Category: Season 09

Join the gang as they discuss the 1993 film Groundhog Day.

• Directed by Harold Ramis
• Written by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis
• Starring Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott, Stephen Tobolowsky, Brian Doyle-Murray

Groundhog Day is the pivotal 1993 comedy film from Harold Ramis, rest in peace, comedy writer and director extraordinaire and behind the likes of Ghostbusters, Meatballs, Caddyshack, and SCTV. Groundhog Day enjoys a comfortable place among the great comedies of all time, a comfortable 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and it’s listed on AFI’s 100 Films, 100 Laughs. You know, the comedy list. It’s the story of Phil Conners, played by the perfectly mugging Bill Murray, a Pittsburgh weatherman who travels to Punxsutawney, PA on Groundhog Day to do some fluff reporting on the event. However, he finds he keep waking up on the same day over and over again in a time loop, beginning each day with the irritating sounds of Sonny and Cher’s “I Got You Babe.”

Worth noting:

• Look who’s getting healthy?!?
• Rules and the time travel movie. Sometimes comedies do it better.
• Your obligatory Europe’s “The Final Countdown” mention. Ladies.
• Autograph’s “Turn up the Radio” shown below. You’ve been pre-warned about the hair metalness.
• Bill Murray is so punk rock.
• Obligatory Game of Thrones updates. Spoilers of Season 3, a year after the fact, ahead.
• What does the ending teach us and what are the rules? Serious discussion ensues with little to no penis jokes.
• Edge of Tomorrow shows up again because it’s sci-fi Groundhog Day.

Featured in this episode:

• Tony
• Darrell
• Jolie

And now, one for the ladies…

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Join the gang as they discuss the 2014 film Edge of Tomorrow.

• Directed by Doug Liman
• Written by Christopher McQuarrie, Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth and Hiroshi Sakurazaka (writer of the graphic novel)
• Starring Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Brendan Gleeson, Bill Paxton

Edge of Tomorrow has been called many things, like Starship Troopers meets Groundhog Day. Well, anything-meets-Groundhog Day pretty much sums up the storytelling of this sci fi flick starring Tom Cruise, and that’s a good thing. Currently enjoying a healthy 90% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Edge of Tomorrow tells the story of William Cage, a slick and cowardly Army PR man during an invasion of Earth by aliens called Mimics. However, he gets manipulated into deserting his post and is kicked back down to private where he must join the front lines of a beach invasion of France. During the battle, he dies and keeps waking up the previous day, going through the same time jump after death until me meets Rita (played by Blunt) who explains what is happening to him. This movie has tense action, slick and funny dialogue, and never lags during the less than 2-hour running time.

Worth noting:

• Tom Cruise is one charismatic dude and picks good roles. Let’s talk about every Tom Cruise movie to prove this point and probably imagine how dreamy he is.
• Emily Blunt was ripped and awesome.
• This movie was released on D-Day and involves a beach invasion. In France. Go figure.
• There was more comedy in this movie than we expected.
• We keep seeing movies with either alpha beings or mythical reptiles. What does this say about us, anyway?
• In which heads explode debating the rules of time travel. Oh, it’s so complicated.
• Why is there not a Bill Pullman/Paxton buddy cop movie?
• Tony catches up on Game of Thrones, a year or two later than everyone else.
• Wrapped up with Roger Corman history and movie talk.

Featured in this episode:

• Tony
• Darrell
• Jolie

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Join the gang as they discuss the 2014 film How to Train Your Dragon 2.

• Directed by Dean DeBlois
• Written by Dean DeBlois, Cressida Cowell
• Starring Jay Baruchel, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, T.J. Miller, Kristen Wiig, Djimon Hounsou, Kit Harington

How to Train Your Dragon 2 is the sequel to the Dreamworks tale of a teenage Viking nerd who discovers that dragons really aren’t all that bad. This movie begins five years after the first with all the same characters and the addition of Hiccup’s long-lost mother. The story begins that the town has embraced the dragons that live there and and that the dragons seem to like being used as transportation and to light fires. We learn they’re intelligent, loyal creatures. However some, like the mysterious and obviously-bad dude Drago Bloodfist, use them for evil. This movie doesn’t shy away from heartbreak, missing limbs, sheep tossing, or heights, but is an overall well-rounded family movie.

Worth noting:

• Theater presentation, piracy, and Snakes on a Plane, audio-only version.
• We generally liked this movie because it’s entertaining, tells a solid (if old) story, and is rarely dull.
• Another revival of the Disney-has-no-place-for-mothers-in-movies discussion. Important since Hiccup’s mother plays such a key role in this movie.
• Sometimes, this movie bucks the expected tropes and that’s a good thing.
• Jaques Tati’s Mr. Hulot’s Holiday, background action, physical comedy, and other discussions just right for film studies class. Because we’re so fancy.
• The accents in this movie are out of control. We purists demand consistency.
• Stick around for fun anecdotes about Roger Corman and Ray Harryhausen. Kids, Google those names.

Featured in this episode:

• Tony
• Darrell
• Jolie

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Join the gang as they discuss the 2014 film X-Men: Days of Future Past.

• Directed by Bryan Singer
• Written by Simon Kinberg
• Starring Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Halle Berry, Nicholas Hoult, Anna Paquin, Ellen Page, Peter Dinklage, Shawn Ashmore

X-Men: Days of Future Past is the latest offering from the X-Men franchise and the return of Bryan Singer. This movie is part sequel to X-Men: First Class and part continuation of the present-day X-Men story. It begins the story from the future with the present-day X-Men cast (Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, et cetera) who must figure out who to go back in time to change history and thus save mutants and humanity alike.

Worth noting:

• Hail the appearance of Quicksilver!
• Picking up a stadium is dumb but unnecessary.
• On moral ambiguity as an enduring feature of X-Men stories and awesome Peter Dinklage moustache action.
• David’s reign of supervillainy.

Featured in this episode:

• Tony
• Darrell
• David

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Join the gang as they discuss the 2014 film Godzilla.

• Directed by Gareth Edwards
• Written by Max Borenstein
• Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Bryan Cranston, Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen, Sally Hawkins, Juliette Binoche, David Strathairn

This time, it will be different! This Godzilla pretends that the whole Matthew Broderick/Roland Emmerich Godzilla debacle of 1998 never happened and that we’re back to the basics, back to the old Godzilla storylines we’re used to. In today’s environment, though, there’s the cushy advantage of better digital technology, allowing Godzilla and other giant creatures—in this case, MUTOs—to come to life in all their gross and city-destroying glory. In this reboot, Bryan Cranston is, for some reason, a nuclear engineer living and working in Japan when a terrible attack occurs that he cannot explain. His son, played by the guy who was Kick Ass, grows up and joins the Army and has to spring to action when attacks start happening. Then we learn why: Godzilla and now MUTOs are threatening everyone on Earth. Now get to destroyin’ stuff!

Worth noting:

• Do you know what a Cassingle is? Let the old people of BSP clue you in.
• Tony discussing his stack of floppy disks. We’re all about outdated storage technology here.
• When we finally talk about Godzilla, we have mixed reactions. One called it fantastic while another called it terrible. Let’s discuss this.
• Side note: seems like there are sure a lot of white people living and speaking English in Japan.
• We address the Fat Godzilla so-called controversy. And yes, Godzilla is fat, played perfectly by Andy Serkis. David is particularly impressed by this. He’s easily impressed by things.
• Godzilla is an over-the-top monster and disaster movie. Maybe you’ll like that, maybe you won’t.

Discussing this film:

• Tony
• Darrell
• Jolie
• David

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Join the gang as they discuss the 2014 HBO TV show True Detective.

• Created by Nic Pizzolatto
• Written by Nic Pizzolatto
• Starring Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, Michelle Monaghan

We’re deviating from regularly scheduled programming this week to talk about True Detective because Jolie and David just wouldn’t shut up about it. True Detective is the grand 8-episode crime drama from HBO telling the story of two state police officers in Louisiana solving a grisly murder involving a dead naked woman with satanic overtones at the crime scene. We soon learn that the show is partly about the mystery but mostly about the complex relationship between Marty and Rust, characters with very different worldviews. Also, True Detective is further proof that McConaughey is killing it these days. Dude is unstoppable with great acting roles.

Worth noting:

• Two phrases that shouldn’t go together: Snakes on a Plane and brilliant marketing.
• An important public service announcement about how ladies like to party; alternately, Schrödinger’s party.
• Some of us think this is the best thing on television since Breaking Bad. Others are impressed but didn’t like the ending that much.
• In which we spend nearly an entire episode discussing plot points, acting, writing choices. Yes, nearly an entire episode spent discussing the topic at hand because we’re so fancy.
• What are your favorite terrible euphemisms for sex?
• Ultimately, True Detective is highly recommended.

Featured in this episode:

• Tony
• Jolie
• David

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Join the gang as they discuss the 2014 film The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

• Directed by Marc Webb
• Written by Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Jeff Pinkner
• Starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan, Paul Giamatti, Sally Field

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is the follow-up to the follow-up of the Spider-Man franchise. Not to be confused with the three Spider-Man movies of about a decade ago, this reboot start Andrew Garfield, the still wise-cracking young kid who get bitten by a mutated spider and blah, blah, blah, Spider-Man happens, though this time flashier, quippier, and hunkier than in the Sam Raimi version of the story. In The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Spidey and Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy discover the sinister powers of Electro, the maddening of one Harry Osborn, and why it’s probably best to stay away from Paul Giamatti if he’s got head tattoos.

Worth noting:

• On Archon and the epic racism saga.
• Except for a few stragglers, this movie was well-hated, sometimes with passion.
• Is this movie really a Schumacher-era Batman movie?
• Sony ruined Spider-man. There. We said it.
• No discussion of the Amazing Spider-Man reboot is complete without talking about the last Spider-Man reboot. You know, that one that just came out a decade ago.
• Surprise, surprise, this movie has inconsistencies in storytelling.

Featured in this episode:

• Tony
• Darrell
• Jolie
• David

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Join the gang as they discuss the 1993 film Super Mario Bros.

• Directed by Annabel Jankel, Rocky Morton
• Written by Parker Bennett, Terry Runte, Ed Solomon
• Starring Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo, Dennis Hopper, Samantha Mathis

Super Mario Bros. is the ill-conceived film adaptation of the ever-popular Nintendo platformer game of the same name. One could argue that the movie’s storyline mimics that of the video game. Maybe. Super Mario Bros. tells the story of Mario Mario and Luigi Mario, plumbers in pre-hipster Brooklyn who meet an adorable blonde girl who just happens to be in charge of a dig for dinosaur bones in the city. Also, there’s a different dimension filled with lizard people. Also, there’s a dude who’s turned into fungus. Also, Dennis Hopper does some top-notch overacting. This movie was a bomb and critical failure and is probably best enjoyed whilst drinking which is apparently how John Leguizamo and Bob Hoskins made it through filming.

Worth noting:

• No discussion of Super Mario Bros. is complete without discussing the 1993 Ron Jeremy classic Super Hornio Brothers, SFW clips of which are available on YouTube and I highly recommend you find them.
• When was the first time you saw this movie? How much did you like it then? Let’s talk about it.
• This move is terrible. Just awful.
• Ben Kingsley will probably do any movie. Just ask him.
• Nerd orgy with plenty of Diablo and WOW talk.
• Some of us demand far more naked reality shows, but only some of us.

Featured in this episode:

• Tony
• Jolie
• David
• Sam

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Join the gang as they discuss the 1996 film Fargo.

• Directed by Joel Coen
• Written by Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
• Starring William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi, Frances McDormand, Peter Stormare

Fargo is the 1996 black comedy from the Coen brothers and is among the more famous in their long line of comedies—others include The Big Lebowski and Raising Arizona—exploring the dark side of humanity. Fargo is the story of Jerry Lundegaard, a Minneapolis car salesman with money problems who finds two out-of-town thugs to kidnap his wife in order to get the ransom money from his controlling father-in-law. Everything that can go wrong does and tragic and blood-soaked comedy ensues, punctuated by an exaggerated accent (don’tcha know), Minnesota nice behavior, and one well-placed wood chipper. Fargo won two Oscars: Best Actress for Frances McDormand and Best Original Screenplay for Joel and Ethan Coen.

Worth noting:

•  Darrell talks about the new movie Belle.
• Happy anniversary to BSP! The first episode of FBSD was released April 30, 2006.
• Next week, we’re going to mourn the great loss of Bob Hoskins.
• Is desecration of a corpse illegal in England? Listen to find out why in the world we’d ask that question.
• In which Jolie tries to explain, to a room full of dudes, why more female characters in movies is important.
• More hot Naked and Afraid talk… not that we’re a broken record or anything.
• Also, we sometimes talk about Fargo. Jolie calls this a great movie while others call it “okay.” We enjoyed the acting and the characters but some of us weren’t shocked by the antics that may have shocked audiences when it was first released.
• For drinking purposes, the Idris Elba count in this episode is 4.

Featured in this episode:

• Tony
• Jolie
• Darrell
• David

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Join the gang as they discuss the 2014 film Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

• Directed by Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
• Written by Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely
• Starring Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Redford, Cobie Smulders

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the sequel to 2011’s Captain America. This movie differs because it takes place in the linear storytelling of the Marvel Universe (which causes plot problems we discuss in the episode). In this movie, all previous movie story lines have happened and now Cap has to deal with the possible return of Hydra, being hunted down by SHIELD, and a mysterious dude that keeps showing up with a scary mask, a fake arm, and a need to kill. Also, for MMA nerds (Jolie and all two others of you), Georges St-Pierre shows up. You’re welcome.

Worth noting:

• Warning! More How I Met Your Mother spoilers.
• Some of the nerdier among us had a problem with the continuity issues with the Marvel Universe story line. Some of us, however, didn’t notice.
• Is this a big, topical NSA allegory? Probably not but let’s discuss.
• David’s brilliant idea: this movie is the sequel to Sneakers. You know, with Robert Redford? Yeah, go see that.
• Doesn’t Cap need to bang somebody soon?
• Is Willem Dafoe playing Satan or is it the other way around?
• Despite the complaints, we generally liked this movie. It’s still a lot of fun to watch.
• If you’re playing at home, both yoga pants and scissoring are mentioned.

Featured in this episode:

• Tony
• Jolie
• Darrell
• David

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