Not Playing with Lex and Dan

When you need someone to perfectly embody a Russian military officer, there’s only one man to think of. And that man, of course, is Connery. Sean Connery.

This week, Dan invites Lex to see a movie for the first time—a movie where Connery gets precisely such a role: 1990’s The Hunt for Red October. Lex had been in the theater for this film once, years ago, but he fell asleep after just a few minutes.

That doesn’t happen this time. Or does it?!

Hot topics include unsubtle language transitions, submarine lingo, and whatever the word is for that narrative device where you know more, and also less, than the other characters do. (It’s probably German.)

Support Not Playing by streaming The Hunt For Red October from Amazon or iTunes. And while you’re there, go ahead and leave us a review, won’t you, tovarisch?

"The Hunt for Red October"

Hosts Lex Friedman and Dan Moren.

As with every episode of Not Playing, there are two versions of the podcast. In the regular episode, we discuss what we know about the film before we watch, and then share our reactions immediately after the credits roll.

There’s also the Commentary Track, where we still discuss what we know about the film before we start watching it. Then, we provide a real-time commentary track on the film as it unfolds—and you can tag along. We’ll tell you when to press Play.

Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

History is littered with successful brothers: the Wrights, the Karamazovs, the Wayans, the Hansons, and so on. But perhaps no pair of brothers has become so famous for an extended masturbation joke as the brothers Farrelly.

Dan had never seen their, ahem, seminal 1998 classic There’s Something About Mary. After learning of Dan’s appreciation for the comedy in movies like Army of Darkness and Hudson Hawk, Lex felt like he had a good chance of entertaining Dan with Stiller/Diaz/Dillon hijinks.

You’ll have to listen to learn whether Lex was right. Hot topics include stunt dogs, the brothers Dillon, and cringeworthy comedy.

You can watch along with us by streaming the film from Amazon or iTunes. And while you’re over at iTunes, leave us a rating, why don’t you?

"There's Something About Mary"

Hosts Lex Friedman and Dan Moren.

As with every episode of Not Playing, there are two versions of the podcast. In the regular episode, we discuss what we know about the film before we watch, and then share our reactions immediately after the credits roll.

There’s also the Commentary Track, where we still discuss what we know about the film before we start watching it. Then, we provide a real-time commentary track on the film as it unfolds—and you can tag along. We’ll tell you when to press Play.

Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

Sometimes things are simply dead. Other times, they are EVIL dead. But one thing will never die: Dan’s affection for Army of Darkness, the third film in Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead trilogy—which Lex had never seen.

Hot topics include director trademarks, when campiness works, and homages to movies that we also haven’t seen.

You can watch along with us by streaming the film—we used the theatrical release version—from Amazon or iTunes.

Dan apologizes for the occasional trucks you’ll hear driving past his open window. But that was better than his suffering heatstroke in the midst of enjoying Bruce Campbell’s fine performance.

"Army of Darkness"

Hosts Lex Friedman and Dan Moren.

As with every episode of Not Playing, there are two versions of the podcast. In the regular episode, we discuss what we know about the film before we watch, and then share our reactions immediately after the credits roll.

There’s also the Commentary Track, where we still discuss what we know about the film before we start watching it. Then, we provide a real-time commentary track on the film as it unfolds—and you can tag along. We’ll tell you when to press Play.

Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

Michael Keaton only appears for 17 and a half minutes—but he’s still playing the title role. And he’s joined by Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O’Hara. It’s 1988’s Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice!

Dan had never seen it, but Lex remembered the film fondly. (Lex even owned a slew of Beetlejuice-themed toys back in his childhood.)

Hot topics include Danny Elfman’s noticeable score, which special effects age best, and the joy of when daylight comes and me wan’ go home.

You can also watch along with us by streaming Beetlejuice from Amazon or iTunes. And we always appreciate ratings and reviews there, too.

If you watch along with us using the commentary track, don’t panic if there’s an extended moment of silence (or two); Skype issues made things a bit difficult for us during the film for a spell.

"Beetlejuice"

Hosts Lex Friedman and Dan Moren.

As with every episode of Not Playing, there are two versions of the podcast. In the regular episode, we discuss what we know about the film before we watch, and then share our reactions immediately after the credits roll.

There’s also the Commentary Track, where we still discuss what we know about the film before we start watching it. Then, we provide a real-time commentary track on the film as it unfolds—and you can tag along. We’ll tell you when to press Play.

Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

You’re Bruce Willis, you’ve made it big with Die Hard, and there’s only one obvious next step: You make a goofily silly vanity project with unlikely musical numbers, James Coburn, and Leonardo da Vinci.

And that project is the 1991 box-office bomb—but cult classic!—Hudson Hawk. Lex, like much of America, hadn’t seen it. And, at Dan’s insistence, Lex did no research of any kind; he had no idea what to expect as he watched it with Dan for the first time. In retrospect, Lex thinks maybe he should have been drunk. At least as drunk as Willis himself must have been when he conceived the film.

Hot topics include whether this is David Caruso’s best role, the perfection of a certain runaway stretcher scene, and how stupid is too stupid for comedy.

"Hudson Hawk"

Hosts Lex Friedman and Dan Moren.

As with every episode of Not Playing, there are two versions of the podcast. In the regular episode, we discuss what we know about the film before we watch, and then share our reactions immediately after the credits roll.

There’s also the Commentary Track, where we still discuss what we know about the film before we start watching it. Then, we provide a real-time commentary track on the film as it unfolds—and you can tag along. We’ll tell you when to press Play.

Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.