For their 154th episode, two apolitical film critics, two American dads, and two special forces teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, stage their own divide for Civil War from the well-regarded director Alex Garland. To do so, they bring in a pair of critical combatants to double the talk and double the bloodshed. The podcast welcomes back frequent guest Cati Glidewell of The Blonde in Front and debuts for your listening pleasure Jeff York of The Establishing Shot and Pipeline Artists. The four draw out their battlelines of agreement and disagreement for a bombastic episode.
Read MoreThe newest live roundtable for the Kicking the Seat podcast and YouTube channel went to war to not talk about war, but to talk about anti-war in a journalistic war film that’s occaisional true to its vision. Ian, myself, and Mark Krawcyzk of Special Mark Productions drew the lines of the cinematic battlefield to discuss Cival War from Alex Garland. We three had plenty of questions to ask and discussion points to expound on trying to found reasons and implications in this dramatic thriller.
Read MoreNo one wins in a civil war. Apathy exists and wins instead through a constant mood of nearly callous disillusionment. On the other hand, if you don’t need the spoon-feeding and welcome your own search for the rational or irrational that could be dirty or delicate at any moment, Civil War may be the ideal type of havoc to dissect.
Read MoreSince Hollywood has become a hit-generating factory more than a garden of artistry and truth, a historical drama film like “Free State of Jones” only has to raise its barometer to a midpoint of “good enough.” That is because there is nearly unwinnable tug-of-war of disservice between history lessons and entertainment value, especially when your poster reads “based on a true story.” Veer away from the facts too far with dramatic license and the film becomes disingenuous. Veer too close to history without cinematic flashiness and no one will pay to see it. “Free State of Jones” falls somewhere in the middle of that mud pit.
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