Our Danny Boyle series comes to an end with a mind-bending movie that dares to ask the question, “What if The Beatles didn’t exist?” Severance’s Zach Cherry makes his long-overdue first appearance on the pod to profess his love Boyle’s most recent film, while David nearly has a stroke from trying to wrap his brain around all its logic loops. We’re asking all the big questions - if the Beatles never existed, would Charles Manson? If cigarettes never existed, how would that change the colonization of the New World? If John Lennon is alive in this universe, does this mean that Paul is actually dead? When does Ana de Armas show up?

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Yesterday with Zach Cherry

From the twisted mind of Park Chan-Wook, it’s…a surprisingly sensitive romance set in a mental hospital? Writer and Comedian Karen Chee joins us to chat about 2006’s I’M A CYBORG, BUT THAT’S OKAY - a real outlier in Park’s career, and a commercial disappointment after the global success of his Vengeance Trilogy. Would it surprise you to learn that this film was inspired by, of all things, TOY STORY? Is this the best Park film to remake with a cast of Muppets? Are any of the film’s mental illnesses based in reality? All that, and more, in a very silly episode.

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I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK with Karen Chee

The time has come for us to talk about one of the most successful, most influential, most respected American filmmakers of the past 30 years. That’s right, we’re talking about the director of ALIEN3, David “Da Finchman” Fincher! We’re kicking off “The Curious Pod of Benjamin Buttcast” in style, pressing play on our Alien Quadrilogy Blu-Ray with guest Matt Singer - and you better believe we’re watching the “extended cut” in “Mu-th-ur Mode”! Join us as we give some light background on young “Dave” Fincher, alleged neighbor of George Lucas and director of Madonna music videos and smoking fetus PSAs. We’re going long on the troubled production of ALIEN 3 - a franchise film that has such disdain for its audience that we can’t help but love and respect it. No Newt? NO PROBLEMO. Do you want to do the dance with Charles Dance? So do we!

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Pre-order Matt’s Book “Opposable Thumbs” Available Oct 24, 2023

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Alien³ with Matt Singer

Who loves Da Finchman? These guys do! MTV Movie Award-losing duo Mitch and Nick of the Doughboys join us to talk about David Fincher’s breakthrough hit - the nasty noir SE7EN. What can you expect from this episode? Lots of talk about “playground rumors” related to what this movie does and doesn’t actually show, a full taxonomy of Kevin Spacey’s on-screen persona, the true identity of the Zodiac killer, and a VERY Doughboys description of the film’s “gluttony” murder.


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Se7en with Mike Mitchell & Nick Wiger

Congratulations! If you are listening to this episode, it means you’ve discovered the key in the mouth of the wooden clown we placed in your driveway. Actor, musician, and handsome man Brendan Hines joins us this week as we lead you on an immersive, life-changing experience through David Fincher’s The Game. We understand you may have some questions. How much did this whole thing cost? Is cocaine a requirement for every Michael Douglas movie? What’s Deborah Kara Unger up to these days? Did Charles Martinet say “it’s a-meeee, daddio!” when he jumped off the roof? We will try our best to answer these enquiries, but please note that CRS is not liable to disclose all of its innerworkings to clients.

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The Game with Brendan Hines

Nerts! Are you folks ready to get MANK-PILLED? We advise that you start by “mankro-dosing” David Fincher’s 2020 exploration of the life and times of cantankerous screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz. The Big Picture’s Sean Fennessey joins us to chat about Fincher’s first Netflix feature, and we’re asking all the important questions. Would this film have a better reputation if it had been titled “manK!” ? Will there be a film made 40 years from now entitled “SORK” about Aaron Sorkin, David Fincher, Mark Zuckerberg, and the making of THE SOCIAL NETWORK? Is Mank the “Jabba the Hut of cynicism”? Will Griffin use this episode as another excuse to talk about The Offer?

Guest Links: 
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Mank with Sean Fennessey

We’re wrapping up our Fincher series with his latest release - a stripped-down, gig-economy hitman thriller - THE KILLER. Is Michael Fassbender’s unnamed hitman actually good at his job, or a total goober? How do your friends at Blank Check feel about The Smiths? Where do the Two Friends put MANK in their final Fincher rankings? And - is Griffin okay, or has he fallen too deep inside the Gaylor Swift rabbit hole?

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The Killer with Marie Bardi

Rachel Sanders (Buzzfeed) joins Griffin and David to discuss James Cameron’s 1984 game changing action sci-fi, The Terminator. But why did this movie become a model for major studios for the next 30+ years? How has the special effects aged? What happened to Pugsley the iguana and did he continue to work in Hollywood? Together they examine the outstanding performances of Hamilton, Schwarzenegger and Biehn, the weird sex scene, Cameron’s many marriages and O.J. Simpson rumored as a potential Terminator.

Blank Check with Griffin & David

The Terminator with Rachel Sanders

This week the BC crew discusses 2009’s 3D sci-fi epic Avatar. But are trees nature’s internet? Is this the ultimate cultural appropriation movie? Does the public need four more Avatar movies? Together they examine the performances of the cast including Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Giovanni Ribisi, breaking box office records, review the winners of the Academy Award for Best Cinematography over the last few years and argue about Coraline. Plus, another merchandise spotlight and announce the next new mini-series!

Avatar

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.

But seriously what IS chaos math? Why does this film unfold similarly to a video game? What does Isla Nublar roughly translate to?

Together #thetwofriends discuss the careers of Laura Dern, Vince Vaughn, Jeff Goldblum, convenient islands, life finding a way and a epic Pete Postlethwaite monologue.

The Lost World: Jurassic Park

Friend and host of Classroom Crush podcast (https://www.classroomcrush.com/) Rebecca Bulnes joins Griffin and David to discuss 1988's masterpiece, Beetlejuice! But was this film nearly called Scared Sheetless? Is this Alec Baldwin at his most handsome? Does Rebecca want to date Beetlejuice? Together they examine the careers of Geena Davis, Catherine O'Hara and Michael Keaton, growing up as a goth snake girl and the greatness of pre-CGI Burton special effects and practical design.

This episode is sponsored by Brooklinen (https://brooklinen.com/ CODE: CHECK) and Bombfell (https://www.bombfell.com/check).

Plus, big announcement for 2019: Blank Check is launching a Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/blankcheck)!

And check out Producer Ben Hosley on a recent episode of Classroom Crush: https://www.classroomcrush.com/episodes/2018/12/12/cant-quit-cray-with-ben-hosley-season-2-premiere

Beetlejuice with Rebecca Bulnes

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.

Beetlejuice with Rebecca Bulnes

Blank Check Podcast

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