Boulder Punch Watchparty

"ONE DAY! SOMEONE WILL FINISH WHAT I STARTED WOLVERINE! ONE DAY!" After the surprise success of the initial X-Men film, it was full-steam ahead toward its inevitable sequel three years later. During the gap, the superhero genre hit some pretty significant lows like Daredevil, yet found itself completely reinvented with the release of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man just one year prior. Despite the pressure riding on it, X2 released to an even bigger ovation than the first one, and to this day is considered one of the best comic book films of the 2000's and a major player in the renaissance of the superhero genre in film -- even more so than its predecessor. With all this in mind, though, how well does the film hold up by today's standards? Come watch with Brian and Alec to find out as they continue their X-Menathon with X2: X-MEN UNITED!

THE X-MENATHON BEGINS! With the return of Deadpool, Hugh Jackman's Wolverine, and the Fox-Verse looming on the horizon, we figured it was high time to revisit where it all started -- not just for them, but for what the superhero genre became as a whole! In their latest marathon, come join Brian and Alec as they take a look at the movie that carried the torch that Blade lit into the new millennium -- X-Men!

"LIGHTNING BLAST!" It's our last free week before our next marathon, so we figured it was time to venture into uncharted territory: the world of anime stage play adaptations! More get produced than you'd think, for IPs such as Tokyo Ghoul, Ace Attorney, and even Chainsaw Man recently. However, one franchise in particular that's found massive success in front of live audiences is the PERSONA franchise, particularly -- of course -- PERSONA 5. Getting four separate musicals covering the entire story of the base game, P5 has been a monumental hit on the stage. We may not be doing all of them, but we have enough time to look at the first chapter. So, come watch with Brian, Alec, and Trey as they take a look at the insane world of PERSONA 5 the Stage!

"I BELIEVE WE DID." As you all have seen, the movies and shows we've done tracks for thus far have been ones you'd expect to see a pop culture show do. Comedies, superhero films, sci-fi, horror, IPs of various kinds and the like, ones that are easier to talk over the way we do. This movie's an entirely different, awe-inspiring, and terrifying beast. Christopher Nolan's depiction of the life of the father of the atomic bomb has been the talk of the town ever since its release last summer, sweeping the box office alongside the awards shows, nabbing Best Picture at the Oscars. And since Brian hasn't seen it until, we figured it was time to visit it. So, come watch with Brian and Alec as they take a look at what many consider to be Christopher Nolan's masterpiece and one of the best films of the 2020's, Oppenheimer!

"HAVE FUN, FRIEZA!" After watching the cataclysmic anesthesia that is Dragonball Evolution, Brian and Alec looked to heal themselves with an actual good piece of Toriyama's decades-spanning epic. The pick today is a movie that fans had been hoping and clamoring forever for, one that would finally fully-canonize a fan favorite character. The catch is, it's in the absolute thick of it in the Dragon Ball canon, and Alec has never seen a single minute of the show, with his only knowledge coming by osmosis from being online. So, will Brian be able to show him what makes a true Goku adventure so captivating? Come watch with them to find out as Brian and Alec take a look at Dragon Ball Super: Broly!

THE CINEMATIC VERSION OF ANESTHESIA! Live action anime adaptations make up some of the most infamous Hollywood projects of the past 15 years, and it's a genuine miracle they're still getting made (and, to be fair, slowly improving) despite their endless failures. While other adaptations definitely existed beforehand, it's easy to look back at today's film as the lynchpin for Hollywood's golden goose chase. Dragon Ball is one of the most beloved franchises in the entire world, a true pillar of pop culture that you'd have to live under a rock to not know about. Back then, the prospect of a big-budget live action adaptation probably sounded like a dream come true. What resulted was one of the most infamous adaptations of all time, so ungodly terrible that it spurred Akira Toriyama back into action with a new series. So, come watch with Brian and Alec as they suffer through the notorious Dragonball Evolution!

THE GODZILLATHON NEARS ITS END... Well folks, after twelve weeks and twelve films we've now reached our final destination for the first marathon of 2024, and it's time to go out with a bang. With the fifth entry in the MonsterVerse hitting theaters this weekend, it's only fitting to look back on it's predecessor that was built up for decades. Audiences around the world had been waiting to see a rematch between the two most famous giant monsters of all time since their first scuffle in the early 60's, and after a lifetime of rumors and almosts, Legendary's new franchise finally delivered nearly 60 years later. So, before they team up, how exactly did the battle between Big Lizard and Big Monke shake out? Come watch with Brian and Alec to find out as they end their Godzillathon (for now) with the rematch of the century -- Godzilla vs. Kong!

THE ONE MOVIE YOU CAN USE THE "FOR THE FANS" ARGUMENT FOR! Legendary kept us all waiting with baited breath to see what would come next for everyone's favorite irradiated lizard after the monumental success of Gareth Edwards' 2014 reboot. Unfortunately, it would take another five whole years to see the fruits of their labor, especially with Edwards stepping off and longtime Godzilla fan Michael Dougherty. This film sought to bring in more Toho monsters, classic themes, bigger monster fights, more world-building, everything you could want in a sequel. What resulted was arguably the most divisive entry in the MonsterVerse, with many loving the film for what it is, while others find the flaws too glaring to ignore. So, after five more years for the dust to settle, how does this monster mash hold up? Come watch with Brian and Alec to find out as they continue the Godzillathon with the one of the biggest entries yet - Godzilla: King of the Monsters!

AKA "ONE MAN INSISTS HE'S NOT OWNED FOR 90 MINUTES." After the monumental release and success of Godzilla (2014), everyone wondered what would be next for the King of the Monsters. With its sequel still years away, Legendary decided to kick its new Cinematic Universe into overdrive with the introduction of its second lead character: America's own original giant monster, King Kong. With a new reimagining of his origins and a story quite different from the classic we all know, how did this take on a classic icon fare? Come watch with Brian and Alec to find out as they venture further into the MonsterVerse with the only non-Godzilla movie of the marathon -- Kong: Skull Island!

"LET THEM FIGHT." In 2010 -- 12 years after America's last failed adaptation and 6 years after Japan's final entry -- Legendary Pictures (and by extension Warner Bros.) proudly announced that they had acquired the rights to make a new Hollywood adaptation of the King of the Monsters, releasing a faithful piece of concept art in tandem. However, what started out and was advertised as a film seemingly in the same vein as the original 1954 masterpiece turned into a clashing of tones and eras that would become the first chapter in a new cinematic universe, and the general opinion of the final product is as varied as you'd expect. So, 10 years later, how does it hold up? Come watch with Brian and Alec to find out as they continue the Godzillathon by revisiting the first entry in the MonsterVerse -- Godzilla (2014)!

TO THE MEETING ROOMS WE GO! Our ATLA intermission is over, back to the Godzillathon! It's been a while since we visited our good friend Hideaki Anno, and now it's finally time to take a look at what he cooked up during the lost years between Eva 3.0 and 3.0+1.0. As Anno struggled with his mental health while trying to get his final Evangelion movie into production, Toho approached him and director Shinji Higuchi to do a brand new take on the King of the Monsters after the massive success of Hollywood's new entry. What followed was the creation of a modern classic so iconic, the two filmmakers have continued to make reimaginings of existing IPs under the "Shin" umbrella to this day. So, how does Toho's first foray back into their biggest franchise after 12 years hold up? Come watch with Brian and Alec to find out as they take a look at the movie that reignited Hideaki Anno's passion -- Shin Godzilla!

"I'M A LITTLE TEA! POT! SHORT! AND! STOUT!" The boys decided to take a quick intermission from the Godzillathon in light of a very special occasion: yet another (likely) bad live action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender has arrived! And what better way to lament the mistakes of the present than to dwell on the mistakes of the past? The 2010 film adaptation of one of the most acclaimed TV series of all time has ironically become one of the most infamous films and adaptations of all time, with nearly every decision made being the wrong one, from choice of director, to casting, to writing, etc. In fact, its very existence helped spur the franchise on to keep telling stories within the universe, as well as the announcement of the new adaptation to begin with. So, looking back, just how bad can it still be? Come watch with Brian and Alec to find out as they bite the bullet and revisit one of the most mired live action adaptations of all time: M. Night Shyamalan's The Last Airbender!

INTO THE INFERNO! After sitting through The Last Airbender for the sole purpose of synergy with the new adaptation, we had to desperately wash the taste out of our mouths. Luckily, we had both caught up to the series finale of Avatar, so we figured, why not go all-in for a double feature this week? The show's finale is highly acclaimed and has a lot to love, but will certain critiques that have come out over the years weigh it down nowadays? Come watch with Brian and Alec to find out as they revisit the blockbuster 90-minute series finale to Avatar: The Last Airbender -- Sozin's Comet!

THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER MADE. Despite it bringing about some of the best films in the whole franchise, the Millennium Era of Godzilla had already lost steam at the box office a short four years after it started. So, with the King of the Monsters' 50th Anniversary only one year away, Toho decided it was time to mark the occasion by closing the book on him once again. However, they wouldn't go quietly, and decided to end it all with the loudest bang they could possibly make. Between a rotating cavalcade of monsters, mutant soldiers fighting alien martial artists, today's film may very well be the most insane yet. So, come watch with Brian and Alec as they revisit a raw fan-favorite, Godzilla: Final Wars!

BRING BACK TACHIBANA, COWARDS! We have now arrived at the Millennium Era of the Godzillathon, and we're kicking it off with a classic that neither of us have seen in full! The film dubbed GMK by the fanbase has usually circled the upper echelon in peoples' rankings, but what do the boys think of it? Come watch with Brian and Alec to find out as they take a look at the wildly-different Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack!

"THAT'S A LOT OF FISH!" *AUDIENCE CLAPS, CRIES, AND THROWS UP* Near the end of the Heisei Era -- and supposedly Godzilla in general -- Toho decided to see what Hollywood could do with the King of the Monsters, selling the filmmaking rights to Sony's TriStar Pictures. What started off as a promising and faithful project helmed by Jan de Bont soon spiraled and degraded over the course of five years into the disrespectful and abysmal adaptation helmed by Roland Emmerich. This film is one of the quintessential cases of Hollywood's infamous handlings of preexisting IPs, and it's finally time for us to see how bad this barrel of fish stinks. So, come watch with Brian and Alec as they revisit one of the most infamous blockbuster adaptations of all time, Godzilla 1998!

THE WORLD'S MOST CATASTROPHIC CASE OF HEARTBURN. After 40 years and two distinct eras of nonstop Godzilla, Toho decided that 1995 would serve as the character's final curtain call. They wanted to give the King of the Monsters a fitting conclusion, and what would be more fitting than tying back to where it all began? So, come watch with Brian and Alec as they revisit the end of the Heisei Era and what was supposed to be the end of everyone's favorite kaiju, Godzilla vs. Destoroyah!

YOU SHOULD BRING BACK M-11... NOW! We have now moved into the Heisei Era in our Godzillathon, and the one we've picked out for today was an absolute no-brainer. King Ghidorah had been revered as Godzilla's greatest adversary for years, but how did his reinvention for a new era fare? Come watch with Brian and Alec to find out as they revisit a tale of time travel, dinosaurs, and Terminators in 1991's Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah!

HAHA, NICE. Continuing on with our Godzillathon, we take our last look at the Showa Era with one of its most iconic entries. For nearly fifty years, Mechagodzilla has been one of the most popular kaiju ever created, as well as one of Godzilla's greatest adversaries, but how did his debut fare? Come watch with Brian and Alec to find out as they revisit the original Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla!

OUR FIRST MARATHON OF 2024 BEGINS! Happy New Year everyone! We're finally back from our holiday hiatus, and to kick off 2024, we decided it was time to start our first marathon of the year. The boys have been fans of the King of the Monsters ever since they were kids, and with the recent release of Minus One and the looming release of The New Empire, they figured it was high time to look back at the history of the world's favorite kaiju. So, come watch with Brian and Alec as they begin their fourteen-week odyssey leading up to the MonsterVerse's new entry by going back to where all the madness began: Toho's classic Godzilla (1954)!