Signal Watch PodCast
276 episodes - English - Latest episode: 9 months ago - ★★★★★ - 8 ratingsFilm. Comics. Television. Sci-fi. Superheroes. Noir. History. And more.
Join us as we examine cultural artifacts of the 20th century… boldly explore the 21st... and try to put it all in perspective
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Episodes
170: "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" (2021) - Avengers Countdown w/ Jamie & Ryan
November 16, 2021 00:00 - 1 hour - 57.5 MBJamie and Ryan reveal their secret kung-fu-like prowess at podcasting as they dig into the next phase of Marvel as a new leading superhero takes the fore, alongside his wisecracking pal, Awkwafina, and Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley. Not to mention a few huge stars of international cinema in Michelle Yeoh and Tony Leung. And a rad dragon. Join us as we circle around this film, and sort out what our friends at Marvel are up to now.
169: "The Man Who Would Be King" (1975) - a Signal Watch Canon Episode w/ SimonUK and Ryan
November 10, 2021 00:00 - 52 minutes - 47.8 MBTwo wayward souls, maybe a bit past their prime and in over their heads, seek fortune and glory - and that's just our podcasters. Join SimonUK and Ryan as we head into poorly charted territory and look into a film featuring two of our favorite film stars in an adventure that probably needed some better planning. But you gotta admire the moxie.
168: "Foundation" television series 2021 - a Sci-Fi PodCast w/ JuanD and Ryan
November 03, 2021 00:00 - 1 hour - 75.4 MBJuan and Ryan ponder what has come before to consider what is happening now and what will happen next as they take on the famously unfilmable series of books from one of the greats of American sci-fi. Join us as we run the numbers on a show that's epic in scale, and maybe dropping a space elevator on the fans of the books.
167: "The Fly II" (1989) - Halloween 2021 - Horror Sequels w/ SimonUK and Ryan
October 28, 2021 00:00 - 54 minutes - 49.9 MBSimonUK and Ryan see what all the buzz is about as they check out the sequel to the famous Cronenberg remake. This time, it's a wee baby insect man and Daphne Zuniga against the world and spooky corporate interests! Join us as we take a swat at a film that was one I think everyone saw on cable.
166: "Son of Frankenstein" (1939) & "Son of Dracula" (1943) - Halloween 2021 - w/ SimonUK & Ryan
October 20, 2021 00:00 - 54 minutes - 50.1 MBWe check in on the boys and see what the kids are up to! One back in the old family villa and the other heading to Louisiana for some jambalaya, we assume. Two franchises rise yet again, stitched together from ideas new and old as we look at the third in the series for each, and sink their teeth into familiar tropes as well as all new stories and characters!
165: "Dawn Of The Dead" (1978) and (2004) - Halloween 2021 - Horror Sequels w/ SimonUK and Ryan
October 16, 2021 00:00 - 1 hour - 64.7 MBSimonUK and Ryan celebrate Halloween by taking a bite out of the sequel to the zombie movie that started it all, and which some consider the most delicious of the genre. We also discuss the 21st Century reanimation of the same idea. Join us for a Halloween horror discussion fit to wake the dead.
164: "Ted Lasso Roundup - Seasons 1 & 2" (2020 & 2021) w/ MBell, Maxwell, MRSHL and Ryan
October 11, 2021 00:00 - 1 hour - 99.2 MBWe gather our forces to take on the juggernaut that is a little TV show about American football coaches shipped to England to coach football/ soccer. It's an unlikely smash hit with a pile of Emmy's, and since we were going to talk on it, anyway - we figured we'd talk out loud and y'all can listen in. Get ready for a long episode as we go deep on how the show is structured, how it builds themes, models ideas and makes for television that challenges expectations.
163: "Psycho II" (1983) - Halloween 2021 - Horror Sequels - w/ SimonUK and Ryan
October 10, 2021 00:00 - 50 minutes - 46 MBSimon and Ryan go nuts talking the second and unexpected installment in the adventures of a boy who is maybe a little too close with his mother. We're reminded the 80's weren't that much after the 60's as Stormin' Norman returns back to Casa Bates to start over and maybe enjoy his role as a motel entrepreneur. Could things go wrong? Hey, let's not get crazy here.
162: "Halloween 2" (1981) and "Halloween 3" (1982) - Halloween 2021 w/ Simon and Ryan
October 02, 2021 00:00 - 1 hour - 63.3 MBSimon and Ryan delve into the sequels of some Halloween and horror greats, returning to the scene of the crime with a mix of technology and magic! Join us as we discuss the follow ups to a bona fide classic - one a direct sequel and one a terrific deviation from the formula! Plus: ATKINS. Come spend a spooktacular hour with your two (g)hosts, in a continuation of a Halloween series!
161: "Thor: Ragnarok" (2017) - Avengers Countdown 17 w/ Jamie and Ryan
September 27, 2021 00:00 - 36 minutes - 33.7 MBJamie and Ryan have been displaced in time, but return to podcasting Marvel movies in order! Our conversation is out of this world as we take on a threat that we kind of forgot about - doing this podcast - and it comes back to bite us. Join us as we talk the pivot point for Thor in the Marvel U and Cate Blanchett being sassy as all get-out.
160: "Miller's Crossing" (1990) - a Signal Watch Canon Episode w/ JimD and Ryan
September 19, 2021 22:47 - 1 hour - 89.7 MBJimD looks in his heart and joins Ryan to discuss a shared canon film. It's the third from the Coen Bros. and one that is seemingly being forgotten by the current generation of film fans. Join us as we twist and turn, up is down, black is white. We're talkin' about friendship. We're talkin' about character. We're talkin' about - hell. listeners, I ain't embarrassed to use the word - we're talkin' about ethics.
159: "Shallow Grave" (1994) - A Signal Watch Canon Episode w/ MBell, MRSHL and Ryan
August 28, 2021 00:00 - 1 hour - 78.8 MBWhat happens when three narcissistic jerks combine their powers and slowly turn against each other? You get a podcast! We welcome new contributor MBell to the podcast who brings us a suitcase full of surprises as we discuss the mid-90's Scottish indie film thriller that was a crucial bit of what was going on in the 90's cinema scene. Join us as we root around the attic of our minds and recall how this movie fit in for us as young adults and our appreciation of movies!
158: "Jurassic Park" (1993) - A Signal Watch Canon Episode w/ Jamie and Ryan
August 20, 2021 00:00 - 1 hour - 76.8 MBWe were so preoccupied with whether or not we could talk about the biggest movie of the 90's, we didn't stop to think if we should. Jamie and Ryan take you on a (nsfw) podcast 28 years in the making! Join us as we splice together opinion, facts and memories to recall the gigantic beast of a movie that crashed down on an unsuspecting public and changed everything! We'll talk about how this movie was a moment of evolution for the film industry and entertainment, and how we (J & R) became f...
157: "The Suicide Squad" (2021) - A Kryptonian Thought-Beast PodCast w/ Jamie and Ryan
August 10, 2021 00:00 - 56 minutes - 51.8 MBJamie and Ryan take on a hastily assembled mission to watch the rebooty sequel to the 2016 disaster, this time with a heavy dose of what they were trying to do in the first place - get that James Gunn vibe. A wild cast lines up as our anti-heroes take a Caribbean tour and DC throws yet more stuff at the wall, utterly unsure of what they're doing, but with the promise of a whole bunch of nonsense looking you in the eye.
156: "Falcon and Winter Soldier" & "Loki" (2021) - a Marvel Television Podcast w/ Jamie and Ryan
August 06, 2021 00:00 - 1 hour - 60.2 MBJamie and Ryan catch up on two Marvel shows that made their way to Disney+, looking forward from the Infinity Saga, and maybe... sideways from the Infinity Saga? It's a far-ranging discussion of Marvel's efforts to bring their characters to living rooms everywhere, one week at a time. Maybe too much discussion for one podcast, but you get what you pay for.
155: "Meatballs" (1979) - a Canon Film watch w/ JAL and Ryan
July 29, 2021 00:00 - 1 hour - 57.8 MBJAL and I have some margaritas, watch a movie outside and then record a podcast outside about a movie that takes place outside. It's maybe ground zero for what became a genre unto itself in the 1980's (the camp movie), and a subgenre of the "misfits vs. the preps" - but this one actually has some heart! And some great gags. Join us after a few margaritas and this will all make more sense. FAIR WARNING: this is the most wandering podcast ever recorded here at The Signal Watch.
154: "Black Widow" (2021) Avengers Countdown w/ Jamie and Ryan
July 23, 2021 00:00 - 1 hour - 60.9 MBHey! We watched the latest installment in the ever-expanding Marvel media monolith! And we had so much to say, we came back and added a few more minutes to the end. Join us as we rush in to talk about our favorite Avenger from behind the iron curtain! It's a family affair as we meet the folks Natasha grew up with, and go home again to meet the world's worst sorority.
153: "Luca" (2021) - A Pixar PodCast w/ Ryan Michero, JAL and Ryan S
July 15, 2021 02:51 - 1 hour - 68.6 MBRyan Michero is back to go shed some light on the latest Pixar film! We go deep on our transformative journey, talking about Ryan M's work on the film, as well as what makes this one a bit different, and, therefore, special. And, what's Pixar like during pandemic times? Sadly, I forgot to ask any questions about the cat. I loved that cat.
152: "Theatre of Blood" (1973) - a Signal Watch Horror Canon PodCast w/ SimonUK and Ryan
July 09, 2021 00:00 - 57 minutes - 52.6 MBSimonUK and Ryan take the stage to talk a 1970's Brit-horror favorite! Join us as we soliloquize on a film that goes deep on The Bard, delivers Vincent Price in fine form, gives us Diana Rigg in a look I doubt she sported much in public, and plenty of chills, thrills and camp gallows humor! It's a big cast having a grand time at the grand guignol!
151: "Midsommar" (2019) - a Signal Watch Canon Episode w/ AmyC and Ryan
July 03, 2021 00:00 - 46 minutes - 42.9 MBAmyC and Ryan delve into the 2019 horror film that really gets into the end-result of people dressing too matchy-matchy and insisting on group activities. It's a slow burn of a film with a lot worth talking about, from amazing visuals to the unique presentation of horror elements to why it fits in our Co-Contributor Canon. Let's all take a break and not push hard enough to find out what folks are putting in the meat pies.
150: "Trancers" (1984) - a Sci-Fi podcast w/ SimonUK and Ryan
June 27, 2021 00:00 - 49 minutes - 45.5 MBSimonUK and Ryan are back (in time) to discuss a cult classic of 1980's horror sci-fi. It's time-travel, zombiefication, cults, iffy future governing structures and the promise of everyone in Los Angeles getting an ocean view. So join us as we do some detective work on not just the film, but that it survives with a cult audience all these years later!
149: "RoboCop" (1987) - a Signal Watch Canon Episode w/ JAL & Ryan
May 30, 2021 00:00 - 1 hour - 82.6 MBDead or alive, you're listening to this PodCast! JAL and Ryan stay out of trouble and talk a 1980's sci-fi action drama satire that's way the hell better than it should be. We look at the movie that may have had way more about to say about our present day back in 1987 than near any other sci-fi of the last 50 years. Join us as talk what we love about a movie about a guy we call "Robo".
148: "The Descent" (2005) - a Signal Watch Canon Podcast w/ SimonUK and Ryan
May 22, 2021 00:00 - 53 minutes - 49.1 MBSimon and Ryan delve deep and explore the dark passageways of one of Simon's favourite films. You never know what lurks around all the corners and what we'll take a bite out of next as we ponder the first big success by director Neil Marshall.
147: "Amadeus" (1984) - a Signal Watch Canon episode w/ Alfredo and Ryan
May 09, 2021 00:00 - 1 hour - 84.1 MBAlfredo returns to discuss a movie that goes way back to make a household name a lot more understandable to us modern folk. It's a fabricated fantasia of a biopic about two guys with very different skill levels at their jobs, competition in the workplace, and what happens when you get notes on too many notes. Join Alfredo and Ryan as we take on a cinema classic, and get a little classical ourselves.
146: "Blade Runner" (1982) - a Signal Watch Canon episode w/ Ryan & SimonUK
April 25, 2021 00:00 - 1 hour - 81.6 MBMore PodCast than PodCast, that's our motto! Ryan and SimonUK sit down and check our emotional response to this 1980's favorite of design and theme! There's nothing artificial about how we chase down one of the best of the sci-fi genre that defined an aesthetic, crossed genres, and asked the big questions.
145: "Cool Hand Luke" (1967) - Signal Watch Canon w/ MRSHL and Ryan
April 18, 2021 00:00 - 50 minutes - 46.6 MBWe're discussing our personal canon, and to that end, Marshall and Ryan do not fail to communicate about one of the best movies of the New Hollywood era. Join us as we talk prison movies, analogy, and using film to reflect upon the wider world. Come on! It's one of the greats of American cinema starring one of the greats of American cinema! Come give us a listen.
144: "Withnail And I" (1987) - A Signal Watch Canon episode w/ Simon and Ryan
April 11, 2021 00:00 - 1 hour - 61.7 MBWe're discussing our personal canon when it comes to film - and what can two guys who talk endlessly at one another do better than discuss two guys who talk endlessly at one another? It's a British cult favorite, but not the best known movie here in the colonies - but maybe it should be? Join us for a sojourn in the country as we escape our normal routine!
143: "Godzilla Vs Kong" (2021) - Kaiju Throwdown w/ Stuart and Ryan
April 02, 2021 00:00 - 1 hour - 63.8 MBApe V Lizard! Who will win? You, the audience. Stuart and Ryan have a monster of a conversation about the latest installment in the Godzilla and Kong franchises! It's a podcast of epic proportions as we talk about how we got here, what's worked, what hasn't, and head right for the center of the matter. Stop monkeying around and join us as we go nuclear on the most important film you'll see about an axe wielding ape this year!
142: "Paddington 2" (2017) - A Canon film discussion with JAL and Ryan
March 28, 2021 00:00 - 58 minutes - 53.9 MBJustin returns to talk a movie everyone *should* agree on, the gargantuan movie about a very small and polite bear. It bears some discussion what makes it work and what makes it stand out in a crowded field of children and all-ages film. Have a good cry with two grown adults talking about everyone's favorite fellow from darkest Peru.
141: "The Long Good Friday" (1979) - A SimonUK Canon Selection w/ Ryan
March 22, 2021 00:00 - 47 minutes - 43.6 MBWe're still talking our personal canon, and SimonUK brings a favorite from the UK - and one hell of a film. We talk amazing performances, tight stories, and the real world of late-70's England that informed one of the hallmark films of the gangster genre. Join us for a long chat on a good movie.
140: "Superman III" (1983)- a Kryptonian Thought-Beast Episode w/ SimonUK, Stuart and Ryan
March 14, 2021 00:00 - 1 hour - 63.2 MBWe assemble the finest trio possible to take on the third in the Salkind's Superman franchise - this one inexplicably very heavy on very adult comedian Richard Pryor. It's a future-shock story of the magic of computers and how they can make a Superman a grumpy gus. Join SimonUK, Stuart and Ryan as they get super excited over the sharp turn the franchise took into goofiness.
139: "WandaVision" (2021) - Marvel Television Watch w/ Jamie & Ryan
March 06, 2021 00:00 - 1 hour - 60 MBJamie and Ryan talk the first of the Marvel DIsney+ programs - a nine episode story that turns the spotlight on everyone's favorite Sakovian and her robot buddy. It's been a social media hot topic for months, so we're going to put it into re-runs and get nostalgic for two terrific Avengers.
138: "Singin' In The Rain" (1952) - Signal Watch Canon w/ Jamie & Ryan
February 07, 2021 00:00 - 1 hour - 55.6 MBJamie and Ryan sing the praises of an American classic! It's pouring superlatives and compliments as we take a look at a movie that really speaks to you, even if it's not with its own voice. Join us as we talk through the technical achievements, phenomenal performances and great fun of an American classic!
137: "Soul" (2020) Pixar Watch w/ Ryan Michero, NathanC and Ryan
February 01, 2021 00:00 - 1 hour - 62.7 MBRyan and Nathan are joined by Pixar Lighting Lead, Ryan Michero, to talk about "Soul", now available on Disney+. We take a deep dive into the technical wizardry and challenges of "how does one light a conceptual construct?" to discussing the process and storytelling that makes Pixar the best there is. Join us for a conversation with one of the folks who makes the magic happen!
136: "Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan" (1982) - Signal Watch Canon w/ SImonUK and Ryan
January 24, 2021 19:51 - 1 hour - 65.7 MBSimonUK and Ryan boldly get into a movie about aging, space pirates, sacrifice and making grown men cry when their space pal is taken out. We're tasked with talking about what a big deal this movie is for us, personally, as well as what it meant for Star Trek as a franchise.
135: "Aliens" (1986) - The Signal Watch Canon w/ SimonUK and Ryan
January 09, 2021 00:00 - 1 hour - 73.7 MBWe're talking the movies in our personal canon - the movies that opened our minds, expanded our horizons and maybe helped inform who we are. And what better way to reflect upon oneself than with a rip-roaring sci-fi action horror yarn about motherhood, alienation, personal interconnectedness, unexpected surprises and who will stand by you when life really tears you apart.
134: "Wonder Woman 1984" (2020) a Kryptonian Thought Beast episode w/ Stuart, Jamie and Ryan
December 29, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 94.4 MBOur elite team of nerds comes together to discuss the hottest ticket on HBOmax and at the cinema. Is she a wonder? Has the world been waiting for her? We try to step inside the characters as we ponder what the film did and why, and, does it work? If you WISH someone could get to the bottom of this film - look no further! We're in our satin tights fighting for the right answers!
133: "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" (2005) - Xmas Genre Xrossover 2020 w/ Jamie and Ryan
December 20, 2020 00:00 - 37 minutes - 34.4 MBJamie and Ryan talk the 2005 neo-noir by Shane Black and starring RDJ jr. and Val Kilmer. We hadn't seen it and were heartily surprised by the film - a noir murder mystery sort of thing with a lot of classic detective pulpy roots as both text and plot.
"It's a Wonderful Signal Watch" - a Christmas Parable
December 18, 2020 05:42 - 4 minutes - 3.68 MBIt's 2020. Ryan is down in the dumps and wishes he'd never been born - until he meets a magical stranger.
132: "Muppet Christmas Carol" (1992) - A Xmas Genre Xrossover w/ Stuart & Ryan
December 14, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 63 MBStuart and Ryan talk the Dickens out of a movie featuring a bunch of felt animals and a CBE for the arts of England. It's got ghosts, a weirdo pretending to be a great author, great sets and a missing song. Maybe not a huge hit when it showed up, it's now a staple of holiday viewing and both very much a Muppet movie and very much a Christmas movie - so it fits the theme for this year.
131: "Anna and the Apocalypse" (2017) an Xmas Genre Xrossover w/ SimonUK and Ryan
December 06, 2020 00:00 - 58 minutes - 53.9 MBSimonUK and Ryan have a holly jolly time biting into the 2017 multi-genre cult fave that has them singing and dancing in the aisles. Join us for a yuletide discussion of a newer film that might just be the Christmas treat you're looking for - it's a real slay ride.
130: "Shazam" (2019) XMas Genre Xrossover 2020 w/ AmyC & Ryan
November 30, 2020 00:00 - 41 minutes - 38.2 MBAmyC and Ryan say the word and find themselves checking out the heroic adventures of one of comics longest-lasting heroes who finally found his way to the big screen. And, it's a Christmas movie! We discuss the comics, the movie and what makes for holiday cinematic magic!
129: "Deadly Games" / "3615 code Père Noël" (1989) XMas Genre Xrossover 2020 w/ JAL & Ryan
November 24, 2020 05:35 - 46 minutes - 42.8 MBIt's French. It's Christmas. It's got a deranged Santa and a kid who has seen a lot of 80's action films. It's like "what if 'Home Alone' were infinitely @#$%ed up?" Justin and Ryan take a deep dive into a movie that feels like it's about to break as a cult classic, and features a very Bonnie Tyler Christmas song. You may know it as "3615 code Père Noël", "Deadly Games", "Game Over" or even "Dial Code: Santa Claus". But it's a frikkin' delight, this thing.
128: "Robin And Marian" (1976) - Connery Tribute Watch w. SimonUK and Ryan
November 21, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 57.6 MBThe Signal Watch is sad we've lost a film icon in Sean Connery, so SimonUK and yours truly check out one of Connery's less discussed but curiously interesting films - where he plays a middle-aged Robin Hood returning to Sherwood Forest after 20 years away. A meditation on legends, aging, love, what drives us and what we hang onto.
127: "Krampus" (2015) - XMas 2020 w MRSHL and Ryan
November 16, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 56.7 MBTis the season for genre mashes! It's horror with Christmas joy! Join us as we peek in on a family that has lost its Christmas spirit - and is now facing a giant beastman-shaped reckoning. Marshall and Ryan talk the 2015 holiday horror hit that's become a bit of a perennial favorite (already!) - which reflects on how the holidays with family can really be a nightmare.
127: "Krampus" (2015) - XMas Genre Xrossover 2020 w MRSHL and Ryan
November 15, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 56.7 MBTis the season for genre mashes! It's horror with Christmas joy! Join us as we peek in on a family that has lost its Christmas spirit - and is now facing a giant beastman-shaped reckoning. Marshall and Ryan talk the 2015 holiday horror hit that's become a bit of a perennial favorite (already!) - which reflects on how the holidays with family can really be a nightmare.
126: "Spiderman: Homecoming" (2017) Avengers Countdown 16 w/ Jamie and Ryan
November 06, 2020 06:27 - 1 hour - 60.5 MBIt's round three for film adaptations of Spider-Man, and this time they made Aunt May a stone cold fox. After Disney and Sony sorted out their differences, Spidey finally became part of the MCU and - despite not following origin movie rules - manages to turn in a fun movie with a weirdly sympathetic super-villain (it's BATMAN).
125: "Van Helsing" (2004) - Halloween 2020 w/ SimonUK & Ryan
October 26, 2020 00:00 - 1 hour - 61.6 MBWell, what better way to wrap up our review of classic monsters and monster movies than to discuss 2004's mish-mash of Dracula, Frankenstein, werewolves, hats, hair, bodices and swing around on ropes? Universal threw money at the guy who gave them the 1999 Mummy franchise and he promptly went bananas, abusing SFX teams and creating the worst kind of fan-fic. Join us as we make our way through "Van Helsing".
124: "The Mummy" (1932) & (1959) - Halloween 2020 w/ SimonUK & Ryan
October 20, 2020 00:00 - 51 minutes - 46.9 MBWe get wrapped up in some positively ancient horror favorites; two takes on the ancient dudes coming back and causing a lot of problems for colonial pillagers of ancient burial sites! First up is the weirdly undiscussed 1932 Universal feature starring Boris Karloff as a former clergyman who would do anything for love, then we talk the 1959 version starring Christopher Lee in a similar role - but this time opposite Peter Cushing. We'll walk a Nile in their shoes as we dig deep and discuss tw...
123: "The Phantom Of The Opera" 1925 and 1962 - Universal & Hammer Halloween 2020 w/ SimonUK & Ryan
October 17, 2020 00:00 - 56 minutes - 51.4 MBSimonUK and Ryan cannot remain silent on the topic of that wacky phantom what lurks beneath the opera! We take a look at two of the many film appearances where a creepy music teacher stalks and abducts his pupil while making the most of a poor real estate situation and skin condition. We take a look at the 1925 film from Universal as well as the 1962 take from Hammer, and, boy howdy, are these two different films.