The Heavenly Mandate

The Heavenly Mandate

The Heavenly Mandate is a bold and hilarious film review podcast where four misfits tackle the most bizarre, obscure, and unforgettable movies from across the globe. From kung fu madness to Soviet space operas, Christian propaganda to 1980s Japanese cult cinema, this is the cinematic deep-dive you never knew you needed. Hosted by professors, weirdos, and cinephiles, each episode dissects films that have absolutely no business being discussed so seriously, but we do it anyway. Expect intelligent banter, sharp wit, and wildly off-the-wall conversations. New episodes drop regularly. Join the Mandate!

Episodes

November 2, 2025 93 mins
Harken! The mountain's four wise men/women left the summit to discuss Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street! Released in 2007, the film stars Johnny Depp, Alan Rickman, Helena Bonham Carter, and many others. It was filmed in the United States/United Kingdom and was distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount! Enjoy your monthly trip to Shaolin. 
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Harken! The mountain's four wise men/women left the summit to discuss Nicholas Hytner's Centerstage! Released in 2000, the film stars Amanda Schull, Zoe Saldana, Susan Matt Pratt, and many others. It was filmed in the United States and was distributed by Sony Pictures! Enjoy your monthly trip to Shaolin. 
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Harken! The mountain's four wise men/women left the summit to discuss Kathryn Bigelow's Point Break! Released in 1991, the film stars Patrick Swayze, Keanu Reeves, Gary Busey, and many others. It was filmed in the United States and was distributed by 20th Century Fox! Enjoy your monthly trip to Shaolin. 
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Harken! The mountain's four wise men/women left the summit to discuss Trey Parker and Matt Stone's South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut! Released in 1999, the film stars Matt Stone, Trey Parker, Mary Kay Bergman, Isaac Hayes, and many others. It was filmed in the United States and was distributed by Paramount Pictures! Enjoy your monthly trip to Shaolin. 
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Harken! The mountain's four wise men/women left the summit to discuss David Lynch's Mulholland Drive! Released in 2001, the film stars Naomi Watts, Laura Harring, Justin Theroux, and many others. It was filmed in the United States and was distributed by Universal Pictures! Enjoy your monthly trip to Shaolin.
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Harken! The mountain's four wise men/women left the summit to discuss Simon West's Con Air! Released in 1997, the film stars Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, John Malkovich, Steven Buscemi, and many others. It was filmed in the United States and was distributed by Buena Vista Pictures! Enjoy your bi-weekly trip to Shaolin.
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Welcome to the Heavenly Mandate Public Domain Christmas Special! The Hoary Urchin, the Drunken Master, the Deadliest Venom, and Lady-Death-Stab-Behind-the-Novi-Mall present 1938’s Campbell Playhouse’s production of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.”  It was produced by John Houseman, directed by Orson Welles, and features an all-star cast! We hope you enjoy your holiday with us and your loved ones. Happy Holidays!
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Harken! The mountain's four wise men/women left the summit to discuss Ted Kotcheff's Weekend at Bernie's! Released in 1989, the film stars Andrew McCarthy, Jonathan Silverman, Catherine Mary Stewart, Terry Kiser, and many others. It was filmed in the United States and was distributed by 20th Century Fox! Enjoy your bi-weekly trip to Shaolin.
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Harken! The mountain's four wise men/women left the summit to discuss Frank Henenlotter's Basket Case! Released in 1982, the film stars Kevin Van Hentenryck, Terri Susan Smith, Beverly Bonner, and many others. It was filmed in the United States and was distributed by Analysis Film Releasing Corporation (and numerous others)! Enjoy your bi-weekly trip to Shaolin.
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May 24, 2024 2 mins
This episode is a quick look behind the scenes of the Heavenly Mandate; observe as we record and develop our next season! Stay tuned for more fun, adventure, and pointless conversation about films.
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Harken! The mountain's four wise men/women left the summit to discuss Norman Jewison's Moonstruck! Released in 1987, the film stars Cher, Nicolas Cage, Danny Aiello, and many others. It was filmed in the United States and was distributed by MGM/UA Communications Co.! Enjoy your bi-weekly trip to Shaolin.
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Harken! The mountain's four wise men/women left the summit to discuss RZA's The Man with the Iron Fist! Released in 2012, the film stars Russell Crowe, Cung Le, Lucy Liu, RZA, and many others. It was filmed in the United States and China and was distributed by Universal Studios. Pictures! Enjoy your bi-weekly trip to Shaolin.
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May 3, 2024 29 mins
This episode is a quick look behind the scenes of the Heavenly Mandate; observe as we record and develop our next season! Stay tuned for more fun, adventure, and pointless conversation about films.
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April 26, 2024 18 mins
This episode is a quick look behind the scenes of the Heavenly Mandate; observe as we record and develop our next season! Stay tuned for more fun, adventure, and pointless conversation about films.
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April 19, 2024 68 mins
Harken! The mountain's four wise men/women left the summit to discuss Neil LaBute's The Wicker Man! Released in 2006, the film stars Nicolas Cage, Ellen Burstyn, Molly Parker, and many others. It was filmed in the United States and was distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures! Enjoy your bi-weekly trip to Shaolin.
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April 12, 2024 4 mins
This episode is a quick look behind the scenes of the Heavenly Mandate; observe as we record and develop our next season! Stay tuned for more fun, adventure, and pointless conversation about films.
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Harken! The mountain's four wise men/women left the summit to discuss Robert Bierman's Vampire's Kiss! Released in 1989, the film stars Nicolas Cage, Jennifer Beals, Maria Conchita Alonso, and many others. It was filmed in the United States and was distributed by Hemdale Film Corporation! Enjoy your bi-weekly trip to Shaolin.
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March 29, 2024 3 mins
This episode is a quick look behind the scenes of the Heavenly Mandate; observe as we record and develop our next season! Stay tuned for more fun, adventure, and pointless conversation about films.
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March 23, 2024 76 mins
Harken! The mountain's four wise men/women left the summit to discuss Rowdy Herrington's Road House! Released in 1989, the film stars Patrick Swayze, Kelly Lynch, Sam Elliott, and many others. It was filmed in the United States and was distributed by United Artists! Enjoy your bi-weekly trip to Shaolin.
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Harken! The four wise men/women left their summit to discuss Matt Stone and Trey Parker's South Park: "Woodland Critter Christmas"! Released in 2024, the episode stars Matt Stone, Trey Parker, Dante Alexander, and many others! Please enjoy this special holiday trip to Shaolin.

Special thanks to Shane Ivers for allowing us to use the track "Tremendum" under a Creative Commons Attribution license.
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