No one in our recent scheduling chaos has been bounced around more than Katie Conaglen but we’re so glad we finally got to record because she is absolutely essential to picking through the befuddling wreckage that is Nora Ephron’s BEWITCHED, an adaptation of the 60s sitcom seemingly no one wanted to make and no one had a good angle on, but what they eventually settle on is a BAFFLING misfire and you’ve gotta hear this amazing conversation with Katie!

We discuss the bizarre oil-and-water pairing of Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell, made worse by nonsensical character motivations, scattershot plotting and a wavering tone that makes you ask “what emotion am I even supposed to be feeling right now?”

This movie is the kind of forgotten detritus that this show is made for, and Katie is an amazing guest, check it out!

Brian's Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/SchmanthonyP⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Rob's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Rob's Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://artofilliterates.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Katie’s Twitter: https://x.com/katrinaconaglen

Happy 17th birthday Charlotte!!!

https://x.com/schmanthonyp/status/1958490760271040775https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social/post/3lwvtgqfv2k2u

We make up for being a day late by bringing you the most hotly anticipated episode of this entire project in Steven Spielberg's harrowing, gargantuan WAR OF THE WORLDS and offering up two of the most prestigious and amazing guests we've had so far, the brilliant and prominent critic Bilge Ebiri (Vulture/The New Yorker) and one of the smartest and funniest guys running these Twitter streets in Alex Watkins (@thamosdeaf)

We go DEEP for our second-longest episode so far, we discuss the perennial father/son fault line that runs through Spielberg's work, Cruise's disastrous public-relations tour that tainted the reputation of the film itself, the film's overwhelming evocation of 9/11 imagery, a kickass laser prog rock opera, the dangers of peanut allergies and the Tao of Michael Porter Jr.This was an incredible conversation and we had SO much fun, please check this out and tell everyone you know!

Note: My microphone was malfunctioning for the first about 40 minutes of the episode; it's not THAT bad but it's not my usual standard and if it bothers you, note that It Gets Better lol*

Brian's Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/SchmanthonyP⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Rob's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Rob's Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://artofilliterates.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Bilge's Twitter: https://x.com/BilgeEbiri

Bilge's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bilgeebiri.bsky.social

Bilge Ebiri on Vulture: https://www.vulture.com/author/bilge-ebiri/

Alex's Twitter: https://x.com/thamosdeaf

Amy Nicholson - How YouTube and Internet Journalism Destroyed Tom Cruise, Our Last Real Movie Star

This journey was TOO TREACHEROUS FOR GUESTS. Rob & Brian go guest-less as we discuss the astonishing success of the nature documentary MARCH OF THE PENGUINS.!

We dig into the deep history of documentaries that found themselves as box office successes, we debate the moral and entertainment validity of the format, its strange transition from France to America, the long cultural tail of Morgan Freeman as the "Voice of God" and if it's even feasible for a documentary to have this sort of success in the modern world.

This was so much more fun and engaging than I anticipated, come on and check it out!

Brian's Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/SchmanthonyP⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Rob's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Rob's Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://artofilliterates.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Everything Takes Place, Even Dreams (Dunson Movies, 2020) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFNCqaMUZRw

The Dreamcast Files - Beyond Infinity: How a Bad Buzz Lightyear Game Reignited My Love for Gaming - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHTmdt2ZJVc&t=2684s&ab_channel=SchmidGame-DreamcastFiles

Our brilliant and beloved pal Katie Stebbins joins us to deconstruct HERBIE: FULLY LOADED, a bizarre attempt to resurrect a justly forgotten old-school Disney property for a modern era, and the result has the same stupid issues its forebears did. We dive deep on the entire LOVE BUG franchise, lament how queer black woman directors are rarely allowed to fail upward like their white male brethren, dwell on how deeply unsympathetic the titular car is in the narrative, and take a look at Lindsay Lohan in basically her last moment as a teen star before plummeting into tabloid abyss. We also recommend a great SURVIVOR season for beginners, and I get to talk about how Tony Stewart killed a guy! JOIN US!

AURORA 4-EVER <3

Brian's Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/SchmanthonyP⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Rob's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Rob's Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://artofilliterates.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Katie's Twitter: https://x.com/_katiestebbins_

Katie's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/feminaridens.bsky.socialTheme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

We snag up two of my favorite Newfoundlanders, the great Doug Tilley of the vast Cinema Smorgasbord podcasting episode, and contributions from the lovely TJ Dobbin, who was so wonderful on the SIN CITY episode, as we go DEEP on the origins of the Caped Crusaders with BATMAN BEGINS.

We discuss how much of a not-sure thing a new, serious Batman film was in the post-Schumacher wilds, Liam Neeson's ridiculous haircut, the extent to which a family of billionaires can charitably be called "ethical", Cillian Murphy's sumptuous lips, my distaste for origin stories, my mom being rude to Adam West, and just what this film did to be called JoBlo Dot Com's Best Film of 2005.

Brian's Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/SchmanthonyP⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Rob's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Rob's Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://artofilliterates.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Doug's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/dougtilley.bsky.social

Cinema Smorgasbord: https://www.cinemasmorgasbord.com/

TJ's Bluesky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/tjamesdobbin.bsky.social⁠

TJ's Substack: ⁠https://strawberrypenguin.substack.com/ ⁠

Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

Longtime friend of the show Scott Nye (@railoftomorrow) joins us to pick apart Doug Liman's MR. & MRS. SMITH, a staggering mess of a movie seemingly designed to draft off of its main characters' couples' charisma, but in a bizarre reversal, they were both dating other people and only became a couple after this film, which also fueled a tabloid mania that pushed this empty, broken garbage fire of a film to the top 10 of the year.

We dive deep on this film's lame, pointlessly gendered conception of the murder business, how and why this film and Brad Pitt's public persona has been so uniquely poisoned in the wake of his abuse scandal, and well as Adam Brody being the only man in this film awarded for his status as a Choice Hottie. JOIN US!!!

Brian's Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/SchmanthonyP⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Rob's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Rob's Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://artofilliterates.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Scott's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/railoftomorrow.bsky.social

Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

The great SCOUT TAFOYA (The Unloved, But God Made Him a Poet: Watching John Ford in the 21st Century, The Black Book: An Anthony Mann Reader) joins us for a lively conversation on all manner of topics centered around Ron Howard's period boxing drama CINDERELLA MAN. We discuss strong performances from Crowe, Zellweger and Giamatti, Howard's nebulous positions on topics political and social, the power of well-executed melodrama, the value of a well places cell phone to the dome, the absolute travesty done to Max Baer, and the enduring mystery of why the hell this prime cut of Oscar bait was released on the first weekend of June?!

Brian's Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/SchmanthonyP⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Rob's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Rob's Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://artofilliterates.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Scout's Twitter: https://x.com/Honors_Zombie

Scout's Bluesky:

https://bsky.app/profile/honorszombie.bsky.social

The Unloved:

https://www.rogerebert.com/contributors/scout-tafoya

But God Made Him a Poet: https://www.amazon.com/But-God-Made-Him-Poet/dp/B0D97P3TP3

Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

Folks! The great Jeb Lund (@Mobute), the OTHER host of the delightful It's Christmastown podcast with he and David Roth, stops by to interrogate the poisoned faux-macho nightmare that is the Adam Sandler-starring remake of THE LONGEST YARD. I gleefully relish the opportunity to reference the who's who of bizarre mid-2000s roster of cameos, from pro wrestlers (Stone Cold Steve Austin! Goldberg! Kevin Nash! The Great Khali!) to weird ESPN/sports media people (Dan Patrick! Sean Salisbury! Michael Irvin! Chris Berman! Peter King! Jim Rome!) to just all manner of random athletes whose names star with B! (Brian Bosworth! Bill Romanowski! Bob Sapp!) Also D12 for some reason!

We have a blast discussing the film soulless and borderline inappropriate attempts to emulate and launder the gritty original film, Adam Sandler's hilariously unbelievable role as an NFL league MVP and the reviling bigotry of the Happy Madison style. We have SO MUCH FUN.

Brian's Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/SchmanthonyP⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Rob's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Rob's Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://artofilliterates.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jeb's Twitter: https://x.com/Mobute

Jeb's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mobute.bsky.social

It's Christmastown: https://daveandjebarentmean.libsyn.com/⁠

Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

We have finally arrived at our top film of the year and it is a massive movie that casts an even more massive shadow over the psyches of so many, especially Rob, for so many different reasons. I felt a little too emotionally unattached, so to take on this massive undertaking, I call upon the biggest STAR WARS fan I know: MY WIFE, Amber Crews!

We delve into all of our incredibly different roads to different levels of Star Wars fandom; this film's...quirky attempts at writing, visuals, acting and everything else is up for grabs as we discuss the franchise transcending the simple concepts of good or bad into something more primal, more elemental, as we get to the heart of what makes this universe pulsate.

CHECK IT OUT!

Brian's Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/SchmanthonyP⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Rob's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Rob's Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://artofilliterates.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Amber's (Dormant) Twitter: https:x.com/IncrediSquish

Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

Our delightful pal Kev Koeser of the Tasting Menu and Total Massacre podcasts jumped in in a pinch to help us talk about a REAL nothing of a movie, the essence of money-making Childrens Film Product: MADAGASCAR! Our first top-10 entry, we discuss Dreamworks' race to beat Disney to the "talking animal travels abroad" punch, and how the creative team behind this movie is so, so, so much more interesting than the moribund nothing they've provided here.

We weren't sure we'd get much out of such a lackluster piece of art, but we ended up having a blast, check it out!

Brian's Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/SchmanthonyP⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Rob's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Rob's Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://artofilliterates.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Kev's Twitter: ⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/maxrebosroadie.bsky.social

Tasting Menu: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tasting-menu/id1773585423

Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )