1-Week Rental: A Movie Podcast podcast artwork

PODCAST · tv

1-Week Rental: A Movie Podcast

Matt and Laci spend a week with a movie, and take you along on the journey. They spend the week watching, re-watching, researching, reading interviews, and reading the source material of the week's movie. Whether it's a blockbuster from the past, an all-time flop, or a cult classic, they unpack the history behind its production and the people who made it, then discuss, review, and make fun of the movie itself. New episodes every Friday. Formerly known as Load Bearing Beams.

Publisher-supplied feed metadata · PodParley refreshed Apr 16, 2026 · Source feed

  1. 237

    206. Practical Magic (1998) | Diving Deep Into The Sandra Bullock/Nicole Kidman Cult Classic | Behind The Scenes Of Practical Magic | Film Analysis

    Laci and Matt head to Witch Country to hang with the Owens Sisters, Sally (Sandra Bullock) and Gilly (Nicole Kidman). Together they learn about the power of blood magic, sisterhood, and body oil. Practical Magic was a critical and commercial disappointment when it came out in 1998, but it's a beloved classic at this point with a sequel out in movie theaters today! (What remarkably good timing.) Were the late-'90s critics correct? Does this movie jump awkwardly from family movie to dark horror to rom-com to domestic drama, all with a cloying Alan Silvestri score that sounds like leftovers from Richie Rich? Am I (Matt) tipping my hand about how I feel about this movie? Folks, Laci and I are in huge disagreement about Practical Magic, so you gotta listen to hear all about it!  Watch this Practical Magic podcast in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/6jBPkskTINo  Next week (Sept. 18, 2026): Clue (1985)!    Time stamps: 00:09:15 — History segment: Alice Hoffman writes the Practical Magic novel; director Griffin Dunne hires a witch consultant; reception and legacy of Practical Magic; sequel 00:45:22 — Movie discussion + Practical Magic film analysis 01:52:40 — Star ratings + final review of Practical Magic PRACTICAL MAGIC (1998) was directed by Griffin Dunne. Starring Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Aidan Quinn, Stockard Channing, Dianne Wiest, Goran Visnjic, Evan Rachel Wood, Alexandra Artrip, Margo Martindale, and Chloe Webb as Carla, a body oil sales technician.   Sources: "How Practical Magic Pissed Off a Real-Life Witch" by Savannah Walsh | Vanity Fair (2023) - https://bit.ly/4gJamlx  "The Surprisingly Easy Way the Story of 'Practical Magic' Came to Author Alice Hoffman" by Eden Gordon | Mental Floss (2026) - https://bit.ly/4yqsbf9 "Practical Magic Got Cursed by an Actual Witch. Is That Why It Bombed?" by Lila Shapiro | Vulture (2017) - https://bit.ly/46yJU8t "Stockard Channing Answers Every Question We Have About Practical Magic" by Jessica Goldstein | Vulture (2020) - https://bit.ly/3UxAasl "Bewitched: Practical Magic Author Alice Hoffman on the Hotly Anticipated Sequel and Why All Women Should Have a Coven" by Savannah Walsh | Vulture (2026) - https://bit.ly/4xA6zMJ   "Evan Rachel Wood shades Practical Magic 2 cast for not reaching out amid recasting, praises 'sweetheart' Joey King" by Leigh Blickley | Entertainment Weekly (2026) - https://bit.ly/4ywLIe4  "Practical Magic's Lost Director's Cut Was Stunningly Beautiful, Says Writer" by Haleigh Foutch | Collider (2020) - https://bit.ly/3VksIAU  "Thank the '90s for Practical Magic" by David Sims | The Atlantic (2018) - https://bit.ly/4dvbnvl    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/09/practical-magic/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.     Matt has two monthly spin-off podcasts: PodJob: A James Bond Podcast | Check it out on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007). The Sign Post Up Ahead: A Twilight Zone Recap Podcast | Check it out on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4gXjtiR), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4gTE8Ev), and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@TheSignPostUpAhead)    Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow 1-Week Rental, a movie podcast: Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  2. 236

    205. Oppenheimer (2023) | Unpacking & Analyzing Christopher Nolan's Crowning Achievement | Behind The Scenes Of Oppenheimer + Film Analysis

    Laci and Matt turn in their longest podcast ever to talk about Oppenheimer... and honestly, it could have been twice as long. There's so much to say about this movie, which, after spending the summer consuming the man's movies, it's pretty easy to call his best film, and one of the best films of the 21st century. In the history segment, we go through the life and legacy of the real J. Robert Oppenheimer and try to parse what drew Nolan to him. In some ways, Nolan's quotes about Oppenheimer the man and the movie are directly contradicted by what his movie seems to be saying. And that only makes this miracle of a film all the more fascinating. In the movie discussion, we go as fast as we can through the three-hour running time that breezes by. Film critic Bilge Ebiri said Oppenheimer is "an action movie about scientists talking" and that's about right. It's about some pretty dark shit. But it also might be the most entertaining movie ever made.  One last time, THANK YOU to the amazing Wade Hymel and TJ Barends for helping us produce our Summer of Nolan theme song!    Watch this Oppenheimer podcast in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Gb65tOc4kBQ Get more 1-Week Rental on Patreon: https://patreon.com/1weekrental  Next episode (Sept. 11, 2026): Practical Magic (1998)!   The Summer of Nolan is our summer 2026 miniseries covering the movie career of Christopher Nolan through nine movies on the main feed (plus additional episodes on the Patreon!), presented in chronological order, starting with Memento and going through Oppenheimer. And don't be surprised if our old pal Odysseus drops by to tell us about his long journey home to his wife.   Time stamps: 00:03:25 — Opening thoughts on Oppenheimer 00:14:35 — History segment: The life and legacy of J. Robert Oppenheimer; the long development of a movie adaptation of the Oppenheimer biography American Prometheus; casting Cillian Murphy; reception and success of Oppenheimer  01:09:15 — Movie discussion + Oppenheimer film analysis 03:33:15 — Star ratings, final review of Oppenheimer, and ranking Christopher Nolan's movies   OPPENHEIMER (2023) was written and directed by Christopher Nolan. Based on AMERICAN PROMETHUS by Kai Bird and Martin Sherwin. Starring Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Florence Pugh, Alden Ehrenreich, Jason Clarke, Josh Hartnett, David Krumholtz, Benny Safdie, Dylan Arnold, Tom Conti, and Gary Oldman as Harry S. Truman. Plus a million other people.   Sources: "The Nolan Variations: The Movies, Mysteries, and Marvels of Christopher Nolan" by Tom Shone (2020) - https://amzn.to/4yiNtw0  "American Prometheus: The Triumph & Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer" by Kai Bird & Martin Sherwin (2005) - https://amzn.to/4cvnmIQ "Christopher Nolan and the Contradictions of J. Robert Oppenheimer" by Dennise Overbye | The New York Times (2023) - https://bit.ly/4gnJFkZ  "A nuclear legacy in Los Alamos" by Alicia Inez Guzmán | Searchlight New Mexico (2024) - https://bit.ly/4c5Hr8C   "In 'Oppenheimer,' Cillian Murphy leads a Nolan epic" by Lindsey Bahr | The Associated Press (2023) - https://bit.ly/4qxUiq3  "An Action Movie About Scientists Talking" by Bilge Ebiri | Vulture (2023) - https://bit.ly/4qCwi5e  "Why Did Oppenheimer Say "Now I am Death, the Destroyer of Worlds" and What Did It Mean?" by James Grebey | SyFy.com (2023) - https://bit.ly/4hQtzCJ  "The Decision To Drop The Bomb" 1965 NBC News Documentary - https://youtu.be/lb13ynu3Iac    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/09/oppenheimer/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.   Matt has two monthly spin-off podcasts!  PodJob: A James Bond Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007). The Sign Post Up Ahead: A Twilight Zone Recap Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4vtO6jG), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4w1qDat), and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@TheSignPostUpAhead).   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Summer of Nolan" - https://youtube.com/shorts/CAIzthDLrT8  "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    The "Summer of Nolan" theme song was written by Matt Stokes. Produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered by TJ Barends. Performed by: TJ Barends - backing vocals Wade Hymel - drums, percussion, and backing vocals Laci Roth - vocals Matt Stokes - vocals, guitar, and bass   Follow 1-Week Rental, a movie podcast: Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  3. 235

    Dunkirk (2017) | Christopher Nolan Brought His Timey-Wimey Take To World War II | Dunkirk Analysis (Patreon Unlocked)

    Matt and Drew go through Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk. The man made a dad movie... but he still put all his wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey Nolan stuff all over it. Does it work? Does he try to turn up the Spielberg schmaltz just a little too much? Or is it his secret masterpiece? We discuss all that and so much more.   Follow Drewbie Doobie's Movies! Boiling Cactus Productions TikTok: @drewbiedoobiemovies Instagram: @drewbiedoobiemovies

  4. 234

    Jungle Cruise (2021) | This Delightful Throwback Should Have Started A Franchise & Revitalized The Rock's Career | Behind The Scenes Of Jungle Cruise

    Hey folks, we had to postpone our Oppenheimer episode one week. We're busy at Los Alamos putting the final touches on a giant episode, so we just needed a little more time. Since we have a lot of new listeners who weren't with us last summer, we're re-posting the season finale to last summer's miniseries, The Summer of Rock, our podcast about the surprisingly fun movie Jungle Cruise starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt. We'll return in a week with a brand-new episode. See you then!    Original release description: This is the end, beautiful friends. We conclude the Summer of Rock with the much-better-than-I-remembered Jungle Cruise, a movie we abruptly pivoted to covering after trying to watch Black Adam and giving up out of boredom.  We cover the history of movies based on theme parks, the rocky production of Jungle Cruise, its unfortunate failure at the box office, and then we go through the movie itself, trying to figure out if this is one of The Rock's better late-career performances or if he's being carried entirely by Emily Blunt. The Summer of Rock is our summer 2025 miniseries covering the movie career of Dwayne Johnson through nine movies, presented in chronological order. Starting with his attempt at crossing over from the world of wrestling, The Rock's career got off to a bumpy start before finally taking off in the 2010s. But it wasn't long before the bumps returned, and we'll be telling the story for you all summer long! Next week: We'll have a shorter bonus episode to wrap up the Summer of Rock, and we'll answer a few mailbag questions. Our next proper episode will be September 12, 2025, about FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992). Bonus video: Matt does a deep dive into Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland, the 1989 English-language anime: https://youtu.be/nkFqlLFebn8     Time stamps: 00:02:59 — Wrapping up the Summer of Rock (sort of) 00:15:40 — General thoughts on Jungle Cruise 00:22:45 — History segment, part 1: The Jungle Cruise Disney theme park attraction and the craze of adapting theme park rides into movies 00:37:50 — History segment, part 2: the production and COVID-hampered release of Jungle Cruise; the production gets attention for featuring Disney's "first" "openly gay" character 00:58:40 — History segment, part 3: The Rock's movie career after Jungle Cruise: Red Notice, Black Adam, Red One, and The Smashing Machine 01:16:00 — Movie discussion + Jungle Cruise film analysis 02:10:50 — Star ratings + final review of Jungle Cruise   Sources: "Disney's 'Jungle Cruise' Movie Coming Out Scene with Gay Character ... But Avoids the Key Word" | TMZ (2018) - https://bit.ly/3UPda4W "Dwayne Johnson & Chris Evans' $200M+ Christmas Action Movie 'Red One' Opens To $34M: Is It A Bomb Or A Streamer's Rounding Error?" by Anthony D'Alessandro | Deadline (2024) - https://bit.ly/47R1iH9    Artwork by Laci Roth.   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Summer of Rock" - https://youtu.be/dvRY72jNIEE  "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ "Summer of Rock" theme song credits: Words and music by Matt Stokes Engineered, mixed, and mastered by TJ Barends | Bare Sounds Personnel: TJ Barends - backing vocals Wade Hymel - drums/guitar/backing vocals Laci Roth - vocals Matt Stokes - vocals/guitar/bass Follow Wade on Instagram: @wadealready Follow TJ on Instagram: @baresoundstwitaj   Follow 1-Week Rental, a movie podcast: Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  5. 233

    204. Tenet (2020) | We Try Really, Really Hard To Understand Christopher Nolan's Most Confusing Movie | Behind the Scenes of Tenet | Film Analysis

    Six years later, it's interesting to look back at the summer of 2020 and remember that Christopher Nolan's Tenet was intended to save the movie industry in the midst of its worst crisis ever, the COVID-19 pandemic. Nolan was locked in a battle with Warner Brothers over its desire to debut his new film on its recently launched streaming service, HBO Max. Nolan insisted it open in movie theaters. But when would that be allowed to happen? Turns out, it opened in a lot of places, including America, and ended up making $365 million worldwide, which is an incredible feat. But how would it have played in a normal summer? Would it have been the same kind of blockbuster as Inception, Interstellar, and The Odyssey? This is a very, very difficult and challenging movie, for all its popcorn picture trappings. And we are still trying to figure out what exactly is going on with it and how we feel about it. Still, you have to be grateful when movies like Tenet get made, and at such a huge level.   Watch this Tenet podcast in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/OnmbkyP3_Tc  Get more 1-Week Rental on Patreon: https://patreon.com/1weekrental  Next episode (Aug. 21, 2026): Oppenheimer (2023)!   The Summer of Nolan is our summer 2026 miniseries covering the movie career of Christopher Nolan through nine movies on the main feed (plus additional episodes on the Patreon!), presented in chronological order, starting with Memento and going through Oppenheimer. And don't be surprised if our old pal Odysseus drops by to tell us about his long journey home to his wife.   Time stamps: 00:01:41 — Opening thoughts on Tenet 00:18:35 — History segment: The Sator Squares; backwards filmmaking; Christopher Nolan's obsession with nuclear war, Oppenheimer, and making a backwards movie; casting John David Washington as the Protagonist; Tenet gets wrapped up in a quest to save cinema during COVID-19 00:59:40 — Movie discussion + Tenet film analysis 02:45:15 — Star ratings + final review of Tenet   TENET (2020) was written and directed by Christopher Nolan. Starring John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Kenneth Branagh, Himesh Patel, Dimple Kapadia, Clémence Poésy, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Fiona Dourif, Martin Donovan, and Sir Michael Caine as Sir Michael Crosby.   Sources: "The Nolan Variations: The Movies, Mysteries, and Marvels of Christopher Nolan" by Tom Shone (2020) - https://amzn.to/4yiNtw0  "How Tenet was inspired by palindromes, the memes of the ancient world" by Sam Leith | The Telegraph (2020) - https://bit.ly/4fSFH4V  "Tenet is Dazzling, Deft, and Devoid of Feeling" by Anthony Lane | The New Yorker (2020) - https://bit.ly/4bEIdZZ  "'The biggest film I've done': Christopher Nolan on the secret world of Tenet" by Garry Maddox | The Sydney Morning Herald (2020) - https://bit.ly/4xU5nnZ  "Christopher Nolan leads industry fury over Warner Bros' streaming move" by Andrew Pulver | The Guardian (2020) - https://bit.ly/3S6DlWN  "'Tenet' Review: Christopher Nolan's Long-Anticipated Time Caper Is a Humorless Disappointment" by Mike McCahill | IndieWire (2020) - https://bit.ly/4i2ZRKM    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/08/tenet/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.   Matt has two monthly spin-off podcasts!  PodJob: A James Bond Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007). The Sign Post Up Ahead: A Twilight Zone Recap Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4vtO6jG), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4w1qDat), and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@TheSignPostUpAhead).   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Summer of Nolan" - https://youtube.com/shorts/CAIzthDLrT8  "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    The "Summer of Nolan" theme song was written by Matt Stokes. Produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered by TJ Barends. Performed by: TJ Barends - backing vocals Wade Hymel - drums, percussion, and backing vocals Laci Roth - vocals Matt Stokes - vocals, guitar, and bass   Follow 1-Week Rental, a movie podcast: Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  6. 232

    203. Interstellar (2014) | Is This Christopher Nolan's Masterpiece? | Behind The Scenes Of Interstellar | Interstellar Film Analysis

    We said The Prestige is the "most" Christopher Nolan movie, and that Inception is his most autobiographical... but it turns out we were wrong, because both apply to Interstellar. It's a movie where a character literally says, "I'm not afraid of death. I'm afraid of time." It's a movie about a man who desperately wants to return home to his children, except that he wants even more to go do some cool stuff in outer space. The movie's working title was Flora's Letter, referring to Nolan's real-life 11-year-old daughter Flora, the inspiration for the character of Murph. And it's probably Nolan's best movie. Laci and Matt spend more than three hours celebrating this masterpiece, and talk a lot about whether you should even care if the human race got resurrected via a tube of sperm on another planet hundreds of years in the future.    Watch this Interstellar podcast in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Glak3Nnn7As  Get more 1-Week Rental on Patreon: https://patreon.com/1weekrental  Next episode (Aug. 14, 2026): Tenet (2020)!   The Summer of Nolan is our summer 2026 miniseries covering the movie career of Christopher Nolan through nine movies on the main feed (plus additional episodes on the Patreon!), presented in chronological order, starting with Memento and going through Oppenheimer. And don't be surprised if our old pal Odysseus drops by to tell us about his long journey home to his wife.   Time stamps: 00:01:41 — What have we learned about Christopher Nolan so far? And how does it apply to Interstellar?  00:20:00 — History segment: Producer Lynda Obst and physicist Kip Thorne develop Interstellar for Steven Spielberg, with Jonah Nolan as the screenwriter; Spielberg leaves, Christopher Nolan comes aboard; the science of Interstellar is always emphasized during the movie's development; Nolan works with composer Hans Zimmer on the movie's music before shooting begins; casting Matthew McConaughey; release, reception, and legacy of Interstellar 01:24:43 — Movie discussion + Interstellar film analysis 03:10:55 — Star ratings + final review of Interstellar    INTERSTELLAR (2014) was directed by Christopher Nolan. Screenplay by Nolan with his brother Jonah. Starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Mackenzie Foy, Matt Damon, David Gyasi, Bill Irwin, John Lithgow, Casey Affleck, Topher Grace, Timothée Chalamet, and Michael Caine as Professor Brand.   Sources: "Interstellar: How Christopher Nolan's Space Exploration Movie Achieved Lift-Off" by Dan Jolin | Empire (2014) - https://bit.ly/451fLOh "The Nolan Variations: The Movies, Mysteries, and Marvels of Christopher Nolan" by Tom Shone (2020) - https://amzn.to/4yiNtw0 Sleepless in Hollywood: Tales from the New Abnormal in the Movie Business by Lynda Obst (2014) - https://amzn.to/4xjbtOa  "Wrinkles in Spacetime: The Warped Astrophysics of Interstellar" by Adam Rogers | Wired (2014) - https://bit.ly/4wbvs0r  "Writer with real stars in his eyes" by Jay Fernandez | The Los Angeles Times (2007) - https://lat.ms/4pSL4UO  "All About Christopher Nolan's 4 Kids, Who All Worked on 'The Odyssey' With Him" by Bailey Bujnosek | InStyle (2026) - https://bit.ly/4bwYeRI  "Meet the Woman Behind Dunkirk" by Rebecca Keegan | Vanity Fair (2017) - https://bit.ly/4bvzlps  "Christopher Nolan on Dunkirk, Taking His Kids to Phantom Thread" by Christina Radish | Collider (2018) -  https://bit.ly/3RP25mf "Steven Spielberg Worked on 'Interstellar' for One Year and Says 'I Became Fascinated With It' Before Dropping Out: 'It Was a Much Better Movie in Nolan's Hands'" by Zack Sharif | Variety (2026) -  https://bit.ly/4cmPqht    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/08/interstellar/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.   Matt has two monthly spin-off podcasts!  PodJob: A James Bond Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007). The Sign Post Up Ahead: A Twilight Zone Recap Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4vtO6jG), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4w1qDat), and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@TheSignPostUpAhead).   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Summer of Nolan" - https://youtube.com/shorts/CAIzthDLrT8  "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    The "Summer of Nolan" theme song was written by Matt Stokes. Produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered by TJ Barends. Performed by: TJ Barends - backing vocals Wade Hymel - drums, percussion, and backing vocals Laci Roth - vocals Matt Stokes - vocals, guitar, and bass   Follow 1-Week Rental, a movie podcast: Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  7. 231

    Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026) (Patreon Preview) | Has Marvel Studios Finally Turned Things Around? | Spoiler-filled Discussion

    In this 30-minute preview from the 1-Week Rental Patreon, Matt is joined, as per tradition, by Neophyte Reviews and Screen Time Kota to break down the latest offering from Marvel Studios: Spider-Man - Brave New World. This movie is breaking box office records and has been widely embraced by the masses. Neo and Kota are both big fans... but now they face the ultimate challenge of melting Matt's cold heart. Hear the complete, two-hour podcast about Spider-Man: Brand New Day by subscribing to 1-Week Rental's Patreon for two dollars a month: https://bit.ly/4fE2FfY 

  8. 230

    A Nightmare On Elm Street 3 (1987) (Patreon Preview) | Celebrating One Of The Best Horror Sequels Ever

    The Summer of Nolan resumes in one week with our episode about Interstellar (2014). Until then, enjoy a free preview of our latest Patreon offering, a full-length bonus episode about A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987).  Subscribe on Patreon: https://bit.ly/4caeGr6  Matt is joined by Freddy Krueger superfan Patrick Perot to discuss A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987), one of the all-time great slasher sequels. Directed by the late Chuck Russell, Dream Warriors manages to dig in on some of the deeper and darker themes established by Wes Craven in the original while expanding the scope of the story outward and bringing some of the decade's best practical horror effects. Source: Nightmare Autopsis: A Return to Elm Street by Lowell Greenblatt (2025) - https://amzn.to/4wxR5sA 

  9. 229

    202. The Dark Knight Rises (2012) | Does Christopher Nolan's Third Batman Movie Deserve More Credit? | Behind The Scenes Of The Dark Knight Rises | Film Analysis

    When The Dark Knight Rises came out in 2012, expectations were sky high. After all, Christopher Nolan had shattered all box office records and blown critics away with The Dark Knight… what would he be doing now to dazzle audiences everywhere?  Maybe it's inevitable that the reception would be mixed. For the first time in his career, a Nolan movie was given generally negative reviews. And while it ultimately made more money worldwide than The Dark Knight did, it didn't become the biggest movie of all time. Earlier that year, in fact, The Avengers had pulled that off, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe's reign had officially begun. Nolan said the only reason he would ever consider making a sequel to The Dark Knight was if he came up with a story that was so good it justified its own existence. So… does The Dark Knight Rises do that? Laci thinks so; Matt doesn't. In this episode, 1-Week Rental takes you behind the scenes of The Dark Knight Rises to give you the story of how Nolan developed this idea along with his collaborator David Goyer and his brother Jonah. Then, how Bane was selected as the villain, and how world events like Occupy Wall Street gave the film a fortuitous sense of timing. But is Nolan giving himself too much credit by saying Bane foreshadowed Donald Trump? What exactly is Nolan saying in this movie, anyway? And is he trying to say one thing but accidentally saying something else, instead? Then, Laci and Matt review The Dark Knight Rises. Is Bane ultimately a letdown? Would the Joker have made more sense carrying out Bane's exact plan? Anne Hathaway is excellent as Selina Kyle, but does her character make sense? And is Marion Cotillard as "Miranda Tate" the least developed of all of Nolan's female characters? All this and more in a supersized episode as the podcast concludes its coverage of Nolan's trilogy of Batman films.   Watch Matt's video about The Road to El Dorado: https://youtu.be/y5x3zDnjXrg  Watch this Dark Knight Rises podcast in full on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@1weekrental  Get more 1-Week Rental on Patreon: https://patreon.com/1weekrental  Next episode: We're off on July 31, but we shall return on August 7, 2026 with an episode about Interstellar (2014)!   The Summer of Nolan is our summer 2026 miniseries covering the movie career of Christopher Nolan through nine movies on the main feed (plus additional episodes on the Patreon!), presented in chronological order, starting with Memento and going through Oppenheimer. And don't be surprised if our old pal Odysseus drops by to tell us about his long journey home to his wife.   Time stamps: 00:01:24 — Opening thoughts on The Dark Knight Rises 00:20:15 — History segment: Nolan searches for a sequel to The Dark Knight; how they decided to use Bane and cast Tom Hardy; the politics of The Dark Knight movies; production, release, and legacy of The Dark Knight Rises 01:04:29 — Movie discussion + The Dark Knight Rises film analysis 02:56:20 — Star ratings + final review of The Dark Knight Rises   THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (2012) was directed by Christopher Nolan. Screenplay by Nolan with his brother Jonah; screen story by Nolan with David Goyer. Starring Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Gary Oldman, Marion Cotillard, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Tom Conti, Matthew Modine, Ben Mendelsohn, and Glen Powell as a stock trader.   Sources: "The Caped Crusade: Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture" by Glen Weldon (2016) - https://amzn.to/4aNZi2Y  "Christopher Nolan (Iconic Directors)" by Dan Jolin (2026) - https://amzn.to/4oEtmE3 "The Nolan Variations: The Movies, Mysteries, and Marvels of Christopher Nolan" by Tom Shone (2020) - https://amzn.to/4yiNtw0  "The Dark Knight Trilogy: The Complete Story Of Christopher Nolan's Batman Films" by Dan Jolin | Empire (2012) - https://bit.ly/44KS6kW  "Heath Ledger was planning to return as the Joker in The Dark Knight Rises before his death, say family" by Jacob Stolworthy | The Independent (2018) - https://bit.ly/3T8u5So  "For now, Nolan and Batman will rest in 'Dark' glory" by Scott Bowles | USA Today (2008) - https://bit.ly/4yxUUiU  "Christopher Nolan on 'Dark Knight' and its box-office billion: 'It's mystifying to me'" by Geoff Boucher | The Los Angeles Times (2008) - https://lat.ms/4hm5SSr    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/07/the-dark-knight-rises/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.   Matt has two monthly spin-off podcasts!  PodJob: A James Bond Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007). The Sign Post Up Ahead: A Twilight Zone Recap Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4vtO6jG), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4w1qDat), and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@TheSignPostUpAhead).   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Summer of Nolan" - https://youtube.com/shorts/CAIzthDLrT8  "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    The "Summer of Nolan" theme song was written by Matt Stokes. Produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered by TJ Barends. Performed by: TJ Barends - backing vocals Wade Hymel - drums, percussion, and backing vocals Laci Roth - vocals Matt Stokes - vocals, guitar, and bass   Follow 1-Week Rental, a movie podcast: Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  10. 228

    The Odyssey (2026) (Patreon Preview) | How The Odyssey's Themes Connect To All Of Christopher Nolan's Previous Films

    SPOILER ALERT for The Odyssey. Listen only if you've already seen the movie (or if you don't care about spoilers). In this preview from 1-Week Rental's latest premium Patreon episode, Laci, Matt, and Screen Time Kota discuss Christopher Nolan's newest movie, The Odyssey. In this section, we talk about Nolan's desire to do for the world of ancient Greece what he did for Gotham City with his Batman movies, and wonder where Nolan will go next.  Click here to join 1-Week Rental's Patreon and get the complete episode about The Odyssey: https://bit.ly/4yyeN9w

  11. 227

    201. Inception (2010) | Making Sense Of Christopher Nolan's Most Autobiographical Film | Behind The Scenes Of Inception | Film Analysis Of Inception

    Movies are dreams, and directors are like the ultimate dreamweavers, if you think about it. Christopher Nolan certainly thinks so, and in his most autobiographical movie, he has Leonardo DiCaprio play man named Dom Cobb (come on, that's not a real name) who is dressed and styled to look a lot like Christopher Nolan, and he must assemble a team of creatives to help a billionaire in his feud with another billionaire. But actually, it's a movie about uncertainty. No one ever really knows whether they're in a dream, or in the Matrix, or being controlled by a demon. And when you understand that the movie is actually about giving you the experience of living with uncertainty, a lot clicks into place. Or at least it did for Matt. Laci might need to watch Inception a few more times.   Before the movie discussion of Inception, Laci and Matt take you behind the scenes, giving a look at the evolution of Inception from Nolan's days as a student at uni all the way to the final version that made nearly a billion dollars at the box office. Watch Matt's video about Fantasia 2000, the "Trump's Ballroom" of Disney movies: https://youtu.be/y5x3zDnjXrg  Watch this Inception podcast in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-XOu8nCE-3g  Get more 1-Week Rental on Patreon: https://patreon.com/1weekrental  Next week (July 24, 2026): The Dark Knight Rises (2012)!   The Summer of Nolan is our summer 2026 miniseries covering the movie career of Christopher Nolan through nine movies on the main feed (plus additional episodes on the Patreon!), presented in chronological order, starting with Memento and going through Oppenheimer. And don't be surprised if our old pal Odysseus drops by to tell us about his long journey home to his wife.   Time stamps: 00:01:24 — Opening thoughts on Inception 00:18:15 — History segment: Christopher Nolan conceives of "dream thief" idea in early '90s and writes early version of screenplay in early 2000s; he rewrites it after The Dark Knight; casting Leonardo DiCaprio; reception & box office; interpretations of Inception 00:57:55 — Movie discussion + Inception film analysis 02:28:35 — Star ratings + final review of Inception   INCEPTION was written and direct by Christopher Nolan. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Eliot Page, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ken Watanabe, Cillian Murphy, Tom Hardy, Dileep Rao, Tom Berenger, Michael Caine, Pete Posthlethwaite, Lukas Haas, and Talulah Riley as a woman.   Sources: "The Nolan Variations: The Movies, Mysteries, and Marvels of Christopher Nolan" by Tom Shone (2020) - https://amzn.to/4yiNtw0  "A Man and His Dream: Christopher Nolan and Inception" by Dave Itzkoff | The New York Times (2010) - https://bit.ly/4eQFcru  "Crime of the Century" by Dan Jolin | Empire (2010) - https://bit.ly/4fuhz8g  "Christopher Nolan: The Iconic Filmmaker and His Work" by Ian Nathan (2026) - https://amzn.to/4oc2lro  "Inception and Philosophy: Because It's Never Just a Dream" edited by David Kyle Johnson (2011) -  https://amzn.to/4fsoAq5 "Why Christopher Nolan gave in and helped a critic interpret his movies" by Josh Rottenberg | The Los Angeles Times (2020) - https://bit.ly/4bCJ1hI  "This Time the Dream's on Me" by A.O. Scott | The New York Times (2010) - https://bit.ly/3TdPVUo "Dream Factory" by David Denby | The New Yorker (2010) - https://bit.ly/4w6xksa    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/07/inception/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.   Matt has two monthly spin-off podcasts!  PodJob: A James Bond Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007). The Sign Post Up Ahead: A Twilight Zone Recap Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4vtO6jG), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4w1qDat), and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@TheSignPostUpAhead).   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Summer of Nolan" - https://youtube.com/shorts/CAIzthDLrT8  "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    The "Summer of Nolan" theme song was written by Matt Stokes. Produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered by TJ Barends. Performed by: TJ Barends - backing vocals Wade Hymel - drums, percussion, and backing vocals Laci Roth - vocals Matt Stokes - vocals, guitar, and bass   Follow 1-Week Rental, a movie podcast: Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  12. 226

    200. The Dark Knight (2008) | Christopher Nolan Made The Biggest Movie Of All Time | Behind The Scenes Of The Dark Knight + Movie Analysis

    Few movies have penetrated the general pop culture landscape like Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight. And few characters have resonated the way the Joker, as brought to life by Heath Ledger, did when Nolan's movie came out in the summer of 2008 and became the biggest movie of all time. For their 200th episode, Matt and Laci dive deep—and I mean deep—into The Dark Knight. And in a surprise that could have been conceived by the Joker himself, it turns out Laci loves this movie. Matt, meanwhile, continues to feel extremely mixed about all three of Nolan's Batman movies—there's so much to love, and so much more to be confused and baffled by.  For the history segment, the podcast goes behind the scenes to talk about the casting of Heath Ledger and his process for becoming the Joker. Ledger famously isolated himself in a hotel room for a month, journaling his weird thoughts to turn into a version of the Crown Prince of Crime we'd never seen before. We also talk about the history of the Joker as a character, going all the way back to the 1940s. What exactly is it about the Joker that appeals to so many people? And, even putting aside the tragic circumstances behind Ledger's performance, what about the Nolan Joker resonated with so many people?  Then, we talk for two hours about the movie itself, celebrating what we love, rubbing our temples about what we hate, and ultimately trying to figure out what exactly Bruce Wayne believes. How has he become so enchanted by a tough-on-crime prosecutor? Isn't Harvey Dent just Rudy Giuliani, but handsome? And the Joker's philosophy was extremely appealing to people, but does it actually make sense? We spend a lot of time unpacking it, and theorizing about where the Joker would have gone in a sequel, and if he would have done some maturing in between movies. If we have a contrarian take on The Dark Knight, it is this: The Joker isn't a reaction to Batman, he's a reaction to Bruce Wayne. Bruce Wayne rules the world of this movie so insivisbly that he poisons everything without anyone noticing.    Watch this episode in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/OFrmrdTeHX4  Get more 1-Week Rental on Patreon: https://patreon.com/1weekrental  Next week (July 17, 2026): Inception (2010)! The Summer of Nolan is our summer 2026 miniseries covering the movie career of Christopher Nolan through nine movies on the main feed (plus additional episodes on the Patreon!), presented in chronological order, starting with Memento and going through Oppenheimer. And don't be surprised if our old pal Odysseus drops by to tell us about his long journey home to his wife.   Time stamps: 00:01:24 — Opening thoughts on The Dark Knight 00:15:10 — History segment: Initiatal development of the Batman Begins sequel; a brief history of the Joker; Heather Ledger and the Joker; the legendary viral marketing campaign Warner Brothers ran to introduce the world to Ledger's Joker; Ledger's tragic death and the pall that cast over the movie; the release and legacy of The Dark Knight and the Ledger Joker 01:12:28 — Movie discussion + The Dark Knight film analysis 02:51:15 — Star ratings + final review of The Dark Knight   The Dark Knight was directed by Christopher Nolan. Screenplay by Nolan with his brother Jonah; screen story by Nolan with David Goyer. Starring Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Gary Oldman, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Eric Roberts, Chin Han, Nestor Carbonell, Joshua Harto, Michael Jai White, Ritchie Coster, Colin McFarlane, Monique Curnen, and Anthony Michael Hall as a news anchor.   Sources: "Dark Knight Review: Nolan Talks Sequel Inflation" by Anne Thompson | Variety (2008) - https://bit.ly/3RsQ7yy  "Batman's Burden: A Director Confronts Darkness and Death" by David M. Halbfinger | The New York Times (2008) - https://bit.ly/4glGzQ4  "The Caped Crusade: Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture" by Glen Weldon (2016) - https://amzn.to/4aNZi2Y  "Christopher Nolan (Iconic Directors)" by Dan Jolin (2026) - https://amzn.to/4oEtmE3  "The Making Of The Joker" by Dan Jolin | Empire (2009) - https://bit.ly/44MKjmz  "A look inside Heath Ledger's sinister 'Joker journal' for The Dark Knight" by Christopher Hooton | The Independent (2015) - https://bit.ly/4eKswSY  Interview with Christopher Nolan by Steven Weintraub | Collider (2008) - https://bit.ly/3QZqR2Q  "Why is the Joker so popular?: A psychological look" by Byron Lafayette | Bam! Smack! Pow! (2019) - https://bit.ly/4xZCJCu  "Why So Serious? Warner Bros.' Use of the Joker in marketing The Dark Knight" by Kim Owczarksi | from "The Joker: A Serious Study of the Clown Prince of Crime" edited by Robert Moses Peaslee & Robert G. Weiner (2015) - https://amzn.to/4gqECC0  "Christopher Nolan: The Iconic Filmmaker and His Work" by Ian Nathan (2026) - https://amzn.to/4oc2lro  "Heath Ledger died of accidental overdose" | The Associated Press (2008) - https://bit.ly/4p7oebP  "Showdown in Gotham Town" by Manohla Dargis | The New York Times (2008) -  https://bit.ly/4fjtaad  "The Joker Didn't Inspire the Aurora Shooter, but the Rumor Won't Go Away" by Yohana Desta | Vanity Fair (2019) - https://bit.ly/4vmCAXq    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/07/the-dark-knight/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.   Check out Laci's coloring videos on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-kKLhWb2g0bKA-RrvvLh0Q/  Matt has two monthly spin-off podcasts!  PodJob: A James Bond Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007). The Sign Post Up Ahead: A Twilight Zone Recap Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4vtO6jG), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4w1qDat), and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@TheSignPostUpAhead).   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Summer of Nolan" - https://youtube.com/shorts/CAIzthDLrT8  "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    The "Summer of Nolan" theme song was written by Matt Stokes. Produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered by TJ Barends. Performed by: TJ Barends - backing vocals Wade Hymel - drums, percussion, and backing vocals Laci Roth - vocals Matt Stokes - vocals, guitar, and bass   Follow 1-Week Rental, a movie podcast: Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  13. 225

    Insomnia (2002) (Patreon Preview) | Reviewing Christopher Nolan's Least Christopher Nolan Movie | Insomnia Film Analysis

    1WR is off this week. We're returning in one week with episode 200, but for now, enjoy a free sample from our Patreon podast about Christopher Nolan's Insomnia (2002). Get the full episode by subscribing for $5 a month at https://patreon.com/1weekrental 

  14. 224

    199. The Prestige (2006) | Breaking Down Christopher Nolan's Magic Trick | Behind The Scenes Of The Prestige + Film Analysis

    Christopher Nolan fully became Christopher Nolan with The Prestige—a masterpiece that juggles seven interweaving timelines, multiple perspectives, and red herrings that all snap into focus. Join Laci and Matt for a behind-the-scenes deep dive into how Nolan transformed Christopher Priest's novel into cinema's ultimate puzzle box, plus the career impact this movie had on everything he made after. Laci and Matt go through the history of this movie, starting with the novel by Christopher Priest that inspired it. Then they go behind the scenes of the movie and talk about the Nolan brothers' yearslong struggle to adapt it. One issue for Nolan: Magic on screen is not exciting like magic is in person. So instead,  After that, a look at Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale, and how each of their upbringings and acting styles informs the characters they play. Not only that, Jackman, Bale, Angier, and Borden all reflect parts of Christopher Nolan's schizophrenic directorial personality, torn between a populist, a puzzle maker, a hoity-toity artiste, and a crowd pleaser. Then: The Prestige. We discuss it in depth, theorize about all kinds of weird crap that's going on in the background of the movie, and gush over Bale, Jackman, Michael Caine, and Rebecca Hall, and marvel at how Nolan managed to pull off this magic trick of a movie.   Watch this episode in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pdPkvpEMCw0  No new episode next week (July 3, 2026). We'll be back on Friday, July 10, 2026 with episode 200, about The Dark Knight (2008)! The Summer of Nolan is our summer 2026 miniseries covering the movie career of Christopher Nolan through nine movies on the main feed (plus additional episodes on the Patreon!), presented in chronological order, starting with Memento and going through Oppenheimer. And don't be surprised if our old pal Odysseus drops by to tell us about his long journey home to his wife.   Time stamps: 00:01:39 — Opening thoughts on The Prestige 00:09:19 — History segment: Christopher Priest writes the novel The Prestige; Nolan and his brother adapt the novel; career overviews of Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale, and how each informs the character they play; reception and legacy of The Prestige 00:55:00 — Movie discussion + The Prestige film analysis 02:30:45 — Star ratings + final review of The Prestige   The Prestige (2006) was directed by Christopher Nolan. Screenplay by Nolan with his brother Jonah, based on the novel by Christopher Priest. Starring Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johansson, Andy Serkis, David Bowie, Piper Perabo, and Ricky Jay as Milton the Magician.   Sources: "Ten Years Later, Why We're Still Obsessed With 'The Prestige'" by Colin Biggs | Screen Crush (2016) - https://bit.ly/4enO2g9 "'Out of the Furnace' Star Christian Bale on His 'Love-Hate' Relationship with Acting (Q&A)" by Scott Feinberg | The Hollywood Reporter (2013) - https://bit.ly/4eGoKc2  "Pressure as a child formed 'love/hate' relationship with acting" by Ben Child | The Guardian (2013) - https://bit.ly/4xJ5nYx  "Christian Bale on suffering from insomnia and running into Viggo Mortensen in Rome" by Jonathan Heaf | British GQ (2012) - https://bit.ly/4eCGPaJ  "Christopher Priest obituary" by John Clute | The Guardian (2024) - https://bit.ly/4eJQtIZ  "Christopher Nolan (Iconic Directors)" by Dan Jolin (2025) - https://amzn.to/4oEtmE3 "Christopher Nolan: The Iconic Filmmaker and His Work" by Ian Nathan (2026) - https://amzn.to/4oc2lro "Behind the Magic with Prestige Cast" | Access (2006)  "The Prestige: Inside Christopher Nolan's Movie Magic Trick" by Dan Jolin | Empire Magazine (2006) - https://bit.ly/4vv7HRo  "Christian Bale: 'I was asked to do a romantic comedy. I thought they'd lost their minds'" by Rory Carroll | The Guardian (2018) - https://bit.ly/44sb3IQ    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/06/the-prestige/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.   Check out Laci's coloring videos on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-kKLhWb2g0bKA-RrvvLh0Q/  Matt has two monthly spin-off podcasts!  PodJob: A James Bond Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007). The Sign Post Up Ahead: A Twilight Zone Recap Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4vtO6jG), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4w1qDat), and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@TheSignPostUpAhead).   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Summer of Nolan" - https://youtube.com/shorts/CAIzthDLrT8  "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    The "Summer of Nolan" theme song was written by Matt Stokes. Produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered by TJ Barends. Performed by: TJ Barends - backing vocals Wade Hymel - drums, percussion, and backing vocals Laci Roth - vocals Matt Stokes - vocals, guitar, and bass   Follow 1-Week Rental, a movie podcast: Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  15. 223

    198. Batman Begins (2005) | Christopher Nolan Invented The Modern Blockbuster | Behind The Scenes Of Batman Begins + Film Analysis

    Nine years into this podcast and we finally talk about a Batman movie. That seems illegal. We explain why Batman is the pop culture figure who is most like a religion, debate whether he is the most popular fictional character in the world, and go through the various toggles from dark to light to dark to light to dark again, and why this drives fans nuts. Christopher Nolan wanted to make a grounded, realistic Batman. He succeeded. But was this a good idea? And was this good for culture? Does Nolan have much to atone for? Is this movie his Bat Bomb?   Watch this episode in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/VEFwqhk_NvY  Next week (June 26, 2026). The Prestige (2006)! The Summer of Nolan is our summer 2026 miniseries covering the movie career of Christopher Nolan through nine movies on the main feed (plus additional episodes on the Patreon!), presented in chronological order, starting with Memento and going through Oppenheimer. And don't be surprised if our old pal Odysseus drops by to tell us about his long journey home to his wife.   Time stamps: 00:01:39 — Opening thoughts on Batman (the guy) and Batman Begins (the movie) 00:22:33 — History segment: The many lives of Batman; the rise and fall of Batman movies in the '90s; Nolan and Warner Bros succeed in revitalizing the franchise with Batman Begins; casting Christian Bale as the Masked Manhunter 00:55:00 — Movie discussion + Batman Begins film analysis 02:29:30 — Star ratings + final review of Batman Begins   Batman Begins (2005) was directed by Christopher Nolan and written by Nolan and David S. Goyer. Starring Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Katie Holmes, Cillian Murphy, Tom Wilkinson, Linus Roache, Ken Watanabe, Mark Boone Junior, and Rutger Hauer as Mr. Earle.   Sources: "The Caped Crusade: Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture" by Glen Weldon (2016) - https://amzn.to/4aNZi2Y "Christopher Nolan (Iconic Directors)" by Don Jolin (2025) - https://amzn.to/4oEtmE3  "Rescuing Batman" by James Greenberg | The Los Angeles Times (2005) - https://lat.ms/4enOXvB  Interview with Christopher Nolan by Anwar Brett | BBC (2005) - https://bbc.in/4ea6714 Review of Batman Begins by Roger Ebert | The Chicago Sun-Times (2005) - https://bit.ly/4uE6sxZ "From Batman to Oppenheimer: Christopher Nolan and Cillian Murphy discuss their epic movie partnership" by Clark Collis | Entertainment Weekly (2023) - https://bit.ly/4xzOPC9    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/06/batman-begins/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.   Check out Laci's coloring videos on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-kKLhWb2g0bKA-RrvvLh0Q/  Matt has two monthly spin-off podcasts!  PodJob: A James Bond Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007). The Sign Post Up Ahead: A Twilight Zone Recap Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4vtO6jG), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4w1qDat), and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@TheSignPostUpAhead).   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Summer of Nolan" - https://youtube.com/shorts/CAIzthDLrT8  "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    The "Summer of Nolan" theme song was written by Matt Stokes. Produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered by TJ Barends. Performed by: TJ Barends - backing vocals Wade Hymel - drums, percussion, and backing vocals Laci Roth - vocals Matt Stokes - vocals, guitar, and bass   Follow 1-Week Rental, a movie podcast: Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  16. 222

    197. Memento (2001) | Christopher Nolan's Breakthrough Movie Has All His Favorite Tricks and Tropes | Behind The Scenes Of Memento + Film Analysis

    Laci and Matt kick off the Summer of Nolan with a look at Nolan's early career—his feature debut Following (1998) and then his breakout hit Memento (2001). But first, we share our big-picture thoughts on Christopher Nolan: Why is he the world's most popular director? Does he identify too much with J. Robert Oppenheimer? Is he too boring and well-adjusted to make a good subject for a podcast miniseries? Like his hero Steven Spielberg, Nolan didn't attend film school. Instead, he taught himself to make movies by making movies. He self-financed and produced Following a few hours at a time, but it already showed his gifts as a director and the writing and editing styles that would become hallmarks of all his future films. Working on a considerably larger budget, Nolan then made Memento, which became an indie sensation on the late-90s/early-2000s film festival circuit. It then became a surprise hit at the box office and an even bigger success on home video, launching Nolan's storied Hollywood career. 1-Week Rental tells the story of Memento before diving deep into a discussion and analysis of the movie itself. Watch this episode in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/c5RuE5-Xv1A  Next week (June 19, 2026). The Summer of Nolan continues with Batman Begins (2005)! The Summer of Nolan is our summer 2026 miniseries covering the movie career of Christopher Nolan through nine movies on the main feed (plus additional episodes on the Patreon!), presented in chronological order, starting with Memento and going through Oppenheimer. And don't be surprised if our old pal Odysseus drops by to tell us about his long journey home to his wife.   Time stamps: 00:01:39 — Opening thoughts on Christopher Nolan 00:14:45 — History segment: Christopher Nolan's early life; the criminal career of his older brother Matt; Following; and the production, release, and legacy of Memento 00:53:46 — Movie discussion + Memento film analysis 01:52:50 — Star ratings + final review of Memento   Memento (2001) was written and directed by Christopher Nolan. Starring Guy Pearce, Joe Pantoliano, Carrie-Anne Moss, Stephen Tobolowsky, Harriest Sansom Harris, Mark Boone Junior, and Callum Keith Rennie as Dodd.   Sources: "Batman, robbin' and murder" by Christopher Goodwin | The Sunday Times (2010) - https://bit.ly/43N5Drx  "Fact Check: Is Christopher Nolan's Brother a Suspected Hitman Called 'Oppenheimer'?" by Jamie Burton | Newsweek (2023) - https://bit.ly/4a0mSth  "I was there at the Inception of Christopher Nolan's film career" by Matthew Tempest | The Guardian (2011) - https://bit.ly/3RM0Wf3  18-Minute Analysis By Christopher Nolan On Story & Construction Of Memento - https://youtu.be/tYScJZWhaHA  "Christopher Nolan: The Iconic Filmmaker and His Work" by Ian Nathan (2026) - https://amzn.to/4oc2lro  "Guy Pearce On Why Working With Christopher Nolan Was One Of His Greatest Life Experiences" by Alex Godfrey | Empire (2020) - https://bit.ly/4e2UW8W  "Memory Swerves" by Daniel Fierman | Entertainment Weekly (2001) - https://bit.ly/3Q5qyTv    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/06/memento/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.   Check out Laci's coloring videos on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-kKLhWb2g0bKA-RrvvLh0Q/  Matt has two monthly spin-off podcasts!  PodJob: A James Bond Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007). The Sign Post Up Ahead: A Twilight Zone Recap Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4vtO6jG), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4w1qDat), and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@TheSignPostUpAhead).   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Summer of Nolan" - https://youtube.com/shorts/CAIzthDLrT8  "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    The "Summer of Nolan" theme song was written by Matt Stokes. Produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered by TJ Barends. Performed by: TJ Barends - backing vocals Wade Hymel - drums, percussion, and backing vocals Laci Roth - vocals Matt Stokes - vocals, guitar, and bass   Follow 1-Week Rental, a movie podcast: Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  17. 221

    28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026) (Patreon Preview) | Discussing A Zombie Movie With Very Few Zombies | The Bone Temple Film Analysis

    Hey folks! 1-Week Rental is taking the week off to prepare for our epic summer miniseries about Christopher Nolan. In the meantime, tide yourself over with this preview of our new Patreon episode about 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. And if you want to get the whole episode, you can subscribe to our Patreon, which, at the moment, costs only one dollar a month. https://www.patreon.com/posts/28-years-later-160155357?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link 

  18. 220

    196. Gone Girl (2014) | How David Fincher & Gillian Flynn Defined A Genre For A Generation | Behind The Scenes Of Gone Girl + Film Analysis

    Gillian Flynn's novel Gone Girl defined a literary niche when it first came out in 2012, and it still defines it to this day. David Fincher's great 2014 adaptation—written in collaboration with Flynn—is one of the greatest and most fun movie thrillers of the 21st century. Now I want to present you with a terrifying scenario: What if this book had come out three years later, and instead of this glorious 2.5-hour film, we got a boring 12-hour streaming series? Come on, you can see it right now in your mind: Episode 3 is a flashback to Amy's life as a child, with none of the regular actors in it. Episode 9 is the Desi episode, and Amy finally arrives at his door right before the closing credits. No thank you. And so 1-Week Rental is here to take you through the history of that movie. How Gillian Flynn wrote her novel and then worked closely with Fincher on the production, how perfect the casting of both Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike was, how Reese Witherspoon produced the movie with the intention of playing Amazing Amy herself only to be told by Fincher she was all wrong for the part, and how this movie is loosely based on the lives of Laci Roth and Matt Stokes. Did you know that? Watch the history segment in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/i0WuyvYAyrg  We're off next week (June 5, 2026). The next episode will be out on Friday, June 12, 2026 when our summer miniseries begins. The Summer of Nolan opens with a podcast about Christopher Nolan's Memento (2000)!    Time stamps: 00:05:50 — History segment: Gillian Flynn writes the Gone Girl novel; movie optioned by Reese Witherspoon and David Fincher is hired to direct; career of Rosamund Pike; career of Ben Affleck  00:51:40 — Movie discussion + Gone Girl film analysis 02:38:20 — Star ratings + final review of Gone Girl Gone Girl (2014) was directed by David Fincher. Screenplay by Gillian Flynn, based on her novel. Starring Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Carrie Coon, Kim Dickens, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry, Patrick Fugit, Missi Pyle, Emily Ratajkowski, Casey Wilson, David Clennon, Lisa Banes, and Scoot McNairy.   Sources: "Kansas City native Gillian Flynn emerges as a literary force with her twisted mystery 'Gone Girl'" by Steve Paul | The Kansas City Star (2012) - https://bit.ly/4dE9MTf  "Gillian Flynn on Adapting 'Gone Girl,' Being Too 'Wimpy' for Crime Reporting and Her Best Advice to Writers" by Kimberly Nordyke | The Hollywood Reporter (2012) - https://bit.ly/4v9mh0i  "Gillian Flynn Peers Into the Dark Side of Femininity" by Lauren Oyler | The New York Times (2018) - https://bit.ly/3Q1DV7e  "Gillian Flynn on her bestseller Gone Girl and accusations of misogyny" by Oliver Burkeman | The Guardian (2013) - https://bit.ly/42X7s54 "A Surprise Hit Spawns a Movie Deal" by Stafanie Cohen | The Wall Street Journal (2012) - https://bit.ly/3RMwcud  "Author Gillian Flynn says filming 'Gone Girl' went much better than expected" by Robert Butler | The Kansas City Star (2014) - https://bit.ly/431uebV "David Fincher Talks 'Gone Girl,' Avoids Spoilers (Hooray!)" by Audie Cornish | NPR (2014) - https://n.pr/4vdg1ER  "Movie Sneaks: Thrills, chills for Gillian Flynn in adapting 'Gone Girl'" by Gina McIntyre | The Los Angeles Times (2014) - https://lat.ms/4vcYnB3  "Gone Girl film director David Fincher on his potential Oscar contender" by James Mottram | The Independent (2014) - https://bit.ly/4utRP0R  "Reese Witherspoon Says David Fincher Told Her 'I'm Not Putting You' in 'Gone Girl': 'He Was Totally Right' and 'Rosamund Pike Is So Diabolical'" by J. Kim Murphy | Variety (2015) - https://bit.ly/49W9BBH  "Ambition" (w/ Reese Witherspoon) | Las Culturistas podcast (2025) - https://apple.co/4nWEU5q  "Building a New Ben" | GQ (2004) - https://bit.ly/3S4aDFy  "An Actor-Director Above Suspicion" by Cara Buckley | The New York Times (2014) - https://bit.ly/4dytjpy  "Jon Hamm Confirms He Almost Starred in Ben Affleck's 'Gone Girl'" by Carly Thomas | The Hollywood Reporter (2023) - https://bit.ly/434AKyF    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/05/gone-girl/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.   Check out Laci's coloring videos on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-kKLhWb2g0bKA-RrvvLh0Q/    Matt has two monthly spin-off podcasts: PodJob: A James Bond Podcast | Check it out on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007). The Sign Post Up Ahead: A Twilight Zone Recap Podcast | Check it out on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4gXjtiR), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4gTE8Ev), and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@TheSignPostUpAhead)    Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow 1-Week Rental, a movie podcast: Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  19. 219

    195. Drop Dead Fred (1991) | Explaining a Misunderstood Cult Classic | Behind The Scenes Of Drop Dead Fred + Film Analysis

    Drop Dead Fred has an 11% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics absolutely hated it. But it's really good! Seriously. Let Matt and Laci tell you all about it... ...for the second time. That's right, it's time to return to a movie we've covered already. The first time was nearly a decade ago, on the tenth episode of this podcast. Back then, the show was called Load Bearing Beams and it came out every 73 days. We've gotten more consistent since then. Back then we were stunned at how sweet, funny, and insightful Drop Dead Fred is... and it still is! It's nice when that happens. Before diving into an in-depth discussion of the movie, we go through its production history, and then look at the careers of stars Rik Mayall and Phoebe Cates. The Rik Mayall portion shows us how badly we need a Britain Correspondent (email us!) to understand television over there. Then, while going through Phoebe Cates's career, we saw some, uh, interesting stuff that may have informed her performance as a woman who's spent her life being handed from controlling adult to controlling adult. Remember, this show contains irresponsible psychoanalysis for which we are wildly unqualified. Watch the history segment in full: https://youtu.be/V855FOu-u1A  Next week (May 29, 2026): In our last episode before we begin our summer miniseries, we're treating ourselves to David Fincher's Gone Girl (2014).   Time stamps: 00:06:35 — History segment: Critical reception of Drop Dead Fred; development of the movie; career overview of Rik Mayall; career overview of Phoebe Cates; legacy of Drop Dead Fred   00:39:10 — Movie discussion + Drop Dead Fred film analysis 01:54:25 — Star ratings + final review of Drop Dead Fred Drop Dead Fred (1991) was directed by Ate de Jong. Starring Phoebe Cates, Rik Mayall, Ashley Peldon, Marsha Mason, Tim Matheson, Carrie Fisher, and Rod Eldard as Michael "Mickey" Bunce.   Sources: "Paradise star Phoebe Cates hangs her own film with a one-word review--'rip-off'" by Josh Hammer | People (1982) - https://bit.ly/4uiM3ix  "Drop Dead Fred: Looking Back On A Cult Classic" by Mark Harrison | Den Of Geek (2017) - https://bit.ly/4fvY0gh  Interview with Paul Webster & Ate De Jong | Drop Dead Fred blu-ray Obituary of Rik Mayall by Michael Coveney | The Guardian (2014) - https://bit.ly/4nZjswF    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/05/drop-dead-fred/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.   Check out Laci's coloring videos on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-kKLhWb2g0bKA-RrvvLh0Q/  Matt has a monthly spin-off podcast covering the James Bond films! Check out PodJob: A James Bond Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007).   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow 1-Week Rental, a movie podcast: Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  20. 218

    194. Sweet Home Alabama (2002) | Reese Witherspoon Carries This Routine Rom-Com On Her Back | Behind The Scenes Of Sweet Home Alabama + Film Analysis

    1-Week Rental heads down to Pigeon Creek, Alabama, where things are just a little bit different than we're used to up in the big city. Will Melanie Carmichael (Reese Witherspoon) choose Jake (Josh Lucas), her rugged old flame with a take-no-prisoners attitude? Or will she choose Andrew (Patrick Dempsey), the son of a billionaire who's literally being groomed to be president? Either way, this movie's gonna make you laugh, and it's gonna make you think. But before examining Sweet Home Alabama in detail, Laci and Matt go through the history of its production, and then take a long look at Reese Witherspoon's movie career and her recent pivot into business mogul and champion of private equity and artificial intelligence. It's the way of the future, y'all!  Watch this episode in full: https://youtu.be/32Be6DXJ1yg   Next week (May 22, 2026): We take another look at Drop Dead Fred (1991), a movie we originally covered back in 2017!   Time stamps: 00:09:45 — History segment: Reese Witherspoon's early career; development and production of Sweet Home Alabama; Witherspoon's career after Sweet Home Alabama, including her fall and resurgence; Witherspoon's business ventures and embrace of artificial intelligence and private equity  01:00:28 — Movie discussion + Sweet Home Alabama film analysis 02:07:50 — Final thoughts & star ratings   Sweet Home Alabama (2002) was directed by Andy Tennant. Starring Reese Witherspoon, Josh Lucas, Patrick Dempsey, Candice Bergen, Fred Ward, Mary Kay Place, Jean Smart, Ethan Embry, and Melanie Lynskey as Lurlynn.   Sources: "'Sweet Home Alabama' at 20: Director Andy Tennant and star Josh Lucas reveal never-before-told stories about the rom-com classic and their hopes for a sequel" by Jason Guerrasio | Business Insider (2022) - https://bit.ly/48Qg0y0  "How Reese Witherspoon Has Become The World's Richest Actress" by Madeline Berg & Dawn Chmielewski | Forbes (2021) - https://bit.ly/4duyZjc  "Reese Witherspoon: behind-the-scenes revival of Hollywood's unlikely feminist" by Andrew Pulver | The Guardian (2015) - https://bit.ly/4d727hl  "Face to Face With Reese Witherspoon" by Meg Grant | Reader's Digest (2005) - https://bit.ly/4ub3ZM9  "Playing It Straight" by William Booth | The Washington Post (2005) -  https://wapo.st/3PFt9TY  Review of Legally Blonde by Roger Ebert | The Chicago Sun-Times (2001) - https://bit.ly/4fiRqcU  Review of Sweet Home Alabama by Roger Ebert | The Chicago Sun-Times (2002) - https://bit.ly/4fjfM6n  "A down-home dilemma" by David Sterritt | The Christian Science Monitor (2002) - https://bit.ly/4d9a8m2  "Interview with Reese Witherspoon" by Scott B. | IGN (2002) - https://bit.ly/4ua5uu4  "C. Jay Cox: Man With A Mission" by Steven Housman (2004) - https://bit.ly/4eKzt6Y  "Reese Witherspoon: Ready for a change" by Charlie Rose | CBS News (2014) - https://cbsn.ws/3R8LKIv  "The Girlbossification of AI" by Angelina Chapin | New York Magazine (2026) - https://bit.ly/4dhh40x  "Check out Reese Witherspoon's new Southern-inspired fashion line" by Rheana Murray | Today (2015) - https://on.today.com/4tDYYup "Bad Company: Private Equity and the Death of the American Dream―An Exposé of Private Equity's Devastating Impact on American Lives, Communities, and the Economy" by Megan Greenwell (2025) - https://amzn.to/436jJUB    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/05/sweet-home-alabama-2002/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.   Check out Laci's coloring videos on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-kKLhWb2g0bKA-RrvvLh0Q/  Matt has a monthly spin-off podcast covering the James Bond films! Check out PodJob: A James Bond Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007).   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow 1-Week Rental, a movie podcast: Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  21. 217

    193. Bride Of Chucky (1998) | How The Child's Play Franchise Evolved Into Something Bigger | Behind The Scenes Of Bride of Chucky + Film Analysis

    Matt and Laci take a long look at the 1998 horror-comedy film Bride of Chucky.    The Child's Play franchise stands out among the classic horror movie series because it has, from the beginning, largely been stewarded by one man: screenwriter Don Mancini. The show goes through Mancini's inspiration for writing the original 1988 film as a critique on the advertising industry, and the diminishing returns of the two sequels that caused the franchise to go dormant for most of the '90s. Then, the success of Scream led to a revitalization of horror, so Chucky was brought back from the dead, and this time, he'd have a manic gothic dream girl in the form of Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly). The history segment closes with a look at Jennifer Tilly's legacy, and how she had no idea how much playing Tiffany would define her career, or how much love people had for her character and the Chucky franchise. Then, Laci and Matt review Bride of Chucky itself—how well does it serve as a soft reboot of the franchise? Does the humor work? Does it successfully juggle its tones? Can puppets carry a movie on their own? And does something like this even need to try to be scary? Watch this episode in full: https://youtu.be/dUXRqMN7sxA Next week (May 15, 2026): Sweet Home Alabama (2002)!   Time stamps: 00:05:50 — History segment: Don Mancini and Child's Play origins; American horror struggles in the early '90s; Scream leads to a genre renaissance, and Chucky is revived; Mancini intentionally pivots the series into a humorous and queer-friendly direction; the career of Jennifer Tilly; Tilly's horror legacy 00:41:08 — Movie discussion + Bride of Chucky film analysis 01:28:50 — Final thoughts & star ratings   Bride of Chucky (1998) was directed by Ronny Yu and written by Don Mancini. Starring Jennifer Tilly, Brad Dourif, Katherine Heigl, Nick Stabile, Gordon Michael Woolvett, Alexis Arquette, and John Ritter as Uncle Warren.    Sources: "Reign of Chucky" by Dustin McNeill & Travis Mullins (2022) - https://amzn.to/3OPtXFE "Your Friend 'Til the End: An Oral History of Child's Play" by Jake Rossen | Mental Floss (2019) - https://bit.ly/42SyAlq  "Chucky Returns to Terrorize TV. His Creator Couldn't Be Happier." by Erik Pipenburg | The New York Times (2021) - https://bit.ly/4d623Nx  "210 Minutes With Jennifer Tilly" by Jada Yuan | New York Magazine (2012) - https://bit.ly/3Ph0Wml  "Ay, Caramba! Jennifer Tilly Scores 'The Simpsons' Earnings From Late Ex's Estate" | Radar Online (2018) - https://bit.ly/4uo0YaU    "'It's Not All Diamonds and Roses': Jennifer Tilly Takes on the Beverly Hills Housewives" by Emily Sandstrom | Interview Magazine (2024) - https://bit.ly/4uvMdmo      Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/05/bride-of-chucky-1998/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.   Check out Laci's coloring videos on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-kKLhWb2g0bKA-RrvvLh0Q/  Matt has a monthly spin-off podcast covering the James Bond films! Check out PodJob: A James Bond Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007).   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow 1-Week Rental, a movie podcast: Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  22. 216

    Join our summer fantasy box office league!

    Hey everybody. I'm just putting this out there on the audio feed of 1-Week Rental, of our podcast feed. You may or may not know that in the summer we do a summer box office league, fantasy box office league. Like fantasy football, but with box office. And we want to expand it and get more people involved. So I'm just putting this out there to gauge the interest of people who listen to the show: If you want to participate, if you would want to participate, we have a first prize that is $50, second prize is $30, third prize is $20, and then there's a last-place prize of $20. It would start probably after Memorial Day. I need to see how many people want to be involved to sort of figure out all the logistics—how many movies are going to be eligible to draft, when we would have the draft, etc. If you're interested in participating, let me know. Email [email protected] or DM me or the show on any of our social media accounts, and let us know you want to participate. The only thing we would need from you is to attend the live draft, or to give someone in the league your proxy to draft for you. If we schedule it at a time that you can't attend, you'd say, "Matt (or whoever), I trust you to pick movies for me." And the draft will be a live stream, but you don't have to be on camera if you don't want to be. The live draft is a ton of fun. It'd be a great chance to meet new people, engage with the community of people who love movies and are nerds about box office and stuff. So again, if you would like to participate, it's a lot of fun. Fantasy box office league. It will run June, July, and August. There's no cost to participate. It's free. Laci and I just pay the prizes ourselves. If you win, we will literally just Venmo you some money. "Congratulations!" So yeah, if you are interested in participating, again, email [email protected] or DM me or the show at any of our social media accounts. Those are all linked in the description. All right, looking forward to hearing from you. Thanks. Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social

  23. 215

    192. The Devil Wears Prada (2006) | The Story Of A Millennial Workplace Classic | Behind The Scenes Of The Devil Wears Prada + Film Analysis

    Gird your loins, folks! We've accepted the low-paying position of assistant to Miranda Priestly, the legendary editor-in-chief at Runway Magazine, the fashion crown jewel of the Elias Clarke publishing empire. A million other people would kill to have this job, but it's sure to open up big doors for us in the future. Ms. Priestly's a little demanding, and doesn't like us to ask questions, and doesn't like when we don't understand things, and calls us fat, but all things require a learning curve. On an unrelated note: The podcast is covering The Devil Wears Prada (2006), the millennial classic about a hard-working striver who doesn't think she can please her boss, before wouldn't you know it, she pleases her damn boss? It might end up being the role Meryl Streep will be best remembered for, and she's truly electric in this movie. But Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci are also incredible! And Anne Hathaway's doing her thing. Now, about that: During the history segment, we really try to unpack why people don't like Anne Hathaway. Including one of the people who hosts this podcast. Also in the history segment: The life and times of Vogue editor Anna Wintour; Lauren Weisberger working for Wintour and then writing a thinly veiled novel about it; how that novel was adapted into a movie; and how playing Priestly catapulted Meryl Streep into being a box office sensation for the first time in her career. Watch the history segment in full: https://youtu.be/iF8YfSnisqw  Next week (May 8, 2026): Bride of Chucky (1998)!   Time stamps: 00:06:33 — History segment: Anna Wintour; author Lauren Weisberger works as Wintour's assistant for 10 months, writes a novel about it; the novel gets adapated as a movie by director David Frankel; casting Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway; why do people hate Anne Hathaway? 00:51:55 — Movie discussion + The Devil Wears Prada film analysis 02:05:15 — Final thoughts & star ratings   The Devil Wears Prada was directed by David Frankel and written by Aline Brosh McKenna, based on Lauren Weisberger's novel. Starring Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, Simon Baker, Tracie Thoms, Rich Sommer, Gisele Bundchen, and Adrian Grenier as "Nate."    Sources: "Anna Wintour's legacy and who might replace her as Vogue editor" by Steven McIntosh | BBC (2025) - https://bit.ly/4vZ8Zof "Anna Wintour Embraces a New Era At Vogue" by David Remnick | The New Yorker (2025) - https://bit.ly/48JrpQb  "What's Wrong With Vogue?" by Cathy Horyn | The New York Times (2008) - https://bit.ly/424AcIw  "The White Issue: Has Anna Wintour's Diversity Push Come Too Late?" by Edmund Lee | The New York Times (2020) - https://bit.ly/4cFPslf  "When personal assistants attack!" by Elizabeth Spiers | Salon (2003) - https://bit.ly/4n0Y1uv  "'Every minute at Vogue felt like an emergency': Devil Wears Prada author Lauren Weisberger on igniting a scandal" by Jess Cartner-Morley | The Guardian (2024) - https://bit.ly/4vRpl2f  "'It was a year of being yelled at': How much of The Devil Wears Prada really happened?" by Megan Agnew | The Sydney Morning Herald (2026) - https://bit.ly/4cDk5rG  "The Devil Wears Prada oral history: Cast reunites to dish on making the best-dressed hit" by Joey Nolfi | Entertainment Weekly (2021) - https://bit.ly/3QK5PVi  "'The Devil Wears Prada' Turns 10: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt Tell All" by Ramin Setoodeh | Variety (2016) - https://bit.ly/4u3ztDs  "Anne Hathaway on Tuning Out the Haters and Embracing Her True Self" by Julie Miller | Vanity Fair (2024) - https://bit.ly/4u5uJgo  "Anne Hathaway Can't Win" by Anne Helen Petersen | BuzzFeed (2015) - https://bzfd.it/4cHqMZC  "A Tale of Two Oscar-Winning Actresses: Why Has Jennifer Lawrence Become a Media Darling by Breaking All the Rules, While Well-Behaved Anne Hathaway Is Getting Flack?" by Julie Miller | Vanity Fair (2013) - https://bit.ly/4tm4aDf "How Annoying Is Anne Hathaway: A Scientific Inquiry" by Billy Kimball | HuffPost (2013) - https://bit.ly/4mZqVLl  "The Cult of Hathahaters: Will It Hurt Anne Hathaway's Oscar Chances?" by Kevin Fallon | The Daily Beast (2013) - https://bit.ly/3OMV302    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/05/the-devil-wears-prada-2006/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.   Check out Laci's coloring videos on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-kKLhWb2g0bKA-RrvvLh0Q/  Matt has a monthly spin-off podcast covering the James Bond films! Check out PodJob: A James Bond Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007).   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow 1-Week Rental, a movie podcast: Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.  

  24. 214

    191. Showgirls (1995) | Paul Verhoeven's Cult Classic Is Not The Movie You Think It Is | Behind The Scenes Of Showgirls + Film Analysis

    Content warning: Showgirls depicts sexual violence as a central theme, and this is discussed in the podcast. The podcast tackles Paul Verhoeven's misunderstood masterpiece Showgirls (1995), and celebration the singularity of Elizabeth Berkley's incredible performance as Nomi Malone, the eternal cowboy of America. And then we bring Sex Month to a close by doling out some expert sex advice. Next week (May 1, 2026): The Devil Wears Prada (2006)! Watch Matt's video essay about Paul Verhoeven: https://youtu.be/pzK6CiMUMxM    Time stamps: 00:10:17 — History segment: The career of Paul Verhoeven; Verhoeven and Joe Eszterhas's collaboration leads to Showgirls; the career of Elizabeth Berkley; the legacy of Showgirls; a brief history of the NC-17 rating 01:02:10 — Movie discussion + Showgirls film analysis 02:30:25 — Sex advice questions 02:45:20 — Final thoughts & star ratings   Showgirls was directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas. Starring Elizabeth Berkley, Kyle MacLachlan, Gina Gershon, Gina Ravera, Glenn Plummer, and Robert Davi as Al.    Sources: "'Showgirls': Paul Verhoeven on the Greatest Stripper Movie Ever Made" by Jennifer Wood | Rolling Stone (2015) - https://bit.ly/41O38Va "How 'Showgirls' Became a Queer-Movie Classic" by Jeffrey McHale | The Daily Beast (2020) - https://bit.ly/42rP2ZD Review of Showgirls by Roger Ebert | The Chicago Sun-Times (1995) - https://bit.ly/3QgXbxx "Interviews | Vulgar Moralism: Paul Verhoeven's Black Book" by Robert Koehler | Cinema Scope (2006) - https://bit.ly/4w0cScO "The Naked Truth About 'Showgirls' by Kenneth Turan | The Los Angeles Times (1995) - https://lat.ms/4mKi3Jz  "Interview with Elizabeth Berkley" by Danielle Cantor | Jewish Women International (2011) - https://bit.ly/4vMHA91 "Farmington Hills' Elizabeth Berkley so excited for 'Saved by the Bell' reboot" by Kurt Anthony Krug | The Detroit News (2020) - https://bit.ly/4tFp4xV "The Staggering Transformation Of Elizabeth Berkley" by Cassie Daigle | Nicki Swift (2024) - https://bit.ly/4vNdkL5    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/04/showgirls-1995/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.   Check out Laci's coloring videos on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-kKLhWb2g0bKA-RrvvLh0Q/  Matt has a monthly spin-off podcast covering the James Bond films! Check out PodJob: A James Bond Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007).   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "24 Hours Is Like Three Weeks!" - https://youtu.be/xhmAga_DGv0  "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow the show!  Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  25. 213

    190. Hellraiser (1987) | Diving Deep Into Clive Barker's Iconic Horror Classic | Behind The Scenes Of Hellraiser + Film Analysis

    Matt and Laci dive deep into Hellraiser (1987). Matt, a long-time fan of the movie, and Laci, a first-time viewer, discuss the film's production history and the life and philosophy of its creator, Clive Barker. They explore Barker's background, including his early work in theater, his time as a male escort, and his unique perspective on integrating explicit sexuality and body horror into his work.  Two prior adaptations of his work led Barker to want to take tight control of a third adaptation, which meant he would need to direct it himself. And what an incredible feat the film is for a first-time filmmaker. 1WR tells that story, including how Barker recruited his longtime friend Doug Bradley to play the iconic role of Pinhead.  Then, a long breakdown of the movie itself. How does it play for a first-time viewer? How well do its practical effects hold up? Do its themes make sense? Has any movie character ever hated their spouse as much as Julia hates Larry? And is Hellraiser as scary as we assumed it would be when we saw the VHS box in the video store as children? Is anything? Finally, Pinhead himself joins us to give some sex advice. Next week (April 24, 2026): SEX MONTH concludes with Paul Verhoeven's Showgirls (1995)!   Time stamps: 00:10:00 — History segment: The life and times of Clive Barker; production of Hellraiser; Doug Bradley; the Hellraiser franchise and its legacy 00:49:15 — Movie discussion + Hellraiser film analysis 02:03:23 — Sex advice questions 02:11:13 — Final thoughts & star ratings   Hellraiser was written and directed by Clive Barker. Starring Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins, Ashley Laurence, Oliver Smith, Sean Chapman, and Doug Bradley as the "Lead Cenobite" (Pinhead).    Sources: The Hellraiser Films and Their Legacy by Paul Kane (2015) - https://amzn.to/480DZdp "How we made Hellraiser" by Phil Hoad | The Guardian (2017) - https://bit.ly/3Q3g86L  "Queer Sexuality in Clive Barker's 'Hellraiser' (1987)" by Bash Ortega | Horror Press (2024) - https://bit.ly/3QEyIlE "Eroticising The World" | Cut, Vol 2, No 10 (1987) - (republished on Clive Barker's website) https://bit.ly/4vmDN1Y  "All The Gory Details" by M. Kent Black (1989) - (republished on Clive Barker's website) https://bit.ly/4vmDN1Y  "'Hellraiser' Author Clive Barker on Almost Dying, Hustling, and Killing Pinhead" by Sean T. Collins | Grantland (2015) - https://bit.ly/4eug2Po  Clive Barker on Loveline (1996) - (republished on Barker's website) https://bit.ly/4vmDN1Y    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/04/hellraiser-1987/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.   Check out Laci's coloring videos on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-kKLhWb2g0bKA-RrvvLh0Q/  Matt has a monthly spin-off podcast covering the James Bond films! Check out PodJob: A James Bond Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007).   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "24 Hours Is Like Three Weeks!" - https://youtu.be/xhmAga_DGv0  "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow the show!  Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  26. 212

    189. Can't Hardly Wait (1998) | Reviewing A Teen Movie Classic | Behind The Scenes Of Can't Hardly Wait + Film Analysis

    In the late '90s, there was a revival of the teen comedy, and Can't Hardly Wait stands as one of the classics of the era. The premise couldn't be simpler: It's one night at a party, the night of graduation. We follow a handful of crazy kids and see what kind of sexy trouble they get into. And it's a lot of fun! Surprisingly, this movie is rated PG-13 and is way less raunchy than we remember, so maybe not an ideal fit for Sex Month. So we try to lewd it up in our discussion for you.  Next week (April 17, 2026): SEX MONTH continues with the '80s horror-sex classic Hellraiser (1987)!   Time stamps: 00:07:30 — History segment: A brief history of the "teen movie"; the writing, casting, production, and legacy of Can't Hardly Wait  00:39:50 — Movie discussion + Can't Hardly Wait film analysis 01:45:41 — Sex advice questions 01:50:43 — Final thoughts & star ratings   Can't Hardly Wait was written and directed by Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan. Starring Lauren Ambrose, Seth Green, Ethan Embry, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Charlie Korsmo, and Peter Facinelli as Mike Dexter. Sources: "The Beer Has Not Gone Bad: How 'Can't Hardly Wait' Became a Teen Cult Classic" by Andrew Gruttadaro | The Ringer (2018) - https://bit.ly/41XZtnv  "Whatever: a history of teen movies" by Killian Fox | The Guardian (2009) - https://bit.ly/4t9kDv1    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/04/cant-hardly-wait-1998/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.   Check out Laci's coloring videos on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-kKLhWb2g0bKA-RrvvLh0Q/  Matt has a monthly spin-off podcast covering the James Bond films! Check out PodJob: A James Bond Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007).   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow the show!  Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  27. 211

    188. Fifty Shades Of Grey (2015) | How A Twilight Fanfic Changed Hollywood | Behind The Scenes Of Fifty Shades Of Grey + Film Analysis

    Laci and Matt fall into the world of Christian Grey, a mysterious and mercurial billionaire (age: 27) who enjoys flying his helicopter and tickling womens' tummies.  First, the show explores author E.L. James and how her Twilight fan fiction evolved into the worldwide bestselling Fifty Shades trilogy. Then, a cultural industry grows like a weed, trying to figure out what exactly it says about our society that we love these books, ya know?  The 2010s is also when fandom completely seizes control of the production of its favorite intellectual properties. Author E.L. James was not happy with how far the first Fifty Shades film deviated from her book, and she kept a much tighter leash on the subsequent entries. But what exactly was she unhappy with? Is Fifty Shades of Grey conservative or progressive, sex-positive or prudish, feminist or retrograde, pro-BDSM or anti-BDSM? The answer, of course, is yes.  I'll bet you five you're not alive if this movie about transactional law doesn't turn you on. Plus, we answer a sex advice question!  Next week (April 10, 2026): SEX MONTH continues with the '90s sex comedy classic Can't Hardly Wait (1998)!   Time stamps: 00:05:06 — History segment: Author E.L. James writes a Twilight fan fiction that then gets turned into Fifty Shades of Grey; the novel becomes a blockbuster, leading to huge movies and a huge cultural industry; the production of the movie is difficult; Dakota Johnson still confuses us; the #notmychristian backlash to Jamie Dornan's casting; director Sam Taylor-Johnson later expresses regret that she did the movie, claims E.L. James doesn't like her 00:43:05 — Movie discussion + Fifty Shades Of Grey film analysis 01:55:19 — Sex advice question of the week: "Help! My girlfriend wants to pee on me!"  01:59:15 — Final thoughts & star ratings   Sources: "Unexpected Lessons From 'Fifty Shades of Grey'" by A.O. Scott | The New York Times (2015) - https://bit.ly/4lYHR46  "'Fifty Shades' Sequel: Author E.L. James Demands Control Over Script" by Justin Kroll & Ramin Setoodeh | Variety (2015) - https://bit.ly/4bIqIIz "Mommy porn?: Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James: review" by Laura Barnett | The Telegraph (2012) - https://bit.ly/3PJsaSq  "Sir Salman Rushdie: 'Fifty Shades of Grey makes Twilight look like War and Peace'" by Chris Irvine Chrisirvine | The Telegraph (2012) - https://bit.ly/3QaVlxP  "Sam Taylor-Johnson reveals Fifty Shades regret: 'EL James didn't like me'" by Alice Vincent | The Telegraph (2017) - https://bit.ly/4bZPC5s  "'Fifty Shades' Casting: Shailene Woodley and Other Surprise Names That Passed" by Tatiana Siegel & Borys Kit | The Hollywood Reporter (2013) -  https://bit.ly/3O9Ag6s "50 Shades film: Charlie Hunnam and Dakota Johnson cast" by Ben Child | The Guardian (2013) - https://bit.ly/3PHuolp  "Jamie Dornan fled to rural hideaway after 'ridicule' over Fifty Shades of Grey" by Vanessa Thorpe | The Guardian (2024) - https://bit.ly/4tlqFbD  "Fifty Shades Of Green: How Fanfiction Went From Dirty Little Secret To Money Machine" by Hayley C. Cuccinello | Forbes (2017) - https://bit.ly/4cgEDpo  "Christian Grey Began His Fictional Career As A Vampire" by Neda Ulaby | NPR (2015) - https://n.pr/41actGq  "Is Fifty Shades Of Grey Twilight Fan-Fiction? Origins & Inspiration Explained" by Adrienne Tyler | Screen Rant (2024) - https://bit.ly/4s7gZR1  "Fifty Shades of Grey: what BDSM enthusiasts think" by Anna Smith | The Guardian (2015) - https://bit.ly/4cgEL8m    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/04/fifty-shades-of-grey-2015/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.   Check out Laci's coloring videos on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-kKLhWb2g0bKA-RrvvLh0Q/  Matt has a monthly spin-off podcast covering the James Bond films! Check out PodJob: A James Bond Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007).   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow the show!  Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  28. 210

    187. Sideways (2004) | Uncorking The Movie That Ruined Merlot & Celebrated Friendship | Behind The Scenes Of Sideways + Film Analysis

    Laci and Matt take a trip to Santa Barbara County, California, for a glass (or 12!) of wine with their favorite pinot-slurping pals: Miles (Paul Giamatti), Jack (Thomas Haden Church), Maya (Virginia Madsen), Stephanie (Sandra Oh), and a friendly flock of ostriches. That's right, people, we spent the week with Sideways (2004), Alexander Payne's hilarious look at two codependent losers who have one of cinema's all-time great friendships.  Next week (April 3, 2026): 1-Week Rental's official SEX MONTH begins with a podcast about Fifty Shades Of Grey (2015)! Watch this full Sideways podcast in full video: https://youtu.be/9b1uLioPSic    Time stamps: 00:08:45 — History segment: Author Rex Pickett (the real-life Miles) writes a book; it gets adapted by Alexander Payne; the wine industry will never be the same; the little-known Sideways Extended Universe 00:44:00 — Movie discussion + Sideways film analysis 02:06:00 — Final thoughts & star ratings   Sources: "Taste of Success" by Oliver Burkeman | The Guardian (2004) - https://bit.ly/4lNhSfY  "A drink with… Rex Pickett" by Jonathan Cristaldi | Decanter (2024) - https://bit.ly/4rUAegu "The Hitching Post Toasts 20 Years of the Surprise Hit SIDEWAYS" by Bonnie Graves | Golden State (2024) - https://bit.ly/3NVTv3j  "'The Sideways Effect': How A Wine-Obsessed Film Reshaped The Industry" by Kristen Hartke | NPR (2017) - https://n.pr/4uPQbr7 "The Full Giamatti" by Scott Raab | Esquire (2007) - https://bit.ly/4t61ZDR  "They're still toasting 'Sideways' in Santa Barbara wine country" by Hugo Martin | The Los Angeles Times (2009) - https://lat.ms/4bHpxb6 "After 20 years, 'Sideways' has aged like a fine . . . well, you know" by Rob Thomas | Not That Rob Thomas (2024) - https://bit.ly/4t8niVo    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/03/sideways-2004/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.   Check out Laci's coloring videos on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-kKLhWb2g0bKA-RrvvLh0Q/  Matt has a monthly spin-off podcast covering the James Bond films! Check out PodJob: A James Bond Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007).   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow the show!  Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  29. 209

    186. Nothing But Trouble (1991) | Making Sense Of Dan Aykroyd's Insane Video Store Classic | Behind The Scenes Of Nothing But Trouble + Film Analysis

    It's one of the most unpleasant movies we've ever covered: Nothing But Trouble, starring Chevy Chase, Demi Moore, John Candy, and Dan Aykroyd, who also wrote and directed the picture. Like a comedy version of Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (but less funny), it's a movie that's difficult to put into words, or even comprehend. But one way to understand it is to think of it like Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislane Maxwell taking a country drive into New Jersey and facing way more justice than they would in the real world. Next week (March 27, 2026): Sideways (2004)!    Time stamps: 00:05:35 — History segment: Dan Aykroyd and his brother Peter are inspired to turn a story about his upstate New York traffic violation into a horror-comedy; they can't find anyone to direct, so he directs it himself, and it doesn't turn out well for anybody 00:29:30 — Movie discussion + Nothing But Trouble film analysis 01:21:30 — Final thoughts & star ratings   Sources: Interview With Dan Aykroyd | The Woody Show (2023) - https://youtu.be/pWPckpqD99w  "'King Ralph,' 'Nothing But Trouble' just for laughs Aykroyd effort lacks wit to balance the grossness" by Jay Boyar | The Orlando Sentinel (1991) - https://bit.ly/4tzP0eP  Exploring Nothing but Trouble - The Untold Story Behind Dan Aykroyd's Notorious Production | GoodBadFlicks - https://youtu.be/8TFfL1aUDaQ    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/03/nothing-but-trouble/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.   Check out Laci's coloring videos on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-kKLhWb2g0bKA-RrvvLh0Q/  Matt has a monthly spin-off podcast covering the James Bond films! Check out PodJob: A James Bond Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007).   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow the show!  Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  30. 208

    Marty Supreme | Sinners | Bugonia (Oscars Special - Part 2)

    1WR continues helping you prepare for Hollywood's Biggest Night(TM), as Laci and Matt stir the pot and catch up on awards season before going deep on Marty Supreme. Then, Matt is joined by his friend Caleb Hogan to discuss Sinners, and the show closes with a conversation about Bugonia with returning guest Cinema Coconut.  Next week (March 20, 2026): Nothing But Trouble, where Dan Ackroyd plays dual roles: a judge with a penis for a nose and also a big diaper baby.    Time stamps: 00:15:30 — Marty Supreme 00:50:45 — Sinners (with Caleb Hogan) 01:22:55 — Bugonia (with Cinema Coconut)   Follow Neophyte Reviews! TikTok: @Cinema_Coconut Instagram: @Cinema_Coconut YouTube: @CinemaCoconut   Artwork by Laci Roth.   Check out Laci's coloring videos on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-kKLhWb2g0bKA-RrvvLh0Q/  Matt has a monthly spin-off podcast covering the James Bond films! Check out PodJob: A James Bond Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007).   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow the show!  Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  31. 207

    KPop: Demon Hunters | Train Dreams | If I Had Legs I'd Kick You | Weapons | Frankenstein | One Battle After Another (2026 Oscars Special - Part 1)

    Hollywood's Biggest Night is almost upon us, and 1-Week Rental is gonna help you get ready by discussing the movies nominated for the biggest awards. In this, the first of our two-part series previewing the awards, Matt talks to his friends about six films: Frankenstein, If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, KPop: Demon Hunters, One Battle After Another, Train Dreams, and Weapons. Next week (March 13, 2026): Part 2 of our Oscars special continues reviewing huge Oscar movies! The week after that (March 20, 2026): Nothing But Trouble, where Dan Ackroyd plays a judge with a penis for a nose, and also a big diaper baby.    Time stamps: 00:01:40 — KPop: Demon Hunters (with Neophyte Reviews) 00:16:00 — Train Dreams (with Drewbie Doobie's Movies) 00:32:40 — If I Had Legs I'd Kick You (with Austin Proctor) 01:00:35 — Weapons (with Smash Trivia John) 01:27:27 — Frankenstein (with Spooky T & HFK) 01:45:45 — One Battle After Another (with Wade Hymel)   Follow Neophyte Reviews! TikTok: @neophyte_reviews Instagram: @neophyte_reviews YouTube: @neophyte_reviews   Follow Drewbie Doobie's Movies! Boiling Cactus Productions TikTok: @drewbiedoobiemovies Instagram: @drewbiedoobiemovies   Follow Austin Proctor! Listen to Frightmares on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4nvmSGe) or Spotify (https://bit.ly/4nVvx4D) TikTok: @frightmarespodcast Instagram: @frightmarespodcast   Follow Smash Trivia John! Listen to Smash Trivia Presents: The Gamma Analysis on Apple Podcast (https://apple.co/4le1kgT) or Spotify (https://bit.ly/4lFpXmh)  TikTok: @SmashTrivia  Instagram: @smashtriviajohn YouTube: @smashtrivia3273   Follow Spooky T & HFK! Elevated Cryptid Productions Spooky T on TikTok: @tieracolette HFK on TikTok: @HFK48   Follow Wade Hymel! Listen to PodJob: A James Bond Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1) or Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E) Dash Rip Rock's new album, A Song In Everyone (https://bit.ly/4q3gdDO) A Song In Everyone on vinyl (https://bit.ly/4r5ds5F) Wade's solo album, Who Said That? (https://bit.ly/3LPUNf3) Lilli Lewis (https://bit.ly/3NylTIj) Incubators (https://bit.ly/3LOeuUv) Rural Route Nine (https://bit.ly/45ny1Ss)     Artwork by Laci Roth.   Check out Laci's coloring videos on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-kKLhWb2g0bKA-RrvvLh0Q/  Matt has a monthly spin-off podcast covering the James Bond films! Check out PodJob: A James Bond Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007).   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow the show!  Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  32. 206

    185. True Lies (1994) | A Long Look At James Cameron's Only "Normal" Movie | Behind The Scenes Of True Lies + Film Analysis

    Laci and Matt go through True Lies (1994), James Cameron's "normal" movie. The most expensive movie ever made at the time of its production. It could've just been a straightforward spy thriller, but instead Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger decided to put in every action movie idea they'd ever had. And the results are glorious. Well, okay, the movie goes on for one act too long, and Jamie Lee Curtis steals the show and is then shown the door. But it's fun as heck, is what we're saying.  Next week: Our Oscars previews begin, as we talk about every movie nominated for a major award. Next week (March 6) is part one, and the following Friday (March 13) is part two.    Time stamps: 00:03:30 — History segment: Original French film La Totale!; Arnold Schwarzenegger options film and brings his buddy James Cameron aboard; Jamie Lee Curtis's career; Eliza Dushku's allegations of abuse against a True Lies crewmember; legacy of True Lies and attempts at a sequel 00:37:25 — Movie discussion + True Lies film analysis 01:39:07 — Final thoughts & star ratings   Sources: "I'll Be Bond: Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Cameron's Everything or Nothing Shot at the James Bond Title" by Tim Pelan | Cinephilia Beyond - https://bit.ly/4tcc3fo  "Arnold Schwarzenegger "Shocked and Saddened" by Eliza Dushku's 'True Lies' Assault Claims" by Abid Rahman | The Hollywood Reporter (2018) - https://bit.ly/4qoHyAi  "James Cameron addresses Eliza Dushku's claim True Lies stunt coordinator molested her" by Natalie Abrams & Dan Snierson | Entertainment Weekly (2018) - https://bit.ly/4a2hLch  "Eliza Dushku Says 'True Lies' Stunt Coordinator Sexually Assaulted Her When She Was 12" by Katie Kilkenny & Jackie Strause | The Hollywood Reporter (2018) - https://bit.ly/4caGgFx  "Jamie Lee Curtis Plants a Kiss on Arnold Schwarzenegger as They Have a True Lies Reunion 29 Years Later" by Tommy McArdle & Colleen Kratofil | People (2025) - https://bit.ly/4r632Dl  "James Cameron Reveals the Challenges of Casting Jamie Lee Curtis in 'True Lies' by Rahul Malhotra | Collider (2025) - https://bit.ly/4ruYeXH  "How James Cameron Convinced Leonardo DiCaprio to Make Titanic" by John Ross | Vanity Fair (2025) - https://bit.ly/45Qhuqm  "Every James Cameron Movie, Explained by James Cameron" | Vanity Fair (2025) - https://youtu.be/1Vjd6NmA9Hs  Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story by Arnold Schwarzenegger (2012) - https://amzn.to/4chtLrR    Transcript: https://1weekrentalpod.com/2026/02/true-lies/#transcript  Artwork by Laci Roth.   Check out Laci's coloring videos on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-kKLhWb2g0bKA-RrvvLh0Q/  Matt has a monthly spin-off podcast covering the James Bond films! Check out PodJob: A James Bond Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007).   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow the show!  Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  33. 205

    184. High Fidelity (2000) | One Of The Best Movies Ever Made About Music, And One Of The Best "Anti-Romantic" Comedies | Behind The Scenes Of High Fidelity + Film Analysis

    Laci and Matt pay a visit to Championship Vinyl to hang out with Rob, Barry, Dick, Laura, Ian, Marie de Salle, and all the fine folks in the music scene of that windy city we like to call Chi-Town. That's right, it's High Fidelity (2000)! It's a great music movie. It's an even greater romantic comedy. In fact, it's kind of an anti-romantic comedy, because the lesson in the end is: The most romantic thing in life is being a grown-up.  Plus: Our top-five songs we want played at our funerals, AND fierce debate about whether DJs are musicians and if a singer's vocal chords count as an instrument. Next week: True Lies (1994)!   Time stamps: 00:03:00 — History segment: Original novel by Nick Hornby; John Cusack hired to produce, write, and star in adaptation; hiring director Stephen Frears; casting Jack Black and Iben Hjejle; legacy of High Fidelity and TV series remake  00:33:40 — Movie discussion + High Fidelity film analysis 02:06:40 — Final thoughts & star ratings   Sources: "Top Five: An Oral History of High Fidelity" by Andrew Buss | Consequence (2025) - https://bit.ly/49JgfdT "John Cusack: 'Hollywood is a whorehouse and people go mad'" by Henry Barnes | The Guardian (2014) -  https://bit.ly/4pLqDaV    Artwork by Laci Roth.   Check out Laci's coloring videos on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-kKLhWb2g0bKA-RrvvLh0Q/  Matt has a monthly spin-off podcast covering the James Bond films! Check out PodJob: A James Bond Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007).   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow the show!  Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  34. 204

    183. When Harry Met Sally (1989) | How Rob Reiner & Nora Ephron Made Everyone's Favorite Rom-Com | Behind The Scenes Of When Harry Met Sally + Film Analysis

    Laci and Matt dive deep into When Harry Met Sally (1989), one of the all-time great romantic comedies. In a movie that could easily be dismissed as a clone of Woody Allen's early rom-coms, the film makes its mark with two superstar lead performances from Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal, an electric script by Nora Ephron, and breezy, hilarious direction from Rob Reiner. We tell the story of how this movie came together, how it evolved during development, and how it became the classic we all know today. Then, your favorite husband-and-wife podcasting duo have a lengthy discussion about the movie itself, and folks, there are some heated battle-of-the-sexes arguments in this one. Because men do be like this, while women do be doing woman stuff, like makeup. Will they ever learn to get along??? Next week's episode (Feb. 20, 2026): High Fidelity (2000)   Time stamps: 00:03:00 — History segment: Rob Reiner and Nora Ephron's initial meeting; their careers before and after When Harry Met Sally; casting Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan; the script's original, less-happy ending; legacy of When Harry Met Sally 00:40:40 — Movie discussion + When Harry Met Sally film analysis 01:46:45 — Final thoughts & star ratings   Source: From Hollywood With Love: The Rise and Fall and Rise Again of the Romantic Comedy by Scott Meslow - https://amzn.to/4qlth7A    Artwork by Laci Roth.   Check out Laci's coloring videos on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-kKLhWb2g0bKA-RrvvLh0Q/  Matt has a monthly spin-off podcast covering the James Bond films! Check out PodJob: A James Bond Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007).   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow the show!  Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  35. 203

    182. She-Devil (1989) | Roseanne Barr And Meryl Streep Were In A Movie Together?? | Behind The Scenes Of She-Devil + Film Analysis

    Roseanne Barr is now known as a reactionary cancel-culture warrior, but she was once a beloved comedian and champion of working-class politics. What exactly happened? And, in the middle of her rocketship ride to the moon of superstardom, she co-starred in a movie with Meryl Streep! What?! And the movie is really good???? Laci and Matt tell the story of She-Devil (1989), director Susan Seidelman's black comedy that pits Barr against Streep and Ed Begley Jr., with Barr as an avenging angel for neglected and forgotten women everywhere. It's a very funny and poignant comedy that critics largely dismissed at the time. Especially British critics, who compared it unfavorably to the 1986 BBC miniseries adaptation of The Life and Loves of a She-Devil. That's right, this all starts with a seminal work of feminist literature by author Fay Weldon. We also tell that story, including her 2017 legacy sequel to She-Devil and her sad eventual evolution into a TERF. Then, we dive into She-Devil the film, heaping endless praise of Meryl Streep's hilarious physical comedy, Ed Begley's smarmy nice-guy evilness, and Roseanne's up-and-down performance in her first film role.  Next week's episode (Feb. 13, 2026): When Harry Met Sally... (1989) Time stamps: 00:03:00 — History segment: Original She-Devil author Fay Weldon, an important British feminist writer, and her later unfortunate turn toward TERFdom; director Susan Seidelman's career and experience working with Meryl Streep and Roseanne Barr; career overview of Roseanne Barr, from early working-class comedy roots to sad turn toward reactionary pro-Trump politics and cancel culture warriordom  00:52:06 — Movie discussion + She-Devil film analysis 01:58:07 — Final thoughts & star ratings   Sources: "Fay Weldon: 'Feminism was a success, but then you lose a generation'" by Claire Armistead | The Guardian (2017) - https://bit.ly/4kfFIAx  "She-Devil returns: Fay Weldon writing 'transgender' sequel to feminist classic" by Sian Cain | The Guardian (2016) - https://bit.ly/3YVLiOt    "Transgender people become women for 'fashion or clothes', says novelist Fay Weldon" by Niamh McIntyre | The Independent (2017) - https://bit.ly/4qzcL4D  "Fay Weldon: transgender people become women for 'frivolous' reasons such as 'fashion' and 'clothes'" by Rozina Sabur & Olivia Rudgard | The Telegraph (2017) - https://bit.ly/4k2zOSW    "Desperately Seeking Something: A Memoir About Movies, Mothers, and Material Girls" by Susan Seidelman | https://amzn.to/4a3C6ww  "Roseanne: My Life As a Woman" by Roseanne Barr | https://amzn.to/4roXRya  Review of She-Devil by Roger Ebert | The Chicago Sun-Times (1989) - https://bit.ly/4k3EtnT    Artwork by Laci Roth.   Check out Laci's coloring videos on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-kKLhWb2g0bKA-RrvvLh0Q/  Matt has a monthly spin-off podcast covering the James Bond films! Check out PodJob: A James Bond Podcast on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007).   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow the show!  Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  36. 202

    181. Groundhog Day (1993) | A Deep Dive On Bill Murray & Harold Ramis's Miracle Movie | Behind The Scenes Of Groundhog Day | Groundhog Day Analysis

    We often say it's a miracle any movie gets made, but some movies are actual miracles. Groundhog Day (1993) is a perfect example of this, because its three primary creative voices (director Harold Ramis, writer Danny Rubin, and star Bill Murray) were each pulling in different, conflicting directions throughout the movie's production. Somehow, all that dissension led to a perfect object of a film, a hilarious comedy that gets at huge philosophical questions, but not in an annoying way. And it's also a sweet and lovely little romantic comedy... so why did it ruin the decades-long friendship between Ramis and Murray? Plus: Learn all about actual Groundhog Day!    Time stamps: 00:02:40 — History segment: The actual Groundhog Day holiday; screenwriter Danny Rubin writes Groundhog Day on spec and then re-lives his movie for the rest of his life; the intertwining careers of Bill Murray and Harold Ramis, as well as their falling out and eventual reconciliation 00:56:06 — Movie discussion + Groundhog Day film analysis 01:50:00 — Final thoughts & star ratings   Sources: "Harold Ramis Gets the Last Laugh" by Brett Martin | GQ (2009) - https://bit.ly/48T9Ddy "Comedy First: How Harold Ramis's movies have stayed funny for twenty-five years" by Tad Friend | New Yorker (2004) - https://bit.ly/3NcSfIc "Going Back to 'Groundhog Day.' Again." by Bruce Fretts | New York Times (2017) - https://nyti.ms/4qoJs4p "When Every Day Is 'Groundhog Day'" by S.I. Rosenbaum | New York (2017) - https://bit.ly/49bsNKN "How To Write Groundhog Day" by Danny Rubin (2012) - https://amzn.to/3Y9MjSE "Wild and Crazy Guys: How the Comedy Mavericks of the '80s Changed Hollywood Forever" by Nick de Semlyen https://amzn.to/45610u3 "Ghostbuster's Daughter: Life with My Dad, Harold Ramis" by Violet Ramis Stiel https://amzn.to/4pfN3kl    Artwork by Laci Roth.  Check out Laci's coloring videos on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-kKLhWb2g0bKA-RrvvLh0Q/    Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow the show!  Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  37. 201

    Dr. No

    1-Week Rental is launching a brand-new spin-off, a monthly podcast hosted by Matt and Wade Hymel going through the James Bond franchise, one movie at a time! Introducing PodJob: A James Bond Podcast.  1-Week Rental returns next week (January 30, 2026) with an episode about Groundhog Day (1993).  Subscribe to PodJob: A James Bond Podcast:  Apple Podcast | https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1  Spotify | https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E  YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@PodJob007    They really had it figured out right away—the look, the sound, the feel of James Bond. Sean Connery just walking through the airport and collecting his luggage is the coolest human being you've ever seen. Bond dusting his attache case with talcum powder and putting a hair between his doors is exhilarating. Quarrel and Honey Rider are all-time great Pals of Bond. Unfortunately, the titular Doctor No, M.D., is kind of a let-down after all the exciting build-up. Still, the first Bond film is one of the all-time best.   Time stamps: 00:02:28 — Our histories with and relationships to the James Bond franchise 00:11:06 — Our favorite eras of James Bond, favorite and least favorite movies 00:17:42 — History segment: Author Ian Fleming; attempts to adapt his novels; the strange saga of Thunderball; Dr. No, the novel 00:29:40 — History segment: Producers Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman partner with United Artists to launch the Bond movie franchise 00:31:15 — History segment: Director Terence Young 00:33:55 — History segment: Sean Connery 00:41:55 — Movie discussion 01:44:56 — Final thoughts and star ratings   Sources:  "Ian Fleming: The Complete Man" by Nicholas Shakespeare | https://amzn.to/49P2GcS "When Harry Met Cubby: The Story of the James Bond Producers" by Robert Sellers | https://amzn.to/4qSit1X "James Bond actor breaks 60-year silence to claim Dr No director sexually assaulted her" by Alex Binley | ITV News (2022) - https://bit.ly/45raP5T   Artwork by Laci Roth. Produced by Matt Stokes. Music by Rural Route Nine.   Listen to 1-Week Rental, Matt's weekly movie podcast with Laci Roth on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/45fA9IW) or Spotify (https://bit.ly/3tk7FAr), and watch it on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@1weekrental).   Listen to Wade's music: Dash Rip Rock's new album, A Song In Everyone (https://bit.ly/4q3gdDO) A Song In Everyone on vinyl (https://bit.ly/4r5ds5F) Wade's solo album, Who Said That? (https://bit.ly/3LPUNf3) Lilli Lewis (https://bit.ly/3NylTIj) Incubators (https://bit.ly/3LOeuUv) Rural Route Nine (https://bit.ly/45ny1Ss) 

  38. 200

    180. Den Of Thieves (2018) | Gerard Butler's Been Quietly Keeping '90s Action Movies Alive | Behind The Scenes Of Den Of Thieves + Film Analysis

    Matt brings Laci into the glorious world of Gerard Butler, who is single-handedly trying to save American movies by making throwback '90s-feeling thrillers that are actually playing in movie theaters. The best of these is Den of Thieves, a wonderful heist movie from 2018 in which the cops who chase the bad guys are maybe less honorable than the bad guys themselves, if you can believe it.   Time stamps: 00:09:30 — History segment: Career overview of Gerard Butler; production and reception of Den of Thieves 00:36:15 — Movie discussion + Den of Thieves film analysis 01:42:55 — Final thoughts & star ratings   Sources: "Christian Gudegast Interview: Den of Thieves" by Alex Leadbeater | ScreenRant (2018) - https://bit.ly/4aJ75zZ  "Gerard Butler Talks 'Den Of Thieves,' Box Office And The $13K Paycheck That Changed It All" by Simon Thompson | Forbes (2018) - https://bit.ly/4q4WKTB  "I Think I Love Gerard Butler" by Bilge Ebiri | Vulture (2019) - https://bit.ly/4pupnJJ  "The Ordinary-Guy Action Movie Lives On, Thanks to Gerard Butler" by Bilge Ebiri | Vulture (2021) - https://bit.ly/3MPYuS2  "Gerard Butler interview for The Ugly Truth" by Chloe Fox | The Telegraph (2009) - https://bit.ly/4px0oFZ  "The Man Who Cracked the Code of L.A.'s Notorious Sheriff Gangs" by Ethan Brown | New York Magazine (2022) - https://bit.ly/4pzz61q    Artwork by Laci Roth.    Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow the show!  Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  39. 199

    Get Out (2017)

    Jordan Peele's modern horror-comedy classic Get Out (2017) is the subject of this bonus episode to tide you over while Laci and Matt take the week off. This discussion originally aired on our Patreon, one year ago. But here it is for the first time ever on the free feed!  The show shall return in one week with a brand-new episode about Den of Thieves (2018)!  1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  40. 198

    179. The Shining (1980) | How Stanley Kubrick Made The Greatest Horror Movie Ever | Behind The Scenes Of The Shining + Film Analysis

    Matt and Laci go through the The Shining, probably the best English-language horror movie ever made. Is it the story of a man's battle with alcoholism, a complicated metaphor for the American ruling class's many sins, or is it just a simple haunted house story? What if I told you… yes? The Shining started life as Stephen King's third novel. It was a very personal novel for King, inspired by his own life and his struggles with alcoholism and fatherhood. It's understandable that he wouldn't like Kubrick not centering those issues in his film, but Kubrick saw something completely different in The Shining. The podcast tracks the history of their very public disagreement and King's criticisms of the film. The Shining's production was shrouded in secrecy and mystery. The cast and crew filmed in England for more than a year, and while Shelley Duvall was open in the press about the difficulty of the assignment, she never thought Kubrick treated her unfairly or unprofessionally, and she always pushed back whenever anyone said Kubrick mistreated her during production of the movie.   Time stamps: 00:02:43 — History segment: Stephen King's early career; early disagreements between Stanley Kubrick and King; Kubrick's career overview; Kubrick and co-writer Diane Johnson adapt the novel; casting Jack Nicholson, Danny Lloyd, and Scatman Crothers; Shelley Duvall's career overview 00:58:30 — Movie discussion + The Shining film analysis 02:11:30 — Final thoughts & star ratings   Sources: The Stephen King Companion: Four Decades of Fear from the Master of Horror by George Beahm (2024) - https://amzn.to/4qvoNMO  A Night at the Movies: The Horrors of Stephen King - TCM documentary (2011) - https://bit.ly/4oXM9tf "Kubrick Films 'The Shining' In Secrecy in English Studio" by Aljean Harmetz | The New York Times (1978) - https://nyti.ms/47TYJUl Kubrick: The Definitive Edition by Michel Ciment | https://amzn.to/4nAScmh  "How Stanley Kubrick protected child actor Danny Lloyd while creating 'The Shining'" by Swapnil Dhruv Bose | Far Out (2020) - https://bit.ly/4opNtEY  "'No arc at all': The reason why Stephen King hated Stanley Kubrick film 'The Shining'" by Swapnil Dhruv Bose | Far Out (2024) - https://bit.ly/47bb3hol  "Searching for Shelley Duvall: The Reclusive Icon on Fleeing Hollywood and the Scars of Making 'The Shining'" by Seth Abramovitch | The Hollywood Reporter (2021) - https://bit.ly/3Lkni3Y  Interview with Shelley Duvall by Roger Ebert | RogerEbert.com (2012) - https://bit.ly/44eI0sT "No, Shelley Duvall was not traumatized by Stanley Kubrick on The Shining – she embraced it" by Tom Murray (2024) - https://bit.ly/3LbNvSq    Artwork by Laci Roth.    Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow the show!  Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  41. 197

    178. Elf (2003) | This Christmas Classic Turned Will Ferrell Into A Movie Star | Behind The Scenes Of Elf + Film Analysis

    Laci and Matt are joined by their friends AJ and Kristie from the In Love With Horror podcast to go through the history of the modern Christmas classic Elf (2003).   First, the podcast goes through the history of the movie, starting as a spec script in the '90s with Jim Carrey vaguely attached. It entered development hell for years before being revived with Will Ferrell and Jon Favreau, before ultimately becoming the classic it is today... one that you just know Warner Bros is threatening to turn into a cinematic universe at any second. Time stamps: 0:00 — Episode opening 4:30 — History segment: Screenwriter David Berenbaum originates Elf in the '90s; Will Ferrell and Jon Favreau come aboard; working with James Caan; reception, legacy, and potential sequel 32:00 — Movie discussion + Elf film analysis 1:39:28 — Final thoughts & star ratings   Sources: "'Elf' Turns 15: Behind the Scenes of Making the Will Ferrell Holiday Classic" by Rebecca Rubin | Variety (2018) https://bit.ly/49ShOYF "Elf: Meet the man behind the movie" by Mia Elkins | The Merionite (2024) - https://bit.ly/3XVTVIa "Jon Favreau Reflects on Buddy's Magical Legacy" by Gary Susman | Rolling Stone (2013) - https://bit.ly/4p9CD6F "How Elf built a winter wonderland out of paper and department store goods" by Maureen Lee Lenker | Entertainment Weekly (2018) - https://bit.ly/440w1yP "Will Ferrell" (2024) - MeSsy with Christina Applegate and Jamie Lynn Sigler podcast - https://bit.ly/4iDoufy    Follow In Love With Horror! YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@InLovewithHorror Apple Podcast | https://apple.co/4b80RX2 TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@inlovewithhorror Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/inlovewithhorror Twitter | https://x.com/nlovewithhorror    Artwork by Laci Roth.    Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow the show!  Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.  

  42. 196

    177. Stephen King's It (1990) | This Made-For-TV Movie Got Stephen King's Novel Better Than The 2010s Movies | Behind The Scenes Of It + Film Analysis

    Content warning: We talk about child abuse as part of our discussion of both the 1980s "Satanic Panic" craze in the history section, and extensively in the discussion of the movie itself. Laci and Matt hop on their bicycles and rush home in time to see American Bandstand on the TV set while scarfing down mayonnaise sandwiches and whole milk. That's right, we're talking It! No, not the hit movie from 2017, but the made-for-TV miniseries from 1990 that traumatized a generation. Next week (Dec. 19, 2025): The lovely AJ and Kristie from In Love With Horror return to the show to meet us at the North Pole for a discussion of the Christmas classic Elf (2003)!    Time stamps: 00:02:42 — History segment: Quentin Tarantino's dumb critique of Stephen King for not originating the "fear monster" idea; the Satanic Panic of the 1980s; the origins of It; development of It for TV; reception and legacy of the TV movie; the "child orgy" scene from the book, explained 00:39:08 — Movie discussion  02:22:36 — Final thoughts and star ratings    Sources: "Back to Derry: An Oral History of 'Stephen King's It'" by Ethan Alter | Yahoo! (2015) - https://yhoo.it/4nZHwyj  Eli Roth's History of Horror: Uncut | Season 1, Episode 3 - "Quentin Tarantino" (2019) - https://apple.co/4ng0jEy  "Interviewing Tim Curry, aka Pennywise, on the set of Stephen King's IT" by Steve Newton | Fangoria (1990) - https://bit.ly/3KXXHOc  "Steve's Explanation For Loser's Sex Scene" | Stephen King Official Message Board (2013) - https://bit.ly/4hlGiex  "Stephen King's It: 25th Anniversary" | SciFiNow Annual. Vol. 2 (2015)   Artwork by Laci Roth.    Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow the show!  Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  43. 195

    176. The Cabin In The Woods (2012) | Diving Deep Into Drew Goddard & Joss Whedon's Celebration Of Horror Movies | Behind The Scenes Of Cabin In The Woods + Film Analysis

    Laci, Matt, and returning guest Cinematic Joshua pay a visit to The Cabin In The Woods, where things are not quite as they seem. We get the feeling somebody's watching us, and pumping chemicals into our scalps to make us stupider and hornier than we usually are, and suddenly we're tossing around the old pigskin and vroom-vrooming on our dirtbikes. What's going on????  Next week (Dec. 12, 2025): We revisit Derry, Maine by talking about Stephen King's It (the 1990 TV movie starring Tim Curry as Pennywise the Dancing Clown)!    Time stamps: 00:02:44 — History segment: HP Lovecraft and cosmic horror; the intertwined careers of Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon; MGM's financial troubles delay the release of Cabin for three years; accusations against Joss Whedon; Drew Goddard's career after Cabin in the Woods   00:26:39 — Movie discussion + Cabin In The Woods film analysis 01:46:355— Final thoughts and star ratings    Sources: "Joss Whedon talks The Cabin In The Woods" | Total Film (2012) - https://bit.ly/48sW7xx    "Life Goes On: Drew Goddard on The Martian" by Christopher McKittrick | Creative Screenwriting (2016) - https://bit.ly/4qdFhsI   "The Undoing of Joss Whedon" by Lila Shapiro | Vulture (2022) - https://bit.ly/3W7Wmql    Follow Cinematic Joshua! TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cinematicjoshua  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ratedawesomeshow  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ratedawesomeshow/     Artwork by Laci Roth.    Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Your Ambition" - https://youtu.be/ZHudVTCkrQY "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow the show!  Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  44. 194

    BONUS: Darkness Falls (with AJ from In Love With Horror)

    Matt and AJ discuss the 2003 tooth fairy/darkness horror film Darkness Falls.    Support In Love With Horror: YouTube: https://youtube.com/@InLovewithHorror  Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/4b80RX2  Spotify: https://bit.ly/4oP9b5r  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inlovewithhorror  Twitter: https://x.com/nlovewithhorror  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@inlovewithhorror    Follow 1-Week Rental!  Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  45. 193

    Nickelodeon's Doug (with Wade Hymel & Patrick Perot)

    As Matt and Laci work on the transition from Load Bearing Beams to 1-Week Rental, they are unlocking some episodes from behind the Patreon paywall to hold you over. First up: Matt is joined by his friends and bandmates Wade Hymel and Patrick Perot to cover two episodes of Nickelodeon's Doug.  "Bangin' On A Trash Can" is one of the best songs ever written for a fictional character, right? We gush endlessly about it, as well as its "Think Big" remix, and try to find parallels between Doug's band and our own individual musical endeavors. Plus, you'll learn way more than you could possibly be interested in learning about the history of Rural Route Nine. And of course, it's a larger discussion of Nickelodeon's Doug and the wider history of Nickelodeon and Nicktoons, plus the sad migration of Doug into the greasy maw of the Walt Disney Company, where he was badassified with baggier clothes and a dog who rides a motorcycle. We also discuss the original Doug pilot, "Doug Can't Dance." There's a fake Quailman at the school dance, a girl wearing a physics-defying donut costume, and Roger Klotz condemned to eternal torment like a slug on the ground. Also, we ponder how bad Doug would be at having sex for the first time. If you haven't revisited Doug since the 1990s, you might be surprised to find how well it works on every level — it looks great, it sounds incredible, and it's kind of hilarious. A great time is had by all, is what we're saying.   Source: "You Don't Know Doug" by Mathew Klickstein | Vulture (2012) - https://bit.ly/3VYrR5Z    Time stamps: 00:02:40 — Our histories with Doug and the early Nicktoons; opening thoughts on "Doug Can't Dance" and "Doug's Garage Band" 00:12:01 — History of Doug: Jim Jinkins develops Doug in his head, then as a character for TV commercials, then as a children's book star, and finally as a TV show for Nickelodeon; after its run at Nickelodeon ends, Jinkins reboots the show for Disney starting in 1996 00:35:35 — "Doug Can't Dance" 00:58:00 — "Doug's Garage Band" 01:26:40 — Final thoughts 01:31:28 — Impromptu "Bangin' On a Trash Can" at band practice (2014)   Follow Wade's band Dash Rip Rock on Spotify (https://bit.ly/3Vq7hvl). And hey, while you're at it, give a listen to Wade's amazing solo album WHO SAID THAT? on Apple Music (https://bit.ly/4kinkpJ), Spotify (https://spoti.fi/3SoQnM3), or wherever else music is streamed. You can also purchase the album from Bandcamp (https://bit.ly/3I2Syje).   Follow the show!  Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social

  46. 192

    So, We Made This Change To Our Podcast...

    Load Bearing Beams is no more. Say hello to 1-Week Rental! Honestly, it's pretty much the same show. We've just been trying to find a better way to explain what our show is, and we've realized (based on listener feedback and our own feelings on the matter) that what we do well is dive into a movie in terms of both unpacking its history and then analyzing and discussing how well it works as a movie. And since we do this with a different movie each week, you can think of it like we're renting a movie from the video store and getting to keep it for a week. You remember that, right? You'd watch it over and over, and you'd become a temporary expert on it, before saying goodbye to it, maybe forever. The show is largely staying the same, but we are going to try to make the episodes slightly shorter and we are doing away with the lengthy preambles that begin each episode before we get to the history segment. Thank you for your support of Load Bearing Beams, and here's to at least eight years with 1-Week Rental!    Follow the show!  Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  47. 191

    175. Saw (2004) | How James Wan & Leigh Whannell Launched A Brand-New Horror Franchise | Behind The Senes Of Saw + Film Analysis

    Laci Goth and Matt Chokes welcome their friends Tiera (@SpookyT on TikTok) and Derek (@HFK on TikTok) join the show to play the game of Saw. We all have varying degrees of affection for this franchise, and we get into the long history of its development under James Wan and Leigh Whannell first in Australia and then in Hollywood, and the major series it spawned. Then we go through the movie at length, wondering, at the end of the day, what exactly Jigsaw is trying to teach us. Watch this episode in full: https://youtu.be/MFpl_Kd2JGc  Follow Tiera and Derek's filmmaking on YouTube: Elevated Cryptid Productions (https://youtube.com/@elevatedcryptidproductions) Next week: The Cabin in the Woods (2012) with Cinematic Joshua! Bonus video: Matt talks about Rob Zombie's Halloween (2007) for 20 minutes https://youtu.be/8OhZW4AImYU  Subscribe to our Patreon, Load Bearing Beams: Collector's Edition for $5 a month to get two extra episodes! https://patreon.com/loadbearingbeams    Time stamps: 00:03:05 — Our histories with the Saw franchise / opening thoughts on the first Saw 00:16:30 — History segment: James Wan and Leigh Whannell develop Saw, shoot a short film as proof of concept, and sell it to Evolution Entertainment; the film is bought by Lionsgate, becomes a huge hit, and spawns a major franchise 00:44:50 — Movie discussion + Saw analysis 01:35:20 — Final thoughts and star ratings   Sources: "Saw creators Leigh Whannell and James Wan" by Scott Tobias | The AV Club (2010) - https://bit.ly/46ytbms "Blumhouse Buys Rights to 'Saw' Franchise" by Brent Lang | Variety (2025) - https://bit.ly/4pLGUO9   Artwork by Laci Roth.   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Your Ambition" - https://youtu.be/ZHudVTCkrQY "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow the show!  Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social  

  48. 190

    28 Years Later (with Screen Time Kota)

    We had some scheduling snafus that caused the delay of our Saw episode, so our schedule is getting pushed back a week. Luckily, we had this beautiful podcast about 28 Years Later set to release on the Patreon later this month, and instead, we're putting it out for free for all the fine folks out there. Matt and Kota have a very spoiler-filled discussion about Danny Boyle's 28 Years Later. Like all zombie movies, it's not actually about zombies, it's about…. Well, it's about a lot of stuff. This is a meaty, hefty movie. Not unlike what the Alpha carries around with him. Watch this episode in full: https://youtu.be/Wt_5sQxeiME   Next week: Saw with HFK & Spooky T! Bonus video: Matt reviews the 1980s Disney movie The Great Mouse Detective and wonders if it's secretly the best Disney movie of the era https://youtu.be/PpWYKmU1KuQ  Subscribe to our Patreon, Load Bearing Beams: Collector's Edition for $5 a month to get two extra episodes! https://patreon.com/loadbearingbeams    Time stamps: 00:05:35 — Opening thoughts on 28 Years Later 00:10:07 — Mini-history segment on the careers of Danny Boyle and Alex Garland 00:23:45 — Movie discussion 01:52:20 — Final thoughts and star ratings   Follow ScreenTimeKota: TikTok: @screentimekota2 Instagram: @screen_time_kota  YouTube: @ScreenTimeKota Facebook: @ScreenTimeKota   Artwork by Laci Roth.   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Follow the show!  Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social

  49. 189

    174. Interview With The Vampire (1994) | How Tom Cruise Brought Anne Rice's Vampire Lestat To Life | Behind The Scenes Of Interview With The Vampire + Film Analysis

    Laci and Matt revisit Interview With The Vampire (1994), a movie the podcast covered back in 2018, in the Old Testament days. Much more care and attention is given this time, because there's so much to love… and so much to be confused by. Has a movie ever been dragged down so much by its whiny-baby lead character as this movie is by Louis (Brad Pitt)? Rather than spending eternity partying with his good buddy Lestat (Tom Cruise), he just putters around and around, moaning and complaining like some unholy combination of Charlie Brown and Eeyore. And rest assured, he will tell you, at length, about how conflicted he feels about the whole "vampire" thing. So get ready. Other than that, the movie's a blast. Tom Cruise is wonderful, Kirsten Dunst gives an all-time great kid performance, and the Stan Winston makeup can't be beat. Watch this episode in full: https://youtu.be/Wi0hEiel2lg   Next week: 28 Years Later with Screen Time Kota! Out now on the Patreon: Matt and Austin Proctor from the Frightmares podcast discuss David Lynch's Mulholland Drive https://bit.ly/3VCImop    Time stamps: 00:03:04 — Opening thoughts on Interview with the Vampire 00:16:30 — History segment: The career of Anne Rice; development of a movie adaptation of Interview with the Vampire; Rice's feud with the production over the casting of Tom Cruise; reception and legacy of The Vampire Chronicles on film 01:00:50 — Movie discussion + Interview With The Vampire film analysis 02:31:47 — Final thoughts and star ratings   Sources: "Anne Rice: The Extended 1995 Interview" by Mikal Gilmore | Rolling Stone (1995) - https://bit.ly/3Wf0ODH  "You Asked, Anne Answered — 'How is it that your birth name was Howard Allen?'" - https://bit.ly/4n1ycJj  "Interview with a Vampire director Neil Jordan: I had a great time making this movie, but there's a dark Catholic guilt underneath" by Una Brankin | The Belfast Telegraph (2014) -  https://bit.ly/3IL8BWN  "The Anne Rice Reader" edited by Katherine Ramsland (1997)  - https://amzn.to/4nXlxrB  "A look inside Hollywood and the movies: Interview With the Vampire's Picky Creator" by Elaine Dutka | Los Angeles Times (1993) - https://lat.ms/4q2W4yS  Cruise's Vampire Turns Off Oprah - She Walks Out | The Orlando Sentinel (1994) - https://bit.ly/3W2P4Et    Artwork by Laci Roth.   Matt has two monthly spin-off podcasts: PodJob: A James Bond Podcast | Check it out on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007). The Sign Post Up Ahead: A Twilight Zone Recap Podcast | Check it out on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4gXjtiR), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4gTE8Ev), and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@TheSignPostUpAhead)    Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow 1-Week Rental, a movie podcast: Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

  50. 188

    173. Dennis the Menace (1993) | Figuring Out John Hughes's Home Alone Retread | Behind The Scenes Of Dennis The Menace & Film Analysis

    In the origin story of Michael Myers, the slasher killer from the legendary Halloween series of horror films, young Michael sees his sister….. Wait, what? Oh, this is Dennis the Menace? In which a little slingshot punk from the 1950s rides around on a tricycle in 1993 and torments an innocent old man? And you're telling me it's not about Michael Myers, it was just directed by the man who originally played Michael Myers in John Carpenter's Halloween (Nick "The Shape" Castle)? Gotcha. I see where the confusion started. Unregardless, here is our long-awaited discussion of the 1993 Dennis the Menace starring Walter Mathau as Mr. Wilson and Christopher Lloyd as a hobo killer who rides the rails and skins children alive, even though we never get to actually see that. And this was written and produced by John Hughes, during his "Let's just do Home Alone again and again and again" period. Laci loves it, Matt does not, so this is the two-hour therapy session that results. Watch this episode in full: https://youtu.be/BE1cUNUfGIk     Next week: Our October Extravaganza begins with Interview with the Vampire (1994)!    Bonus video: Matt and Laci reveal their blindspots from the IMBD Top 250 movies of all time list - https://youtube.com/shorts/_wTbG4t4NEo    Out now on the Patreon: Matt, Wade, and Patrick dive deep into Nickelodeon's Doug, discussing its history and reviewing the episodes "Doug Can't Dance" and "Doug's Garage Band." https://bit.ly/3KdBuvg    Time stamps: 00:03:15 — We read this week's Dennis the Menace newspaper comics 00:11:08 — Opening thoughts on Dennis the Menace (the movie) 00:17:30 — History segment: The Dennis the Menace comic strip created by Hank Ketcham and its long afterlife; the 1950s Dennis the Menace sitcom; the production of the 1993 movie and John Hughes's pivot to cranking out family movies with very similar premises 00:39:45 — Movie discussion + Dennis the Menace film analysis 02:00:20 — Final thoughts and star ratings   Source: "Dennis the Menace and ADHD" by Matthew Smith | Psychology Today (2018) - https://bit.ly/4niObDH   Artwork by Laci Roth.   Matt has two monthly spin-off podcasts: PodJob: A James Bond Podcast | Check it out on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4jRL2K1), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4a8jM6E), and YouTube (https://youtube.com/@podjob007). The Sign Post Up Ahead: A Twilight Zone Recap Podcast | Check it out on Apple Podcast (https://bit.ly/4gXjtiR), Spotify (https://bit.ly/4gTE8Ev), and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@TheSignPostUpAhead)    Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: "Winston-Salem" - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM "Snake Drama" - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg "The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet" - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ    Follow 1-Week Rental, a movie podcast: Twitter: @1weekrental | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Facebook: @1weekrental Instagram: @1weekrental TikTok: @1weekrental | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @1weekrental.bsky.social   1-Week Rental used to be Load Bearing Beams.

Type above to search every episode's transcript for a word or phrase. Matches are scoped to this podcast.

Searching…

We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.

No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.

Showing of matches

TOPICS IN THIS SHOW

Click any topic to search every transcript on PodParley for moments someone mentioned it.

Loading reviews...

ABOUT THIS SHOW

Matt and Laci spend a week with a movie, and take you along on the journey. They spend the week watching, re-watching, researching, reading interviews, and reading the source material of the week's movie. Whether it's a blockbuster from the past, an all-time flop, or a cult classic, they unpack the history behind its production and the people who made it, then discuss, review, and make fun of the movie itself. New episodes every Friday. Formerly known as Load Bearing Beams.

HOSTED BY

Laci Roth & Matt Stokes

Produced by Matt Stokes

CATEGORIES

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does 1-Week Rental: A Movie Podcast have?

1-Week Rental: A Movie Podcast currently has 50 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is 1-Week Rental: A Movie Podcast about?

Matt and Laci spend a week with a movie, and take you along on the journey. They spend the week watching, re-watching, researching, reading interviews, and reading the source material of the week's movie. Whether it's a blockbuster from the past, an all-time flop, or a cult classic, they unpack the...

How often does 1-Week Rental: A Movie Podcast release new episodes?

1-Week Rental: A Movie Podcast has 50 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to 1-Week Rental: A Movie Podcast?

You can listen to 1-Week Rental: A Movie Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts 1-Week Rental: A Movie Podcast?

1-Week Rental: A Movie Podcast is created and hosted by Laci Roth & Matt Stokes.
URL copied to clipboard!