“He was the most trigger-happy man I had ever met.” – Badlands (1973)This week, we hit the open road with guest Tom Augustine to explore Terrence Malick’s stunning debut, Badlands. Based loosely on the real-life killing spree of Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate, the film casts Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek as drifting outsiders caught between detachment and violence, beauty and brutality.With its lyrical narration, haunting imagery, and philosophical detachment, Badlands marked the arrival of a singular voice in American cinema. Tom joins us to discuss Malick’s influence, the film’s unsettling calm, and how it carved a new path for the American New Wave.Episode NotesBadlands (1973) was written and directed by Terrence Malick, starring Martin Sheen and Sissy SpacekSelected to the National Film Registry in 1993Loosely inspired by the 1958 Starkweather-Fugate murdersDiscussion topics include:How Badlands redefined the true-crime genreThe film’s romanticized nihilism and its critique of American mythmakingThe influence of Badlands on later filmmakers and Malick’s own careerSissy Spacek’s voiceover and the use of classical music as emotional counterpoint
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1:45:12
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1:45:12
The Wind (1928) Feature Length Commentary Track
“If only the wind would stop!” – The Wind (1928)This week, we return to the silent era with a full-length commentary track for Victor Sjöström’s haunting 1928 drama The Wind. Starring Lillian Gish in one of her most intense and vulnerable performances, the film tells the story of a woman slowly unraveling on the harsh, wind-swept plains of the American frontier. As we watch along, we unpack the film’s eerie atmosphere, groundbreaking visual effects, and the psychological complexity that makes The Wind one of the final—and finest—masterpieces of the silent era. It’s a slow-burn descent into isolation, madness, and survival, and a striking example of how silent cinema could deliver deeply cinematic storytelling without a single spoken word.
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1:25:27
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1:25:27
Shane (1953) w/ Kenny Neibart
This week, we saddle up for a conversation about Shane (1953) with screenwriter, producer, and podcast host Kenny Neibart. A formative Western and a film that helped define American masculinity on screen, Shane gives us plenty to dig into, from its mythic final shot to the complex tension between pacifism and violence. Kenny joins us to unpack the genre tropes, cultural context, and emotional resonance that make Shane a cornerstone of classic cinema, and why its legacy still rides on today.
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1:07:26
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1:07:26
It Happened One Night (1934) w/ Andrew Daniels
“I just had the unpleasant sensation of hearing you referred to as my husband.” – It Happened One Night (1934)This week, returning guest Andrew Daniels joins us to break down the original screwball sensation: Frank Capra’s It Happened One Night. As the first film to ever sweep the “Big Five” Oscars, this charming romantic comedy set the template for the genre, with pitch-perfect performances from Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, and enough innuendo, wit, and roadside bickering to fuel decades of imitators.We explore how Capra’s Depression-era romance struck a chord with audiences, changed the course of Hollywood stardom, and remains as irresistibly funny and tender today as it was in 1934.Episode Notes:It Happened One Night (1934) was directed by Frank Capra and stars Clark Gable and Claudette ColbertSelected to the National Film Registry in 1993First film to win all five major Academy Awards: Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, and ScreenplayNotable for:Launching the screwball comedy genreIconic scenes like the hitchhiking lesson and the “walls of Jericho”Bridging escapism and social commentary during the Great DepressionDiscussion topics include:The film’s influence on romantic comedies for generationsHow it reshaped the public personas of Gable and ColbertCapra’s blend of populist ideals and sharp dialogueWhy the film continues to resonate with modern audiencesFeaturing returning guest:Andrew Daniels, author of The Barstool Book of Sports: Stats, Stories, and Other Stuff for Drunken Debate
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1:48:13
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1:48:13
Shadows (1959) w/ Robert Bellissimo
“The film you have just seen was an improvisation.” – Shadows (1959)This week, returning guest Robert Bellissimo joins us for a conversation on John Cassavetes’ Shadows,, a landmark of American independent cinema. Shot on the streets of New York with a semi-improvised style and a raw, jazz-infused energy, Shadows broke all the rules and opened new possibilities for personal filmmaking in the U.S.We explore how Cassavetes challenged Hollywood norms, foregrounded race and identity in ways ahead of its time, and crafted a film that still feels immediate and alive decades later. Shadows isn’t just a turning point in film history, it’s the spark that lit the indie movement.Episode NotesShadows (1959) was written and directed by John CassavetesSelected to the National Film Registry in 1993Known for:Pioneering an improvisational, vérité-inspired approach to filmmakingDepicting interracial relationships in a candid and progressive lightLaunching the American independent film movementDiscussion topics include:Cassavetes’ creative process and legacyThe tension between scripted and unscripted storytellingNew York City as a character in the filmHow Shadows opened doors for generations of indie filmmakersFeaturing returning guest:Robert Bellissimo, actor, filmmaker, and host of Robert Bellissimo at the Movies
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About You're Missing Out: A National Film Registry Podcast
Since 1989, the National Film Registry has selected 25 films each year that are deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant". In each episode, Mike Natale (Yahoo!) and Tom Lorenzo (Men's Journal) bring on a special guest to take a look at one of the films from the registry, to get to the heart of why these films matter.
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