Tag: Star Wars

#75 – Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Reissue)

December 14, 2018 by Chris Galegar & Jacob Graves·0 Comments

War Starts at Midnight

#75 - Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Reissue)

00:00 / 52:45

or: I Can’t Believe Luke Didn’t Kill All of the Bad Guys With a Light-Sword for Three Hours

Surprise! While conducting some much-needed post-holiday-hibernation housekeeping, we found this entire long-lost review of ~~Space Bear~~ Star Wars: The Last Jedi. By now, you’ve already heard every hot take imaginable for this film – but where are all of the cinephile nerds diving into the relationships between The Last Jedi and the late work of John Ford and Akira Kurosawa? Right here, of course!

SHOW NOTES

00:03:21 – Review – Star Wars: The Last Jedi
00:07:49 – SPOILERS – Star Wars: The Last Jedi
00:44:43 – Beer Pairing: Christmas Bomb! 2017 by Prairie Artisan Ales
Continue reading

#81 – Solo: A Star Wars Story

June 15, 2018 by Chris Galegar·0 Comments

War Starts at Midnight

#81 - Solo: A Star Wars Story

00:00 /

or: He has four arms, but his shoulders are his greatest weakness.

Jason Yang (aka Work More or Less / Invisible Element) returns to the Jedi Council for a spirited (and belated) discussion of Solo: A Star Wars Story. PLUS Chris recommends a funky fruit-forward farmhouse ale and a surprise guest drops by!

SHOW NOTES

00:07:20 – Review – Solo: A Star Wars Story
00:18:48 – SPOILERS – Solo: A Star Wars Story
01:01:31 – Beer Pairing: Brettaberry by Wicked Weed Brewing
“Old Friends” – Ben Rector
01:05:33 – Really Rad Recommendations

Solo: A Star Wars Story – Trailer Re-Cut

February 22, 2018 by Chris Galegar·0 Comments

A great trailer should leave us all longing for more. It can be mysterious or fun, sexy or bad ass – it can be just about anything, as long as it’s engaging.

Earlier this week, I caught the first trailer for Solo: A Star Wars Story before a screening of Black Panther. I was more than a little underwhelmed. For a teaser trailer, it dishes out a whole lot of exposition without delivering much intrigue. This is a film shot by one of the greatest young DPs working today and starring some of the most charismatic actors of our generation. Just put that up on screen. Cut the backstory. We already know who Han Solo is. We don’t need to hear where he came from, and we certainly don’t need the trailer for his brand new stand-alone movie to introduce him to us.

The trailer hints at young Solo’s character arc in the film, and it feels alarmingly familiar. This whole “I grew up a young ruffian with a chip on my shoulder, and now I’m gonna be the greatest pilot there ever was. I’ll show you! I’ll show all of you!” attitude is painfully reminiscent of young James Tiberius Kirk in J.J. Abrams’s 2009 reboot of Star Trek.

I was complaining to my buddy Jason Yang (who happens to be an incredibly talented toy photographer who you should already be following) about my reservations with the trailer when I had a stupid and obvious idea – re-cut Solo with James T. Kirk’s favorite song.

#75 – Star Wars: The Last Jedi

January 3, 2018 by Chris Galegar & Jacob Graves·0 Comments

War Starts at Midnight

#75 - Star Wars: The Last Jedi

00:00 / 51:24

or: I Can’t Believe Luke Didn’t Kill All of the Bad Guys With a Light-Sword for Three Hours

Surprise! While conducting some much-needed post-holiday-hibernation housekeeping, we found this entire long-lost review of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. By now, you’ve already heard every hot take imaginable for this film – but where are all of the cinephile nerds diving into the relationships between The Last Jedi and the late work of John Ford and Akira Kurosawa? Right here, of course!

SHOW NOTES

00:01:51 – Review – Star Wars: The Last Jedi
00:06:53 – SPOILERS – Star Wars: The Last Jedi
00:43:13 – Beer Pairing: Christmas Bomb! 2017 by Prairie Artisan Ales
Continue reading

#59 – The Last Temptation of Christ

February 8, 2017 by Chris Galegar & Hunter Cates·0 Comments

War Starts at Midnight

#59 - The Last Temptation of Christ

00:00 / 1:04:55

or: One busload of kids could’ve swung the whole week.

Chris and Hunter meditate on Martin Scorsese’s controversial, spiritual exploration The Last Temptation of Christ. Nearly three decades later, does Scorsese’s religious reflection belong in the pantheon of his greatest pictures? PLUS Jacob recaps Week 10 of the Midnight Warrior Fantasy Movie league, and The Dudes debate Star Wars Episode VIII’s title – The Last Jedi!

SHOW NOTES

00:07:12 – Review – The Last Temptation of Christ
00:42:58 – Beer Recommendation: Devil Dancer Tripple IPA by Founders Brewing Co.
“Dreams” – ROAR
00:49:14 – Fantasy Movie League Recap – Week 10
“Explosion of Birds” – ROAR
00:57:02 – Really Rad Recommendations

#55 – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

December 28, 2016 by Chris Galegar & Hunter Cates·0 Comments

War Starts at Midnight

#55 - Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

00:00 / 1:32:54

or: There Are TPS Reports in Space

Hunter Cates returns to the War Bunker! And Jason Yang (workmoreorless) and Michael Sutton drop by to geek out over the debut Star Wars Anthology film, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story — But all is not well in this Jedi Council, for there is there is a dissenter among the group! Who is the lone naysayer in among the sea of fanboy glee?! You must listen to find out!

SHOW NOTES

00:08:43 – Review – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
00:19:16 – SPOILERS – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
01:04:31 – Beer Recommendation: Cara De Luna Black Ale by Crazy Mountain Brewing Company
“Harrison Ford” -Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
01:10:02 – Fantasy Movie League Recap – Week 04
“Loretta” – Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
01:21:19 – Really Rad Recommendations

#27 – Star Wars: The Force Awakens / Examining the Empire

December 23, 2015 by Chris Galegar & Hunter Cates·0 Comments

War Starts at Midnight

#27 - Star Wars: The Force Awakens / Examining the Empire

00:00 / 1:32:29

or: Ep. XXVII – The Star Wars Christmas Special: Special Edition

Hunter and Chris form a Jedi Council with Jason Yang (a.k.a. Yang Solo) to review the most anticipated movie…well, EVER – Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Chris picks two Okie brews from the Light and Dark sides of the barrel. In Special Features, the Dudes discuss the enduring cultural legacy of Star Wars during Examining The Empire. *PLUS* An exclusive interview with Jason Yang on his geek-tastic art work, his die hard Star Wars fandom, and his company Invisible Element!

SHOW NOTES

00:00:48 – Interview with guest Jason Yang
00:11:16 – Review – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
00:25:15 – SPOILERS – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
00:54:37 – Beer Recommendation: King of Carrot Flowers & Brandy Barrel Uroboros by Anthem Brewing Company
“Look At These Christmas Trees” – The Wurly Birdys
00:58:00 – Listener Feedback
01:00:54 – Special Features – Examining the Empire
“Christmas All Over Again (Cover)” – Sam Means
01:23:10 – Really Rad Recommendations

Midweek Memo: My Enthusiasm Awakens

July 15, 2015 by Chris Galegar·0 Comments

This post is part of our weekly newsletter, the Midweek Memo. Subscribe to it here.

If you listen to the show with any regularity, you probably already know where I stand on J.J Abrams’s upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but I’m not sure I’ve ever really expressed just how much Star Wars once meant to me. As a child I was a huge fan of the original Star Wars films. For years I popped in a VHS tape of Episode IV, V, or VI every night before going to bed. If my love for film has an origin story, it begins with those three movies.

But as I grew older my horizons expanded, and Star Wars slowly drifted from my orbit. This was in no small part due to the prequels. I’ll attempt to spare you the redundant laundry list of complaints everyone throws out for Episodes I, II, & III, but I will say this; those were the first Star Wars films I ever saw in theaters, and they likely play a key role in my lack of fanboy enthusiasm for anything today.

Midweek Memo: Nostalgia + Novelty = $$$$

July 1, 2015 by Hunter Cates·0 Comments

This post is part of our weekly newsletter, the Midweek Memo. Subscribe to it here.

Jurassic World has made more money than the GDP of about 15 countries, and counting. Isla Nublar is now one of the most profitable islands in the South Pacific.

One by one, previous records have gone extinct in its wake – biggest opening weekend, biggest 2nd weekend, fastest to $100M, $200, $300, on and on.

Experts knew it would be a hit. But potentially unseating Titanic as the 2nd highest-grossing movie ever? Nobody could’ve guess. Though in hindsight, it seems so obvious.

Jurassic World is the 3rd film in the franchise to break the opening weekend record (go stand in a corner JP3). And the original was the highest grossing film ever until that record was sunk by Titanic.

People love Jurassic Park. Sure JP3 underperformed, but that was 14 years ago, and can be blamed on that stupid Spinosaurus (yes, I’m a bitter T-Rex apologist, and No, I will not apologize for it).

Jurassic World stomping Avengers: Age of Ultron to become this summer’s juggernaut can be attributed to the most powerful of blockbuster film formulas – Nostalgia + Novelty = $$$$Continue reading

#07 – Rich Hill / Doc Talk

April 24, 2015 by Chris Galegar & Hunter Cates·0 Comments

War Starts at Midnight

#07 - Rich Hill / Doc Talk

00:00 / 01:03:27

or: Chewie’s Son Needs to Get His Life Together

Hunter and Chris review the 2014 Sundance Grand Jury prize-winning documentary Rich Hill. In Special Features, the dudes talk docs, discussing their differing tastes in documentary cinema. Plus music by Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors. WARNING: This episode includes an embarrassing amount of Star Wars references. Listener discretion advised.

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SHOW NOTES

00:11:27 – Review – Rich Hill
Beer Recommendation: Prairie Weisse by Prairie Artisan Ales
00:44:01 – Special Features – Doc Talk
00:58:28 – Really Rad Recommendations