Small Beans

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 with addiction, what they’re struggling with, and what they’re not struggling with. More or less, it’s a positive reinforcement that anyone can make a choice to be better tomorrow and we here at Small Beans highly suggest it, even if there’s setbacks once in a while. Features: Katie Willert: https://twitter.com/katiewillertart Michael Swaim: https://twitter.com/SWAIM_CORP Check our store to buy Small Beans merch! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/the-small-beans-store?ref_id=22691 Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans

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 it may take in our future. This first episode introduces us to the concepts of what makes a metaverse, the blockchain, those apes we’ve all seen, and why we should care. Resident dummy Michael asks all the questions you may have had but were too afraid to (or just had no interest in) asking about whatever all of this is. Features: Griffin Rowell Michael Swaim: https://twitter.com/SWAIM_CORP Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans Check our store to buy Small Beans merch! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/the-small-beans-store?ref_id=22691

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 expanding the definition of family, and a stylistic pastiche of the 70s and 80s Southern California. Or, you know, it’s just about a dude with a huge a** d***. Features: Michael Swaim: https://twitter.com/SWAIM_CORP Abe Epperson: https://twitter.com/AbeTheMighty Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans Check our store to buy Small Beans merch! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/the-small-beans-store?ref_id=22691

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: Sarah Griffith: https://twitter.com/sk_griffith Bridgett Greenberg: https://twitter.com/BridgettTweets Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans Check our store to buy Small Beans merch! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/the-small-beans-store?ref_id=22691

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 in a certain way. Let’s really mine this topic. Just drill it real good. Features: Abe Epperson: https://twitter.com/AbeTheMighty Adam Ganser: https://twitter.com/therealganz Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans Check our store to buy Small Beans merch! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/the-small-beans-store?ref_id=22691

As voted by our Show Me Producers, this month’s ISYM has the two hosts in complete simpatico. It seems our hosts aren’t as dissimilar as we thought. They both can trash Christopher Nolan movies with the best of them. If you want to hear why Adam and Maggie think of Inception and Interstellar, you’re gonna get that. 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 Ganser: https://twitter.com/therealganz Maggie Mae Fish: https://twitter.com/MaggieMaeFish Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans Check our store to buy Small Beans merch! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/the-small-beans-store?ref_id=22691

Brooks has returned so this means we’re covering another Charlie Kaufman film, this time around it’s 2002’s Adaptation directed by Spike Jonze! The gang discusses the nuances of the meta narrative, the wild production of the film, and determines for themselves the value of its ending. How does it stack up against Kaufman's other films? How was this film even made? Features: Brooks Brown: @quarantine_collective Michael Swaim: https://twitter.com/SWAIM_CORP Abe Epperson: https://twitter.com/AbeTheMighty Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans Check our store to buy Small Beans merch! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/the-small-beans-store?ref_id=22691

Episode 2 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 Wes Anderson’s buddy comedy debut Bottle Rocket which follows two bumbling criminals as they make their way through a “70 year plan” of heists. Our hosts look at the story structure, character archetypes, visual aesthetic of the film as well as compare it to Paul Thomas Anderson’s debut, Hard Eight. Abe doesn’t like it, surprising no one! Features: Michael Swaim: https://twitter.com/SWAIM_CORP Abe Epperson: https://twitter.com/AbeTheMighty Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans Check our store to buy Small Beans merch! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/the-small-beans-store?ref_id=22691

Ivette Ale (@dignityandpowernow, @justicelanow) and Dahlia Ferlito (@wp4bl) talk with Dean Spade (@deanspade) about Mutual Aid and Prison Abolition. This is a collaboration between Small Beans and Showing Up for Racial Justice, produced by White People 4 Black Lives. For SHOW NOTES, please find this episode over on the Small Beans Patreon page.

In this spooky episode, Abe points out the two types of Final Destination deaths and breaks them down. The hosts discuss the slow decline of sequels and how a franchise’s choices try to keep their irrelevance at bay. Also, what’s Death’s deal? Can it operate machinery or not? Do a Rube Goldberg machine or not, Death, c’mon. Features: Abe Epperson: https://twitter.com/AbeTheMighty Adam Ganser: https://twitter.com/therealganz Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans Check our store to buy Small Beans merch! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/the-small-beans-store?ref_id=22691

Clint Eastwood: writer, director, old conservative. Michael and Abe decide to take a film that's been called the best western ever and discuss how it’s not as advanced or progressive in the pantheon of westerns as one expects. This episode we dive into the themes, the cowboy ethos, and the concept of the western hero. It’s remembered as a big step in updating the western, but is it actually more of the same? How has the western been updated since? One could even argue that we need to severely update the western as a whole. Features: Michael Swaim: https://twitter.com/SWAIM_CORP Abe Epperson: https://twitter.com/AbeTheMighty Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans Check our store to buy Small Beans merch! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/the-small-beans-store?ref_id=22691

This week the professor discusses the nature and future of Air. We are joined by “social media person” and free speech mogul Juliet Parker who discusses her award-considered project GirlAir. Professor Scott Bug endorses. Features: Professor Scott Bug: https://twitter.com/profscottbug Cody Johnston: https://twitter.com/drmistercody Jamie Loftus: https://twitter.com/jamieloftusHELP Abe Epperson: https://twitter.com/AbeTheMighty Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans Check our store to buy Small Beans merch! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/the-small-beans-store?ref_id=22691

Tom Reimann and Abe Epperson, the “Spielboys,” have created a new podcast. They will examine the films of Steven Spielberg one by one. They discuss the development of Spielberg as an artist, the themes and execution of the movie, and the behind the scenes trivia you probably didn’t know. This series will alternate releases between the Small Beans network and the Gamefully Unemployed network. To receive all episodes, patronize both channels. You get this one for free though! Features: Tom Reimann: https://twitter.com/startthemachine Abe Epperson: https://twitter.com/AbeTheMighty Art/Logo created by Michael Vincent Bramley. Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans Check our store to buy Small Beans merch! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/the-small-beans-store?ref_id=22691

We begin our new trilogy set with 1999’s The Matrix! Oh boy oh boy, let’s go down this rabbit hole, baby! Bridgett and Sarah discuss the legacy, themes, and gender critique of the Wachowski Sisters’ smash hit. A lot of what we reference was specifically in regards to gender, and how the Wachowskis' coming out recontextualized this film for many, many people. As a cis hosts, we want to make sure the trans authors of these works are credited and our listeners have access for additional reading: Why The Matrix Is a Trans Story According to Lilly Wachowski | Netflix Film Club https://youtu.be/adXm2sDzGkQ “How The Matrix universalized a trans experience — and helped me accept my own” by Emily VanDerWerff | Vox https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/3/30/18286436/the-matrix-wachowskis-trans-experience-redpill “What We Can Learn About Gender From The Matrix” By Andrea Long Chu | Vulture https://www.vulture.com/2019/02/what-the-matrix-can-teach-us-about-gender.html Features: Sarah Griffith: https://twitter.com/sk_griffi

Abe walks us through his theory about how the horror flick Don’t Breathe (2016) creates a sequence in the first 20-25 minutes that basically walks through the movie right in front of your eyes and you barely notice. Is this a good technique? Does it make the film more enjoyable? You know, write some stuff in the comments. Let’s get an algorithm going, huh! Features: Abe Epperson: https://twitter.com/AbeTheMighty Adam Ganser: https://twitter.com/therealganz Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans Check our store to buy Small Beans merch! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/the-small-beans-store?ref_id=22691

The first episode of our new deep-dive podcast that chronicles the films of Paul Thomas Anderson and Wes Anderson. We start with the star-studded feature debut of PTA: the tale of an older scam artist who takes a young gambler who’s down on his luck under his wing, only to find that there’s always a cost. The hosts return to their patented format of three spectra: diegesis (a plot walkthrough), pedagogy (symbolism and themes), and “Howdy Do Dat?” (behind the scenes trivia and production notes). Join us next time for Wes Anderson’s debut! Features: Michael Swaim: https://twitter.com/SWAIM_CORP Abe Epperson: https://twitter.com/AbeTheMighty Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans Check our store to buy Small Beans merch! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/the-small-beans-store?ref_id=22691

We did it! We reached our 420th podcast (not including exclusives)! Join us in what will be forever remembered as “that movie you watch probably because you’re high!” David Bell sits down and discusses the legacy, the meaning, and the methodical production of undeniably the most influential space movie of all time. We also spend some time telling off Kubrick for being a prick! What a brilliant, egotistical prick who makes great movies! Features: David Bell: https://twitter.com/MovieHooligan Michael Swaim: https://twitter.com/SWAIM_CORP Abe Epperson: https://twitter.com/AbeTheMighty Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans Check our store to buy Small Beans merch! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/the-small-beans-store?ref_id=22691

Adam walks us through the directorial playbook of the film Full Frontal (2002) and how it’s message, the techniques Soderbergh uses, and it’s annoyingly elusive ending all point to how Steven Soderbergh was never comfortable making Hollywood blockbusters. Features: Adam Ganser: https://twitter.com/therealganz Abe Epperson: https://twitter.com/AbeTheMighty Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans Check our store to buy Small Beans merch! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/the-small-beans-store?ref_id=22691

Today’s discussion covers the “breakup album” as in the album you would play during a breakup for whatever reason. The reasons and albums our hosts choose could not be more distant which is fascinating in its own right. Adam picked an album that is just as old as Maggie! Also, Maggie drops the knowledge that her dad is a big fan of Michael Swaim, so he’ll be using that as a power move in the future. Bask in the charm of the Show Me Yours-ers! If you patronize us, feel free to email us suggestions for episodes at any time at magsandganz@gmail.com. Maggie Mae Fish: https://twitter.com/MaggieMaeFish Adam Ganser: https://twitter.com/therealganz Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans Check our store to buy Small Beans merch! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/the-small-beans-store?ref_id=22691

That’s right! It’s the KOK COC episode! So let’s talk about some murderous kids! Abe and Mike discuss King’s relationship with religious tales, the cult-y love for this film, the numerous sequels it birthed, and it’s rank along other King tales. Features: Michael Swaim: https://twitter.com/SWAIM_CORP Abe Epperson: https://twitter.com/AbeTheMighty Support Small Beans and access Additional Content: https://www.patreon.com/SmallBeans Check our store to buy Small Beans merch! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/the-small-beans-store?ref_id=22691