Episode 286 - The Phoenician Scheme
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.
Not A Bomb! continues with the bombs of 2025, this time examining the black comedy film - The Phoenician Scheme. Troy and Brad use this opportunity to reflect on the cinematic career of Wes Anderson. Everyone knows Wes has a unique visual, but has he grown as a filmmaker? Is he just doing the Wes Anderson thing?
The hosts find themselves battling with their initial thoughts and The Phoenician Scheme provided plenty for them to chew on. But hey, most importantly the guys are able to talk about Richard Ayoade AKA Dean Learner from Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace so maybe The Phoenician Scheme is the greatest film ever made for that simply fact.
The Phoenician Scheme is directed by Wes Anderson and stars Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, Rix Ahmed, Bryan Cranston, Mathieu Amairic, Richard Ayoade, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Rupert Friend
Additionally, Troy and Brad discuss Kill Bill: The Whole Affair as a bonus.
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.
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.
Not A Bomb! rolls on with another cinematic misfire from 2025—this time diving into the black comedy The Phoenician Scheme. Troy and Brad use the occasion to take a hard look at the career of Wes Anderson. Sure, everyone recognizes his unmistakable visual style—but has he truly evolved as a filmmaker, or is he simply perfecting the “Wes Anderson thing” over and over?
As the hosts wrestle with their first impressions, The Phoenician Scheme gives them plenty to debate. And honestly, any film that lets Troy and Brad gush about Richard Ayoade—yes, Dean Learner himself from Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace—might automatically qualify as a masterpiece for that reason alone.
The Phoenician Scheme is directed by Wes Anderson and stars Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, Rix Ahmed, Bryan Cranston, Mathieu Amairic, Richard Ayoade, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Rupert Friend
Additionally, Troy and Brad discuss Kill Bill: The Whole Affair as a bonus.
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.
Episode 190 - The Bonfires of the Vanities
Welcome back to Not A Bomb podcast! This is the show where we re-examine some of the biggest bombs in cinematic history and see if they deserve a second chance. In this episode, discuss the 1990 comedy (??) - The Bonfire of the Vanities. Coming from the legendary director Brian De Palma, The Bonfire of the Vanities attempts to adapt the best-selling novel of the same name. However, problem after problem caused this film to fail at the box office and get hammered by the critics. The problems were so epic, a film critic wrote a bestselling book about all the behind-the-scenes drama, “The Devil’s Candy: The Anatomy of a Hollywood Fiasco.” As a bonus feature, we sneak in a quick review of a 2015 documentary on the director himself, De Palma.
We are excited to welcome John from And Now Something A Little Bit Different YouTube Channel to help break down this utter failure.
The Bonfires of the Vanities is directed by Brian De Palma and stars Tom Hanks, Bruce Willis, Melanie Griffith, Morgan Freeman, Kim Cattrall, Saul Rubinek, and F. Murray Abraham.
If you want to leave feedback or suggest a movie bomb, please drop us a line at NotABombPod@gmail.com or Contact Us - here. Also, if you like what you hear, leave a review on Apple Podcast.
Please sure to check out John’s YouTube Channel - And Now For Something A Little Bit Different.
Welcome back to Not A Bomb podcast! This is the show where we re-examine some of the biggest bombs in cinematic history and see if they deserve a second chance. In this episode, discuss the 1990 comedy (??) - The Bonfire of the Vanities. Coming from the legendary director Brian De Palma, The Bonfire of the Vanities attempts to adapt the best-selling novel of the same name. However, problem after problem caused this film to fail at the box office and get hammered by the critics. The problems were so epic, a film critic wrote a bestselling book about all the behind-the-scenes drama, “The Devil’s Candy: The Anatomy of a Hollywood Fiasco.” As a bonus feature, we sneak in a quick review of a 2015 documentary on the director himself, De Palma.
We are excited to welcome John from And Now Something A Little Bit Different YouTube Channel to help break down this utter failure.
The Bonfires of the Vanities is directed by Brian De Palma and stars Tom Hanks, Bruce Willis, Melanie Griffith, Morgan Freeman, Kim Cattrall, Saul Rubinek, and F. Murray Abraham.
If you want to leave feedback or suggest a movie bomb, please drop us a line at NotABombPod@gmail.com or Contact Us - here. Also, if you like what you hear, leave a review on Apple Podcast.
Please sure to check out John’s YouTube Channel - And Now For Something A Little Bit Different.