An orphaned boy enrolled in a school of wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world. (IMDB)
What a fantastic episode this turned out to be!
Chris, Sharon and Pete are joined by Michelle Barrett Shea for this one shining gem of an episode. We had a lot of fun talking about the merits and flaws of this, our cinematic introduction to J. K. Rowling’s Wizarding World. We all had some pretty strong opinions, and we hashed out a few theories and opinions. A very compelling episode. Listen with pleasure as you wingardium your leviosa!
How does this movie play a decade and a half after its release? Join the cast of DragonReel as we discuss every aspect you can fit in a one-hour show!
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Conan leads a ragtag group of adventurers on a quest for a princess. (IMDB)
Yet another great episode awaits you, dear listener!
Clinging onto his guest host seat, Bill has chosen this movie for our next show. He calls it a better D&D movie than the D&D movie. Pretty low bar, but we’re willing to check it out! We already discussed the first Arnold Schwarzenegger Conan movie, so this makes a fitting followup. This is our first sequel show, so let’s see how this movie compares to its predecessor.
Does this movie play out like it used to? Does it hold up like the first one? What is it even about? Find out with us in the next exciting episode!
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Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
An All-American trucker gets dragged into a centuries-old mystical battle in Chinatown. (IMDB)
This one has been a long time coming. We had to decide if we were going to get into the modern age, and then Pete had to pony up and suggest it. Chris would have suggested it two choices ago, but he knew Pete would eventually get to it. Now it’s coming, and it’s going to be grand.
The biggest question in Little China is going to be whether the classic holds up or if our fondness is tinted with overmuch nostalgia. Sharon will be our test case for this, as she’s never seen the movie before, or at least has no memory of it.
Join us as in our next adventure into Lo Pan’s parlor.
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Princess Mononoke (1997)
On a journey to find the cure for a Tatarigami’s curse, Ashitaka finds himself in the middle of a war between the forest gods and Tatara, a mining colony. In this quest he also meets San, the Mononoke Hime. (IMDB)
Once again we are joined by noted author William Ray, who is kind enough to donate a copy of his book GEDLUND for us to give away as a prize in our first ever contest! Listen through the show to get details of the contest and how to win it.
We’ve done a few animated features, but none in the actual Japanese anime genre. We figured that a good place to start would be the name that made mainstream movie history. Miyazaki seemed the most sensible starting place for our foray into foreign film. We are, however, watching the English dub (except Pete who couldn’t find it).
We’re going to have a great time dissecting the film and finding out what translates to an English-speaking audience, and what works and what doesn’t. The film has a huge following around the world, and while it didn’t have the same impact as Spirited Away, it really broke ground in US cinema.
Join us as we discuss the ins and outs of putting your trust in nature gods and self-made industrialists.
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And get a copy of Princess Mononoke to watch with us!
Matilda (1996)
Story of a wonderful little girl, who happens to be a genius, and her wonderful teacher vs. the worst parents ever and the worst school principal imaginable. (IMDB)
“It’s Carrie for kids.” — an anonymous Reddit poster I wish I could remember.
In this episode, we bring in special guest William Ray, author of the acclaimed debut novel GEDLUND and its follow-up, THE GREAT RESTORATION. William, or Bill, as we know him, joins us to talk about Matilda, a 1996 movie starting Mara Wilson as the title character. Matilda is just about the only sane person in her world, and the cast of characters around her create a story worthy of the pen of the late great Roald Dahl. Which, ah, is fitting, since it’s based on a book he wrote.
So join us as we delve into this classic children’s fantasy film and find out the answer to the question: what do we think of this movie?
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The Beastmaster(1982)
A sword-and-sorcery fantasy about a young man’s search for revenge. Armed with supernatural powers, the handsome hero and his animal allies wage war against marauding forces. (IMDB)
Once upon a time, there was a movie called The Beastmaster, and just about everyone who was into gaming and fantasy went to see it, or rented/bought the videotape. I wouldn’t be surprised if this movie kept Blockbuster afloat in their early years.
Unfortunately for this movie, time also happened. Here we are, 35 years after it was released, and we’re giving it another look.
Join Pete, Sharon, and Chris as we delve into the things we loved about it and things we learn about it today.
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The Last Witch Hunter (2015)
The last witch hunter is all that stands between humanity and the combined forces of the most horrifying witches in history. (IMDB)
This episode, we dive into what’s good and what’s bad about this movie, which tanked at the box office in 2015. We find some things to admire about what was created here, and talk about how it could have been better and what we’d like out of a franchise like this. I think you’ll be surprised at what we discovered.
Listen and enjoy!
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Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Charlie receives a golden ticket to a factory, his sweet tooth wants going into the lushing candy, it turns out there’s an adventure in everything. (IMDB)
A young boy wins a tour through the most magnificent chocolate factory in the world, led by the world’s most unusual candy maker. (IMDB)
Welcome to our first two-fer. Sharon chose Willy Wonka and we thought we’d be remiss in not mentioning and comparing the latest adaptation of the original Roald Dahl book from 1964,
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Listen in for a rollicking discussion with the dreamers of dreams!
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Ladyhawke (1985)
A petty thief played my Matthew Broderick is thrust in the middle of a plot involving a man, a woman, two animals, and the church. It’s pretty confusing, but a classic nonetheless. It’s so hard to summarize the movie that IMDB doesn’t even have an official summary, only user-written blurbs spanning several paragraphs.
We had a pretty good discussion on this one, and really enjoyed diving deep into what was hailed as a flawless classic in the geek community in the 80s, and examined what’s held up and what hasn’t.
Join us as we dissect and devour the next in our fabulous series of fantasy movie reviews and discussions.
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The Flight of Dragons (1982)
A young Boston writer goes back in time into an era where wizards and dragon reign and science is just barely known. (IMDB)
This is an old one that was suggested by a listener. Thanks for the suggestion, Joe! This one is for you, buddy! This one was also a sentimental favorite of ours. We are happy to return from a long hiatus with a new episode, and hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we did making it.
This is not the greatest highlight in the Rankin/Bass catalogue, but it was definitely worth watching.
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tastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
The adventures of writer Newt Scamander in New York’s secret community of witches and wizards seventy years before Harry Potter reads his book in school.
We’re going to try doing more current movies, but we want to give people a chance to see it before we let loose with all the spoilers. So be warned, we get spoilery on this one. We encourage our listeners to go see the movie and see what they think, then come listen to us and see what we said about it. Or you can listen to us and decide if it’s something you want to see, but we’re giving away some plot twists and surprises.
That said, we really hope you enjoy this episode. We had a lot of fun making it.
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Labyrinth (1986)
A 16-year old girl is given 13 hours to solve a labyrinth and rescue her baby brother when her wish for him to be taken away is granted by the Goblin King. (IMDB)
OH. MY. GOB!
We had a HUGE technical issue with the recording of this one. I tried to iron out as many kinks as I could but I’m afraid there are still some pops, as well as some dramatic volume changes. I apologize in advance and beg you for your patience to listen to the entire show. The problems disappear entirely around the half hour mark, so if you get that far, you’re golden. And please, stick with it, because this was a GREAT conversation.
Wow, the 80s really is a golden age for fantasy movies. This time we go to 1986 and the slightly confusing presence of David Bowie in one of the highlights of the decade, fantastically speaking. This movie has David Bowie, Muppets, and a very early appearance of Jennifer Connolly.
James Introcasso and Bonnie MacDonald join us in Pete’s place (he wasn’t feeling well enough to record, but he’ll be back for Fantastic Beasts).
Join us again as we tackle the tough questions: Is this really happening? What does it all mean? What’s the deal with that bulge, anyway? Be with us for the next thrilling episode of DRAGONREEL!
If you enjoy the show, please go to iTunes and give us a good rating. It helps other people find us on iTunes. And share with your friends who enjoy podcasts. We would really love to hear from our listeners. email the show at dragonreelpodcast@gmail.com, or follow us on:
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Legend (1985)
A young man must stop the Lord of Darkness from both destroying daylight and marrying the woman he loves. (IMDB)
Once upon a time, no one had even heard of Tom Cruise. So Hollywood wasn’t sure what kind of a niche he could fill in their machine. Somehow he ended up in Legend, and cemented himself in fantasy movie history. Join Pete, Sharon, and Chris as we talk about the ins and outs of this nostalgic piece of cinema from our teen years.
This was Pete’s choice, and the discussion surrounding the movie tells us why. Watch the movie and then join us, and see if you thought some of the same things we did.
If you enjoy the show, please go to iTunes and give us a good rating. It helps other people find us on iTunes. And share with your friends who enjoy podcasts. We would really love to hear from our listeners. email the show at dragonreelpodcast@gmail.com, or follow us on:
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Oz the Great and Powerful (2013)
A small-time magician is swept away to an enchanted land and is forced into a power struggle between three witches. (IMDB)
Since Sharon chose The Wizard of Oz, Chris chose to follow it up with a prequel of sorts. Oz the Great and Powerful takes places years before the events of The Wizard of Oz, and tells the story of how the land came to be ruled by such a humbug of a wizard in the first place. Learn about Oz the wizard, and Oz the land, along with us.
Check out all the observations we had about this new twist on a familiar tale.
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The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Dorothy Gale is swept away to a magical land in a tornado and embarks on a quest to see the Wizard who can help her return home. (IMDB)
Strange choice for Sharon to make, but she decided that we’d be off to see the Wizard for this episode. So we’re going back in time over 75 years to this undisputed classic.
Come see what the DragonReel regulars make of this gem from our childhood. We really had a lot to say about the movie itself, the cast, and what you DIDN’T get to see on the screen, in the form of behind-the-scenes stories and Hollywood mystique. This one movie made a lot of our favorite movies possible, and we give it its due while also adding a critical eye unclouded by the rose-tint of nostalgia. Hope you enjoy our talk about it.
Don’t forget to go to dragonreel.com and rate it yourself! And email us at dragonreelpodcast@gmail.com to let us know what you think.
Thanks for listening!
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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)
