It's our first of three Batman movies with Nolan at the helm-- 2005's Batman Begins. The history of Batman from comics to tv to film and the background of the 2005 film. A brief history of Frank Miller's "Batman: Year One" and also Allan Moore and the nebulous politics of this movie. We're not surprised about Liam Neeson and Ras al Ghul. We all love Tom Wilkinson. JB's and Andy's top 3 favorite character-driven superhero movies (we have the same #1!) and next time we'll cover what the essential elements are of an Odyssey film.

For more, listen to Andy guest on the In Memoriam podcast to talk about Tom Wilkinson.

Is Contempt really an Odyssey adaptation? Well, not exactly, but Goddard's story of a writer and his wife (Brigitte Bardot!) and Fritz Lang's attempt to film a version of The Odyssey for the most American film producer ever (Jack Palance) is a classic for a reason. We discuss Bardot's complicated legacy, the film and what it says about The Odyssey, and one of Ammon's favorite poets, Hölderlin. Next episode we talk Batman Begins.

We have a ton of news and a holiday discussion, as we tackle the concept of shared universes. We wish you all a happy all the holidays-- the only podcast brave enough to wish everyone io, Saturnalia. Odyssey news: first 5 minutes revealed in theaters, new poster, new trailer. They're... ok. Casting! New announced casting-- and play our casting game along with us!

Cinematic universe-- what are they, why do they matter? We talk about the MCU vs. Star Wars vs. Star Trek. Is there a Vince Gilligan shared universe? We take the Clickhole quiz "Does Master Like The ‘Which Marvel Superhero Are You?’ Quiz I Have Prepared For Him? Does It Please Master?"

Our next Odyssey-related film is Contempt, and the Nolan episode after we'll tackle Batman Begins. Io, Saturnalia and happy all the other holidays!

We're back with another Nolan episode to talk about his 2002 film Insomnia starring Al Pacino, Robin Williams, and Hillary Swank. We compare it to the original Norwegian film, the addition of the very American subplot about the LAPD and internal affairs and Andy has a lot of cancelable takes on police misconduct! Also do NOT watch the Norwegian version if you don't wat to see Stellan Skarsgard shoot a stray dog, molest a 17 year old, or hate a box of kittens. We really explore the morality of Pacino's character and whether he's engaging in good problem solving or not (and how he just really needs to take a nap!) All this and more as we talk Insomnia!

The Return the Re-Re-Reupload. Sorry, our files keep getting Zucked by the powers that be. Hopefully this passes muster. And in this episode we discuss The Return with Ralph Fiennes as Odysseus washing up on the shore of Ithaca and having to deal with the parasitic and violent suitors who have taken up residence in his home.

Thanks again to Ben for coming along for this boat ride!

Did any of you see The Return? What did you think?

We've... um.... returned. With The Return, the story of Odysseus washing up on the shore of Ithaca and having to deal with the parasitic and violent suitors who have taken up residence in his home. Thanks again to Ben for coming along for this boat ride!

We discuss the various fine points of Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche's cinematic history, which suitor was the worst, connections to Batman, and why Telemachus was the actual worst here. Jesus and Mary Chain ft. Hope Sandoval. Is Athena invisible or is this just not supernatural at all? And more!

Did any of you see The Return? What did you think?

We're back... with Ben! And with 2024's The Return, a retelling of the final section of The Odyssey where Odysseus returns to Ithaca and murders the suitors who have taken up a parasitic and violent residence in his home. In this episode we discuss the finer points of Ralph Fiennes and Juliet Binoche's careers together, if Telemachus is the worst here, or is it Antonus... or Pisander? Why is he Clayface? Emmaus is the Italian Batman. And more!

We're leaving Ben with Circe but will be back to talk about Nolan's... ahhem, "sleeper" hit Insomnia.

We remind Andy that we DEFINITELY did a Memento episode already as we welcome our first castaway-- Ben! He's here as an expert on Nietzsche (and Foucalt!) AND he has opinions about Christopher Nolan, too! In the episode we delve back into active forgetting and what Nietzsche wrote about the genealogy of morals, the Greek gods, and other issues and how they relate to the ways we think of both Memento and The Odyssey. Is this a revenge tale?

Next week we're delving more into that last question by watching 2024's The Return starring Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche-- join us as Ben returns to discuss more Odyssey!

It's Christopher Nolan's breakthrough film Memento, in which protagonist Lenny can't create new memories and searches for the elusive John G, who according to a tattoo on his chest raped and murdered his wife. This episode has lots of bits. In this podcast we run through the plot and filmmaking of Memento, Remember Stephen Toblowsky, discuss the origins of some of Christopher Nolan's film tropes, un-cancel John Locke (oh my!!), try to make Inception happen early, stop making sense, discuss nihilism and Nietzsche, put the peeps in the chili pot and add the M&M's, and restart the podcast at least twice.

The closing song is NOT by Loggins and Messina (nee Claudius and Messalina) but by Loggins-adjacent sometime Doobie Brother Michael McDonald, the apt for this episode "I Keep Forgetting"

Programming note: check out Andy on an upcoming episode of ⁠Yours, Mine, and Theirs⁠ talking about O Brother Where Art Thou? in an episode about movies that ask questions?

It's our first cinematic take on The Odyssey with 1954's "Ulysses" starring Silvana Mangano and Kirk Douglas. We discuss the film but also The Cold War, erotic Soviet tractor movies (here's some examples), 1950s crushes, JB finds us a sexy tractor calendar, Dino de Laurentis, and ultimately settle that this is more of a CW/Lifetime version of the epic.

Here's the episode of Yours, Mine, and Theirs where Ammon and Andy discussed this movie along with Disney's Hercules and the original Clash of the Titans.

Next week we're starting on Nolan's filmography with his breakthrough Memento. So get tatted up and watch it to be ready to discuss with us.