Talkie Talk - Film Review Podcast

From the studio that brought you Evangelion , lead creatives Hideaki Anno and Kazuya Tsurumaki return to the anime landscape with their first collaborative television series since Neon Genesis Evangelion. In this episode, we discuss Mobile Suit Gundam: GQuuuuuuX Beginning , the theatrical lead-up to the upcoming mecha television series, helmed by a mix of creatives from Evangelion , FLCL , and Gundam . As newcomers to the Gundam franchise, we give our initial impressions of Mobile Suit Gundam (1979), explore Anno's love of the series, its connection to Evangelion , and the new film itself. This new Gundam series takes a bold break from the past, with Tsurumaki and Anno's surreal, post-modern sensibility bubbling under the surface. What could "I can see time" possibly mean? Join us, as we also can't answer that question.

On this special guest episode, we discuss Waterloo (1970), a film epic following Napoleon Bonaparte's infamous last stand. 16,000 Russian troops were enlisted to enact the massive battles, a feat which is unmatched to this day. We dive into the chaotic, mismanaged, and downright miserable production process, in part due to the fact that no one was willing to fund the film other than the USSR. If you aren't familiar with Napoleon's era, we also provide historical context for the film and explain when the real history conflicts with the movie's depiction. Despite its flaws, this film remains one of the most accurate depictions of 19th century warfare, with massive battles that are literally jaw-dropping. Join us this week as we ride into Waterloo.

Is it okay to be here? Join us on a deep dive into The End of Evangelion , the mind-bending alternate ending to Hideaki Anno's anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion . In this third and final episode, Nathan and Tyler turn to the second half of The End of Evangelion. After his absence from Air, Hideaki Anno returns to the director's chair with a brand new script, splitting the Evangelion timeline into two with a shocking new conclusion. We dig into the complex cinematic experience of Instrumentality and explore the multiple meanings it can all hold. Thank you for listening to the series! Next episode, we will be exploring David Lynch's G-rated Disney movie about coming to terms with death: The Straight Story .

Wouldn't it be nice if everyone just died? Join us on a deep dive into The End of Evangelion , the mind-bending alternate ending to Hideaki Anno's anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion . In this three-part series, Nathan and Tyler investigate the essential but often misunderstood circumstances surrounding The End of Evangelion 's creation. We dig into a trove of old GAINAX interviews, theatrical pamphlets, DVD extras, and more, to build a clearer picture and deepen our analysis of both endings. In part two, we explore the divisive response to Neon Genesis Evangelion's finale, Hideaki Anno's mental collapse, and the decision to "remake" the ending for a theatrical release, which was ultimately split into Death and Rebirth and The End of Evangelion . Then, we dive in to the infamous first half of The End of Evangelion , breaking down key moments scene by scene, finding out where our interpretations overlap and diverge. Follow us into Instrumentality next episode as we embark into the mind-bending second half of The End of Evangelion to discover what Human Instrumentality really means.

Is it okay to be here? Join us on a deep dive into The End of Evangelion , the mind-bending alternate ending to Hideaki Anno's anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion . In this three-part series, Nathan and Tyler investigate the essential but often misunderstood circumstances surrounding The End of Evangelion 's creation. We dig into a trove of old GAINAX interviews, theatrical pamphlets, DVD extras, and more, to build a clearer picture and deepen our analysis of both endings. In part one, we re-visit the show’s controversial final two episodes, which depart from a traditional narrative into an avant-garde inner-world where the characters struggle to answer the questions at humanity's core. What is truth? What is reality? What is our reason for being? Whether you are a hardcore Evangelion fan or a curious newcomer, you’ll find something new to appreciate about this layered and cryptic show. Follow us into the madness next week with part two, as we turn to the finale's polarized reception, Hideaki Anno’s mental collapse, and the infamous first half of The End of Evangelion : “Air / Love Is Destructive.”

This week, while my co-host Tyler is stranded in the wilderness, I am joined by my good friend Anthony to discuss one of the most critically acclaimed movies of all time - Orson Welle's Citizen Kane . What does Citizen Kane offer audiences 83 years later? Does "Rosebud" even matter? Why did Welles have to invent a table and cut a huge hole in the floor of his set? Find out on this week's memorable episode of Talkie Talk.

Talkie Talk is OFFICIALLY back with our first NEW episode of 2024. We discuss an obscure, straight to video follow-up to Hideaki Anno's fantastic anime series, Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water . We discuss the history of Nadia and the troubled production history behind this movie. We dig into this strange film to find its flaws, surprising virtues, and the potential political critique at its core. Next week, we will be discussing the END OF EVANGELION , one of our favorite movies, which just had its first U.S. theatrical release. Welcome back to Talkie Talk!

This week, we discuss BIRDMAN (2014) (or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), starring former Batman star Michael Keaton as the titular character. What ability and limits does art have in the pursuit of depicting "Truth"? When does sincerity become pretentiousness? How does a film use the pseudo one-shot technique to its full potential? Why is Jim Carrey suddenly a philosopher now? Find out "the Truth" on this very artistically significant episode of Talkie Talk. NEXT WEEK - Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water: The Motion Picture.

This week we discuss the Korean smash hit, Oldboy . We chat about the unreliable narrator and debate our theories of what "really happened" in this movie. More importantly, we also talk about Mission Impossible: Fallout and its parallels with this movie.

With the Oscars just around the corner, we're taking a trip back to 2021 for a classic HOT TAKE from the Talkie Talk Administration. It's Talkie Talk vs. "The Critical Consensus", which baffles our hosts to no end. We really wanted to like this movie. Plus, we talk about large sea creatures, so there's a little something for everyone. Next week: OLDBOY (2003)

Is this movie really just Evangelion? Why is Kong superior to Godzilla on a philosophical level? What makes a blockbuster "good"? Let your minds expand with your favorite kaiju and Talkie Talk hosts. This episode was originally recorded in the summer of 2021. But as we all know - Talkie Talk is timeless. Enjoy this Talkie Talk Vault Episode. More to come soon.

This episode brought to you by David Lynch, a long-time fan (we assume) and future guest of the show (please?). We dive into two of Lynch's films - the heartfelt and career-making The Elephant Man (1980) and the bizarre, disturbing maze that is Lost Highway (1997). To help further our understanding of these films, we pepper the discussion with quotes from Lynch's book Catching the Big Fish. For real, David...please come on the show. Next week we will transition to "season 3"; going forward we will only be watching one film a week. But don't despair, that means we can give it twice the amount of analytical brain power. Allegedly. First up is One Cut of The Dead (2017), a Japanese zombie movie that is best watched with as little prior knowledge as possible.

This week, another "Movies We've Seen Before but The Other Person Hasn't Seen that We've Wanted to Show Them for a While" special episode! We discuss two movies that have nothing in common except a cast of twelve characters: John Carpenter's cult classic sci-fi horror film, The Thing (1982), and Sidney Lumet's influential one-room legal drama, 12 Angry Men (1957).

Are video game cut-scenes lazy? Is it okay for 1950s actors to be bad at their job? Exactly how much coke did Stephen King snort? All will be revealed in this week's discussion of two horror flicks from two different eras: Sam Raimi's cult classic zombie movie, The Evil Dead (1981), and Charles Laughton's only film, The Night of the Hunter (1955).

This week, a fiery discussion about Star Wars (yes, again) leads us into a discussion of two documentaries: Peter Jackson's colorized WWI documentary, They Shall Not Grow Old (2018), and Steven Soderbergh's archival film about the late and great monologuist Spalding Gray, And Everything Is Going Fine (2010). (CORRECTION: next week's movies are The Evil Dead and The Night of The Hunter)

In this episode, we discuss subjective storytelling and Charlie Kaufman's book collection. Next episode: 12 Years a Slave & Mother.

Stanley Kubrick vs. James Bond SMACKDOWN. Next week: I'm Thinking of Ending Things & Persepolis.