Sodapop Journal

Ep. 27: Intensely Awkward

Sodapop Journal — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 13:00:53 +0000

Things get awkward and uncomfortable right off the top as we discuss David O. Russell’s 1996 comedy Flirting with Disaster, including its place in the ’90s indie comedy arena, Russell’s evolution as a filmmaker, the comedy of Ben Stiller, the uneasiness of Alan Alda and more. Afterwards, next episode’s supercharged Movie Club pick!

Have your say in the comments below, send us an e-mail or give us a call at 657-444-SODA. If you haven’t already, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Let’s be a happy family together.

Ep. 26: Heaven on Two Wheels

Robert Cortez — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 18:00:12 +0000

This episode we discuss Bruce Brown’s 1971 feature documentary On Any Sunday, its enduring impact on motorcycle enthusiasts around the world and how documentaries have changed over the years. Afterwards, we deliberate on House of Cards, Netflix, Django Unchained and then reveal our next Movie Club pick!

Have your say in the comments below, send us an e-mail or give us a call at 657-444-SODA. If you haven’t already, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. We’ll be your best friends.

Ep. 25: Oh Boy Scout!

Sodapop Journal — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 16:30:40 +0000

We’re back for 2013 with our discussion of 1991′s The Last Boy Scout. Plus some of our favorites from 2012 and the next Movie Club pick!

Have your say in the comments below, send us an e-mail or give us a call at 657-444-SODA. If you haven’t already, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. We’ll be your best friends.

Ep. 24: White Man’s Burden

Sodapop Journal — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 14:30:21 +0000

The SPJ gang take a journey with 1975′s The Man Who Would Be King, discussing the film’s representation of British imperialism and foreign relations, the plight of anti-heroes, the careers of stars Sean Connery and Michael Caine and more. Plus, Tony Scott, weird movie titles, Transformers and our pick for next episode!

Have your say in the comments below, send us an e-mail or give us a call at 657-444-SODA. If you haven’t already, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. We’ll be your best friends.

Ep. 23: I Ping, You Pong

Sodapop Journal — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 15:30:56 +0000

The SPJ crew talk about 2002′s Ping Pong, including the ins and outs of sports movies, the unique qualities of modern Japanese film and how this story about kids playing table tennis taps into some universal truths about friendship and ambition.

Have your say in the comments below, send us an e-mail or give us a call at 657-444-SODA. If you haven’t already, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. We’ll be your best friends.

Ep. 22: Pure Sexual Horror

Sodapop Journal — Fri, 25 May 2012 15:00:11 +0000

The SPJ crew talk about 1979′s Alien, including its influence on science fiction, its sequels, Ridley Scott, and our hopes for the upcoming quasi-prequel Prometheus.

Have your say in the comments below, send us an e-mail or give us a call at 657-444-SODA. If you haven’t already, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. It’s the right thing to do.

Ep. 21: It’s Like Jazz

Robert Cortez — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:00:48 +0000

Paul, Robert and Scott talk about this year’s Oscar nominees and other favorites from 2011, including The Descendants, Moneyball and Warrior. Then we go a level deeper with SSX Modern Warfare and Mass Effect 3. Then another level deeper with a tale about LARPing and trip-hop artist Tricky. Then another level deeper with mobile gaming during jury duty. Then we ride the kicks all the way back up through Young Adult and Tree of Life before ultimately ending up at the failings of the Oscars over the years. BRRWWOONNGG.

Have your say in the comments below, send us an e-mail or give us a call at 657-444-SODA.

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If you haven’t already, subscribe to the Sodapop Journal podcast in iTunes.

Ep. 20: SPJ Movie Club: Dog Day Afternoon

Sodapop Journal — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 20:00:48 +0000

We’re back with the program as Scott, Robert and Paul take on the next Sodapop Journal Movie Club pick: Sidney Lumet’s Dog Day Afternoon. We also touch on the careers of Al Pacino, John Cazale, and Sidney Lumet, 1970′s New York, the film’s social commentary and homophobic subtext, and what it’s all meant to us as filmgoers.

If you’ve had a chance to see the film and would like to tell us what you thought, have at it in comments below, send us an e-mail or give us a call at 657-444-SODA.

If you haven’t, you can always add it to your Netflix queue or to throw few pennies our way by ordering it on DVD from Amazon.

And after that, there’s more! As 2011 winds down, we look back at some of our biggest discoveries throughout the year, including:

Scott does an about-face and becomes a devoted fan of Neil Young;
Paul gets down with Aretha Live at Fillmore West;
Robert breaks into Breaking Bad;
Scott gets the scoop on Broadcast News from Criterion;
Paul discovers the 1940s classic The Philadelphia Story;
Robert gains a new appreciation for the James Bond series

Have your say in the comments below, send us an e-mail or give us a call at 657-444-SODA.

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Be sure to check out our new Fresh section and monthly Taste reviews, and subscribe to the Sodapop Journal podcast in iTunes.

Ep. 19: I Want a Show With Dinosaurs

Sodapop Journal — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 02:37:02 +0000

Robert and Scott size up what’s on the horizon for TV this fall and catch up on some new movies!

Lots of new TV talk, including:

Recent favorites Alphas and Louie;
Our more-anticipated picks Terra Nova, Person of Interest, Up All Night, How to Be a Gentleman and more;
Mid-season potentials Awake and Alcatraz;
AMC’s behind-the-scenes troubles with Mad Men, Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead

Contagion and Steven Soderbergh’s style (and don’t forget this Charlie Rose interview);
Drive and the rise of Nicolas Winding Refn and Ryan Gosling;
50/50 AKA Cancer: The Motion Picture;
A quick reminder about our next Movie Club with Dog Day Afternoon (watch/rent/buy it here).

Have your say in the comments below, send us an e-mail or give us a call at 657-444-SODA.

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Be sure to check out our new Fresh section and monthly Taste reviews, and subscribe to the Sodapop Journal podcast in iTunes.

Ep. 18: Insufficiently Gangsta

Sodapop Journal — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 20:00:38 +0000

Scott, Robert and Paul talk about their recent musical selections, including::

Jay-Z and Kanye West’s Watch the Throne
The Decemberists’ new video for “Calamity Song”, based on a passage from David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest
Revisiting hard rock from decades past from bands like:

Living Colour and guitarist Vernon Reid on Twitter
KISS and the Phantom at the Park
Guns N’ Roses and parental advisories
Whitesnake’s latest, Forevermore
Pearl Jam and the inevitable return of ’90s grunge

And back to newer acts with Fucked Up’s new album David Comes to Life
Finally, a new Movie Club entry—Sidney Lumet’s Dog Day Afternoon—and other miscellanea.

Have your say in the comments below, send us an e-mail or give us a call at 657-444-SODA.

Listen now

Be sure to check out our new Fresh section and monthly Taste reviews, and subscribe to the Sodapop Journal podcast in iTunes.

Ep. 16: Seeing Eye to Eye

Sodapop Journal — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 15:00:06 +0000

Is it July already? Hope you’re having a good summer! Join Robert, Scott and Paul as they return from a prolonged break and catch up on some of the summer’s biggest movies, including:

The Tree of Life (read our review)
Cars 2
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (read the best review)
Super 8 (read our review)
Thor
X-Men: First Class

Which movies have you checked out this summer? Tell us about ‘em in comments below, send us an e-mail or give us a call at 657-444-SODA.

Listen now

Be sure to check out our new Fresh section and monthly Taste reviews, and subscribe to the Sodapop Journal podcast in iTunes.

Ep. 15: Cruel Summer: 2011 Summer Movie Preview

Robert Cortez — Tue, 17 May 2011 18:00:22 +0000

Summer is upon us and Robert and Scott give a recap of some of their favorites from April and look ahead to the summer movies of 2011, including:

Our recent reviews – Portal 2, Water for Elephants, Taxi Driver on Blu-ray, Sword & Sworcery EP for iPhone/iPad, PJ Harvey’s Let England Shake
MAY – Thor (5/6), Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (5/20), The Hangover II (5/27), The Tree of Life (5/27)
JUNE – X-Men: First Class (6/3), Super 8 (6/10), Green Lantern (6/17), Cars 2 (6/24)
JULY – Transformers: Dark of the Moon (7/1), Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, Part 2 (7/15), Captain America (7/22), Cowboys and Aliens (7/29)
AUGUST – Rise of the Planet of the Apes (8/15)

If you have any flicks you’re looking forward to this summer, tell us about ‘em in comments below, send us an e-mail or give us a call at 657-444-SODA.

Listen now

Be sure to check out our new Fresh section and monthly Taste reviews, and subscribe to the Sodapop Journal podcast in iTunes.

Ep. 14: SPJ Movie Club: Badlands

Robert Cortez — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 18:00:15 +0000

It’s a full line-up with Scott, Robert, Zoe and Paul as the Sodapop Journal Movie Club kicks off with Terrence Malick’s Badlands. Along with the film itself and its influential place in cinema, we talk about Malick’s limited-yet-legendary filmography and themes that seem to pop up throughout his work.

If you’ve had a chance to see the film and would like to tell us what you thought, have at it in comments below, send us an e-mail or give us a call at 657-444-SODA.

If you haven’t, you can always add it to your Netflix DVD queue or to throw a penny or two our way, order it on DVD from Amazon.

Listen now

Be sure to check out our new Fresh section and monthly Taste reviews, and subscribe to the Sodapop Journal podcast in iTunes.

Ep. 13: Idiots, Kings and Movie Clubs

Sodapop Journal — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 06:00:28 +0000

It’s lucky number 13, and in what must be our most shocking, revealing episode yet, your hosts Paul and Robert discuss:

the Broadway adaptation of Green Day’s American Idiot;
an early glimpse of David Foster Wallace’s The Pale King;
the trappings of completing a massive project once the creator has passed, such as Spielberg’s interpretation of Kubrick’s A.I. ;

On top of all that, we unveil our new Movie Club segment, in which we’ll revisit (or watch for the first time ever) notable films from the past and discuss our thoughts and reactions on the podcast.

Our first selection is Terrence Malick’s 1973 feature debut Badlands, starring Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek. Because it’s an older film that, you’ll likely only be able to find it on DVD from Netflix or pick up on the cheap from Amazon, but we encourage you to see it either way.

The best part is that you’re all welcome to join in! Send us an e-mail, reply to us on Twitter, leave your comments below or now you can call us with using a telephone at 657-444-SODA and leave us a voicemail. Ah, the wonders of technology!

Listen now

Be sure to check out our new Fresh section and our new Taste reviews, and subscribe to the Sodapop Journal podcast in iTunes.

Special shout-outs to the Player One Podcast, The Talk Show, Call of Podcast and donating to Japanese earthquake relief! Holla!

Ep. 12: Slightly More Than 8 Minutes

Sodapop Journal — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 18:18:06 +0000

Because we know you were waiting for it, here’s a new episode in which your dashing hosts Paul, Scott and Robert discuss:

the inherent laziness that comes with living in New York;
Early reactions to the upcoming Source Code;
Moon and Duncan Jones’ bright future as a filmmaker;
Paul and why the world needs a road movie with sci-fi nerds;
a quick shout-out to our bestest friend Edgar Wright;
Netflix and House of Cards;
Showtime and Starz pull back on content from Netflix;
and the additional handiness of Redbox and the dying days of Blockbuster

Listen now

Be sure to check out our new Fresh section and our new Taste reviews, and subscribe to the Sodapop Journal podcast in iTunes. Give us a shout at feedback@sodapopjournal.com!

Ep. 11: Rango and Cash

Sodapop Journal — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 19:00:46 +0000

Leaping lizards! It’s number eleven and sounds like heaven! Robert, Paul and Scott prattle on about:

Rango and the ghosts of Raoul Duke and Jake Gittes;
Gore Verbinski and Hollywood directors dabbling in animation;
news about the The Last Airbender: The Legend of Korra and some overall Avatar love;
the new look of our Taste reviews section;
recap of our review of The Go! Team’s Rolling Blackouts;
some insights into our recent “Second Acts” and “Burnin’ Mad Rubber” features;
a shout-out to our Remote Uncontrolled editor Zoe Holmes;
a special appearance by Bob Hoskins

Listen now

Be sure to check out our new Fresh section and our new Taste reviews, and subscribe to the Sodapop Journal podcast in iTunes. Give us a shout at feedback@sodapopjournal.com!

Ep. 10: Not Your Mammy’s Grammys

Sodapop Journal — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 18:47:42 +0000

We’ve hit the double digits! Join Scott and Robert as they talk about the 53rd Grammy Awards and the winners and losers therein, including:

the Grammys’ reputation and odd nomination schedule;
“what the hell is Arcade Fire?”;
the industry appeal of Lady Antebellum;
the dilemma of aging and obscure artists in a younger pop music world;
Eminem and the return of Dr. Dre;
Bruno Mars vs. Janelle Monae;
a calmer, genter Lady Gaga;
Esperanza Spalding’s victory for the jazz community;
Justin Bieber and the ubiquity of “Baby”;
the advent of robots and country in today’s pop music;
Kanye West going “H.A.M.” for 2011;
the latest from Ghostface Killah

Listen now

Be sure to check out our new Fresh section and our new Taste reviews, and subscribe to the Sodapop Journal podcast in iTunes.

Ep. 9: Oscar and the Sundance Kid

Sodapop Journal — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 14:00:35 +0000

Paul, Robert and Scott discuss the nominees for the 83rd Academy Awards, including our picks for all the big categories. Also, Kevin Smith’s Red State at Sundance, changes in the indie filmmaking industry and good times with weapons at the Alamo Drafthouse.

Send us your Oscar picks at feedback@sodapopjournal.com or share them in the comments below, and don’t forget to subscribe to the Sodapop Journal podcast in iTunes!

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Ep. 8: Super Buddies

Sodapop Journal — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 01:26:35 +0000

Scott brings the scoop on The Green Hornet, we catch up on some late entries from 2010 like True Grit (along with The Coen Brothers’ illustrious film career) and Black Swan. Plus, there’s even a brief look back at critical favorites The Kids Are All Right, Winter’s Bone and The Social Network as award season approaches.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Sodapop Journal podcast in iTunes!

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Ep. 7: Happy December Wishes

Sodapop Journal — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 22:55:04 +0000

Robert and Scott wrap up the year in movies, music and TV and look ahead to what’s coming in 2011. All in a purely non-denominational sense, of course.

Also, be sure to check out all of our Best of 2010 lists and share your favorites!

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Sodapop Journal podcast in iTunes!

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