Gravity Review

Hello and welcome to Mwire Weekly, a very new

broadcast for all you out there, all the cast

radio listeners. If you've listened to Mwire

previously, you've probably come accustomed to

a different format than what we're going to have

for you today. Joining me in today's nice little

venture are two special guests, Kevin Thompson.

Hello. How are you today? Good. And Michael Booth

-Powers. Hello. If you've ever listened to Mwire

in the past, you're... probably used to the format

of us picking a movie, reviewing it. Sometimes

we have our special episodes where we'll do previews

or different look back. Well, today we're actually

going to start something completely different

and more weekly where we'll be reviewing the

past week in the movies that was the movie news,

movie reviews in our own personal what we've

been watching segments. We'll start with kind

of a look into what we've seen in the past week.

move into some movie news and finish with a main

review of the movie of the week. For this week,

our main review will be Gravity, the recent movie

from Alfonso Cuaron, starring Sandra Bullock

and George Clooney. To start off, some of you

may be new to MY or new to Geekcast Radio, so

it's a good idea to just kind of give you an

idea of who we are exactly. So if you at all...

travel to the Geocast radio site. You might see

my reviews from time to time. I do a lot of the

movie reviews on that site along with Mike Blanchard,

the co -founder. I'm a big movie fan. I've never

gone to any type of movie school. I don't consider

myself an official critic. I just watch a lot

of movies. I listen to a lot of podcasts and

I read a lot of reviews and I simply just like

talking about movies. So I'm hoping this kind

of new experiment Let's just do that a little

bit more get into some of the current stuff and

have more open discussion than we typically have

On your general my podcast. So moving this on

to kevin So what is what is your movie background

and what brings you here today? Um, I mean i've

been a movie buff for almost as long as I can

remember and i'm a huge person about lists I

don't know what about lists fascinates me. So

I have list Like crazy, I have chronicled basically

my top 50 movies for every decade, my top 10

for every year. As far as my background with

GeekCast Radio Network, some people might be

familiar with me or have heard my voice before.

I've been there for a little while. Mike recruited

me through, I think we met through a Transformers

forum. he recruited me for the original tune

cast way back in the day and then we did that

whole thing and kind of took off from there and

um other than that i'm you know my geek Areas,

I guess if you want to say I love classic retro

TV. I love all things cartoons. I love theme

songs. I love movies I'm not very Versed in anything

comic book and my video game is only retro stuff.

So That's kind of my geek background and I watch

about 35 to 45 movies in the theater a year So

maybe not as much as the two of you guys but

more than the average Joe So I guess that's my

movie background Thank you, thanks Kevin, sorry

Yes, Kevin is definitely our list master and

we'll be kind of going more into that recent

less soon I'm actually kind of there with you.

I have this crazy Excel spreadsheet that I keep

that kind of is nuts. But uh, yeah, I Do watch

way too many movies in the theaters powers Michael

powers you follow if you at all Listen to any

of our product. You've probably heard his voice

but You you have a special little background

in movies probably even more so than Kevin and

I so what brings you here today? You know, I

honestly actually what brought me to this particular

project was Steven eyes, you know SCP 21 our

Steve Megatron Phillips He and I had a lot of

when we started another podcast. I'm alter geek

unlimited. We started with around the comic -con

news of Batman Superman and we got a lot of feedback.

People were very opinionated about that and Ben

Affleck's casting and we kind of got the show

kind of took off talking about recent movie news

and Steve and I kind of realized that that's

all that was going on and well it was really

easy to talk about that stuff and then We did

the MWIRE, what was it, the summer recap and

that kind of exploded. And I think the three

of us and others at the network, we all saw like

a need. There were people that wanted to throw

in their comments with current stuff and we wanted

to tap into that need and what people wanted

to hear. So we're here doing this for you guys.

But as for myself, I am actually a projectionist

At a movie theater It's not as glamorous as it

once was it is very boring now But so I usually

when I sit down to see a movie and I know I noticed

this today when I was watching Gravity when I

first sit down to see a movie I'm usually looking

at it from like a technical standpoint like how

does that how does the movie actually look rather

than getting sucked into it and I I notice more

imperfections with what the with the delivery

of the medium than I do with what the actual

movie is about But we can talk more about that

when we go when we get into gravity, but no I

I've loved movies since I was a kid I pretty

much love all visual forms of Visual mediums.

I love comics. I love movies. I really love video

games But yeah, that's I just wanted to I want

another outlet To help out and talk about movies

with other people that love movies and let going

to them as much as I do And I think you kind

of hit it on the head there with what Altergeek

kind of uncovered as far as the lack of just

kind of a discussion of movie news, movie rumors,

movie castings, trailers, et cetera. I mean,

we get a little of that when we preview the entire

summer or the entire fall, but we've never done

it on like a regular basis more frequently. And

I think that's good. And I don't want to make

it seem like for those people who do like the

original MWIRE format. Obviously there will be

those types of episodes still being put out So

I don't want people to think like we're completely

replacing that for those that like that. No No,

this is just in addition to so it'll be in the

same feed the same You know, you'll still get

your same on my like you did previously world

You are overall more in -depth reviews of bigger

movies. That'll still happen for sure This is

more of a in addition to like your like this

is your downloaded content, I guess the DLC of

MYR basically, where we add more to what's already

there. So our plan is, as you can tell, this

is a pilot episode. So we're kind of, we're trying,

we're putting our sails up and trying to figure

out how this is going to go. And we figured a

great way to start is giving, opening up the

discussion to what we've been watching recently.

Similarly, if you listen to Off the Cuff, where

they discuss what they've been playing, well,

same idea here. We're just discussing movies

and what we've been watching recently. Guess

I'll kind of kick this off with what I've been

watching recently Luckily in my work is so down

So I've been kind of trying to catch up with

a lot of the films that have come out recently

and one of the bigger ones one of the ones I've

heard a lot about was Ron Howard's indie car

racing drama rush starring Thor himself and i've

heard a lot of great stuff about rush going into

it and I think the biggest mistake I made Watching

it and is watching it right after I saw gravity

um, and we'll get into gravity later, but it's

It was just that movie and the thing that Rush

has going for definitely is on the technical

side. It's got great sound design. Ron Howard

is a director, is someone who is not necessarily

known for being an auteur or having a certain

style, but in that he really uses those, his

cameras in interesting ways. He plays them. places

them in every different cranny he possibly can,

and makes those races feel really awesome. And

even if you are not a race fan or not a car fan,

I myself, I don't think I've ever watched an

Indy race car. I don't think I know the difference

between Indy race caring or NASCAR. They're all

the same to me. But I could get invested into

it. The characters in it were well -developed,

this rivalry between these two racers. Their

names keep me at the moment, but the two lead

actors were really strong Chris Hensworth I think

is an actor that's going to be reckoned with

it's He has a lot more subtlety to his acting

than I thought he would just based off his performance

in Thor The first half of it is a little slow.

It gets a little sluggish But overall, I think

it's a solid film. It it is I think it's Oscar

worthy or anything of that nature is not amazing,

but for What ron howard recently has been a little

bit off. I'm usually a fan of his but his last

film like the dilemma was a huge letdown um,

and he's a director too that Knows how to get

good performances out of actors like in frost

nixon and a few other films and the same thing

here so um, even if you've kind of shunned it

because you hate racing I'd say check it out.

Maybe not something you need to rush to the theater

to see but it's worth it's worth a watch for

sure. So what? Your description of it kind of

reminded me of a few things or it made me think

of a few things one it is this more of like a

grown -up version of I'm sorry days of thunder

I guess in some ways I don't haven't seen days

and thunder and so it's such a long time But

it does feel very much like a Tony Scott film

and the way it's shot. It's very stylized and

There you know the use of music and it takes

place in the 70s. So it you've Got a lot of like,

uh, you know a lot of you know, pretty girls

a lot of like, uh 70 styles like draped all over

it. So it more sound it feels like the prequel

to days of thunder Okay, thunder from what I

can remember is a very much an 80s movie and

then the the other thing was You talked about

how this movie, you know, you could get into

the idea of you're not a racing fan But this

this movie kind of could get you into the idea

of racing or whatnot. I there were two instances

where i have i've had the same feeling one is

i'm not a big football fan um but i uh i like

football movies and i remember going to see any

given sunday in the theater and really enjoying

that and then i was like oh okay cool i'll watch

the super bowl next weekend and then i was so

bored So bored because I mean and I'm not dumb

enough to think it's gonna be the exact same

thing, right? But I was just like this is not

even close and then Hey, oh man, my brain is

shot tonight. I'm so I know you said you're I

know you're a fan of Friday Night Lights So it's

a similar situation. I know that's not a movie,

but I mean what originally was a movie But then

became a TV series Friday Night Lights is so

good and it's not just about football if it was

just about football I probably hate it I think

I'm all the way to the extreme from what Dan

is because for me it's not even being able to

get past my non -interest in racing. I have an

extreme like... Not I guess hatred might be a

little bit too strong, but I can't stand racing

So it's not just that I don't have an interest

in I I avoid it at all cost and anything to do

with racing So that's my biggest dilemma is trying

to get past that to convince myself to go see

this and the fact that I saw The trailer a thousand

times this year already It was probably for in

my area the most played trailer of the year so

far So I think that's my biggest problem is just

getting past my extreme just turn off of racing

but And I don't know maybe Dan will be able to

convince me eventually to go see that The one

thing that kind of got me into it a little bit

was actually it was a completely different from

altogether which it was a documentary Senna which

is Again about Indy car racing and it's an amazing

documentary just because it's done all through

archival footage and a little bit of voiceover,

talking heads, but not much. And it's using this

archival footage to really build up the story.

And it's similar because there's a rivalry in

that between Senna and another racer. And just

the sheer spectacle of some of those races, I

guess it's kind of, in a way, just seeing the...

It is kind of like a big show. It's it is that

uh, like almost like a musical in how big of

a spectacle it becomes especially in certain

countries like brazil or Uh things like that

and I should just to clear up what I was talking

about before the rivalries between james hunt

and nicky lada who's a austrian driver and uh

James hunt is from england. Um The guy who plays

nicky lada, uh, daniel brol is really great.

He probably I could probably possibly see him

Getting some sort of I don't know if he'll get

a nomination but some things would probably go

this way you can see him some some talk there

his character is kind of uh, conniving he's one

of those guys, you know, thank you, uh james

james hunt is James Bond ish in a way like watching

this performance. I'm thinking like wow Chris

Hemsworth wouldn't make a great James Bond He's

a playboy. He flies by the seat of his pants.

He doesn't play by the rules Well, Aniki Lada

is very much like he's meticulous. He is by the

book. He is he rates every thing he does by percentages

and he's also kind of an ugly looking guy and

he knows it like he's he's called a rat and he

thinks he's proud of it and this There's a crescendo

it comes to and you like it's based on a true

story But I don't want to ruin anything but that

where it leads to was pretty like engaging and

seeing what happens to to his character and what

he overcomes and That it was kind of you know,

you know like an universal story that you didn't

even need it to be racing So and racing is really

I wouldn't say it's not a small portion of it.

It is that main thing pushing it, but it's really,

uh, Ron Howard didn't really get at these characters

and he was able to tell their story first and

you really using racing as a vehicle more so

to have these people butt heads. So, so Dan,

do you have a, do you have an early rating for

this one or a must see anything like that? Sure.

I mean, if I was going to give it a rating, I,

like I said, the first half is kind of a slog.

It takes a little bit to get through. And if

I was going to be more critical, there's a little

bit more issues I see with it more so that it

Don't know there's just it's missing that one

final element that really grabs you but I probably

would give it around a 3 .5 if we go by the Our

standards it would be I like it That would be

the rating I would give it. So it's 3 .5. It's

not which is a pretty good rating For that film,

but I feel like I've been kind of hugging them.

I care a little bit So I will pass the mic up

to Kevin and was there anything you would like

to discuss that you've recently watched? Yeah,

I mean, I'm sure this episode kind of this segment

might be a little bit longer just because Being

the first one, we're kind of going back maybe

more than just a week for some of us. When this

will be a regular show, obviously we'll just

be probably only dealing with one or two movies

a piece, at least for me. But one of the ones

I recently saw was Dun & John, and I know you

saw that too, with Joseph Gordon -Levitt. I really,

really wanted to like this movie. I really was

drawn in by the trailer, and I thought this is

unique. This is... clever. This is something

that I can get behind. And I'm a big fan of Joseph

Gordon -Levitt as well. Like I said, I really

wanted to like it. And I'm not saying I didn't

like it, but there was a lot of issues with this

film for me. I thought this was a perfect film

that that lent itself to some some moments that

could just have those really classic epic monologues

or some some just cool lines or speeches, especially

when you're getting a lot of monologues from

Levitt almost reminded me of like opportunities

that you had in like Good Will Hunting with Matt

Damon or trying to think of some of these other

films that you know, you just get these really

cool like a dialogue about society in general,

and it flirted with that at times, but it just

never really delivered for me. And I just think

it had the potential, but it missed its mark

with a lot of things. I don't want to ruin anything

or go into too much depth. I don't know if I

agree with 100 % of the casting as well. But

Dan, I know you saw Don John too, and you wrote

a review that's on the site. What were your thoughts

just for the listeners that haven't read that

review? Definitely like Don John for for a lot

of reasons. I like how it treated It's a romantic

comedy in a way But it's more of a character

study and it gets that like the misconceptions

that can happen Between like men and women when

it comes to relationships like if it's like,

you know how pornography can kind of skew the

way men look at sex and the satisfaction they

can get out of it or if it's how romantic comedies

can Skew the way women or you know, any relationships

are looked at and what people look at and how

selfish people can be without even realizing

it how people can kind of Look into a relationship

and think they're doing something that's for

the betterment of the other person but it's really

just for themselves and the you talked about

the not having a poignant statement I could see

that but I think there was that small but brief

pointing statement by, I don't wanna, again,

it's hard to say because it comes near the end,

but a character who is very silent throughout

the film has one brief and very. poignant moment.

I think she kind of spells it out there for you.

My major issue was it was more so where it went

in the third act. I think it kind of stumbled

a bunch and where it it's like hypothesis or

where what it was trying to say and like its

findings weren't as profound as I think it thought

it was. And it kind of it kind of in a way pointed

out the obvious, but made it seem like a complication

that really wasn't as complicated as they. Making

it out to be kind of it was just like, okay.

Yeah, we know that but what else you're gonna

provide and Julianne Moore's character that comes

in I think the casting of her Was a mistake because

right when you see her, you know, she's gonna

be something more than she is She's not gonna

be you know, just a character that's there if

you're gonna cast somebody like that. She's gonna

play an important role That was kind of talking

about too. I agree for the first two thirds of

the movie. I was with it 100 % I just felt like

I wanted more of a payoff with that final final

third of the movie. And that's where I kind of

left feeling like I had been cheated out a little

bit. But I do want to say that I was somewhat

impressed with Tony Danza. Yeah. He definitely

is showing why he's the boss, for sure. Nice.

Yeah, he's fun in that, definitely. When my reviewer

mentioned it, it did kind of feel to me like

a cross between Steve McQueen's Shame, which

is Michael Fassbender's movie about sex addiction

and a the Silver Linings Playbook because of

that family dynamic that you have with like Robert

De Niro and like that family and how that Really

a huge issue with Bradley Cooper's character

and why he has issues he does I think like I

see I saw like I make sure those two films But

I think for a directorial effort for a guy who

is like, you know going behind the camera for

a first time. It's not bad I mean, it's you know,

it was you know He pretty much did everything

for it and I'm looking forward to see what he

can do in the future I think he has potential

of and he's definitely likable guy and his performance

is pretty good He does come off as like a little

bit of a character a little bit too much like

a like a reality star or something like that

just with the Jersey accent in the shirts that

don't have any sleeves like it's a little bit

much but I think it it lends itself great and

if there were funny moments for sure so Michael

I know you you saw the film that I saw as well

but I didn't I haven't heard any of your take

on it as far as prisoners go how did you like

that one I well I sat down to watch prisoners

after seeing I think I saw a lot of like you

saw a lot of trailers for rush. I saw a lot of

trailers for prisoners and I Wasn't exactly sure

what it was going to be entirely I did enjoy

the movie I the two issues I kind of have with

it are One was the the the music Don't have like

the I think the music was great The only problem

is any time that they tried to build tension

in a scene at least for me I took Side note I

took a big comp class in in middle school And

they you know, they talked about how you frame

a shot or you use music to do this that and the

other thing and That kind of stuff has kind of

helped me get through like certain like horror

movies or in things like that like Just by the

way, like a shot is being blocked in the frame.

I can, you know, they kind of telegraph or something

is going to happen. And I feel like. Any tension

that was that they were that the director was

going for with this movie was erased the minute

music was added to a scene. I'm not trying to

spoil anything, but at one point you go in a

basement. and You're you know the guys down there.

You've got three that you got you know You've

got three things going on that really freaked

me out. You've got a basement. You've got it's

dark, and you've got flashlights I Can't stand

flashlights in movies, and I'm like I'm tense.

I'm like oh man. I don't know what is you know

creeped out and All of a sudden the music kicks

on and I was like oh, okay. I'll sit back here

I'm relaxed because the music is either gonna

it's either gonna swell and it's gonna become

like overwhelming and it's gonna like help you

into it or it's just gonna be like, you know,

it's you you know because the music always ramps

up when something's going to happen because it

tries to match the impact of it and just like

no What would be what would be more impressive

as if you didn't have any sound down here and

we just got his uh, Reaction to what was going

on like I was generally creeped out before the

music kicked on Then I didn't care for I Felt

kind of cheated and that I couldn't figure out

the whodunit Before the movie tipped its hand

Because it didn't seem it didn't really set it

up that all the characters were in play right

and that was interesting because there was little

tip -offs and then there was bigger tip -offs

and some things like looking back, you can like

I saw it with a friend and he didn't get it like

he hadn't figured it out at the same point that

I had because there was a minor tip off before

like a more major one and he was all pissed at

himself for not figuring it out. But yeah, I

can see where you're getting with that. I mean,

but that to its credit, I mean, yes, even after

they tipped their hand and you have the reveal,

it was still kind of, you know, it was like,

whoa, but it. You realize that that character

is in play, but and they kept you. They they

were able to point you in different directions

when they wanted you to look in a different direction

and forget about people at a certain time. And

I thought it was really effective. And I thought

Jake Gyllenhaal was amazing. Yeah, he was he

was phenomenal in this movie. And I enjoyed the

film and I enjoyed it from beginning to end and.

I didn't have the problems that my friend had

with it. But when I sat back and looked at it

kind of afterwards, as much as I enjoyed it,

it was like a movie version of just an episode

of Criminal Minds to me, which I love that show.

But as far as when you're stacking it up against

movies that come out over the course of a year

or over the course of a decade or whatever, is

this going to stand out? To me, that's not much

more than a movie version of all the different

crime shows that are out on TV these days. But

that's not to take away how much I enjoyed it

while I was in the theater. I didn't dislike

the movie at all. I think the performances were

way better than what you're going to get on a

TV show. Criminal Minds has some pretty phenomenal

actors, but I know what you're saying. So do

you say that? more so because of the plotline

and the storyline? Or do you say that more so

because of, you know, the overall production

value itself was just was more so basic and like,

you know, there wasn't the direction was, you

know, ho hum. And so overall, it was just an

extended movie. It was just the feel that it

gave me over the course of it. I didn't feel

like it didn't give me the feel of I was watching

a motion picture that I can see. But I think

that that is because of I think that's the way

that it was shot. Yeah, I call these the the

type of movie that prisoners is I call it like

a slice -of -life kind of movie You never really

get to know who these people are or what they

were before this event happens And all you get

to see is the event That we're all being told

like yeah Jake Gyllenhaal his detective character

was really interesting and you get little like

Kind of little insights and it kind of to me

it made him an interesting character and the

fact that I want to know more about him But you're

never gonna get that and I and I think that that's

one of the things that makes it kind of feel

not like it's a thing because it's It is almost

like you're just kind of engaging with these

people for this one time And you're just gonna

get to see them do their job. You're gonna get

to see them be a parent in this situation There's

nothing there really is nothing fantastic about

this And there's definitely some things that

that they never touch on that they Like you're

saying there's some parts of characters and parts

of the storyline that are present that they never

Explore or they never investigate they never

resolve And whether that's good or bad I guess

neither necessarily or it's up to the viewer,

but you know, like you were saying with Jake

Gyllenhaal's character, there's certain traits

of his that are present that we never really

learn much about. So I can definitely see what

you're saying as far as it's just more so in

this event that we're learning about these characters

and learning about the people and how they are

with this set of circumstances and not so much

before or after. I just say I think there's one

of the reasons why it's so bland is because it's

It almost it feels authentic like if you were

just a guy on the street watching this happen

like When I say there's something fantastic there's

something fantastic about I'm not I'm not taking

anything away from the movie I'm just saying

like it's not like I'm trying to think of like

another movie that would do the same thing I

mean Not entirely the same thing, but it's not

like a saw Right. It's or it's not like a I'm

trying to think of like another movie where there's

like a kidnapping thing going on or it's more

like action adventure and people become like

heroes. Like nobody really becomes a hero in

this movie. Right. So it's not like taken. What

do you say? No, no, no, no. No one becomes something

that they're not. Yeah, I know. Man, I can't

think of the name of the film now, but. Know

what you're saying just kind of like those where

there's not really necessarily a hero It's just

kind of like these events and how everyone naturally

reacts to them. It's not a die -hard movie, right?

No, not at all Kind of like What is that? The

movie I heard a lot of people compared to was

Mystic River like Clint Eastwood's Mystic River

Heard a lot of comparisons between those two

films. I don't know if you either you see that

a little bit I unfortunately have not seen that

movie. Yeah, I can see that. That wasn't the

one I was thinking of, but it's in that same

vein. OK, so if you guys were going to rate Prisoners,

how do you think you'd rate it? I would probably

have it somewhere in the three range, three,

three and a half, somewhere in there. Yeah, I'd

be comfortable with that. I mean. I Know I'm

the one that kind of champion for the standardized

rating scale, but I haven't looked at it Three

basically is barely passing 3 .5 is liked it

Yeah, I know I did like it so yeah three and

a half three and a half is good No, you can go

right I was actually wasn't asking if you had

anything else you wanted to Mean the only other

one that I think multiple at least two of us

I know it's a little bit older than these three

and maybe the last one we can talk about I'm

gonna get going but uh, I was interested in your

take on the butler Obviously that some of the

people on the website had ripped it pretty good

and I was kind of defending it. I was interested

in what you thought about it Yeah, I actually

just saw this last night. My wife has been wanting

to see it for a while so I found finally said

sat down to see it and Was a little apprehensive

in seeing it like the like lastly Lee Daniels

movies I saw was precious which I thought was

Had some amazing moments, but then some moments

that made me shake my head in disbelief The Butler

didn't have I don't think there were any moments.

I thought were Shook my head. I thought it was

a very fine movie. I enjoyed it I think it had

a lot of points though that I like but there

are certain things What I've noticed about Lee

Daniels in only the two films I've seen is that

he doesn't know how to handle subtlety He doesn't

like he's unable to allot the moment. He can't

recognize the importance in a moment in itself

He has to add extra stuff to it. For example,

you hate that I Hate I do I don't I like when

you guys are describing the prisoner I'm prisoners

like well, that's actually appeals very much

to me when my test The perfect example of this

for those to give an idea of what the butler

is I guess it's about Cecil Gaines who was a

butler He grew up in a cotton farm He then worked

his way up and becoming a butler into a restaurant

and eventually into a hotel in Washington DC

and then eventually to the White House and he

was a butler from Dwight D Eisenhower into Reagan

and it kind of tells his life story and within

that story is kind of Just as important story

between because during that time obviously you

have the civil rights movement huge, you know

importance within you know, the American history

and his son who is a creation for the movie is

he had one son in real life and and the son that

they created for the movie is I think the biggest

downfall of it because he feels like a creation

for the movie He is less of a character and more

of representation of the civil rights movement

He is at every major civil rights event. He's

at every uh, he like it I felt at times seeing

his character if you were like watch a cartoon

and they're like traveling through time and when

they do that they change like their Their look

and their costuming based upon what time they're

in like if they're in their 60s or the 70s They

have huge afros or whatnot. I felt like his character

felt like that he just where he was whatever

the story needed him that needed them to be and

It it became obvious to me like this like I didn't

know going in but like this can't be true and

the reason they do that is because his Obviously

his you know Father who is working at the White

House. He's worried. He's serving no white men.

He is a servant He is in the servant community

and there is a big conflict between those two,

you know some people in a civil rights movement

are against that his son's very against what

his father is doing and his father's very against

what his son is doing so they constantly You

know butt heads and have huge arguments and can't

really understand each other and I think on paper

that makes sense But I just think the execution

was was sloppy and I think the big thing was

just like like I mentioned just not Making him

at every big major event just made it seem fake

because it's like obviously he's not gonna big

he's gonna be partnering up with Martin Luther

King and he's also gonna be at every major civil

rights event was seemed seem kind of odd and

the other thing that kind of really bothered

me was the unnecessary casting of all the presidents

like I don't know why you need Robin Williams

as Dwight D Eisenhower or Alan Rickman as as

Ronald Reagan or Leah Schreiber as Lyndon B.

Johnson. Like, I don't understand the point of

doing that, especially because they're in the,

you know, they're only in the movie for brief

amounts of time. And it felt like pandering to

try to oyster the cast and make it more than

it need to be, because their performances weren't

anything special. They didn't really add anything

more so than throwing their name on a poster.

But I sound very negative. And I ultimately come

on the positive side. But it's just the negatives

there are pretty strong. But overall, like, I

thought actually Oprah It was actually really

good in this, which feels dirty for me saying

that, but the performance surprised me. I thought

Forrest Whitaker was really good as well. But

I'm sorry. So beside. So my I guess my opinion

is like, how did you feel about the film? I know

I came down really negative, but I think at the

end of the day, I was I enjoyed the film. Well,

to just kind of touch on the same things you

touched on, first of all, from an acting standpoint,

I thought the 90 % of the performances in the

film were phenomenal. I think Oprah did fantastic.

Horace Whitaker did fantastic. The name of the

son that you were mentioning escapes me at the

moment, but I thought he was good. I will disagree.

I think Alan Rickman was actually pretty darn

good as Reagan. But I was asking myself the same

question as to what was the purpose of all these

People playing the president's I didn't quite

get that that would probably be my one complaint

if I was coming up with one Besides the fact

that I I'm kind of torn. I'm kind of love -hate

with the whole Sun being at all of the important

things You know because you brought up the point

of it seems kind of fake and how could one person

be at all these significant events etc, but did

anybody complain when that Same exact scenario

took place in Forrest Gump. I was just going

to ask that the difference between that like

that I think Forrest Gump does it on purpose

like it's Forrest Gump is kind of making a point

of it I would say that but when when your major

conflict is the fact that you're saying that

like you have the son the son and father conflict

who can't Agree on anything and when that's your

major conflict and you're trying to make it You

know seeped in realism and it's not done for

like tongue -in -cheek like fit for scum was

obviously done in tucking tongue shape There

was comedy into it like the serious drama wasn't

there this was getting at some serious issues

and some really important issues and by trying

to like Shoehorn in things like that. I just

think it like it didn't need it Like I think

you could just have that presented there or have

them discussing those issues Without him being

there because the big conflict was the fact that

he was at those events Not just that he was agreeing

with it, but he was at those events So that depends

on what kind of what kind of lens you're viewing

the movie on and I understand it if you're viewing

it like that, I guess for me With my history

background and being a teacher and seeing a lot

of historical pieces and what you can and can't

use as far as accuracy and what could be used

in the classroom couldn't be. One thing that

I can really appreciate about both Forrest Gump

and this film, regardless of what their intentions

are, or regardless of if it's serious tongue

in cheek or whatever, is that they both do a

pretty decent job of taking a wide span of history.

and touching on a lot of the important parts

of it and the exposure to the different segments

of certain movements. And from that standpoint,

I really appreciated what this film did as far

as taking the backdrop of Forrest Whitaker's

character and giving us this wide ranging view

of not just the civil rights movement, but that

entire time of history, because it wasn't just,

you know, there was stuff about, you know, the

different wars that were going on. It was all

the way back, you know, from the New Deal all

the way through, you know, some Ronald Reagan's

presidency. So, I mean, and through Obama being

elected. So, I mean, it just hit on so many different

parts that I kind of really enjoyed it from just

a broad brush of, you know, historical proportion

type things. So then I understand like the same

thing you did. I was like this, I kind of thought

the same thing when I was watching it as far

as I realized it was based on a real story. But

I'm like, how much of this is really real that

the kid couldn't have possibly been in all this

stuff? So I did have that reaction at first,

but I guess from more of a just stepping back

and appreciating the different historical points

it's making as it's going through the journey,

I was able to kind of like. release that a little

bit. But like you said, you still enjoy the movie.

I enjoy the movie and I'm kind of the opposite

of you. And in some ways I do like subtly and

I do like certain films that do that. But I don't

have that maybe to my fault here. I don't have

that aversion to I guess what you would probably

associate mostly with Steven Spielberg as far

as the overly kind of I don't know how you want

to describe it, but pandering, basically. I don't

call it pandering because I think that's a negative

connotation. You know, I think this conversation

is going to come back up again when we talk about

gravity. But but I kind of like being I like

to have a reaction and I don't care what the

director or what the story has to do to get that

reaction out of me. If it's over the top, if

it's if it's subtle, if it's whatever it is to

get that reaction and. Me watching that movie

in the theater, I had emotional reactions to

the movie, which normally, nine times out of

10, I don't get that from a movie that I see.

And that's what I'm always hoping for, and that's

what always separates some movies from the rest

of the crowd, is what actually can pull at different

emotions for me. And this film did that. So if

I was just trying to throw a real quick ranking

on it, I'm probably putting it at a four star

mark. With only one watch and not having rewatched

it yet, but that's where I kind of said I don't

know what you were thinking ranking wise for

it Yeah, I have kind of baited that and just

like what I didn't like like about it was just

the concept of seeing how much the world has

changed in one lifetime and like especially yes,

there was more about the civil rights movement,

but that was the main focus and just seeing how

much has changed in civil rights is I think it

was was its biggest like success and showing

that in like a Like that microcosm of this one

man's life. I think that was effective. And like

you said, I think that's where I got my biggest

emotional reaction And uh, so I think the overall

so it's not like the I differ that much because

I probably would give it a 3 .5 because like

I said, I did like it and I did enjoy it just

some of the criticisms of my head I have are

there and We're obviously you know good discussion

points, but So before we take a break or move

on to our next segment is there anything else

anyone wants to discuss before we? Can send things

on to the ads I I just want to add on back on

the prisoners real quick as as kind of dark and

dreary as that movie is And I you know I did

say that Jake Gyllenhaal was you know his character

was excellent He was really good in the movie.

He also there was a lot. He also was pretty funny

Just want to throw that out there. It's not like

it was Yeah, I mean his his mannerisms like kind

of carry over in the matter of factness to his

character is I mean It played funny, but not

like laugh out loud funny Like I chuckled especially

like the like towards the end when he goes and

knocks on the door and the guy answers it and

he kind of has this like Awkward exchange with

him the way he handled it I was just laughing

inside I was like this this is great and I think

that was much needed and it was genius as far

as the direction goes or as the writing whoever

was in charge of kind of adding those quirks

to that character because like I said with something

that is kind of dark I guess or creepy etc it

was kind of needed to kind of cut into that Awesome.

Definitely we'll have to check that out after

what you guys have to say and so those are our

thoughts on Raj, Don, John and the prisoners

and the butler and if you agree or disagree with

us, feel free to comment We'll get into how to

comment at the end of the show But I'm sure a

lot of people out there will have much to say

about what we thought on those films So we're

just gonna take a little break here and send

things to an ad and once we come back We'll have

a much of news to discuss with you Pixels in

the Animation is the next cartoon review podcast

series in the GeekCast Radio Network's long history

of review series. We've had Transformers, He

-Man, and Mask as far as the cartoon review podcasts

we have done. Now we bring in TV's Mr. Neil as

he and TFG and Mike break down 9 video game cartoon

series. Steve Megatron will join us for the Mega

Man and Sonic episodes. We will be reviewing

and analyzing every episode of the Mario, Zelda,

Captain and Mega Man, Donkey Kong and Sonic cartoons.

You can expect us to go in depth and also talk

about the game franchises that spawn these cartoons.

So tune in Summer 2013 as we find the pixels

in the animation. All right, and welcome back

to MWIRE Weekly. Today we're gonna be discussing

some new stories, looking at what's going on

in the movie world out there. So I'm gonna throw

it over to Kevin, and we're gonna find out what's

going on in today's movie world. Well, I think

the first thing that we were gonna possibly talk

about I found interesting is kind of... viewing

movie news over the course of this last week

and that is the recent trend of Disney doing

live -action treatments of characters and kind

of taking different looks or taking a classic

story and looking at it from a different character's

point of view. I don't know how many people are

familiar with the project The Underway with Maleficent

as far as Angelina Jolie's portrayal of that

character and kind of taking a look at that story

from her standpoint or her viewpoint, but it's

recently been revealed as well that after that,

the next person that we might be getting a story

from is 101 Dalmatians Cruella de Vil's character.

So it's kind of been confirmed that that is a

project that is starting to get underway. Glenn

Close, who... played the character in some of

the other live -action versions of 101 Dalmatians

is apparently an executive producer on the project.

There is no director attached currently, but

I just wanted to bring it up more so to not we

don't have to specifically talk about the potential

or our thoughts on Cruella De Vil movie, but

in general Disney's trend recently to do that

and are we excited about this trend? Are we wishing

it wasn't happening? Kind of what are your thoughts

about these live -action treatments Dan? Typically,

I don't like trends when it comes to movies because

in general just because it becomes studios making

decisions not based upon making good movies,

but just trying to capture those like ice real

quick and trying to Rush films out to you know,

make a buck here and there I mean some of them

work like I don't mind the trend of like it just

seems like a likely step because we're getting

all the live all the live -action fairy tale

movies like uh you know mirror mirror and snow

white and the huntsman and uh you know there

were a few others jack and the giant killer what

a red riding hood hensel and gretel and what

are those for the most part i don't think I think

the only one that's actually had any type of

critical praise was Snow White and the Huntsman,

which I thought that film was fine. I haven't

seen. Actually, I have seen Hansel and Gretel

and I thought that was horrible. And the other

ones I haven't really caught up with yet. And

I think there's potential. The fact that Glenn

Close is behind it. And I didn't remember loving

the old 101 Dalmatians live action film when

I was a kid. I haven't seen it in forever. I

could see it working if it's done correctly.

um It's it's hard. I do like the fact that they're

doing 101 Dalmatians and because that I don't

I guess maybe they're not doing 101 Dalmatians

They're just doing that character of Kralitobil

who is a pretty cool character So there's potential

there and but I don't know. I'm I'm a little

indifferent I guess it's wait and see but with

Angelina Angelina Jolene being Maleficent. I

I don't know. It just I have I I have my worries

for me uh what I what kind of like about it is

instead of you know if they're if they're gonna

try to go back to some of their classic properties

instead of just giving us a sequel or instead

of just giving us a live action retelling of

the animated story that we've already seen I

do somewhat appreciate the if we're gonna do

that let's do it from a different person's viewpoint

or a different you know side of the story that

part kind of intrigues me but again like you

said it has to be done right or else the you

know if it's not done right then it's going to

be awful and hopefully they won't do too many

of them but if it's done right they do have a

library of characters they can attack and if

they're done right and they're you know fun to

watch maybe it's not a terrible trend but there

is some apprehension there Michael I I'm wondering

how much of this is coming out of Obviously,

I think Maleficent was in production before Once

Upon a Time Started on TV But I'm wondering,

you know the the announcement of the Cruella

de Vil I wonder if how much of this is because

of the success they've had with Once Upon a Time

and seeing live -action interpretation like live

-action interpretations of these characters I

think part of it too might be the success of

Alice in Wonderland Yeah But yeah, sorry go ahead

Mike but well the I and also the only thing I've

seen is the one picture of Angelina Jolie is

Maleficent and I think it looks pretty good Yeah,

I did too. I was impressed with what that looked

like and I think too It's it's another thing.

It's maybe even not so it could be you know,

the once upon a time or are we just taking a

step back and saying look the trend in today's

society with you know picking back and off of

harry potter and twilight and all these other

different types of uh kind of fantastical not

just movies but television series is is disney

just taking a step back and saying well wait

a second we you know we were in this fantasy

world long before in the animated versions So

we already have it right and ready properties

that people will know a generation of people

that are now with kids that grew up with these

movies You know, so are they just capitalizing

on on kind of like the perfect storm of this

is the trend in these types of movies And we

have a whole library that could be turned into

live -action movies in the same style And I i'm

i'm hoping that it's it is a like it obviously

it's a disney movie But i'm kind of hoping it's

like actually like a disney live -action movie.

Like I hope it's not something like I obviously

it's not gonna be like a post -apocalyptic setting

or zombies or anything like that But I'm just

like I'm interested because it's going to be

something different Than what the than what them

the bigger blockbusters tend to be right now

Again, we have no idea. I mean there could be

zombies and Maleficent Who knows? But I mean,

I'm I'm cool with it. I mean this I guess Obviously

it can go either way, but I think Maleficent

is gonna be the one where it's kind of like,

okay How does Disney plan on treating these?

And even then I'm not entirely sure like I I

have no interest in Cruella de Vil at all like

100 Dalmatians is like one of my least favorite

Disney movies. I mean, I don't know how much

of a Thing you can make of a woman that wants

to kill puppies to make a coat. I mean wish What

was she before she did that? I mean, was she

like at some kind of like business tycoon that

went but I don't know I think the right one They

picked the right character to begin with with

Maleficent I imagine you can do something with

Karell DeVille with so much of like a devil wears

Prada or something like that. She's some Horrible

person that runs some company or something like

that. That's like feared by everyone Because

from the sound of it doesn't seem like it's gonna

be focused Completely around the Dalmatians if

it's her story, but you never know maybe we'll

find out that the Dalmatians are really evil

dogs or something Well, yeah, okay. That's what

I was saying. Like what is it that I mean? Is

it like a are we getting like an origin of the

character? Are we getting like a like what did

she do like after she wasn't able to make her

coat? Like it's kind of like I'm not all too

interested in that like for me Maleficent is

the more interesting character because of magic

right And just the the the sheer spectacle of

making a movie. I feel like if I wanted like

you brought up devil wears Prada I mean, why

not just watch that movie? Yeah, there's two

things that the listeners could chime in to I

guess number one would be which Disney villains,

if they're going to be villains, or which Disney

characters in general, if they were going to

get a live -action treatment, who would we want

to see? Which Disney characters would best receive

this live -action treatment? And number two,

maybe who would be best to play Cruella de Vil?

Also, does it always just have to be the villains?

That's what I'm saying. I don't know if it would

have to be or not. I mean, I'd like to see some...

I mean, could you do a live -action Aladdin?

That's what I was just thinking, the same character.

Wow. But I'm just talking about there's a lot

of potential to dive into some of these characters.

And I like the idea that the movie foremost is

focused on a character and developing that character

or exploring that character. That, to me, is

where the potential lies. Instead of just trying

to capitalize on a franchise and tell another

story with those same characters, it's actually

dissecting the characters, which hopefully will

be good. But Aladdin would be good seeing his

criminal Ways before Aladdin. I'd like to see

a live -action carpet. Any other thoughts on

Cruella de Vil or the Disney live -action treatments

before I move on to the next story? All right

the other one I guess we can kind of stay in

the same type of uh type of world here I thought

and this is one of my favorite franchises as

a child um seeing the old uh the old versions

of these films and I thought they were done but

apparently a fourth Chronicles of Narnia film

the Silver Chair is in development and according

to the news story that broke um they don't really

care um how well it does or doesn't do the plan

is to make all of them. So that is something

that for me would be awesome because the original

What was it the BBC versions? I think I don't

know if it was BBC or if it was another company

that was in charge of the original movie kind

of Production of these films, but they never

did all of them They only did like the first

three or four or whatever it was. It was okay.

We're talking about the most recent movies I'm

talking about the ones that came out back in

like the 80s. Oh, okay. The made -for -TV ones.

I think it was BBC. Yeah, I had to watch them

in a college class. It was the BBC. Yeah, and

I believe they stopped after three. Three or

four? Or did they do all of them? I think they

just did the first three. Or the first two, at

least. I'm not sure. Because I think some of

these have never received the movie treatment.

So the thought that some of these would finally

get to that would be interesting to me. And obviously

this one follows the voyage of Don Tredder from

2010, which they had a lot of success with Lion

Lich in the Wardrobe in 2005. That one did well.

And then it kind of just faded as each one came

out. But yeah, according to the article, the

The estate behind CS Lewis and everything is

is prepared to see all seven books Get the treatment

no matter how they do in the box office. Are

they changing production studios again? Um, where's

fox still gonna be behind it? Um, I that's not

to be I I don't think they have a production

company It's because it says they might pair

them with an independent studio possibly to make

a smaller budget film or so. I don't think that's

uh Been decided yet. I think it's just that the

estate wants to continue kind of regardless of

the box office so that That there will be that

potential for them to try to find a suitor as

far as production companies going and go on with

it Anyone else smell Kickstarter? I Don't know

like I said, I would just be interested to see

him because for me as a kid I never got to see

those in the later books turned into a movie

and I always kind of wondered what they would

look like In movie form or made for TV movie

form or whatever I'm a huge fan of the franchise.

So I think that would be cool. I don't know how

you guys feel about it. I I really I'd like you

I enjoyed the books a lot growing up and I enjoyed

the the first film the Chronicles of the Chronicles

of Narnia the liner which in the wardrobe and

even Prince Caspian I think Chris Caspian probably

didn't do as well because it was a lot darker

and I mean you had some actual killing in that

and it's also a hard series to do because The

characters don't travel like the kids don't travel

from book to book you kind of you leave them

and come back and I think for a lot of people

not having that continuity it's hard to kind

of get invested well isn't that why they did

it the way that they were doing it is so that

they could get the one they they wanted to shoot

the I thought the original plan from the beginning

was we're going to do all the ones that have

the kids that way everyone's the same age that

way so everything was going to be kind of shot

out of order but they would eventually get all

the movies done But they'd be able to use the

same actors like shooting it a certain way Well,

they skipped the first book Well, the first book

that was made was the line which in the rock

wardrobe but the first one in the actual order

of the series Which was like a prequel was the

magician's nephew at this point All the stories

of the original four kids have been told like

they're all at this point too old to go back

to Narnia So, um, I think the only one that continues

is the cousin that was just introduced in the

last book or the last movie and I think at this

point he probably couldn't do the next movie

because he's You know up there in 18. I think

he was in the the where the millers a movie that

just came out So yeah, they've actually told

all the stories of the four major characters.

So, okay Just think it's a it could be a breath

of fresh air for a movie to be done Where they're

not their first and foremost focus is not how

much money we can make out of this movie And

so maybe it would actually be you know how good

can we make this movie instead of how much money

can this movie make us? Obviously, they're still

gonna be trying to make money regardless But

I just like the fact that you know it might not

be The following movies might not be dependent

on whether it's a success or not you like the

sentiment I do like it. Well, I just like it

if it if it translates into a better product

because we're not just trying to rush something

out to make money. You know what I mean, to capitalize

on time, you know, like deadlines, et cetera,

et cetera. Yeah, but at a certain point, you

run into like I don't know about the rest. I'm

sorry. I'm not familiar with the series, but

just off of the first three, it's kind of like

just going off the movies. The last three movies

that were released were kind of spectacles in

and of themselves, and it's kind of like, I'm

not sure how much that trend carries from book

to book to book, but you do run into this where

it's like, okay, how do we make a quality movie?

And there are ways to do it, you just have to

find the right people, but it's how do we make

a quality movie? How do we tell this story with

a minimum budget, but still have it not fall

apart visually? Yeah, I think those there are

ways to it and we can kind of give that into

when you get into gravity But I think we're seeing

the need for movie studios is lessening more

and more when we have science fiction opening

up to independent filmmakers and You're seeing

like amazing Special effects being done on laptops

now. So there is that possibility So and maybe

if the next one is a big hit you'll see another

studio come in and try to like throw some extra

money their way but but there's but what i'm

just what i'm getting at is the old like the

old guard right there there is still a reason

why ilm and weta are like the kings and it's

because that's their business um i mean It's

another conversation we can have in like another

episode right like special effects and and stuff

like that and Like how they hold up over time

and what you know what what works and what doesn't

but it's it's it's kind of that thing where it's

if I go and see that movie and I There's that

if I go and see that movie. It looks like King

Kong or the Hobbit. I'm gonna tune out like and

I because I thought the Hobbit looked atrocious

and King Kong because I mean there's like a scene

in King Kong that is actually good and the rest

of it is garbage And I can't but I'm not talking

about the movies. I'm just talking about like

effects wise so it's kind of it's it's it's it's

I Wouldn't want to go into like if I went into

To see the fourth Narnia movie and the effects

did not hold up to me It's kind of like I'm not

I'm not gonna buy it on video, and I'm not gonna

you know But again, that's what I was talking

about at the beginning of the show. That's the

way I look at movies. I look for that stuff.

I also consider the fact that this is shooting

at that kid audience for the most part. I mean

families in general. I think they think they

could probably get away with a lot more because

they're probably going to be a little bit more

forgiving than you say. Some people like us are

overall like cinephiles or something of that

nature when you're going to that kid market.

You could probably cut a few corners here and

there and be okay. I mean the last learning movie

was hugely cut down in budget I do think it was

evident with the filmmaking Compared to like

the first one, but I guess it's kind of a wait

and see maybe the little surprises. Yeah Some

kind of getting in some other news as far as

some teasers and some trailers that have been

Released or leaked or seen for the first time

in the past week I know there was one specifically

Michael you want to talk about a little bit and

that would be the the teaser that was leaked

on the film Godzilla for 2014 yes I Okay, I'm

not a Godzilla guy I don't actually think I've

seen an entire Godzilla movie other than the

1998 one. And I don't think the 1998 Godzilla

movie is a good movie, but if it's there and

I can watch it, I will watch it. Like I was looking

for something to watch a couple months ago on

Netflix and it was on there, so I was like, okay,

I'll put this on in the background. Same thing

like if I saw it like flipping through a channel

and there's nothing else. I was like, okay, I'll

watch Godzilla I think with some of these films

kind of like you I've never really seen a Godzilla

film or anything like that because I The problem

with me is they've never They've never had the

capability to do one of those movies in a way

that would make me interested in watching it

Same goes for King Kong you know, certain things

like that, the technology for me personally hasn't

been there where it's just always looked cheesy

and fake to me. And I think nowadays we're getting

to the point where some of these older things

like that can be done in a more believable way

and the technology has advanced to the point,

you know, we saw kind of in Pacific Rim and a

lot of movies in the last, you know, five to

10 years that some of these films can finally

get a realistic treatment. And that's that's

why maybe for once I will finally be interested

in a Godzilla type project because for me it's

not it's not just that cheesy fake old school

looking thing. Oh and I'll agree with you on

that one I mean it's one of the things I talk

about all the time over on Altergeek which is

I have no geek nostalgia. I am like I don't I

kind of like what when all this reboot and the

remakes and all that stuff started to kind of

happening like the last half of the decade I

mean, obviously it's been happening a lot longer

than that, but it seems more prevalent now over

the last five six seven years It to me someone

pointed out the fact that just because there's

a new movie doesn't mean that the old one ceases

to exist and Someone they also I think it was

like the same person also pointed out to me usually

when there's a new movie coming You're gonna

get a special treatment of the one that you actually

enjoyed So like there are a lot of purists for

Godzilla that think it's only good if it's like

the guy in the suit knocking over models But

that's not Like the idea of Godzilla is cool

to me. I'm a guy. I like giant monsters destroying

stuff I don't like giant monsters in rubber suits

destroying models And I and I I was one of the

guys this summer that I loved Pacific Rim I cannot

wait until I think it's next Tuesday when I get

to go pick up Pacific Rim on blu -ray. It's in

two weeks I thought October 15th Yeah, I guess

yeah. Yeah, so I just measured time differently

But yeah, I so I I watched the trailer for the

Godzilla movie for the 2014 Godzilla And I think

I heard somewhere that this was the comic -con

footage. They played last year So this has been

like they've been holding on to this for a while

I'm really excited for this. It looks It looks

like Pacific Rim without all the color. Yeah

Godzilla looks absolutely huge and The voiceover

in the trailer is like some like sounds like

some monk reading scripture out of the Bible

Well, some of the stuff is I've read somewhere.

I don't know if this is what you're talking about

or not, but There's I'm reading this so there's

narration that's provided by an archival audio

recording of J. Robert Oppenheimer I Think that's

what it is. It to me. It sounded like scripture

from the Bible. Yeah Which is ominous and then

they put the Godzilla roar in there at the right

moment and It's kind of like you think you're

gonna see him and then you might think you might

not and then boom there he is. He's like I Can't

wait to see this like on a big screen It just

makes sense to me that they would revisit some

of these films like I said that they can actually

do right this time and I am I may actually like

I said be interested in this for the first time

I've never been interested in anything that says

Godzilla or King Kong. So The one big reason

I come I'm interested in it was based on the

director Gareth Edwards It's only his second

movie, but the last movie he did was monsters

and speaking about we talked about like special

effects He with monsters was a movie he did himself

They completely, you know, finance himself. And

there are some pretty good special facts considering

the budget that was put behind that. The overall

movie isn't the greatest, but I think people

saw his potential handling because that movie

dealt with monsters in an interesting way. Really

great at world building. So that kind of got

him this job. So I'm really curious if he can

translate that small, small film and then how

he's going to work this gigantic blockbuster.

But it seems like he's a fan of the material.

So hopefully it'll go well. Yeah, I is it just

me or Kevin because Dan you weren't able to get

the trailer to play, right? I was not no I am

technically inaccurate. I guess this is just

This is just I kind of noticed this because like

I said, I've watched the 98 Godzilla movie a

lot a Lot more than probably anybody should They

kind of took that I don't know if it's like an

iconic Godzilla scene or if it's or if it was

kind of like a subtle nod to like the 98 godzilla

but they had the hole in the building remember

in the 98 godzilla where he goes through the

met and he leaves the giant hole in it they kind

of had that same it wasn't a scene in the trailer

it was a shot of a giant building with a hole

Through the yeah, and for some reason that to

me that made me think of like oh look. It's a

nod to the 98 Godzilla Yeah, I'm not sure if

they've done like I said I don't know I'm not

versed enough in the franchise or the history

of it to know if they've that's 98 specific or

if that's something that's traveled throughout

time with Godzilla. I'm not sure yeah, I'm I'm

interested in it and it like I said to me I Don't

know Visually, the trailer looks great. Like

I said, it looks like Pacific Rim without the

color, but at the same time, I'm kind of bummed

that it doesn't have as much color as Pacific

Rim does. Yeah. Because that's one of the things

that I actually enjoyed about Pacific Rim. And

then two could be something that changes as we're

going through, or as it gets closer to that time.

We'll have to kind of wait and see. But it definitely

looks interesting, something to look forward

to, especially for anybody that was thrilled

with the look of the monsters on Pacific Rim

like I was. Side note, I believe and I could

be wrong. So don't quote me on this. I think

this is the second to last legendary picture

that they're doing with Warner Brothers. Oh,

really? Yeah, they they traded the rights for

Man of Steel 2 and Interstellar. So Interstellar

will be Legendary's actual last movie with Warner

Brothers before they go and set up camp over

at Paramount. So that's gonna be something interesting

because I can't really think of a Warner Brothers

movie that I liked over the last I don't know

Decade that didn't have legendary pictures stamped

in front of it So we can talk about that on another

episode All right, so that was a kind of one

of the last news stories we had but also in news

over this past weekend would be how movies that

were in the theater did so I think Danny got

some numbers for us Yes, we're gonna look at

the box office for this past weekend and the

big You know movie that kind of stole the headlines

was of course gravity that had a record breaking

for the month of October 56 about 55 million

dollars this past Weekend which actually broke

the record for paranormal activity that took

it a few years ago, which is Odd when it's good

in my opinion that the fact that that's breaking

breaking that record I just like that the record

holder for October is not a horror film for once.

Yes, especially, especially not a horror film

and not a sequel. So it's interesting when you

look at the record holder for October compared

to the record holder for like June or July and

the difference in numbers. But for fifty five

million for. For gravity is pretty impressive

when it was people thought it would kind of come

around 40 million, but it beat expectations It's

always good to make half of your budget in the

first weekend Yeah, especially and especially

a lot of that was due to a lot of the 3d prices

it broke the record for average like the Average

amount of people who went to 3d compared to the

regular it broke avatars records. So Which is

kind of crazy. Um number one last week was cloudy

with the chance of meatballs too that dropped

down to number two with about a 36 decline, uh

percent decline to 21 million And coming at number

three, which is also new in this weekend, which

was uh, the justin timberlake ben afleck crime

thriller You know poker movie runner runner which

came in at about seventy seven seven million

dollars for this past weekend and rounding out

the top five which prisoners about Five point

seven million and rush was which was about four

point four million. So that those are the top

five There wasn't really else anything else big

that came out. No really huge disappointments

For the most part. I think if anything gravity

exceeded expectations runner runner may have

not made as much money as people are anticipating.

A lot of people thought it would maybe make in

the 10 million range or so, but 7 .6 is decent,

but maybe not what they were hoping for with

your star Justin Timberlake in the new Batman.

I would say that one thing I found interesting

there was if you're looking at the weeks that

they've been in the box office with the amount

of Of and and stuff like that. Well, I guess

Michael you said you saw more trailers and whatnot

for prisoners, but prisoners and rush came out

the same week and Prisoners was ahead of it last

weekend and it's still ahead of it this weekend,

which I I thought there was a lot more campaign

for for Russian I'm kind of surprised that prisoners

is consistently staying on top of that one prisoners

might be speaking to a different audience. Yeah

It's kind of deceiving cuz rush came out You

know almost actually three weekends ago because

it started limited And then expanded a little

bit further and then prisoners actually came

out wide all around so That's kind of a little

bit deceiving there, but it is I do feel like

rushes like you mentioned I have seen more previews

and more ads for rush than prisoners, but there

is a audience out there for that those crime

thrillers and Hugh Jackman I think is a big draw

still and I think he's a big factor and you know

why that movie is doing really well, so yeah

and that movie just with this past weekend surpassed

its budget prisoners, so I'm sure they're happy

about that Yeah for sure Anyway, any other discussion

regarding the box office which will before we

move on to our our meat and potatoes or a review

of gravity? Um, I think there might be some disappointment

from the folks that uh Well, maybe not disappointment.

I guess it was kind of a one -man show but don

john, um being only the second uh Week for that

i'm kind of falling behind prisoners and rush.

Um, but uh, that shouldn't be a surprise Yeah,

considering the budget was only six million dollars

and it it you know has made 16 million at this

point I think it's I think that's pretty much

what they expected. I mean, you know, if that

was movie That was financed completely, most

independently, even bought by the studio. So,

I mean, maybe they're hoping for a bigger hit,

but it's the fact that it's made 10 million more

than its budget, I think they're happy with.

Yeah. Nothing else really box office wise unless

you you're really looking down the line which

I kind of find it interesting that If you're

looking at total growth so far as far as films

that are still in the theater I'm surprised to

see that we're the Millers has made more money

so far than than the Butler I know it's been

out a week longer But that's not enough to make

up for that that gap that's in between those

two I don't think the Butler had the release

that we're the Millers does and I think that

the Butler Like, I think that the We Are The

Millers speaks to a wider audience than The Butler

does. That could be. Because Dan and I had the

conversation about most couples would probably

rather go see We Are The Millers than... Yeah,

for a date movie or something like that. Plus,

how much does The Butler actually speak to today's

teenager? I mean, I don't know. I didn't. I never

saw an ad for the Butler. I don't have TV. I

don't see ads. I never really saw a trailer for

it in the theater either. I know we were playing.

We are the Miller trailers and stuff like that.

So it's kind of like what were the demographic

for the two movies? And there's a whole lot of

things. Yeah. Well, and that's obvious. Demographics

is huge. I mean, if you got the constant always

of. Animated kids films. I mean if you if you

look at it Monsters University, you know, is

that 266 million despicable me to is that 360?

And obviously clouded with a chance of meatballs

will be there Probably within a few more weeks

So I can also see the Butler getting like a re

-release around Academy award time as like a

like, you know Oscar push, you know, sometimes

those because it's probably gonna get nominations

here and there I've with it's like you know,

positive acclaim and, you know, it's overall

box office success. I could see it getting a

nomination for Best Picture for sure, especially

with 10 nominees, possibly. So I could see that

getting kind of a re -release in January and

February when things are kind of slower and you

kind of see films that could kind of sneak in

there, here and there and make a few more million

dollars. So I'm sure it will be a hit and will

be one of those movies that, you know, kids get

forced to watch in school for years to come.

With 100 % more cameos. All right. All right.

Anything else before we move on? Nope. All righty.

So we're going to take another little break here,

and then we're going to come back with our view

of this week's film, Gravity. The pull bag is

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geekcastradio .com make your great escape into

comics All right, and welcome back uh, this may

this today's main attraction as we are going

to be saying is uh We're going to be discussing

the latest film by alfonso coran gravity Just

to start things off here real quickly to discuss

this film that we've all been had the opportunity

to see Before this movie even came out. There's

a lot of discussion about the technology that

went into creating it. I mean camera techniques

and different craftsmanship Techniques that were

created just for this film months prior. There

were a huge discussion about you know, what does

what's this film? What is this from gonna be

and after seeing it? There's no denying that

there is uh technical craftsmanship in this film

that goes into it that is beyond anything of

recent measure um just it is pushing the bar

further than I think personally than anything

i've seen in a long time but I guess my major

question and something I think we can discuss

is if you're going to go beyond it just on a

technical level is is gravity more than like

a directing exercise that will like look that

looks amazing but doesn't give you much to think

into uh or Is it like the or the technical advancements

enhanced by a gripping layer story? Setting around,

you know, strong characters that make, you know,

a unique adventure that you kind of get lost

into. Well, I think to before we right before

we answer that question, we should probably state,

you know, how we saw it. How each of us saw it

as far as when what kind of version do we see?

You know, can we take a step back and. Could

maybe commit to not spoiling the movie Yeah,

I figured that way that we can try and have this

discussion without spoiling it. Yeah, I think

so. Okay I guess just to take a step back real

quickly. I I did see this in IMAX 3d I made sure

to see and I'm actually because I've heard amazing

things about it, but how did you see it Kevin?

IMAX 3d wasn't an option for me. So I had to

stick with just regular 3d But I made a point

that I had to see this one in 3d just on principle

I saw it in IMAX 3D twice I'm curious though

because this was another post -converted 3d movie

So it's something else that we it's another you

know discussion we can have in the future about

3d movies I feel like when you say post -converted

3d there always has to be an asterisk as far

as also What year it was or like what? What time

frame yeah, we're talking about post -converted

3d with gravity is a world apart from post -converted

3d with uh What was that stupid like the first

one that did that? Okay, you didn't let me finish

my statement. Okay. Yes It is it is an example

of how far along that post -conversion 3d has

come. However at the same time This is a different

It's a very different 3d movie than any other

3d movie that i've seen and that The depth that

the 3d provides is essentially a black background

or The earth in this case. It's it's one of the

two there's not a whole lot of the There isn't

a lot in the background to make the 3d pop it

in in and but in that in that defense I think

this is more of that window that James Cameron

was talking about with avatar then avatar was

Kind of going back with that without having all

the different stuff on the background for it

to pop It almost made it more of a realistic

3d for me that's what I'm saying it's it's because

Cameron was saying about how the way the way

that he you know whatever he thinks he's great

but the way that he describes the proper way

to use 3d is to go into the screen rather than

have stuff come out of the screen and in that

sense it's more it's more like you're looking

through a window into something and i was giving

it a compliment and saying that the 3d in this

is more of a window into what is into what you're

looking at than avatar was it was a more successful

use of the 3d It's certainly more immersive and

more like the feel like you're there type of

eye especially with a lot of the first the first

-person camera techniques and Using that helmet.

I think is a big key into it I think it does

kind of feel like you are behind that that shield

and how the vastness of space that is just you

know beyond your grasp and like you said Yeah,

nothing really pops and there's some things here

and there when you see like Like liquids or a

little bit here and there like like little touches

there, but I kind of I was to me was a welcome

that It didn't have any of those like cheap tricks

where it's just like, you know pointing things

at you or things flying at the screen It did

that a little bit, but that really wasn't what

it was there for right? Yeah, and I'm not gonna

dismiss completely I mean, I know there are a

lot of cheesy tricks and whatnot with 3d but

I will say that I was impressed the first time

I saw a 3d movie and I actually ducked when something

was not I'm not saying the first time I saw a

3d movie but the first time that I was watching

a 3d movie where I actually got me where I I

felt like something was flying at me. And then

I had to look around and act like nobody saw

that. The only time 3D got me was in the Men

in Black 3 trailer. That's the only time 3D has

ever gotten me. I'm trying to remember which

movie did that to me, but there was one within

the last year or so that I actually moved in

my seat and I felt retarded. But I think this

one is kind of like that perfect storm of, I've

used that twice now, so I should be slapped in

the same recording. the setting of space, the

effects and how they did their 3D and like Dan

was saying, the camera angle and the camera work.

To me, all three of those things kind of came

together to make something that was obviously

truly unique and something we've never experienced

before as far as going into theater. I actually

sat down and in the first like 15 to 20 minutes,

I was starting to question myself and I'm not

someone who gets motion sickness at all. I've

never been sick from any type of, you know, playing

boat, whatever, but in the first 15 to 20 minutes,

I was contemplating whether I was gonna be able

to sit through this whole movie and not feel

completely disoriented. It went away as I adjusted

to the movie, but I've never had that experience

at all in watching anything on a screen. It was

just, I don't know if it was the kind of the

way that the cameras were going as far as. the

angling around and the and as you know, I'm not

spoiling anything, but, you know, different spinning

things, etc. But I was definitely felt somewhat

disoriented in the first like 10, 15 minutes

that film. I think that was the takes the really

long takes and the the way that it. It kind of.

Well, in fact, there's nothing ever stable because

we're in space, right? It does. It does move

quite a bit, you know, for something that doesn't

have there's a lot of movement like the first

15 minutes and there isn't even like a cut in

there yeah and i hadn't had like a solid meal

before the movie so i don't know if that had

something to do with it but i was just like whoa

this is weird i've never experienced this at

a movie like i need something to be stable right

now but i don't know i think the combination

of the camera angles the 3d and the space as

a setting was just like a perfect combination

i think one thing too there's like a physicality

To a lot of those movements. It didn't feel like

you were watching, you know computer graphics

per se it there was like a realism realism to

them and I mean a lot of that was I mean I was

listening to an interview and they said each

frame of this film there's over 300 people like

dedicated to Getting each frame and getting like

all the technical Aspects of it the lighting

the you know, the movement the use of the cameras

and I think that detail really pays off because

like it There are a few instances where yes,

it feels like you're watching computer graphics

in general It does feel like you are placed into

the space environment and you're watching these

crazy horrific and you know Nail -biting, you

know things take place and I guess just to give

people an idea of what happens because I think

that's something we kind of glossed over I mean

there isn't much huge story here, but the basic

premise is that you have used to astronauts in

space and this happens within the first 15 minutes

so there's nothing really giving it away here

in the trailer you've seen it in the trailer

too and it you know obviously it's a movie so

nothing is something's gonna go badly but an

accident occurs a satellite is blown up and space

debris comes at them while they're spacewalking

and it's this huge gigantic destruction and then

they have to then try to survive after that and

try to figure out a way to kind of you know get

back to earth with no no shuttle and you know

really no normal means of getting down there

because you know in space you can't just like

you know send a helicopter to save them and it's

For me, that first 15 minutes, like that sold

me immediately. It was just like, that's like,

all right, I'm in, like, I want to see where

this goes. It is what's really, I think what's

awesome about this, too, I think it really can't

be understated is the sound design, especially

I think that's the best thing about the IMAX

beyond just the 3D is the sound is used so well

and subtly in really interesting ways, especially

when. these characters are drifting in space

and the silence and there's so many movies that

are so unwilling to be silent and this we use

silence and really effective ways and then like

hearing just a little bit of clamoring of radio

here and there and Like how it just it's off

in the distance and it uses that to kind of place

you within the scene because you know you're

in space so it's hard to kind of get an idea

of where you're at but using sound to kind of

place you in place to objects to where they're

in relation to each other i thought was actually

done i want to touch too on um kind of taking

a different approach to it but going into this

film and how it was marketed and how it was uh

what the trailers consisted of I don't know about

you, but most of the people that I know, if I

mentioned the name of the movie or that I was

going to see it or that I'd just seen it, most

people were completely clueless about this film.

Most people are like, I never heard of it or

they've heard of it, but they're like, I didn't

really understand what it was about. What was

the experience for you guys as far as other people

around you or what was your take on that and

how they marketed or what they put in the trailer

as far as that? I mean, a lot of people were

trying to like compare it to whether it be Moon

or whether it be like the Ryan Reynolds film

where he's very alive or whatever. So just kind

of like the build up to the film. What was your

take on that? For me, I remember hearing a lot

about the movie before it went into production

because they had a very hard time attaching two

people to the movie. I remember like lists of

people that were like passing on it and it kind

of just fell away. I was always like aware that

it was coming. And then we got a trailer for

it. And when I first saw the trailer, I was really

psyched for it. I had two thoughts when I first

saw it. I was like, okay, there's one way that

this movie ends and I will be completely disappointed

with it. And I will say that the movie did not

end that way and therefore I'm not disappointed

with the movie. The other thought that I had

was that it reminded me of the David Bowie song,

Space Odyssey. I thought somebody had just made

a live -action video live -action movie of David

Bowie's song and in the sense they they have

But there was one one guy that I work with he

he was Absolutely dead set against seeing it,

but he's going to go see it because his girlfriend

wants to see it Um, but he was dead set against

seeing it because of the trailer and that it

was essentially everyone that he saw was just

Sandra Bullock screaming for two and a half minutes.

Um, and he, you know, didn't want to, you know,

he didn't want a movie, you know, uh, at the

time we didn't know how long the movie was, but

he didn't want a two hour movie that was going

to be just Sandra Bullock screaming. And even

if that was what the movie was, um, would you

not be screaming your head off if you weren't?

If you were in the same situation, would you

not be having the same reaction? But yeah, I

mean and like last Saturday my dad sent me a

text while I was at work and said hey What should

I see this movie gravity and I'm like, I don't

know. I haven't seen it yet. Let me get back

to you But Dan, what do you what was yours it

I had two different kind of fields because I

have friends that are, you know more so like

the online community, the community that like

the cinephile, you know, to be kind of overly

pretentious about it. Community, I think was

I heard a lot of positive, positive, like a lot

of great things about it, like when it premiered

at different festivals. And I was really interested

in it because it had Alfonso Cuaron's name attached.

And I loved Children of Men. He's been taking

forever to make another movie when for like I

had the same thing. I like a lot of people. just

general movie fans like my wife didn't really

want to see it because she's like it seems like

it's just gonna be sander bullock in space for

You know 90 minutes and like I think a lot of

people thought there is gonna be that initial

Huge like destruction and then the rest of it

just her in space by herself That to me was a

mindset. I think a lot of people had Obviously

not too many because I did really well this weekend,

but I it was hard to get Ended up seeing this

by myself and I tried to get my wife to really

go see it But I think now that there's so much

positive word -of -mouth I really think it's

even gonna take out further some of those people

who are maybe apprehensive or didn't really know

because it's a hard movie to market I think just

because They're Sandra Bullock screaming for

two and a half minutes. Sandra Bullock's screaming

It's hard to kind of like there's so much only

90 minutes And I think if if you you can give

almost the entire movie away I'm sorry to cut

you off. I feel like when I walked out of this

movie I had the I was talking with my friend

that I saw it with and I said You know, I can

see why people won't like this movie and I think

that people that don't like this movie are I'm

saying this because it's just kind of like a

reference that I have right now. I think the

people that don't I think the people that walk

out of gravity that don't like it might actually

be some of the same people that don't like or

get Breaking Bad. And I say that because they

both... Sorry, my cat is attacking me. Gravity

is slow. It starts out slow and then it gets

fast when there's the event. And then after that,

it slows way down and you get... you get to see

how these characters actually react to the situation

and it feels like a much longer movie than it

is because one thing that it does that very few

movies did this summer and I was really irritated

with movies this summer that did this is they

had a very poor concept of time and I felt like

this movie did it really well and when I walked

out of it I thought I had been sitting in the

theater for three hours But I wasn't it wasn't

like I felt like I was sitting in three in this

theater for three hours and bored I was just

more surprised that when I walked out I'd only

been in there for like an hour and 20 minutes

But it does slow down and you get those character

moments like for example when George Clooney

and I'm sorry Sandra Bullock are drifting between

the shuttle and the space station like that's

like really slow i mean i enjoyed that scene

i enjoyed what happened in it but it's kind of

like you know how how can you actually sell like

you can't show that scene in a trailer um it's

the same it's it's well they use the i guess

you don't realize it but they they basically

use the only thing they could have used they

use the event really and they it's kind of it's

it's one of those things where not really the

same thing but kinda it's like when the 48 frames

per second with the hobbit was like a big deal

they didn't release a trailer of the hobbit in

48 frames per second because people would think

it looks like crap because they wouldn't be able

to get immersed in it it's so they all the trailers

for the hobbit were in 24 frames per second which

is the standard movie format but it's kind of

like you can't you have to the movie going audience

wants to see an event so it's kind of like that's

the only thing you can put in there and unfortunately

in your movie when the event's happening Sandra

Bullock is just screaming but you don't understand

that the trailer doesn't convey to you that she's

new she's not you know it's her first spacewalk

she's never done it before blah blah blah blah

none of that is conveyed and it's kind of hard

to It is a hard to wrap your head around the

trailer was and for me that's kind of what drew

me to wanna watch us movie was the intrigue that

at least with with like moon and with buried,

you know you have Okay, like buried you have

the concept of you know, this person's like basically

in a box or whatever underground, but you have

that. Like there's, you know, how are they gonna

react with that box? How are they gonna try to

get out of it? How are they gonna, you know,

and on the moon with the moon movie, you have

that setting. Whereas this one, the trailer is

literally giving you someone floating in space.

And so it's hard for people and it was hard for

me to wrap my head around, you know, what are

these people going to be interacting with? you

know, besides this open, the openness of space.

And so the intrigue is what drew me in. I have

a feeling initially that's why I'm surprised

that it did so good on its opening weekend because

I had a feeling at first it was going to draw

people away and push people away and that this

was going to have kind of that effect of of like

an avatar or something like that where a lot

of people didn't necessarily know what it was

at first and didn't go see it like right away

when it just built and built and built. So the

fact that it started off this well I would think

that it's gonna get That it's gonna have a huge

success because to me the more people that hear

about it are gonna get be able to get past their

initial Kind of skepticism with what what is

that trailer to? Okay. Now I have to go see this

because people are talking about it In the touch

on we we touched on a little bit, you know, we

talked about Senator Bill looks screaming in

the trailer I guess my question for you guys

is do you how did you feel like the story that

they do kind of give her character and Her performance

overall. How did you feel like she did? kind

of handling, you know, her responsibility in

this film. I'm not a huge Sandra Bullock fan.

I mean, I like her. All right. She's never been

one of those actors or actresses that that I'm

drawn to see everything that they're in, like

I am with certain other people. So the movie

didn't sell itself just for me, just because

she was in it. But I did feel she didn't feel

like she did a good job with what she was given.

I don't necessarily see. Maybe she will be getting

like whatever nods for awards and stuff like

that. I wouldn't see it as something like that,

but Maybe that's just me I think she did well

with what she had Yeah, I Sandra Bullock's the

same for me, too. Like I don't I don't not Not

like her yeah, I mean she's not there. I will

I will see a movie that she's in I will never

not I Will never not go to a movie just cuz she's

in it She's kind of like and I'm like that with

other actors like Leonardo DiCaprio. I don't

go see a movie because he's in it Right, but

I don't have a problem with his performances

I think I don't even know why I really wanted

to see this. I think it's just because I like

space and I heard that they that you know, they

did the Anytime someone I think one of the key

things for me was I saw I read it on Twitter

which is that they treat space with respect and

the way that they they they got that across which

was the absence of sound and I was like, okay,

you've got me because firefly was like that and

There was that one scene in Star Trek where which

is a subtle nod where it's like yeah we know

this is how it's supposed to be but That's not

how it's going to be And I heard that I was okay.

I'm done. I'm there I mean, I want to see how

this I want I want to see how this works and

I wish I could say like I wish I could explain

My fear over how I was worried that the movie

would end without spoiling it But like I said,

it didn't end that way and it worked out great

We'll be able to bring that up when we kind of

look back at all the fall movies maybe But the

it's I liked her performance. She's not like

I said I put in context behind her screaming

in the trailer like it it helped I mean when

you realize she's it's her first spacewalk And

this is what's happening to her. I really did

like George Clooney. Mm -hmm I liked his character

a lot. I like the way he played him He played

the stereotype of an astronaut perfect yeah,

well an experienced astronaut at that right so

and I I like the Ed Harris as Houston Which I

think is great because I Believe he was also

the mission control guy in Apollo 13. He was

Can he not have a successful space mission? Yeah,

you should if you hear his voice on the radio

you just want to go home right then and there

I just like how authentic the whole thing felt.

I mean we talked about prisoners being that You

know, it's not We talked about prisoners being

not really fantastic because it's it's it's more

of a window into React like something that could

actually happen or take place. It's no one becomes

the hero I felt like this is kind of gravity

is that same kind of thing where it's People

are put into an event and nobody has made a hero.

They just they do their job and that is evident

from like Immediately after the event when George

Clooney is kind of you know, he's he's playing

the hero And he's going through procedure and

Sandra and Sandra blows character is like why

are you still doing this? No one can hear us

and he's like the someone's always listening

And he's just so he's like I'm gonna keep I'm

doing my job I'm doing my job the way that I'm

supposed to do it the way that I was trained

and I I also enjoyed just I Enjoyed the detail

and like the radio chatter Don't know I get a

kick out of that stuff and it's how how organized

they all like how organized that whole I? Think

I made NASA look really cool I don't think this

gives anything away, but I also like the appreciate

the detail as far as The types of objects that

are present throughout the film whether it be

in space station shuttle etc that type of stuff

like the different objects that when that we're

seeing you know kind of floating around etc I

appreciated what they kind of threw in there

and how it was it was believable as to you know

sometimes you get these types of movies where

you know like if you're taking your prototypical

Armageddon type movie not saying Armageddon specifically

but you know that type of like space we're saving

the world blah blah blah. They usually forget

about all that type of stuff. Are you talking

about the stuff that humanizes the characters?

What's that? Are you talking about the stuff

that humanizes the characters? Well, I'm just

talking about stuff that you would expect to

be present in something that's in space, whether

it be a ship or a shuttle or a space station

or whatever you would expect certain everyday

objects to be present. in all you know in previous

movies usually I don't remember seeing that as

much like you know if if all of a sudden you

know there's a break in the air pressure or whatever

you don't see like you they might throw some

pens and pencils or whatever floating through

the air but then the everyday objects that I

would expect to be present in those locations

were present in this movie you're talking yeah

you're talking about the humanizing stuff the

people the stuff that the astronauts bring with

them yeah yeah Yeah, I know you're talking about

and I totally get that cuz like yeah, everyone

expects them to have pens and papers But nobody

expects them to have Like there was you know,

like a chess piece. Yeah, exactly. Yes So I really

appreciated looking for it because it also gave

you something to look for in a movie. That's

otherwise You know the endless the vast thing

that is space when you did have those scenes

all sudden you find your eyes like trying to

like Capture everything that you're seeing there

because otherwise you've been used to just seeing

the blacks, but you know space So it was kind

of fun trying to locate things and identify them

and kind of think about why would they be there

etc? So it added a dimension for me for the whole

film my my favorite scene in the movie And I'm

trying to think if I can I'm trying to think

if I can bring this up without spoiling anything

in a roundabout way I enjoyed the womb scene.

Oh Yes, I thought that was really good Just the

whole like metaphor of safety And how that it

played out I I really liked that and especially

unlike the second viewing I realized I realized

how like Even how crazy womb like he was actually

able to get that scene to look. I mean, there's

like even there's an umbilical cord Like in the

scene and it was like I was like I didn't notice

it before I mean I knew what he was going for

in the first place But when I watched it again,

I was like, no, he totally got it I mean, he

got the scene that he wanted. On those same lines,

I think, too, what's interesting about Gravity,

it is clearly more than just a movie about two

people trying to survive in space. There's hints

and subtextual elements to it beyond just these

people trying to get from point A to point B.

There are, similar to those everyday objects

you're talking about, there are certain objects

that were, let's just say, You know geared towards

different cultures purposely. I don't know if

you guys picked up on those but ones that were

clearly, you know going at going after like picture

bigger picture ideas about like You know, I think

life in general and what it means and kind of

and it may be touching upon like Religion in

some side without getting into it and that it's

conflict with science without really being heavy

-handed And I don't think where it ends up is

any accident like where it where we see the character

or where we see the the final You know few minutes

and where it ends up and what did that means?

I'm pretty positive that is more than just you

know, it's meant to be something, you know Profound

I would say did you how do you guys feel about

the overall? Subtextual elements that were placed

inside this crazy disaster film You know what,

I might edit this out. I have to know, I have

to know. So I'm gonna go ahead and mark this

and then I'm gonna have a discussion real quick.

Let's jump back into the spoiler. I don't remember

where we left off. We were just talking about

the end of the movie and the symbols that were

there and stuff like that. You guys all missed

a great conversation. Gravity is a film that

you can what I appreciate about it is it is a

film that you can appreciate on two different

levels It's just a thrill ride. But I think there

are some what makes it kind of beyond just That

is there are some subtextual elements that you

can debate about like we were just you know,

we got in a debate off, you know before the recorder

about those issues and What they could represent

and how did you feel that the film handled those

elements beyond just the normal, you know? You

know get from point A to point B type of stuff

for for me real quick. I think that stuff Is

what? Makes that movie something to talk about

that's what makes that movie more than just because

you know there if it wasn't for some of that

stuff All you have is your prototypical Survival

in type story or survival in space type story

And then the movie becomes strictly and solely

about the technological aspects of the 3D, the

camera angles, what they were able to do from

a visual standpoint. And to me, that would be

fine. That would still be something that would

be worth talking about and still be something

that makes the movie important. But then adding

kind of that second layer and more of the debatable

subcontextual aspects of the movie. Really kind

of makes it something more to chew on and makes

it something more valuable than just a spectacle

of sight I Can agree with that That was a lot

of big words I just threw out there Yeah, definitely

I mean it was we so there I mean is there anything

else anyone want to discuss before we kind of

I Mean we've talked about just on a technical

standpoint. It is pretty Pretty amazing. I mean,

there's no doubt about that. If you can't tell

what I review and you have not seen this in the

theaters, you really need to. This is a movie

I'm very glad that I saw in the theaters. It's

the first time in a long time that I thought

like, wow, how did they do that? It's something

that I'm thinking back to like Jurassic Park

and one of those movies that kind of get at the,

you know, that imagination, what humans are capable

of on different levels when it comes to just,

you know. Movie wise and beyond that is just

human beings and what science can allow us to

accomplish Well a lot of times we throw out the

kind of like the phrase For certain movies that

this is the type of movie that you need to see

in theaters Or this is the type of movie that

you need to see in IMAX There's there hasn't

been a lot of movies that you need to see in

3d But this is one of them. I Even even for me

for people that are against 3d. You should see

this in 3d Well, chances are if you see an IMAX,

you're not gonna see it in 2d I think No, I that's

what that's one of the other thoughts I had with

my friend when I when I was done previewing the

movie and I walked out of us this This is not

gonna play at home Like the impact of this movie

will not play in your family room. No And I just

I I I really believe that I don't I mean It has

to be I don't even think it needs to be I I just

think you need to see it on a big screen. You

need to see it on the biggest screen possible.

I would even suggest if you have to see it in

a traditional theater, I would suggest sitting

as close as you might be able to comfortably

be able to sit to the screen. You need to not

have distractions in front of you. And you just

need to let yourself get taken away by it. Like

I said, I saw it twice. The first time I just

kind of looked at it and I was watching it and

I really enjoyed it the first time that I saw

it. And there was like a moment where I snapped

out of it because I could see the stupid pixels

on the screen. Even on the IMAX, I could see

them and it just kind of... I was annoyed because

I was like, okay, now I'm going to have to go

down to Detroit and see this in the Henry Ford

Museum. because Detroit still has 70 millimeter.

And I was really annoyed. But then after that

brief moment, it went away and I was in it. But

it wasn't until I saw it today with my dad in

a packed theater. It just kind of I was overwhelmed,

at least by the first half of the movie, I was

overwhelmed. I was curious, because earlier in

our discussion on our show today, we were talking

about I brought up the opposite of the subtlety

that we that we saw in prisoners and someone

said that we would i can't remember which one

of you guys would say that was me um i expand

on that a little bit well because i it goes back

to what i was saying about this and like people

that won't like this are the same people that

might not like breaking bad um both i think this

relied a lot on subtlety um because there are

a lot of extended shots there's a lot of shots

where essentially nothing is happening except

for two people floating in space And nothing

is really It's kind of like what you can glean

out of the whole thing It's what it's what you

take out of nothing is I don't I don't really

think Despite the discussion we had while items

and and things are present in what you're seeing

I don't think any of it is in your face No, and

I and the reason I liken it to Breaking Bad is

because Breaking Bad is kind of like that it's

there's a lot of subtlety in that show and there

are episodes where like There are 45 minutes

where, like, one thing is happening. But that

is, it's very important. And I feel like, you

know, this movie, all 120 minutes of this movie

are important, no matter how long a shot may

or may not be. It's, it's, everything in it is

important, but you have to be smart enough to

pick up on it. Like, they don't hand you anything.

And I think with a movie like this, and I'm not

saying that there's anything wrong or not wrong,

like I am a fan of both subtlety and I am a fan

of the way, you know, at times that someone like

Steven Spielberg does his movies, I'm a fan of

both things. But I think this one is walking

that very fine line between, it was a type of

movie that had to walk a fine line between not

being over the top. and still being successful.

And I think like what you're saying, it did a

very good job of doing that. There was really

only one scene that I thought was a little too

in your face. As far as any type of object or

symbolism or anything goes, I'm not going to

say what it was, but there was really only one

moment in that whole movie where I felt like

something was forced on me. Otherwise, I thought

it was. perfectly walking that line and being

very subtle and very minute in how I did things.

I appreciated it with this story because in any

type of, for some reason, especially in the sci

-fi genre for me, when it's a survival type thing

or a disaster type thing, it's really hard for

people not to get overly sentimental, overly

Not necessarily cheesy, but especially in that

genre, it seems like they do that a lot. So I

really appreciated that this one, they kind of

walked that line very finely. I'm amazed that

in this year that we got this movie in Pacific

Room. Yeah, and there's I mean, looking at this

upcoming book, I thought the first was kind of

not. I mean, I'm not understanding, but look

what's coming. I think it's there's a lot. Talk

that this could be one amazing call and I think

this if this is kicking off the you know contention

It's one how way to kick it off. I don't I mean

it's it's a hard act to follow and for sure because

it I I can touch on it much, but I thought Bullock

Center Bullock's performance was outstanding

She isn't given and she's gonna do for sure and

I think there is one moment in that movie Curious

if the same movement that bugged you Kevin, but

just be funny because we're using on the opposite

side of this but First time I felt well, this

is her actually Getting into a character like

this is her kind of active and not playing some

type of role like she's won an Oscar before but

I thought that was more so because she's just

kind of I didn't think it was like a dynamic

performance in this like we talked about a lot

of subtlety even in the performance as in the

really bring their a game even though if they're

not Having those like Oscar type moments like

grand speeches or anything like just kind of

smaller moments just trying to survive and find

some way to kind of I don't know like it's hard

to say without giving anything away but finding

some reason to go on and then I Felt that was

a very effective Lighting this movie just an

overall complete package Yeah I can agree with

that. Although I would I was joking that George

Clooney will get a best actor nomination. Oh,

I don't I don't think he'll Yeah, I mean this

is like gonna sweep the technical boards and

it's probably gonna sweep all you know, and you

can see it getting a few notations but not that

that's the be -all end -all but I Mean there's

a potential for bullet getting a nation for sure

and director I could see as well, but it's well,

we'll find that out You know we got many months

of movies that come out but I guess anything

else anyone has to say before we give our overall

ratings All right, so out of out of five, what

are you all going to be rating gravity? I mean

if we're going off of our basic scale that we've

set up kind of the standard of the geocache radio

network I would Like to fall in between two numbers,

but that's not allowed so I will go I guess I'll

go with four and a half I mean, I'm really teetering

between four and four and a half, but I would

if I had to go somewhere I'd probably say four

and a half Because outside of just one or two

shots. It was pretty pretty close to perfection.

I Am very hasn't just that perfect on anything,

right? I just like it just How does any and once

you start start this a huge debate, right? but

once you start slapping perfect on something

and then you have two things that are perfect

like how did I I Know it's a ridiculous conversation

to have but it's one of those things where it's

like, how do you do that? I guess you can look

at five not so much as a perfect per se but as

I Get it. I know I understand it's and it's all

semantics perfect masterpiece. I mean, okay,

but If I was like one of my old bosses, I'd probably

say four and a half So you have room for improvement,

but I'm curious to find out what the two things

may or may not be that like like tipped you guys

towards four and a half over five because I Even

after two viewings. I mean there isn't really

anything that I didn't If there if there was

something I didn't like about the out about the

movie It's probably because just the way that

I viewed the movie I I'm just good. OK, I'm just

going to say four and a half. I really want to

say perfect, but I can't. I I'm just it's it's

the first time we've we've we've done this and

it's like the first I don't want to give out

a perfect on the first on the first go around.

Yeah. And I'm sorry, gravity. I just I don't

want to do that. I mean, true being as someone

who's been working with the rating system for

a while now, just doing reviews, there hasn't

been a move. this year I've given more than a

four important five and only fives I've given

were to the Spielberg films that you know like

Jaws and Save a Private Ryan and I think it's

easier to give a five point score to something

that's been out for a few years because you've

had you know some room to kind of judge it and

like you I it I think there are five five -point

movies out there I don't think gravity is one

I think if you're going simply as a technical

level it is without a doubt a five Think where

it gets the 4 .5 for me it just some of the dialogue

here and there was a little clunky if you're

gonna be super nitpicky that's kind of where

it knocks me out a little bit and But beyond

that like it is as close to like four point seven

four as you could possibly be and I could definitely

see this like going up to five on a second watch

so well here and the only other reason I'd be

hesitant to give it a perfect just because you

think You're not you're only gonna be able to

see it the way you're on a large format for a

limited time I'm kind of thinking about How was

this movie gonna play at home? And it's not gonna

be if I can give it a five right now If you go

see okay, if you go see gravity in a theater

right now I will I will I will stand by it being

a five if you watch gravity at home. It's gonna

be a four and a half But I guess the way I would

see that is that I feel like all movies are made

to be seen On a big screen. So like that to me

is like it's it's purest form So that's usually

how I view it. Like yes, maybe at a home theater

It isn't as effective because you have a you

know, the screen's not as big it's not as immersive

you don't have as you know that theater experience,

but I I can sacrifice that if that theater experience

is beyond anything that is Has come before recently

that I can think of so it is kind of a give -and

-take. Like how do you You know some some movies

that play great in at home. Maybe aren't great

theater experiences So it's kind of a you can

kind of go either way with it. Hello I'll say

this is gonna be a three if you watch it on Netflix

Or it'll be get 2 .5 if you watch it on your

phone All right, so it's four point fives all

around so, you know Great. Hopefully we didn't

Praise it too much and we get the overrated,

you know people screaming down our necks But

anyway, so that's our thoughts on gravity again

If you agree or disagree with us, feel free to

comment and we'll be happy to reply and you know

Defend ourselves as best as possible. So we're

gonna take another little break here. And we're

gonna come back We're gonna be looking at coming

attractions and upcoming DVD and blu -ray releases

50 years ago, a little old man brought his little

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a cultural phenomena worldwide. Join the Geekcast

Radio Network and Markhu42's Hooniverse as we

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and every other lifetime. Fantastic. Allons -y!

All right, and welcome back. And before we let

you all off for this week, we're gonna just take

a little... Preview into what's coming up for

next weekend first We're gonna hit on the upcoming

movie releases that will be hitting a theater

near you the two big Releases that are coming

out of course or Captain Phillips the Paul Greengrass

Tom Hanks Based on real -life thriller about

the Somali pirates taking control of the naval

ship Also coming out is also the surely the based

on true story machete kills which will be coming

out next week as well with charlie sheen and

lady gaga and whole and mel gibson of course

so yeah along with uh i want to mention too because

i don't know how wide of a release it's getting

but it's uh the next day of that romeo and juliet

movie um that we kind of mentioned in one of

our previous shows and there are two smaller

films i think are worth mentioning they're very

limited but i think they might be actually coming

to On -demand as well. The first one is CBGB

which is based on this like punk rock club in

New York stars Ellen Rickman and I'm a huge Alec

Rickman fan and I know a lot of people are so

Definitely check that out. I could see that expanding

and also the inevitable defeat of Mr. And Pete

which is about these two kids It's getting a

lot of great buzz and especially for the two

the main lead it stars this Young kid and that's

Jennifer Hudson and Jeffrey Wright and a few

other people and Anthony Mackie You'll be coming

up in the latest Captain America film as Falcon.

So you might hear about that Coming out even

in water release shortly. So I just wanted to

make mention and beyond just the theater We're

also gonna check on the blu -ray and DVD releases

for next week and it's kind of an up -and -down

week you have, you know the hit After earth coming

out, you know starting jada smith and will smith

have any of you guys, uh been experienced had

the opportunity to experience after earth. No

Now you have the opportunity. Nope I'll probably

check it just for curiosity sake I just I kind

of feel like i've watched it because i've watched

the how did this get made podcast about it, but

uh, uh, I don't know. I just Just I don't know

I just I almost got that on demand at one point

and I talked myself out of it Also also coming

out is your report if you're it's also kind of

an interesting Companion to gravity because it's

about a mission gone wrong to the space of to

the moon of Jupiter The big star in that is chartered

Charter low hopefully I pronounce it horribly

wrong with the guy who started in district 9

and Elysium this past summer also coming out

Hangover part three Which I missed this summer

did any of you guys seen? Yes, I think it doesn't

I don't know. I should have had a different title

besides hangover. I I thought it was better than

the second one Yeah, there's just there was no

hangover For all the Josh Whedon lovers and You

have much to do about nothing is coming to theaters

or coming to blu -ray and in dvd his take on

the shakespeare classic plays the Starring nathan

fillian, you know the fanboy love himself. Um,

also coming out is the purge and I believe I

know powers I know you've heard you talk about

the purge. I I The concept of the purge is a

lot better than what the actual movie was um

And I know that the main antagonist in the movie,

I think he would make a great replacement for

the Joker when they inevitably recast him. It

was the first thing I thought of when he showed

up on screen. I was like, oh, you are so creepy.

And your smile is amazing. But no, the concept

of The Purge is a lot better than the execution

of the movie. And I know that they're going to

try and make it up, excuse me, like a franchise

-esque thing, kind of like... I'm sorry. Paranormal

Activity? Yeah, Paranormal Activity saw those

kind of movies. And it actually kind of works

because The Purge is a day in that world that

they've created. It's a holiday. And so technically

every year you could release that movie and have

it follow a different group of people and a different

set of events that occur during that holiday.

i'd be interested to see i'm interested to see

what the second one does because the first one

falls apart like at the very end of the movie

interesting um also coming out if you want to

have a danny trejo double feature his uh director

dvd movie zombie hunter is also coming out so

for those danny trejo fanatics you have plenty

coming out next weekend you know what your appetite

do those people exist Surprisingly, yes, and

that's why machete is coming. I'm sure there's

a guy or two maybe his family Besides that we

have a little bit of a question for you guys

for next week Kevin what do we have for our listeners?

All right question We want you guys to answer

and we will discuss it on our next episode here

and we'll answer it ourselves As far as your

movie going Traditions practices. Are you someone

that buys? food at the concession stand, or are

you someone that sneaks food in? And if you're

buying food at the concession stand, what are

your favorite things to buy? And if you're sneaking

things in, what are you sneaking in? So answer

that question on the website, and we'll give

you our answers, and we'll give you some reactions

to your feedback there. All right. That sounds

great. Yeah, we look forward to hearing you.

And you can get back. You can contact us in a

number of ways. You can email us at feedback

at dcasradio .com, just put in the subject wire,

MWire Weekly. You can comment on our message

boards on the site, or as well as on the post

on the site as well. So we'll be reading your

feedback and discussing that next week. But that's

pretty much all we've had for this episode. pilot

episode of my weekly if you guys enjoyed it and

hope it's kind of a What's that appetite for

things in the future? So but for for now we have

been I've been Michael Powers You can find me

on Twitter at booth ninja 81 And I'm Kevin Thompson.

You can get to me at optimus solo on Twitter

And I am Dan Clark and you can get to me at movie

revolt and I would like to thank you for your

time And we'll see you next week