Top Gun (1986) — Danger Zones & Smooth Operators | Stumptown Nitro Cold Brew

Today Ben is joined by Marc Pyskaty and Kathryn Horan from the Cinescare Horror Podcast for a high-flying dive into Top Gun (1986). Ben watches it for the first time. Marc and Kathryn are ready. This could go anywhere.

We're drinking Stumptown Nitro Cold Brew — nitrogen-infused, creamy, cascading. Smooth operators deserve a smooth cup. Pour it into a glass and watch the cascade. You'll understand immediately.

Where to watch Top Gun:

justwatch.com/us/movie/top-gun

Find Stumptown Nitro Cold Brew near you (refrigerated, in-store only):

stumptowncoffee.com/products/original-nitro-cold-brew-coffee

Check out our guests at Cinescare Horror Podcast:

cinescarehorror.com | @cinescare

Subscribe, find us, and support the show:

reelbeans.com | rss.com/podcasts/real-beans | youtube.com/@reelbeans | reelbeans.com/support | @reel_beans

In this episode, host Ben welcomes special guests Joe Janz and Matt Speak, the hosts of the Cinescare Podcast, for a deep dive into Steven Spielberg's 1981 action-adventure classic, Raiders of the Lost Ark, paired with a Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC Peru Medium Roast.

Ben shares that this was his first time seeing the film, in a sold-out 35mm screening at Quentin Tarantino's New Beverly Cinema in LA. The three discuss what makes the film a near-perfect adventure movie: the thrilling practical effects, groundbreaking in-camera action sequences, iconic cinematography by Douglas Slocombe, and John Williams' legendary score. They also share behind-the-scenes trivia, including the truth about the famous swordsman scene, Spielberg's SpaghettiOs diet in Tunisia, the swimming pool trick used to create the Ark's supernatural spirits, and the real story behind the fly on Belloq's lip.

Joe and Matt also give a rundown of their own podcast, Cinescare, and tease an upcoming episode featuring a Malort tasting.

Coffee: Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC — Peru Medium Roast (warm cinnamon, caramel, and orange notes) Film: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), dir. Steven Spielberg

🎙️ Find Cinescare Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow Cinescare on Instagram @cinescare

🌐 More film and coffee recommendations at realbeans.com 💬 Instagram: @real_beans

Ben, along with Casey and Allen discuss The Truman Show and sip Starbucks Veranda Blend.

Exploring the timeless themes of The Truman Show, its commentary on reality TV, societal control, and the impact of technology on privacy and authenticity. A deep dive into the film's relevance today and its cultural significance.

The Truman Show (Film) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120382/

Where to Watch: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-truman-show

Jim Carrey -https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Carrey

Peter Weir - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Weir

The Truman Show Script by Andrew Niccol - https://screenplaydb.com/script/tt0120382/

Starbucks Blonde Roast - https://www.starbucks.com/menu/product/2122324/

Surveillance and Privacy in the Digital Age - https://www.eff.org/issues/privacy

Reality TV and Society - https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/media-spotlight/201911/reality-tv-and-society

SHOW NOTES

Episode Title: Dorothy McGuire Double Feature: Seeing Past the Surface | Gentleman's Agreement & The Enchanted Cottage

Description:

What do a journalist pretending to be Jewish and a disfigured war veteran falling in love in a magical cottage have in common? They're both about learning to see what's actually there instead of what we've been taught to see.

In this double-feature episode, Ben and returning guest Danielle Aubuchon explore two Dorothy McGuire classics asking the same question: What happens when we're forced to see past the surface? Gentleman's Agreement (1947) confronts antisemitism through a journalist who poses as Jewish to expose "polite" prejudice. The Enchanted Cottage (1945) finds beauty in what society deems "imperfect"—a disfigured veteran and a "plain" woman who see each other clearly for the first time.

Both films reveal McGuire's range and her gift for playing characters learning to see clearly—whether recognizing unconscious prejudice or discovering their own worth. We explore silent racism, the glass bottles metaphor, and "nice people" who hate prejudice but won't fight it.

Paired with Counter Culture's Hologram blend—a coffee that reveals different flavors depending on how you approach it—this episode asks: What would change if we all just actually SAW each other?

sip. watch. repeat.

Films Discussed:

• The Enchanted Cottage (1945) - Dir. John Cromwell
• Gentleman's Agreement (1947) - Dir. Elia Kazan

Coffee Pairing: Counter Culture Coffee - Hologram Blend

Guest: Danielle Aubuchon | danielleaubuchon.com

Featured Performances: Dorothy McGuire, Gregory Peck, Robert Young, John Garfield, Celeste Holm, Anne Revere, Herbert Marshall, Spring Byington, Mildred Natwick

Links:

Stream Gentleman's Agreement | https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/gentlemans-agreement

Stream The Enchanted Cottage | https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-enchanted-cottage

Counter Culture Coffee | https://counterculturecoffee.com

Danielle Aubuchon | https://danielleaubuchon.com

La Jolla Playhouse (co-founded by McGuire, Peck, Ferrer) | https://lajollaplayhouse.org

Dorothy McGuire - TCM | https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/133081

Support Reel Beans:

https://reelbeans.com/support | https://buymeacoffee.com/reelbeans | https://reelbeans.com/merch

Connect:

Instagram: @reel_beans | YouTube: @reelbeans | Website: reelbeans.com

Season 2 kicks off with a descent into darkness.

Join Ben Schneider and Kathryn Horan as they explore Neil Marshall's THE DESCENT (2005) — now in Ben's top ten horror films. Six women. One unmapped cave. Creatures that shouldn't exist. And betrayals that cut deeper than any monster ever could.

We're pairing this claustrophobic nightmare with Four Sigmatic Mushroom Coffee, because Kathryn had a brilliant insight: mushrooms literally grow in caves. What starts as a clever connection becomes something deeper as we explore the Finnish WWII origins of mushroom coffee and why Lion's Mane is exactly what you need when the walls close in.

In this episode:

• Why the UK ending hits different (and harder) than the US version
• Juno's fatal mistake: when fight or flight goes horribly wrong
• What makes these women work when so many horror characters don't
• Neil Marshall's Argento/Fulci influences and how they shape the terror
• The affair subplot you might have missed
• Cave diving as metaphor for confronting truth
• Why all-female casts are still revolutionary in horror

This one's intense, claustrophobic, and earned every scare. Let's descend.

sip. watch. repeat.

RESOURCES:

The Film: The Descent (2005) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0486655/ Where to Watch - https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-descent

The Director & Influences: Neil Marshall - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Marshall Dario Argento - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dario_Argento Lucio Fulci - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucio_Fulci

The Coffee: Four Sigmatic Focus Organic Coffee Latte - https://us.foursigmatic.com/products/focus-organic-coffee-latte

Connect with Reel Beans: Website: reelbeans.com Instagram: @reel_beans Support the show: buymeacoffee.com/reelbeans

In the season one finale of Reel Beans, host Ben is joined by returning guest Josh Rozett to celebrate one year of pairing films with coffee. For this milestone episode, Josh shares Ridley Scott's 1991 landmark Thelma & Louise, paired with Mt. Comfort Coffee's Guatemala Blend - a bright, balanced cup that mirrors the film's journey from constraint to freedom.

Ben and Josh explore how Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon create one of cinema's most authentic friendships, how Ridley Scott's visual style transforms the Southwest landscape into a character itself, and why the film's refusal to offer easy answers makes it a perfect seasonal closer. From Callie Khouri's Oscar-winning screenplay to that iconic final frame, this conversation examines how Thelma & Louise redefined the road movie by putting two women behind the wheel of their own destiny.

The coffee pairing celebrates the heartland craftsmanship of Indianapolis-based Mt. Comfort Coffee, whose Guatemala Blend offers bright citrus and chocolate notes that evolve in the cup - much like the film's deceptively simple setup reveals profound depth. It's the kind of coffee you'd want riding shotgun on a journey toward the horizon.

Season one wraps with gratitude for the listeners, supporters, and guests who made this experiment in film-coffee fusion possible. Here's to many more miles ahead.

Film: Thelma & Louise (1991) Coffee: Mt. Comfort Coffee Guatemala Blend Guest: Josh Rozett

Where to Watch: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/thelma-and-louise

Where to Buy the Coffee: https://mtcomfortcoffee.com | https://www.instacart.com (search "Mt. Comfort Coffee")

Episode Links: https://reelbeans.com | https://www.instagram.com/reel_beans | https://www.youtube.com/@reelbeans | https://letterboxd.com/reel_beans | https://rss.com/podcasts/real-beans

Support the Show: https://reelbeans.com/merch | https://buymeacoffee.com/reelbeans

Reel Beans — Episode 24 Clifton Webb Tribute: Laura (1944) & Sitting Pretty (1948) | Intelligentsia House Blend

Welcome to Hummingbird Hill. This week we are celebrating one of Hollywood's most brilliant and wildly underrated actors — the one, the only, Clifton Webb. Frequent guest Danielle Aubuchon joins us for a tribute episode covering two sides of Webb's genius: the brooding, obsessive Waldo Lydecker in Otto Preminger's noir classic Laura (1944) and the pompous, hilarious, utterly magnificent Mr. Belvedere in Sitting Pretty (1948). Three Oscar nominations. Never won. Still underrated. Still brilliant.

Paired with Intelligentsia House Blend — the everyday coffee for a man who was anything but ordinary.

sip. watch. repeat.

This Week's Guest Danielle Aubuchon | https://www.danielleaubuchon.com/

This Week's Coffee Intelligentsia House Blend | https://www.intelligentsia.com/products/intelligentsia-house-blend

Where to Watch Laura (1944) | https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/laura Sitting Pretty (1948) | https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/sitting-pretty

Learn More Clifton Webb — Wikipedia | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clifton_Webb Clifton Webb — IMDb | https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0916067/

Find Reel Beans Website | https://reelbeans.com | Podcast | https://rss.com/podcasts/real-beans/ | Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/reel_beans/ | YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@reelbeans

Support the Show Support | https://reelbeans.com/support | Merch | https://reelbeans.com/merch

EPISODE 23 - SHOW NOTES

Easter Double Feature: The Easter Bunny Is Comin' to Town & It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown

FILMS DISCUSSED:

The Easter Bunny Is Comin' to Town (1977) Rankin/Bass stop-motion special narrated by Fred Astaire https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Easter_Bunny_Is_Comin'_to_Town

It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown (1974) Peanuts holiday special with music by Vince Guaraldi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It's_the_Easter_Beagle,_Charlie_Brown

COFFEE PAIRING:

Purchase: https://www.stumptowncoffee.com/products/ethiopia-mordecofe (Note: Stumptown offers multiple Ethiopian single origins; Guji is available at Whole Foods and other retailers)

Stumptown Coffee Roasters Story: https://www.stumptowncoffee.com/pages/our-story

RANKIN/BASS EASTER SPECIALS - DEEP DIVE:

Rick Goldschmidt's History (Rankin/Bass Historian): https://www.remindmagazine.com/article/1366/easter-bunny-is-coming-to-town-rankin-bass-easter-special/

PEANUTS EASTER BEAGLE - DEEP DIVE:

50th Anniversary Analysis: https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/a-basketful-of-peanuts-the-50th-anniversary-of-its-the-easter-beagle-charlie-brown/

Why It's "Forgotten" Among Peanuts Specials: https://www.remindmagazine.com/article/12559/its-the-easter-beagle-charlie-brown-1974-50-years-peanuts-holiday-specials/

VINCE GUARALDI SOUNDTRACK:

Soundtrack Information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It's_the_Easter_Beagle,_Charlie_Brown_(soundtrack)

ETHIOPIA GUJI COFFEE REGION:

Guji Coffee Deep Dive: https://www.trabocca.com/coffee-knowledge/origin/guji-coffee/

STREAMING & AVAILABILITY:

The Easter Bunny Is Comin' to Town: Available on various streaming platforms and DVD

It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown: Exclusive to Apple TV+ (as of 2021)

CONNECT:

Website: reelbeans.com Podcast: Available on all major podcast platforms