"If we can't accept limitations, we're no better than the bad guys." The Film Board gathers! This month, #TeamFilmBoard takes on #TeamCap and #TeamIronMan for the title in this hero-on-hero-on-decidedly-non-hero battle royale. How well do the Russo Brothers do in their continued ownership of the Cap franchise? How about writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely? And the cast of thousands of A-listers rounding out the Avengers including newcomer Chadwick Boseman? Yeah, here’s a spoiler: We w...
May 10, 2016•1 hr 30 min•Season 4Ep. 11
"I found this upsetting because I was very hungry and also my wife had died ten minutes earlier. Maybe I should start from the beginning." The Film Board gathers! This month the gang of thugs comes together to spoil the latest thinker from Jean-Marc Vallée, Demolition. And you know what? We like it. We like it so much, we think you should see it. If you’ve been following us on The Film Board over the last few years, you know that this sort of affinity is pretty rare around these parts.On the sho...
Apr 12, 2016•1 hr 31 min•Season 4Ep. 10
"We know better now, don't we? Devils don't come from hell beneath us. They come from the sky." The Film Board gathers! This month, the gang of thugs comes together to take on the latest in Zack Snyder’s DC Comics destruct-o-thon with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and, as a good panel show should, we offer a split decision! How well is Snyder acting as custodian of DC’s most iconic properties? Is the darker tone truly a representation of our contemporary cultural reality, or is it a slapped...
Mar 28, 2016•1 hr 27 min•Season 4Ep. 9
“It’s complicated.” The Film Board gathers! The Coen Brothers are back, this time channeling the spirit of old Hollywood. Josh Brolin plays Eddie Mannix, the studio fixer charged with keeping the studio in fine form. His big star goes missing. His big starlet gets pregnant. His young hunk can’t act, but has the voice of an angel. And, oh yes, Commies.George Clooney plays Baird Whitlock, our kidnapped screen vet, but this film is chock full of stunt casting. Ralph Fiennes, ScarJo, Tilda Swinton (...
Feb 10, 2016•1 hr 16 min•Season 4Ep. 8
“In the coast guard they say you go out, they don’t say you gotta come back.” The Film Board gathers! This month we’ve come together to take on Craig Gillespie’s story of a heroic Coast Guard rescue at sea, The Finest Hours” starring Chris Pine and Casey Affleck. How does the rugged crew handle the thrashing of the Nantucket coast? It’s a contentious episode this week, one that splits us on adaptation, truth versus fiction, and stoicism versus spectrum disorder. Join Andy Nelson, Steve Sarmento,...
Feb 01, 2016•1 hr 20 min•Season 4Ep. 7
“Droid, please.” The Film Board gathers! This month the gang of thugs takes on the seventh film in The Star Wars Saga, this from reboot master, J.J. Abrams. Does he bring his magic rebootinator to set every day to apply just the right dose of mystery and lens flare? Is he able to get performances from Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Oscar Isaac to best our Star Wars expectations? Can Tommy remember what the bad-guy-ships are called? Join Steve Sarmento, Justin 'JJ' Jaeger, Tommy Metz, Andy Nelson...
Dec 23, 2015•1 hr 23 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Last year, DC Barns entered his name in a contest to join the cast and crew of Star Wars: The Force Awakens at Pinewood Studios in London. He and friend J. Trent Adams were treated to the full on-set experience — complete with trailer and a walk-on role in the film — and now, after nearly 12 months in embargoed silence, they are free to speak of their experience inside the Mystery Box.Today, a special interview with DC Barns and J. Trent Adams. Support The Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts: Beco...
Dec 22, 2015•48 min
The Film Board gathers! ...around a long mysterious table high in a castle above the clouds to take on the biggest issues of the day — certainly the biggest at the box office right now: Sam Mendes’ latest entry in the life of our favorite spy, Spectre. How does Bond 25 stack up in Daniel Craig’s catalog? How important is it that Bond is moving from serial to series? What’s the deal with Bond girls anyway?This month we welcome back Chadd Stoops to the gang, along with Justin 'JJ' Jaeger, Andy Nel...
Nov 13, 2015•1 hr 4 min•Season 4Ep. 5
“So… I blew myself up.” The Film Board gathers! This month on the show, we’re dropping everything and working together to bring our man Mark Watney home from Mars in Ridley Scott’s latest, The Martian. This film, based on Andy Weir’s meticulously crafted book, is a celebration of ingenuity and scientific achievement — a sentiment in short supply across our media landscape. It’s a triumph that a film about smart people is blowing the doors off the box office, whether you fall in love with the fil...
Oct 04, 2015•1 hr 14 min•Season 4Ep. 4
“Sit down, man. Acclimatize.” The Film Board gathers! This month the gang of thugs has come together to answer the age-old question that has transfixed adventurers time immemorial: why do we see Everest? Because it’s there. It’s an IMAX 3D exclusive this week which might make you think it’s something of a...you know...spectacle. We’re going to tell you all about that, and we’re going to say some really good things about the cast, some moderate things about the director and writers, and some down...
Sep 21, 2015•1 hr 11 min•Season 4Ep. 3
“For a special agent, you’re not having a very special day, are you?" The latest franchise to get hit with reboot fever is a 1960s throwback with class that’s getting wildly underserved theatrical notice. That’s right, The Film Board gathers for The Man from U.N.C.L.E....and we LIKE it! Funny accents? You bet! Excessively stylistic action? And how! Dreamy blue eyes? You betcha! Join Andy Nelson, Steve Sarmento, Tommy Metz III, Mike Evans, and Pete Wright as we go to town on Guy Ritchie’s take on...
Aug 17, 2015•1 hr 10 min•Season 4Ep. 2
“I want you to break into a place and steal some stuff." The Film Board gathers! This month the gang of thugs comes together for Marvel's latest, Ant-Man. How does Scott Lang's mini hero stand in the current Marvel stable? What is the impact of the franchise model on our expectations going into Marvel films now? How does director Peyton Reed fare in light of the "Edgar Wright situation"? Join Film Board regulars Justin 'JJ' Jaeger, Steve Sarmento, Andy Nelson, and Pete Wright as we take on these...
Jul 20, 2015•1 hr 2 min•Season 4Ep. 1
“The key to a happy life is to accept you are never actually in control.” The Film Board gathers! This month, we christen Jurassic World, the latest from Colin Trevorrow. Did Chris Pratt maintain his status as up-and-coming action hero of the decade? Did Bryce Dallas Howard embody 1980s sexism in the movies? Was Vincent D'Onofrio so much better in Daredevil? Is Jake Johnson your new best friend you’ve never actually met? We take on all these questions, and attempt to unpack the cultural identity...
Jun 15, 2015•1 hr 11 min•Season 3Ep. 12
Film Board assemble! This month the thugs gather to take on Joss Whedon’s next entry to the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Avengers: Age of Ultron. How does the comic adaptation stand up to the original books? Does Joss manage to pull off an even more character-dense film and keep it making some sort of sense? Why does Ultron smile and blink? All these questions and so many more answered this week as Andy Nelson, Steve Sarmento, Tommy Metz III, Justin 'JJ' Jaeger, Mike Evans, and Pete Wright gat...
May 06, 2015•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 11
Child 44 was supposed to be Oscar bait. Instead, its star-heavy cast is dragging it through opening weekend with a 27% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a deflated box office take. But why? This week, The Film Board gathers to take on Daniel Espinoza’s latest film of Richard Price’s once lauded Black List screenplay. Spoiler: This is not the script that Andy remembers — substantial changes to plot and tone appear to have neutered the final film of much of the gravitas the script had origin...
Apr 19, 2015•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 10
“It’s time we fight back." The Film Board gathers! This month we take on the latest in The Divergent Series: Insurgent! This time around, Tris Prior is battling her nemeses internal and external at the hand of director Robert Schwentke and writers Brian Duffield, Akiva Goldsman, and Mark Bomback. How’d it hold up, you ask? Did Mekhi Phifer reprise his standout performance as Mekhi Phifer? Did Miles Teller play any rhythm instrument at all? Did Theo James brood? We answer all these questions, and...
Mar 23, 2015•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 9
This is not the movie you think it is. At least, that's the take of our round table of thugs on The Film Board this week as we spoil Kingsman: The Secret Service. Thankfully, even as we were collectively surprised, we were equally blown away by Matthew Vaughn's contribution to the spy game.Let's start here and get it right out of the way: Colin Firth is a proper action hero. No one saw that coming, least of all, we imagine, Colin Firth. That's just the first of our stunning realizations this wee...
Feb 16, 2015•1 hr 14 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Chris Hemsworth gives his all in Michael Mann's study of hacking new this week: Blackhat. If most computer films have historically failed the computer stuff, the consensus thus far is that Blackhat has delivered where others have so desperately lacked. But how does it hold up beyond the tech? The Film Board gathers! This week Andy Nelson, Steve Sarmento, Tommy Metz III, and Pete Wright hash out Blackhat, from every high-minded concept to the very last USB stick. Did Mann's usual critical eye del...
Jan 19, 2015•1 hr 10 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Peter Jackson is back with another turn at the wheel of Middle Earth. This time, Bilbo and buddies are off to slay the dragon, fight ye olde Gold Flu, and get all gussied up to ready themselves for The Lord of the Rings, which already happened. That's right, it's time to tackle the conclusion to this trilogy, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. The Film Board gathers as Steve Sarmento, Chadd Stoops, Tommy Metz III, and Pete Wright tackle the big issues of The Five Armies—the love story? S...
Dec 21, 2014•1 hr 19 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Katniss and crew are back in part one of their journey against the Capitol. Things are grim, as evidenced by the jumpsuits and rubble, and the crying that happens whenever our heroes see jumpsuits and/or rubble in the frame. The gang of thugs is back this week to take on Francis Lawrence’s latest take on The Hunger Games Saga, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1, and we’re firmly split on the results. Is it a fun romp through civilian uprising? Is it a valiant effort to translate literary trip...
Nov 23, 2014•1 hr 7 min•Season 3Ep. 5
The Film Board gathers to fully spoil Brad Pitt’s and David Ayer's latest World War II tank-a-palooza, Fury. First spoiler: it's a war film, more intimate than epic, but it comes with all the violence that such a film typically entails. Too gratuitous? Does the film truck in inappropriately annoying stereotypes? Does Brad Pitt have crazy-fantastic scars? Did Shia really pull out his own tooth for the part? Steve Sarmento, Tommy Metz III, Andy Nelson, and Pete Wright take on all these critical te...
Oct 19, 2014•1 hr 26 min•Season 3Ep. 4
It’s throwback time on The Film Board as we take on Denzel Washington’s latest, The Equalizer. We discuss all the various social constructs Denzel and director Antoine Fuqua look to equalize, from guns and home improvement to racism and gender inequality. Plus, the film is punctuated with violence and not a little allegory. So join us — Andy Nelson, Steve Sarmento, Pete Wright, and the disembodied voice of Chadd Stoops — as we review this homage to Edward Woodward and ‘80s pop culture greatness....
Oct 01, 2014•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 3
This, good people, is a summer tentpole we can get excited about. Director James Gunn has delivered a funny and frolicking space opera in Guardians of the Galaxy with a terrific cast, immersive effects, and a script that is, as we're apt to say, way smarter than it needed to be. Join Mike Evans, Tommy Metz III, Andy Nelson, Steve Sarmento, Chadd Stoops, and Pete Wright as we break down the film. We walk through James Gunn’s performance as director and co-writer with Nicole Perlman, Ben Davis’ ci...
Aug 03, 2014•1 hr 18 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Waitwaitwait... what?? A summer tentpole that causes us to ask big questions and congratulate smart filmmaking decisions? WHAT? Such is our review of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, people, and we’re as shocked as you are. This follow up to the 2011 reboot, Rise of the Planet of the Apes marks director Matt Reeves' big screen intro to the franchise. Does he live up to the love we showered him on for Cloverfield? The Film Board gathers to hash it out. Steve Sarmento, Tommy Metz III, Andy Nelson, ...
Jul 13, 2014•1 hr 20 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Tom Cruise is back in Doug Liman’s Edge of Tomorrow, tripping through time and trauma on the road to defeat an alien horde. Here’s the weird thing about this summer tentpole: we all loved it. No kidding. Andy Nelson, Steve Sarmento, Tommy Metz III, and Pete Wright make up The Film Board this week and dish spoilerifically on the time loop architecture at work in the film, the action, the humor (yes, humor!), and the crucial end. And did we mention Emily Blunt? She's crushingly awesome in this fil...
Jun 08, 2014•1 hr 24 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Japan + Nuclear Power Plant + Misunderstood Fear of Technology = GODZILLA! The Film Board gathers to take on this summer romp and the jury is split. Did this summer’s dose of midtown mayhem lift you out of your seats? Join Tommy Metz III, Steve Sarmento, Andy Nelson, and Pete Wright for a chat about all things Godzilla-licious! Did Gareth Edwards bring his indie spirit to this monster mash? Did Max Borenstein deftly handle the hodgepodge of hands meddling in the script? Was Bryan Cranston in thi...
May 21, 2014•1 hr 15 min•Season 2Ep. 12
Film Board assemble! It’s Captain America and his bestie The Winter Soldier this week as Andy Nelson, Pete Wright, Steve Sarmento, and Chadd Stoops huddle up to give this film a good drilling. We hash out the Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely-penned script, the direction of the Russo brothers, and of course, Robert Redford being all Robert Redford-y. How does Captain America: The Winter Soldier hold up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? What’s the skinny on Bucky? Mindless speculation on sto...
Apr 21, 2014•1 hr 21 min•Season 2Ep. 11
What better way to kick off the spring tentpole season than with the launch of another adaptation of a young adult novel. This time, it’s Veronica Roth’s take on dystopian Abercrombie in Divergent. This is perhaps the most divided we’ve been on The Film Board. Andy Nelson, Steve Sarmento, and Tommy Metz III come out as pro-faction, Pete Wright and Mike Evans against. We take on Roth’s story and how well it translates to the big screen. We talk factions and the nature of social control in an afte...
Mar 23, 2014•1 hr 17 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Might be best to start off a conversation about George Clooney's latest, The Monuments Men, by telling you what this film is not. It's not a comedy. And in spite of its pedigree and subject matter, it's not all that much of a heist film. It doesn't spend enough time building character to be a character film. And if your name is either Andy Nelson or Tommy Metz III, the film isn't very good. This week on the show, Andy, Tommy, and Pete Wright take on Clooney's latest opus and dish on story, scrip...
Feb 18, 2014•55 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is worth exactly what you pay for it. And possibly slightly less. Such is the verdict of The Film Board this month as we take on the Kenneth Branagh-helmed thriller. It's the fifth in the Ryan series, but the first not based on one of Tom Clancy's novels — a sore point for many of us on The Board. Writers Adam Cozad and David Koepp conjure up some interesting moments in a script that is otherwise awash in trite dialog. But the biggest questions remain: Can Chris Pine pu...
Jan 19, 2014•1 hr 33 min•Season 2Ep. 8
