Category: Season 09

It’s another guitarcast!  Tony on the bass and Adam David on guitar.  If this is your first time, 334c is the one that sounds the closest to a regular episode.  Enjoy!

There are 3 different versions of this episode.

• Version A: Split Audio/Stereo (This version) – If you listen to this version, you’ll hear our voices in your left ear and the guitars in the right.
• Version B: Mixed Audio/Mono – If you listen to this version, you’ll hear both our voices and the music in either ear (or both).
• Version C: Voice Only/Mono – If you listen to this version, you’ll hear just our voices.  This one is shorter because I cut out the pauses where we are playing our instruments.  You might also hear some background string plucking that our vocal mics picked up.

Join the gang as they discuss the 2013 film In a World.

• Directed by Lake Bell
• Written by Lake Bell
• Starring Lake Bell, Fred Melamed, Rob Corddry, Ken Marino, Demitri Martin, Nick Offerman

In a World is the writing and directing debut from Lake Bell, super-cute and funny chick who you’ve seen as the best friend in terrible romantic comedies, Children’s Hospital, and more. She stars as Carol, a voice coach who wants to come out from behind her successful father’s shadow and break into the movie trailer business, specifically the use of the famous movie trailer phrase “In a world…” made famous by Don LaFontaine.

Worth noting:

• Thoughts on the movie? The premise was good but, you know, not great. It’s a little sitcom-y.
• Halloween and stuff.
• Moustache-less Nick Offerman will haunt your dreams.
• Voter turnout: were you aware that, in Washington state, we vote by mail? It’s pretty sweet. Write your legislator and ask for this because it improves voting by a million percent. Science!
• Hot network TV talk for nerds.
• Hot calculus talk for those of you who WEREN’T English majors.

Featured in this episode:

• Tony
• David

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Join the gang as they discuss the 2012 film Robot and Frank.

• Directed by Jake Schreier
• Written by Christopher D. Ford
• Starring Frank Langella, James Marsden, Liv Tyler, Peter Sarsgaard, Susan Sarandon

Robot and Frank continues the near-future sci-fi tradition and adds the extra cool element of Frank Langella who has a tendency to pop up in movies and take things over. Langella plays the titular Frank, a retired burgler whose son gives him a domestic robot to help him around the house since he’s suffering from Dementia. Frank learns, though, that this robot can help him steal things again.

Worth noting:

• This season of Dr. Who may be super racists. Let’s investigate the clues.
• Accidental Racist insurance. Let’s talk about how we need this.
• David already has an organge jumpsuit and nobody is surprised.
• When littler girls say dirty words, it’s really funny. We’ve verified this.
• Uncanny cat parallels to movies discussed. Because cats.

Featured in this episode:

• Tony
• Darrell
• David

Featured videos:

Racism insurance

Little Girls Dropping F-Bombs for Equality

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Join the gang as they discuss the 2013 film Pit Stop.

• Directed by Yen Tan
• Written by David Lowery, Yen Tan
• Starring Bill Heck, Bailey Bass, Marcus DeAnda, Yesenia Garcia

A long-time listener suggested the BSP crew take a gander at this small, gay romance movie. It’s short and was described as belonging on the Lifetime network. It’s a short, small feature where nobody dies of AIDS (refreshing), and tells the story of Gabe and Ernesto, two men in a gay romance in a small Texas town.

Worth noting:

• Archon was nice and debaucherous, just the way we like it.
• Room parties at Archon this year were out of control. Still, we raised upwards of $1500 for breast cancer.
• There’s still time to donate to Sausagefest. Lots of lovely gifts available.
• Also, come out to Sasuagefest next year. We had people travel in from as far away as Seattle (hey, that’s me! –writer) and Tampa. It’s guaranteed to be a good time.
• Vampire’s Codex RPG

Featured in this episode:

• Tony
• Darrell

Our lil Stingray… Awww

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Join the gang as they discuss the 1974 film The Longest Yard.

• Directed by Robert Aldrich
• Written by Keenan Wynn (screenplay) and Albert S. Ruddy (story)
• Starring Burt Reynolds, Eddie Albert, Ed Lauter, Bernadette Peters

Let’s start this summary out with a warning. Do not, under any circumstances, confuse this film with the 2005 film of the same name starring Adam Sandler. The Sandler version stars Nelly and is miserably awful. Then again, The Burt Reynolds version ain’t exactly Citizen Kane but still has the effervescent charm and bushy moustache of Burt Reynolds. The Longest Yard tells the story of Paul “Wrecking” Crewe, an NFL player convicted of drinking and driving who begins a football team behind bars at the behest of the evil and football-obsessed warden. Hilarity ensues.

Worth noting:

• Sausagefest is still coming. Don’t forget to donate. Ask Siri for a reminder if you’re into that sort of thing.
• Part of the Recently Dead Guy series because of the recent death of Richard Kiel.
• Why are football players given a pass? This movie has modern parallels.
• You need an appropriate amount of gut hang over your pants. Listen to learn more.
• Let’s talk about how much the NFL sucks.
• The Longest Yard doesn’t hold up well and really shows its age.
• The possible Green Acres update in Seattle and possible jealousy over Seattle being the most awesome place ever.
• An alternate explanation for Lord of the Rings. Minds blown.

Featured in this episode:

• Tony
• Darrell
• David

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Join the gang as they discuss the 1997 film Boogie Nights.

• Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
• Written by Paul Thomas Anderson
• Starring Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Moore, Burt Reynolds, Heather Graham, John C. Reilly, Don Cheadle, William H. Macy, Luis Guzmán

Boogie Nights is the 1997 breakout success from Paul Thomas Anderson, famous for his long, dramatic movies about the human condition (Magnolia, The Master, and There Will Be Blood followed Boogie Nights in fulfilling PTA’s dream of bleak and strange worlds in a 2+ hour running time). Considered maybe one of PTA’s best movies, Boogie Nights tells the story of Dirk Diggler, based loosely on the real-life story of John Holmes, a busboy in L.A. who turns into a porn star in the ’70s, ends up with a drug habit, and turns to crime on some poor advice from “friends” who are energetic and sniffle a lot.

Worth noting:

• Sausagefest is still coming. Don’t forget to donate. Because bewbs.
• Starting off with football talk because it’s the most wonderful time of the year.
• The consensus is that the movie is well acted, technically brilliant, and receives bonus points for having Luis Guzmán.
• The upsides of global warming and global destruction!
• Neil Degrasse Tyson has a soothing mustache.

Featured in this episode:

• Tony
• Darrell
• David

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Join the gang as they discuss the 1990 film Awakenings.

• Directed by Penny Marshall
• Written by Steven Zaillian
• Starring Robert De Niro, Robin Williams, John Heard, Julie Kavner

Awakenings is the tearjerking offering from Penny Marshall all about what it means to get your life back and then lose it again, plenty of sad stuff especially now that Robin Williams is gone. Awakenings tells the story of a doctor who uses a drug on catatonic patients to make them mobile again, only to find that the drug has a limited window of time to work and thus all the patients eventually go back to their previous state. Based on Oliver Sacks’s book of the same name, Awakenings was nominated for three Academy Awards and garnernered high praise among critics. Also tissues. Mountains and mountains of tissues. Because tears. Tears, I say!

Worth noting:

• Sausagefest is still coming. Don’t forget to donate. Because bewbs.
• Sadly, this is a Recently Dead Guy podcast with the tragic passing of Robin Williams.
• This one is a weepy movie. Brace yourself.
• Spielberg was at one time attached to this movie and the movie retains that feeling.
• Robin Williams and Robert De Niro are great actors. We’re just going to keep restating the obvious because it’s true.
• Do the ice ball challenge for a good cause!

Featured in this episode:

• Tony
• Darrell

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Join the gang as they discuss the 2014 film Guardians of the Galaxy.

• Directed by James Gunn
• Written by James Gunn, Nicole Perlman
• Starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close, Benicio Del Toro, Peter Serafinowicz

Guardians of the Galaxy is the latest Marvel offering and a departure from their typical symphony of explosions that happen while superheroes walk away from them slowly in slow motion. In Guardians, director James Gunn—a St. Louis native—takes on a third tier comic book franchise with almost entirely new characters and takes a stab at doing a Marvel movie like one has never been done before. The results are epic: critically acclaimed, financially successful, and a well-rounded movie that can be enjoyed as an action adventure, a comedy, or both. Packed with stars and with perfect casting of Chris Pratt as the lead, Guardians tells the story of an unlikely band of characters, brought together to keep a powerful orb out of the hands of evil. You know, typical comic book stuff.

Worth noting:

• Gencon wrap-up: apparently, that guy didn’t actually die.
• Donate to Sausagefest! Lots of perks available, including some lovely movie posters (donated by Jolie who is in Seattle but still takes the time to write hilarious and awesome show notes for you… you’re welcome.)
• Bold opinions: David says it’s the best of the Marvel movies, hands down. It’s well loved all around.
• Also, Darrell is Groot. Because Groot.
• Highly accessible!
• Rocket is awesome even without a back story!
• This movie felt effortless and didn’t take itself too seriously which is why the story flowed so well and why it was better than other comic book movies.
• Also a big thumbs up to the soundtrack packed with cheesy rock goodness.

Featured in this episode:

• Tony
• Darrell
• David

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Join the gang as they discuss the 2013 film Perfume: The Story of a Murderer.

• Directed by Tom Tykwer
• Written by Andrew Birkin, Bernd Eichinger, Tom Tykwer
• Starring Ben Whishaw, Dustin Hoffman, Alan Rickman

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer is the highly stylized murder story from Tom Tykwer, German director who broke into international prominence with Run Lola Run and most recently co-directed Cloud Atlas. It’s slow, historical, and is a movie primarily about odor which is a trifecta of problems not dealt with by other movies. On this, we can give it credit for originality. On accounts of quality or watchability, reviews were mixed. Perfume tells the story of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, an 18th century man born into poverty in Paris who learns he has an amazing sense of smell. Strange things happen but, eventually, he starts killing people. A lof of people. That’s where it gets weird.

Worth noting:

• Life finds a way. Dr. Malcolm was right, dammit. People bang in subzero temperatures.
• Jolie likes this movie because the ending pays off hardcore.
• Tony disagrees for some reason and has some crackpot theory that it’s a fairy tale. You know, where a lot of people get murdered.
• Find out, if you want to, what all the head butting talk is all about.
• “I’m pooping and I have no escape route.” The wasp is coming for you.
• If you’re not slutty for George Clooney, you’re slutty for Cheech Marin.
• I’m a dragon.
• Jolie talks all about the big move to Seattle.
• If you don’t like the show notes, blame the ghost of Kurt Cobain.

Featured in this episode:

• Tony
• Darrell
• Jolie
• David

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Join the gang as they discuss the 2013 film Don Jon.

• Directed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt
• Written by Joseph Gordon-Levitt
• Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Tony Danza, Brie Larson

Don Jon is Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s directorial debut and he also wrote the script. The kid sure has grown up since he keeps showing up in good movies, so much so I only sometimes think about Tommy Solomon from Third Rock from the Sun. He’s been crushing as an actor (Inception, Lincoln, The Dark Knight Rises, Looper), but this one sits more squarely on him as creator. He did well: good movie, surprisingly more depth than we expected, and interesting character developments. JGL plays Jon, a Jersey-fied gym rat with a porn addiction. Then he meets Barbara and he thinks things are really turning around. Then it gets complicated, as it always does.

Worth noting:

• Don Jon surprised us by bringing up interesting questions and being much deeper than we anticipated. Surprisingly, it got straight male relationships right. It also has some interesting things to say about the idea of perfection, how adult relationships work, honesty, and all topics widely relatable.
• Watch for the curtains scene. We had a lot to say about it.
• The difference between porn for men and porn for women.
• Tony Danza: the man’s still got it.
• Why New Jersey? Could this movie be set anywhere else?
• Also, Julianne Moore: what an actress.
• Bechdel test and women in movies. Again. Ladies are important, too.
• Google “age of consent.” Trust us. You won’t be disappointed.
• Stop making up dumb elemental materials. Just don’t.

Featured in this episode:

• Tony
• Darrell
• Jolie
• Sam

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Join the gang as they discuss the 1957 film Attack of the Crab Monsters.

• Directed by Roger Corman
• Written by Charles B. Griffith
• Starring Richard Garland, Pamela Duncan, Russell Johnson

Attack of the Crab Monsters is the responsibility of Roger Corman, B movie producer extraordinaire and king of the paper mache monsters. This short 62 minute gem was made to be part of a double feature for the drive-in movie crowd and it’s obvious all expenses were spared. The story begins with a group of scientists traveling to a remote island which just happens to be populated with a mutated, giant crab monster. Just one, despite the title telling us otherwise. From there, details and plot are, shall we say thin, but ultimately we find that a few make it out to tell the tale of the crab monster with trash bags for eyelids. Still, a B movie can be a lot of fun which is why we didn’t criticize this movie nearly as much as, say Gigli.

Worth noting:

• Welcome back David! You were… missed???
• Tony’s walking and avoiding beef. David is doing none of those things.
• The story was weird but it was short. It got weird in the middle, too. These factors may appeal to you.
• Your weekly pop culture roundup: Ninja Warrior, Naked and Afraid, HBO Go is like a stalker ex-girlfriend now, The Wire as the Best Show Ever on Television, Oz, Game of Thrones.
• Stump stuff. Don’t ask.
• Let’s talk about the worst movies you’ve seen.
• Clone Wars TV show, lens flares, and Schrödinger’s Lightsaber.
• In which we crush the dreams of small children just watching How to Train Your Dragon II.
• What happens when crabs make well-reasoned arguments.

Featured in this episode:

• Tony
• Darrell
• Jolie
• David

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