Episode 40: Disquieting Genitals and Inscrutable Plotlines

Prompts: Dystopia, Stone, 6

This week, Lauren and Neal go big—Biblical-apocalypse-meets-Renaissance-sculpture big. From marble perfection to multi-chapter madness, the duo tackles two cultural landmarks that both obsess over the body, prophecy, and, somehow, time travel.

Lauren kicks things off with Michelangelo’s David, that iconic slab of Renaissance idealism carved in quiet defiance of the world around it. She explores how David’s oversized hands, tense posture, and famous nudity turned him into more than just a pretty statue—he was a political message, a symbol of divine strength, and an unexpected sex symbol. From debates over feather placement to anatomical precision, Lauren walks us through the myth, mystery, and modesty of Florence’s most famous resident.

Then Neal unpacks Southland Tales (2006), Richard Kelly’s gloriously overstuffed follow-up to Donnie Darko. With a cast that includes The Rock, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Justin Timberlake, this apocalyptic sci-fi satire is either a misunderstood masterpiece or a glorious mess. Neal breaks down its Cannes controversy, its vision of a fractured America, and the film’s bonkers blend of prophecy, porn, and political panic. Oh, and Neal tells a horrifying story that you don't want to miss...

Lauren's Topic:

David

By Michelangelo (1501-1504)

Neal's Topic:

Southland Tales (2006)

Directed by Richard Kelly

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