Blank Check with Griffin & David

It's not just the Bach playing over the title credits - 1995's Casino is Baroque as hell! Mother of Blankies Emily Yoshida returns to the podcast this week to talk about Scorsese's Vegas epic, and we're betting big on this being a great episode. Between Joe Pesci's facelift tape, Robert De Niro's enormous sunglasses, and Sharon Stone's go-for-broke performance, we've got much to discuss this week. Is this Scorsese's greatest use of voiceover narration? Should Ben get into running card cheat scams? Can we put an equal amount of blueberries into every single muffin?

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Join us this week as we step into the Gilded Age with 1993's The Age of Innocence, an unexpected swerve from the guy who just directed Goodfellas and Cape Fear. But, as many film bros on Letterboxd will say - hot take, this is actually Scorsese's "most violent" movie! Libby Watson of the What's All This Then? podcast graces us with her presence, encouraging much discussion of British things, including Griffin's ancestral connection to the Wobbles and Miriam Margoyles' many appearances on Graham Norton. And, of course, there's much Dan Lewis discussion.

Listen to Floodlines from...

We spent 15 years in prison reading the North Carolina penal code and getting absolutely jacked to prepare for this episode. The great Eva Anderson joins us to talk about Cape Fear and all that that encompasses - the nasty 1991 Scorsese thriller, the 1962 Peck/Mitchum classic, the John MacDonald novel The Executioners, this year's wacky Apple TV miniseries, and of course - the classic Simpsons episode. Get ready for some bad Max Cady impressions, a rundown of the ludicrous MTV Movie Awards Best Kiss category, and a detour into the 2004 Billy Crystal-hosted Oscars opening, which Eva worked on. Every man...

As far back as we can remember, we always wanted to podcast about GOODFELLAS.

No guest this week, folks - just the two friends, Producer Ben, and a Griffin Shinemaster Shinebox. From the iconic needledrops to the thinly sliced garlic (actually a bad way of incorporating garlic into a sauce!), from the famous Copacabana oner to the two dogs looking in opposite directions - we have a LOT to discuss this episode. And, we would like to formally apologize to Lorraine Bracco for not covering a good performance of hers until right now. Karen Hill forever.

The controversy. The incredible Peter Gabriel score. The Last Temptation of Christ. This week, Jamelle Bouie returns to Blank Check to talk about Scorsese's long-gestating passion project, and David gets to geek out about the history of Christianity. None of us are particularly religious - yet we all find this movie profoundly moving. God bless Marty, man.

Get your tickets to the LIVESTREAM of Blank Check's sold out Bell House show on Fri, Oct 16 at 7:30pm ET! Watch our Scorsese-spectacular live with your fellow Blankies or on VOD (for a limited time).

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Famously, 1986's The Color of Money was a money gig for Scorsese after a bunch of big-budget bounces. But it sure as hell doesn't feel like one!

Chris Ryan joins us to talk about the original legacyquel, which passed the torch from Newman to Cruise. We're also chatting snooker, Atlantic City, and Warren Zevon this week, so grab your balabushka and chalk. It's in the way that you use it.

Get your tickets to the LIVESTREAM of Blank Check's sold out Bell House show on Fri, Oct 16 at 7:30pm ET! Watch our Scorsese-spectacular live...

Famously, 1986's The Color of Money was a money gig for Scorsese after a bunch of big-budget bounces. But it sure as hell doesn't feel like one!

Chris Ryan joins us to talk about the original legacyquel, which passed the torch from Newman to Cruise. We're also chatting snooker, Atlantic City, and Warren Zevon this week, so grab your balabushka and chalk. It's in the way that you use it.

Get your hands on Minnesota Fats: Pool Legend.

Check out Amsterdam Billiards.

Watch Sandler do Werewolves of London.

Listen...

1985's After Hours - It's the ultimate "one crazy night in New York City" movie. It's also the ultimate Griffin movie (both Dunne and Newman). But is it the ultimate cool person choice for the best Scorsese movie? Let's discuss.

The lovely Ali Sivitz (also known as Bald Ann Dowd) joins us to talk about this deliriously entertaining slice of prime SoHo history. Apologies to everyone who hates when we talk too much about New York. It's kind of difficult to avoid it with this one.

Get your tickets to the LIVESTREAM of Blank...

1985's After Hours - It's the ultimate "one crazy night in New York City" movie. It's also the ultimate Griffin movie (both Dunne and Newman). But is it the ultimate cool person choice for the best Scorsese movie? Let's discuss.

The lovely Ali Sivitz (also known as Bald Ann Dowd) joins us to talk about this deliriously entertaining slice of prime SoHo history. Apologies to everyone who hates when we talk too much about New York. It's kind of difficult to avoid it with this one.

Read When Real Ann Dowd Met...

This week we're covering Scorsese's The King of Comedy and we've got the real King of Comedy on to talk about how Rupert Pupkin should have done some open mic nights.

The great Stavros Halkias returns to talk Marty, Bobby, Jerry Lewis, Sandra Bernhard, the Klumps, and his billion-dollar pitch for a new action franchise character named Fuccio Pussighetti. Plus - we all apologize to Jason Mantzoukas.

Blank Check's Merch Store is back! The first round of pre-orders on new items ends September 20.

Watch Jerry Lewis at the 30th Anniversary...

This week we're covering Scorsese's The King of Comedy and we've got the real King of Comedy on to talk about how Rupert Pupkin should have done some open mic nights.

The great Stavros Halkias returns to talk Marty, Bobby, Jerry Lewis, Sandra Bernhard, the Klumps, and his billion-dollar pitch for a new action franchise character named Fuccio Pussighetti. Plus - we all apologize to Jason Mantzoukas.

Blank Check's Merch Store is back! The first round of pre-orders on new items ends September 20.

Watch Jerry Lewis at the 30th Anniversary...

Did you pod my cast? DID YOU POD MY CAST?

Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull is often cited as one of the greatest films of all time - one of the greatest boxing films, one of the greatest biopics, one of the greatest screen transformations and lead performances of all time. It's also one of the greatest uses of repetitive dialogue.

The great David Krumholtz joins us to talk about Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, the luminous Cathy Moriarty, and the tonal tightrope this film walks.

Again - DID YOU POD MY CAST??

Did you pod my cast? DID YOU POD MY CAST?

Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull is often cited as one of the greatest films of all time - one of the greatest boxing films, one of the greatest biopics, one of the greatest screen transformations and lead performances of all time. It's also one of the greatest uses of repetitive dialogue.

The great David Krumholtz joins us to talk about Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, the luminous Cathy Moriarty, and the tonal tightrope this film walks.

Again - DID YOU POD MY CAST??

Start spreadin' the news, we're podding today...

Broadway icon (and newly minted Disney Legend!) Lin-Manuel Miranda joins us to talk about what is possibly Scorsese's biggest bounce - 1977's New York, New York.

Cocaine, unchecked ambition, and a misguided attempt to try and get Liza Minnelli to do improv led Marty to some dark places. But hey - at least Robert De Niro learned how to play the saxophone! Expect lots of Broadway talk on this episode - with, of course, much props to the "Homie John Kander."

Check out the Disney Legends...

Start spreadin' the news, we're podding today...

Broadway icon (and newly minted Disney Legend!) Lin-Manuel Miranda joins us to talk about what is possibly Scorsese's biggest bounce - 1977's New York, New York.

Cocaine, unchecked ambition, and a misguided attempt to try and get Liza Minnelli to do improv led Marty to some dark places. But hey - at least Robert De Niro learned how to play the saxophone! Expect lots of Broadway talk on this episode - with, of course, much props to the "Homie John Kander."

Check out the Disney Legends...

You poddin' to me? Well, listener, actually - we are podding to you. For nearly FOUR HOURS.

The great Tracy Letts joins us to talk about Scorsese's monumental Taxi Driver, a film that is both fully ingrained in the American psyche and completely surprising and effective on every rewatch. Of course we're gonna spend our longest episode ever talking about it! This week, we discuss Paul Schrader's "God's Lonely Man" fixation, Ben's uncle's experiences as a New York City cab driver, the 1976 Oscars, Taxi Driver's themes of male loneliness and white supremacy, the incredible performances of Robert...

You poddin' to me? Well, listener, actually - we are podding to you. For nearly FOUR HOURS.

The great Tracy Letts joins us to talk about Scorsese's monumental Taxi Driver, a film that is both fully ingrained in the American psyche and completely surprising and effective on every rewatch. Of course we're gonna spend our longest episode ever talking about it! This week, we discuss Paul Schrader's "God's Lonely Man" fixation, Ben's uncle's experiences as a New York City cab driver, the 1976 Oscars, Taxi Driver's themes of male loneliness and white supremacy, the incredible performances of Robert...

"Martin Scorsese doesn't make movies about women" - WRONG. "Martin Scorsese doesn't make movies that would work as a long-running workplace sitcom" - ALSO WRONG.

Katey Rich joins us to chat about Scorsese's unexpected follow-up to Mean Streets, 1974's Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. We're talking diners, Ellen Burstyn, parenting strategies, "women's pictures," and far more Hootie & The Blowfish than you'd expect from this episode. We're also not "trying silence," okay?

Buy the Hootie and the Blowfish shirt Katey (and David) have. 

Listen to the Screen Draft eps with Griffin and Katey.

"Martin Scorsese doesn't make movies about women" - WRONG. "Martin Scorsese doesn't make movies that would work as a long-running workplace sitcom" - ALSO WRONG.

Katey Rich joins us to chat about Scorsese's unexpected follow-up to Mean Streets, 1974's Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. We're talking diners, Ellen Burstyn, parenting strategies, "women's pictures," and far more Hootie & The Blowfish than you'd expect from this episode. We're also not "trying silence," okay?

Buy the Hootie and the Blowfish shirt Katey (and David) have. 

Listen to the Screen Draft eps with Griffin and Katey.

We're heading to Little Italy's San Gennaro festival this week with Griffy Parm, David Bags, and the great Miriam Bale as we chat about 1973's Mean Streets - a major breakthrough for both Martin Scorsese and Robert DeNiro. Join us as we chat about the seismic impact this film had on American cinema, DeNiro's screen persona, those iconic needledrops, and the ways racism and misogyny permeate the film's atmosphere. Also - did you know this movie was mostly filmed in Los Angeles!?!

Listen to Bobby on Off Menu

Follow @judis.annie on Instagram

...

We're heading to Little Italy's San Gennaro festival this week with Griffy Parm, David Bags, and the great Miriam Bale as we chat about 1973's Mean Streets - a major breakthrough for both Martin Scorsese and Robert DeNiro. Join us as we chat about the seismic impact this film had on American cinema, DeNiro's screen persona, those iconic needledrops, and the ways racism and misogyny permeate the film's atmosphere. Also - did you know this movie was mostly filmed in Los Angeles!?!

Listen to Bobby on Off Menu

Follow @judis.annie on Instagram

...

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...

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...

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 cultur...

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 cultur...

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...

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...

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 ab...

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 ab...

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 bring The Odyssey...

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 bring The Odyssey...

Have you seen Dory? We have!

Zach Cherry joins us to talk about 2016's Finding Dory, a film that made a kajillion dollars and set off a run of four Pixar sequels in a row. In this episode, we're talking about Ellen DeGeneres, animating characters without mouths, the success of Modern Family, live action remakes of already live action films, and Zach's proposed future spinoffs for the Nemo franchise. Young Marlin, Old Marlin, Old Nemo - the possibilities are endless!

Read: After 30 years of Toy Story, Woody and Buzz face the tech age as a...

Have you seen Dory? We have!

Zach Cherry joins us to talk about 2016's Finding Dory, a film that made a kajillion dollars and set off a run of four Pixar sequels in a row. In this episode, we're talking about Ellen DeGeneres, animating characters without mouths, the success of Modern Family, live action remakes of already live action films, and Zach's proposed future spinoffs for the Nemo franchise. Young Marlin, Old Marlin, Old Nemo - the possibilities are endless!

Read: After 30 years of Toy Story, Woody and Buzz face the tech age as a...

We are going to Barsoom with 2012's John Carter - a film that bounced almost as much as the titular hero bounced around on Mars! Matt Singer joins us to talk about this legendary flop - the cursed marketing campaign, the year of Taylor Kitsch, and Disney's acquisition of Marvel and Star Wars, which effectively made John Carter irrelevant almost immediately. Plus, we spend a lot of time talking about X-Men Origins: Wolverine, for some reason.

Read Second-Act Twist By Tad Friend

and

The Untold Story of Disney’s $307 Million Bomb ‘John Carter’: ‘It’s a Di...

We are going to Barsoom with 2012's John Carter - a film that bounced almost as much as the titular hero bounced around on Mars! Matt Singer joins us to talk about this legendary flop - the cursed marketing campaign, the year of Taylor Kitsch, and Disney's acquisition of Marvel and Star Wars, which effectively made John Carter irrelevant almost immediately. Plus, we spend a lot of time talking about X-Men Origins: Wolverine, for some reason.

Read Second-Act Twist By Tad Friend

and

The Untold Story of Disney’s $307 Million Bomb ‘John Carter’: ‘It’s a Di...

Put on your pod-day clothes, there's lots of world out there! We're joined by David Ehrlich to discuss WALL-E this week - a film many consider to be Stanton's (and Pixar's) crowning achievement, and a film David Ehrlich's son has watched upwards of a million times. Join us for a long-ranging conversation that includes context around Disney's 2006 acquisition of Pixar, discussion about the film's depiction of humans, and speculation about the mental health of robots.

Read: Frankie Muniz Hasn’t Spoken to Hilary Duff in 22 Years, Says Her Mom Interfered in ‘Agent Cody Banks’ Castin...

Put on your pod-day clothes, there's lots of world out there! We're joined by David Ehrlich to discuss WALL-E this week - a film many consider to be Stanton's (and Pixar's) crowning achievement, and a film David Ehrlich's son has watched upwards of a million times. Join us for a long-ranging conversation that includes context around Disney's 2006 acquisition of Pixar, discussion about the film's depiction of humans, and speculation about the mental health of robots.

Read: Frankie Muniz Hasn’t Spoken to Hilary Duff in 22 Years, Says Her Mom Interfered in ‘Agent Cody Banks’ Castin...

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...

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...

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...