Episode 176 - SCREAM 2

Sequels suck! Or do they? That's just one pillar in the tantalizing metatextual framework of Scream 2, a sly, sneaky, savage whodunit that builds upon the foundation of its trope-savvy predecessor. The redux uses a wealth of suspenseful setpieces and hilariously knowing dialogue to create a fine-tuned cinematic ouroboros that's always several steps ahead of audience expectations.

Daren Sprawls inexplicably returns from our first encounter with the Woodsboro gang to discuss the commodification of horror violence, debate the relative merits of movie sequels, and go deep on another soundtrack of eclectic '90s tunes. 

Scream 2 (1997)
Directed by Wes Craven
Produced by Cathy Konrad and Marianne Maddalena
Written by Kevin Williamson
Starring Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Jerry O’Connell, Jamie Kennedy, Timothy Olyphant, Elise Neal, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jada Pinkett, Omar Epps, Liev Schreiber, and Laurie Metcalf

Episode 154 - BILLY MADISON

The schoolyard bell signals the end of our Summer of Sandler, as we head back to class with the comedy that launched the Sandman to stardom: Billy Madison. And while we struggle to remember the year of the Spanish Armada, so much of Adam Sandler's buffoonery remains firmly entrenched in our minds. But beyond debating the merits of shampoo versus conditioner, this episode inspires us to relive our own school years, when we too dreamed of our crushes, annoyed our bus drivers, and peed our pants. (It's the coolest!)

Daren Sprawls brings his teacher voice back to the pod as we finish our seasonal salute to Adam Sandler. Listen closely, and you may discover that somewhere in this rambling, incoherent episode, we approach something that resembles a rational thought. May God have mercy on our souls.

Billy Madison (1995)
Directed by Tamra Davis
Produced by Robert Simonds
Written by Adam Sandler and Tim Herlihy
Starring Adam Sandler, Bradley Whitford, Bridgette Wilson, Larry Hankin, Darren McGavin, Josh Mostel, Chris Farley, Steve Buscemi, and Jim Downey

Episode 146 - GODZILLA

Before "reboot" entered the average moviegoer's vocabulary, the 1998 American version of Godzilla traded on the appeal of a beloved cultural icon while treading all over its cinematic legacy with Hollywood brashness. And whether you appreciate the big lizard's unapologetic makeover or hate it with the atomic passion of a French nuclear weapons test, most of us can agree: this movie has a kick-ass soundtrack.

Daren Sprawls joins us for a verbal rampage through some skyscraper-sized opinions, and also lends his artistic talents to a medley of songs from Godzilla: The Album. It's our biggest musical bonus to date...because size does matter.

Godzilla (1998)
Directed by Roland Emmerich
Produced by Dean Devlin
Written by Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin
Starring Matthew Broderick, Jean Reno, Maria Pitillo, Hank Azaria, Kevin Dunn, Michael Lerner, Arabella Field, Doug Savant, Vicki Lewis, and Harry Shearer

Episode 96 - SCREAM

What's your favorite serio-comic deconstruction of the horror genre? For many, there is no better answer than the prescient Scream series, which combined trendy self-awareness with old-school storytelling chops. The instantly iconic (and oddly bumbling) Ghostface villain not only breathed life back into slasher movies, but also inspired the trick-or-treating costumes of countless lazy teenagers for decades to come.

Daren Sprawls joins us in celebration of the Halloween season as we soak in the details of the classic bloody whodunit, and indulge in listing our favorite scary movies.

Scream (1996)
Directed by Wes Craven
Produced by Cathy Conrad and Cary Woods
Written by Kevin Williamson
Starring Neve Campbell, Drew Barrymore, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Skeet Ulrich, Matthew Lillard, Rose McGowan, Jaime Kennedy, and Henry Winkler

Episode 93 - KINDERGARTEN COP

After almost three decades, Kindergarten Cop still represents an aspirational standard for the thespian trapped in a cycle of typecasting: Arnold Schwarzenegger, at the crest of his rough-and-ready muscleman trajectory, poking fun at his brawny persona and spinning it into comedy gold. Real-life educators Daren Sprawls and Ariel Quist Sprawls help us rate the movie's classroom verisimilitude and celebrate its tremendous quotability, evident in its contributions to a classic prank call soundboard.

How do six-year-olds stack up against a former Mr. Universe? Why are so many family classics filmed in Astoria, Oregon? Who is your daddy, and what does he do? Find the answers to these questions and much more in this special back-to-school episode!

Kindergarten Cop (1990)
Directed by Ivan Reitman
Produced by Ivan Reitman and Brian Grazer
Written by Murray Salem and Herschel Weingrod & Timothy Harris
Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Pamela Reed, Penelope Ann Miller, Richard Tyson, Carroll Baker, Christian Cousins, Joseph Cousins, and Linda Hunt

Episode 58 - INDEPENDENCE DAY

 

Best remembered for boot-strapping highlights like Bill Pullman's rousing speech or Will Smith's aggressive greeting of an alien visitor, Independence Day teaches us that only good old-fashioned American courage and ingenuity can take down an intergalactic threat.

Sure, the film also tries to be a gallery of character moments tied together by vague, warm feelings of human resilience and unity in times of great crisis. But what other country's head of state is going to strap into a fighter jet and feed those E.T.s a steady diet of air-to-air missiles?

For this special Fourth of July episode, we welcome two real patriots--Brian Rudloff and Daren Sprawls--to debate the merits of ID4, from the appearance of its extraterrestrials and the dimensionality of its cast, to its tempered version of blockbuster machismo and its entertainment value relative to Mars Attacks!

Independence Day (1996)
Directed by Roland Emmerich
Produced by Dean Devlin
Written by Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin
Starring Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Judd Hirsch, Vivica A. Fox, Randy Quaid, Margaret Colin, Mary McDonnell, Robert Loggia, James Rebhorn, and Brent Spiner

Episode 46 - STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

We're finally comfortable admitting it: we are a little obsessed with Star Wars. The seventh chapter in the saga is a hit with critics and paying audiences, honoring the spirit of George Lucas' creation while starting to re-sculpt the franchise in the mold of modern movie "universes" and their ambitious ten-year plans.

It's time for some instant nostalgia as we team up with Text Before Calling co-hosts Eric Wheeler and Sean Fau-Burnitz, as well as previous podcast guests Brian Rudloff and Daren Sprawls, for an all-star panel discussion of The Force Awakens featuring our joys, sorrows, hopes, and fears for this brave new world of infinite Star Wars.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Directed by J. J. Abrams
Produced by J. J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, and Kathleen Kennedy
Written by Lawrence Kasdan & J. J. Abrams and Michael Arndt
Based on characters created by George Lucas
Starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o, Domhnall Gleeson, Andy Serkis, and Max von Sydow

Check out the rest of our series on the Star Wars saga:
Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Episode IV: A New Hope
Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Episode VII: The Force Awakens
Episode VIII: The Last Jedi

Solo: A Star Wars Story
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Star Wars: Clone Wars
Star Wars Holiday Special
Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure

Episode 36 - STAR WARS EPISODE V: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

It shouldn't be possible for the sequel to an instant classic to become even more unassailable than the original.  Yet there's certainly an argument to be made for The Empire Strikes Back and its deepening of everything people loved about Star Wars: the backstories, the relationships, the planet-hopping adventures, the arcane mythology of space mystics swinging laser swords.  Not bad for a movie all about the moodiness and failure of the good guys, and the inevitability of snapping back to the status quo.

We welcome back Episode III panel member (and WWWW's musician-in-residence) Daren Sprawls to discuss the Star Wars that provided a new kind of blueprint for maturity in nerdom.

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Directed by Irvin Kershner
Produced by Gary Kurtz
Written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan
Story by George Lucas
Starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Frank Oz, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, and James Earl Jones

Check out the rest of our series on the Star Wars saga:
Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Episode IV: A New Hope
Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Episode VII: The Force Awakens
Episode VIII: The Last Jedi

Solo: A Star Wars Story
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Star Wars: Clone Wars
Star Wars Holiday Special
Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure

Episode 26 - STAR WARS EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH

In many ways, the legacy of the Star Wars prequels is embedded within Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.  Is it the awesomely dark conclusion that many lauded in 2005 for bestowing a kind of amnesty upon its poorly-received predecessors?  Is it the crucial narrative piece that casts the entire Star Wars saga in a new light, vis à vis the Skywalker clan?  Or is it just more haphazardly-realized Bantha poodoo?

Prequels pundit Eric Wheeler and podcast songsmith Daren Sprawls join the show to help us answer these and many more questions as WWWW's Star Wars series continues apace.  Be sure to stay tuned until the end for a special musical treat!

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Written and directed by George Lucas
Produced by Rick McCallum
Starring Hayden Christensen, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Samuel L. Jackson, Jimmy Smits, and Ian McDiarmid

Check out the rest of our series on the Star Wars saga:
Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Episode IV: A New Hope
Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Episode VII: The Force Awakens
Episode VIII: The Last Jedi

Solo: A Star Wars Story
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Star Wars: Clone Wars
Star Wars Holiday Special
Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure

Episode 21 - SPACE JAM

"The customer is always right. The. Customer. Is. Always. Right... ALWAYS." This is the philosophy advocated by antagonist Mr. Swackhammer, as he mugs for the camera, within the first few minutes of Space Jam. His evil plan will consist of exploiting both the Looney Tunes and basketball legend Michael Jordan to be made attractions for his intergalactic amusement park, Moron Mountain. Are the filmmakers openly acknowledging the fact that Space Jam is ultimately an extended plug for Bugs Bunny, "His Airness," and its own merchandise? Were we the morons back in 1996?

Daren Sprawls, creator of our infectious theme song, finally joins us on the podcast to answer that question, dissecting our conflicting feelings of alienation from such a blatant commercial maneuver and unabashed nostalgia for the very things the movie advertised, namely that stellar soundtrack. Speaking of which, Daren tops it all off by treating us to a slam-dunk cover of R. Kelly's classic hit, "I Believe I Can Fly."

Welcome to the Jam. 

Space Jam (1996)

Directed by Joe Pytka

Produced by Ivan Reitman, Joe Medjuck, Daniel Goldberg

Written by Leo Benvenuti, Steve Rudnick, Timothy Harris, Herschel Weingrod

Starring Michael Jordan, Wayne Knight, Bill Murray, Billy West, Dee Bradley Baker, Bob Bergen, Bill Farmer, Maurice LaMarche, June Foray, Kath Soucie, and Danny DeVito

Episode 13 - HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS and MICKEY’S CHRISTMAS CAROL

What’s Christmas without some stocking stuffers?

We’re so full of the holiday spirit that we created a bonus episode revisiting two our of favorite Yuletide perennials: the 1966 animated TV special Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas and the 1983 Disney short film Mickey’s Christmas Carol.

And as an extra-special Christmas treat, our good friend Daren Sprawls - the man behind our incredibly catchy podcast theme song - recorded his own acoustic cover of the holiday standard "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch."

Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
Directed by Chuck Jones
Produced by Chuck Jones and Theodore Geisel
Starring Boris Karloff, June Foray, and Thurl Ravenscroft

Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983)
Directed and produced by Burny Mattinson
Starring Alan Young, Wayne Allwine, Hal Smith, Eddie Carroll, Patricia Parris, and Clarence Nash