Never Did It Brad Garoon & Jake Ziegler

It's finally time to tackle Walter Matthau's full filmography!
We're not just talking about Matthau's must-see movies; we're ranking the crème de la crème that paint a vivid picture of his versatile acting chops. From the gritty heist in "Charley Varrick" to the laugh riots of "Grumpy Old Men" and the timeless charm of "The Odd Couple," we've got it all. Plus, we're not skimping on the suave suspense of "Charade" or his rock 'n' roll rumbling in "King Creole." Alongside a few surprise picks, we're peeling back the layers of Matthau's on-screen magic. If you thought you knew Walter Matthau, this episode might just have a few tricks up its sleeve.

Hosted by Brad Garoon & Jake Ziegler

In 1969, while astronauts were taking one giant leap, 'True Grit' and 'Cactus Flower' were making giant splashes in cinemas. This episode zooms in on these contrasting cinematic masterpieces - from John Wayne’s grouchy, eye-patch swagger in the rugged American West to Ingrid Bergman and Walter Matthau's comedic charm amidst the quirky romance of 'Cactus Flower.'

We delve deep into the way 'True Grit's' blend of adventure and grime helped to redefine the Western genre for a new generation and seal John Wayne's status as an icon. Then, we unpack the delightful dynamics of
'Cactus Flower's' witty screenplay that made this film a box office hit, earning Goldie Hawn an Oscar in her very first major film role.

Apologies to Clint Eastwood and 'Paint Your Wagon' (1969), we've never seen it so it didn't come to mind when talking about the western genre in '69. 

Hosted by Brad Garoon & Jake Ziegler

This week we're hitting you with a couple of underseen gems. First up is 'Frank,' a quirky, offbeat comedy about an eccentric musician who never takes off the oversized plastic head he uses to cover his face, and 'Leviathan,' a powerful Russian drama that explores themes of corruption, alcohol abuse, and small town politics.

Hosted by Brad Garoon and Jake Ziegler

The year is 2009 and the movies are period pieces. First up it's '3 Idiots,' and the period examined is just a few years ago, when stars R. Madhavan and Sharman Joshi go to college and there meet Aamir Khan, a charismatic Mary Poppins type. Rajkumar's Hirani's film was a giant success in India, and we discuss some of its crossover appeal in light of other Bollywood (and Tollywood) imports.

Then we move on to 'Me and Orson Welles,' Richard Linklater's look at the Mercury Theater in New York City in the 1930s. Zac Efron takes on Christian McKay's Welles in the battle for charismatic supremacy and the company of Claire Danes.

Hosted by Brad Garoon & Jake Ziegler 

Other movies discussed in this episode: Revanche (2008), Adventureland (2009), An Education (2009), A Serious Man (2009), Avatar (2009), Away We Go (2009), Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), The Hurt Locker (2009), I Love You Man (2009), The Informant! (2009), Inglourious Basterds (2009), Mary and Max (2009), Moon (2009), The Messenger (2009), Up (2009), Up in the Air (2009), Mank (2020), The Greatest Beer Run Ever (2022), and Ricky Stanicky (2024). 

Drive Away Dolls marks the 20th feature film released by either one or both of the Coen Brothers, so we rated them all. From Blood Simple to the Ballad of Buster Scruggs, from Joel's the Tragedy of Macbeth to Ethan's Drive Away Dolls, from the maligned the Ladykillers to the lauded No Country for Old Men, Brad and Jake cover it all.

Hosted by Brad Garoon & Jake Ziegler

We had a hard time finding movies for each other to see from 2007, as it was a banner year in movie history and we'd already seen a lot. Brad recommended that Jake watch "The Man from Earth," a microbudget film with a unique sci-fi conceit and no special effects at all. Jake gave Brad "The Savages," Tamara Jenkins' second film, starring Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman as disaffected siblings forced to united to take care of their ailing, estranged father.

2007 is considered by many to be the best year in modern movie history. "There Will Be Blood" and "No Country for Old Men" dominated at the Oscars, while "Zodiac" and "Michael Clayton" established enduring legacies. We had a lot of fun discussing this year.

Hosted by Brad Garoon & Jake Ziegler

Other movies discussed in this episode: Slums of Beverly Hills (1998), Along Came Polly (2004), Juno (2007), Stardust (2007), Young Adult (2011), Coherence (2013), the Infinite Man (2014), the Man from Earth: Holocene (2017), Freaks (2018), Private Lives (2018), Tully (2018), and Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)