Inside the halls of illusions 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 #123 of Fear and Loathing in Cinema, our brave quartet; Bryan, Dan, Chelsea, and Preston; take a break from dodging dinosaurs and emotionally recovering from Fallen Kingdom to pull a rabbit out of their collective cinematic hat. Their target this week? Louis Leterrier’s 2013 Vegas-and-vodka-infused magic-heist thriller Now You See Me; a film that asks, “What if Ocean’s Eleven took a stagecraft class at the Mission: Impossible school and started doing crimes with a top hat full of plot holes?” To be fair, this movie does have everything: Mark Ruffalo sweating through conspiracies, Jesse Eisenberg explaining card tricks like he’s defending a doctoral thesis, Woody Harrelson hypnotizing people with the sheer force of his sarcasm, and Isla Fisher trying very hard not to drown in a water tank or the script. Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine show up too, presumably because they lost a bet or simply enjoy a good tuxedoed caper without a masked vigilante in a cape.
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:
- The Legend of Zelda Live Action Movie is releasing in May 2027.
- Craig Brewer to direct Snoop Dogg Biopic.
- Mia Goth starring with Ryan Gosling in Star Wars movie.
- Ridley Scott said hes done with Alien franchise, says after 4th film killed the franchise.
- Care Bears movie in development with Warner and Josh Greenbaum.
- Nic Pizzolato says Woody and Matthew are ready to come back for another season of True Detective.
And, of course, the gang winds up pondering the most ridiculous hypothetical of all: What is the most badass line in a movie? If that’s not a moment of podcast gold, I’m not sure what is.
Movie Analysis: Now You See Me (2013)
The podcast digs deep into whether the film is still a sleight-of-delight or just a well-dressed distraction. Bryan recalls his brief childhood dream of being a magician, which is still very much alive today for anyone who will watch him perform a card trick. Chelsea admits to once owning a magic set. Dan argues that The Prestige walked so Now You See Me could drunkenly jog. And Preston, tries to grapple with magic being for kids only, or if he can muster up the wonder to allow the fun of illusions into his life, or at least Dave Franco throwing playing cards like a ninja and henchmen.
They debate: is this the ultimate magician movie? Can a movie about misdirection survive when its entire third act is one big, sparkly shrug? Does a fun cast offset a script that turns into a magic eight ball after an hour? And more importantly, can any of them still pull off a card trick without pulling a muscle?
It’s a podcast full of illusions, revelations, and enough stage smoke to make Chris Angel file a cease and desist. Nothing is what it seems; except the laughs. Those are very real.
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Thank you for listening.
WRITTEN BY: BRYAN KLUGER
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