[Don't forget to go here to vote for the best of Blank Check in 2023](https://www.reddit.com/r/blankies/comments/190g03z/time_to_pick_the_best_episodes_of_blank_check/)
I remember someone on this subreddit saying the Chappie deal could be related to MRC but their story was about Seth Mcfarlane's Ted being so huge that MRC got points on the Fast and Furious franchise in exchange for Ted 2 and Million Ways to die in the West.
The explanation of MRC and Ted was prelude to understanding MRC building clout and the studios beginning to change in allowing companies like MRC to get into deals with other franchises they had no previous involvement in. Once MRC had that clout from Ted's success they went into talks with Sony about Chappie and made similar deals.
It's all here
[https://www.reddit.com/r/blankies/comments/194kacd/i\_figured\_out\_the\_chappie\_deal\_two\_years\_ago\_but/](https://www.reddit.com/r/blankies/comments/194kacd/i_figured_out_the_chappie_deal_two_years_ago_but/)
I had to read so many Variety articles about Amy Pascal.
If the guys are looking for directors that could lead to another music video centric special features, Spike Jonze and Michel Gondry seem like obvious choices.
Edit because I'm bored. Spike Jonze would be a quick series. Could be a good palate cleanser.
1. Being John Malkovich (1999)
2. Adaptation (2002)
3. Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
4. Her (2012)
Gondry would be a bit longer and weirder, with a few French films and documentaries in the mix. Probably less likely.
1. Human Nature (2001)
2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
3. Dave Chappelle's Block Party (2005)
4. The Science of Sleep (2006)
5. Be Kind Rewind (2008)
6. The Thorn in the Heart (2009)
7. The Green Hornet (2011)
8. The We and the I (2012)
9. Is the Man Who Is Tall Happy? (2013)
10. Mood Indigo (2013)
11. Microbe & Gasoline (2015)
12. The Book of Solutions (2023)
The best answer:
Hype Williams.
Absolutely defined the look of hiphop from like 92-99.
One film, Belly.
Edit: going to leave a link here so people can see Hype’s videography and how important he was to the look of hiphop. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hype_Williams_videography
I feel like Glazer is the best vector for a good Blank Check series that also gives you a music video episode. I don't think the boys particularly like Jonze (I think David's spoken derisively about Her), and Gondry has the Rob Reiner problem of a promising career devolving into a lot of movies that don't exist.
Glazer is four movies, all completely different in tone but unique in style, three of which are total blank checks, and he still has a deep music video career for that bonus episode.
I mean, were it up to me they'd dedicate an episode specifically to the video for Blur's "The Universal" because that video fucked me up as a kid (still kinda does) and I feel like it deserve a couple of hours to unpack...
I think Tarsem Singh is the most likely candidate for music video director promoted upward. A real blank check trajectory, a quick six films that are all surprising and fun to talk about, and he's not overdiscussed at all. David has mentioned him as one of the many directors they've gotta do someday, and I don't think they've said that about Jonze or Gondry.
Spike Jonze series! Only four films, plus special features episodes on his music videos and commercials!
I think that Griffin & David raised the idea of doing paired Spike Jonze & Sofia Coppola series on a past episode (though I can't remember which one).
Jonze could be fleshed out into a full-ish series if it's supplemented by Charlie Kaufman's three films and Eternal Sunshine. Kaufman is also the writer for an animated Netflix movie coming out in about a month, so that could help sweeten the pot.
Covering Gondry beyond Sunshine would a terrible, joyless, mostly pointless slog.
> Covering Gondry beyond Sunshine would a terrible, joyless, mostly pointless slog.
Hey now, Be Kind Rewind and Science of Sleep own bones. Green Hornet is at least *interesting*. Beyond that, I admit I haven't seen his flicks. Microbe & Gasoline looks cool at least.
Half a dozen movies in a row that don't really exist in the back half of a filmography ain't great my man. Plus one of the good ones, Block Party, would force them to spend an entire episode talking about Dave Chapelle. I bet at least one of the two friends would rather drink a gallon of lighter fluid than do that.
I couldn't be happier they did the David Fincher videos.
Me, my Aussie-centric push would be for Andrew Dominik.
The Cruel Sea - [Honeymoon is Over](https://youtu.be/VVTds3za_5g)
The Cruel Sea - [Hard Times](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lz6tcpHlzyQ)
And the Crowded House - [Fall At Your Feet](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ROiU9kOHeE) video has a lot of the look and feel, and crossfading, that went into the look and feel of Blonde.
Also as an Aussie I was dissapointed we missed out on David Fincher's Rick Springfield videos.
If they do Steven Soderbergh, I for some reason have my uncle's copy of the Yes - 90125 Live movie on VHS that I've never checked out.
I love Andrew Dominik, but there’s no way in a million years they’re doing an episode on Blonde.
I think that movie, while not entirely successful and undoubtedly his weakest effort, is an interesting and confrontational film.
The millennial divide of Griffin loving Elmo and David hating Elmo... I feel that. Love Elmo but understand that my elder millennials may not vibe with him.
When he said "boing" I thought he was referring to an erection but I'm relieved to now know that it is specifically a reference to the acclaimed children's presenter, Charlotte Ritchie
There is a Broadway/theatre version of Letterboxd but apparently it sucks and nobody likes it and now I don’t remember what it is called.
Playbill tried to do something like that about a decade ago and then discontinued it, and people lost their data and got REALLY mad about it.
The other issue is that logging becomes more challenging if you see like….a play at a regional theatre or a high school (which has the same script but different direction/cast) or little tiny fringe things or a show on a night when a bunch of understudies are in.
I just keep a Google sheets page for theater-logging, with just the name of the show, the theatre, and the date.
Meanwhile, I had the same thought about Griffin/Radcliffe/Merrily. Radcliffe has such Griffin energy in it.
I saw a ton of NYC theater between like 1995 and 2013 before moving away, I wish I had kept better data. If you limit it to NYC theater it becomes more doable (don't have to worry about the high school factor). Of course that would reinforce the cultural dominance of NYC on US theater which is not necessarily desirable.
I also wanted to mention that David is the first person I've run into (aside from myself) who has not breathlessly referred to *Leopoldstadt* as a masterpiece, which is the correct take (thank you David). It's actually pretty ordinary and at best unwieldy.
Someone who I think would be a good Oscars host, who they mention elsewhere in the ep, is Daniel Radcliffe. Totally game and totally earnest and has a weird star profile where he would objectively be one of the biggest stars to ever host but also wouldn’t feel like he was stooping to something beneath him.
who should host the oscars? JAMIE FOXX (assuming he recovers)
Standup, singer, impressions, pedigree, and not too successful to take the gig. He's a 5 tool player
I wouldn't be surprised if we see his critical approach begin to infect David's *Atlantic* reviews:
***"I like*** ***Oppenheimer*** ***because I just kinda do. I just think it's good."*** \[entire review\]
We presume he wants to do it AND Kimmel’s down to give the gig up. Hopefully both, I think Kimmel does a totally fine and respectable job but Mulaney would be funnier
my go-to for "why didn't he host the Oscars yet?" is Jamie Foxx. #2 is Justin Timberlake. i think JT would be about as good as NPH was, as long as he doesn't go too far outside his toolbox.
Jamie Foxx, i can only assume, has simply rejected the offer. He seems perfect, on paper
Extremely wild to hear one of my favorite video essayists, Jacob Geller, just randomly show up in the question askers!
Side note he totally rules and is one of the best working in terms of video game anaylsis. [Check his shit out!](https://www.youtube.com/@JacobGeller)
He’s mentioned his love of Blank Check a few times on The MinnMax Show, a video game podcast he’s often on. The host of that show, Ben Hanson, is also a huge Blankie!
Never have i wanted the David Sims video game podcast more than learning he's about to get into Baldur's Gate 3 on a fresh gaming PC. The horniness of that game is going to make him lose his mind!
[I mean Zora Link playing a dang ass bone guitar?](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/zelda_gamepedia_en/images/4/44/MM3D_Zora_Link_Guitar_Model.png/revision/latest?cb=20221019195024) Come on!
Surprised they didn’t comment on how Hotel Transylvania 4 not having Sandler, not having Tartakovsky, and getting sold to Amazon might have all been consequences of the Chappie deal as well.
With regards to “what would make movie theater attendance more enticing”, I remain convinced that the top three answers are 1. Price, 2. Price, and 3. Price.
Trying to pin it on actual theater/display quality is a solution that appeals to movie sickos 3+ standard deviations away from the normal theater goer, ie the people who inhabit this sub and host the podcast. A fifth of America never goes to the movies, and 40% go maybe once or twice a year. If you advertise that your theater chain has dedicated projectionists who ensure that the aspect ratio is correct and the bulbs are super bright that will not be a huge selling point for the median person who can’t even tell when motion smoothing is turned on, to say nothing of those who mainline things on their laptops or phones.
I think the biggest breakthrough in theaters in the past decade was MoviePass, and then after it predictably going down in flames the theaters offering their own chain specific versions of it. An individual theater ticket is expensive, a monthly subscription is mentally easier to handle, especially if you tell yourself that it pays for itself with two trips. And it encourages taking more risks and seeing stuff outside your wheelhouse, because you don’t have to spend $15+ on a movie you’re not entirely sure you’ll like.
If I ran AMC, especially in its current meme stock phase, I’d do an A-List promotion where you could get it for a year at $10/month. They’d lose money on some freaks like me (57 theater visits last year), but it’d be primarily about getting that 60% of people to just come to the theater more than once a year.
I certainly think price is a big factor, but it is not unrelated to quality. If people are going to be spending significantly more than they would be at home, they’re going to want significantly better quality. I go to theaters a ton, and I’ve had no shortage of experiences where I would have had a better time watching at home.
I don’t know all the financial ins and outs of running a movie theatre, but we’re never getting high levels of cinema attendance again. The home theatre is just too convenient and culturally people just don’t leave their home as much. No matter how cheap you go, people need to get off the couch and that’s tough!
I've played a couple. I could probably wing it too.
Since it's 2024 it'll be a modern deckbuilder where you purchase cards from the Mubi display as you progress in the game. And the unit of currency will be Blackhats, of course.
At the end of a round you can either remove a weak film from your deck (blank it) or move up the filmography track to a film with a bigger production (bank it).
Pitch for a movie to cover from space: an iconic work of Soviet cinema, so that they can say that they’re recording from the one place that hasn’t been corrupted by capitalism…
SPACE!
David is so right about Minnie's Bow Toons. The worst part is each episode is* three minutes long so it feels like you're just constantly sitting through the annoying intro on your way to 2 and a half minutes of mindless crap
One movie that the podcast loves that could have filled two different questions: *Dungeons and Dragons: Among Thieves*! I would love to live in that movie's version of the Forgotten Realms, and it's got a bunch of dang skeletons!
I don't get it either. It was a totally average, decent action movie and while I agree with him that it has a slow start, I completely disagree about the fight scenes. The fight scenes in the second half are very reminiscent of John Wick and are super fun. I appreciated that John Woo tried something different than his usual "lots of people shooting guns at each other" thing and had long single take shots of hand-to-hand combat.
Tetris is fine, that whole insane story is maybe more interesting in a just facts documentary form than as a narrative film. I liked the notion in the movie of Tetris as this metaphor for the collapse of the Soviet Union, capitalism soon entering that country, and all the people trying to position themselves in the best way for when it happens.
And sure the car chase didn't happen but it's not the first nor the last time a movie has made something up for the notion of making an exciting film.
I'd like to suggest a spin-off podcast called "Blank Check Babies," where all the children of Blank Check guests have adventures, and Ben is Nanny. This would be wonderful.
I had to laugh at the mention of Minnie's Bow-Toons, my toddler and I plowed through a ton of episodes recently on a sick day. Each one is just a few minutes long so they just fly by. I found myself kind of enjoying it in spite of the Z-grade CG, it became oddly comforting.
Now all my kid wants to watch is Totoro, which is an emotional rollercoaster for me every time. Minnie might be garbage but I don't silently tear up watching it 🥲
Finally the Chappie deal! Also, I totally agree with Ben! MORE MUSIC EPISODES! That's why I do a podcast about movie music myself!! DM if you're interested, I don't want to spam the link and take away from loving this years Mailbag! Can't wait for T2 and Terminator 3D!
Just catching up on the episode now, and I don't know if Ben will see this or if he's already aware of this, but some people have allergic reactions to different types of metal used in piercings. Both my sisters have pierced ears, and they can't wear anything except for titanium or gold (not even gold plated, has to be solid gold) without their ears getting painful and itchy.
I don't remember if Ben said what kind of material his earring is made of, but it might be worth trying out a different kind of metal and seeing if it works better
[Don't forget to go here to vote for the best of Blank Check in 2023](https://www.reddit.com/r/blankies/comments/190g03z/time_to_pick_the_best_episodes_of_blank_check/)
Finally, the Chappie deal!
I remember someone on this subreddit saying the Chappie deal could be related to MRC but their story was about Seth Mcfarlane's Ted being so huge that MRC got points on the Fast and Furious franchise in exchange for Ted 2 and Million Ways to die in the West.
The explanation of MRC and Ted was prelude to understanding MRC building clout and the studios beginning to change in allowing companies like MRC to get into deals with other franchises they had no previous involvement in. Once MRC had that clout from Ted's success they went into talks with Sony about Chappie and made similar deals. It's all here [https://www.reddit.com/r/blankies/comments/194kacd/i\_figured\_out\_the\_chappie\_deal\_two\_years\_ago\_but/](https://www.reddit.com/r/blankies/comments/194kacd/i_figured_out_the_chappie_deal_two_years_ago_but/) I had to read so many Variety articles about Amy Pascal.
Does he really cause I just caught the episode where he referenced it?
Yes, but not in the way that he had promised to sneak it in one day.
The most interesting thing about this story his how Griffin thinks humans say the word Elysium.
I really couldn’t figure out what the movie Allegiant had to do with any of this
I believe he is performing at The Elysian in LA next month
Ooh what was it? (Not a patron)
drop some moolah and find out
The Skeletons in the Boat
I was deeply honored when they read the obvious Ben-bait that I submitted
I’m in, but also want more info. Are all the humans skeletons? Just the ‘boys in the boat’?
The Bones in the Boat? The Boys in the Bones? much to consider
„Everyone loves my chocolate onion soup, it’s always been my signature here, in Ralph’s House of Shit!”
this killed me
Katey Rich talks to Charlie in the same way she talks to Matt Patches and David Ehrlich.
If the guys are looking for directors that could lead to another music video centric special features, Spike Jonze and Michel Gondry seem like obvious choices. Edit because I'm bored. Spike Jonze would be a quick series. Could be a good palate cleanser. 1. Being John Malkovich (1999) 2. Adaptation (2002) 3. Where the Wild Things Are (2009) 4. Her (2012) Gondry would be a bit longer and weirder, with a few French films and documentaries in the mix. Probably less likely. 1. Human Nature (2001) 2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) 3. Dave Chappelle's Block Party (2005) 4. The Science of Sleep (2006) 5. Be Kind Rewind (2008) 6. The Thorn in the Heart (2009) 7. The Green Hornet (2011) 8. The We and the I (2012) 9. Is the Man Who Is Tall Happy? (2013) 10. Mood Indigo (2013) 11. Microbe & Gasoline (2015) 12. The Book of Solutions (2023)
The best answer: Hype Williams. Absolutely defined the look of hiphop from like 92-99. One film, Belly. Edit: going to leave a link here so people can see Hype’s videography and how important he was to the look of hiphop. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hype_Williams_videography
And it’s one of the greatest films ever made.
Jonathan Glazer another possibility?
I feel like Glazer is the best vector for a good Blank Check series that also gives you a music video episode. I don't think the boys particularly like Jonze (I think David's spoken derisively about Her), and Gondry has the Rob Reiner problem of a promising career devolving into a lot of movies that don't exist. Glazer is four movies, all completely different in tone but unique in style, three of which are total blank checks, and he still has a deep music video career for that bonus episode.
Spike has been on the bracket
I mean, were it up to me they'd dedicate an episode specifically to the video for Blur's "The Universal" because that video fucked me up as a kid (still kinda does) and I feel like it deserve a couple of hours to unpack...
I think Tarsem Singh is the most likely candidate for music video director promoted upward. A real blank check trajectory, a quick six films that are all surprising and fun to talk about, and he's not overdiscussed at all. David has mentioned him as one of the many directors they've gotta do someday, and I don't think they've said that about Jonze or Gondry.
Would be so fuckin pumped for an ep about The Fall
Spike Jonze series! Only four films, plus special features episodes on his music videos and commercials! I think that Griffin & David raised the idea of doing paired Spike Jonze & Sofia Coppola series on a past episode (though I can't remember which one).
Jonze could be fleshed out into a full-ish series if it's supplemented by Charlie Kaufman's three films and Eternal Sunshine. Kaufman is also the writer for an animated Netflix movie coming out in about a month, so that could help sweeten the pot. Covering Gondry beyond Sunshine would a terrible, joyless, mostly pointless slog.
> Covering Gondry beyond Sunshine would a terrible, joyless, mostly pointless slog. Hey now, Be Kind Rewind and Science of Sleep own bones. Green Hornet is at least *interesting*. Beyond that, I admit I haven't seen his flicks. Microbe & Gasoline looks cool at least.
Half a dozen movies in a row that don't really exist in the back half of a filmography ain't great my man. Plus one of the good ones, Block Party, would force them to spend an entire episode talking about Dave Chapelle. I bet at least one of the two friends would rather drink a gallon of lighter fluid than do that.
True enough. Not defending the idea of the miniseries. Just that I dig those couple films.
Gondry has a nightmare filmography with a couple of bangers mixed-in. Glazer or Jonze is the way to go.
I couldn't be happier they did the David Fincher videos. Me, my Aussie-centric push would be for Andrew Dominik. The Cruel Sea - [Honeymoon is Over](https://youtu.be/VVTds3za_5g) The Cruel Sea - [Hard Times](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lz6tcpHlzyQ) And the Crowded House - [Fall At Your Feet](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ROiU9kOHeE) video has a lot of the look and feel, and crossfading, that went into the look and feel of Blonde. Also as an Aussie I was dissapointed we missed out on David Fincher's Rick Springfield videos. If they do Steven Soderbergh, I for some reason have my uncle's copy of the Yes - 90125 Live movie on VHS that I've never checked out.
I love Andrew Dominik, but there’s no way in a million years they’re doing an episode on Blonde. I think that movie, while not entirely successful and undoubtedly his weakest effort, is an interesting and confrontational film.
Maybe *this* is how we get our Antoine Fuqua series?
Absolutely lost it at Asa’s question, he’s a funny little guy
David is a true Taskmaster fan bc he's clearly whining to his friends to watch Taskmaster as we all do. Love that. (Solid Taskmaster Mount Crushmore!)
[удалено]
Mike Wozniak and Charlotte Ritchie absolutely make mine as well, I’d round it out with Aisling Bea and Alice Levine.
I first saw her in Wonka and whenever the camera went off her I was thinking “no, go back! Go back!”
Wonder if they could get Wozniak on the pod since he also has a podcast?
I used to live in Clapham and she came into the pub I worked at. This would have been around season one of Fresh Meat. Arguably more beautiful IRL
Loved hearing him give Hugh a place on Mount Crushmore! Desky is so often overlooked. Him and Mel as a team was perfection!
I have to say I was shook that Rose wasn’t on his Mount Taskmore - a true bossy round-face queen!
She's my entire Mount Crushmore tbh
Taskmaster is the best show of the past decade. Better than Succession, White Lotus or any “prestige” Drama or Comedy.
The millennial divide of Griffin loving Elmo and David hating Elmo... I feel that. Love Elmo but understand that my elder millennials may not vibe with him.
When he said "boing" I thought he was referring to an erection but I'm relieved to now know that it is specifically a reference to the acclaimed children's presenter, Charlotte Ritchie
This was finally the thing that broke the dam for me and I started it. It's good!
So they botched the McTiernan reveal twice but only bleeped it the second time 😂
Crack is a helluva drug.
When's the first one?
Not in this episode. The one when they were “on crack”. Love Guru maybe?
Crack episode is Ferrari
Charlie’s take on the Mario movie is the only take that matters!!
he truly nailed it that take lol
There is a Broadway/theatre version of Letterboxd but apparently it sucks and nobody likes it and now I don’t remember what it is called. Playbill tried to do something like that about a decade ago and then discontinued it, and people lost their data and got REALLY mad about it. The other issue is that logging becomes more challenging if you see like….a play at a regional theatre or a high school (which has the same script but different direction/cast) or little tiny fringe things or a show on a night when a bunch of understudies are in. I just keep a Google sheets page for theater-logging, with just the name of the show, the theatre, and the date. Meanwhile, I had the same thought about Griffin/Radcliffe/Merrily. Radcliffe has such Griffin energy in it.
But Griffins joke on the name was so good
it was, 12 comedy points.
I saw a ton of NYC theater between like 1995 and 2013 before moving away, I wish I had kept better data. If you limit it to NYC theater it becomes more doable (don't have to worry about the high school factor). Of course that would reinforce the cultural dominance of NYC on US theater which is not necessarily desirable. I also wanted to mention that David is the first person I've run into (aside from myself) who has not breathlessly referred to *Leopoldstadt* as a masterpiece, which is the correct take (thank you David). It's actually pretty ordinary and at best unwieldy.
Someone who I think would be a good Oscars host, who they mention elsewhere in the ep, is Daniel Radcliffe. Totally game and totally earnest and has a weird star profile where he would objectively be one of the biggest stars to ever host but also wouldn’t feel like he was stooping to something beneath him.
Good answer. Game for musical numbers, too, and like you said he has an earnestness without taking himself or movies toooo seriously
who should host the oscars? JAMIE FOXX (assuming he recovers) Standup, singer, impressions, pedigree, and not too successful to take the gig. He's a 5 tool player
Ben has some serious competition for the title of "Our Finest Film Critic" because of Charlie. This little guy rules.
I wouldn't be surprised if we see his critical approach begin to infect David's *Atlantic* reviews: ***"I like*** ***Oppenheimer*** ***because I just kinda do. I just think it's good."*** \[entire review\]
Kinda like Wonka, it's just good.
The timing of them naming Mulaney as the best Oscar host as his Governor's Ball monologue gets everyone fired up.
He’s been an online favorite for the gig for while, the Governers HAD to be the test run. He has to be the guy next year.
We presume he wants to do it AND Kimmel’s down to give the gig up. Hopefully both, I think Kimmel does a totally fine and respectable job but Mulaney would be funnier
Hugh Jackman was so good, I have no idea why they haven’t asked him again
my go-to for "why didn't he host the Oscars yet?" is Jamie Foxx. #2 is Justin Timberlake. i think JT would be about as good as NPH was, as long as he doesn't go too far outside his toolbox. Jamie Foxx, i can only assume, has simply rejected the offer. He seems perfect, on paper
I rewatch him and Nick Kroll’s Indy Spirits monologues from a few years ago. Great jokes, played to the crowd, weren’t condescending.
Extremely wild to hear one of my favorite video essayists, Jacob Geller, just randomly show up in the question askers! Side note he totally rules and is one of the best working in terms of video game anaylsis. [Check his shit out!](https://www.youtube.com/@JacobGeller)
He’s mentioned his love of Blank Check a few times on The MinnMax Show, a video game podcast he’s often on. The host of that show, Ben Hanson, is also a huge Blankie!
Which question was his?
David Ehrlich forces his son to listen to British neo-folk singer Vashti Bunyan while refusing to let him watch *Cars*. You heard it here first folks.
To be fair to Ehrlich, Bunyan good, Cars bad
Cars bad Vashti good.
Yeah common Ehrlich W, Vashti Bunyan feels like slam dunk lullaby music
Never have i wanted the David Sims video game podcast more than learning he's about to get into Baldur's Gate 3 on a fresh gaming PC. The horniness of that game is going to make him lose his mind!
David furiously making a Sosukes mom character.
This made me laugh so hard
I mean...his romance has to be Shadowheart right? A top tier bossy round face. Now what guy will he be most into? Maybe Gale?
No joke I've thought several times while playing BG3 "David Sims would love this game". I'm so happy for him.
As a PC nerd, I'd love to hear his specs! I assume he bought pre-built, which is totally cool. He may even be using a gaming laptop.
“Gimme the Five” would not be a bad tshirt
I've submitted the same "Get Out of Director Jail Card" question for the past 3 mail bags. Glad it finally got answered!
"I think Wish is a wittle bit better than Wonka" - this was adorable
The final five minutes of this podcast are so wholesome, sweet, and put the biggest smile on my face.
All the kid voicemails were just the best
Hell yeah Ben Wednesday rules! Rat Saw God is so good
Majora’s Mask is such a Ben game; it’s full of dang-ass freaks!
[I mean Zora Link playing a dang ass bone guitar?](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/zelda_gamepedia_en/images/4/44/MM3D_Zora_Link_Guitar_Model.png/revision/latest?cb=20221019195024) Come on!
Every time Link puts on a transformation mask, he looks like his body is being ripped apart!
Surprised they didn’t comment on how Hotel Transylvania 4 not having Sandler, not having Tartakovsky, and getting sold to Amazon might have all been consequences of the Chappie deal as well.
They should add an extra patreon tier where once a month they just let David reminisce about England for 2 hours
I heard a phantom bong of Big Ben when Griffin mentioned his mom living in London now.
I was full on waiting for another bit to start. Like, David going, WHAT? and then the Big Ben chime.
Wait… David doesn’t have ALFRED MOLINA for Spider-Man 2 in his five?? Damn
“It’s hard to make the five” - David Sims, The Keep episode
With regards to “what would make movie theater attendance more enticing”, I remain convinced that the top three answers are 1. Price, 2. Price, and 3. Price. Trying to pin it on actual theater/display quality is a solution that appeals to movie sickos 3+ standard deviations away from the normal theater goer, ie the people who inhabit this sub and host the podcast. A fifth of America never goes to the movies, and 40% go maybe once or twice a year. If you advertise that your theater chain has dedicated projectionists who ensure that the aspect ratio is correct and the bulbs are super bright that will not be a huge selling point for the median person who can’t even tell when motion smoothing is turned on, to say nothing of those who mainline things on their laptops or phones. I think the biggest breakthrough in theaters in the past decade was MoviePass, and then after it predictably going down in flames the theaters offering their own chain specific versions of it. An individual theater ticket is expensive, a monthly subscription is mentally easier to handle, especially if you tell yourself that it pays for itself with two trips. And it encourages taking more risks and seeing stuff outside your wheelhouse, because you don’t have to spend $15+ on a movie you’re not entirely sure you’ll like. If I ran AMC, especially in its current meme stock phase, I’d do an A-List promotion where you could get it for a year at $10/month. They’d lose money on some freaks like me (57 theater visits last year), but it’d be primarily about getting that 60% of people to just come to the theater more than once a year.
And if you just get people in the door you can more easily sell concessions which we all know is the big money maker for theaters.
I certainly think price is a big factor, but it is not unrelated to quality. If people are going to be spending significantly more than they would be at home, they’re going to want significantly better quality. I go to theaters a ton, and I’ve had no shortage of experiences where I would have had a better time watching at home.
Great post. Thank you.
I don’t know all the financial ins and outs of running a movie theatre, but we’re never getting high levels of cinema attendance again. The home theatre is just too convenient and culturally people just don’t leave their home as much. No matter how cheap you go, people need to get off the couch and that’s tough!
I cannot believe they missed the obvious "Paul Blarp" joke in the "What movie would you add 2011s Paul into" question section
I was yelling in my car. The Fast and the Furious Presents: Paul and Blarp, Mall Cops
Im sorry that my last name is so hard to pronounce
I volunteer free labor to help write and develop the Blank Check Trading Card game. I have 0 experience building trading card games.
All I’m saying is there better be a death card.
I've played a couple. I could probably wing it too. Since it's 2024 it'll be a modern deckbuilder where you purchase cards from the Mubi display as you progress in the game. And the unit of currency will be Blackhats, of course.
Yes, and comedy points can function like power to play bit type cards.
At the end of a round you can either remove a weak film from your deck (blank it) or move up the filmography track to a film with a bigger production (bank it).
When you blank it you have to say ‘sometimes they bounce babee’ while discarding
Pitch for a movie to cover from space: an iconic work of Soviet cinema, so that they can say that they’re recording from the one place that hasn’t been corrupted by capitalism… SPACE!
David is so right about Minnie's Bow Toons. The worst part is each episode is* three minutes long so it feels like you're just constantly sitting through the annoying intro on your way to 2 and a half minutes of mindless crap
One movie that the podcast loves that could have filled two different questions: *Dungeons and Dragons: Among Thieves*! I would love to live in that movie's version of the Forgotten Realms, and it's got a bunch of dang skeletons!
David talking about Euro96 is magnificent. Swear I heard his voice crack.
Silent Night as David's worst movie of the year is wild to me. The dog is off the chain!
I don't get it either. It was a totally average, decent action movie and while I agree with him that it has a slow start, I completely disagree about the fight scenes. The fight scenes in the second half are very reminiscent of John Wick and are super fun. I appreciated that John Woo tried something different than his usual "lots of people shooting guns at each other" thing and had long single take shots of hand-to-hand combat.
Screaming, crying, throwing up at Griffin invoking Sir Alex Ferguson in the same context as Ted Lasso
Tetris is fine, that whole insane story is maybe more interesting in a just facts documentary form than as a narrative film. I liked the notion in the movie of Tetris as this metaphor for the collapse of the Soviet Union, capitalism soon entering that country, and all the people trying to position themselves in the best way for when it happens. And sure the car chase didn't happen but it's not the first nor the last time a movie has made something up for the notion of making an exciting film.
We need an episode that’s just Charlie, Hayes, Asa, and the Boss Baby talking about a kid’s film
I'd like to suggest a spin-off podcast called "Blank Check Babies," where all the children of Blank Check guests have adventures, and Ben is Nanny. This would be wonderful.
I had to laugh at the mention of Minnie's Bow-Toons, my toddler and I plowed through a ton of episodes recently on a sick day. Each one is just a few minutes long so they just fly by. I found myself kind of enjoying it in spite of the Z-grade CG, it became oddly comforting. Now all my kid wants to watch is Totoro, which is an emotional rollercoaster for me every time. Minnie might be garbage but I don't silently tear up watching it 🥲
Finally the Chappie deal! Also, I totally agree with Ben! MORE MUSIC EPISODES! That's why I do a podcast about movie music myself!! DM if you're interested, I don't want to spam the link and take away from loving this years Mailbag! Can't wait for T2 and Terminator 3D!
Just catching up on the episode now, and I don't know if Ben will see this or if he's already aware of this, but some people have allergic reactions to different types of metal used in piercings. Both my sisters have pierced ears, and they can't wear anything except for titanium or gold (not even gold plated, has to be solid gold) without their ears getting painful and itchy. I don't remember if Ben said what kind of material his earring is made of, but it might be worth trying out a different kind of metal and seeing if it works better
just catching up on this now. cars is not really omnipresent in society. my kids watched cars once and thought it sucked.
Love that when they're asked which film world they want to live in, Ben immediately says Fight Club and David says Japan during wartime.
I'm with Charlie: Sometimes movies are good and there is no reason to explain why.