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!
Tag: Legendary
Two Cents 095: Welcome to the Amazon
The episode in which we get off to a slow start, Google acquires VR gurus Owlchemy Labs, Amazon introduces the Echo Show and Prime Live Events, Wanda’s Legendary loses another figurehead, and Amazon Prime Video has landed 40 SXSW selections. In bigger news, Cannes changes their criteria for festival selections after streaming titles have joined the Palme d’Or race and Microsoft unveils their “mixed reality” controllers. Plus, the need for VR standards, vertical cinema, contemporary films’ monochromatic agenda, Tupac movies, Donald Glover’s animated FXX Deadpool show, classical film theory, and Judge Dredd.
Two Cents 087: Non-Sexism is the New Sexism
The episode in which daylight savings just began so we are a day late, Ghost in the Shell is getting an awesome Japanese dub, we predict the futures of Blumhouse and Disney’s live-reactions, La La Land goes on a world tour, Ridley Scott wants more Xenomorph flicks, and Avatar 2 has been delayed yet again. I finally caught X-Men: Apocalypse, share my trip to the New Wave Bar, continue my descent into Lego Dimensions, and give a taste of PSVR 3D Blu-ray playback. Also, Camarada brings 3D recording to all Android devices, Oculus continues blurring VR’s future, IMDb’s F-rating for female projects, Time Warner expands its streaming to animation, our take on videogame adaptations, and the slate of 2017 blockbusters.
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.
Two Cents 080: Black Mirror
The delayed episode in which I ended up finishing things alone, where Trump is in the White House, Sundance is covered in snow, streamers make moves, Hellboy 3 might be coming, AMC Theaters continues its global dominance, Superbowl LI is streaming for free, and I review The London Heist, Black Mirror’s Playtest episode, my VR playtesting gig, and Damien Chazelle’s TCM block. Meanwhile, Steve talks Samurai Cop 2, Hell or High Water, The Magnificent 7 (2016), and Sony’s Passengers. Plus, The Terminator is returning to James Cameron, Legendary lost its CEO, Paramount gets into bed with China, things don’t look good for Sony (across TV, Film, and PSVR), Netflix seduced Jerry Seinfeld, and some VR things to close out the show.
Two Cents 073: Penny For Your Thoughts
The week in which we share our Thanksgiving/Black Friday events, Legendary snatched Dune rights, I rewatched Step Up because its sixth installment is going to be Chinese, Steve caught Arrival, Somewhere in Time, and The Lunchbox (one of my faves of 2014), Amazon might be getting into the live sports game, our roadmap for the end of cable, and Dave Chappelle joins Chris Rock for big Netflix dollars. Plus, Tesla is going to power an entire island with clean energy, Alt-right douchebags becoming nazis, a Dick Cheney biopic, Deadpool 2 and comedy sequels being lazy, and Snowpiercer becoming a TNT show.
Two Cents 068: Let’s Get Political
The week in which we’re back after I spent the prior week hosting someone in a different fashion altogether and reintroduce a segment to the show in which I share my Playstation VR first impressions. Also, (30 mins later) AT&T is re-establishing itself as a monopoly by purchasing Time Warner, Wang Jialin unveiled Movie Metropolis and his plan to kickstart Chinese tourism and commerce, the NBA is going to broadcast one game a week in VR, Devin Faraci is scum, Marvel continues the worst trend in directing, and Chris Rock has landed a huge Netflix check. Plus, the Nintendo Switch, High Frame Rates in cinema, The Coen Brother’s Dark Web, Donald Glover as the Young Lando, and I contemplate registering to vote to protest the usage of condoms in porn.
Two Cents 067: Samsung Fire Sale
The week in which Netflix continues to challenge the theatrical release model, Ryan Kavanugh is looking to sell Relativity, Wang Jialin is stopping by Hollywood to scour the town, Alibaba is teaming with Amblin Partners, Yahoo assisted the NSA in scanning all their emails in real time, Samsung is ceasing production of the Note 7, and the latest from Google and Oculus’s press conferences. Plus, Amazon is adapting a podcast for Prime, pricing details for Turner’s Filmstruck streamer, the Suicide Squad Extended Cut, the Gears of War adaptation, more movies that don’t need to be on TV, and The Simpsons in VR.
Two Cents 066: The “Live-Reaction” Must Die
The episode in which Steve returns from vacation, we talk about delays (notably of our Patreon’s launch), The Birdman/Revenant team is returning for a VR experience, Disney is trapping Jon Favreau in the “live-reaction” genre, Elon Musk shares his Mars colonization plans, California is going to prohibit IMDb from sharing actors’ ages, Amazon ushers in a new era of internet services by introducing Twitch Prime, and USB Type-C is readying to kill the headphone jack. Plus, PSVR exclusivity windows, Twitter is up for sale, more VR rollercoasters, Rogue One’s composer shuffle, the Stephen King shared universe, Netflix’s content shelf life, and the VR applications of YouTube Go.
Two Cents 058: Suicidal Tendencies
The week in which we frequently talk about Suicide Squad between topics, Hollywood is going she-make crazy, Visionary VR’s Mindshow might be the tech’s killer app, James Ponsoldt is teaming with Disney, Amazon’s set to marathon its new Pilot Season on Twitch, Wanda bets big on IMAX and 3D in China, and Time Warner joins Hulu. Plus, we talk DVDs vs Blu-ray, Kathryn Bigelow hopping on the VR train, $3000 being the entry point for developing new tech, the true price of streaming, Japan testing 8K content, Toy Story x Vans, and George R. R. Martin’s next TV adaptation.