The Contrarians

You either get on Shakespeare’s wavelength or you don’t. But maybe an extreme approach to The Bard’s stories can help? It’s likely Baz Luhrmann’s ROMEO + JULIET converted many romantics into fans of the play - even if they might not have stuck around for any other Shakespeare pieces. Did this rewatch work its magic on The Contrarians though? Find out in this Real Talk as we discuss the winner of the 1997 MTV Movie Award for Best Female Performance!

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00:01:26 O Romeo

00:02:09 Real Talk

01:00:38 The Future & Patreon Stuff

If you’ve ever wondered why 90s kids are SO dramatic about their love lives, you can put the blame on Baz Luhrmann’s ROMEO + JULIET. The overblown modernization of Willy Shakes’ teeny-bopper romance was a big hit with audiences and critics, with a fresh Tomatometer score of 74% - so that means Alex & Julio will take it down a few notches. Gorgeous people reciting antiquated dialogue? Shouldn’t be difficult to make fun of that!

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00:02:23 Romeo + Juliet

00:17:30 Contrarians Corner

- Wanna know how we really feel about ROMEO + JULIET? Check out the...

Happy 30th anniversary, BATMAN FOREVER! We don’t need The Schumacher Cut to celebrate you - we just need an open mind about where camp sits in the Batman mythos. So, are you Team Carrey or Team Jones? Are you a U2 person or a Seal fan? Where do you place Val Kilmer in the Bruce Wayne rankings? We discuss all that and more in this Real Talk segment!

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00:01:26 Black Rubber

00:02:23 Real Talk

00:56:21 The Future & Patreon Stuff

- Interested in more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on ou...

How can anyone hate on the Batman movie responsible for Kiss From a Rose? BATMAN FOREVER may not have won any of its MTV Movie Awards nominations back in 1996, but its legacy turned out to be its ultimate triumph - regardless of what its rotten Tomatometer score says. Listen to Alex & Julio as they revel in the pure 90s vibe of Joel Schumacher’s bat-masterpiece!

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00:01:24 Batman Forever

00:15:38 Contrarians Corner

- Wanna know how we really feel about BATMAN FOREVER? Check out the Real Talk (RT) episode, on your feed RIGHT NO...

Joe Pesci - comedian. Is that a thing? Or is it telling that Marisa Tomei seems to be the most memorable aspect of MY COUSIN VINNY? But whether you love or hate the movie, how wonderful is Fred Gwynn anyway? And will Austin Pendleton ever put on a performance The Contrarians enjoy? And perhaps the biggest question: if you’ve already won an Oscar, haven’t you already “broken through”? All that and more in this Real Talk segment!

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00:01:26 Livestream Recap

00:09:21 Voir Dire

00:10:22 Real Talk

00:47:41 The Future & Patreon Stuff

What do you do after you win an Oscar for playing a scary bloodthirsty mobster? You try to lead a courtroom comedy, of course! That’s how Joe Pesci ended up headlining MY COUSIN VINNY, and that’s how, unsurprisingly, Marisa Tomei stole the movie from him - winning an Oscar for it and, even better, the MTV Movie Award for Breakthrough Performance of 1992. Listen to Alex & Julio question Pesci’s comedic instincts and wish Bruce McGill had more screen time!

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00:01:24 My Cousin Vinny

00:17:40 Contrarians Corner

- Wanna know how we rea...

Could the third time be the charm for Chris Farley on The Contrarians podcast? Infamously, our episodes on Black Sheep and Almost Heroes featured some serious disagreements regarding the comedic talents of Farley and his co-starts. So what happens when we discuss a Farley/Spade vehicle that shaped Alex’s early years? Can Julio resist an avalanche of TOMMY BOY quotes and references? Find out in this Real Talk segment!

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00:01:26 Are you sure?

00:02:07 Real Talk

00:55:23 The Future & Patreon Stuff

- Interested in more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SU...

Chris Farley movies always underperformed with critics - even the beloved TOMMY BOY, which most regular people would deem the best of them all. So, does the winner of the 1996 MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Duo deserve its 42% rotten Tomatometer score? Listen to Alex & Julio do their best to defend the first Farley/Spade team-up, while marveling at the high caliber of supporting players in this road trip!

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00:01:24 Tommy Boy

00:13:30 Contrarians Corner

- Wanna know how we really feel about TOMMY BOY? Check out the Real Talk (RT) episode...

Gone are the days when a crowdpleaser like THE FUGITIVE could stand toe-to-toe against films like Schindler’s List and The Piano come awards season but, hey, this is why we love The 90s - arguably Tommy Lee Jones’ decade. However, there’s more to Andrew Davis’ acclaimed thriller than TLJ’s beloved performance, and we’ll discuss it all in this Real Talk segment! A segment led by two people who’ve never watched the original TV show this movie’s based on.

Also, once again: don’t forget to join us during this year’s Livestream for the C...

The Summer of the (MTV) Bangers begins! THE FUGITIVE got Tommy Lee Jones his first and only Oscar but, more importantly, it also took home the Best On-Screen Duo and Best Action Sequence trophies at the 1994 MTV Movie Awards. All that and a 96% Tomatometer score, just for Harrison Ford being chased for two hours? Listen to Alex & Julio pick apart every contrivance in this surprisingly beloved TV-to-film adaptation!

Oh, and join us at this year’s Livestream For The Cure! Our segment will be on 5/17 at 4pm CT.

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00:01:24 The Fugitive

00:13:40 Co...

Look, we’ll do our best not to dwell on the unfortunate parallels to Hereditary, but they need to be addressed (and yes, we know THE BABADOOK came out first). Thankfully, there’s more to Jennifer Kent’s feature debut than the inevitable comparisons to Ari Aster’s own “I am your motherrrrrr” flick - and we’ll get into all of that in this Real Talk segment!

Also, once again: don’t forget to join us during this year’s Livestream for the Cure, 5/17 at 4pm CT!

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00:01:26 I am your mother!

00:02:08...

Most people just say “don’t have kids”. Jennifer Kent shot a whole movie to make her point. And whether THE BABADOOK worked as contraceptive for a whole generation or not, it was certainly effective in boosting Kent’s career and wowing critics and audiences. Listen to Alex & Julio pick apart this brutal tale of pop-up books, senior bingo, and hatred for your own child.

Oh, and join us at this year’s Livestream for the Cure! Our segment will be on 5/17 at 4pm CT.

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00:01:24 The Babadook

00:07:17 Contrarians Corner

- Wanna...

We've reached the end of the road. We find out where our show's main rivals (Josh Koscheck & Chris Leben) ended up as well as discuss the paths our four finalists (Kenny, Diego, Stephan, and Forrest) took following the finale.

We collect our thoughts and experiences from this adventure and ask ourselves "Was this truly the ultimate?"

Want more from the hosts?

- Alex and Julio discuss the freshest and most rotten movies on the Tomatometer in every episode of The Contrarians.

- STEVE! has opinions all over Bluesky.

- J...

Was anyone asking for the Firefly Family to get a happy ending? Or is the entire Firefly Trilogy a wicked exercise in extreme button-pushing? Once again, we try to figure out what the deal is with Rob Zombie: is there a point to his movies or is he just having fun being disturbing? All this, and more, in this Real Talk segment!

Also, once again: don’t forget to join us during this year’s Livestream for the Cure, 5/17 at 4pm CT!

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00:01:26 You dig?

00:02:18 Real Talk

00:49:46 The Future & Patr...

Much like the return of the Firefly family in 3 FROM HELL, Roberto Zombirelli is back on The Contrarians, against all odds. This is what happens when we hit goals during the Livestream for the Cure! So listen to Alex & Julio do their best to defend this 58% rotten Tomatometer victim, grappling with a wonderfully unhinged Sheri Moon performance and the wildest Clint Howard cameo!

Oh, and join us at this year’s Livestream for the Cure! Our segment will be on 5/17 at 4pm CT.

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00:01:24 3 From Hell

00:14:10 Contrarians Corner

- Wa...

What a journey it's been. Now, we make sense of what became of The Ultimate Fighter. Who won the Couture-Liddell showdown?!

Want more from the hosts?

- Alex and Julio discuss the freshest and most rotten movies on the Tomatometer in every episode of The Contrarians.

- STEVE! has opinions all over Bluesky.

- Joe talks about all sorts of wrestling related stuff on THE LATE NIGHT GRIN.

If any movie was going to make Alex go easier on Ansel Elgort, a Señor Spielbergo joint would have the best chance to do it. But whether Baby Driver finally wins a Contrarian over or not, there’s a lot more going on in the new WEST SIDE STORY, and we’ll have a serious conversation about it in this Real Talk segment. Listen to find out Julio’s proposed fix to the third act and more!

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00:01:26 Dishonor

00:02:14 Real Talk

00:58:43 The Future & Patreon Stuff

- Interested in more Co...

Steven Spielberg has reached the point in his career where he just makes films for himself. On the road to the ultimate indulgence of directing his own biopic, he stopped to remake one of his favorite movies, and his version of WEST SIDE STORY was Oscar-baity enough to score 91% on the Tomatometer! So listen to Alex & Julio as they lament how a gifted filmmaker wasted his time on an Ansel Elgort vehicle, and wonder if musical numbers are meant to soften racism.

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00:01:24 West Side Story 2021

00:12:54 Contrarians Corner

- Wanna know...

The road we've taken has brought us to this... The first ever Ultimate Fighter finale. A historic night on Spike TV that saw three fights and one Kevin James.

In the Middleweight finals, Diego Sanchez fights Kenny Florian. In the Light Heavyweight finals, Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar have a moderately well-known contest. And, in the Main Event, Ken Shamrock returns to the octagon to test up-and-comer Rich Franklin.

What does Cameron Diaz's failed reality show have to do with any of this? Tune in to find out!

Want more from the hosts?

In our last episode before the finale, we get TWO fights! Prior to that, we have to ensure Josh Koscheck is still alive.

Sam Hoger enters the cage to face Forrest Griffin while Mike Swick and Stephan Bonnar clash in a Team Green showdown.

And, fear not, we get into several lengthy detours regarding Professional Wrestling.

Want more from the hosts?

- Alex and Julio discuss the freshest and most rotten movies on the Tomatometer in every episode of The Contrarians.

- STEVE! has opinions all over Bluesky.

People loooooooooove SOME LIKE IT HOT. Does it belong on Billy Wilder’s Mt Rushmore though? How does it compare to the other Wilder movies we’ve covered on the show? What’s it like, watching a classic Marilyn Monroe performance after having experienced her turn on THE MISFITS? Will this be our next Criterion purchase? The answers are in this Real Talk segment!

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00:01:26 Goosepimply All Over

00:02:08 Real Talk

01:00:25 The Future & Patreon Stuff

- Interested in more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on our Patreon Page! Deleted clips...

Billy Wilder channeled his inner Adam Sandler for 1959’s SOME LIKE IT HOT. All he had to do to wow critics and audiences was put Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis in drag, and sexualize Marilyn Monroe every few scenes. Listen to Alex & Julio take on this 95% Tomatometer score, as they wonder if Wilder realized his movie celebrated a woman embracing the latest in a series of toxic relationships!

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00:01:24 Some Like It Hot

00:14:23 Contrarians Corner

- Wanna know how we really feel about SOME LIKE IT HOT? Check out the Real Ta...

How does Chris Leben take his second loss of the season? Surprisingly well. Coach Couture's speech playing a large part, undoubtedly.

Dana White finally begins explaining what the finale of this thing is going to look like.

And it's time for the most anticipated fight of the season as Josh Koscheck faces Diego Sanchez to determine who fights Kenny Florian in the finals.

Want more from the hosts?

- Alex and Julio discuss the freshest and most rotten movies on the Tomatometer in every episode of The Contrarians.

...

Ah, this was so much easier to record than Contrarians Corner. If you wanted to hear us actually engage with The Son’s concerns regarding mental health and parenthood - and how the movie addresses them - well, this is where it happens. But don’t worry, we still throw in the occasional Wolverine joke.

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00:01:26 Berserker Rage

00:02:21 Real Talk

00:54:57 The Future & Patreon Stuff

- Interested in more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on our Patreon Page! Deleted clips, extended plugs, bonus episodes free from the Tomatometer shackles… It’s e...

If you’re a new listener of our show and -especially- if you like Florian Zeller’s THE SON, you might want to skip Contrarians Corner. Zeller’s follow-up to his critically acclaimed The Father was a bust with critics and audiences - which means Alex & Julio will do their best to find things to praise within it and hopefully be funny along the way… but this is a movie about Hugh Jackman trying to help his suicidal teenage son so, you know. For Contrarians fans only.

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00:01:24 The Son

00:12:50 Contrarians Corner

- Wan...

Believe it or not, we've arrived at the semi-finals... But not without one last twist!

We get an unexpected return to the house in case Forrest can't fight as the others remaining appear to be losing their minds.

A whole lot of blood and a whole lot of bromance coat this one.

Want more from the hosts?

- Alex and Julio discuss the freshest and most rotten movies on the Tomatometer in every episode of The Contrarians.

- STEVE! has opinions all over Bluesky.

- Joe talks a...

Where to begin with this one?! Team Liddell loses another man that Coach Couture is more than happy to welcome aboard.

We get the most taxing and least rewarding team challenge of the season.

There's a thief in the house as another chapter in the saga of Sam Hoger unfolds.

And, to top it off, we get an absolutely wild fight to see who advances to the semi-finals.

Want more from the hosts?

- Alex and Julio discuss the freshest and most rotten movies on the Tomatometer in every e...

It’s such a shame that Jeremy Saulnier didn’t continue color-coding his movie titles. But how do we really feel about GREEN ROOM, and is it possible to even enjoy it in a world where white supremacists and their allies keep popping up on headlines? And how about that Patrick Stewart guy, huh? Does he have a future in acting? This and more - including an obvious lament at Anton Yelchin’s passing - in this Real Talk segment.

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00:01:26 Was that a pep talk?

00:02:18 Real Talk

00:48:59 The Future & Patreon Stuff<...

Ah, the long gone days of 2015. When white supremacists were a little more coy about their activities and actually tried to cover them up when things got too bad. GREEN ROOM pits the dumbest punk band alive (not for long) against the most British American neo-nazi you can find and the results were celebrated by the Tomatometer to the tune of a 90% score. Listen to Alex & Julio try to make sense of this multiverse Picard Vs Chekov battle!

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00:01:24 Green Room

00:12:08 Contrarians Corner

- Wanna know how we really feel about...

In this episode, we mourn a king as Mario is unseated from the top spot of American Music.

Joe completely goes off on Dana White and the ideal of not leaving it to the judges.

Elsewhere, we relive some of the more well-known shots after the bell as well as infamous judges' decisions.

Sam Hoger stirs the pot as Diego Sanchez puts down another jabroni. Oh, and Chris Leben is back!

Want more from the hosts?

- Alex and Julio discuss the freshest and most rotten movies on...

Is HALLOWEEN: RESURRECTION the worst entry in the franchise? Or is it merely the most inconsequential? Is it easier for a casual fan to enjoy its silly attempt to introduce Michael Myers to the wonders of the internet? And does Busta Rhymes’ performance make it all worth it anyway? The answers to this, and more, are in this Real Talk segment!

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00:01:26 Skedaddle

00:02:22 Real Talk

00:50:21 The Future & Patreon Stuff

- Interested in more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on our Patreon Page! Deleted clips, extended plugs, bonus episodes fr...

We can’t really quote any of Busta Rhymes’ iconic HALLOWEEN: RESURRECTION lines because they could get this blurb censored. But trust us, they are just one of the many reasons to celebrate Michael Myers’ foray into reality TV. Critics, boring as they can be, slapped a 10% Tomatometer score on the movie, not that any true fan cares. Listen to Alex & Julio as they argue against that rating and add one more step to their Haddonfield Nights journey!

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00:01:24 Halloween: Resurrection

00:13:34 Contrarians Corner

- Wanna know how we really feel about HALLOW...

Following Josh Koscheck's victory over Chris Leben, it's time for a reset as new characters emerge.

Coach Liddell is forced to hand over yet another member to Team Couture and we're treated to the best fight of the season (so far).

Elsewhere, this episode sees the triumphant return of team challenges and Willa Ford!

Want more from the hosts?

- Alex and Julio discuss the freshest and most rotten movies on the Tomatometer in every episode of The Contrarians.

- STEVE! has opinions all over Bluesky.

...

Alex got sick and our schedule needed a little bit of rearranging while he got better. Enter Jordan Manse, not heard on this show since his impressive performance during our Passengers episode, here to help Julio with a bonus entry! We discuss movies we liked in 2024, movies we are rooting for in the upcoming Oscars, and movies we are excited about in 2025. Enjoy!

(And don’t worry, the Halloween: Resurrection episode will be out in a week or so.)

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00:01:24 Not Contrarians Corner

00:06:15 2024

00:54:36 The Oscars

01:24:37 2025

...

The would-be money match of the season comes early as Chris Leben and Josh Koscheck square off to see who gets their bus ticket home.

On road to the bout, diversions into the rise of Dave Bautista as well as the historical dominance of the wrestling base in MMA provide interesting discussion.

Julio checks in on where he stands about half-way into the season as our story's next monster heel rests just ahead.

Want more from the hosts?

- Alex and Julio discuss the freshest and most rotten movies on the...

We already name-dropped Daredevil and Hitchcock in the Contrarians Corner write-up, so let’s reference our friend Peter Bogdanovich in Real Talk, because… wouldn’t he had loved this elevator pitch? But what happens when director Sriram Raghavan takes ANDHADHUN in a different direction? Do we have an overload of reversals here? What’s with the ending? We get into it in this Real Talk segment!

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00:01:26 I promise

00:02:00 Real Talk

00:51:28 The Future & Patreon Stuff

- Interested in more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on our Patreon Page! Deleted...

What happens when a fan of Marvel’s Daredevil tries his hand at a Hitchcockian yarn? Lots of critical love, in the case of ANDHADHUN. Listen to Alex & Julio tackle another Tomatometer 100-percenter as they examine the ethics of fake blindness!

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00:01:24 Andhadhun

00:08:56 Contrarians Corner

- Wanna know how we really feel about ANDHADHUN? Check out the Real Talk (RT) episode, on your feed RIGHT NOW! (or pretty soon — Spotify can be a pain when it comes to refreshing the feed)

- Interested in more Contrarians goodness? Join THE CONT...

As absurd as it may sound, the Ultimate Fighting Championship may be nowhere near the juggernaut it is without this episode of television.

We have arrived at one of the most insane episodes in the 20+ year history of TUF. It's time to hit the town and fear the consequences.

So, ask yourself: Are you a Koscheck? Are you a Bobby? Are you a Leben? Are you a Nate? Are you a Diego?

Want more from the hosts?

- Alex and Julio discuss the freshest and most rotten movies on the Tomatometer in...

As Team Liddell's domination continues, Chuck (fairly easily) gives up one of his light heavyweights to give Coach Couture a crack at.

We watch Diego Sanchez fight a guy from Boston while Julio's anticipation of a possible Leben-Koscheck showdown grows.

Elsewhere, we recap an obstacle course from hell and talk about that Monday Night Raw from Japan.

Want more from the hosts?

- Alex and Julio discuss the freshest and most rotten movies on the Tomatometer in every episode of The Contrarians.

- STEVE! has opinions all over Bluesky.<...

They did it. Those madmen (and madwomen) at The MCU actually did it and pulled all the strings in the world to get a sort of live-action Spider-verse movie to close out Tom Holland’s first Spider-Trilogy. Can this work for anyone who doesn’t have decades of emotional investment in Spider-Man as a movie character, and perhaps even more so, anyone who doesn’t have decades of attachment to his comic book adventures? The answers - and more! - lie in this Real Talk segment.

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00:01:26 I promise

00:02:22 Real Talk

00:54:29 The Fu...