Case and Sam are joined by Randy Allain from the Media / Lit podcast to ask "Who are your people?" Tune in for this dissection of Solo: A Star Wars Story!   Overview   In the latest episode of the podcast, hosts Case and Sam welcome guest Randy from Media Lit to delve into "Solo: A Star Wars Story," rating the film as 'fine' but flawed and assigning it a C grade. The discussion highlights Alden Ehrenreich's portrayal of Han Solo, praises Donald Glover’s performance as Lando Calrissian, and critiques the characters' limited screen time, particularly for Lando and L3. The conversation shifts to character dynamics, the film’s pacing, and the handling of complex themes such as slavery, with commentary on visual effects and significant plot elements like the Kessel Run. The hosts explore the film's production history, specifically the impacts of the directorial switch from Lord & Miller to Ron Howard, and suggest improvements for pacing and character development. They propose alternative narrative structures for the heist elements and discuss how to enhance character relationships and thematic portrayals. The episode wraps up with final thoughts on the film's relevance in the Star Wars universe and additional promotional content, including Randy's other projects and plans for future episodes. Notes Introduction and Overview (00:00 - 09:20) Podcast hosts Case and Sam introduce the topic: Solo: A Star Wars Story Guest Randy from Media Lit podcast joins the discussion The movie is described as 'fine' but flawed, given a C grade Criticism of the scene explaining Han Solo's name origin Cast and Characters (09:20 - 18:56) Discussion of Alden Ehrenreich's performance as Han Solo Praise for Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian Criticism of limited screen time for Lando and L3 Analysis of Emilia Clarke's character Kira and her role in the plot Character Dynamics and Plot Elements (18:56 - 27:32) Examination of Han and Chewbacca's meeting and relationship Discussion of Woody Harrelson's character Beckett and his crew Criticism of the movie's pacing and overabundance of plot elements Visual Effects and World-building (27:32 - 37:11) Praise for the design of droid character L3 Discussion of the Kessel Run sequence and its importance to the plot Criticism of the movie's handling of slavery and oppression themes Supporting Characters and Themes (37:11 - 48:41) Analysis of Paul Bettany's character Dryden Vos Discussion of Darth Maul's cameo and its implications Examination of the movie's themes of rebellion and criminal underworld Production History and Directorial Changes (48:41 - 57:10) Discussion of the change in directors from Lord & Miller to Ron Howard Analysis of how the change affected the movie's tone and style Speculation on what a Lord & Miller version might have looked like Critique and Improvement Ideas (57:11 - 01:07:49) Suggestions for improving the movie's pacing and character development Discussion of how to better integrate the heist elements of the plot Ideas for enhancing the relationships between characters Alternative Plot Structures (01:07:49 - 01:20:24) Proposal for a more 'Ocean's Eleven' style approach to the heist plot Suggestions for restructuring Han's backstory and relationship with Kira Ideas for better integrating Lando and other supporting characters Refinement of Improvement Ideas (01:20:25 - 01:30:44) Further discussion on making Han and Kira's relationship more familial Suggestions for improving the portrayal of the criminal underworld Ideas for better integrating themes of corruption and rebellion Conclusion and Podcast Information (01:30:44 - 01:40:33) Final thoughts on the movie and its place in the Star Wars franchise Information about the hosts' and guest's other projects and social media Details about upcoming podcast episodes and related content Action items Unassigned Check out Randy's podcast Media Lit and other work (01:36:05) Listen to Randy's appearance on the Socially Distanced podcast for their 200th episode Avengers draft (01:36:39) Join the Discord for ongoing conversations about the podcast topics (01:38:49) Listen to the Reignite podcast for discussions on Bioware games (01:39:08) Tune in to the next episode about Highlander 2: The Quickening (01:39:49)

Case and Sam are looking back at the earliest episodes of the show! Check out their thoughts on the thirteenth episode when Case sat down with Ben Milton & Addy Thomas and chatted about Zoolander 2!   Overview In a review of Episode 14 of the Another Pass podcast, hosts Case Aiken and Sam Alicea engage in a lively discussion about the original Michael Bay Transformers movie, highlighting its entertainment value while pinpointing areas for improvement, such as the underutilization of Transformers characters like Starscream and a disproportionate focus on human characters, particularly Shia LaBeouf. Originally joined by Tom G, they analyze scenes, praise Optimus Prime's portrayal, and suggest ways to modernize the franchise. The conversation also touches on production insights, including audio editing challenges and the regret over cutting original content. The episode concludes with reflections on actors' career transitions and a preview of future discussions, including the upcoming episode on Age of Ultron, alongside housekeeping notes. Notes Transformers Movie Discussion (00:01 - 09:28) Case Aiken and Sam Al Saya discuss Episode 14 of Another Pass podcast Focus on the original Michael Bay Transformers movie Case expresses his positive opinion of the first movie Sam agrees the movie was fun and good for big screen viewing Movie Analysis (09:29 - 18:34) Tom G joins to discuss how to improve the Transformers movie Both enjoyed the movie but noted areas for improvement Praise for inventive use of Transformers' abilities (e.g., Starscream's dogfight scene) Discussion on updating Transformers for modern technology Criticism of too much focus on human characters, especially Shia LaBeouf Character and Plot Discussion (18:34 - 26:20) Debate on the portrayal of Transformers characters, especially Starscream Suggestion to introduce Transformers earlier in the movie Criticism of underutilized military characters Praise for Optimus Prime's character portrayal in fight scenes ️ Podcast Production Insights (26:20 - 36:04) Case reflects on the episode's production quality and length Discussion on audio editing challenges and improvements over time Regret expressed over cutting content from the original recording Actor Discussion and Franchise Impact (36:04 - 47:22) Analysis of Shia LaBeouf's performance and public perception Discussion on the challenges faced by Disney child stars transitioning to other roles Reflection on how sequels and actor controversies affected perception of the first movie Final Thoughts and Future Episodes (47:22 - 59:02) Agreement that the first Transformers movie was solid despite franchise issues Discussion on upcoming podcast episodes, including Age of Ultron Housekeeping notes on recent and upcoming podcast content

Case and Sam are joined by Ben Haslar from the Reels of Justice podcast to take a look at a movie that really bears a Grudge!

Case and Sam are looking back at the earliest episodes of the show! Check out their thoughts on the thirteenth episode when Case sat down with Ben Milton & Addy Thomas and chatted about Zoolander 2!

Sometimes, a movie can be derailed by the censors and what happened to the return on this movie was A Dirty Shame! Wes Johnson, who was in the film as Fat F*** Frank, joins Case and Sam to discuss A Dirty Shame.

Case and Sam are looking back at the earliest episodes of the show! Check out their thoughts on the twelfth episode when Case sat down with Geoff Moonen and chatted about Thor The Dark World! Originally aired NOVEMBER 2, 2017 Review aired AUGUST 25, 2024

Can we pull the sword and reveal a champion who can restore order to the merely mediocre 2004 film about the noble King Arthur? Lo! There is a champion who might join Case and Sam! Lauren Carter joins them to peer through the Avalonian mists and stalwartly engage with King Arthur!

Let’s look back at the time Addy Thomas joined Case to talk about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3!

Remember when the worst impulses of the modern film industry, like digitally resurrecting actors and sterile green screen only sets, were instead a beautiful dream of tomorrow? Well, Case and Sam, along with guest Jesse Fresco, remember. Join them for a discussion of Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow!

Case and Sam are looking back at the earliest episodes of the show! Check out their thoughts on the ninth episode when Case sat down with Geoff Moonen and chatted about Tron Legacy!

Red comes from the Net. She makes videos and comics and now this place: Another Pass. Her goal: discuss Reboot Season 3. Her price: Discuss Reboot Season 4.

Let’s look back at the time Dr. Tom Obrzut joined Case to talk about Captain America Civil War!

We've got a bonus episode featuring Case guesting on The McCaw Podcast Universe to talk Dawn of the Planet of the Apes! Check it out!

Moving from ancient ruins to Cold War era espionage made for a less well received Indiana Jones film. Can Case and Sam, along with guest Doug Lief, whip it into shape?

Let’s look back at the time Ben Milton and Addy Thomas joined Case to talk about The Dark Knight Rises!

Independent film making is hard. It’s even harder when all eyes are on you because you’re using a famous property. Johnny K joins Case and Sam to talk about the challenges in making the award winning Fan Film, The Oath: A Batman Fan Film! Check out The Oath: https://youtu.be/QNgKEX9cxwg?si=RGorZuDbsWcTVusB Support Farragut Forward: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/farragut-forward-a-star-trek-fan-production/x/2498098#/

Let's look back at the time Case had Geoff Moonen on to talk about the 2001 Planet of the Apes reimagining.

Case and Sam are joined by Joseph Mastropiero to talk about a formative Rankin and Bass fantasy cartoon, The Flight of Dragons.

Let's look back at the time Case had Geoff Moonen on to talk about Spider-Man 3.

Case and Sam are joined by Anna Grindrod-Feeny to state for the record that it’s centrifugal motion, it's perpetual bliss. It’s Practical Magic. It’s a beloved flop. It’s a beautiful miss.

Case and Sam stand with Writer's Guild and Screen Actor's Guild! In this episode, they share their thoughts on the matter before taking a pause in solidarity with the striking Unions!

On this episode, Case and Sam need a power and a force that you've never seen before (Nic Woolfe), as well as someone with the ability to morph to even up the score (Matty Limerick). Together, no one could ever take them down, since the power lies on their side as they Go Go on Power Rangers (2017)!

Let's look back at the time Case had Farragut Forward's Executive Producer, John Broughton, on to talk about Star Trek: The Motion Picture.   Check out Farragut Forward: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/farragut-forward-a-star-trek-fan-production#/

We’re joined by Sophia Ricciardi, host of Movie Struck and The Overly Sarcastic Podcast, to look at the 2008 Wachowski flop. By the end of the episode will we be saying “Go Speed Racer Go Speed Racer Go Speed Racer, Go!”?

Often called “A Thinking Man’s Action Movie” and “The Last of the Great Action Movies”, it’s hard to imagine that “Total Recall” was a fight to get made. From the “One Track Mind” and “Reels of Justice” podcasts, Ryan Luis Rodriguez joins Case and Sam to try to remember the details of this wild production!

For some web slinging reason Case decided to do both of the Amazing Spiders-Man movies for the fourth episode of Another Pass. Check out Sam digesting (externally) all of the takes on the two awkward entries in the Wall Crawler's filmography.

The world’s most popular table top role playing game has had a meteoric rise in the past decade, so it’s hard to imagine just how hard the 2000 attempt to adapt the property to film rolled a critical failure! To talk about the infamous flop, Sam and Case are joined by Katie DeMatteis and Ben MartinMooney from Amateurish Productions!

Case and Sam are looking back at the earliest episodes of the show! Check out their thoughts on the third episode when Case sat down with Paul Sieber and chatted about the 2009 Star Trek reboot!

Tom Hanks is known as a talented actor and producer, but once he wrote and directed a well received period piece about a very archetypal band with a number one single. So to talk about That Thing You Do, Case and Sam are joined by Jukebox Vertigo's Keith Lehtinen for a conversation that spans both a theatrical and director's cut and revels in the class rock and pop homages of the film!

Case and Sam are looking back at the earliest episodes of the show! Check out their thoughts on the second episode when Case sat down with Geoff Moonen and chatted about Mallrats!

Father! Father! Why is there pain? Why is there the pain that is The Island of Dr. Moreau? Micah McCaw asks this of Case and Sam when they reflect on the troubled adaptation of the H.G. Wells novel.

Case and Sam are looking back at the earliest episodes of the show! Check out their thoughts on the pilot episode when Case first sat down with Ben and Addy and chatted about Return of the Jedi!

Can a bunch of millennials look past their rose tinted nostalgia glasses when discussing a milestone from their childhood like “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze”? Mike Urban joins us for the more kid friendly second entry in the franchise.

With complicated make up, expensive sets, a tight schedule, little support, and brutal weather, it’s a miracle that the original Planet of the Apes was made at all! The fact that it spawned such a vast (if mixed) franchise is just as impressive! Paul Kaminski is back to help Sam and Case conclude their retrospective on the Planet of the Apes franchise!

Living up to the incredible original Planet of the Apes film was a Gorilla-ian task that no lower budget sequel was up to, let alone the one that was still working out the kinks. Sam Perez joins Case and Sam for a look Beneath The Planet of The Apes!

The original Planet of the Apes was a landmark film that has remained entrenched in the zeitgeist to this day. The immediate follow up was... not. So how do you course correct the franchise? Flip the script and ask audiences to question how we would handle it if the roles were reversed! Case and Sam are joined by Maynard Bangs from the Reels of Justice podcast to discuss the closest the Planet of the Apes franchise ever got to being a comedy: Escape from the Planet of the Apes!

In the far future of the 1990s, ape will serve man, but humanity is humane, sowing the seeds of uprising. Case and Sam continue their journey backwards (and forwards and then upwards… all the while twirling) through the Planet of the Apes franchise with Conquest of the Planet of the Apes! We’re joined by Kale Ryder to light the fires and illuminate this dark entry in the franchise.

As we approach our 150th episode, we’re taking a look back at the original Planet of the Apes series, and what better way to handle a series rich with time travel shenanigans than to take them in reverse order? That’s right! We’re starting with the oft dismissed and forgotten: Battle For The Planet Of The Apes! Seth Decker from the Film Rescue podcast joins us to combine our editorial voices to proudly proclaim that APE SHALL NEVER KILL APE (until they do)!

When one of your leads dies suddenly in the middle of filming, it takes a lot of creativity to make a finished product, as was the case with The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus! Kelsey Lynn Stokes joins Case and Sam to look back at Terry Gilliam's fever dream that almost didn't happen!

The original King Kong was a milestone of special effects and film making tricks, and each generation has tried since to surpass the influential film, including a middling effort in the 70s with an all star cast, a robot gorilla, and a terrible script! Derek Van Dyke and Charlotte Landale from Castle Bravo join Case and Sam to talk about the attempted update at the original kaiju film!

When it comes to a movie that has pervaded the zeitgeist and become shorthand for a type of story, do you dare roll the dice when trying to improve upon it? Kieran Bennett joins us for a conversation about the 1995 film, Jumanji!

From starting as a consolation prize when the studio couldn’t get Annie, Popeye was a troubled production every step of the way. Angela “Bones” Bullock joins Case and Sam to see if they can crack a can of spinach open and force feed it to this movie! It am what it am, but could it be more!

The 2017 adaptation of the sprawling French Space Opera, Valérian and Laureline, was not particularly well received, despite incredible world building and stunning visuals, making it perfect for our show. However, this is a pretty big undertaking, so Case and Sam called in Red from Overly Sarcastic Productions to help traverse the Space Oddity that is Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.

Many movies are made under difficult circumstances, but the horror genre infamously has a ton of entries, but the original "Halloween" is one for the books! Case and Sam are joined by Entrepeneur, Author, Public Speaker, and Grande Dame of Queens Comedy, Kambri Crews, to wipe away the fog of history on this classic!

Correspondence courses can teach you many things! It’s like magic and sometimes IT IS magic! Such is the case with Bedknobs and Broomsticks, the less successful follow up to Mary Poppins. To review the syllabus, Case and Sam are joined by Robin and Nicole from the “Books That Burn” podcast. Will they mail in for their degree?

In order to go the distance with Disney's uneven adaptation of Hercules, Case and Sam are joined by Gloria and Rose from the Circling Circe podcast, but will the task prove too laborious?

We’re joined by Vin Macri to take a look at the sequel to the pop culture juggernaut that was Ghostbusters! Can the trio crack open the river of slime without drowning in negativity?

Is there a secret to crafting a good Kenneth Branagh movie? To tackle this mystery, Case and Sam are joined by Melissa Meli from the Amateur Detective Club podcast. Will they get to the bottom of the “Murder on the Orient Express”?

“I’ll get you, my pretty”, said the producer to the… everyone. To discuss the ur-example of Hollywood’s contempt for human life and why we need safety regulations, Case and Sam are joined by Ashley Griffin to talk about The Wizard of Oz!