Episode 76 - MORTAL KOMBAT

Arriving at the tail end of Hollywood's initial mini-boom of video game adaptations, Mortal Kombat tried to kapitalize on a sensationalistic media kraze centered on the popular game's macabre backstory and gratuitous violence. The resulting PG-13 film is, at best, an uneven-yet-sincere attempt to kapture the game's spirit, but its lack of polish didn't stop it from enjoying a residual '90s koolness and kamp appeal--especially as subsequent films based on games failed to significantly raise the bar.

Our MK guru, Kevin Gutierrez, grabs an extra kontroller to join us in a discussion of Mortal Kombat as both movie and game, as we seek an elusive konsensus on what we want out of our video game flicks. Toasty!

Mortal Kombat (1995)
Directed by Paul W. S. Anderson
Produced by Lawrence Kasanoff
Written by Kevin Droney
Based on the video game created by Ed Boon and John Tobias
Starring Robin Shou, Linden Ashby, Bridgette Wilson, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Talisa Soto, Trevor Goddard, and Christopher Lambert

Episode 75 - ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY

Following the lead of last year's panel discussion of The Force Awakens, WWWW strikes back with another all-star roundtable devoted to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the latest silver screen tale to emerge from our favorite far, far away galaxy.

We're joined by our ragtag crew of Blythe Borders-Ashe, Daniel Borders-Ashe, and Eric Wheeler to debate the merits of this new frontier in franchise expansion. It's a lively back-and-forth on a surprisingly controversial film, with takes hotter than the sauna at Darth Vader's Mustafar castle. And though we may all be divided on Rogue One's successes and shortcomings, there is something that truly unites us: the Force is with us, and we are one with the Force.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Directed by Gareth Edwards
Produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur, and Simon Emanuel
Written by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy
Story by John Knoll and Gary Whitta
Based on characters created by George Lucas
Starring Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Jiang Wen, Mads Mikkelsen, Riz Ahmed, Alan Tudyk, and Forest Whitaker

Check out the rest of our series on the Star Wars saga:
Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Episode IV: A New Hope
Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Episode VII: The Force Awakens
Episode VIII: The Last Jedi

Solo: A Star Wars Story
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Star Wars: Clone Wars
Star Wars Holiday Special
Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure

Episode 74 - MEMORABLE MUSIC VIDEOS, VOL. 2

Nowadays you can meme a song into an unexpected hit, but back in the day topping the charts meant kissing the ring of Carson Daly in front of a horde of truant teens and underemployed adults packing Times Square, eager to see their idols visit MTV's famous high-rise fishbowl.  And to please this fickle audience day in and day out, you'd better have brought a hot music video.

Our second installment of the format we introduced nearly one year ago gathers six more promotional clips - this time with a heavy pop/R&B focus - as musician and YouTube personality Matt Palmer contributes his artistic expertise and passionately-held opinions to help us contextualize and question some of the most memorable videos from the music biz's last big unit-moving hurrah.

Music videos featured in this episode:

"Scream" by Michael Jackson & Janet Jackson (1995)
"Honey" by Mariah Carey (1997)
"The Boy Is Mine" by Brandy & Monica (1998)
"Unpretty" by TLC (1999)
"The Bum Bum Song (Lonely Swedish)" by Tom Green (1999)
"Thong Song" by Sisqo (2000)


More Music Videos

Vol. 1
Vol. 2
Vol. 3: Middle School Mixtape


Check out more of Matt Palmer:

Two Gay Matts on YouTube
Matt Palmer Music

BONUS - STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL

Experiencing the Star Wars Holiday Special is a true test of mental, physical, and emotional endurance, so much so that we couldn't do it alone. We trekked across universes to join our friends on the Deep Space Nine podcast Reopening the Wormhole in shared misery over this infamous piece of bantha poodoo. The end result was a long, hilarious, and insightful conversation that proved infinitely more entertaining than actually watching the damn thing.

So grab a cup of Jawa juice and/or Romulan ale (heck, you might need to double-fist quite a few just to make it through what might be the nadir of either space franchise) and strap in for a bonus crossover episode worthy of recognition in the archives of the Jedi Order. Oh, and try to enjoy your Life Day.

Star Wars Holiday Special
Originally aired November 17, 1978 on CBS
Directed by Steve Binder and David Acomba (uncredited)
Written by Pat Proft, Leonard Ripps, Bruce Vilanch, Rod Warren, and Mitzie Welch
Story by George Lucas (uncredited)
Starring Harrison Ford, Peter Mayhew, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels, Art Carney, Bea Arthur, and Harvey Korman, David Prowse and James Earl Jones

Check out the rest of our series on the Star Wars saga:
Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Episode IV: A New Hope
Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Episode VII: The Force Awakens
Episode VIII: The Last Jedi

Solo: A Star Wars Story
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Star Wars: Clone Wars
Star Wars Holiday Special
Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure

Episode 73 - WINTER WONDER-THON 2016

Wintertime
Are you seein'?
On the screen
Goofy's skiing
Hear the kids sing
Coke's the real thing
We're watching our Winter Wonder-Thon

On the podcast we'll discuss "The Snowman"
While Garfield's country Christmas tale is told
We'll revisit Friends 'cause it's a great show, man
As Dinosaurs keep their food nice and cold

Later on
Within these scenes
We will find
Evergreen themes
We've got lots to say
Have a happy holiday
Listening to our Winter Wonder-Thon!

Featured in this episode:

Clips and Shorts
Coca-Cola "Christmas Caravan" commercials (1995, 1996, 1997)
"The Art of Skiing" (1941)

TV Episodes and Specials
The Snowman (aired December 26, 1982)
A Garfield Christmas Special (aired December 21, 1987)
Friends - "The One With the Holiday Armadillo" (aired December 14, 2000)
Dinosaurs - "Refrigerator Day" (aired December 11, 1991)

Episode 72 - CARAVAN OF COURAGE: AN EWOK ADVENTURE

Caravan of Courage is a famous (and infamous) part of Star Wars lore, the first of two mid-1980s TV movies featuring the oh-so-divisive Ewoks. So how is it that we've never seen it before?

Consider this an unofficial "What Weren't We Watching?" as we ruminate on an earlier generation's attempt to spin off the Star Wars saga and keep food on the tables of Lucasfilm employees. Does this kiddie-friendly cash-in conceal hidden depths? Grab your magic talismans and join us on this courageous podquest. Yub nub!

Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure
Originally aired November 25, 1984 on ABC
Directed by John Korty
Produced by Thomas G. Smith
Written by Bob Carrau
Story by George Lucas
Starring Eric Walker, Aubree Miller, Fionnula Flanagan, Guy Boyd, Warwick Davis, and Burl Ives

Check out the rest of our series on the Star Wars saga:
Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Episode IV: A New Hope
Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Episode VII: The Force Awakens
Episode VIII: The Last Jedi

Solo: A Star Wars Story
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Star Wars: Clone Wars
Star Wars Holiday Special
Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure

Episode 71 - FLUBBER

The '90s were halcyon days for the movie star, so it was no surprise that Disney had confidence in Robin Williams to breathe new life into one of its more dated midcentury comedies. The name-above-the-title clout was paired with cutting-edge visual effects and enough marketing muscle to indoctrinate young minds with images of mambo-ing green homunculi.

So why is this John Hughes-scripted movie often relegated to the bench of Williams' filmography? Where are all the Professor Brainard cosplayers at Disneyland? Wither Flubber? We answer that last question with a "hopefully not" as we pick apart this sentimental science fair of slapstick.

Flubber (1997)
Directed by Les Mayfield
Produced by John Hughes and Ricardo Mestres
Written by John Hughes
Original screenplay The Absent-Minded Professor by Bill Walsh
Based on "A Situation of Gravity" by Samuel W. Taylor
Starring Robin Williams, Marcia Gay Harden, Christopher McDonald, Raymond J. Barry, Ted Levine, Clancy Brown, Wil Wheaton, and Jodi Benson