Ben and Eric’s Podcast

Ben and Eric take on the classic courtroom drama by none other than Sidney Lumet. Is it a pretentious film student talking point or a genius low-budget triumph of filmmaking? Find out more... Track Ben’s movie reviews at: https://letterboxd.com/bendorsey/ Track Eric’s movie reviews at: https://letterboxd.com/EricN/ Follow Eric’s TV reviews on his substack: https://ericnerenberg.substack.com/ Follo...

The New York Times has a new list out, the 100 best TV shows of the 21st Century, and we have something tos ay about it. First, Sunday Bagel is open and Ben meets another wonderful actor in Rhinebeck, NY. Ben and Eric then talk about their own top 10, and 20 shows. Track Ben’s movie reviews at: https://letterboxd.com/bendorsey/ Track Eric’s movie reviews at: https://letterboxd.com/EricN/ Follow Er...

Boots Riley is a musician turned film director who's second feature film stars Keke palmer and Lakeith Stanfield. It's a weird, style-bending, thought provoking communist piece. It was Ben's choice. Will Eric actually sit through the movie to talk about it on the pod? Track Ben’s movie reviews at: https://letterboxd.com/bendorsey/ Track Eric’s movie reviews at: https://letterboxd.com/E...

Special guest Shmuly joins us for an 80's Harrison Ford classic. Shmuly did some leg work for a professor on 80's movies, and is uniquely prepared to talk shop. Is the creation of the iconic Indiana Jones a perfect, hurtlingly quick paradigm, or a coke-fueled, half-cocked bender in between iconic lines of dialogue?

Due to our very very busy schedules we did not record an episode, despite all the wonderful time we spent together recently. Thank you for your patience, we'll be back again in two weeks.

Do you know what its like to prep 564 crab cakes? Do you want to? Find out here, and then find out what our hosts think of the American spinoff, The Agency. Track Ben’s movie reviews at: https://letterboxd.com/bendorsey/ Track Eric’s movie reviews at: https://letterboxd.com/EricN/ Follow Eric’s TV reviews on his substack: https://ericnerenberg.substack.com/ Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.i...

Watching a show like Chernobyl is like watching a truck flip in slow motion, but a talented cast and crew are zooming in on the most gruesome, inevitable details, sticking you in every horrifying moment. Do with that what you will. If you need something more lighthearted, watch Rooster or something. Track Ben’s movie reviews at: https://letterboxd.com/bendorsey/ Track Eric’s movie reviews at: http...

Our hosts return with the fifth and final season of The Bear, a show we are proud to have covered every season of. In this episode we talk about the dos and donts of this season, the series long arcs finally ending, and how it stacks up to the other 4 seasons of the show. Track Ben’s movie reviews at: https://letterboxd.com/bendorsey/ Track Eric’s movie reviews at: https://letterboxd.com/EricN/ Fo...

Mel Brooks turns 100 on the day this pod drops, and our hosts are talking about it. We discuss Mel's movies, what they mean to us as well as our generation, and the HBO documentary the 99 Year Old Man. Track Ben’s movie reviews at: https://letterboxd.com/bendorsey/ Track Eric’s movie reviews at: https://letterboxd.com/EricN/ Follow Eric’s TV reviews on his substack: https://ericnerenberg.subst...

The Handmaiden is applauded by critics and audiences worldwide. Is it as brilliant as they are claim? Or could it just be a flashy, style over substance shocking movie? Or, could it be, that this movie was made by a perverted old man who self-inserts as the main villain while making two actors have gratuitous lesbian sex for hours on end for "the plot"? Track Ben’s movie reviews at: http...

Steve Carell is Rooster, but so is Eric? Find out more about this show after a brief discussion of The Boss Bruce Springsteen and Eric and superfan Brad's concert antics. Track Ben’s movie reviews at: https://letterboxd.com/bendorsey/ Track Eric’s movie reviews at: https://letterboxd.com/EricN/ Follow Eric’s TV reviews on his substack: https://ericnerenberg.substack.com/ Follow us on Instagram...

Game of Throne's most recent addition is on the pod today, HBO's adaptation of George R.R. Martin's "The Hedge Knight". Our hosts talk, in a slightly nasally voice, the themes of the show and what it means to a Game of Thrones fanbase that has been deprived of good TV for so long. Track Ben’s movie reviews at: https://letterboxd.com/bendorsey/ Track Eric’s movie reviews at: h...

It's been a long time coming, this movie has been a favorite of our hosts for a long time. In this episode our hosts talk travels to Hawaii and Japan, recent moves and job market opportunities, and of course talk the movie beat by beat and from feeling to feeling, praising all the above and below the line contributions to the film. This is an all time great movie, what can we learn from talkin...

Special guest Henry joins our hosts to talk about the divisive but popular Project Hail Mary. During the pod they discuss the science behind it (or lack thereof), starting a book club, Japan, and what is oscar nominated Sanda Hüller doing in a blockbuster starring Ryan Gosling? Track Ben’s movie reviews at: https://letterboxd.com/bendorsey/ Track Eric’s movie reviews at: https://letterboxd.com/Eri...

Do you watch sad movies, or are they too much? The boys dive into a quiet but powerful dramatization of the Shakespeare's life, during family strife and the subsequent writing of Hamlet. We talk all the kinks and quirks of the movie, and how Jessie Buckely's performance shaped our movie watching experience. Track Ben’s movie reviews at: https://letterboxd.com/bendorsey/ Track Eric’s movie...

This is our third Oscar pod, and we're going bigger than ever before! This year you can guess the winners with us, by joining us at tinyurl.com/benericoscars. The fan with the most correct guesses on this site wins $75 worth of dirty sue merchandise! The password is "statue". Good luck! Track Ben’s movie reviews at: https://letterboxd.com/bendorsey/ Track Eric’s movie reviews at: htt...

The podcast has reached 100 caps if you watch rugby, or batted a century if you watch cricket. And if you're wondering why we didn't remark about it its because we completely forgot. Anyways, Yorgos Lanthimos and long time work wife Emma stone have released a new, small scale, conspiracy laden drama; is it worthwhile or just another hollywood director cosplaying as indie? Track Ben’s movie...

Ben may have mixed up his recording dates but that doesn't mean he totally forgot about this classic and wonderfully unique action movie. There's a lot of controversy around if this movie is good or complete garbage, but our hosts are here to settle it once and for all. Do you think this movie could hold the interest of young audiences? Track Ben’s movie reviews at: https://letterboxd.com/...

Matt Damon is on the pod and not for the Odyssey, but for a netflix original with his partner in crime Ben Affleck. Is another stroke of brilliance from these two icons, or just another crowd pleasing milquetoast netflix movie? Get your globe out! The Brits are drawing lines on maps again. Policing isn't easy, but its much harder when 800 years of colonization dictates what neighborhood you li...

Special guest and long time listener Brian joins our hosts for the very first time to talk about pieces rising in popularity this holiday season. Josh Safdie's solo directorial debut is getting a lot of Oscars buzz but is it just an overreaction to the marketing? And Bravo Vince Gilligan is making yet another show set in the town of, you guessed it, Albuquerque. The guys speculate on where the...

It's the holiday season, and with it comes a recap of the year 2025. Our hosts review their top 3 favorite movies of the year, with an extensive list of honorable mentions. Some TV is discussed as well as any other thing they may have watched this year. Track Ben’s movie reviews at: https://letterboxd.com/bendorsey/ Track Eric’s movie reviews at: https://letterboxd.com/EricN/ Follow Eric’s TV...

Ben and Eric talk turkey about their shared thanksgiving and then it's Netflix's The Beast In Me. Matthew Rhys gets his flowers but what does Ben really know about this dramatic, pulpy show? Track Ben’s movie reviews at: https://letterboxd.com/bendorsey/ Track Eric’s movie reviews at: https://letterboxd.com/EricN/ Follow Eric’s TV reviews on his substack: https://ericnerenberg.substack.com...

The guys are back reviewing the least scary monster movie of 2025. They discuss Guillermo Del Toro's moviemaking, the standout performance and the not so outstanding performances. Then the loaded cast of Death By Lightning is discussed at length and Ben questions the historical validity of the plot. Track Ben’s movie reviews at: https://letterboxd.com/bendorsey/ Track Eric’s movie reviews at:...

This episode our hosts explore Eva Victor's auteur debut as writer, director, and star. The topic of this movie is very heavy and containing a detailed account of a sexual assault which our hosts talk about in the spoiler section (29:28- 1:02:20). Then we move to a lighter topic with banter about life updates and pod planning. Track Ben’s movie reviews at: https://letterboxd.com/bendorsey/ Tra...

We're back! After some sick leave our hosts are talking about a movie they've been waiting for ~43 years. While he might not have known it was going to happen, this movie takes place at the exact time that Eric was becoming Bruce's biggest fan. Our hosts strip back the movie's tone and trivia. Eric does his fair share of live fact-checks, cross referencing his vast knowledge of Bru...