It's Oscars week and also the 25th anniversary of American Beauty somehow winning Best Picture for the all-time movie year that was 1999. On this week's episode, Seth attempts to suffocate Sam Mendes's dark dramedy with its stupid floating plastic bag (with the help of Jason Baxter). We get into the protagonist being a wannabe pedophile, the script's horrendous scenes, the lack of comedic editing, bad improv scene-level acting, it's regressive nature despite thinking it's super edgy, stolen Austin Powers bits, how many 1999 films do elements of what it's failing at way, way, way better, and more.
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1:00:41
Microsoft Zune (with Daniel Ellis)
Welcome to Consumer Reports: Everyone is Wrong edition. On this episode, noted collegate Apple hater Daniel Ellis comes on the pod to defend one of tech's most notable product punchlines - the digital media player and failed iPod rival that was the Microsoft Zune. We dive into the Zune's design, musician-friendly features, Spotify before Spotify, Allen Iverson crossovers, and *//deep sigh* squirting (NO NOT THAT, GET YOUR MIND OUTTA THE GUTTER). Crack open a can of Crystal Pepsi or New Coke and enjoy listening while playing your Nintendo Virtual Boy.
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53:05
Timothy Dalton's James Bond: The Living Daylights & Licence to Kill (with Jason Baxter)
Can a star of one of film's biggest franchises get memory holed? Jason Baxter returns on a not so secret mission to revive awareness for the James Bond films starring Timothy Dalton: 1987's The Living Daylights & 1989's Licence to Kill. We dive into the influential seriousness Dalton brought to the role, banger theme songs by A-ha and Gladys Knight, some heavy Miami Vice influence, Benicio del Toro and Wayne Newton, Mad Max, J. D. Vance, and more.
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1:07:54
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (with Jason Baxter)
May the 4th be with you! With Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace returning to theaters for its 25th anniversary, Jason Baxter returns to defend one of the most openly hated movies in cinema history. We go deep on epic scenes like the podrace (non-war action!) and Duel of the Fates, the whole point of a plot centered around political points like taxation, Nintendo 64 games, the loaded handmaiden cast, overly confident Jedi, and how the Phantom Menace is way better than the film that won Best Picture for the loaded movie year that was 1999.
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1:22:28
The Postman (with Brennon Poynor - Live at Treefort Fest)
Much like this episode's titular charachter, the podcast trekked across the Pacific Northwest to deliver a live episode of the podcast from Treefort Fest in Boise. Brennon Poynor joins the show to take up arms for Kevin Costner's 1997 post-apocalyptic Western, The Postman. We dive into the film's cautionary epic scope, Waterworld backlash, Will Paton's wildy going-for-it performance, child armies, Olivia Williams' chaotic waifu energy, Tom Petty, an extremly overly earnest score, mule sword fights, cinema's most cucked man, Dune, and how a rebellion can rise from grifter finding a tooth in the mail.
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Since we played clips in this episode, here's links to them:
The Trailer
Overly Dramatic Boy with Letter
Shakespeare Off
Tom Petty
UK