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The Filmlosophers

The gentleman's post-credits discourse. Enthusiastic and tactful, hosts Eddie Villanueva and Spencer Williams offer candid observations about current events in the movie industry, film reviews and various other movie buff sundries. When the lights come up, the conversations goes down.
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Now displaying: Page 10
Jul 10, 2019

The Filmlosophers take a walk through San Francisco and discover the latest independent film to come out of the Bay Area, The Last Black Man in San Francisco. Winner of several awards at the Sundance Film Festival, and birthed out of visionary writer/director Joe Talbot, this impressive film gives moviegoers a glimpse of the beauty and economic confusion that is San Francisco. As moving as this film is, however, does it hold its own against the many other independent films starting to come out of California’s Bay Area? Tune in to find out in this week’s episode of The Filmlosophers!

Jul 3, 2019

The Filmlosophers web-sling their way into discussing Sony’s latest sequel in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Far from Home. This iteration of the Wallcrawler closes out the Third Phase of the franchise, as well as capping the 10-year long saga many have come to know and love. But does this latest serving from Sony offer up something “Thor-worthy,” or does it fall flat on the pavement? Tune in to find out in this week’s episode of The Filmlosophers!

Jun 26, 2019

The Filmlosophers revisit their old toy chest and review the latest entry in the Disney-Pixar powerhouse franchise, Toy Story 4. With Josh Cooley's directorial debut, this animated feature will have the crew reaching back into their past and feeling old in tonight’s discussion. Does it live up to its previous films? Is Disney-Pixar trying to make one last cash grab? Is the team still surviving without Chad? Tune in to find out in this week’s episode of The Filmlosophers!

Make sure to like and subscribe to our channel, and let us know what you think with a rating! Class dismissed!

Jun 19, 2019

The Filmlosophers take on the universal mystery of why we saw this movie in the first place with Men In Black: International (2019). This latest entry in the Men In Black franchise has the team shaking their heads as they discuss the vibe and creative direction this out-of-this-world film takes. Are the powerhouse performers Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth enough to help launch this Arquillian space cruiser, or is this film a doomed Boglidite? Tune in to find out in this week’s episode of The Filmlosophers!

Jun 12, 2019

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva, Chad Riley and Spencer Williams, band together to keep from falling apart at the seams with this week’s review of Dark Phoenix (2019). The final installment of Fox’s nearly 20-year-long X-Men film series (since New Mutants may or may not ever release in 2020) tackles the comic book franchise’s most popular storyline and tries to fix some of what went wrong in X-Men: The Last Stand (2006).

Directed and written by Simon Kinberg, the film stars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, Alexandra Shipp, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Evan Peters, and Jessica Chastain. Give us a few minutes of your time, and we’ll let you know if that huge stable of talent pulled out a win...or if that cosmic bird needs another attempt at rebirth someday.

Jun 5, 2019

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva, Chad Riley and Spencer Williams, knock over a few buildings while saving the world with this week’s review of Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019). As the third installment of Warner Bros. MonsterVerse, the film presents some of the famous kaiju’s most fearsome opponents while setting up the additional mythology leading up to next year’s Godzilla vs. Kong.

Directed by Michael Dougherty, the film stars Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown, Bradley Whitford, Sally Hawkins, Charles Dance, Thomas Middleditch, Aisha Hinds, O'Shea Jackson Jr., David Strathairn, Ken Watanabe, Zhang Ziyi and a bunch of monsters “as themselves.” Intrigued? Give us a listen!

May 29, 2019

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva, Chad Riley and Spencer Williams, wonder if there’s anything good left in the world after viewing Brightburn (2019). The highly anticipated film, produced by Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn, mashes up the superhero and horror movie genres by posing the simple question: what if Superman wasn’t a good guy, even as a child?

Directed by David Yarovesky, the film stars Elizabeth Banks, David Denman, Jackson A. Dunn, Matt Jones, and Meredith Hagner. It debuted to mixed reviews and a modest box office haul, but we think you’ll be very interested to hear where we stand...

May 22, 2019

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva, Chad Riley and Spencer Williams, scramble to find weapons in every corner with this week’s review of John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum (2019). The adrenaline-fueled “gun fu” action flick closes out the first trilogy of Chad Stahelski’s relentless series with stars Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, Laurence Fishburne, Anjelica Huston and Ian McShane.

Parabellum continues the saga of titular character John Wick’s merc marathon run as he tries to elude death from every assassin in the world after being declared “excommunicado” by the High Table. With a fourth chapter already green-lit, it’s obvious that the film series is here for the long haul...but can you stomach the violence long enough to reach the end?

May 15, 2019

With Eddie out of the office for a week, Filmlosophers Spencer Williams and Chad Riley do a bit of a duet with this week's review of Detective Pikachu (2019). Starring Ryan Reynold, Justice Smith, Bill Nighy and a whole host of Pokemon characters who've made the transition from cartoon to live action.

With a healthy mix of franchise knowledge (Spencer) and no knowledge at all (Chad), we take a look at how this video game adaptation rates in comparison to other nominally successful properties.

May 1, 2019

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva, Chad Riley and Spencer Williams, drag their sorry carcasses out of the theater after repeat viewings of Avengers: Endgame (2019). After 18 previous episodes dedicated to Marvel Cinematic Universe films, everything culminates in this week’s review of the Infinity Saga closeout that rocketed to more than $1 billion at the global box office in record time.

Endgame brings the initial 22-film run of the MCU to a point of closure and rebirth, and we’ve assembled all of our brain cells to recount in spoiler-ridden fashion all three hours and five minutes of the film. If you haven’t seen it yet, listen at your own risk - you’ve been spoiler alerted!

Apr 24, 2019

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva, Chad Riley and Spencer Williams, head back to the start of the infinity loop with this week’s review of Jon Favreau’s Iron Man (2008). The film marked the first official entry of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, established Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark/Iron Man as a household name and paved the road toward this week’s Infinity Saga culmination, Avengers: Endgame (2019).

Also starring Terrence Howard, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges and Clark Gregg, Iron Man set a new standard for superhero blockbusters and initiated one of the most unique multi-franchise undertakings in the history of cinema.

Apr 17, 2019

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva, Chad Riley and Spencer Williams, try desperately to escape the flames of the underworld with this week’s review of Hellboy (2019). The remake stars David Harbour from “Stranger Things” alongside Ian McShane, Milla Jovovich, Danial Dae Kim and a whole lot of CGI.

Unfortunately, this slow burning garbage fire of a film is too relentlessly unquenchable even for us. The good news is that we suffered through it so you don’t have to.

Apr 10, 2019

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva, Chad Riley and Spencer Williams, tackle the debate of the modern era with this week’s evaluation of the Netflix effect...and a “mini-review” of one of the streaming giant’s recent releases, Triple Frontier (2019). With a war brewing between Hollywood’s previous generation of upstarts (we’re looking at you, Steven Spielberg) and the new content disruptors (including Oscar-winner Alfonso Cuarón), how are the rest of us supposed to feel about on-demand home viewing versus the grand allure of a cinematic presentation?

As a small litmus test, we also dive into an abbreviated review of Triple Frontier starring Ben Affleck, Charlie Hunnam, Oscar Isaac, Pedro Pascal, Garrett Hedlund and Adria Arjona. It may not be the next Roma (2018), but it sure beats most of the Netflix-distributed films we’ve reviewed in previous episodes.

Apr 3, 2019

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva, Chad Riley and Spencer Williams, are feeling a bit of a power surge with this week’s review of Shazam! (2019). Directed by David F. Sandberg, the film stars Zachary Levi as the titular hero, while Asher Angel plays his human alter ego, Billy Batson. Mark Strong, Jack Dylan Grazer and Djimon Hounsou fill out the primary cast, and there are a number of other standouts waiting in the wings of this mostly family-friendly comic book adaptation.

After all, it’s only on the colorful canvas of a superhero film that you typically find story elements such as America’s foster care system, the seven deadly sins, and larger-than-life preteen heroes in the same mix. The real question, though, is whether that mix is just-right or a little too over-the-top. Listen in to find out our take!

Mar 27, 2019

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva, Chad Riley and Spencer Williams, fight to stay comfortable in their own skin this week with a review of Jorden Peele’s sophomore film, Us (2019). Written and directed by Peele, who crafted the massively successful and thought-provoking Get Out (2017), Us provides a unique look at into human psychology and plays on the timeless fear of the shadow self by showing characters in active conflict against their own doppelgänger.

Starring Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Evan Alex, Elisabeth Moss, and Tim Heidecker, Us cements Peele’s status as one of the 21st century’s masters of suspense and emphasizes just how versatile and compelling Nyong’o has become as one of today’s leading performers.

Mar 20, 2019

In this bonus episode, we discuss the current state of where the Marvel Cinematic Universe is, and what are some of our theories for the future of the franchise. What do you think? Listen in to hear our thoughts!

Stick around and join the conversation as we are barely able to contain ourselves! Pull up a chair, check in with the teacher and prepare for some bonus hilarity in "Extra Credit!"

You can also catch all of our previous episodes at Filmlosophers.com!

Mar 20, 2019

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva, Chad Riley and Spencer Williams, get a bit sneaky with this week’s review of Captive State (2019). Written and directed by Rupert Wyatt, the film stars John Goodman, Ashton Sanders, Jonathan Majors, Machine Gun Kelly, and Vera Farmiga. Its depiction of a world held captive by aggressive, insect-like aliens hews closely to other films within the genre while also attempting to differentiate itself as a think-piece on social stratification and themes of insurgency against an oppressive government.

In a landscape full of enemies both foreign and domestic, what chance does one have to rise up and effect change? And can the audience hang in long enough to care about the outcome? Listen in to find out what we thought of the film...

Mar 13, 2019

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva, Chad Riley and Spencer Williams, power up for this week’s review of Captain Marvel (2019). With a record-shattering global opening, the last Marvel Cinematic Universe film before Avengers: Endgame (2019) provides an enormous launchpad for the MCU’s new standard-bearer, Brie Larson’s Carol Danvers. Set in the 1990s, Captain Marvel features one of cinema’s most enjoyable new “buddy cop” duos between Larson and Samuel L. Jackson, while also integrating a star-spanning subplot of warmongering, propaganda and prejudice.

Mar 6, 2019

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva, Chad Riley and Spencer Williams, rally together to deliver this week’s review of How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019). This franchise-finishing film reunites a voice cast that includes Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Cate Blanchett, Craig Ferguson, and a new villain played by F. Murray Abraham. As Toothless works out a few new dance moves for the Light Fury he’s suddenly sweet on, his human companion, Hiccup, wrestles with the mantle of leadership...and where does that leave the human-dragon utopia by the final frame? You’ll have to listen to find out.

Feb 27, 2019

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva, Chad Riley and Spencer Williams, break out the cue cards and goodie bags for this year’s Oscars Recap. We’re light on the fashion play-by-play and heavy on the sass as we dive into who won, who deserved to win and whether or not Samuel L. Jackson and Spike Lee had anything to do with the rise of the Koala Challenge on social media. Honorable mentions go out to Bradley Cooper’s mom, Congressman John Lewis and a sidebar about the review of “Bohemian Rhapsody” we never got around to recording.

Feb 20, 2019

The Filmlosophers pick apart the cybernetic workings of the latest film from Director Rober Rodriguez, Alita: Battle Angel (2019). Rodriguez, alongside producer and co-writer James Cameron, set to change the landscape of anime-live action adaptations with their latest cinema offering! The film stars Rosa Salazar as the titular role, alongside the incredible Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali, Ed Skrein, Jackie Earle Haley and new-comer Keean Johnson. But does this film measure up to the expectations of anime and film fans, alike? Or will Alita: Battle Angel fall to the wayside much like its predecessors, and become a ghost of its former self?

Feb 13, 2019

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva, Chad Riley and Spencer Williams, host a pop music dance party for this week’s review of The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (2019). Mike Mitchell directs off a script from executive producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (who wrote and directed the first film), and the film stars Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Charlie Day, Alison Brie, Nick Offerman, and Will Ferrell reprising their roles from the first film in the series.

With additional characters voiced and/or performed by Tiffany Haddish, Stephanie Beatriz and Maya Rudolph, the question isn’t whether or not this sequel has enough star power...but is everything still awesome five years later? Visual gags, plot twists and incessant-tunes-that-get-stuck-in-your-head are here in abundance, so let’s get playful!

Feb 6, 2019

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva, Chad Riley and Spencer Williams, get a little bit shallow with this week’s review of A Star is Born (2018). As the fourth iteration of this particular storyline, the Oscar-nominated film modernizes the tale of an aging and substance-abusing musician who discovers a new talent and helps to launch her professional career. Directed by and starring Bradley Cooper, the film also stars Lady Gaga, Andrew Dice Clay, Dave Chappelle, and Sam Elliott.

As one of this year’s most highly publicized awards contenders, A Star is Born has already raked in more than 180 nominations from a variety of sources in multiple categories. It’s also a commercial success, with nearly $208 million in domestic tickets sales. So why didn’t it earn top marks from our team? Listen and find out!

Jan 30, 2019

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva, Chad Riley and Spencer Williams, dust off their swords and take a few practice swings for this week’s review of The Kid Who Would Be King (2019). The film brings the myth of King Arthur, Excalibur, Merlin and the Knights of the Round Table into the present-day and caters strongly to the YA crowd in terms of both tone and complexity. Directed by Joe Cornish, the film stars a boatload of British youngsters including Louis Ashbourne Serkis, Dean Chaumoo, Angus Imrie, Rhianna Dorris and Tom Taylor alongside Rebecca Ferguson and Sir Patrick Stewart.

One part Arthurian legend and one part Disney’s “The Sword in the Stone” brought into the modern world, the movie works hard to court its young intended audience. In spite of its dismal North American box office opening, is there something worth watching after all?

Jan 23, 2019

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva, Chad Riley and Spencer Williams, get mental with this week’s review of M. Night Shyamalan’s Glass (2019), the trilogy-concluding sequel to Unbreakable (2000) and Split (2016). The film unites Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson and James McAvoy under one roof, as their respective characters are psychologically evaluated by franchise newcomer Sarah Paulson.

Will Jackson’s titular Elijah Price, aka Mister Glass, be able to outthink the shrink and cast his fellow patients as superheroes (or supervillains) in full view of the public? And will we care, once the time comes?

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