Stay ConnectedThe Hollywood Outsider is a weekly entertainment podcast where we discuss specific topics in film and TV, review current movies, interview independent filmmakers, and put our own spin on movies and television. Podcast Awards winner for Best TV & Film podcast.
Subscribe & listen to a new HO every week!
What Do You Think of the Portrayal of Mental Illness in Entertainment?
As we close out September, which is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and we're approaching October 10th, which is World Mental Health Day, we thought it appropriate to take on a discussion about mental illness in entertainment. And this year it's ironic, since so much of our personal mental health has been affected for better or worse by entertainment due to so many lockdowns across the country. We discuss what Hollywood gets right and what they get wrong about mental illness, the films or characters that opened our eyes to a particular mental illness, and our favorite movies, shows, and characters revolving around mental health.
We also discuss our annual Fall TV preview, the shows returning we're looking forward to and new shows that we're anticipating. In this segment, we provide the premiere dates, the network, and the description, so don't miss out!
Also on this week's episode: entertainment news roundup, and reviews of Enola Holmes, Spontaneous, Kajillionaire, and The Curse of Audrey Earnshaw.
Discussed on this episodeEnjoy this sample of The Hollywood Outsider host Aaron Peterson's other podcast, Presenting Hitchcock, where he and Cory Metcalfe randomly break down a film a month in the filmography of the greatest directors of all-time, Alfred Hitchcock. This episode follows Psycho for its 60th anniversary, but be sure to subscribe to Presenting Hitchcock for the entirety of Hitchcock's work!
As mentioned on this podcast, be sure to pick up your copy of The Alfred Hitchcock Classics Collection and spend your time indoors watching some of the greatest films of all time: Psycho, Vertigo, Rear Window, and The Birds!
On this episode, we discuss the most satisfying TV character exits. The way a television series handles the exit of a beloved - or hated - character can make or break the relationship with fans. Sometimes they get it incredibly wrong, but other times, they get as close to perfect as fans could hope. Whether a despised character or a beloved one, we are looking back on the greatest character exits in television.
Also on this week's episode: our entertainment news roundup, TV Mash-up game, Psycho giveaway from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, upcoming releases, reviews of The Broken Hearts Gallery, The Babysitter: Killer Queen, and the ever-so-controversial Netflix film, Cuties, and our HO Teachable Minute.
As mentioned on this podcast, be sure to pick up your copy of The Alfred Hitchcock Classics Collection and spend your time indoors watching some of the greatest films of all time: Psycho, Vertigo, Rear Window, and The Birds! And if you want a chance to win one of five digital copies of Psycho, courtesy of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, be sure to listen to the episode for the Subject Line phrase and then email your name to PSYCHO@TheHollywoodOutsider.com before September 22nd, 2020 to be entered!
Discussed on this episodeWhat have been your favorite ambiguous endings?
Not every story has a concrete ending and not every writer tells their stories that way. These writers enjoy the continuous debate over what truly happened. Inception is just one example, fairly recent in the scheme of things, that created a ton of water-cooler controversy on whether the token was spinning at the very end... or did it drop? We'll be discussing how we feel about these ambiguous endings, with examples of some of our favorites and how we think they ended.
Also on this week's episode: we want to take time to honor the passing of Chadwick Boseman and why this loss has felt so detrimental, new releases, reviews of Nolan's latest film Tenet (stick around for our spoilercast after the regular episode!), The New Mutants, and Bill and Ted Face the Music, Disney's Mulan at a reduced price of FREE in December, and a new take on our HO Teachable Minute.
Discussed on this episodeFlavio Alves, the director and co-writer of the new film The Garden Left Behind, discusses his career, his film revolving around the trans experience, and much more on our latest exclusive interview. The Garden Left Behind is available in virtual theatrical locations now, and on VOD September 8th.
Carlie Guevara stars as Tina, an undocumented trans woman living with her grandmother, Eliana in Queens. Eliana has brought Tina to America from Mexico, and though she both sternly and affectionately still refers to her grandchild by her birth name of Antonio, Tina's relationship with her grandmother is one of unwavering love and devotion.
Tina is in the process of several major life decisions. She's trying to juggle her shaky relationship with Jason, her job driving New York passengers to their next stop, and her burgeoning career as an activist following an assault on another trans woman; Tina is also confronting the very real possibility of gender reassignment. To fully become the person she knows she should be will take an enormous amount of support, which she has in her best friend Carol (Tamara M. Williams), as well as a hefty amount of cash, which she has far less of. The film revolves around Tina's journey, and it's equal parts sad and beautiful. The Garden Left Behind gives you an insight into the trans experience like few films have done.
Read our full review of the film HERE
Movie theaters are back in business...are you ready?
This week began the reemergence of movies theaters across North America, as America catches up to the remainder of the civilized world. Having ventured out this past weekend to take in several films (including Russell Crowe's fiery Unhinged), Aaron and Amanda sat down to share their thoughts on experiencing movie theaters again, and specifically look at their safety precautions implemented. Did it feel safe? Did it feel like going to the movies always has? With several exciting titles hitting theaters soon, we are here to settle your nerves and inform your own decision on when theaters feel right for you.
Also on this week's episode, we discuss DC's Fandome, a 24-hour event that covered numerous upcoming DC properties. These include The Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman 1984, Justice League: The Snyder Cut, and even Robert Pattinson's The Batman!
Discussed on this episodeWhat are those jobs in film-making that don't receive enough attention?
We know who the directors, actors, and even recognize the composers sometimes. However, we want to pay special attention to the people that make a film successful and remain an underappreciated job. These 7 jobs are not ones we pulled out of a hat, we actually reached out to three very successful individuals in the entertainment industry - the ones who are invested in the business and understand the work required to pull off that movie and TV magic we love so much.
Also on this week's episode: Movie and TV news, finding HOpe in movies and TV, spoiler-free reviews of Random Acts of Violence, Project Power, The Blech Effect, and Tesla, upcoming releases, and our HO Teachable Minute.
Discussed on this episodeFor this special episode, we are speaking with Ralph D'Amato, the producer and visionary for the documentary, Pretending I'm a Superman: The Tony Hawk Video Game Story.
Pretending I'm a Superman is a documentary that tells the story of how skateboarding became a part of the mainstream by focusing on the success of the "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater" video game franchise. The film stars pro skateboarding legends Tony Hawk, Rodney Mullen, Steve Caballero, Chad Muska and Jamie Thomas.
Ralph started in production on the billion-dollar Tony Hawk's Pro Skater video game franchise where he was a producer on the first 8 titles. During that time, his production tasks included character art, animation, legal, licensing and interacting with the skaters and their sponsors. His responsibility also included the soundtracks for the video games, one of which won the first ever MTV Video Music Award for Video Game Soundtrack, Tony Hawk's Underground.
After departing the video game franchise, Ralph went on to become Director of New Media for Tony Hawk Incorporated. In 2017, Ralph founded an independent film production studio called D'Amato Productions, where he produced his first full-length, feature documentary – Pretending I'm a Superman.
Ralph took some time to call in and discuss his career, why he wanted to tell the Tony Hawk story, and how this project came to be. Take a listen!
Do you remember that one time, at Summer Camp?
Summer camp movies are not completely rare, but the good ones arguably are. And we're not here to talk about movies that mention summer camp or simply take place during summer, but rather films that have the particular setting of summer camp. Examples like the iconic Friday the 13th, more kid-friendly options like SpaceCamp and Addams Family Values, and of course - the raunchy ones like American Pie: Band Camp and Wet Hot American Summer. Because we're fun and wish we could go to summer camp - or do anything, really - we figure, what better time than now to discuss these flicks.
Also on this week's episode: our "How Do You Survive?" game returns with a 2020 edition, reviews of I Used To Go Here and The Umbrella Academy: Season Two, a discussion on AMC and Universal's controversial and historical deal, Mulan hits Disney Plus instead of a planned theatrical release, and our HO Teachable Minute.
Discussed on this episodeAs medical examiners Luis and Charlie explore a curious cadaver known only as John Doe, The Living Dead opens with the beginning of the end...and what happens after. An epic conclusion to the world created by legendary filmmaker George A. Romero (Night of the Living Dead, Creepshow) and completed by celebrated author Daniel Kraus, this novel serves as the definitive cap on Romero's legacy of the undead. Visceral violence, taut emotions, and the magnitude of a clash of classes and identities permeate throughout this landmark accomplishment that finds its inherent themes as timely as ever. THIS is The Living Dead.
For our exclusive interview, Aaron sits down with author Daniel Kraus (The Shape of Water, Blood Sugar, Rotters) to discuss how an invitation from Romero's wife, Suzanne Desrocher- Romero, morphed into Daniel taking George A. Romero's story and utilizing his own words to bring this journey to a fitting conclusion. Romero created and popularized the modern zombie film, and the constraints of filmmaking limited his final vision for his world. Kraus, a vastly talented purveyor of fictional worlds in his own right, discusses molding this final novel from a glorious combination of visions from both artists into a seamless closure of five decades of societal horror. As well as his journey from a high school dreamer through many of his personal works, including the lauded stories conceived for The Shape of Water and Trollhunters, Romero's films and their impact on both society and Kraus himself, and much more. A candid discussion with an undeniable talent, our interview with Daniel Kraus is one you will not want to miss!
The Living Dead terrorizes book readers everywhere on August 4, 2020. Pre-order your copy before Aug 4th and upload your receipt HERE to receive an exclusive poster of The Living Dead created specifically for this release!
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
