Blank Check with Griffin & David
503 episodes - English - Latest episode: 30 days ago - ★★★★★ - 5.4K ratingsNot just another bad movie podcast, Blank Check reviews directors' complete filmographies episode to episode. Specifically, the auteurs whose early successes afforded them the rare ‘blank check’ from Hollywood to produce passion projects. Each new miniseries, hosts Griffin Newman and David Sims delve into the works of film’s most outsized personalities in painstakingly hilarious detail. Produced by Ben Hosley.
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Episodes
Midnight Run with Alan Sepinwall
June 23, 2024 04:00 - 3 hoursIn a first for Blank Check, Ben Hosley produces an entire episode while handcuffed and under threat of legal action. What else would you expect from a MIDNIGHT RUN episode? The great Alan Sepinwall returns to the pod to talk about Martin Brest’s fantastic cross-country buddy caper, a film that proved that DeNiro could do comedy and that Charles Grodin might be the funniest man alive. We’re talking about the unofficial Larry the Cable Guy sequel (?), the famous casting what-ifs (Cher!), and t...
Beverly Hills Cop with Adil & Bilall
June 16, 2024 04:00 - 1 hourAn indelible synth theme by Harold Faltermeyer. A scene-stealing turn from Bronson Pinchot. A banana in a tailpipe. EDDIE FREAKING MURPHY. It’s no wonder that Martin Brest’s Beverly Hills Cop is one of the most beloved action comedies (and still the highest-grossing R-rated film adjusted for inflation). We couldn’t be more thrilled to have two of the hottest action directors in Hollywood - Bad Boys: Ride or Die’s Adil & Bilall - join us to talk about Brest’s blockbuster second feature, bring...
Going In Style with James Urbaniak
June 09, 2024 04:00 - 1 hourAfter years of citing him as a potential series, we’re finally Brest men. In this inaugural episode of our “Podverly Hills Cast” series, we’re taking a look at Martin Brest’s debut feature, 1979’s understated and deeply enjoyable old man heist film “Going in Style.” James Urbaniak joins us to chat through the beginning of Brest’s career, and the storied personas of George Burns, Art Carney, and Lee Strasberg. Cream cheese and jelly sandwiches on toasted rye for everyone! This episode is sp...
Furiosa with Kyle Buchanan
June 02, 2024 04:00 - 3 hoursWe return to the Wasteland this week with Furiosa, and we’ve got quite the tour guide. Kyle Buchanan - author of Blood, Sweat & Chrome, THE book on the making of Mad Max: Fury Road - joins us as we do a definitive post-mortem on George Miller’s latest. Going up against the reputation of Fury Road was always going to be an uphill battle for the Anya Taylor-Joy starrer, and we go into all the ways in which this film matches, exceeds, or misses the highs of 2015’s action classic. Kyle brings wi...
Paprika with Emily Yoshida
May 26, 2024 04:00 - 2 hoursCome join the dream parade, folks - we’re talking about Paprika! Mother of the Blankies Emily Yoshida is with us to chat about Satoshi Kon’s final film - a film that FEELS like a swan song especially in hindsight. In this episode, we address the elephant in the room (those Inception comparisons), dive into the serialized story Paprika was based on, and Griffin makes the important connection between Paprika’s “DC mini” device and this being a “BC mini” (series). Plus, we establish 2024 as “Th...
Tokyo Godfathers with Reece Feldman
May 19, 2024 04:00 - 2 hoursThey call them the Godfathers of Tokyo…and we call him the KING of TIKTOK (in an old man newscaster voice) - Reece Feldman joins us to chat about Satoshi Kon’s beautiful Christmas fable about a trio of unforgettable characters on the fringes of society. We talk about how animation is truly a medium and NOT a genre, as evidenced by this film. We talk about Ice Age (another animated movie where outsiders care for a baby). We talk about whether or not David might get roped into watching Ice Age...
Millennium Actress with Hoai-Tran Bui
May 12, 2024 04:00 - 2 hoursOur Satoshi Kon series continues with his 2003 film Millennium Actress, a moving exploration of memory, history, and the magic of da moviesh. Writer Hoai-Tran Bui returns to the pod as we discuss the strange history of Dreamworks’ arthouse animation arm (Go Fish pictures), the luminous screen presence of Setsuko Hara, and the added poignancy this film takes on in light of Kon’s untimely passing. Plus, Griffin publicly addresses the Penny Marshall debacle, and the gang contemplates a version ...
Perfect Blue with Bowen Yang
May 05, 2024 04:00 - 2 hoursWelcome to the filmography of Satoshi Kon - a thrilling series of funhouse mirrors and puzzlebox narratives that proved what is possible in the animation form. The icon, the legend, the culturista himself Bowen Yang joins us to talk about Kon’s feature debut, the shocking and influential pop-idol thriller PERFECT BLUE. We’re talking about famous “bad girl” transitions in pop history. We’re talking about Digimon villains. We’re talking about obsessive fandoms. And, most crucially, we learn a ...
Perfect Blue with Bowen Yang
May 05, 2024 04:00 - 2 hoursWelcome to the filmography of Satoshi Kon - a thrilling series of funhouse mirrors and puzzlebox narratives that proved what is possible in the animation form. The icon, the legend, the culturista himself Bowen Yang joins us to talk about Kon’s feature debut, the shocking and influential pop-idol thriller PERFECT BLUE. We’re talking about famous “bad girl” transitions in pop history. We’re talking about Digimon villains. We’re talking about obsessive fandoms. And, most crucially, we learn a ...
Basic with BenDavid Grabinski
April 28, 2024 04:00 - 2 hoursOur McTiernan series concludes with 2003’s BASIC - a film that Griffin thinks should instead be titled “COMPLICATED” - get it? Because there are so many plot twists?? The great BenDavid Grabinski joins us to chat about John Travolta’s run of big, skeezy characters post-FACE/OFF, McTiernan’s ultimate Achilles heel (getting too confident in his ability to fix impossible movies), the screenwriting career of studio wunderkind James Vanderbilt, and the truly terrible acting of Giovanni Ribisi. Pl...
Rollerball with Zach Cherry
April 21, 2024 04:00 - 2 hoursFinally, we arrive at the film that helped put John McTiernan in both “director jail” and “jail jail” - the incoherent nu-metal fart that is 2002’s ROLLERBALL. Zach Cherry continues his trend of appearing on episodes covering movies that led to actual court cases, and we do our best to try to explain what happened (both on-screen and off). Why is this film set in Borat’s Kazakhstan? What was up with the extended nightvision scene? Is Griffin insane for being a Chris Kline apologist? Plus - B...
The 13th Warrior with David Lowery
April 14, 2024 04:00 - 2 hoursWhat if there was a 13th Warrior? What if there was a version of Beowulf so grounded in reality that the climactic battle with Grendel just kind of felt like a shrug? What if Antonio Banderas was the lead in Gladiator instead of Russell Crowe? We’re just asking questions! Filmmaker David Lowery makes his long-awaited return to the podcast to talk about John McTiernan’s Michael Crichton adaptation, a movie that should have kept the title of the original book - Eaters of the Dead. Such a sick ...
The Thomas Crown Affair with Amanda Dobbins
April 07, 2024 04:00 - 2 hoursA Fiji water bottle. “Sinnerman” by Nina Simone. That Magritte painting with the bowler hat. A SCINTILLATING, AGE-APPROPRIATE ROMANCE WITH TWO OF THE GREATEST HEIST SEQUENCES IN MOVIE HISTORY. We’re talking Tommy C (1999), baby! The delightful Amanda Dobbins joins us for her long-awaited Blank Check debut, and this episode is about as fun as you’d expect. Do we think this movie is better than the Norman Jewison original? Yes. Do we go long on the filmography of Rene Russo? Yes. Do we explain...
The Thomas Crown Affair (1999) with Amanda Dobbins
April 07, 2024 04:00 - 2 hoursA Fiji water bottle. “Sinnerman” by Nina Simone. That Magritte painting with the bowler hat. A SCINTILLATING, AGE-APPROPRIATE ROMANCE WITH TWO OF THE GREATEST HEIST SEQUENCES IN MOVIE HISTORY. We’re talking Tommy C (1999), baby! The delightful Amanda Dobbins joins us for her long-awaited Blank Check debut, and this episode is about as fun as you’d expect. Do we think this movie is better than the Norman Jewison original? Yes. Do we go long on the filmography of Rene Russo? Yes. Do we explain...
Die Hard with a Vengeance with Shea Serrano
March 31, 2024 04:00 - 2 hoursJohn McTiernan back with the Die Hard franchise after the spectacular flop of Last Action Hero. Bruce Willis and Samuel L Jackson back together after Pulp Fiction. Die Hard with a Vengeance is definitely part of the “we are so back” canon. Shea Serrano (who owns every McTiernan movie on VHS) joins us to chat about this explosive action threequel that features a surprising amount of New York theater actors and a bunch of childhood games and riddles. Also, you don’t need us to tell you this bu...
Last Action Hero with Paul Scheer & Jason Mantzoukas
March 24, 2024 04:00 - 3 hoursYou either love this movie or you hate it, and guess what - we’re landing all over the LOST ACTION HERO spectrum this episode! Paul Scheer & Jason Mantzoukas join us once again for a clock-busting, rip-roaring time, and we’re unpacking all of this movie’s meta madness. Is John McTiernan able to parody his own work? Should the kid have actually killed people in this movie (as in the original, edgier script)? Will David have an aneurysm if this episode recording doesn’t end at a reasonable ti...
Medicine Man with Jamie Lee
March 17, 2024 04:00 - 2 hoursOh baby, this one’s a STINKER! Sean Connery finds the cure for cancer but then he loses it (??). Lorraine Bracco delivers all of her dialogue like someone making a comment and not asking a question at a Q&A. They’re both playing scientists - but where’s the CHEMISTRY?? Comedian and writer Jamie Lee returns to Blank Check to talk about John McTiernan’s attempt at a serious adult drama, 1992’s MEDICINE MAN. We spend most of the episode trying to recast this movie to make it somewhat palatable....
The Hunt For Red October with Jamelle Bouie
March 10, 2024 05:00 - 2 hoursWe love da submarinesh! Host of “Unclear and Present Danger” Jamelle Bouie joins us this week to talk about middle aged white guys, airport novels, and naval recruitment propaganda. That’s right - we’re talking about John McTiernan’s adaptation of Tom Clancy’s THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER! Come for our thesis on why Alec Baldwin played the best version of Jack Ryan, stay for Ben and Jamelle’s impassioned pleas for a Highlander patreon series. And of course, there will be Connery impressions. Jo...
The Ninth Annual Blank Check Awards with Joe Reid
March 03, 2024 05:00 - 2 hoursThe pomp. The pageantry. The awkwardness of trying to shoehorn any of this year’s Oscar nominees into “Moon River” - that’s right, folks. The Blankies (and host Griffy Crystal) are back! Joe Reid of “This Had Oscar Buzz” joins us once again to celebrate the momentous year in cinema that was 2023. We’re handing out fake awards, making outrageous claims, and we’ve got a special musical performance that brings the house down. Enjoy! Join our Patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankch...
Die Hard with Kevin Smith
February 25, 2024 05:00 - 3 hoursThirty-six floors. Thirteen (fake) terrorists. One perfect action movie. Kevin Smith - who was in a Die Hard movie AND directed Alan Rickman in DOGMA - joins us again for a supersized episode on McTiernan’s signature film. We’re getting into Bruce's wine cooler commercials. We reveal the surprising Shakespeare play that influenced McTiernan’s direction of this story. We’re nerding out about the spatial and organizational PERFECTION that makes it such a classic. And we’re paying loving homag...
Predator with Jon Gabrus
February 18, 2024 05:00 - 2 hoursGET TO THE CHOPPA! Griffin attempts his best (actually, worst) Arnold voice this week as we head to the jungle with Jon Gabrus and some bic razors. For almost three hours, we’re dissecting every little bit of PREDATOR - the glow-stick goo alien blood, the Alan Silvestri score, Arnold’s calves, Arnold’s biceps, Arnold’s long red polo shirt, Arnold’s chiseled cheekbones, the way Arnold says KILL ME!!! - you can expect lots of Arnold talk. Join our Patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us ...
Nomads
February 11, 2024 05:00 - 1 hourOkay, action freaks! We’re kicking off our John McTiernan miniseries - POD HARD WITH A VENGECAST - with a film that is not at all indicative of the greatness to come. Nomads! A movie where Pierce Brosnan attempts a garbage French accent and is terrified by some punks in a van. That’s kind of the whole thing. Anyway - get ready for a spirited conversation about plenty of other topics, like: the filmography of Tom Shadyac! John McTiernan’s super cool dad! Gerard Depardieu’s face! The strict ru...
The Mirror Has Two Faces with Bobby Finger & Lindsey Weber
February 04, 2024 05:00 - 2 hoursIf Yentl was about connecting with her absent father, and The Prince of Tides was about forgiving her difficult mother, The Mirror Has Two Faces is just about BARBRA! Who Weekly’s Bobby Finger and Lindsay Weber join us as we close out our Streisand series with her final film, a strange Frankenstein of a Judd Apatow, Albert Brooks, and Nora Ephron romcom. Should Lauren (“Betty”) Bacall have won the Oscar that year? Should Pierce Brosnan and Jeff Bridges have swapped roles? Is “the perfect bit...
The Prince of Tides with Katey Rich
January 28, 2024 05:00 - 2 hoursCan you hear the crawdads sing? Or is that just our Nick Nolte impression? Our favorite Carolinian Katey Rich joins us to chat about Streisand’s 1991 adaptation of Pat Conroy’s bugnuts novel, a story that includes some serious ethical breaches made by alluring therapist Susan Lowenstein. Listen along as Katey shares some tidbits from the book that did NOT make the screen adaptation (a tiger, for example), Griffin relates to Jason Gould’s attempts to be sporty, and David offers his hot take t...
Blank Check on Broadway
January 25, 2024 17:00 - 2 minutesAnnouncing our BIGGEST live show ever! On Friday, March 8th at The Town Hall in NYC, Blank Check will celebrate its nine year anniversary. Tickets go on sale on Friday, January 26th @ 12PM ET. Follow this link to get yours!
A Conversation with Amy Irving
January 24, 2024 05:00 - 1 hourSurprise! In a first for Blank Check, we're dropping a bonus main-feed episode featuring a conversation with an Academy Award-nominated star of the film we just covered. The great Amy Irving joins us for a fun conversation about her career highs and lows, the behind-the-scenes YENTL gossip, and Ben's buried jeans. That's right, we have to explain Ben's denim thing to Amy Irving. Follow Amy on IG @amyirvingofficial AND checkout her album "Born In A Trunk" on Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp or...
Yentl with Jordan Hoffman
January 21, 2024 05:00 - 2 hoursPodcast, can you hear me?” We certainly can, Barbra! The very menschy Jordan Hoffman joins us to chat about Streisand’s official directorial debut, a marvel of a film that makes anyone describing it sound insane. Yes, Barbra wrote, directed, produced, and starred in a period piece about a shtetl girl who crossdresses in order to study the Talmud. Yes, the film is a musical with songs composed by Michel Legrand. Yes, Barbra is the only person who sings in it, despite the male lead being Broad...
A Star Is Born (1976) with Rachel Zegler
January 14, 2024 05:00 - 2 hoursHello Gorgeous! We’re kicking off our Barbra Streisand series (titled “Podcastl,” naturally) with a look at her version of the classic Hollywood cautionary tale - 1976’s A STAR IS BORN. And who better to join us than our own songbird superstar - the lovely Rachel Zegler! While Babs didn’t technically direct this one, she and her partner Jon Peters (Bradley Cooper in LICORICE PIZZA, duh) exacted supreme creative control over the project - to mixed results. Join us as we trace the beginning of...
Ferrari with Bilge Ebiri
January 07, 2024 05:00 - 2 hoursVroom vroom! Michael Mann is BACK. Bilge Ebiri is BACK. How do you say “we’re so back” in Italian? Join us as we talk about cars that go fast (Ferraris), hair that grows long (Adam Driver’s, normally), faces that have seen smart phones (Shailene Woodley’s) and character actors that could have been in this movie (Paul Giamatti, but specifically as Pig Vomit). Masculinity is a cage, machines that work the best are the most beautiful, and we all think that the Mille Miglia seems like a bad idea...
Wonkquaman with Marie Bardi-Salinas
December 31, 2023 05:00 - 3 hoursWe’re closing out 2023 with two words - Wet. Chocolate. Join us as we bid farewell to the DCEU, say “hello fennel” to Timothée Chalamet, and bring our craziest unhinged, “end of school year” energy to two very different new releases. Orm. Check out Matt Singer’s Wonka Themed IHOP menu article. Join our Patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter and Instagram! Buy some real nerdy merch at shopblankcheckpod.myshopify.com or at teepublic.com/stores/blank-check
Maestro with Marie Bardi-Salinas
December 17, 2023 05:00 - 2 hoursThe music! The makeup! The MAESTRO! We’re diving into Bradley Cooper’s Leonard Bernstein biopic, the result of his post-A STAR IS BORN Blank Check, and we’re getting personal, emotional, and pretty ridiculous. Who does Griffin’s Bernstein impression sound like (because it certainly doesn’t sound like Bernstein)? What is Ben’s familial connection to the Maestro? Will Marie ever forgive Griffin for inviting Bobby Wagner on a date to visit Bradley Cooper’s Philly cheesesteak truck instead of he...
The Boy and the Heron with J.D. Amato
December 10, 2023 05:00 - 3 hoursIt took seven years for Hayao Miyazaki and the artists at Studio Ghibli to make THE BOY AND THE HERON. What better way to honor that lengthy process than to invite JD Amato back for another clockbusting, context-loaded episode?! For a rather bit-free THREE-AND-A-HALF HOURS, we are diving into Miyazaki’s personal history, his creative process, the differing animation styles between the Ghibli greats, and the thematic implications of this beautiful new film. Because this is Blank Check, we’ve ...
I Love You to Death
December 03, 2023 05:00 - 2 hoursMamma mia! We’ve got-a some-a sleepy pasta for-a you to taste-a this-a week! In our latest, much-awaited installment of PORCH CLASSICS, we’re handing the reins to Producer Ben, who has chosen to spotlight a forgotten comedy about “the world’s horniest pizza man who cannot die.” Lawrence Kasdan’s I LOVE YOU TO DEATH is a feast of bizarre performances (Italian-face Kevin Kline, Serb-face Joan Plowright, Stoner-face William Hurt) and tonal miscalculations. All this to say - it’s a very FUN movi...
The Killer with Marie Bardi
November 26, 2023 05:00 - 2 hoursWe’re wrapping up our Fincher series with his latest release - a stripped-down, gig-economy hitman thriller - THE KILLER. Is Michael Fassbender’s unnamed hitman actually good at his job, or a total goober? How do your friends at Blank Check feel about The Smiths? Where do the Two Friends put MANK in their final Fincher rankings? And - is Griffin okay, or has he fallen too deep inside the Gaylor Swift rabbit hole? Join our Patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter...
Mank with Sean Fennessey
November 19, 2023 05:00 - 2 hoursNerts! Are you folks ready to get MANK-PILLED? We advise that you start by “mankro-dosing” David Fincher’s 2020 exploration of the life and times of cantankerous screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz. The Big Picture’s Sean Fennessey joins us to chat about Fincher’s first Netflix feature, and we’re asking all the important questions. Would this film have a better reputation if it had been titled “manK!” ? Will there be a film made 40 years from now entitled “SORK” about Aaron Sorkin, David Finch...
Gone Girl with Esther Zuckerman
November 12, 2023 05:00 - 3 hours“Amazing Amy” meets “Awkwardly-Smiling Affleck” in Fincher’s darkly comic masterpiece - an instant classic from that first shot of Rosamund Pike’s pretty head. The delightful Esther Zuckerman (who will definitely NOT “gone girl” her boyfriend) joins us to discuss this impressive work of adaptation. We’re asking all the big questions - is “Amazing Amy” actually a good children’s book? Did Tyler Perry take any directing tips from David Fincher when he made BOO! A MADEA HALLOWEEN? Would this mo...
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo with Fran Hoepfner
November 05, 2023 04:00 - 2 hoursThe Girl with the Dragon Tattoo? More like The Girl Who Go On Computer! The Girl with the Fruit Tattoo - Fran Hoepfner - joins us as we dive into Fincher’s 2011 Nordic noir. How does Fincher’s take on Stieg Larsson’s international best-seller compare with the original Swedish version? What does Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander have in common with ET? Does Christopher Plummer have the greatest octogenarian acting decade of all time? WHEN WILL BEN HOSLEY MAKE HIS WITCH HACKER MOVIE? Guest Link...
The Social Network
October 29, 2023 04:00 - 2 hoursLet us take a walk down memory lane to when the Metaverse was but a twinkle in Zuck’s eye, to when Aaron Sorkin was just a much-respected writer and not yet a (groan) director…to when the idea of a prestige film about millennial tech bros seemed like a ludicrous proposition. My, how times have changed! THE SOCIAL NETWORK is one of the most influential and consequential films of the 21st Century - prescient, quotable, and eminently rewatchable. You know what’s cooler than a two hour podcast? ...
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button with Richard Lawson
October 22, 2023 04:00 - 2 hours2007’s THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON is a film that dares to ask the question, “What if he baby but old?” Despite the meme-ification of David Fincher’s trip to the uncanny valley, we are pleased to make our belated case for why this movie is GOOD, actually, and in step with the themes of Da Finch Man’s body of work - not a sappy outlier. Vanity Fair’s Richard Lawson returns to the podcast as we all grapple with mortality, wistfully opine about tugboats, and develop an absurd running bi...
Zodiac with Leslye Headland
October 15, 2023 04:00 - 2 hoursThis is the Zodiac speaking. I have recorded this podcast episode with Griffin, David, and the genius Leslye Headland because I am tired of the tangents on every other episode so far this Fincher series. With this episode, we’re getting into the CRAFT, the OBSESSION, the MADNESS, the MINUTIAE of David Fincher’s Gordian knot of a true crime mystery. What is the scariest scene in ZODIAC? Which of the three main actors gives the best performance? Are Aqua Velvas good? Like my identity, there is...
Panic Room with Eva Anderson
October 08, 2023 04:00 - 2 hoursWe’re scootin’ through some wild Manhattan real estate this week and locking ourselves into David Fincher’s PANIC ROOM with the wonderful Eva Anderson! Can you believe that Jodie Foster wasn’t even supposed to be in this movie? And that David Fincher was the one who braided Jared Leto’s cornrows? Just kidding about that last one. Come for Griffin’s formative crush on young Kristen Stewart, stay for the inexplicable amount of talk about “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” - a show that has absolu...
Fight Club with Alex Ross Perry
October 01, 2023 04:00 - 3 hoursThe first rule of Fight Club? Don’t talk about Fight Club. The second rule of Fight Club? DON’T TALK ABOUT FIGHT CLUB. For those of you who like following the rules, we have an edited version of this episode available on Patreon wherein we do NOT talk about the seminal 1999 film FIGHT CLUB. But for the rest of you sickos, we’ve got a supersized episode with Project Mayhem’s own Alex Ross Perry. In this episode, we discuss our picks for the iconic DVDs of the “DVD era”, dive into the career o...
The Game with Brendan Hines
September 24, 2023 04:00 - 2 hoursCongratulations! If you are listening to this episode, it means you’ve discovered the key in the mouth of the wooden clown we placed in your driveway. Actor, musician, and handsome man Brendan Hines joins us this week as we lead you on an immersive, life-changing experience through David Fincher’s The Game. We understand you may have some questions. How much did this whole thing cost? Is cocaine a requirement for every Michael Douglas movie? What’s Deborah Kara Unger up to these days? Did Ch...
Se7en with Mike Mitchell & Nick Wiger
September 17, 2023 04:00 - 2 hoursWho loves Da Finchman? These guys do! MTV Movie Award-losing duo Mitch and Nick of the Doughboys join us to talk about David Fincher’s breakthrough hit - the nasty noir SE7EN. What can you expect from this episode? Lots of talk about “playground rumors” related to what this movie does and doesn’t actually show, a full taxonomy of Kevin Spacey’s on-screen persona, the true identity of the Zodiac killer, and a VERY Doughboys description of the film’s “gluttony” murder. Guest Links: Listen t...
Alien³ with Matt Singer
September 10, 2023 04:00 - 2 hoursThe time has come for us to talk about one of the most successful, most influential, most respected American filmmakers of the past 30 years. That’s right, we’re talking about the director of ALIEN3, David “Da Finchman” Fincher! We’re kicking off “The Curious Pod of Benjamin Buttcast” in style, pressing play on our Alien Quadrilogy Blu-Ray with guest Matt Singer - and you better believe we’re watching the “extended cut” in “Mu-th-ur Mode”! Join us as we give some light background on young “D...
Decision to Leave with Tatiana Maslany
September 03, 2023 04:00 - 2 hoursDecision to Leave? More like, decision to watch a good movie! EMMY AWARD WINNER (but more importantly, David Sims Best Supporting Actress Nominee of 2017) joins us to discuss Park’s most recent film, a romantic noir that gets text messaging absolutely right. We’re getting into everything, from the complexities of Tang Wei’s performance, to the concept of “sand beaching,” to S. Craig Zahler’s tight ponytail. Plus, we give our final Park rankings, and announce our next series, the worst-kept s...
The Handmaiden with Emily Yoshida
August 27, 2023 04:00 - 2 hoursWe couldn’t be more excited to talk about the film we consider to be Park’s masterpiece - the gorgeous, twisty, and ultimately moving THE HANDMAIDEN. “Mother of the Blankies” Emily Yoshida joins us to unpack this puzzlebox of an erotic thriller, a brilliant adaptation of Sarah Waters’ Fingersmith. Come for the coining of a new Blank Check phrase (thanks, researcher JJ!), stay for a very crucial “touch of the Tucc” tangent. By the way - what does that octopus actually do?? Join our Patreon a...
Stoker with Emily St. James
August 20, 2023 04:00 - 2 hoursRemember when the star of TV’s Prison Break (Wentworth Miller, “human map”) wrote a screenplay that landed on the Black List and ended up serving as the material for Park Chan-Wook’s only English film to date? What a time to be alive! Mia Wasikowska superfan Emily St. James returns to Blank Check to offer her take on 2013’s Stoker, a movie that is not NOT about vampires. Join us as we fawn over Park’s stunning directorial choices (that shot where Nicole Kidman’s hair transitions into grass!)...
Thirst with Hoai-Tran Bui
August 13, 2023 04:00 - 2 hoursMove over, Dracula. Eat your heart out Edward Cullen. A new sexy vampire is in town, and he just happens to be a PRIEST! Park Chan-Wook reunites with the wonderful Song Kang-ho to put his own stamp on the popular genre with 2009’s THIRST. Inverse’s Hoi-Tran Boi joins us to chat about this darkly funny (and devilishly sound-designed) film, an adaptation of Emile Zola’s classic novel Thérèse Raquin. How do the rules of vampirism translate to a culture where everything is cooked with garlic? ...
I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK with Karen Chee
August 06, 2023 04:00 - 1 hourFrom the twisted mind of Park Chan-Wook, it’s…a surprisingly sensitive romance set in a mental hospital? Writer and Comedian Karen Chee joins us to chat about 2006’s I’M A CYBORG, BUT THAT’S OKAY - a real outlier in Park’s career, and a commercial disappointment after the global success of his Vengeance Trilogy. Would it surprise you to learn that this film was inspired by, of all things, TOY STORY? Is this the best Park film to remake with a cast of Muppets? Are any of the film’s mental ill...