#4: The Martian Part Two: Beyond the Damon

As Stanley Kubrick's science fiction classic 2001: A Space Odyssey ends with a segment entitled "Beyond the Infinite," so General Snobbery, in its conversation about The Martian (2015), travels "Beyond the Damon." After another fifteen minutes of Martian-related conversation--conversation spanning from David Bowie's horribly-placed "Starman", the film's use of Abba, Wall-E and Iron Man's strange influence on the climax, and the characters' roles not as characters but as deliverers-of-exposition--the conversation meanders into realms neither your hosts nor Matt Damon could have foreseen. What woe hath becommeth this flatlining Hollywood system? How does an illusory notion of "quality" continue to veil the populace's perception? Does commenting on a genre necessarily yield transcendence of that genre, a la Deadpool? How shall we respond in a filmic system that recycles material to repackage as propaganda-infused advertisements for a failing federal agency called NASA? Woe may be the way for many, but for others, the only logical response to the madness may be found through the lost art of snobbery. 

Our deepest gratitude to McMannus Pottery Co. for sponsoring today's episode. May our snobs be with you, always, eternally, dear listener. 

#3: The Martian Part One: Matt Damon in Space

Matt Damon plays Matt Damon in Ridley Scott's 2015 film The Martian, winner of the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy. Part musical, part comedy, The Martian dazzled viewers with its orange scenery, its tale of hope and triumph, and its marketing of Matt Damon as the hero of mankind. In this particular iteration of himself, Matt Damon is mistakenly stranded on Mars in what many would consider a nightmare situation. But fear not, global population, for this stranded man is Matt Damon, and this iteration of Damon can farm potatoes in outer space while making jokes about his trustworthy bro, Martinez, and the particularly awful smell of shipmate Johannsen's feces. Tune into Part One of our two-part conversation regarding this landmark comedy/musical, and join us as we snob about Matt Damon's unfathomable and delusional optimism, Matt Damon's perceived intelligence, Matt Damon in general, Ridley Scott's strange and seemingly-diverse oeuvre, science, David Bowie, and, of course, the gradual descent of Hollywood. Stay tuned for Part Two, where the conversation travels lightyears beyond anything Starman Matt Damon has ever seen.

Many thanks to Talwar & Sons, who have kindly sponsored this episode. And our utmost gratitude, as always, to Aevart Van Jook (@aevart_music) for our theme song.