Peak Viewing

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider is probably not the worst video game movie, but it might be the silliest? While covering this semi-forgotten 2001 action movie, we’re counting frames, checking out packages, and discussing Lara Croft’s BBE (Big Batman Energy)! Where’s your head at?!

Super Mario Bros. (1993)

Can you make a movie out of a video game? We’re not fully certain this movie answers that question, but hopefully our miniseries can! At the very least this podcast about the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie (that is far better than the internet would have you think) answers several questions about when Princess Peach was named Peach, if the meteorite that killed the dinosaurs directly hit a dinosaur, and what the worst website on the internet is.

The Man Who Wasn't There

We’re ending part one of our Coen Brothers miniseries with the dour and depressing drama The Man Who Wasn’t There. The good news? Henry was in the mood for it and loved it! The bad news? Samuel was not in the mood for it and was crawling through the seconds! Join us as we talk about Ed Crane being the ultimate poor sonofabitch, the odds that any random piano player is playing Beethoven, and the Political Alignment Chart of the Coen Brothers. Plus: the announcement of our next miniseries!

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

This week we’re hiking through the Mississippi bayou on a hare-brained odyssey with O Brother, Where Art Thou? Henry may be constantly on the verge of losing his voice, but that doesn’t stop us from going through this delightful and surreal comedy! Topics covered include all the Odyssey references we can piece together, why the soundtrack here is so nostalgic, and watching this movie via TikTok.

The Big Lebowski

Jeff Bridges in bowling-related dream sequences? John Goodman pointing guns at people and kicking them out of wheelchairs? That’s right, it’s White Russian time! The Big Lebowski is the topic this week, and this cult classic continues the Coen’s winning streak of critically successful movies that capture all of their stylistic elements that people love. Plus: our two counter examples of how to have a peak viewing experience!

Fargo

Are we gonna be talking about Fargo this week? Oh yah, you betcha! What is it about this midwestern crime thriller that broke through into the mainstream? What makes it the Coen brother’s strongest overall film to date? How do you pronounce Buscemi? What are relations like between Minnesota and North Dakota? And most importantly: what kind of sick child is into The Accordion King?

The Hudsucker Proxy

The Hudsucker Proxy was considered a massive bomb at the time of its release, but is there more to it than that? Samuel thinks it’s the epitome of a three-star film, while Henry thinks it’s a few changes away from being a masterpiece. We discuss it and also provide an unhinged recap of the unhinged Hula Hoop montage, Deadpool DVD covers, and the hottest Big Ben-related conspiracy theories.

Barton Fink

Barton Fink is a movie that leaves you with more questions than answers. Questions like: do we want to see the life of the mind? What is the movie actually trying to say? Why is John Goodman always such a welcome sight? How fun is Tony Shaloub? Who still uses wallpaper? What’s the difference between all the “arts that take place inside a ring”?

Miller's Crossing

The Coen brothers continue their trend of doing something completely different each movie with their third outing Miller’s Crossing. This week we’re giving you plenty of rumpus, but don’t worry, there ain’t no hi-hat! (Unless you count Tom’s hat.) Topics covered include what that kid did with the toupee, why Henry relates to Steve Buscemi’s Mink character, and how the big guy was definitely Tic-Tac.

Raising Arizona

We’re coming in hot this week like a biker from hell, it’s 1987’s Raising Arizona! This podcast has everything you could possibly want to hear. We’ve got speculation about parenting from two guys who know nothing on the subject, theories about this and Blood Simple being the “templates” that shape the rest of the Coen brothers careers, and also: is Hi GOD?

Blood Simple

It’s time for a new miniseries! We’re going through the first half of the Coen Brothers collaborative career and we’re starting things off HOT with the western-infused noir Blood Simple. Join us as we get into all the important context surrounding this confident and stylish debut, including what makes the Coens “American” filmmakers, the airtight writing of Chekov’s three bullets (no more, no less!), what animals can crawl around without their heads, and why Ethan Coen needed to be buried alive.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

What a wonderful day! We’re entering the kingdom this week with Wes Ball’s Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, the follow-up to the iconic prequel trilogy. We discuss how it stacks up to all the other Apes films, and how we might be too close to this franchise now to fully discern what is even good anymore. Plus: praise for the more adventurous tone of the film, questions about the pants-wearing humans, and the announcement of our next miniseries!

War for the Planet of the Apes

War for the Planet of the Apes marks the end of Caesar’s reboot prequel trilogy, and while Henry appreciates the Paul Dehn-esque nihilism, Samuel thinks it’s the worst of the trilogy. In between covering the plot of this bizarre movie we also coin a new term, discuss Woody Harrelson’s pretty mid performance, and learn about the depressing reality of gorillas riding horses.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes seems to be the most generally liked of the prequel trilogy, but how does it hold up? Turns out mostly pretty well, but we still don’t care about these dang dirty humans! Topics discussed include alternate titles (Armory of the Planet of the Apes?) and other “o” words Caesar could shout.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

We’ve made it to the modern era of Ape films with 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes. It may not be as punchy as those original films, but there’s still plenty of meat on this bone! We’ve got James Franco’s crazy room, Draco Malfoy’s sadistic tendencies, and at the center of it all, a brilliant ape named Caesar. Plus: Samuel’s insights into how accurate all the science-y stuff is!

Planet of the Apes (2001)

We’re jumping through the electromagnetic storm this week and covering Tim Burton’s single attempt at reviving the Planet of the Apes franchise. Is it good? No! Is it bad? Kind of, but it’s mostly boring! In between tangents where we clearly avoid talking about this stinker of a movie, we get into Paul Giamatti’s committed performance, Mark Wahlberg’s complete lack of one, and marvel over how far ape makeup and prosthetics has come since the 1970s.

Battle for the Planet of the Apes

We’re finally closing the book on these Paul Dehn sequels with Battle for the Planet of the Apes, but we’re still asking the hard-hitting questions. Is this the worst of the sequels? When does this movie take place, let alone WHERE does it take place? Would the apes be better if they wrote down “ape should not kill ape self”? All this and more!

Conquest of the Planet of the Apes

Conquest is crazy! Henry and Samuel are unpacking what is maybe the most overt and unsubtle Apes movie yet, but it’s actually still pretty damn good. We recap the plot and cover Caesar’s rise to power, the brilliant (if melodramatic) script, and all the real-world parallels in this science fiction spectacle.

Escape from the Planet of the Apes

By the time you get to Escape from the Planet of the Apes, the third entry in a franchise that you would think stopped after the entire planet blew up, you’re either doubling down on your investment, or you’re getting ready to cash out. Our co-hosts are divided on this point, but even with our different opinions there’s still plenty to talk about, including the chimps in human clothing, the subtext which is now simply text, and the ending of this movie that leaves you shocked and confused. In other words, it’s a Planet of the Apes movie!

Beneath the Planet of the Apes

If the first movie was a shocking twist ending, then Beneath the Planet of the Apes truly takes shocking twist endings to the next level! Henry and Samuel discuss everything that makes this second entry unique, including the introduction of a second astronaut, the gorilla brutality, and the telepathic mutants who pray to a nuke (yes, this is a real movie). But first: how incredible is the Simpsons parody of the first movie?