The Desert of the Reel: A Movie Podcast

Jurassic Park III (2001) has Alan Grant going back to the dinos.

This week on The Desert of the Reel, Ryan and Jason revisit the often-overlooked third installment in the Jurassic Park franchise and ask a simple question: Is it actually better than The Lost World?

This may be remembered as the "Spinosaurus movie," but beneath the dinosaur chases and early-2000s blockbuster spectacle lies a surprisingly interesting exploration of motivation, identity, and human character.

We talk about our pros and cons, and then explore, among many topics:

Jurassic Park III shifts away from corporate greed and instead focuses on a rescue mission driven by family, desperation, and hidden motives. Life finds a way. Sometimes so does self-discovery.

We examine whether intentions matter less than the motivations behind them, why some of history's worst actions have been committed with seemingly good intentions, and what it means to critically examine the reasons behind our choices.

We also discuss the film's recurring theme of appearances and explore a little Reader-Response with the JP movies.

Plus: Spinosaurus memes and Mr. Noodles.

Email us at [email protected]

In this episode of The Desert of the Reel: A Movie Podcast, hosts Ryan Hudson and Jason Dietz critically analyze Steven Spielberg’s 1997 film, The Lost World: Jurassic Park. The duo utilizes their academic training to explore the film's shift in themes from the original, noting how the sequel moves away from warnings about scientific arrogance to focus on 1990s anxieties regarding corporate greed and environmental exploitation. They also dive into Spielberg's directorial style, praising his signature camera movements and visual storytelling techniques, while examining the movie’s production history, including its ties to the old monster movies that inspired Spielberg as a child.

The core of the episode revolves around a lively debate between the hosts regarding the film's quality, culminating in vastly different ratings: Ryan awards it a solid 7 out of 10, while Jason gives it a harsh 1.5 stars. Jason breaks down his grievances into two main categories: "idiocies" (plot holes and physically impossible action sequences, such as the lengthy RV cliffhanger) and "stupid things" (characters making bafflingly unintelligent decisions, like Julianne Moore's character bringing a wounded baby T-Rex into their trailer). Despite their disagreement over the script's logic and the infamous San Diego sequence, both hosts find common ground in praising Jeff Goldblum’s performance, John Williams' iconic score, and the impressive artistry of the practical animatronic dinosaurs.

What are your thoughts? Email us at [email protected]!

Welcome to Jurassic Park!

1993's Jurassic Park is a pivotal movie in regard to blockbusters, special effects, and dinosaurs. There is so much to love (unless you are like Jason, who has issues with the tree scene). Almost everyone has seen this film, and that is because there is still so much to talk about.

We get into the ethics of whether Jurassic Park is a good idea, that it is secretly a horror film, and how Spielberg uses spectacle in his film to criticize Hollywood, while paradoxically being one of the best spectacles of all time.

Join us and let us know your thoughts about Jurassic Park

This week, Jason chose Locke (2013) for our viewing pleasure, and what an excellent choice it was. If only Jason got to choose all the movies, then we wouldn't have to watch things like Spectre or Ironman.

I digress. Our intrepid podcasters both agree that Locke is a five-star movie, a masterpiece of character. They discuss whether one choice defines a life, when is it okay to lie, the ways in which Ivan Locke is constructed, and how one crack in the wrong place can bring down an entire building... or an entire human.

What are your thoughts on Locke? E-mail us at [email protected].

Thanks for listening!

In our last episdo of Batman movies, we are showing Jason The Batman (2022). He probably would not have watched it without the podcast.

He claims it is a good movie that would have been a lot better if it wasn't a Batman movie. Is it more than just a superhero film? Or would it have worked even better as a stripped-down noir detective story?

We explore how the film reimagines Batman as a man driven by vengeance who must confront the limits of that identity.

Along the way, we break down what defines noir, how the film’s use of POV shots makes it more personal, and how modern filmmaking tools like the Volume reshape visual storytelling.

We wrestle with the film’s biggest ethical questions: Are people inherently good or corrupt? Is The Riddler a villain or a distorted product of a broken system? And if crime thrives under Penguin’s watch, where does responsibility actually lie?

What do you think about this movie? About Batman as a whole? Is he a superhero? And what franchises should we cover in the future?

Email us at [email protected]

We both agree that The Dark Knight Rises (2012) isn't as good as The Dark Knight (2008), but then again, there aren't many movies that are. But, that doesn't mean that this movie is terrible, by any means.

The duo discuss the effectiveness of the casting; Bane's plot against Gotham and; the connected roles of fear, hope, and continual improvement. They bring in the ideas of past and present philosophers, like Henry David Thoreau, James Allen, and Will Smith.

What are your thoughts about The Dark Knight Rises (2012)? E-mail us at [email protected].

Thanks for listening! We love you!

The Dark Knight (2008) is the follow-up that still fights for the title of "best sequel of all time." We break a lot of our usual setup to just make room for going over all the things that make this movie so amazing.

In this episode of The Desert of the Reel, we ask one unsettling question: are we responsible for evil if we allow it to happen?

From the Joker’s calculated chaos to Batman’s ultimate sacrifice, we explore whether Gotham’s moral collapse is inevitable—or chosen.

Along the way, we unpack the film’s surprising humor, the philosophy of enduring suffering, and the ethical tension between justice and fairness. Is the Joker truly chaotic, or is he the only one in control? And does abandoning morality actually make someone stronger—or just more dangerous?

This has gotta be one of the best movies of all time.

Email us your thoughts, opinions, and reviews at [email protected]

Batman Begins marks a return to superheroes for DOTR (or does it… is Batman actually a superhero?). We get into it and email us your thoughts at [email protected]

This episode features a trip down memory lane for our intrepid duo, discussing the strengths and weaknesses of the various Batman series.

Ryan and Jason both like this movie a lot, although they had issues with some of the casting (Cillian Murphy for Jason and Katie Holmes for Ryan).  Aside from the weakness of Scarecrow as a villain, they really didn’t have many cons.

On the pro side, there’s a lot of philosophical depth to this film.  Our intrepid duo tackles fear, social responsibility, justice, apathy, and…working within our SPHERES (for those of you playing DOTR bingo).

Help us settle the argument… is Batman a superhero or just a smart, rich ninja?

This week on Desert of the Reel, we explore Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) through a philosophical and film-theory lens, asking what it truly means to transcend oneself.

Jason wanted an "in-between movie" from James Bond and The Dark Knight. So he chose one of his all-time favorite movies. He says it is the BEST action movie of all time.

We examine how the film blends magical realism with grounded human emotion to elevate action into something almost spiritual. We talk about how the wire working isn't just really really cool, but also part of telling the story.

We talk Taoist ideas like wu wei and the balance of yin and yang, and we discuss how each character wrestles with identity, desire, and the tension between societal expectation and inner truth.

Along the way, we debate what audiences really want from action movies—and whether this film represents the pinnacle of the genre, especially in its portrayal of love, longing, and combat and action.

Have you seen this film?

Any recommendations for foreign films?

What do you think is the best action movie of all time?

Join us next week for Batman Begins (2005)

Email us at [email protected]

We're following up one of our shortest episodes in a long time with one of our longest. While we didn't agree on everything, there's certainly some fireworks about the most recent entry in the James Bond film series No Time to Die (2021).as logos and pathos battle to the death in the squared circle!

Mixed in with those, there are some deep discussions about life, how to live it, and how to make the most of both the good times and the bad.

This episode comes from a place deep in both of us. We hope you enjoy!

Email us at [email protected]