A casual movie and tv discussion series. Join the Afterthoughts crew --Dixon, John, and Ryan-- and their guests, as they share their afterthoughts on things they've recently watched. Old or new, doesn't matter.
Special guest Sean joins Dixon and John for one more go as we discuss another round of Recommends and/or Refutes! Sean, as a parent, subs in for Ryan bringing a family friendly mention in addition to The Boy and The Heron (2023), Dixon has David Lynch on the mind and revisits Eraserhead (1977) as a result, and John decided to join the theater going crowds and subject himself to Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005).
On this special episode of Afterthoughts-- Dixon, Ryan, and John discuss a variety of short films they watched as part of a recent local Austin short film festival. Special thanks to Hyperreal Film Club, their volunteers, and the filmmakers who participated in the Film Fest --we promise to try and stay on topic as we discuss the shorts from this event.Even if you're not a resident of Austin, you too can follow these filmmakers' journeys and (potentially) see their shorts. Checkout the info below:Featured ShortsThe Event - Hugo De Sousa , Frank MosleyTightly Wound - Shelbey Hadden, Sebastion Bisbal Mr. Clown Saves The Town - Aaron MosmeyerHoney & Milk - Dash DonatoThey're Taking My House - Dan LopezLabor + Justice - Sarah Joy Byington of Better Half PicturesThe Day The Earth Got Free Richard Pryor Photos - Ivan PeycheffRACA - Drew SaplinSupermarket Affairs - Hang Luong NguyenLicense CreditsSong: Warm MemoriesComposer: Keys Of MoonWebsite: https://www.youtube.com/c/keysofmoonmusicLicense: Creative Commons (BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Music powered by BreakingCopyright: https://breakingcopyright.com
After the conclusion of our Retrospectacular, we kept the mics rolling to capture a signature Dixon rant and review of Robert Zemeckis's latest film. There wasn't another episode we could fit it in, so it's submitted HERE for your enjoyment.
Should aaaaaaauld acquaintance beeeeee forgot,and neeeeeever brought to miiiiiiiiind,Should aaaaaaauld acquaintance beeeeee forgot,aaaaaand aaaaaaauld laaaaaang syyyyyyne.I have no idea what that means, but we're talking about the best and worst movies of 2024! This is our favorite episode every year, and we'd love to hear about your favorite movies and most hated movies of the year. Join our Discord and let us know your thoughts!
With Robert Eggers's Nosferatu in theaters, Dixon thought it would only be fitting to revisit Werner Herzog's dream-like send up Nosferatu the Vampyr (1979). John and Ryan are along for the ride on this horse-drawn carriage. Once we get to Dracula's castle all bets are off --or is it Count Orlok's castle? Did you see Eggers's Nosferatu? Let us know what you thought. Check our podcast page for ways to engage with us on social media. https://theafterpod.transistor.fm
Ho ho ho! Join us for a merry Recommend or Refute Christmas Extravaganza! John reviews the Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire old Hollywood classic Holiday Inn (1942), Ryan takes us on a journey through the year in Hallmark and Hallmark-esque Christmas movies, and Dixon accidentally watches a thrilling Christmas heist movie called The Silent Partner (1978).
Through some mail mix up this year, Creators & Guests Michael Dixon - Host John Garcia - Producer Ryan King - Host received a letter to Santa from some kid named Billy. It described the hardships Billy was going through. His family had just moved into a small rental unit above a Sorority house, and little Billy is having a tough time adjusting to his new downstairs neighbors. He even invited one of them up, but he suspects they aren't interested in being friends and just want to use his sister Agnus's rocking chair. Billy's only Christmas wish is for some movie podcast to discuss his favorite holiday classic, Black Christmas. Well we happen to be a movie podcast, so here's an episode dedicated to all the Billys out there.
It's Recommend or Refute time! Ryan talks about Liar Liar (1997) and Jim Carrey's early career, Dixon reviews the underseen Alfred Hitchcock thriller I Confess (1953), and John takes us on a horrifying journey through his annual month of self-flagellation that he calls Schlocktober.
On this episode of Afterthoughts, Ryan leads the crew through the first season of Arcane --a stylishly impressive steampunk fantasy series based on the Riot games property League of Legends. Do you have to love League of Legends to appreciate Arcane? Will Dixon ever remember Heimerdinger's name? What the hell is a rune? Will any of these questions be answered?
It's another Recommend or Refute extravaganza! John geeks out on Vinegar Syndrome's first theatrical release Riddle of Fire (2024), Ryan talks about the tragic documentary Take Care of Maya (2023), and Dixon argues with John about the controversial new film Strange Darling (2024).
Dixon, Ryan, and John have decided to enter the cinematic colosseum of director Ridley Scott's Gladiator (2000) in an effort to reflect on the Academy Award winning feature before the sequel hits theaters this week. Are they not entertained?! Crouch down and grab some sand with us before diving into this one, we hope you'll give us a thumbs up once we're done.
Join the Afterthoughts crew for our latest Recommend or Refute episode, where we each talk about something we watched on our own time and whether we would recommend or refute it. Ryan regales us with tales of his journey through the Puppet Master (1989) franchise, John discusses Francis Ford Coppola's long-awaited Megalopolis (2024), and Dixon breaks down the joyously anarchic Irish rap biopic Kneecap (2024).
On the cusp of spooky season's end, John brings a 30 year passion project to the table with The Primevals (2023). It's a love letter to the Ray Harryhausen era of cinema, when stop-motion dinosaurs ruled the world (of B-Movies) and --unfortunately for Ryan and Dixon-- it's also a Full Moon production. Join us for the unofficial Schlocktober main-line episode as we explore whether this time capsule film is a diamond in the rough or just a bottle cap in the dirt. Spoilers: it's a bedazzled bottle cap.
It's spooky season and Dixon's worst nightmares have come to fruition: He was unable to podcast due to scheduling conflicts, so John and Ryan are taking over! The duo has watched Takashi Miike's Audition (1999) and now they must bare (and share) the trauma with the world. Join us as we walk confidently up to the microphone, state our names for the cast director, and proceed to share unsolicited thoughts on the story and script. Let's hope we get the callback, but if not, at least we share the experience.
Join us on this hot, sweaty afternoon for a thorough discussion of Al Pacino's gripping performance in Sidney Lumet's classic hostage thriller Dog Day Afternoon (1975).
Another recommend or refute coming at you! Ryan tells us the tale of his family pick The School for Good and Evil (2022). Dixon tells about how much he loves Sam Jackson's dingus (story) and the unique viewing experience he had with The Hateful Eight (2015). And John discovered the remains of Sphere (1998) at the bottom of a mental barrel and decided to hoist it up into the light for all to... acknowledge.
Welcome to Afterthoughts! Join us as we discuss the time Ryan got lost in the woods and had a hilarious encounter with Hundreds of Beavers (2024). This modern slapstick extravaganza is basically what would happen if Charlie Chaplin did Paul Thomas Anderson levels of cocaine and then tried to make a live action version of a Wile E. Coyote episode. It's glorious.
On this episode of Recommend or Refute, Dixon brings Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger, a documentary that --despite his opinions of England-- has impressed him with its historic insights and its Scorsese affiliation. As far as you know, John brings the first horror movie "made for home video audiences" (as far as we know) with Blood Cult (1985). Ryan pushes us home as he talks about his family viewing of Little Miss Sunshine (2006). Get in the van, y'all, we're going off-roading for some of this episode, but by the end we'll be in California.
You may remember that there was a recent assassination attempt on a former president. Or you may have forgotten already thanks to the terrifying pace of the modern news cycle. Either way, Dixon decided to pull us down into the mystery wrapped in a riddle inside an enigma that is Oliver Stone's 1991 thriller JFK.
On this episode of Recommend or Refute, John is Comin' At Ya (1985) with a 3D movie that is so pumped full of visual dimensions it might've forgotten about its character dimensions, Ryan catches us up on a new fantasy anime that reflects on an unconventional hero's journey with Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (2024), and Dixon continues the Lily Gladstone appreciation with Apple TV+'s latest film Fancy Dance (2024).
Join Ryan, John, and Dixon as we attempt to piece together the multi-verse plot lines of this animated acid western.
From classics to cultural to pop cultural, this Recommend or Refute rounds the bases to deliver discussions from the Australian outback's Mad Max 2 (1981), Osmane Sembène's snapshot of a post-colonial Senegal with Mandabi (1968), and the Canadian insanity invading the United States in Tom Greene's Freddy Got Fingered (2001). There's definitely something here for everyone, and if there isn't perhaps you should send us a rec or ref on our discord. See https://theafterpod.transistor.fm/ for more details
We're riding the musical bandwagon now, following our recent episode on Encanto the Afterthoughts crew steps into a much more adult themed musical in the form of John Cameron Mitchell's intimate comedy musical Hedwig and The Angry Inch (2001). Much like Hedwig herself, this film discussion goes on a tour with several unexpected stops. Join Dixon, Ryan, and John as they reflect on Hedwig's approach to the musical and filmmaking, the culture it was released into, and its cultural significance now.
On this very family-friendly episode of Afterthoughts, Ryan's daughter Ella joins the usual crew to share her disdain for Encanto (2021). Will the entire table be down on Disney or is there a faint flicker of favoritism burning in this discussion? It would take a miracle to sway Dixon's feelings on Lin Manuel Miranda, but this might be the episode to do it. Tune in for a swear-free exercise in personal restraint as we pull the door open to reveal what power the casita has given us.
Welcome to the latest episode of Recommend or Refute! Join us as John unpacks Abel Ferrara's Dangerous Game (1993) starring Harvey Keitel and Madonna, Dixon breaks down the trippy John Frankenheimer sci-fi classic Seconds (1966) starring Rock Hudson, and Ryan talks through the new Pixar movie Inside Out 2 (2024).
Meet us on Main Street when the sun reaches its highest point to discuss the controversial 1952 western High Noon, starring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly. Hated by John Wayne, revered by US presidents, and acclaimed as one of the greatest American westerns of all time, does High Noon resonate with the Afterthoughts crew? It's a bit of a mixed bag.
On this two-person episode of Afterthoughts, John and Dixon record an extended discussion of Kinds of Kindness (2024). Originally it was planned to be a Recommend or Refute entry, but with the amount of thoughts we had after seeing the film merited something more. Love it or hate it, join John and Dixon for a recap and discussion on the latest film from writer/director Yorgos Lanthimos. If you have Afterthoughts of your own, send them our way. You can find all the ways to reach us at theafterpod.transistor.fm
On this episode of Recommend or Refute, Ryan sneaks in a twofer with his tribute watches of the River Phoenix vehicles Explorers (1985) and Stand By Me (1986), John tells us all about The Invention of Lying (2009) but will he tell the truth when it comes to recommending or refuting it? Finally, Dixon closes out the discussion by talking about Nothing But a Man (1964).
I hate every ape I see from Chimpan-A to Chimpan-Z. No, you'll never make a monkey out of me. Oh, my God! I was wrong! It was earth all along. You finally made a monkey (yes, we finally made a monkey). Yes, you finally made a monkey out of meeeeeee! I love you, Dr. Zaius!
On our 100th episode of Afterthoughts, Ryan and John celebrate by bringing a bunch of questions and complaints to the table regarding Netflix's top 2 films of May: Madame Web (2024) and Atlas (2024). But do the two trash fiends bring recommendations with them? Is Dixon the only hope to bring classy and cultured content with Sidney Poitier's directorial debut Buck and The Preacher (1972)? Is that a rhetorical question? Even if it is, you should tune in for the takes and take away some new films to see, avoid, or wish you could unsee.
Strap in as we bring the backbreaking tragedy of The Iron Claw to you!!! Ryan has finally watched it, and he adds his encyclopedic knowledge of wrestling to our discussion of this beautiful film.
This episode isn't a hoax or a prank, it's just a regular Recommend or Refute episode. Why would we open with that? Well, when John brings Thank You Very Much (2023), a biographical documentary about Andy Kaufman, we feel obligated to emphasize that we aren't trying to fool anyone with the rest of our picks. Sure, Ryan did bring something called Spy x Family: Code White (2024), and that reads like a math problem, but we assure you its very real and so is his take on the feature. Meanwhile, Dixon is keeping it Criterion by telling us about the spirits and curses brought upon samurai by their misdeeds in Kaneto Shindo's Kuroneko (1968). Join us for another fun roundtable discussion and don't forget to submit your own recommend or refutes to us via our social handles or on Discord.Find more info at https://theafterpod.transistor.fm
The great Al Pacino and his luscious head of hair star in this gritty biopic about one honest cop who stood up against the corrupt structures of the NYPD. Join us as we discuss Sidney Lumet's impressive film and Frank Serpico's real world impact on modern policing.
On this episode of Recommend or Refute, Dixon brings up All The President's Men (1976) and we lament the devolution of journalistic integrity. John talks pseudo-70s aesthetic with the David Dastmalchian led horror movie Late Night With The Devil (2023). And Ryan talks about his time sitting in a Sunday School of alternative biblical perspective with Satan's Guide to The Bible (2023). Could this episode have the controversial makings of an Afterthought-gate scandal?!
John continues to force us to revisit the movies he loved as a teenager that may or may not have aged well since then. This week we're talking about the horny British coming-of-age dramedy Cashback (2006).
This is a Recommend or Refute with plenty of tangents. Prepare yourself to wade through the quagmire of mixed feelings as Ryan whips up a special chocolate covered condemnation of the latest Charlie & The Chocolate Factory film companion with Wonka (2023). Dixon talks about Civil War (2024), not actual Civil War though. John leads the crew on an expedition to secure the hottest takes and anti-war diatribes from Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan (1998).
Did y'all hear that Stalin died? They made a movie about it starring Steve Buscemi and Jeffrey Tambor.
Dixon and John have returned --with special guest Parker-- to serve up some fresh picks for the dwindling watchlists out there. Prohibition may be over, but the legends it spawned live on in The Roaring Twenties (1939), and Dixon is going to dish on all of it while somehow managing to never work in references to the Simpsons episode we're all thinking about. Parker talks about Sofia Coppola's Priscilla (2023) and we inevitably find ourselves in a compare and contrast with Baz Luhrmann's Elvis (2023). And John invites us to collectively check out the public library propaganda piece known as The Pagemaster (1994).
We're finally doing Dixon's favorite movie, the profoundly transformative Silence (2016) by the great Martin Scorsese. Join John, Dixon, and special guest Parker as we discuss our backgrounds in the church and how the film has impacted our personal beliefs. Check out Dixon's article on his journey with the film below.https://medium.com/the-outtake/revisiting-a-forgotten-masterpiece-how-silence-changed-the-way-i-view-the-world-c805f0915400
On this episode of Recommend or Refute, Ryan brings us a feature length dose of Andrew Callaghan's gonzo journalism with the Max exclusive documentary This Place Rules (2022), John takes the Dune Part 2's success as motivation to snort a rail of spice from the studio-interfered, audience-panned interpretation Dune (1984), and Dixon rounds everything out with some choice picks from the recent film festival side of SXSW 2024.
Thank you for listening to this episode. There's no proof that podcasting causes cancer. Yet.
Join the usual Afterthoughts crew as they share another sampling of drastically different films. Dixon takes us for a hike into The Eight Mountains (2022), giving just enough of a glimpse into why its one of his recent favorite films. Ryan tells us about his recent attempt to dumpster dive in the Netflix backlog and the resulting discovery of Maburoshi (2023). And John harkens back to his high school days of working in a theater as he recalls the reasons he regrets avoiding Hoyt Yeatman's Guinea Pig espionage/action adventure film G-Force (2009).
Just a very chill movie about a few Nazi housewives having a small get-together to talk about Nazi shit.
Another RoR is here and we're proud to serve up another set of eclectic offerings spanning sci-fi, horror, and something that's labeled "comedy". Dixon tells us why size does matter with his review of The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957), John shakes hands with horror trope refreshed for a new generation as he talks to us about Talk to Me (2022), and Ryan regrets letting his family decide his film fate with his recap of the Brendan Frazer comedy Furry Vengeance (2010).
On this episode of Recommend or Refute, Ryan pays tribute to the late Carl Weathers by bringing Action Jackson (1985) to the episode. John finally follows up that Black Dynamite episode we posted by talking about his experience with Michael Jai White's latest homage to Black Cinema: Outlaw Johnny Black (2023). And Dixon takes a film trip to Argentina to see how they do heist films with the The Delinquents (2023). Plus a bonus tangent about streaming services that quickly devolves into old men yelling at clouds!
John picked the movie this week, so you know it's gonna be a fuckin' doozy. We're talking about Richard Rush's batshit crazy passion project The Stunt Man (1980). It's full of wild stunts, zany characters, and Peter O'Toole chewing the scenery like his life depends on it. We've never seen anything quite like this.
It's time for the roundtable roundup known as Recommend or Refute. Jump back to the 1930s as Dixon talks about the impressively risqué, precode film Baby Face (1933). Get carried away in a signature rant about The Infinity Saga (2008-2019) with Ryan. And to cap it all off, take a toke of foggy thoughts from John's recent viewing of Inherent Vice (2014). Tune to find out what John's Owen Wilson impression sounds like.
Podcaaaaastin' in the rain, podcaaaaastin' in the rain! What a glooooorious feeeeelin! I'm haaaaaapy agaaaain!
© 2020-2025 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
