Overthinking Movies

Universal Monster reboots return with Wolf Man, managed by the same team as 2020s The Invisible Man, but this time with a husband and wife team penning the script. Does it capture the same biting commentary on toxic relationships? How are the werewolf special effects? Is it actually an effective horror film? Join co-host Alex and as we protect our own...by any means necessary.

What if the vampire in Nosferatu (1922) was played by a real vampire? Shadow of the Vampire takes this popular myth and uses it as a catalyst for a truly unique and brilliant character study and dark comedy. Willem Defoe, John Malkovich, Cary Elwes star as the eccentric film crew going to any length to make their movie feel real. We discuss this film's significance to the Nosferatu movies of the past, and why it deserves to be held up with them.

And at last we arrive at the newest version of Nosferatu, directed and written by Robert Eggers of The VVitch and The Lighthouse fame. What does his signature style and themes bring to this story that is now 100 years old? How does it compare to past versions? Co-host Alex and I left the theater with a frankly bewildered audience to discuss.

Disclaimer: This episode was recorded back in October back when Alex and I watched it, unlike our previous review of the 1922 that we recorded last week. We repeat some points we made in that episode here because we had not decide to release this one in December at the time. So how do you remake of the most influential and important silent films in German history, as well as film history in general? Ambitious and remarkable director Werner Herzog decided the best route was simply to update and expand what was there, while very much adding his own personality it. How does it compare? What does the new 2024 remake have to live up to?

Disclaimer: Co-host Alex was sick during this recording, so apologizes if he sounds a bit vocally strained, but we both didn't want to wait to cover this after watching it. THE horror film, featuring some of the most iconic imagery in the medium, but how does Nosferatu hold up to a 2024 audience? Does its take on Bram Stoker's novel and its endless adaptations still unnerve?

So, does Revenge of the Sith hold up as the "good" movie of the Prequel trilogy? Well, as Palpatine says: "Good is simply a point of view."

The suffe-uh, the saga continues with Alex and I reviewing the Star Wars film we have the least amount of experience with; Episode II. Often seen as the weakest of the Prequel Trilogy, does it really live up to that title after our experiences with The Phantom Menace?

A rite of passage for movie podcasts it seems, Alex and I decided to give our takes on the first of the Star Wars prequels after not seeing them for nearly twenty years. How has it aged? Is the culture of online hate that has formed around them simply hyperbole? Do the people that say they are better than Disney's sequel trilogy have any validity? We dive into one of the most contentious and most successful Hollywood franchises to find out.

Disclaimer: This episode was recorded back in October back when Alex and I watched it, unlike our previous review of the 1922 that we recorded last week. We repeat some points we made in that episode here because we had not decide to release this one in December at the time. So how do you remake of the most influential and important silent films in German history, as well as film history in general? Ambitious and remarkable director Werner Herzog decided the best route was simply to update and expand what was there, while very much adding his own personality it. How does it compare? What does the new 2024 remake have to live up to?

Is dead truly better? Or is it worth digging up these adaptations on Stephen King's classic story of grief, trauma, repression, and spooky cats. I'm comparing both versions to the book, in my quest to see if it is possible to capture the subtly and dread of the novel on screen.

Fans of the theory of determinism beware, Final Destination says you're fatally right! We're talking about all five films of the franchise and seeing how they've aged. Is the concept still compelling? Do they rise above the usual standards of the slasher genre? Or are they just "death for the sake of death"? As you listen, get uncomfortable, sand off any sharp corners in your car or house, and for the love of God, don't say anything ironic in the middle of a busy street.

Sorry for the late release on this one. So here we are, the last Romero zombie film, and the last film in general by George Romero. Survival acts as a sort of sequel to Diary, but with a very different cast and focus. How does it hold up? Is there a bit of the magic of the original films left?

After beginning a new zombie trilogy with Land of the Dead, and laying the seeds for the next, George Romero decided for his next entry to...reboot everything. Diary of the Dead is Romero's first and only foray into the Found Footage genre, set during the beginning of a new zombie outbreak, and featuring a cast of college students. It features a road trip, an Amish man armed with dynamite, and plenty of philosophizing about the effects of the internet on society...but is it worth the watch?

We're finally back! This October we are taking a look at the first entry of George A. Romero's second trilogy of zombie movies; Land of the Dead from 2005. How does it hold up? How does it compare to the prior trilogy of Night, Dawn, and Day? Is the protagonist as cool as the movie clearly wants us to think he is? Coming up we will be covering Diary of the Dead and Survival of the Dead as well, along with some other surprise movies to fill out the All Hallows Eve season.

Spider-Man 3 was seen as the clearly weakest Spider-Man movie in 2007, but where does it stand many many Spider-Man films later? Does its charming cast and action win over its sometimes contrived and frustrating story decisions? Will Mary Jane and Peter solve their relationship troubles...again? Where did Peter learn how to dance like that?

Spider-Man 2 was a landmark film in the superhero genre in 2004, a strong improvement over its predecessor, and a great examination of identity of Spider-Man and Peter Parker as characters. But! Literally 20 later, after 8 more Spider-Man films, cartoons, games, and countless comics, is Spider-Man 2 still a peak the for the character, or has it been easily outdone by what was built upon its legacy?

In the time since the original Sam Rami Spider-Man Trilogy we have had 3 different Spider-Man film franchises. The Tom Holland and Spiderverse movies in particular have been hailed as the best adaptations of the character to date. So where does that leave the original film in 2024? What does it say about that era of superhero films, and how has its legacy influenced the decades that built upon its success?

First they Rose, then they had their Dawn, and then they had a War (but not really, there wasn't much war in that movie surprisingly), and having won, hundreds of years later, they have formed their Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. But not all is right in the new ape dominated earth, and of course, it may have to with the legacy both Ceasar and mankind left behind. I love Planet of the Apes, so with a new creative team behind it, did Kingdom successfully built one upon one came before?

It was inevitable; a movie about a second civil war within the US. Terrifying concept to think about, a thrilling set up for a movie. Released by A24, and directed and written by Alex Garland of 28 Days Later, Ex Machina, and Annihilation fame. Kirsten Dunst is already widely praised for her performance in the lead role of war photographer Lee Smith, but can the script balance such a complex and political subject matter?

So what do you do with a sequel to "Godzilla vs Kong"? Put them up against two new monsters of course, but not without some scraping of their own first. Co-host Alex Ulaky and I were admittedly not too excited for a sequel to another American Godzilla movie, especially after 2023's Japanese Godzilla film, Godzilla Minus One, which was not only better than every American Godzilla movie, but one of the best films of that year. Still, does Godzilla x Kong offer enough dumb CGI monster action to justify another entry in this middling universe?

At last, we reach the end of the original Godzilla film franchise, dating from 1954 to 1975. It caps off with a two parter against a robot duplicate, the iconic Mechagodzilla. Do these two films serve as a satisfying finale?

Yes, they made another one. The first one actually made a profit, and Tigger is now in the public domain, so literally a year later the denizens of the Hundred Acre Wood have returned to seek revenge on Christopher Robin and the people of Ashdown. Can we expect at least a slight improvement over the first? I decided to find out so you won't have to.

Based on a recommendation from a friend, Alex and I checked out a new A24 film from director Rose Glass, in her second major feature; the gritty romantic thriller Love Lies Bleeding staring Kristen Stewart, Katy O'Brian, and Ed Harris. A great title for a movie, but is it a great movie?

You know when you have to get that assignment done but it's the night before the due date? But then you fall asleep and all of a sudden it's 2 hours before the due date? That's Godzilla vs Megalon. Well known thanks to its MST3K episode, Alex and I watched the Japanese and English versions fresh and for the first time, and...it's one of the roughest...most slap-dash films in the entire franchise so far. A robot programed to program itself, undersea people who wear togas, and monsters high-fiving is only the beginning of this nightmare.

In the mid-70s, one avant-garde assembled a crew of legendary artists, actors, and musicians to create what he saw as his magnum opus. Despite the money never coming together and the production falling apart, its effects are felt to this day. We take a look at the new Dune movies of course, and also the documentary covering the production of an almost classic.

Based off a character you would only know if you were deep into the Spider-Man comics or obsessively watched the 90s cartoon, Madame Web is the origin of a woman with future vision powers. On its face, this honestly seemed like a decent pitch for a story, not super strength or flight, just knowing what will happen and having to be resourceful to prevent it. While reviews have provided their own future warning to audiences, Alex and I decided to form our own thoughts on the latest entry of the Sony Spider-Manless universe.

Happy Valentine's Day! This time we check out a new romance film that most didn't see! The directorial debut of Zelda Williams (daughter of the beloved Robin), this 1989-set comedy is a parody of both Frankenstein and 80s movie tropes. Did it warm the blizzard-filled hearts of co-host Alex and I? We were curious to find out.

Gigan. Every part of him is a weapon, from his hook hands to his spinning sawblade chest. Can Godzilla and returning buddy Anguirus stop Gigan AND King Ghidorah? Thankfully stock footage from other movies where they win is here to assist them! Join as we untangle this multilayered sci-fi mystery involving monsters made of homework, a Godzilla theme park, and aliens!........again!

United States and Russian astronauts find themselves stranded on the International Space State as nuclear war coats the planet out their window. Suddenly their respective governments say they need to take the I.S.S. for their country by any means "necessary". An intriguing, topical concept for a sci-fi thriller, but given the careful balancing of nuance and tension it would involve, does it pull it off?

Tina Fey's beloved 2000s comedy-drama returns with a movie adaptation of its successful 2018 musical. How does it compare to the original? What changes does it make in terms of technology and views to fit the modern update and do they work? Co-host Zach Yetter and I dissect the good, the bad, and the fetch.

Just in time for New Years, I take a look at the often forgotten 1979 sequel to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph's Shiny New Year! It features reincarnation, Benjamin Franklin, a giant buzzard that scared children, and a meditation on gaining confidence in what makes you stand out.

Can Paddington director Paul King's musical Wonka prequel live up to and break through our ingrained cynicism of seeing our childhood favorites dragged out to bait our nostalgia?

While the idea of making a prequel to Willy Wonka sounds the farthest from pure imagination, I decided to pitch my own script if I was forced to write it while cautiously anticipating Paul King's WONKA.

Japanese Godzilla has returned to the big screen, having been held back by the Legendary Pictures films after 2016's Shin Godzilla. How does it hold up to its American and Japanese legacies? Send feedback and suggestions to overthinkingmoviespodcast@gmail.com

One of the finest entries of the original Godzilla era, featuring easily the most interesting monster Godzilla has encountered yet. Hedorah is pollution incarnate; he brings death and environmental decay to visceral effect, feeds off of smoke stacks, and can even transform to dominate the land, sea, and sky. Can a scientist and his son who has a psychic connection to Godzilla (don't ask) help defeat this threat?

The next Disney animated musical is here! A girl sings about wishing there was more! She has an animal sidekick! How does this one compare to the...sixty-one animated Disney films before it? I dragged my friend and co-host Zach to the theater to find out. Send suggestions for movies, general feedback and topics for us to talk about to overthinkingmoviespodcast@gmail.com Find more episodes on: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6mWi9wr8ii7nJUQhfyAA6z Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overthinking-movies/id1553470097?uo=4 Goggle Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80YTUyMjgxOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw==

See the video version of this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YpEiyqrn2OY Holiday horror and action movies are in, and with them comes Eli Roth's Thanksgiving, a slasher film that uses the aesthetics and motifs of the holiday to craft a story mirroring John Carpenter's "Halloween", while taking from the decades of slasher films hence forth. How does it fare? Send suggestions for movies, general feedback and topics for us to talk about to overthinkingmoviespodcast@gmail.com Find more episodes on: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6mWi9wr8ii7nJUQhfyAA6z Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overthinking-movies/id1553470097?uo=4 Goggle Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80YTUyMjgxOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw==

See the video version of this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a4KgYYLRJk Back in September I had the chance to attend a few showings at the Toronto International Film Festival. From documentaries, to comedy-horror films, and adult musicals, I manage to cover a wealth of variety in a short amount of time. Send suggestions for movies, general feedback and topics for us to talk about to overthinkingmoviespodcast@gmail.com Find more episodes on: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6mWi9wr... Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Goggle Podcasts: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=...

Another year, another video game franchise taking its stab at Hollywood. However, Five Nights at Freddy's is more than just a video game franchise, it is truly a phenomenon, one that is more beloved by children than any other demographic. True to the franchise, even written by the creator, this is a PG-13 horror film that stretches the limits of the rating with its gore. But is it a good movie outside of being faithful to its source material? Alex and I stumbled through the seas of children head to the theater to find out!

Countless movies and miniseries have been based on the works Stephen King, but very few were actually written by the man himself. Today we have one of the exceptions, the 1985 werewolf thriller Silver Bullet, staring Corey Haim and Gary Busey, directed by Dan Attias (his only feature), and penned by Stephen King himself. How does it fair? How are the werewolf effects? And what makes this one stand out from the big hitters in this sub-genre?

No more than a year and a half after Death on the Nile, director Kenneth Branagh and writer Michael Green are back with another Agatha Christie adaptation, this time based on a more obscure book in her legendary catalog. Given the negative to middling reception of the last two movies, how did this one fair?

Within a year after the release of Destroy All Monsters, one of the most ambitious and beloved films in Toho's monsterverse, we see the release of All Monsters Attack, also helmed by Ishirō Honda. Is it a satisfying follow up even with such a short turn around? Well our multiple past experiences with sequels that come out within a year on this podcast should give you a few clues...

Our second Dracula film of the year is an adaptation of one of the most iconic chapters of the original novel; Dracula's time stowing aboard the Russian ship the Demeter on his way to London. The book keeps the details vague, told only through the diary of a coastguard and the journal of the ship's captain. So the movie seeks to paint in the details. How does it do? Me and the three other people in my opening weekend theater were interested to find out!

Our first true climax of the Godzilla franchise, 1968's beloved Destroy All Monsters! Which is...well not really about destroying all the monsters...or any really, though it is a great title, and it features nearly every critter no matter how bit their part may be. It also features government alien conspiracies, mind control, moonbases, fire dragons, and more that adds up to one of the most complex narratives yet. Overthinking co-host Alex Ulaky and I do our best to break it down, our brows in a permanent state of furrowing the whole time.

Theatrical, aggressively colorful, ridiculous, infamous yet iconic, the late Joel Schumacher created two Batman films unlike any before or since. In this first ever debate on the podcast, Brandon and Alex duel to prove which film is...not necessary good, but what edges out the other for the least worst to sit through of the franchise. The episode begins with an objective summary of both films. The real debate begins around 5:03 if you'd like to skip there.

30 years later, Michael Keaton returns to Batman, and we return to see how the Tim Burton-era of the franchise has held up. Is Batman 89 still a classic? Is Batman Returns still its underrated darker brother? Given that this is the longest episode of the podcast to date you might be able to infer which way we lean...

A giant ape had a son, so why not mutant atomic bomb lizards? In the most family-friendly Godzilla entry yet, scientists attempt to create a device to change the weather while Godzilla teaches his son to breathe radiation by stepping on him. He'd better hurry up too, because giant pray mantises roam the island, and something even more sinister awaits bellow the surface. Join co-host Alex Ulaky for Son of Godzilla!

An idea conceived by Robert Kirkman, the creator of The Walking Dead, Renfield is a comedy-action-horror film about Dracula's bug-eating man slave seeking a way out of his immortal toxic relationship. Overthinking co-host Alex Ulaky and I discuss how it fairs, the future of the Universal "monsterverse", and why the Creature from the Black Lagoon deserved his own remake that isn't The Shape of Water.

The first Shazam was a surprise in 2019. A new DC Extended Universe movie that focused on fun over brooding, gloomy, philosophical, self seriousness in a misguided effort to distinguish it from its competitor. This was not only because the movies themselves were poorly executed, but in a world that continues to grow incredibly more bleak, it felt tone deaf to what audiences were looking forward when going to watch movies about people that dress as bats and fly. So Shazam 2, after the usual covid delays, finally drops in theaters to little interest from audiences. How is the movie itself? What does it say about the current state of the DCEU, and will James Gunn's revamp give it the kick it needed a decade ago? Co-host Alex Ulaky and I discussed and theorized for ourselves!

We made it! 50 episodes. I take this time to reflect on the last two years of reviewing movies, what I've noticed in terms of trends and cliches, and how media consumption has improved for better and worse. Thank you if you've followed us to this point, and know that there is so much more to come!

A major Hollywood dinosaur movie without Jurassic in front of it? It's finally happened again, from the writers of A Quiet Place. Set sixty-five (or more accurately sixty-six) million years ago, humans living on other planets crash land on earth when it was still a hostile, reptile-invested world. An intriguing concept, but with half the budget of a Jurassic World movie, can it provide an engaging experience?