So much of The Rock’s stuff has been a disappointment, though, that I’m not sure he’s really considered all that bankable anymore.  Particularly after Black Adam.

Thanks for this—what a great contribution to the discussion. I wish they’d pump you to write a ‘counter-point’ to this entire thing because your unique perspective of what it’s like to be in the industry now is pretty interesting. I’ve always enjoyed the ‘indy’ movement from My Dinner with Andre to the cool stuff…

I sort of remember starting it, but it just felt too much like ‘weirdness for weirdness sake’ and wasn’t going anywhere in particular.

Out of curiosity (and for some context) what was the best horror movie you saw that year?

To me horror is as subjective as comedy. I’m a huge fan of horror in general and will give most horror movies a shot, and I found In a Violent Nature to be hugely overrated. That being said I enjoyed Maxxxine much more than the reviewer did. I think it stands on it’s own as a film, but is better if you’ve seen the…

As someone who was a huge fan of the first two, I enjoyed this film much more than the reviewer.

Halloween had as flimsy a story as any horror film ever has --it was his film-making and style that made that film what it is.  Anytime Carpenter has tried to get into storytelling it’s more of a mess than not.

I was a big fan of the first two, so take this with a grain of salt, but I enjoyed Maxxxine quite a bit. I also was in high school when this movie was set so some of the themes (especially the ridiculous satanic panic that was literally everywhere for a while) really hit home and West captures it well. There’s a lot…

Totally agree. I get the genre isn’t for everyone, but I thought You’re Next and what was actually happening, and how the final girl went down were all really well done. My other favorite along those lines is Ready or Not (which, man was I hoping for more from Abigail, but oh well)—Horror films are almost an acquired…

But they’re the ones that hate NEW Star Wars, see?  Just like my generation hates the prequels.  Time is a flat circle, my man.

That movie was insane, and one hell of a lot of fun.

yeah that makes sense I guess, except that this is actually one of the better “New” Trek shows to come out since the revival or relaunch or whatever.  I’ve enjoyed it, but didn’t realize I watched the first season on Netflix.  Still an odd choice, but I guess hearing that Paramount may get bought entirely does make it…

I didn’t take that she meant they wiped each other out--just a comment on the aftermath of which ‘annihilation’ feels like an apt adjective.  

Jesus dude, I love the shows and have read the books (once, mind you, as they are not easy nor all that fun reads) and I don’t recall those things, either.  I knew what she was talking about without issue at all.

“He...uh...coughed?”

I guess when you’re making up 8000 names for your 5000 page books you have to cut corners somewhere...

The aftermath seemed pretty major?  That was a LOT of bodies.  And if you haven’t read the books all the houses and dragon names and what not are pretty hard to keep straight.

I agree with most of this, but HBO would have given them anything they asked for, and they said they didn’t need as many episodes for those final two seasons (IIRC).  It sort of felt like they’d run out of gas at that point and just wanted it to be done.

Wasn’t there some show on Showtime (or maybe even HBO) that had simulated money shots?  I seem to recall some hubbub (or perhaps it was a hullabaloo?) regarding well-known actors getting near the porn line...

Eh, I’ve all but forgotten the first one save some fleeting images of a thumbs down and Russel Crowe fighting a tiger or something.  I genuinely thought the trailers for that new show Those About to Die were for Gladiator 2.  I think I’ve seen one trailer for the actual film but do not remember a thing about it,…