After taking a week off from the main show to drop the first episode of the new Game of Thrones season 2 ToB Rewatch, the guys are back to discuss more than just the goings-on in Westeros. The largest story of which is the announcement of the nominees for the 2019 Oscars. The dead of winter might be cold and unforgiving, but it also means that we’re in the swing of awards season, one of the most exciting times of the year for cinephiles. The ToB Crew unpacks the picks as they look forward to the ceremony in February. Julian, Dan, and Jeremy also examine the Ghostbusters 3 surprise, The Lego Movie 2 trailer, the shakeup with the Uncharted film, and much more on this week’s Tower of Babble Podcast!

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Show Notes

Movies

Trailers:
- The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
- Spider-Man: Far From Home
Sony’s Uncharted movie gets a new director in Dan Trachtenberg. Replacing Shawn Levy, who left the project due to “scheduling conflicts”.
The 2019 Oscars nominations are out!
Netflix is reportedly developing a live-action Resident Evil series, according to Deadline.
Michael Gandolfini, son of the late James Gandolfini, will play a young Tony Soprano in “The Many Saints of Newark,” the prequel movie to the television series “The Sopranos”.
Warner Bros. has announced that Christopher Nolan's next film will be released by 2020.
In a surprise move, Jason Reitman annouced that he is writing and directing Ghostbusters 3.
EA cancels another Star Wars game, drawing the ire of Star Wars fans across the net for their apparent ineptitude in handling the license.

What We've Been Watching

True Detective S3
Young Justice S3
Reign of the Supermen

July 30, 2026

Bonus Episode - ToB Film Club - The Warriors (1979)

Another cult classic, 'The Warriors' brings a distinctly unique sense of style and grittiness that feels right at home on the grimy streets of 1970's New York City. The gang-centered heightened reality of the film feels almost Shakespearian in nature, as if you're watching an mythological journey fraught with peril of all kinds - violence, temptation, and the law. This movie was selected as a double-feature of sorts with Nolan's recently released 'The Odyssey' and the comparisons between these stories feels apt. At the end of the day it's just people trying to get home and doing their best to overcome the challenges the world throws at them. The stakes are clear, and while the nature of good guys vs bad guys is more than a bit muddied here (Ajax... dude, wtf?) the thrilling chases, bombastic action sequences and the long awaited final confrontation are all working at a high level (despite some pretty flat performances and lackluster dialogue). While there are certain elements of the movie that DO NOT age well (looking at you gender politics), the core of the film remains strong and executed well. Plus, as an added bonus, the soundtrack for this movie absolutely slaps! This is a fun ride and it's easy to see why it's endured over these many years.

July 23, 2026

Episode 207 - Avengers: Doomsday Trailer + News Roundup

We're into the full swing of blockbuster season. With 'Obsession' breaking box office records, 'The Odyssey' now filling IMAX theatres, and 'Spider-Man' right around the corner, movies feel very "back" right now. Plus, with Comic-Con next week Marvel released their first full-length 'Avengers: Doomsday' trailer. Julian and Matt try to decide if the hype is there, which feels crazy when considering it's an Avengers movie after all, but that might speak more to the situation Marvel currently finds themselves in. Meanwhile, DC doesn't want to be left behind, releasing a new trailer for 'Clayface' , which is shaping up to be a sneaky hit in the body-horror space (despite still not Batman). This all leads to Matt's idea that comic book movies should be treated like jury duty. Plus, a news rundown covering the passing of Sam Neil, Netflix updates (they're bad), some box office updates, and more!

June 25, 2026

Episode 206 - Shrek 5 or Austin Powers 4?

Time marches on and we all feel old. This week, 'Toy Story 5' hit theaters, and while reviews have been positive, it's crazy to think we're onto the fifth installment in that franchise. In a similar vein, we recently learned that Mike Myers is interested in returning to 'Austin Powers', on the heels of his appearance in the trailer for another fiver, 'Shrek 5' (which already has people in it's own tizzy). Matt and Julian debate the merits of either prospect, and then turn the page to stare into the abyss that is AI invading Hollywood. Plus a grab-bag of entertainment stories covering odd popcorn bowls, a Knicks documentary, a scrapped Palpatine show and much more! Finally, to wrap things up, a brief discussion on 'House of the Dragon' season 3 premiere, 'Obsession', 'The Furious', and 'Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring' (both in and out of concert).

May 27, 2026

SSSW - The Mandalorian and Grogu

It's hard to believe it's been so long since the last Star Wars movie hit theatres. After years of announcements, failed projects, and even a change in leadership at Lucasfilm, the first movie in nearly a decade is a follow-up to the first ever live action Star Wars show. Maybe that's fitting for a new era, under new management. The film itself is a fast paced, action-packed, adventure that hails back to the old serials that George Lucas loved. While it is certainly a fun time at the movies, with exciting set-pieces, characters inclusions from across the lore, all of which set on planets with diverse biomes (i.e. some of the things Star Wars does best). Unfortunately, the movie lacks compelling stakes, character depth (where's Din's arc?), much of any plot to speak of, or even a sense of real "importance" - and while that may be a bit intangible, it prompts the question: why was THIS movie the first to bring Star Wars back to feature films in almost a decade? Julian and Rachel try to answer that question and dive deep into all the nerdy details.

Episode 130 - 2019 Oscars Nominations

Show Notes

Movies

What We've Been Watching

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