Imitating Art with Don & Chuck

What can you say about Macbeth that hasn't already been said? Well, Don and Chuck aren't exactly sure. But they do their best, anyway.

Joel Coen's new adaptation of the classic Shakespeare tragedy stars Denzel Washington as Macbeth and Frances McDormand as Lady Macbeth. Together, their ambitions lead to murder, an ascendance to the throne--and madness. It's well-acted and visually striking. But Shakespeare is traditionally hard to understand for modern ears. Can Don and Chuck enjoy watching a movie without understanding the dialogue?

Probably! Though, it might not be this one. They can at least understand enough to talk about some lessons, including:

• The toxic side of confidence
• The role of fate
• "You need something under your ass."
• The MEANING of LIFE
• ...And some other, less meaningful ones.

For two guys who both went to art school, it sure took Don and Chuck a long time to review a Jim Jarmusch (Jar-moosh?) movie. Paterson's story is so simple, any plot description falls short. In examining a week in the life of a quiet, unassuming bus driver with the soul of a poet, it beautifully explores themes of duality and simple beauty. 

And Don and Chuck remember to rate this one.

LESSONS:

• The sun will rise tomorrow
• The little things in life can hold tremendous value
• The two sides of you depend on each other
• ...and a few more

As a production company, A24 has been killing it for many years now. So, it's about time Don and Chuck got around to reviewing one of their movies. Minari is a simple drama about a Korean family. When the patriarch decides to move from California to Arkansas so they can start a farm, it ushers in an era of change for the family. Even more, they move in his mother-in-law to help raise the kids. The film tells the story of the year (or so) after they make the move, living in an area where they have no friends or resources, and shows how they struggle to build a successful farm and stay together as a cohesive family unit. It's a well-made and poignantly-acted film, particularly the performances from the young actors playing the family's two children.

The film also helps Don and Chuck discuss lessons such as:

• Doing work for work's sake
• The relationship between hubris and faith
• Something unassuming can still have value
• Failing isn't always your fault
• It can all go up in flames

In the early 2000s, people started learning that Adam Sandler was more than just Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, and the Wedding Singer. He had range! He could drama!

Punch Drunk Love was one of the movies that helped turn Sandler from a comedian into an actor. And, at the time, it was pretty good. If you'd asked early 2000s Don and Chuck what they thought of the movie, they'd have probably said so themselves.

But this podcast is not hosted by early 2000s Don and Chuck. As it turns out, the movie hasn't exactly aged with them. They speak at length about what doesn't work for them, what rings true, and what questions the film leaves them with. Punch Drunk Love does let them talk about some important lessons, however. 

Lessons include:

• The importance of having someone to talk to
• Why you should learn more about yourself and your feelings
• Why "saving face" is useless.
• How to deter bullies

Welp, Christmas finally killed the streak. Without much time to put an episode together, Don and Chuck (mostly Chuck) decided to take a little holiday break this week. Here, we bring you a rerun of one of our most-listened-to episodes: our review and dissection of the classic film The Matrix, written and directed by the Wachowskis. Joining us was Chuck's college roommate, Max—who just so happens to be one of the Matrix's biggest fans.

We're sorry that there's no new episode this week, but we hope you enjoy hearing us talk about the Matrix again—or, if you haven't heard it, we hope you enjoy it for the first time!

If you want to hear us talk about the newest Matrix movie, please contact us:

The Muppet Christmas Carol. A classic from the 90s that takes one of the darker and more dramatic Christmas tales of all time and transforms it into a hilarious and heartwarming family musical fit for all ages. It might sound like a tough feat, but when you introduce the Muppets into any story, the silly comes with it. Pretty effortlessly, it seems. 

Michael Caine (Real name: Mickelwaite? Something like that?) plays Ebeneezer Scrooge in this adaptation about an aging miser (and right dickhead, to be honest) who undergoes a haunting specifically designed to help him change his dastardly ways just in time to spend all his money on Christmas presents. Statler and Waldorf even show up to make fun of one of Chuck's favorite jokes from the 1800s. A group of penguins puppets ice skate through the streets of London. Look, if you don't know the story of A Christmas Carol, we can't do any better than that at explaining it to you.

And then, there's the lessons. Don and Chuck do their best, but with this story, there are lessons around every corner. Some of the lessons they do touch on include:

• How Scrooge's character reflects the hypocrisy of the Fox News/MAGA crowd (Yeah, we went there)
• How the lessons from Christmas movies should be remembered all year long
• Humans need reminders to be kind
• Businesses can treat their employees better
• You forge your own chains in life
• The power and universality of denial

...And probably a few more!

Hey, a true story that's not fiction!

Don and Chuck tackle their first documentary with Free Solo. Alex Honnold likes to climb things. Specifically, he likes to free solo climb—or, climb very steep things with no ropes or aid of any kind. His white whale, a cliff named El Capitan, has never been free soloed.

And he hopes to be the first.

The film documents Alex's attempts to study and practice the climb so he can execute it safely and accurately. It also depicts his personal life, where it intersects with his passion for climbing—and where they conflict.

The film helps Don and Chuck discuss universal life lessons, such as facing your fears, following your passions, and how making a plan can help you reduce danger, subvert fear, and meet your goals.

Blindspotting is a film about the way we think we are, the way society perceives us, and figuring out which one is true. Collin is a charming young back man and convicted felon in the last few days of his probation. He's making an honest attempt to turn his life around and prove he's a human worthy of love and respect. His best friend, Miles, has plenty to prove, too--unfortunately, it's often at odds with Collin's goals. After Collin witnesses a young black man killed by cops, he battles his emotions about growing up in a changing town and tries to find his place. It's funny, tough, sweet, and heartbreaking. Don and Chuck discuss its themes of personal identity, viewing others as humans, and how hard it is to shake personal biases.

Birbigs is back with salt in his attitude AND his beard!

That's right! Don and Chuck revisit one of their favorite creative people: Mike Birbiglia. In Don't Think Twice, Birbigglebug once again takes a turn as writer/director/actor in a story about the lives of those within a struggling improv comedy troupe. As their theater prepares to close, each member in the troupe must confront the lies they tell themselves about who they are, what they want, and what they deserve. It's a funny, sad, and often uncomfortable look at when to let go of your dreams in order to move forward in life. As for lessons, Don and Chuck get to dissect how the rules of improv can help the characters--and the audience--lead a more fulfilling life.

Dune is one of the most popular sci-fi novels in history. Though Don and Chuck weren't completely sure what was going on in the plot (thank you, Wikipedia!), they still enjoyed the first film in Denis Villeneuve's two-part adaptation. But are iconic actors, beautiful visuals, and fun fights enough to create a new classic? After Don and Chuck break down the film, they chat about what the film can teach us about an over-reliance on ceremony and traditions, the time and place for fear (and conquering it), and how politics make it easy for governments to steamroll the layman.

Question: How did Moonlight turn a $4 million budget into a Best Picture winner at the Oscars?
Answer: Watch the damn movie.

Moonlight tells the sweet, somber, and often frightening tale of Chiron--a young man in search of himself over the course of decades. Gay, black, and devoid of a support system, Chiron just wants to find his place. Unfortunately, the people and systems around him make it feel nearly impossible. It's a character study with no easy answers. And it asks the audience to think deeply about Chiron, his situation, and his humanity.

Don and Chuck find plenty to talk about with this one. From bullying, to children realizing they can't trust adults, to how we never stop needing guidance even as adults, Moonlight interweaves its themes into a movie that should be watched, thought about, and discussed.

Lion tells the true story of Saroo Brierly, who gets lost in India at the age of five with no way of finding his family. After surviving on the streets for some months, a kind stranger helps him Saroo get into an orphanage and, eventually, adopted by a lovely Australian couple. As an adult, Saroo's childhood trauma pushes him to search for his birth family. It's a moving and inspiring film that helps Chuck and Don talk through such lessons as the tenacity it takes to survive, how loving someone isn't always enough to save them, how even the well-adjusted can find themselves in an unhealthy relationship with rabbit holes - and how hard it can be to find that tools to help you find your way out from the dark.

Creep is an independent thriller about a videographer named Aaron who's offered a simple job: record a video of a typical day for Josef, a soon-to-be father dying of cancer. Throughout the day, Josef's actions become more and more unsettling before turning outright dangerous and violent. Though Aaron manages to get away, he can't figure out how to remove Josef from his life completely.

Helping Don and Chuck discuss Creep is friend of the show and horror film fan Adrian Criner. The film (which only features its two main actors) offers lessons about remaining careful in desperate situations, putting your own safety before others' feelings, and how kind and gullible humans can truly be.

Well, they finally did it. After referencing Scrubs in almost every episode for over a year, Don and Chuck finally went ahead and talked about the show for an hour. Specifically, they discuss two episodes from season 5: My Lunch and My Fallen Idol. These two episodes tell the story of JD and Dr. Cox both losing patients and blaming themselves. It's a silly, sad, cartoonish, depressing pair of episodes that aren't just a great introduction for new watchers - they're two of the best episodes of the entire series. 

And, as for lessons? Well. At the end of the day, Don and Chuck like to give advice about life. But, much like Dr. Cox, they find that following your own advice isn't always the easiest when you're convinced you're the problem. And, when you spend so much of your time trying to help people, you can't blame yourself for taking the time to give yourself some space and be human; and, as painful as it is, you can only help others as much as they want to be helped. All in all, you might wish you could help your loved ones solve all of their problems - especially the bigger ones. But, sometimes, you have to just fix what you can and trust that, with enough time, and enough love, their broken parts will start to come together to form the complete version of them you know they can become. 

Buhbuhbuhbuhbuhbuhbuhbuhhhhhh..... 

Portrait of a Lady on Fire showed up on many film enthusiasts' "Best Of" lists for 2019. It also showed up on Don and Chuck's "We Should Do This For the Podcast" list for nearly a year. And here it is! Portrait of a Lady on Fire is a beautiful French film about the relationship between a painter and her subject - a young woman due to be married off to a rich man overseas. As the two grow closer, the sparks of attraction burn ever brighter. Unfortunately, systems of oppression might mean their relationship can be nothing more than a fleeting fling. Well acted, written, and directed, the film helps Don and Chuck discuss those systems of oppression as well as the liberty of solitude, the freedom of choice, and the way brief encounters with the right people can affect us for the rest of our lives.

Men in Black was a hugely successful movie that helped solidify Will Smith's career as a Hollywood leading man. It's also a wonderful movie with great visuals, performances, and writing. Men in Black is the story of a secret government agency that monitors and polices the alien presence on Earth. When an unauthorized alien bug crash lands on the planet to seek out a valuable galaxy, Agent Kay and his new recruit, Agent Jay, must work to find the object and return it to its rightful owners before they destroy the planet. It's funny, sweet, and touches on a few important lessons for Don and Chuck to dissect - such as who gets to control the information civilians have access to, whether we can trust them to control that information, and how hard it is coming to terms with discovering the things you think you know are wrong.

Cry Macho is a movie that certainly exists and that probably cost several producers multiple millions of dollars to make. But, does that mean it's worth watching? Don and Chuck discuss everything wrong and right about this one to help you decide if it's worth your time before discussing its lessons of family, trust, and how being kind can help make both you and the world around you better.

It took Don and Chuck over a year, but they're finally tackling a Tarantino movie. A classic of crime cinema, Pulp Fiction weaves three interconnected stories together into a non-linear film that is violent, funny, and oddly moving. Don and Chuck piece together why the story is told the way it is while discussing the film's themes of trust, second chances, and the power of reputation.

After a run of superhero movies with mixed reviews and mixed-er (?) success, the DC Extended Universe takes a gamble with The Suicide Squad, a soft reboot of their previous move in the series, Suicide Squad. It's all very confusing, but you don't have to watch the first movie (and we recommend you don't) to enjoy this one. Don and Chuck have different opinions on the movie, but they both have fun dissecting its ridiculously violent comic book antics, over-the-top characters and raucous, infantile humor. Unexpectedly, this silly action film helps them discuss such important topics as separating the government from its country, the way governments treat their military, and the lasting effects of trauma. 

This week, singer-songwriter Jonah Matranga helps Don and Chuck tackle their first truly art-house film with Lars von Trier's The Idiots. An engaging though often uncomfortable film, the Idiots tells the story of a commune of mostly young, emotionally lost, well-to-do people who expose society's true feelings for those they feel are below them. How do they do this? By pretending to be differently-abled. Jonah helps guide Don and Chuck through the film's themes of rebelliousness, the damage wealth and privilege can bring, and personal freedom. 

This month, Don and Chuck battle it out to decide which is better: low-budget independent films or high-budget, high-concept Hollywood hits. Flip the coin, pick a side, and see if you agree with Don or Chuck!

This week, Don and Chuck are joined by Lauren to talk about Greta Gerwig's 2019 rendition of Little Women. The film tells the story of the four March sisters as they grow to adulthood in 1800s America. Through love and loss, they learn a great deal about life. Which is great for a podcast about life lessons in movies. Don, Chuck, and Lauren discuss the importance of apologizing, the fear of change, and how everyone needs a little help sometimes.

This week, Don and Chuck are joined by singer/songwriter/all-around-awesome-person Sarah Saturday to discuss one of Sarah's favorite movies, Stranger Than Fiction. Will Ferrell takes one of his first serious roles in the 2006 comedy/drama about Harold Crick, an ordinary man who suddenly hears someone narrating his life. Once he grows accustomed to it, his life takes an existential turn when the narrator mentions Harold will soon die. Harold's journey to escape his fate and add meaning to his soon-to-be-shortened life helps Don, Chuck, and Sarah discuss topics such as the importance of being kind, paying attention to the little things in life, and how, sometimes, you just have to sit back and eat a cookie.

Chuck and Don celebrate the 90s with Jim Carrey, Capri Sun, and a movie that asks you to believe in magic just long enough to get the story rolling. In Liar Liar, Carrey plays Fletcher Reed, a lawyer who puts his job before his son, Max. When Max wishes that his father can't lie for one day, Fletcher must navigate his work and personal lives with nothing but the truth. Hilarity ensues. And, best yet, this movie only requires 87 minutes of your time! After the review, Don and Chuck discuss lying to others and ourselves, how everyone needs to lie occasionally, and how the movie dropped the ball regarding Fletcher getting a comeuppance. 

Guns in books, assassins with useless arms, an eight-year-old driving in a car chase*. With a name like Gunpowder Milkshake, it has to be ridiculous. And it is. It's also ridiculously entertaining. Karen Gillan stars in this colorful, violent, all-out action romp. The setpieces are inventive, the sets are interesting, and the dialogue exists. And, believe it or not, there's a few lessons crammed in there. Don and Chuck discuss them, of course (Down with the patriarchy!). But, ultimately, this is the definition of a popcorn movie: Pure entertainment. Enjoy.

*Eight and three quarters. Sorry, Emily.

The episode the universe didn't want to happen! After some technical difficulties, a lost recording and a glitchy connection, we laughed in the universe's face -- And the resulting episode turned out... pretty okay. Decent-ish. It gets the job done.

This week, Don and Chuck discuss Luca. Rather, they recap their lost recording, so, they talk about discussing Luca previously. With Luca, Pixar tells the tale of a sea monster who discovers he can take a human form. After immediately falling in love with being human, Luca runs away from his life under the sea to hide away in a human village. And do a race. To win enough money to buy a Vespa. It really does make sense when you watch it. It also lets Don and Chuck talk about intimate same-sex friendships, how society scares people into hiding who they are, and how important separating from the ones you love you can be. 

This week, Don and Chuck are joined by Kristin Lajeunesse to talk about Moon. Starring Sam Rockwell (and almost no one else), Moon tells the story of a solitary man named Sam who works on the moon, mining helium that creates power for those back on Earth. With three weeks left of his three year stint on the job, Sam is ready to return home when he encounters the only other human on the moon - himself. The indie sci-fi drama (or is it horror? Or action? I don't know; ask Don) gives Don, Chuck, and Kristin the chance to talk about memories, being your own best company, and how, sometimes, hope is the only thing that can sustain us,

Dear White People brilliantly satirizes life at an Ivy League school that promotes itself as inclusive and diverse - but turns a blind eye to the truth of its inherent racism. Tightly written and well directed with wonderful performances, the film is equally laugh-out-loud funny and horribly depressing in its depiction of everyday atrocities performed by tone deaf and outright racist students and faculty. Its setup helps Don and Chuck talk about how society forces everyone into pigeon holes, structures of power, and how it's about time white people start feeling uncomfortable with the truth of their world.

Don and Chuck begin their second season the same way they started the first - talking about one of their favorite movies. This time, they finally give Good Will Hunting the full Imitating Art treatment. The movie's story about a troubled youth finally learning to accept love from others lets Don and Chuck discuss how to give people direction without manipulating them, how you'll always find the negative if you keep looking for it, and how important it is to tell hard truths to the people you love.

David Fincher's Fight Club is one of the most iconic movies of all time. Starring Edward Norton and Brad Pitt, Fight Club explores why young, disillusioned men are attracted to toxic masculinity - and what the ultimate ramifications of it are. It's a violent, mind-bending dark comedy with an endless supply of quotable dialogue. This week, Fight Club helps Don and Chuck discuss toxic masculinity, why young men seem to learn the movie's lessons in the wrong way, and how flawed logic can turn good ideas into dangerous ones.

Adapted from August Wilson's play, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom tells the story of blues singer Ma Rainey (Viola Davis) and her band trying to record some of her most famous songs. Her trumpet player, Levee, has plans to take her spotlight as he tries to write his own songs and form his own band. What results is a single day filled with personal conflicts, racial tension, and philosophical quarrels. There's plenty of material here from which Don and Chuck can draw lessons, such as the commodification of black talent, not taking power you haven't earned, and the building pressure of being polite to your enemies.

Inception is a thrilling, visually stunning, reverse-heist film primarily taking place within a dream world. It's also further proof that Don and Chuck struggle to discuss Christopher Nolan's films in a way that makes sense for anyone who hasn't seen them. Though the plot may seem overly complicated, its heist structure gives Nolan a simple backbone on which to lay his complex ideas. Through its explorations of dream-sharing technology and the subconscious, film helps Don and Chuck discuss guilt, technology addiction and why knowing you're stuck in a dream might not matter.

Truman Burbank is the star of the most popular show on television - and he's completely unaware of it. The Truman Show tells the story of a man (Jim Carrey) who slowly discovers that his friends, family, and hometown - his entire life - is a piece of fiction broadcast to TVs around the world. The film expertly blends comedy and drama to give us one of Jim Carrey's first dramatic roles. The film also lets Don and Chuck discuss topics such as how making decisions makes life your own, corporations exploiting people for profit, and how facing your fears can open up the entire world to you.

In our world, The Fifth Element is a sci-fi action movie starring Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich, and Chris Tucker. In the movie's world, the fifth element is the key to saving the planet. French action screenwriter and producer Luc Besson brings his talents to America for a movie that's very silly, very entertaining, and very, very 90s. Despite being a fun action movie, Don, Chuck, and special guest DaVonne cull some meaningful lessons from the story in what turns out to be a very fun discussion.

Starring Christopher Walken, Zach Braff, and Christina Ricci, Percy vs. Goliath is a small film with a huge impact. It tells the true story of a small farmer who takes pride in using and harvesting his own seeds. But, when his crop is accidentally infected with a gene copyrighted by agribusiness behemoth Monsanto, he finds himself in a court case, fighting for the livelihoods of farmers the world over. With a timely story and moving performances, Percy vs. Goliath helps Don and Chuck discuss such lessons as not letting the bully win, finding a community to fight both for and with, and understanding how generous ordinary people can be.

Bob Odenkirk stars as Hutch Mansell (yes, really) in the action movie Nobody. And, hey - he's actually a pretty convincing action hero! The writer of John Wick tells the tale of a mild-mannered family man who unleashes his violent past after criminals invade his home. And then he fights the Russian mob. Like, a lot. It might be a little light on story, but the action doesn't disappoint. Plus, it allows Don and Chuck to discuss something about family, something about not taking shit from people, and some other things you might technically consider life lessons. S'all good, man!

Don and Chuck finally get around to reviewing the movie that gave us the Garden State Soundtrack (which proved to all of us you can, in fact, win a Grammy for putting together a mixtape). Zach Braff and Natalie Portman star in the story of an actor who, after the passing of his mother, finally comes of age in his mid-twenties. It's sweet, sad, and funny, and watching it gives Chuck an excuse to examine if he still likes it after all these years. It also gives Don and Chuck a reason to discuss the desire to return home, learning to be honest with yourself and not taking standing outside in the rain for granted.

Trigger warning - Violence against women

Promising Young Woman blends genres to tell the tale of a woman (Carey Mulligan) out for revenge, educating men on the dangers of taking advantage of vulnerable women. It uses genre tropes from mystery and thriller films to build tension and reveal information in a compelling way. It also lets Don and Chuck discuss sexual assault, the media and justice system's preferential treatment toward male attackers, and how there's no such thing as a perfect ally.

It's that time of year where watching Harold and Kumar just makes sense, so Don and Chuck do just that. Don lets Chuck gush about one of his all-time favorite silly, stupid comedies for far too long before they finally discuss themes of friendship, racism, and having someone in your life that pushes you to do the things you don't want to do. If we're being honest, this one meanders quite a bit, so we suggest you drink up first. Or, you know... well, you know.

This week, Don and Chuck discuss Best Picture nominee Sound of Metal, the story of heavy metal drummer Ruben (Riz Ahmed), a recovering addict who suddenly loses 75% of his hearing. Facing this situation with denial and anger, he's forced to join a community for hearing-impaired addicts. Once there, he's confronted with his inability to sit in stillness and spend time with his own thoughts. This lets Don and Chuck muse on topics such as appreciating what you have, how to find peace in the stillness, and how constantly looking for distractions ultimately distracts you from yourself.

Chloe Zhao's Nomadland is not a happy-go-lucky Hallmark movie. Frances McDormand stars as Fern, a woman who's lost everything except her RV and her tenacity. She discovers a community of nomads who teach her how to survive with what she's got. This subject hits a personal note for Don, who relates some of his experiences living on the road. Nomadland is a movie that deserves to be watched and lets Don and Chuck discuss capitalism, the lack of safety nets, toxic Americanism, and a lot more. 

This week, Don and Chuck discuss one of their favorite comedies: 2008's I Love You, Man, starring Paul Rudd and Jason Segel. And, luckily, they find just enough time between quoting the movie to squeeze in an actual review! Despite the movie being a light-hearted comedy, Don and Chuck manage to discuss such lessons as finding outlets that help enrich your relationships, Jason Segel's funny voices, and Hank Mardukas.

...Okay, so, it's not super heavy on lessons. Slappadabass.

This week, Don and Chuck do their best to explain I'm Thinking of Ending Things, a film written and directed by Charlie Kaufman, adapted from the book by Iain Reid. The film itself is intentionally challenging and often cryptic, but much like the empty space it creates around its characters, teems with meaning and ideas. The film gives Don and Chuck ample room to discuss hope, dementia, the benefits of a life well lived, Don's admiration for the way Chuck takes notes, and a whole lot more.

When every day of your life is exactly the same, how can you possibly find meaning?

This is the very serious question posed by the very silly comedy Palm Springs, starring Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti as two people trapped in a seemingly endless time loop. The film packs a lot into 90s minutes, allowing Don and Chuck to unpack such topics as sharing of yourself, why change is necessary for anything to have meaning, why our pasts might or might not be important, and how the mundanity of a time loop movie reflects the way many people feel about their own lives. Oh, and Hank Mardukas. 

Also, Chuck gets to talk about how no time loop movie will ever measure up to Groundhog Day. Like, ever. 

What is Sorry to Bother You About? It's hard to explain, but Don and Chuck navigate their way through it, anyway. Directory Boots Riley gives us a story of exploitation, telemarketers, and horse people in an absurdist social commentary comedy with great performances by LaKeith Stanfield and Tessa Thompson. Don and Chuck talk about exploitation, slave labor, and corporatism, but not before figuring out their newest emo band name. Don promised this one would be more of a palate cleanser after last week's Judas and the Black Messiah. So, if nothing more, listen to help Chuck tell Don he was wrong.