Mortified! The Friendship Quest

This week, Aaron and Leyla had a rough time and decided to give themselves a little break. We'll be back in two weeks with the beginning of our spy unit but in the meantime, we lick our wounds.

This week, Aaron and Leyla indulge in the glorious tradition of watching advertisements for video games and going, "Ooh!" "Aah!" or "Neat, but not for me." We did not poison ourselves with Mountain Dew or hot wings this time, but if you have suggestions for future physical trials you can e-mail us at mortifiedpod@gmail.com. Aaron's Picks:  Vampire: the Masquerade — ETERNAL WHISPERS (Flyos)  Traile...

On this episode of Mortified, Aaron and Leyla continue their trek through TwIsTeD fairy tales with the 2012 dark fantasy film "Snow White and the Huntsman!" We enjoy a heaping serving of Charlize Theron, discuss the late 00's relationship with celebrities, and break down what makes Imagery so critical to art.  Video Hole Episode II : https://store.steampowered.com/app/2269060/VideoHole_Episode_II/...

This week, join Aaron and Leyla on their TwIsTeD fairy tale retrospective on Red Riding Hood (2011)! Join us for missing Twilight, feverish concern about the lack of grains in this fantasy village, and some light cucking. --- Our theme song is "Obsolete" by Keshco , from the album "Filmmaker's Reference Kit Volume 2." Our other projects: Aaron's TTRPG Reviews Aaron's "Tyranny" Playthrough aavoigt....

This week, Leyla and Aaron embark on a new unit covering grimdark fairytales, starting with the 2005 animated mystery "Hoodwinked!" We celebrate an unnecessarily stacked cast, shout out Spiked TV, and dig into what's endearing about sincerity in an era of cynicism.  CGY Not- Hoodwinked Director Cory Edwards Discusses The Making Of, The Dodgy Sequel, The Weinstein's And More The schnitzel song TV T...

This week, Aaron and Leyla plunder the depths of their Emmersonian minds while watching Megalopolis! Join us for a lot of expressions of shock and disbelief, and ... also disbelief and shock. We rated this "technically a movie." --- Our theme song is "Obsolete" by Keshco , from the album "Filmmaker's Reference Kit Volume 2." Our other projects: Aaron's TTRPG Reviews aavoigt.com

Aaron and Leyla finally put down their ideological burden and finish their two-month journey of reading "The Fountainhead." We get the maddest we've ever been, get fully irradiated with yaoi, make a short pilgrimage to the cuck chair, and cap it all off with a special musical ending, for real fans only.  Links-  Marc Andreessen on Introspection The Wuthering Heights Skin Room Sideways- Why Hellfir...

Content warning: There is discussion of fitional sexual assault from ~11:20 to ~21:20.  This week, Aaron and Leyla drill down into the Fountainhead, parts 2 and 3! Join us for discussions of psychic kink negotiations, Rand re-inventing shounen dialogue and fight choreography, and the fact that this 700-page objectivist tome does occasionally drop bars. --- Our theme song is "Obsolete" by Keshco ,...

Hi gang! Leyla here. I'm not feeling too ✨jazzy✨ so this week Aaron has generously agreed to rerun an old episode, so I can have some time to reset and be ready to further discuss the Fountainhead next episode. Please enjoy!  --- Original Description:  This week, we round out our month of romance with 1990's "Pretty Woman" and 2003's "Something's Gotta Give!" We discuss our undying love for Juli...

The prophesied right wing sellout moment has finally arrived. Leyla and Aaron, in an attempt to prepare for Francis Ford Coppola's "Megalopolis," have decided to dive into a classic of objectivist philosophy, Ayn Rand's 1943 doorstopper, "The Fountainhead." Follow us down the rabbit hole as we discuss a high schooler's ideology, explain why objectivism is appealing to lonely kids, and cut the nove...

This week, Aaron and Leyla give a deservedly short sendoff to the Matrix Revolutions! Join us for discussions of critical structural flaws, not knowing what Neo and Trinity would talk about at dinner, and let's say, several distractions.  ---  Our theme song is "Obsolete" by Keshco , from the album "Filmmaker's Reference Kit Volume 2." Our other projects: Aaron's TTRPGs Aaron's TTRPG Reviews aavoi...

On this episode of Mortified, Leyla and Aaron boot into the 2003 "Matrix Reloaded" to find out what exactly Neo does after he gets his Superman powers. We discuss Neo and Trinity's nonexistent romance, putting Ghosts in your mind control device, and whether the Matrix has a skybox.  Links: Ed Smith- It Doesn't Matter When You Kill All the Civilians  The Making of the Matrix Reloaded Creating the B...

Happy New Year and welcome back to Mortified! the Format Refresh Quest. This week, Aaron and Leyla jack out about the Matrix! Join us for discussions of Keanu Reeves beautiful brown eyes, the function of a Chosen One, and praises for Lawrence Fishburn. ---  Our theme song is "Obsolete" by Keshco , from the album "Filmmaker's Reference Kit Volume 2." Our other projects: Aaron's TTRPGs Aaron's TTRPG...

Hey folks, Leyla and I are taking this week off, but will be back in 2026 to kick off our 7th(???) season of the show. Until then, here's a quick clip show of some of the best moments from the last 50 episodes of the pod. Thanks for all your time, and we'll see you next year!  Episodes used- 158, 165, 166, 169, 173, 177, 183, 195, 197 --- Our theme song is "Obsolete" by Keshco , from the album "Fi...

To celebrate 200 episodes of Mortified, Aaron and Leyla bust out a ballroom full of baddies and cover 5 different adaptations of the Cinderella fairy tale. We discuss the essential Cinderellements, examine why Aaron doesn't know any famous singers, and recoil in terror as Andrew Lloyd Weber strikes again.  Bad Cinderella Is One of the Musicals of All Time- https://youtu.be/jkTz-SWzQnU?si=9r1QQFIK-...

This week, Aaron and Leyla skywrite through Oz with Wicked: For Good! Join us for sex cardigans, yet another Starkid mention, and hashtag Free Toulouse. ---  Our theme song is "Obsolete" by Keshco , from the album "Filmmaker's Reference Kit Volume 2." Our other projects: Aaron's TTRPGs Aaron's TTRPG Reviews aavoigt.com

We're rereleasing one of our favorite episodes: the April 2024 discussion of Iron Lung. Hope you enjoy, and we'll see you in 2 weeks for a discussion of Wicked: For Good! --- This episode, Aaron and Leyla check out the indie horror game "Iron Lung!" We discuss how playing together revealed our "proclivities," ways to incentivize exploration, and the benefits of limited scope. The Atlantic article...

This week, Aaron and Leyla complete yet another loop around the sun and celebrate with a Hugh Jackman marathon! Join us for a completely normal episode where none of the hosts have a meltdown, a celebration of Hugh Jackman's infectious joy, and an Oklahoma hello to an OK musical. ---  Our theme song is "Obsolete" by Keshco , from the album "Filmmaker's Reference Kit Volume 2." Our other projects:...

On this spooky episode, Aaron and Leyla unleash the horrors of meta-commentary with the 2011 film "The Cabin in the Woods!" With sudafed in our snoots, we talk about what did work about Whedonistic writing, debate whether this is a satire at all, and wish better for Marcus from Detroit: Become Human.  Bobvids "everything wrong with 'everything wrong with cabin in the woods'" ---  Our theme song is...

This week, Aaron and Leyla free themselves of the witness stand to return to Star Wars: Andor S2. Join us to discuss more evil logistics, hearty disagreements about the amount of context prequel/sequel media wants you to have, and Aaron being a # ally # feminist. Content warning for discussions of sexual assault between ~12:15 and ~20:35. There is a stinger and spoken warning marking the start in...

This week, Aaron and Leyla finally bring peace to Panem in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Parts 1 and 2! Join us to discuss booby-trapped Salt Lake City, some of our most left-field references, and a very 2025 lens on this 2014 film. Bad Cinderella Is One of the Musicals of All Time - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkTz-SWzQnU The Excruciating Tale of Bad Cinderella - https://www.youtube.com/watch...

This week, Aaron and Leyla travel to future-NYC to discuss the Fifth Element! Join us to avoid major American political news current and past, the value of alphabetical Wikipedia, and perhaps one of the top-five episodes most capable of characterizing what the entire project of the Friendship Quest is all about. Pop Culture Detective Agency - "Born Sexy Yesterday"  https://popculturedetective.agen...

This week, Aaron and Leyla volunteer for the Quarter Quell in Catching Fire! Join us to discuss being a little bread boy meow meow, the desire for panache in fascism, and Leyla having watched this movie actually hungry. --- Our theme song is "Obsolete" by Keshco , from the album "Filmmaker's Reference Kit Volume 2." Our other projects: Aaron's TTRPGs Aaron's TTRPG Reviews aavoigt.com

This week, Aaron and Leyla travel to the Corporation Rim to go rogue with Murderbot! Join us to wish for more serious hippies, be haunted by the movie Antz, and nitpick medical accuracy.  --- Our theme song is "Obsolete" by Keshco , from the album "Filmmaker's Reference Kit Volume 2." Our other projects: Aaron's TTRPGs Aaron's TTRPG Reviews aavoigt.com

This week, Aaron and Leyla enter the Coast Zone to accommodate unforseen events in their lives and watch The Hunger Games! Join us for a discussion of the YA sledgehammer, brooding 25-year-old teenagers, and God's most indecipherable camerawork.  Jen Wang, 'The Prince and the Dressmaker' - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-prince-and-the-dressmaker-jen-wang/1125855916 --- Our theme song is "Obs...