Episode 254 - DIE ANOTHER DAY

Die Another Day marks the end of an era, not just for James Bond but for escapist action flicks in general. John Parton hops in our invisible Aston Martin as we discuss how Pierce Brosnan's swan song as Bond is a hot mess that gets a lot wrong, yet still feels right at home among 007's more over-the-top adventures.

Die Another Day (2002)

Directed by Lee Tamahori

Written by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade

Starring Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry, Toby Stephens, Rosamund Pike, Rick Yune, Michael Madsen, John Cleese, and Judi Dench

Episode 212 - STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURES

Our March bracket tradition continues with Memory Alpha Madness, as we boldly go into the world of Star Trek movies. And it's our biggest bracket yet - a field of the first ten Trek films, which encompass many highlights (and a few lowlights) of the franchise's headiest, silliest, and most thrilling storytelling.

We've beamed up a bona fide Trekspert, Charles Benimoff, for a three-way mind-meld to determine which movie is ultimately the most...fascinating. Memory Alpha Madness, engage!   

Movies featured in Memory Alpha Madness:
Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
Star Trek: Generations (1994)
Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)

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 182 - BACK TO THE FUTURE

Great Scott! It's about darn time we talked about a pop culture giant like Back to the Future. And folks, this episode is heavy...with discussions of memories and memorabilia, characters and quotes, trivia and themes, all infused with the power of love.

Amy Ambler hops in our DeLorean for a trip back in time - and into a perennial cinematic comfort zone. Trust us, when this podcast hits 182 episodes, you're gonna hear some serious shit.

Back to the Future (1985)
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
Written by Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis
Starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover, Thomas F. Wilson, James Tolkan, Claudia Wells, and Huey Lewis

Episode 168 - INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM

In our ongoing quest to seek meaning in cultural artifacts, few escapist fantasies have seized our hearts like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. From its nightmare-inducing imagery to its wince-inducing colonialism, it's a movie that sticks with us for an entire spectrum of reasons. But beyond its complex reputation as the darkest chapter of the Indiana Jones saga, the film is a trove of moments and milestones that deepen our connection to an iconic character.

Manny Lozano makes his long-awaited return to WWWW as we join our old pals George and Steven in a whip-crackin', stereotypin', globetrottin' adventure!

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Produced by Robert Watts
Written by Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz
Story by George Lucas
Starring Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw, Ke Huy Quan, Roshan Seth, and Amrish Puri

Episode 159 - WINTER WARS-A-THON

Happy Hoth-idays, everyone! We're spending our holiday vacation in a galaxy far, far away, and turning our traditional yuletide clip collection into a Star Wars celebration. In this very special Winter Wars-A-Thon, we tackle '80s cartoons, novelty records, fan-created art, and anything with the slightest connection to this festive season.

Marvel Star Wars Explorers co-host Brian Rudloff climbs into our toasty Tauntaun carcass with some special unboxing surprises, and joins us in a final round of Star Wars hot takes before we witness the big-screen conclusion to the Skywalker saga. Merry Christmas to all, and may the Force be with you!

Featured in this episode:

TV Episodes
Star Wars: Droids - "The Frozen Citadel" (aired 11/30/85)
Star Wars: Ewoks - "The Season Scepter" (aired 11/1/86)

Music
Mark Jonathan Davis and the X-Swing Fighters - "The Phantom Medley/Star Wars Cantina" from Naboo Road (1999)
Meco - Christmas in the Stars (1980)

Fan Films
Park Wars - "O Holy Night" (1999)
"How the Sith Stole Christmas, Pt. 1" and the trailer for unfinished parts 2-3 (2002)

Episode 158 - THE SANTA CLAUSE

'Tis the ho-ho-holiday season, and we're kicking off our festivities with Tim Allen's turn as a smart aleck St. Nick in The Santa Clause. Is it a sarcastic and saccharine fruitcake of a movie featuring flatulent reindeer, child custody battles, ugly sweaters, and elves...with attitudes? Or is it an eggnog-laced body horror flick featuring a man powerless to prevent his flesh and blood from transforming into the ageless avatar of Christmas cheer?

Jolly old Saint Nate Tapp cartoonishly squeezes down our chimney to help us examine the fine print on this Santa succession story. Whether you were naughty or nice this year, we gift-wrapped this magical episode just for you!

The Santa Clause (1994)
Directed by John Pasquin
Produced by Robert Newmyer, Brian Reilly, and Jeffrey Silver
Written by Leo Benvenuti and Steve Rudnick
Starring Tim Allen, Eric Lloyd, Wendy Crewson, Judge Reinhold, Peter Boyle, and David Krumholtz

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 144 - POKÉMON

While the Pokémon phenomenon has been going strong for more than two decades, there's something especially magical about that first batch of 150-plus pocket monsters. A super effective cocktail of animal cuteness, competitive spirit, and pre-social media FOMO, the franchise conquered America--and the world--like few Japanese imports before or since, and left an evolutionary blueprint for others to follow.

Cartoons, video games, toys, trading cards, novelty raps: we catch 'em all in this episode focused on the Big Bang of a synergistic media universe. While we were recording, a wild Josh Lee appeared to make his WWWW debut, so boot up your Pokédex and join us in our quest to be the very best, like no pod ever was!

Pokémon (1998-present)
Based on the video game created by Satoshi Taijiri

Episodes included in this podcast:

"Pokémon, I Choose You!" (aired 9/8/98)
"Bulbasaur and the Hidden Village" (9/21/98)
"Pikachu's Goodbye" (11/20/98)
"Cyber Soldier Porygon" (unaired in the United States)

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 120 - MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE

From its stylized audiovisual design to its embrace of digital espionage, Mission: Impossible is more than Tom Cruise's overwhelmingly successful play for summer blockbuster job security. It's also an edgy departure from the TV series on which it was based, and a moody outlier in the bombastic, adrenaline-junkie franchise it spawned.

As the latest installment of the M:I series hits theaters, we gather intel on the film that started it all, realizing the most impossible thing about these missions is that no two of them are exactly alike.

Mission: Impossible (1996)
Directed by Brian De Palma
Produced by Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner
Written by David Koepp and Robert Towne
Based on the TV series Mission: Impossible created by Bruce Geller
Starring Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Emmanuelle Béart, Vanessa Redgrave, Ving Rhames, Jean Reno, Henry Czerny, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Emilio Estevez

BONUS - SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY

You might want to buckle up, baby... Our two best star-friends Brian Rudloff and Sam Stovold welcome us into their tribe (or should we say family?) for an extra special episode of Marvel Star Wars Explorers! Podcast pals Sean Davis and Kev Young round out the crew for a roundtable debate over the latest anthology film from our favorite franchise, Solo: A Star Wars Story.

The discussion boasts more range than a DL-44 blaster, covering everything from the symbolism of Han’s dice to toxic fanboy villains to whether or not the Imperial March should remain non-diegetic. We’ve also officially reached the point where our Star Wars chats can no longer be contained in single installments, so be sure to check out BOTH parts of this summa-verminoth-sized episode! If you listen to this podcast, you’re in this life for good.

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
Directed by Ron Howard
Produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur, and Simon Emanuel
Written by Lawrence Kasdan and Jonathan Kasdan
Starring Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Joonas Suotamo, and Paul Bettany

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 117 - JURASSIC PARK

Even before you saw Jurassic Park, you felt its impact. Steven Spielberg's hyper-intuitive knowledge of movie audiences hatched a phenomenon that transcended pop culture, inspiring an evolutionary leap in filmmaking technology while revitalizing the field of paleontology for years to come.

Life found a way to bring Jack Stovold back to the 'cast, and together we share our memories and (chaos) theories regarding this cinematic milestone. Hold on to your butts for more Mesozoic musings as Jurassic June continues!

Part 1

 

Part 2

Jurassic Park (1993)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Gerald R. Molen
Written by Michael Crichton and David Koepp
Based on the novel by Michael Crichton
Starring Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Bob Peck, Martin Ferrero, Wayne Knight, Joseph Mazzello, Ariana Richards, and Samuel L. Jackson

Episode 116 - THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK

Calling all dino-lovers and chaos theory adherents! This month we're examining cinematic prehistory, and what better place to start than with a T-Rex rampage through San Diego? The Lost World: Jurassic Park works hard to one-up its predecessor in terms of sheer spectacle, and experiments with an action hero who doubles as a consistent and thorough naysayer.

Also in this episode, Nate Tapp returns to warn us of the horrific consequences of resurrecting unpredictable primordial beasts. Welcome...to Jurassic June!

The Lost World: Jurassic Park

Directed by Steven Spielberg

Produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Gerald R. Molen, and Colin Wilson

Written by David Koepp

Based on The Lost World by Michael Crichton

Starring Jeff Goldblum, Julianne Moore, Vince Vaughn, Richard Schiff, Arliss Howard, Vanessa Lee Chester, Peter Stormare, Richard Attenborough, and Pete Postlethwaite

Episode 112 - TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES II: THE SECRET OF THE BOOZE

A beloved childhood film meets a favorite adult pastime as we celebrate Cam's birthday with a very special commentary track/drinking game hybrid episode. Dust off your copy of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze, as we offer two ways to enjoy it with us: listen along to our real-time observations about the movie and the Turtles phenomenon, and/or go ninja go ninja go hard with our original TMNT II drinking game. It's a bodacious birthday bacchanal!

Drinking Game Rules
Take a drink when...

• someone eats pizza
• "ooze" is seen or heard
• the Turtles demonstrate their personalities: Leonardo leads, Donatello "does machines" (acts like a nerd), Raphael is rude, Michelangelo is a party dude
• someone makes a pop culture reference

Chug your drink when...

• Vanilla Ice appears

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991)
Directed by Michael Pressman
Produced by Thomas K. Gray, Kim Dawson, and David Chan
Written by Todd W. Langen
Based on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird
Starring David Warner, Paige Turco, Ernie Reyes Jr., Francois Chau, Toshishiro Obata, Kevin Nash, Adam Carl, Laurie Faso, Robbie Rist, Brian Tochi, Kevin Clash, Frank Welker, and Vanilla Ice

Cowabunga! Check out more of our TMNT tributes:
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 TV series)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
Raph Punk

Episode 110 - STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT

It is futile to resist Star Trek: First Contact, one of the most crowd-pleasing adventures of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Though we may still be 45 years away from our fictional date of first contact, the time is ripe to examine the movie's impact on the Star Trek franchise, and its continuing ripple effect on the legacy of the TNG crew.

It turns out we're not alone in this podcast universe, as we assimilate the hosts of Reopening the Wormhole--Sam Stovold, Jack Stovold, and Kev Young--to synthesize a new life form capable of unparalleled Trekspertise and whimsical sci-fi mashups.  Sweet Jesus, it's a massive crossover event!

Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
Directed by Jonathan Frakes
Produced by Rick Berman
Written by Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore
Based on Star Trek created by Gene Roddenberry
Starring Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Marina Sirtis, Gates McFadden, Alice Krige, Alfre Woodard, and James Cromwell

"The Resistance is futile."
-Snokutus of Borg

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 104 - STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI

This is not going to go the way you think! Ok, maybe it will--certain things are to be expected when you gather a bunch of Star Wars fanatics to discuss the film that many believe ranks among the franchise's best. Still, there's no lack of passionate opinions in this sprawling crossover episode featuring all your favorite podcasters from Reopening the Wormhole and Marvel Star Wars Explorers.

We're joined by Sam Stovold, Jack Stovold, Kev Young, and Brian Rudloff as they weigh in on the chemistry of Rey and Kylo Ren, the many misfortunes of General Hux, and THE SACRED JEDI TEXTS! And how about those achingly adorable porgs, huh?

Fair warning to all you spacers: this is our longest episode ever, but nothing else would do for the weirdest, jokiest, and most divisive installment of the Star Wars saga to date. Godspeed, you rebels.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Written and directed by Rian Johnson
Produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bergman
Based on characters created by George Lucas
Starring Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Laura Dern, Kelly Marie Tran, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Benicio del Toro

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 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 75 - ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY

Following the lead of last year's panel discussion of The Force Awakens, WWWW strikes back with another all-star roundtable devoted to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the latest silver screen tale to emerge from our favorite far, far away galaxy.

We're joined by our ragtag crew of Blythe Borders-Ashe, Daniel Borders-Ashe, and Eric Wheeler to debate the merits of this new frontier in franchise expansion. It's a lively back-and-forth on a surprisingly controversial film, with takes hotter than the sauna at Darth Vader's Mustafar castle. And though we may all be divided on Rogue One's successes and shortcomings, there is something that truly unites us: the Force is with us, and we are one with the Force.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Directed by Gareth Edwards
Produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur, and Simon Emanuel
Written by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy
Story by John Knoll and Gary Whitta
Based on characters created by George Lucas
Starring Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Jiang Wen, Mads Mikkelsen, Riz Ahmed, Alan Tudyk, and Forest Whitaker

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