Podcasts about coens

Considering The Odyssey is one of the most famous and influential stories of all time, there had been relatively few attempts to directly translate Homer’s epic poem to the big screen until Christopher Nolan came along to do it at a blockbuster scale. It’s been more common for filmmakers, such as Joel and Ethan Coen, to use it as the loose framework for a flawed hero’s journey home, such as the one undertaken by Ulysses Everett McGill in O Brother, Where Art Thou?, a Depression-era musical comedy that maps on to Homer’s version only in the broadest of strokes. But revisiting O Brother through the lens of its stated source material, as we’re doing this week, is a revealing lesson in the malleability of adaptation, as well as the Coens’ ability to make even one of the most familiar tales in all of storytelling uniquely theirs. Then in Feedback, we finally break our silence on the indie-horror phenomenon that is Obsession. Please share your thoughts about O Brother, Where Art Thou?, The Odyssey, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to comments@nextpictureshow.net, or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730. This episode is presented by⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Regal Unlimited⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. Use code NEXTPIC26 for 15% off.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Considering The Odyssey is one of the most famous and influential stories of all time, there had been relatively few attempts to directly translate Homer’s epic poem to the big screen until Christopher Nolan came along to do it at a blockbuster scale. It’s been more common for filmmakers, such as Joel and Ethan Coen, to use it as the loose framework for a flawed hero’s journey home, such as the one undertaken by Ulysses Everett McGill in O Brother, Where Art Thou?, a Depression-era musical comedy that maps on to Homer’s version only in the broadest of strokes. But revisiting O Brother through the lens of its stated source material, as we’re doing this week, is a revealing lesson in the malleability of adaptation, as well as the Coens’ ability to make even one of the most familiar tales in all of storytelling uniquely theirs. Then in Feedback, we finally break our silence on the indie-horror phenomenon that is Obsession. Please share your thoughts about O Brother, Where Art Thou?, The Odyssey, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to comments@nextpictureshow.net, or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730. This episode is presented by⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Regal Unlimited⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. Use code NEXTPIC26 for 15% off.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/join/NextPictureShowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A good chunk of Supergirl’s DNA can be traced back to True Grit by way of the comics miniseries the film is adapting, which is why we paired it with Joel and Ethan Coen’s 2010 version of that story. But as our discussion of Craig Gillespie’s new entry in James Gunn’s revamped DC Universe details, Supergirl often feels less indebted to its space-western source material than to several other superhero films that preceded it, including some of Gunn’s. That makes it tough to balance a film we all consider okay-at-best against a stone-cold Coens classic, but we attempt to anyway in Connections as we consider these two films’ shared interest in vengeance, western tropes, and really, really bad guys with murky motivations. Then in Your Next Picture Show, we honorTrue Grit’s star-making performance with a recommendation for another Hailee Steinfeld film that’s a favorite of this podcast, The Edge of Seventeen. Please share your thoughts about True Grit, Supergirl, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to comments@nextpictureshow.net, or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730. Next Pairing: Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey and The Coen Brothers’ (yes, again) O Brother, Where Art Thou? This episode is presented by⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Regal Unlimited⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. Use code NEXTPIC26 for 15% off.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christopher Nolan is bringing Homer's Odyssey to IMAX with Matt Damon. It'll be an event, and it should be.Before that lands, I want to point you somewhere stranger.O Brother, Where Art Thou? carries Homer's name on the box and almost nothing else. The Coens borrowed a couple of characters, a familiar shape, and then took off in their own direction entirely. Chain gang escapees. Bad hair product decisions. A radio station. It is not an adaptation so much as a rumor of one, and it's better for it.I'll be honest about my own bias here. Everything about this premise told me to skip it. Depression era. Slapstick. A chain gang escape. I was wrong in a way I still haven't fully worked out, and that's most of why I wanted to make this episode.No spoilers in this one. What I do get into: why a movie with barely any plot holds together this well, a piece of filmmaking history that happened quietly on this production and now touches nearly every movie you watch, how the music outgrew the film that birthed it, and a bit of union bureaucracy that erased one of the two people who actually directed it.Nolan's version will be the monument. This one's the detour worth taking first.Available to rent on most streaming platforms. Watch it, then let's talk about it. Enjoy this classic.More reviews and recommendations on the way. If you're enjoying the show, a review wherever you listen genuinely helps.Thanks for listening.

A good chunk of Supergirl’s DNA can be traced back to True Grit by way of the comics miniseries the film is adapting, which is why we paired it with Joel and Ethan Coen’s 2010 version of that story. But as our discussion of Craig Gillespie’s new entry in James Gunn’s revamped DC Universe details, Supergirl often feels less indebted to its space-western source material than to several other superhero films that preceded it, including some of Gunn’s. That makes it tough to balance a film we all consider okay-at-best against a stone-cold Coens classic, but we attempt to anyway in Connections as we consider these two films’ shared interest in vengeance, western tropes, and really, really bad guys with murky motivations. Then in Your Next Picture Show, we honorTrue Grit’s star-making performance with a recommendation for another Hailee Steinfeld film that’s a favorite of this podcast, The Edge of Seventeen. Please share your thoughts about True Grit, Supergirl, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to comments@nextpictureshow.net, or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730. Next Pairing: Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey and The Coen Brothers’ (yes, again) O Brother, Where Art Thou? This episode is presented by⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Regal Unlimited⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. Use code NEXTPIC26 for 15% off.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/join/NextPictureShowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Damn! We're in a tight spot! This week we are seeking treasure with Ulysses Everett McGill and his two companions, Pete and Delmar, in the 2000 Coen Brothers musical comedy O Brother, Where Art Thou? Based loosely upon The Odyssey, this movie was a big hit for The Coens at the time and the soundtrack was massive. But did anyone actually listen to it or was it all just awards hype? Does the early digital colour correction hold up or is it now a bit of an eyesore? Where does this movie rank in the Coen Brothers' filmography? Is it George Clooney's best comedic performance of all time? See you in the funny pages, boys... it's a bushwhack on this week's episode of Film Junk.

We're in a tight spot. This week on Be Kind Rewind, Dave & Cody dig into the Coen Brothers' O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), the Depression-era chain gang comedy that's (not so) secretly Homer's Odyssey and accidentally revived an entire genre of American music. We break down what holds up (this is George Clooney's coming out party), the murderer's row of character actors, Roger Deakins making Mississippi look like a sepia dream, and a soundtrack that won Album of the Year at the Grammys as a bluegrass record. We get into what's harder to sit with in 2026, the wild behind-the-scenes stuff (the Coens claim they never read the Odyssey, Clooney said yes without reading the script, the KKK scene is staged like The Wizard of Oz), and a Pastor's Corner on Ulysses Everett McGill as an Ecclesiastes figure who chases every title but bona fide and only finds his knees when the rope comes out. Plus: Adam Sandler officiated the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wedding and we have questions, we Muppetize the movie (Dave cheats), and we guess Clooney's top five highest-grossing films, with a number one that made us both genuinely angry.https://linktr.ee/PopCulturePastorPod

"I missed the night blimps. I guess it was hard to see the hatred and rage through my eyes."Antonio is dutifully back for community service involving movies with places in their titles!0:00 -- Intro3:35 -- Fargo29:25 -- In Bruges52:55 -- Synecdoche, New York1:16:00 -- Contact information1:17:59 -- Awards and rankings2:11:19 -- Future business (with Andy and Ammon on the horn!)2:28:49 -- Outro and outtakes {197}!Hey! Be sure to watch Three Men and a Baby; Tokyo Godfathers; and Meet the Robinsons for next time!Hey! We have a Patreon (Ours, Ours, & Ours))!Hey! DON'T leave us a voicemail at (801) 896-####!Hey! Shop the Zazzle store! Hey! Hear In Memoriam! Hey! Hear Fantasy Murder Love Triangle! Hey! Hear J.R. Watches Star Trek for the first time!Hey! Hear Antonio on The Cultworthy Cinema Podcast!Hey! Hear Andy and Ammon on Andy and Ammon's Excellent Odyssey!Hey! The Coens win Best Director!Hey! Subscribe in iTunes! Hey! Check out the Facebook page and vote on the next category! Hey! Check out Jon's YM&T Letterboxd list!Hey! Check out Roy's YM&T Letterboxd list! Hey! Email us at yoursminetheirspodcast@gmail.com! Send new topics! Send new theme songs!

From one of cinema's wisest and most penetrating observers, an arresting new perspective on the sweep of film historyDavid Thomson has been called "the greatest living writer on the movies." Here is a career capstone of sorts-a one-volume history of film and screens as illuminating and provocative as his classic Biographical Dictionary of Film. In tracing the progress, from the Lumiere Brothers to the Coens, Thomson glories in the great movies, but admits to increasing unease over what the medium has done to us-promoting fantasy, misleading models of sexual identity, the cult of authority, power, and happy endings.This revisionist history is as alert to technology and business as it is to art and fun in tracing our pursuit of the lifelike instead of life. By turns trenchant, lyrical, and comic, Thomson uncovers our addiction to voyeurism and villainy, and a habit of passivity that has betrayed our political and cultural identity. In a survey that reaches from Metropolis to Rear Window to Anora, this will redirect ideas about film everywhere. As The New York Times has put it, "Thomson proves anew that he is irreplaceable.=Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-unplugged-totally-uncut--994165/support.

From one of cinema's wisest and most penetrating observers, an arresting new perspective on the sweep of film historyDavid Thomson has been called "the greatest living writer on the movies." Here is a career capstone of sorts-a one-volume history of film and screens as illuminating and provocative as his classic Biographical Dictionary of Film. In tracing the progress, from the Lumiere Brothers to the Coens, Thomson glories in the great movies, but admits to increasing unease over what the medium has done to us-promoting fantasy, misleading models of sexual identity, the cult of authority, power, and happy endings.This revisionist history is as alert to technology and business as it is to art and fun in tracing our pursuit of the lifelike instead of life. By turns trenchant, lyrical, and comic, Thomson uncovers our addiction to voyeurism and villainy, and a habit of passivity that has betrayed our political and cultural identity. In a survey that reaches from Metropolis to Rear Window to Anora, this will redirect ideas about film everywhere. As The New York Times has put it, "Thomson proves anew that he is irreplaceable.=Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-like-it-s-live--4113802/support.

The new Supergirl isn’t an outright adaptation of the comic-book miniseries Woman of Tomorrow, but it retains enough of its shape that it evokes that comic’s own source of inspiration, True Grit. Either of the two film adaptations of Charles Portis’ 1968 Western novel about a young girl enlisting a reluctant, drunken hero to help her enact revenge would have provided plenty of connections to Supergirl, but we opted for Joel and Ethan Coen’s 2010 version starring Hailee Steinfeld and Jeff Bridges. So this week we’re discussing what distinguishes True Grit as both a Coens movie and a Western, the film’s overlapping notions of vengeance and justice, and how it utilizes two frequently abused elements — sincerity and voiceover narration — sparingly and effectively. Then in Feedback, we respond to a listener’s misgivings about accepting Disclosure Day’s premise at a time when conspiracy theories don’t feel as harmless as they once did. Please share your thoughts about True Grit, Supergirl, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to comments@nextpictureshow.net, or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730. This episode is presented by⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Regal Unlimited⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. Use code NEXTPIC26 for 15% off.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The new Supergirl isn’t an outright adaptation of the comic-book miniseries Woman of Tomorrow, but it retains enough of its shape that it evokes that comic’s own source of inspiration, True Grit. Either of the two film adaptations of Charles Portis’ 1968 Western novel about a young girl enlisting a reluctant, drunken hero to help her enact revenge would have provided plenty of connections to Supergirl, but we opted for Joel and Ethan Coen’s 2010 version starring Hailee Steinfeld and Jeff Bridges. So this week we’re discussing what distinguishes True Grit as both a Coens movie and a Western, the film’s overlapping notions of vengeance and justice, and how it utilizes two frequently abused elements — sincerity and voiceover narration — sparingly and effectively. Then in Feedback, we respond to a listener’s misgivings about accepting Disclosure Day’s premise at a time when conspiracy theories don’t feel as harmless as they once did. Please share your thoughts about True Grit, Supergirl, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to comments@nextpictureshow.net, or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730. This episode is presented by⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Regal Unlimited⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. Use code NEXTPIC26 for 15% off.Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/join/NextPictureShowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

O Brother, Where Art Thou? opened in five theaters on December 22, 2000, went on to make $71.9 million worldwide on a $26 million budget, and somehow got outdone by its own soundtrack — which sold over 8 million copies and beat out Bob Dylan and U2 for the Grammy for Album of the Year, only the third movie soundtrack ever to do it.Josh, Garrett, and David kick off Mythology Month with the Coens' loose, sun-bleached riff on the Odyssey. David's watched it since he was eleven and it's in his Letterboxd top four. Josh has loved it since childhood cassette-recording "Man of Constant Sorrow" off the radio. Garrett watched it for the first time this week — and tried to track the Homer parallels in real time, which he'll tell you was a mistake. They get into the Cyclops-with-an-eye-patch stuff, the Homer Stokes subplot and what it says about 1930s (and 2026) politics, and why George Clooney's pomade matters more than you'd think.Let us know what you think.

Whether we choose to admit it or not, we're driven by some level of faith that something lies beyond our current plane of existence. Some of us simply hope so, some profess not to care, others will go wholeheartedly into some form of religion. And the search for God--however you view that particular concept--is a compelling one, especially when you tell a story about someone whose faith is being tested. To that end the Coen Brothers have come up with A Serious Man, the first of two films we'll be looking at in this episode. The Coens are known for cribbing from other stories to create their own tales, and in this case the Coens have come up with a story that will give you echoes of the Biblical story of Job. It's not as direct a pull as their using Homer's Odyssey as the germ of O Brother, Where Art Thou? but you'll still recognize the broader pieces of the tale. In the second half of the episode we'll look at a less-linear story in The Tree of Life.

This week, we continue our series chatting about the best 25 films of the 21st century (so far). This week it's our 15th film and the first of two Coen entries on the list: 2007's No Country for Old Men. We chat about the ambiguities of the film, the way our view has changed over the years, as well as what style of Coens we like the best.Then, we chat about the last couple of weeks at the box office as Obsession and Backrooms dominate and Star Wars falls. We are putting this list together based on the rankings of our Patrons. You can check out the list, compile your own, and help influence the top 25 over at Doofmovies.com!Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/doofmediaFollow us on Twitter: @doofmediaSee all of our podcasts and more at doofmedia.com!

We close out our slate of Coens comedies with their 2008 spy thriller farce, Burn After Reading! And joining the crew as we unravel this sordid tale of idiot spycraft is none other than our friend and yours, Austin Walker!CHAPTERS:(00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 177: Burn After Reading (2008)(00:00:16) - Intro.(00:01:02) - Our guest this week is Austin Walker, and our movie is Burn After Reading!(00:05:36) - On the movie's overall tone, it's cynicism, and how it treats its characters.(00:21:14) - How this movie came into the world.(00:29:03) - Break!(00:29:24) - We're back, and it's time to handle the most important political issue of our time: HR violations at the CIA.(00:36:38) - Katie, and the Pfarrers.(00:44:52) - Osborne's explosive memoirs (and exploding marriage).(00:51:32) - Linda arrives, and she wants some work done.(01:00:49) - The discovery of top secret shit.(01:07:22) - The master plan begins.(01:15:56) - We gotta get these two crazy kids together.(01:18:34) - The drop, and the Russians become involved.(01:24:40) - No one ever expects the adult novelty chair, and the fall of Osborne Cox.(01:31:36) - Things escalate, to say the least.(01:36:07) - JK Simmons is here to say what we're all thinking.(01:41:16) - Everyone and everything becomes unwound.(01:57:55) - What did we learn?(02:03:58) - Final thoughts.(02:09:21) - Housekeeping for the remaining May movies.(02:13:01) - Outro.

The third film in our Coens Comedy Classics lineup is an all-time favorite of Alex's, and a genuine screwball hall-of-famer if you don't mind such bold proclamations. We are, of course, talking about Raising Arizona, a movie chock full of yuks that still has a genuine heart that cannot be denied.CHAPTERS:(00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 176: Raising Arizona (1987)(00:00:22) - Intro.(00:08:19) - Some initial impressions, and how Raising Arizona got made.(00:21:09) - On the subject of Randall "Tex" Cobb.(00:25:43) - A brief bit on Trey Wilson.(00:27:05) - On the movie's success and reception (and also a lengthy Siskel and Ebert bit).(00:33:11) - Break!(00:33:31) - We're back, and it's time for Hi and Ed's whirlwind romance.(00:43:32) - Taking your pick of the Arizona Quints.(00:52:42) - Our new nuclear family, and the Snoats brothers come calling.(01:01:47) - The demon biker first appears, and Nathan Jr. is discovered missing.(01:07:57) - The true horror of the nuclear family is revealed.(01:15:09) - One of the all-time great failed hold-ups in cinema.(01:18:04) - The bank robbery is pitched, and Junior's origins are discovered by unsavory types.(01:29:59) - Hi and Ed are nearly done, and the bank robbery pops off.(01:33:10) - All forces converge on Nathan Jr.(01:36:47) - Hi and Ed make things right, and a (potential) vision of the future.(01:44:05) - Final thoughts, and various other Cage musings.(01:53:42) - Our final Coens movie for this lineup: Burn After Reading!(01:55:47) - Outro.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of the Entertain This! Podcast, we review the 1996 Coen Brothers film Fargo, where snowy politeness occasionally masks rather unremarkable miscalculations, including one notably memorable woodchipper incident. We examine the film's competent blend of crime, dark humor, and Midwestern restraint, noting Frances McDormand's steady portrayal of Marge Gunderson alongside William H. Macy's depiction of hapless desperation.While the Coens' dialect-driven wit and visual irony lend a measure of amusement to this tale of ambition gone somewhat sideways, the narrative ultimately registers as solid yet unexceptional. Spoiler filled and measured in tone, tune in for our balanced assessment of why Fargo qualifies as a respectable, if not indispensable, example of independent filmmaking. New episodes are released on a regular schedule; subscribe today.Support the show

Hello, and welcome to another exciting episode of the Shame List Picture Show. In this episode, Michael is joined by the wonderful Austin Proctor, who is not only the editor of this fine podcast but also the host of the incredible horror-themed show Frightmares (also on the Someone's Favorite Productions Network).In this episode, we're crossing a film off both of our Shame Lists—The Coen Brothers' follow-up to Barton Fink, The Hudsucker Proxy.We discuss the Coens' films to date, the inspirations behind The Hudsucker Proxy, how the Coens balance tone, and their collaborations with Sam Raimi.Be sure to check out our Patreon at www.patreon.com/shamelistpictureshowIntro Bumper - 0:00 - 0:07 One Track Mind Ad - 0:07 - 1:10 Intro Music - 1:10 - 2:22 Preamble - 2:22 - 33:45 Movie Summary - 33:45 - 35:23 Trailer - 35:30 - 37:28 Hudsucker Proxy - 37:28 - 1:28:35 Social Media Plugs - 1:28:35 - 1:30:30 Outro Music - 1:30:30 - 1:31:31Edited by: Austin ProctorProduced by: Michael ViersTheme Music by: Austin ProctorOpening Narration by: Nick RichardsCredits Music by: Ten-SpeedLogo Design by: Amanda ViersFor more amazing shows like this, be sure to check out https://www.someonesfavoriteproductions.com/network

Today we're keeping it light, mostly with scenes of horrific violence, all of which evoke a paradoxical sensation, a strange weightlessness like you feel at the top of a rollercoaster. This is THE LIGHT TOUCH. Think Wade Gustafson's jacket expelling feathers in Fargo, or Moon's God-fearing monologue in True Grit. We conclude with a deep dive into the ending of Raising Arizona, which is perhaps the ultimate manifestation of a lightness that's unreliable yet unshakeable. We also discuss the multitude of Lump-like characters in the Coens ouvre, and follow up on our Point of View episode with some rad listener contributions from the Discord!Coens covered: Fargo, The Man Who Wasn't There, The Ladykillers, True Grit, Raising ArizonaPlus: Night of the HunterWant to join the study group? Follow us on social media, tell your friends about the show, and leave a rating/review on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. These all really help. And join the Discord too! **You can also support us directly at https://ko-fi.com/tothewhitesea**  For all things TTWS visit tothewhitesea.me

Happy 2026, Vintage Sand fans! Thank you for taking time away from looking for real estate opportunities in Greenland to join us for Episodes 65 and 66, our first of 2026. Herein, Team Vintage Sand returns one last time to the source of some of our most popular episodes: Danny Peary's hard-to-find 1993 classic "Alternate Oscars". In the past, we have used Peary's model to approach the Best Picture Academy Awards from every decade going back to the 1930's. Collect them all! For this episode, we wrap up this series with the most recent complete decade, the 2010's. First, a caveat: we began this podcast eight years ago, in the spring of 2018, which means that we have already discussed many of today's films in a number of different contexts already. We did our Best of the Teens in early 2020, and recently did our Top 10 of the Century so far, wherein many of the films we're talking about today are contained. Add in that we did episodes on the best of 2018 and 2019, respectively, in those years, and you get the sense that we have already covered this ground several times. But like all good film fans, we're completists, so we conclude this series of episodes with these two, which will focus on 2010 to 2014 and 2015 to 2019 respectively. Mercifully, perhaps, these episodes are shorter than most others we've done, simply because, as mentioned, this is terrain we have covered several times already. The teens were clearly a transitional time for film, especially in Hollywood. The foreign market came to dominate, as did the teen market, which led to a kind of lowest common denominator for American film in these years. Throw in the uncertainties created by the rise of streaming and the changes in where and how people watch film, and you have…well, it's still a little too early to tell what the 2010's will look like to film historians, if there are indeed any film historians left. That being said, it's clear that the decade featured some of the greatest films ever made, ones that will stand the test of time and will continue to be watched long into the future. In many ways, the Mexican New Wavers dominated the decade, winning half of the Best Director Oscars for the whole decade: Del Toro for "Shape of Water", Cuarón for "Gravity" and "Roma", and Iñárritu for "Birdman" and "The Revenant". And of course, the stunning triumph of "Parasite" ended a decade in film that many were ready to write off (and got rid of the bad taste left behind by "Green Book" the previous year). It was also a decade that saw the arrival of some wildly innovative and talented filmmakers, among them Chloe Zhao, Ryan Coogler, Ava Duvernay, Jordan Peele, Greta Gerwig, Steve McQueen, and Damien Chazelle, plus amazing directors who transcended often marginalized genres like Ari Aster, Alex Garland, Robert Eggers and Denis Villeneuve. We also saw some great works from directors who came of age in the 90's and early 00's like David Fincher, the Coens, Spike Lee, Christopher Nolan, Todd Haynes and the Andersons, both Wes and PTA divisions. And for the icing on the cake, we got some brilliant work from the old guard Hollywood New Wavers like Martin Scorsese (who just seemed to pick up steam as the decade went on), Steven Spielberg, (at least with "Lincoln"), Terrence Malick and, most surprisingly, Paul Schrader. So make yourselves comfortable, have yourselves one of those lovely pastries from Mendl's, and join us for our final foray into the world of Best Picture Alternate Oscars!

It's Fargo week on the Watchcast, and Alex is just gosh darned excited as all get out to talk about his favorite Coens classic. Join us as he takes Brad and Vinny through the frozen wasteland of the Northern Midwest to discuss the supposedly (but not actually) "true events" of the film, the darkness that runs under the surface of Minnesota Nice, and the spectacular array of accents on display.CHAPTERS:(00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 169: Fargo (1996)(00:00:15) - Intro.(00:01:18) - What the boys knew about Fargo going in, and how Alex first saw it.(00:10:03) - Some broader Coens talk.(00:17:20) - Cast chat.(00:30:18) - Launching down a snowy highway into the movie proper.(00:46:52) - Wade and Jerry are not exactly aligned.(00:51:07) - Break!(00:51:27) - We're back, and it's time for a kidnapping.(01:06:37) - The plan is in motion, but it's about to hit its first homicidal snag.(01:11:48) - Marge is on the case.(01:19:24) - This is Jerry's deal.(01:25:32) - Marge meets some ladies.(01:27:00) - The Yanagita Affair, and a few other assorted scenes.(01:32:22) - Jerry's getting cut out of his own kidnapping, and Carl endures many indignities.(01:44:11) - The drop goes bad.(01:50:47) - Here are some guys talking, and Carl buries the money.(01:59:32) - Jerry flees the interview, Jean is dispatched, and Carl gets Gaear'd.(02:09:33) - Chipper Cop Finds Man in Wood Chipper.(02:15:46) - Jerry's undignified end, and one last moment with Marge and Norm.(02:23:27) - Final thoughts.(02:27:31) - Housekeeping for our final film of the month: Sexy Beast!(02:30:12) - Outro.

Send a textThere is only one Coen brothers, but... well, there are two of them.  But sometimes there's a man...a men...hell, I done lost my train of thought.  This episode is about people who aren't Coens trying to make Coen movies.

Happy 2026, Vintage Sand fans! Thank you for taking time away from looking for real estate opportunities in Greenland to join us for Episodes 65 and 66, our first of 2026. Herein, Team Vintage Sand returns one last time to the source of some of our most popular episodes: Danny Peary's hard-to-find 1993 classic "Alternate Oscars". In the past, we have used Peary's model to approach the Best Picture Academy Awards from every decade going back to the 1930's. Collect them all! For this episode, we wrap up this series with the most recent complete decade, the 2010's. First, a caveat: we began this podcast eight years ago, in the spring of 2018, which means that we have already discussed many of today's films in a number of different contexts already. We did our Best of the Teens in early 2020, and recently did our Top 10 of the Century so far, wherein many of the films we're talking about today are contained. Add in that we did episodes on the best of 2018 and 2019, respectively, in those years, and you get the sense that we have already covered this ground several times. But like all good film fans, we're completists, so we conclude this series of episodes with these two, which will focus on 2010 to 2014 and 2015 to 2019 respectively. Mercifully, perhaps, these episodes are shorter than most others we've done, simply because, as mentioned, this is terrain we have already covered several times. The teens were clearly a transitional time for film, especially in Hollywood. The foreign market came to dominate, as did the teen market, which led to a kind of lowest common denominator for American film in these years. Throw in the uncertainties created by the rise of streaming and the changes in where and how people watch film, and you have…well, it's still a little too early to tell what the 2010's will look like to film historians, if there are indeed any film historians left. That being said, it's clear that the decade featured some of the greatest films ever made, ones that will stand the test of time and will continue to be watched long into the future. In many ways, the Mexican New Wavers dominated the decade, winning half of the Best Director Oscars for the whole decade: Del Toro for "Shape of Water", Cuarón for "Gravity" and "Roma", and Iñárritu for "Birdman" and "The Revenant". And of course, the stunning triumph of "Parasite" ended a decade in film that many were ready to write off (and got rid of the bad taste left behind by "Green Book" the previous year). It was also a decade that saw the arrival of some wildly innovative and talented filmmakers, among them Chloe Zhao, Ryan Coogler, Ava Duvernay, Jordan Peele, Greta Gerwig, Steve McQueen, and Damien Chazelle, plus amazing directors who transcended often marginalized genres like Ari Aster, Alex Garland, Robert Eggers and Denis Villeneuve. We also saw some great works from directors who came of age in the 90's and early 00's like David Fincher, the Coens, Spike Lee, Christopher Nolan, Todd Haynes and the Andersons, both Wes and PTA divisions. And for the icing on the cake, we got some brilliant work from the old guard Hollywood New Wavers like Martin Scorsese (who just seemed to pick up steam as the decade went on), Steven Spielberg, (at least with" Lincoln"), Terrence Malick and, most surprisingly, Paul Schrader. So make yourselves comfortable, have yourselves one of those lovely pastries from Mendl's, and join us for our final foray into the world of Best Picture Alternate Oscars!

You are about to listen to a mega episode. Charged up and sans guest, we dive deep into a core facet of moviemaking and film-viewing: point of view—the power of films to invisibly place you behind the eyes, and inside the mind, of a specific character. Jumping off from two dynamite script pages, and pulling crucial info from our film studies education, we explore how subjectivity is essentially inescapable as soon as a camera angle is chosen. We also turn our attention to what “objectivity” could possibly mean in a cinematic context, what happens when multiple POV characters collide, and whether we may have found the most perfect pair of socks for a cold weather film set.Coens covered: Barton Fink, Touileries (from Paris, je t'aime), Fargo, A Serious Man, True Grit, Inside Llewyn Davis, Hail, Caesar!, The Gal Who Got Rattled (from Buster Scruggs)Plus: Frankenstein (2025), AmélieWant to join the study group? Follow us on social media, tell your friends about the show, and leave a rating/review on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. These all really help. And join the Discord too!**You can also support us directly at https://ko-fi.com/tothewhitesea**For all things TTWS visit tothewhitesea.me

Send us a text In this episode, Marty gives Clif the movie The Hudsucker Proxy to watch and Clif gives Marty the movie Sunset Boulevard to watch. In this New Year's special, Marty and Clif take on two classics where time, success, and self-delusion collide: The Hudsucker Proxy (1994) and Sunset Boulevard (1950).First up is the Coen Brothers' fast-talking corporate fairy tale The Hudsucker Proxy. Marty and Clif dive deep into the film's cartoon logic, rapid-fire dialogue, exaggerated performances, and elaborate set pieces. Along the way, they unpack the film's connections to Sam Raimi, Roger Deakins, Preston Sturges, Buster Keaton, and the Coens' evolving style.Then it's time for a much darker New Year's turn with Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard. Marty and Clif discuss Gloria Swanson's iconic performance as Norma Desmond, William Holden's doomed narrator, and the film's lasting influence on decades of cinema. #TalkingPondo #FilmPodcast #MoviePodcast #ClassicFilms #FilmAnalysis #TheHudsuckerProxy #SunsetBoulevard #CoenBrothers #BillyWilder #NewYearsMovies #FilmNoir #ClassicHollywoodSupport the showFind our films here: The Love Song of William H Shaw Revenge of Zoe Writing Fren-ZeeMaking Pondo on Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087139659233X (formerly Twitter):@MakingPondoInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/makingpondo/Making Pondo on Letterboxd:Season Onehttps://letterboxd.com/marty_ketola/list/talking-pondo/Season Twohttps://letterboxd.com/marty_ketola/list/talking-pondo-season-2/Season Threehttps://letterboxd.com/marty_ketola/list/talking-pondo-season-3/ Theme Song "The Rain" by Russ PacePhotos by Geoffrey Notkin

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good commentary! That's right—to celebrate the holiday season and ring in the new year we're watching Terry Zwigoff's 2003 holiday classic Bad Santa. We're joined by our dear friends Jason Adam Katzenstein, New Yorker cartoonist and co-author with Roz Chast of the forthcoming graphic novel The Two Saddest Kitchens, and Michael Tyburski, director of Palimpsest, The Sound of Silence, and Turn Me On. Together we discuss Bad Santa as a seasonally perfect encapsulation of the lows of Christmastime in America, and the Coens' role in the film's development from initial idea to the various edits of the film that have been released over the years. (Note: we're watching the unrated version, aka Badder Santer.) We also open advent calendars and talk the malls of our youth. Please enjoy this cozy episode and have a wonderful holiday. Sending immense gratitude to everyone out there who has joined us on this journey “to the white sea.” We'll see you again in 2026! Want to join the study group? Follow us on social media, tell your friends about the show, and leave a rating/review on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. These all really help. And join the Discord too! **You can also support us directly at https://ko-fi.com/tothewhitesea** For all things TTWS visit tothewhitesea.me

We welcome Filmmaker JOHN SUITS to discuss the Coen Brothers' 2010 western adaptation, TRUE GRIT, in our bonus feature presentation this week! We chat about Matt Damon, the unconventional approach from the Coens, Jeff Bridges bringing it, and much more! We also discuss our guest John's own personal journey into independent film, his relationship with Montel Helman, his upcoming film "The Isolate Thief", and more!  Join our Patreon ($2.99/month) here linktr.ee/brokenvcr to watch the episodes LIVE in video form day/weeks early. Find us on Instagram @thebrokenvcr and follow us on LetterBoxd! Become a regular here at THE BROKEN VCR!

In this single-player episode of Challenge Accepted, Frank bundles up with the winter classic Fargo and breaks down why this 1996 Coen Brothers film still hits so hard. From Jerry's desperate spiral and Gaear's cold brutality to Marge Gunderson's calm, quietly heroic presence, Frank walks through the story, performances, music, and snow-covered Midwest setting that make the movie timeless. He also talks about how the Fargo TV series connects back to the film, why the woodchipper scene has become legend, and how the Coens turn empty white fields into one of the most effective "characters" in the movie. To wrap it up, Frank previews what is coming next for Challenge Accepted, including Thomas' return and their favourite hits from 2025 and what they are excited for in 2026. Timestamps & Topics 00:00 – Winter vibes and Fargo comfort viewing Frank sets the scene with Northern California fog, winter chill, and why Fargo is his go-to snowy murder mystery comfort movie. 01:00 – First time watching Fargo and pacing expectations Memories of seeing the movie young, how it felt like "just a murder show," and why the slow, deliberate pacing is part of the Coen Brothers' magic. 02:30 – Film basics and the Fargo TV series connection Release year, director credits, and how the Fargo anthology series riffs on and literally connects back to the film's events and missing money. 03:30 – Cast breakdown and three parallel storylines William H. Macy as Jerry, Frances McDormand as Marge, Steve Buscemi as Carl, Peter Stormare as Gaear, and how the film tracks three intertwining plotlines. 05:00 – Snow, accent, and music as atmosphere Why the frozen Midwest, heavy accents, and sparse score make the world feel harsh, lonely, and weirdly cozy at the same time. 06:45 – Jerry, Carl, and Gaear: three very different disasters Deep dive on Jerry's "it is in the mail" life, Carl as the talky hustler, and Gaear as a true psychopath who treats killing like flipping a switch. 12:00 – The kidnapping, first murders, and tension spike Gene's abduction, the traffic stop gone wrong, and how Jerry's shady car deals accidentally trigger a chain of violence on a lonely snowy road. 15:30 – Enter Marge Gunderson: paladin of Brainerd At 33 minutes in, Marge arrives, pregnant and no-nonsense, bringing warmth, competence, and quiet brilliance to the investigation. 18:00 – Marge's detective work and local culture The iconic interviews, the accents, Norm's duck painting, and how Marge investigates with humility, humor, and calm logic instead of macho posturing. 20:30 – Cabin tension and criminals on borrowed time Carl and Gaear stuck together with Gene at the cabin, rubbing each other the wrong way as they wait on Jerry's increasingly doomed plan. 22:30 – The parking garage drop and everything falling apart Wade steps in, the snowy rooftop showdown, shots fired, and the money suddenly spinning out of everyone's control. 25:00 – Buried money and series tie-in Carl finds out the ransom is much bigger than expected, buries most of it in the snow, and inadvertently sets up a major event for the Fargo series. 27:30 – The woodchipper and Marge's big break Marge follows the trail of the tan Sierra, stumbles on the cabin, and discovers one of cinema's most infamous images: Gaear and the woodchipper. 30:00 – "All for a little bit of money" – theme and meaning Frank unpacks Marge's final drive with Gaear, the idea of wasting lives for cash, and why her simple, content life feels like the real victory. 34:00 – Craft, cinematography, and character realism How the Coens use wide snowy shots and tight close-ups, the way performances feel lived-in, and why Jerry might be the most "real" character. 38:00 – Who should watch Fargo and rewatch value Why Fargo is perfect for people who love character-driven films and details, and maybe not ideal for pure popcorn-action fans. 39:30 – What is next for Challenge Accepted Frank teases one more solo movie, Thomas' return, their favorite movies of 2025, and what they are excited for in 2026. Key Takeaways Fargo is less about big action and more about slow-building tension, character choices, and how small lies spiral into chaos. Jerry Lundegaard is a painfully relatable kind of failure, constantly juggling bills, cutting corners, and convincing himself one more scheme will fix everything. Carl and Gaear represent two sides of criminal energy: the chatty hustler and the emotionless killer, both stuck inside a plan they can no longer control. Marge Gunderson is the moral center of the film, solving the case with patience, kindness, and competence while staying grounded in her everyday life. The snowy Midwest is practically a character: empty fields, heavy accents, and minimal music create a feeling of isolation and inevitability. The film's structure shows three storylines colliding in unexpected ways, where throwaway details from Jerry's life cause deadly problems for everyone else. Fargo holds up because it feels timeless and specific at the same time, with characters who seem like they existed before the movie and will keep existing afterward. This episode also sets up what is coming next for Challenge Accepted, including Thomas' return and a look ahead at the standout movies of 2025 and the hype building for 2026. Memorable Quotes "Jerry is living the 'it is in the mail' life right now." "He is just one more scheme away from fixing everything… at least in his own head." "Marge is a paladin among warriors. While Jerry juggles, she is stacking dominoes." "So few movies do so much with so little. Just snow, empty fields, and one guy in a red jacket can hit harder than a city full of explosions." "He is not too evil and not too perfect. He is just shitty enough to be human." Call to Action If you enjoyed this breakdown of Fargo, make sure to follow the show so you never miss an episode. Leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite app and tell us what movie you want us to tackle next. Share this episode with a friend who loves the Coen Brothers and post your thoughts using #ChallengeAcceptedPod. Links & Resources GeekFreaksPodcast.com – Home base for the Geek Freaks Network and the source of all the news we talk about across our shows. Fargo (1996) and the Fargo TV series are mentioned as viewing recommendations in this episode. Follow Us Stay connected with Challenge Accepted across social media: Instagram: @ChallengeAcceptedLive TikTok: @ChallengeAcceptedLive Twitter / X: @CAPodcastLive For network-wide updates and geek culture news, you can also follow Geek Freaks across socials. Listener Questions We want to hear from you: What is your favorite Coen Brothers movie and why? Does Fargo work for you as a comfort film, or is it too dark? Which winter movie should Challenge Accepted cover next? Send your questions, challenges, or episode ideas to challengeacceptedgfx@gmail.com or message us on social at @ChallengeAcceptedLive. Your question might show up in a future episode. Apple Podcasts Tags movie review, Fargo, Coen Brothers, Frances McDormand, William H Macy, crime thriller, dark comedy, film analysis, Challenge Accepted podcast, Geek Freaks Network, winter movies, classic films

Joe finds the charming 2000 Coens depression sort-of-musical flick ‘boring'; Adam loves that snappy dialogue… but never mind all that we're doing our first live Discord chat in two weeks! Tuesday 23 December, 9pm UK time, we'll chat, you can ask questions. It'll be fun. Pop it in your diary. https://discord.gg/6UnngEztUs They also chat about inevitability and having your time all over again - would you? Plus Clooney too (of course!), and John Turturro. And bad boils/boyles. And/or/also send us an email at moviesyouforgotyouforgot@gmail.com with your thoughts, episode suggestions, or just some light praise. You can also follow Adam @errorofways on Letterboxd; he rates and reviews the films he watches.  Also, be a pal: tell your chums, rate us, review us, shout our name into the void - whatever helps spread the word.

Honey Don't? Honey probably shouldn't have. But that's okay, because Honey, we're gonna talk about it anyway! Writer and illustrator Mattie Lubchansky joins us to close out our Coens series with Ethan and Tricia's latest offering from earlier this year. How do we feel about Margaret Qualley and Aubrey Plaza as performers? How do we feel about Chris Evans' “year of trying stuff”? How do we feel about the threatened third film in this Lesbian B-Movie trilogy, “Go Beavers!”? Well, honey, you'll just have to listen to find out. Plus - stay tuned after this episode to hear our introduction to The Hudsucker Proxy from our screening at Friend of the Fest at the American Cinematheque! ⁠Read Mattie's books⁠ ⁠Check out Mattie's Wife Jaya's writing⁠ ⁠Check out Slow Xmas 5 Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this extra special live event To the White Sea makes study group history as we explore deep secrets, hidden connections, and cinematic revelation in the work of the Coen brothers. In our quest for the truth we're joined onstage by Connoisseur of Context Griffin Newman, longtime Coens collaborator Skip Lievsay, and script supervisor of The Ladykillers Joni Tefoya (Heidi Gardner). Legendary storyboard artist J. Todd Anderson also joins us via video essay for an incredible look at shots that recur across the Coens' filmography. Thank you LIFE WORLD and everyone for coming out! Producer: Michael Tyburski Graphic Designer and Live Visuals: Jason Katzenstein Audio Technician: Alex Bliss Audio Equipment: Caley Monahon-Ward Life World Staff: Sarah Wilson, Ian Faria Catalog of Coens - Video Link

In this solo Thanksgiving episode of Challenge Accepted, Frank breaks down The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, the Coen Brothers' Netflix Western anthology that has quietly become one of his holiday staples. Story by story, he digs into how each vignette wrestles with death, chance, and human nature, from Tim Blake Nelson's singing gunslinger to Tom Waits' stubborn prospector and that iconic "First time?" hanging meme. Along the way, Frank talks about why the film feels so cozy despite its bleak themes, how the Coens use digital cinematography to shape tone, and what these stories say about nihilism, love, and our place in nature. He also shares a life update about Thomas, explains why Bob's Burgers Thanksgiving episodes are next on the docket, and invites listeners into a holiday mood filled with gratitude, movies, and a little existential dread. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs - … Timestamps And Topics 00:00 – Thanksgiving vibes and a Western anthology about death Setting the stage for a cozy Thanksgiving viewing tradition with The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, its Old West setting, and its obsession with mortality. 00:30 – Solo episode, schedule shuffle, and Thomas' big life update Why this is a solo show, Jonathan stepping in for a bit, and celebrating the arrival of "little Thomas" as a new geek in the world. 01:48 – Story 1: Buster Scruggs and our love of violent antiheroes Tim Blake Nelson's singing cowboy, the bright musical tone hiding casual brutality, and how the film forces us to realize we have been rooting for a monster. 03:49 – Myth-making, digital cameras, and the Coens revisiting a 20-year-old story How the segment plays like a live action cartoon, the use of bright digital cinematography, and what it means to film a story they wrote when they were young and fearless. 07:17 – Story 2: Near Algodones and the "First time?" meme James Franco's unlucky outlaw, Stephen Root in full chaos mode, armored pots and pans, botched hangings, and how that viral "First time?" moment taps into nihilism. 12:11 – Chaos, chance, and the pretty girl in the blue dress Reading the ending as both "enjoy the moment" and "life has no grand design," where you might meet someone perfect at the exact moment you cannot do anything about it. 13:24 – Story 3: Meal Ticket and brutal exploitation Harry Melling's limbless orator, Liam Neeson as a cold manager, freak show roots, the math-doing chicken, and the quiet horror of being treated as a "meal ticket." 17:57 – The cliff, the stone, and the unseen choice Why the rock in the river says everything without dialogue, and how the story captures helplessness when your fate is decided by someone else's bottom line. 19:24 – Story 4: All Gold Canyon, Tom Waits, and living with nature Tom Waits' prospector, "Mother Mercury," working with the land instead of stripping it, Mr. Pocket, and a rare Coen story where the character actually survives. 21:35 – Eggs, owls, and taking only what you need Reading the owl nest scene as a lesson in balance: taking one egg instead of all, and how the valley reclaims itself when humanity eventually moves on. 26:10 – Story 5: The Girl Who Got Rattled and the unfairness of the frontier Alice's journey on the wagon train, dependence on men in the Old West, Billy Knapp's gentle cowboy charm, Mr. Arthur's grit, and a fragile romance on the trail. 29:15 – President Pierce, the war party, and a tragic misread The dog as foreshadowing, the tense ambush, Arthur's desperate instructions, and Alice following her assignment a moment too soon. 32:33 – Story 6: The Mortal Remains and a stagecoach to the afterlife Five strangers in a stagecoach, bounty hunters as philosophical guides, competing views of humanity, and the slow realization that everyone on board is already dead. 35:05 – Looking into their eyes as they "try to make sense of it" The slider's chilling explanation of his job and how it mirrors us watching story after story, trying to understand death and never quite managing it. 37:42 – Why Buster Scruggs might be the ultimate Coen Brothers sampler Connections to Raising Arizona, Fargo, and Hudsucker Proxy, experimenting with digital, and why Frank considers this film a masterclass in filmmaking. 38:57 – Bob's Burgers Thanksgiving tournament and holiday plans Kicking off the Bob's Burgers Thanksgiving episode bracket on social media and inviting listeners to vote and share their favorites. 39:37 – Challenge Accepted contact info and gratitude for listeners How to email the show, where to find Challenge Accepted online, and a heartfelt thank you to everyone spending their Thanksgiving season with the podcast. Key Takeaways The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is a surprisingly cozy Thanksgiving watch that pairs warm, nostalgic vibes with stark meditations on death and human nature. The opening Buster Scruggs segment lures you in with music and comedy, then forces you to confront how easily we celebrate violent "heroes" until the cost is made personal. Near Algodones turns a simple bank robbery into a darkly funny loop of bad luck and hanging attempts, with the "First time?" moment becoming a perfect meme for quiet resignation. Meal Ticket is one of the bleakest Coen stories, laying bare how talent and passion can be discarded the second a more profitable novelty appears. All Gold Canyon offers a rare bit of hope, showing a prospector who survives and a valley that proves nature will outlast any one human. The Girl Who Got Rattled underlines how dangerous and unfair the frontier was for women, building a gentle love story only to let chaos tear it apart. The Mortal Remains recontextualizes the entire film, framing the bounty hunters as observers of human confusion about death and the afterlife, much like the audience. Altogether, the anthology works as a meditation on luck, mortality, and acceptance, urging us to live, observe, and appreciate moments even when the ending is inevitable. Memorable Quotes "We are rooting for him as well. He tortures this man before finally killing him, but again, we are rooting for him. Then the Man in Black arrives." "You meet the girl that likes you back when there is nothing you can do about it, and life is that way. It is chaotic and it is fruitless sometimes." "No matter how hard you try, sometimes life will just give you nothing, and an outside source may make that decision for you." "We take what we need, not necessarily what we want, and nature can continue growing as those birds will now hatch." "You just got to roll those dice. You just got to play the cards you get and move forward." Call To Action If you enjoyed this deep dive into The Ballad of Buster Scruggs and how it fits into your Thanksgiving movie rotation, make sure you follow Challenge Accepted on your favorite podcast app. Subscribe so you never miss an episode, leave us a rating and review to help more movie fans find the show, and share this episode with a friend who loves the Coen Brothers. When you post about the episode, tag us and use #ChallengeAcceptedPod so we can see your thoughts and segment rankings. Links And Resources Visit GeekFreaksPodcast.com for all the geek news we talk about across the Geek Freaks network and to stay up to date on our latest episodes and projects. Stream The Ballad of Buster Scruggs on Netflix to follow along with the stories discussed in this episode. Follow Us Stay connected with Challenge Accepted: Instagram: @challengeacceptedlive TikTok: @challengeacceptedlive Twitter: @CAPodcastLive For more shows and news from the network, visit GeekFreaksPodcast.com and follow Geek Freaks on social media. Listener Questions We would love to hear from you. Send us your questions, challenges, and movie picks: Which Ballad of Buster Scruggs segment hit you the hardest and why Your go to Thanksgiving movies or episodes Coen Brothers films you want us to cover next Challenge Accepted, Geek Freaks Podcast, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, Coen Brothers, Netflix Western anthology, Thanksgiving movies, Movie review podcast, Film analysis, Tim Blake Nelson, James Franco, Liam Neeson, Tom Waits, Anthology movies, Geek culture podcast, Challenge Accepted Live

Six segments. Four legendary movie podcasters. Three and a half hours of keeping David Sims away from his family. Welcome to our Ballad of Buster Scruggs episode! How Did This Get Made's Paul Scheer and Jason Mantzoukas join the Two Friends to talk about the Coens' final film together (as of this recording), a grab bag of western vignettes that could have been titled “A Million Ways to Die in the West” if Seth MacFarlane hadn't already claimed it. We're picking our favorite segments, chatting about the “wild west” of Netflix projects back when Scruggs was greenlit, and ranking the Coens' filmography before we cover their solo directorial efforts. Oh, and Jason has a few bones to pick with Griffin and David about a certain section of the True Grit episode. Listen to How Did This Get Made - Grizzly II: Revenge w/ Jake Johnson Listen to the Coens on Fresh Air Check out the Parker Novels Check out the Darwyn Cook Parker novels graphic novel adaptation Listen to Telly Savalas' Album Listen to Tim Blake Nelson on WTF Read Joshua Pease piece on Buster Scruggs Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To celebrate our 200th podcast, we take a look at some of the less screened and spoken about movie masterpieces that give us "that feel". Movies like Chaplin's The Gold Rush, Renoir's Boudu Saved From Drowning, Forman's The Fireman's Ball, the Coens' Barton Fink, Wim Wenders' Wings of Desire among many others are what Secret Movie Club founder.programmer Craig Hammill calls "lightning bottle movie masterpieces". Movies that give you "that feel" of electric, exciting "I want to do this" moviemaking. We discuss 15 movies in all, including asserting that Citizen Kane, as discussed as it is, is taken for granted and underrated now. Our hope here is that you'll go check out or re-watch a few of these movies and seek out cinema that gives you "that feel" to make amazing movies. 

Chris Paul and Burning Bright dive into the 1994 Coen Brothers classic The Hudsucker Proxy, unraveling its sharp social satire and timeless allegory about capitalism, corruption, and the illusion of the American Dream. Through their lens, the film's absurd humor and stylized storytelling become a mirror for today's technocratic age, where media manipulation, corporate puppetry, and spiritual bankruptcy echo louder than ever. The hosts dissect its themes of divine timing, moral awakening, and circular invention, connecting Norville Barnes' rise and fall to the cyclical nature of societal “turnings.” With witty banter and philosophical depth, they explore how The Hudsucker Proxy—part comedy, part cautionary tale, captures the eternal battle between ego and purpose, power and providence. Equal parts film analysis, cultural critique, and metaphysical reflection, this Story Hour reminds listeners why the Coens' satire may be one of the most prophetic films of our era.

Boo! In this special episode we announce our live show COENS SECRETS UNLOCKED and unveil our new miniseries exploring the stage play work of the Coens. We kick off COENS THEATER VOL. I with the radio play SAWBONES, which debuted in April 2005 as part of Carter Burwell's Theater of the New Ear. Sawbones is a thrilling and bewildering triptych, simultaneously a 60s western TV show, a suburban melodrama, and a fire tower natural disaster thriller. Join us as we unpack a lost work of the Coens and Burwell at their most symphonic and triple-braided. And we'll see you all soon at LIFE WORLD! COENS SECRETS UNLOCKED - Get Your Tickets Now! Coens Covered: Sawbones, The Big Lebowski, Blood Simple Plus: K-CoreaINC.K (section a) (Dir: Ryan Trecartin) Theater of the New Ear - April 2005 performance at St. Ann's Warehouse, broadcast later on SiriusXM. Theater of the New Ear on CarterBurwell.com Want to join the study group? Follow us on social media, tell your friends about the show, and leave a rating/review on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. These all really help the show. And join the Discord too! **You can also support us directly at https://ko-fi.com/tothewhitesea** For all things TTWS visit tothewhitesea.me

Scorsese and De Niro. Ford and Wayne. Hitchcock and Stewart. Peele and Kaluuya. The Coens and McDormand. Over the years, some directors and actors have become eternally linked thanks to their frequent and productive collaboration. The new duo to add to that immortal list is Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone. Their new film, Bugonia, arrives in theaters this weekend, and the pair is once again stirring up a lot of Oscar buzz. Will Emma Stone win her 3rd lead actress Oscar, which would be her 2nd win from a Lanthimos collaboration? Are there other Oscar-worthy acting performances in Bugonia? Will this be Yorgos' most polarizing film ever? We discuss all those questions and more in our spoiler-free Bugonia review.   Show Open [00:00] Review Round 1 [06:12] Review Round 2 [12:41] Review Round 3 [19:15] Last Looks [25:55] Show Close [30:08]   Thanks for listening!   Please rate, review, and subscribe if you liked this episode!   For all things Popcorn for Breakfast: https://linktr.ee/popcornforbreakfast   Chat with us on Discord: https://discord.gg/7wGQ4AARWn Follow us on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/popcornforbreakfast Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeVJZwPMrr3_2p171MCP1RQ Follow us on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4HhMxftbuf1oPn10DxPLib?si=2l8dmt0nTcyE7eOwtHrjlw&nd=1 Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/popcorn4breakfast Follow us on Twitter: @pfb_podcast Follow us on Instagram: @pfb_podcast Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@popcornforbreakfast? popcorn4breakfast.com Email us: contact@popcorn4breakfast.com   Our original music is by Rhetoric, check them out on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/44JvjuUomvPdSqZRxxz2Tk?si=hcYoSMLUQ0iPctllftAg2g&nd=1

We love to pull the cork. Comedian (and probably the biggest Greek-American entertainer of our time) Stavros Halkias joins us to chat about 2010's True Grit, the Coens' true attempt to cash their post-Oscar blank check. We're talking about Hailee Steinfeld's incredible performance. We're talking about Jeff Bridges' distinctive mumbly delivery. We're talking about how this film is a considerable upgrade over the John Wayne original in possibly every way. We're also talking about how everyone probably smells awful in this movie. And we're talking a lot about the Morris Chestnut network TV show “Watson” for some reason. Join us by the campfire, it's a fun time! Check out Bugonia Read David's Interview with Yorgos Check out the profile of the owner of Panathinaikos B.C. Check out Charles Portis' other books Watch Booboo Kills Yogi" ending See Stavvy Live Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Phil and Emily wrap up their Oscar-winning Best Director follow-ups mini series with Joel and Ethan Coen's Burn After Reading. They're joined by Brooke Solomon and Jordan Gustafson, from the podcast The Queer Quadrant, to dig into this razor-sharp dark comedy that skewers espionage, bureaucracy, and human foolishness in equal measure.From the Coens' tonal whiplash to the film's biting satire of post-9/11 paranoia, the conversation unpacks the brilliance of a story where no one really knows what they're doing but the chaos still matters. Along the way, they revisit the stacked ensemble of Clooney, Pitt, McDormand, and Malkovich, while situating the film within the Coens' endlessly inventive career.If you enjoy this episode and want more exclusive deep dives, bonus content, and special mini series, join our Patreon at patreon.com/PodcastLikeIts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Two Friendos, plus “Masterpiece” Leslye Headland and “I would have had no problems handling that bag of money” Ben Hosley take on one of the most acclaimed films of the 21st century in this week's episode. It's No Country For Old Men week on Blank Check! We're chatting about Anton Chigurh's strange physicality, Tommy Lee Jones' tired resignation, and Josh Brolin's career breakthrough in this episode, all while lavishing praise on the Coens' practically perfect film. Now tell us - what's the most that you've ever lost on a coin toss? Check out the SNL Jumanji Sketch Read Cormac McCarthy's Books Check out the Brooklyn Kolache Company Check out Every Frame a Painting Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We must have waffles forthwith! We must also have Connor Ratliff on the pod to talk about Tom Hanks for the first time since the completion of his Dead Eyes series! Join us for a spirited discussion about 2004's The Ladykillers, a film that is universally regarded as the Coens' worst, and is also the film that ended Hanks' legendary decade-long boffo box office streak. We're getting into defining the parameters of the world of “Weird Hanks.” We're getting into the…uh…uncomfortable racial depictions that mar this movie. We're getting to the “Root of the Matter,” and we're getting Connor to softlaunch an incredible new term - “Mooseporting.” Listen to Dead Eyes Listen to the Audiobook for The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece Watch the second David S. Pumpkins Listen to Connor talk to Bobby Moynihan about David S. Pumpkins Read the David S. Pumpkins Oral History Check out Does the Dog Die Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SEASON 2 - EPISODE 157 - Garret Dillahunt - Actor In this episode of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with actor Garret Dillahunt (NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES, DEADWOOD). We worked with Garret on NO COUNTRY and JESSE JAMES, and we had a wonderful time catching up with him. Garret shares how he made his way from rural Washington to the graduate program for acting at NYU, and we learn why he made the leap from theatre to film and television. While trading stories from NO COUNTRY, Garret shares a humorous episode involving himself, actor Tommy Lee Jones, the Coen brothers, and a bowl of wrapped candies, and we marvel at the Coens' ability to nudge actors into shooting their storyboards. In the latter half of our conversation, Garret recalls his experiences shooting the television series DEADWOOD, and we learn how those experiences set the tone for the rest of his career. Garret also reveals how showrunner David Milch wrote the show as they shot it, and we discuss the different strategies and approaches to coverage. Plus, we discuss dealing with imposter syndrome, and Garret reflects on the actor-in-a-supporting-role's tricky task of trying to find the vibe on a set at 2AM. - Recommended Viewing: NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES, DEADWOOD - This episode is sponsored by Aputure & Barco

It's the episode you've all been waiting for - Seth Rogen joins us to talk about the Coens' 1998 stoner classic The Big Lebowski. It should come as no surprise that Lebowski has loomed large over Seth's work as a writer and director, and we're going in depth on the influence and lasting impact of The Dude. Make yourself a White Russian (but maybe take a Lactaid first), turn off The Eagles, and settle in for a hilarious three hours of film analysis and Hollywood anecdotes. Oh, and if you were wondering - in this episode, someone is made to answer for his crimes against Sammy Fabelman. Finally. Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

LOOK OUT! It’s only Films To Be Buried With! Join your host Brett Goldstein as he talks life, death, love and the universe with the fabulous actor and writer CHARLIE DAY! If you're even feintly versed in the world of 'It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia', you'll be very well acquainted with the work of Charlie. But in the event that you are not, you must trust that this episode will delight you and fill you with joy, as Charlie is a wonderful time indeed. He and Brett connect straight off, and among other things you'll get to hear about the hearty recommendation that comes directly from Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso himself), being an SNL host, working with his heroes by way of the Coens, and the occasional situation where he finds himself forgetting to act. We've all been there. ENJOY - it's a lovely one! Video and extra audio available on Brett's Patreon! IMDB HONEY DON'T ALWAYS SUNNY –––––––––– BRETT • X BRETT • INSTAGRAM THE SECOND BEST NIGHT OF YOUR LIFE TED LASSO SHRINKING ALL OF YOU SOULMATES SUPERBOB (Brett's 2015 feature film)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the Coen Brothers comes the early millennium hit, "O Brother, Where Art Thou". Both avid fans and casual watchers of the Coens' work will find plenty to enjoy in this satirical comedy starring George Clooney, Tim Blake Nelson, and John Turturro. What did Jim and A.Ron think? And can you believe this is the first time Jim has seen this movie?! Hey there!  Check out https://support.baldmove.com/ to find out how you can gain access to ALL of our premium content, as well as ad-free versions of the podcasts! Join the Club! Join the discussion:  Email | Discord | Reddit | Forums Follow us: Twitch | YouTube | Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Facebook Leave Us A Review on Apple Podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did we get the director of Weapons, another “true story,” on our Fargo episode? You betcha. Zach Cregger joins the Blank Check crew to discuss the Coens' 1996 masterpiece and we're going SCENE BY SCENE dissecting this perfect movie. “Minnesota nice,” “Dark Marge,” the Mike Yanagita scene, the origins of Jerry's overwhelming debt, the inner life of Gaear Grimsrud, and the operatic score are just a few of the topics discussed. Did you know that Ben Hosley's first car was an Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera? YOOU BETCHA. Note: This episode was recorded before we saw Weapons, so no spoilers here.  Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

(Gestures at a circle) You know, for kids! Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger of the Doughboys join us for a freewheeling, gut-busting episode about the time Joel Silver gave the Coens a bunch of money to make a “commercial film” and then it ended up being 1994's The Hudsucker Proxy. A sampling of topics discussed: Paul Newman being hot up until the day he died (and possibly after), whether or not this movie has a Sturges protagonist in a Capra film or vice versa, whether or not the previous question even matters, the fact that Griffin has never seen The Wire yet has watched every episode of Greg the Bunny, the amount of baby wipes David has to buy in a month, the extent to which the style of humor in Hudsucker overlaps with that of The Simpsons, and a whole bunch of Yaddle talk for some reason. Read Caity Weaver's Mozzarella Sticks piece from 2014 Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a movie about hats, and a movie about giving folks the high hat. It's also a movie about how Jon Polito is the greatest actor in the world. It's Miller's Crossing! Filmmaker Ari Aster (go see Eddington!)  joins Griffin and David to discuss the Coen Brothers' knotty homage to the gangster genre, a film overloaded with memorable characters and witty lines of dialogue. We're doing a deep-dive on Gabriel Byrne, litigating Marcia Gay Harden's surprise Oscar win for Pollock, and once again examining the Coens' body of work through the lens of Jewish identity. Don't watch Tino's Dick Fart Read Faber Screenplay Books Check out Straight Time See Eddington Sign up for Check Book, the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your  pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won't want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter, Instagram, Threads and Facebook!  Buy some real nerdy merch Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You are in for a treat today, pilgrim! I'll be ranking my favorite Western films of all time. I have a feeling many of these films will get a tip of my hat. However, I hope some of them are bad so I can shoot them into their grave. Keep your trigger finger ready and your eyes on the screen—yee-haw!