Episode notes
Sing in us, O Muse, and let us tell the story of four cunning podcasters, wanderers who gained entry into three different large format screenings of Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey across three cities and two continents. This week, we defied the gods to record an episode with missing King of Ithaca himself, Griffin Newman, as he continues his own mythical journey of trying to survive this European heat wave. Join us for a sensible two-and-a-half-hours gushing about this incredible cinematic event, breaking down our favorite set pieces and performances, and discussing previous attempts to…
Podcast
Blank Check with Griffin & David
Blank Check Productions · Film & TV · English
Not just another bad movie podcast, Blank Check reviews directors' complete filmographies episode to episode. Specifically, the auteurs whose early successes afforded them the rare ‘blank check’ from Hollywood to produce passion projects. Each new miniseries, hosts Griffin Newman and David Sims delve into the works of film’s most outsized personalities in painstakingly hilarious detail. Produced…
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9 Aug 2026 · 2 hr 23 min
Who's That Knocking at My Door / Boxcar Bertha
Knock knock! Who's there? MARTY, THAT'S WHO! Welcome to the first installment in PODCASTFELLAS - our supersized series on the films of short king and Italian-American asthmatic Martin Scorsese. This guy made some pretty good movies, huh. This week, Griffin, David, and Ben discuss Scorsese's Little Italy upbringing and his two first features - 1967's Who's That Knocking at My Door? and 1972's Boxcar Bertha . One feels like a film school parody of Scorsese movie. The other, a not-scuzzy-enough exploitation picture. Neither really feel like his true debut. Check out Mostly True: The West's Most…
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6 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 30 min
A Conversation with Andrew Stanton
Surprise! In a first for Blank Check, we’re dropping a bonus main-feed episode featuring a conversation with the Academy Award-winning director of the films we just covered. The great Andrew Stanton joins us for a delightful conversation about Pixar, what happened to scatting, and how Elmo messed everything up for everyone. He answers many questions from Griffin (the Pixar nerd formerly known as FlikLover98), and goes in depth on the ending of WALL-E. Enjoy! Sign up for Check Book , the Blank Check newsletter featuring even more “real nerdy shit” to feed your pop culture obsession. Dossier…
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2 Aug 2026 · 2 hr 30 min
Toy Story 5
Woody, Buzz, and Jessie are back - and they're making us freak out about social media! Join Griffin, David, Ben, and Marie as they discuss Andrew Stanton's latest film - this summer's blockbuster hit Toy Story 5. David gets to talk about being a parent. Marie and Ben get to talk about wanting to be parents. And Griffin gets to talk about his special interest - the Toy Story franchise. Special thanks to Nick “Tiger” Wiger (Doughboys, How Did This Get Played?) and Aiko Tanaka ( @aikocomedy ) for help with the Japanese translations. Read Sucker: My year as a degenerate gambler By McKay Coppins…
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26 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 59 min
In the Blink of an Eye with Joey Sims
Did you know that Andrew Stanton released TWO movies this year? Toy Story 5 , of course, but also the centuries-spanning sci-fi yarn In the Blink of an Eye ?! This episode is dedicated to the latter - kind of. Theater critic and brother of the show Joey Sims joins us to chat about a BUNCH of things, not limited to In The Blink of an Eye; Off-Broadway plays, caveman movies, Power Rangers, and the status of the Lost in Space IP. It's a tangent-heavy listen, folks. Listen to Joey’s Pod: House Closed: Theater We Saw Read about how Off-Broadway's PERFECT CRIME and THE OFFICE halted performances…
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12 Jul 2026 · 2 hr 40 min
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5 Jul 2026 · 3 hr 11 min
John Carter with Matt Singer
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Finding Nemo with Rebecca Alter
Welcome to PODD-C , our series on the films of Pixar stalwart Andrew Stanton! This week, we're kicking off with 2003's Finding Nemo , a film that ushered in nearly two decades of Ellen DeGeneres supremacy and made millions of children remember the exact address of one "P. Sherman." Writer Rebecca Alter joins us to chat about Nemo's immaculate screenplay, the Finding Nemo attractions within Disney Parks, and the under-the-sea craze that had Nemo , Spongebob , and Shark Tale all hitting at the same time. Pixar obsessives - rejoice! Griffin really gets to nerd out here. Sign up for Check Book ,…
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14 Jun 2026 · 2 hr 20 min
Disclosure Day
This is "Spielberg Face: The Movie." This is radical empathy. This is Emily Blunt Supremacy. This is DISCLOSURE DAY . Griffin, David, Ben, and Marie break down Steven Spielberg's latest offering, his first sci-fi film and his first contemporary-set film since War of the Worlds in 2005. It's bound to be divisive. We mostly love it. We've got trains, Fableman dynamics, car chases, Janusz Kaminski pools of light, expressions of awe and wonderment - all of Steve's greatest hits! Join us for a wide ranging discussion about aliens, cynicism, and Michael Caine riding a giant bee (completely…
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