Halfway through the season and 'Skeleton Crew' maintains its strong momentum, even if this fourth episode isn't necessarily a home run. The kids find themselves on a dark mirror-like version of At Attin that has been ravaged by generations of war. Unfortunately, this solid story idea is undercut by being executed slightly too simplistically, even for a kids show. That being said, there are some great moments here. The world-building, was interesting and a we get a few satisfying twists in the larger adventure, including a terrifying final moment. Of course we can't forget about Neel, who finally gets the attention he deserves, sieving upon the opportunity and becoming the internets new favourite adorable Star Wars character (at least until Grogu shows up again).
Read MoreSSSW - Skeleton Crew S1E3 "Very Interesting, As An Astrogration problem"
With the two-episode premiere out of the way, 'Skeleton Crew' can start finding its groove, and while this episode is enjoyable, the show might need to keep searching for what exactly that groove is for at least another week. Despite getting to spend a full, though somewhat short, episode with Jude Law, it's the kids (and especially Nick Frost's SM 33) that continue to steal the show. It's probably just a matter of time, but Jod (Jude Law) has yet to fully land as a character. A handful of charming scenes gets him going in the right direction though. Overall, this is a relatively safe step along the path for a show that has yet to get into the meaty parts of the adventure. Our prediction? Things really pick up in earnest next week. Stay tuned!
Read MoreSSSW - Skeleton Crew - Series Premiere
Ahoy me mateys! Star Wars is back on TV and this time it's pirate themed baby! Julian and Rachel return to recap and review this two-part series premiere, and are happy to report that the show is off to a great start. Star Wars has been in a difficult place as of late. Something that has been discussed a lot as of late. Each new piece of content announced or released is under a microscope, and probably rightfully so, considering the mixed levels of quality we've been getting from Lucasfilm of late. Amongst all that angst, 'Skeleton Crew' was not at the top of a lot of fans wish-lists, but sometimes low expectations can do wonders. Despite a somewhat slow first episode, the series seems to quickly figure out what it wants to be (Treasure Island in space basically) and hits it's stride through it's second episode. The child cast is charming with great chemistry, but it's Nick Frost's droid character that really steals the spotlight so far. Be warned shipmates, thar be full spoilers ahead!
Read MoreEpisode 199.5 - Marvel/DC News Roundup
For the most part, genre entertainment news has been relatively light. Yes we’ve had a round of castings for DC projects, and Kevin Fiege is slowly opening the kimono for X-Men info, but on the whole nothing earth shattering (who knows, we might see a planet shatter whenever the ‘Superman’ trailer finally comes). This makes for a perfect time to defer the 200th episode of the show and take a look at the state of things over at DC and Marvel. They are both looking to emerge from a slump, despite taking very different approaches (though I’m sure DC would have loved a $1B hit that allowed them to have their cake and eat it too). The guys unpack the similarities and differences and sprinkle in a few different news bits along the way. All that and so much more on this week’s Tower of Babble Podcast!
Read MoreSSSW - Bonus Episode - Star Wars Check-In - November 2024
It’s been two months since we did our “State of Star Wars” episode where we essentially eviscerated the current situation in regards to the decision making process at Lucasfilm and their seeming inability to get a movie into production, among other things. Well in that time, we’ve had a smattering of news stories of all stripes, which Julian and Rachel cover in this episode, but what really prompted another Bonus Episode was the latest piece, again from The Hollywood Reporter, exploring the situation in further depth on the movie side of the business at Lucasfilm. Your hosts deep dive on all of it, and then cap things off with something much more lighthearted. Next up, ‘Skeleton Crew’ in December, where we’ll be breaking down every episode. Stay tuned!
Read MoreHalloween Bonus Episode - ToB Film Club - The Lost Boys (1987)
When it comes to vampires, California seems to be synonymous. At least for a certain generation that grew up with ‘Buffy’. Which is part of the reason ‘The Lost Boys’ seems to slide right into the vampire genre like a sharp fang through a soft fleshy neck, despite coming out nearly a decade prior. Well that and all the vampire tropes this movie expertly plays with. Join Julian, as he walks through this cult classic not-so-horror flick that continues to resonate all these years later. Plus, monologues on the wide world of home projector setups, why horror movies aren’t for everyone, and much more on this very special bonus ToB Film Club episode!
Read MoreEpisode 199 - That Tom Holland is Full of Shit!
Julian and Jeremy sit down to discuss the surprisingly good Menendez Brothers series on Netflix, and try to better understand the draw of true crime content. Later they get into the HBO hit 'The Penguin', as well as the state of the 'Terminator' franchise. The guys also get into it about what exactly is going on with Tom Holland and his mixed messaging around 'Spider-Man 4' and the situation with the 'Blade' movie. All that and so much more on this episode of the Tower of Babble Podcast!
Read MoreEpisode 198 - Art by Committee
Between the chaos surrounding 'Joker 2', the hate pouring out of fandoms like Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, and the commercial failures of critical darlings like 'Transformers: One', and 'Furiosa', it's easy to understand why it's so hard to predict success in these wildly uncertain times in Hollywood. Todd Phillips 'Joker' made over one billion dollars in 2019, and took home the Best Actor Oscar for it's trouble, but the sequel, which adds the massively popular Lady Gaga to the mix is set to be a massive box office bomb. Why? Julian and Jeremy examine that question, and try to put things in context with the recent Variety article about Hollywood executives cow-towing to angry fans. All this and more on this episode of The Tower of Babble Podcast!
Read MoreSSSW - Bonus Episode - The State of Star Wars
Following the cancellation of ‘The Acolyte’, many fans are taking a step back and asking questions about the state of the franchise. And rightly so, considering the confused state that many have been left in. Especially considering that Lucasfilm continues to leave us in the dark, with no official word following the recent cancellation. They've also done very little to inspire trust in their current creative process given the number of high profile project announcements that have never come to fruition. Meanwhile, the fandom is imploding on itself. Creators and influencers in the community are pitted against each other, seemingly in a fight for influence over control of the narrative surrounding each new project. Debates over what is or isn’t "Star Wars" wage on the internet as fans dodge bad-faith landmines across their social feeds. Julian and Rachel look at where things stand with Star Wars today, how we got here, and what the future might hold.
Read MoreToB Interlude - Alien: Romulus
Julian is joined by Matt Tworek to review 'Alien: Romulus', the latest installment in the long running space-horror franchise. A film that returns to the roots of the franchise, with a much stronger focus on the suspense and atmospheric horror of the 1979 original. But any good Alien movie today isn't complete without at least a little bit of action, ala 'Aliens' and this movie doesn't disappoint in that regard either. All-in-all this is a strong outing in a franchise that has seen a lot of ups and downs over the years. And yes, realizing that this all comes a bit late considering the movie released last month, to make up for the missed time, the guys have also brought a list of their favourite movies featuring aliens (any alien will do, we aren't picky here).
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