Overthinking Movies (Brandon Hain)

Can a 56 year old science fiction novel be adapted into a compelling modern movie? Which version adapted it better? But more importantly which version has the best sand worms!? Let's find out!

Another quick review of a new release, the latest entry in The Conjuring series and Conjuring cinematic universe. What suburban family are Ed and Lorraine putting crosses on the heads of this time? Is this paranormal investigation worth getting nightmares over? Let's find out.

Overthinking Movies can be found on:

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As well as literally anywhere podcasts can be found, and if there is somewhere where it isn't, feel free to let us know, as well as any feedback or suggestions, at: OverthinkingMoviesPodcast@gmail.com.  

You know when you have to get that assignment done but it's the night before the due date? But then you fall asleep and all of a sudden it's 2 hours before the due date? That's Godzilla vs Megalon. Well known thanks to its MST3K episode, Alex and I watched the Japanese and English versions fresh and for the first time, and...it's one of the roughest...most slap-dash films in the entire franchise so far. A robot programed to program itself, undersea people who wear togas, and monsters high-fiving is only the beginning of this nightmare.

United States and Russian astronauts find themselves stranded on the International Space State as nuclear war coats the planet out their window. Suddenly their respective governments say they need to take the I.S.S. for their country by any means "necessary".

An intriguing, topical concept for a sci-fi thriller, but given the careful balancing of nuance and tension it would involve, does it pull it off?

Thanks for your interest! Welcome to Overthinking Movies! On this tiny space of the internet, overthinking guy Brandon Hain, as well as his overthinking friends Alex Ulaky and Zach Yetter, will we be conducting reviews and discussions of movies new and old as well as topics in the film industry.

Current projects we have planned:

- Covering some of the highlights and lesser known movies in the Godzilla and King Kong franchises on the road to Godzilla vs Kong at the end of March.
- A Willy Wonka prequel has been announced for 2023! We came up with pitches of what we expect, and also what we'd like to see.
- Did you know Disney made horror films in the 70s and 80s? Yep! Stay tuned.

Magic has always been a contentious element in scripted media. Whether because it's hard to convey believably, or how it is commonly used to explain away a story that doesn't make in place of logic. Naturally, adapting Marvel comic's own magic man has been a turbulent process. How was the first attempt in the 1970s, and what did our later Marvel Cinematic Universe movies do to finally make the character a success on-screen? Overthinking co-host Alex Ulaky joins me to hopefully find some answers!

Fans of the theory of determinism beware, Final Destination says you're fatally right! We're talking about all five films of the franchise and seeing how they've aged. Is the concept still compelling? Do they rise above the usual standards of the slasher genre? Or are they just "death for the sake of death"? As you listen, get uncomfortable, sand off any sharp corners in your car or house, and for the love of God, don't say anything ironic in the middle of a busy street.

A giant ape had a son, so why not mutant atomic bomb lizards? In the most family-friendly Godzilla entry yet, scientists attempt to create a device to change the weather while Godzilla teaches his son to breathe radiation by stepping on him. He'd better hurry up too, because giant pray mantises roam the island, and something even more sinister awaits bellow the surface. Join co-host Alex Ulaky for Son of Godzilla!

It was inevitable; a movie about a second civil war within the US. Terrifying concept to think about, a thrilling set up for a movie. Released by A24, and directed and written by Alex Garland of 28 Days Later, Ex Machina, and Annihilation fame. Kirsten Dunst is already widely praised for her performance in the lead role of war photographer Lee Smith, but can the script balance such a complex and political subject matter?

Our second Dracula film of the year is an adaptation of one of the most iconic chapters of the original novel; Dracula's time stowing aboard the Russian ship the Demeter on his way to London. The book keeps the details vague, told only through the diary of a coastguard and the journal of the ship's captain. So the movie seeks to paint in the details.

How does it do? Me and the three other people in my opening weekend theater were interested to find out!

Yes it exists...kind of. We Can Be Heroes is a 2020 Netflix film that happens to have Sharkboy and Lavagirl in it, and also contains references to it...yet the director says it is not connected. That doesn't stop host Brandon Hain and co-host Zach Yetter from tirelessly comparing them though! Join them as they examine another movie made for 7 year olds, about a group of equally young super heroes with zany super powers. Is it another surprise like Sharkboy and Lavagirl, or another poor kids movie?

Coming up next: Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)

And...Tom & Jerry the Movie (2021)....oh dear.

We made it! 50 episodes. I take this time to reflect on the last two years of reviewing movies, what I've noticed in terms of trends and cliches, and how media consumption has improved for better and worse. Thank you if you've followed us to this point, and know that there is so much more to come!

After beginning a new zombie trilogy with Land of the Dead, and laying the seeds for the next, George Romero decided for his next entry to...reboot everything. Diary of the Dead is Romero's first and only foray into the Found Footage genre, set during the beginning of a new zombie outbreak, and featuring a cast of college students. It features a road trip, an Amish man armed with dynamite, and plenty of philosophizing about the effects of the internet on society...but is it worth the watch?

I just had to know. Josie and the Pussycats is a 2001 musical comedy based on the comics and Hanna-Barbera cartoon of the same name. It was made by Pennsylvania-born writing and directing team Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan, and stars Rachael Leigh Cook, Tara Reid, and Rosario Dawson as the Pussycats, with Alan Cumming, and Parker Posey as our villains. It also has government conspiracies, parodies the control corporations have over our culture and youth, and pokes fun at the formula of movies about rock bands.

Have a suggestion for what movie or topic in movies you'd like us to cover next? Send them to overthinkingmoviespodcast@gmail.com

It's a remake of King Kong set in the modern era!......of the 1970s! Closing in on the end of The Road to Godzilla vs Kong, Host Brandon Hain and Co-Host Alex Ulaky check out the lesser know King Kong adaptation to understand why it is not talked about as much anymore, and how it holds up. They go through every major story beat, comparing it to both King Kong (1933) and King Kong (2005), creating the longest episode so far.

Next up: Kong: Skull Island (2017)

Then: Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)

In memory of Kevin Conroy (1955-2022). Voicing a character for over 30 years makes you a cornerstone of multiple generations, and in Conroy's case, his voice is now and forever a part of the some of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful Batman media across multiple mediums. On this episode, overthinking co-host (and big Batman fan) Alex Ulaky and I delve into two lesser know pieces of that legacy; the final two animated features Kevin voiced.

For the next installment of the road to Godzilla vs Kong, we temporarily go backwards in time to the first monster Godzilla ever fought, a giant turtle! Co-host Alex Ulaky joins host Brandon Hain once again as they examine this important piece of the Godzilla mythos, Godzilla Raids Again. They discuss its strange history in the Americans when it was renamed to "Gigantis, the Fire Monster", how it compares to the more serious original Godzilla, and that time that Japan tried to actually turn themselves invisible.

Coming up next: Son of Kong (1933)

And some other surprises that aren't Godzilla or Kong Kong related...

In this latest installment of Overthinking Movies, two Caucasian men in their late 20s for some reason give their opinions on a cute animated movie about a girl turning into a highly marketable creature.

You've probably heard this tale before. A coming of age story where a character turns into an animal as a metaphor for a part of growing up and self actualization. Turning Red looks to refresh this familiar structure by adding a very personal touch. That being, it's set in 2002, in Toronto, Canada, and has a 13 year old Chinese-Canadian girl as our protagonist. On top of that, the film uses Japanese and American animation as influences on its style. Is it all enough to create a compelling update? 

Claustrophobic spaces, rich people, and murder. Despite their age, Agatha Christie's tales of morality, romance and mystery still are compelling reads. With a new big budget adaptation of Death on the Nile in theaters, I decide to delve into both new and old takes on material nearly a century old to see which version does it better.

We did it everyone! We made it to so many Batman movies that in infamous Hollywood tradition we've reached the point where they just add or take away the word "The" before the title to differentiate it. The Final Destination, The Wolverine, Blair Witch. That being said, Batman is a character with a fairly consistent output of good to great content, from comics to movies to shows to games, you generally cannot go wrong with the Dark Knight. So what does The Batman bring new to the table? Is Robert Patterson a good choice to dawn the cowl, and does Planet of the Apes director Matt Reeves create a compelling vision that feels distinct from a seemly infinite amount of Gotham Cities in media? Co-host and fellow Bat-fan Alex Ulaky joins me to find out!

After Tom & Jerry: Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, Tom & Jerry: The Wizard of Oz, Tom & Jerry: Back to Oz (Yes that's a thing), and other remakes of classic movies with Tom & Jerry jammed into them, Tom & Jerry now have their own movie!....Again!

Host Brandon Hain and co-host Zach Yetter watched it, and attempt to answer questions like "...Why is Tom singing in Auto-Tune?" and "...What is happening?", and "Did that cartoon elephant seriously say 'LOL'?"

It's better and worse than you may expect, it's Tom & Jerry: The Movie!

Next Time: King Kong (1976)

We start off with no spoilers, then transition into dissecting the entire story.

After a month and a half of covering the storied history of these two literal cinema giants, host Brandon Hain and co-host Alex Ulaky judge how Godzilla vs Kong stacks up on its own, as well as in comparison to the 1960s original.

For those of you that have followed the podcast so far, thank you so much, and I hope to continue to improve our editing and conversation structure as we cast off from Monster Island into further uncharted territory.

Next up: We're actually not sure. If you have suggestions for movies, topics, or feedback, send them to overthinkingmoviespodcast@gmail.com.

Based off a character you would only know if you were deep into the Spider-Man comics or obsessively watched the 90s cartoon, Madame Web is the origin of a woman with future vision powers. On its face, this honestly seemed like a decent pitch for a story, not super strength or flight, just knowing what will happen and having to be resourceful to prevent it. While reviews have provided their own future warning to audiences, Alex and I decided to form our own thoughts on the latest entry of the Sony Spider-Manless universe.

A carnival with a convenient Satan-themed dark ride beckons the little Hell spawn critters known as the Ghoulies back for a second outing. Host Brandon and co-host Zach cash their tickets for a ride on another B movie romp and pray this cart doesn't fly into the air and explode as only something in a movie can.

Is self awareness enough to carry a franchise? How do movies about self awareness age and evolve overtime? And will Gale Weathers and Officer Dewie ever not have a lull in their relationship that has to be solved by them catching serial killers? Let's find out!

Scream 5 review starts at 19:48.

Movies covered:
Scream (1996)

Scream 2 (1997)

Scream 3 (2000)

Scream 4 (2011)

Scream (5) (2022)

Everyone says Die Hard is a Christmas movie, but what if Die Hard was REALLY a Christmas movie? Violent Night puts Santa Claus up against a gang of mercenaries on a fight for his life. Does its entertainment value live up to its outlandish concept? Overthinking co-host Alex Ulaky joins me to find out.

Happy holidays to all my listeners, and I hope you have a better New Year.

Nostalgia is a powerful spell, and with the release of Hocus Pocus 2, Disney does what they do best, and prey on it. Is Hocus Pocus 2 a worthwhile continuation of its cult hit 1993 original, and does the original even hold up?

At last, we reach the end of the original Godzilla film franchise, dating from 1954 to 1975. It caps off with a two parter against a robot duplicate, the iconic Mechagodzilla. Do these two films serve as a satisfying finale?

Godzilla vs Kong is finally here! Co-host Alex Ulaky and host Brandon Hain take a very long journey through the movies leading up to it, finding surprises both good and bad, in this mega-long episode of Overthinking Movies. Covered in this episode:

Kong: Skull Island (2017)
Godzilla (2014)
Godzilla King of the Monsters (2019)

Notes: I say Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom a few times in the King of the Monsters discussion when I meant Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (sorry for insulting you Jurassic Park). Also it's Ghidorah, the Three-Headed "Monster", not "Dragon", though he is a dragon.


Next up: Godzilla vs Kong (2021)

We begin Halloween by going right down the toilet (literally) with the start to the strange horror-comedy franchise Ghoulies. The 80s were packed with little creature films after the success of Gremlins, but what if I were tell you Ghoulies very nearly came first? Is a better film than Gremlins? Okay lets not go crazy here, but is it at least a good time? Can a little budget with heart create a worthwhile 80 minutes of your life? God I hope so, or co-host Zach is the one going down the toilet for suggesting this series.

Puss In Boots: The Last Wish came out of nowhere and has captured the hearts of the internet. Is it warranted? And how does it compared to the last time we experienced the Shrek franchise ten years ago?

One of the finest entries of the original Godzilla era, featuring easily the most interesting monster Godzilla has encountered yet. Hedorah is pollution incarnate; he brings death and environmental decay to visceral effect, feeds off of smoke stacks, and can even transform to dominate the land, sea, and sky. Can a scientist and his son who has a psychic connection to Godzilla (don't ask) help defeat this threat?

THE Suicide Squad proves that movies do deserve a second chance...even less than half a decade later. Seriously, Spider-Man: Homecoming was like only a few years after Amazing Spider-Man 2. Are we getting to the point where when a movie is bad, we'll just get a good version the next year?

Send movie suggestions and topic suggestions to overthinkingmoviespodcast@gmail.com.

AKA Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965)

Robot women clones, eye-piercing sound design, and aliens in high positions of the Japanese government are just a taste of this Godzilla movie that is tangentially about Godzilla. Co-host Alex Ulaky and I are taken to the limits of how much dumb we can handle in this mind-numbing 94 minutes. 

What happens when three pretentious film students get lost in the woods? Film history, that's what! The Blair Witch Project and its two sequels each represent different ways a movie can play around with trying to make you believe it is real in as much the marketing as the films themselves. Some work, most don't, but it's certainly a fascinating franchise of fakery. Do they hold up despite being removed from their time? I was curious to find out!

Send movie suggestions, topic suggestions, and feedback to overthinkingmoviespodcast@gmail.com.

Co-host Alex Ulaky and host Brandon Hain discuss a classic film that has actually earned the right to be called a classic; The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. This 40s epic directed by John Huston stars Humphrey Bogart, Walter Huston (the director's father), and Tim Holt as aspiring prospectors that go searching for gold in the Mexican wilderness. What follows is a morality tale of how human nature and character can be tested by the allure of sudden wealth and greed, that has been parodied and homage'd ever since.

This episode is in tribute to Alex's father; classic film, animation, and comic buff Rick Ulaky (1953 - 2021).

Suggestions for movies or topics for future episodes can be sent to overthinkingmoviespodcast@gmail.com

While the idea of making a prequel to Willy Wonka sounds the farthest from pure imagination, I decided to pitch my own script if I was forced to write it while cautiously anticipating Paul King's WONKA.

Do movies deserve a second chance? Zack Snyder's Justice League seeks to answer this question by turning 2017's Justice League into a 4 hour long director's cut of mostly newly shoot footage. Being now the longest superhero film ever made, is that backed up by its improvements? Or does it collapse under the weight of its already ingrained flaws? Lets find out!

Suggestions for movies or topics can be sent to overthinkingmoviespodcast@gmail.com.

Jordan Peele's latest horror film goes down a very different route than Get Out or Us, but like those films, it is best to know nothing going in to fully appreciate its mystery. Is it worth a trip to the theater? Co-host Alex Ulaky joins me for the third episode in a row to analyze this very strange story.

30 years later, Michael Keaton returns to Batman, and we return to see how the Tim Burton-era of the franchise has held up. Is Batman 89 still a classic? Is Batman Returns still its underrated darker brother? Given that this is the longest episode of the podcast to date you might be able to infer which way we lean...

Did you know King Kong has lightning powers? Yep, and that's just scratching the surface of Japanese studio Toho's 1962 epic of lunacy, King Kong vs Godzilla. Overthinking host Brandon Hain recruits his friend and movie monster connoisseur Alex Ulaky to discuss and analyze this oddball film.

How can the upcoming remake learn from this movie? And who is the greater intellectual between a giant ape and a radioactive dinosaur? All this and more in this baffling installment.

Coming up next: Godzilla Raids Again (1955)

Another year of video game adaptations begins with Sony releasing their first stab at the genre, Uncharted. Tom Holland and Mark Walberg star in this Indiana Jones-in-modern-times-action-adventure. What does it have to offer that isn't already done by the AAA budget video games it is based on? How accurate is it to capturing the feel of the games? Let's find out!

Japanese Godzilla has returned to the big screen, having been held back by the Legendary Pictures films after 2016's Shin Godzilla. How does it hold up to its American and Japanese legacies?

Send feedback and suggestions to overthinkingmoviespodcast@gmail.com

In the time since the original Sam Rami Spider-Man Trilogy we have had 3 different Spider-Man film franchises. The Tom Holland and Spiderverse movies in particular have been hailed as the best adaptations of the character to date. So where does that leave the original film in 2024? What does it say about that era of superhero films, and how has its legacy influenced the decades that built upon its success?

No more than a year and a half after Death on the Nile, director Kenneth Branagh and writer Michael Green are back with another Agatha Christie adaptation, this time based on a more obscure book in her legendary catalog. Given the negative to middling reception of the last two movies, how did this one fair?

Within a year after the release of Destroy All Monsters, one of the most ambitious and beloved films in Toho's monsterverse, we see the release of All Monsters Attack, also helmed by Ishirō Honda. Is it a satisfying follow up even with such a short turn around? Well our multiple past experiences with sequels that come out within a year on this podcast should give you a few clues...

Another year, another video game franchise taking its stab at Hollywood. However, Five Nights at Freddy's is more than just a video game franchise, it is truly a phenomenon, one that is more beloved by children than any other demographic. True to the franchise, even written by the creator, this is a PG-13 horror film that stretches the limits of the rating with its gore. But is it a good movie outside of being faithful to its source material? Alex and I stumbled through the seas of children head to the theater to find out!

See the video version of this episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a4KgYYLRJk

Back in September I had the chance to attend a few showings at the Toronto International Film Festival. From documentaries, to comedy-horror films, and adult musicals, I manage to cover a wealth of variety in a short amount of time. Send suggestions for movies, general feedback and topics for us to talk about to overthinkingmoviespodcast@gmail.com Find more episodes on: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6mWi9wr... Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Goggle Podcasts: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=...

In the 29th Marvel Cinematic Universe film in the 5th phase of Disney's 5,000 years of plans for the franchise, Thor searches for his place in the world. Considering the insurmountable amounts of death and suffering Thor has endured in the MCU movies since Ragnarok, the idea of another goofy Thor comedy seems like a curious turn for the character. Does it live up to the comedic and dramatic heights of its predecessor? Overthinking co-host Alex Ulaky and were dragged to theaters to find out!

Spider-Man 3 was seen as the clearly weakest Spider-Man movie in 2007, but where does it stand many many Spider-Man films later? Does its charming cast and action win over its sometimes contrived and frustrating story decisions? Will Mary Jane and Peter solve their relationship troubles...again? Where did Peter learn how to dance like that?

GET OVER HERE...but not literally because social distancing, but join co-host Zach Yetter and host Brandon Hain as they cover the original 1990s Mortal Kombat movies in anticipation for its reboot. A PG-13 movie based off a game with very R rated content? That shouldn't work right?...You might be surprised.

Next Episode: Mortal Kombat (2021)

Just in time for New Years, I take a look at the often forgotten 1979 sequel to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph's Shiny New Year! It features reincarnation, Benjamin Franklin, a giant buzzard that scared children, and a meditation on gaining confidence in what makes you stand out.

Yes, they made another one. The first one actually made a profit, and Tigger is now in the public domain, so literally a year later the denizens of the Hundred Acre Wood have returned to seek revenge on Christopher Robin and the people of Ashdown. Can we expect at least a slight improvement over the first? I decided to find out so you won't have to.

Can Paddington director Paul King's musical Wonka prequel live up to and break through our ingrained cynicism of seeing our childhood favorites dragged out to bait our nostalgia?

It's the third film of the second Spider-Man reboot trilogy, that is also in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but also takes elements from the prior two Spider-Man film franchises. On top of that nightmare of a sentence, we are coming up on nearly 20 years of Spider-Man movies. Does the webswinger still have enough material for a compelling narrative? And does it cap a satisfying end on a trilogy, for a character that always seems to stumble with the number three? Overthinking co-host Alex Ulaky and I put on our own masks and swung out to the nearest theater to find out. 

On a spur of a moment decision, host Brandon Hain and co-host Zach Yetter decided they were going to check out the recently opened Midway Drive-in. Despite having no expectations or strong interest in the movies playing, they were both surprised with how they turned out.

This is the first installment covering movies at the Midway Drive-in, and there maybe more to come!

Suggestions for movies or topics as well as feedback can be sent to overthinkingmoviespodcast@gmail.com.

It creeps, and leaps, and glides, and slides, and melts your flesh...wait...

Overthinking co-host Alex Ulaky and I take a look at the lesser known remake of the 50s cult horror classic, The Blob, remade by the markers of Shawshank Redemption and the Jim Carrey movie The Mask! How does it compare to the campy original? And how does it compare to other ground breaking 80s remakes like The Thing and The Fly? 

An idea conceived by Robert Kirkman, the creator of The Walking Dead, Renfield is a comedy-action-horror film about Dracula's bug-eating man slave seeking a way out of his immortal toxic relationship. Overthinking co-host Alex Ulaky and I discuss how it fairs, the future of the Universal "monsterverse", and why the Creature from the Black Lagoon deserved his own remake that isn't The Shape of Water.

Happy Valentine's Day! This time we check out a new romance film that most didn't see! The directorial debut of Zelda Williams (daughter of the beloved Robin), this 1989-set comedy is a parody of both Frankenstein and 80s movie tropes. Did it warm the blizzard-filled hearts of co-host Alex and I? We were curious to find out.

Instead of a superhero, he's an anti-hero! That's different enough...right? Wait, there's a ton of those in movies too?

Well either way Venom is a cool character and could make for a compelling lead, so does Venom meet that potential? Well this is a Sony picture so that's usually a bad sign...but you might be surprised.

Co-host Alex Ulaky joins me to discuss a comic book movie made back in the olden times of 2018 when people were allowed to touch each other.

Decades before the Sonic movie trailer would terrify the world...and then periodically became one of the most successful video game movies ever, an animated Sonic movie quietly snuck its way into the back aisle of your local Blockbuster video in 1999. Is that a telltale for the quality of the film, or is it a true reflection of the franchise at its 90s peak?

We begin with no spoilers, and then give a warning when we transition into them.

Host Brandon Hain and co-host Zach Yetter discuss the newest video game-to-film adaptation, Mortal Kombat, and see how it stacks up to the legacy of movies based on games. Many comparisons are made between it and the original 90s movies, as well as plenty of hot takes.

Next up: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)

"Let there be Carnage" "There will be Carnage" and many other versions of that line are said a few too many times by Woody Harrelson in this movie. Was there truly Carnage? How much Carnage? And by what capacity do we measure Carnage? There's only one way to find out!

...And I mean it, this movie only came out in theaters. Was it worth the trip? My co-host Alex Ulaky and I hope so!

Gigan. Every part of him is a weapon, from his hook hands to his spinning sawblade chest. Can Godzilla and returning buddy Anguirus stop Gigan AND King Ghidorah? Thankfully stock footage from other movies where they win is here to assist them! Join as we untangle this multilayered sci-fi mystery involving monsters made of homework, a Godzilla theme park, and aliens!........again!

Tina Fey's beloved 2000s comedy-drama returns with a movie adaptation of its successful 2018 musical. How does it compare to the original? What changes does it make in terms of technology and views to fit the modern update and do they work? Co-host Zach Yetter and I dissect the good, the bad, and the fetch.

Host Brandon and co-host Alex tackle the sequel to the soft reboot from 2018 that was in itself a sequel to the one from 1978 but ignores all the ones that came after it. What's there to not understand?  

...But mostly it's another movie where Michael Myers yet again pays unwelcome house visits to the residents of Haddonfield. That being said, just like Halloween (2018) this one has a lot of moving parts, ambition, and style. But is it enough to carry it without being yet another repetitive slasher movie sequel? Lets find out!

Based on a recommendation from a friend, Alex and I checked out a new A24 film from director Rose Glass, in her second major feature; the gritty romantic thriller Love Lies Bleeding staring Kristen Stewart, Katy O'Brian, and Ed Harris. A great title for a movie, but is it a great movie?

The beginning to the most successful video game-based movie franchise of all time...and also hated by fans of the video games. With a reboot on the horizon, how does the first film hold up? Is it really as bad as its reputation, and is it truly as unfaithful as fans claim? Let's find out!

Advertised as a faithful adaptation of its series, Welcome to Raccoon City is a video game movie made with heart; but is it enough to make a good film? Co-Alex Ulaky returns to dissect the many, many working parts of this sprawling horror film, and uncover the truth. 

In the mid-70s, one avant-garde assembled a crew of legendary artists, actors, and musicians to create what he saw as his magnum opus. Despite the money never coming together and the production falling apart, its effects are felt to this day. We take a look at the new Dune movies of course, and also the documentary covering the production of an almost classic.

85 years, and yet each version tells a similar tale. But which does it best? And how has the perception of mummies in western culture evolved overtime?

Movies featured:
The Mummy (1932)
The Mummy (1959)
The Mummy (1999)
The Mummy (2017)

P.S. - The episode on Ghoulies 3 is still coming. As we get deeper into the holiday season work has made scheduling recording sessions with co-hosts difficult. Either way I hope you will look forward to it.

So if you took a ship to a dangerous island that murdered most of your crew, and you survived, would you go back if you were told there was treasure there? ....Hm? What do you mean no? Well Carl Denim disagrees with you, because Carl Denim is not like other people. Plus King Kong made a lot of money and they wanted a sequel. Back on the Road to Godzilla vs Kong, co-host Alex Ulaky joins host Brandon Hain again as they examine one of the lesser known King Kong films, Son of Kong. It's both worse and better than you may be expecting, and no we do not learn who King Kong's wife was.

Coming up next time: We Can Be Heroes (aka Sharkboy and Lavagirl 2) (2020)

And on the next Road to Godzilla vs Kong: Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)

A major Hollywood dinosaur movie without Jurassic in front of it? It's finally happened again, from the writers of A Quiet Place. Set sixty-five (or more accurately sixty-six) million years ago, humans living on other planets crash land on earth when it was still a hostile, reptile-invested world. An intriguing concept, but with half the budget of a Jurassic World movie, can it provide an engaging experience?

Sorry for the late release on this one. So here we are, the last Romero zombie film, and the last film in general by George Romero. Survival acts as a sort of sequel to Diary, but with a very different cast and focus. How does it hold up? Is there a bit of the magic of the original films left?

We're finally back! This October we are taking a look at the first entry of George A. Romero's second trilogy of zombie movies; Land of the Dead from 2005. How does it hold up? How does it compare to the prior trilogy of Night, Dawn, and Day? Is the protagonist as cool as the movie clearly wants us to think he is?

Coming up we will be covering Diary of the Dead and Survival of the Dead as well, along with some other surprise movies to fill out the All Hallows Eve season.

Another victim of Covid-19 delays, Jurassic World: Dominion has finally dominated worldwide theaters. With an intriguing concept of dinosaurs living alongside people, is it enough to put a satisfying cap on the trilogy? Co-host Alex Ulaky and I hesitantly peeked into theaters to find out. This episode contains bugs, clones, and dinosaurs that can't handle people slightly crouching and reaching out toward them. 

Insects may be great fodder for horror, but in Toho's monsterverse a giant moth is arguably the purest creature in the canon. How? Why? Where did she come from? And why does she lay giant rainbow-colored chicken eggs? Co-host Alex Ulaky and I find out!

First they Rose, then they had their Dawn, and then they had a War (but not really, there wasn't much war in that movie surprisingly), and having won, hundreds of years later, they have formed their Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. But not all is right in the new ape dominated earth, and of course, it may have to with the legacy both Ceasar and mankind left behind. I love Planet of the Apes, so with a new creative team behind it, did Kingdom successfully built one upon one came before?

Our first true climax of the Godzilla franchise, 1968's beloved Destroy All Monsters! Which is...well not really about destroying all the monsters...or any really, though it is a great title, and it features nearly every critter no matter how bit their part may be. It also features government alien conspiracies, mind control, moonbases, fire dragons, and more that adds up to one of the most complex narratives yet. Overthinking co-host Alex Ulaky and I do our best to break it down, our brows in a permanent state of furrowing the whole time.

In the premiere episode of Overthinking Movies, we begin with the usual introductions and explanations, and a story of nostalgia, resentment, and how putting creativity and effort into something very corporate and stale can create inspiration.

Coming up next: King Kong vs Godzilla (1962)

The next Disney animated musical is here! A girl sings about wishing there was more! She has an animal sidekick! How does this one compare to the...sixty-one animated Disney films before it? I dragged my friend and co-host Zach to the theater to find out. Send suggestions for movies, general feedback and topics for us to talk about to overthinkingmoviespodcast@gmail.com Find more episodes on: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6mWi9wr8ii7nJUQhfyAA6z Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overthinking-movies/id1553470097?uo=4 Goggle Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80YTUyMjgxOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw==

So what do you do with a sequel to "Godzilla vs Kong"? Put them up against two new monsters of course, but not without some scraping of their own first.

Co-host Alex Ulaky and I were admittedly not too excited for a sequel to another American Godzilla movie, especially after 2023's Japanese Godzilla film, Godzilla Minus One, which was not only better than every American Godzilla movie, but one of the best films of that year.

Still, does Godzilla x Kong offer enough dumb CGI monster action to justify another entry in this middling universe?

With 90s nostalgia being in, it was only a matter of time for the return of Space Jam, one of the most 90s movies of all time. My overthinking co-host Zach Yetter and I adored it when we were kids, so we decided to revisit it in anticipation for this sequel...reboot...thing. How well does Space Jam hold up? How does the new film compare? Let's find out!

After taking on aliens and loud ear-piercing noises, Godzilla decides he needs a vacation and takes a nap on an island. Unfortunately, this resort package comes with terrorists building atomic bombs and a giant lobster, so it's time to do some house cleaning in 1966's Ebirah, Horror of the Deep! 

The first Shazam was a surprise in 2019. A new DC Extended Universe movie that focused on fun over brooding, gloomy, philosophical, self seriousness in a misguided effort to distinguish it from its competitor. This was not only because the movies themselves were poorly executed, but in a world that continues to grow incredibly more bleak, it felt tone deaf to what audiences were looking forward when going to watch movies about people that dress as bats and fly. So Shazam 2, after the usual covid delays, finally drops in theaters to little interest from audiences. How is the movie itself? What does it say about the current state of the DCEU, and will James Gunn's revamp give it the kick it needed a decade ago? Co-host Alex Ulaky and I discussed and theorized for ourselves!

Theatrical, aggressively colorful, ridiculous, infamous yet iconic, the late Joel Schumacher created two Batman films unlike any before or since. In this first ever debate on the podcast, Brandon and Alex duel to prove which film is...not necessary good, but what edges out the other for the least worst to sit through of the franchise.

The episode begins with an objective summary of both films. The real debate begins around 5:03 if you'd like to skip there.

In this ursine-filled episode, a bear from a crazy true story, and a bear from a classic children's story that recently entered the public domain, find themselves going mad and ranking up body counts in typical slasher film format. Do they have any merit as films, are they at least entertaining? Co-host Alex Ulaky joins me in this episode blind as he reacts to my impressions.

The final weeks to Godzilla vs Kong are closing in, and thus we have another big monster bash. Ghidorah: The Three-Head Monster, is a 1964 crossover movie where Godzilla for the first time, teams up with other monsters to fight a bigger monster. Also there are alien women from Venus and a made up country of people that wear 1500s attire despite being 1964. Host Brandon Hain and co-host Alex Ulaky dissect another looney but entertaining early entry in the massive Godzilla franchise.

Next up: Tom and Jerry The Movie (2021)

And later: King Kong (1976)

There are some spoilers in this one. Another quick review of the new Netflix animated film The Mitchells vs the Machines, which is not based off anything or a part of some big franchise, which is very refreshing.

Next up: ??? (You can send suggestions to OverthinkingMoviesPodcast@gmail.com)

Overthinking Movies can be found on Spotify, Google Podcasts, pretty much anywhere podcasts can be found.

Dream dream dream dream dream dream. Host Brandon Hain is joined by his friend and co-host Zach Yetter to dig up a strange piece of 2000s nostalgia, 2005's The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl. Things both surprising and unsurprising abound in this strange kids movie about dreams, imagination, parental divorce, giant cookies, and sharks that act like dolphins.

Coming up next time:

Son of Kong (1933)

We Can Be Heroes (2020)

See the video version of this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YpEiyqrn2OY

Holiday horror and action movies are in, and with them comes Eli Roth's Thanksgiving, a slasher film that uses the aesthetics and motifs of the holiday to craft a story mirroring John Carpenter's "Halloween", while taking from the decades of slasher films hence forth. How does it fare? Send suggestions for movies, general feedback and topics for us to talk about to overthinkingmoviespodcast@gmail.com Find more episodes on: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6mWi9wr8ii7nJUQhfyAA6z Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overthinking-movies/id1553470097?uo=4 Goggle Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80YTUyMjgxOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw==

Countless movies and miniseries have been based on the works Stephen King, but very few were actually written by the man himself. Today we have one of the exceptions, the 1985 werewolf thriller Silver Bullet, staring Corey Haim and Gary Busey, directed by Dan Attias (his only feature), and penned by Stephen King himself. How does it fair? How are the werewolf effects? And what makes this one stand out from the big hitters in this sub-genre?

Spider-Man 2 was a landmark film in the superhero genre in 2004, a strong improvement over its predecessor, and a great examination of identity of Spider-Man and Peter Parker as characters. But! Literally 20 later, after 8 more Spider-Man films, cartoons, games, and countless comics, is Spider-Man 2 still a peak the for the character, or has it been easily outdone by what was built upon its legacy?