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Tower of Babble

Discussing the goings on in geek news with a focus on film and television. We're talking about the things you care about. Characters, places and events that aren't real... but are.

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Bonus Episode - ToB Film Club - Dark City (1998)

Julian Meush November 28, 2025

The term often used to describe the 1998 Alex Proyas film, 'Dark City' is "Proto-Matrix" given the many similarities between the two movies. Fair or not, they do have a lot in common but I think the comparison does a disservice to what is still a very clever and well made genre-film that largely holds up today (minus some questionable early CG effects). The 4K re-release gives it a fresh coat of paint, looking extremely sharp on modern televisions, accentuating the mostly dark and moody imagery of this sci-fi film noir, and given it's title this is all very fitting. Alex Proyas has some bid ideas here; what is the human soul? Are we the sum of our memories? Can memories be distilled into chemistry? Is love transcendent? Many of these themes are explored with depth, with answers to many of the films mysteries being laid bare in mostly satisfying way. Performances are strong, with everyone seemingly understanding the assignment, though there isn't much for the female characters to do here. Which is unfortunate as what we do get from Jennifer Connelly is intriguing, if lacking depth. On the whole, despite being pretty weird, this is still a very fun movie, if a bit silly at times, that was unfortunately overshadowed by the phenomenon that was 'The Matrix' dropping the following year.

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In Bonus Episode Tags ToB Film Club, Dark City, Alex Proyas, Film Noir, Review
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Bonus Episode - ToB Film Club - Kingpin (1996)

Julian Meush October 19, 2025

Before Matt officially joined the show as a co-host he was invited on as guest to talk about one of his favourite movies of all time, ‘Swingers’. Now returning in an official capacity to the ToB Film Club, he brings with him another film from his top-3, another comedy, ‘Kingpin’. A Farrelly brothers film that followed up their smash hit breakout, ‘Dumb and Dumber’, and you can see the through lines. Like ‘Dumb and Dumber’ we follow two guys who are down on their luck as they head out on the road where chaos and hilarity ensue. Unfortunately it wasn’t the hit they hoped despite a killer cast, including legends Bill Murray, Randy Quaid and Woody Harrelson and as a result it didn't leave as large of a cultural footprint as some of the other Farrelly brothers films from this era. It's been nearly 30 years so now seems as good a time as any to revisit this sleeper and see what everyone was missing back then.

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In Bonus Episode Tags Review, Kingpin, Farrelly Brothers
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SSSW/ToB Film Club - Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Julian Meush May 22, 2025

It's hard to believe that 'Rogue One' premiered nearly a decade ago. At the time, it was fairly well received, considered to be a decent first step into the standalone Star Wars movies, if not a bit messy. As the years passed, we learned more about the production. Gareth Edwards, who retained sole directing credit, was assisted by Tony Gilroy to "fix" the project. Tony went so far as to call it a "corpse" when he came aboard for rewrites and reshoots. It was Tony's inclusion that brought us some of the movies most memorable moments, and ultimately led him to leading the charge on 'Andor', a prequel project that flew under the radar as hits like 'The Mandalorian' hogged the spotlight. With 'Andor' now complete, considered by many to be a masterpiece in storytelling, not just in Star Wars but on television in general, now is the most appropriate time to reexamine the movie that spawned the Cassian-centered prequel series with fresh eyes. 'Andor', which leads directly into the events of 'Rogue One' recontextualizes much of the film, creating a unique viewing experience that pays off a multitude of threads that are brilliantly laid over the two seasons of 'Andor'. It takes the movie, which was already pretty good, and makes it great. Now existing as part of a whole that weaves a cohesive narrative from the nascent moments of the Rebellion all the way through to the destruction of the Death Star in 1977 (the seed that begat ALL Star Wars, and what we appropriately align our Star Wars BBY calendars to). It all feels wholistic and considered when viewed from the broader perspective - an accomplishment that should set a shining example of what Star Wars can and should aspire to.

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In Small Screen Star Wars, Bonus Episode Tags ToB Film Club, Review, Recap, Lucasfilm, George Lucas, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Star Wars, Tony Gilroy, Diego Luna, Andor
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Bonus Episode - ToB Film Club - Constantine (2005) + Special Announcement

Julian Meush April 2, 2025

Hard to believe that 'Constantine' came out 20 years ago. That being said, as the movie tells us, time stops when you're dead, so what IS 20 years anyway? And as long as we're asking questions, the biggest one related to this movie is "why was it a flop?". Julian and Jeremy try to answer that very question, as well as unpack this extremely dense film that makes no effort to hold the audience's hand. And despite some rocky elements, 'Constantine' holds up as a surprisingly comic accurate rendition of the titular character, even if we weren't aware of it when it first released. Keanu, despite missing some of the obvious character flourishes like the blond hair and a British accent, is still able to capture the essence of the character: an extremely talented magician/occultist, with tortured soul (literally), who's a bit of a dick, and loves a good smoke. All in all, it's a pretty fun ride, and an example of movies that just aren't really made anymore (despite rumours of a sequel) from a different era of Hollywood and comic book movie making.

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In Bonus Episode Tags Constantine, Review, ToB Film Club
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Bonus Episode - Marvel, DC, and Severance - Daily DVR

Julian Meush March 17, 2025

Julian, once again joined Axel, from the Daily DVR Podcast to discuss a grab-bag of topics, including 'Captain America: Brave New World' and it's milk toast approach to politics, 'Daredevil: Born Again' and how Marvel is comparatively seemingly more willing to actually have a political point of view (so far) with the series, DC and their James Gunn plans, and the latest with 'Severance' (note that this was recorded prior to S2E8). Find more from Daily DVR here:

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In Bonus Episode Tags Severance, Marvel, Daredevil: Born Again, Daredevil, Captain America, Captain America: New World Order, James Gunn, Lanterns, Superman, Creature Commandos, Peacemaker
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Bonus Episode - Lanterns Check-In + Oscars Recap

Julian Meush March 6, 2025

With the news that ‘Lanterns’ has officially begun shooting, coming with the official first look at our new Hal Jordan and John Stewart, Jeremy couldn’t wait to dive into a conversation all about Green Lantern and the many twists and turns that lead us to this moment. DC Studios is certainly busy, putting together a slate of movies and shows to launch the new DC Universe. While the first looks have been met with mixed reception, this one being no different, time will still tell how successful this new era will be. Especially with ‘Superman’ not yet in theatres. At the very least, it’s nice to see the production ramping up, meaning we’re THAT much closer to seeing the emerald knights on screen again. Plus, Julian looks back at the recent Academy Awards ceremony, and the extremely unlikable best actor acceptance speech.

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In Bonus Episode Tags DC, DC Studios, Green Lantern, Lanterns, Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Guy Gardner, Oscars
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Bonus Episode - Top 10 TV Shows of 2024 - Daily DVR

Julian Meush January 31, 2025

Surprise! Another episode of Daily DVR (or maybe not so much of a surprise if you listened to our recent Tobies episode)! Julian was invited to join a panel over on friend of the show, Axel’s feed to discuss everyone’s top 10 in television from last year, plus a few disappointments for some added spice. If you felt like you could have listened to another 2+ hours of TV talk after this year’s Tobie Awards (and I cant’ blame you), then do we have an episode for you! Listen as a cast of characters from around the internet uncover the best of the best from the small screen in 2024!

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In Bonus Episode Tags Daily DVR
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ToB Film Club/Christmas Special - The Family Man (2000) + Superman Trailer

Julian Meush December 29, 2024

Don’t let it be said that The Tower of Babble Podcast is not generous. Julian and Jeremy are in the giving spirit for the festive season, and in that spirit, they sat down on a wintery weekend morning to discuss in detail a Christmas movie that doesn't get enough attention, the Nicolas Cage vehicle, ‘The Family Man’. Both enjoyed this movie, mostly carried by the great performances, which seems to present a pretty clean moral message. But if you look a layer deeper (which the guys were happy to oblige) it reveals a pretty odd and mixed perspective on what it actually means to have an "ideal life". Luckily that tonal weirdness matches Cage's energy quite well, and ultimately creates a very enjoyable movie. But the ToB gifts don't stop there as your hosts shift gears to provide a bonus conversation around James Gunn's new ‘Superman’ teaser. Happy holidays everyone!

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In Bonus Episode Tags The Family Man, Superman, Superman Legacy, DCU, James Gunn, Zack Snyder, Nicholas Cage, Hawk Girl, Guy Gardner, Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Review
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Episode 199.5 - Marvel/DC News Roundup

Julian Meush November 25, 2024

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!

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In The Tower of Babble Podcast, Bonus Episode Tags Marvel, MCU, DCEU, DC, DC Studios, Kevin Feige, James Gunn, X-Men, Daredevil: Born Again, Lanterns, Green Lantern, Gambit, Secret Wars, Superman, Superman Legacy, Terminator, Extraction, Uncharted, Godzilla, Warner Brothers, Disney
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Halloween Bonus Episode - ToB Film Club - The Lost Boys (1987)

Julian Meush November 1, 2024

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!

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In Bonus Episode Tags The Lost Boys, Halloween, Home Theatre, ToB Film Club, Review
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REcent Episodes

Featured
Bonus Episode - ToB Film Club - Dark City (1998)
Nov 28, 2025
Bonus Episode - ToB Film Club - Dark City (1998)
Nov 28, 2025

The term often used to describe the 1998 Alex Proyas film, 'Dark City' is "Proto-Matrix" given the many similarities between the two movies. Fair or not, they do have a lot in common but I think the comparison does a disservice to what is still a very clever and well made genre-film that largely holds up today (minus some questionable early CG effects). The 4K re-release gives it a fresh coat of paint, looking extremely sharp on modern televisions, accentuating the mostly dark and moody imagery of this sci-fi film noir, and given it's title this is all very fitting. Alex Proyas has some bid ideas here; what is the human soul? Are we the sum of our memories? Can memories be distilled into chemistry? Is love transcendent? Many of these themes are explored with depth, with answers to many of the films mysteries being laid bare in mostly satisfying way. Performances are strong, with everyone seemingly understanding the assignment, though there isn't much for the female characters to do here. Which is unfortunate as what we do get from Jennifer Connelly is intriguing, if lacking depth. On the whole, despite being pretty weird, this is still a very fun movie, if a bit silly at times, that was unfortunately overshadowed by the phenomenon that was 'The Matrix' dropping the following year.

Read More →
Nov 28, 2025
Episode 201 - Bond Turmoil and Goldeneye Retrospective
Nov 17, 2025
Episode 201 - Bond Turmoil and Goldeneye Retrospective
Nov 17, 2025

Julian and Matt start getting into the swing of thigs as they tackle the latest in film and TV news, with the hot story being about the turmoil surrounding the new Bond film. Fortunately, 'Goldeneye' turns 30, providing a positive 007 topic to dig into in an effort to balance things out. A new 'The Mummy' starring Brendan Fraser is in the works with Rachel Weis also set to return. To Matt's chagrin, more 'Jurassic World' is on the way as well with the 5th film in the franchise in development with Gareth Edwards looking to return to direct (say what you will but 'Jurassic World: Rebirth' was pretty fun). Lastly, the guys dive into what they've been watching, including 'Predator: Badlands', 'One Battle After Another', 'Pluribus' and for some reason, 'Dexter'. All that and so much more on this week's Tower of Babble Podcast!

Read More →
Nov 17, 2025
Bonus Episode - ToB Film Club - Kingpin (1996)
Oct 19, 2025
Bonus Episode - ToB Film Club - Kingpin (1996)
Oct 19, 2025

Before Matt officially joined the show as a co-host he was invited on as guest to talk about one of his favourite movies of all time, ‘Swingers’. Now returning in an official capacity to the ToB Film Club, he brings with him another film from his top-3, another comedy, ‘Kingpin’. A Farrelly brothers film that followed up their smash hit breakout, ‘Dumb and Dumber’, and you can see the through lines. Like ‘Dumb and Dumber’ we follow two guys who are down on their luck as they head out on the road where chaos and hilarity ensue. Unfortunately it wasn’t the hit they hoped despite a killer cast, including legends Bill Murray, Randy Quaid and Woody Harrelson and as a result it didn't leave as large of a cultural footprint as some of the other Farrelly brothers films from this era. It's been nearly 30 years so now seems as good a time as any to revisit this sleeper and see what everyone was missing back then.

Read More →
Oct 19, 2025
Episode 200 - Meet Matt!
Oct 9, 2025
Episode 200 - Meet Matt!
Oct 9, 2025

After an extended hiatus, ToB returns with a fresh voice on the second chair. Julian is joined by long-time friend of the show, Matt Tworek. We spend this first episode of the "new" ToB getting to know him and setting up what else is to come.

Read More →
Oct 9, 2025

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Tower of Babble Podcast

We're a podcast network talking about the things you care about. Characters, places and events that aren't real... but are. Three friends chat about the goings on in geek news. Film and television are the focus with a variety of shows that also concentrate on gaming and comics.

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