Episode 205 - A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN

A League of Their Own is sports history, social history, and cinema history all rolled into one. It's also a rollicking crowd-pleaser that remains a fan favorite thanks to its deep bench of memorable characters and a comedic snap called up from classic sitcoms.

There's no crying in podcasting when Amy Ambler joins us to reminisce about the queen of all baseball movies, and the many ways its empathetic calls for equality still resonate today.

A League of Their Own (1992)
Directed by Penny Marshall
Written by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel
Starring Geena Davis, Tom Hanks, Lori Petty, Madonna, Rosie O’Donnell, Anne Ramsay, Megan Cavanagh, Bitty Schram, David Strathairn, John Lovitz, Garry Marshall, and Bill Pullman

Episode 203 - TOYS

It's good to know what you're getting into with Toys, a surprisingly adult-oriented movie built around the childlike whimsy of Robin Williams in an especially impish performance. It's an elaborate and impractical contraption that dazzles with stunning visuals and zany comedy, even as it departs from its family-friendly roots early and often.

Kev Young joins us for this Christmas in July special to talk about misdirection, mischief, and the militarization of our youthful fascinations!

Toys (1992)
Directed by Barry Levinson
Written by Barry Levinson and Valerie Curtin
Starring Robin Williams, Michael Gambon, Joan Cusack, Robin Wright, LL Cool J, Arthur Malet, Jamie Foxx, and Donald O’Connor

Episode 161 - ENCINO MAN

Hey bud-dy! We return to a time when hair metal and surfer slang ruled the earth as we unearth all the early '90s artifacts of Encino Man. The film is a finely preserved specimen from a fascinating evolutionary period in the teen comedy genre, epitomized by Pauly Shore's colorful verbiage and Brendan Fraser's lunkhead charm.

We find our missing link in first-time guest and lifelong Valley resident Jose Santos, who teaches us how to properly wheeze the juice of this movie's corny Cali vibes. Oooow!

Encino Man (1992)
Directed by Les Mayfield
Produced by George Zaloom
Written by Shawn Schepps
Starring Sean Astin, Brendan Fraser, Megan Ward, Michael DeLuise, Robin Tunney, Mariette Hartley, Richard Masur, and Pauly Shore

Episode 145 - ALADDIN

Aladdin promised a whole new world of narrative possibilities for Disney's resurgent animation division. It expanded the studio's fantastic point of view beyond traditional European folktales while soaring and tumbling with a freewheeling attitude perfectly suited to the '90s. And with no one telling improvisational genius Robin Williams "no," the film had nowhere to go but into the endless diamond sky of our warmest childhood memories.

It's an indescribable feeling as Sean Davis shares his shining, shimmering, splendid insights on this treasured Disney classic. We've got plenty of new horizons to pursue, so come join us on this magic carpet ride!

 

Aladdin (1992)
Directed and produced by Ron Clements and John Musker
Written by Ron Clements & John Musker and Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio
Starring Scott Weinger, Linda Larkin, Jonathan Freeman, Frank Welker, Gilbert Gottfried, Douglas Seale, and Robin Williams

Episode 132 - HOME ALONE / HOME ALONE 2: LOST IN NEW YORK

The first two Home Alone movies didn't just give us ideas for inflicting pain and suffering upon hapless burglars. They affirmed the importance of familial bonds, turned Macaulay Culkin into a prepubescent celebrity icon, and sold kids a dream of heroic self-sufficiency via jury-rigged deathtraps and handheld voice changers. More than just a slapstick romp, Home Alone has blossomed into an essential holiday tradition.

Join us for a yuletide double feature as we thoroughly unpack the McAllister mythos, from its homespun John Hughes-ian roots to its emergence as an unstoppable--and unchanging--comedic force. Merry Christmas, ya filthy animals! (And a happy new year!)

Home Alone (1990)
Directed by Chris Columbus
Written and produced by John Hughes
Starring Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, Catherine O'Hara, John Heard, Roberts Blossom, and John Candy

Home Alone 2: Lost In New York (1992)
Directed by Chris Columbus
Written and produced by John Hughes
Starring Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, Catherine O'Hara, John Heard, Tim Curry, Dana Ivey, Rob Schneider, Eddie Bracken, and Brenda Fricker

Episode 95 - 3 NINJAS

The coolest threads, the finest toys, the slickest moves: 3 Ninjas isn't just a movie, it's wall-to-wall wish fulfillment. Nothing is too excessive for a film centered on three prepubescent martial arts masters that combines the acrobatic clowning of vintage Jackie Chan with the outsize "kid power" ethos of the 1990s. (Not to mention a healthy dose of the noble ninja code, which apparently allows for low blows.)

Jean Magers makes her thrilling podcast debut for this delectable stew of kiddie flick tropes. So just kick back, knuckle up, and get ready to enjoy this most honorable episode. Eeeeyah!

3 Ninjas (1992)
Directed by Jon Turteltaub
Produced by Martha Chang and Yuriko Matsubara
Written by Edward Emanuel
Starring Michael Treanor, Max Elliot Slade, Chad Power, Rand Kingsley, Alan McRae, Margarita Franco, Kate Sargeant, Patrick Labyorteaux, and Victor Wong

Episode 59 - BATMAN RETURNS

"One for them, one for me" - it's the mantra of many an A-lister who also yearns to be respected as an artist, appearing in a commercially appealing flick in order to get a passion project off the ground. For Tim Burton, that rule also applied to sequels for massive franchise tentpoles, as Batman Returns tries to preserve the muscular appeal of its predecessor while injecting more of the macabre, playful melancholy central to the director's gothic sensibility.

We welcome back the boy wonder, Gensho Tasaka, to marvel at Burton doubling down on his signature style and his unique treatment of two iconic Batman villains. It's the second part of our series on the Caped Crusader's blockbuster-era adventures!

Batman Returns (1992)
Directed by Tim Burton
Produced by Denise Di Novi and Tim Burton
Written by Daniel Waters
Based on characters created by Bob Kane
Starring Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Michael Gough, and Michael Murphy

Check out all current episodes in our Batman series:
Batman
Batman Returns
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
Batman Forever
Batman & Robin

Episode 57 - TINY TOON ADVENTURES

They were tiny, they were toony, and--rumor has it--each of them were at least a little loony. More than just a remix of classic Looney Tunes characters and humor, Tiny Toon Adventures was a colorful comedic world unto itself and helped launch a golden age of Warner Bros. animated television series.

In this episode, special guest Sam Stovold contributes to our survey of all things Tiny Toons, from the pilot originally broadcast by CBS in prime time, to fondly-remembered segments from the TV show, to the feature-length VHS favorite Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation. Come and join the fun! (And now this post is done.)

Tiny Toon Adventures (1990-1995)
Created by Tom Ruegger
Executive produced by Steven Spielberg, Frank Marshall, and Kathleen Kennedy
Starring Charlie Adler, Tress MacNeille, Joe Alaskey, Don Messick, Cree Summer, Danny Cooksey, Kath Soucie, Maurice LaMarche, Gail Matthuis, Rob Paulsen, Candi Milo, and Frank Welker

Episodes/segments featured in this podcast:
"The Looney Beginning" (aired 9/14/1990)
Istanbul and Particle Man from "Tiny Toon Music Television" (aired 2/1/1991)
The Potty Years from "Henny Youngman Day" (aired 11/22/1991)
Going Up from "What Makes Toons Tick" (aired 9/17/1992)



Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation (1992)
Directed by Rich Arons, Ken Boyer, Kent Butterworth, Barry Caldwell, Alfred Gimeno, Art Leonardi, and Byron Vaughns

Produced by Tom Ruegger
Written by Paul Dini, Nicholas Hollander, Tom Ruegger, and Sherri Stoner
Starring the voice talents of Tiny Toon Adventures plus Jonathan Winters, Edie McClurg, and Sorrell Booke



Hear more of Sam Stovold on his Star Trek: Deep Space Nine podcast "Reopening the Wormhole"!

Episode 44 - THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL

Charles Dickens' fable about a mean old miser who learns the meaning of Christmas is one of the most picked-over stories in the Western canon. (Heck, we even covered a version of it last year.) But perhaps that's what makes it such a wonderful vehicle for the mischievous Muppets, finding ways to breathe new life--and a vaudeville flair--into a familiar tale.

Much more than a holiday novelty, The Muppet Christmas Carol is an ingratiating insta-classic: one of the most elegant expressions of the ineffable "Christmas spirit" ever seen onscreen. Special guest Brian Rudloff joins us once more to see if we can make that spirit last all year.

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Directed by Brian Henson
Produced by Martin G. Baker and Brian Henson
Written by Jerry Juhl
Based on A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Starring Michael Caine, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Jerry Nelson, Frank Oz, and Steven Mackintosh

Episode 3 - FERNGULLY: THE LAST RAINFOREST

1992's environmental extravaganza really is a lot like Avatar...but it's also so much more.  This week, we'll talk about the unique charms of this scrappy animated underdog that left its mark on a green generation.

Also: a brief Robin Williams tribute, who appears in the film as the voice of the magnificently manic Batty Koda.

FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992)
Directed by Bill Kroyer
Produced by Peter Faiman and Wayne Young
Written by Jim Cox
Starring the voices of Jonathan Ward, Samantha Mathis, Tim Curry, and Robin Williams