That Thing You Like

It's been awhile! Brian and Chris return from hiatus to talk LITTLE WOMEN, a sharp adaptation of a canonical text that neither of us have read or seen before! Listen as two men tell you why media that centres the experience of women is important! #Justice4Greta Note: This episode was recorded before the COVID-19 outbreak in North America. As such, it'll likely be our last episode recorded in the same location for awhile, but if you're wondering why we don't talk about it much in the ep, there you go.

BOOKSMART is the movie of the year. Best picture winner, 2019, already locked up. Alright, this might be a small exaggeration. But BOOKSMART rules! Brian saw it on release and has been evangelical about it ever since! Chris finally saw it and now also knows the joy! We talk Olivia Wilde's directing debut, the incredible characters of Molly and Amy, the pitch perfect soundtrack, and debate the nature of cringe comedy. Let's get (consensually) bashed!

The BON APPETIT brand has been making YouTube videos for years - so why are they taking off now? And why are we helplessly in love with them? In this ep, we celebrate the charming, Springfield-esque nature of the Test Kitchen, talk Bon Appetit's strong blend of personalities, and even do a rarely seen That Thing You Like draft to build our own three person cooking teams! Basically, we love Claire and Brad and Chris and all of them forever. Enjoy the lovefest.

HBO's DEADWOOD was a Good+ show taken before its time. One Brian and Chris both love and have never really had the chance to talk about. But good news: 2019 saw the release of the long rumoured Deadwood movie! And it's FANTASTIC. (Brian cried.) We talk about wrapping up loose ends 13 years later and poignant grace notes for Al, Bullock and Trixie, plus the dialogue that's never been better. Fan of Deadwood? Did you love the movie? Or maybe hate it? Let us know on Twitter @TTYLshow!

Jordan Peele's US is a wonder of a film, and maybe even more fun to pull apart than Get Out? After both seeing it a little belatedly, we sit down to celebrate the INCREDIBLE performance of Lupita Nyong'o and how the movie makes you complicit in cheering on oppression, and once again return to "elevated horror" as a bad term. Watch Us! Let us know what you thought of Us!

Pokemon DETECTIVE PIKACHU is the live action Pokemon movie we all wanted when we were kids. Back when we wanted to be the very best. Like NO ONE ever was! We talk about Ryme City and its incredibly fully realized world, the Ryan Reynolds voice vs Pikachu cuteness, our thoughts on Pokemon that aren't the original 151, and decide which Pokemon we would be our Pokemon partners! Enjoy!

AVENGERS: ENDGAME is still fresh in our mind, if somewhat less fresh fresh in our hearts. So we thought - why not OPEN THE PORTALS and bring all of our Marvel friends together for one last Phases 1-3 ride. We're joined by brother of the show Andy Shirlaw to build a CONSENSUS ranking of the Marvel movies. We all have to agree! No voting! People make arguments! It's fun to argue about lists! It's even more fun to build them! Agree with our list? Think Thor should be higher? Talk to us on Twitter! @TTYLshow.

Marvel's AVENGERS: ENDGAME marks the end of an era. An era that's continuing with other Avengers? We sit down after our great disliking of Avengers: Infinity War to talk about everything we were surprised to LOVE AND ADORE about Endgame! The core Avengers! The most dramatic flash forward in cinematic history! The Leftovers of it all! The great character moments! And oh, the tears we shed. We also talked about the fat-shamey issues surrounding Thor, how we feel about where all the characters ended up, and give our feelings on Marvel saying goodbye to some of its own icons. Let us know what you think on Twitter! @TTYLshow. And don't forget to rate, review, and tell your friends about the show.

GAME OF THRONES time, for one of the last times! The Long Night is here, certain people have become Knights of the Seven Kingdoms, and all draws to a dragon-filled conclusion. How do we feel about Game of Thrones Season 8 so far? Who will sit the Iron Throne, and more importantly, who would we vote for in an election? Who could they still kill that would be shocking? All this, plus thoughts on the entire Game of Thrones experience!

Marvel's CAPTAIN MARVEL smashed the box-office, and the man-baby tears were as delicious as ever. It's 2019, and a female-led Marvel superhero movie was WAY overdue... but why are we kind of split on this one? In this ep, we give our Captain Marvel review with full spoilies, talk about the surprisingly heady use of microaggressions and gaslighting as villainy, and touch on its VERY interesting ideas about war refugees and a Skrull diaspora. But either way - Brie Larson's great! Ben Mendelsohn also great! Enjoy.

HEREDITARY, Ari Aster's 2018 horror movie, probably should have earned Toni Collette an Oscar nomination. It didn't! Because there's no justice and Paimon reigns. Brian saw Hereditary way back when it was in theatres, and Chris saw it last week, and we were both excited to finally talk about it! We review a horror movie that transcends horror, talk about the film's incredible use of tension, and sing the praises of #WokePaimon. Don't forget to rate, review, subscribe, and let us know what you thought of Hereditary on Twitter! Next week's Thing You Like: Russian Doll

It's 2018's biggest night! The stars are out for the FIFTH annual Likey awards, as That Thing You Like awards our best movies, best TV shows, best music, best games, and best everything else of 2018. Plus, a special Most Disappointing Likey that was reserved for a very special, very deserving, Avengers Infinity War. Did Good Place repeat as Best TV Show? What movies stuck with us in 2018? Did we remember to listen to ANY new music? Find out in this year's show! Don't forget to rate, review, subscribe, and all that other stuff, earbuds.

SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE is a complete gem and easily one of the best Spider-Man films ever made. So why didn't it click with more with a wider audience? Is the world not ready for a Spider-Verse? We talk about what makes this movie stand apart from other Marvel superhero films, the mind-bendingly great animation and action, and our desperate need for a full-length Jake Johnson mid-life crises Spider-man movie. We loved this movie, and you would too - go see it.

PADDINGTON is a movie about a kind bear. PADDINGTON 2 is a movie about an even kinder bear who... reforms a prison? And in the first one, Paddington makes a convincing case against Brexit paranoia? The kind bear has a lot going on! We review and discuss the films of a beloved (though not to us) childhood icon, the race to the I.P. bottom, and Ben Whishaw's incredible vocal performance. The Paddington films are a celebration of joy, warmth and the rare films that are truly for the entire family, with not a hint of irony to be found - don't miss out! Let us know what you think about the kind bear on Twitter: @TTYLshow!

Pixar and Brad Bird have reunited for INCREDIBLES 2, a sequel that has... something on its mind? Focused on Elastigirl while Mr. Incredible spends time learning the value and joy of parenthood, Incredibles 2 tells an always entertaining but thematically muddy story, but one that's always a joy to watch. We talk the incredible action sequences, the fun new characters, some slightly confusing villain motivations, and how much we loved seeing more in this world. Merry Holidays, earbuds!

Another day, another Netflix show. But HILDA stands out from the crowd. It's packed to the brim with charm, smarts, and some pretty incredible world-building, to say nothing of Luke Pearson's amazing art and character design. We discuss the relentless courage and optimism of Hilda herself, the super fun adventures she gets up to, and how the show dramatizes the pros and cons of City vs Rural upbringing. Hilda's a definite gem - don't miss it!

FINDING BIG COUNTRY might seem like a Vancouver-focused interest story at first, but director Kat Jayme's look at Vancouver's rocky relationship with NBA basketball has more to say than you might think. Through a hunt for former Vancouver Grizzlies star Bryant Reeves, Jayme tells a personal story about adjusting to life when it doesn't go your way and gets at what can make sports fandom a positive, inspiring part of life. We LOVED Finding Big Country's look at fandom, what happens when star athletes don't quite "make it", and a city's fractured memory of a dead franchise - we bet you will too! You can watch FINDING BIG COUNTRY free on YouTube.

AMERICAN VANDAL was Netflix's surprise comedy smash of 2017 and we can't believe they cancelled it! But with a turdburglar on the loose, what are two mockumentarians to do but pick up where the true crime satire left off? We talk about American Vandal's surprisingly thoughtful second season, our favourite characters, and how the show ends on a grace note about our modern exposed lives. Check it out!   Note: This episode was recorded and briefly lost, but recovered! Unfortunately it was recorded before the cancellation news hit.

SPOOKVEMBER IS UPON US! RAW (or Grave, in France) is a 2016 with a real appetite. A hunger, if you will. Possibly even a craving. RAW's ambitious script and confident directing by Julia Ducourneau take it FAR beyond your average gory cannibalism thriller, and firmly into a unique place that explores conformity, sisterhood, female desire, and coming of age. Plus, what the HELL is up with French Veterinary school? You should definitely watch RAW - find out why!

CAMPING. After a lifetime spent in the Pacific Northwest, Chris and Brian have THOUGHTS and FEELINGS about camping. What better way to celebrate summer than to finally settle an age old question: Is camping... good? We talk fireside hangouts, horrifying shower experiences, and the pressure to spend warm weather seasons in the great outdoors. If you live anywhere nature friendly and feel ambivalent about being outside, this is the episode for you!

NFL Football is back - what better time to revisit THE REPLACEMENTS? It's a harmless screwball NFL comedy about a lovable band of football misfits! Or... is it actually super weird politically, and an artifact of an even more anti-union, anti-labour attitude towards sports strikes, and strikes in general? Keanu Reeves and Gene Hackman may be two all time greats, but even their charm can't diminish how WEIRD The Replacements feels in 2018. Listen as we talk NFL football, sports fandoms, and regressive politics that weren't seen as "political!"

A KNIGHT'S TALE is the kind of movie that just doesn't get made these days. Brian Helgeland's 2001 jousting romp has a cast of future stars and a winning story - but more importantly, it has VOICE. We talk about A Knight's Tale holding up better than our nostalgia could have predicted, baby Heath Ledger on the come up, and marvel at how a casting director called their shot on Heath, Alan Tudyk, Mark Addy, Shannon Sossamon, Paul Bettany and Laura Fraser. Enjoy! Let us know your own Knight's Tale thoughts on Twitter: @TTYLshow

NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING is still our new favourite thing, and we're only too happy to review our first full NJPW G1 Climax experience! With Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and basically EVERYONE getting a wonderful in-tournament character arc, we're ready to say this is some of our favourite wrestling ever. We discuss all the great matches, the majesty of Toru Yano, where we think the Golden Lovers go from here, and the absolutely incredible finals. Plus, the one WWE trope that will BREAK YOUR BRAIN. Who are your NJPW favourites? Like the G1? Talk to us @TTYLshow on Twitter!

Is TRAIN TO BUSAN is 2016's best kept movie secret? Probably! This zombie movie is far more than your average brainless thriller - the action is fresh, the characters are fantastic, the zombies look incredible... but those aren't what pushed it over the top for us. This movie has brains and heart to spare, and it somehow manages to deliver a fantastic message about the importance and value of helping others in times of crisis. Watch this movie, and let us know what you think!

After our first episode, we fell off CATASTOPHE. What a mistake! A month ago, we returned to Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney's amazing, moving show and found a lot to love. Complicated and touching in equal parts, Catastrophe seasons two and three dealt with difficult subject matter with some radical honesty, and we couldn't be more excited for season four. Get caught up now, thank us later! 

Netflix's DARK flew under the radar last Fall, but we're in love, even if we're late to the party. We talk about the stunning German scenery and production quality, amazing take on time travel, and Dark's fixation on generational emotional traumas. Plus, after a wild ending, how excited are we for season two? Enjoy! (and watch Dark! Seriously.)

RATATOUILLE! Brad Bird's second Pixar film is way more than a peasant dish. With Incredibles 2 in theatres, we turn back the clock to Bird's sophomore Pixar film and discuss it's troubled production, amazing artwork, and beautiful message. Does the hair pulling work? Is Ratatouille... the best Pixar film?

Amy Sherman-Palladino (Gilmore Girls, Bunheads) has come to the world of Amazon Prime Video streaming! MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL is an absolute delight, full of charm, visual style, and pointed commentary on the struggles women face to break into male-dominated spaces. We talk the amazing performances of Rachel Brosnahan and Alex Borstein, the possibly-intentional "go away heat" of Joel Maisel, and how much we were won over by Mrs. Maisel in general! This is definitely a must-watch. Thanks for listening, and see you next week for RATATOUILLE!

NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING just wrapped up NJPW Dominion 2018, and it was a show for the ages, with Kenny Omega and Kazuchika Okada putting on maybe the greatest wrestling match of all time. All of this means one thing: That Thing You Like finally returns to wrestling! Brian's been a NJPW fan for nearly two years, and Chris has seen all of two events, so we talk extensively about how differently New Japan makes us FEEL compares to WWE, and how it recaptures some of the magic of watching wrestling and "not knowing". Plus, Brian shares favourite things about attending two NJPW events live! 

HAIL, CEASAR is a wild, old-time Hollywood romp from the incredible Coen Brothers. But is there something else going on beneath the surface? We talk about some loving homages to the "golden age" of cinema, why that golden age may not have been so great, and discuss the Coen Brothers' filmography as a whole. Next week's thing you like: NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING.

THE INCREDIBLES is Pixar and Brad Bird's love letter to / subversion of the superhero genre - but how does it hold up? With Incredibles 2 on the horizon, we rewatch and celebrate what makes The Incredibles still a smart, great, emotional family film. Plus, we try to unpack the one line of this movie that makes everyone thing Brad Bird is into Ayn Rand. See you next week for CATASTROPHE seasons 2 and 3!

Marvel's AVENGERS Infinity War is shattering box-office records and earning some high praise along the way. So why are we so down on it? We suss out our complicated feelings about this movie's use of fan-favorite characters like Captain America and Black Panther, the problems with Thanos' middling "villain with conviction" motivation, and the convergence of so much smirking wisecracks. Are we excited for Avengers 4? Who can say at this point?

We're back! ANNIHILATION is Alex Garland's sci-fi follow up to EX MACHINA, a movie we gave LIKEY OF THE YEAR award honours to back in 2015. And it is EXTREMELY our shit. We talk about complicated themes about self-destruction, trauma, and change, Natalie Portman's amazing performance, and even Oscar Isaac's questionable accent. Plus, we give our take on the ending of Annihilation, and how much it moved us. Enjoy!

Pixar's COCO just won the Academy Award for Best Animated film. But maybe it's the start of a Pixar renaissance? We talk about this slightly unheralded Disney Pixar release, the amazing use of colour and visual design, and of course, a flood of Pixar related Coco tears. Note: We're off next week while Brian is on vacation, but will be back the week of April 9th!

Twin Peaks - FIRE WALK WITH ME: Disjointed mess, or underrated psychological horror masterpiece? Why not both? We review David Lynch's critically panned Twin Peaks prequel, learning more about Laura Palmer, Cheryl Lee's AMAZING performance, and what it has to say about trauma, abuse, and the nature of Bob and Leland. Plus, more thoughts on our upcoming Twin Peaks: The Return episode! 

Marvel's BLACK PANTHER is having a moment. A critical, cultural moment. We talk (as best as two white men can) about the sheer joy and excitement of this film, how Black Panther transcends the typical Marvel superhero formula, the joy that is Shuri, Killmonger's complicated trauma and ideology, and more! Let us know what you thought of Black Panther! Get us at on Facebook or Twitter anytime, earbuds.

TWIN PEAKS. David Lynch and Mark Frost's original TV-series has been hailed as a classic for years. And now we've finally seen it! We talk the strange thematic depth of Twin Peaks' soap opera meets supernatural mind-bender vibe, the wild cast of characters, and the endless joy of Dale Cooper. Plus, dream logic, Laura Palmer, BOB, and more! And for the real PEAKS heads, stay tuned for our upcoming FIRE WALK WITH ME and TWIN PEAKS: THE RETURN episodes.

Netflix's AMERICAN VANDAL was a sleeper contender for the best show of 2017. It's a pitch perfect satire of the Netflix's own true crime shows (not to mention Serial), a legitimately interesting faux-mystery, and completely committed to dick jokes. But how can it possibly make all three work in harmony? Listen to find out! Plus, our theories on #WhoDidTheDicks. Let us know your American Vandal thoughts, and tell a friend about the show!

It's Hollywood's REAL biggest night! Help us celebrate all the good that 2017 had to offer as we look at the best movie, tv show, music, game, social media, and more of the year! How do you feel about The Good Place? Or Twin Peaks? Or Get Out? Well all these things and MORE may be discussed! Break out your fanciest dresswear, rock the red carpet, and meet us inside for a great time.

December brought us another STAR WARS! We talk THE LAST JEDI with keeper of the sacred texts, Tyler Heppell! Why is the movie so emotionally strong, and a little plot weak? Why are internet fanboys so mad about Rian Johnson's take on Luke Skywalker? How do we feel about porgs? When did Carrie Fisher make us cry? It's a mostly positive, fun Star Wars time - enjoy our first episode of 2018!

This Christmas, remember: SPOOKVEMBER NEVER SLEEPS! Celebrate the holiday season with our overdue review of Jordan Peele's amazing GET OUT! We talk a lot about how this movie articulates something that's difficult for two white men to really add anything of substance to. It's amazing, and fun, and funny, and everyone should see it. Happy holidays, earbuds!

THOR: RAGNAROK is Marvel's latest... and they've actually done an interesting, good movie! We talk about a lot during this episode, including Taika Waititi's influence on Marvel, the spectre of colonialism, and the abandonment of the Shakespearean-dramedy of the first Thor. But we also take time to celebrate the first Thor, because, seriously - We love Thor. Did you also enjoy this cosmic laugh factory?

Neil Gaiman's CORALINE was adapted into a film by Henry Selick and Laika studios in 2008... and why doesn't anyone talk about it? Erika Moen (OhJoySexToy.com! ErikaMoen.com!), DEAR friend of the show, joins us to discuss her time working on the film (!!!) and how its coming-of-age story connected to her own coming-of-adulthood. Plus, we talk about Coraline's AMAZING art style and visuals, compare it to Gaiman's original novel, and wonder why Wybie exists. We hope you enjoy this fun episode as much as we did! Let us know all your Coraline thoughts on Twitter at @TTYLshow. And if you have time, please leave a rating and review, and subscribe, won't you?

ZODIAC is David Fincher's best movie, and it's ten years old! For SPOOKVEMBER, we bring on Zodiac super-fan Andy Shirlaw to talk about what makes the movie great, the sharp performances of Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., and Mark Ruffalo, and discuss why a movie about obsession inspires similar obsession. Plus, a ROUSING game of "David Fincher: Are We Sure He's Good?"

COLOSSAL is an under the radar indie drama meets... kaiju battles? Anne Hathaway and Jason Sudekis star in this hard to pin down, but 100% enjoyable film that gets at abusive relationships, self-destructive behaviour, and even gamergate, all through the lens of giant monsters smashing around Seoul, Korea. Colossal is a bewildering, weird experience, but between the layered meaning, great ending, and suburban British Columbia backdrop, it gave us a lot to unpack.

IT 2017 was a smash spooky pre-Halloween hit! But its overly sanitized take on Stephen King's Derry, its citizens, and the thinks that make Pennywise scary didn't really move us. We talk scares, CGI, Stranger Things-comparisons, and more!

BLADE RUNNER 2049 is in theatres, so what better time than now to revisit BLADE RUNNER, the original 1982... masterpiece? We talk about Ridley Scott and Harrison Ford's cyperpunk dystopian neo-noir thriller, how it luxuriates in its Good+ setting, but is weighed down a little by it's Shit+ plot. But there's almost a whole other movie's worth of themes to discuss in the setting alone. Plus, bonus Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer thoughts!

THE LEFTOVERS wrapped up its final season a few months ago, but now we've both seen it! Chris still isn't in love with any of the characters, but appreciates what the show is trying to get at. Brian is still head over heels for it, and he's the one who writes these posts, so guess what? IT'S THE BEST SHOW WE'VE EVER SEEN! We talk about the final season, Carrie Coon and Justin Theroux's great performances, and whether the myth of Kevin Garvey moved us.

The road is at its end. THAT THING YOU LIKE's 200TH EPISODE EXTRAVAGANZA is here! Of all the Vancouver podcasts, this is one of them! We talk about our experience with the show over 4+ years, how it's changed us, what we love about it, and more. Thanks to you, dear dear DEAR listeners for making the show what it is, and an extra special thanks to earbuds who sent in questions. We love you all, and see you next week for Episode 201: IT. Let us know what you thought of episode 200, and send your IT questions to us @TTYLshow!

GAME OF THRONES shifted into high gear during season 7, and served up a steaming hot plate of action, dragon battles, character twists, and more. So... why did it all feel so flat? We review the plot packed, but a little underwhelming season, talk about Jon and Dany, Tyrion being dumb all of the sudden, and more. Next week is a very special 200TH EPISODE! Send us your questions about That Thing You Like, our thoughts on continuing to make it, and more at @TTYLshow on Twitter!

SPIDER-MAN HOMECOMING marks the third Spider-Man franchise, but the first under Marvel. Released to mostly rave reviews, it features a fun high school focus, a diverse cast, and some nice acting from Tom Holland and Michael Keaton. So why did one of us not love it? We argue about character arcs, effective Spider-Man storytelling, and the Marvel formula on the ROAD TO EPISODE 200!