Small Beans

A deep dive into Christopher Nolan’s Memento, from its reverse chronology and unforgettable high concept to Leonard’s fractured identity and moral choices. The discussion explores Teddy’s shifting truthfulness, Natalie’s manipulation, Sammy Jankis, and the film’s influence on modern mystery-box storytelling. It also celebrates the movie’s resourceful low-budget style, inventive editing, and deliberately imperfect visual craft.

Michael Swaim and Abe Epperson dissect Johnny Depp’s troubled-writer thriller, from its Stephen King ingredients and plagiarism accusations to escalating murders and a psychological twist. They examine the film’s visual clues, darker adaptation choices, John Turturro’s memorable performance, and why Depp’s charm clashes with Mort’s toxic masculinity.

Jason Pargin, author of the John Dies at the End series and former Cracked editor, joins a lively discussion of Over Your Dead Body. The conversation digs into gory slapstick, sketch-comedy logic, escalating farce, Hitchcockian suspense, and the tricky limits of offensive humor. They also celebrate the film’s chaotic machinery, terrible-but-watchable characters, and gloriously absurd callbacks.

This episode is brought to you by the Pick the Flick tier on our patreon. So, everyone, thank Wildfires Now Support This Podcast for paying for the episode! Thanks Wildfires! This film, directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi (Drive My Car, 2021), looks at a fictional rural village in Japan, as it’s attempted to be gentrified, and the locals that are reluctant to open their livelihood to city residents. Features: Michael Swaim: https://bsky.app/profile/michaelswaim.bsky.social Abe Epperson: https://bsky.app/profile/abeepp.bsky.social Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans Check our store to buy Small Beans merch! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/the-small-beans-store

Adam and Abe dive into Tenet, Christopher Nolan’s most elaborate time-bending experiment. They unpack its reverse-action spectacle, nonlinear storytelling, murky spy-thriller stakes, and struggle to create emotional investment. The discussion also explores determinism, free will, sound design, visual style, Nolan’s devoted audience, and whether bold cinematic mechanics can outweigh confusing characters and narrative overload.

The hosts discuss formative (for them) 2001’s parody of summer camp teen films, Wet Hot American Summer. The conversation discusses the performance and comedy stylings of the team behind the film, the comedy-generational impact of the success of the film, and sucking your own dick. Features: Michael Swaim: https://bsky.app/profile/michaelswaim.bsky.social Abe Epperson: https://bsky.app/profile/abeepp.bsky.social Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans Check our store to buy Small Beans merch! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/the-small-beans-store

Michael and Abe discuss the 1995 TV miniseries about interdimensional meatballs cracklin’ their way through liminal time spaces. It’s well known for not being the best adaptation of Stephen King’s works. But maybe… just maybe… the boys rank it at the top of the list! Let’s see! Features: Michael Swaim: https://bsky.app/profile/michaelswaim.bsky.social Abe Epperson: https://bsky.app/profile/abeepp.bsky.social Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans Check our store to buy Small Beans merch! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/the-small-beans-store

Adam and Abe launch a Christopher Nolan watch-through with The Prestige, exploring its tangled timelines, visual style, practical craftsmanship, and obsession-driven rivals. They debate whether Nolan’s elaborate reveals deliver emotionally, his focus on concepts over intimacy, and the film’s ideas about talent, wealth, meritocracy, cloning, and personal identity.

Boots Riley, the filmmaker, rapper, writer, and activist behind Sorry to Bother You and I’m a Virgo, discusses his latest film, I Love Boosters. He explores why art and politics are inseparable, practical effects, creative collaboration, and turning production chaos into invention. The conversation also tackles manufactured shoplifting panics, algorithmic propaganda, influencer networks, and art’s power to inspire collective action.

This episode is brought to you by the Pick the Flick tier on our patreon. So, everyone, thank Wildfires Now Support This Podcast for paying for the episode! Thanks Wildfires! If you recall, we covered 2022’s Influencer a month ago. This is the squeak-quel! What new horrors await our socially literate and pretty friends? It’s probably not going to go well for them. But damn, those deaths rack up those impressions. Features: Michael Swaim: https://bsky.app/profile/michaelswaim.bsky.social Abe Epperson: https://bsky.app/profile/abeepp.bsky.social Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans Check our store to buy Small Beans merch! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/the-small-beans-store