Even though "Chappie" was number one at the box office this weekend, a $13 million bow is hardly impressive, and Neill Blomkamp has been taking his hits from a lot of critics. We reviewed the film already with a B grade (one of the most positive and fair/evenhanded reviews out there, actually), but here on our latest podcast we examine the potential consequences of all this vitriol on a young director’s career, and also the unrealistic expectations that have come in the wake of Blomkamp’s massive debut success with "District 9."
On this episode, I’m joined by Joe von Appen, my co-host on another film podcast, Adjust Your Tracking. Though a lot of the noise surrounding "Chappie" has been hyperbolic and a tad mind-boggling (even with its very clear flaws), we hope you appreciate our attempts at providing a more balanced perspective.
You can stream or download the podcast below via Soundcloud and/or subscribe on iTunes. Don’t forget to sound off in the comments section below. Additionally, if you enjoy this podcast, please check out my other film shows, Adjust Your Tracking and Over/Under Movies. Thanks for listening!
Sent another message apologizing for my mangled last sentence, and blamed the meager space of a window in which to type which ultimately makes it near impossible to edit what was written. Got a reply that my comment was too spammy, so perhaps I will repeat my comment at AYT. I think my complaint is valid, not earth shattering mind you, but definitely an opinion I am sure must be shared by others who like to edit what they have written before posting. I like to hear all of your shows, and that means the one\’s on Indiewire as well as AYT. Luckily, the AYT web design is much more generous with it\’s amount of space in which to type. Anywho, love you guys.
J. Villeneuve
Brilliant discussion as usual. I swear that my heart begins to palpitate before every show. And McClanahan, you still have the best laugh in the business; it radiates your joy for the discussion of film, and quite frankly, gives me a boner. Just kidding. Now I am off to listen to Adjust Your Tracking to catch up on some episodes I\’ve missed recently. Stay great, guys, and stay curious (unlike so many critics who dismiss so many films that they so do not want to discuss because of so much laziness.) So there.