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I Wanna Hold Your Hand with Patrick Willems
Your March Madness winner series has arrived! Chosen by the listeners, our latest subject is Robert Zemeckis, a Hollywood hitmaker who gives us plenty to cover. But before we get to Forrest Gump and Back To The Future, we're starting with 1978's I Wanna Hold Your Hand, which centers on a group of girls sneaking into the Beatles games Ed Sullivan show performance. Patrick Willems (@patrickhwillems) helps us kick it all off as we talk iconic dork performances, the best Beatles movies, and the confidence in this directorial debut. Subscribe to our patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter and Instagram Merch is available at shopblankcheckpod.myshopify.com
Used Cars with Jason Mantzoukas & Paul Scheer
How Did This Get Made’s Paul Scheer (Black Monday, The League) returns with Jason Mantzoukas (Big Mouth, Brooklyn Nine-Nine) for a rare-Rated R Zemeckis – Used Cars (1980). Topics in this episode include the unique star power of Kurt Russell throughout his career, unpacking the bad luck sequence, and a general look at the state of major studio comedies. Join our Patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter and Instagram ! Merch is available at shopblankcheckpod.myshopify.com
Romancing the Stone with Adam Kempenaar & Josh Larsen
How did Robert Zemeckis go from commercial flops to a career-defining time-travelling trilogy of blank checks? It’s all thanks to his “guarantor” from 1984 - Romancing The Stone, starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. We invited Filmspotting ’s Adam Kempenaar and Josh Larsen to dive into Zemeckis’ first commercial success and how it set the tone for a decade of hits. Join our Patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter and Instagram ! Buy some real nerdy merch @ shopblankcheckpod.myshopify.com
Back to the Future
It was the #1 film of 1985. It’s a theme park ride. An animated series. It spawned video games. Comic books. Musicals. It’s in the goddamn Library of Congress! And key to this series, it guaranteed Robert Zemeckis big crazy budgets for decades. Has there ever been a bigger “blank check" than Back to the Future? Now make like a tree and start the episode already! Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X! Buy some real nerdy merch. Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Who Framed Roger Rabbit with Mike Mitchell & Nick Wiger
A noir for kids. Disney and Warner Bros characters together for the first and last time. Live action drama with kooky Tex Avery-style animation. There's really no movie quite like Who Framed Roger Rabbit. How long did "bumping the lamp" take? What's a contemporary take on Jessica and Roger Rabbit's relationship dynamics? How does the film's story mirror Hollywood? We invited the Doughboys themselves, Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger to help us find out! Subscribe to our patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter and Instagram Merch is available at shopblankcheckpod.myshopify.com
Back to the Future Part II with Nicole Byer
Man wouldn't it be weird to have a future controlled by a rich blond bully who hates women, steals things and is awful to everyone? Robert Zemeckis predicts a wild, kooky, and somewhat accurate 2015 with Back to the Future Part II. Comedian Nicole Byer (Nailed It, Newcomers , Why Won't You Date Me ) helps us make sense of the different timelines, unpack the connection to Trump, analyze the film’s strategic approach to the sequel and the ultimate disappointment that hoverboards continue to not exist. Subscribe to our patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter and Instagram Merch is available at shopblankcheckpod.myshopify.com
Back to the Future Part III with Josh Gondelman
In Back to the Future, Marty ends up in 1955, the same age as his parents. In the sequel he has to jump between that timeline and a bizarre 2015. The natural conclusion to this blockbuster trilogy? A wild western! It's a classic formula! For Back to the Future Part III, we're talking ninja turtles, the magic of Tom Wilson and Mary Steenburgen, and why ZZ Top should be in more movies. The bad boy of the internet himself, Josh Gondelman, (Desus and Mero, Make My Day ) joins! Subscribe to our patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter and Instagram Merch is available at shopblankcheckpod.myshopify.com
Death Becomes Her with Katey Rich
Now armed with an arsenal of wild special effects, Zemeckis takes it up a notch with 1992's Death Becomes Her – the first to include computer-generated skin on film. Katey Rich returns as we reminisce Bruce Willis putting effort in, irritating European monologues, the thrilling billing and why Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn make a perfect cult pair. Subscribe to our patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter and Instagram Merch is available at shopblankcheckpod.myshopify.com
Forrest Gump with Jamelle Bouie
Jamelle Bouie (NY Times) returns to Blank Check to discuss Forrest Gump! Subscribe to our patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter and Instagram Merch is available at shopblankcheckpod.myshopify.com
Contact with Jamie Bell
Actor, Jamie Bell joins this week to discuss 1997's Contact! Join our Patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter and Instagram ! Buy some real nerdy merch @ shopblankcheckpod.myshopify.com
What Lies Beneath with Starlee Kine
The central thesis to this week's episode on What Lies Beneath: folks, they just don't make them like they used to! Starlee Kine ( Election Profit Makers ) joins to discuss the "grown-up" movie, the performances from Michelle Pfeiffer and Harrison Ford, where the screenwriting falls short, and the paranormal. Join our Patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter and Instagram ! Buy some real nerdy merch @ shopblankcheckpod.myshopify.com
Cast Away with Nia DaCosta
Zemeckis and Hanks reunited once again. Another box office and critical success. Filmed over two years, Cast Away captures both talents performing at the top of their respective games. Writer and director, Nia DaCosta (CANDYMAN) joins BC this week to discuss the movie's legacy after 20 years, the different elements that make a story about one guy stranded on island so compelling, Wilson the volleyball, and of course extensive talk about another classic American film: Sully. Join our Patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter and Instagram ! Buy some real nerdy merch @ shopblankcheckpod.myshopify.com
The Polar Express with Joey Sims
In the final days of 2020, Blank Check enters Zemeckis' motion capture technology period with The Polar Express. Joey Sims joins as we discuss the nuance of the Train Conductor character, North Pole logic and delve into everyone's personal relationship to the holiday season and Christmas. Join our Patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter and Instagram ! Buy some real nerdy merch @ shopblankcheckpod.myshopify.com
Beowulf with Jordan Hoffman
This is Beowulf! Yes, in 2007, Bobby Z took the Old English epic poem and, once again using cutting edge mo-cap technology, delivered a 3-D movie that this week's guest, Jordan Hoffman, aptly describes as "resembling a PlayStation 3 cut scene". Also discussed is Crispin Glover's performance as Grendel, Angelina Jolie's hatred for this film, the background behind the Neil Gaiman and Roger Avary screenplay, and the PG-13 rating despite all the violence and horniness. Check out Jordan's new podcast, The Dune Conversations with John and Jordan, on Apple Podcasts , Spotify or wherever you get your pods! Join our Patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter and Instagram ! Buy some real nerdy merch @ shopblankcheckpod.myshopify.com
A Christmas Carol with Emily St. James
What's today? Why its Christmas Carol day! Film critic Emily St. James (Vox) returns to discuss Disney's 2009 take on the classic holiday tale. The gang talks Jim Carrey's career, the best and worst Christmas movies, and Keeping up with the Clauses. Check out untitled slow christmas compilation volume 1 ! Join our Patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter and Instagram ! Buy some real nerdy merch @ shopblankcheckpod.myshopify.com
Flight with Olivia Craighead
After twelve years since releasing a live action film, Zemeckis comes back to the living with 2012's addiction drama, Flight. Olivia Craighead (Iconography podcast) joins #thetwofriends to discuss the misleading trailer and marketing, consider Melissa Leo, and help answer technical questions like how to roll a plane. Join our Patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter and Instagram ! Buy some real nerdy merch @ shopblankcheckpod.myshopify.com
The Walk with J.D. Amato
In 1974 Philippe Petit performed his infamous walk between the Twin Towers. Director Robert Zemeckis many years later after discovering the story in a children's novel would create a 3D film based on this event. But most importantly in 2018, J.D. Amato appeared on Blank Check to discuss the motion picture technology of Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk. Continuing in that tradition, J.D. returns for the third annual Talking the Walk. But this time instead of high frame rate, J.D. explores The Walk's cutting edge use of visual effects. Join our Patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter and Instagram ! Buy some real nerdy merch including this year’s commemorative Talking the Walk design @ shopblankcheckpod.myshopify.com Music selection: "Night Break" by Ke...
Allied with Chris Weitz
Now in the final stretch of the Zemeckis mini series, Chris Weitz returns to discuss 2016's WWII spy thriller, Allied. Join our Patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter and Instagram ! Buy some real nerdy merch at shopblankcheckpod.myshopify.com
Welcome to Marwen with Emily Yoshida
Emily Yoshida is back to welcome you to Marwen! Join our Patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter and Instagram ! Buy some real nerdy merch at shopblankcheckpod.myshopify.com
The Witches with Richard Lawson
Over four months and 19 movies, we have finally reached the end of our mini series on the films of Robert Zemeckis! Richard Lawson (Vanity Fair) joins to discuss 2020's The Witches and #thetwofriends offer up their filmography rankings. Join our Patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter and Instagram ! Buy some real nerdy merch at shopblankcheckpod.myshopify.com
Pinocchio (2022) with Podcast: The Ride
The King of the Uncanny Valley - our boy Bob Zemeckis - is back with his spin on perhaps the most iconic un-real boy in cinema…it’s Pinocchio, baby! Our friends from Podcast: The Ride - two Disney daddies and one small wooden boy - join us to chat about Disney’s latest live-action remake, and we’re mostly just confused. How many days did Tom Hanks spend on set? Why are so many people in Hollywood eager to make their own Pinocchio adaptations? Did Leslie Zemeckis do mo-cap work for the sexy goldfish? Why does Disney World’s Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster revolve around AEROSMITH of all bands?? We may never know! Join our Patreon at patreon.com/blankcheck Follow us @blankcheckpod on Twitter and Instagram ! Buy some real nerdy merch at shopblankcheckpod.mys...