Imitating Art with Don & Chuck Bigeffinmoose

What can you say about Macbeth that hasn't already been said? Well, Don and Chuck aren't exactly sure. But they do their best, anyway.

Joel Coen's new adaptation of the classic Shakespeare tragedy stars Denzel Washington as Macbeth and Frances McDormand as Lady Macbeth. Together, their ambitions lead to murder, an ascendance to the throne--and madness. It's well-acted and visually striking. But Shakespeare is traditionally hard to understand for modern ears. Can Don and Chuck enjoy watching a movie without understanding the dialogue?

Probably! Though, it might not be this one. They can at least understand enough to talk about some lessons, including:


The toxic side of confidence
The role of fate
"You need something under your ass."
The MEANING of LIFE
...And some other, less meaningful ones.

For a more understandable version of Macbeth, check out:
Macbeth: Death by Fluffy Kittens - Live & Online! by Shakespeare Approves!

Follow Don & Chuck on Instagram: @ImitatingArtPod
And Twitter: @ImitatingArtPod

Music by Nathan Terry
Follow him on Instagram: @nterrymusic
And visit his website: www.nterrymusic.com

Listen to Don's solo podcast: don't worry, i'm finite

For two guys who both went to art school, it sure took Don and Chuck a long time to review a Jim Jarmusch (Jar-moosh?) movie. Paterson's story is so simple, any plot description falls short. In examining a week in the life of a quiet, unassuming bus driver with the soul of a poet, it beautifully explores themes of duality and simple beauty. 

And Don and Chuck remember to rate this one.

LESSONS:


The sun will rise tomorrow
The little things in life can hold tremendous value
The two sides of you depend on each other
...and a few more



Follow Don & Chuck on Instagram: @ImitatingArtPod
And Twitter: @ImitatingArtPod

Music by Nathan Terry
Follow him on Instagram: @nterrymusic
And visit his website: www.nterrymusic.com

Check out Don's solo podcast: don't worry, i'm finite

As a production company, A24 has been killing it for many years now. So, it's about time Don and Chuck got around to reviewing one of their movies. Minari is a simple drama about a Korean family. When the patriarch decides to move from California to Arkansas so they can start a farm, it ushers in an era of change for the family. Even more, they move in his mother-in-law to help raise the kids. The film tells the story of the year (or so) after they make the move, living in an area where they have no friends or resources, and shows how they struggle to build a successful farm and stay together as a cohesive family unit. It's a well-made and poignantly-acted film, particularly the performances from the young actors playing the family's two children.

The film also helps Don and Chuck discuss lessons such as:


Doing work for work's sake
The relationship between hubris and faith
Something unassuming can still have value
Failing isn't always your fault
It can all go up in flames



Follow Don & Chuck on Instagram: @ImitatingArtPod
And Twitter: @ImitatingArtPod

Music by Nathan Terry
Follow him on Instagram: @nterrymusic
Visit his website: www.nterrymusic.com

Check out Don's solo podcast: don't worry, I'm finite

In the early 2000s, people started learning that Adam Sandler was more than just Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, and the Wedding Singer. He had range! He could drama!

Punch Drunk Love was one of the movies that helped turn Sandler from a comedian into an actor. And, at the time, it was pretty good. If you'd asked early 2000s Don and Chuck what they thought of the movie, they'd have probably said so themselves.

But this podcast is not hosted by early 2000s Don and Chuck. As it turns out, the movie hasn't exactly aged with them. They speak at length about what doesn't work for them, what rings true, and what questions the film leaves them with. Punch Drunk Love does let them talk about some important lessons, however. 

Lessons include:


The importance of having someone to talk to
Why you should learn more about yourself and your feelings
Why "saving face" is useless.
How to deter bullies


Follow Don & Chuck on Instagram: @ImitatingArtPod
And Twitter: @ImitatingArtPod


Music by Nathan Terry
Follow him on Instagram: @nterrymusic
And visit his website: www.nterrymusic.com


Check out Don's solo podcast: don't worry, i'm finite

Welp, Christmas finally killed the streak. Without much time to put an episode together, Don and Chuck (mostly Chuck) decided to take a little holiday break this week. Here, we bring you a rerun of one of our most-listened-to episodes: our review and dissection of the classic film The Matrix, written and directed by the Wachowskis. Joining us was Chuck's college roommate, Max—who just so happens to be one of the Matrix's biggest fans.

We're sorry that there's no new episode this week, but we hope you enjoy hearing us talk about the Matrix again—or, if you haven't heard it, we hope you enjoy it for the first time!

If you want to hear us talk about the newest Matrix movie, please contact us:

Follow Don & Chuck on Instagram: @ImitatingArtPod
And Twitter: @ImitatingArtPod

Music by Nathan Terry
Follow him on Instagram: @nterrymusic
And visit his website: www.nterrymusic.com

Listen to Don's solo podcast: don't worry i'm finite

The Muppet Christmas Carol. A classic from the 90s that takes one of the darker and more dramatic Christmas tales of all time and transforms it into a hilarious and heartwarming family musical fit for all ages. It might sound like a tough feat, but when you introduce the Muppets into any story, the silly comes with it. Pretty effortlessly, it seems. 

Michael Caine (Real name: Mickelwaite? Something like that?) plays Ebeneezer Scrooge in this adaptation about an aging miser (and right dickhead, to be honest) who undergoes a haunting specifically designed to help him change his dastardly ways just in time to spend all his money on Christmas presents. Statler and Waldorf even show up to make fun of one of Chuck's favorite jokes from the 1800s. A group of penguins puppets ice skate through the streets of London. Look, if you don't know the story of A Christmas Carol, we can't do any better than that at explaining it to you.

And then, there's the lessons. Don and Chuck do their best, but with this story, there are lessons around every corner. Some of the lessons they do touch on include:


How Scrooge's character reflects the hypocrisy of the Fox News/MAGA crowd (Yeah, we went there)
How the lessons from Christmas movies should be remembered all year long
Humans need reminders to be kind
Businesses can treat their employees better
You forge your own chains in life
The power and universality of denial

...And probably a few more!



Follow Don & Chuck on Instagram: @ImitatingArtPod
And Twitter: @ImitatingArtPod

Music by Nathan Terry
Follow him on Instagram: @nterrymusic
Visit his website: www.nterrymusic.com

Check out Don's solo podcast: don't worry, i'm finite