The Odyssey: Nolan Makes the Ancient Epic His Own

24 Jul 2026 · 59 min · 21 chapters

Ask about this episode

Ask anything about it. ChatGPT or Claude reads this page and answers with the times it was said.

Connect VO and ask about every podcast you hear, including the moments you saved. Add to ChatGPT · Add to Claude

In short

Film Spotting (abbreviated) reviews Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, focusing on how Nolan modernizes Homer via the idea of a “rhapsode” (song-stitcher) and on the film’s moral questions about war, regret, and free will vs fate.

Guests

Josh and Adam (Film Spotting hosts). No other guests appear in the transcript.

Guest backgrounds (from episode context)

Adam references Emily Wilson’s Odyssey translation and discusses Nolan’s filmmaking choices (IMAX, location shooting). Josh has recent theater attendance and compares themes to other Nolan films; both reference prior Film Spotting episodes and Nolan-related podcasts.

Key claims

  1. Nolan functions like a modern rhapsode, remolding existing legends (Batman, etc.) for new audiences.
  2. The film’s emotional engine is regret/trauma, making it most like Inception (leaps of faith; “old man filled with regret”).
  3. The Trojan Horse and “Zeus’s law” frame the moral fracture: hospitality/gifts become personally scarring, helping justify (but not fully satisfy) Odysseus’s vengeance.
  4. The movie is visually convincing and tactile; some viewers may find it overwritten/talky and the ending too abruptly optimistic.

Notable examples

Travis Scott as the rhapsode; Oppenheimer parallels (Troy as atomic-bomb moral breach); Cyclops filmed in a real cave with Bill Irwin; Circe’s fleshy transformation; Penelope’s undoing her work nightly; Agamemnon’s armor/helmet mystery; standout performances: Anne Hathaway (Penelope), John Leguizamo (Eumaeus). Criticisms: Zendaya’s minimal acting as Athena; Tom Holland’s Telemachus too sensitive; Pattinson’s repetitive scenes during suitor slaughter.

Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.

Chapters

Tap a time to open that second in VO

Nolan's The Odyssey: A Modern Rhapsode

0:00 to 0:30

Discussing Nolan's adaptation of The Odyssey and its themes.

“Most dog food brands don't really want you seeing how their food is made.”

Nolan's The Odyssey: A Modern Rhapsode

3:18 to 6:16

Discussing Nolan's adaptation of The Odyssey and its themes.

“I actually am coming pretty much straight from the theater.”

Connections to Oppenheimer and Inception

6:16 to 12:34

Exploring parallels between The Odyssey and other Nolan films.

“As Nolan pounded his staff on the table at him, were you rapped by the telling?”

Trauma and Regret in Nolan's Work

12:34 to 14:00

Analyzing the trauma and regret themes present in Nolan's characters.

“And then I was just trying to look up a detail and I went to my Interstellar reviews on Letterboxd.”

Nolan's Odyssey and Moral Awakening

14:00 to 19:06

Explore how Nolan reinterprets the Odyssey in relation to moral questions about war.

“I mean, as I said in my setup, you know, this is if there's any property that Nolan has the right to rework in his own way, it's one that's this old that originated in a tradition of reworking.”

The Complexity of Odysseus' Character Arc

19:06 to 21:43

Delve into the character arc of Odysseus and the challenges presented in the film.

“He mostly pulls it off, but there is this tension.”

Zeus's Law and Justification of Violence

21:43 to 25:06

Discuss the implications of Zeus's law and the justification for Odysseus's violent actions.

“So it's completely at odds with the source.”

Movie Ending and Audience Reception

25:06 to 28:00

Analyze the film's ending and its reception among audiences in light of its themes.

“I think that there's a choice made by Odysseus there that is closer to the man.”

Exploring the Film's Abrupt Ending

28:00 to 29:00

Discussing the abrupt conclusion of the film and its emotional impact.

“That is our reconciliation of this tension that we're describing at the same time.”

The Significance of Zeus's Law and the Trojan Horse

29:00 to 31:20

Analyzing the deeper meanings behind Zeus's law and its connection to the Trojan horse.

“This is this is an aspect I like because it fits.”
Show all 21 chapters

Odysseus's Relationship with the Gods

31:20 to 34:20

Examining Odysseus's evolving relationship with the gods throughout the film.

“And then you commit atrocities that scar you and change you so much that you're not sure you can even return home.”

The Filmmaking Techniques Enhancing Realism

34:20 to 37:00

Discussing the cinematic techniques that make the film's narrative more believable.

“But we sense enough in this movie because this is such a sensory movie.”

The Cyclops Sequence: A Masterclass in Visual Effects

37:00 to 40:00

Analyzing the portrayal of the Cyclops and its impact on the viewer's experience.

“Um, that's familiar even to us, but there's something about the colors and the framing of it that makes it feel mythical.”

Themes of Deception in the Odyssey Adaptation

40:00 to 42:01

Exploring the thematic elements of deception present in the film's characters.

“The way that hand is dangling and he's trying to get underneath it.”

Exploring Odysseus and Free Will

42:01 to 46:23

Discussion on the character of Odysseus and themes of free will in Nolan's film.

“And then the seven years with, with Calypso and not having really any sense of how much time he's really losing.”

Exploring Odysseus and Free Will

47:28 to 48:20

Discussion on the character of Odysseus and themes of free will in Nolan's film.

“Hey Donald, really flying on that treadmill.”

Matt Damon's Performance as Odysseus

48:20 to 53:00

Analysis of Matt Damon's portrayal of Odysseus and the film's character dynamics.

“What's interesting about Damon and surprised me about the performance is that the Odysseus of the poem is, you mentioned his self-deception.”

Supporting Characters and Their Impact

53:00 to 56:00

Discussion on the performances of supporting characters, including Anne Hathaway and John Leguizamo.

“That's in contrast to someone like Damon's Odysseus in this film.”

Analyzing Performances in The Odyssey

56:00 to 1:04:48

The hosts discuss the performances of key actors in the film and their impact.

“And I understood intellectually what they were trying to do.”

Analyzing Performances in The Odyssey

1:04:49 to 1:05:15

The hosts discuss the performances of key actors in the film and their impact.

“Most dog food brands don't really want you seeing how their food is made.”

Analyzing Performances in The Odyssey

1:06:25 to 1:06:50

The hosts discuss the performances of key actors in the film and their impact.

Hear the part that matters, and keep it.Open this episode in VO. Double tap your headphones to save a moment as you listen.
Get VO free

Transcript

Automatic transcript. May contain errors.

0:00Adam Kempenaar:This is an iHeart Podcast. Guaranteed human. Most dog food brands don't really want you seeing how their food is made. Just food for dogs is the opposite. They actually invite you in. You can walk into any of their kitchens and see real human-grade ingredients like chicken, beef, carrots, and peas being prepared right in front of you. It's real food made in real kitchens. Nothing is hidden behind labels. And that kind of transparency says a lot. Nothing to hide, everything to love. Go to justfoodfordogs.com and get 50 % off your first order. Amazon Health AI presents Painful Thoughts. Why did I search the internet for answers to my cold sore problem?

0:43Adam Kempenaar:Now I'm stuck down a rabbit hole filled with images of alarmingly graphic sores in various stages of ooze. I can clear my search history, but I can never unsee that. Don't go down the rabbit hole. Amazon Health AI gets you the right care fast. Health care just got less painful.

1:05Josh Larsen:Bite into a stacked sandwich made with Hero Bread. And the only thing you'll think is delicious. You won't think it has up to 19 grams protein,

1:13Adam Kempenaar:11 to 32 grams of fiber, or just 0 to 5 grams net carbs. But it does. Hero Bread. No compromises, just loaves, buns, tortillas, bagels, and noodles packed with flavor. Right now, get 10 % off at Hero.co with code IHEART. That's H-E-R-O dot C-O, code IHEART. All figures per serving of Hero Bread. See Nutrition Facts on Hero.co. When Kohler, global design leader in luxurious kitchen and bath products, asked me to be their ambassador for timeless, elegant, durable cast iron, I said, I'm in. Soon after, I was in their Kohler, Wisconsin foundry, watching molten iron poured, enamel applied by hand, and the beautiful finished pieces ready to ship.

1:56Adam Kempenaar:Since 1883, Kohler cast iron has been crafted by incredible artisans and seeing it firsthand gave me a whole new appreciation for their craftsmanship. Now, I'm proud to lend my stamp of approval to my favorite Kohler cast iron products for their durability, beauty, and enduring style. Shop my curated picks at Kohler.com.

2:20Josh Larsen:As the Kohler Cast Iron ambassador, I say, long live Cast Iron. Film Spotting is presented by Regal Unlimited, the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. See any standard 2D movie, anytime, with no blackout dates or restrictions. Sign up now on the Regal app or at the link in our description and use code FILMSPOT26 to receive 15 % off.

2:51Josh Larsen:What kind of a show are you guys putting on here today? You're not interested in art? No. Now look, we're going to do this thing. We're going to have a conversation.

3:00Adam Kempenaar:Welcome to Film Spotting. It's an abbreviated Film Spotting, what we used to call a Film Spotting fix, because I'm on vacation finally this summer, but we knew we had to get to our review of Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. So ahead of vacation, we're doubling up this week, Josh, and recording the Odyssey. I actually am coming pretty much straight from the theater. I've had about three hours to process, get some notes on paper. We'll see how I do.

3:35Josh Larsen:So somewhere in between an immediate still processing and the deep days of reflection. We like to give movies. Yeah, I don't envy you. This is a gargantuan one to digest with any sort of time, let alone a couple of hours. But that being said, I'm so eager to hear what you made of the Odyssey. Let's do it.

3:56Adam Kempenaar:Tell me what you remember.

4:01Adam Kempenaar:A wife.

4:07Josh Larsen:A son.

4:11None of that.

4:15We want no more.

4:22Josh Larsen:Help me go home. Adam, I learned something new while preparing for Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. In Emily Wilson's introduction to her translation of the Homeric poem, she discusses the notion of a rhapsode. This is also translated as a song stitcher, and it refers to performers in an ancient oral tradition. Well before the Odyssey was set into text, rhapsodes would have spun versions of the tale for audiences, weaving in their own improvisational elements to the basic pattern of what we now know as the Odyssey. Nolan's The Odyssey opens with just such a figure, a man with a staff standing on a table in the royal dining hall of Penelope, where hungry suitors drool over her in the long absence of her husband, Odysseus.

5:18Josh Larsen:This rhapsode, rhythmically pounding his staff on the table, tells the story of, quote, a man, Odysseus himself. News of his victory at Troy has come home, but there has been no word of what happened to him after, which the rest of the movie will unspool. Adam, I would propose that Christopher Nolan is a modern rhapsode, taking existing tales and legends, Batman, anyone, and remolding them for new audiences to his own purposes. It's no wonder he was drawn to the potential of Homer's The Odyssey then. He is also stylistically up to the task of fully bringing to life this monumental yarn, considering he issues digital imagery as much as possible, favors locations over sets, and has chosen, entirely in the case of the Odyssey, to capture images with widescreen IMAX cameras.

6:16Josh Larsen:As Nolan pounded his staff on the table at him, were you rapped by the telling? As a song stitcher, what Nolan qualities did he weave into the tale? And lastly, what is the one Nolan film The Odyssey reminded you of the most?

6:33Adam Kempenaar:I was pretty wrapped. I should say, not just any man pounding with the staff, but Travis Scott is playing that man. And Emily Wilson was actually just in Iowa City, or well, that was November, I should say. And I did not attend. And I wish I had, especially now having just seen the Odyssey, film spotting PA Sophie Kempinar was there in attendance and was greatly educated by it. I am remiss that I wasn't there for that talk. Obviously, I remember the broad strokes of the Odyssey, which seemed to be pretty much in place. But I want to provide this disclaimer off the top that the last time I read it, Josh, was Humanities 101, my sophomore year of college.

7:21Adam Kempenaar:I say that just so people know that I'm not going to be a reliable source when it comes to breaking down where Nolan is drawing ideas from Homer that already match his sensibility versus embellishing or manipulating to suit his needs. I suppose one might call that adapting. I am though going to suggest there's one crucial exception and that modification will also lead me to answer your second question. This is such a Christopher Nolan film that my initial thought was to tell you that there is no single answer. Perhaps only the Odyssey could offer Nolan the canvas epic enough for all his obsessions.

8:07Adam Kempenaar:It seems like such an amalgamation to me, and we can get into that later. I'll tell you first that I didn't expect to be thinking about Oppenheimer as I watched the Odyssey, but I'll give you two quotes. first the famous line oppenheimer says of course in the film now i am become death the destroyer of worlds and then the closing conversation between oppenheimer and einstein when oppenheimer says when i came to you with those calculations we thought we might start a chain reaction that would destroy the entire world and einstein says i remember it what of it and he says i believe we did. There is a clear line connecting Oppenheimer and Odysseus as the men responsible for creating the weapons and leading the initiatives to destroy Troy slash Hiroshima.

9:07Adam Kempenaar:As Nolan portrays it, Troy's sacking takes on the significance of the atomic bomb dropping. Something inviolate has been breached. The moral order of the universe, Zeus's law, as they call it here, has been upset and humanity may never recover. In both, we have heroes wrestling with the fallout of that breach and their choices. But it's that last part, Josh, that leads me to my real answer. And no, this isn't shameless promotion. I have Bilga Abiri and his appearance on our Nolan movie deathmatch podcast to thank for it because at one point in the odyssey charlise theron's calypso says something to odysseus that set off a bunch of bells in my head i knew it was really familiar and i don't have the exact quote but she's explaining to him that he will have to return home.

10:08Adam Kempenaar:And this is something he both wants to do and also doesn't want to do. And she both wants him to stay because she loves him and knows that he also needs to go. And she says to him that it will require a leap of faith. Bilga said about Inception, a movie I might add that's effectively a film about a husband undertaking a long journey who has to overcome a myriad of obstacles, including time dilation to try to reunite with his wife and children. He said that it's all, it's all a movie about regret. These are Bilga's exact words during that podcast. He said, it's a film in which on every level, we learn something new about how regret works and specifically about how regret works for this character of Cobb.

10:56Adam Kempenaar:And my theory of the hidden inception with inception is that there is this line that's repeated several times at the different intervals in the film. It's some variation of, do you want to take a leap of faith or become an old man filled with regret waiting to die alone? The Nolan movie, The Odyssey is most like, is Inception. Nolan's Odysseus didn't get blown off course. Here's the modification, unless you can prove me wrong, because you've read it more recently than I have. Nolan's Odysseus didn't get blown off course and was unable to return home for so long because he angered the gods or wanted to keep seeking glory or some combination and then got trapped by Calypso.

11:37Adam Kempenaar:No, his subconscious invents reasons to take the longer path home and to commit acts that rile the gods up because he's filled with so much regret. He's so traumatized by the horrors that he unleashed that being an old man filled with regret may seem like a better alternative than having to face the new world, trying to forget that that actually may be a better alternative than having to face this new world that he helped to usher in. And in closing, Josh, I'll say, I thought maybe this trauma angle, it's not just regret, maybe this trauma angle is the new spin, this added new thing with Nolan, were getting here.

12:26Adam Kempenaar:And this is something he'll explore from here on out because there's so many other aspects of Nolan's work that we're getting in this movie. And then I was just trying to look up a detail and I went to my Interstellar reviews on Letterboxd. And in my 2014 review, I wrote this, Nolan's protagonists have always been obsessed explorers of one form or another. Somehow, I don't think I realized until now just how much they're driven by loss, battling the universe's unbending laws forbidding the undoing of a past trauma or mistake. So maybe I should change my answer back to there is not just one Nolan movie, but if you pin me down, it's all a long winded way of saying, I think it's inception.

13:09Josh Larsen:I think it's inception. I love that. I love that answer. It absolutely tracks. It fits in with what I expected going into the Odyssey was the home Homing, whether it's the husband or the father, which is interstellar, right? It's the homegoing quality of the poem that he was maybe drawn to and going to emphasize. And of course, that's still a part of it. That reading of Odysseus, I think, is valid. And I've seen it elsewhere also, that there is some obfuscation on his part that delays the journey. I think that's fair. I think the trauma element to me is something that isn't maybe entirely new, but more emphasized by Nolan.

13:50Josh Larsen:Whereas me personally, I don't regard Odysseus as necessarily that self-reflective of a character in the way we see Matt Damon's Odysseus. And I think that's fine. I mean, as I said in my setup, you know, this is if there's any property that Nolan has the right to rework in his own way, it's one that's this old that originated in a tradition of reworking. So this any sort of comparisons I might make to to Homer's poem itself are not meant to be negative, but points of interest to consider where Nolan is. I think Inception is a good answer. I think your larger point of how you see threads of every one of his films here is also fair.

14:35Josh Larsen:And this is a movie big enough, as you pointed out, to contain all of those. I landed where you started, though, Adam, and it was Oppenheimer. And this, again, is not a quality that I thought about, a film I had in my head, even though it's his most recent, going into the Odyssey. But for me, this is Odysseus as J. Robert Oppenheimer. This is the guy you described, a wielder of warfare, and how they get there is obviously very different. The context is obviously very different. But to me, what Nolan is trying to do here is take this tale of a fabled warrior and mold it into something that's more about a moral awakening, an eye-opening realization about the ruin of warfare.

15:27Josh Larsen:and to me that totally tracks with Oppenheimer right to my mind that's what that film was essentially about among many other things but that was what it was at its heart and I think that's what this odyssey is about and the journey I took in how much this movie worked because as a piece of cinema oh boy does it work and we're going to get to that I'm sure but in terms of what Nolan is interested in doing with this tale, the journey I took was, boy, he's setting himself up for a real challenge here, wanting to make, and this relates to another new film spotting podcast, the movie Racket with Michael Phillips, who had guest Michael Shannon on recently to consider the Maxim.

16:12Josh Larsen:There's no such thing as an anti-war movie, which a variation of can be traced back to an interview Gene Siskel did with Truffaut. And I think what Nolan is trying to do here, is take one of the proto-warrior movies and use it to ask us to question what we're willing to sacrifice, to question, is there a justification for war? And man, I think is that tricky. Because at the same time, he wants to ask us that question, this is a three-hour movie of battles and pillaging and not on-screen raping, but suggesting of rape, plundering. And you're right. The sacking of Troy is the crucial sequence in this question.

17:00Josh Larsen:It's held off for much of the film that we get little snippets as Nolan likes to do. He's jumping around in time. We get little snippets of it early, but the full sequence is meant to be Odysseus, the scales falling from his eyes. And I'm still somewhat wrestling, though I admire what Nolan's attempting to do. And I think for this year in 2026, I think it's worth doing is asking these questions. But I'm still a little bit wrestling with how it fits when mapped onto Odysseus's story, which post sacking, post scales falling, post epiphany, there's a whole lot of bloodshed still.

17:43Adam Kempenaar:Yes, I want to go there too.

17:45Josh Larsen:And we can, it's distinct, right? The actions and the reasons for taking those actions are somewhat distinct between Troy and the murder of the suitors. Sure. That is the climax of the film. But it's just tricky to me if you're going to, if I'm reading the intent of the movie, which is, again, to be similar to Oppenheimer, what have we done with the power we hold? Yes. Especially in regard to the taking of lies. The organized, systematic, planned taking of lives. If you're going to make a movie that means to question that, is a warrior king who still employs violence to ultimately restore his kingship the tale to do it?

18:31Josh Larsen:Does Nolan thread that needle? For me, he does. And it's largely due to the artistry he uses to do it. And also because I'm just grateful for a movie that's raising these sorts of questions in a year where we've seen organized, systematic, planned warmongering across the globe more so than in, you know, how many years. So I think this is a time for the question Nolan poses. I think he mostly manages to pull it off, even though he used really challenging material to do it.

19:05Adam Kempenaar:I think that's correct. He mostly pulls it off, but there is this tension. There is this conflict, and I felt it as well. And I want to get to that by way of saying that this is the first time with any of his films that I have noticed the criticism that some have lobbed at his movies, including you, Josh, with some of his movies, that sometimes they are overwritten. and a little bit too talky this for me was the film where interesting where i i i was very aware of all of the exposition that was taking place and now as we get into odysseus specifically and the writing the more i processed the film and realized what i really thought it was about and what I thought the character arc was for Odysseus.

20:06Adam Kempenaar:It's on me to rewatch the film through that lens and see how all of this comes into play. But I do think there's some redundancy to all of the conversations happening about and between and with the suitors back home at Ithaca. I think there's some redundancy to some of the set pieces involving Odysseus and his men and all of the battles as brilliantly staged as they are. But his character arc, everything I described in answer to your question, that arc is what I'm most invested in. And it does take forever in this movie to meet him. And I'm not sure that we do to your point about how self-reflective he is.

20:56Adam Kempenaar:I'm not sure that we, on this first viewing, I'm not sure that we have enough of a sense of his trauma. I think the work that the cuts to those nonlinear, the way we're moving around, the cuts to his conversations with Calypso, the work I think that's supposed to be doing, reflecting his misgivings about the things he's done in his past, I think that's obviously supposed to be doing that work. But on the whole, it seems like he's really only self-reflective at the end. And that comes in what? The form of a very long speech where he says it. He just lays all of it. He lays this theme all out on the table for the audience.

21:43Adam Kempenaar:But then that's the other point, Josh. you said it is that if this is about a reckoning with the idea of regret and, and regret at the choices you made to usher in a new order to the world in which the, the old, the old rules don't seem to apply and you are you are traumatized you you aren't sure you can return to the home that that you once had because you're not the same man that you once were then how do we reconcile the fact that he seems comfortable carrying out the vengeance that needs to be carried out on all of those suitors if if he really is the the odysseus that that he seems to be post this this epiphany having gone through this entire process that he goes through over the course of this movie then does he need to for the sake of consistency does he need to come up with some other way to get through to get through these suitors which of course he can't do because it's the Odyssey and you can't end it any other way, right?

23:06Adam Kempenaar:So it's completely at odds with the source. It's perfectly in keeping with the source material. It's that adjustment that he makes really up until that ending, I think.

23:18Josh Larsen:You're a man who needs to control his fate.

Read the full transcript

23:23Adam Kempenaar:But you cannot control this.

23:26Josh Larsen:That world is gone.

23:34Adam Kempenaar:Josh, I know you've seen them, but if any listeners out there haven't caught up with two movies that made my recent top five films of the year so far, you can see them at Regal Cinemas now. And why not see them there on the big screen? Toy Story 5 and the horror hit Obsession. But the movie that I'm recommending this week is the one I am most eager to finally get out to see on the big screen. It was your number four, I believe, film of the year so far. The film that everybody's buzzing about, saw the trailer for it actually just today before the Odyssey. And it's just still killing me that I haven't seen it.

24:13Adam Kempenaar:It is The Invite with Seth Rogen, Olivia Wilde, Penelope Cruz, and Edward Norton. I want to see it. And I want to see it for free. Something I can do with my Regal Unlimited membership. membership, the all you can watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. All you have to do is sign up using the code film spot to six film spot 26 to get 15 % off. It's the only truly limitless movie subscription pass because you can see any standard 2d movie anytime with no blackout dates or restrictions. And you save 10 % off on all non-alcoholic concessions. All you have to do is sign up now in the regal app or at the link in our podcast description and again that code is film spot 26 to get your discount real quickly i'll just add

25:06Josh Larsen:that after that and i won't give the details away nolan does end this differently than the poem ends and distinctly to address that i feel also and i think it works in the context of this movie Again, I'm not criticizing. I think that there's a choice made by Odysseus there that is closer to the man. Right. But you're right. The killing happens beforehand. I will also say, and the reason I think I'm saying like, okay, it works is related to what you referenced, this notion of Zeus's law, which is, you know, I thought you were going to mention that when you talked about this movie being too talky, because I think Zeus's law is invoked about once every 20 minutes.

25:53Josh Larsen:Okay. but this is praise for me. I'm going to get to. Well, let me just quickly say in regard to the slaughter of the suitors, my sense is that is how the distinction the movie wants to make between Troy is that Odysseus's shame about Troy is that they used subterfuge in the Trojan horse to sneak inside and take the city. And that is in his mind, a breaking of Zeus's law, which is in the movie is this strange combination of like, um, the golden rule that is in the poem, hospitality and generosity and welcoming strangers into your palace. And, and, and that's all in the poem. Um, and, and you root it, I'm sure in like in ancient actual tradition, the movie puts a spin on it.

26:40Josh Larsen:Penelope says something that it's like treating others how you want to be treated, which is jumping out ahead a little bit to pull from the Bible. Um, but we've got, we've got this Zeus's law that is held up as a governing principle, right? And now going back to the suitors and the slaughter that Odysseus engages in, they violate Zeus's law, right? By invading essentially his palace while he's gone, disrespecting his wife and his son. And so I think in the world, In the line this movie is trying to straddle, you could say, if not justification, that is why Odysseus, even though he was a quote-unquote new man, still chose that path of vengeance in that context.

27:29Josh Larsen:It's an out that I see whether or not it's enough for most audiences is definitely out for debate. Yeah.

27:38Adam Kempenaar:It's not an out that is satisfying for me. And without, we probably, to some listeners, it probably seems like we've spoiled too much, but it's the Odyssey. I don't know how much we can spoil of this ancient story.

27:53Josh Larsen:And I didn't give away the end, the ultimate end.

27:55Adam Kempenaar:But this coda, which I won't get into the details of, I will agree with you that it seems like there is a coda there that is Nolan's acknowledgement that we need something maybe a little bit more melancholy. That is our reconciliation of this tension that we're describing at the same time. I will also tell you that I I thought it felt abrupt and I thought it felt to quote you from our last show, the top five films of 2026. I thought it felt unconvincingly optimistic as well. Okay. Nothing about the writing there worked. And I thought it felt shoehorned in to, to actually send me, unless I misinterpreted it, Josh, I felt like it, it sent me out of the theater with a sense of hope for humanity that, that the movie at that point really hadn't earned.

28:50Adam Kempenaar:And I and so that was another that was another tension point for me, certainly, as I as I was leaving and thinking about the movie. But I want to say about Zeus's law. Yeah. And the Trojan horse. This is this is an aspect I like because it fits. It fits into my read of the movie and it being fundamentally about his regret and his trauma and how he's processing that. First, I will say that I do. I do give Nolan and his entire crew a lot of credit because the Trojan horse. Incredible. It should not work on any level. This is this is magical realism. It should be anyway. It should be like Jonah in the whale.

29:39Adam Kempenaar:This isn't something we actually believe happened in any universe. Did this army get inside a wooden horse and it got dragged inside the gates? And yet, maybe we have to suspend disbelief a little bit as we always do with movies, but not that much. The way it's filmed, the practical nature of it, the the grittiness of it and and also the the horror of it that that speaks to it. The the the way we understand that people are suffering from Odysseus's point of view, it it does feel real in a way that you kind of can't believe they they pulled off so that that's part of it. But then what I do like about whether whether it's said too many times or not isn't really the point for me.

30:34Adam Kempenaar:But I love this idea that it's it's making that whole thing. This idea of you have to treat strangers a certain way. It makes that concrete tying it to the Trojan horse, which then helps explain why the fracture is so significant for Odysseus. What I'm saying, Josh, is it's not just, of course, that he did something sneaky or sort of dishonorable. It's it's it's really I wouldn't even say that it was dishonorable. And I'm not suggesting that that you are either, but I wouldn't use that term. It's that. If you've been operating. Your entire life, according to Zeus's law, you've been living according to a certain rule about how to treat people.

31:24Adam Kempenaar:And then you commit atrocities that scar you and change you so much that you're not sure you can even return home. And the trigger for that, the trigger for those atrocities was you coming up with something. and that thing you came up with actually is rooted in the law that you've been living by previously it it's because it's a gift it's because it's it's it's something that when you're welcomed in the door right that the fact that the fact that what he did wasn't just horrifying it's that he was able to do it by offering a gift and so that whether or not that matters to the universe to the gods it's more that it's like personally scarring in a way that he may not even fully be able to process it yeah it's on a subconscious level that that drove his entire life and then and then he did something awful and the way he did it violated his previous principle that that to me the way that nolan from a script standpoint tied that together I thought was brilliant.

32:40Yeah, that's helpful to me because there's a gap in this movie in terms of the role of the gods and Odysseus's relationship to them.

32:50Josh Larsen:That I think is one of the things, despite it being almost three hours, that the movie misses out on. But if it's more that Zeus's law represents a personal moral code for Odysseus in the way you describe that he violates, that does make sense to me. And we see in flashback flashbacks to his time before Troy, where he is very much depicted as a benevolent warrior king to his subjects. He cares about them. He's in conversation with them. So that tracks with what you're saying in that the actions he takes at Troy are in violation of that. Because otherwise, obviously he's talking to Calypso. It's not that he doesn't believe in the gods, but he seems somewhat annoyed by them or disinterested in them.

33:39Josh Larsen:And the gods are somewhat set aside in this movie, even though we do meet a lot of them. Athena, we'll get to the performances, but Zendaya as Athena is almost an afterthought. which I think is a mistake both because you cast Zendaya and Athena, you know, is, is a central figure in this tale. So at any rate, maybe we'll return to that in the, in discussing. Let me just say, Josh, I think,

34:07Adam Kempenaar:I think that he, my read of it is, is that he believes in the gods. Yeah. Previously. And then post Troy, he is someone who understands that the gods, seem to still govern this that that they're they exist in the sense that capricious sure yes they're capricious they exist but he is willing to challenge them and is in is in fact constantly seeking to challenge them in a way he wasn't before and that is driven by this trauma it's driven by yeah what what previously what previously occurred and and in fact what he did and and for me josh it's not only that it's not just that he's scarred and so he's behaving differently i do think he's actually subconsciously looking for reasons to not go home and that means challenging the gods even if it means going way off course and potentially dying in the process

35:07Josh Larsen:To your earlier point, I think he talks about this more than we actually see those encounters or those challenges or sense the presence of the gods. But we sense enough in this movie because this is such a sensory movie. I love what you said about the Trojan horse. It should not work on any level. So much of this tale, Adam, should not work on any level. I think if you had made this primarily with CGI imagery, it may have quote unquote worked, but in the way that nothing digital often means anything works, you know, yes, it's, it's there on the screen, but we don't believe it at all. I believed everything save maybe one shot that I, that I won't maybe get into.

35:52Josh Larsen:Cause I want to praise the filmmaking here. I believe everything else I see on the screen wholeheartedly. And I believe it with my whole body. I don't just believe it with my eyes. I believe it with my ears do this sound design and the score. And yeah, even more tactile-y than that. And that is what you're describing the Trojan horse is absolutely one of those elements, just that it's introduced. That is, it is something we know we could be on that beach and touch ourselves. And it's giant, right? And that works because when we see the horrifying shots of the men squeezed in the interior, we believe, I mean, here's where we're like in Dunkirk.

36:29Josh Larsen:We're in a sinking, one of the sinking boats, right? Again. And we believe that those men fit in there like that. It helps the way Hoytman Hoytman, he's working with a cinematographer. Again, the way they just establish at once a mythical and a rooted in reality sensibility. So the deep blue of the seas here, and then they offer these red sails on Odysseus' ship to punctuate the blue. that just sets the stage where it's, it's something, it's a boat, it's a historical boat, ancient boat. Um, that's familiar even to us, but there's something about the colors and the framing of it that makes it feel mythical.

37:12Josh Larsen:I think an opening title describes this as a time of apparent magic, right? And maybe they don't very effective.

37:19Adam Kempenaar:Yeah.

37:19Josh Larsen:I love that. Maybe they don't push that for me enough with the gods, but they do in every frame, You feel the apparent magic. I'm very eager to hear what your favorite sequence in terms of this quality, the it should not work on any level you describe. And maybe it is the Trojan horse. For me, it was actually Cyclops, which because it's the degree of difficulty, Adam, it's the same thing you were describing. We've heard about the Trojan horse our whole lives. We've heard about Cyclops our whole lives. We've seen how many iterations of each. How in the world are we going to be convinced of these things again in 2026?

38:01Josh Larsen:I tried to find out how they did the Cyclops. I have a few details that I'll share, but still nothing that explained exactly how I fully believed this giant creature with a single eye is in the same frame with Matt damon's odysseus and his men i know they filmed it in an actual cave and um that certainly helps i know that bill irwin who provided the voice and i think some of the movements for the robots and interstellar bill irwin is actually performing as cyclops so to me that added this incredibly creepy again i know there's a body there i know it's not really that big i and i you know i know its face doesn't look like that.

38:49Josh Larsen:I almost don't want to describe what they do with Cyclops's face because it's a simple choice that maybe another iteration has done before, but I've never seen it like this. And it made it so ghoulish and, um, like a different abomination than I'd seen before. But I think it's, to me, it's a lot about Irwin's performance, the physicality of that. Um, and the managing of the scale, whether it's, you know, camera fakery positions, however they did it. I just thought that was to me is like, oh my gosh, like he's, he's actually figured out a way to do this. And I think it's those sorts of that sort of artistry that makes this movie just feel like one, it's a world you've never seen.

39:41Josh Larsen:That's never existed to your point yet. But it's there, but it's there. Somehow it's there. And that's like the incredible achievement of the Odyssey for me. Yeah.

39:51Adam Kempenaar:Just like with the Trojan horse, there's a tactility to it. And I do mean the hand of the Cyclops, you feel in the theater like there is no doubt that hand is going to reach down and potentially grab Odysseus. The way that hand is dangling and he's trying to get underneath it. You in the theater almost want, at least I almost wanted to duck myself. It was that scary and it felt that real. I also think the way you described why that sequence is so effective, I think on a much smaller scale, I think it all applies to the Circe sequence with Samantha Morton. Oh, yeah. So fleshy. And the fleshy exactly transforming the men into pigs.

40:37Adam Kempenaar:And that that will allow me to transition back to when I said there are so many Nolan themes here that it it feels like like this amalgamation. Of course, how many of Nolan's movies are about deception? Characters who lie to others and most importantly themselves. I've already articulated Odysseus' self-deception or tried to and his self-awareness being the primary character arc. But look at all the other characters. Of course, all of Pattinson's Atenus, right, is just duplicity personified. But Penelope, Anne Hathaway, that little touch of her undoing her work each night, I love. Calypso playing her part in keeping Odysseus there with her.

41:25Adam Kempenaar:Mia Goth's maid, we learn about. Of course, Samantha Morton Circe is also doing some shady business. Agamemnon's justification. I want to talk about Agamemnon too. Agamemnon's justification for war with Troy, Clyde of Anestra's betrayal. And then with, with the, the Elliot page character, Simon, right? The, the way that is described that, that sequence, which I think is really effective in Hades reminded me, Josh, of a lot of the conversations we get in the Batman trilogy, where the conversation revolves around this idea of needing to believe that that you you have to actually with your whole heart believe in something yeah and and and it and it will only work whatever it is and it's very different in this film from the batman films but it will only work if you if you buy into whatever the myth is of course time we've talked about non-linear the non-linear approach and the flashbacks here but of course the Greeks losing 10 years away from their families on the, on the beach before they even have the battle.

42:41Adam Kempenaar:And then the seven years with, with Calypso and not having really any sense of how much time he's really losing. But those are, those are the very, very obvious ones. I want to throw this one at you. It's, it's not something it may be there. Now I want to retrofit and I, we need another overview and I'm sure we can find it in all of his movies but it's not something i would have connected until we saw tenet and you think about the john david washington character and how he's not given a proper name you know how he's only referred to including in the credits as the protagonist yep odysseus is is the the first major Greek literary hero.

43:28Adam Kempenaar:And is there any character in any story, book or movie, where you feel like the entire world revolves around them more than Odysseus? And certainly the way Nolan frames this movie, it seems that way. They lead, he leads everything. He communicates with the gods. He seems to determine. He seems to, through his own will, determine his own fate. And I think that's really the key point is Nolan is very interested in this idea, this meta aspect of being the protagonist. Are you able to write your own narrative? This idea of free will versus fate. Have the gods determined the path that you're going to take?

44:23Adam Kempenaar:Has your story already been written or can you determine it? And Odysseus' hubris on screen certainly is that he always believes that he's in control. That he's writing his story. And it does not matter what what else is occurring around him. And that that that made me think of Tenet, certainly, as I watched this film.

44:48Josh Larsen:Tenet is I mean, we both said we need to rewatch Tenet, but that is the one coming out of the Odyssey. I really want to take a look at and connect some of those threads because it's a puzzling film purposely in so many ways, disappointing for both of us. But I do think, you know, the more films we get from him since may help unlock that one more. And of course, the second viewing would just do the same. So saying all that about Odysseus, what did you think of Damon? No one could stand between me and home. Now these are the gods. Keep us free!

45:29Adam Kempenaar:Think about it. When it comes to your own food, you can walk into a restaurant, see what's being made, and know exactly what you're getting. But with dog food, most brands keep that completely hidden. Just Food for Dogs does the opposite. They've built their entire brand around open kitchens. You can actually walk in and watch them prepare your dog's meals with real human-grade ingredients, like chicken, beef, carrots, and peas, cooked right there in front of you. No mystery, no behind-the-scenes you're not allowed to see. That kind of transparency is rare in the pet food world. And it's a big reason they've become the number one vet recommended fresh dog food.

46:08Adam Kempenaar:Earning trust from pet parents who want to feel confident in what they're feeding. When a brand is willing to show you exactly how your dog's food is made, it says a lot about the care, quality, and standards behind every meal they produce. Nothing to hide. Everything to love. Go to JustFoodForDogs.com and get 50 % off your first order. Amazon Health AI presents Painful Thoughts I, um, I can't stop scratching my downtown Yeah, but I'm not itching to go downtown and tell a receptionist I'm here to talk about my downtown Some things you'd rather type than say out loud There's no question too embarrassing for Amazon Health AI Chat your symptoms and get virtual care 24-7 Healthcare just got less painful Wait, I came in for two things.

47:02Adam Kempenaar:How is this$47? All right, we're going to need a plan here. Just start simple with Bank of America Advantage Safe Balance Banking. No overdraft item fees, no monthly maintenance fee if you're under 25. Plus, as a new checking customer, you can earn$100 when you open an account and make qualifying Zeller debit transactions.

47:19Josh Larsen:Oh, that's actually really simple.

47:22Adam Kempenaar:Safe Balance Banking. One less thing to figure out. Learn more at bfa.com slash earn100. Terms and conditions apply. Bank of America and a member FDIC. Hey Donald, really flying on that treadmill. I'm trying to run as fast as T-Mobile 5G home internet, Zach. Well, you better pick it up because now T-Mobile has the fastest 5G home internet according to Ookla Speed Test. Really? How's this? T-Mobile's faster than that, bud, and it's still just$35 a month. Speed up! No! Plus, they've got a five-year price guarantee. Come on! Faster! How can I go any faster? Channel the speed of T-Mobile 5G home internet.

47:56Adam Kempenaar:Think 100 meter dash fast. Think drag racing fast. Think speed skating fast. Now let's bump up your speed a notch. Hey, whoa, whoa, that's too fast! You'll be alright, just walk it off. Get on the fast track.

48:12Josh Larsen:T-Mobile now has the fastest 5G home internet. And it still starts at just$35 a month with auto pay and a voice line. Plus a five year price guarantee. plus taxes and fees fastest according to uglo speed test intelligence data second half 2025 all rights reserved guaranteed for monthly price of 5g internet data on eligible plans find

48:28Adam Kempenaar:exclusions and details at t-mobile.com i have always been happy with damon performances i think it's a very good damon performance it's not one of the performances josh that i that i had notes about let's put it that way yeah there are there are supporting performances that stood out for their for their strengths they're supporting performances that stood out for weaknesses i do think damon does exactly what he has to do i think he anchors this film and i think he anchors it very well i i think that's probably a very boring take he's a very good actor and he's very good in this role of odysseus do you have a better take than i do um i i mean i think anchor is the

49:10Josh Larsen:right word there's you know at this stage in his life and his career he has let's say a grizzled stoutness that fits for this part um i think damon damon is interesting to me because he can have and often does this unforced integrity to him and um i think that's the quality not that nolan only wants so do you see us to be that but i think he wants that to be who this man is at heart and has, despite that, made terrible decisions, right? What's interesting about Damon and surprised me about the performance is that the Odysseus of the poem is, you mentioned his self-deception. He's much more of a conniving deceiver, troublemaker beyond how he's deceiving himself.

50:03Josh Larsen:And again, I'm not pointing that out to say that that's exactly who Nolan's Odysseus had to be. What's interesting to me is my favorite Damon performances, The Departed, The Informant, are when, like Leonardo DiCaprio, he embraces his inner weasel. And just knowing that in literary tradition, there's a weaseliness to Odysseus, I feel like that's been extinguished from him largely here. For sure. even though there is that self introspection you've mentioned, there's definitely that. And so it's just a trade-off where for me, it doesn't, you know, I've already seen some early heralding about Damon's career performance.

50:44Josh Larsen:Um, and I just think he's done more interesting work, even though he's very good as the Odysseus, this movie wants him to be the, I would agree. I think the two parts that I really enjoyed the most and one, uh, surprised me, but I did not this one, you know, Anne Hathaway, I think is, is quite good in most things she does. And I do, I did appreciate the ferocity she brings to this Penelope, how she, you know, she lets Tom Holland's, you know, her son have it a couple of times and reams him out. Um, she brings a passionate ferocity to the flashback scenes with Odysseus, which I think help provide that foundation for their relationship.

51:25Josh Larsen:I thought she was quite good. And I got to say, I don't think it was until his third scene. I realized that was John Leguizamo as Eumaeus, Odysseus's loyal servant. And he's got white hair here and one of his eyes is cloudy. He's plating older than his age. And finally, I was like, you know what? Actually, I'm going to stop there because for our family members, FilmSpotting family members, we are about to record a bonus show for July. our favorite performances of 2026 so far. And spoiler, Leguizamo's on my list. I will talk more about him there. But those were two standouts for me, actually, Hathaway and Leguizamo.

52:10Adam Kempenaar:Okay. Yeah. Let's keep it there because I'm definitely with you. I do always appreciate Hathaway as well. She leans into some of those scenes. There's no doubt about it when she's taking it works when she's taking tom holland to task and i think it works because i can accept this penelope at her wits end at this point and also being a a queen who feels very much like she is a ruler and and can be the ruler and she has a line at one point where where she acknowledges that that she only can't lead because of whatever laws dictate that she she needs a king of course agamemnon i want to say this before i i talk about performances that are not going to make the bonus show for favorite performances of the year the way van hoitama and nolan decide to shoot agamemnon never showing him that armor that dark armor the way he looks so gigantic yeah that air as everyone else that air of mystery about him that makes him seem like a ruler like that needs to especially when he is because of his whims all of this is occurring he needs to seem divine but he also essentially commanded odysseus for those unfamiliar with the poem to go on this campaign that's right yeah but he also needs it it almost needs to feel josh like the armor is a bit too much like that he's too regal because it's it's overcompensating for the fact that of course he's just a mortal man and and not only that he's he may not even be that much of a man and that's why i like i'm not even going to reveal who the actor is because i had to look it up later you you don't know i won't reveal it i i like though when we finally get a glimpse of his face i certainly didn't recognize who the actor was just from we don't really glimpse his face it's just through the helmet it's not until later that we we see any part of his face and hear his voice, but you can tell that there is a, there is a certain boyishness about him that comes through.

54:40Adam Kempenaar:That's in contrast to someone like Damon's Odysseus in this film. And it is in contrast to this armor and the way he presents himself. And every time he walked on screen, I, I was in awe of him the way you understood that every one of those men needed to be in awe of him. And it's also there. These are flashbacks from from Odysseus's point of view. Right. So it makes sense that he would see him that way. And also when when Agamemnon's telling stories. You can understand, perhaps I'd have to go back and watch them to see if this is totally consistent, but that we would get these shots where everything he's seeing.

55:19Adam Kempenaar:We don't see his face because it's what he's seeing coming at him.

55:23Josh Larsen:so his presence is incredible and again very tactile the costuming um they way overshot that dynamic you're describing because when that actor is revealed and this is in haiti so this is you know a sequence where agamemnon and his men they're dead and they're in haiti's incredible production design these soldiers emerge from the black soil right again everything is that you can you could pick that soil up and let it run through your own hands you know it and then we get this squeaky weenie agamemnon and it's so good they overshot it way too far you need a hint a hint

56:10Adam Kempenaar:of the gravitas it's funny hint is what i felt josh i got to be honest oh gosh no it was maybe

56:16Josh Larsen:the worst moment because it took me so out of the scene as like, who, who is this person? And I understood intellectually what they were trying to do. He's been, he's been ultimately humiliated. I just felt like they overshot how to depict that in, or maybe the performance did.

56:35Adam Kempenaar:Yeah. Well, so incredible actress, but Lupita Nyong 'o as, as Helen, and then also her twin sister in flashbacks, Clyde of Manestra is just lost here among the throng of characters and does not get to do any real acting work, which is sad. Similarly, you already said it. Zendaya is just back to being what she is in the Dune movies, which is, and I don't appreciate her performances there, which is, I mean, it's worse than that. But honestly, it is worse than that. But it's it's similar, which is an Oracle presence. Yeah. Who who mostly not even mostly who just all the time scrunches up her face and looks on disapprovingly there.

57:26Adam Kempenaar:There is no performance going on there. She is so much better in a film like the drama where she actually gets to be a person. I understand that she's a God here, but I still need something more substantial to hold on to than that scrunched up face looking on disapprovingly. It just, it, it, it's, it's a waste of her talents.

57:46Josh Larsen:I'm going to add a third. I'm going to add a third and then ask you a question about this. I have a third. Um, let's say the name three, two, two, one Robert Pattinson.

57:56Adam Kempenaar:No, Tom Holland. Okay. Mr. Zendaya. Okay. Go ahead. You go first. I mean, I'm never going to besmirch Robert Pattinson, even if this is very much a variation on a lot of on a lot of weasels. He he seems to have played recently, but I still saw shades in him that I felt like I haven't seen in some of those other weasels. I'm I hate to say this because it it sounds. I just fear that it may come off like I've got some issue with him as an actor. And I can see the talent in him. He's obviously so clearly a talented performer, but I'm not. And I've seen other movies. I've given him a chance. I'm just not sold on Holland in anything other than Spider-Man.

58:45Adam Kempenaar:And I think his stature here and his sensitivity, his innate sensitivity should work more or less for Telemachus. someone who's striving so hard and and failing really to to lead and to be his his father and he and damon do have a nice moment together but but overall i do think he's he is too sensitive he's emoting too hard and when he's he's in a scene with a with a force like john bernthal he shrinks.

59:23Josh Larsen:Yeah, I think that's fair. For me, two things. I actually have only seen him as Spider-Man. So I have no other context where I think we both have said he's pretty much perfect for that part. And I think it's a close enough part to hear that he's supposed to shrink. It's kind of the whole point of this character until we get to the end. I don't think he stands out. I understand that sort of eager boyishness is why he was cast. And from what I've seen of him, he can do that quite well. Pattinson, I'm not saying he's bad. I think you're right. You know, he's done more interesting variations on this.

59:59Josh Larsen:I think there's a repetition to his scenes that are bad. Well, that's the redundancy. Yeah. Every time we see him, he's doing the same thing. Yeah. Especially in the slaughter of the suitors where it almost became comical where a series of weapons are provided to the suitors. And every time we have to cut to him and he has to yell, get the blank. Go get it. At one point I was like, don't cut that first two times. Don't say it. And we did. So, but here's my question. I do think in the case of Pattinson, Nyong 'o and Zendaya, is there such a thing as overcasting? Because I think our issues, in other words, if it was an unknown in each of those parts who had delivered something slightly differently, might we be sitting here saying, you know who I can't wait to see more of?

1:00:52Josh Larsen:So-and-so as Athena. Right. Now, obviously, the writing is a part of this too, what is being provided. But I do think in this case, it's not going to work against you. You're going to get so many more people to see this movie because Zendaya's in it, right? They may be quite angry that she's not in it more, And there may be a backlash. So obviously I get the strategic reasons for casting them beyond the fact that they have the talent. But I almost feel like if the part is this small. In terms of the movie as a whole, do you think you could be doing yourself a disservice by bringing in a talent like that?

1:01:27Adam Kempenaar:It's an interesting thought because you're right. The cast is so filled out with these faces and maybe part of the fun would be discovering new faces and then wanting to see more of them like Haimash Patel, right? Or Corey Hawkins. No, that's a good example.

1:01:48Josh Larsen:And they're good.

1:01:48Adam Kempenaar:And we've seen them in other movies, but we're not so familiar with them. And when they pop up on screen, we go, oh, I really like those performers. And they're really good in their parts. Sadly, Charlize Theron is another woman, we can say, who does not get enough to do and who seems to simply through her presence. Her presence has to just carry the weight of her character, Calypso.

1:02:17Josh Larsen:As written, she's only there for Odysseus, and it didn't have to be that way.

1:02:21Adam Kempenaar:Right. Now, the one exception in terms of female cast members, I really did like that Cersei sequence a lot. And I think Morton gets to dig into something in that scene that works. She really does.

1:02:39Josh Larsen:Because it's almost its own short film within the entire movie that she takes command of. And is an instance that contradicts what I said earlier about the gods not getting a lot of attention. Well, you could point to that and say, well, they gave Cersei her own short film. So you do get that in that sequence for sure.

1:03:03Adam Kempenaar:Any closing thoughts, Josh? Or did we do the Odyssey justice?

1:03:07Josh Larsen:I mean, you know, I mentioned the score in passing Ludwig Gornson. The one thing I, if, when I see it again, I want to pay more attention to this. It seemed to me, and this speaks to the short film quality I was talking about. There probably is a recurring motif throughout, but it almost seemed to me that each section, he came up with something new so that we got a score for like this 20 minutes or something. And it was also at once both. again if I was more of a musician I could point to some instrumentation or something but different it somehow it seemed to be using sounds or instruments that we associate with being ancient but also modern techniques or rhythms that's well said there's a combination of eras to this that is obviously entirely appropriate so I think that's worth highlighting and yeah I mean I think we've I think for a somewhat processing review for you and it's only been a couple days for me I think we covered we covered a lot of good stuff it's probably one I will hope to see again at some point and and see what more might be there and maybe I'll squeeze in a tenant revisit before that to help me out yeah that that sounds ambitious I'd like to join

1:04:24Adam Kempenaar:you. I definitely would like to see The Odyssey again. If you've seen The Odyssey once or twice, we would love to hear your thoughts about it. You can email us, feedback at filmspotting.net. This conversation can serve no purpose anymore. Goodbye.

1:04:49Adam Kempenaar:Most dog food brands don't really want you seeing how their food is made. Just Food for Dogs is the opposite. They actually invite you in. You can walk into any of their kitchens and see real human-grade ingredients like chicken, beef, carrots, and peas being prepared right in front of you. It's real food made in real kitchens. Nothing is hidden behind labels. And that kind of transparency says a lot. Nothing to hide. Everything to love. Go to JustFoodForDogs.com and get 50 % off your first order. Big transfer news today. Who's moving? Me, to the couch, with Domino's best deal ever since they just added stuffed crust.

1:05:27Adam Kempenaar:Any pizza, any toppings, now with stuffed crust for$9.99. It's a long-term contract, with no release clause. Only$9.99? Yeah, that sounds like the move. I'm heading straight to Domino's. Price is higher for some locations. Excludes Excel and specialty pizzas. Select this offer from$6.15 through$7.26. Online only. Size availability varies by crust type.

1:05:48Josh Larsen:Max 7 toppings, 6 for hand and New York style crust. Minimum purchase required for delivery. Prices, participation, delivery area, and charges may vary. Whether it's help with hormone therapy, weight management, or sexual health, every woman should have access to affordable prescription medication and personalized care that understands the whole woman. Join me, Dr. Doug Lucas, clinical lead of hormone optimization and longevity at LifeMD, along with other leading experts on the podcast, Here's Something Good on Women's Health and Longevity.

1:06:19Adam Kempenaar:To learn more, go to lifemd.com slash iHeart.

1:06:49Adam Kempenaar:a nutrient boost your dog will love pedigree good then better now

From the publisher

Is Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey a cinematic gift, or is it a Trojan Horse filled with the director’s narrative obsessions? Maybe both. In their review, Adam and Josh talk about the ways Nolan diverges from Homer’s epic tale, and which of the director’s previous films offer the best insight into his latest.

This episode is presented by⁠ Regal Unlimited⁠⁠, the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. Use code FILMSPOT26 to take 15% off.

Feedback:

-Email us at feedback@filmspotting.net⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠-⁠Ask Us Anything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and we might answer your question in bonus content.

Support:

-Join the Filmspotting Family for bonus episodes and complete archive access.

http://filmspottingfamily.com

-Filmspotting Shop for T-shirts and more.⁠ ⁠

⁠https://www.filmspotting.net/shop⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow:

-Watch Filmspotting on YouTube:

⁠https://youtube.com/filmspotting⁠

-Adam/Filmspotting:

⁠Letterboxd⁠ |⁠ Instagram⁠ |⁠ Facebook⁠ | ⁠Bluesky⁠

-Josh/LarsenOnFilm:

⁠Letterboxd⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ |⁠ Facebook⁠ | ⁠Bluesky

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More from Filmspotting

All 198 episodes
The Odyssey: Nolan Makes the Ancient Epic His OwnFilmspotting · 59 min
Listen in VO