Afterthoughts

On this special episode of Afterthoughts-- Dixon, Ryan, and John discuss a variety of short films they watched as part of a recent local Austin short film festival. Special thanks to Hyperreal Film Club, their volunteers, and the filmmakers who participated in the Film Fest --we promise to try and stay on topic as we discuss the shorts from this event. Even if you're not a resident of Austin, you...

After the conclusion of our Retrospectacular, we kept the mics rolling to capture a signature Dixon rant and review of Robert Zemeckis's latest film. There wasn't another episode we could fit it in, so it's submitted HERE for your enjoyment.

Should aaaaaaauld acquaintance beeeeee forgot, and neeeeeever brought to miiiiiiiiind, Should aaaaaaauld acquaintance beeeeee forgot, aaaaaand aaaaaaauld laaaaaang syyyyyyne. I have no idea what that means, but we're talking about the best and worst movies of 2024!  This is our favorite episode every year, and we'd love to hear about your favorite movies and most hated movies of the year.  Join ou...

With Robert Eggers's Nosferatu in theaters, Dixon thought it would only be fitting to revisit Werner Herzog's dream-like send up Nosferatu the Vampyr (1979) . John and Ryan are along for the ride on this horse-drawn carriage. Once we get to Dracula's castle all bets are off --or is it Count Orlok's castle?  Did you see Eggers's Nosferatu? Let us know what you thought. Check our podcast page for wa...

Ho ho ho! Join us for a merry Recommend or Refute Christmas Extravaganza! John reviews the Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire old Hollywood classic Holiday Inn (1942) , Ryan takes us on a journey through the year in Hallmark and Hallmark-esque Christmas movies, and Dixon accidentally watches a thrilling Christmas heist movie called The Silent Partner (1978) .

Through some mail mix up this year, Creators & Guests Michael Dixon - Host John Garcia - Producer Ryan King - Host received a letter to Santa from some kid named Billy. It described the hardships Billy was going through. His family had just moved into a small rental unit above a Sorority house, and little Billy is having a tough time adjusting to his new downstairs neighbors. He even invited o...

It's Recommend or Refute time!  Ryan talks about  Liar Liar (1997) and Jim Carrey's early career, Dixon reviews the underseen Alfred Hitchcock thriller  I Confess (1953) , and John takes us on a horrifying journey through his annual month of self-flagellation that he calls Schlocktober.

On this episode of Afterthoughts, Ryan leads the crew through the first season of Arcane --a stylishly impressive steampunk fantasy series based on the Riot games property League of Legends.  Do you have to love League of Legends to appreciate Arcane? Will Dixon ever remember Heimerdinger's name? What the hell is a rune? Will any of these questions be answered?

It's another Recommend or Refute extravaganza!  John geeks out on Vinegar Syndrome's first theatrical release  Riddle of Fire (2024) , Ryan talks about the tragic documentary  Take Care of Maya (2023) , and Dixon argues with John about the controversial new film  Strange Darling (2024) .

Dixon, Ryan, and John have decided to enter the cinematic colosseum of director Ridley Scott's Gladiator (2000) in an effort to reflect on the Academy Award winning feature before the sequel hits theaters this week. Are they not entertained?! Crouch down and grab some sand with us before diving into this one, we hope you'll give us a thumbs up once we're done.

Join the Afterthoughts crew for our latest Recommend or Refute episode, where we each talk about something we watched on our own time and whether we would recommend or refute it.  Ryan regales us with tales of his journey through the Puppet Master (1989) franchise, John discusses Francis Ford Coppola's long-awaited  Megalopolis (2024) , and Dixon breaks down the joyously anarchic Irish rap biopic ...

On the cusp of spooky season's end, John brings a 30 year passion project to the table with The Primevals (2023) . It's a love letter to the Ray Harryhausen era of cinema, when stop-motion dinosaurs ruled the world (of B-Movies) and --unfortunately for Ryan and Dixon-- it's also a Full Moon production. Join us for the unofficial Schlocktober main-line episode as we explore whether this time capsul...

It's spooky season! John and Ryan sit down to talk about what horror movies they're watching this October and reflect on the offerings of the genre.

It's spooky season and Dixon's worst nightmares have come to fruition: He was unable to podcast due to scheduling conflicts, so John and Ryan are taking over! The duo has watched Takashi Miike's Audition (1999) and now they must bare (and share) the trauma with the world. Join us as we walk confidently up to the microphone, state our names for the cast director, and proceed to share unsolicited th...

Join us on this hot, sweaty afternoon for a thorough discussion of Al Pacino's gripping performance in Sidney Lumet's classic hostage thriller Dog Day Afternoon (1975) . 

Another recommend or refute coming at you! Ryan tells us the tale of his family pick The School for Good and Evil (2022). Dixon tells about how much he loves Sam Jackson's dingus (story) and the unique viewing experience he had with The Hateful Eight (2015). And John discovered the remains of Sphere (1998) at the bottom of a mental barrel and decided to hoist it up into the light for all to... ack...

Welcome to Afterthoughts! Join us as we discuss the time Ryan got lost in the woods and had a hilarious encounter with  Hundreds of Beavers (2024) . This modern slapstick extravaganza is basically what would happen if Charlie Chaplin did Paul Thomas Anderson levels of cocaine and then tried to make a live action version of a Wile E. Coyote episode. It's glorious.

On this episode of Recommend or Refute, Dixon brings Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger , a documentary that --despite his opinions of England-- has impressed him with its historic insights and its Scorsese affiliation. As far as you know, John brings the first horror movie "made for home video audiences" (as far as we know) with Blood Cult (1985) . Ryan pushes us home as he talk...

You may remember that there was a recent assassination attempt on a former president. Or you may have forgotten already thanks to the terrifying pace of the modern news cycle. Either way, Dixon decided to pull us down into the mystery wrapped in a riddle inside an enigma that is Oliver Stone's 1991 thriller  JFK .

On this episode of Recommend or Refute, John is Comin' At Ya (1985) with a 3D movie that is so pumped full of visual dimensions it might've forgotten about its character dimensions, Ryan catches us up on a new fantasy anime that reflects on an unconventional hero's journey with Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (2024) , and Dixon continues the Lily Gladstone appreciation with Apple TV+'s latest film F...

Join Ryan, John, and Dixon as we attempt to piece together the multi-verse plot lines of this animated acid western.

From classics to cultural to pop cultural, this Recommend or Refute rounds the bases to deliver discussions from the Australian outback's Mad Max 2 (1981) , Osmane Sembène's snapshot of a post-colonial Senegal with Mandabi (1968) , and the Canadian insanity invading the United States in Tom Greene's Freddy Got Fingered (2001). There's definitely something here for everyone, and if there isn't perh...

We're riding the musical bandwagon now, following our recent episode on Encanto the Afterthoughts crew steps into a much more adult themed musical in the form of John Cameron Mitchell's intimate comedy musical Hedwig and The Angry Inch (2001) . Much like Hedwig herself, this film discussion goes on a tour with several unexpected stops. Join Dixon, Ryan, and John as they reflect on Hedwig's approac...

On this very family-friendly episode of Afterthoughts, Ryan's daughter Ella joins the usual crew to share her disdain for Encanto (2021). Will the entire table be down on Disney or is there a faint flicker of favoritism burning in this discussion? It would take a miracle to sway Dixon's feelings on Lin Manuel Miranda, but this might be the episode to do it. Tune in for a swear-free exercise in per...

Welcome to the latest episode of Recommend or Refute! Join us as John unpacks Abel Ferrara's Dangerous Game (1993)  starring Harvey Keitel and Madonna, Dixon breaks down the trippy John Frankenheimer sci-fi classic Seconds (1966) starring Rock Hudson, and Ryan talks through the new Pixar movie  Inside Out 2 (2024) .