Starline Hodge Podcasts

The year is 1964. Cold War tensions are high. “Funnyman” Stanley Kubrick tells an entire generation: “Wait, I can make this hilarious.” Somehow, this movie is a classic. Three dorks, including our longtime friend, novelist and comedian Clint Gage, sit down to talk about what makes this dark comedy work and what doesn’t hold up. Features:Clint Gage:…

It’s a Paul month. This time we discuss his 2002 film Punch-Drunk Love which reframes the traditional romantic comedy. The grating sound scape, anxiety-inducing scene work gets you right into Barry Egan’s (Adam Sandler) world. The boys talk about how choice direction and editing makes you feel something, for better or worse.Features:Michael Swaim: …

This week the professor discusses the nature of Hell and demons. We are blessed, I guess, to have with us the Devourer of Soul-kin, Grief Incarnate, and Demon of the 5th realm of Hell, his Majesty, the Acolyte of Damnation: Lycus, Author of all calamities and sinful pleasure. The conversation does not go well.Features:Professor Scott Bug: https://t…

In this episode, Bridgett and Sarah discuss Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy’s final film. They talk about Jesse’s evolution, casting kids that look like their parents, being a Sagittarius, how Europeans initiate “sexy time” (Bridgett’s words), and cheating protocols. Consider this trilogy wrapped! Next trilogy coming soon. Expect cuteness and pu…

Adam and Abe talk about how Die Hard’s John McTiernan secretly has the soul of an artist, adjusting a heist movie into a drama. We go through his techniques and script changes that tell a far more interesting story than just a run-of-the-mill action thriller.Features:Adam Ganser: https://twitter.com/therealganzAbe Epperson: https://twitter.com/AbeT…

This show goes over the short stories of Michael’s favorite speculative fiction author and notable curmudgeon Harlan Ellison. Each episode Michael pairs (read: forces a friend to read) a short story with a guest that it “applies especially to.” This episode it’s the short story “The Silver Corridor” (from Ellison Wonderland) and the guest is Bridge…

1Upsmanship is leveling up. This is the final episode of 1Upsmanship on Small Beans. For the continued madness, please search the show through iHeartRadio, where you’ll find all new episodes! Also, look for a new show here on Small Beans featuring Adam and Michael!To see it off, the hosts decided to take a review of the celestial hard drive. How do…

Another Pick the Flick by the audience! This time, we thank A. Ron, Defender of the Galaxy for the suggestion of 1990’s The Hunt for the Red October! Cristian joins the hosts to discuss the unique nationalism of the film, the trends of action movies, and proper protocols for pooping.Features:Cristian Ramirez: https://twitter.com/fanboycristianMicha…

This is a fan-requested (Pick The Flick tier) episode on Soderbergh’s Solaris from 2002. A hearty Small Beans’ thank you to Tom D. for the request!Adam and Abe talk about his cinematographic and editorial approach to the story of a planet that psychologically terrorizes a human crew on a space station.Features:Adam Ganser: https://twitter.com/there…

Adam and Michael discuss the crunchy combat of this year’s Sifu by Sloclap! Both hosts found the game’s ability to create the feeling of becoming powerful incredibly satisfying. Unfortunately for them, it isn’t real fighting and they’re both still wimps in real life. Seriously, you could probably just push Swaim over and he’d just say “Left Stick U…

It’s a Wes month. This time we discuss his 2001 film The Royal Tenenbaums which looks at familial grief and dysfunction. Wes Anderson’s style and charm is on full display with a stellar cast in what could be argued is a more formless narrative than movie goers were accustomed to. Abe and Mike disagree about Act 2 but who cares, it’s a good movie.Fe…

Another Pick the Flick by the audience! This time, we thank Phaedrus for the suggestion of 2009’s Moon! Danielle joins the hosts to discuss Sam Rockwell’s ass, director Duncan Jones, and the meaning of the ending of the film. Highly suggest a listen and a watch!Features:Danielle Radford: https://twitter.com/danielleradfordMichael Swaim: https://twi…

This show goes over the short stories of Michael’s favorite speculative fiction author and notable curmudgeon Harlan Ellison. Each episode Michael pairs (read: forces a friend to read) a short story with a guest that it “applies especially to.” This episode it’s the short story “Shatterday” and the guest is Abe Epperson. Michael Swaim: https://twit…

Another Pick the Flick by the audience! This time, we thank Zac S. for the suggestion of 2017’s The Death of Stalin! Daniel joins the hosts to discuss the film’s satire of the spineless cretins that attempted to usurp power in the wake of a tyrant’s death. All three suggest you watch this movie.Features:Daniel O’Brien: https://twitter.com/DOB_INCMi…

Hana Michels, who makes cat buttholes on Etsy and is a celebrated Small Bean, joins the pod for a special episode about cramming tiny animals into balls. They discuss the limits of the Pokemon lore, their shared joy of pelting things with apples, and Hana asserts her dominance as the one true trainer.Hana Michels: https://twitter.com/HanaMichels Mi…

In this episode, Bridgett and Sarah discuss Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy’s second film. They talk about cats, therapy, walkable cities, how they are both not “jewelry people,” how French people are, and how sexy sitting on a couch can be. I think there’s a movie also. Features:Bridgett Greenberg: https://twitter.com/BridgettTweetsSarah Griffi…

Another Pick the Flick by the audience! This time, we thank Phaedrus for the suggestion of 1992’s Cutting Edge! Soren joins the hosts in comparing rom coms and sports movies, talking about the fuck-den that is the olympic village, and imagining a figure skater projectile vomit on the ice.Features:Soren Bowie: https://twitter.com/Soren_Ltd Michael S…

As voted by our Show Me Producers, this month’s ISYM asks our hosts to bring songs they’d put on their wedding playlist. Maggie talks about her new play. Adam talks about the tiny, rage gumball Kirby.If you patronize us, feel free to email us suggestions for episodes at any time at magsandganz@gmail.com. Tell us your thoughts on Kirby.Adam Ganser: …

Our collective friend and honorary Small Bean Griffin Rowell walks us through the capitalist concepts driving the current metaverse, the companies to look out for, and the potential methods we can use to build it into something more open-sourced. Resident dummy Michael asks all the questions you may have had but were too afraid to (or just had no i…

Paul has returned. This time we discuss his 1999 film Magnolia which depicts 8 stories occurring in the San Fernando Valley in a 24 hour period. It’s mostly about grief, loneliness, forgiveness, loss, and coincidence. Michael and Abe decide it’d be apt to just kind of meander through the podcast, without really obeying the typical structure. God, w…

Why are Guy Ritchie films compelling? At the start of his career he made a name for himself with his quick, chaotic editing style. Adam walks us through it.Features:Adam Ganser: https://twitter.com/therealganzAbe Epperson: https://twitter.com/AbeTheMightySupport Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeansCheck our …

Another Pick the Flick by the audience! This time, we thank nerdnumbers for the suggestion of 1995’s Hackers! Tom “The Rhyme Man” Reimann of Gamefully Unemployed joins us to discuss the very real need to hack the planet and the virtues of being a keyboard cowboy.Features:Tom Reimann: https://twitter.com/startthemachineMichael Swaim: https://twitter…

This show goes over the short stories of Michael’s favorite speculative fiction author and notable curmudgeon Harlan Ellison. Each episode Michael pairs (read: forces a friend to read) a short story with a guest that it “applies especially to.” This episode it’s the short story “The Beast That Shouted Love At The Heart Of The World” and the guest i…

Michael is the Halo hater. Adam is the Halo lover. This episode they talk about Halo Infinite and 343 Industries in some kind of red vs. blue deathmatch. See who wins the podcast. I bet it’s Adam. I don’t know why, that guy just seems like he has his shit together.Michael Swaim: https://twitter.com/SWAIM_CORP Adam Ganser: https://twitter.com/therea…

In this episode, Bridgett and Sarah discuss Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy’s first film. The hosts are very excited about this laugh-a-minute, light-hearted, poop-and-pee joke-filled trilogy. Sarah tells a Linklater story. Bridgett went to film school. Sarah proves she knows what a camera is.Features:Sarah Griffith: https://twitter.com/sk_griff…

No. Well, kind of. Blast From The Past is very much like Demolition Man. At least, the department heads and directors had the same approach to a very common film problem. Abe walks us through it. Adam tries to stop him. Only one prevails.Features:Abe Epperson: https://twitter.com/AbeTheMightyAdam Ganser: https://twitter.com/therealganzSupport Small…

Another Pick the Flick by the audience! This time, we thank nerdnumbers for the suggestion of 1989’s The Wizard! Lydia Bugg of 1-900-HOTDOG joins us to discuss this insane look at the child road movie, complete with shitty adults who ruin everything.Features:Lydia Bugg: https://twitter.com/YouKnowLydiaMichael Swaim: https://twitter.com/SWAIM_CORPAb…

In this episode of Tales, Michael invites musician and RAINN Speakers Bureau member Sammy Lynn into the Pit to discuss her experiences suffering and recovering from sexual assault, and share practical coping advice. If you or a loved one has survived such a despicable attack, please know that there is a community that supports you, even if you've y…

Everyone! It’s a FREE episode! We like to do that from time to time with the shows that are exclusive and this is that! If you forgot, this show takes a Futurama episode and thematically pairs it with an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, which works surprisingly well.This episode David and Michael discuss being a theater kid vs. being a te…

It’s time for Wes and his second film Rushmore! The hosts look at the film scene by scene and examine the larger themes of Anderson’s second feature. Let’s pack the shit out of these kids like so many Bill Murrays. Features:Michael Swaim: https://twitter.com/SWAIM_CORPAbe Epperson: https://twitter.com/AbeTheMightySupport Small Beans and access Addi…

It’s the first Pick The Flick in a bit! One person a month can choose the movie we cover and last month it was Thomas B! Thank you, Thomas B! You made this happen. And by this, I mean our conversation about a 2013 sci-fi animated/live action film starring Robin Wright, Paul Giamatti, and Jon Hamm! It’s a trippy ass film that 2 of the 3 talkers like…

We brought David Bell, big bean and famous pervert, to come talk about one of our GOTYs: Deathloop, a first person shooter with a groundhog day twist. All the 1Uppers enjoy this title and discuss what made it compelling. Is it’s simplicity a feature or a bug? How did the hosts’ play styles differ? Michael mined the story and embraced the puzzle str…

Adam walks us through how the phenomenon of 1999’s The Blair Witch Project informed all the filmmaker’s choices while making the film and how the atypical production designed a genre. Abe is there to help.Features:Adam Ganser: https://twitter.com/therealganzAbe Epperson: https://twitter.com/AbeTheMightySupport Small Beans and access Additional Cont…

As voted by our Show Me Producers, this month’s ISYM asks our hosts to dive into their earliest misconceptions and how movies changed those perceptions. Have you had a similar a-ha moment with a movie? If you patronize us, feel free to email us suggestions for episodes at any time at magsandganz@gmail.com. Tell us your thoughts on beard oil.Adam Ga…

It’s time to cover the Miles Morales game! Michael and Adam discuss Insomniac Games’ influence on the zeitgeist of Spidey. Michael thinks Peter Parker is done, Miles is the new hotness. Adam thinks sequels have become something companies just do for the next gen consoles and this all takes too long. So let’s get all caught up in the web of conversa…

Our collective friend and honorary Small Bean Griffin Rowell walks us through the capitalist concepts driving the current metaverse, the companies to look out for, and the methods we can use potentially to build it into something more open-sourced. Resident dummy Michael asks all the questions you may have had but were too afraid to (or just had no…

Coen Brother (?) Brothers is back, baby! We take a break from our normal deep dive Ander’s Sons to jump back to the podcast series that made it all happen. This time to cover the recent release by Joel Coen, starring Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand. Get ready for some old (high) school literature class because it’s about to get SHAKESPEABEA…

Unprompted by anyone: a podcast about Dave Chappelle’s recent Netflix special! Adam Tod Brown, friend from Cracked and host of Unpopular Opinion joins us to discuss the recent trend of comedians dunking on transfolk! So listen to that. Also, there’s jokes. It’s a weird episode! Features:Adam Tod Brown: https://twitter.com/adamtodbrownMichael Swaim:…

Josie and the Pussycats can be seen as a vapid, mind-numbing waste of the senses. Someone else might see it as a satire of cultural propaganda and a decrying of the entertainment industry as a whole. Both have validity and while Abe and Adam disagree on this movie they do agree it has its charm and there’s more to this than meets the eye. Just like…

Ivette Ale (@dignityandpowernow, @justicelanow) and Dahlia Ferlito (@wp4bl) talk with Erin Heaney about SURJ and the history of white people for black lives. This is a collaboration between Small Beans and Showing Up for Racial Justice, produced by White People 4 Black Lives.Show production team: @hi_femme, @dahliaseed, @cocomarzipan, @imapowerrang…

It is the near-future and genetic manipulation has polarized the rich/poor gap to an even more extreme extent. Michael and Abe along with Small Bean Sarah Griffith take a look at the prescient social commentary in this 1997 sci-fi starring Ethan Hawke, Jude Law, and Uma Thurman. Also Dean Norris. Michael reminds us that we cannot forget Dean Norris…

In this episode, Bridgett and Sarah discuss the Matrix “trilogy’s” third film. Completing the “trilogy,” the hosts point out what did and did not work for them. If you recall, we start the film with Neo using his Matrix Magic in the real world and covers the final battle between man and machine. Much like the film, the hosts must engage in their ow…

Our hosts end the year with their Top 5 Games of the Year! While this isn’t a review show, we thought we’d take a moment to tell y’all our picks. It was a great year and we won’t spoil their picks so just put our sound beans in your hear beans. Michael Swaim: https://twitter.com/SWAIM_CORP Adam Ganser: https://twitter.com/therealganzSupport Small B…

Written and read by Michael Swaim. Score by Davey Francis. Cover art by TokBlok and Von Doyle.Table of Contents:0:00 - Dedications0:35 - The House With No One In It37:00 - The Blessing44:45 - Semper Fi1:15:00 - Jacq & Gyll1:29:50 - My Story Needs No Title1:38:00 - The Queen, The Duke and Their Shadows2:01:20 - The End2:23:45 - Selected PoemsCheck o…

On the most important episode of 1Upsmanship yet, the hosts have Vanessa Guerrero on to discuss the cult hit Psychonauts 2. Vanessa, like Michael, loves this series. Adam thinks “it’s definitely a sequel.” Get ready for the what we’re already calling internally “the “‘Raz’zle-dazzle.” Also, witness a historic Speed Run.Vanessa Guerrero: https://twi…

The pit is back! Well, the podcast. Honestly, it’s been a while because things have been fairly positive in the lives of Michael Swaim and Katie Willert. It’s not all roses, but the two update us (and hopefully fellow addicts out there) how things are going now that they’re sober. No real trigger warnings this time: they discuss their relationship …

We welcome back the show based around the interests of our collective friend and honorary Small Bean Griffin Rowell. Basically, everyone here at the Small Beans find him fascinating so we felt you should hear him too. In this miniseries, Michael and Griffin look into the metaverse, the technology behind it, its inevitability, and the possible forms…

Episode 3 of our new deep-dive podcast that chronicles the films of Paul Thomas Anderson and Wes Anderson! This time the sons take a look at Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1997 rags to riches pornstar tale. The hosts look at the film scene by scene and examine the larger themes of Anderson’s second feature. It’s a cautionary tale of drugs, a celebration of…

In this episode, Bridgett and Sarah discuss the Matrix Trilogy’s second film. After almost 2 decades of distance from this movie, what makes it so disappointing? How should sequels deal with canon exposition? Also, there’s parts of this movie that absolutely rule. Join Keymaker Sarah and Keymaker Bridgett to unpack what still holds up.Features:Sara…

Love him or hate him, we acknowledge that Bay’s unique sense of motion and cinematic convention has led him to box office success. In this episode, Adam walks us through the story beats and intentions of Bay’s Armageddon work, how Bay’s cinematic tendencies become his strength, and ultimately how his style is designed to make you watch his movies i…