Motion Picture Pals

To talk about Dune is to dissect the complex layers of Frank Herbert's worldbuilding and storytelling, famously considered difficult to adapt for film simply because of its grand scope. Fortunately, Denis Villeneuve's take on the first half of the story is an immersive cinematic experience that just washes over you like a sandstorm. We were enamored by the theatricality of it all, from the extravagant costumes to the scale of the action set pieces, particularly in IMAX format. We had plenty to discuss in terms of book lore and we obtain clarity on some details, but we don't spoil any key moments the first movie doesn't get to. It's a highly political story that has plenty to say about imperialism, and we had many questions ahead in regards to how Villeneuve will adapt core themes within part two, particularly those of Paul, the prophesy, and the Bene Gesserit. We're also joined by a familiar voice for longtime listeners, our friend Will from the great beyond. All of this is to say that Dune asks you to seek one significant, unknowable truth: Who up playing with they worm? Subscribe to our Substack! It's free and you get our new newsletter, plus email alerts for new episodes. Visit motionpicturepals.substack.com. Join us next time for The Matrix (1999). Motion Picture Pals is hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Caleb Warwick, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe to the podcast, follow us on Twitter, get our newsletter, and more at MotionPicturePals.com.

No Time To Die features Rami Malek as a classical Bond villain out to destroy the world, but it's merely the set dressing. At its core, the final entry in Daniel Craig's Bond's arc is a dramatic story about the passage of time and the inescapable nature of James Bond's work. He's no longer 007. His grueling career has taken a heavy toll on him. But one final time, he's pulled back into spy work to protect his loved ones. The stakes have never been higher in a Bond movie, and director Cary Fukunaga really maximized the finale of the five film arc, while also paying tribute to the franchise's long history. On this episode we condemn poor science lab safety practices and refer to James Bond as a "$400M soap opera." Subscribe to our Substack! It's free and you get our new newsletter, plus email alerts for new episodes. Visit motionpicturepals.substack.com. Join us next time for Dune (2021). Motion Picture Pals is hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Caleb Warwick, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe to the podcast, follow us on Twitter, get our newsletter, and more at MotionPicturePals.com.

We're nostalgic for Spider-Man 2 for a multitude of reasons: Sam Raimi's signature camp-infused humor, wild action with a splash of horror, and a poignant emotional core all make the second Spider-film a timeless classic. The vertical fight choreography! The crazy camera angles! The large Italian man on the train!! For a 17 year old film, it sure feels like Raimi set a gold standard for superhero films that has yet to be topped. With the MCU teasing the return of Alfred Molina's Doc Ock (and potentially more), it's not a bad idea to break out the pizza for a nostalgic viewing of the film that started it all. What's next week's film? The Matrix (1999) Motion Picture Pals is hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Caleb Warwick, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

Nicholas Cage's pig has been kidnapped, and it's up to him and a fail-son entrepreneur to team up and get her back. But this isn't just another revenge film. It's not really a revenge film at all, in fact we're not really sure what it is. One thing we could all agree on was that Pig is a confusing watch, but not necessarily a bad one. If you're going into Pig blind, do so with an open mind and add some extra flexibility to your expectations. In the end it's a matter of taste, in more ways than one. What's next week's film? Spider-Man 2 (2004) Motion Picture Pals is hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Caleb Warwick, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals Read and subscribe to updates: http://motionpicturepals.substack.com

We're back to the movie house, which means you have to strategize your piss timing or suffer in silence. It's a new A24 film, baby! It's directed by podcast favorite A Ghost Story's David Lowery! Is it any good? Much like Dev Patel's Sir Gawain, you won't know until you dive into the episode like a big, red lake. But what's in it for you? Well, The Green Knight is a weird one, a modern twist on the fantasy genre, where nothing plays out the way you think it will. Unless you've seen The Killing of a Sacred Deer, and you know when Barry Keoghan shows up it's bad news. You'd be right about that. What's next week's film? Pig (2021) Motion Picture Pals is hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Caleb Warwick, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

The Twilight movies are up on Netflix, so let's revisit the infamous franchise that defined a genre, spawned numerous memes, and sent ripples of change through the film industry that remain felt today. Made for a mere $37M, Twilight earned a box office total of over $400M, emphasizing the idea that adapting something already popular was a more reliable strategy than taking a chance on an original idea. In this episode we look at the history of this objectively bad film and discuss how it succeeded despite its numerous, hilarious flaws. Motion Picture Pals is hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Caleb Warwick, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

Two guys become awkward roommates in this buddy comedy about a lighthouse keeper and his new lighthouse keeper assistant. But then spooky stuff starts happening, and now we must ask ourselves: is this shit real, or is it a dream? One of these guys is insane, right? But which one? What is Lovecraftian horror? What is Gothic horror? What is a dream? What is a nightmare? What was this about? How did they get a big glass lens to the top of a lighthouse back in the day? Why do we analyze film? Motion Picture Pals is hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Caleb Warwick, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

Nomadland wants to make one thing very clear: capitalism destroys people's lives. Adapting the nonfiction novel of the same name, director Chloé Zhao turns a poetic lens on the lives of real American nomads, asked to essentially play themselves alongside actress Francis McDormand. Somber music accents Fern's journey as she drifts down highways in her van, bathed in a warm sunset. The beauty of Nomadland is in its nuanced portrayal of an uncomfortable reality. In one scene, Fern visits her sister, a homeowner living in the suburbs, and contends with the dismissal of her nomadic lifestyle when company starts talking real estate and the stock market. In another, a gut wrenching monologue by a nomad named Swankie, diagnosed with cancer and committed to going out on her own terms, ended up a personal highlight of the film for all of us and caused an existential crisis. We enjoyed Nomadland for its masterful visual storytelling but mostly for its poignant message and relevancy. Though the story takes place in 2011, wealth inequality and America's hatred of poor people will always be topical. Much of the country is still grappling today with the 2020 pandemic and economic collapse. As eviction moratoriums expire and the government shows no signs of providing aid to those in need, families and individuals rocked financially by a country leaving its people to fend for themselves during a pandemic are now faced with homelessness. Nomadland feels increasingly like not an alternative lifestyle, but an imminent future for many Americans robbed of their dignity by capitalism. Motion Picture Pals is hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Caleb Warwick, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

Sound of Metal is a brutal depiction of grief endured by a metal drummer, played by Riz Ahmed, who suddenly loses his hearing. Ruben moves into a shelter for deaf, recovering addicts, and sells his RV to raise the money needed for pay for a cochlear implants operation. This ultimately puts him at odds with Joe, who runs the shelter and believes deafness is not a handicap that does not need to be fixed. We found Sound of Metal to be a thoughtful depiction of its subject material, and explored the praises and criticisms members of the deaf community had regarding the film. We also played Cam's new game, “Is it a metal subgenre or did I just make some shit up?” Motion Picture Pals is hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Caleb Warwick, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

Concrete Cowboy is a coming of age story about Black cowboys, not in the wild west but in north Philadelphia. 15-year-old Cole is taken to live with his estranged father Harp, and introduced to his close-knit urban horse riding community. Cole searches for acceptance and splits time between his distant father and his childhood friend Smush, who aspires to buy a ranch out west, but goes down a dangerous path to fund his dream. Concrete Cowboy is a great introduction for the uninitiated to the Fletcher Street cowboys - the real group of Philadelphia based horse riders fictionalized in this film - some of whom even appear in this film playing themselves. While the performances are a high point, the film’s predictable trajectory left us wanting, and a somewhat confusing ending muddies an otherwise meaningful story about the terror of gentrification. Netflix picked this film up following its 2020 premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. It’s also based on the novel Ghetto Cowboy by Greg Neri. Motion Picture Palsis hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Caleb Warwick, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

Zack Snyder’s Justice League is an anomaly in many ways, and the story of how this once fabled director’s cut came about is worthy of a movie itself. But how does the film itself stack up? It depends on your level of interest and knowledge of the comic book worlds it’s citing. Snyder’s take on superheroes has been divisive since Man of Steel, alienating those who just came out to have a good time and were uninterested in the internal struggles of Superman, and the politics of a world in which he exists. It’s those thematic deep dives, coupled with a real page-to-screen visual flair, and an often crippling reliance on external comic book lore, that sets the “Snyderverse” films apart from the typical superhero flick. For better or worse, this restored cut of Justice League feels uncompromised and singular, as though the man could finally just make his damn movie without interference. Only one thing’s for certain: if you’ve never heard of Martian Manhunter, you’re in for a weird one. Motion Picture Pals is hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Caleb Warwick, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

Ohoho what’s this? A new release? You better believe it, buster. We’ve tightened up our supply chains and we’ve vertically integrated in order to deliver our takes from the Hollow Earth directly into your earholes in 5-7 business days or your money back, guaranteed. That said, you might be wondering “Hey, what’s your take on Godzilla vs. Kong?” Well, I’m so glad you asked. Some of us liked it and some of us didn’t. We have all sorts of reasons for this, but we all agreed that it wasn’t very good in spite of however much we happened to enjoy watching it. The plot is a huge mess, the human characters are really hit-or-miss (and there are way too many of them), and worst of all, you couldn’t see the guys in some of the fights. I mean what the heck is that, I’m sitting here trying to watch two kaiju (Japanese for big ol’ guys) kick each other’s asses and you’re telling me you chose an aspect ratio that prevents me from seeing the guys? Give me a freakin’ break! At the end of the day, there’s enough positive in Godzilla vs. Kong that it’s probably worth a shot if you have HBO Max, but it didn’t quite live up to our expectations. Especially in a franchise where Kong: Skull Island already showed how much fun these movies can be, Godzilla vs Kong felt far too much like King of the Monsters. We hope to see more Big Guy movies, maybe with some Space Guys or some Robot Guys, and get into a discussion of how the Monsterverse can make that happen. Motion Picture Pals is hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Caleb Warwick, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

We close out the month with the conclusion to our Cruise / Spielberg double feature, War of the Worlds. It’s a decidedly post 9/11 film featuring a classic Spielbergian family with a divorced dad, rage fueled adolescent son, and an increasingly traumatized young daughter. Spielberg portrays the scope and damage of a global alien invasion with a seamless blend of CGI tripods and practical destruction that still looks great 16 years later. The US military is aggressively present in this film, with Tom Cruise’s son Robbie hell bent on joining the troops despite their inability to put up much of a fight. It’s a commentary on warfare and military occupation that often feels less than self aware about what it’s trying to say, but still worth a watch for anyone in need of a good disaster / alien flick, or a small window into the liberal Hollywood politics of 2005. Motion Picture Pals is hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Caleb Warwick, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

Minority Report contains multitudes. On one hand, it depicts a dystopian, Cyberpunk-Esque future America with an even more powerful police state. On the other hand, there are slapstick scenes that would be at home in an episode of The Three Stooges, of people puking on one another’s faces and women walking around folded up in weird yoga poses. The real beauty of the film is that it manages to strike a balance between these elements and provide a fun and engaging watch through the length of its formidable two-and-a-half-hour runtime. There’s plenty to love in this movie for the most dedicated sci-fi fans, but its genius lies in its accessibility to average folks: at the end of the day, it’s a lot of fun despite its broodier themes. Minority Report may be one of Spielberg’s best (especially if you’re like Travis and you don’t think Indiana Jones is very good), so give it a go if it’s been a while. Just try not to commit any precrimes until then. Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Caleb Warwick, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

Kong: Skull Island slipped under the radar for a lot of folks, this podcast included. Whether people were feeling disappointed by the “Monsterverse’s” inaugural Godzilla (2014), or simply uninterested in another movie about big monkee, it’s a real shame because Kong: Skull Island is a real gem of an action movie. In many ways it’s the opposite of 2014’s Godzilla - funny, self-aware, fast-paced, and full of the actual monsters, presumably what you’re here for in the first place. Even the human element, a frequent point of criticism in the Godzilla films, is a delight this time around, with incredible performances, especially by John C. Reilly and Samuel L. Jackson, and character motivations that are simple and logical. That Skull Island’s every frame is a stylized, video game inspired visual delight just goes to show that yes, gamers should be allowed to make more movies. Even if you’ve no interest in the upcoming Godzilla vs. Kong, do yourself a favor and watch Kong: Skull Island if you haven’t yet. It’s a real hoot. We’re joined once again by guest Caleb Warwick. Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

The dead whisper through time and space. They speak to a rodent, driven by pure ambition, rejecting its assignment as a bottom feeder of humanity’s filth. Rather, it will infiltrate their world. It assimilates into a culture of fine dining and western cuisine, a parasite in the body of the naïve. Like itself, the man desires to thrive. But the rat seizes his being, a coup d’état of the body, control wrested from less fortunate to least fortunate, and the rat ascends. Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

Cucks, large adult sons, parasitic super-organisms: Vivarium has it all! Lorcan Finnegan’s surreal take on modern horror was one that we liked overall, even if some of us were underwhelmed by the ending. Trying to solve the mystery of The Boy/Martin was a definite highlight, especially unpacking the ways in which the story incorporates Irish folklore and real-world biology. The story wraps up like an old episode of the Twilight Zone, which could be good or bad depending on which of us you ask. The art direction and set design also stood out, as did the performances and imaginative use of CGI. We determine in this episode that horror for a young audience is essentially just real life, and when it comes to life there’s only one rule: good vibes only. Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

White God opens on an eerie, apocalyptic scene. The streets of Budapest are empty, and a lone girl bikes through the city. Suddenly, dogs. In perhaps the only film to feature 250 real (not CGI) dogs on screen at once, director Kornel Mundruczo weaves together a coming of age story about the strained relationship between a girl and her father with a dark version of Homeward Bound, featuring a live action dog performance as moving as it is realistic. White God might not be everyone’s bowl of dog chow, but we were captured by its surreal ending and its use of dogs vs. humans as a heavy handed allegory for human rights and labor issues. Interview with director Kornél Mundruczó Interview with dog handler Teresa Ann Miller Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

Our final episode of 2020 revisits the classic teen pregnancy film Juno (2007), starring Elliot Page, who recently came out as trans. With this in mind, we explore the gender dynamics of a film about pregnancy, in which the pregnant character is played by a man. This film came out when we were teens and sparks memories about our music taste and wanting to be hip like Juno. Now on the other side of high school, this viewing illuminated new perspectives and complexities we didn’t fully understand before. If you take nothing else away from this episode, just know that you too can be a track and field dork and still get laid. Gag take Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

Ridley Scott takes us on yet another journey into the distant future (2019) with all the neon and yellow peril we’ve come to expect from the 1980s. In the future, people are governed by megacorporations, cops have exclusive access to advanced technology, and advertising is downright invasive; it’s a good thing we managed to avoid all that. In this episode, we are joined once again by Caleb Warwick where we discuss the moral and philosophical themes in what is perhaps the seminal film in the cyberpunk genre. We share stories about targeted advertising and get in our feelings about humanity, true love, capitalist alienation, and the most important question of all: did J. F. Sebastian’s creepy toy people steal Deckard’s window? Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

Y, Yorgos? Y? It’s a Greek tragedy! It’s magical realism! It’s horror!The Killing of a Sacred Deer is our second entry from Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos (see Episode 8: The Favourite) and, once again, proves to be a controversial one. In fact, Rebekah didn’t even finish this one, which is either a testament to her inability to deal with suspense or a masterful use of discomfort in filmmaking, depending on who you ask. We all liked this movie to varying degrees and for different reasons. Overall, we were into the performances and cinematography but felt the writing left something to be desired. If you like horror, stan Yorgos, or just plain want to be uncomfortable for two hours, this may be the movie for you. Just read up on it first so you know what you’re getting into. Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

Spoilers for The Village are present in this episode, as well as M. Night Shaymalan classics The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, and Signs. Don’t get mad. To say The Village is a complex film to discuss would be an understatement. A relic of 2004, when the Iraq War was in full swing and everyone was looking forward to the next big M. Night Shyamalan movie, The Village was marketed incorrectly as a horror movie, and expectations were high following previous Shyamalan hits The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, and Signs. The film failed to live up to popular expectations, and kicked off a career low period for the director that would last about ten years, including the infamous The Last Airbender. But a warm reception to Shyamalan’s more recent films The Visit, Split, and Glass have helped him get back into the public’s good graces, and prompted retrospective studies of films like The Village. For Vox, Emily VanDerWerff writes “M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village is an underrated masterpiece,” and that became the hypothesis for us to test going into this episode. Would a 16 year old film resonate with us today, do we feel it deserves a second chance, and is it actually an allegory for the Iraq War? Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

Like a witch inviting young children to their hut, we invite you, dear listener, to join us for a spooky Halloween/Election Day bonus episode on Robert Eggers’ 2015 feature debut, The Witch: A New England Folktale. Set in the early 1600s, a family of Puritans is forced to leave their community and live in the wilds of the untamed forest where a tragedy and subsequent horrors foster deceit and suspicion within the family. “The VVitch,” as it’s famously stylized, explores the dissonance between civilization and nature, religion and freedom. We explored the idea of predestination as a theme and were left wondering what the best-case scenario might have looked like, what happened to the twins (paste?) and if Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy) was *actually* liberated as she joined the coven flying naked in the trees. God bless Black Phillip. We are joined on this episode by friend of the show Caleb Warwick. Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

"I think anybody who [records a podcast] is a freak. It's a crazy thing to do. It's kind of like a form of socially acceptable insanity." Sentient AI is a mainstay of science fiction, and movies have always been fascinated by the question of what a computer would do if it were truly capable of making its own decisions. Would it enslave us all, a la the Machines from The Matrix? Would it initiate nuclear war like Skynet? Perhaps it would ruthlessly complete its mission at any cost like HAL9000. 2013’s Her instead suggests that hyperintelligent AIs would eschew all that in favor of beyond-matter polyamory. This week we discuss Spike Jonze’s Her (2013), exploring topics like building density and public transit in Los Angeles, whether jealousy makes a relationship real, and the least realistic aspect of the film’s near-future setting: an almost total lack of advertisements. We all enjoyed the film’s meditative dialogue and trope-defying visuals, even if we weren’t totally on board with certain worldbuilding aspects. Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

Boggis and Bunce and Bean, One fat, one short, one lean. These horrible crooks, so different in looks. Were nonetheless equally mean. In a valley somewhere in the anglophone world, a community of animals exists parallel to humans. These wild animals attend science class, publish newspapers, and pay mortgages. In this episode of Motion Picture Pals, we discuss Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009). Based on the novel by Roald Dahl, Director Wes Anderson brings his iconic auteur vision to stop-motion animation. The story follows Mr. Fox (voiced by George Clooney) as he disrupts the delicate domestic life of his animal friends by stealing from Boggis, Bunce, and Bean — the meanest farmers the world has ever seen. We enjoyed the light silliness of the film and the visual gags. This is undoubtedly a children’s film but it remains delightful. Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

In Bad City, a skateboarding vampire roams the streets preying on anyone and everyone - until she meets a very handsome boy who is seemingly too handsome to kill. Director Ana Lily Amirpour pays tribute to her multinational background with a cultural mashup combining churning Iranian oil drills with sprawling American suburbs, all bathed in high contrast monochrome evoking Nosferatu. The result is a dreamy mood piece on loneliness, attraction, and the surprisingly positive virtues of being a Himbo. Travis’s soundtrack playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2zwhb1lyMmdlW7yMNALrb6 Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

To survive in the wastes of a post-apocalyptic Australian desert you need to be mad, borderline feral — or at least have a kitted out War Rig, a cab full of guns, and your hopes set on the idyllic “green place” from your childhood memories. Mad Max Fury Road (2015) is the fourth installment of George Miller’s action film franchise, Mad Max, starring Tom Hardy as Max and Charlize Theron as Imperator Furiosa in an unlikely partnership and epic car chase across the desert. In this episode of Motion Picture Pals, we talk about what makes this film one of the best action movies (ever): the rich and detailed visual storytelling, the gripping weight of stunts and practical effects, and the feminist themes that spawned internet controversy. Our favorite moments include: The Doof Warrior’s flame guitar The Pole Cats on Chinese Poles Driving into a sandstorm (with lightning) *Chrome spray paint* “WITNESS ME” Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

As usual, complete spoilers for the film in this discussion. Imagine frontier life in the early days of the Oregon Territory, not a cow in sight and thus not a drop of milk to put in your bread. Kelly Reichardt’s First Cow centers on an unlikely duo aiming to solve this issue: Cookie, an aspiring baker sick of cooking for ungrateful fur trappers, and King-Lu, an entrepreneur from China who maybe(?) killed someone and is on the run from Russians. Together they devise a heist, plotting to steal milk from the only cow in town and building an empire of irresistible oily cakes. A slow burn of a film that’s light on plot and heavy on feelings, First Cow is at its best when the dynamic between Cookie and King-Lu is front and center. The ambiguous nature of their relationship and the tension present between them prods the audience to speculate whether they’re just really good friends, or wanting something more. But what’s not ambiguous is Reichardt’s ideals about masculinity - perhaps we could all do with a bit more cottagecore. Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other- https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

An interesting spin on the Zombie Apocalypse, Jeff Barnaby’s Blood Quantum confronts an oft-neglected yet central question within the genre: would you ethnically cleanse a refugee camp if you got your dick bitten off? Blood Quantum flips the racial animus of the zombie apocalypse on its head: white people become zombies and First Nations people based on the Mi'kmaq are immune. The film doesn’t stray too far into the Noble Savage stereotype, likely due to its predominantly indigenous cast and crew, and instead provides a grounded look into the realities of life on a reservation and their reverberations into the apocalypse. The movie isn’t without its issues, especially when it comes to tone, but we mostly enjoyed it. Blood Quantum’s high points are excellent, and most of those are centered around characters mowing down hordes of zombies. At a tight 90 minutes, Blood Quantum is worth a watch for fans of the genre or if you just want to check out a First Nations-led film project (available on Shudder). Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Other - https://anchor.fm/s/bc3f6e4/podcast/rss Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Join the discussion: Discord - http://bit.ly/motionpicturepals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/

A film podcast, talking about… short films? That’s right, because we’re the smartest and best movies podcast on the internet. We wanted to acknowledge and signal boost that there are other types of films besides theatrical features that are worth watching and discussing, that often go overlooked in the mainstream film part of the internet. Here for your listening pleasure are four individual conversations on short films we tracked down and hand selected. Before you listen to the first ever Motion Picture Pals Short Film Bonanza™ you might wish to watch the lineup of short films we viewed for this installment. The shorts we watched: Lazy Susan (YouTube) (5:16) World of Tomorrow (Rent or Buy) (17:27) Real Gone (YouTube) [Content warning: Suicide is a theme] (45:20) The Above (Criterion Channel) (59:26) Send us some short film picks for the next time we do this, and get in on the discussion yourself. Join the podcast Discord for all the good stuff. Additional Viewing (Honorable Mentions) (1:13:00): The Acquaintances of a Lonely John (Criterion Channel) INCIDENT BY A BANK (Vimeo) “Sleeping Dogs” Fight Film (YouTube) Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Read and subscribe to updates: https://motionpicturepals.substack.com/ Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. Motion Picture Pals is part of the @HitpointPals network.

You know it, you love it, it's the classic sci-fi horror mashup Alien, not to be confused with Aliens (1986) like at least one of us was. We learned the word "yonic," a companion word to "phallic," a word we end up using a lot in this discussion. And we discuss who the real monster is - is it the Xenomorph, or is it capitalism, the horrors of which are on full display aboard the Nostromo, and more relevant than ever in 2020? We will be holding a short film festival for our next episode. We are not sure which films we will be watching yet, but we know they will be good films because we are smart. Follow us on Twitter: @MotionPicPals Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. Join the podcast Discord to get in on the discussions. Motion Picture Pals is part of the @HitpointPals network.

In the midst of medical, ecological, and international crises, the government's main priority is brutalizing immigrants. We dive into the unfortunate parallels between the famously hopeless world of Children of Men and Real Life™️, dissect some fictional propaganda, and establish the Alfonso Cuarón Cinematic Fart Universe. We also talk about art. We are really smart. You can find our Tweets here: @HitpointPals, and all of our episodes here: HitpointPals.com Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

Two horny teenage boys meet a hot woman, invent a magical beach, and take her on a zany road trip while an omniscient narrator does his best to bum you out. We talked through Alfonso Cuarón's exploration of being a horny teenager in Mexico while the world around you is in political turmoil, cops are beating the shit out of people, and the specter of death looms around every corner, but all you really care about is getting laid. Also the perils of translating arise as Joel explains a slur that often shows up in the English subtitles, and we try to determine the intent behind it. You can find our Tweets here: @HitpointPals, and all of our episodes here: HitpointPals.com Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

Our first discussion wholly committed to a documentary! We all ordered Chinese takeout and ate it while we watched The Search for General Tso. It was very meta, except Joel didn't actually have any General Tso's Chicken. But that's okay, because culture, food, and language are all about adaptation and resilience, and sometimes you have to make do with Panda Express Orange Chicken when you really wanted General Tso's. Join us on our quest to learn about everyone's favorite Not-Exactly-Chinese-And-Not-Exactly-American comfort food, and also why authenticity is bullshit. You can find our Tweets here: @HitpointPals, and all of our episodes here: HitpointPals.com Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

Think about your most volatile relationship, and then imagine it happening in another country and also that you may never get to return home (and also that there are undercurrents of colonialism and national identity). Wong Kar-wai shows us the passion and chaos present in every relationship, and the simultaneous immensity and insignificance of our emotions on the geopolitical stage. We also consider the meaning of the term Queer Cinema and compare this film to a Motion Picture Pals favorite, Portrait of a Lady on Fire. Waterfall metaphors and fun facts about Cam's past abound in this episode of Motion Picture Pals as we recall that, actually, it was not okay to be gay in 1997. You can find our Tweets here: @HitpointPals, and all of our episodes here: HitpointPals.com Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

In the 18th century, rabbits were considered pests and generally despised. In The Favourite, Queen Anne has 17 pet rabbits and two maids, each determined to one-up the other and become the queen's favorite (favourite). The Favourite is a dark comedy and a semi deconstruction of the classic period piece. It favors (favours) whip pans and fisheye lenses and doubles down on anachronisms like 21st century hip-hop dancing in the ballroom. By the end we were left with many questions and thoughts, and a real take you'll hear is that The Favourite is The Green Book of queer cinema. It's also a stealth double feature! On the last bit of the episode, Cam and Travis recommend the documentary American Factory (2019), in which a Chinese company moves into a shuttered GM Plant in Ohio, creating not just hundreds of new jobs, but a clash of cultures. We both thought the documentary did a great job of portraying the comedy that results when two wildly different cultures of work and labor are brought together under a bumbling management. You can find our Tweets here: @HitpointPals, and all of our episodes here: HitpointPals.com Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

Remember 2017? Truly, it was a simpler time. Things made sense, you could go outside, ghosts were sheets with eye holes in them, and movies could also be squares. Try not to think too hard about all we've lost, and think instead about David Lowery's wonderful movie, A Ghost Story. We all loved this film and were mostly caught by surprise. It's cute, funny, sad, serious, and downright confusing at times, but altogether worth watching. What's the moral of this story, you may ask? The moral is that time doesn't exist and you should listen to your wife or you'll die in a car crash. Also, casseroles: what are they? A deep dive. You can find our Tweets here: @HitpointPals, and all of our episodes here: HitpointPals.com Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

Nordic Noir meets magical realism in Ali Abassi's bleak and atmospheric exploration of Nordic folklore. Border is a wild ride from beginning to end and definitely worth your time if your fragile, delicate psyche can handle a dark film with fairly upsetting themes, a very ambiguous ending at a time when the world may be ending before your very eyes. So if that sounds like you, watch Border! It also has one of the strangest sex scenes any of us have ever seen. You can find our Tweets here: @HitpointPals, and all of our episodes here: HitpointPals.com Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

Content Warning: this film deals with depression, bullying, and suicide, and we discuss these topics throughout the episode. Please do what you need to take care of yourself. Somewhere between a coming of age story and a teen romance, Naoko Yamada's A Silent Voice deals with themes as wide-ranging as depression, bullying, and trying to tell a boy that you like him. Join the Motion Picture pals as we discuss the importance of cameras and treating people kindly, and absolutely refuse to refer to the main characters with anything resembling consistency. Discussed: Koe no Katachi but it's just legs Pilgrimage to Ogaki and Yoro for Koe no Katachi This image Joel spotted of very muscular legs You can find our Tweets here: @HitpointPals, and all of our episodes here: HitpointPals.com Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

We review and discuss Céline Sciamma's gripping "ode to the female [gays]," Portrait of a Lady on Fire because Rebekah saw it three times in theaters in under a week. In our first foray into new releases, we cover portrayals of abortion, woman-to-woman attraction, and what it means for a film to be apatriarchal. Sound design, (lack of a) soundtrack, furtive glances, and the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice also color the discussion. Come for the film analysis, stay for Joel's completely unbelievable stories about his Gender Studies curriculum (and also why science makes you gay). You can find our Tweets here: @HitpointPals, and all of our episodes here: HitpointPals.com Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

You probably didn't see Missing Link. We know this because it was a box office bomb, despite critical acclaim and several big name actors, including the biggest of all, Huge Jackman. We found plenty to enjoy in the wonder of Missing Link's hand crafted miniature sets and detailed props, plus an action scene with more shots than any previous stop motion film. We share our different interpretations of queerness in the characters, cast a critical eye on the way East Asian people are depicted, and celebrate the virtue of physical comedy with funny sound effects. Also worth mentioning: tiny jackets. You can find our Tweets here: @HitpointPals, and all of our episodes here: HitpointPals.com Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

That one movie that showed up as album art in iTunes that time you pirated a bunch of Sufjan Stevens songs. Content Warning: this film deals with self-harm and suicide. We discuss both topics throughout the episode, especially after the 1h 5m mark. Please do what you need to take care of yourself. The Motion Picture Pals discuss the 2006 ensemble comedy Little Miss Sunshine, personal growth, the objectification of young girls vis a vis child beauty pageants, and why Travis thinks corpse-based physical comedy is just plain lazy. You can find our Tweets here: @HitpointPals, and all of our episodes here: HitpointPals.com Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

We give this Spaghetti Western 5 out of 5 spicy meat-a-balls. Join us for the inaugural episode of Motion Picture Pals, our new movie podcast. Cam, Rebekah, Travis, and Joel discuss Sergio Leone’s epic 1968 western full of beautiful landscapes, fun characters, and fascinating interpretations of violence in the American West. Also, Joel forgets the word “harmonica” despite holding one in his hand. You can find our Tweets here: @HitpointPals, and all of our episodes here: HitpointPals.com Motion Picture Pals is co-hosted by Cam Call, Rebekah Markillie, Joel Aleman, and producer Travis Lien. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

Let the final podcast begin. Thanks to all who tuned into our Star Wars journey. We're on Twitter at @HitpointPals, where we'll let you know when we have a new film to talk about. Until then, may the force be with you. Star Wars Rewatch is co-hosted by William Suitt, Rebekah Markillie, Cam Call, and Travis Lien, who also produces and mixes the show. Visit all of our podcasts at HitpointPals.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

Look, we said a lot of things about this movie. Just so we're upfront. We talked about child soldiers. We talked about arms dealing. At one point a Maz Kanata sex scene was suggested. It's a long podcast episode about a long film. The short version is that we all agreed this was a far better adaptation of Star Wars than The Force Awakens was, just that the movie goes on a bit too long. Ironically we talked for about the length of the film, so if you like that sort of thing you're in luck. At the end of the episode we took some time to do new power rankings, and you should stick around to listen to that because some of them are really strange and will either make you mad or vindicate you. Anyway, thanks for following along with us as we journeyed towards The Rise of Skywalker, we've had a doozy of a time and we're bracing for an even doozier of a time a few weeks from now. Star Wars Rewatch is co-hosted by William Suitt, Rebekah Markillie, Cam Call, and Travis Lien, who also produces and mixes the show. Visit all of our podcasts at HitpointPals.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

We're in unanimous agreement: The Force Awakens was a great event film. We all have fond memories of going to see the first Star Wars film in a decade, and having a blast. Upon revisiting the film at home in our living rooms, something was different though. Without the presence of an engaged audience to watch with us, the emphasis on nostalgia-driven "please clap" moments fell flat. Other big story questions prevented us from feeling immersed in Star Wars. Why don't people remember the jedi? Why do people think Han Solo and Luke Skywalker are myths? And what's the balance of power in the universe? As Rebekah puts it, sometimes it just doesn't feel like a Star Wars film. That's where we begin our discussion on the first Star Wars film under Disney ownership, and examine how corporate interests shape a film that had unlimited potential, but ends up feeling constrained to pretty generic boxes. Star Wars Rewatch is co-hosted by William Suitt, Rebekah Markillie, Cam Call, and Travis Lien, who also produces and mixes the show. Visit all of our podcasts at HitpointPals.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

As we come to the conclusion of the original trilogy, our conversation turns to the force and the evolution of its mythos. With the prequels behind us, we remember the unfortunate way Episodes I - III dig into the mechanics of the force, and discuss what it means to turn to the dark side or remain true to the light. We also look at the way Star Wars plays it safe in terms of story, as well as depictions of violence. How badly did George's desire to sell toys compromise his original vision? Or was selling merchandise his original vision all along? And on the forest moon of Endor, strong colonialism vibes as the violent invaders recruit a native population into fighting their war for them. And did the Rebel Alliance have sexy Bothan pin up girls on their spacecraft? Into the sarlacc pit we go! Discussed: Jabba is the 1%, Bothan pin-up Girls, gaming chairs, hijinks, bad boys, and merchandise. Harmy's Despecialized Introductory Guide Star Wars Rewatch is co-hosted by William Suitt, Rebekah Markillie, Cam Call, and Travis Lien, who also produces and mixes the show. Visit all of our podcasts at HitpointPals.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

Darth Vader is considerably less horny and angry than his teenage self by the time we get to The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and that's probably because his dick and balls were burnt off on Mustafar. Episode V continues to expand the world of Star Wars by giving us a peek under Vader's helmet at his scarred, pale flesh. Empire feels like the most outright fantastical of the films, with journeys to different forgotten realms, a wise instructor attuned with the universe, and a mystical cave with a dark secret. We discuss the effectiveness of Luke's many failures in this middle act, and the great cliffhanger the film ends on. Has there ever been a plot twist that rivals the Vader identity reveal? And what are those goblins doing on Cloud City? Did the Millennium Falcon fly up a space worm's anus, as Cam suggests? Harmy's Despecialized Introductory Guide Star Wars Rewatch is co-hosted by William Suitt, Rebekah Markillie, Cam Call, and Travis Lien, who also produces and mixes the show. For weekly video game chats, tune in to our regular podcast Hitpoint Pals on your favorite podcasting service. HitpointPals.com/star-wars-rewatch --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

There was a particular magic to 1977's Star Wars that propelled it to legendary pop culture status. It introduced a rustic spacefaring galaxy of heroes and villains, handcrafted through the innovation of visual effects artists, sound designers, and costume designers, all with limited resources. The craftsmanship that went into creating this fantastical world was so universally beloved that Star Wars won technical awards across the board, and the Library of Congress selected the film in its first year of establishing the National Film Registry, a limited archive of films deemed culturally and historically significant. But the National Film Registry has never received Star Wars. George Lucas refused to submit the original film, instead offering his "Special Edition," an altered version of the film with new edits, visual effects, coloring, sound design, sound mixing - in other words, a completely different film. Enter a dedicated group of fans, centered around a man known as Harmy. Together they use a combination of original theatrical prints, the special edition Blu Rays, and modern visual effects technology to restore and "despecialize" the films back to their original form. This is the version of A New Hope we watched for Episode 4 of Star Wars Rewatch, where our conversation on the cultural significance of Harmy's Despecialized runs from the beginning of the podcast to 36:50. From there we return to form and discuss the plot, character archetypes, politics, droid rights, and weird Lucasisms you've come to expect from this podcast. Official Harmy's Despecialized Introductory Guide Harmy's Star Wars: Despecialized Edition - History & Sources Documentary (extended version) Star Wars SC 38 Reimagined (FXitinPost YouTube) Star Wars Rewatch is co-hosted by William Suitt, Rebekah Markillie, Cam Call, and Travis Lien, who also produces and mixes the show. For weekly video game chats, tune in to our regular podcast Hitpoint Pals on your favorite podcasting service. HitpointPals.com/star-wars-rewatch --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

War! What is it good for? If you're an evil space wizard who also happens to be chancellor of the Galactic Republic, it's a great front for your rise as a fascist dictator and the transformation of your government into a tyrannical empire with absolute authority, backed by the people who have extended their political sympathy and given into fear after you dubbed a group of warrior monks rebels who made an attempt on your life. Yeah, the Jedi really messed up, and Palpatine got away with it all scot-free. Classic. Meanwhile, Padmé really gets the short end of the stick in this film, reduced to a childbearing vessel who constantly refers to her pregnancy as "wonderful" as Anakin calls the news "the happiest day of my life." What are you doing, George? What do you mean, she just lost the will to live? The regressive objectification of the only woman in the film and the uncritical portrayal of her abusive relationship with creepy Anakin really puts a damper on this movie, and makes us pretty glad it was the last Star Wars film Lucas directed. Sith Happens TV Spot (YouTube) Star Wars Rewatch is co-hosted by William Suitt, Rebekah Markillie, Cam Call, and Travis Lien, who also produces and mixes the show. For weekly video game chats, tune in to our regular podcast Hitpoint Pals on your favorite podcasting service. HitpointPals.com/star-wars-rewatch --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message

Corruption in the government. A secret clone army. A galaxy on the brink of civil war. And the transformation of the peacekeeping Jedi into warmongers. Sounds like a recipe for a great Star Wars film, right? Well, there are a few reasons why Attack of the Clones isn't regarded very highly among critics or fans alike. Like Lucas's portrayal of a one-sided, rebuffed romance magically blossoming to life in the end, for starters. But a strong anti-war sentiment, interesting genre intersections, and new achievements in digital cinema mean there's plenty to discuss about the themes and context of Episode II on this month's episode of Star Wars Rewatch. Star Wars Rewatch is co-hosted by William Suitt, Rebekah Markillie, Cam Call, and Travis Lien, who also produces and mixes the show. For weekly video game chats, tune in to our regular podcast Hitpoint Pals on your favorite podcasting service. HitpointPals.com/star-wars-rewatch --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/motionpicturepals/message