The Desert of the Reel: A Movie Podcast

Desert of the Reel

Welcome to the Desert of the Reel, a movie podcast where host Ryan Hudson forces co-host Jason Dietz to watch the big blockbuster movies he’s refused to watch because he didn’t think they were worth his time. As two passionate high school English/film/philosophy/creativity teachers with graduate degrees, we're dedicated to using our academic training to argue about and dig deeply into movies. We explore the creativity and philosophy in our films and push our listeners to think critically about their entertainment.

  1. Casino Royale (2006) - The Desert of the Reel #112

    1H AGO

    Casino Royale (2006) - The Desert of the Reel #112

    Reel, Desert of the Reel. We are diving fist-first into the Daniel Craig James Bond movies. Jason famously hates action movies and especially hates James Bond movies! But maybe there is something deep and philosophical here in 2006's Casino Royale. We look at the history of 007, go over our pros and cons, and explore the ideas of ego, feminism, and genre studies. What do you think about James Bond, and action movies in general? Email us at desertofthereelpod@gmail.com

    1h 28m
  2. Freedom or Justice? The Moral Madness of STONEHEARST ASYLUM (2014) - Desert of the Reel Jason's Choice #20

    6D AGO

    Freedom or Justice? The Moral Madness of STONEHEARST ASYLUM (2014) - Desert of the Reel Jason's Choice #20

    “Maybe the question isn’t who is insane. Maybe the question is who gets to decide.” This week we are looking at the 2014 film, Stonehearst Asylum. A film based on an Edgar Allen Poe story where a new doctor enters a 1899 insane asylum, where things might not be what they appear at first. So much symbolism! We ask many questions: What is more important, Freedom or Justice? What is worse, A corrupt system or a poorly run system with good intentions?  Do people need to be broken? Is it ok to let someone live in their own version of reality if they are happy? And is everyone crazy? Jason loves this movie. This film is really good at planting seeds with satisfying payoffs. We look at what we like, important quotes, and analyze this well-done mystery. Ultimately, we talk about how we can be the cure or the disease for other people. What are your thoughts? email us at desertofthereelpod@gmail.com

    1h 20m
  3. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) - Empathy Is Stronger Than Magic - DOTR #111

    FEB 13

    Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) - Empathy Is Stronger Than Magic - DOTR #111

    As the final episode connected to Harry Potter, Jason and Ryan didn't find a whole lot to say about Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016), although there are some gems in here, such as Ryan's absurdist analysis of Jacob and Newt, the animal right philosopher Peter Singer making his first (and likely only) appearance on the pod, Ryan's feminist analysis of Newt's character, some additional insights into Othering, and the introduction of our next franchise! Jason's choice for next week is Stonehearst Asylum (2014)! We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed making it!

    59 min
  4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) Harry Didn’t Win Because of Magic. He Won Because of Trust. Desert of the Reel #110

    FEB 7

    Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) Harry Didn’t Win Because of Magic. He Won Because of Trust. Desert of the Reel #110

    The final Harry Potter movie! (Before we make Jason watch Fantastic Beasts). Guess what? He actually liked this one! We talked about a number of our personal pros and cons (mainly the ending), but found a lot of deep ideas to discuss. Ryan uses Trauma Theory to analyze the film, but we also ask: What is worth sacrificing for? We look at karma Our minds are important and determine our reality. The world could improve. We need people in our lives when devastation happens, and Trust is a powerful tool. Do you agree that this is a good wrap-up for a franchise? Let us know your thoughts! desertofthereelpod@gmail.com Next week is Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them (2016)

    1h 12m
  5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (2010) - Desert of the Reel #109

    JAN 23

    Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (2010) - Desert of the Reel #109

    We argue extensively about whether or not this is a good film. Ryan appreciates how different it is from the other films; Jason thinks it is a series of random events happening randomly and wandering around aimlessly without any clues. About halfway through the podcast, Jason has a revelation that reframes why he doesn't like the movie, changing the tenor of the rest of the episode. We explore Brechtian distancing, the philosophy of sacrifice, whether it is better to die or lose your memory, and many other elements of the film. Let us know what you think about this episode at desertofthereelpod@gmail.com

    1h 12m
  6. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2009) - Desert of the Reel #108

    JAN 18

    Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2009) - Desert of the Reel #108

    The sixth Harry Potter movie confuses us. Here we are for Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts, but this time, Draco is up to no good. Well, to be honest, he spends most of his time crying. There is a lot of drama over all this angst and teen romance. And despite all this, there is somehow nothing really happening. The structure is very curious. We review the different pros and cons, and Ryan cannot help but bring up various comparisons between the book and the movie versions. We address this film's structure, talk about various ethical choices the characters make, the concept of murder splitting a soul, evil buried within us, and how confidence and fear come from our minds! What are your thoughts on Half-Blood Prince? Is it the worst Harry Potter movie? Email us at desertofthereelpod@gmail.com

    1h 13m
  7. Interstellar (2014) - Do Not Go Gently - Jason's Choice #19

    JAN 9

    Interstellar (2014) - Do Not Go Gently - Jason's Choice #19

    After years of requests, demands, cajoling, and pleading from Jason's students, this week's film is Christopher Nolan's Interstellar (2014). While the duo disagree on whether or not the first hour could have been 15 minutes and whether or not the ending robs the film of its thematic power, both agree that this is a beautiful, powerful, deeply philosophical film. We discuss love, death, sacrifice, good, evil, free will, lying, time, gravity, othering and de-othering, Dylan Thomas, the nature of knowledge, auteur theory, and a bunch of other stuff in one of our longest episodes ever! Please let us know your thoughts on anything we discuss! We'd especially like your opinion on our Solaris v. The Cloverfield Paradox disagreement! Send us anything and everything at desertofthereelpod@gmail.com

    1h 49m
  8. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) Is it Time to Revolt? DOTR # 107

    JAN 2

    Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) Is it Time to Revolt? DOTR # 107

    In the fifth Harry Potter movie, Harry is placed into a teacher role, and Voldemort is on the rise. Jason, who refuses to see big-blockbuster movies, is pleasantly surprised. He actually likes this one. He hated the fourth movie, but thinks this might be the pinnacle of what Harry Potter movies have to offer. Does this movie have bigger ideas than the other HP films? Is Professor Umbridge the worst villain in the franchise? Does it have the most real-world connections? We discuss: The importance of asking "Why?" We go over the tools of critical thinking to defend our brains. We look at the dangers of bureaucracy, the power of fear, go over some of the differences from the book, and use the Mind-Body theory (posthuman) lens to analyze Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. It's a good time. Newfound appreciation for this movie. Also, there is a significant time when Ryan's baby is on his lap! What do you think? Where does this movie fall in your HP rankings? Send us anything and everything at desertofthereelpod@gmail.com

    1h 28m
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About

Welcome to the Desert of the Reel, a movie podcast where host Ryan Hudson forces co-host Jason Dietz to watch the big blockbuster movies he’s refused to watch because he didn’t think they were worth his time. As two passionate high school English/film/philosophy/creativity teachers with graduate degrees, we're dedicated to using our academic training to argue about and dig deeply into movies. We explore the creativity and philosophy in our films and push our listeners to think critically about their entertainment.

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