What a lovely day it is as we jumpstart a brand-new mega-series. Back in 1979, George Miller essentially invented the modern action movie with the original Mad Max. Now it's time for us to enter the Wasteland. On this episode, Jackson Smith of Nightfall Entertainment joins the show as we talk about how Mad Max's vision of the post-apocalypse changed everything. Plus, we'll spend a few minutes on The Matrix Resurrections! SYNOPSIS It's a not-too-distant dystopian future, when man's most precious resource -- oil -- has been depleted and the world plunged into war, famine and financial chaos. The last vestiges of the law in Australia attempt to restrain a vicious biker gang led by the nefarious Toecutter (Hugh Keays-Byrne). Max (Mel Gibson), an officer with the Main Force Patrol, launches a personal vendetta against the gang when his wife (Joanne Samuel) and son are hunted down and murdered, leaving him with nothing but the instincts for survival and retribution. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

After Army of Darkness, the Evil Dead franchise lay mostly dormant for decades. Then news of a remake broke. But fans certainly weren't ready for the intense experience that is director Fede Álvarez's 2013 Evil Dead. On this episode, film critic Angie Aguayo joins the show, as we discuss whether Evil Dead 2013 is a remake or sequel, the underrated strength of Jane Levy's performance, and how it builds on Sam Raimi's 1981 classic. SYNOPSIS Mia (Jane Levy), a drug addict, is determined to kick the habit. To that end, she asks her brother David (Shiloh Fernandez), his girlfriend Natalie (Elizabeth Blackmore), and their friends Olivia (Jessica Lucas) and Eric (Lou Taylor Pucci) to accompany her to their family's remote forest cabin to help her through withdrawal. Eric finds a mysterious Book of the Dead at the cabin and reads aloud from it, awakening an ancient demon. All hell breaks loose when the malevolent entity possesses Mia. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

It seems some Evil Dead fans didn't realize Army of Darkness was a sequel when they first saw it. Alas, the 1992 movie -- once again directed by Sam Raimi and starring Bruce Campbell -- completes the duo's Evil Dead trilogy. On this episode, Jeff Johnson of Suns and Shadows-Cast joins us to discuss how the movie completes the evolution of Ash's character, the distinction between his buffoonish and heroic sides, and those epic practical effects. SYNOPSIS Ash (Bruce Campbell) is transported back to medieval days, where he is captured by the dreaded Lord Arthur (Marcus Gilbert). Aided by the deadly chainsaw that has become his only friend, Ash is sent on a perilous mission to recover the Book of the Dead, a powerful tome that gives its owner the power to summon an army of ghouls. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

The Evil Dead remains an undeniable classic. But Evil Dead 2 is arguably where director Sam Raimi and star Bruce Campbell emerged fully formed. And it's why this entry perhaps boasts the most passionate fan base. On this episode, David Rosen of the Piecing It Together podcast joins us to talk Evil Dead 2. We'll cover why it's one of his favorites, how it serves as both sequel and remake, and why it remains so rewatchable years later. SYNOPSIS The second of three films in the Evil Dead trilogy is part horror, part comedy, with Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) once again battling horrifying demons at a secluded cabin in the woods. After discovering an audiotape left by a college professor that contains voices reading from the Book of the Dead, Ash's girlfriend Linda (Denise Bixler) becomes possessed by evil spirits that are awakened by the voices on the tape. Ash soon discovers there is no escaping the woods. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

It's time to leave Child's Play behind. But we're not giving the world of horror a rest just yet. Instead, we're swerving right into another hugely influential franchise, starting with Sam Raimi's 1981 classic The Evil Dead. On this episode, Bri Azmoudeh of The Geeky Waffle Network's Killer Waffles podcast joins us to talk about Raimi's cabin-in-the-woods splatter-fest. We'll discuss the film's shoestring budget, the emerge of Bruce Campbell as a movie star, and even the stage musical adaptation. SYNOPSIS Ashley "Ash" Williams (Bruce Campbell), his girlfriend Linda (Betsy Baker), his sister Cheryl (Ellen Sandweiss), and friends Scott (Hal Delrich) and Shelly (Sarah York) hike into the woods to a cabin for a fun night away. There they find an old book, the Necronomicon, whose text reawakens the dead when it's read aloud. The friends inadvertently release a flood of evil and must fight for their lives or become one of the evil dead. Ash watches his friends become possessed, and must make a difficult decision before daybreak to save his own life in this, the first of Sam Raimi's trilogy. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Eighteen years have passed since The Matrix trilogy. Now director Lana Wachowski returns -- with Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss back as Neo and Trinity -- with The Matrix Resurrections. And here's our raw review. On this episode, Rob weighs in on how this fourth installment in The Matrix franchise stacks up with the previous films, how it builds on what's come before, where it might lead, and whether it meets his expectations. SYNOPSIS Return to a world of two realities: one, everyday life; the other, what lies behind it. To find out if his reality is a construct, to truly know himself, Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves) will have to choose to follow the white rabbit once more. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Exactly one year before The Matrix Resurrections' release, Jackson Smith of Nightfall Entertainment joined Close Watch -- then the Crooked Table Podcast -- to discuss The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. Now Franchise Detours looks back at that epic three-hour conversation. We'll discuss why The Matrix sequels are underappreciated, where the trilogy sits within cinema history, and look forward to what comes next. SYNOPSIS The Matrix Reloaded: Freedom fighters Neo (Keanu Reeves), Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) and Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) continue to lead the revolt against the Machine Army, unleashing their arsenal of extraordinary skills and weaponry against the systematic forces of repression and exploitation. In their quest to save the human race from extinction, they gain greater insight into the construct of The Matrix and Neo's pivotal role in the fate of mankind. The Matrix Revolutions: In a dystopia overrun by robots, Neo (Keanu Reeves), mankind's greatest hope, is trapped in a limbo world. Meanwhile, the majority of the planet's population remains in a state of suspended virtual reality. The few humans who are cognizant of the grim realities of the world desperately try to hold off their mechanical enemies long enough for Neo to escape and save the day, but things turn disastrous when all-powerful computer program Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) arrives in the flesh. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

In 2019, Freddy Yaniz joined Close Watch -- then the Crooked Table Podcast -- for an in-depth discussion of The Matrix. Now, with the release of The Matrix Resurrections, Franchise Detours looks back at that chat. In this special encore episode, we discuss the profound impact The Matrix had on us personally, how its legacy has impacted Hollywood, and why the movie continues to inspire fans more than two decades after its release. SYNOPSIS Neo (Keanu Reeves) believes that Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) -- an elusive figure considered to be the most dangerous man alive -- can answer his question: "What is the Matrix?" Neo is contacted by Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss), a beautiful stranger who leads him into an underworld where he meets Morpheus. They fight a brutal battle for their lives against a cadre of viciously intelligent secret agents. It is a truth that could cost Neo something more precious than his life. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

Playtime is just about over. After seven wild films, 2017's Cult of Chucky brings our inaugural mega-series to a close. And writer-director Don Mancini takes an appropriately go-for-broke approach with (so far) Chucky's final cinematic outing. In the final episode of our Child's Play/Chucky mega-series, film critic Angie Aguayo joins us to talk Cult of Chucky. We'll discuss how the film revolutionizes the franchise, the many returning characters who come to play, and how the movie sets up Chucky's future. Of course, USA/Syfy's Chucky is already building on what Cult of Chucky sets up. Angie and I delve into what we hope to see there as well. Perhaps when season 1 concludes, we'll reconvene for a review of Chucky. But for now, listen in as Angie and I, however briefly, join the Cult of Chucky. SYNOPSISIn writer-director Don Mancini's follow-up to 2013's Curse of Chucky, the killer doll (voiced by Brad Dourif) returns to terrorize survivor Nica Pierce. This time around, Nica is confined to an asylum for the criminally insane after taking the fall for Chucky's crimes. Meanwhile, Chucky has some scores to settle with his old nemesis, Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent). Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

As the end of our Child's Play/Chucky mega-series draws near, we gear up to talk Evil Dead. But how do you segue into a movie series about a dark supernatural force that maims, kills, and destroys everything it touches? With a stage musical, of course! In this bonus episode, I'll briefly discuss my experience checking out Evil Dead: The Musical at the local Stageworks Theatre here in Tampa, Florida. Give a listen to hear my review of the show and how it ties into the larger franchise created by Sam Raimi. Stay tuned for lots more Evil Dead talk in the coming weeks! Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram