Comedy legend Steve Martin joins David, Devindra, and Jeff to discuss the intriguing topics of Spermworld, Birth, and a documentary about his career. They also explore the cinematic style of Lance Oppenheim and the disappointing aspects of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.
The documentary on Steve Martin delves into his impactful career in comedy and his decision to step away at its peak.
Watching Ex Machina in IMAX enhances the visual effects, showcasing Ava's intricate CGI work and stunning visuals.
The Devils explores dark themes with a provocative approach, offering a stylized and intense representation of historical events.
Godzilla x Kong introduces interesting dynamics with relationships like Kong and Suko, and Martha's cool design.
The film struggles with unexplained enslavement, underutilized characters like Rebecca Hall, and tonal inconsistencies.
Deep dives
A revealing depiction of Steve Martin's life and career
The documentary offers a comprehensive look at the life and career of Steve Martin, delving into his early stand-up days, his significant impact in the comedy world, and his decision to step away from stand-up at the height of his fame. Through a combination of archival footage and contemporary interviews, viewers gain insight into Martin's creative process, personal struggles, and evolution as an artist.
IMAX enhances the visual effects of Ex Machina
Watching Ex Machina in IMAX provided a heightened experience of the film's visual effects, particularly showcasing the intricate CGI work on the character of Ava. The movie's stunning visuals were further emphasized on the big screen, highlighting the remarkable VFX that earned the film an Oscar for Best Visual Effects.
Exploring the dark and controversial themes of The Devils
The Devils delves into dark and controversial themes in a provocative manner, exploring power struggles between religious figures and political leaders. Banned in some countries due to its explicit content, the film offers a stylized and intense representation of historical events, inviting viewers to witness a unique and visually striking narrative.
Kong's Relationship with Suko and Martha's Surprise Appearance
The movie briefly explores Kong's relationship with a smaller giant ape named Suko, adding an interesting dynamic. Additionally, Martha's unexpected appearance in the movie as a welcomed surprise, offering a cool design and moment of assistance despite being underutilized.
Scar King's Lair and Lack of Explanation for Mining
Scar King's enslavement of Kongs for mining lacks sufficient explanation, leaving unanswered questions about the purpose of the mining activities and the reasoning behind this oppressive setup within the hollow earth.
Underdeveloped Human Characters and Lack of Adherence to Scale
Rebecca Hall's character remains underused, lacking depth and significant involvement in the narrative, reflecting missed opportunities for her to shine. The movie also struggles to maintain adherence to scale, with oversized creatures moving too quickly, undermining the awe-inspiring impact of their massive presence.
Human Like Podcast Character for Exposition and Weak Storytelling
The trope of a podcaster character is employed for exposition, representing a cliched and weak narrative device that undermines the storytelling's depth. The decision to introduce evil versions of Kong and Godzilla feels contrived and superficial, failing to add complexity to the plot and characters.
Misuse of Godzilla and Tone Inconsistencies
The portrayal of Godzilla wreaking havoc and causing destruction without consequence affects the character's integrity and leads to tonal inconsistencies. The movie also struggles to balance fantastical action with human drama, resulting in disjointed storytelling and missed potential for character development.
Impressive Elements, Score, and Future Direction
Despite its flaws, the movie showcases impressive elements such as Jackie's XL's score and some aesthetically pleasing scenes. The success of the film indicates potential future direction for the franchise, albeit with the need for stronger character development and adherence to scale to enhance viewer engagement and enjoyment.
David, Devindra, and Jeff swim towards their thoughts on Spermworld, make room for Birth, and reflect back the career of a comedy legend with Steve! (Martin): A Documentary in Two Pieces. Then they smash through the enormity of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.
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Shownotes (All timestamps are approximate only) What we've been watching (~00:15:40)
David - Spermworld, Ex Machina in IMAX
Devindra - Birth, The Devils
Jeff - Steve! (Martin): A Documentary in Two Pieces, Palm Royale
Featured Review (~01:07:38)
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire SPOILERS (~01:30:15)
Support David's artistic endeavors at his Patreon and subscribe to his free newsletter Decoding Everything. Check out Jeff Cannata’s podcasts DLC and We Have Concerns. Listen to Devindra's podcast with Engadget on all things tech. You can always e-mail us at slashfilmcast(AT)gmail(DOT)com, or call and leave a voicemail at 781-583-1993. Also, follow us on Twitter @thefilmcastpod.
Credits:
Our theme song is by Varsity Blue, the newest project byTim McEwan from The Midnight. This episode was edited by Noah Ross who also created our weekly plugs and spoiler bumper music. Our Slashfilmcourt music comes from Simon Harris.
