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There are only a handful of directors whose films feel like events. From the 90's class of directors, there's Quentin Tarantino, Paul Thomas Anderson and Wes Anderson. The latter Anderson's films have only grown in popularity and mainstream appeal. For better or worse, along with Tarantino, Wes Anderson has a built a brand around his name. In 2004, Anderson experienced his first flop with his $50 million Disney swan song, "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou." Co-written by Noah Baumbach, the film remains his most divisive with its stoner vibes, curmudgeonly hero, and violent pirate shootouts.

Certified Wes Stan Nick Laskin returns to the podcast to show love to one of his all time guys and the underrated "Life Aquatic." Join us as we discuss the growing popularity of Wes Anderson's aesthetic, his early collaborations with Owen Wilson and Baumbach, the low-key beauty of Willem Dafoe's performance, accent debates, that great Seu Jorge soundtrack, and the influence Anderson has had on future generations of filmmakers.

You can find Nick's writing on his Substack.

Danny Boyle and Leonardo DiCaprio head to Thailand to drink snake blood and cuck French guys in "The Beach."

In 1996, Danny Boyle was riding the success of "Trainspotting" and American studios were lining up to give him a shot at the big leagues. In 1999, Boyle teamed with Fox and Leonardo DiCaprio for his first big post "Titanic" role to bring Alex Garland's 1996 novel "The Beach" to the big screen. Unfortunately, "The Beach" failed to bring even the most die-hard DiCaprio fans to theaters, with critics giving Boyle the worst reviews of his career. Writer and filmmaker Alex Kolpan joins the podcast to break down the troubled production, as well as Boyle's beef with Ewan McGregor, Leo's early attempt to break out of teen stardom and into Serious Actor territory, underwater sex scenes, destroying beaches, and Moby.

James Gray has quietly made a name for himself as one of the most underrated modern filmmakers of the 21st century. From his 2000 breakout "The Yards" to last years "Armageddon Time," Gray's films have often been festival and critical darlings, but rarely had crossover appeal. After a 7 year hiatus, Gray reunited with Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Wahlberg for his first studio film, "We Own the Night." Unfortunately, the film once again failed to give Gray the crossover hit that some of his peers experienced, while leaving critics divided. Australian director John Hillcoat had a similar fate in the 2000's, adapting big literary works and garnering the support of some of our most beloved actors, without ever fully connecting with mainstream audiences. His 2016 dirty cop thriller "Triple 9" gave Hillcoat his biggest ensemble yet, led by Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anthony Mackie, Woody Harrelson, Aaron Paul and Kate Winslet auditioning to be Natasha in "Rocky and Bullwinkle." Like Gray's cop thriller, "Triple 9" failed to find crossover appeal.

Two certified Gray heads William Breen and Nick Laskin join the podcast this week to show love to Hollywood's best kept secret. We break down Gray's relationship with muse Joaquin Phoenix, the golden era of Mark Wahlberg as a legitimate actor, Anthony Mackie as one of our best shit-talkers, typecasting Aaron Paul post-Breaking Bad, Clifton Collins Jr.'s little ponytail, and Kate Winslet's misguided era of wacky accents.

You can find William's films on Vimeo and subscribe to Nick's writing on his Substack.

Spike Lee tackles disco and serial killers in his 1999 flop “Summer of Sam.”

1999 was a landmark year for cinema with directors like Paul Thomas Anderson, David Fincher, Spike Jonze, Stanley Kubrick, David Lynch, Michael Mann and Martin Scorsese releasing new films. Often forgotten is Spike Lee’s kaleidoscopic vision of the Son of Sam’s 1977 summer of terror, “Summer of Sam.” Featuring an ensemble led by John Leguizamo, Adrien Brody and Mira Sorvino, Lee’s film captured a volatile, frightening moment in America with his usual chaotic flare.

Critic and co-host of The Good, the Bad and the What, Ryan Oliver, joins the podcast to break down Lee’s sweatiest film since “Do the Right Thing.” Did critics have a bone to pick with Lee after his hot streak in the early 90s? Why didn’t Leguizamo get the leading man career he deserved? Was the story’s lack of focus on the Son of Sam a detriment to the films success? Is the Son of Sam the most relatable serial killer? Find out now in our latest edition of Auteur Misfires.

Listen to Ryan’s podcast The Good, The Bad, and The What!? wherever you get podcasts!

In the mid-90s, Tim Burton and Steven Spielberg were two of the most beloved directors in Hollywood. Spielberg was coming off his first Oscar for "Schindler's List" while Burton was riding the hot streak of Batman movies, "Edward Scissorhands," "Beetlejuice" and the Oscar-winning "Ed Wood." Burton's luck ran out with his first critical and financial bomb, "Mars Attacks!" featuring a stacked ensemble of actors like Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Natalie Portman, Pierce Brosnan and Sarah Jessica Parker. Meanwhile, Spielberg followed up the massive success of "Jurassic Park" with his first sequel "The Lost World," bringing Jeff Goldblum back to the franchise with rising stars Vince Vaughn and Julianne Moore in tow.

Musician and writer Devon Hansen joins the podcast for the first time to discuss the nostalgia of "Mars Attacks!" and Burton's fall from grace. In the second half of the episode, cinematographer Matthew Hayes returns to the podcast for a look back at Spielberg's 50 year career and how he phoned it in with "The Lost World."

You can find Devon on Instagram and Bandcamp and Matthew at his official website.

We're back in action with a pair of political thrillers starring heavyweight stars of the 90's! That's right, there was a time when Hollywood produced big budget thrillers for adults starring bonafide movie stars! First up, it's Alan J. Pakula's return to the paranoia thriller with 1993's "The Pelican Brief," starring Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington as a law student and journalist caught up in a conspiracy to assassinate members of the supreme court, who definitely do not fuck at any point. After that, it's Richard Donner's aptly titled "Conspiracy Theory," which finds Julia Roberts falling in love with a paranoid cab driver who stores Tapioca pudding in a pad-locked fridge, played by Mel Gibson at the peak of his career.

Actor and writer Morgan Phillips returns to the podcast to break down the tonally confused madness of "Conspiracy Theory" and the sleepy thrills of "The Pelican Brief." Can the star power of Denzel and Roberts make up for a by-the-numbers script? Did Mel Gibson really improvise a conspiracy about the streets of New York being covered in cum? Why wouldn't Denzel agree to kiss Julia Roberts on screen? Is Stanley Tucci one our most underrated actors? Why didn't Hollywood produce more MKUltra themed rom-coms? Find out right here on the hottest podcast in America.