Saturday Afternoon Movies: Big Trouble in Little China and The Golden Child

This week on Chopping It Up, the crew revisits two ’80s cult favorites with shared DNA but very different execution: Big Trouble in Little China and The Golden Child. The discussion explores why Big Trouble thrives as a confident genre mash-up—subverting the action hero, embracing mythological chaos, and fully committing to its weirdness—while The Golden Child often feels held back by studio expectations, despite Eddie Murphy’s charisma and a few standout performances. Along the way, the crew digs into ’80s blockbuster formulas, practical effects, representation, and what happens when a movie either commits to the bit… or doesn’t. Two movies with similar setups, wildly different results—and plenty of laughs, side tangents, and meat-cleaver ratings along the way.