Episode 81 – 22 Jump Street

Posted on June 18, 2014 by Alex — No Comments ↓

Can Phil Lord and Chris Miller strike comedy gold once again with 22 Jump Street? Find out on this week’s episode! We also do a quick rundown of recent movie trailers.

Show Notes:

Introduction
Summer Movie Wager Weekly Update (0:01:27)
Trailer Ticker: (0:02:50)
- Lets Be Cops
- The Expendables 3
- Obvious Child
- Birdman
- The Interview
- Sin City: A Dame to Kill For
- Dumb and Dumber To
- The Green inferno
- Annie
- Big Hero 6
- November Man
Review: 22 Jump Street (0:17:57)
- Spoilers start: (0:29:12)
Outro (0:49:57)

Music and artwork were made for us by @mistajon on twitter.

Follow the show, Willie, Tim, and Alex on twitter.

Give us a call and leave a voicemail at (248) 733-5MFN or (248) 733-5636!

We’re also on Instagram (Username: MFNPodcast) and Vine (search for Midwest Film Nerds Podcast)!

Send comments, feedback, “Food for Thought” questions to feedback(AT)midwestfilmnerds(DOT)com.

You can now listen to us on Stitcher Radio! Download the free app on your Android or iOS devices and search for “Midwest Film Nerds” to find us.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 54:18 — 29.8MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Tagged with: 22 jump street, alex, chris miller, phil lord, tim, trailer ticker, willie
Posted in Uncategorized

Episode 80 – Edge of Tomorrow

Posted on June 11, 2014 by Alex — No Comments ↓

Is director Doug Liman doomed to repeat sci-fi failure after 2008’s Jumper? Find out with our review of Edge of Tomorrow! We also talk about what we’ve been watching and film news.

Show Notes:

Introduction
What We’ve Been Watching:
- Willie: Non-Stop, The Monuments Men (0:01:11)
- Tim: Space Ghost: Coast to Coast (0:07:25)
- Alex: Chef (0:09:47)
Summer Movie Wager Weekly Update (0:11:46)
Film News:
- The Wachowski’s Jupiter Ascending has been pushed to February 2015 (o:13:28)
- Peyton Reed picks up the directorial reins of Marvel’s Ant-Man (0:15:46)
- Marvel’s Doctor Strange has found a director in Scott Derrickson (0:21:17)
Review: Edge of Tomorrow (0:24:12)
- Spoilers start: (0:43:33)
Outro (0:58:10)

Music and artwork were made for us by @mistajon on twitter.

Follow the show, Willie, Tim, and Alex on twitter.

Give us a call and leave a voicemail at (248) 733-5MFN or (248) 733-5636!

We’re also on Instagram (Username: MFNPodcast) and Vine (search for Midwest Film Nerds Podcast)!

Send comments, feedback, “Food for Thought” questions to feedback(AT)midwestfilmnerds(DOT)com.

You can now listen to us on Stitcher Radio! Download the free app on your Android or iOS devices and search for “Midwest Film Nerds” to find us.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:00:35 — 32.7MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Tagged with: alex, ant-man, doctor strange, doug liman, edge of tomorrow, jupiter ascending, peyton reed, scott derrickson, tim, tom cruise, willie
Posted in Podcast

Episode 79 – Filth

Posted on June 4, 2014 by Alex — No Comments ↓

We’re back for round two of James McAvoy with Jon S. Baird’s Filth! We also talk about what we’ve been watching and play a round of tagline takedown.

Show Notes:

Introduction
Summer Movie Wager Weekly Update (0:01:30)
What We’ve Been Watching:
- Tim: The Wishmaster, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, WWE Payback (0:02:38)
- Nick: Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal Season 1, Mad Men (0:16:00)
- Alex: MST3K’s The Final Sacrifice, A Million Ways to Die in the West, Arrow Season 2, Bob’s Burgers (0:19:56)
Tagline Takedown (o:18:55)
Review: Filth (0:35:18)
- Spoilers start: (0:49:22)
Outro (1:02:34)

Music and artwork were made for us by @mistajon on twitter.

Follow the show, Nick, Tim, and Alex on twitter.

Give us a call and leave a voicemail at (248) 733-5MFN or (248) 733-5636!

We’re also on Instagram (Username: MFNPodcast) and Vine (search for Midwest Film Nerds Podcast)!

Send comments, feedback, “Food for Thought” questions to feedback(AT)midwestfilmnerds(DOT)com.

You can now listen to us on Stitcher Radio! Download the free app on your Android or iOS devices and search for “Midwest Film Nerds” to find us.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:05:38 — 35.0MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Tagged with: a million ways to die in the west, alex, filth, james mcavoy, jon s. baird, nick, tim
Posted in Podcast

A Kaiju For All Seasons: Finding a Foe for the New Godzilla

Posted on June 1, 2014 by wegibbs — No Comments ↓

The King of the Monsters is back and he’s here to stay. Earlier this month, Godzilla returned to the big screen and performed quite well at the box office, netting a worldwide total of nearly 330 million dollars (at the time of this writing). Critics and fans alike may be divided in their reviews of the reboot, but regardless of the mixed reaction, a sequel is certainly imminent. However, as with any great sequel, the ante must be upped.

This time around, we saw the monster tangle with the Mutos, a pair of giant, horny insectoids who nearly gave him a run for his money. The Mutos were original creations made for this film, and they proved their worth alongside the laundry list of kaiju (giant monsters, duh) that have had their asses kicked over the thirty films in the series.

Though I enjoyed the Muto, what better way to up that ante than to see one of the more prolific monsters in a sequel. There are dozens of awesome kaiju that could really use a 21^st century makeover. This is a great opportunity to give the fans an upgrade to some of their favorite creatures while introducing a whole new generation to Toho’s kaiju catalog. That’s why I’m dropping my favorite picks for Godzilla 2: Dawn of Justice.

Mothra

Pros: Arguably Toho’s second most popular kaiju, instantly recognizable.

Cons: Trying to explain the Mothra twins (and they have to be there, I accept no substitutes).

Mothra has appeared in a large number of kaiju films, making an appearance in every era of Godzilla cinema. She even became popular enough to spawn her own trilogy of films, making her a rare example of a kaiju breaking from the Godzilla franchise. Hatching from an egg on Infant Island and being summoned by a pair of Asian fairy twins, Mothra generally defends the Earth from outside threats. Sometimes she teams up with the Big G to tackle a mutual foe, other times the two come to blows themselves.

Director Gareth Edwards seems to have some fondness for the character, alluding to her in the new film, as well as displaying several pictures of moths/butterflies in the background of multiple scenes. This lends some credence to the possibility of her inclusion in the next film, though grounding her in any sort of reality would be a tough sell without damaging the campy essence of the character.

Perhaps some sort of ancient mystical civilization worshipped Mothra, hiding the last of her eggs deep within the Earth. The Mutos rampage awakens her, causing her and Godzilla to come to blows or unite to fight a bigger monster. Either way, Edwards would have his hands full explaining the origins of a glittery space moth.

Odds: 10:1

Rodan

Pros: Would be easy to adapt for modern audiences, one of the more recognizable kaiju.

Cons: Shares a lot of physical similarities with the male Muto.

The giant, radioactive pterodactyl Rodan starred in his own film before appearing alongside Godzilla in 1964’s Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster. Rodan has since gone on to appear in seven other films in the series, either fighting against or with Godzilla. Rodan wouldn’t be too difficult to explain in Edwards’ Godzilla universe. We’ve already seen two species of ancient kaiju rise to battle one another. It wouldn’t be much of a stretch to assume that others exist below the oceans depths.

Rodan, like Mothra and other kaiju (Anguirus, Baragon, etc.) is often at his best when he’s fighting as an ally to Godzilla. Seeing a team of giant monsters gathering to fight a large scale threat (think Avengers on an enormous scale) would be a huge treat for fans, and Rodan would be best served as a member of this team.

Odds: 20:1

Gigan

Pros: Incredibly weird and unique design, very cool powers.

Cons: Ok, maybe the design is a little too weird…

Gigan is perhaps one of the more popular, but underutilized kaiju under the Toho umbrella. Though he’s only appeared in a few films, Gigan’s bird-like looks, buzz saw chest and imposing hooked claws make for a unique and visually arresting design. If he wasn’t already badass looking enough, Gigan got an upgrade in 2004’s Godzilla: Final Wars, where he traded in his hooks for another pair of saws.

Gigan, like many of Godzilla’s enemies, comes from outer space. In his first appearance, Gigan teamed up with fellow extraterrestrial Ghidorah to battle Godzilla and again teamed up with Megalon a year later. Though he often winds up sharing the screen with other kaiju antagonists, Gigan could easily work well as a solo act.

One of the more derided aspects of the reboot was the human element. An alien invasion scenario would offer a way to give the humans a viable threat and give the military something to fight (that they can actually contend with). If the human conflict and Godzilla’s conflict were balanced well and intertwined using Gigan, the sequel could both trump the first film and further the characters.

Odds:50:1

King Ghidorah

Pros: He’s essentially Godzilla’s arch-enemy, the Joker to his Batman.

Cons: Saving him for a later sequel may be a better buildup.

King Ghidorah is a three-headed, lightening spewing space dragon. He’s one of the greatest threats in Godzilla’s rogues gallery, and has tangled with the Big G on seven occasions. Ghidorah is the ultimate badass. So badass in fact, that the combined efforts of seven kaiju (including Godzilla) barely managed to take him out in Toho’s 1968 monster scrapfest Destroy All Monsters). In an interview with Screen Rant, Edwards stated that he’d like for the Godzilla sequel to emulate that film.

“With the exception of the 1954 original, I would say my second favorite film is Destroy All Monsters. I just love the idea of a monster island. Having a world with these creatures in it. I find that fascinating and would like to treat that realistically. I wouldn’t want to limit it to one other foe, I think it’s more fun to – this question will come back to haunt me if we ever do a sequel – but I think multiple creatures make better movies in terms of the image of Gojira.”

What bigger threat for Godzilla and co. to take on than the single greatest enemy they’ve ever faced? Though using King Ghidorah this early on in the series may feel rushed, it would certainly take the franchise to a new level.

Odds: 15:1

Mechagodzilla Pros: Godzilla + robots = awesome.

Cons: Justifying the government making a robotic Godzilla is hard.

Mechagodzilla is possibly the closest rival to get near Ghidorah in terms of threat level and icon status. Built by the government to destroy Godzilla, this robotic kaiju comes equipped with missiles, lasers, bombs and the “absolute zero cannon” (thank you, Japan).

Appearing in five films that span the course of three eras, Mechagodzilla has been a hero of the people and a threat to humanity, often times both in the same film. He’s been an alien invader, a government sanctioned weapon, and even the original 1954 Godzilla encased in a metal exoskeleton. Though his origin varies depending on the film, the basic design remains the same. Mechagodzilla would be another great avenue for tying the military/humanity based story with the giant monster brawling.

Using the “government builds him” approach, Mechagodzilla could be used as either a hero created to destroy the threat of kaiju or an experiment gone awry. I prefer the concept that the robot goes bad, another example of humanity’s arrogance getting the better of them. Using a group of sinister or misguided people to hack into/take over the programming of Mechagodzilla and use him for their own means would be an interesting conflict to balance out the storyline. Plus, Godzilla would get to save the day again!

Odds: 30:1

SpaceGodzilla

Pros: Godzilla + space = awesome.

Cons: Hearing people say “SpaceGodzilla” would be…no, there are no cons.

Space Godzilla appears in 1994’s Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla. After Godzilla’s cells are taken into space following a battle with Mothra, they’re sucked into a black hole and become SpaceGodzilla. After crash landing on Earth, he comes to blows with the original King of the Monsters (there isn’t enough room on Earth for two) and epic battles ensue.

Perhaps some of Big G’s cells make their way into space via a scuffle with some anti-Godzilla super weapon. Follow the (ludicrous) origin of the original and voila, instant classic. I’ll admit, this character probably won’t show up ever again but I have a strange soft spot for this film and its antagonist. He kidnaps adorable Baby Godzilla Jr.! What a villain! Anyway, this is my list so he makes the cut.

Odds: 100:1

Jet Jaguar

Pros: Would make for one of the funniest cinematic experiences of all time.

Cons: There’s a reason why Jet never made a second film appearance.

Jet Jaguar appeared in one film, 1973’s Godzilla vs. Megalon. It’s largely considered one of the worst Godzilla films of all time, and for good reason. The heroic robot Jet Jaguar was created by an elementary school child in a contest sponsored by Toho. He’s basically an Ultraman rip-off.

Originally, this film was supposed to serve as a vehicle for Jet Jaguar. He even got his own theme song! Luckily, Toho realized that the sensibilities of a size-changing robot weren’t enough to carry a film and Godzilla was added to the mix. If Gareth Edwards adds Jet Jaguar to a Godzilla sequel, I will poop. My defecation will occur for a number of reasons including (but not limited to) the hilarity of seeing that costume onscreen again, the idea of an updated Jet Jaguar theme song and the pure joy of watching the audience struggle to stay in the theater.

Odds: 10,000:1

Whatever the Godzilla creative team comes up with, it’s sure to up the ante. I for one can’t wait to see which (if any) of these great characters will return to their rightful places on the big screen. Now, I’ll resume listening to the sweet sounds of Jet Jaguar: PUNCH PUNCH PUNCH!

You can follow me on twitter and while you’re on the site, please check out the podcast. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher Radio.

Tagged with: gareth edwards, ghidorah, godzilla, mothra, rodan
Posted in Editorial, Featured

7 Ways To Drive Your Man Wilde: The Midwest Film Nerds Movie Rumor Roundup for May 30th 2014

Posted on May 30, 2014 by tlong — No Comments ↓

It doesn’t matter if it’s a song by Lindsay Lohan, an album by Fleetwood Mac, or a gay nightclub located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, people love rumors. People also love movies and talking about movies, and talking about movie rumors. So we here at the MFNP have gone through and found the juiciest movie rumors to share with you, our loyal fans.

Who will Direct Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man?

One of the biggest recent stories is the departure of Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead Director Edgar Wright from Marvel Studios upcoming Ant-Man movie. Wright’s departure has set the internet abuzz (close enough to an ant pun, assholes!), with what big name director will take the reins of the upcoming superhero spectacular. /film even named ten directors they think should take over the future Summer Tent-Pole. Well we here at the Midwest Film Nerds Podcast have done a little digging and we have found the name at the top of Marvel Studios head honcho Kevin Fiege’s list: That’s right it’s Hollywood’s own Magic Johnson! Don’t believe us? Let’s take a look at the always reliable social media, and inspect some of the famous Point Guardian of the Galaxy’s recent tweets.

His wife, Cookie? Hmmm I wonder what cookies attract? Ants maybe?!!? Very interesting indeed.

You know who didn’t have a great Memorial Day Weekend? Edgar Wright. Because you took his job.

Here’s the clincher though (Click on image to actually see the joke):

Who will Play Marvel Comics Dr. Strange!?!

Another huge upcoming movie on the Marvel docket is that of Dr. Strange. In the comics, Dr. Stephen Strange is a former neurosurgeon turned Sorcerer, whose duty is to protect the Earth from mystical threats. Most importantly though, he’s a comic character created in the 1960’s, so he’s gotta be played by a white guy! Here’s a list of white actors who might take up the mantle of Dr. Strange:

George Clooney
Jon Hamm
Matt Damon
The guy that was in the Hunger Games
The other guy that was in the Hunger Games
Al Pacino
Bruce Dern
The guy from Mean Girls who kind of looks like that dude that played Superman a few years ago
Criss Angel Mindfreak
All hot choices!!!

Kevin Smith said whaaaaaat about Batman V Superman!?!

Cop Out director Kevin Smith has 75 podcasts, so he says a bunch of stuff and all of it is important to Batman fans. Here are his most recent comments on the upcoming superhero extravaganza:
“I like Batman and Ben Affleck was in a couple of my movies, you guys gotta see his suit, man! It’s so cool. Uhh weed. Fuck. I’m writing Clerks 3”

Ghostbusters 3!?! Indiana Jones 5!?!?! Blade Runner 2!?!?

These are all movies that would be sequels to past movies!!!!

Let’s see… what else can get us more page views? Oh yeah…

STAR WARS RUMOR BLOWOUT HERE YA GO NERDS!

One of the most exciting aspects of Disney’s recent purchase of the Star Wars franchise is the company’s promise of a group of spin-off films that take place in the Star Wars universe. We here at the Midwest Film Nerds Podcast have our ears to the ground and our sources tell us that the House of Mouse has their sights set on one fan favorite character in particular. That’s right, Star Wars nerds like us can start salivating now because this guy is finally getting his big break on the big screen next summer:

Worf from Star Wars: The Next Generation!

People love mashups of things that don’t belong together. So here’s a bunch of Star Wars mashed with other shit:

And finally, we here at the Midwest Film Nerds podcast have gotten our hands on a huge exclusive. Star Wars episode 7 director JJ Abrams is notorious for his secretive film sets, but that didn’t stop our ace photographer, Will Toomajanian, from sneaking onto the highly guarded set to snap this exclusive photo from the upcoming installment in the Star Wars saga:

Lol none of these are true, dummies. Go watch a movie and then listen to our podcast. Thanks.

Posted in Uncategorized

Episode 78 – X-Men: Days of Future Past

Posted on May 28, 2014 by Alex — No Comments ↓

Does X-Men: Days of Future Past serve as an acceptable apology from Bryan Singer for leaving the franchise? Find out on this week’s episode! We also talk about Edgar Wright’s exit from Marvel’s Ant-Man and more.

Show Notes:

Introduction
Summer Movie Wager Weekly Update (0:00:56)
Film News:
- Edgar Wright has left Marvel’s Ant-Man over “Creative Differences” (0:02:17)
- Drew Goddard has left Marvel’s Daredevil Netflix show and Stephen S. DeKnight will replace him (0:06:09)
- Godzilla (2014) director Gareth Edwards will direct the first Star Wars spin off film due December 16th, 2016 (0:11:30)
- Harrison Ford has an offer on the table for a Blade Runner sequel (0:14:02)
- Batman Vs Superman has an official title: Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice (0:18:39)
Review: X-Men: Days of Future Past (0:21:58)
- Spoilers start: (0:40:05)
Outro (1:05:13)

Music and artwork were made for us by @mistajon on twitter.

Follow the show, Willie, Tim, Nick, and Alex on twitter.

Give us a call and leave a voicemail at (248) 733-5MFN or (248) 733-5636!

We’re also on Instagram (Username: MFNPodcast) and Vine (search for Midwest Film Nerds Podcast)!

Send comments, feedback, “Food for Thought” questions to feedback(AT)midwestfilmnerds(DOT)com.

You can now listen to us on Stitcher Radio! Download the free app on your Android or iOS devices and search for “Midwest Film Nerds” to find us.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 7:05 — 35.7MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Tagged with: alex, ant-man, batman vs superman, blade runner 2, bryan singer, daredevil, edgar wright, gareth edwards, harrison ford, nick, star wars, tim, willie, x-m, x-men: days of future past
Posted in Podcast

Episode 77 – Godzilla (2014)

Posted on May 22, 2014 by Alex — No Comments ↓

Can director Gareth Edwards wrangle the legendary Godzilla?! Find out on this week’s episode! We also talk about our Summer Movie Wager and provide the first weekly update in said wager.

Show Notes:

Introduction
Summer Movie Wager 2014 (o:00:28)
Summer Movie Wager Weekly Update (0:09:42)
Review: Godzilla (2014) (0:13:54)
- Spoilers start: (0:35:41)
Outro (1:02:14)

Music and artwork were made for us by @mistajon on twitter.

Follow the show, Willie, Nick, Tim, and Alex on twitter.

Give us a call and leave a voicemail at (248) 733-5MFN or (248) 733-5636!

We’re also on Instagram (Username: MFNPodcast) and Vine (search for Midwest Film Nerds Podcast)!

Send comments, feedback, “Food for Thought” questions to feedback(AT)midwestfilmnerds(DOT)com.

You can now listen to us on Stitcher Radio! Download the free app on your Android or iOS devices and search for “Midwest Film Nerds” to find us.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:04:16 — 34.4MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Tagged with: alex, gareth edwards, godzilla, gojo, nick, summer movie wager 2014, tim, willie
Posted in Podcast

Episode 76 – Veronica Mars (2014)

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Alex — No Comments ↓

Does creator/director Rob Thomas pull off one last visit to Neptune on the silver screen in Veronica Mars? Find out on this week’s episode! We also talk what we’ve been watching and we play a round of Tagline Takedown. Don’t forget to join our Summer Movie Wager here to win a movie/gift card/MFNP hoodie!

Show Notes:

Introduction
What We’ve Been Watching:
- Willie: Seduced and Abandoned (0:03:06)
- Tim: Neighbors (0:12:42)
- Alex: The Writers’ Room Season 1 (0:19:56)
Tagline Takedown (o:23:07)
Review: Veronica Mars (0:34:24) *TV SERIES AND MOVIE SPOILERS THROUGHOUT*
Outro (1:05:32)

Music and artwork were made for us by @mistajon on twitter.

Follow the show, Willie, Tim, and Alex on twitter.

Give us a call and leave a voicemail at (248) 733-5MFN or (248) 733-5636!

We’re also on Instagram (Username: MFNPodcast) and Vine (search for Midwest Film Nerds Podcast)!

Send comments, feedback, “Food for Thought” questions to feedback(AT)midwestfilmnerds(DOT)com.

You can now listen to us on Stitcher Radio! Download the free app on your Android or iOS devices and search for “Midwest Film Nerds” to find us.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:08:06 — 36.1MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Tagged with: alex, game, neighbors, seduced and abandoned, tagline takedown, tim, veronica mars, willie
Posted in Podcast

Whoomp! (Here it is) The Midwest Film Nerds Summer Movie Preview!!!

Posted on May 10, 2014 by tlong — No Comments ↓

Get your popcorn ready because it’s that time of year again. Explosions! Heart pounding action sequences! Grilling outside with people you don’t really like but you want to show off your brand new grill because fuck Carol and John anyway I saw their kid smoking pot behind the Citgo so they can quit being all high and mighty around me that’s for damn sure.

It’s summer movie season! And because this year is crowded with movies that are going to be the bomb and all that and a bag of chips, the “Midwest Film Nerds Podcast” is here to help you decide which movies are worth your time. So pay attention dummies, because we are about to get all up in it like Michael Jordan got all up in the Phoenix Suns during last year’s NBA Finals. Topical OJ Simpson joke, here we go!

http://www.tubechop.com/watch/2805515

JUNE

June 3rd,1994 Releases: Renaissance Man/ The Cowboy Way

Our Pick: The Cowboy Way (Woody Harrelson, Kiefer Sutherland)

IMDB synopsis that didn’t exist in 1994: Two buddies and championship rodeo partners travel to New York to find their missing friend, Nacho Salazar, after he disappears after travelling to New York City to pick up his daughter, Theresa.

Our Take: Saddle up, pardner because the Western is back! Two of Hollywood’s hottest young actors, Kiefer Sutherland and Woody Harrelson, are looking to bring a little desert heat to the big city of New York in this sure to be hilarious “fish out of water” comedy. Co-starring fellow Hollywood hunks Dylan Mcdermott and Ernie Hudson, these cowboys can ride us hard and put us away wet any time.

June 10th, 1994 Releases: City Slickers II/Speed

Our Pick: City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly’s Gold (Billy Crystal, Jon Lovitz)

IMDB synopsis that didn’t exist in 1994: Shortly after their first western adventure, Mitch Robbins and his friends discover a treasure map that belonged to their late trail guide Curly and set out to discover its secrets

Our Take: Saddle up, pardner because the Western is back! Billy Crystal and company are looking to strike gold again this summer with this sequel to the classic first film. If there’s one thing that audiences can’t get enough of, it’s comedy sequels, and this looks to take its rightful place in the pantheon of great comedy follow ups like Airplane 2, Caddyshack 2, and Fletch Lives!

June 17th, 1994 Releases: Getting Even with Dad/ Wolf

Our Pick: Getting Even with Dad (Ted Danson, Macauley Culkin)

IMDB synopsis that didn’t exist in 1994: Ray, an ex-con and widower, is planning a coin heist with two accomplices to help him to buy his own bakery. However, he doesn’t expect his son Timmy, who was living with Ray’s sister, to show up at the house right in the middle of planning. Timmy is ignored and Ray and his buddies pull off the heist. Timmy gets his father’s attention by stealing the coins and hiding them. To get them back, his father must take him to a number of different places and treat him like he enjoys his presence. They grow fond of each other but Timmy won’t stay with his dad unless he gives up the coins.

Our Take: With the end of Cheers and the smashing success of Made in America, nobody is hotter than Ted Danson, and we here at the Midwest Film Nerds Podcast were honored to sit down with him for this exclusive interview.

http://www.tubechop.com/watch/2805126

June 24th, 1994 : The Lion King/Wyatt Earp

Our Pick: Wyatt Earp (Kevin Costner, Gene Hackman)

IMDB synopsis that didn’t exist in 1994 :Wyatt Earp is a movie about a man and his family. The movie shows us the good times and the bad times of one of the West’s most famous individuals.

Our Take: Saddle up, pardner because the Western is back! Apparently Wyatt Earp did some stuff a long time ago, but who gives a shit, we want to make more puns! Kevin Costner is looking to CORRAL audiences back to the multiplexes this summer with this Bat MASTERFUL epic. And as far as action scenes go, we are sure that Director Lawrence Kasdan is no HACK, MAN. So don’t GAMBLE, ride on up to your local theater this June because you don’t want it written on your TOMBSTONE that you missed this guaranteed classic.

JULY

July 1st, 1994: Baby’s Day Out/The Shadow/Blow Out
Our Pick: The Shadow (Alec Baldwin, Penolope Ann Miller)

IMDB synopsis that didn’t exist in 1994: In 30’s New York City, the Shadow battles his nemesis, Shiwan Khan, who is building an atomic bomb.

Our Take: BANG! POW! WAP! The Comic Book movie is back, and one look at Director Russel Mulcahy’s past work proves that he’s the man for this job, and any job that comes his way:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luMoGdwixTM

July 8th, 1994: Forrest Gump

Our Pick: Forrest Gump (John F. Kennedy, John Lennon)

IMDB synopsis that didn’t exist in 1994: Forrest Gump, while not intelligent, has accidentally been present at many historic moments, but his true love, Jenny Curran, eludes him.

Our Take: Eh, sure. Whatever.

July 15th, 1994: Angels in the Outfield/True Lies

Our Pick: Angels in the Outfield (Joseph Gordon Levitt, Tony Danza)

IMDB synopsis that didn’t exist in 1994: A New Jersey guy dedicated to his family, friends, and church, develops unrealistic expectations from watching porn and works to find happiness and intimacy with his potential true love.

Our Take: Tony Danza and Joseph Gordon Levitt reunite for the first time in nearly 20 years for this “Don” of the Sundance Film Festival. What does JGL’s character in this movie care most about, you ask? Well as the character puts it bluntly in the trailer, “My body, my pad, my ride, my family, my church, my boys, my girls, and my porn” and judging by the rest of the trailer it seems to be working out pretty well as he has nabbed Danny Glover as a father figure. Scarlett Johannson, Julianne Moore, and Christopher Lloyd co-star as well.

July 22nd, 1994: North/Lassie/The Client

Our Pick: North (Elijah Wood, Bruce Willis)

IMDB synopsis that didn’t exist in 1994: Eleven-year-old North has had it with his parents. They are always busy with their careers and don’t give North the attention he needs, so he files a lawsuit against them. The judge rules that North should either find new parents or return to his own parents within two months. Thus north starts off on an hilarious journey around the world to find the parents that really care about him.

Our Take: It’s no secret that we here at the Midwest Film Nerds Podcast LOVE the work of director Rob Reiner. With The Princess Bride, Misery, and When Harry Met Sally… The Ol Meathead has cooked up some classics in recent years, and we can’t wait to see what’s in store for us with North. Seriously, look at that plot description again. Complicated legal matters between a child and his parents? Families are going to flock to this! Listen, if you’re not excited for this movie, that’s fine, we just don’t want to fucking hear it. Actually, if you’re not excited for Rob Reiner’s North, go fuck yourself. Seriously. You don’t deserve this caliber of cinema.

July 29th, 1994: Black Beauty/The Mask/It Could Happen to You

Our Pick: The Mask (Jim Carrey, Cameron Diaz)

IMDB synopsis that didn’t exist in 1994: Bank clerk Stanley Ipkiss is transformed into a manic super-hero when he wears a mysterious mask.

Our Take: Coming hot off the heels of Ace Ventura… you know what? I can’t talk about this right now. I have to talk about North some more. Please I’m begging you. If you’re thinking about seeing The Mask that weekend, go ahead and pay for it, but sneak in and see North again. You owe it to yourself, and honestly you owe it to society as a whole. I mean look at this cast: Jon Lovitz, Bruce Willis, Kathy Bates, Dan Aykroyd, REBA FUCKING MCENTIRE. I stake my entire reputation as a beloved film commenter on this being one of the defining films of our generation. Here’s a clip:

http://www.tubechop.com/watch/2805158

August

August 5th, 1994: Clear and Present Danger/Airheads/The Little Rascals

Our Pick: Airheads (Brendan Fraser, Steve Buscemi, Joe Mantegna, Something Sandler)

IMDB synopsis that didn’t exist in 1994: Three band members hoping for a big break head to a radio station to play their demo tape and wind up holding everyone hostage with plastic guns when the head DJ refuses to play them.

Our Take: Well, we’re entering the dog days of Summer, but there are still some small pleasures to be had. This looks like an amusing diversion, but we’re just not sure if audiences are going to be able to accept Adam Sandler on the big screen. We’ll just have to wait and see.

August 12th, 1994: In the Army Now (SRSLY. That’s it)

Our Pick: In the Army Now (Pauly Shore!!!)

IMDB synopsis that didn’t exist in 1994: Two misguided youths join the reserves to make some money for their entrepreneurial dreams. No sooner than they finish basic training are they called up to do their part to save the free world.

Our Take: Oh you know we are going to be Chillin with the Weeeeasel for this one! As unsure as we are about Adam Sandler, we are that absolutely positive that Pauly Shore is going to be an enduring star here in Tinsel Town. Isn’t that right BUD-DY? HAHAHAHA indelible comedy.

August 19th, 1994: Andre/Blankman/Color of Night/Killing Zoe

Our Pick: Blankman (Damon Wayans, David Alan Grier)

IMDB synopsis that didn’t exist in 1994: A simpleton inventor becomes a superhero with a bulletproof costume and a low budget.

Our Take: The Crow. The Shadow. The Mask. Timecop. Blankman. What do all of these films have in common? That’s right, they’re all superhero or comic book related films. Which begs the question: Will audiences be suffering from Superhero film fatigue by the time Blankman is released? Have superhero movies outstayed their welcome? Very interesting questions to ponder instead of doing something worthwhile with your life for the next 20 years.

August 26th, 1994: Camp Nowhere/Natural Born Kilers/Wagons East!

Our Pick: Wagons East! (John Candy, Richard Lewis)

IMDB synopsis that didn’t exist in 1994: In the 1860’s Wild West, when a ragged bunch of misfit settlers decide they cannot stand living in their current situation, they hire a grizzled cowboy to take them on a journey back to their hometowns east.

Our Take: Saddle up, pardner because the western is back! Two of Hollywood’s hottest young actors, John Candy and Richard Lewis, are looking to bring a little desert heat to the big city of New York in this sure to be hilarious “fish out of water” comedy. Co-starring fellow Hollywood hunks John C. Mcginley and Charles Rocket, these cowboys can ride us hard and put us away wet any time.

So that’s it. Which of these movies do you believe will be crowned the king of summer? Please make your picks in this year’s Summer Movie Wager http://midwestfilmnerds.com/summer-movie-wager-2014/

Now go watch North and listen to our podcast. Thanks and I promise to learn how to embed videos soon!

Posted in Uncategorized

Episode 75 – The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Posted on May 7, 2014 by Alex — No Comments ↓

Does director Marc Webb ensnare us in the web that is The Amazing Spider-Man 2? Find out on this week’s episode! We also talk about Star Wars Episode VII casting and what we’ve been watching. Don’t forget to join our Summer Movie Wager here to win a movie/gift card/MFNP hoodie!

Show Notes:

Introduction
What We’ve Been Watching:
- Tim: Lucha Libre burlesque show, Cormac McCarthy’s The Crossing, All the Pretty Horses (0:03:53)
- Willie: True Detective Season 1, assorted Godzilla movies (0:07:00)
- Alex: Game of Thrones Season 4, Community Season 5, Veronica Mars Season 3 (0:13:54)
Film News:
- The cast of Star Wars Episode VII has been revealed! (0:17:20)
Nick’s Catch Up (0:25:42)
Review: The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (0:30:23)
- Spoilers start: (0:53:06)
Outro (1:19:17)

Music and artwork were made for us by @mistajon on twitter.

Follow the show, Willie, Tim, Nick, and Alex on twitter.

Give us a call and leave a voicemail at (248) 733-5MFN or (248) 733-5636!

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Send comments, feedback, “Food for Thought” questions to feedback(AT)midwestfilmnerds(DOT)com.

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:21:55 — 42.4MB)

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Tagged with: alex, marc webb, marvel, nick, spider-man, star wars, star wars episode vii, the amazing spider-man, the amazing spider-man 2, tim, willie
Posted in Podcast