Haven‘t Seen It

We take a look at Logan Lucky, the dizzying cast of characters and performers that populate it (BLONDE DANIEL CRAIG ALERT), and where it stacks up in the extensive filmography of Steven Soderbergh. 

We find out if our shooting is a little rusty as we chat about Unforgiven, one of the best films of the 1990s. We have a wide ranging discussion on the brilliant character nuances and dynamite performances from the murderers row of acting talent in this movie, as well as a deeper discussion on Clint Eastwood's career and what this movie means in the grand scheme of things. What is Unforgiven ultimately about? All that and more! Enjoy!

We make our (semi) triumphant return by chatting about Young Adult (Charlize Theron, Patton Oswalt, Patrick Wilson), the sort of movie that is right up my alley. The resulting conversation took a number of turns. Subverting romcom tropes, cringe comedy, highly interpretable scenes, razor sharp dialogue, terrific performances ... this movie is ripe to be discussed and we hope you enjoy ours!

Matt and I raise our glasses and toast the 100th episode of the Haven't Seen It podcast. We briefly reflect on our podcasting experiences before diving into a little movie trivia game we whipped up that illicited laughter, possible ranting, possible thoughtfulness, and general revelry. We just let this one rip, and we got to talk about a ton of movies.  Enjoy!!! 

Episode 99. 1999. David Cronenberg.   Tune in.

Matt explains why he finds this movie so fun and I try to process what I just watched (it was also mostly fun) as we chat about The Wild Bunch, the balls-to-the-wall Revisionist Western from the mind (and the eternally damaged liver) of Sam Peckinpah. We talk about the production of this movie, the cutting edge filmmaking, and, of course, the booze. Oh, the booze. How drunk, exactly, are the people in this movie? We tackle important questions like this and much more. Hope you enjoy the convo!

Don't Look Up is the 2021 installment from the mind of Adam McKay and the route we took to this conversation was a bizarre one. But we do our damndest to tease the film apart, and also chat about why we suspect we had such different reactions to it.

We once again traverse into the filmography of Tim Burton by chatting Big Eyes, his 2014 dramatization of a true story about an artist (Margaret Keane, played by Amy Adams) and a con man/art maven (Walter Keane, played by Christoph Waltz).  Is that distinct Tim Burton signarture imprinted on this movie, or could it be more accurately described as a screenwriting showcase for Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski (Ed Wood, People vs. Larry Flynt, Dolemite is my Name, Man on the Moon ...)? What did this movie remind us of? What does it mean to have the "soul of an artist"?

It was an absolute thrill to be joined by the brilliant David Pizarro of the incandescent Very Bad Wizards podcast to chat about the classic TNG episode,"Cause & Effect". Temporal causality loops, the sensation of deja vu, Captain Kelsey Grammar ... and more! Go!

Matt and I head back to the 1970s to chatter about The Poseidon Adventure, the seminal "disaster" feature from producer Irwin Allen. You're trapped in an enormous cruise liner that has capsized. Do you wait and pray to be rescued? Or do you make a break for it? We apply these questions to the unique bevy of characters who try to escape the SS Poseidon, and their various (but somehow also similar) motivations for why they try to escape instead of staying put. Also, Leslie Nielsen plays a serious character in this movie. And that's important. Hope you enjoy!!!    

Matt and I take a plunge into The Man Who Would Be King, the rollicking and sometimes fuzzy and frustrating 1975 film from the great John Huston. You've got Michael Caine and Sean Connery. You've got absolutely stunning cinematography, depth of field, costumes, interesting material, a captivating premise, great talent everywhere you look, all of the ingredients are there for a fantastic movie ... so why did watching it leave our stomachs vaguely churning like butter? And on top of that, why did we still sort of enjoy it despite the troubling aspects of how its colonizers are depicted?

WARNING: SPOILERS ARE DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE Matt and I are once again joined by Kelly J. to give our instant reactions to The Batman. Our opinions of this movie were pretty much all over the map. What did we make of the performances, the storyline, and the story execution?  

PSA: This is not a Star Trek podcast. Really, it's not. But Matt and I are such fans of the franchise that we can't seem to figure out how to stop chatting about it with a microphone turned on. This week is no different, as we break down one of Matt's favorite TOS episodes ("The Enemy Within") and follow that up with a chat about an early TNG episode that slipped past me and shouldn't have ("Peak Performance"). No teaser question. This is just a good chat that I thoroughly enjoyed. And I hope you do the same.    

We do a three man weave with friend of the show Jared Russell on Foxcatcher, the 2014 film hybrid of amateur wrestling and true crime. Jared and Marcus spend this episode starting alot of sentences with "this is a good movie, but ..." and then nitpicking it to death. Matt spends this episode doing the same, except without the "this is a good movie" beginning part of the statement. This is a goofy episode that I hope the listener thoroughly enjoys.  

We welcome Kenny Bishop back onto the pod to chat about Inland Empire, what it means to call something "Lynchian", and our views on the films of David Lynch in general.

Matt and I take a crack at Z, the taut 1969 political thriller that captivated both of us. What attributes did we appreciate about this movie? How much does the realism vs. entertainment debate play a role here?  ALSO: Apologies for the tinny, uneven audio on this episode. That's my fault and it's why people do sound checks. I regret the error.

Touch of Evil is a very strange movie. It is doing (or attempting to do) many, many things at once. Does it succeed? Is the mastery of cinematography enough here to make up for the oodles of bizarre aesthetic choices that so many different actors in this movie are constantly making? Let's go back to the 50s!

Matt and I hop on Shack's train and break down 1973's Emperor Of The North, a movie about train-hopping hobos set during the time of the Great Depression. How fun is it to watch this movie? Does it suffer from under-describing some of the characters and trademark 1970's movie pacing, or do the performances and action sequences carry it into good movie status?

There are cult movies, and then there are movies about cults. We enjoy both, but this week, we have a conversation about a movie that falls into the latter category. It's called "Sound Of My Voice", and it's sort of a response pick to the podcast we did a few months ago on "The East". How does Sound Of My Voice stack up against the bigger budget and more complicated plot of The East? Is depicting a cult leader in a nuanced way something to be praised, or something to be scorned? Just how full of shit is Maggie (Brit Marling) in this movie? And how does the central relationship in Sound Of My Voice play into the dynamics of a cult?  

We welcome Kelly Jewett back into the Haven't Seen It lair to discuss a movie that she stumbled across at random on Netflix. That movie is called "Hold the Dark", and what a movie it is. Tangents, back-and-forths, and grand unified theories abound in this conversation about a movie that demands interpretation. What is the main theme of Hold the Dark? Is it explicitly about local Alaskan tradition and the mystical relationship between people and animals, or is it just a bunch of psychos with a misguided and brutally violent take on what it means to enact revenge?

We kick off the new year in style by talking about our first ever double bill! First up is "Fanboys", a movie about Star Wars fans. Next up is "Free Enterprise", a movie about Star Trek fans. William Shatner appears in both. William Shatner melted our brains in one. Giggles ensued.

Matt and I began what was a fantastic and rewarding year of podcasting by talking about Where the Wild Things Are, which is about a child. We end 2021 by talking about Phantom Thread, which is also about a child. This child happens to be played by Daniel Day-Lewis. Why is Phantom Thread such a darling of critics and Film Bros? What does its portrayal of co-dependence and the struggle for power in a toxic relationship ultimately add up to? A romance? A comedy? A drama? This film also features 3 powerhouse characters. Which one did we find ourselves rooting for? Strong disagreement ensues.

On this week filled with Christmas tradition and yuletide cheer, the Haven't Seen It podcast is proud to bring you a movie about a brutal and visceral home invasion! As we do our second toe dip into the pool of Mike Flanagan movies, we chat about what makes his films so taut and skillful. "Hush" is a movie that we both liked, but for relatively different reasons. What were they, and why?

We've got our new stuff memorized and we try to avoid bombing as we chat about The Opening Act, a movie about stand up comedy made for the comedians, by the comedians. We get into the weeds about the specific intentions of the movie, what some of the scenes are a response to, and whether it was able to capture the atmosphere of a live comedy show, something many movies have failed to accomplish. Enjoy!

Every once in awhile on this show, we get to share our experience of watching a movie that just WORKS for us. The Rocketeer is one of those movies. Groundbreaking technology, mobsters, corrupt feds, Old Hollywood, Nazis, an American love story ... The Rocketeer has it all. And it's a Disney movie! How does The Rocketeer take tried-and-true Hollywood formulas and turn them into something fresh? Do the histrionics in this movie check out? And, since we both watched this movie with our kids, what was THEIR favorite part?

Oh yes. The time has come, ladies and gentlemen, for us to talk about Chuck. For years, I had heard Silent Rage described as "the good Chuck Norris movie". When I finally saw it, did I agree with that statement? Did Matt?  Just what the hell is it about Chuck Norris that made him into an action star? Can it be chalked up to the 80's action movie craze, or does he possess some inherent "Chuck-ness" that defies description?  Also, does Silent Rage successfully meld genres to create an interesting film, or is it just a bunch of sloppy homages that caused us to facepalm? **SPOILER ALERT: The answer is "both"** Enjoy!

This Thanksgiving week, we hone in on our gratitude and gab about some of the details of film that we're both grateful for. What kinds of details do you mean, you ask? Well ...     ... and more!!! 

My old pal Jason Threlkeld was gracious and game enough to join me to chat about Sorry to Bother You, the surprise debut hit from avowed Communist and hip hop legend Boots Riley (The Coup, anyone?). Matt and I both love this movie, and showing it to someone for the first time was very exciting, to say the least. Did Jason like it, or were there too many "WTF"'s and shifts in tone for him to chew on at once? What is the main theme here? Is it race, or is it more about the labor movement and decrying the excesses of capitalism? What does the movie want us to think about Cassius Green?

In the 75th installment of Haven't Seen It, we deploy our tractor beams and ensnare another Star Trek conversation. We chat about the Lower Decks animated series, followed by a breakdown of the classic OS episode "Errand of Mercy". Does Lower Decks work as a Star Trek show despite its insistence on taking such a radically different tone than any other Trek property? What does "Errand of Mercy" have to say about differing attitudes towards war and colonization? Have we a ram among the sheep?

With Matt off this week, I was joined by my old pal Jared to have a breezy chat about the 1992 Peter Jackson (!!!) film "Dead Alive", the idea of the "zombie comedy", and our general musings on Halloween. We hope you enjoy it, and we hope you have a Happy Halloween! Trick or treat!!! (???)

"Gummo is the tale of two modern American hunter-gatherers (told from the perspective of a skateboarder) who were given the money and creative freedom to depict their lives in a way that shouldn't and couldn't have been told otherwise as art, in the culture it was created in. Yet it gets closer to the reality of nature and the response of humanity in a particular situation of our human condition then the ideological fantasies that are needed to fuel the machine of our culture industry and that we have all been conditioned by as the necessary default. It disturbs us because it shows us the truth that we repress to form our narrative to justify the unnecessary violence of our civilization. This is why it is good art." - Kenny Bishop This week's guest texted us that after we watched and chatted about Gummo. Do we agree?

I accidentally deleted our 50th episode (don't ask), which sucked because it was one of the best podcast convos Matt and I have had to date. Here it is again!!!

We welcome Tricia Jean back to the podcast for a raw, honest, and hard hitting conversation about Promising Young Woman, the kind of movie that helps define the word "polarizing". Does this movie work narratively? What do we think the intended takeaway is supposed to be from the incendiary ending? What attributes does this movie have that make it not only important, but unique? ft. Tricia Jean CORRECTION: During this episode, Marcus incorrectly states that Promising Young Woman was nominated for 3 Academy Awards. In reality, it was nominated for 5. He regrets the error.  

We go undercover to talk about The East, the 2013 installment from the filmmaking team of Zal Batmanglij and Brit Marling (Marling also stars). How did we feel about the group of people on the run from the law in this movie? Are they environmental terrorists or noble revolutionaries? What does The East have to say about the efficacy of targeting individuals vs. targeting the system that encourages those individuals to thrive?

What are some good examples of movies that have a strong and well-defined cultural or critical reputation that we feel is incorrect? That was the question we asked ourselves this week, and we let our opinions fly. We countered the common cultural takeaways of several movies (Anchorman 2, Death to Smoochy, Vanilla Sky, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri, Iron Man 2, and A Clockwork Orange, to name them all) while also paying homage to the people who love to nitpick (which is, after all, what we do on this podcast every week). At the end of the day, even if we disagree with the takes, nitpicking means that people care. And so do we. Enjoy!  

We pack our planes with contraband and rap about American Made, the 2017 Doug Liman/Tom Cruise collaboration that left us delighted. We also get into a fair amount of dime store psychology in regards to Cruise, his internal life, his career, and his acting style. Why did Tom Cruise want to play Barry Seal? Did he identify with the character in some deep way, or was it just another excuse for Cruise to fly planes and do his own stunts? Also, how does this movie differ from other semi-biopics about historically notable figures, and are those differences marks in its favor or strikes against it?  

We talk about the 2006 Larry Clark film "Wassup Rockers", one of his follow up efforts after gaining notoriety helming the infamous "Kids", a film that I also had not seen. Did I make the excellent life choice (mistake) of viewing "Kids" before this? Did it help or harm my opinion of this movie? We also talk about punk and skateboarding and the portrayal of underprivileged and unsupervised teens in LA. Where did Wassup Rockers succeed where I felt Kids failed?  

We wade into the timeless 12 Angry Men, a movie that was released in 1957 but is more relevant today than ever. What are the reasons for that? Also, what counts as evidence? What doesn't? What is your idea of social justice? Is it possible to talk about the characters in this movie without using the words "liberal" and "conservative"?

Matt educates Marcus on the story of Titus Andronicus, how it fits into the canon of the Shakespearean tragedies, and the many reasons that he holds this Julie Taymor movie so dear. Do the high-minded production design and wardrobe choices in Titus elevate the movie or submarine it?

We cross over into the Twilight Zone by talking about the classic anthology series, what it means to us, and how unique and resonant Rod Serling's creation remains to this day. Also, TWISTS! We break down 2 classic episodes, both with great twists. Can a man stay silent for a year? Where did the spacecraft Arrow 1 actually go?

Marcus and Matt do a second take (RIP to the lost recording) on John Carpenter's In the Mouth of Madness and pick each other's brains on their view about what this movie has to say about the nature of reality, mass hysteria, and popular fiction writers. How much of this movie "is really happening right now"?

We welcome Kelly J. into the Haven't Seen It lair to break down Blow Out, Brian De Palma's 1981 treatise on conspiracy, ambiguous character motivations, and what a man (Jack Terry, played by John Travolta) does when he has in his possession hard evidence of a very consequential political crime. Is Travolta the "good guy" in this movie, or is he just fulfilling male protector tropes as he tries to rescue the damsel (Nancy Allen) in distress? Also, what is the Bechdel test? Does this movie pass it?

I've been banging the drum for Big Fan for awhile now, and I was curious to see if Matt would a) like it as much as I do and b) like it for the same reasons I did. We come together for a great conversation about levels of fandom, (truly) unexpected conclusions, and a deep dive into the psychology of Paul Aufiero (played by Patton Oswalt in a great performance), the main character here who is kind of a dim bulb but also somehow contains many layers of thought and action.

We're joined by Jordan Breen to discuss Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight, what it means to call something "camp", and when all of us collectively realized how insane it was that people used to routinely smoke indoors.

We dive deep into Man on the Moon, the 1999 Andy Kaufman biopic starring Jim Carrey and a rogue's gallery of notable actors and comedy figures. Method acting, the heavily debatable career and life of Kaufman, what makes this work so well as a biopic ... we cover alot here. "Moses went walking with the staff of wood Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Newton got beaned by the apple good Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Egypt was troubled by the horrible asp Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Mister Charles Darwin had the gall to ask Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah" - REM, "Man on the Moon"  

Summer jobs are supposed to suck, right? Well, sometimes they do. But sometimes they also end up being where you make unforgettable friends, fall in love, learn about your feelings, and contemplate suicide because the radio won't stop playing that one fucking song. Is Adventureland a parody of 80's movies, an 80's movie itself, or a combination of both? The depiction of Ryan Reynolds's character may hold the answer ...  

We crunch the numbers and chat about Knowing, Alex Proyas's 2009 science fiction (?) entry into the world of numerology, predictive texts, and the determinism vs. randomness debate. It's also no small potatoes that this is our first Nicolas Cage movie. How well behaved were we towards Cage? Does this movie fit into a genre? How much of this movie is available to be interpreted, and how much of it seems like it's trying to send a concrete message?

In this episode, we're joined by Jeffrey Walker (aka Marcus's Dad) for a far reaching discussion on Star Trek in all of its forms, what it means to us, and why we've all been too hard on William Shatner even though it will never not be fun to mock him. We get into our various thoughts on the original series, Next Gen, DS9, Voyager, Enterprise, Picard, and yes, Discovery. We also cover the movies at length. High points, low points, reinventions, retreads, and the substantial downgrade that was "Ricardo Montalban to Benedict Cumberbatch". If we all had one episode of any series and one Trek movie to take with us to a deserted island, what would we pick? Pull up a chair and settle in, because this thing gets delightfully nerdy. ft. Jeffrey Walker aka Marcus's Dad

This week on the podcast ... put that coffee down! Coffee is for closers only. Do you think I'm fucking with you? I am not fucking with you. I'm here from downtown. We jaw about Glengarry Glen Ross, David Mamet's smash hit character study of salesmanship that wonderfully navigates the nature of conflict, human frailty, human audacity, and sharp tongued fights between characters.

Marcus and Matt dip their toes into the seedy world of salesmanship and chat about Boiler Room, Ben Younger's first time foray into writing and directing a feature film. What works about it and what doesn't? How does Boiler Room stack up against other prominent sales and finance-themed movies like Wall Street, Glengarry Glen Ross, and Wolf of Wall Street ... and how have the protagonists in these movies evolved over time, if at all?

We return from a week off to rap about Haywire, Steven Soderbergh's shot at putting a retired MMA fighter with almost no acting experience in the center of his action movie. Did it work? (SPOILER: Yes. It did.) What skillset did Gina Carano bring to the table that made her so well suited for a movie like this? And why the hell is Michael Douglas in this movie?