American Scene

When this film was released, America was over five years into the Bush presidency and the War in Afghanistan and over four years into the reign of American Idol. Directed by American Pie's Paul Weitz, "American Dreamz" stars Hugh Grant, Mandy Moore, Dennis Quaid, Sam Golzari, and Chris Klein in what Roger Ebert calls a satire. We discuss the influence of entertainment on its audience...

Jeff Bridges and Edward Furlong - two actors who will appear again on this podcast - are the stars of "American Heart," directed by documentary filmmaker Martin Bell. We discuss the conflict between the dangers of city life and the freedom of the frontier as well as the prevalence (and ultimately the failure) of individualism as a governing philosophy. We also debate which characters wou...

In this week's minisode, Ben and Allen have their final (on-air) conversation about the incomparable Christian Bale as they rank their five favorites from his filmography. They also applaud American Flyers cinematographer Donald Peterman and dig into the infamous " dinner scene " featuring Jennifer Grey. Finally, Allen picks out some of his favorite little things in American Splendor.

Tom Cruise reunites with "Edge of Tomorrow" director Doug Liman for 2017's "American Made," a film very loosely based on the true story of Barry Seal . We discuss Barry's character in relation to federal agencies and the political landscape of the era and the consequences of greed. We also touch on Cruise's accent work and 2017's MVP Caleb Landry Jones, and Alle...

In the late 2000's run of teen musicals (High School Musical, Hairspray, Camp Rock, Fame) came MTV's "The American Mall" starring a pre-Vampire Diaries Nina Dobrev as an aspiring singer-songwriter. We discuss the rise (and fall?) of the American shopping mall and the conflict between the corporate world and the independent world. (recorded January 27, 2021) Check out the FULL MOV...

Swapping the grime of 1970's NYC for the gleam of LA, 1980's "American Gigolo" shows writer-director Paul Schrader's continued fascination with the country's underbelly, and it fits in a long history of portraying the world of American sex work on screen. Your patriotic co-hosts discuss the Los Angeles aesthetic, the story's morality, social hierarchies, and superfici...

This week we revisit three more of our previous episodes! Ben completely reevaluates his take on American Pickle, Allen pitches a much better version of an American Assassin adaptation, and both of your patriotic co-hosts look back fondly on The Myth of the American Sleepover and their days as teenagers sneaking into R-rated movies.

This little movie brought hilarious meta-commentary to a comic book adaptation long before Deadpool! Revisit Paul Giamatti's breakthrough performance as Harvey Pekar as we discuss the Everyman, the tradition of the American working class novel, and our favorite breakfast cereals. (recorded Jan 2, 2021) References: " Harvey Pekar and Joyce Brabner: The party poopers " (The Independent...

Tony and Emmy Award-nominee and star of "American Flyers" David Marshall Grant joins us to discuss his casting, training, the most memorable moment on set, the lasting meaning of the film, and processing American history through storytelling. David Marshall Grant’s Broadway credits include “Bent,” starring with Richard Gere, and Joe Pitt in “Angels in America,” for which he was nominated...

Oscar-winning screenwriter Steve Tesich (Breaking Away) and Saturday Night Fever director John Badham teamed up with a wonderful cast including David Marshall Grant, Kevin Costner, Rae Dawn Chong, and Alexandra Paul to create 1985's absolutely delightful American Flyers. We discuss the film's inclusiveness, its western motifs, and the inspirational sports movie genre. (recorded December 10...

Since recording the first few episodes, we have had several months to reflect on those films and our discussions. Join us for our first American Minisode as we talk about the illogical setup of American Pie, debate if President Shepard (The American President) could safely date in the height of the COVID pandemic, compare American Psycho and Fight Club, and dive into the roller-coaster career of V...

From writer-director David Robert Mitchell ("It Follows") and producer Adele Romanski ("Moonlight") comes a sweet and low-key all-in-one-night coming-of-age story. We discuss the magic of small-town America and the innocence, awkwardness, and clumsiness of being a teenager. (recorded October 8, 2020)

The best-selling book series by Vince Flynn that started in 1999 gets its first adaptation nearly 20 years later with the 2017 film that mercilessly killed off its own franchise potential. We discuss the story's dangerously unstable yet inexplicably successful protagonist and the manipulative government forces who champion him. References: " American Assassin review – shallow and self-con...

Ben sits down with a very special guest to talk more about the Jewish community, the entrepreneurial spirit, intergenerational dialogue, and the importance of character.

Seth Rogen pulls double duty in a film we mentioned with excited anticipation in our first episode! Join us for a discussion of the American immigrant experience, celebrity, family, faith, and of course... pickles. (recorded August 28, 2020)

20 years after its release, Mary Harron's "American Psycho" starring Christian Bale remains a timeless, sharp, and darkly comic indictment of the economic elite, toxic masculinity, and the fragile male ego. (recorded August 6, 2020) References: " American Psycho at 20: a vicious satire that remains as sharp as ever " (The Guardian)

A special pre-Election Day release featuring special guest Hayley Palmaer ! Was 1995 really a simpler time in politics? How does Aaron Sorkin's White House romantic comedy hold up? (recorded September 1, 2020)

It's our first episode and their first time! In the summer of 1999, American Pie became a global phenomenon, earning $235 million at the box office and launching a billion-dollar theatrical and direct-to-DVD franchise lasting more than 20 years. Directed and co-produced by Paul Weitz and written by Adam Herz, the cast includes Jason Biggs, Chris Klein, Alyson Hannigan, Natasha Lyonne, Thomas I...

We're excited to drop our first few episodes in the coming weeks. First up: a slice of American Pie. Coming Tuesday, October 27.