Podcast: Neighbors & Godzilla
Monday, May 19, 2014 at 7:11PM 
On this week's podcast Katey Rich (Vanity Fair) returns from her wedding and Nick Davis (Nick's Flick Picks) moderates a Neighbors discussion with Joe Reid (The Wire) and Nathaniel R, (The Film Experience) while deciding whether or not to see it. Then we all talk Godzilla and Gareth Edwards' rising star in the director's chair with shades of Spielberg & Cameron.
Somehow the Cannes film festival, Grace of Monaco and the ladies of Steel Magnolias invade the manly lizard conversation.
00:01 Katey's wedding & our weekends
03:00 Neighbors vs. 21 Jump Street (2012)
07:00 "I wish it had more jokes" - Nicholas Stoller and modern comedy
09:45 Zac Efron's "surface area"
15:00 "Assjuice," accents, gay panic
22:45 Godzilla and mass destruction
25:30 Character or Monster Driven - Which Is it?
30:00 Aaron Taylor-Johnson vs. Charisma
35:00 the sheer gorgeousity of Gareth Edwards' filmmaking
44:30 Does anyone under 40 have nostalgia for Godzilla?
49:00 Detours to the South of France and Louisiana
You can listen to the podcast here at the bottom of the post or download the conversation on iTunes. Continue the conversation in the comments... and who would you play in a staged reading of Steel Magnolias?
Further Reading Related to This Podcast
Richard Lawson on Zac Efron's dark side
Peter Knegt on the gay pandering of Neighbors
Nathaniel on The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby
Reader Comments (10)
Thanks again guys!
I have to say that you all (even the supposedly negative comments) made me want to watch Godzilla. I hate movies where humans punish other humans for their immorality but the idea of an animal (or monster) doing it is appealing to me. In movies, at least.
Re: Neighbors, I kind of enjoyed the first half but it became unfunny and boring. I liked that the movie wasn't finally too dismissive of Efron's character and that a woman got a big role in a comedy like that but these are poor arguments in favor of it. It's like saying it didn't get that many things wrong. But what did it get right, you know? And the relationship of the couple was not half as interestingly depicted as the movie thinks it was.
I don't like to predict Nick's reaction to stuff (I was wrong about Girls) but since we both like Heat and a big part of 21 Jump Street (hate the ending) I assume there's a possibility we'll agree on Neighbors. So, not getting a rec from me.
And Nathaniel, re:Binoche, please say "Ziliet" from now on ;)
"Neighbors" was ok- it's not on the level of "Animal House" - the adorable baby stole the movie. This is one of those high concept ideas that probably sounded funnier than it actually plays.
Two? Two comments? What is happening. Love us, hate us, but don't let us feel like the My Week with Marilyn of podcasts. "Eh, it was okay."
RIGHT? i thought this was one of the best podcasts ever. but readers never fail to surprise me.
Thanks for another great podcast!
How naked is Craig Roberts in Neighbors? I have a weird thing for him now that he's a bit older.
And as for Godzilla, I thought Cloverfield did the same thing and much better. Edwards needs better scripts. He manages to pull this incredible, and I agree about breathtaking, shots of the monsters but it just didn't hit me like it was supposed to.
I loved this podcast! The gang was back together and cracking each other up!
Great podcast, guys. You've done about as much as anybody will in convincing me I should see either of these movies - we'll see if it pans out.
But tonight I'm seeing Under the Skin!! So I'll get to circle back to that podcast tomorrow.
I agree with you all about Zac -- he looked rough to be a fraternity bro in college. And when I say rough, he just doesn't have that baby face college kids still usually have. Or body, either. I guess knowing about his issues made his performance interesting to watch since it was rumored he was going trough it on the set of this film as well.
Mike - under the skin is the correct choice!
Wait, how did I miss a podcast going up?? Skipped the Godzilla talk because I haven't had a chance to see it, but I loved hearing your thoughts on Neighbors which I was really pleasantly surprised by.
I'd also give it my 21 Jump Street vote, but I actually think I liked Neighbors better. Like Nathaniel, I was fascinated by the way it was playing its politics. Not even just the way it treated its queer themes, which I agree were pretty blatant and for once in a good way. But Rose Byrne's character was interesting to me beyond just being a fun fully active protagonist (yay!). I can't remember a studio film that went THIS far with the undesirability of motherhood, which was kind of amazing to see, especially in a comedy. And it wasn't some kind of huge character flaw, it was just part of reality--being a mom is BORING, isn't that funny?
So go see Neighbors Nick! It's well worth the time.