Sunday, May 4, 2025

C2E2 2025: NJPW Windy City Riot, Extinction (2018), ThePoeticCritic, Civil War (2024), & The Dogs of War (1980)

I Dig Crazy Flicks with @CatBusRuss

Bonus Episode: C2E2 2025 & NJPW Windy City Riot & Extinction (2018)

Hiroshi Tanahashi honoring the crowd

CatBusRuss survived the blood loss, his social inadequacies, and the poor scheduling by ReedPop, and came out with quite a rewarding day at C2E2 2025. The new tattoo that is sure to upset the customers that mock him for wearing a face covering was the priciest investment. Outside of that, only spending a $110 at the con and $140 at New Japan Windy City Riot for collectables makes it seem like he won the day. On top of that, he was able to watch a good Netflix Original movie, "Extinction" to warm up for the con that decided to deprive most of its attendees "Here and Back Again: The Lord of the Rings Reunion". Screw you if you think we are all going to whip out our phones and pay $6 to stream it.


Episode 215 - C2E2 2025 with ThePoeticCritic; "Civil War" and "The Dogs of War" with CatBusRuss

Fan art for "Starship Troopers"

CatBusRuss and ThePoeticCritic definitely had two different experiences at 2025's Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo. Our host's big sister was allowed to attend all three days while he just got frustrated with ReedPop entering the realm of gouging nerds. But, the two do have different personalities, so perhaps we will discover the common ground that still makes the C2E2 worthwhile.

Russ is more about panels and presentations while ThePoeticCritic just likes the community cons provide. In other words, we do not get the details on the "Robocop Reunion" panel with Peter Weller and Nancy Allen or the Jon Boyega panel that she attended. This episode's guest could really care less about the "Starship Reunion" panel the CatBus checked out.

If only ReedPop had accommodated to those spending the most money, instead they overloaded the second day with the celebrities resulting in a sell out for that day only. ThePoeticCritic says fire codes, but McCormick Place is a huge complex where traffic constantly goes in and out. You cannot stop people from going to train stations, so why here?

Con talk might not be your thing. It may not be ThePoeticCritic's thing since the conversation is broken up twice. If you are listening to "Ninety For Chill: The Podcast" for the movies, CatBusRuss continues is annual trek through the alphabet of sub 100 minute movies with "Civil War" and "The Dogs of War". He thought the title of this episode would be better served by putting these classic wartime movies ahead of the con, but that takes away from the main conversation. But surely, ThePoeticCritic is more than willing to put Christopher Walken ahead of herself in terms of billing.

 

Follow me on Twitter @catbusruss. If you want to be on the show, contact me on Twitter or send an email to russthebus07@gmail.com. All we need is a theme, movie, director, or actor and a focus on sub 100-minute material. As long as the credits start before the 1:39:59 mark on the runtime bar, the movie qualifies.

Bonus: C2E2 2025 & NJPW Windy City Riot & Extinction (2018)

I Dig Crazy Flicks

Episodes - Bonus Content - About the Show - Subscribe to the Podcast
Bluesky - Instagram - Threads - Patreon

Bonus: C2E2 2025 & NJPW Windy City Riot & Extinction (2018)

CatBusRuss survived the blood loss, his social inadequacies, and the poor scheduling by ReedPop, and came out with quite a rewarding day at C2E2 2025. The new tattoo that is sure to upset the customers that mock him for wearing a face covering was the priciest investment. Outside of that, only spending a $110 at the con and $140 at New Japan Windy City Riot for collectables makes it seem like he won the day. On top of that, he was able to watch a good Netflix Original movie, "Extinction" to warm up for the con that decided to deprive most of its attendees "Here and Back Again: The Lord of the Rings Reunion". Screw you if you think we are all going to whip out our phones and pay $6 to stream it.

Hiroshi Tanahashi, the Ace of NJPW - Taylor Journey



Eva is ready for the links

#TossBackTuesday: #Vampires & 15 Years of Cinematic Cena

Bloodsucking Bastards movie poster - Jack on Pinterest

When it comes to talking about John Cena and vampires, it seems our host is alone when it comes to his fascination with the genres. Thus, the show's producer only has about 20 minutes of insight on the topics (recorded) and it is all right here. In this bonus episode, we alternate between the 16-time champ and vamps with "The Marine" (2006)"Daughter of Darkness" (1990)"The Suicide Squad" (2021), and "Bloodsucking Bastards" (2015).

DAUGHTER OF DARKNESS 1990 video cover - Jack on Pinterest

Russ goes through the entire range of emotions though out this episode. He pities the fans of Stallone's attempts to connect with kids, tears up for the relatable heroes, loves all of the outrageous moments, and experiences PTSD with the director's latest decisions. This podcast may be the emotional roller coaster that the icon has tried to deliver since the original "Rocky".

Movie poster for "The Marine" with John Cena

Bonus: #ICC25: The Last Jedi - Masterpiece with Bryan Young, Clayton Sandell, and Darby Harn

I Dig Crazy Flicks

Episodes - Bonus Content - About the Show - Subscribe to the Podcast
Bluesky - Instagram - Threads - Patreon

Bonus: #ICC25: The Last Jedi - Masterpiece with Bryan Young, Clayton Sandell, and Darby Harn

It is about 3:45 am on Stacia Hardin's Birthday. She happens to share that day with one of the most important days in the whole of nerdom, May the Fourth Be with You. The last time CatBusRuss saw her, she was playing nurse as his right wrist had just been surgically repaired, feeding him chocolate pie and giving him a comfort plush Ewok. Damn she was a truly a great person to let our host know that today was the day to release "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" panel from Indiana Comic Con 2025 on the "I Dig Crazy Flicks" podcast feed.

It was an honor for Russ to even be invited on this panel. The man who pitched the panel was Bryan Young, an award-winning writer and filmmaker who sports a "Revenge of the Sith" t-shirt on his Wikipedia page. Joining the two were Darby Harn, sci-fi/fantasy author of books like "Stargun Messenger" and Emmy award-winning, Scripps New Correspondent and "Star Wars" expert Clayton Sandell. Our podcast host just did his best to be the voice of the everyday fan in a round table with people who have made a living from their expertise. Was he able to hang with them as they discussed one of the best "Star Wars" features, regardless of what the Internet says? Listen and judge.


Eva is ready for the links

Stallone 6-Pack: The 90-Minute Traumas & Feels

The king of action movies that run between 70-100 minutes is Sylvester Stallone. If the feature was focused on action over drama in the 80s, they were brief affairs. Some were good, some were bad, but they all benefit from their sleek runtimes.

CatBusRuss has tackled four* of Sly's features before, but did not have any representation from the current decade. So, he decided to bring back his reviews of "beloved" features like "Nighthawks", "Cobra", "Over the Top" and "Judge Dredd", and sandwich them between a two-picture binge. Our host takes 2022's superhero feature "Samaritan" and the 2021 re-edit of his favorite "Rocky" feature, "Rocky IV: Rocky vs. Drago - The Ultimate Director's Cut".

Adam Howard - Night Hawks alternative poster.

Russ goes through the entire range of emotions though out this episode. He pities the fans of Stallone's attempts to connect with kids, tears up for the relatable heroes, loves all of the outrageous moments, and experiences PTSD with the director's latest decisions. This podcast may be the emotional roller coaster that the icon has tried to deliver since the original "Rocky".

Fan art for the Stallone movie "Cobra" by Marshall Nedd

Indiana Comic Con Presents: CatBusRuss - The Panel Host.

I Dig Crazy Flicks with @CatBusRuss

Bonus Episode: #ICC25: Tron - Back to the Grid with Ron Hernandez

Quora approaching the portal

CatBusRuss and Gregory Carl had a great time in Indianapolis the past weekend for the Indiana Comic Con. In the case of our host, perhaps too much fun. By the end of the two nights, he was too partied out to create any of his traditional bonus episodes recapping his days at the convention.

Fortunately, there were five other panels he was on, and his fellow co-panelists had no issue with him pulling out the Yeti mic and Macbook Air to record those conversations.

Russ's Friday started with a panel about the innovative computer-animation based films Tron and Tron: Legacy in anticipation for the upcoming threequel, Tron: Ares. He was joined by gaming expert and con crew member Ron Hernandez to see what Indiana loved about these to films and their hopes and fears about the Jared Leto movie that is due out in October.

"As long as it is not "Pixels"," was the general consensus. Everyone doubts that, so optimism was the vibe.


Episode 211 - Live from Indiana Comic Con 2025: Ninety For Chill - The Panel

artwork for the I Dig Crazy Flick ICC25 Button

CatBusRuss and Gregory Carl survived their first two days of meeting in person and sharing a hotel room. If they managed that, surely they were able to give Indiana Comic Con a podcast to remember. The two are pretty sure their discussions about:

The ideal movie running time being between 70 and 100 minutes;

How great it was interacting with the mind behind the Full Moon Features magazine "Delirium" as well as Delirium Films, Chris Alexander;

Recapping Russ Stevens's experience participating/moderating five other panels;

Gregory wanting our host to once again call out CM Punk.

At least the father with the "Sailor Moon" merchandise will not forget. The two did appreciate the politeness of his son.

Thus, it was another learning experience for "I Dig Crazy Flicks". CatBus has some new strategies coming out of this how to grow the podcast, so stick with the podcast to find out the next city he will take on. Starting with fighting against being slotted in the "Bottom of the Ninth so lets beat traffic spot".

 

Follow me on Twitter @catbusruss. If you want to be on the show, contact me on Twitter or send an email to russthebus07@gmail.com. All we need is a theme, movie, director, or actor and a focus on sub 100-minute material. As long as the credits start before the 1:39:59 mark on the runtime bar, the movie qualifies.

C2E2 2025: NJPW Windy City Riot, Extinction (2018), ThePoeticCritic, Civil War (2024), & The Dogs of War (1980)

I Dig Crazy Flicks with @CatBusRuss Bonus Episode: C2E2 2025 & NJPW Windy City Riot & Extinction (2018) CatBusRuss ⁠   survived the ...