162: The Long-Awaited SPECTRE Pod

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The "Autumn of Bond" comes to an end ends and so begins the " Winter of Our Bond Discontent". 

Join us for a terse conversation about the cruel realities that too often pair with expectation and somberly speculate with us about "what might have been".

We spent 10 episodes discussing 007 and his exploits. Now it's time to put a moratorium on the subject matter for a while and let the man rest, reassess his legacy, and what we can all learn from his SPECTRE misfire.

This should have been a victory lap. Instead it's a wake up call. Let's get into it...

161: The 22nd and 23rd Films of The 007 Countdown

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We made it, folks.

Some said it couldn't be done. Some said it shouldn't be done.
But through vigilance, dedication, and sheer stubborn, geektastic force of will we made it through screenings and discussions of all 23 films in the current 007 canon.
Join us for our last episode where we discuss the 2 greatest films in the series, talk about a few specialty categories we've devised to help wrap up our epic countdown, and even get a little melancholy about what a long, strange trip this challenge has been.

It's a long one. But these 2 films deserve an epic discussion.
Thanks for riding this out with us, dear listeners. Needless to say, it's been quite the Bonding experience.

2. FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE
1. CASINO ROYALE

160: The 19th, 20th, and 21st Films of The 007 Countdown (with special guest Dan Kelly!)

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This is a big one, folks.
With only 5 films to discuss before our SPECTRE review we decided to invite friend of the podcast, Bond aficionado, and all around raconteur Daniel Kelly to join us for this week's epic, 100 minute episode. Dan was particularly eloquent during our 45 minute dissection of the series' "quintessential installment". Our reactions might surprise you.
All good things must end. And, unfortunately this amazing journey will, in less than a week. Let's make the most of the time we have left, fellow Bondees.

5. ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE
4. THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
3. GOLDFINGER

156: The 10th, 11th, and 12th Films of The 007 Countdown AKA The Halfway Point!

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Here we are at the halfway point of our epic James Bond Countdown and on this week's episode we will discuss the following films as we work our way toward the best of the best (at least according to Matt):

14. THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS
13. DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER
12. OCTOPUSSY

5 episodes to go (including our opening weekend review of SPECTRE) and if you're not craving a martini yet you simply haven't been listening.

155: The 7th, 8th, and 9th Films of The 007 Countdown

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In the interest of time (we're now less than a month away from the US premiere of SPECTRE!) we'll be tripling up on Bond films for the next few episodes. And you know what that means: More Bondy goodness. This week it's all about:

17. THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH
16. THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN
15. DR. NO

A torrent of Bond triple headers starts.... NOW!

150: The First 2 Films of The 007 Countdown

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This week's episode introduces a new, ongoing segment to the We Like Movies canon of content: "The 007 Countdown".

Starting today we will be counting down the 23 films in the James Bond franchise from worst to best (according to Matt's tightly curated ranking) leading up to our eventual discussion of Bond 24, SPECTRE in November. Want to know which 2 Bond films Matt considers the worst of the worst? You'll have to give this episode a listen.

Cast, POD Cast.

Matt's 2014 Theatrical Watchlist

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A few years ago someone sent me a link to a list that Steven Soderbergh had published chronicling all of the media that he had consumed over a 12 month period. This included television, plays, books and movies. God only knows how long he's been doing this but his most recent list can be found here.

Inspired by Mr. Soderbergh (as I often am) I've been keeping my own personal watchlist to chart my viewing habits for the last 3 years. And while I'm not diligent enough to keep track of my television or literary consumption (the latter, regrettably, wouldn't be the kind of a list I would prefer to be made public), I have what I consider to be a very accurate tally of my cinematic experiences IN theaters over the last 12 months. In 2014 I made it to 80. In 2015- 100!!!

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WLM Podcast #119: A Trilogy of Trilogy-talk (A Matt solo-pod)

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Oscar is "on assignment" this week so I'm on my own. Just a man, a microphone, and a whole lotta thoughts.

Since the multiplex has run dry of worthy content (as it is wont to do every year during the last breath dog days) I've recently retreated into familiar "comfort food" at home: Rewatching the first season of TRUE DETECTIVE, AFI 100 Years 100 Movies CBS specials, and an impromptu marathon of 3 of the most beloved film trilogies of all time.
You know what they are. You don't need me to patronize you by listing them.

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WLM Podcast #118: The Career of Steven Soderbergh and first reactions to THE KNICK

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Steven Soderbergh has smoothly transitioned from movies to television and his new Cinemax drama THE KNICK is already garnering some of the strongest praise of his career.

Join us as we sharpen the edges of our fine-toothed comb before using it to dissect the career of the great American masters. We then spend the last 20 minutes of the podcast chatting about the first 2 episodes of THE KNICK. But, not to worry squeamish listeners, or those of you who are woefully behind in your summer television consumption. We steer clear of anything resembling a spoiler.

It's okay. You can trust us. Does this napkin smell like chloroform to you?

EDITOR'S NOTE: Despite making a concerted effort to be as comprehensive as possible in our overview of Soderbergh's filmography we still managed to accidentally gloss over his HBO political series K-STREET as well as his late-period throwback actioner HAYWIRE. Apologies to fans or ardent proponents of either.

Grain of Salt: Matt's Top 10 Films of 2013

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It's been far too long since I've been able to and it fills me with so much happiness to say this: what a phenomenal year for cinema the last 12 months turned out to be. 2013 was the annum in which the movies took an honest look at the upstart, critical darling that is modern "golden age" television and said: "We will not be ignored, we will not be usurped, we will not share the spotlight. We are movies, hear us roar!"

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WLM Podcast #94: Best of 2013 Top 10 Lists!

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It's that time, folks! Our favorite podcast of the year- our dueling top 10 lists pod!

We've taken 2 glorious, silver-tongued hours of hard-hitting discussion regarding cinematic experiences that rocked our respective worlds in the last 12 months, injected them into an easily digestible MP3 capsule, and faithfully submitted them for your approval and aural pleasure right here on the We Like Movies blog.

'Cuz that's just the kind of generous fools we are. We love to give.

Into The Wes (featuring 16 years of trailers)

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So, Oscar and I each completed our usual, arbitrary rankings, regarding this week's topic: The filmography of Mr. Wesley Wales Anderson.

I also thought this would be a good occasion to post the 7 trailers that have preceded his films because, well... I have that kind of time.

So here's some stuff to read and watch- our respective rankings of his films followed by a chronological catalogue of his trailers.

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The "Music Trilogy" Chapter 3: Top 10 Film Scores

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The unexpected "trilogy" of podcast topics comes to its logical conclusion with our original score picks.

So, put your headphones on, crank up the bass, and let the heavily-compressed youtube incantations of these classic selections whisk you away to monochrome Vienna, suspiciously Kiwi-reminiscent "Middle Earth", anamorphic Egypt, sun-baked Sicily, the 19th century American West by way of Southern Spain, and galaxies far far away (but, more often than not, just large warehouses outside of Marin County).

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WLM Podcast #46: Score 1 For The Top 10 Film Scores

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Well it was inevitable that it would come to this.
We never officially discussed our intention to talk about our favorite film scores in a podcast scenario. But when we started down our "music in the movies" rabbit hole about a month ago, I sort of began to presume, in the back of my mind, that eventually we would find our way to this subject. I'm so very glad we did. I love me a good score.

This list's only rule:
-Thou shalt not pick more than one film PER composer! (John Williams, you will not be allowed to monopolize this list!)

Score!