The Desert of the Reel: A Movie Podcast

Welcome to season 5 of The Desert of the Reel! This season we're looking at the five films in the Pirates of the Caribbean series, starting with The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), a film which both Ryan and Jason agree is a 5-star movie.

In this episode, we explore what makes this film what Ryan calls a "perfect with a capital P" film. Additionally, Jason introduces and explores two new philosophical ideas (the cultural dimension of rules and the concept of Discourse) and walks us through how Black Pearl is an excellent crash course on understanding all the ins and outs of these concepts. Ryan takes us through the making of the film and helps us explore the role of personal names and titles in the film, as well as the concept of leverage.

What are your thoughts on The Black Pearl? Is one of the best movies of all time or just mid?

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Predestination is a 2014 science fiction thriller. "A temporal agent (Ethan Hawke) embarks on a final time-traveling assignment to prevent an elusive criminal from launching an attack that kills thousands of people." We will very quickly go into spoiler territory, and we highly recommend seeing this movie first. This movie feels like it has gone somewhat under the radar in the past decade, but Jason loves it and thinks it is worth your time.

We talk about various time travel paradoxes and how we, as critical thinkers, must be aware of paradoxes happening around us. Sometimes they present themselves as social paradoxes, but we should always better understand the world we live in. We dabble with the trolley problem. Do people need something to strive for in life? Is it easier to hate than to love?

There are a lot of big ideas in this movie, and this movie can easily hurt your brain if you try to follow the time travel logic. It's a fun time!

Share us your thoughts on time travel movies at [email protected]

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) is one of the few films we've reviewed for this podcast that Jason likes more than Ryan does! Our discuss centers around the differences we note in the action and the character of a much older Indiana Jones. We discuss the time travel (of course), but also the historical analytical lens, question the reality of choice, and revisit the ways in which we create the world we live in.

What are your thoughts on Dial of Destiny? Is one of the best, mid, or one of the worst?

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Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) is a legacy sequel that has elicited strong opinions throughout the years. Does it deserve the hate? Is it overhated? Ryan and Jason debate over some parts that may or may not make it a worse move. But are Jason's nitpicks justified? For example, we all can agree the refrigerator part is ridiculous, but does it ruin the movie? Is this the Indy we know and love, or is this a version of the character that is made to make audiences happy?

Among other topics, we discuss how this movie is a throwback and pastiche of the 1950s, aliens (and if they're real), what intertextuality is and when it is used as a bad thing, and all about protecting the "garden of your mind."

Knowledge is power. Read a book!

What are your thoughts on Crystal Skull? Is it as bad as Jason thinks? Is it better than Temple of Doom? [email protected]

The Others (2001) is a mysterious, spooky thriller where Nicole Kidman plays a woman left alone in a mansion after her husband goes off to fight in WWII.

This is one of Jason's personal favorite movies. He says he can't even come up with a single con. What movies do you wish you could watch for the first time? This movie works beautifully if you do not know what is coming, and we talk about whether knowing about the endings to films beforehand ruins them or not.

We talk about a lot of great topics and allow Jason to really flex his philosopher's mind with one of his favorites. We ask all sorts of questions like, Is emotionally understanding something better than logically understanding something? Do we put aside the unknown for logic? Does everyone experience something that they simply cannot explain? Do people cut off access to certain types of information because they don't believe in it, and turn off the unknown? 

It's a great talk! Even a reminder that drugs are bad for you.

Let us know your thoughts, review, and recommendations at [email protected]

Jason and Ryan revisit Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)! Both our hosts feel this is the best of the Indiana Jones films; certainly, the most quotable and funniest. This episode delves heavily into what this film teaches us about parenting. Ryan and Jason share insights from their different places in the parenting timeline. They then return to the exploration of the unseen world, which seems to be such a key element in this film series.

Send us your thoughts at [email protected] 

Jason and Ryan revisit Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)! Was this Indy film part of your childhood? Jason and Ryan both grew up without it. But we have much to discuss from the potential dark place the creators found themselves in to Willie, the female protagonist who loves to yell. We have a list of cons to go over, but there also seems to be a lot of pros. Some fans love this film and we explore why this may be.

We explore the idea of breaking out of the "Caste" system we are currently trapped in, if all myths and stories stem from truth, and a touch of analysis with the psychoanalytic lens.

Send us your thoughts at [email protected]

Welcome to season 4 of The Desert of the Reel! This season, we'll be digging into the five Indiana Jones films, starting, of course, with Raiders of the Lost Ark. There's so much art and beauty in the filming that both Jason and Ryan agree (for once) for the most part. While Jason does dig into the logical flaws, even he has to admit that they're mostly due to the genre of the film. We look at Raiders through the post-colonial lens, examine the ethics of archeology, and look at the philosophy of death and impermenance.

We're so glad you'll be joining us as we journey with one of the most iconic fictional characters ever created!

Join as we engage with the sometimes problematic Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) and let us know your thoughts about this film, or anything else at [email protected]

David Fincher's The Game (1997) is a twisty tale where Michael Douglas finds himself in "the game." What is and what isn't part of this game? What will happen to him by the end of the game? A movie Jason believes has a lot of ideas to think about.

We go over many different ideas and topics, and sort of stray away from the plot, but delve into real-world problems. We ask if excessive wealth ruins a person, look at the film with a Marxist lens, ask what is necessary for survival, living in the moment, de-othering people, and ask "how much of our world view needs to overlap other people's world view in order for us to be considered 'sane.'"

And more! We have a really good conversation in this episode.

We feel this is an underappreciated Fincher film (maybe it could use a better name). What are your thoughts?

Share us your thoughts at [email protected]

We've arrived at The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)! Even though Jason is clearly suffering from what he calls "Tolkein fatigue" at this point, we discuss the pros and cons of this film, including what Jason believes are some of the best scenes ever filmed. We then move into film studies (exploring post-structuralism), the philosophy of "putting aside the Ranger" and of "just getting down the hill for starters." This episode includes some final thoughts on the series as a whole, which Jason will likely never watch again (unless they release a 1 1/2 hour edit).

Join us next week for Jason's choice, The Game (1997), before we launch into our next film franchise, Indiana Jones!

Let us know your thoughts about this film, or anything else at [email protected]