A Lost Plot

Why do you hate modern movies? They create characters that aren't believable, you can't sympathize with, or simply don't make sense. In this episode, Maverick outlines some of the basic principles of a great protagonist, and discusses how marvel, James Cameron, and many other directors fail to follow these basic tenets to create heroes that you can root for. 

Is Phase 5 of the Marvel Universe doomed? In the second installment of phase 5, Scott Lang returns with Hope Van Dyne and Cassie to enter the quantum realm and face off against the new Thanos: Kang the Conqueror. But does the third ant man installment really get us excited for what's to come, or does it just prove that modern Disney movies and plots suck? In this episode, Maverick and Avalon discu...

In this concept episode, Maverick discusses the idea of suffering and sacrifice, and why modern movies suck at creating compelling forms of suffering. Is the suffering reversible? Is it tied to the story goal? What kind of suffering is compelling? All these questions and more are answered in this brief concept episode.

Paul Rudd made a classic superhero movie once. But can he make a great plot again? In this episode, Maverick and his guest Avalon discuss Ant Man's return, his new enemies, and how sometimes the greatest treasure of all... is the plot lines we learn from along the way.

When Scott Lang is released from prison, he's gotta find a way to make some money to pay child support. Like, you know, become a superhero. In this episode, Maverick and his guest Avalon discuss the plot lines of Ant Man, and how good movies like Ant Man could have been great movies. 

Pulling a classic science fiction book into the 21st century, Denis Villenueve's Dune is a space flight of epic proportions. Does Paul, Leto, and the entire Atreides line stand a chance against the Harkonnen as they try to wrestle control of the spice of Arrakis? In this episode, Maverick and his guest Arundell discuss this adaptation of a classic book, and how Denis succeeds - and fails - to pull...

Jake Sully has a second chance to redeem his character. In this episode, Maverick and Jennaline took the opportunity to compare the latest edition to the Avatar franchise, and determine if it is worthy of continuing James Cameron's epic universe.

In the war between nature and technology, an injured veteran Jake Sully is enlisted to help befriend an alien world. In this episode, Maverick and Nicholas discuss the great effort James Cameron put into this movie... and the critical pieces of storyline he missed in the process.

Thor has a love interest with a woman and a hammer. A guy gets a sword and steals kids. In this episode, Maverick is joined by two guests, Andrew and Juan, who together analyze what Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman bring to this fourth installment of the Thor franchise. 

T'Challa is dead, leaving Wakanda without decisive leadership on the international stage. In this episode, Maverick and Avalon discuss the internal struggles of Shuri, Ramonda, Okoye, and the rest as they mourn and move forward in the face of a new enemy.

T'Challa strives to be a noble ruler, but doesn't know how to lead Wakanda after his father's death. But when the sins of the father come to haunt him and heirlooms of the kingdom are stolen, T'Challa is forced to become more than the Black Panther. He must understand true leadership as king of Wakanda. In this episode, Maverick and Malachi discuss the issues of leadership and growth as this fasci...

We all want an ideal to live up to. In this episode, Maverick and Malachi discuss how William Wallace inspired many as he pursued what he knew was right: freedom for his country.

Continuing the Star Wars series, Maverick and his co-host Andrew discuss the Rebellion as they flee from the clutches of Darth Vader. The infamous showdown between Luke and the dark lord lives in infamy, as Andrew and Maverick discuss Vader's development and the truth behind Anakin Skywalker.

Moving into a darker superhero world, Batman emerges with a vengeance to take on the riddler in this new take on a classic superhero. In this episode, Maverick and his co-host Jennaline discuss the dark knight's re-emergence on the big screen, the grit that comes with him, and the similarities between him and his foes.

Venturing into the disturbing side of cinema, 10 Cloverfield Lane travels the paths of truth and lies in this small cast. In this episode, Maverick and Nicholas discuss the values of three characters locked in a bunker together, trying to determine if the apocalypse truly rages outside.

Comedy and action are back as James Gunn brings home a bloody DC movie. In this episode, Maverick and Avalon discuss what James Gunn did in his brief departure from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and if the comedy and gore are worth the watch.

An epic which has been critically acclaimed for generations. In this episode, Maverick Dickson and his co-host Avalon delve into why this is the case. Full of tropes and plot points used over and again today, Seven Samurai is known to be one of the first movies to showcase these pieces. But does the movie need to be over three hours long?

A fascinating movie dealing with interweaving themes, No Country For Old Men is an award winning piece of cinema for a reason. In this episode, Maverick Dickson and his co-host Avalon Dickson delve into why this is the case, as we explore Llewelyn Moss's frantic scramble from death together.

Every hero has a struggle to become who they must be. In this episode, Maverick and his co-host Avalon discuss the merits of the original superhero movie, Iron Man, and his struggle to turn weapons of war into methods of peace. Full of unique points rarely seen in Marvel superhero movies today, Iron Man has elements which began a long franchise of superhero movies.

A movie of questions, feints, and lies, The Game is an absolute mind turner. Maverick Dickson and Nicholas O'Donnell go through this movie piece by piece and uncover the different elements that make this movie great.

Maverick Dickson and Avalon Dickson delve into this classic masterpiece and discover what George Lucas did to make this movie memorable. Filled with tropes, bad dialogue, and predictability, A New Hope continues to beat the odds and prove its timelessness as it tightens the tension.

Maverick and his co-host Avalon uncover the plot's strengths and weaknesses as they analyze the third installment in Tom Holland's Spiderman series. Though strong in its appeal to fans of the previous movies, the movie storyline falls short of standing strong on its own merit. This, and deeper problems Marvel consistently faces are uncovered in this episode of A Lost Plot.

Red Dawn is a remake of a 1984 classic of the same name. In this episode, Maverick Dickson and his co-host Avalon Dickson detail the problems surrounding the remake, and outlining what made this movie such a failure. 

In this episode, Maverick Dickson and his co-host Ares Gonzales analyze Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Released in 2004, this science fiction-romance crossover is a mind bending exploration of two lovers choosing to erase their memories. Maverick and Ares touch on the themes of love, lies, and running away from pain as they take this movie apart scene by scene.

Maverick Dickson and his co-host Avalon Dickson review Cyrano (2022, with a brief release in 2021). Following the plot line of a dashing young lieutenant in the army with a physical defect, this musical follows the dramatic tension between love, chivalry, and pride. The hosts examined the movie's themes and characters, and how the music plays into or detracts from your engagement in the story.