In this week’s installment of Ember Island Airwaves, J and I discuss the incredibly draining experience of watching “The Ultimatum.” We explore classism and how the protagonist/antagonist relationships in The Legend of Korra directly contrast with those in Avatar: The Last Airbender. J and I then speculate about the fate of Tenzin and the other airbenders […]
Ember Island Airwaves: Episode 4
It’s been awhile since our last episode of Ember Island Airwaves. In the interim, I had the chance to interview the fantastic Stephen Stanton (the voice of Old Wan and the Air Lion Turtle in “Beginnings, Part 2”). In addition, some major news about The Legend of Korra was dropped at San Diego Comic Con. Last week saw the birth […]
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes with J and Søren
J’s Review Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is not the “savior of the summer of 2014,” and I wonder if the people praising it as such have actually been to the theater in the past couple months. As long as we’re comparing, it has none of the visual sophistication of Godzilla and completely lacks the wit of Edge […]
Ember Island Airwaves: Episode 3
Having left Republic City, The Legend of Korra has seized an opportunity to flesh out its characters, its world, and its story. The world of Avatar has always been predicated on its unique bending systems and the cultural evolution thereof. The show has built on this by taking daring and paradigm-shifting new turns in the latest season, not […]
Ember Island Airwaves: Episode 2
The world of Avatar is remarkable not only for its entertainment value, but for its remarkable maturity. Avatar: The Last Airbender deals with themes of death, destiny, and classism, all of which have been brought forward into and magnified in The Legend of Korra. These thematic ideas tie into structural similarities to anime and separate this franchise from its Western counterparts. J […]
Ember Island Airwaves: Episode 1
With Season 4 of Game of Thrones all wrapped up, J and I have turned our attention to an old favorite: The Legend of Korra. Korra is a sequel series to Avatar: The Last Airbender, a show that deservedly won numerous awards (including a Primetime Emmy) during its 2005-2008 run. As a follow-up to that legacy, The Legend of Korra has likewise met with mostly […]
Game of Thrones Season 4: “The Children”
Please note that you can find all episodes of “Stark Contrast,” our Game of Thrones podcast, both at Movie Fail and on iTunes, Google Play and Spotify. Game of Thrones concludes its fourth season with the jam-packed episode, “The Children.” But although it was filled with shocking parent-offspring confrontation, the finale left audiences divided. Some, […]
Superhero Madness, Part 3: DC
DC has been making waves in the industry these past few weeks. With the revelation that Ben Affleck is playing a Frank Miller-inspired Batman, speculation on the upcoming Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice has run rampant. Will Jason Momoa be playing Aquaman? Is David S. Goyer the absolute worst person to be handling this superhero […]
Game of Thrones Season 4: “The Watchers on the Wall”
Please note that can find all episodes of “Stark Contrast,” our Game of Thrones podcast, both at Movie Fail and on iTunes, Google Play and Spotify. Game of Thrones has a history of making spectacular penultimate episodes each season. But did the episode live up to the impressive quality of its predecessors? We’re not so sure. Reprising […]
Superhero Madness, Part 2: The MCU
Marvel has made cinematic history with their foray into the movies. Although the rights to two of their most valuable properties – X-Men and Spider-Man – respectively belong to Fox and Sony, Marvel has nevertheless created the most profitable franchise of all time. And along the way, they’ve made some of the best superhero movies […]
Superhero Madness, Part 1: X-Men
Superhero films have been a point of contention between J and me in recent months. For example, although I completely agreed with Okwudili’s review of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, J was less than thrilled with the film. And while I really enjoyed X-Men: Days of Future Past, J claims that it represents everything that’s wrong […]
Game of Thrones Season 4: “The Mountain and The Viper”
Please note that you can find all episodes of “Stark Contrast,” our Game of Thrones podcast, both at Movie Fail and on iTunes, Google Play and Spotify. After a short hiatus, Game of Thrones is back with one of the most anticipated conflicts of the season. Beyond that, J and I discuss Sansa Stark begins to play […]
Game of Thrones Season 4: “Mockingbird”
Please note that you can find all episodes of “Stark Contrast,” our Game of Thrones podcast, both at Movie Fail and on iTunes, Google Play and Spotify. Game of Thrones prepares for a two-week hiatus with a milestone episode this week with “Mockingbird.” J and I delve into some monumental paradigm shifts for Tyrion and […]
Godzilla with J and Søren
Søren’s Review Most of us went through that phase in our life where we liked to break things. We would build big cities or towers out of Legos or blocks, and then we would walk through them like giants. With this in mind, the old Ishirō Honda and Toho films engaged with the audience on […]
Game of Thrones Season 4: “The Laws of Gods and Men”
Please note that you can find all episodes of “Stark Contrast,” our Game of Thrones podcast, both at Movie Fail and on iTunes, Google Play and Spotify. This week’s episode of Game of Thrones was small in scope. However, what the show did cover will have lasting consequences for its main characters. Josh and I pore through […]
Game of Thrones Season 4: “First of His Name”
Please note that you can find all episodes of “Stark Contrast,” our Game of Thrones podcast, both at Movie Fail and on iTunes, Google Play and Spotify. The fifth episode of HBO’s Game of Thrones featured a tonally positive but somewhat uneventful. J and I delve into Cersei’s humanity, Littlefinger’s secrets, and Tommen Baratheon’s newfound kingship […]
Game of Thrones Season 4: “Oathkeeper”
Please note that you can find all episodes of “Stark Contrast,” our Game of Thrones podcast, both at Movie Fail and on iTunes, Google Play and Spotify. Following last week’s controversial episode, director Michelle MacLaren steers the show away from its rocky past. “Oathkeeper” was an exciting and important for show watchers and book readers alike. Josh […]
Game of Thrones Season 4: “Breaker of Chains”
Please note that you can find all episodes of “Stark Contrast,” our Game of Thrones podcast, both at Movie Fail and on iTunes, Google Play and Spotify. Game of Thrones stirred up controversy this week with their new episode, “Breaker of Chains.” J and I delve into the questionable scene and attempt to parse out where […]
Game of Thrones Season 4: “The Lion and the Rose”
Please note that you can find all episodes of “Stark Contrast,” our Game of Thrones podcast, both at Movie Fail and on iTunes, Google Play and Spotify. Game of Thrones Season 4 picks up steam with its second episode, “The Lion and the Rose.” As Joffrey Baratheon and Margery Tyrell prepare to marry and unite two incredibly powerful houses, […]
Game of Thrones Season 4: “Two Swords”
Please note that you can find all episodes of “Stark Contrast,” our Game of Thrones podcast, both at Movie Fail and on iTunes, Google Play and Spotify. In our previous podcast, J and I discussed the first three seasons of the massively popular HBO series Game of Thrones. This week, we dive into “Two Swords,” the […]
Game of Thrones Seasons 1-3 Recap
Please note that you can find all episodes of “Stark Contrast,” our Game of Thrones podcast, both at Movie Fail and on iTunes, Google Play and Spotify. In adapting George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series to television, HBO created a cultural phenomenon. Game of Thrones has become a franchise spanning books, video games, […]
Søren and J Discuss House of Cards
House of Cards has been a runaway success for Netflix, its characters permeating American culture from the Oval Office to the Oscars. Star Kevin Spacey plays Frank Underwood: a heartless, sociopathic politician gunning for power in Washington, D.C. But how long can a character like that be interesting? And how does the “binge-watching” structure of the […]
J and Søren Discuss True Detective
True Detective has been something of a phenomenon. Featuring top-notch acting and intense character-driven mysteries, the show quickly gained a following and has seen record high ratings and critical acclaim over the course of its first season. On Sunday March 9, 2014, the tales of Rust Cohle (Matthew Mcconaughey) and Marty Hart (Woody Harrelson) came to an […]
Søren and J’s Oscarcast 2014
Last year, J and I created the first ever Movie Fail Oscarcast. After live tweeting the 86th Academy Awards, we decided to sit down and record our thoughts once again. In this podcast, J and I discuss the winners and losers of the ceremony, as well as our thoughts on the event itself. Enjoy, and let us know […]
Søren and J’s Oscarcast 2013
If you were following us on Twitter (and you should be), you’ve already seen bits and pieces of thoughts from the Movie Fail staff on this year’s Oscars ceremony this past Sunday. In this podcast, Josh and I cover everything from the Rhythm and Hues protests to Seth MacFarlane as we discuss the event. Give […]
Skyfall with Tim, Søren, and Todd
Tim’s Review Though it contains many of the high-energy action sequences and traditions that we’ve come to expect from Bond flicks, Sam Mendes’s movie plays more like a thriller/art-film, than an action movie, exploring death, resurrection, and an underlying theme of old versus new. Despite the obviousness of these themes, I never felt like I […]
The Bourne Legacy with Mike and Søren
Here’s how our Dueling Reviews format works: each contributor writes an independent, abbreviated, spoiler-free review of the film. Then, the contributors come together in a podcast and discuss the movie in depth. Mike’s Review A week after I saw The Bourne Legacy, a friend called me up telling me that he was going to see it that […]
The Dark Knight Rises with Søren and Stuart
Here’s how our Dueling Reviews format works: each contributor writes an independent, abbreviated, spoiler-free review of the film. Then, the contributors come together in a podcast and discuss the movie in depth. Søren’s Review At this point, I think that most people are aware that I just plain old didn’t like The Dark Knight. The film won endless […]
Prometheus with Søren and Ari
Here’s how our Dueling Reviews format works: each contributor writes an independent, abbreviated, spoiler-free review of the film. Then, the contributors come together in a podcast and discuss the movie in depth. Søren’s Review I will perhaps be deemed a heretic for what I am about to say, but here it is: I am not […]
The Cabin in the Woods with Søren and Ari
Here’s how our Dueling Reviews format works: each contributor writes an independent, abbreviated, spoiler-free review of the film. Then, the contributors come together in a podcast and discuss the movie in depth. Søren’s Review The first 5 minutes of The Cabin in the Woods is a perfectly written hybrid of idle dialogue, sudden shock, and scantily-clad females: […]
The Guard by Mike and Søren
This is our first official Movie Fail podcast review. In this segment, Søren and guest reviewer Mike look at John Michael McDonagh’s The Guard, starring Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, and Mark Strong. Listen to the podcast below, or download it here. Mike’s Verdict: Movie Win Søren’s Verdict: Movie Win Score: 95% Update: This post spurred an interesting […]
Watchmen with Tim and Søren (Archive)
This is from the archives, back when Movie Fail was just two high school kids and a computer. In this segment, we review the movie Watchmen, directed by Zack Snyder and starring Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode. Tim’s Verdict: Movie Win Søren’s Verdict: Movie Win Score: 80% Note: This review is not indicative of the format of future […]
Quantum of Solace by Tim and Søren (Archive)
This is from the archives, back when Movie Fail was just a few high school kids and a computer. Tim Nicholson and Søren Hough tackle Quantum of Solace, the sequel to the much-revered reboot of the 007 franchise starring Daniel Craig. At the end, Tim and Søren summarize the movie with an evaluation of the […]
