This week, Desert of the Reel takes on Ghostbusters (1984)! We discuss what makes this movie such an enduring classic, its surprisingly interesting ideas about science and authority, and why sometimes you have to break a few rules to get the job done. open.spotify.com/episode/5suk...

Ghostbusters (1985) - DOTR #137

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Back to the Future Part II (1989) Can money buy happiness? We're exploring the philosophy of happiness, Postmodernism, and how you don't need a time machine to change your future. It's a lot of fun! open.spotify.com/episode/4xQ4...

Back to the Future Part II (1989) - You Don't Need a Time Machine to Change Your Future

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Top Gun (1986) Do rules limit our freedom—or make freedom possible? Maybe the movie's message is more complicated than it realizes. Jason HATES Tom Cruise, but we DID manage to find big ideas. - 80s - America - Othering - Rules - Danger Zone open.spotify.com/episode/5u1n...

Top Gun (1986) - Freedom Has Rules - DOTR #133

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What About Bob? (1991) A hilarious film that has surprising philosophical depth! (Also, it is Jason's favorite movie!) open.spotify.com/episode/79Wb...

What About Bob? (1991) - Jason's Favorite Movie! - The Desert of the Reel: Jason's Choice #25

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Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) Does intelligence make you a good person? Not as good as the last movie, but still a fun time overall. What are your thoughts? open.spotify.com/episode/2SJ7...

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) - Does Intelligence Make You a Good Person? - DOTR #132

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We have an episode going over RDJ's first outing of Sherlock Holmes! Are we ruled by fear? It's a good time! open.spotify.com/episode/6Xmj...

Sherlock Holmes (2009) - Are We Ruled By Fear? - DOTR #131

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Arlington Road (1999) If a system is doing something wrong, do we have an obligation to resist it? This week on The Desert of the Reel: Henry David Thoreau, civil disobedience, conspiracy theories, and one of the best twist endings of the '90s into the conversation. open.spotify.com/episode/6AAU...

Arlington Road (1999) Paranoia, Conspiracy & the Death of Community - The Desert of the Reel - Jason's Choice #24

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Tron: Ares (2025) What are your thoughts? We discuss what it means to be human, and specifically, what AI's role should be in the future of humanity. We also return to our discussion of The Other and thinking critically (aka avoid being programmed). open.spotify.com/episode/69GO...

Tron: Ares (2025) - Is AI our doom? - DOTR #130

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Jurassic World: Dominion (2022) This week, we discuss billion-dollar franchises, hyperreality, and whether we've stopped expecting great art from Hollywood. It made us sad. Do you agree? open.spotify.com/episode/3ZZN...

Jurassic World: Dominion (2022) - The Extinction of Good Movies - DOTR #126

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This week, we use Jurassic Park III to explore a bigger question: should we judge people by their intentions or by the motivations behind them? Plus: Spinosaurus memes, Mr. Noodle, and whether this sequel is actually better than The Lost World. open.spotify.com/episode/0wpJ...

Jurassic Park 3 (2001) - Are You an Astronomer or an Astronaut? - The Desert of the Reel #123

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Jurassic Park (1993)! A perfect movie (unless you agree with Jason about the tree thing), but there is so much to talk about and love from this amazing film! open.spotify.com/episode/1MYB...

Jurassic Park (1993) Desert of the Reel #121

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How can one choice affect your whole life? We watched Locke (2013) this week! Can one crack bring down a building? What about a person? Hop in the car with us and listen to this week's episode! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

Locke (2013) - Does one choice define you? DOTR#121

Podcast Episode · The Desert of the Reel: A Movie Podcast · May 9 · 1h 25m

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We don't have to wait until next March to decide to do Wes Anderson

Blank Check with Griffin & David@blankcheck.bsky.social · 7mo ago

BY A MERE FIVE VOTES... TONY SCOTT MOVES ON TO THE FINAL

Would The Batman (2022) be better… without Batman? We dive into: Noir storytelling Batman as a flawed symbol The ethics of vengeance vs. hope POV shots that trap us in Bruce’s mindset 🎙️ New episode out now! open.spotify.com/episode/0CKY...

Vengeance Won’t Save You: The Ethics of The Batman (2022) - Desert of the Reel #120

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Is Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon a perfect movie? What about the best action movie of all time? open.spotify.com/episode/33PQ...

No Time To Die (2021) We ask: Is Bond finally alive… or just reacting? Is comfort better than freedom? And what does it actually mean to live, not just exist? Also: Jason nearly threw up during the ending All this and more! open.spotify.com/episode/7FfO...

No Time to Die (2021) - To Live, Not Just Exist- The Desert of the Reel #116

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Man Skyfall (2012) is easily the best Craig Bond and maybe my favorite of all of them. Just gorgeous. And a real supporting cast that plays against him rather than orbiting around him.

Skyfall (2012) best villain, most thoughtful, best BOND movie ever? • Revenge and suffering • How trauma shapes who we become • The philosophy behind Silva’s character • Why Bond chooses duty instead of bitterness open.spotify.com/episode/28Pi...

🎡 The figures on the Siena Wheel of Fortune are drawn in a particularly compelling way, clutching onto the wheel for dear life while the spokes take the form of pillars. Check out this fascinating essay!👇 🗃️ #arthistory #art #skystorians 🏺 #mosaicmonday ideasroadshow.substack.com/p/the-art-of...

The Art of Philosophy, Part 1

Big wheel keeps on turning

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There’s a moment in Diamonds are Forever where an elephant pulls a slot machine lever and wins. It shakes its head and trumpets

Is James Bond actually a moral hero… or just the least bad person in the room? Quantum of Solace (2008) we ask: • Is revenge driving Bond? • Why do people crave power? • Are ordinary people more moral than Bond? Listen now 🎙️ open.spotify.com/episode/2uUt...

Quantum of Solace (2008) - Revenge, Power, and Moral Limits - Desert of the Reel #113

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Jason LOVED the Jack White theme for Quantum of Solace. The rest of the movie? Not so much

Casino Royale (2206) Jason hates action movies and especially hates James Bond But we still dive deep on topics like trust, free will, and why treating women as 'disposable pleasures' is straight-up unethical. New ep out now! open.spotify.com/episode/0u2q...

“Must a man be broken to be made whole?” In our latest episode on Stonehearst Asylum, we debate whether suffering: • Refines us • Radicalizes us • Or simply damages us Does misery clarify conviction — or distort it? Listen now and tell us where you land. open.spotify.com/episode/5sqE...

Freedom or Justice? The Moral Madness of STONEHEARST ASYLUM (2014) - Desert of the Reel Jason's Choice #20

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Fantastic Beasts (2016)! aka Jason Forgot the Whole Movie (But We Found Philosophy Anyway) “Worrying means you suffer twice.” Is Newt Scamander secretly an absurdist philosopher? Empathy over power And why the world doesn’t need another macho hero Animal rights open.spotify.com/episode/7bIa...

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) - Empathy Is Stronger Than Magic - DOTR #111

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Deathly Hallows Pt 2 is a rare thing: a franchise ending that actually means something. This movie isn’t about spells. It’s about karma, care, and how to handle when devastation hits. Endings aren’t about winning. They’re about what kind of person survives open.spotify.com/episode/1PYF...

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) Harry Didn’t Win Because of Magic. He Won Because of Trust. Desert of the Reel #110

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Jason wanted to know why the characters don’t use House Elves to solve all their problems. Finding people, aperating, and elf magic

The Desert of the Reel Podcast@desertofthereel.bsky.social · 10mo ago

Deathly Hallows part 1! Is it only good for fans that have read the book? We explore Brechtian distancing, the philosophy of sacrifice, whether it is better to die or lose your memory, and many other elements of the film. open.spotify.com/episode/1OYw...

Deathly Hallows part 1! Is it only good for fans that have read the book? We explore Brechtian distancing, the philosophy of sacrifice, whether it is better to die or lose your memory, and many other elements of the film. open.spotify.com/episode/1OYw...

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (2010) - Desert of the Reel #109

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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince The worst one? This one feels different than the rest. We examine its structure, ethical choices characters make, and how evil, fear, and self-confidence originate within us. What are your thoughts? open.spotify.com/episode/4uHO...

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2009) - Desert of the Reel #108

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Jason decided to watch Interstellar after years of students asking him We discuss love, death, sacrifice, good, evil, free will, lying, time, gravity, the nature of knowledge, auteur theory, and a bunch of other stuff in one of our longest episodes ever! open.spotify.com/episode/5NBI...

Interstellar (2014) - Do Not Go Gently - Jason's Choice #19

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