The path in the “Road to The Odyssey” miniseries returns to Gotham with The Dark Knight. Answering the Bat-Signal, Daniel Roman makes his podcast debut by joining Hunter and Conner on Cinema Coffee Club. They have a great conversation about growing up together, showing movies to their kids, and The Dark Knight. Grab a cup of coffee from your local coffee shop and enjoy the episode!

Thank you to past and future guest, Christian Ubillus, for editing the audio for this episode. If you haven’t already, check out Christian’s written review for The Prestige he wrote for Cinema Coffee Club.

“Road to The Odyssey” Schedule:

• April 28th - Following

• May 5th - Memento

• May 12th - Insomnia

• May 19th - Batman Begins

• May 26th - The Prestige

• June 2nd - The Dark Knight

• June 9th - Inception

• June 16th - The Dark Knight Rises

• June 23rd - Interstellar

• June 30th - Dunkirk

• July 7th - Tenet

• July 14th - Oppenheimer

• July 21st - The Odyssey

For next week’s episode, we’ll be infiltrating your dreams in Inception.

Christopher Nolan was never better than when he intimately depicted a prank war between two magicians.

Best known for movies that drip of importance and at this point synonymous with the IMAX brand, Nolan is quite capable of presenting events at scale. I mean, he revolutionized the superhero genre and then followed that up with Inception. But, he’s also a filmmaker whose scale has exceeded the actual scope of his idea. Whose “reach exceeds his grasp,” to misquote David Bowie’s Nikola Tesla.

Which is why Memento and The Prestige have always stood out to me. Memento is a Sundance hit, made on a budget that would barely cover the catering of one of his more ambitious projects. That movie has an idea as intricate and unique as anything in The Dark Knight, but intimate, care taken to present the execution and the twist that would rival anything Shyamalan could concoct. Meanwhile, The Prestige, made in between two incredibly important and consequential Batman movies, was made for $40 Mil. Not a small number by any stretch of the imagination, but nothing when you look at the cost of his later career works – Interstellar was made for a budget of $165 Mil, Dunkirk’s budget sitting at $100 Mil. But unlike those movies, The Prestige’s idea’s set pieces sit alongside the “bigness” and “importance” of its central conceit, not counter to it.

Set in the 1890s in London, the film follows two magicians, Hugh Jackman’s Angier and Christian Bale’s Borden. Originally coworkers, they become rivals when a magic trick gone wrong accidentally kills Angier’s wife. What ensues is a decades long rivalry of them trying to outdo each other as Britain’s great magician.

This rivalry is rich and layered and full of the most thought-provoking climaxes. Instead of massive car chases and explosions, scenes build up to small tricks. But – and this is where Nolan’s strengths as a tremendous filmmaker come through – these magic tricks are filmed with such intimacy, scored to such perfection, edited with such intensity, that a simple bullet-catch carries the weight of the world. “The transported man” may not have the same WOW factor as whatever is currently on the Vegas strip, but the shot of Jackman bowing in total darkness is as audacious and thrilling as anything he’s ever attempted – to this day it gives me chills.

Ninety percent of this movie was filmed using hand-held cameras, also opting for medium shots over long, enforcing the intimate relationship between each actor. There isn’t a false note in the performances, Bale in particular showing such interiority in his dual roles that rewatches are rewarding experiences. Jackman has never been better and the supporting cast has key standouts in Rebecca Hall, Michael Caine, and David Bowie.

When we think of Christopher Nolan now, he’s in a league of his own when it comes to spectacle. He’s earned that right, the right for me to say that The Odyssey deserves to be one of the most anticipated movies of the year. That’s why The Prestige is such a fascinating anomaly in his career. It’s not indie Nolan, nor is it the studio darling he would mature into. It rests somewhere in the middle yet is undeniable a Nolan directed and co-written film (the other writing credit going to his brother and frequent collaborator Jonathan Nolan), chock full of alternating timelines, dead wives, and important men doing important men things.

The Prestige is better than anything else Nolan has done for that reason. Unless a massive career reset happens in the future, we’ll never get back to Nolan doing films at this scale. And that’s fine. But I’ll take this over anything else, dream heists and nuclear bomb inventors included.

In this week’s episode in the “Road to The Odyssey” miniseries, Hunter and Conner are joined by Christian Ubillus to discuss The Prestige. Christian makes Cinema Coffee Club history by being the first-ever guest! In their conversation, the guys talk about life in LA, how movies have been so far in 2026, a discussion about The Prestige, and trivia. This is a lengthy episode, so make sure you have plenty of coffee brewing!

If you live in LA or planning on traveling there, here is a list of coffee shops Christian provided us with to check out.

Also, thank you to Christian for editing the audio for this episode. You’re able to download and listen to Cinema Coffee Club on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

“Road to The Odyssey” Schedule:

• April 28th - Following

• May 5th - Memento

• May 12th - Insomnia

• May 19th - Batman Begins

• May 26th - The Prestige

• June 2nd - The Dark Knight

• June 9th - Inception

• June 16th - The Dark Knight Rises

• June 23rd - Interstellar

• June 30th - Dunkirk

• July 7th - Tenet

• July 14th - Oppenheimer

• July 21st - The Odyssey

The Bat-Signal has been lit, Hunter and Conner must return to Gotham next week to discuss The Dark Knight. Another special guest will be joining them to tackle this feat.

Batman: “And you’ll never have to.”

There was no avoiding Gotham City in the “Road to The Odyssey” miniseries. Hunter and Conner face their fears and suit up to discuss Christopher Nolan’s fourth feature film, Batman Begins. This episode also features a conversation about the history of Batman on screen before Nolan took over and a side tangent about Star Wars. Grab a cup of coffee for this lengthy discussion!

“Road to The Odyssey” Schedule:

• April 28th - Following

• May 5th - Memento

• May 12th - Insomnia

• May 19th - Batman Begins

• May 26th - The Prestige

• June 2nd - The Dark Knight

• June 9th - Inception

• June 16th - The Dark Knight Rises

• June 23rd - Interstellar

• June 30th - Dunkirk

• July 7th - Tenet

• July 14th - Oppenheimer

• July 21st - The Odyssey

Next week, we’ll have a surprise guest joining us to help us piece together The Prestige.

In this week’s episode, Hunter and Conner journey to Nightmute, Alaska to discuss Christopher Nolan’s third feature film Insomnia. Make sure you’re caffeinated and pack a pair of blackout shades as you make the trip with us in this conversation.

“Road to The Odyssey” Schedule:

• April 28th - Following

• May 5th - Memento

• May 12th - Insomnia

• May 19th - Batman Begins

• May 26th - The Prestige

• June 2nd - The Dark Knight

• June 9th - Inception

• June 16th - The Dark Knight Rises

• June 23rd - Interstellar

• June 30th - Dunkirk

• July 7th - Tenet

• July 14th - Oppenheimer

• July 21st - The Odyssey

Our next stop in “Road to The Odyssey”, we’ll be taking a trip to Gotham for Batman Begins.

With the aid of Polaroids and tattoos, Hunter and Conner unravel Christopher Nolan’s Memento. This episode marks the second stop in the “Road to The Odyssey” miniseries, which is Nolan’s follow-up film to Following. Enjoy a fresh cup of coffee as you listen to their discussion.

“Road to The Odyssey” Schedule:

• April 28th - Following

• May 5th - Memento

• May 12th - Insomnia

• May 19th - Batman Begins

• May 26th - The Prestige

• June 2nd - The Dark Knight

• June 9th - Inception

• June 16th - The Dark Knight Rises

• June 23rd - Interstellar

• June 30th - Dunkirk

• July 7th - Tenet

• July 14th - Oppenheimer

• July 21st - The Odyssey

Next week, we’ll be discussing Nolan’s psychological thriller, Insomnia.

“Road to The Odyssey” Schedule:

• April 28th - Following

• May 5th - Memento

• May 12th - Insomnia

• May 19th - Batman Begins

• May 26th - The Prestige

• June 2nd - The Dark Knight

• June 9th - Inception

• June 16th - The Dark Knight Rises

• June 23rd - Interstellar

• June 30th - Dunkirk

• July 7th - Tenet

• July 14th - Oppenheimer

• July 21st - The Odyssey

Next week, we’ll be discussing Memento.

For this miniseries, rather than reading about these films, you can listen along. I’m excited to be joined by a good friend and subscriber of Cinema Coffee Club, Conner, for this project! We hope to include some guests throughout this miniseries to add new perspectives and thoughts. If you’re interested in being a guest, feel free to reach out to one of us!

We hope you listen along and join the conversation! Substack will still be the main hub for Cinema Coffee Club. Join the discussion in the comment section each week as we go through the films of Christopher Nolan. What is your favorite Nolan movie? Which one are you the most excited to hear us talk about?

“Road to The Odyssey” Schedule:

• April 28th - Following

• May 5th - Memento

• May 12th - Insomnia

• May 19th - Batman Begins

• May 26th - The Prestige

• June 2nd - The Dark Knight

• June 9th - Inception

• June 16th - The Dark Knight Rises

• June 23rd - Interstellar

• June 30th - Dunkirk

• July 7th - Tenet

• July 14th - Oppenheimer

• July 21st - The Odyssey

See you next week as we dive into Nolan’s first feature film, Following.

Get more from Cinema Coffee Club in the Substack app

Available for iOS and Android

Get the app

If you’re not a frequent moviegoer and not sure what to put on your calendar to watch this summer, I’ve got you covered. I went through the release schedule and categorized what I thought were notable movies into different buckets. Some of these selections would work for multiple categories, but I went with what I felt was the most appropriate. Any films in all capital letters are the ones I’m personally most excited for!

All of these films are scheduled between May 1st and August 31st.

Must Sees:

• June 12th - DISCLOSURE DAY (directed by Steven Spielberg)

• July 17th - THE ODYSSEY (directed by Christopher Nolan)

Date Night Movies:

• May 1st - The Devil Wears Prada 2 (directed by David Frankel)

• June 5th - Carolina Caroline (directed by Adam Rehmeier)

• June 5th - Scary Movie (directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans)

• June 26th - THE INVITE (directed by Olivia Wilde)

• August 7th - One Night Only (directed by Will Gluck)

Franchise & IP:

• May 8th - Mortal Kombat II (directed by Simon McQuoid)

• May 22nd - THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU (directed by Jon Favreau)

• June 5th - Masters of the Universe (directed by Travis Knight)

• June 26th - Jackass 5 (directed by Jeff Tremaine)

• June 26th - Supergirl (directed by Craig Gillespie)

• July 31st - Spider-Man: Brand New Day (directed by Destin Daniel Cretton)

Fright Night:

• May 1st - Hokum (directed by Damian McCarthy)

• May 15th - Obsession (directed by Curry Barker)

• May 29th - BACKROOMS (directed by Kane Parsons)

• July 24th - Evil Dead Burn (directed by Sébastien Vanicek)

• August 7th - Ice Cream Man (directed by Eli Roth)

• August 7th - TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA (directed by Jane Schoenbrun)

Fun for the Whole Family:

• May 8th - The Sheep Detectives (directed by Kyle Balda)

• June 19th - TOY STORY 5 (directed by Andrew Stanton and McKenna Harris)

• July 1st - Minions & Monsters (directed by Pierre Coffin)

• July 10th - Moana (directed by Thomas Kail)

• August 28th - Coyote vs. Acme (directed by Dave Green)

Wildcard Picks:

• May 8th - Billie Eilish - Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (directed by James Cameron and Billie Eilish)

• May 22nd - I Love Boosters (directed by Boots Riley)

• May 22nd - TUNER (directed by Daniel Roher)

• July 31st - I Want Your Sex (directed by Gregg Araki)

• August 14th - The End of Oak Street (directed by David Robert Mitchell)

• August 28th - The Dog Stars (directed by Ridley Scott)

Which movies are you the most excited about this summer? Are there any notable movies I missed, and would you make any changes to any of these categories? Let me know in the comments below!

Looking back, 2019 was an incredible year for film. Uncut Gems is just one of many excellent releases to come out. Bong Joon Ho’s masterpiece, Parasite, was the Best Picture winner. One of my favorite filmmakers, Quentin Tarantino, had Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood hit theaters that summer. While I do have my gripes with the MCU, Avengers: Endgame was one of the biggest moviegoing events of this century. Martin Scorsese’s gangster epic The Irishman and Noah Baumbach’s portrait of divorce, Marriage Story, landed on Netflix. Midsommar, Knives Out, Little Women, Us, The Lighthouse, 1917, Ford v Ferrari, Toy Story 4, and John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum are more notable titles that were released in 2019.

Do you have a personal favorite from 2019? Let me know in the comments below.

Uncut Gems was released wide on Christmas in 2019. Watching this anxiety-inducing film for the first time is still a vivid memory. My wife and I got married in November of 2019 and moved to Virginia shortly after. With no friends or family in the area, we celebrated New Year’s Eve together by going to Five Guys for dinner and watching Uncut Gems at our local theater. Honestly, one of my favorite New Year’s Eves in recent memory. Maybe it’s time to make Five Guys and a movie a yearly NYE tradition.

It’s hard to narrow down just to four favorites, but if you look at my Letterboxd top four, you’ll find Uncut Gems included. In preparation for this post, this was the third time I’ve watched this film, and it still holds up incredibly well. Where else can you find Adam Sandler fighting The Weekend?

Spoilers for Uncut Gems below.

Uncut Gems is a blast of energy. The Safdie brothers, Benny and Josh, give you no chance to catch your breath. You have to hold on tight during this thrill ride. I’ve never done cocaine before, but the feeling I get while watching Uncut Gems is what I imagine doing cocaine is like. Personally, I hate when a film feels bland. I want to feel something and be transported into another world when I go to the movies. Even if it’s not successful, I would rather filmmakers take a chance than play it safe. Alongside screenwriter Ronald Bronstein, the Safdie brothers deliver this experience I long for in the theaters. You can tell this was a passion project for them.

With high-stakes parlays and overlapping dialogue, Uncut Gems is a stressful experience. Daniel Lopatin’s score dials up the intensity to another notch. I know people who have a hard time getting through this film because it feels like a panic attack. This same energy can be found in many other Safdie brother projects. They’re becoming some of my favorite filmmakers.

Adam Sandler turns in a career-best performance as Howard Ratner. Much of Sandler’s filmography is filled with comedic performances. Before Uncut Gems, I wasn’t familiar with his more dramatic roles like Barry Egan in Punch-Drunk Love or Danny Meyerowitz in The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected). Therefore, when I watched Sandler in Uncut Gems, I was left speechless. How he wasn’t nominated for Best Actor for the 2020 Academy Awards is beyond me. It’s one of the most egregious snubs in recent memory.

Howard Ratner is chaotic and has a brassy personality. He often finds himself in horrible situations by his own doing. With Sandler’s performance, he is able to ground the character of Howard and make him more approachable. Even though he may not be a likeable person, I found myself rooting for him to hit big and pull himself out of these tricky circumstances. I don’t think film works without the Sandman.

I also don’t think this film works without Kevin Garnett. Essentially set in contemporary time, KG is playing himself as an active player on the Boston Celtics. He was recently retired when he took on this role, but he still looked like he could dominate the league. It was impressive how they worked the real 2012 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals into the script. Playoff basketball is intense, and Kevin Garnett is even more intense. His superstitions over the gem are one of the main driving forces of this film. This might be the best professional athlete performance I’ve seen in a film, definitely the best from the films featured in this miniseries.

I’ve seen a handful of his films, and I need to watch more of his work, but I enjoy anytime LaKeith Stanfield shows up in a movie. He’s fantastic as Demany in Uncut Gems. His performance complements Adam Sandler. Anytime they shared the screen, the deeper we got into the movie, the more the tension grew. Demany had his own ambition like Howard, but he wasn’t as reckless.

We have to talk about the ending of this film. After selling the gem to Kevin Garnett, Howard finally had the money he needed to pay off his debt to Arno (played by Eric Bogosian). Since he can never get out of his own way, rather than paying Arno, he took the $165,000 from the sale and placed an insane parlay revolving around Kevin Garnett and the Celtics. If the bet hits, the winnings would total over $1.2 million.

The bet hit! Finally, something works out for Howard. It’s a moment of celebration and relief. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long, and he didn’t live to see the fruits of his labor. During the game, he had Arno and his enforcers locked in between the glass doors in his jewelry store. Once the game concluded and Howard let them back into the store, he caught a bullet to the head from one of the enforcers.

This was the best and correct way to end the film. Howard had to die. He tested his luck one too many times, and it finally caught up to him. I don’t think there’s a scenario where Howard has a happy ending. His personality is abrasive and uses other people’s money for his sports gambling. Say if he didn’t die in this instance, he probably would’ve found himself in another similar situation. The Safdie brothers didn’t hold back this final punch and delivered a fantastic ending.

What are your thoughts on the ending? Also, what are your thoughts in general on the film? To me, it’s a masterpiece. Let me know in the comments below!

Movie recommendations if you liked Uncut Gems?

• The Color of Money (1986) - Directed by Martin Scorsese

• Good Time (2017) - Directed by Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie

• Hustle (2022) - Directed by Jeremiah Zagar

• The Smashing Machine (2025) - Directed by Benny Safdie

• If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (2025) - Directed by Mary Bronstein

• Marty Supreme (2025) - Directed by Josh Safdie

What was your favorite film from the “March Madness” miniseries? You can’t go wrong with any of these options, but I personally would choose Uncut Gems. Hoops Dreams would be a close second. I’m curious what everybody else thinks. Vote below!

NCAA Tournament Update

The Final Four took place this past Saturday. By defeating Illinois, UConn, for the third time in four years, has found themselves playing for the National Championship. In surprising fashion, Michigan blew out Arizona for their chance to win their first national championship since 1989.

And the Michigan Wolverines defeated UConn in the National Championship. Congratulations to them!

With the tournament officially over, a winner has been crowned in the first-ever annual Cinema Coffee Club bracket challenge. Oh wait, we have a tie for first place. Congratulations to both Victoria (viiiiiiicccccccc) and Katelynn (ESPNFAN) for taking home the win! The prize for winning was that the winner gets to help me create a future miniseries, but since we have a tie, should they collaborate to make a miniseries together, or should I let them each curate their own? I’m open to both options, but I’m excited to see what ideas they come up with!

In embarrassing fashion, I finished in last place in my own bracket challenge. It’s time to finally introduce my bracket to the shredder. I’ll be back next year, stronger than ever!

These were the final standings:

On my calendar, I have the next miniseries to begin on April 21st. That means we have a one-week gap to serve as a palate cleanser before we take on our next adventure. I’m still going to post something for next week on April 14th. While I have a few ideas, I’m not exactly sure what I’m going to talk about yet. If you have any ideas or have something film-related you would like me to write about, let me know. I’m open to ideas! Thank you for the support, and I’ll see you back next week!

What’s happened to the month of March? I felt like it has flown by. We’re already on our fourth film of the “March Madness” miniseries and the NCAA tournament is on its final weekend. How have you enjoyed the miniseries so far? I love sports movies, so I’ve had a blast watching and writing about these basketball films.

NCAA Tournament Update

This past weekend, the Sweet 16 and the Elite 8 took place. While I didn’t get the opportunity to watch many of the games, I did catch the thrilling ending between UConn and Duke. I was eating dinner with my parents at my favorite local restaurant Dunwellz, which also serves as a sports bar. Living in North Carolina, there were several Duke supporters in attendance. There was a great sigh of frustration when UConn hit the go-ahead basket with .4 seconds left on the clock.

Moments like this are why I love March Madness. The Huskies had to claw their way back to give themselves a chance at the end; they were down by as much as 19 points. The final 10 seconds felt cinematic. UConn was able to cause a turnover in the press and hit a logo 3 to win the game!

Now, the Final Four is set. We have UConn taking on Illinois and Arizona versus Michigan. Out of these four teams, I think whoever wins the game between Arizona and Michigan will go on to be crowned champions. Both teams have been dominant, and every game has been double-digit victories for them.

With only a couple of games left in the tournament, we’re that much closer to having a winner in our Cinema Coffee Club bracket challenge. How the mighty have fallen. Last week, I was in first place claiming I was a ball knower. Fast forward to now, I’m in second-to-last place. Top heavy, bottom ready has climbed up the leaderboard to first place. They’re the only bracket with their champion still on the board. I’m not sure how accurate of a tool this is, but if you click on group forecast, ESPN is giving ESPNFAN a 51.3% chance to win the bracket pool. Top heavy, bottom ready has a 48.7% to win it all. It’s all going to be decided between the Arizona-Michigan game. ESPNFAN needs Michigan to win while Top heavy needs Arizona to win. I’m excited to see who wins and what kind of miniseries they’ll cook up!

Love & Basketball

Serving as both writer and director, Gina Prince-Bythewood delivers an incredible feature film debut with Love & Basketball. With this being her first film, I was impressed with many of the decisions she made throughout the film. There are things I’ve never seen in another movie. An example being the first person point of view during Monica’s high school basketball game. Creative decisions like that throughout the film showcase Prince-Bythewood’s talent and confidence as a filmmaker.

For this miniseries, this was the second time I’ve watched this movie. It was even better on rewatch. I’m not familiar with the rest of her filmography, but if the rest of Prince-Bythewood’s films are on the same level as Love & Basketball, I’m in for a treat. Was this your first time watching Love & Basketball?

With a 125-minute runtime, there are loads of great things packed into this screenplay. Another small choice, but an impactful one, is that I enjoyed how Gina Prince-Bythewood structured this film. Like a basketball game, this story is told in quarters. We grow up with and experience the basketball careers and love lives of Monica Wright (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy McCall (Omar Epps) as if it’s a basketball game. Throughout the film, the quarters seem to get a little longer. The choices the characters make hold more weight and have a greater impact the deeper we get into the movie. The same is true for a real basketball game.

This film does an excellent job exploring the balance between pursuing your personal goals and a romantic relationship. Both things can be accomplished together, but they don’t necessarily always go hand in hand. An incredible amount of sacrifice is needed to achieve your goals or to have a healthy love life.

In high school after the spring dance, Monica and Quincy enter a romantic relationship. They both are talented basketball players that are going to attend USC to play collegiately, where they’ll continue their relationship. The turning point in this film is when Quincy learns that his father has been having an affair. This hit Quincy hard. Needing some emotional support from Monica, he wanted to spend some time talking with her late one evening, but Monica cut the conversation short because she had a curfew set by coach.

Monica didn’t have the liberty of missing curfew. With her being a female basketball player, the standards and the opportunities weren’t the same as Quincy’s. She faced criticism for showing emotion and competitiveness on the court during her high school games. She was the last recruit onto the USC basketball team because another girl got pregnant and decided not to play. Being a freshman, she had to work extra hard to gain the respect of her coach and other teammates. If Monica missed curfew, who knows how harsh coach would’ve been on her. She didn’t want to risk the positive momentum she had gained with the team. Quincy decided to break off their relationship.

After seeing the trials and tribulations of Monica and Quincy, I love how this film comes full circle. The place where they first met is the place they’ll play the most important basketball game in their lives. Quincy being engaged to another women, Monica challenges him to game of one-on-one for his heart. Easily my favorite scene from the movie. This is not some flirty or uncompetitive game, they were both taking it seriously. I wasn’t expecting Quincy to bury his shoulder into Monica’s chest and go up for a one-hand slam to win the game. Monica had lost and was about to leave the court empty-handed. Then in a moment of realization, Quincy says the famous line “double or nothing.”

This is truly a beautiful film. Ultimately, Monica and Quincy were able to achieve a balance of love and basketball. I’ve never been more happier for fictional characters.

What are your thoughts on the movie? Did you enjoy it? Let me know in the comments below!

Movie recommendations if you liked Love & Basketball?

• When Harry Met Sally… (1989) - Directed by Rob Reiner

• The Before Trilogy - Directed by Richard Linklater

  • Before Sunrise (1995)

  • Before Sunset (2004)

  • Before Midnight (2013)

• Lady Bird (2017) - Greta Gerwig

• Challengers (2024) - Directed by Luca Guadagnino

For the final week of the “March Madness” miniseries, we’ll be diving into one of my favorite films, Uncut Gems. I believe this is a strong note to end this miniseries on. You can stream this movie on Hulu and HBO Max. Thank you for all of the support, and I’ll see you back next week!

I’ve always known that NBA Hall of Famer Ray Allen’s nickname was Jesus Shuttlesworth, but I never knew why. After watching He Got Game for week three of the “March Madness” miniseries, now I know. One thing I’ve always known: Ray Allen has ice in his veins. Let’s rewind the clock to Allen hitting one of the most clutch shots in NBA history. Maybe the greatest shot in all of basketball!

I remember watching this shot live and absolutely freaking out. The Spurs were 15 seconds away from being NBA champions, but Ray Allen had other plans. I still get chills watching this highlight.

NCAA Tournament Update

Before we dive into the feature presentation this week, let’s recap the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament and take a look at the leaderboard for our bracket challenge. Besides a few upsets, the tournament thus far has been relatively chalky. The biggest upset came on Thursday afternoon when the High Point Panthers took down the Badgers of Wisconsin. Only my wife, who is a High Point native, correctly predicted this upset in our bracket pool!

Later that evening, the next upset took place. UNC fell to VCU in a four-point game. Honestly, I wouldn’t call this game much of an upset. Future lottery pick Caleb Wilson was out with injury for the Tar Heels. With Carolina being eliminated after their first game, it’s safe to say that my wife’s bracket is officially busted! She predicted UNC as her national champion.

The Texas Longhorns are making some noise in the West region. As an 11 seed, they’ve found themselves dancing into the Sweet 16 by knocking off BYU and Gonzaga. Even though they are a double-digit seed, can we really call them a Cinderella? The Longhorns are one of the biggest brands in all of college athletics, boasting a large operating budget. With 20 years of experience, head coach Sean Miller is no stranger to the NCAA tournament.

One more upset to touch on, coming from the round of 32, the first 1 seed was eliminated. The Florida Gators, who were the defending national champions, were knocked out by the Iowa Hawkeyes. I know I have some subscribers that are Gator fans; this is a safe place. The NCAA tournament is nicknamed March Madness, but for many teams, the reality is March Sadness. It’s a single-elimination bracket containing 68 teams; it’s difficult for teams to repeat as champions.

Now, let’s take a look at the Cinema Coffee Club bracket challenge leaderboard. Would you look at that? Guess who’s in first place? Me (Hunter)! I’m a certified ball knower. That, or I’ve been lucky so far. I’ve selected the Houston Cougars to cut down the nets, and they’ve looked incredibly strong through their first two games. In second place and tied for third, we have Conner, ESPNFAN, and viiiiiiiiccccccccc. Their champions have been eliminated; it’s going to be tough for their brackets to come out victorious in this bracket pool. Tied for fifth place, we have Swiggity Swooties and Top heavy, bottom ready; both are primed to surge up the leaderboard. Both of their national champion selections are still in play: Swiggity Swooties with Houston and Top heavy, bottom ready with the Arizona Wildcats. At the bottom of the leaderboard, we have Basketballers. Who will win the bracket pool? I’ll keep bringing the updates each week!

Which game are you the most excited for in the Sweet 16? The two games I’m anticipating the most are Duke vs St. John’s and Arizona vs Arkansas.

He Got Game

With this current miniseries centered around basketball films, it was only right to include a Spike Lee joint. Lee has been a lifelong basketball fan; you can find him courtside at The Garden cheering on the Knicks. He Got Game would’ve been perfect for the “Becoming a Dad” miniseries as well.

This was the first time I’ve watched He Got Game, and I enjoyed it! I did curate this miniseries, so when selecting this film, I figured I was going to like it. I’ve watched a handful of Spike Lee’s films; I need to watch more, but this might be one of my favorites from his filmography. Do the Right Thing and Malcolm X are some of my other favorites.

When Spike Lee and Denzel Washington collaborate, you know it’s going to be special. Over the course of their careers, they have worked together on five films. The first one being in 1990 with Mo’ Better Blues and the most recent one being Highest 2 Lowest from 2025. They’ve been working together longer than I’ve been alive.

Denzel Washington is phenomenal in this film. A big reason why his performance is great is because he can actually hoop. He played collegiately at Fordham University. This film doesn’t work if the basketball looks and feels clunky. With Denzel and Ray Allen in the film, the basketball feels authentic.

Vice versa, I was shocked how well Ray Allen held his own sharing the screen with one of our great actors in Denzel Washington. I’ve seen some bad athlete performances in movies and TV; this is not one of them.

Being three films into this miniseries, I’m noticing some shared themes and ideas across all three. The big idea of He Got Game is that everybody wants a piece of the pie. Jesus Shuttlesworth (Ray Allen) is the nation’s best high school recruit. He needs to make a decision on what he’s going to do after high school; he’s considering multiple colleges or even going straight to the pros. There’s much outside pressure weighing down on his decision, and many people are trying to cash in.

This film puts Jesus’s own dad, Jake Shuttlesworth (Denzel Washington), in a unique situation by needing Jesus to commit to Big State. He was serving a 15-year prison sentence for accidentally killing his own wife. Being an alumnus of Big State, the governor promised an early release from prison if Jake can persuade Jesus to attend and play at Big State.

Personally, I think this film is a cautionary tale and a story of reconciliation. Everybody surrounding Jesus was a leech. They were using him for their own personal gain, including his girlfriend and uncle. I believe Spike Lee was trying to show how people in this situation have to be able to look after themselves. People are going to try to persuade you one way or the other, but you have to be strong and be able to make decisions that are best for you and your long-term goals.

Also, He Got Game is a story of forgiveness. When it came to basketball, Jake was incredibly hard on Jesus. He wanted Jesus to be able to achieve his dreams, but he pushed him to extreme limits. Ultimately, it started to fracture their relationship. One night after tempers started to flair, Jake accidentally killed Jesus’ mother when she tried to deescalate. Ever since this incident, Jesus has held a grudge against Jake. In the best scene of the film, Jake and Jesus play an emotional one-on-one game. If Jake wins, Jesus has to sign at Big State. If Jesus wins, Jake will stay out of his life. Jesus wins, but Jake warns him that he needs to get his hatred out of his heart or that he’ll end up like him.

Ultimately, Jesus chooses to play at Big State. The governor doesn’t keep his side of his deal for Jake to get released from prison early. To end the film and as a call back to earlier in the film, we see Jake tossing a basketball over the prison fence. Jesus is practicing in an empty gym at Big State when a ball comes out of the rafters; he grabs it and gives a little smirk as he looks out onto the empty stands. It’s a good representation to show how far they’ve come and now the ball is in Jesus’s court.

What are your thoughts on the film and the ending?

Movie recommendations if you liked He Got Game?

• Malcolm X (1992) - Directed by Spike Lee

• Remember the Titans (2000) - Directed by Boaz Yakin

• The Way Back (2020) - Directed by Gavin O’Connor

• Air (2023) - Directed by Ben Affleck

• Highest 2 Lowest (2025) - Directed by Spike Lee

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed He Got Game. Next week, we’ll be watching Love & Basketball. If you haven’t watched this movie before, you’re in for a treat! Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like this film is streaming anywhere but it’s available for rental. I was able to secure a copy from the library to watch. I’ll see you back next week!

I’m writing this post as I watch the 98th Academy Awards. I was baffled to learn the fact that Hoop Dreams wasn’t nominated for Best Documentary during the 67th Academy Awards. Looking at the slate of films that was released back in 1994, there’s only one film I’ve seen that I would rate higher than Hoop Dreams, that being Pulp Fiction. Not that a film needs awards and accolades to have value, but I doubt you can show me five better documentaries more worthy of being nominated over Hoop Dreams.

For week two of the “March Madness” miniseries, I watched Hoop Dreams for the first time. As somebody who grew up watching 30 for 30 sports documentaries, I’m surprised it took me this long to watch this film. Nevertheless, I absolutely loved Hoop Dreams. This might be my new favorite sports film! Was this your first time watching? If so, let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Making it to the NBA is many young athletes’ dreams. The harsh reality that playing in the NBA is more of a fantasy. Only a small percentage of players will ever suit up for a professional game. Finances, injuries, family relationships, academics, and empty promises can derail any hopeful dream. In Hoop Dreams, we follow two inner-city Chicago teenagers, William Gates and Arthur Agee, questing for NBA glory.

The trio of Steve James, Frederick Marx, and Peter Gilbert are the filmmakers that brought Hoop Dreams to life. With a carefully crafted 3-hour runtime, we follow William and Arthur from freshman year of high school up to their freshman year of college. Both of them were recruited and started their high school careers at St. Joseph High School. With the same starting point, their paths quickly became different.

Entering their freshman years, William Gates was the more talented player. He was a starter on the varsity team. Arthur Agee’s talent was more raw; he was the starting point guard for the freshman team. With no additional support from St. Joseph, Arthur’s family wasn’t able to afford the tuition after his first year. Meanwhile, William was receiving outside financial support to help cover his tuition.

It was heartbreaking to see how quickly St. Joseph gave up on Arthur. If he was producing more on the court, they would’ve found funding for his tuition to keep him enrolled. They were able to with William, but they quickly disregarded Arthur. It shows how young athletes are used as pawns. If they aren’t of value, the cord is unplugged.

The real tragedy of the situation with Arthur and St. Joseph is that the school refused to release his transcripts after departing from the school because his family couldn’t afford the tuition they owed. This financial debt isn’t Arthur’s fault, but he’s the one paying the price. Graduating from high school on time was now in jeopardy. An agreement was eventually worked out for the transcripts to be released.

On the flipside, William Gates high school career started off great. His talent was evident and he was being recognized. The Division 1 offers were flooding in. The dagger in his playing career was a knee injury that caused him to miss most of his junior year and continued to linger throughout the rest of his playing days.

The quote that William said at the end of the film hit hard; it’s the quote I started this post with. There’s a lot of pressure applied to young athletes to make it big, especially the ones who live in low-income areas. Basketball can be their ticket out of their current situation, and many people try to board their train. Somehow, to many people, you’re deemed a failure and forgotten if you don’t make it to the league. Like I mentioned earlier, only a small percentage of people will ever achieve this dream.

Even though both William and Arthur didn’t make it to the NBA, they aren’t failures. There’s a scene where Arthur is celebrating his 18th birthday. We learn that many kids in Arthur’s shoes don’t make it to their 18th birthday. Both William and Arthur graduated high school. Basketball still provided them an opportunity to go to college. William went on to play at Marquette University, while Arthur started at junior college before transferring to Arkansas State. They both went on to start families of their own.

I was really moved by Hoop Dreams. I’m already eager to rewatch; there’s so much to chew on with this film. It does an excellent job of peeling back the layers and giving us a real authentic look at what life was like for inner-city Chicago families. With a lot of sacrifice and hard work, both the Gates and Agee families believed in and supported their sons. I’m curious how far Arthur could’ve gone if St. Joseph showed that same belief and support.

If you’re looking to start your physical media collection, I encourage you to pick up the Criterion of Hoops Dreams. On the disc, there are some extra supplements to go along with the 3-hour documentary. There’s a 40-minute documentary, Life After Hoop Dreams, following up with the two families after the events of this film. Also, there’s a compilation of conversations between legendary film critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert showing their admiration for Hoop Dreams.

Did you like Hoop Dreams? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Movie recommendations if you liked Hoop Dreams?

• Do the Right Thing (1989) - Directed by Spike Lee

• Lenny Cooke (2013) - Directed by Josh Safdie and Benny Safdie

• The Last Dance (2020) - Directed by Jason Hehir

If you haven’t already, make sure you join the Cinema Coffee Club bracket challenge! Make sure you get your bracket submitted before games tip off on March 19th. The winner of the bracket pool will get to design a future miniseries with me! You must be subscribed to be eligible.

Next week, we’ll be enjoying a Spike Lee joint, He Got Game. I’m excited to fire this film up; I’ve never seen it before! I don’t think this movie is streaming anywhere, but check your local library. I was able to check out a copy to use for my viewing. It’s also available for rental. Thank you for reading!

Welcome, friends of the program! To get the “March Madness” series tipped off, we’re hitting the recruiting trail with Blue Chips. This was a first-time watch for me, and I loved it! Being a fan of both basketball and William Friedkin, I figured I was going to enjoy this film. Was this your first time watching this movie?

I feel like Blue Chips is an under-the-radar sports movie. When people talk about their favorite sports films, Blue Chips is never a part of the discussion. Films like Remember the Titans, Hoosiers, Rocky, The Sandlot, and Miracle are always mentioned. Maybe it’s a generational thing; Blue Chips came out in 1994 and never saturated into my generation. More people need to watch this movie!

Directed by William Friedkin, Blue Chips was an interesting watch in 2026. The majority of sports films that people love are an underdog or a feel-good story, but Blue Chips is a cynical look into college athletics. Friedkin and screenwriter Ron Shelton highlighted the corruption that was taking place in college basketball during this era. At this time, the NCAA was generating millions of dollars without the athletes receiving a dime. Coaches used this to their advantage to recruit top-level talent with under-the-table money.

A moral quagmire is presented in this film. Coach of Western University, Pete Bell (played by Nick Nolte), is a decorated college basketball coach. He’s heavily inspired by real-life coach Bob Knight. When we first meet him, he’s at risk of having his first losing season ever. Under pressure from alumni and fans, Coach Bell’s seat is getting hot. It’s becoming more difficult each season for him to field a competitive team when he’s following recruiting regulations and other programs are cheating by paying “blue-chip” recruits. How can he compete against that?

Persuaded by school booster, Happy (portrayed by J.T. Walsh), Coach Bell gives in to illegal recruiting tactics. It’s a difficult situation he found himself in. Coach Bell was in danger of losing his job due to lack of recent success because other programs were cheating and he was playing by the book. The college athletes are the ones generating all of the money for the universities and the NCAA, so paying them under the table felt morally acceptable but still against the rules. Using cash, brand new cars, a job promotion, a new home, and a tractor, Coach Bell was able to land three high-level recruits.

This film is populated with many real-life basketball players and figures. Watching this movie, I replicated the Leonardo DiCaprio meme from Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood many times. Bob Knight, Rick Pitino, Larry Bird, Bob Cousy, and Dick Vitale are just a few of the notable basketball personalities that are found in this film. The three recruits Coach Bell lands include Shaquille O’Neal, Penny Hardaway, and maybe not as notable, Matt Nover. Shaq is a delight in Blue Chips. I’ve always loved Shaq as a media presence, but I think he’s genuinely good in this film. Using actual basketball players to shoot basketball scenes works well. It’s hard to fake good basketball, so using real players makes this film feel more authentic.

Being haunted by a previous shaved points scandal and consumed by guilt from cheating, Coach Bell’s cracks. After an early-season win against the #1 Indiana with his new team, Coach Bell confesses to cheating and resigns. Even though the athletes deserved to be paid and many other programs were cheating, Coach Bell couldn’t live with winning this way.

This film isn’t an uplifting sports story. It’s a peek into the dark underbelly of college athletics. Coach Bell did cheat, and he ultimately confessed to it. Him resigning doesn’t solve this issue across all of college athletics. The next scandal with another program is right around the corner. I wasn’t alive in 1994 when this film released, but I wonder how naive people were to the fact that college athletes were being paid under the table. Was this common knowledge back then? The era I grew up in, everybody knew top recruits were being bribed. There is a wiretap that came to light in 2018 of former Arizona coach Sean Miller discussing a payment of $100,000 to land Deandre Ayton.

In present-day real life, the NCAA has combatted illegal recruiting with NIL. College athletes 100% deserved to be paid, but NIL has opened a new can of worms. I love sports and the many kinds of stories you can tell with it, but when you involve the most talented players in the world and a lot of money, there’s probably always something fishy happening behind the scenes. While being entertaining, Blue Chips provided a different perspective than most other sports films. It didn’t shy away from the fact corruption is littered throughout the sports ecosystem.

Movie recommendations if you liked Blue Chips?

• Sorcerer (1977) - Directed by William Friedkin

• White Men Can’t Jump (1992) - Ron Shelton

• Bring It On (2000) - Directed by Peyton Reed

• The Dark Knight (2008) - Directed by Christopher Nolan

• Pony Excess (2010) - Directed by Thaddeus D. Matula

• This Magic Moment (2016) - Directed by Gentry Kirby, Erin Leyden

• High Flying Bird (2019) - Directed by Steven Soderbergh

I hope you enjoyed Blue Chips. What are your thoughts on the movie? Let me know in the comments below! Selection Sunday is this Sunday, March 15th. Once the bracket goes live, I’ll create a bracket pool for everybody to join. Remember, whoever wins gets to design a future miniseries. The stakes are high!

Next week, we’ll be covering the acclaimed documentary Hoop Dreams. I bought the Criterion of this film during the November 50% Barnes & Noble sale and have been patiently waiting to watch, knowing I was going to include it in this miniseries. I can’t wait to dive in. You can stream this film on HBO Max. See you back next week and thank you for supporting me!

Before we dive into the films featured in the miniseries, I want to talk about my love for March Madness. In a way, this sporting event feels like a movie. With a bracket featuring 68 teams in a single-elimination format, the stakes are high for each game. We don’t know which teams will rise to the occasion or crumble under pressure. Over the course of the tournament, we’ll see buzzer beaters and superstar performances. There’ll be bracket-busting upsets that will shatter the hopes and dreams of tournament favorites. Unlikely heroes and Cinderella teams will emerge from the field. Will your favorite team be destined for glory?

Alongside being a lifelong fan of March Madness, I also have work experience in the world of college basketball. For two years, I was a student manager for UNC Wilmington’s men’s basketball team. This experience was priceless. It gave me a wealth of knowledge of what it’s like to work in the fast-paced and stressful nature of college athletics. I got the opportunity to build a network of incredibly talented individuals. The coolest part from my time as a student manager was being able to travel with the team to destinations I’d never been to before. I got to travel to cities like Boston, Philadelphia, and El Paso to name a few.

After graduating back in 2019, I accepted a full-time job as an Assistant Equipment Manager at Old Dominion University. I primarily worked with the men’s and women’s basketball teams. Since I worked with other sports outside of basketball, I didn’t travel with these teams, but it was still a rewarding experience being a small cog in the wheel through my equipment services.

Subscribe now

There are many great basketball films and I considered many, but ultimately, this wouldn’t be a proper miniseries without a bracket challenge! One of the best parts of March Madness is filling out a bracket and entering pools with your friends and family. Through Cinema Coffee Club, I want to host a bracket challenge for all of my subscribers. To up the ante, whoever wins the bracket pool can help me design a future miniseries! After Selection Sunday on March 15th, I will create a group for everybody who wants to participate to join. I’ll be sure to send out the link to everybody. Who will win? What themed miniseries would you design?

See below for the miniseries list and dates for when we will discuss each film. Make sure you watch the movie beforehand; there will be spoilers in the discussion!

Tuesday, March 10th

• Movie: Blue Chips

• Director: William Friedkin

• Screenplay By: Ron Shelton

• Release Date: 1994

• Where to Watch: YouTube

Tuesday, March 17th

• Movie: Hoop Dreams

• Director: Steve James

• Screenplay By: Steve James and Frederick Marx

• Release Date: 1994

• Where to Watch: HBO Max and Criterion Channel

Tuesday, March 24th

• Movie: He Got Game

• Director: Spike Lee

• Screenplay By: Spike Lee

• Release Date: 1998

• Where to Watch: Available for Rental

Tuesday, March 31st

• Movie: Love & Basketball

• Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood

• Screenplay By: Gina Prince-Bythewood

• Release Date: 2000

• Where to Watch: Available for Rental

Tuesday, April 6th

• Movie: Uncut Gems

• Director: Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie

• Screenplay By: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie, and Ronald Bronstein

• Release Date: 2019

• Where to Watch: Hulu and HBO Max

Which film are you the most excited to watch and discuss? Have you seen all the movies already, or which ones will it be a first time watch? Let me know in the comments below! Blue Chips, Hoop Dreams, and He Got Game will be first time watches for me; I’m most excited about Hoop Dreams.

Now, let’s turn our attention to the coffee component to the “March Madness” miniseries. Yes, you’re seeing that correctly, that is a Smoothie King cup. It’s a cold brew infused smoothie. I mentioned earlier that I traveled with the UNC Wilmington’s basketball team. During these trips, Smoothie King was a staple. I never had Smoothie King prior to my time at UNCW. I will always associate Smoothie King with being a basketball student manager and thought it would be a good tie-in with the themed beverage for this miniseries. Let me know if you have any recipe ideas for a cold brew or espresso infused smoothie to make at home.

I’ll see you back next week for Blue Chips. Thanks for reading!

For our sixth and final film of the “Becoming a Dad” miniseries, we have an adventure awaiting us. If you don’t mind getting dirty, grab your satchel for this thrill ride. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is a perfect offering. Where else can you find an archaeologist traveling the world, hunting for the Holy Grail, and battling Nazis?

The Indiana Jones franchise holds a special place in my heart. I can’t put an exact age on it, but I was introduced to these films when I was young. When I was a kid, I would use a portable DVD player for long road trips. I would find myself reaching for the Indiana Jones films frequently when I was packing my bag for the road, especially if we were going to Disney World. I remember one trip specifically, where I was sitting in between my brother and cousin watching one of the films. I was the only one with ear buds, but both of them watched over my shoulders with no audio absolutely mesmerized.

Paired along with the films, I would also play the Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures videogame growing up. I would be embarrassed to see how many hours I have logged on that game. I’m sure it’s an unhealthy amount, but that game was such a blast. It was a fun companion piece. The game made you feel like you were living out the adventures of Indiana Jones by solving puzzles, fighting bad guys, and completing quests.

Today, I still find myself returning to these films. It’s always a nice treat for myself. I recently picked up the Indiana Jones 4-Movie Collection Limited Edition Steelbooks. This miniseries was a good excuse for me to dive into this box set in glorious 4K. Though I’ve had a lot of fun watching these editions of Indiana Jones, I believe there was a missed opportunity with the packaging of this collection. It would’ve been more unique if the box set was the Ark of the Covenant where you can find the films inside. Now that’s a relic that would be worthy of belonging in a museum. But what do I know? Even though the film isn’t as strong as the others, I still need to add Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny to round out the franchise.

Keeping physical media in mind, there was one scene I really resonated with on rewatch: the book burning in Berlin. A horrific act that was actually carried out by Nazis. They targeted texts that opposed their ideology and would burn them as part of a ceremony. In our current political landscape and digital age, it’s important to preserve works of literature and art. If you have a favorite book, film, piece of music, or other work of art, I encourage you to go out and find a physical copy for yourself. You don’t want to run the risk of your favorite works being censored, altered, or altogether deleted from existence. There’s beauty in owning art and being able to pass it down to the next generation. I’m excited to share my collection with my son and let him browse the shelves to select something for a family movie night.

Another thing I’m excited to share with my son is the works of Steven Spielberg. He is one of the greatest filmmakers to walk this Earth. He’s the director behind Jaws, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List, and Saving Private Ryan, just to name a few. I bring him up because he served as director for four of the five Indiana Jones films, including the one we’re talking about now, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Spielberg brings a childlike wonder to many of his films. He crafts unforgettable stories and adventures.

Steven Spielberg is currently crowned the box office king; he’s the highest-grossing film director of all time. He’ll probably be surpassed by James Cameron soon, but he’s credited with creating the modern day summer blockbuster when Jaws defined the summer of 1975.

Alongside financial success throughout his career, Spielberg has garnered much critically acclaim as well. He’s won the Academy Award for Best Director twice for Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan. Schindler’s List also received Best Picture. It’s still a travesty that he wasn’t nominated for Best Director for Jaws.

Considering both financial and critical success, Spielberg’s filmography is incredible. He’s made multiple masterpieces. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but I think Raiders of the Lost Ark is my personal favorite Spielberg film. With so many excellent options to chose from, I’m eager for my son to witness the magic of Spielberg. A lot of his films can be accessible at an early age; I’ll probably start him off with E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. What’s your favorite Spielberg film? Let me know in the comments below.

Turning our attention back to the world of Indiana Jones, there are several other important figures that brought this story to life, the most important being George Lucas. He’s the creator of this franchise. Lucas also created Star Wars, so he’s conceptualized two of the most original and iconic franchises of all-time. He’s the founder of Lucasfilm, which was the production company behind these two franchises. Lucas correctly selected Steven Spielberg to spearhead the franchise from the director’s chair.

As I do prefer the Star Wars universe over Indiana Jones, there’s certain aspects of the Indiana Jones franchise I greatly appreciate. I love how tactile and tangible the Indiana Jones films feel. The stories are littered with artifacts, books, diaries, maps, tools, and puzzles. Each frame is authentic. Most scenes are shot on location adding realistic depth to each scene. The Indiana Jones franchise is home to some of the best action sequences ever captured on film, done with real people and practical effects. These elements make for an immersive experience. Also, I appreciate the fact that each film in this franchise works as a standalone film. They’re better enjoyed from start to finish, but you can jump in wherever and not feel alienated if you’ve never seen an Indiana Jones movie before.

One thing that both Star Wars and Indiana Jones share is Harrison Ford. One of our great movie stars. Many actors long to have one character that will become iconic and stand the test of time; Ford has two: Han Solo and Indiana Jones. These characters will live forever in cinema history.

Specifically with Indiana Jones, Harrison Ford was born for this role. Both a professor and an archaeologist, Ford looks the part for both aspects of the character. As a doctor, Indiana Jones is well educated and prepared for many challenges. He outsmarts many of his enemies. But when in the field, everything doesn’t always go as planned. Indy often finds himself way over his head. Many times, he has to rely on his physicality to get out of dodge and achieve his goals. Harrison Ford perfectly brings these elements of the character to life.

With Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Sean Connery was introduced to the franchise. He plays Indiana Jones’s father, Henry Jones, Senior. Connery is best known for playing the original James Bond. Outside of Daniel Craig’s Bond, I’m not familiar with the other James Bond films. I definitely want to check out Connery’s Bond because he’s a delight in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Another thread that both Star Wars and Indiana Jones share is the legendary film composer, John Williams. He’s my favorite composer across all of cinema. I often find myself listening to his music while working or writing. His themes and scores do a wonderful job of adding emotion or intensity to each scene. The “Raiders March” in the Indiana Jones films is triumphant. Since 1974, John Williams and Steven Spielberg have collaborated on 29 films! They’re one of the greatest duos in Hollywood. On Disney Plus, I recommend watching the documentary Music by John Williams. It explores the life and career of John Williams.

Let’s explore some questions.

How does Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade tie into the “Becoming a Dad” theme?

Having an estranged relationship with his own father for over a decade following the divorce of his parents, complicated father-son dynamics are baked into many of Spielberg’s films. His 2022 film, The Fabelmans, contextualized his relationship with his father for me in his other work. It unlocked a new way to view his films.

In the first two installments of Indiana Jones, Indy’s counterpart was a female love interest. In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, his father would fill that role. Adding the father-son element to this film made the stakes feel more personal and added more emotional depth to the Indiana Jones character.

The film opens with an incredible action sequence involving young Indy, played by River Phoenix. He’s an actor whom we lost too early. During this sequence, we see Indy and his friend stumble upon some treasure hunters. The hunters located the Cross of Coronado. Believing this artifact should belong in a museum, Indy snatches the cross and makes a great escape. He manages to get all the way home and wants to inform his father about it. Henry Jones, Senior paid no attention. He was lost in his work.

We learn later in the film that Henry Jones, Senior wasn’t the most present father, it worsened after the passing of his wife. He didn’t micromanage Indy. Rather than giving young Indy the attention he needed, he was consumed by his search for the Holy Grail.

Due to the nature of their relationship, Indy and his dad have been estranged for almost twenty years. They have hardly spoken to each other over that period of time. They’re reunited during their search for the Holy Grail. Through this shared adventure and several near-death experiences, their relationship was salvaged. The item that Henry Jones, Senior has been searching for his whole life is right within grasp; he’s willing to let it go in order to save Indy’s life.

What’s your favorite set piece in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade?

This film has many extraordinary action sequences. Let’s list them real quick.

• Train scene with young Indy.

• Venice boat chase.

• Escaping the Nazi castle followed by the motorcycle chase scene.

• The flying sequence involving a Zeppelin and planes.

• The tank convoy.

• Navigating the traps and securing the Holy Grail.

Probably the popular choice, but my favorite scene in the whole film is when Indy attacks the tank convoy. It’s eight minutes of thrilling filmmaking. When cable TV was more common, this is the scene I would hope to catch when channel surfing. Harrison Ford does many of his own stunts in this sequence, which makes it that much more impressive.

What is Steven Spielberg up to next?

If you’re familiar with Spielberg’s work, you know he’s obsessed with the idea of aliens and with working in science fiction. This summer, he will return to the genre with Disclosure Day starring Josh O’Connor, Emily Blunt, Colin Firth, and Colman Domingo. This is one of my most anticipated films of the year. When Spielberg has a film being released, it’s a must watch on the biggest screen possible.

In preparation for his new film, I’ve been watching his work I haven’t seen yet and revisiting some of my favorites. I watched Close Encounters of the Third Kind for the first time this year, it blew me away. Based on the trailers and marketing materials for Disclosure Day, Close Encounters of the Third Kind will probably be in conversation with this new film.

Movie recommendations if you liked Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade?

• Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) - Directed by Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam

• Star Wars (1977) - Directed by George Lucas

• Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) - Directed by Steven Spielberg

• National Treasure (2004) - Directed by Jon Turteltaub

• Inglorious Basterds (2009) - Directed by Quentin Tarantino

• The Fabelmans (2022) - Directed by Steven Spielberg

We’ve officially completed the “Becoming a Dad” miniseries! Which film was your favorite? It’s a tough call for me, but I think I would lean Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. I’m interested to see what the consensus is!

Tune back in next week for the reveal of miniseries #4. Any guesses what it might be? I’ll give you a clue, it has to do with the month of March.

Entering week five of the “Becoming a Dad” miniseries, we got an absolute delight of a movie on our hands. It’s time to buckle in and plan a wedding with Steve Martin in the 1991 version of Father of the Bride. I do need to get my hands on the Banks’s family wedding guest list; sharing my Substack with 572 people could help grow my platform!

I’ve never seen the original 1950 version of Father of the Bride; I need to at some point, but the 1991 remake was directed by Charles Shyer. He’s also credited as a screenwriter alongside Nancy Meyers. They both have writing credits on The Parent Trap (1998) as well, which Meyers directed. Between the two, I’m more familiar with Nancy Meyers. Some other notable films she has directed and written include The Holiday, The Intern, and Something’s Gotta Give.

Subscribe now

Steve Martin is the leading man in this film; he plays George Banks. As the title insists, he’s the father of the bride in this story. We talked about Will Ferrell last week, but Steve Martin is another of our great comedic actors. He was a stand-up comedian before becoming an actor, so it makes sense that the majority of his filmography is filled with comedies. I haven’t gotten a chance to watch it yet, but there was a documentary released in 2024 titled Steve! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces that dives into his career.

I’m turning 29 years old this year, and my hair’s already turning white. Like Martin, I wouldn’t be surprised if my hair is fully white in my early 30s. Seeing Steve Martin in Father of the Bride, he gives me hope to be able to rock a head full of white hair. I’m going to rip off some of the outfits that his character George wears throughout this movie once I officially become a dad myself. This outfit was probably my favorite:

Another legendary actor in Father of the Bride is the late Diane Keaton. Her character is Nina Banks, the wife of George. She also looks incredible in Father of the Bride. I found her performance in this film so charming and warm. She perfectly balanced the chaotic nature of Steve Martin’s character. I’ve seen a handful of Keaton’s films, but I want to dive deeper into her work.

If a movie or TV show has Steve Martin, it’s a safe guess that Martin Short is also in it. Father of the Bride is no exception. Martin Short plays the wedding coordinator, Franck Eggelhoffer. What a name. I love the duo of Steve Martin and Martin Short. We haven’t watched the newest season, but my wife and I enjoy Only Murderers in the Building, in which both play prominent roles.

Kimberly Williams-Paisley plays the bride-to-be, Annie Banks. I just learned she’s married to country singer Brad Paisley. But I thought she was great in Father of the Bride. Acting opposite of Steve Martin and Diane Keaton at such an early stage in her career is impressive! Just like Annie, I also wore sneakers on my wedding day. George Newbern plays her fiancé, Bryan MacKenzie. Annie’s younger brother, Matty, is played by a young Kieran Culkin.

How does Father of the Bride tie into the “Becoming a Dad” theme?

When building out this miniseries, I thought it was important to highlight fatherhood at different stages of life. Being a dad is a lifelong responsibility. When your child becomes an adult, you’re still a dad; it just looks different. I thought Father of the Bride does an excellent job presenting what fatherhood looks like in the transition phase between your child being a kid and becoming an adult.

George is a father of two. His oldest is his daughter, Annie, who is 22. When she returned home from studying abroad, she dropped the news that she met a guy and they got engaged. He’s no longer a dad of a little girl with pigtails; his daughter is getting ready to get married to a man he’s never met before. Probably like most dads in this situation, George was shocked and had a hard time grasping this news.

Annie is an adult. She’s allowed to make her own decisions. Throughout the film, we get to watch George tackle this new reality. At the dinner table when he first learned the news of Annie getting engaged, he overreacted. It was coming from a good place, but he still wanted to be her protective father. This film is a comedy, so several scenes of George overreacting and trying to wrap his head around planning this wedding are dialed up. At one point he gets thrown in jail for stealing hot dog buns.

Even though both the groom’s and bride’s families are in the upper tax bracket, I think George was valid to freak out over the guest list that included 572 people at $250 a head. That’s $143,000! And the reception was taking place at their home; there’s no way all of those people could fit.

I think what this movie is trying to say is that every parent reaches a point where they have to let go. It’s a difficult thing to do, but it’s part of the cycle of parenting. Your child no longer needs you for everything; they’re capable of living independently. As a parent, you have to trust that you raised your child properly and they’ll make the best choices for themselves. It’s not like you’ll never see or talk to your child ever again, but it’s a new season of life for everybody involved. It’s important you remain on their sidelines and be ready to lend a helping hand or an listening ear.

Movie recommendations if you liked Father of the Bride?

• The Parent Trap (1998) - Directed by Nancy Meyers

• Something’s Gotta Give (2003) - Directed by Nancy Meyers

• Cheaper by the Dozen (2003) - Directed by Shawn Levy

I hope everybody had fun with Father of the Bride. If Steve Martin is involved, you can always count me in! Next week will be the final film of the “Becoming a Dad” miniseries. We’ll be hunting for the Holy Grail alongside Harrison Ford and Sean Connery with Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade. This might be my personal favorite film from the miniseries; I’m excited to talk about it next week! You can stream this film on Disney Plus. Thank you for reading and supporting my work!

Meat first, then Cinema Coffee Club! It’s time to lace up and get caffeinated for this week’s installment: Kicking & Screaming. Is this a perfect film? No. Have some parts of this movie not aged well? Yes. But Kicking & Screaming was a childhood classic for me, and I still loved it on rewatch. When my time on Earth is over, this movie could probably serve as my biopic. Let me explain.

All the way through high school, I was a soccer player. I loved it. It’s the only sport I played. I tried baseball early in life, but I quickly realized it wasn’t the sport for me. I would go golfing with my dad and friends growing up; I saw it more as a hobby for me than a sport I took seriously. Probably because I wasn’t very good.

Subscribe now

Around middle school, I joined a soccer club called SCYSA United. Some of my favorite soccer-related memories come from my stint with this team. That team had a special bond on and off the field. My dad even served as an assistant coach. Like seen in Kicking & Screaming, we would have team sleepovers at our coach’s house. If it wasn’t a team sleepover, we were often playing Call of Duty together on Xbox Live. Even though my team didn’t have any Italians, I would’ve liked our chances against the Tigers. Because I was an active soccer player when Kicking & Screaming was released and related to the experiences shown in the movie, I rewatched it many times growing up.

Fast forward to present-day me. I’m months away from becoming a dad. It will still be several years until I’m on the sideline as a coach, but it’s something I’m looking forward to! Not that I’m going to pressure my son into a particular sport or hobby, but I would love for him to play soccer. Somehow, Kicking & Screaming perfectly predicted my coffee addiction. Portrayed by Will Ferrell, Phil Weston is the dad and coach at the center of this story. Like me, Phil was late to the game with coffee, but we both became addicted as soon as it entered our bodies. I can already see myself slamming an iced latte before my son’s pee-wee soccer game.

It’s too early to tell, but based off my life so far compared to this movie, it looks like I’ll be hosting barbecues and beating my son in tetherball later down the road. Hopefully I don’t find myself in the position where I’m trading away my own grandchild to another team. Can we talk about how crazy a concept that is? Not only is it wild this youth soccer league in Kicking & Screaming allows trading kids, but Buck Weston (Robert Duvall) traded away his own grandson to the worst team. It’s definitely a funny concept for a movie, but as an athletic coordinator for a parks and recreation department, allowing trades among youth teams would be pure chaos.

Jesse Dylan is the director of Kicking & Screaming. Outside of this movie, I’m not familiar with his other work. But you know whose work I’m super familiar with? Will Ferrell. Growing up, Will Ferrell was my favorite actor; he’s still one of my favorites. He starred in many comedies that my friends and I would constantly rewatch during sleepovers. Some of my favorites include Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Step Brothers, Land of the Lost, The Other Guys, and The Campaign.

Reflecting on some of these Will Ferrell-driven movies, they don’t make comedies like they used to. Many comedies seem to go straight to streaming. For example, a movie starring Will Ferrell that released last year went directly to Prime Video: You’re Cordially Invited. How many of you have seen or even heard of this movie? I’m guessing not many of you have. Don’t worry, I’ve seen it, and it’s okay if you skip it; it’s kind of a nothing movie. That’s what I’m trying to get at. We need more theatrical comedies! Off the top of my mind, there were two comedies that released in theaters last year that I enjoyed: Friendship, starring Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd, and The Naked Gun reboot with Liam Neeson. If you like comedies and haven’t seen these films, I would recommend giving them a watch!

I already mentioned Will Ferrell and Academy Award winner Robert Duvall, but this film has some other notable cast members. Mike Ditka stars as Mike Ditka! Kate Walsh plays Phil’s wife, Barbara Weston. Dylan McLaughlin plays Phil and Barbara’s son, Sam Weston. Then two other notable child actors are Josh Hutcherson as Bucky Weston and Steven Anthony Lawrence as Mark Avery.

Let’s answer some questions!

How does Kicking & Screaming tie into the “Becoming a Dad” theme?

By no means does this film offer deep thematic depth. It’s a 90-minute comedy centered around soccer. But there are some things to take away. I picked it for a reason.

Phil Weston is the main character in this film, but he isn’t the only dad Kicking & Screaming is centered around. Buck Weston is another dad crucial to the story. He’s Phil’s dad and Sam’s grandfather.

The movie is interested in the father-and-son relationship between Buck and Phil and how that relationship impacts Phil’s parenting of Sam. Buck is a long-term coach in the soccer league; he coached Phil when he was a kid. Being uber-competitive, winning is the most important thing to Buck. He’s also selfish and greedy. There’s a flashback in which Buck didn’t hesitate to steal the Pelé ball from Phil’s hands at a professional soccer match.

This mixture of competitiveness and selfishness caused some strain in their relationship. Buck and Phil weren’t estranged; they saw each other often. However, it sparked a heated rivalry between them to win the soccer league after Sam was traded to the Tigers.

With that rivalry, Phil lost his way. He started to coach like his dad. Just like on Buck’s team, Sam started to ride the bench. Phil got hyperfocused on winning and didn’t realize the impact it was having on Sam. Eventually, Phil came to his senses, the team flourished in the championship game, and Sam scored the game-winning goal.

Kicking & Screaming showcases how bad parenting can be passed down. Also, it shows how coaches can take the focus off the kids and shine the spotlight on themselves in youth sports. So let this movie serve as a warning to myself. If I get involved in youth coaching, always make it about the kids and never about me.

Does this movie have a good coffee scene?

Yes, many scenes; this movie is fueled by coffee! I love how coffee is a whole subplot to this entire movie. Before Phil started drinking coffee, he was a sweet and innocent coach. He only cared about the team having fun. Once introduced to coffee, he becomes a caffeinated menace. His coaching becomes more extreme, and he only cared about winning. He didn’t mind if a few clavicles got broken.

This is my favorite coffee scene from the movie. This is probably what I sounded like the first time I ordered Starbucks.

Movie recommendations if you liked Kicking & Screaming?

• The Sandlot (1993) - Directed by David Mickey Evans

• The Big Green (1995) - Directed by Holly Goldberg Sloan

• Bend It Like Beckham (2002) - Directed by Gurinder Chadha

• Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) - Directed by Adam McKay

• The Other Guys (2010) - Directed by Adam McKay

Was this anybody’s first time watching Kicking & Screaming? If so, what did you think? I feel like this is one of those movies that if you experienced as a young kid, you love it. If you’re experiencing this movie for the first time as an adult, it probably doesn’t work as well. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed the movie, and thank you for reading about it! Next week, we’ll be walking down the aisle with Father of the Bride. You can stream this film on Disney Plus. See you back next week!

There’s no “i” in Substack, but there’s an “i” in subscribe!

I hope you haven’t misplaced your supersuit this week; you’re going to need it for this incredible film! For the third entry into the “Becoming a Dad” miniseries, we’re suiting up with The Incredibles. How have you enjoyed the miniseries so far? The Incredibles marks the first animated film to be covered on Cinema Coffee Club. I’m sure this won’t be the last one either.

Coming out in 2004, The Incredibles landed at an influential time for me. I just turned eight when this film hit theaters. I can’t recall every movie I watched in the movie theater growing up, but I do remember seeing The Incredibles on the big screen. The main reason I can remember this experience is because of the chase scene involving Dash. When he started running on water, my eight-year-old body was levitating in the theater. That scene was one of the coolest things my young eyes had ever experienced up to that point! The little chuckle that Dash lets out is perfect.

The Incredibles was the sixth film released by Pixar Animation Studios. The catalog of movies made by Pixar is impressive, especially the early ones. They do an excellent job of creating films that the whole family can enjoy. It’s a tough decision, but my favorite Pixar film would either be Toy Story or The Incredibles. What’s your favorite Pixar film? There are many fantastic options!

This film was a smash hit at the box office and with critics. Upon original release, The Incredibles turned in $631,442,092 at the worldwide box office. It went on to receive four Academy Award nominations for Best Original Screenplay, Sound Mixing, Best Animated Feature, and Sound Editing. It ended up winning for Best Animated Feature and Sound Editing.

Brad Bird is the writer and director behind The Incredibles. This marks his second feature film, his first being The Iron Giant. I’ve actually never seen The Iron Giant; I should probably check that off my watchlist soon. Since The Incredibles, Bird has gone on to collaborate with Pixar multiple times with Ratatouille and Incredibles 2. He’s also directed Tomorrowland and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol. Fun fact: Brad Bird is the voice actor behind Edna Mode. No capes!

Let’s tackle some questions!

How does The Incredibles tie into the “Becoming a Dad” theme?

The dad at the center of this story is Bob Parr. When we are first introduced to his character, we see him as Mr. Incredible; he’s in tip-top shape and has a sweet car. He’s saving the world by fighting crime and rescuing cats from trees. These were the glory days for superheroes.

One night, Mr. Incredible had a bad turn of events. He rescues a civilian, Oliver Sansweet, from committing suicide. After saving Oliver, he runs into Bomb Voyage (what an awesome concept for a villain). Before Mr. Incredible can defeat Bomb Voyage, Incrediboy shows up to serve as Mr. Incredible’s sidekick. He becomes more of a distraction than a help. Bomb Voyage manages to clip an explosive to Incrediboy’s cape and escapes. Saving Incrediboy from the bomb, Mr. Incredible ends up blowing up a train track and causing injuries to many of the passengers.

Oliver and the passengers from the train sue Mr. Incredible for his actions. Dozens of other lawsuits break out involving other superheroes. In light of these lawsuits and public outrage, the government initiates the Superhero Relocation Program. Granting amnesty from past actions, the program forces the supers into hiding and bans them from using their powers in public.

Fast forward fifteen years later, Bob is married to Helen (Elastigirl). They have three children together: Violet, Dash, and Jack-Jack. They have a normal and stable suburban life. Bob has a job at an insurance company. You can tell he’s depressed. They aren’t a perfect family, and they argue. It’s not his wife and his kids causing his sadness though; he loves his family. The source of his depression is not being able to be super; he’s not cut out for the mundane desk job. He longs for the glory days.

Rather than involving his family, Bob slips back into secretly working as Mr. Incredible again. He ends up getting captured on a remote island by Syndrome (formerly Incrediboy) and puts his family in danger. Elastigirl, with the help of Violet and Dash, is able to save Mr. Incredible. Then, joining up with Frozone, they’re able to defeat the Omnidroid and Syndrome, saving the day!

Mr. Incredible’s selfishness almost got his family killed. He wanted to relive the glory days; he put his needs before the rest of the family. When you become a father, it’s important to understand your actions will have impacts on your whole family. With the Parr family being a family of superheroes, their actions were amplified. By the end of the film, Bob realizes there is more to life than being Mr. Incredible. Being a husband and a father is just as heroic. The new glory days are ahead of him with this mindset.

The Incredibles also does a phenomenal job of showcasing how the family unit is stronger as one. When everybody is on the same page and working together, it’s hard to be stopped. Even extending outside of the direct family, having a solid system is equally as important. Frozone and Edna Mode proved to be loyal and crucial in the success of the family.

Whose superpowers would you want most from The Incredibles?

Honestly, there isn’t a bad option. If I’m choosing, I’m taking Dash’s powers. I’ve always been sneaky fast, but I want to be the fastest. On top of fighting villains and crime, I feel like having superspeed would be convenient on a daily basis. My commute to work would be nonexistent. It may not be fair, but I could become the most dominant athlete in the world.

A close second would be Elastigirl’s stretching and flexibility. I’m not very limber; it would be a welcomed change to have additional elasticity in my life.

Whose powers would you want? Let me know in the comments below!

Do you wish The Incredibles was more represented at Disney World?

Correct me if I’m wrong, but the most prominent thing related to The Incredibles at Disney World are the character meet-and-greets. I have personally met Frozone myself. There are no attractions related to the beloved Pixar property. At Disneyland, they do have the Incredicoaster, but there is nothing at Disney World.

I wonder why this is the case. Maybe there have been conversations in the past or ongoing ones now, but I feel like this is a missed opportunity. The first movie has been out for over twenty years. As both a fan of Disney World and The Incredibles, I would love to see an attraction related to the supers. This franchise offers an avenue of creativity for imagineers to work in.

If Disney wants to consult with me, I have some ideas! My million-dollar idea that I’m giving away for free is a ride that is replicating Violet’s force shield bubble with Dash running inside. If Disney can build some kind of rolling or simulated rolling cart that resembles the force shield bubble, then the ride would go along a path as you run away from the velocipods. I believe that would be a blast! What are your thoughts? What would you like to see added to Disney World?

Movie recommendations if you liked The Incredibles?

• Toy Story (1995) - Directed by John Lasseter

• Spy Kids (2001) - Directed by Robert Rodriguez

• Fantastic Four (2005) - Directed by Tim Story

• Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011) - Directed by Brad Bird

• Incredibles 2 (2018) - Directed by Brad Bird

I love this movie; this is one I cannot wait to show my son! Now that we’ve defeated Syndrome, it’s time to lace up for next week. A childhood favorite of mine, we’ll be taking the field with Kicking & Screaming. Don’t get this confused with Noah Baumbach’s Kicking and Screaming; we’ll be watching the version starring Will Ferrell. This film is currently available to stream on Netflix. Thanks for reading!

Welcome to week two of the “Becoming a Dad” miniseries! Last week, we plunged into Eraserhead, a nightmare painted by David Lynch. This week, we take a trip with the Coen Brothers to Arizona for a slapstick comedy in Raising Arizona. This film is quite the opposite in tone and pace from Eraserhead, but there are still some similarities to be found.

For my East Coast readers, I hope you all stayed safe and warm during the winter storm. Luckily, it wasn’t as bad as predicted. It did offer a great opportunity to watch a lot of movies and drink plenty of coffee. Did anybody else watch Alex Honnold free solo the Taipei 101 skyscraper? After watching that impressive feat, I watched Free Solo, the documentary following Honnold’s quest to be the first-ever person to free solo El Capitan in Yosemite. That documentary made the Taipei 101 look like a jungle gym for Alex Honnold.

Subscribe now

I’m a big fan of a movie podcast called Blank Check with Griffin & David. On the podcast, Griffin and David discuss and review directors’ complete filmographies. Last year, they covered the filmography of Joel and Ethan Coen, often referred to as the Coen Brothers or the Coens. Prior to this miniseries on Blank Check, I’ve only seen a handful of their films. At this point, I’ve seen all of their films besides The Ladykillers and A Serious Man. I thoroughly enjoyed working through the entire filmography of the Coen Brothers from beginning to end with the podcast as supplemental material.

Over the course of their careers, the Coens have written and directed many genres and styles of films. They’ve created many iconic characters. Their main characters are often whimsical, misunderstood, cartoonish, or foolish. From what I’ve seen, the Coen Brothers don’t have a single bad film that they’ve worked on together, which consists of eighteen films total. I can argue that they have multiple masterpieces under their belt. My favorites from their filmography include Fargo, The Big Lebowski, No Country for Old Men, and Inside Llewyn Davis. What’s your favorite Coen Brothers film? Let me know in the comments below!

Raising Arizona is their second feature film, which is much different from their first feature film, Blood Simple. Right from the beginning, Raising Arizona has a blistering pace amplified by yodeling and a banjo. It makes me feel like I’m waiting in line for Thunder Mountain at Disney World. The Coens waste no time introducing us to an array of characters. Even at the pace set at the beginning of the film, the Coen Brothers execute it well, giving us all of the information we need and setting the tone for the rest of the film. Raising Arizona is a blast and offers a lot of laughs. It also has a warm and touching ending. What are your thoughts on the movie?

The stars of the movie are Nicolas Cage, who plays H.I. “Hi” McDunnough, and Holly Hunter, who plays Edwina “Ed” McDunnough. Cage is dynamite in this film. He brings a Looney Tunes energy to his character. Raising Arizona marks the only time that Nicolas Cage and the Coen Brothers collaborate together. Holly Hunter offers the perfect counterweight to Cage in this film. Her character is more grounded and mature compared to Hi. Hunter is uncredited in Blood Simple, but she will go on again to work with the Coen Brothers in O Brother, Where Art Thou? This won’t be the last time we’ll be talking about Holly Hunter in this miniseries.

John Goodman and William Forsythe play prisoners named Gale and Evelle. Goodman will go on to become a frequent collaborator with the Coen Brothers. He has appeared in Barton Fink, The Hudsucker Proxy, The Big Lebowski, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, and Inside Llewyn Davis. His performance as Walter Sobchak in The Big Lebowski is my favorite character he plays in a Coen Brothers movie.

Frances McDormand has a small part in Raising Arizona; she plays Dot. McDormand has been married to Joel Coen since 1984. She’s been in many films directed by the Coens. This includes Blood Simple, Miller’s Crossing, Barton Fink, Fargo, The Man Who Wasn’t There, Burn After Reading, and Hail, Caesar! She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for Fargo.

Some other notable characters include Trey Wilson as Nathan Arizona Sr., Sam McMurray as Glen, Randall “Tex” Cobb as Leonard Smalls, T.J. Kuhn as Nathan Junior, and Lynne Kitei as Florence Arizona.

How does Raising Arizona tie into the “Becoming a Dad” theme?

In the beginning of the film, we see Hi find himself in prison several times. He has a thing for robbing convenience stores. He meets and falls in love with Ed, a police officer who takes his mugshot each time he gets arrested. After learning that Ed’s fiancé left her, Hi proposes to her when he is released from prison. They go on to get married and live in a mobile home together.

Like many married couples, they want children. After many failed attempts, we learn the heartbreaking news that Ed is infertile. Still wanting a baby, they try the adoption route. With Hi’s criminal record, adoption was never an option. One evening while watching the news, they learn that quintuplets were born in the area to the Arizona family. With Hi and Ed being desperate for a baby and thinking that quintuplets are more than enough for one family, they kidnap one of the babies, Nathan Junior. Obviously, this is a criminal act, but I was rooting for them because they were so excited about having a baby.

From here, we see Hi take on fatherhood. When they get back home after kidnapping Nathan Junior, they sit down for a family photo. Half listening before the camera goes off, Ed asks Hi if he’s going to help out, have quiet evenings together, and be decent and normal moving forward.

It doesn’t take long for Hi to slip back into his old habits, mainly due to his former cellmates, Gale and Evelle, arriving at his home and being a negative influence on him. From here, Hi punches his foreman, Glen, in the face, robs a convenience store while buying Huggies, and is persuaded to leave his family to rob a bank with Gale and Evelle.

Hi robbing the convenience store while buying Huggies is easily my favorite scene in the film. Basically five minutes of perfection.

Raising Arizona does a great job of portraying how sudden fatherhood is. I don’t think anybody can be fully prepared to become a dad; Hi wasn’t. There might be times when a new dad is unsure what to do. In the film, every time somebody steals the baby, they also steal the baby manual. At times, things will feel chaotic. All of these things are normal, but it’s hard to prepare until you’re fully in it.

As soon as you become a dad, a new attitude and approach to life is needed. The people you surround yourself with are important. Hi was immature. Adding Gale and Evelle into the picture wasn’t helpful; it was more destructive. When you become a dad, I don’t think you have to change everything about your life. It’s healthy to have your own hobbies and passions. You can still hang out with your friends. But at the end of the day, your partner and your baby should come first and be fully supported.

At the end of the film, Hi does have a redeeming arc. He was always a protective father. With the help of Ed, he’s able to save Nathan Junior from the bounty hunter, Leonard Smalls. They sneak back into Arizona’s home to return Nathan Junior. Both Hi and Ed were naive entering the world of parenting. They thought becoming parents would make their life perfect. The few days they got to spend with Nathan Junior, they realized how messy being a parent can be. The film ends on an optimistic note. Hi has a dream where we see an elderly couple being visited by their children and their grandchildren. It’s unclear, but we are hopeful it’s Hi and Ed as the elderly couple. After the journey that Hi and Ed went through with Nathan Junior, I believe they’ve benefited from the experience and will be better prepared if they end up having their own child.

What are the Coen Brothers up to next?

As of recently, the Coen Brothers split up and started to pursue their own projects. I hope they reunite and make at least one more movie together.

Alongside Tricia Cooke, Ethan Coen had a movie released in 2025 titled Honey Don’t! I’m not sure what’s next for them.

It’s not officially dated, but Joel Coen has a film coming out soon called Jack of Spades. When I joined the Cinema on Tap podcast to discuss our most anticipated films of 2026, this film was on my list. We don’t know much about this film besides that it’s a gothic mystery starring Josh O’Connor, Frances McDormand, Lesley Manville, and Damian Lewis.

Movie recommendations if you liked Raising Arizona?

• Wild at Heart (1990) - Directed by David Lynch

• True Romance (1993) - Directed by Tony Scott

• Bottle Rocket (1996) - Directed by Wes Anderson

• The Big Lebowski (1998) - Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen

• O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) - Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen

That’s a wrap on Raising Arizona. If you haven’t explored the Coen Brothers’ work deeply, I highly suggest you do. It won’t be a waste of your time! Next week, we’ll be watching and discussing one of my favorite Pixar movies, The Incredibles. I’m sure many of you have already watched this film, but if you haven’t or want to rewatch, The Incredibles is streaming on Disney Plus. Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you back next week!