The Desert of the Reel: A Movie Podcast

We have another mailbag episode where we respond to an email we received! We are sorry we had to push back the Marvel schedule. It is the first week of school for us high school teachers and our time got crunched! It will be back to the regularly scheduled program next week!

We go over the worst and best movies we watched this summer. Which ones have you seen? Which ones do you agree with? Any movies you haven't heard of?

Also, I tell Jason the news that RDJ is coming back to the MCU live on the mic.

Send us your emails at [email protected]. Send us your thoughts, reviews, disagreements, and thoughts!

Love you

Wakanda Forever finds our hosts with a lot to talk about. It might not live up to the first movie, but there are many big ideas to discuss and analyze.

Jason brings a list of different dichotomies we can see in this film: faith vs science, desire vs duty, and tradition vs progress to name a few.

We discuss the concept of othering, graphics, and especially dealing with death. When someone dies, how we can not let us break us, but allow us to improve our lives?

What are your thoughts on Wakanda Forever? Share with us your thoughts on anything and everything at [email protected]

First, we'd like to apologize for missing a week for the first time in podcast history. Our editing/recording software randomly became unavailable to us, and then school started. It took us a while to find a suitable replacement, but now we're back on line!

This week, we analyze and discuss Shang Chi (2021)!

There is a lot to talk about with this MCU origin story. Both Jason and Ryan agree that this is a solid addition to the MCU, and wonder why there isn't a sequel already scheduled. We talk about Karl Jung and his theory of masks and the masks we wear in life. Shang Chi presents as a good example of someone who has successfully navigated the minefield of masks to arrive at a whole self.

What makes us who we are? In what ways are our true selves hidden behind the expectations of other people and society?

Email us your thoughts, reviews, and questions at [email protected]

While The Marvels (2023) is a massive dumpster fire of terrible dialogue, mediocre CGI, terrible lighting choices, and a plot stolen from Spaceballs (1987), we all agree the Kamala Khan is a bright light in an otherwise dismal cinescape. However, this film does inspire critical-thinker-in-chief Ryan to come up with four excellent questions that Donald and Jason bat around.

Also, this episode features a live performance of Handel's Hallelujah Chorus by the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square and the London Philharmonic Orchestra!

Email us your thoughts, reviews, and suggestions at [email protected]

Has Spiderman No Way Home given Jason his favorite MCU movie? Has it been worth it to suffer all the Marvel movies to get to this point?

We hear a brief recap of the film and then get into the philosophy of Spiderman! We talk about what makes him so great and ask if he is now considered the "poster child" of all superheroes. Is he the best superhero of them all? There are also a lot of characters with different codes of ethics.

This is a great episode, and Jason has a lot to say!

Email us your reviews and thoughts at [email protected]