2006, Ep. 26: "MONSTER HOUSE" (with Chris Plante!)

2006, Ep. 26: "MONSTER HOUSE" (with Chris Plante!)

Our marvelous pal CHRIS PLANTE (Post Games, The Besties) has healed from laryngitis and is about to join us to discuss the spooky little horror vibes of MONSTER HOUSE! We discuss the film's gorgeous proto-Laika digital animation, the echoes of Dante and Zemeckis in director Gil Kenan's otherwise stubby filmography, and the histrionic behind the scenes drama coming from the film's inexplicable screenwriter, a pre-Community DAN HARMON. We dig into the film's delightfully potent set-up, its bizarrely desolate setting, its quality voiceover work and its bewildering, lackluster second-act narrative turn that seems at odds with basically everything that came before it. Other topics include diluting antagonists with therapy speak, the really dicey state of animated film in 2006, personal grudges against My Super Ex-Girlfriend and Wikipedia plot synopsizers, Travis Bickle's favorite cartoons, disrespecting Game Boy Advance games, writing angry letters to children in the newspaper, making 260 movie references in a single scene, and most important of all, our annual preseason preview of the teams of the AFC West! We had an absolute blast with Chris, one of my favorite people working in all of media, and we hope you check it out! Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social] Rob’s Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0] Rob’s Linktree: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/ROBDUNSON⁠⁠⁠ [https://linktr.ee/ROBDUNSON] Chris's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/plante.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/plante.bsky.social] Post Games: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/post-games/id1815131711 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/post-games/id1815131711] The Besties: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-besties/id505516789 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-besties/id505516789] Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/] )

2006, Ep. 25: "PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST" (with Kev Koeser & Scott Nye!)

Folks! We HIT THE HIGH SEAS with two beloved return guests, Scott Nye (Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Jarhead) and Kev Koeser (Madagascar, Memoirs of a Geisha) to cover the absolute *juggernaut* of the 2006 box office, the #1 overall film of the year, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST. We discuss the series' overwhelming cultural ubiquity in the wake of the first Pirates film, director Gore Verbinski's brilliant, maniacal excess (being likened critically to gluttony and excess and surfeit and force-feeding), the film's problematic, labyrinthine quad-maguffin plotline, its game cast of the phenomenally attractive and the captivatingly ugly, and its incredible merging of CGI and practical effects in a way that has long been abandoned, as well as its absolute financial obliteration of anything and everything in its path, commercial rolling over every other movie in 2006 LIKE A BIG FUCKIN' WHEEL. Other topics include Taskmaster, The Hole, disrespecting the Lonely Island, letting grandmothers rent porno flicks, Quibi reality shows, triple cannons, weird love triangles and the Kraken as a pop cultural object. Scott and Kev are two of our favorite return pals and we had an absolute blast as expected talking about just the biggest fuckin' noise of the whole damn year. Check it out! The Lonely Island - "Jack Sparrow" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI6CfKcMhjY [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI6CfKcMhjY] Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social] Rob’s Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0] Rob’s Linktree: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/ROBDUNSON⁠⁠ [https://linktr.ee/ROBDUNSON] Scott's Bluesky: ⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/railoftomorrow.bsky.social⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/railoftomorrow.bsky.social] Kev's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/maxrebosroadie.bsky.social⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/maxrebosroadie.bsky.social] Tasting Menu: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tasting-menu/id1773585423⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tasting-menu/id1773585423] Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/] )

2006, Ep. 24: "SUPERMAN RETURNS" (with Keith Phipps!)

This week, Box Office GROSS WINS THE PULITZER!!!! We are blessed to welcome the great Keith Phipps (The Reveal) on the show to help us encapsulate an absolutely perfect entry for the themes of our show: SUPERMAN RETURNS, a 200-plus-million-dollar hit featuring one of the most famous and enduring characters in the history of media, and yet a film that was considered a disappointment in the moment AND completely vanished in the culture, a vestigial limb in a long-running legacy tree. It doesn't help that this one sports major pacing and tone issues aiming to be "the Titanic of superhero movies", so desperate to gesture towards the past that it frequently fails to establish a personality for itself itself; featuring a green newcomer star, a love interest playing way out of her depth, Kal Penn as the silent villainous muscle, and a director and co-star who have been grievously and enduringly culturally #cancelled, it's just a recipe for a tough, tough sell. Other topics include playing Superman 64 in Alaska, falling asleep in front of Kevin Spacey, Lex's adorable little model town, fax machine SOSes, terrible passwords, DoctaJim and his YooStar expertise, the Soul Patrol, Scott Tobias's video game reviews and another run at the fabled Spencer Breslin Award. This episode is BEYOND super, it's SUPERB!!! Check it out!!! Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social] Rob’s Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0] Rob’s Linktree: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/ROBDUNSON⁠ [https://linktr.ee/ROBDUNSON] Keith's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/kphipps3000.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/kphipps3000.bsky.social] The Reveal: https://thereveal.film/ [https://thereveal.film/] The Next Picture Show podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-picture-show/id1057714949 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-picture-show/id1057714949] "Acting out a Superman Scene From YOOSTAR 2, HILARIOUUUUSSSS!!!" by DoctaJIM - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPBMfkA_lrw [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPBMfkA_lrw]

2006, Ep. 23: "CLICK" (with Eric Freeman!)

Long-long-longtime pal Eric Freeman joins us to pick apart the demented Happy Madison morality play CLICK.. We discuss its curious place in Adam Sandler's filmography, and its fascinating, muddled emotional lessons, which can come off as unconsciously poignant as they are actively offensive. This is a film that seemingly accidentally comes to some meaningful existential points about being finding value and being present in your life, rather than living life on "autopilot" and "just getting through it", but it's buried under metric tons of dipshit humor, toxic masculinity and fatphobia, and the film barely even seems to realize most of the points its making. This, in turn, makes for an amazing conversation, and Eric brings so much excellent "harried overworked father of a young child" energy to speak truth to reality. Check it out! Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social] Rob’s Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0] Rob’s Linktree: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/ROBDUNSON⁠ [https://linktr.ee/ROBDUNSON] Eric's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/freemaneric.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/freemaneric.bsky.social] " [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyrgI0OVCFY&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExeTZ0UFRYclpSVHhNbDE5aXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR4ipQGmV7_3OnS2qUM9WKq7979q-pitC4l2yCIBjoI1weRzJ2XFFPAkQaKmAg_aem_jhpLVA3yByQl61CmzInoYw]Sidney Lumet - Honorary Oscar (Oscars 2005)" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyrgI0OVCFY [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyrgI0OVCFY&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExeTZ0UFRYclpSVHhNbDE5aXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR4ipQGmV7_3OnS2qUM9WKq7979q-pitC4l2yCIBjoI1weRzJ2XFFPAkQaKmAg_aem_jhpLVA3yByQl61CmzInoYw] Mick LaSalle - "Click" review https://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/REVIEW-Fast-forwarding-through-life-is-fun-But-2494241.php [https://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/REVIEW-Fast-forwarding-through-life-is-fun-But-2494241.php]

BONUS EP: "Disclosure Day" (with Shaun Swayne!)

Surprise! Another episode in which we deign to cover a brand new motion picture. Our War of the Worlds episode with the great Bilge Ebiri and the great Alex Watkins is one of our favorites of the 2005 season, so it felt right to catch up with Steven Spielberg as he once again goes Alien Mode with writer David Koepp in 2026. Brian was on the run from a shadow government organization during the record, so Rob provides some brief set-up and thoughts before jumping into a loose, rapid-fire chit-chat with BOG Associate Producer Shaun Swayne (apologies in advance for the audio hiccups). Rob and Shaun get into Spielberg remixing Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Emily Blunt's powerful central performance, opening up one's heart to Spielberg's boundless earnestness, parallels with influences as disparate as Escape to Witch Mountain and 2001: A Space Odyssey, and the anxieties of watching a movie you think is a banger with a bunch of people who think it's goofy and bad. We hope you have fun with it (and check out the movie if you haven't yet)! Brian's socials: Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social] Twitter [https://x.com/SchmanthonyP] Rob's: Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social] Linktree [https://linktr.ee/ROBDUNSON] Shaun: n/a, also on the run from a shadow governmental organization Rob's letterboxd list "stuff I think about when I think of Disclosure Day": https://boxd.it/V6UNO [https://boxd.it/V6UNO] Check out friend of the pod Bilge Ebiri's Steven Spielberg oral history [https://www.vulture.com/article/oral-history-of-steven-spielberg-and-his-movies.html] and his Spielberg pod with The Film Stage [https://thefilmstage.com/the-b-sides-of-steven-spielberg-with-bilge-ebiri/] the They Shoot Pictures Don't They list we discuss early in the episode [https://theyshootpictures.com/] Email us at BoxOfficeGROSS@gmail.com Rate, comment, review, etc. wherever you get your podcasts. We love you!!!! "LISTEN."