CONGRATULATIONS TO UP-AND-COMING FILMMAKER MARTIN SCORSESE FOR WINNING BLANK CHECK’S 2026 MARCH MADNESS COMPETITION!

BY A MERE FIVE VOTES... TONY SCOTT MOVES ON TO THE FINAL

Martin Scorsese continues his dominant run, becoming the first filmmaker to advance to tomorrow’s final.

Today’s semifinal matchup is explosive - Bottle Rocket vs Man on Fire. Twee vs whatever the opposite of Twee is. Wes Anderson (1) vs Tony Scott (1). Vote here: blankcheckpod.com/march-madness

Looks like everyone listened to Griffin and dialed 1-800-COME-ON-NOW The dream of Columbus is dead. Long live Tony Scott.

We’ve made it to the Final Four! Our first semifinal matchup is between two filmmakers who each made films about the history of New York City, films set in mental hospitals, and films with Jack Nicholson. It’s Martin Scorsese (1) vs Milos Forman (3). Vote here: blankcheckpod.com/march-madness

Wes bests Prest!

In our final matchup of the Elite Eight, we’ve got Beverly Hills Cop II going up against The Christmas Chronicles 2…The Fan vs Bicentennial Man… It’s Tony Scott (1) vs Chris Columbus (7). Vote here: blankcheckpod.com/march-madness

This Milos guy is really Taking Off! He will face Martin Scorsese in the final four.

Today in BC March Madness, we have a battle between suprelatives. You can support either The Royal Tenenbaums or The Great McGinty. It's Wes Anderson (1) vs Preston Sturges (7). Vote here: blankcheckpod.com/march-madness

Marty becomes our first filmmaker to make it to the Final Four! Quelle surprise…

Today in March Madness, it’s Wayne and Garth versus Mozart and Salieri. It’s Penelope Spheeris (4) vs Milos Forman (3). Vote here: blankcheckpod.com/march-madness

It was a close one, but Chris Columbus pushed past Gus Van Sant to be our final contender making it to the Elite Eight

We’ve reached the Elite Eight of our 2026 Blank Check March Madness competition! Our first face-off has “You talkin to me?” going up against JUMANJI. It’s Martin Scorsese (1) vs Joe Johnston (6). Vote here: blankcheckpod.com/march-madness

I feel like every time Tony Scott wins a March Madness round, I have to reference UNSTOPPABLE. I know it's lazy, I'm sorry. But he's kind of unstoppable, no??

Today in March Madness, it's between "You're a hiker, Gerry!" and "Yer a wizard, Harry!" It's Gus Van Sant (6) vs Chris Columbus (7). Vote here: blankcheckpod.com/march-madness

Another very tight victory for Preston Sturges!

Today in March Madness, you must choose between Domino Harvey and JENNIFER'S BODY. It's Tony Scott (1) vs Karyn Kusama (5). Vote: blankcheckpod.com/march-madness

Wes Anderson is flying through this competition like the Darjeeling Limited!

Today in March Madness, it's a battle between Kim Basinger as a Veronica Lake lookalike sex worker in L.A. CONFIDENTIAL and the actual Veronica Lake! It's Curtis Hanson (6) vs Preston Sturges (7). Vote here: blankcheckpod.com/march-madness

Judd Apatow is a real Salieri. Milos Forman moves on to the Elite Eight!

Today in BC March Madness, it's between THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME and the Irish Hunger Strike...between widowed Jason Schwartzman in ASTEROID CITY and widowed Viola Davis in WIDOWS... It's WES ANDERSON (1) vs STEVE MCQUEEN (4). Vote: blankcheckpod.com/march-madness

Is this the beginning of the Penelope Spheeris Cinderella run???

Up today in our March Madness competition, we've got Jim Carrey as Andy Kaufman going up against Adam Sandler as "George Simmons" It's MILOS FORMAN (3) vs JUDD APATOW (7). Vote: blankcheckpod.com/march-madness

Hal Ashby is no longer Bound for Glory. Joe Johnston moves on to the Elite Eight.

Today in BC March Madness, it's between the peak of Western Civilization (Senator Jay Bulworth's reelection campaign) and THE DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION. It's WARREN BEATTY (1) vs PENELOPE SPHEERIS (4). Vote: blankcheckpod.com/march-madness

Marty reigns supreme, at least in our March Madness polling.

Up today in BC March Madness, we've got a showdown between The First Avenger and THE LAST DETAIL. It's Joe Johnston (6) vs Hal Ashby (7). Vote here: blankcheckpod.com/march-madness

Oliver Stone should join the Wet Bandits the way he just got trashed by Chris Columbus

We've made it to the Sweet Sixteen of Blank Check March Madness! Up today, our greatest living Italian American filmmaker goes up against the filmmaker who remade THE ITALIAN JOB. It's MARTIN SCORSESE (1) vs F. GARY GRAY (4). Vote: blankcheckpod.com/march-madness

GOOD WILL HUNTING? More like Gus Be Winning.

In our final first round matchup, we've got the "magic-bullet theory" going up against a magic student trio. It's Oliver Stone (2) vs Chris Columbus (7). Vote: blankcheckpod.com/march-madness

Karyn Kusama wins!

Today in March Madness, it’s a battle between luminaries of the Pacific Northwest. It’s Kelly Reichardt (3) vs Gus Van Sant (6) Vote here: blankcheckpod.com/march-madness

Tony Scott is...dare we say it...Unstoppable???

Up today in BC March Madness, we've got a battle between Mr. Turner's spit and JENNIFER'S BODY. It's MIKE LEIGH (4) vs KARYN KUSAMA (5). Vote: blankcheckpod.com/march-madness

In our first true nail-biter of this year's tournament, Preston Sturges defeats Celine Sciamma by a mere 66 votes!

Today in BC March Madness, it's between CRIMSON TIDE and CAUGHT BY THE TIDES... It's TONY SCOTT (1) vs JIA ZHANGKE (8). Vote: blankcheckpod.com/march-madness

Rolo Tommasi got away with it again. Curtis Hanson moves on to the next round.

Today in BC March Madness, you must choose between one of the great contemporary French filmmakers, and a filmmaker from the golden age of Hollywood who ended his career with THE FRENCH, THEY ARE A FUNNY RACE. It's CELINE SCIAMMA (2) vs PRESTON STURGES (7). Vote: blankcheckpod.com/march-madness

Au revoir, Jacques Tati. Steve McQueen moves on to the next round!

Today in BC March Madness, you have a choice between the DARKEST HOUR and the Detroitest Rapper...between the bucolic English countryside of PRIDE & PREJUDICE and the sunshine noir of LA CONFIDENTIAL... It's JOE WRIGHT (3) vs CURTIS HANSON (6). Vote: blankcheckpod.com/march-madness

Wes Anderson Phoenician schemed his way to the top! He moves on to the next round:

Today in BC March Madness, you have a choice between the London Blitz and Parisian Traffic...between Shametime and Playtime... It's STEVE MCQUEEN (4) vs JACQUES TATI (5). Vote: blankcheckpod.com/march-madness

A clean race, no mayoral interference...Judd Apatow moves on to round two.

Today in March Madness, you have a choice between ASTEROID CITY and AD ASTRA... It's WES ANDERSON (1) vs JAMES GRAY (8). Vote: blankcheckpod.com/march-madness

Milos Forman is taking off! He moves on to the next round over the great Bill Duke.

Up today in Blank Check March Madness, we've got the QUEEN OF KATWE versus THE KING OF STATEN ISLAND... It's MIRA NAIR (2) vs JUDD APATOW (7). Vote: blankcheckpod.com/march-madness

Dutch Verhoeven is hebben een serieus probleem. Penelope Spheeris sails on to the next round!

On Day 7 of Blank Check March Madness, you must choose between Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Sister Mary Clarence...between the cover of Hustler Magazine and DEEP COVER... It's MILOS FORMAN (3) vs BILL DUKE (6). Vote: blankcheckpod.com/march-madness