The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, welcome back Val Complex and Nerd Reactor’s Laura Sirikul back to the round table for week’s review of Ghost in the Shell (2017), the controversy-laden anime adaptation directed by Rupert Sanders and starring Scarlett Johansson in the role of an Asian woman who has been transformed into a cyborg and is working for a paramilitary arm of the government.

To what extent does the film exemplify the whitewashing of Asian roles in big-budget Hollywood films, and what kind of an effect did the casting decisions have on the film’s reception?

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, head for stars with this week’s review of Life (2017), the creature feature set aboard the international space station and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Ryan Reynolds and Rebecca Ferguson. Does the film represent an evolution of the sci-fi monster genre, or does it leave you floating in space awaiting something more?

In movie news, we discuss news about the new Spiderman: Homecoming (2017) trailer and a possible end to the Marvel-Sony character collaboration before 2020, as well as the first details of Alicia Vikander’s upcoming Tomb Raider reboot (2018).

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, jump from animation to live action adaptation for this week’s review of Beauty and the Beast (2017), the long-anticipated film starring Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Josh Gad and Kevin Kline. With a robust cast of VFX characters voiced by Ewan McGregor, Ian McKellen, Stanley Tucci, Audra McDonald, Emma Thompson and Gugu Mbatha-Raw, the film easily cracked the list of the top 10 highest grossing debuts of all time with a bow of more than $170 million in its first weekend.

In movie news, we discuss a Mission Impossible 6 (2018) stunt for Tom Cruise that has involved more than one year of training and an update on the future of the Terminator movie franchise (Hint: He might not be back).

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, head to a remote jungle island in the 1970s for this week’s review of Kong: Skull Island (2017), starring Samuel L. Jackson, Tom Hiddleston and Brie Larson. Pretty much everything’s huge in this movie, and several sequences borrowed more from the Universal Studios ride than previous King Kong films. With effects from Industrial Light and Magic and a number of highly stylized visual compositions, just how much did this flick bring back the nostalgic feelings of the original Jurassic Park (1993)?

In movie news, we discuss James Gunn’s announcement of an after-credits scene for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), alongside rumors of a director preference for DC’s Man of Steel 2 (hint: think Kingsman helmer Matthew Vaughn).

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, welcome VideoGameBANG! hosts Cory Vincent and David Webb for an in-depth review of Logan (2017), allegedly the last ride of Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart in the X-Men film franchise. What worked? What didn’t? And how did we feel about that pre-credits Deadpool teaser?

The crew also celebrates ONE FULL YEAR of podcasting - that’s right, we’ve been around for 52 weeks, and we’re not looking to quit anytime soon!

Filmlosopher Chad Riley welcomes back frequent collaborator Hannah Porter to hash through the ups and downs of the 2017 Academy Awards show. Who won, who lost, and who saw that ending coming? Whether you’re in Camp Moonlight or Camp La La Land, you surely felt all the feels. Not to mention all of the subtle and not-so-sly political references, an odd interruption from a group of Hollywood tourists, and various confections from the sky. In other words, there was a lot to love (or hate) this year.

News items include opening weekend feedback for Jordan Peele’s cautionary horror flick Get Out (2017) and a xenomorphic trailer reveal from director Ridley Scott’s Alien: Covenant (2017).

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The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, welcome first time guest Mikhail for a star-studded romp through Oscars past and present, with an in-depth comparative analysis of Academy Award and SAG Award winners from the past 16 years. How on-point are the SAG Awards when it comes to predicting Best Actor and Best Actress Oscar winners, and what types of performances tend to feel the love most of the time?

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, welcome first time guest Ljan Ordiz and returning DC fan Omar Marroquin for part two of our candid conversation about the “other” franchise: the DCCU. From the established films in the franchise, including Batman vs. Superman (2015) and Suicide Squad (2016), to our predictions about the forthcoming Wonder Woman (2017) and Justice League (2017) films and beyond, we cover all the pros and cons of the up-and-coming cinematic universe.

News items include talk about a new face in the director’s chair for The Batman (2018), and a production announcement from Avengers: Infinity War featuring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Pratt and Tom Holland alongside Kevin Feige and other members of the MCU brain trust.

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, welcome pop culture writer and critic Kristen Lopez for a spirited review of  Denzel Washington’s Oscar-nominated film, Fences (2016). Co-starring Viola Davis in a powerful dramatic turn, the film is up for multiple Academy Awards on February 26th including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress.

In movie news, we discuss all of the trailer debuts from the Super Bowl, including Pirates of the Caribbean 5 (2017), Transformers The Last Knight (2017), Fast 8: The Fate of the Furious (2017) and Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 (2017).

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, take a calculating look at Oscar contender Hidden Figures (2016), starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monáe. The film tells the story of three brilliant African-American women who helped renew confidence in NASA at the start of the Space Race by serving as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history. Hidden Figures also features a funk-inspired soundtrack from producer Pharrell Williams.

In movie news, we discuss creative changes for the new Batman film starring Ben Affleck and review the list of SAG Award winners to see if we can predict some of this year’s Oscar recipients.

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, welcome Nerd Reactor’s head movie reviewer Mark Pacis for a psychoanalysis of M. Night Shyamalan’s latest film, Split (2017). Starring James McAvoy, Split digs deep into the psyche of a man with Dissociative Identity Disorder whose multiple personalities are in conflict over the pending arrival of a new persona.

The crew also breaks down this year’s Oscar nominations and place a few predictions about who may walk away with an Academy Award.

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, welcome returning guest host Hannah Porter and our friend John Eick for a fanciful review of Golden Globe-winning La La Land (2016). Directed by Whiplash (2014) runner Damien Chazelle and starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, La La Land brings the nostalgic glamour of classic Hollywood musicals into the modern day with a fetching jazz score to boot.

The crew also discusses rumors that the Wonder Woman (2017) film isn’t shaping up as the breakout film everyone wants to see from the DCCU.

The Filmlosophers are a Chad short tonight, as Eddie Villanueva is riding solo at the helm, ready to land this ship of awesome conversationalism...oh, and he’s not alone! Along for the ride is first time guest, and die-hard DC fan and aficionado, Omar Marroquin,to get neck deep in discussion about the “other” franchise! We’ll discuss his fandom with DC, and what some of the misconceptions are in terms of the Cinematic franchise. Is there hope for the future of this franchise? Can DC and WB recover from this past year? We discuss this and more on tonight’s episode!

The duo also discuss the news about the recent Megazord images released by Toys R Us for the upcoming March film, Lionsgates Power Rangers.

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, spend the first episode of the new year with Nerd Reactor’s Laura Sirikul to take a trip down memory lane and share their most memorable films of 2016. With some of the biggest box office receipts - and some of the biggest flops - on record, which flicks stood out as particularly impressive? Which ones do we wish we could erase from our memories altogether?

The crew also discusses news recently published in Variety that Woody Harrelson has been cast as a mentor figure in the new Star Wars anthology film focused on the story of a young Han Solo.

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, debate whether Illumination Entertainment’s new film, Sing (2016), hits a high note or falls a bit flat. Sing features a stellar vocal cast that includes Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Taron Egerton, Scarlett Johansson, Tori Kelly and Seth MacFarlane.

News items include the death of “Princess Leia” actor Carrie Fisher and a first look at the Alien: Covenant (2017) trailer from director Ridley Scott.

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley dissect the new Netflix-Legendary release, Spectral (2016). Originally meant for theatrical release, the final cut brings a cinematic visual quality to the original content format through the streaming service. Starring James Badge Dale, Emily Mortimer, Max Martini and Bruce Greenwood, the film follows a team of soldiers and scientists who are battling a group of deadly apparition-like adversaries.

News items include trailer reviews for John Wick 2 (2017), The Emoji Movie (2017), Despicable Me 3 (2017), Arsenal (2017) and Blade Runner 2049 (2017).  The team also discusses new imagery from the Ridley Scott-fronted Alien: Covenant (2017) via Entertainment Weekly.

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, welcome VideoGameBANG co-host David Webb and Oblivion Comics & Coffee co-owner Laura Benson for a no-holds-barred, spoiler-rich review of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016). Good guys, bad guys, massive battle sequences and a number of familiar faces left a strong impression on the crew, and we're excited to share our review straight from the theater on opening night!

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, delve into the noir-esque critical darling Nocturnal Animals (2016), starring Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal in a film directed by fashion designer Tom Ford. Featuring supporting turns from Michael Shannon and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, the film explores themes of love and loss within an intricate storyline that bridges fiction and reality.

News items include a new poster and tagline for Transformers: The Last Knight (2017), a first look at The Fate of the Furious (2017) and an update from Mark Wahlberg on the as-yet-not-greenlit Uncharted film.

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, break down the essential building blocks of your favorite holiday films. If making a Christmas movie follows a certain formula, what are the components of that formula (and do your favorite December flicks fit the mold or break it)?

News items include an Ocean's 8 (2017) casting announcement and new movie trailer reactions for Cars 3 (2017), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), The Shack (2017), Transformers: The Last Knight (2017), Sleight (2017), and The Mummy (2017).

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, kick off holiday season 2016 with a "wish list" of their most anticipated December films in a variety of categories, from comedy and drama to auteur flicks and genre options. Beyond obvious choices like Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Assassin's Creed (2016), La La Land (2016) and Sing (2016), did your faves make the cut?

News items include new Rita Repulsa images from next year's Power Rangers (2017) film, along with Annie Award nominations for Zootopia (2016) and Kubo and the Two Strings (2016) and word of multiple new Ghostbusters films in the works from original director Ivan Reitman.

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, review Disney's Moana (2016), a non-Pixar animated tale with a colorful cast of characters and a distinctly mythological bent. Featuring song lyrics from Broadway star Lin-Manuel Miranda and starring newcomer Auli'i Cravalho as Moana alongside Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as demigod Maui, the film offers a refreshingly modern take on the well-honed Disney model of filmmaking.

Other news items include reports of a Highlander remake from John Wick and John Wick 2 director Chad Stahelski, and an exciting casting announcement for Marvel's Black Panther film as it adds Angela Bassett in a key role.

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, engage in a deep discussion of Denis Villanueve's masterful new film, Arrival (2016). Starring Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker, Arrival features a strong emotional subtext and exceptional work in sound editing, cinematography, writing and directing.

In addition to the film review, the gents react to a week full of new movie trailers, including Disney's live action Beauty and the Beast (2017), Luc Besson's next blockbuster Valerian: City of a Thousand Planets (2017) and the Anthony Hopkins-Colin Farrell procedural thriller Solace (2017).

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, welcome entertainment journalists Val Complex and co-host to Sacramento's largest gaming podcast, Aaron Carter, for an important discussion about the latest documentary from critically acclaimed filmmaker, Ava DeVernay, titled 13th. While you won't hear a typical "review" of the film here, you will learn much from this engaging discussion about race, criminality, American history and personal experience.

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, share a spoiler-light review of Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange (2016) starring Benedict Cumberbatch. The latest MCU film features some trippy visuals and has received criticism for some of its casting decisions. Is the whole greater than the sum of its parts, or does its ambitious stance leave the story feeling fragmented in various segments of the multiverse?

News items in this episode include another director dropout for Warner Bros. stuck-in-development-hell The Flash, as well as a recent announcement about a new, live action Snow White film from Disney.

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, spend the last week of October discussing the other half of the distinctive style of Tim Burton - live-action films! From his first '"interesting" efforts with his short film made in the early '80s to discussing his directorial debut with Pee Wee's Big Adventure (1985), the duo discuss Burton's uncanny ability to create incredible live-action films. His cult classic status would be attained with his comic-book adaptation of Batman (1989), giving the world a glimpse at the creative genius that Burton would birth from, bringing forth outstanding films such as Edward Scissorhands (1990) and his deep and moving film, Big Fish (2003).

News items in this episode include a discussion of recently released trailers, including Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol.2, Logan, and Man Down, the new musical clip from Disney's Moana (2016), and the latest Honest Trailer on The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). Also, check out our Halloween Candy review of the quintessential Halloween film, Halloween (1978).