Movie Wars

Let's just call this the ultimate "Cage" match. Nicholas Cage had an incredible run of films starting in the early 90's and tapering off in the early 2000's. His popularity landed him roles that were tailored to his eccentric persona. If you've listened to Movie Wars before, we love talking about the evolution of action from how it was sprinkled into Westerns and Bond films, to the macho muscle er...

The Slasher film is easily one of the most popular subgenres in all of cinema. The genre’s roots begin with Hitchcock's desire to modernize the horror genre by taking it out of European castles and removing werewolves and vampires. 1960's Psycho and Peeping Tom are true predecessors to 1978's Halloween . That being said, Halloween is seen as the first film to solidify what would become the slasher...

The Fugitive  and  Enemy Of The State  are great examples of innocent protagonists on the run due to false accusations and mistaken identities. Will Smith Versus Harrison Ford is one of our most intriguing leading men battles to date. We also discuss how the NSA technology o f Enemy Of The State  holds up in today's technological landscape.   Plan your escape and claim you...

Head to the bottom of the sea with the Movie Wars crew as they compare two of the greatest submarine warfare movies ever made. Both films feature incredible acting duos and center around the submarine tactics of the cold war. Listen with Kyle, Drew, and Phil as they start a mutiny between  The Hunt For Red October  and  Crimson Tide.  Click here to become an executive producer...

Absurd premises are the bread and butter of so many great action films.  Air Force One  and  The Rock  are no exception. Both films replicate the containerized action formula made famous by  Die Hard . Sean Connery and Nicholas Cage make an unforgettable duo while Harrison Ford kicks tail Commander-In-Chief style. Get off the plane with the Movie Wars crew and save San Fra...

The Movie Wars crew takes a gamble on episode 0030 where we compare Casino and Rounders . These films show gambling and high-stakes poker from different perspectives. Scorsese described Casino as a grandiose, indirect sequel to his Masterpiece Good Fellas. Rounders shows the seedy underground of high-stakes poker with a 90's flare. Roll the dice and enjoy Casino Vs. Rounders . Click here to become...

Crooked-cop films are the ultimate twist on the cops and robbers genre. Denzel Washington put on one of the most memorable performances of his career while Sylvester Stallone transformed from his usual musclebound action hero to an overweight cop steeped in naivety. The protagonists are tasked with traversing the moral complexity of taking down their corrupt counterparts who don’t operate with a r...

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and American Beauty are part of a distinguished group of films nominated for "The Big 5" Oscars (Best Film, Screenplay, Director, Actor and Actress). One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest is in even rarer company being one of 3 films to win all 5 of those categories. On a deeper level, they share strong philosophical themes such as imprisonment and freedom, juxtaposed aga...

The Game and The Firm pull back the curtain on what happens when the pursuit of wealth, status, and power is turned on its head. Michael Douglas and Tom Cruise enter worlds where nothing is what it seems. Join the Movie Wars crew as they dissect the breakneck twists and turns of these masterfully made thrillers. Want access to bonus content, interviews with legendary filmmakers, and Host Q an...

Kyle, Drew, and Phil celebrate the one-year anniversary of Movie Wars. It's been a great first year and we've managed to cover 50 incredible films. The guys reflect on a year of laughs, randos, and war cards. Tune in for Q&A's from the cohosts and the listeners, as well as a surprise host-themed war card from Kyle. Thanks for making our first year so memorable! Want access to bonus content, interv...

The idea of the isolated man resonates differently in 2022 than it did in 2000 when  Cast Away  was released. As society’s dependence on technology has come into prominence, the idea of losing access to people, technology, and modern comforts seems implausible.  Cast Away  and  The Martian  analyze this concept from two unique perspectives. Get stranded with the Movie...

Sports have often been utilized as a vehicle for intricate storytelling in film. Jerry Maguire and Moneyball tell the stories of two men seeking reform while challenging the status quo. The parallel rebirth experienced by both characters, however, may be the ultimate triumph in these two incredible stories. "Help Movie Wars help you" as we navigate one of our most prolific leading man battles to d...

The moral ambiguity of the Vietnam War attracted prolific filmmakers such as Stanley Kubrick, Oliver Stone, and Francis Ford Coppola. Although different, Apocalypse Now and Platoon are two iconic interpretations of one of the most divisive periods in history. Hop in the riverboat with Kyle, Drew, and Phil as we try to determine who “...smells like victory” Want access to bonus content, interviews&...

Point Break presented a massive evolution in action films when it was released in 1991. Its flow of adrenalized action sequences became a benchmark for many films to come; one of those being 2001’s The Fast And The Furious. Similar to Point Break, The Fast and the Furious embraced an obscure subculture and made it a societal focal point. But did it drive a little too closely to Point Break’s plot?...

This is Movie War's interview with the Oscar-Winning VFX Director from Total Recall , Tim McGovern. Although we began our discussion with Total Recall, Tim is still working on amazing projects which recently included Dunkirk With Christopher Nolan, First Man starring Ryan Gosling, and The Ghost & The Darkness starring Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas. Want access to bonus content, interviews wi...

The Western is one of the most fundamental building blocks of cinema. Heavily inspired by Westerns,  Quentin Tarantino and The Coen Brothers are Mount Rushmore American filmmakers who channeled that inspiration into The Hateful Eight and True Grit(2010). The Movie Wars crew puts these modern interpretations of a beloved genre to the test.  Want access to bonus content, interviews wi...

First Blood and Commando - these two films became the blueprint for the modern action movie. While these films have completely different tones, they share the same core: they're built around the concept of the one-man-army while yielding two of the most recognizable and iconic action stars to ever grace the big screen. Want access to bonus content, interviews with legendary filmmakers, and Ho...

What started as the Movie Wars Christmas episode turned into a battle of deadbeat dads. Tune in as Kyle, Drew, and Phil determine who made Santa's naughty list. Or better yet, who gets the Turboman?  Click here to become a Movie Wars Patron! Support Movie Wars for the price of a latte’ a month. A $7 contribution helps us make more content(eventual bonus features), grow the show, and feed our...

It’s hard to argue that Star Wars and Star Trek have two of the most dedicated fan bases in film history. JJ Abrams took on the challenge of reviving these two beloved franchises with Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Star Trek (2009). Traverse the galaxies with the Movie Wars crew as they examine these intergalactic giants.  Want access to bonus content, interviews with legendary filmmak...

Phillip K. Dick wrote two incredibly prophetic stories of technophobia with The Minority Report(1956) and We Can Remember it For You Wholesale(1966). It doesn’t hurt that they also led to two Sci-Fi classics carried by leading men Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tom Cruise. Get paranoid and get weird with the Movie Wars crew as we discuss Total Recall and Minority Report.  Want access to bonus cont...

Kyle, Drew, and Phil decided to take on two psychological icons for the scary October episode of Movie Wars. Hannibal Lector is a cinema-defining character while Se7en is considered one of the most innovative, creative, and daunting thrillers of all time. Get a break from the slashers and listen to the MWP as they get psychological.  Want access to bonus content, interviews with legendar...

Only on Movie Wars can we go from discussing pimps and franchised anarchy one week and then Rom-Coms the next week. When you watch a good Rom-Com, you can taste it. The taste of Fall or Christmas against the backdrop of a romanticized New York, Chicago, or Seattle. Grab a latte, take a stroll with your soulmate, and laugh along with the Movie Wars crew as we Love and War. Film Summary Sleepless In...

Kyle, Drew, and Phil tackle two giants of cinema in episode 0014. Taxi Driver and Fight Club explore the depths of the mind and its impact on society as a whole. Both films show their respective directors and actors growing into their craft. Hail a cab with the Movie Wars crew as we dissect the layers of morality in Taxi Driver and Fight Club. Film Summaries:  Taxi Driver Suffering from insom...

The Movie Wars crew has sports on the brain as the NFL, college football, and baseball are in full bloom. Sports films are the perfect vehicle for tackling heavy subject matter. It only felt right to tackle two juggernauts of the sports films sub-genre: Field Of Dreams and The Natural. Field Of Dreams When Iowa farmer Ray (Kevin Costner) hears a mysterious voice one night in his cornfield saying "...

Great films are often the result of an evolution in narratives and storytelling. Die Hard and Speed were refreshing representations of a new wave in action films. Containerized environments, lovable and relatable action stars, and touches of comedy. Kyle, Drew, and Phil didn’t let this podcast go below 50 MPH. SPEED FIlm Summary: Los Angeles police officer Jack (Keanu Reeves) angers retired bomb s...