Best Velvet Jones Podcasts (2025)

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Terms & Conditions 1:26:46

14h ago1:26:46

1:26:46

Send us a text Know exactly what you’re signing up for and always read the terms & conditionsBy Velvet Jones & Qaadi

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Look Who's Talking Too with Max Minghella 2:34:02

6d ago2:34:02

2:34:02

The Ubriacco family are back and - can you believe it? - they’re still talking! Actor and filmmaker Max Minghella joins us to talk about Look Who’s Talking Too, the contractually-obligated, quickly produced sequel to Amy Heckerling’s surprise hit. We’re talking about Mr. Toilet Man (he eats your pee pee and poo poo), Elias Koteas’ Mr. Scary Uncle M…

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Look Who's Talking with Hillary Busis 2:23:34

13d ago2:23:34

2:23:34

In perhaps the spermiest film we’ve ever covered, John Travolta and Kirstie Alley hang out with a baby voiced by Bruce Willis and Amy Heckerling gets revenge on Harold Ramis. As David Sims says early in this episode - Look Who’s Talking is a VERY RICH text. Vanity Fair’s Hillary Busis joins us to talk about this 1989 “forgotbuster,” a film that mad…

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National Lampoon's European Vacation with Jon Gabrus 2:44:30

20d ago2:44:30

2:44:30

Congratulations! You’ve won an all-expenses-paid vacation with Griffin, David, Ben, and Jon Gabrus to Europe! Only downside is…well, you have to watch this movie. From the strange cultural stereotypes to the unfortunate lack of jokes, Amy Heckerling’s sequel to National Lampoon’s Vacation isn’t the smoothest trip. But, it certainly gives us an excu…

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Johnny Dangerously with Josh Gondelman 2:27:32

27d ago2:27:32

2:27:32

He’s the nicest bad guy in town. His last name is an adverb. And he’s got some pretty wacky bits! Sweetie pie comedian Josh Gondelman joins us to talk about 1984’s Johnny Dangerously, Amy Heckerling’s loving homage to 1930’s gangster pictures. Things we attempt to understand in this episode: the cultural legacy of Joe Piscopo; the actual joke that’…

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The Stones & Brian Jones 50:00

30d ago50:00

50:00

We’re diving into The Stones & Brian Jones — a documentary that pulls back the curtain on the early chaos, genius, and tragedy at the heart of The Rolling Stones. We talk about Brian’s outsized influence, the cracks that formed inside the band, and how the myth of the Stones was built on both brilliance and betrayal. Was Brian the true architect of…

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Fast Times at Ridgemont High with Lola Kirke 2:28:53

1M ago2:28:53

2:28:53

We’re grabbing our Vans slip ons and heading to the mall as we kick off our Amy Heckerling series - Pod Times at Ridgemont Cast - with Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Fresh off her appearance in Sinners, actual high school friend of Griffin Newman Lola Kirke returns to the pod and things get pretty bogus. Like, David Lynch was supposed to direct this…

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Schindler's List with David Ehrlich 3:51:02

1M ago3:51:02

3:51:02

Our Early Spielberg series concludes with a movie that is a super fun time and not at all distressing to watch in our current political climate! David Ehrlich joins us to discuss 1993’s Schindler’s List, the film that defined the visual language of the Holocaust and finally got Spielberg his Oscar. We’re getting into the critical debates about this…

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Jurassic Park with Sean Fennessey 3:24:43

2M ago3:24:43

3:24:43

God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates Steven Spielberg. Steven Spielberg makes 1993’s Jurassic Park and changes movie history. The Big Picture’s Sean Fennessey joins us to talk about this totemic blockbuster, and we’re spending three hours talking about the bad boys of the Jurassic era (velociraptors), the bad boys of ILM (Stev…

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Hook with Lin-Manuel Miranda 2:33:01

2M ago2:33:01

2:33:01

Everyone knows Captain Hook got swallowed by the crocodile at the end of Peter Pan. But what this movie presupposes is…maybe he didn’t? Let us go back to a time when the coolest thing a kid could have was a clubhouse that looked like a skatepark…when the worst thing a dad could do was own a cell phone…and when the craziest thing a filmmaker could d…

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SLY LIVES! 50:10

2M ago50:10

50:10

An affectionate celebration of Sly & the Family Stone that's all the more powerful for recognizing its subject's flaws, SLY LIVES! is a sterling sophomore documentary feature from Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson.

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YN’s Run the World 51:20

2M ago51:20

51:20

Send us a textBy Velvet Jones & Qaadi

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Always with Richard Lawson 2:39:35

2M ago2:39:35

2:39:35

Is it possible for Steven Spielberg to make a movie that doesn’t exist? Well, he sure tried with 1989’s Always, a film where John Goodman plays Monterey Jack of the Rescue Rangers, Richard Dreyfuss riffs to no one as an annoying ghost, and Holly Hunter falls in love with the most dull hottie at the Plane Depot. Our beloved Richard Lawson joins us t…

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Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade with Chris Gethard 2:47:38

2M ago2:47:38

2:47:38

What if Indiana Jones had a dad who was a “grail scholar" but also his “eskimo brother" and he was played by James Bond and he had a funny little hat? We are so glad Steven Spielberg dared to imagine this scenario because we got Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade out of it! Chris Gethard - The self-proclaimed “Bad Boy of Blank Check Guests” - joins…

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Empire of the Sun with Bilge Ebiri 2:57:11

3M ago2:57:11

2:57:11

Our Spielbergian journey takes us to new dramatic heights with 1987’s Empire of the Sun, the film that brought us Christian Bale (discovered by Amy Irving!), unexpected Joey Pants and Ben Stiller appearances, and a perfect use of John Malkovich. Bilge Ebiri joins us (and the Five Timers Club) to chat about how underrated this film is within the Spi…

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Back To Basics 1:03:40

3M ago1:03:40

1:03:40

Send us a textBy Velvet Jones & Qaadi

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The Color Purple with Kenice Mobley 3:01:03

3M ago3:01:03

3:01:03

After inventing the Hollywood blockbuster with Jaws, creating the world’s most loveable alien with E.T., and resurrecting the classic adventure serial with the Indiana Jones franchise, of course the next logical step in Steven Spielberg’s career was to…adapt Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel about the survival and strength of queer black …

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Blank Check LIVE! at Town Hall (2025) 3:42

3M ago3:42

3:42

👑👑 A LIVE SHOW OF MAJESTIC PROPORTIONS 👑👑 Podcasters, cinephiles, and freaks—rejoice! Blank Check will be returning to Town Hall this summer to commemorate our 10th anniversary with a long-promised tribute to one of the greatest films in cinema history. To honor our “Decade of Dreams,” we cordially invite you to a royal audience with King Ralph, th…

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Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom with Olivia Craighead 2:38:40

3M ago2:38:40

2:38:40

“Doom” isn’t just describing a Temple here, folks - it’s kind of the overarching vibe of this film! George Lucas is going through a bitter divorce. Steven Spielberg is dealing with PTSD from Twilight Zone: The Movie. Harrison Ford is suffering from a back injury from falling off an elephant or something. Kate Capshaw is there. A true cloud of doom …

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Becoming Led Zeppelin 47:28

3M ago47:28

47:28

The documentary presents the origins of Led Zeppelin, this doc isn’t the definitive document on the band but blows the roof off with its killer soundtrack.

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The Tenth Annual Blank Check Awards with Joe Reid 3:00:02

3M ago3:00:02

3:00:02

It’s a wonderful night for Blankies! Join us and This Had Oscar Buzz’s Joe Reid as we survey the year that was 2024 in cinema. Not to spoil too much, but some things that happen in this episode: Griffy Crystal sings a tribute to The Brutalist to the tune of “Bootylicious,” Nosferatu wins zero awards but shows up to present every category, Griffin i…

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E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial 2:56:55

3M ago2:56:55

2:56:55

We’re putting out a bit of a throwback episode for the most iconic (literal) blankie in film history - this week’s E.T. episode is guestless, with Griffin going rogue off the dossier, David making fun of Griffin for being an adult who likes toys and animation, and Ben getting emotional over a family film…decade of dreams, baby! Join us as we gush o…

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Raiders of the Lost Ark with Brian Michael Bendis 3:30:12

4M ago3:30:12

3:30:12

You’re a young movie fan. It’s 1981. STEVEN SPIELBERG is teaming up with FREAKING GEORGE LUCAS (!?!?!) to make a movie with HAN SOLO…can you imagine how hyped you’d be?? Marvel Comics legend Brian Michael Bendis joins us to recount the colossal impact of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK in this rollicking adventure of an episode. Jewish mysticism and weird …

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1941 with Mike Mitchell & Nick Wiger 2:50:01

4M ago2:50:01

2:50:01

He invented the summer blockbuster. He inspired millions of people around the world to “watch the skies.” And now, he has sent Griffin Newman into an existential crisis over the question “what is comedy?” Our friends Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger of The Doughboys join us to talk about Steven Spielberg’s infamously unfunny 1941. Why IS this film - lo…

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Close Encounters of the Third Kind with J.D. Amato 2:56:57

4M ago2:56:57

2:56:57

Five curious tones. A mountain of mashed potatoes. Bob Balaban with a beard speaking french. After the industry-changing success of JAWS, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND feels like a classic “blank check.” But it’s a little more nuanced than that! JD Amato returns for his 10th mainfeed appearance this week, and we’re getting into all of the prod…

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Jaws with Timothy Simons 2:59:08

4M ago2:59:08

2:59:08

Dunnnh dun. Dunnnh dun. Never before had two notes provoked such terror as they did in JAWS, the 1975 classic that invented the summer blockbuster, catapulted Steven Spielberg to Hollywood legend status, and inspired generational trauma about water. Actor and recognizable famous person Timothy Simons joins us to talk about this classic shark tale, …

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The Sugarland Express with Esther Zuckerman 2:25:13

5M ago2:25:13

2:25:13

Young whippersnapper Steven Spielberg continues his run of dusty, road-centric films with 1974’s THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS, and we’re along for the (surprisingly chill) ride. Writer Esther Zuckerman joins us to discuss the cinematic persona of Goldie Hawn, William Atherton’s strange period of leading-man roles, the harmonica stylings of Belgian jazz le…

1
Duel 2:10:10

5M ago2:10:10

2:10:10

2025! Blank Check Year 10! Year of Miracles! In honor of our record 10th year of podcasting, we’re doing something we’ve never done before - going back to fill in the gaps on a filmography we’ve previously only partially covered. And what a filmography it is - folks, welcome to PODRASSIC CAST. We’re starting our exploration of the first half of Ste…

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Twin Peaks: The Return (Episodes 14-18) with Jane Schoenbrun 2:28:20

5M ago2:28:20

2:28:20

What year is it? Well, it’s 2024 - but not for long. It’s our last episode of the year! Director of this year’s I SAW THE TV GLOW Jane Schoenbrun joins us to talk about the conclusion of Twin Peaks: The Return, and, by default, the conclusion of our David Lynch series. In a show that intentionally defies the very concept of resolution, how do we pu…

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Twin Peaks: The Return (Episodes 9-13) with Fran Hoepfner 2:38:18

6M ago2:38:18

2:38:18

Dougie gets it on (or, more accurately, Naomi Watts gets HER Dougie on), guest Fran Hoepfner pitches her artisanal slime for adults (don’t steal the idea), and we relitigate LOST for the hundredth time in this penultimate episode of our Twin Peaks: The Return coverage. Can adults get mono? Why is it so hard for Lucy and Andy to buy a chair? THAT is…

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Twin Peaks: The Return (Episode 8) with Connor Ratliff 2:26:43

6M ago2:26:43

2:26:43

This is the podcast. These are the (two) friends. Drink full, and descend. The famous “Atomic Bomb” episode of The Return stands as one of David Lynch’s most defining works, an “origin story” for Twin Peaks, and one of the most experimental hours ever to air on narrative television. In a rare moment of “double dipping,” Twin Peaks S2 guest Connor R…

1
Twin Peaks: The Return (Episodes 1-7) 2:23:12

6M ago2:23:12

2:23:12

It is happening again - we’re covering TV! Or is it an 18-part movie? Much to ponder. We’re heading back to the Pacific Northwest (and Vegas…and New York…and the Red Room…and outer space?) in our first of four episodes covering Showtime’s 2017 series “Twin Peaks: The Return.” So far, we’ve got tulpas, Caleb Laundry Bag, three distinct versions of D…

1
Inland Empire with David Rees 3:08:24

6M ago3:08:24

3:08:24

Only on Blank Check would an episode about David Lynch’s deeply destabilizing INLAND EMPIRE turn into a heartfelt celebration of creativity and the human experience. David Rees joins us and brings receipts - including literal receipts for every movie ticket he purchased in 2007 and his high school newspaper review of Twin Peaks (a pan) - as we gush…

1
Mulholland Drive with Leslye Headland 3:50:41

6M ago3:50:41

3:50:41

Is it a dream? Is it about a dream? Is it a TV pilot? Is it the greatest film of the 21st century? In any case, Leslye Headland returns to the podcast to talk about David Lynch’s endlessly fascinating 2001 masterpiece MULHOLLAND DR. We may not have all the answers, but we do have a lot of thoughts about Hollywood, about Billy Ray Cyrus, about actor…

1
Here 1:56:00

7M ago1:56:00

1:56:00

We apologize in advance if you had a profound emotional experience with the new Robert Zemeckis joint - HERE felt like more of a “Here?? What???? Why?” to us. Dinosaurs, Benjamin Franklin’s cuck son, a man dying from laughter, a horny couple who invent the LA-Z Boy, airplane man (who does NOT die from airplane), and the double whammy of the Black L…

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The Straight Story with Dana Stevens 2:17:03

7M ago2:17:03

2:17:03

Walt Disney Pictures Presents A Film By David Lynch. And what a beautiful, expectation-defying, G-rated, cold-glass-of-beer film it is. Dana Stevens joins us to talk about 1999’s The Straight Story, a film that showcases Lynch’s fascination with Americana and his deep empathy for characters on the margins. Join us on a journey through the Midwest (…

1
Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg 44:46

7M ago44:46

44:46

An exploration of the life of Anita Pallenberg, European actress and rock ’n’ roll muse. Told in Anita’s own words, from her unpublished memoir, and in the words of her family, this bittersweet film is a never-seen-before look at life with The Rolling Stones.

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Lost Highway with David Lowery 2:44:15

7M ago2:44:15

2:44:15

1997’s Lost Highway - is it (as David Sims wrote on Letterboxd), “a movie about headache”? Is it David Lynch’s most visually beautiful film? Is it a dry run for Mulholland Dr? A radical reimagining of Bill Pullman’s screen presence? A psychogenic fugue? Lynch’s commentary on the OJ Simpson trial? An excuse for David Sims to go off on the concept of…

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Joker: Hallie À Goodrich 2:20:27

7M ago2:20:27

2:20:27

What if they made a sequel to the Joker movie that was pretty much the finale of Seinfeld but it’s also a half-assed jukebox musical, and EVERYONE hated it? What if Michael Keaton had a 35-year-old pregnant daughter, but he also had precocious 9-year-old twins and a Los Angeles art gallery on the verge of financial collapse? Both scenarios lay the …

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Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me with Arkasha Stevenson 2:12:29

8M ago2:12:29

2:12:29

One of the more harrowing films we’ve covered on the podcast (and the second film we’ve covered in 2024 with a memorable “gobble gobble” line), 1992’s TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME was not the quirky, enjoyable plotline wrap-up fans of Twin Peaks wanted. David Lynch instead challenged the audience to identify with Laura Palmer’s humanity and pain, …

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Wild at Heart with Tatiana Maslany 2:05:20

8M ago2:05:20

2:05:20

If we told you this was the first time we’d covered a Nicolas Cage movie on the podcast - would you believe us? Well, baby - it’s true. And what a movie it is! The luminous Tatiana Maslany returns to talk about David Lynch’s smokin’ hot outlaw romance WILD AT HEART - a film that won the Palme d’Or and took Lynch away from the set of Twin Peaks. Get…

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Oasis - Supersonic 48:28

8M ago48:28

48:28

We discuss Oasis - Supersonic. From award-winning director Mat Whitecross and featuring extensive unseen archive footage, Supersonic charts the meteoric rise of Oasis from the council estates of Manchester to some of the biggest concerts of all time in just three short years. This palpable, raw and moving film shines a light on one of the most genr…

1
Twin Peaks (Season 1) with Eva Anderson 3:09:49

8M ago3:09:49

3:09:49

For a brief shining moment, Middle America went crazy for the surreal soap opera stylings of David Lynch and Mark Frost. We’re talking ABC, primetime, airing against “Cheers”-level mainstream. And then it all came crashing down. Listen as we take our first step into the intoxicating world of Twin Peaks - one of the most influential television serie…

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Blue Velvet with Jamie Loftus 2:53:27

8M ago2:53:27

2:53:27

Lend us your (severed) ears! This week, we’re jumping back into our Lynch series with a trip to Lumberton, USA, as our beloved Jamie Loftus joins us to chat about 1986’s BLUE VELVET. We’re going deep on the star persona of Kyle MacLachlan, David Sims’ obsession with Dean Stockwell, and David Lynch’s unironic obsession with Americana. How does a mov…

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Beetlejuice Beetlejuice 2:12:40

9M ago2:12:40

2:12:40

We’re taking a break from David Lynch to answer one of the year’s biggest questions - Is Burton Back, Baby? Ummmm…kind of! Grab your “Handbook for the Recently Deceased” commemorative popcorn tin and join us as we attempt to untangle the very messy BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE. Which sequences wowed us with their sparkling ingenuity? Which plotlines wou…

1
Dune with John Hodgman 3:05:17

9M ago3:05:17

3:05:17

The sleeper must awaken. The filmography must contain a flop. We’ve arrived at the Planet Arrakis aka the Desert Planet aka DUNE (1984) - David Lynch’s attempt at wrangling Frank Herbert’s space epic into a single studio blockbuster. Did it work? Not really. Do we have fun talking about it? Hell yeah, we do! John Hodgman joins us to talk about all …

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The Elephant Man with Alex Ross Perry 3:03:26

9M ago3:03:26

3:03:26

We’re getting in touch with our emotions this week, as Alex Ross Perry joins us to talk about Lynch’s deeply-felt, sensitively-rendered 1980 classic THE ELEPHANT MAN. Is this the most “normal” movie in Lynch’s filmography? What does “normal” mean, anyway? As with all Alex episodes, questions are posed and hotly debated, such as: What filmmakers, as…

1
The Velvet Underground 39:57

9M ago39:57

39:57

The Velvet Underground takes a fittingly idiosyncratic approach to delivering a rock documentary that captures the band as well as its era.

1
Eraserhead 2:17:46

9M ago2:17:46

2:17:46

In heaven (and in podcasting), everything is fine. Welcome to TWIN PODS: FIRE CAST WITH ME, a series on the films of David Lynch - former Eagle Scout and totally normal human man. With his 1977 debut feature ERASERHEAD, Lynch burst on to the scene somewhat fully formed as an artist, confused by normal social interactions and motivated by a seething…

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Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 2:38:20

10M ago2:38:20

2:38:20

Welp, our Kevin Costner series ends not with a bang, but a whimper. With the pulling of Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2 from theaters, we are left to only speculate what the future holds for Costner’s self-funded crazy passion project. What we can tell you is that Chapter 1 doesn’t really feel like its own self-contained movie. Plotlines are …

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