PODCASTS
Season FOUR
Here's the episode list for Season Four, along with descriptions and links to listen to them on Soundcloud. You can also find us on iTunes - just search for Married to the Idea!
4.1 Cats
Welcome to Season Four! We're starting out 2020 with perhaps the worst movie of the previous year - Cats. Never before has an adaptation made us question the validity of the original, but even with the unnerving and incomplete CGI, non-existent plot, and constant questioning of sanity every time a cat strips, is there enough here to make this movie "so bad it's good" material? *SPOILERS, but that would imply that this movie actually has a story to spoil*
4.2 Dracula 2000
Because we just can't resist a movie with Gerard Butler in it, we sat through Dracula 2000, and found a couple truly interesting plot threads worth further exploration, but buried in a coffin of early 2000s tropes, excruciatingly long set-ups with a lack of scary payoff, and just an absurd amount of advertisements for Virgin Records. Do the hysterical one-liners and unexpected cameos make up for the wasted opportunity? Considering we decided to make an episode about it, I think we've already answered that question. *SPOILERS*
4.3 Starman
Welcome to the Month of Love 2020! We get romantical with Starman, not a David Bowie song or an astronaut circling the globe in a Roadster, but the 1984 film featuring Karen Allen and Jeff Bridges. We talk about the subversion of abduction narratives, the power of choice, and the beauty of a narrative that leaves you wanting more in all the right ways. Also, WHY WAS KAREN ALLEN NOT ALSO NOMINATED FOR BEST ACTRESS SHE SLAYS THIS ROLE AND THIS IS REALLY HER STORY - sorry, just had to scream that here so I didn't in the podcast. *SPOILERS*
4.4 Jojo Rabbit
It's crossover time again! With so much Oscar hype, we needed a few more perspectives on this movie, and so we're joined in the studio by first-timer Ryan and returning guest Sam (of "Paige and Sam Plan a Wedding" fame)to talk about the unexpectedly delightful, poignant, and farcical Jojo Rabbit.
4.5 Artemis Fowl Trailer Reaction
Hello from Social Distancing Land! From our new home office, we bring to you a completely unfair assessment of a movie that isn't even out yet - Artemis Fowl! We love the Artemis Fowl series to bits, and boy howdy...this trailer kinda makes it seem like the Disney corporation doesn't. What do we mean by that? Tune in as we break this trailer down, beat by beat, as well as dive into behind-the-scenes interviews and details to see whether this new Artemis Fowl makes the cut! *As few book spoilers as possible, but mentions of later characters in the series for those in the know.*
4.6 The Secret of NIMH
It's another episode where we pit Book vs. Movie, with us discussing Don Bluth's first movie outside of Disney, The Secret of NIMH, based on the young adult novel Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. We discuss the lovely characters, timeless story, and much like when we reviewed Howl's Moving Castle, investigate how the crucial differences between book and movie make each iteration both similar and unique.
4.7 The Parent Trap
Since we're all #stayinghome, we thought we'd invite back some old guests for a social distance episode on one of our favorite nostalgic remakes, The Parent Trap. Paige and Sam (of "Paige and Sam Plan a Wedding" fame) have finally gotten married, and thus now have time to join a fellow married couple to talk about fencing etiquette, twin technology, and comparisons between the original and the remake. *Editor's Note - we apologize for the audio. We don't do this kind of off-site recording often, but we will get better before we try it again.*
4.8 Titan A.E.
We go from Don Bluth's first movie to his last one - Titan A.E. This animated movie bombed hard enough to end its own studio, but is it really that bad? We make innumerable comparisons to Treasure Planet, go on various asides about Eisner/Katzenberg drama, and talk about the pros and cons of a movie whose greatest sin might have been that it was simply ahead of its time. *SPOILERS*
4.9 Dreamworks 2-D Animated Movies
For our long weekend extravaganza, we're tackling not just one or two movies, but all four of Dreamwork Studio's 2-D animated movies - The Prince of Egypt, The Road to El Dorado, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, and Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas. We talk about the big middle finger that led to the formation of the studio, which of the four deserved a lot more than they got, and the evolution of 2-D animation, both from big screen to silver screen, and from apparent death to welcome revival.
4.10 Long Way North
It's Liz's birthday, and we're celebrating with a beautiful animated movie - Long Way North! We discuss French animation and bande dessinee culture, as well as the gorgeous yet terrifying landscapes, the cost-cutting measure of removing linework that somehow heightens the realism, and why you should see it too without spoiling it.
4.11 Artemis Fowl
We're not angry, just disappointed. Well, maybe we're angry too. We're deconstructing the movie adaptation of Artemis Fowl beat for beat, so *SPOILERS AHOY* but don't worry, we also play a fun game that you can try at home too! Beware: nerd rage, anime references, and several mentions of the movie Cats ahead.
4.12 Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
For Aaron's birthday, we're celebrating with a movie he hated until he loved it - Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs! We discuss the history of this movie, from its directors to its (multiple) source materials, the zany humor that was the precursor to The Lego Movie, and take a bite out of the sequel for even more food puns.
4.13 Hamilton
Well, if Disney+ is gonna give it to us, of course we had to talk about it. But Aaron and I were going in blind, so we needed some help. Sarah, both a musical fan and specialist, joins us in the recording booth for this special episode as we gush, dissect, and theorize about the musical that has been on everyone's minds and playlists for the past five years - Hamilton. *SPOILERS, but we're pretty sure everyone in the world except us already knew everything about it.*
4.14 Birds of Prey & Harley Quinn (S1)
We're back! Did ya miss us? While recuperating, we've been watching a TON of quality couch content, and we've gotta talk about our girl Harley Quinn in her two most recent outings - Birds of Prey, and the Harley Quinn animated series (season one). We talk about the crazy wide cast of side characters, the villains both dastardly and loveable, and the character arc of Harls in both live-action and animated form. *MINOR SPOILERS*
4.15 The Great
Welcome back to another great television series about kick-ass females that you should definitely be watching, but only if you can see an NC-17 rated movie. For some reason, we spend the first twenty minutes naming our signature vodka and talking about Ryan Reynolds (seriously, skip to 19:00 if none of that interests you), but eventually we get to talking about the new modern take on this historical figure of import, as well as what Hogwarts house she would be in. *Warning: this episode containins tons of filthy language and female empowerment, as well as some minor spoilers for the first season of The Great.*
4.16 The Secret of Kells & Song of the Sea
To celebrate the trailer drop for Wolfwalkers, we're talking about Cartoon Saloon's first two animated movies - The Secret of Kells & Song of the Sea, a couple of fantastically beautiful entries in the "animation is NOT a genre" argument. We compare these two Irish tales in the way they use their animation, tell their story, and touch on the themes of expression, magic, family, and hope. *SPOILERS! Also, check out our Sponsordome challengers: audibletrial.com/marriedtotheidea, www.tables4games.com and The Maker City *
4.17 The Phantom Tollbooth
Have you been bored with nothing to do? Then The Phantom Tollbooth is for you! We discuss this amazing work of children's literature that everyone loves but no one knows about, as well as its animated Chuck Jones adaptation. We talk about how the author blew off work to write a story about a boy who asked too many questions, why so many kid movies have unnecessary musical numbers, and what improvements could be made in adaption to bring it to the witty, wise, wordplay-filled heights of the source material. Shout out to our Sponsordome contender - Cult of Dracula, a comic by Richard Davis.
4.18 The Witches
On the 30th anniversary of the 1990 version, and the 3-year anniversary of our review of it, we return to Roald Dahl's story of a secret world of child-hating witches and the plan to stop them with the 2020 adaptation of The Witches. Does an all-star cast, genuinely creepy body horror, and the return of the book's bittersweet ending make for a better version of the original source material? Or do the CGI mice, abandoned racial tension plotlines, and seriously amateur editing make it less memorable than its predecessor? Let's find out with our final Halloween 2020 episode!
4.19 Our 100th Episode!
Looks like we made it! Join us for a fun reflection on the movies and tv that we've reviewed over the past 99 episodes, including- the best, worst, and most forgettable, the top ten episodes in under ten minutes, our pick for best adaptation, how many times we managed to keep the episode under an hour, and some fun messages from our many guests along the way!
4.20 Wolfwalkers
It's post 100th episode - we do what we want now. So let's just talk about a really sweet animated movie, from the same people that brought you Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea, and The Breadwinner. Strangely, the first half-hour is why Tangled is a superior film to most other contemporary Disney movies. But AFTER ALL THAT, we talk about enjoyment vs. engagement, the mark of a challenging film, and why dads just don't understand their kids in Cartoon Saloon features. *SPOILERS*
4.21 Choose Your Own Rom-Com Christmas
We're back, just in time for Christmas! We wanted to give you all a gift, and what better present is there than creating your very own Christmas movie romance! Follow along with us as we sip our festive drinks, wear our fabulous pjs, and enjoy Married to the Idea's version of "That's-a Christmas to Me" as listeners weigh in with their choices in this choose-your-own Christmas adventure. If you want to make your own Hallmark holiday movie, we recommend Riane Konc's "Build Your Own Christmas Movie Romance" book, and if you want to join Audible at audibletrial.com/marriedtotheidea, we recommend "The Queens of Animation" by Nathalia Holt.
4.22 Choose Your Own Rom-Com Christmas, Part Two
Happy New Year! We're not quite done with 2020 yet, so let's finish off our fourth season with Part Two of our Choose Your Own Rom-Com Christmas Extravaganza! It's a LONG one, but definitely worth the time, and we even tell you a few of the unpicked options we pass along the way to finding Chrissy's happily ever after. If you want to make your own Hallmark holiday movie, we recommend Riane Konc's "Build Your Own Christmas Movie Romance" book, and if you want to join Audible at audibletrial.com/marriedtotheidea, we recommend "Fangirl" by Rainbow Rowell. Also, check out our Sponsordome challenger Bookshop.org - shop online and support local bookstores.
Welcome to Season Four! We're starting out 2020 with perhaps the worst movie of the previous year - Cats. Never before has an adaptation made us question the validity of the original, but even with the unnerving and incomplete CGI, non-existent plot, and constant questioning of sanity every time a cat strips, is there enough here to make this movie "so bad it's good" material? *SPOILERS, but that would imply that this movie actually has a story to spoil*
4.2 Dracula 2000
Because we just can't resist a movie with Gerard Butler in it, we sat through Dracula 2000, and found a couple truly interesting plot threads worth further exploration, but buried in a coffin of early 2000s tropes, excruciatingly long set-ups with a lack of scary payoff, and just an absurd amount of advertisements for Virgin Records. Do the hysterical one-liners and unexpected cameos make up for the wasted opportunity? Considering we decided to make an episode about it, I think we've already answered that question. *SPOILERS*
4.3 Starman
Welcome to the Month of Love 2020! We get romantical with Starman, not a David Bowie song or an astronaut circling the globe in a Roadster, but the 1984 film featuring Karen Allen and Jeff Bridges. We talk about the subversion of abduction narratives, the power of choice, and the beauty of a narrative that leaves you wanting more in all the right ways. Also, WHY WAS KAREN ALLEN NOT ALSO NOMINATED FOR BEST ACTRESS SHE SLAYS THIS ROLE AND THIS IS REALLY HER STORY - sorry, just had to scream that here so I didn't in the podcast. *SPOILERS*
4.4 Jojo Rabbit
It's crossover time again! With so much Oscar hype, we needed a few more perspectives on this movie, and so we're joined in the studio by first-timer Ryan and returning guest Sam (of "Paige and Sam Plan a Wedding" fame)to talk about the unexpectedly delightful, poignant, and farcical Jojo Rabbit.
4.5 Artemis Fowl Trailer Reaction
Hello from Social Distancing Land! From our new home office, we bring to you a completely unfair assessment of a movie that isn't even out yet - Artemis Fowl! We love the Artemis Fowl series to bits, and boy howdy...this trailer kinda makes it seem like the Disney corporation doesn't. What do we mean by that? Tune in as we break this trailer down, beat by beat, as well as dive into behind-the-scenes interviews and details to see whether this new Artemis Fowl makes the cut! *As few book spoilers as possible, but mentions of later characters in the series for those in the know.*
4.6 The Secret of NIMH
It's another episode where we pit Book vs. Movie, with us discussing Don Bluth's first movie outside of Disney, The Secret of NIMH, based on the young adult novel Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. We discuss the lovely characters, timeless story, and much like when we reviewed Howl's Moving Castle, investigate how the crucial differences between book and movie make each iteration both similar and unique.
4.7 The Parent Trap
Since we're all #stayinghome, we thought we'd invite back some old guests for a social distance episode on one of our favorite nostalgic remakes, The Parent Trap. Paige and Sam (of "Paige and Sam Plan a Wedding" fame) have finally gotten married, and thus now have time to join a fellow married couple to talk about fencing etiquette, twin technology, and comparisons between the original and the remake. *Editor's Note - we apologize for the audio. We don't do this kind of off-site recording often, but we will get better before we try it again.*
4.8 Titan A.E.
We go from Don Bluth's first movie to his last one - Titan A.E. This animated movie bombed hard enough to end its own studio, but is it really that bad? We make innumerable comparisons to Treasure Planet, go on various asides about Eisner/Katzenberg drama, and talk about the pros and cons of a movie whose greatest sin might have been that it was simply ahead of its time. *SPOILERS*
4.9 Dreamworks 2-D Animated Movies
For our long weekend extravaganza, we're tackling not just one or two movies, but all four of Dreamwork Studio's 2-D animated movies - The Prince of Egypt, The Road to El Dorado, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, and Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas. We talk about the big middle finger that led to the formation of the studio, which of the four deserved a lot more than they got, and the evolution of 2-D animation, both from big screen to silver screen, and from apparent death to welcome revival.
4.10 Long Way North
It's Liz's birthday, and we're celebrating with a beautiful animated movie - Long Way North! We discuss French animation and bande dessinee culture, as well as the gorgeous yet terrifying landscapes, the cost-cutting measure of removing linework that somehow heightens the realism, and why you should see it too without spoiling it.
4.11 Artemis Fowl
We're not angry, just disappointed. Well, maybe we're angry too. We're deconstructing the movie adaptation of Artemis Fowl beat for beat, so *SPOILERS AHOY* but don't worry, we also play a fun game that you can try at home too! Beware: nerd rage, anime references, and several mentions of the movie Cats ahead.
4.12 Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
For Aaron's birthday, we're celebrating with a movie he hated until he loved it - Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs! We discuss the history of this movie, from its directors to its (multiple) source materials, the zany humor that was the precursor to The Lego Movie, and take a bite out of the sequel for even more food puns.
4.13 Hamilton
Well, if Disney+ is gonna give it to us, of course we had to talk about it. But Aaron and I were going in blind, so we needed some help. Sarah, both a musical fan and specialist, joins us in the recording booth for this special episode as we gush, dissect, and theorize about the musical that has been on everyone's minds and playlists for the past five years - Hamilton. *SPOILERS, but we're pretty sure everyone in the world except us already knew everything about it.*
4.14 Birds of Prey & Harley Quinn (S1)
We're back! Did ya miss us? While recuperating, we've been watching a TON of quality couch content, and we've gotta talk about our girl Harley Quinn in her two most recent outings - Birds of Prey, and the Harley Quinn animated series (season one). We talk about the crazy wide cast of side characters, the villains both dastardly and loveable, and the character arc of Harls in both live-action and animated form. *MINOR SPOILERS*
4.15 The Great
Welcome back to another great television series about kick-ass females that you should definitely be watching, but only if you can see an NC-17 rated movie. For some reason, we spend the first twenty minutes naming our signature vodka and talking about Ryan Reynolds (seriously, skip to 19:00 if none of that interests you), but eventually we get to talking about the new modern take on this historical figure of import, as well as what Hogwarts house she would be in. *Warning: this episode containins tons of filthy language and female empowerment, as well as some minor spoilers for the first season of The Great.*
4.16 The Secret of Kells & Song of the Sea
To celebrate the trailer drop for Wolfwalkers, we're talking about Cartoon Saloon's first two animated movies - The Secret of Kells & Song of the Sea, a couple of fantastically beautiful entries in the "animation is NOT a genre" argument. We compare these two Irish tales in the way they use their animation, tell their story, and touch on the themes of expression, magic, family, and hope. *SPOILERS! Also, check out our Sponsordome challengers: audibletrial.com/marriedtotheidea, www.tables4games.com and The Maker City *
4.17 The Phantom Tollbooth
Have you been bored with nothing to do? Then The Phantom Tollbooth is for you! We discuss this amazing work of children's literature that everyone loves but no one knows about, as well as its animated Chuck Jones adaptation. We talk about how the author blew off work to write a story about a boy who asked too many questions, why so many kid movies have unnecessary musical numbers, and what improvements could be made in adaption to bring it to the witty, wise, wordplay-filled heights of the source material. Shout out to our Sponsordome contender - Cult of Dracula, a comic by Richard Davis.
4.18 The Witches
On the 30th anniversary of the 1990 version, and the 3-year anniversary of our review of it, we return to Roald Dahl's story of a secret world of child-hating witches and the plan to stop them with the 2020 adaptation of The Witches. Does an all-star cast, genuinely creepy body horror, and the return of the book's bittersweet ending make for a better version of the original source material? Or do the CGI mice, abandoned racial tension plotlines, and seriously amateur editing make it less memorable than its predecessor? Let's find out with our final Halloween 2020 episode!
4.19 Our 100th Episode!
Looks like we made it! Join us for a fun reflection on the movies and tv that we've reviewed over the past 99 episodes, including- the best, worst, and most forgettable, the top ten episodes in under ten minutes, our pick for best adaptation, how many times we managed to keep the episode under an hour, and some fun messages from our many guests along the way!
4.20 Wolfwalkers
It's post 100th episode - we do what we want now. So let's just talk about a really sweet animated movie, from the same people that brought you Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea, and The Breadwinner. Strangely, the first half-hour is why Tangled is a superior film to most other contemporary Disney movies. But AFTER ALL THAT, we talk about enjoyment vs. engagement, the mark of a challenging film, and why dads just don't understand their kids in Cartoon Saloon features. *SPOILERS*
4.21 Choose Your Own Rom-Com Christmas
We're back, just in time for Christmas! We wanted to give you all a gift, and what better present is there than creating your very own Christmas movie romance! Follow along with us as we sip our festive drinks, wear our fabulous pjs, and enjoy Married to the Idea's version of "That's-a Christmas to Me" as listeners weigh in with their choices in this choose-your-own Christmas adventure. If you want to make your own Hallmark holiday movie, we recommend Riane Konc's "Build Your Own Christmas Movie Romance" book, and if you want to join Audible at audibletrial.com/marriedtotheidea, we recommend "The Queens of Animation" by Nathalia Holt.
4.22 Choose Your Own Rom-Com Christmas, Part Two
Happy New Year! We're not quite done with 2020 yet, so let's finish off our fourth season with Part Two of our Choose Your Own Rom-Com Christmas Extravaganza! It's a LONG one, but definitely worth the time, and we even tell you a few of the unpicked options we pass along the way to finding Chrissy's happily ever after. If you want to make your own Hallmark holiday movie, we recommend Riane Konc's "Build Your Own Christmas Movie Romance" book, and if you want to join Audible at audibletrial.com/marriedtotheidea, we recommend "Fangirl" by Rainbow Rowell. Also, check out our Sponsordome challenger Bookshop.org - shop online and support local bookstores.
