Ep. 138 - Gary Sinise (Feat. Laura Bennecke)

In an ode to Bill Pullman’s unforgettable declaration in Spaceballs, the Munsons find themselves surrounded by assholes as we welcome back Dan Craig for his 9th guest Munson appearance.  We marvel at Pullman’s remarkably clean personal life and his successful marriage to Tamara Hurwitz since 1987—a genuine movie star who somehow managed to maintain a semi-normal life in Montana. We trace his path from relative unknown to leading man after Mel Brooks took a chance on him in Spaceballs, then dive into a filmography filled with surprises. We review what is apparently the only movie Bill Pullman and Bill Paxton made together, while James and Kyle enthusiastically spoil the absolutely bonkers ending of Malice. We also marvel at Pullman’s astonishing roster of wives and girlfriends throughout 1990s cinema and hear Kyle’s ill-fated attempt to track down Whipstaff Manor in Friendship, Maine. Of course, no Pullman conversation is complete without Independence Day, and we gush over his iconic presidential speech that rallies the entire world—and was reportedly so good that it inspired a change to the movie’s title. We’re also genuinely stunned to discover there are six Lake Placid movies, before asking the uncomfortable question of what happened to Pullman’s filmography after 1998. Did Hollywood simply throw too many roles his way, or did he stop being quite as selective about what he took? Perhaps most exciting of all, Pullman gives us something we haven’t had in a while: a filmography packed with movies we’ve somehow never covered across 140 previous episodes. There’s a lot of new territory to explore, plenty of surprises along the way, and more Bill Pullman than we probably knew we needed. How does he rank on the Munson Meter? Listen to find out.

The Munsons are thrilled to welcome back guest Munson Matti Groll to explore one of the stranger career paths we’ve covered: Michael Chiklis. A fellow Boston University Terrier, Matti joins us as we trace Chiklis from a disastrous first movie that nearly ended his career before it began to becoming one of the actors who helped redefine what television could look like in the early 2000s. Along the way, we unpack the incredible story behind Wired, the infamous John Belushi biopic that earned the wrath of Belushi’s friends, a literal curse from Dan Aykroyd, and years of career fallout for a young actor who was mostly just happy to no longer be waiting tables. From there, we dive into the television work that ultimately made Chiklis a star, including The Commish and his groundbreaking Emmy-winning performance as Vic Mackey on The Shield. We debate just how important The Shield was in opening the door for prestige dramas on basic cable, discover that Stan Lee considered Chiklis’s portrayal of The Thing his favorite live-action Marvel performance, and somehow find ourselves defending—or absolutely refusing to defend—the 2005 Fantastic Four. Matti also gets the considerably better assignment of revisiting Spirited Away, whose addition to Chiklis’s filmography unexpectedly rescues him from dead last in Case’s box-office rankings. The back half brings everything from Eagle Eye, Parker, and the wildly divisive When the Game Stands Tall to the MoviePass-produced crime thriller 10 Minutes Gone, complete with a fascinating behind-the-scenes Bruce Willis story. But the real late-career revelation may be Chiklis as Red Auerbach in Winning Time, a performance strong enough to have us wondering whether a full-blown “Chiklissance” could still be ahead. Is Michael Chiklis an underrated television powerhouse trapped inside an underwhelming movie résumé, or does the uneven filmography tell us something bigger about his limitations as a performer? How does he rank on the Munson Meter? Listen to find out.

The Munsons are thrilled to welcome back guest Munson Mike Van de Voort for a celebration of one of modern comedy’s most recognizable stars: Anna Faris. We trace Faris’s path from children’s theater in Washington to the audition that changed her life, when she used her mother’s airline miles to fly to Los Angeles and land the role of Cindy Campbell in Scary Movie. That leap launched a billion-dollar franchise and a career built on fearless timing, strange voices, committed physical comedy, and an uncanny ability to remain the grounded center of total absurdity. Along the way, Mike shares a spectacularly uncomfortable childhood experience watching Scary Movie, we debate whether Waiting… is a disgusting masterpiece or simply a restaurant-industry documentary, defend Brokeback Mountain from the cultural shorthand that has followed it for two decades, and discover that The House Bunny may be Faris’s true movie-star performance. We also explore her natural fit for voice acting, her chemistry with Allison Janney on Mom, Case’s increasingly convincing Goldie Hawn comparison, and a filmography that critics often dismiss even as its modest budgets and enormous returns make Faris one of the strongest financial performers we’ve covered. We’re also forced to confront Mama’s Boy and the cinematic crime scene known as Movie 43 before finding an Anna Faris performance Aubrey loves inside a romantic comedy he absolutely hates. Is Faris an underrated comedic star whose projects never fully showcased her range, or did she simply find the profitable entertainment lane that suited her best? How does she rank on the Munson Meter? Listen to find out.

The Munsons are thrilled to welcome back one of our favorite guest Munsons, Laura Bennecke, for a celebration of one of Hollywood's most respected actors: Gary Sinise. The episode also marks the podcast debut of the D'Imperio household's newest addition, little Blake Lively III, making his first-ever appearance behind the mic. We trace Sinise's unlikely beginnings in theater, where he was recruited for West Side Story simply because he looked like he belonged in a gang, before following the remarkable career that grew from those humble roots. We spotlight the incredible work of the Gary Sinise Foundation and its unwavering commitment to supporting veterans, first responders, and their families, while examining a filmography that earns Sinise the 6th-best first act of any of the 138 actors we've covered. Whether he's anchoring historical dramas, helping build Chicago's theater scene as a co-founder of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, or delivering another memorable performance in uniform, Sinise has quietly become one of the most dependable actors of his generation. Along the way, Case explains why he can't stand anyone else's attempt at the Forrest Gump accent, Laura casually reveals she appeared in one of the films we review (hint: Gary plays the cop who's in on the kidnapping), and we officially welcome Sinise into the exclusive club of Munsons—alongside Dan Hedaya, Robert Forster, and Chazz Palminteri—who simply know how to play a great cop. We're also left stunned by his unforgettable turn in The Human Stain before finally solving one of the biggest mysteries of his career: why his film output slowed so dramatically in the 2010s. The answer? He was too busy making CSI: NY money. How does he rank on the Munson Meter? Listen to find out.

The Munsons are once again joined by guest Munson, Lauren Hopkins Price, to discuss Blake Lively and enjoy James' bonus content while everyone waits for the arrival of little Giovanni Ribisi Jr. We also get wildly creative attempting to solve James' latest Two Truths and a Lie: Fast & Furious Edition, with results that are about as successful as you'd expect. From there, we trace Lively's path to stardom, beginning with her upbringing in a family deeply embedded in the Los Angeles entertainment industry. In an effort to fully appreciate one of her signature roles, the Munsons give Gossip Girl the old college try... and eventually admit defeat as we collectively realize we are nowhere near the target audience. Thankfully, films like The Town remind us why Lively became such a compelling screen presence. We gush over the performances of both Blake Lively and Rebecca Hall and wonder why Hollywood didn't give us more of this version of Blake. We also discuss her controversial antebellum-style wedding to Ryan Reynolds and how public perception has shifted over the years. In true Munsons fashion, Aubrey gets an opportunity to break down a shark movie with The Shallows, while the rest of the crew debates whether Lively's deliciously manipulative turn in A Simple Favor proves she'd be an outstanding Fast & Furious villain, following the path carved by Charlize Theron. We also examine why The Rhythm Section failed to break through in the same way that female-led action films like Atomic Blonde and Red Sparrow managed to capture audiences. And then there's the elephant in the room: the It Ends With Us controversy. Where do we land on the Munson Meter with the performances, the headlines, and the broader conversation surrounding Blake Lively's place in Hollywood? You'll have to listen to find out.

The Munsons welcome back our favorite bald guest Munson, Chip Hessenflow, to dive into the strange, fascinating, and deeply anxious world of Giovanni Ribisi. From the jump, we’re captivated by Ribisi’s obsession with cinematography, vintage cameras, and filmmaking technology—so much so that he literally loans equipment out to legendary directors like Paul Thomas Anderson. Naturally, this leads us into discussing one of the more unusual distinctions in Munson’s history: Giovanni becomes the first practicing Scientologist we’ve covered in 136 episodes. We spend a shocking amount of time talking about Boiler Room (seriously, keep count at home), while James takes a passionate detour into why the Avatar franchise actually rules and continues to hold up better than people want to admit. Along the way, we explore how Ribisi essentially cornered the market in Hollywood on playing “the weird guy,” weaponizing his nervous, twitchy, anxious energy into one of the most unique character actor careers of his era. We revisit his endless string of early television appearances, uncover just how many massive Friends fans are apparently on this podcast, and celebrate his memorable run on the series. The deeper we go, the more impressed we become by the absolutely loaded list of directors and co-stars Ribisi worked with throughout the late 90s and early 2000s—a résumé that quietly stacks up against almost anyone from that generation. How does he rank on the Munson Meter? Listen to find out.

The Munsons are joined once again by returning guest Munson Cori Wallace to break down the fascinating and unpredictable career of Leslie Bibb. We kick things off with her unlikely origin story—winning a modeling competition through Oprah, leaving UVA after just one semester, and diving headfirst into entertainment. Cori even takes us back to watching that moment in real time, along with Bibb’s early work on Ryan Murphy’s Popular, setting the stage for a career that never quite followed a straight line. From there, we dig into a box office snapshot that starts surprisingly strong… and then falls off a cliff. With entries like See Spot Run, Movie 43, and Midnight Meat Train, it’s not hard to see why. We revisit her brief role in Private Parts and wonder if it foreshadowed the types of characters she’d take on, before diving into The Skulls and how that role may have shaped her trajectory—complete with some very real fraternity and sorority parallels from Kyle, James, and Cori. Despite all of this, we’re genuinely surprised she’s never been fully typecast, given her early TV success and run of questionable film choices. We also debate why she never leaned back into comedy after Talladega Nights (Ricky Bobby deserves answers), and whether her success there was her own comedic timing or just the strength of the script. Along the way, we unpack her unconventional relationship with Sam Rockwell (a former Munson and Case favorite), question the tonal whiplash between her roles in To the Bone and Tag, and even detour into an Aubrey vs. James debate on whether The White Lotus is actually good. Do we have a new lowest scoring actor on the Munson Meter? Listen to find out.

The Munsons welcome back guest Munson Josh Outing, fresh off being part of the team behind the short film Welcome, which premiered at the Florida Film Festival on April 11, 2026. As we dive into the remarkable career of Chiwetel Ejiofor, we humbly ask for a bit of grace from listeners—there are almost certainly a few mispronunciations along the way, but it comes from a place of admiration for a name and career that deserve to be said correctly and respected fully. We applaud Ejiofor for never changing his name to something more “marketable” for American audiences—a decision that may have limited his pop culture reach but only adds to his authenticity. From his early theater training to his commanding presence across film and television, it’s clear that stage discipline has shaped every performance. He consistently takes on challenging material, never shying away from stories centered on heavy themes like slavery and genocide, while still finding room for range—yes, including his wildly entertaining turn as the over-the-top villain in Four Brothers, which we proudly label a “good bad movie.” The Munsons gush over some of his best work in Redbelt, Kinky Boots, 12 Years a Slave, and Children of Men, while also diving into one of our favorite ridiculous tropes: the “hot scientist” casting phenomenon (2012, The Martian, Venom: The Last Dance—you know the type). We take a detour to appreciate just how stacked 2013 was for film, and highlight Ejiofor as one of the rare Munsons who has written, directed, and starred in his own project. Finally, we break down his take on Scar and how it compares to the legendary Jeremy Irons, because that’s a debate worth having. How does he rank on the Munson Meter? Listen to find out. The Josh Outing Collection We are thrilled to welcome back filmmaker and writer Josh Outing! Bringing a decade of narrative and documentary experience, Josh’s insights into performance and "bearing witness" to art always elevate the conversation. Revisit his past appearance: Ep. 119: André Holland (June 2025) The Wheel Decides: May 7th with Cori Wallace The Wheel is preparing for another deep dive on May 7th. The potential lineup features true Hollywood heavyweights and versatile legends: Tommy Lee Jones: The king of high-intensity "grumpy" brilliance. John Goodman: A comedic and dramatic staple we "must" cover. Diane Kruger: The German powerhouse Aubrey is "really excited" for . Don Lake & Leslie Bibb: Icons of character acting and "tractor beam hotness". #MunsonsAtTheMovies #ChiwetelEjiofor #12YearsASlave #DoctorStrange #TheOffice #TheWire #Amistad #MunsonMeter #TheWheelDecides #JoshOuting #CharacterActor #FilmAnalysis #BelcourtTheater #PodcastLife #12YearsASlaveMasterpiece #Scar #VenomTheLastDance #EleanorTheGreat

The Munsons are joined by guest Munson Krystal Clark to shine a light on one of the most quietly impressive performers working today: Amy Ryan. From a stage career boasting three Tony nominations to a film and television résumé filled with range, Ryan has built a career that somehow flies under the radar while consistently delivering memorable performances. We dig into her standout role in The Wire, which finally settles a long-running agreement between Aubrey and James—and yes, it means Aubrey will inevitably have to watch The Sopranos. From there, we explore how Ryan has become synonymous with memorable characters across some of the greatest television shows ever made, while also noticing a surprising trend: she’s appeared in a lot of projects centered around the trauma of children. Coincidence? The Munsons investigate. We absolutely gush over her Oscar-nominated performance in Gone Baby Gone and question how she didn’t take home the Academy Award. Her heartfelt turn as Holly on The Office gets its flowers for making audiences forgive the impossible—Michael Scott leaving the show—while we also highlight her sneaky comedic chops in films like Central Intelligence. Along the way, we try to unpack the “why” behind her eclectic role choices and wonder how someone this consistently great isn’t more widely known by general audiences. How does she rank on the Munson Meter? Listen to find out. The Krystal Clark Collection We are thrilled to welcome back the incomparable Krystal Clark, Past Chair of Nashville’s legendary Belcourt Theater. Krystal has become our go-to expert for the "Versatile Powerhouse" trend—specializing in actors who bring gravitas and prestige to every frame. Amy Ryan perfectly follows the lineage of Krystal’s past deep dives: Ep. 118: Rosario Dawson | Ep. 102: Renée Zellweger Ep. 83: Christine Baranski | Ep. 62: Halle Berry Episode Chapter Outline 00:00:00 ~ Welcome & Guest Spotlight: Krystal Clark (A Belcourt Theater perspective on Amy Ryan’s ‘Everywoman’ mastery) 00:06:00 ~ Celebrity Birthdays (Keira Knightley, Leslie Mann, and the legendary James Caan) 00:10:46 ~ Overview of Actor Choice: Amy Ryan (From the Broadway stage to the HBO elite) 00:11:16 ~ Actor Trivia: Two Truths and a Lie...Fast & Furious Style (Where the ”family” facts are faster and the lies are more furious) 00:17:09 ~ Box Office History (Analyzing the commercial reach of a character powerhouse) 00:23:45 ~ Port Cop Heart: The Beadie and McNulty Dynamic (Why this role defined her early career) 00:28:29 ~ First Major Role: Breakout in ’Keane’ (2004) (The performance that caught Hollywood’s eye) 00:38:31 ~ Gone Baby Gone: The Oscar-Nominated Breakout (The Academy Award debate and the child trauma trend) 00:47:45 ~ The Perfect Match: Why Holly and Michael Scott Just Work (Comedy gold and chemistry) 00:52:31 ~ Lowest Critic Score: Discussing ’Bob Funk’ (2009) 00:56:03 ~ Largest Critic Gap: The Mystery of ’The Missing Person’ (2009) 01:00:13 ~ Highest Critic Score: The Brilliance of ’Win Win’ (2011) (Jackie Flaherty as a career standout) 01:06:07 ~ 2012–2019: ’Birdman’ and ’Bridge of Spies’ (Working with Spielberg and the SAG win) 01:12:30 ~ Sneaky Comedy: ’Central Intelligence’ (The surprising comedic timing of Agent Pamela Harris) 01:22:02 ~ Largest Audience Gap: Analyzing ’Strange but True’ (2019) 01:27:03 ~ 2020–Present: ’Only Murders in the Building’ (Jan Bellows and the Season 1 twist) 01:32:22 ~ Amy Ryan: Top Performances 01:35:31 ~ The Munson Meter 01:44:23 ~ Coming Soon 01:49:25 ~ Munsons Out! The Wheel Decides: April 16th with Josh Outing We are thrilled to welcome back Josh Outing! After his captivating contribution to our André Holland deep dive (Ep. 119), Josh returns to see where the Wheel lands for a diverse new shortlist of prestige and power: Chiwetel Ejiofor: A powerhouse of prestige range. Diane Ladd: Acting royalty and three-time Oscar nominee. Neal McDonough: The king of high-intensity "villain" energy. Erick Avari & Graham Beckel: Masters of the "that guy" world. #MunsonsAtTheMovies #AmyRyan #TheOffice #TheWire #GoneBabyGone #MoviePodcast #HollyFlax #OnlyMurdersInTheBuilding #MunsonMeter #TheWheelDecides #KrystalClark #BelcourtTheater #JoshOuting #CharacterActor #FilmAnalysis #PodcastLife

The Munsons are joined by Dames Marvs of Loch 22 Productions and The Dames Marvs Show to celebrate a legend, a namesake, and—most importantly—Aubrey’s anniversary. That’s right, we finally cover the man who played Roy E. Munson, the spiritual godfather of Munsons at the Movies: Woody Harrelson. We dive headfirst into his absolutely wild family history, including a father who was a contract killer and rumored to have ties to the JFK assassination (casual dinner table conversation, we’re sure). From there, we celebrate Woody’s breakout run on Cheers—over 200 episodes and five Emmy nominations—before marveling at one of the shortest marriages we’ve ever encountered: his blink-and-you-miss-it union with Neil Simon’s daughter. The man moves fast. We can’t stop gushing about White Men Can’t Jump and Woody’s effortless charm in it, and we’re genuinely impressed by how quietly he’s stacked up three Oscar nominations while building an acting résumé that shows surprising range. Whether he’s living his best life in Maui and Texas with his family, running his marijuana business, or simply staying unapologetically himself (“The man has never pretended to be something he’s not outside of work.” – James), Woody feels like one of the most authentic stars we’ve covered. We even take a moment to imagine what it would look like if he randomly showed up in a Lord of the Rings movie—because why not? After tallying the Munson Meter, we come to a surprising realization: Woody Harrelson might actually be underrated. Before this episode, we’re not sure we would’ve even called him an A-lister. Now? We’re not so sure we wouldn’t.