Categories
Back Seat Producers Season 09 Shows

BSP Episode 309: The Lego Movie

Join the gang as they discuss the 2014 film The Lego Movie.

The Lego Movie is the breakout kids movie hit of 2014. It’s a CGI animated movie meant to imitate stop motion style and succeeds in pleasing nearly everyone. Kids liked it. Parents liked it. Non-parent adults liked it, too. It’s got a solid 96% on Rotten Tomatoes at present. The movie is the story of Emmet, tasked with saving the world after accidentally coming upon the relic that can stop the nefarious madman President Business.

Worth noting:

  • We’re done waiting for Darrell. That is, until he shows up.
  • Cover your mouths when going into the room with the fire toilet.
  • The story of said toilet fire. Strap in for this one, kids!
  • See more adventures in watching that hottie Manu Bennett shirtless because David told you so.
  • This movie is very well liked all around.
  • David even liked “the heavy-handed whatevers at the end,” whatever that means.
  • The movie was good, largely because the jokes landed solidly. Children’s movies need better jokes.
  • $150 for a floppy drive for a Commodore 64? Really?
  • “You turn it into a thing that becomes a thing and then it’s this reverberation of things.” David dropped this useful little knowledge bomb.
  • Batman was so damn enjoyable in this movie.
  • Wedgies are going out of style. Accept it.
  • Stop treating dads like idiots in children’s movies and literature. We’re sick of it!
  • The ending of the book It is weird. Pro tip (just the tip): stop talking about the ending. Just don’t.
  • Chris Pratt looks good without a shirt on. There. I said it.
  • Legends of the Hidden Temple really needs to come back.
  • There were no dicks in the sixties???
  • Jem is truly outrageous. Truly, truly, truly outrageous.

Featured in this episode:

  •  Tony
  • David
  • Jolie
  • Darrell

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Back Seat Box Office Shows

Back Seat Box Office #181

Congrats to Jeff and Cougron for their high scores of 23!

Thanks to Tad and Nick for their voice mails.

Picks:

Jeff & Lena

  1. 300: Rise of an Empire
  2. Mr. Peabody & Sherman
  3. Non-Stop
  4. Son of God
  5. The LEGO Movie

Art

  1. 300: Rise of an Empire
  2. Mr. Peabody & Sherman
  3. Non-Stop
  4. The LEGO Movie
  5. Son of God

Art’s House picks:

  • Jeff, Art & Lena – The Grand Budapest Hotel

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Announcement

Weekend Box Office: Feb 28-Mar 2

#1 Non-Stop from Universal opened at #1 with a gross of $28.9 million 3,090 theaters.  Budget was $50 million.

#2 Son of God from Fox opened at #2 with a gross of $25.6 million in 3,260 theaters.  Budget was unknown.

#3 The LEGO Movie from Warner Bros. fell from #1 to #3 with a gross of $20.8 million (-33.5%) in 3,770 theaters (-120).  Total gross to date is $209.1 million.  Budget was $60 million.

#4 3 Days to Kill from Relativity fell from #2 to #4 with a gross of $5 million (-59.6%) in 2,872 theaters.  Total gross to date is $20.8 million.  Budget was $28 million.

#5 The Monuments Men from Sony held at #5 with a gross of $4.9 million (-37.6%) in 3,002 theaters (-62).  Total gross to date is $65.6 million.  Budget was $70 million.

#6 RoboCop from Sony fell from #4 to #6 with a gross of $4.5 million (-54%) in 2,885 theaters (-487).  Total gross to date is $51.2 million.  Budget was $100 million.

#7 Pompeii from TriStar fell from #3 to #7 with a gross of $4.3 million (-58.1%) in 2,658 theaters.  Total gross to date is $17.8 million.  Budget was $100 million.

#8 Frozen from Buena Vista held at #8 with a gross of $3.6 million (-17.5%) in 1,746 theaters (-145).  Total gross to date is $388.8 million.  Budget was $150 million.

#9 About Last Night from Sony/Screen Gems fell from #6 to #9 with a gross of $3.4 million (-55.1%) in 1,804 theaters (-449).  Total gross to date is $43.7 million.  Budget was $12.5 million.

#10 Ride Along from Universal fell from #7 to #10 with a gross of $3 million (-34.3%) in 1,869 theaters (-317).  Total gross to date is $127.2 million.  Budget was $25 million.

#11 American Hustle from Sony/Columbia rose from #12 to #11 with a gross of $1.9 million (+11%) in 945 theaters (+42).  Total gross to date is $146.7 million.  Budget was $40 million.

#12 Endless Love from Universal fell from #9 to #12 with a gross of $1.5 million (-61.5%) in 1,874 theaters (-1,022).  Total gross to date is 22.2 million.  Budget was $25 million.

The combined gross of the top 12 movies this weekend was $107.5 million.

Sources:
Box Office Mojo

 

Categories
Back Seat Producers Season 09 Shows

BSP Episode 308: The Artist

Join the gang as they discuss the 2011 film The Artist:

The Artist was 2011’s Academy Awards assassin, winning Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score. Notable for being a mostly-silent film, The Artist is the almost entirely silent story of George Valentin, a charismatic silent film star with an adorable dog who runs into troubles when Hollywood starts making talkies. If you’re a fan, the film is packed full of references to old Hollywood, some of which the BSP crew discuss during this episode.

Worth noting:

  • Deuce and Tony discuss, at great length, their respective books that none of us have read because they don’t exist yet. However, triumph because the web site exists!
  • Deuce and Darrell catch up. Now we’re all up to speed.
  • Jolie hated this movie because it was excessively boring while Tony and Darrell liked it.
  • This movie was highly referential, contained a lot of homage to period films, and is technically focused on being just like a silent movie from the past.
  • Jolie’s new puppy now has a name!
  • There are two standout performances in this movie: Jean Dujardin does a great job as the swarthy leading man and the adorable Jack Russell Terrier.
  • This movie was rated PG-13… but why?
  • The film contains a lot of technical references including the aspect ratio, frame rate, acting style, lack of zoom, and more.
  • Podcasting and the art of NOT selling out.
  • Oscar predictions from we non-Academy members. Jolie and Tony throw down. The gloves are off…
  • More Punch Out movie references. How can we make this happen???

 Featured in this episode:

  • Tony
  • Darrell
  • Tony/Deuce
  • Jolie
  • Frequent (and silent) appearances by Panda

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Back Seat Book Club Shows

Back Seat Book Club – Book Eighteen: Apocalypse Cow

Author: Michael Logan

Published: 2012

Doubleday

Plot Summary – When scientists with warped imaginations accidentally unleash an experimental bioweapon that transforms Britain’s animals into sneezing, bloodthirsty zombies with a penchant for pre-dinner sex with their victims, three misfits become the unlikely hope for salvation.

Abattoir worker Terry Borders’ love life is crippled by the stench of death that clings to his skin from his days spent slaughtering cows; teenage vegan Geldof ‘Scabby’ Peters alternates between scratching furiously at his rash and baiting his overbearing New Age mother; and inept journalist Lesley McBrien struggles forlornly in the shadow of her famous war correspondent father and the star journalist at the Glasgow Tribune.

When Britain begins a rapid descent into chaos and ministers cynically attempt to blame al-Qaeda, Lesley stumbles upon proof that the government is behind the outbreak. During her bumbling quest to unveil the truth, she crosses paths with Terry and Geldof, and together they set out to escape a quarantined Britain with the evidence and vital data that could unlock a cure for the virus.

Standing in the way are rampaging hordes of animals, a ruthless security agent and an army ready to shoot anybody with a case of the sniffles on the off-chance the virus has mutated.
Three losers. Overwhelming odds. A single outcome: the world is screwed.

Quick Thoughts:

  • [this space for lease]

“Somewhere out there, the cows were waiting.  And they were hungry.”

Your Hosts:

  • Krissy
  • Lena
  • Sam
  • Scott

Recorded: 01/27/14

Next Time: Vicious by V. E. Schwab

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Categories
Back Seat Box Office Shows

Back Seat Box Office #180

Congrats to BD and Nancy (and welcome to the Cult of the Suprem.., the family… welcome to the FAMILY) for their perfect 25s!

Picks:

Jeff

  1. Non-Stop
  2. The LEGO Movie
  3. Son of God
  4. 3 Days to Kill
  5. The Monuments Men

Art

  1. Non-Stop
  2. The LEGO Movie
  3. Son of God
  4. Pompeii
  5. 3 Days to Kill

Art’s House Picks:

  • Jeff – Two Lives
  • Art – Odd Thomas

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Back Seat Producers Season 09 Shows

BSP Episode 307: Punch Drunk Love

Join the gang as they discuss the 2002 film Punch Drunk Love:

  • Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
  • Written by Paul Thomas Anderson
  • Starring Adam Sandler, Emily Watson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Luis Guzman, Mary Lynn Rajskub

After finding success with Boogie Nights and critical success with Magnolia, Paul Thomas Anderson announced that his next project would be an indie comedy starring Adam Sandler which some thought was a joke. PTA was not joking, however, and this idea turned into Punch Drunk Love, a comedic love story about an emotionally unstable man dealing with new-found love, thugs trying to extort money from him, overbearing sisters, and mountains of Healthy Choice pudding cups.

 

Worth noting:

  • Strap in, Paco. This episode is a long one.
  • Hey, did anybody do any actual learning or work their senior year of high school? Apparently the BSP crew didn’t.
  • What? You haven’t read/seen The Outsiders? How did you spend your youth?
  • Breastfeeding? Birth Stories? Oh my!
  • Apparently nobody wants to actually discuss this movie.
  • David is obsessed with kristallnacht. Second reference in as many weeks.
  • Nobody liked this movie, so there’s no defender in the crew.
  • This is supposed to be a comedy and this comes as a surprise to some because it’s just not funny.
  • Was Emily Watson’s character a mess or did she have it all together? She does, after all, drive a Geo Metro.
  • Luis Guzman was completely wasted. I mean, he was wasted in this role, now wasted in general. You get what I’m saying.
  • David doesn’t know what the term “punch drunk” means.
  • True Detective is an amazing TV show. Jolie thinks it’s one of the best shows ever made, maybe.
  • Matthew McConaughey is killing it these days with the awesome acting roles.
  • The Hunger Games isn’t a very good book. There. We said it.
  • Ender’s Game… oy!
  • New Guardians of the Galaxy trailer: nerds (thus this crew) rejoice!
  • Yogurt advertising versus Viagra advertising. Who’s chubbed up now?
  • Student loans suck and other really obvious things.
  • If we mention Fleshlights a lot, do you think they’ll send us free ones?
  • Hey, kids! Don’t start smoking because it might make you look too cool.
  • Important and interesting things that will probably go on David’s tombstone.

 

Discussing the film in this episode:

  • Tony
  • Jolie
  • David

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Back Seat Box Office Shows

Back Seat Box Office #179

Welcome back and congrats to BD for his high score of 25!

Welcome back and thanks to Scuba Dave for his voice mail.

Picks:

Jeff

  1. The LEGO Movie
  2. Pompeii
  3. About Last Night
  4. RoboCop
  5. The Monuments Men

Lena

  1. The LEGO Movie
  2. About Last Night
  3. Pompeii
  4. RoboCop
  5. The Monuments Men

Art’s House Picks:

  • Jeff – The Wind Rises
  • Lena – Barefoot

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Categories
Announcement

Weekend Box Office: Feb 14-Feb 16

#1 The LEGO Movie from Warner Bros. held at #1 with a gross of $49.8 million (-27.8%) in 3,775 theaters.  Total gross to date is $130.1 million.  Budget was $60 million.

#2 About Last Night from Sony/Screen Gems opened at #2 with a gross of $25.6 million in 2,253 theaters.  Budget was $12.5 million.

#3 RoboCop from Sony opened at #3 with a gross of $21.7 million in 3,372 theaters.  Budget was $100 million.

#4 The Monuments Men from Sony fell from #2 to #4 with a gross of $15.5 million (-29.7%) in 3,083 theaters.  Total gross to date is $44.1 million.  Budget was $70 million.

#5 Endless Love from Universal opened at #5 with a gross of $13.3 million in 2,896 theaters.  Budget was $25 million.

#6 Ride Along from Universal fell from #3 to #6 with a gross of $8.7 million (-9.2%) in 2,517 theaters (-283).  Total gross to date is $116.1 million.  Budget was $25 million.

#7 Winter’s Tale from Warner Bros. opened at #7 with a gross of $7.3 million in 2,965 theaters.  Budget was $60 million.

#8 Frozen from Buena Vista fell from #4 to #8 with a gross of $6.2 million (-9.4%) in 2,101 theaters (-359).  Total gross to date is $376.4 million.  Budget was $150 million.

#9 Lone Survivor from Universal fell from #5 to #9 with a gross of $4.1 million (-26.6%) in 2,013 theaters (-856).  Total gross to date is $118.4 million.  Budget was $40 million.

#10 That Awkward Moment from Focus Features fell from #6 to #10 with a gross of $3.5 million (-33.5%) in 1,922 theaters (-887).  Total gross to date is $21.5 million.  Budget was $8 million.

#11 American Hustle from Sony/Columbia held at #11 with a gross of $2.4 million (-20.7%) in 1,072 theaters (-568).  Total gross to date is $141.5 million.  Budget was $40 million.

#12 Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit from Paramount fell from #9 to #12 with a gross of $2.2 million (-36.8%) in 1,278 theaters (-861).  Total gross to date is $47.7 million.  Budget was $60 million.

The combined gross of the top 12 movies this weekend was $160.4 million.

Sources:
Box Office Mojo

 

Categories
Back Seat Producers Season 09 Shows

BSP Episode 306: Amélie

Join the gang as they discuss the 2001 film Amélie.

  • Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet
  • Written by Guillaume Laurant and Jean-Pierre Jeunet
  • Starring Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz

Amélie is a French film nominated for five Academy Awards by the same director of Delicatessen and, believe it or not, Alien: Resurrection. It tells the story of a shy and unusual young woman living in Paris who has a rich fantasy life. There’s a lot of Amélie love to go around; it’s listed as number 62 on the IMDB Top 250 and has a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Worth noting:

  • Tony’s all hopped up about the brilliant Death Star engineering.
  • This movie was called “refreshingly adorable,” despite the, you know, subtitles and whatnot.
  • Amélie was well-loved all around because it was cute and different but in an adult way.
  • Tony and David avoided this movie for a long time; David mostly because of the terrible cover. Darrell, however, saw it when it first came out.
  • The final consensus is that it’s good and worth seeing. Also, it’s a good date movie though making out will be difficult because of all the reading. Perhaps these gents haven’t heard of a pause button?
  • Hey, what language did YOU have to learn in high school?
  • Overall, this was called a good movie; go see it (unless you absolutely hate reading).
  • Pompeii is really a movie? Really???
  • Attention, FBI: we’re Googling age of consent laws. Again. Thanks, Chloe Grace Moretz!

Discussing the film in this episode:

  • Tony
  • Darrell
  • David

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