The Flickcast

Western Wednesdays Again: The Outlaw Josey Wales

Posted on October 6, 2021

the outlaw josey wales

It’s time for another edition of Western Wednesday Again where we explore a classic Western film or TV show we love. This week it’s my favorite Western. The favorite not even The Searchers can dethrone. Yes, my love belongs unreservedly to The Outlaw Josey Wales.

As popular legend goes, Clint Eastwood wasn’t respected as a director until 1993’s Unforgiven. A hard look at his directorial credits through the 70s and 80s can speak to why. But I believe The Outlaw Josey Wales was a notable moment of his career, and it’s perplexing why he didn’t enjoy the kind of watershed approval he did in 1993.

I imagine it’s because he almost immediately followed Josey Wales with The Gauntlet. Sadly, Josey Wales kicked off a very dark period of his career it’s polite to ignore. If you know your tabloid romances, you know why.

Would it have happened if his career was reversed and he’d won all his Oscar gold for Josey Wales? Would he have taken himself a little more seriously and avoided Pink Cadillac? I’d like to think so.

Of course, that lament implies Josey Wales was a failure, which it wasn’t. But it didn’t receive any Oscar nominations beyond one for its soundtrack. Roger Ebert even recognized it as an unusual and revisionist Western, but I don’t think that critical consensus or popular culture ever followed suit.

Episode 455: The Whole Season

Posted on October 5, 2021

It’s time for a brand new episode of The Flickcast. The podcast about stuff nerds love. This week it’s Episode 455: The Whole Season.

On this episode Chris and Joe get right into it with discussions about new and recurring topics. Some of these include giving shows a chance to get their act together, continuing franchises after the death of a main cast member, Star Trek trivia, the latest episode of the Apple TV+ series Foundation, the newest episode of Y: The Last Man on Hulu and and the penultimate episode of the Marvel/Disney+ series What If. . . ?.

In addition to the above, you can also expect the usual “more” and a few tangents. They just can’t get through one episode without them.

Picks are back again this week too with Joe’s pick of the Star Trek novel trilogy Star Trek: Coda, and Chris’ pick of the online D&D companion service D&D Beyond, which helps you keep track of your character’s spells, attacks and other abilities as well as a whole lot more. Also, Joe wanted to make sure the D&D and RPG themed bar in Toronto called Storm Crow Manor got a shoutout. Sounds like a fun place.

If you like the show, please consider rating or reviewing it on Apple Podcasts, or your podcast app of choice. Every rating or review helps. And if you’re really feeling it, consider supporting the show on Patreon. That would be cool.

Thanks for listening!

As always, if you have comments, questions, critiques, offers of sponsorship or whatever, feel free to hit us up in the comments, on Twitter, Instagram or, yes, even Facebook. Or shoot us an email. We don’t mind.

Opening music by GoodB Music under Creative Commons License
End music by Kevin MacLeod under Creative Commons License
Image: Hulu

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Episode 454: Foundation

Posted on September 28, 2021

It’s time for a brand new episode of The Flickcast. The podcast about stuff nerds love. This week it’s Episode 454: Foundation.

On this episode Chris and Joe get right into it with discussions about new and recurring topics. Some of these include a big Doctor Who announcement, the genius of Star Wars: Visions, the debut and first two episodes of the Apple TV+ series Foundation, the latest episode of Hulu’s Y: The Last Man series and the latest episode of the Marvel/Disney+ series What If. . . ?.

In addition to the above, you can also expect the usual “more” and a few tangents . . . especially one about Ted Lasso, which Joe still hasn’t watched. Of course, this one is about the length you’d expect. ***insert penis joke here***

Also, picks are back again this week with Joe’s pick of the comic series The Sandman, coming soon to Netflix, and Chris’ pick of the Disney+ series Star Wars: Visions (which the boys will definitely discuss more next week).

Thanks for listening!

Opening music by GoodB Music under Creative Commons License
End music by Kevin MacLeod under Creative Commons License
Image: Lucasfilm / Disney

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War Movie Mondays Again: MAS*H

Posted on September 27, 2021

M*A*S*H

It’s time for another edition of War Movie Mondays Again. This week we’re focusing on acclaimed director Robert Altman’s 1970 anti-war comedy classic M*A*S*H.

The movie was adapted by screenwriter Ring Lardner, Jr. and is based on the hit novel by Richard Hooker. It concerns three military surgeons who are stationed three miles from the front lines during the Korean War. It stars Donald Sutherland (Capt. Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce), Elliott Gould (Capt. John Francis Xavier “Trapper John” McIntyre), and Tom Skerritt (Capt. Augustus Bedford “Duke” Forrest).

Rounding out the supporting cast is Robert Duvall (Maj. Frank Burns), Sally Kellerman (Maj. Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan), Roger Bowen (Lt. Col. Henry Blake), Rene Auberjonois (Father John Patrick “Dago Red” Mulcahy), and Gary Burghoff as (Cpl. Walter “Radar” O’Reilly), who would later reprise his role in the hit television series which ran from 1972-83.

The release of M*A*S*H came at a critical time with America entering a new decade and the unpopular war in Vietnam still raging. M*A*S*H‘s dark humor and side-splitting dialogue is an allegorical look at Korea, yet reflected the country’s attitudes about Vietnam, which was igniting riots in cities and on college campuses throughout the country.

Episode 453: Too Many Questions

Posted on September 21, 2021

too many questions

It’s time for a brand new episode of The Flickcast. The podcast about stuff nerds love. This week it’s Episode 453: Too Many Questions.

On this episode Chris and Joe get right into it with discussions about new and recurring topics. Some of these include the new trailer for the Marvel/Disney+ series Hawkeye, and the latest episode of the Marvel/Disney+ series What If. . . ? and the first three episodes of the long-awaited series Y: The Last Man.

In addition to the above, you can also expect the usual “more” and one or two tangents . . . especially one about The Walking Dead. Not as bad as last week, so that’s something. But, for better or worse, this one is about the length you’d expect. That’s what she said. But seriously folks, it never gets old. We are teenagers.

Also, picks are back again this week with Joe’s pick of the TV series Lucifer, now wrapping its final season on Netflix, and Chris’ pick of the ever trustworthy Field Notes notebook from Draplin Design Co. and Coudal Partners.

Thanks for listening!

Opening music by GoodB Music under Creative Commons License
End music by Kevin MacLeod under Creative Commons License
Image: Marvel / Disney

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Episode 452: The Red Pill

Posted on September 14, 2021

It’s time for a brand new episode of The Flickcast. The podcast about stuff nerds love. This week it’s Episode 452: The Red Pill.

On this episode Chris and Joe get down to business with discussions about new and recurring topics. Some of these include Star Trek news about new and returning series like Strange New Worlds, Picard and Discovery, the new trailer for The Matrix: Resurrections and the latest episode of the Marvel/Disney+ series What If. . . ? featuring those damn zombies.

In addition to the above, you can also expect the usual “more” and a few tangents. Not as bad as last week, so that’s something. But, for better or worse, this one is about the length you’d expect. That’s what she said. It never gets old, at least to us.

Also, picks are back this week. Woot! Joe’s pick is Billy Summers, the latest novel from Stephen King and Chris’ is the new action film Kate, starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Miku Martineau and Woody Harrelson, now streaming on Netflix.

Thanks for listening!

Opening music by GoodB Music under Creative Commons License
End music by Kevin MacLeod under Creative Commons License
Image: Warner Bros. Pictures / Village Roadshow

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War Movie Mondays Again: The Steel Helmet

Posted on September 13, 2021

the steel helmet

It’s time for another edition of War Movie Mondays Again. This time we’re focusing on Samuel Fuller’s 1951 film The Steel Helmet.

The Steel Helmet is one of the most honest, unflinching, in your face war films ever made. Set during the opening stages of the Korean War, the film follows a small squad of Americans who face off against an unseen enemy. Actor Gene Evans makes his big screen debut as Sergeant Zack, a World War II veteran who finds himself in a new kind of war.

The film opens with a tight close-up shot of a steel helmet that’s been punctured by a bullet. Soon, it’s revealed to be Sgt. Zack who’s the lone survivor of an enemy attack that massacred his entire outfit. With his hands bound behind his back, Zack tries to free himself.

A young South Korean boy (William Chun) comes to Zack’s aid and frees him. The boy is nicknamed “Short Round” by Zack who allows the kid to tag along with him until he can find another American outfit to join up with.

As Zack and Short Round are making their way through a wooded area Zack hears a noise and tells Short Round to “Eat rice”. They’ve come across another American, a medic who is also a survivor from an enemy attack. Corporal Thompson (James Edwards) joins up with Zack and Short Round. It is also revealed that Thompson is a World War II vet and his experiences during the last war mirror that of Fuller’s own combat diaries with the First Infantry Division.

Trailer Time: The Matrix: Resurrections

Posted on September 9, 2021

the matrix: resurrections

It’s time for another edition of Trailer Time. This week it’s the new trailer for the hotly anticipated The Matrix: Resurrections.

If you’re a cynic you could say doing a fourth installment of a trilogy that, for most people, was pretty complete over 20 years ago is simply an attempt to appeal to nostalgia and cash in. If you’re a cynic. Fortunately, we’re not that jaded . . . yet.

In fact, this new trailer for The Matrix: Resurrections had the opposite effect on us: we were thrilled to see it. As huge fans of the original films this one looks even better.

With effects technology having advanced so far since the first Matrix film in 1999 we can expect the visuals of this new one to be amazing . . . and the trailer gives us big hints that’s the case. It looks great.

Plus, it’s great to see Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Ann Moss back in black and kicking some ass. We’re totally onboard for this.

The Matrix: Resurrections stars Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Ann Moss, Priyanka Chopra, Jessica Henwick, Christina Ricci, Jada Pinkett Smith, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Neil Patrick Harris. It’s written by Lana Wachowski, David Mitchel and Aleksandar Hemon and directed by Lana Wachowski.

It arrives in theaters and on HBOMax on December 22nd. Until then, check out the trailer below. It’s pretty amazing.

Image: Warner Bros. / Village Roadshow

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