The Critical Breakdown: A Film Podcast

THE MALTESE FALCON — 100%

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Wed, 13 Feb 2019 01:47:34 +0000

We did it. We reviewed our 100% film. Listen to it. Enjoy it. We love you guys.

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

Our email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

We Reached 100% Fresh.

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 08:00:00 +0000

Alright guys, we need to talk about one hundred percent.

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

Our email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

141: Get Out

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Wed, 16 Jan 2019 13:16:47 +0000

For our final fan selection film of the 90th percentile, you guys chose Jordan Peele's Get Out (2017). There's a lot to talk about with such a rich film, so we get into it, folks. Also, we announce something cool at the end of this episode.

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

Our email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

140: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 08:00:00 +0000

We revisit Stanley Kubrick with his iconic satire and black comedy film, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. We also talk the Fast & Furious franchise, Crazy Rich Asians, and VICE!

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

Our email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

Go to thecriticalbreakdown.com/vote and vote!

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 01 Jan 2019 08:00:00 +0000

Go to thecriticalbreakdown.com/vote and vote!

A Very Christmas Breakdown

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 25 Dec 2018 08:00:00 +0000

We're just Christmas boot goofin' in this episode. Happy Holidays!

139: L.A. Confidential

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 08:00:00 +0000

We made it to 99%! That's wild. L.A. Confidential is Scott's pick, and it's a fine one if I do say so myself.

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

Our email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

138: The Wrestler

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 02:06:14 +0000

The Wrestler is a fan favorite (and a Max favorite) was a joy to watch — even though it's an emotional ride. We ham it up in this episode, but honestly get right to business and still manage to discuss a lot of the emotional depth of this film.

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

Our email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

137: Say Anything

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 04 Dec 2018 08:00:00 +0000

This week, we revisit our friend Cameron Crowe as he tells us the story of Lloyd Dobbler and Diane Court. This is Scott's 98% choice — we also announce the 98% poll winner!

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

Our email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

136: THE BABADOOK

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 27 Nov 2018 08:00:00 +0000

This week we reviewed Scott's choice for Max's 98% selection! This Australian horror film deals with some heavy but personal subjects — and we discuss how Scott almost ralphed.

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

Our email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

135: We made a mistake — Prelude to The Babadook & The Crimes of Grindelwald

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 20 Nov 2018 08:00:00 +0000

Guys, we made an error. The Babadook wasn't ACTUALLY Max's pick for this week, but we still watched it. We're embracing this — find out the truth in this week's kind of special episode!

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

Our email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

134: MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 13 Nov 2018 08:00:00 +0000

You guys picked MAD MAX: FURY ROAD as our next review, so here we go! Let's talk about that Doof Warrior some, guys.

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

Our email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

HALLOWEEN (2018) — Spoiler Special feat. Kara Leonard

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 08:00:00 +0000

This week, we're joined by our INSIDE GAL Kara Leonard to talk HALLOWEEN (2018). Yeah, Halloween was last week really, but we're doing the film of the same name THIS week. So enjoy!

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

Our email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

GHOSTBUSTERS

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 30 Oct 2018 07:00:00 +0000

Max's 97% pick — GHOSTBUSTERS. It's a classic, and it's perfect pick for a comedic approach to horror (hey, it's Halloween, right?). But don't worry — we'll get scarier in an upcoming episode.

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

Our email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

131: SPOTLIGHT

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 07:00:00 +0000

Scott's selection for this week was 2015's SPOTLIGHT, the film about the Boston Globe breaking open the Catholic church covering up abusive priests.

It's a heavy subject, so you'll get most of your chuckles in before the 20 minute mark.

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

Our email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 07:00:00 +0000

Hey kid, you wanna carve the Devil's Tower and watch Close Encounters of the Third Kind? No?? Well, at least listen to our latest episode then!

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

Our email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

Catch Me If You Can feat. Albert W. Dubreuil

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 07:00:00 +0000

This week we invited our friend Albert Dubreuil (@AWDubreuil) back on the show to talk about a film he loves — Catch Me If You Can!

We also announce the next film we'll be watching that YOU the fans selected.

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

Our email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

DARK PHOENIX TRAILER REVIEW & POLL ANNOUNCEMENT

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 02 Oct 2018 07:00:00 +0000

So the Dark Phoenix trailer came out and boy does it look like a movie! Since we couldn't bring you a full episode, we wanted to give you SOMETHING. You can also check out the video version here.

We'll be back to normal next week! Make sure you vote in the current poll here.

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

Our email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

128: The Iron Giant

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 25 Sep 2018 07:00:00 +0000

This week, Max picked THE IRON GIANT (1999) as his 96% selection! This animated film is beloved by many, but didn't do that well in theaters. This Brad Bird film actually has some ties with another Bird film we watched — Tomorrowland, but we liked this a lot better.

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

Our email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

THE IRON GIANT: LIVE EPISODE, Thursday, Sept. 20

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 18 Sep 2018 01:36:17 +0000

Join us this week for a special LIVE episode! While we typically do event episodes live, we're changing things up since Hurricane Florence knocked our schedule out of whack!

We'll see you all on Thursday, September 20 at 8:15 PM:

127: SNOWPIERCER

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 11 Sep 2018 07:00:00 +0000

Our fan vote brings us a film that many love, but not nearly enough people have seen — SNOWPIERCER (2014). Directed by Bong Joon-Ho, this film boasts an international cast and is a unique experience.

We also introduce a new segment on the future fate of the podcast. We call it THE NINETY.

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

Our email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

126: Pan's Labyrinth

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 04 Sep 2018 07:00:00 +0000

For our second 95% film, we watched Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth (2006). This was Max's selection, and it was an exciting movie to dive into. There's a lot of depth in this one, boys.

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

Our email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

125: CREED

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 28 Aug 2018 07:00:00 +0000

This week, Scott dropped CREED (2016) on me and I couldn't be happier. We go deep on this one, and while our boxing trivia is terrible, our love for the movie shows.

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

Our email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

124: Arrival

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 07:00:00 +0000

As selected by our listeners, we are discussing Arrival (2016). As far as movies about contact with extraterrestrials, this is one of the best ones out there. Great acting, stellar visuals, and a memorable score — and not to mention, its really well written.

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

Our email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

123: Beauty and the Beast

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 14 Aug 2018 07:00:00 +0000

This week, Scott set us up with a heck of a selection — Beauty and the Beast (1991). This is really our first big animated feature we've reviewed, and it's one of the best ones around. We also take some time to discuss our favorite Disney songs!

Oh yeah, we had a technical difficulty that made this week sound weird, so sorry about that.

122: Raiders of the Lost Ark

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 07:00:00 +0000

You know The Podcast Boys love a good adventure film — and Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of the best. With George Lucas and Steven Spielberg throwing down with Harrison Ford, what else can you expect?

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

Our email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

121: Boogie Nights — Listeners' Choice

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 07:00:00 +0000

Since you guys voted hard for Boogie Nights, we really sunk our teeth into this one. It's a fun movie to talk about, and we really get into it. We also talk about Godzilla and Mission Impossible. Surprised?

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

Our email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

120: Young Frankenstein & Vote Results

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 24 Jul 2018 07:00:00 +0000

Reevaluating old comedy films can be illuminating for both classic jokes, as well as how far our humor has changed. Young Frankenstein (1974) is a perfect example of this. Sometimes Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder seem fresh and light hearted, while other jokes are downright bad or regressive. Still, it's an interesting watch.

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

Our email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

119: Fargo

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 07:00:00 +0000

This week we're watching Scott's 93% rated pick — Fargo! This film is iconic for toeing the line between amoral crime flick and heartwarming fairytale — like in a fable way, where you learn a lesson at the end. Here's a challenge — can you describe Steve Buscemi's facial features? Give it a shot.

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

Our email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

118: Jurassic Park

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 10 Jul 2018 07:00:00 +0000

Here it is! The podcast boys take on Jurassic Park (1993) — as voted by you, the listeners! We have a REALLY fun time talking this cinema classic, so plug in those ear buds and let's get podcastin'.

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

Our email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

Prelude to Jurassic Park - Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 07:00:00 +0000

This week, Scott and Max take time to review some films they've been watching, which includes all of the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World franchise films, as well as some sports rivalry movies.

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

Our email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

116: The Spectacular Now feat. Myles of The More You Nerd & Cosmic Crit

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 26 Jun 2018 07:00:00 +0000

For our second 92% film, we're joined by Myles Griffin of The More You Nerd and Cosmic Crit to talk about A LOT of things, including The Spectacular Now, Coming of Age movies, and why people want us to review bad movies again.

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

As we previously, our new email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

115: FACE/OFF — John Woo, John Travolta, and Nicolas Cage

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 07:00:00 +0000

For our first 92% film, we're talking about John Woo's 1997 masterpiece FACE/OFF. Starring John Travolta and Nicolas Cage, this movie asks what happens when a hero and villain LITERALLY swap faces.

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

As we previously, our new email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

114: There WIll Be Blood | Hereditary | Riverdale | Arrested Development Season 5

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 12 Jun 2018 07:00:00 +0000

You guys chose it, so we watched it! We got treated to Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood thanks to our fan voters! We have a good time talking about this Daniel Day Lewis powerhouse, which is maybe the most quoted movie whenever someone orders a milkshake.

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

As we previously, our new email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

113: The Witch | Mission Impossible 3, The Book of Henry, and Girls Trip

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 05 Jun 2018 07:00:00 +0000

This week we look at Max's choice for a 91% film, The Witch (2015). As a supernatural horror that's also a period piece, this film challenges the audience to delve into a sense of dread that builds up over time. Does it pay off?

And why is everyone so obsessed with Black Phillip?

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

As we previously, our new email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

112: SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY Review — VOTE ON OUR POLL

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 29 May 2018 07:00:00 +0000

VOTE ON OUR LISTENERS' CHOICE POLL HERE.

We know we promised you guys The Witch — and that's coming next time — but with the release of Solo: A Star Wars Story, we decided to switch gears and talk about the movie nobody asked for and only half of your friends went to see.

Solo: A Star Wars Story had a troubled path to the screen, but also presents a path for the anthology "Story" series to continue with — fan-service remixed from new angles. But it all comes down to these questions — was Solo any good, what will Lucasfilm/Disney do next, and what does a disappointing box office mean for it all?

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

As we previously, our new email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

111: The Departed | New Listeners' Choice Poll!

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 22 May 2018 07:00:00 +0000

Our episode this week is about Martin Scorsese's The Departed (2006) — chosen by Scott as his 91% selection. The Departed is a remake of a Hong Kong film, Infernal Affairs, and is one of Scorsese's most iconic pictures. With a cast that includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon, Alec Baldwin, and Mark Wahlberg, it's a star studded event of a movie that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

It's also time to open the poll for the 91% Listeners' Choice episode. Vote on that here. This is gonna be a tough poll! You can also vote on Twitter!

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

As we previously, our new email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

110: Galaxy Quest — Listener's Choice 90%

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 15 May 2018 07:00:00 +0000

You guys voted for it, and here it is! The Critical Breakdown takes on GALAXY QUEST (1999)! Both Scott and Max are big fans of this movie, and watching it this time around gave us a chance to expand on what makes it so great.

Galaxy Quest isn't just a Star Trek parody, but a legitimately fun film that celebrates pop culture, fandom, and being your most authentic self.

Read our show notes here.

Next week, we jump to 91%. You ready?

109: Avengers: Infinity War

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 08 May 2018 07:00:00 +0000

Even though this episode is releasing later than normal, we wanted to still get it out this week — We spend some time discussing our spoiler-free thoughts and tear into the juicy details around 16:39.

Join us next week for GALAXY QUEST, as selected by you guys!

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

As we previously, our new email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

108: The Fighter | Announcing the Winner of 90% Listener Poll

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 24 Apr 2018 07:00:00 +0000

For Scott's 90% selection, we watched David O. Russell's The Fighter (2010). While we had a bad experience with Russell's work on here before, we both enjoyed this film that examines the life of boxer Mickey Ward and his drug addicted brother Dicky Ecklund.

We also announce who won from our Listener's Choice Poll — Doctor Strange, An American Werewolf in London, Galaxy Quest, or Zombieland!

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

As we previously, our new email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

107: Summer Movie Preview 2018 feat. Kara Leonard

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 17 Apr 2018 07:00:00 +0000

As summer approaches, we find ourselves once again streaming endless movie trailers and predicting the outcome. We're joined by show regular Kara for the third time in order to guide you guys through the major releases of summer 2018!

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License. Jason Brown did our theme music and Josh Rivera did our artwork.

As we previously, our new email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

106: Blade Runner | Ready Player One, Justice League, Isle of Dogs, A Quiet Place, Coco

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 07:00:00 +0000

Here we are — the 90 percent zone! We're kicking off our top run here with Max's pick, Blade Runner (1982). We really get into this one, discussing what makes Blade Runner such a good film, but also take time to discuss the flaws at hand. We also take a few moments to look at how this film's sequel, Blade Runner 2049 (2017) holds up in comparison.

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License.

As we previously, our new email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

105: LIVE EPISODE: The Critical Breakdown Reaches 90% on Rotten Tomatoes!

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 07:00:00 +0000

In honor of finally reaching the 90th percentile of Rotten Tomatoes, we held a live show on Facebook! On this episode, we discuss what we will be doing that's a bit different than before.

Best of all, you're all able to join us!

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License.

As we previously, our new email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

104: When Harry Met Sally | Power Rangers & Dragon Ball | Dating in the Modern World

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 27 Mar 2018 07:00:00 +0000

When Harry Met Sally is kind of a rom-com standard, capturing the hearts of cinema-goers for years. But does it still hold up? For us, it wasn't the best watch this time around, but it's not a terrible movie. Some of it just seems so outdated and forced, but there are some great moments still.

The backstory behind the actual film is way more interesting than the overall story, though.

We also spend some time talking anime and the MCU, because why not!

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License.

As we previously, our new email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Live Episode, Tuesday, March 27 at 8pm EST.

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 11:57:23 +0000

Just a quick update as we move into the freshest of the fresh. We are doing something different in the 90th percentile, and you as our listeners can be involved!

Tune in Tuesday, March 27th at 8pm EST on Facebook for a LIVE episode. We will also try to stream on a few other platforms if possible.

Cinema Challenge: Baahubali: The Beginning & Baahubali 2: The Conclusion

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 07:00:00 +0000

We're excited to drop this one — it's our Baahubali Mega-Episode! Last week we challenged you to watch the films on Netflix, and maybe you did. If you didn't, you should listen to this until you realize your mistake. Then you can pause and come back later!

We do a good old fashioned plot breakdown and discuss our favorite parts — which are almost every single plot beat. Let's just get to it, then!

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License.

As we previously, our new email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

TCB Cinema Challenge — Baahubali: The Beginning & Baahubali 2: The Conclusion

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 13 Mar 2018 01:33:53 +0000

So this is gonna sound weird, but we want you guys to watch two movies with us, and then send us your thoughts! We are pushing back our new episode one week to hear from YOU!

That's right, all you have to do is watch Baahubali: The Beginning and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion on Netflix, and then send us your thoughts at podcast@TheCriticalBreakdown.com. Both films are streaming in multiple languages, including Hindi, Telagu, and Tamil!

The Baahubali series is hard to explain, but it is one of the most successful Indian films in India, as well as in the US. The film is a fantasy adventure film, with epic war, romantic musical numbers, and enough fun to make us fall in love. It's bombastic, it's ridiculous, and it's sincere. Also, the first film ends with an epic cliffhanger, that possibly surpasses other cinematic cliffhangers I have seen. We had chills! Scott screamed!

The Baahubali series needs to be experienced — we haven't put in enough love for foreign cinema here, and so we're taking the extra time to let our brains fully digest what they experienced.

Once again, we encourage ALL of our listeners to check out at least one of these films and then send us your thoughts in email. You can send us a text email, a video email, or an audio email. You can also tweet at us, leave us a facebook message, or send us snail mail. Basically, if you record your voice, we'll shove you in our episode, but if you send us words, we'll read them out loud.

Consider yourselves recipients of our first challenge! There WILL be a quiz at the end of this lesson.

102: Inglourious Basterds | Quentin Tarantino's World War II Revenge Thriller | Can we separate art from artist?

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 06 Mar 2018 08:00:00 +0000

Well, we finally did it. The two of us sat down and we watched us a Quentin Tarantino movie — 2009's Inglourious Basterds, specifically. We take time to really tear into this one, what works, and what feels a bit TOO Tarantino. We also ask if it is possible to view Tarantino in the same light after Uma Thurman's story, as well as his apparent dismissal of Harvey Weinstein's heinous ways.

We have fun with this episode, taking our time to really get into it. Say what you will about Tarantino, he knows how to make movies you want to discuss with friends.

Synthwave by Ryan Andersen is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial License.

As we previously, our new email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

101: The Shining feat. Albert Dubreuil

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 27 Feb 2018 08:00:00 +0000

Well, we've hit a milestone by reaching a Stanley Kubrick film — one that is based on the book of the same name by Stephen King. Yes, we're talking about The Shining (1980) this week.

It's pretty obvious the kind of conversations we would have around the plot of this film — almost everyone knows what this movie is about. It's a haunted hotel, right? Or is it cabin fever? Maybe it's about something deeper — like Native American genocide, or the Holocaust. Uhh, it could also be about addiction and being seduced by the devil. Maybe it's just really a misunderstood story about family?

We're joined by friend of the show Albert Dubreuil, who has written two really fun blogs for our website. ^{[The Mark Wahlberg Movies That Prepared Us for Super Bowl LII] [5 Reasons Why The Cutting Edge is still the Best Olympic Movie]}

For Albert's thoughts on the Cars franchise and other films, check him out at twitter at @awdubreuil.

As we said last week, our new email address is podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

100: Inception — Voted on by you!

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 20 Feb 2018 08:00:00 +0000

This week we are talking about Christopher Nolan's Inception (2010), and that's because of listeners like you who took to the internet to vote on our first poll! We had four good choices — Mulan, Heat, and Steve Jobs — but our listeners were dying for us to share a dream with Leonardo DiCaprio.

Inception is a great film. It's an original science fiction action thriller that keeps you at the edge of your seat. The story also appeals to your own experiences, because we've all experienced the little details they name and describe about dreaming. It's a brilliant plot tactic that makes us identify with the characters in this outlandish story.

Also, this is our 100th Episode! Thanks for sticking with us throughout the last 100 weeks. We're excited to be geeking out on movies with you guys, so we're happy to announce we have a new email address — podcast@thecriticalbreakdown.com. Send us your thoughts!

If you want to follow our social media presence, check us out on twitter @breakdowncast and instagram @thecriticalbreakdown.

You can follow Scott on Instagram and Twitter at @breakdown_scott.

You can follow Max on Instagram @maxasaurus and on Twitter @maxriverafilm.

099: The 40 Year Old Virgin | The Cloverfield Paradox | DVDs & Blu-ray Opinions

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 13 Feb 2018 08:00:00 +0000

This week we watched one of Max's favorite movies — The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005). This Judd Apatow comedy blends gross-out sex comedy with a character driven romance with heart. Sure, it may have aged just a bit, but the charm is so strong here that it still packs a powerful punch. It's quotable, it's lovable, and it's definitely worth revisiting from time to time.

Just from the cast alone, you can watch this and be amazed at how many of these performers had small cameos and non-speaking lines but went on to become household names. Sure, Paul Rudd has been kicking around forever, but did you see that young Jonah Hill? Is that Pam from The Office??

1:41 - What we've been watching

6:35 - Our thoughts on The Cloverfield Paradox

13:19 - DVDs & Blu-rays: What we miss about physical media.

19:28 - The 40 Year Old Virgin

48:54 - What else we could have watched

59:39 - A mini-pre-announcement: You can help us pick next episode!

Don't forget to check out our revamped website, www.thecriticalbreakdown.

If you want to check us out on social, visit Scott at Breakdown_Scott on Instagram and Max at maxriverafilm on twitter.

098: Deadpool feat. Taylor Phillips | Marvel Comics | MCU | Ryan Reynolds | X-Men

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 08:00:00 +0000

Let's talk about Deadpool. A smash hit, this movie was only a pipe dream for a while. But once it came out, it smashed expectations. Why is that? What gives it the so-called magic that it has? We're joined by Taylor (of Charlie St. Cloud and Dune fame), our resident X-men X-pert to talk through this one.

097: Mean Girls | Feat. Julia Vickerman, Sarah Tennant, Kara Leonard, and Jodi Herring

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 08:00:00 +0000

If you ask us what our favorite episodes are, we always bring up the Sex and The City episode we let our friends host for us. With that in mind, we sought out another film for them to critique and let us listen in on — this time it was Mean Girls (2004).

We all feel this film doesn't hold up like it used to, although it still has some great one-liners. There may be some nostalgia keeping you in there, but it's not the great picture we once thought it was.

It's definitely NOT fetch.

096: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World | Edgar Wright | Bryan Lee O'Malley

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 23 Jan 2018 08:00:00 +0000

On this episode, we discuss Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010) directed by Edgar Wright based on a comic series by Bryan Lee O'Malley.

We're both big fans of this movie and it shows! We end up kind of just gushing about our favorite moments, which is fun for everyone — trust us.

095: The Big Lebowski | The Coen Brothers | Jeff Bridges, Battlestar Galactica, and The Challenge: Vendetta

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 16 Jan 2018 08:00:00 +0000

Let's talk about The Big Lebowski (1998) — it's a cult classic, and its easy to see why. This week, we are talking about what works and what doesn't in this off-beat film.

We also talk about what we've been watching, which includes Battlestar Galactica, How to Steal a Million, Murder on the Orient Express, and The Challenge: Vendettas.

094: The Royal Tenenbaums | Wes Anderson | I, Tonya, Moana, Black Mirror

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 09 Jan 2018 08:00:00 +0000

We're back and we're in that feel-good 2018 mood! Join us as we discuss The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), directed by Wes Anderson. Before getting into what makes this movie so great, we spend time catching up on what we've been watching, which includes I, Tonya, Moana, and Black Mirror.

What's your favorite Wes Anderson film? Leave us a review and let us know!

093: Near Year, New Interlude

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 02 Jan 2018 08:00:00 +0000

With the holiday madness (and one of the hosts moving into a new house), our schedule got thrown a bit. We took a few minutes to have a silly chat. We'll return next episode with THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS.

092: A Christmas Interlude

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 26 Dec 2017 08:00:00 +0000

Let's face it — you're gonna be busy on catching up on everything after Christmas day, so let's not hold you back with a long episode. Scott and Max catch up on some holiday questions this week in our CHRISTMAS INTERLUDE.

091: Scream | Star Wars: The Last Jedi Spoiler Free Reaction | Wes Craven, Drew Barrymore, Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, Rose McGowan, Matthew Lillard | Horror Films | Satire

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 08:00:00 +0000

Let's talk about Scream — a 1996 horror film that became an instant smash hit. Not only because it's just that, horrifying, but also because it's smart, funny, and a refreshing film that still holds up.

We also give at least one spoiler-free reaction to Star Wars: The Last Jedi, but we don't dive deep.

090: Munich | Steven Spielberg | Eric Bana, Daniel Craig, Ciarán Hinds, Ayelet Zurer | The Munich Massacre carried out by Black September Olympic

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 12 Dec 2017 08:00:00 +0000

Based on the true story of the Black September aftermath, Munich (2005) tells the story of five men who were chosen to eliminate the masterminds responsible for that fateful day.

Spielberg shot this film on a very fast schedule, and turned it out fast enough to qualify for that year's award season — but the question is, did he make a good movie?

We also discuss more Halt & Catch Fire and Bojack Horseman, as well as our excitement over future releases like Star Wars: The Last Jedi and I, Tonya.

089: Big Fish - Tim Burton, John August | Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Jessica Lange, Helena Bonham Carter, Allison Lohman

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 08:00:00 +0000

This week we are talking about Big Fish (2003), a film directed by Tim Burton and written by John August. It stars Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Jessica Lange, Helena Bonham Carter, Allison Lohman, and Danny Devito.

We both love this film, and we get to spend the episode talking about why. It's a fun one!

088: The Prestige | Christopher Nolan | Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson | Batman, Wolverine, Black Widow | Magicians

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 28 Nov 2017 08:00:00 +0000

This week we're watching one of our mutual favorite Christopher Nolan movies, The Prestige (2006). We also discuss a few of this year's best, including Lady Bird,Get Out, and The Disaster Artist, as well.

087: A Thanksgiving Interlude

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 07:00:00 +0000

We take a break from the Rotten Tomatoes climb to catch up during the crazy holidays — this is a casual, what we've been watching episode.

086: Cool Runnings | Jamaican Bobsled Team | John Candy & Doug E. Doug | Olympics | 1988 Winter Olympics

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 14 Nov 2017 08:00:00 +0000

Things get exciting as we head to Jamaica to craft our own Bobsledding team! Oh wait, that's just the plot of Cool Runnings (1993). We both enjoyed this film, and saw it as a step up from our previous beloved family film — Space Jam.

While not entirely historically accurate, this film captures the fun and spirit of the Jamaican bobsled team, while upping the drama just enough to make it work.

We also pitch our ideas for Cool Runnings 2, and boy are they good.

085: Top 5 Alien Invasion Movies | Alien Contact | Extra Terrestrials | UFOs | Movies About Aliens

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 08:00:00 +0000

This week we're diving deeper into the alien contact & invasion genre to bring you Scott & Max's Top 5 Alien Invasion/Contact Films. Now, our rules were that we can't just list movies we've watched (Sorry, Mac & Me), and that it has to at least be partially set on Earth as a Human-Focused Story. We bend these rules when we need to, of course.

What is your favorite alien contact/invasion movie? Let us know at TheCriticalBreakdownPodcast@gmail.com.

084: Signs (2002) | M. Night Shyamalan | Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Abigail Breslin | Alien Invasion

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 31 Oct 2017 07:30:00 +0000

This week we're talking about Signs (2002). We both genuinely enjoy this M. Night Shyamalan film, so talking about it is pretty fun. We look at this Spielbergian take on War of the Worlds, before Spielberg even made his own War of the Worlds. Signs stars Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Abigail Breslin, and Rory Culkin.

083: Tombstone (1993) — Rated 73% on Rotten Tomatoes | Wyatt Earp & Doc Holiday | Kurt Russell & Val Kilmer | Western Film

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 07:00:00 +0000

This week we packed our bags and bought a one-way train ticket to the OK Corral! That's right, we're talking about Tombstone (1993). Directed by George P. Cosmatos after Kevin Jarre was fired, Tombstone was at least written by Jarre.

Our favorite thing about this movie was probably the stars — at least Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer. Russell is as likable as always, but Kilmer was next level weird and fun in this film. Rounding out the cast is Michael Biehn, Powers Boothe, Dana Delany, Sam Elliott, Stephen Lang, Bill Paxton, Jason Priestley, Michael Rooker, Billy Zane, and Charlton Heston.

082: Batman (1989) — Rated 72% on Rotten Tomatoes | Tim Burton | Michael Keaton | Jack Nicholson | Prince | DC Comics

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 17 Oct 2017 07:00:00 +0000

This week is a treat — we're talking about Tim Burton's Batman (1989), starring Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, and Kim Basinger. As an iconic superhero film, we take a look at what made it successful, and how it holds up now that we have a new superhero movie every few months. Say what you will — Batman set the mold for generations to come. We end up torn about the inclusion of Prince, but agree that it at least makes the film memorable.

081: Mrs. Doubtfire & Blade Runner 2049 | Robin Williams & Chris Columbus | Denis Villeneuve & Ryan Gosling | Harrison Ford | Ridley Scott | Philip K. Dick

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 10 Oct 2017 07:00:00 +0000

This week we watched Robin Williams' classic comedy film Mrs. Doubtfire (1993). While the film is is a perfect example of the comedic and emotional range Williams brought to almost every performance, some aspects of the film haven't held up as much.

Towards the end of the episode, we transition to a quick lightly spoiler-ish discussion about the fresh release Blade Runner 2049 (2017). We're both pretty excited about this film, so stick around for it if you have seen the film (or don't mind spoilers).

What's your favorite Robin Williams film? Let us know at TheCriticalBreakdownPodcast@gmail.com.

080: Conan the Barbarian (1982)

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 03 Oct 2017 07:00:00 +0000

This week we are talking about Conan the Barbarian (1982), a film by John Milius, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Earl Jones, Mako, and Sandahl Bergman.

Conan is a kind-of outlier among fantasy films of this era, but it also creates a lot of tropes that follow. We talk about the genre of sword-and-sorcery, as well as a film titled The Sword and The Sorcerer, as well.

079: Swiss Army Man & mother!

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 26 Sep 2017 07:00:00 +0000

This week we preface our main show with a discussion about the latest film from Darren Aronofsky, mother! Spoilers: We both thought it was dumb, but one of us left the film with a more positive interpretation.

After that we get a big whiff of Swiss Army Man. This indie fart dramadey can be divisive depending on the crowd, but we found plenty of joy in our viewing and discussion.

078: Point Break

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 19 Sep 2017 07:00:00 +0000

Point Break (1991) was directed by Kathryn Bigelow, written by W. Peter Iliff and stars Patrick Swayze, Keanu Reeves, Gary Busey, Lori Petty, John C. McGinley, Anthony Kiedis, and Tom Sizemore.

We both recognize Point Break as one of the finest films ever made, so we had a great time talking about it. There's not just one tiny thing that makes it great, either. A lot of little things add up and allow this movie to be more than just a shallow action film. However, it's still a fun ride that keeps you entertained from start to finish.

077: Lawless

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 07:00:00 +0000

This week we are talking about Lawless (2012), directed by John Hillcoat with a screenplay by Nick Cave — yes, that Nick Cave. The film stars Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Jason Clarke, Guy Pearce, Jessica Chastain, Mia Wasikowska, Dane DeHaan, and Gary Oldman.

We enjoyed this movie, even though it's simply good enough, and not great. There are some enjoyable moments, and we wander through them.

076: The Rock

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 05 Sep 2017 07:00:00 +0000

We know we promised you guys The Last Samurai, but due to every single reaction of our most trusted friends, we decided to roll with something universally agreed to be amazing — THE ROCK! Not Dwayne Johnson, though. We went with the famous film of the one, the only, THE Michael Bay.

We end the episode by discussing both Scott & Max's Top 5 Guilty Pleasures!

075: Watchmen feat. Eric Rivera

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 29 Aug 2017 07:00:00 +0000

This week, we visited the 2009 film adaptation of one of Max's favorite comics — Watchmen.

Watchmen was directed by Zack Snyder, written by David Hayter, Alex Tse, and based on Watchmen, a graphic novel by Dave Gibbons and Alan Moore. Watchmen stars Malin Åkerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Carla Gugino, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Patrick Wilson.

This graphic novel is famous for changing how we examine superheroes culturally, and we aim to see if the film captures that. Let us know your Watchmen thoughts at TheCriticalBreakdownPodcast@gmail.com.

074: Zoolander

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 07:00:00 +0000

This week, we watched Zoolander (2001), directed by Ben Stiller and written by Drake Sather, Ben Stiller, and John Hamburg. Zoolander stars Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell, Christine Taylor, Milla Jovovich, Jerry Stiller, Jon Voight.

Share your Zoolander thoughts with us at TheCriticalBreakdownPodcast@gmail.com. Be sure to leave us a rating & review on iTunes or any podcatching service — we read the 5 star entries on the show!

073: Starship Troopers

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 15 Aug 2017 07:00:00 +0000

This week we're talking about Starship Troopers (1997), rated 63% on Rotten Tomatoes. Directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Edward Neumeier, Starship Troopers stars Casper Van Dien, Dina Meyer, Denise Richards, Jake Busey, Neil Patrick Harris, Patrick Muldoon, and Michael Ironside.

Unfortunately, we had some audio issues this episode so our mic quality isn't as high as normal. However, our content is so good, you'll quickly forget!

072: Contact

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 07:00:00 +0000

On this week's episode, we talk about Contact (1997), rated 62% on Rotten Tomatoes. Contact was directed by Robert Zemeckis and based off a story by Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan. The film stars Jodie Foster, Matthew McConaughey, James Woods, John Hurt, Tom Skerritt, and Angela Bassett.

We both found ourselves enjoying this film, even though it has its faults. Are you a contact fan? Email us at TheCriticalBreakdownPodcast@gmail.com and let us know!

071: Pretty Woman

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 07:00:00 +0000

This week Max is joined by his wife Jodi (Scott was unavailable) to discuss Pretty Woman (1990), rated 61% on Rotten Tomatoes. Together they examine the highs and lows of the film, the lens it casts on sex work and workers, and the validity of the film in the realm of romantic comedies.

Hey, while you're reading this — give us a rating & review on iTunes, Google Play, or any other podcatching service! Send us questions or feedback at TheCriticalBreakdownPodcast@gmail.com.

070: Rush Hour

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 07:00:00 +0000

This week, we're talking about a film we both love — Rush Hour (1998), directed by Brett Ratner, written by Jim Kouf and Ross LaManna, and starring Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, Tom Wilkinson, Chris Penn, and Elizabeth Peña.

Rush Hour is a great odd-couple, buddy comedy that still stands the test of time. Let us know your thoughts on this comedy-action classic at TheCriticalBreakdownPodcast@gmail.com.

069: A Rotten Retrospective

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 07:00:00 +0000

In celebration of finishing our last rotten film last week (59%), we held a Facebook Live event where we answered questions about the journey so far.

Questions range from "What was the worst on screen pair?" to "What movie would you recommend?"

Finally, we establish our first official Mister and Miss Breakdown!

Excited for fresh movies? Let us know at TheCriticalBreakdownPodcast@gmail.com.

068: Friday the 13th feat. Kara Leonard

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 07:00:00 +0000

What happens when a group of camp counselors are stalked and murdered by an unknown assailant while trying to reopen a summer camp which, years before, was the site of a child's drowning? Well, Friday the 13th (1980) happens.

In this episode, we talk about Friday the 13th, Kevin Bacon, the Voorhees family, slasher films, and when horror goes meta.

Got questions for The Critical Breakdown? Email us at TheCriticalBreakdownPodcast@gmail.com and ask away!

067: A Knight's Tale

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 04 Jul 2017 07:00:00 +0000

This week we're talking about A Knight's Tale (2001), written and directed by Brian Heleland, and starring Heath Ledger, Mark Addy, Rufus Sewell, Paul Bettany, Alan Tudyk, James Purefoy, Shannyn Sossamon, and Laura Fraser.

While it's not a great film, A Knight's Tale is definitely fun, and provides you with a harmless enough viewing experience. With the subversive approach to music and sporting events presented, we would have liked something a bit more as far as social commentary, but at least we got a killer Paul Bettany performance here.

If you want to talk about A Knight's Tale, shoot us an email at TheCriticalBreakdownPodcast@Gmail.com.

066: Dune feat. Taylor Phillips

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 07:00:00 +0000

This week, we're joined by Taylor Phillips to discuss Dune (1984)

Written and directed by David Lynch, Dune stars Francesca Annis, Brad Dourif, Kyle MacLachlan, Virginia Madsen, Patrick Stewart, Sting, Dean Stockwell, Max von Sydow, Alicia Roanne Witt, and Sean Young — as well as about a hundred other people.

What are your thoughts on David Lynch's Dune? Let us know at TheCriticalBreakdownPodcast@gmail.com.

065: The Mummy

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 20 Jun 2017 07:00:00 +0000

This week, we're discussing The Mummy (1999), written and directed by Stephen Sommers, and starring Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Jonathan Hyde, and Kevin J. O'Connor.

We're both positive on this film, and our conversation wanders a good amount.

We also discuss the following subjects:

The Handmaid's Tale
Logan
It Comes at Night
The Leftovers and other HBO shows
Weird Science
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit and the whole Jack Ryan series
The Life Aquatic
Pocahontas

064: Man of Steel ft. Joshua Rivera

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 13 Jun 2017 07:00:00 +0000

We're joined by Joshua Rivera this week to discuss Man of Steel (2013), rated 55% on Rotten Tomatoes.

On this episode, we discuss:

The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
The Handmaid's Tale
Arrested Development
Wonder Woman

Episode Breakdown:

Man of Steel (2013) was directed by Zack Snyder and written by David S. Goyer. It stars Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Antje Traue, Ayelet Zurer, Christopher Meloni, and Russell Crowe
We could have also watched Top Gun, Step Brothers, The Bourne Legacy, The Company You Keep, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

Questions We Ask:

Is this movie bad or does it just get a bad rap?
Man of Steel is criticized for lacking positivity — how could that be changed?
What completely works for you?
What moments got close but fell flat?
Does it get better or worse with more viewings?

063: Wonder Woman & Mamma Mia!

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 06 Jun 2017 07:00:00 +0000

On this episode, we not only talk about Mamma Mia, our 54% movie, we also talk about the newly released Wonder Woman (2017).

Episode Breakdown:

Mamma Mia! was written and directed by Catherine Johnson and Phyllida Lloyd, respectively.
It stars Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Julie Walters, Dominic Cooper, Amanda Seyfried, and Christine Baranski.
Wonder Woman was directed by Patti Jenkins and written by Allan Heinberg. It stars Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Danny Huston, David Thewlis, Connie Nielsen, and Elena Anaya.

Questions We Ask:

Why was Mamma Mia! so successful?
Does this movie hedge all of its bets on Abba songs?
Could they make a sequel work?
What were our thoughts on Wonder Woman?

As always, leave us a review on your podcatching service (like Apple Podcasts) or send us an email at thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com.

062: Basic Instinct

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 30 May 2017 07:00:00 +0000

Episode Breakdown:

Directed by Paul Verhoeven, written by Joe Eszterhas
Starring Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, George Dzundza, and Jeanne Tripplehorn

Questions We Ask:

Could the medium budget feature survive now?
What makes a good erotic thriller?
Why were the ratings so love-it-or-hate-it?
How good are Verhoeven films?

Want to contact us? Email us at TheCriticalBreakdownPodcast@Gmail.com!

061: Weekend at Bernie's feat. Joe Leonard

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 23 May 2017 07:00:00 +0000

Episode Breakdown:

Weekend at Bernies was directed by Tod Kotcheff and written by Robert Klane.
It stars Andrew McCarthy, Jonathan Silverman, Catherine Mary Stewart, and Terry Kiser
Films we didn't pick:

Questions We Ask:

How cool is Andrew McCarthy in this movie?
Is this movie actually funny or are we just the target audience?
Are necrophilia gags ever okay?
Is this comedy underrated?

Want to contact us? Email us at TheCriticalBreakdownPodcast@Gmail.com!

060: Tron: Legacy

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 16 May 2017 07:00:00 +0000

On this episode, we discuss:

Tron Legacy, rated 51% on Rotten Tomatoes. We honestly didn't realize this was a straight sequel, we thought it was a reboot.
We were gonna watch John Carter, as well, but I was too busy to devote time to it.
I've been watching Party of Five still. I'm nearing the end of Season 3.
Scott finally watched National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets.
We enjoyed Tron: Legacy to different degrees, and had a good time talking about it.

Want to contact us? Email us at TheCriticalBreakdownPodcast@Gmail.com!

059: Tomorrowland

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 09 May 2017 07:00:00 +0000

This week, we are discussing Tomorrowland (2015). We both thought this film had an interesting concept with a lot of talent attached. Unfortunately, it wasn't the success story that Disney was hoping for. We also had some audience members asking us to talk about it.

We also discuss Party of Five and The Amazing Spider-Man.

Tomorrowland was directed by Brad Bird and stars George Clooney, Britt Robertson, and Hugh Laurie.

058: Summer Movie Preview 2017

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 02 May 2017 07:00:00 +0000

This week, we're joined by Kara Leonard to talk about the 2017 summer movie releases! Join us, as we discuss King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, Alien: Covenant, Baywatch, Wonder Woman, The Mummy, Baby Driver, Spider-Man: Homecoming, War for the Planet of the Apes, Dunkirk, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, and The Emoji Movie.

Listen to our episode here and read show notes here.

057: Sex and the City ft. Julia Vickerman, Sarah Tennant, Kara Leonard, and Jodi

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 07:00:00 +0000

This week, we handed the keys to the pod over to a few of our friends — Julia Vickerman, Sarah Tennant, Kara Leonard, and Jodi — in order to bring you an in-depth look at Sex and the City (2008). While Scott and Max could have easily watched and reviewed, we wanted to really bridge the gap between the show, the film, and the context of this series.

No matter what you think about this film, we guarantee you it's better than Mr. Deeds.

056: Willow

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 07:00:00 +0000

Say what you will about George Lucas, the man has a weird and creative mind. That's why we picked Willow (1988) this week — the fantasy film about a dwarf magician saving a baby — and the world. Willow is considered a classic by many, but doesn't live up to the quality of other Lucasfilm properties. Yeah, we mean Star Wars. All of it.

Directed by Ron Howard (and based on a Lucas story), Willow stars Warwick Davis, Val Kilmer, and Joanne Whalley. It's also a really weird movie.

055: Miami Vice

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 07:00:00 +0000

On this episode, we're talking about Miami Vice (2006), directed by Michael Mann and starring Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell. Based on the hit 80s crime drama, Miami Vice was a modern update with star power to back it.

Yet the final product left us... wanting more. There are a lot of little things that add up to why this film doesn't work, and they outweigh the few things that do work in the film.

We also watched an episode of the television show so that we can compare what each text brings to the table.

054: Bobby

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 04 Apr 2017 07:00:00 +0000

Bobby (2006) is what we call Oscar bait. Yet it didn't really go anywhere — critically or financially. With a star-studded cast and a simple enough premise — a look into the events leading up to the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, through the eyes of the people at the hotel.

Sure, it's not gonna break the mold, but this should have been great. Instead director/writer Emilio Estevez gets lost in the details, allowing the story to drift between 22 different characters, and only tying it all together with the unavoidable assassination.

Also, this is our one year anniversary episode! Hooray!

053: The Day After Tomorrow Feat. Jodi

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 07:00:00 +0000

You hear it all the time — climate change is going to ruin our world. But what does that mean? How will it play out? Will it look anything like the 2004 smash hit by Roland Emmerich, The Day After Tomorrow?

With a good disaster film, you're gripping the edge of your seat while rooting for these characters to survive. But is The Day After Tomorrow a good film? With all things considered, it's at best a popcorn flick with some cool visuals, but it isn't going to ever be more than that.

In this episode, we take a look at what works in this film — but we also spend plenty of time tearing apart the dumb parts. We're joined by Max's wife Jodi for this very special episode.

052: National Treasure

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 21 Mar 2017 07:00:00 +0000

In the film National Treasure we are promised one thing — Nicolas Cage is going to steal the Declaration of Independence. We are then treated to a carefully calculated set of sequences that deliver on that promise. National Treasure isn't a critical darling, but it's a fun, rewarding popcorn film that doesn't waste any screen time.

Let's get the (arguable) negatives out of the way. National Treasure isn't going to blow your mind with cutting edge film concepts, nor will it present you with realism or gore and grit. Instead what you get is a fun film that lays out a set of goals and then accomplishes them.

It's notable that we don't get Crazed Nicolas Cage at all in this film, and Sean Bean doesn't die. Diane Kruger, Justin Bartha, Harvey Keitel, and Jon Voight round out the cast in this picture.

If you haven't noticed, we're running March Movie Madness right now. Cast your votes here!

051: The Village

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 14 Mar 2017 07:00:00 +0000

This week, we're talking M. Night Shyamalan's The Village (2004). This star-studded film is visually beautiful with a haunting score, but still manages to fizzle. With solid performances from Joaquin Phoenix, Bryce Dallas Howard, William Hurt, Adrien Brody, and Sigourney Weaver, this film should have been a hit.

The problem is that twist ending. It's just... anti-climactic.

What are your thoughts on The Village? Let us know at thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com or leave us a review online!

050: The Golden Compass feat. Paul4AllSeasons

thecriticalbreakdownpodcast@gmail.com (Max Rivera & Scott Tennant) — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 08:00:00 +0000

After the success of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, studios optioned fantasy novel series left and right for a while. Looking for a LOTR successor, they picked up Phillip Pullman's The Golden Compass, part one of the His Dark Materials series.

While they are terrific books, the film The Golden Compass comes off as shallow, confusing, and at times, just plain weird. Worst of all, they took an amazing ending and truncated it, leaving you with a movie that stops short. At least it has an awesome cast.

We're joined by the delightful Paul4AllSeasons once again on this magical journey.