Don't Encourage Us

Captain America: Brave New World — Why the MCU Can't Handle More Filler & the Case for Isaiah Bradley

Sam Wilson has the shield. Harrison Ford has the best arc in the film. And somehow Captain America: Brave New World still doesn't have a main character. We break down what went wrong, what worked, and what Marvel should do next — including the one character from this film who deserves his own series. Jump to the 30-minute mark for the Captain America 4 deep dive. Spoilers throughout from that point. Reach the show at DontEncourage@gmail.com [DontEncourage@gmail.com] Stop by and discourage us on Instagram, [https://www.instagram.com/dontencourageus/]X [https://twitter.com/DontEncourageUs], TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@dontencourageus], Discord [https://discord.com/channels/1123358116570992695/1123358117602799717], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZf8-1PhOWTZS_N9kxfUfxw], and Threads [https://www.threads.net/@dontencourageus] https://linktr.ee/dontencourageus [https://linktr.ee/dontencourageus] Listen to all the music we've discussed in every episode so far on our Encouraged Grooves [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1GoDjD0PwbxLTfJswVRJB0FYBQJl2z4p] playlist on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1GoDjD0PwbxLTfJswVRJB0FYBQJl2z4p] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4E88yg9hVP7ZYzy5Io7X89?si=ae0e5d47902545b2] and find your next favorite song.

Story Break: UNESCO's Agent - Plus, Why Deadpool Works Without a Plot & What Russian Sci-Fi Gets Right About Mud

A plot can be broken and a film can still work. Deadpool & Wolverine is Exhibit A — we break down exactly why the character work and tonal execution carried a thinly-plotted story to $1.3B, and what that says about where creative effort actually needs to go. Then: Roadside Picnic and Tarkovsky's Stalker — a novel and a film that strip science fiction down to what it's really about. And in Story Break: we develop UNESCO's Agent, a thriller concept built around a secret operative whose only mission is to protect World Heritage Sites that no government will defend. Half James Bond, half Grey Man, with a character whose bitterness toward people makes him perfectly suited to protect what we've left behind. Story Break is a recurring segment where the hosts develop original creative concepts from scratch — films, series, games, and formats that don't exist yet. No existing IP. No reviews. Just the work of making something. Reach the show at DontEncourage@gmail.com [DontEncourage@gmail.com] Stop by and discourage us on Instagram, [https://www.instagram.com/dontencourageus/]X [https://twitter.com/DontEncourageUs], TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@dontencourageus], Discord [https://discord.com/channels/1123358116570992695/1123358117602799717], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZf8-1PhOWTZS_N9kxfUfxw], and Threads [https://www.threads.net/@dontencourageus] https://linktr.ee/dontencourageus [https://linktr.ee/dontencourageus] Listen to all the music we've discussed in every episode so far on our Encouraged Grooves [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1GoDjD0PwbxLTfJswVRJB0FYBQJl2z4p] playlist on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1GoDjD0PwbxLTfJswVRJB0FYBQJl2z4p] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4E88yg9hVP7ZYzy5Io7X89?si=ae0e5d47902545b2] and find your next favorite song.

Deadpool & Wolverine: Did It Un-F*ck the MCU?

In an uncharacteristically focused episode, our host dives headfirst into Deadpool & Wolverine and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Joined by frequent guest and friend of the show, Matt Baughman, and new guest, Variant Steve, the gang dissects Deadpool 3, starring the ever-sarcastic Ryan Reynolds, and the future of Marvel's cinematic landscape. Don't panic – the first 30 minutes are SPOILER FREE. And then we ruin everything. What happened?! What does it all mean?! Did Deadpool un-f*ck the MCU?! Why should Matt stop eating Swedish fish?! Buckle up for a chaotic ride through Deadpool 3 and the MCU with the madness that is Don't Encourage Us. Check out Steve Custer's work at Starwipe Films [https://starwipefilms.com/]and Matthew Baughman's here. [https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Matt-Baughman/] Then stalk your celebrity prey online at  @spidey_steve [https://www.instagram.com/spidey_steve/] and @mattybaughs [https://www.instagram.com/mattybaughs/]on Instagram. Reach the show at DontEncourage@gmail.com [DontEncourage@gmail.com] Stop by and discourage us on Instagram, [https://www.instagram.com/dontencourageus/]X [https://twitter.com/DontEncourageUs], TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@dontencourageus], Discord [https://discord.com/channels/1123358116570992695/1123358117602799717], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZf8-1PhOWTZS_N9kxfUfxw], and Threads [https://www.threads.net/@dontencourageus] https://linktr.ee/dontencourageus [https://linktr.ee/dontencourageus] Listen to all the music we've discussed in every episode so far on our Encouraged Grooves [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1GoDjD0PwbxLTfJswVRJB0FYBQJl2z4p] playlist on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1GoDjD0PwbxLTfJswVRJB0FYBQJl2z4p] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4E88yg9hVP7ZYzy5Io7X89?si=ae0e5d47902545b2] and find your next favorite song.

The List: No One Can Save You, Late Night with the Devil, 1984, X-Men '97, & How to Actually Prompt AI

A format experiment: no main topic, just the list. What happens when Apple spends a fortune on science fiction and keeps treating the sci-fi as a gimmick? Why does No One Can Save You work when so many horror films with bigger budgets don't? Is Late Night with the Devil actually scary, or just slow? What the 1984 film gets right about love that most people would rather not hear. And a genuinely useful detour into how to prompt AI tools properly — specifically, why telling ChatGPT what you want isn't enough, and what to say instead. Plus X-Men '97, the quietly best MCU property in years. This is a new format for the show — no deep dive, just the list. Tell us if you want more of these. Reach the show at DontEncourage@gmail.com [DontEncourage@gmail.com] Stop by and discourage us on Instagram, [https://www.instagram.com/dontencourageus/]X [https://twitter.com/DontEncourageUs], TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@dontencourageus], Discord [https://discord.com/channels/1123358116570992695/1123358117602799717], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZf8-1PhOWTZS_N9kxfUfxw], and Threads [https://www.threads.net/@dontencourageus] https://linktr.ee/dontencourageus [https://linktr.ee/dontencourageus] Listen to all the music we've discussed in every episode so far on our Encouraged Grooves [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1GoDjD0PwbxLTfJswVRJB0FYBQJl2z4p] playlist on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1GoDjD0PwbxLTfJswVRJB0FYBQJl2z4p] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4E88yg9hVP7ZYzy5Io7X89?si=ae0e5d47902545b2] and find your next favorite song.

Godzilla Minus One

Brace yourselves as the intrepid hosts of Don't Encourage Us dive into the profound themes and stunning visuals of Godzilla Minus One (2023). This week, they explore the humanity, honor, and redemption depicted in this latest installment of the Godzilla franchise. Was it just another monster movie, or did it bring something new to the table? They discuss how the film compares to other Godzilla movies, its special effects, and the emotional depth of its characters. Plus, they touch on their recent reads, including the Three-Body Problem series, Outlaws and more.. Get ready for a deep dive into fiction, history, and the nature of monsters - you know, just real quick. You can stream "Godzilla Minus One" on several platforms. Here are the options available: Netflix [https://www.netflix.com/title/81767635] Amazon Prime Video [https://www.amazon.com/Godzilla-Minus-One-Ryunosuke-Kamiki/dp/B0D4HMX44T] Other Platforms: Additionally, you can buy or rent it on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Vudu, Microsoft Store, and Spectrum On Demand   Reach the show at DontEncourage@gmail.com [DontEncourage@gmail.com] Stop by and discourage us on Instagram, [https://www.instagram.com/dontencourageus/]X [https://twitter.com/DontEncourageUs], TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@dontencourageus], Discord [https://discord.com/channels/1123358116570992695/1123358117602799717], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZf8-1PhOWTZS_N9kxfUfxw], and Threads [https://www.threads.net/@dontencourageus] https://linktr.ee/dontencourageus [https://linktr.ee/dontencourageus] Listen to all the music we've discussed in every episode so far on our Encouraged Grooves [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1GoDjD0PwbxLTfJswVRJB0FYBQJl2z4p] playlist on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1GoDjD0PwbxLTfJswVRJB0FYBQJl2z4p] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4E88yg9hVP7ZYzy5Io7X89?si=ae0e5d47902545b2] and find your next favorite song.