To bring this mini-season of Not Playing to a close, we have to go back to the beginning. Time traveler Lex Friedman encounters asylum inmate Dan Moren as they attempt to unravel the mysteries of 12 Monkeys.

Hot topics include timey-wimey logic, Brad Pitt’s disturbing eye prosthetic, and all the Terry Gilliaming Terry Gilliam can Terry Gilliam.

Programming Note: In addition to this capsule episode, which contains our discussion before and after the film, members can watch along with Lex and Dan in a full-length commentary track, available in the members-only First Class feed. If you’re not already a member, why not sign up? And if you are, now’s a great time to update your membership allocations and maybe throw a little support in the direction of Not Playing. Thanks!

Lex Friedman and Dan Moren

Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

We’re past the halfway point in our abbreviated season and this time hotshot programmer Lex Friedman has been sucked into a computer where he meets heroic program Dan Moren and they watch 1982’s Tron.

Hot topics include glossaries of computer terms, frisbee playing, and the power of metaphors.

Programming Note: In addition to this capsule episode, which contains our discussion before and after the film, members can watch along with Lex and Dan in a full-length commentary track, available in the members-only First Class feed. If you’re not already a member, why not sign up? And if you are, now’s a great time to update your membership allocations and maybe throw a little support in the direction of Not Playing. Thanks!

Lex Friedman and Dan Moren

Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

In our second episode of this abbreviated season, high school basketball coach Lex Friedman is on a winning streak with star player (and werewolf) Dan Moren as they watch 1985’s Teen Wolf.

Hot topics include terrible parties, dangerous stunts, and is this all a metaphor?

Programming Note: In addition to this capsule episode, which contains our discussion before and after the film, members can watch along with Lex and Dan in a full-length commentary track, available in the members-only First Class feed. If you’re not already a member, why not sign up? And if you are, now’s a great time to update your membership allocations and maybe throw a little support in the direction of Not Playing. Thanks!

Lex Friedman and Dan Moren

Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

It’s a brand new (mini) season of Not Playing as we take on a quartet of otherworldly movies starting with the letter ‘T’. We kick it all of with amnesiac Lex Friedman facing off against diabolical politician Dan Moren as they watch the 1990 Arnold Schwarzenegger classic Total Recall.

Hot topics include the boring nature of constant shooting, Jerry Goldsmith’s bombastic score, and like, what is real, man?

Programming Note: In addition to this capsule episode, which contains our discussion before and after the film, members can watch along with Lex and Dan in a full-length commentary track, available in the members-only First Class feed. If you’re not already a member, why not sign up? And if you are, now’s a great time to update your membership allocations and maybe throw a little support in the direction of Not Playing. Thanks!

Lex Friedman and Dan Moren

Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

To close out season 7 of Not Playing, we check in on Keanu Reeves once again, as surfer/bank robber Dan Moren and undercover FBI agent Lex Friedman sit down to watch the 1991 film Point Break.

Hot topics include bad FBI agents, not enough heists, and why you always remember your first time jumping out of a plane with no parachute.

Programming Note: In addition to this capsule episode, which contains our discussion before and after the film, members can watch along with Lex and Dan in a full-length commentary track, available in the members-only First Class feed. If you’re not already a member, why not sign up? And if you are, now’s a great time to update your membership allocations and maybe throw a little support in the direction of Not Playing. Thanks!

Point Break

Lex Friedman and Dan Moren

Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

In the first installment of Keanu Reeves duology, mad bomber Lex Friedman forces SWAT officer Dan Moren to watch 1994’s Speed, or risk being blown up.

Hot topics include other actors floated for Reeves’s role, Dennis Hopper taking it to 11, and whether or not a bus really could jump a 50-foot freeway gap.

Programming Note: In addition to this capsule episode, which contains our discussion before and after the film, members can watch along with Lex and Dan in a full-length commentary track, available in the members-only First Class feed. If you’re not already a member, why not sign up? And if you are, now’s a great time to update your membership allocations and maybe throw a little support in the direction of Not Playing. Thanks!

Speed

Lex Friedman and Dan Moren

Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

Rounding out our Harrison Ford trilogy, former CIA analyst Lex Friedman is beset by vengeful Irish terrorist Dan Moren as they watch 1992’s Patriot Games.

Hot topics include dense plotting, similarities with other Ford characters, and the complexities of the Ryanverse.

Programming Note: In addition to this capsule episode, which contains our discussion before and after the film, members can watch along with Lex and Dan in a full-length commentary track, available in the members-only First Class feed. If you’re not already a member, why not sign up? And if you are, now’s a great time to update your membership allocations and maybe throw a little support in the direction of Not Playing. Thanks!

Patriot Games

Lex Friedman and Dan Moren

Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

We’re flying the friendly skies once again this week, as President Dan Moren’s plane is hijacked by Russian terrorist Lex Friedman, who forces him to watch 1997’s Air Force One.

Hot topics include the evolution of the Die Hard genre, casual deaths of innocents, and Harrison Ford’s vetting processes.

Programming Note: In addition to this capsule episode, which contains our discussion before and after the film, members can watch along with Lex and Dan in a full-length commentary track, available in the members-only First Class feed. If you’re not already a member, why not sign up? And if you are, now’s a great time to update your membership allocations and maybe throw a little support in the direction of Not Playing. Thanks!

Air Force One

Lex Friedman and Dan Moren

Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

We’re going Dutch this week—Pennsylvania Dutch, that is, as Philadelphia cop Lex Friedman and Amish kid Dan Moren watch 1985’s Witness.

Hot topics include Harrison Ford’s star power, Amish representation, and a lot of fake blood.

Programming Note: In addition to this capsule episode, which contains our discussion before and after the film, members can watch along with Lex and Dan in a full-length commentary track, available in the members-only First Class feed. If you’re not already a member, why not sign up? And if you are, now’s a great time to update your membership allocations and maybe throw a little support in the direction of Not Playing. Thanks!

Witness

Lex Friedman and Dan Moren

Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.

Is it nature or nurture? We attempt to find out this week when a couple of old rich white guys swaps the lives of successful executive Dan Moren and down-on-his-luck Lex Friedman in 1983’s Trading Places. (As a note: please be aware that the movie itself contains more than a few extremely problematic and offensive moments.)

Hot topics include the excellent comedic talents of the leads, a surprising season’s theme with female characters, and the racism, oh god, the racism.

Programming Note: In addition to this capsule episode, which contains our discussion before and after the film, members can watch along with Lex and Dan in a full-length commentary track, available in the members-only First Class feed. If you’re not already a member, why not sign up? And if you are, now’s a great time to update your membership allocations and maybe throw a little support in the direction of Not Playing. Thanks!

Trading Places

Lex Friedman and Dan Moren

Support this show and other shows like it on The Incomparable network by becoming a member. Members get early access to podcasts, bonus episodes, and more.