Warning! This episode gets PG-13 with a couple of f-words and discussions of the adult content of mother! We also welcome Kaitlyn Booth of Bleeding Cool. Andy talks Rebel in the Rye: a good movie about a kind of garbage person who wrote a garbage book that garbage people love. 5/10. Kaitlyn saw American Assassin and found it utterly unnecessary and cliched. And then there’s mother! We all hate it with a fiery passion. And no, it’s not because we don’t understand it.
FIVE movies this week. You’d think there was some sort of holiday weekend or something. Assassin’s Creed continues the streak of bad video game adaptations. Sing is bright, colorful, predictable and little else. Why Him? is side-stitchingly hilarious. Passengers has some problems but more good than bad. Fences will win so many Oscars.
Soundtrack for this episode provided by George Michael.
Money Monstershould have been more exciting. Script is kind of boring and never delves into why we should care. Unlike The Big Short, which had Margot Robbie in a bubble bath to help explain boring finance and economics. Andy doesn’t remember Selena Gomez’s name. Adam gives it a forgettable 5/10. Go watch The Big Short and Hail, Caesar! instead.
X-Men: Apocalypse is the third movie in the rebooted X-Men universe. Plays out a little like a Greatest Hits but is still incredibly fun. That Quicksilver scene, though. Apocalypse is a boring villain who’d rather fuss over costumes Tim Gunn style than actually be menacing. Wasted opportunities with great characters and great actors.
This week we review Carol, Joy, The Big Short, and The Hateful Eight. Then we discuss our five least favorite movies of the year. We’re doing something different with the soundtrack this week: in celebration of The Beatles discography now being available streaming, Andy just threw on a bunch of his favorite Beatles tunes.
Carol – Not sure how this got so many Golden Globe nominations as Andy almost fell asleep in the theater. This film should’ve been more interesting. More full review here, Andy gives it 4/10.
Joy – The somewhat true story of Joy Mangano, the inventor of the Wonder Mop and pioneer of home shopping TV. We wanted the second half to be the happy part. Adam gives it a 5/10.
The Big Short – How do you make a movie about the financial collapse not depressing and boring? Get the guy who made Anchorman to write and direct it. All the actors are great. It’s good, not subtle. Andy gives it 8.5/10 and there’s a more full review here.
The Hateful Eight – Tarantino made an amazing western!If this sounds appealing to you, try to see the 70 mm version. This might be the best movie of the year for Adam. Andy has a few issues with it, but he feels bad nitpicking a film he loves so much. Adam gives it 10/10, Andy gives it 8.5/10.
Our bottom 5 for the year:
Adam:
5- Jupiter Ascending 4- Fifty Shades of Grey 3- Pixels 2- Fantastic Four 1- Love the Coopers
Andy:
5- American Sniper 4- Unfinished Business 3- Home 2- Jupiter Ascending 1- Pixels (special shout out to Ridiculous Six, The Cobbler because they are also awful)
This week we review Mockingjay Part II, Victor Frankenstein, The Good Dinosaur, and Creed. We continue our countdown to The Force Awakens by talking about the movie that started it all: Star Wars – A New Hope.
Mockingjay Part II – It’s the final Hunger Games movie! Everyone gets a moment to shine. We forget Jennifer Lawrence can actually act. You finally won me over, Josh Hutcherson. Veteran actors Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Donald Sutherland, Julianne Moore all shine. Has too many almost endings — like Return of the King. 7.5 out of 10.
Victor Frankenstein – This cast could read the phone book and it would be entertaining. They should’ve stuck to reading the phone book. More style than substance. Why was this released at Thanksgiving instead of Halloween? 5 out of 10.
The Good Dinosaur – It’s a “A Boy and His Dog” movie. Except with a dinosaur and the dog is a little human. Jaws references. It turns into a Western with Sam Elliot. Sure to be a crowd pleaser but Pixar is usually capable of more than just pretty animation and a good story. We expect more. Andy gave it 8.5 out of 10 and Adam gave it 7 out of 10.
Creed – Watch this review by Scott Stapp of Creed. It’s a Rocky movie! And almost exactly what you’d expect. Maybe a little long. Maybe too many training montages. But the last few minutes are amazing.
And why we love the original Star Wars.
The podcast so you don't end up bored as hell at the movies
