Check the Gate - The Menu

Check the Gate - Akira Kurosawa's Dreams

Gretchen and Martin return with one of the most beautiful films made by Akira Kurosawa. Dreams is a magnificent film the reimagines a personal existence across childhood into adulthood and the throws of WWII and the other side of that through the cultural changes of a post-nuclear Japan. Lavish and haunting, this film is truly a masterpiece. Kurosawa is one of the greatest filmmakers of all time and this movie is the prime example of his wonderful and complex emotions on screen. https://www.instagram.com/checkthegatepodcast/ https://www.checkthegatepodcast.com/

Check the Gate - Heavy Metal

It's one of the greatest animated movies of all time. It's literally the personification of sex, drugs and rock & roll. With aliens, zombies, robots and a warrior queen. Ripped John Candy. Macho Eugene Levy. Cheap Trick at the top of their musical game. Dan O'Bannon is writing some of his coolest work every. This film hits all the nostalgia cylinders. Come along with Martin and Gretchen as we talk about Heavy Metal. Martin and Gretchen talk movies and more at Check the Gate. Follow along and chat with us on Instagram @checkthegatepodcast . Report instances of harassment or abuse connected to this show to the Creator Accountability Network here: https://creatoraccountabilitynetwork.org/resources/make-a-report/

Check the Gate - Streets of Fire

Sorry for the long break. March was madness but we are back with a new episode, and it's a great one. Streets of Fire, the 1984 Michael Paré taking the leading man role. Willem Dafoe doing his best Green Goblin before Spider-Man was even on the Marvel map. Diane Lane being Diane Lane. Academy Award winner Amy Madigan being epic. Rick Moranis as you've never seen him before. It's a round robin of action, drama, rockabilly biker fun. Latex bib overalls. Sledgehammer duals. Seriously, what more could anyone want? Martin and Gretchen talk movies and more at Check the Gate [https://www.checkthegatepodcast.com/]. Follow along and chat with us on Instagram @checkthegatepodcast .

Check the Gate - The Muppet Movie

This episode is the palate cleanser we have been needing. The Muppet Movie is pure joy, and you definitely need that in your life. This wonderful film from 1979 is exemplary filmmaking. Every aspect of this film is perfection. The effects. The sets. The cameos. There is no aspect of this film that isn't perfect and wonderful.  Martin and Gretchen talk movies and more at Check the Gate [https://www.checkthegatepodcast.com/]. Follow along and chat with us on Instagram @checkthegatepodcast .

Check the Gate - Strange Days

Season two begins where season one left off. When last we talked about movies, Gretchen and I had watch Ralph Fiennes in The Menu. So to ring in 2026, we watched the Ralph Fiennes 1995 cyberpunk film, Strange Days. This Kathryn Bigelow film comes after the amazing Point Blank and the extremely amazing vampire film, Near Dark. Strange Days gives us an amazing look ahead at video as a tool of the future, social media, voice to text messaging and a power structure controlled by the wealthy. Video drugs, double crosses, extra judicial killings and Tom Sizemore's ugly wig. It's a crazy ride that is not always for the timid.  Martin and Gretchen talk movies and more at Check the Gate [https://www.checkthegatepodcast.com/]. Follow along and chat with us on Instagram @checkthegatepodcast .