Cinema Fix

Andrew and Monica have a lot to say about Star Trek Into Darkness. In what may be their longest discussion of a single film ever, they talk everything from character arcs to political subtext. What's up with the super-blood? Does the film's race-bending really matter that much? Is the depiction of Carol Marcus sexist and offensive? Are all the references to a previous Trek film really necessary? And just wait until you hear Andrew's epic pitch for the plot of the sequel! SHOW NOTES: 0:22 - Intro and clip 4:07 - Khan's exposition dump 12:00 - Remaking Wrath of Khan 20:08 - Superblood shortage? 22:20 - Spock's arc, Uhura and other supporting characters 30:35 - Alice Eve and why a two-second shot is a huge problem 46:30 - The problematic racebending of Khan 49:45 - The political subtext about the War on Terror 1:05:31 - The opening scene and the Prime Directive 1:14:42 - Action direction and lens flares 1:20:15 - Reboot This! 1:34:50 - Show close DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing cinemafix

Beam us up! In this episode, Andrew and Monica give their spoiler-free thoughts on the newest installment of the re-imagined Star Trek series, Star Trek Into Darkness. Does J.J. Abrams' sequel live up to the highly-praised 2009 reboot? After all the secrecy, does the villain pay off? Tune in to find out. SHOW NOTES: 0:22 - Intro and clip 3:58 - General thoughts 18:01 - Show close DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing cinemafix@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks for listening!

Hey there, old sport! After an unexpected week-long hiatus, Andrew and Monica are back with a review of Baz Luhrmann's adaptation of The Great Gatsby. This episode isn't split into two parts--there's a brief spoiler-free chat followed by the usual in-depth analysis. Does the film do the novel justice? What's up with the framing device? Is the use of modern music on the soundtrack justified? Tune in to find out. Plus, in Reboot This!, Andrew and Monica do the unthinkable and pitch a sequel to what many people consider the greatest American novel of all time. SHOW NOTES: 0:22 - Intro and clip 4:01 - Spoiler-free review 11:15 - Nick and the framing device; is he gay? 16:55 - Luhrmann's visual style 18:15 - Lack of subtlety with symbols 21:21 - The love triangle 24:36 - Gatsby's criminal activities, the ending 29:31 - Dancing, music 34:52 - Fetishization of black culture 37:05 - Reboot This! 43:50 - Show close DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing cinemafix@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks for listening

You wouldn't like Andrew when he's angry. He really hated Iron Man 3. In this episode, he rants for nearly an hour about everything wrong with the film, while Monica occasionally chimes in to provide perspective. Are the villains compelling? What are the driving themes of the film? Is Pepper developed in a compelling way? Tune in for some passionate thoughts on all these issues and many, many more. And be sure to stick around to hear what ideas they pitch for a remake and a sequel in Reboot This! SHOW NOTES: 0:22 - Intro and clip 3:03 - The Mandarin, shifts in tone 11:22 - The leap from regeneration to burning stuff 13:55 - Comparing Iron Man film villains 16:00 - What's up with the equation? What does The Mandarin want with Stark? 18:40 - What does Happy witness? 21:15 - Driving themes (or lack thereof) 25:23 - Differences in suits, trying to keep track of them 31:15  - He's cured! Somehow... 33:40 - Ruining Pepper Potts 43:38 - The post-credits scene 45:42 - Where is Justin Hammer? 49:32 - Rebo

Summer blockbuster season is officially here! In this episode, Andrew and Monica give their general spoiler-free thoughts on the latest Marvel superhero movie, Iron Man 3. Robert Downey Jr. is back as Tony Stark, who this time finds himself dealing with anxiety attacks and an intimidating new villain known as The Mandarin. After a disappointing second outing, does this recapture the magic of the original? Tune in to find out. SHOW NOTES: 0:22 - Intro and clip 3:47 - General thoughts 14:02 - Show close DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing cinemafix@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks for listening!

Oh, Michael Bay. When will you learn? In their breakdown of Pain & Gain, Andrew and Monica discuss just how the filmmaker's worst tendencies weaken a strong idea. Why is The Rock's character the only multi-dimensional one? Why does Michael Bay seem to hate so many people? Does the racism, sexism and homophobia actually work as satire in this situation? Is there a way this script could have been salvaged? Tune in to find out. Plus, asteroids and bodybuilding collide in this week's edition of Reboot This! SHOW NOTES: 0:22 - Intro and clip 3:16 - Things we like 4:16 - The ending vs. the rest of the movie 8:13 - Unexplored ideas, obsession with stereotypes 14:13 - The Christianity of The Rock's character, fat shaming 21:36 - Ed Harris as stock detective 24:21 - The filmmaking aesthetic, looking back at Bay's filmography 33:08 - Reboot This! 37:18 - Show close DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing cinemafix@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks for listening!

There are no Transformers to be found in the latest Michael Bay film, unless we're counting Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Is Pain & Gain a return to form for the action auteur, or just another in a long list of disappointments? In this episode, Andrew and Monica give their spoiler-free thoughts. SHOW NOTES: 0:22 - Intro and clip 3:00 - General thoughts 12:02 - Show close DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing cinemafix@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks for listening!

In this episode, Andrew and Monica figure out where Oblivion went right and where it went wrong. How much do great visuals make up for occasional logic gaps? Is there some sort of political or religious allegory lurking beneath the surface? And what's going on with that ending, anyway? Tune in to find out. Plus, they figure out what a sequel might look like as an existentialist meditative drama in Reboot This! SHOW NOTES: 0:22 - Intro and clip 2:57 - Tom Cruise! Lots of Tom Cruise! 7:27 - The Jack/Victoria dynamic 9:55 - Olga Kurylenko and space pregnancy 16:33 - Plot holes and vague characterization 18:15 - Political subtext? 20:54 - A surprising yet also puzzling ending 26:04 - Religious stuff, Tet as God 30:01 - Great production design 32:52 - Reboot This! 37:56 - Show close DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing cinemafix@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks for listening!

It's not every day we see an original big-budget sci-fi movie turn up in theaters. In this episode, Andrew and Monica give their spoiler-free thoughts on Oblivion, the new Tom Cruise vehicle set in a post-apocalyptic future. Is this a step in the right direction? Tune in to find out. SHOW NOTES: 0:22 - Intro and clip 4:13 - General thoughts 13:39 - Show close DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing cinemafix@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks for listening!

Let the disagreement begin! Andrew and Fox have wildly differing opinions on 42, so it's up to Monica to find middle ground. How much does historical accuracy matter? Is Harrison Ford's performance Oscar-worthy?  To what extent are broad characterizations okay? Tune in to find out. SHOW NOTES: 0:22 - Intro and clip 3:29 - Educational about Robinson? 7:05 - Great supporting performances 9:47 - Impact on individuals 12:20 - Broad characterizations 19:20 - Pacing and structure, goal (or lack thereof) 21:09 - Safe vs. challenging storytelling 24:08 - Is Ford Oscar-worthy? 31:10 - Over-sentimentality 34:56 - Directing the sports scenes 36:42 - Favorite sports movies 39:03 - The character of Wendell Smith 42:52 - Reboot This! 47:36 - Show close DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing cinemafix@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks for listening!

Fox from the Geek Scholars Movie News podcast stops by to join Andrew and Monica in discussing the new biopic (or is it?) of Jackie Robinson. In this segment, they give their general spoiler-free thoughts. Is it a formulaic sports movie or an informative and entertaining look at one of America's most important athletes? Tune in to find out. SHOW NOTES: 0:22 - Intro and clip 4:10 - General thoughts 15:19 - Show close DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing cinemafix@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks for listening!

The dead are coming back to life! Oh wait, it's just another remake. In this segment, Andrew and Monica figure out whether the new Evil Dead film is as groovy as it claims to be. Does the infamous "tree rape" scene work well in this version? Does it capture the spirit of the original? Is this new drug element effective? Tune in to find out. SHOW NOTES: 0:22 - Intro and clip 3:04 - Tree rape, possible thematic subtext 9:12 - Difficulties in adapting a classic 11:33 - "I can't believe they did that" 14:08 - Gore effects that were effective 16:34 - Gender swapping and drug subplot 19:17 - The cameo, comic relief 24:00 - The importance of earnest effort 26:07 - Reboot This! 30:20 - Show close DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing cinemafix@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks for listening!

The Evil Dead is a horror classic, but Uruguayan filmmaker Fede Alvarez has helmed a remake that hits the big screen this weekend. It's a dead serious gorefest that has audiences squirming. Does it deserve the acclaim? In this segment, Andrew and Monica give some spoiler-free thoughts on whether this is a fresh take on old material. SHOW NOTES: 0:22 - Intro and clip 4:40 - General thoughts 15:00 - Show close DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing cinemafix@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks for listening!

In this episode, Andrew and Monica figure out if The Rock is enough to save any film. In the second film in the G.I. Joe series, he leads a squad of America’s finest soldiers against the evil forces of Cobra that are bent on world domination. Is Retaliation at least better than The Rise of Cobra? Tune in to find out. SHOW NOTES: 0:22 - Intro and clip 3:06 - General thoughts 13:26 - Show close DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing cinemafix@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks for listening!

In this episode, Andrew and Monica figure out if The Rock is enough to save any film.  In the second film in the G.I. Joe series, he leads a squad of America’s finest soldiers against the evil forces of Cobra that are bent on world domination. Is Retaliation at least better than The Rise of Cobra? Tune in to find out. SHOW NOTES: 0:22 - Intro and clip 3:06 - General thoughts 13:26 - Show close DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing cinemafix@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks for listening!

There's so much going on in Spring Breakers that Andrew and Monica barely know where to begin. In this episode, they turn their attention to several of the themes and ideas Harmony Korine seems to be exploring. Is the film's depiction of blackface racist? What does the film seem to be saying about this generation? Does the ending transform it into a tale of feminist empowerment, or does Korine take his objectification of women too far? Tune in to find out. SHOW NOTES: 0:22 - Intro and clip 2:40 - Exploring the racial elements of the film, lighting to create blackface 12:16 - Cinematography as objectification, comparisons to Funny Games 16:03 - Quickly transitioning to the sinister; the childlike vs. the adult 21:25 - Defined by "stuff," spring break as spiritual 25:38 - Is it making a feminist statement? 34:17 - Pop culture as identity 40:15 - Whether Korine's intent matters 44:40 - Show close DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing cinemafix@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks for listening!

Spring Break For-evah! In this episode, Andrew and Monica give their spoiler-free thoughts on Harmony Korine's latest mindtrip, Spring Breakers. James Franco gives one of his weirdest performances ever and icons of innocence are corrupted in this dreamy tone poem of debauchery. Is it worth checking out, or just a more shocking version of Project X? Tune in to find out. SHOW NOTES: 0:22 - Intro and clip 2:50 - General thoughts 12:00 - Show close DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing cinemafix@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks for listening!

In this episode, Andrew and Monica try to figure out why a movie about magic doesn't seem very magical. How does the movie's approach to directing disrespect the profession? Does the ending work? Andrew also reveals he perhaps likes magic more than he should. Plus, the return of Reboot This! SHOW NOTES: 0:22 - Intro and clip 1:58 - Why is Alan Arkin here? 4:50 - A disappointing depiction of magic as an art and profession 10:55 - Explaining how magic tricks are done 14:52 - The funniest scene in the movie 16:25 - The romance, wasting the talents of Steve Buscemi 19:48 - The ending, James Gandolfini and Jim Carrey 26:12 - Reboot This! 31:40 - Show close DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing cinemafix@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks for listening!

Steve Carell stars as an arrogant magician who finds himself upstaged by a new up-and-comer in the new comedy The Incredible Burt Wonderstone. It also stars Olivia Wilde, Steve Buscemi and Jim Carrey, so what could go wrong? Well, maybe more than you might think. Tune in to find out what Andrew and Monica thought of the film. SHOW NOTES: 0:22 - Intro and clip 3:04 - General thoughts 11:30 - Show close DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing cinemafix@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks for listening!

Monica might be away at SXSW, but never fear! We've still got an episode for you. The wonderful Corey Atad drops by to debate the merits of Sam Raimi's pseudo-prequel to The Wizard of Oz. How does it compare to the original? Are its flaws merely the result of poor casting? Are the gender politics sexist? And just how great is China Girl, anyway? Tune in to find out. SHOW NOTES: 0:22 - Intro and clip 3:18 - General spoiler-free thoughts 13:34 - Beginning of spoiler section; Oz as both literal place and extension of protagonist's psyche 18:13 - The romance and whether the gender politics are sexist 24:24 - The third act as celebration of cinema 26:12 - Lack of earnestness, a darker tone 34:25 - The legal stuff 37:52 - References to technologically innovative films 39:05 - Raimi's touch 42:29 - Show close DON'T FORGET: You can contact the show by emailing cinemafix@filmgeekradio.com. Thanks for listening!