In this Movie Memory Machine: Five For mini-episode, Landen and Truman take a surprising stand: The Mexican slaps. And to prove the film’s chaotic tonal tightrope is part of its charm—not a bug—they present five companion films that succeed by embracing similar contradictions. Whether it’s fate guiding a hitman, mystical roads tripping up romantic leads, or just emotional carnage delivered via British sarcasm, these movies honor the chaos, heart, and weird spiritual currents The Mexican rides.
Films Discussed:
Snatch (2000)
In Bruges
In this Movie Memory Machine: Five For mini-episode, Landen and Truman take a surprising stand: The Mexican slaps. And to prove the film’s chaotic tonal tightrope is part of its charm—not a bug—they present five companion films that succeed by embracing similar contradictions. Whether it’s fate guiding a hitman, mystical roads tripping up romantic leads, or just emotional carnage delivered via British sarcasm, these movies honor the chaos, heart, and weird spiritual currents The Mexican rides.
Films Discussed:
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Snatch (2000)
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In Bruges (2008)
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Grosse Pointe Blank (1997)
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Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)
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The Out-of-Towners (1970)
Topics Covered:
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The spiritual cousin energy of Snatch and The Mexican: crime, ensemble chaos, and mythic overtones
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Martin McDonagh’s dark absurdism in In Bruges and the idea of characters out of sync with the world
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Grosse Pointe Blank as another killer with a heart, and the tonal gymnastics of balancing murder with romance
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Emotional destruction via public transportation in Planes, Trains and Automobiles
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The Out-of-Towners and the classic structure of fate-based comedy-of-errors
Key Takeaways:
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The Mexican isn’t broken—it’s committed to a tone you just didn’t expect
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These five films explore genre blending through fate, frustration, and emotional unpredictability
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Fate in film doesn’t have to be mystical—it can just feel inevitable
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Chaos is a mood, and sometimes the mood wins
Listener Prompt:
What’s a movie you initially thought was a mess—but later realized was operating on a higher chaotic frequency? Tell us using #MovieMemoryMachine.
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