The Visitors Might Be Listening

The Postrider Roundup is a new biweekly podcast from The Postrider, offering a dynamic, up-to-date look at American politics, from Congress to the campaign trail. On the Roundup, Lars Emerson and Michael Lovito dive into the latest developments in DC, analyzing elections, legislation, and the complexities of the ever-evolving political landscape with a unique blend of pragmatism, enthusiasm, and humor. Follow now to catch the episodes!

We're back! It's the final episode of our Planet of the Apes season! One might think that a film titled War for the Planet of the Apes might be like a war movie. Mike Lovito calls it more of a western instead. Caesar and his apes engage in a confrontation with what remains of the military, led by a ruthless colonel played by Cheers' Woody Harrelson. Which species will end up winning dominion over the planet? Also, the Visitors (briefly) discuss Andor and give their thoughts on the Apes franchise as a whole. Download this episode now!

Matt Reeves, director of Cloverfield and The Batman, joins the Planet of the Apes franchise with this 2014 installment. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is without a doubt a new highpoint for the series. The amazing Andy Serkis returns as Caesar, with Toby Kebbell joining as the villainous ape Koba. A bevy of wonderful human actors also appear in this production, including Jason Clarke, Keri Russell, and Gary Oldman. The Visitors have almost nothing but praise for this movie, which goes even further than the previous film in reinvigorating this franchise for the 21st century. And speaking of this century, The Visitors pick the actors they'd like to see show up in the newest Ape film, coming in 2024. Download this episode so you can listen too!

Reboots are all the rage, or at least they were in 2011. Planet of the Apes gets another turn at the Reboot process with Rise of the Planet of the Apes. It's a film that has aged remarkably well over the last decade plus. A large portion of the credit goes to Andy Serkis, who the Visitors will be praising a lot here and in the remaining episodes to come. There are also some other actors in here that end up getting outshined by a CGI chimp, including Logan Roy?!? Also, the Visitors recall some of the reboots and remakes that came out in the first decade of the 2000s. Take a spin down memory lane and download this episode now!

Tim Burton is an interesting choice to direct for a Planet of the Apes film. What might be interesting in theory doesn't hold up much in practice. The Visitors are at a real loss to say anything complimentary regarding this entry in the series. The plot is missing. The characters are plentiful but dull. There's money on screen in the production design, but to no real end. Should you watch this film yourself to experience it? Listen to this episode and find out! Spoiler: The answer is 'no'. Download now!

The end has come. The first end, anyway. The original Apes saga comes to an end in the fifth installment, Battle for the Planet of the Apes. Nuclear war has broken out in human cities, leaving the Apes lush forest village untouched. What happens when the surviving humans decide to attack? There may or may not be a school bus involved. Also, The Visitors talk about Green Book for a bit and which famous directors and musicians appear in this film. Check it out now!

The Visitors jump ahead to the far-off future year of 1991. America is under fascistic rule. The Planet of the Apes series enters into a darker phase. This is a movie that channels the hatred and chaos of the early 70s into a pop—art cataclysm of slavery and revolution. An ape named Caesar will take the reins and possibly forge a new destiny for the planet Earth. The result ends up being the most 80s a film from the 70s has ever looked. Put on your black turtleneck and download this episode. Also, find out the Visitors favorite fictional robots from film and television.

The Visitors are back again, covering the third installment of the Planet of the Apes film series. This 1971 sequel takes things all the way into the future year of 1973! You read that right. Ape scientists Zira and Cornelius travel back in time to 20th century Earth, and they find things are actually pretty chill. POTUS' German science advisor Otto Hasselin is keeping his eye on them though. Will this movie end in an incredibly depressing way? The answer is Yes. The Visitors also discuss their favorite time travel movies. So turn on, tune in and drop out to this week's episode!

This week, the Visitors return to the first Apes sequel, Beneath the Planet of the Apes. With a smaller budget and a smaller role for Charlton Heston, this film leaves a lot to be desired. We are introduced to Brent, who subsequently has to be introduced to everything we already learned in the first movie. Then, things take a dramatic left turn when we meet the underground super mutants who worship a giant bomb. Also, learn the Visitor’s favorite Twilight Zone episodes in this excellent episode!

Get your stinkin' podcasts off me, you damn dirty listener. The Visitors are back for another exciting season of sci-fi goodness. This time, they're rocketing off to cover the Planet of the Apes franchise, starting with the 1968 original. How does this 55-year old movie hold up? Surprisingly well! The themes and ideas are unpacked by the Visitors, now joined by Chris. Email us about your thoughts on Planet of the Apes. Also, in this episode, find out what each of the Visitors' favorite sci-fi movies are. It's a madhouse! A madhouse!