Blank Check with Griffin & David

I learn so much about culture and film from the two friends. It’s totally changed the way I watch movies! Plus the show has led me to discover filmmakers I hadn’t heard of before. (Elaine May!) Griffin and David are really generous with their approach. The tone of the show is never mocking. Even when they cover flops, they look for things to appreciate. It’s such a lovely and open way to look at art.

It’s the best. It’s a vibe. There are (no) bits. If you don’t like the episode lengths, don’t listen. Everyone else pick a movie you’ve never seen or a guest you like and dig in.

A quick google search will yield the twenty or so episodes that are worth listening to; you can safely skip the rest. Occasionally these people produce an episode that is brimming with passion (i.e. the Mad Max: Furiosa episode or the Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me episode), chock full of tantalizing details, and serves as an ersatz biography of its creator. A few episodes are genuinely funny (i.e. The War Horse episode). These episodes are extremely enjoyable and deliver the kind of analysis and insight I’m looking for. But, most episodes are rambling journeys into the hosts’ uninteresting lives and offer little insight into the films they cover. Cringe theater kid ad reads, ludicrous hot takes from guest and hosts alike, and dull anecdotes abound. Oblique insults aimed at funnier people (Nick Mullen etc.) or the invocation of their far superior antecedents (Scott Aukerman) highlight the hosts’ own comedic dearth. If you’re a Mad Max fan you have to listen to their Furiosa episode.

If you’re looking for a podcast about clocking things and taking flyers, then this is the show for you.