Never say Die! Iron Eagle!

Forget Top Gun. This is the real 80’s jet movie.

Sync Point – The black frame after the Tri-Star logo has faded away.

Back in 1978 many movie making personas, talents and factors came together and created something magical. And now the Soulless Minions are taking a look at that piece of magic which just happens to be one of the greatest superhero films ever made – Superman: The Movie.

Sync Point – The black frame after the title card which reads This picture is dedicated with love and respect to Geoffrey Unsworth O.B.E.

Max and Mike are join by Josh and Justin for a Commentary Track Stars/Soulless Minions of Orthodoxy double landmark crossover episode.

A Soulless Minion (minus one) takes on the sequal to the greatest superhero film ever made… Superman II! This represents the second to last in our unofficial countdown of the Superman films in reverse order. Justin (the minion in question here) is a lifelong fan of the franchise and does his best to explore the various plot elements and behind-the-scenes goings on of the film that have now become the stuff of movie legend. This commentary strives to examine the elements of this version of the film while at the same time comparing to the Richard Donner Cut of the film released a few years ago. Because this version is the one most of us grew up with, it seemed only right to do a commentary on this the theatrical cut. Superman II is not a perfect film, but it’s a fun and entertaining ride through superheroland.

The Soulless Minions take a look at the 2012 action film Dredd. Neither of the Minions is familiar with the source material so we spend most of the conversation discussing the film on its own merits, however, we do from time to time compare and contrast it to Judge Dredd from 1995. Aside from the sporadic references to the 1995 version most of the conversation is spent admiring Dredd as a film – things such as it’s very high and yet appropriate level of violence, it’s phenomenal production design, its very well placed set of actors and gritty realism.

The Soulless Minions take a look at the 1985 comedy film Clue. In our minds Clue is an example of a pitch perfect film. It’s simply fantastic. Every ingrediant of its production works to a T — from its tightly honed script, its brilliant cast of players, its use of limited sets and its fun and yet ominous musical score. If you haven’t seen it in a while do yourself a favor and fire it up on your DVD player. It’s timeless and madcap as hell.

One of the Soulless Minions is joined by special guest Kimberly for a look at the 1983 film A Christmas Story. A Christmas Story is a holiday classic that never seems to get old no matter how many times you may watch it. So watch it again with The Minions…

The Soulless Minions take a look at the 2002 film The Adventures of Pluto Nash. Pluto Nash has a bit of a reputation as an enormous box office bomb (a loss of about 90 million dollars) and also as a critically reviled slice of ficton (it was nominated for five Golden Raspberry Awards awards).

So does it really deserve such a bad reputation? Is it really that bad?

Both Soulless Minions don’t think so. Wipe its slate clean and strip it of its rotten tomato and The Adventures of Pluto Nash stands as a fun movie. We do point out some things that we feel would improve the film but most of the time we point out what works and what we like — including some good set pieces, performances and some genuinely funny moments.

So go into it fresh and watch it with us. Maybe we’ll make you a Pluto fan.

Both Soulless Minions take on the 1994 action/sci-fi film Timecop. Timecop stands out as one of Jean-Claude Van Damme’s stronger efforts in his resume. Despite bending and breaking some of its own time travel rules it well surpasses mediocrity. And with the help of some great co-stars and a very capable veteran director Timecop manages to be quite a fun ride — if not always completely credible.

Both Soulless Minions return once again to the Superman universe for a look at the 1983 film Superman III. The fllm was directed by Richard Lester who is a fine director in his own right–but was he a good fit for Superman? Most seem to agree that he wasn’t. But not all in Supes III is at a loss. Most of it’s comedy is over the top and misplaced but if removed from the other films in the saga it really isn’t a bad film at all. It’s just the wrong tone. With this approach we found that most of the performances are top notch and there are some genuinely funny moments not just from Pryor but from others as well.

There’s no Kryptonite. There’s no Lex Luther. For this is a different struggle for The Man of Steel. In this fantastic animated tale Superman finds himself at odds with a group of powerful beings — The Elite. The Elite claim to be a force for good but their form of dishing justice is against Superman’s established code.

Who is right? The Elite or Superman?

And when they battle…

…who will win?

Sync Point – The first black frame immediately after the Warner Bros. Premiere logo has faded away.

Soulless Minion, Josh, goes solo for a commentary on the 2004 film The Notebook directed by Nick Cassavetes and adapted from the novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks.

Noah and Allie are both bright eyed and bushy tailed, young and fancy free. They have a chance encounter one evening at a local fair and soon after delve deep into the throws of a passionate summer romance. But when the summer ends so does their relationship and so the seemingly inseparable pair go their separate ways. Many years go by and both Noah and Allie try to live their lives to the fullest but no matter what they do they find their minds reaching back to the summer of their lost youth and that first love that seemed so powerful.

And now soon they will meet again…

Both Soulless Minions join in on the 1984 fantasy adventure film The NeverEnding Story.

The movie was adapted by the book of the same name written by Michael Ende and directed by Wolfgang Peterson. Through some research we found that Michael Ende wound up so unsatisfied with the adaptation that he had his name removed from the credits. Surprising but true. Nevertheless, we believe it to be a pretty good adaptation that has held up quite well over the years.

Most of our commentary focuses on story analysis, book to fim comparsions, Michael Ende’s feelings regarding the film and overall impressions of the fantasy genre.

Soulless Minion, Josh, is joined by special guest, Susan, for a look at the 2002 film A Walk to Remember. The film was adapted from the best selling novel by Nicholas Sparks who has had many of his novels adapted in films. This was his second novel to be adapted

We are both fans of the novel so throughtout the commentary we discuss the changes that occured during the adaptation from book to screen and how successful the adaptation was in our eyes.

Here comes Jack Twiller! Plunging into the teenage abyss, always surprising, always surprised–just like a…
JACK IN THE BOX

One of the Soulless Minions, Josh, goes solo once again for a commentary on the 1990 film Book of Love.

The film was adapted from a novel by William Kotzwinkle called Jack in the Box and was directed by Robert Shey–the founder and CEO of New Line Cinema.

The book cover describes Jack in the Box as An X-Rated American Graffiti… and I whole heartily agree. It is indeed quite raunchy but with that raunch comes real honesty from the dreams, exploits and the trials and tribulations of our main character–Jack Twiller.

Book of Love never got the attention it deserved during it’s initial release but now thanks to DVD this film stands today as a real hidden gem and serves as a great and charming portrait of teenage life.

Most of the commentary is devoted to comparisons between the book and film, however, I do deliver my fair share of nostalgia, personal insights and admiration.

“This film proves that you don’t need a $100 million dollar budget if you have imagination and a good story!”

The year is 1991…

College professor Nick Miller has done it! He’s become the world’s first time traveller! And he managed to accomplish this breakthrough with just a modest computer and a Cessna … but more importantly with a whole lot of ingenuity. Soon Nick sells his invention to a local company, however, all is not well for long. Mismanagement and corporate greed leads to a dystopian future that Nick must strive to correct while trying to dodge the forces of evil and save the love of his life.

Time Chasers (AKA Tangents) is a great example of how a lot of courage and determination can get a movie made despite the lack of a lot resources. It was popularized on the TV show MST3K in the late 90’s but despite being fodder for the crew of the Satellite of Love it still stands today as a success and a long lived cult hit.

One of the Soulless Minions, Josh, goes solo on this commentary for a fond look back and this time travel adventure that makes the most of its low budget.

–Nothing so liberates the heart as when a fool awakes from his folly.

This is the fantastical tale of Fancy Lad Nathaniel Mayweather and his journey through the mythical and treacherous Hell’s Bucket. Upon graduating finishing school he was on his way to Hawaii to live a life of endless comfort under the wing of his father but fate to took his hand an steered him in another direction. Through his newfound quest he will become the latest crew member of the Filthy Whore, apprentice to Captain Greybar, friend to Paps, Skunk and Big Teddy, and lover to the beautiful Trina. Watch with one of the Soulless Minions, Josh, as we see Nathaniel grow from Cabin Boy to Cabin Man … with a little help from Callie of course

Mike and Max are joined by Damon and Mike from Geek Fights, Josh and Justin from The Soulless Minions of Orthodoxy, and Tysto to discuss the pros and cons of Tim Burton’s take on the Dark Knight.

From Soulless Minions of Orthodoxy:

Both Soulless Minions are joined by special guests Mike Ortiz and Damon Shaw of Geek Fights, Tsyto and Mike and Max of Commentary Track Stars for this commentary on the 1989 film Batman.

There was a lot of anticipation in the summer of 1989 as this new version of Batman was nearing release. It had been many years since Batman graced the screens of our nations cinemas and many people feared it would be a let down. Some even thought it would be a catastrophe. However, Batman turned out to be a critical and financial success that ecplised doubters and naysayers.

Does the film still hold up after all these years? Is this film more noir than its sequels? Is Michael Keaton the best Batman? Does the charasmatic Joker overshadow all the other characters?

These are some of the questions The Minions and our guests ponder.

From Tysto Commentaries:

Batman is back! Keaton starts his role as Batman against the greatest villain he has ever known: Alexander Knox! I join Soulless Minions, Commentary Track Stars, and Geek Fights for a free-for-all. We mostly like the film but have a lot of fun with its ridiculousness.

Tysto

Soulless Minions of Orthodoxy

Commentary Track Stars

Your Soulless Minion, Josh, is joined by Tsyto and Mike and Max from Commentary Track Stars for this commentary on the 1992 film Batman Returns.

That’s right. Batman has RETURNED. So has Keaton and Burton. Added to the mix are some new villains — the cold blooded Penguin and the vivacious Catwoman.

But how does this film stack up against its predecessor? Do the Catwoman and Penguin work as characters? Is Batman still the mysterious Dark Knight or just a co star? Is the movie too dark or not dark enough? Those are some of the questions we try to answer.

From Commentary Track Stars at MaxHegel.com:

Max and Mike are joined by Josh of The Soulless Minions of Orthodoxy and Tysto to discuss Batman’s footwear.

From Tysto Commentaries:

Batman is back! This time, Josh of Soulless Minions of Orthodoxy and Mike and Max of Commentary Track Stars take us on a dark and twisted fairy tale to Tim Burton’s Gotham City, where penguins inhabit sewers and mystical cats roam alleyways freely.

We like the film better than the Schumacher films, but no one likes it as much as I do. It’s my favorite of the four. Why are we doing them in reverse order? Because WE’RE CRAZY. Not crazy enough to run around in leather and vinyl, fighting crime, but pretty crazy.

Commentary Track Stars

Soulless Minions

Tysto

One of the Soulless Minions goes solo for a commentary on the 2005 film Sky High.

There have been many films over the years that delve humans into the realm of superpowers, heroic deeds and villainy with pulp, grace, dignity and audacity but Sky High is unique within this burgeoning genre as it breaks the mold and succeeds in a slightly different way. Nevertheless, it does have those basic elements of comic book story telling such as drama, action and adventure, but there’s also young love, cheeky self awareness, and of course some cool kids and grown ups with some wicked cool superpowers. The latter elements give it a fresh spin that sets it aside from other modern contemporaries. Maybe some dismiss it as a parody but we like to think of it as a tribute or love letter to the genre. No matter how you see it you gotta admit – Sky High is a lot of fun.

Both Soulless Minions are back for a commentary on the 1984 film Electric Dreams. This movie is quite the splendid little treat as it conatins the popular story elements of love, friendship, jealousy and most importantly artificial intelligence.

Unfortunately, it’s a film that has almost been lost to time. However, there are those of us that have kept this little gem of a movie in our hearts and in our dreams throughout the years.

Sync Point – The first black frame immediately after the MGM logo has faded away.

One of the Soulless Minions is joined by Mike Ortiz and Damon Shaw of Geek Fights for this very special Nitpicker commentary on Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

Note: This commentary was recorded using the theatrical edition.

Mike, Damon and Josh recognize the greatness that is Wrath of Khan but sometimes Trekkers find it interesting to really deconstruct Star Trek and shine a light and some of its oddities and inconsistencies. Most of our comments are geared toward larger elements involving the plot but we still find a plenty of time to puzzle over minutia as well. Overall this was a very fun experience for the three of us. Hopefully, others will enjoy our musings.

Before there was Batman and Robin there was…

Batman FOREVER.

It was a big hit in its day. There was music videos and merchandising galore. Everyone seemed to have Bats on the brain in the summer of ’95.
But does the movie stand the test of time? Or was it simply a product of its time?
Fellow podcasters and commentators Tysto and Mike of Commentary Track Stars join one of the Soulless Minions in an attempt to answer some of these questions.
Some other topics of discussions: Comparisons against other comic book adaptations, Schumacher vs. Burton, Keaton Vs. Kilmer, the supporting cast and the films change in tone and direction.

From Commentary Track Stars at MaxHegel.com:

Mike is joined by Tysto and Josh of The Soulless Minions of Orthodoxy to discuss his favorite of Batman’s misadventures.

Commentary Track Stars

Soulless Minions

“Shades of Grey” Mike is joined by Josh and Justin of the Soulless Minions of Orthodoxy to discuss the pros and cons of clip shows.

From Delta Quadrant:

Commander Riker fights for his life in sick-bay after he is infected by an alien parasite while on an away-mission. Dr. Pulaski soon discovers that the only way to save Riker’s life is to force his mind to relive painful memories. (Season finale)

Josh is once again accompanied by his brother, Justin – co host of The Soulless Minions of Orthodoxy – and Mike from Commentary Track Stars for the special episode commentary on the TNG episode Shaes of Gray.

So get out your DVD or stream it through Netflix if you’d like to watch it with us. To sync up just get your counter clock to all zeros and listen for the que to start.

Commentary Track Stars

Delta Quadrant

Once again we are joined by fellow podcaster and book lover, Dave Alluisi, of The Bookhouse Boys and the Meandawg Top 5 podcasts for this look back at this much beloved and timeless film. Not only is the film adaptation of The Princess Bride celebrated and adored in the public consciousness but it is also an extremely well written and respected novel written by the novelist and screenwriter William Goldman.
Most of our comments throughout the commentary are guided toward comparing the book to the film, talking about the differences and similarities, but we also touch upon many other things including the casting, the score, it’s timely nature, and Goldman’s intentions in writing this classic tale. Simply a great film. Simply a great book. As Dave says, “It’s a love letter to the genre of fantasy and adventure.” I couldn’t agree more.

The Soulless Minions are joined by special guests — Mike Ortiz and Damon Shaw of Geek Fights, Michael Felscher of Red Shirt Pictures and the mysterious Allen — for a look back at the most underrated of the Star Trek films.

The Search for Spock is the 2nd chapter in what has come to be known as The Star Trek Trilogy. Nevertheless, because it bears an odd number it is assumed to suffer from the odd numbered curse. The Soulless Minions and guest commentators hope to dispel that notion to whomever may listen.

It may be not be as acclaimed as The Wrath of Khan or The Voyage Home but this 2nd act has a lot of great things going for it — themes of life and death, friendship, sacrifice and a beautiful musical score.

Sync Point – The first white frame after the Paramount Logo has faded away.

This commentary was recorded using a Region DVD.

It might be a little difficult to believe but the film Drive Me Crazy was actually based on a book called How I Created My Perfect Prom Date by Todd Strasser. Todd Strasser is a very prolific writer in the realm of Middle Grade and Young Adult novels. How I Created My Perfect Prom Date is the 2nd part in what is know as the Time Zone High Trilogy.

Drive Me Crazy, although modestly successful financially as well as critically, holds a special place in one of the hearts of the Soulless Minions. It may not be perfect or incredibly deep but it does succeed in passing up some of the more cliched and formulaic teen films. It’s got heart.

Most of the conversation involves the comparisons between the novel and film. Surprisingly there are some significant differences that I think might surprise some of you. My two guests, John of Sofa Dogs and J.D. of The Delta Quadrant and General Geekery, join me as I fill them in on the similarities and changes in the adaption. But the conversation also includes personal recollections on the film itself.

Is it all nostalgia or does the movie hold up? You’ll have to listen to find out.

From Sofa Dogs:

Observers: John Pavlich, Josh Bradley, Joe “J.D.” Donesi

Record Date: February 23, 2012, 09:03 PM

Plot Summary: A trend-conscious girl hires her anti-social next-door neighbor to be her new boyfriend, in an effort to reclaim her status in their school and to help him win back his ex-girlfriend.

Note: This was recorded months ago and numerous technical difficulties made it such a nightmare to edit, I wasn’t going to bother posting it, originally. Thankfully, Josh had done such a splendid job mixing it himself, I finally decided to put it up here for you all to enjoy. My co-hosts (Josh and J.D.) join me in discussing high school politics, teen social class structures and how the film compares to the book it’s based on. Remember to listen for the preemptive countdown before starting the movie on your DVD.

Sofa Dogs

Soulless Minions

Have you heard of this movie? I willing to bet most of you haven’t.

Here’s what the IMBD has to say about The Experts – When Travis and Wendell are kidnapped while on their way to opening a nightclub in rural Nebraska. The KGB spy Cameron Smith takes them to the U.S.S.R. instead with the intention of teaching KGB agents to be hip like Americans.

It may sound like a goofy premise but this is actually a pretty smart, funny, and witty film. As of this date the film is available on Netflix streaming. So go give it a watch and then five our commentary a listen.

One of the Soulless Minions is joined by a very special guest, Dave Alluisi, of The Bookhouse Boys and The Meandawg Top 5, for this commetnary on the 1975 film Jaws. Jaws is Dave’s favorite film of all time so it was quite a pleasure to discuss this iconic and influential film with him. Most of the conversation focuses on the differences between the book and the film but we lightly touch upon the film’s score, its well known production woes, its casting and comparisons to other literary works.

Join me as I join Josh from Soulless Minions of Orthodoxy, Mike and Damon from Geek Fights, and (about 90 minutes in) Mike from Commentary Tracks Stars as we celebrate the awfulness of Joel Schumacher’s Batman & Robin. Josh is ambivalent (in that he can barely stand it). I praise the set design and remain staunchly in denial of any gay subtext. Mike and Damon profess love that sours over the course of film. And CTS Mike just despises it. Over all, we have a great deal of fun with it.

I quote my 8-year-old nephew a few times. We speculate on superhero Donald Trump and Richard Branson. We try to figure out how a 21-year-old Barbara has a mother who was young in the 1940s. We wonder why Bane is even in this movie. And we marvel that Mr. Freeze’s suit is powered by puns.

From Soulless Minions of Orthodoxy:

Joining the Soulless Minions for this commetary on the 1997 film Batman and Robin are Tysto, Mike Ortiz and Damon Shaw of Geek Fights, and Mike Schindler of Commetary Track Stars.

Note: Mike Schindler arrives late to the commentary. Approximately 1hr and 1/2 in the film.

Most do not speak well of this film. However, our approach to this commentary is not in that vein. We admit its flaws but attempt to see the good things in it.

It’s campy, bright and full of cheese.

Tysto

Soulless Minions