Shane Black made a little Hollywood history with his script for this movie even it’s not entirely the one he delivered. One element certainly not in dispute is the relationship between Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson is the rarefied platonic dynamic that the hosts seek out. Could even a brief shift alter the nature of their friendship or does it signal growth under temptation? Is this one of Jackson’s most entertaining performances? Just how bad is Craig Bierko as the villain? What is the line that will forever make Morgan and Erik lose it? All these questions plus action tropes and a good time on this episode.

The late Ted Demme’s ensemble relationship dramedy was and remains a favorite by Erik, but is it by the end of this episode? The discussion with Morgan covers just how shallow its male characters may be and whether or not their female counterparts could do better with their lives. What constitutes average and our own sense of self-worth in a society that places emphasis on perfection and are these characters victims or perpetuators of it? Erik and Morgan discuss all this as well as delving into the complicated relationship between Timothy Hutton and Natalie Portman.  

There are not many films that attempt to deal with a collection of individual women’s stories and Morgan presents this as Exhibit A. Erik has his counterarguments but Morgan makes her case for a film pushing back on the societal norms thrust upon women from an early age from the damage of playground myths to the pressure of getting married. The cliches of romcom’s past are revisited by the hosts and how they are reflected with or without commentary by the film itself. As each relationship is examined, Morgan and Erik look at whether Ginnifer Goodwin and Justin Long’s friendship is “the exception” and who amongst the cavalcade of characters relate most closely to each other’s own personal beliefs and experiences.

Spike Jonze's Her remains one of the more profound films about loneliness. Together, Erik and Morgan discuss the elements of perfection and instant gratification, the psychological implications of a technological-free world and the underappreciated privilege of listening.

Horror films have always tested friendships and this personal favorite of Morgan’s certainly puts one into question. Her and Erik further break down the various genre tropes and archetypes, wondering how much more could have been explored if it had been franchised instead of messed with and delayed. Learn Morgan’s secret to watching horror while they wonder about the process in choosing the story’s victims. How does their pre-determined labeling mesh against everyday stereotypes of identity? Does the film’s approach towards sex fly in the face of a new generation’s attitude towards cinematic voyeurism? What conclusions do Morgan and Erik draw about the film’s climactic confrontation that questions just how great the film’s central friendship was to begin with. All these answers and more are put to the test by the two friends themselves.

Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry star in this film about two broken people – mentally and physically – who find each other and begin hanging out. It is the beginning of a friendship examined by your hosts Erik and Morgan who look into the dynamics of casual invitations and the normally unexplored factor of comfortability that one partner can instill in another. Whether or not this manifests into a completely healthy relationship is for debate, but there is no dispute into the stellar performances by the two leads. Does the film pass the cheat test of the podcast’s inception by one of the hosts? Do indie film cliches undermine some of the dramatic beats? How many pool metaphors are too much? All this and more pressing issues are covered in this episode.

Morgan Gire and Erik Childress teamed up with the hosts of Christmas Movies Actually, Collin Souter and Kerry Finegan, to take a look at the 2005 “love you like a brother, not a lover” Ryan Reynolds/Amy Smart comedy. Needless to say there were reversals on some of the one-time enjoyment of this film as they examine the portrayal of this friendship even without the hopeful romance. Does Smart’s woefully underwritten character willfully torture her high school bestie? Can a decade of regret overwrite the behavior of the physically-reformed nerds? Aside from an inspired comic performance from Anna Faris, the other lasting positive of this film are the new avenues of conversation it brought up in these all-familiar friendship tropes between men and women.

Who said the friendships on this show had to be just between humans? Then again this classic sci-fi film is also about the humanity that makes us so or at least what we hope to evolve into? Therefore a friendship between a man and the female scientist who tries to save him is well worth exploring since there is still much we can learn. There may be a bone of contention in the most referenced scene between Charlton Heston’s Taylor and Kim Hunter’s Zira, but beyond being quite the wingman has she gotten the credit for being an iconic female character of the time? There is probably only one thing holding Taylor back, but sometimes it is those boundaries that draw deeper connections between the sexes that are still too often ignored in modern movies.

Kevin Smith’s Clerks films may be known for the ongoing friendship between Dante Hicks and Randal Graves, but there’s another in play in the first sequel. Rosario Dawson’s Becky may be Dante’s boss but she is so much more than that as evidenced by their backroom banter and nail polishing. As most movie friendships between men and women, theirs evolves into much more if not already there at the beginning. Erik and Morgan share a mutual appreciation for this film and the often X-rated intimacy in the language of certain workplace relationships. Is the triangle with Dante’s fiancé a step above the average “bad fit” in romcoms? Does Becky have the dynamics that led to Dante’s impending nuptials down cold? All that and mouths and trolls and taking it back.

Though the 1993 film is not known for its depiction of the women of the Old West, Morgan (Gire, not Earp) has found something of value in at least one of them. Briefly. But this is actually one of the discussions that was the inspiration for this very podcast. What friendship in this movie (besides Wyatt & Doc) was Erik (and most every fan of this movie) overlooking? Does its momentary exchange say more about their relationship than the majority of male/female friendships we see throughout cinema? Is this film as good as the reputation it has developed since it was initially dumped on St. Crispin’s Day (actually Christmas Day?) And just what tier does this friendship belong to on the newly-formed scale by Erik and Morgan?