Uncut Gems Podcast

In this episode of the show we are beginning, albeit a little bit prematurely, our June excursion into the cinema of Robert Altman who would be celebrating his 100th birthday if he was still with us. And we are starting off with his anti-western McCabe and Mrs Miller. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about how Altman fits into the landscape of New Hollywood, how he set out to deconstruct the form and bury the star under his aesthetic and perhaps the reasons why he did so. We also talk about the chemistry (or, ironically, lack thereof) between Warren Beatty and Julie Christie, the idea of watching a movie through a t-shirt and hiding a cultural commentary in a sparse and meandering deconstructed western. Finally, we lose our wits trying to figure out how to pronounce Warren Beatty's last name and we also, if you stay tuned long enough, end up sharing our Jack Nicholson impressions... despite the fact he was not in the movie at all.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Featuring: Hillary White & Jak-Luke Sharp

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In this podcast we are tying into our Elaine May May conversations with a chat about a movie she co-wrote and for which she got an Oscar nomination too, namely Heaven Can Wait. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us try to figure out how and why this movie ended up as successful as it did, if it was a bellwether of the changing times suggesting that the world had had enough of the New Hollywood grime and whether it was a flash in the pan that couldn't have worked at any other point in time. We also try to find traces of Elaine May's DNA in the script, identify the influence of one Buck Henry and wonder if there were simple ways to make this body swap underdog sports rom-com Hitchcock murder plot movie a bit simpler and funnier.

Tune in and enjoy!

In this episode of the show we are concluding the main part of our Elaine May May with her last directorial outing to date, the 1987 Ishtar. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk, again, about the uphill struggle of getting this movie made, how it may have been out of step with the 80s milieu and maybe how it tried to fit in the landscape of newly reborn comedy. We also talk about the many ways in which May's own legacy folds upon itself in here, how the movie might be so good at awkwardly sarcastic comedy that audiences didn't get the message and how it went from being dubbed as one of the worst movies ever made to a reappraised gem. We also try to find a few nuggets of thematic self-reflection here just for good measure.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

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In this episode of the show we are adding the third instalment into our Elaine May May where we talk about her 1976 Mikey and Nicky. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about the arduous and crisis-laden production history of this movie, how Elaine May channeled the spirit of rogue indie filmmaking and how her movie works as a bridge between Cassavetes and Scorsese. We also dive deep into the metaphorical plane of the movie and talk about it as an anti-gangster picture, a companion piece to The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, Husbands and Mean Streets and also wonder what it tells us about Elaine May's own relationship with the moviemaking business.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

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In this podcast we are looking back at the Summer of 95 to talk about the Tony Scott-directed Crimson Tide. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about what makes this movie so immersive and compelling, how an intersection between performance, writing and production design may be the key to its magic and how Tony Scott flawlessly found balance between authenticity and preposterousness. We also talk about how Quentin Tarantino touched up the script and what his work added to the experience, how some actors in this movie wouldn't have passed the physical fitness test to be on a submarine and how taking a tiny dog on a military mission is just unsanitary. And of course, we also weigh in on the central conflict in the film and try to find out who was right in the end, the gung-ho captain or the by-the-book XO.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

In this episode of the show our Elaine May May continues with her sophomore directorial effort The Heartbreak Kid. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us dig deep into the movie to find how it subverts the genre and works as a polar reversal of The Graduate, how the many production woes surrounding this movie proved that Hollywood was a hostile environment for female filmmakers at the time and whether there is a metaphorical plane of interpretation for this movie that comments on both the industry and Elaine May's career as well. We also talk about the two female leads in this movie and how one of them disappears never to return, Charles Grodin's performance that must have informed Ben Stiller's work in the future and the subtle humor embedded in otherwise innocent conversations around food.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

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In this episode of our Mike Nichols Marathon we are moving onto the 1973 The Day of the Dolphin. Over the course of our conversation we will attempt to understand how a movie about George C. Scott talking to dolphins fits in the catalogue of someone who brought Hollywood into the new age with Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and The Graduate, whether this movie had a chance of succeeding in the first place and if it should be taken seriously at all. We also talk about the magic of emoting in a scene where a dolphin's voice is produced by Buck Henry, the ultimate failure of political plotting in an otherwise family movie and much more!

Tune in and enjoy!

In this episode of the show we are beginning a whole new month with a brand new director. In May we will be talking about the entire filmography of Elaine May and are beginning with A New Leaf. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about the many ways in which this movie is in conversation with the legacy of Hollywood, how it stands as an oddball against the backdrop of New Hollywood and how it subverts the canonical screwball comedy. We also talk about Elaine May's subtle yet incisive comedy, Walter Matthau in an oddly subverted role and how there might be a tinge of scathing commentary about the studio system embedded somewhere in this movie.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Featuring: Hillary White

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In this special episode of our show we had the immense pleasure to sit down for a conversation with Jon Raymond, who is a novelist short fiction writer and a screenwriter. He is also a lifelong collaborator with Kelly Reichardt, with whom he co-wrote six movies (including three out of four we talked about this month). We talk about his process and his inspirations as a writer and a prominent champion of the American Pacific North West. We also attempt to untangle the complex relationship between a writer and a director and how it works in the context of independent cinema, his opinion on some of the characters we talked about this month, and we also try to find out if there is in fact some wisdom behind the title of Meek's Cutoff.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Featuring: Jon Raymond

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In this episode of the show we are formally closing our conversations about Kelly Reichardt and her collaborations with Michelle Williams with a great chat about Showing Up. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about how Reichardt's movie touches on the unspoken horrors of life as a creative, how mundanity creeps in to undermine creative process and how life is a struggle to find balance between chores and expression. We also talk about the importance of showing up for others, the pathology of suffering in silence, and how difficult it is to navigate life around self-absorbed people.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Featuring: Hillary White

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In this podcast we are tying into our April conversations about the cinema of Kelly Reichardt with a conversation about a seminal work of another great female director Agnès Varda titled Vagabond. Over the course of our chat you will hear us try to break down this complex tapestry of episodic fiction and isolate its many meanings. We talk about visual symbolism in support of feminist expression, the French landscape depicted as hostile to women, the role of on-screen nudity in Varda's movie and the readings behind female-female interactions the filmmaker pays close attention to. We also talk about the dangers of travelling alone in winter, the etiquette of meddling with other people's car radio, taking phone calls in the bath and much more!

Tune in and enjoy!

In this episode of the show our conversations on the minimalist cinema of Kelly Reichardt continue with Certain Women. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about whether the anthology format modifies Reichardt's cinematic language, how the theme of loneliness ties the three stories together and how they are all subtly permeated with a feminist gaze. We also talk about the logic of putting a bulletproof vest on a civilian, how quietly enraging the behavior of certain men in the film can be and just how difficult it is to drive into anything if you fall asleep behind the wheel in Montana.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Featuring: Carson Timar

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In the April instalment of our 2025 50-30 series where we talk about notable movies from 1975 and 1995 we are turning our attention to Apollo 13, a Ron Howard-directed account of the unfortunate mission to the Moon cut short by a series of malfunctions that left the trio of astronauts stranded in space. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about what we think this movie touched on and how it spoke to audiences at the time, how we argue if it is a space survival thriller or a disaster movie and how much of this movie's success is owed to Tom Hanks and his post-Oscar clout. We also talk about the allure of procedural authenticity, the genius of encapsulating complex science within simple visual ideas, and the body horror of having three men locked for a week in a box the size of a phone booth. Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

In this episode of the show we continue our journey West together with Kelly Reichardt and Michelle Williams as we discuss her 2010 anti-western Meek's Cutoff. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about Reichardt subverting the expectations of a typical western and how critics at the time clearly didn't get it, how the movie gives its women protagonists agency and how it functions as a takedown of the American Dream. We also talk about how expensive cheap films probably are, how important it is to take a chair to a lookout and just how unrecognizable Bruce Greenwood was in his trapper getup.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

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THIS EPISODE OF OUR PATREON-ONLY MARATHON SERIES IS AVAILABLE TO LISTEN IN FULL HERE! MORE EPISODES ON PATREON.COM/UNCUTGEMSPOD!!

In this episode of our Mike Nichols Marathon we are joined by a very special guest, Neil LaBute, who is here with us to talk about the fourth movie in this filmmaker's catalogue, namely the 1971 Carnal Knowledge. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about how Nichols bounced back after Catch-22 was poorly received by going back to basics, how the genius of this movie lies somewhere between casting, writing direction and singular performances from the entire cast and how this movie holds immense value today. We also touch on the ways in which Carnal Knowledge informed Neil LaBute's own work in In the Company of Men and Your Friends & Neighbors, how Nichols sneaks in elements of humor into an otherwise a terrifying set of scenarios and who would have been the next best cast if the foursome Nichols cast hadn't been available at the time.

Tune in and enjoy!

In this episode of the show we are making a sudden shift, after five months of discussing action directors, and begin a month of quiet reflection with the cinema of Kelly Reichardt, and we begin with her 2008 masterpiece Wendy and Lucy. Over the course of our great chat you will hear us talk about the many ways Reichardt tackles the strife of displaced people, the pursuit of a better tomorrow elsewhere and the forgotten victims of capitalist growth. We also talk about the power of image over the spoken word, Michelle Williams' performance and much more!

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

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In this episode we are closing our March debates on Andrew Davis movies with his 2002 Arnie vehicle Collateral Damage. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about the troubled history of this movie's release, how it was slightly out of step with the changing times and how it looked like a 90s movie released a few years too late. We also talk about Schwarzenegger's fading star, his attempt to act and imbue his character with dramatic depth, Andrew Davis mailing it in as a gun for hire and much, much more!

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Featuring: Rich Foster

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In this show we are tying into our March conversations about the cinema of Andrew Davis with a great debate on his biggest success, which is The Fugitive. Over the course of our chat you will hear us talk about how an action movie made its way to the Oscar conversation, how Tommy Lee Jones and Harrison Ford shared some great chemistry and whether Ford himself was at the time more of a blockbuster icon or a prestige performer, or maybe someone in need of reinvention. We also talk about how a well-grown beard adds to gravitas and charisma, how a medical conspiracy written on the lap might undermine a perfectly good movie and whether The Fugitive, for all it does, is just a tiny bit too long.

Tune in and enjoy!

In this episode of the show our March Madness with Andrew Davis continues with a conversation about his 1996 outing Chain Reaction. Over the course of our chat you will hear us talk about Davis going back to the well to recapture the success of The Fugitive and why we think it was a bad idea. We talk about how this movie fits into the shifting landscape of star-driven action entertainment, Morgan Freeman in unexpected roles, the idea of capturing science-derived concepts on film without ever thinking them through and how important it is to remember your grammar while trying to sound villainous.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

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In this show we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about how The Forman movie treats Ken Kesey's book, how the filmmaker uses his kitchen sink realism lens in support of authenticity and why this movie earned its many accolades. We also try to diagnose McMurphy, wonder if Nurse Ratched was correctly seen as the villain of the movie, and much much more!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Featuring: Hillary White

In this episode of the show we are discussing one of the most successful movies Andrew Davis Directed and one that most definitely was the biggest success in Steven Seagal's acting career, the 1992 Under Siege. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about the peculiar place Steven Seagal holds in the canon of 80s and 90s action heroes, how Under Siege slots into the post-Die Hard template and how it perhaps adds to it, and how Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Busey truly add colour to this entire spectacle. We also talk about the infamous Erika Eleniak cake scene, the many fables surrounding Seagal and his ego, Casey Ryback's cooking skills and much much more!

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Featuring: Hillary White

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In this episode of the show, we are continuing our March with Andrew Davis and we are talking about his 1989 conspiracy thriller The Package. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about how Davis was possibly enamored with the 70s, both in terms of aesthetic and thematic aspirations, and how this movie owes a whole lot to the post-Nixon wave of paranoid thrillers. We also talk about Gene Hackman as a presence in an action movie at the tail end of the 80s, Tommy Lee Jones as a subtle chameleon, The Package as a protoplast of The Fugitive and just how nice it is to see Pam Grier on the screen, even if for just a few minutes.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

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In this month's instalment of our Mike Nichols marathon, we are putting our thinking caps on as we discuss his first official box office disappointment, which is the adaptation of Joseph Heller's irreverent post-war novel Catch-22. You will hear us talk about how this movie came together with its lavish production, editing woes and having to deal with Orson Welles on set, how it was a truly Herculean attempt at filming the unfilmable and how despite all the script changes and diversions from the novel the author still liked the output. We also talk about how Altman's MASH beat Nichols to the punch and how Kubrick's Dr Strangelove and 2001 gave him permission to think big, how the movie might be a dream and how it is equally funny as it is frightening.

Tune in and enjoy!

In this episode of the show we are beginning a brand new month, which means we are switching gears and biting into the work of a new director. In March, we will spend some time talking about Andrew Davis and we begin with his 1985 Chuck Norris vehicle Code of Silence. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us try to position Chuck Norris in the canon of action heroes as well as attempt to contextualize his journey through movies. We also talk about Andrew Davis behind the camera and whether the movie has enough of an aesthetic to be able to talk about a directorial style. Additionally, we talk about the mid-80s idea of adding robots to movies, jazzy scores in action films and the idea of making a Clint Eastwood movies without Clint Eastwood being there to star in it.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Featuring: Jak-Luke Sharp

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In this episode of the show we are putting a finishing touch on our February with Antoine Fuqua with a conversation about Shooter. Over the course of our chat you will hear us talk about the many years it took to adapt this story into a movie, how Mark Wahlberg and Antoine Fuqua made it happen and how (and perhaps why) the movie left a minimal cultural footprint behind it. We also talk about Mark Wahlberg as a post-Bourne action hero and how Shooter may have been an attempt to spawn a series, the many genre cliches peppered throughout the film and how confessing to conspiracies in broad daylight in an office setting is probably not a good idea at all. Oh, and we also spare a few words about the intricate ways government officials take to frame patsies and sweep crimes under the carpet.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Featuring: Rich Foster

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In this podcast we are tying into our February theme surrounding the early cinema of one Antoine Fuqua and we are discussing his most highly acclaimed feature Training Day. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about how Denzel Washington may have helped Fuqua make this movie, how David Ayer's script is brimming with authenticity and how some people find this brand of writing provocative and whether this movie has two leads or just one. We also talk about seemingly real ramifications of holding a gun sideways, whether Alonso was an undercover cop at all and just how anxiety-inducing it must be to play a hand of poker with a bunch of gangbangers.

Tune in and enjoy!

In this episode of the show Fuqua February continues with a discussion about his 2003 outing Tears of the Sun. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us try to understand what the mission behind this movie was, whether it was appropriate to transplant a real story into a whole new setting and whether the story in this new setting deserved to be treated as a cross between a prestige war drama and an actioner of the Rambo variety. We also talk about Bruce Willis's pull factor, Antoine Fuqua leaning into a post-Black Hawk Down aesthetic and how in the eyes of Hollywood producers Canadian special forces clearly look way less cooler than Navy Seals.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

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In this episode of our 50-30 Series we turn our attention to the movie which swept the Oscars in 1995, Mel Gibson'sBraveheart. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about howBraveheartcontributed to the eventual comeback of the canonical historical epic, bolstered with realistic violence and attention to tone and atmosphere, how the historical epic veers from history for the benefit of entertainment and how it probably didn't need to be as long as it was. We also talk about Gibson behind the camera, his way into developing a Scottish accent, the intricacies of personal hygiene in the middle ages and how Mel Gibson owes us five bucks for spotting a fake horse.

In this episode of the show our February trip through the early outings of Antoine Fuqua continues with a conversation about his sophomore movie Bait. Over the course of our chat you will hear us talk about how Bait fits into the landscape of movie entertainment at the turn of the century, how much it owes to a whole bunch of 90s movies and filmmakers and how it proves that Hollywood studios can often be terminally inflexible in the face of impending change. We also talk about Jamie Foxx as a comedic presence, Doug Hutchison's finger gloves, the movie's MTV sets and how it suggests that hiding gold in public places is a trifle for those who know what's what.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

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In the second episode of our new Mike Nichols Marathon, we are following up our last month's conversation with a chat about a movie Mike Nichols was planning to direct as his debut before Edward Albee's adaptation came across his lap, which is The Graduate. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about Nichols "graduating" from stage directing into bona fide movie work, the many ways in which The Graduate upsets the 1960s status quo and how it is subtly cinematic in contrast to the studio fare of the time. We also talk about what we think about Ben Braddock's alleged listlessness, Mrs Robinson's grooming behavior and how the movie as a whole struck a chord with young audiences who also felt like locking their parents in a church and taking a bus to nowhere.

Tune in and enjoy!

In this episode of the show, we are beginning what will be our February mini-survey of the cinema of Antoine Fuqua, which also coincides with Black History Month celebrated in America and Canada. And we begin this journey with a conversation about his debut feature The Replacement Killers. Over the course of our chat you will hear us talk about the way this movie attempts to transplant Hong Kong action movies into a Hollywood setting, the likely influence of John Woo on the production and on the star power of Chow Yun-Fat. We also talk about what Antoine Fuqua brings to the table, Mira Sorvino's True Romance vibes and the many bombastic moments The Replacement Killers is filled with.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

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In this episode of the show we are finishing our January survey of the professional relationship between Peter Berg and Mark Wahlberg and we are doing so with a double bill of Mile 22 and Spenser Confidential. Over the course of our chat you will hear us debate whether the critics were right about these movies or if they couldn't see the forest for the trees and whether it's appropriate to call these movies "movies" instead of cinematic TV pilots. We also talk about Iko Uwais 80s-throwback as an athlete-turned-actor, dramatic chops of stand-up comedians playing against titans of comedic flair, John Malkovich with hair and much more!

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

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In this month's bonus tie-in show we chose to discuss one of the arguable progenitors of the modern docu-drama, the Paul Greengrass-directed Bloody Sunday. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about the incredible immediacy baked into this film, Paul Greengrass's journalistic background lending added realism to the movie and the many subtle ways in which the movie adds humanity and urgency to its otherwise slim narrative framework. We also talk a little bit about the Northern Irish history, the horror of watching an atrocity unfold in real time and much, much more!

Tune in and enjoy!

In this episode of the show we are talking about the third collaboration between Peter Berg and Mark Wahlberg, which is Patriots Day. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk at length about the power of Berg's Mann-esque realism and how it is additionally bolstered by the emotional honesty smuggled by the characters, whether Wahlberg's composite character is a detractor or not, and how occasionally Hollywood may creep into the movie after all. We also talk about the difficult balancing act of depicting a real terrorist attack in a tactful way, how the movie blends in real footage with its fictionalized narrative for added immersion and much more!

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Featuring: Rich Foster

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In this inaugural show of our brand new 50-30 series where we will be talking about great movies turning 50 and 30 this year we are getting together for a chat about Hal Ashby's Shampoo. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about how we thought this movie fits in the 1975 landscape, what it was that elevated it to the status of the third-biggest box office success of its year and whether it may have been a little bit too late to the New Hollywood party. We also spend some time looking for a meaning in this film, try to connect its themes to the conversation about the generational clash at the time of its release and also wonder if there is a plane of symmetry with the current era. On top of that, we do scratch our heads quite a bit wondering if we find Shampoo funny at all too.

In this episode of the show our trip through the professional collaborations of Peter Berg and Mark Wahlberg continues with a conversation about Deepwater Horizon. Over the course of our chat you will hear us talk about the many problems getting this movie off the ground, the place of a disaster movie genre in the modern landscape of entertainment and the problem of sensitivity when depicting recent events. We also talk about Berg's attempt at workplace realism, Wahlberg's swagger, John Malkovich's sweat stains and how important it is to give a big blockbuster a beating heart.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

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We are officially launching our brand new comprehensive director marathon where each month we will discuss one movie directed by Mike Nichols. As we all know, a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step and the step we take today is a conversation about Nichols's feature debut, the 1967 adaptation of the Edward Albee's play Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Over the course of our great chat you will hear us talk about how a young and unassuming Nichols became a Broadway sensation even before stepping behind the camera, how his adaptation of Albee's play was an example of his unique ability to find the heart in the material he was working with and how the decision to cast a real high-profile power couple in the lead roles only added extra depth to the story. We also talk about the many ways in which this movie shifted the culture of the late 60s, how Hollywood had no other choice but to evolve after its premiere and how this simple play scratches at a whole host of problems viewers could easily identify as familiar.

In this first episode of 2025 we are launching our Berg-Wahlberg January, a month where we will talk about the collaborations between Peter Berg and Mark Wahlberg, and we begin this journey by talking about Lone Survivor. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about how the harrowing true story of Marcus Luttrell translated to the screen and how reality met Hollywood, what Peter Berg brought to the table and what his style is in our estimation, and how it is after all possible to imbue a fundamentally rah-rah patriotic piece of flag-waving with emotional oomph and visceral immediacy. We also talk about how toy helicopters are always useful at work briefings, the many vagaries of trying to grow a respectable beard and whether rattlesnakes belong in Afghanistan.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

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In this final podcast of 2024 we conclude the December Shane Black Christmas series with a conversation about the Renny Harlin-directed The Long Kiss Goodnight. Over the course of our chat you will hear us try to make sense of the action movie landscape in 1996 and how The Long Kiss Goodnight fit or didn't fit into the changing times, Shane Black's crassness and its interplay with Harlin's innate directorial trashiness, the way Harlin needed a win after he quite literally brought down a studio and whether Geena Davis had what it takes to join the ranks of powerful female leads of the 80s and 90s. We also talk about Sam Jackson's zingers, Geena Davis' chopping skills and just how adept she was at putting on ice skates while pursuing a car.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

In this special Christmas Bonus episode of our podcast we are loosely tying into our Black Christmas operations by way of talking about an action movie set at Christmas, but most importantly, we are tying into one of the foremost movie Christmas traditions out there. We are talking about Die Hard! Over the course of our amazing chat you will hear us recount the oral history of how this movie was made, how Die Hard changed the action movie narrative and reinvented the canonical action hero to make him fit for the 90s. We also talk about Bruce Willis as a funny everyman, the many instances of levity Die Hard is peppered with, the iconic lines and unforgettable scenes and we also discuss just how soulful and tightly knit this movie is.

Tune in and enjoy!

In this episode of the show, our December series of Shane Black Christmas continues with Black's directorial debut, the 2005 Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Over the course of our sprawling discussion you will hear us talk about how important it was to watch this movie around the time of its release to get on board with its vibes, how it struggles to match Black's crass humor with the story reliant on truly dark noir and how Black has continued developing the formula for a buddy movie over the years. We also talk about RDJ and Kilmer's chemistry, the many thematic facets hiding underneath this movie's epidermis and how it may be best to watch this movie wearing your baseball cap backwards.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Featuring: Hillary White

In this December Bonus Tie-in podcast we are linking to our main show conversations about Shane Black movies by talking about the breakout hit that blew open the door to Hollywood fame for him: the 1987 Richard Donner-directed Lethal Weapon. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about the 80s buddy cop movies and how Shane Black both capitalizes on the 70s Hollywood while charting ways for others to follow, the chemistry between Danny Glover and Mel Gibson and the unique allure of using real helicopters on film sets. We also talk about the etiquette of barging into bathrooms to wish someone happy birthday, the very idea of taking a morning bath instead of a shower and whether Martin Riggs being slightly unhinged was merely Mel Gibson being himself.

Tune in and enjoy!

In this episode of the show we are beginning our December series of (Shane) Black Christmas where we will go through a few movies Shane Black wrote and/or directed in reverse chronological order but in order of increasing Christmasiness. This week we begin with The Nice Guys, an action comedy starring Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about the many reasons why this movie didn't hit it big with audiences as well as the reasons it should have. We also talk about Black's attempt at recapturing the Lethal Weapon formula, Gosling and Crowe's impeccable chemistry and the fact this movie is frequently hijacked by incredibly powerful sidekick performers.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

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In this special episode of the show we are putting a bow on our year-long journey through the cinema of Spike Lee. Over the course of this conversation you will hear us talk about what we learned by looking at Lee's movies through a magnifying glass, how much more we ended up appreciating his style, his film IQ and his political animus and just how much we are looking forward to what he does next. We also share some of the highlights from this odyssey, briefly talk about some of his documentaries and also share the movies we liked the most, as well as those which fell a bit short of our expectations.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

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In this episode of our 2024 Spike Lee project we are finally getting together to discuss the last (as of now) feature directed by Spike Lee, the 2020 Da 5 Bloods. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about the density and business of the movie, the many references to classic cinema hidden within it and whether it is once again using the past to talk about the present. We also talk about its relationship with Miracle at St. Anna, Delroy Lindo's powerhouse performance, crass moments of levity, Chadwick Boseman's presence and much more!

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Featuring: Nicolo Grasso

In this episode of the show we are finishing the main show part of our Spike Lee Joint-a-Thon as we discuss the final minor joint of this retrospective, the 2015 Chi-Raq. Over the course of our chat you will hear us talk about Spike Lee once again getting on his soap box and delivering a dense and busy treaty underpinned by political ire. We talk about the filmmaker speaking to women as opposed to on behalf of them, the idea of delivering a heightened satire inspired by an ancient Greek play and the many complex notions permeating the movie. We also spare a few thoughts about John Cusack's monologue, the many crass and innuendo-laden moments of the movie and the fundamental controversy of wearing Confederate speedos.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Intro: Infraction - Cassette

Outro: Infraction - Daydream

In this episode of the show we are putting a finishing touch on our November exploration of the professional partnership between Guy Ritchie and Jason Statham with a double bill of Wrath of Man and Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about Jason Statham's career trajectory as a latter day action star, Wrath of Man as a temporally complex ode to Michael Mann and Ridley Scott, and Operation Fortune as a movie you get when you want to make a Mission: Impossible movie without spending big money. We also talk about the resurgence of Josh Hartnett, the subtle art of nicknaming, and whether Ancient Greeks knew what a polar bear looked like.

Tune in and enjoy this momentous occasion with us!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Intro: Infraction - Cassette

Outro: Infraction - Daydream

In this final instalment of our year-long journey through the cinema of Kathryn Bigelow, we are discussing her last directorial effort to date, the 2017 Detroit. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about Bigelow telling stories she cares about, the responsibility of the storyteller towards the material and the nuances of telling socially relevant stories in today's climate. We also talk about the complex structure of the movie working to its benefit and detriment, the idea of letting characters exist enabling viewer's personal engagement and the visceral horror depicted in the movie. Finally, we share some thoughts on Bigelow's filmography, list our favourite movies of hers and wonder about movies we'd like to see her direct next.

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We did it! In the 200th episode of the show we gathered together with a panel of all-star co-hosts to talk about the namesake of the show, the Safdie Brothers' Uncut Gems. In this show we reminisce for a little while about our journey with this podcast, reveal some of our plans for the future and also, naturally, talk about the movie. We talk about Adam Sandler in "serious" movies, how the film's frenetic style makes Uncut Gems and experience, how difficult it is to keep Sandler and Kevin Garnett in the frame together, and how this is the remake of The Gambler the world deserved. We also talk about Howard keeping a change of clothes in his car in case he ends up locked in the trunk naked, Lakeith Stanfield in his glow-in-the-dark hoodie as a visual standout and how it is definitely a red flag when your girlfriend gets your name tattooed on her ass as a surprise.

Tune in and enjoy this momentous occasion with us!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Featuring: Jak-Luke Sharp, Carson Timar & Hillary White

Intro: Infraction - Cassette

Outro: Infraction - Daydream

In this episode of the show we are taking our Ritchie-Statham conversations into a whole new dimension as the universe of crime comedies complicated by their plot-related shenanigans make space for faux-philosophical musings about the nature of the self in the 2005 Revolver. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about Guy Ritchie trying to lean into Lynchian filmmaking and coming across as a little bit pretentions, Jason Statham rocking long hair in an act of artistic denial and just how much hiring philosophers to talk over the end credits can do to a movie. We also talk about Ray Liotta lounging in speedos, Ritchie looking past Tarantino and perhaps finding Seijun Suzuki against his better judgment and whether Revolver is an abstract painting or an exercise in waterboarding.

Tune in and enjoy!

Host: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Intro: Infraction - Cassette

Outro: Infraction - Daydream