NAB Main Brad Anderson NAB Main Brad Anderson

Episode 295 - Clockers

Welcome back to Not A Bomb!—the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.

For the month of February, Not A Bomb is shining a spotlight on some of the greatest Black directors in cinematic history. This week, Troy and Brad take on their very first Spike Lee joint with his 1995 crime drama Clockers — a film that blends gritty realism, moral complexity, and Lee’s unmistakable visual style.

Set in a Brooklyn housing project, Clockers allows Spike Lee to use his sharp eye for cultural tension, systemic injustice, and the lived realities of urban America, the film becomes more than a crime story — it’s a layered portrait of community, policing, and the cycles that trap people in impossible choices.

Is Clockers one of Spike Lee’s most underrated films? And how does it fit into the larger conversation about ’90s crime cinema and Black storytelling on screen? Troy and Brad dig into all of it.

Clockers is directed by Spike Lee and stars Harvey Keitel, John Turturro, Delroy Lindo, Mikhi Phifer, Isaiah Washington, and Ketih David.

Want to help support the show? Head over to the Not A Bomb Tee Public store and check our merchandise. Special thanks to Ted Blair for the amazing designs!

We're committed to hearing your feedback and suggestions. If there's a cinematic flop you'd like us to delve into, please reach out to us at NotABombPod@gmail.com or through our contact page. Your reviews and feedback are what drive us. If you enjoy our content, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.

Cast: Brad, Troy

Welcome back to Not A Bomb! —the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.

For the month of February, Not A Bomb is shining a spotlight on some of the greatest Black directors in cinematic history. This week, Troy and Brad take on their very first Spike Lee joint with his 1995 crime drama Clockers — a film that blends gritty realism, moral complexity, and Lee’s unmistakable visual style.

Set in a Brooklyn housing project, Clockers allows Spike Lee to use his sharp eye for cultural tension, systemic injustice, and the lived realities of urban America, the film becomes more than a crime story — it’s a layered portrait of community, policing, and the cycles that trap people in impossible choices.

Is Clockers one of Spike Lee’s most underrated films? And how does it fit into the larger conversation about ’90s crime cinema and Black storytelling on screen? Troy and Brad dig into all of it.

Clockers is directed by Spike Lee and stars Harvey Keitel, John Turturro, Delroy Lindo, Mikhi Phifer, Isaiah Washington, and Ketih David.

Want to help support the show? Head over to the Not A Bomb Tee Public store and check our merchandise. Special thanks to Ted Blair for the amazing designs!

We're committed to hearing your feedback and suggestions. If there's a cinematic flop you'd like us to delve into, please reach out to us at NotABombPod@gmail.com or through our contact page. Your reviews and feedback are what drive us. If you enjoy our content, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.

Cast: Brad, Troy

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NAB Main Brad Anderson NAB Main Brad Anderson

Episode 292 - The Two Jakes

Welcome back to Not A Bomb! —the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.

For the month of January, Not A Bomb asks a very important cinematic question: what happens when actors decide that being in front of the camera just isn’t enough and take a shot at directing themselves?

In the latest episode of Not A Bomb, Troy and Brad crack open one of Hollywood’s strangest sequels — The Two Jakes. Arriving sixteen years after Chinatown, this long‑delayed follow‑up limped into theaters weighed down by production troubles, an unfinished script, and the impossible shadow of one of the greatest neo‑noirs ever made.

Jack Nicholson pulls double duty this time, stepping behind the camera while reprising his role as private eye J.J. “Jake” Gittes. But despite the star power and the legacy attached, the film barely made a dent upon release, leaving audiences and critics wondering whether this sequel ever had a fighting chance.

Does The Two Jakes earn its place as a continuation of a classic, or is it proof that some stories are better left alone? Troy and Brad dig into the mystery.

The Two Jakes is directed by Jack Nicholson and stars Jack Nicolson, Harvey Keitel, Madeleine Stowe, Eli Wallach, Ruben Blades, Frederic Forrest, David Keith, and Richard Farnsworth

Want to help support the show? Head over to the Not A Bomb Tee Public store and check our merchandise. Special thanks to Ted Blair for the amazing designs!

We're committed to hearing your feedback and suggestions. If there's a cinematic flop you'd like us to delve into, please reach out to us at NotABombPod@gmail.com or through our contact page. Your reviews and feedback are what drive us. If you enjoy our content, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.

Cast: Brad, Troy

Welcome back to Not A Bomb! —the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.

For the month of January, Not A Bomb asks a very important cinematic question: what happens when actors decide that being in front of the camera just isn’t enough and take a shot at directing themselves?

In the latest episode of Not A Bomb, Troy and Brad crack open one of Hollywood’s strangest sequels — The Two Jakes. Arriving sixteen years after Chinatown, this long‑delayed follow‑up limped into theaters weighed down by production troubles, an unfinished script, and the impossible shadow of one of the greatest neo‑noirs ever made.

Jack Nicholson pulls double duty this time, stepping behind the camera while reprising his role as private eye J.J. “Jake” Gittes. But despite the star power and the legacy attached, the film barely made a dent upon release, leaving audiences and critics wondering whether this sequel ever had a fighting chance.

Does The Two Jakes earn its place as a continuation of a classic, or is it proof that some stories are better left alone? Troy and Brad dig into the mystery.

The Two Jakes is directed by Jack Nicholson and stars Jack Nicolson, Harvey Keitel, Madeleine Stowe, Eli Wallach, Ruben Blades, Frederic Forrest, David Keith, and Richard Farnsworth

Want to help support the show? Head over to the Not A Bomb Tee Public store and check our merchandise. Special thanks to Ted Blair for the amazing designs!

We're committed to hearing your feedback and suggestions. If there's a cinematic flop you'd like us to delve into, please reach out to us at NotABombPod@gmail.com or through our contact page. Your reviews and feedback are what drive us. If you enjoy our content, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.

Cast: Brad, Troy

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