The Franchisees

They made the chimps watch too much LiveLeak and it infected them with Rage, cut to 28 days later and the entire British Isle is fucked. That's right, we're getting our MiniDV cams out and going back to the glorious days of post-9/11 with 28 DAYS LATER. This film reinvented a genre when it came out... but how does it hold up now?Joining us are the three lads from a new screening series in Toronto: Truth and Dare. Each month Nick Armstrong, Adam Bovoletis, and Sacha Kingston-Wayne program cutting-edge documentaries that challenge the idea of what a doc needs to be. Before we talk about this weeks film we also discuss some recent stuff we've been watching: VULCANIZADORA, THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME, MOUNTAINHEAD, and of course the actual first film in this franchise, the Sandra Bullock comedy 28 DAYS. Adam also walks us through his 29th birthday movie marathon and we all try out Shaq-a-licious XL gummies to determine whether or not they truly taste like Shaq.Come see Ben's film CHERUB next week on June 22nd at 3pm at the Paradise Theatre and then head to the latest Truth and Dare screening TREASURED STACKS OF JODIE MACK, a retrospective of the incomparable experimental filmmaker Jodie Mack. That screening is also on June 22nd at 7pm at CineCycle, PWYC.CHERUB tickets: https://www.goelevent.com/FOFS/e/CherubTREASURED STACKS OF JODIE MACK info: https://theseventhart.org/treasured-stacks-of-jodie-mack/Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

So it's come to this... the FINAL RECKONING. We've had so many reckonings over this series but this is the last one, we promise. To help us process this reckoning we've enlisted friend of the show, past + future + current guest, and musician extraordinaire Rob McLay. There's much to talk about but before we get into the film we also discuss some other movies we've been watching lately: THE SWIMMER, BAD SHABBOS, SCARFACE, and two less-than classic Tom Cruise vehicles KNIGHT AND DAY and THE MUMMY.MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - THE FINAL RECKONING is such a strange film; an awkward, unwieldy, exposition beast that also has two of the greatest action set pieces in the series (and cinema) history. We're all still processing the silliness so in many ways this podcast episode is more our own attempt at clarity than it is a review for you the listener. All the same, I'm sure you'll enjoy it! Join us next week for a new franchise: 28 DAYS LATERFollow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

We're back and we're talking about MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - DEAD RECKONING PART ONE, the first reckoning of an epic two-part reckoning. Ben remembers enjoying this one back in theatres in 2023, Alex has never seen it. Does it hold up? Is it a mess? Is the franchise past its prime???Before we answer these questions (and more!) we also talk about the Cannes Film Festival and some other films we've been watching: FINAL DESTINATION BLOODLINES, A BETTER MAN, THE MONKEY, THE SHROUDS, FLIGHT RISK, M. BUTTERFLY, IMPERIAL GREEN (and more!)Next week, the second and final (?) reckoning and last film of the franchise (?) - MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - THE FINAL RECKONINGFollow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

We're back, Ben's been fired and replaced with friend of the pod/past and future guest Jordan Seccareccia, and Ethan Hunt saves the world again. We're talking MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - FALLOUT, what some consider the zenith of the franchise. Who are those some? Why your good friends Jordan and Ben. Will they be able to convince Alex to join the Fallout team? It's our most impossible mission yet!We don't talk about any other movies on this episode (save for Jordan's brief review of the new FINAL DESTINATION flick) but Ben regales us about his trip to New York City, telling us of all the wonderful celebrities he rubbed shoulders with.Next week, the first part of a two-part finale... or is it?... DEAD RECKONING PART ONE.Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

We're back, we've formed a Rogue Nation whatever that is and we have two very special guests leading the revolution: Corporal Niko Block of the Fail Army (and AWOL social media coordinator of The Franchisees) and Dr. Yuki, foremost scholar of and PhD-haver in Tom Cruise Studies. We also talk about some other movies such as WARFARE, SINNERS, CHILDREN OF MEN, BETWEEN THE LINES, and PYAASA. Then, Dr. Yuki shares her Top 5 Cruise Performances, followed by the similar but different Top 5 Sexiest Cruise Performances. What films will make the list? Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to listen and find out!Join us next week for MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - FALLOUT, what some (Ben) consider the zenith of the franchise.Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

Three incredible artistic talents came together at the beginning of the millennium to create an astounding work of art: Tom Cruise, John Woo, and Limp Bizkit... together they produced MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2 and we thank them every goddamn day of our lives.We're back to discuss M: I 2 with connoisseur of early 2000s cinema/vibes Katherine Vienneau. We've got the Chimera Virus, we've got Thandiwe Newton, we've got Dougray Scott oh my god we've got Dougray Scott. We've got masks galore, we've got sexual Tom Cruise having sexual sex, we've got at least a little bit of that classic John Woo doves and slo-mo and heroic bloodshed. We also pay our respects to Val Kilmer, Rest in Peace, and our disrespects to former friend of the show Paul Schrader, Rest in Piss. We talk about a very special Buckcherry appearance at Woodstock '99, and also recount our favourite Val Kilmer movies (TOP SECRET!, THE DOORS, THE SALTON SEA, and REAL GENIUS). Alex also tells us about the latest British comedy THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND which, unfortunately, sets up Ben to do sevearl Carey Mulligan impressions.Join us next week for MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III (Roman numerals this time, nice)Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to listen to this podcast. Please listen to it, please! Please accept the mission, we love you and we accept you, won't you accept us?? MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, the 1996 Cruise-De Palma classic! What can you say? Well, one of us likes it and the other is lukewarm. Still, it's nice to huff that new franchise smell!Before we talk about M:I and Tom Cruise and Brian De Palma, Ben fills us in on his recent trip to the BFI Flare Film Festival in jolly old London, England. He also shares his Top 5 Most British People he met.We talk about lots and lots of other movies on this episode, including CHILLY SCENES OF WINTER, THE ELECTRIC STATE, BLACK BAG, HEAT, PRINCESS MONONOKE, THE BOY FRIEND, VENGEANCE IS MINE, THE STUNT MAN, GIRL 6, and we even talk a little TV as Alex has recently watched ADOLESCENCE.Next week do join us for the classic John Woo/nü-metal sequel MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2!Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

Three desperate men on a sweaty search for gold... sounds like this podcast, baby! We're back with the final episode in our Dollars Trilogy series, THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY. Joining us is our good friend Jordan Seccareccia, thereby mirroring and completing the titular trio. Which one of us is good, which one is bad, and which one is ugly? Or are we each perhaps some odd combination? You'll have to listen to find out!We also talk about lots and lots of other movies, including new and recent releases like MICKEY 17, SEVEN VEILS, FLIGHT RISK, BLACK BAG, JUROR #2, as well as old classics like UNFORGIVEN, AMADEUS, SEVEN SAMURAI, and JULIEN DONKEY-BOY.There's also a years-in-the-making payoff partway through the episode that you won't want to miss!Next week, new franchise - Mission: Impossible! Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to listen and rate and review and subscribe.Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

The Man with No Name is back and this time his name is Manco and he has a friend Morty (played by Chief Van Cleef). They are in love and express that love by shooting each other's hats!FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE is the bigger, better, and richer sequel to last week's A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS. Your hosts are joined by a special guest, friend of the pod Max. Max rode into town on a pale horse, joined us at the campfire, ate some beans, and spun us an old cowboy tune.We also talk about Alex and Max's favourite film THE BIKERIDERS, and some other stuff we've been watching like CABARET, THE EXTERMINATING ANGEL, and PRIME CUT (RIP Gene Hackman)Join us next for week for the exciting conclusion of the Dollars Trilogy, THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY. Perhaps another lonesome cowboy will drift into our ranch and join us for an impromptu Sergio Leone filmography ranking. You'll have to listen to see who (it's Jordan)You can follow The Franchisees on Twitter and Instagram @thefranchisees or email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com 

A man... of few words. A man... with a poncho. A man... with no name. Although perhaps he does have a name and it's Joe but that's not important. We're doing the Dollars Trilogy aka The Man With No Name Trilogy, a series of spaghetti westerns directed by master filmmaker Sergio Leone and starring the god Clint Eastwood. Before we talk about the film we also discuss what we've been watching recently: THE GORGE, WOMAN OF THE HOUR, and 47 RONIN. Ben is back from Halifax and Alex is back from Mexico. How were their trips? Acceptable!Join us next week for the 2nd instalment in the Dollars Trilogy, FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE. How many dollars more? You'll have to listen to find out, you should know that by now!You can follow The Franchisees on Twitter and Instagram @thefranchisees or email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

This episode is dedicated to Forky. We're back with the fourth instalment of the TOY STORY franchise, the appropriately titled TOY STORY 4. 2019 was a lifetime ago, almost long enough to ask the question "does this movie hold up?" Yes, it's pretty good!Ben is a little "turnt up" in this episode so be warned!Join us next week for the cash-grab conclusion of the TOY STORY franchise, LIGHTYEAR.You can follow The Franchisees on Twitter and Instagram @thefranchisees or email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com 

It's a wonderful night for Oscar, Oscar Oscar, who will win?You, the listeners... that's who wins. Because it's our annual Best Movies of the Year episode hooray yay hooray! Alex and Ben talk about the year in cinema 2024 and countdown their favourite movies from #20 to #1. Get ready to here about all your favourite films and maybe even a few you haven't discovered yet. We won't spoil the lists but here's a sneak peek at a few movies we'll be discussing:A DIFFERENT MAN, LAST SUMMER, THE BRUTALIST, CHALLENGERS, HARD TRUTHS, FURIOSA, MATT AND MARA, RED ROOMS, EVIL DOES NOT EXIST, I SAW THE TV GLOW, MEGALOPOLIS, NICKEL BOYS, ODDITY, and many more!Enjoy the Oscars tonight and we'll see you next week for our regularly scheduled episode on TOY STORY 4.You can follow The Franchisees on Twitter and Instagram @thefranchisees or email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com 

We're back with the beloved third entry in the TOY STORY franchise. Alex and Ben were very close to Andy's age when they first saw the film... needless to say, it hit them like a ton of bricks. Will this poignant and beautiful film still pull on their now-jaded heartstrings? At least one of them, yes!We also talk about Pixar's stellar run and eventual decline, the possible real-life inspiration for Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear (John Lasseter), the Super Bowl, and a few other films we've been watching recently.Join us next week for TOY STORY 4,  film that has to justify its existence and does a pretty good job.Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

1999 was a legendary, leeeggggendary year for cinema. And animation is cinema, no matter what those film snobs tell you! Please, please for the love of god accept that animation is cinema so that Guillermo del Toro can take a break. The subject this week is TOY STORY 2, what some consider one of the greatest sequels of all time. Is it true? Does it hold up? Is it on the same level as the original? We're joined by special guest/friend of the pod Valerie Keaton to help us find out. We also talk Tim Heidecker, HARD TRUTHS, Doug Benson, and so much more. You can follow Valerie on Twitter @StealingValerie and on Letterboxd @ValerieKeaton. She also has a substack @valeriekeaton.Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

It's our 30th Franchise! Wow, time sure does fly when you're having fun... and there's nothing more fun than toys. What if these toys had a story of their own? Well you're in luck. Back in 1995, future-disgraced animator John Lasseter and company invented computers and used those computers to invent animation resulting in the first animated feature length computer animated feature film, TOY STORY. You know it, you love it, you've seen it. And we're podcasting about it I guess.We also talk about the Timmy 'Bob' Dylan biopic A COMPLETE UNKNOWN, snuff videos, Nicolae Ceaușescu, and beat boxing. Join us next week for the appropriately named sequel TOY STORY 2!Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

The Mick Travis trilogy concludes in hilarious, sometimes baffling fashion. We also talk about EMILIA PÉREZ, HARD TRUTHS, "trade wars" and "juice lips"Join us next week for a new franchise: TOY STORY

Mick Travis is back in O LUCKY MAN!, at least some version of Mick Travis. Join him on an epic journey through the hellish and bizarre landscape of 70s Britain. From coffee salesman to superstar, and many stops along the way. This is a sprawling state-of-the-nation film akin to SOUTHLAND TALES or maybe I'm just making that comparison to get you to watch it, it's hard to tell. We also take a look at what appear to be some pretty boring Oscar nominations and talk about some other movies we've been watching.Join us next for the conclusion of Lindsay Anderson's MickTril, BRITANNIA HOSPITALFollow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

wow jeez sorry it's late again ahh jeez guys I'm really running out of excuses here!please enjoy this episode on Lindsay Anderson's 1968 film IF...., not to be confused with the disgusting John Krasinski's IF (2024) and the even more disgusting Marvel's WHAT IF... ?we also take time to talk about the life and work of our beloved David Lynch who passed away earlier this week. sometime soon we promise we'll do a full David Lynch episode where we needlessly rank his entire filmography.join us next week for the 2nd film in the Mick Travis trilogy, O LUCKY MAN!

Sorry it's late again folks I keep getting burgled and I'm not even half as smart as any of these kids man like I can't build any of these traps I am struggling to defend myself my home is a shambles they took everything man they took everything they took my DVDs they took my Blu-rays man they took my 4K UHDs they took it all and I did nothing I just stood there and watched like a fucking jackass because I couldn't assemble a single trap I didn't even have to come up with any concepts I just tried to remember the ones from these movies but I couldn't figure out how to build any of them because I'm an idiot ok I'm an idiot I know that and I just keep getting my shit burgled I've been burgled like 3 times in the past month mananyway thank god this franchise is over, next week we're doing our most requested and highly anticipated franchise yet...

Sorry it's late, please forgive me I was left home alone and had to defend myself against the flu.

Released in the shadow of America's darkest hour, HOME ALONE 4 teaches us all to live again, to laugh again, to love again. Do dark hours have shadows? Only time will tell.New kid again, this is definitively not "the boy" but he is playing a boy we are all familiar with: Kevin McCallister. Some things have changed (his parents are divorced) while some things remain the same (he ends up home alone with burglars again) This is a divisive film for us on this episode... is it a bad movie? ... or is it the movie that healed a nation? If HOME ALONE 3 inadvertently caused 9/11... does HOME ALONE 4 fix it? It does not, it cannot... and yet it tries all the same.Join us next week for another made-for-television sequel HOME ALONE: THE HOLIDAY HEIST. Even more made-for-TV than this one if you can believe it. Sir Malcolm McDowell stars.Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

HOME ALONE 3, new kid, new world, new film, new life. Sometimes these are good things for a franchise. New means different, but does it also mean good? Hollywood megastar Alex D. Linz takes over from ol' has-been Culkin. There are 4 bad guys attacking from all fronts. They're after the chip Morty. People fall down and go boom. John Hughes wrote it. Much to consider and talk about!We also saw QUEER, one of us liked it and one of us didn't... listen to find out. And, as per the title, make sure to listen so you can hear Ben fart on mic. It's a Christmas Miracle, live and uncut!Merry Christmas to all and to all home alone you are alone for a reason it's because no one likes you. 500 FranchCoins in everyone's crypto wallets today!Join us next week for the made-for-television sequel HOME ALONE 4, perhaps the strangest Home Alone of them all.Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

New York City baby! Greatest city in the whole fucking world! All I'm gonna say is this city needs less Kevin McCallisters and more Luigi MangionesHome Alone 3 next, Roger Ebert's favourite. Join us then, won't you?

 Ho Ho Ho! Or should I say Ho Ho Home Alone? I've already said it, it's too late to take it back. I might even say it again. Ho Ho Home Alone. It's December and Christmas is looming over us all. Have you bought your presents? Have you left any of your children home alone? We're doing the Home Alone franchise. Get ready for family friendly extreme violence. Get ready for Macaulay Culkin and a small dose of Kieran Culkin. It's a beloved Christmas Classic, what can you say?Join us next week for the similarly beloved sequel, HOME ALONE 2: LOST IN NEW YORK! Kevin gets lost again but this time in New York and he meets Donald Trump and he murders the bandits and he works at a hotel just like Ben.Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

Midley Scott, Didley Squat, call him what you want. But the important thing is that he's still out there delivering consistent 2-3 star bores. And that means something. Show him so goddamned respect. GLADIATOR II is here and we are not unlike the cheering crowds in the coliseum... thirsty for bloodshed and desperate to be entertained. And were we not entertained? Well no not particularly. This sequel 24 years in the making doesn't capture the magic of the original (a film neither Alex nor Ben really liked in the first place). But Denzel Washington is in this one and he's having fun and we really do love to see it. Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal... well they're here too.Sleigh bells ring and we're listening, new franchise time and it's glistening. That's right, it''s December now so we're celebrating the holidays with a certified Christmas classic (followed by a series of increasingly less classic sequels). Join us next week for HOME ALONE! Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

The year is 2000 and the world is captivated by the return of the sword and sandal epic... who is this mysterious Australian man Russell Crowe? And most importantly, will we be entertained?? Gladiator I hardly know 'er Gladiator I'm glad he ate her and so on, and now that we've got that over and done with let's get really serious for a second: this episode was still recorded pre-Trump's reelection (lol, lmao) and yet both Ben and Alex are in a deep November depressive funk. This is a shorter episode and also a little low energy but still lots of fun.Join us next week for GLADIATOR II which (tbh I have seen already but am going to pretend like I haven't while writing this) could be good!Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

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The second in Bergman's thematic trilogy, WINTER LIGHT is about the silence of God... and whomst amongst us isn't dealing with that these days? This is an incredible film that we hope you watch and enjoy, and while we are two Silly Boys we try out best to approach it seriously and honestly. Most of this episode is Ben ranting and raving about how much he loved the film so be prepared for that. We'll see you next for THE SILENCE... sure to be more silence of God in that one!Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

Halloween in November yet again! Every year Alex, Ben, and our other friend also named Ben get together to do a horror movie marathon. Last year we decided to turn it into a podcast and this year we did it again just real special like for all you loyal listeners!We discuss the following spooky movies: HAXAN, BLACK SABBATH, THE BOXER'S OMEN, STIGMATA, and HIGH TENSION.Join us, boils and ghouls, for a very special boo-nus episode that is guaranteed to send shivers down your spine and make you piss your pants in fright! 

From BAD BOYS to the "bad boy" of Swedish cinema... from HUMAN CENTIPEDE to the Spider God... that's right, it's a dark November of the Soul with friend of the pod, future guest(?) Ingmar Bergman.Alex and Ben are tackling some real cinema for a change with Bergman's "Silence of God" trilogy. Wish us luck! Our first film of the series is 1961's THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY. How will the silly boys talk about such a serious film? I'm sure you'll be delighted to find out!Next week we are covering the second film in this thematic trilogy, WINTER LIGHT. Join us then for more wacky times!Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

it's a spooky and fright-tastic bonus episode for you on Scary Wednesday ooooh!Ben went to some film festivals with CHERUB and it was spooooky ahhhh! and he talks about how scary it is to be a famous Hollywood celebrity OooOooOOOOoooo!and then Ben and Alex talk (from beyond the grave) about some of the absolutely bone-chilling horror films they've been watching this October oh ah oh no I'm afraid I will die and no one will remember me fondly oh noooo! I'm afraid I wasted my life watching mooooovies ohhhh noooo!enjoy or die + rot in piss!

Dubbel zoveel! Verdubbel de pis! Het is HUMAN CENTIPEDE 2 (FULL SEQUENCE)! Alex en Ben zijn terug met een speciale gast en shit-expert Sam Edwards om het beruchte vervolg op de toch al beruchte eerste film te bespreken. Is deze film gestoorder dan het origineel? Is het grover en grappiger? Is het op zijn minst een esthetische verbetering? Je zult moeten luisteren om erachter te komen! Kom volgende week naar ons toe voor het laatste deel van de Human Centipede-franchise!

Scheiße! Alex und Ben gehen Arsch-zu-Mund! Genau, es ist ein neues Franchise... THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE. Vom niederländischen Regisseur Tom Six stammt dieses berüchtigte und abscheuliche Schock-O-Rama. Ist der Film wirklich gut oder ist er nur voller Scheiße? Seien Sie nächste Woche beim zweiten Teil der Reihe dabei, dem Meta THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE 2 (VOLLSTÄNDIGE SEQUENCE).Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

Ladies and gentlemen... I've traveled over half our province to be here tonight. I couldn't get away sooner because my new podcast was coming out on Spotify and I had to see about it. That podcast is now flowing at two thousand barrels of content and it's paying me an income of five thousand dollars a week. I have two others recording and I have sixteen producing at Apple; so, ladies and gentlemen, if I say I'm a podcast man, you will agree. Now, you have a great chance here, but bear in mind, you can lose it all if you're not careful. Out of all men that beg for a chance to record your voice, maybe one in twenty will be podcastmen; the rest will be speculators - that's men trying to get between you and the podcastmen - to get some of the money that ought by rights come to you. Even if you find one that has money and means to podcast, he'll maybe know nothing about podcasting and he'll have to hire the job out on contract, and then you're depending on a contractor who'll rush the job through so he can get another contract just as quick as he can. This is... the way that this works.I do my own recording, and the men that work for me work for me. And they're men I know. I make it my business to be there and to see their work. I don't lose my microphones in the couch and spend months fishing for them; I don't botch the recording off and let noise in the file and ruin the whole session. I'm a family man. I run a family business. This is my son and my partner, Slappy Pappy.Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

It's that time of the year again (or at least it was when we recorded this, we're getting really far ahead which is great and much more convenient for us, we are busy adult guys with lives after all!) that's right, Toronto Air Show time! Cower in fear at the display of our military's might! Please excuse us as we get frustrated throughout the episode with planes buzzing by.BAD BOYS FOR LIFE jeez what can you say, it's a classic. No silly, of course it isn't but it's not as bad as you might think. The titular bad boys are back and this time? They're old! New directors Adil & Bilall direct with pizzaz and the humour and rapport between the guys can be fun. Is it another cynical legacy sequel yes you bet your ass it is but it's decent enough fun and also very violent!Charles Melton? Get his ass in the fridge then why don't you!Join us next week for the final Bad Boys film, BAD BOYS: RIDE OR DIE. Listener, I think it's one of our best (stupidest) episodes yet.Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

Bad Boys II, Bad Boys II, whatcha gonna do when they Bad Boys II?We're back with perhaps the ultimate Bayhem experience, the purest expression of what purile pop American cinematic entertainment can offer: BAD BOYS IIA truly repellent and maximalist film, one that has to be seen to be believed. What did Alex and Ben think of it? Before you find out you'll have to listen to our discussion on another great Bad Boy of cinema, Caveh Zahedi. Your hosts went to a two-day screening of his most recent works (in progress) and got to meet the man himself. Are these two threads connected in the episode... not particularly but we think it's funny that it worked out this way.Next week we're diving into the Bad Boys legacy sequels with the confusingly title third entry BAD BOYS FOR LIFE. Here we will first bring up The Slap before a very Slap-heavy finale the week after.Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

BONUS BONUS BONUS!It's a special episode for you recapping 2024's Toronto International Film Festival, the festival of festivals, the greatest cultural event in Canada, the only reason to stay alive, the glitz and glamour and stars, it's hot, it's happening, it's here for you to listen to on a Thursday and you can pretend like you were there too!Ben and Alex saw one movie together and it was pretty good! Ben saw a bunch more though, don't worry. Movies! Celebrities! Amy Adams! And more!

Bad Boys Bad Boys/Whatcha gonna do?/Whatcha gonna do when they podcast you? ayyyy what is this blank freakin' check with Griffin and frickin' David ovah heah???No. It is The Franchisees with Ben and Alex you fucking moron. Welcome back! We're doing the first film in a brand new franchise: BAD BOYS. Michael Bay's first feature film... does he "have the sauce" yet? is it a "dudes rock" classic? does it "rip" or "fuck" or whatever other film twitter bro description??? You'll have to listen to find out!Before we talk Will & Martin, your hosts discuss another Bad Boy of cinema: Caveh Zahedi. We promise this will be close to the last time he comes up... he's really gonna come up on BAD BOYS II but then less so, scouts honour. In this episode we talk about his film THE SHEIK AND I and his groundbreaking and evil magnum opus THE SHOW ABOUT THE SHOW.Next week we're back with more Caveh Zahedi uh er I mean BAD BOYS with BAD BOYS II. If your gonna watch just one Bad Boy Movie, make it this one!Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

Whoops! Forgot to upload this... blaming it on having a bad case of TIFF fever. I will update this description soon!

300 romans like the trojans 300 greeks fucking yeomans 300 kanye's bipolar emotions that's right baby we're back, The Franchisees are back with past and future and current guest Katherine Vienneau to discuss the second film from "vulgar auteur" Zack Snyder, 300. We're talking King Leonidas, we're talking Xerxes, we're talking Fassbender, Wenham, hunchback, kicked messenger, boy loving Athenians, Frank Miller, racism, Orientalism, virtual production, speed ramping, homoeroticism, and so on.This episode was recorded out of order so Ben and Alex don't have any movies to round up but Katherine sure does! Hear her thoughts on local favourite THE PEE PEE POO POO MAN and her disappointment with THE PEOPLE'S JOKER.Join us next week for the long-gap sequel to 300, 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE. Who knows... maybe it's good? It made some decent money back in the day but who is watching it now? All these questions and more will be answered.Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

Franchises were a mistake... it's time to admit it. No matter how great the original film is, eventually the rights will be purchased by Disney and they will make slop. Will we eat the slop? Yes... because we are pigs. But will we like it? Disney and Weyland-Yutani are not concerned with the answer to that question.We're back with the latest and (as of this publishing) last entry in the Alien series ALIEN: ROMULUS. Ben and Alex are joined by Generative AI CGI Jordan to help them along their journey. All our chips were on this movie... did it pay off? Or were the boys fooled by the marketing department again? Listen and find out!We also talk about Alex and Ben's Wacky Movie Weekend where went to the theatre together to a bunch of films. ALIEN: ROMULUS talk starts around the 40 minute mark.Next week we'll be doing the very stupid and not particularly relevant series 300! Friend of the pod and past and future guest Katherine Vienneau joins us to talk Zack Snyder's original.Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

BONUS BONUS BONUS!Do you like the part of the episode where we talk about the movies we've watched before we get to the main movie of the week? Well strap in buddy, because that's allllllll we're doing this episode!Ben and Alex have been apart on (separate) summer vacation(s) and boy howdy do they have a lot of movies to round up. Enjoy this special bonus episode! We watch too many movies, especially Ben.Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

All our chips were on ALIEN: COVENANT baby, it's all on red, it's in gods hands now... so did it pay off? Well yes and no. Ben and Alex agree: it's a step up from PROMETHEUS and Ridley's gothic horror haunted house double android surprise is awfully good fun. What a strange franchise... we've had fun though haven't we folks.During the Weekly Movie Roundup™, Alex and Ben talk about some great films like SMOOTH TALK, ODDITY, THE CIVIL DEAD, END OF EVANGELION, and THE EMPEROR'S NAKED ARMY MARCHES ON. There's also an extended discussion on the strange and highly sus world of pedophile hunters. We talk about the film around the 50 minute mark.Join us next week for the final film in our Alien series: ALIEN ROMULUS... all our chips are on ALIEN ROMULUS and apparently it fucking sucks what do we do oh god my family needs to eat and I blew everything betting on this dumb movie franchise oh god oh man oh god oh man...Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

The earth was young when Prometheus, the clever Titan, created all the living creatures from a mixture of earth and water. From his imagination, he fashioned birds for the air, fish for the sea and animals for the land. However, from the image of the immortal gods, he fashioned man. Bad idea!Join us we talk about Prometheus the Titan and PROMETHEUS the Ridley Scott film. I'm sure there's a bunch of other nonsense we talk about but I edited this one awhile ago and I forgot! Rest assured, we eventually talk about the film about halfway through the episode. Is this film better than its mixed reputation suggests? Did our bets pay off... or are we placing all our chips on ALIEN: COVENANT? You'll have to listen to find out!Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

200 years after ALIEN 3 Brad Dourif clones Sigourney Weaver to extract an alien from her tummy. Thus sets the stage for the wackiest, goopiest, frenchiest ALIEN film yet. Revered French clown Jean-Pierre Jeunet directs and megahack Joss Whedon writes the cringe dialogue. Our good buddy and comedian extraordinaire Joel Edmiston joins us again to talk about one of his favourite films in the ALIEN franchise, ALIEN RESURRECTION. Before we get down to business we also talk about the big new summer release, DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE. Why did we see it? We saw it for you. To make content for you. Remember that. Alex talks LONGLEGS while Joel talks THE ADVENTURES OF ROCKY & BULLWINKLE.ALIEN RESURRECTION talk starts around 49 minutes. Enjoy!Join us next week for the return of Midley Ridley Scott and his ponderous big ideas prequel PROMETHEUS. Are the boys PRO-METHEUS or ANTI-METHEUS? Well I'm sure you can probably guess but still, you'll have to listen to find out!Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

ALIEN 3, from the twisted mind of David Fincher...? Well no, not really. From the twisted minds of 20th Century Fox more like it. And we're all worse off because of it! ALIEN 3 is a really interesting movie with a fascinatingly flawed production history. While Alex and Ben didn't particularly like it, they definitely recommend you watch it and then watch the epic making of documentary found in its true and complete form only on the blu-ray, WRECKAGE AND RAGE: THE MAKING OF ALIEN 3.Before we talk about the film this week we have to catch up on what is really old news at this point: the assassination attempt on Donald J. Trump. The FBI, the CIA, even CSIS have all been knocking on our podcast studio door trying to get us to explain why the failed assassin was a devoted listener to the show... unfortunately we don't have the answers but we do have a message of unity that we think will heal the divided nation of America. We also talk about other films we've watched recently such as NOWHERE, GHOST IN THE SHELL 2: INNOCENCE, LAST SUMMER, LONGLEGS, and THE BIKERIDERS.We start the ALIEN 3 talk around 40 minutes in. Enjoy!Join us next week for a little trip to France... Space France that is - it's Jean-Pierre Jeunet's silly, gory, and sort of good(?) fourth film in the ALIEN franchise, ALIEN RESURRECTION. Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com

James Cameron, hot off the success of THE TERMINATOR, makes one of the greatest sequels of all time: ALIEN$... and a franchise was born!What can you say... it's a classic. But do Alex and Ben like it? I know you're all waiting to hear what Alex and Ben have to say about ALIEN$. Here's a preview: we like it fine! It just is not the type of movie that does much for us. But it's also a highly influential film and a peak of 80s action cinema so what do we know? Join us next week for the #twisted third entry in the ALIENS franchise, ALIEN 3 directed by David Fincher. Follow us @thefranchisees on Instagram and Twitter and email us at thefranchiseespod@gmail.com