Tag Archives: movies

The Toy Department – Episode 283

  By toyAdmin | November 26, 2021 - 7:17 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 283, Madden and Kolsky talk a little turkey in honor of the recent Thanksgiving holiday before turning their focus to…

  • The new Netflix film Red Notice (6:45) and how it’s a pretty good time despite lacking any sensible plot line…
  • The new Mindy Kaling-produced HBO Max show The Sex Lives of College Girls (11:50) and how both guys like the early returns as it tries to find its footing…
  • The latest HBO Music Box documentary Jagged (18:40) and how convincingly it makes the argument for Alanis Morissette’s great influence on the world of popular rock music…
  • The Challenge: Spies, Lies and Allies (30:20) after a strangely straightforward episode, and where things stand with the finalé lurking just past the next turn…
  • The latest from The Challenge All-Stars (43:55) and the impossibly poor tic-tac-toe strategy displayed by a bunch of 40-somethings…
  • Homework for next Thursday (1:06:00), including: more of The Challenge: Spies, Lies and Allies, AND more Challenge All-Stars, the new film King Richard on HBO Max, Kevin Hart’s new Netflix series True Story and a postseason wrap-up of Apple TV+’s The Morning Show…

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The Toy Department – Episode 282

  By toyAdmin | November 19, 2021 - 12:23 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 282, Madden and Kolsky pushed through the technical difficulties common to olds of their age in order to bring you their thoughts on…

  • The newly Disney+-watchable Marvel film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2:35) and how it hits all its marks and ends up a highly enjoyable experience…
  • A brief NFL detour (7:55) to discuss some rookie quarterback play…
  • Paramount+’s big prestige TV swing Mayor of Kingstown (11:50) and whether it delivers on the promise of its cast…
  • The thrilling new HBO Max show Yellowjackets (20:55) and the incredible cast of women executing it…
  • Deep analysis of a top-shelf episode of The Challenge: Spies, Lies and Allies (27:20) and who controls the game as it speeds towards the surely imminent final…
  • Episode 2 of this season of The Challenge All-Stars (57:05), the gamut of emotions it runs and how the game is shaping up for the old fogies…
  • Homework for next Thursday (1:15:55), including: more of The Challenge: Spies, Lies and Allies, AND more Challenge All-Stars, HBO’s Music Box documentary Jagged (about Alanis Morrisette), the new Netflix film Red Notice, the new season of The Great on Hulu and The Sex Lives of College Girls on HBO Max…

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The Toy Department – Episode 279

  By toyAdmin | October 28, 2021 - 12:10 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 279, Madden and Kolsky congratulate themselves for managing to record the podcast on schedule before quickly getting down to brass tacks with…

  • The new film Dune on HBO Max (1:20) and how mileage may vary depending on your familiarity with the story…
  • The return of the HBO/Issa Rae series Insecure (14:30) for its final season, and how nice it is to be back in the groove with a show that is founded on being a tremendous vibe…
  • This week’s action on The Challenge: Spies, Lies and Allies (26:45), whether anyone will ever infiltrate the Emerald Cell and whose strategic moves are working the best as the game heads into the home stretch…
  • Homework for next Thursday (1:01:20), including: more of The Challenge: Spies, Lies and Allies, the new Netflix show Colin in Black & White from Ava Duvernay and Colin Kaepernick, the new season of Love Life on HBO Max, AND the World Series (“Go Braves,” says Derek) AND AND the early NBA season…

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The Toy Department – Episode 278

  By toyAdmin | October 22, 2021 - 1:28 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 278, Madden and Kolsky talk about Derek’s continuing music-based travels before moving on to…

  • The Todd Haynes documentary Velvet Underground on Apple TV+ (2:20) and how it’s not so good that it demands the attention of non-Velvet Underground fans…
  • The return of HBO’s Succession (8:05) and how the show remains impeccable and utterly unique…
  • The new Paramount Plus film Queenpins (11:40) and how it doesn’t quite deliver on its comedic promise…
  • The latest on The Challenge: Spies, Lies and Allies (16:30) and the moves by Ed and Kyle that defined this week’s episode of the game…
  • A few quick sports thoughts with the return of the NBA (35:10) and the continuing MLB Playoffs…
  • Homework for next Thursday (38:10), including: more of The Challenge: Spies, Lies and Allies, the new film Dune on HBO Max, the return of Issa Rae’s Insecure for its final season, AND the MLB Playoffs AND AND the early NBA season…

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The Toy Department – Episode 263

  By toyAdmin | June 15, 2021 - 11:20 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 263, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky briefly discuss Madden’s challenging recording circumstances before jumping into the week’s content, including:

  • The Michael B. Jordan movie Without Remorse (2:15) and how the Tom Clancy film formula falls a little flat in 2021…
  • The show Startup (9:55), how it is exactly the kind of existing-show-investment that makes sense for Netflix, and should make for a delightful slow-burn binge…
  • The new HBO Max show Starstruck (17:30) and how delightfully charismatic Rose Matafeo is as the lead character…
  • This week’s action on Top Chef: Portland (25:05), arguably the teariest Top Chef ever, and the clear three-way competition developing as we head into the final few episodes…
  • Homework for next Tuesday (49:01), including: more Top Chef in Portland (and probably more NBA Playoffs action), the return of HBO’s Betty (which Kolsky forgot last week), the return of Lil’ Dicky’s FX show Dave, the new Apple TV+ show Physical and the new AMC show Kevin Can F*** Himself… plus, Madden and Kolsky will break down EW’s list of the best Challenge contestants of all time…

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The Toy Department – Episode 262

  By toyAdmin | June 8, 2021 - 11:31 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 262, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky plunge immediately into this week’s content, because Kolsky has a take he’s been anxious to share about:

  • The new Peacock series We Are Lady Parts (1:20) which is Kolsky’s clubhouse leader for SHOW OF THE YEAR in 2021…
  • Some thoughts on The Challenge: All Stars reunion (10:10) and what the future of the franchise may hold…
  • The latest from Top Chef: Portland (20:50) and the heavy hitters heading down the stretch of the competition…
  • Netflix’s new Zack Snyder film Army of the Dead (31:55) and just how terrible it actually is…
  • Bo Burnham’s new Netflix comedy special (41:35) and the incredibly creative and innovative style that captures the essence of our year of pandemic life…
  • A few sports thoughts (55:05), covering the NBA Playoffs, health vis a vis rest and some USMNT soccer talk…
  • Homework for next Tuesday (1:01:01), including: more Top Chef in Portland (and probably more NBA Playoffs action), the new Netflix show Startup, the new Michael B Jordan movie Without Remorse on Amazon Prime, the new HBO Max show Starstruck and the return of HBO’s Betty (a pod favorite… plus, Madden and Kolsky will break down EW’s list of the best Challenge contestants of all time…

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The Toy Department – Episode 261

  By toyAdmin | June 1, 2021 - 11:25 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 261, Madden and Kolsky have a log list of subjects, so time-wasting is eschewed in favor of:

  • The latest from Top Chef: Portland (1:10) and FINALLY the elimination of bad-pasta-Chris, plus thoughts on the recipe challenge and the hosts’ favorites heading down the stretch…
  • The Friends reunion on HBO Max (20:45) and how it aimed for 100 minutes of nostalgia and hit pretty close to the bullseye…
  • The new film Plan B (38:25) and how it’s an absolute home run of an indie high school adventure movie…
  • A wrap-up discussion on Mare of Easttown (43:55) and how HBO has another high-quality limited series in the drama category, filled with tremendous acting performances and a compelling crime mystery…
  • Some NBA playoff thoughts (54:35) at the halfway point (or so) of the first round, re-assessing the favorites after a rash of injuries and some see-sawing series results…
  • A brief discussion about Naomi Osaka’s withdrawal from the French Open (1:02:50) and the difficult task of respecting metal health while also realizing that media availability is part of the job of a modern professional athlete…
  • Homework for next Tuesday (1:09:30), including: more Top Chef in Portland (and probably more NBA Playoffs action), the new Netflix movie Army of the Dead, Bo Burham’s new stand-up special on Netflix and the new British comedy We Are Lady Parts, about an all-female Muslim punk band…

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The Toy Department – Episode 258

  By toyAdmin | April 27, 2021 - 10:44 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 258, Madden and Kolsky dive right into the deep end of pop culture topics with a shocking admission from Derek as they discuss:

  • The latest in Top Chef () including Madden quitting on Last Chance Kitchen and the difficulty of finding oneself as a chef on a reality competition show…
  • A few thoughts on a lackluster Oscars broadcast (31:15) and what it means for the future of the show…
  • The new Peacock sitcom Rutherford Falls (47:35) and how it’s pretty good, and pretty reminiscent of Parks & Rec, but not perhaps good enough to support a Peacock subscription…
  • The new Bob Odenkirk movie Nobody (55:10) and how it’s basically John Wick for an audience that demands more from the scenes between the fights…
  • Homework for some Tuesday to come (58:45), including: more episodes of Top Chef in Portland and streaming some Banshee on HBO Max… and DON’T MISS our coverage of The Challenge: Double Agents reunion AND the first season of The Challenge All Stars on Thursday!!!

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The Toy Department – Episode 255

  By toyAdmin | April 7, 2021 - 10:54 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 255, Madden and Kolsky discuss potential audio issues resulting from Kolsky’s excitable 2-year-old and the zoom-related behavior of certain dogs before getting into:

  • A basketball check-in (2:35) mostly focused on the NCAA tournament, with a little NBA detour to start…
  • Netflix’s new Sherlock Holmes-adjacent series The Irregulars (17:15) and how it’s somewhat confounding — and not Madden’s shit — but also kind of interesting, engaging and ultimately watchable… with some discussion about the colorblind casting…
  • Netflix’s road trip/prank show movie Bad Trip (32:25) and how Eric Andre, Lil Rel and Tiffany Haddish pull some hilarious pranks (if you’re into that sort of thing)…
  • The season premiere of Top Chef (40:10) and all the machinations therein, including the elimination of a potential show favorite and some early favorites and villains…
  • Homework for next Tuesday (1:11:15), including: another episode of Top Chef in Portland, the Netflix movie Thunder Force with Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer and the new HBO Max show Made for Love starring Cristin Milioti… and DON’T MISS our coverage of The Challenge: Double Agents AND the first season of The Challenge All Stars on Thursday!!!

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The Toy Department – Episode 254

  By toyAdmin | March 30, 2021 - 12:00 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 254, Madden and Kolsky do a little pandemic life check-in before getting into:

  • HBO Max’s Swedish series Beartown (1:25) and how it is both gripping and also somewhat difficult to watch…
  • HBO’s Tina Turner documentary Tina (10:10) and the extraordinary woman whose life story it tells…
  • Nate Bargatze’s Netflix stand-up special The Greatest Average American (30:50) and how it’s a nice, fun time with comedy…
  • Netflix’s documentary The Last Blockbuster (38:20) and how it does a great job of capturing a specific feeling from a specific time, as well as telling an interesting story…
  • Homework for next Tuesday (1:00:50), including: the new season of Top Chef in Portland, the Netflix movie Bad Trip with Eric Andre and Lil Rel and the new Netflix show The Irregulars… and DON’T MISS our coverage of The Challenge: Double Agents AND the first season of The Challenge All Stars on Thursday!!!

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