http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/ SMART-POPCORN.com weekly talk show with movie reviews and film industry retrospectives. en-us Podcasts, images, and related media Copyright © 2002-2005 SMART-POPCORN.com. Fri, 26 May 2006 16:00:00 -0600 Fri, 26 May 2006 16:00:00 -0600 Podcast 720 0 1 2 3 4 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 23 SMART-POPCORN.com SMART-POPCORN.com weekly talk show with movie reviews and film industry retrospectives. At SMART-POPCORN.com, we review for everybody... Now we podcast, too! Join Thom and the gang each week as they discuss movies new and old, upcoming releases, and industry news. smart popcorn movies movie reviews previews hollywood film industry news Thom Stricklin and Mitch Goossen Recorded mid-week and released almost in time for the next episode! The crew responds to some feedback, Mitch pokes holes in Poseidon, and Thom reviews Da Vinci Code and Over the Hedge. Enhanced AAC format. http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/17/ http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/17/ Fri, 26 May 2006 16:00:00 -0600 Thom Stricklin and Mitch Goossen Recorded mid-week and released almost in time for the next episode! The crew responds to some feedback, Mitch pokes holes in Poseidon, and Thom reviews Da Vinci Code and Over the Hedge. Enhanced AAC format. Recorded mid-week and released almost in time for the next episode! The crew responds to some feedback, Mitch pokes holes in Poseidon, and Thom reviews Da Vinci Code and Over the Hedge. Enhanced AAC format. poseidon da vinci code over the hedge HH:MM:SS Thom Stricklin, Mitch Goossen, and Phil Stricklin We're back! MP3 + Enhanced AAC for iTunes/iPod listeners. Thom, Mitch, and Phil discuss M:i:3, Casino Royale, Superman Returns, X-Men 3, the original Star Wars trilogy, and Clerks 2. http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/16/ http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/16/ Mon, 15 May 2006 01:00:00 -0600 Thom Stricklin, Mitch Goossen, and Phil Stricklin We're back! MP3 + Enhanced AAC for iTunes/iPod listeners. Thom, Mitch, and Phil discuss M:i:3, Casino Royale, Superman Returns, X-Men 3, the original Star Wars trilogy, and Clerks 2. ***** EPISODE 014 - Sunday, May 14, 2006 ***** We're back, again! We're trying something different this week--Enhanced AAC format, so you can search by chapter! If you have any problems, you can download the MP3 version too. CAST: Thom Stricklin, Mitch Goossen, and Phil Stricklin TOPICS: * MOVIE REVIEW: Mission: Impossible 3 * PREVIEW REVIEWS - Casino Royale - Superman Returns - Trailer 2 - X-Men: The Last Stand - 7-Minute Sneak Peek * INDUSTRY NEWS - Lucas to release original Star Wars Original Trilogy. - Clerks 2 moves on up--with its release date. NEXT EPISODE: Who knows when we'll be back, but we'll be back. Hopefully to review The DaVinci Code. mission impossible 3 casino royale superman returns x-men last stand star wars original trilogy clerks 2 56:36 Thom Stricklin, Mitch Goossen Surprise! We do exist! Thom and Mitch discuss the X3 trailer in this new, shorter version of the SMART-POPcast. http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/15/ http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/15/ Thu, 16 Mar 2006 17:00:00 -0700 Thom Stricklin, Mitch Goossen Surprise! We do exist! Thom and Mitch discuss the X3 trailer in this new, shorter version of the SMART-POPcast. Surprise! We do exist! Thom and Mitch discuss the X3 trailer in this new, shorter version of the SMART-POPcast. x3 last stand trailer hugh jackman patrick stewart brett ratner ian mckellan halle berry 18:41 Thom Stricklin and Mitch Goossen New movies stink, so join us for an all-news episode of the SMART-POPcast! http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/14/ http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/14/ Mon, 06 Feb 2006 03:00:00 -0700 Thom Stricklin and Mitch Goossen New movies stink, so join us for an all-news episode of the SMART-POPcast! ***** EPISODE 014 - Sunday, February 5, 2006 ***** CAST: Thom Stricklin, Mitch Goossen TOPICS: SITE NEWS * Mitch, congrats on the new title: "Project Manager". His grand prize? When Thom is being lazy and slacking off on new features and releases, he gets to kick him in the butt. * Due to a shake-up of the staff on SP, and the fact that the movies in theatres stink right now, we're throttling back to a biweekly schedule for the time being. * Introducing... the Global Community. If you know of a site that may wish to affiliate, make them known to us! Email: goglobal@smart-popcorn.com INDUSTRY NEWS * Boll Welcomes Razzy - Why hasn't this guy felt the "Crocodile Dundee" factor? - Even though Mitch (along with the rest of the world) think his films are awful, the man is doing what he loves. * WB ready to unroll P2P Movie Downloads - The simple matter of WB's involvement makes this implementation smell of "gimmick"... but it's an interesting first step. * Website offers Public Domain Movies via BitTorrent - Oh great, movies Thom's professors couldn't get him to watch in film class, this website want s him to go to the efforts of downloading. - Just kidding... Not sure of the appeal (and the site itself is almost archaic as the films) but if it means kids might see movies made before 1977, Thom's game. * MPAA sues over Phantom Movie - And so it begins: a consumer possibly sued over maintaining an insecure WiFi network. * Kevin Smith goes for the NC-17 Gold with Clerks 2 - Thom likes Kevin Smith's stuff, but he'll reserve judgement for when he see the flick. Smith said similar things about Jersey Girl, and while it wasn't the stinker many made it out to be amid the Gigli/Bennifer bad hype, it wasn't as good as Chasing Amy. - Considering it only cost about 5 million dollars to make, Mitch really doesn't see how this movie will tank at the box office, not including the DVD sales. - Plus they (Kevin & Harvey) are talking about a 1000 screen launch. - So even just for a first day screening if it made $5,000 per screen it will make its money back. - Thom doesn't worry about the commercial viability... He just don't quiiiite trust him when he says it's his best flick yet. * Galactus and Silver Surfer as Fantastic Four 2 villians - Au contrair... Comics Continuum (a more reliable website according to Comics2Film.com) says such claims are "inaccurate". - In fact, Rob Worley (C2F, our guest on Episode 6) says he has "no doubt" the Continuum checked it with the Marvel offices. He may've been saying that extremely deadpan and sarcastic, but Thom thinks he was on the level. - Months of internet speculation fodder RUINED in one fell swoop. * Rothman tells some on X3, and the future of the franchise. - Right now, Thom is more concerned with what goes down on X3 than whether or not the franchise will continue. - Call him a fan of Wolverine, snikty snikt! NEXT EPISODE: Amid a recent wave of news buzz, the Firefly episode--at last! film industry news 1:19:54 Mitch Goossen, Thom Stricklin, Phil Stricklin We're back! Episode 13 is here, and it's less than ten minutes long. http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/13/ http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/13/ Wed, 25 Jan 2006 12:00:00 -0700 Mitch Goossen, Thom Stricklin, Phil Stricklin Movie Reviews: Brokeback Mountain, Two for the Money, Grandma's Boy We're back! Episode 13 is here, and it's less than ten minutes long... We challenged ourselves to review three movies in ten minutes, and we succeeded. Stop reading; go listen! CAST: Mitch Goossen, Thom Stricklin, Phil Stricklin TOPICS: MOVIE REVIEW: Brokeback Mountain MOVIE REVIEW: Two for the Money MOVIE REVIEW: Grandma's Boy brokeback mountain two for the money grandmas boy 9:56 Mitch Goossen and Thom Stricklin Casually late, Episode 12 is here. Movie reviews of Aeon Flux, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and Syriana. Rest in peace, Richard Pryor. The X-Men 3 teaser is out--woo! http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/12/ http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/12/ Tue, 13 Dec 2005 01:00:00 -0700 Mitch Goossen and Thom Stricklin Movie Reviews: Aeon Flux, The Chronicles of Narnia, Syriana. Rest in peace, Richard Pryor. The X-Men 3 teaser is out. ***** EPISODE 012 - Sunday, December 11, 2005 CAST: Mitch Goossen, Thom Stricklin TOPICS: DVD GIVEAWAY: Cinderella Man - Get your chance to own this unfortunately overlooked depression-era gem. - Listen to the show for details! - Winner will be chosen at random. Odds depend on number of entrants. Standard rules apply--you must be over 18, a resident of the United States, and must not be a SMART-POPCORN.com staff member or family thereof. MOVIE REVIEW: Aeon Flux MOVIE REVIEW: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe MOVIE REVIEW: Syriana INDUSTRY NEWS - Rest in peace, Richard Pryor. 1940-2005. - Pictures of Beast and Angel, and the X3 "announcement teaser" is up. Looks like Ratner might not screw up the franchise. - Rumors of a Serenity sequel to be released on the Sci Fi Channel have Mitch & Thom hopeful. NEXT WEEK: There's no place I can be, since I've found Serenity. You can't take the sky from meeeee... "24 Hours" provided by LaromLab. For more information, visit: www.myspace.com/laromlab aeon flux charlise theron chronicles of narnia lion witch wardrobe liam neeson syriana george clooney matt damon richard pryor x3 beast kelsey grammar 1:03:57 Thom Stricklin, Mitch Goossen, and Evan Ramirez Thom and Mitch welcome staffer Evan Ramirez to discuss The Ice Harvest and Rent. In the news: Rest in peace, Pat Morita. BitTorrent founder buddies up to MPAA. Peter Jackson butts heads with the Directors' Guild. Mel Gibson sues CleanFlix for Passion remix. http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/11/ http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/11/ Mon, 28 Nov 2005 01:00:00 -0700 Thom Stricklin, Mitch Goossen, and Evan Ramirez Movie Reviews: The Ice Harvest, Rent. Rest in peace, Pat Morita. BitTorrent founder buddies up to MPAA. Peter Jackson butts heads with the Directors' Guild. Mel Gibson sues CleanFlix for Passion remix. ***** EPISODE 011 - Sunday, November 27, 2005 ***** CAST: Thom Stricklin, Mitch Goossen, Evan Ramirez TOPICS: MOVIE REVIEW: The Ice Harvest - Evan was hoping for a Bad Santa-style comedy... no such luck. - Are there really mobsters in Wichita? - Thom waxes unnecessarily scientific over the ratio of strip clubs to police officers in the movie versus real life. - Here's some existentialism for you: the movie sucks, and then the credits roll. Don't bother. MOVIE REVIEW: Rent - Thom rants about STDs, heroin junkies, and depressed people singing in major keys. - Anthony Rapp (the "other" dork from Dazed & Confused) has the most interesting character, and all he does is get a job while everyone else mooches off him. - Insert obligatory joke related to "525,600 minutes". INDUSTRY NEWS - Rest in peace, Pat Morita. You'll forever wax on in our hearts. - BitTorrent founder Bram Cohen pledges to remove links to bootlegs. - Peter Jackson butts heads with the Directors' Guild over King Kong animators' credits. - A high school teacher is sacked for showing Elizabeth without parental consent. - Mel Gibson takes on Ray Lines' CleanFlix for distributing an edited copy of Passion. NEXT WEEK: Reviews for Aeon Flux and anything but Tom Arnold's new movie. Will Thom be all by his lonesome next week? Let's hope not. ice harvest john cusack billy bob thornton rent rosario dawson pat morita miyagi bittorrent mpaa peter jackson dga mel gibson sues cleanflix 55:01 Thom Stricklin, Mitch Goossen, Phil Stricklin Episode 10 is ready! Thom, Mitch, and Phil discuss Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Walk the Line, Zathura, and the Superman Returns trailer. You know the drill... Enjoy. http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/10/ http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/10/ Mon, 21 Nov 2005 17:00:00 -0700 Thom Stricklin, Mitch Goossen, Phil Stricklin Movie Reviews: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Walk the Line, Zathura. Preview Review: Superman Returns. More HD-DVD news, and Sony's in trouble. NBC intros legal peer-to-peer sharing. ***** EPISODE 010 - Sunday, November 20, 2005 ***** CAST: Thom Stricklin, Mitch Goossen, and Phil Stricklin TOPICS: MOVIE REVIEW: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Mitch is such a Potter geek--of course he loved it. - It took four years, but Thom finally sat through a Harry Potter movie. - Brendan Gleeson ruled as MadEye Moody. - Emma Watson lent emotional weight to the central trio. - We can't wait to see _____ kill __________... Nooooooo!!! MOVIE REIVEW: Walk the Line - Uh-huh, it's less biopic than love story. Yes, it featured Reese Witherspoon --and yes, Thom actually liked it anyhow! - Joaquin became Johnny Cash, voice and all. The singing here was better than Ray. - Sex, drugs, and rock & roll were all present, but were handled subtly and didn't overstay their welcome. MOVIE REVIEW: Zathura - Phil enjoyed this surprisingly sentimental family flick. - Dax Shepard lends the film some humor, but the kids shine brightest. - Nicest guy in Hollywood, Jon Favreau is finding a good niche as a family-friendly director. PREVIEW REVIEW: Superman Returns - Just looks like more of the same. We saw this in Donner's Superman, and much of it in Smallville too. - Brandon Routh (err... rhymes with 'south') is a close lookalike to Chris Reeves, but why bother? - Phil still prefers to wait for X-Men 3. INDUSTRY NEWS - Yes, more Blu-Ray happenings. - Sony's film division has had two "hits" this year: Hitch and The Grudge. When The Grudge is a tentpole film for a studio, they're definitely in trouble. - NBC debuts a legal peer-to-peer distribution network, but is Wurld Media's reputation something to worry about? (Mitch says two words: AD WARE.) NEXT: Evan joins us to review Syriana, Ice Harvest, and more. Have a Happy Thanksgiving! harry potter goblet of fire daniel radcliffe brendan gleeson emma watson walk the line joaquin phoenix reese witherspoon zathura jon favreau 1:04:03 Thom Stricklin, Mitch Goossen, Phil Stricklin Hey all. Episode 9 is here! Due to server problems, no show notes right now, but I'll get them added in tomorrow. http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/9/ http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/9/ Mon, 14 Nov 2005 05:00:00 -0700 Thom Stricklin, Mitch Goossen, Phil Stricklin Hey all. Episode 9 is here! Due to server problems, no show notes right now, but I'll get them added in tomorrow. Hey all. Episode 9 is here! Due to server problems, no show notes right now, but I'll get them added in tomorrow. get rich or die trying derailed kiss kiss bang bang dazed and confused 1:08:06 Phil Stricklin, Thom Stricklin, Mitch Goossen Happy birthday, Phil! The SMART-POPcast Episode 8: Revenge of the Phil features Thom and Mitch in addition to our birthday boy. They cover Jarhead, Chicken Little, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, and one of Mitch's favorite movies, Boondock Saints. Also: Church is Spider-Man 3's Sandman, Serenity DVD is available for pre-order, and the MPAA sues a man $600,000 for his 12-year-old grandson downloading The Forgotten. http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/8/ http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/8/ Sun, 06 Nov 2005 17:00:00 -0700 Phil Stricklin, Thom Stricklin, Mitch Goossen Movie Reviews: Jarhead, Chicken Little, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Boondock Saints. Also: Church is Sandman, Serenity on pre-order, MPAA sues grandpa $600,000. ***** EPISODE 008 - Sunday, November 6, 2005 ***** CAST: Phil Stricklin, Thom Stricklin, and Mitch Goossen TOPICS: MOVIE REVIEW: Jarhead - No, it's not "political enough"--thank god. - Despite being apolitical, Jarhead poignantly displays the futility of war. - Phil & Thom agree... Jamie Foxx and Peter Sarsgaard dance in circles around Gyllenhaal. - Mendes remains a consistently great director. - Cinematographer Roger Deakins finds the artfulness in reality. MOVIE REVIEW: Chicken Little - It's like Robots without the zany cast. - Chicken Little only begins to entertain at the end, when it takes heavy cues from The Explorers, Get Shorty, and Austion Powers in Goldmember - The best voices--Fred Willard, Patrick Warburton, Adam West--only come in the last fifteen minutes. - Don't bother with this movie... Just rent The Explorers. MOVIE REVIEW: Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith - Thom was disappointed that Lucas nearly turned the franchise into kids' movies... Finally some redemption comes in Revenge of the Sith. - Is Ewan McGregor the best actor to star in a Star Wars movie? What about Anthony Daniels or the guy who played Chewie? (Or more seriously, Harrison Ford?) MOVIE REVIEW: The Boondock Saints - This is one of Mitch's favorite movies... or not. He owns it, and that puts it among an elite few movies. - Like most lesser-known or obscure movies, says Mitch, this has plenty of unconventional entertainment to offer. - Phil enjoyed the scenes in which Willem Dafoe's character breaks down the crime scenes. - Thom thinks this is one of the all-time best vigilante movies. INDUSTRY NEWS - Thomas Hayden Church is Sandman in Spider-Man 3. - Serenity is available on pre-order... Thom's gonna try and score screener copies for the special Serenity episode in December. - Disney is already playing the blame game over Chicken Little, but Disney is ultimately at fault for alienating Pixar. - The Weinstein Company is prepared to take product placement to the next level... Care for Motorola Boy and Dove Girl in 3D? THOM'S MOVIE NEWS IN BRIEFS - The MPAA sues a grandpa $600,000 because his grandson downloaded four movies... including The Forgotten. - Maybe the kid knows it was wrong, maybe he doesn't. - Regardless, there is NO reason to go after this grandfather when there are pirates with terabytes of movies available. This is a scare tactic to frighten ordinary people into compliance. - Piracy IS bad... But the MPAA should be harnessing technology for their own gain, not stifling it at everyone's expense. Can't they learn from the RIAA's mistakes? NEXT WEEK: Derailed, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Dazed & Confused, and more. jarhead jake gyllenhaal peter sarsgaard jamie foxx sam mendes chicken little zach braff joan cusack steve zahn star wars revenge of the sith george lucas hayden christiansen ewan mcgregor boondock saints willem dafoe 1:15:28 Thom Stricklin, Mitch Goossen, Phil Stricklin Phil peeks in to give his thoughts on Saw II and Prime. Thom and Mitch review The Weatherman and The Legend of Zorro. The SMART-POPCORN.com Review System gets a good once-over. Can Mark Cuban escape the wrath of Wal-Mart to deliver digital movies? http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/7/ http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/7/ Sun, 30 Oct 2005 17:00:00 -0700 Thom Stricklin, Mitch Goossen, Phil Stricklin Movie Reviews: Saw II, Prime, The Weatherman, The Legend of Zorro. The Review System explained. Can Mark Cuban beat Wal-Mart with digital movies? ***** EPISODE 007 - Sunday, October 30, 2005 ***** CAST: Thom Stricklin, Mitch Goossen, Phil Stricklin TOPICS: MOVIE REVIEW: Saw II - It's better-written but worse-acted than the original, says Phil. Odds are, you're only slightly more likely to enjoy this than Saw. MOVIE REVIEW: Prime - What had potential as a rom-com was ruined by its final act. MOVIE REVIEW: The Weatherman - Forecast is bleak with 60% chance of pointlessness. MOVIE REVIEW: The Legend of Zorro - Secret societies are trying to blow up the continental United States, and Zorro is fighting with the misses? - Mitch wants his two hours back. SPECIAL REPORT: The Review System Explained - Thom explains, in easy terms, what it means when a review says a movie is x-percent Smarts and x-percent Popcorn. INDUSTRY NEWS - Mark Cuban takes on digital distribution, but will Wal-Mart get in his way? NEXT WEEK: Jarhead, Chicken Little, and more. saw ii prime the weatherman nicolas cage the legend of zorro antonio banderas catherine zeta jones 35:38 Thom Stricklin, Phil Stricklin, Mitch Goossen, Rob Worley Thom, Phil, and Mitch welcome special guest Rob Worley, owner of Comics2Film.com and author of Advent Rising: Rock the Planet, here to discuss the Batman Begins DVD and the future of comic book movies. Thom and Phil review Doom. Another studio comes out in support of Blu-Ray, and UNESCO tries to fight the Hollywood formula. http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/6/ http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/6/ Sun, 23 Oct 2005 17:00:00 -0600 Thom Stricklin, Phil Stricklin, Mitch Goossen, Rob Worley Movie Reviews: Batman Begins, Doom. Special Report: The future of comic book movies. Another studio supports Blu-Ray. UNESCO fights the Hollywood formula. ***** EPISODE 006 - Sunday, October 23, 2005 ***** CAST: Thom Stricklin, Phil Stricklin, Mitch Goossen, Rob Worley TOPICS: MOVIE REVIEW: Batman Begins SPECIAL REPORT: The Future of Comic Book Movies - X-Men 3 - Superman Returns - Where is the genre headed? MOVIE REVIEW: Doom INDUSTRY NEWS - Warner Brothers supports Blu-Ray - UNESCO tries to fight the Hollywood formula. NEXT WEEK: Reviews for The Legend of Zorro and The Weatherman, a Smart/Popcorn expose, and more. batman begins x-men 3 superman returns doom dwayne the rock johnson bluray hd dvd unesco 1:03:57 Thom Stricklin, Phil Stricklin, Mitch Goossen Thom, Phil, and Mitch share the dual horrors of two Scott brothers films: Domino, starring Keira Knightley, and Kingdom of Heaven, starring Orlando Bloom. A preview for Running Scared boasts Paul Walker with a New York accent... might he, in fact, act for once? Go see Serenity! Daniel Craig is James Bond. Spielberg promises a new technology for "movie emmersion". Peter Jackson is producing Halo. http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/5/ http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/5/ Sun, 16 Oct 2005 17:00:00 -0600 Thom Stricklin, Phil Stricklin, Mitch Goossen Movie Reviews: Domino, Kingdom of Heaven. Preview Review: Running Scared. Go see Serenity! Daniel Craig is Bond. Spielberg promises movie emmersion. Peter Jackson producing Halo. ***** EPISODE 005 - Sunday, October 16, 2005 ***** CAST: Thom Stricklin, Phil Stricklin, Mitch Goossen TOPICS: MOVIE REVIEW: Domino - Thom and Phil rank this among the worst movies ever made. - Consider this a "brit-sploitation" film. Keira Knightly shows some skin, but it's NOT worth wasting eight bucks or two hours of your life. - Tony Scott needs to stop playing GTA and pick up a copy of Filmmaking for Dummies. He's forgotten how to make a decent movie. MOVIE REVIEW: Kingdom of Heaven - A good movie... if you compare it next to Domino. Otherwise, not so good. - Mitch had problems telling the scenes apart, and Thom couldn't tell apart the characters. They had no apparent motivations, and the audience develops no concern for them. - Don't let Ridley Scott fool you... This is no political commentary film. It's an action flick, and a mediocre one at that. PREVIEW REVIEW: Running Scared - Not a remake of the Billy Crystal/Gregory Hines starrer... This has got Paul Walker sporting a New York accent. Fagedaboudit, bra. SERENITY RECAP - Thom bought the Firefly complete series, and it's even better than the movie. - Don't bother seeing Domino or renting Kingdom of Heaven. If you want to support good filmmaking, go see Serenity. It's a must! INDUSTRY NEWS - Daniel Craig is James Bond. Who is Daniel Craig? Will this save the next Bond movie from disaster? - Spielberg promises technology to deliver an "emmersive film experience". He's also teaming up with EA to develop some original concept video games. - The Wallace & Gromit warehouse burned down, but Aardman is looking ahead. - Peter Jackson signs on to produce the Halo movie. NEXT WEEK: Special guest Rob Worley (Owner of Comics2Film; Author of "Advent Rising: Rock the Planet") joins us to discuss Batman Begins and the future of comic book movies. Also: Doom movie reviews, and more. domino keira knightley kingdom of heaven orlando bloom ridley scott running scared paul walker serenity joss whedon daniel craig james bond casino royale spielberg 3d electronic arts peter jackson halo 1:02:40 Thom Stricklin, Sarah "Reel Monkey" Bonilla, Ray "Macabre Stalker" Bonilla, Mitch Goossen Mitch, a.k.a. Nikcon on the forums (and Numbers elsewhere), joins Thom, Ray, and Sarah in discussion about the Joss Whedon space epic, Serenity, as well as An Unfinished Life, starring Robert Redford, Jennifer Lopez, and Morgan Freeman. Also: Thom salutes The Weinstein Company. http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/4/ http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/4/ Sun, 02 Oct 2005 17:00:00 -0600 Thom Stricklin, Sarah "Reel Monkey" Bonilla, Ray "Macabre Stalker" Bonilla, Mitch Goossen Movie Reviews: Serenity, An Unfinished Life. Also: Thom salutes The Weinstein Company. ***** EPISODE 004 - Sunday, October 02, 2005 ***** CAST: Thom Stricklin, Sarah "Reel Monkey" Bonilla, Ray "Macabre Stalker" Bonilla, Mitch "Nikcon" Goossen TOPICS: MOVIE REVIEW: Serenity - Sarah digs Capt. Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) and his Harrison Ford-esque traits. He has insecurities and flaws that make him a compelling character. - River, the "living weapon" girl, is as badass as they come... in concept. Sarah believes she's miscast (Summer Glau). - Thom walked out not simply "wowed", but deeply & thoroughly impressed. - Serenity is not at all a by-the-numbers space romp. Both good guys and bad guys break from expectations. - It's great to see Chiwetel Ejiofor play the bad guy, an Alliance Operative. (If you don't know who he is, see Dirty Pretty Things!) - Thom was honestly afraid nobody would survive the film... and he liked that amount of suspense. - Ray thinks Joss Whedon, the cast, and the fans all deserve the enthusiasm Serenity is generating. The film gives us a rich, well-thought sci-fi story, not necessarily original, but masterfully amalgamated from past sci-fi greats and Whedon's own palette. - As a "browncoat" fan, Mitch is intrigued by the points raised about Sheppard Book, as well as the big secret about the Reavers. - Mitch can't offer enough "thumbs up" for the film to express his satisfaction--and everyone else offers their own thumbs to the count. MOVIE REVIEW: An Unfinished Life - Thom walked into the movie blind, but came out completely fulfilled. - This is one of Robert Redford's best performances, and newcomer Becca Gardner shines. - An Unfinished Life is a story about forgiveness, and it beautifully captures so many feelings in simple--but not oversimplified--terms. - Sarah thinks this may be the best drama of the year. - Her favorite parts were the interactions betwee Einar (Redford) and Mitch (Morgan Freeman). - Cinematographer Oliver Stapleton has outdone himself, and director Lass Halstrom has returned to form. - Ray seconds what Thom and Sarah think, and everyone agrees... This is one of the year's best. THOM'S NEWS IN BRIEFS: The Weinstein Company - Bob and Harvey Weinstein seek $1 billion as they roll out their new production company, but everyone seems to be rallying against their success... why? OPEN DISCUSSION - Rest in piece, Don Adams. - Grace and Church as Venom and Sandman in Spider-Man 3? NEXT WEEK: Thom gets his gall bladder removed. Will there be a podcast? We shall see. serenity joss whedon firefly nathan fillion chiwetel ejiofor an unfinished life robert redford jennifer lopez morgan freeman bob harvey weinstein miramax disney 1:13:52 Thom Stricklin, "Reel Monkey" Sarah Bonilla, "Macabre Stalker" Ray Bonilla It's a Mac attack! Thom, Sarah, and Ray a.k.a. "Macabe Stalker" take turns on Tim Burton's Corpse Bride, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, and The Longest Yard. Also: Preview Review of Sam Mendes' Jarhead; Keith Richards jumps Pirates ship; Thom salutes Japan Tobacco's dare to be stupid. http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/3/ http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/3/ Sat, 24 Sep 2005 17:00:00 -0600 Thom Stricklin, "Reel Monkey" Sarah Bonilla, "Macabre Stalker" Ray Bonilla Movie Reviews: Corpse Bride, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, The Longest Yard. Preview Review: Jarhead. Keith Richards jumps Pirates ship. ***** EPISODE 002 - Saturday, September 24, 2005 ***** CAST: Thom Stricklin, "Reel Monkey" Sarah Bonilla, "Macabre Stalker" Ray Bonilla TOPICS: MOVIE REVIEW: Tim Burton's Corpse Bride - Sarah didn't expect much--she wasn't crazy about Nightmare Before Christmas. Still, she was unimpressed. Twelve years after Christmas, can't Burton handle clay better? - Ray was underwhelmed. He didn't care for the characters--or the songs. However, he liked the ironic use of color and liveliness in the "dead world". - Did Burton rip off Beetlejuice? - Thom thinks Corpse Bride is more of an Edward Scissorhands derivation. - He was impressed with the visuals--he didn't think clay could be lit so well. - Beyond that, there's not much to enjoy. It's sooo emo... despite talking so much, it really doesn't say anything. - Thom suspects Corpse Bride was Burton's chance to work with friends and sell handbags to teenage girls. MOVIE REVIEW: The Exorcism of Emily Rose - Ray would take it over The Exorcist any day. But then, Ray doesn't like The Exorcist. - It was neither an earth-shattering horror or a profound religious movie, but it's worth considering. - Tom Wilkinson finally redeems himself for In the Bedroom. - Sarah liked the original approach to Emily's possession--the editing was a letdown, though. - Exorcism does a good job of allowing the audience to choose what it believes. MOVIE REVIEW: The Longest Yard - Sarah expected this to be one of Sandler's stinkers, but it was a pleasant surprise. - Most enjoyable was the supporting cast... Sandler, Rock, and Reynolds knew when to share the screen with the lesser knowns. - Make no mistake... This is a comedy, not a drama, but it has some weight to it. - Thom agrees: The Longest Yard is a welcome addition to the Adam Sandler line-up. But it doesn't feel like a typical Sandler flick--nor a typical sports comedy. (Thank god!) - Everyone seemed to be having fun, but not at the audience's expense. PREVIEW REVIEW: Jarhead - Keep 'em coming, Sam Mendes! INDUSTRY NEWS - Keith Richards jumps ship from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. - Thom's News in Briefs: Japan Tobacco sponsors a smokers-only screening of Sin City. ABOUT THE PODCAST - We're coast to coast baby. Thom and Phil hail from Arizona, Sarah and Ray from NC. Joining us soon will be Hargrove (from Illinois), Bachalon (Texas), and perhaps Evan (Burbank, CA)? NEXT EPISODE: Serenity, The Greatest Game Ever Played, and more. corpse bride tim burton johnny depp helena bohnam carter exorcism emily rose tom wilkinson longest yard adam sandler chris rock jarhead sam mendes jake gyllenhaal keith richards pirates serenity 1:00:00 Thom Stricklin, Sarah "Reel Monkey" Bonilla, Phil Stricklin Sarah, Thom, & Phil take on two new releases: Lord of War and Just Like Heaven. Everyone agrees: War was good, while Heaven was a subpar romcom. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire gets a preview review. Disney pledges to release its films digitally, and Michael Moore takes on Katrina. http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/2/ http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/2/ Sun, 18 Sep 2005 17:00:00 -0600 Thom Stricklin, Sarah "Reel Monkey" Bonilla, Phil Stricklin Movie Reviews: Lord of War, Just Like Heaven. Preview Review: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Disney pledges digital films. Michael Moore takes on Katrina. ***** EPISODE 002 - Sunday, September 18, 2005 ***** CAST: Thom Stricklin, Sarah "Reel Monkey" Bonilla, Phil Stricklin TOPICS: MOVIE REVIEW: Lord of War - Nicolas Cage rules... Here he's cool and comfortable in a role that suits him well. - Sarah thinks its a bit too political and lacks emotion. - The movie was dripping with cynicism, and Thom loved it. It showed us the devastating effects of violence without preaching. - Cage ruled, but Thom thinks Jared Leto kept the movie grounded. - Phil thinks Ethan Hawke has weird teeth--but he likes him regardless. MOVIE REVIEW: Just Like Heaven - Mediocre, even for a romantic comedy. Reese Witherspoon's character is (SPOILER!!!) in a coma, and Sarah wishes it would stay that way. - Mark Ruffalo does a whole lot of staring into space... Maybe he's trying to block out the movie's terrible soundtrack. - Donal Logue was good; Jon Heder was a "frickin' idiot!" (Well, not quite.) - The tacked-on political message was seriously lame. - Everyone prefers the South Park episode where Kenny is in a coma. PREVIEW REVIEW: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Plenty for the fans of the books and movies to enjoy. It still won't interest non-fans like Thom. INDUSTRY NEWS - Disney pledges to release its films ready for digital projection. Thom thinks the move to digital will help the film industry from top to bottom. - Michael Moore is contemplating a documentary about the government's failings over Hurricane Katrina. Mr. Moore, where is your helicopter? ABOUT THE PODCAST - We're looking for new music for our intro. (We still love Laromlab, though!) Hop into our forums if you're interest in composing or contributing a song. - Anybody with a Mac interested in an Enhanced AAC podcast? NEXT EPISODE: The Corpse Bride, The Longest Yard (or Flightplan... ugh), and more. movie reviews lord of war just like heaven preview trailer harry potter goblet of fire disney digital projection michael moore katrina 50:37 Thom Stricklin, Phil Stricklin, Sarah "Reel Monkey" Bonilla In the inaugural episode of the SMART-POPcast, Sarah defends The Brothers Grimm against the brothers Stricklin. Thom and Phil can't agree as to whether Transporter 2 is action or farce. The first full Doom trailer is out... Will this be the exception to the rule of bad video game movies? Also, the crew dissects a roundup of X-Men 3 news. http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/1/ http://www.smart-popcorn.com/podcast/1/ Sun, 11 Sep 2005 17:00:00 -0600 Thom Stricklin, Phil Stricklin, Sarah "Reel Monkey" Bonilla Sarah defends The Brothers Grimm against brothers Stricklin. Thom and Phil can't agree as to whether Transporter 2 is action or farce. The first full Doom trailer is out... Will it stink? The crew dissects a roundup of X-Men 3 news. ***** EPISODE 001 - Sunday, September 11, 2005 ***** CAST: Thom Stricklin, Phil Stricklin, Sarah "Reel Monkey" Bonilla TOPICS: MOVIE REVIEW: The Brothers Grimm - Phil likens it to four bad Batman movies... without the bat-nipples. - Sarah can appreciate its Gilliam-esque quirks and the way in which it continues the loose storytelling traditions of the real Grimm brothers. - Thom thinks its too disjointed, as if pages were missing from the screenplay. - Everyone agrees: despite the sometimes fairytale setting, the movie is not very kid-friendly. MOVIE REVIEW: Transporter 2 - Phil doesn't think it's disappointing sequel, but still a good action movie. - Thom almost agrees. It's more of an action farce, but it's no Transporter. PREVIEW REVIEW: Doom - Will it stink? Sarah thinks so. Thom & Phil can only hope for the best. INDUSTRY NEWS: X-Men 3 Roundup - Halle Berry is back--and again, screenwriter Zak Penn claims she has a bigger part. - Berry is no match for "newcomers" Kelsey Grammar and Shohreh Aghdashloo. - Ice Ice Baby: New pictures suggest the Iceman cometh at last. - What is ex-X-Men director Bryan Singer thinking with Superman? NEXT EPISODE: Lord of War, Just Like Heaven, the next Harry Potter trailer, and more. movie reviews brothers grimm transporter doom xmen x3 33:49