The Contrarians

Alex Mattis & Julio Olivera

Hosts Alex Mattis and Julio Olivera take on popular opinion, trashing movies everyone loves and praising movies everyone hates. Visit their website at www.wearethecontrarians.com

  1. 1D AGO

    266 - Pt. 2 - Dennis the Menace (RT)

    It’s hard to think anyone could argue against the cast of this DENNIS THE MENACE adaptation. It’s not just Matthau, Thompson, and Christopher Lloyd doing solid work, but also Mason Gamble as Dennis, holding his own against them. And it’s directed by Nick Castle, the original Michael Myers? We can all agree it’s an artifact of interest at least. But is it a good movie too, or does it only work if you let nostalgia for the 90s (and perhaps your own childhood) overwhelm you? TIMELINE 00:01:26 Only been around for five years 00:02:27 Real Talk 00:49:59 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 everything a Contrarians devotee would want! - Our YouTube page is live! Get some visual Contrarians delight with our Contrarians Warm-Ups and other fun videos! - Contrarians Merch is finally here! Check out our RED BUBBLE MERCH PAGE and buy yourself something nice that’s emblazoned with one of our four different designs! - THE FESTIVE YEARS have been letting us use their music for years now and they are amazing. You can check out their work on Spotify, on Facebook or on their very own website. - Our buddy Cory Ahre is being kind enough to lend a hand with the editing of some of our videos. If you like his style, wait until you see what he does over on his YouTube Channel. - THE LATE NIGHT GRIN isn’t just a show about wrestling: it’s a brand, a lifestyle. And they’re very supportive of our Contrarian endeavors, so we’d like to return the favor. Check out their YouTube Channel! You might even spot Alex there from time to time. - Hans Rothgiesser, the man behind our logo, can be reached at @mildemoniospe on Instagram or you can email him at mildemonios@hotmail.com in case you ever need a logo (or comics) produced. And you can listen to him talk about economy on his new TV show, VALOR AGREGADO. Aaaaand you can also check out all the stuff he’s written on his own website. He has a new book: a sort of Economics For Dummies called MARGINAL. Ask him about it! Up next, our FIRF journey takes us to a time when Robert DeNiro, Anne Heche, and Dustin Hoffman faked a war to distract from a presidential sex scandal in WAG THE DOG! Then, our 2026 Summer event begins: FROM BEDROOM TO BOX OFFICE opens with a Contrarians episode about the David Cronenberg horror RABID! In the meantime, let us know what you thought of Dennis the Menace: Did it make you yearn for simpler, screen-less times? Will there ever be a better Mr. Wilson than Walter Matthau? Would you sign up for the Lea Thompson spinoff? E-mail us at wearethecontrarians@gmail.com or share your thoughts with us on Threads or BlueSky!

    1 hr

  2. 1D AGO

    266 - Pt. 1 - Dennis the Menace (CC)

    We’ve been around our fair share of children and we can assure you, there is far worse than poor Dennis out there. That’s not to say that DENNIS THE MENACE doesn’t work as a brutal takedown of bad parenting and the crux carried by the community that has to deal with a spoiled kid. With a 28% on the Tomatometer, this Walter Matthau vehicle (no, he doesn’t play Dennis) is screaming for a Contrarians defense! So listen to Alex & Julio as they celebrate the return of Lea Thompson to the show and commiserate for the unfairly reviled Mr. Wilson. TIMELINE 00:01:24 Dennis the Menace 00:16:46 Contrarians Corner - Wanna know how we really feel about DENNIS THE MENACE? 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 CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on our Patreon Page! Deleted clips, extended plugs, bonus episodes free from the Tomatometer shackles… It’s everything a Contrarians devotee would want! - Our YouTube page is live! Get some visual Contrarians delight with our Contrarians Warm-Ups and other fun videos! - Contrarians Merch is finally here! Check out our RED BUBBLE MERCH PAGE and buy yourself something nice that’s emblazoned with one of our four different designs! - THE FESTIVE YEARS have been letting us use their music for years now and they are amazing. You can check out their work on Spotify, on Facebook or on their very own website. - Our buddy Cory Ahre is being kind enough to lend a hand with the editing of some of our videos. If you like his style, wait until you see what he does over on his YouTube Channel. - THE LATE NIGHT GRIN isn’t just a show about wrestling: it’s a brand, a lifestyle. And they’re very supportive of our Contrarian endeavors, so we’d like to return the favor. Check out their YouTube Channel! You might even spot Alex there from time to time. - Hans Rothgiesser, the man behind our logo, can be reached at @mildemoniospe on Instagram or you can email him at mildemonios@hotmail.com in case you ever need a logo (or comics) produced. And you can listen to him talk about economy on his new TV show, VALOR AGREGADO. Aaaaand you can also check out all the stuff he’s written on his own website. He has a new book: a sort of Economics For Dummies called MARGINAL. Ask him about it!

    58 min

  3. APR 23

    265 - Pt. 2 - Rye Lane (RT)

    Like Westerns and Musicals, Romantic Comedies keep being pronounced dead and then fighting their way back into relevance. RYE LANE is certainly a strong effort to revive the genre, even if it doesn’t reinvent the wheel the way some of the critical acclaim proclaims. Does it matter if you have a good time? And can you have a good time if you are very much over some of the tropes the movie embraces? Let’s find out in this Real Talk segment! TIMELINE 00:01:26 The arms are nice 00:02:24 Real Talk 00:44:02 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 everything a Contrarians devotee would want! - Our YouTube page is live! Get some visual Contrarians delight with our Contrarians Warm-Ups and other fun videos! - Contrarians Merch is finally here! Check out our RED BUBBLE MERCH PAGE and buy yourself something nice that’s emblazoned with one of our four different designs! - THE FESTIVE YEARS have been letting us use their music for years now and they are amazing. You can check out their work on Spotify, on Facebook or on their very own website. - Our buddy Cory Ahre is being kind enough to lend a hand with the editing of some of our videos. If you like his style, wait until you see what he does over on his YouTube Channel. - THE LATE NIGHT GRIN isn’t just a show about wrestling: it’s a brand, a lifestyle. And they’re very supportive of our Contrarian endeavors, so we’d like to return the favor. Check out their YouTube Channel! You might even spot Alex there from time to time. - Hans Rothgiesser, the man behind our logo, can be reached at @mildemoniospe on Instagram or you can email him at mildemonios@hotmail.com in case you ever need a logo (or comics) produced. And you can listen to him talk about economy on his new TV show, VALOR AGREGADO. Aaaaand you can also check out all the stuff he’s written on his own website. He has a new book: a sort of Economics For Dummies called MARGINAL. Ask him about it! Up next, we witness an unexpected Back to the Future reunion in the 90s classic (?) DENNIS THE MENACE! In the meantime, let us know what you thought of Rye Lane: A successful adrenaline shot to the romcom genre? A bit too try-hard? A worthy entry in the Garden State echelon of cringe quirkiness? E-mail us at wearethecontrarians@gmail.com or share your thoughts with us on Threads or BlueSky!

    49 min

  4. APR 23

    265 - Pt. 1 - Rye Lane (CC)

    When you take the concept of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl and you apply it to an entire movie - making a Manic Pixie Dream Film, if you will - you get RYE LANE. And you know what, critics are so starved for romcoms that the super quirky romance between David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah received an impressive 98% score on the Tomatometer. How could we resist? Listen to Alex & Julio grind their teeth and make their way through the British equivalent of a Zooey Deschanel vehicle. TIMELINE 00:01:24 Rye Lane 00:14:25 Contrarians Corner - Wanna know how we really feel about RYE LANE? 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 CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on our Patreon Page! Deleted clips, extended plugs, bonus episodes free from the Tomatometer shackles… It’s everything a Contrarians devotee would want! - Our YouTube page is live! Get some visual Contrarians delight with our Contrarians Warm-Ups and other fun videos! - Contrarians Merch is finally here! Check out our RED BUBBLE MERCH PAGE and buy yourself something nice that’s emblazoned with one of our four different designs! - THE FESTIVE YEARS have been letting us use their music for years now and they are amazing. You can check out their work on Spotify, on Facebook or on their very own website. - Our buddy Cory Ahre is being kind enough to lend a hand with the editing of some of our videos. If you like his style, wait until you see what he does over on his YouTube Channel. - THE LATE NIGHT GRIN isn’t just a show about wrestling: it’s a brand, a lifestyle. And they’re very supportive of our Contrarian endeavors, so we’d like to return the favor. Check out their YouTube Channel! You might even spot Alex there from time to time. - Hans Rothgiesser, the man behind our logo, can be reached at @mildemoniospe on Instagram or you can email him at mildemonios@hotmail.com in case you ever need a logo (or comics) produced. And you can listen to him talk about economy on his new TV show, VALOR AGREGADO. Aaaaand you can also check out all the stuff he’s written on his own website. He has a new book: a sort of Economics For Dummies called MARGINAL. Ask him about it!

    49 min

  5. APR 10

    The First FIRFies

    Eight episodes of Fresh Immigrants, Rotten Fascists in, it’s time to pause, take a breath, and invite someone to help us recap what we’ve gone through so far. Enter the always articulate, always passionate, Jason from Binge Movies (and also The Slashers) - a very smart friend of the show who partially inspired this FIRF venture. Listen as Alex, Julio, and Jason talk about the eight films covered on FIRF since July 2025, rank them, and give them made-up awards! Thank you for checking this new project out, whether you are a long-time Contrarians fan or someone who’s just trying to listen to people talking positively about immigrants and negatively about fascism. If you have any recommendations for future entries in the series, let us know! Many thanks to the amazing Jordan Cooper for composing our intro and outro. Fantastic collaborator to work with - and he has a They Might Be Giants podcast: DON’T LET’S START. You can also check out Jordan’s band TROUBLE’S AFOOT on Bandcamp! - Check out Jason’s fantastic work over at BINGE MOVIES and The SLASHERS! - 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 everything a Contrarians devotee would want! - Our YouTube page is live! Get some visual Contrarians delight with our Contrarians Warm-Ups and other fun videos! - Our buddy Cory Ahre is being kind enough to lend a hand with the editing of some of our videos. If you like his style, wait until you see what he does over on his YouTube Channel. - THE LATE NIGHT GRIN isn’t just a show about wrestling: it’s a brand, a lifestyle. And they’re very supportive of our Contrarian endeavors, so we’d like to return the favor. Check out their YouTube Channel! You might even spot Alex there from time to time. - Hans Rothgiesser, the man behind our logo, can be reached at @mildemoniospe on Instagram or you can email him at mildemonios@hotmail.com in case you ever need a logo (or comics) produced. And you can listen to him talk about economy on his new TV show, VALOR AGREGADO. Aaaaand you can also check out all the stuff he’s written on his own website. He has a new book: a sort of Economics For Dummies called MARGINAL. Ask him about it!

    2h 27m

  6. APR 4

    264 - Pt. 2 - Silent Running (RT)

    Not sure “Bruce Dern one-man show” was on our checklist for this Contrarians Year but that was the hand we were dealt on this episode. And yes, the drones are cute, but can we really sync with what SILENT RUNNING is trying to do, with its slow pace, and in-your-face ecological activism? Find out in this Real Talk segment! TIMELINE 00:01:26 Nobody cares 00:02:17 Real Talk 00:38:34 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 everything a Contrarians devotee would want! - Our YouTube page is live! Get some visual Contrarians delight with our Contrarians Warm-Ups and other fun videos! - Contrarians Merch is finally here! Check out our RED BUBBLE MERCH PAGE and buy yourself something nice that’s emblazoned with one of our four different designs! - THE FESTIVE YEARS have been letting us use their music for years now and they are amazing. You can check out their work on Spotify, on Facebook or on their very own website. - Our buddy Cory Ahre is being kind enough to lend a hand with the editing of some of our videos. If you like his style, wait until you see what he does over on his YouTube Channel. - THE LATE NIGHT GRIN isn’t just a show about wrestling: it’s a brand, a lifestyle. And they’re very supportive of our Contrarian endeavors, so we’d like to return the favor. Check out their YouTube Channel! You might even spot Alex there from time to time. - Hans Rothgiesser, the man behind our logo, can be reached at @mildemoniospe on Instagram or you can email him at mildemonios@hotmail.com in case you ever need a logo (or comics) produced. And you can listen to him talk about economy on his new TV show, VALOR AGREGADO. Aaaaand you can also check out all the stuff he’s written on his own website. He has a new book: a sort of Economics For Dummies called MARGINAL. Ask him about it! Up next, it’s time for quirky British love as we tackle the celebrated rom-com RYE LANE! In the meantime, let us know what you thought of Silent Running: Is it too slow for modern audiences? Is it too late for its message? How sentient are those drones, really? E-mail us at wearethecontrarians@gmail.com or share your thoughts with us on Threads or BlueSky!

    45 min
  7. 264 - Pt. 1 - Silent Running (CC)

    APR 4

    264 - Pt. 1 - Silent Running (CC)

    It’s tough out there for old sci-fi movies, as their once-cutting-edge visuals can feel dated and even silly. And then, if you are SILENT RUNNING, you have to also deal with the uncanny-valley-esque experience of watching a young Bruce Dern mugging the camera non-stop. Critics - and the Tomatometer - didn’t care though, and Douglas Trumbull’s directorial debut got a suspiciously fresh score. Listen to Alex & Julio try to figure out why this 90-minute movie feels like it’s three hours long! TIMELINE 00:01:24 Silent Running 00:17:11 Contrarians Corner - Wanna know how we really feel about SILENT RUNNING? 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 CONTRARIANS SUPPLEMENTS on our Patreon Page! Deleted clips, extended plugs, bonus episodes free from the Tomatometer shackles… It’s everything a Contrarians devotee would want! - Our YouTube page is live! Get some visual Contrarians delight with our Contrarians Warm-Ups and other fun videos! - Contrarians Merch is finally here! Check out our RED BUBBLE MERCH PAGE and buy yourself something nice that’s emblazoned with one of our four different designs! - THE FESTIVE YEARS have been letting us use their music for years now and they are amazing. You can check out their work on Spotify, on Facebook or on their very own website. - Our buddy Cory Ahre is being kind enough to lend a hand with the editing of some of our videos. If you like his style, wait until you see what he does over on his YouTube Channel. - THE LATE NIGHT GRIN isn’t just a show about wrestling: it’s a brand, a lifestyle. And they’re very supportive of our Contrarian endeavors, so we’d like to return the favor. Check out their YouTube Channel! You might even spot Alex there from time to time. - Hans Rothgiesser, the man behind our logo, can be reached at @mildemoniospe on Instagram or you can email him at mildemonios@hotmail.com in case you ever need a logo (or comics) produced. And you can listen to him talk about economy on his new TV show, VALOR AGREGADO. Aaaaand you can also check out all the stuff he’s written on his own website. He has a new book: a sort of Economics For Dummies called MARGINAL. Ask him about it!

    54 min

  8. MAR 23

    263 - Pt. 2 - Big Night (RT)

    Who doesn’t love Italian food, even when it’s surrounded by petty, self-involved men? The case could be made that BIG NIGHT is worth watching just on the strength of how much fun it can be to see people enjoying a decadent feast. But is there more to Tucci and Scott’s comedy? Can we get in sync with the movie’s open ending? Find out in this Real Talk segment! TIMELINE 00:01:26 We were dying 00:02:09 Real Talk 00:50:36 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 everything a Contrarians devotee would want! - Our YouTube page is live! Get some visual Contrarians delight with our Contrarians Warm-Ups and other fun videos! - Contrarians Merch is finally here! Check out our RED BUBBLE MERCH PAGE and buy yourself something nice that’s emblazoned with one of our four different designs! - THE FESTIVE YEARS have been letting us use their music for years now and they are amazing. You can check out their work on Spotify, on Facebook or on their very own website. - Our buddy Cory Ahre is being kind enough to lend a hand with the editing of some of our videos. If you like his style, wait until you see what he does over on his YouTube Channel. - THE LATE NIGHT GRIN isn’t just a show about wrestling: it’s a brand, a lifestyle. And they’re very supportive of our Contrarian endeavors, so we’d like to return the favor. Check out their YouTube Channel! You might even spot Alex there from time to time. - Hans Rothgiesser, the man behind our logo, can be reached at @mildemoniospe on Instagram or you can email him at mildemonios@hotmail.com in case you ever need a logo (or comics) produced. And you can listen to him talk about economy on his new TV show, VALOR AGREGADO. Aaaaand you can also check out all the stuff he’s written on his own website. He has a new book: a sort of Economics For Dummies called MARGINAL. Ask him about it! Up next, we travel to space - 70s style - as we tackle the sci-fi classic SILENT RUNNING! In the meantime, let us know what you thought of Big Night: have you ever had a timpano? Were you shocked by Ian Holm’s performance? Are you craving Italian food now? E-mail us at wearethecontrarians@gmail.com or share your thoughts with us on Threads or BlueSky!

    54 min
See All (300)

4.8
out of 5
57 Ratings

About

Hosts Alex Mattis and Julio Olivera take on popular opinion, trashing movies everyone loves and praising movies everyone hates. Visit their website at www.wearethecontrarians.com

Information

  • Creator
    Alex Mattis & Julio Olivera
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2026
  • Episodes
    300
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    The Contrarians

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