Imitating Art with Don & Chuck

What can you say about Macbeth that hasn't already been said? Well, Don and Chuck aren't exactly sure. But they do their best, anyway. Joel Coen's new adaptation of the classic Shakespeare tragedy stars Denzel Washington as Macbeth and Frances McDormand as Lady Macbeth. Together, their ambitions lead to murder, an ascendance to the throne--and madness. It's well-acted and visually striking. But Shakespeare is traditionally hard to understand for modern ears. Can Don and Chuck enjoy watching a movie without understanding the dialogue? Probably! Though, it might not be this one. They can at least understand enough to talk about some lessons, including: The toxic side of confidence The role of fate "You need something under your ass." The MEANING of LIFE ...And some other, less meaningful ones. For a more understandable version of Macbeth, check out: Macbeth: Death by Fluffy Kittens - Live & Online! by Shakespeare Approves! Follow Don & Chuck on Instagram: @ImitatingArtPod And Twitter: @ImitatingArtPod Music by Nathan Terry Follow him on Instagram: @nterrymusic And visit his website: www.nterrymusic.com Listen to Don's solo podcast: don't worry, i'm finite

For two guys who both went to art school, it sure took Don and Chuck a long time to review a Jim Jarmusch (Jar-moosh?) movie. Paterson's story is so simple, any plot description falls short. In examining a week in the life of a quiet, unassuming bus driver with the soul of a poet, it beautifully explores themes of duality and simple beauty.  And Don and Chuck remember to rate this one. LESSONS: The sun will rise tomorrow The little things in life can hold tremendous value The two sides of you depend on each other ...and a few more Follow Don & Chuck on Instagram: @ImitatingArtPod And Twitter: @ImitatingArtPod Music by Nathan Terry Follow him on Instagram: @nterrymusic And visit his website: www.nterrymusic.com Check out Don's solo podcast: don't worry, i'm finite

As a production company, A24 has been killing it for many years now. So, it's about time Don and Chuck got around to reviewing one of their movies. Minari is a simple drama about a Korean family. When the patriarch decides to move from California to Arkansas so they can start a farm, it ushers in an era of change for the family. Even more, they move in his mother-in-law to help raise the kids. The film tells the story of the year (or so) after they make the move, living in an area where they have no friends or resources, and shows how they struggle to build a successful farm and stay together as a cohesive family unit. It's a well-made and poignantly-acted film, particularly the performances from the young actors playing the family's two children. The film also helps Don and Chuck discuss lessons such as: Doing work for work's sake The relationship between hubris and faith Something unassuming can still have value Failing isn't always your fault It can all go up in flames Follow Don & Chuck on Instagram: @ImitatingArtPod And Twitter: @ImitatingArtPod Music by Nathan Terry Follow him on Instagram: @nterrymusic Visit his website: www.nterrymusic.com Check out Don's solo podcast: don't worry, I'm finite

In the early 2000s, people started learning that Adam Sandler was more than just Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, and the Wedding Singer. He had range! He could drama! Punch Drunk Love was one of the movies that helped turn Sandler from a comedian into an actor. And, at the time, it was pretty good. If you'd asked early 2000s Don and Chuck what they thought of the movie, they'd have probably said so themselves. But this podcast is not hosted by early 2000s Don and Chuck. As it turns out, the movie hasn't exactly aged with them. They speak at length about what doesn't work for them, what rings true, and what questions the film leaves them with. Punch Drunk Love does let them talk about some important lessons, however.  Lessons include: The importance of having someone to talk to Why you should learn more about yourself and your feelings Why "saving face" is useless. How to deter bullies Follow Don & Chuck on Instagram: @ImitatingArtPod And Twitter: @ImitatingArtPod Music by Nathan Terry Follow him on Instagram: @nterrymusic And visit his website: www.nterrymusic.com Check out Don's solo podcast: don't worry, i'm finite

The Muppet Christmas Carol. A classic from the 90s that takes one of the darker and more dramatic Christmas tales of all time and transforms it into a hilarious and heartwarming family musical fit for all ages. It might sound like a tough feat, but when you introduce the Muppets into any story, the silly comes with it. Pretty effortlessly, it seems.  Michael Caine (Real name: Mickelwaite? Something like that?) plays Ebeneezer Scrooge in this adaptation about an aging miser (and right dickhead, to be honest) who undergoes a haunting specifically designed to help him change his dastardly ways just in time to spend all his money on Christmas presents. Statler and Waldorf even show up to make fun of one of Chuck's favorite jokes from the 1800s. A group of penguins puppets ice skate through the streets of London. Look, if you don't know the story of A Christmas Carol, we can't do any better than that at explaining it to you. And then, there's the lessons. Don and Chuck do their best, but with this story, there are lessons around every corner. Some of the lessons they do touch on include: How Scrooge's character reflects the hypocrisy of the Fox News/MAGA crowd (Yeah, we went there) How the lessons from Christmas movies should be remembered all year long Humans need reminders to be kind Businesses can treat their employees better You forge your own chains in life The power and universality of denial ...And probably a few more! Follow Don & Chuck on Instagram: @ImitatingArtPod And Twitter: @ImitatingArtPod Music by Nathan Terry Follow him on Instagram: @nterrymusic Visit his website: www.nterrymusic.com Check out Don's solo podcast: don't worry, i'm finite

Hey, a true story that's not fiction! Don and Chuck tackle their first documentary with Free Solo. Alex Honnold likes to climb things. Specifically, he likes to free solo climb—or, climb very steep things with no ropes or aid of any kind. His white whale, a cliff named El Capitan, has never been free soloed. And he hopes to be the first. The film documents Alex's attempts to study and practice the climb so he can execute it safely and accurately. It also depicts his personal life, where it intersects with his passion for climbing—and where they conflict. The film helps Don and Chuck discuss universal life lessons, such as facing your fears, following your passions, and how making a plan can help you reduce danger, subvert fear, and meet your goals. Follow Don & Chuck on Instagram: @ImitatingArtPod And Twitter: @ImitatingArtPod Music by Nathan Terry Follow him on Instagram: @nterrymusic And visit his website: www.nterrymusic.com Check out Don's solo podcast: don't worry, i'm finite

Blindspotting is a film about the way we think we are, the way society perceives us, and figuring out which one is true. Collin is a charming young back man and convicted felon in the last few days of his probation. He's making an honest attempt to turn his life around and prove he's a human worthy of love and respect. His best friend, Miles, has plenty to prove, too--unfortunately, it's often at odds with Collin's goals. After Collin witnesses a young black man killed by cops, he battles his emotions about growing up in a changing town and tries to find his place. It's funny, tough, sweet, and heartbreaking. Don and Chuck discuss its themes of personal identity, viewing others as humans, and how hard it is to shake personal biases. Follow Don & Chuck on Instagram: @ImitatingArtPod And Twitter: @ImitatingArtPod Music by Nathan Terry Follow him on Instagram: @nterrymusic And visit his website: www.nterrymusic.com Listen to Don's solo podcast: don't worry, i'm finite

Birbigs is back with salt in his attitude AND his beard! That's right! Don and Chuck revisit one of their favorite creative people: Mike Birbiglia. In Don't Think Twice, Birbigglebug once again takes a turn as writer/director/actor in a story about the lives of those within a struggling improv comedy troupe. As their theater prepares to close, each member in the troupe must confront the lies they tell themselves about who they are, what they want, and what they deserve. It's a funny, sad, and often uncomfortable look at when to let go of your dreams in order to move forward in life. As for lessons, Don and Chuck get to dissect how the rules of improv can help the characters--and the audience--lead a more fulfilling life. Visit Don and Chuck on Instagram: @ImitatingArtPod And Twitter: @ImitatingArtPod Music by Nathan Terry Visit his Instagram: @nterrymusic And his website: www.nterrymusic.com Listen to Don's solo podcast: don't worry, i'm finite

Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy of the early 2000s helped solidify the superhero genre as one that could make boatloads of money--and tell good stories all the way to the bank. (Okay, maybe not the third one. But you get the idea.) Don and Chuck were both young men when Spider-Man 2 (arguably the best in the trilogy) came out, and think fondly of it to this day. Its combination of superhero action, personal drama, and (quite frankly) cheesy, comic book silliness makes it both a blast to watch and a generally well-made, well-told story. It also does a great job on conveying some important life lessons for Don and Chuck to deconstruct: how important heroes can be, how honesty (or the lack thereof) can affect relationships, and how doing good can become a habit if you let it. So, stick around (ha! get it? [sigh]) and swing your way over!* Follow Don & Chuck on Instagram: @ImitatingArtPod And on Twitter: @Imitating Art Pod Check out Don's solo podcast: don't worry, i'm finite Music by Nathan Terry Follow him on Instagram: @nterrymusic And visit his website: www.nterrymusic.com *I'm not proud of this one, but it's staying in.

Dune is one of the most popular sci-fi novels in history. Though Don and Chuck weren't completely sure what was going on in the plot (thank you, Wikipedia!), they still enjoyed the first film in Denis Villeneuve's two-part adaptation. But are iconic actors, beautiful visuals, and fun fights enough to create a new classic? After Don and Chuck break down the film, they chat about what the film can teach us about an over-reliance on ceremony and traditions, the time and place for fear (and conquering it), and how politics make it easy for governments to steamroll the layman. Music by Nathan Terry Follow him on Instagram: @nterrymusic Visit his website: www.nterrymusic.com Follow Don & Chuck on Instagram: @ImitatingArtPod And on Twitter: @ImitatingArtPod Listen to Don's solo podcast: don't worry, i'm finite

Question: How did Moonlight turn a $4 million budget into a Best Picture winner at the Oscars? Answer: Watch the damn movie. Moonlight tells the sweet, somber, and often frightening tale of Chiron--a young man in search of himself over the course of decades. Gay, black, and devoid of a support system, Chiron just wants to find his place. Unfortunately, the people and systems around him make it feel nearly impossible. It's a character study with no easy answers. And it asks the audience to think deeply about Chiron, his situation, and his humanity. Don and Chuck find plenty to talk about with this one. From bullying, to children realizing they can't trust adults, to how we never stop needing guidance even as adults, Moonlight interweaves its themes into a movie that should be watched, thought about, and discussed. Music by Nathan Terry Visit him on Instagram: @nterrymusic And visit his website: www.nterrymusic.com Follow Don and Chuck on Instagram: @ImitatingArtPod And Twitter: @ImitatingArtPod Check out Don's solo podcast: don't worry, i'm finite

Lion tells the true story of Saroo Brierly, who gets lost in India at the age of five with no way of finding his family. After surviving on the streets for some months, a kind stranger helps him Saroo get into an orphanage and, eventually, adopted by a lovely Australian couple. As an adult, Saroo's childhood trauma pushes him to search for his birth family. It's a moving and inspiring film that helps Chuck and Don talk through such lessons as the tenacity it takes to survive, how loving someone isn't always enough to save them, how even the well-adjusted can find themselves in an unhealthy relationship with rabbit holes - and how hard it can be to find that tools to help you find your way out from the dark. Music by Nathan Terry Follow him on Instagram: @nterrymusic Visit his website: www.nterrymusic.com Follow Don & Chuck on Instagram: @ImitatingArtPod And Twitter: @ImitatingArtPod Listen to Don's solo podcast: don't worry, i'm finite

Creep is an independent thriller about a videographer named Aaron who's offered a simple job: record a video of a typical day for Josef, a soon-to-be father dying of cancer. Throughout the day, Josef's actions become more and more unsettling before turning outright dangerous and violent. Though Aaron manages to get away, he can't figure out how to remove Josef from his life completely. Helping Don and Chuck discuss Creep is friend of the show and horror film fan Adrian Criner. The film (which only features its two main actors) offers lessons about remaining careful in desperate situations, putting your own safety before others' feelings, and how kind and gullible humans can truly be. Music by Nathan Terry Follow him on Instagram: @nterrymusic Visit his website: www.nterrymusic.com Follow Imitating Art on Instagram: @ImitatingArtPod And on Twitter: @ImitatingArtPod Check out Don's solo podcast: don't worry i'm finite

Well, they finally did it. After referencing Scrubs in almost every episode for over a year, Don and Chuck finally went ahead and talked about the show for an hour. Specifically, they discuss two episodes from season 5: My Lunch and My Fallen Idol. These two episodes tell the story of JD and Dr. Cox both losing patients and blaming themselves. It's a silly, sad, cartoonish, depressing pair of episodes that aren't just a great introduction for new watchers - they're two of the best episodes of the entire series.  And, as for lessons? Well. At the end of the day, Don and Chuck like to give advice about life. But, much like Dr. Cox, they find that following your own advice isn't always the easiest when you're convinced you're the problem. And, when you spend so much of your time trying to help people, you can't blame yourself for taking the time to give yourself some space and be human; and, as painful as it is, you can only help others as much as they want to be helped. All in all, you might wish you could help your loved ones solve all of their problems - especially the bigger ones. But, sometimes, you have to just fix what you can and trust that, with enough time, and enough love, their broken parts will start to come together to form the complete version of them you know they can become.  Buhbuhbuhbuhbuhbuhbuhbuhhhhhh.....  Music by Nathan Terry Follow him on Instagram: @nterrymusic Visit his website: www.nterrymusic.com  Follow Imitating Art on Instagram: @ImitatingArtPod And Twitter: @ImitatingArtPod  Check out Don's solo podcast: don't worry, i'm finite

Portrait of a Lady on Fire showed up on many film enthusiasts' "Best Of" lists for 2019. It also showed up on Don and Chuck's "We Should Do This For the Podcast" list for nearly a year. And here it is! Portrait of a Lady on Fire is a beautiful French film about the relationship between a painter and her subject - a young woman due to be married off to a rich man overseas. As the two grow closer, the sparks of attraction burn ever brighter. Unfortunately, systems of oppression might mean their relationship can be nothing more than a fleeting fling. Well acted, written, and directed, the film helps Don and Chuck discuss those systems of oppression as well as the liberty of solitude, the freedom of choice, and the way brief encounters with the right people can affect us for the rest of our lives. Music by Nathan Terry Follow him on Instagram: @nterrymusic Check out his website: nterrymusic.com Follow us on Instagram: @ImitatingArtPod And Twitter: @ImitatingArtPod Listen to Don's solo podcast: don't worry i'm finite

Men in Black was a hugely successful movie that helped solidify Will Smith's career as a Hollywood leading man. It's also a wonderful movie with great visuals, performances, and writing. Men in Black is the story of a secret government agency that monitors and polices the alien presence on Earth. When an unauthorized alien bug crash lands on the planet to seek out a valuable galaxy, Agent Kay and his new recruit, Agent Jay, must work to find the object and return it to its rightful owners before they destroy the planet. It's funny, sweet, and touches on a few important lessons for Don and Chuck to dissect - such as who gets to control the information civilians have access to, whether we can trust them to control that information, and how hard it is coming to terms with discovering the things you think you know are wrong. Music by Nathan Terry Follow him on Instagram: @nterrymusic Visit his website: www.nterrymusic.com Follow us on Instagram: @ImitatingArtPod And Twitter: @ImitatingArtPod Check out Don's solo podcast: don't worry, i'm finite

The legend of Don and Chuck grows with each new episode. This time, they tackle Shang-Chi, the newest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Shang-Chi tells the story of a young man trained in the martial arts who lives in denial of his painful youth - until the ghosts of his past threaten to destroy the future for himself and those he loves. In between its fun action set-pieces, it develops its characters with empathy and understanding, letting us see what it might take to discover your true self. Don and Chuck have fun discussing the fun, funny, and sometimes dark film before having a conversation about addictions to the past, giving yourself something to aim for, and how what came before is just a block of marble from which you get to carve your future. Follow us on Instagram: @ImitatingArtPod And on Twitter: @ImitatingArtPod Music by Nathan Terry nterrymusic.com

Cry Macho is a movie that certainly exists and that probably cost several producers multiple millions of dollars to make. But, does that mean it's worth watching? Don and Chuck discuss everything wrong and right about this one to help you decide if it's worth your time before discussing its lessons of family, trust, and how being kind can help make both you and the world around you better. Follow us on instagram: @ImitatingArtPod And Twitter: @ImitatingArtPod Music by Nathan Terry Instagram.com/nterrymusic nterrymusic.com

It took Don and Chuck over a year, but they're finally tackling a Tarantino movie. A classic of crime cinema, Pulp Fiction weaves three interconnected stories together into a non-linear film that is violent, funny, and oddly moving. Don and Chuck piece together why the story is told the way it is while discussing the film's themes of trust, second chances, and the power of reputation. Music by Nathan Terry instagram.com/nterrymusic nterrymusic.com Check out Don's other podcast at anchor.fm/dontworryimfinite Follow us on instagram at instagram.com/imitatingartpod and on Twitter at twitter.com/imitatingartpod

After a run of superhero movies with mixed reviews and mixed-er (?) success, the DC Extended Universe takes a gamble with The Suicide Squad, a soft reboot of their previous move in the series, Suicide Squad. It's all very confusing, but you don't have to watch the first movie (and we recommend you don't) to enjoy this one. Don and Chuck have different opinions on the movie, but they both have fun dissecting its ridiculously violent comic book antics, over-the-top characters and raucous, infantile humor. Unexpectedly, this silly action film helps them discuss such important topics as separating the government from its country, the way governments treat their military, and the lasting effects of trauma.  Music by Nathan Terry instagram.com/nterrymusic nterrymusic.com