Blank Check with Griffin & David

In the debut episode of a new mini-series examining the filmography of Cameron Crowe, Griffin and David discuss the iconic 1989 romcom: Say Anything… What is Crowe’s origin story? How was he involved with Fast Times at Ridgemont High? Is this John Cusack’s career defining performance? Together, the BC crew talks romcom troupes, a young Fraiser’s Dad (John Mahoney) progressive father-daughter relat...

In this week’s special episode, guest host Producer Ben has been given his own “Blank Check” for selecting a one-off film to review and he’s cashing it in with 1985’s cult comedy Fletch. Is this one of Chevy Chase’s strongest performances? What happened to actress Dana Wheeler-Nicholson? Out of all the movies ever made Ben picked Fletch? But why? Together, the trio discuss Chevy Chase’s tumultuous...

In the final episode of the Podchowski Casters mini series, Griffin and David discuss 2003’s collection of animated short films detailing the Matrix expanded universe, The Animatrix. Are Part I and Part II of Second Renaissance a successful prequel to the first Matrix? Does the short “World Record” set it’s own record for the most on-screen knee sweat? What are #thetwofriends final thoughts on the...

Nearing the end of the Wachowski mini series, this week Griffin and David discuss the most recent project by the prolific filmmakers, 2015’s Netflix series Sense8. But is it worth binging all twelve hour long episodes in a few days? What are the hosts thoughts on peak TV? Who doesn’t like a good Jean-Claude Van Damme pun? Together #thetwofriends examine season one’s major plot points, breakdown al...

This week Griffin and David discuss the Wachowski’s most recent theatrical release, 2015’s intergalactic sci-fi, Jupiter Ascending. What is the Wachowski’s latest innovation in this film? Why make the very attractive Channing Tatum look like a dog? Is the original universe in this story at all logical? Listen along as they discuss space rollerblades, the parallel with Alice in Wonderland, Terry Gi...

Bobby Finger (Jezebel) joins Griffin and David to discuss 2012’s Cloud Atlas. Why is one of the most expensive independent films of all time considered to be such a critical failure? Do we like the future talk? How long is this movie tho? Together they discuss the choice to have actors play multiple roles, Jim Broadbent’s childhood flashbacks and Mr. Holland's Opus. Join our Patreon for franchise...

Guests Emily Yoshida (The Verge) and J.D. Amato (The Chris Gethard Show) make their return to Blank Check to examine 2008’s Speed Racer. But why does everyone on the panel love this movie and disagree with the criticism it received? How was this film ahead of its time? Should racing involve the financial world? Together, they discuss Spritle and Chim-Chim antics, watching sunday morning cartoons,...

Concluding the Matrix trilogy, Griffin and David examine The Matrix Revolutions. But why gruesomely blind our hero Neo? What is the franchise’s message about love? Was this ending the right choice? Together, they discuss the unnecessary storyline between Captain Mifune and the Kid, Jada Pinkett Smith’s career, Dennis Franz as a potential replacement for the Oracle, and the very extended final show...

This week, Griffin and David examine the highly anticipated 2003 follow up, The Matrix Reloaded. Was it a misstep to build this release around a video game (Enter the Matrix) most viewers hadn’t played and an animated series (The Animatrix) most of the audience hadn’t seen? Was it worth bringing Agent Smith back? Does David convince Griffin to reevaluate his feeling towards this film? Listen along...

This week, Griffin and David discuss the Wachowski's game changing 1999 film, the Matrix. Just how big of an influence was this movie on mainstream cinema? Other than the nu metal, has this film aged gracefully? How can this only be the siblings second film?! Together, they discuss the trajectory of Keanu Reeves’ career leading up to the Matrix, their shared love for Gloria Foster’s performance as...

Back in March of 2016 when Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was first released in theaters, Griffin, David, and Ben recorded a one-off episode about the film. Due to technical issues, much of the audio was lost. An abridged version was released April 22, 2016. Here is the newly remastered "Ultimate edition" of the lost episode which includes 36 minutes of never before released material! Remaster...

Blank Check returns with another new mini series, this time examining the filmography of directors the Wachowskis. And like the past investigations (George Lucas, M. Night Shyamalan), Griffin and David aim to discover how did Hollywood go on to give these auteurs free reign and what were the consequences? Starting with 1996’s Bound, join the hosts as they discuss the greatness of Joey Pants, remem...

In the final episode of the Pod Night Shyamacast mini series, Griffin and David discuss the SyFy Channel hoax documentary, 2004’s The Buried Secret of M. Night Shyamalan. Why is Academy Award nominated documentarian Nathaniel Kahn involved in this project? What are #thetwofriends final thoughts on Shyamalan? Together they analyze Javier the pizza guy’s impact on cinema, Johnny Depp’s appearance, h...

Louis Peitzman (BuzzFeed) joins Griffin and David to discuss the old person horror, 2015’s The Visit. But is the found footage device used in a effective way? Can the great Kathryn Hahn do no wrong? Does this mean M. Night’s very bad movie streak has finally run out? Together they examine the Blumhouse model, the gross factor versus the gore factor, a dirty diaper in the face and how Shyamalan pay...

James III (Black Men Can’t Jump In Hollywood Podcast) joins Griffin and David to discuss the incredibly dull, thinly veiled Scientology sci-fi, 2013’s After Earth. Beyond starring along side his son Jaden and being credited as a producer and original story writer, how else did Will Smith play a role in the making of this film? Does the timing of After Earth’s release have anything to do with Jaden...

Seaton Smith (Mulaney, Late Night with Seth Meyers) joins Griffin and David to discuss 2010’s agonizing, unwatchable fantasy adventure, The Last Airbender. When adapting the the original animated series, why did M. Night try to incorporate ALL 20 episodes of the first season into one movie? How do the casting choices reflect negatively on the film? Was Last Airbender so terrible that the BC crew i...

This week, Griffin and David discuss M. Night’s first ever R rated film, 2008’s The Happening. But is wind scary? Are any of the actors convincing they haven’t completely checked out? Why am I talking to a plastic plant? Together, #TheTwoFriends examine 9/11 imagery, why Kung Fu Panda is a better movie, impressions of nerds, and why Shyamalan calling this the “best B-movie you will ever see” is pr...

Richard Lawson (Vanity Fair) joins Griffin and David to examine 2006’s egotistical bedtime martyr tale, Lady in the Water. Is M. Night trying to say something subtly about his film’s critics? Why is the lady never seen in the water? How is this a movie? Seriously. Together, the BC crew examines Giamatti’s stuttering, the cookbook misdirect payoff, the Disney controversy, and explore deep Lorax cut...

David Ehrlich (Rolling Stone) joins Griffin and David this week for an in-depth analysis of 2004’s isolationist thriller, The Village. Why was this film so universally panned by critics and audiences? What was Adrien Brody thinking to sign up for this role after winning an Academy Award? Was this the the twist that finally did Shyamalan in or was his reputation already tarnished? Together, the gan...

On this week’s special episode, Griffin and David joined by guest, Joe Reid (The Decider), present their personal nominations for the upcoming 88th Academy Awards. This roundtable discussion looks to all the major categories and offers engaging criticism, as well as, references deep cut cinema from 2015 you may have missed. With the “Blankies”, some winners are picked, Oscar snubs deservingly defe...

This week’s guests on the Shyamacast are ‘real life lovers’ Murf Meyer (The Chris Gethard Show) and Diana Kolsky (Above Average), hosts in their own right of Ménage à Trois Radio, also on the UCB Comedy podcast network! And for Blank Check’s ongoing investigative mini-series of Shyamalan’s films, together with #thetwofriends they discuss 2002’s faith biased, alien invasion movie, Signs. Was it fat...

Matt Patches (Thrillist, Grantland) joins Griffin and David this week to discuss Shyamalan’s fourth feature, Unbreakable. This sad and muted superhero film where mostly nothing happens was seen by many critics and fans as a “sophomore slump” when released in 2000. But what are some of it’s redeeming qualities? How does it stand out among the Marvel superhero movie craze in the years that followed?...

Joining Griffin and David on this week’s episode is special guest Katey Rich (Vanity Fair) to help examine Shyamalan’s 1999 breakout, career defining film: The Sixth Sense. How did this unknown writer/director convince Disney to pay him 3 million dollars for the script with the clause to direct? What is the significance of red in the movie? How did this same filmmaker go on to make Lady in the Wat...

In the debut episode of the newly rebranded ‘Blank Check’, Griffin and David look to another director of supersized ego and skill: M. Night Shyamalan. Similar to their investigation of George Lucas’ Star Wars, the hosts aim to discover where exactly in Shyamalan’s filmography did this artist lose touch with his unique vision and become the “twist” guy? Starting with 1992’s Praying with Anger (set...

Blank Check is a podcast about filmographies - specifically, the filmographies of directors who've achieved massive success early on, and then were given a series of "blank checks" by the Hollywood establishment to make whatever crazy passion projects they wanted. Sometimes those checks clear (think James Cameron and "Avatar"), and sometimes they bounce, baby (like M. Night Shyamalan's "Lady in th...