THE ODYSSEY

We are wrapping up our 2026 Summer Blockbusters lineup with the grandest, most ambitious titan of the season: Nolan’s massive, star-studded adaptation of The Odyssey. Shot entirely on new IMAX film cameras across global locations, this 172 minute mythic action epic is easily the biggest cinematic event of July. To fuel ourselves for a ten year journey home, Mackenzie is serving up a refreshing custom cocktail - The Lotus Flower - but it packs a punch strong enough to make you forget your own homeland. This week, we dive into how Nolan takes Homer's foundational, 3,000 year old poem and turns it into a high-stakes blockbuster. We discuss Matt Damon’s fiercely physical performance as Odysseus, capturing a king who is a brilliant, wily strategist but entirely worn down by war and cosmic obstacles. We gush over the incredible ensemble cast, highlighting Anne Hathaway's fierce, resilient Penelope, Tom Holland's raw and restless turn as Telemachus, the scene-stealing presence of Zendaya as Athena, and Charlize Theron as Calypso. We also break down the film's spectacular, practical effects heavy encounters, from the terrifying scale of the Cyclops Polyphemus to the haunting sound design of the Sirens, and analyze how Hoyte van Hoytema’s breathtaking cinematography makes ancient myth feel completely immediate and real. If you have your tickets booked for the nearest 70mm IMAX screen, or if you just want to hear us debate how Nolan managed to make a three hour ancient Greek poem feel like a relentless sci-fi thriller, this is the episode you need. We are blending our awe for a master filmmaker at the absolute peak of his craft with our usual casual banter, making this the true, definitive grand finale of our summer blockbuster coverage. The gods have spoken. This episode VIDEO is live on YouTube AND Spotify! Follow us on Instagram to get ep sneak peaks and find out what's coming up. DM us what you want to hear about next! Interested in what we're watching off the pod? Check out Mackenzie or Lemar's Letterboxd!