Looking for the Ocean: A Pixar Journey

9. Succ Session: The Luxo Jr. Sesame Street Shorts

Sunny days, sweeping the clouds away! Except when they don’t! Luxo Jr.’s Sesame Street appearances don’t stop Mark and Danny from talking about childhood trauma, and how a lot of people underestimate what children can emotionally process. You have to sit through some Emmy talk to get to it, but trust us, it’s worth it.

8. Poke-Thoughts: Knick Knack

This week Danny and Mark DEFINITELY spend most of their time talking about Knick Knack. They promise. They also talk about trading card games, what defines a movie musical, and could we categorize movies based on their title’s font?

7. The Baby Elephant in the Room: Tin Toy

Everyone has Covid! The lads are fighting for their lives this week as they talk about Aaron Sorkin, the best instant Ramen, and Pixar’s biggest mistake. Is Tin Toy a big leap forward? Should they be nicer to it? Can one seize the means of production by sitting directly in front of the TV?

6. DETOUR! Happy (Belated) Birthday Sicko: The Brave Little Toaster

Mark and Danny talk toasters, trash, and Danny having Covid! This film is a mess, but it’s a good time. The lads discussed whether or not this a proto-Toy Story movie, the car talk guys, and Danny joining the 27 Club (well, he’s not dead yet) with this episode.

5. They Always Put It In My Cherry Coke: Red’s Dream

In this semi-(but-not-fully)-serious episode, Danny and Mark try to find something to say about the Pixar short, Red’s Dream. A VeggieTales tangent leads to a discussion about faith, religion and Christian movies. They also launch the game show segment of the pod, introducing the Letterboxd Game and the Game of Lists.

4. Happy Father’s Day from Tom Cruise: Luxo Jr.

Danny and Mark discuss the groundbreaking short Luxo Jr., which changed animation forever. Do either of us have a working VHS player? Why is it called a pencil test if there are no pencils? Do we gender lamps, and why?

3. Too Darn Hot: The Student Films of Pixar

Danny and Mark discuss the student films of John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Pete Docter. They question the Brain Trust’s auteurism in films made when they were younger than our hosts. They also discuss the ghost of Billy Wilder, if the CalArts style exists and is something we should be worried about, and whether the films of Pete Docter caused Mark to lose his mind.

2. Windows, Water Droplets, Beach Chairs, Moving!: The Tech Demos of Pixar

The lads discuss Pixar’s proof of concept videos from the early 80s. They compare them to Stan Brakhage shorts and modern weather reports, and they also briefly touch on Macintosh propaganda, a pencil with lungs, and the aesthetics of early 2000s science television.