Episode 142: Summer Blockbusters

Your favourite Bird Boys are back with another themed episode on some of our most beloved summer blockbusters. Originally conceived as a Top 5 episode, this episode evolved quickly into each of us sharing five movies that we love and/or movies that we feel exemplify the idea of a summer blockbuster. This is not an objective best-of list. We are painfully aware that there are some major films that we missed out on… mostly because there are just SO many. Instead, we revisit some movies that stuck with us from childhood, some revered classics, some modern reinventions, and more. This episode made us both want to watch some of the movies that we listed so you know it’s good. Grab some popcorn and tap in. We kick things off with a brief update on what we’ve been doing and share our thoughts about Lee Isaac Chung’s “Twisters”. Spoiler alert… We both loved it. We also talk about the Glen Powell of it all, sequels and reboots done right, our hopes for “Alien: Romulus”, and more. Then, it’s time to share our summer blockbuster picks including “The Rock”, “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me”, “T2: Judgement Day”, “The Dark Knight”,  “Raiders Of The Lost Ark”, “Jurassic Park”, “Men In Black”, and many more. We’ve got a lot to discuss. As we share our picks, we talk about our experience with each film, give our reasons for why we picked them, share what we love about them, and unpack what makes them a summer blockbuster. For this pod, a blockbuster is typically a popular and financially successful feature film, often a genre film, that performs well (regardless of quality) and often leads to extensive merchandising and franchising opportunities. Usually, these films, for better or worse, have a major impact on cinema, film production/release practices, and garner a certain amount of cultural and cinematic cache. Furthermore, a summer blockbuster is a highly anticipated, big-budget, tent-pole film released in May, June, July, or August. We also discuss some films that didn’t make our list but could easily have been included, some directors that are known for their blockbuster filmmaking like Big Jim and Spielberg, Disney and Marvel movies, and the power and impact of marketing when it comes to this type of movie. Sometimes blockbuster movies aren’t even that objectively good yet, somehow, they seem unavoidable in everyday life. From merchandising to trailers to interviews to magazine articles… sometimes feel like they are EVERYWHERE which plays a huge role in the reception and box office performance. So, what did you think of our list? What would you add? What blockbuster films do you remember from your childhood? Let us know and always remember to… INITIATE BIRD PROTOCOL! Follow us on Instagram! Instagram: @palmreadr @otismorrisdude