Podcast: ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’ & ‘Peacemaker’

Podcast Macbeth Peacemaker

Greetings programs! This week on the podcast, we’re talking about Macbeth and Peacemaker. One is a timeless tale of a power-hungry man who tries to take control of his life with a trail of unthinkable violence, and the other is Macbeth. Both of them are excellent, too. We also discuss James Gunn as a writer and director, which goes to some interesting places, especially in the wake of further revelations about Joss Whedon.

Continue reading “Podcast: ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’ & ‘Peacemaker’”

Awesome Friday Movie Podcast Episode 4: ‘Vivo’ & ‘The Suicide Squad’

Awesome Friday Podcast Vivo & The Suicide Squad

Greetings programs, it’s Awesome Friday on a Sunday, which means we’re back with another episode of the Awesome Friday Movie Podcast!

Join us this week as we discuss two new movies. First up is the new Sony Pictures Animation film Vivo, which features the voice, and songs, of Lin-Manuel Miranda and was released to Netflix this week. Second up is James Gunn’s triumphant return to superhero movies; the Warner Brothers and DC released The Suicide Squad, now in theatres (and on HBO Max in the United States).

Continue reading “Awesome Friday Movie Podcast Episode 4: ‘Vivo’ & ‘The Suicide Squad’”

Review: ‘The Suicide Squad’ is wacky, juvenile, committed, fun, and familiar

The Suicide Squad

James Gunn has a distinctive voice. It’s always been there, from his days at Troma through writing the Scooby-Doo films and the Dawn of the Dead remake, and from his early directorial efforts like Slither and Super all the way to the Guardians of the Galaxy and now, the Suicide Squad. That voice is juvenile, a little dark, and also –and this is most important– fun.

I say this because The Suicide Squad, the movie he signed on to make while briefly exiled from Marvel Studios, is a juvenile movie. And it’s a little dark. And it’s pretty fun. But while its R-rated excesses are probably the logical extension of his voice as a storyteller, it is also cobbled together from his greatest hits from other projects. Your mileage may vary on whether it feels repetitive or merely familiar, but it’s also enough fun that that probably doesn’t matter.

Continue reading “Review: ‘The Suicide Squad’ is wacky, juvenile, committed, fun, and familiar”