Blank Check with Griffin & David

Dead Poets Society with Nia DaCosta

Boys and girls, please open your textbooks. Rip out the pages. Carpe Diem. We're seizing the day and talking about 1989's Dead Poets Society with filmmaker Nia DaCosta in this episode, but don't get too wild and change your name to Nuwanda or anything! This week, we discuss House MD, prep schools, the fact that David Sims played Puck in a high school production, and Robin Williams' Oscar legacy. O Podcast, my podcast! Read about Franny's weirder cut [https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2025/7/21/francis-ford-coppola] Check out Jack Black's YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@JackBlackOfficial] Sign up for Check Book [https://blankcheckpod.substack.com/welcome], the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won’t want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. [http://www.patreon.com/blankcheck] Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter [https://x.com/blankcheckpod?lang=en], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/blankcheckpod/?hl=en], Threads [https://www.threads.net/@blankcheckpod?xmt=AQGzctAh4mbWTwYzCV1pzNT6AMV9o99EOfymi8TLR5mTde0] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/blankcheckpodcast/]!  Buy some real nerdy merch [https://kinshipgoods.com/blankcheck] Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit [https://www.reddit.com/r/blankies/s/gpcOkQr8Sv] or Discord [https://discord.gg/Q6YGSR3JrA] For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com [https://www.blankcheckpod.com/] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

The Mosquito Coast with Sean Fennessey

We all have those moments where we just want to disengage from conventional society. We often yearn to go "off the grid." But, would we ever want to go to the Mosquito Coast? HELL NO. Sean Fennessey joins us to chat about Peter Weir's 1986 film that tests the limits of Harrison Ford's likability to the extent that Ben Hosley would describe it as "anti-smile." Allie Fox is a bad hang. The Mosquito Coast? GOOD MOVIE. Listen to Griffin and David on the Big Picture [https://open.spotify.com/episode/0sdlkXbFIo3ULuekVIX0F1?si=oNzgLW8KR9m3lpkCBm6Xdg] Watch Harrison Ford on Conan spoil Star Wars 7 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IyVwEoWw4w] The Great Railway Bazaar [https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-great-railway-bazaar-paul-theroux?variant=39937681031202] Read Roger Ebert’s review of Paul Blart Mall Cop [https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/paul-blart-mall-cop-2009] Read Rembert Explains America: Burning Man Forever [https://grantland.com/features/rembert-explains-america-burning-man/] Listen to The A24 Podcast: A Bigger Canvas with Martin Scorsese & Joanna Hogg [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-bigger-canvas-with-martin-scorsese-joanna-hogg/id1351044991?i=1000438151935] Dive into the Hogg-verse with Davis piece on Joanna Hogg [https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2022/12/joanna-hogg-the-souvenir-eternal-daughter-movie-interview/672522/] Watch Ham Hat [https://www.vioobu.com/ham-hat] Sign up for Check Book [https://blankcheckpod.substack.com/welcome], the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won’t want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. [http://www.patreon.com/blankcheck] Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter [https://x.com/blankcheckpod?lang=en], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/blankcheckpod/?hl=en], Threads [https://www.threads.net/@blankcheckpod?xmt=AQGzctAh4mbWTwYzCV1pzNT6AMV9o99EOfymi8TLR5mTde0] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/blankcheckpodcast/]!  Buy some real nerdy merch [https://kinshipgoods.com/blankcheck] Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit [https://www.reddit.com/r/blankies/s/gpcOkQr8Sv] or Discord [https://discord.gg/Q6YGSR3JrA] For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com [https://www.blankcheckpod.com/] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Witness with Amanda Dobbins

Strap in, DobMob...we're going to Amish Country! The Big Picture's Amanda Dobbins joins us to talk about Peter Weir's Witness, perhaps the zenith of Harrison Ford's hotness, and the film that garnered him his sole Oscar nomination. We're talking Rumspringa, birds and birdhouses (Amanda is not a fan), Philadelphia's 30th Street Station, and young Viggo (which naturally lends itself to LOTR discussion). Listen up, or else you'll be shunned from the Blankie community! Listen to Griffin and Ben on The Daily Zeitgeist⁠ [https://omny.fm/shows/the-daily-zeitgeist/movies-that-built-the-zeigeist-with-griffin-and-ben-from-blank-check-08-26-25#sharing] ⁠Check out the Kyle Chandler Men's Health Cover mentioned ⁠ [https://www.ebay.com/itm/274637799858] ⁠Watch Tracy Letts talk shit about Star Wars⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@thebigpicturepod/video/7552212706229620023] ⁠Read Roger Ebert's Review⁠ [https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/witness-1985] ⁠Listen to The Big Picture⁠ [The%20Big%20Picture%20|%20Podcast%20on%20Spotify%20%20Spotify%20https://open.spotify.com%20%E2%80%BA%20show] ⁠Listen to Jam Session⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/show/5KfKr4ORhLv7Rj8a5mwsNU?si=f42782d67ac84ed4] Sign up for Check Book [https://blankcheckpod.substack.com/welcome], the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won’t want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. [http://www.patreon.com/blankcheck] Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter [https://x.com/blankcheckpod?lang=en], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/blankcheckpod/?hl=en], Threads [https://www.threads.net/@blankcheckpod?xmt=AQGzctAh4mbWTwYzCV1pzNT6AMV9o99EOfymi8TLR5mTde0] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/blankcheckpodcast/]!  Buy some real nerdy merch [https://kinshipgoods.com/blankcheck] Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit [https://www.reddit.com/r/blankies/s/gpcOkQr8Sv] or Discord [https://discord.gg/Q6YGSR3JrA] For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com [https://www.blankcheckpod.com/] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

The Year of Living Dangerously with Tracy Letts

Tracy Letts - Pulitzer and Tony winner, but most importantly The King of Physical Media - makes his much-anticipated Blank Check debut on an episode about a film that has no legitimate BluRay release. The irony! This week, we're discussing Peter Weir's The Year of Living Dangerously, a romantic drama set against the backdrop of Indonesian political unrest. We're discussing the star-power of Mel Gibson, the improbable performance of Linda Hunt, and, because this is Blank Check - the trench run at the end of Star Wars. Plus, we present the King of Physical Media with some meticulously chosen discs. Log your physical media using CLZ [https://clz.com/movies] Check out Night Owl Video [https://nightowlvid.com/] if your are in the Brooklyn area. ⁠Listen to The 1988 Movie Draft [https://www.theringer.com/podcasts/the-big-picture/2026/03/26/the-1988-movie-draft], The 1982 Movie Draft [https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=Awrijqc4h85pUiQAK04PxQt.;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1776352313/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fwww.theringer.com%2fpodcasts%2fthe-big-picture%2f2025%2f03%2f21%2fthe-1982-movie-draft/RK=2/RS=rHxYkhJgC6Nh0wwPkCw3lpxZs08-]and The Legal Draft Episode [https://www.theringer.com/podcasts/the-big-picture/2023/10/24/the-lawyer-movie-draft-with-griffin-newman-and-david-sims-of-blank-check]s of The Big Picture Read the Linda Hunt Interview [https://bombmagazine.org/articles/1986/07/01/linda-hunt/] Listen to Mike Duncan's Revolutions [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/revolutions/id703889772] Sign up for Check Book [https://blankcheckpod.substack.com/welcome], the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won’t want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. [http://www.patreon.com/blankcheck] Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter [https://x.com/blankcheckpod?lang=en], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/blankcheckpod/?hl=en], Threads [https://www.threads.net/@blankcheckpod?xmt=AQGzctAh4mbWTwYzCV1pzNT6AMV9o99EOfymi8TLR5mTde0] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/blankcheckpodcast/]!  Buy some real nerdy merch [https://kinshipgoods.com/blankcheck] Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit [https://www.reddit.com/r/blankies/s/gpcOkQr8Sv] or Discord [https://discord.gg/Q6YGSR3JrA] For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com [https://www.blankcheckpod.com/] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Gallipoli with Jennifer Kent

This week, we are honored to welcome Australian filmmaker Jennifer Kent to the podcast as we discuss Peter Weir's devastating classic Gallipoli. In addition to bringing much needed context on the history of Australian cinema, this episode also delves into the significance of the Gallipoli Campaign in the Aussie national consciousness, the undersung career of actor Mark Lee, and the genius of Peter Weir's approach to telling this story. Plus, we get to ask Jennifer about her role in Babe: Pig in the City AND we ask her to tell her buddy Justin Kurzel how much Ben loves his Assassin's Creed movie. Sign up for Check Book [https://blankcheckpod.substack.com/welcome], the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your pop culture obsession. Dossier excerpts, film biz AND burger reports, and even more exclusive content you won’t want to miss out on. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. [http://www.patreon.com/blankcheck] Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter [https://x.com/blankcheckpod?lang=en], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/blankcheckpod/?hl=en], Threads [https://www.threads.net/@blankcheckpod?xmt=AQGzctAh4mbWTwYzCV1pzNT6AMV9o99EOfymi8TLR5mTde0] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/blankcheckpodcast/]!  Buy some real nerdy merch [https://kinshipgoods.com/blankcheck] Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit [https://www.reddit.com/r/blankies/s/gpcOkQr8Sv] or Discord [https://discord.gg/Q6YGSR3JrA] For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com [https://www.blankcheckpod.com/] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]