We avoided it for years, but it’s time to get acquainted with Taylor Lautner. So let’s be honest: did NEW MOON confirm every negative preconception we had about the third wheel in the Twilight love story? Or were we surprised by how much he added to the saga? And what do we make of Edward’s puzzling disappearance from most of the movie? Are we excited to watch ECLIPSE? The answers are in this Real Talk segment!

The Twilight Saga arrives on the main feed! Patrons of the show already heard Alex & Julio express their (surprisingly positive) feelings about the opening salvo, TWILIGHT, but this is where the story really kicks in. Why do people hate Jacob Black so much? Is it the washboard abs? Are critics too jaded for an old-fashioned supernatural love triangle? Listen to The Contrarians set the record straight when it comes to the werewolf/teenage-girl romance of the new millennium!

There is something to be said for Robert Eggers’ distinctive filmmaking, whether it actually vibes with you or not. But is admiration for a unique voice a sufficient reason to carry The Contrarians to a positive review of The Lighthouse? How much of Contrarians Corner was just slightly puffed up Real Talk? And when it’s all said and done, are we ready for more of Eggers’ work? The answers may (or may not) shock you! HARK!

HARK! A24 bamboozles critics again with their particular brand of indie pretentiousness. Black & white? Check. 4:3 aspect ratio? You got it. Unnecessarily convoluted dialogue? Of course. Ludicrously big performances? There they are. THE LIGHTHOUSE ticks off every box necessary to climb to the top of the Tomatometer, so it’s on Alex & Julio to bring it down a few notches. Is there anything left when you remove all the gimmicks?

In one corner, someone who’s generally underwhelmed by John Carpenter’s work. In the other, someone who usually thinks very highly of the filmmaker. Can Alex & Julio meet in the middle when it comes to GHOSTS OF MARS? Is there even need for any sort of compromise? What’s the deal with the Martian Matriarchy anyway? The answers to this and more will be revealed during Real Talk!

John Carpenter isn’t just The Master of Horror - he’s also a low-key Master of Sci-Fi. The Contrarians would like to submit the underrated GHOSTS OF MARS as proof that Carpenter can handle more than low-budget gorefests: this is a true star-studded Hollywood blockbuster, set in Mars to boot! Listen to Alex & Julio as they discuss the implications of a Matriarchal Martian Society, the fate of Pam Grier’s head, and the boldness of one of the best closing shots in modern cinema.

As you’d expect, Alex has some questions about Peru. But can Julio answer them satisfactorily? And how does a non-Peruvian experience a movie designed to make him crave a visit to Peru? Can we draw parallels to other international cinema we’ve covered on the show? Above all else… is this a fair representation of Peruvian filmmaking? This and more in Real Talk!

It’s taken us almost nine years of podcasting to tackle a Peruvian movie, and it took Peru almost twice that time to produce a Netflix Original Movie. Now the stars have aligned and Alex & Julio are primed to jump to the defense of a love story set in Julio’s homeland. WITHOUT SAYING GOODBYE is rotten by Tomatometer standards, but that only means The Contrarians will do their best to highlight its best qualities: awesome locations, hot people, and a spicy romance between polar opposites!

Hey, we’re Austinites here in this podcast. Does that make us more qualified to talk about an Austin-set movie from an Austin filmmaker? Does it even matter if the high school experience is, supposedly, universal? Find out how Alex, Julio, and, more importantly, elementary school teacher Lilian experienced DAZED AND CONFUSED on this rewatch! Is this Richard Linklater’s Contrarians redemption?

School’s out forever! Or so Richard Linklater proclaimed in 1993 when he released DAZED AND CONFUSED and bamboozled critics into confusing nostalgia for quality. Listen to Alex, Julio, and returning guest Lilian - a teacher herself - as they discuss the many ways in which Linklater’s beloved coming-of-age film has aged poorly!