Disney XD to Netflix (after already being cancelled once!), the series will finally come to rest on Disney+. Was it worth the wait? Time will tell, but this first episode “The Bad Batch” starts off the season on the right foot, even if for a few missteps. Join Julian, as he breaks it all down and discusses in the ins and outs of an episode that joins Rex and Cody, with a team of clones with “desirable mutations”.
With awards season now firmly behind us, the ToB Crew can start concentrating in the things that REALLY matter again - things like the Batsuit! Matt Reeves released a brief (and very red) test footage clip of Robert Pattinson in the new Batsuit, so Julian, Jeremy, and Dan combed through each frame to pull out all the possible clues. Meanwhile, rumour has is that Sam Raimi is in talks to direct Dr. Strange 2, the new James Bond theme was released, the insane set technology used on The Mandalorian was revealed and much more! Plus the guys recap their picks from the Oscars!
February - best known for it’s frigid temperatures in the dead of winter. However, it’s also known as “awards season”, with no more prestigious an awards show than the Oscars to cap it all off. With the big event less than a week away, it’s time for the annual ToB Oscars Preview Show! Julian, Dan, and Jeremy (and a special guest appearance) break down each of the nominees in the major categories starting with “Best Picture” and working backwards from there. It’s a particularly strong crop of movies this year so join the ToB Crew as they make their picks for who will be taking home the golden statues!
After a nice holiday break, the ToB Crew is back ti business with another regular episode. There’s a lot to catch up on, not the least of which being a plethora of trailers. First up it’s the next installment in Sony’s extended Spider-Man universe with Morbius, then another Marvel Studios adjacent film with New Mutants, an ACTUAL Marvel Studios movie with Black Widow, and of course another look at DC’s Birds of Prey, among others. The guys then dive into some of the news, touch on Netflix’s the Witcher, and then jump into the winners from this years Golden Globes while at the same time diving into the Oscar nominations. All that and so much more on the first full ToB Podcast of 2020!
With the Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker premiere now far enough in the past and the discourse surrounding the divisive picture now quieted down, it’s finally time for the ToB Crew to dive deep into the final chapter of the Skywalker saga. Full spoilers ahead, as Julian, Daniel, and Jeremy discuss the ins and outs of a movie that has A LOT to break down. Plus the guys try to fully flush out how this movie follows what was left by Rian Johnson’s “The Last Jedi” (A conversation that may never end). Ultimately, there’s enough content in this movie to keep podcasters busy for years, and this will likely not be the last ToB word on this subject.
Note: This podcast was set to release closer to January 1, 2020 but due to technical difficulties there was a delay. Apologies. Please look for new ToB podcasts soon!
What better way is there to cap off 2019 than to soak up the awesomeness that is the finale to the first season of The Mandalorian? Join Julian, Dan, and Jeremy as they unpack what was a thoroughly satisfying conclusion to the story that began with the surprise reveal of Baby Yoda. A conclusion that also that came with some unexpected twists, asked some interesting questions, and left the door open for more adventures with our favourite Mandalorian next fall. What a way to bring live action Star Wars to the small screen for the first time!
Once again it is time for the annual Tobie Awards! Known for their prestige and import, the Tobies are a look back the year’s best in film and television. As is tradition, this years ceremony is hosed by Julian Meush, Daniel D’Souza, and Jeremy Kozier. The ToB Crew walk through each of their picks, laying out their justifications for their top 3 choices. 2019 was chalk full of amazing films and television programs, regardless of their appearance on anyone’s list, and is of course deserving of praise in their own right, but only the select few are lucky enough to take home a Tobie. Let the listing begin!
Nothing ever ends. A theme that has played out through the Watchmen saga from the beginning. The sentiment feeling particularly poignant today, as we digest the final instalment of HBO’s Watchmen and are left wondering if this is, in fact, the end. There is no question that this is the end of a great season of television. One that dove deep into social issues while at the same time crafting a nearly flawlessly written story around jaw dropping film making. A season of television capped with a finale that stuck the landing on nearly all it’s plot lines like an Olympic acrobat at the end of their routine. A show so complex that trying to unpack it all can twist the brain and make you feel like a genius one moment and an idiot the next. It’s almost all too good to be true. Which leaves the only remaining caveat; will there be a season 2? There’s a real possibility that HBO’s Watchmen will only be remembered as a one-off television sequel to a best selling graphic novel. A series that was so unlikely to even exist, never mind be as amazing as it turned out to be, that it too could only be described as a thermodynamic miracle.
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The Mandalorian took a turn after episode 3 (err… chapter 3?), it went from the serialized storytelling that we’ve become accustomed to in modern television, and became much more “monster of the week” for lack of a better term. This is a change that some fans have appreciated, enjoying the shows willingness to subvert the expectations that it had setup at the beginning and take us on fun new adventures every week. Others, who hoped for a tight, concise, 8 episode story feel that the show has lost it's through-line and therefore feels directionless. All opinions are valid, however, I think most fans of this show will agree that Chapter 6 “The Prisoner”, regardless of it’s lack of connective tissue to the larger narrative, is nothing less than absolutely entertaining. This week’s installment is a mashup of part heist film, horror film and adventure film, and filled with great performances and juicy character moments. This week, The Mandalorian shows us that it’s capable of make exciting choices that go well beyond fan-service (but still willing of giving us some).
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With the season drawing to a close we finally get our first look at Dr. Manhattan, and get to spend some time in what we perceive as his past. Much like the Watchmaker chapter from the original comic, the episode attempts to translate Manhattan’s perception of time by exposing the audience to interconnected and overlapping periods in his life. A conversation over beers with Angela provides a through-line as the episode jumps between various events; including a young Jon Osterman having his first voyeuristic experience, Veidt explaining his first plan to neutralize Dr. Manhattan, Jon adopting Cal’s existence, and Veidt’s retirement to Europa.
Back in 2019 Angela is forced to sacrifice her husband’s demure, family man persona, in order to warn Manhattan of the impending attack. While Jon reconnects with Angela, he is having his first/last conversation with her grandfather in 2009, and the pitfalls of “time travel” are displayed. With the 7th Kavalry descending on them time is running out for the indestructible man; once again, the most powerful being in existence is the prisoner of providence, and once again he is too late. Always has been, always will be. Too late.
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After suffering damage during a dogfight with a rival bounty hunter, The Mandalorian is forced to dock at the notorious backwater planet of tatooine. While grounded, Mando heads to the Mos Eisley Cantina expecting to find a nefarious den of scum and villainy, only to find a post-Empire, less-villainous, droid-operated dive bar. Luckily, Toro Calican; a prospective bounty hunter is onsite and recruits The Mandalorian for a high-risk, high-reward mission to capture a rival mercenary. Under The Mandalorian’s guidance, the rookie bounty hunter come close to success, but the avaricious nature of the profession wins out and Toro seizes an opportunity to make a name for himself.
Also, more baby Yoda memes are generated. Cool.
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The ToB Crew is back with another regular episode of the ToB Podcast. A lot has happened, especially at Warner Brothers, so the guys decide to do a recap of all things DC. Variety is reporting that DC brass don’t know how to make Superman relevant to modern audiences, all while Henry Cavil drops some Superman nuggets, Michael B Jordan is pitching Superman ideas, and Ben Affleck is stoking the flames of #ReleaseTheSynderCut with a tweet. Needless to say there’s a lot to talk about. The guys also touch on the new “Sonic the Hedgehog” trailer, Mark Wahlberg’s casting in the “Uncharted” movie and much more!
As an aside, the fates aligned to make sure that this episode was recorded BEFORE the James Bond and Mulan trailers dropped. So unfortunately those will have to be tackled next episode.
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Show NotesMovies* DC
+ Henry Cavil dropping hints about Superman.
+ Ben Affleck stokes the flames of #ReleaseTheSynderCut.
+ Green Lantern film possibly rated R.
+ Michael B Jordan pitches Superman.
+ Variety reports that DC isn’t sure what to do with Superman.
+ The Rock talks Black Adam.
+ No Joker Sequel planned.
+ Harley Quinn Animated Series trailer.
+ Andy Serkis cast as Alfred in The Batman.
- Updated Sonic the Hedgehog trailer with updated Look for Sonic.
- Disney+ hits over 10 million subscribers.
- Mark Wahlberg cast as Sully in Sony’s Uncharted movie.
- The Mask reboot in the works with Jim Carry
Dan and Jeremy are back to breakdown the latest episode of HBO’s Watchmen series; the most appropriately titled episode to date, this week left us all in feeling shock and “An Almost Religious Awe”.
Angela relives some of her own memories as she comes down from the Nostalgia trip; Petey stumbles into the aftermath of Looking Glass’ last stand; Lady Trieu takes advantage of an elephant that never forgets; Laurie overplays her hand; Veidt faces day 365 of his trial; Bian’s true lineage is revealed; Joe Keene explains his master (race) plan; and, with the Doomsday Clock close to midnight, the bell tolls for Cal and Angela’s secret.
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When Mando and Baby Yoda flew off into space at the end of Chapter 3, many people expected the show to take a turn and start driving toward a logical goal or destination. Unfortunately for those people, that wasn’t the in Chapter 4 “Sanctuary”. In many ways a filler episode, Mando makes a stop in a backwater world only to meet a former Rebel Shock Trooper, and a wholesome village before all havoc breaks loose. Filled with some cliched story beats and questionable direction and performances, it’s easily the worst installment of The Mandalorian so far. That doesn’t mean it didn’t still have it’s redeeming elements however, with Baby Yoda steeling the spotlight once again, as well as an exciting set-piece finale, it’s clear the show hasn’t completely lost it’s touch, and there’s still plenty to look forward to. Join Julian, Daniel, and Jeremy as they unpack the full episode and dive into the details.
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