The Friendstravaganza moves on to its second chapter, as Courteney Cox finds herself in the spotlight! Unfortunately, she’s bringing one of the most overrated sequels to Contrarians canon. Why are people so enamored with SCREAM 2? How can anyone buy the inexplicable relationship between Gale and Dewey? And what’s the appeal of Sydney, a heroine who seems basically unimpressed by all the horrific things happening in her life? Listen to Alex & Julio as they nitpick yet another Wes Craven movie...
May 21, 2022•1 hr 20 min
Joey Tribbiani iiiiiinnnnn sssssspaaaaaaace… Did we buy Matt LeBlanc as an action hero? Did we buy this serious reboot of a 60s property as a viable franchise? This is where you find out. Also - and perhaps more importantly - a full rundown of what our LIVESTREAM FOR THE CURE segment will be like! TIMELINE 00:00:52 Patreon & Livestream for the Cure 00:10:30 Real Talk 00:56:03 The Future & Perennial Plugs - Interested In more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on our P...
May 11, 2022•1 hr 1 min
The Friendstravaganza begins! Join Alex & Julio as they celebrate a high point in Matt LeBlanc’s career: the much reviled LOST IN SPACE film adaptation - a movie that had the courage to take a campy sci-fi TV show and turn it into a dark gritty blockbuster adventure. Can Joey Tribbiani hold his own against Daddy William Hurt and Scene-Stealing Gary Oldman? You already know the answer! TIMELINE 00:01:16 Lost in Space 00:19:32 Contrarians Corner - Wanna know how we really feel about Lost in Sp...
May 11, 2022•1 hr 3 min
This is Netflix’s second-best original film, according to patron Dan Brenic, but how does it fare on Alex and Julio’s personal rankings? Can you relate to PRIVATE LIFE if you have zero interest in ever having children? Who is this Kayli Carter and does she measure up to consummate pros like Giamatti and Hahn? Most importantly: can we ever see John Carroll Lynch as anyone but The Zodiac Killer? TIMELINE 00:00:47 Now on Patreon 00:11:28 Real Talk 00:56:27 The Future & Perennial Plugs - Interes...
May 05, 2022•1 hr 2 min
PRIVATE LIFE could’ve been a ruthless exposé of a multimillion-dollar industry that preys on desperate souls who just want to raise a child or two. Or it could’ve been an edge-of-your-seat thriller about a husband & wife who take advantage of a clueless, idealistic young woman. Instead, it’s an artsy-fartsy drama about Paul Giamatti & Kathryn Hahn having a terrible marriage. Listen to Alex and Julio as they try to figure out who’s the least fit to be a parent in one of Netflix’s most acc...
May 05, 2022•58 min
What exactly drove Julio to watch KNIVES OUT four times? And how does Alex really feel about the movie’s politics? Does Rian Johnson remain on The Contrarians’ good side after his most recent movie, or has this relationship hit a snag? All this, plus: We pick our favorite characters and favorite moments - all as part of Real Talk. TIMELINE 00:01:05 Now on Patreon 00:12:20 Real Talk 00:49:44 The Future & Perennial Plugs - Interested In more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMEN...
Apr 30, 2022•54 min
What happens when a filmmaker on the rise makes a divisive franchise movie? Well, if the filmmaker is Rian Johnson and the franchise is Star Wars, the poor guy then gets bullied into making a bland crowdpleaser like KNIVES OUT to restore his reputation. And it worked! Listen to Alex & Julio nitpick their way through yet another overhyped entry in that most convoluted of genres, the Whoddunit! TIMELINE 00:01:16 Knives Out 00:12:21 Contrarians Corner - Wanna know how we really feel about Knive...
Apr 30, 2022•1 hr 4 min
We’re doing some really cool stuff on our Patreon channel - some of it very different from what we offer on our main feed. Case in point: our Rock Vs. John Cena miniseries, where Alex schools Julio on the epic rivalry between the two pro wrestling superstars. Wanna check it out? Here’s Part 3, sort of a stand-alone episode which focuses on The Summer of Punk and includes a discussion of the surprisingly well-received CM Punk vehicle, GIRL ON THE THIRD FLOOR! Would you like to listen to the rest ...
Apr 19, 2022•2 hr 15 min
Let’s get real: we’ve done far worse movies than LEFT BEHIND on this show, and their Tomatometer scores were much higher. But does that make this Nic Cage religious movie a good film, or just one that’s not as bad as, say, Ready to Rumble? Do you experience the rapture differently if you’re familiar with Chad Michael Murray’s career? And does the Kirk Cameron version of this story sound more interesting? Find out during Real Talk! TIMELINE 00:00:49 Now on Patreon 00:10:03 Real Talk 00:56:46 The ...
Apr 15, 2022•1 hr
How do you score a 0% Tomatometer score when your movie features Nicolas Cage? The answer is obvious: the world isn’t ready for a faith-based blockbuster. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t celebrate LEFT BEHIND, a cinematic masterpiece that did the Thanos Snap waaaaaaay before Infinity War! And yes, God is Thanos in this scenario. Listen to Alex & Julio as they geek out over the Chad Michael Murray vehicle they didn’t know they needed! TIMELINE 00:01:16 Left Behind (2014) 00:13:27 Contraria...
Apr 15, 2022•59 min
So how did we really feel about The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, and do our feelings match those of patron Ryan, who demanded this episode AND sent us a heartfelt email to be read in it? Will the Contrarians finally find common ground with Australian cinema, or is this accidental feud doomed to continue forever? And yes, we do muse about the American remake… TIMELINE 00:00:42 Now on Patreon 00:11:35 Real Talk 00:49:57 The Future & Perennial Plugs - Interested In more Contrari...
Apr 05, 2022•55 min
Is there a word for “woke humble bragging” in Australia? Or do people just point to old VHS tapes of THE ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT? Director Stephan Elliot goes above and beyond to tell the world how open-minded the Land of Oz truly is when it comes to charismatic drag queens, but anyone with an internet connection knows reality is much harsher than what this movie’s peddling. Listen to Alex & Julio as they explore the early careers of Agent Smith, General Zod, and Ed Exley...
Apr 05, 2022•53 min
So how true is this true story exactly? And did Alex & Julio experience it differently because one is a sports fan and the other one isn’t? ( guess who’s who ) Listen as The Contrarians level with each other about the points MONEYBALL makes, the ones it doesn’t, and whether this is Jonah Hill’s best performance. TIMELINE 00:00:56 Now on Patreon 00:11:11 Real Talk 01:03:41 The Future & Perennial Plugs - Interested In more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on our Patre...
Mar 22, 2022•1 hr 8 min
How many times is Brad Pitt going to fail at portraying a Regular Joe before he realizes it’s just not within his reach anymore? He’s Hollywood MegaStar Brad Pitt! And even if you could get past that bit of fake news in MONEYBALL, you’d still have to deal with Serious Actor Jonah Hill (successfully) grabbing for an Academy Awards nomination. All this while poor Phillip Seymour Hoffman is ignored on the sidelines, and the plot does its best to suck the fun out of sports. Listen to Alex & Juli...
Mar 22, 2022•1 hr 6 min
Boy, you thought we were positive in Contrarians Corner? Wait until you hear Alex during Real Talk. Sit back and enjoy the most enthusiastic discussion about Semi-Pro that’s been had… probably since the movie was pitched to studio execs. But can we figure out why it didn’t succeed in the way other Will Ferrell comedies did around that time? TIMELINE 00:00:40 Now on Patreon 00:11:19 Real Talk 01:02:39 The Future & Perennial Plugs - Interested In more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS...
Mar 16, 2022•1 hr 6 min
It turns out that basketball isn’t really appreciated in America. How else would you explain SEMI-PRO’s rotten standing among critics? The Will Ferrell vehicle is a perfect celebration of American can-do attitude, loaded with comedic all-stars at the top of their game, and yet… it’s somehow seen as a lesser Ferrell film. Well, Alex & Julio won’t stand for it! Listen to The Contrarians go to bat (or shoot a hoop) for Jackie, Monix, Clarence, and the rest of the gang! TIMELINE 00:01:16 Semi-Pr...
Mar 16, 2022•1 hr 16 min
You heard us pretend to be unimpressed by PAN’S LABYRINTH, but how do we really feel about Guillermo Del Toro’s first Oscars darling? Listen to Alex & Julio discuss the film’s ambiguous ending, whether Captain Vidal was just too much, and why we were somehow spared an American remake. TIMELINE 00:00:14 Now on Patreon 00:07:32 Real Talk 00:58:38 The Future & Perennial Plugs - Interested In more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on our Patreon Page! Deleted clips, exte...
Mar 01, 2022•1 hr 2 min
When it comes to Guillermo Del Toro’s career, it’s peaks and valleys. And there’s no higher peak than his over the top “adult fairy tale” PAN’S LABYRINTH. Listen to Alex & Julio as they poke holes all throughout the movie’s flimsy plot, from Captain Vidal’s inconsistent street-smarts to the ludicrous waste of the most powerful piece of chalk in the universe. You can thank patron Chas Fisher for this one! TIMELINE 00:01:16 Pan’s Labyrinth 00:18:00 Contrarians Corner - Wanna know how we really...
Mar 01, 2022•1 hr 12 min
Our fifteenth Gray Area Episode also happens to be our 150th episode - which is kind of a big deal. So we needed to tackle an appropriately epic movie for the latest Contrarians battle. Doesn’t get any more epic than CAN’T HARDLY WAIT, a bonafide Ethan Embry vehicle, and you know how we feel about Ethan Embry on this show. Alex will be attacking, Julio will be defending, and they’ll both discuss what’s really going on in this classic teen comedy! Did America peak in 1998? TIMELINE 00:01:43 Can’t...
Feb 27, 2022•2 hr 11 min
The Muppathon has reached its international finale! MUPPETS MOST WANTED may be fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, but there’s a reason there hasn’t been a Muppet movie in the seven years since it landed in theaters, isn’t there? Listen to Alex & Julio as they wonder what hurt the final Muppet film the most: Ricky Gervais’ reputation or the lack of Jason Segel’s star power? Also, can anyone untangle the contradictory mess that is Muppets Continuity? And why does the franchise suddenly hate Rizzo? TIME...
Feb 11, 2022•2 hr
There’s no middle ground with movies about Irish people, it’d seem. You either get mushy sentimental claptrap like Sing Street, or the filthiest, most offensive depiction of Irishmen you can think of, like THE GUARD. Listen to Alex & Julio as they discuss the horrors found in Martin McDonagh’s feature film debut: Racism! Debauchery! Generic uses of Mark Strong and Ser Davos Seaworth! And cheap attempts at making Brendan Gleeson sympathetic by giving him an ailing mother! TIMELINE 00:01:16 Th...
Feb 01, 2022•1 hr 35 min
Let’s be real: the noir genre has been dead for decades. One of the main reasons why is that audiences refuse to embrace any imaginative reinventions of the old hard-boiled detective stories - regardless of their quality. Such was the fate of Brian Henson’s wonderfully subversive THE HAPPYTIME MURDERS, which committed the deadly sin of having puppets be sexual and deeply flawed in puritan America. Listen to Alex & Julio as they try to rescue Henson’s misunderstood masterpiece from obscurity ...
Jan 21, 2022•1 hr 59 min
The Muppathon continues as Kermit and his friends… graduate college??? Come on, now. How much can we let Jim Henson get away with just because it was The 80s? Listen to Alex & Julio as they discuss THE MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN - also known as “that 90-minute commercial for the Muppet Babies TV show”. Manipulative Broadway tunes! Outdated celebrity cameos! A disappointing embrace of marriage as an institution! It’s everything a Muppet fan inexplicably wants! TIMELINE 00:01:16 The Muppets Take M...
Jan 13, 2022•1 hr 55 min
We’re wrapping up the year the same way we started it: with an overblown, overrated James Cameron mega-blockbuster - courtesy of Patron Jamie Russell. Listen to Alex & Julio give AVATAR the Contrarians Treatment and welcome Charismatic Enigma Sam Worthington back on the show! Also: what did Giovanni Ribisi do to get stuck with all that exposition? Could you tell Sigourney Weaver wanted to drop an F-bomb in every scene? And why does Jimmy-C get a pass when it comes to rewriting history? All t...
Jan 05, 2022•2 hr 28 min
TIMELINE 00:01:16 The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz 00:09:55 Contrarians Corner 01:03:26 Burn, baby, burn 01:04:24 Now on Patreon 01:09:52 Real Talk 01:47:51 The Future & Perennial Plugs - Interested In more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on our Patreon Page! Deleted clips, extended plugs, bonus episodes free from the Tomatometer shackles… It’s everything a Contrarians devotee would want! - Contrarians Merch is finally here! Check out our RED BUBBLE MERCH PAGE and buy yoursel...
Dec 21, 2021•1 hr 53 min
TIMELINE 00:01:16 The Muppet Movie 00:09:10 Contrarians Corner 00:54:09 Movin’ Right Along 00:55:07 Now on Patreon 01:00:52 Real Talk 01:37:25 The Future & Perennial Plugs - Interested In more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on our Patreon Page! Deleted clips, extended plugs, bonus episodes free from the Tomatometer shackles… It’s everything a Contrarians devotee would want! - Contrarians Merch is finally here! Check out our RED BUBBLE MERCH PAGE and buy yourself somet...
Dec 14, 2021•1 hr 40 min
TIMELINE 00:01:17 Dead Alive 00:13:55 Contrarians Corner 01:09:17 Divine Intervention 01:09:46 Now on Patreon 01:16:50 Real Talk 01:53:41 The Future & Perennial Plugs - Interested In more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on our Patreon Page! Deleted clips, extended plugs, bonus episodes free from the Tomatometer shackles… It’s everything a Contrarians devotee would want! - Contrarians Merch is finally here! Check out our RED BUBBLE MERCH PAGE and buy yourself something ...
Dec 02, 2021•1 hr 58 min
TIMELINE 00:01:40 Doctor Who: The Movie 00:18:49 Contrarians Corner 01:06:38 Grand Slam 01:06:50 Now on Patreon 01:10:33 Real Talk 01:48:53 The Future & Perennial Plugs - Interested In more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on our Patreon Page! Deleted clips, extended plugs, bonus episodes free from the Tomatometer shackles… It’s everything a Contrarians devotee would want! - Contrarians Merch is finally here! Check out our RED BUBBLE MERCH PAGE and buy yourself somethin...
Nov 23, 2021•1 hr 53 min
TIMELINE 00:01:16 Mad Max: Fury Road 00:14:45 Contrarians Corner 01:14:01 Redemption 01:14:45 Now on Patreon 01:23:00 Real Talk 02:27:26 The Future & Perennial Plugs - Interested In more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on our Patreon Page! Deleted clips, extended plugs, bonus episodes free from the Tomatometer shackles… It’s everything a Contrarians devotee would want! - Contrarians Merch is finally here! Check out our RED BUBBLE MERCH PAGE and buy yourself something n...
Nov 13, 2021•2 hr 29 min
TIMELINE 00:01:18 The Embries 2021 00:17:10 Supporting Actress 00:33:55 Supporting Actor 00:54:54 The Lancaster Dodd Grant 01:05:24 The Ruffalo 01:12:17 The Gad 01:27:41 Lead Actor 01:46:32 Lead Actress 02:07:28 Film 02:28:22 Thank-yous & Perennial Plugs - Interested In more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on our Patreon Page! Deleted clips, extended plugs, bonus episodes free from the Tomatometer shackles… It’s everything a Contrarians devotee would want! - Contrarian...
Nov 02, 2021•2 hr 32 min
