Cinema Seekers

Well lookie what we have here. You don't have to be a crime fighting detective to know this is a brand new episode of Cinema Seekers; however, you might need to be one in order to find out where we've been for a year. It has indeed been awhile since we posted something, but we are back, baby! In this episode you get to listen to our thoughts about the 2022 classic, The Batman. I hope you're ready for a long one, cause there's a lot we discuss in this episode. Many questions are asked with many answers revealed. Join us as we attempt to solve the biggest riddle of all: Is The Batman better than the The Dark Knight?

Welcome, fellow Cinema Seekers, to the greatest Nostalgia Fest of your life! We love this movie so much. Can you blame us? It struck all the right emotional chords and stands as a true love letter to the Spider-Man film franchise. All the while, it treated the established source material with the utmost respect. With great power (to wield a beloved character on screen), there must also come great responsibility (to not piss off all of the fans). Press Play! And please let us know what you think of this movie and of all the Spider-Man movies that we've reviewed. We would love to extend this conversation to you! You can easily send us a voice message by visiting our homepage and clicking the "Message" button at the top. The Spider-Man music that played during the Guest Questions Segment is very obviously NOT owned by us. It was however arranged by a true pro: Connor Hickling. You can check out Mr. Hickling's SoundCloud profile here. Stuff from this episode: Tobey, Andrew, and Tom Interview Outro Song: "Third Eyes" by Text Me Records Recorded on 2.19.2022

Far From Home? More like Far From A Perfect Sequel! Well at least that's how we felt about it... On this episode of Cinema Seekers, we discuss the second Tom Holland Spider-Man film. Did the superhero genre mix well with the family vacation style, or did it fall short? Is the movie rewatchable once you already know the twist? Did this movie give us clues to future MCU projects? All these questions and more get answered in this weeks episode! So turn on the episode and see what we think. What are you waiting for?! Stuff from this episode: CGI Nick Fury Conversation Outro Song: "Go Get 'Em Tiger" by The Whole Other Recorded on 1.15.2022

If you thought you'd see awkward teen dancing in a coming-of-age, teen movie about Homecoming, you'd be wrong. Hello fellow seekers of Cinema! This time on Cinema Seekers we continue down our road to Spider-Man: No Way Home with Tom Holland's first solo entry in the trilogy. We take a deep dive and have loads of fun doing it. Join us as we talk about the good, the bad, and the churros. So go ahead and ask that special girl out to Homecoming! And, ya know, enjoy the episode, too! Stuff from this episode: Car Scene Breakdown by Lessons from the Screenplay The Amazing Spider-Man Issue 33 Cover Outro Song: "Higher Kiss" by TrackTribe Recorded on 12.18.2021

Sony: *Sees Marvel's success at universe building* "It's my birthday. It's time for me to LIGHT my candles!" Let's cut to the chase. This movie is all over the place. It's tonally inconsistent, characters are shoved aside for large stretches of runtime, and the runtime is consumed by plot lines that no one even cares about. Who knew we could get both the saddest scene and the goofiest villain in the same Spider-Man movie? Yes, it's the worst Spider-Man movie. But it's not all bad! There are amazing visuals, a fantastic soundtrack, and some of the best 'Spider-Manning' ever put to screen! Tune in to hear more. And let us know your thoughts! Stuff from this episode: Ugly Face Prank The Amazing Spider-Man Comics - The Six Arms Saga Electro's Tooth Gap Repaired Outro Song: "Danger Snow" by Dan Henig Recorded on 11.24.2021

***GUEST STAR*** Five years was definitely long enough for a reboot, right? Connor, Freddy, and special guest Sean discuss the debut of Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man. Awesome web-swinging, good chemistry, decent music, and bad villainy are just a few of the things the Cinema Seekers point out. Get ready to hear our thoughts on "Skater Punk" Parker. Press play to find out more. Stuff from this Episode: Totally not a "What If" - Peter Parker's Parents Agents of Shield Comic Peter's Birthday Gift from Dr. Strange Outro Song: "Easy Breezy" by Silent Partner Recorded on 11.13.2021

"You'll get your episode when you fix these damn ratings!" Well, well, well. The Holy Trilogy comes to an end. Or so we think... Although I firmly believe this movie is not worthy of the spewing internet hate it receives, there are no doubt many issues here. This may well be the most divided we have ever been in our opinions on a movie. Press play to hear our thoughts. Then let us know who you agree with - Connor or Freddy? Stuff from this episode: Harry Faking Amnesia Idea on YouTube Spider-Man 3 HISHE Outro Song: "Get 'er Done" by Aaron Lieberman Recorded on 11.5.2021

“Cinema Seekers' 1 hour 29 minute guarantee is a promise, man!” Whoops, sorry we can't seem to keep that promise, fellow listeners. But for this trilogy? It's worth it. Well, it seems we have never collectively liked a movie quite as much as we did this one. It's clear that Sam Raimi is truly not afraid to make bold choices in his direction. And do they pay off? Oh, boy, yeah. The operatic score, the relatable characters, the masterful storytelling, the nostalgic cinematography, the above-and-beyond filmmaking - all ingredients of a true classic. How could any successive Spider-Man film ever exceed the extremely high bar set by Spider-Man 2? Thank you sincerely for pressing play. Please let us know what you think of this movie. Did it affect your childhood as much as it did ours? Stuff from this episode: Behind the Scenes of Doc Ock's Arms Outro Song: "White Smoke" by Endless Love Recorded on 10.1.2021

***GUEST GUEST STAR*** “Cinema Seekers, you SLIME! Who's the reviewer who says DeHaan was a better Goblin than me!?” Literally none of us believe that, Mr. Dafoe, sir. Press play and see for yourself! “Oh. You know I'm something of a podcaster myself…” Well, guys, this is the start of our journey through the live action Spider-Man films, and we couldn't be more excited. Sam Raimi is an absolute beast of a filmmaker here. The performances, the set/costume design, and MY GOD that score! If you like to trash on these movies, then you don't trust anyone, that's your problem (your barber doesn't count). Thanks for listening! Go follow Keon on Instagram, @keon_motakhaveri, and support his upcoming movies! Outro Song: "Sonic Pogo" by Vans in Japan Recorded on 9.11.2021

Part 1? Maybe. As more of the Marvel shows come out, we'll see if you actually want us to review them or not. Featuring WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Loki. From witches and the wonders they bring, to new world politics after the mad Titan, with a little timeline controlling, we talk about it all. Join Connor and Freddy as they discuss the three live action Disney+ shows and all their glory. Did they like the shows? Are they worth the watch? Listen and find out! Outro Song: "Time to Go" by Max Surla Recorded on 8.27.2021

It's the long awaited classic which should have come out in 2020, but even more so should have come out in 2017 (i.e. after Civil War). It's the solo outing fans have been asking of Marvel for years, and they've finally listened (even though it's kind of too late). It's Black Widow! Although this film most certainly does not belong in MCU Phase 4, it was still a fun time. Scar Jo has never failed to deliver in this role, so how could she now? But arguably even more fun are the new cast-members who exude on-screen chemistry with the MCU veteran. I never knew I wanted to see fat, Russian Captain America. Thank you all for listening - it truly means a lot. Let us know what you think of the shortened episode structure! And check out this video about Taskmaster we referenced during the episode. Outro Song: "East" by Silent Partner Recorded on 7.24.2021

The follow-up to the most successful female led superhero movie of our time? Set in the 80s?? What could go wrong!? You know, besides the fact that the continuity already established Diana wasn't Wonder Woman during the 80s. Maxwell Lord. The Dream Stone. Cheetah. More Steve Trevor. This movie is really not holding back any punches. But do any of them land? You'll have to press play to find out. But lets just say it's a good thing Chris Pine was available to elevate this flick a little higher. Thanks for tuning in and enduring the long wait! The Cinema Seekers are back at it again. Outro Song: "Richard's Stuff" by Otis McDonald Recorded on 2.18.2021

Diana, princess of Themiscyra, must track down and defeat a professor of wizardry through his bloody trail of werewolf bites and... Oh, come again? That's the wrong David Thewlis character? Whoops. Well, don't lie, you would totally watch that movie. Wow, we really love this movie. Despite some people claiming it to be a mere recycling of Captain America: The First Avenger, it was and still is a hugely refreshing installment for the superhero genre of film. Especially that No Man's Land scene, which is just the epitome of superhero badassery. Be sure to leave a review if you feel so compelled! Welcome to Season 2, fellow seekers of cinema.

It's the New Mutants for the New Year! Yep, that's tooootally why we waited so long to get this episode out... Wow, it really has been a long time since we've given you guys a new episode. We're sorry about that, but we're back! Even though this episode was recorded real time on September 15, 2020, we're still calling it our Season 1 Finale (4 months late)! It was thirteen episodes in the making to finish Fox's wildly inconsistent X-Men film franchise, and we certainly had a ton to discuss on this one as we closed out a chapter of Cinema Seekers history. This actually may be the most we have disagreed on any single episode. So enjoy! And let us know what you thought about the movie, our theories, and the X-Men franchise as a whole!

“Honey, I'm home!” Uhhh, Mr. J? You're not actually supposed to be in this movie. It's about the Phantasm, not the Joker... But hey, since you're already here... Welcome to the first animated film review on our podcast - it was a darn good one to start with! In this episode we talk all things The Caped Crusader. Join us in trying to figure out how the Phantasm's powers work!? We've even got a treat for you all involving a certain upcoming movie. If you're a Batman fan, this one's for you. Don't forget to check out CDawgVA's video about Mark Hamill's masterful voice acting: https://youtu.be/KiE9cknScOg

In this episdoe we review the film, Close Calls Every 20 Seconds... Oh sorry, meant to say 2012. Yep there you go. The year we were all supposed to kick the bucket. You get an action packed, lack-luster of a plot, and you loose 2 hours and 38 minutes of your life. If you are a disaster film junkie you may love this film; otherwise your views may align with Connor's and Freddy's. Go ahead click play and hear our fabulous thoughts about Chiwetel Ejiofor and our less than fabulous thoughts about every other aspect of this film.

Boy, oh boy, aren't you glad we finally did everyone's favorite superhero movie? What's that? You mean you didn't want us to have a two hour discussion about this movie? Oh. Uhhhh... Boy, oh boy, do we have a surprise for you. Just press play, it totally isn't a movie you thought you'd be safe from ever hearing anything about ever again. But seriously, though, you've gotta help us figure out what in tarnation went wrong with this film. (Well, help Connor at least, because Freddy seemed to like it.) If not for the blatant and cringey copying of other successful film moments, it legit feels like this movie went direct to DVD in 2006. Happy 5 years to this floppy jalopy, and a happy 20th friggin' episode, everyone!

That's right. We got a famous guest star for this episode. And his name is... Lee Helmsman #2. So let's cut to the chase. We love this film. We also may (or may not) be biased in saying that because we invited our good friend Keon Motakhaveri to come talk about his experience acting in this movie. So tune in, as he tells what it was like to work beside the great Tom Hanks during his most recent screenplay and starring role flick! If you haven't already, go support Keon and give this one a watch. You can find Keon on Instagram: @keon_motakhaveri

“Dyin' is a day worth livin' for!” Well that hits home now... Well friends, we have finally watched all of the films in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. And it was fun up until the end. This movie looks really good. However, that's only the outward appearance, because this movie is also rife with continuity errors and plot holes. And worst of all, Jack Sparrow is not Jack Sparrow. You know what that means if you've seen the film. Thanks for listening! We hope you enjoyed it. Tell us what to do next! Here is the link to the incredible compilation of Javier Bardem saying "Jack Sparrow": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KvSa7SqIMA 

Well, the trilogy had it's run annnnnnnd... We lost our heading... Alright, you knew it was coming, this is the worst movie out of the franchise. (It's a good thing Connor fixed his audio quality for this one.) There's parts that will make you smile, but even Johnny Depp's performance can't save it. Get ready for a little bit of plot decoding, and a lotta bit of nitpicking, because this is the most we've ever nitpicked a single movie. If you enjoy this episode, share it with your friends! And thank you all for listening. It means a lot. P.S. Person from Ireland and person from the United Kingdom - yeah, I'm talking to you. Send us some audio!

Well, we have made our way through the original trilogy. Everything else from here on out is just add ons, right? Welcome to another episode of the least famous movie reviewer podcast - The Cinema Seekers. In this episode, we discuss many things - design, funny moments, music (yet again...). But nothing was discussed longer than the plot which must be more convoluted than Davy Jones' No-No Square. We tried to come up with some fixes, but maybe you can do better. If that be the case, let us know. Anyway the movie isn't all bad. The laugh out loud moments here surely rival the film's predecessor, and the CGI is simply marvelous for 2007; it holds up today (sans one part). And the lead female role given to Keira Knightley is very refreshing! Once again guys and gals, thank you for listening. We hope you enjoy as much as we do.

We have our heading. It's another great Pirates movie! We've got another movie review for you guys and gals, and it was a fun one! This time, we talk music, character design, and plot, as we try to figure out questions like: "Why is Cutler Beckett in this movie?" "When did Elizabeth Swan get so good at puppetry?" and "How did Jack survive a fall off of such a tall cliff!?" And yes, Hanz Zimmer absolutely nailed it again with the score. Don't forget to leave feedback, and enjoy! New Apple Podcasts link! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cinema-seekers/id1501397175?uo=4

Yo ho, yo ho, a good movie to see! With this episode, we bring Captain Jack's debut film approximately 90% praise and 10% nitpicks. We discuss the score, cinematography, script (all of which are fantastic!), and we at least try to figure out how the curse works. Bizarrely, the Game Boy Advance even gets a mention at one point. Tune in and don't forget to follow the code! And by code, we mean get involved in the discussion (even if it is more like guidelines than a binding contract). Also, if you want to check it out, the prop show Freddy mentioned is called “Prop Culture” and can be found only on Disney Plus.

It's trending #5 on Netflix: Extraction, starring Thor Odinson. If you're stuck at home like most people, you may as well give it a watch. In this episode, we discuss action movie tropes and... Actually that's mostly what we talk about, come to think of it. And also streaming services in general. Point is, there's not a whole lot of plot between the blood and gore. Enjoy, and let us know what you think!

Zip it, Ryan Reynolds! We're trying to review your movies! Well it all comes down to this. The ending of our X-Men series (until New Mutants breaks its curse). What a great film to end on, too. Thank you for listening as we talk Marvel and DC jokes, time-travel logistics, and Mr. Thanos himself (Josh Brolin). And of course, what would this series be without some more continuity errors? We've definitely enjoyed revisiting these movies, and we hope you got a kick out of it, as well. Let us know what to do next!

X GON GIVE IT TO YA! Yes, we are X and we are going to give you... our Deadpool talk. There are so many praise-worthy things in this film - namely, the fact that Ryan Reynolds must secretly be Wade Wilson. Seriously, he's born for this role. You might wanna wear your brown pants for this one. You know, just in case you laugh too hard. But it is not without it's flaws. There's a glaring villain problem in this movie which really holds it back. And what would a Fox X-Men movie be without some “Continuity-Shmontinuity”? We're nearing the end of our X-Men series, so let us know what you want to hear next!

We don't mean to dampen the mood, but yeah... Let's talk about this fantastic piece of cinema. So much artistic consideration was put into this film and honestly, we don't know if we did it justice with our conversation. The X-Men Franchise just doesn't get any better than this... ...However, we do still have some questions. Like, what timeline does this movie take place in? Seriously, though, please tell us. And again, HOW DO ADAMANTIUM BULLETS WORK!? As always, we hope you enjoy and please leave us your feedback!

It's a movie whose plot gets erased by the very next movie in the franchise. It's a movie that desperately wanted to be an R-rated superhero film. It's James Mangold's The Wolverine. Well, this trilogy has taken an interesting turn for the better. We here at the Cinema Seekers Guild recommend you go watch this movie again, if it's been awhile. Sure, it gets overshadowed by Logan, but there is some really good stuff here! We here at the Cinema Seekers Guild also recommend you listen to this episode to hear what we have to say! Things like: Why is Jean Grey in this movie? Better yet, why is Marvel Poison Ivy in this movie!? And let us know what you think, too! We appreciate you keeping the conversation going! If you're interested in seeing the differences between the theatrical and extended cut of this film, here's the link: https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=274643

***GUEST STARRING OUR FRIEND SEAN!*** Well, well, well. Look what the Fox dragged in with this one. It was kinda fun to rewatch, but ten times better to review. Look, we get it, what more can be said about this film? Well, tune in to see what we add to the conversation because some of the views are controversial! We try our best to follow the plot of this film, but most of that ends in nitpicks and laughter. Especially that Blob scene. We can't recommend this film by merit of its achievements, but we CAN recommend it based on its unintentionally hilarious enjoyability. Thanks for checking us and our friend Sean out. Hopefully, you'll appreciate that we painstakingly altered all of his curse words into noises from Nintendo's Link. Go check him out on Instagram either at @bonkout or @bonkart for a treat. We also referenced this amazing YouTube series in the show, so enjoy: https://youtu.be/CbgECF72kLc

Well guys, we finally made it to Dark Phoenix... Yep, this movie exists... *Sigh* Twice... Look, even though this movie is perpetually somber, much like our hopes for a satisfying end to the franchise, you don't have to wallow in it during this episode. Okay, maybe a little bit, but can you blame us? We're so frustrated! This time around, we talk about planes, trains, and Jessica Chastain - all things shockingly featured in this film. We speculate what went wrong with Simon Kinberg's cinematic destiny. Oh, and the music. There is an *ahem* uncanny amount of music in this episode. As always, we thank you for tuning in, and we hope you enjoy. Be sure to give us your thoughts on this one! We are so curious to know what everyone else thought.

So Apocalypse is basically a short, non-sympathetic, blue, Egyptian Thanos, right? No? Oh okay... *Long sigh of relief* It's okay, guys. This movie is NOT (quite) as bad as you remember it! We've got some solid characters and some decent CGI here. At best, it's pretty entertaining. However, there is still plenty to complain about. This movie's biggest issue is that it's set 20 years after First Class and the actors have only aged 5 years. Also, the theme is pretty inconsistent. Oh yeah, and what plot?? There's more to praise and rant about, so just click play already! P.S. Thanks a million for your support!

Fox: “Hey, Bryan? Uh, we need you to come back and finish what you started.” Bryan Singer: “Alright, but I'm calling the shots, okay? That means no more killing my characters off and sewing their mouths shut.” Well, boys and girls, this is the cream of the crop of the X-Men films. And before you crucify us, we mean “X-Men” in a strict sense, as in not including the solo acts. In this episode we get tangled in the untangle-able timeline that Fox produced. We praise the visuals and themes, while wondering, “What was the ultimate plan for this franchise?” AND MOST IMPORTANTLY: Why - by Nicholas Holt's Beast feet, WHY - is Mystique disguised as Stryker at the end of this movie!?!?!? Your answer will not be enough to justify it. It just won't. Enjoy, and leave us some of those sweet, sweet voice messages!

While a whole lot of people are under quarantine and everyone is wondering what's next, Freddy and Connor speculate how the film industry will evolve in response to the Corona Virus Pandemic of 2020. Join in on the conversation! You can follow our Instagram page @cinemaseekerspod or send us voice messages through Anchor, which we may include in future episodes!

Behold, the origin story know one really knew they wanted. The prequel to the horrific prequel (Origins: Wolverine) of the original X-Men trilogy is what we talked about this week. And... It sure is a good one. Of course we have our nitpicks: Why does Mystique get treated like one of the "kids"? How does bedframe crush diamond? And sooooo many continuity issues Fox was too lazy to care about. We've also got our praises (i.e. casting, cinematography, visual intrigue, etc.). We truly hope you all enjoyed this one as much as we did. Come on in and seek some cinema with us.

“Hey, Mr. [insert Fox exec here], we can't put Nightcrawler in this movie, but do not fear! We've got another blue mutant to meet your demands! His name is Beast.” Well friends, this is the bad one. This is the Dark Phoenix before Dark Phoenix. So here's the rub. We've got a lot of questions with this one. How does Professor X Transfer his consciousness? Why wasn't the cure better tested to ensure it's effects were permanent before distribution? Why is Archangel even in this movie? And most importantly, why did Rogue give her real name to Logan!? We had a lot of fun with this one, and we hope you do too!

In 2003, Fox was back at it again with the mutants! You got questions from the previous film? Us too, but there are no answers here! Join us as we wonder how Mystique injected some dude with iron, what Stryker's mysterious liquid can't do, and if Nightcrawler smells like bleu cheese! We hope you're ready to relive our nostalgia, because, well, there's a lot here.

Do you know what happens to a franchise when its studio merges with Disney? The same thing that happens to everything else. Well we finally did it guys. We finally finished our first freakin' episode. In a planned lead-up to The New Mutants, we (Freddy and Connor) decided to tackle the Fox X-Men franchise... Oh boy. Join us as we talk X-Men, as in that one that came out in 2000 when CGI was still laughable and before Fox took a dump on their own timeline. Listen as we discuss the cast (including Hugh Jackman in his debut role of the ol' Claw Boy himself), break apart the plot (can it even be called a plot?), and rant about nitpicks (probably a little too much). We're still working through some of our kinks with formatting our recording sessions, so bear with us as we ramble on about our 2000s nostalgia. Nevertheless, we hope you enjoy it.