

Blank Check with Griffin & David
Blank Check Productions
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 by Ben Hosley.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 11, 2020 • 1h 54min
Back to the Future Part II with Nicole Byer
Man wouldn't it be weird to have a future controlled by a rich blond bully who hates women, steals things and is awful to everyone? Robert Zemeckis predicts a wild, kooky, and somewhat accurate 2015 with Back to the Future Part II. Comedian Nicole Byer (Nailed It, Newcomers, Why Won't You Date Me) helps us make sense of the different timelines, unpack the connection to Trump, analyze the film’s strategic approach to the sequel and the ultimate disappointment that hoverboards continue to not exist.Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes.Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X!Buy some real nerdy merch.Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or DiscordFor anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 4, 2020 • 2h 23min
Who Framed Roger Rabbit with Mike Mitchell & Nick Wiger
A noir for kids. Disney and Warner Bros characters together for the first and last time. Live action drama with kooky Tex Avery-style animation. There's really no movie quite like Who Framed Roger Rabbit. How long did "bumping the lamp" take? What's a contemporary take on Jessica and Roger Rabbit's relationship dynamics? How does the film's story mirror Hollywood? We invited the Doughboys themselves, Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger to help us find out!Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes.Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X!Buy some real nerdy merch.Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or DiscordFor anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 27, 2020 • 2h 53min
Back to the Future
It was the #1 film of 1985. It’s a theme park ride. An animated series. It spawned video games. Comic books. Musicals. It’s in the goddamn Library of Congress! And key to this series, it guaranteed Robert Zemeckis big crazy budgets for decades. Has there ever been a bigger “blank check" than Back to the Future? Now make like a tree and start the episode already!Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes.Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X!Buy some real nerdy merch.Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or DiscordFor anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 20, 2020 • 2h 10min
Romancing the Stone with Adam Kempenaar & Josh Larsen
How did Robert Zemeckis go from commercial flops to a career-defining time-travelling trilogy of blank checks? It’s all thanks to his “guarantor” from 1984 - Romancing The Stone, starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. We invited Filmspotting’s Adam Kempenaar and Josh Larsen to dive into Zemeckis’ first commercial success and how it set the tone for a decade of hits.Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes.Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X!Buy some real nerdy merch.Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or DiscordFor anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 13, 2020 • 2h 57min
Used Cars with Jason Mantzoukas & Paul Scheer
Jason Mantzoukas and Paul Scheer discuss the unique star power of Kurt Russell in 'Used Cars' (1980), exploring major studio comedies and bad luck sequences. They compare the themes in 'Used Cars' with 'Back to the Future' and delve into the evolution of comedy films. The podcast touches on character dynamics, moral complexity, and the depiction of female characters in 70s and 80s movies, along with critiques of 'Ghostbusters 2'. The hosts also reflect on the changing comedy landscape in the film industry and the career aspirations of comedic actors.

Sep 6, 2020 • 2h 8min
I Wanna Hold Your Hand with Patrick Willems
Your March Madness winner series has arrived! Chosen by the listeners, our latest subject is Robert Zemeckis, a Hollywood hitmaker who gives us plenty to cover. But before we get to Forrest Gump and Back To The Future, we're starting with 1978's I Wanna Hold Your Hand, which centers on a group of girls sneaking into the Beatles games Ed Sullivan show performance.Patrick Willems (@patrickhwillems) helps us kick it all off as we talk iconic dork performances, the best Beatles movies, and the confidence in this directorial debut.Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes.Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X!Buy some real nerdy merch.Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or DiscordFor anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 30, 2020 • 2h 1min
The Old Guard
In The Old Guard (2020), Charlize Theron, Kiki Layne, and a group of immortal warriors define why it's worth living to fight another day. Plus they look extremely cool doing it. This week, we wrap up Gina Prince-Bythewood's series with her most recent film, released on Netflix mid-pandemic. How has 2020 affected the release and how we watch it (preferably from a porch)? What do we want to see out of a sequel? What's the best Netflix movie formula? Join Griffin, David and Ben as we list our favorite Prince-Blythwood movies and what blank checks we're looking forward to in the future.Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes.Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X!Buy some real nerdy merch.Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or DiscordFor anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 23, 2020 • 2h 11min
Beyond the Lights with Ayo Edebiri
The pressures of fame as a young pop star navigating the music industry. An overbearing, success driven mother. A quote loving cop with a big heart. Beyond the Lights is an epic film packed with drama, comedy, music and romance. This week, comedian Ayo Edebiri (Iconography podcast) returns to discuss Gugu Mbatha-Raw’s career trajectory, viral realism, wearing the Larry Crowne and Ayo's work as the unofficial showrunner for The Kominsky Method. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes.Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X!Buy some real nerdy merch.Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or DiscordFor anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 16, 2020 • 2h 20min
The Secret Life of Bees with Jourdain Searles
A coming-of age story. Racism in America. Complex connections to motherhood. The Secret Life of Bees adaptation had a lot of themes to tackle. This week we look back to 2008 and compare the strengths and weaknesses of Prince-Bythewood’s biggest commercial success. Critic, comedian and co-host (Bad Romance Podcast) Jourdain Searles returns to talk meeting celebrities at the worst moments, Hollywood’s attempts to depict the south, and underrated Queen Latifah performances. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes.Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X!Buy some real nerdy merch.Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or DiscordFor anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 9, 2020 • 2h 24min
Love & Basketball with Carl Tart
It’s rare we get to start a mini-series with a classic. 20 years after its release, Gina Prince-Bythewood’s directorial debut still stands the test of time as a top-tier cinematic love story. This week’s all about Love and Basketball (2000), which would set the tone for her career. But what’s the story that led her there? Carl Tart (The Good Place, Comedy Bang Bang) joins as we discuss how Sanaa Lathan fought for her big break, the impact of seeing a romance between two Black leads on the big screen (and VHS), and confuse Griffin with WNBA and NBA stats. Join our Patreon for franchise commentaries and bonus episodes.Follow us @blankcheckpod on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X!Buy some real nerdy merch.Connect with other Blankies on our Reddit or DiscordFor anything else, check out BlankCheckPod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices