Episode 222 - IT'S THE PEANUTS HOLIDAY BRACKET, CHARLIE BROWN!

'Tis the season for giving, and this year we're gifting listeners an entire bracket of Peanuts holiday specials! Charles Schulz's pals have celebrated a lot since their first iconic Christmas special. But has that initial outing ever been surpassed? Can elaborate paper valentines or dancing Easter beagles hold a candle to sadly slumping Christmas trees? And what the heck is a "Great Pumpkin" anyway?

And after we unpack these questions with special guest Brian Rudloff, we'll also unwrap real presents in this jam-packed, carefully-wrapped, ho ho holly, multi-holiday smorgasbord. Good grief!

Peanuts TV specials featured in this episode:

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973)
It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown (1974)
Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown (1975)
It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown (1976)
Happy New Year, Charlie Brown! (1986)
It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown (1992)

Episode 218 - BLADE

Just as poorly-received pulp serials and campy eye candy threatened to drain the superhero genre of its box office life force, new blood appeared in the form of a human-vampire hybrid with a serious vendetta against so-called "suckheads." Based on a character from Marvel's 1970s horror titles, Blade not only reimagined its titular antihero, but also set a stylish new standard for comic book action movies in the next decade and beyond.

We're thrilled to welcome new guest Ryan Davis, who helps us debate the origins of pureblood vampires, explain the methodology behind a good GameFAQs walkthrough, and ponder why some MFers are always trying to ice skate uphill.

Blade (1998)
Directed by Stephen Norrington
Written by David S. Goyer
Based on characters created by Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan
Starring Wesley Snipes, Stephen Dorff, N’Bushe Wright, Donal Logue, Udo Kier, Sanaa Lathan, and Kris Kristofferson

Episode 217 - THE PHANTOM

The Summer of Serials comes to a rousing conclusion with The Phantom, in which a bemused beefcake is surrounded by campy and/or deadpan scene partners gobbling up the exotic scenery. This underrated swashbuckling adventure capped the '90s revival of pulp heroes, and also sowed the seeds of the truly global big-budget superhero productions that were yet to come.

Jake Beal helps us Slam Evil!™ as we unravel the mysteries of the Ghost Who Walks. Hang on to your skintight purple bodysuits, listeners, because this one is un-be-liev-ableeeeee!

The Phantom (1996)
Directed by Simon Wincer
Written by Jeffrey Boam
Based on characters created by Lee Falk
Starring Billy Zane, Treat Williams, Kristy Swanson, James Remar, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, and Patrick McGoohan

Episode 215 - DICK TRACY

The podcast gets pulp-y as we launch the Summer of Serials - a celebration of Hollywood's infatuation with the heroic icons of pre-WWII comic strips, radio dramas, and matinee serials. First up is Dick Tracy, as Warren Beatty dons the canary yellow overcoat and fedora to battle goons and gangsters blessed with easily distinguishable physical features.

We call up Alex Rodriguez on our trusty two-way wrist radio to celebrate the film's embrace of the comic aesthetic and marvel at Detective Tracy's staying power in pop culture for nearly a century.

Dick Tracy (1990)
Directed by Warren Beatty
Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
Based on the characters created by Chester Gould
Starring Warren Beatty, Al Pacino, Glenne Headly, Charlie Korsmo, William Forsythe, Ed O’Ross, Dustin Hoffman, Mandy Patinkin, Dick Van Dyke, and Madonna

Episode 214 - JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS

Underneath its bubbly pop-punk tunes and girl power trappings, Josie and the Pussycats is a sly satire of conformity and commercialism that zips along with fun, campy energy. It also marks an inflection point in pop culture: a crowning burst of late '90s/Y2K frivolity with winking humor and a kickass soundtrack.

DuJour means friendship on this totally jerkin' episode, as we rock out retro-style with Kristal Bailey and celebrate an endearingly clever and creative adaptation.

Josie and the Pussycats (2001)
Written and Directed by Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan
Based on the comic and the TV series Josie and the Pussycats created by Dan DeCarlo
Starring Rachael Leigh Cook, Rosario Dawson, Tara Reid, Alan Cumming, Parker Posey, Gabriel Mann, Missy Pyle, Paulo Costanzo, and Carson Daly

Episode 197 - GHOST WORLD

Whether you're an alienated teenage misfit or a dorky, obsessive adult, Ghost World has you covered with humor and feels that cut to the bone. We talk to our cool counterparts from the Sexy Books Podcast - Blythe Rudloff and Claire Holland - about a cult classic that hits different but never stops being relatable.

Ghost World (2001)
Directed by Terry Zwigoff
Written by Daniel Clowes and Terry Zwigoff
Based on the graphic novel by Daniel Clowes
Starring Thora Birch, Scarlett Johannson, Steve Buscemi, Brad Renfroe, Bob Balaban, Teri Garr, and Illeana Douglas 

Episode 196 - SPIDER-MAN 2

Spider-Man 2 brought a special blend of boldface emotion, action, and humor straight from the comics to the cinemas - and superhero films have never been the same. Newly-minted Ten Timers Club member Sam Stovold will turn you into a true believer as we try to discover the hero in all of us.

Spider-Man 2
Directed by Sam Raimi
Written by Alvin Sargent
Story by Alfred Gough & Miles Millar and Michael Chabon
Starring Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Rosemary Harris, J.K. Simmons, and Alfred Molina

Episode 166 - THE ROCKETEER

"The Rocka-Who?" So said initial audiences of The Rocketeer, a film with blockbuster-sized expectations that struggled to stay aloft in an atmosphere thick with more familiar pulpy comic book franchises. But over the years, that anonymity may have given rise to something more important: relatability. The movie certainly ignited our imaginations, thanks to a winning combination of art deco sleekness, high flying thrills, and old school optimism.

Eric Wheeler drops in like a bolt from the blue to give us his perspective on how the film takes inspiration from Hollywood's Golden Age, and helps us get to the bottom of The Rocketeer's appeal as a blueprint for the makings of a true hero. Go get 'em, kid!

The Rocketeer (1991)
Directed by Joe Johnston
Produced by Charles Gordon, Lawrence Gordon, and Lloyd Levin
Screenplay by Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo
Based on The Rocketeer by Dave Stevens
Starring Billy Campbell, Jennifer Connelly, Alan Arkin, Paul Sorvino, Terry O'Quinn, and Timothy Dalton

"Episode 141" - SUPERMAN LIVES

In an alternate universe, a movie like Superman Lives would never have been made. Luckily for us, the stars aligned in 1998 to bring us this controversial collision between the minds of Kevin Smith and Tim Burton. The end result is what you might expect from the partnership of a garrulous geek and arty introvert: a very different kind of Superman story for the misfits of the world.

Just as Michael Keaton dusts off the batsuit for a scene-stealing cameo, our man in Gotham Gensho Tasaka returns once more to talk polar bears, giant spiders, gay robot sidekicks, and that surprisingly poignant Jay and Silent Bob scene. It's a bird! It's a plane! It's...




















...April Fool's.

Superman Lives (1998)
Directed by Tim Burton
Produced by Jon Peters
Starring Nicolas Cage, Courtney Cox, Christopher Walken, Kevin Spacey, Chris Rock, Dwight Ewell, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, and Michael Keaton

Episode 136 - ANNIE (1982)

Leapin' lizards! The lavish screen adaptation of the timeless Broadway smash Annie is a 1930s nostalgia factory, perhaps the rosiest portrait of the Great Depression ever produced. It's also a valentine to American capitalism in its cinematic excess, and in its portrayal of a billionaire grumbling about the system he is all too eager to exploit.

Two Gay Matts co-host (and plucky redhead) Matt Steele helps up keep smiling through this hard knock life. Bet your bottom dollar that you'll love this episode!

(Note: This episode was completed before Albert Finney's passing on February 7, 2019. Consider it a tribute to his portrayal of Daddy Warbucks as an indomitable softie, and his many other memorable roles.)

Annie (1982)
Directed by John Huston
Produced by Ray Stark
Written by Carol Sobieski
Based on the stage musical by Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin, and Thomas Meehan; and the comic strip Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray
Starring Aileen Quinn, Carol Burnett, Albert Finney, Ann Reinking, Tim Curry, Bernadette Peters, Geoffrey Holder, and Edward Herrmann

More Matt Steele

Febreze commercial - "Super Bowl Party Prep"
Two Gay Matts on YouTube

Episode 135 - UNBREAKABLE

As Hollywood was still casting a wary eye upon superhero films, along came a movie that unapologetically embraced the language of comic books to tell a cinematic story. Unbreakable is still one of the moodiest superhero movies ever: deliberate, somber, and whisper-quiet with a pair of stars playing against type, it stands as perhaps the apotheosis of M. Night Shyamalan's unsettling modern parables.

Sam Stovold and Kev Young join us to ponder the implications of real-life superpowers and an extended Shyamalan-iverse in an episode that ends with a shocking twist! (Or does it...?)

Unbreakable (2000)
Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan
Produced by Barry Mendel, Sam Mercer, and M. Night Shyamalan
Starring Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, Robin Wright, Spencer Treat Clark, Chance Kelly, and Charlayne Woodard

Episode 129 - BATMAN & ROBIN

Forever frozen in time as an aggressive expression of comic book camp, Batman & Robin had a chilling effect on the entire superhero genre: its icy reception did much to precipitate our current cinematic reality. And while our culture has buried the movie in an avalanche of snark, consider this podcast our modest attempt to bring it in from the cold.

That chill dude, Gensho Tasaka, joins us once again as the Robin Round Robin enters round two with the toyetic tour de force that is Batman & Robin. 

Batman & Robin (1997)
Directed by Joel Schumacher
Produced by Peter MacGregor-Scott
Written by Akiva Goldsman
Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, George Clooney, Chris O'Donnell, Uma Thurman, Alicia Silverstone, Michael Gough, Pat Hingle, Elle Macpherson, and Robert "Jeep" Swenson

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

Episode 126 - STEEL

Our Shaq-tober celebration continues with Steel, a movie featuring a Superman-adjacent hero who tries desperately to imitate Batman. The concept of a 7-foot African-American vigilante patrolling downtown Los Angeles in a high-tech metal suit seems both ahead of its time and a product of its time. Namely, the brief window where a newly-minted Laker and Superman superfan's media ambitions dovetailed with DC Comics' cinematic supremacy.

Slip into your Shaq-branded sneakers and get ready for some crime fighting on a budget as we watch Shaq try to turn Supes' sixth man into an MVP-worthy star as Steel!

Steel (1997)
Written and directed by Kenneth Johnson
Produced by Quincy Jones, David Salzman, and Joel Simon
Based on characters created by Louise Simonson and Jon Bogdanove
Starring Shaquille O'Neal, Annabeth Gish, Judd Nelson, Ray J, Irma P. Hall, Hill Harper, and Richard Roundtree

Episode 105 - TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES (1990)

Like Renaissance sculptures made flesh, the film debut of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles transforms the testudinal heroes from cartoon characters into three-dimensional wisecracking, pizza-gobbling machines. Along the way, they somehow rediscovered their grittier comic book aesthetic, as they emerge in a seedy urban landscape rife with brainwashed children, unhinged vigilantes, and a ninja cult that's very comfortable with torture.

Guest star Nate Tapp joins us as we serve up some wide-ranging banter about family and fatherhood, rank our favorite turtles, and, of course, reminisce some more about the most awesome TMNT toys. So grab a New York slice and get ready for some serious turtle talk, 'cause this is what we do!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
Directed by Steve Barron
Produced by David Chan, Kim Dawson, and Simon Fields
Written by Todd W. Langen and Bobby Herbeck
Based on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird
Starring Josh Pais, Brian Tochi, Corey Feldman, Robbie Rist, Kevin Clash, Judith Hoag, Elias Koteas, James Saito, Toshishiro Obata, Michael Turney, and Sam Rockwell


Cowabunga! Check out more of our TMNT tributes:
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 TV series)
Raph Punk

Episode 99 - BATMAN FOREVER

Riddle me this, riddle me that, who's excited for more Batman chit-chat? Joel Schumacher's exuberant take on the Caped Crusader marks a crucial turning point for the character's onscreen legacy, in a film that dips the remnants of Tim Burton's moody vision in neon and scatters them across an exaggerated comic book fantasyland. As Batman Forever's title suggests, the ripple effects of its stylistic swerve would continue for decades to come.

The dynamic duo of Gensho Tasaka and Eric Wheeler joins us for a freewheeling free-for-all on this pivotal moment in Bat-history. Joygasm!

Batman Forever (1995)
Directed by Joel Schumacher
Produced by Tim Burton and Peter MacGregor-Scott
Written by Lee & Janet Scott Batchler and Akiva Goldsman
Based on characters created by Bob Kane
Starring Val Kilmer, Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey, Nicole Kidman, Chris O'Donnell, Michael Gough, Pat Hingle, and Ed Begley Jr.

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

Episode 88 - SPIDER-MAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES

Among the many superheroes who strengthened their foothold in the cultural consciousness via animated avatars, is there any tale more fortuitous than that of our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man? In his '90s cartoon, Spidey confidently leaned into his sprawling comic book mythology (recently energized by a badass symbiote named Venom), and re-introduced the world to a sympathetic, wisecracking do-gooder whose popularity would only soar higher in the coming decades.

Bona fide web-head Daniel Borders-Ashe swings by to discuss the defiantly nerdy series that faithfully re-created the structure and the spirit of the comics. Also, we sling suggestions for Spider-Man's (and Stan Lee's) future adventures.

Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1994-1998)
Produced by Bob Richardson
Based on Spider-Man created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
Starring Christopher Gary Barnes, Linda Gary, Julie Bennett, Sara Ballantine, Jennifer Hale, Gary Imhoff, Rodney Saulsberry, Roscoe Lee Browne, Hank Azaria, and Ed Asner

Episodes featured in this podcast:
"The Alien Costume, Part 3" (aired 5/13/1995)
"Shriek of the Vulture" (aired 2/17/1996)
"The Return of the Green Goblin" (aired 7/12/1997)
"Spider Wars, Chapter II: Farewell, Spider Man" (1/31/1998)

Episode 84 - STAR WARS: SHADOWS OF THE EMPIRE

Priming the public for the return of Star Wars in its special edition and prequel forms, George Lucas cranked up the old hype machine for Shadows of the Empire, an ambitious storytelling experience spread out across multiple media platforms. The project encapsulated all the promise and pitfalls of the creative potential embedded in the so-called "expanded universe," leaning heavily on the film trilogy's distinct atmosphere and iconography to peddle franchise arcana.

We depart from our typical format in this very special episode, as guest hosts Brian Rudloff and Sam Stovold help us divide and conquer a book, a graphic novel, a video game, and a soundtrack that (theoretically) combine to create a single Star Wars story.

Shadows of the Empire (1996)
Novel written by Steve Perry
Graphic novel written by John Wagner and illustrated by Kilian Plunkett
Video game produced by LucasArts and directed by Mark Haigh-Hutchinson
Soundtrack composed by Joel McNeely

A bonus panel of swoop gang leader Gizman aka 'Big Gizz' from the Shadows comic book:

Swoop! (There It Is)

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 77 - BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM

The rehabilitation of Batman's post-camp image as a lonely, brooding avatar of vigilantism was not just limited to the comics or the cinema. Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski's surprisingly mature animated TV series also contributed to the goal of establishing a grim, gritty, noir-ish universe as the Caped Crusader's natural habit. Their ambition was affirmed by efforts such as Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, a theatrically-released feature filled with vengeance, obsession, and yearning for the past that also includes a pretty sweet rumble with the Joker.

Reopening the Wormhole co-host Sam Stovold suits up for this animated detour in our survey of the Batman films. Grab your fedora and hop into your anachronistic Rolls Royce for this melancholy superhero romance - just in time for Valentine's Day!

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)
Directed by Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski
Produced by Benjamin Melnicker, Alan Burnett, Bruce Timm, and Eric Radomski
Written by Alan Burnett, Paul Dini, Martin Pasko, and Michael Reaves
Based on characters created by Bob Kane
Starring Kevin Conroy, Dana Delany, Mark Hamill, Hart Bochner, Abe Vigoda, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., and Stacy Keach


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

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 56 - TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES (1987)

From satirical underground comic book characters to alpha reptiles of the late '80s and early '90s, the ascension of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a quintessential pop culture success story. TV, movies, music, books, toys (my god, the toys)--there wasn't a marketing opportunity missed by the Turtles brain trust.

As the wellspring from whence all consumer goods came, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon occupies a special place in the hearts of TMNT fans. We delve into the mythology, the minutae, and the merchandise in an especially sentimental discussion. This episode doesn't ask if the beloved series was crassly commercial (it most certainly was), but invites us to find within the profit motive and the artistic impulse a symbiotic entertainment entity that enthralled a generation.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987-1996)
Created by Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird, and Fred Wolf
Based on the comic series by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird
Starring Cam Clarke, Barry Gordon, Rob Paulsen, Townsend Coleman, Peter Renaday, Renae Jacobs, James Avery, and Pat Fraley

Episodes featured in this podcast:
"Shredder & Splintered" (aired 1/1/1988)
"The Case of the Killer Pizzas" (aired 11/5/1988)
"Casey Jones: Outlaw Hero" (aired 11/7/1989)
"The Making of Metalhead" (aired 11/27/1989)
"Night of the Rogues" (aired 11/20/1993)

Cowabunga! Check out more of our TMNT tributes:
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
Raph Punk