Movie Directors: The A-List | Ep #59

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Our multi-part series on movie directors launches with a wise-cracking commentary track on the big names atop every Hollywood producer's want list. And also Zack Snyder. Action!  

 

Show Notes: 

03:20 A new hope?

06:10 Joss Whedon
10:55 Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
14:59 Commentary: The Musical
15:25 Interlude: Neil Patrick Harris: "Laundry Day" (Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog)
18:40 From Buffy to Avengers

21:00 J. J. Abrams
22:30 Lost
25:40 The Mystery Box
27:15 Cloverfield trailer
34:35 Interlude: Zack Hemsey: "Mind Heist" (Inception)
36:20 Christopher Nolan (see also DC Cinematic Universe: Batman | Ep #54)
47:15 Interlude: Dawn of the Dead (2004) opening credits 
48:35 Zack Snyder
56:10 Michael Bay
1:00:40 M. Night Shyamalan

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Movie Directors: The A-List | Ep #59

Summer Blockbusters | Ep #33

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Finally, the episode you've waited all summer to experience, presented in stunning IMAX 70 mm with thunderous THX sound. You've got your tickets. You've got your popcorn. Now take your seat and tell the guy next to you how excited you are as we overwhelm you with the spectacle of summer movies.*  

Show Notes: 

01:40 June 11, 1993

03:06 Dick Tracy (premiere t-shirt / villains / the kid)

06:47 The Blank action figure

09:30 Interlude: Celebrity Jeopardy: Movies for $400

10:40 Jaws: the first summer blockbuster

15:00 What made the blockbuster

20:45 The smart blockbuster

25:55 Interlude: Meco: "Star Wars"

26:57 The Star Wars phenomenon

27:40 Waves

33:50 Michael Bay: the successful joke

37:10 The Syfy-ification of summer blockbusters

39:25 Interlude: Huey Lewis & The News: "Back in Time"

41:22 Back to the Future: high-concept with heart

42:50 Back-to-Back to the Futures

47:40 "Teasers frustrate me."

48:30 The Devlin/Emmerich Factory

49:05 Independence Day

56:10 We always win 

*This episode was recorded prior to the event that took place in Aurora, Colorado on July 20, 2012. While it contains no direct references to The Dark Knight Rises, we apologize for any such associations that may come to mind and affirm that no disrespect is intended to the victims of that event. 

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Summer Blockbusters | Ep #33

Doomsday | Ep #14

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Enraptured with the rapture but not sure where to start? Stop worrying and learn to love the bomb (and various other doomsday scenarios) with our guide to Mayan calendars, mushroom clouds, and Moore's law. It's the end of the world as we know it, and we...eh, you know.

Show Notes:

01:34 Armageddonology
03:10 The Mayan calendar
05:20 The (jolly) red giant theory
09:52 Sword Interval
13:12 Timewave Zero

16:15 Interlude: Nancy Sinatra - "The End of the World"

17:25 Singularity

17:47 Moore's law

24:23 When do the zombies come in?

25:46 All-star doomsday scenario team-up

28:05 Interlude: Pennywise - "30 Seconds Till the End of the World"

28:55 Why 2K?

32:06 Nostradamus

33:55 The Nibiru high-five

38:40 The original holy-crap, end-of-the-world story

43:35 Interlude: REM - "It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)"

44:46 Doomsday lit

50:13 End of the world flicks

55:17 Cthulu

57:34 The Kraken

Retraction
Via NASA.com's FAQ:
Q: Could phenomena occur where planets align in a way that impacts Earth?
A: There are no planetary alignments in the next few decades, Earth will not cross the galactic plane in 2012, and even if these alignments were to occur, their effects on the Earth would be negligible. Each December the Earth and sun align with the approximate center of the Milky Way Galaxy but that is an annual event of no consequence.

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Doomsday | Ep #14