Double Impact

048 - This week we are covering the film that made little Greg cry - 1990's GHOST. This movie is kind of insane, but we would argue that actually works in its favour, we need more insane movies. It was also the highest grossing movie of 1990, so there's that. It was also directed by the guy that did Airplane and The Naked Gun, so there is also that. If that's not enough 'thats' for you, it's also got Patrick Swayze, Whoopi Goldberg and Unchained Melody (a song with an insanely rich origin story), so there is THAT too.

047 - MERRY CHRISTMAS! We are now in Christmas week and it's time for our 3rd and final film as part of our Christmas Triple Header - Home Alone. We get it, maybe you're not commuting, maybe you're off your usual schedule, but you've probably watched Home Alone recently and are ready for a deep dive. So grab your egg nog, get cozy, and listen to the two of us break down this movie's origin story, revisit 90s Macauley fever as well as Joe Pesci's music career, and break down just how damaging these booby traps would actually be in the real world.

046 - The festivities continue with week 2 of our Christmas movie triple-header. Now, we know what you're thinking - The Santa Clause isn't quite as iconic as Die Hard (last week) or Home Alone (next week), but we promise, we have uncovered enough nuggets to make this one worth revisiting (e.g. did you know, in the original script, Tim Allen actually killed Santa with a shotgun? Well it's true, and it's freaking nuts). So, join us as we cast our minds back to the year that was 1994 and completely over-think a movie that's meant for little kids.

045 - Welcome to the party, pal. Time to get festive as we kick-off our first episode in our 3-week Christmas movie trilogy. Don't you dare say that Die Hard isn't a Christmas movie, because you are wrong, and we prove it in this very episode. Festivities aside, you get all the usuals here - we dive deep into the film's rich origin story, its cultural impact, the master puppeteer that orchestrated it (Joel Silver), and of course, Hans Gruber's 'convincing' American accent.

044 - Does any one person embody the genre of 'Neo-Noir-Erotic-Thriller' more than Michael Douglas? The answer of course, is no. He is a strange man, and this is his bread and butter. In this episode, we are discussing perhaps the most iconic film in the genre with Paul Verhoeven's Basic Instinct. This movie was a big deal in our youth, for all the obvious reasons, but today we discuss it as adults. As mature, grown-up adults. Mostly.

043 - "Dis river can kill you in a tousand ways". Is there any character more iconic than Jon Voight's 'Paul Sarone'? Yes. Many. Vast amounts. So many. But this completely off-the-wall performance is amongst the most fun we've had since starting this podcast - so just get on board. Beyond the scene-stealing Voight, we also cover the (mixed) performances of Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson (wow), debate the special effects, and discuss the year that was 1997 in the context of the ass-economy.

042 - It was only a matter of time before we covered this 80s icon. When we talk about revisiting the movies that impacted us as kids, they don't make them much bigger than this - but it's easy to take for granted the beautiful absurdity of this movie getting made in the 80s, when big budget special effects comedy was simply unheard of. We of course dive deep into this film's rich origin story, as well its cultural legacy today - but perhaps most importantly, we dive into the tin-foil-hat-wearing-lovable-crackpot that is Dan Aykroyd and his obsession with ghosts and aliens that made this movie possible in the first place.

041 - A grand experiment. An unconventional casting decision. A film no one would finance. Yet it became the smartest investment decision Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny DeVito and Ivan Reitmen would make in their careers. Hollywood would never be the same... Well, it would be mostly the same I guess... but anyway, take out da papers and da trash and come join us as we explore Arnie's first foray into (intentional) comedy, with 1988's Twins! Will it hold up, or is it best left in the past?

040 - Another 10 eps means another Jean-Claude Van Damme masterpiece (or 'masterpiece'?). This week we are hitting one of the lesser known exploits of Van Damage, with 1990's Death Warrant. Is this the first JCVD with an actual storyline? Or simply the first one without a fighting tournament? These are the big questions, guys - and we are here to answer them. The biggest question of course being, does this movie hold up today, or is best left in the past?

039 - This week we're taking a look back at the most expensive film ever made (at the time) outside of Hollywood - 1997's The Fifth Element. Yep, the budget to weirdness ratio in this movie is unmatched, and that's what makes it so bloody fascinating. From it's humble beginnings in the imagination of a bored 16 year-old staring at cows, to some absolute career-bending performances, we cover it all. You'll also be exposed to some of the worst pronunciations of French names ever attempted, that's the Double Impact guarantee.

038 - It's new territory for us this week as we dive into the post-modern fairy tale land of 1987, and The Princess Bride. Can you believe this thing is over 32 years old? Inconceivable! This movie has something for everybody, and every one seems to either love it, or has never heard of it. Whichever camp you're in, join us as we dig into the rich backstory of the film's origins, dissect our favourite bits, unpack its cultural impact, and decide: does it hold up today, or is best left in the past?

037 - In partnership with nostalgic instagram lord @movieverse, we are taking it back to the ultimate 80's cartoon, Transformers. How do we know it's ultimate? Because @movieverse counted over 10,000 votes and that's the verdict. We talk everything from the origin of the franchise, through to the cartoon, the comic, the movie, the merch, and most surprisingly, the music (seriously, bangers await you in this episode).

Since it's catch up week, we thought we'd reach even further into the archives for an even deeper cut to bring to the surface. We sounds so bloody young! (it was earlier this year, but we were pretty fresh at this whole podcasting thing) Turtlemania was massive in our youth, but how did it all start? Where the hell did these turtles come from and why did we love them so much? We look at the gritty origins of these gritty turtles in their first and grittiest film. Gritty.

The boys are taking a week off, so we are pulling out a deep cut from the old archives and re-releasing one of our favourites for halloween month - 1984's Gremlins. Is this a family movie? Is it a horror movie? who the hell knows, it just doesn't matter! DON'T BOX IT IN, GUYS! This is the tale of everyone's favourite Mogwai, Gizmo, and his mates causing a ruckus around town (and maybe some casual murder). Who is to blame - Gizmo? Consumerism? Foreigners? Americans? There are a few readings one can have of this 1984 oddball, but no matter which way you cut it, it's a bloody classic!

036 - We are taking things back to 1996, believe it or not, for the very first time. Who better to take us there than Eddie Murphy with The Nutty Professor? Does this count as an Eddie Murphy classic? Sure, it's no Coming to America, it's no Beverly Hills Cop and it's no Golden Child - BUT - it's also no Norbit, The Haunted Mansion, or Holy Man - so, you know, it could be a lot bloody worse. Join us as we put on our freudian hats and over-analyse the Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde that is Dr Sherman and Buddy Love, and decide once and for all, if this movie holds up today, or is best left in the past.