Gratuitous Pausing Podcast: Recent Episodes
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A film podcast exploring genres through the power of brackets. From brilliant insight, dumb jokes, and bizarre double features we've got a bit of everything. New episodes on Fridays.
Welcome to another week of undeath for the Bride of Monster Bracket. This week we have our Samara Weaving Power Hour consisting of The Babysitter (2017) and Ready or Not (2019). We hope your ready for comedic amounts of blood.
Joining us this week is frequent guest Mike Knoll, who has covered Ready or Not previously on The Equelizers which you can check out here.
The spookiness continues from beyond the grave of Bride of Monster Bracket. This episode is the first of three Broodspawn covering some woman-lead horror films that we enjoy and want to share. First up is the brand new The Craft Legacy (2020) a sequel/reboot of the the 1996 classic.
Also as promised the trailer we talked about in our outro.
We've finally come to the final match of the Bride of Monster Bracket. It's Colossal (2016) vs Us (2019). Only one of them can become our Scream Queen. Do you dare listen to find out?
In our penultimate episode of the Bride of Monster Bracket we're digging into Us (2019) and Oculus (2013), along with Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) and The Haunting (1963). How did we get on a tangent about pro wrestling? You'll have to listen to find out.
As we enter round 2 of Bride of Monster Bracket, we've decided to resurrect a part of last year's Monster Bracket, classic companion films. So in addition to Colossal (2016) and Drag Me to Hell (2009), we also be talking about Attack of the 50 foot Woman (1958) and Tormented (1960). Twice the films, twice the chills.
Finishing off round 1 of our Bride of Monster Bracket are the classic Carrie (1976) and indie hit Oculus (2013). Only one of these redheaded horror films get to move on to the next round. Tune in to find out.
Welcome to October listeners. We continue our spooktacular Bride of Monster Bracket with Us (2019) and Jennifer's Body (2009). Only 10 years apart but probably the biggest tonal difference in the first round of this bracket. Listen in to find out which moves on to round 2.
For episode 2 of Bride of Monster Bracket we're looking at two films exploring the societal pressures and expectations placed on women, The Stepford Wives (2004) and Drag Me to Hell (2009). There's also robots and a lamia curse, so that's fun. Listen in to see which film moves on to round 2.
Welcome to a new world of gods and monsters, as we present the Bride of Monster Bracket. We'll be starting off our run of female-focused monster films with Alien (1979) and Colossal (2016). Only one will continue its reign of terror into round 2, tune in to find out which.
As our Bracket on a Boat finally comes to a close we wanted to highlight some fun swashbuckling films from our youth, Muppet Treasure Island (1996) and Hook (1991). Expect a nice pleasant discussion before we head into our next bracket.
The Bracket on a Boat may be over, but we have a couple of lifeboats prepared to discuss some more obscure nautical films. This week we'll be talking about The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004) and The Boat that Rocked (2009). Both of these are a bit more inline with the fell good summer aesthetic we wanted for the bracket, so we hope you enjoy them.
Our voyage is finally coming to an end. In the Bracket on a Boat final we will crown a winner, either The Hunt for Red October (1990) or Life of Pi (2012). Which best adheres to our ideas of what a boat movie should be? We also have a few announcements about our next projects so make sure to listen to the very end.
One last episode before the final. This week we have Jaws (1975) versus Life of Pi (2012), both films about large predators at sea. We also get out into the seaweeds with some discussion about the nature of film as an art-form. Listen and enjoy.
We've reached the semi-finals and only a few films remain. This week we're discussing The Hunt for Red October (1990) and The Poseidon Adventure (1972) and the winner goes on to our final round. Which will make it to port? Listen to find out.
This is our last stop for Round 2, only one of these films will make it back aboard. Will it be Life of Pi (2012) or Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2003)? We've got a lot to discuss before our decision, including some controversies connected to the films, and even an entire secondary bracket.
As always, support BLM https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
This week's episode has two films full of saltwater spectacle, Jaws (1975) and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003). We'll get into the legacy each of these films has left behind, but only one gets to move forward. Listen to find out which.
You know the drill at this point. Go to https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/ to see how to help fight police brutality and racism.
Continuing through round 2 we have a head to head with the oldest and most recent films on the bracket, The Poseidon Adventure (1972) vs Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (2018). But only one of them will make it to round 3, listen in to find out which cruise will make it to the next port.
Once again here's the link to support and donate to BLM causes: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/ . If you're able please help. Many communities have been waiting for justice for far too long, help them hold our leaders accountable.
All aboard for Round 2! We're diving in to discuss Titanic and The Hunt for Red October a second time. Both films of the 90's, both looking to the past, both highly acclaimed. But only one can move on to the semi-finals. Which film will make it ashore? Tune in to find out.
The protests are still happening. The police are still retaliating. Please keep supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, financially if possible. https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
This is our last stop before the second leg of our voyage and what better way to transition than a pair of sequels. This week we have Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) versus Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997). Only one will make it out of these waters and into round 2, listen to find out which.
And just in case you lost the link here it is again: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/ Please keep supporting the BLM movement. So many still need justice, and so little has been done to dismantle the racist systems that perpetuate inequality.
Hope you're all hungry for another episode of our Bracket on a Boat. This week we have two stories of survival at sea, Life of Pi (2012) and In the Heart of the Sea (2015). Both have dangerous animals, distinctive use of color, and literary source material. Listen in to find out which will survive to Round 2.
And we also ask you to keep supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, and that you currently focus your attention on Justice for Breonna Taylor.
Ahoy Listeners! Welcome back to our Bracket on a Boat. This week we've got a pair nautical book adaptation to discuss, namely Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003) and The Perfect Storm (2000). And it appears that are bridging theme this week is bad leadership. Listen in to find out which captain can get their crew into the next round.
A word of caution, we have a content warning for suicide with Master and Commander if you'd like to skip that part of the discussion you can jump to 25:00.
Lastly, we didn't mention it in the episode itself but please keep supporting Black Lives Matter and the protests. Donation links and other ways to help are here
The water's dangerous this week as we talk about two aquatic horror films, Jaws (1975) and Ghost Ship (2002). And if you're looking for most Ghost Ship be sure to check out Ghost Ship 2 from our friends over at The Equelizers.
We're also reminding you that Black Lives Matter, support them here, and have a Happy Juneteenth.
Hey listeners. This is the first episode recorded after the murder of George Floyd. Additionally one of our films this week, Captain Phillips, portrays state violence against Black men. We going to do our best having a conversation about this, but we also realize we are not the best equipped to do so. In light of that we ask you to support those who are. Below are a number of links to donate to orgs working to support the Black community and seek justice for victims of police violence, if you're able please donate, if you aren't please spread the word, sign petitions, and keep the momentum of this movement going. Lastly for those who aren't in a place to listen to our discussion of Captain Phillips you can jump to 38:43 to skip to our end segment.
Support Black People masterdoc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Mo2E-M9Bw57ndJrRVegxVhwhI11SWFNPQdQEFVyn02Q/edit
Black Lives Matter Resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
Black Visions Collective: https://www.blackvisionsmn.org/about
Reclaim the Block: https://www.reclaimtheblock.org/home/#about
Minnesota Freedom Fund: https://minnesotafreedomfund.org/
Justice for Breonna Taylor: https://www.gofundme.com/f/9v4q2-justice-for-breonna-taylor
The Bail Project: https://bailproject.org/
Free Them All for Public Health: https://freethemall4publichealth.org/
We've got disasters for you, one literal and one more metaphorical. This week we're discussing The Poseidon Adventure (1972) and Waterworld (1995). Only one of these films can make it to the next round, listen to find out which will succeed and which will sink into the sea.
Down Periscope! This week we're diving into two film with very different takes on limited sight naval warfare, Battleship (2012) and The Hunt for Red October (1990). Only one them will make it through our war games. Listen to find out.
Welcome aboard! This week we begin our voyage of nautical themed films with our Bracket on a Boat. The first films we'll be looking at are Titanic (1997) and Adrift (2018). Both about ships in distress, both based on true stories, only one moving forward. Listen in to find out which.
Our magical adventure through the wizarding world is only half complete. To help us conclude our journey this week we're joined by Sarah Hollowell to go through Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), Half-blood Prince (2009), & Deathly Hallows Parts 1 (2010) and 2 (2011).
Prepare yourselves students, we're going on a magical adventure to the wizarding world in celebration of the end of our coursework. The journey is long however and we'll need help along the way. For the first leg of our trip, we'll be joined by Stephan Mclaughlin, and go through Harry Potter's first four films, Sorcerer's Stone (2001), Chamber of Secrets (2002), Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), and Goblet of Fire (2005).
We haven't included summaries of the plot for this episode since we have so much to discuss, those of you who are unfamiliar or just need a refresher can check out a completely unbiased synopsis of the saga here
Our semester is at last coming to an end. This week we have our Final Exam covering Dead Poets Society (1989) and Mona Lisa Smile (2003), our final alignment chart, and announcements of upcoming episodes. This has been a wonderful course and we hope you'll enjoy our extra curricular celebration next week.
Our last discussion before the exam, this week we have Mona Lisa Smile (2003) and School Ties (1992). Both of these film seem to be emotionally engaging and competently made. Who is responsible for that, and why are they not more well remembered? Listen to find out.
We have just a few more discussions before our final exam, this week we'll be focusing on Dead Poets Society (1989) and Wild Child (2008), and digging into the production history of the two films. Keep good notes class, you never know what information will be important later.
Glad you've all made it this week, this is our last class before we begin preparing for our final. Today's discussion explores Sky High (2005) and School Ties (1992) films that have more in common than you'd expect at a glance. Take good notes and stay until the bell otherwise you'll miss an important announcement.
Welcome back class, we're heading into a dissonant discussion this week with Mona Lisa Smile (2003) and Toy Soldiers (1991). These two films are working toward very different end-goals, and figuring out which was more successful is our focus. Let us know your thoughts. Remember, there are no wrong answers.
This week's discussion is about two films and their very different approaches to a similar story, being the new girl in school. Wild Child (2008) and St. Trinian's (2007) have so much in common we've adjusted our normal format to better highlight their differences. Only one of these films is going to make it to the semi-finals, which school has better prepared its students?
We covered 16 films so far this semester, now let's begin reviewing material for the final exam. Joining us to aid discussion is Mike Knoll, who will bring a fresh perspective to Dead Poets Society (1989) and She's the Man (2006). So get out your notes, it's going to be an illuminating experience.
As always you can find more from Mike at The Equelizers & A Study in Granada podcasts.
We've reached the end of our first round of course material class. After this we'll be diving deeper into previous topics. But let's focus on the films at hand, Class (1983) and School Ties (1992). Two very different takes on working class teens working to get to Harvard.
These film do touch on some sensitive topics, namely suicide, emotional abuse, antisemitism, and mental health crises, so please make an informed decision to engage,
Get ready students, we're covering some very disparate films this week. First we have campy superhero romp Sky High (2005). Then we have a dark gritty retooling of Shakespeare in O (2001). An odd pairing indeed. Listen up to see where this goes.
Welcome back class, this week we have some international students joining us. From France we have Madeline (1998) and from Columbia Toy Soldiers (1991). They couldn't be further apart, but the contrast is what makes our discussions interesting. Follow our discussion to find out which of these films will be invited back.
Not sure how many of you reading this are stuck in a time loop, but I hope this episode is at least able to fill some time for you. This week we're talking about Groundhog Day (1993) and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010), both about complicated ways to fix mistakes. Which of these is getting scrubbed from the timeline? Listen to find out.
And while you're at it give our friends over at the 3quelizers a listen too.
Have you familiarized yourself with the syllabus? We hope you have so we can begin our discussion of Mona Lisa Smile (2003) and The Emperor's Club (2002). Two films exploring complex dynamics between teachers, students, and administrators. We feel one is ore successful that the other. Listen up to discover which.
Attention class, we have a new episode to discuss. This week centers Cruel Intentions (1999) and St. Trinian's (2007), both of which portray their protagonists behaving badly, but the framing is what sets the two films apart. Which will be forced to stay after class? Listen to find out.
With our third episode of the Prep School Bracket we are once again discussing films with very different tones. In the prestige drama corner we have Finding Forrester (2000), although at this point it may be more known for spawning YTMND. And in the lighthearted teen romp corner we have Wild Child (2008). Which film will ace our course, and which will need to see us after class? Listen to find out!
Our semester at prep school continues with two re-imaginings of classic British literature. We have Young Sherlock Holmes (1985) inspired by the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and She's the Man (2006) inspired by Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare. There's a lot of history here so we've brought in friend of the podcast Maia Franklyn to help us unpack it all.
You can find more from Maia on their 2 podcasts The Reccers & The Knackered Robots
Welcome to the new bracket listeners, we're going back to school for this one. Our first discussion is over Dead Poets Society (1989) and Saved! (2004), hope you all did the assigned readings.
CW: Suicide, Gunshots, Religious abuse
One last episode before the New Year, consider it our Christmas gift to all of you listeners. Enjoy your holidays and share them with your loved ones. You'll hear from us again in 2020.
We've gone back and dusted off our mouse ears to talk about the latest Disney animated feature, Frozen 2 (2019). Join us and revisit our thoughts on the first film, and some newly brainstormed changes we would have made, we also have a brief spoiler-free review. Then for those undeterred by spoilers a summary of the film and our deeper thoughts.
Links to our previous episode discussing Frozen and the video Jackson mentioned.
This week we finally lay our Monster Bracket to rest with this final double feature, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012) and Pride + Prejudice + Zombies (2016). Both of these film are adapted from novels by author Seth Grahame-Smith, and we have frequent collaborator Mike Knoll to talk about them with us. Put on your battle corsets and grab your gun axes we're getting buck-wild this week.
As always your can find more from Mike at The Equalizers and A Study in Granada
We continue our journey through the monster movie genre with the top-grossing vampire and werewolf films, The Twilight Saga, all five of them. And to give us some new perspective on the series we're joined by the amazing Sarah Hollowell. Prepare yourselves for the longest, most NSFW episode we've ever produced. (CW for suicide and relationship abuse)
If you'd like to find more of Sarah's work check out her website as well as her Patreon
Happy Halloween to all, and to all a spooky night! Whatever your festivities may be, we hope you'll join us in doing The Monster Mash with our exploration of the three Universal Monsters we haven't sunk our teeth into yet: Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), and The Wolf Man (1941). We get to meet the three most iconic monster actors of their generation at the top of their game in the roles that still define their respective monsters today. Do they hold up? Pour yourself a cup of O-Negative and find out!
All Hallow's Eve is less than a week away, and it's finally time to cowl the winner of our Monster Bracket. We have two amazing films, from very distinctive directors, The Shape of Water (2017) from Guillermo del Toro and The Sixth Sense (1999) from M. Night Shyamalan. This week's discussion explores the two films' use of color, the nature of their conflicts with the protagonists, the use of religious themes, and of course monster movie magic. You don't want to miss this.
We're only one episode away from our final, so let's see which monster movie will be our second contender, The Sixth Sense (1999) or The Witches of Eastwick (1987)? As with last episode you're getting 4 movies for the price of two, we're bringing in cinema precursors for ghost and witches in The Uninvited (1944) and Bell, Book and Candle (1958). We'll get into the very long history of ghosts in movies, the connections between witches and women's equality, and once again complain about ridiculous age differences in romance castings.
As we enter round 2 of the Monster Bracket we're expanding the scope of our discussion. Not only are we judging The Shape of Water (2017) vs The Mummy Returns (2001), we also bring in the films that inspired the monsters Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) and The Mummy (1932). This week we'll talk about abrupt endings, disability rep, artistic editing, and the evolution of these monsters in cinema.
It's our our Susan Saranden Scare-a-thon! You know them, you love them, they're two fun, campy Halloween movies...or are they? We're watching Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) and Witches of Eastwick (1987), and we are concerned about issues of gender, consent, and cinematic storytelling choices.
TW: Misogyny, SA in the discussion.
Halloween is just around the corner, but before we get into October proper we've got another Creature Feature for you folks. This week's offerings are The Sixth Sense (1999) and Wolf (1994). You can expect us to talk about camera work establishing character, toxic masculinity, depictions of mental illness, and abandoned plot threads. Which or these movies sent shiver down our spines? Listen to find out.
This week brings us a contest between two classic horrors from beyond the grave, The Mummy Returns (1999) vs Interview with the Vampire (1994). Our discussion dives into white washing, complicated romantic relationships, interesting world building, and fumbled story beats. Which undead will come out ahead? Listen to find out.
Happy Friday the 13th listeners, we hope you're prepared for our latest project, The Monster Bracket. This week we start things of with The Exorcist (1973) and The Shape of Water (2017). Our exploration of monster starts off strong with discussion of cultural relevance and commentary, the skillful actors that bought these creatures to life, how to navigate shifts in PoV characters, as well as how not to. Enjoy getting into the holiday spirit folks, we'll be on this kick until Halloween.
This week we're giving the Sports Bracket a send-off in true Gratuitous Pausing fashion, a weird double feature. We have Speed Racer (2008) and A Knight's Tale (2001) and joining us to talk about them is frequent collaborator Mike Knoll. Get ready for Beyblade-esque car battles, musical historical anachronisms, and "pain...lots of pain" in this week's episode.
You can catch more of Mike's content at The Equelizers and A Study in Granada
The finals may be over but we still have more sports movies to talk about. Listen up for our first round of participation trophies featuring Balls of Fury (2007) and Men with Brooms (2002). These are some oddball sports, and our discussion this week matches We'll get into corpse humor, blow guns, Asian stereotypes, and the significance of beavers.
This is it, the finals of our Sports Bracket. Remember the Titans (2000) vs The Karate Kid (1984). To determine our winner we'll discuss the subtleties of these mentors, the symbolism of color, the childishness of adults, and somehow Pacific Rim (2013). Listen in to find out who will go home with the trophy, and who will go home with a slightly smaller trophy.
The penultimate match of our Sports Bracket. Which will move on to the final round, #2 seeded classic The Karate Kid (1984) or bracket dark horse Stick It (2006)? Both these film bring a lot to the table, impressive cinematography, compelling credible characters, and surprising use of monologue. Listen in to find out which film has a shot at the gold.
We've finally made it to the semi-finals, and this week we have to decide which film makes it to the big game, Cool Runnings (1993) or Remember the Titans (2000). We finally get into the nitty-gritty of production, talk about mythology and ritual, racial stereotypes, historical revisionism,& the novelty of us talking about two Disney films again.
This week we finish off our quarter-finals with our remaining women-focused films, Stick It (2006) vs Blue Crush (2002). Our conversation includes perception shifts on second viewings, protagonists choosing not to walk away, unfired Chekhov's guns, and brief history lessons on white people's surfing envy and gymnastics scoring.
We're halfway through the quarterfinals of our Sports Bracket, and this match feels a bit one-sided. We have The Karate Kid (1984) going up against Blades of Glory (2007). While we don't get to talk about historical accuracy this week, we do get to dig into the goings-on that brought these films about. We also touch on complex antagonists, editing techniques, and somehow one of our favorite anime. Listen to see how that happens!
This week we continue our proud tradition of ridiculous double features with Remember the Titans (2000) vs Space Jam (1996). After discussing the historical accuracy of both of these films, our conversations turns to the portrayal of coaching in media, the commodification of athletes, focusing on athlete's personal journeys or a love letter to the sport in film, and whether Patrick Ewing can breathe fire. Yeah, it's that kind of episode.
We're kicking of round 2 of our Sports Bracket with a Calgary Crossover. Both of this week's films, Eddie the Eagle (2016) & Cool Runnings (1993), take place at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics. We'll see how they compare to the actual events from the games, look at parental and team-building arcs, and lament a missed opportunity for criticism of capitalism.
Here we are, the last round 1 match of our Sports bracket, Chariots of Fire (1981) vs Blue Crush (2002). Along with the serendipitous fire vs water themes this week we have lots of ground to cover. We get into, Oscar bait, overzealous color effects, music decision for good and ill, and training montages on beaches.
As we near the end of round 1 of the Sports Bracket, we have a whole episode of women centered narratives to discuss. In one corner we have the 1992 classic A League of Their Own, in the other we have 2006 underdog Stick It. Unfortunately one of these female focused films won't move on to the next round, but before we make our decision we'll discuss, misogyny, gender roles, the male gaze, and sibling rivalries. You don't want to miss this one.
This episode is our Showdown ON ICE, featuring Blades of Glory(2007) against Slap Shot(1977). Unfortunately, it's not just the sports that are chilly this week, so is our reception. But even so, we've been able to carve out an interesting discussion about technical competence, use of violence against itself, and surprising depictions of complex sexuality. This was a trip.
We continue on with round 1 of our Sports Bracket. This week's match is between The Karate Kid(1984) and Wimbledon(2004), and it's an impressive one. We'll touch on toxic masculinity, manic pixie dream-girls, cultural appropriation, and corny lines that shouldn't work but do.
Welcome to Match 4 it's 90's week, specifically 1996 the year that saw the release of both Space Jam and Kingpin. This week's discussion touches on commercialism, purposefully bad characters, how awesome unions are, and the importance of being earnest, the concept not the play.
In what started as a Disney Podcast, we have decided to pivot to talking about football. Really, really homoerotic football. We're talking about Remember the Titans (2000) and Bend It Like Beckham (2002), and their portrayals of gender, team building, and bonding over shared enemies.
The Sports Bracket continues this week with some less well known sports. This match pits bobsledding film Cool Runnings (1993) against cheerleading film Bring It On (2000). We'll get into balancing the ensemble of a team or two, the use of montage to convey the skills required of the athletes, how well the humor has aged, and much more.
The final episode, the show is over and so is our analysis. How did it end? How did we feel about it? What do we think comes next in the GoT franchise? Answers to all these questions are just a listen away.
As usual for more GoT flavored content check out Sarah Hollowell's Bang of Thrones
Get ready for the first match of our Sports Bracket. This week we have heavyweight Rocky (1976) going toe to toe with newcomer Eddie the Eagle (2016). Listen as we compare pacing, the depth of the antagonists, interpersonal relationships, and their use of genre tropes. Who will come out on top, the Italian Stallion or the Eagle? There's only one way to find out!
Join us as we discuss the penultimate episode of Game of Thrones. An episode in which we sift through the ashes to find the parts we liked, and lament what could have been.
If you're looking for a lighter take try Sarah Hollowell's Bang of Thrones for this week.
We're FINISHING UP OUR COMICS BRACKET by delving into the mysterious lost wonders of a bygone time (the 90s). That's right, we're looking at The Shadow (1994) and The Phantom (1996)! We'll get into why pulp keeps not catching on, practical storytelling, and (un)likeable heroes and the women who love them.
This episode begins the back half of season 8. As we recover from last weeks battle of Winterfell, our attention is directed South to Kings Landing. We'll get into some of the awkward romance scenes, some excellent politicking from Tyrion & Varys, and the very compelling but very sour ending to the episode.
As always, if you want more GoT content to dig into Sarah Hollowell's Bang of Thrones can scratch that itch.
As we move on to the third entry in our What If series, we're bringing a special guest along, Mike Knoll joins us as we dig into the two biggest team-up films the pre-MCU era had to offer, Mystery Men (1999) and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003). We'll get into odd tonal choices, mishandled character arcs, and a surprising star-studded cast.
You can find more from Mike at The Equelizers & A Study in Granada
The battle for Winterfell has begun, join us and special guest Mike Knoll this week as we survey the aftermath. From the silent creep of death, unexpected appearances, and our game of death bingo, this episode is packed.
You can find more of Mike on his podcasts The Equelizers & A Study in Granada
And if you're looking for more Game of Thrones content check out Sarah Hollowell's Bang of Thrones for this week's episode
Join us this week as we make up for an error during our last round of bracketeering and delve into The Addams Family (1991) & Addams Family Values (1993). As we discuss these camp classics we'll dissect their pacing troubles, unbalanced antagonists, top notch character acting, and one liners that are to die for. There's also the biggest question of all, how does the Addams family fair against the class conscienceless of 2019.
Our Game of Thrones mini-series continues. This week we talk about all of the relationships budding in Winterfell before the battle, the significance of subterranean locations this season, redemption arcs for a number of characters, and a long list of death predictions for next week's episode.
Sarah Hollowell's Bang of Thrones article
This week, in our Right Hand of Doom Sized Special, we're diving into glorious Urban Fantasy Pulp by watching Every Hellboy. We'll start with a review of the Hellboy that came to theaters last week and is LEAVING theaters this week, if you need an indication of how well it's doing, and then diving into the rest after. We'll also dig into the use of tone and color, monster designs and metaphors, women being allowed to do things, our ongoing adulation of practical effects, and Troll in Central Park. We hope you enjoy.
Timestamps:
Hellboy (2019) (Spoilers) - 6:30
Comic - 24:44
Hellboy (2004) - 31:17
Sword of Storms/Blood and Iron - 39:00
Hellboy II: The Golden Army - 47:45
Dog Soldiers 2: Strays
Welcome to the first episode of our new Game of Thrones mini-series. Here we dig into the opener of the final season, discuss the reunions, murder plots, and looming undead army that we have to look forward to in the coming episodes.
Sarah Hollowell's GoT relationship recap Bang of Thrones
In the FINAL MATCH of our SECOND BRACKET, we compare Road To Perdition (2002) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990). Because these films are so different, we have to get GRANULAR. There are POINTS. We'll dig into The Bechdel Test, the proper use of light, music, and editing, and what REALLY makes for a good comic book film.
This is the last match before the finale. Which animal themed comic film gets a shot at the top spot, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) or The Crow (1994)? To find out we look into the symbolism of fire and eyes, cut plotlines, character death, weak motivations, and spend much too long analyzing 56 seconds of film.
Because it's March Madness Month, we decided to do a bracket! (Of two films! (Because we were already doing brackets.)) Anyway, it's Western Week with Road to Perdition (2002) and Cowboys and Aliens (2011). This week includes an eclectic playlist, Star Wars Hot Takes, and we figure out how to make Cowboys and Aliens good.
Any problems with the audio quality are caused by all this gritty drama clashing as we look at The Crow (1994) and Watchmen (2009). We'll examine dead men, deader horses, tort reform, and rain. As always with these two, there is a trigger warning.
Also thanks to Mike Knoll of The Equelizers and A Study in Granada for lending his voice to the episode
We have two very different takes on anthropomorphic animals this week between the titular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles(1990) and Snoopy of The Peanuts Movie(2015). Listen to our musings on mentor figures, anti-consumerism, inconsistent characterization, and some poor dialogue choices for children's media. Also be prepared to learn more about the TMNT film and cartoon franchise than you ever wanted to know.
This week covers all things we associate with boyhood, wild west action, lasers, aliens, dangerous pranks toward the elderly, and a near complete lack of empathy. As we once again discuss Dennis the Menace(1993) and Cowboys & Aliens(2011) we'll get into the storied histories of both franchises, failed character arcs, gender dynamics, & toxic masculinity.
The Story of Handbook for Mortals
A Study in Granada
Welcome to Round 2 everyone, we're starting things off with revisiting two very enjoyable, but very different films, Men in Black (1997) and Road to Perdition (2002). We'll get into the history of the franchises, including their history with each other, commercial vs critical success, and the ways both films depict violence and women.
Are you excited to watch us watch Watchmen (2009)? Too bad, we're an audio only podcast. But you will get to HEAR us talk about Watchmen (Ultimate Cut) and also Wanted (2008), and how we feel about Men, Women, and Gun Violence. We'll try to avoid talking about the comics too much, for various reasons, the pros and cons of de-pulpifying your adaption, and casting troubles.
It's Devil's Night in Edge City as we once again explore two 90's films that while very different, both capture the sense of the time, specifically 1994. The Mask (1994) and The Crow (1994) are both adaptations of fairly dark comics, but have taken much different approaches. Join us as we get into how they deal with the duality of their protagonists, the way they use horror motifs, and some of the liberties taken with the source material.
Also a huge thank you to Daniel Na of Audiomorphs.
CW: sexual assault
There are a LOT of Peanuts Movies out there, but the one that did the best, financially, came out in 2015! So this week, we'll be discussing The Peanuts Movie (2015) vs. Popeye (1980) starring the late, great, Robin Williams. In this episode we'll unpack the use of music, translating cartoon action to a 3D World, and women with agency. We'll also uncover a long lost lineage that uncovers secrets never before realized about beloved characters. We hope you enjoy!
Hey all you Millenials, this one's for you, 'cause it's 90s week. We're looking at Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) and Spawn (1997). In this episode we learn a lot about people's childhoods, effects make or break a movie, and Jackson defends the honor of Satanists.
Note: There's a FAIRLY HEAVY trigger warning for Spawn, so we will give you an opportunity to nope out.
Yep, this week for Issue 4 of our comics bracket, it's Annie (1982) vs. Cowboys & Aliens (2011). We'll get into the importance of developing your villains, narrative energy, and The American System. Also, Jackson has some complaints about the Magic System in Annie.
Hot off the presses, it's Issue 3 of our Comics Bracket - this time, we're looking at Newspaper Comic Adaptions, namely, Dick Tracy (1990) and Dennis the Menace (1993). We'll talk about the relative value of men and women having desk jobs, likability of characters, and padding. We hope you enjoy!
It's father/son dynamics this week as we talk about 2002's Road to Perdition vs. 2014's Kingsman: The Secret Service. We are going to spoil them both and they're quite good, so maybe watch them first, they're both about star studded casts (of mostly white men) doin' a punch up. Along the way we'll talk about character development, the pros and cons of subtly, the cons of shooting the dog and the pros of having swords for legs.
And of course Jackson on The Equelizers pitching Dog Soldiers 2: Strays
Welcome to 2019, a new year calls for a new bracket, and we've got just the thing, a Comics Bracket. Join us as we kick this bracket off with Men in Black (1997) vs RED (2010). We'll get into special effects, relationship dynamics, emotional investment, and much more as these two films about covert extra-government agents go head to head.
As we round out the year we have one more Disney film to look at, 1985's The Black Cauldron. Often considered Disney's biggest flop, how does it stack up today? We'll take a look at the animation, voice work, and some over-zealous editing to find out. Along the way we opine about the difficulties faced by fantasy films in general and metaphors for puberty often applied to the genre. Make sure to join us next week as we begin our comics bracket!
In our Penultimate Honorable Mentions episode, we're going to be pitting Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) against Treasure Planet (2002). Which is the hidden trove of gold, and which deserved to never be found? Find out here! Along the way we'll talk about how Disney's animation grew and changed with the millennium, how the unforgiving market can scuttle an otherwise unsinkable ship, and Being Cool. We hope you enjoy!