Documenteers: The Documentary Podcast

We keep on trucking’ for this month’s theme of MOVIES ARE GAY and you can call this “LOW BUDGET WEEK”. We got one movie made on about 22 grand and this one was made from a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. That’s right. We paid for this one. So you’re welcome for the sex scene. It also happens to be the first film by a black lesbian. Cheryl Dunye’s 1996 film “THE WATERMELON WOMAN” has a lot of issues stemming from low budget. You get what you get when you need some pals, who have no acting ability or experience, to help you hold down a few scenes. But the layered story of a woman seeking a long lost black lesbian thespian manages to push beyond its surface and show interesting personal relationships with a nice amount of black film history to boot. Did we mention the sex scene? It’s the best scene in the movie in terms of pure execution. This sex scene could win a contest. It could be it’s own short film. See for yourself. Minute 41: https://archive.org/details/the.watermelon.woman.1996.webdl.720p.h264.aac-deep Subscribe to us on YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuJf3lkRI-BLUTsLI_ehOsg Contact us here: MOVIEHUMPERS@gmail.com Check our past & current film ratings here: https://moviehumpers.wordpress.com Hear us on podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6o6PSNJFGXJeENgqtPY4h7 Our OG podcast “Documenteers”: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/documenteers-the-documentary-podcast/id1321652249 Soundcloud feed: https://soundcloud.com/documenteers Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/culturewrought

This month, MOVIES ARE GAY and we’re hitting up our second ever Gregg Araki movie with his groundbreaking 1992 film “THE LIVING END” starring Craig Gilmore and Mike Dytri. This low budget feature is considered ground floor for what was dubbed a “New Queer Cinema Movement” in which LGBTQ creators were looking to push boundaries within a world of social and political marginalization during a time in which the AIDS epidemic was thoroughly embedded into the queer culture scene. This new movement did not seek safety in the sentimental but presented queer characters struggling in a world they didn’t make. Luke, a nihilistic vagabond who has killed a few people, meets movie critic Jon. Jon has just been diagnosed with HIV. Luke already has it. In many ways they are different but their situation brings them closer together in backlash to a fatalistic world that wants nothing to do with them. They may not make it to the 21st century. A lot of low budget acting tropes get balanced out nicely here in a well executed ground floor film that shines in the context of its time. Last we checked, we found the film right here: https://archive.org/details/this-is-how-the-world-ends-gregg-araki-2000 and you should be able to find out more by looking up “Strand Releasing”. Fuck the world in the most gay 90s way possible. Subscribe to us on YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuJf3lkRI-BLUTsLI_ehOsg Contact us here: MOVIEHUMPERS@gmail.com Check our past & current film ratings here: https://moviehumpers.wordpress.com Hear us on podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6o6PSNJFGXJeENgqtPY4h7 Our OG podcast “Documenteers”: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/documenteers-the-documentary-podcast/id1321652249 Soundcloud feed: https://soundcloud.com/documenteers Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/culturewrought

Strangers On A Train (1951) by Bob Sham & Friends

We’re week one into MOVIES ARE GAY 2 and we’re still glad to no longer be in outer space. Queer film history has its controversies when it comes to representation and this notorious feature film feels like an outsider work by critically acclaimed director William Friedkin. One that feels observationally curious on the part of the director. We’re discussing his 1980 film “CRUISING” starring Al Pacino, Paul Sorvino & Richard Cox. It’s about an undercover cop who goes into the very specific world of gay leather/S&M clubs to find a killer who cruises for his victims. Activists at the time were critical of more depictions of the gay underbelly and the self loathing often at the center of such representation. On the other hand, the actual New York gay S&M scene at the time was very on hand for the project representing a sub-culture of a sexuality that would be drastically changed by the end of the 80s. Modern takes have seemed more objective and slightly less charged with “Cruising” finding its place in LGBTQ history for good or bad. It’s fairly open ended ending still raising conversations to this day. We just so happened to have found a link to the film right here: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8dmb7g Subscribe to us on YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuJf3lkRI-BLUTsLI_ehOsg Contact us here: MOVIEHUMPERS@gmail.com Check our past & current film ratings here: https://moviehumpers.wordpress.com Hear us on podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6o6PSNJFGXJeENgqtPY4h7 Our OG podcast “Documenteers”: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/documenteers-the-documentary-podcast/id1321652249 Soundcloud feed: https://soundcloud.com/documenteers Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/culturewrought

The Bitter Tears Of Petra Von Kant (1972) by Bob Sham & Friends

We’ve finally left a galaxy far far away for more domestic fare and it’s time for us to revisit one of our most eye opening annual themes. Its MOVIES ARE GAY 2 in which we discuss films made by, and adjacent to, LGBTQ culture. Classic subtext and modern gay classics all month long and we ease in to the month with a screwball classic that flopped in its time but became beloved as a standout amongst its long lost comedic genre. It also stars Carey Grant (gay) who becomes the first person in a feature film to use a common terminology in a very specific way. We’re talking about the wacky Howard Hawks rom-com “BRINGING UP BABY” from 1938 and starring Katherine Hepburn as a wise cracking heiress and Carey Grant as an archaeologist who just wants to get his bone. Also, there is a Leopard involved and it likes dogs. Whattayaknow you can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE1O9SwwB1c and there’s a cleaner version of it on Tubi as of this writing. Subscribe to us on YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuJf3lkRI-BLUTsLI_ehOsg Contact us here: MOVIEHUMPERS@gmail.com Check our past & current film ratings here: https://moviehumpers.wordpress.com Hear us on podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6o6PSNJFGXJeENgqtPY4h7 Our OG podcast “Documenteers”: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/documenteers-the-documentary-podcast/id1321652249 Soundcloud feed: https://soundcloud.com/documenteers Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/culturewrought

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (2019) by Bob Sham & Friends

We’re in the final stretch of FORCED, our month’s theme where we discuss every STAR WARS film in chronological order, and we’re really feeling the dregs at this point. We got to spread this franchise shit around a little bit more in the future. After we finish all the STAR WARS we’re going to be watching a Carey Grant movie and we can’t wait to get to something that is the complete opposite of a space fantasy. Yeah, we do this voluntarily, and that’s on Bob because he was a little fatigued on this franchise before we scheduled this and we’re definitely never watching these ever again. But if you put a blaster to our heads and made us choose one to rewatch, Rian Johnson’s 2017 contribution to the sequel trilogy “THE LAST JEDI” might be a contender. All the referential onslaught you come to expect but it does seem like Johnson was attempting to do something a little different. Maybe philosophize the force a bit deeper. This movie has its appreciators and some quite vocal detractors but compared to the rest of the trilogy, is this one truly so bad? It had cool looking shit at least. The Holdo Maneuver? Poe Cameron being at his peak coolest? The throne room scene?? SEAMONSTER TITTY MILK CHUGGING?!?!?! YOU’RE TELLING ME THAT DOES NOTHING FOR YOU? Well, now you can just empty your brain and accept our final judgement on this movie that we will never watch again. Did you get the Justin Theroux figure when it came out? Subscribe to us on YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuJf3lkRI-BLUTsLI_ehOsg Contact us here: MOVIEHUMPERS@gmail.com Check our past & current film ratings here: https://moviehumpers.wordpress.com Hear us on podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6o6PSNJFGXJeENgqtPY4h7 Our OG podcast “Documenteers”: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/documenteers-the-documentary-podcast/id1321652249 Soundcloud feed: https://soundcloud.com/documenteers Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/culturewrought

Our journey that we’ve dubbed FORCED is really starting to feel like just that. We volunteered for this but we’re excited to get back to Earth soon. Now that we’ve survived the Clone Wars, the Fall of the Republic, the rule of the Empire, the fall of the Empire and the rise of the New Republic…it’s high time for the Republic to completely shit the bed once again. Luke Skywalker ran away because that’s what Jedi Master’s do best, apparently, and in his absence a new order has grown in strength. Remember the Death Star? And the Death Star II? Well a whole planet is now a Death Star and it can blow up entire planetary systems. On top of all that, Han and Leia’s kid is masking it up with a guy named Snoke in what is dubbed “The First Order”. Is there any hope in the galaxy once again and can it be a completely blank slate and not connected to these goddamn Skywalkers? We meet Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) and Finn (John Boyega) and BB-8 (droids can be balls now) and we re-meet all the nostalgic classic characters because this movie really wants you to know that this isn’t going to be like Phantom Menace. It’s your favorite kind of Ice Cream so let’s feed you an entire tub of it in one sitting. It’s time for “STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS” from 2015 directed by J.J. Abrams and it’s the first of the Disney era trilogy that have become fairly controversial. We were all on the hype tit at the time but how does THE FORCE AWAKENS hold up to current scrutiny? Hear us tell of it. Subscribe to us on YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuJf3lkRI-BLUTsLI_ehOsg Contact us here: MOVIEHUMPERS@gmail.com Check our past & current film ratings here: https://moviehumpers.wordpress.com Hear us on podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6o6PSNJFGXJeENgqtPY4h7 Our OG podcast “Documenteers”: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/documenteers-the-documentary-podcast/id1321652249 Soundcloud feed: https://soundcloud.com/documenteers Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/culturewrought

May’s theme is FORCED, in which we discuss all the Star Wars films in chronological order and we’re now wrapping up the original trilogies with our discussion of RETURN OF THE JEDI from 1983. This hit franchise flick pretty much sets the tone of what Star Wars will become, jam packed and somewhat convoluted. Its success leads to this inevitability but Return of the Jedi is high on adventure and cool looking creatures. We meet Jabba the Hutt and the Ewoks. Also, we got another Death Star which is another clue that this franchise might be heading back to the well too many times. Boba Fett really goes out like a sucker. Of course we get full Emperor here, probably the best parts of the movie, and an unmasked Darth Vader who pretty much dies from getting a limb hacked off. You would think he would have been used to that by now. Fuck it. Let’s burn his body and see what kinds of party favors they have on Endor. These murder bears really know how to get down. They got the shit that makes you see visions of all the Jedi your dad killed. Including Yoda, that bitch. Subscribe to us on YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuJf3lkRI-BLUTsLI_ehOsg Contact us here: MOVIEHUMPERS@gmail.com Check our past & current film ratings here: https://moviehumpers.wordpress.com Hear us on podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6o6PSNJFGXJeENgqtPY4h7 Our OG podcast “Documenteers”: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/documenteers-the-documentary-podcast/id1321652249 Soundcloud feed: https://soundcloud.com/documenteers Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/culturewrought

For May’s movie theme, FORCED, we’re discussing every Star Wars film in chronological order including the made for TV movies and we wrap up the “Made for TV Trilogy” with the 1985 follow up to “Caravan of Courage” called “EWOKS: THE BATTLE FOR ENDOR”. Cindel and Wicket are back and that annoying Mace kid? Dead. In fact, the whole family except Cindel is dead and most of the Ewok village is abducted by Orc looking dudes. I’m sure it was all Mace’s fault somehow but this movie is definitely better than its predecessor. Quality is assured because we got ourselves a space hermit played by none other than Wilford Motherfucking Brimley. He may be gruff but he’s got a good heart and will eat all of your porridge. He’s also got a little buddy named “Teek” who runs real fast and is a total scamp. When the sorceress bird lady kidnaps Cindel, then Wilford, Teen and Wicket got to go to the orc castle to rescue her and the rest of the Ewoks. More training for when the Empire comes. Cindel has a new daddy now and let’s hope he has access to proper refrigeration for his insulin. Subscribe to us on YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuJf3lkRI-BLUTsLI_ehOsg Contact us here: MOVIEHUMPERS@gmail.com Check our past & current film ratings here: https://moviehumpers.wordpress.com Hear us on podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6o6PSNJFGXJeENgqtPY4h7 Our OG podcast “Documenteers”: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/documenteers-the-documentary-podcast/id1321652249 Soundcloud feed: https://soundcloud.com/documenteers Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/culturewrought

Remember the little murder bears in Return of the Jedi? Well, they got a couple of made for TV movies from back in the 80s. This month we’re discussing ALL Star Wars movies, both feature film and TV movies, in a true and final chronological order that is not up for debate. Sorry but we got the final word on this one but we’re excited to present to you your new opinions and we got a couple of Ewok movies that fit snugly between “Empire Strikes Back” & “Return of the Jedi”. They’re pretty well panned kids movies and the one we’re starting off with “CARAVAN OF COURAGE: AN EWOK ADVENTURE” from 1984 definitely takes its critical lumps. But y’know what? That kid is kinda cute running around with Wicket on their little Tolkienesque adventure but that brother of hers, Mace? Oof. What a little shit. They have to save this kid from himself so many times. He gets the heroic feat at the end but are we gonna have to sit through another movie with this character? (More on that tomorrow) Also, those spiders. Yeesh. They cleaned these up and put them on Disney+ so I couldn’t pull many good scenes of Mace constantly crying and almost dying. Why is he dressed like an X-Wing pilot? Subscribe to us on YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuJf3lkRI-BLUTsLI_ehOsg Contact us here: MOVIEHUMPERS@gmail.com Check our past & current film ratings here: https://moviehumpers.wordpress.com Hear us on podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6o6PSNJFGXJeENgqtPY4h7 Our OG podcast “Documenteers”: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/documenteers-the-documentary-podcast/id1321652249 Soundcloud feed: https://soundcloud.com/documenteers Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/culturewrought

Our chronological journey through the STAR WARS franchise rolls on with a classic bummer of a story. THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK from 1980 is widely regarded as one of the best films of the franchise and it’s pretty hard to argue with the consensus if you ignore the existence of the holiday special. It’s time to re-examine this sci-fi classic for the final time. Yeah, it’s a good movie, but we’ve seen it A LOT. We’re saying sayonara to the STAR WARS universe when this is all said and done. It’s given us thrills and chills, laughter and confusion but you can keep the emotional investment from here forth. We’re just gonna be the 3,000th person to tell you if they’re good or not. I would strongly recommend NOT going chronologically if you’re going to want to watch them all. There’s a point to going chronologically but the release order seems to be more enjoyable if you think about it. So much memorable and awesome stuff in the Irvin Kershner directed “Episode V” and the prequels really do demystify a lot of the initial feeling of THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. This might also be peak worst C3PO so there are some shortcomings. That Luke reaction is quite funny, though. What is cool does stay cool. The Hoth battle and Darth Vader meeting Luke is still pretty wonderful to watch. Our expectations are lower following this one but we will try to keep an open mind and focus on what makes each trilogy what they are on their own merits. Also, you can call me “Daddy”. Subscribe to us on YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuJf3lkRI-BLUTsLI_ehOsg Contact us here: MOVIEHUMPERS@gmail.com Check our past & current film ratings here: https://moviehumpers.wordpress.com Hear us on podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6o6PSNJFGXJeENgqtPY4h7 Our OG podcast “Documenteers”: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/documenteers-the-documentary-podcast/id1321652249 Soundcloud feed: https://soundcloud.com/documenteers Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/culturewrought

You really wish you could go back and see look the faces of everyone who watched “THE STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL” on November 17th, 1978 on CBS. The viewership for it had to be insane for network television in 1978 especially with the STAR WARS fever that was going around like a Wampa STD. In this strange piece of franchise history we get a whole family of Wookiees with the worst names you imagine, Art Carney as an intergalactic trader, Bea Arthur running the Mos Eisley Cantina, the world’s introduction to Boba Fett, a Wookiee fetish machine, an original song by Jefferson Starship, Luke Skywalker wearing eyeliner, Princess Leia singing and the most affectionate Han Solo you will ever see. There may have been something between Han and Mala, Chewbacca’s wife. You could feel the sexual tension. Drugs give us so many ups and downs and drugs definitely gave us this. It was almost universally panned because it was insanely weird. You couldn’t believe that this was playing in the universe of one of the biggest films of all time. Yes, it is profoundly weird but not repulsive. Maybe even a little hypnotic and that Lumpy kid? He’s an adorable little scamp. I’m sure Itchy will grow on you over time. It’s LIFE DAY and we’re re-canonizing this notorious piece of television history and placing it right back into the continuity where it belongs. It’s the first of the MADE-FOR-TV STAR WARS TRILOGY, alongside the Ewok movies, that we will be discussing for May’s movie theme we’re calling FORCED. So pick up the nearest Wookiee child into your arms and join us for a celebration. You’re goddamn right we have a link for this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hH8rxarVG8 Subscribe to us on YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuJf3lkRI-BLUTsLI_ehOsg Contact us here: MOVIEHUMPERS@gmail.com Check our past & current film ratings here: https://moviehumpers.wordpress.com Hear us on podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6o6PSNJFGXJeENgqtPY4h7 Our OG podcast “Documenteers”: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/documenteers-the-documentary-podcast/id1321652249 Soundcloud feed: https://soundcloud.com/documenteers Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/culturewrought

EPISODE CORRECTION: George Lucas attempted to make "Flash Gordon" not "Buck Rogers". It's much more normal if you didn't even notice. All May long we’re discussing STAR WARS movies in chronological order and dictating absolute canon from here forth. Your thoughts? Meaningless. Our thoughts? They are now your new thoughts. One last ride with Star Wars before we emotionally retire it and watch only movies like “On Golden Pond” and “Bridges of Madison County”. You will believe you can love again. OK, so our month’s theme of FORCED is riding on the bandwagon of that “May the 4th Be With You” stuff but don’t say that phrase to us in person unless you want to elicit a “Manchurian Candidate” type response where we attack you. This episode is one of the few we are actually looking forward to as it is the one that started it all, “STAR WARS” by George Lucas from 1977 and starring Mark Hamill, Alec Guinness, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Peter Cushing. You pretty much already know a lot about it I’m sure. It’s a strange trip to behold when carrying around prequel knowledge but you gotta revel in the fairly simple space adventure romp after watching five convoluted movies that are all reference films to the one we’re finally discussing today. They didn’t let George Lucas make Buck Rogers so he took some Kurosawa inspiration and whipped up a big allegory to the Vietnam War. People split so many hairs over this franchise but the core concept of it was all as simple as that. I would like to think I would do a little more if somebody was going to destroy my planet right in front of me. I would have throat chopped Tarkin and then turn around and knock out Darth Vader in one punch for real. Subscribe to us on YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuJf3lkRI-BLUTsLI_ehOsg Contact us here: MOVIEHUMPERS@gmail.com Check our past & current film ratings here: https://moviehumpers.wordpress.com Hear us on podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6o6PSNJFGXJeENgqtPY4h7 Our OG podcast “Documenteers”: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/documenteers-the-documentary-podcast/id1321652249 Soundcloud feed: https://soundcloud.com/documenteers Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/culturewrought

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) by Bob Sham & Friends

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) by Bob Sham & Friends

All May our theme is FORCED and we’re plowing through the Star Wars franchise in a chronological order one last time. We will declare the true canon and we will not be debating that so chill out, nerd. When we’re done then you can have all of it and continue hanging your emotional weight onto something that seems quite mediocre at least half the time. This episode, we wrap up the Prequel Trilogy and watch as things fall apart as they were destined to do in George Lucas’s last directed film “REVENGE OF THE SITH” from 2005. It was always going to be a downer but some of these Galaxy heroes looks like absolute chumps. The Jedi Council royally fucked this one. Baffling characterizations continue but the visual execution is something to behold and the thing we all chomped at the bit for, the Obi Wan Kenobi vs. Anakin Skuywalker fight, actually delivered. This sure was a fun one for the kids. Watching a dismembered man catch on fire. Screaming as his master walks away. There are definitely kid-coded aspects to Star Wars but George Lucas actually made the least kid-friendly film of the franchise in this final installment of the Anakin Skywalker trilogy. Be careful you don’t die of a broken heart like Padme. Seemed to me like she was just getting out of being a parent. Subscribe to us on YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuJf3lkRI-BLUTsLI_ehOsg Contact us here: MOVIEHUMPERS@gmail.com Check our past & current film ratings here: https://moviehumpers.wordpress.com Hear us on podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6o6PSNJFGXJeENgqtPY4h7 Our OG podcast “Documenteers”: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/documenteers-the-documentary-podcast/id1321652249 Soundcloud feed: https://soundcloud.com/documenteers Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/culturewrought

One last round of Star Wars. Just one more podcast/Youtube video discussion about all of the Star Wars movies in REAL chronological order is what the world needs right now. We’re calling this months theme, “FORCED”. The Star Wars nostalgia well has run pretty dry for us the last several years so we decided one more heartfelt examination and, seriously, we will probably never watch these movies ever again. Maybe if a child relative comes along and asks us to watch Star Wars with them then we may oblige but this hypothetical child relative could grow up to kill all of their friends and help turn the galaxy into a totalitarian nightmare so maybe we would have to stand our ground. That said, we’re 2/3rds through George Lucas’s prequel trilogy about the rise and fall of Anakin Skywalker with the 2002 blockbuster “STAR WARS: EPISODE II - ATTACK OF THE CLONES”. All of those vague references of the past in the original trilogy are getting brought to life and now we know that the clones from “The Clone Wars” are actually an army of castrato Boba Fetts. The Trade Federation are still at it and they got the Hammer Horror Dracula calling the shots. Let’s not forget that this is, supposedly, a love story. It’s not as much of a charisma vacuum as the last film but the passion still seems dissonant. Maybe it’s all the Skywalker whining. They definitely upped the lightsaber game in this one for all the nerds who said their lives were over because of Jar Jar Binks. What’s funny is that those people will always buy the tickets. Every time. Let’s get into the clone zone. Subscribe to us on YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuJf3lkRI-BLUTsLI_ehOsg Contact us here: MOVIEHUMPERS@gmail.com Check our past & current film ratings here: https://moviehumpers.wordpress.com Hear us on podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6o6PSNJFGXJeENgqtPY4h7 Our OG podcast “Documenteers”: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/documenteers-the-documentary-podcast/id1321652249 Soundcloud feed: https://soundcloud.com/documenteers Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/culturewrought

And so it begins. We’re gonna FORCE it all down one more time. This isn’t just a casual viewing and discussion of Star Wars on a YouTube/podcast for the umpteenth time. Well, it kinda is but we’re likely never going to watch these movies ever again after this month. We have our personal place in Star Wars history. Our own generational emotional attachments. Taking it all in to this day, our personal excitement for the franchise has greatly waned. It’s probably just a natural feeling as we get older but the nostalgia dump is getting very unwieldy across several film franchises and we’re more than happy to let others get emotional about Star Wars after the month of May. So one more ride within a galaxy far far away all month long and we say it’s the final word on these movies. Empty your brain of all opinion and simply adopt our perspectives with no question. We’re going chronologically so we’re starting it off with the prequel trilogy and easily the strangest of all the Star Wars movies. We’re discussing George Lucas’s 1999 prequel to his massive sci-fi franchise called “STAR WARS: EPISODE I - THE PHANTOM MENACE”. Even its apologist have to admit that the first foray into the story of a young Anakin Skywalker is absolutely weird and helping greatly with that feeling is the notorious alien sidekick “Jar Jar Binks”. Jar Jar isn’t the only bizarre choice for the movie but he’s definitely the hardest one to contend with. It almost seems like an Andy Kaufmanesque prank to observe this strangeness in such a major blockbuster film. We also got a messiah narrative, metachlorians, Jedi being fully complicit in slavery, pod racing and Darth Maul who you know is badass because he can get it at both ends of the lightsaber. We were chomping at the bit to watch the first Star Wars movie in 16 years. When it released, and the dust settled, many of us were more than a little confused. But it’s okay. Now we know that Jar Jar is the key to all of this. Here’s the making of documentary which seems very eye opening in hindsight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da8s9m4zEpo Subscribe to us on YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuJf3lkRI-BLUTsLI_ehOsg Contact us here: MOVIEHUMPERS@gmail.com Check our past & current film ratings here: https://moviehumpers.wordpress.com Hear us on podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6o6PSNJFGXJeENgqtPY4h7 Our OG podcast “Documenteers”: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/documenteers-the-documentary-podcast/id1321652249 Soundcloud feed: https://soundcloud.com/documenteers Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/culturewrought