Blank Check With Griffin & David

#thetwofriends welcome back Katey Rich (Vanity Fair) to discuss 2004's Cruise/Foxx thriller Collateral. Together they examine the initial casting of Adam Sandler as the cab driver, as well as, the entire cast's excellent performances, contemplate a coyote and more. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X! Buy some real nerdy merch. Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Jamelle Bouie (The New York Times) joins to discuss 2001’s unorthodox biopic, Ali. Together they examine the relationship between Ali and sports broadcaster Howard Cosell, the Peter Newman interview, Will Smith and the rest of the excellent cast's performances and so much more. Plus, Jamelle tries the Spies in Disguise challenge! Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X! Buy some real nerdy merch. Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Andy Levy joins Griffin and David to discuss 1999's 60 Minutes biopic, The Insider. Together they examine the performances of Al Pacino, Russell Crowe, and Christopher Plummer, go off on a The Good Shepherd tangent, present some Joe Camel casting options and more!  Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X! Buy some real nerdy merch. Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Comedian Jon Gabrus joins Griffin and David for an epic conversation on 1995's Cops and Robbers aren't so different movie, Heat. But what did director William Friedkin call Al Pacino in his biography? Is someone reading a metal making book at the bar mysterious? Who is the legendary Craig Castaldo AKA Radio Man? Together they examine the performances of Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro, Dad cinema, the diner scene and more!  Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X! Buy some real nerdy merch. Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dana Stevens (Slate) joins Griffin and David to discuss 1992's new world frontier adaptation, The Last of the Mohicans. Together they examine Mann and Daniel Day-Lewis spending a month in the forest of North Carolina learning the skills and tools needed to survive in the eighteenth-century wilderness, the legacy of character "Natty" Bumppo, the films of Buster Keaton and more!  Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X! Buy some real nerdy merch. Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Chris Cabin and Eric Szyszka of the We Hate Movies podcast joins Griffin and David to discuss the original Hannibal Lecter film: 1986's Manhunter. But what motivated producer Dino De Laurentiis to scrap the adapted title Red Dragon in favor of Manhunter? Did Michael Mann's research involve becoming pen pals with an incarcerated murderer? Is poet and painter William Blake's Great Red Dragon on fleek? Together they examine the performances of William Petersen and Brian Cox, the work of novelist Thomas Harris and the complete Lecter-verse (including Hannibal Rising), Walt Disney’s frozen head and serial killer home design aesthetics.  Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X! Buy some real nerdy merch. Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alex Ross Perry (Her Smell) returns to Blank Check to discuss 1983's The Keep. But is this technically a movie? Why is there an extended tangent about the TV show Bones? Is there a movie where anyone eats pizza before E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial? Together they discuss the Mount Rushmore of 1980s: Verhoeven, Schrader, De Palma and Friedkin, the creator of the Moviefone and also talk about The Keep. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X! Buy some real nerdy merch. Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Five months ago Blank Check began the Tim Burton mini-series. This week, though, marks a new director and a NEW mini-series with the filmography of one Michael Mann! Starting us of is the 1981 jewel stealing neo-noir, Thief. But were there literal wanted criminals on the set of this movie? Is James Cann the best at Twitter? What is Mann's top 10 Sight & Sound and is there a strange contemporary outlier? Together Griffin and David examine Michael Mann's background, the performances of Cann, Robert Prosky and Willie Nelson and spend some time on Dennis Farina's mustache.  Music: "ShortSwingwav." by Valentin Sosnitskiy. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X! Buy some real nerdy merch. Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Vis

On the week of it's release in May of 2019, Blank Check invited screenwriters of Detective Pikachu, Dan Hernandez & Benji Samit, to offer a behind-the-scenes look into the development and writing process of this film! But what other media influenced elements of the story structure? What are Griffin and David's favorite Pokémon? How long did it take writer and director Steven E. de Souza to write Street Fighter? Together they examine fandom theory, world building, video game movies and explore the credit process and arbitration process.  Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X! Buy some real nerdy merch. Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week is a special Ben's Choice episode. He selected 2016's excellent video game adaptation, Assassin's Creed. But is it very good? Yes. Do they talk about apples? YES! Is there a lot of discussion about Marion Cotillard believing this project was a documentary? YEAH!!! Together they examine the huge role Michael Fassbender played in this production, Justin Kurzel's moody directing, this film's relationship to the video game franchise and parkour. Plus, #thetwofriends announce the next 2 directors Blank Check will be covering in upcoming mini series!  Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X! Buy some real nerdy merch. Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Karen Han (Polygon) returns to discuss 2019’s Dumbo! But what member of Blank Check likes a bossy girl? Was actor Brendan Hines insecure about the fact that he might be too conventionally handsome to be a Karen's Boy? What should happen to bad elephant boys? Together they examine Disney trailers and critical predictions, frozen heads, Sims gets very mad about his boy Colin and they offer up their Burton rankings.  Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X! Buy some real nerdy merch. Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writer, Emma Stefansky (Thrillist), joins Griffin and David to talk about 2016's fantasy flop: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Together they examine the peculiarities of the children, the novel by Ransom Riggs, crossbows and famous people who are EVEN hotter in person.  Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X! Buy some real nerdy merch. Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Richard Lawson returns to discuss the late-Burton effort: 2014's Big Eyes. But why are the eyes so big? Should Christoph Waltz be the star of his own network TV sitcom? How did Burton pull off making the focus of this movie about the main character's abuser? Together they examine the eyes (which are big), Margaret Keane's history and Alita: Battle Angel (which is also known as Big Eyes 2.)  Plus, check out past (and future) guests Richard and Joanna Robinson's podcast Still Watching: Game of Thrones. Get Richard's book All We Can Do Is Wait! Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X! Buy some real nerdy merch. Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Blank Check, comedian Jamie Loftus The Bechdel Cast discusses 2012's goth soap opera, Dark Shadows. But has Timmy "the boy from Burbank" Burton become the hill man in his later years? Where is Sullyville located in America? Why does the climatic fight scene only further reinforce ones disliking of Depp? Together they examine Jamie's history with the original series, Hot Topic's influence, the problem with Deadpool being someone's favorite comedian and Alfred Molina we stan.  Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X! Buy some real nerdy merch. Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Griffin and David welcome back Emily St. James (Vox) to discuss 2010's CGI fantasy Alice in Wonderland! Together they examine Burton's greatest failure.  Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X! Buy some real nerdy merch. Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tony award winning actor, Michael Cerveris, joins Griffin and David to discuss 2007's film adaption of the renowned Stephen Sondheim musical, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Why did Tim Burton cut The Ballad of Sweeney Todd? Does Michael have a take on National Treasure: Book of Secrets? Timothy Spall goes big? Together they examine how the film holds up against the live production, the trailer lacking singing, letter writing with Sondheim and Michael's experience portraying Sweeney Todd in the 2005 Broadway revival.  And check out Michael Cerveris' band, Loose Cattle! Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X! Buy some real nerdy merch. Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writer, Pilot Viruet returns to Blank Check to discuss 2005's remake, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But, at one point, were Al Pacino and Robert De Niro considering doing a Willy Wonka picture? What are the gang's Peter Farrelly rankings? What do you call a doctor’s jacket? Together they examine the four grandparents in bed, the trained squirrels and more!  Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X! Buy some real nerdy merch. Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Gethard Beautiful/Anonymous podcast returns to Blank Check to discuss 2003's father and son fantasy, Big Fish. And also, to talk about Star Wars some more. But does Big Fish's ending pay out like a slot machine? Was 2003 the year Steven Spielberg and Tim Burton culturally flip-flopped? What are some of the nerd perks offered at the new Star Wars hotels? Together, they spend 2+ hours examining the performances of the cast including Albert Finney and Billy Crudup, motorcycle cages, which vignette to cut out of this movie, and of course Mr. Soggybottom.  Plus, be sure to grab copy of Chris Gethard's new book, Lose Well! Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X! Buy some real nerdy merch. Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Film critic, Matt Singer (ScreenCrush.com), joins Griffin and David to discuss 2001's universally maligned franchise reboot, Planet of the Apes. Together they examine Burton's missteps, Wahlberg's distain for being in this movie, the legacy of the original series and the devastation of a young Griffin Newman.  Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X! Buy some real nerdy merch. Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writer and director, David Lowery (The Old Man & the Gun, A Ghost Story) joins Griffin and David to discuss 1999's procedural horror, Sleepy Hollow. But when we die does the headless horseman come for us? Who are the cheek bone boys? Was Taylor Hicks a ten percenter? Together they examine the work of Emmanuel Lubezki, babies with mustaches, CGI deer and the crypt keeper.  Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes. Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X! Buy some real nerdy merch. Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or Discord For anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices