Today we’re joined by a very special guest. Tom Shone, the author of The Nolan Variations himself, talked to us for a bit to promote the upcoming paperback version of his book about the films of Christopher Nolan, now with a new chapter on Oppenheimer.

We talked to Shone about writing that new chapter, Oppenheimer’s Oscars chances, what it was like working with Nolan, and more!

We’re back for another bonus episode! On Tuesday morning, Oppenheimer got 13 nominations for the 96th Academy Awards. Jake and Marshall are here to talk about their predictions for the film as well as some other general Oscars talk. We’ll be back soon once the ceremony is closer!

We’re back! It’s a holiday miracle. On this episode, Jake and Marshall are talking all about the most anticipated physical media release of the year: Oppenheimer on 4K Blu-ray.

The title quickly sold out at multiple outlets, but we each managed to get a copy so we could take a gander at all those sweet, sweet bonus features. Topics covered this episode include the importance of physical media (always), Spotify Wrapped stats from our listeners, and our favorite bonus features on the Blu-ray.

(Audio quality note: Due to a recording issue there is a faint, intermittent echo on Marshall’s track.)

The finale, the ending, the cut to black — whatever you call it, this is it! (For now.)

In this wrapup episode, Jake and Marshall look back on their yearlong journey through Christopher Nolan’s films and influences. Topics include the newly published Oppenheimer script, alternate names for the podcast, what's next, and of course, the guys’ (latest) official Nolan rankings.

Thank you so much for joining us, and we'll see you at the beginning, friends.

Chapters

One episode wasn’t enough. Now that Barbenheimer Fever has gripped the nation, Jake and Marshall discuss their theatrical experience seeing Barbie and Oppenheimer on the same day in Austin, and delve deeper into the themes of Oppenheimer.

We did it! We made it to Oppenheimer. Here’s a quick episode on Jake and Marshall’s immediate thoughts about Christopher Nolan’s latest film, from the score to the editing to the performances and how well Nolan adapts Bird & Sherwin’s American Prometheus. More thoughts to come later!

It’s almost time! This is our last episode until Oppenheimer premieres in wide release. As such, we prepared as much as we can by reading American Prometheus, Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin’s exhaustive biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer.

We also watched The Day After Trinity, the 1981 documentary that chronicles the events of the Los Alamos test and acts as a kind of CliffsNotes on American Prometheus.

So join us for this freewheeling episode, and get ready for July 21.

All we have for you is a word: Podcast.

That’s right, it’s Tenet time. This week, Jake and Marshall take a look at Christopher Nolan’s most recent film to date, a Dudes Rock tale of time travel wrapped up in a James Bond plot.

Also discussed: How Tenet’s release schedule changed the film industry as we know it, how Tenet acts as a bridge from Dunkirk to Oppenheimer, and how Tenet is the Most Nolan Film to ever exist — at least, that is, until Oppenheimer comes out next week.

Cold War espionage and spycraft is the name of the game on today’s episode. Jake and Marshall take a look at how much Christopher Nolan drew on influences like Alfred Hitchcock and John le Carré for Tenet, Nolan’s version of a James Bond film.

Here you’ll find a look at Hitchcock’s North by Northwest and how it led to the Bond film franchise, as well as a close reading of the ins and outs of the spy trade in le Carré’s novel The Night Manager.

Grab your headphones and have a listen. Or, in the spirit of Tenet, maybe you’ve already listened, and you just don’t know it.

“All we did was survive.”

“That’s enough.”

This week on the pod, Jake and Marshall discuss all things Dunkirk: The script, the score, the spectacle, and the smaller moments that feel like spectacle. They also look at how this film succeeds at balancing its tone where Ryan’s Daughter fails. Come along for an episode about Nolan’s most contradictory film yet.