The Hollywood Outsider

Controversial Debates in Film and TV Did Rose really have enough room on the door for Jack? Was that  Karate Kid  kick illegal? Did Scarlett Johansson get a fair shake in Ghost in the Shell? Is the Snyder Cut really a good thing? Is replacing controversial actors or canceling shows over difficult themes the right course of action? The controversial debates in film and TV are infinite and we are de...

Which Summer Franchise of the 2000's is the Best of the Best? Movie Battle Royale is back, but this time: Summer Franchise Edition. We wanted to talk about those franchises released in the 2000's that kept us going back to the theater for the next. The rules are limited: the franchise must have had at least 3 films release in the summer (May-August), they must have occurred within the 2000's, and...

What Are Your Favorite Opening Sequences? On this week's episode of The Hollywood Outsider podcast, we wanted to talk about those incredible movie intros. Whether it's an action-filled car chase, a terrifying phone call from someone in your house, or a bank robbery with triple-crossing and a mysteriously ominous character whose identity remains unknown, we're talking about it all. Of course, we al...

Enjoy a selected episode of the SMIRK podcast, more episodes are now available in your favorite podcast app or at SmirkPodcast.com . On this episode of Smirk, grab a notepad and settle in…for murder! We're trying something a little differing this time, as our story reveals itself as a full-fledged murder-mystery. Only after we discuss and dissect our love for the genre will we reveal the killer. C...

Aaron sits down to share a few thoughts and ask one simple question: Are we listening?

Aaron sits down with director Matt Eskandari to elaborate on his new Bruce Willis and Chad Michael Murray thriller, Survive the Night. Matt discusses isolating in L.A. while waiting for filming to resume, casting his film, and working with an icon in Bruce Willis.  Survive the Night is now available on streaming platforms.  Read Aaron's full review of Survive the Night HERE

How do you feel about "predictable" plot devices? On this week's episode of The Hollywood Outsider podcast, we wanted to talk about those regurgitated and predictable plots and devices that every movie has reused at this point. We discuss some of our favorites predictable plot devices, as well as the ones that drive us NUTS! Of course, a debate emerges as we even discuss the negative connotation b...

What Are The Craziest TV Premises You've Ever Heard of or Seen? On this week's episode of The Hollywood Outsider podcast, we're discussing those wacky, crazy TV show premises. There are some TV shows that are so bonkers, you cannot believe a group of someones were high enough to green-light them. A lot of them involve animals, because who doesn't love a plot revolving around talking monkeys, but m...

The Perfect Summer Movie Soundtrack What are the best songs or themes from movies to crank up once Summer hits? Instead of dwelling on it all, let's just make our perfect playlist. We each get 10 songs – they can be themes, songs from a movie soundtrack, or just synonymous with a movie – and make our own perfect summer movie soundtrack! That means you could see yourself, windows down, hair flowing...

What are the most prominent TV cartoons from your childhood? You've heard it before: morning cartoons were everyone born before 2005's jam. Maybe you loved all the superhero character cartoons like Batman or Spider-Man, or preferred The Flintstones, Scooby-Doo or Looney Tunes, and later on you loved Rugrats, or perhaps you just only love the filth of South Park. Whatever it is, we have all been ex...

What movie scenes make you laugh the absolute hardest? Everyone has a slightly different sense of humor, so which movie scenes - in ANY MOVIE - do find the most hilarious? Are you a bit more refined with your tastes so you lean into Monty Python and the Black Knight's flesh wound? Maybe a little less so and prefer the wildly inappropriate antics of Bridesmaids or The Hangover? Surely you might be...

What are the most debated series finales on TV? LOST, Dexter, How I Met Your Mother, Game of Thrones and more... Each of these shows have one thing in common and it's not just people dying. They each create a massive divide among fans, and also between fans and creators. This is specifically for TV shows that had an intended series finale rather than an abrupt, forced conclusion to the show. On th...

Since many of us are stuck in quarantine, we decided to have a little fun and watch a movie people are talking about, Outbreak. But instead of the typical back and forth on the film, we watched it while recording our LIVE commentary. So either go off of memory or sync up your Netflix accounts, because this is our Outbreak Movie Commentary Track! Email topic suggestions or episode reactions to feed...

Who is the Best Anti-Hero in Television History? An anti-hero or anti-heroine is defined as a main character in a story who lacks conventional heroic qualities and attributes such as idealism, courage and morality. Often, an anti-hero is unorthodox and might flaunt laws or act in ways contrary to society's standards. Who among those on TV does this best? On this week's episode of The Hollywood Out...

What movies or TV shows do you watch when you're feeling down? On this episode of The Hollywood Outsider podcast, we are discussing movies and television that pick us up when things are dire. With everything currently affecting the world, and millions of people across the globe enduring isolation or quarantine, we decided what better time to talk about the films or TV we turn to in order to turn o...

FBI Profiler Illeana Scott (Angelina Jolie) has been called in to help hunt down an elusive serial killer known for taking the lives of his victims. When a witness to an attack arrives in James Costa (Ethan Hawke), Illeana finds herself caught up in a desperate game to stop the killer before he claims yet another victim. Or herself.  A serial killer thriller that has grown in cult status over the...

On this episode, we're discussing what YOU want us to! A wide range of submitted questions from what it takes for us to walk out of a movie to remakes, from foreign language film favorites to a hypothetical Kurt Russell experience. We've got a lot for you, including laughs and the craziest thing (or person) we've snuck into a theater. Also this week: news roundup, including the unfortunate news th...

How Do You Feel About "Inspired By" In Film? On this episode, we're discussing where we stand on "inspired by". Coming out this past week was Wendy , a film about a group of kids lost on an island that is "inspired by Peter Pan ". Once Upon A Time In Hollywood and 1917 were inspired by true events, namely the Manson Murders and World War 1. Just Mercy was a film that recently was inspired by very...

Do You Love Classic Movie Monsters? On this episode, we're discussing those movie monster classics such as  Mummy (1932), Frankenstein , Wolf Man , Dracula , Invisible Man , Creature of the Black Lagoon , etc. These classic horror movies are the beginning drivers for what we know horror movies and horror characters to be today and their visionary masters still reside in the horror hall of fame. We...

On this episode, we're discussing CGI characters, from our first memory of them to our top favorites, joined by guest HO, Troy Heinritz from The Blacklist Exposed. While CGI characters are computer generated, so many of them have had a substantial impact on us, sometimes for inspiration and other times emotionally. Characters like Caesar from Rise, Dawn, and War of the Planet of the Apes, and Rock...

What are the most dreadful TV couples? On this episode, we're discussing bad TV couples. Anyone who loves television has a favorite couple, or even several favorites. But have you ever loved a show and two characters getting together just ruined it for you? Are there shows where you just dread any potential romantic couplings - like it just doesn't belong? We will be discussing all of this and giv...

For this special Oscars 2020 wrap-up, Aaron and Amanda discuss the events, speeches, and winners of the 92nd Annual Academy Awards. Find more information at TheHollywoodOutsider.com The Academy Awards are the most prestigious awards in filmmaking and showcase some of the greatest talent and work in motion pictures for that running year. The nominees and winners are selected by majority vote from m...

What is the best film from all of the Academy Award 'Best Picture' nominees from 2010-2019? Oscar season is very real and hits full effect in January/February when the nominations go live and awards are presented, but what about those 'snubs'? Movies that should've but didn't, or maybe you agree with the Oscar contenders! We're selecting the best of the best, as defined by the Academy, for this we...

On this episode of The Hollywood Outsider podcast, we revisit 2019 as we present the 2020 Awards for the best we witnessed in film and television over the past year. From the continued explosion of quality content on TV and streaming services, to the implosion of mediocrity scattered about, to an overload of greatness both at home and in theaters – THESE are the only podcast awards you need to lis...

What do you want from TV in 2020? On this episode, we're discussing television in 2020. Specifically, with over 500 scripted TV shows in 2019, what more could we possibly want from the medium over the next several months? Genres? More baking, true crime, cheerleaders, what do we want from TV in 2020? We follow that up with our 15 most anticipated TV shows of 2020, and why they stood out to us. Als...