3 Brothers Filmcast

Who is this made for? It’s the question at the heart of the critical and commercial failure of two of the fall’s biggest movies: Francis Ford Coppola’s MEGALOPOLIS and Todd Phillips’ JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX. The Brothers examine both these films with roundtable discussions. In particular, they discuss the themes, visual approach, performances, and tonal oddness of MEGALOPOLIS and the provocative framing, social commentary, and audience contempt of JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX. They cap off the conversation by discussing a few of the movies and TV shows they’re watching this year for Halloween Horror. 0:48 - Roundtable: “Megalopolis”30:25 - Roundtable: “Joker: Folie à Deux”58:06 - The Current: Halloween HorrorClips:- “The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad” (1948) Walt Disney Productions- “The Dark Knight” (2008) Warner Bros. Pictures- “Joker: Folie à Deux” (2024) Warner Bros. Pictures- “Megalopolis” (2024) Lionsgate Films- “Over the Garden Wall” (2014) Cartoon NetworkFurther reading:- The Brothers’ Halloween Horror coverage- Anton’s review of “Megalopolis”- Anders’ review of “The Village”Read more of the 3 Brothers’ reviews, features, and roundtables at https://3brothersfilm.comSubscribe to the 3 Brothers Film YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO1zge4GZWu3-mdH-VPv8tw

Does Tim Burton still have the juice? The Brothers dig into this possibility during a roundtable discussion of BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE, his legacy sequel to his 1988 classic. After sharing their takes on the original BEETLEJUICE, the Brothers dig into the new film and examine its casting, storytelling, and gags. They broaden the discussion to examine Tim Burton’s overall career and discuss the film in light of all the other legacy sequels that exist in contemporary Hollywood.0:26 - Keynote2:32 - Roundtable: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice26:02 - Roundtable: Tim Burton Movies51:41 - The Current: Legacy SequelsClips:- “Batman” (1989) Warner Bros.- “Batman Returns” (1992) Warner Bros.- “Beetlejuice” (1988) Warner Bros.- “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” (2024) Warner Bros.- “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” (2024) Warner Bros.Further reading:- Aren’s review of “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”Read more of the 3 Brothers’ reviews, features, and roundtables at https://3brothersfilm.comSubscribe to the 3 Brothers Film YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO1zge4GZWu3-mdH-VPv8tw

Can a movie embody the cynical impulses of modern Hollywood franchise filmmaking while still satisfying as a good movie? The Brothers examine this question during a roundtable discussion of Fede Álvarez’s ALIEN: ROMULUS. They discuss whether the movie worked for them, its connections to previous ALIEN movies, its approach as a slasher film, its inventive set pieces, and its cast. They also try to get at what the movie’s core themes might be before they extend the conversation to discuss the other movies in the ALIEN series and provide individual rankings.0:25 - Keynote3:26 - Roundtable: “Alien: Romulus”53:20 - Roundtable: “Alien” SeriesClips:- “Alien” (1979)- “Alien: Romulus” (2024)- “Blade Runner” (1982)- “Blue Collar” (1978)Apologies for the quality of Aren’s audio track this episode.Read more of the 3 Brothers’ reviews, features, and roundtables at https://3brothersfilm.comSubscribe to the 3 Brothers Film YouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO1zge4GZWu3-mdH-VPv8tw

Is TWISTERS empty nostalgia or an effective summer blockbuster? The Brothers examine the success of Lee Isaac Chung’s TWISTERS in a roundtable discussion. First, they give their overall takes on the movie’s function as a summer blockbuster. Then, they dig into Lee Isaac Chung’s authorial approach to the material, the movie’s examination of climate change, the charismatic lead performances from Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones, the romantic storytelling, the eccentric supporting cast, and the film’s thematic approach to the disaster movie genre as a whole. Later, they broaden the discussion to look back at the original TWISTER, share some of their favourite disaster movies of the 1990s, and focus on the social implications of the disaster movie genre over the decades.0:29 - Keynote2:39 - Roundtable: “Twisters”49:03 - Roundtable: “Twister” & 90s Disaster MoviesClips:- It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) RKO Radio Pictures- Twisters (2024) Universal PicturesRead Anton’s review of TWISTERS: https://3brothersfilm.com/blog/2024/7/23/review-twisters-2024Read more of the 3 Brothers’ reviews, features, and roundtables at https://3brothersfilm.comSubscribe to the 3 Brothers Film YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO1zge4GZWu3-mdH-VPv8tw

Do you have it in you to make it epic? The Brothers ponder this question during a roundtable discussion of George Miller’s FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA. They start the conversation with some fast takes on every film in the MAD MAX series. Afterwards, they dig into FURIOSA specifically, exploring its action filmmaking, approach to myth, character building, and comparisons to FURY ROAD. They continue the discussion by broadening the focus to explore each other film in the series: MAD MAX, MAD MAX 2 (a.k.a. THE ROAD WARRIOR), MAD MAX: BEYOND THUNDERDOME, and MAX MAD: FURY ROAD. They offer each of their series rankings and assorted thoughts about how the series spawned the post-apocalyptic subgenre as a whole.0:37 - Keynote2:35 - Fast Takes: “Mad Max” Series6:12 - Roundtable: “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga”22: 53 - Roundtable: “Mad Max” SeriesClips:- Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024) Warner Bros. Pictures- Mad Max (1979) Roadshow Film Distributors- Mad Max 2 (1981) Roadshow Film Distributors- Waterworld (1995) Universal PicturesRead more of the 3 Brothers’ reviews, features, and roundtables at https://3brothersfilm.comSubscribe to the 3 Brothers Film YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO1zge4GZWu3-mdH-VPv8tw

Is PULP FICTION as good as it was in 1994? Worse? Better? The Brothers ponder the film’s impact on themselves and cinema as a whole in a roundtable discussion of Quentin Tarantino’s iconic crime film. They discuss the film’s cast, narrative, and style as well as compare its chapters and share their favourite characters and segments. Later, they broaden the conversation to discuss Tarantino’s entire filmography and share their top three Tarantino films.0:32 - Keynote7:05 - Roundtable: “Pulp Fiction”53:33 - Roundtable: Top 3 Tarantino FilmsClips:- “Duck Amuck” (1953) Warner Bros. Pictures- “The Killers” (1946) Universal Pictures- “Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood” (2019) Sony Pictures Releasing- “Pulp Fiction” (1994) Miramax Films- “Star Wars” (1977) Twentieth Century FoxRead more of the 3 Brothers’ reviews, features, and roundtables at https://3brothersfilm.comSubscribe to the 3 Brothers Film YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO1zge4GZWu3-mdH-VPv8tw

Is ROAD HOUSE truly ROAD HOUSE without Patrick Swayze? This question looms over the Brothers roundtable discussion of Doug Liman’s ROAD HOUSE, starring Jake Gyllenhaal. They discuss the film’s action filmmaking, storytelling, setting, and approach as a remake before comparing it to Rowdy Herrington’s original film starring Patrick Swayze. In particular, they outline some of the many reasons why the original film is not a guilty pleasure, but rather one of the best action films of the 1980s.0:29 - Keynote3:49 - Roundtable: “Road House” (24) vs “Road House” (89)Clips:- “Road House” (1989) United Artists- “Road House” (2024) Amazon MGM StudiosRead more of the 3 Brothers’ reviews, features, and roundtables at https://3brothersfilm.comSubscribe to the 3 Brothers Film YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO1zge4GZWu3-mdH-VPv8tw

Is DUNE: PART TWO this generation’s THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK? None other than Christopher Nolan suggested as much. The Brothers examine the success of Denis Villeneuve’s epic sequel in this roundtable discussion. In particular, they focus on the film’s thematic approach, its Shakespearean ending, the performances of the all-star cast, the design and worldbuilding, its qualities as an adaptation, and its potential legacy within science-fiction cinema.0:28 - Keynote4:12 - Roundtable: “Dune: Part Two”Clips:- “Dune” (2021) Warner Bros.- “Dune: Part Two” (2024) Warner Bros.- “The Empire Strikes Back” (1980) Twentieth Century FoxRead more of the 3 Brothers’ reviews, features, and roundtables at https://3brothersfilm.comSubscribe to the 3 Brothers Film YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO1zge4GZWu3-mdH-VPv8tw

Indebted to Otto Preminger’s ANATOMY OF A MURDER as well as many prestige dramas from the 1980s and 1990s, Justine Triet’s ANATOMY OF A FALL is one of the best reviewed movies of 2023 and a nominee for Best Picture and Best Director at this year’s Oscars. The Brothers dig into the film and its deliberately ambiguous storytelling in a roundtable discussion. In particular, they focus on the film’s withholding of information, stylistic approach, interrogation of the French legal system, and showy performances. They also debate the film’s central question: did she do it?0:29 - Keynote5:14 - Roundtable: “Anatomy of a Fall”Clips:- “Anatomy of a Fall” (2023) Le Pacte- “The Shining (1980) Warner Bros.Read more of the 3 Brothers’ reviews, features, and roundtables at https://3brothersfilm.comSubscribe to the 3 Brothers Film YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO1zge4GZWu3-mdH-VPv8tw

Has streaming permanently changed how we gauge success? Are BARBIE and OPPENHEIMER the future of Hollywood? The Brothers discuss these questions and more as they examine three possible trends in filmmaking and cinema during a bonus roundtable discussion.0:22 - Roundtable: 3 Big Trends Going into 2024Clips:- “Dune” (1984) Universal PicturesRead more of the 3 Brothers’ reviews, features, and roundtables at https://3brothersfilm.comSubscribe to the 3 Brothers Film YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO1zge4GZWu3-mdH-VPv8tw

What does a good modern blockbuster look like? Is it more like Takashi Yamazaki’s GODZILLA MINUS ONE or Zack Snyder’s REBEL MOON: PART ONE - A CHILD OF FIRE? The Brothers examine the state of modern, large-scale genre filmmaking in a roundtable discussion of GODZILLA MINUS ONE, the surprisingly successful new entry in the long-running kaiju series from Toho Studios. They discuss the film’s dramatic approach, action sequences, and homages to the work of Steven Spielberg and Studio Ghibli before they turn their attention to Snyder’s REBEL MOON: PART ONE, the divisive director’s attempt to create a space opera franchise on Netflix.0:33 - Keynote3:29 - Roundtable: “Godzilla Minus One”47:53 - Roundtable: “Rebel Moon: Part One - A Child of Fire”Clips:- “Godzilla Minus One” (2023) Toho Studios- “Henry V” (1989) Curzon Film Distributors- “Rebel Moon: Part One – A Child of Fire” (2023) Netflix- “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock” (1984) Paramount PicturesRead more of the 3 Brothers’ reviews, features, and roundtables at https://3brothersfilm.comSubscribe to the 3 Brothers Film YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO1zge4GZWu3-mdH-VPv8tw

When it came out in 1970, Donald Shebib’s GOIN’ DOWN THE ROAD was considered the greatest English-language Canadian film ever made. Today, it remains one of the seminal films of Canadian cinema and a profound working class drama about shattered dreams in Toronto. In light of Donald Shebib’s passing late last year, Anton and Aren discuss GOIN’ DOWN THE ROAD and why it remains such a powerful work to this day.2:12 - Roundtable: “Goin’ Down the Road”Clips:- “Goin’ Down the Road” (1970) Chevron PicturesRead more of the 3 Brothers’ reviews, features, and roundtables at https://3brothersfilm.comSubscribe to the 3 Brothers Film YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO1zge4GZWu3-mdH-VPv8tw

Is NAPOLEON a heroic epic or a tragic comedy? Does Ridley Scott split the difference between the two in his historical epic starring Joaquin Phoenix as the French military commander-turned-emperor. The Brothers examine these questions during a roundtable discussion of Scott’s new film. In particular, they focus on the film’s battle scenes, its performances, its portrayal of Napoleon as a great man of history, its comic elements, its point of view, and its comparisons to past Scott films as well as key influences, including Stanley Kubrick’s BARRY LYNDON and Miloš Forman’s AMADEUS.0:23 - Keynote6:23 - Roundtable: “The Napoleon”Clips:- “Amadeus” (1984) Orion Pictures- “Napoleon” (2023) Columbia PicturesRead more of the 3 Brothers’ reviews, features, and roundtables at https://3brothersfilm.comSubscribe to the 3 Brothers Film YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO1zge4GZWu3-mdH-VPv8tw

Is THE KILLER David Fincher’s return to form or Fincher’s self-reflexive critique of his own filmmaking habits? Could it be both? The Brothers dig into these questions during a roundtable discussion of Fincher’s latest film, which is currently streaming on Netflix. During the discussion, they also ask whether we should only expect great movies from great auteurs, examine the film’s performances, discuss its critiques of modern society, compare it to film noirs of the past, and celebrate its standout action scene.0:23 - Keynote4:27 - Roundtable: “The Killer”Clips:- “Fight Club” (1999) 20th Century Fox- “The Killer” (2023) NetflixRead more of the 3 Brothers’ reviews, features, and roundtables at https://3brothersfilm.comSubscribe to the 3 Brothers Film YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO1zge4GZWu3-mdH-VPv8twAdditional Reading:Adam Nayman’s review of “The Killer” for The Ringer: https://www.theringer.com/movies/2023/11/7/23949516/the-killer-movie-review-netflix-david-fincher

What’s scarier? Emotional trauma or a literal demon? David Gordon Green’s THE EXORCIST: BELIEVER seems to think both are plenty spooky as it recreates the structure of William Friedkin’s original film to explore evil, both psychological and spiritual. The Brothers dig into whether this gambit works in a roundtable discussion, which also touches on the film’s role as a legacy sequel, its syncretic religiosity, its performances, and its success (or failure) as a horror film. Afterwards, they broaden the discussion to examine THE EXORCIST series as a whole, remarking on which films in the series work best and how the original film remains so iconic 50 years later.0:29 - Keynote4:55 - Roundtable: “The Exorcist: Believer”55:18 - Roundtable: “The Exorcist” Series1:19:21 - OutroClips:- “Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist” (2005) Warner Bros. Pictures- “The Exorcist” (1973) Warner Bros.- “The Exorcist III” (1990) 20th Century Fox- “The Exorcist: Believer” (2023) Universal Pictures- “From Dusk till Dawn” (1996) Miramax Films- “Halloween Ends” (2022) Universal Pictures- “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” (2023) Walt Disney Pictures- “Star Wars” (1977) 20th Century FoxRead more of the 3 Brothers’ reviews, features, and roundtables at https://3brothersfilm.comSubscribe to the 3 Brothers Film YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO1zge4GZWu3-mdH-VPv8tw

Is A HAUNTING IN VENICE a horror movie? The marketing makes it seem like Kenneth Branagh has reinvented his Hercule Poirot series as a haunted house horror thriller, with grisly deaths, supernatural happenings, and an overwhelming atmosphere of dread. But does the movie match the marketing? Yes, and no. The Brothers dig into the film’s genre positioning in a roundtable discussion. They also example the film’s theatricality, Branagh’s roots as a Shakespeare actor and director, and the film’s examination of spiritualism vs materialism. Later, they look back on the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN trilogy to mark the 20th anniversary of THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL.0:26 - Keynote4:45 - Roundtable: “A Haunting in Venice”48:15 - Roundtable: “Pirates of the Caribbean” 20th Anniversary1:04:47 - OutroClips:- All Is True (2018) Sony Pictures Classics- A Haunting in Venice (2023) 20th Century Studios- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006) Buena Vista PicturesPirates of the Caribbean reviews:- Anton on “The Curse of the Black Pearl”: https://3brothersfilm.com/blog/2023/9/5/review-pirates-of-the-caribbean-the-curse-of-the-black-pearl- Aren on “Dead Man’s Chest”: https://3brothersfilm.com/blog/2023/9/7/review-pirates-of-the-caribbean-dead-mans-chest-2006- Anders on “At World’s End”: https://3brothersfilm.com/blog/2023/9/8/review-pirates-of-the-caribbean-at-worlds-end-2007Read more of the 3 Brothers’ reviews, features, and roundtables at https://3brothersfilm.comSubscribe to the 3 Brothers Film YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO1zge4GZWu3-mdH-VPv8twApologies for the quality of Aren’s audio track, which was the result of an unforeseen technical issue.

What’s your favourite movie of the 2023 summer movie season? The Brothers share their answers as they discuss BARBIE, OPPENHEIMER, SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE, SOUND OF FREEDOM, and other 2023 summer movie releases. They also examine the political discourse surrounding the smash successes of BARBIE and SOUND OF FREEDOM, shout out some of the summer’s notable indie releases, and share what memorable old films they caught up with this summer.0:00 - Intro0:14 - Roundtable: 2023 Summer Movie Roundup23:17 - OutroRead more of the 3 Brothers’ reviews, features, and roundtables at https://3brothersfilm.comSubscribe to the 3 Brothers Film YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO1zge4GZWu3-mdH-VPv8tw

What are the most influential movies of the 1970s? The standard answer is to say STAR WARS and JAWS, as these two blockbusters reinvented Hollywood and became the lode stars of mainstream filmmaking for the following decades. But the Brothers argue that George Lucas’s AMERICAN GRAFFITI deserves to be in the conversation as one of the most influential Hollywood movies of the decade. In a roundtable discussion to mark its 50th Anniversary, the Brothers examine AMERICAN GRAFFITI and its various thematic and formal approaches, including its nostalgic lens, its performances, its characterizations, its experimental sound recording, and the film’s indebtedness to the French New Wave.0:00 - Intro0:26 - Keynote3:59 - Roundtable: “American Graffiti”1:00:00 - OutroClips:- American Graffiti (1973) Universal Pictures- Mad Men (2007) AMC- Phantom of the Paradise (1974) 20th Century Fox- Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999) 20th Century FoxSuggested Reading:- Anton’s review of American Graffiti: https://3brothersfilm.com/blog/2023/8/25/review-american-graffiti-1973Read more of the 3 Brothers’ reviews, features, and roundtables at https://3brothersfilm.comSubscribe to the 3 Brothers Film YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO1zge4GZWu3-mdH-VPv8tw

Is ASTEROID CITY a great Wes Anderson film? The Brothers discuss Anderson’s latest in a roundtable discussion. Specifically, they share general thoughts, discuss whether Anderson is suffering from diminished returns, interrogate the performances and frame narrative, and offer possible avenues for accessing the meaning of the work.0:00 - Intro0:31 - Roundtable: “Asteroid City”19:59 - OutroClips:- “Asteroid City” (2023) Focus FeaturesRead more of the 3 Brothers’ reviews, features, and roundtables at https://3brothersfilm.comSubscribe to the 3 Brothers Film YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO1zge4GZWu3-mdH-VPv8tw

Does the world still need Indiana Jones? The Brothers examine this question during a roundtable discussion of James Mangold’s INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY. They offer their general reactions to the film, compare it to past films in the series, debate the performances of newcomers Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Mads Mikkelsen, and examine how the film is stuck between recreating adventure serials of the past and embodying the flattened worldview of blockbusters of the present.0:00 - Intro0:59 - Keynote4:22 - Roundtable: “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”55:36 - OutroClips from:- Goldfinger (1964) United Artists- Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) Walt Disney Studios- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) Paramount Pictures- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) Paramount Pictures- No Time to Die (2021) Universal Pictures- Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) Paramount PicturesRead more of the 3 Brothers’ reviews, features, and roundtables at https://3brothersfilm.comSubscribe to the 3 Brothers Film YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO1zge4GZWu3-mdH-VPv8tw