Mandatory Media

John Carpenter's They Live is a remarkable film from years gone by that remains eerily prescient to our modern society. Join us as we talk aliens, Reaganomics, Doctor Who, and the 15 minute fight scene in an alley way.

Bret takes the group through a deep dive on John Milton's Il Penseroso & L'Allegro, a pair of poems layered in mythic reference, Milton's iconic literary style, and wonderful storytelling.Main Texts referenced:L'AllegroIl Penseroso ⁠Gordon Teskey⁠'s The Poetry of John Milton

In a break from usual format, David takes the crew through some some selected episodes from the hit TV show MASH. They discuss the changing landscape of TV, classic jokes, and the backdrop of the Korean War. Selected Episodes:S1.12 - Dear DadS1.15 - Captain TuttleS4.25 - The InterviewS5.22 - Movie TonightS8.11 - Lifetime

Just in time for Jaws' 50th anniversary, Seth takes the pod through Spielberg's 1975 classic film. We discuss the unjustly persecuted shark that always broke down on set, incredible suits, and John Williams' iconic score.

For our 40th episode, Bret takes us through Keats' wonderful ode, To Autumn. We talk native bees, reflections on the poem, and the beautiful nostalgia of fall.

S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders is a staple of middle school English class that somehow both Bret and Seth had never read. Join our three hosts as they discuss Robert Frost, Coppola's movie adaptation, and the lasting power of then 15-year-old Hinton's novel.

Seth takes the gang through Kurosawa's wonderful Shakepeare adaptation/reimagining, Throne of Blood. Join us for reflections on MacBeth, praising Toshiro Mifune's acting, and so much more.

Join us as Bret takes us through a wonderful Gerard Manley Hopkins poem. We talk rhyme schemes, Catholic theology, and of course, poetry.

David takes the gang through Bon Cop Bad Cop 2, a Canadian action film full of excitement, jokes about americans, and references to Canadian places.

Today we cover the legendary 90s film by the Wachowskis, the Matrix. We talk literary allusions, cool 90s sunglasses, and Seth does a remarkably good Keanu impression.

In this special Bret-isode your three plucky hosts can't find the time to record together, so the stalwart hero Bret van den Brink goes it alone with a reading of his wonderful poem The Patient Bride, originally published in Mars' Hill Newspaper. He discusses his inspiration behind the poem and gives a fantastic reading of the poem itself.

In first episode about music, Seth takes us through Bon Iver's For Emma, Forever Ago, a masterful album made in the Wisconsin wilderness by musician Justin Vernon. We talk his inspiration, floaty vocals, and how Skinny Love is that one song everyone remembers from the 2010s.

A classic of the 2010s, Captain America: the Winter Soldier is a wonderful time capsule into the superhero movies of yesteryear. Join us as we discuss the plot's comic book origins, how the film reflects a post-Snowden America, and the fact that Bret saw it for the first time yesterday

Unsanck your snoods listeners, because Bret takes us on a deep dive of Wallace Stevens and his wonderful poem, Late Hymn From The Myrrh-Mountain. We talk literary allusions, not understanding poetry, and whether or not Seth can find his water bottle.

Seth takes us through Fellini's 8 1/2, a thought provoking film from bygone eras of Italian cinema. We talk dubbed soundtracks, quotes from Origen, and the funky clown guy at the end of the movie.

In another lively episode about classic poetry, Bret guides us through Coleridge's uncompleted poem Christabel. We discuss popular readings, Coleridge's unique writing structure, and debate whether or not the poem includes a vampire.

Join us as we explore the world of Hades, the 2020 video game from Supergiant Games that many have hailed as one of the greatest games of all time. We talk art style, Greek mythology, and the wonderful challenge of game difficulty.

Today we talk about adapting books, why books sometimes aren't better than movies, and what makes Savage the Jane Austen of the West.

Bret takes us on a wonderful journey through an excerpt of Harold Bloom's The Art of Reading Poetry. We discuss poetry (wow!), a U2 album, and the awesome power of poetry.

Today we tackle Adam Robinson-Yu's adorable indie video game A Short Hike. We explore this beautiful love letter to the outdoors and the amazing power of emergent storytelling.

Seth takes us through Elaine May's Ishtar, a film once called "the worst film of all time" that is now having a critical revaluation in the modern era. We talk Beatty and Hoffman, whip smart jokes, and U.S. foreign policy.

Bret takes the guys through a wonderful example of baroque poetry. We cover Saint Teresa, martyrdom, and the wonderfully witty words of Richard Crashaw.

This episode we tackle Verhoeven's cult classic Starship Troopers. We talk military satire, cheesy 90s effects, and the magic of Neil Patrick Harris.

Seth takes us through Beckett's classic tragicomic play Waiting for Godot. We talk the befuddling nature of the play, how there's a Harold Bloom quote for everything, and the real meaning behind Lucky's psychobabble monologue in the first act.

In a special Easter episode, Bret takes us through George Herbert's Prayer One, a wonderful sonnet that meditates on the various aspects of prayer. The conversations spans the Vatican's telescope, battering rams, and even the Eye of Sauron.

This episode we cover Pixar's Toy Story, a classic and historic 3D animated film from 1990. We talk John Lasseter's complicated legacy, the weirdness of early 3D animation, and the stark reality of being a sentient toy in Pixar's world.

Seth leads the guys through Rear Window, one of Hitchcock's masterpiece films from 1954. They talk Grace Kelly, the voyeurism of cinema, Hitchcock's trademark suspense, and more!

This week the gang is covering Erin Shields' play Paradise lost, a feminist reinterpretation of Milton famous epic Paradise Lost. We cover stage directions, Milton's unique writing habits, and the nature of Satan through the modern lens.

Join us for a deep dive into the classic Studio Ghibli film Pricess Mononoke. We talk maggoty boars, magical curses, and the film's (not so hidden) themes.

Seth brings us back into the zany Sci-Fi days of 1960s Japan with the classic Godzilla film Destroy All Monsters. We talk guys in rubber suits, Sci-Fi camp, and the wonderful experience of films across cultures.

In this Epiphany special episode, Bret takes us through William Shakespeare's comedy Twelfth Night. We cover famous lines we didn't know were from the play, the unraveling of Marvolio, and wordplay that stands the test of time.

Bret, Seth, and David talk about the enchanting, wonderful, and iconic film, The Muppet Christmas Carol. They talk behind the scenes, Dickens' original novella, and which Muppet should be President.

Seth, David, and Bret jump into a review and analysis of Wes Anderson's latest film, Asteroid City.

Bret takes us on a unique journey through Robert Browning's The Heretic's Tragedy, a delightful medieval poem satirizing a public burning.

The crew jumps into the highly divisive 2017 film Star Wars: The Last Jedi. We talk force ghosts, Harrison Ford's hatred of press tours, the Star Wars fandom's hatred of their own movies, and much more!

Seth takes us on a journey through Bram Stoker's Dracula, the movie adaptation of ... Bram Stoker's Dracula? Discover this wild Francis Ford Coppola film from the 1990s that's chock full of bizarre acting choices, immaculate vibes, and oddly shaped hairpieces.

Bret, joined by Seth and David, takes a dive into three of Christina Rossetti's poems. Poems covered are "Amen," "Uphill," and "Passing Away"

Join your three magical hosts on a fun journey through Ursula Le Guin's classic fantasy novel A Wizard of Earthsea.

Take a step back into cinematic history as the gang investigates Agnes Varda's French New Wave Classic Cleo from 5 to 7.

Bret takes our other two hosts on a whirlwind journey through Edmund Spenser's retelling of the gardens of Adonis (found in book 3, canto 6, Stanzas 29-50 of the Faerie Queene). Enjoy Bret's informed analysis and David and Seth's uninformed confusion as we dissect, analyze and discuss this wonderful poem.

David takes Seth and Bret along for their first foray into the world of video games by discussing the hit comedic browser game from 2012, Frog Fractions.

Your intrepid hosts Bret, David, and Seth discuss the play Red by John Logan.

Bret, David, and Seth examine and discuss the John Keats' Ode to a Nightingale.

Bret, David, and Seth dive into Hunt for the Wilderpeople, the 2016 film directed by Taika Waititi.