The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva, Chad Riley and Spencer Williams, welcome back guest host Laura Sirikul and live like a bunch of multi-billionaires with this week’s review of Crazy Rich Asians (2018). Based on the popular novel by Kevin Kwan, the film adaptation boasts an all-Asian cast and appears to mark the return of the contemporary romantic comedy genre. Starring Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Gemma Chan, Lisa Lu, Awkwafina, Ken Jeong, and Nico Santos, the film provides a lavish look at one of the wealthiest locations on earth: Singapore.
After claiming the top spot at the North American box office two weeks in a row, Crazy Rich Asians may be hard for new films to beat now that we’ve hit the post-summer slowdown in ticket sales.
The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva, Chad Riley and Spencer Williams, dive into hot bag of time-hopping crazy with this week’s review of The Last Sharknado: It’s About Time (2018). The popular made-for-TV movie series, which has been delivering B-movie laughs and eye rolls every year since 2013, pulls out all the stops for a shark-infested cameo-fest that spans history and strains the nearly invisible veneer of believability that has characterized the entire series.
Starring Ian Ziering, Tara Reid and a boatload (no pun intended) of guest performers, Sharknado 6 chums the philosophical waters with cringe-worthy moments you’ll likely binge for days (assuming the level of ridiculousness hasn’t turned you off after the first few minutes). Is it truly the last installment in the franchise? Only time will tell...
The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva, Chad Riley and Spencer Williams, take a fresh tour of Oakland, California, with this week’s review of Blindspotting (2018). Filmed in 2017 in the rapidly-gentrifying neighborhoods of West Oakland, Blindspotting stars Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal as lifelong friends who wrestle with personal challenges and societal ills as they try to come to grips with the changes that are transforming their home turf. Bursting with angst at a variety of levels, the film manages to blend timeless themes and traditional pacing with contemporary spurts of spoken word verse, rap and vivid cinematography.
Directed by Carlos López Estrada, the film delivers a series of emotional moments by synthesizing “ripped from the headlines” elements of racially motivated police brutality with a beautifully balanced, almost Shakespearean plot progression. The film also stars Janina Gavankar, Jasmine Cephas Jones and Ethan Embry.
The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva, Chad Riley and Spencer Williams, stick to the shallows for this week’s review of The Meg (2018). The Meg stars Jason Statham as a deep sea rescue diver who tangles with a prehistoric super-shark called the megalodon more than 200 miles off the coast of China. Billed as a modern-day thriller in the same vein as Jaws (1975), the film features an international cast and borrows heavily from some of its predecessor’s most beloved moments. The question remains, however, whether it will stand the test of time or sink quickly.
Directed by Jon Turteltaub, the film is based off a series of adventure novels by Steve Alten. Some liberties have been taken in converting the story from page to screen, although it’s difficult to say whether the final product is stronger or weaker for the changes. The film also stars Ruby Rose, Li Bingbing, Rainn Wilson, Cliff Curtis, Robert Taylor, Page Kennedy, Masi Oka, Winston Chao, and Jessica McNamee.
It's been awhile, but we're back! In this bonus episode, we discuss whether or not B-movies are actually worth watching, and why Spencer loves them so much. What do you think? Listen in to hear our thoughts!
Stick around and join the conversation as we are barely able to contain ourselves! So pull up a chair, and prepare for some bonus hilarity in "Extra Credit!"
If you're wanting a bit more context, head over to our main episode, Lesson 125, where this bonus episode steals its most prized possession from!
The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva, Chad Riley and Spencer Williams, get a little sentimental with this week’s review of Christopher Robin (2018), the latest in a series of live action adaptations of famous Disney cartoons. Starring Ewan McGregor, Hayley Atwell and a slew of famous voices including Jim Cummings, who has voiced Winnie the Pooh and Tigger for more than 30 years. Whether you’ve followed the ongoing adventures of Pooh and his friends for years or you’re just now getting to know the characters, there’s a lot to appreciate in this tale of friendship and family.
Directed by Marc Forster, the film features all of the classic characters including Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, Piglet, Owl, Rabbit, Kanga and Roo. It’s also bound to inspire a whole new generation of fans with some adorable stuffed animals for Christmas.