Beating a Dead Horse
201 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 11 ratingsA weekly podcast talking about your favorite (and least favorite) characters who bit it in movies, video games, TV shows and more.
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Episodes
Kubo and the Two Strings - A Nexus of Storytelling and Theology
November 05, 2020 16:57 - 53 minutes - 48.8 MBThe Laika Discourse continues with the wonderful Kubo and the Two Strings. But it wouldn't be Discourse without one of us opening our big stupid mouths to talk about death.
Akira (1988) - Japanese Fascism, Nuclear Bombs, and Finding God
October 29, 2020 15:57 - 58 minutes - 53.6 MBHooooo boy do we cover a lot while talking about Akira. From the obvious to the theological, we've got it all.
One Cut of the Dead - The Most Unique Zombie Movie in Years
October 22, 2020 15:57 - 1 hour - 55.9 MBOne Cut of the Dead is unique, no getting around that. Shot in only a single take, it manages to feel tense and scary, but also overly long and kind of bad? And yet, we can't recommend it strongly enough for being a weird, great movie.
Silence of the Lambs - The Realty of Serial Killers
October 15, 2020 15:57 - 56 minutes - 52.1 MBYes, we spelled the title right. This week, we get serious and delve into a new problematic fave, Silence of the Lambs. But we also spend a solid 10 minutes of the episode talking about realty, so maybe not too serious.
Paranorman - OooOOoooOOoo Spooky Trauma
October 08, 2020 15:57 - 57 minutes - 52.7 MBSorry about that title, but I promise this is a good episode, despite how much Sean thinks it sucks in the opening minutes. We're talking Paranorman, a genuinely unnerving kids movie that either sticks the landing or stumbles just a bit, depending on which of us you ask.
Tucker and Dale VS Evil - Peak 2010
October 01, 2020 15:53 - 52 minutes - 47.7 MBPositive September clashes with the Spooky Month, giving us the perfect excuse to go back and watch Tucker and Dale VS Evil. And, hey, it holds up really well! ....mostly.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders - Killers and Family and Invisible Babies, oh my!
September 24, 2020 15:57 - 1 hour - 58.9 MBWhelp, it's back. After nearly a year in-between parts, we've returned to JoJo's Bizarre Adventure to talk about Part 4. And hey, it's actually pretty good!
Speed Racer (2008) - This one is for Tony Hawk
September 17, 2020 15:57 - 1 hour - 56.4 MBListen, Speed Racer is an excellent movie, one we both love a lot. But Sean goes off the rails and talks a lot about skateboarding in this one, which means we absolutely need Tony Hawk to listen to it and confirm his theories.
Kiki's Delivery Service - A Perfect Morsel of Joy
September 09, 2020 18:42 - 46 minutes - 43 MBDo... Do y'all remember what happiness felt like? Because we completely forgot until Kiki's Delivery Service came and served us up a hot steaming plate of joy.
Little Shop of Horrors (1986) - Oh No Is This Racist
September 03, 2020 15:57 - 59 minutes - 54.6 MBLight and Fun September starts with the classic musical film Little Shop of Horrors, a fun movie about a singing plant that eats people. It is interesting that it's Black coded though... and.. oh no. Is this racist? Sources: Wilted Plant (Tuscon Weekly) - James Reel Theater Review: Little Shop of Horrors Is a Bouquet With Bite (Vulture) - Helen Shaw Feed Me!": Power Struggles and the Portrayal of Race in "Little Shop of Horrors - Marc Jensen
Bill And Ted's Excellent Adventure and Bogus Journey - Excellent!
August 27, 2020 15:55 - 44 minutes - 41 MBWhat better way to kick off a month of movies that DON'T inspire existential dread than with Bill and Ted? But do they hold up as more than just relics of the time, or are they just neat little curios of the late 80s?
Parasyte The Maxim - Anime's Imperfect Masterpiece
August 19, 2020 18:59 - 1 hour - 61 MBAfter two long weeks, we're back. And we're leaping back into it with a bang. We talk Parasyte, human babies, humanity, life, death, Wayne Gretzky and more. Notes: The Bodily Horror of Relationships by Sean Mekinda Dumb Parasyte Meme
Blue Velvet - David Lynch and Unlikely Comparisons
July 30, 2020 15:55 - 58 minutes - 53.9 MBFirst and foremost: content warning. There's a lot of talk around sexual assault in this one, but its all fairly surface-level stuff. Be aware. Second, we're back with another Lynch film! This time, we're exploring Blue Velvet, a movie that is surprisingly grounded. I mean, it's still a David Lynch, so it's obviously wild, but there's no alien baby so that's something.
Kill Bill Vol 1&2 - The Craft of a Bad Movie
July 23, 2020 15:53 - 49 minutes - 45.2 MBYeah, we said it. Kill Bill is bad. But it also is intentionally bad, and so it's actually good? At being bad? Look, its a loving send-up of all those old B-Movies and we really like it, alright?
Zodiac - Cruz-ing through self commentary
July 16, 2020 15:57 - 47 minutes - 43.2 MBHey, Fincher's ZODIAC is pretty great, huh? And also way ahead of the curve with this (two-year-old) true-crime craze?
Tokyo Story - Our Greatest Episode?
July 09, 2020 15:57 - 54 minutes - 50.3 MBI mean probably not. But you wouldn't listen to something about Tokyo Story without some clickbait, would you? I mean, hell, we didn't even know what it was until a few weeks ago. Now we do know, though. And we know its DAMN good.
Independence Day -The Tipping Point
July 02, 2020 15:53 - 57 minutes - 52.2 MBThis week we return to some sort of normalcy, in that we watched a dumb, schlocky movie that we both loved. But we also talk about the history of blockbusters and where they may have shifted.
Hitchcock Month - The Birds
June 25, 2020 15:54 - 55 minutes - 51.1 MBWe're wrapping Hitchcock month up with the one everyone knows, and neither of us enjoys. So listen in as we compare The Birds to Birdemic, debate the "themes" within, and wonder where it all went wrong.
Hitchcock Month - Vertigo
June 18, 2020 15:50 - 59 minutes - 54.7 MBWe finally arrive at VERTIGO. Some call it the GOAT. Others call it overrated and too meta. Both are in this podcast. Please don't yell at Sean too much for his bad opinions.
Hitchcock Month - Psycho
June 11, 2020 15:56 - 42 minutes - 38.7 MBWhat can you possibly say about Psycho that hasn't already be said? Not sure, but we're gonna try anyway. Sean hasn't seen it before, so that may be interesting?
Hitchcock Month - Rear Window
June 04, 2020 15:59 - 57 minutes - 52.5 MBBefore we even talk about the episode, go donate to a protester bail fund or Black Lives Matter because that's the real important stuff this week. May we recommend: The Columbus Freedom Fund - https://www.paypal.me/columbusfreedomfund Black Lives Matter - https://blacklivesmatter.com/ or any of these - https://www.thecut.com/article/george-floyd-protests-how-to-help-where-to-donate.html On a less important note, Hitchcock month begins with Rear Window! Sean delivers a pretty ...
Quarantine Classics: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
May 27, 2020 19:56 - 1 hour - 60.9 MBWe're back and, since we actually have fun this episode, UMay Boll must be over! We return to Quarantine Classics with The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, the hallmark of western movies. But that doesn't mean we can't get weird with it.
Alone in the Dark - The Life and Times of Uwe Boll
May 14, 2020 15:53 - 59 minutes - 54.3 MBThis week, we watched cinematic disasterpiece Alone in the Dark and instead of ragging on a mediocre movie the whole time, we used it as a lens to examine, fans, fandom, criticism and Uwe Boll himself.
Quarantine Classics: Seven Samurai
May 07, 2020 15:53 - 1 hour - 57.8 MBWe're back and we're delivering on Seven Samurai, a classic of the genre for a reason: It's damn good. But we also spend a lot of time discussing its very clear influences on George Lucas and Star Wars. Buckle up, it gets weird.
Beating a Dead Horse Mini Update
April 30, 2020 15:59 - 1 minute - 1.3 MBHey y'all just a small update to say: Everything is delayed. But thankfully, just by one week and we'll be back in full swing next week! Hopefully.
Quarantine Classics: Metropolis
April 23, 2020 16:02 - 1 hour - 58.7 MBShhh - there's not talking in silent films! But we talk. We talk a lot about the Sci-Fi classic Metropolis, its pro-union themes, and its (potential) nazi ties. Also NIDS, the fictional disease from the Sonic series. Thanks for that, Jackson.
Quarantine Classics - Easy Rider
April 16, 2020 15:49 - 1 hour - 58.1 MBOnce more unto the void. As we continue through our Quarantine Classics, we come face to face with the realization that the world hasn't changed all that much and man, that's like... a bummer.
Quarantine Classics - Dr. Strangelove
April 09, 2020 15:57 - 59 minutes - 54.8 MBLet us check... hang on... yup still quarantined. Which means more classics! This week we're talking Dr. Skimble...Strangelove. That's what we meant. We develop a new mascot. And wonder if this is perhaps a perfect film.
Quarantine Classics - Citizen Kane
April 02, 2020 15:57 - 56 minutes - 51.6 MBThere's no end in sight for Quarantine Classics, so we might as well knock out the other big miss from our film-watching lives: Citizen Kane! How does it hold up, 70 some years later? Important viewing: https://youtu.be/Nvxwf1jxdaM
Quarantine Classics - Casablanca
March 26, 2020 15:57 - 56 minutes - 51.8 MBWhelp. We're stuck inside. So it seems like a great time to dig into our backlog of must-see movies we haven't seen, kicking off with Casablanca!
The Hunt - Good Action and Dumb Politics
March 19, 2020 15:54 - 57 minutes - 52.9 MBOur last film pre-quarantine, and this is what we choose. We never said we were smart people.
Onward - Golden Age Pixar or Bust
March 12, 2020 15:53 - 51 minutes - 47.3 MBThis week we did math. For you. But we also dive into what makes a good Pixar movie, the golden age of Pixar, and how Onward fits into all of this.
The Invisible Man - The Market Place of (horror) Ideas
March 05, 2020 16:59 - 1 hour - 58.5 MBWell, we finally saw The Invisible Man. Unsurprisingly, one of us loved it, the other.... had some issues. So we're gonna duke it out in this, the market place of ideas.
Fantasy Island - #JustFantasyIslandThings
February 27, 2020 16:53 - 58 minutes - 53.3 MBWe know we promised Invisible Man this week, but we can't seem to understand dates. So instead we're talking about a DIFFERENT Blumhouse film: The much-maligned Fantasy Island! And, surprisingly, we seem to have a lot more to say about it than we were expecting.
90's Showdown: The Super Mario Bros Movie VS The Sonic The Hedgehog Movie
February 20, 2020 16:57 - 1 hour - 64.7 MBThe 90's are back in force. The age-old rivals finally have the opportunity to go head-to-head on the big screen. Does Sega do what Nintendoesn't or will Mario remain the plumber king?
Parasite - Best Pictures and C A P I T A L I S M
February 13, 2020 16:57 - 1 hour - 58 MBWe've been aching to talk about Parasite for months now, but schedules and life kept getting in the way. Thankfully, it won Best Picture so now we have another excuse.
Bojack Horseman Retrospective - Todd-ally our final episode.
February 06, 2020 16:57 - 1 hour - 56.9 MBBojack Horseman has finally come to an end. After six seasons of chuckles, introspection, and staring deep into the void, what are we left with?
No Country for Old Men - Life is Meaningless, but Maybe Death is Good?
January 31, 2020 15:30 - 52 minutes - 48 MBIn our last episode of Request Month, we're debating the ethos of No Country for Old Men, a Coen Brother's Adaptation of a Cormac McCarthy novel, which should tell you all you need to know.
I Want to Eat Your Pancreas - Anime Sad
January 23, 2020 16:55 - 47 minutes - 43.9 MBRequest month continues and we were foolish if we thought we could get through without an anime request. So here we are, diving into Sick Lit, sad animes and uhhhh... incels. Again.
Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter - Canadian Punk
January 16, 2020 16:55 - 58 minutes - 53.6 MBThis week's request comes from @andrestrivera and gets real wild, real fast. A movie we expected to be memes may be something far greater, and we absolutely adore it. Dennis Bell's/Lord of the Highway's YETI LOVE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GEz6b_r1Ck&feature=youtu.be
Little Monsters - Request Month Begins with Our Number, but not Our Movie
January 09, 2020 16:55 - 47 minutes - 43.7 MBRequest Month begins with Little Monsters, a movie that we should have been all over, but unfortunately left us more meh than yeah.
THIRD ANNUAL HORSIES - 2019 EDITION
January 02, 2020 18:50 - 1 hour - 80 MBIts that time of year again, where we host our own self-important awards show! Who were the big winners, who were the bigger losers, and who died. All that and more in the 2019 HORSIE AWARDS
The Rise of Skywalker - Merry Christmas Star Wars is Done
December 26, 2019 16:52 - 1 hour - 67.4 MBThe Skywalker Saga is finally over. After 5+ directors, did the Saga conclude in a satisfying way or is it more Abrams end it with incomprehensible (but alright to watch) fan service?
Dark Waters - The Laws of CoalCore
December 19, 2019 16:55 - 1 hour - 61.4 MBThis week we're diving into Dark Waters, debating whether its a worthy movie or if you should just go read the article instead.
Star Wars Episodes VII and VIII REDUX - MAXIMUM DISCOURSE
December 13, 2019 17:00 - 1 hour - 86.9 MBThis week we're joining the rest of the internet to talk about Star Wars. Specifically, the two movies that everyone won't stop arguing about: VII and VIII This is surely a smart move.
Knives Out - A Tale of Two Experiences
December 05, 2019 16:50 - 1 hour - 55.9 MBThis week we're talking Knives Out and learning just how different the movie can be from just a small difference in approach. Is it a fun murder mystery, or a thriller with political theming? Maybe both?
Detroit: Become Human - Jackson Defeats the Police (With Sam!)
November 28, 2019 16:50 - 1 hour - 72.9 MBToday, we starting the Robo Revolution. Jackson defeats the police, Sean is as milquetoast as possible, and special guest Sam plays the David Cage Brand Woman (tm) in Detroit: Become Human!
The Good Liar - Boomercore (DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE)
November 21, 2019 17:00 - 58 minutes - 53.7 MBThis week we watched #TheGoodLiar to tell you that you shouldn't. It is peak Boomercore with an irresponsible, irredeemable "twist" at the end. Seriously. Don't watch it. Listen to us instead.
Doctor Sleep -The Traumas of Youth
November 14, 2019 16:50 - 1 hour - 60.1 MBThis week, we're talking the sequel to the Shining. It's a pretty great movie, but of course, we can't just leave it at that. We have to talk traumas, themes, and toilets.