The Contrarians

Alex Mattis & Julio Olivera
  • 4.8 (57)
  • TV & FILM
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

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. 5D AGO

    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
  2. 264 - Pt. 1 - Silent Running (CC)

    5D AGO

    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

  3. 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

  4. MAR 23

    263 - Pt. 1 - Big Night (CC)

    You can get away with making a lightweight movie if you appeal to critics’ base instincts - hunger in this case. That’s probably how BIG NIGHT scored a fresh 96% Tomatometer score despite featuring a problematic Italian impersonation from Brit granddaddy Ian Holm and lots and lots of food porn B-roll. Listen to Alex & Julio as they pick apart this overcooked timpano from co-directors Stanley Tucci and Campbell Scott? TIMELINE 00:01:24 Big Night 00:10:58 Contrarians Corner - Wanna know how we really feel about BIG NIGHT? 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!

    59 min

  5. MAR 11

    FIRF #8 - Cabaret

    The eighth installment of Fresh Immigrants, Rotten Fascists takes us to 1931 Germany, where a whole lot of people keep telling each other the rise of the Nazi party is not a big deal. Yes, old chums, we are going to the cabaret - Bob Fosse’s CABARET, specifically. It will be distressing, and eerily familiar, but at least we’ll have songs.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! - 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!

    54 min

  6. MAR 2

    262 - Pt. 2 - Marathon Man (RT)

    That William Goldman… what a tough writer to pin down, huh? MARATHON MAN never reached the popularity or garnered the reverence some of his other works have, but it’s still a well-respected 70s thriller. How did it play to a couple of present-day film fans, and were Dustin Hoffman and Lawrence Olivier able to steal the show back from a super-cool post-Jaws Roy Scheider? That and more in this Real Talk segment! TIMELINE 00:01:26 It’s over 00:01:58 Real Talk 00:54:32 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, the eight installment in our Fresh Immigrant, Rotten Fascist series tackles the musical CABARET! And after that, we will feast on the Stanley Tucci comedy BIG NIGHT! In the meantime, let us know what you thought of Marathon Man: did it feed into your worst dental nightmares? Is this top-tier Olivier or just him slumming it? Do you buy Dustin Hoffman as an action star? E-mail us at wearethecontrarians@gmail.com or share your thoughts with us on Threads or BlueSky!

    59 min

  7. MAR 2

    262 - Pt. 1 - Marathon Man (CC)

    What do you know, Dustin Hoffman doesn’t run a single marathon in John Schlesinger’s MARATHON MAN. He does run from Nazis and corrupt American operatives a lot though. Was that enough to warrant a fresh 82% Tomatometer score? Listen to Alex & Julio as they lament that Roy Scheider is relegated to back-up status in this convoluted thriller - and wonder why bad dentistry was the worst Lawrence Olivier could come up with as an evil superpower. TIMELINE 00:01:24 Marathon Man 00:13:01 Contrarians Corner - Wanna know how we really feel about MARATHON MAN? 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!

    55 min

  8. FEB 23

    261 - Pt. 2 - Dogfight (RT)

    All joking aside, it’s a bummer that a movie like DOGFIGHT is not better known and, once we get past our annoyance at younger reviewers engaging with the film on a superficial level, we do our best to celebrate Nancy Savoca’s bittersweet love story. So no point in even trying to be suspenseful about it: expect lots of appreciation for River Phoenix and Lily Taylor’s performances in this Real Talk segment… and a commitment to owning the Criterion release! TIMELINE 00:01:26 Feel like walking? 00:02:11 Real Talk 00:49:36 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 dive into 70s paranoia as we tackle the Dustin Hoffman thriller MARATHON MAN! In the meantime, let us know what you thought of Dogfight: did you buy the sudden one-night romance? Were do you rank it among River Phoenix and Lily Taylor’s filmographies? Did you jump to pre-order the Criterion as soon as it was announced? E-mail us at wearethecontrarians@gmail.com or share your thoughts with us on Threads or BlueSky!

    55 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

You Might Also Like