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Hey, Do You Remember…? — TV & Film
Hey, Do You Remember…?

Join Chris, Donna, and Carlos as they pick a movie or TV series from their childhood, share their memories of it, and then see how it holds up. New episodes every other Friday.

Latest Episodes:

All Good Things... Mar 19, 2021

After eight years, it's time for Chris, Donna, and Carlos to say farewell. So on this episode, they're taking off the rose-tinted glasses for their own show and reminiscing about all of the ups and downs HDYR has experienced over the course of its run. They each highlight different episodes that stand out to them, share behind the scenes stories, and talk about how their own lives were changing as the show evolved.

This chapter may be coming to an end, but if you'd like to stay connected with us or keep up to date on our future projects, here's where to find us:

27th Letter Productions: YouTube / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter Follow Chris: Instagram and Twitter Follow Carlos: Twitter Chris's podcast Rogues Gallery and his web series The Strange Case of Lucy Chandler Theme Song: Missing You by Trash80 / CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 Closing Song: Hey, Do You Remember...? by Frankie + Rufus

Our Favorite Series Finales Mar 05, 2021

The next episode of HDYR is going to be our last (for now), so we thought it would be fitting to take a look back at some of our favorite series finales and discuss what made them so satisfying. Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Batman Forever Feb 19, 2021

After complaints that Batman Returns had been too traumatizing for younger viewers, Warner Bros. set a clear mandate for the next film in their flagship franchise: lighter, brighter, and more fun. Desperate to move away from the gloomier aesthetic of Tim Burton’s first two entries, the studio turned to Joel Schumacher - a director whose pop sensibilities were more in line with pushing happy meals and action figures. Batman Forever was an absolutely massive hit at the box office in the summer of 1995, but it remains a divisive installment amongst fans. Join us as unpack its complicated legacy and also clear up some misconceptions about its development and production. Topics include: whether or not there was ever actually any version of “Tim Burton’s Batman 3", how late into pre-production Michael Keaton dropped out and what that meant for the film, the much different story Schumacher initially pitched, some insane stories of the tension behind the scenes, the mishandling of Harvey Dent/Two-Face, the challenge of bringing Robin into live-action, alternate casting choices, how we felt about this new approach to the series as kids, where it ranks for us now, and much more!

Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

A message from Chris, Donna, and Carlos Feb 09, 2021

An important announcement from the HDYR gang.

Dead Poets Society Feb 05, 2021

Carpe Diem, friends! The three of us all remembered the iconic lines and moments peppered throughout Dead Poets Society, but not much else. It turns out there's a pretty good explanation for that. Peter Weir's film is a stacked deck in terms of its cast (especially the Oscar-nominated performance of Robin Williams), but does it actually engage with any of the ideas it espouses in its numerous sentimental platitudes? And does that ultimately even matter if there are so many other aspects of this that work? Topics include: the truly bizarre notes the studio had on how to improve the script, the type of career Robert Sean Leonard seemed destined for in the late 80s, the importance of establishing a clear audience identification character in a story like this, the response to Williams' performance at the time, actors who find out they've been cut from a film at the very last minute, and much more! Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Dirty Dancing Jan 22, 2021

We're having the time of our lives with one of the most requested titles in the history of this podcast. Yes, we swear - it's the truth! And we owe it all to you. Topics include: how the director wound up using the real life tension between stars Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey to the film's advantage, the adverse conditions the production faced and where that's reflected in the movie, how many elements of this the screenwriter pulled from her own life, some mixed feelings about the inclusion of 80s pop music in an otherwise period appropriate, the maligned prequel, how shocked we were to discover just how much further this franchise has expanded beyond that, and more!

Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Dec 18, 2020

It’s a holiday classic that’s become quintessential viewing every holiday season, but at the time Warner Bros. wasn’t even sure they wanted another Vacation movie. After the lukewarm response to European Vacation, the studio spent several years dragging their feet on the prospect of a second sequel.

After they realized that 1989 had a surprising lack of holiday-themed movies from their competitors, they finally came around on the idea of getting the Griswold clan back together for Christmas Vacation. And what a lucrative decision that turned out to be! Not only did the film easily outgross its predecessor, it’s also now firmly entrenched in the pantheon of must-watch Christmas movies.

Topics include: the friction with Chevy Chase that caused the original director to quit right before filming began, how we reckon with hearing stories like that about actors or celebrities we were fans of, the bittersweet quality certain aspects of this took on watching it under our current circumstances, a couple of otherwise great scenes that feel like they happen in the wrong order, the original ending to the first film that was repurposed for this entry and whether or not it works better here, where this lands in our ranking of the Vacation movies, and more!

Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot Nov 26, 2020

It's time to dig into this year's cinematic turkey and you'd be hard-pressed to find a more deserving title than Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot. It wasn't just a commercial disappointment upon its initial release, it's also still widely regarded as one of the worst films ever made. So what exactly went wrong here? The film was certainly never going to be amazing, but it had all the ingredients to at least be fun and enjoyable. It has all the posturing of a broad studio comedy and plenty of solid set ups for jokes, but it's as if somewhere along the way they just forgot to include punchlines. Topics include: why Sylvester Stallone might be the film's harshest critic, the insane story of how Arnold Schwarzenneger tricked him into taking this role, why Estelle Getty was really the only one effected by the movie's poor reception, the irony that one of the writers went on to pen a very popular book on screenwriting, whether or not this is actually one of the worst movies ever made (is it even Stallone's worst movie?), and more! As mentioned on the show, the first episode of Chris and Kristen's web series The Strange Case of Lucy Chandler is out now! Watch it here: https://www.27thLetterProductions.com/lucychandler Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Explorers Nov 13, 2020

It should have been the next E.T. Instead, Explorers is a film that many of you have probably never even heard of. How is it that a sci-fi/adventure movie from the director of Gremlins and featuring the big screen debuts of Ethan Hawke and River Phoenix hasn't garnered more notoriety? The answer unfortunately arrives once the film enters its final act. Explorers was taken away from Dante during post-production and as a result, nearly an hour's worth of material wasn't just excised... it was never even finished. You'll spend the first 2/3 wondering why this isn't a bonafide classic and the final 1/3 bemoaning all of that wasted potential. The studio's mismanagement of Explorers is heartbreaking, but despite all of the missed opportunities, this was a beloved staple of Chris's childhood and he thinks there's still enough about it that works to recommend more people check it out. Topics include: why it was actually the studio's faith in the film that caused all of its problems, the subplot we're most upset they were forced to ditch, how all of the loose threads were tied up in the original ending, Jerry Goldsmith's incredible score, recent plans for some type of remake, and more! As mentioned on the show, the first episode of Chris and Kristen's web series The Strange Case of Lucy Chandler is out now! Watch it here: https://www.27thLetterProductions.com/lucychandler Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

I Know What You Did Last Summer Oct 30, 2020

Happy Halloween, friends! This year we're headed to the coastal town of Southport for a look back at I Know What You Did Last Summer. Loosely based on Lois Duncan's novel of the same name, it was the second smash hit for Scream creator Kevin Williamson. The impressive box office numbers were offset by less-than-favorable reviews, especially in comparison to Williamson's more sophisticated debut. And although IKWYDLS was just the first of many teen-centric horror films that tried to capitalize on Scream's success in the late 90s, this one might have more going for it than you remember. Topics include: Duncan's reaction to her young adult thriller being transformed into a slasher film, a young cast that was right on the cusp of super-stardom, whether or not The Fisherman is a credible slasher icon, why this has more in common with a high-concept thriller than it does a Friday the 13th movie, the lackluster sequels, the upcoming TV series, and much more! As mentioned on the show, the first episode of Chris and Kristen's web series The Strange Case of Lucy Chandler is out now! Watch it here: https://www.27thLetterProductions.com/lucychandler Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Darkest Child by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3615-darkest-child License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Weird Science Sep 11, 2020

The Breakfast Club and Weird Science were both released in 1985 and it's sort of apparent which one writer/director John Hughes was more invested in. Although he was well known for having an insanely fast turnaround time on his screenplays, it sounds like he would have been the first to admit that this one could have used a little bit more work. The accelerated production schedule was part of an overall deal he made with Universal and the experience definitely took a toll on him. It may also have contributed to the falling out he had with Anthony Michael Hall during filming, which meant this was their final collaboration. And in the end, Hughes didn't even get final cut on the film. So even though it's still revered by those who grew up with it, it's hard not to notice how different it is from the other teen-centric comedies he made around this time. Topics include: why Kelly LeBrock originally turned down the role of Lisa and how they spent several weeks shooting with a different actress in that role, the unusual reason the bar scene was added to the film, some mixed feelings about Lisa's powers, how this almost feels like two different premises awkwardly stitched together, the TV series that ran for several seasons, a remake that never came to fruition, and much more! Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

A Knight's Tale Aug 28, 2020

The marketing for A Knight's Tale sold the film as a raucous, rock 'n roll jousting movie. Although its anachronistic soundtrack features some pretty catchy needle drops, all of us walked away from this one feeling like we didn't really get the movie we were promised. It sort of bails on that main conceit halfway through, but the good news is that there's still a lot about this that works as a more straightforward period piece. Topics include: the director's explanation for utilizing a more modern soundtrack and how he responded to criticisms of that decision, the incredible "before they were famous" cast and the teen idol phase of Heath Ledger's career, the surprisingly long running time and some indications that some of this may have been dramatically shuffled around in editing, a couple of deleted scenes we really wish they had made room for, and much more! Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

The Boy Who Could Fly Aug 14, 2020

This one's probably a deep cut for some of our listeners, but there are probably just as many of you out there who remember when this was in constant rotation on The Disney Channel. The Boy Who Could Fly has some surprisingly heavy subject matter considering its target demographic, but even more surprising is how effectively the film manages to hold all of that together. Thanks to some incredibly deft direction, what could have easily spun out into melodrama instead feels genuine and pretty darn heartwarming. Topics include: the PSA that used to run before the movie and why that maybe wasn't the worst idea in the world, unintended consequences of action figure funerals, how seeing more of the kids at school could have streamlined and clarified certain plot points, what other powers Eric might secretly be harboring, and much more! Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

The Best Movies That Were Never Made Aug 04, 2020

Since we had to scrap the episode that we'd originally planned to release due to technical difficulties, we thought this was a fitting subject to explore. Hollywood history is loaded with so many interesting stories of roads not taken. There have been so many films that were announced, developed, and sometimes even started shooting that just never made it across the finish line for one reason or another. On this episode, we're highlighting some of the most tantalizing examples of this. And as mentioned, here’s the link to Innsmouth: Beneath the Surface by Megan K.S. Roberts. Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

HDYR: Off The Clock - Double Features Jul 22, 2020

The show will be back next week, but in the meantime we wanted to release something to help hold you over. This is one of our Off The Clock bonus episodes from Patreon where we each took turns suggesting movies that pair well with one another. And if you're already a patron, we've got something new for you as well. The latest episode of Off The Clock just went up last night so check your feeds! Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Twins Jun 26, 2020

Twins wasn't technically Arnold Schwarzenegger's first foray into comedy, but it was the first time he was deliberately playing against type after establishing himself as an icon in the action genre. He also knew this was all a little outside his wheelhouse, so he really stacked the deck when it came to the director, his co-stars, and an unlikely mentor that helped him hone his comedic chops. Topics include: an investigation into this film's unusual connection to Suburban Commando, how Twins wound up netting Arnold a bigger payday than any of his previous movies, some surprising evidence that Cormac McCarthy may have been a huge fan of this film, whether or not this much backstory was required to justify the pretty straightforward premise, the long in development sequel, and more! Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Uncle Buck Jun 12, 2020

Home Alone's meteoric success in the winter of 1990 took John Hughes by surprise. It also (for better or worse) set the latter half of his career down a slightly different path. So in some ways, 1989's Uncle Buck represents the end of an era. On this episode, we examine how Hughes and his frequent collaborator John Candy straddle the line between the writer/director's golden age of output and the type of comedy that would define the next decade of his career. Topics include: Hughes' original (and somewhat surprising) choice for the title role, the studio's even more unusual pick, how an abandoned high school was transformed into a mini-movie studio, why Candy's performance doesn't totally match what's on the page and how that's ultimately a good thing, the ways in which a more formulaic structure might have actually helped this story, why there was never an Uncle Buck 2 despite Hughes' interest, and much more! Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Demolition Man May 29, 2020

When we revisited Judge Dredd for the podcast, we couldn't help but notice how much of it seemed like a less successful version of Demolition Man. Since then, we've been anxious to rewatch this one to see how accurate that assessment was. "Prescient" is not a word you'd expect to use when describing one of Stallone's overblown early 90s blockbusters, but it turns out Demolition Man is full of surprises. Topics include: the film's origins as a fairly straightforward sci-fi movie and how it evolved into a more satirical (and action-heavy) look at the future, a key subplot that was removed from the final cut, the unintended confusion caused by its absence, why the final act doesn't quite live up to the promise of the first 2/3, some unusual alternate casting choices, Stallone's intentions to develop a sequel, and more! Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

The Sixth Sense May 15, 2020

M. Night Shymalan has become a somewhat controversial figure and he's certainly had his share of ups and downs as a filmmaker, but way back in 1999, no one was walking into The Sixth Sense with any preconceived notions or expectations. In fact, it was probably the last time that would be the case for any of his movies. The twist ending played like gangbusters and the resulting word of mouth transformed this modestly-budgeted thriller into the second highest grossing film of the year. Of course, this one has a lot more going for it than its big reversal, but somewhere along the way we reduced its pop culture cache to that final scene and the line "I see dead people". So let's go back and figure out how The Sixth Sense pulled off its magic trick, why repeat viewings are just as rewarding, and what makes Shymalan such a polarizing filmmaker. Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Space Jam May 01, 2020

It's taken almost 25 years to get a Space Jam sequel off the ground and if you're wondering why Warner Bros. just wouldn't let it go, consider this - when you factor in all of the merchandising and licensing deals, this movie has generated around SIX BILLION DOLLARS worth of revenue! If you were a kid in the fall of 1996, this was probably the biggest thing happening in your world. Doubly so if, like us, you grew up in the Chicagoland area and were already invested in the Bulls and Michael Jordan. Although the idea of combining one larger than life brand (Jordan) with another (the Looney Tunes) goes back to the popular Hare Jordan Superbowl commercial, there was actually more to the timing of this film than meets the eye. We take a look at what was going on in Jordan's career leading up to this and how those events might help explain some of the choices they made with this movie. Topics include: the film's inescapable marketing campaign, the soundtrack, new (and bizarre) revelations about the Looney Tunes gang, why so many people in the industry were skeptical of this, how Bill Murray's one-scene cameo expanded into a bona fide supporting role, why it took so long to get a direct sequel made, the anthology approach they almost took instead, and much more!

Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Hackers Apr 03, 2020

The mid-90s saw a wave of cyber thrillers that seemed fearful and paranoid about the decade's emerging new technology - The Net, Johnny Mnemonic, Disclosure, Virtuosity, etc. At first glance, Hackers probably seemed like it was just trying to cash-in on that trend. The reality is that had the studio not gotten cold feet, it would have been the first one out of the gate. There's no guarantee that would have helped it fare any better at the box office, but it might have prevented the film from getting lumped in with its more pessimistic contemporaries. Because that's the key distinction with Hackers - this isn't a warning, it's a celebration. It has a genuine affection for this subculture and wants the audience to be just as excited about it as these characters are. That's a big reason the movie still has a following 25-years-later.

So what's the verdict? An ahead-of-its-time cult classic or a crash & burn? Let's find out. Topics include: the studio's unexpected support for casting unknown actors in the lead roles, the teen movie tropes that work against one of the larger themes they're exploring, why The Plague never really registers as a credible threat, the point where the film becomes concerned with plot over character, why this all still ultimately works in spite of that, and much more!

Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Godzilla (1998) Mar 20, 2020

Back in 1998, hearing that the team responsible for Independence Day was now mounting a big budget American remake of Godzilla was actually pretty exciting. There was a great teaser trailer, a chart-topping soundtrack album, and a genuine curiosity about this top secret new creature design they were keeping under wraps. And then we saw it. To say Godzilla was a disappointment would be a massive understatement. Fans quickly dubbed this new iteration G.I.N.O. (Godzilla In Name Only) and poor word of mouth contributed to a much lower than expected box office take.

All these years later, we had to find out if it was as bad as we remembered and whether or not its reputation was deserved. We also track the evolution of this project and how it transformed from a more faithful adaptation of the Japanese films into... this.

Topics include: why it took so long for an American version to get the green light, the original creative team that was involved and how their version of the movie fell apart, the reason Godzilla's rights holders signed off on such a revisionist take on the material, how an accelerated production schedule left them no time to revise their script or hold test screenings, the traps most Godzilla movies tend to fall into, and much more!

Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Police Academy Mar 06, 2020

Quite frankly, this franchise was a bit of a blur for all of us. Seven movies, a TV series, a Saturday morning cartoon... at a certain point it all starts to run together a little bit. And yet, this original film does have a few key differences from everything else that would follow - not the least of which is its R-rating. Police Academy was initially conceived as a way to capitalize on the success of raunchy comedies like Bachelor Party and Porky's, but the director wasn't a fan of that style of humor and tried to steer this in a less vulgar direction. As it turns out, you can definitely feel that struggle in the finished product. Topics include: the real life event that inspired the premise of the film, how the director's unfamiliarity with the genre both helps and hurts the movie, the scenes he (unsuccessfully) lobbied the producers to remove, why just sticking to the formula may have been the best course of action in this case, how this was sustained for six sequels, what a reboot might look like, and much more! Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Fast Times at Ridgemont High Feb 21, 2020

We didn't intentionally pick two Amy Heckerling movies back-to-back, but it certainly made for an interesting comparison. On this episode, we're revisiting her imminently quotable debut feature - Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Although this frequently gets lumped together with certain John Hughes movies and other popular 80s teen comedies, Fast Times actually has a fairly different tone than a lot of those films. That's one of the reasons the three of us weren't exactly sure what to make of it on our initial viewings. Opinions have shifted over time, however, and there might even be more to appreciate about this one now than when we were the age of these characters. Topics include: Cameron Crowe's original novel and the unbelievable method he used to write it, how this is almost two different movies unfolding simultaneously and the way Crowe & Heckerling make that work, what this gets right about high school cliques, our own stories about teenage awkwardness, and much more! Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Look Who's Talking Feb 07, 2020

The late 80s and early 90s saw a deluge of movies and TV shows focused on working, single moms. Few films were able to capitalize on that niche as successfully as Look Who's Talking. On the surface, it's a broad comedy about a talking baby - but because writer/director Amy Heckerling was drawing from her own experiences as a new parent, it managed to tap into something a lot more genuine and heartfelt as well. Topics include: why most of the major studios passed on the script, the risk involved with hiring John Travolta at this point in his career, whether or not this premise requires such a complicated set-up, the two sequels, the TV show Baby Talk, the possibility of a remake, and more! Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Tremors Jan 24, 2020

Considering that this original film wasn't a gigantic hit at the box office, you might be surprised to learn that the Tremors franchise is now six films deep (with a seventh on the way). Like the Graboids themselves, this shockingly long-running series has operated mostly underground - it was one of the first major properties to take full advantage of sequels designed specifically for the burgeoning direct-to-video market and as a result, it's been quietly serving a fairly fervent fan base ever since. So on this episode, we're going back to where it all started just in time for Tremors' 30th anniversary. The horror/comedy hybrid is a notoriously tough nut to crack and this one walks that line better than most. We knew there was a lot of love for this movie, but we were still pretty blown away by just how competently crafted it was. Topics include: how the premise is basically a series of inversions of traditional horror movie tropes, why Tremors 2 made us remember Burt being a bigger part of this one than he actually is, the unusual problem with the original Graboid design, the interesting way the next two films in the series expand on the life cycle of these creatures, our nostalgia for terrible straight-to-video sequels, and much more! Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Return to Oz Jan 10, 2020

For those of us that were traumatized by this as kids, Return to Oz felt more like a shared psychosis than an actual movie. The whole thing just seemed too crazy to be real. But real it was. And unfortunately for the filmmakers, Disney decided to market this as a direct sequel to The Wizard of Oz despite the fact that it was never intended to be. So audiences went in expecting munchkins, lollipops, and rainbows and instead got electroshock therapy, wheelers, and disembodied heads. It had been ages since any of us had seen it and we were excited to find out how this plays when you divorce yourself from any expectations and take it on its own terms. Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Jerry Maguire Dec 30, 2019

After the commercial disappointment of his second feature film Singles, director Cameron Crowe couldn't help but notice how many fair weather friends were disappearing now that he was no longer the hot new kid in town. That realization lit the spark for what would become his next project - Jerry Maguire. It took several years before the initial idea evolved into a finished script and there were a lot of interesting changes along the way. We explore how a filmmaker with no interest in professional sports turned that into the perfect backdrop for this story. Topics include: the other A-list movie star Crowe wrote the title role for, the decision to start this film where any other movie about this guy would have ended, how shocked they were that "show me the money" became a catchphrase, the line they thought was going to be the most quoted, the difference between this era of Cameron Crowe's work and his more recent output, how much plot gets crammed into the third act, why the iconic climactic scene might be the wrong ending for this movie, and much more! Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Jingle All The Way Dec 13, 2019

We were all just a little bit too old for this one when it came out, but we always receive so many requests for it this time of year. As you'll soon discover, we didn't even really choose this one... it chose us. Topics include: the much darker version of this film peeking out around the edges, what our version of the Turbo Man toy was when we were kids, the direct-to-video sequel, why you should never drink eggnog lattes, whether this movie really deserves the reputation it has, and much more! Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Judge Dredd Nov 28, 2019

It's Thanksgiving here in the states and that means it's time for this year's cinematic turkey. And you'd be hard-pressed to find a film that's as overstuffed as 1995's Judge Dredd. If you were a fan of the character from his appearances in the comic book 2000 A.D., this was a pretty big betrayal of that source material. If you had no familiarity with it whatsoever, this was just an incoherent version of much better action/sci-fi movies. As a result, it was a critical and commercial disappointment. It's since transformed into a cult film and this entire run of bizarre 90s adaptations has almost become its own sub-genre. So what's the verdict on Judge Dredd all these years later? Topics include: how RoboCop derailed plans for this movie for many years, the big differences between the film and the comic, how so much more is being taken from those pages than you might realize, why some of the alterations probably felt like the right all at that time, whether or not the Karl Urban Dredd movie is ultimately any more faithful than this one, the other Stallone movie from this era that has more in common with 2000 A.D., and so much more! Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

The Terminator Nov 15, 2019

To coincide with the release of the latest Terminator movie, we decided to go back to where it all began - James Cameron's 1984 classic The Terminator. Given how elaborate and grandiose this franchise became, it's easy to forget just how lean and mean this original film is. It actually has more in common with Halloween than it does with the subsequent installments. Cameron was definitely borrowing some moves from John Carpenter's playbook, but also putting a brand new spin on a lot of familiar elements. The result is A+ execution of a B-movie premise. Topics include: Arnold Schwarzenegger originally being offered the role of Reese, the studio's first choice for the role of The Terminator, how incredibly this story unfolds and trying to imagine seeing it for the first time with no pre-existing knowledge of any Terminator movies, structural similarities to T2, what the more recent sequels have gotten wrong about Sarah Connor, and much more! Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic!

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The Fly Oct 31, 2019

Happy Halloween! Although David Cronenberg's 1986 remake of The Fly is more interested in exploring existential horrors, its central theme of transformation still made it feel like an appropriate pick for the holiday. It's gory, it's gruesome, and Cronenberg's one-of-a-kind sensibilities are anchored by three incredible lead performances that approach this somewhat hokey premise with total sincerity. Topics include: the unlikely benefactor behind the film, the resistance to casting Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis, how their real life relationship effected the production, some of the more infamous deleted scenes, alternate endings, unmade sequels, and more!

Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic!

Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Addams Family Values Oct 18, 2019

We're back from our hiatus and we can't wait to tell you all about our trip to Camp Chippewa! The first Addams Family movie was definitely a very successful update to this creepy & kooky clan, but we're of the opinion that this sequel is where director Barry Sonnenfeld and his amazing cast really hit their stride.

Topics include: why you've never heard the episode we recorded for the first Addams Family, the reason we're okay with them recycling certain plot points for this follow up, Wednesday's expanded role, the unbridled genius of Joan Cusack, the strange story of why this ends with one of the worst and laziest tie-in songs ever written, the third Addams Family movie that went straight-to-video, and much more!

Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic!

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Bonus Episode - Solo: A Star Wars Story Sep 17, 2019

In case you missed the announcement at the end of our last episode, HDYR is on hiatus this month. We'll be back in October, but in the meantime we thought we'd share one of our Patreon episodes with you as a bonus. Our patrons get two of these every month plus a ton of other fun extras. To sign up, visit patreon.com/heydoyouremember. We'll talk you to soon, friends!

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Risky Business Aug 30, 2019

Although it sometimes gets relegated to being another run-of-the-mill 80s teen comedy, Risky Business actually has a lot more going for it. The visuals, the score, the writing... across the board, this is probably a lot more sophisticated than a lot of people remember. It certainly wasn't what any of us were expecting the first time we watched it, but it definitely made an impression. How does it fare almost 40 years later? Let's find out... Topics include: our initial expectations that this was going to be closer in tone to a John Hughes movie, some interesting recollections from the cast about working with Tom Cruise, our own memories of being left home alone at this age, the alternate ending, the return of Role Reversal, and much more! Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic!

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Reservoir Dogs Aug 16, 2019

Reservoir Dogs was matched by the amount of controversy it generated. This mean-spirited little movie made a great big impact on audiences and critics and it completely changed the landscape of independent cinema. A few of the edges may have been dulled over the years, but the most interesting thing about the film now is just how many of the elements that would go on to define Tarantino's career were already here right from the jump. Topics include: the even scrappier version of this they almost made and how one phone call changed everything, why the non-linear approach to the storytelling heightens almost every aspect of this, our varying thresholds for just how cruel it gets, which part Tarantino originally wanted to play himself, deleted scenes, and much more!

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High Fidelity Aug 02, 2019

High Fidelity has been on our list since the very first year of this podcast, so we knew all three of us were fans. What was interesting to discover though was just how dramatically our feelings about John Cusack's character have shifted over the years. The film definitely still works, but in a completely different way than it did when we were in our 20s.

Topics include: the novel this is based on by Nick Hornby, the filmmakers decision to move the setting from London to Chicago, what it was like spending some of our formative years in the neighborhood where this takes place, the surprising number of deleted scenes, how the final act sets this apart from other similar movies, and much more!

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Ocean's Eleven Jul 19, 2019

The HDYR gang's playing like there's nothing to lose with a look back at Steven Soderbergh's 2001 remake of Ocean's Eleven. I know, I know... we can't believe this one's eligible either. Topics include: key differences between this version and the original, why this film's particular brand of escapism hit at exactly the right time, alternate casting choices for a lot of these roles, your Real Life Retweets, and much more!

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Introducing ROGUES GALLERY Jul 12, 2019

Chris has teamed up with Kristen & Mike from The Sunnydale Stacks for a brand new podcast called Rogues Gallery. On each episode, they’ll investigate pop culture’s most memorable villains, antiheroes, and misunderstood monsters to figure out how they make being bad look so good. The first official episode will be released on Wednesday, July 17th, but you can subscribe right now anywhere you get your podcasts. After that, follow the show on social media to get more info on upcoming suspects, join the hosts for post-episode discussions, and a ton of other fun surprises!

Subscribe to Rogues Gallery: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Google Play | Spotify Social Media Links: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Top Gun Jul 05, 2019

We're feeling the need for speed on this week's episode. Three decades later, Maverick remains one of the roles that Tom Cruise is most recognized for and the style of filmmaking that movies like this helped usher in is still being imitated in modern blockbusters. It's a great big serving of 80s cheese, so let's see if Top Gun is still the best of the best or if we've lost that loving feeling. Topics include: the influx of commercial directors from the UK to Hollywood and how their sensibilities helped shape modern filmmaking, the Pentagon's final approval over the script and what elements they wanted changed, the insurmountable problem the love story subplot faces, whether or not Iceman might actually be the only one making sense here, why we're intrigued by the upcoming sequel, and much more!

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My Girl Jun 21, 2019

It's the movie traumatized a generation of children. Although it may not pack the same emotional punch now that we're all grown up, there's still a lot to love about My Girl.

Topics include: how difficult it was to come up with a title for this movie and some of the more unusual options they considered, how reading the novelization first sort of ruined Chris' first viewing of this, a score so overbearing even Donna noticed it, the number of subplots that don't really go anywhere, why Richard Masur is the low key MVP of this film, how each of us reacted to the ending as kids, and much more!

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First Blood Jun 07, 2019

Nothing is over! Nothing! And as the recently released trailer for Rambo: Last Blood proves, that certainly applies to this franchise. But before the latest installment hits theaters this fall, we decided to go all the way back to where it all began. This original film is now strangely the outlier in this franchise - a relatively grounded and character-driven story that actually has something pretty compelling to say. If you've never seen it, you might be surprised how dramatically First Blood flies in the face of most people's preconceived notions about this series. Topics include: the major differences between the film and the novel that it's based on, the legendary actor who was cast as Trautman and why he walked off the set, the drastically different endings that were considered, the original three hour long cut, how the sequels shifted everyone's perceptions of this character, Rambo's Saturday morning cartoon, and much more!

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The Outsiders May 24, 2019

A legendary director adapting a bestselling novel with a cast of soon-to-be A-list movie stars? How could you not be on board with this? As it turns out, Chris & Donna's love for S.E. Hinton's book made it hard to get into this when they were kids. And Carlos was so unfamiliar with the whole thing that he thought this movie might be about vampires. So we really had no idea how this was going to play for us.

Topics include: how a librarian from a small school in Fresno, California helped get this movie made, the new cut of this Coppola released in 2005 and how it fixes a lot of the film's major issues, why the theatrical version was trimmed so excessively, some theories about why the performances are a little hammy, and much more!

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The Dark Crystal May 10, 2019

We've been getting requests for this one ever since we covered Labyrinth five years ago. As you're about to discover, there's a pretty surprising reason it took this long. Nevertheless, the time has come to do a deep dive on one of Jim Henson's proudest (and most polarizing) achievements.

Topics include: why it was so important to conceptualize this world before developing the story, how a metaphysical being named Seth influenced the film's themes, what makes the dark crystal "dark", the numerous changes they made for the theatrical cut after a disastrous test screening, all the ways in which the lore has been expanded upon in other media, and much more!

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Hellboy Apr 26, 2019

Hard to believe this one’s eligible isn’t it? We had the same reaction. Of course part of that is that until very recently, there was still some small chance we might eventually get del Toro’s Hellboy III. So even though it’s been over a decade since the last installment in this series, it didn’t feel quite like a bygone era yet. We get into all the factors that led to them rebooting the franchise instead of carrying on with this continuity, but more relevant to this conversation, we also explore why certain fans of Mike Mignola’s comic boom series always had mixed feeling over how del Toro adapted the material. We even brought our own preconceived notions into this. It had been a long time since we’d seen either of the original Hellboy movies and we felt pretty certain that the sequel was far superior to this initial outing. Is that still the case? And separate from its deviations from the source material, does this still work as a film on its own terms? Let’s find out! Other topics include: the way del Toro incorporates and remixes elements from the comic without borrowing anything verbatim, the changes that even Hellboy’s creator thought were an improvement, the pros and cons of shooting in Prague, some really intriguing set up for all of these characters that the film never really explores, creative concessions they made for the PG-13 rating, why del Toro isn’t 100% the victim in Hellboy III never getting made, and much more! Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic!

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The Fifth Element Apr 12, 2019

Like Mr. Shadow itself, The Fifth Element was something of an anomaly when it hit theaters in 1997 - a $90 million sci-fi spectacular that wasn't based on a pre-existing property. While that's technically true, there were some French comic book publishers who felt like Luc Besson's film crossed the line between homage and outright theft. We trace the project's origins to determine if there's any merit to those claims, see how well the movie holds up two decades later, and examine the myriad of reasons there was never a sequel. Topics include: how comics like Valerian and The Incal helped set the template for the look of this (and many other movies), why ditching the ex-military angle for Korben would really help clean up the first act, our initial reactions to Gary Oldman's performance and some confusion over what exactly his endgame here is, the realization that Leeloo really only has one big scene, the "born sexy yesterday trope", and much more! Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic!

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She's All That Mar 29, 2019

Ugly duckling or beautiful swan? We find out with this look back at She's All That - a late 90s teen romcom that paved the way for a slew of similar movies. Carlos has been waiting patiently for his chance to talk about Freddie Prinze Jr. on this podcast, so we went straight to the quintessential entry on his list of films from this era.

Topics include: the stage play this is based on and other notable interpretations of that work, how this script changed once the lead actors were cast, why the first twenty minutes feel so different from the rest of the film, the story behind that random choreographed dance number, the arguably even more random final act, and much more! Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic!

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D2: The Mighty Ducks Mar 15, 2019

When we covered the first Mighty Ducks two years ago, we acknowledged that there was a pretty strong consensus that D2 was the superior film. It had also been at least twenty years since any of us had seen this movie. So it was time to find out how well this one held up to a more objective viewing and whether or not this is indeed the high water mark of the series. Topics include: why we liked this one better as kids, the missing Ducks that no one even mentions, why 60% of Team USA being made up of ONE team from Minnesota is a little bonkers, a really simple change that would have prevented the plot from essentially being a retread of the first one, Jan's dark backstory, why a third installment was always going to feel underwhelming, and much more! Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic!

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Raiders of the Lost Ark Mar 01, 2019

To celebrate our 150th episode, the HDYR gang decided it was time to go on a long overdue adventure with our old pal, Indy. Not unlike Star Wars, this property was such a constant in our lives that we've always regarded it as something so much larger than any one film. Which is why it's so fascinating to go back to where it all began and really examine Raiders of the Lost Ark on its own terms. For as much as the first three films in the series have in common, this one really does stand apart for several important reasons. It's a milestone movie for a milestone episode, so let's get the boulder rolling!

Topics include: the original choice for the role of Indiana Jones, how the first fifteen minutes are a microcosm of the entire film, the really important bit of exposition about the ark that they cut out, the elaborate sequence that was almost entirely improvised, whether or not there's any weight to the argument that Indy has no effect on the plot, the big reason Kingdom of the Crystal Skull feels so different from the others, and much more! Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic!

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Stand By Me Feb 15, 2019

We've been getting requests for Stand By Me since this podcast launched and it's easy to see why. This is a film that seems tailor made for the premise of this show. One of the benefits to holding off on it for this long is that we've already covered so many of the other "kids on an adventure" movies from this era and now we can really highlight what sets this one apart. So grab your gear and follow us down the tracks. Don't worry, we brought the comb. Topics include: realizing that Stephen King didn't just write horror stories, differences between this and his original novella, the tragedy of River Phoenix, why Teddy was the most difficult character to cast, how this becomes a completely different film the older you get, the very different version of this that almost materialized before director Rob Reiner got involved, and much more! Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

The Mask Feb 01, 2019

1994 was a very good year for Jim Carrey. Ace Ventura,The Mask, and Dumb & Dumber were all released within the span of eleven months and established him as a comedic force to be reckoned with. Although it might be argued that the other two films have had more resonance, The Mask was the most critically and commercially successful at the time. Which is why it's pretty crazy to consider that it was almost a completely different movie altogether. Based on a hyper-violent splatterpunk comic of the same name, New Line Cinema initially saw The Mask as a successor to their A Nightmare on Elm Street series. They even tapped Nightmare 3 director Chuck Russell to helm it. Like the title character, however, it eventually transformed into something else entirely. So join us as we investigate the property's comic book origins, its journey to the big screen, and why this is maybe one occasion where diverging this dramatically from the source material was a good decision. Topics include: some of the more unusual approaches to the film before they settled on an overtly comedic tone, why Carrey was still a risky proposition at this point, who else they considered for the role of Stanley, the one scene the studio really wanted them to cut, key differences between the film and the original comic mini-series, some of the surprising elements that carry over, the planned sequel that Carrey bailed on, and much more! Check it out! You can now get HDYR merch exclusively through TeePublic! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi Jan 18, 2019

It's time to bring this saga to a close. We conclude our retrospective of the original Star Wars trilogy by trying to decide how successfully Return of the Jedi sticks the landing. For some, this is still an above-average entry in the franchise. For others, it's the first sign of George Lucas' worst impulses as a storyteller and a harbinger for what was to follow. No matter which camp you fall into, there's probably a lot about how this concluding chapter came together that might surprise you. So buckle up and prepare for the jump to lightspeed... this one goes deep. Topics include: the early drafts of the original Star Wars that Lucas mined for ideas when writing this film, why they settled on another Death Star as the central threat when there were more intriguing options, all of the lingering story threads from The Empire Strikes Back that were just abandoned, Lucas' first choice for a new director, the real problem with the Ewoks, the truly great story that's peeking out from around the edges of this script, and much more! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer Dec 21, 2018

Happy Holidays, friends! This year the HDYR gang meets up with a few other misfits in Christmastown for a look back at the Rankin/Bass claymation classic, Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer. It’s aired on CBS every single year since 1964, but there have been quite a few nips, tucks, additions, and subtractions in that time. We go over all of the different versions, some of the more problematic elements that modern audiences might get hung up on, and debate how successfully they expanded on the premise of a pretty threadbare poem/song. Topics include: Burl Ives and his grudge against storks, the grumpiest little Santa Claus this side of the North Pole, the problem with having everyone behave like a monster towards Rudolph, the oddly cruel ending for the film’s actual monster, whether or not the island of misfit toys should have been saved for their own movie, the other Rankin/Bass holiday specials, and much more! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Spider-Man Nov 30, 2018

On our Batman & Robin episode, we mentioned how part of the fallout of that film was that suddenly these adaptations were a little apprehensive about getting too comic book-y. To that end, movies like Blade and X-Men wound up taking some pretty extreme liberties with their source material. They were dark... they were fairly humorless... and there was this sense that the people behind them were maybe a little embarrassed of their origins. It was into that landscape that Sam Raimi's original Spider-Man was released - a film so loud and proud in its faithfulness to the comics that it took a lot of us by surprise. Not only did it stand in stark contrast to its contemporaries, it also laid the groundwork for the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we know it today. But that was sixteen years ago. Where does this one fit in now that this character has appeared in eight live-action films where he's been played by three different actors? Does it still pack the same punch that it did back in 2002 or has the genre evolved too far past this point? Topics include: a tribute to Stan Lee, other filmmakers who were approached about directing this and what their version might have looked like, the era of Spider-Man comics that Raimi was drawing from and how those differed from some of the more modern interpretations, reservations about the Green Goblin's costume and other ways they could have taken it, how we feel about Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst in the lead roles, why these movies were always in such a hurry to get Peter out of high school, how this set the template for the Marvel films that followed it, and much more! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Street Fighter Nov 16, 2018

For a movie called Street Fighter, there aren't many streets and there's even less fighting. When it comes to liberties taken with the source material, however, that's only scratching the surface. After the meteoric success of the Street Fighter II video game, a live-action feature film was all but inevitable - but Capcom's guiding hand in the movie's development quickly became a clenched fist that suffocated all the life out of this once-promising project. For this Thanksgiving's cinematic turkey, we breakdown all of the pitfalls, poor decisions, and bad luck that plagued this production every step of the way. Grab your forks and knives because you're in for a feast. Topics include: why no iteration of this was ever going to be a tournament movie, the desire to streamline the roster of characters for the sake of clarity and why that didn't happen, the inexplicable decision to make Guile the main character, the catastrophic effect Raul Julia's illness had on their shooting schedule, the real reason each character doesn't have their own unique fighting style, what the Mortal Kombat movie understood about these types of adaptations, and so much more! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Election Nov 02, 2018

The HDYR gang is off to the polls with a look back at Alexander Payne's subversive comedy Election. Nearly every step of the way, the film (and the novel it was based on) faced the same problem - the perception that it was a more run-of-the-mill teen comedy. The marketing department wasn't sure how to sell the movie and as a result, the film tanked at the box office. In the years since its release, Election's reputation has continued to grow. It's influenced other writers, directors, actors, and even some fairly notable politicians. How does it play twenty years later? How much has changed? And how much has remained eerily the same?

Topics include: the real life events that inspired the novel, the surprising and charming story of how Chris Klein was cast in the film, the original choice for the role of Tammy, how this film masters the difference between showing vs telling, the total lack of any wasted screen time, and so much more! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Bonus Episode: Halloween (2018) Oct 26, 2018

Bonus Episode! Kristen & Mike from The Sunnydale Stacks podcast join Chris for a conversation about the brand new Halloween. Which is not to be confused with Halloween (1978). Or Halloween (2007). And even though this is technically Halloween II, it has nothing to do with Halloween II (1981). Or Halloween II (2009). Join us as we traverse all the twists, turns, tricks, and treats of this choose-your-own-adventure franchise!

Topics include: the pros & cons of the decision to ignore all of the other sequels, the unproduced scripts that were commissioned before this one was greenlit, the inevitable comparisons to H20 and where we stand on the matter, John Carpenter's score, where the franchise goes from here, and much much more! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Psycho Oct 19, 2018

Psycho is the film (and maybe the one scene) Alfred Hitchcock is most identified with, despite the fact that it's something of an anomaly on his filmography. Deliberately pulpy and shot on the cheap, it would go on to become the legendary director's biggest success - as well as a masterclass in misdirection. These days, it's tough to find anyone who isn't familiar with all of the big twists and iconography, even if they've never actually seen this. There's also the fact that all of the material that was regarded as so dangerous and shocking in 1960 is downright quaint now. And yet... Psycho still packs a formidable punch. Why is that? Join us as we check into the Bates Motel to see if we can uncover some of the secrets hidden in that house on the top of the hill. Topics include: all of the imitators that made Hitchcock feel like he needed to reinvent himself, how hard Paramount tried to get out of this, the major deviations the screenwriter made from the novel, the two actors Hitchcock really loved and the two he really didn't, the many sequels, Gus Van Sant's controversial remake, the TV series, and much much more! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Interview with the Vampire Oct 05, 2018

We begin our run of Halloween episodes with a look back at Neil Jordan's adaptation of Anne Rice's bestselling novel Interview with the Vampire. The film was a big hit back in 1994, but efforts to capitalize on its success and turn The Vampire Chronicles into a franchise were somewhat in vain (get used to vampire puns btw). Which leaves this one, at least for the time being, as something of an anomaly. So has it aged as well as its lead characters? Have the numerous knock-offs or glut of other vampire fiction softened the edges of material that felt so shocking at the time? Topics include: Rice's objections to Tom Cruise being cast as Lestat, why Brad Pitt felt betrayed by the script, key differences between the film and the novel, what went wrong with the follow-up Queen of the Damned, a simple fix for the somewhat sluggish second half, whether or not TV is a better medium for this series, and much much more! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Kindergarten Cop Sep 21, 2018

No party poopers here, all three of us were big fans of Kindergarten Cop as kids. But a lot of parents? Not so much. All of the drugs, murder, and mayhem left many of them scratching their heads. Schwarzenegger felt the PG-13 rating hurt them at the box office, but director Ivan Reitman was adamant that the film didn't work without some of the more mature elements. Three decades later, we decided to find out which one of them we agree with or if this is even really an issue at all. Topics include: the star witness who doesn't actually witness anything, this film's connection to Silent Hill, some pretty unusual alternate choices for the role of John Kimball, why Arnold almost dropped out of the production, the confusing morality of the final showdown, and much much more! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Predator Sep 07, 2018

Considering all the obstacles that the cast and crew of Predator were up against during its production, the finished product could easily have been an unwatchable mess. Instead, it became a classic. There are some incredible behind-the-scenes stories, a handful of truly knockout action set pieces, a subversive undertone we might have missed as kids, and one of cinema's most memorable movie monsters at the center of it. Topics include: the original concept for the film's title character and how it nearly derailed the entire production, whether or not Billy was intended to be the main character at one point and how that might have helped the film, how little we actually learn about the creature and the strength of that simplicity, all the Alien vs Predator crossovers and the wasted potential of those films, and much much more! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Pulp Fiction Aug 24, 2018

There was certainly no sophomore slump for Quentin Tarantino. After the success of his debut feature Reservoir Dogs, he returned two years later with one of the most influential films of the last three decades - Pulp Fiction. The transgressive tone, hip lingo, and non-linear structure basically created an entirely new sub-genre of crime thriller. And yet - there were many detractors who felt this bold new voice in cinema was simply repackaging characters, moments, and even dialogue he'd seen in other movies. This is an interesting one to look back on now in the wake of all the rip-offs it inspired and even just in terms of how Tarantino evolved as a filmmaker after this. Topics include: the dire straits Travolta's career was in before this and how hard Tarantino had to fight for him, the original actor they had lined up to play Butch and how Bruce Willis' involvement changed the script, Spike Lee's ire towards Tarantino's work and whether or not some of that was justified, The Vega Brothers prequel that never materialized, your Real Life Retweets, and much much more! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Wayne's World Aug 10, 2018

ayne's World that really established the template SNL movies would follow for the next decade. It's also unquestionably one of the more successful entries in that pantheon. Although if we're being honest, that's not a very high bar to clear. So how does all of this play two decades later? Especially now that the counter-culture appeal of this style of comedy has been slightly diluted by how often Mike Myers returned to this same bag of tricks in other films. Topics include: the origins of the Wayne's World sketch, the surprisingly tense atmosphere behind-the-scenes, what we're told about the character of Stacy vs what we actually see, some early 90s foreshadowing of Chris' interest in podcasting, the less than enthusiastic response to Wayne's World 2, why Mike Myers and Dana Carvey stopped speaking for many years, the bits of this that still work, the moments that don't, and much much more! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Say Anything... Jul 27, 2018

Say Anything is a pretty impressive directorial debut for Cameron Crowe. Not only does it establish all of the hallmarks we now associate with his films, it also does so with more confidence than you usually see with a lot of first-time directors. Crowe's not taking his awkward first steps as a filmmaker. He pretty much hit his stride right out of the gate. Which is not to say there aren't aspects of this that seems a little awkward in retrospect. One of us had never seen this before and so there were a lot of things the other two had always taken at face value that were suddenly being called into question. Topics include: Crowe's process of finding his films during the editing process and the pros and cons of that approach, the backlash against characters like Lloyd Dobler in the current cultural landscape and whether or not he's a deserving target, our humiliating break-up stories, your most elaborate romantic gestures, real life retweets, and much much more! Patreon / iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

The Flintstones Jul 13, 2018

None of us had seen this movie since it was released in 1994 and although its reputation certainly preceded it, I'm not sure we understood the extent of what we were signing up for here when we picked it. It's not going to come as a surprise to anyone that this wasn't a particularly good movie, but The Flintstones is a really interesting counterpoint to some of the other big screen adaptations we've covered on this podcast. On a purely superficial level, this is a film that preserves everything about the cartoon its based on. And yet, it all falls completely flat. Why is that? We think the answer's pretty clear. Topics include: how The Grapes of Wrath influenced one of the earliest incarnations of this, the astounding number of writers that came and went from this project after that, the one really controversial casting choice, the glut of unnecessary subplots, why this all seems more like the plot for a sequel than the inaugural film in a franchise, and much much more!

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Footloose Jun 29, 2018

Well everyone certainly cut loose on this one. If you grew up with Footloose, it might not be easy to recognize how objectively insane this movie is. But oh baby, this is one wild ride with arguably two of the craziest scenes we've ever discussed on this podcast. Topics include: the real life story that inspired the film, Reverend Moore's surprisingly layered characterization, why Chuck becomes the main antagonist (and more importantly, why that's completely unnecessary), a lot of love for Chris Penn as Willard, some reservations about Ariel, the heartbreaking story hiding in the peripheral of this movie, the 2011 remake, and much much more!

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Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Jun 15, 2018

It's hard to believe that it's been fifteen years since Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was released. It's even hard to believe that a movie based on a theme park ride turned out to be this good. That was exactly the sort of cynicism facing the film when it became a sleeper hit in the summer of 2003. Initially dismissed as a misguided cash grab, Pirates went on to become a global phenomenon - based almost entirely on Johnny Depp's jaw-dropping performance as Jack Sparrow. A lot's changed since then though. Even as audiences grew weary of Captain Jack and this franchise, Disney kept churning out sequels. It's difficult to separate this original film from the diminishing returns of its successors and from the real life antics of Depp - but we're going to try. This original film is worth celebrating on its own terms and it's worth pointing out how this one succeeds where its follow-ups fail. Topics include: the lack of enthusiasm surrounding this project that nearly sent it straight-to-video, the panic at the studio over Johnny Depp's performance, how the sequels retroactively turned this into an intricately connected trilogy instead of treating it as the further adventures of these characters, why this was Zoe Saldana's first and last trip aboard The Black Pearl, the reason the final act feels a little too long, a round of Role Reversal, and much much more!

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Special Announcement Jun 04, 2018

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Face/Off Jun 01, 2018

Equally revered and reviled, Face/Off is emblematic of the overblown but undercooked action films that were dominating theaters in the late 90s. Director John Woo was already a legend back in Hong Kong, but he never had as much luck with his American-made films. This is definitely the best of that bunch, but one of the running themes in this episode is why so much of his style gets lost in the translation. There's also the Travolta/Cage of it all. Action movies aren't the only thing that's changed in the two decades since this was released. Our attitude towards these leading man has also shifted pretty dramatically. This represents a pretty interesting point in both of their careers and it's difficult not to let some of the present day baggage cast a shadow over their work here. Topics include: the two A-listers initially approached to star in this, why the original plan to set this in the future would have solved 80% of this story's logic issues, the much simpler way to get Pollux to talk, some baffling studio notes that Woo wisely ignored, why the action scenes in the back-half are beautiful but uninvolving, the confusing alternate ending, and much much more!

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Heathers May 18, 2018

There really isn't another film quite like Heathers. Sure, it gets referenced a lot when describing other teen movies, but the comparisons are largely superficial. There's an unmatched darkness swirling beneath the confectionery exterior of this that makes it hilarious and horrifying in equal measure. As we learned during our discussion, the first viewing can be a pretty jarring experience that takes some time to process. It was controversial when it was released thirty years ago, it became even more controversial as time went on, and now it's time for the HDYR gang to unpack Heathers and see what all the fuss is about. Topics include: how any expectations are immediately dashed by the opening moments, why this is more Carrie than Clueless, the recent stage and TV adaptations, alternate casting choices for the roles of Veronica and J.D., whether or not one of the original endings has a little bit more bite, how real life events changed the way we feel about certain aspects of all of this, and much much more!

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The Karate Kid Apr 20, 2018

This one's been a long time coming and now the HDYR gang is finally ready to take on those punks from Cobra Kai. It had been ages since any of us had seen The Karate Kid and although we all expected to have a good time with it, we were pretty surprised by just how well-made this original film is. Topics include: how director John G. Avildsen shot a rehearsal of the entire movie with the principal cast before production officially began, the pervasive belief that Daniel might be the real bully here, the ultra-important scene that the studio wanted to cut, the almost-as-important moment that is missing, how transforming into one of the most memorable antagonists of the 80s effected William Zabka's real life, a round of 2 Truths 1 Lie, and much much more!

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My Cousin Vinny Apr 06, 2018

You come from New York. You killed a good-ole-boy. There is no way this is not going to trial. And the only guy standing between you and the electric chair? My Cousin Vinny. Extrapolated from a handful of experiences the screenwriter had in real life and fact-checked by a director who went to law school, this 1992 fish-out-of-water comedy provides a surprisingly accurate portrayal of a criminal trial. The real draw here, however, is of course the pitch-perfect casting of Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei. And yet... Pesci was not the first choice for the title role and Tomei's character was nearly cut from the script. Development was a weird and wild ride and this is a great example of the alchemy involved in filmmaking. Topics include: the chance meeting that inspired the story, a stereotype about Italian mothers that created structural issues, some really interesting alternate casting choices, a sequel that was written but never filmed, the unusual way Pesci did reprise this role, and much much more!

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The Wizard Mar 23, 2018

We've watched some truly insane movies for this podcast, but we've never experienced anything like The Wizard. There isn't one single aspect of this that makes a lick of sense - not the characters, their relationships, the dialogue, or even the way it handles video games. But the lunacy of it all is so much fun that the movie becomes incredibly watchable.

When this was released back in 1989, Nintendo was pretty much the biggest thing happening on the planet. So the film does provide a really interesting snapshot of that era. But it also gave us sooooo much more. Buckle up, friends. This movie is nuts. Topics include: the most complicated backstory any family in any movie has ever had, the problem with Putnam's role in the story, the story beats stolen from Rain Man and Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, the freedom Nintendo gave the filmmakers, our childhood reactions to the reveal of Super Mario Bros 3, the bizarre origin story of Mario 2, the disappointing reality of the power glove, and much much more!

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The Cutting Edge Mar 09, 2018

If you had to guess which one of us watched a romantic comedy about figure skating over and over again as a kid, you probably wouldn't go with Chris. And yet... His little sister's love for this film meant that it was always on and so eventually, he started to love it too. Donna was also a huge fan when she first saw it, but explains why she never really went back to it after that initial viewing. This was Carlos' first time watching it and he was happy to provide a more tempered point of view on all of this. Topics include: the big surprise of who wrote this and the even bigger surprise of who directed it, the incredibly crucial moments missing from the first act, why Hale might be one of the more reasonable characters in the film, the legitimately impressive ice skating sequences, the straight-to-cable sequels, and much much more!

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Teen Wolf Feb 23, 2018

The formula for Teen Wolf was simple: low cost + fast schedule = high profit. Even still, no one could have predicted just how successful it would wind up being. Michael J. Fox's star was already on the rise thanks to Back to the Future and when this arrived hot on that film's heels, it cemented his status as a super star. It spawned a sequel, an animated series, and a gritty reboot for MTV - but this week on HDYR, it's time to give this original dog his day. Topics include: the insanely fast development and production, the town's complete non-reaction to the existence of a werewolf, characters the film establishes and then does nothing with, the absolutely bonkers soundtrack, the pitch for an unmade Teen Wolf 3, your Real Life Retweets, and much much more!

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Groundhog Day Feb 09, 2018

It's hard to pick which collaboration between Harold Ramis and Bill Murray is the best, but Groundhog Day certainly stands apart from the rest of the pack for many reasons. Unfortunately, this film is also why these two comedy titans stopped speaking to one another for two decades. They each had their own ideas about what sort of movie they were trying to make and although that's typically a recipe for disaster, whatever push-and-pull was taking place behind the scenes somehow helped transform this into a true classic. Topics include: an attempt at a more studio-friendly version of the script where all of the story's wonderful mysteries were explained away, other actors considered for the lead role, how this film led to an entire sub-genre of similar fare, little details buried in the background of certain scenes, how long Phil was actually trapped in this town, and much much more!

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Batman Returns Jan 26, 2018

Tim Burton's original Batman was so influential that the comic book movie genre is still living under its shadow today. But the sequel? This might be the strangest superhero film ever made. There were actually a fair number of critics at the time who appreciated this more esoteric approach to the material. Parents of traumatized children, on the other hand, did not. Batman Returns remains a divisive film among fans and general audiences alike. It's inventive, self-indulgent, insightful, unfocused, and awe-inspiring all at the same time. There's so much to get into with this one, so it should come as no surprise that this is another giant-sized episode. Join us as we head back into Gotham City for a look back at one of the most notorious chapters in the Caped Crusader's history. Topics include: Burton's reluctance to return and how Warner Bros. was finally able to lure him back, key differences between the finished film and earlier versions of the script, the pros and cons of redesigning every aspect of this from the ground up, how McDonald's influenced a more family-friendly approach to this franchise, whether or not Catwoman actually has nine lives, the wasted opportunities this version of the Penguin presents, how different this really is from the movie that followed it, and much much more!

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Bonus Episode - Star Wars: The Last Jedi Dec 22, 2017

It just wouldn't be Christmas without a bonus Star Wars episode... and WOW - there is a lot to talk about here! The Last Jedi is shaping up to be the most polarizing entry in this series and the HDYR gang does their best to cut through the hyperbole on both sides to try and bring some balance to this whole thing. See what we did there? Topics include: our immediate reactions as we walked out of the theater, what changed after having some time to process all of this, mixed feelings about story threads from The Force Awakens that were abruptly dropped, the one plot hole we just can't look past, conflicting opinions over how this film handles Luke, whether or not this is really as risky or groundbreaking as it keeps getting credit for, and much much more!

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Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back Dec 15, 2017

The HDYR gang returns to a galaxy far, far away for a deep dive on the crown jewel of the Star Wars franchise. It's a follow-up that's so unbelievably strong that other filmmakers have turned it into some sort of Rosetta Stone for how to craft an effective sequel. The superficial elements they grasp onto though (the darker tone, the twist ending, etc.) actually have very little to do with why this all works so well.

With The Last Jedi hitting theaters this weekend, it felt like the right time to take another look at the middle chapter of the original trilogy and highlight all the ways in which this expertly expands on Star Wars lore. From the early story conferences that shaped the film to its lasting impact on this series and the industry at large, join us we revisit The Empire Strikes Back... Topics include: why George Lucas decided not to direct this film and where his attention was focused instead, the original script and its completely different big revelation, how the scope of this begins on an epic scale and gradually gets more and more intimate, a deleted subplot that wound up getting recycled in an N64 game, the pros and cons of separating our core group of characters, the real reason Han got frozen in carbonite, changes made for the Special Edition, what sets this apart from the other entries in this series, and much much more!

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Lethal Weapon Dec 01, 2017

The more jovial tone of the sequels makes it easy to forget just how dark the original Lethal Weapon is. Even though he was later replaced by another writer, Shane Black's bleak sensibilities and pitch-black sense of humor remain firmly entrenched in this script. Throw in Richard Donner's crafty direction and you've got yourself a hell of a film. This is one of those franchises where our memories wound up being an amalgamation of a lot of great scenes or moments, so it was interesting to go back to where it all started and realize just how unique this one was. Topics include: a lot of confusion over which film in the series certain scenes were from, the differences between this and Black's original script, bathtub birthday parties, why Riggs could never be this compelling ever again, the most aggressive neighborhood clean-up project, additional scenes from the director's cut, the glaring problem with the final brawl, and much much more!

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Batman & Robin Nov 22, 2017

It's Thanksgiving and you know what means... it's time for this year's cinematic turkey! Few movies are as deserving of the the title as 1997's epic misfire Batman & Robin. Reviled by fans and critics alike, this film did so much damage to Warner Bros' flagship franchise that it would take the better part of a decade for the Caped Crusader to recover. In fact, it's developed such a notorious reputation that at this point, it almost felt like too easy a target. So in addition to breaking down why it doesn't work, we were also interested in figuring out how it happened in the first place, whether or not Joel Schumacher's decision to draw from a particular era of Batman's history was actually perfectly valid, and what this adaptation can teach us about bending even the most malleable properties too far. Topics include: our expectations before we saw it for the first time and what we thought of it back then, why it didn't even matter who was playing Batman at this point, an earlier draft of the script where Mr. Freeze was more in line with his animated series counterpart, the film's reliance on Batman Forever's formula, the inclusion of Bane and a bunch of other unnecessary elements, how this set the stage for the modern comic book movie, and much much more!

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The Goonies Nov 17, 2017

HEY YOU GUYS! Can you believe it's taken us nearly five years to get to The Goonies?! We know it's been a frustratingly long wait for a lot of you, but with a rising premium being placed on this particular brand of Amblin-esque nostalgia these days, it finally felt like the right time to dig out that old treasure map and search for rich stuff. All three of us experienced the film at different points in our lives and that definitely had an impact on how we felt about it. In addition to sorting through some of these wildly different reactions, we also address the backlash the film has received in certain circles recently and whether or not that movement has any merit. Get away from Troy's bucket because it's our time down here. Topics include: Spielberg's notoriously more "hands-on" approach to producing, the traumatic experience one of us had on our first viewing, some suggestions for a cleaner way to set up the back story, an incredibly ill-advised real-life Goonie adventure, deleted scenes that were broadcast on the TV version, the Goonies 2 video game, whether or not an actual sequel is even a good idea at this point, and much much more!

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Sleepy Hollow Oct 20, 2017

Tim Burton's adaptation of Sleepy Hollow plays pretty fast and loose with Washington Irving's source material and for those of who us who grew up with the more faithful Disney cartoon, that was an aspect of this film that definitely took us by surprise. Going into this, opinions were pretty mixed. Despite this revisionist take on Ichabod Crane and a more complicated lore surrounding the Headless Horseman, Chris loved this movie when he saw it back in 1999. For Donna, the changes were too big a pill to swallow and she was disappointed to discover it was more silly than scary. Carlos had been so put off by the advertising that he'd never even seen this all the way through. Looking back on it now, Sleepy Hollow marks an interesting point in the careers of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp. What separates this film from some of their less successful collaborations? Is it even that separate? Did they change or did we? And did this more objective viewing alter how any of us felt about it? Topics include: the film's origins as a low-budget slasher, how Scream reinvigorated the studio's interest in the project and altered their entire approach, Chris' main gripe with the movie and how a sub-genre of Italian horror films helped him reconcile it, whether or not the Horseman should speak, what's really inside the Tree of the Dead, the mean streak running through this that's absent from most of Burton's other work, the exhaustingly complicated final act, and much much more!

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The Witches Oct 06, 2017

The phrase "nightmare fuel" gets tossed around pretty liberally these days, but back in the 90s there were few kids movies more befitting of that title than The Witches. Based on an already frightening book by Roald Dahl, this adaptation ratchets up the scares even further thanks to Angelica Huston's scenery-chewing performance and the incredible effects work of Jim Henson. Not everyone was a fan though. Dahl famously hated some of the alterations made to his source material (particularly the new ending) and thought that the filmmakers had missed the point entirely. It had been a long, long time since any of us had seen this and we were interested to find out if a more objective viewing would reveal that some of Dahl's complaints were valid or that this was still the pull no punches thrill ride we remembered. Topics include: key differences between the movie and the novel, how unprepared one of us was for Bruno's transformation sequence, whether or not the Grand High Witch knew the mice would be able to talk, how director Nicolas Roeg was able to capture the feeling of reading one of Dahl's books, our thoughts on the different endings, and much much more!

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Death Becomes Her Sep 22, 2017

Critics and general audiences weren't quite sure what to make of Death Becomes Her when it was released in the summer of 1992, but this ultra-dark comedy has definitely picked up a cult following in the ensuing decades. The performances are great, the effects still work, and the film's cynical sense of humor plays a lot better now than it did when we were kids. So what happened here? Why wasn't it more widely embraced at the time? Is this a misunderstood masterpiece or are there other aspects of this that prevent it from being as good as it could be? Topics include: the overhaul the movie got after a disastrous test screening, whether or not those changes contributed to a largely unfocused first act, Bruce Willis' incredible against-type performance, an added dimension to Lisle's backstory from a previous draft of the script, Sydney Pollack's scene-stealing cameo, great examples of why director Robert Zemeckis is a true pioneer of special effects, how the movie ultimately manages to overcome a lot of its shortcomings, and much much more!

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Bonus Episode: It (2017) Sep 18, 2017

You asked for it, so here it is - our thoughts on the brand new adaptation of Stephen King's It. Since this comes on the heels of our look back at the 1990 miniseries, certain comparisons were inevitable - but for the most part, we tried to tackle this one on its own terms. The film is obviously a massive success and a lot of its fans have already labeled it an instant classic, but does the HDYR gang agree? Topics include: our thoughts on this interpretation of Pennywise, the amazing cast of child actors and which ones really stole our hearts, how successfully this version handles the lore surrounding It, how we feel about some of the deviations from the source material, theories about what those changes might mean for the sequel, our favorite and least favorite sequences, and much much more!

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It - Part II Sep 08, 2017

We wrap up our conversation about the 1990 adaptation of It with an in-depth look at the miniseries' second half. Will some of our lingering questions about this creature's mythology finally get answered? Is Pennywise still a credible threat against grown men and women? Is his final form as ridiculous as some of us remember? It's time to reunite the HDYR gang for one last journey into the sewers of Derry where we can finish this nightmare off once and for all. Topics include: a corrections corner where we go over a few of the more (*ahem*) interesting additions Chris accidentally made to the source material in Part I, the small differences in the structure of the novel's second half that give these events so much more momentum and clarity, the possibility that we maybe see too much of Pennywise this time, why there needed to be a few more casualties to up the stakes, our final thoughts on the entire miniseries, and much much more!

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It - Part I Aug 25, 2017

When it comes to the 1990 miniseries based on Stephen King's IT, there are two types of people: those who maintain it's one of the scariest things they've ever seen... and those who insist a more objective viewing would reveal that it was never that great. With a new film adaptation on the horizon, the HDYR gang thought this was the perfect opportunity to find out where they stood on the matter. Topics include: ABC's original (and more ambitious) plans for the series, some of the key differences between this version and the source material, the unusual pattern with Mike's phone calls to his old friends, Chris' bad luck with love letters, one of the key reasons that the first half is more effective than the second, how completely Tim Curry disappears into this performance, why the limitations of network television instantly limited the impact these stories might have had, how a giant turtle is the key everything, and much much more!

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Speed Aug 11, 2017

Pop quiz, hot shot - it's the summer of 1994 and there have already been dozens of Die Hard knock-offs in the wake of that franchise's success. How do you get your film to stand out from the rest of that pack? In the case of Speed, the first step was hiring director Jan de Bont and trusting in some of his more unconventional decisions. The next was to bring Joss Whedon aboard for a rewrite of the script that removed some of its more overt Die Hard-isms. There was a lot about Speed that probably made 20th Century Fox very nervous. de Bont was a first time director, no one knew who Sandra Bullock was, and Keanu Reeves had no track record for opening this type of film. Their faith in the project was of course handsomely rewarded, but the story behind this production is still a fascinating one. All three of us remembered absolutely loving this movie... but it had been a good 15-20 years since we'd seen it. Does it work as well now as it did back then? Topics include: the original choices for Jack, Annie, and Howard, Whedon's contributions to the script, the poor bus passenger who's consistently saddled with the worst dialogue, Sam's slow and painful off-screen death, why this composer was worth fighting for, the incredible opening set piece, some issues with the final showdown, a few of the more baffling aspects of Speed 2, and much much more!

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Men in Black Jul 28, 2017

It's hard to believe that the original Men in Black is twenty-years-old this summer. Part of the reason for that might be that the footprint it left in pop-culture is still firmly cemented, but there are also so many aspects of this that feel timeless. Between the retro-futuristic production design, the seamless blend of practical effects & CGI, and an irreverent sense of humor that never gets old, this could go toe-to-toe with a lot of more current releases. As kids, all of us enjoyed this more than we expected to going in - which is not to say we weren't looking forward to it. It's just that the film was even better than we imagined. So it was a pleasant surprise to discover that almost all of this still works two decades later. Topics include: the fairly dramatic liberties the filmmakers took with the comic book source material, original choices for the roles of J and K, the understated brilliance of Tommy Lee Jones' performance, the fact that no one really passed the MiB tryouts, how you'd deploy a neuralizer in your everyday life if those actually existed, where second film went wrong, how the third out sorta made up for it, and much much more!

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Blank Check Jul 14, 2017

We've lost count of how many times Blank Check has been requested for this podcast and we're really hoping it's because you guys know realize absolutely bonkers it is. While there were no shortage of Home Alone knock-offs in the wake of that film's success, this is probably the only one that features a romantic subplot involving a grown woman and a child. To say we were surprised by this would be a massive understatement. Considering that the writer went on to pen one of the definitive books on screenwriting, it's astonishing how disjointed the plot is and what a murky (and creepy) sense of morality this exhibits. Buckle up, 'cause this one was a wild ride. Topics include: the key difference between a movie like this and other wish-fulfillment stories like Home Alone or Big, the missteps the script makes in setting up Preston's character and how little Act 1 has anything to do with what transpires in Act 3, the coo coo bananas crazy parents and their unrealistic expectations for their son, the least effective way to launder money, how far one million dollars would actually go, why the character of Henry deserves to be in a better movie, the absolutely insane final moments, and much much more!

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Weekend at Bernie's Jun 30, 2017

It's certainly not the most noteworthy comedy from this era, but Weekend at Bernie's managed to stand strong against some pretty fierce competition in the summer of 1989 and its continued success on home video and cable helped cement its reputation as a cult classic. So while our generation tends to regard this film quite fondly, the HDYR gang wasn't super familiar with it. Chris watched it a couple of times as a kid, Carlos had only seen the sequel, and Donna had never seen either of them. Topics include: Elements introduced in the first ten minutes that the script doesn't follow through on, a first act that's remarkably similar to Ghost, the director's impressive (and diverse) filmography, a lot of love for Terry Kiser's performance (both before and after he kicks the bucket), how they manage to keep us laughing throughout the story's darkest moments, and much much more!

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Ghost Jun 16, 2017

Some of the key players involved with Ghost felt that the film was either going to be something really special or a total disaster. And you know what? When you look at all of the risky decisions that were made here, it really could have gone either way. There were some unexpected casting choices, a director known strictly for slapstick comedy, complicated effects sequences, a barrage of different tones to manage, and an unusual central premise. Fortunately, the film was a hit with audiences and critics - but how does it hold up nearly three decades later?

Topics include: what the first act has in common with a Final Destination movie, sitting through sex scenes with your parents (or grandparents), the atypical creative choices that went on to define the film, that time McDonald's tried to get it on the flourishing home video market, why Carlos sincerely believes Sam should just let Molly get killed, and much much more!

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Cool Runnings Jun 02, 2017

Feel the rhythm, feel the rhyme, get on up... it's podcast time! This week the HDYR gang is separating fact from fiction with their look back at Disney's kinda/sorta/not really "true story" of the first Jamaican bobsled team. Once you get past the fact that 95% of this was made up, however, there's still plenty to love about this movie. Topics include: the shift from straightforward sports drama to broad comedy, why the real story of this team doesn't make for a particularly compelling film, our pitch for a revised version of this sport, whether or not Derice is an effective protagonist, a shocking fact about one of the writers that might explain a few or our issues with the script, and much much more!

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Alien May 19, 2017

In space, no one can hear you scream - but on this episode of HDYR, you can hear all of us gushing over Ridley Scott's 1979 masterpiece. We were introduced to the film at different ages, but we all walked away with the same impression... this is one incredible and terrifying movie. We've seen a lot of talented filmmakers play in this sandbox over the years, but there's something so singular and iconic about what Scott managed to capture here. Alien contains some of the most inventive and influential images ever put on film.

You'd think that the level of over-saturation the brand has experienced would severely hinder the effectiveness of this original entry, but it remains as visceral and frightening as ever.

Topics include: some key differences between Alien and its sequels, the genius of using separate artists to design different aspects of this world, the incredible first act and the intriguing questions we didn't need answered in future films, why one of the least impressive Xenomorph costumes still comes across as one of the best, Carlos' unlikely strategy for defeating an unstoppable killing machine, Chris' awkward first attempts at erotic horror, and much much more!

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The Good Son May 05, 2017

The major selling point of The Good Son was how dramatically Macaulay Culkin was playing against type. As it turns out, the three of us remembered more about our initial reactions to that than we did anything from the film itself. Unfortunately, once you get past the novelty of seeing Kevin McCallister transformed into Michael Myers, there's just not much going on here. Ideas are presented but not explored, characters don't change that much, and in its race to check every box on the list of thriller cliches, the movie forgot to put a new spin on any of them. Topics include: the project's evolution from a lower-budget/riskier concept into a safer and more mainstream major release, a score that draws attention to itself for all the wrong reasons, at least three other much simpler ways to tell this story, a lot of love for Elijah Wood, listener comments, and much much more!

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Saturday Morning Cartoons Apr 21, 2017

It's not about one particular title on this week's episode of HDYR, it's about an experience - Saturday Morning Cartoons. We're going back to the days of waking up early, pouring a bowl of your favorite cereal, and navigating between each network's line-up of shows.

A lot of these have come up in passing before and many of them have been requested over the years as well, but we thought this would be a fun way to cast a wide net and cover as many of them as possible in one go. You'll hear about some of our favorites, we'll read through your responses, and then it all winds down with a Real Life Retweets segment about which universes you'd have crossover. Topics include: way too many to name! The Real Ghostbusters, Eek! The Cat, Garfield, He-Man, Jem, Transformers, Beetlejuice, Muppet Babies, Animaniacs, Batman, Sonic the Hedgehog, X-Men, Ninja Turtles, Bobby's World, DuckTales, ThunderCats, M.A.S.K., and so much more! Seriously. Soooo much.

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10 Things I Hate About You Apr 07, 2017

From the mid-90s to the early aughts, there were a slew of contemporary retellings of some of Shakespeare's better known plays. 10 Things I Hate About You, a lighthearted spin on The Taming of the Shrew, remains one of the more beloved. It ditches most of the source material's problematic elements, but we're not sure it ever completely overcomes them. It doesn't matter, though. There's a lot about this movie that all three of us are willing to forgive because of how much it gets right. From the inspired casting choices to its cheeky sense of humor, this is a film that manages to completely transcend its shortcomings. Topics include: the elements of the play that the movie wisely ignores, how it still gets a little tripped up by what's left, the amazing cast of supporting characters, the TV series it inspired, the "spiritual sequel" that never got off the ground, the one subplot none of us could get on board with, a shockingly abrupt resolution, and much much more!

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The Mighty Ducks Mar 24, 2017

The early/mid-90s were sort of a golden age for sports comedies aimed at kids, but The Mighty Ducks was initially conceived as something a little bit more grown up. The tone of the original script was more in line with The Bad News Bears than the family-friendly Disney film it morphed into. We had clearer memories of D2 going into this, so it was surprising to see how many traces of that other version are still evident here - and how dramatically they help differentiate this movie from the next one in the series.

Topics include: some conflicting opinions over the effectiveness of Gordon's back story, the Ducks who carry over into the sequels and those who get left behind, the simple reason that Coach Reilly is the best antagonist in the franchise, how Hans affords that castle, a few ideas about how to streamline a very chaotic second act, an introduction to some new games, the return of an old favorite, and much much more!

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Batman Mar 10, 2017

You want to get nuts? Come on... let's get nuts. It's the 100th episode of HDYR and there really was never any question which film we were going to revisit for this milestone. If you're even a little bit familiar with this show, you probably could have guessed - it had to be Batman. This one made quite an impression on all three of us as kids and for Chris in particular, this was a formative movie-going experience. Which is not to say he can't be objective about some of its more controversial elements. This is a fairly divisive adaptation of the Caped Crusader's mythology and a lot of the criticisms are valid. But are those betrayals of the source material a deal breaker or are they outweighed by the elements this gets right? Topics include: the decade long journey to get Batman on the silver screen, previous incarnations of the film before Tim Burton got involved, some surprising alternate casting choices for both Batman and The Joker, how Vicki and Knox were better served by earlier versions of this script, why the movies can't ever quite nail that Harvey Dent/Two-Face transformation, the heavily rewritten third act (which at one point introduced Robin!), the plot of Sam Hamm's original Batman 2 script, our thoughts on this Joker in a post-Dark Knight world, who our favorite live-action Batman is, and much much more!

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The Road to Gotham Feb 27, 2017

The next episode of HDYR is going to be our 100th and to celebrate that milestone we'll be revisiting the most influential movie of Chris' childhood - Batman. But before we head into Gotham City, he wanted to take a step back and take a broader look at the Caped Crusader as a character. So this time we're trying something a little different as Chris tracks his entire history with The Dark Knight - his earliest memories and introduction to the mythology, the numerous reasons he connected so strongly to that world, how his feelings about Batman have changed over the years, and why this all still means so much to him.

And you'll hear from some other familiar voices along the way, because this isn't just about Batman - it's about the profound effect fictional characters can have on our lives. How they reflect us. How they shape us. And sometimes... how they save us.

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Music Included In This Episode:

"Epic Dark Hollywood Trailer" (license) "Metropolis Epic Cinematic Trailer" (license) "Relentless" (license) by Jon Wright

"Dark Times", "Inspired", "Resignation", "Killing Time", and "Reawakening" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

Newsies Feb 10, 2017

You might find this hard to believe, but Newsies wasn't a particularly impactful movie for Chris or Carlos as kids. But for Donna, it was EVERYTHING - and its rabid cult following suggests she wasn't alone. Whether you're a dyed-in-the-wool supporter or a layman curious to understand its appeal, we've got you covered. This week, the HDYR gang's bringing you the news for a penny a pape. Topics include: Christian Bale's performance and his attitude towards the film now, the numerous missed opportunities for interesting conflicts, how many facts the film gets right, the one glaring inaccuracy they knowingly embraced, differences between this and the stage version, and much much more!

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Tommy Boy Jan 27, 2017

I think it's fair to say that Tommy Boy might be one of the most quotable comedies of all-time. There's a certain lighting-in-a-bottle energy here that neither Farley or Spade were ever quite able to capture again. It's all the more impressive given the chaotic circumstances this was assembled under, the frequent bickering between the two leads, and the fact that a lot of this was being made up as they went along. Although it's quoted endlessly, it had been a long time since any of us had actually seen the film. And for a couple of us, there were some interesting surprises.

Topics include: the project's origins as a buddy comedy for Chris Farley and Rob Lowe, how unessential Lowe's character now feels in this retooled version, some ideas on how to streamline the plot so that we get to the road trip faster and stay in that section longer, the difference between Tommy Boy and subsequent Farley/Spade vehicles, Farley's tragic death and how much promise he showed here, and much much more!

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Ferris Bueller's Day Off Jan 13, 2017

I know we're always saying certain films have been highly requested by our listeners, but no joke - Ferris Bueller's Day Off has absolutely been one of the most requested titles since day one. And it's pretty easy to see why. So many of us have an affinity for John Hughes movies and this is widely regarded as one of his best. In this instance, it doesn't even seem necessary to ask whether or not this one holds up. The better question is probably why. Topics include: the Fight Club theory, the only other actor seriously considered for the role of Ferris, what changes if you remove Sloane from the film (spoilers: not much), our proven methods for faking an illness, some disagreements over whether or not Ferris gets to take credit for Cameron's transformation, the TV series based on the movie, and much much more!

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Bonus Episode - Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Dec 25, 2016

Merry Christmas! We got you a bonus episode! Chris, Carlos, and Kristen take a break from the established formula and sit down for an impromptu chat about Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Which is not to say nostalgia isn't still a big part of this discussion. In fact, the way this film plays into it vs the way The Force Awakens did had a large impact on how we felt about it. So pass the eggnog and let's get into it - because there's a lot to talk about here.

Topics include: our initial reactions to Disney purchasing Lucasfilm, how we feel about the direction these spin-offs seem to be taking, a quick recap of our feelings on Force Awakens, the overriding criticisms of Rogue One thus far and whether or not we agree with them, the unexpected way this film opens up Star Wars even though it's moving backwards, moral gray areas, those final moments, listener reactions, and much much more!

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Scrooged Dec 23, 2016

Happy Holidays, friends! There's certainly no shortage of contenders when we're trying to figure out which movie to cover this time of year, but Richard Donner's darkly comedic riff on A Christmas Carol ultimately won out. These days it's a staple of the season, so we were a little surprised to discover that wasn't always the case.

Scrooged received a somewhat mixed reception when it was released in 1988 and the production wasn't exactly smooth sailing either. Join us we go through all the behind-the-scenes turmoil and then try to decide if that has any effect on how the movie plays three decades later.

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The Santa Clause Dec 09, 2016

Even though The Santa Clause isn't exactly a go-to Christmas favorite for any of us, it's been requested enough times over the years that we decided to give it a shot. Needless to say, our memories were pretty hazy. In fact, one of us had never seen it at all. So we knew going in that the rose-tinted glasses weren't going to be much of a factor this time. Topics include: the myriad of plot holes & unanswered questions and why they stick out so much more here than they do in similar fantasy fare, other actors that were considered before Tim Allen came aboard, a persuasive argument for never eating ranch dressing ever again, how a more formulaic Screenwriting 101 approach could have cleaned up a lot of the film's issues, the nightmarish truth about these reindeer, an attempt to figure out what exactly is happening with the E.L.F.S., and much much more!

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Howard the Duck Nov 24, 2016

We're kicking off a new tradition where every Thanksgiving we revisit a cinematic "turkey" - a movie that bombed at the box office and was reviled by critics and audiences alike. And this year, that turkey... is a duck. Yup. The HDYR gang is going all the way back to 1986 to take another look at the first major misfire from George Lucas - Howard the Duck. This isn't just a terrible adaptation that completely betrays the spirit of its source material, it's also widely regarded as one of the worst films ever made. In the immediate aftermath of its failure, Lucas boldly declared that history would regard Howard a lot more favorably than its detractors did at the time. Well... here we are three decades later. Let's see.

Topics include: why the original plan to do this as a fully animated film was sidelined, the consequences of turning it into a live-action feature, all of the creepy elements that went completely over our heads as kids, the tonal whiplash that it's never able to reconcile or recover from, the silver lining of its disastrous performance, THAT scene, and much much more!

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Good Burger Nov 11, 2016

This is one of those instances where the slight age difference between the three of us resulted in some very different initial reactions to All That - the popular Nickelodeon show where Good Burger originated. One thing we could all agree on though was that by the time this movie hit theaters in the summer of 1997, we were all too old to have much interest in it. So it wasn't much of a surprise that Donna had never seen it or that Chris and Carlos barely remembered anything about it. You know what was sort of shocking? How we all felt about it now. Topics include: some of the more memorable All That characters and sketches, why Good Burger was the obvious choice for making the leap to the big screen, the unbelievably strong start, its unlikely connection to a trilogy of erotic foreign films, why this might legitimately be some of Keenan Thompson's best work, the proposed sequel that never got off the ground, and much much more!

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The Nightmare Before Christmas Oct 28, 2016

Is it a Halloween movie? Is it a Christmas movie? The easy answer is that The Nightmare Before Christmas is both. So this felt like a great way for HDYR to celebrate All Hallow's Eve and kickoff a run of holiday-themed episodes. Even though it was successful when it was released in the fall of 1993, I'm not sure any of us could have predicted the incredible legacy this film would have two decades later. Ironically, Tim Burton wasn't even at the helm for what feels like the purest translation of his imagination. A lot of our memories are tied into that initial misconception and that's where our conversation begins - with Disney's concerns over how this project was coming together and their 11th hour plans to rebrand it. We then come full circle with them ultimately embracing the property and their attempts to capitalize on its success.

Other topics include: the degree to which Danny Elfman's music informed the overall story, how involved Burton actually was with the production of the film, the painstakingly precise process of stop-motion animation and how many seemingly simple shots were actually incredibly complex, some confusion over the rules of this universe and the doorways to all of these other holidays, a somewhat muddled message and one tiny tweak to the ending that might have made it more cohesive, Easter eggs for other Burton movies that appear throughout, Chris' story about a haunted forest attraction, the triumphant return of Be & F and 2 Truth 1 Lie, and much much more!

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Ernest Scared Stupid Oct 14, 2016

With Halloween right around the corner, we figured it was a good time to scare ourselves stupid. Okay, okay... so maybe this one isn't quite as terrifying as it was when we were nine, but it's still an interesting halfway point in the long-running series of Ernest movies. On one side you've got the well-known, theatrically released titles we all remember. On the other, there's a bunch of straight-to-video entries you'd probably rather forget. As it turns out, the fallout from this installment played a pretty significant role in that shift. But before we discuss how this one came together and the consequences of its too-creepy-for-kids premise, we talk about the Ernest character in general. Although we all remember being completely enamored with him as kids, we were pretty shocked to realize that none of us had particularly clear memories of any of his movies, TV shows, or commercials.

Topics include: the six (!) other Ernest movies in development at the time that were ultimately abandoned in favor of this one, the unlikely comparison Carlos drew between these opening credits and some of HBO's late night programming, how similar the early moments are to Hocus Pocus, what in the world Eartha Kitt is doing in this movie and how all of this is sort of her fault, Chris' somewhat disturbing story about building haunted houses with his friends, how great all of the troll effects still look, the right way to talk to your plants, some big problems with the final showdown, and much much more!

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Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory Sep 30, 2016

It's a shame that it took Gene Wilder's recent passing to galvanize us into covering one of his films, but wow are we glad we did. I suppose we're tipping our hand a bit here, but it probably won't come as too much of a surprise to anyone that all three of us still absolutely adore Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory.

Topics include: the multiple reasons they swapped out "Charlie" for "Willy Wonka" in the title, why Roald Dahl was unhappy with the end result, the possible sequels that never materialized, some key differences between this and the 2005 remake, the surprisingly brief amount of screen time dedicated to Wonk and his factory, an examination of the "Scumbag Grandpa Joe" meme, the possibilities and pitfalls of a Wonka-themed amusement park, and much much more!

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Little Giants Sep 16, 2016

With football season right around the corner, it felt like the right time to revisit the 1994 comedy Little Giants. It may not have been as popular as other similarly-themed films from this era, but the performances from Rick Moranis, Ed O'Neil, and the entire cast of kids help make it a lot better than you might expect. Topics include: how the project's origins can be traced back to a McDonald's commercial, a more streamlined backstory that cleans up the underdeveloped romantic subplot, why Junior missed football tryouts and how his mother and Danny went all these years without realizing they lived in the same small town, the reason both of the O'Shea brothers needed to "see it my way" just a little bit more by the time they reached that final game, the weird message a Giants' victory sends to young viewers, just what in the world is going on in Coach Kevin's bedroom, and much much more!

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Beverly Hills Cop Sep 02, 2016

We've all been on a pub crawl, right? Well get ready for a Podcrawl! Instead of hopping from one bar to the next, the idea is to move from podcast to podcast in order to cover all three Beverly Hills Cop movies. It kicks off right here with the HDYR gang tackling the original. From there, Does It Have Legs? picks up the baton to talk about Beverly Hills Cop II. And then Proudly Resents brings it home with a discussion about Beverly Hills Cop III. Topics include: the long and complicated history of this project and the different iterations that almost wound up on screen, Eddie Murphy's surprisingly understated performance, the way the sequels betray certain characters in some ways, how pitch-perfect the Detroit scenes are and why everything gets a little murkier once it moves to Beverly Hills, action scenes that are slightly lackluster even for 1984 and the key ingredient we think might be missing, some thoughts on the potential future of this franchise, and much much more! Huge thanks to Adam from Proudly Resents for reaching out and putting this Podcrawl together!

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Pee-wee's Big Adventure Aug 19, 2016

Even though it had been ages since any of us had seen Pee-wee's Big Adventure, our memories from numerous viewings of it as children meant there weren't too many surprises during this rewatch. We could still recall nearly every scene and punchline with pretty impressive clarity.

Which is not to say we had the same experience with the film that we did as kids. A lot of this still works, but there were certain aspects of the vignette-heavy story structure and with Pee-wee as a character that left us a little bit conflicted.

Topics include: the origins of the Pee-wee Herman persona and the alternate scripts that were developed for this movie, our initial confusion over all the differences between this and Pee-wee's Playhouse, the one important detail that makes the biker bar sequence more successful than just about any other scene in the movie, the enduring legacy of Large Marge, how a ridiculous scandal robbed us of ten good years worth of material from Paul Reubens, a debate about the right time to brush your teeth, the time Chris tried to learn how to read minds, which member of the HDYR gang still doesn't know how to ride a bike, and much much more!

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National Lampoon's Vacation Jul 22, 2016

Since the last few weeks have been filled with ninja turtles, aliens, and vampires, we decided it was time for a vacation. So we crammed into our metallic pea family truckster, loaded a Lindsey Buckingham cassette into the tape deck, and hit the open road for a look back at National Lampoon's Vacation.

All three of us were introduced to the movie at a fairly young age, but it was the repeat viewings that cemented its reputation as one of the all-time great screwball comedies. Which is not to say there aren't certain elements that definitely play differently now than they did in 1983. Because there are. A whole lot of them. But the film still works on so many other levels and even manages to sneak in a pretty powerful message about nostalgia as well.

Topics include: the original short story by John Hughes that this is based on, the pros and cons of turning Clark into the main character instead of Rusty, that notorious stop in St. Louis, the one big problem with the dream girl subplot, the unparalleled talent of mid-80s Chevy Chase, why the kids were recast in the sequels, the original ending and what it says about our obsession with "the good old days", the unbelievably simple reason the movie still works in spite of its issues, and much much more!

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From Dusk Till Dawn Jul 08, 2016

Much has been made about the sudden left turn From Dusk Till Dawn takes at the halfway point, but back in 1996 the marketing was definitively selling us a vampire movie. So for many of us, the only surprise was how long it took for the bloodsuckers to show up. Fortunately, the movie has a lot more going for it than that twist.

It was particularly interesting to discover how we felt about the first half and second half now, what those reactions meant for the sum total of our viewing experience, and how many indicators there were for the different paths Tarantino and Rodriguez would take after this.

Topics include: how familiar we were with these filmmakers before we saw this movie, how our feelings about them have changed in the last two decades, Chris' theory about the days Tarantino was on set, the best piece of diegetic music we've heard since Masters of the Universe, the pros and cons of this risky story structure, the creature effects that still work, the ones that leave us with more questions, and much much more!

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Independence Day Jun 24, 2016

Before the resurgence, we're going back to where it all began with the original Independence Day. Before Will Smith was a bona fide movie star... before we realied Roland Emmerich was essentially just going to keep remaking this same movie again and again... and before Randy Quaid became this character in real life. Kristen from The Sunnydale Stacks joins the HDYR gang for a conversation about how films like this influenced subsequent summer tentpoles, how much these types of blockbusters have changed in the last twenty years, and how much remains exactly the same.

Other topics include: the aggressive marketing campaign and some slight confusion over the ID4 abbreviation, our initial impressions of the movie, the supporting characters we'd put on the chopping block and which ones feel like they're in a different film entirely, some mixed opinions on Bill Pullman's performance as President Whitmore, what the rest of the world was doing while America was figuring out how to stop the invasion, the staggering number of blink-and-you'll-miss-them familiar faces, the fact that Dr. Okun was absolutely 100% dead, how many problems could have been solved by changing one thing about that alien spacecraft in Area 51, a debate about one of cinema's most notorious plot holes, that Goldblum swagger, and much much more!

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III Jun 10, 2016

The critical and commercial failure of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III didn't just derail plans for subsequent films in this franchise - it also represented a pretty definitive end point for our generation's "Turtle-mania". No one's suggestion that the movie hasn't earned its bad reputation, but it's grown so aggressively hyperbolic over the years that the HDYR gang couldn't help but wonder if the slide in quality was really THAT severe.

Well. We have our answer.

When we revisited the first two films with a more objective point of view, we realized that each of them had their issues - but boy oh boy is this third one a different beast entirely. It's probably no great revelation that this isn't a very good movie, but what was surprising were the reasons it felt like such a spectacular failure to us now... because the terrible Turtle costumes are the least of its problems.

Topics include: how the studio's recognition of the Turtles' dwindling popularity influenced their decision to cut corners, the story behind those hideous new suits, the baffling choice to bring back Casey Jones and do nothing with him, some absolutely insane time travel logic and how easy it would have been to simplify this whole scenario, a more satisfying backstory for these new villains, a discussion about the right time to age out of this stuff, and much much more!

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License To Drive May 27, 2016

So here's the deal - none of us had actually ever seen License to Drive before, but it came highly recommended from a listener who predicted the three of us would have a lot to say about it. They were not wrong.

Topics include: our familiarity with The Two Coreys as kids and the movies we tend to associate them with, our own experiences at the DMV and the stress of passing Driver's Ed, the surprisingly strong opening and Chris' desire for more moments with that level of absurdity, the countless subplots and characters that the movie does nothing with, Donna's dissatisfaction with the treatment of Mercedes, a round of 2 Truths 1 Lie, and much much more!

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The Truman Show May 13, 2016

Much was made of Jim Carrey's first high-profile dramatic turn in 1998's The Truman Show, but the truth is the original version of the film was much darker and a lot more cerebral. The HDYR gang traces the project's origins as an edgy sci-fi thriller and discuss how it evolved into this decidedly lighter take. They also reminisce about the novelty of seeing Carrey branch out into more serious fare and whether or not his previous work colored their expectations going in. Other topics include: the benefits of making the audience aware of exactly what's going on right from the start vs how great it might have been to make these discoveries with Truman, the other A-list directors that were considered before Peter Weir came aboard and what their versions might have looked like, how prescient so much of this was, how mundane a lot of it might seem to a younger generation now, and much much more!

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The Princess Bride Apr 29, 2016

It's been almost thirty years since The Princess Bride was released and the film remains imminently quotable and almost universally beloved. Chris, Donna, and Carlos each discovered it at different ages and thus had very different reactions to it. They see where their experiences line up, where they diverge, and offer their thoughts on what makes the movie so endearing.

Topics include: the difficult process of adapting William Goldman's novel into a feature film and how director Rob Reiner cracked the code, the pitch-perfect tone that shifts from sincerity to absurdity over the course of the running time, why Wallace Shawn is sweating so profusely in his big scene, the unconventional way one cast member stayed warm during production, the mystery of The Sloppy Poodle Man, and much much more!

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Batteries Not Included Apr 15, 2016

As it turns out, none of us actually remembered all that much about Batteries Not Included except for a few key images. We knew we had seen it, we were pretty sure we'd enjoyed it, but this definitely wasn't an instance where it was difficult to take off those rose-tinted glasses. Which is not to say we didn't enjoy it! The film certainly left us with A LOT of questions, but there was something so nonchalant about its weirdness that we couldn't help but be won over by it. Topics include: the project's origins as an episode of Steven Spielberg's anthology series Amazing Stories and which elements we're guessing they added when the narrative had to be expanded, how well most of the robot effects hold up, a great deal of confusion over the layout of this apartment building, conflicting feelings over how little we know about the Fix-Its, some surprisingly dark and salacious moments, and much much more!

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Clueless Apr 01, 2016

There was a perfect storm of factors that led to Clueless becoming a full-fledged phenomenon in the summer of 1995 - the buzz surrounding up-and-comer Alicia Silverstone, a series of ads that ran on MTV that made the film impossible for its target demographic to ignore, and a subversive style of comedy that perfectly tapped into our mid-90s zeitgeist. It didn't just resuscitate the teen movie, it redefined it. So pop in your Rollin' with the Homies cassette and join the HDYR gang for a look back at this endlessly quotable gem. Topics include: the project's origins as a TV series, alternate casting choices for a few of the lead roles, the details we can't believe we missed on our first viewing, how much we care about a group of characters that would be the villains in any other teen movie, the film's ties to Jane Austen's Emma and the trend of taking classic works of literature and placing them in a modern high school setting, our versions of being "that girl who fell down the stairs", and much much more!

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Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope Mar 18, 2016

We knew we had to pick something big for our 75th episode and what could be more monumental than the original Star Wars? These days it's tough to separate the saga's mythology from the real world controversy surrounding the Special Editions, the prequels, and the revisionist history Lucas constantly seems to be rewriting, but we do our best to acknowledge all of that while simultaneously celebrating what a tremendous achievement this was back in 1977 and why it still means so much to so many of us today.

Topics include: Our varying degrees of Star Wars fandom and the different perspectives we're all coming at this with, the influence this franchise has had on the film industry and culture at large, the real problem with the concept of "Special Editions" and the particularly noteworthy missteps this one makes, the unsung heroes of the series who were unceremoniously erased from its history, the incredible realization of Lucas' "used future" concept for the look of the film, lightsaber battles in the OT vs the PT, Darth Vader's minimal screen time and why keeping him on the peripheral works so much better, how different the second act of the film almost was, why Chewbacca doesn't get a medal, and much much more!

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Charlie's Angels Mar 04, 2016

One of the most surprising things about McG's big screen reboot of Charlie's Angels is that it took as long as it did to materialize. The trend of reheating old TV shows by giving them a glossy new paintjob was already starting to feel a little played out when this was released in the fall of 2000, but excitement for the film was bolstered by the star power of its eclectic cast and a wildly successful tie-in soundtrack. Not even a year later, the world would change in an unbelievably profound way and it turns out there's a lot about the movie you sort of have to view through that prism. It wants to be a rallying cry for a new generation of girls who are just discovering "girl power" and feminism while simultaneously appealing to the juvenile sensibilities of 15-year-old boys. It's a tight rope that the film only occassionally manages to walk, but overall it still feels like its heart was in the right place.

Topics include: why this was exactly what Donna needed when it was first released, the premise of the opening sequence and how it acts as a microcosm of everything that's wrong with this plot, Chris' issue with the angels feeling too indistinguishable from one another, what exactly was going on with Bill Murray at this point in time, the overuse of wire-fu and bullet time in the wake of The Matrix, an aspect of the fight choreography that actually works really well, the inspired casting of Crispen Glover and how much he brought to his role, the fun structure of the script that makes it feel like several mini-episodes of the show, and much much more!

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Galaxy Quest Feb 19, 2016

This week Chris, Donna, and Carlos bid a fond farewell to Alan Rickman. They each recall how they first became aware of him as an actor, discuss some of their favorite movies that he appeared in, and then do a deep dive on the oft-requested 1999 comedy Galaxy Quest. One of the most impressive things about the film is that whether you're a dyed-in-the-wool Star Trek fan or you've never seen a single episode, it works just as well. A large part of that is due to the incredible cast that was assembled and how much they elevated an already hilarious and clever script. It may not be Rickman's most renowned work, but it does showcase a different side of the iconic actor and in the wake of such sad news, we couldn't think of a better tribute than a movie that made so many of us so deliriously happy.

Topics include: the famous filmmaker who almost directed this and why he left the project, alternate casting choices for some of the main roles, how various members of Star Trek's cast & crew responded to the good-natured ribbing, the part Kevin Spacey and Steven Spielberg played in shaping the final product, the pitch-perfect blend of parody and homage, certain details only hardcore Trek fans might notice, and much much more!

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Can't Buy Me Love Feb 05, 2016

Chris remembered exactly one shot from this movie, Donna had never seen it, and Carlos was only familiar with the 2003 remake Love Don't Cost A Thing. Nevertheless, after receiving several requests for it and then reading the bonkers plot description on Netflix, we slapped an "Outrageous!" sticker on the wall, moved the TV into the fireplace, cut all of our t-shirts into midriffs, and traveled back to a time when McDreamy was McDweeby.

Topics include: the unfortunate passing of Amanda Petersen and how much we all liked her in this role, the fact that Ronald seems to have two goals here and why they unintentionally come in conflict with one another, the difference in the way the film treats the popular guys vs. the popular girls, that sweet Paula Abdul choreography, a prepubescent Seth Green as proto-Ferguson, some concerns over how lucrative a lawn mowing business in Arizona would be, Patrick Dempsey's run of late 80s movies where he played the young stud everybody wanted to sleep with, pranks we played as kids, the triumphant return of our favorite retro jam, and much much more!

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Big Trouble in Little China Jan 22, 2016

The HDYR gang kicks off 2016 with a look back at John Carpenter's cult favorite Big Trouble in Little China. Carlos and Donna had never seen this one, so Chris was excited to hear how they'd react to the strange and wonderful world they were unknowingly stepping into. Although the film is largely beloved, one aspect that seems to remain pretty divisive is the decision to make the Jack Burton character completely unaware that he's not the central figure in this story. We have a fairly spirited discussion about the pros and cons of that choice and ultimately decide that the problem isn't really with Jack at all.

Other topics include: the project's origins as a western set in the 1880s, the rushed production and excessive studio meddling that may have compromised a couple of key elements, the original choices for the roles of Jack and Wang, expendable supporting characters that could have been merged or cut completely, the amazing fight choreography and how beautifully Carpenter staged those sequences, the one detail of Lo Pan's plan that he overlooked, the upcoming remake, and much much more!

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A Very Merry HDYR Holiday Special Dec 22, 2015

Hello-ho-ho and welcome to the HDYR Holiday Special! We decided to break from the formula and devote this episode to answering some listener questions, sharing some of our favorite Christmas memories, and getting all mushy about how wonderful it is being friends with one another. Topics include: the one Christmas present you guys just had to have as kids and whether or not it lived up to the hype, our go-to holiday movies, controversial moments that never made it into the final cut of certain episodes, requested titles we may never cover and the reasons why, what the future holds for this podcast and the three of us, and much much more!

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"Silent Night" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Gremlins Dec 11, 2015

In the first of two holiday-themed episodes, Kristen & Mike from The Sunnydale Stacks join us for a look back at Joe Dante's 1984 horror/comedy classic Gremlins. For those of us that grew up with this film and its sequel, certain aspects have become somewhat interchangeable over the years - but where as Gremlins 2 has a more farcical sense of humor, the original's is pitch black.

It had been a long time since most of us had seen this one, so it was interesting to see how accurately our memories lined up with what's actually on screen and just how much of this we had completely forgotten. Topics include: some of our your favorite non-traditional Christmas movies, the original (and much darker) version of this story, why Carlos thinks Billy should be a little kid, the insane life cycle of these creatures and the problematic rules they come with, an argument about the infamous Phoebe Cates monologue, why certain supporting characters seemingly disappear, the misguided marketing campaign for the movie, how we all found out there was no Santa Claus, and much much more!

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Crocodile Dundee Nov 27, 2015

This is definitely one of the most dramatic examples so far of there being a huge disparity between the movie we all remembered and the film it actually is. There's no question that Crocodile Dundee remains a very beloved property and that its title character is one of the most iconic from this era. Everyone knows the name and everyone can quote a few of the more famous lines. So all three of us were a little surprised to discover that so many aspects of it felt problematic. This is not the episode we imagined we'd end up with when we picked this one.

Topics include: what playing Crocodile Dundee as a kid might have looked like, the problem with not giving either of your main characters any flaws, how much Chris likes the unconventional structure of the story and why Carlos thinks it should have been split into two films, the way Sue and her boyfriend suddenly become different people in the second half, the fact that even stories with low stakes still need conflict, a lot of pitches for more effective versions of this premise, and much much more!

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Rookie of the Year Nov 13, 2015

As soon as our beloved Chicago Cubs found themselves squaring off against the New York Mets, Rookie of the Year was suddenly on everyone's mind again after 20+ years. Unfortunately for us, real life didn't play out exactly the same way as it did in the movie - but then there are a lot of elements to the film you just sorta have to go with.

Topics include: how inept all of us were at sports as kids, the bizarre (and frankly impossible) timeline of this story, some surprisingly mixed feelings about Daniel Stern's character and his decision to take a fairly large role in a movie he was also directing, the conflicting messages we're getting about the final game, and much much more!

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Poltergeist Oct 30, 2015

Carlos and Donna had never seen Poltergeist, but Chris suspected that it would be a perfect pick for this year's Halloween episode. The film's success paved the way for two sequels, a TV series, and a remake - but its real legacy seems to be a curse that supposedly haunted the cast & crew and some controversy surrounding who actually directed it. We get into all of that and more so turn off the lights, grab some candy, and follow the HDYR gang into the light. Topics include: One of Chris' worst Halloweens as a kid, the lighthearted first act and why the film works so much better because of it, the sequences that still creep us out, some stuff that hasn't aged as well, the origins of the Poltergeist curse, why the family stays in the house, what happens to the dog, how much weed Mom & Dad smoked, and much much more!

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The Monster Squad Oct 16, 2015

It's so surprising and awesome that The Monster Squad has been one of most requested titles from our listeners. Although the film received a lukewarm response when it was released in the summer of 1987, it quietly amassed a dedicated following in the ensuing years and is now regarded as a bonafide cult hit. Carlos wasn't able to join us for this episode, so Mike from The Sunnydale Stacks sat in to discuss how we all first discovered the movie and how well it's held up over repeated viewings.

Topics include: how licensing issues prevented the filmmakers from using the more traditional cinematic depictions of these monsters and why it actually worked in their favor, the incredible cast of kids they assembled, some questions about why Rudy's hanging around, a more effective way the squad might have been formed, Eugene's allegiance to the confederacy, the pitch-perfect tone, the amazing creature effects, and much much more!

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Twister Oct 02, 2015

By the summer of 1996, the era of high-concept movies where special effects took center stage was in full swing. It was a crowded slate, but the hype surrounding Twister was bolstered by the involvement of Jurassic Park alumni Steven Spielberg and Michael Crichton. All three of us were completely blown away (rimshot!) by the film as kids, but there's a whole lot about it that doesn't make much sense now. Topics include: the supposedly troubled production, the incredibly memorable trailer, a clumsy first act that might have benefited from dropping a few of these characters, the over-the-top sound design, whether or not the effects hold up, cell phone reception in the middle of a storm, vindictive tornadoes, the absolutely ludicrous final moments, and much much more!

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Spawn Sep 18, 2015

Spawn's time in the limelight was pretty brief in the grand scheme of things, but for a moment there this character was EVERYWHERE - comic books, cartoons, video games, action figures, trading cards... you name it and there was probably a piece of merchandise with his face on it. A live-action feature film adaptation was inevitable, but instead of being the culmination of Spawn's propulsive popularity, it instead indicated that perhaps this property's glory days were winding down.

There's a lot to discuss here and the HDYR gang does their best to sort through the nonsensical script and scattershot direction in order to figure out how such a straightforward concept could get transformed into something so muddled.

Topics include: Chris and Carlos' memories of the Spawn comic and their initial reactions to the movie, an easy fix that would have helped the filmmakers stretch their modest budget, the problem with giving Al Simmons a moral center before he goes to hell, makingthe costume work on film, the constant and unnecessary narration, Donna's confusion over everybody's motivation, an argument for putting a limit on Spawn's powers, and much much more!

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Dangerous Minds Sep 04, 2015

When Dangerous Minds was released in 1995, we were all too young to realize it was not breaking any new ground. So while it was just the latest entry in a long line of films that utilized the "save our students" story template, it still felt super duper important when we watched as kids. Now that we're all grown up, it's pretty easy to recognize that this is no Lean on Me or Stand & Deliver. At its best, Dangerous Minds is a tone-deaf oversimplification of what the real LouAnne Johnson actually experienced. At its worst, it's an insensitive misfire that betrays its source material and basically turns the whole situation into a cartoon. Topics include: Coolio's hit single "Gangsta's Paradise" and the part it played in keeping Dangerous Minds in the zeitgeist for the past two decades, the fact that Jerry Bruckheimer seems to think he's making To Sir, With Love but probably would have been more at home with something like The Substitute, the actual methods Johnson used to make the curriculum more relevant for her students (spoilers - it wasn't with Bob Dylan lyrics), deleted scenes, awkward endings, why the truth was so much more compelling than this fiction, and much much more!

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The Lost Episode Recap Special Aug 21, 2015

Over the course of the two years we've been recording this podcast, there have been a handful of episodes we've never released for one reason or another. If you've heard our Listener Questions episode then you already know the back story on what went wrong with most of them. We've never actually talked about the movies themselves though. So that's what this special is all about! Chris, Donna, and Carlos finally have an opportunity to sum up their thoughts on Clue, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Addams Family, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, RoboCop, Big, and Beetlejuice.

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The Lost Boys Aug 11, 2015

Sleep all day. Party all night. Never grow old. Never die. It's fun to be a vampire. And boy oh boy is there a lot to unpack with this beloved 1987 horror/comedy: the hugely influential additions it made to modern vampire lore, its incredible soundtrack, the first on-screen pairing of The Two Coreys, that greased up sax player, an inexplicable Rob Lowe poster... the list goes on. Since Chris & Donna don't have as much experience battling the undead, they brought in two experts to help them out - Kristen & Mike from The Sunnydale Stacks: A Buffy Podcast! Together they examine which aspects of the film have stood the test of time, which ones haven't, and then make some guesses as to why The Lost Boys continues to resonate so strongly with so many people.

Topics include: the way Joel Schumacher was regarded pre-Batman Forever, the straight-to-DVD sequels, some mixed opinions about the way the song Cry Little Sister is incorporated into the film, conflicting endgames from two of the villains, the film's undeniable influence on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and other modern vampire stories, deleted scenes, alternate endings, and much much more!

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Overboard Jul 24, 2015

This might not be one of the biggest movies we've covered for the show, but almost everyone who saw Overboard when they were younger still seems to have a lot of love for it now. And with good reason - Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell are hilarious and charming in the lead roles. In fact, they're so good that it almost makes me you forget how shockingly insane the premise and some of the set pieces are. Topics include: some confusion over what the endgame of Dean's plan is, the "special appearance" by Edward Herrmann, why Joanna shouldn't be allowed to leave the house, the words and phrases we repeated as kids before we knew what they actually meant, the uncomfortable sex scene we never thought twice about when we were younger, and much much more!

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Camp Nowhere Jul 10, 2015

Kristen from The Sunnydale Stacks sits in with the HDYR gang this week to discuss one of her childhood favorites - Camp Nowhere. Chris, Donna, and Carlos were a little hazy on the details, but all of them remember enjoying it to varying degrees as kids. As adults? Well... they found that there wasn't a single moment that made a lick of sense, but some of it was so utterly bonkers that it was still pretty fun. Topics include: the difference between what the script is telling us about our main characters vs what we're actually seeing, the problem with having all of them get along for the entire movie, what these parents are really up to every summer, the career Christopher Lloyd should have had post-Back to the Future, the unnecessary romantic subplot with the doctor and her reaction to these events, the decision to have every Parents Day all at once, and much much more!

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Terminator 2: Judgment Day Jun 26, 2015

In honor of our two-year anniversary, we decided to take a look back at one of the best Part II's of all-time: Terminator 2: Judgment Day. This wasn't just our first experience with the Terminator franchise as kids - it was also one of the first R-rated movies we were allowed to watch. There are still a lot of fans who would argue that this follow-up is actually superior to the original in many ways, but no matter which side of that debate you come down on, we can probably all agree that this is an incredible achievement in the sci-fi/action genre. Topics include: the fact that Donna and Carlos still haven't seen the original Terminator, how T2 is able to stand so well on its own, why the T-1000 is one of the greatest movie villains ever created, the clever reversals on elements from the first film, the opposing character arcs of Sarah and the T-800, the realization that the T-1000 isn't a very skilled hunter, how our heroes almost win the final battle completely by chance, a potentially more interesting resolution that fixes the one major paradox the final moments create, and much much more!

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Jurassic Park Jun 12, 2015

Hold onto yer butts... it's an episode 65 million years in the making! Just in time for the release of Jurassic World, we decided to take a look back at where it all began. The original Jurassic Park made a huge impact on all of us as kids and unlike a lot of other big films from this era, it still packs a punch. Now that it's widely regarded as a modern masterpiece, we take a stab at figuring out what it is about this movie that's allowed it to age so gracefully. Topics include: Chris' obsession with dinosaurs as a kid and the way they were presented in media prior to this, the various Jurassic Park toys and video games, how Spielberg expertly turned a very adult book into a more wholesome family-friendly adventure, the advantage of not using big stars in the lead roles, the groundbreaking visual effects and the real reason they still hold up two decades later, some poor planning regarding the layout of this park, why this version of John Hammond is more successful than the way he's depicted in the novel, the quieter moments that the sequels sort of forget about, whether or not the complaint that these characters are one-dimensional is valid, and much much more!

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The NeverEnding Story May 29, 2015

They don't make 'em like they used to... and that's certainly evident in the case of The NeverEnding Story. It's nearly impossible to imagine a movie with imagery like this being marketed to kids today. Maybe that's one reason it resonated so strongly with our generation - its most memorable moments were probably the most traumatic. All three of us loved this as kids, it gets requested all the time, and we couldn't wait to take another look at it. Topics include: how much the author of the novel hated this adaptation, the differences between the U.S. and German cuts of the film, the amazing performances of these young actors, the initial aimlessness of Atreyu's mission and an easy fix for that, the terrible fate of Artax and why maybe its not such a bad way to go after all, some unexpectedly conflicted feelings about Falcor, the reason it makes sense to end the movie at the book's halfway point, why the sequels are really where they drop the ball when it comes to deviating from the source material, and much much more!

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Ladybugs May 15, 2015

So... wow. This one's a lot different than some of us remembered it. Donna's still unapologetic about her love for Ladybugs, but a few too many misguided moments prevent Chris and Carlos from giving it a pass. There is one thing all three of us can agree on though - this is two very different movies stitched together. One is a feelgood family sports comedy in the same vein as The Mighty Ducks... and the other is a raunchy Rodney Dangerfield vehicle that has more in common with The Bad News Bears. Either version would have worked, but this bizarre middle ground is pretty problematic. Topics include: Donna's experiences growing up in a town with only two soccer balls, some unnecessary early scenes that the film would be better off ditching completely, a crucial decision that needed to be made about Chester and how other characters react to him, a story about the star player from Chris' soccer team, the unbelievably uncomfortable slow-mo dream sequence, the even more uncomfortable dressing room scene, how those decisions completely change the subtext of other moments later on, and much much more!

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X-Men May 01, 2015

Consider this the podcast equivalent of Giant Size X-Men #1! It's an episode filled with big announcements, enormous thank yous, and an epic discussion about this incredibly influential film and the franchise it kicked off! We were all a little shocked when we realized that this original X-Men movie is already fifteen years old! What's really interesting about it now is that it's sort of a middle ground between the way comic book films were made and marketed in the 80s and 90s vs the way they're treated today. There's no question that this helped shape the landscape of the modern superhero movie, but there are still a lot of elements here that are holdovers from the previous era. Topics include: our history with the comics and the 90s cartoon, other versions of the film that were kicked around before Bryan Singer got involved, some initial skepticism about the age of certain characters, the incredible opening scene and why the Magneto/Professor X relationship is so central to the success of this property, whether or not Wolverine should be a leading man, the real reason this feels a little small in scope, how unfortunate it is that Cyclops and Storm get sidelined here, some issues with the costumes, some questions about Magneto's plan, and much much more!

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Mortal Kombat Apr 17, 2015

The fact that Mortal Kombat isn't a very good movie is probably not tremendously surprising. What IS a little crazy is that it's still one of the better live-action adaptations of a video game. Chris was always impressed by the level of respect the filmmakers clearly had for the source material, Carlos had a few issues with some of the changes they made, and Donna had never seen it and thought this was a Jean Claude Van-Damme movie. Topics include: the origins of the video game franchise and the controversy it created, which actress almost played Sonya Blade, which actor the rest of the internet wants you to believe almost played Johnny Cage (and why Chris thinks it's impossible), Shang Tsung's questionable motivation for manipulating our heroes to enter the tournament, why a Japanese deity is being played by Christopher Lambert, the decision to make Reptile an actual reptile, the character they created just to kill off, the awesome soundtrack, the terrible sequel, and so much more!

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Heavyweights Apr 03, 2015

Carlos loved Heavyweights as a kid, Donna had never heard of it, and Chris realized that his memories of it were actually a combination of several other "kids run amok" movies from this era. Ben Stiller's hilariously over-the-top performance seems to be the main thing everyone remembers about it and we all decided that aspect was not oversold. Tony Perkis isn't just a precursor to Dodgeball's White Goodman (although the comparisons are fair). It's actually a surprisingly nuanced character - seriously! Topics include: Donna's own experiences at summer camp, her one major gripe with the film, the most elaborate way Chris was ever rejected by a girl he asked out, misleading IMDb trivia, whether or not the Apache Relay subplot was necessary, our favorite Lars moments, and much much more!

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The Back to the Future Trilogy Mar 20, 2015

From the onset of this podcast, we've received so many requests to cover one of the Back to the Future movies . Now that we've hit our 50th episode, we knew we wanted to do something special - so we decided to tackle all three! Back to the Future was such a gigantic part of all of our childhoods and each of us explains why these films meant so much to us back then and why we think their legacy endures. Then it's time to break them down one-by-one and discuss how our opinions of each entry have changed over the years.

Topics include: the one giant leap you have to make with the original film in order for any of it to work, some extremely divisive opinions about Part II, a few surprising reactions to Part III, who the unsung hero of this franchise is, a debate about whether or not a sequel/remake/reboot could ever work, and much much more!

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The Breakfast Club Mar 06, 2015

Since The Breakfast Club just celebrated its 30th anniversary, it seemed like a good excuse to take another look at this seminal film. We all enjoyed it as kids, continued to appreciate it as we got older, and were anxious to discuss why it remains so relevant when so many other movies from this era feel unbelievably dated. Topics include: the opening David Bowie quote and how it sort of sums up John Hughes' approach to telling stories about teenagers, the original plan to check in on these characters every ten years or so and why that never came to pass, alternate casting choices, Chris' one issue with Principal Vernon, a surprisingly spirited debate about what happens after Andy smokes pot, the incredible "group therapy" scene, the pros and cons of Allison's makeover, and much much more!

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Encino Man Feb 20, 2015

After one of our listeners suggested covering a Pauly Shore movie, we all decided that Encino Man seemed like the logical place to start. A ten-year-old Donna thought this was awesome and that Pauly was the future of comedy. Carlos didn't warm up to it until college and all of his friends started quoting it. Chris didn't hate it, but he was never as excited about Pauly Shore as a lot of other people seemed to be. You know what the most surprising thing about rewatching it was? Our main character Dave is probably one of the least likable protagonists in any of the movies we've looked at so far! Other topics include: how this isn't really "a Pauly Shore movie" in the traditional sense, Donna's huge gripe with the prologue, why the love interest's jerk boyfriend isn't really a jerk at all, a really touching moment that's completely betrayed by Dave "White Fang-ing" Link a few scenes later, the way everybody keeps getting together and breaking up off-screen, the wrong way to binge at 7-11 when you're drunk, the made-for-tv sequel, and much much more!

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Romeo + Juliet Feb 06, 2015

We all had pretty mixed feelings about Baz Luhrmann's adaptation of Romeo + Juliet when it was released in 1996. Donna initially loved it, but was already fairly lukewarm on it the following year. Carlos always enjoyed the film and still regards it as his favorite cinematic version of the story. Chris expected to adore it, but was surprised to find it borderline unwatchable. None of us had seen it in many, many years and there were a few surprising revelations after this viewing. Topics include: the pretty terrible introductory scene, the pros and cons of casting age-appropriate actors in the title roles, some of the criticisms surrounding this take on Mercutio and why the three of us are totally on board with it, how much of this tragedy can be blamed on Father Lawrence and why he really should have known better, how little screen time Romeo and Juliet actually share, the unbelievable production design, the sluggish second half, and much much more!

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Saved by the Bell - Part II Jan 28, 2015

We wrap up our Saved by the Bell discussion by spending some time at Malibu Sands and then taking a closer look at what's arguably the most notorious episode of the entire series. After that we play a round of Who Would You Be and Who Would You F - which includes YOUR responses to which character each of us would be. Topics include: Donna's ill-fated attempt to recreate one of Zack & Stacy's more romantic moments, whether or not Slater is actually a better feminist than Jessie (spoiler alert: he is), how futile it is to try and track Zack & Kelly's relationship, a possible explanation for why the "very special episodes" became so prevalent, Slater's pants, Stacy's tights, Lisa's bra, and much much more!

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Saved by the Bell - Part I Jan 23, 2015

Boy oh boy did we all adore Saved by the Bell when we were kids. Donna thought this is exactly what high school was going to be like. Chris and Carlos knew better, but actually loved the show because of how heightened and ridiculous it was. As we got older, it didn't take long to figure out that this series was objectively pretty awful and that most of these kids were terrible people. And yet - we remain incredibly fond of it. Listen in as we attempt to figure out why... Topics include: the show's origins as Good Morning Miss Bliss, the various spin-offs and TV movies that kept the Saved by the Bell brand alive for years after the original series ended, how disturbing it is that no one involved with this seemed to notice that all of these characters were dangerous sociopaths, the murky sense of morality that undermines a lot of the lessons these episodes were trying to teach us, the secret truth about Bayside's miniscule number of students, why the show is at its best when it commits to being a live-action cartoon, and much much more!

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The Net Jan 09, 2015

So this was a first... a movie none of us had ever seen prior to this episode. Donna had been hearing for years that it was completely insane and thought it might be fun to look back at what our perception of the internet was circa 1995. The only problem is that even twenty years ago, no one was taking The Net seriously. It did manage to make a handful of very accurate predictions about where this technology was headed, but for the most part its an aggressive assault on common sense. That's not what made this it such a chore to get through though. It's biggest problem is that it's a thriller that isn't thrilling. It's a boring mess that spends the majority of its running time spinning its wheels.

Topics include: what scared us about the internet when we were kids, certain elements the writers could have borrowed from films like Vertigo or Rear Window that would have made Angela's dilemma more compelling, how a fundamental misunderstanding of Internet 101 completely invalidates what the villains are after here, the importance of a second opinion when it comes to major medical diagnosis, why this group of terrorists feels the need to leave a calling card on their super secret web page, the endless parade of limp and repetitive action scenes, the fact that the bad guys had nothing to fear from Angela until they started chasing her, and much much more!

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Die Hard Dec 22, 2014

We don't even debate whether or not Die Hard is a Christmas movie. This film and its first sequel are always included in Chris' annual holiday movie marathon and the whole gang thought it would make for an appropriately spirited discussion. So come out to the coast. We'll get together. Have a few laughs. Topics include: the project's unusual origins and how many times it very nearly developed into something else entirely, the way the script skillfully layers in everything we need to know about John & Holly's relationship, how clumsy some of the other exposition is, why Hans Gruber is still the best villain in the franchise, plot holes big enough to drive a certain ambulance through, the use of sidekicks in this film vs the later entries, why the best Die Hard sequel isn't even actually a Die Hard movie, and much much more!

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Steel Magnolias Dec 12, 2014

With all of the superheroes, spaceships, and horror films we've been discussing lately, we decided it was time to shake things up a little. It might be easy to dismiss Steel Magnolias as a chick flick, but Donna makes the case that it's themes of friendship and loss are pretty universal. Chris was expecting a very different movie when he first saw this as a kid, but he wound up liking it anyways - even if he never would have admitted to it at the time. Donna didn't see it until college and it turned her into a sobbing mess. Carlos has always been a little surprised how emotional everyone gets over the final act, but he enjoys the film nonetheless. Topics include: the real life tragedy that inspired the original stage play, who almost played Shelby, the rocky relationship between the cast and their director, misconceptions we had about sex as kids, a simpler (and possibly more effective) version of the pregnancy subplot, the aspects of grief that the film absolutely nails, the rather abrupt ending, and much much more!

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The Rocketeer Nov 28, 2014

There was so much to say about The Rocketeer that we had to bring in a very special guest to help us revisit this one. Dean from The Science Fiction Film Podcast dropped by to share his memories of the movie and his thoughts on it two decades later. Donna and Carlos were pretty hazy on the details of this one, but Chris remembered most of the plot and the one major problem he had with it as a kid. It's still a sticking point for him now, but quibbles aside - there is so much to love about this movie. Topics include: Disney's plan to reinvent the modern blockbuster and how it sort of blew up in their face, the differences between this and Dave Stevens' original graphic novel, James Horner's amazing score, some pretty significant problems with Cliff's character and his journey over the course of the story, Carlos' disappointment that Peevey isn't Albert Einstein, what exactly those Nazis were doing in that forest, who put a flare gun on that zeppelin, and much much more!

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Flight of the Navigator Nov 14, 2014

Everyone was incredibly hazy on the details of Flight of the Navigator's plot, but Donna did remember that even as a kid she wished the scope of the story were a bit bigger. Carlos thought that it was and realized that he had invented a completely fictional version of this film in his mind. Chris knew that the main character was transported 8 years into the future and that a spaceship was involved, but couldn't recall how those story threads connected. And now that they know? Well, you could probably make a strong argument that there are two really great premises here that are sort of awkwardly squashed together. Topics include: how long it takes David to get on board the spaceship and why Chris actually liked all of that build up, the lack of any real "bad guys" and a debate about how well that approach works here, the abrupt shift in tone once the robot A.I. turns into Pee-Wee Herman, how brief David's time on the ship really is and how little he does with it, and much much more!

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The Blair Witch Project Oct 31, 2014

The Blair Witch Project was revered and reviled in equal measures upon its release in the summer of 1999. Regardless of which camp you fell into, one thing remains clear - this is one of the most influential horror movies of all-time. Not only did it single-handedly bring the found footage format into the mainstream, it was also one of the first films to utilize the internet for its complex and groundbreaking marketing campaign. Chris knew a little too much about how it was made to get fully on board with it, but was (and still is) really impressed with the logistics of this production. Kristen and Carlos, on the other hand, bought in completely and were deeply affected by what they essentially thought was a snuff film.

Topics include: how the filmmakers were able to convince such a large portion of the audience that this was real footage and the lengths they went to in order to sell that idea, the supplemental promotional items that delved further into the Blair Witch mythos, the purpose of the two cameras and how they're being used here, the pros and cons of letting the actors actually work the equipment, some various explanations for what's actually taking place in these woods, the frustrating but effective final moments, and much much more!

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Twin Peaks Oct 24, 2014

Carlos has never been a huge fan of David Lynch, but Chris and Donna were fairly certain he'd still find a lot to like about Twin Peaks - a series they couldn't believe he'd never seen a single episode of. Chris remembers being entranced by the glimpses he caught of it as a kid and recalls that he later tried to get into it when he was in college without much success. He and Donna both learned to appreciate it several years ago, but they tend to disagree about the ratio of good episodes to bad ones. And we get into ALL of it - the impressive and hypnotizing first season, the less-focused and more frustrating second season, the much-maligned feature film, and our thoughts on the show's upcoming resurrection.

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Scream Oct 17, 2014

Now that the original Scream is as old as the late 70s/early 80s slashers it was satirizing, it seemed like a good time to revisit it and see how well it works today. The film was a breath of fresh air for the horror genre back in 1996, but the onslaught of imitators it inspired might make it difficult to remember just how groundbreaking and controversial it was. Chris grew up on horror films and appreciated all of Scream's references and the statements it was making on the genre. Carlos wasn't a big fan of these types of movies, but still understood that this was more than just a standard slasher and loved it for that reason. Donna hated being scared and avoided the film until she was forced to watch it for this episode.

Topics include: the resurgence of slashers in the late 90s and how quickly that trend ran its course, Carlos' only issue with the otherwise incredible opening scene, why the film is still disturbing despite the fact that there's more gore on network TV these days, how much Donna dislikes Randy and a debate about how authentic the character actually is, the observation that the movie starts strong and ends strong and very little happens in between, some thoughts on where the horror genre is now and the sorts of observations further Scream sequels should be making, and much much more!

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Movie Oct 10, 2014

Before Spike, Angel, and the Scooby Gang... there was the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie. Chris loved the show, but not the film. Donna and Carlos have never seen the series, so for them this 1992 comedy IS Buffy. Topics include: how Joss Whedon's original vision for the film was compromised by the director, what changes were made and what elements survived, how unfair it is to compare Kristy Swanson's performance to Sarah Michelle Gellar's, how disinterested Donald Sutherland seems to be in all of this, the fact that nobody has much of a reaction to all of these terrible events, some confusion over why vampires haven't taken over the planet yet, and much much more!

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Can't Hardly Wait Sep 26, 2014

When Chris finally got around to seeing this one on home video, the whole Preston/Amanda love-letter situation hit a little too close to home for him to be able to fully enjoy it. Carlos was always a fan and Donna remembered liking it as well (but not as much as the overzealous friend who sort of tainted her initial theatrical viewing by insisting there was more going on with this film than was probably fair). These days, Can't Hardly Wait is no longer the "salt in the wound" situation it used to be for Chris and he found plenty to enjoy. Everyone seemed to agree that it doesn't quite reach the John Hughes-esque heights its aspiring to, but that the movie still works as a relatively harmless good time. Topics include: unexpected consequences of Chris' obsession with Jennifer Love Hewitt back in high school, the story behind his real-life Preston moment, the film's struggle to secure a PG-13 rating and which characters & subplots were removed as a result, a debate about the character of Denise, some questions about what Amanda's even doing at this party, a few anecdotes about the early days of AOL Instant Messenger and X-rated chat rooms, and much much more!

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze Sep 12, 2014

There was nothing we were more excited about in the spring of '91 than the release of the next live-action Turtles movie. As kids, the consensus seemed to be that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze was the best entry in the series - something that Carlos and Donna can definitely attest to. Chris always preferred the first one, but still had a great time with the sequel. After rewatching it, the gang realized that the movie is pretty much exactly how they remembered it. No surprises there. What did change - and predictably so - was how they responded to it. Carlos still found it to be superior to the original, Donna thought it was a mixed bag, and Chris was a little disappointed to discover that this one just doesn't hold up for him at all. Topics include: the goofier tone and how the reactionary approach to violence actually sends a more disturbing message in some ways, the confusion over how much time has passed since the end of the first movie, how little Keno ultimately adds to the story and other ways they could have utilized him, a debate about how interchangeable the Turtles are this time, why Bebop & Rocksteady were sidelined in favor of Tokka & Rahzar, what exactly the secret of the ooze is, the wasted potential of anti-mutagen, and much much more!

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Mrs. Doubtfire Aug 29, 2014

It's been a sad few weeks since the death of Robin Williams - a man who was synonymous with so many of our childhoods. At the top of the show we take a minute to talk about him and some of the things we've been thinking about since this news hit.

It was difficult to pick just one of his films to revisit for this week's episode, but ultimately we decided to go with Mrs. Doubtfire. It's a role that allows Williams to showcase his comedic and dramatic chops - and it's also probably one of the better examples of a movie that lets Robin Williams be Robin Williams in fairly organic way. It's also an entry in his filmography that we think even he would be able to poke fun at. Don't get us wrong - all of the performances are pretty stellar, but there are more than a few genuine "wtf?!" moments in this story and Chris remains convinced that if you take Williams out of the equation this is one of the creepiest premises of all-time. Topics include: a debate about whether the slightly-awkward first act would be better served by having Daniel and Miranda already separated, Chris' theory that some of the early moments with Mrs. Doubtfire are not in their original order, Carlos' argument that Pierce Brosnan is miscast and that the character of Stu is problematic in general, the aspects of divorce the story gets 100% right, the confusing dynamic between Daniel & Miranda after they split, and much much more!

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Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves Aug 15, 2014

Chris wasn't shocked to find out that Carlos and Donna were not huge fans of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. You could argue that certain aspects of it seem silly in hindsight, but the truth is a lot of these choices were pretty bizarre even back in 1991. What did surprise him a little bit was that they didn't like it when they were kids either.

It's interesting how divided our generation remains on this one. It's either a beloved holdover from a more innocent age or a five-word-punchline to a joke about early 90s excess. No matter which side of the fence you fall on, it's interesting to note that the film does a great job of illustrating how much summer blockbusters have changed over the years - and how much they've stayed the same. Topics include: the additional footage in the Extended Edition and whether or not the theatrical cut was already too long, Chris' argument that Alan Rickman's much-lauded performance doesn't actually fit the tone of the rest of the movie, the bizarre and ultimately unnecessary witchcraft subplot, what's missing from Kevin Costner's performance (besides the accent), the moments he totally nails, our own alternate casting choices, and so much more!

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Listener Questions Aug 01, 2014

In this episode, it's all about YOU - our amazing and supportive listeners. We put out the call for your questions & suggestions and we received a ton of great responses!

So get ready to find out how the three of us met, what the origin story of the podcast is, what our favorite episodes are, what our not-so-favorite episodes are, an embarrassingly long list of "lost episodes" and what happened to them, a new twist on Chris' Fashion Corner, and so much more!

Thanks again to everyone who got in touch with us. We can't thank you enough and we can't wait to do this again!

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The Adventures of Pete & Pete Jul 18, 2014

The HDYR gang packs up the station wagon and heads back to Wellsville to discuss three of their favorite episodes of The Adventures of Pete & Pete - "What We Did On Our Summer Vacation", "King of the Road", and "Hard Day's Pete". After sharing their memories of the series, they offer their own explanations for why it struck such a nerve back when it debuted and why it continues to resonate so strongly with them now. Chris realizes it probably informed his sense of humor to a greater degree than he was even aware of, Donna recalls being won over by the open-ended nature of the storytelling, and Carlos laments the current state of children's programming. Pete & Pete may have had an offbeat tone, but it was also filled with very genuine musings about growing up - so there's a lot of talk here about the fleeting nature of childhood, that awkward pre-teen phase where you're just imitating older people's behavior without understanding it, the way we suppress the things that we love in favor of fitting in, and the value of the sort of nostalgia we're celebrating here vs. being inspired to create something new.

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What About Bob? Jul 04, 2014

Donna and Carlos were both too stressed out by Bob's behavior to enjoy this 1991 comedy when they were children. They were on Dr. Marvin's side 100% and couldn't understand what was so hard about just following simple rules and respecting people's boundaries. We'll call this "The Problem Child Phenomenon". Chris was already a teenager by the time he saw the movie so he didn't have that problem (and suspects he wouldn't have as a kid either). Donna and Carlos eventually grew to love it as well, but the one thing we were most surprised by as adults was just how unabashedly awful the character of Dr. Marvin is. Chris remembered it as more of an Odd Couple situation where you sympathize with both of them at different points in the story. Nope. Not even a little. Leo's the worst. For Carlos this raises an important question - who are we really rooting for here? And why? Chris thinks that the screenwriter believed Leo was the protagonist, the director believed it was Bob, and that both of them were wrong. The movie is still hilarious and we all laughed out loud A LOT, but the bungled relationship between the two leads drastically changed our feelings on the actual story - especially once it reached its bizarre and totally unearned conclusion.

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Labyrinth Jun 20, 2014

Goblins and faeries and bulges oh my! It's The Wizard of Oz by way of Jim Henson in the 1986 cult-classic Labyrinth. Donna didn't discover this one until college, Carlos had hazy memories of it that were all mixed up with scenes from The Neverending Story, and Chris saw it when he was too young to retain most of it and didn't watch it again until he was in his early 20s. It's often imperative to be introduced to movies like this at the right age or else you run the risk of not getting what all the fuss is about. Despite the fact that none of us had a particularly deep connection with this film as children, that wasn't an issue here. We all loved Labyrinth and still do. Topics include: the filmmakers disinterest in the real world segments which result in a clunky first 10 min and a cloudy overall message, earlier versions of the script that depicted Jareth as a more menacing opponent, how the film's initial failure effected Henson, our mixed feelings about the songs David Bowie wrote for the film and how they're used, our attempt at making sense of the "one always tells the truth and the other always lies" sequence, and much more!

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Honey, I Shrunk The Kids Jun 06, 2014

It had been a really long time since Chris, Donna, and Carlos had seen this movie. As kids, they all watched the first sequel a lot more despite the fact that they liked it a lot less. So there wound up being a ton of fun surprises with this viewing. Chris remembers going to see this after he had finally recovered from Johnny 5's horrific beating in Short Circuit 2 and finding no reason why he shouldn't get attached to the character of Anty, Donna recalls her attempts to recreate this movie with her friends, and Carlos laments a childhood that didn't include a trip to the Honey, I Shrunk The Kids playground at Disney World. Other topics include: the lack of explanation and payoff surrounding the troubled Szalinski marriage (I mean... is it even troubled?), the otherwise perfect first act, several ways this whole shrinking the kids problem could have been solved in about ten minutes, Carlos' issues with some of the calculations these characters are running, a few super weird tangents about a lusty soccer mom, the way the film expertly handles the special effects, and much more! Bottom line - we had a blast with this movie and we were all really excited to talk about it!

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Ghostbusters II May 23, 2014

When Chris and Carlos discovered that Donna thought Ghostbusters II was better than the original, they knew it was time to revisit the film and investigate this controversial stance. They learn that she saw this one before its predecessor and Chris suspects that may have gone a long way in covering up some of the movie's more glaring issues. Donna stands firm though and a spirited discussion about which entry is superior ensues. Topics include: the problematic conceit of the opening scenes, Vigo the Carpathian vs Gozer the Destructor, why it took half a decade for this follow-up to come together, how the success of The Real Ghostbusters cartoon influenced the tone of this film, what exactly Egon did with that slime, our love of Winston and our frustration with how this series treats him, why "disappointing" isn't the same thing as "bad", and much much more!

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Curly Sue May 09, 2014

Well this one isn't exactly the way Chris, Donna, and Carlos remembered it. It's a problematic premise to begin with, but we were positive that a film written and directed by the legendary John Hughes would confidently tackle those complications head-on. Sadly, this is not one of his finer efforts. Chris thinks the lack of any real conflict between the main characters makes the film a little boring, Carlos can't make any sense of the illogical legal subplot, and Donna's not sure who she's supposed to be rooting for here. Topics include: The film's inconsistent characterization of Grey, the numerous problems with Bill's revelation about his relationship to Curly Sue, a debate about Alisan Porter's performance (the boys are quite fond of her), the mixed messages in this story, the moments we still enjoy, and quite a few tangents - including a look back at one of Chris' traumatizing day camp experiences and the various points at which Donna has hit rock bottom.

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A League of Their Own Apr 25, 2014

After a run of some less than stellar films, the HDYR gang decided to try and lift their spirits by revisiting A League of Their Own - a movie they all loved as kids and have continued to adore as adults. For Donna, it was the spark that ignited a feminist flame. For Carlos, it was a sports movie with the perfect blend of heart and laughs. And for Chris, it was the inspiration to try and start his own baseball league (with predictably disastrous results). Topics include: Madonna's tie-in song that took over the world, the disappointing A League of Their Own TV show, some disagreements about the effectiveness of the film's final moments, Chris' problem with the fact that the focus is on Dottie when Kitt really should be the protagonist, deleted scenes that change some of the core character dynamics, and much much more!

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Last Action Hero Apr 11, 2014

Donna had never seen Last Action Hero. Chris & Carlos convinced her to watch it by describing it as one of the first mainstream movies to flirt with this sort of cheeky self-awareness. They remembered it as a misunderstood gem that was too ahead of its time in the pre-"meta" cinematic landscape of 1993. Then they all watched it and realized that was a bunch of hot air. Chris comes to terms with the fact that his memories of this film always lie to him, the bloated running time prevents Donna from being able to really engage with it, and Carlos still enjoys most of it but recognizes that several sequences could probably be axed. Other topics include: the effect this film had on Schwarzenegger's career and tentpole movies in general, the differences between the original spec script and the finished product, the loosely defined logic of the magic ticket and how these different worlds operate, a climax that commits the cardinal sin of making a promise it doesn't keep, and much more! But don't worry - it's not 90 min of complaining. There's still an awful lot to love about this movie.

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Mannequin Mar 28, 2014

None of us had seen the 1987 comedy Mannequin in a really long time and we were all pretty stunned to discover that this movie doesn't offer any explanations for what's happening. That pre-credits scene in Egypt? Irrelevant. The circumstances that led to Emmy becoming a mannequin? Never touched on. The reason that Jonathan's the only one that can see her? Doesn't matter. Chris has fond memories of watching this as a kid and still enjoys the film despite the glaring problems. Donna didn't pay much attention to it when she was younger and Carlos was more interested in swooning over Kristy Swanson in the sequel. In addition to the story's complete lack of logic, they also discuss the character of Hollywood and how the filmmakers might have been trying to send the right message in the wrong way, what Roxy's fashion choices tell us about a woman's role in the workforce during the late 80s, the one important aspect of this concept that the much-maligned Mannequin Too actually handles better, the super-awkward chapter of his life that Chris will always associate with this movie, and much much more!

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Varsity Blues Mar 14, 2014

We thought it might be fun to revisit a movie that came out when we were in high school so Carlos suggested Varsity Blues. This coming-of-age story was his first introduction to these up-and-coming stars and to the legendary Jon Voight. Donna wasn't interested in it when it was originally released, but eventually discovered it on cable and has grown to love it over the years (though mostly ironically). Chris had never seen it before and was a little nervous that this was probably just not for him. After taking a look at what was going on in the world in 1999, they discuss how the film sort of sidesteps what should be the real conflicts in the story, Voight's pretty spectacular performance of an underwritten character, the bizarre sexual politics at work here that allow Tweeter to be treated like a hero while Darcy's just a sad slut, the various ways this connects to Friday Night Lights, and much more.

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The Muppets Take Manhattan Feb 28, 2014

Donna sure does love The Muppets and she decided to take us through her favorite Muppet movie of all-time: The Muppets Take Manhattan. Chris and Carlos have similarly fond memories of Jim Henson's beloved band of misfits and none of them can remember a time when they weren't a part of their lives.

They discuss the differences between the films & TV shows produced when Henson was still alive and the ones that followed after his death, Donna has some issues with the lyrics of Miss Piggy's love ballad, Chris is surprised that the supporting cast is largely absent for most of the movie's running time, and everyone does a Kermit the Frog impression at some point. Other topics include: the live-action Muppet Babies sequence and the cartoon that followed, Chris' not-so-irrational fear of Miss Piggy as a child, what to do when you see a rat, what NOT to do when a woman says no, what happened to The Muppets in the late 90s/early aughts, and the most recent attempts at recapturing this property's former glory.

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The Giver Feb 14, 2014

We decided to take a break from our regularly scheduled programming and try something a little different for this episode. Rather than picking a movie or TV show, we thought it might be interesting to re-read Lois Lowry's young-adult novel The Giver.

Carlos and Donna remembered most of the story, but both agree that its final moments come across very differently now. Chris had almost no memory of the book and was impressed with how skillfully Lowry allows the true nature of the narrative to unfold. Topics include: all the questions raised by considering how this utopian society actually works, how our parents policed what we watched on TV but not what we read, the two ways to view the ending and the evidence that supports each interpretation, subsequent books in the series, our thoughts on the upcoming film adaptation, and much more.

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Masters of the Universe Jan 31, 2014

By the power of Grayskull... it's the ultra-bizarre Masters of the Universe movie! Chris, Carlos, and Donna all watched the He-Man cartoon and played with the toys when they were kids, but these characters and their lore didn't stick with them the way other properties from this era have. Chris and Carlos remember being fairly bummed out by this 1987 live-action adaptation and its glaring disregard for some of the show's more iconic elements, Donna didn't even know it existed, and all of them were left pretty confused after revisiting it. Topics include: how the tight budget and restrictions from Mattel left the filmmakers with their hands tied, why so many new characters were created for the film while fan-favorites were sidelined, the vague and impossibly murky mythology of Eternia, the irritating decision to make two teenagers the focus of the story, how the first Thor movie delivered a more successful version of the same premise, why He-Man's costume just absolutely does not work in live-action, and much more!

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Jan 17, 2014

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles brand has seen its share of peaks and valleys over the years, but when the first live-action film was released in the spring of 1990, the heroes in a half-shell were at the apex of their popularity. This was one of the first "event" movies for Chris, Donna, and Carlos - and all three of them were at exactly the right age to be completely captivated by it. In this episode they discuss how the filmmakers blended elements from the original comic book and the wildly successful 1987 cartoon series to craft something that honored both mythologies while simultaneously staking its own claim. They also discuss the practical effects created by Jim Henson's Creature Shop, speculate over what Shredder's long-term plan is, share a surprising anecdote about the Turtles' canonical origin, and much more. Although the film still works for the most part, they also reveal some of their issues with it - including the Turtles' curious lack of involvement in the climax's two biggest moments and the fact that Casey Jones probably didn't need to be in this particular story. And then Donna introduces a new rule that sets the stage for the weirdest round of Who Would You Be and Who Would You F? that they've ever played.

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Once Bitten Jan 03, 2014

Once Bitten is either the best or worst movie we've watched for the show. Actually, it's probably both. We all had a great time with it despite the fact that it's objectively awful. After giving some context for what else was going on in the world when the film was released in 1985, the gang buckles up for a completely bonkers breakdown of this misguided horror/comedy. Donna gushes about her favorite scene, Carlos complains about one he found particularly offensive, and Chris pitches a more straightforward version of this story.

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Home Alone Dec 20, 2013

There were so many great Christmas movies to choose from for our first Holiday Special, but we finally settled on one that was a childhood favorite for all of us - Home Alone. Topics include: what it was like growing up in the Chicagoland area when the film was released, the surprisingly sound internal logic of the story, the one actor who really didn't want to be there, the supposedly dead pop icon who might be there, a discussion about whether or not the final showdown still works for us, and a disturbing story about the summer Chris and his sister tried to play To Catch A Predator with a weirdo at their dad's apartment complex. Merry Christmas Ya Filthy Animals!

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Empire Records Dec 06, 2013

Empire Records may not be a great film, but it is a beloved cult favorite. The initial reviews were pretty terrible and it sort of came and went from theaters in the blink of an eye. So how has it amassed such a devoted following in the years since its release? Why does it continue to resonate with audiences when so many of its contemporaries have long since been forgotten? Chris, Donna, and Kristen take a look at both the original cut and the Special Fan Edition to see if they can figure it out. Chris was introduced to the film as a kid. Donna and Kristen didn't discover it until much later in life. They determine how this might have affected their opinions and what they each got out of those inaugural viewings. Other topics include - the additional/alternate material from the extended cut and whether or not it fixes or compounds the issues of the original version, what's still missing from both cuts (entire characters, subplots, and even a second day at the store), the uncomfortable realization that some of us now identify more with the adults than the kids, and much much more.

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The Professional Nov 22, 2013

When The Professional first came up as a possibility for our next episode, it was immediately apparent that everyone had fond memories of this film. EVERYONE!!! Chris and Carlos watched the uncut international version (known as Leon: The Professional) and Donna watched the original theatrical version. They highlight the differences in each cut, discuss the strengths and drawbacks of these choices, and discover that a few minutes of additional footage might have a pretty dramatic effect on some people's impressions of the movie.

Topics include: the multiple ways you can view the Leon/Mathilda relationship, proper post-coital hygiene, the majesty of Gary Oldman's hammiest performance, how some of the unconventional decisions made by the filmmakers helped elevate the material above and beyond similar movies from the same era, whatever happened to this Luc Besson, and much more. We wrap things up by taking our own version of 2 Truths 1 Lie for a spin and then we expertly navigate our way through what could have been the most uncomfortable round of Who Would You Be and Who Would You F? of all-time.

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The Sandlot Nov 08, 2013

Don't be an L7 weenie! Head back to the summer of '62 with us so that we can play some ball, talk about The Great Bambino, perv some dishes, roast some s'mores, and face off against The Beast. The Sandlot's idealistic and sentimental tone made all of us nostalgic for an era we didn't even grow up in (and that we all agree probably didn't actually exist). But that's sort of it's charm - it does a spectacular job of capturing the fun and innocence of childhood. We discuss what makes the film work despite its lack of a traditional narrative, have some disagreements over how effective the climax is, and then wrap things up with a round of Who Would You Be and Who Would You F?

Also... I know there have been issues with the audio quality lately. We're working really hard to get all of that sorted out.

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The Child's Play Series Oct 31, 2013

We close out this year's run of Halloween episodes with a retrospective of the Child's Play franchise. Chris was really into these movies as a kid. Kristen had never seen any of them. Together, they sat down and watched all six - Child's Play, Child's Play 2, Child's Play 3, Bride of Chucky, Seed of Chucky, and the newly released Curse of Chucky.

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Hocus Pocus Oct 25, 2013

In our second Halloween-themed episode, Donna walks us through one of her childhood favorites - Hocus Pocus . Chris and Carlos weren't as into this one as kids, but for different reasons. Donna still adores it, Chris still can't really get into it, and Carlos was surprised to find that it was more entertaining than he'd remembered.

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Are You Afraid of the Dark? Oct 11, 2013

We begin our run of Halloween-themed episodes with a look back at Are You Afraid of the Dark ?- a show that absolutely terrified our hosts as children. Chris, Donna, and Carlos each chose one of their favorite episodes to rewatch and discuss.

After revisiting The Tale of the Dark Music, The Tale of the Super Specs, and The Tale of the Quiet Librarian, they close things out with a conversation about what's arguably the most popular episode of the entire series - The Tale of Laughing in the Dark.

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Short Circuit 2 Sep 27, 2013

Megabytes of input! Get ready for a very spirited discussion about this surprisingly ambitious 1988 comedy. It probably seems strange to revisit the sequel without looking at the original Short Circuit, but we all realized that we have much clearer and fonder memories of this one. Short Circuit 2 has so much more going for it than any of us could possibly have anticipated. For a kids movie about a talking robot, this slapstick fish-out-of-water story is also brimming with moral dilemmas, spiritual quandaries, and philosophical ponderings. We're not making this up! And because the filmmakers chose to make a movie that was actually about something rather than going for a simple cash grab, we were able to enjoy this one just as much as adults as we did as children.

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Dick Tracy Sep 13, 2013

There's no denying that Dick Tracy is a visually impressive film. The production design, the cinematography, and the effects are all truly incredible. Chris doesn't think it's a bad movie by any means, but he's always been a little baffled by all the love for it. Even as a kid he felt like the story wasn't anywhere near as interesting as the world it took place in. Carlos is a little bit more forgiving of its flaws and Donna still unabashedly adores it. In this episode we marvel over the film's striking palette, question some of the unusual editing decisions, discuss the pros & cons of the script's broad characterizations, take a look at alternate versions of the story that were abandoned early on, and debate whether or not Warren Beatty should have cast someone else in the lead role.

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Problem Child Aug 30, 2013

With a scant 78 min. running time, Problem Child certainly doesn't have to worry about overstaying its welcome. It got in, got out, and happily surprised the HDYR gang. Initially, our memories of this film and its sequel were all jumbled up. As a result, it was easy to forget that the first Problem Child actually has some witty satirical elements, a strong point-of-view, and an endearing overall message. Maybe we've just been watching too many convoluted movies lately, but there was something refreshing about the film's simplicity. In this episode we discuss how effectively each character is set-up, how much we miss John Ritter, some of the misguided criticisms leveled against the character of Junior, how re-arranging a few scenes in the second act would give the story some more momentum, and the glorious majesty of a certain farting pig.

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Hook Aug 16, 2013

Have to fight. Have to fly. Have to crow. Steven Spielberg's Hook was maligned by critics upon its release in 1991, but many who grew up with it still remember it fondly. Is the film a misunderstood masterpiece or were its detractors right on the money? For the HDYR gang, the truth is somewhere in the middle. It was the first movie that truly disappointed Chris as a child, Carlos found the whole thing a bit aimless, and Donna adored it. Have their opinions changed in the last two decades? Topics include: Spielberg's late 80s/early 90s identity crisis, randy old Wendy, the unfathomable awesomeness of Dustin Hoffman, the strangely limited scope of the film, the half-baked "was it all a dream?" nonsense, Rufio the heartbreaker, why Tinkerbell is the real villain of Neverland, and much more!

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Super Mario Bros Aug 02, 2013

There's no beating around the bush with this one... Super Mario Bros. is a pretty epic misfire. None of us liked it that much as kids, but Chris thought the bizarre choices the filmmakers made were so fascinating that it was worth a discussion. In this episode, we look back at the property's odd journey from video game to silver screen and wonder if there was ever going to be a good version of this film. We also wind up having a larger discussion about adaptations in general and how closely they should stick to their source material. Is Mario Bros. divergence from the games ultimately what sinks it? We're not so sure. And then we wrap things up with a new game from Donna called Who Would You Be & Who Would You F?

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Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead Jul 19, 2013

We're right on top of that, Rose! In this episode we dig up the corpse of one of Donna's childhood favorites and try to convince her it's a rotting mess. She still loves it, Carlos doesn't, and Chris is somewhere in the middle. Join us as we discuss irresponsible mothers, moon goddesses, bizarre pick-up lines, Chris' problem with the lack of "fun & games" in the screenplay, the irresistible charm of Kenny and Brian, why Steve Harvey would approve of this story, and of course... the fashion. Click below to stream or download, but only if the dishes are done.

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Harry and the Hendersons Jul 05, 2013

Chris & Donna both loved Harry and the Hendersons as kids. As adults, well... it's sort of a mixed bag. In this episode, they discuss the top-notch creature fx, the annoying older sister, the film's abundance of either set-up or payoff (but not both), their own personal camping horror stories, Bigfoot's *ahem* appendages, and much more.

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Adventures in Babysitting Jun 21, 2013

Chris & Donna revisit Adventures in Babysitting and discuss the importance of expositional vanity plates, G-rated Playboy spreads, the single most bonkers gang fight in all of cinema, and much, much more!

Quick disclaimer - this is basically our pilot episode. It was the very first attempt we made at recording something, so the format isn't totally in place yet and it runs a little long. There were also some minor issues with Donna's side of the audio, but nothing too terrible. So please keep all of that in mind before you listen to what we've officially dubbed our Training Wheels Episode!

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