Half of God’s Face Podcast

Episode 31. Intro by Sampson Hollander. This episode is a reaction to both Obsession and Backrooms. In it we compare the two movies' plots, while also analyzing the impact their combined box office successes will have on film culture, and the horror genre. First half of the episode we talk about Obsession, while at 38 minutes 55 seconds we shift to discussing Backrooms.

Episode 30. Intro by Sampson Hollander. This episode is a reaction to the new Michael biopic. The first 20 minutes are discussing the 2026 Cannes winners, while the analysis of the Michael movie begins at the 20 minute 33 seconds mark. 33 minutes 23 seconds: on the allegations against Michael Jackson. 48 minutes 14 seconds: on HIStory - PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE - BOOK I. 56 minutes 0 seconds: on Michael Jackson being murdered.

Episode 29. Intro by Sampson Hollander. This episode is a recap of the Epstein Files released so far, featuring special guest George Bye! We go over the Hillary Clinton deposition, how Pizzagate never goes away, and then touch on the Butler assassination attempt, as well as the Charlie Kirk assassination. 4 minutes 10 seconds: on Bannon's relationship with Epstein. 6 minutes 50 seconds: on Pizzagate connections coming up again. 7 minutes 7 seconds: on Hillary's deposition. 14 minutes 41 seconds: on Netanyahu blackmailing Bill Clinton with Lewinsky scandal. 15 minutes 47 seconds: on Hillary being asked about UFOs in her hearing. 20 minutes 2 seconds: on Ruemmler and Epstein relationship. 21 minutes 30 seconds: "John Brennan gave me the CIA Agency Medal (the CIA's hig=est award) this morning. How cool is that?"--Kathy Ruemmler 27 minutes 33 seconds: Boebert asks Hillary about Frazzledrip. 29 minutes 14 seconds: on Russiagate, Kamala Harris and Trump's enemies. 35 minutes 55 seconds: on Sandy Berger flying to Epstein Island, after destroying 9/11 investigation documents. 37 minutes 29 seconds: on the Epstein email gaps surrounding when 9/11 happened. 41 minutes 30 seconds: on the Pizzagate coded language appearing in the Epstein Files. 49 minutes 43 seconds: on an especially creepy Ghislaine Maxwell email. 51 minutes 41 seconds: on intentional disinformation contained in Epstein Files releases. 1 hour 0 minutes 54 seconds: "as you know I represent the Rothschilds."--Jeffrey Epstein 1 hour 9 minutes 39 seconds: on Eric Weinstein's meeting with Epstein, proving how Epstein and Ghislaine were never subtle. 1 hour 13 minutes 52 seconds: on the weird Epstein selfies released. 1 hour 18 minutes 41 seconds: on Ghislaine Maxwell. 1 hour 27 minutes 53 seconds: on Trump's appeal and how he survives controversy. 1 hour 29 minutes 6 seconds: why didn't Joe Biden use the Epstein Files against Trump? 1 hour 32 minutes 11 seconds: on the Butler rally assassination attempt. 1 hour 37 minutes 46 seconds: on Joe Kent insinuating Butler rally and Charlie Kirk assassination may have been connected to the current Iran War. 1 hour 39 minutes 28 seconds: why the official story about Charlie Kirk's murder, pertaining to the rifle, does not make sense. 1 hour 45 minutes 47 seconds: on George Zinn screaming out he shot Charlie moments after the killing.

Episode 28. Intro by Sampson Hollander. In this episode Austin and Zach talk about their trip to Ann Arbor, Michigan to attend the 2026 Ann Arbor Film Festival. They discuss the range of experimental films they loved and hated while there. 32 minute 51 seconds: "I once lived in a Boogodobiegodongo and I felt better." 45 minute 30 second mark Zach tells a story from attending the festival in 2018. 51 minute 44 second mark Austin and Zach give their thoughts about PTA finally winning Oscars.

Episode 27. Intro by Sampson Hollander. This episode is a preview show for the 2026 Academy Awards, which take place Sunday March 15th. In it we make predictions for every award winner, while also trashing Jacob Elordi, and discussing the BAFTA Tourette syndrome incident.

Episode 26. Intro by Sampson Hollander. This is an extended conversation about Béla Tarr's life and work, which includes his collaboration with Nobel Prize winning novelist László Krasznahorkai. 6 minute 21 second mark, on Herscht 07769. 11 minutes 13 seconds on the development of the Tarr style. 13 minutes 26 seconds Krasznahorkai's explanation on his long sentences: "the river is the words." 14 minutes 40 second mark on Werkmeister Harmonies and The Melancholy of Resistance. 37 minutes 56 second mark on a great monologue from Damnation. 40 minutes 8 seconds "storytelling is bullshit." 42 minutes 25 second mark on Tarr's perspective on spirituality and the Bible. 47 minutes 8 second mark on The Turin Horse. 58 minutes 44 seconds Tarr's impact on fiction. 1 hour 2 minutes 31 seconds in a great quote from The Melancholy of Resistance is read. 1 hour 5 minutes 48 second mark on Satantango. 1 hour 25 minutes 1 seconds on slow cinema as a mode of filmmaking. 1 hour 35 minutes 42 seconds on The Outsider. 1 hour 39 minutes 39 seconds SPOILER for key scene being different in movie, as compared to Satantango book. 1 hour 43 minutes 29 seconds on Tarr's heavy stylistic reinforcements.

Episode 25. Intro by Sampson Hollander. This episode is a reaction to the newly released Oscar nominations, as well as a discussion about what are actually the best films of 2025. First 40 minutes are spent going through the Oscar nominations, while at the 40 minute 50 second mark Zach lists the movies he considered the best of 2025. At the 1 hour 3 minute 56 second mark Austin goes through what movies he thought were the best of the year.

Episode 24. Intro by Sampson Hollander. This episode is a conversation about the new Josh Safdie movie Marty Supreme. At 7 minutes 46 seconds the first scene in Marty Supreme is discussed. 12 minutes 26 seconds the cast and crew of Marty Supreme are explained. 20 minute mark Geza Rohrig's role is brought up. 23 minutes 58 seconds an early major scene is explained. 34 minutes 36 seconds how Luke Manley got cast in the movie. 37 minutes 44 seconds Abel Ferrara's role is discussed. 1 hour 1 minute 33 seconds the most rotten decision Marty makes. 1 hour 3 minutes how Kevin O'Leary's character torments Marty. 1 hour 8 minutes 49 seconds how Kevin O'Leary improvised his biggest lines in the movie. 1 hour 9 minutes 40 seconds on Marty's will to win. 1 hour 17 minutes 27 seconds discussion over the end of the film.

Episode 23. Intro by Sampson Hollander. This episode is a conversation about Kleber Mendonça Filho's film The Secret Agent. 12 minutes 55 seconds Armando's scene with Elza and the tape recorder is explained. 19 minutes 15 seconds Udo Kier's last film appearance is covered. 23 minutes 8 seconds Armando's son has nightmares inspired by the Jaws movie poster. 25 minutes 10 seconds Armando doesn't carry a gun. 31 minutes 14 seconds the "Hairy Leg" horror movie sequence is discussed. 35 minutes 51 seconds director Filho says in an interview he'll never make a rainy movie. 38 minutes 10 seconds the similarity with Roberto Bolaño is explained. 43 minutes 50 seconds some climactic scenes near the end of the film are discussed. 56 minutes 31 seconds "A time of great mischief." 59 minutes 18 seconds why Wagner Moura should be the Oscar front runner. 1 hour 8 minutes 10 seconds the politics of The Secret Agent are analyzed. 1 hour 9 minutes 54 seconds covers the similarities between The Secret Agent and One Battle After Another. 1 hour 17 minutes 10 seconds "Wagner Moura: that's a real actor."

Episode 22. Intro by Sampson Hollander. This episode is a discussion of the new Ken Burns series The American Revolution. 1 minute 31 seconds, why The Age of Disclosure episode didn't happen. 5 minutes in the Ken Burns series conversation begins. 8 minutes 55 seconds "In a way this was kind of like the first Civil War." 11 minutes 2 seconds, issues with the Ken Burns style, in particular about his Vietnam series. 15 minutes 31 seconds the politics of Ken Burns. 20 minutes 50 seconds, on the intelligence of the Founding Fathers. 26 minutes 16 seconds on the greatness of George Washington. 27 minutes 54 seconds, on the dark side of consequential figures. 33 minutes 5 seconds, the British didn't really try that hard. 36 minutes 2 seconds, Washington's tactical mistakes. 37 minutes 11 seconds Benedict Arnold tries to invade Canada. 43 minutes 14 seconds, on Washington's Fabian stategy. 46 minutes 6 seconds smallpox in the American Revolution. 52 minutes 10 seconds the battle of Yorktown. 54 minutes 5 seconds "every army in the world, I tell them to do something and they do it. I tell these guys to do something and they ask why." 56 minutes 16 seconds, Washington stops a military coup from happening after Revolution ends in 1783. 1 hour 3 minutes 21 seconds, on the inspiring language of the Founding Fathers, despite many of them owning slaves. 1 hour 11 minutes 11 seconds, contrasting today with American Revolution times. 1 hour 13 minutes 58 seconds, while President Washington leads the army to crush a whisky tax rebellion, in the mid-1790's.

Episode 21. Intro by Sampson Hollander. This episode is an extended conversation about Thomas Pynchon's brand new novel Shadow Ticket, featuring special guests Ben Lobel and Sean Fahey! 11 minutes 10 seconds, the opening quote is introduced. 15 minutes 16 seconds page 1 is talked about. 18 minutes 26 seconds, Sean says John Turturro reads the audiobook for Philip Roth's novel Sabbath's Theater. Context of how Ben read the book at 19 minutes 32 seconds. 20 minutes 22 seconds in Ben explains the context of how the line from The Black Cat comes up in that movie. 22 minutes 49 seconds Zach describes how one of April's songs sets the mood. 24 minutes 31 seconds "he loves doing scenes where you go into like a bar." 27 minutes 6 seconds recurring characters from Pynchon novels. 28 minutes 31 seconds the rogue submarine in Lake Michigan. 29 minutes 25 seconds Sean says the scene Hicks says goodbye to April in the train station is one of his favorite scenes. 30 minutes 4 seconds Lew Basnight. 35 minutes 26 seconds Shadow Ticket's anger towards fascism. 39 minutes 55 seconds "Jonathan Franzen is a must read." 40 minutes 57 seconds "the 90's were packed." 42 minutes 3 seconds Pynchon stylistic overlap with Coen brothers, and technology in Pynchon is talked about. 48 minutes 17 seconds artist who make shorter works later in their career often times had already made epics earlier on in life. 50 minutes 20 seconds comparisons to Bleeding Edge are made. 54 minutes 38 seconds William Gass and his ideas are brought up. "Fascism of the heart." 56 minutes 59 seconds "you saved me so now I owe you my life" line from Inherent Vice appears in Shadow Ticket. 57 minutes 33 seconds "getting to this whole cheese thing." 1 hour 2 minutes 7 seconds "Cheese Fraud" quote. 1 hour 5 minutes 52 seconds "Do you think that Pynchon is playing the new Simpsons Fortnite that's dropping right now?" 1 hour 7 minutes 25 seconds "No I can't do it, Homer is my hero." 1 hour 10 minutes 1 second, how Hicks gets to Europe. 1 hour 14 minutes 53 seconds "Wait did we even talk about the elves?" 1 hour 18 minutes 21 seconds William Gass hated Pynchon, but was incorrect about his criticism. 1 hour 21 minutes 11 seconds Gass on Gertrude Stein. 1 hour 23 minutes 31 seconds on William Gass novel The Tunnel. 1 hour 27 minutes 9 seconds Zach on William Gaddis. 1 hour 34 minutes 51 seconds will Shadow Ticket get new readers into Pynchon? 1 hour 36 minutes 32 seconds Porfirio del Vasto appears. 1 hour 38 minutes 36 seconds Jules Verne type imagery in novels set before WWI and WW2. 1 hour 40 minutes 41 seconds Dziga Vertov appearance. 1 hour 44 minutes 20 seconds on the Al Capone of Cheese. 1 hour 49 minutes 22 seconds Zach debates Sean and Ben over if a sex scene occurs. 1 hour 50 minutes 49 seconds quotes from pages 203 and 204. 2 hours 2 minutes 8 seconds Ben's slutty Halloween costume. 2 hours 4 minutes 56 seconds Daphne's scene with Bruno. 2 hours 6 minutes 33 seconds page 224 referenced. 2 hours 9 minutes 50 seconds characters who appeared in second half. 2 hours 11 minutes 25 seconds Zach completely misses a massive aspect of the ending. 2 hours 14 minutes 26 seconds Zach explains an old teacher's theory about Gravity's Rainbow. 2 hours 16 minutes 6 second Hicks and Terike scene. 2 hours 17 minutes 20 seconds Sean brings receipts on massive spoiler alert. 2 hours 26 minutes 9 seconds Zach reads one of his favorite passages from page 268. 2 hours 34 minutes 27 seconds ending of book is discussed.

Intro by Sampson Hollander. This episode is a conversation about the new Yorgos Lanthimos movie Bugonia. We talk about the Stavros cameo at the 26 minute 24 second mark.

Intro by Sampson Hollander. This episode is a recap of the 2025 Chicago Film Festival, and a conversation about Kelly Reichardt's new movie The Mastermind. "But Resurrection, oh my God." 13 minute 47 second mark. Magellan by Lav Diaz is discussed at 21 minute mark. At 31 minutes 10 seconds the conversation about The Mastermind begins.

Intro by Sampson Hollander. At long last here is our episode on PTA's new film One Battle After Another, featuring special guest Ben Lobel! We begin the conversation talking about our first impressions of the film, and react to the unanimous praise it's getting so far. 52 minutes 16 seconds: Ben describes the rivalry between his high school's show choir and Chase Infiniti's high school in Indiana. 56 minutes 2 seconds: "My buddy texted me today and said 'I'm reading the Wiki for Judge Holden, this guy's kind of fucked up.' " 59 minutes 8 seconds: "You wanna hear a story I heard about Pynchon?" 1 hour 3 minutes 12 seconds: direct quote from Vineland. 1 hour 4 minutes 11 seconds: the password Leo's character Bob can't remember. 1 hour 17 minutes 47 seconds: J. Edgar Hoover assassinating MLK Jr. and infiltrating peace movement. 1 hour 28 minutes 34 seconds: we begin talking about the ending scenes of the movie. 1 hour 32 minutes 54 seconds: Sean Penn's last scenes are discussed. 1 hour 34 minutes 31 seconds: Jim Downey's cameo is brought up. 1 hour 36 minutes 15 seconds: Epstein's birthday book and the power elite who run society are mentioned. 1 hour 38 minutes 19 seconds: "all the people who are in the Christmas Adventurers Club would probably like Netanyahu." 1 hour 39 minutes 55 seconds: "Quick question for the group, do we think Mike Johnson the Speaker of the House is in the Christmas Adventurers Club?" 1 hour 41 minutes 32 seconds: on Sean Penn's performance. 1 hour 45 minutes 17 seconds: Sean Penn's performance being similar to George C. Scott from Dr. Strangelove. 1 hour 54 minutes 29 seconds: "Do you think Epstein and Ghislaine killed Stanley Kubrick?" 1 hour 56 minutes 5 seconds: Kubrick faked Moon landing debunked. 1 hour 56 minutes 49 seconds: Zach's unhinged Moon landing opinions. 2 hours 0 minutes 26 seconds: "the footage looks fake to me, Kubrick would have done a better job." 2 hours 1 minute 33 seconds: "Dude PTA would have done a better job faking the Moon landing." 2 hours 6 minutes 40 seconds: "You're one dangerous hombre." 2 hours 8 minutes 51 seconds: Ben explains how the guy who played Billygoat did the score for the Safdie brothers movie Heaven Knows What. That this guy is a professor of philosophy at Yale.

Intro by Sampson Hollander. This episode is an in depth discussion of September 11th, 2001 featuring special guests Niko Robledo and Eamonn Kreitzer! The conversation begins with Niko sharing his memory of that day, seeing his uncle react on TV before going to work. Then at 21 minutes 53 seconds we start breaking down everything that's weird with 9/11. At 31 minutes 7 seconds "Why this event doesn't pass the smell test." At 33 minutes 24 seconds Building 7. At 37 minutes 15 seconds what was on each floor of Building 7. 48 minutes 25 seconds in is a direct quote from Osama bin Laden. At 1 hour 14 minutes 45 seconds "Mossad had penetrated al-Qaeda." 1 hour 17 minutes 14 seconds Operation Able Danger is explained. At 1 hour 19 minutes 55 seconds Osama is thrown in sea "like Megatron!" 1 hour 21 minutes 48 seconds in are direct quotes of US government foreknowledge of the event. At 1 hour 25 minutes 58 seconds Zach gives one of his baseless conspiracy theories about the planes. And then 1 hour 37 minutes 12 seconds in we wonder if the buildings were wired with explosives.

Intro by Sampson Hollander. This episode is about Spike Lee's new film Highest 2 Lowest, featuring special guest Eamonn Kreitzer! Second half (starting at 38 minute mark) is about Spike's underrated masterpiece Summer of Sam. We go into what makes that movie especially transgressive and incredible, and even describe the real world details of the Son of Sam murders and how David Berkowitz had accomplices.

Intro by Sampson Hollander. This episode is a conversation about Warren Beatty's 1998 political satire Bulworth. The discussion focuses on how the movie predicted Trump, showing that even in the 90's people were tired of robotic politicians. Also Beatty's frustration with the Clinton administration is analyzed.

Intro by Sampson Hollander. This episode is a conversation about Ari Aster's new movie Eddington. The discussion covers the film's depiction of the height of covid, and its portrayal of MAGA and politics in general. Author Robert Coover's potential influence on the film is also considered.

Intro by Sampson Hollander. This episode is a conversation about the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, featuring special guest George Bye! Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's life and connections are discussed, including their relationship with Robert Maxwell and a massive assortment of celebrities/world leaders.

Intro by Sampson Hollander. This episode is a discussion of the new Adam Curtis series Shifty. Austin and Zach talk about how Curtis portrays international political figures, and celebrities throughout his work, and how his style has evolved away from his iconic voice-over. Some of Adam Curtis' artistic influences are also brought up.

Intro by Sampson Hollander. This episode is a conversation about the life and career of Marilyn Monroe, featuring special guest Ben Lobel! Discussion covers her best roles, how Marilyn innovated and added to film history, and some of the most legendary behind the scenes stories which built her myth.

Intro by Sampson Hollander. This episode goes through what films won awards at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, and what surprisingly didn't. Austin and Zach also explain what films they're most excited to see, and why, including talking about which films got the most praise from critics. Zach goes on an unhinged rant about Lav Diaz starting at 45 minute 11 second mark.

Intro by Sampson Hollander. This episode is an extended discussion of the JFK assassination, featuring special guests Niko Robledo and Eamonn Kreitzer! Also Austin is alive, we were just joking about that. Dr. Curtis shows where he thinks the bullets came from, at 4 minute 40 second mark. "And he was AN IRISH MAN! THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT PART!" 1 hour 3 minute, 37 second mark. Kennedy's face learning Lumumba had been killed, at 1 hour 15 minute 24 seconds. The wink, 1 hour 39 minute, 53 second mark. Altgens photo, at 1 hour 45 minute, 47 seconds. "When a king is killed . . . " 1 hour 51 minute, 39 second mark.

Intro by Sampson Hollander. This episode is a discussion of David Cronenberg's new release The Shrouds. It's all about death and grief in an age of advanced technology.

Intro by Sampson Hollander. This episode is a discussion of Paul Thomas Anderson's film Inherent Vice, featuring special guest Sean Fahey! Pynchon's life and career are also brought up at length, and some interesting connections to Dave McGowan's work are made.

Intro by Sampson Hollander. Logo by Dylan Bernard. This episode features hot gossip from Zach's trip to Los Angeles, followed by discussion of the new Pynchon novel and its connection to the new PTA film (starting at 37 minute 20 second mark). Pynchon's Shadow Ticket and PTA's One Battle After Another to be released 2 weeks apart, in late September and early October 2025. Plus ending comments on the 2025 Cannes lineup.

Intro by Sampson Hollander. Logo by Dylan Bernard. Discussion of Oliver Stone's presidential trilogy, with special guest George Bye!

Conversation about 2025 Academy Awards, and how the preview show predicted everything correct. Also features ranking the top 12 films to ever win the Best Picture Oscar.

A conversation about 2025 Oscars, who will win and what to expect.

Conversation about the film The Brutalist.

Austin and Zach discuss David Lynch's life and legacy.