Your Favorite Bad Movie Podcast

Justin Remer, author of the upcoming 33 1/3rd of “Weird” All Yankovic In 3D, is back and they’ve brought a recent discovery: Stunt Rock (1978).  We’ll call it an Ozploitation film for reasons.  Directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith, it stars Grant Page as Grant Page, a stuntman (as he is in real life), and Monique van de Ven as Monique van de Ven, an Undercover Girl (which she is not in real life), as he does stunts for film and on stage with a band called Sorcery, played by real band Sorcery, which includes their actual magicians. Yes, it’s stunts + rock music with stage magicians. This fake documentary (mockumentary?) is a lot of things and has a lot going for it on paper, what it doesn’t have is a traditional plot.  This makes for a very strange, but interesting watch, and we’re breaking it down while having a pretty swell time.  You too can get in on this musical adventure, just press play!

Melissa Louise, the artist behind emoseal.com, is surprising everyone, including themselves, with The Good Girl (2002).  Miguel Arteta directs Jennifer Aniston and a young Jake Guyllenhaal in this romantic drama/comedy that’s written by Mike White.  We’ve also got White, Zooey Deschenal, John C. Reily, Deborah Rush and Tim Blake Nelson all fliting about as smalltown yokels bearing witness, in one way or another, to Aniston and Gyllenhaal’s budding affair and its dire consequences.  Well-received at the time, but sort of forgotten about, it weaves a strange tale on an episode full of surprises not just in plot.  Will it hold up, or has time lost the shine on this one? There’s only one way to know, tune in!

Charles Star, host of No Homework Podcast, ALAB Series and City Saint/Country Saint, has sauntered into town to propose a bet that we can’t turn down: Diggstown (1992).  This Micheal Ritchie directed sports con film stars James Woods and Oliver Platt teaming up to trick Bruce Dern into a ludicrous bet that Lou Gosset Jr. can take on 10 Diggstown’s boxers in a day.  Will Heather Graham kiss James?  Will a young Jim Caviezel stand up to Gosset’s fists?  Will anyone explain the tonal shifts?  This one is all over the map in smalltown Georgia and we’re trying to keep the fight card up to date over here, but there will be surprises.  Such as a new segment and a robust breakdown of what we think the film was attempting.  It’s going to the judges by the end, and you’ll never know the result unless you tune in! Patreon.com/nohomeworkpodcast

It’s our 100th episode and we have very special guests, Stefa Nunes and Gloria Yip are back and they have a fun surprise: they have attended the premiere of the film we’re talking about.  It’s Little Italy (2018), the romantic comedy that was mostly known for Emma Roberts and Hayden Christiansan having a sad time on a moped.  The collective talents of Allysa Milano, Adam Ferrera, Andrea Martin and Danny Aiello can’t save this poor-tasting pizza covered in stereotypes, trite romance tropes and dick jokes.  What it lacks in joy and verve can be made up for by all of it’s product placements?  Truly a film so bad that it deserves to be talked about, dissected and examined and we’re doing all of that while having a splendid time.  Besides, pizza is better shared with friends, so tune in!

Róan Robles, friend of the show, has us in the operating theater and on the table for Nurse 3D.  This Doug Aarniokoski directed Horror film stars Paz de la Huerta as a nurse who falls into an obsession with mentee Katrina Bowden while at the same time killing as many cheating men as she can.  Corbin Blue, Judd Nelson, Neicy Nash, and Boris Kodjoe are there as well, but it’s hard to take your eyes off of Paz as she’s nearly always bottomless and/or covered in blood and making some of the most bold and bizarre choices an actor can make. It’s also sort of electric? At times, at least. Truly indelible, this one sticks in the mind and our guest has some very insightful commentary to boot.  It’s a bloody, good time today, so tune in!

Kyle McLachlan, host of the podcast Combat Chronicles, appears to be leaping off the screen and into the studio with the horror comedy Piranha 3D.  This Alexandre Aja remake of an 80s horror classic promises all the joys of skinny dipping + piranhas, and it delivers whole-heartedly.  A packed cast of known names (Elizabeth Shue, Jerry O’Connel, Adam Scott, Ving Rhames, Christopher Lloyd, Kelly Brook and others) appear for varying amounts of screen time, and some of them even live until the end.  Also Steve McQueen’s grandson is in it, you know him right?  It walks the strange line of Bad On Purpose, So Bad It’s Good, and Knowing the Assignment that it’s a delightful cinematic ride through boobs and gore, so tune in!

Shelly Walston, host of the podcast Your Roots Are Showing, is back and is further exploring her past with Weird Science (1985).  For those who haven’t seen this John Hughes directed sex comedy, it’s about two young dweebs (Anthony Micheal Hall and Ilan Mitchell-Smith) who want to have sex so badly that they invent a whole person to do it with.  It’s less about plot and more about growing up, with Robert Downey Jr. and Bill Pullman playing the closest thing we have to antagonists. Everything is done with complete commitment and verve from all, but it’s a premise that has aged like milk.  Luckily Kelly LeBrock plays our Frankenstein’s monster and is the highlight of the 80's film that’s often remembered but actually forgotten.  Not so today, tune in!

Baker, musician, and artist Angela Carlucci is in the studio today and there’s taking us someplace dark with The Pit (1981).  This Canadian chiller is the story of a sexually-deviant 12-year-old boy, the long-term babysitter he lusts after and the sentient teddy bear who tells him to throw his enemies into a pit of trolls. The first two details make sense together, that bear and the titular pit are like a bolt out of the blue, much like this film.  No one will learn anything, nor will anyone respond appropriately to the boy who was “only watching you sleep.”  And, again, there’s the bear and the pit, also the trolls.  It’s a lot, yet turns out to be an oddly good time.  You can join us, have some laughs, and learn a little about the film financing trick that truly bolstered the output of Canadian cinema.  Tune in!

Podcaster and sex therapist Julie Setting is back, and they’re taking us through a pipe to the dystopian urban jungle of Super Mario Bros. (1993).  Be warned, this ain’t your kid’s Super Mario Brothers… which is probably why is maligned/ignored at the time.  This dark, sci-fi interpretation sees Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo as the titular plumbers saving Samantha Mathis’s Princess Daisy from the evil King Koopa, played by Dennis Hopper.  Apart from those recognizable bones, the rest is bonkers and along the way you’ll see a mugging, a night club, several electrocutions, dino-headed goombas and, dare I say, a revolution. Some see it now as an interesting effort that can stand on its own merits and some don’t.  It’s a film of strong reactions and we have some explanations, so tune in!https://www.youtube.com/@bedroombrainiacs

Friend of the show Ryan Meyers has got our panel going because they’ve brought in almost literally a bang; it’s the cult classic Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!(1965). This Russ Meyer directed exploitation film sees a trio of go-go dancers off on a spree of crime and sexy situations across the California desert. It’s got violence, sex, kidnapping, drag racing, wrastlin’ and all the good stuff, yet was not positively met at the time.  It has since been reappraised (even once famously by noted feminist film critic B. Ruby Rich) and Tura Satana as Varla has entered the annals of time.  She’s basically electric and shot like a superhero: a true badass for the times and beyond.  We’re talking about the film that John Waters called “the best movie ever made”, so tune in!

Discord Dawg Mack Eochada sits down with us and they’ve brought their horny friend, Zandalee (1987).  This erotic drama combines the raw sexual energy of Judge Reinhold, Nicholas Cage and Erika Anderson along with his production chops, his acting skills and her body, respectively.  It’s weird, not sexy, but absolutely sexual and follows a relatively basic story arc: One is impotent, the other is spilling out sexuality and the last one is a female in a film, so pretty basic stuff.  Somehow, it’s not really like anything else, which is probably for the best.  Also, Nicholas Cage is really not phoning it in, he’s metaphorically swallowed the phone and he’s literally tearing through the scenery.  It’s great?  Tune in to find out!

Podcaster Dylan Roth (The Pod Universe with Dylan and Dalton) is back and this time they’ve brought a returning director, M. Night Shyamalan and his film Old (2021).  That’s right, we’re going to the beach that makes you old with Gael García Bernal, Rufus Sewell, and Ken Leung on the sand with us.  Adapted from the graphic novel Sandcastle, it manages to bulldoze over the existential horror of dying rapidly and just focus on how much physical ailments suck.  We’re really examining what works in this one and what flies too close to the sun.  You won’t want to miss it, so tune in!

Our good friend Pete Speer is back and he’s got a mission for us, it’s MegaForce (1981).  After a string of successes, Hal Needham could not land a hit with this action film, even with Barry Bostwick and Michael Beck to help.  It’s about a crack team of super soldiers from around the world as they proceed to get into at least 4 minutes of action (it’s timed), a mission they don’t complete and a courtship that often takes place over short distances while one or both parties are in the air.  It makes almost no sense, but it sure is flashy and we’re gonna break it all down and have a great time doing it, so tune in!

It’s our second annual Your Favorite Bad Reality Competition Show Special, and this year Chris and Anna are looking at Hell’s Kitchen.  Ostensibly a show about finding a chef to work in one of Gordon Ramsay’s restaurants, it’s often more an excuse to watch people crack under pressure and to hear Gordon’s trademark creative expletives.  There’s never a dull moment to be had and we’re introducing a very special segment: our very own blind taste test!  Tune in!

Sharon Cunningham, a friend of the show and Chris’ first date, along with the crew are caught in a case of signing the contract before reading it and, unfortunately, we’re all watching Powder (1995).  This film stars Mary Steenburgen, Jeff Goldblum, Lance Henriksen, and Sean Patrick Flannery and it’s been buried due to reasons that can be googled (but don’t do that).  The attempt was to reexamine the film from the first date and have a lighthearted, good time, but this one got heavy very fast.  It’s up there with Shallow Hal (2001), but we’re doing our best so tune in and do not watch Powder! 

Friend of the show Courtney Collins is here to usher us out of the holidays and onto Dante’s Peak (1997).  One shouldn’t stay long on Dante’s Peak the mountain or in Dante’s Peak the town because one or both is going to erupt in this Roger Donaldson disaster picture that shouldn’t be confused with Volcano (1997).  This is the one where Peirce Brosnan has a strong feeling that the plot is going to happen and only mayor Linda Hamilton believes him.  This film, pun intended, is a blast and constantly outdoes itself with scene after scene that makes even less sense.  Plus gore!  Tune in!

It’s time, once again, to pick Our Favorite Bad Movie of the Year and it’s no secret; it’s Primitive War (2025).  This low-budget, sci-fi actioner is directed by Luke Sparke and stars Jeremy Piven, Trisha Helfer and Ryan Kwanten.  It centers around a war-worn unit of soldiers who are sent into the heart of the Vietnam to find out what happened to a lost unit and it turns out that the answers is… dinosaurs!  Do we need to say more?  Action packed and seriously full of dinosaurs, this film never relents in giving you what you want (dinosaurs) all while being competently made and deliciously stupid.  And we’ll discuss some other hits from the year, so don’t miss out.  Tune in!

Honorary employees Mallory and Rebekah Rine are extending the holidays here at the podcast and they’ve brought Mixed Nuts (1994) to pass.  This Nora Ephron directed remake of a French film that translates to Santa Claus is a Stinker stars Steve Martin, Madeline Kahn, Rita Wilson and too many others to list. It follows the “dark” adventures of non-profit workers being evicted for not making profits, and it’s Christmas Eve! Landing like a year-old fruit cake on the unsuspecting masses, most dodged it and the critics weren’t kind.   Still, it’s a classic holiday snack for the Rines, but will it pass muster with the panel?  Has age allowed the flavors to bloom? Tune in to find out!

It’s the last of our Employee Picks for the Holidays and Anna has a sweet treat for us all, Dear Santa (2011).  This Jason Priestley directed Lifetime movie stars Amy Acker as a woman desperate for a job or a man by Christmas Day.  Intercepting a child’s letter to a Santa seeking a wife for her father, Acker proceed to stalk and then work for the man she’s pining for.  Will they or won’t they? Can they save the non-profit soup kitchen from the bank? Will little Olivia get a wife for her father that isn’t Jillian?  You know the answers to these questions, but you don’t know the true weirdness of this mundane little heartwarmer, so tune in!

Our Holiday Employee Picks continue and Greg’s pick is another with Christmas in peril; it’s Ernest Saves Christmas (1988).  Jim Varney plays our titular character and he needs to help Santa find a replacement before we all lose Christmas FOREVER.  Get ready to see Ernest rip the wiring out of a wall, Reindeer walk on the ceiling and Santa confront his own failing mind.  It’s heartwarming, has just the right amount of that classic Ernest shtick, and has many pleasant surprises.  Then everyone will propose a concept for a new Ernest film, so it is a Happy Holiday.  Tune in!

It’s that time of year again and Chris is kicking off our Holiday Employee Picks with The Boy Who Saved Christmas (1998).  Despite the title, it’s actually about Santa’s adventures in LA dealing with amnesia all while trying to get back to the North Pole to save his wife from the clutches of his evil brother.  That’s correct: we’ve got a love triangle involving the Clauses.  There’s also henchmen that aren’t elves, email and lasers.  It’s not a stretch to say that this movie is kind of nuts.  In other words, it’s the perfect holiday treat, so get some cocoa and a blanket and tune in!

Lucy Valentine, host of the podcasts Boonta Vista and Savant Garde, is in the guest seat today and we’re excited to talk to her because she’s brought North (1994).  This Rob Reiner adaption of a young adult book stars Elijah Wood, Bruce Willis and too many others to list.  Despite all that talent on screen, the film did not land well, famously inspiring Roger Ebert’s hatred.  It’s a film for the neglected child in all of us while being full of adult humor and some very bizarre choices. All in all, it got us all talking and inspired many strong reactions, so tune in!

Manolo Moreno, host of Dr. Gameshow, is back and with him is Melisande Osnes who’s calling at the bottom of a tower for Barbie as Rapunzel (2002).  But Barbie will not let that hair down (don’t hold your breath), because this CGI family tale is about painting and being yourself, even if that means that you can’t tell anyone who you are.  It’s not what you’d expect and sits squarely in the uncanny valley.  Come for the life lessons, stay to watch a poorly animated otter/weasel coil around Anjelica Houston’s character’s neck.  It’s unforgettable, and an inspiration to the child in us all that doesn’t know what to paint, so tune in!

Molly Rich, a friend of the show, has got us out of horror-fueled haze with the breath of fresh air that is Girls Just Want to Have Fun (1985).  Inspired by the popular song by Cyndi Lauper, it follows the exploits of new girl Sarah Jessica Parker who befriends Helen Hunt as they both attempt to get a part on Dance TV, all while navigating catholic school, an angry father, boys and nerves. Jonathan Silverman and Shannen Doherty are in the mix, too. It’s a good-hearted, fun coming-of-age film that can’t decide if it’s sexual or not, but who cares?  We all had a blast, and so can you, so tune in!

Ethan Sarezky, America’s foremost expert on collectible VHS tapes, is in the studio to talk about, and I can’t believe I’m typing this, My Father the Hero (1994).  Part of a wave of French remakes in the 90s, this film is about a young Katherine Heigl convincing an entire resort that her father, played by “complicated” actor Gerard Depardieu, is actually her boyfriend just to make someone else jealous.  It’s full of puzzling, if not upsetting choices, and leaves one with many questions and concerns, but we’re doing out best to field that.  Spoiler alert, listening is better than watching this time around, so tune in!

Finally, the leaves are changing color, Kennedy Cooper, host of the podcast The Most Important Election of Our Lives is here, and we’re getting the pumpkin spice lattes out for… Evil Bong(2006)?  While it may sound like a horror film (and it is), this Charles Band directed effort is more of stoner comedy that’s a love letter the Full Moon universe that also has a bong puppet and Tommy Chong in it.  Despite the fact that a good portion of the film takes place in the nightmarish strip club that Kennedy calls “bong world” the film feels much closer to hanging out with a group of friends rather than watching a movie.  Evil Bong can unite us all, even you, all you need to do is tune in!

Our final episode of Spoooooky Season is here and writer/editor/gamer Merritt K is back to throw open the doors of the haunted house that is Conquest (1983).  Not a typical horror film, but a gory, phantasmagorical, fantasy epic directed by famed Italian director Lucio Fulci.  A gauzy, meandering yarn of young demi-god(?) who brings the mind-boggling tech of a bow and arrow to a “primitive” people, which really freaks out the nude, mask-wearing woman who has dominion over therm.  It’s a lot of people in prosthetics, fog and arresting imagery and a pretty solid time with others, so tune in!

Friend of the show Christy Admiraal is here for Week Three of the Spoooooktacular and she’s brought up something mysterious from the basement, it’s Graveyard Shift (1990).  This Ralph S. Singleton film was based on a Stephen King short story and contains, if briefly, the enigmatic Brad Dourif.  It’s both a horror film and a slice-of-life film that both contain lots of rats.  One works better than the other, but that’s not exactly a compliment, though we all agree it has a certain charm.  And lots of thick, questionable accents.  And cute rats!  Anyways, shifts startin’, better punch in, then tune in!

Our spooktacular continues with journalist Dais Johnston whose got an especially wicked treat in their goody bag, The Last Horror Film (1982).  From former song-and-dance-man David Winters, it’s many things and one of those things is a meta-horror film about Joe Spinell’s Vinny stalking Caroline Munro’s famous scream queen Jana Bates at Cannes.  It was filmed guerilla style in France, has a cast of friends and (probably) people just found on the street and it’s full of inexplicable nudity and montages.  Sometimes the last two are even combined.  Anyway you slice it, this horror film got our attention, so tune in!

​Spooooooky season is here and so is our dear friend Kate Bellock.  This librarian is kicking off our spook-tacular by taking us to Horror School with Student Bodies (1981) a horror-comedy parody of slasher films.  Directed by Mickey Rose and staring a bunch of unknowns (including an unforgettable unknown called The Stick), it skewers many tropes of the genre all while flinging jokes at such a rapid pace that it’s hard to linger on the ones that don’t land.  All in all, it’s a pretty good time, so tune in!

Max Graves, cartoonist behind What Happens Next, drops round to our server and has something to stream, it’s Gamer (2009).  The penultimate feature of the directing duo Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, it stars Gerard Butler taking cover, has Michael C. Hall doing an accent and has Kyra Sedgewick, Jon Lequizamo and Terry Cruise as a TV anchor, a target and a homicidal maniac respectively.  It’s stupid, with hard to follow action, but it’s still compelling in its own way.  Both full of Bad Things and Good Things, it begs conversation, so tune in!

Matt Finnegan is back with another 90s sci-fi “classic”, Screamers (1995).  Peter Weller is our main star in this dystopian, sci-fi, horror film which is based on a Phillip K. Dick short story and written by Dan O’Bannon (Alien).  That’s a strong start, but the finishing touches of another writer punching up the dialogue, O’Bannon having no idea it was being made, and the direction of our first returning director, Christian Duguay, leaves an acrid taste.  At least it’s really interesting and has some strong visuals?  We’ll break it all down, so tune in!

Sara Lautman, New Yorker published cartoonist, has taken a chance on Quigley (2003) and struck gold.  This one isn’t Tom Selleck in Australia, or whatever, this is the one that has Gary Busey come back from death as a white Pomeranian who expressly can’t talk.  Can Busey/Dog change hearts?  He certainly won all of us over and it’s got us talking; we even get a bit existential.  It’s a journey of discovery as we ponder life with a dog/man who can save the day by playing video games.  Be sure to tune in!

David Weiner, director of the In Search of Darkness series of documentaries, is in the studio and they’ve brought something very unique: Terror in the Aisles (1984).  Far ahead of its time, it’s a compilation of "terror films" from cinema’s past that has Donald Pleasence and Nancy Allen narrating from the audience, watching the films we’re watching.  Very meta, and full of so many great films! We’ll talk all about it with David AND we'll discuss his newest film, In Search of Darkness 1995-1999.  It’s not one to miss, so tune in!

Trevor Henderson, author of Scarewaves: Beyond the Grave and creator of Sirenhead, is sitting down with Chris and Anna to access a nostalgic pick, Creepshow 2 (1987). George Romero and Stephen King have smaller, behind the scenes roles in this anthology horror film sequel than it's predecessor.  It also had fewer stories, included some terrible animations and had Tom Savini appears in a mask, so you can’t tell it’s him.  Despite all of questionable choices, everyone agrees that  one section is one of the strongest pieces of horror cinema every recorded.  Tune in to hear all about it!

Yennaedo Balloo, host of the DnD Versus podcast, has the crew revisiting a cable staple, The Devil’s Advocate (1997). This faustian horror has Keaunu Reeves as a lawyer taken under the wing of Al Pacino’s Devil, all while ignoring his wife, Charlize Theron, who’s having her own set of problems.  Often gory and intense, too long, and full of scenery chewing it’s obviously gotten high ratings from the entire panel. Spoiler Alert, everyone will attempt a Pacino Impression, so tune in!

Friend of the podcast Larry Brown has brought something tasty for the panel, it’s Popcorn (1991).  Mark Herrier directed this meta-horror film that had a cast of largely unknown “teens” with veterans Dee Wallace, Tony Roberts, Tom Villard and Ray Walston rounding out the roster.  Ostensibly the story of a killer stalking a film festival, it also contains segments of four other fictional movies that make light of classic horror films and audiences.  It all adds up to a heady mix of horror, comedy and commentary, if that’s your thing.  And you’ll only find out… if you’re brave enough to tune in!

Co-host of The Tasting Menu podcast, MB, is swooping into the studio this week and they’ve brought friends, namely Batman & Robin (1997).  Joel Schumacher is making bold directorial choices, Uma Thurman and Arnold Schwarzenegger are gladly chewing scenery, Chris O’Donnell is back and petulant, and George Clooney and Alicia Silverstone are certainly reading their lines in this over-the-top cartoon of a film.  It swings at comedy, adventure and raw sexuality, but does it succeed?  You already know that it doesn’t, so tune in.

Josh Boerman, co-host of the podcasts Ill Conceived and The Worst of All Possible Worlds, is with us today and he’s brought the musical anthology film Moonwalker (1988).  It’s a complicated film from a complicated star: Michael Jackson. While not having a narrative throughout the whole piece, the Smooth Criminal segment does spin a very strange tale and contains a well-known music video (which also gets a little weird).  It’s certainly a film and a person that has us talking, so tune in!

Bitter Karella, author of the new splatterpunk novel Moonflow, is in the courthouse and they’re presenting Nothing But Trouble (1991). Dan Aykroyd directs and appears in this over-the-top horror-comedy along with John Candy, Chevy Chase, and Demi Moore.  Aykroyd is an evil judge, Candy plays dual roles, Chase is an asshole, Moore is doing her best and there are two, big oily babies for some reason.   It’s a strange one that inspires strong reactions and we’re pleading our cases. You can be in the jury box, just tune in!

Discord Dawg Gloria Yip joins us to discuss the Hong Kong cult-classic Future Cops (1993).  This Wong Jing action-comedy is in the tradition of Airplane!, but is the story of three officers from the future trying to save a judge.  The crucial thing to know, though, is that most of the characters are actually fighters from the video game Street Figther 2.  It’s gonna get strange, it’s gonna get zany, and it’s gonna be the next thing you want to see.  Tune in to find out why!

Anna is up to bat for our last employee pick and the choice is Picture Perfect (1997).  After lying about being engaged just to get a promotion, Jennifer Aniston finds that her web of deception might also land her Kevin Bacon in the process.  Which is weird because the audience should be rooting for her to get together with faux-fiance Jay Mohr, but it’s a confused Rom Com.  While it was profitable, it was certainly not indelible in any way and we’ll get into it all today, so tune in!

Chris has our second Employee Pick with an obscure, kung-fu drama: City Dragon (1995).  Directed by Philly native (we assume) “Philthy” Phil Phillips and starring MC Kung Fu, this is a homegrown effort that also has some musical numbers in it.  No one’s calling it a musical, however, nor does anyone really know what to call it other than Pure Entertainment.  It takes a wild second act swerve and is domestically intense. Also, Chris has found a shocking origin story, so be sure to tune in!

It's time for Employee Picks and Greg’s up first with the bonkers musical Xanadu(1980).  Despite the talents of Olivia Newton-John, Gene Kelly, Michael Beck and also many others behind the scenes, this mash-up of big band music and the roller-disco fad landed with a resounding thud.  However, ELO’s contribution would drive the soundtrack to platinum in multiple countries, searing this camp classic into the collective unconscious.  And into our hearts! Tune in

Alice Ebenhoe is back and has brought in another historical adventure film: The 13th Warrior (1999).  This one stars Antonio Banderas and pretty much nobody else, though it was directed by McTiernan and is based on a Crichton novel. It’s a plausible (but fictional) retelling of the origin of the epic poem Beowulf from a spectator’s point of view. Audiences didn’t take to a film whose main character isn’t the story’s main character, but it certainly is an entertaining revisit for the panel.  It’s full of laughs and we have our first tiebreaker, so tune in

Michael Darling is back and he’s brought in a barnburner: Playing With Fire (1985).  This, frankly wild, made-for-TV message film stars Gary Coleman as a young, troubled arsonist.  Mr. Coleman burns down a number of things, Cicely Tyson chews through a therapist’s office, Yaphet Kotto doesn’t need warrants, because he’s the fire chief and then Ron O’Neal eventually becomes something similar to sympathetic.  Once forgotten (or perhaps buried) this film was mysteriously uploaded to YouTube and now it lives in our brains rent free.  But I do hear sirens, so maybe tune in…

Al Bates is back in the hot seat and he’s brought a giant conundrum of a film: the 2024 flop that is Megalopolis.  This film took 40 years to come to the big screen and it was completely funded by Francis Ford Coppola himself.  The cast is packed as well with Adam Driver Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Giancarlo Esposito and far too many more to list. Driver stops time, LaBeouf shaved his eyebrows, and the podcast crew is largely perplexed.  It’s a hippodrome of bonkers imagery and you won’t want to miss this one, so tune in!

Preston Spurlock is back with another rare gem, the passion project/musical Human Highway (1982).  This Neil Young and Dean Stockwell directed film also stars Dennis Hopper and Devo and is largely set in a diner.  It’s hard to pin down: part music video, part comedy, part apocalypse film. It took decades for it to be released to a wider audience after puzzling viewers in the 80s and has certainly left an impression on the panel.  Also, Anna peels back the veil on one of Neil Young’s most infamous albums, so tune in!

Anti-folk hero Brook Pridemore is with the crew this week and they’ve brought an entry from a now classic horror series, Paranormal Activity 4 (2012). This found-footage film stars Kathryn Newton and an Xbox Kinect Camera, and who can forget that demon child?  It’s classic horror action as the panel cracks into the genre as a whole and takes a look into other documentary work by the directors. There’s no jump scares in this episode, so tune in…

Musician and good friend of the show Pete Speer brings a forgotten video-store gem with Addicted to Murder 2: Tainted Blood.  This shot-on-VHS horror movie from 1997 is thoughtfully made and inventive, but nearly impenetrable if you’ve not seen the first film and Chris and Greg haven’t.  However, everyone enjoys it’s vibes-based plot, fun details and playful vampire lore.  Then it’s a veritable who’s who of ‘97 talent as everyone recasts the film.  Tune in to hear all about it!