On which two media obsessed college professors discuss all things film, TV, and popular culture.
In The Cold Open #44, The Batman Edition, Robert Sickels and Kathryn Frank offer wildly diverging opinions on Matt Reeves’ new movie, The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson and Zoë Kravitz headlining an all around stellar cast. We discuss it not only in the context of the many, many other Batman movies, but also in light of its relationship to particular storylines from the comics, especially Batman: Year One and Batman: The Long Halloween. Our intro and outro this week is […]
In The Cold Open #43, The Licorice Pizza Edition, Robert Sickels and Kynde Kiefel discuss Paul Thomas Anderson’s electrifying new film at length. Our intro and outro this week are Sonny & Cher’s “But You’re Mine” and Paul McCartney and Wings’ “Let Me Roll It,” both from The Licorice Pizza Soundtrack. The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
In The Cold Open #42, The French Dispatch Edition, Robert Sickels and Kathryn Frank discuss Wes Anderson’s delightful new film at length. Our intro and outro this week are Jarvis Cocker’s “Aline” and Alexandre Desplat’s “A Multi-Pronged Battle Plan,” both from The French Dispatch Original Soundtrack. The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
In the Cold Open #41, The Dune Edition, Robert Sickels and long sought after special guest Tarik Elseewi discuss Denis Villeneuve’s new take on the first novel of Frank Herbert’s classic series. Our intro and outro are Hans Zimmer’s “Ripples in The Sand” and “Holy War,” from the Dune soundtrack. The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
In the Cold Open Mini #40, Kynde Kiefel and Robert Sickels discuss Zack Snyder’s redemptive Netflix zombie/heist movie Army of the Dead, which might be the most Zack Snyder film ever made–and also his best film by a long shot. The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
In the Cold Open Mini #39, the last of our seven pods dissecting Director Zack Snyder’s 4 hour (re)cut version of DC’s The Justice League, Kynde Kiefel and Robert Sickels examine the film’s seventh and final part: Epilogue–A Father Twice Over. In this episode we address the looming cumulative questions: Is the Snyder Cut better than the original (yes, by a long shot)? But even if it’s “better,” does that mean it’s good (ymmv)? And what are the limits of […]
In the Cold Open Mini #38, the sixth of our seven pods dissecting each of part of Director Zack Snyder’s 4 hour (re)cut version of DC’s The Justice League, Kynde Kiefel and Robert Sickels delve into Part 6: “Something Darker.” We discuss a variety of issues, including the movie’s ongoing Superman problems, Snyder’s skill with action sequences and infatuation with corn fields and perpetual magic hours, and Jason Mamoa’s embrace of his inner McConaughey. The Cold Open Podcast is available on […]
In the Cold Open Mini #37, the fifth of our seven pods dissecting each of part of Director Zack Snyder’s 4 hour (re)cut version of DC’s The Justice League, Kynde Kiefel and Robert Sickels delve into Part 5: All the King’s Horses. We discuss a variety of issues, the major ones being the hard, cold fact that the combination of Superman’s unyielding goodness and near invincibility renders him a hard to care about milquetoast character, the contention that Ben Affleck […]
In the Cold Open Mini #36, the fourth of our seven pods dissecting each of part of Director Zack Snyder’s 4 hour (re)cut version of DC’s The Justice League, Kynde Kiefel and Robert Sickels examine Part 4: “Change Machine.” We discuss a variety of things, including our thoughts about the ways heavy exposition can slow a movie’s narrative pace to a crawl, our questions about Darkseid’s motivations, or lack thereof, especially as compared to the MCU’s Thanos, and the elephant […]
In the Cold Open Mini #35, the third of our seven pods dissecting each of part of Director Zack Snyder’s 4 hour (re)cut version of DC’s The Justice League, Kynde Kiefel and Robert Sickels examine Part 3: Beloved Mother, Beloved Son. We discuss a variety of things, including our thoughts about the daddy and mommy issues that apparently haunt all super heroes, the parallels between Ezra Miller’s Flash and Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, and our suspicion that Jason Mamoa might be […]
In the Cold Open Mini #34, the second of our seven pods discussing each of part of Director Zack Snyder’s 4 hour (re)cut version of DC’s The Justice League, Kynde Kiefel and Robert Sickels examine Part 2: The Age of Heroes. We discuss a variety of things, including our thoughts about Zack Snyder’s love affair with slow motion, the glorious fetishization of Jason Mamoa, and the idea that maybe the movie isn’t as derivative as it initially appears if you […]
In the Cold Open Mini #33, the first of our seven pods looking at each of part of Director Zack Snyder’s 4 hour (re)cut version of DC’s The Justice League, Kynde Kiefel and Robert Sickels examine Part 1: “Don’t Count On It, Batman.” We discuss a variety of initial responses, including our thoughts about the choice of a 4 x 3 aspect ratio, the excellent use of music throughout, and our questions as concerns where superheroes get their money. Is […]
In The Cold Open Mini #32.2, Robert Sickels and Kathryn Frank rank the top 5 of the more than 60 movies to date that feature Marvel Comics’ characters. This pod includes only one crossover pick and a lot of great discussion about a ton of fantastic movies and their roots in the comics as well their cultural and industrial impact! The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
In The Cold Open Mini #32.1, Robert Sickels and Kathryn Frank rank the bottom 5 of the more than 60 movies to date that feature Marvel Comics’ characters. This pod includes surprisingly little crossover and a controversial top pick from Kathryn! The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
In The Cold Open Mini #31, Matt Reynolds and Kathryn Frank discuss media that is unexpectedly particularly relevant to our present cultural moment, touching on Watchmen, Blockers, RuPaul’s Drag Race, The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service, and a variety of other things along the way. The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
In The Cold Open Mini #30, Matt Reynolds and Robert Sickels have a VERY SPOILER HEAVY discussion about the delightful romantic comedy Palm Springs, which is currently available to stream on Hulu. The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
In The Cold Open Mini #29, Kynde Kiefel and Kathryn Frank discuss their top 5 lists of Movies or TV shows that deserved a sequel or an additional season. R.I.P. F/X’s beloved but little seen Terriers. And Sense8. And Princess Jellyfish. And Lady Dynamite. And all kinds of other great movies and shows! The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
In The Cold Open Mini #28, Matt Reynolds and Kynde Kiefel discuss their respective picks for the top five songs about movie stars, which includes works by a wonderfully eclectic and diverse gamut of artists. As always, every song mentioned on this pod has been added to The Cold Open Mini Pod Playlist, which now has over 100 songs on it. The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
In The Cold Open Mini #27, Kathryn Frank and Robert Sickels discuss underrated media from otherwise widely celebrated artists, including works by Alfonso Cuarón, Sofia Coppola, John Waters, Spike Lee, David Simon, and Steven Soderbergh. The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
In The Cold Open Mini #26, The King of Staten Island Edition, Kynde Kiefel and Robert Sickels break down the new Judd Apatow film, which features Pete Davidson, Bill Burr, and Marisa Tomei. In addition to delving into the film’s many merits, they also place it in the context of Apatow’s career and consider what its being released for purchase directly into homes might portend for the movie industry. The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so […]
In The Cold Open Mini #25, Kathryn Frank and Robert Sickels discuss their favorite bits of cultural consumption during their recently ended time of sheltering in place. The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
What makes for a complex protagonist on a TV show? Kynde Kiefel and Kathryn Frank grapple with this question on The Cold Open Mini #24–The Top 5 Most Complex TV Protagonists Edition. These are fascinating lists, running the gamut of characters from animated shows and mainstream genre shows, to those featured on prestige series and even reality TV! The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
In the Cold Open Mini #23, Matt Reynolds and Kynde Kiefel rank the best/weirdest/most riveting/off the rails Nicolas Cage performances. The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
In The Cold Open Mini #22, Kathryn Frank and Robert Sickels name their top five favorite English language remakes of foreign films, which includes remakes of films from all over the world! The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
In The Cold Open Mini #21, The Top 5 Pop Culture Blindspots Part #2 Edition, Kynde Kiefel and Robert Sickels name their top 5 pop culture blind spots, which includes, among other things around which there’s an inexplicable cultural hubbub, reality TV singing competitions, Twitter, the Kardashians, Twitch, and one hugely popular TV sitcom that made both of their lists! The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
Despite an unexpected dusting of morning snow covering the Blue Mountain foothills to the east of Walla Walla, the weather is definitely turning for the better. The valley is in bloom and summer is rapidly approaching. With that in mind, in The Cold Open Mini #20, Matt Reynolds and Kathryn Frank name their top 5 songs in anticipation of summer. The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
When the nominees for the 81st Academy Awards were announced, there was an immediate uproar surrounding The Dark Knight‘s failure to secure a Best Picture nomination. After that initial uproar and the subsequent poorly rated Oscars’ telecast, the Academy revamped the rules to include up to 10 Best Picture nominees in the hopes of including more audience friendly box office hits, à la The Dark Knight. But was the main issue The Dark Knight not being nominated, or was that […]
In The Cold Open Mini #18, The Top 5 Songs About Art Edition, Matt Reynolds and Kynde Kiefel reveal their wildly eclectic lists. And in an expected turn of events, one of them shares their singing voice!!! The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
It’s been argued that great books make for bad movies, so does that mean that bad books make for great movies? Or is the truth stranger than fiction? Find out the answer to these questions and more in The Cold Open Mini #17–The Top 5 Best & Worst Movies Based on Books Edition–in which Kynde Kiefel names the worst ever literary adaptions while Kathryn Frank names the best. And never the twain shall meet. The Cold Open Podcast is available on […]
In The Cold Open Mini #16–The Don’t Remake That Edition–Matt Reynolds and Robert Sickels each name their top 5 worst movie remakes. While there are no shared choices, there is a recurring figure (hint: his name rhymes with “Rickolaus Mage”) and a recurring genre (hint: there is singing and dancing). The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
In The Cold Open Mini #15, The Top 5 Reasons to Watch, or Not Watch, The Tiger King Edition, Robert Sickels and Kynde Kiefel give their reasons, with Kynde being pro and Robert being con. The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
In The Cold Open Mini #14, The Top 5 Pop Culture Blindspots Part #1 Edition, Matt Reynolds and Kathryn Frank go over their lists, which include some jaw dropping choices. Friends? Yup. K-Pop. Yessiree. Harry Potter????? The Simpsons????? How is that even possible!!! The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
In The Cold Open Mini #13, The Top 5 Best Movies Adapted from Comic Books Edition, Kathryn Frank and Robert Sickels give their super intriguing lists, highlighted by Kathryn’s very surprising #1! The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
In The Cold Open Mini #12, The Navel Gazing Edition, Matt Reynolds names his top five episodes from mostly other podcasts named The Cold Open, whereas Kynde Kiefel names her top five episodes of this Cold Open podcast. You get the added bonus of hearing Matt’s dog bark in the background and a dishwasher being unloaded. Welcome to podcasting remotely from our respective houses! The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
You’re home. A lot. And you need something to watch. But not Breaking Bad or The Sopranos, or the usual suspects people suggest. You want something . . . different. Enter The Cold Open Mini #11, in which Kynde Kiefel and Kathryn Frank name their top 5 non-canonical TV shows to rewatch (or watch for the first time) during our time of lockdown. Anime! Sitcoms! Comedy shows! All kinds of awesome things! The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts […]
In The Cold Open Mini #10, The Top 5 Concerts We’ve Seen Edition, Matt Reynolds and Robert Sickels give their lists and have a Double Life of Veronique moment when they realize they were likely at a ton of the same San Francisco Bay Area concerts 15 years before they first met! Songs from the artists featured on this Mini can be found on The Cold Open Mini Pod Spotify Playlist, which is fantastic. The Cold Open Podcast is available on […]
In The Cold Open Mini #9, Kynde Kiefel and Kathryn Frank name their top 5 problematic artists who they still kind of like. That Woody Allen tops one of the lists is not hugely surprising, but there are some other very unexpected choices! The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
In The Cold Open Mini #8, The Top 5 Movies Carried by a Single Performer Edition, Robert Sickels and Kynde Kiefel give their lists, which is highlighted by Kynde’s spectacular #1 choice! The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
In The Cold Open Mini #7, The Top 5 Books on Film/Music/Comics Edition, Matt Reynolds, Kathryn Frank, and Robert Sickels give their wildly divergent lists. Matt and Robert clearly love movies, while Kathryn is much more varied! The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
In The Cold Open Mini #6, The Top 5 Musical Acts No Longer With Us That We’d Love to See Edition, Matt Reynolds and Robert Sickels give their pleasingly eclectic lists. Songs from these acts, as well as every other musical artist that has been mentioned on the Minis so far, can be found on The Cold Open Mini Pod Spotify Playlist, which is already fantastic and will continue to grow in intriguing directions. The Cold Open Podcast is available on […]
In The Cold Open Mini #5, The Top 5 Songs We Are Embarrassed to Admit We Love as Much as We Do Edition, Matt Reynolds, Robert Sickels, and Kynde Kiefel give their respective lists, which are indeed delightfully embarrassing. The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
In The Cold Open Mini #4, The Top 5 Books to Read When You Have Time Edition, Robert Sickels and Kathryn Frank name the top five books they’ll be reading in the coming months (or not, if the social distancing ends). The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
In The Cold Open Mini #3, The Top 5 Songs for the End of The World Edition, Matt Reynolds, Robert Sickels, and special guest star Kathryn Frank name the top five songs they’ll be listening to if and when the end of the world comes around. The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
Matt Reynolds, Robert Sickels, and Kynde Kiefel are very grateful that their jobs allow them to work from home for at least the moment. And they have much love for those who aren’t as fortunate as they are and they are doing what they can to help. That said, working from home, though infinitely better than the alternative, is not all it’s cracked up to be. And so, with that in mind, comes The Cold Open Mini #2, The Top 5 […]
Matt Reynolds, Robert Sickels, and Kynde Kiefel are being responsible citizens and practicing social distancing in all aspects of their lives. That said, we are lonely and we miss each other. Hence, the birth of the Cold Open Mini pods, in which we’re together. Apart. Remotely. Giving our top five lists on an endless array of topics. We intend to do this as close to every day as possible for as long as the CDC recommends we keep our distance from […]
In The Cold Open #40, The Pop Culture Potpourri Edition, Matt Reynolds, Robert Sickels, and Kynde Kiefel begin with a discussion of the emergence of coronavirus. As this was recorded a week before it was posted, the opening is a time capsule illustrating just how radically life has changed in such a short period of time. Strange days indeed. We then move towards more evergreen content and discuss a series of things that have been on minds for the past few […]
In The Cold Open #39, The Great Pumpkin/Scary Movies Edition, Kynde Kiefel, Robert Sickels, and special guest star Kathryn Frank begin with their responses to Todd Phillips’ Joker, which Kynde loves and Robert most definitely does not. They then delve into a discussion about the scariest movies they’ve seen in a movie theatre, which includes Attack the Block, The Omen, The Love Witch, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, Pan’s Labyrinth, Let the Right One In, The Blair Witch Project, […]
In The Cold Open #38, The So Bad It’s Comfortingly Good Edition, Matt Reynolds, Robert Sickels, and Kynde Kiefel begin with an in depth discussion of Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time in Hollywood. They then each detail their top five lists of media objects so bad they’re comfortingly good, which includes things such as the remake of The Wicker Man, Tiptoes (definitely click on the link), the films of Jean-Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal, several reality TV shows, CSI […]
In The Cold Open #37 Part 2, The Franchise Edition, Matt Reynolds, Robert Sickels, and Kynde Kiefel discuss their top five best film franchises lists, which include some of the usual suspects–the Fast and the Furious, Mad Max, Night of the Living Dead, Rocky/Creed, and Toy Story films–as well as some pleasingly unexpected choices like the Luchador films and the Police Story movies featuring Jackie Chan. Our intro this week is You’ve Got a Friend in Me by Randy Newman, and our […]
In The Cold Open #37 Part 1, The Franchise Edition, Matt Reynolds, Robert Sickels, and Kynde Kiefel discuss their top five least favorite film franchises, which includes the Scary Movie, Transformers, Death Wish, Carry On, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Hobbit, Saw, Pirates of the Caribbean, Matrix, Madea, and James Bond franchises, as well as a couple of controversial surprise choices. Our intro this week is the James Bond Theme Song as performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, and our outro is the Pirates […]
In The Cold Open #36, The Nuclear Meltdown Edition, Matt Reynolds, Robert Sickels, and Kynde Kiefel discuss Booksmart, John Wick 3, Rocketman, and Chernobyl. Both our intro and outro this edition are songs featured in Booksmart, Leikeli47’s “Attitude” from the album Wash & Set and Sampa the Great’s “FEMALE” from the album The Great Mix Tape. The Cold Open Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so please rate, review, and subscribe!
© 2020-2025 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
