Ok, let’s get real. Is 12 Monkeys really too convoluted for its own good? Does La Jetée still work all these decades later, when we are used to more bombastic sci-fi moviemaking? What possessed patron Stu Willis to task us to tackle both of these puzzle-box films? We talk Oscars, performances, and what connects Julio to Terry Gilliam’s most mainstream movie… all in this Real Talk segment!

Critics like to be confused, apparently. The experimental mind-bender LA JETÉE has a Criterion release, even though most people can’t make sense of it. And then, when Terry Gilliam decided to turn it into a Hollywood blockbuster starring Bruce Willis, he somehow made the plot even more impenetrable. Listen to Alex & Julio as they try to figure out the rules of the 12 MONKEYS universe, the reasons behind Brad Pitt’s overacting, and why Madeleine Stowe is attracted to a man who hasn’t showered in decades.

Come on. If Jurassic Park was part of your childhood or teenage years in any capacity, you probably have strong feelings about this final (?) entry in the series. But, are we over-reacting, one way or another? Are critics and audiences asking for too much from a franchise that is basically about giant reptiles chasing people throughout different locations? It’s all about blockbuster filmmaking in the 2020s in this Real Talk segment!

Also: join us at the Livestream for the Cure this Saturday, 5/20, at 4pm EST! Visit livestreamforthecure.com for all the details!

Taking the best lessons from The MCU, the most popular dinosaur franchise in the universe took its time building to its very own Jurassic Avengers. Everyone comes back for this one! So what happened? Why all the hate for JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION? At 29% on the Tomatometer, you’d think people didn’t want to see Doctor Alan Grant finally find love while also teaming up with Starlord. Listen to Alex & Julio as they bask in the afterglow of this super-sized nostalgia trip!

Our Jurassic World Dominion episode is running a little late, so we figured we’d share something from our Patreon archives with you: our conversations about the last two chapters (so far) in the Halloween Saga. An epilogue of sorts to our Haddonfield Nights arc from a couple of years ago. But also, we wanted to give you more details about our upcoming segment in the Livestream for the Cure: 5/20, 4pm EST. Mark your calendars!

Is it time to add another movie to the very limited list of noirs that The Contrarians like? Or do we simply enjoy making fun of whatever it is Altman and Gould are doing in this collaboration? Alex & Julio had a blast talking about Marlowe’s 70s adventures with Dale Bridges and exploring how his own book relates to the film… but does that mean THE LONG GOODBYE gets as high a score as THE MEAN REDS? Listen to this Real Talk segment to find out!

Who do you get to play hard-knocks noir gumshoe Phillip Marlowe when Humphrey Bogart is not available? The future Jack Geller, of course! Dale Bridges, author of the hilarious THE MEAN REDS and film noir enthusiast, joins Alex & Julio to try to make sense of Robert Altman’s weird, lackadaisical detective story, THE LONG GOODBYE. Come on, Elliott Gould, really??? And wait until you hear about the movie’s soundtrack…

Anyone who’s been paying attention for a while knows how Alex really feels about RIDERS OF JUSTICE. Julio’s thoughts about the movie might be a little more obscure - especially after a rewatch. But quality aside, the real question is: is this a Christmas movie? Plus, what is it saying about conflict resolution? It’s a merry Real Talk segment as we come up with answers!

This is the world now: we praise a movie that teaches intellectuals the way to effectively solve conflict is with violence. Who cares about morals when we get to see Mads Mikkelsen mow down bad guys with the help of the Danish Big Bang Theory cast? Listen to Alex & Julio pick apart a Tomatometer favorite, as they tackle RIDERS OF JUSTICE!

Trying to make sense of Jim Carrey’s filmography is an exercise in futility, especially when confronted with a movie as puzzling as DARK CRIMES. What made the beloved comedian decide to star in this grimy, unpleasant, sexually violent exploration of the worst Poland has to offer? Has he even watched the finished product? We discuss all this and more in a very sobering edition of Real Talk.