That Film Stew Podcast

Universal Pictures brings us this Blum House horror about a killer doll (no, not the one you’re thinking about). Directed by Gerard Johnstone, M3GAN is the science fiction horror film written by Akela Cooper from a story by Cooper and James Wan (who also produced the film with Jason Blum). M3GAN is a marvel of artificial intelligence, a life-like doll programmed to be a child's greatest companion and a parent's greatest ally. Designed by brilliant toy-company roboticist Gemma (Allison Williams), M3GAN can listen and watch and learn as she becomes friend and teacher, playmate and protector, for the child she is bonded to. Under intense pressure at work, Gemma decides to pair her M3GAN prototype with her orphaned 8-year-old niece, Cady (Violet McGraw) - a decision that will have unimaginable consequences.

Before you watch the Disney+ show, LucasFilm gave us the movie where you could journey to the far corners of your imagination, to a land of myth and magic, where dream and reality live side by side ... to a place that never existed, a time that never was. Directed by Ron Howard, Willow is the high fantasy adventure film written by Bob Dolman from a story by George Lucas. Luke and Jae return to 1988 to revisit this unamed fantasy world which stars Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, Warwick Davis, and Jean Marsh. Willow (Warwick Davis), an aspiring magician, teams up with a disaffected warrior (Val Kilmer) to protect a baby from an evil queen (Jean Marsh).

In this annual special episode, we’ll look back at the year that was 2022 in film and TV, and let you know what our worst and favourite movies of 2022 were. In what felt like a proper return to normalcy, the movie-going experience in the modern world seemed to be back and people were going. The billion dollar movies had made their return. From big blockbusters to independant drama films, from comic book movies to comedies, from horror flicks to murder mysteries - this is the year of 2022 in review.

Written and directed by Rian Johnson, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is the mystery film starring Daniel Craig. It is the sequel to Knives Out (2019), with Craig reprising his role as master detective Benoit Blanc. This fresh adventure finds the intrepid detective Benoit Blanc at a lavish private estate on a Greek island, but how and why he comes to be there is only the first of many puzzles. Blanc soon meets a distinctly disparate group of friends gathering at the invitation of billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton) for their yearly reunion. As in all the best murder mysteries, each character harbors their own secrets, lies and motivations. When someone turns up dead, everyone is a suspect.

Directed by Ryan Coogler and produced by Marvel Studios, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is the superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Black Panther. It is the sequel to Black Panther (2018) and the 30th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The sequel to Black Panther comes following the death of the actor of the title character, T'Challa, Chadwick Boseman. It is also the final film in Phase Four of the MCU. Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira), and the Dora Milaje fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda.

Directed by Juame Collet-Serra, Black Adam is the superhero film starring Dwayne Johnson as the titular DC Comics character. It is the 11th film in the DC Extended Universe and is a spin-off of Shazam! (2019). Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the ancient gods – and imprisoned just as quickly – Black Adam (Dwayne Johnson) is freed from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique form of justice on the modern world.

Dante and Randal are back to serve you at the Quick Stop is the ninth feature film set in the View Askewniverse. Written, produced, directed, and edited by Kevin Smith, Clerks III is the comedy-drama film which serves as a standalone sequel to the 1994 and 2006 Clerks films. After suffering a massive heart attack, Randal (Jeff Anderson) enlists friends and fellow clerks Dante (Brian O’Halloran), Elias, Jay, and Silent Bob to help him make a movie about life at the Quick Stop.

As the title indicates, this is the long awaiting sequel to the original Hocus Pocus film from 1993. Directed by Anne Fletcher, Hocus Pocus 2 is the fantasy comedy film starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as they reprise their roles as the Sanderson sisters. It’s been 29 years since someone lit the Black Flame Candle and resurrected the 17th-century sisters, and they are looking for revenge. Now it is up to three high-school students to stop the ravenous witches from wreaking a new kind of havoc on Salem before dawn on All Hallow’s Eve

Directed by David Gordon Green, Halloween Ends is the slasher film which not only is the thirteenth instalment un the Halloween franchise, but it the final film in the trilogy of sequels that started with the 2018 film, which itself directly followed the 1978 film. Three years since Michael Myer’s 2018 killing spree, Corey Cunningham falls in love with Laurie Strode’s granddaughter. After a series of events, including crossing paths with Michael Myers, Corey becomes a murderous outcast.

Directed by James Cameron, Avatar: The Way of Water is the science fiction film about the blue Na'vi. It is the sequel to Avatar (2009) and thr second installment in the Avatar film series. Luke and Jae take plunge back into the world of Pandora on the biggest screen possible to experience this long time coming sequel to the highest-grossing film of all time. Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Stephen Lang, and Sigourney Weaver are back, with new cast members including Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, and Jemaine Clement. More than a decade after the events of the first film, the film follows the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri, and their kids) the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure.

Directed by Paul Leyden, R.I.P.D. 2: Rise of the Damned is the supernatural action comedy starring Jeffrey Donovan. Luke and Jae check out this direct to video-on-demand sequel to R.I.P.D.: Rest in Peace Department (2013). Gun-slinging Sheriff Roy Pulsipher (Jeffrey Donovan) - the newest officer for the Rest In Peace Department (R.I.P.D.), has his holsters full with havoc and hellfire when he's given a mission to stop a dangerous demon from opening a portal to the underworld. The fate of the living and the dead now depends on Roy and his partner Jeanne (Penelope Mitchell), a mysterious swordswoman, as cowboys clash with creatures and undead insanity unleashes apocalyptic chaos.

Bangarang! Directed by Steven Spielberg, Hook is the adventure film actong as a sequel of sorts to J. M. Barrie's 1911 novel Peter and Wendy, focusing on an adult Peter Pan who has forgotten all about his childhood. Luke and Nathan return to Neverland in this 1991 spin on the Peter Pan tale which stars Robin Williams as Peter Banning / Peter Pan and Dustin Hoffman as Captain Hook. When his young children are abducted by his old nemesis, Hook middle-aged lawyer Peter returns to his magical origins as Peter Pan. Peter must revisit a foggy past in which he abandoned Neverland for family life, leaving Tinkerbell (Julia Roberts) and the Lost Boys to fend for themselves. Given their bitterness toward Peter for growing up, and their allegiance to their new leader, Rufio, the old gang may not be happy to see him.

Directed by Eichard Fleischer, Conan the Destroyer is the epic sword and sorcery film based on the character Conan the Barbarian created by Robert E. Howard. Luke and Nathan return to the world of Conan to revisit this sequel to Conan the Barbarian (1982). Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mako reprise their roles as Conan and Akiro, the Wizaard of the Mounds, respectively. The mighty warrior Conan is tricked into working for the scheming Queen Taramis (Sarah Douglas). Along with finding a mystical horn, Conan and his allies must protect the beautiful young Princess Jehnna (Olivia d'Abo). With deception and danger at every turn, Conan has to use all of his power to defeat the evil foes that stand in his way.

Before you experience his latest cinematic behemoth Avatar: The Way of Water, return once again to James Cameron's Titanic. Directed, written, produced, and co-edited by James Cameron, Titanic is the epic romance and disaster film based on accounts of the sinking of the RMS Titanic. As the film celebrates its 25th anniversary, Jason and Rob rewind to 1997 to board the pride and joy of the White Star Line and, at the time, the largest moving object ever built - the most luxurious liner of her era, the "ship of dreams", which ultimately carried over 1,500 people to their death in the early hours of April 15, 1912. Incorporating both historical and fictionalised aspects, Titanic stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as members of different social classes who fall in love aboard the ship during its ill-fated maiden voyage.

Directed by Curt Geda, The Return of the Joker is the animated superhero mystery film based on the animated series Batman Beyond. It is the third film the DC Animated Universe and serves as a continuation of and resolving plot points from The New Batman Adventures. Luke and Nathan go back to the year 2000 to revisit this DC Comics Batman flick which features Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne, Will Friedle as Terry McGinnis, and Mark Hamill as the Joker. In the Gotham City of the future, the Joker has re-emerged as the leader of the Jokerz, a gang inspired by their evil hero, who was previously thought to be dead. Terry tries to stop the theft of communications gear by the Jokerz, but the Joker narrowly escapes. The truth about the Joker's life and death slowly emerges through violent confrontations.

She's spooky, but she prefers kooky... Created by Alfred Cough and Miles Millar, Wednesday is the coming-of-age supernatural mystery comedy horror series based on the Wednesday Addams character from The Addams Family. Luke and Jae take on the first season of this live-action series that is executive produced by Tim Burton (also directing four of the eight episodes) and stars Jenna Ortega as the titular character. While attending Nevermore Academy, Wednesday Addams attempts to master her emerging psychic ability, thwart a killing spree and solve the mystery that embroiled her parents 25 years ago.

Born in darkness, sworn to justice... Directed by Mark A.Z. Dippé, Spawn is the fantasy, action, superhero film based on the Image Comics character of the same name created by Todd McFarlane. Luke and Jae take on this 1997 cult classic which stars Michael Jai White in the title role - depicting Spawn's origin story. Covert government assassin Al Simmons (Michael Jai White) is killed after being double-crossed by his boss, Jason Wynn (Martin Sheen). Upon arriving in Hell, Simmons is offered an opportunity to return to Earth if he's willing to lead an evil army. He accepts, and is reincarnated as a "Hellspawn" - a twisted, horribly disfigured version of his former self. However, Spawn serves as a force of good, much to the dismay of the Devil's henchman, a wicked clown (John Leguizamo).

Created by Tony Gilroy for Disney+, Andor is the science-fiction action-adventure series, serving as a prequel to both the spin-off film Rogue One (2016) and the original Star Wars film (1977). Luke and Jae check out the fourth live-action Star Wars series which follows thief-turned-Rebel spy Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) during the five years that lead to the events of the two above-mentioned films. In an era filled with danger, deception and intrigue, Cassian will embark on the path that is destined to turn him into a Rebel hero.

Get ready to have a very merry Grootmas... Written and directed by James Gunn, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is the Disney+ special based in the Marvel Comics featuring the superhero team of the same name. Luke and Jae get festive with this second Marvel Studios Special Presentation which is set in and shares continuity with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, AND introduces Kevin Bacon! The Guardians of the Galaxy celebrate Christmas and search for a present for their leader Peter Quill (Chris Pratt).

Drawn out of retirement! Directed and co-animated by Steve Stark, written by Kevin Smith, and produced by Jason Mewes and Jordan Monsanto, Jay & Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie! is the animated film adapted from the Bluntman And Chronic comic book story originally written by Smith as a companion piece to his 2001 film Jay and Silent Bob Stike Back. Luke and Nathan head back to 2013 to the animated corner of the View Askewniverse. Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith) win a fortune and become the super heroes Bluntman and Chronic.