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Opening Weekend

by Jason O'Connell, Fred Berman, Dan Matisa

In a world where cinemas have closed their doors (at least for the time being), "Opening Weekend" celebrates one of the many things we’d all love to be doing right now - going to the movies on a Friday night with our friends... Every week, Jason O'Connell, Fred Berman, and Dan Matisa (best friends, professional actors, and self-professed movie geeks) look back at a different opening weekend from the last 40 years, and bask in the warm, nostalgic, popcorn-buttery glow of going to the movies.

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Episodes

  1. Episode 100: Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Sorcerer : December 18, 2015/June 21, 1977

    3 men. 100 episodes. 247 movies. Innumerable hand-farts. IN A WORLD…where movie theaters closed their doors during a worldwide pandemic, three best friends decided to hop into their mental DeLoreans, go back in time to talk about movies & opening weekends from the last 40 years, and bask in the...

  2. Episode 99: Purple Rain - The Karate Kid - Indiana Jones & The Temple of Doom - Star Trek III: The Search For Spock: Summer '84

    If adventure has a name, it must be…Opening Weekend! For their penultimate outing, the boys head back to one of their favorite movie eras ever, Summer ‘84, for a supersized episode wherein they wax on, wax off with THE KARATE KID, hit the jungles of India seeking fortune and glory with INDIANA...

  3. Episode 98: The Witches of Eastwick - RoboCop - The Untouchables - Predator: Summer '87

    “If it bleeds we can kill it.” Listen, Arnie, you may be able to take down the Predator, but you CAN’T take down Gene Shalit! That ‘stache don’t bleed! Yes, it’s been a loooong wait, but the boys are back to warm up your fall pumpkin lattes with…hot summer movies! This week the guys hop back to...

  4. Episode 97: E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial - Grease 2: June 11, 1982

    “E.T. phone Zmed!” It’s the summer of ‘82 and Jason, Dan, & Fred are lining up outside the movie theater to see the most anticipated movie of the year…GREASE 2! Also, there was apparently a movie about an alien called E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL that people liked, too. Jason is getting sued for...

  5. Episode 96: Godzilla - Bulworth - Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas: May 22, 1998

    Up from the depths, 30 stories high, breathing fire, his head in the sky…GENE SHALIT?!? No, it’s just the three big openers from May 22, 1998: Terry Gilliam’s fever dream adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson’s FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS, the Warren Beatty political satire BULWORTH, and the Roland...

  6. Episode 95: Marvel's The Avengers - The Dark Knight Rises - The Amazing Spiderman: Summer Superheroes of 2012

    “There was an idea, to bring together a group of three mildly remarkable nerds to see if they could become something more. So when we needed another movie podcast, they could hand-fart the Superhero songs that we never could.” Opening Weekend fans…ASSEMBLE! It’s a Summer Superhero Smorgasbord as...

  7. Episode 94: James and the Giant Peach - Flirting With Disaster: April 12, 1996

    If you’re looking for something soft, round, succulent, and covered with just the right amount of fuzz, you’ve come to the right place! No, this isn’t the new Grindr podcast, it’s EPISODE 94 of OPENING WEEKEND! This week the boys head back to April 12, 1996 to revisit the David O. Russell/Ben...

  8. Episode 93: The Sandlot - Indecent Proposal: April 7, 1993

    “You’re killing me, Smalls!” Spring has sprung, the bases are loaded, and Robert Redford is paying Demi Moore a million dollars to take him out to the Ball game…HEY OH!!! It’s April 7th, 1993 and the boys are slidin’ into home at THE SANDLOT and heading out to Vegas to make an INDECENT PROPOSAL.…

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  9. Episode 92: Splash - Children of the Corn - The Hotel New Hampshire: March 9, 1984

    “Children of the Corn? I don’t remember eating Children of the Corn?” It’s March 9, 1984 and while Ms. Channing picks through her poop searching for bits of Malachai, the boys will be checking in to THE HOTEL NEW HAMPSHIRE, getting fishy with SPLASH, and walkin’ behind the rows with, yes, Stephen...

  10. Episode 91: Over The Top - Mannequin: February 13, 1987

    And we can build this dream together, standing strong together, nothing’s gonna stop Opening Weekend now! It’s been a while, but the boys are back and revisiting February 13, 1987 to go OVER THE TOP with Sly Stallone and come alive like a MANNEQUIN making love to Andrew McCarthy. And they’ll talk...

  11. Episode 90: The Best of Times - Murphy's Romance - Down & Out In Beverly Hills: January 31, 1986

    This week the boys dive into May-December romances, High School regrets, and eating dog food with Nick Nolte. And then they start talking about movies! In January ‘86, Robin Williams and Kurt Russell were reminiscing about THE BEST OF TIMES, Sally Field and James Garner were engaging in MURPHY’S...

  12. Episode 89: StillerPalooza '04 - Along Came Polly - Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story - Starsky & Hutch: January 16, 2004

    LET IT RAIN, STILLERPALOOZA! That’s right, it’s 2004 and it’s all Stiller all the time! This week the boys head back to January 2004 to revisit that month’s Big Ben Opener (Hey oh!), ALONG CAME POLLY, as well as two other Stiller-led movies from that same year: STARSKY & HUTCH and DODGEBALL: A…

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  13. Episode 88: Avatar - The Third Annual Golden Sheila© Awards: December 18, 2009

    ¡Feliz Na’vi-dad and Happy I-See-You Year! To ring in 2023 Jason, Dan, and Fred are heading back to December 2009 and the release of James Cameron’s epic screen-saver of a blockbuster, AVATAR! And then moving from “blue” material to “material” that blew, the boys throw on their tuxes and...

  14. Episode 87: Stir Crazy - Popeye : December 12, 1980

    Blow me down, it’s a new disgustipatin’ episode of Opening Weekend! It’s December 12, 1980 and the boys are putting down their Hoth play-sets and Rubik’s Cubes to go STIR CRAZY with Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor. And then Dave Itzkoff (NY Times, “Robin”) joins the boys for a deep dive into the...

  15. A Golden Sheila PSA from Nick Nolte!

    F*** The Golden Globe nominations! It’s time for the Golden Sheila Nominations! That’s right folks; it’s time to go back and bone up on the last 20 episodes from 2022 and vote for your favorite moments! Favorite Episode Favorite Childhood Story Best Shalit Review Best Celebrity Guest Phone Call...

  16. Episode 86: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home - The Mosquito Coast - Solarbabies

    “Well, double dumb-ass on you!” This week the boys are lacing up their roller skates, heading up the Coast and slingshotting around the Sun to revisit November 26, 1986 and STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME, THE MOSQUITO COAST, and SOLARBABIES. Power up those Dilithium crystals, ‘cus it’s time to…

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  17. Episode 85: The Little Mermaid - Steel Magnolias - Harlem Nights: November 19, 1989

    “Drink your juice, Shelby.” Mermaids, Magnolias, and Murphy; that’s what November 19th, 1989 was offering up at the multiplex. This week the boys take a deep dive under the sea with Disney’s THE LITTLE MERMAID, hit the hair salon for STEEL MAGNOLIAS, and roll the dice with HARLEM NIGHTS. Grab…

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  18. Episode 84: Boogie Nights - Top Ten Favorite Ensemble Movies: October 31, 1997

    “I like simple pleasures, like butter in my ass, a lollipop in my mouth, and the Opening Weekend podcast.” This week the boys are going back to October 31, 1997 to give you a full 13 inches of hot podcast pleasure with Paul Thomas Anderson’s mega-cast porn-epic, BOOGIE NIGHTS, as well as counting...

  19. Episode 83: Glengarry GlenRoss - The Mighty Ducks - Hero: October 2, 1992

    Put That Podcast DOWN. Podcasts are for closers. And this week the boys are closing on the big releases of October 2, 1992: the film adaptation of David Mamet’s GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS, Disney’s ice-hockey feel-goodie THE MIGHTY DUCKS, and the Dustin Hoffman/Geena Davis satire, HERO. First prize is…

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  20. Episode 82: Fatal Attraction - Hellraiser: September 18, 1987

    Opening Weekend will NOT be ignored, Dan! This week the boys head back to September 18th, 1987 to revisit the (rabbit-in-a) pot-boiler of an erotic thriller, FATAL ATTRACTION and the gross-out S&M horror of Clive Barker’s HELLRAISER. Take a CenoBITE out of Episode 82 of Opening Weekend! September...

  21. Episode 81: Bugsy Malone - The Front: September 17, 1976

    Little kids dancing with guns and elected officials attacking the entertainment industry. No, this isn’t a Texans For Trump rally, they’re just the plots of the two big openers of September 17, 1976: BUGSY MALONE and THE FRONT. Fill up your splurge gun with fresh whipped cream and get ready to...

  22. Episode 80: Dirty Dancing - Favorite Movie Soundtracks: August 21, 1987

    Nobody puts Opening Weekend in the corner! This week the boys mambo back to August 22, 1987 and the release of the sleeper-hit summer classic, DIRTY DANCING. Plus, find out their Top 5 favorite movie soundtracks of all time. You’ll have the time of your life on Episode 80 of Opening Weekend! It’s...

  23. Episode 79: Back To The Future Trilogy: 1985-1990

    Great Scott! The boys are jumping into their mental DeLoreans and going Back In Time to the summer of ’85, the fall of ’89 and spring of ’90 for a Biff Tannen-sized deep dive into the BACK TO THE FUTURE TRILOGY. It’s the 1.21 Gigawatt-fueled Episode 79 of OPENING WEEKEND! It’s the summer of 1985...

  24. Episode 78: My Best Friend's Wedding - Batman & Robin: June 20, 1997

    Holy nipples, Batman! It’s June 20th, 1997 and the boys are breaking up MY BEST FRIEND’S WEDDING and putting BATMAN AND ROBIN on ice. Come on, Julia Robert’s, say a little prayer for Episode 78 of OPENING WEEKEND! June 1997: Julia Roberts is busting up weddings and Joel Schumacher is busting up...

  25. Episode 77: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn - Poltergeist - Hanky Panky: June 4, 1982

    “They’re heeeere.” Who’s here? “KAAAAAAHN!” It’s June 4th, 1982 and the boys are taking on the suburban spooker, POLTERGEIST, the Shatner shout-fest, STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KAHN, and the Gene Wilder/Gilda Radner shit-show, HANKY PANKY. “Warp speed, Mr. Shalit, to Episode 77 of Opening…

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  26. Episode 76: Moulin Rouge - Shrek - Angel Eyes: May 18, 2001

    “I believe in truth, beauty, freedom, and above all things: hand-farts.” This week the boys can-can back to May 18, 2001 and the releases of MOULIN ROUGE, SHREK, and ANGEL EYES. It’s the “Shrektacular, Drecktacular” Episode 75 of Opening Weekend! Debauchery. Lust. A bacchanalia for the body and…

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  27. Episode 75: Jaws 3-D - Superman III - Return of the Jedi: 1983-Quels!

    Look, up in the sky! It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Richard Pryor riding a flying shark over the Sarlacc pit…in 3-D!!! This week the boys celebrate the beginning of spring with a look back at some of the biggest 1983-quels: JAWS 3-D, SUPERMAN III, and RETURN OF THE JEDI! Special Guest, Kevin...

  28. Episode 74: Romy and Michele's High School Reunion - Volcano: April 25, 1997

    “Oh my God, Romy, Tommy Lee Jones just said the Coast Is Toast.” “But, Michele, I thought we were avoiding carbs this week!” It’s April 25th, 1997 and the boys are dipping their manicured toes into the hot lava of an opening weekend that brought us VOLCANO and ROMY AND MICHELE’S HIGH SCHOOL...

  29. Episode 73: Off Beat - Critters - The Toxic Avenger: April 11, 1986

    Get Ready To Schlock! The boys are revisiting April 11, 1986 and the Judge Reinhold comedy OFF BEAT, the Gremlins wannabe CRITTERS and the ultra low budget schlock “classic” THE TOXIC AVENGER. As Will says, “KEEP EPISODE 73 OUT YA F***IN’ MOUTH!” April 11, 1986: The bullies and bad guys of...

  30. Episode 72: Romancing The Stone - Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes: March 30, 1984

    The King of the podcast Jungle is back! This week the boys swing by March 30th, 1984 for the releases of ROMANCING THE STONE and GREYSTOKE: THE LEGEND OF TARZAN, LORD OF THE APES. It’s Episode 72: The Legend of Opening Weekend, Lord of The Podcasts! Me Tarzan, you Gene. March 30, 1984: A time of...

  31. Episode 71: Joe Versus The Volcano - House Party: March 9, 1990

    Raise the roof and get ready to dive into the gaping hell-mouth that was March 9, 1990. This week the boys revisit the Kid ’n Play hip-hop teen-sex comedy, HOUSE PARTY and the Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan deep-flop absurdist comedy, JOE VERSUS THE VOLCANO. All this and a soiled overcoat on EPISODE 71 of...

  32. Episode 70: The 'Burbs - True Believer - Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure: February 17, 1989

    Nosey neighbors, pointless ponytails, and Excellent Adventures! It’s February 17, 1989 and the boys are hopping in their time traveling phone booth to revisit THE ‘BURBS, TRUE BELIEVER, and BILL & TED’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE. Episode 70 of Opening Weekend? EXCELLENT! February 17th, 1989: An opening...

  33. Episode 69: Close Encounters of the Third Kind - Top Ten Spielberg Movies: February 3, 1978

    “This means something. This is important.” Damn right, Ricky D - It’s Episode 69 of Opening Weekend! This week the boys are going back to February 3, 1978 to make contact with the wide release of CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND! Plus their Top 10 Spielberg films. Ba-ba-bum, ba-bwaaa!…

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  34. Episode 68: Cloverfield - 27 Dresses - Mad Money: January 18, 2008

    This week the boys take a deep dive into the releases from January 18, 2008: the found footage monster/disaster movie, CLOVERFIELD, the disaster of a rom-com movie, 27 DRESSES and the Diane Keaton disaster, MAD MONEY. Get ready for some shakey-cam-induced cinematic nausea on Episode 68 of Opening...

  35. Episode 67: The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring - The 2nd Annual Golden Sheila Awards - December 19, 2001

    One podcast to rule them all! It’s the last episode of 2021 and the boys are walking their big, hairy, Hobbit feet back to December 19th, 2001 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Peter Jackson’s epic trilogy opener, THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING. And throw on your fanciest...

  36. Episode 66: Young Frankenstein - The Godfather Part II - The Towering Inferno: December 12, 1974

    “I know it was you, Sheila. You broke my heart.” (MWAH!) It’s December 12th, 1974 and the boys are tackling a Towering week of massive openers: THE TOWERING INFERNO, YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, and THE GODFATHER, PART II. Walk THIS way to Episode 66 of Opening Weekend! Lightning strikes, thunder crashes....

  37. Episode 65: Holiday Special - Scrooged - Top Ten Holiday Movies: November 23, 1988

    “Bah Humbug!” “You’ll shoot your eye out, kid!” “Merry Christmas ya old Building and Loans!” “Yippe Kay Yay, Motherf***er!” ALL the holiday staples are covered as the boys jump back to November 23, 1988 to revisit the Bill Murray holiday comedy SCROOGED as well as their TOP TEN HOLIDAY MOVIES.…

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  38. Episode 64: Aladdin - Bram Stoker's Dracula: November 13, 1992

    This week the boys take a magic carpet ride back to November 13th, 1992 to rub some lamps and suck some blood with Disney’s ALADDIN and BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA. It’s a whole new world on Episode 64 of OPENING WEEKEND! The scene: A young, dark haired handsome man finds a magic lamp in the desert and...

  39. Episode 63: The Terminator - Terror In The Aisles: October 26, 1984

    This week the boys head back in time to October 26th 1984 to revisit the sci-fi classic THE TERMINATOR and the horror film-clip anthology TERROR IN THE AISLES. So, listen to Kyle Reese and take heed: “That terminator is out there; it can’t be bargained with, it can’t be reasoned with, it doesn't...

  40. Episode 62: And Justice For All - Meteor: October 19, 1979

    “I’m out of order? You’re out of order! This whole podcast is out of order! October 19, 1979 is out of order! Sean Connery in METEOR is out of order! My movie…AND JUSTICE FOR ALL is out of order! Everyone is out…wait, what’s that big piece of rock hurtling towards Earth? Ah, crap.” Don’t worry…

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  41. Episode 61: American Beauty - Three Kings - Mystery, Alaska: October 1, 1999

    “You want to see the most beautiful thing I’ve ever filmed?” Uh, maybe not Mr. Spacey. But we will take a look at AMERICAN BEAUTY and the other two releases from October 1, 1999, THREE KINGS and MYSTERY, ALASKA. Time to look closer…at Episode 61 of Opening Weekend! It’s the early fall of 1999 and...

  42. Episode 60: Goodfellas - Top Ten Gangster/Crime Films: September 19, 1990

    “As far back as I can remember I’ve always wanted to be a podcaster.” It’s September 19th, 1990 and the boys are celebrating the release of Martin Scorcese’s mobbed-up masterpiece, GOODFELLAS. One dog goes one way, the other dog goes the other way, and this guy’s sayin’ “It’s Episode 60 of…

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  43. Episode 59: The Wicker Man - Crank - Idiocracy: September 1, 2006

    Nic Cage walks into a forest dressed like a bear and punches a woman. No, you’re not having a bad fever dream; you’re just watching one of the movies that opened on September 1, 2006: a week filled with mystery, mayhem, and most of all, misogyny. THE WICKER MAN, CRANK, and IDIOCRACY are being...

  44. Episode 58: Dreamscape - Sheena - The Woman In Red: August 17, 1984

    Jungle Queens, Scary Dreams, and Adulterous Schemes. It’s August 17th, 1984, and the boys are taking in SHEENA, DREAMSCAPE, and THE WOMAN IN RED for some edgy PG-13 violence & gore and some wholesome PG full-frontal-nudity. Grab your leg warmers and Members Only jackets, because the boys are...

  45. Episode 57: The Iron Giant - Dick: August 6, 1999

    This week the boys take on a BIG, SCARY ROBOT and a BIG, SCARY DICK…Nixon, that is! Brad Bird’s THE IRON GIANT and the political satire DICK were the big openers on August 6th, 1999. Do they warrant GIANT Sheila ratings or will they get shredded like a stack of DNC papers? Find out on Episode 57…

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  46. Episode 56: The Dark Knight - Mamma Mia! - Space Chimps: July 18, 2008

    Some men just want to watch the world burn, and some just want to listen to Pierce Brosnan and Meryl Streep sing Abba! It’s July 18, 2008 and the boys are zipping up their sequin jumpsuits, donning their masks and taking a chance on THE DARK KNIGHT, MAMMA MIA!, and SPACE CHIMPS. Episode 56 of...

  47. Episode 55: Independence Day - Phenomenon: July 3, 1996

    July 3rd, 1996: Aliens are laying waste to humanity and John Travolta is making pencils levitate with his mind. No, this isn’t Chapter 5 of ‘Dianetics’, it’s INDEPENDENCE DAY and PHENOMENON on Episode 55 of Opening Weekend! Boom! There goes The White House! Zap! There goes The Empire State...

  48. Episode 54: Dick Tracy - Gremlins 2: The New Batch: June 15, 1990

    “Calling Dick Tracy! Come in Dick Tracy! Gremlins have taken over New York City. No, not THOSE Gremlins. It’s a NEW batch. That’s right, this week the boys head to June 15, 1990 for DICK TRACY and GREMLINS 2: THE NEW BATCH! So, stop ogling Madonna, Tracy, and get over to Opening Weekend Episode...

  49. Episode 53: Jurassic Park - What's Love Got To Do With It: June 11, 1993

    It’s June 11th, 1993 and vicious dinosaurs once again roam the earth: The Tyrannosaurus Rex! The Velociraptor! The Ike Turner! This week the boys are rollin’ down the river and digging up JURASSIC PARK and WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT. Hold onto your butts and Welcome…to Episode 53 of Opening...

  50. Episode 52: Fletch - Top Ten Comedic Performances: May 31, 1985

    They say laughter is the best medicine, right Dr. Rosenpenis? Or was it Dr. Rosenrosen? Or Mr. Cocktostan? Or Arnold Babar? Or Ted Nugent? Hell, let’s just call ya Fletch. It’s May 31st, 1985 and the boys go undercover with the Chevy Chase comedy FLETCH and discuss their top ten comedic...

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

In a world where cinemas have closed their doors (at least for the time being), "Opening Weekend" celebrates one of the many things we’d all love to be doing right now - going to the movies on a Friday night with our friends... Every week, Jason O'Connell, Fred Berman, and Dan Matisa (best friends, professional actors, and self-professed movie geeks) look back at a different opening weekend from the last 40 years, and bask in the warm, nostalgic, popcorn-buttery glow of going to the movies.

HOSTED BY

Jason O'Connell, Fred Berman, Dan Matisa

Produced by Jason O'Connell

CATEGORIES

tv film comedy

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Opening Weekend have?

Opening Weekend currently has 101 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Opening Weekend about?

In a world where cinemas have closed their doors (at least for the time being), "Opening Weekend" celebrates one of the many things we’d all love to be doing right now - going to the movies on a Friday night with our friends... Every week, Jason O'Connell, Fred Berman, and Dan Matisa (best friends,...

How often does Opening Weekend release new episodes?

Opening Weekend publishes regularly with 101 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.

Where can I listen to Opening Weekend?

You can listen to Opening Weekend on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Opening Weekend?

Opening Weekend is created and hosted by Jason O'Connell, Fred Berman, Dan Matisa.
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