In the driver seat of film podcasts, Fear and Loathing in Cinema sets itself apart with its irreverent blend of pop culture critique, nostalgic deep-dives, and a razor-sharp, at times almost uncomfortably candid, dissection of cinematic relics that were once scorned but now, with the benefit of time, seem worthy of a second look. Hosted by a group of unpredictable yet undeniably insightful voices; Bryan Kluger, a media director with a sharp sense of irony of offensive things; Dan Moran, a lawyer who brings an often absurd legal perspective of the film industry and Kevin Costner; Preston Barta, a film critic with a taste for the heart-warmingly obscure branch of cinema; and Chelsea Nicole, a culture critic who digs into the nuances of social dynamics and horror; Fear and Loathing in Cinema Podcast thrives in that rare space between sincere analysis and gut-busting humor.
On Episode No. 121 of Fear and Loathing in Cinema, America’s favorite caffeine-fueled cinephiles do what any responsible adults would: they metaphorically strap themselves to the hood of a psychedelic Hot Wheels car and rocket straight into the candy-colored chaos of 2008’s Speed Racer. It’s the episode longtime listeners have waited for and longtime haters will pretend not to enjoy.
While co-host Dan Moran is presumably still hungover on a beach somewhere in Jamaica, contemplating existence through the bottom of a rum bottle and the lens of a pair of novelty sunglasses, Chelsea Nicole returns from podcasting exile. Once vocal critics of the film, both Preston Barta and Chelsea arrive reborn, their opinions evolved, their chakras aligned with the Mach 5. It’s character development worthy of the Wachowskis themselves.
Joining the gang is none other than Kristi Shimek, editing wizard, recurring guest, and one-time spiritual leader of My Bloody Podcast’s Lake Mungo episode. In a twist so poetic it would make M. Night Shyamalan consider early retirement, it was Kristi, yes, Kristi, who chose Speed Racer as this episode’s topic. Turns out, she didn’t just like the movie. She wrote her thesis on it. A thesis. About Speed Racer. This is, academically speaking, a baller move.
This Week’s Highlights:
As always, the hosts of this podcast stray far from the beaten path, sidetracking in ways that somehow feel more entertaining than the very movie they’ve gathered to dissect. The absurdities that unfold become a crucial part of the show’s charm, its conversational energy the perfect counterpart to the movie under scrutiny. Among the many bizarre diversions in this week’s discussion:
- Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon Franchise is dead at Netflix. There were gonna be six films.
- Dave Franco and Alison Brie sued for Copyright infringement for Together.
- How Did This Get Made Podcast doing Fear and Loathing movies. We see you.
- Tom Cruise eats popcorn.
And, of course, the gang winds up pondering the most ridiculous hypothetical of all: What movie character had a death scene that was so unnecessarily cruel and brutal? If that’s not a moment of podcast gold, I’m not sure what is.
Movie Analysis: Speed Racer (2008)
The film, directed by the Wachowskis in the delirious aftermath of The Matrix trilogy, landed in theaters in 2008 like a glitter bomb in a monastery. It was widely dismissed at the time by critics who, apparently, couldn’t see genius through the neon fog and projectile candy Skittles. But time, like the Racer family, heals all wounds. And in this episode, our fearless film gang gives the movie its long-overdue victory lap.
Within its first 15 minutes, Speed Racer delivers more narrative, emotional heft, and rainbow colors than most franchises manage in their entire trilogies. A boy mourns his brother, earns his family’s love, invents physics, and wins a race that looks like Mario Kart met 2001: A Space Odyssey and had a beautiful, legally confusing baby. And that’s before the chimp shows up in a hoodie.
The crew dives into all of it: the madcap editing that defies space and time (and sometimes comprehension), the aggressive sincerity, the surprising emotional depth, and the idea that yes, maybe this is cinema; just not in the tuxedo-wearing, cigar-smoking way we’ve been told to respect. Kristi explains why the film’s kaleidoscopic style is actually a masterclass in visual grammar. Chelsea reveals the exact moment her heart grew three sizes. Preston and Bryan argue passionately about monkey sidekicks and existential dread.
Speed Racer remains a film without precedent or successor; an auteurist fever dream of speed, color, and familial trauma. And this episode of Fear and Loathing in Cinema is the loving, unhinged tribute it always deserved.
Catch it wherever podcasts are irresponsibly downloaded. Just don’t listen while driving 700 mph.
FEAR AND LOATHING PODCAST APPLE PODCASTS
FEAR AND LOATHING PODCAST SPOTIFY
Thank you for listening.
WRITTEN BY: BRYAN KLUGER
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
