Find our V for Vendetta review here: https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/alostplot/episodes/2026-01-15T19_09_04-08_00

In this episode of 'A Lost Plot,' hosts Maverick and Avalon delve into the 2019 science fiction film 'Ad Astra,' directed by James Gray. They explore the film's themes of isolation, familial relationships, and the human condition set against the backdrop of space exploration.

They delve into the complex themes and character dynamics of the film, particularly focusing on the relationship between Roy McBride and his father, H. Clifford McBride. They discuss the emotional climax of the film, where Roy confronts his father, who has become consumed by his mission to find intelligent life in space.

The hosts also analyze the film's overarching themes, such as the struggle for meaning in life, the importance of human connections, and the consequences of emotional detachment. They emphasize how Roy's journey mirrors his father's, as he grapples with the choice between pursuing his father's legacy or forging his own path. The episode concludes with a discussion on the film's lasting impact and its place within the broader context of space exploration narratives in cinema.

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Highlights:

0:00 ‘Ad Astra’ Introduction

#adastra #bradpitt #tommyleejones #alostplot #film #filmthoughts #podcast #tothestars #neptune #space #spaceexploration #internalconflict #stoic #storyarc #intelligentlife #roymcbride #hcliffordmcbride #jamesgray

Find our discussion on our rating system here: https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/alostplot/episodes/2026-01-10T23_10_31-08_00

In this episode, Maverick and Andrew delve into the 2005 film 'V for Vendetta', exploring its themes, character development, and execution. They discuss their initial impressions and ratings, the significance of the opening scene, and the complexities of the main characters, including Evie, V, and Chief Inspector Finch. The conversation highlights the film's symbolism, narrative structure, and the effectiveness of its characters in conveying the overarching message of resistance against tyranny. The conversation critiques the film's messaging, noting its preachiness and lack of nuanced character development, while also acknowledging its cultural impact and legacy.

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Highlights:

0:00 'V for Vendetta' Introduction

4:37 Opening Scene

10:12 Is Evey Hammond Compelling?

19:10 Gordon Deitrich

22:11 Chief Inspector Eric Finch

26:03 V: A Hero or a Villain?

35:50 How V for Vendetta Raises the Stakes

52:58 Themes and Messages of the Film

1:00:14 Lasting Impact

#vforvendetta #eveyhammond #dystopian #dystopianbritain #alostplot #hugoweaving #natalieportman #alanmoore

The new 9 Points Rating System is coming soon!

In this episode, Maverick and his co-hosts Avalon and Andrew discuss the Nine Point Rating System for reviewing films, focusing on the importance of storytelling and character development.

They explore the significance of the opening scene, the necessity of character flaws for growth, and the role of side characters in enhancing the narrative. The conversation emphasizes the need for a critical approach to film analysis while acknowledging the diversity of storytelling across genres. In this segment of the conversation, the participants delve into the intricacies of storytelling, focusing on the roles of protagonists, supporting characters, and villains. They discuss how character motivation is essential for audience engagement and how the presence or absence of supporting characters can shift the weight of the narrative onto the protagonist. The conversation also explores the importance of themes and messages in storytelling, emphasizing that a well-crafted story should leave the audience with something to reflect upon. The participants agree that while multiple themes can exist, a cohesive message enhances the overall impact of the narrative. In this conversation, the speakers delve into the intricacies of film analysis, focusing on themes, character development, and the impact of plot twists. They discuss the importance of heightened tension in storytelling, the significance of world-shattering loss, and how revelations can shape audience engagement. The dialogue emphasizes the need for character transformation and the nuances of how characters respond to challenges, ultimately shaping the viewer's experience and understanding of the narrative. In this final segment of the podcast, the hosts discuss the closure and denouement of films, focusing on the overall satisfaction of the story's ending and the final image's reflection on character journeys. They delve into the nine points system used for film reviews, debating its applicability across different genres, including romance and horror. The conversation emphasizes the importance of narrative structure and audience engagement, while also considering the need for clarity in the review questions.

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Highlights:

0:00 Introduction

8:28 Do Film Openings Matter?

21:14 Main Character Flaws

30:21 Side Characters

43:43 Main Character's Motive

57:32 The Villain

1:00:52 Themes in Film

1:06:12 Themes Building into a Message

1:10:41 Heightened Tension

1:14:37 Great Loss for the Hero

1:25:26 Transformation of the Hero

1:37:51 Transformation & Character Development

1:44:40 Closure

1:55:31 Purpose of the Rating System

2:08:16 Final Thoughts

#storytelling #alostplot #filmreview #ratingsystem #filmthoughts #cinema #villains #hero #josephcampbell #psychology

Find the 9 Points Rating System here: https://www.alostplot.com/9-points/

In this episode, Maverick and Nick delve into the 1983 film WarGames, exploring its themes of technology, youth, and the ethical implications of automation. They analyze the protagonist, David, and the antagonist, WOPR, discussing how the film reflects on the dangers of technology without human oversight. The conversation highlights the film's relevance in today's discussions about AI and the human experience, making it a thought-provoking review of a classic 80s film.

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Highlights:

0:00 ‘WarGames’ Introduction

4:40 Opening Scene

11:24 David the Protagonist

15:20 WOPR, Joshua, and the Machine

21:53 Tension & Stakes

29:03 The Climax

33:51 Themes & Messages

36:38 Side Characters

40:20 Lasting Impact

#wargames #matthewbroderick #warfilm #alostplot #podcast #film #filmthoughts #dialup #ai #coldwar #sovietunion #1980scinema #1980s

Find the 9 Points Rating system here: https://www.alostplot.com/9-points/

Find our review of Avatar: The Way of Water here: https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/maverick51411/episodes/2022-12-29T20_39_12-08_00

In this episode, hosts Maverick and Avalon delve into the third installment of the Avatar series, Fire and Ash. They discuss their initial impressions, character developments, and the overarching themes of grief, family, and environmentalism. The conversation highlights the film's strengths and weaknesses, particularly in storytelling and character arcs, while also addressing the portrayal of villains and the visual spectacle that James Cameron is known for. They discuss the significance of family loyalty, environmentalism, and the complexities of characters like Spider, who struggles with identity and consistency. The conversation highlights the film's exploration of faith and the overarching themes of human greed versus nature, while also critiquing character arcs and emotional engagement.

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Highlights:

0:00 ‘Avatar: Fire & Ash’ Review

10:46 Opening Scene

16:21 Jake Sully

27:53 Miles Quaritch & Other Villains

37:57 Tension & Stakes

43:49 Themes & Messages

48:30 Miles 'Spider' Socorro

55:33 Neytiri

59:26 Lo'ak

1:04:28 Kiri

1:09:18 Lasting Impact

#avatar #fireandash #jakesully #milesquaritch #spider #neytiri #loak #kiri #tuk #film #filmreview #pandora #alostplot #avatarfireandash #fantasy

Find the 9 Points Rating System here: https://www.alostplot.com/9-points/

Find the Back to the Future Part 2 review here: https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/maverick51411/episodes/2025-12-11T19_02_25-08_00

In this episode, Maverick and Andrew review 'Back to the Future Part 3', discussing their initial impressions, character developments, and the film's plot. They analyze the opening scene, the transformation of Marty McFly, and the romantic arc of Doc Brown. The conversation delves into the escalating stakes and conflicts, culminating in the showdown with Buford Tannen. The hosts reflect on the film's nostalgic elements and its place within the trilogy. In this conversation, Maverick and Andrew delve into the themes, character development, and lasting impact of 'Back to the Future III'. They discuss the film's exploration of conflict and consequences in time travel, the evolution of Doc Brown's character, and the overall messages conveyed through the trilogy. The discussion also touches on the film's reception and its place in pop culture, highlighting both strengths and weaknesses in character portrayals and thematic depth.

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Highlights:

0:00 ‘Back to the Future Part 3’ Introduction

4:02 Opening Scene

6:57 Marty McFly

12:36 Escalating Stakes

20:38 Buford Tannen

22:45 The Climax

28:36 Themes and Messages

34:29 Doc Brown

48:40 Lasting Impact

#backtothefuture #backtothefuturepart3 #heymcfly #docbrown #emmettbrown #alostplot #martymcfly #michaeljfox #film #filmthoughts #podcast #timetravel #western #themes #storytelling

Find the 9 Points Rating System here: https://www.alostplot.com/9-points/

Find the first Back to the Future review here:https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/maverick51411/episodes/2024-08-08T15_26_59-07_00

In this episode, Maverick and Andrew review 'Back to the Future II', discussing their initial impressions, character development, and the overarching themes of consequences and growth. They explore the film's opening scene, the portrayal of Marty McFly, and how the narrative sets up for the third installment. They explore the nuances of Biff as a villain, the character arcs of Marty and Doc, and the film's climactic moments. The discussion also touches on the lasting legacy of the film and its place within the 'Back to the Future' franchise, ultimately questioning its depth and storytelling effectiveness.

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Highlights:

0:00 'Back to the Future II' Introduction

4:24 Opening Scene

10:11 Marty McFly

30:44 Biff x3

45:26 The Climax & Side Characters

50:16 Lasting Impact

#backtothefuture #martymcfly #heymcfly #alostplot #filmthoughts #film #heydoc #emmettbrown #thefuture #2015 #biff #themes #characterdevelopment #sequels #timetravel

Find the 9 Points Rating System here: https://www.alostplot.com/9-points/

Find our review of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides here:https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/maverick51411/episodes/2025-11-26T15_45_38-08_00

In this episode, hosts Maverick and Andrew review 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,' discussing its reliance on nostalgia, character development issues, and the overall decline of Disney's storytelling quality. They analyze the film's plot, opening scenes, and the characters of Henry Turner and Caryna Smith, ultimately concluding that the film fails to deliver a compelling narrative or engaging characters. They discuss the lack of depth in the new characters, the forced romance, and the flat villain, Salazar. The conversation also touches on the themes of identity and redemption, questioning the film's lasting impact and the future of the franchise.

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Highlights:

0:00 ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales’ Introduction

8:55 Opening Scene

16:37 Jack Sparrow

23:09 Henry Turner

29:29 Caryna Smith

48:47 Captain Armando Salazar

55:02 Themes

59:17 Lasting Impact

1:06:18 Final Critiques

#pirates #piratesofthecaribbean #deadmentellnotales #jacksparrow #johnnydepp #pirates5 #piratesofthecaribbean5 #alostplot #willturner #henryturner #carynasmith #amandosalazar #film #filmthoughts