The Life of the Mind

• The Ladykillers

  In a body of work that spans 18 films and 4 decades, The Ladykillers has the reputation for the being a singular low point in the Coen Brothers' career, but does it really deserve that reputation? It was Joel and Ethan's first straight up remake, but they can't resists putting their own unique spin on this darkly weird tale of a gang of criminals and the unsuspecting lady who rents them a rehearsal space. We put out the call to find The Ladykillers' staunchest defender, and the person who answered is a musical creator in his own right, Broadway lyricist and composer Joe Iconis. Joe has the difficult task of convincing us to change our minds about the film, and we came away from this conversation with a new perspective. Follow us on Twitter @CoenBrothersPod, on Instagram @TheLifeoftheMindPod and Facebook.com/thelifeofthemindpod You can also find Chris Ayers' designs for Coen Brothers alternative movie posters at Etsy.com/shop/ChrisAyersCreative Music by Nick Shelby and Mike Brenner at CosmicAmericanMusic.com

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• Intolerable Cruelty

  Intolerable Cruelty (2003) was the Coen Brothers' first work-for-hire project in Hollywood. Initially just a script polish, they eventually took over the director's helm as well. While they definitely left their stylistic stamp on this divorce lawyer comedy, it also has the hallmarks of an early 2000s mainstream romantic film, featuring George Clooney and Catherine Zeta-Jones as antagonists/lovers. Despite working with their usual crew of collaborators, the Coen Brothers aren't able to fully rescue this film from mediocrity, but we do find some things to appreciate about it. Follow us on Twitter @CoenBrothersPod, on Instagram @TheLifeoftheMindPod and Facebook.com/thelifeofthemindpod You can also find Chris Ayers' designs for Coen Brothers alternative movie posters at Etsy.com/shop/ChrisAyersCreative Music by Nick Shelby and Mike Brenner at CosmicAmericanMusic.com

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• The Man Who Wasn't There

  In the Coen canon, it's almost the film that wasn't there. Audiences didn't show up for it, but The Man Who Wasn't There remains a favorite among critics and fans of film noir. The Coen Brothers have paid tribute to Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler in the past, but here it's the hard-boiled naturalistic fiction of James M. Cain that inspired the film. It's also the Coen Brothers first black & white film, and it's hard to imagine this movie any other way. To shine some light in the darkness, we've enlisted the help of the "Czar of Noir" Eddie Muller, host of TCM's "Noir Alley," and author of the book "Dark City: The Lost World of Film Noir." Follow us on Twitter @CoenBrothersPod, on Instagram @TheLifeoftheMindPod and Facebook.com/thelifeofthemindpod You can also find Chris Ayers' designs for Coen Brothers alternative movie posters at Etsy.com/shop/ChrisAyersCreative Music by Nick Shelby and Mike Brenner at CosmicAmericanMusic.com

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• O Brother, Where Art Thou?

  Continuing their collaboration with music producer T-Bone Burnett, the Coens follow up their biggest cult hit with O Brother, Where Art Thou in 2000, which has a massive impact as it puts Southern traditional music at the forefront of American culture. On this episode we reminisce about the good ol' days, and we don't mean the 1930s. We're nostalgic for the 90s, when movie soundtracks reigned supreme. This episode is heavy on the music talk as we attempt to discern if the O Brother phenomenon is a soundtrack with a movie attached to it, or does the film stand on its own? We're joined by music writer and native southerner Will Hodge to talk about this film's lasting impact. Follow us on Twitter @CoenBrothersPod, on Instagram @TheLifeoftheMindPod and Facebook.com/thelifeofthemindpod You can also find Chris Ayers' designs for Coen Brothers alternative movie posters at Etsy.com/shop/ChrisAyersCreative Music by Nick Shelby and Mike Brenner at CosmicAmericanMusic.com

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• The Big Lebowski

  We're starting off Season 2 with the Coens' biggest cult hit. The Big Lebowski has spawned its own festival, its own religion, and has taken on a life of its own since it was released in 1999. In some ways, it's larger than the whole Coen oeuvre, but where does it fit in? And do you have to be on drugs to fully appreciate it? We test this theory by all being in the same room for the first time and partaking or cannabis and White Russians. We're joined by podcaster and co-host of Mental Platypus, Jared Duran - the biggest Lebowski fan we know. It's our messiest and most freewheelin' episode to date. Find out if some illicit substances changed our mind about the film... Follow us on Twitter @CoenBrothersPod, on Instagram @TheLifeoftheMindPod and Facebook.com/thelifeofthemindpod You can also find Chris Ayers' designs for Coen Brothers alternative movie posters at Etsy.com/shop/ChrisAyersCreative Music by Nick Shelby and Mike Brenner at CosmicAmericanMusic.com

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