The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, play mad scientist and try to dissect the anatomy of a summer blockbuster while also diving deep into the economics of moviemaking in this special edition report. What traits make a film predisposed for box office success, and how has the influence of foreign markets impacted the moviemaking practices of Hollywood executives?
In movie news, we discuss the return of Jeff Goldblum to the Jurassic World franchise, and all the release information put out by Twentieth Century Fox and Disney Studios.
The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, blow it up (like the record-setting global box office haul) with this week’s review of The Fate of the Furious (2017), starring Vin Diesel, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Charlize Theron, Tyrese, Ludacris, Jason Statham, Kurt Russell and several others. How did the crew fare without Paul Walker, and what did/didn’t work about Dom Torreto’s double-cross?
In movie news, we discuss the long-awaited reveal of Josh Brolin as Cable in Deadpool 2 (2018).
The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, welcome long time fan and movie enthusiast Marcus Hunter and Sacramento’s own cosplay extraordinaire Trenton Brewer for this week’s review of Power Rangers (2017). The film reboots the prolific children’s television show from the 1990s with a new take on Jason, Billy, Kimberly, Zach and Trini, and how they come to acquire their powers. Featuring Bryan Cranston as Zordon and Elizabeth Banks as Rita Repulsa, the film was directed by Dean Israelite.
The team also discusses the new Thor: Ragnarok trailer, featuring Cate Blanchett as Hela and the makings of a rowdy intergalactic buddy comedy between Chris Hemsworth’s Thor and Mark Ruffalo’s “Planet Hulk” inspired green goliath.
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?