Why Wasn't It Better?

The Timothy Dalton chapter in the James Bond series concluded with Licence to Kill. Released in the summer of 1989, it underperformed but later found favor with Bond fans for its dark, gritty themes. Special guest Joseph Darlington of Being James Bond joins the podcast to discuss.

A link to his channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Beingjamesbond

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One of the most obscure films we've covered, Proof of Life should have been a success. Russell Crowe had just starred in Gladiator and was at his peak. Meg Ryan was still America's sweetheart. And yet it completely bombed at the box office. Almost nobody remembers it now. Except us. Guest Garret Ohringer returns to negotiate to bring this film back to popularity.

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Let's get weird with our first listener request of the season. Summer horror can be some of the best horror. Headlined by Natalie Portman, Alex Garland's sophomore effort impressed critics and almost everyone that saw it, but curiously made no money upon release. Producer Eric Taylor and guest Kai Wang join to discuss Annihilation.

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Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water. Jaws 2 is a film that realistically should have been worse than what it was. Often lumped together with the two sequels that followed, Jaws 2 seems to have been the first shameless "it happened again" sequel. But we have a lot of time for it. Patrick and Anton discuss summer horror.

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The jury is still out on the legacy of this recent Pixar film. Elemental was minor hit for the studio but seems to divide fans. It's certainly ambitious, but could it have been better? Producer Eric Taylor wanted to join and share his thoughts.

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The Timothy Dalton chapter sadly only lasted for two films, but it began on a high note with The Living Daylights. Dalton's deadly serious approach to James Bond was something entirely different from his predecessors. Has it withstood the test of time? Guest Peter Baldeo is back to talk some Bond.

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It's the 30th anniversary of Batman Forever, which makes a perfect episode for our Season Eight premiere. Joel Schumacher's zany, neon-drenched take on the Caped Crusader was polarizing but proved very popular at the time. It's gotten a lot of hate over the years but we suspect it has its fans. Guest Ryan Moran returns to share his love for it.

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A bonus weekend episode! Mountainhead is the new HBO film written and directed by Jesse Armstrong, the mind behind Succession. Four super rich tech bro friends plot world domination as deepfake-fueled chaos unfolds across the world. It's lofty. But should it have been better?

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We conclude Season Seven with the film that many Potterheads consider to be the finest in the series. The third entry, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was directed by the auteur Alfonso Cuarón. It is possible that it's somehow overrated? Or is it worthy of all the praise? Guest Jake Valkusky is back to discuss.

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Did you know there was a sequel to Chinatown? Jack Nicholson starred in, directed it, and unofficially co-wrote it. And almost nobody knows it exists. You would think this would have been a bigger deal. Why wasn't The Two Jakes better?

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Funny People was supposed to be the crowning achievement of Judd Apatow's wildly successful 2000's run. With a great cast and an ambitious run time, audiences expected a masterpiece. What we got was an awkward blend of genuine comedy and surprising drama. Has it improved with age since its lukewarm reception? Guest Brian Anderson returns to share his thoughts.

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With Tom Cruise at his absolute peak, and directed by action master John Woo, Mission: Impossible 2 was a massively successful sequel upon release in 2000. It's also universally derided as the weakest entry in the series. Since there's a new one coming out we decided to cover it. Why is Mi 2 such an outlier? Guest Tom Paradiso joins to discuss.

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Ant-Man was not an A-list Marvel superhero. Paul Rudd was an unconventional choice to headline a blockbuster. And yet Ant-Man found favor with audiences. The Edgar Wright what if left others wondering if it couldn't have been better. Patrick and Anton talk about shrinkage.

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Our very first Jackie Chan movie is the second entry in his most beloved Hong Kong action series. Police Story 2 is often described as the least of the original trilogy. Is that actually true? Guest Kai Wang joins to discuss.

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The Star Wars movie that you didn't even realize was a movie. Yes, the Star Wars movie you forgot existed. To inaugurate the new animated TV series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars was indeed given a theater release in 2008. It was immediately forgotten. Does it deserve more love?

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Has James Bond finally met his match? We're not so sure. It's the 40th anniversary of A View to a Kill, Moore's seventh and final entry as James Bond. And it shows. At least Christopher Walken was there to play the villain. Guest Tom Paradiso returns to dance into the fire.

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Twenty years ago, Steven Spielberg directing Tom Cruise seemed like a match made in blockbuster movie heaven. War of the Worlds was certainly successful but didn't quite become the classic that it should have been. Why wasn't it better? Patrick and Anton try to find out.

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