The Next Reel Film Podcast
Tom Cruise is back for more crazy stunts! That’s right, we’re talking about John Woo’s 2000 film MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2. Why does this film feel so different from the rest? It has elements that work, but it mostly doesn’t. Still, it allows for a great conversation. Tune in!
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We kick off the final series of the season, looking at Tom Cruise’s and Paula Wagner’s first foray into producing. That’s right, we’re talking about Brian De Palma’s 1996 film MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE. As the film that kicks off the franchise, how does it hold up? Tune in!
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We conclude our South Korean zombiefest with a conversation about Yeon Sang-ho’s followup to Train to Busan, PENINSULA. In the scope of world-building, it’s a great concept. Unfortunately, some of the characters don’t work well, the story’s sloppy, and the effects are terrible. It has its moments, but largely it’s a disappointment. Still, it makes for a great conversation! Tune in!
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We’re taking the train and heading to Busan. That’s right – it’s zombie time! Today, we kick off our brief series looking at the Train to Busan films. We’re starting with the group of people who end up on board the high-speed train from Seoul to Busan, which departs just as a zombie outbreak begins. How well does the story work? What do we think of these zombies? And do we like the characters? It’s a fun film to talk about, so check it out then tune in!
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We wrap up our conversations about the Infernal Affairs trilogy with our April 2023 member bonus episode, discussing Andrew Lau’s and Alan Mak’s 2003 film INFERNAL AFFAIRS III. Does it work as the conclusion to this trilogy? Why does it feel more convoluted than the previous two? Which of the story threads works best for us? Tune in!
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We wrap up our epic conversation about Peter Jackson’s conclusion to his journey through Middle Earth – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. We love it, and have a great chat about it. Tune in!
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Our conversation about Peter Jackson’s 2002 film THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS ranges from the performances in continuing characters as well as the new ones, various set pieces, Jackson’s intercutting between the two stories, Gollum and Andy Serkis, the extended scenes, and more. Tune in!
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We kick off our new series exploring Peter Jackson’s first journey to Middle Earth – The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Today, we talk about the extended edition of THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING. It holds up incredibly well. What do we think of the additions in the extended version? Are there any elements that don’t work as well? And why does it still stand up as the model for fantasy filmmaking? Tune in!
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We wrap up our series about a crazy neon world of assassins with our discussion about Chad Stahelski’s 2023 film JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4. How does it all play out? Are we satisfied with the resolution? How do the stunt sequences work this go around? How about all of those homages? And does the expanding world of the High Table satisfy? Tune in!
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We return to the world of moles working both for the cops and with the criminals as we dig into Andrew Lau’s and Alan Mak’s 2003 follow-up INFERNAL AFFAIRS II. Does it work as a prequel? Does it get muddied with character information that feels unnecessarily included just because it’s a prequel? How does the further development of our police superintendent Wong and crimelord Sam work? Tune in to our March member bonus episode!
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