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TV & Film

Four Play

Last Free Nation

Four Play selects four iconic films from a theme or genre to meticulously analyze and place in their proper historical context. Hosted by veteran esports commentators Richard Lewis, Duncan "Thorin" Shields, and Christopher "MonteCristo" Mykles, Four Play showcases both legendary Hollywood movies as well as hidden gems outside the mainstream. Be sure to watch along with our hosts each week to get the most of each conversation!

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  • 111 episodes
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Episodes111

Newest first
  • Mar 16, 2025 · 1 hr 36 min

    LOST HIGHWAY: Explaining Lynch's Surreal Landscape

    In this episode of Four Play, the hosts delve into David Lynch's 1997 film 'Lost Highway.' They discuss the film's visual and auditory splendor, its star-studded cast, the complexities of its narrative, the concept of the dissociative fugue, and explain the role of the Mystery Man. Comparing it to Lynch's other works, the hosts explore themes of psychological trauma, identity, and surrealism. Thorin, Richard Lewis, and MonteCristo gush about the film's score, provided by Angelo Badalamenti and T

  • Mar 10, 2025 · 1 hr 26 min

    WILD AT HEART: A Violent, Erotic, and Optimistic Young Love Story

    We continue our David Lynch arc with his 1990 film 'Wild at Heart.' This episode dissects the film's frenetic energy, its blend of surrealism and conventional storytelling, and its status as a Southern Gothic road movie. We examine standout performances by Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern, discuss the film's controversial scenes and critical reception, specifically Roger Ebert's divisive review, and explore Lynch's recurring themes of innocence, optimism, and Americana. Tune in for a comprehensive lo

  • Mar 10, 2025 · 1 hr 54 min

    BLUE VELVET: Contrasting "Picture-Perfect" America With Dark Truths

    With the unfortunate passing of David Lynch, the Four Play hosts decided to dedicate this arc to the director and his unique vision in cinema. The 1986 film Blue Velvet still stands as an all-time classic with memorable performances by Dennis Hopper and Isabella Rossellini and a signature touch of Lynch's surrealism. The film mixes Lynch's love of Americana with a shocking exploration of sexual violence and the dark activities of the criminal underworld.

  • Feb 16, 2025 · 2 hr 29 min

    GLADIATOR 1 & 2: Why make a BAD sequel to this legendary film?

    Two Ridley Scott films close out our Sword-and-Sandal Arc, the legendary Gladiator from 2000 and the repetitively terrible Gladiator 2 from 2024. While iconic performances from Russell Crowe, Oliver Reed, Richard Harris, and Joaquin Ph Control Body Odor ANYWHERE with Mando and get $5 off off your Starter Pack (that’s over 40% off) with promo code FOURPLAY at https://www.shopmando.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  • Feb 9, 2025 · 2 hr 1 min

    TROY: A flawed gem reviewed 20 years later

    We return to Wolfgang Petersen's Troy: Director's Cut 20 years after its initial release and discover a film that's aged surprisingly well. Featuring an incredible cast including Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Peter O'Toole, Sean Bean, Brian Cox, Brendan Gleeson, and Orlando Bloom, Troy is carried by the actors' strong performances. While not strictly true to the Iliad, Troy's daring attempt to place the Trojan War on film deserves praise, as do the incredible combat and battle sequences. While the quali

  • Feb 2, 2025 · 1 hr 19 min

    SPARTACUS: Kubrick's Hollywood Epic that Inspired Gladiator

    We follow up Ben-Hur with another Hollywood epic, 1960's Spartacus directed by Stanley Kubrick. While set in the era of the Roman Republic, the film obliquely tackles many subjects of its era including McCarthyism, communist revolution, and the legacy of slavery. With stand-out performances by Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, and Peter Ustinov, Spartacus delivers an entertaining spectacle whose legacy continued to influence films like Gladiator decades later. Learn more about your ad choices. Vis

  • Jan 26, 2025 · 1 hr 42 min

    BEN-HUR: The 1950s Hollywood Blockbuster That Defined a Genre

    Four Play's new Sword-and-Sandal arc takes us back to the age of Hollywood epics with 1959's legendary Ben-Hur. The film weaves in the birth of Christianity into the background of the heartbreaking story of the titular character Judah Ben-Hur, played by the legendary Charlton Heston. The most expensive movie ever made when it released, Ben-Hur achieves a scope of sets, costumes, extras, and an iconic chariot racing sequence almost unrivaled in cinema history. The movie remains one of the most in

  • Nov 14, 2024 · 1 hr 43 min

    KILL LIST: The Slow Burn Horror You NEED to Watch Several Times

    Ben Wheatley's 2011 Kill List is an obscure film, but one with surprisingly deep themes of class conflict, PTSD, the pressure of everyday life, and the oppressive nature of society. The movie is cloaked in a veneer of hitman action and occult activity, but can be confusing or unsatisfying if purely viewed and interpreted at face value. Richard, Thorin, and Monte discuss why they love Kill List especially because of its pretentiousness and incredible ambition. Learn more about your ad choices. Vi

  • Oct 31, 2024 · 1 hr 25 min

    GONJIAM HAUNTED ASYLUM: Modern Spin to Found Footage Horror

    This week, Four Play watches our first Korean film: Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum directed by Jung Bum-shik in 2018. The film is part of the found footage horror genre, popularized by other movies like the Blair Witch Project, but takes an extremely modern approach using YouTube and livestreaming to make the premise seem fresh and relevant today. While the storyline may be a weak point, Gonjiam delivers and excellent premise and incredible editing that makes the movie feel like a well-wrought haunted

  • Oct 20, 2024 · 1 hr 32 min

    CURE: The Most Influential Horror Film You've Never Heard About

    Kiyoshi Kurosawa's breakout film Cure released in 1997 and, over the years, has become both a cult classic and darling of modern directors. Uniquely disturbing and brilliant, Cure begins as a police procedural and then dives into a totally unique atmosphere of dread as the mesmerist Mamiya confounds his rival, the detective Takabe. The film uses visuals and background sound to hypnotize the audience while treating violence as almost incidental or inconsequential, leading to a sickening mismatch

  • Oct 13, 2024 · 1 hr 31 min

    SESSION 9: The Best Psychological Horror that Few Have Seen

    Four Play's Scary Deep Cuts arc begins with a brooding, psychological horror film that few have seen: Session 9 by director Brad Anderson. Filmed at the derelict Danvers State Medical Hospital in Massachusetts using props left in the building, the movie tells the story of an asbestos removal team losing their sanity in an apparently haunted building. Anchored by solid performances by Peter Mullan and David Caruso, alongside a host of talented character actors, Session 9 delivers a slow burning p

  • Oct 7, 2024 · 1 hr 33 min

    CASABLANCA: Iconic quotes and anti-heroes in WWII Morocco

    The timeless classic Casablanca from 1942 closes our Money Shot arc with one of Roger Ebert's top films of all time. Featuring iconic performances from Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Claude Rains, the film deftly portrays the confusion and chaos of World War II even in a seemingly far-flung Moroccan city. Thorin, Richard, and Monte discuss the themes of self-sacrifice, lost love, and duty to a higher cause that permeate the movie as well as explaining important historical context. Learn mo

  • Sep 29, 2024 · 1 hr 51 min

    GOODFELLAS: Why this Masterpiece flaunts Horrible characters and themes

    Our Money Shot Arc continues with Richard's pick of Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas. While this film borrows some ideas from The Godfather, it instead focuses on the lower-level underbelly of organized crime, showing the brutal and unglamorous side of organized crime. We also explore the connections between this film and HBO's The Sopranos, Joe Pesci's terrifically terrifying performance, and the film's controversial ending. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  • Sep 22, 2024 · 1 hr 36 min

    THE GODFATHER: Why this is the most influential film of all time

    The Godfather, an American epic gangster film which debuted in 1972, is Thorin's selection for the Money Shot arc. Hailed as one of the greatest films of all time, director Francis Ford Coppola weaves an engaging story centered around the transformation of Al Pacino's Michael Corleone into a hardened mafia boss. Marlon Brando stands out in his role as the titular "Godfather," but the rest of the ensemble cast deliver strong performances as well. The Godfather remains one of the best films ever c

  • Sep 15, 2024 · 1 hr 44 min

    JURASSIC PARK: Most Divisive Movie, Good or Trash?

    Our "Money Shot" arc features each of our hosts selecting a film that they believe the rest of the group will enjoy. We begin with MonteCristo's pick: Steven Spielberg's 1993 blockbuster Jurassic Park. Based on the Michael Crichton novel of the same name, this film opened to rave reviews and box office success. It also remains culturally relevant and memeable to this day. However, the film is not without its flaws, especially in the ways that John Hammond's character strays from the source mater

  • Aug 26, 2024 · 1 hr 55 min

    (500) Days of Summer: Psychological Poison in Movie Form

    We conclude our Four Play Spit Roast arc with a film that Roger Ebert inexplicably gave four stars, director Marc Webb's (500) Days of Summer from 2009. Richard, Thorin, and Monte all loathe this film for its poor writing, acting, and non-existent character arcs. A relic of hipster culture from the late 2000s, the hosts discuss the subculture from which this movie emerged and how it ends up as anti-art. Some consider this film a cult classic, we consider it absolute garbage. Learn more about you

  • Aug 18, 2024 · 1 hr 24 min

    THE BEAST MUST DIE: A Werewolf Murder Mystery

    A campy werewolf murder mystery cut from the cloth of Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None," 1972's The Beast Must Die mashes up blaxploitation and horror courtesy of Amicus Productions. Richard selected this movie for our Spit Roast arc and defends its virtues while acknowledging its awkward pacing, unnecessary scenes, and infamous "werewolf break." The casting of classic British actors like Peter Cushing and Michael Gambon strengthen the film, as does the standout performance of Calvin

  • Aug 11, 2024 · 1 hr 31 min

    REVOLVER: 15% on Rotten Tomatoes but is it actually bad?

    Guy Ritchie's 2005 film Revolver is Thorin's selection for the Spit Roast arc, a film that tries to meld a British gangster caper with high-minded metaphysical themes. Allegedly caught up in spiritualism by his wife Madonna, Ritchie's creates an overloaded mess of a film that attempts to do everything at once and ends up doing it all quite badly. The criminal subplots overcomplicate a vapid and simplistic attempt at commentary on the importance of the subversion of the ego, often with direct and

  • Jul 20, 2024 · 2 hr

    PHANTOM THREAD: Understanding PTA's most difficult film

    Daniel Day Lewis' seminal final performance came in Paul Thomas Anderson's Phantom Thread from 2017. The film subverts expectations in the best possible way, appearing to be a 1950s period drama about a fashion designer and morphing into a bizarre love story that explores the darker sides of both masculinity and femineity. Phantom Thread is incredibly dense, nuances, and brimming with beautiful costumes and incredible performances. The movie demands multiple viewings and delves into themes of cl