Welcome to the Desert of the Reel, a movie podcast where host Ryan Hudson forces co-host Jason Dietz to watch the big blockbuster movies he’s refused to watch because he didn’t think they were worth his time. As two passionate high school English/film/philosophy/creativity teachers with graduate degrees, we're dedicated to using our academic training to argue about and dig deeply into movies. We explore the creativity and philosophy in our films and push our listeners to think critically about their entertainment.
Tron Legacy (2010) - The Grid, the Self, and Enlightenment - Desert of the Reel #129
TRON: Legacy (2010) · Jul 25, 2026
Tron (1982) - Are We a Part of what We Create? - DOTR #128
Tron (1982) · Jul 19, 2026
Jurassic World: Rebirth (2025) - Does science belong to everybody? - DOTR #127
Jurassic World Rebirth (2025) · Jul 3, 2026
Jurassic World: Dominion (2022) - The Extinction of Good Movies - DOTR #126
Jurassic World Dominion (2022) · Jun 28, 2026
Jurassic World: The Fallen Kingdom (2018) - Farewell to Reality - DOTR #125
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) · Jun 19, 2026
Jurassic Park 3 (2001) - Are You an Astronomer or an Astronaut? - The Desert of the Reel #123
Jurassic Park III (2001) · May 30, 2026
The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) - The Desert of the Reel #122
The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) · May 22, 2026
The Dark Knight Rises (2012) - DOTR #119
The Dark Knight Rises (2012) · Apr 24, 2026
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) - The Pinnacle of Love & Combat - Desert of the Reel Jason's Choice #21
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) · Apr 5, 2026
No Time to Die (2021) - To Live, Not Just Exist- The Desert of the Reel #116
No Time to Die (2021) · Mar 26, 2026
Spectre (2015) - All the Right Pieces, None of the Magic - Desert of the Reel #115
Spectre (2015) · Mar 20, 2026
Quantum of Solace (2008) - Revenge, Power, and Moral Limits - Desert of the Reel #113
Quantum of Solace (2008) · Mar 6, 2026
Casino Royale (2006) - The Desert of the Reel #112
Casino Royale (2006) · Feb 28, 2026
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) - Empathy Is Stronger Than Magic - DOTR #111
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) · Feb 13, 2026
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) Harry Didn’t Win Because of Magic. He Won Because of Trust. Desert of the Reel #110
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) · Feb 7, 2026
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (2010) - Desert of the Reel #109
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) · Jan 23, 2026
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2009) - Desert of the Reel #108
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) · Jan 18, 2026
Interstellar (2014) - Do Not Go Gently - Jason's Choice #19
Interstellar (2014) · Jan 9, 2026
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) Is it Time to Revolt? DOTR # 107
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) · Jan 2, 2026
War for the Planet of the Apes (2017) - Desert of the Reel #105
War for the Planet of the Apes (2017) · Dec 19, 2025
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) - De-Othering will Save Us - Desert of the Reel #104
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) · Dec 13, 2025
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) - Controlling Fear, The Fantastic, and Cinematography - The Desert of the Reel #102
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) · Nov 26, 2025
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) - Choices vs Ability - The Desert of the Reel #102
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) · Nov 22, 2025
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) - Fate, Love, and Philosophy! - The Desert of the Reel #101
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001) · Nov 14, 2025
Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) - A Movie that Makes us Care about the Real World or A Disappointing Sequel? - The Desert of the Reel #99
Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) · Nov 2, 2025
Avatar (2009) - Exploring the Complexity of Culture - The Desert of the Reel #98
Avatar (2009) · Oct 24, 2025
Nefarious (2023) - Jason's Choice #18 - The Desert of the Reel
Nefarious (2023) · Oct 17, 2025
Dune (2021) - We Must Critically Analyze Truth - The Desert of the Reel #95
Dune (2021) · Oct 3, 2025
Train to Busan (2016) - The Power of Mothers - The Desert of the Reel #94
Train to Busan (2016) · Sep 27, 2025
Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017) - When a Company Ruins a Franchise - Desert of the Reel #93
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017) · Sep 19, 2025
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) - The Desert of the Reel 5.4
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) · Sep 12, 2025
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007) - Desert of the Reel 5.3
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007) · Aug 29, 2025
Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man's Chest - Discover Your Power - Desert of the Reel #89
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) · Aug 23, 2025
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) - The Desert of the Reel 5.1
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) - The Desert of the Reel 4.5
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) · Aug 1, 2025
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) - Protect the Garden of Your Mind - Desert of the Reel #4.4
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) · Jul 24, 2025
The Others (2001) - The Importance of the "Beginner's Mind" - The Desert of the Mind Jason's Choice #15
The Others (2001) · Jul 17, 2025
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) - Exploring Parenting and the Unseen World - The Desert of the Reel 4.3
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) · Jul 10, 2025
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) - Indy Teaches us to Break Free - Desert of the Reel 4.2
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) · Jul 4, 2025
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) - How Should we Deal with Impermanence? - The Desert of the Reel 4.1
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) · Jun 26, 2025
The Game (1997) - Desert of the Reel Jason's Choice 14
The Game (1997) · Jun 19, 2025
LOTR: The Return of the King (2003) - Desert of the Reel 3.6
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) · Jun 12, 2025
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - We Must Help Others - The Desert of the Reel 3.4
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) · May 30, 2025
The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies (2014) - The Desert of the Reel 3.3
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) · May 16, 2025
The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug (2013) - Marxism, Letting Evil Exist, and Wanting what We Don't Have - Desert of the Reel 3.2
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013) · May 8, 2025
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) - The Desert of the Reel 3.1
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) · May 2, 2025
The Rise of Skywalker (2019) - The Desert of the Reel 2.14
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) · Apr 19, 2025
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (aka The Original Trilogy Remixed) pt. 2 - The Desert of the Reel 2.12
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) · Mar 26, 2025
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (aka The Original Trilogy Rehashed) - The Desert of the Reel 2.11
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) · Mar 21, 2025
Return of the Jedi - How to Find Universal Truths - The Desert of the Reel 2.9
Return of the Jedi (1983) · Feb 28, 2025
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) - Desert of the Reel #2.8
The Empire Strikes Back (1980) · Feb 22, 2025
Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) - The Hero's Journey is Important - Desert of the Reel #2.7
Star Wars (1977) · Feb 13, 2025
Calibre (2018) - Just how important will your next choice be? - The Desert of the Reel - Jason's Choice #11
Calibre (2018) · Feb 7, 2025
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) - Do Our Perspectives Create Our Reality? - Desert of the Reel #2.6
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) · Jan 30, 2025
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) Better than Rogue One? - The Desert of the Reel 2.5
Solo (2018) · Jan 24, 2025
Mystery Men (1999) - Better Than You Think? - Desert of the Reel - Jason's Choice #10
Mystery Men (1999) · Jan 9, 2025
Revenge of the Sith (2005) Star Wars - Desert of the Reel S2#4 (with special guest Mark Hudson)
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) · Jan 2, 2025
Attack of the Clones (2002) Star Wars - Desert of the Reel S2#2
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) · Dec 19, 2024
I Am Mother (2019) - Intellectually Deep and Very Philosophical - The Desert of the Reel - Jason's Choice #9
I Am Mother (2019) · Dec 6, 2024
Lights Out (2016) - Desert of the Reel - Jason's Choice #8
Lights Out (2016) · Nov 23, 2024
The Marvels (2023) (with special guest Donald ) - Desert of the Reel #39
The Marvels (2023) · Nov 8, 2024
Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3 (2023) - How to Build a Utopia - Desert of the Reel #38
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) · Oct 31, 2024
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023) - Loveable Mess? - Desert of the Reel #37
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023) · Oct 24, 2024
Spiderman: No Way Home (2021) - The Best MCU Movie? - Desert of the Reel #32
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) · Sep 19, 2024
Eternals (2021) - Desert of the Reel #31
Eternals (2021) · Sep 12, 2024
Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) - Desert of the Reel #30
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) · Aug 29, 2024
Black Widow (2021) - What is the Role of your Past? - Desert of the Reel #29
Black Widow (2021) · Aug 8, 2024
Spider-Man: Far From Home - Desert of the Reel #27
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) · Jul 18, 2024
Avengers: Endgame (2019) Part 2 - Desert of the Reel #26
Avengers: Endgame (2019) · Jul 11, 2024
Avengers: Endgame (2019) Part 1 (with special guest Mark Hudson) - Desert of the Reel #25
Avengers: Endgame (2019) · Jul 4, 2024
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) - It's Fun, but is it Any Good? - The Desert of the Reel #22
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) · Jun 13, 2024
Avengers: Infinity War (2018) - Part 2: The Cons - The Desert of the Reel #21
Dokgo Rewind Part 2 (2018) · Jun 6, 2024
Avengers: Infinity War (2018) - Part 1: The Pros - The Desert of the Reel #20
Avengers: Infinity War (2018) · May 30, 2024
Spiderman: Homecoming (2019) - Desert of the Reel #17 (with special guest Hazel Folsom)
Homecoming (2019) · May 2, 2024
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) - Is it Actually a Bad Movie?- Desert of the Reel #16
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) · Apr 25, 2024
Doctor Strange (2016) - Desert of the Reel #15
Doctor Strange (2016) · Apr 19, 2024
Captain America: Civil War (2016) - Desert of the Reel #14
Captain America: Civil War (2016) · Apr 12, 2024
Lord of War (2005) - Is the World Doomed? - Jason's Choice #4
Lord of War (2005) · Apr 4, 2024
Ant-Man (2015) - Desert of the Reel #13
Ant-Man (2015) · Mar 28, 2024
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) - The Desert of the Reel #9 (with special guest Chris Loomis)
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) · Feb 29, 2024
Thor: The Dark World (2013) - Desert of the Reel #8
Thor: The Dark World (2013) · Feb 22, 2024
Iron Man 3 (2013) - Does Tony Love Himself More than Pepper? - Desert of the Reel #7
Iron Man 3 (2013) · Feb 14, 2024
Winter's Bone (2010) - The Desert of the Reel - Jason's Choice #2
Winter's Bone (2010) · Feb 9, 2024
The Avengers (2012) - Desert of the Reel #6 (with special guest Brooklyn Judd)
The Avengers (2012) · Feb 1, 2024
Thor (2011) - The Desert of the Reel #4
Thor (2011) · Jan 19, 2024
I See You (2019) - The Desert of the Reel - Jason's Choice #1
I See You (2019) · Jan 14, 2024
Iron Man 2 (2010) - The Desert of the Reel #3
Iron Man 2 (2010) · Jan 5, 2024
The Incredible Hulk (2008) - The Desert of the Reel Podcast #2
The Incredible Hulk (2008) · Dec 27, 2023
Ironman - The Desert of the Reel #1
Iron Man (2008) · Dec 18, 2023