Episode 240 - THE INDIAN IN THE CUPBOARD

We unlock the mysteries of The Indian in the Cupboard, an unusually sensitive kids' movie that's notable for both its visual effects and its verisimilitude. Amy Ambler returns to tell us how it strives to elevate the cultural discourse of the classic children's book series, and what lessons this well-meaning adaptation can still teach.

The Indian in the Cupboard (1995)
Directed by Frank Oz
Written by Melissa Mathison
Based on the book by Lynne Reid Banks
Starring Hal Scardino, Litefoot, Lindsay Crouse, Richard Jenkins, David Keith, and Steve Coogan

Episode 232 - JACK

Our self-proclaimed Robin Williams Man-Child Quadrilogy concludes with a look at Jack, the story of a 10 year old boy trapped in the rapidly-aging body of a full grown adult. We try to make sense of the film's unusual tonal mosaic, which combines weighty topics like loneliness and mortality with family-friendly hijinks and juvenile humor, and mashes it all together like spaghetti and toothpaste. 

And in the end, we simply must acknowledge that our podcast life is fleeting - so make a wish, think of Robin, and join us as we try to make this episode spectacular.

Jack (1996)
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
Written by James DeMonaco and Gary Nadeau
Starring Robin Williams, Diane Lane, Brian Kerwin, Jennifer Lopez, Fran Drescher, Adam Zolotin, and Bill Cosby

Episode 223 - APOLLO 13

The thrilling true-life adventure of Apollo 13 is just the launchpad for a wide-ranging discussion, thanks to first-time guest Jeff Eckman and his passion for all things space exploration. In this episode, we deconstruct a disaster movie of the highest verisimilitude and celebrate human ingenuity in space and on set. Houston, we have a podcast!

Apollo 13 (1995)
Directed by Ron Howard
Written by William Broyles Jr. and Al Reinert
Based on the book Lost Moon by Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger
Starring Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, Kathleen Quinlan, and Ed Harris

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 200 - PULP FICTION

Pulp Fiction is the film that changed the way we watched films. It was a gateway to a more sophisticated world of adult storytelling, and still reflects many of the reasons why we became cinephiles. Tastier than a Royale with Cheese, more precious than your great-grandfather's gold watch, it's our 200th episode special!

Pulp Fiction (1994)
Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino
From a story by Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary
Starring John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames, Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Amanda Plummer, Eric Stoltz, Rosanna Arquette, Christopher Walken, Maria de Medeiros, and Quentin Tarantino

Episode 192 - FIGHT CLUB

Whether you consider it a haymaker of socio-political satire or a manual for radicalizing restless young men, Fight Club clearly knows how to land some punches. Grimy yet seductive, the movie has become startlingly prescient in presenting what once seemed like an extreme response to economic and spiritual crisis. It's too bad the rules say we can't actually talk about it...

Sean Davis meets us at a very strange time in our lives, as we give a blow-by-blow of the mischief, mayhem, and (subliminal?) meanings of Fight Club.

Fight Club (1999)

Directed by David Fincher
Written by Jim Uhls
Based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk
Starring Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham Carter, Jared Leto, and Meat Loaf

Episode 189 - WWF vs. WCW: THE MONDAY NIGHT WAR

Stop us if this sounds familiar: impossibly muscled heroes in tights do battle with colorful villains, their operatic exploits unfolding over years and decades of serialized, heavily mythologized storylines. Even jabronis know that professional wrestling is as "fake" as any superhero comic - and just essential to the canon of American childhood. Never was this clearer than the late '90s heyday of the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling, two brash companies whose head-to-head showdown for TV wrestling supremacy catapulted the artform to new heights of popularity, creativity, and controversy. 

Cody Stallings tags in to give us a crash course on the WWF-WCW rivalry, as we grapple with its most shocking swerves and fiercest feuds in this pay-per-view-length episode. And that's the bottom line, 'cause WWWW said so!

Matches discussed in this podcast:
WCW Bash at the Beach 1996 - The Outsiders vs. Sting, Lex Luger, and Randy Savage
WWF Survivor Series 1997 - Bret "Hitman" Hart vs. Shawn Michaels
WWF King of the Ring 1998 - The Undertaker vs. Mankind (Hell in a Cell)
WCW Thunder, April 26, 2000 - Jeff Jarrett and Eric Bischoff vs. Diamond Dallas Page and David Arquette

Episode 187 - TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY

Like a robot foot crushing the skull of an obsolete lifeform, Terminator 2: Judgment Day demolishes the mold of blockbuster sequels. It's a sleek, sexy upgrade jam-packed with iconic imagery, pitch-perfect performances, and groundbreaking special effects. An impressive achievement in every way, it set a standard for action dramas--not to mention gun-toting mama bears and cyborg father figures--that's endured for three decades.

Daniel Borders-Ashe joins us to talk about all things Terminator, and takes us on an emotional thrill ride that'll melt even the coldest metallic heart. So say "Hasta la vista" to your preconceptions, and 'cast with us if you want to live!

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Directed by James Cameron
Written by James Cameron and William Wisher
Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, Joe Morton, and Edward Furlong

Episode 177 - THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION

I wish I could tell you that The Shawshank Redemption was the greatest movie ever made, and just leave it at that. I wish I could tell you that...but podcasting is no fairy-tale world. A theatrical disappointment that found a second life on TV and home video, the film has earned its classic status with great storytelling and disarming sentimentality in depicting hope's hard-fought battle against despair.

We hope you enjoy the mononymous Barm (aka Tyler Neufeld) in his WWWW debut. We hope our love and gratitude fill this special Shanksgiving episode. We hope you have many reasons to give shanks, too. We hope.

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Written and directed by Frank Darabont
Produced by Niki Marvin
Based on the novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King
Starring Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton, William Sadler, Clancy Brown, Gil Bellows, and James Whitmore

Episode 47 - CRUEL INTENTIONS

Frothy literary adaptations for teen audiences were all the rage in the '90s (Clueless, She's All That, 10 Things I Hate About You), but the venomous Cruel Intentions operates on a different, nastier level. Transporting the sensual decadence and moral decay of 18th-century French aristocracy to the bourgeoisie of late 20th-century Manhattan, the film is refreshingly frank in its casual deception of seductive mind games and sexual expectations.

But is there any redeeming quality in the sleazy subject matter, or is titillation the only goal? We'll find out as we celebrate Valentine's Day with a tale of malice and manipulation in the name of love.

Cruel Intentions (1999)
Written and directed by Roger Kumble
Produced by Neal H. Moritz
Based on the novel Les Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos
Starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon, Selma Blair, Sean Patrick Thomas, Joshua Jackson, Swoozie Kurtz, and Christine Baranski

Episode 22 - GLADIATOR

Gladiator's place in our cultural canon is almost entirely due to its violence: just thinking about the title conjures up images of severed limbs, overflowing viscera, and a beefy Russell Crowe asking a crowd whether or not that day's murders have amused them sufficiently.  What's most interesting about this violence, however, is how little of it (relatively speaking) is actually shown.

In a way it makes perfect sense that Ridley Scott's film ruled the first Oscar ceremony held in the 21st century.  It is a very old-school drama in a throwback genre, clean and simple, and its lack of metatextual meddling makes it almost like cinematic comfort food.  Aside from a few grisly moments, Gladiator is most disturbing in our imaginations.

Gladiator (2000)
Directed by Ridley Scott
Produced by Douglas Wick, David Franzoni, and Branko Lustig
Written by David Franzoni, John Logan, and William Nicholson
Starring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Derek Jacobi, Dijmon Hounsou, and Richard Harris

Episode 5 - NOW AND THEN

Is it possible to be nostalgic for an older form of nostalgia?

Watching Now and Then is like cracking open a dog-eared Judy Blume novel. This week Cam and Eric take a look at the 1970-centric film, a coming-of-age period piece from a time before #tbt, when historical texture went a little farther than golden oldies on the soundtrack and “the feels” were referred to as “emotions.”  And the stellar performances from several young actresses - as prelude for some rather idiosyncratic careers - only adds to the time capsule vibe.  Groovy.



Now and Then (1995)
Directed by Lesli Linka Glatter
Produced by Suzanne Todd and Demi Moore
Written by I. Marlene King
Starring Gaby Hoffman, Thora Birch, Christina Ricci, Ashleigh Aston Moore, Rosie O’Donnell, Melanie Griffith, Rita Wilson, and Demi Moore