Blank Check with Griffin & David Blank Check Productions
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- TV & Film
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Not 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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Paprika with Emily Yoshida
Come 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 “The Year of Dreams” (Kon and Lynch on Blank Check!!), and Emily, Ben, and Griffin discuss their experience attending a special screening of Clifford with Martin Short himself.
Check out Shogun on FX and listen to Shogun: The Official Podcast hosted by Emily
Read Emily’s writing on Paprika
Please follow Hollywood Entertainment (the organizers of the Clifford screening mentioned on the episode)for upcoming screenings in LA (including a new residency at Heavy Manners Library), regular streaming programs (accessible everywhere), and a to-be-announced return to New York this fall.
https://www.instagram.com/hollyw00dentertainment
https://www.hollywood-entertainment.com/
This episode is sponsored by:
Storyblocks (storyblocks.com/check)
Bombas (bombas.com/check CODE: CHECK)
Join our Patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter and Instagram! -
Tokyo Godfathers with Reece Feldman
They 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 a million times if his daughter finds out about it. And we talk about David’s pitch for a Cheaper by the Dozen spoof called “Cheaper by the Cousin”…?
Follow Reece on his socials: TikTok - Instagram
This episode is sponsored by:
AuraFrames.com (CODE: CHECK)
Burrow (Burrow.com/check)
Join our Patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter and Instagram! -
Millennium Actress with Hoai-Tran Bui
Our 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 of “Millennium Actor” with Clint Eastwood.
Read Hoai-Tran’s work
This episode is sponsored by:
Indochino.com (CODE: CHECK)
ExpressVPN (ExpressVPN.com/check)
RocketRx (CODE: CHECK)
Join our Patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter and Instagram! -
Perfect Blue with Bowen Yang
Welcome 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 new piece of Ben lore that involves a famous reality tv star.
Listen to Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
This episode is sponsored by:
MUBI (mubi.com/blankcheck)
AuraFrames.com (CODE: CHECK)
Join our Patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter and Instagram -
Basic with BenDavid Grabinski
Our 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. Plus, the return of Journalist Eddie Brock, our pitches for different versions of CHANGING LANES (which they should remake every five years), and our final McT filmography rankings.
This episode is sponsored by:
AuraFrames.com (CODE: CHECK)
Burrow (Burrow.com/check)
Join our Patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter and Instagram! -
Rollerball with Zach Cherry
Finally, 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 - Ben learns about the World Nomad Games of Central Asia!
This episode is sponsored by:
Zocdoc (zocdoc.com/check)
FieldOfGreens.com (CODE: CHECK)
MUBI (mubi.com/blankcheck)
Join our Patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter and Instagram!
Customer Reviews
Podcast is a big hairy hit.
Why am I here?
I AM THE ARCHITECT. I CREATED THE MATRIX. I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU. YOU HAVE MANY QUESTIONS, AND THOUGH THE PROCESS HAS ALTERED YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS, YOU REMAIN IRREVOCABLY HUMAN. ERGO, SOME OF MY ANSWERS YOU WILL UNDERSTAND, AND SOME OF THEM YOU WILL NOT. CONCORDANTLY, WHILE YOUR FIRST QUESTION MAY BE THE MOST PERTINENT, YOU MAY OR MAY NOT REALIZE IT IS ALSO THE MOST IRRELEVANT.
Your life is the sum of a remainder of an unbalanced equation inherent to the programming of the Matrix. You are the eventuality of an anomaly, which despite my sincerest efforts, I have been unable to eliminate from what is otherwise a harmony of mathematical precision. While it remains a burden assiduously avoided, it is not unexpected, and thus not beyond a measure of control, which has led you, inexorably, here.
YOU HAVEN'T ANSWERED MY QUESTION.
The Matrix is older than you know. I prefer counting from the emergence of one integral anomaly to the emergence of the next, in which case this is the sixth version.
THERE ARE ONLY TWO POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS. EITHER NO ONE TOLD ME, OR NO ONE KNOWS.
I’ll admit, they’re the best
The BEST Podcast on movies. I am not a Sith, so I will gladly give it 5 stars. Despite the humorous and goofiness from the hosts, their dedication and seriousness about the art of film is legit. From the very beginning of their start with the horrendous Star Wars prequels to the present day, they care, tremendously, for film, for what it represents, for what it is as an art form, and I, throughly enjoy listening to their opinions about the medium. It would be a great pleasure to view a film with them, but to settle with listening to their thoughts about the greatest and industry influencing Directors is satisfying enough. They are honest, and it’s greatly appreciated.
The 2 friends
No bits. They’re great. I love movies.