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Ep. 55: Starship Troopers

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Nate and Ryan continue their unofficial tour through 1997 by watching director Paul Verhoeven’s divisive sci-fi cult classic, Starship Troopers.  Joined by guest (and Starship Troopers fan) Dan Wartsbaugh, Nate and Ryan try to find out if this is a scathing, brilliant satire, skewering the tropes of violence-worshiping blockbuster action flicks, or a dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, silly violence-worshiping blockbuster action flick.  The movie’s stock has certainly risen in the 20 years since its release, as many critics have revisited the movie and praise Verhoeven’s incisive anti-war spin on Robert Heinlein’s pro-military novel.

But are claims of a satiric vision enough?  What are your thoughts on Starship Troopers?  Has your mind changed over the years?  How much schlock can be forgiven in the name of satire?  Is it ever not cool to watch alien bug explosions?  Let us know!

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Ep. 54: Wayne’s World and Austin Powers

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For most of the ’90s, Mike Meyers’ catchphrases were repeated ad nauseam everywhere from dorm rooms to boardrooms (We’re guessing.  We weren’t in a single boardroom in the ’90s, but you get it).  With Wayne’s World celebrating its 25th anniversary and Austin Powers celebrating its 20th, Nate and Ryan decided to watch both in their first ever Can We Still Be Friends Double Feature!

While watching movies you loved in middle school is always a risk, the lasting impact Meyers has had on comedy is always worth a revisit.

What’s your history with these movies?  After 20 years, is Dr. Evil funny?  Why has Wayne’s World become a classic?  Let us know!

Mentioned in this episode…

Hollywood Reporter’s oral history of Austin Powers

Sound Opinions interview with Penelope Spheeris

The Weird Origins of “That’s What She Said”

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Ep. 53: Marie Antoinette

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In 2006, Sofia Coppola’s follow-up to her Oscar-winning smash Lost In Translation was the hotly anticipated, but tepidly received Marie Antoinette.  She recently returned to the spotlight as she won Best Director at Cannes with her most recent film The Beguiled.  With the middle of summer bringing the celebration of Bastille Day, Nate and Ryan decided to watch Coppola’s unique historic vision to see how it has aged more than a decade later.  They discuss what makes Sofia Coppola great, what people might have missed the first time around, and revel in Sofia Coppola’s infectious coolness.

Let us know your thoughts on Marie Antoinette and Sofia Coppola!

Since we recorded the episode, we found these great articles on Marie Antoinette that echo our thoughts.   There’s this great revisit by Dana Schwartz at Mic.com and this reflection from David Ehrlich at IndieWire.  We’re excited to share their views and are comforted knowing that our thoughts line up with reflective and thoughtful writers we admire.

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