Filmlosophers

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, review Disney's Moana (2016), a non-Pixar animated tale with a colorful cast of characters and a distinctly mythological bent. Featuring song lyrics from Broadway star Lin-Manuel Miranda and starring newcomer Auli'i Cravalho as Moana alongside Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as demigod Maui, the film offers a refreshingly modern take on the well-honed...

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, engage in a deep discussion of Denis Villanueve's masterful new film, Arrival (2016). Starring Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker, Arrival features a strong emotional subtext and exceptional work in sound editing, cinematography, writing and directing. In addition to the film review, the gents react to a week full of new movie trailers,...

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, welcome entertainment journalists Val Complex and co-host to Sacramento's largest gaming podcast, Aaron Carter, for an important discussion about the latest documentary from critically acclaimed filmmaker, Ava DeVernay, titled 13th. While you won't hear a typical "review" of the film here, you will learn much from this engaging discussion about r...

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, share a spoiler-light review of Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange (2016) starring Benedict Cumberbatch. The latest MCU film features some trippy visuals and has received criticism for some of its casting decisions. Is the whole greater than the sum of its parts, or does its ambitious stance leave the story feeling fragmented in various segments of t...

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, spend the last week of October discussing the other half of the distinctive style of Tim Burton - live-action films! From his first '"interesting" efforts with his short film made in the early '80s to discussing his directorial debut with Pee Wee's Big Adventure (1985), the duo discuss Burton's uncanny ability to create incredible live-action fil...

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, spend the last half of October discussing the distinctive style of Tim Burton - this week, focusing on his work in stop-motion animation. From his first professional forays in the medium in the early 1980s to integrating stop-motion into seminal classics such as Pee Wee's Big Adventure (1985) and Beetlejuice (1988), Burton later went on to spur t...

When building imaginary worlds and characters, what is the right balance to strike between practical effects and CGI? The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, take a look at the history of both disciplines in film and highlight the pioneering filmmakers that have pushed the medium forward with innovations that use both styles to wow the crowd. News items include the first details from p...

Welcome to our first lightning round! Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, take things up a notch (BAM) and let the words fly, in this special edition of The Filmlosophers! Dialing up the dialogue, and taken over by the clock, the duo talk about everything from on-screen vigilantes to Netflix, with overrated directors and Halloween candy thrown into the mix - and only five minutes to tackle each subje...

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, discuss the film that everyone has been talking about since its debut at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, The Birth of a Nation (2016). Directed by and starring Nate Parker, the film hosts an incredible ensemble of actors, including Gabrielle Union and Armie Hammer. The Filmlosophers discuss the merits of the film, which chronicles the journey...

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, take a trip down a dirt country road and review Antoine Fuqua’s interpretation of a Western classic, The Magnificent Seven. Starring Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Haley Bennett, and many others, the film takes moviegoers on an action-packed adventure, as seven gun men in the old west gradually come together to help a poor village against savage...

This week the Filmlosophers are giving you guys a bonus: Special Feature! The Eddie and Chad conduct an interview with Mr. Rick DeLano. Rick is the producer of a new documentary that argues that the Earth is actually the center of the Universe. Rick addresses the controversy of his film, addresses some of the unfair treatment he feels he has received from the press, and a whole lot more that you d...

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, review and discuss Disney’s third live-action film of 2016, Queen of Katwe. Starring newcomer Madina Nalwanga, Lupita Nyong'o, and David Oyelowo, the film accounts the journey of a young girl with dreams of becoming a Chess Champion. Helmed by director Mira Nair, we contemplate the film’s impact in the Oscar race, and ask the question whether the...

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, review Clint Eastwood's latest, Sully (2016), starring Tom Hanks as Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenburger. How does this most recent biopic stack up against Eastwood's filmography, and what are it's chances for generating box office sales and awards season nominations? News items include a SacAnime interview with John DiMaggio, recently released s...

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, bring the dynamic duo from Videogame BANG!, Cory Vincent and Aaron Carter, as we look back on the life and contributions of Gene Wilder in the world of comedy, specifically comedic duos. We’ll explore the history of comedy in films, and see how the incredible pairing of Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor changed the landscape of comedic films, as well...

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, welcome entertainment journalists Val Complex and Laura Sirikul for an important discussion about women in cinema - particularly behind the scenes. What percentage of Hollywood directors, writers, cinematographers and other key roles are women, and how can everyday moviegoers help move the needle to create more opportunities beyond the celluloid...

As the summer movie season comes to an end, The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, discuss the history of the "summer blockbuster" and provide a quick summary of the distinguishing characteristics that give a movie blockbuster status. Also, the duo states their cases and vote for the Top 5 Summer Films of 2016. News items in this episode include costume details from Henry Cavill that...

The Filmlosophers, Eddia Villanueva and Chad Riley, go existential with a review of The Little Prince (2016), a film adaptation of the beloved French fable currently showing on Netflix. Featuring vocal performances from Jeff Bridges, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard and more, the original story by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry receives a stop-motion treatment, while the film features an entirely new st...

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, welcome cosplayer Maid of Might and VideoGameBANG! host Cory Vincent for a spoiler-rich review of Suicide Squad (2016) starring Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto and Viola Davis. From the costumes to the soundtrack, we delve into everything that works and anything that doesn't in one of this summer's most highly anticipated films. News items...

This is a special bonus episode of the Filmlosophers recorded during San Diego Comic Con. Eddie and Chad get to sit down with the amazing author of the Red Rising trilogy, Pierce Brown.  

The Filmlosophers step right out of the theater and into the recording studio to discuss Jason Bourne (2016), which features the return of Matt Damon in the title role. In the nine years that have passed since The Bourne Ultimatum (2007), has Bourne gotten any close to finding closure and a sense of self? Listen in and learn. VideoGameBANG's Cory Vincent also joins the crew for a recap of San Dieg...

The Filmlosophers are going to San Diego Comic-Con! Join Eddie, Chad and special guest Cory Vincent from VideoGameBANG! and VGB Studios for a preview of all the action that awaits this week. What should attendees and enthusiasts watching from afar expect from the world's largest entertainment convention? Listen and learn! Additional news items include first reports of a new Van Helsing film, an Ho...

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, share their insights on Roland Emmerich's latest disaster flick, Independence Day: Resurgence. Starring Liam Hemsworth, Jeff Goldblum, Maika Monroe, Jessie T. Usher and Bill Pullman, does the sequel live up to its 20 years of built-up hype? This week's news is all about San Diego Comic-Con updates, in preparation for attending the show and record...

The Filmlosophers narrow down a list of their Top 5 Patriotic Films along with returning guest Hannah Storm. To ensure that we covered a wide variety of stories and styles, we selected one film in each of the following five categories: War, Sports, Western, American Symbolism and Inspirational. News items in this episode include Nicolas Winding Refn's desire to do a Batgirl film and a new, seven-f...

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, welcome Girl Geek HQ's Erika Ashley for a detailed review of this week's new release, The Legend of Tarzan (2016). From the historical backdrop to the score - and reactions to the performances of Alexander Skarsgård, Margot Robbie, Samuel L. Jackson and Christoph Waltz - there is much to discuss about this surprisingly detailed interpretation of...

The Filmlosophers, Eddie Villanueva and Chad Riley, engage in a healthy debate over Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Out of the Shadows (2016). What worked, what didn't, and how were the new character introductions for Bebop, Rocksteady, Baxter Stockman and Krang? Other news items discussed include Wizard World Comic Con Sacramento, new film synopses for Doctor Strange (2016), Guardians of the Gal...