Reel Beasts

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Cinephiles and dinosaur nerds rejoice! Film connoisseur David, and paleontologist Ben (both trained informal educators), join forces to explore the rich history of prehistoric animals in movies. Reel Beasts takes listeners from the badlands to the cutting room floor through insightful critiques, scientific rigor, and a pinch of comedy. With filmmaking experience and several dino digs under our belts, we’re here to pick bones about silver screen saurians both majestic and ridiculous.

Ben Faulkner & David Mauro


    • Oct 14, 2023 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 4m AVG DURATION
    • 35 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Reel Beasts

    035. Field Beasts: Scenes From Dinosaur Country

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2023 14:35


    A little collection of vignettes from Montana in July 2023

    034. Jurassic World (2015) part 1 ft. Tim

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2023 105:24


    Holy Mosasaur! You knew we would get to this one someday. We take aim at one of the biggest blockbusters of the last decade with the help of friend of the podcast Tim!

    033. Mini Beasts: In Defense of Paleontology

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2023 8:25


    Ben gets on his soapbox briefly to respond to some common critiques/misconceptions about paleontology.

    032. Beast of the Week: Ankylosaurus

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2023 25:44


    ALL THE ARMOR for this amazing Ank tank of a dinosaur.

    beast ank ankylosaurus
    65

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2023 64:38


    Adam Driver + dinosaurs, what could go wrong? Well, plenty as it turns out!

    Field Beasts!

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2023 62:56


    A rundown of field paleontology for fossil explorers!

    029. Walking With Dinosaurs: The Movie: 3D: The Podcast (2013)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2023 79:18


    "We should have brought layers" - a dinosaur in this movie.

    movies walking with dinosaurs
    Anaconda (1997)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2023 73:38


    Thin plot, thicc snake.

    Unreel Beasts: Godzilla (1998)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2022 85:12


    "The Lost World Effect" states that a movie you thought was perfect in childhood is actually not very good. This film is a prime example of such an effect. We still like it though...

    The Velocipastor

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2022 78:46


    A man of the claw, two podcasters in awe.

    10,000 BC

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2022 76:47


    How many prophecies do you need? Four? OK cool.

    Jurassic Park III

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2022 96:52


    Come on in, the water's fine! There is definitely not a Spinosaurus in there!

    Annihilation ft. Aaron part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2022 65:53


    CW: cinematic violence / body horror, brief mention of self-harm Once the Shimmer takes a shine to you the shine don't stop.

    Unreel Beasts: Annihilation ft. Aaron part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2022 72:35


    CW: cinematic violence / body horror, brief mention of self-harm Ben is joined by astrophysicist Aaron to dissect Annihilation, a wonderful 2018 sci-fi slow burn. Come with us into the Shimmer!

    The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 23, 2022 74:48


    We celebrate 1 year of Reel Beasts with a return to The Great Valley!

    Reel Beasts 013: Carnosaur

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2021 68:34


    If there is one lesson to be taken from this movie, it is FEAR ALL EGGS!

    Mini Beasts: Jurassic World Dominion Trailer

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2021 48:11


    The hottest takes on the new Jurassic World prologue trailer! We really enjoyed this one y'all.

    Reel Beasts 012: The Lost World: Jurassic Park

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2021 78:08


    A sophomore slump for the Jurassic Park series? We discuss Spielberg's second stab at insular dinosaur carnage!

    Unreel Beasts: The Science of Alien

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2021 68:26


    Acid blood, pharyngeal jaws, and the Fermi Paradox. All this and more in a tangent-tastic but thoughtful episode of Unreel Beasts!

    Unreel Beasts: Alien (1979) Part 1- The Film

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2021 61:37


    Trigger Warning: discussions of sexual violence, strong sexual themes. Welcome to Unreel Beasts, where we expand our programming to include fictional creatures. We kick things off with one of the most influential sci-fi/horror/thriller films of all time! (3:30) plot summary. (17:39) themes and cinematography. (34:21) sexual dynamics, imagery, and implications. (58:21) the alien's many forms.

    Mini Beasts 004: Talkin' Tyrants

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 22, 2021 63:08


    Tangents and Tyrannosaurs rule the Earth! (00:00) - Intro to Tyrannosaurs, (5:50) - supercontinents and breathing strategies, (13:57) - A brief history of the tyrant dinosaurs, (40:32) - David's T-rex questions, (55:13) - Jurassic Park easter eggs and final thoughts.

    We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story (1993) ft. Tim!

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2021 76:39


    A golf-playing T-rex voiced by John Goodman, what could go wrong?

    Reel Beasts 010: 100 Million BC (2008)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2021 71:11


    Was this even a movie?? We lovingly lampoon this direct to video disaster!

    beasts reel million bc
    Mini Beasts 003: Raptors, Birds, and Moving in Herds

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2021 56:53


    It's raptors 101 baby! Welcome to class

    Reel Beasts 009: Jurassic Park- Velociwrapping Things Up

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2021 65:33


    We just couldn't leave you on that cliffhanger. We talk raptors and kitchens as we put a bow on our analysis of the greatest dinosaur movie of all time!

    Reel Beasts 008: Jurassic Park Act III...ish

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2021 63:31


    Phew! We call time on Jurassic Park (for now) with a lovely discussion about dinosaurian action and some neat forays into paleo hypotheses.

    Reel Beasts 007: Jurassic Park- Act II

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2021 76:32


    Well... We're back in the car again.  But at least we're out of the tree! 

    Reel Beasts 006: Jurassic Park- Act I

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2021 83:10


    Join us as we begin our deep dive into the greatest dinosaur movie ever made... And the reason why both hosts are who they are today!

    Mini Beasts 002: The Spielberg Tapes

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2021 9:30


    We got our hands on some sweet original audio from the making of Jurassic Park!

    Mini Beasts 001: What is Paleontology?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2021 35:05


    A casual episode where we discuss the state of paleontology, and Ben makes a bizarre stand against isotopes??

    Reel Beasts 005: The Good Dinosaur (2015)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2021 76:26


    The dinosaur may be good, but the movie is bad.

    Reel Beasts 004: King Kong (2005) ft. Sonia!

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2021 81:01


    A mysterious island... A massive ape... And Jack Black? We discuss the 2005 Peter Jackson epic with our good friend Sonia!

    Reel Beasts 003: The Meg (2018)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2021 70:02


    Jason Statham... A giant shark... What more could you ask for?

    Reel Beasts 002: The Lost World (1925)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2021 67:35


    Hop in your time machines and enjoy some old-timey adventure as we dissect this seminal silent picture!

    Reel Beasts 001: The Land Before Time (1988)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2020 61:14


    Join us for our first prehistoric podcasting adventure as we discuss the animated classic, The Land Before Time!

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