recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Pod Night Shyamacast

**Pod Night Shyamacast** is a miniseries covering the films of M. Night Shyamalan.

## Summary

#TheTwoFriends sought to answer the questions: Is this guy a great filmmaker? A terrible filmmaker? Do you have to have made mostly good films to be a good filmmaker? Does money corrupt?

This was the first miniseries of the new "Blank Check with Griffin and David" era of the show, coming on the heels of their 2015 "year of Star Wars" which covered the Phantom Menace trilogy in exhaustive detail. Pod Night Shyamacast was the name chosen by Twitter fans of the show, beating out P. Cast Shyamalan for the official title of this miniseries.

In a later Mailbag episode of the show, Griffin said that no miniseries yet had caused his opinion of a filmmaker to do a 180... but the closest was Pod Night Shyamacast. As he put it, he went into this miniseries having discounted Shyamalan's directorial abilities in the wake of several consecutive disappointing films. But the film-by-film examination of the podcast helped remind him that M. Night was the real deal in terms of his talent. And of course, the later episodes on *Split* and *Glass* -- sequels to Griffin's favorite Shyamalan movie, even if he wasn't immediately enamored of *Split* -- were part of that turnaround as well. By contrast David loved *Split* and was all in on the weirdness of *Glass*.

This miniseries was preceded by the initial installments of The Star Wars Sequels miniseries. It was followed by The Podchowski Casters miniseries.

### Milestones and Ephemera

* Producer Ben nickname: **Ben Night Shyamalan**, which is so far the first and only nickname to riff on the filmmaker's name.

## Ranking His Filmography

* Griffin and David mentioned a portion of their rankings at the end of the Split episode but posted their full rankings on Letterboxd.  Both Griffin and David later made note of where they slotted in Shyamalan's latest movie during the *Glass* episode. The rankings below reflect the rankings as given in the Knock at the Cabin episode.
* The Blankies ratings were aggregated in the r/Blankies sub-reddit in the wake of the release of Glass.

## Episode Art

Since Shyamalan has been the most prolific film-maker since his initial series, there is a lot of additional episode art.

SplitGlassOldKnock at the Cabin
## References

1. ↑ Griffin Newman, M. Night Shyamalist, Letterboxd. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
2. ↑ David Sims, M. Night Shyamalan, Letterboxd. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
3. ↑ u/mi-16evil, What's your M. Night Shyamalan rankings?, reddit. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
4. ↑ u/mi-16evil, Aggregated M. Night Shyamalan Ranking, reddit. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
The Killing

**The Killing** is episode 388 focusing on the 1956 film of the as part of Pods Wide Cast miniseries on the films of Stanley Kubrick. Posted August 14, 2022.

## Summary

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> If Stanley Kubrick’s previous two films were exercises in learning on the job, *THE KILLING* is where we start to see him put that knowledge into action. A thrilling noir, it allowed Kubrick to connect his passion for chess to a story about the best laid plans of a too ambitious crook. We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome dream guest Patton Oswalt as we swap insane Timothy Carey stories, debate whether or not Rodney Dangerfield appears in the background of a scene, and suggest that Sterling Hayden’s Johnny Clay should have added a “Karen” to his plan to solve his baggage check-in situation at the airport.
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> Check out Patton in I Love My Dad from Magnolia Pictures
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> Read his Silver Screen Fiend: Learning About Life from an Addiction to Film
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* Patton Oswalt: is not a Blankie/is a professional and therefore did not talk before he was introduced.
* "The Killing" > "Bed of Fear"
* Lucien Ballard (with Merle Oberon)
* Lots of *Goodfellas* talk, if you're into that kind of thing.
* Griffin's new career aspiration: get fired for farting too much.
* Another tease of a Kubrick-themed Talking the Walk!

#### Box Office Game

June 1956

1. The Searchers
2. Bhowani Junction
3. The Man Who Knew Too Much
4. Seven Wonders of the World -- The French version was narrated by Griffin's grandfather Claude Dauphin!
5. Oklahoma!

* Other movies in the top 10: The Ladykillers, The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit

### Sponsors

* MUBI - David recommends watching *Black Coal, Thin Ice*! ("That movie *rules*." -David Sims)
* Double dip of Amy Nicholson in the ads! She's a guest on the MUBI podcast and co-host of Unspooled!

## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. The Killing. Audioboom. Retrieved on August 14, 2022.
Riddick

**Riddick** is a miniseries as part of the Blank Check: Special Features covering the Chronicles of Riddick movie franchise.

## Summary

The commentary miniseries began in August 2021.

### Milestones and Ephemera

* The franchise was featured in the Special Features March Madness 2021 tournament, but was defeated in the first round by Resident Evil.

## Episodes

 SF107
 SF108

## Ranking The Filmography

At the conclusion of the miniseries, the Blankies rankings will compiled from a voting thread found on the r/Blankies sub-reddit.
The Downfall Of Anakin Skywalker

**The Downfall Of Anakin Skywalker** is episode 25 and the second part of the Revenge of The Podcast miniseries, about *Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith*. Posted 28 Sep 2015.

## Summary

>
> This week Griffin and David, whilst yelling into microphones, dive right into The River of Ham that is Anakin’s origin story and the main crux of the Phantom Menace series: turning to the dark side and becoming Darth Vader. Also, the MANY mistakes the Jedi council make, killing children, a space holocaust, and choking your wife because you're trying to save her from your dreams where she dies. And of course, as always, fuck George Lucas.
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Reminder, they threw down the gauntlet: Sith Lords are NOT ALLOWED to listen to this show.

Why is this movie so dour and serious? Is there no such thing as press or paparazzi in this galaxy? Do the security cameras have footage of this actual movie in them, Spaceballs-style? Why are Anakin's eyes glowing red in the back half of the film? And where did that beautifully shot robot-suit scene come from, and why do we only get like the last 2 minutes of the movie -- and of the entire Star Wars trilogy\*\* -- with that cool-looking suit?

Plus a Merchandise Spotlight!

### Milestones and Ephemera

* This movie: A bunch of baloney
* Blank Check with Griffin and David: The "Nurse Jackie" of podcasts
* robot coughing: funny
* The only thing that matters in a light saber duel: high ground
* Griffin's preferred pronunciation of the word "robot": /rō' bət/

## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. The Downfall Of Anakin Skywalker. Audioboom. Retrieved on August 30, 2022.
Pokémon Detective Pikachu

Castective Podkachu

**Pokémon: Detective Pikachu** (also known as **Castective Podkachu**) is episode 216 focusing on the movie of the same name, as a standalone episode. Posted May 12, 2019.

## Summary

>
> On the week of it's release in May of 2019, Blank Check invited screenwriters of *Detective Pikachu*, Dan Hernandez & Benji Samit, to offer a behind-the-scenes look into the development and writing process of this film! But what other media influenced elements of the story structure? What are Griffin and David's favorite Pokémon? How long did it take writer and director Steven E. de Souza to write Street Fighter? Together they examine fandom theory, world building, video game movies and explore the credit process and arbitration process.
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* Box office game: Weekend of May 10, 2019

## References

1. ↑ Pokémon: Detective Pikachu on Audioboom. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
Prince of Darkness

**Prince of Darkness** is episode 345 focusing on the 1987 film of the same name and part of the They Podcast miniseries on the films of John Carpenter. Posted October 10, 2021.

## Summary

>
> Every filmmaker gets one “Satan in a jar in a basement” movie and this is John Carpenter’s! Keith Phipps (The Next Picture Show Podcast) joins us to chat “the anti-God,” fictional British scientist Bernard Quatermass, and young David Sims’ humble beginnings as an “It’s Always Sunny” recapper at the AVClub. The boys also establish that Ben loves “wet evil” and that the special effects makeup artist on *PRINCE OF DARKNESS* also worked with Griffin on DRAFT DAY!
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* Contains a rare instance of something actually being kept in and doubled!
* Box Office: Weekend of October 23, 1987

## Quotes

**Intro**

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## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. Prince of Darkness with Keith Phipps. Audioboom. Retrieved on October 10, 2021.
The Deleted Scenes

**The Deleted Scenes** is episode 21 and the ninth part of the Attack of the Podcast miniseries, about the film *Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones*. Posted 28 Aug 2015.

## Summary

>
> Griffin and David welcome another amazing guest in this episode, Chase Mitchell ("The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon"). Together, they discuss deleted scenes like: Anakin hanging out with Padmé's father (who is some bum), Jocasta Nu may have had a fling with Count Dooku, and the Galactic Senate discussing the option to militarize or pass “the Binks bill.”
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> Griffin also reads more fan fiction this time about Dexter’s diner (OK, OK, and maybe a erotic scene between Anakin and Padmé). Plus, the gang shares their final thoughts on the film.
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> Is it another case solved? Did they reach any kind of conclusions? Is there some kind of huge revelation exposed in this episode? Listen and find out all these answers and more!
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> Music by: Lee Rosevere “Cosmic Tingles”
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* Number of "hmm"s: 4
* Best Jedi Beatles song: "Can't Know No Love"
* Impressions added to Ben's MadTV reel: Jar Jar Binks

## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. The Deleted Scenes. Audioboom. Retrieved on August 30, 2022.
Powaqqatsi Commentary

**Powaqqatsi** is episode 161 of Blank Check: Special Features and a commentary for the 1988 feature film of the same name. Posted January 21, 2023.

## Summary

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> Our Qatsi commentary continues with the second installment, 1988's *Powaqqatsi*. Topics include: carrying, Barge Marge, the Sim franchise, Free Guy, and more!
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> **Movie starts at...6:51**
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> Event Link
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* Current name for the BC studio: **The Bone Ranch**
* David's kicking off the patreon episodes in 2023!
* How We Roll
* Possible future mini: Gettin (Peter) Weir'd on the main feed
* "Anthem Part 2" in *The Truman Show*
* Coming in 2023?: Fashion bindle collab Griff Inc.xCongratulations
* Ben's new goals: ride a dang barge, ride a dang camel
* Griffin predicts Brie Larson is Brian's sister in the upcoming *Fast X*.
* Eating on mic: Griffin finishing a bagel.
* Lunch order: Shake Shack
* Coming in the Naqoyqatsi Commentary: Ben eats a dog bone!
* Box Office Game: Weekend of April 29, 1988

## Quotes

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> | Ben: |  It would be cool with the stilt house to like have a pet alligator.
> | David: | Would it be cool to have a pet alligator?!
> | Griffin: |  At the stilt house?
> | Ben: |  Yeah. At my stilt house around the side there'd be a pen where the alligators live.
> | Griffin: | I'm worried the alligator would get out and chew through the stilts. That's my *first* thought.
> | Griffin: | Especially if you're on stilts.
> | Ben: |  But they'd respect me.
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## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. Powaqqatsi. Patreon. Retrieved on January 21, 2023.
Rachel Sanders

**Rachel Sanders** (@rachelysanders on Twitter) is the deputy culture editor for BuzzFeed Reader and is based in New York.

Rachel was a guest on The Terminator episode of Blank Check, where she got to talk about the first stage of developing Linda Hamilton into a badass action star, as well as wonder aloud at whatever James Cameron thinks he is trying to do when he films love scenes.
Planet of the Apes Commentary

*This article is about the commentary on the film Planet of the Apes from 1968. For other uses see Planet of the Apes (disambiguation).*

## Planet of the Apes

### Reddit thread

Link

**Planet of the Apes** is episode 174 of Blank Check: Special Features and a commentary for the 1968 feature film of the same name. Posted April 21, 2023.

## Summary

> Dr. Zaius! Dr. Zaius! BC:SF kicks off a new commentary series covering the five original Planet of the Apes films released from 1968-1973. Topics include: Heston, not telling Koko the signing gorilla, landmarks in the Forbidden Zone and more!
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> **Movie starts at…8:34**
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* 🎵 Dr. Zaius! Dr. Zaius! 🎵
* Planet of the Apes Twilight Zone Re-edit
* Koko the gorilla mourns the loss of her special friend, Robin Williams
* Original Makeup tests with Edward G. Robinson
* When Roddy McDowall Was Busted by the FBI for Pirating Films
* Ben's new goal after riding a dang horse: Ride a damn barge!
* Rod Steiger: dead in a ditch after Griffin's grandmother dated him and thought he had "nothing interesting to say".

Box Office Game: Ape-ril 1968

1. The Graduate
2. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?
3. Gone With the Wind
4. Doctor Doolittle
5. Planet of the Apes

Others in the top ten: The Fox, Camelot, No Way to Treat a Lady, The Scalphunters, The Party

## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. Planet of the Apes. Patreon. Retrieved on April 21, 2023.
Talking the Walk

The episode art for the secret podcast Talking the Walk, hosted by J.D. Amato.

**Talking the Walk** is an annual feature wherein J.D. Amato appears on the podcast to talk about what was originally a discussion about frame rates and digital effects but has since morphed into discussions of walks, walking, and its various cinematic depictions.

## Origins

In the Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk episode, J.D. "talks the walk" referring to the titular walk. In the episode, J.D. talks largely about high frame rate and the technical prowess involved in making the film. He returned in 2019 around the release of Gemini Man to talk again about high frame rate while taking a literal walk with Griffin and David in New York City. The third installment is about the film The Walk, primarily because of the name of the film includes the word "walk." In an effort to broaden the scope of the Talking the Walk franchise, the fourth installment consists of a retrospective and ranking of the best walks in film history. The fifth installment was loosely envisioned to discuss the 1969 NASA moonwalk and the conspiracy theories around Kubrick's involvement in faking the moonwalk, but the episode ended up being a freeform discussion about the state of the podcast and JD's meta-angst about the episode itself. In the sixth installment, after several rejected pitches, it was ultimately decided that *Talking the Walk* is not necessarily an annual series but more of a protocol that can be unlocked by a key from all four participants should Hollywood deliver something worth discussing in the *Walk* format.

## Secret Podcast

In the 2020 episode on *The Walk*, J.D. read a series of riddles. The solutions to the riddles combined to reveal the location of a secret interview recorded with Kevin Baillie, the visual effects supervisor for *The Walk*. At the time the main feed episode was recorded, neither Griffin nor David had any knowledge of the interview. Blankies on reddit found the location and password, however some of the specifics of the riddles have yet to be documented.

## Merchandise Spotlight

Every year there is a limited edition, commemorative merch item to accompany the episode. It is most commonly a t-shirt, but in 2021 it was a spatula. The first two featured relatively a design by Ben's Dad, but the third reproduced a portion of JD's infamous note.

### Merchandise Gallery

Talking the Walk, 2018Walking the Talk, 2019Miste Blankie, I gave you all the clues..., 2020The Spreadmaster, 2021
## Episodes

The episodes appear on both the main feed and Patreon. This allows them to talk the walk once per year even if there isn't an ambulatory main feed episode.

### Secret Podcast Episodes

The secret podcast, also called Talking the Walk, is hosted by J.D. Amato and produced by Ben Hosley. In order to listen to this episode, one must solve the riddles in featured in The Walk, or go on reddit to find the answers.

## References

1. ↑ u/pageus. *J.D.'s Riddles and Solution*, reddit. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
2. ↑ u/yonicthehedgehog. *Podcast Away: The Walk with J.D. Amato*, reddit. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
Spreadmaster's Delight

**Spreadmaster's Delight** is episode 182 of Blank Check: Special Features where David "The Spreadmaster" Sims shares randomly generated Oscars pics, Griff chooses off the dome, and Ben prepares a spread of a different sort. Posted July 11, 2023.

## Summary

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> July’s bonus ep is a special one! Checkmates you finally get a glimpse into David’s master spreadsheet with all of his personal nominees for the Academy Awards in every category going back to the 1940’s. Using a random Oscar’s generator, Griffin and David jump throughout film history and discuss all their faves! Plus, Ben presents a roster of spreads to sample! Yum.
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* *Note: The Uncut Version contains eating on mic! The Bite Free Version does not!*
* Ben's still trying to crack "Oops! All lunch orders"
* Link to the randomizer: randomoscars.github.io.edebiri
* Listener mail from Jay Ward: A Forky spatula!

## The Winners

*For the purposes of this sheet and general clarity, the year given is the year in film not the year of the awards.*

## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. Spreadmaster’s Delight (Uncut Version). Patreon. Retrieved on July 11, 2023.
2. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. Spreadmaster’s Delight (Bite Free Version). Patreon. Retrieved on July 11, 2023.
The Angst Of Anakin Skywalker

**The Angst Of Anakin Skywalker** is episode 15 and the third part of the Attack of the Podcast miniseries, about the film *Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones*. Posted 6 Jul 2015.

## Summary

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> Well, he’s a teenager now: not in control of his emotions, hormone-fueled, and in desperate need of discipline/a good spanking! So what does the Jedi Council do? They put young Anakin in charge of protecting Padmé, of course!
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> You mean, an important Galactic Senator with multiple attempts on her life being guarded by a Padawan that is recognized as being a bit of a wild card? Sure what could go wrong?
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> In this episode, your co-hosts Griffin and David metaphorically lock themselves in their bedrooms, blare their stereos and write bad poetry about how no one understands their pain, 'cause this week is a discussion of Anakin’s character arc. Including: the casting and performance of Hayden Christensen, his discovery that his mother was kidnapped by Tuscan Raiders, and mass murder.
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* The best Sandler movie, says David: *Don't Mess With the Zohan*
* The best Sandler movie, says Griffin: *Billy Madison*
* The best Sandler movie, says Ben: *Click*
* Actresses who have played Sandler's girlfriends or wives in recent years: Salma Hayek, Jessica Biel, Kate Beckinsale, Katie Holmes, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Brooklyn Decker, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Aniston
* Griffin loves *Sky High*. Hates *Zoom*.
* New Ben Hosley nickname: **Mr. Positive**

## Quotes

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> | David: | Do you like it when he gets all old, because he fast-forwarded through life?
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## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. The Angst of Anakin Skywalker. Audioboom. Retrieved on September 20, 2021.
Talking the Walk 2023: Pitching the Walk

**Talking the Walk 2023: Pitching the Walk** is episode 198 of Blank Check: Special Features and a part of the Talking the Walk miniseries. Posted December 21, 2023.

## Summary

> This is an important episode. We have gotten to a place where we need to talk. We need to talk about Talking the Walk.
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> Now in its sixth year, J.D "I Love Movies" Amato is back to reflect on the past talks of walks and to make a case for the future of this enigmatic franchise.
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> The sharks, Griffin, David, and Ben, hear him out and decide if any of the pitches are worth investing in. Could this be the end?
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> Topics include: contacting a beekeeper, a shirt for 2, the thunderdome, when and how to engage the protocol and more.
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* Shark names were on a first come first serve basis: David - Hammerhead; Griffin - Tiger shark; Ben - Goblin shark
* Pitches
	+ **End the Walk** - they let the series die
	+ **Talking the Walks** - multiple groups of guests who do mobile recording which then merge together at the end. Think JD's *Amazing Race* or an expanded version of Walking The Talk 2019: A Funeral For Frames.
	+ **Talking the Walk: Bring Billy Back** - organize a HFR screening of Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk.
	+ **Running the Walks** - do a sanctioned run/walk charity event in NYC where whoever can run the farthest during a screening of *Billy Lynn* wins.
	+ **Slow Walking the Walk** - watch the HFR version of *Billy Lynn* but at 24 fps so it goes 4 times slower.
	+ **Talking the Walk: Inside the Pie** - a really real idea: the two friends do a full checkout at Panavision
	+ **Culkin the Walk** - rent a suburban home and allow Griffin 24 hours to set traps for JD, Ben, and David to break in.
	+ **Talking the Caulk** - waterseal copies of *Billy Lynn* into a submersible device to put a time capsule into the ocean.
	+ **Talking Bialik** - they all go on *Jeopardy!*.
	+ **Talking the Balk** - try to get Griffin to Major League Baseball.
	+ **Talking the Jacques** - do the Jacques Tati movies; or, **Talking the Falk** - Griffin's plus-up where they watch every Peter Falk movie.
	+ **Talking the Spock** - talk about Star Trek.
	+ **Talking the Wok** - they cook stir-fry.
	+ **Talking Defrock** - they figure out what's going on in the Catholic church.
	+ **Talking Iraq** - they comment on news footage from the Iraq war.
* They ultimately decide that *Talking the Walk* is not an annual event but a protocol that can be engaged by an agreement of all 4 hosts. It can only be engaged when Hollywood delivers something worthy of *Talking the Walk* treatment.

## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. Talking the Walk 2023: Pitching the Walk. Patreon. Retrieved on December 21, 2023.
Devil Crusher

### Moce i/lub umiejętności

* Zwiększona siła (prawdopodobnie magiczna lub zdobyta w wyniku mutacji genetycznej)
* Zwiększona odporność

### Status

Żywy

**Devil Crusher** (pierwotnie po japońsku: *デビルクラッシャ - Debirukurasshā*, *Diabelski Miażdzyciel*) - jeden z bossów-strażników pilnujących kostek. Jako jedyny z bossów dał Yoto$owi wyzwanie fizyczne. Postać grana przez Allaha.

## Biografia

Tożsamość Devil Crushera nie jest znana tak jak i jakiekolwiek szczegóły z jego życia. Wiadomo jedynie, że ma japońskie pochodzenie.

## Wygląd

### The Easter Adventure

Devil Crusher nosi czarną bandanę na przewiązaną przez głowę. Biało-czarny podkoszulek, czarno-szare krótkie spodnie, czarne skarpety i ciemne buty.

## Moce i umiejętności

Devil Crusher wykazuje paranormalne zdolności.

* **Zwiększona siła** - Devil Crusher wykazuje zwiększoną siłę. Podczas używania swej olbrzymiej potęgi wyzwala pomarańczową aurę, co może świadczyć, że siła owa jest magiczna bądź pochodzi ona z wyjątkowo zaawansowanej mutacji genetycznej.
* **Zwiększona odporność** - Podczas walki z Yoto$em wykazał zwiększoną odporność na ciosy.

## Ciekawostki

* Mimo pochodzenia Devil Crusher doskonale posługuje się językiem polskim.
* Jako jedyny dał Yoto$owi wyzwanie fizyczne, sądząc przy tym, że poprzednie logiczne zadania były żałosne.
* Postać ta nawiązuje do japońskich seriali z gatunku *tokusatsu* oraz do *anime*.
* W maju 2018 roku KAKAZET i Yoto$ stworzyli film pt. *The Dope*. W scenie ponapisowej występuje grzybiarz, który również grany jest przez Allaha. Koledzy z klasy twórców spekulowali, że ów grzybiarz jest Devil Crusherem przed transformacją w bossa-strażnika.*TEA* oraz *The Dope* nie są jednakże osadzone w tym samym uniwersum.
Preeti Chhibber

**Preeti Chhibber** is an author and editor.

## Biography

In addition to her culture writing, Chhibber has also written books in both the Star Wars universe and Marvel Cinematic Universe.

## References

1. ↑ Empire at 40 | the Wonderr of a Jedi You Will Be. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
2. ↑ Spider-Man: Far From Home: Peter and Ned's Ultimate Travel Journal Retrieved December 20, 2020.
The Gift

**The Gift** is episode 375 focusing on the 2000 film of the same name as part of Podcast Me to Hell miniseries on the films of Sam Raimi. Posted May 15, 2022.

## Summary

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> Katie Holmes in a lazy southern accent asks, “What’s the matter? See somethin’ bad?” and we are immediately transported back to the year 2000 when the trailers for this movie were EVERYWHERE. Writer and podcasting icon Starlee Kine joins us to talk about Sam Raimi’s “The Gift” - a film with an incredibly stacked cast of actors who were eager to sink their teeth into a Southern Gothic Billy Bob Thornton creation. Do we buy Keanu as a wife-beating redneck? Is Cate Blanchett actually a terrible psychic? How does Giovanni Ribisi’s performance in this rank among his most deranged screen outings? Folks - we apologize in advance for bringing up “The Other Sister”.
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* Box-Office Game: Wide release! Weekend of January 19, 2001
	+ Limited release would be the same as Cast Away.
	+ This weekend includes a bunch of movies covered on the pod in the top 10, including Cast Away, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and What Women Want

## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. The Gift. Audioboom. Retrieved on May 16, 2022.
The Lost World: Jurassic Park

**The Lost World: Jurassic Park** is episode 93 focusing on the movie of the same name, as part of the Pod Me If You Cast miniseries covering the filmography of Steven Spielberg's Dreamworks era. Posted January 28 2017.

## Summary

> The debut of our new mini series on the filmography of Steven Spielberg begins with 1997’s Lost World: Jurassic Park. Post-Oscar wins for Best Director and Best Picture, Steven took four years off before directing this sequel. In that time he founded his own studio DreamWorks. Griffin and David would argue this level of creative control is the biggest blank check that any filmmaker has ever had. Presenting Pod Me If You Cast.
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> But seriously what IS chaos math? Why does this film unfold similarly to a video game? What does Isla Nublar roughly translate to?
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> Together #thetwofriends discuss the careers of Laura Dern, Vince Vaughn, Jeff Goldblum, convenient islands, life finding a way and a epic Pete Postlethwaite monologue.
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Ushering in a new miniseries! With... kind of a dud.

Spielberg, post-Oscar. He took a few years off from filmmaking to hang out with family, release a computer game themed around himself (?), and most amazingly start up a new movie studio from scratch. When he comes back, he eases back in with a sequel to his massive hit *Jurassic Park* - but is this a case of Steven Spielberg trying to imitate Steven Spielberg?

Griffin and David begin with a briefing on the Michael Crichton books and how his *Lost World* book came to be. Things went awry right off the bat because the book sequel had to sort of be a sequel to the movie. Moreover Crichton layered in an homage to Arthur Conan Doyle, and Spielberg went for a Godzilla tribute... it's just a lot to cram together, under a very sweaty premise.

What's the definitive ranking of the four Jurassic Park movies (as of January 2017)? What can we learn from an epic Pete Postlethwaite monologue that is played in full? How heavily does the absence of Sam Neill weigh? Is this whole film just a monster-movie version of We Bought A Zoo? Stay tuned for the post-credits scene where they brainstorm the possible names for this miniseries.

p.s. Ben is White Hot Benny in this one. Earning Comedy Points left and right.

### Milestones and Ephemera

* A tough impersonation assignment: Jeff Goldblum
* Merchandise Spotlight!
* The Griffin and David pitch for *Men In Black II*: dynamite (later explained in a mailbag episode)
* And as always, kick Colin Trevorrow in the dick.
* Box office game: Weekend of May 23, 1997
Ralph Breaks the Internet

look out, he's gonna rec it

**Ralph Breaks the Internet** (also known as **Rec-It Ben: Ben Breaks the Podcast**) is episode 194 focusing on the movie of that same name, part of the Standalones grouping of episodes and more specifically a Ben's Choice. Posted 2 December 2018.

## Summary

A long-awaited new Ben's Choice episode!

This week on Blank Check is a discussion of BOTH the original *Wreck-it-Ralph* and the sequel *Ralph Breaks the Internet*. Together, Griffin, David and Producer Ben examine the history of Disney Animation sequels, Chekhov’s Mentos, types of metals and the origins of *Spies in Disguise*. Plus, future friend-of-the-show John Hodgman (Vacationland) leaves a voicemail with a correction for the record.

As this episode was not prerecorded weeks or months in advance, Griffin and David took the opportunity to address some current movie-related news... but there were a couple of agenda items that were left on the table due to time overruns. Check out the episode on Big Eyes in a few months to maybe hear about those. Also, did we hear a strong implication that there will be an appearance by Ben's Dad on a future episode? Stay tuned!

### Milestones and Ephemera

* Rec it Ben
* Producer Ben's 3am texts to Griffin & David while he was drunkenly discovering *Wreck-It Ralph* for the first time.

Get yourself a friend -- or #TheTwoFriends -- that you can communicate your innermost feelings with like this.

* Griffin's impression of Jack McBrayer: he knows it's nowhere close
* Box office game: Weekend of November 23, 2018.

### Sponsors

* **Brooklinen:** Hey, Griffin finally cashed in and got his free sample, and now feels qualified to fully personally endorse their bedding: the best sheets he's ever had. And Griffin would know, since he likes to spend even more than 1/3 of his life in there when at all possible. www.brooklinen.com.... promo code: CHECK
* **Legacybox:** convert your collection of analog media, family memories and videos and film prints and all of it! legacybox.com/check
Pitch Black Commentary

**Pitch Black** is episode 105 of Blank Check: Special Features and a commentary on the 2000 film of the same name. This is the first episode of the Riddick franchise commentaries. Posted August 1, 2021.

## Summary

>
> BC:SF launches into a new franchise with 2000's *Pitch Black* (Theatrical Cut)! Topics include: Vin Diesel's early career, space buses, a Riddick themed Burning Man, Keith David always being great, and more!
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> **The movie starts at...12:12**
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* The summary is incorrect; they cover the Director's Cut *not* the Theatrical.

## References

1. ↑ Pitch Black on Patreon. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
Special Features March Madness 2020

**Special Features March Madness 2020** was a Special Features March Madness tournament for Patreon subscribers. The tournament determined the next series of franchise commentaries. Mission: Impossible was the eventual winner, with the special features commentaries beginning June 30, 2020. A commentary series on the runner up franchise, Alien began in October 2020.

## Summary

### March Madness FAQs

* The Special Features polls will be posted on Patreon only at 12 PM EST every day. Same time as Twitter for the main feed. But only Patreon subscribers can vote! So if you want a say you have to be #thethirdfriend!
* Polls will be up for 24 hrs so you have time to decide.
* Yes we know FF vs M:I is evil. That's what makes it fun 😈
* This year is categories, not just seeds. Action, comedy, horror, sci-fi, family, comic books.
* Frankenstein is the first four universal movies: Frankenstein, Bride, Son, Ghost
* Halloween is everything but Rob Zombie remakes

### Milestones and Ephemera

* The Twilight Saga, which was eliminated in round 1, went on to win in 2021.
* The Matrix, which was also eliminated in round 1, would be the subject of a commentary series in 2022 as a supplement to The Podchowski Casters.
* Star Trek (Originals) lost in the third round to Alien, was the subject of a commentary series in 2021.
* Planet of the Apes (Originals) was the runner up series in 2022, losing to the Roger Moore Bond films.
* The Qatsi Trilogy, which was eliminated in round 1, was subsequently the subject of a commentary series in 2023.
* The Terminator, which was eliminated in round 2, was the subject of a commentary series in early 2024.

## Tournament

### Round Three

patreon -- 3,261 total votes

 27 March 2020

patreon -- 3,164 total votes

patreon -- 3,233 total votes

### Round Four

patreon -- 3,300 total votes

patreon -- 3,502 total votes

## Featured Episodes

The March Madness 2020 recap episodes appeared on Blank Check: Special Features.
Something Wild

**Something Wild** is episode 249 focusing on the film of the same name directed by Jonathan Demme as part of the Stop Making Podcasts miniseries. Posted December 15, 2019.

## Summary

>
> From Comedy Bang Bang and the new film *Between Two Ferns: The Movie*, Scott Aukerman joins the two friends to talk about people who talk funny and that's their job now. What films did Ray Liotta think were stupid? Where did Sue Tissue, the original Manic Pixie Dream Girl, disappear to? Does Blue Velvet make sense if you miss the first few minutes? And how much did Jeff Daniels get paid to be in Dumb and Dumber?
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## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. Something Wild with Scott Aukerman. Audioboom. Retrieved on July 5, 2022.
Return of the Jedi Commentary

**Return of the Jedi** is episode 47 of the Blank Check: Special Features, and a commentary episode as part of the continuing coverage of the Star Wars Sequels. Posted March 1, 2020 and released from behind the paywall on March 1, 2023.

## Summary

> And so we’ve reached the final episode of the OT Star Wars commentary. Yes, *Episode VI – Return of the Jedi*. But it also marks the end of an era at Big Nice. Together, Griffin, David and Ben discuss the members of the Max Rebo Band, the purposeless of a throne room, the psyche of ol’ Georgey Porgey and finally close the book on Big Nice.
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* **Movie starts at 0:02:33**. David is itchin' to get right into it.
* It was both Griffin and David's favorite as children, and Griffin's until they rewatched for the podcast.
* The third installment in their Farewell to Big Nice series. Griffin once slept at Big Nice and Ben has never been upstairs.
* It is revealed that David is 1/4 Ewok on his mother's side.
Drive-In Special

**Drive-In Special** is episode 79 of Blank Check: Special Features and a standalone episode. Posted December 11, 2020 and released from behind the paywall on December 11, 2023.

## Summary

>
> On October 8th, 2020 the BC crew attended a NYC drive-in screening of 1998’s *Armageddon*. It was the first time they had seen each other IRL in many months. This special episode captures that day. Plus, a month later, they follow-up and check-in about their first time back at Da Moviesh. Please enjoy!
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* Producer Ang announced she's leaving Blank Check. She will be greatly missed!

## References

1. ↑ Drive-In Special on Patreon. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
The Hurt Locker

**The Hurt Locker** is episode 134 focusing on the movie of the same name, as part of the Pod-19: The Widowcaster miniseries covering the filmography of Kathryn Bigelow. Posted November 2017.

## Summary

>
> Sonia Saraiya (Variety) joins Griffin and David to discuss 2008’s bomb action-drama, The Hurt Locker. But will filming in 120 degree desert heat affect a production? How does this movie score with audiences and critics for its portrayal of the Iraq War? What about the cinematography helps to convey the feeling of being in combat? Together they discuss the significance of Bigelow winning for Best Picture, Jeremy Renner’s career and the difficulty of putting a straw into a Capri Sun.
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Sonia Saraiya comes back to the show for the first time since the early days in the broom-closet-sized UCB recording studio. After some near-miss appearances that were scotched due to scheduling, she sits down with #TheTwoFriends to discuss the first female-directed film to win Best Picture and Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow's masterpiece *The Hurt Locker*.

Given the tales from the set, this movie sounds a bit like it was Bigelow's version of The Abyss. No wonder she and James Cameron get along.

This was the lowest-grossing Academy Award Best Picture winner anyone can remember, and it had an unusual path to Oscar through things like the Spirit awards. It's also a rather unadorned portrait of a hypermasculine environment, to the point where Griffin's best childhood friend Sophie thought he was doing a two-hour-long bit when he told her a woman directed it.

As the first full-fledged effort in Bigelow's developing documentary-like style, for better and worse did this set the tone for everything she has done since? The movie had an insanely low ratio of footage used to footage discarded - combined with the middle-eastern filming locations, what effects did this have on the shoot, on the actors, and on the finished film? Does Jeremy Renner have a Resting Grump Face? And most relevantly, which Harry Potter movie is the best one?

### Milestones and Ephemera

* New Ben nickname: **The Voice Of Reason**
* Ben's Marvin the Martian impression: perfect
* Wisdom teeth: actually really stupid
* Box office game: Weekend of June 26, 2009/

## References

1. ↑ The Hurt Locker on Audioboom. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
Sleepless in Seattle

**Sleepless in Seattle** is episode 277 focusing on the 1993 film of the same name as part of the You've Got Podcast miniseries. Posted June 21, 2020.

## Summary

>
> Only Nora Ephron could make a rom-com where the leads interact for 2 minutes an instant classic. The BC crew makes a Tom and Meg inspired long distance call to Katey Rich (Vanity Fair) for Ephron's sophomore hit, *Sleepless in Seattle* (1993). We get into how rom-coms have risen and fallen, the lure of cool boat houses, and the enigma that is Chet Hanks.
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> ***For the month of June we will be spotlighting groups dedicated to and run by Black trans and non-binary people who need our help.***
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> This week's organization is:
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> The OKRA Project
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* Welcome to the Five-Timers Club, Katey!
* Griffin's drinking a Nancy pour of Skywalker Ranch rosé.
* Roger Elbert's review
* Griff's current pandemic binge: *The Critic*
* Fails the Buscemi test, passes the Chappie test.
* At time of release, the episode was the 6th longest of the podcast, but was soon bumped down the to 8th by Lucky Numbers and Bewitched -- also from the same miniseries. By 2022 it was no longer in the top 20.
* Box office game: Weekend of June 25, 1993.
* In the Spreadmaster's Delight episode, Griffin and David nominated Meg Ryan for Best Actress 1993.

## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. Sleepless in Seattle with Katey Rich. Audioboom. Retrieved on July 5, 2022.
The Keep

*For the Patreon episode about the role-playing game, see The Keep RPG.*

**The Keep** is episode 218 focusing on the movie of the same name, as part of The Cast of the Podhicans miniseries on the films of Michael Mann. Posted May 26, 2019.

## Summary

>
> Alex Ross Perry (Her Smell) returns to Blank Check to discuss 1983's *The Keep*. But is this technically a movie? Why is there an extended tangent about the TV show Bones? Is there a movie where anyone eats pizza before *E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial*? Together they discuss the Mount Rushmore of 1980s: Verhoeven, Schrader, De Palma and Friedkin, the creator of the Moviefone and also talk about *The Keep*.
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* Box office game: Weekend of December 16, 1983

## References

1. ↑ The Keep on Audioboom. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
Spider-Man: Homecoming Commentary

*This article is about the Patreon commentary on the Jon Watts Spider-Man movie. For other episodes about the friendly, neighborhood superhero, see Spider-Man.*

## Spider-Man: Homecoming

### Reddit thread

Link

**Spider-Man: Homecoming** is episode 27 of Blank Check: Special Features and a commentary episode on the Marvel Cinematic Universe film of the same name. Posted August 20, 2019.

## Summary

>
> ARP joined #thetwofriends and Producer Ben at Big Nice studios in Brooklyn, NY to discuss *Spider-Man: Homecoming*! Together they examine high school, childhood Marvel collectible trading cards, Phase 4 and more!
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* **Movie starts at 0:27:27**.
* Marvel: Five fabulous decades of the world's greatest comics by Les Daniels
* David liked high school?!
* Future (we hope) guest Zach Cherry is in this!
* Characters Ben’s into: Blood Wraith, Bloodaxe, Bloodhawk
* Alex’s high school signature: zAlex (you don’t pronounce the z, and the tail underlines his name).
* Ben’s trip rebellion: drinking vodka out of not quite cleaned out shampoo bottles. Alex’s trip rebellion: someone brought an N64 and they played Goldeneye all night.
* Alex went to the same high school as Lee Daniels, and has a story that’s too hot for patreon!
* When will *New Mutants* come out? Uhh it already did. Are you calling them liars?
* Griffin finally asks the question we have all been thinking: has Ben ever lit a fart on fire? Tune in for the answer, or just guess because I think you already know the answer.
* Is there a patreon number where David will release The Spreadsheet? Of course. He’s the Money Monster.
* Box office game: Weekend of July 7, 2017.

## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. Spider-Man: Homecoming. Patreon. Retrieved on September 25, 2022.
The Burger Report

**The Burger Report** is a glorious recurring feature that has absolutely nothing to do with anything related to the actual purpose of the podcast.

Whenever anyone on the show has a story about seeing a Fame-o eat a hamburger, they can file a Burger Report on the podcast. Eventually a hotline for listeners to file Burger Reports via voicemail was established, and those reports are eligible to air on the show.

## Criteria

**To file a Burger Report:** call 1-802-8-BURGER and leave a clear, complete, and concise voicemail with the name and perhaps the fame-o-worthiness of the Fame-o, where you saw them eating a burger, and any and all details you might have on the burger itself.

In order to be considered a true Burger Report, the food item **must** be called a burger. The protein does not need to be beef or even meat, but preferably the meat must be ground and shaped into a puck. However food items that are ground and shaped into a puck are not necessarily considered burgers (i.e. crab cakes). Sandwiches **DO NOT COUNT**.

## Appearances

Burger Reports are included in, but not necessarily limited to, these episodes:

### Other Foods

Eventually the bit devolved into **The Orange Twist Files** where Ben would recount drinks he made for fame-o's.

In The First Blank Check Mailbag David shot down the inclusion of **Bagel Chronicles**, limiting it just to Burger Reports.

In the 5th Anniversary Special, Emily St. James leaves a voicemail for the boys and at the end she files a Taco Report about Jon Favreau.

In the Joint Security Area episode David relates his story about Michael Shannon getting pastries.

### Other Reports

During the Cameron Crowe miniseries, some scandalous pics dropped of two-time Crowe collaborator Orlando Bloom resulting in many people sending the images to the hosts. They share the images with Producer Ben during the Suicide Squad as a **Penis Report**.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Commentary

**Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan** is episode 87 of Blank Check: Special Features, and is a commentary track for the 1982 film of the same. Posted March 1, 2021.

## Summary

>
> Join the Connoisseurs of Khan-text for more Trek commentary! Griffin, David, and Ben watched 1982's *Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan* (Director's Cut). Topics include: Kobayashi Maru, flaps = good, the acting/chest work of Ricardo Montalbán and more!
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> **The movie starts at...17:45**
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* Possible Congratulations items: something with mud flaps.
* A but if Ben's bullying: if you can speak Klingon, tie your shoes together and walk away. Listen to the whole episode for more!
* Definitely some issues with Griffin's audio, but it's not the end of the world.
* Griffin is endlessly pro-Diane (and thus anti-Rebecca and Saavik by proxy)
* Jamesy was all about General Casey
* Box office game: Weekend of June 4, 1982

## References

1. ↑ Star Trek II on Patreon. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
Sunshine

**Sunshine** is episode 417 focusing on the 2007 film of the same name as part of Trainspodcasting miniseries on the films of Danny Boyle. Posted March 19, 2023.

## Summary

>
> The time has come for us to board the Icarus II (awful name for a spaceship) and stare directly into the sun. First mentioned as a movie that rules way back when we were only a podcast about the Star Wars Prequels, Griffin and David finally get to cover Danny Boyle’s 2007 Science Fiction flop SUNSHINE. We’re getting into everything - the iconic score, the brilliantly restrictive use of colors, the hot scientist named Brian Cox (not Logan Roy) who served as a model for Cillian Murphy’s character, and the film’s very controversial third act. Staring into the sun? Bad idea. Taking the time to re-appraise this forgotten gem? A GREAT ONE.
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* In the grand tradition of highly anticipated episodes, Griff is sick again! He feels like he's stuck in a golden spacesuit!
* This movie has been bandied about as a potential episode going all the way back to the first episode of Attack of the Podcast.
* Adam Savage visits the Sunshine EVA suit
* Brian Cox (FUCK OFF!) commentary
* The score to this film is everywhere.
* #TheTwoFriends got to host a 35mm screening at the Metrograph on 3/19/2023.
* Buyer beware on the Blu-ray: the first edition is fucked.
* David's got this movie #5 on his (very competitive) 2007 spreadsheet. No acting noms though - it's tough to make the five!
* A blankie did in fact edit "Fix You" into the ending!
* Box office game: Weekend of July 20, 2007

### Sponsors

* M-U-B-I- You Ain't Got No Alibi - We Love Movies!
	+ Rec's: DePalma's Obsession, Kedi, Hardcore, Modern Romance, Nina Menkes movies, LVT's The Kingdom and Decision to Leave.
	+ Also lots of MM directors are on there.

## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. Sunshine. Audioboom. Retrieved on March 19, 2023.
2. ↑ u/reecemysocksoff. Sunshine - "Fix You" Ending. Reddit. Retrieved on March 21, 2023.
The Manchurian Candidate

**The Manchurian Candidate** is episode 258 focusing on the film of the same name directed by Jonathan Demme as part of the Stop Making Podcasts miniseries. Posted February 23, 2020.

## Summary

>
> The Flop House joins Blank Check to talk about this remake that was like okay, but definitely better than the last Demme remake. Is Meryl good or weird? Why is a pack of cards so sexy? How many films and TV shows are there about last men? How do you get rid of ants? What mysteries are still left unanswered? And what does the Flop House think about Trolls the Experience?
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> SFX: "Organ" by caquet; "movietheatreambience"  by NoiseCollector;  "curtain on rail" by Khanyi\_190188; and "COUCH - falling on couch" by Jay6Waza. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.
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## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. The Manchurian Candidate. Audioboom. Retrieved on February 21, 2022.