Ourtwocents Podcast

As the 2019 film year draws to a close, the Academy Awards wait around the corner to coronate the new king of film. With 2019 providing several gems and a few surprises, Admir and Chris go through all 24 categories and make early predictions for the winners.

Admir and Chris break down the latest episode of the series. In what was a return to form following last week's sloppy episode, Daniel Sackheim brings back the show's grittines, dark atmosphere and eeriness with great bravado. The boys discuss how he manages to execute that and hypothesize how the season will be brought to an end.

Its the "Pre 50" 49th episode in the Our Two Cents Land so the boys decide to take a quick little trip to the LegoVerse and review The Lego Movie 2. Chris and Admir discuss the movie's failure to live up to the high expectations that the first movie placed and how the film's execution didn't contribute to the message they were trying to portray.

With the final batch of episodes looming, Chris and Admir debate the most polarizing episode of the season so far. The boys discuss their disappointment in how the episode failed to capitalize on the momentum set up from last week, the apparent plotholes that seemed uncharacteristic of the show's identity and the uncertainty of where the show is headed as the finale approaches.

In this weeks film review, Admir and Chris delve into Alfono Cuaron's latest film, Roma. Set in 1970s Mexico City, it tells the trials and tribulations of a Cleo, a house maid to a wealthy family. The boys discuss this Oscar juggernaut as they parse through this dense film, pointing out the direction style of Cuaron while contemplating the grand themes of the piece. Though the critical response was understandable, the co-hosts felt the film needed to take greater care of its characters and their story arcs.

On a Superbowl charged episode this week, Admir and Chris review 'If You have Ghosts'. The boys discuss the fallout of last week's shootout, the decline of the relationship between Hayes and Amelia and the outstanding final scene that may go down as one of the greatest scenes in True Detective history.

In the latest show, Admir and Chris discuss the Oscar heavyweight "If Beale Street Could Talk". The boys evaluate Jenkins' newest film as they highlight the director's magical touch on the lens as his unique directing makes for a deep study of characters, love and injustice. The duo expand on their favorite scenes and lament on the film's snub for "Best Picture" in comparison to the similarly-themed Blackkklansman.

On the latest episode of True Detective, the show delves into the personal lives of Hays and West as the audiences come to understand the men as individuals. Admir and Chris explore the more pointed examples of racism in this episode, praise the shows dialogue and explore possible theories on where the case is headed.

Chris and Admir return to the movieverse but unfortunately stumble upon a January graveyard inhabitant in Glass. The bros discuss where the film went wrong tonally, multiple failed executions and how Shyamalan ultimately deviated away from what made the previous two films work.

Chris and Admir are back with a review of True Detective's latest episode, The Big Never. The boys discuss how this week's episode excels in building up tension for future events, the unpredictability going forth regarding the culprit of the mystery and the impending downfall of the relationships at hand.

Chris and Admir take a break from movies this week as they decide to dive into the televisionverse and review the brand new season of True Detective. The boys review the first two episodes and discuss the standout performances led by Mahershala Ali, the direction of the show going forward and how it can replicate the first season's successful formula while still standing on its own.

Admir and Chris dive into the newest release of the Black Mirror franchise, a film that expands the mythos of the series while delving into some heavy-hitting questions of free will in this mind bending, choose-your-own-adventure film from Charlie Brooker and co. The boys discuss the significance of the structure of the film, examine how it plays a role in the greater story-telling aspect of Black Mirror and evaluate how successful the execution of the “choose-your-own-story” structure was. Though mostly impressed by the product, the hosts believed a few hitches kept this from being a Black Mirror classic.

The hosts discuss DC’s biggest release since The Dark Knight as Jason Momoa don’s the trident of the peculiar Aquaman. In this interview-style episode, the boys explore just how this movie made a gigantic splash at the box office, revel in the charisma and star-power of Jason Momoa and discuss the fantastic special effects that helped elevate a vanilla plot and story into a box office success.

With the first year of the OurTwoCents Podcast in the books, the boys looked back at their inaugural year and picked out the 10 standout cinematic features of 2018. These were not the stand out films for them, but rather the movies that struck a chord and made them think long after the credits rolled.

With another Golden Awards show in the books, the boys look back at the winners and losers of a wild night full of surprises. Both were tied with a 2-2-1 record on the predictions table, so a massive result awaited the winner for the night as they would hold a lead heading into Oscar season.

After an experiment goes awry, Miles Morales teams up with other Spider-Men/Women from parallel universes in order to defeat Wilson Fisk and bring everyone home.  Admir and Chris discuss what may be the best animated film of the year. From its captivating animations to the heartfelt story, "Into the Spiderverse" proves the superhero genre is alive and kicking.

Admir and Chris cast a quick eye over this year's nominees and provide some early predictions for the January awards show. The boys discuss a few surprises, personal favorites as well as which movies they thought were snubbed.

Lady Sarah and Abigail vie for power in Queen Anne's court in this 18th century comedy-drama. Admir and Chris discuss an Oscar heavyweight that is anchored by three dazzling actressess: Colman, Stone and Weisz. The boys also discuss the peculiar directing choices of Yorgos Lanthimos, the fever-dreamish music and it's questionable pacing. Nonetheless, this is a film to watch in the upcoming awards season.

With the McCallisters always at odds with their wake-up time, Kevin finds himself alone in Chicago and NYC in these holiday classics. Kevin's ingenuity helps him escape several issues, not least the snarling clutches of the "Wet Bandits", Harry and Marv. Admir and Chris discuss how these two films have held up over the years, whether they still have a role to play in the upcoming generation's Christmas holiday schedule and how holiday films on the whole have changed over the years.

Adonis Creed must contend with a new challenger to his heavyweight throne: Ivan Drago's son, Viktor. This week, Admir and Chris delve into the latest sequel of the Rocky/Creed franchise. The co-hosts heap praise on Michael B. Jordan for a lively and piercing performance as he is flanked by the talented Tessa Thompson and experienced Sylvester Stallone. Though the cinematography is stellar at times, a simplistic story and questionable motivations make for a frustrating film that seemed to have all the pieces ready for a classic. Steven Caple Jr. does an apt job in this follow-up, but it ultimately fails to reach the heights of its predecessor.