Always the Critic Movie Podcast: Recent Episodes
Always the Critic Podcast
For the movie goer and movie lover, Always the Critic Podcast is a group of friends discussing and reviewing everything from box office juggernauts to indie sleeper hits to throwback favorites.
No film degrees, no connections, no experience necessary because when it comes to film, we’re “always the critic.”
On Episode 267 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we head back to spice world of Arrakis for a review of Dune: Part 2, starring Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, and Florence Pugh.
Rico and Jess discuss this masterful sequel from prestige director Denis Villenueve, talking through the haunting anti-hero story, the world building and culture building, the performances and characters (justice for Chani!), the amazing score from Hans Zimmer, the most impactful scenes, 2024 Oscar predictions (what could have been had Dune 2 premiered in November 2023!), and more in spoilers.
Check out our review for* Dune (2021) here**.
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On Episode 266 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we’re back to look at some of the movies we saw over the last few weeks.
Rico and Jess take turns talking about movies they have watched recently, including Argylle, Anatomy of a Fall, American Fiction, Bob Marley: One Love and The Beekeeper.
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On Episode 265 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we head to WWII Germany to review The Zone of Interest, starring Sandra Hüller and Christian Friedel.
Rico and Jess discuss this Oscar Best Picture contender from director Jonathan Glazer, talking through the haunting story, the performances and characters, the audacious sound design (also Oscar nominated), the most sickening and impactful scenes, and more in spoilers.
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On Episode 265 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we’re looking forward to the 2024 movie slate and we chat about 10 movies we're excited to watch.
Rico and Jess take turns naming 2024 movies that they want to watch. Although they share a few in common, of course the surprise each other with what they left off the list. They also talk about Ariana Grande.
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On Episode 264 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we’re back from our holiday break to look back at the year 2023 and rank our top 10 movies of the year.
Rico and Jess take turns naming their top 10 movies of the year. Although they share a few in common, the co-hosts surprise each other with their picks. They also talk about the year 2023 in movies, most memorable scenes/moments in film, the best performances of the year, and the movies that just missed the list.
For our original Most Anticipated Movies of 2023 episode, listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more.
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On Episode 263 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we’re back from our Thanksgiving break to review all the in-theater releases we watched recently, including Saltburn, starring Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, and Rosamund Pike.
Rico and Jess discuss Emerald Fennell's wild dabaucherous romp Saltburn, the latest from Hayao Miyazaki The Boy and the Heron, Dream Scenario with Nic Cage, and the triumph that is Godzilla Minus One.
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On Episode 261 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we’re back in the Panem to review The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, starring Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Viola Davis, and Peter Dinklage.
Rico and Jess discuss this prequel release from Hunger Games franchise director Francis Lawrence, talking through the plot, the performances from Zegler and Blyth, the ~ballad~ singing, some context missing in the book-to-screen adaptation, the best and most surprising parts of the film, and more in spoilers.
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On Episode 261 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we’re back in the MCU to review The Marvels, starring Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, and Iman Vellani.
Rico and Jess discuss the SAG-AFTRA strike ending, the Mean Girls musical trailer, what they’ve been watching since their last episode before diving into this late 2023 release from director Nia DaCosta, talking through the scattered plot, the female relationships at the center of the film, Iman Vellani’s scene-stealing performance as Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel, the singing and the cats and a wasted Park Seo-joon, the predictable third act woes, the overall state of the phase 5 MCU, that mid-credits scene, and more in spoilers.
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On Episode 260 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we sing our hearts out and discuss Taylor Swift: The Era Tours!
Rico and Jess discuss the blockbuster concert film. We chat about our favorite moments, what we wished to have seen in the movie and how it stacks up to concert movies we've seen before.
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On Episode 259 of the Always the Critic podcast, Jess and Rico continue the mini Spooky SZN with another Daebak K-Rambles Podcast crossover episode to review of Ballerina, starring Jun Jong-Seo and Kim Ji-Hoon.
Jess and Rico discuss this Netflix original film from writer-director Lee Chung-Hyun, talking through its derivative nature, the revenge plot and the performances, the action scene editing à la Christopher Nolan, the cinematography and bisexual lighting, Kim Ji-hoon’s thirst trap scenes, what’s missing from the movie, and more!
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On Episode 258 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we to New Asia to review The Creator, starring John David Washington, Gemma Chan, Allison Janney, and Madeleine Yuna Voyles.
Rico and Jess discuss this 2023 release from director Gareth Edwards, talking through the genre of sci-fi A.I. robot movies, the stunning and impressive visuals, John David Washington’s track record, the performance from child actress Voyles, the predictable plot beats and most compelling scenes, and more in spoilers.
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On Episode 257 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we’re finally back in time to review Dumb Money, starring Paul Dano, Shailene Woodley, Pete Davidson, America Ferrera, Seth Rogan, Sebastian Stan, and more. Rico and Jess discuss what they’ve been up to and watching since their last episode before diving into this rare late-2023 release based on a recent true story, talking through the pandemic setting, workplace dissatisfaction theme, the experience of living through this story in real time, the performances and most compelling storylines, Pete Davidson, and more in spoilers. For episodes with similar movies, click belowDramaBecome a Subscriber!Monthly SubscriptionListen To Us!SpotifyApple PodcastsAnchorFollow us!PatreonInstagram Twitter Facebook Rico’s YoutubeRico’s Letterboxd Jessica’s Letterboxd--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/alwaysthecritic/message
On Episode 256 of the Always the Critic Podcast, on the eve of Hurricane Idalia, we queue up our list of best storm movies.
Rico and Jess take turns listing their top 5 storm movies, producing two vastly different lists based on slightly different criteria, citing movies like Twister, The Wizard of Oz, The Day After Tomorrow, Groundhog Day, and more!
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On Episode 255 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we each list out favorite movies in ABC order, one movie for each letter of the alphabet.
Rico and Jess discuss and list 26 of their favorite movies in ABC order. Rico mentioned movies like The Dark Knight and Moneyball, while Jessica listed out Bridesmaids and The Mummy, among others.
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On Episode 254 of the Always the Critic Podcast, it’s Blindspots: Volume 3, where we discuss some movies (classic or not) that we watched for the first time.
Rico and Jess discuss and remove a wide range of movies from their shame lists. Rico got around to movies like Chinatown and The Big Short, while Jessica knocked out Waiting to Exhale and Kick-Ass, among others.
Check out the other Blind Spots episodes!
Movie Blindspots: Volume 2 / Ep. 126
Movie Blindspots / Ep. 71
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On Episode 253 of the Always the Critic Podcast, it’s a double feature as we review two hotly anticipated movies that won the weekend (possibly the year), Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.
Rico and Jess first talk about Barbie and how much they connected with the clever, beautiful story and commentary, mentioning the excellent comedy, its celebration of women, the resurgence of the color pink, America Ferrera’s monologue, and the killer OST. Later in the show, Rico and Jess discuss Oppenheimer, (1:01:43) including the stacked cast, the questionable nudity and flawed women characters, the best scenes and most compelling bits of plot, the musical score from Ludwig Göransson, and more.
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On Episode 252 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we survive a car chase through the streets of Rome on our review of Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning - Part 1, starring Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Hayley Atwell, and more.
Rico and Jess discuss the 6th MI installment, talking through the plot, the retcons, the practical stunts, Esai Morales’s villain, the excellence of all the ladies in the MI franchise, our top sequences in all of the Mission Impossible movies, and more in spoilers.
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On Episode 251 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we hit pause on reviewing a new movie and look back at the year 2023 so far, ranking our top 10 movies.
Rico and Jess examine the 2023 movie outlook, comparing it to previous years and discussing what we can expect heading into the latter half of the year, rank their top 10 movies of 2023, and touch on what they’re anticipating most for new releases.
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On Episode 250 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we put on our fedora (again) on our review of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, starring Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, and more.
Rico and Jess discuss the 5th Indie installment, talking through the awesome and terrible, uncanny valley CGI, the new themes explored, Mikkelsen’s villain, the best and worst sequences, the third act that left us a bit stunned, the state of the Indiana Jones franchise, and more in spoilers.
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On Episode 249 of the Always the Critic Podcast, it’s a double feature as we review the R-rated comedy No Hard Feelings and Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City, before the non-spoiler section of our Daebak K-Rambles Past Lives review.
Rico and Jess first talk about No Hard Feelings and how much they’ve missed Jennifer Lawrence, mentioning the rather tame nature of the movie (despite that ONE scene, you know the one), how it succeeded in being heartfelt, newcomer Andrew Barth Feldman’s comedic chops, the welcome addition of Matthew Broderick, and the post-Judd Apatow comedy landscape. Later in the show, Rico and Jess discuss Asteroid City, (XX:XX) including the stacked cast, the strength of the younger cast members, how sucky they found the movie with its incoherent plot, a revelation from Rico about Edward Norton, and Wes Anderson as part of the pop culture zeitgeist, and more.
Check out our full review of* Past Lives on our spin-off podcast Daebak K-Rambles!**
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On Episode 248 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we suit up and enter a new dimension (again) on our review of The Flash, starring Ezra Miller, Michael Keaton, Sasha Calle, and more.
Rico and Jess discuss the latest DC movie, talking through the terrible, uncanny valley CGI, the return of Keaton’s Batman, the divisive figure of Ezra Miller, the state of the DCEU, Barry’s now Hispanic background, Calle’s Supergirl and how we wished we had more of her, the dizzying final act and all the surprising cameos, and more in spoilers.
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On Episode 247 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we MAXIMIZE on our review of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, starring Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Ron Perlman, Peter Dinklage, Pete Davidson, and so many more.
Rico and Jess discuss the latest in the Transformers franchise, talking through the cast list, Anthony Ramos and his rising star power, Pete Davidson’s voice acting for Mirage, the overt 90s OST, favorite scenes, THAT ending, and more.
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On Episode 246 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we suit up and enter a new dimension on our review of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, starring Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Oscar Isaac, and so many more.
Rico and Jess discuss the sequel to 2018’s Into the Spider-Verse, talking through the Hispanic representation, the ethical and moral quandaries along with the emotional touchpoints, the emphasis on Steinfeld’s Gwen Stacy and her world’s art style, the portrayal of Oscar Isaac’s Miguel O’Hara, the insane OST, the cliffhanger ending, theories, predictions, and more in spoilers.
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On Episode 245 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we swim fathoms below for our review of The Little Mermaid, starring Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, Melissa McCarthy, Javier Bardem, Awkwafina, Daveed Diggs, and more.
Rico and Jess discuss the latest Disney live-action remake, talking through how perfect Halle Bailey was as Ariel, the Aquaman-esque approach to the underwater CGI, Melissa McCarthy’s Ursula and the “Poor Unfortunate Souls” number, thoughts on Jonah Hauer-King’s endearing Prince Eric, the Vanessa player who stole the show with her insane heat check, the numerous changes from the original 1989 film, including the song lyric changes, cuts, additions, and more in spoilers.
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On Episode 244 of the Always the Critic Podcast, it’s all about family on our review of Fast X, starring Vin Diesel, Jason Momoa, Michelle Rodriguez, Ludacris, Tyrese Gibson, Charlize Theron, John Cena, and so many more.
Rico and Jess discuss the first movie in the possible Fast X trilogy, talking through how stacked the cast is and how the franchise seems to lure in Oscar winners, their favorite Fast saga movie, the best and most ridiculous moments and lines, thoughts on Jason Momoa’s new villain, the cliffhanger ending, how [REDACTED] is back, the mid-credits scene, and more in spoilers.
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On Episode 243 of the Always the Critic Podcast, in honor of Mother’s Day, we queue up our list of best movie moms!
Rico and Jess take turns listing the movie mothers who teach, inspire, or just plain kick ass, citing moms like Sarah Connor (Terminator), Queen Ramonda (Black Panther), Mrs. Incredible (The Incredibles), Molly Weasley (Harry Potter franchise), and more!
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On Episode 242 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we’re back with a brand new playlist on our review of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, starring Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, and so many more.
Rico and Jess discuss the final movie in the Guardians trilogy, talking through how James Gunn decided to go for the emotional jugular (why are we crying over an otter?), the best moments and music, thoughts on the new villain and Will Poulter’s Adam Warlock, how Mantis got to finally shine, the underlying political messages of the film, the mid-credits and end credits scenes, and more in spoilers.
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On Episode 241 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we go on a high fantasy adventure on our review of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, starring Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Hugh Grant, and more.
Rico and Jess discuss the D&D adaptation, talking through how approachable the plot and characters were (since they have no prior experience playing the game), Chris Pine and his endless charisma, how silly and great Hugh Grant is, the resistance to the overabundance of CGI, the cameo that might have been the best part of the movie, and more in spoilers.
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On Episode 240 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we’re back and in a brand-new suit for our review of John Wick: Chapter 4, starring Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, more.
Rico and Jess discuss the latest film in the John Wick franchise, talking through how the John Wick movies rank among the greatest action franchises, the newcomers and how they stacked up, the unassailable action sequences, Skarsgård’s French accent, Keanu’s lack of lines, the future of John Wick, and more in spoilers.
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On Episode 239 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we’re back in Philly for our review of Shazam: Fury of the Gods, starring Zachary Levi, Djimon Hounsou, Rachel Zegler, Lucy Liu, Helen Mirren, and more.
Rico and Jess discuss the most recent DC release, talking through how it stacks up to the first movie, the character arcs that impressed and the ones that didn’t, the new additions of Zegler, Liu, and Mirren, third act qualms, THAT demigod’s appearance, both the mid-credits and post-credits scene, the state of DC movies, and more in spoilers.
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On Episode 238 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we recap and comment on the 95th Academy Awards.
Rico and Jess talk through the telecast, going over some of their predictions and their experience watching the broadcast at an Oscars party. They recap the historic Everything Everywhere All at Once sweep, delight in Ke Huy Quan (who effectively won the whole evening), the emotional speeches, the unique musical performances (including Lady Gaga’s stripped back “Hold My Hand” and the energetic “Naatu Naatu”), Jimmy Kimmel as host again, Will Smith slap references, Jenny the donkey, Cocaine Bear, and so much more.
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On Episode 237 of the Always the Critic Podcast, it’s a double feature as we review Creed III, starring Michael B. Jordan, Jonathan Majors, and Tessa Thompson, and R-rated comedy Cocaine Bear, starring Keri Russell, Alden Ehrenreich, O’Shea Jackson Jr., and Ray Liotta.
Rico and Jess first turn toward the ring, talking about Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut, the creative and stylistic choices he made, the tangible absence of Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky and the reasons behind it, comparisons to the previous two movies in the Creed trilogy, favorite moments in the film, and more. Later in the show, Rico and Jess discuss the wild Cocaine Bear, (1:04:55) including how entertaining and campy they found the movie, hysterical performances from the cast, how this is Ray Liotta’s final performance, and more.
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On Episode 236 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we visit the quantum realm on our review of Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania, starring Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jonathan Majors, and more.
Rico and Jess discuss the most recent MCU release, talking through the dizzying CGI bonanza, the underwhelming utilization of Lilly’s Wasp and Bill Murray, the impressive performance from Majors, the pure lunacy of MODOK, the general disappointment of the entire film, both the mid-credits and post-credits scene, and more in spoilers.
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic podcast, we get together with special guest Tasha Jones to induct a second class into the romantic comedy hall of fame!
We are joined by our friend Tasha Jones, aka the official hype girl for John Williams, to nominate eight actors/actresses who we would induct into our Nora Ephron Romantic Comedy Hall of Fame. We thought there would be some no-brainers but we were wrong. Check out the final list by listening, and tell us your picks!
Check out our initial induction episode here!
GUEST: Tasha Jones
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On Episode 233 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we catch a few grasshoppers and contend with the apocalypse on our review of Knock at the Cabin, starring Dave Bautista, Jonathan Groff, and Ben Aldridge.
Rico and Jess discuss this M. Night Shymalan thriller, talking through Dave Bautista’s amazing performance, the shooting style that created a sense of unease, the biblical references, the common theme we’ve seen in other Shymalan projects, the movie’s different ending from the source material, and more in spoilers.
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On Episode 233 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we hit up the Philippines for a destination wedding on our review of Shotgun Wedding, starring Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel.
Rico and Jess discuss this direct-to-Amazon Prime 2023 action rom-com, talking through J.Lo’s place in the annals of rom-com royalty, the pass-the-baton casting that landed Josh Duhamel the role, the wildly entertaining Jennifer Coolidge, nitpicks with the storytelling, the funniest scenes, and more in spoilers.
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On Episode 232 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we queue up our list of most anticipated 2023 movies!
After talking through their 2023 movie resolutions, Rico and Jess take turns listing 2023 release movies they’re excited to see, citing movies like Barbie, Oppenheimer, Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and more!
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On Episode 231 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we’re back from our holiday break to look back at the year 2022 and rank our top 10 movies of the year.
Rico and Jess take turns naming their top 10 movies of the year. Although they share a few in common, the co-hosts surprise each other with their picks. They also talk about the year 2022 in movies, biggest disappointment, biggest surprise, most memorable scenes/moments in film, the best performances of the year, and the movies that just missed the list.
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On Episode 230 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we return to the world of Pandora on our review of Avatar: The Way of Water, starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, and Sigourney Weaver.
It’s the last episode of 2022, and Rico and Jess discuss this James Cameron sequel 13 years in the making, talking through their theater experiences, the ridiculously stunning cinematography, major themes in the movie, disappointing plot gymnastics, best moments, a little Titanic déjà vu, and more in spoilers.
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On Episode 229 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we celebrate Christmas by answering the question, Is this a Christmas movie?
Rico and Jess discuss the a slew of movies that can be considered Christmas movies, like Gremlins, The Nightmare Before Christmas… and Iron Man 3? Listen in to hear us state our cases, saving the best for last—Die Hard.
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On Episode 228 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we get our ho-ho-ho back on our review of Violent Night, starring David Harbour and John Leguizamo.
Rico and Jess discuss this bloody 2022 Christmas movie, talking through their unique theater experiences, the wildly entertaining David Harbour as Santa, how they nailed two different tones in the movie, the goriest deaths, the possibility of a sequel, potential titles for said sequel, and more in spoilers.
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On Episode 227 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we celebrate Thanksgiving by dedicating an entire episode to prolific writer Nora Ephron.
Rico and Jess talk through Ephron’s early life and how she got into Hollywood as a screenwriter, discussing her biggest works, like When Harry Met Sally…, Sleepless in Seattle, and You’ve Got Mail, including fun facts, favorite moments, and Nora’s impact on the films.
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On Episode 226 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we visit the ancestral plain on our review of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, starring Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett, Lupita Nyong’o, Tenoch Huerta, and more.
Rico and Jess discuss the most-anticipated MCU release this year, talking through the impressive performances from Letitia Wright and Angela Bassett, the portrayal of Namor and the Mesoamerican representation, the amazing new music from Ludwig Göransson, the issues with a few new characters and the third act, that mid-credits scene, and more in spoilers.
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On Episode 225 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we prep for the upcoming Wakanda Forever release by doing a snake draft with friend of the pod Jake Christie from the MCUniversity Podcast and Dalbin Osorio from Badlands/TOJ and Murphy’s Multiverse.
Rico, Jess, Jake, and Dalbin go 10 rounds in a serpentine draft, drafting non-MCU movies with at least two members of the MCU! Find out what each picked and why, and stick around to hear what just missed the cutoff!
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On Episode 224 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we hit pause on reviewing a new movie and each rank our top 5 spooky SZN movies.
Rico and Jess share their respective lists, which end up (of course) being wildly different. Jess chooses more comfort movies that evoke the spirit of the season, while Rico goes full horror and thriller. Listen to find out what they chose and what just missed their lists!
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On Episode 223 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we surrender to no one on our review of Black Adam, starring Dwayne Johnson.
Rico and Jess discuss a movie that’s been in the works since 2007, talking through the startlingly bad storytelling, the charmless performance from Johnson, some preachy characters, Zack Snyder aesthetic, that mid-credits sequence, and more in spoilers.
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On Episode 222 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we ditch the new releases and rewind it back to 2006 to cover The Prestige, starring Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman.
Rico and Jess discuss this oft-forgotten Christopher Nolan flick, talking through how Nolan managed to snag the film rights, the major themes and brilliant writing, what else was competing in theaters in 2006, the incredible supporting cast, which includes Michael Caine, David Bowie, Andy Serkis, and Scarlett Johansson, the best scenes and lines, and more.
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On Episode 221 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we sing to a corpse on our review of Amsterdam, starring Christian Bale, John David Washington, and Margot Robbie.
Rico and Jess talk through one of Rico’s most anticipated movies of 2022, discussing the bizarre plot and writing, the preachy themes, awful acting from Washington and Taylor Swift, and more in spoilers.
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On Episode 220 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we put a spell on you—again—on our review of Hocus Pocus 2, starring Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker.
Rico and Jess discuss the Disney+ sequel, including the recycled plot, the good and bad comedy, and terrible writing, before transitioning into Rico’s first impressions of the Netflix release Blonde with Ana de Armas and getting into a small argument over the best Disney Channel Original Movies (DCOMs).
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On Episode 219 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we wake up in a male utopia (ironically located in the desert) for our review of Don’t Worry Darling, starring Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Chris Pine, and Olivia Wilde.
Rico and Jess discuss the Wilde’s sophomore film and the number 1 movie at the box office, including the complex and entertaining-as-hell press tour, the faltering themes of the movie (ahem, feminism), Harry Styles’s acting, the horrendous final act, comparisons to the original spec script ending, and more in spoilers!
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On Episode 218 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we visit the kingdom of Dahomey on our review of The Woman King, starring Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, and Lashana Lynch.
Rico and Jess discuss the number 1 movie at the box office, including the complicated history surrounding the portrayal of this African state, Viola Davis’s powerhouse performance, the intense themes of the movie, comparisons to Black Panther, the best and most emotionally evocative scenes, and more in spoilers!
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On Episode 217 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we wish upon a star on our review of Pinocchio, starring Tom Hanks, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth.
Rico and Jess have themselves a bit of a bonfire as they take turns roasting the latest Disney “live-action” remake from director Robert Zemeckis, including differences between the 1940 movie and the remake, Hanks’s bland and uneven performance, the wayward themes and messages of the movie, the uncanny valley of the CGI, the terrible storytelling, awful jokes, and more in spoilers!
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On Episode 216 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we’re back in Middle Earth to review the first two episodes of the Amazon Prime show Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
Rico and Jess discuss the plot, the complaints from the worst corners of the Internet, the cinematography and CGI, the differences in the portrayals of Galadriel and Elrond in the show versus Peter Jackson’s movies, the characters and storylines they’re most drawn to so far, and more.
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On Episode 215 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we do something completely out of character and review the first two episodes of the Disney+ Marvel show She-Hulk.
Rico and Jess discuss the plot beats of the show, the complaints from the worst corners of the Internet, the CGI, Captain America’s virginity, the interesting topics and concepts the show is commenting on, and what they’re looking forward to for the rest of the show and for the MCU at large.
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On Episode 214 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we complete our quest and vanquish evil in part 2 of our quick series covering each Lord of the Rings film leading up to Amazon’s Rings of Power, finishing up with The Return of the King.
Rico, Jess, and Jess’s sister Rebecca discuss the experience of watching the final film in theaters, the false endings, fun facts, their favorite lines, sequences, and, yes, even discuss Gollum’s nonexistent ~member~ Then, the group talk through the Rings of Power Amazon Prime show, what we can expect and what they’re looking forward to.
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On Episode 213 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we go on a quest in part 1 of our quick series covering each Lord of the Rings film leading up to Amazon’s Rings of Power, starting with Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers.
Rico, Jess, and first-time guest Jess’s sister Rebecca discuss their personal experience with the franchise, the legacy of the work, fun facts, how it was made, their favorite lines, sequences, and, yes, even qualms for each movie.
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On Episode 211 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we look back at the movies that we saw in August that we haven't had a chance to discuss.
Rico and Jess talk about the disappointing Netflix action flick The Gray Man (03:18), the fast-moving Bullet Train with its stacked cast(15:05), and then finish up by discussing the surprisingly great Predator prequel-sequel Prey (30:33).
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On Episode 211 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we can’t look away on our review of Nope, starring Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, and Steven Yeun.
Rico and Jess take a deep dive into the latest thriller from the twisted mind of Jordan Peele, including the performances, the most horrifying sequences, multiple interpretations of what Peele’s underlying messages could be, critiques on the final act, and more in spoilers!
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On Episode 210 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we hit pause on reviewing a new movie and look back at the year 2022 so far, ranking our top 5 movies.
Rico and Jess examine the 2022 movie outlook, comparing it to the previous pandemic years and discussing what we can expect heading into the latter half of the year, rank their top 5 movies of 2022, and touch on how their lists of most anticipated movies has shaped up.
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On Episode 209 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we blast Guns N’ Roses on our review of Thor: Love & Thunder, starring Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Natalie Portman, and Christian Bale.
Rico and Jess discuss the latest MCU entry from director Taika Waititi, including if Natalie Portman belongs in the MCU, Christian Bale’s villain, the funniest moments (like Russell Crowe effectively stealing the show), the issues with the final act, and more.
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On the Episode 208 of Always the Critic podcast, we try to avert an ecological disaster on our review of Jurassic World: Dominion, starring Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Neil, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum.
Rico and Jess head back into director Colin Trevorrow’s Jurassic World, discussing their general thoughts, the critical reception versus the audience reaction, a laundry list of nitpicks, how the new movie draws upon its predecessors, the best sequences, new dinos, new characters, and more.
Listen to our* Life Finds a Way: A Jurassic Retrospective on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts!**
*To listen to our original review of* Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom*, listen on* Patreon or subscribe on Anchor**!
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On the Episode 207 of Always the Critic podcast, we gear up for Jurassic World: Dominion by taking a look back at the Jurassic franchise as a whole.
We ponder the state of this five-film franchise, talking through our own relationship with the franchise, the unassailable first Jurassic Park film, our favorite moments and characters, the worst parts of the sequels, and what we’re looking forward to seeing in Jurassic World: Dominion!
*To listen to our original review of* Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom*, listen on* Patreon or subscribe on Anchor**!
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On Episode 206 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we feel the need, the need to review Top Gun: Maverick, starring Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, and Jennifer Connelly.
Rico and Jess launch headlong back into the danger zone, discussing their general thoughts, some miscellaneous qualms, the new movie’s themes, the gorgeous cinematography, Tom Cruise as an action hero, the new Top Gun crew, favorite sequences, and more.
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On Episode 205 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we venture into the multiverse on our review of Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Elizabeth Olsen.
Rico and Jess give interesting stories about how their parents reacted to the movie and discuss their general thoughts, including their biggest qualms, the portrayal of Wanda Maximoff, and Sam Raimi back in the director’s chair, before turning their attention to spoiler talk, like fan service moments, plot specifics, and more.
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On the Episode 204 of Always the Critic podcast, we celebrate Star Wars Day with a special May 4th episode of our own.
We ponder the state of the galaxy far, far away, talking through our own relationship with the franchise, favorite movies and characters, discuss the upcoming offerings in Star Wars movies and TV, and even share what fantasy Star Wars story we would want to see!
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On Episode 203 of the Always the Critic Podcast, it’s a double feature as we review viking revenge story The Northman and action-comedy The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, starring Nicolas Cage and Pedro Pascal.
Rico and Jess first talk about the Ringer’s rom-com coverage and J.Lo’s quietly prolific rom-com career. Turning toward Iceland, the duo express how strange and wonderful Robert Eggers’s The Northman was, mentioning the funky plot, the hallucinogenic visuals, and Alexander Skarsgard’s acting skills and charisma (or lack thereof). Later in the show, Rico and Jess discuss The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, (54:00) including how entertaining they found the movie, the lovely coupling of Pedro Pascal and Nic Cage, how meta the film is, and more.
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On Episode 202 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we face a choice—hunt and consume blood, or watch this movie—on our review of Morbius, starring Jared Leto.
Rico and Jess wade through the quagmire that is this new superhero movie, discussing the awful critical reception, the unusually bad performance from Leto, the wasted supporting cast, the bizarre pacing and storytelling, worst scenes, and more!
*Here is the UPROXX Interview with Director Daniel Espinosa referenced on the podcast: ‘Morbius‘ Director Daniel Espinosa On What The Heck Happened Here
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On Episode 201 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we stick googly eyes on our foreheads and strap in for our review of Everything Everywhere All at Once, starring Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Stephanie Hsu, and Jamie Lee Curtis.
Rico and Jess verse-jump into a robust multiverse, discussing the film’s Asian representation, the unassailable Michelle Yeoh, the triumphant return of Ke Huy Quan to the silver screen, the small but might VFX team, the deeper themes and meaning, their favorite scenes, and more!
Here is The Wrap* Interview with Visual Effects Supervisor Zak Stoltz referenced on the podcast: How ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ Pulled Off Marvel-Worthy VFX With a Team of 5 People (Yes, Seriously)
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic podcast, we’re turning 200!! In honor of making it to 200 episodes, the crew answers a few questions from followers before welcoming special guest Tasha Jones to induct our inaugural movie score hall of fame!
We are joined by our new friend Tasha Jones, aka the official hype girl for John Williams, to nominate 12 movie score tracks that we would induct into our Movie Score Hall of Fame. We nominate movies from luminaries such as Bernard Herrmann, Ennio Morricone, Danny Elfman, and more. Check out the final list by listening, and tell us your picks!
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On Episode 199 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we recap the 94th Oscars and review The Lost City, starring Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum. Rico and Jess talk through the ridiculously disappointing Academy Awards ceremony, including the un-televised awards, the Encanto song, and the Slap®. Then the crew discusses the new romantic action-comedy, including the chemistry between the leads, funniest moments, Brad Pitt, glitter sequin jumpsuits, and more! For episodes with similar movies, click below Romantic Comedy Action Adventure Comedy Become a Subscriber!
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On Episode 198 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we are joined by special guest Jake Christie for our review of Deep Water, starring Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas.
Rico, Jess, and Jake talk through the newest movie from veteran filmmaker Adrian Lyne, discussing the chemistry between the leads, sex in movies, qualms with the plot development, comparisons to other Lyne-directed films, SNAILS, and more!
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On Episode 197 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we hit up Toronto Chinatown for our review of Turning Red, starring Rosalie Chiang and Sandra Oh.
Rico and Jess talk through the newest Pixar movie, discussing the fun Asian representation, general audience complaints, how this time period is almost never depicted in movies, the symbolism of the red panda, funniest scenes, and more!
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On Episode 196 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we solve riddles with the bat and the cat on our review of The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Colin Farrell, Andy Serkis, and Paul Dano.
Rico and Jess talk through the latest iteration of the caped crusader, talking through director Matt Reeves’s vision, the deep and affecting themes, the best sequences, Kravitz’s Catwoman, comparisons to previous Batman movies, and so much more.
If you liked this episode, then maybe check out…
The Dark Knight 10th Anniversary Episode
Summer Superlatives: Superheroes with JAKE CHRISTIE / Ep. 115
Top 10 Last 10 / Ep. 145
Zack Snyder's Justice League / Ep. 146
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On Episode 195 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we go on an introspective journey in 12 chapters on our review of The Worst Person in the World, starring Renate Reinsve.
Rico and Jess first touch on the SAG Awards and how it might affect the Oscars before discussing the indie drama, talking through Renate Reinsve’s acting performance, the deep and affecting themes, the best and most memorable moments, an exploration of mortality and legacy, and so much more.
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On Episode 194 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we find ourselves on a quest for treasure on our review of Uncharted, starring Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg.
Rico, Jess, and guest Miguel Albarracin discuss the video game adaptation, talking through the action and the suspension of disbelief, the female characters, comparisons to the video game franchise, and the possibility of a sequel.
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On Episode 193 of the Always the Critic Podcast, it’s a double feature as we review murder-mystery Death on the Nile and rom-com Marry Me, starring Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson.
Rico and Jess first talk about the Academy Awards and how they refuse to nominate blockbusters or crowd-favorite movies, and then comment on the Super Bowl trailer drops. Turning toward Africa, the duo express how disappointing Kenneth Branagh’s Death on the Nile was, mentioning the stacked cast, the mess of CGI visuals, and the generally boring execution of the plot. Later in the show, Rico and Jess discuss Marry Me, (XX:XX) including how surprisingly entertaining they found the movie, the weird coupling of J.Lo and Owen Wilson, how great the OST is, and more.
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Rico is joined by Chipper Beal as they head back to Westboro to talk about Scream (2022). They first discuss the upcoming Oscar nominations and what would surprise from the announcement. They then discuss the mixing of new characters with legacy characters in Scream (14:10) and the meta nature of the franchise. Later in the show, Rico and Chipper discuss The Tender Bar, (37:29) with a wonderful performance by Ben Affleck and the good and bad of the story.
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On Episode 191 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we queue up our list of most anticipated 2022 movies!
Rico and Jess take turns listing 2022 release movies they’re excited to see, citing movies like The Batman, Knives Out 2, Don’t Worry Darling, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and more!
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On Episode 190 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we wing it on a brand-new variety show where each host comes up with their own Top 10 movie list.
Rico starts off with his “Top 10 Best Uses of Color in a Movie,” citing movies like To Catch a Thief and Skyfall. Jess shares her “Top 10 Female-Fronted Romantic Period Piece Movies”, with entries like Far from the Madding Crowd and The Young Victoria.
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On Episode 189 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we wrap up our quick In Defense of… mini-series, where each host defends a presumably indefensible January release movie panned by critics, with 2002’s Orange County.
Rico tries his best to convince Jess that Orange County is an underrated teen comedy, citing the decent script from Mike White, the wackiness of Jack Black, and Colin Hanks’s boyish charm. The two discuss what the critics said back when the movie first hit theaters, where the movie could have improved upon its premise, the parts that didn’t age well, and the effectiveness of the all-star comedic supporting cast.
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On Episode 188 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we return to our In Defense of… mini-series, where each host defends a presumably indefensible January release movie panned by critics, with 2007’s 27 Dresses.
Jess tries her best to convince Rico that 27 Dresses is a decent rom-com, citing the James Marsden’s charm, the memorable “Benny and the Jets” bar scene, and Judy Greer’s mere presence. The two discuss what the critics said back when the movie first hit theaters, where the movie could have improved upon its premise, and the effectiveness of Katherine Heigl’s performance, as well as why she got blacklisted by Hollywood.
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On Episode 187 of the Always the Critic Podcast, it’s a retrospective as we look back and rank our favorite movies of 2021.
Rico and Jess take turns naming their top 10 movies of the year. Although they share a few in common, the co-hosts surprise each other with their picks. They also talk about the year 2021 in movies, most memorable moments in film (good and bad), the best performances of the year, and the movies that just missed the list.
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On Episode 186 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we swing back to New York for our review of Spider-Man: No Way Home, starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Alfred Molina, and Willem Dafoe.
Rico and Jess tackle the latest Marvel movie, talking through Holland’s amazing acting performance, how they felt the movie stacked up against the other two MCU Spider-Man movies, the return of classic Spidey villains from previous franchises, and a whole web of SPOILERS!
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On Episode 185 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we head to New York to review West Side Story, starring Rachel Zegler, Ansel Elgort, Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, and Rita Moreno.
Rico and Jess talk through director Steven Spielberg’s reimagining of the classic Broadway musical, including comparisons to the 1961 movie, the authentic cast of Hollywood newcomers, Ansel Elgort controversy, favorite sequences, and debating why the movie did so poorly at the box office.
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On Episode 184 of the Always the Critic Podcast, it’s our third double feature in a row(!!) as we review Disney’s Encanto and House of Gucci, starring Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Al Pacino, Jared Leto, and Jeremy Irons.
Rico and Jess head to the mountains of Colombia, talking Disney’s latest animated film, slight comparisons to Coco, the enchanting original music from Lin-Manuel Miranda, and favorite scenes and third act complaints. Later in the show, Rico and Jess discuss House of Gucci, (39:35) including how ridiculously entertaining they found the movie, the baffling accents from the prestige cast, hysterical comments from the real Gucci family and director Ridley Scott, and more.
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On Episode 183 of the Always the Critic Podcast, it’s ANOTHER double feature as we talk King Richard, starring Will Smith, and Ghostbusters: Afterlife.
Rico and Jess pick up a racket and hit a few tennis balls in the rain, talking Will Smith’s performance as Richard Williams and its Oscar potential, their favorite scenes, and how the movie follows the typical biopic progression. Later in the show, Rico and Jess discuss Ghostbusters: Afterlife, (24:25) including how fun they found the sequel, the strength of the cast, and major complaints in the spoiler section.
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On Episode 182 of the Always the Critic Podcast, it’s a double feature as we cover Spencer, starring Kristen Stewart, and Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast.
Rico and Jess head to Sandringam to spend Christmas with the royals, talking about Stewart’s performance as Princess Diana, the abounding metaphors and meta commentary on the true modern tragedy, and the strange musical score. Later in the show, Rico and Jess discuss Belfast, (36:20) including how beautiful, fun, and heartwarming they found the film and lamenting how the film will inevitably be bashed for possibly getting Oscar buzz.
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On Episode 181 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we hunt a few deviants in our review of Eternals, starring Salma Hayek, Richard Madden, Gemma Chan, and Angelina Jolie (among many others).
Rico and Jess talk through Academy Award-winning director Chloé Zhao’s entry into the MCU, including the themes explored, the characters and their development, nitpicks and major complaints, and what we can expect from the post-credits scenes.
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On Episode 180 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we fall asleep and dream of 1960s London in our review of Last Night in Soho, starring Thomasin McKenzie, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Matt Smith.
Rico and Jess talk through director Edgar Wright’s first foray into pure thriller, including the great visuals, their disappointment in the plot, the performances from the entire cast, and Edgar Wright as a director.
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On Episode 179 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we face our fears, because fear is the mind-killer, in our review of Dune, starring Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Jason Mamoa, Josh Brolin, and Zendaya.
Rico and Jess discuss the latest film from prestige director Denis Villenueve, including their thoughts on the world building, the cinematography, the stacked cast and how they’re utilized, comparisons to the 1984 Dune movie, and predictions about the possible part 2.
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On Episode 178 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we don a suit of armor and joust our way through a review of The Last Duel, starring Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Ben Affleck, and Jodie Comer.
Rico and Jess discuss the latest film from prestige director Ridley Scott, including how they felt about the acting performances, the cinematography, the (infuriating) sexual assault case, the way the story is told through multiple perspectives, and Ridley Scott as a director.
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On Episode 177 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we finish off with a bang in part 4 of our series covering every single Bond film leading up to No Time to Die, finishing with Daniel Craig’s 007. Rico and Jess review a total of 5 Bond films, discussing Craig’s performance as Bond, the differences from his predecessors, and their raw thoughts on each film, including the best/worst Bond girls and Bond theme songs. Rico and Jess then wrap up the series with a few rankings and superlatives (01:22:36), including Best Villain, Most Memorable Bond Girls, Best Bond Songs, and more. For episodes with similar movies, click below Action Adventure Follow us!
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On Episode 176 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we take the Aston Martin out for one last ride on our review of No Time to Die, starring Daniel Craig, Lea Seydoux, Ana de Armas, Ralph Fiennes, and Rami Malek.
Rico and Jess discuss Daniel Craig’s last outing as James Bond, including how they felt about Rami Malek’s villain, the cinematography, the titular Bond song by Billie Eilish, the twist ending, and some thoughts about the future of James Bond.
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On Episode 175 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we dial up the action and inappropriate puns in part 3 of our series covering every single Bond film leading up to No Time to Die, continuing with Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan’s 007s.
Rico and Jess watched a total of 6 Bond films, discussing Dalton’s two outings as Bond in The Living Daylights (1987) and License to Kill (1989), and continuing with Brosnan’s turn as 007 starting with Goldeneye (1995) and finishing with Die Another Day (2002). They give their raw thoughts on each film, including the best/worst Bond girls and Bond theme songs.
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On Episode 174 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we review the absolute carnage of a movie that is Venom: Let There Be Carnage, starring Tom Hardy, Woody Harrelson, Naomie Harris, and Michelle Williams.
Rico and Jess have a rather short discussion about the Venom sequel, including how they felt about the plot, editing, and pacing of the film, and a longer rambling about the future of Spider-Man at Sony and the implications of the (spoiled-to-no-end) post-credits scene.
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On Episode 173 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we deploy a parachute with the Union Jack flag, in part 2 of our series covering every single Bond film leading up to No Time to Die, continuing with Roger Moore’s 007.
Rico and Jess watched a total of 8 Bond films, none of which they’d seen before, discussing Moore’s first outing as Bond in Live and Let Die (1973) all the way to A View to a Kill (1985), with a stop off at Sean Connery’s last hoorah as 007 in the non-canonical Never Say Never Again (1983). They give their raw thoughts on each film, including the best/worst Bond girls and Bond theme songs.
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On Episode 172 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we take our martinis shaken, not stirred, in part 1 of our new series covering every single Bond film leading up to No Time to Die, starting with Sean Connery’s 007.
Rico and Jess watched a total of 7 Bond films, none of which they’d seen before, discussing the very first film Dr. No (1962) all the way to Diamonds Are Forever (1971), with a stop off at George Lazenby’s one and only portrayal of 007 in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969). They give their raw thoughts on each film, including the best/worst Bond girls and Bond theme songs.
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On Episode 171 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we wave through a window on our review of Dear Evan Hansen, starring Ben Platt, Kaitlyn Dever, Julianne Moore, and Amy Adams.
Rico, Jess, and special guest Miguel Albarracin have a contentious discussion about the Broadway musical film adaptation, including their own divisive views, the vocal and acting performance from Ben Platt, the uncomfortable and problematic premise of the story, the controversies surrounding the film (i.e., wigs, age, and nepotism), and more.
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On Episode 170 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we call in to the telethon on our review of The Eyes of Tammy Faye, starring Jessica Chastain and Andrew Garfield.
Rico and Jess discuss this biopic that hits a bit close to home, including the ultimately positive view the movie takes toward Tammy Faye, Jessica Chastain’s flashy and possibly Oscar worthy performance, the deep indictment of the Christian establishment, the interesting facets of the characters, and more.
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On Episode 169 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we enter the World Series of Poker for our review of The Card Counter, starring Oscar Isaac, Tiffany Haddish, Tye Sheridan, and Willem Dafoe.
Rico and Jess discuss this strange outing from director Paul Schrader, including the deep morality of the characters, the tone of the film, Tiffany Haddish’s acting, the symbolism throughout, and the interesting and shocking third act.
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On Episode 168 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we sing some karaoke after parking cars on our review of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, starring Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Michelle Yeoh, and Tony Leung.
Rico and Jess marvel at the newest MCU entry, talking through the amazing box office turnout, the stunning martial arts action, the OST from 88Rising, and how this film (along with its post-credit scenes) sets up what’s to come for the MCU.
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On Episode 167 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we exit the Tik Tok app for our review of Netflix’s He’s All That, starring Addison Rae, Tanner Buchanan, and Rachel Leigh Cook.
Rico and Jess discuss the gender-swapped version of the 1999 movie She’s All That, including the acting chops from the cast, the horrendous product placement, comparisons to the original film, and serious complaints about the pacing and romantic chemistry.
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On Episode 166 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we suit up with Task Force X on our review of The Suicide Squad, starring Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena, and Viola Davis.
Rico and Jess discuss the newest James Gunn superhero movie, including the absurd comedy, perfect casting choices, comparisons to the Suicide Squad from 2016, and complaints about the third act.
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On Episode 165 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we cover the top two movies of the weekend: Disney’s Jungle Cruise and A24’s The Green Knight.
Rico and Jess hop aboard the Jungle Cruise to behold the 8th wonder of the world: the backside of water! Just kidding. They do compliment the movie for its generous use of puns (just like the Disney ride), comment on the casting, Dwayne Johnson’s hair and wardrobe, the parts that seemed to draw on its action-adventure predecessors, and the third act of the movie. Later in the show, Rico and Jess discuss A24’s The Green Knight, (34:00) including how striking they found the themes, discussing the differences between the epic poem and the film adaptation and Dev Patel’s excellence in acting.
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Drama
Family
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On Episode 164 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we hit the beach for our review of Old, starring Gael García Bernal, Vicky Krieps, Alex Wolff, Thomasin McKenzie, and Rufus Sewell.
Rico and Jess discuss the newest M. Night Shymalan thriller, including the fascinating moral and ethical quandaries explored, the striking premise, the emotional beats, the unintended comedy, and the (and you knew this was coming) twist ending.
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Thriller
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On Episode 163 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we don’t go to space and we don’t jam on our review of Space Jam: A New Legacy, starring LeBron James and Don Cheadle.
Rico and Jess discuss the Space Jam sequel? reboot?, including obvious comparisons to the original 1996 movie, the lack of a strong OST, Don Cheadle’s acting and wardrobe, as well as the use of WB IP.
Here is our Space Jam throwback review for our Love of the Game series:
The Love of the Game: Love & Basketball, Space Jam / Ep. 117
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On Episode 162 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we bring down the Red Room in our review of Black Widow, starring Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, Rachel Weisz, and David Harbour.
Rico and Jess discuss the newest Marvel movie, including the strength of the supporting cast, the deep themes and best action sequences, as well as lamenting how late it’s arrived in the MCU.
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Superhero
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On Episode 161 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we hit pause on reviewing a new movie and look back at the year 2021 so far, ranking our top 5 movies.
Rico and Jess examine the 2021 movie outlook, comparing it to 2020 and discussing what we can expect heading into the latter half of the year, rank their top 5 movies of 2021, and touch on what they’re anticipating most for new releases.
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Variety Shows
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On Episode 160 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we grab some Corona’s and salud to family as we review F9: The Fast Saga, starring Vin Diesel, John Cena, and Michelle Rodriguez.
Rico flies solo in this episode as he discusses the sequel’s over-the-top set pieces, why John Cena’s character is Dom’s brother and the state of the franchise heading into the the final, two-part installment.
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Action Adventure
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On Episode 159 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we pick up our pepper spray as we review The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, starring Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, and Salma Hayek.
Rico and Jess discuss the sequel in all its disappointing glory, the sad precedent of the action-comedy genre, the state of action movies today in the wake of the superhero movie boom, and their thoughts on the recent releases The Misfits and Pixar’s Luca.
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Action Adventure
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On Episode 158 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we have some ice cold piragua as we review In the Heights.
Rico and Jess discuss the musical adaptation, including the vibrant performances and favorite sequences, the themes explored, the recent colorism controversy, and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s singing ability.
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Family Movies
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On Episode 157 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we pack our bags and head for London to review Cruella.
Rico and Jess discuss the Disney live-action retelling, including the various twists in the plot, the ridiculously fabulous performances from Emma Stone and Emma Thompson, the stunning costume design, and the possibility a sequel.
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On Episode 156 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we step off the sand path for our review of A Quiet Place Part II.
Rico and Jess discuss the new release from writer-director John Krasinski, including the way the plot treads new ground, the inclusion of new characters played by Cillian Murphy and Djimon Hounsou, and the amazing themes and symbolism explored throughout the sequel.
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Thriller
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On Episode 155 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we gear up to enter the quarantine zone as we review of Army of the Dead.
Rico and Jess discuss the Netflix release from (infamous) director Zack Snyder, including Dave Bautista’s performance, the plot and visual style, the insertion of Tig Notaro, and the surprise twist on the zombies.
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Action Adventure
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On Episode 154 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we open the curtains on our review of The Woman in the Window.
Rico and Jess discuss the Netflix release from director Joe Wright, including the troubled production, the prestige cast, the poorly executed homages to Hitchock, and the general disappointment of the film.
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Thriller
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On Episode 153 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we shave our heads and go full Jason Statham as we review Wrath of Man.
Rico and Jess discuss the newest (forgettable) movie from director Guy Ritchie, including the outrageous testosterone-infused dialogue, the awful first act, the bizarre cameos, and the general disappointment of the film.
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On Episode 152 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we are Sex Bob-omb, and we’re here to review Scott Pilgrim vs. the World!
Rico, Jess, and special guest Miguel Albarracin discuss the cult classic in celebration of its 10th anniversary, including how stacked the cast is, favorite fight moments and quotes, which characters we identify most with, as well as who is worse: Scott or Ramona?
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On Episode 151 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we have a flawless victory (or not) as we review Mortal Kombat (2021)! Rico and Jess discuss the video game adaptation in all its Outworld-ly glory, including if the fight scenes lived up to the gameplay, the cheesiness of the script, the goriness and violence that came with the R rating, the awful third act, and the potential for a sequel. For episodes with similar movies, click below Action Adventure Follow us!
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On Episode 150 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we celebrate our 150th episode and Rico’s birthday by sharing our favorite movie from each year of our lives!
Rico and Jess have fun talking through their favorite movies, choosing just one from every year of their lives, including films like Jurassic Park, The Princess Bride, Pride and Prejudice, and La La Land.
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On Episode 149 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we get off the ~blue~ and review Voyagers, starring Colin Farrell, Tye Sheridan, and Lily-Rose Depp!
Rico and Jess discuss the surprisingly heavy themes and moral and ethical quandaries of the film, the slightly disappointing acting performances from the young cast, as well as the set design, plot development, and musical score.
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On Episode 148 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we bow to no one and review Godzilla vs. Kong, starring Godzilla (as himself) and Kong (as himself)!
Rico and Jess laugh their way through one the most entertaining movies of the year, discussing the fight sequences, the “plot”, and the human characters, including the dismal lack of Kyle Chandler, to Rico’s dismay.
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Action Adventure
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On Episode 147 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we over-correct and review Nobody, starring Bob Odenkirk!
Rico and Jess discuss Bob Odenkirk’s surprisingly smooth transition to an action hero, the blessedly short run time of the movie, the bizarre but menacing villain, their favorite gags and action set pieces, and the possibility of a sequel.
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On Episode 146 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we unite the mother boxes and review the infamous Zack Snyder’s Justice League!
Rico, Jess, and special guest Bobby Orlando (from our Sonic the Hedgehog review!) discuss the long-awaited and much-demanded Snyder Cut, including the differences between the 2017 theatrical cut and this director’s cut, the positives and negatives, and then delve into the character introductions and arcs, marvel at the action set pieces, and ponder the future of the DCEU.
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Superhero
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On Episode 145 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we take a break from reviewing new releases and rank the last 10 movies we watched for the first time in our very first Top 10 Last 10!
Rico and Jess borrow a page out of the CineReeLists playbook and cover their last 10 first-time watches, ranking each one. Listen and let us know: were you surprised by the movies or upset by the rankings?
Special thanks to the CineReeLists Podcast!
- Website
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On Episode 144 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we go off planet and review Chaos Walking, starring Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley.
Rico and Jess discuss their general impressions of the film, lament the terrible execution of a really interesting premise, and talk through plot beats and the lack of chemistry between Holland and Ridley.
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On Episode 143 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we review Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon, starring Kelly Marie Tran and Awkwafina.
Rico and Jess discuss their general thoughts, praise the movie for its stunning visuals, touch on the voice recasting of Raya and the controversy surrounding the missing Southeast Asian voice acting representation, and share their qualms with the plot (holes).
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Animated
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On Episode 142 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we review Netflix’s To All the Boys: Always and Forever, starring Lana Condor and Noah Centineo.
Rico and Jess discuss the plot beats, pay respect to the killer OST, applaud the movie for its realistic college-age dilemma, and draw major comparisons to common K-Drama tropes.
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Romantic Comedy
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On Episode 141 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we review Judas & the Black Messiah, starring Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield.
Rico and Jess discuss the heavy nature of the movie, the persuasive underpinnings and the duality inherent in the portrayals, the unassailable performances from Kaluuya and Stanfield, and the movie’s awards chances.
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Drama
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On Episode 140 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we review the Netflix release Malcolm & Marie, starring Zendaya and John David Washington.
Rico and Jess discuss the explosive performances from Zendaya and Washington, the major themes and musings of the movie, what they liked and disliked, and the (surprisingly) cold critical reception.
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On Episode 139 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we review the new release The Little Things, starring Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, and Jared Leto.
Rico and Jess discuss the tired crime drama and how it falls short of its (better) genre forebears, as well as the excellence of the cast, the disappointing plot development, weird stylistic choices, and overall themes of the movie.
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Drama
Thriller
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On Episode 138 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we wrap up our quick mini-series, where each host defends a presumably indefensible January release movie panned by critics, with 1999’s She’s All That.
Jess tries her best to convince Rico that She’s All That is an underrated and kind of great teen rom-com, citing the iconic makeover reveal, the magic of Freddie Prinze Jr., and the edgy themes the film explores. The two discuss what the critics said back when the movie first hit theaters, as well as the effectiveness of the music video-style dance scenes, the love story’s believability, and Rico’s scathing opinion of Rachael Leigh Cook as an actress and leading lady.
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On Episode 137 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we begin a quick mini-series where each host defends a presumably indefensible January release movie panned by critics, starting with 2004’s Along Came Polly.
Rico tries his best to convince Jess that Along Came Polly is an underrated comedy, citing Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s brilliant side character and a few strong scenes. The two discuss what the critics said back when the movie first hit theaters, as well as the effectiveness of the gross-out humor in the movie, the love story’s believability, and their opinion of Jennifer Aniston as an actress and leading lady.
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic movie podcast, we look back and rank our favorite movies of 2020.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi take turns naming their favorite movies of the year. Although they share a few in common, the co-hosts surprise each other with their picks. They also talk about the year of 2020 in movies, their favorite performances of the year and movies that just missed the list.
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This is a preview of our Patreon exclusive episode. To listen to the entire episode, check out our page on Patreon
Rico and Jess talk about the Disney+ Original Series "The Mandalorian" season 2. The crew talks about the season finale, including the surprise cameo. They also talk about where they believe the show will go, whether Jess will still be interested in the show now that a major plot point has occurred. Plus a quick discussion of the announcement of the different Star Wars shows coming down the road.
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On Episode 135 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we actually review two new releases(!!): DC’s Wonder Woman 1984 and Pixar’s Soul.
Rico and Jess grab their fanny packs and head for D.C. (pun intended) as they review the second team-up of director Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot, including their likes and dislikes (but mostly likes), how interesting they found Kristen Wiig’s character, and Pedro Pascal’s facial hair (or lack thereof). Later in the show, Rico and Jess discuss Pixar’s Soul,(1:02:08) including how disappointing they found the execution of the promising premise, differing wildly from the critic’s consensus, and if this movie is a sign of a creatively bankrupt Pixar… or maybe Rico and Jess just aren’t Pixar people anymore.
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Superhero
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On Episode 134 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we finish out our mini-series discussing underrated Christmas movies and spend Christmas with The Family Stone.
Rico and Jess discuss their favorite lines and scenes from the movie, ask questions like “Was Meredith that terrible?”, and talk through the amazing cast, which includes Diane Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Sarah Jessica Parker, Luke Wilson, Dermot Mulroney, and Claire Danes.
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On Episode 133 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we pick up on week 2 of our mini-series discussing underrated Christmas movies. We head back to 2005 with Ryan Reynolds in Just Friends.
Rico and Jess discuss their differing opinions on the film plus major plot points, the toxic concept of the friend zone, and laugh through their favorite lines and scenes.
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On Episode 132 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we begin a new mini-series discussing underrated Christmas movies. We start by getting a glimpse into a different life with The Family Man.
Rico and Jess look back at the 20-year-old film by discussing the major plot points, themes of money vs. family, some problematic tropes that don’t hold up anymore. Of course, we get into detail about the enigma that is Nicolas Cage.
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We’re taking the week off (hope you have a great Thanksgiving) and sharing one of our Patreon exclusive episodes. This may be a movie podcast but Jessica and Rico took some time to talk about their relationship to another medium, which is television.
Both podcast hosts talk about what draws them to the shows they watch, why they make the distinction between the two, Jessica’s reviews of Asian dramas, and Rico’s favorite shows ever.
If you are a fan of the show, consider signing up for our Patreon page. You can help support the show and allow us to continue bringing you great content.
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On Episode 131 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we review a rare new movie release and get Freaky with Vince Vaughn. Rico and Jess discuss the horror-comedy’s Freaky Friday/Friday the 13th premise, how surprisingly gory the movie was, the very physical performances from Vaughn and Kathryn Newton, and the ultimately forgettable nature of the film that dropped too late in the year to drum up Halloween-time moviegoers. For episodes with similar movies, click below Comedy Thriller Follow us!
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*Fixed Audio Issue from Initial Posting. Please Re-download for Correct Audio*
On Episode 130 of the Always the Critic Podcast, keep the change, ya filthy animal, because we’re getting left Home Alone!
Rico and Jess discuss the Christmas classic in celebration of its 30th anniversary, including how awful Kevin’s family is, casting what-ifs, favorite moments and quotes, as well as the magical score by John Williams and the talent behind the screen.
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On Episode 129 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we got a double feature on our hands as we review Synchronic and The Kid Detective.
In the first half of the show, Rico and Jess talk about the indie movie Synchronic, including how awesome it was to see Anthony Mackie as the lead, the haunting music and cinematography, and the intriguing concept. In the second half of the show, Rico and Jess cover The Kid Detective, relishing in the dark comedy’s soundtrack, Adam Brody’s performance, and in the twisty plot.
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On Episode 128 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we head to Mandalay and discuss the remake of Rebecca.
Rico and Jess talked about the differences between the 1940’s version and this adaptation, their disappointment in the themes, how the remake does away with the subtlety of its predecessor, and how the chemistry between Armie Hammer and Lily James left a lot to be desired.
For our thoughts on Alfred Hitchcock’s version of Rebecca, listen to our Hitchcock Series episode 2.
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On Episode 127 of the Always the Critic Podcast, the competition heats up as Rico and Jess play some movie trivia.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi dig deep as they try to one-up each other in five different trivia categories: Actors/Actresses, Directors, Genre, Events, and Halloween. Try your hand at trivia about the Oscars, box office feats, Anne Hathaway, Tim Burton, spooky movies, and more!
Check out the first Movie Trivia episode!
Movie Trivia / Ep. 99
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On Episode 126 of the Always the Critic Podcast, it’s Blindspots: Volume 2, where we discuss some classic movies that we watched for the first time.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi discuss and remove a wide range of movies from their shame lists. Rico got around to movies like Almost Famous, Zombieland, and Pride & Prejudice. Jessica knocked out Taxi Driver, Air Force One, and The Usual Suspects, among others. Then the two tackle Inside Llewyn Davis, Eighth Grade, and the Best Picture winner Kramer vs. Kramer.
Check out the first Blind Spots episode!
Movie Blindspots / Ep. 71
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On Episode 125 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we finish up with week 3 of our mini series called Sunshine State of Mind, where we put a spotlight on movies set in South Florida and celebrate our hometown, with last year’s Waves starring Kelvin Harrison Jr., Sterling K. Brown, and Taylor Russell, among others.
Rico and Jess explore Broward County, talking the movie’s deeply personal location and depictions of South Florida life, the unbelievable cast, the poetic cinematography and inventive camera work, and speak on the storytelling of the score and soundtrack.
*A special thank you to Rosa Albarracin for the custom series art.
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On Episode 124 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we sashay into week 2 of our mini series called Sunshine State of Mind, where we put a spotlight on movies set in South Florida and celebrate our hometown, with 1996’s The Birdcage starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane.
Rico and Jess cross the bridge to Miami Beach, talking the movie’s critical reception, the underlying message of the movie, its subversive nature, casting what-ifs, and laugh their way through their favorite lines and scenes.
*A special thank you to Rosa Albarracin for the custom series art.
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On Episode 123 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we start a brand-new mini series called Sunshine State of Mind to put a spotlight on movies set in South Florida and celebrate our hometown. The first movie on the docket is the infamous Scarface starring Al Pacino.
Rico and Jess welcome Tony Montana to the United States, talking the movie’s legacy, critical reception, the true stories that inspired the story, as well as sharing their thoughts on the movie’s Cuban representation (or lack thereof), homophobia, their favorite lines and scenes, plus Pacino’s crazy accent.
*A special thank you to Rosa Albarracin for the custom series art.
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On Episode 122 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we bring honor to us all by reviewing the Disney live-action remake Mulan.
Rico and Jess talked about their high expectations, what they liked and disliked, the martial arts and the visuals, and then lament over the heavy-handed themes presented, as well as cover the major differences between the animated classic and the live-action.
Don’t forget to check out Episode 101, The Many Reflections of Mulan that we did back in April. We talked about the historical epic poem “The Ballad of Mulan”, the 2009 mainland China live-action The Rise of a Warrior, the Disney animated movie from the ‘90s, and then we finally circle back to make some predictions on the now released Disney’s 2020 live-action remake.
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On Episode 121 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we explore the inverted world of the brand-new Christopher Nolan movie Tenet.
Rico and Jess discuss Nolan as a (troublesome) filmmaker and his obsession with time and paradoxes, the obvious lack of character development in the movie, the experiential score by Ludwig Göransson, and the deeply puzzling movie plot itself, with Jess asking some tough questions.
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On Episode 120 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we score a touchdown on week 3, the finale of our mini series called The Love of the Game. In the first half of the show, Rico and Jess say ~hello~ to Jerry Maguire with Tom Cruise and Renée Zellweger. In the second half, we take a sip of that high-quality H2O! Rico and Jess can’t stop laughing while discussing Adam Sandler’s The Waterboy.
To celebrate the return of sports, we call an audible on the football movie genre by exploring a couple movies on the fringe: a romance and a comedy.
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On episode 119 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to review a brand new movie: The New Mutants.
Rico and Jess discuss the Fox studio leftover movie in all its problematic glory, including production woes, the very young cast, Hollywood whitewashing, and the plot that left us wanting more.
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On Episode 118 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we hit a double play on week 2 of our mini series called The Love of the Game. In the first half of the show, Rico and Jess decide if Fever Pitch with Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore is a hit or a miss. In the second half, wings up! Rico and Jess return to another childhood fave and pose the question, “Are there Angels in the Outfield?”
To celebrate the return of sports, we pitch a curveball on the sports movie genre by exploring a couple movies on the fringe: a romance and a family comedy.
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On Episode 117 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we start a brand-new mini series called The Love of the Game to celebrate the return of sports. We put our own spin on the sports movie genre by exploring a couple movies on the fringe: a romance and a family comedy.
In the first half of the show, Rico and Jess discover that ball is life in the romance Love & Basketball. In the second half, WELCOME TO THE JAM! Rico and Jess relive their childhood as they return to Space Jam.
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On Episode 116 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we do a desperate cash-grab on week 7, the finale episode of our series called Summer Superlatives, as we talk about Sequel summer movies. In this series, we discuss different genres, why they play such a big role during the Summer, and then have some fun handing out superlatives!
Along with guest James Bruehl from the CineReeLists Podcast, Rico and Jess answer some fun Summer Superlatives like Best and Worst Sequel, Most Outrageous Retcon, Sequel You Wish They Never Made, Worst Franchise Fatigue, and so many more! Thank you for tuning in every week for each new genre and guest!
GUEST: James Bruehl - CineReeLists Podcast
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On Episode 115 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we ~assemble~ on week 6 of our series called Summer Superlatives, as we talk about Superhero summer movies. In this series, we discuss different genres, why they play such a big role during the Summer, and then have some fun handing out superlatives!
Along with guest Jake Christie from the Marvel Cinematic University Podcast, Rico and Jess answer some fun Summer Superlatives like Best and Worst Villain, Best Comic Book-to-Movie Change, Worst Casting Choice, and so many more! Tune in every week for a brand new genre and guest!
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On Episode 114 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we have a blast on week 5 of our series called Summer Superlatives, as we talk about Animated summer movies. In this series, we discuss different genres, why they play such a big role during the Summer, and then have some fun handing out superlatives!
Along with guests Marci, Robin, and Adam from the Black Case Diaries Podcast, Rico and Jess answer some fun Summer Superlatives like Most Emotional Scene, Biggest Casting Flex, Most Uniquely Drawn Character, Best Voice Acting, and so many more! Tune in every week for a brand new genre and guest!
GUEST: Marci, Robin, and Adam - Black Case Diaries Podcast
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On Episode 113 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we drop a few bombs on week 4 of our series called Summer Superlatives, as we talk about Action Adventure summer movies. In this series, we discuss different genres, why they play such a big role during the Summer, and then have some fun handing out superlatives!
Along with guest Matt Neglia from the Next Best Picture Podcast, Rico and Jess answer some fun Summer Superlatives like Best Explosion, Movie with the Most Violence, Character Who Runs the Best, Best Chase Scene, and so many more! Tune in every week for a brand new genre and guest!
GUEST: Matt Neglia
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On Episode 112 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we laugh it up on week 3 of our series called Summer Superlatives, as we talk about Comedy summer movies. In this series, we discuss different genres, why they play such a big role during the Summer, and then have some fun handing out superlatives! Along with guest Matti Groll from the Movie Marathoners Podcast, Rico and Jess answer some fun Summer Superlatives like Best Recurring Gag, Worst Line, Best Cameo, Funniest Character, and so many more! Tune in every week for a brand new genre and guest! GUEST: Matti Groll, from Movie Marathoners Podcast
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On Episode 111 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we pick up on week 2 of our new series called Summer Superlatives, and we covered Sci-Fi summer movies. In this series, we discuss different genres, why they play such a big role during the Summer, and then have some fun handing out superlatives! Along with guest David Rosen from Piecing It Together Podcast, Rico and Jess answer some fun Summer Superlatives like Scariest Alien, Best Duo/Crew, Worst Character Death, Movie with the Best Reason for the Apocalypse, and so many more! Tune in every week for a brand new genre and guest! GUEST: David Rosen, from Piecing It Together Podcast
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On Episode 110 of the Always the Critic Podcast, we start a brand-new series called Summer Superlatives, where we discuss different genres, why they play such a big role during the Summer, and then have some fun handing out superlatives! We start with Classic summer movies from 1975-1990. Along with guest Ryan L. Terry, Rico and Jess answer some fun Summer Superlatives like Most Iconic Movie, Movie with the Worst Line, Best Character Introduction, Character with the Best Job, and so many more! Tune in every week for a brand new genre and guest! GUEST: Ryan L. Terry
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On Episode 109 of the Always the Critic podcast, we cross the finish line on our Hitchcock series by talking through his films and legacy from the 1960s onward.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi talk through the bombastic Psycho, more Oscar snubs, and discuss The Birds and Marnie, including his tumultuous relationship with Tippi Hedren. Learn more about the seminal director and the films that he made and that made him great.
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On Episode 108 of the Always the Critic podcast, we wrap up our discussion of 1950s Hitchcock with some more Jimmy Stewart and Cary Grant.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi talk through his TV career, a slew of technical achievements in cinema, Oscar snubs, and dramatic fallouts with frequent collaborators, stopping to discuss three movies we watched: The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), Vertigo (1958), and North by Northwest (1959). Learn more about the seminal director and the films that he made and that made him great.
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On Episode 107 of the Always the Critic podcast, we slow down and cover the first half of Hitchcock’s career during the 1950s… the Grace Kelly era.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi talk through his bizarre antics and sadistic pranks, controlling perfectionism, and studio switch from Warner Bros. to Paramount, stopping to discuss at length Strangers on a Train (1951), Dial M for Murder (1954), Rear Window (1954), and To Catch a Thief (1955). Learn more about the seminal director and the films that he made and that made him great.
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On Episode 106 of the Always the Critic podcast, we cover Hitchcock’s career in the States during the 1940s as he perfects his style.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi talk through his rocky relationship with producer David O. Selznick, his favorite leading men and ladies, and many Oscar nominations, stopping to discuss at length Rebecca (1940), Suspicion (1941), Spellbound (1945), and Rope (1948). Did each movie have a blonde protagonist? Was there even a murder? Was there an ominous staircase or a handwritten note? Learn more about the seminal director and the films that he made and that made him great.
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On Episode 105 of the Always the Critic podcast, we kick off the month of May with a brand new series covering “the silhouetted man,” “the master of suspense”: Sir Alfred Hitchcock.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi talk through his early life, education, and first films, stopping to discuss at length Blackmail (1929), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934), The 39 Steps (1935), and The Lady Vanishes (1938). What are some surprising genres Hitchcock touches on? What thematic elements does he favor? Did we spot the Hitchcock cameo? Learn more about the seminal director and the films that he made and that made him great.
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic podcast, we open up Netflix and take a look at some movies that were released within the last few weeks.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi first talk about Tigertail (4:29), written and directed by Alan Yang, co-creator of Master of None. Then we watched and reviewed The Platform (26:22), a Spanish thriller which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year. Finally we check out Extraction (49:10), the new action movie starring Chris Hemsworth.
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic Podcast, we get together to induct our inaugural romantic comedy hall of fame.
We are joined by friend of the show Kolby Mac, from the Kolby Told Mepodcast, to nominate eight movies that we would induct into our Action Movie Hall of Fame. We nominate movies from action luminaries, such as Keanu Reeves, Jackie Chan and Michael Bay. Check out the final list be listening and tell us your picks.
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic podcast, we check out Disney movies that we have never seen before.
Rico Albarracin watched Tangled for the first time and gives his thoughts on the music, the dynamic of Rapunzel and Flynn Rider and the animation style. Jessica Firpi’s first time watch was The Black Cauldron, which is a wild ride. She shares her thoughts on the crazy plot, the behind-the-scenes fiasco and tries to get Rico to watch it.
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic podcast, we pay tribute to the classic Chinese legend of Mulan by looking back at various cinematic adaptations, in lieu of seeing the 2020 Disney live-action remake.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi talk about the historical epic poem “The Ballad of Mulan”(01:30), the 2009 mainland China live-action The Rise of a Warrior (04:01), the Disney animated movie from the ‘90s (14:37), and then we finally circle back to discuss what we can expect from Disney’s 2020 live-action remake once it finally hits theaters(33:01).
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic podcast, we’re turning 100!! In honor of making it to 100 episodes, the crew hosted a “Ask Us Anything” episode. Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi answer such questions like: If you weren’t podcasting about movies, what you y’all be podcasting about? What are your favorite and least favorite films you've reviewed on the pod? What episode are you most proud of? What's been the biggest lesson learned along your Pod Journey? and many, many, more. For episodes with similar movies, click below Variety Shows Follow us! Instagram Twitter Facebook Group Rico’s Letterboxd Jessica’s Letterboxd
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic podcast, the crew gets competitive and do some movie trivia! Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi compete in three rounds of trivia, which includes: Tom Hanks Steven Spielberg Rom-coms Oscars and more!! For episodes with similar movies, click below Variety Shows Follow us! Instagram Twitter Facebook Group Rico’s Letterboxd Jessica’s Letterboxd
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic podcast, look back at the movies that we saw in February and March that we haven't had a chance to discuss. Given the current situation, it may be a while before we get a new release in theaters.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi talk about the sad Ben Affleck in The Way Back (3:35), the latest interpretation of Jane Austen’s novel Emma. (21:09) and we finally discuss the wonderfully enchanting Portrait of a Lady on Fire (38:20).
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic Podcast, we're looking for magic and reviewing Onward.
Rico Albarracin, Jessica Firpi, and Daniel Romero discuss Pixar's latest film, including a discussion about the poor performance at the box office, the voice acting of the cast, the bonds of brotherhood and why we feel that Onward will not be remembered by audiences.
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic Podcast, the crew reveals a review you won't see coming when they talk about The Invisible Man.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi discuss the new film by Leigh Whannell, including Elizabeth Moss’s performance, the pacing of the film, how the marketing almost ruined the movie, and remembering the dead on arrival announcement of the Dark Universe.
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic podcast, we are sitting on the therapy couch and airing our movie grievances.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi turn up the heat on such topics like:
People not letting go of the Jack and Rose “enough room on the board” debate
FilmTwitter’s obsession with Mad Max: Fury Road
AMC Theaters playing too many trailers before a movie starts
People not comprehending assigned seating
Tom Hooper's butchering of Les Miserables
Kimmy giving up her career in My Best Friend's Wedding
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NOTE - RE-DOWNLOAD THE EPISODE. FIXED SOME AUDIO ISSUES
On the latest episode of Always the Critic Podcast, we review two movies: Sonic the Hedgehog & The Photograph.
Jessica Firpi and Rico Albarracin are joined by Sonic-expert Bobby Orlando to discuss the new video game movie adaption, including the redesign of the title character, Jim Carrey’s performance as Dr. Robotnik and the many references to the classic video game.
In the second half, we Rico and Jess talk about The Photograph (57:22), starring LaKeith Stanfield and Issa Rae, including the importance of telling stories with people of color as the lead, the performances by the actors and discuss the nature of love making life tougher to deal with.
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic Podcast, we recap the 92nd Oscars and review Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn.
Rico and Jess are joined by friend of the show Kolby Mac, from the Kolby Told Me podcast, to recap the historic Best Picture win by Parasite, go over our prediction scores and talk about the telecast.
The crew then speaks about the new entry into the DCEU.
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic podcast, look back at the movies that we saw in January that we haven't had a chance to discuss.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi talk about the atrocious Cats, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence’s return with Bad Boys For Life, the disappointment from Weathering with You, Kristen Stewart’s action-thriller Underwater and lastly the funny but offensive The Gentlemen.
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic podcast, we are answering more of our pressing movie questions.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi answer such questions like:
What are your favorite movie score songs that are not by John Williams?
Do you need to go to film school to be a film critic?
What movies do you prefer to watch by yourself?
What are your favorite movie endings?
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic movie podcast, we look back and rank our favorite movies of the decade.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi take turns naming their favorite movies, which include Inception, Train to Busan, Snowpiercer, La La Land and many more.
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic movie podcast, we look back and rank our favorite movies of 2019.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi take turns naming their favorite movies of the year. Miguel Albarracin, Daniel Romero and Daniel Brigham provided their own lists, allowing us to create a consensus Top 10 for the year, which you can see on our website.
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic Podcast, we travel to Civil-War era Massachusetts and review Little Women. Jessica Firpi and Rico Albarracin discuss the new film by writer-director Greta Gerwig, the differences between the new adaptation and the 1994 version, the performances of the cast and some quibbles with the narrative choices. After missing last week’s episode, Jess has some quick thoughts on Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. For episodes with similar movies, click below Drama Follow us! Instagram Twitter Facebook Rico’s Letterboxd Jessica’s Letterboxd
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic movie podcast, we board the Millennium Falcon and review Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Rico Albarracin, Daniel Romero, Daniel Brigham and first time guest Hope Whitson talk about the last chapter in the Skywalker saga. We dive into JJ Abrams’s decisions, important reveals and twists, our favorite moments and the divide among the panel about liking this movie.
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic movie podcast, we get ready for the end of the Skywalker saga.
Rico Albarracin, Jessica Firpi, Daniel Romero and Daniel Brigham hit all types of topics, like recapping the best and worst moments of each movie, their rankings of the movies, Star Wars superlatives which includes who is the MVP of Star Wars. Head down to the show's twitter page to vote on who’s ranking you agree with most. And remember…..
….the force will be with you. Always.
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(2:30) - Discovery and Why We Love Star Wars
(14:52) - The Phantom Menace
(19:15) - Attack of the Clones
(22:44) - Revenge of the Sith
(29:17) - Solo: A Star Wars Story
(31:45) - Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
(40:58) - A New Hope
(46:30) - Empire Strikes Back
(51:32) - Return of the Jedi
(56:50) - The Force Awakens
(1:02:50) - The Last Jedi
(1:14:30) - Star Wars movie rankings
(1:20:09) - Star Wars superlatives
(1:41:00) - The Rise of Skywalker predictions
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic Podcast, we review Marriage Story.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi talk about the new film by writer-director Noah Baumbach, including the knockout performances by Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, the terrific writing, the nature of divorce and how strong of a player it will be in the Oscar race.
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic podcast, we investigate a murder and talk about Knives Out.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi talk about the latest Rian Johnson film, including his pension for bucking the trend within a genre, the wonderful performances by Toni Collette, Daniel Craig and Chris Evans, the lovely Ana de Armas, answer some twitters questions and rate the movie.
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic Podcast, we journey out of Arendelle and review Frozen 2.
Jessica Firpi, and Daniel Romero discuss the sequel to the 2013 phenomenon, including whether or not the new film is better than the original, the themes of sisterhood, their Letterboxd grades and the darker tone of the film.
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic podcast, we ask and answer some of our pressing movie questions.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi answer such questions like:
Who is the new Hitchcock, Ari Aster or Jordan Peele?
What movies have you walked out of and why?
Does Meg Ryan give a better performance than Tom Hanks in their movies?
What actors/actresses have the best IMDb runs?
and many more.
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic podcast, we travel back to World War II and talk about Jojo Rabbit.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi talk about the latest Taika Waititi film, including a discussion as to why were left a bit unsatisfied, how we experienced the satirical nature of the film, praise the performances of Roman Griffin Davis and Scarlett Johansson and more. Follow us!
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic , we have a double feature!
In the first half, we talk about the new thriller, Parasite, directed by Bong Joon-ho. Rico, Jess and Miguel Albarracin discuss the rich vs. poor dynamic, the thrilling moment the movie produces and discuss the film’s Oscar possibilities.
In the second half, we talk about Terminator: Dark Fate (1:03:50), welcoming back Linda Hamilton as Sarah Conner, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Rico is joined by friend of the podcast Daniel Romero to discuss the reboot/sequel, whether the Terminator name is damaged goods, bringing in Hispanic representation and if we would be interested in more movies from this franchise.
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic Podcast, we travel to a mysterious island, become wickies and review The Lighthouse.
Rico Albarracin, Jessica Firpi and Miguel Albarracin discuss the new film by Robert Eggers, including his Reddit AMA, whether the movie is a psychological thriller or supernatural horror, Pattinson’s and Dafoe’s performance and much more.
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic podcast, it’s time to nut up or shut up as we review Zombieland Double Tap .
Rico Albarracin, Jessica Firpi and Daniel Romerotalk about the unnecessary need for a sequel 10 years later, if the zombie trend is finally over and show love for Zoey Deutch as Madison.
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic podcast, we face our younger selfs and review Gemini Man.
Rico Albarracinand Jessica Firpidiscuss the new Ang Lee film, including the way the director filmed the movie, the de-aging technology used on Will Smith, the way the movies tells instead of shows and much more.
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic Podcast, we go to Gotham City to review Joker.
It’s a full crew as Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi are join by friends of the show Daniel Brigham and Miguel Albarracin to tackle the Todd Phillips-directed film. We talk about Joaquin Phoenix’s performance, debate whether the movie is expressing empathy or sympathy for the titular character, Martin Scorsese’s comments on superhero movies and more.
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic Podcast, we travel over the rainbow and review Judy.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi talk about the new biopic about Judy Garland, including Renee Zellweger’s portrayal of the iconic singer, the vocal performance, what the film lacks to make it compelling and our favorite musical biopics.
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Drama
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic Podcast, we head to space to talk about Ad Astra.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi talk about the new James Gray directed film, including Brad Pitt’s performance, isolation in recent space movies, the quotes that spoke loudest to us, father and son relationships and we list out our top 5 space movies.
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic Podcast, we talk about The Goldfinch.
No Jessica Firpi on this episode so Rico Albarracin is joined by Miguel Albarracin to about the adaptation to Donna Tart’s novel, why the movie failed, what book readers expect out of recreating their favorite novels and more.
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic Podcast, we'll float too and review It: Chapter 2. Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi are joined by Kolby Mac from the Kolby Told Me podcast discuss the sequel to the 2017 box office hit, including the long run time, the de-aging effects on the kids, nitpicks with a certain plot device and Bill Hader. We wanna thank Kolby Mac for joining us on today's episode. To follow Kolby, check him out on Twitter and check out his website for his movie reviews. For episodes with similar movies, click below Thriller Follow us! Instagram Twitter Facebook Group Rico’s Letterboxd Jessica’s Letterboxd
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic podcast, we talk and discuss some classic movies that we watched for the first time.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi discuss and remove a wide range of movies from their shame lists. Rico got around to movies like Her, Inglorious Basterds, and Ex Machina. Jessica knocked out Speed, Point Break, and Apollo13, among others. Then the two tackle The Witch, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and the elusive Pulp Fiction.
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic podcast, we get ready to go to a kissing party and review Good Boys. Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi discuss the new R-rated comedy, including the introduction to Brady Noon, whether we believe that this movie is exploitative in it's use of tweens in mature material, how Jessica believes that Jacob Tremblay is the next Leonardo DiCaprio, and how friendship is fickle when you are young. For episodes with similar movies, click below Comedy Follow us! Instagram Twitter Facebook Group Rico’s Letterboxd Jessica’s Letterboxd
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic podcast, where are we going? To review Dora and the Lost City of Gold.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi discuss the live-action adaptation of the popular children's program, including Isabela Moner's rising star, hispanic representation in movies and the moments that made us feel like a kid again.
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic podcast, we open up a can of whoop ass and review Hobbs & Shaw.
Rico Albarracinand Jessica Firpidiscuss the new entry in the Fast & Furious franchise, including the wonderful Vanessa Kirby, the ridiculous jokes between Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham, the report that talks about the movie fight stipulations the actors have and much more.
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic podcast, we travel back to 1969 and talk about Once Upon A Time In...Hollywood.
Rico Albarracin, Jessica Firpi, and Miguel Albarracin talk about the latest Quentin Tarantino movie, including a dive into the controversies surrounding the acclaimed director, a conversation about Sharon Tate and how the movie portrays her, the themes that we pull from our experience watching the movie and what we liked or didn't like.
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic podcast, we head to Pride Rock to review the 2019 version of The Lion King.
Rico Albarracin, Jessica Firpi, and Miguel Albarracin talk about the new live-action adaption, including an overview of the live-action technology, a comparison to the 1994 animated version, plus the best and worst changes the new version gave us as an audience.
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic Podcast, we get together to induct our inaugural romantic comedy hall of fame.
We are joined by the ladies of the They Kiss At The End podcast to nominate eight actors/actresses who we would induct into our Nora Ephron Romantic Comedy Hall of Fame. We thought there would be some no-brainers but we were wrong. Even Danny DeVito was thrown out as a nominee. Check out who we finally narrow it down to.
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic Podcast, we go to Kat'z Deli to have what she's having and talk about When Harry Met Sally.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi talk about the great romantic comedy that brought us the genre that we know and love. We discuss the writing, Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, the premise of men and women being friends, and Jessica mentions that she would change the ending of the movie. Plus, we list out our favorite moments and quotes.
Promo belongs to The IMDB Journey. Check them out.
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic Podcast, we're heading to Europe and reviewing Spider-Man: Far From Home.
Rico Albarracin, Jessica Firpi, Daniel Romero and Daniel Brigham discuss the latest entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter and MJ's budding romance, Tom Holland vs Tobey Maguire, and the big moment in the end credit sequence.
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic Podcast, we're passing off The Beatles' music as our own and reviewing Yesterday.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi discuss Danny Boyle's new fantasy story, including the premise of the Beatles being removed from pop music, how the movie portrays Ed Sheeran as the best song-writer of the current generation, Himesh Patel's singing performance, plus our own relationship to
The Beatles.
In the second half, we look back at 2019 and talk about some of the best performances, best moments, worst movies and give our top 5 movies of the year, so far. Jessica and Rico have a lot of similarities.
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic Podcast, we're going on a road trip and reviewing Toy Story 4. Rico Albarracin, Jessica Firpi, and Daniel Romero discuss Pixar's latest entry into the franchise, including a discussion about the necessity of sequels, the behind the scenes drama during the making of the film and why some of the crew believed this was just a cash grab. We also talk about the new additions to the franchise and mention our 3 favorite Pixar movies each. Follow us! Instagram Twitter Facebook Rico’s Letterboxd Jessica’s Letterboxd
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic Podcast, we will discuss two movies: MiB International & Late Night
In the first half, we discuss the blandness of the revival of the dormant franchise, how the script dampens the chemistry between Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson and the state of franchise films, so far, this summer. We also talk about the movie that started it all, Men in Black.
(46:30) In the second half, we talk about the new comedy, written and starring Mindy Kaling, alongside Emma Thompson. We get into a brief behind the scenes look at the current late night TV landscape, discuss how relevant the script is and gush how natural Thompson is in the role.
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic podcast, we say goodbye to Fox's Marvel properties by reviewing Dark Phoenix.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi discuss what they liked about the movie, talk about what others hated and try to make sense of the box office failure. We also talk about the cast, our favorite moments and the future of the X-Men now that Disney as taken over.
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic podcast, we do a double feature!
In the first half, Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi talk about Godzilla: King of the Monsters, including how the movie fails to entertain, the poor dialogue and discuss why Warner Brothers is making a Monster-verse.
(Around the 43:00 min mark) In the second half, we're joined by Miguel Albarracin to discuss Rocketman, including comparisons to Bohemian Rhapsody, Taron Egerton's portrayal of the iconic singer, the cliches the movie manages to avoid but others that it can't steer away from.
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic podcast, it's our last night of high school and we're reviewing Booksmart.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi talk about the new coming-of-age comedy, including Olivia Wilde's directorial debut, the wonderful chemistry between Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever, the character Gigi, the witty writing and how earnest the movie portrays its characters.
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic podcast, we head to Agrabah to review the 2019 version of Aladdin.
Rico Albarracin, Jessica Firpi, Daniel Brigham, and Miguel Albarracin talk about the new live-action adaption, including an overview of Will Smith's genie, a comparison to the 1992 animated version, plus the worst changes the new version gave us as an audience.
Thanks to the Offscreen Babble podcast for their question. Check them out: @offscreenbabble
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic podcast, we head to the Continental to review John Wick: Chapter 3 Parabellum.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi talk about the new installment in the action franchise, including looking back at the careers of Keanu Reeves and Halle Berry, it's place among the great action franchises, our favorite moments and what would like to see in upcoming installments.
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic podcast, we head to Ryme City to review Pokemon: Detective Pikachu.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi talk about the new live-action adventure, including how naive we are about Pokemon, the career of Ryan Reynolds, the great integration of the CGI amongst humans and the way the movie is a metaphor for not letting go of childhood.
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic podcast, we listen to some Boyz II Men and review Long Shot.
Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi talk about the new romantic comedy, including the semantics of a rom-com, the careers of Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen, the male fantasy of the "schlub getting the hot girl" and O'Shea Jackson Jr. stealing every scene.
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic podcast, we survived Thano's snap so that we could review Avengers: Endgame.
Rico Albarracin, Jessica Firpi, Daniel Brigham and Daniel Romero discuss the event of the summer season by going through the plot, naming our favorite scenes and where we think the MCU can go.
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic movie podcast, we reminisce about the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Rico Albarracin, Jessica Firpi and Daniel Brigham hit all types of topics, like best moments, their rankings of the movies, MCU superlatives and the three of them conduct a MCU movie draft. Head down to the show's twitter page to vote.
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic podcast, we're celebrating our 50th episode by crashing Bogey Lowenstein's party and looking back at 10 Things I Hate About You. Rico Albarracin and Jessica Firpi talk about the legacy the movie has left on pop culture, discovering Heath Ledger, Julia Stile's command of her character and why this movie is so loved by us. We also discuss our favorite quotes, favorite scenes, ska music and Andrew Keegan's "cult." Follow us!
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On the latest episode of the Always the Critic movie podcast, we review the movies of 2018.
Rico Albarracin, Jessica Firpi and Daniel Romero discuss our favorite scenes of the year, performances that stand out and reveal our top 10 movies of the year.
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic , we have a double feature on our hands!
In the first half, we discuss the cult classic Hocus Pocus, starring Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker. Rico Albarracin discusses his first time watching the film, Jessica Firpi describes it as "perfection" and Daniel Romero compares it to a Disney Channel Original Movie.
In the second half, we go to Halloween Town to reminisce about the holiday classic. We talk about the cultural appreciation of Jack Skellington, the artwork and how both of these films hold up to other non-horror Halloween movies.
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On the latest episode of Always the Critic, we take a look at Christopher Nolan's 2008 classic; The Dark Knight.
I am joined by Jessica Firpi and Daniel Brigham to discuss Heath Ledger's tour-de-force performance as The Joker, the overarching themes that the movies tackles and debate whether this film is the best comic book movie ever.
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