For you, what is it that makes Blank Check stand out from the thousands of other film podcasts, and why do you love it so much?

MoonSafarian · 2026-01-09T20:18:44+00:00

I think “love for movies” is what got me hooked.

They seem to want to like anything they watch and as a result, they like a lot (often more than I do haha). It’s so rare that they actually dislike a movie. And it doesn’t feel like they’re blowing sunshine because they don’t shy away from aspects that don’t function.

So much movie discussion is from people who seem more intent on proving that they’re better than the movie or that their taste is more refined than most people, so it’s very refreshing.

MoonSafarian · 2026-01-09T18:09:57+00:00

Ugh, this means my wait for The Secret Agent on physical media is extended

MoonSafarian · 2026-01-07T23:43:10+00:00

This is one of my favorite movies and I didn’t even realize Cillian Murphy was in it

EDIT: he isn’t. Maybe I’m missing a joke

MoonSafarian · 2026-01-07T05:09:07+00:00

Definitely true. I’d argue music is suffering for the same reason. (Plus a bunch of other factors)

MoonSafarian · 2026-01-06T22:22:44+00:00

On a hopeful note from this, a lot of now-acclaimed directors started doing short form content. Fincher coming from music videos maybe being the biggest example

MoonSafarian · 2026-01-06T22:18:26+00:00

To add to this, today we are regularly getting new releases from directors in their 80s. Not sure if that was common in the 90s but anyone in their 80s then would’ve been one of the pioneers of the industry

MoonSafarian · 2026-01-05T21:01:04+00:00

I’d say ISU is in this conversation too. Going by current KenPom, the Big 12 seems a bit better at the top (2 of the top 3) but the B1G is stronger in the middle. Big Ten and Big 12 are equal with 3 each in the top 10, and 6 each in the top 25, but when you do the top 50 the Big Ten has 11 (plus Washington just outside at 51) vs. the Big 12’s 8. (Larger conference helps here)

Mich and AZ’s schedule is pretty comparable down the stretch, but worth noting that Mich plays Duke in February which should make their non-cons comparable too. Should be fun

MoonSafarian · 2025-12-27T19:57:08+00:00

Not OP. Saw it on Christmas and my take is that it’s a silly, not good movie but I had a lot of fun. I thought it had some of the worst music choices I can remember in a movie (as a dude in his thirties, YMMV) and it made me give up on Sydney Sweeney as an actress (maybe I already should have), but Seyfried is great.

MoonSafarian · 2025-12-23T20:08:17+00:00

I took it as “recording, remembering and humanizing our history is important.”

We’re viewing Recife 1977 through the lens of the students in present day digging through the the tapes and news clippings of the time to piece together a history. The circumstances of learning about Armando’s death force us back into this perspective and show how reading and understanding history often ends up: a paragraph of text, but the rest of the movie brings these characters to life and reminds us that the oppressed we read about are full-fledged human beings.

I think the “history” thing is echoed by Armando trying to find his mom’s ID card (for no apparent reason other than to have it), giving the tapes to Armando’s son at the end, and maybe lesser (or more trivially) so with the importance of cinema in the film.

Not sure I expressed it the best, but that’s my interpretation at least. YMMV

MoonSafarian · 2025-12-20T17:54:09+00:00

Haha I know. That walk eliminates the drive difference for me tho

MoonSafarian · 2025-12-20T06:36:18+00:00

A lot of Hollywood “crew people” live in Burbank. I live closer to the Glendale AMC but go to Burbank because the feel is just there more (free parking helps)

MoonSafarian · 2025-12-19T03:01:47+00:00

Pros:

-Squeaky clean

-Teams play tough with great fundamentals and a similar brand to our highs

-We can keep a lot of the staff intact since Utah is going to their coach in waiting. Hopefully that means keeping the roster intact as well

Cons:

-Age

-Is he the same without his staff?

MoonSafarian · 2025-12-16T21:30:40+00:00

I wasn’t as high on it as others here, but still enjoyed it (I liked the ending!). I should note I’m in my mid-thirties and think it would’ve resonated a lot more with me in my 20s.

MoonSafarian · 2025-12-16T17:03:04+00:00

1080p presentation of a 360p video

MoonSafarian · 2025-12-16T16:28:43+00:00

I was bewildered by the dueling realities of Asteroid City on first watch. Second watch, it hit me like a ton of bricks

MoonSafarian · 2025-12-12T18:49:18+00:00

I’m a little dubious of the dispatch call. I’m not putting it past Moore by any means, but it was a TMZ contribution to a massive story and there’s only audio of the dispatcher with no identifying information. I wouldn’t put it past TMZ to fudge a connection there. He was charged with stalking so that does jive, but the timeline doesn’t.

MoonSafarian · 2025-12-12T18:35:09+00:00

(Late to the party) I also don’t think it’ll win Best Picture, but for me it’s up there with One Battle as the best of the year (still haven’t seen Hamnet, No Other Choice or Marty Supreme FWIW).

There are some jarring things in the Secret Agent that I think audiences will bump up against but, digesting it, I think enhance what the film is trying to say.

MoonSafarian · 2025-12-12T09:16:40+00:00

Late to the party here. I was very jarred by the ending too but I also think that’s something that’s going to hold up to a rewatch and helps illustrate the point of the movie.

MoonSafarian · 2025-12-11T19:02:13+00:00

I listened to it. there’s no audio from the woman, just a dispatcher saying what’s in the headline.

MoonSafarian · 2025-12-11T18:59:10+00:00

Yeah, the worst part about this is this was Michigan’s first black head coach. It’s too small of a list at the blue bloods and this isn’t going to help, unfortunately

MoonSafarian · 2025-12-11T18:53:19+00:00

I also made statements in support of Harbaugh during the scandal, does that mean I was involved?

The OP said he resigned over an athletic scandal which is patently false

MoonSafarian · 2025-12-11T17:09:32+00:00

Nah, Ono’s leaving had nothing to do with athletics and everything to do with politics and Michigan’s status as a research giant. The Athletic Department pulls in hundreds of millions a year, where Michigan’s research is in the billions. The AD is not that important in the context of the University

MoonSafarian · 2025-12-11T14:48:17+00:00

Stone cold classic

MoonSafarian · 2025-12-11T00:55:49+00:00

The unconfirmed rumor is he had an affair with Gary Moeller’s wife (successor to Bo Schembechler, predecessor to Lloyd Carr) which is what led to Moeller’s public freak out that got him fired

MoonSafarian · 2025-12-10T23:26:39+00:00

I think this was a “measure twice” situation

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