PoDCAST EPISODES
Episode 75 - Godzilla Minus One
The latest Godzilla movie out of Japan was being so well-received and generating serious buzz that I decided to see it over the weekend and do an extra review here. Godzilla Minus One is surprising audiences and in many ways is better than the recent string of movies made in the US.
Episode 74 - Napoleon
A review of Ridley Scott's latest period piece, Napoleon, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby.
Episode 73 - The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Time to discuss a literary classic and a novel that is often assigned in English courses throughout the country. Does it hold up?
Episode 72 - Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice
The gothic horror classic by Anne Rice. Among the bestselling vampire stories of all time.
Episode 71 - It’s Easy to Make History if You Pretend Nothing Happened Before You
Many creators and production companies love touting their latest products as groundbreaking, historic, and a first to do something. Yet, they often aren't or don't. In a shameless ploy to generate buzz, they denigrate those that came before them in hopes their "firsts" will make up for mediocre storytelling and trite themes. If you want to be groundbreaking, focus on the story not buzz.
Episode 70 - H.P. Lovecraft’s The Thing on the Doorstep and Other Weird Stories
Part 2 of my read through and discussion of H.P. Lovecraft's best work as it is collected in the Penguin Classic The Thing on the Doorstep and Other Weird Stories.
Episode 69 - The Creator
The low-key sci-fi film The Creator looked promising with a unique premise (as 2023 movies go) and wasn't a sequel or based on some old IP. Did the AI/robot movie from Gareth Edwards truly stand out?
SPOILER ALERT!
Episode 68 - Horus Rising by Dan Abnett
Horus Rising is the first novel in the Horus Heresy series, which is based in the Warhammer 40k universe. This is my first step in the Warhammer 40k universe, done to better understand the appeal and the potential for Henry Cavill's new project with Amazon.
SPOILER ALERT!
Episode 67 - A Haunting in Venice
I return to the theaters for the first time in months to watch A Haunting in Venice. Kenneth Brannagh's third remake of an Agatha Christie classic.
SPOILER ALERT!
Episode 66 - H.P. Lovecraft’s Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories
I finished the Penguin Classics' The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories. This collection of H.P. Lovecraft's best works is my first read of the legendary horror writer's work.
Episode 65 - Review of House of Cards by Michael Dobbs
I review the novel that inspired the Netflix series starring Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright.
Episode 64 - State of cinemas and Island of Doctor Moreau
Part 1 of this episode is a brief look at the state of American cinemas and if there's hope for the future. Part 2 is a review of The Island of Doctor Moreau by H.G. Wells.
Episode 61 - Oppenheimer
My review of Nolan's new epic Oppenheimer.
Episode 60 - The Dial of Destiny Should not have been Made
Nobody asked for another Indiana Jones movie. Certainly not with an 80 year old Harrison Ford still trying to be an action star. This movie was a bad idea from the start and its execution did nothing to make up for it. Don't see it and here's why...
Episode 59 - The FLash Had its Moments but is Also a Mess
The Flash is a "zombie" movie, in that it is part of a cinematic universe that is dead. It was released, probably to try and recoup some of the losses. I decided to see it and share my thoughts on the troubled film.
Episode 58 - Rise of the Beasts a Step Backward for Transformers
I am a sucker for fighting robots. Bumblebee showed promise for the Transformers franchise, simply by moving away from the Michael Bay era. With Transformers Rise of the Beasts, I hoped they would build on Bumblebee and make something that could recapture my childhood love of the Transformers. Sadly, it did not do that.
Episode 57 - The Genius of Ghost in the Shell
After binge watching Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045, I felt nostalgic for the classic movie and anime. Then I became inspired to talk about one of my favorite sci-fi TV shows and its prescience to the technological challenges of today.
SPOILERS FOR THE GHOST IN THE SHELL MOVIE
Episode 56 - Review of Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes
A review of sci-fi horror novel Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes plus some quick thoughts on Ghost in the Shell:SAC 2045 on Netflix and the legacy of Ghost in the Shell.
Episode 55 - Review of Semiosis by Sue Burke
A review of my book club's sci-fi choice, Semiosis by Sue Burke. As with all reviews here, spoilers aplenty.
Episode 54 - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Review
With the recent disappointments from Marvel Studios, expectations were a little mixed for the third Guardians of the Galaxy movie. Turns out it is actually a good movie, a fun theater experience and worthy finale for the Guardians franchise. Who knows maybe, they'll find a way to make another one...
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR ALL THREE GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY MOVIES AND AVENGERS: ENDGAME.
Episode 53 - May the Fourth be with You - Star Wars and Free Will
On this special day, I analyze a chapter from Star Wars and Philosophy, to celebrate George Lucas's masterpiece. Did Anakin Skywalker have free will as the chosen one? Was his life preordained? What about Luke? Did he have a choice in redeeming his father? Let's discuss.
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR ALL STAR WARS MOVIES
Episode 52 - Picard Season Finale Emotional, Heartfelt, but also Kind of Stupid
It is hard not to get emotional, perhaps a little misty, at the final few episodes of Star Trek Picard. The show gave all of them deep moments and culminated in an emotional send off that was deeply satisfying. Combined with how well the first eight episodes went, it was enough to overcome some of the shotty world-building, questionable character decisions, and plotholes.
It was our opportunity to say farewell to the Next Generation, and hopefully pivot toward getting some new Trek, consistent with Roddenberry's vision and looking to the future.
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR PICARD SEASON THREE
Episode 51 - Whiskey-Fueled Rant on the Mandalorian Season Three
Star Wars is driving me to drink. Season Three of The Mandalorian was a predictable disappointment, yet it still deeply frustrating to watch. Here is my post-viewing rant on the one good thing Disney Star Wars ever produced.
Episode 50 - Review of A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine
A review of A Desolation Called Peace, book two in Arkady Martine's Texicalaan Series.
SPOILER WARNING FOR FIRST TWO BOOKS IN SERIES
Episode 49 - D&D Honor Among Thieves and Mandalorian Late Midseason Review
D&D Honor Among Thieves turned out to be a decent movie, surpassing the low expectations of many heading into the theater. Still, I review this solid fantasy film and see it doing well with families. Then we turn to the tragic fall of LucasFilm's one bright hope in its Star Wars brand. The last domino has fallen. Season Three of The Mandalorian has been a dull disappointment and could potentially be the nail in the coffin for the franchise under Disney. Don't believe the PR about three new movies or the hype around Ahsoka.
Episode 48 - Review of 12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson
I take a small detour to read Jordan Peterson's self-help Book 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to the Chaos. Peterson is one of the most controversial figures out there and I wanted to find out what the fuss was about. Turns out, it might be more about his YouTube Channel than this book...
Episode 47 - The Last of Us Season One Review
I finally finished The Last of Us and decided to do more of an in-depth review rather than the more typical "is it good" or "is it worth watching?" To answer that question: yes, it is. Also some quick thoughts on The Mandolorian so far, and news coming out of Disney concerning firings and big changes to future projects.
Episode 46 - Picard Season 3 Review
Where has this been? Why have they been hiding the good stuff from us this whole time??? Four episodes into the final season of Picard and there is an obvious change in tone, storytelling, and characterization. This in no way resembles Kurtzman Star Trek of years past and that's a good thing. Let's discuss what makes this season so different, so far..
Episode 45 - REview of Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
Book Club tricked me into reading another postmodernist novel. Here's my review and will be the last in this genre. From now on, I'm double-checking all book club choices.
Episode 44 - If I Ran Star Wars
For my second wish, I want to run Star Wars for Disney! This episode is my plan to fix Star Wars and get it back on the right track.
Episode 43 - If I Ran Star Trek
I discovered a lamp with a genie inside today. My first wish, "I wish I ran Star Trek!" Poof. This episode is what I would do if I ran Star Trek for Paramount
Episode 42 - Review of American Gods By Neil Gaiman
At last, I've finished American Gods and ready to review it and the style of Neil Gaiman.
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR AMERICAN GODS
Episode 41 - Last of Us Midseason Review
A review of the first five episodes of HBO's the Last of Us and a quick comparison to the gold standard for zombie TV, The Walking Dead. Plus my favorite Super Bowl Ads and take on Rihanna's halftime show
Episode 40 - Bad Tropes that NEed to go Away
A list of grievances against recent TV and film. Bad tropes that have become all too common lately and need to just go away.
Episode 39 - Last of Us Good So Far
A look at the first few episodes of HBO's The Last of Us, the next attempt at a video game adaptation. So far, it seems to be going better than Netflix's Resident Evil, an admittedly low bar
Episode 38 - Review of Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
First book review of the new year! This on will cover Anthony Doerr's historical fiction that has a little bit of science fiction mixed in as well.
Episode 37 - 2023: A Look at the Year Ahead
Happy New Year! This is a look at the movies and TV shows that are slated to come out this coming year. The year 2022 was awful for movies, so there's nowhere to go but up right? As for TV, there's not a whole lot to excited about other than we won't be seeing Rings of Power this year. Small miracles
Episode 36 - A Look Back at 2022
It is time for the mandatory year in review we all do at the end of each year. What can be said about 2022? What movies and TV was memorable? What were the high points? What were the low points? Is there anything to look forward to in the year ahead? I'll try to answer some of these questions.
Episode 35 - Avatar Way of Water Delivers the Classic Blockbuster Film Everyone can Enjoy
It’s been a miserable year for movies, with theaters seeing sales still over a third below pre-pandemic levels. Many big blockbuster titles have disappointed or flopped. James Cameron came at the end to bring us the big blockbuster film for everyone. It’s visually stunning, it’s got action, it’s dumb, and perfect for sitting back in a theater, turning your brain off, forgetting about the world, and enjoying a good movie… for 3 hours.
Episode 34 - Whiskey-Fueled Rant on the Peripheral
The Amazon Prime show started off so strong! I felt like the beginning of Westworld with all the intelligence and promise but then blew it all up. The Peripheral may be satisfying to some viewers but it will confuse most and feel just like the last season or two of Westworld. A whiskey-fueled rant was in order, with particular focus on the lack of real science fiction on TV or in movies these days. Why can't we do real sci-fi anymore?
Episode 33 - NEtflix’s Wednesday
Recording on a Wednesday to talk about Wednesday, the top show on Netflix right now. The Addams Family adaptation focusing on the teenage daughter of the infamous ghoulish clan turned out to exceed my expectations. After a year of adaptation, sequel, reboot, and prequel flops, Netflix finally might have a winner.
Episode 32 - Review of On the Road with Jack Kerouac
Back from the holiday break and let's start with a review of a literary classic: On the Road by Jack Kerouac. The Beatnik/Counterculture classic is on a lot of "greatest novels ever list" but does it live up to that status? Or has it not aged well. Let's find out...
Episode 31 - Wakanda Forever is Proof Marvel is Creatively Spent
Marvel had a difficult challenge in making a Black Panther sequel after the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman. While the parts of the movie that are a tribute to Boseman are wonderfully done, the rest of the movie is a sprawling mess. As the end of Phase 4, Wakanda Forever is clear proof that Marvel is creatively spent and struggles to make great fan-loved movies like it did back in the day.
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER
Episode 30 - BANSHEES of Inisherin
Time for a break from superheroes, rings of power, wizards and dragons. Let's talk about The Banshee's of Inisherin.
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR BANSHEE'S OF INISHERIN
Episode 29 - The Strategery of House of the Dragon
Time to put my expensive education to good use. In this episode, I analyze the strategic disposition of the Blacks and the Greens in House of the Dragon from a political realist or realpolitik perspective. How would Machiavelli view the conflict?
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR SEASON ONE OF HOUSE OF THE DRAGON
Episode 28 - House of the Dragon Season One Review
House of the Dragon and HBO nailed season finale and delivered a satisfying opening season to their new fantasy drama. Let's review the finale and the season as a whole, compare it to it's predecessor Game of Thrones, as well as its most direct competition: the sad failure that was Rings of Power.
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR SEASON ONE!
Episode 27 - Black Adam Review Plus Random Thoughts on Superhero Movies and Dwayne Johnson
Black Adam is the first superhero movie I've seen in the theaters in almost a year. The superhero fatigue is definitely real but this movie promised to be different. It was promoted as a movie about a villain, or perhaps antihero in an attempt to reset or change directions for DC movies. It was supposed to be different...
In this episode, there is a movie review plus some random musings on superheroes movies, the state of the genre, and Dwayne Johnson. Has he made some bad movies? Sure, but I still like him.
WARNING: SPOILERS!
Episode 26 - Whiskey-Fueled Rant on The Rings of Power
After watching the finale, it did not feel right to wait and do a well-structured and reasoned review of the show. Instead, I poured myself a glass of whiskey or three and jotted down a bunch of notes to run through. Amazon shit the bed. There is no longer any reason to be nice about it. Listen to hear why
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR RINGS OF POWER SEASON ONE AND A LITTLE FOR THE BORGIAS
Episode 25 - Review of the Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon
This is the last pretentious "postmodernist" literature I will read for the remainder of my life. This was a book club selection and a quick read. Within a few pages, you get an idea of the experience you're in for with Thomas Pynchon's classic. Some love this kind of literature and get a whole lot out of the experience. Not me.
Episode 24 - Review of Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
I finally finished Klara and the Sun and got around to reviewing it. More book reviews and literary-focused shows to come.
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR KLARA AND THE SUN
Episode 23 - House of the Dragon Midseason Review
As promised, the midseason review of House of the Dragon. Apologies for it coming a little late but Rings of Power review had to come first. In this show, I look at keys to HotD and how it is unfolding far differently than its Amazon fantasy competitor. I also do a comparison in audience sentiment, narrative differences, etc. to try and understand why one show seems to be doing so much better than the other.
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR HOUSE OF THE DRAGON UP TO EPISODE 5
Episode 22 - Rings of Power Midseason Review
We return to Middle Earth to review Amazon's insanely expensive adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's lesser known works. The show has reached the halfway point, which is about when the audience should be hooked are nearly hooked. In this episode, I'll go over the plot pacing, characters, and world-building so far and ask the question all viewers ask themselves when starting a new show "why should I care?" A quick comparison to House of the Dragon is thrown in for a little more context.
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR FIRST 4 EPISODES OF RINGS OF POWER
Episode 21 - Let’s Get Medieval
Medieval quietly premiered in theaters last weekend and I eagerly saw the Middle Ages period piece. Starring Ben Foster, Michael Caine, and Sophie Lowe, the movie centers on the Czech national hero Jan Zizka. It is a hero and story not known well in the US and I would guess not well known more generally but an interesting one. In this podcast, I review the movie and discuss why stories from this era continue to resonate with audiences so many centuries later
Episode 20 - Amazon Doesn’t Understand Sacred Tolkien
The creators of The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power do not seem to fully grasp the sacredness of J.R.R. Tolkien's work. It was evident in the promotional videos, trailers, and interviews with the showrunners and cast. To them, it is just another popular and valuable IP that can be an excellent platform for modern adaptations of a 20th century classic.
Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. In this show I explain why and compare it to another high profile fantasy TV premiere, The House of the Dragon. Why is one so much better received than the other after two episodes?
Episode 19 - House of the Dragon After Two Episodes
We return to Westeros with HBO's spinoff House of the Dragon. A few years after the catastrophic series finale for Game of Thrones, or more accurately, the catastrophic last two seasons, both HBO and George R.R. Martin wanted to try again. The audience is curious but worried about being hurt again by horrible writing. Well, the good news is the first couple episodes have been solid and offers a hope that perhaps our favorite gritty Machiavellian fantasy franchise is back.
Episode 18 - Review of Harrow the Ninth and Tamsyn Muir's Locked Tomb Series after Book 2
The second novel of Tamsyn Muir's Locked Tomb series subverted my expectations in a number of ways. In this show, I review both the second novel, Harrow the Ninth, and compare it to the first novel, Gideon the Ninth, which I thought was a strong goth fantasy work. The second book takes an unexpected turn that most seem to have enjoyed but I have some concerns.
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR FIRST TWO BOOKS IN LOCKED TOMB SERIES
Episode 17 - Enter Sandman
Netflix delivered at last with a worthy adaptation of a fantasy favorite, Neil Gaiman's Sandman. Stunning visuals, elite cast, and some insightful moments stand out among the generally mediocre Netflix adaptations of late.
SPOILER WARNING!
Episode 16 - Nichelle Nichols
A few thoughts on the passing of Nichelle Nichols, the iconic, groundbreaking, and beloved actress who played Lieutenant Nyota Uhura.
Episode 15 - Where the Crawdads Sing
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR WHERE THE CRAWDAD'S SING
The bestselling novel Where the Crawdads Sing was turned into a movie. It is time to analyze both and see how the novel stacks up and if the movie does it justice.
Episode 14 - Strange New Worlds Gives Hope TV and Hollywood Can Change
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR STAR TREK STRANGE NEW WORLD SEASON ONE
The first season of Strange New Worlds is a welcome departure from the catastrophically bad recent seasons of Discovery and Picard. It gives hope that someone at Paramount is actually listening to the audience and cared enough to actually work on "fixing" some of the major problems with their Star Trek. It isn't a great show, but Strange New Worlds is a good show and gives hope that maybe--at least Paramount--might be trending in the right direction.
Perhaps there is hope for Halo...
Episode 13 - Elvis and the Stranger Things Finale
A spoiler-free review of the movie Elvis starring Austin Butler and Tom Hanks. I also talk the Stranger Things Finale and my overall thoughts and feelings on that fantastic show. If only Disney and Paramount could make something of that quality with all the classic IP in their possession.
We should never have to lower our standards for our favorite franchises, characters, and stories. If something isn't up to spec, don't spend your money. Go find the good stuff and give them an incentive to do better.
You hear that Disney and Paramount? DO BETTER!
Episode 12 - Fixing Obi-Wan Kenobi
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR OBI-WAN KENOBI, STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE, AND MINOR SPOILERS FOR CLONE WARS AND REBELS
As promised, this is my plan for fixing Obi-Wan Kenobi. Using pieces of what was in the Disney show and trying to keep Reva and Leia, my version avoids the need for clumsy retconning and offers up a more compelling and heart-felt story, one that I think is more worthy and could've been a hit.... of course I'm biased.