Big Gross Movies
by Dave Atkinson and Meg Mackay
Comedians Dave Atkinson and Meg Mackay invite hilarious guests to go back in time to study the popular culture and history of a year and then watch the highest grossing movie of that year to try and find out why it was that year's Big Gross Movie.
Episodes
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TV TIme Capsule - S01E05 - The Dick Van Dyke Show and why 60s womanhood was a nightmarish prison
This episode we're looking at an episode of the Dick Van Dyke Show from 1964 and look into what kinda life Mary Tyler Moore's character would have had and read some books from the period about being a good housewife and well, jeez.
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TV Time Capsule - S01E04 - The Littlest Hobo and why Hockey might be a problem, e
This week we dig up an episode of a Canadian classic and go over the weird ways Canadians can talk and pick at our "National Passtime" of Hockey and find some... not so great bits that might need adjustment. Sources: Robinson, Laura. "Hockey Night in Canada." Sexual Assault in Canada: Law, Legal...
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TV Time Capsule - S01E02 - Taxi and why fixing the world is better than hoping it ends
This week we are studying an episode of Taxi, we go into what Donahue was, the origins of survivalism, and Christopher Lloyd's wardrobe. Sources: Kabel, Allison, and Catherine Chmidling. "Disaster Prepper: Health, Identity, and American Survivalist Culture." Human Organization, vol. 73, no. 3,...
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TV Time Capsule - S01E01 - Family Ties and why doctors used to give out speed
Dave and Meg try out a new format and dig up an episode of 80s sitcom Family ties and investigate how you could apparently just get prescribed amphetamines for whatever in the 80s.
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BGM-345-2015-Paddington
This week we were just friends and watched Paddington and had soup! CHECK OUT MEG AT TORONTO SKETCHFEST BUY TICKETS WITH YOUR MONEY AND GO TO THE SHOW WITH YOUR BODIES!
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BGM-344-2005-Constantine
This week Dave and Meg swing back to 2005 because we remember liking Constantine and turns out, it's not bad! We talk about how being in this movie seems to have frozen everyone involved in time (except Shia), how DIY all the demon rituals are, Peter Stormare having a time, Tilda Swintoning all...
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BGM-344-2005-Constantine
This week Dave and Meg swing back to 2005 because we remember liking Constantine and turns out, it's not bad! We talk about how being in this movie seems to have frozen everyone involved in time (except Shia), how DIY all the demon rituals are, Peter Stormare having a time, Tilda Swintoning all...
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BGM-343-1973-Live and Let Die with Bryn Pottie
This week uncle of the show Bryn Pottie is back to help us poke 1973's Live and Let Die with a stick because it's kinda gross now. We first talk about the creator of James Bond Ian Fleming and his drunken stumble down easy street, then we look into the figure from Haitian Vodou people with no…
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BGM-342-1995-Mortal Kombat with Isabel Zaw-Tun
This week we're in 1995 to watch the good bad video game madness of Moral Kombat! With special guest Isabel Zaw-Tun we first go over the Canadian tale of Madeleine Parent, Union organizer and person who helped before hopping over to a much sillier kind of fight in Mortal Kombat, a movie with…
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BGM-341-2016-Doctor Strange with Brendan D'Souza
This week we are swinging back to 2016 to catch Disney's Marvel's Doctor Strange with special guest comedian Brendan D'Souza! First we talk about the posh Englishman who moved to Saskatchewan to give everyone some mescaline for socialism, then go over a movie that for sure was made by people...
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BGM-340-2017-Coco with Alan Shane Lewis
This week Alan Shane Lewis is back again, this time to jump on the emotional grenade that is Pixar's 2017 movie: Coco. First we go over some guesses people made a long time ago about what happens when we die, and then watch a lighthearted children's film about that very same question! We cried so...
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BGM-339-1980-Battle Beyond the Stars
This week Meg and Dave stick to last week's theme and watch another Roger Corman $23 Star Wars movie Battle Beyond the Stars! Marvel at the spaceship that has boobs! Also there are space heroes, some of whom also have boobs! And don't worry, there's other uncomfortable misunderstood elements of...
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BGM-338-1979-StarCrash
This week to celebrate the futuristic New Year of 2020, we headed back to 1979 to catch an all over the place weird cheap sci-fi masterpiece. Meet Count Space Dracula, Hair Jedi, Princess Bikini Collar, Robot Southern Sheriff and their friends as they something something a doomsday weapon, you…
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BGM-337-2018-A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding
This week it is Christmas Day so we typed that into Netflix and went for it, for you! Happy days off to all!
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BGM-336-1971-Bedknobs and Broomsticks with Ashley Cooper
This week Ashley Cooper is back to have a look at 1971s Disney Classic Bedknobs and Broomsticks! first we talk over the ridiculous history of witchcraft in Canada before going over a very baffling and expensive classic with witches, spells, the blitz, nazis, living suits of armour and a guy so...
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BGM-335-1992-The Mighty Ducks with Rebecca Reeds
This week special guest Rebecca Reeds is back to check out 1992's The Mighty Ducks! We first go over a very Canadian tale of hockey and some other things we might wanna examine more before talking about being so upset you become a lawyer, making bespoke dog poops for pranks and midnight skate...
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BGM-334-1985-Ewoks The Battle for Endor
This week we're doing a Meg's Birthday special and catching one of her childhood favourites from 1985: Ewoks: The Battle for Endor! We go over what Wilfrid Brimley is doing there, the weird way it is both very cheap and ungodly expensive, the pros and cons of using a real 5-year old who looks…
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BGM-333-1986-Iron Eagle with Josh O'Keefe
This week we are back from one of our now traditional Dave's spine goes out breaks and we are checking out 1986s Iron Eagle with special guest Josh O'Keefe! We first go over a famous Canadian Pilot before seeing the craziest 80s-est thing to grace the podcast in years. Jet planes! Treason! Using...
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BGM-332-2015-Magic Mike XXL
This week, we're doing an audience suggestion special! One of you asked us to watch Magic Mike XXL, so we did, and oh lord did we like it! We talk about the divorced mum inside us all, the tale of Mr Andie McDowell and are reminded that sexuality is a wide, beautiful spectrum that entirely agrees...
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BGM-331-1994-Léon: The Professional
This week Bryn Pottie is back and we're talking the tale of a real Québec Rambo before talking about another French guy who killed people: Léon: The Professional! First we talk about Léo, the eyepatched war hero before discussing a confession of crimes with an action movie in it called Léon.
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BGM-330-1987-The Princess Bride
This week we watched a movie while the Canadian Turkey was in the oven for Canadian Thanksgiving and recorded you a Canadian Thanksgiving Special where we talk about the nicest movie we know: The Princess Bride! Why is it so nice? We try and find out for your entertainment while the smell of...
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BGM-329-1941-Dumbo with Dylan Gott
This week special guest Dylan Gott is back to swing back to 1941 to catch the animated classic Dumbo! First we go over the history of Toronto from the last ice age up until a clown vs firefighters riot in 1855, then we try and parse the nice children's movie that also has racism and a mushroom…
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BGM-328-2003-Kill Bill Vol 1 with Craig Fay
This week special guest Craig Fay is back to head back to 2003 to have a look at Kill Bill Volume 1! First we go over another Canadian History story about how the past is awful and then we go over Quentin Tarantino's kung-fu foot classic Kill Bill Volume 1.
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BGM-327-2015-Jupiter Ascending
This week our special guest had an emergency involving a cat and a skunk and a hose so we swerved off course and watched the bonkers 2015 classic bad movie Jupiter Ascending! Illegal telescopes! Channing Tatum the dogfaced bodyguard with wings! Marrying your mom as a casual plot point halfway...
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BGM-326-1966-Our Man Flint with Alan Shane Lewis
This week we swing back to 1966 to catch the movie fox made to cash in on James Bond, Our Man Flint with special guest Alan Shane Lewis! We first go over a real life cold war spy who betrayed his homeland because of how nice he thought Ottawa was before going over the silly weird campy classic…
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BGM-325-1987-Predator with Nigel Grinstead
This week we're headed back to 1987 to watch Predator because we felt like it! First we discuss the tale of a Hockey Player and a businessman... but not the same guy. Then we go over the bicep and foliage festival that is Predator. A Hearty "get to the choppa!" to you listeners!
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BGM-324-1986-Back To School with Anne-Marie (a teacher!)
This week is back to school times, so we figured why not invite a teacher and coincidentally Dave's lady friend Anne-Marie along to swing back to 1986 to catch Rodney Dangerfield in Back to School! We go over the baffling symptoms that come with Dangerfield infection, what Sam Kinison was, how…
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BGM-323-2001-Exit Wounds with Bryn Pottie
(Content Warning, the history story this week is about a sexual assault, so it comes up, so maybe try our Home Alone episode which has a history half about Moscow Cheeseburgers.) This week special guest Bryn Pottie is back and we're headed back to 2001 to catch its action meh Exit Wounds! First…
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BGM-322-2011-Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
This week we're back from our comedy festival/summer vacation hiatus and to celebrate we hopped back to 2011 and watched Dave's favourite movie Tinker Tailor Solider Spy! We discuss bog teachers murdering owls to show dominance, discover that spying in the 1970s seems to have been over 85%…
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BGM-321-2017-The Fate of the Furious
This week in preparation for Meg going to the Just For Laughs Festival for a few weeks we sat down and tried to pick through the biggest, loudest, confusingest movie we could find: The Fate of the Furious. We try to figure out what is happening, why it may be happening, and why none of that…
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BGM-320-1988-Hairspray with Ian Gordon
This week we're in 1988 and watching John Waters' Hairspray with special guest Ian Gordon! First we carry on our series of research stories on Canadians with Viola Desmond, the lady who ignored the Halifax explosion as a baby and got better at dealing with crazy bullshit that wasn't her fault…
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BGM-319-1986-Highlander with Bee Bertrand
This week we swing back by bad movie town and settle in for the swordfighting dude classic: Highlander with special guest Bee Bertrand! We talk about Sean Connery's peacock frock, sword detectives, how much weight a Queen soundtrack can carry and just a whole lot of trying to figure out the…
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BGM-318-2014-Hercules with Cathryn Naiker
This week special guest Cathryn Naiker is here to continue our series on movies vaguely related to interesting Canadians with 2014s Hercules! First we meet a giant very strong french baby that lifted heavy things to folk herodom: Louis Cyr, then wade into the weird murky swamp that is Dwayne "The...
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BGM-317-2001-Legally Blonde with Rebecca Reeds
This week special guest Rebecca Reeds is back to learn about Canadian Icon Dr. Elizabeth Bagshaw and watch a lovely piece of fluff, Legally Blonde! First we talk about how badass you had to be to get a medical license as a woman in 1905 and stumble through a real cool life before being charmed...
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BGM-316-2017-John Wick: Chapter 2
This week we come back from our little life break to watch chapter 2 in the Meg-bothering series of John Wick movies! We discover that everyone has a wife-dog, wine puns are weird for guns and have entirely too much fun misnaming everyone who isn't named John.
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BGM-315-1987-Miami Connection - Bad Movie Special with Hunter Collins
This week special guest Hunter Collins is here so we made a special trip back to 1987 to catch a wonderful not good movie made by a martial arts instructor without the knowledge of a fair part of the cast. We talk about confusing nudity, shirtless mailbox jaunts, how nice it is that these mature...
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BGM-314-1999-Office Space
This week in honour of Dave quitting his weird job at soup dot com we head back to 1999 to catch Office Space! We go over how it turns out we're all Miltons, how well Mike Judge nailed it and freak out a bit about how many characters from this movie we've now met in real life.
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BGM-313-1987-Dirty Dancing with Allison Dore
This week extra special guest Allison Dore is back to swing back in time to look into 1987's Swayze pants classic Dirty Dancing! First we talk about the original catskills resort and the lady who ran it and how dear god it sounds like fun before having just the loveliest time watching sexy people...
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BGM-312-2010-Resident Evil Afterlife-National Canadian Film Day Special!
This week in honour of National Canadian Film Day we watched the highest-grossing technically Canadian film ever made: Resident Evil Afterlife! We talk about what is happening in the movie, why it is happening, and do not come up with any answers, but have a lot more questions. We kinda lost our...
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BGM-311-2017-Paddington 2 with Nigel Grinstead
This week we have Nigel Grinstead back to do an episode that is nice, darn it! Rough few weeks so why not watch something delightful, so we hopped back to just 2017 to catch Paddington 2! We first talk about bears, well Dave does, because he grew up in a town covered in bears before watching the...
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BGM-310B-1987-Withnail and I
This week we follow up on our last episode about the drunken Royal Navy with another very drunk very British Episode, we swing back to 1987 to catch Withnail & I! We talk about the terrifying spectre of alcoholism, funny chickens and how the whole point of this movie is probably to make you feel...
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BGM-310A-The Drunken Royal Navy
This week to get ready for Withnail & I we're talking about something very drunk and very British: The Royal Navy! We talk about the centuries of Naval history where everyone was proper loaded, then discuss the day they took away British Sailors free work booze.
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BGM-309-1998-Blade
This week we put on pleather pants and the very longest leather coats and make out stinky way back to 1998 to watch Blade! We go over the economics of vampire blood banks and the value of orange juice and oreos, vampire hunting parenting and the fact that vampire hunters nor vampires ever thought...
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BGM-307-1992-Sneakers with Brandon Ash-Mohammed
This week we're zipping back to 1992 with special guest Brandon Ash-Mohammed to have a look around and watch the Robert Redford, Sidney Poitier, Dan Aykroyd, River Phoenix and James Earl Jones movie Sneakers! First we talk about old-time phone hackers and the weird awful things they did after…
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BGM-307-1981-Outland with Alex Wood
This week Alex Wood is back with Dave and Meg to swing by 1981 to have a look around and watch Outland, a movie with Sean Connery, Shotguns, spacesuits and uncomfortable endless anxious tension! We talk about the camera on a stick robot humanity flung into space to look at Jupiter and then go…
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Special announcement from your impoverished hosts!
This week, instead of our episode we hope you'll support Canadian Stand-ups like us and maybe buy some albums to help out maybe? If you're wondering what's up Dave wrote a thing about it you can click here to read, and he'll explain it, back to normal next week but this week, solidarity, and…
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BGM-306-1990-Pump Up the Volume with Bryn Pottie
This week we slip back to 1990 to catch a high school drama very clearly written by a 43 year old man, Pump up the Volume! We first talk about the radio and some gross boys who had a boat radio station because of how boring the BBC was, then get viscerally upset at this weird piece of garbage...
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BGM-305-1982-The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas with Clare Belford
This week we're back in 1982 to catch the Dolly Parton Burt Reynolds best darn thing we ever did see The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas with special guest Clare Belford. We go over a bunch of historical bawdy houses before losing our minds at how much we love Dolly Parton, this movie and Dolly...
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BGM-304-1984-Romancing the Stone with Ashley Cooper
This week we're in 1984 to watch Michael Douglas swing on ropes in Romancing the Stone! We first go over a tale of eating off treasure and figure out how British treasure law works before we go over a kinda fun kinda slow except when there's crocodiles movie with special guest Ashley Cooper!
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BGM-303-1978-Every Which Way but Loose with Alan Shane Lewis
This week we continue our study of the late seventies, heading to 1978 to watch a hugely successful Clint Eastwood movie involving an Orangutan, construction site and meatlocker boxing and Beverly D'Angelo in a nice big sweater. With special guest Alan Shane Lewis we first go over the funniest of...
About this show
Comedians Dave Atkinson and Meg Mackay invite hilarious guests to go back in time to study the popular culture and history of a year and then watch the highest grossing movie of that year to try and find out why it was that year's Big Gross Movie.
Hosted by
Dave Atkinson and Meg Mackay