With social dynamics shifting, movies moving further out of the cinema, and having conversations over the internet being more en vogue than ever, we felt a debt at the end of 2020 to say something again. The episode was supposed to be topical and on a film set within a similar plague, but Steven’s subtitle is more accurate than the title itself. Two years removed from eXistenZ, these are our “Reflections on Maintaining a Podcast and the Current State of Entertainment.”
Tag: cinema
Debt to Cinema 097: Léon (The Professional)
Inspired by Steve’s pick the week before and doubly so once Ashley decreed we would watch Valerian together, I decided to give Luc Besson another go. Whereas Nikita was a deep cut, Leon is the film that made his career and I finally gave it the view it deserved #IdBuyThatForADollar
Two Cents 100: Two Years Later
The final episode of the show where we chronicle all the major trends we’ve reported over the years (vertical integration, VR, the internet of things, evolution of movies/TV, etc), Amazon storms its way into the grocery business, Verizon officially owns Yahoo, and social media starts creating actual media. Plus, round two of E3 2017 coverage, Rocket League, Bethesda VR, Sony’s PlayLink, Spiderman Homecoming VR tie-in, and Clean Version initiative, and the future of blockbusters.
Two Cents 099: Problems, Please Buy an Xbox One?
The episode where we try our best to sound energetic, but two years is finally catching up with us, Black Panther comes while a Batman goes, LA unveils an Alamo Drafthouse and a new Xbox, Bethesda and Apple fully embrace VR/AR, and SiriusXM teams up with Pandora. Plus, the continued boycott of Netflix in theaters, more Dark Universe monsters, Sony making family friendly streaming edits, selling a Plame d’Or to finance a movie, and Amazon/Oculus becoming available to all.
Two Cents 097: Money Talks
The episode where I flesh out a future Dollar Reviews podcast during a mock Patreon ad break for Fleshlight (1:11:07), Joss Whedon takes over Justice League duties after a tragedy in the Snyder family, I get alarmed by the shelf life of disasters in the face of Disney escapism, Sony goes down Uncharted territory with Tom Holland and Gina Prince-Bythewood, and Universal unveils its Dark Universe. Plus, Amazon + Steven Soderbergh, VR porn (for the umpteenth time), the future of festival ticketing, and creating movies via breakout tweets.
Two Cents 096: Mamma Mia, Here We Go Again!
The episode in which I list the many things reporting the news prevents me from doing, Cannes continues its crybaby wanderings, Netflix and Donald Trump are the villains the media prays for, Wanda’s reformation of Legendary and enhanced exhibition business, and the rise of vertical video. In bigger news (56:00), Austin man sues his date for texting during a movie, Hollywood a major hacking target and their lack of action, Google I/O updates including standalone VR and Daydream upgrades, and Zenimax becoming the VR equivalent of a patent troll. Plus, Venom, Resident Evil, Supernatural meets Scooby Doo, social VR hubs becoming industry standard (1:58:00), Ridley Scott’s TNT block, and Mamma Mia 2!
Two Cents 088: Feline Like Something Mew
The episode in which I try to keep this show alive by dumping Penny Thoughts back onto Dollar Reviews (and doing that weekly again via streaming titles), I make my first retractions, Superman joins Mission: Impossible, Fandango takes aim at Mondo, and Sony says goodbye to the PS3/hello again to VR as more join the fray. Steve caught up on The Edge of Seventeen, Raw, and 2014’s Beauty and the Beast; while I was enamored by Kedi, pumped out Drake’s More Life, experienced Step Up 3D within PSVR, and finally beat Sly Cooper. More importantly, Sony is making a Venom movie, Warner Bros is rebooting The Matrix, Fox is remaking The Fly, and Netflix is re-sharting pan and scan.
Debt to Cinema 076: Wings
With the Oscars just happening and award season finally coming to a close, Steve thought it would be the perfect time for both of us to watch the first film to win Best Picture. That’s not an entirely accurate description of 1927’s Wings, the silent epic which clung to the majestic camera work afforded to films mid out sound, at the precipice of talkies, but it might be just enough to get you to tune in #IdBuyThatForADollar
Two Cents 085: Oscars So WTF
The episode in which our hero from Bulworth and Dick Tracy finds himself in a sticky situation, the passing of Bill Paxton, the state of Playstation VR, Hellboy, Nightwing, and Devon Sawa?! Steve caught the apparently similar Get Out and A Cure for Wellness, while I have had HEALTH’s Disco 3 on repeat while exploring Thumper (PSVR). Plus, Netflix looking very Bright (so we try to calculate its money pool), 5G tests are coming this year, and VR in space!
Two Cents 082: Views Askewed
The episode in which Batfleck leaves the director’s chair, Smodcast turns 10, I forget what week it is, IMDb is abandoning its message boards, directors move around, and The CW’s DC footprint is getting bigger. Steve caught 28 Days Later on 35mm, caught up on Train to Busan, and saw I’m Not Your Negro; while I saw Manchester by the Sea, The Edge of Seventeen, and NBC’s Powerless. Plus, the UC Berkeley violent protest against free speech, Zenimax successfully sued Oculus for stealing their resources, Sony’s Playstation VR gets brighter as Sony Pictures looms in uncertainty, Snapchat grows up, and how Vizio’s spying on you might shake up FCC standards again.
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