Uncut Gems Podcast

In this episode of the show we are talking about another Arnie cult classic from the 80s starting (sort of) with the letter R - The Running Man! Over the course of our conversation you will hear us argue about whether this movie is amazing or just a bit too much, how it functions as an Arnie best-of mixtape and how it may have marked an inflection point in the 80s as a whole. We also talk dystopian future, dangers of adapting Stephen King and straying away from the source material, the movie's prescience with regard to consumerism and addiction to media, and how nobody taught Jesse Ventura how to swallow pills correctly.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Intro: Infraction - Cassette

Outro: Infraction - Daydream

In this episode of the show we are continuing our journey through Arnold Schwarzenegger's underseen 80s movies starting with the letter R, as we talk Raw Deal. In the course of our chat you will hear us talk about what happens when Arnie is asked to take the character seriously, the idea of making a gritty gangster movie in the 80s, Schwarzenegger's relationship with Stallone and his own growing legacy, the dangers of going overboard with pyrotechnics and much more!

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Intro: Infraction - Cassette

Outro: Infraction - Daydream

Here's a short teaser of our brand new Patreon-exclusive episode of Uncut Gems Tie-ins, a monthly series where we take a classic movie and connect it to a film discussed on our main show. This month, in connection to a selection of Arnold Schwarzenegger's 80s oddities we explore on the main show, we are tying in with a conversation about Conan the Barbarian, the movie that catapulted him into stardom. Over the course of our chat you will hear us talk about John Milius as the legendary badass of the New Hollywood, the genesis of 80s action man, this movie's peculiar approach to fantasy storytelling, flammable witches, stiffened snakes and much more!

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

In this episode of the show we are launching our brief expedition into the 80s to investigate some of Arnold Schwarzenegger lesser liked ventures and we begin with 1985's Red Sonja. Over the course of our chat you will hear us talk about the legacy of Conan the Barbarian, 80s romance with fantasy movies, Arnold's ability to know his place, Brigitte Nielsen's onscreen energy, the movie as a feminist protoplast of Xena and Wonder Woman and much more!

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Intro: Infraction - Cassette

Outro: Infraction - Daydream

Here's a short teaser of our Patreon-exclusive podcast series where we will be examining the cinema of Steven Soderbergh. On our main show we are going through his more underrated works, while on our Patreon we are talking about Soderbergh's most prominent movies. This month, we are talking about a perhaps a bit underrated, but nonetheless important entry in Steven Soderbergh's catalogue - his 2013 Side Effects. Over the course of our chat you will hear us talk about this film's connection to De Palma, Hitchcock, Clouzot and paranoid thrillers of the 70s, Scott Burns' passion for socially relevant cinema and Soderbergh's strange relationship with genre. We also talk about leadless narratives, Jude Law's likeability, and whether this movie would have been better with Matt Damon.

In this episode of the show we peek Behind the Candelabra and talk about Steven Soderbergh's last film before his short-lived retirement. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about what exactly drew Soderbergh to the project, how well Michael Douglas played Liberace, the idea of Matt Damon as the underrated movie star, and the truly dark side of celebrity.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Featuring: Jak-Luke Sharp

Intro: Infraction - Cassette

Outro: Infraction - Daydream

Here's a short teaser of the sixth episode of the 2023 edition of Uncut Gems Marathons where we will - one by one - re-trace the directorial career of John Cassavetes. In this episode of our 2023 John Cassavetes Marathon, we are discussing The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, a film Cassavetes directed immediately after A Woman Under the Influence. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about the many reasons the world (and some of us too) did not connect with the movie the way they did with his previous film, how it is a stylistic departure from his MO, how it functions as a metaphorically autobiographical piece and that its anti-genre allure is definitely not for everyone.

Tune in and enjoy!

In this episode of the show we try to find our voice as we talk Mute Witness. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about how much this movie owes to Brian De Palma, John Carpenter and Alfred Hitchcock, how it fires on all cylinders until it doesn't, and how its setting in early 90s Moscow gives the movie its unique sheen. We also talk about how much one can accomplish on a shoestring budget, the prowess of the film's central performers and whether it is a blessing or a curse to have a cameo with Alec Guinness in your back pocket.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz

Featuring: Nicoló Grasso & Jak-Luke Sharp

Intro: Infraction - Cassette

Outro: Infraction - Daydream

In this episode of the show we "dance with the devil, but the devil don't change" as we talk 8MM. Over the course of our chat you will hear us talk about the pros and cons of getting a hot box office star to be in your movie, Joel Schumacher's run of late 90s oddities, the idea of remaking Hardcore, and what happens when you get the writer of Se7en to write your movie and then try to make it palatable for general audiences.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Intro: Infraction - Cassette

Outro: Infraction - Daydream

Here's a short teaser of our brand new Patreon-exclusive episode of Uncut Gems Tie-ins, a monthly series where we take a classic movie and connect it to a film discussed on our main show. This month we are tying into our August porn-adjacent explorations by talking about the one and only Boogie Nights. Over the course of our chat you will hear us talk about Paul Thomas Anderson as a wunderkind of the 90s Indie Revolution, the challenge of doing a Scorsese-esque epic about the world of pornography, Mark Wahlberg's dramatic chops, Don Cheadle's cowboy energy and much, much more!

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

In this episode of the show we are talking about Paul Schrader's Hardcore as we begin our August journey through porn-adjacent days of summer. Over the course of our chat you will hear us talk about how much this movie owes to The Searchers, how hard it must be for Paul Schrader to shake off Taxi Driver, how the movie might be autobiographical in places and how it would have been a different beast if the original ending was kept. We also talk about Schrader's lens he uses to portray the lurid nightlife of LA, the perils of religiosity, the horror of sitting down in a grindhouse cinema, and that Peter Boyle plays the best private detective in the world!

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Featuring: Jak-Luke Sharp & Tony Larder

Intro: Infraction - Cassette

Outro: Infraction - Daydream

Here's a short teaser of our Patreon-exclusive podcast series where we will be examining the cinema of Steven Soderbergh. On our main show we are going through his more underrated works, while on our Patreon we are talking about Soderbergh's most prominent movies. This month, we are continuing our Soderbergh journey by talking about Magic Mike. Over the course of our chat you will hear us wonder about the differences between a male and female gaze, the idea of hiding a solemn story about the American Dream under the guise of a glitzy romp, Matthew McConaughey's devotion to his craft, Channing Tatum's charm, and much more!

In this episode of the show we are touching base with our ongoing Soderbergh project by talking about Haywire. Over the course of our chat you will hear us try to figure out if this is Soderbergh's The Bourne Ultimatum or The Ipcress File, marvel at Gina Carano's athletic prowess, and share a few comments about her acting skills, too. We also talk about exposition-free plotting, Bill Paxton's alpha energy, Ewan McGregor's chops as a villain and much more!

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Featuring: Jak-Luke Sharp & Hillary White

Intro: Infraction - Cassette

Outro: Infraction - Daydream

In this episode of the show, we are putting a bow on our short exploration of the professional partnership between Kevin Reynolds and Kevin Costner by talking about the 1995 Waterworld! Joined by our special guest Jackson Boren, the widely recognized defender of this movie, we discuss the lore surrounding this film's troubled production, the story of how the two Kevins fell out of love with each other and how this movie functions as a western, a Mad Max ripoff and an environmentalist cautionary tale. We also talk about how to correctly pee into a cup, opine on the Ulysses Cut, share some hot takes about world-building and much, much more!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Here's a short teaser of the sixth episode of the 2023 edition of Uncut Gems Marathons where we will - one by one - re-trace the directorial career of John Cassavetes. In this episode of our ongoing 2023 John Cassavetes, we are finally talking about this filmmaker's most acclaimed work, the 1974 A Woman Under The Influence. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about capturing life on film using documentary techniques, the many imperfections of human relationships, the horrors of toxic family members, how this movie broke Cassavetes, and much, much more!

Tune in and enjoy!

In this episode of the show, we are discussing the first collaboration between Kevin Reynolds and Kevin Costner, which was also Reynolds' feature debut, the 1985 Fandango! Over the course of our chat you will hear us talk about how this movie fits within the grand legacy of Hollywood hangout movies, how it relates the Vietnam War-era anxieties, and how it also may have something to say about the filmmaker's own life experiences. We also touch on the genesis of Costner as a maverick star, rogue filmmaking and the crazy idea of expanding a short movie in two directions at once!

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Here's a short teaser of our brand new Patreon-exclusive episode of Uncut Gems Tie-ins, a monthly series where we take a classic movie and connect it to a film discussed on our main show. This month we are pairing our Bonus podcast to a complement this month's theme on the professional partnership between Kevin Reynolds and Kevin Costner. Therefore, it is only logical to take a stab (or maybe fire an arrow at it) at their biggest box office success, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Over the course of our chat you will hear us talk about Kevin Costner being out of shape, Kevin Reynolds maybe being out of his depth, the accent debacle, Alan Rickman unhinged, and a possibility this movie owes more to Return of the Jedi than meets the eye.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

In this episode of the show we are preparing for the upcoming theatrical release of Oppenheimer by talking by Christopher Nolan's arguably most underappreciated movie, the 2022 Insomnia. Over the course of our chat you will hear us talk about what potentially drew Nolan to the project, why Steven Soderbergh may have passed on it, Robin Williams' era of playing against type, the movie as a second cousin to Heat, the setting giving the story an upside-down feel, and much more!

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Featuring: Jak-Luke Sharp

Intro: Infraction - Cassette

Outro: Infraction - Daydream

In this episode of the show we take on a duo of Steven Soderbergh's underrated 2009 releases - The Girlfriend Experience and The Informant! Over the course of our chat - which turned out to be a massive reunion recording - you will hear us talk about the thematic depth of an otherwise lean indie film, Sasha Grey's dramatic range, Matt Damon's comedic chops, Richard Lester, movies about people who think they are in movies, subtle winks at cinephiles and more!

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Featuring: Nicoló Grasso & Jak-Luke Sharp

Intro: Infraction - Cassette

Outro: Infraction - Daydream

Here's a short teaser of our Patreon-exclusive podcast series where we will be examining the cinema of Steven Soderbergh. On our main show we are going through his more underrated works, while on our Patreon we are talking about Soderbergh's most prominent movies. This month, our Soderbergh project leads us to re-open the pandemic wounds as we discuss Contagion. Over the course of our chat you will hear us talk about how this movie got a lot of stuff right, the idea of making science a thrilling subject, the success of a lead-less narrative, Jude Law as an early example of a Rogan-esque influencer and much more!

In this episode of the show, our June Jaunt through Michael Crichton work comes to a close with a discussion on his 1978 medical thriller Coma. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us wonder why this movie wasn't a bigger hit, whether star power is what Crichton needed, if the movie functions as a feminist metaphor for dismantling the patriarchy, an indictment of a for-profit healthcare model, or both and if it is even remotely acceptable to eat a sandwich during an autopsy.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Intro: Infraction - Cassette

Outro: Infraction - Daydream

Here's a short teaser of the sixth episode of the 2023 edition of Uncut Gems Marathons where we will - one by one - re-trace the directorial career of John Cassavetes. In this episode of our ongoing 2023 John Cassavetes, at its halfway point to be exact, we are talking about Minnie and Moskowitz. Over the course of our chat you will hear us talk about how this movie came together as a rebound after Husbands, how it functions as an antithetic romantic comedy and how it dismantles the Hollywood fakery. We also wonder what Minnie sees in Seymour, whether he is an obnoxious bum or a loveable rogue and what it is exactly that endears some of us to this movie more than others.

Tune in and enjoy!

In this episode of the show, Michael Cricht-June continues with The Andromeda Strain, a Robert Wise-directed first-ever adaptation Crichton's debut novel. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about the shifting sands of science-fiction, Wise putting himself outside of his comfort zone, the idea of science-fact as an alternative to science-fiction, how the movie connects to the COVID pandemic, how it depicts scientific processes in cinematic way, our thoughts on the frequent deployment of split diopters and if lasers can give you a concussion!

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Intro: Infraction - Cassette

Outro: Infraction - Daydream

Here's a short teaser of our brand new Patreon-exclusive episode of Uncut Gems Tie-ins, a monthly series where we take a classic movie and connect it to a film discussed on our main show. In this bonus bonus tie-in episode we are piggy-backing off of our last week's celebratory Jurassic Park chat and jumping into some more Spielberg in anticipation of the release of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. We are talking about Raiders of the Lost Ark, the anatomy of a set piece driven spectacle, Harrison Ford's charisma, snakes, Nazis and much more!

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

In this episode of the show, we are opening what we jokingly call Michael Cricht-June, a short series of episodes devoted to the work of Michael Crichton. Therefore, it only makes sense to start with his directorial feature debut Westworld, as well as the 1976 follow-up to this movie, Futureworld. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about Westworld as a protoplast to Jurassic Park, you will hear us wonder if this is a disaster movie, a speculative fiction, a proto-slasher or a combination of all three, and also how its inventiveness filtered into the culture and inspired many other filmmakers. In addition, we also talk Futureworld and its doomed mission to follow up an instant classic, Peter Fonda's hair, Yul Brynner invading your dreams and much more!

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows

Intro: Infraction - Cassette

Outro: Infraction - Daydream

Here's a short teaser of our brand new Patreon-exclusive episode of Uncut Gems Tie-ins, a monthly series where we take a classic movie and connect it to a film discussed on our main show. This month, we are celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the release of Jurassic Park by, well, talking about it. This episode ties together with our main show conversation about the other dinosaur cloning movie released in the same year, Carnosaur. Over the course of our chat you will hear us marvel at Spielberg's directorial flair, ponder about the popularity of dinosaurs in general, explore the science beneath the movie and even poke a few holes in this otherwise perfect cinematic spectacle.

Tune in and enjoy!

Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows