So, as of this posting, it’s basically impossible to stream DROP DEAD GORGEOUS in the U.S. Is that reflective of its quality, its controversial sense of humor, or both? Alex has been enthusiastic about the movie ever since he found out it was on the schedule, but will Julio share that excitement now that we are being serious? And is it easier to navigate the potentially problematic comedic elements when you are not trying to be funny about them? Find out in this Real Talk segment! TIMELINE 00:00...
Dec 31, 2023•1 hr 2 min
Middle America exposed!!! And before the MAGA years, mind you. Unsurprisingly, this didn’t go over particularly well with conservative critics, and so DROP DEAD GORGEOUS’ Tomatometer score is divisive at best. Listen to Alex & Julio as they celebrate the rare mockumentary that’s not a Christopher Guest product: an incisive look at the beauty pageants industry, and a showcase for an all-star cast. There’s even a Batman cameo! TIMELINE 00:01:24 Drop Dead Gorgeous 00:17:54 Contrarians Corner - ...
Dec 31, 2023•1 hr
You could make an argument that none of the players involved in JERRY MAGUIRE have ever been better. Tom Cruise, Renée Zellweger, Cuba Gooding Jr., Cameron Crowe… forget whatever acclaim they garnered in the future, maybe this rom-sports-com is where they peaked. Or maybe not. Maybe at least one of The Contrarians is too close to this film to judge it objectively. Listen to this Real Talk segment and see who you side with - or who you side against! TIMELINE 00:00:48 Now on Patreon 00:10:43 Real ...
Dec 24, 2023•1 hr 3 min
Hey, look, it’s Hollywood mega-star Tom Cruise trying to play a regular guy. Wonder if movie critics will fall for it? Of course they did! JERRY MAGUIRE is fresh on the Tomatometer despite being among the worst examples of Cameron Crowe’s mannered dialogue and overproduced soundtracks. Listen to Alex & Julio as they try to figure out what exactly is Jerry so bummed about, and as they refuse to fall for Jonathan Lipnicki’s meme-worthy lines. Oh yeah, and Renée Zellweger and Cuba Gooding Jr. a...
Dec 24, 2023•1 hr 1 min
Okay, let’s get serious about The Flintstones - because apparently that’s how the world has decided we must judge this 1994 live-action adaptation. Is there a silent majority that thinks this movie is good and has the internet’s echo chamber fed the Tomatometer in this instance? Can we all at least agree that Halle Berry and Kyle MacLachlan are STUNNING in their prehistoric pelts? And how do The Contrarians actually feel about The Flintstones? It’s all in this Real Talk segment! TIMELINE 00:00:5...
Dec 12, 2023•57 min
You know we are too far gone as a society when we can’t appreciate the beauty of a perfect Flintstones live-action adaptation. We dare you, all of you, to propose a better cast. This was it: there won’t be a better Fred than John Goodman. And if anybody was ever going to crack the puzzle of Barney Rubble’s character, it would be Rick Moranis. But critics had to turn on the movie and now it’s infamously rotten on the Tomatometer. Listen to Alex & Julio as they defend the Spielrock production ...
Dec 12, 2023•1 hr
By now, we know that THE SUICIDE SQUAD was basically James Gunn’s DCEU audition - one that he passed with flying colors. Would we have given him the job though? As you would expect, this Real Talk segment sees Alex struggling with his love for John Cena versus his aversion to movies that run over two hours - plus finally assimilating Margot Robbie’s performance as Harley Quinn. As for Julio, well, he can tell this isn’t as good as Spider-Man 2, but what else can be said about it? Listen to find ...
Dec 01, 2023•59 min
We used to wait at least a decade before giving a failed adaptation another shot at being reimagined. Now we pump out remakes, reboots, and requels faster than WB can shelve them. And that’s how we ended up with a SUICIDE SQUAD sort-of-sequel that didn’t even bother to change its title all that much. Listen to Alex & Julio as they try to make sense of James Gunn’s DC cover of Guardians of the Galaxy — and the Harley Quinn short film embedded within! TIMELINE 00:01:24 The Suicide Squad 00:15:...
Dec 01, 2023•1 hr
So here we are: Julia Roberts finally got her Oscar, three nominations in. But did she get it for the right movie? Would we still be talking about ERIN BROCKOVICH (those of us who still are) if it wasn’t known as Julia’s Oscar Win? And moving past the awards - how does this modern-day fairy tale hold up today, especially when touting it’s a true story? Lots to talk about in this Real Talk segment, and we dive into it all! TIMELINE 00:00:50 Now on Patreon 00:09:42 Real Talk 00:54:55 The Future &a...
Nov 22, 2023•59 min
Julia Roberts was due for an Oscar - that much most people would agree on. So in the year 2000, because a rising tide lifts all boats, ERIN BROCKOVICH became a major awards contender. Julia Roberts is the rising tide in this analogy, and the boats are all the other elements that make up Steven Soderbergh’s fairly mediocre biopic. Listen to Alex & Julio as they try to make sense of this alleged true story and, more importantly, of how Aaron Eckhart plays a Harley Davidson biker. TIMELINE 00:0...
Nov 22, 2023•54 min
It’s unavoidable to spend much of this Real Talk segment analyzing the tawdrier aspects of ORIGINAL SIN, but fear not, we also talk about other noteworthy elements in it. Roger Ebert liked this movie, for crying out loud! So what works and what doesn’t in this alleged love story, and how much relevance does desire have in the proceedings? Jolie, Banderas, Jane… is this a triumph for them, regardless of what Rotten Tomatoes says? And is it worth hunting down that unrated edition? TIMELINE 00:00:5...
Nov 11, 2023•1 hr 1 min
Angelina Jolie and Antonio Banderas going at it in an R-rated movie: waaaaaay too much for America’s puritanical film critics. ORIGINAL SIN scored a shocking 12% on the Tomatometer, as if it wasn’t a masterfully crafted adult thriller that also happened to feature some no-holds-barred lovemaking. Listen to Alex & Julio as they discuss the explosive lust triangle at the center of this movie ( Thomas Jane is in there too! ) and try to figure out the differences between the rated and unrated cu...
Nov 11, 2023•1 hr 1 min
The Contrarians turn nine! Join our annual celebration of the good, the bad, the horny, and the super white films we covered over the past twelve months as we unleash THE EMBRIES - 2023 Edition on your podcatchers! This might even convince you to check out some of the movies you skipped the first time around! TIMELINE 00:01:16 The Embries 2023 00:17:29 Supporting Actor 00:37:10 Lead Actor 00:49:11 Supporting Actress 01:02:17 Lead Actress 01:14:31 The Lancaster Dodd Grant 01:20:35 The Ruffalo 01:...
Oct 31, 2023•1 hr 54 min
As tempting as it is to spend all of Real Talk comparing and contrasting Romero’s DAWN OF THE DEAD and Snyder’s remake, don’t worry, we manage to take the conversation in other directions. For one, Alex’s surprising disinterest in the zombie genre. For another, Julio’s inability to stop referencing Dead Alive. Does it all add up to a positive score for the OG Zombies-in-a-Mall movie? Listen to find out! (Btw: the zombie conversation Alex & Julio couldn’t recall was probably the Patreon episo...
Oct 23, 2023•1 hr 3 min
Uhhhhh… What is this? Certainly not zombies, we can tell you that much. George Romero’s much-acclaimed undead monsters amount to little more than really disoriented bluish humans. Somehow, this is enough to terrorize people in a mall for over two hours - and also enough for critics to give DAWN OF THE DEAD a fresh 93% Tomatometer score. Listen to Alex & Julio as they yearn for the fast pacing and entertaining characters of the Zack Snyder remake and wonder why the world holds Romero’s creati...
Oct 23, 2023•59 min
We are not quite John Singleton neophytes, but we are pretty close anyway. So how do we approach a Singleton flick that has been decried by many as an example of him selling out? How do we feel about the morality of FOUR BROTHERS and its celebration of vigilante justice? Are we overthinking this revenge tale or not giving it enough credit? There’s lots to chew on in this Real Talk segment, including a potential reevaluation of Mark Wahlberg as a leading man. Keyword: “potential”. TIMELINE 00:00:...
Oct 11, 2023•1 hr 1 min
Few things are more spellbinding than seeing Mark Wahlberg on a warpath. And he’s only one of four equally badass brothers in this movie! John Singleton’s FOUR BROTHERS doesn’t get the respect it deserves on the critics side of the Tomatometer, so The Contrarians are going to set things right. Listen to Alex & Julio as they rejoice in recounting the adventures of the Mercer brothers in a world that may be colorblind but also far from just! Plus: another teary-eyed performance from Terrence H...
Oct 11, 2023•1 hr 1 min
Contemporary Indian crowd-pleasing cinema finally makes it to our main feed after percolating in our Patreon channel for over a year! Alex & Julio have had their ups and downs with movies like Singham, Sooryavanshi and Minnal Murali, so what happens when they are tasked with giving critically maligned VIKRAM the Contrarians treatment? Is this the episode that gains us a legion of Indian fans or the one that makes them shun us forever? Listen and decide for yourself! TIMELINE 00:00:26 Now on ...
Sep 30, 2023•56 min
Modern Indian action cinema finally went full-Hollywood when RRR made a splash at the Oscars — but that doesn’t mean critics are ready to truly embrace the joyous lunacy that is exuded by movies like the spy thriller VIKRAM. The twisty-turny tale is considered rotten by Tomatometer standards, so it’s time for The Contrarians to set the record straight! Listen to Alex & Julio as they dive into the most exciting and stylized international black-ops adventure the West has ever seen! TIMELINE 00...
Sep 30, 2023•1 hr 2 min
We don’t often travel back to the early days of Hollywood here on The Contrarians - and we probably should, if only because so many revered classics are ripe for reevaluation. DOUBLE INDEMNITY is almost too obvious of an assignment: a celebrated entry in a genre that’s given us trouble from time to time. Can Barbara Stanwyck seduce Alex into agreeing with Rotten Tomatoes? Can Fred MacMurray talk his way out of Julio’s noir prejudices? Listen to this Real Talk segment to find out! TIMELINE 00:00:...
Sep 20, 2023•58 min
Billy Wilder, black and white cinematography, Raymond Chandler, film noir, kinky anklets. DOUBLE INDEMNITY is a collection of catnip keywords if you are a Rotten Tomatoes critic - which explains its towering 97% score on the Tomatometer. You know what that means: it’s time for Alex & Julio to dismantle a ridiculous murder plot while pointing out there’s nothing sexy about keeping sexy stuff off-screen! TIMELINE 00:01:16 Double Indemnity 00:13:55 Contrarians Corner - Wanna know how we really ...
Sep 20, 2023•58 min
So we enjoyed The Most Likable Song, and we (predictably) scoffed at Fake Austin. But there’s more to FRANK than its songs and the presence of SXSW in the movie. Where did The Contrarians ultimately land when it came to this undercover Fassbender vehicle? Is there more to it than the talented actor’s performance? And how tricky is it to consider FRANK’s depiction of mental illness? It’s all discussed in this Real Talk segment! TIMELINE 00:00:45 Now on Patreon 00:10:21 Real Talk 00:58:16 The Futu...
Sep 11, 2023•1 hr 2 min
A quirky comedy about mental health and music - that’s how you get an easy pat on the back from critics. FRANK doesn’t offer much insight into whatever illness afflicts its protagonist and the music ain’t great either, but the Tomatometer rewarded it with a 92% score, and you don’t even get to see Michael Fassbender’s face until the very end! Listen to Alex & Julio pick apart Lenny Abrahamson’s musical joint, especially its ridiculous the depiction of the city of Austin. TIMELINE 00:01:16 Fr...
Sep 11, 2023•58 min
Kathryn Bigelow won an Oscar for The Hurt Locker. James Cameron won an Oscar for Titanic. Let’s get real now: why don’t people talk about STRANGE DAYS more often? Is it because it - against all odds - isn’t good? Or was it so ahead of its time that we missed the window to truly appreciate it? Listen to Alex & Julio discuss their true feelings about a movie that reunites Mallory Knox and Jack Scagnetti! TIMELINE 00:00:39 Now on Patreon 00:10:06 Real Talk 00:53:16 The Future & Perennial Pl...
Sep 02, 2023•58 min
A Kathryn Bigelow movie based on a James Cameron story? A noirish thriller set around the turn of the millenium? Ralph Fiennes playing a sleazy virtual reality bootlegger? You almost can’t blame critics for giving STRANGE DAYS a fresh Tomatometer score! Unfortunately, there’s a reason why Cameron and Bigelow don’t talk about this movie very much. Listen to Alex & Julio as they try to make sense of this quasi-forgotten sci-fi rarity! TIMELINE 00:01:16 Strange Days 00:12:53 Contrarians Corner ...
Sep 02, 2023•1 hr 9 min
Here’s an opening statement: THE COMMITMENTS could understandably be someone’s EMPIRE RECORDS. If you’ve been listening for a while, you know what that means. If not, don’t worry, it’s part of this Real Talk along with the unavoidable discussion about cultural appropriation charges and what The Contrarians truly thought of the self-proclaimed “Saviors of Soul”. Will Alex sing Mustang Sally? Listen and find out! TIMELINE 00:00:37 Now on Patreon 00:10:29 Real Talk 00:56:20 The Future & Perenni...
Aug 23, 2023•1 hr 1 min
Yikes. A bunch of white Irish kids decide they can play soul better than black people. Critics go wild with praise. Yikes again. Sir Alan Parker got away with this ode to cultural appropriation, as reflected by THE COMMITMENTS’ fresh Tomatometer score, so it’s time for The Contrarians to set things right. Listen to Alex & Julio as they discuss the rise and fall of Europe’s most offensive fictional band! Colm Meany, we expected more from you… TIMELINE 00:01:29 The Commitments 00:14:36 Contrar...
Aug 23, 2023•1 hr 4 min
Could people be overreacting a little when it comes to JAWS: THE REVENGE? Or does the movie deserve all the hate it gets because of what it does to the legacy of one of the most celebrated films of the 20th century? Real Talk allows Alex & Julio to try to be a little more serious when considering JTR’s status as the whipping boy of all shark flicks - and whether it deserves it or not. TIMELINE 00:00:49 Now on Patreon 00:09:38 Real Talk 00:54:20 The Future & Perennial Plugs - Interested i...
Aug 12, 2023•58 min
It took the JAWS series four movies to get a true masterpiece out. Predictably, the world then decided the franchise wasn’t fashionable anymore and shunned JAWS: THE REVENGE, despite it featuring the most likable Michael Caine performance and despite it telling a story that explored the horrors of grief in ways no other shark movie ever has. Listen to Alex & Julio as they highlight everything this final entry does well and try to understand the hatred toward it. TIMELINE 00:01:16 Jaws: The R...
Aug 12, 2023•1 hr
It’s easy to understand why THE PRINCESS BRIDE has endured throughout decades. But, objectively, does it still work once you remove the nostalgia factor? More importantly, can Alex make it through this Real Talk without regaling our audience with an Andre The Giant history lesson? Plus: heartbreak on the Criterion side of life! TIMELINE 00:00:36 Now on Patreon 00:07:04 Real Talk 00:55:26 The Future & Perennial Plugs - Interested in more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS ...
Aug 02, 2023•1 hr
