Episode 243 - MAC AND ME

"Borrowing" liberally from a certain Spielbergian tale of a boy and his alien, Mac and Me has attained its own kind of cinematic immortality thanks to its unique mix of shameless commercialism, saccharine sincerity, and fugly extraterrestrials. 

Sam Stovold brings the Coca-Cola and Skittles to our freewheeling discussion of this cult classic - brought to you by McDonald's!

Released August 12, 1988
Directed by Stewart Raffill
Written by Steve Feke and Stewart Raffill
Starring Christine Ebersole, Jonathan Ward, Tina Caspary, Lauren Stanley, Jade Calegory, and Ronald McDonald as himself

Episode 235 - ERNEST SAVES CHRISTMAS

Hey Vern, it's the holiday season! This year, we're taking a break from the snow and cold to help a commercial pitchman find the next Santa Claus in sunny Orlando as Ernest Saves Christmas. Nate Tapp joins us in a warm exchange of memories about the magic of the Yuletide and Jim Varney. Knowutimean?

Ernest Saves Christmas (1988)
Directed by John Cherry
Written by B. Kline and Ed Turner
Starring Jim Varney, Oliver Clark, Noelle Parker, Gailard Sartain, Bill Byrge, Billie Bird, and Douglas Seale

Episode 230 - THE SIMPSONS

Ay caramba! It's ten years to the day since we launched WWWW, and we're celebrating our milestone anniversary with a look back at the golden age of The Simpsons. We're diving into memories, music, merchandise, and all the things make us go "mmm" in our painstakingly-crafted lists of the top ten installments across the show's first ten seasons. It may just be our best...episode...ever. Woo hoo!

The Simpsons
Seasons 1-10 (1989 - 1999)
Created by Matt Groening

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 188 - THE WEDDING SINGER

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to revisit the Summer of Sandler! This time, our celebration has a decidedly romantic bent, as we untangle the mysteries of life, love, and local entertainers through the lessons of The Wedding Singer. It's an ouroboros of nostalgia that entangles our affection for '90s icons like Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore with a valentine to the omnipresent pop culture of the '80s.

Lindsay Mead keeps the party going in our ongoing tribute to the Sandman - and to the co-stars that shine just as bright in this feel-good retro romp. It's another WWWW love-fest...WHOOP-A-DEE-DOO!

The Wedding Singer (1998)
Directed by Frank Coraci
Written by Tim Herlihy
Starring Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Christine Taylor, Allen Covert, Matthew Glave, Angela Featherstone, Ellen Dow, and Billy Idol

Episode 172 - SPICE WORLD v. GLITTER

How far will you go to defend your fandom? That's the question on our minds in this star vehicle showdown between Spice World and Glitter, two oft-maligned movies that deserve their long overdue day in court. And we've got the perfect stans to give us the case for each, as Matt Steele stands up for his beloved Spice Girls, and Matt Palmer goes to bat for his number one, Mariah Carey.

The Two Gay Matts unite for the first time on WWWW, and engage in a musical debate full of heartfelt entreaties, stunning rebuttals, and #JusticeForGlitter (and for Sporty Spice, too). If you're not a Wannabe, you'll get with these Loverboys - and feel their passion for pop music queens!

Spice World (1997)

Directed by Bob Spiers

Produced by Uri Fruchtmann, Mark Rosen, and Barnaby Thompson

Written by Kim Fuller

Starring Melanie Brown, Victoria Beckham, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm, Geri Halliwell, Richard E. Grant, Alan Cumming, Claire Rushbrook, George Wendt, Mark McKinney, and Roger Moore

Glitter (2001)

Directed by Vondie Curtis Hall

Produced by Laurence Mark

Written by Kate Lanier

Starring Mariah Carey, Max Beesley, Da Brat, Tia Texada, Ann Magnuson, Eric Benet, and Terrence Howard

Episode 163 - DUNSTON CHECKS IN

No monkey business is too silly for Dunston Checks In, a film that takes pride in the commitment and craft of its slapstick hijinks. It feels as familiar as any movie pairing kids with mischievous animal pals—in this case, a trained orangutan forced to help his handler rob the guests of a luxury hotel. Yet it also remains a quasi-parody of said formula, blowing raspberries at the more wholesome conventions of its genre.

We extend our hospitality to Ryan Kasmiskie, co-host of No One Can Know About This, who makes his WWWW debut to express his appreciation of the film's many unique amenities. Join the orangu-gang and enjoy this five-star episode!

Dunston Checks In (1996)
Directed by Ken Kwapis
Produced by Todd Black and Joe Wizan
Written by John Hopkins and Bruce Graham
Starring Jason Alexander, Rupert Everett, Paul Reubens, Eric Lloyd, Graham Sack, Glenn Shadix, Nathan Davis, and Faye Dunaway

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 123 - LAST ACTION HERO

Last Action Hero had the misfortune of releasing a mere week after the hottest movie of 1993: “Big mistake!” As Jurassic Park signaled the dawn of a new age of special effects-driven spectacle, audiences understandably approached this uneven send-up of tired tropes with caution. When the trifecta of '80s action legends Arnold Schwarzenegger, Shane Black, and John McTiernan struggles to pump up your enthusiasm, you know it’s truly the end of an era.

So how does the film stand up today? Will it be remembered as a prescient example of the meta deconstruction that now permeates pop culture? Does it succeed as a pastiche of Arnie's on-screen persona? Grab your magical movie ticket and step into this episode with us to find out!

Last Action Hero (1993)
Directed by John McTiernan
Produced by John McTiernan and Steve Roth
Written by Shane Black and David Arnott
Story by Zak Penn and Adam Leff
Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Austin O'Brien, Charles Dance, Robert Prosky, Tom Noonan, Bridgette Wilson, F. Murray Abraham, Anthony Quinn, Mercedes Ruehl, Frank McRae, and Art Carney

Episode 113 - SPACEBALLS

To celebrate May the Fourth (as well as the impending debut of a film about the solo adventures of a certain space rogue) your intrepid podcast hosts are proud to present Not Quite Star Wars Month! We get things rolling with Spaceballs, Mel Brooks's quotable spoof of sci-fi sagas. Kristal Bailey and Kevin Taylor drop by to share their thoughts on our favorite Rick Moranis performances, Lone Starr's "glow up," and the conspicuous amount of profanity in this PG-rated film.

Prepare your earbuds for ludicrous speed, and may the Force...er, may the Schwartz be with you!

Spaceballs (1987)
Directed and produced by Mel Brooks
Written by Mel Brooks, Thomas Meehan, and Ronny Graham
Starring Rick Moranis, John Candy, Joan Rivers, Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, George Wyner, Dick Van Patten, and Mel Brooks

Episode 111 - DUDE, WHERE'S MY CAR?

The stoner-friendly antics of Ashton Kutcher and Seann William Scott hit a definitive high when they combined forces in Dude, Where's My Car?, a meandering ode to a new generation of laid-back slacker bros. And much like the actual adventures of unambitious twenty-somethings, the movie combines a zest for frivolous fun with comedic instincts that, shall we say, lean toward the questionable.

Join us as we blaze through this totally dank episode--released entirely by coincidence on April 20--to answer two very nuanced questions: "Dude, what were we watching?" and "What were we watching, dude?"

Dude, Where's My Car? (2000)
Directed by Danny Leiner
Produced by Gil Netter, Broderick Johnson, Andrew Kosove, and Wayne Rice
Written by Philip Stark
Starring Ashton Kutcher, Seann William Scott, Jennifer Garner, Marla Sokoloff, Kristy Swanson, Charlie O'Connell, David Herman, Hal Sparks, Brent Spiner, and Andy Dick

Episode 108 - AIR BUD

For a film about a basketball-playing dog, Air Bud features a shockingly small amount of basketball, instead focusing on disgruntled clowns, mourning families, dissembling janitors, and exasperated judges. It's an exercise in patience as the movie's twin goals of responsible pet ownership and youth sports supremacy inch along in parallel, before finally entangling in a glorious climax that reveals, once and for all, the basketball rulebook's lack of provisions against canine participation.

Kevin Chu, host of the Slurp podcast, makes his WWWW debut to help us identify the maddening yet effective tropes at the heart of this textbook example of family entertainment.

Air Bud (1997)
Directed by Charles Martin Smith
Produced by Robert Vince and William Vince
Written by Paul Tamasay and Aaron Mendelsohn
Starring Kevin Zegers, Wendy Makkena, Michael Jeter, Eric Christmas, Brendan Fletcher, Bill Cobbs, and "Air Buddy"

Episode 98 - MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL

We're knights of the round table
We pod when ere we're able
About our pick of older flicks
With talent debatable
The only trick that we've got
Is to quote these films a lot

We're knights of the round table
With opinions disposable
We have more fun with Kev Young
Whose style's inimitable
So give this episode a shot
We promise you'll enjoy a lot!

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Directed by Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam
Produced by Mark Forstater and Michael White
Written by Monty Python
Starring Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin

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 68 - FIRST KID

What if the White House was home to a moody, impetuous, loud-mouthed brat who was simultaneously blind to his immense privilege and yet pitiable for his seeming inability to acknowledge his own glaring flaws?

It's difficult to imagine this situation ever being a real-life possibility, so thankfully we have the Sinbad vehicle First Kid to answer that question with heavy doses of improvised schtick and '90s middle school signifiers. Internet raconteur and one-man content aggregator Manny Lozano makes his WWWW debut to help scrutinize the film's subtle political messages and major sartorial missteps.

First Kid (1996)
Directed by David M. Evans
Produced by Roger Birnbaum
Written by Tim Kelleher
Starring Sinbad, Brock Pierce, Timothy Busfield, Robert Guillaume, Blake Boyd, Fawn Reed, Erin Williby, Zachery Ty Bryan, Art La Fleur, James Naughton, Lisa Eichhorn, and Sonny Bono

Episode 35 - THE FLINTSTONES

Flintstones/Meet the Flintstones;
They're a famous pre-sold property.

From the/Mind of Spielberg;
And the Hanna-Barbera legacy.

Let's ride/With some wacky set design;
Bedrock/How you pictured in your mind.

I guess there's/Still a movie;
It's an ok time,
A convoluted time,
A nostalgic cash-in time!

The Flintstones (1994)
Directed by Brian Levant
Produced by Bruce Cohen
Written by Tom S. Parker & Jim Jennewein and Steven E. de Souza
Based on the cartoon created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera
Starring John Goodman, Rick Moranis, Elizabeth Perkins, Rosie O'Donnell, Kyle MacLachlan, Halle Berry, and Elizabeth Taylor

Episode 14 - JINGLE ALL THE WAY

Not your typical heartwarming holiday tale, Jingle All the Way is an alternative Christmas classic that pokes fun at that most sacred value of the season: materialism.  Surprisingly cynical for a family film, it’s a skewering of crass consumer culture (thanks to an uncredited rewrite by Home Alone director Chris Columbus) that includes bomb threats, brawling Santas, and a suburban lothario played by the late, great Phil Hartman.  The bug-eyed, grunt-y performance of Arnold Schwarzenegger as a harried dad who’ll do anything to nab the perfect gift for his son is simply icing on the cake.

Jingle All the Way (1996)

Directed by Brian Levant

Produced by Chris Columbus, Michael Barnathan, and Mark Radcliffe

Written by Randy Kornfield

Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sinbad, Rita Wilson, Jake Lloyd, Jim Belushi, and Phil Hartman