Episode 326 – His Kind of Woman (1951)

Max, Mike; Movies

#Cinema #Max Mike Movies #Mike Movies

50:30

Episode Notes [00:00] The Importance of Questioning [01:21] Introduction to Curated Questions [02:20] Meet Kevin Kelly [03:56] Kevin Kelly's Mentor: Stewart Brand [05:33] The Role of Questions in Intellectual Traditions [06:47] Disequilibrium and Growth [10:21] Embodied Questions and Exploration [11:11] Balancing Exploration and Exploitation [11:50] The Inefficiency of Questioning [15:53] The Abundance Mindset [18:39] The Inevitable and Quality Questions [19:26] Hill Climbing vs. Hill Making [22:28] The Challenge of Innovation [24:13] The Beauty of Engineering and Innovation [24:34] Navigating the Frontier of New Technologies [25:33] The Role of AI in Question Formulation [26:43] Challenges in Advancing AI Capabilities [29:11] The Long Now Foundation and the 10,000 Year Clock [29:56] Transmitting Values Over Time [31:03] Ethics in AI and Self-Driving Cars [33:26] The Art of Questioning [34:04] Photography: Capturing vs. Creating [36:12] The Inefficiency of Exploration [38:36] Daily Practice and Long-Term Success [40:17] The Importance of Quantity for Quality [43:22] Final Thoughts and Encouragement on Questioning [46:24] Summary Takeaways Resources Mentioned Wired Magazine Whole Earth Review WELL Hackers Conference What Technology Wants by Kevin Kelly The Inevitable by Kevin Kelly Cool Tools Project Long Now Foundation Stewart Brand Socratic Method Koan René Descartes Conde Nast Vouge Olivetti Typewriter Trolley Problem Terry Gross Lex Friedman Tim Ferriss KK.org Kevin2Kelly on Instagram Recomendo Newsletter Excellent Advice for Living Beauty Pill Producer Ben Ford Questions Asked When did you first understand the power of questions? Can I do that? Can that be something that you can learn? How did questions function differently between Eastern versus Western intellectual traditions? What role do you think embodied questions those we explore through doing rather than thinking play in developing wisdom? What's on the other side of the hill? What happens if you go to the end? What's the origin of this? How should one think about the exploratory in one's life? Is there anything that you would add to your list of 15 statements that define what makes a quality question? Is there a qualitative difference between the questions humans are asking and the questions our AI systems are beginning to formulate? What do you think would help them get there? Any idea on a forcing function on how we get them [LLMs] to ask the better questions so that they might improve in that direction? What were some novel questions that broke your brain at the time in thinking about this 10,000-year clock or beyond? What's it good for? What would you use it for? What else could you do over the long term for 10,000 years? How do you transmit values over time? How do you evolve values that need to change, and how do you make a difference? How do even know what you don't want to change? What do you want to continue? What's the most essential aspects of our civilization that we don't want to go away? What are the rules? What is the system? How do you pass things along in time and not change the ones you don't wanna change, and make sure you change the ones that are more adaptable so they can adapt? What do you think about questioning itself as an art form? How has being a photographer influenced the way you question reality, visually compared to verbally? Are you a photographer that takes photos or makes photos? What will happen? What will happen next? What are your right now questions that you are wrestling with or working with in your life? Can someone else do what I'm trying to do here? Am I more me in doing my art or more me in doing the writing? Do you have any other thoughts or encouragement about questions that we haven't explored? What makes a good question? How do you ask a good question? What questions do you dwell on to be in purposeful imbalance? What is your practice in embracing the inefficient nature of questions to achieve breakthroughs? What are the new hills you can build and frontiers you can explore? How can you use your curiosity and humanity to pursue questions that trend toward the fringes?…

about a year ago 1:03:38

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I looked at the recently-dug grave and read the name on cheap headstone: “Remember! You Asked for It!” I considered how ironic irony can be. Ironically. It was hard reading the headstone upside down, and the heavy rain was pouring up my nose. Maybe hanging upside down from a tree branch wasn’t the most dignified way to lay a perfectly good series to rest, but life can be funny that way. Not “ha ha” funny, like hanging upside down by your knees in a tree in a cemetery is . . . c’mon, that’s pretty funny, right? But funny in the other way. As I swung slowly back and forth, the tree bark shredding the thinning fabric of my lederhosen, I pondered about the fundamental unfairness of the universe. Why? Why did so many good series have to end, while evil, vile, revolting ponies clip-clopped around, alive and free? What did it all mean? Why did this series in particular have to end with a 1951 Robert Mitchum/Jane Russell film noir? Why would Val Kuhns, the creator of the Second Greatest Known Podcast suggest such a movie to us? And how much would it hurt when my knees gave out and I fell from the tree branch onto the upturned rakes that I had previously not noticed directly below me? I guess we’d never know the answers to some of these questions . . . but I was pretty damn sure I’d find out the answer to that last one any minute . . . give a listen before my legs give out.

Poll question: is there a country, other than the U.S., whose movies you particularly enjoy?

300 episodes

Max, Mike; Movies

Episode 326 – His Kind of Woman (1951)

Max, Mike; Movies

published about a year ago

MP3•Episode home

Poll question: is there a country, other than the U.S., whose movies you particularly enjoy?

300 episodes

#Cinema #Max Mike Movies #Mike Movies

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Max, Mike; Movies

1
Episode 336 – Them! (1954) 1:03:28

20 hours ago1:03:28

1:03:28

This week’s entry in our series “Oh No! A Giant Monster!” asks the question “Just what makes that little old ant/Think he’ll move that rubber tree plant/Everyone knows an ant/Can’t/Move a rubber tree plant.” BUT what if that selfsame ant is mutated by the magic that is 1950’s radiation into a GIANT ant? You don’t think he could smack around all the rubber tree plants he wants? Of course he can! And that’s the message of this week’s movie “Them!” That’s right, if you come up against a problem that seems too big for you to handle, get yourself exposed to the sorcerous wonder that is nuclear radiation and grow to gigantic size. It worked for the Amazing Colossal man! It worked for the Fifty Foot Woman! It can work for you and me. Hmmm . . . ok, maybe that isn’t exactly the message of this week’s movie. I suppose a more literalist interpretation would be more along the lines of “OH MY GOD! GIANT ANTS ARE KILLING PEOPLE! KILL THEM KILL THEM KILL THEM! SOMEONE GET A REALLY BIG SNEAKER TO HIT THEM WITH!” Yeah, if I’m being honest, that’s closer to the heart of this movie. But do these cinematic Hymenoptra terrify or just look silly? How about the actors? Hey, Peter Graves’ brother James Arness is in this! Does that count for something? Give a listen and find out! Poll question: what kind of movie monster can you just not take seriously?…

Max, Mike; Movies

1
Episode 335 – Super 8 (2011) 1:00:24

8 days ago1:00:24

1:00:24

Welcome to a brand new, city-crushing series! We here at Max, Mike; Movies like to be larger-than-life so we’re trying to come up with some larger-than-life ideas for AHHHHH! A GIANT MONSTER IS ATTACKING THE CITY!! Ohhhhhh! Is it the judgment of the gods? Is it a metaphor for nuclear destruction? Perhaps it is the friend of all children! Hmmm, one would think the friend of all children would step on fewer orphanages, but perhaps the monster is just lonely or misunderstood. Giant monsters: so like us, and yet so not. But boy, do they generate a great number of movies, so we’re gonna talk about a bunch of them and perhaps THAT will save the city! Hey, it’s worth a try! We’re kicking off our new series, “Oh No! A Giant Monster!” with an early J.J. Abrams movie, produced by Steven Spielberg, so you know there will be adorable kids and plenty o’ lens flares! What more could a movie need? Why, a giant monster, that’s what! Give a listen and find out if we are all DOOOOOOMED or if beauty will kill the beast. Poll question: what movie really represents your childhood?…

Max, Mike; Movies

1
Episode 334 – Repo Man (1984) 1:00:48

15 days ago1:00:48

1:00:48

Oi! We’re so done with our f-ing series “I Can’t Believe You Haven’t Seen That 3: the ReBelievening”! And we’re closing it out with some serious PUNK ACTION! “Repo Man”! Yeah! Because Mike and I are totally punk! Look, Mike’s got a safety-pin stuck through his shirt collar in place of a button! How punk is that?! Me, I’m refusing to repair this small rip in my pants because ANARCHY! Yeah! Rage! Like this movie, we’re consumed by the anger and the frustration of the 1980’s and we’re not gonna take it! Mike, flip over that table! . . . No, no, don’t carefully turn it on its side after removing everything on it . . . well, sure move the vase of flowers out of the way, we don’t want water everywhere but YEAH! PUNK ROCK! I’m gonna kick over this chair! . . . Oh geez, oh geez, did I scratch the finish? Tell me I didn’t scratch the finish! I’m not hyperventilating, YOU’RE hyperventilating! And can we turn down that awful noise? Why does this music have to be so gosh darn loud? Who are they guys anyway? “Circle Jerks” . . . what kind of name is that?! It’s so . . . vulgar! But . . . it’s punk . . .? I don’t know, I just don’t, I mean . . . punk . . . rock . . . smash . . . burn . . . . . look, I just need some chamomile tea and a nice sit-down for a while. You folks give a listen to our podcast and such. Mike, can you put on some Enya? Poll question: what’s a movie people can’t believe you haven’t seen?…

Max, Mike; Movies

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Episode 333 – Nosferatu (2024) 1:00:53

29 days ago1:00:53

1:00:53

Good eeeeevening. Ve bid you velcome to our humble series “I Can’t Believe You Haven’t Seen That 3: the ReBelievening”. We are your vun! Two! Two hosts! AH AH AH AH! {THUNDERCLAP}, Count Max and Just-Learned-To-Count Mike, here in Castle MaxMikeMoviesStein. Zis veek, ve are discussing a true feel-good romp that vill make ze cheeldren of de night make de most beautiful music: 2024’s “Nosferatu.” A remake/tribute/vot-haff-you of the slanderous movies of ze same name from 1922 and 1979, zis varm, family-friendly delight tells ze story of a lovable but misunderstood nobleman and his adorable band of plague rats who just vant to be luffed. Is zat so wronk? Jolly Count Orlok only vants to leave his drafty, old castle in Transylvania and move into a new, modern, drafty old castle in Wisburg, Germany, vere his crush, Ellen, liffs. But Ellen has never even met the genial, bumbling Count! Oh no! Such vacky hijinks vill ensue! Voops, Orlok has killed and eaten the entire crew of the ship carrying him to his new home. Zany! Oh, no! Orlok, in his hurry to bring his new girlfriend a basket of posies or something, has accidentally released a ravening plague upon Wisburg, killing hundreds! Who hasn’t made ze same mistake, am I right, fellas? So relatable! So, pull up a coffin, gather any sweet, succulent cheeldren you might haff around, and enjoy your favorite drink while we discuss “Nosferatu.” Just not vine. Ve do not drink . . . vine. Poll question: What is your favorite horror movie and why?…

Max, Mike; Movies

1
Episode 332 – Carrie (1976) 1:01:57

5 weeks ago1:01:57

1:01:57

High school, am I right? The combination of the onslaught of puberty, dealing with new people, peer pressure . . . everyone has their own nightmare. But what is the most terrifying thing about high school? Teenage girls. Well, if you’re a teenage boy, anyway (although I’ve heard this same thing from some former teenage girls so maybe I’m on to something). What terrors they command: they might laugh at us, they might start vicious rumors about us, they might not invite us to the “cool” party, they might shatter our bones with their telekinetic powers . . . hm? Really? That didn’t happen to any of you? Just me? Actually, wait, did that actually happen to me or am I once again unable to distinguish reality from a movie I just watched. Man, I hate when that happens; it was especially embarrassing after “Cats” . . . but anyway! This week’s entry in our series “I Can’t Believe You Haven’t Seen That 3: the ReBelievening” is Stephen King’s first film adaptation of his first novel “Carrie,” a movie about a shy, tortured teenager with mysterious powers. It also stars William Katt, and I have to take a moment here to say to Brian De Palma, this movie’s director: you missed a golden opportunity for a Stephen King/Greatest American Hero crossover. That would have been one for the ages. But is the actual movie one for the ages? Give a listen and find out what we think! Poll question: what’s your favorite Steven King adaptation?…

Max, Mike; Movies

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Episode 331 – Moon (2009) 57:05

6 weeks ago57:05

57:05

Ah, the Moon. Distant. Mysterious. Probably not made of cheese (or that’s what they WANT you to believe). Its light is great for dancing . . . in. That’s what we call a “Moondance,” and what a marvelous night it is for one! Sometimes it’s a “Blue Moon”, sometimes we have to beg it to “Shine On, Harvest Moon.” There might be a “Man on the Moon!” See those women over there? They might be “Sisters of the Moon!” You don’t know, they might be! Why are you arguing with me?! Do you see a “Bad Moon Rising”? Just listen to that “Moonlight Serenade”! Some say it’s “Only a Paper Moon” but you’d think it would fall apart after a while. Or get soggy from all that space humidity But what’s that behind you?! Are you being followed by a “Moonshadow”?! Call the proper authorities! But this week’s cinematic tribute to the Moon, in our series “I Can’t Believe You Haven’t Seen That 3: the ReBelievening,” is titled simply “Moon” and Max has never seen it! And yes, there’s a guy “Walking on the Moon” and that guy is Sam Rockwell! More than once, too (check out the show; you’ll see what I mean). Join us and see if the moon hits our eye like a big pizza pie, and if we need subsequent medical treatment or corneal grafts! And consider the question: “flag on the moon . . . how did it get there?” Whoooaaaaaaaa . . . Poll question: what is one of your favorite movies and why? Comment or call our hotline at 617-398-7266.…

Max, Mike; Movies

1
Episode 330 – Saturday Night Fever (1977) 1:04:07

7 weeks ago1:04:07

1:04:07

Welcome back, ‘Super Freaks’! We’re cool and groovin’ our ‘Good Times’ here in our “I Can’t Believe You Haven’t Seen That Part 3: The Rebelievening” and we’re going to ‘Get Down Tonight’ with that ‘Disco Inferno’ of a movie “Saturday Night Fever”! Why? Because Mike’s never seen it, so we’re going to ‘Turn the Beat Around’ in a ‘Celebration’ of the disco era! We’re not trying to be ‘Bad Girls’ here, we just ‘Love the Nightlife’. So come and ‘Boogie Oogie Oogie’ with us and see what made John Travolta’s film career ‘Hustle’ on up to the top! Mike and me, ‘We Are Family,’ so we’re in this together with you! Because who doesn’t loathe love disco? I certainly do one of those things! I don’t want to ‘Rock the Boat’ here in this ‘Boogie Wonderland’ but while this movie thinks ‘You Should Be Dancing,’ we’d like it if you’d give us a listen while you pick out your favorite leisure suit and see which of your bell-bottoms flare out the widest! Not to worry, I’m not coming down with ‘Night Fever’, I’m just barely ‘Stayin’ Alive’, reliving the hellscape that was disco. I have to stop now. If I keep quoting disco song titles, I’m not sure that ‘I Will Survive’ DAMMIT!!!!! Poll question: what style of music would you like to see more represented in movies?…

Max, Mike; Movies

1
Episode 329 – Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) 59:30

8 weeks ago59:30

59:30

Oi, oi, oi, me old tatters and whiskey! In this week’s nobble and flonk, by which I mean “I Can’t Believe You Haven’t Seen That Part 3: The Rebelievening,” your ol’ nachos and carburetors Max and Mike are taking a bit of a what’s-that-pancreas at Guy Ritchie’s “Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels.” That’s a bit of the ol’ knee joints and lava lamps, innit? Too right! This here framistat’s-knickers is one serious right-in-the-bollocks, you can bet your Uncle Ernie’s dialysis machine! And I’m not just needlin’ the ham sandwich with the ol’ penguin relish garnish, eh? We got thrills, violence, Sting, more violence, a floor-swaddling soundtrack, and did I mention violence? Bet your third cousin’s beehive muskrat I did! Not to mention loads of Cockney rhyming slang, which unlike the load of rhesus monkey dandelions I’ve been tossing about isn’t completely made up out of my own neck-topper! Bugger me bubble-and-squeak but me standard linguistic skills have totally gone chambermaid’s diploma because of all this! Someone call the odd’s bullywogs! I mean the poodle-fluff rampy-stamp! I mean the Heisenberg shrimp kebabs! I mean . . Poll question: what is your favorite heist movie?…

Max, Mike; Movies

1
Episode 328 – Diner (1982) 1:01:18

9 weeks ago1:01:18

1:01:18

Hiya, folks! Good to see you here at the Max, Mike; Movies Diner! Sit wherever you like, fire up your podcast app and listen to our tasty selections! Today’s Special: “I Can’t Believe You Haven’t Seen That Part 3!” – 10 Bumpybux With “The ReBelievening” Sauce – 13 Bumpybux The Barry Levinson (A Reuben sandwich but with more Oscar potential) – 8 Bumpybux The Mickey Rourke (Meatloaf sandwich; order it fast, while it still looks good. That won’t last.) – 7 Bumpybux The Kevin Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato (solid, reliable, heated to six degrees) – 9 Bumpybux The Daniel Stern (a hotdog wrapped in a pancake and garnished with Captain Crunch cereal; perfect for takeout to eat Home Alone) – 7.5 Bumpybux The Tim Daly (spam and Velveeta on white bread with mayonnaise) – 6 Bumpybux The Paul Reiser (ham sandwich, dry and amusing, spicy mustard, extra ham. You’ll be Mad about It) – 7 Bumpybux The Ellen Barkin (hot tomato. Extra hot. Really hot) – 9 Bumpybux The Steve Guttenberg (who cares. Order this and we punch you in the face) – 1 punch in the face. The Left Side of the Menu (all our best ground, fried, and grilled pony recipes) – We pay you 25 Bumpybux Poll question: What specific location do you think has been over-used in movies? Coffee shop? Front seat of a car? Comment here or call our hotline at 617-398-7266.…

Max, Mike; Movies

1
Episode 327 – Quadrophenia (1979) 1:02:13

10 weeks ago1:02:13

1:02:13

Good evening one and all. We’ve got a ripping new series here, haven’t we? Yes, we have. We’re revisiting a favorite of ours with “I Can’t Believe You Haven’t Seen That 3: The Re-Believening.” Me old china Mike and I have come up with a little list each, listing movies everyone assumes we’ve seen but what ho, we bally haven’t, wot wot? We’re starting off all tickety-boo while Mike chose from my list and how’s your father? but I’ve never seen the movie “Quadrophenia”! Crumbs! It’s true, though! So, this week we’re seeing a bit of a to do from some lovely British minstrels who’ve thrown a tune or two together so I can finally see what all the fuss is about, eh wot? Brilliant! Too right! I’m sure these fellows in that little combo The Whom (I’ve taken the liberty of correcting the grammar, something I’m sure they would have done had they gotten ‘round to it) and we’ll see what all the bother is about some lot called The Mods and listen to some jolly nice tunes. I do hope they don’t get too raucous, but let’s see . . . oh. Oh my. Um . . . bit loud, innit? Well, I’m nothing if not hip to the young people and their Big Bands so . . . oh, dear me . . . that’s not . . . that’s not actual vulgarity, is it? Oh, my . . . Mater! Do fetch me my smelling salts, won’t you? Ta! God save the King! Apples and pears! Bubble and squeak! Poll question: what celebrity cameo threw you out of the story?…

Max, Mike; Movies

1
Episode 326 – His Kind of Woman (1951) 1:03:38

11 weeks ago1:03:38

1:03:38

Max, Mike; Movies

1
Episode 325 – Brother to Brother (2004) 58:24

12 weeks ago58:24

58:24

This week’s penultimate entry in our “Remember! You Asked For It!” series comes from Keith Wright and is heavily rooted in the lyricism and magic of the Harlem Renaissance, a time of remarkable literature, theater, and art. One of the historically-real main characters in this film, Bruce Nugent was known as a great jazz poet and he has inspired me to try my hand at some freeform jazz poetry. Dig it: I see a bird Hey, bird. You’ve got wings. And feathers. I think you’re eating part of a bagel, bird. That’s wild. Eat your bagel, bird. Then fly away. And look for more bagels. Um . . . maybe it would be better with some jazz clarinet behind it? Sigh. Ok . . . so maybe jazz poetry isn’t really my medium. It’s certainly not well-done, but from now on it will be rare. See what I did there? Did I make you forget about the poem? No? Damnit . . . Well, fortunately our show is better than my poetry (as are most things). Give a listen! Poll question: what kind of movie would you like to see more of in theaters right now?…

Max, Mike; Movies

1
Episode 324 – Six String Samurai (1998) 1:01:34

13 weeks ago1:01:34

1:01:34

Ok, before anyone gets too excited, I should point out that this week’s entry in “Remember! You Asked For It!”, suggested by Tyler Stewart, is NOT the much-awaited sequel to “Kubo and the Two Strings.” I know, I know, I was disappointed too but I should have been tipped off by the fact that the movie would have skipped strings three, four, and five. That’s on me. What we have here instead is a bizarre cult movie with martial arts fury, swordplay, an annoying kid, a Russian band called The Red Elvises, and a literal manifestation of the classic struggle between Rock and Roll and Heavy Metal. I know what you’re thinking: “Oh, man, AGAIN?” But did I mention the bitchin’ soundtrack? No? Well, that’s on me again. Not my day, really. But let us help you make this YOUR day and listen in to our discussion of “Six String Samurai” and the power of RAAWWWWKKK!!! Poll question: what is your favorite what-if-this-happened “alternative history” movie?…

Max, Mike; Movies

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Episode 323 – The Anderson Tapes (1971) 1:12:12

14 weeks ago1:12:12

1:12:12

Welcome to another episode in our “Remember! You Asked For It!” series! This week’s suggestion comes from crime-solving landscape artist Degsy O’Brien (I’m almost certain that’s what he does for a living) and it’s going to be a delightful romp! Yes, I’m pretty sure that this movie is an in-depth look into the life of famous Danish author Hans Christian Anderson. Yes, we get to hear all about his experiences in the Danish secret police, on such exciting missions as “Operation: Thumbelina” and “Code Name: Little Mermaid”. Now keep in mind that the audio quality from these tapes isn’t that great . . . in fact, they aren’t from literal “tapes” because that technology didn’t exist in the mid-19 th century, but of course they did have Mr. Edison’s wax cylinder recording technology, which as a member of Danish Intelligence, Hans would have had access to. In fact, I’m pretty sure he carried a tiny portable wax cylinder recorder hidden in his hatband, along with tons of other cool gadgets . . . hah? What’s that? Wax cylinder tech wasn’t invented until two years after Anderson’s death? And he was never a member of Danish Intelligence? Well, of course, they’d deny it . . . whazzat? I’ve been spelling his name wrong? It’s Andersen not Anderson? Ah. I see. I have once again gotten everything wrong. Fine. Fine. Fine. I guess it’s the Bad Boy Box for me, again. But while I’m thinking about what I’ve done, give a listen to our discussion of this 1971 Sidney Lumet film starring Sean Connery (the one that WASN’T “Diamonds Are Forever”). Yes. That makes a bit more sense. Enjoy! Poll question: What is your favorite Sean Connery performance?…

Max, Mike; Movies

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Episode 322 – The Death of Stalin (2017) 1:03:32

15 weeks ago1:03:32