Heath, I'm glad to see that you have not become discouraged from posting these longer videos with deep-dive conversations on films and film history- I find it disappointing when they don't seem to get the number of views that they deserve.  Be assured that your real fans appreciate what you're doing.  And I love to hear contrary opinions- especially when they are so well articulated that they actually change my mind!

Thanks Heath and Jon for an entertaining and informative discussion. It was a pleasant way to spend the evening.

I can't say I agree with many of the takes in this video. But that doesn't stop me from respecting you and enjoying your videos. I don't mind hearing thoughts that challenge my nostalgia. I know they are coming from a true movie fan

I worked on a not-good film (called Madison) with Bruce Dern and when I met him I mentioned how much I loved Silent Running and he was genuinely charmed.

Long time listener, first time caller. This episode was incredible!  Thank you Heath and Jon.

What a delightful conversation with lots of spice! I have been actively avoiding social media, and instead devoting that time to books and film, so I had no idea Project Hail Mary was commercialized so much. Never even saw a trailer. I only wanted to go because it was the Andy Weir book I hadn't made time for yet haha. I am kind of glad I was oblivious because it probably made it easier for me to enjoy it. I am disappointed I didn't make the Silent Running connection myself. I first saw it about 10 years ago and absolutely adored it. I've seen it a few times since but I didn't think about it during the film at all. Definitely can see the comparisons though, and I am looking forward to watching it again with that in mind. Anyways, I can't tell you how much I appreciate the passionate film perspectives you and others bring to this channel. Even when I disagree with some of it lol. Thanks!

Jon's comment about IMAX were so spot on. If the heart of a movie is rotten. Seeing it in IMAX won't change that.

Good interview and cool video Heath!👍

Great conversation! Have stuff to say about it but no time to type it out

Great interview, again :-) i said before, keep them coming! And yes, who does not think Silent Running is a good film (i still have the orginaL
LP soundtrack)

I got that same Silent Running vibe watching the Hail Mary trailer. I'm 66 and old enough to remember Silent Running.

I guess I need to check out Silent Running

What I love about the Extended Versions of the LOTR on physical media, especially the DVD versions was that you had to switch discs for each movie at a certain point to get to the second half of the film, which was kind of a forced intermission, as it were.  I'm going to have to disagree with Jon about 90 minutes being the perfect run-time.  I don't think there's such a thing.  A movie is as long as it needs to be to get its story across, be it 90 minutes, 120 minutes, or 180 minutes.  You need to give the movie the time it needs to breathe.  Now, the problem with a lot of long movies comes down to editing.  Some movies really don't need to be 2-3 hours long, but the editing can ruin the pace of a movie.  If the editing and overall film-making is good enough, two to three hours will fly by.  If it's bad, an hour will feel like an eternity.

Nice to see someone else's reaction to PHM be "it was fine". I'm better-versed in cinema than the average person, but I don't consider myself an expert by any means. I've yet to see the movie based on Weir's other book, The Martian!  I've seen Silent Running, but honestly don't remember it very clearly. I found PHM light and enjoyable but not convincing either technically or emotionally, so I've been surprised at the seemingly universal praise for it.

If I don’t like a film it’s not a good film

Jon Spira's hard to please when it comes to aspect ratios and screen size. Wes Anderson doesn't use the whole screen so he's bad, Christopher Nolan uses too much screen so he's bad. And yet he praises Kubrick as a genius who could be as much of a dick about aspect ratios as Anderson, shooting Eyes Wide Shut is 1.37:1 in the late nineties.

Then after complaining about that he comes out with "You can f*** off if you think aspect ratio has anything to do with storytelling or feeling." Well if that was the case then Anderson using 1.47:1 shouldn't be an issue!

For the record Nolan wasn't the first filmmaker to use IMAX that was Jean-Jacques Annaud and Wings of Courage way back in 1995 (although that was only 50 minutes long but it did have some name stars in it including Val Kilmer). Nolan was just the first to make it work commercially and that is Nolan's genius, he understands that if he wants to keep making films with the creative freedom he has then he has to make films that people want to go and see.

I do agree with him on the length of Scorsese's recent films though. How an 83 year old man (with an 83 year old mans bladder) can think it's a good idea to make a four hour film is beyond me.

You missed Tarantino when you were talking about filmmakers who still shoot on film who is as much of a film fanatic as Nolan.

Just for the record though I have my own unpopular opinions -
I don't like the Shining. I think critics got it right when it first came out when it was panned. Kubrick just didn't understand the story.
One Battle After Another was okay but not worthy of all the praise that was lavished on it. Sean Penn winning the Oscar for playing a cartoon character was a huge injustice (Delroy Lindo should have won)
The Coen brothers remake of True Grit doesn't come close to matching the John Wayne original.
I'd better stop there 😂

Mine are: 1. I prefer The original 1951 version of The Thing over John Carpenter's film 2. I don't like John Carpenter's The Thing, period, and think Carpenter is overrated. 3. A View To a Kill is one of my favorite Bond films 4. I like Barry Lyndon and Eyes Wide Shut more than The Shining 5. I prefer Alain Resnais over Jean-Luc Godard

Great conversation as always, Heath.  Love it!  Some unpopular opinions of mine:

Christopher Nolan has become overrated with time.  Oppenheimer is not a good movie, Inception has aged kinda poorly, and Memento is still his best work.

I haven't truly enjoyed a new Martin Scorsese film since Shutter Island.

The Strangers is the most overrated horror movie of the 21st century.

Halloween Ends is one of the best sequels in the Halloween franchise.

Spectre is the worst James Bond film of the official 25.

Sequels I prefer over the first - Gremlins 2, Grease 2, Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Blade Runner 2049, Doctor Sleep, Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey.

Great video that's gonna piss off a bunch of babies who are "bored of experts" but keep it up!

Speaking of Nolan.
Inception. Saw it on a shelf in a Goodwill on Blu ray. Grabbed it. Watched it.
The one thing that bothered me about the film is. People talk very low to the point I need to turn up the volume so I can hear it to LOUD EXPLOSIONS!
I'm like "What is happening right now?"