It’s the time for beaches, bonfires, basking in the afternoon sunshine, going on roadtrips, and it’s also one of the most exciting seasons for movies.

But here’s the challenge when picking a summertime flick: choosing a movie.

The last thing you want to do is have a debate over which movie to watch to dampen the mood.

But have no fear, Luke Ferris is here. In this essay episode, Luke guides you through some summer selections so you’ll be prepared for every scenario to recommend a summer flick.

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Sources for this episode:

• Royalty-free music and sound effects via Artlist.com

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All content falls under fair use: any copying of copyrighted material is done for a limited, educational and “transformative” purpose, such as to comment upon, criticize, or parody a copyrighted work. Such uses can be done without permission from the copyright owner.

In honor of the 25th anniversary of Jurassic Park III, we're bringing back an episode from the vault via the podcast that started it all–Jurassic Pod.

In this episode, Luke Ferris and Mike Wynne break down the uniqueness of this trilogy within the franchise and in filmmaking.

Dr. Alan Grant unknowingly returns to Isla Sorna to save more children. Can he overcome the ghosts of his past and rescue this franchise from early 2000s sequelitis? Talking dinosaurs, hybrid dinosaurs, and William H. Macy. It’s Jurassic Park Claw Mark!

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Catch new episodes of Least Important Things every Tuesday wherever you get your podcasts or on YouTube.

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Sources for this episode:

• Royalty-free music and sound effects via Artlist.com

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All content falls under fair use: any copying of copyrighted material is done for a limited, educational and “transformative” purpose, such as to comment upon, criticize, or parody a copyrighted work. Such uses can be done without permission from the copyright owner.

Did JAWS and Star Wars ruin cinema?

In this essay episode, Luke Ferris dives into why the 1970s were a critical decade in film history because of the two trajectories of its young, creative talent. One path, like Spielberg, Lucas, and De Palma, was to create universally appealing genre films. The others, like Scorsese and Coppola, chose to create serious dramatic works focusing on the counterculture ideas of the period. Was one way the correct way?

Or is there a deeper understanding of the morphism of this era of filmmaking?

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Catch new episodes of Least Important Things every Tuesday wherever you get your podcasts or on YouTube.

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Sources for this episode:

• Royalty-free music and sound effects via Artlist.com
• The Deer Hunter - Trailer - (1978) - HQ
• The Deer Hunter ending

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All content falls under fair use: any copying of copyrighted material is done for a limited, educational and “transformative” purpose, such as to comment upon, criticize, or parody a copyrighted work. Such uses can be done without permission from the copyright owner.

There’s a forgotten form of writing, often ostracized by the publishing world, that deserves a reclamation–the novelization,

In this essay episode, Luke Ferris dives into the "pulpy" and often misunderstood world of novelizations. Far from just being simple marketing gimmicks, these books offer a unique way to engage with our favorite films, filling in lore gaps and letting us spend more time with characters we already love.

In this episode, we’ll dive into:

• A Brief History of the "Pulp" Industry: Why these books became a marketing powerhouse in the 1950s paperback era and why writers often used pseudonyms.
• Lore and Gaps: How the Halloween novelization by "Richard Curtis" actually shaped the future of the film franchise’s Celtic lore.
• The Reverse Adaptation: A look at how directors like Michael Mann and Quentin Tarantino are using the written word to expand their cinematic universes.
• The "Book vs. Movie" Tension: Why seeing a young Al Pacino or Val Kilmer on the page can actually make the original Heat movie even better.

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Catch new episodes of Least Important Things every Tuesday wherever you get your podcasts or on YouTube.

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Sources for this episode:

• Royalty-free music and sound effects via Artlist.com
• Heat Trailer HD (1995)
• "These Are Fun. I Should Do One." - Quentin Tarantino On The Decision To Novelise His Latest Film

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All content falls under fair use: any copying of copyrighted material is done for a limited, educational and “transformative” purpose, such as to comment upon, criticize, or parody a copyrighted work. Such uses can be done without permission from the copyright owner.

What happens when you give an auteur director and the biggest movie stars in the world an all-expenses-paid trip to Europe to create a bombastic sequel?

The often misunderstood Ocean’s Twelve.

In this essay episode, Luke Ferris makes a case for Ocean’s Twelve and the brilliance behind this often derided sequel.

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Sources for this episode:

• Royalty-free music and sound effects via Artlist.com
• Ocean's Twelve: Questions about age are the most uncomfortable
• Ocean's Twelve | How Much Does Everyone Owe? | ClipZone: High Octane Hits
• Ocean's Twelve (2004) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers
• Ocean's Twelve ending song | Pitched Down (Dave Grusin - Ascension to Virginity)

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All content falls under fair use: any copying of copyrighted material is done for a limited, educational and “transformative” purpose, such as to comment upon, criticize, or parody a copyrighted work. Such uses can be done without permission from the copyright owner.

“Do you think we need one more? Do you think we need one more… Okay, we’ll get one more.”

We’re assembling the crew and heading to America’s playground to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Steven Soderbergh’s effortlessly cool heist masterpiece, Ocean's Eleven.

Host Luke Ferris is joined by his own "Rusty" and "Linus"—Andy Warsen and Mike Wynne—to break down why this movie is one of the coolest and lasting pieces of pure movie-star entertainment.

In this episode, we’ll dive into:

• Pranks and Behind the Scenes Lore: How George Clooney recruited Julia Roberts with a $20 bill and more on-set shenanigans.
• The Standard of Cool: Andy and Luke share why seeing this movie at an impressionable age set their standard for what’s “cool.”
• Rusty Ryan Honorary Bestie for On-Screen Eating: From shrimp cocktails to jelly beans, we track Rusty's impressive cinematic diet.
• Did Mike Watch the Movie?: Andy and Luke track to see if Mike is conning them, and actually sleep through the movie.
• The Longest Segment We’ve Ever Had: The guys reference the most quotable and numerous lines from the movie.
• And much more…

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links below.

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Sources for this episode:

• Royalty-free music and sound effects via Artlist.com
• Ocean's Eleven (2001) Official Trailer

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All content falls under fair use: any copying of copyrighted material is done for a limited, educational and “transformative” purpose, such as to comment upon, criticize, or parody a copyrighted work. Such uses can be done without permission from the copyright owner.

In this essay episode, Luke Ferris explores the evocative power of film scores and why we find such deep resonance in the music that follows us long after the credits roll. Luke will examine how soundtracks allow us to rewatch movies in our minds and provide thematic connection beyond the screen.

We’ll dive into:

• A Mental Rewatch: Why listening to a score allows your mind to wander back into the mood, era, and story of a favorite film.
• The Soundtrack of Productivity: How ambient compilations—from Blade Runner to The Lord of the Rings—provide clarity and focus during study and work.
• Beyond the Script: Why a movie’s musical landscape is just as vital to the cinematic experience as the actors on the poster or the words on the page

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Catch new episodes of Least Important Things every Tuesday wherever you get your podcasts or on YouTube.

Support Least Important Things on Patreon

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Sources for this episode:

• Royalty-free music and sound effects via Artlist.com

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All content falls under fair use: any copying of copyrighted material is done for a limited, educational and “transformative” purpose, such as to comment upon, criticize, or parody a copyrighted work. Such uses can be done without permission from the copyright owner.

For those of us in northern climates, spring break is a strange American pastime—a desperate search for vitamin D to escape the "sprinter" (spring-winter) slush. But for the "holdovers" who stay behind, the empty streets and gray skies offer a different kind of magic: the cinema.

In this essay episode, Luke Ferris explores the unique nostalgia of the spring break movie season. From childhood memories to the recent "quadrant-bursting" success of Project Hail Mary, Luke discusses why the theater remains the ultimate escape for those left behind.

He’ll dive into:

• The Escapism of the Spring Break at the Movies: Why being a "holdover" feels like a secret club for movie-goers.
• Project Hail Mary and The Return of the (Non-Comic Book) Event Film: A look at why the Andy Weir adaptation (starring Ryan Gosling) is the perfect "four-quadrant" spring break hit.
• The Drama of The Drama: A celebration of big movie stars making adult movies for adults.
• The "Sprinter" Survival: Why a packed Tuesday night screening in Grand Rapids feels more rewarding than a tropical beach.

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Catch new episodes of Least Important Things every Tuesday wherever you get your podcasts or on YouTube.

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Read our articles and learn more about the show at www.leastimportantthings.com

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Sources for this episode:

• Royalty-free music and sound effects via Artlist.com
• Project Hail Mary | Final Trailer
• The Drama | Official Trailer HD | A24
• TMNT (2007) - Trailer

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All content falls under fair use: any copying of copyrighted material is done for a limited, educational and “transformative” purpose, such as to comment upon, criticize, or parody a copyrighted work. Such uses can be done without permission from the copyright owner.