The Countdown

The Batman review

What is brown and white and thinks its opinions matter to people? :P

 

The first massive release for 2022 is here and the hype for it has been gathering considerable steam. So it has to be asked: Does Matt Reeves deliver with his very different take on The Batman? Or is it a three hour snooze fest that will have comic book fans falling to their knees and screaming in anguish?

 

Paul and Wayne, with thanks to Warner Bros and Universal Pictures, are here to answer that exact question in time for opening day of the film. Plus: Can Wayne put away his Batman shaped erection for long enough to review this film objectively? And did Paul survive the three hour run time on this bad boy?

 

Learn the answers to all these questions and more as The Countdown continues ...

 

Time Stamps

The Batman NON-SPOILER Review: 0:00 - 10:47

The Batman SPOILER-FILLED Discussion: 10:47 - 32:06

Final Thoughts Including Potential Spoilers: 32:06 - 32:35

 

Check out the show's first draft of a website for your one-stop shop for all things related to The Countdown.

 

But if you want more specific directions, find so many more Countdowns - all the way back to Episode 40! - on our Podbean site.

 

Want to hear a whole bunch of additional content? Head on over to Patreon to fond out how and see what you're missing.

 

And finally, how about some Countdown merch? Grab a new range of products right here!

Top 10 Neo-Noir Films

Countdown #361

 

Top level Patron to the show, Geordie Davidson, furnished the boys with this week's topic: The Top 10 Neo-Noir films. Actually, he wanted the guys to do the Top 10 Noir Films, but given they could barely muster ten that they'd seen between then that pre-dated 1960, the philistines instead brokered the topic to be a little more contemporary.

 

Anyway, to make it harder, Wayne somehow talked Paul into only counting films that displayed a prominent use of shadow, featured a protagonist in over their heads, and employed a femme fatale character in a major role. The problem being this made it way TOO hard, and this Episode is the result of TRYING to meet this brief...

 

Will Paul and Wayne maintain their cordial cease fire at one another given the difficulty of the topic? And who will screw the brief up harder while making the case for some "interesting" neo-noir films?

 

Find out as The Countdown continues ...

 

Check out the show's first draft of a website for your one-stop shop for all things related to The Countdown.

 

But if you want more specific directions, find so many more Countdowns - all the way back to Episode 40! - on our Podbean site.

 

Join The Countdown Podcast Listener Community on Facebook so you can interact more directly with Paul and Wayne and vote in the weekly poll for who has the best list!

 

Want to hear a whole bunch of additional content? Head on over to Patreon to fond out how and see what you're missing.

 

And finally, how about some Countdown merch? Grab a new range of products right here!

Uncharted review

This episode is off the charts!

 

(Sorry.)

 

This week the guys jump into the latest video game adaptation which is supposed to be the first GOOD example thereof (it's not): Uncharted.

 

Wayne, finally, reverts to form consistent with the first six years of the show, while Paul, equally finally, re-dons his Negatron role as he takes aim at the many, many plot holes and contrivances of this film.

 

Discover who's side you're on (The Sounboard's) as The Countdown continues ...

 

Time Stamps

Uncharted NON-SPOILER Review: 0:00 - 14:55

Uncharted SPOILER-FILLED Discussion: 14:55 - 27:42

Final Thoughts Including Potential Spoilers: 27:42 - 29:04

 

Check out the show's first draft of a website for your one-stop shop for all things related to The Countdown.

 

But if you want more specific directions, find so many more Countdowns - all the way back to Episode 40! - on our Podbean site.

 

Want to hear a whole bunch of additional content? Head on over to Patreon to fond out how and see what you're missing.

 

And finally, how about some Countdown merch? Grab a new range of products right here!

The WORST 10 Video Game Movies

Countdown #360

 

In celebration of the release of the Uncharted film, the guys have decided to revisit one of the very early topics on the show and countdown their WORST ever video game movies!

 

Now, to be clear, this is no reflection on the quality of Uncharted - that's it's own review episode out very soon - but it is an acknowledgement that there have basically been zero great video game movies since Super Movie Brothers kick started it all back in 1993.

 

Listen as the boys are united (for a change) in their anger and incredulity over the films which populate their lists. Will Uwe Bill take the dubious honour away from Paul W S Anderson as having the most films mentioned on this Ep? Which actor's cocaine addiction effectively killed the film he was supposed to be starring in? And just how many "mash button" fighting games get called out this episode?

 

Learn the answers to all of these questions and more, as The Countdown continues ...

 

Check out the show's first draft of a website for your one-stop shop for all things related to The Countdown.

 

But if you want more specific directions, find so many more Countdowns - all the way back to Episode 40! - on our Podbean site.

 

Join The Countdown Podcast Listener Community on Facebook so you can interact more directly with Paul and Wayne and vote in the weekly poll for who has the best list!

 

Want to hear a whole bunch of additional content? Head on over to Patreon to fond out how and see what you're missing.

 

And finally, how about some Countdown merch? Grab a new range of products right here!

Yellowjackets Season 1 review

Well, this show came out of nowhere!

 

The buzz is real (sorry) for Yellowjackets, a new Showtime show that recently completed its first season and has earned some significant praise from critics and viewers alike. As such, Paul has talked Wayne into giving up ten hours of his oh so valuable time to review the whole season (by threatening him with two Aussie zombie action films as the alternative). Which therefore begs the question: Can Waynatron actually like something this year? Or is he once again strangely negative about this quality show?

 

Learn the answer to that question even as the boys geek out about many of the fan theories re the show, as The Countdown continues ...

 

Time Stamps

Yellowjackets S1 NON-SPOILER Review: 0:00 - 12:36

Yellowjackets S1 SPOILER-FILLED Discussion: 12:36 - 30:55

Final Thoughts Including Potential Spoilers: 30:55 - 32:40

 

Check out the show's first draft of a website for your one-stop shop for all things related to The Countdown.

 

But if you want more specific directions, find so many more Countdowns - all the way back to Episode 40! - on our Podbean site.

 

Want to hear a whole bunch of additional content? Head on over to Patreon to fond out how and see what you're missing.

 

And finally, how about some Countdown merch? Grab a new range of products right here!

Top 10 Last 10: Hello 2022 Edition

Countdown #359

 

This week, the guys are reviewing near on 20 films for you - ranging from the worst of the worst to some quality productions - in the latest edition of the Top 10 Last 10.

 

For those new to the show, both Paul and Wayne rank ten films they've recently seen from worst to best, with the hope of guiding you away from the crap and toward the quality that exists out there.

 

Has Paul seen some better films this time around? And did Wayne manage to watch ten whole extra films he's yet to speak about on the show? Plus will the new Negatron curse follow him to the main Countdown episode?

 

Find the answers to all these questions and more, as The Countdown continues ...

 

Check out the show's first draft of a website for your one-stop shop for all things related to The Countdown.

 

But if you want more specific directions, find so many more Countdowns - all the way back to Episode 40! - on our Podbean site.

 

Join The Countdown Podcast Listener Community on Facebook so you can interact more directly with Paul and Wayne and vote in the weekly poll for who has the best list!

 

Want to hear a whole bunch of additional content? Head on over to Patreon to fond out how and see what you're missing.

 

And finally, how about some Countdown merch? Grab a new range of products right here!

Moonfall review

Remember when Roland Emmerich made ID4 and everyone loved it? Well it's 26 years later and apparently Mr Emmerich is still chasing that kind of high because he continues to make the same type of film. Again and again and again and again. And every time he does so, like a photocopy of a photocopy, the quality decreases. Which, good listener, brings us to Moonfall.

 

Sigh.

 

Can this one be worse than Independence Day: Resurgence? What about Midway? Who paid money to see this one and how much do they regret it? And, most importantly, does Wayne continue his 2022 streak as Negatron?

 

Learn the answers to all these questions and so much more, as The Countdown continues ...

 

Time Stamps

Moonfall NON-SPOILER Review: 0:00 - 15:03

Moonfall SPOILER-FILLED Discussion: 15:03 - 24:08

Final Thoughts Including Potential Spoilers: 24:08 - 25:40

 

Check out the show's first draft of a website for your one-stop shop for all things related to The Countdown.

 

But if you want more specific directions, find so many more Countdowns - all the way back to Episode 40! - on our Podbean site.

 

Want to hear a whole bunch of additional content? Head on over to Patreon to fond out how and see what you're missing.

 

And finally, how about some Countdown merch? Grab a new range of products right here!

Top 10 Films Based on a True Story

Countdown #358

 

This week, top-level Patron Extraordinaire, Nicole Pressley, directed the guys to count down the very best Films Based on a True Story.

 

The last time Wayne and Paul ventured into such territory was with Episode 26, some 6 years and change ago, so you can bet their choices have changed, some 300 (for Wayne) and 1500 films later (in Paul's case).

 

Who thinks a comedy starring Ed Helms should make this list? Who has three Academy Award winning films on theirs (and does that really amount to sixth-eighth of anything worthwhile on a show like this)? And who gets offended at the other's omission of one Marty Scorsese film when that person had two other films from the master director on his list?

 

Learn the answers to all these questions - and more! - as The Countdown continues ... True story!

 

Check out the show's first draft of a website for your one-stop shop for all things related to The Countdown.

 

But if you want more specific directions, find so many more Countdowns - all the way back to Episode 40! - on our Podbean site.

 

Join The Countdown Podcast Listener Community on Facebook so you can interact more directly with Paul and Wayne and vote in the weekly poll for who has the best list!

 

Want to hear a whole bunch of additional content? Head on over to Patreon to fond out how and see what you're missing.

 

And finally, how about some Countdown merch? Grab a new range of products right here!

Peacemaker mid-season review

Not content with aiding the resurrection of the DCEU last year, James Gunn returns with a sequel series to a character that would probably surprise many at first glance, Peacemaker.

 

This eight episode first season is streaming on HBO Max where available and Binge here in Australia and contains enough off the wall humour, comedic violence and excessive profanity, that there was only one way The Countdown was ever going to feel about this show. But who ends up loving it more and does 2022 Waynatron (Wayne + Negatron) continue (albeit relatively speaking)?

 

Find out as The Countdown continues ...

 

Time Stamps

Peacemaker mid-season NON-SPOILER Review: 0:00 - 8:17

Peacemaker to End of Episode Three SPOILER-FILLED Discussion: 8:17 - 18:16

Final Thoughts Including Potential Spoilers: 18:16 - 20:00

 

Check out the show's first draft of a website for your one-stop shop for all things related to The Countdown.

 

But if you want more specific directions, find so many more Countdowns - all the way back to Episode 40! - on our Podbean site.

 

Want to hear a whole bunch of additional content? Head on over to Patreon to fond out how and see what you're missing.

 

And finally, how about some Countdown merch? Grab a new range of products right here!

BONUS Ep: The Hating Game review

There's an old saying that you can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs. Or, if you prefer, you can't be a movie review podcast without reviewing a few horrendously terrible films. Such is the confirmation provided by this month's BONUS Ep in which the boys reviewed the The Hating Game - a film which achieved a cinematic release here in Aus despite being so bad it almost broke the show's rating system.

 

Who is more offended by a rom-com which is neither romantic or funny? What are the odds that Lucy Hale could be the best thing about any film? And just how many expressions does co-star Austin Stowell offer throughout this 102 minute nightmare?

 

Get your schadenfreude on to learn the answers to all these questions and more, as The Countdown continues ...

 

NOTE: There are pretty much spoilers throughout this review, because, really, who cares about a film that made a whole $294K at the box office in North America and which you've been able to stream for almost two months.

 

Check out the show's first draft of a website for your one-stop shop for all things related to The Countdown.

 

But if you want more specific directions, find so many more Countdowns - all the way back to Episode 40! - on our Podbean site.

 

Want to hear a whole bunch of additional content? Head on over to Patreon to fond out how and see what you're missing.

 

And finally, how about some Countdown merch? Grab a new range of products right here!