The W.H.Y. Podcast

When David recommended this week’s movie way back in episode 6, he was stunned that Justin had never seen it. A plan was devised to watch some of the movie’s inspirations, which include Singin’ in the Rain , Casablanca , and Rebel Without a Cause (all of which were first-time watches for David). Now , faithful Whyhaventologists, your hosts can finally ask a question that has been months in the mak...

The W.H.Y. Podcast ushers in its first Halloween episode with a quintessential Alfred Hitchcock film, the 1960 horror/suspense classic, Psycho ! This is a first-time watch for David, who knew the story’s big twists going in (which surely would have left Hitchcock nonplussed). Along the way, the boys discuss boring beefcakes, Chekhov’s toilet bowl, and Justin somehow manages to work in references t...

In the third and final pitstop in The W.H.Y. Podcast’s “Road to La La Land ” series, the boys discuss James Dean’s most celebrated film, Rebel Without a Cause . Surging hormones and edgy aphorisms abound in this tragic tale of delinquency, but can your hosts tap into their own angsty pasts to identify with the film’s young rebels? Talking points include James Dean’s Aragorn moment, DJ Jazzy Jeff &...

Thirteen years before Christian Bale prowled the alleys of Gotham City looking for villains to pummel, he took to the cobbled streets of old Manhattan to sing and dance his way into audiences’ hearts. All topics are on the table as your hosts discuss Disney’s 1992 movie musical, Newsies . Talking points include the Tony award-winning Broadway musical, the film’s passionate fandom, director Kenny O...

Join your hosts for the second installment of the movies that inspired Damien Chazelle’s La La Land as they discuss an all-time classic, Casablanca . Along the way, Marvel, Star Wars, and Looney Tunes are referenced, MacGuffins are debated, and an invitation is extended to Mr. Ryan Gosling. Plus, Justin dons his history hat to channel the Encyclopedia Britannica , and David flirts with cinematic h...

Holy diamond jubilee! Batman: The Movie debuted 60 years ago on July 30, 1966. Does the dynamic duo’s first full-length feature film stand the test of time, or is it a total bomb? And how does Adam West’s caped crusader stack up against the many cinematic Batmans (Batmen? Batpeople?) who have followed in his footsteps? Join intrepid hosts David and Justin as they shine a spotlight on rubber sharks...

The W.H.Y. Podcast’s path to covering La La Land begins with one of its inspirations, 1952’s Singin’ in the Rain . No discussion of what is arguably one of the greatest musicals ever made would be complete without references to banana oil and monkey fur. Talking points include a Blade Runner mashup musical, an unlikely connection to Ridley Scott’s Alien , and the artistic merits of dream ballets....

Please join David and Justin for this special amuse-bouche of an episode as they mark an auspicious milestone: the midway point of The W.H.Y. Podcast’s first season. Before his first-time watch, David makes predictions about The Shining (which may or may not be informed by The Simpsons ). Meanwhile, Justin is less than loquacious about the rest of season one’s movies. Plus, be sure to listen to th...

The boys discuss their second John Carpenter film, 1988’s They Live . High school celebrity crushes are discussed, Carpenter’s oeuvre is ranked, and the merits of the film’s iconic fight scene are debated. Plus, stick around for a “post-credits scene” wherein David and Justin hatch a plan to watch the movies that inspired Damien Chazelle’s 2016 musical, La La Land …! Comments? Questions? Contact u...

Jared Hess’s Napoleon Dynamite is a quirky little indie film that holds a special place in David’s quirky little heart. But will Justin (who is watching this for the very first time!) feel the same way? Talking points include Eraserhead what-ifs, Justin’s thoughts about human zoos, and how David is grossed out by eggs. You can view Aaron Ruell’s photography here Comments? Questions? Contact us at...

In this week’s episode, your intrepid hosts quickly realize there’s something about Mary in the 1962 indie horror classic, Carnival of Souls . Talking points include Elliot Ghoul, organs, and the iPod Video. Plus, how do David and Justin land themselves in cinema jail yet again with truly “juicy” (and wholly unexpected) missed-movie revelations? Can Whyhaventology redeem them?? Watch The Film That...

To paraphrase Boromir, son of Denethor, one does not simply discuss Glengarry Glen Ross without earning an explicit rating. Read the Vanity Fair 30th anniversary oral history here Read the 1984 WFMT Studs Terkel radio interview with David Mamet here Watch Paul Piff’s Ted Talk: Does money make you mean? here Comments? Questions? Contact us at whyhaventyoupod@gmail.com Follow us on Bluesky for show...

In this episode, the boys put Peter Hyams’ 1981 movie Outland under the microscope to answer only the most salient questions: How many exploding heads is too many? Is a racquetball court really the best place for a therapy session? And just how did Earth’s most annoying mailman get strung out on space meth? Justin will be on the edge of his seat to see if this gritty reimagining of the 1952 classi...

Can four hippies and their popsicle commander disarm a sentient nuclear device as they grapple with the finer points of phenomenology (all while battling a living beachball)? These questions and more will be answered when Justin introduces David to his favorite “bomb”-com, John Carpenter’s 1974 cult classic, Dark Star . But which host hasn’t seen a certain Sean Connery film from the same year? Or...

Studio Ghibli is renowned for popular fantasy films like My Neighbor Totoro , Spirited Away , and Howl’s Moving Castle . In a very special rewatch episode, David and Justin discuss Hayao Miyazaki and Yoshifumi Kondō’s coming-of-age story Whisper of the Heart , an underrated Ghibli gem that’s magical in its own way. But does this bold reimagining of the 1989 romance manga remain faithful to the sou...

Is Melancholia a gateway movie into the Lars von Trier Cinematic Universe? Is it wrong to find the humor in the total annihilation of life as we know it? And where’s that campaign tagline?? Listen in to find out the answers to these and other burning questions! Lots of unseen movies are discussed, but are they earth-shattering revelations? Intro music by Andrew Zap. Discover more of his music on S...

This 2006 tale of a waylaid Hollywood stuntman is not to be confused with another cinematic fall guy. A first-time watch for both hosts, David and Justin weigh forth on Tarsem Singh’s singular passion project, The Fall . But is the movie just style over substance? Plus more unseen movies, including a well-known anime, are revealed! Watch MUBI’s In Conversation with Tarsem here Watch MUBI’s In Conv...

1976’s King Kong is not your typical monster movie–plus it’s a first-time watch for Justin! This week’s discussion touches on questionable photography techniques, a theory about The Big Lebowski , an unexpected connection to Adam West’s Batman, and more. Intro music by Andrew Zap. Discover more of his music on Spotify Follow us on Bluesky for show updates, movie musings, and more

Your hosts tackle an imaginative, forward-thinking movie from 1977 that isn’t Star Wars . Is David Lynch’s Eraserhead about the anxiety of becoming a new parent? We have no idea! We’re not even sure it’s a baby! More unseen movies are revealed, plus David and Justin go off on a Godzilla tangent. (And yes, a previous Prometheus episode is referenced, but we’ve shelved it for now–for the greater goo...

Longtime friends David and Justin flirt with landing in cinema jail as they reveal notable movies they’ve never seen! Possible missed-movie sins may include Platoon , American Graffiti , Heat… and more. They also discuss and rank the Alien movies, which they have seen! Is the long-running franchise an exercise in diminishing returns (and do the AVP movies even count)? Plus, the subject of the next...

Get a preview of the first episode as hosts David and Justin dive right in with jaw-dropping revelations of notable movies they’ve missed. Do they get a pass, or will their confessions land them in cinema jail? This is The Why Haven’t You Podcast, coming to earholes everywhere in one week!

Can longtime friends David and Justin avoid cinema jail even as they reveal must-watch movies they’ve never seen? This is The Why Haven’t You Podcast, coming to earholes everywhere March 2026!