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On this week’s episode of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John discuss the 1998 X-Files movie, directed by Rob Bowman with a screenplay by X-Files creator Chris Carter. Starring, obviously, David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, the X-Files movie tells a convoluted story of hidden aliens, government plots, a secret cabal of evil rich people and a global conspiracy. It is a perfect encapsulation of 1990s conspiracism and we had a great time discussing it. Episodes come out every two weeks, so check back then for an episode on Saving Private Ryan, Steven Spielberg’s World War II action thriller. And over at the Patreon, we have an episode on Confirmation, the 2016 drama on the confirmation of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court. You can find that at patreon.com/unclearpod.

On this week’s episode of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle is joined by Nicole Hemmer, a professor of history at Vanderbilt University and co-host of the This Day in History podcast, to discuss the 1997 dystopian science-fiction film Gattaca, directed by Andrew Niccol and starring Ethan Hawke, Jude Law and Uma Thurman. In Gattaca, Hawke plays Vincent Freeman, a natural-born human being in a world of people genetically-engineered for perfection. Freeman dreams of space travel but is barred from it because of a genetic defect — a heart condition. To circumvent the system, he assumes the identity of Jerome Morrow, a genetically superior but disabled man, using Jerome's blood and urine samples to pass as a “valid” for Gattaca, the elite space program. As Vincent gets closer to his mission launch, a murder investigation threatens to expose his deception, forcing him to navigate suspicion while proving that determination can triumph over genetic destiny. You can find Gattaca to rent on Apple TV and Amazon. Episodes come out every two weeks, so see us then when we discuss The X-Files Movie. Sign up for our Patreon at patreon.com/unclearpod. We do two episodes every month on the political and military thrillers of the Cold War as well as a weekly show on politics.

On this week’s episode of the pod, Jamelle and John cover Michael Bay's 1998 asteroid movie Armageddon — the one where oil drillers, not astronauts, are sent to save the world. They discuss why it reads as the most right-wing film they've covered: a movie that valorizes blue-collar white masculinity and treats scientists and bureaucrats as obstacles, an opening sequence that prefigures 9/11, and a worldview that anticipates George W. Bush–era conservatism. Also covered: the Michael Bay auteur-versus-slop debate, "space dementia," the movie's cynicism about government, and how impossible the physics actually is. Plus listener feedback and a look at what's ahead. Next on the main feed (new episodes every two weeks): the other 1998 asteroid movie, Mimi Leder's Deep Impact, with Robert Duvall, Téa Leoni, Elijah Wood, Morgan Freeman, and Vanessa Redgrave. Support the show at patreon.com/unclearpod — $5/month for roughly six episodes a month, including a weekly politics show and discussions of the political and military thrillers of the Cold War. You can reach us for feedback at: [email protected].

On this week’s episode of Unclear and Present Danger, we watched Roland Emmerich’s attempt to bring Godzilla to Hollywood in the appropriately titled Godzilla. Ostensibly a film about the dangers of nuclear testing, Godzilla is a total mess, a miserable failure that deserves its poor reputation. We talked about that deservedly poor reputation, as well as changing American perceptions of the military as the 1990s came to a close. Tune in! In our next episode, we tackle Michael Bay’s masterpiece Armageddon, one of two movies that year about an asteroid hitting earth. And our Patreon, we watched two movies about the Nuremburg trials — from 2000 and 2025 — and talked about them. Listen to that episode, and more, at patreon.com/unclearpod.

On this week’s episode of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John are joined by Vinson Cunningham of the New Yorker to discuss Bulworth, the 1998 black comedy (no pun intended) written, directed by and starring Warren Beatty. After working through their initial shock at the sheer weirdness of the film, Jamelle, John and Vinson explore its politics, its vision of American society, its critique of American media and the fact that the character of Bulworth is, himself, highly prescient. They also explore the strange racial politics of the film, as well as the extent to which it stands as a kind of modern parable. This is a strange film folks! And we had a great time discussing it. On our next episode, we will discuss Roland Emmerich’s 1998 disaster thriller Godzilla, something of a misbegotten attempt to Americanize the storied franchise. But there is a lot to talk about and we are looking forward to doing so.

On this week’s episode of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John watch the 1998 Lifetime film Oklahoma City: A Survivor’s Story, starring Kathy Baker as Priscilla Salyers, a real-life U.S. Customs employee who survived the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. The film follows the attack, Salyers's rescue, and her subsequent struggle with PTSD, as well as the way the tragedy shapes her family life (it is a Lifetime film after all). Notably, the movie avoids the political context of the attack, saying very little about Timothy McVeigh's motivations or the broader world of right-wing extremism from which he emerged. That absence turns out to be pretty fruitful for the discussion. Jamelle and John use the film as a window into how the Oklahoma City bombing was being processed — and not processed — in the late 1990s, and trace how the political meaning of the attack was fought over in the moment. They also take up the broader question of historical memory and forgetfulness in America: how events that once felt defining gradually recede, and what that says about the country. Episodes come out roughly every two weeks, so see us then for what is sure-to-be a fun episode on Warren Beatty’s Bulworth. Also don’t forget our Patreon! We cover the films of the Cold War as well as do a weekly politics podcast. Sign up at patreon.com/unclearpod. Our producer is Connor Lynch and our artwork is by Rachel Eck.

On this week’s episode of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John watch the 1998 action thriller Mercury Rising, directed by Harold Becker and starring Bruce Willis, Alec Baldwin, and Miko Hughes. The film follows FBI agent Art Jeffries, who goes on the run to protect a nine-year-old autistic boy after the child accidentally cracks a classified NSA encryption cipher — drawing the attention of a rogue intelligence official willing to use lethal force to keep the program secret. In their conversation, Jamelle and John discuss the film’s offensive depiction of autism, its vision of “the deep state,” and the various ways it reflects mounting paranoia around government surveillance. You can find Mercury Rising available on Apple TV and Amazon Prime. Episodes come out roughly every two weeks, and so we will see you then with an episode on a 1998 TV movie about the Oklahoma City bombing. And don’t forget to check out our Patreon, where we cover the films of the Cold War and do a weekly politics show. You can find that at patreon.com/unclearpod

On this week's episode of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John watch U.S. Marshals, the extremely lackluster sequel to The Fugitive which dispenses with a straightforward cat and mouse story in favor of a byzantine conspiracy involving government moles, foreign espionage and the Taiwanese government. Directed by Stuart Baird, U.S. Marshals stars Tommy Lee Jones, Wesley Snipes, Robert Downey Jr., Joe Pantoliano, Kate Nelligan and Irène Jacob.  The tagline for U.S. Marshalls was "The cop who won't stop is back. But this time he's chasing down a lot more than a fugitive." You can find the film to rent or buy on Amazon and Apple TV. Episodes of the podcast are released roughly every other week, so join us again later this month for a look at Mercury Rising, Harold Becker's conspiracy thriller starring Bruce Willis, Alec Baldwin, Miko Hughes, Chi McBride and Kim Dickens.  And don't forget our Patreon, where we cover the films of the Cold War and produce a weekly politics commentary show. Sign up at patreon.com/unclearpod.

On this week's episode of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John were joined by Hilary Matfess of the University of Denver to discuss G.I. Jane, the 1997 military drama directed by Ridley Scott and starring Demi Moore and Viggo Mortenson. The discussion for this film revolves around the evolving role of women in the military, post-Cold War anxieties about American military readiness, the gender politics of the film, and what the movie might signify today, in the present. Matfess is the author of a new book, "Putting Women in their Place: Gender Power and World Politics," which is available wherever books are sold. For our next episode we are heading into 1998 with U.S. Marshals, the somewhat forgotten sequel to The Fugitive, starring Wesley Snipes and Tommy Lee Jones. And don't forget our Patreon, where we cover the films of the Cold War and do a regular politics show. You can find that at patreon.com/unclearpod. Our producer is Connor Lynch and our artwork is by Rachel Eck.

The next episode of the podcast will be here soon, but while you wait, here is the most recent episode of our politics show on the Patreon. In it, we talk the most recent developments in the Trump administration's attack on Minnesota and what they might portend for both the White House and its opposition going forward. We also say a few words about Epstein because, you know, how could we not. You can get access to this weekly show, as well as a few years of episodes on the political thrillers of the Cold War era, on our Patreon, which you find at patreon.com/unclearpod.

Jamelle and John are back for the new year with an episode on the 1997 thriller Murder at 1600, directed by Dwight Little and starring Wesley Snipes, Diane Lane, Alan Alda and Dennis Miller. It is yet another entry into the mini-boomlet of films whose premise, essentially, is what if the president were horny…and murderous. In their conversation, Jamelle and John discuss the relationship between the media and Americans’ conception of power, and how this even influences decision makers at the very top. They also discuss the difference between conspiracies in the public mind and conspiracies in reality. A reminder that they also have a Patreon where they cover the films as of the Cold War as well as produce a weekly politics show. You can find that at patreon.com/unclearpod.

On this week’s episode of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John marked the unfortunate death of Rob Reiner by watching his 1992 military legal thriller A Few Good Men. In their conversation, they discuss Reiner’s career, the underlying liberalism of a film like A Few Good Men, and the continued relevance of Jack Nicholson’s performance as Colonel Nathan Jessup. After this, we’ll be off for a few weeks, but then we’ll see you again in the new year with an episode on Murder at 1600. We’ll then finish out 1997 with an episode on G.I. Jane. It’s been a busy and chaotic 2025 for both Jamelle and John, but they both hope the schedule will return to some regularity for 2026. And do not forget the Patreon, where in addition to a twice-monthly show on the political and military thrillers of the Cold War, we do a weekly politics show. Our next Patreon movie episode will be on the 1984 adaptation of John Le Carre’s The Little Drummer Girl, starring the late, great Diane Keaton.

Wag the Dog tells the story of a scandal-ridden president whose chief spin doctor, Conrad Brean (De Niro), decides to distract the public with a fictional war with Albania. To pull this off, he hires Stanley Motss (Hoffman), a prominent Hollywood producer who throws himself into orchestrating an imaginary war, complete with fake footage, fake war heroes and a popular theme song. The hoax is successful, but it soon comes with a host of complications which require Brean and Motss to take quick action to further deceive the public. In their conversation, Jamelle and John discuss the cynicism, shallowness and laziness of Levinson and Mamet’s depiction of Washington politics, as well as a few real-life examples of manufactured wars, and why most Hollywood political satire just doesn’t work. The tagline for Wag the Dog was “A comedy about truth, justice and other special effects.” You can find Wag the Dog to rent or buy on Apple TV and Amazon Prime. Episodes come out every two weeks so stay-tuned for our upcoming episode on Murder at 1600. And don’t forget our Patreon, where we cover the political thrillers of the Cold War and we offer weekly political commentary. You can subscribe for just $5 at patreon.com/unclearpod. Our producer is Connor Lynch and our artwork is by Rachel Eck.

Every week, we do a political discussion show over at the Patreon. We wanted to offer you a preview of that show in the form of a full episode, which happens to be our most recent episode, on the Graham Platner affair in Maine. If you like our discussion, sign up for the Patreon to get an episode very week at patreon.com/unclearpod.

On this week’s episode of Unclear and Present Danger, Jamelle and John watched Tomorrow Never Dies, the 1997 action thriller, the eighteenth film in the James Bond series and the second to star Pierce Brosnan as fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Directed by Roger Spottiswoode, it follows Bond in his effort to stop the media mogul Elliot Carver, played by Jonathan Pryce, from starting World War III in order to expand his reach over the world’s information environment. Is Tomorrow Never Dies the superior film to Goldeneye? Is the power-mad media mogul a more relevant villain in 2025 than it was in 1997? How different is our media landscape, really, from that of an earlier age of American life? How much fun do you think Jonathan Pryce was having on set? Tomorrow Never Dies stars Pierce Brosnan, Jonathan Pryce, Michelle Yeoh, Teri Hatcher, Götz Otto, Ricky Jay, Joe Don Baker, Vincent Schiavelli, Judi Dench and Desmond Llewelyn. The tagline for the film is “The Man. The Number. The License...are all back.” You can find Tomorrow Never Dies to rent or stream on Amazon Prime and Apple TV. Episodes come out roughly every two weeks (we’re working on it) and our next episode will be on Barry Levinson’s Wag the Dog. And over on the Patreon, we’re celebrating spooky season with The Thing From Another World. Come and join the fun at patreon.com/unclearpod. Our producer is Connor Lynch and our artwork is by Rachel Eck.