The Nextlander Watchcast

The Nextlander crew branches out into media that doesn't require a controller to enjoy! Join Alex, Brad, and Vinny as they watch the movies, shows, and anime they've either missed out on up to this point in their lives, or just want to revisit again.

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186 episodes
Updated July 27
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Episodes186

Newest first

July 27 · 2 hr 43 min
184: Ghost in the Shell (1995) w/ Austin Walker
For this week's Special Guest Watchcast we've got none other than Austin Walker joining the show to tell us all about a seminal work of cyberpunk anime (that just happens to coincide with a new revival hitting the airwaves very recently) in the 1995 adaptation of Ghost in the Shell! CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 184: Ghost in the Shell (1995) w/ Austin Walker (00:00:26) - Intro. (00:03:32) - Talking about this week's movie, the manga and other adaptations, and how it feels to watch this in 2026. (00:25:53) - Do we understand what happened in this movie? We think so! (00:32:49) - Some talk about the animation techniques used, and then rampant cyberbrain chat. (00:39:48) - Break! (00:40:17) - We're back, and tackling some lingering questions before we launch into the plot. (00:45:40) - Setting the stage. (00:51:58) - Sorting the sections, and setting up the Puppet Master. (01:06:07) - The Major's cop buddies. (01:11:16) - The garbage men. (01:23:35) - I wanna sink to the bottom with you. (01:37:21) - The Puppet Master has demands. (01:52:57) - Ishikawa. (01:58:58) - The decoy, and the run-up to Old Town. (02:08:21) - The Puppet Master's pitch. (02:17:55) - Well, everyone's dead. Guess we'll just wrap this one up. (02:24:55) - Sequel talk, and final thoughts. (02:36:50) - Housekeeping for next week's movie: Night of the Hunter with Scott Benson! (02:38:48) - Austin's plugs, and outro.
July 20 · 2 hr 45 min
183: Twilight (2008) w/ Abby Russell
The Watchcast rises from hiatus to sparkle for all of you once again, and while our friend Brad is out on leave, we've got a few guests lined up to take us through some of their favorite films. First up is Abby Russell with the movie she's been determined to make us watch for months now. the equally baffling and entertaining YA vampire romance, Twilight! CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 183: Twilight (2008) w/ Abby Russell (00:00:22) - Intro. (00:04:12) - Why does Abby love Twilight ever so much? (00:14:25) - On Stephenie Meyer and the folks who made this movie. (00:25:21) - MAN was this a big franchise (and more about how teens responded to the material). (00:34:39) - Break! (00:35:01) - We're back, and it's time to talk about this damn movie. (00:46:25) - This is quite the efficient intro, and then high school happens. (00:53:09) - The Cullens make their entrance. (01:10:42) - Edward saves Bella for the first time (of many). (01:21:55) - Things meander a bit before the big vampire reveal. (01:34:24) - A big, sparkly unveiling. (01:43:47) - Meeting The Family. (01:54:23) - Edward + Bella 4 Eva (02:01:34) - Wanna play baseball? (02:05:52) - Enter: the sleazy vampires. (02:14:41) - By the time I get to Arizona. (02:27:29) - Waking up in the hospital with the worst cover story ever concocted. (02:29:21) - Casino prom? Casino prom! (02:35:46) - Final thoughts. (02:44:11) - Housekeeping for the next couple of weeks, and outro.
June 22 · 2 hr 10 min
182: Star Trek: Spock's Brain and The Enterprise Incident
One season is all that stands between us and our years-long goal of completing Star Trek: The Original Series. Yes, that season might be uniquely bad by series standards, but we are determined to push through any deep hurting that may result in order to achieve our goal. First up, an all-timer dumb-dumb episode in Spock's Brain, and the surprisingly solid The Enterprise Incident. CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 182: Star Trek: Spock's Brain and The Enterprise Incident (00:00:17) - Intro. (00:03:45) - Why season 3 is Like This. (00:16:24) - Launching into this season of hell with Spock's Brain. (00:22:40) - Who made this episode, and why is it in this state. (00:27:52) - Pressing the "make everyone fall down" button so you can steal a brain. (00:37:27) - The horrors of the caveman planet. (00:41:37) - RoboSpock. (00:51:27) - I...KNOW...EVERYTHIIIIIING! (00:58:30) - They saved Spock's brain. (01:03:05) - Break! (01:03:32) - We're back, and it's onto The Enterprise Incident. (01:15:16) - The creatives involved in this episode, and the real life naval event that inspired the episode. (01:23:00) - Veering into the Neutral Zone like a road rage incident. (01:30:11) - What is the Romulans' interest in Spock? (01:40:35) - It was all an elaborate, if confusing, ruse. (01:42:23) - Can love bloom on the battlefield, specifically between a Vulcan and a Romulan? (01:50:54) - Keystone Romulans, and Spock's filibuster. (01:58:16) - Try every USB adapter you've got, Scotty! (02:05:37) - Final thoughts. (02:09:34) - Outro.
June 10 · 1 hr 56 min
181: Trekkies (1997)
We've got a one week break coming up before Star Trek Summer begins again in earnest, but before that happens we've got one more documentary to serve our Watchcasting listeners in Trekkies! Join us for some nerd archeology as we dig through this doc that's chock full of superfans of all flavors and stripes, and marvel with us at how quaint it all seems compared with our extremely fandom-oriented present. CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 181: Trekkies (1997) (00:00:14) - Intro. (00:05:40) - Why we're doing Trekkies (because Star Trek Summer is on the horizon). (00:08:10) - The fandom, and how this movie treats its nerds. (00:16:41) - On Denise Crosby, and how this movie got made. (00:20:32) - The cast reactions to all this stuff. (00:31:30) - Break! (00:31:54) - We're back, and we're beginning this journey with the Spiner-Femme. (00:37:18) - Gabriel, the star of the movie, if we're being honest. (00:52:32) - Barbara, the Whitewater juror. (00:58:29) - Actual Star Trek (and affiliated) people. (01:07:06) - The Slash Fiction crowd. (01:12:03) - The Greensteins. (01:17:18) - Starbase Dental. (01:20:29) - Filking. (01:22:54) - The wildly different radio shows. (01:30:43) - An encounter at Radio Shack. (01:34:53) - A few scattered bits. (01:40:17) - Final thoughts. (01:53:08) - Housekeeping for our upcoming Star Trek season 3 watch. (01:55:59) - Outro.
June 1 · 2 hr 4 min
180: Apollo 11 (2019)
Nothing brings people together like a good old fashioned space mission, and for this week's Watchcast we've got a documentary about the goodest of old fashioned space missions, Apollo 11! Join us as we marvel not just at the unbelievable human achievement this story represents, but also the ludicrously high quality footage they managed to capture 50-plus years ago. CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 180: Apollo 11 (2019) (00:00:24) - Intro. (00:02:50) - Brad tells us why he picked Apollo 11, and we muse on how wild it is that this footage exists. (00:11:01) - On the achievement itself, and what it's meant to the world since. (00:22:51) - Some context for the previous Apollo missions. (00:32:20) - Once again talking about the ludicrous amount of high quality footage we have here. (00:38:30) - On the filmmaker, and how this movie came to be. (00:43:02) - Break! (00:43:28) - We're back, and Brad has a familial anecdote. (00:45:50) - Launch day. (00:59:27) - Once again, gotta give it up for the clarity of this footage. (01:05:41) - Off to the (space) races. (01:12:54) - Arrival at the Moon, and the descent. (01:25:12) - Two hours on the Moon. (01:30:03) - Rejoining with the ship, and heading home. (01:35:35) - The boys come home. (01:39:18) - What came after. (01:53:27) - Final thoughts (we did a cool thing, once). (01:58:01) - What's coming up on the Watchcast. (02:04:08) - Outro.
May 25 · 2 hr 12 min
179: Harlan County, U.S.A. (1976)
This week's Watchcast takes us on a trip down to Harlan County, U.S.A. as we tackle Barbara Kopple's gripping (and Academy Award winning) documentary about the 1973 miners' strike against Duke Power. CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 179: Harlan County, U.S.A. (1976) (00:00:57) - Intro. (00:07:38) - Geography lessons with the Nextlander gang. (00:12:53) - On Bloody Harlan, and some discussion of the movie's structure. (00:20:41) - How this movie came to be. (00:37:02) - Break! (00:37:24) - We're back, and it's time to venture down to Kentucky. (00:42:01) - Our first glimpses at the life of the strikers. (00:51:34) - A personal retelling of Bloody Harlan, and the first encounter with the gun thugs. (00:58:05) - The women of the community become more directly involved. (01:05:24) - Open conflicts begin to errupt, and people are taken to jail. (01:10:37) - Heading to New York. (01:17:22) - The Farmington accident, and discussion of black lung. (01:23:26) - The Boyle/Yablonski affair. (01:32:02) - Tensions are boiling in Harlan. (01:41:13) - The road blockade and the warrant for Basil Collins. (01:46:58) - The killing of Lawrence Jones. (01:51:18) - The fight is never over. (02:01:24) - Final thoughts. (02:07:00) - Housekeeping for next week's doc: Apollo 11! (02:11:45) - Outro.
May 18 · 1 hr 56 min
178: Class Action Park (2020)
We're filling out May's Watchcast schedule with a trio of documentaries that have been on our respective lists for a while now, and first up is Vinny's pick, Class Action Park! Join us as we recount our own memories of weirdo theme parks of yore, marvel at the brazen lawlessness of this whole operation, and wonder aloud if we aren't just living in Action Park all the time now. CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 178: Class Action Park (2020) (00:00:43) - Intro. (00:04:00) - Class Action Park is Vinny's pick this month, and here's why. (00:10:37) - How this podcast is going to go, generally, and our own personal experiences with local theme parks. (00:20:57) - How the hell was this allowed to go on for so long? (00:27:04) - Break! (00:27:32) - We're back, and it's time to talk about who made this movie, and who some of the folks speaking in it are. (00:32:11) - Kicking things off with who Gene Mulvihill was. and how he came to own this place. (00:36:26) - The Action Park complex, and the rides that didn't work out. (00:46:42) - Some of the rides that lasted the duration, and the Lord of the Flies situation going on here. (00:56:02) - The deadliest kayak experience this side of the Colorado. (00:57:31) - The wave pool deaths. (01:05:49) - Motorworld, and George Larsson's death on the Alpine Slide. (01:14:52) - How Gene Mulvihill dodged consequences. (01:24:05) - What became of Action Park, and what, if anything, is there to be learned from all this? (01:46:12) - Final thoughts. (01:53:26) - Our film for next week: Harlan County, USA! (01:56:18) - Outro.
May 11 · 2 hr 17 min
177: Burn After Reading (2008) with Austin Walker
We close out our slate of Coens comedies with their 2008 spy thriller farce, Burn After Reading! And joining the crew as we unravel this sordid tale of idiot spycraft is none other than our friend and yours, Austin Walker! CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 177: Burn After Reading (2008) (00:00:16) - Intro. (00:01:02) - Our guest this week is Austin Walker, and our movie is Burn After Reading! (00:05:36) - On the movie's overall tone, it's cynicism, and how it treats its characters. (00:21:14) - How this movie came into the world. (00:29:03) - Break! (00:29:24) - We're back, and it's time to handle the most important political issue of our time: HR violations at the CIA. (00:36:38) - Katie, and the Pfarrers. (00:44:52) - Osborne's explosive memoirs (and exploding marriage). (00:51:32) - Linda arrives, and she wants some work done. (01:00:49) - The discovery of top secret shit. (01:07:22) - The master plan begins. (01:15:56) - We gotta get these two crazy kids together. (01:18:34) - The drop, and the Russians become involved. (01:24:40) - No one ever expects the adult novelty chair, and the fall of Osborne Cox. (01:31:36) - Things escalate, to say the least. (01:36:07) - JK Simmons is here to say what we're all thinking. (01:41:16) - Everyone and everything becomes unwound. (01:57:55) - What did we learn? (02:03:58) - Final thoughts. (02:09:21) - Housekeeping for the remaining May movies. (02:13:01) - Outro.
May 4 · 1 hr 56 min
176: Raising Arizona (1987)
The third film in our Coens Comedy Classics lineup is an all-time favorite of Alex's, and a genuine screwball hall-of-famer if you don't mind such bold proclamations. We are, of course, talking about Raising Arizona, a movie chock full of yuks that still has a genuine heart that cannot be denied. CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 176: Raising Arizona (1987) (00:00:22) - Intro. (00:08:19) - Some initial impressions, and how Raising Arizona got made. (00:21:09) - On the subject of Randall "Tex" Cobb. (00:25:43) - A brief bit on Trey Wilson. (00:27:05) - On the movie's success and reception (and also a lengthy Siskel and Ebert bit). (00:33:11) - Break! (00:33:31) - We're back, and it's time for Hi and Ed's whirlwind romance. (00:43:32) - Taking your pick of the Arizona Quints. (00:52:42) - Our new nuclear family, and the Snoats brothers come calling. (01:01:47) - The demon biker first appears, and Nathan Jr. is discovered missing. (01:07:57) - The true horror of the nuclear family is revealed. (01:15:09) - One of the all-time great failed hold-ups in cinema. (01:18:04) - The bank robbery is pitched, and Junior's origins are discovered by unsavory types. (01:29:59) - Hi and Ed are nearly done, and the bank robbery pops off. (01:33:10) - All forces converge on Nathan Jr. (01:36:47) - Hi and Ed make things right, and a (potential) vision of the future. (01:44:05) - Final thoughts, and various other Cage musings. (01:53:42) - Our final Coens movie for this lineup: Burn After Reading! (01:55:47) - Outro.
April 27 · 2 hr 4 min
175: The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)
Our journey through some of the wackier Coen Brothers capers continues this week as we take on The Hudsucker Proxy, a star-studded, over-the-top affair that is equal parts His Girl Friday and Roadrunner cartoon, and is every bit as ungainly as that description makes it sound. CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 175: The Hudsucker Proxy (1994) (00:00:20) - Intro. (00:01:28) - Our movie this week: The Hudsucker Proxy! (00:10:49) - How this movie got made, and discussion of its ill box office fortunes. (00:25:03) - Break! (00:25:26) - We're back, and it's time to tell the tale of Norville Barnes. (00:35:04) - Everything's going great at Hudsucker Industries, until it isn't. (00:40:04) - Let's hatch a stock scam. (00:44:22) - Mailroom mayhem, and the introduction of the Blue Letter. (00:57:17) - A perfect patsy is born, but one ace reporter smells a bunko scam. (01:05:20) - A fabricated meet-cute at the diner, and Amy becomes a Muncie gal. (01:10:20) - Taking a letter, and the fancy dress ball. (01:21:02) - The dawn of the extruded plastic dingus. (01:28:29) - The stock scam is in shambles, and Norville is tripping on his own dingus. (01:32:20) - Norville's dancing dreams, and the downfall. (01:42:25) - Long way down (one more thing). (01:54:14) - The epilogue, and our final thoughts. (02:02:13) - Our film for next week is a killer one: Raising Arizona! (02:03:48) - Outro.
April 20 · 1 hr 52 min
174: O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
After an unexpectedly long odyssey that delayed the Watchcast's scheduled arrival, we're finally back to our movie watching ways, and launching into our month of Coen Brothers comedies, starting with the duo's southern-fried take on one of the great Homeric works in O Brother, Where Art Thou?! CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 174: O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) (00:01:04) - Intro (00:02:53) - It took us longer than we expected to get back, but we're finally here. Now, on a totally unrelated subject, let's talk about The Odyssey. (00:09:17) - The music, and some chatter about our main cast. (00:16:46) - Some last production notes. (00:23:32) - What was our familiarity with this one prior to this watch? (00:27:01) - Break! (00:30:01) - The blind seer's prophecy, and a night on the farm. (00:40:41) - A genuine geographical oddity, and the dreamiest Baptism you ever did see. (00:43:43) - Meeting Tommy at the Crossroads, and singin' into a can. (00:54:19) - Money talk around the campfire, and the introduction of Babyface. (01:04:55) - The sirens, a toad, and Big Dan. (01:13:17) - Homer Stokes, the Wharvey gals, and the pater familias. (01:21:59) - Reuniting with Pete, and rescuing Tommy from the klan. (01:30:11) - Everything converges at the music hall. (01:37:34) - Babyface's fate, and one last challenge to overcome. (01:44:41) - The McGills reunited. (01:46:10) - Final thoughts. (01:49:45) - Next week's movie: The Hudsucker Proxy! (01:51:57) - Outro.
March 24 · 2 hr 1 min
173: Stop Making Sense (1984)
It's our last Watchcast before we take a two week hiatus, so Alex wants to send us off on a high note, and to do so he has hand selected the 1984 Talking Heads concert extravaganza Stop Making Sense! Join us as we experience together the myriad pleasures of great music, cardiovascular exercise, and enormous suits. CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 173: Stop Making Sense (1984) (00:00:45) - Intro. (00:02:46) - Our personal histories with the Talking Heads, if we have them. (00:10:36) - Brad has a couple of questions. (00:14:38) - A little bit of history about the band. (00:33:45) - How the film came to be. (00:41:13) - The touring musicians who help make this show so dynamic. (00:48:37) - Break! (00:48:58) - We're back, and we're kicking things off with Psycho Killer. (00:54:52) - Heaven is a place where nothing ever happens. (01:02:33) - Jerry Harrison Found a Job. (01:04:49) - (Mostly) The full backing crew arrives for Slippery People. (01:06:19) - A song from the extended edition, Cities. (01:08:40) - Burning Down the House. (01:12:32) - The incredible performance of Life During Wartime. (01:17:54) - Making Flippy Floppy. (01:20:06) - Swampin' it up. (01:22:30) - What a Day That Was. (01:24:21) - This Must Be the Place (Naive Podcasters) (01:27:43) - This is not my beautiful Watchcast! (01:30:07) - Big Business / I Zimbra (01:32:40) - The Tom Tom Club takeover. (01:35:08) - BIG SUIT (also featuring Girlfriend Is Better). (01:39:30) - Take Me to the River. (01:43:42) - Closing out with Crosseyed and Painless. (01:46:57) - Final thoughts. (01:56:35) - Housekeeping for next month. (02:00:35) - Outro.
March 16 · 2 hr 42 min
172: Annihilation (2018)
Brad has made his pick for the month, and he's decided to take a trip down south to Alex Garland's Annihilation, where a funny kind of Shimmer has got everyone all confused and refracted and dead. Join us as we discuss at length the phantasmagoric scenes that await our scientific adventurers, the human drama that plagues them both in and out of the zone, and just how how messed up that bear really is. CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 172: Annihilation (2018) (00:00:26) - Intro. (00:04:06) - Brad's pick is up this week, and he has chosen Annihilation! (00:08:50) - Talking about the book, Alex Garland, and how he set about adapting this story. (00:16:48) - On the production, and the trouble it ran into pre-release. (00:27:02) - The flashback. (00:38:23) - This is not my beautiful house. This is not my beautiful wife. How did I get here? (00:42:35) - Break! (00:42:54) - We're back, and it's time for our first look at the Shimmer. (00:53:28) - Meeting the squad. (00:59:34) - Time becomes immediately weird. (01:03:11) - The mutations start to become apparent. (01:15:33) - Video logs and environmental storytelling. (01:24:24) - Another flashback in a flashback, and the bear makes its first appearance. (01:33:44) - They find Cassie, then they find some tree people. (01:42:50) - Sometimes you eat the bear, sometimes the bear absorbs your consciousness at the moment of grim death. (01:52:28) - Josie becomes one with the field. (01:56:59) - That lighthouse is messed up. (02:07:51) - The titular line. (02:13:13) - Dancing with...myself? (02:26:20) - Are you you? Am I me? (02:30:59) - Final thoughts. (02:37:57) - Housekeeping for next week's movie: Stop Making Sense! (02:41:21) - Outro.
March 9 · 2 hr 41 min
171: Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)
With our March schedule being on the shorter side, we've decided to once again each pick a movie we felt like watching, and first up is Vinny with Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Join our party as we adventure through this tongue-in-cheek spin on tabletop storytelling, tell our own tales of DnD adventures, and say the name Jarnathan every chance we get. CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 171: Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023) (00:00:13) - Intro, and immediately launching into our personal experiences with tabletop gaming. (00:13:41) - Initial thoughts about the movie. (00:19:14) - How this movie (finally) got made. (00:32:34) - The tonal tightrope this movie walks. (00:38:53) - Meeting our Bard and Barbarian in a frozen prison. (00:50:58) - Break! (00:51:19) - We're back, the gang is out of prison, and it's time to head to Neverwinter. (01:01:46) - Time to (re)form the party (and a sidebar about hidden effects shots). (01:14:37) - Scoping out the red wizard's security. (01:19:24) - The Helm of Solving This Specific Problem. (01:25:24) - Waking the dead. (01:29:12) - The most paladin paladin who ever paladin'd. (01:37:08) - To the Underdark. (01:49:19) - Attunement is a real pain in the ass. (01:57:03) - Doing some magical heisting. (02:04:22) - Surviving the games. (02:13:33) - A real life party might've made off with the treasure, but that's not a good movie ending. (02:23:23) - Saving Holga, and keeping the party together. (02:27:56) - Final thoughts. (02:34:51) - Housekeeping for the rest of this month's movies. (02:40:27) - Outro.
March 2 · 1 hr 46 min
170: Sexy Beast (2000)
Alex's final pick for February is here, and for this week's Watchcast he's taking us to the Spanish coast to peek in on the idyllic life of retired thief Gal Dove in Jonathan Glazer's Sexy Beast, a movie that's got a whole lot of unusual style and flavor going on, even outside of Ben Kingsley's ferociously memorable central performance. CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 170: Sexy Beast (2000) (00:01:20) - Intro. (00:03:05) - Our final February film for 2026: Sexy Beast! (00:10:57) - How this movie got made. (00:20:58) - Our extremely British cast. (00:26:14) - Sweating, baking, boiling, things of that nature. (00:35:02) - Break! (00:35:26) - We're back, and so is Don Logan. (00:44:10) - The plan. (00:52:00) - Yes. No. Yes. No. Yes! Yes! Yes! (01:06:38) - Don leaves, and then doesn't. (01:14:04) - Onto the heist, but what of Don? (01:24:54) - These are the true heirs to the Wet Bandits moniker. (01:31:03) - Shooting off, are we?" (01:36:52) - Gal survives to suntan another day. (01:39:03) - Final thoughts. (01:44:12) - Housekeeping for next month and next week's movie. (01:45:48) - Outro.
February 23 · 2 hr 31 min
169: Fargo (1996)
It's Fargo week on the Watchcast, and Alex is just gosh darned excited as all get out to talk about his favorite Coens classic. Join us as he takes Brad and Vinny through the frozen wasteland of the Northern Midwest to discuss the supposedly (but not actually) "true events" of the film, the darkness that runs under the surface of Minnesota Nice, and the spectacular array of accents on display. CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 169: Fargo (1996) (00:00:15) - Intro. (00:01:18) - What the boys knew about Fargo going in, and how Alex first saw it. (00:10:03) - Some broader Coens talk. (00:17:20) - Cast chat. (00:30:18) - Launching down a snowy highway into the movie proper. (00:46:52) - Wade and Jerry are not exactly aligned. (00:51:07) - Break! (00:51:27) - We're back, and it's time for a kidnapping. (01:06:37) - The plan is in motion, but it's about to hit its first homicidal snag. (01:11:48) - Marge is on the case. (01:19:24) - This is Jerry's deal. (01:25:32) - Marge meets some ladies. (01:27:00) - The Yanagita Affair, and a few other assorted scenes. (01:32:22) - Jerry's getting cut out of his own kidnapping, and Carl endures many indignities. (01:44:11) - The drop goes bad. (01:50:47) - Here are some guys talking, and Carl buries the money. (01:59:32) - Jerry flees the interview, Jean is dispatched, and Carl gets Gaear'd. (02:09:33) - Chipper Cop Finds Man in Wood Chipper. (02:15:46) - Jerry's undignified end, and one last moment with Marge and Norm. (02:23:27) - Final thoughts. (02:27:31) - Housekeeping for our final film of the month: Sexy Beast! (02:30:12) - Outro.
February 17 · 2 hr 23 min
168: Thief (1981)
For this week's Watchcast Alex is returning to his previous profession as a Mannhunter, as he takes the crew through one of his favorite Michael Mann flicks, 1981's Thief. Join us as we pick apart the taxonomy of crooks and goofs populating Chicago's early '80s underworld, and marvel at all the exquisite detail that went into this movie's look and vibe. CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 168: Thief (1981) (00:00:27) - Intro. (00:04:09) - On Mann, his early days, and how this movie got made. (00:12:48) - Before we start talking about the movie, gotta talk about the soundtrack. (00:17:18) - The opening heist. (00:23:12) - What is this movie if not a showcase for profoundly Chicago-type guys? (00:31:46) - Break! (00:32:07) - We're back, and Frank wants his damn money (00:38:13) - Okla and Leo, from one father figure to an aspiring one. (00:51:36) - On the subject of these corrupt dirtbag cops. (00:55:20) - The original Michael Mann Diner Scene. (01:09:37) - The California job, and getting comfy in the suburbs. (01:13:29) - How many fingers am I holding up? (01:17:48) - Chaos in the adoption agency. (01:21:34) - Refusing to grease the wheels. (01:29:10) - Okla, we hardly knew ya, but now we have a baby, so it all evens out. (01:32:07) - Ditching those goofy cops. (01:40:01) - Finally, the big job. (01:52:05) - My money is in your pocket. (02:00:24) - Bye bye, Belush. Bye bye, old life. (02:09:41) - Going tactical in the Chicago suburbs. (02:15:39) - Final thoughts. (02:21:02) - Housekeeping for next week. (02:22:55) - Outro.
February 10 · 2 hr 15 min
167: The Conversation (1974)
It's a new month and a new theme for the Watchcast, and this month Alex is foisting some of his all-time favorites on the rest of the cast, starting with Francis Ford Coppola's profoundly paranoid thriller, The Conversation! Join us as we uncover this deadly plot, marvel at Gene Hackman's performance, and swoon at just about the youngest Harrison Ford we ever did see. CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 167: The Conversation (1974) (00:00:40) - Intro. (00:01:56) - Beginning our conversation about The Conversation. (00:20:04) - Cast chat. (00:27:59) - The terrific and bewildering opening recording sequence. (00:42:09) - Break! (00:42:32) - We're back, and it's time to peek into Harry's home life. (00:54:10) - Harry gets his recording. (00:59:08) - A brief interlude with Teri Garr. (01:03:44) - Lookit baby Harrison Ford! (01:08:48) - Alienating Stan, and the last piece of the audio puzzle. (01:13:48) - Spycon '74. (01:23:22) - Never party with surveillance guys, for several reasons. (01:36:23) - Chastity is the only security you can rely on. (01:46:06) - Meeting the Director. (01:50:37) - Bugging the hotel. (01:55:21) - You ain't gonna win this one, Harry. (02:04:35) - Final thoughts. (02:11:59) - Next week's movie: Michael Mann's Thief! (02:15:14) - Outro.
February 3 · 2 hr 21 min
166: Masters of the Universe (1987)
The final film in our slate of toy commercials turned cinema is arguably the roughest watch yet. Specifically, we all argue that maybe Masters of the Universe with Dolph Lundgren and a rubber Skeletor COULD have maybe been something watchable, if only every single creative choice were different, and better. Then you might have something! CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 166: Masters of the Universe (1987) (00:00:16) - Intro. (00:02:51) - Where did we land on He-Man as kids? (00:14:10) - On the toys themselves, and the delightful weirdos who made them. And a bit on Filmation. (00:21:14) - How in the world did this movie happen? (00:43:37) - Somehow, there was almost a direct sequel to this. (00:48:55) - Break! (00:49:18) - We're back, and this is way too grand an entrance for what we're about to see. (00:59:52) - This man, this is not my kind of He-Man. (01:04:11) - Skeletor has won, but thankfully there's exactly one man who can save us: a weird little inventor guy. (01:13:30) - We can go anywhere in the universe, we end up in 1980s Southern California. (01:22:54) - These things just happen, you know? (01:30:59) - Skeletor breaks it down, and things start getting real dumb on Earth. (01:45:35) - Courteney's leg gets zapped, He-Man's a slave, and that cop is still running around. (01:47:31) - Warping to Eternia for one last battle. (01:58:26) - Saying a long goodbye. (02:01:50) - Who cares about timeline integrity when you can wish your parents back to life? (02:06:18) - Final thoughts. You can probably guess what they are. (02:15:03) - Housekeeping for next month's movies. (02:20:03) - Outro.
January 26 · 2 hr 51 min
165: G.I. Joe: The Movie (1987)
The process of tearing apart our consumerist childhoods is far from over, as the Watchcast crew digs this week into G.I. Joe: The Movie, another toy commercial in disguise that comes up with some of the most bonkers stuff this franchise ever saw, both for better and for worse. CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 165: G.I. Joe: The Movie (1987) (00:00:18) - Intro. (00:08:47) - A brief history of Government Issue Joe, and our personal fandoms. (00:26:37) - More on the tone of the show, and how that filtered into the movie. (00:30:56) - How this movie came to be, and why it never made it to theaters. (00:39:19) - Talking about our cast (and porno cartoons). (00:51:31) - Are the new grunts as good as the old timers? (00:56:51) - Break! (00:57:40) - We're back and we're already humming this musical number. (01:02:46) - People have had it with Cobra Commander. (01:12:15) - The B.E.T.--no, not that B.E.T. (01:17:16) - Stumbling into Cobra-la. (01:23:46) - Our cavalcade of new stars (toys). (01:40:30) - There's no way Cobra could break in here! And the lore dump to end all lore dumps. (01:57:05) - Falcon gets airdropped into unincorporated Slaughter territory. (02:02:35) - Roadblock and Cobra I Was Once a Commaaaaaannnder escape. (02:09:52) - A sneaking mission to Cobra Island, and it's time to send in the sandworms. (02:16:48) - He's gone into a coma! (02:24:34) - A big dumb battle to end this movie. (02:35:52) - Duke's okay! Somehow! (02:37:57) - Final thoughts. (02:46:46) - Housekeeping for next week's movie: Masters of the Universe! (02:51:31) - Outro.