BIRD PROTOCOL

This week, we’re joined by our pal Jason (@thatdjentguy) to share some recommendations and suggestions in the world of heavy music! Last week, each of us created a list of five heavy albums that you should check out. In this episode, we share our lists and engage in some spirited discussion on the albums we chose and various sub-genres of heavy music. These aren’t our top five albums, though, that was Instead, we share some music that we personally think is dope, pivotal, important, and relevant to the genre. Some of the artists we discuss include Norma Jean, The Chariot, SOAD, Touche Amore, The Gorgeous, Counterparts, Periphery, Cancer Bats, Architects, Converge, The Sword, and many more. Plus, we share some bonus selections and stuff that nearly made our lists, discuss the difference between doom metal and stoner metal, theorize on the reason for the breakdown of genre as a whole in the last few years, throw in a Ringo Starr impression, and more.

We close out the episode with a discussion on Jason’s excellent new instrumental album, “MONOLITH”, and ask him some questions about writing, his concept, his process, his collaborators, and more. We also talk about our favourite tracks from the album, discuss finding the right guitar tone, and share some stories of the production. Plus, what is next from thadjentguy? Jason shares some info on the deluxe version of the album and his plans for the summer. “MONOLITH” is now available on Bandcamp and wherever you stream your music. Go support the dude! We had a blast chatting with him and thank him for taking the time to be on the podcast.

We’re taking next weekend off since we both have a wedding to go to.

See you in two weeks.

BUY “MONOLITH” ON BANDCAMP:

https://thatdjentguy.bandcamp.com/album/monolith

STREAM “MONOLITH” ON SPOTIFY:

https://open.spotify.com/album/67P8WVWLNqcDkcGaeh2j2l?si=3NutGffcSMm3SVE37NfQ2Q

LISTEN TO THE “STRANGER DAYS VOL.1” SINGLES HERE: 

https://soundcloud.com/cemetery_sound/sets/stranger-days-vol-1-singles?si=8ace57b8dd264622a6d7c40ac957d596&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing 

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Instagram: @palmreadr @otismorrisdude

What's shakin', homies? We’re back with another swashbuckling episode of BIRD PROTOCOL and this week we’re joined by actor and pirate lover Michael Masurkevitch to talk about Gore Verbinski’s 2003 supernatural pirate adventure flick, “Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl”. This movie is… underrated? Under-appreciated maybe? Either way, this movie rules, It is so much fun and has aged like a fine wine. Starring Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Geoffrey Rush, and Keira Knightly, “Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl” was a massive underdog success at the box office, made Johnny Depp into an A-list star, and spawned four sequels. It’s based on the Walt Disney theme park attraction of the same name and, by god, if it isn’t the best (and only?) film adaptation of a physical ride.

We start things off by introducing Mike and talking about the web series “Pirate Mike” that he worked on with Otis, then we go into our personal histories with the film and share some pirate anecdotes. From there, we jump right in… or dive off the proverbial plank, if you will. There’s lots to talk about here. From the amazing set design and score to the standout performances from the leading cast (though PALMREADER has some nits to pick about Will Turner) to the fusion of supernatural with historical to the excellent tone and writing to the lore and sequels to the insanely awesome choreography and so much more. This movie has a bit of everything and really stands out as a prime example of thoughtful, competent, and creative blockbuster filmmaking. It’s got laughs, action, horror, comedy, and somehow it really works. 

Lots of the film’s success rests on Depp’s performance as Captain Jack Sparrow so we obviously had to have a conversation about it. He rips. Truly iconic. Did you know that this movie was expected to flop and the studio hated Depp’s performance as Jack Sparrow? Really. Now, he is to Jack Sparrow as Robert Downey Jr. is to Tony Stark. Upon release, the movie was a major hit and proved a lot of critics wrong. We also cover some of the critical responses to the film, breeze through the plot, reflect on the cinema of the aughts, and chop it up about other adventure movies and how the genre seems to have vanished as of late. Luckily, Mike shares some stories from conventions that he’s been a part of that show that pirates are still beloved. We may yet get the sixth Pirates film. Sigh. A man can dream. We close things out this week with some promo, a health update, a discussion on making movies, and some other ramblings.

See you next week!

CHECK OUT “PIRATE MIKE” HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPJYBETryCs&list=PL7gcLA0ggEgJnEGgG8YvywX6hLrcLuiDS&ab_channel=ChairHumperproductions

LISTEN TO THE “STRANGER DAYS VOL.1” SINGLES HERE: 

https://soundcloud.com/cemetery_sound/sets/stranger-days-vol-1-singles?si=8ace57b8dd264622a6d7c40ac957d596&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

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Aye! It’s another Lazy Bird episode with your favourite bird boys! Today, we’re sharing some of our recent plays, listens, and the stuff we’ve been watching. First and foremost, PALMREADER explains why we’ve continued to be MIA… he had to go to the hospital! It sucked but things are much better now. He talks about his diagnosis and shares some updates on his health. Then, Otis complains about the heatwave we had and tells a story about a dark magician who blew his mind at a comedy show. We also talk about Kid Rock’s performance at Woodstock ’99 and our friend Dan’s hilarious first YouTube video. PALMREADER also shares his thoughts about sound guys who don’t do their job and the Jinkx Monsoon show he attended a few weeks ago.

Then, it is time to talk about what we’ve been listening to including Killer Mike’s excellent new album “MICHAEL”, the new Better Lovers EP, Toronto’s own Sylo, our homie Whensday’s new single “Conceited”, rappers She Mule and That Mexican OT, Ethel Cain, Spy, and the new QOTSA album. We also discuss how neither of us has listened to the new Lil Uzi Vert album and PALMREADER is mad that he covered SOAD’s track “Chop Suey!”. Then we get to talking about games and although PALMREADER hasn’t been playing much, Otis has lots to say about “Metroid: Dread” and finding out exactly what kind of games he likes to play.

Then we have a conversation about what we’ve been watching! PALMREADER talks about the newest M. Night Shyamalan film “Knock At The Cabin” and Dave Bautista’s amazing and nuanced performance. He also has been watching some banger Studio Ghibli films including “Princess Mononoke”. Plus, have we all judged David Ayer’s fantasy cop film “Bright” too harshly? PALMREADER thinks so. In fact, he thinks it is worth a rewatch. This leads to a brief conversation on Ayer and his hit-or-miss filmography and consistent film style. Otis talks about a found footage horror film he actually likes, 2014’s “As Above So Below”, and shares how he was blown away by Paul Schrader’s “Mishima: A Life In Four Chapters”. We close the episode out with some promo, shout-outs, music updates, and we announce our next episode… Gore Verbinski’s “Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl”. Drink up, me hearties, yo ho!

See you next week!

LISTEN TO THE “STRANGER DAYS VOL.1” SINGLES HERE: 

https://soundcloud.com/cemetery_sound/sets/stranger-days-vol-1-singles?si=8ace57b8dd264622a6d7c40ac957d596&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

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Instagram: @palmreadr @otismorrisdude

What’s good, homies?! We’re back with a regular ol’ episode to talk about a band that absolutely RIPS! This week, we're stage-diving headfirst into the sonic mayhem of the Kentucky-based metalcore powerhouse known as Knocked Loose. Formed in the small town of Oldham County, Kentucky, Knocked Loose exploded onto the scene in 2013 with their relentless energy and uncompromising aggression. Drawing influences from hardcore punk, to metal, and even elements of nu-metal, death metal, and beatdown, they forged a sound that defied boundaries and has redefined the heavy music scene. Drawing influence from across the board, they have since become critically beloved and are considered a pillar of the mid-to-late 2010’s metalcore revival wave alongside bands like Counterparts, Code Orange, Kublai Khan TX, Jesus Piece, and more. With bone-crushing breakdowns, blistering riffs, and gut-wrenching lyrics that delve into personal struggles and the raw emotions of the human experience… this band rules. So, get ready to strap in and be crushed by the weight of the TERROR as we explore the chaotic brilliance of Knocked Loose.

To start things off, we explain our lateness and share some updates on where we’ve been the last two weeks including Otis possibly entering another dimension in a UFO-shaped restaurant. Then, we get to the riffs! In this episode, we share our history with the band (and PALMREADER makes an apology for assuming they weren’t serious due to all the “Arf! Arf!” stuff in the early days), take a deep dive into Knocked Loose's discography, exploring their evolution as a band, unpack some of their lyrical themes, and look at the lasting impact they've had on the landscape of heavy music. We also dive deep into our favourite releases of theirs, the awesome album “A Different Shade Of Blue” and the excellent EP “A Tear In The Fabric Of Life”, and explore what it is they did that really set them apart. This leads to a conversation on inspiration, influence, and friendly competition in the heavy music scene and a discussion on how a rising tide lifts all ships. We also discuss the metalcore revival wave of the late 2010s, Will Putney’s evolution as a producer, and some of the other bands from that era and today that are absolutely killing it.

To close things out, PALMREADER gives a shout-out to his pal Jason (thatdjentguy) and his upcoming album “MONOLITH” as well as an update on the upcoming PALMREADER EP. Otis shares some updates on “Snow Blinded” and “Regicide” including a release of “Snow Blinded” on physical media that is super dope. We also give some advanced consistency warnings for the rest of the summer as we have some weddings to go to and vacations to have.

See you next week!

PRE-ORDER “MONOLITH” HERE:

https://thatdjentguy.bandcamp.com/album/monolith

LISTEN TO “CAVERNOUS: MISSING TRANSMISSIONS” HERE:

https://open.spotify.com/album/10f1EPfaBBpb6obFGRzLtY?si=cpnGYnv3Sj6L5mJn57Camw

LISTEN TO “FROM THE NORTH (PRESSURE)” HERE:

https://on.soundcloud.com/YdD67

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Instagram: @palmreadr @otismorrisdude

Ayo! Welcome to another exciting episode of BIRD PROTOCOL and today we’re introducing another brand new segment that we like to call "Wingin' It With The Bird Boys"! In this episode, we will be answering a set of three random questions each on the topic of film, TV, music, and video games. We’ll be sharing our thoughts, our opinions, and maybe even experience some surprises along the way. But, as the title suggests, this episode is all about winging it. No scripts, no rehearsals, just our unfiltered thoughts. With each question, we'll be taking off on a spontaneous adventure, bringing you our raw, unscripted reactions and suggestions. So, whether you're a cinephile, TV addict, music enthusiast, or a gamer at heart, there's something for everyone in this episode. And, hopefully, you walk away with some new stuff to check out.

In this episode, we talk about our favourite film directors currently working, share some must-watch foreign language films/directors and our favourite foreign cinemas, and offer some suggestions on our favourite thought thought-provoking documentaries. In the world of gaming, we discuss the best multiplayer gaming and which gave us the most memorable gaming sessions with friends, our favourite immersive video game worlds and what makes them so captivating, and innovative video game mechanics or gameplay features and how have they enhanced the gaming experience. We also dive into the realm of music and share some of our favourite underrated or under-appreciated music genres or sub-genres, suggest some artists and bands that are doing really cool things right now and why their music stands out, and discuss some albums that we consider to be timeless classics (both retro and modern) and why we think that they continue to resonate with audiences. Lastly, we hit the small screen and talk TV. We chat about the most satisfying TV show endings that tied up the storylines in a fulfilling way, muse on some of the best show theme songs or opening sequences that instantly get the viewer in the mood for the show, and share some underrated or under-appreciated TV shows that we think deserve more recognition.

This is our first attempt at a “Wingin’ It” episode so bear with us are as we are still working out the kinks. Not every episode will be like this either. These “Wingin’ It” episodes are a much more focused version of the Lazy Bird episodes and will cover all sorts of casual topics like the question segment from today, as well as some top 5 lists, viewer questions, and more. Have you got some thoughts on today’s questions? Let us know if you have anything to add! Send us an email, fill out the Q&A on Spotify, or shoot us a DM. We’d love to hear from our audience!

We’ll see you all next week for a regular ol’ episode.

LISTEN TO “CAVERNOUS: MISSING TRANSMISSIONS” HERE:

https://open.spotify.com/album/10f1EPfaBBpb6obFGRzLtY?si=cpnGYnv3Sj6L5mJn57Camw

LISTEN TO “DANCE WITH THE DEVIL (HIGH STRANGENESS)” HERE:

https://on.soundcloud.com/V6g2Y

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Instagram: @palmreadr @otismorrisdude

What’s good homies!? We’re back! This is the first of our new topical episodes and we’re kicking it off with a bang! Today, we’re going to be talking about sequels, prequels, and reboots in film. The conversation also dips into the pool of video games, television adaptations of movies, and more. We also have a proper intro this time… and this is part of it:

From the groundbreaking franchises that continue to captivate us with their imaginative sequels, to the daring prequels that unravel the untold origins of our favourite characters, and the exciting reboots that breathe new life into classic tales… we're gonna talk about it all. Even the hot garbage. You know, there is an intricate dance between honouring the past and charting exciting, new territories on film. In this episode, we’ll be asking what makes a successful sequel or prequel. Is it about capturing the essence of the original while forging its own path, or do fan expectations play a vital role? What about the ever-looming influence of film studios, finances, nostalgia, and all the other various pratfalls filmmakers have to deal with? And how can reboots reimagine familiar stories while introducing new fresh perspectives and still continue to captivate both longtime fans and newcomers? Throughout this episode, we'll dissect iconic films and franchises, discuss their impact on the cinematic landscape, and share our opinions on the topic…. both good and bad.

In this episode, we talk about all the bangers from “The Godfather: Part II” to “Aliens” to the “Planet Of The Apes” reboot to “Mad Max: Fury Road” to the “Fast And Furious” franchise. We also discuss what makes a good sequel, prequel, or reboot, the issue of financial success vs. creative integrity, studio interference, what filmmakers might need more of to make new and exciting sequels in the age of the franchise, “Star Wars”  and the MCU’s recent shortcomings, the X-Men franchise’s bounce back and Wolverine’s journey through the films, the problem with franchise burnout, fan expectations, thematic sequels like Linklater’s “Everybody Wants Some!!!” and “Dazed and Confused”, filmmaker’s phoning in on a sequel vs. actually caring about the content, social media’s role, and a whole lot more. Plus, we want to hear from YOU! What do you think about our discussion today? Let us know! We end the episode by sharing some stuff that we’ve been listening to, watching, and playing lately, as usual.

We’ll see you in a week!

LISTEN TO “CAVERNOUS: MISSING TRANSMISSIONS” HERE:

https://open.spotify.com/album/10f1EPfaBBpb6obFGRzLtY?si=cpnGYnv3Sj6L5mJn57Camw

LISTEN TO “DANCE WITH THE DEVIL (HIGH STRANGENESS)” HERE:

https://on.soundcloud.com/V6g2Y

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Instagram: @palmreadr @otismorrisdude

Holy heck! We’ve made it to ONE HUNDRED episodes! Can you believe it!? To celebrate, we’re talking about one of our favourite action thrillers of the past 10 years with a cast that is crazy stacked, a crew that goes nuts, a writer that has become one of the most sought-after in the business, and a director who sneakily might be in the running for most consistent filmography of all time. That’s right, we’re talking about Denis Villeneuve and Taylor Sheridan’s 2015 film “Sicario”. With amazing performances from Emily Blunt, Benicio del Toro, Josh Brolin, Daniel Kaluuya, and Jon Bernthal, “Sicario” is tight, well-written, perfectly acted, thrilling, explosive, visually striking, and impeccably shot. It’s a masterclass from a group of filmmakers and actors moving in unison, with each aspect of the film working together to create something so memorable that PALMREADER’s grandfather made them watch all the special features because he didn’t know an action movie could “be this good.”

In this episode, we break down Villeneuve and Sheridan’s careers, unpack the plot of the film, share some of our favourite shots (shout out Roger Deakins), praise the performances of the main cast, gush about the soundtrack and the writing, and discuss the perfect storm of Villeneuve and Sheridan coming together at the right time to go stupid hard while making this movie. We look at the themes behind and ideas explored in the film and how it all comes together to work so well. We also try to answer the question, “Does Denis Villeneuve have the best pound-for-pound filmography of any modern director?” The answer is… he might? There’s a strong argument to be made. This film is filled with insanely beautifully framed and shot sequences that contrast the moments of explosive violence and high tension in a way that really works for both of us. Plus, as mentioned, the performances are top-notch. Blunt, Del Toro, and Brolin all turn in career-high performances and use the extremely well-written script to boost their shine. Speaking of, we also dive deep into some of the greatest scenes and badass lines of the film, have a conversation about some of the responses to the film, grumble about the sequel and how it kinda stinks, praise the pacing and cinematography, revisit the Oscars from that year, talk about other dope Canadian directors, and more.

We really love this movie and we love all of you for tuning in. This is the end of our imagined “second season” and we are stoked to close it out with a banger. Thanks again for rocking with us for one hundred episodes and we can’t wait to celebrate the next hundred. We close it out with some gratitude, shoutouts, and some talk about the future. Otis’ EP of b-sides and extra songs, “CAVERNOUS: MISSING TRANSMISSIONS” is out now on all streaming platforms. PALMREADER also dropped a new rap song called “Dance With The Devil (High Strangeness)”. Go listen to both of those. Hell yeah.

We’ll be back next week!

LISTEN TO “CAVERNOUS: MISSING TRANSMISSIONS” HERE:

https://open.spotify.com/album/10f1EPfaBBpb6obFGRzLtY?si=cpnGYnv3Sj6L5mJn57Camw

LISTEN TO “DANCE WITH THE DEVIL (HIGH STRANGENESS)” HERE:

https://on.soundcloud.com/V6g2Y

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For our 99th episode, we decided to kick it lazy bird style and look back on our time making BIRD PROTOCOL and share some reviews and recommendations of what we’ve been watching lately. We kick things off by sharing our plans for the future as we close out the metaphoric second season of BIRD PROTOCOL with our upcoming 100th episode and talk about the various new things that we’d like to introduce to the podcast. Then, we get wistful and take a look back on our journey so far, how far we’ve come, question and praise our recent explosion of listener traffic, thank the listeners who have rocked with us, and welcome all of our new listeners to the flock. We also take some time to recommend some of our favourites from the first 100 episodes of the pod and share why we love them/what we think makes them the hits.

After that, we get into a talk about what we’ve been enjoying (or hating on) lately. Otis talks about some Japanese horror films he picked up, “Audition” and “Ringu”, and his new purchasing plan based around DVD covers. Some of his choices include a movie called “Ape”, an indie film about a comedian that sucked, and “Microwave Massacre”, a horror film that is so bad that it might be good (it’s actually garbage and very misogynistic). PALMREADER talks about re-watching one of the most underrated and one of his personal favourite movie trilogies, “The Planet Of The Apes” reboot trilogy. Apes together strong. Always. He also sings praises for a movie that completely surprised him, the charming and very fun “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves”. This leads to Otis talking about a very divisive and kind of daunting movie that he absolutely loved, “Beau Is Afraid”. We understand why people might have a tough time with Ari Aster’s surrealist take on “Jewish Axienty And Mommy Issues: The Movie” but Otis stands fully behind it. This leads into a discussion on the reaction to “Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3” and James Gunn before PALMREADER goes on a rant because he hated Kathryn Bigelow’s “Near Dark” and feels misled by Film Twitter.

Plus, we have some lively discussions about the 2013 “Evil Dead” reboot and the various things PALMREADER had issues with. Then, we run through some of the things we’ve been watching on TV as well as a few music recommendations including projects from Conway The Machine, Whensday, Emerson Corleone and French, Lloyd Banks, KAMAUU, Jack Harlow, DRAIN, boygenius, Jesus Piece, and more. Otis also shares some stories from Shock Stock, the Canadian premiere of “Snow Blinded”, and talks about the film winning some cool awards. Honestly, we can’t believe we’ve made it this far and are so thankful for anyone who has been a part of our podcasting journey. So thank you so much for listening, wherever you are. We love you. 

Next week? Well, we’re talking one of our favourite action thrillers of all time from director Denis Villeneuve and writer Taylor Sheridan. Join us for our 100th episode on the absolutely fantastic “Sicario” and help us close out what we’ve dubbed “season 2” of BIRD PROTOCOL.

LISTEN TO OTIS MORRIS - “THE SWRD (FEATURING DR. MEATSSS)” HERE:

https://soundcloud.com/ottermanmedia/the-swrd-feat-dr-meatsss?si=f5e720a92db5414a9bcebd48b7bc1ca7&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

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This week, we’re taking on one of the most iconic anime films of all time (with one of the hardest posters of all time) and heading to the streets Neo-Tokyo to face off with an inter-dimensional child and a crazy flesh blob made of pure psychic power. “Akira”, directed by Katsuhiro Otomo and based on his manga of the same name, was released in 1988 in Japan and 1989 in North America to critical acclaim and quickly became a cult classic film that heralded the second wave of anime in North American pop culture. Visually? It’s insane. A real masterwork. One of the best-looking animated films ever. It’s legacy? Widespread. It’s a cyberpunk sci-fi thrill ride that features all sorts of wild stuff like cool motorbikes, a kid going god mode, psychic Hasbulla variants, teddy bear nightmares, people being exploded by psychic energy, laser guns in space, a military coup, corrupt governments, dimensional singularities, cyberpunk tropes, and a whole lot more.

So join us as we break down the film’s plot and cover a bunch of “Akira”-related topics including the critical response, the amazing visuals, the film’s legacy, the film’s production, the famed Akira Committee, the iconic poster, anime’s second wave in North America, the violence and political undertones of 80’s anime films, teenaged Japanese biker gangs, corruption of the police and government, the original manga being finished after the film, and a whole lot more. Plus, did this movie predict Hasbulla becoming a God mind? Maybe. Keep an eye on that lil’ guy. We also share a plethora of ways this movie has influenced other films, video games, music, fashion, etc. Furthermore, we give a bunch of examples to back it up because there are a lot. We share what we love about this movie, why it slaps, some of the iconography of “Akira”, and all that good stuff. Plus, Otis shares some information about film restoration after watching some of the movie’s special features and getting more information on how it all works.

We end things off with a conversation and short review about “John Wick 4” since we both went to see it in a real-life movie theatre together. Lots of action. Lots of stairwells. A staked cast. Arrows sticking people to the all. Fat Scott Adkins spin-kicking. Donnie Yen going Ip Man mode. John Wick beating people with nunchucks. That crazy overhead sequence. Hell yeah. We both think it was pretty sick but have a few nits to pick. Overall, though? It was dope. Go check it out. Rest In Power Lance Reddick.

We’re taking a week off before we come back for our 99th and 100th episodes. We’ll see you in two weeks. Also, go watch “Akira” if you haven’t already. It’s top-tier. TETSUOOOOOOO!!!!! KANEDAAAAAAAA!!!

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After taking a weekend to recover from the hangovers we got celebrating Otis’ most recent trip around the sun, we’re back and this week we’ve got a BANGER film on deck. It’s Otis’ birthday pick and we’re super stoked to be talking about one of our favourite films of the last twenty years, The Coen Brothers’ neo-noir western crime thriller “No Country For Old Men”. This movie is excellent in so many ways… Technically, thematically, visually, as an adaptation, and on and on. It just rules. 

Based on Cormac McCarthy’s book of the same name, “No Country” was released in 2007 to critical acclaim, eventually winning many awards. Tt the 80th Oscars, the film took home wins for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor Javier Bardem’s clinical performance as psychopathic murderer Anton Chigurh. The cast and their performances are pitch-perfect. Josh Brolin, Tommy Lee Jones, and Javier Bardem are excellent. The cinematography (shout out to Roger Deakins) and sound design are out of this world. The lack of non-diegetic sound for most of this film just heightens the tension and serves the themes and ideas behind the film, much like the outbursts of insane violence. There are so many good things that we can say about this movie… and we do!

We start things off by discussing some topics that are completely from the film itself. First, we look at the rest of the releases in 2007 and films released in the late aughts. What was it that lead to so many interesting and violent films that feature no real hero in the general sense and were so critical of the Western World? We have some thoughts. This leads to a conversation on the current nature of critical and cultural discourse around art. Is social media crippling the experience of cinema itself? Why is everything critical made to be clickbait? Why can’t an artist just swing for the fences and make something unique to them? And why does the audience feel entitled to all movies/music/tv to be catered to their taste? Otis points out a Twitter review of Ari Aster’s new movie “Beau Is Afraid” and, just like that, we’re off on a tangent. People, and studios, should be able to deal with something different. Especially since at its core, cinema is a form of art, right?

After that, we discuss what we think a good adaptation really is and why “No Country For Old Men” fits that bill. We also talk about the technical side of this movie and the choices the filmmakers made that took the film to a whole new level. We discuss how all aspects of the film’s production work in tandem to create something really special that speaks directly to the novel’s themes and explore them in nuanced ways. We break down the film’s plot, revisit some of our favourite scenes, and talk about the tremendous performances from the cast. We also explore the use of violence, the realism of the film’s themes, and so much more. It’s a long episode and we get pretty deep into it. Of course… it wouldn’t be a “No Country” pod if we didn’t talk about Bardem’s iconic performance as Chigurh and why it’s the scariest, and most realistic, on-screen psychopath we’ve ever seen. The dude is a menace.

We don’t want to make this too long of a summary so believe us when we say that we dig really deep and try to talk about all aspects of this incredible movie. We end this episode by talking about PALMREADER’s theory of “True Mid” which leads to more conversation about one-line reviews on Letterboxd, how rating systems should actually work, and the problem with people looking at reviews the same way they looked at their school grades.

See you next week, homies!

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