On the volcanic island of film podcasts, Fear and Loathing in Cinema sets itself apart with its irreverent blend of pop culture critique, nostalgic deep-dives, and a razor-sharp, at times almost uncomfortably candid, dissection of cinematic relics that were once scorned but now, with the benefit of time, seem worthy of a second look. Hosted by a group of unpredictable yet undeniably insightful voices; Bryan Kluger, a media director with a sharp sense of irony of offensive things; Dan Moran, a lawyer who brings an often absurd legal perspective of the film industry and Kevin Costner; Preston Barta, a film critic with a taste for the heart-warmingly obscure branch of cinema; and Chelsea Nicole, a culture critic who digs into the nuances of social dynamics and horror; Fear and Loathing in Cinema Podcast thrives in that rare space between sincere analysis and gut-busting humor.
On Episode #122 of Fear and Loathing in Cinema, your three brave, emotionally bruised hosts; Bryan, Dan, and Preston; return to the scorched ruins of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, the fifth installment in the dino-saga that now feels less like Spielberg’s evolutionary miracle and more like a deeply confused fever dream penned during a sugar rush in a Lego aisle. Originally released in 2018 to a public still high off Jurassic World’s billion-dollar dopamine hit, Fallen Kingdom asks: What if dinosaurs were auctioned to warlords like rare wines? What if a cloned child had an identity crisis and a raptor leapt through a fireball like it was auditioning for Die Hard 6: Cretaceous Drift? These are real questions posed by this film, which genuinely feels like a series of increasingly surreal dares from one studio exec to another. (“I bet you won’t write in a genetically-engineered murder dino named Indoraptor who stalks a child like it’s Nosferatu.” “Watch me.”)
We didn’t like it in 2018. In fact, we might have fled the theater wondering if Michael Crichton was somewhere, gently rotating in his grave. But now, with the safe, padded distance of time; and possibly a glass of whiskey; we’ve revisited this molten mess. And… it’s still a mess. But a tragic mess. A monster movie tragedy wrapped in horror aesthetics and studio-mandated merchandising potential.
This Week’s Highlights:
As always, the hosts of this podcast stray far from the beaten path, sidetracking in ways that somehow feel more entertaining than the very movie they’ve gathered to dissect. The absurdities that unfold become a crucial part of the show’s charm, its conversational energy the perfect counterpart to the movie under scrutiny. Among the many bizarre diversions in this week’s discussion:
- Dan – Do you have a plan of action for Horizon?
- The Apprentice won the major awards at the Canadian Screen Awards
- Frankenstein trailer and ashamed it wont get a theater release
- Happy Gilmore 2 Trailer Looks Great
- Stranger Things Finale in three parts over the holidays
- David Fincher is making a sequel to Once Upon A Time in Hollywood. Tarantino wrote the script. Pitt is reprising his role. Scott Caan and Elizabeth Debicki have joined.
- Ariana Grande set to star in Meet the Parents 4. Over $1.1 billion at box office. Following their kid’s love interest who is not right for him.
And, of course, the gang winds up pondering the most ridiculous hypothetical of all: What is the best (worst) betrayal in a movie? If that’s not a moment of podcast gold, I’m not sure what is.
Movie Analysis: Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
Director J.A. Bayona (The Orphanage) was supposed to bring gothic dread and soul to this half-extinct franchise. What he delivered was a haunting, visually spectacular dirge about the exploitation of nature; buried under the sound of boardroom decisions screaming for “more teeth.”
There are bright spots. The visual effects are stunning; every scale, claw, and puff of ash rendered with apocalyptic beauty. And yes, a raptor does explode out of a window during a thunderstorm, which, depending on your mood, is either the dumbest or greatest thing you’ll see in the film. Also, Buffalo Bill gets eaten by a dinosaur. Catharsis.
Is it good? No. Is it interesting? Absolutely. It’s the cinematic equivalent of watching someone try to juggle flaming chainsaws while singing Memory from Cats. You want to look away, but damn if it’s not compelling.
So join us. We dissect Fallen Kingdom like Dr. Grant with a Velociraptor claw, poking around the sinew and asking the big questions: What went wrong? Could it have been saved? Why does the cloned girl release the dinosaurs with a tearful, “They’re like me…”? And was that raptor really smirking?
On this episode of Fear and Loathing in Cinema, we laugh, we grieve, and we almost believe a dinosaur can cry.
FEAR AND LOATHING PODCAST APPLE PODCASTS
FEAR AND LOATHING PODCAST SPOTIFY
Thank you for listening.
WRITTEN BY: BRYAN KLUGER
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
