Oh Brother

"Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair" Review — Tarantino's Epic, Finally Whole

Message Dan and Mike Dan finally crosses a massive blind spot off his list in this Classic Films Dan Hasn't Seen Yet deep dive: Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill, seen here as The Whole Bloody Affair, the rare combined cut stitching Volumes One and Two into the single epic Tarantino always intended. We dig into why it took over two decades to get this version cleared for release, the rights battle that held it up, and the extended anime sequence and restored footage that separate it from the theatrical cuts. Mike breaks down the film's mountain of homages to 1970s kung fu and Japanese cinema, the casting history that almost gave us Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson, Kurt Russell, or Mickey Rourke as Bill (and why Kevin Costner turning it down worked out great for Open Range fans), and the wild behind-the-scenes trivia, including Uma Thurman's injured stunt double who hid it to avoid getting cut from the film, and the real sword-and-baseball stunt that wasn't a visual effect at all. We talk Robert Richardson's cinematography, the late Sally Menke's editing, the RZA and Robert Rodriguez score, and Sonny Chiba's legendary dual role. Dan and Mike also get into the writing itself, arguing Tarantino's screenwriting doesn't get enough credit next to his directing, and land on the same verdict: this is an epic on the level of The Godfather, and an absolute must-see. Plus, a shoutout to The Church of Tarantino podcast, and a first look at what's coming for Halloween Fest on the Oh Brother Podcast. Support the show Oh Brother Podcast: Support the Show! (Be The First to Listen with Early Access) Listen on all podcast platforms Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Instagram

• Transcript

"The Runner" Review — Gal Gadot's Worst Movie Yet?

Message Dan and Mike We're back with another streaming deep dive, and this time we're tackling The Runner, the Amazon Prime thriller starring Gal Gadot that dropped to the top of the charts on September 2nd. The premise sounds promising on paper: a lawyer out for a jog gets a phone call informing her that her son is being held hostage, and the only way to save him is to carry out a series of increasingly dangerous tasks dictated by a mysterious caller, played by Damian Lewis. Unfortunately, a strong hook doesn't save this one from falling apart almost immediately. We dig into why this film never gets off the ground, what it says about the current state of direct-to-streaming releases, and why Rotten Tomatoes and the ratings back up every complaint we have. We also spend some time on Gal Gadot's career arc — from Fast & Furious to Batman v Superman to Wonder Woman superstardom, and how she ended up here less than a decade after commanding eight-figure paydays. We speculate on what happened with her DCU exit and whether that's connected to where she's landed today. Plus, we touch on last night's Emmy wins, tease our upcoming Halloween Fest lineup, and get into what's got us excited for the horror season ahead. As always, we're not here to sugarcoat it — if you've got Prime and you're tempted by the "#1 movie" banner, we're telling you to save your hour and twenty-five minutes. Like and subscribe on YouTube, follow us on Instagram, and let us know what you think. Support the show Oh Brother Podcast: Support the Show! (Be The First to Listen with Early Access) Listen on all podcast platforms Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Instagram

• Transcript

"Mayday" Apple TV+ Review — Ryan Reynolds & Kenneth Branagh Can't Quite Land It

Message Dan and Mike We're back in a brand new studio (still under construction, but functional) to talk about Mayday, the straight-to-Apple TV+ action comedy from Maximum Effort, Ryan Reynolds' production company. Directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein set the film in 1987 during the Cold War, with Reynolds playing a Navy pilot shot down over enemy territory and rescued by an ex-KGB agent played by a nearly unrecognizable Kenneth Branagh. We dig into why this film sat on the shelf since wrapping in 2024, whether it was ever meant for theaters, and how it leans hard into its 80s setting, right down to a running Bruce Springsteen needle drop we'd never heard used in a movie before. We also break down where the film loses us. It opens strong with a genuinely dramatic Behind Enemy Lines-style setup, then pivots into familiar Ryan Reynolds/Deadpool-style comedy that never fully commits to being either an action movie or a buddy comedy. We talk about the missed opportunity in Reynolds' relationship with his father (played by David Morris), tied to a Navy asbestos storyline that hits close to home for us personally, and how Branagh's KGB agent turns into a surprisingly John Wick-coded action hero, beard, stunt doubles, and all. Plus, we catch up after missing a week for maybe the first time in six years, talk about our move into the new podcast space, and share what we're watching, including The Audacity on Netflix, a Tires rewatch, and The Pit. Is Mayday worth your time? We land somewhere between "if you're bored" and "cautionary recommendation." Listen to find out where we land and why. Follow us on Instagram and YouTube @ohbpodcast, and find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, and wherever you listen. Support the show Oh Brother Podcast: Support the Show! (Be The First to Listen with Early Access) Listen on all podcast platforms Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Instagram

• Transcript

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992): Why This Is a Certified Classic

Message Dan and Mike Glengarry Glen Ross turns 34 this year, and we're finally giving David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize-winning play its due on the show. James Foley's 1992 film adaptation brings together an absolutely stacked cast — Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris, Kevin Spacey, and Alan Arkin — for the story of four desperate real estate salesmen pitted against each other in a brutal sales contest. We dig into how this film actually came together, including the fascinating parallel between Pacino championing this project the same way Sean Penn championed Foley's At Close Range, and how Pacino personally scouted Kevin Spacey on Broadway for the role of Williamson. We also talk through the casting history of Shelley "The Machine" Levene, a role that nearly went in a very different direction before Jack Lemmon delivered one of the great performances of his career. We get into why the film's most famous scene — the one everyone quotes — wasn't even in Mamet's original play, and why we think the "sales" angle is honestly the least interesting theme once you dig into what this movie is really about. We also trace the play's legacy through its Broadway revivals, from Joe Mantegna's original Tony-winning run as Ricky Roma, through the 2015 revival that brought Pacino back to the stage alongside Bobby Cannavale, all the way to 2025's star-studded cast. Before we get into the film, we open with a story about a very ill-fated car-buying negotiation involving a local salesman, and we close things out with a confession about how we got worked over by a couple of very skilled salesmen on the streets of San Diego during Comic-Con. Fair warning: this one earns its language warning, but we'd argue it's essential viewing regardless. If you take one recommendation from us all year, make it this one. Support the show Oh Brother Podcast: Support the Show! (Be The First to Listen with Early Access) Listen on all podcast platforms Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Instagram

• Transcript

“The Last House” Netflix Review — Worst Film of the Year?

Message Dan and Mike We're reviewing Netflix's The Last House, the sci-fi horror thriller starring Greta Lee and Wagner Moura as parents whose family gets mysteriously sealed inside their home with no way out. The premise is strong and the first act hooks us immediately, but a jarring five-year time jump sends the story spiraling into some of the weakest, most unsatisfying territory we've covered on the show. We dig into the film's abandoned plot threads, its unconvincing CGI creatures, the convenient "everyone's an engineer" problem-solving, and why comparisons to A Quiet Place don't do it any favors. We also talk through the film's IMDb Metascore and its rough Rotten Tomatoes numbers, and explain exactly why we can't recommend spending your two hours on this one. From there we pivot to a rundown of what's actually worth streaming right now. On Netflix, we're raving about Beef, WWE: Unreal, Tires, and Everyone Is Doing Great. On Apple TV+, we cover Your Friends and Neighbors, Widow's Bay, and Sugar starring Colin Farrell. We also flag a couple of shows we'd steer you away from. Plus, a fun tangent on A Quiet Place, film noir influences, and more of our usual brotherly banter. Support the show Oh Brother Podcast: Support the Show! (Be The First to Listen with Early Access) Listen on all podcast platforms Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Instagram

• Transcript

Spider-Man: Brand New Day — A Darker Tom Holland Sends Us Home Divided

Message Dan and Mike We finally sit down to unpack Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the fourth installment in Tom Holland's run as Peter Parker and the first Spidey film from director Destin Daniel Cretton. Picking up four years after No Way Home's spell erased Peter from the world's memory, this is a noticeably darker, more isolated take on the character — Aunt May is gone, his friendships with MJ and Ned are gone, and the arachnid side of his DNA is starting to take over. We dig into how that trauma-driven tone works, and where it doesn't. One of us walks away calling this the weakest of the Tom Holland Spider-Man films, and we're honest about why: a story that feels overcrowded with characters, some shaky CGI work on the Scorpion, and a villain problem that never quite resolves who we're actually supposed to be rooting against. We also talk through the returning cast — Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Mark Ruffalo, Florence Pugh — plus the newer additions, including Jon Bernthal's Frank Castle, Tramell Tillman's William Mesker, Naomi Watts voicing E.D.I.T.H., and a genuinely strong turn from Sadie Sink as Jean Grey that surprised us both. Along the way we get into the film's stunt work and practical martial arts sequences, the choice to make Peter's webs organic again as a nod to Tobey Maguire's era, and what it means that this film is now closing in on two billion dollars worldwide and threatening box office records held by Avengers: Endgame and Titanic. We also share (in maybe too much detail) the theater experience that colored one of our first viewings, because full transparency matters around here. Whether you loved Brand New Day or walked out with the same reservations we did, we want to hear it. And with Avengers: Doomsday looming and a fifth Spider-Man almost certainly on the way, we start speculating about where this saga goes next. If you're not already following along, you can find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and everywhere else podcasts live, and subscribing to the YouTube channel helps a lot more than you'd think. Support the show Oh Brother Podcast: Support the Show! (Be The First to Listen with Early Access) Listen on all podcast platforms Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Instagram

• Transcript

SDCC 2026 Recap Part 2: Hall H Chaos, Simpsons & Spaceballs

Message Dan and Mike We're back with part two of our San Diego Comic-Con recap, picking up where we left off on day two and carrying through to our final thoughts on the whole experience. This time we get into the chaos of Hall H, including a wristband standoff that turned into a two-hour, half-mile trek around the building just to get denied entry — twice. We also break down the panels that delivered and the ones that didn't: Lanterns surprised us with how much footage HBO was willing to show, the Spaceballs panel gave us a genuinely fun hour with Josh Gad, Rick Moranis, and Daphne Zuniga, and Collider's Showrunners on Showrunning brought out heavy hitters like Greg Daniels and Damon Lindelof. On the flip side, the Simpsons panel turned out to be one of the biggest letdowns of the weekend, with no voice cast in sight — though the one clip they did show us, imagining a world where Homer and Marge never met, ended up being a genuine highlight. We also talk about a memorable, unplanned panel with Ashley Eckstein, our In-N-Out Burger verdict after years without a real hamburger, and the strange logistics failures that plagued the entire convention, from the trolley system to a parking garage that seemed built for a fraction of the actual crowd. Along the way we cover some of our favorite cosplay of the trip, a touching moment with Sergeant Slaughter in the autograph line, and the small personal wins that made the trip worth it, including meeting Judith O'Dea and catching wind of the Johnny Depp Ebenezer Scrooge reveal that had the internet buzzing all week. We close things out with an honest, no-holds-barred recommendation on whether Comic-Con is actually worth attending, plus a look ahead at the box office moment we're in right now, with the Odyssey and Spider-Man both performing well and Avengers on the horizon. It's a candid, occasionally chaotic wrap-up of a trip that gave us plenty to talk about. Follow us on Instagram, and catch us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever else you listen. Support the show Oh Brother Podcast: Support the Show! (Be The First to Listen with Early Access) Listen on all podcast platforms Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Instagram

• Transcript

San Diego Comic-Con 2026 Recap, Part 1

Message Dan and Mike We're back from our first San Diego Comic-Con with press credentials, and this episode kicks off a two-part recap of the entire experience. Part one covers our arrival, the scramble to find the convention center on San Diego's trolley system, and the reality check that comes with picking up press badges for the first time. We also take a detour to Seaport Village for tacos and a beer with a view of the harbor, then head north to UC San Diego for a surprise highlight of the trip: Shredding the Multiverse, a concert reimagining television and film scores from shows like Cobra Kai, Spider-Man, and The Penguin with a full orchestra and rock energy. From there we walk through preview night, our first real taste of the exhibit hall, complete with two-hour lines, an ocean of vendors, and a candid discussion about what press credentials do and don't actually get you at a con this size. We get into a few Comic-Con-brain moments (yes, we coin the term), some sibling bickering about San Diego weather, and a genuinely strange arcade cabinet encounter that turns into its own little subplot. The back half of the episode dives into two of our favorite panels from day one. First, a look at the upcoming Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, opening in Los Angeles this September, and why it's a celebration of storytelling and visual art far beyond just Star Wars. Then we sit in on Brad Bird's career retrospective panel, tracing his path from The Iron Giant and The Incredibles to Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol and his surprising, nearly two-hundred-episode history with The Simpsons. Bird also previews his new animated sci-fi noir series Ray Gun and drops a small but exciting update on the status of Incredibles 3. It's an exhausting, funny, occasionally chaotic first day, and we haven't even gotten to Hall H yet. That's coming in part two, along with days two and three of the convention. Thanks for riding along with us on our first Comic-Con as press, sore feet and all. Support the show Oh Brother Podcast: Support the Show! (Be The First to Listen with Early Access) Listen on all podcast platforms Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Instagram

• Transcript

Gena Rowlands & Cassavetes' Opening Night (1977) | Criterion Review

Message Dan and Mike We're reviewing John Cassavetes' Opening Night (1977), starring Gena Rowlands, as part of our dive into the Criterion box set of five Cassavetes films. This is a filmmaker some call the father of independent cinema, and we get into why he had to finance his own work, act in other people's movies to bankroll his next project, and watch this one bomb so badly on release that the studio pulled it from theaters. We talk through the film's play-within-a-play structure, the way Cassavetes shoots actors slipping in and out of character backstage, and the ambiguity at the center of the story: is the young fan who dies early in the film a real ghost haunting Rowlands' character, or a figment of her imagination as she confronts getting older? We land in different places on that question, and we get into why Cassavetes never spells it out for the audience. We also spend some time on Rowlands herself, tracing one brother's first exposure to her through Gloria back in 1980 without even realizing Cassavetes directed it, and talking about how she and Cassavetes never won a competitive Oscar despite being nominated multiple times between them. Ben Gazzara, Joan Blondell, and a scene-stealing cameo from Peter Falk all come up, along with a tangent on Cassavetes' work with Kubrick-adjacent actors and comparisons to other directors who financed their own films outside the studio system. Before we get into the review, we also talk about our upcoming trip to San Diego Comic-Con, where we'll have press credentials for the first time. We're already deep into schedule chaos trying to figure out how to cover a five-day, eighty-plus-page event as first-timers, so expect a recap episode when we're back. If you've been meaning to start exploring Cassavetes and don't know where to begin, we make the case for Opening Night as an entry point, and let you know the whole five-film Criterion box set is currently half off. Support the show Oh Brother Podcast: Support the Show! (Be The First to Listen with Early Access) Listen on all podcast platforms Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Instagram

• Transcript

Sylvester Stallone's Rocky at 50: The Perfect Underdog Story

Message Dan and Mike Rocky turns 50 this December, and Sylvester Stallone just turned 80 — so we're marking both with our very first Stallone review. A broke, unknown actor with bit parts in mob films turned down nearly $400,000 from the studio, wrote the script in three days, and sold his own dog to make the one movie he refused to let anyone else star in. We get into the guerrilla filmmaking behind it: a budget under a million dollars, a 28-day shoot, no permits, tarps hauled in to fake the Philadelphia skyline in New York, and a training montage stitched together from footage grabbed wherever they could get it. We talk about the producers mortgaging their homes to finish the film, the choreographers who walked off over how the fights were staged, and Stallone ultimately taking the choreography credit himself. We also cover the film's two Godfather connections through Talia Shire and Joe Spinell, the legacy of Burgess Meredith, Carl Weathers, and Burt Young, and how Rocky beat out a stacked 1976 Best Picture field that included Taxi Driver, Network, and All the President's Men. Whether you've seen Rocky fifty times or somehow never seen it, we make the case for why it still holds up as one of the most complete films ever made. Come for the trivia, stay for the argument about whether this is truly a perfect movie. Support the show Oh Brother Podcast: Support the Show! (Be The First to Listen with Early Access) Listen on all podcast platforms Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Instagram

• Transcript

Supergirl (2026) Review — Milly Alcock's DCU Debut Worth Seeing?

Message Dan and Mike We saw Supergirl opening weekend and couldn't disagree more. Dan's defending it. Mike thinks it's one of the worst films he's seen in years. No fence-sitting — just a real debate about whether Craig Gillespie's DCU origin story actually works. We break down Milly Alcock's performance as Kara Zor-El, the galactic revenge story adapted from Tom King's Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, Jason Momoa's Lobo and what his presence actually adds (or doesn't), villain Krem (Matthias Schoenaerts) and whether he lands, the late arrival of the suit, the Krypton lore that's already dividing DC fans, and what David Corenswet's Superman cameo contributes. We also get into the box office disappointment, the mixed critical reception, and whether any of that should change how you feel walking into the theater. Did the DCU get its Supergirl right? Let us know where you stand. Support the show Oh Brother Podcast: Support the Show! (Be The First to Listen with Early Access) Listen on all podcast platforms Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Instagram

• Transcript

Project Hail Mary Review — Ryan Gosling's Best Sci-Fi Yet?

Message Dan and Mike Four months ago we did a first look on Project Hail Mary and walked away genuinely excited. Now that we've seen it — Dan nearly three times, Mike once — we're ready to give it a full review. Ryan Gosling plays Ryland Grace, a molecular biologist moonlighting as a middle school teacher who wakes up alone in deep space, no memory intact, on what amounts to a suicide mission to save Earth from extinction. The film is dense and ambitious, and once it finds its footing — roughly an hour in when Grace meets the alien life form Rocky — it becomes something pretty special. We talk about what Lord and Miller pulled off here given the scope of the production, Gosling's continued growth as one of the most versatile actors working today, and the inspired work from puppeteer James Ortiz and his team of five (the Rocketeers) in bringing Rocky to life. We also get into the book-to-film changes, the runtime debate (the first cut was reportedly three and a half hours), cinematographer Greig Fraser's contributions, Sandra Hüller's Eva Stratt, and an unexpected Meryl Streep cameo that earns its laughs. We draw comparisons to The Martian, weigh in on the ratings discrepancy between Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic, and debate whether a sequel is even a good idea. Dan recommends it. Mike calls it a great family film. We both agree it could have been tightened. Project Hail Mary is streaming now on MGM+/Amazon Prime Video and may still be playing in select theaters near you. Support the show Oh Brother Podcast: Support the Show! (Be The First to Listen with Early Access) Listen on all podcast platforms Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Instagram

• Transcript

Cool Hand Luke (1967) Review — Paul Newman, George Kennedy & One of Cinema's Most Quoted Lines

Message Dan and Mike We finally got Dan in front of Cool Hand Luke for the first time, and this one did not disappoint. The 1967 Stuart Rosenberg film stars Paul Newman as Lucas Jackson — a decorated, easygoing war veteran who ends up on a Florida chain gang and absolutely refuses to be broken. It's a simple premise with a whole lot going on underneath it. We dig into what makes the film work, starting with Paul Newman's performance, which is somehow both understated and completely magnetic. George Kennedy won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Dragline — and we get into the wild behind-the-scenes story of how he paid $5,000 out of pocket to a consulting firm just to get his name in front of Oscar voters. It worked. His only Oscar, but it paid dividends for the rest of his career. We also talk about Strother Martin as Captain and Morgan Woodward as Boss Godfrey — a character who says nothing the entire film and still manages to be one of the most menacing screen villains either of us has seen. The supporting cast is stacked with actors who weren't famous yet: Dennis Hopper, Harry Dean Stanton, and a young Rance Howard (Ron Howard's father) all make appearances. The conversation covers the film's obvious spiritual imagery — the crucifixion pose after the egg-eating scene, the cross-shaped road in the final aerial shot, the Christ-like arc of Luke's story. We also trace the film's clear influence on what came after it: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, First Blood, The Shawshank Redemption — you can draw a straight line from Cool Hand Luke to all of them. On the craft side, the cinematography by Conrad Hall is remarkable — this is the same DP who later won Oscars for Road to Perdition and American Beauty. And Lalo Schifrin's score, which became so ubiquitous it ended up as the theme for ABC Nightly News, gets its due as well. 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. 92 Metacritic. In the Library of Congress. If you haven't seen it, this one's a must. Support the show Oh Brother Podcast: Support the Show! (Be The First to Listen with Early Access) Listen on all podcast platforms Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Instagram

• Transcript

Cape Fear Review — Javier Bardem, Amy Adams & Patrick Wilson (Apple TV+)

Message Dan and Mike We're two episodes into Apple TV+'s new adaptation of Cape Fear, and we have some thoughts. The series, which dropped its first two episodes on June 5th, stars Javier Bardem as Max Cady, Amy Adams as attorney Anna Bowden, and Patrick Wilson as her husband Tom — a family now living under the shadow of a man they may have wronged. Scorsese and Spielberg are both on board as executive producers, which raises the bar considerably. We came in with full knowledge of the source material. Mike read John D. McDonald's original novel, and both films — the 1962 version with Robert Mitchum and Gregory Peck, and Scorsese's 1991 remake with Robert De Niro and Nick Nolte — are part of the conversation throughout. What we were hoping to see is a reimagining that earns its place alongside those films. What we got, at least in these first two episodes, is something we're still trying to make sense of. The issues start early. Javier Bardem's portrayal of Max Cady lacks the menace that both Mitchum and De Niro brought to the role in very different ways. His introduction at the fundraiser gala — rambling speech, handed the microphone without hesitation, no security in sight — was hard to take seriously. The violence skews gratuitous in a way that feels less like intensity and more like a substitute for it. There are subplots involving the teenage son, an online chat that's clearly not what it seems, and a mysterious masked figure in a green trench coat that we couldn't make heads or tails of. The series also appears to be steering toward a version of events where Max Cady may actually be innocent — which, if true, is a significant departure from everything that makes this story work. We also noticed an Easter egg worth mentioning: Wesley Strick, who wrote the screenplay for the '91 film, shows up in a cameo as an ER doctor. We're essentially split after two episodes — one of us is out, the other is holding on to see what episode three brings. We'll check in again if the series turns things around — and if you don't see another Cape Fear episode on the channel, that's probably your answer. If you've seen the films, read the book, or are watching the series yourself, we want to hear from you — especially if you're a Javier Bardem fan and think he's bringing something to the role we're not seeing yet. Support the show Oh Brother Podcast: Support the Show! (Be The First to Listen with Early Access) Listen on all podcast platforms Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Instagram

• Transcript

The Man Who Wasn't There | Coen Brothers Criterion Review (25th Anniversary)

Message Dan and Mike We're back with our eighth installment of the Oh Brother Criterion Collection reviews, and this one is our fourth Coen Brothers entry — the 2001 neo-noir masterpiece, The Man Who Wasn't There, celebrating its 25th anniversary. Billy Bob Thornton plays Ed Crane, a laconic small-town barber who speaks little but observes everything. When he discovers his wife Doris is having an affair with her boss Big Dave, Ed hatches a blackmail scheme to fund an investment in a dry cleaning operation — setting off a chain of events that spirals far beyond his control. It's classic Coen Brothers territory: crime, consequence, absurdity, and a richly drawn moral vacuum at the center of it all. We break down the full cast, including Frances McDormand as Doris, James Gandolfini as Big Dave, a scene-stealing Tony Shalhoub as attorney Freddie Riedenschneider, a very young Scarlett Johansson, and the always reliable John Polito. We also dig into Roger Deakins' stunning black-and-white cinematography — shot in color and reprinted in monochrome — and some of the film's most memorable sequences, including a brilliant tracking shot through an apartment hallway, a hubcap rolling down a hillside, and UFO imagery woven throughout Dennis Gassner's production design. On the Criterion side, we cover the full supplement package: the Coen Brothers' commentary track from 2004, a new 2025 interview with the brothers conducted by Megan Abbott, the Roger Deakins interview, and more. We also share our thoughts on whether the 4K upgrade is worth it if you already own the Blu-ray. The Man Who Wasn't There was a box office non-event in its time — roughly $19 million worldwide — but by any other measure it holds up as a quietly remarkable piece of filmmaking. Worth seeking out if you haven't seen it, and worth revisiting if you have. Support the show Oh Brother Podcast: Support the Show! (Be The First to Listen with Early Access) Listen on all podcast platforms Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Instagram

• Transcript

The Mandalorian and Grogu Review — Was It Worth the 7-Year Wait?

Message Dan and Mike The first Star Wars film in seven years is finally here, and we're breaking down The Mandalorian and Grogu with a mostly spoiler-free review. Dan saw it opening night, Mike saw it the night before we recorded, and we are not on the same page — which makes for one of our most honest conversations yet. We cover everything: the opening weekend box office, whether the film delivers on years of buildup, how it connects (or doesn't) to the Mandalorian series, the new villain Rotta the Hutt, Sigourney Weaver's role, Pedro Pascal's presence in the film, the missing opening crawl, and what the production budget decisions may have cost the final product. We also get into what this film means for the future of Star Wars on the big screen — including the upcoming Ryan Gosling Starfighter film — and whether Disney and Lucasfilm have a real path forward. If you're a Star Wars fan who just saw the movie and want to hear two brothers who care deeply about this franchise actually dig into it, this is the episode. And if you loved it, we want to hear from you — send us a message using the link in the show notes and make the case. Support the show Oh Brother Podcast: Support the Show! (Be The First to Listen with Early Access) Listen on all podcast platforms Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Instagram

• Transcript

Keanu Reeves & Jonah Hill's Outcome (2026) Review: A Wasted Opportunity

Message Dan and Mike We finally got around to Outcome, the new Apple TV+ dark comedy directed by Jonah Hill and starring Keanu Reeves as a sober Hollywood star forced onto an apology tour after a blackmailer threatens to tank his career. On paper, it has everything — a great cast, a sharp premise, Cameron Diaz, Matt Bomer. In practice, it just doesn't work. We dig into why the film falls short despite its ingredients: the tonal whiplash between its quieter character moments and Jonah Hill's grating lawyer performance, the writing that mistakes shallow self-awareness for depth, and the central casting problem of asking Keanu Reeves to play someone genuinely unlikable. The good news is we find a few things worth talking about, including some standout scenes and what the film almost gets right. We also go a bit broader this episode. Outcome touches on AI's growing role in celebrity culture and filmmaking, and that conversation takes us somewhere interesting — from the blurring line between real and artificial performance to what it means when Hollywood starts leaning on technology to paper over creative problems. Not a recommendation, but definitely a conversation worth having. Support the show Oh Brother Podcast: Support the Show! (Be The First to Listen with Early Access) Listen on all podcast platforms Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Instagram

• Transcript

Jaafar Jackson Delivers. Does the Michael Biopic?

Message Dan and Mike We finally saw Michael — Antoine Fuqua's long-awaited biopic about the King of Pop — and we have thoughts. Dan and Mike break down Jaafar Jackson's performance as his legendary uncle, the film's decision to sidestep the 1993 allegations entirely, and whether the finished product does justice to one of the most complicated legacies in music history. We get into what Fuqua gets right — the recreation of Thriller, the Jackson 5 years, the raw energy of Michael on stage — and what the film conspicuously leaves out. With a 97% audience score and only a 38% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, Michael has sparked a real fan-versus-critic divide, and we fall somewhere in between. If you've seen it, you know there's a lot to unpack. If you haven't, consider this your spoiler-friendly guide to whether it's worth the trip to the theater. Support the show Oh Brother Podcast: Support the Show! (Be The First to Listen with Early Access) Listen on all podcast platforms Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Instagram

Sean Penn & Christopher Walken in At Close Range (1986) — Full Review

Message Dan and Mike This week we're reviewing At Close Range, James Foley's 1986 rural noir crime film — newly available in a 4K restoration from Cinematographe. It's the kind of release that makes you wonder why it took this long. Based on the true story of the Johnston Gang, a Pennsylvania crime family whose reign ended in betrayal and murder, the film stars Sean Penn as Brad Whitewood Jr., a young man who seeks out his estranged father only to find someone far more dangerous than he bargained for. Christopher Walken plays Brad Sr. — and it's one of his most unsettling performances, not because of theatrics, but because of how still and certain he is in every scene. We talk through the full film: what holds up, what the 4K presentation brings out visually, and why this one never quite got its flowers the first time around. Penn and Walken are the obvious draw, but the supporting cast — Mary Stuart Masterson, Chris Penn, Crispin Glover, Kiefer Sutherland — gives the film a texture that a lot of crime dramas from this era are missing. Director James Foley and cinematographer Juan Ruiz Anchía built something that looks genuinely stunning in this new transfer. We also get into the Madonna factor — how "Live to Tell" came to be the film's centerpiece, and how it lands in context versus how most people know it. This is the kind of film a 4K box set was made for. We break down whether it lives up to the occasion. Support the show Oh Brother Podcast: Support the Show! (Be The First to Listen with Early Access) Listen on all podcast platforms Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Instagram

Dark City (1998): A Noir Sci-Fi Masterpiece Worth Revisiting

Message Dan and Mike We're diving deep into Alex Proyas' 1998 neo-noir sci-fi thriller Dark City — and we came out the other side completely won over. This one is a full recommendation from both of us, and if you've been sleeping on it, this episode is your sign to finally watch it. We start at the beginning with a conversation about the film's complicated theatrical release, including the infamous studio-mandated voiceover that opens the original cut and how the Director's Cut restores Proyas' intended vision. It's a fascinating case study in how test screenings and studio interference can shape — and sometimes undermine — a film's impact, and we get into all of it. From there we work through the film itself: Rufus Sewell's compelling lead performance, a career-best turn from Kiefer Sutherland as the hunched and unsettling Dr. Schreber, and Jennifer Connelly bringing real emotional weight to what could have been an underdeveloped role. We also spend time on the Strangers — their design, their purpose, and the genuinely eerie mythology Proyas builds around them. At its core, Dark City is a film about memory and identity — what makes us who we are, and whether those things can be manufactured or taken away. We explore how those themes hold up today and why they give the film a philosophical depth that sets it apart from other genre films of the era. We also get into the production side — the remarkable practical effects work, the budget constraints that paradoxically pushed the filmmakers toward more creative solutions, and the clear cinematic DNA connecting Dark City to everything from Metropolis to Blade Runner to The Matrix (which filmed on the same sets just a year later). And we close out celebrating the film's legacy, its critical reappraisal over the years, and why physical media is still the best way to experience this one properly. Dark City deserved a much bigger audience in 1998. Better late than never. Support the show Oh Brother Podcast: Support the Show! (Be The First to Listen with Early Access) Listen on all podcast platforms Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Instagram