Despite being over 3000 years old, Homer's 'The Odyssey' has remained an enduring work of fiction. It's hard to conceive how many times this story has been told and retold. For this reason it's all the more compelling to have one of our generations greatest visual storytellers reinterpret this foundational work for modern audiences. In fact, you could argue this may be the richest interpretations, while understanding the limitations of the filmic medium, given the wonders of modern technology (imagine what the ancient Greeks would think of this!). That's without even mentioning that this film was shot entirely on 70 mm IMAX film (a first of it's kind), and while it may very well be a dying medium, it remains one of the grandest forms of visual storytelling available still today. A beautiful marriage of subject and medium. That is all to say that Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' is a remarkable film. The job of pulling an ancient text into the modern world in way that still captures the imagination is no easy task, but I can safely say accomplished with style by Nolan. While certainly not perfect, the film's ability to leverage the story of Odysseus to deliver a message profoundly relevant to our current time speaks both to the timeless nature of the story but also to Nolan's craftsmanship to shape his telling in such a way as to be pointed in the parable. Which may end up being the film's enduring legacy.
Read MoreEpisode 160 - Cap Coming Back?
With 2020 now firmly in the rearview mirror, ToB can now return to it's regularly scheduled programming. Or at least as close to it as we can get! It's been a few weeks since a full news show, so there's a lot to discuss. Julian, Dan, and Jeremy break down the biggest stories in the world of film and television, not the least of which being that Warner Bros is apparently doubling down on 'Harry Potter'. They've installed a new VP to oversee the franchise and a live-action series is in early development at HBO Max. On top of that, rumours are swirling about the possible return of Chris Evans' Captain America to the MCU. Plus, Snyder confirms that his Justice League will not be a 4-part series afterall, and instead will be a 4 hour film. Oh did we mention that Amazon's 'Lord of the Rings' series got an official synopsis? Well the guys are covering that too! All that and so much more on this week's Tower of Babble Podcast.
Read MoreToB Interlude - The Martian
This week's ToB Interlude touches on a few of the things we've been watching in the last few weeks. Not the least of which being the latest Ridley Scott film; The Martian. We delve deep into the science fiction survivalist drama and give you a full review. Julian and Daniel come at the movie from many different angles and offer some very differing opinions on the box office hit. But that's not all, Julian also gives a brief review of Bridge of Spies, the latest film from Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. Then transitions into a discussion about the similarly themed television series; The Americans. Finally, the guys touch on the latest season of TMNT and heap some praise onto Rick and Morty.
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