Rogue Auteurs

Chad, Jake, and Eric discuss Kitty Green's THE ASSISTANT starring Julia Garner, which tackles sexism in the workplace in a nuanced but powerful way. Since the movie is available on Hulu, it is a great time for you to watch it and then spend a little time listening to us chat about it.

Eric, Jake, and Chad talk about the phenomenon of Hamilton , specifically in reference to its premiere on Disney Plus, as well as their feelings about its impact. They address the question of if ANY stage play will EVER have the wide-ranging and massive influence Hamilton did and does.

In which Chad is embarrassed for remembering an important scene incorrectly. But, more importantly: Jake, Eric, and Chad discuss Hulu's PALM SPRINGS! It's funny and charming and perfectly calibrated for the Coronavirus era, even though it was made before that.

Chad and Jake count down their favorite literary adaptations, focusing on what makes a movie adaptation work and what makes it effective.

Jake, Eric, and Chad have a thoughtful discussion about Spike Lee's 1989 cinematic classic Do the Right Thing , specifically looking at its continued relevance and examination of complex themes. They also discuss Lee's brand-new Netflix drama Da 5 Bloods and consider its relevance to the present moment in the United States.

Though there are a few audio issues, Jake, Eric, and Chad reveal their favorite movies that are based on real events. They consider what makes those movies great and why.

Jake, Eric, Chad, and special guest Daniel Potter discuss the enduring appeal of the Coens' slacker comedy The Big Lebowski , including its best lines and moments, as well as where it fits in the Coens' filmography.

Eric, Jake, and Chad rank their favorite songs from movies that are not musicals. Jake and Chad stick with songs written for and performed in movies, even though those movies are not traditional musicals. Eric just ranks favorite performances of songs in movies with no real restrictions. It is a rollicking good time!

Jake, Eric, and Chad discuss Cameron Crowe's sports agent-romantic comedy Jerry Maguire , considering its appeal, the performances of its stars, and its genre. Jake discusses his experience seeing it for the first time 24 years after its release, and everyone praises Cameron Crowe's writing.

Jake, Eric, and Chad reveal their 10 favorite sports movies, but focus on discussing the top 5 and why they resonate with them. They first discuss what makes a "sports movie" and what makes a "great" sports movie, as well as movies that didn't quite make the cut.

Jake, Chad, and Eric each assigned another member of the Rogue Auteurs team a movie to watch that they had not yet seen. This episode is made up of the three discussions that came from these assignments. Chad assigned Eric to watch Snowpiercer (available on Netflix). Jake assigned Chad to watch Apocalypse Now (available on HBO Go). Eric assigned Jake to watch The Shawshank Redemption (available on...

Eric, Jake, and Chad discuss Jason Reitman's Best Picture-nominated Juno, including a look at the Oscar-winning script, a chat about who gave the second-best performance behind Ellen Page's masterful, Oscar-nominated turn as the titular character. They also consider if the movie has become less celebrated over the years and debate the criticism that the movie somehow trivializes teen pregnancy.&nb...

Jake, Chad, and Eric discuss their "Quarantine Curriculum" (movies that people should watch during their time at home that are available to stream right now!). They also break down Steven Soderbergh's 2011 virus outbreak thriller Contagion , highlighting the eerie parallels and frighteningly sharp writing. The audio is much less good on this episode, as it was done digitally due to the "stay at ho...

Jake, Eric, and Chad discuss Michel Hazanavicius' 2011 Best Picture winner The Artist , which showed up on Chad's and Jake's "Favorite Movies of the Decade" list. They discuss why the movie's reputation has diminished a bit and what makes the movie work, especially as a silent, black-and-white film made on the 2010s. 

Jacob Hampton, Eric Wood, and Chad Durham break down Leigh Whannell's The Invisible Man , starring Elisabeth Moss. They consider its genre categorization, as well as Ms. Moss's chances for an Oscar nomination. They take a closer look at the movie's metaphorical dealing with abuse and the #MeToo movement,

Jake, Eric, and Chad count down their Top 10 Favorite Movies of the Decade (2010-2019). They discuss recency bias and the relative ease of making a Top 10 List of movies that they are more intimately familiar with. They also break down the 2020 Oscars and share Peter Glahn's Top 10 Favorite Musicals of All Time.

Jake, Eric, and Chad share their favorite movies of the year 2019. They start with some reactions to the Oscars and a discussion of what did NOT make their individual top 10 lists. Then they count down from #10 to #1. They also include some of their favorite scenes of the year, performances of the year, and LEAST favorite movies of the year.

Jake and Chad field a few questions from a couple loyal listeners and then ask each other questions of their own to spark discussion. The questions are not pre-discussed. Jake also discusses Bong Joon-ho's Parasite. 

Jake, Eric, and Chad have a free-flowing discussion about Todd Phillips' Joker , hitting on topics ranging from "Which live-action Joker has given the best performance?" to if Joaquin Phoenix deserves an Oscar nomination to if this movie has rewritten comic-book movies of the future to if Phillips and his team want us to root for the Joker. Anchoring it all is the trio's belief that the movie is g...

Jake, Chad, and Eric discuss the theory that you never actually know what you think of a movie--not FULLY--until you see it a second time. They posit that the best movies almost require you to watch them a second time before you can process your reaction completely. They also discuss Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

Eric, Jake, and Chad reveal their top 5 favorite live-action musicals. This includes a discussion of what makes a musical great, as well as some exploration of why musicals have resurged a bit in recent years. 0:00 - 0:55 Intro 0:55 - 4:41 Why did musicals decline and then re-emerge? 4:41 - 10:40 What qualified as a "musical" and why? 10:40 - 14:01 What qualities did we each look for in a great mu...

Jake Hampton, Eric Wood, Chad Durham, and special guests Channing Hyde and Marcus Marinos discuss Sean Baker's indie masterpiece The Florida Project, including what makes it so special and the travesty of its lack of Oscar nominations. 0:00 - 12:00 Introduction 12:00 - 21:20 Participants' histories with the movie and why they love it 21:20 - 26:47 The contrast between innocence/joy and reality/sad...

Chad, Jake, and Eric reveal their personal rankings of all of David Fincher’s movies. They discuss common characteristics of movies that Fincher has directed, as well as consider if Fincher is considered an “all-time” director. 0:00 - 3:36 Intro 3:36 - 14:00 Common Fincherian characteristics 14:00 - 16:30 Fincher’s movie chronology 16:30 - 21:05 Tiers? Also, what movies were hard to rank and what...

Jake and Chad reveal their top 10 favorite "coming-of-age movies," including defining that term and discussing what makes a good coming-of-age film to each of them and why. 0:00 - 4:50 Introduction 4:50 - 13:04 Definition of a coming-of-age movie and a discussion of what makes a good one 13:04 - 19:29 What movies did NOT make the cut 19:29 - 48:48 Counting down #10 to #6 48:48 - 1:22:30 Counting d...

Jake and Chad review Avengers: Endgame and discuss its strengths and weaknesses. They also delve into what's next for the Marvel Cinematic Universe while trying to give credit to the unsung heroes of all of the MCU. 0:00 - 7:00 Intro and two-minute reviews from Jake, Chad, and Chad's kids. 7:00 - 10:00 Was Endgame satisfying? (And how many times did Chad cry?) 10:00 - 24:18 Favorite and least favo...