So What'd You Think?

Happy Prideeee. To celebrate, we're talking about Pixar's 'gay but not gay' movie, the 2021 film Luca. Joining Nick is their friend, Zoe, who is calling in all the way from the UK to give their takes on the film, what worked and what didn't, and where this stands in the pantheon of Disney's evil empire of injustice. June 6, 2023. Host: Nicholas LaDue (@nick_ladue) Guest: Zoe Black (@zoeblackcoffee)

oh wow. The sleekly titled streaming service, Max, had two very big finales last Sunday and we couldn't help but talk about both shows in extremely long podcasts as a way of coping. Here is the conversation between Nick and their dad about one of their favorite shows, Barry— created, written, directed by, and starring Bill Hader. They dive deep into the finale of the show as well as discussing their favorite seasons and episodes from the show as a whole. Check it out. June 1, 2023. Host: Nicholas LaDue (@nick_ladue) Guest: Nick's Dad produced by fountain house

We may be a movie podcast and this may be a TV show but we think it works dramaturgically... This week Nick is joined by their roommate, Gonzo, and high school bestie, Greg Lloyd, for a MEGA episode to discuss the series finale of the wildly popular show Succession and the show as a whole. It's a doozie, so get comfortable and listen to every thought we've been sitting on for the last 48 hours. May 30, 2023. Host: Nicholas LaDue (@nick_ladue) Guests: Gonzo (@gonzosmusic) & Greg Lloyd (@gmlgregory) produced by fountain house

The content you've all been waiting for. Nick is joined this week by their good friend, Biata, to discuss the 2013 prequel animated film, Monsters University. A podcast ten years in the making, the two finally sit down to watch and discuss this often overlooked Pixar film. Is it deserving of an hour long podcast? You'll have to listen to find out. May 25, 2023. Host: Nicholas LaDue (@nick_ladue) Guest: Biata Shem-Tov (@biatatata) produced by fountain house

Distinctly not a Pixar movie, Nick is joined by their cousin Bea to discuss the 1961 Kurosawa samurai film, Yojimbo. Considered one of Kurosawa's greatest films and one of the greatest samurai films of all time, Yojimbo has inspired countless films and directors over the past sixty years and was even the inspiration for Sergio Leone's A Fistful of Dollars. Nick and Bea break down their thoughts on the classic film, giving, as always, their immediate reactions. May 16, 2023. Host: Nicholas LaDue (@nick_ladue) Guest: Bea Weigand (@radically_mediocre) produced by fountain house

That's right! The most on-again, off-again podcast is back, once more to deliver some weekly reactions to movies just seen for the first time, with your host, Nicholas LaDue and friends. Listen for a preview of all the goodies to come. Special thanks to Gonzo for the new intro music. Produced by fountain house.

April 3, 2021. In celebration of So What'd You Think's 50th episode (!!!!), film student Reanna Cruz joins the show to discuss the psychedelic art film, Enter the Void, directed by Gaspar Noé. Famous for his controversial films, Climax, Love, and Irréversible, this film does not disappoint. Shot entirely as a first-person narrative, and including several drug-induced scenes, this film is not for the faint of heart, as its protagonist tackles issues of death, drugs, and prostitution in neon-lit Tokyo. In this episode, we discuss the impressive filmmaking on display, its themes of death and reincarnation, the depiction of drug use, and much, much more! You do not want to miss this episode. Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @nonstopdiscopowerpack

March 20, 2021. This week, Nick is joined by good friend and returning guest, Fiona Pestana, to discuss the 2019 Netflix comedy film, Yes, God, Yes. Starring Natalia Dyer from Stranger Things, the film focuses on her journey as a Catholic school girl exploring her sexuality for the first time. Fiona, who attended Catholic high school themself, shares their thoughts on the depiction in the film, as well as discussing favorite characters & moments, the cheesier parts, and much more!

March 7, 2021. This week Nick's older brother, Alex LaDue, joins the show to discuss the 2006 Alfonso Cuarón film: Children of Men! Nominated for three Academy Awards, this dystopian thriller is both breathtaking and very intense. In this episode, they discuss the brilliant filmmaking, the violence in the film, some of the logistics with the rules of the world, its portrayal of women, and much, much more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @ajladue

February 27, 2021. In this week's special episode, we diverge from our normal format to instead discuss the recent breakup of Daft Punk and the band as a whole. To help guide the conversation, we watched the visual album/anime film Interstella 5555 that Daft Punk soundtracks, as well as Daft Punk's recent video entitled 'Epilogue' on their YouTube channel. Joining us in this conversation is friend of the show, Britt Jacobson, who herself is a big fan of the band. In this episode, we discuss Daft Punk's influence on electronic music, their implementation of music into various visual mediums, and much more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @psychedelic.troll

February 12, 2021. We are back! Here to discuss the 2006 anime film, Paprika, is returning guest Kenny Yim. Often noted as inspiration for Inception, Paprika is a mind-bending film that pushes the limits of what animation can do. In this episode, we try to make sense of this ground-breaking film, share what we thought worked and didn’t, and much more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @kennethyim

February 29, 2020. For this episode, Nick brings on his friend Jules Nash to discuss the new Netflix film directed by and starring Brie Larson: Unicorn Store. Extremely “whimsical” but incredibly confusing, this film is an incredibly great social watch with friends. In this episode, they discuss the dry humor throughout, if this movie makes sense, if this movie has any sort of moral of is ‘just a story,’ whether this is a kid’s film, some specific lines that really stood out as confusing, and much, much more! Plus, you get to hear Jules eat a grapefruit live on air. Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @julesknash

February 9, 2020. This week Nick is joined by returning guest Ben Parkhill to discuss two things. The first is they discuss the 2019 Oscar-nominated animated film Klaus that tells the story of Santa Claus’ origins. There, they discuss potential theories that didn’t pan out in the film, if this movie was fun, whether or not there was anything for adults to gain, if this film should win best animated film, and much more. In the second half of the episode, they give their Oscar predictions recorded only a few hours before the live show. Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @bhparkhill

February 15, 2020. In the first episode of our fourth season, Nick is joined by his good friend, Martin Yoo, to discuss the award-winning French film from 2019: Portrait of a Lady on Fire. Winning Best Screenplay at Cannes and being the first film to be shot on 8K, this film tells a touching and nuanced story of two women who fall in love, in spite of the society that surrounds them. If you have not seen this film yet, you truly should go out of your way to see this in a theatre if you can. In this episode, they discuss the technical aspects that make this film beautiful, the subtle acting, the imagery of the white dress, the extended metaphor of Orpheus and Eurydice, the purpose of having little men in the film, the abortion scenes and its purpose in this film, the ending, and much, much more! Follow us on instagram: @nick_ladue @martiinyoo

November 29, 2019. The final episode of the three day back-to-back series is here! Recorded back on the day after Thanksgiving, Nick brings on his cousin, Anne Putnam, to discuss the 2019 Rian Johnson whodunit: Knives Out. A great movie to see with your family over the holidays, this film is filled with an incredible ensemble cast including Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette, and much more. In this episode, they discuss all of their “nit-picks,” the pop culture references and if that dates the film, the political references, the line between being obvious and too clever, if they saw the ending coming, other possible theories of what the ending could have been, and much, much more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @feedthepenguins

November 17, 2019. Welcome to the second of the the three back-to-back episodes! This episode we bring back the Music Edition with special guest, Daniel Ficca, who produces music for GARDENA as well as being a full-time USC student. Having pretty different music tastes, Nick and Daniel look for the overlap in their tastes and hope to expand each other’s interests just a little bit. How it works is each person will go back and forth showing the other a song the other has never heard before, and they will listen LIVE on the show and give their immediate reaction! The songs discussed on this episode include: Omar Apollo & Dominic Fike: Hit Me Up FKJ: Risk (feat. Bas) Boy In Space: Give Me Sir, Please: Dance With Me No Rome: Narcissist (feat. The 1975) Billy Lemos: Wait (feat. Still Woozy, Blake Saint David) GARDENA: Lost in My Mind (End) Andrew Applepie: Nice Tree Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @daniel_ficca Check out Daniel’s music: @turnerwb

November 2. 2019. The wait is over! Finishing off the third season, we have three more episodes to be released over the next three days… the first one here is the 1976 Martin Scorsese / Robert De Niro film: Taxi Driver. Considered one of the best films of all time, Nick brings on two New York-based filmmakers, Sid Gopinath and Aditya Joshi, who also happen to be two of the groomsmen at Nick’s brother’s wedding! Recorded back on the actual wedding day as they sit in their tuxes waiting for the ceremony, Nick, Sid, and Aditya have a fascination conversation PLUS discuss at length its comparisons to the 11-time Oscar nominated ‘Joker’ and how one shines over the other. Other points of discussion in this episode are its overall message, the subtlety in what it is trying to say, its portrayal of New York, whether mental illness is being represented, why it is considered one of the best movies of all time, and much more! Check us out on instagram: @sid.gopinath @aditya.mov

October 27, 2019. This week, Nick is joined by his fall intern, Cole McKisson, to discuss the extremely strange David Lynch film from 1986: Blue Velvet. While a bizarre viewing experience, they both highly recommend seeing this film and keeping an open mind. In this episode, they discuss the purposefully stiff dialogue and acting, some of the film's craziest and WTF moments, its influence from noir films, its commentary on domestic abuse, the imagery of the robin eating bugs, the film's dream-like quality, a few different theorists' interpretations, and much, much more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue (no instagram for Cole)

October 13, 2019. Welcome to an all new SPOILER-filled episode of So What’d You Think! This week, Nick brings on his friend Kenny, who grew up in Korea, to discuss the recently released Bong Joon-Ho film: Parasite. Winner of the Palme D’or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, Parasite is a masterpiece and deserves all the attention. If you have not heard of this film, please seek it out! In this episode, they discuss their thoughts prior to watching, the cultural differences in Korea vs America, the cyclical nature of of class, if money can buy happiness, the symbolism in the cinematography, violence as a release, comparisons to Shoplifters and Joker, the imagery with the rock, and much, more more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @kennethyim

September 29, 2019. I drink your milkshake! On this week’s episode, Nick is joined by Ben Parkhill to discuss the most requested film for this show: There Will Be Blood. Starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Paul Dano and written/directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, this epic film from 2007 is considered as one of the best movies of all time. In this episode, they discuss their thoughts going into the film, how PT Anderson constructs scenes, the names of ‘Plainview’ and ‘Sunday,’ the, themes of family, greed, and religion, juxtaposing corporations against religion, some of the non-verbal imagery, whether Daniel Day-Lewis’ character arc is an unmasking or growth, and much, much more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @bhparkhill

September 22, 2019. This week, Nick is joined once again by friend and roommate, Mike De La Rosa, to discuss the 1996 Tom Cruise sports/rom-com (?) movie Jerry Maguire. In this episode, they discuss those rom-com elements vs the sports elements, Tom Cruise’s wild performance, Stuart Little being super cute, some of the weird choices made, the memorable lines and why they’ve become memorable, Tom Cruise as an actor and a person, and much more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @m1kedlr

September 15, 2019. For the first episode of the new season, Nick is joined by fellow USC student and friend, Zach Frischer, to discuss the 1974 classic neo-noir film: Chinatown. In this episode, they try to figure out the nuances of the plot, whether they like the ending and if its satisfying, how Jack Nicholson’s character isn’t that good of a P.I., comparisons to older noir films, the “my sister, my daughter” reveal, the impressive cinematography, the realistic violence, a ~brief~ conversation about Roman Polanski and ethically watching this film, and much more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @frisch_prince

July 11, 2019. On this summer bonus episode, Nick brings on his high school friend, Jesse Baynes, to discuss the 2007 Michael Cera/Ellen Page coming-of-age film: Juno. In this episode, they discuss why it’s so rewatchable, what the defining theme is, how ahead of its time it was, the unpredictability, other Jason Reitman films, their love for Michael Cera, Liberty Bell being hands down the best character, and much more! P.S. Jesse's birthday was July 12, so everyone go wish her a happy birthday. Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @jessebaynes

June 15, 2019. Happy Father’s Day! In honor of this special day, we’re doing a special BONUS episode for all of you! This week, Nick brought on his own dad to discuss the new John Wick action film: ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum.’ In this episode, they discuss their favorite fight scenes and how creative they are now, their thoughts on the title, the added humor in this film, Halle Berry’s appearance, the film’s lack of focus on dialogue and plot, the attention to detail in the action sequences, Keanu Reeves as an actor, and much more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @tladue1

May 19, 2019. Game of Thrones is over. And we’re here to talk about it in this special, extra long bonus episode. Joined by huge Game of Thrones fan, Greg Lloyd, Nick and Greg discuss their thoughts on the controversial series finale. In this episode, they discuss the biggest moments of this last episode, the highs and lows of season eight, our awards including Favorite Character, Best Episode & Scene, Best Couple, Saddest & Most Satisfying Death, and much more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @gmlgregory

April 27, 2019. IT’S HERE! The long awaited finale to the twenty-two film series is here! For the last episode of the season, Nick is joined by Marvel fanatic Teddy Lewitt to discuss the event film of the year— Avengers: Endgame. In this SPOILER-FILLED episode, they discuss their overall thoughts on the film, what they liked and didn’t like, parts they are confused on, the future of Marvel now, and much, much more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @teddy.lewitt20

April 16, 2019. It’s back?! Yup. On this week’s show, we bring back the Music Edition. Joined by returning guest Mike De La Rosa, they discuss FKJ (French Kiwi Juice) and his most recent concert in LA that they attended. FKJ is a New Zealand born, Paris raised, multi-instrumentalist who expertly plays over 30 instruments and live-mixes and loops tracks to create amazing beats. Both Mike and Nick very highly recommend this artist if you haven’t heard of him yet. Then in the second half of the show, they play some new music that at least one of them had never heard before and give their opinions. Actually playing the songs on the show, you get a chance to jam out to the songs with Mike and Nick! The songs discussed on this episode include: FKJ: Tadow (feat. Masego) FKJ: Losing My Way (feat. Tom Misch) Coldplay: Strawberry Swing Choker: Petrol Bliss Roméo Elvis: J’ai vu (feat. Angèle) Sunni Colon: Satin Psicodelic Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @m1kedlr

April 19, 2019. This week Nick is joined by his 6’2” male friend to watch Legally Blonde at 6:30 in the morning! Somehow never seeing this movie, they finally get together and discuss their thoughts on this 2001 rom-com classic. In this episode, they discuss the comparisons to their experience with sorority life, the best and worst scenes, the ‘bend and snap,’ having it be filmed at USC, the funniest moments, their favorite character, and much more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @leviloff

April 15, 2019. On a special episode recorded from Nick’s home in Atlanta, he is joined by his girlfriend and fan-favorite guest, Oksana Carlson, to discuss the 2018 Netflix romantic comedy: The Kissing Booth. After discussing To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before in Episode 2 of So What’d You Think, they felt it was fitting to continue the tradition and discuss another highly-talked about rom-com. In this episode, they discuss specific examples of bad dialogue, accidentally funny moments in the film, its problematic view on masculinity and sexual harassment, how this film might influence younger generations, what this does for the “rom-com” genre, any redeeming qualities, and much more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @oksana.carlson

April 7, 2019. Train dodge!! Welcome to another episode of So What’d You Think. This week Nick leaves the studio to go visit his friend and previous guest, Jonah Koppelman, as he is currently under the weather. Together they watch the 1986 classic coming-of-age film: Stand By Me. This film details the narrator’s summer when he was twelve years old and his adventure with his three friends to go see a dead body. In this episode, they discuss how accurate the kids feel to when they were kids, their favorite and most memorable moments, Hollywood’s fascination with nostalgia films, the funniest lines, where these actors are now, the theme of friends growing apart, and much more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @jonahkop

March 30, 2019. This week Nick is joined by lead singer and bassist of The Deep Sea Divas, Jonathan Sonora, and their manager ‘RocknRoll Tina.’ (Go check out their stuff and support them on iTunes and Spotify!) For this episode, they watched the 2017 Netflix documentary: Abducted in Plain Sight. This incredible true story follows Jan Broberg and her story of how she was abducted from the same man TWICE in the span of two years. In this episode, they discuss what the most jaw-dropping moment for them was, if the family is to blame at all for their daughter’s abduction, their lingering questions, if this story could happen in 2019, and much more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @thedeepseadivas @rocknrolltina

March 22, 2019. Welcome to a brand new ~SPOILER-FILLED~ episode of So What’d You Think! This week Nick is joined by one of his oldest friends and horror movie lover, Daryl Hutchins, to discuss the new Jordan Peele horror film: Us. Listen in to hear us do our very best deciphering what the hell this movie means, what exactly we liked and didn’t like this time around, our guesses for the future of Jordan Peele, and much more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @darylhutchins

March 6, 2019. This week Nick is joined by USC student and friend, Fiona Pestana, to talk about the 2006 indie dramedy Little Miss Sunshine. Starring an all-star cast of Steve Carell (The Office), Greg Kinnear (As Good as It Gets), Toni Colette (Hereditary), Alan Arkin (Argo), and Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood), this fun road trip film deals with loss and what it means to lose, while making you laugh out loud throughout. In this episode, they discuss their favorite scenes, the themes and messages underneath the comedy, what it means to be a winner and a loser, if suffering and loss helps define a person, the biggest flaw of the film, their favorite character, what a sequel for these characters would look like, and much more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @floweryfi Partnered with The Sideline Observer.

March 2, 2019. Joined by NBA Reporter Khari Jones Jr., Nick and Khari sit down to discuss the classic ’94 basketball film: Blue Chips. In this episode, they discuss Shaquille O’Neal’s acting, whether it is effective for coaches to be hard on players, the line between entertainment and money in basketball, fixed games, paying college players and banning coaches, the future of college basketball, and much more. Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @kharijonesjr

February 23, 2019. For this week’s episode, Nick is joined by social media inlfuencer, Jarod Majeika (aka @jarodzsz), to discuss Denis Villeneuve’s breakout film: Incendies. Director of Sicario, Prisoners, Arrival, and Blade Runner 2049, Villeneuve expertly weaves together a complex story of family, loss, suffering, and peace in this Oscar nominated film. Incendies tells the story of two twins who, after the death of their mother, must deliver two letters to their long lost brother and father, and along the way discover who their mom really was. In this episode, they discuss the specific motifs and their purpose, what the main message of the film might be, if you are rooting for the mother, the idea that everyone has a past, if having children is inherently selfish, what the line is for a parent in raising a child without overstepping, and much, much more! Check us out on instagram & twitter: @nick_ladue (IG), @nickladue (Twitter) @jarodzsz

February 7, 2019. We’ve made it! Finally, 2018 is over and we have a whole lot to say about it. This week, Nick is joined by USC film student and friend, Nate Cohen to discuss our thoughts on 2018. In this episode, we give our TOP 10 lists of what we thought were the absolute BEST of the year, some honorable mentions that didn’t quite make the list but are worth seeing, our thoughts on this year’s Oscars and who should win, and the absolute WORST movie we had to sit through this year. We highly encourage you to listen to this episode and find some hidden gems you may not have seen yet. To help you out, we’ve made some timestamps below in case you want to skip around a bit. Let’s get ready for the Oscars! NATE's TOP 10: 10 - 3:18, 9 - 17:36, 8 - 26:55, 7 - 39:40, 6 - 44:18, 5 - 32:51, 4 - 1:01:39, 3 - 1:07:21, 2 - 1:18:50, 1 - 1:28:19. NICK's TOP 10: 10 - 10:00, 9 - 20:24, 8 - 32:51, 7 - 44:18, 6 - 50:45, 5 - 56:30, 4 - 3:18, 3 - 1:13:30, 2 - 1:24:33, 1 - 1:32:48. HONORABLE MENTIONS: 1:36:43. WORST MOVIES: 1:43:10. Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @natescottcohen

February 9, 2019. This week, Nick is joined by voice actor and SAG member, Anthony Arnello, coming all the way from Thousands Oaks, CA to discuss the 2018 Paul Dano directorial debut: Wildife. Surrounded by enthralling and complex performances by Carey Mulligan, Jake Gyllenhaal, Bill Camp, and Ed Oxenbould, Wildlife is perhaps the most underrated film of 2018, telling the story of a father, played by Gyllenhaal, who loses his job and is then hired to become a firefighter to put out wildfires spreading in 1960s Montana. However, this film instead focuses on the wife and his son, played by Mulligan and Oxenbould respectively, and how they cope with the situation. In this episode, they discuss the brilliant and overlooked performance of Carey Mulligan, the complexity of each character, the detail of costuming, the purpose of Gyllenhaal’s disappearance for the majority of the film, the stereotypes of masculinity and the housewife in the 1960s, the breakdown and attack of the “American Dream,” an analysis and meaning behind certain monologues, who we most empathize with, and much, much more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @anthony_j_arnello

February 2, 2019. Mixing it up this week, Nick is joined by good friend Mike De La Rosa to discuss the entirety of Season 1 of Curb Your Enthusiasm! Starring Larry David, the creator and head writer of Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm expertly weaves multiple story lines filled with layered jokes and dry humor, as a fictionalized version of himself leads his narcissistic post-Seinfeld life. In this episode, they discuss all of Season One, talking about the type of humor, the structure of each episode, an analysis of Larry’s character, the process of how an episode is written, the layering of jokes, a breakdown of several jokes and why they work, the reason for the name of the show, if we’re rooting for or against Larry, comparisons with The Office, our favorite character (besides Larry) on the show, guesses for what’s next for Season 2, and much more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @m1kedlr

January 26, 2019. For this week’s episode, Nick and joined by friend, Jonah Koppelman, to discuss what is considered one of the best films of all time: the 1980 Martin Scorsese film, Raging Bull. Starring Robert De Niro in his prime, this black and white boxing film deals with issues of anger, selfishness, and responsibility, all through the brilliance of early Martin Scorsese. In this episode, they discuss Robert De Niro’s transformation, the best scenes to them that stand out, Scorsese’s stylistic choices and the brilliance of them, the inclusion of the colored montage scene, themes of blame and selfishness, how women are treated in the film, if its possible to separate anger from home and boxing, the morality of Jake and Vickie, how this ranks next to Scorsese’s other films, and much more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @jonahkop

January 19, 2019. Welcome to the Season 2 Premiere of So What'd You Think! For the first episode of the new season, Nick is joined by good friend and 3rd time returning guest, Kareem Danan. They sit down and watch the 1975 Jack Nicholson classic: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Winner of all five top awards at the Oscars that year, this film has proved to not only be recognized as great at the time, but appreciated today as well. In this episode, they discuss the meaning of the title, the use of music, the importance of Chief's arc, the difference between a 'person' and a 'unique individual,' if you empathize with McMurphy, the relevance to today's issues, comparisons of other films with similar topics, what the message of the film really is, what the hospital and its patients really represents, our slow recognition that THE Danny DeVito is in this film, and more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @k.danan

November 26, 2018. Welcome to the special holiday-filled episode! Joining Nick this week is USC film student and good friend, Mila, who decided to watch the 1993 Tim Burton holiday classic: The Nightmare Before Christmas (because somehow they never saw it). In this episode, they discuss whether this is even a Christmas movie (or just a Halloween movie), Tim Burton's style, the process of stop motion animation, what the other holiday worlds would be like, potential spinoffs and sequel ideas, if Jack is a hero or a villain, references this movie makes and its inspiration in making it, our personal favorite Christmas movies, what defines a "Christmas movie," our favorites songs from the movie, and so much more craziness! Get into the holiday spirit and listen to this zany episode! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @miladanton

November 11, 2018. What?? Music?! That’s right. On this week’s show, they mixed it up a little and decided to listen to music. Joined by returning guest Mason Robinson, they listen to some new music that at least one of them had never heard before and then give their opinions. Actually playing the songs on the show, you get a chance to jam out to the songs with Mason and Nick! The songs discussed on this episode include: Daniel Caesar: Who Hurt You? Mitski: Nobody Matt Corby: New Day Coming Kelly Finnigan: Catch Me I’m Feeling Ariana Grande: thank you, next Gonzo: July Khruangbin: White Gloves Jon Bellion: Guillotine Earl Sweatshirt: nowhere2go St. Paul & The Broken Bones: Apollo Khruangbin: People Everywhere Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @maeroob

November 14, 2018. Recorded during KXSC's 24 Hour Programming week, Nick was joined by friend and Kubrick fan, Matt Parker, to discuss one of the most talked about and strangest Stanley Kubrick films: A Clockwork Orange. What makes this episode especially unique is that Matt has actually seen this film before, making him the first guest to do so. However, don't let that deter you... if anything, Matt was able to supply necessary answers to questions Nick could not get on his own and through that, they were able to provide a deeper and more nuanced discussion of the film. In this episode, they discuss their immediate thoughts vs thoughts after the 5th time viewing, the purpose of the milk, the eyelashes, the phallic imagery, and use of "Singin' in the Rain," what was allowed in films at the time, things Matt noticed for the first time on this viewing, if watching violence in film influences violence in real life, what the message is of the film, if the film is trying to talk about innate vs. learned behavior, whether medicine helps "fix" you or if it just sedates your true self, how the character of Alex really isn't too different from the rest of society, the relationship between sex and violence, if violence is power, if the purpose of prison is to punish or to rehabilitate, the meaning of the title, and much, much more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @zesaladin

November 13, 2018. Joined this week is friend of the host, Henry Hiemstra, to discuss the 1999 philosophical action sci-fi: The Matrix. In this episode, they discuss whether the film is dated or holds up, their thoughts on the romance and its similarity in themes to Interstellar, what the true message of the film is and if there is more than one, the idea of choosing ignorance over the truth and the problems with that mentality, taking the red or blue pill, if people have to feed their own impulses to be happy, if sin makes people human, the conflicting ideas of Buddhism and Christianity present in the film, is artificial intelligence the next evolutionary step, is suffering required in the current world, can the world come together to create real change, if the film is meant to appeal to mass audiences or high culture, if there's an age where people stop being as open-minded, and much, much more! Check us out in instagram: @nick_ladue @henry_hiemstra

November 5, 2018. This week Nick is joined via call by his friend and art-lover Georgia Hausmann, all the way from Cornell University in Ithica, NY. They both watched the 2010 Oscar-nominated street art documentary, Exit Through the Gift Shop, directed by the man who brought this form of art into the spotlight: Banksy. The documentary focuses on the development of Banksy's friend/coworker, Thierry Guetta (aka Mr. Brainwash), and has transformation from filmmaker to street artist. In this episode, they discuss several of Banksy's famous stunts, how Banksy's art was meant to be temporary yet it is sold in galleries now, if Thierry Guetta is a genius or an idiot, whether he is scamming people or if he believes his work is good, whether everyone should be encouraged to pursue art, why certain artists make it and others are left forgotten, if street art has reinvented how we think about art or if this is how it's always been, the idea of branding and its relationship to art, originality with art and what makes it actually good, if Mr. Brainwash's work is all a hoax, and much more! For any of those on the fence about this episode or documentary, please go watch and witness one of the most fascinating stories about art, talent, fame, and how a man without any of that made it. Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @hausparty_

October 29, 2018. Happy Halloween! In honor of the spooky holiday, Nick is joined by friends and scaredy-cats, Joe Lappin and Brad Lynds. This week, they finally watched the 1973 horror classic: The Exorcist. In this episode, they discuss whether the film was scary, the logistics of being possessed by a demon, how religion and Christianity play into the film, the concept of suspension of disbelief in film, if certain parts could have been cut down in the final cut, trying to make sense of the story and its motifs, what defines a horror movie vs. a drama or thriller, if the film holds up today, how it compares to other modern horror films, and much, more more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @joelapp23 @b.lynds

October 22, 2018. This week it is once again taken back to 1941 for what is considered the FIRST noir film ever: The Maltese Falcon. Joined by Nick this week is old-school film enthusiast, Nick Weir. In this episode, they discuss which aspects still hold to today's film standards, the early noir traits developed and shown in this film, Humphrey Bogart and his performance, the formation of the trans-atlantic accent, the meaning behind the character's names, the similarities to 'Casablanca' and 'A Shot in the Dark,' the ending of the film, and much more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @nickweir_

October 15, 2018. Nick is joined this week by roommate and show fan-favorite, Kareem, to discuss the new Damien Chazelle film: First Man. This movie covers the eight years prior to Neil Armstrong taking his first steps on the moon and his personal struggles along the way. Seen on IMAX at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, CA, Nick and Kareem delve deep into this film's themes and execution. In this episode, they discuss the aesthetic and how it shows contrast between the moon and home, the design, the score by Justin Hurwitz, the performances of Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy, how the pacing might have taken away from the story, Armstrong's suppressed emotions and his arc, the influence of the current social climate, thoughts on the controversy of anti-patriotism, how this movie compares to other space flicks including 2001: A Space Odyssey, how this compares in Damien Chazelle's repertoire, thoughts on potential oscar nominations, and much much more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @k.danan

October 13, 2018. SPECIAL BONUS EPISODE! Nick's parents were in town this week, so of course they had to come on for an episode. They watched the 2017 Stephen King-adaptation horror flick: It. While a strange choice to do, it made for some pretty diverse analyses and discussion. In this episode, they discussed whether the film was successful in being scary, the idea of showing vs. implying, common horror tropes, setting horror "rules" in your story, the seriousness of the kids' family struggles, the story structure, Stephen King's version vs. the script, the coming-of-age aspect, our thoughts on 'It: Chapter Two,' and much more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @laduetk @tladue1

October 8, 2018. On this week's episode, Nick is joined by friend and big Lady Gaga fan Stevie. This week's episode is a little different, in that the movie they are discussing is the newly released Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga remake: A Star is Born. In this SPOILER-filled episode, they discuss the sound design, comparisons to the previous versions, the accuracies of alcoholism and insecurities presented in the film, the realism in their relationship, how guilt was placed throughout the script, why the title is called a star is born and whether it works, what their relationship really meant and the true meaning of the film, and much more! Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @stephnomore

October 5, 2018. On this special BONUS episode, Nick is joined by roommate and friend Kareem. They watched the 2015 Denis Villeneuve crime thriller: Sicario. The two of them watching movies last semester was a major source of inspiration for this show, and Kareem has been a long-requested guest. In this episode, they discuss the structure and dialogue of the script, the significance of where and when they show violence, Roger Deakins' cinematography, the score from the late Johann Johannson, the balance between good and evil and how it's represented, Kate Macy's lack of growth and arc over the film, how Taylor Sheridan's script subverts normal film tropes, how this film ranks with Denis Villeneuve's other films, and much more. Check us out on instagram: @nick_ladue @k.danan