It's our second week of director rankings, as we take a look at David Fincher's career. Brad Garoon and Jake Ziegler go all the way back to his first feature, Alien 3 (1992) and talk about his career beginnings through the lens of the Assembly Cut of the film. They rank each movie, right up to the resent thriller the Killer (2023). Other movies discussed in this episode: Seven (1995), the Game (1997), Fight Club (1999), Panic Room (2002), Zodiac (2007), the Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), the Social Network (2010), the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011), Gone Girl (2014), Mank (2020).
Katsuhiro Otomo's "Akira" stood tall as a groundbreaking animated film, even as there rest of the industry struggled. In the USA in particular, Disney dropped the ball several times throughout the decade, and the rest of the landscape was made up of Saturday morning cartoon film spinoffs made to sell toys. "Transformers: The Movie" is a prime (pun intended) and shameful example of the trend. Hosted by Brad Garoon and Jake Ziegler, with guest Jeff Richardson. Subscribe for more dives into animation history and film culture.#AnimationHistory #anime #miyazaki 0:00 Introduction2:50 Transformers: The Movie19:00 Akira36:05 The Best Animated Short Films of the 1980s39:36 The Best Animated Feature Films of the 1970s
The 1970s were a strange time for animation. While Disney struggled through what fans now call its “dark age,” other studios and artists were breaking rules and redefining the medium.In this episode of Never Did It, Season 2: Animation Boogaloo, Kevin Ford returns to the show to unpack two icons of the era:Scooby-Doo Goes Hollywood (1979) — Hanna-Barbera’s surreal, self-aware take on fame and Saturday-morning TV.The Castle of Cagliostro (1979) — the debut feature from Hayao Miyazaki, launching a new era of Japanese animation.We explore how the decade’s creative chaos, from Disney’s slowdown to the rise of international auteurs, shaped everything that came after, including the animation renaissance of the 1980s and ’90s.If you’re into Disney history, anime origins, or forgotten cartoon experiments, you’ll love this deep dive into one of animation’s strangest chapters.Subscribe for more dives into animation history and film culture.#AnimationHistory #Disney #ScoobyDoo #Miyazaki #LupinIII #Cartoons #FilmPodcast #AnimationPodcast #hannabarbera 0:00 Introduction1:16 Scooby-Doo Goes Hollywood9:26 Scoob!15:20 Lupin III: The Castle of Cogliostro24:03 The Best Animated Short Films of the 1970s28:14 The Best Animated Feature Films of the 1970s
"A Boy Named Charlie Brown" was a shocking success, outgrossing Disney's "The Jungle Book" during their first runs at the box office. Meanwhile, "Yellow Submarine" had minimal participation from the Beatles and wound up being their best movie anyway.Hosted by Brad Garoon & Jake Ziegler0:00 Introduction, 1:35 Yellow Submarine, 12:29 A Boy Named Charlie Brown, 25:58 The Best Animated Shorts of the 1960s, 28:16 The Best Animated Features of the 1950s#animatedmovies #psychadelic #peanuts
Both "Animal Farm", Joy Batchelor John Halas's film based on the Orson Welles novel, and "The Snow Queen", Lev Atamanov's animated fairy tale, were part of efforts to end the Cold War. One was a CIA propaganda move, the other a diplomatic attempt at reducing tensions. Can you guess which is which?Hosted by Brad Garoon & Jake Ziegler0:00 Introduction2:18 Animal Farm13:34 The Snow Queen21:38 The Best Animated Shorts of the 1950s25:18 The Best Animated Features of the 1950s#cartoon #classicmovies #politicalmovies
We start our animation miniseries with a look at the very first animated feature length movies, with special attention on China's "Princess Iron Fan" and the Fleischer Brothers' "Mr. Bug Goes to Town". Hosted by Brad Garoon & Jake Ziegler0:00 Introduction3:26 Princess Iron Fan10:01 Hoppity Goes to Town20:39 The Best Animated 1940s Shorts26:53 The Best Animated 1940s Features #animatedmovies #chinesemovies #Bugville
"The 40-Year-Old Virgin" celebrates its 20th anniversary, and we're celebrating with a look back at the film and the rest of Judd Apatow's filmography. 0:00 What Makes It Special13:32 Favorite Quotes and Scenes22:38 Judd Apatow's Filmography23:12 This is 4028:50 The Bubble32:19 The King of Staten Island33:47 Trainwreck37:43 Funny People42:10 Knocked Up44:48 Legacy and the FutureConnect with us:Never Did It on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/bradgaroon/list/never-did-it-podcast/Brad on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/bradgaroon/Jake on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/jake_ziegler/Never Did It on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neverdiditpodcast Hosted by Brad Garoon & Jake Ziegler, with guest Kevin Ford
We check in to recap and rank the movies of season one, and also to rank the best movies of 2024. Connect with us:Never Did It on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@neverdiditpodNever Did It on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/bradgaroon/list/never-did-it-podcast/Brad on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/bradgaroon/Jake on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/jake_ziegler/Never Did It on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neverdiditpodcast Hosted by Brad Garoon & Jake Ziegler
We’ve reached the end of our century-long movie-watching odyssey. In this final episode of Season 1, we tackle four wildly different films: the icy precision of Red Rooms, the old-school courtroom vibes of Juror #2, the slapstick madness of Hundreds of Beavers, and the chaotic commitment of I’m Still Here. Thanks for joining us on the ride; we'll see you for Season 2!Connect with us:Never Did It on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@neverdiditpodNever Did It on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/bradgaroon/list/never-did-it-podcast/Brad on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/bradgaroon/Jake on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/jake_ziegler/Never Did It on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neverdiditpodcast Hosted by Brad Garoon & Jake Ziegler
Two searing portraits of American ambition gone wrong: Billy Wilder’s Ace in the Hole (Kirk Douglas) and George Stevens’ A Place in the Sun (Montgomery Clift, Elizabeth Taylor, Shelley Winters). Media, murder, and the American Dream... what could go wrong?Connect with us:Never Did It on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/bradgaroon/list/never-did-it-podcast/Brad on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/bradgaroon/Jake on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/jake_ziegler/Never Did It on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neverdiditpodcast Hosted by Brad Garoon & Jake Ziegler
William Wyler's "The Best Years of Our Lives" is one of the best movies ever made, and features one of the only performances by the amazing actor (who had hooks for hands) Harold Russel. We also look at Powell and Pressburger's afterlife romcom "A Matter of Life and Death", starring David Niven.Connect with us:Never Did It on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/bradgaroon/list/never-did-it-podcast/Brad on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/bradgaroon/Jake on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/jake_ziegler/Never Did It on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neverdiditpodcast Hosted by Brad Garoon & Jake Ziegler
Watching Oliver Stone's "Platoon" in 2025, next to Alex Garland's "Warfare" is a hell of an exercise. Watching Woody Allen's "Hannah and Her Sisters" in 2025, seeing his current wife as a child actor in the movie, is a depressing image. We dig into that, plus the incredible performances from Michael Caine, Charlie Sheen, Willem Dafoe, Barbara Hershey, Diane Wiest, and Johnny Depp. Connect with us:Never Did It on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/bradgaroon/list/never-did-it-podcast/Brad on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/bradgaroon/Jake on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/jake_ziegler/Never Did It on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neverdiditpodcast Hosted by Brad Garoon & Jake Ziegler
What does a doomsday drama about nuclear annihilation have in common with a breezy adventure set on the Greek isles? Just the year they hit the big screen. We explore why Fail Safe feels eerily prophetic in the age of AI, and whether or not Eli Wallach should have been doing brownface so much (he shouldn't have). It's Sidney Lumet’s tense Cold War thriller Fail Safe, starring Henry Fonda and Walter Matthau, and Disney’s sun-drenched mystery The Moon-Spinners, directed by James Neilson and featuring Hayley Mills and Eli Wallach. Connect with us:Never Did It on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/bradgaroon/list/never-did-it-podcast/Brad on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/bradgaroon/Jake on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/jake_ziegler/Never Did It on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neverdiditpodcast Hosted by Brad Garoon & Jake Ziegler, with guest Jeff Richardson.(0:32) Fail Safe(24:45) The Moon Spinners(36:12) The Best Movies of 1964
Josef von Sternberg helmed "The Last Command", starring Emil Jannings and William Powell. It's... odd. But King Vidor's "The Crowd", starring a to-that-point unknown cast, has to be considered one of the most technically influential movies of all time.Connect with us:Never Did It on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/bradgaroon/list/never-did-it-podcast/Brad on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/bradgaroon/Jake on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/jake_ziegler/Never Did It on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neverdiditpodcast Hosted by Brad Garoon & Jake Ziegler
"The Kid Detective", directed by Evan Morgan and starring Adam Brody, is an AMAZING neo-noir that you should see immediately. "The Father", directed by Florian Zeller and starring Anthony Hopkins is a tough hang but also a technical masterpiece that should see immediately.Connect with us:Never Did It on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/bradgaroon/list/never-did-it-podcast/Brad on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/bradgaroon/Jake on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/jake_ziegler/Never Did It on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neverdiditpodcast Hosted by Brad Garoon & Jake Ziegler
Ernst Lubitsch's "Trouble in Paradise" charmed our pants off, while Mervyn LeRoy's "I Am A Fugitive On a Chain Gang" proved to be way ahead of its time. Plus brief reviews of "The Ballad of Wallis Island" and "La Cocina".Connect with us:Never Did It on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/bradgaroon/list/never-did-it-podcast/Brad on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/bradgaroon/Jake on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/jake_ziegler/Never Did It on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neverdiditpodcast Hosted by Brad Garoon & Jake Ziegler
"Sling Blade" sees Billy Bob Thornton burst onto the scene, "Lone Star" tries to make Chris Cooper a star but relies on Matthew McConaughey for marketing instead, and "the Frighteners" is the beginning of the end of Michael J. Fox's movie career and the end of the beginning for Peter Jackson's directing career. Connect with us:Never Did It on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/bradgaroon/list/never-did-it-podcast/Brad on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/bradgaroon/Jake on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/jake_ziegler/Never Did It on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neverdiditpodcast Hosted by Brad Garoon & Jake Ziegler
In "Capote", Philip Seymour Hoffman channeled the man who wrote "In Cold Blood". In "Green Street Hooligans", Elijah Wood tried to be a tough guy and Charlie Hunnam tried to be Jason Statham. Connect with us:Never Did It on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/bradgaroon/list/never-did-it-podcast/Brad on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/bradgaroon/Jake on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/jake_ziegler/Never Did It on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neverdiditpodcast Hosted by Brad Garoon & Jake Ziegler
"The Eiger Sanction" sees Clint Eastwood try to out James Bond the 007 agent himself, and "The Stepford Wives" gives us a heaping helping of bleak, paranoid '70s genre fare. Hosted by Brad Garoon and Jake Ziegler
"Stagecoach" gave us the beginning of John Wayne's career, "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" put Jimmy Stewart front and center, and "Gone with the Wind" stirred up controversy (and still does). Hosted by Brad Garoon & Jake Ziegler