Bald Move Pulp - Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018)

Jim and I saw a movie about giant robots punching even bigger monsters, and it was even dumber than we thought it would be.  Jim and I have no small amount of affection for the first Pacific Rim.  But hoo-boy, Pacific Rim: Uprising might up the robot on monster punching action slightly, but removes all of the spunk and charm of the original to give us a loud, boring, and thoroughly by the numbers action movie.  My 11 year old loved it, though, so if you have one of those around, or are one of those in heart and mind, by all means, don’t let us stop you from seeing Pacific Rim 2. Everybody else should steer well clear.

Bald Move Pulp - Highlander (1986)

Special thanks to our buddy Jason Shankel hailing from the Nattercast for commissioning this podcast for the 1986 sci-fi action fantasy film Highlander, directed by Russell Mulcahy and starring Sean Connery and Christopher Lambert. Jason and his friends also did a deep dive on Highlander, so please check that out if you’re looking for a very affectionate and informed take from life-long fans of the franchise.  As for us, we thought Highlander was cheesy fun.  The film boasts an excellent soundtrack, exciting and varied sets for the extended sword fights, and some of the sturdiest and most interesting fantasy bones to hang a franchise on.  We walk away wondering why hasn’t anyone rebooted this?

Bald Move Pulp - Altered Carbon Season One Wrapup

We spin up Netflix’s Altered Carbon after we’ve decanted it for a few weeks, to see what we make of it in our final analysis.  Cool concepts, excellent design, and decent sci-fi action are slightly undercut by sometimes silly and hammy execution, and a failure to take ideas to their logical conclusion.  Still, we’re always down to ponder futurism and human singularities, so we dig it.  It will be interesting to see if and how they decide to proceed with future seasons!

Bald Move Pulp - Black Panther (2018)

Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther is a great super hero film, and an even better launching point into interesting discussions about the politics of colonialism and liberation.  Starring Chadwick Boseman as the Panther himself, and Michael B. Jordan as the best Marvel villain since Magneto, the movie is a constant challenge to one’s complacency and sense of justice.  Wakanda looks amazing, the cast is fantastic, the world they are building is both visually and philosophically amazing, to the point that one of the films weaknesses is that we were desperate to learn and know more.

Looper (2012)

Today’s commissioned podcast is Looper, the 2012 sci-fi action thriller directed by Rian Johnson and starring, Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Emily Blunt.  We have David Babulak to thank for this, as he’s the one who pulled the trigger and made the commission.  This movie is really, really great, thought provoking, well made, and entertaining.  It’s one of those podcasts where we sit back and think about time and space and what it’s like to meet yourself from the future, which is always fun.  It’s not perfect, but it may not be possible to make a better time travel movie that’s this much fun to watch.

Bald Move Pulp - Altered Carbon First Impressions

Jim and A.Ron have seen the first two episodes of Netflix’s new sci-fi film noir series Altered Carbon.  Hundreds of years into the future, the wealthy elite change bodies like we change clothes, and a fallen rebel from a long ago civil war is brought back to life by a rich immortal who wants him to investigate his own “murder”.  Intriguing premise, looks amazing, with fantastic action sequences, but we’re a bit worried that some of the lofty ideas and world building are half baked.  Nothing fatal, which, what does that even mean to a series featuring unlimited lives?  But we’re hoping for some satisfying answers and payoff in the weeks ahead. 

Bald Move Pulp - Black Mirror Season 4

Welcome to our coverage of Black Mirror, where you’ll never know whether you’ll have a heart wrenching or heart warming experience, but it will definitely revolve around the implications of technology and culture.  From Star Trek simulations, ultimate dating apps, and murderous robotic dogs, this season hits some amazing  highs, but for the first time also hits some fairly deep lows.  Or maybe what’s most amazing is how the show remains fresh and original four years into it’s creative process?  All I know is there are few things Jim and I like discussing more than futurology.  Enjoy!

The Lost Boys (1987)

Special thanks to Saylor from Santa Cruz, the latest Bald Move Fantasy Football champ to claim their prize for winning the league.  Emerging from the pile victorious, he has selected the 1997 vampire flick, The Lost Boys.  Helmed by Joel Schumacher and chocked equally full of cool and hilarious moments and extremely questionable decisions, the film manages to confound and delight.  Why is 16 year old Corey Haim taking baths and being tucked into bed by his mother?  Why is there a shirtless oiled up, muscle bound sax player?  Why is Rob Lowe gazing seductively from Haim’s bedroom closet, and more importantly, why is Jim completely oblivious to his siren’s call?  Is the grandpa a vampire or what?  All these questions and more are explored in the depth to which they deserve.

Bald Move Pulp - Battlestar Galactica (2004)

Today we’re here to talk about the 2004 SyFy reimagined Battlestar Galactica.  Jim loves this series, I have problems with it.  Still, we talk for nearly two hours and find what we think will be a lot of common ground with any fan of the show.  Despite my  misgivings I do recognize it’s quality and importance to Sci-Fi in general.  So say we both.  Special thanks to our intrepid community of commissioners who made this podcast possible.  To Jay “Nothing-has-corners-for-some-reason” Russo, Jeff, Anubus21, ClevelandPunk, Manoj, Matt from Boston, Devin from Maine, Ben from Yronwood, Isd5u, sam.n, leaplizard, elstenger, shenson90, jeffrey.w, enquiries, Shayne Bowman, nikhonesty, thank you for your generous support!

Bald Move Pulp - The Last Jedi Rewatch

A.Ron went back and saw the newest Star Wars on his holiday break, and has a lot more to say.  He turns to life long friend and fellow fan Jim Jones to help him talk through is feelings about the film, and his fears for the future of the franchise.  Maybe you feel me, maybe you don’t, but I hope you all accept it as my honest analysis of the film.  If you want to hear our first impressions, you can get them here.