Bonus: Recent Episodes
Read it and Weep
Alex and Ezra are back with a sports fact showdown! One sports fact will be remembered for eternity. The other? Immediately forgotten. Also, if you want faces with your sports facts, they're here on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZn1pCjh-4w And if you like the show, come to the Patreon! We're talking favorite sport facts here--for free!
It's a new season! Welcome to Read it and Weep Season 8: Embrace the Weep! This season is all about the media that moves us and our friends. So obviously, OBVIOUSLY, it had to be Eurovision. For this, I've roped in my friend Cathy to tell me about the highs and lows of Eurovision. Anthony's prepared some slides! Also we're on YouTube (at least until I get annoyed with video editing) We recommend: Local Flutes Touching Grass Democracy Lordi Daði Freyr
Join the Patreon party! Answer free polls or give us money, all at patreon.com/ReadWeepPod
Hey friends of the Palgorithm! No episode yet, but we'll be dropping Eurovision by mid-July and it'll be edited in Europe for extra worldliness! Meanwhile, thanks so much for the plane-based media recs, no notes, would consume on a plane again. If you have any bus-based media recs, send them my way!
Like the show? Support the show! Alex and Ezra are long-time friends who are both a mile wide and an inch. After careful research, we've determined there are exactly 1,206 things to know about the world, so we're setting out on a quest to learn one fact about everything that's ever happened BUT NOT TWO.
This episode? We learn just one thing about Twist Ties and Noses. YouTube: Watch our faces and say nice things in the comments!
Season 8 is starting soon! Shape it by giving us feedback on the Patreon! Hot Frosty 2: Hot Ice. Cool Canadian hockey phenom Shane Hollander and Brusque Russian hockey hot-shot Illya Rosanov are rivals on the skates but, surprise, lovers between the sheets. They're hot and cold as public and private lives cross-check each other, but in an uplifting, very needed example of queer joy, it's all actually okay!
They profess their love, come out to Shane's parents, and get all the happy endings that they deserve. However many hockey sticks you like in your fantasy, you're sure to get melted by Heated Rivalry. The RIAW-gorithm also recommends: Fleabag Season 2 Schitt's Creek Chala Hunter, all-star intimacy coordinator Pillion (but not if you want anything like Heated Rivalry Ben's Bakery and the Hanukkah Miracle
Next up: Season 8 and Eurovision!
Like the show? Support the show! Space, the final frontier. But also time, some would say, a more final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. To go cheat at dom jot and get stabbed in the back. To get robbed by a time traveler while saving a planet. To prevent 22 years of war by killing off Tasha Yar again. And to boldly meet Kelsey Grammars like no one has met Kelsey Grammars before. We voted on our Patreon and picked these ST:TNG Time Travel episodes:
3.15 Yesterday's Enterprise
5.9 A Matter of Time
5.18 Cause & Effect
6.15 Tapestry
The RIAW-lgorithm also recommends: Dark Also Dark The Husbands The Gone World Resident Alien More Star Trek (DS9, Lower Decks, Strange New Worlds)
Vote on our next running movie! This is a special one. Not only are we talking running, we're doing it with my friends Dru Johnston (NipGuards episode) and Ben Kegan. Ben made a whole incredible documentary about running. We even have NCAA indoor champion Colby Alexander joining us to talk about his experience in the movie. Check it out: "SECONDS AWAY follows Belgian-American runner Peter Callahan and his longtime coach, Patrick McHugh, as they chase a qualifying time fast enough to make the Olympic Games. When Patrick is diagnosed with cancer, their pursuit becomes an unflinching look inside the sacrifices, devotion, and rare bond that define life at the edge of elite running." If you liked this, the RIAW-lgorithm also recommends: • Seeing Seconds Away. You can even host a screening! • Dru's running substack • Running with your arms out like in Weapons • Across the Tracks (with Brad Pitt) • Run Lola Run • Without Limits • Chariots of Fire • What I Talk About When I Talk About Running
Quick: vote on what we're watching for our Time Travel Star Trek Episode. No longer a tea pot, Angela Lansbury is mystery writer Jessica Fletcher, living in Cabot Cove, Maine, a lovely community except for all the MURDER! We watched: S4 E7- If it's Thursday, it must be Beverly S7 E10 - Murder in F Sharp S10 E5 - A Virtual Murder Some bonus recs: S2 E14 - Keep the Home Fries Burning S2 E20 - Menace, Anyone? S12 E16 - Murder Among Friends Thanks to Caitlin Gill for bringing this one too us and for Amanda Leinbaugh for being our main Maine expert!
The RIAWlgorithm also recommends: Magnum PI The Stars! Caitlin's show in LA! Sue Grafton books Knives Out movies Murder, She Baked! Diane Mott Davidson books Living a full life past your 60s.
Next up, Star Trek: The Next Generation Time Travel episodes with Stephen & Caitlin!
Like the show? Support the show!
Space. On a crappy mining ship in the future, everyone dies except for Dave Lister, a lowly technician, who survives for 3 million years in stasis.
Joining him are the suave descendant of his cat, the hologram of his dead pompous bunkmate, a low-polygon max headroom-looking android, and the ship's computer who, depending on the episode, is a man, a woman, an idiot, a genius. If you ever saw Star Trek and Doctor Who and thought–I want the opposite of this, you might just want to take a trip with Red Dwarf.
The RIAWlgorithm also recommends:
Avatars, but not complaining about it A ball pit (but not that one) Life on Mars Dark Bon Appetit, Your Majesty The Lazarus project 11/22/63 Palm Springs Kelsey Grammar Time-Travel X-Men: Days of Future Past Star Trek: TNG "Cause and Effect" Encino Man Captain America: The First Avenger Blast from the Past Blackadder Dr. Who
Next up, Murder, She Wrote with Caitlin and Amanda!
Want to steer this show in some direction? Email us at podcasts@read-weep.com!
Like the show? Support the show!
Three unhoused people try to return a baby on Christmas in Tokyo.
No notes. This Satoshi Kon film is just perfect. Strong recommend you watch it however/wherever you can (Tubi, Hoopla, however you can track it down).
The RIAWlgorithm also recommends:
Todd's shows Amphibia & Wylde Pak
Porco Rosso
Cruel Intentions/Dangerous Liaisons
Next up, Red Dwarf with Stephen Carter!
Want to steer this show in some direction? Email us at podcasts@read-weep.com!
See you in the new year!
Like the show? Support the show!
Aw jeez, I'm real sorry to take up your time. Y'see I'm Lt. Columbo, and I just need to ask you a few questions.
It's the early '70s and I'm a detective in Los Angeles. Every week some famous '70s star who you might not recognize, but they look kind of familiar, see, they kill someone, takes 'em about 20 minutes, then for an hour or so they try and get away with it.
Great stars, you get Dick van Dyke, Donald Pleasence, Johnny Cash, aw, you're gonna love it. And they always underestimate me, the Grandpa from Princess Bride.
But there's a good twist and bam, sooner or later, I crack the case. Maybe it's my rumpled, disarming affect. I'm sorry for wasting your time.
And one more thing... if you liked this, you might just take up the case of Columbo."
If you liked this, the RIAWgorithm recommends:
Alex's Newsletter where I wrote about Mr. Rogers & Zombies
Caitlin's Space show in LA, next on 12/3/25 !
Giving Anthony things to plug (podcasts@read-weep.com)
New Matlock!
Murder She Wrote (will be episode 7.15)
Poker Face
Brick
Only Murders in the Building
Midsummer Murders
Happy Thanksgiving! We're revisiting one of the only Thanksgiving movies ever in this classic Read it and Weep episode from (checks notes) wow, 2022! Enjoy, and here's wishing you a great holiday.
Like the show? Support the show! Fan favorite Colleen Clancy (@JumpingCeliac, Running & Blogging About It) is back with one of her faves, Fisk! This Aussie workplace comedy bring quirk, warmth, laughs and cultural references you won't exactly get, but will catch on. It's good for what ails you, which great news for Anthony who's battling a cold.
The RIAWlgorithm also recommends:
Girls5eva
The Gutter
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Bluey, especially Cricket
The Paper
Eastbound and Down
Frayed
Naps
Medicine
Next time: Columbo! Anthony's episode recs: S1 E4 Suitable For Framing. Love the ending of this one.
S3 E 2 Any Old Port in a Storm. Donald Pleasence loves wine and a little bit of murder. S4 E2 Negative Reaction Dick Van Dyke kills his wife.
If you can watch more:
S1 E1 Murder by the Book Directed by a 24-year-old Steven Spielberg. S2 E1 Etude in Black John Cassavetes is really good in this one. S3 E7 Swan Song Johnny Cash is gospel singer, pilot and murderer. Good music in this one.
Man, this is a wild one.
We're talking Eagle-Eye Cherry's album Desireless EXCEPT for Save Tonight. And also NipGuards. Mostly NipGuards.
I don't know who this one's for, but it's the brain-child of Dru Johnston, one of the funniest humans I know.
Oh, also, we're doing a Nepo Baby Fantasy Draft.
The RIAWlgorithm also recommends:
🏃♂️Dru's Running Substack, I've Got The Runs
🎭 David Ives plays (Polish Joke and All in the Timing)
🎶 The part of Jumper when Third Eye Blind goes "Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah"
🎶 Hans Zimmer or a White Noise Machine
Support the show?
Things are about to get weird! It's X-Files meets Cops meets a person with a bed sheet over their head.
After 2014’s What We Do in the Shadows, New Zealand cops Minogue and O’Leary get their documentary crew to lightly investigate near Wellington’s most extreme paranormal activity.
‘70s orgy ghosts, drunk werewolves, blood bag-stealing vampires, spitting cloning plant aliens, and 16 creep clowns are all ignored or gently reprimanded.
If you’re in the mood for spoopy cozy vibes with occasional projectile fluids, you might just get glamoured by Wellington Paranormal.
Caitlin's IG
Astronomy tours with Caitlin in Joshua Tree! Space game show with Caitlin in LA!
Liked it?
The RIAWlgorithm also recommends: 🚓 Reno 911
🧛 What We Do in the Shadows (Movie/Show)
Recorded on 8/8/25 (in case you're wondering what specific world craziness we were experiencing)
Editing by Zach Hahn
Music by @mitrxxx
We now have a Patreon! Support the show–or don't! I'm probably making it either way!
Do you miss Glee? Are you bummed Warm Bodies wasn't a 4-movie franchise--and a musical? Are you all about West Side Story, minus the stabbies?
Then you're not just craving brains, you're also hungry for the 2018 DCOM ZOMBIES.
We’ve got sick flips, racism allegories, a song book with a surprising number of bangers, and necrophilia? Maybe!
So grab your cauliflower brains and your double vanilla froyo as we take a heapin’ bite out of ZOMBIES.
Liked it?
The RIAWlgorithm also recommends: 👩🎤KPop Demon Hunters ⏰Time Capsules 🧟♂️Zombies 2 & 3 😈Descendants 1-4 🏔️The Sound of Music ⌛️The Lazarus Project 📺Paradise 📘Hyperion 📚All Dune Books Ever 💇♀️Tangled 🧟♂️⌛️28 Years Later
Recorded on 8/8/25 (in case you're wondering what specific world craziness we were experiencing)
Editing by Zach Hahn
Music by @mitrxxx
An obscure comic book character finally gets the big screen treatment! For many of us who have never heard of him, Bruce Wayne is a rich orphan whose parents were killed. He’s uncriming the city gritty dark block by gritty dark block. But no shooties, only punchies. That’s his code. And hey, do you like animals? Oh man, we got rats, cats, bats! Ratas aladas, penguins, falcons–you name it, and it’s a major plot point. Plus, another masked vigilante is terrifying this city with riddles, cyphers, and a digit-al thumb drive. But are they so different? It’s dark, it’s punchy, and if you want to know once and for all "who is vengeance?", you just might take flight with... The Batman.
Liked it?
The RIAWlgorithm also recommends: 🧸 Paddington 3! 🔥 RRR
🏏 Lagaan
😈 Sinners
📺 Harley Quinn
Eddington?
Also check out: Hunter's other podcasts: Old Gamer's Almanac, SCPT, Romp Bri's Upcoming Stand-Up Special!
Recorded on 6/25/25 (in case you're wondering what specific world craziness we were experiencing)
Editing by Zach Hahn
Music by @mitrxxx
Alex Falcone is back! And he's brought one of his faves–Only Connect.
Do you love the Great British, but could do without the Bake-Off?
Is your kink being asked questions that make you wonder "am I stupid, or am I just American?" Do you want to spend 30 minutes with a furrowed brow, mumbling wrong answers to yourself?
Then you might just love Only Connect.
This British quiz show, hosted by Victoria Coren Mitchell has run since 2008 for over 500 episodes. It features Egyptian hieroglyphs, and if you like your British culture with extra British, you are in for a TREAT.
Plus we have anglophile Stephen Carter to round out a newly-formed quiz team with Anthony and Ezra.
Play along with us!
Alex's Only Connect-Style Connections Board
Alex's NYT Connections-Style Board
Liked it?
The RIAWlgorithm also recommends:
📰 Alex's Weekly Newsletter (with some connections boards!)
🎣 No Such Thing as a Fish
🤔 QI💰 For What It's Worth⚽ Liverpool FC
📺 Coupling
🌊 Bidets
🧩 Crossword Puzzles
🤝 Actual Quiz Groups
Recorded on 5/30/25 (in case you're wondering what specific world craziness we were experiencing)
Editing by Zach Hahn
Music by @mitrxxx
Do you wish the crypt keeper was bangable? Is your CRT desktop overflowing with Riker fan fic? Do you long for a time when fringe ideas didn’t incite national chaos? Then you might just love "Beyond Belief: Fact, or Fiction." This '90s anthology lovingly preserved in its native SD, features Jonathan Frakes, dozens of visual metaphors, and acting that makes you say, "Wow. Just wow."
Fan-favorite Caitlyn Gill is here for all the puns, faux-spookiness, and wholesome Canadian production vibes. Liked it? The RIAWlgorithm also recommends: 🚀Lower Decks ✍️Murder She Wrote 🌌Caitlyn's Joshua Tree Astronomy Tours! 🎭 Good Bad Movies like Next Recorded on 5/9/25 (in case you're wondering what specific world craziness we were experiencing) Editing by Zach Hahn Music by @mitrxxx
What do you get when you mix: 🤖A rogue SecUnit who was programmed to kill, but just wants to binge-watch its soaps. 🧑🔬 Team of scientists on an alien planet overcoming their prejudices, surviving, and making bot friends and 👾 An evil survey team here to kill anyone who gets between them and their sweet, sweet alien remnant tech? It's Martha Wells's hit novella, All Systems Red, #1 of the Murderbot Diaries, now a hit Apple TV+ show with infinity more Skarsgård!
The book's a fast, shooty romp with our sarcastic murderbot who longs to dip out of reality and watch its shows. Girl, same. Liked it? The RIAWlgorithm also recommends: 🍵 The Monk & Robot books by Becky Chambers (Amanda) 🕹️ NieR: Automata (Anthony)
🥇Golden Girls
🐸Amphibia
🦉The Owl House
✨ The Stars Now Unclaimed by Drew Williams.
📞Calling congress, protesting, and helping how you can. Recorded on 4/25/25 (in case you're wondering what specific world craziness we were experiencing) Editing by Zach Hahn Music by @mitrxxx
Why do we slay all day? Why do we serve? Why is it giving? It’s all thanks to drag ballroom culture, and drag’s permeation of mainstream is in large part thanks to Paris is Burning (1990). Across the board, we loved this legendary documentary by Jennie Livingston, with its executive realness, vintage 80s b-roll, and giant trophies. Also: 🌳Tree fan Bri Pruett is back and saw another good tree!😪Anthony’s suffering through sleep regression. 🦋Hunter’s gotta watch out for moths
So if you’re looking for some podcast realness and the origin for pretty much all of today’s slang, you might just love Paris is Burning.
Liked it? The RIAWlgorthim says may also enjoy:
👀How Do I Look a Paris is Burning spiritual sequel
👑The Queen (1968) a Paris is Burning spiritual prequel
🌹 Funeral Parade of Roses (Hunter’s pick)
🏁RuPaul’s Drag Race (Bri’s Pick)
👏Pose (Bri’s Pick)
📺 I Saw the TV Glow (Anthony’s Pick)
Other Recs: 🎲Molly House, the board game by Jo Kelly with additional design from Cole Wehrle & Ricky Royal with illustrations by Rachel Ford.(Hunter’s pick)
🎲Hunter’s hosting a tournament at Guardian Games in Portland 6/27-29 and doing shows!
🤩Bri’s in an award-winning short film, “ Relationship to Patient” with H. Jon Benjamin! (Bri’s Pick) 🤩Also Bri’s doing improv and standup in LA!
🌆 Pre-Giuliani, New York (Anthony’s) 🛏️Sleep. Always sleep.
Recorded on 4/11/25 (in case you're wondering what specific world craziness we were experiencing) Editing by Zach Hahn Music by @mitrxxx
Feeling like a dive into the ultra-bleak world of politics... in 2003? Welcome to The Thick of It! Before he saved the universe as The Doctor, Peter Capaldi starred as a foul-mouthed fixer in Armando Iannucci's proto-Veep set in the UK. Shaky cams! Old cell phones! Resignations! It's got it all! Also: The Cat in the Hat is no angel. OSHA in the Mushroom Kingdom. So if you like your escapism to be nearly as depressing as reality, you might just find yourself in The Thick of It.
Liked it? The RIAWlgorthim says may also enjoy: 📰 The news 💀 Working a dead end job.
Other Recs: 😴 Sleep 🏋️🥦 Lifting weights and eating vegetables
Recorded on 2/11/25 (in case you're wondering what specific world craziness we were experiencing) Editing by Zach Hahn Music by @mitrxxx
It's a new season of Read it and Weep! Alex has graciously passed the hosting mic on to Ezra and it's gonna get a little weird. This season, Ezra's trying to break out of his algorithms. He's looking for media that his friends love, but that no one's talking about these days. First up, Sarah Hatheway brings us Gene Kelly's 1951 Technicolor musical, An American in Paris. Dream ballets! Questionable 1950s romantic subplots! And rhythm? Yeah, we've got rhythm. Who could ask for anything more? (Also, the recording date was 1/28/25, thus the timely Oscars talk.) Editing by Zach Hahn Music by @mitrxxx
While Best Thing Ever is on break, we checked in with Anthony about being a new dad including lack of sleep, low expectations, and declawing babies. Parenting is fun and not that hard!
Alex Falcone and Ezra Fox accidentally became mummy romance experts when they wrote their best-selling young adult novel (http://unwrapmyheart.com). For Spooktober they're reviewing three classic pieces of mummy pop culture and analyzing how good the mummies are if they can get it. Today they dive into a young-adult romance that is close to mummies but crucially different: zombies. With Warm Bodies (2016) we find out why zombies bit the love bug before mummies did. It's the gushy boys vs the bony boys on the finale of Mummy Minute. #podcast #moviereview #zombies #monsters #monstermovie #spooky #halloween
Part two of our mini-series about mummies for spooky month. This time we talked about the most famous mummy romance novel (besides ours): The Mummy or Ramses the Damses by Anne Rice.
Next week we'll wrap things up (sorry) with a slant rhyme on mummies, zombie romance.
Alex and Ezra accidentally became mummy romance experts when they wrote their best-selling young adult novel (http://unwrapmyheart.com). For Spooktober they're reviewing three classic pieces of mummy pop culture and analyzing how good the mummies are if they can get it.
All good things must come to an end and so must all okay things! With that, we're calling this the official end of season 1. We talked about 27 things all of which could have been the best thing ever but today we decide once and for all which one is (you'll be surprised). Plus a mini ranking and a bunch of list stuff sure to annoy almost anybody. Enjoy! Thanks for the support this season and we'll see you again in a bit!
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Since 2017 our boy Hunter has been one of the most famous players of the uber-complicated boardgame Twilight Imperium. His show Space Cats Peace Turtles chronicled the game's evolution from 3rd to 4th edition and allegedly helped shape the rules that turned it into an internationally competitive game.
He takes us back through that history and carefully avoids explaining too much of the game. But we think it's about war? And furries? Hard to say. But it's final ranking will probably surprise you!
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The bad news is that you're dead. The good news is that you're part of an exceptional cast on a surprisingly high-concept NBC sitcom with a high jokes-per-minute and good moral center.
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In 1969 two men walked on the surface of the moon (and their friend waited in the car). It was without a doubt the greatest publicity stunt of all time. But even more than that, it was the only time everybody in the world watched TV at the same time because of good news. Plus we talk about why Michael Collins was a national treasure and guess how much shit we left on the moon.
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They outnumber us 3-to-1, they make breakfast possible, and they're cute as heck. They're chickens and they're everywhere. We welcome back comedian and writer Phoebe Bottoms to talk about her love of chickens plus we tell the story of their history from wild jungle fowl to backyard friends. It's a new top 10 topic!
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Look, this definitely isn't an episode we slapped together because of a guest mishap. It was the plan all along to talk about the joys of taking the easy way out, of minimizing effort, of doing enough for it to still be called an episode.
We presented three mini stories this week about what really happened at Roswell, Scandinavian modesty culture, and Ezra's favorite middle school teachers. It was so fun we might half ass again in the future.
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What's uld is nu again as everybody's favorite mashup of hip hop and metal music (and costumes) is gaining in popularity for the first time since the 90s. Anthony takes us on a deep dive of the music's history including his favorite nu metal bands that actually hold up. It's never a serious contender for a top spot on the master list but at least we understand it better.
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This week we've got comedian Monica Nevi here to tell us why women's basketball is the best thing ever. Along the way we'll learn about Iowa 6-on-6 and why Brittney Griner was in Russia in the first place.
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We're not going to tell the story of how the movies were made (mostly) and we're not going to talk about whether or not their good (except a bit) but instead Anthony's going to tell the story of the different ways Star Wars was a watershed in film making. And then we'll talk a bit about how bad Attack of the Clones was.
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If there's one thing Ezra loves it's human children. In particular, his children. Ezra loves his children. Over the last 10 years he's learned a few things about raising kids that he'd like to share today such as "remember they're new here" and "you're always worried about the wrong thing."
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The world has seen many heros over the years. But it has never seen a puzzle-solving sword-wielding short king constantly dressed for a night at a gay dance club until Link came along. We discuss a little history of the Zelda franchise, the different ways we each approached Tears of the Kingdom, and Alex's conspiracy theory about princess Zelda.
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Are arcades the best thing ever? For three guys raised in the 90s, we definitely think they could be. They've got games, they've got yelling, they've got variety. Lots of the things that are high on the list already.
Plus Hunter finally unveils his definitive list of the 11 best arcade cabinets of all time and number 1 will SHOCK YOU.
🌐 Listen to Hunter's video game podcast Old Gamer's Almanac
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We've got TikTok sensation and creator of wild projects Kyle Scheele on but he disagreed with the entire premise of the show. So instead of picking one best thing ever we just talked about four random interesting things: Ball Jars, the meta-sweater, tragedy themed commerce, and the hype cycle.
🌐 Learn more about Kyle and buy his books
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Brilliant comedian Myq Kaplan and RiaW favorite Amanda Leinbaugh joins us to talk about his favorite thing, advice columns. We do a shallow dive into the history from the first one ever to the sibling rivalry that defined advice for many decades. Then we play a new game called The Second Opinion where Ezra, Amanda, and Myq competitively answer advice questions not directed at us.
🌐 Learn more about Myq and watch his newest special
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Comedian Liz Glazer loves the NordicTrack Ski Machine. She's bought and sold many over the years, has received them as gifts, and worked out on one this morning. Why does she like it so much? You'll have to listen to find out.
Plus we have a history of fad workouts and difficult ranking on the Master List.
💿 Listen to Liz's new album "A Very Particular Experience"
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The podcast just keeps getting hotter and hotter and this week we tackle a job that can cool things off in just the right places: firefighters. The most respected civil servants, the rescuers of treed cats, the makers of pancakes. And sometimes they even fight fires. Learn about the history of firefighting as Anthony takes you from the Romans to present day.
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The sun AKA the Evil Day Star AKA Sky Daddy. It shapes our days and burns our noses. There's nothing more powerful in our solar system (except maybe Emma Thompson). But is it the best thing? Find out as we give a complete history of the sun, a complete future of the sun, and a series of fun facts about the sun that will have you saying "I have to wear sunscreen those facts are so fun.
📚 Learn more about Robyn Bennis's books here
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What is the best thing ever? We’ve got 8 new nominees forged in the fire of a topic draft. Okay, it was more a friendly discussion but I think it was really interesting. Watch now to find out what the next era of BTE will look like.
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What do you bench, bro? Can you dead lift me? If I'm dead? It's powerlifting and it's good for you body and mind, apparently. At least Rachel likes it, and she's here to tell us why.
Learn the history of powerlifting, learn about a few cool powerlifters including a nine year old who can lift 3x her body weight, and learn about our new funding idea: a brain supplement called Triple Blind where you don't know if you're getting the real supplement or a placebo and we don't know if we own the company or not. Triple Blind Supplements: Bust a Nut In Your Cortex.
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It's our first ever Hunter episode and he takes things in a slightly different direction, deeply personal journey across state lines to his favorite late night eatery, the one and only Waffle House. He teaches you how to order properly, the traps to avoid, and whether or not you should start anything with your server. Plus he calls out David. Seriously, David. What the hell man.
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Writer Sarah Hatheway joins us to talk about a thing that's brought her so much joy over the years, romance novels. She loves them so much she's written her own (more on that soon, we hope). We learn about the history of the genre and a bit more about how genre works in general. It's a really good episode.
Get the best selling novel "Unwrap My Heart"
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If there's one thing that's a shoe-in for Best Thing Ever it's the thing that our hosts have pursued for a combine 20+ years. But after a great history of standup comedy from Anthony, we prove that we're a lot more conflicted about our careers than even we knew. Is standup the best or is it stinky?
If you're enjoying the show please give us an honest 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and tell us if we're right or wrong in our placement of standup comedy.
Get Alex's standup record "Vanilla"
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Trees. They're everywhere. Watching. Biding their time. Providing us everything we need to live but always threatening to take it away. They're the beauty and the danger, but are they the best thing ever? Alex gives a presentation on his 15 favorite trees in an effort to convince people they are but where do they end up? Find out.
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Please take a second and leave us an honest 5 Star Review on Apple Podcast and tell us which tree got overlooked in this episode.
It's the moment you've been waiting for, that Anthony has been saving all his political capital for, it's time for the pro wrestling episode. Along with special guest Jamie Carbone, we go on a journey into the world of wrestling and how we can appreciate it more. We learn words and phrases like "the shine", "a work", "gaga", and controversially, "some color." We hope you learn something too and maybe even rank wrestling higher than you ever thought you would.
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As a beverage goblin I'm thrilled to present my strongest application for best thing ever so far, warm beverages. We give you a brief history of coffee and tea as well as a guide for how to find the best coffee shops.
PLUS we're joined by incredible standup comedian Irene Tu (irenetu.com) who recently opened for Patton Oswald and Sarah Silverman and has a new record out that's just the best.
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Everybody connect to your LAN and settle into your hunched-over position so we can tell you the tale of a transformational video game (and masculinity both good and bad). We're talking about communal video games generally and Halo specifically. Grab your Bawls and let's dive in!
Plus this week we've got a very special guest. Laser The Boy just dropped his debut LP and you can (and should) listen to it now.
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Our search for the best thing ever continues with a deep dive into one of the cuddliest movies of all time, Studio Ghibli's "My Neighbor Totoro." Will it unseat bread and cat videos? It's a tough call. Plus the briefest history of Japan you've ever seen and an update on bay leaves.
Explore the My Neighbor Totoro slide deck at your leisure
We’re back for our second episode ever and the first one where we actually have a tough time ranking the topic. And this topic is a strong possibility for Best Thing Ever, it’s fresh baked bread, featuring a complete history of bread written by Ezra Fox. Is it better than cat videos? Find out!
Plus we give advice to Ali on moving in with a partner for the first time. You can get really mixed advice by becoming a Meat Buddy!
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It's the first episode of our new show! After months of work we’re here to launch our brand new podcast investigating all things to find the best one. And our first contestant out of the gate is Cat Videos.
Featuring a history of Cat Videos written by Anthony Lopez and and immediate first place ranking.
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And that's it. We've finished one full year of playing the game we made up, Kevin Bacon's Exquisite Corpse. It's a mixed success, so we spend the episode talking about how we could have improved if we'd thought about it earlier. Plus we re-rank a few movies on our master list to make it a little bit better but still pretty weird.
Next up: A VERY COOL THING WE'LL TELL YOU MORE ABOUT SOON
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS! Well maybe it doesn't since weather prevented Hunter from joining us today. But we watched his movie choice anyway, the Tom Cruise orgy movie Eyes Wide Shut and it was a fun chat.
Plus in the news, Tom Cruise jumped off a thing.
Next up: That's a wrap on season 5! We'll do a post mortem in early January and then talk more about where we go from here.
After much controversy, we travel back to PT Anderson's 1992 epic about chance and fate, Magnolia. It earns a pretty high place on our list of best films of all time.
Plus in the news, Alex's video finally worked.
Next up: Controversy continues and that ends in the weirdest way possible, and we're traveling through the Cruise Missile and watching Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
Our second Batman movie of season 5 is also our third time visiting the 90s Batman series and it's probably our best stop on the bat train.
Plus in the news, Alex is performing in Austin, TX next week and Santa is a conspiracy.
Next up: After a LOT of rules lawyering, we're watching Magnolia (1999)
Alex chooses Anthony's movie and Anthony chooses violence.
Plus in the news, a very important month is over, Alex posts a video, and the Wall Safe Wallsafe is on sale now.
Next up: Ezra moves through Danny DeVito to Batman Returns.
Hunter had to leave for the Holidays early so we did a special bonus about the just-wrapped Disney+ Star Wars series Andor. Alex is less enthusiastic than the others would like but it's always nice to talk about how George Lucas sucks.
Plus in the news, Disney switches Bobs and donuts get real.
Next up: We finally watch Virgin Suicides (1999).
From a princess who wants to be a wolf to a princess who just wants to know her own name, we watch another 90s animated film not made by Disney, this one the oddly a-historical Bluth joint Anastasia. The panel isn't thrilled but it has its supporter(s).
Plus in the news, Alex gives a Zelda update and talks about his new project Fauxcella.
Next up: Ezra's gambit backfires as Alex steers us to Anthony's movie and everybody scores but Ez. It's Virgin Suicides (1999).
Alex comes roaring back onto the score board with a complete 5-point play as we watch the Miyazaki film Princess Mononoke and talk about it's greater meaning about how many bullets it takes to kill god and when to date a wolf girl.
Plus in the news, Alex is haunted by Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Next up: Ezra sets himself and Anthony up with Anastasia (1997)
Hunter's back in tiptop so we can finish our journey down the Lost Highway to spooky David Lynchville. Plus a long discussion of Halloween decorations and the long-awaited exercise update.
Next up: Alex power-cards his way to points with a double move that lands at Princess Mononoke.
Hunter's back in tiptop so we can finish our journey down the Lost Highway to spooky David Lynchville. Plus a long discussion of Halloween decorations and the long-awaited exercise update.
Next up: Alex power-cards his way to points with a double move that lands at Princess Mononoke.
Hunter's out sick so the rest of the crew does a six-topic lightning round in slow motion. Topics include "What would media like look if we lived in a world with a Purge" and "Who took the Devil out of Halloween?"
Next up: Hunter recovers and we talk about Lost Highway (1997) with him.
Anthony takes the free point for picking a spooky movie as he moves via Cathy Moriarty to the 90s childhood crowd pleaser Casper, which holds up pretty well as long as you don't overthink the mechanics of the Lazarus Machine or Casper kissing a girl while she's sleeping and a couple other standard 90s cringe moments.
Next up: Hunter moves via Bill Pullman to the David Lynch film Lost Highway (1997)
Alex comes roaring back onto the leaderboard with his fourth target movie, the 1999 classic of queer cinema, But I'm A Cheerleader. It's funny and heart warming and maybe we don't talk about it as much as it deserves because we just kinda loved it and didn't have many jokes about it. But we loved it.
Next up: Anthony wins the draw YET AGAIN and takes a bonus point for moving us to the spoopy movie Casper (1995), available to stream on Peacock.
After what feels like ages, Hunter scores his second points movie of the year with the Wong Kar-wai movie Happy Together. Anthony loves it but Alex and Ezra both feel like they're not smart enough to like it all the way. But they do love the cinematography and waterfall. Plus big news from Alex's TikTok and his newest video from his YouTube series about the future.
Next up: Alex joins the scoring bonanza as he power cards his way to But I'm a Cheerleader
I need a hero. He's gotta be brave, and he's gotta be bold, and he's gotta be sponsored by the propaganda arm of the Chinese Government. That's right, after 2 weeks of strategic slogging we finally got to a target movie, Ezra's 5th! And it's a good one, so long as you focus on the visuals and not the message.
Next up: the good movies (and bad news for Alex) continues with Happy Together (1997)
A guy who's good at fighting and a horny guy go on a racially insensitive journey across the world. There are two Jackie Chan stunts that briefly make the movie watchable but overall, it's clearly the worst movie we've seen all year.
Next up: the scoring bonanza (for everybody but Alex) kicks off with Ezra's 5th successful score, Hero (2002)
Chances are you haven't seen this 80s reincarnation rom-com that's like if Old Boy was an uplifting comedy. It's WILD. Ghost dad is in a random kid's body and he's in love with his former-wife but his daughter is in love with him and so he gets concussed and ends up with his daughter and his wife is just COMPLETELY COOL WITH IT.
Plus more donut news and a conversation about table top games.
Next up: everybody wins but Alex this month after his terrible draw. Part 1 of the strategy is watching Rush Hour 2 (2001).
Shrek is the most important movie of all time, there's no denying that. But is it good? Who knows. It's impossible to tell. But it is farty, that part is known.
Alex forced everybody to travel via Eddie Murphy to figure out why people are so horny for Shrek and he didn't learn anything but it was still an interesting outing.
Next up: Hunter moves strategically via Kathleen Freeman to the 1989 romcom with a bonkers premise, "Chances Are" just because he's reincarnated doesn't mean he can't hit on his daughter, apparently? Weird. Weird one coming up.
We're all kindof having a Steve Martin reawakening right now because of Only Murders in the Building, so we traveled through him to a film he wrote and Ms. Piggy Herself directed (Frank Oz). It's the 1999 Hollywood-skewering heartfelt comedy Bowfinger about a group of misfits trying to make a movie. It's got one of Eddie Murphy's best double roles and some great set pieces. And some cringey 90s stuff. You might like it though.
Next up: Alex sends us via Eddie Murphy to try to figure out why everybody's so horny for Shrek (2001)
The constitutional crisis behind us, we plow ahead with Ezra's 5th point scoring movie but with a twist! He gets no points. Instead we just enjoy an 80s comedy that aged better than most and sadly reflect on how little travel has improved in 35 years.
Next up: Anthony sends us via Steve Martin to Bowfinger (1999)
We’ve sorted through all the potential outcomes of the constitutional crisis kicked off by Ezra’s sneaky but clever play yesterday.
Next up: Planes, Trains And Automobiles (1987)
It finally happened. Ezra's clever play and good partnerships helped him bring the game around to Alex's nightmare superhero clusterfest that is the last (for now) Avengers movie. Although nobody thinks it's a top-10 film, they still pile on Alex for not liking it.
Next up: CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS WE DON'T KNOW
How should I feel about the ad for the US military that is Top Gun: Maverick? Should I feel better or worse knowing that the movie is a really good movie? We process these questions in real time with (surprise!) another bonus episode about the new movie from the Cruise Missile himself.
Next up: We're going to (ugh) watch Avengers: End Game (for real!). You can watch us watch it live Tuesday 8/9 at 4pm PST and then listen to our episode at the normal time.
Ezra and Hunter are away for the week so Alex and Anthony sat down to discuss a movie they just watched in a new segment we're calling "Still Processing". They puzzled through several theories about Nope and what it means, gave awards to the best part of the movie, and talked more about Jordan Peele's filmography including the unveiling of Anthony's Grand Unified Theory of Us. Listen now, you will leave changed.
Next up: We're going to (ugh) watch Avengers End Game. You can watch us watch it live Tuesday 8/2 at 4pm PST and then listen to our episode at the normal time.
We've got another scoring update as Ezra carries Alex along to his 2nd movie, the Brad Bird animated feature about a Jesus-gun-robot.
In the news: Alex is back from the Netherlands and has some thought.
Next up: while Ezra is away we're taking a week to watch the new Jordan Peele movie Nope.
From oogie and tense to adorable and triumphant, we may be the first people to ever watch Dead Ringers and The Lion King back to back. But both feature terrific performances from Jeremy Irons.
In the news: you can see our first few Teeny Tiny Grant recipients here.
Next up: we're taking a week off while Alex is abroad but he'll come back to some points as Ezra picks The Iron Giant (1999) via Brian Tochi.
We take our first dip into Cronenberg with his movie about twin guy-necologists. It's divisive like black licorice.
In the news: Alex has a new web series about futurism plus our very own feature on Oracle of Bacon.
Next up: Alex travels via Jeremy Irons (either one) to the 1994 classic from the Golden age of Disney Animation: The Lion King.
Anthony convinces Alex to travel via one Clinton Eastwood to his 1992 revisionist western Unforgiven.
Next up: Anthony uses a power card to ruin our lives with Cronenberg's Dead Ringers (1988)
It's Spaghetti Night on the podcast as the boys visit Sergio Leone's classic movie about three shit heads doing crimes in the old west. And we argue mostly about how hot they are.
Before he made Ocean's 11, Steven Soderbergh made another rom-comy caper film starring George Clooney. This one had Jennifer Lopez and as soon as you don't look at it, it's out of mind. Plus Anthony explains Morbin time and Alex and Ezra announce the Teeny Tiny Grant.
Next up: CHAOS ERUPTS and next week is a spaghetti night.
Despite Alex's very clear and public dislike for comic book movies, he seems pretty amenable to this Tim Burton vision with all the dirty sets and matte paintings and Jack Nicholson having a ton of fun and making a ton of money.
Next up: Ezra moves toward the darkest timeline where we have to watch Avengers by taking the Michael Keaton route to Out of Sight (1998).
It's Anthony's big week as his first scoring movie gets picked. His five points come along with a fun action movie with some weird 70s remnants.
Next up: Anthony draws first again and moves us to Tim Burton's Batman.
A third week of scoring happens as Ezra slowly reveals his master plan. We watch his 2nd movie, The Princess Diaries (2001) and also set up another score next week. It's not a great movie but it's better than it needs to be.
Next up: another big week as Anthony gets his first movie, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974), via Héctor Elizondo.
After weeks of dry spells, the points keep coming as Alex crosses out his first point movie. The panel is split on this cult 90s comedy but somehow the episode turned out really good. Also you can watch it on YouTube now!
Next up: the points keep coming as we travel via Jeff Michalski to Ezra's 2nd movie, The Princess Diaries (2001).
Anthony's evil plan to make us watch pretty good movies instead of helping people score points. So we watched Ocean's Zero, the George Clooney joint Michael Clayton about the fixer who is broken inside.
Next up: Ezra used a special power card to go back and a week and move via Jim Carrey to Alex's movie The Cable Guy! Justice!
We finally travel via Mark Ruffalo to the 2004 Charlie Kauffman film ESotSM. Points are scored. Enemies are made. It gets crazy.
Next up: Anthony chooses hate and moves via Tom Wilkinson to Michael Clayton (2007).
Alex was on TV this week! And since Ezra was sick, we sat down and did a little bonus about Alex's chance to lie to Steve Urkel.
Next up: Ezra scores again with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. For real this time.
With Ezra still on vacation, the boys take a week off the game to watch one of the best movies of 2021, just don't watch it while you're eating soup.
Next up: Ezra scores again with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
We go through a Kevin Bacon reset and end up in a 2003 erotic thriller directed by Oscar Winner Jane Campion. It's currently undergoing a reevaluation even as we speak.
Next up: we take a week off the game and watch Drive My Car.
It took 11 episodes but Hunter blew the scoring wide open by achieving his impossible movie before anybody else. Also there was that thing with the baby on the staircase.
Next up: Alex resets to a Kevin Bacon movie with In The Cut (2003)
We watched this movie in Russian and have very little idea what's going on. And you can too!
Next up: Hunter scores some points! We're climbing aboard the Battleship Potemkin.
It's absolute chaos as Hunter's gambit continues. We watch the German/Soviet movie Hard to be a God which isn't great but does feature excellent wigs.
Next up: IT'S ALL COMING UP HUNTER! We're watching Girl with a Temper (in badly translated Russian).
You're forgiven for not having heard of PJ, we may be the first people to watch it in many years. And that's because it's a very okay movie with some really fun stuff but just not that memorable. If it weren't for Hunter and Ezra's gambit we definitely wouldn't have watched it. BUT! If you become a Meat Buddy (or stay one) you might win the copy of the DVD we watched autographed by Ezra! Join now.
Next up: Hunter tries part two of the four-part move with another weird jump to the 1989 film It's Hard to be a God.
For some strange reason, Alex wrote an episode of Sex and the City where Carrie Dates a Mummy. You can read the whole script here but here on this bonus episode, we've got a table read of the script featuring an awesome voice cast of RiaW faves. It's weird. It's dirty. It's kinda funny. Check it out now! Carrie - Sarah Hatheway, Nesmin - Omar El Akkad, Samantha - Bri Pruett, Dirk/Mark Wahlberg - Dru Johnston, Miranda - Katie Nguyen, Steve - Stephen Carter, Charlotte - Rachele Friedland, Hot Bar Tender / Annoyed Woman - Ezra Fox
I wish I could tell you you're going to learn a lot from watching the movie Soylent Green, but honestly, the thing you already know is 90% of it. So this is one where we watched it so you wouldn't have to.
Next up: After some shenanigans, Ezra travels via Brock Peters to the 1968 film P.J. that we know nothing about because it gives a 50% chance of scoring Hunter some points eventually.
We take another big jump back in time this week as Anthony travels via Orson Welles to the British noir film The Third Man. We talked a bit about this back in our Secret Santa episode because Hunter gifted it to Alex but now everybody's seen it so we can all get excited about Alex's references.
Next up: Alex travels via Joseph Cotten to the 1973 movie that everybody knows the ending to but none of us have seen Soylent Green.
With his first pick of the Season Hunter travels via the Scatman to the absolutely unwatcheable 80s animated toy commercial The Transformers: The Movie. It's a headache-inducing mind-dumbing pinball machine of a movie and I'm mad at him for picking it.
Next up: Anthony sends us via Orson Welles to The Third Man (1949). Previously discussed as a Christmas present Hunter gave to Alex, now the whole team is going to watch it.
This week Anthony flies us via a very short Anjelica Huston cameo to one of just three movies to win the big five Oscars at the same time: One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. Not the funniest movie to talk about, but we do our best.
Next up: Hunter chooses to move via voice from Scatman Crothers to the 1986 animated feature Transformers: The Movie. And THAT is a tonal shift if I've ever heard of one.
Season 5's second move: Alex swims through Noah Taylor to the 2004 Wes Anderson flick The Life Aquatic that is stylistic as hell but doesn't quite come together for us, landing it as only the 3rd best movie of the new season.
Next up: Anthony flies via Anjelica Huston to One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, depriving Alex of a scoring opportunity.
What do you think? Should we add a deck of special powers? What powers do you think should be available?
For the first move of the game, Ezra chose to move via Bill Paxton to the 2014 Cruise Missile movie Edge of Tomorrow AKA Live. Die. Repeat if you like spoilers in your title. The movie is great but it ends up in a somewhat controversial place in our Season 5 masterlist. What are your thoughts?
Next up: Alex moves via Noah Taylor to the 2004 Wes Anderson (more like WET Anderson, am I right?) flick The Life Aquatic. Anthony has the ability to give Alex the first points of the year, but will he do the right thing? Find out next week.
Mentioned in this week's episode:
- Hannah recommends this episode of The Anthropocene Review about a terrifying Russian space walk: Podcast about terrible Russian space walk: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-anthropocene-reviewed/id1342003491?i=1000533191994
- Hannah also recommends Stanly Tucci's book about food: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/05/books/review/taste-stanley-tucci.html
Welcome to a brand new season of Read it and Weep! This year we're doing something slightly different: we're playing an overly complicated game called Kevin Bacon's Exquisite Corpse. Listen now for all the rules and a fun conversation about Thomas the Hank Engine in space.
For our final episode of Holly Hunter Days, of 2021 and of season 4, we're kicking off our last annual Secret Santa movie exchange. We were each anonymously assigned a recipient and then chose a movie or show we thought they needed to see. And the results were pretty fun! Check it out. And thanks for joining us on another year of perfectly adequate podcasting.
It's our first annual (and probably last but who knows) Holly Hunterdays Hollyween episode so we dug back to the second ever Coen Brothers movie starring Holly and RiaW fave Nic Cage and John who is a very good man. It's a good time.
And join us next week for our last episode of 2021 and the last episode of season 4, our first annual Secret Santa episode.
Mentioned in this episode
- https://www.change.org/p/will-smith-will-smith-matrix-rap
- https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9134132/?ref_=nm_knf_t2
Look, since the Dutch left, Manhattan has just been sitting there waiting to be taken. So it's really more on them and less on the Muppets.
Thanks to John from Sussex for becoming a Meat Buddy and for Jaye #1 for writing in with some Muppets knowledge.
There really aren't many good movies about Thanksgiving, and we already watched the Turkey-based horror movie Thankskilling. So the only thing left was to watch the 1995 family comedy/drama turned rom com in the last 15 minutes, Home For the Holidays. Hopefully we got this out in time for you to listen while you travel, at least back home from the holidays.
In preparation for the new live-action Netflix version, we dipped back into the anime pool and watched the movie Cowboy Bebop: A Very Long Cowboy Bebop Episode. It's cool looking and the music rules and there's a dog but for some reason we mostly talked about other stuff. This one was REAL tangent happy.
Yeah I know we promised a week off, but we decided to postpone because we finally all saw the new Dune! And most of us liked it most of the way. Put on your poop suits and get dusty with us.
Whew. The final horror section of Rocky Horror Podcast Month got a little too horrory. But Anthony and Hunter liked it so that's something I guess. But seriously, why do people do this to themselves???
Rocky Horror month giveth and Rocky Horror month taketh a long time, with this week's The Rock movie that feels even longer than it's 2.5 hour runtime. It's a big swing and a miss, but we like big swings on this show so we dive deep into the Richard Kelly film and then talk kindof a lot about aliens.
The pendulum of Rocky Horror month has swung to the horror side as we watch the film that invented the genre, the 1960 Hitchcock thriller Psycho. It's pretty spooky!
We can never decide between TheRocktober and Spooktober on the show, so this year we're combining them into a horror / The Rock combo we're calling The Rocky Horror Podcast Show. First we kick things off with the newest movie that The Rock is badly cast in, Disney's Jungle Cruise.
Alex is in Portland this week recording his debut comedy album (Saturday Oct. 2nd at Mississippi Studios) so the boys talked about what it takes to make a hit and keep the band together with Thomas The Hank Engine's directorial debut about a group of one-hit one-ders.
In our final installment of our series on the Universal Monsterverse, we dig up the one real gem in mummy movie history, the one with Abbott and Costello. It's so completely weird and bonkers that I think I love it? I might love it? Who knows. My brain has been removed through my nose with a straw at this point. Do you know of a franchise that needs saving? A universe that needs creating? A mummy that needs meeting? Email us.
nd next week we're talking about That Thing You Do to celebrate Alex recording his debut comedy album in Portland on October 2nd.
It's a bonus episode in our continued search for a good answer to the Universal Monsters Universe problem. We went all the way back to 1999 when Brendan Fraser and battled the mummy and everybody (but Alex) seemed to like it.
To round out the three most recent attempts at a Universal Monsterverse, we watched the 2020 low-budget Horror Film The Invisible Man. It's the best of the series so far but doesn't fit well into any universe. So we try again to fix it!
As part of our continued excevation of the corpse of the Dark Universe, we re-watched Alex Kurtzman's 2017 Mummy remake starring the Cruise missile as a sexless action puppet.
We set out to fix the Dark Universe, the cinematic universe that universe-name-having Universal Pictures failed at three separate times. First up, the dreary, boring revival of Dracula that deserved to remain untold.
The thrilling conclusion to our Paul Verhoeven mini-series. Take a quick co-ed shower and then let's go to space!
Arnold goes to Mars. OR DOES HE?!? If you're in California, please vote in the recall election!
It's a horrible dystopian future that's somehow less bad than the present. But at least the murder robots work!
Space Jam is back and they've replaced Michael Jordan with LeBron James and the alien villians with a new, more sinistar evil to contend with: Warner Brothers themselves. That's right, it's a weird choice for WB to make themselves the villian but they're absolutely right, they did BAD.
We're back for the second half of our TNG discussion as Alex wrestles with all the enemies he made last week. This time we watched:
S04 E01 - The Best of Both Worlds Part 2
S04 E21 - The Drumhead
S05 E18 - Cause and Effect
S06 E15 - Tapestry
It's part one of a two episode series in which I watch Star Trek for the very first time (not counting that porn parody you forced me to watch a few years back). Specifically we watched S02 E09 "Measure of a Man", S02 E16 "Q Who", S03 E16 "The Offspring", and S03 E26 "The Best of Both Worlds Part 1". We'll be back next week with four more TNG episodes!
We talk about the David Lynch show Twin Peaks, specifically season 1 and season 2 episodes 1 through 9.
We assemble a mega-panel to discuss the new Fast & Furious movie F9 featuring Johnathan Cena, space, and magnets.
We discuss all the ways to give up when fighting a space monster, which alien overlords we'd like, and come extremely close to giving a good pep talk but then blow it at the end. Happy graduation, Riley!
Strap on your helmets because it's gonna be a bumpy ride through the streets of New York. We've got a MacGuffin to deliver, ya'll!
This week we award the prize to our Oscar's pool winner Paul, we watch a movie he loved and have kinda weird reactions to it.
Plus movies to look forward to and a brief argument about teachers. I'll drink to that!
Ezra told me that if I don't like this we're not friends anymore. Find out what happens!
Mentioned in This Episode
The movie is free on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQG6FdnMmlQ
Why 1999 is the year of movies: https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/the-megaplex/
Are you gonna watch Eurovision? https://www.vulture.com/2021/05/eurovision-2021-streaming-usa-peacock.html
We take our turn as trend pimps as we talk about a comic book adaptation that never seems to get enough credit. Plus, did we bring down the Golden Globes and Alex gives away a t-shirt business.
We're back to the classic season 4 format! We kick things off with a lively discussion of Star Wars Day and Blue Origin's space tourism business. Then we talk about the new Netflix animated film The Mitchells vs The Machines and then we cap things off with a brutal argument about the best family film of all time.
What the heck was that? We go through the highs and lows of the least viewed Oscars of all time and we announce the winner of the EXTREMELY IMPORTANT Oscars poll!
We're rounding out our month of Oscars preview with a recap of the remaining Best Picture nominations and filling out our predictions.
Want to get in on the fun? Fill out your predictions in our Google form and you could win the only prize we know how to give out: an episode sponsorship. The person(s) with the most correct pick will get to subject us to whatever movie you choose (within normal limits). Get in now! https://forms.gle/ajHbnzX1dukKYfB57
It's part two of our Oscars build-up and we're watching two more Best Picture noms, both about the perils of the American dream.
It's officially Oscars season and we're kicking it off with two movies from Netflix with directors who write robotic, clever characters.
Mentioned in this episode
Orson Welles sells champagne: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nvxwf1jxdaM
Vox explain the backstory to Mank: https://www.vox.com/culture/21618200/mank-citizen-kane-netflix-kael-auteur-welles-hearst
After suffering through a month of comic books, Alex gets a treat. He talks way too much about his favorite zport BatteBots. Plus the boys play a really fun game of hypothetical BattleBots featuring robots from movie history.
Alex and Ezra took on another challenge this month, this time to meditate every night for two weeks. As usual, Ez did a bit better than Alex. Join us and relax (or just worry about your waddle the whole time).
We committed ourselves to watching the entire unconscionably long re-edit of Justice League this weekend so you could get the inside scoop. It's BONKERS. And Anthony kinda liked it, so that's a little weird.
Mentioned in this episode Anthony recommends this glowing review of the film. Alex does not.
Anthony recommends this interview with Nick Cave and Billy Corgan.
We're back with the second half of the book with pictures, Watchmen. We read chapters 7 - 12 right up to the point where a giant squid vomits psychic energy that wipes out half of New York and all of war. It's a lot! Hope you enjoy.
It's time for the super adventures of Alex, Anthony, and Hunter. Just a group of guys who like to hang out and save the day. Anthony's picked our topic for these next few weeks so we're starting with books 1 - 6 of Watchmen, the graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons about good guys gone bad. Plus in The Argument, what superhero would you actually like to exist in the real world?
Put on your best hoodie and wake up from a nap, it's the bi-coastal podcast event of the year!
The News: Anthony gives us a report on a stranger than usual Golden Globes.
The Homework: Hunter introduces us to the Italian slasher genre giallo.
The Argument: What's the best slasher film of all time? Scream (1996) or Psycho (1960)
Mentioned in this episode If you want to get weirder in the giallo world, Hunter recommends Deep Red (1975)
The LA Times deep reporting on corruption with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2021-02-21/hfpa-golden-globes-2021
We're off on an adventure this week, an epic journey across time, the Midwest, and Middle Earth.
The News: the first 3-d reconstructed dinosaur cloaca
The Homework: The 1999 Disney/David Lynch movie The Straight Story about a long trip on a little mower.
The Argument: What's the best epic journey movie: Lord of the Rings or Mad Max: Fury Road
Ezra started baking sourdough over the pandemic (he's the only one) and he wanted to share the joy with Alex. Alex, on the other hand, thinks bread is a lie.
This week is all about survival. Will Pi survive the wide ocean alone with a metaphor? Will Gina Carano survive being held accountable for her actions? And what is the best survival movie of all time?
Mentioned in this episode Gina says terrible stuff, gets a movie deal
Life After Pi documentary about the VFX company winning an Oscar then going out of business.
Anthony recommends: Touching the Void
For our first ever magic special we've got world-traveling magician Billy Kidd to help us talk about the new special from Derek DelGaudio, In and Of Itself, which is a magic show but also kinda not. It's on Hulu and definitely worth a watch. We talk about what parts worked for us and which landed like a ton of golden bricks. Plus magic news, the best magic movies, and more than a little talk about the differences between comedians and magicians. Check it out before it disappears!
This week we're celebrating the wide world of space with three far out topics: The Mandalorian on Disney+, SpaceX's announcement of the first all private space mission, and an argument about what makes a good space movie.
Ezra's back with a group of Meat Buddy-voted topics but because he's such a generous soul, we actually took all three of the top vote-getters for kids shows: Magic School Bus Rides Again, the Netflix remake where Ms Frizz gets super hot, Paw Patrol, a show that set out to prove not all dogs are good dogs, and Gravity Falls where a legitimately good show just happens to be aimed at kids.
Season 4 just got a whole lot more topical with our first ever breaking news segment! Tune in now for:
The News: Why are people who used to play online poker buying GameStop stock?
The Homework: When you see the queen of diamonds you'll HAVE to listen to us discuss The Manchurian Candidate (1962).
The Argument: Do you leave your water cup out?
The Business: Anthony's mea culpa and commander
We've got another fun pile of topics as season 4 crawls on.
Tell & Tell: Alex opens his wikihole for La Secchia Rapita and Hunter talks about the unfortunate journey of Pepe the Frog.
The Homework: I know you've heard about The Wizard of Oz (1939) so we tried to find a few new ways to think about it.
The Argument: Do you try to pronounce menu items you're not sure about?
The Business: Alex's mom responds to "all that dick talk."
Over on our sister podcast Pack Your Mics we recorded a special bonus episode about the Netflix series Bridgerton. It features Ezra and Sarah and Chris and Tanya, so I thought you'd like to hear it in this feed. So if you like us or you like Bridgerton, check it out!
WARNING:Contains major spoilers and innovative swearing
Like it or not season 4 is still happening. This week we've got three extremely strong topics for you.
The News: Public television in Denmark released a new show about a man with a really long hog. Read more about it in the AV Club and watch all 14 episodes here.
The Homework: We watched the new Pixar movie Soul (2020) and talked about watching animated people die.
The Argument: How much noise would your neighbor have to make for you to ask them to turn it down.
We'd love to know what you think of the format as it evolves PLUS we'd love to hear your suggestions for arguments to have. Drop us a line!
Season 4 is upon us! What a glorious day. We're breaking the show up a bit with a few different segments per episode with slightly different topics. This week we've got:
The News: A discussion about the Warner Bros. decision to go day-and-date with streaming movies on HBO Max.
The Homework: We wished for Wonder Woman 1984 and the Monkey's Paw gave us this crap.
The Argument: Are TV watchers better off than they were 10 years ago?
We'd love to know what you think of the format as it evolves PLUS we'd love to hear your suggestions for arguments to have. Drop us a line!
In our final final episode of the year, Ezra and I sat down for the Meat Buddy voted holiday movie, A Claymation Christmas plus a quick discussion about Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas for good measure. Hope you enjoy.
Become a Meat Buddy to help decide Ezra's fate by going to meatreon.com.
Mentioned in this episode Love Actually Joke: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyN9E08vFSY
Story Break Podcast https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/story-break/ (h/t Tom)
Only Connect show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjA9uonZhDQ (h/t Clare)
Everybody's doing a year-end wrap up, but since the year was pretty crap, we each compiled a list of our 10 favorite things WE consumed this year, regardless of what year it was released.
For the full lists, check out the episode page:
https://read-weep.com/podcast/the-2020-weepies
And with that we've come to the end of season three of the podcast! What a condescending journey it's been. We lived. We laughed. We learned. And now it's time for the final exam. I hope you've studied!
Mentioned in this episode
Anthony recommends the new David Fincher movie Mank.
Alex watched the Failed Film Festival: "Lost in La Mancha" (2002), "Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley’s “Island of Dr. Moreau”" (2014), and "Jodorowsky's Dune" (2013)
Hunter (but also very much Anthony) recommends The Leftovers.
Slightly Condescending Film School is back in session with the Robert Redford directed movie about the quiz show scandal of the 1950s. We brought on somebody with insider knowledge to help us out, 4-time Jeopardy Champion Andy Wood (@andytwood)!
Mentioned on this episode * Andy hosts the delightful podcast Probably Science. * Anthony thinks Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987) still holds up. * Andy recommends The Wolf of Snow Hollow (2020) and the Frank Zappa doc Zappa (2020).
Hey there! It's our first special bonus episode selected by our Meat Buddies where I get Ezra on the phone and chat with him about a movie he may or may not have watched. And usually, time travel. This week, a fun movie and more surprisingly, a new movie. Enjoy! And become a Meat Buddy to help select these topics by going to meatreon.com.
It's part two of our slog through the Vietnam War and who knew that war could be so contentious! Plus the return of Infrequently Asked Questions.
Recommendations * EDITING NOTES * Hunter loves the game Getting Over It about a man in a pot climbing a hill * Anthony referenced Marlon Brando not learning his lines on Godfather * Anthony referenced Christopher Reeves on Letterman* talking about Brando
Some Vietnam books (h/t Daniel)
- When Heaven and Earth Changed Places by Le Ly Hayslip
- Sympathy for the Devil by Kent Anderson
- Kill Anything That Moves by Nick Turse
Next up Next up: Quiz Show (1994) and Andy Wood's run on Jeopardy.
It's part one of our slog through the Vietnam War, the payoff of Alex's joke, and a very fun conversation about Finland.
Recommendations
BUY @grantlyon1's new board game of silly insults Curmudgeon!
Alex's feelings on the movie are entirely stolen from this Guardian article by Linh Dinh: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2001/nov/02/artsfeatures.londonfilmfestival2001
Hunter spent too much money on the Ingmar Bergman Criterion collection
Anthony watched Broadcast News and The Insider
Grant likes The Alienist (CAUTION: NO ALIENS)
Alex recommends Malcolm Gladwell's three episode podcast series about Napalm
Next up
Next up: Apocalypse then and now, we're watching Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991)
It's part two of our Stargate sponsorship. This time, it's wet! Featuring Phoebe Bottoms who watched... almost the right show.
Recommendations Hunter likes Longmont Potion Castle's prank calls with Alex Trebek
Hunter also likes the game Geoguessr
Next up Finally talking about the Vietnam War with Apocalypse Now (1979)
We're celebrating the Internet's favorite man, Keanu Reeves, by watching him in probably his least appropriate roll: British Gentleman. Still, the weirdness of this version of the vampire world makes it a fun watch.
Recommendations Anthony really likes Schitt's Creek.
Alex likes The Thing, especially the head spider.
Hunter is keeping it Keanu with John Wick 2 (and recommends watching them out of order).
Next up Heading back through the Stargate with SG: Atlantis
It's our Spooktober Spooktacular Slightly Condescending Film Spook episode. We watched the 1970s Italian horror movie about the intersection of ballet dancing and witches. It's a hoot. A spooky hoot!
Recommendations Anthony feels okay about Dr. Who.
Alex thinks you should give up and join the Evil Dead.
Hunter thinks you should play Paradise Killer and run around the Internet solving crimes.
Next up Keanovember is here and we're watching Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)
If you're in the mood for some intergalactic colonialism, then you're going to love Stargate. Just make sure you cover your tummy!
Thanks to Shannon for sponsoring this wild ride!
Recommendations Anthony wants you to look at the makeup for Colin Ferrell as Penguin.
Phoebe thinks you should RSVP to the film Muriel's Wedding
Alex liked Cabin in the Woods and will not tell you anything about the movie.
Anthony and Phoebe suggest watching The Sixth Sense even though you already know the ending.
Next up Getting spooky with the Italian horror film Suspiria (1977)
Happy #TheRocktober, everybody. Ezra's back to chat about the sequel to the Jumanji sequel. Oops, we're all Jumanji-ed again!
Recommendations Ez recommends Zathura: Space Jumanji
Hunter likes The Exorcist as a movie
Alex went to Stranger Things: The Parking Garage Haunted House
Which Arbitrary Cinematic Universe Would You Prefer? Marmaduke / Lost / The Daily podcast
Chuck E Cheese / Great British Bake-off / Law & Order
Back to the Future / Can't Hardly Wait / The Muppets
Next up Stargate (1994)
Amandable is back to help set the record straight about Emily Dickenson in this hilariously low-budget revisionist comedy. They can't afford a real cat but they've got the real story.
Recommendations Hunter still likes the game Disco Elysium
Amanda likes Star Trek: TNG (but it's better if you start in the third season or you're 10).
Alex loves the commercial-turned-sitcom Ted Lasso on Apple TV.
Anthony suggests getting a kitten:
Next up Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)
Another new guest Dalia Malek brought us the first movie she ever saw, the Don Bluth animated film about smart and sometimes magical rats. Alex doesn't like it and bullying ensues.
Recommendations Hunter likes the game Disco Elysium
Anthony finds The Great Pottery Throw Down to be soothing
Dalia thinks Pen15 is cringe but great
Alex needs you to watch live streams of Fat Bear Week
Listener Hannah recommends the book "Anxious People" by Fredrik Backman about a Swedish bank robbery.
Listener Alethea recommends this interview with Jon Ronson and the guy who wrote Rebecca Black's "Friday."
Next up Wild Nights with Emily (2018). Currently streaming on Hulu.
We've got another first time guest this week, video game designer Neven Mrgan (@mrgan on Twitter) brought us a sweaty New York movie, Dog Day Afternoon. It's a terrific watch with lots to talk about so stop reading and let's get into it!
Recommendations Neven's other sweaty New York movies: After Hours and Daddy Longlegs
Anthony watched the opposite Al Pacino movie: Heat
And Hunter explain the game Among Us to the normies.
Next up The Secret of NIMH (1982). Currently streaming on Amazon Prime.
We welcomed back Irene Tu (@irene_tu on all platforms) to chat about the 1991 action/buddy movie Thelma & Louise. Plus we talked about whether we'd be good friends to run from the law with, what to pack in a bugout bag, and we unveiled the new game "Two Brags and a Lie."
Mentioned in this episode The Thing + Pingu = Thingu (h/t Katie)
The DC Comics version of The Flintstones really improves on the characters (h/t Brian)
David's very unsafe core workout for guitarists.
A different David recommends the crowd funded movie Blue Ruin.
Welcome to a very special episode of Read it and Weep. This week we throw back to our Season 1 days with our original panelists and basically the same Twilight book Stephanie Meyer has written two other times already. This time we're living in Edward's head and let me tell you, it's an unpleasant place to be for 25 hours. This feels like a series that maybe should have remained dead but instead walks the earth.
Happy Anniversary, Andy! It's a throwback to last year's Does It Hold Up? season as we check in on the 2001 stoner comedy about highway patrol officers who drink syrup. Is it still funny or is it time to #DefundSuperTroopers? Find out!
Plus: in a special bonus segment, we teach you how to hunt caribou.
Surprise! It's the boogie man (much less fun to dance with than it sounds). And he's here to scare the pants off Amber Preston (@prestonparty) who is intrigued by horror, but a bit too scurred to watch it on her own.
Mentioned in this episode
- Amber's got a new album! It's called Sparkly Parts and it's so funny. Buy it now!
- We talked about the pig horror movie Babe: Pig In The City way back in season 2.