NostalgiaCast: Recent Episodes
Darin Lundberg
Taking a Look at Childhood Favorite Films to See If They Stand the Test of Time, Or If They're Past Their Prime
It looks like another sunny day here at NostalgiaCast, with a high of 72 and a low of 72 as Jonny and Darin tune in to PLEASANTVILLE, directed by Gary Ross and starring Tobey Maguire, Jeff Daniels, Joan Allen, and Reese Witherspoon. Friend and fellow podcaster Robert Yaniz Jr. is our very special guest for this episode, in which we discuss the peachy keen comedy, boss digital FX, and outta-this-world performances that bring this multi-meaning'd social commentary fantasy to life.
You wanted to tussle? Let's tussle, as NostalgiaCast sets its sights on OUT OF SIGHT, directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Ving Rhames, Don Cheadle, Steve Zahn, and Albert Brooks. Jonny and Darin discuss the movie as an Elmore Leonard adaptation with a voice, the jump cuts, freeze frames, and electric filmmaking choices that defined the rest of Soderbergh's career, and the megawatt movie star performances by Clooney and Lopez. Also, where does the movie rank among PULP FICTION wannabes?
Justice leaves its mark! Grab your whip and your fedora as NostalgiaCast celebrates cinema's other greatest pulp adventure hero with a retrospective look at THE MASK OF ZORRO, directed by Martin Campbell and starring Anthony Hopkins, Antonio Banderas, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Friend and fellow podcaster Stanford Clark joins Jonny and Darin for a swashbuckling, horse-riding, Spanish Tango-ing discussion of this '90s adventure classic, the characters (like Batman and Indiana Jones) that Johnston McCulley's iconic creation inspired, and the story choices and practical stuntwork that sets the movie apart from 99% of all blockbusters today.
Visit Stanford's Movies Past And Present Podcast here:
https://moviespastandpresent.com/
We can't stop here, it's bat country! Take a mind trip you'll never forget as NostalgiaCast kicks off its 1998 Bucket List retrospective with FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS, Terry Gilliam's polarizing adaptation of the novel by Hunter S. Thompson. Jonny and Darin are joined by author/ podcaster/ Jonny's wife Ruth Harris Craddock to discuss the gonzo performances and camera tricks that immerse us in a world of debauchery and excess, and also delve into the '60s counterculture that inspired the book. Buy the ticket, take the ride!
NostalgiaCast says a little prayer for you as Jonny and Darin welcome film critic, friend, and good luck charm Natasha Alvar for a joy-filled discussion of MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING, directed by P.J. Hogan and starring Julia Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, Cameron Diaz, and Rupert Everett. They talk about the current state of romantic comedies in today's political climate, why modern movie watchers push back on the idea of imperfect protagonists, and also interview Natasha about her invaluable work cultivating the arts as editor-in-chief of The Fiction Department. Don't be the pus that infects the mucus that cruds up the fungus that feeds on the pond scum. Listen now!
Read in-depth reviews of TV, film, books, and so much more by Natasha and her esteemed contributors here:
https://thefictiondepartment.com/
How do you like them apples, it's the latest '90s Bucket List episode of NostalgiaCast! Jonny and Darin are joined by returning friend (and Matt Damon lookalike) Tim Hade for a deep-dive psychoanalysis of GOOD WILL HUNTING, directed by Gus Van Sant and starring Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Ben Affleck, and Minnie Driver. Listen as they discuss the performances, Damon and Affleck's award-winning screenplay, and why a movie made up almost entirely of monologues positively should not work but absolutely does. Let the healing begin!
Listen to Tim at Brown Pocket Radio here:
brown-pocket-radio.mixlr.com
Hey, podcast listeners: wanna take a riiiiiide? Search the stars for meaning and purpose as NostalgiaCast revisits Robert Zemeckis's CONTACT, starring Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey. Returning guest (and fellow philosophizer) Kevin The Critic joins Jonny and Darin to help make sense of the scientific/ religious/ political debate at the center of this mind-bending sci-fi classic, plus the glorious mix of spectacle and storytelling that defines Zemeckis's best work.
It's bing bing bing bing bang! popcorn! as NostalgiaCast winds back the clock to our high school days and GROSSE POINTE BLANK, directed by George Armitage and starring John Cusack, Minnie Driver, Dan Aykroyd, and Alan Arkin. Jonny and Darin talk about the movie as the "Second Coming of PULP FICTION" with its ironic violence and throwback soundtrack, plus its endlessly quotable dialogue and maybe possibly deeper meaning at its core. Give it a shot!
"We've got cows!" as NostalgiaCast weathers the storm to talk about TWISTER, starring Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Returning guest (and hat enthusiast) The Lady Wan of the ScreenRun podcast joins Jonny and Darin to discuss the thunderous action, earth-shaking special effects, and drizzly character dynamics of Jan De Bont's pulse-pounding disaster spectacle, then settle down to bemoan the state of blockbuster cinema today.
It's time for the latest episode of NostalgiaCast, m-hm, as Jonny and Darin sit down for an order of french-fried potaters and SLING BLADE, written and directed by Billy Bob Thornton and starring Billy Bob Thornton, John Ritter, and Dwight Yoakam. Listen as your hosts chat about the movie's origins, filmmaking choices, and how it became an Indie darling at the 69th Academy Awards, plus a discussion of the ongoing battle between streaming services and physical media. All right then!
It's "Engage!", "Make it so!", and "Space—the final frontier!" as NostalgiaCast crosses another item off its bucket list with STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT, directed by Jonathan Frakes and starring Patrick Stewart, James Cromwell, Alfre Woodard, Alice Krige, and the entire NEXT GENERATION crew. Jonny and Darin welcome director, photographer and fellow Trekker/Trekkie Rachel Masters to the 'Cast for a discussion of the stellar performances, timeless FX, and terrific balance of TREK lore and blockbuster filmmaking that define what is arguably TNG's finest big-screen adventure. Listen now or risk assimilation!
Check out Rachel's podcast Film Fritter, here: https://www.youtube.com/@filmfritter
Check out Rachel's music video work, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1HhIXH-v1g
It's a time to question what you believe and no time for mistakes as NostalgiaCast opens its 1996 retrospective with A TIME TO KILL, directed by Joel Schumacher and starring Matthew McConaughey, Sandra Bullock, and Samuel L. Jackson. Listen as Jonny and Darin discuss the movie's hot-button subject matter as filtered through the blockbuster sensibilities, knockout performances, and questionable legal tactics that bring John Grisham's most personal novel to life.
CONTENT WARNING: This episode features frank conversations about racial violence and sexual assault.
Podcasting is what happens while you're busy making other plans! NostalgiaCast closes out its 1995 retrospective with a look back at MR. HOLLAND'S OPUS, directed by Stephen Herek and starring Richard Dreyfuss, Glenne Headly, William H. Macy, and Jean Louisa Kelly. Listen as Jonny and Darin wax nostalgic about their high school days, how the movie captures the importance of art and imagination as well as the highs and lows of a life worth living, and Dreyfuss's tour de force performance. Also the masterful way that MR. HOLLAND'S OPUS spans 30 years without resorting to digital de-aging or other cheap tricks used ad nauseam by filmmakers today.
It's Tarantino time, baby! In this special interim episode of NostalgiaCast, Jonny and Darin sit down for a discussion of Quentin Tarantino's "controversial" Top 20 Films Of The 21st Century (so far). Listen as your objective hosts chat about the subjectivity of "Best Of" lists, why it makes no sense to lose your mind over someone else's opinions, and even compile their own lists of the Top 10 films they loved most over the past 25 years, as a proof of concept as to why any list should be emphatically 100% your own.
The future is history as NostalgiaCast winds the clock back... then forward... then back again for a mind-altering discussion of TWELVE MONKEYS, directed by Terry Gilliam and starring Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt, and Madeleine Stowe. Jonny and Darin are joined by friend, film scholar, and Sonic Cinema podcast host Brian Skutle for an attempt to unravel the timey-wimey plot twists and wackadoo acting choices of a movie so apocalyptic, it takes several watches just to get your bearings on it. Plus, Jonny, Darin, and Brian rank their Top 3 films from Gilliam, Willis, and Pitt. Colonics for everyone! Listen now!
We are go for launch as NostalgiaCast welcomes friend, scholar, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic Manuel São Bento for a rocket-fueled chat about Ron Howard's APOLLO 13, starring Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Kathleen Quinlan, Gary Sinese, and Ed Harris. Manuel joins Jonny and Darin to discuss the movie's technical mastery, stellar performances, and out-of-this-world historical accuracy, plus an exploration of the introspective nature of film, and how our reactions say infinitely more about us than we possibly realize.
Look at me, Harry! NostalgiaCast kicks off its 1995 retrospective with a fond look back at GET SHORTY, directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and starring John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, and Danny DeVito. Jonny and Darin don't say anything more than they have to, if that, as they compare this meta-comedy classic confection to the Elmore Leonard book on which it's based, gush over their favorite performances and dialogue, and marvel at how Sonnenfeld and screenwriter Scott Frank make the adaptation their own. Don't be a f*** ball. Listen now!
I'm your huckleberry! It's a tale of two Wyatts as NostalgiaCast gallops back to the Old West with a double dip into TOMBSTONE (directed by George P. Cosmatos and starring Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer) and WYATT EARP (directed by Lawrence Kasdan and starring Kevin Costner and Dennis Quaid). Our friend / above average fanboy Joe Buttice of the Reel Spoilers podcast joins Jonny and Darin to discuss the wiiiildly different approaches to the legend of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday, the Gunfight At The O.K. Corral, and whether both versions stand better on their own or if they'd work better as an amalgam of aesthetics, writing, and performances.
Broadcasting nationally coast to coast, from New York to Los Angeles, from Seattle to St. Petersburg, coming up next, it's the latest episode of NostalgiaCast! Wind back the clock as Jonny and Darin investigate QUIZ SHOW, directed by the late great Robert Redford and starring Ralph Fiennes, Rob Morrow, and John Turturro. Listen as they dig in to the '50s scandal that rocked the nation, and how the performances and themes of truth and disillusionment still resonate so strongly today.
Sing "Nants' Ingonyama," "Hakuna Matata," and "Mamela lelando we" as NostalgiaCast returns to Pride Rock for a discussion of THE LION KING, starring the voices of James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, and Matthew Broderick. Rachel Wagner and Stanford Clark of the Talking Disney Classics podcast join Jonny and Darin to chat about the film's long-lasting legacy, stunning animation and adult Shakespearean themes, and place within the '90s Disney Renaissance.
Get busy livin' or get busy dyin' as NostalgiaCast kicks off our four-part 1994 retrospective with a captivating look back at THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, directed by Frank Darabont and starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. Hold tight to your rock chisels and Rita Hayworth posters as Jonny and Darin relive the movie's most memorable lines and performances, compare Darabont's adaptation to other Stephen King adaptations, and dig dig dig to the bottom of how the film has secured the #1 spot on the IMDb's Top 100 list for 17 years now. Salvation lies within!
NostalgiaCast searches every gas station, residence, warehouse, farmhouse, henhouse, outhouse, and doghouse for THE FUGITIVE, directed by Andrew Davis and starring Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones. Film critic Jaylan Salah of the Women InSession podcast joins Jonny and Darin on the hunt as they discuss the iconic performances and crackerjack set pieces of what might be the greatest action thriller of the '90s, plus all the fun little flourishes that put most of today's actioners to shame.
You ask us if we've got a god complex? Let me tell you something: we ain't gods, we're podcasters! NostalgiaCast sidles up to the surgical table with a look back at MALICE, directed by Harold Becker and starring Alec Baldwin, Nicole Kidman, and Bill Pullman. Join Jonny and Darin as they sort through the twisty, turny, Aaron Sorkin-y stylings of this wannabe Hitchcock-ian thriller—maybe the first to include serial killers, child murder, and thick New Yawk accents purely as "flavor."
SPOILER WARNING! Please see the movie itself before listening to Jonny and Darin discuss its many jaw-dropping twists!
That's not gonna happen! NostalgiaCast continues its '90s Bucket List season with a look back at IN THE LINE OF FIRE, directed by Wolfgang Petersen and starring Clint Eastwood, John Malkovich, and Rene Russo. Our buddy and actor/director extraordinaire Jeannette Miller returns to the 'Cast to help Jonny and Darin recap the pulse-pounding performances and cat-and-mouse thrills of Petersen's 1993 action classic, and also the unfortunate "window dressing" that hampers so many '90s films.
NostalgiaCast kicks off its roundup of films from 1993 with a Bucket List look back at TRUE ROMANCE, directed by Tony Scott and written by Quentin Tarantino. Jonny and Darin recount their first mind-boggling experience with QT's patented snap crackle dialogue, meta-movie references, and endless homaging of classic and not-so-classic cinema, and discuss their favorite performances and scenes in a film that still shocks and awes audiences today.
It's "Plaaaaaay ball!" as NostalgiaCast steps up to the plate for a home run discussion of A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, directed by Penny Marshall and starring Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, and Madonna. Phoenix Clouden, good friend and co-host of the Curtain To Curtain podcast, helps Jonny and Darin wind back the clock to a time where men went off to war and women were tasked to keep America's favorite pasttime alive. Also batted around: a history of the AAGPBL and a roster of Phoenix-Jonny-Darin's favorite lines and performances in the film.
Hickory dickory, Doc, Cain has picked his lock! NostalgiaCast goes a little mad with a De Mented, De Ranged, and De Lightful look back at Brian De Palma's RAISING CAIN, starring John Lithgow, Lolita Davidovich, and Steven Bauer. Horror Movie Maven and friend of the 'Cast Lindsay Washburn joins Jonny and Darin to discuss the movie's breathtaking tracking shots, tour de force performance from Lithgow, and oversized decorative sundials. Also discussed: the director's cut of the film that came from the unlikeliest of places.
Someday I think you and I are going to have a serious disagreement... but not today! NostalgiaCast continues its '90s Bucket List season with an action-packed look back at THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Wes Studi, and Madeleine Stowe. Jonny and Darin welcome their dear childhood bff Jenny Young for a discussion of Michael Mann's romantic historical epic, and how its visceral filmmaking, authentic-to-the-period visual style, and embracing of Native American culture either does or does not stand up to scrutiny today. Grab your muskets, knives, and tomahawks and join us!
It's corkers and Blarney Stones as NostalgiaCast takes a transatlantic trip back in time to discuss Ron Howard's FAR AND AWAY, starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. Jonny and Darin kick off their 1992 retrospective by welcoming Ruth and Rae of the Paperback Flicks podcast to chat about the history of Irish immigrants and the American frontier, along with the sweeping panoramic vistas, overblown Oir-ish accents, and megawatt star chemistry that made this period romantic drama a minor classic.
NostalgiaCast turns up the heat as Paul of The Countdown Podcast joins our latest '90s Bucket List episode for a fiery discussion of BACKDRAFT, starring real-life stuntmen Kurt Russell and William Baldwin, plus Robert De Niro, Donald Sutherland, and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Grab your boots, gloves, and Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus as Paul, Jonny, and Darin obsess over the pyrotechnics, melodramatics, and classic Hans Zimmer score that brand Ron Howard's 1991 firefighter thriller.
It's "Vaya con Dios!" and "Utah, get me two!" as NostalgiaCast continues its '90s Bucket List season with a look back at POINT BREAK, directed by Kathryn Bigelow and starring Patrick Swayze, Keanu Reeves, and Gary Busey. Join Jonny and Darin for a zen-filled discussion of all the wave-riding, high-flying, bank-robbing thrills that shape this bona fide cult classic. But is it still 100% pure adrenaline after 30+ years, brah? Or a bummer in between action scenes?
Grab your fava beans and your garrote piano wire as NostalgiaCast takes a deep-dive into Martin Scorsese's CAPE FEAR and Jonathan Demme's THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, two killer thrillers from two American masters not typically known for their horror chops. Jason of The Slashers and Binge Movies podcasts joins us to discuss the terror, torture, uncompromising head games, and oppressive existential dread that defines not just these two box office behemoths but also the current state of film criticism today.
TRIGGER WARNING: This episode includes frank discussions of violence and sexual abuse as associated with the horror genre.
This... episode... is for YOU! Grab your scissors and your faux American accents as NostalgiaCast continues its "Bucket List" season of '90s favorites with a hypnotic look back at DEAD AGAIN, starring Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, and Robin Williams. Listen as Jonny and Darin recount their history with Branagh as actor, filmmaker, and connoisseur of Shakespeare, and how his attempt at a bombastic Grand Guignol neo-noir murder-mystery with a supernatural bent will either bore you or leave you mute with fear.
Grab your bug spray and your makeshift flamethrowers as NostalgiaCast braves Frank Marshall's ARACHNOPHOBIA for the latest '90s Bucket List episode, starring Jeff Daniels, John Goodman, and the late, great Julian Sands. Listen as Jonny and Darin discuss the movie's creepy-crawly Spielberg-ian touches, its perfect balance of comedy and scares, and lament how modern moviegoers try to "outsmart" the films they watch instead of engaging with the magic of them. Let's rock 'n' roll!
NostalgiaCast has the conch as Jonny and Darin continue their "Bucket List" season of '90s favorites with a look at LORD OF THE FLIES, directed by Harry Hook and starring child actors Balthazar Getty and James Badge Dale. Buddy and pal Jason Payne joins our hosts to discuss the origins and writing of the book by William Golding, its controversies among literary circles, and how Hook modernized the story by Americanizing the characters, acting styles, and dialogue.
A movie so nice, they made it twice! NostalgiaCast continues its "Bucket List" season of '90s favorites with a big ol' goopy deep dive into Joseph James Dante Jr.'s GREMLINS 2: THE NEW BATCH, perhaps the most subversive studio picture ever unleashed on the film-going public. Avoid bright lights, water, and eating after midnight as Jonny and Darin discuss the arbitrary rules, delightfully disgusting practical FX, and nonstop parade of in-jokes that make up the greatest meta-sequel of all time. Check it out one time, won't you?
Get your a$$ to Mars as NostalgiaCast returns from a long hiatus to discuss Paul Verhoeven's subversive sci-fi action classic TOTAL RECALL, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sharon Stone. Jonny and Darin kick off a "Bucket List" season of '90s favorites with a look back at the mind-bending plot twists, groundbreaking FX, and questionable acting choices that define Schwarzenegger's first major blockbuster of the decade.
Light the lamp, not the rat! Light the lamp, not the rat! For a special Christmas episode of NostalgiaCast, Jonny and Darin are joined by author/artist Ruth Harris Craddock for a spirited discussion of THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL, directed by Brian Henson and starring Kermit The Frog, Miss Piggy, and Sir Michael Caine as arguably the big-screen's definitive Ebenezer Scrooge. They chat about the movie as a faithful adaptation of Dickens's classic story (with Muppets!) and how Caine's decision to play Scrooge as "utterly dramatic" adds to its sincerity and fun. God bless us, every one!
It's showtime! In NostalgiaCast's annual Halloween special, Jonny and Darin visit the afterlife for a spirited discussion of Tim Burton's BEETLEJUICE, starring Michael Keaton, Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin, and Winona Ryder. They talk about the legacy of the film, how it slots in with Burton's other idiosyncratic work, and the elements—production design-wise and problematic character-wise—that either do or do not stand the test of time. Let's turn on the juice and see what shakes loose!
Yo, Adrian, we did it! NostalgiaCast closes out its '70s season by stepping into the ring with ROCKY, directed by John G. Avildsen and starring Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith, and Burt Young. The gloves are off as Jonny and Darin spar over the movie's aspirational qualities, its acting and filmmaking choices, and how it became the heavyweight champion of underdog sports dramas by encompassing both Stallone's rise to the top and the indomitable human spirit.
Punch! Punch! NostalgiaCast '70s Palooza continues with a kaiju-and-fun-filled discussion of GODZILLA VS. MEGALON, the man-in-monster-suit melee that Leonard Maltin famously called "A hoho from Toho." Dan and Angela of the Dissect That Film podcast join Jonny and Darin to gasp and guffaw at all the insane/inane choices and unapologetically repurposed footage that make up this 13th(!) adventure in the Big-G's long-running franchise.
In a special episode of the 'Cast, director/writer/storyboard artist Stephen Anderson returns to discuss his must-own new book DISNEY IN-BETWEEN, a fascinating fly-on-the-wall retrospective of the 20-year stretch at Walt Disney Studios when artists and production heads struggled to find their feet in the wake of Walt's death. Stephen recounts his painstaking research and in-depth interviews with the many luminaries who experienced such a transitional period at Disney firsthand, and gives us a new appreciation of the live-action and animated films that defined it.
You talkin' to me? No, NostalgiaCast is talking to you about Martin Scorsese's TAXI DRIVER, one of the most controversial films of the 1970s and still one of the most divisive films of its esteemed director's career. Listen as Jonny and Darin discuss the subjective camerawork and brutal violence that immerse you in New York City as hell on earth, plus the nuances and performances that continue to fascinate (and repel) audiences today.
Grab your Gobstoppers and your Scrumdidilyumptious Bars as NostalgiaCast enters the seventh circle of hell with Gene Wilder and WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY! Film critic and friend of the show Phoenix Clouden joins Jonny and Darin for a discussion of the teeth-rotting horrors and Monty Python-esque satire that permeates this perennial children's(?) classic. Listen now before Wonka's army of Oompa Loompas sing you off to eternal damnation!
It's killer rabbits and k-nig-hts and coconuts as NostalgiaCast journeys back to medieval times for what is arguably the most quotable movie of all time, MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL. Jonny and Darin try to keep their hysterics in check as they recount their favorite lines and sketches from the film, as well as the history of Monty Python and how Chapman-Cleese-Gilliam-Idle-Jones-Palin & Co.'s subversive meta-commentary comedy lives in the SOUTH PARKs, RICK & MORTYs, and DEADPOOLs of today.
Shout "Attica! Attica!" as the latest episode of NostalgiaCast '70s Palooza is taken captive by DOG DAY AFTERNOON, directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Al Pacino and John Cazale. Film critic Tom O'Keefe of the Reel Spoilers podcast joins Jonny and Darin to discuss the claustrophobic direction, progressive(?) storytelling, and magical eye acting of this classic crime drama.
We know what you're thinking: Hasn't NostalgiaCast covered a Clint Eastwood movie before? Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, we've kinda lost track ourselves. But there's still plenty of icons and iconography to cover, and this episode takes aim at DIRTY HARRY, Don Siegel's crime thriller classic that catapulted Eastwood from Western star to action star status. Jonny and Darin discuss the cinematography, questionable morality, and all-around controversy that drove both left-leaning AND right-leaning audiences into an absolute tizzy.
You'll believe podcasters can podcast as NostalgiaCast takes flight with SUPERMAN, Richard Donner's 1978 super-hit starring Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, and Marlon Brando. Jonny and Darin are joined by Chris Scalzo of The First Run and ScreenRun podcasts for a discussion of the story structure, special effects, music score, and sincerity that not only defined so much of their childhoods, but also every single comic book blockbuster that followed in its wake. Up, up and away!
Welcome, all you baddiwad malchicks and ptitsas! Grab a glass of Moloko Plus and get ready for a bit of the old ultra-violence as NostalgiaCast shares a few choice slovos about Stanley Kubrick's dystopian crime classic, A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, based on the novel by Anthony Brugess. Jonny and Darin tackle the controversies surrounding the film, whether its themes of morality and free will are justified by its subject matter, and how its nasty, nihilistic imagery played an integral part in our movie-watching habits.
Celebrate 8 years and 100 episodes of NostalgiaCast as Jonny and Darin journey (at last!) to a galaxy far, far away for a discussion of George Lucas's o.g. STAR WARS Trilogy. Author R.J. Craddock sits in the gunner's seat for a lively chat about the movies' impact on countless filmmakers and film nerds, and how the 1997 Special Editions either did or didn't futz with our nostalgia for the original films.
Also a special thanks to all our esteemed guests and listeners. We're so grateful that you've stuck with us, and look forward to many fun conversations in the future!
GREASE is the word (is the word that you heard) as NostalgiaCast returns to Rydell High for a boppier, bouncier-than-expected discussion of what is arguably the quintessential '70s musical, directed by Randal Kleiser and starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. Jonny and Darin chat about the energetic performances, irresistible songs, and R-rated innuendos, lyrics, and visual gags that have been inadverdently enjoyed by families for almost half a century. With relish!
It took 98 episodes and double-oh-seven-and-a-half years for Jonny and Darin to talk about a James Bond film, but NostalgiaCast finally tackles everyone's favorite tuxedo-wearing, license-to-kill-bearing sex pest with THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, starring 007 as Roger Moore. Popcorn Digest co-hosts Gareth Green and Andrew Raphael lend their Bond expertise to an in-depth discussion of Moore's best(?) outing as the character, as well as their histories with / fondness for the franchise as a whole.
(PLEASE NOTE: Darin's audio file was corrupted during the recording and was salvaged as best as possible. So in the interest of preserving the conversation, the episode is presented as is. We apologize for any inconvenience to your eardrums.)
I love the smell of napalm in the morning! Journey up the Nùng River with Jonny and Darin as they take a psychedelic look back at Francis Ford Coppola's 1979 epic APOCALYPSE NOW, starring Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall, and Marlon Brando. But is this the Vietnam War movie to end all Vietnam War movies, 45 years after the fact? Or is the controversy about its making more interesting than the movie itself? Also, is Brando really the iconic actor everyone claims he is?
Look to the skies as NostalgiaCast attempts to make contact with Steven Spielberg's CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND. Paperback Flicks hosts R.J. Craddock and Rae Davidson join Jonny and Darin for an out-of-this-world discussion of the groundbreaking FX, overly overlapping dialogue, and sense of awe and wonder that permeates Spielberg's 1977 magnum opus, plus how it compares to the rat-a-tat sci-fi extravaganzas of today.
Scoot and boot! Childhood friend Jason Payne makes his fourth token appearance on NostalgiaCast for a discussion of Carroll Ballard's 1979 children's classic THE BLACK STALLION, starring Kelly Reno, Teri Garr, Mickey Rooney, and Hoyt Axton (or, as Jonny calls him, "the guy from GREMLINS"). Listen as Jason, Jonny, and Darin speak in awed reverence about the film's breathtaking cinematography, enveloping sound mix, and its uncanny ability to "speak" to kids and adults alike. Take the reins and join us!
For the latest episode of NostalgiaCast '70s Palooza, Jonny and Darin tackle the faux-documentary / biography / proto-YouTube video essay that is Orson Welles's F FOR FAKE. They talk about the movie as an examination of authorship over art, Welles's (brazen but ultimately unsuccessful) attempts to explode the documentary form, and how a story of charlatans, magicians, and frauds slots into the legendary director's manic career.
NostalgiaCast '70s Palooza heads back to the '60s for a discussion of AMERICAN GRAFFITI, from indie director George Lucas. Crank up your radios and bop along to the beat as Jonny and Darin chat about the nonstop parade of music and muscle cars that permeate this rock 'n' roll coming-of-age tale. But is it a fun and breezy time at the movies, or the same stilted slog as Lucas's later films?
Oo-de-lally, what a day! Jonny and Darin venture into Sherwood Forest to discuss the anthropomorphic action of Disney's ROBIN HOOD, with special guest Stephen J. Anderson, director of MEET THE ROBINSONS and WINNIE THE POOH! (I know, right?) Listen as they get to reminiscin' and this-n-thattin' about the 1970s as a transitional period for Walt Disney Animation, and the character designs that made ROBIN HOOD such a furry phenomenon. Then get ready for a full-on geek-out session about Mr. Anderson's seminal work as an animator and story supervisor on TARZAN, THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE, and BROTHER BEAR.
NostalgiaCast '70s Palooza continues with a look back at Michael Cimino's harrowing epic drama THE DEER HUNTER, which tries to out-GODFATHER THE GODFATHER with elongated, lugubrious wedding sequences and a shakedown of American idealism. Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, Christopher Walken, and the late, great John Cazale star in a tale about working-class joes torn apart by the ravages of war, and Jonny and Darin are there to walk you through the fun!
It's "Leave the gun, take the cannoli," "Go to the mattresses," and "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse" as Jonny and Darin kick off a 1970s-centric season of NostalgiaCast with a look back at Francis Ford Coppola's THE GODFATHER. We talk about the characters, story structure, cinematography, and directorial choices that make up what is arguably the most seminal pop culture phenomenon of the decade. Listen or sleep with the fishes!
NostalgiaCast returns for a special Halloween episode in which we brave Michael Jackson's THRILLER, arguably the greatest music video of all time. Cue up the link below and watch along with Jonny and Darin as they provide a running commentary for the event that made them lifelong horror fans and forever cemented Jackson as an icon. You're in for a killer, thriller time!
https://youtu.be/sOnqjkJTMaA?si=hDfx2JYDOKVWmJyj
In a special bonus episode of NostalgiaCast '90s Palooza, returning guest Jason of @BingeMovies takes us on a guided tour of the many films that inspired and were inspired by the most unsung of movie directors, the late, great(?) Albert Pyun! We talk about his Menahem Golan-produced 1990 masterwork(?) CAPTAIN AMERICA, and its legacy that lives on in the X-MENs, WINTER SOLDIERs, and NAKED GUNs of today. Enter the Pyun-iverse with us now!
NostalgiaCast wraps up its totally fly season of '90s Palooza as Jonny and Darin recap their favorite episodes, gush about their guests, and drop their Top 10 films of the decade! The journey has been all that and a bag of chips! And there's still so much to come!
Plug back into THE MATRIX as Robert Yaniz Jr. of Crooked Table Productions joins us for a season-capping conversation about the sci-fi action extravaganza that not only capped off the '90s but also inspired films and filmmakers for decades to come. We talk about THE MATRIX's groundbreaking FX, its influence on fashion and fringe groups, and how Lana and Lilly Wachowski's passion for the project helped to define countless moviegoers on a similar journey of self-discovery.
Crank up The Cranberries, boot up your computer, and begin that sloooooow dial-up to the internet, as NostalgiaCast '90s Palooza kicks it with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in YOU'VE GOT MAIL! Film critic Megan Kearns joins Jonny and Darin to chat about the capitalism, kindness, and human connection that permeates Nora Ephron's romantic comedy classic. Log in and listen now!
It is the east, and NostalgiaCast is the sun! In our latest episode of '90 Palooza, Jonny and Darin do battle with the Bard and SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, directed by John Madden (no, not THAT John Madden) and starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes, and Geoffrey Rush. We chat about the movie's controversial Oscar run, Anti-Stratfordian conspiracies, sweeping romantic performances, and nonstop in-jokes about Shakespeare and Hollywood. Listen now or it's a plague o' both your houses!
Strap your rocket pack to your back as NostalgiaCast '90s Palooza takes to the skies with THE ROCKETEER, Joe Johnston's serial cliffhanger comic book throwback from 1991. Billy Campbell, Jennifer Connelly, and a scenery-gnawing Timothy Dalton star in this Indiana Jones-ish adventure that crashed and burned at the box office, and critic / Disney-phile Marianne Paluso brings her patented good humor and cinema savvy to our discussion about how the movie soared to the top of the superhero ranks.
Grab your spaghetti with marinara sauce and your f**kin' shinebox as NostalgiaCast '90s Palooza continues with a fond look back at GOODFELLAS, directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Lorraine Bracco, and Joe Pesci. Hear Jonny and Darin geek out over the acting, shot choices, and messaging of what might be Scorsese’s greatest film(?), the greatest film of the decade(?), and the greatest gangster movie ever made(?). Don't be a schnook; listen now!
It's face ON as NostalgiaCast '90s Palooza continues with a fond look back at FACE/OFF, directed by Hong Kong action maestro John Woo and starring John Cage and Nicolas Travolta! Film critic Sara Michelle Fetters joins Jonny and Darin to discuss the spectacular two-gun gunplay and deeper emotional underpinnings of Woo's finest American film. Let those doves fly and get ready for the big ride, baby!
Woman... woe-man... whoooa, man! Author R.J. Craddock returns to the 'Cast to chat with Jonny and Darin about Thomas Schlamme's 1993 cult comedy SO I MARRIED AN AXE MURDERER, starring Mike Myers as a beat poet and serial relationship-phobe who also can't seem to treat dramatic scenes very seriously. But does all our talk about over-sized espresso cups, haggis, and mugging for the camera make us feel mirthful or murderous? Listen now or we'll kick yer teeth in!
Grab your multipass and look to the future as Jonny and Darin feast their eyes on Luc Besson's sci-fi action extravaganza THE FIFTH ELEMENT, starring Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, Milla Jovovich, Ian Holm, and Chris Tucker. Film critic and journalist Nguyên Lê joins the latest episode of NostalgiaCast '90s Palooza to discuss the movie's bright futurescapes, gender fluidity, French comic books and sensibilities, and the Ruby Rohd of it all. Don't be a meat popsicle. Listen now!
Hellllllooooo, Poppets! NostalgiaCast '90s Palooza continues with a look back at Chris Columbus's box office behemoth MRS. DOUBTFIRE, starring Robin Williams, Pierce Brosnan, and Sally Field. Returning guest Dave "The Nuge" Nugent joins Jonny and Darin for an in-depth and introspective discussion of the movie's bittersweet themes and saccharine-sweet comedy, and also the dramatic/comedic legacy Williams left behind.
NostalgiaCast '90s Palooza goes to DEFCON Four as Twitter's own James "That Tony Scott Guy" Coddington joins Jonny and Darin for a deep-dive (sorry) discussion of 1995's classic Cold War thriller CRIMSON TIDE, starring Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman. Hang on to the edge of your seat as they chat about the towering performances, Quentin Tarantino-isms, and claustrophobic color scheme of what may be the late, great Tony Scott's finest film.
What if you were watched every moment of your life? What if everyone you knew was pretending? What if your world was make believe? What if you didn't know it... until now? These questions—and more!—are mulled over and discussed as Jonny and Darin turn their dials to Peter Weir's THE TRUMAN SHOW! Jim Carrey makes his first (and best?) attempt at dramatic acting in this seminal comedy-fantasy that seemingly predicted the Reality TV boom of the 2000s. How's it going to end? Tune in now and find out!
Pop quiz, hot shot: You've got one of the most influential action films of the '90s on your docket and you want to invite one of Twitter's fastest rising stars onto your podcast to chat about the movie in all its fast-paced, DIE HARD-inspired glory... what do you do? WHAT DO YOU DO? You invite friend and fellow '90s film fanatic Jackson Boren onto the latest episode of NostalgiaCast '90s Palooza to discuss Jan De Bont's 1994 action classic SPEED, starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock! Buckle your seat belts and listen now!
Raise your kilts and your battle axes as NostalgiaCast '90s Palooza wages war against Mel Gibson's BRAVEHEART, winner for Best Picture and Best Director at 1996's Academy Awards. Mutual childhood friend Jason Payne returns to the 'Cast to chat with Jonny and Darin about fallen Hollywood idols, grossly inaccurate historical epics, and long drawn-out sequences of bloody violence and torture. We didn't get dressed up for nothin'!
All rise! In the latest episode of NostalgiaCast '90s Palooza, Jonny and Darin subpoena Sonic Cinema founder and friend of the show Brian Skutle to make his case for JOHN GRISHAM'S THE RAINMAKER, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Matt Damon, Claire Danes, and Danny DeVito. We debate the movie's B-movie trappings and A-list cast, plus Coppola's "tainted" legacy and where his adaptation ranks in the long line of Grisham legal thrillers released during the decade. Court is now in session!
Same make. Same model. New episode! NostalgiaCast '90s Palooza continues with a fond, fun look back at James Cameron's TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong, and Robert Patrick. Grab your sunglasses and your gatling guns and listen along as Jonny and Darin discuss the movie's revolutionary special effects, killer catchphrases, and heavy metal action. The battle for the future begins now!
It's nothing but "Oh yeah"s, "You betcha"s, and "Dontcha know"s as NostalgiaCast '90s Palooza takes a fond look back at 1996's black comedy crime classic FARGO! Film critic Josh Bell of the Awesome Movie Year podcast joins Jonny and Darin for their double-dip into Coen Brothers territory, to chat about the next-level performances, shocking violence, and Minnesota niceties that make up the Coens' finest film of the decade. You're darn tootin'!
The Dude abides in the latest episode of NostalgiaCast '90s Palooza, as Jonny and Darin wind back the clock on THE BIG LEBOWSKI, the Coen Brothers' cult comedy classic from 1998. Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, John Turturro, Julianne Moore, and the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman star in a movie that's equal parts stoner fantasy and Raymond Chandler mystery. But is there a method to its madness? Does it even matter? Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man!
Grab your neuralyzers and your Noisy Crickets as NostalgiaCast '90s Palooza uncovers the best-kept secret in the universe, the MEN IN BLACK! Jonny (Agent J) and Darin (Agent D) are joined by special guest The Lady Wan (Agent L) for an out-of-this-world discussion of Barry Sonnenfeld's sci-fi comedy classic, starring Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith. But is this successor to GHOSTBUSTERS' throne more than a collection of iconic one-liners and snappy dialogue exchanges 25 years after the fact?
Look out, podcast listeners, it's... The Wonders! NostalgiaCast '90s Palooza continues with a fond, fun look back at Tom Hanks's directorial debut THAT THING YOU DO!, starring Tom Everett Scott, Liv Tyler, Steve Zahn, Johnathon Schaech, and Ethan Embry. Jonny and Darin skip to the beat of this homage to 1960s culture and Beatlemania, and discuss the deeper meanings lurking under its bubble gum surface pleasures. You're sure to have a wicked good time!
Ramblers, let's get ramblin' as Horror Movie Maven and VHS Vixen Lindsay Washburn joins Jonny and Darin to disuss FROM DUSK TILL DAWN, Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino's classic genre mashup from 1996. They chat about critics' resistence to the movie's abrupt switch in tones and the impact / influence of horror movies on pop culture today. It's bound to be a hell of a podcast!
'90s Palooza continues as we break the first rule about Fight Club by talking about David Fincher's 1999 cult classic, FIGHT CLUB! Actor extraordinaire Tim Hade joins Jonny and Darin to ask some of the movie's most pertinent questions: Are you your job? Are you the contents of your wallet? Is this the hottest Brad Pitt's ever looked in a movie? When you get up to use the bathoom, do you give the person sitting next to you the ass or the crotch? It's mischief, mayhem, and soap in the latest episode of NostalgiaCast!
"Believe," pleads the poster for GHOST, and you'll believe, too, as Phoenix Clouden of the Film Code Podcast joins Jonny and Darin at the pottery wheel to discuss the supernatural romantic thriller that broke box office records the world over. But does this Jerry Zucker-directed, Patrick Swayze/ Demi Moore/ Whoopi Goldberg-starring mega-hit still shine its celestial light 32 years after the fact? Or does it get dragged to hell by weird paper mache demon creatures, never to be spoken of again? Find out for yourself in the latest episode of NostalgiaCast '90s Palooza!
It's aces up, aces over, and aces full as NostalgiaCast '90s Palooza continues with a fond look back at John Dahl's cult classic sports drama ROUNDERS, starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton. We talk about the poker boom kickstarted by the movie, Jonny's passion for Texas HoldEm and Darin's indifference towards it, and (of course) every consonant and syllable of John Malkovich's ridiculous Russian accent. Lay your cards on the table and join us for a game-changing discussion!
It's stupid is as stupid does as Jonny and Darin welcome Gareth Green of the Popcorn Digest podcast to chat at length about Robert Zemeckis's technical masterwork, FORREST GUMP. We talk floating feathers, shrimp, ping pong, Vietnam, shrimp, Mamas, Bubbas, shrimp, boxes of chocolate, and everything else that makes up this Best Picture-winning black comedy fantasy confection. You never know what you're gonna get!
It's a '90s-palooza as Jonny and Darin return for Season 4 of NostalgiaCast! We kick off a season-long run of episodes devoted to films of the 1990s (which made us the movie geeks we are today) with a look back at Quentin Tarantino's PULP FICTION, the film that arguably defined the entire decade. But is this indisputably influential black comedy crime thriller still impactful today? Or has its rapid-fire dialogue and time-hopping story structure been dulled during the years since? Grab your Big Kahuna Burger and your fatrher's gold watch and find out!
Grab your bows and arrows and make your vows of everlasting love as NostalgiaCast looks back at THE SWAN PRINCESS, 1994's children's "classic." Film Studies scholar and critic Margaret "Molly" Rasberry joins Jonny and Darin to discuss director Richard Rich's attempt at riding the coattails of Disney's fairytale past. But does its substandard animation and derivative song score edge closer in quality to THUMBELINA than SLEEPING BEAUTY?
It’s double the fun as NostalgiaCast looks back at Nancy Meyers’s 1998 remake of THE PARENT TRAP, starring Lindsay Lohan, Dennis Quaid, and the late, great Natasha Richardson! Cultured Vultures film editor and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic Natasha Alvar joins Jonny and Darin to discuss the rise and fall of teenybopper Disney stars, not-bad-for-their-time motion capture twinning FX, and the evolution of Meyers’s patented propensity for lifestyle porn. Let’s get together and have a super-fun time, yeah yeah yeah!
An adventure 65 million years in the making. A conversation that takes significantly less so. Jason of Binge Movies joins Jonny and Darin for a discussion of Steven Spielberg's JURASSIC PARK, the box office behemoth that captured the imaginations of movie nerds the world over. But is it the Bearded One's last gasp at populist entertainment? Grab your Jeff Goldblum memes and give us a listen!
Cultures collide as NostalgiaCast spins the Coke bottle back to Jamie Uys's (that's ACE to you!) crossover comedy classic, THE GODS MUST BE CRAZY. Listen as Jonny and Darin giggle incessantly about the movie's Jacques Tati-inspired slapstick; chat about the boundless charms of stars Nǃxau ǂToma, Marius Weyers, and Sandra Prinsloo; and wax philosophical about Uys's decision to shy away from political subtext and focus on plain old JOY instead. Ay-yi-yi-yi-yi, you're in for a treat!
Party with the Hay-tians and roll with the homies as NostalgiaCast winds back the rotating closet on CLUELESS, Amy Heckerling's coming-of-age teen comedy classic starring Alicia Silverstone and Paul Rudd! Author RJ Craddock joins Jonny and Darin for a butt-crazy-in-love conversation about the film that defined many a sleepover, made "As if!" a household term, and kicked off our obsession with Rudd's porcelain-skinned, perpetually nineteen-year-old face! You'll be totally buggin' if you miss it!
Grab your binoculars and your listening devices as NostalgiaCast joins Richard Dreyfuss and Emilio Estevez on a STAKEOUT! John Badham's buddy cop comedy-thriller may have struck gold at the box office back in 1987, but how does its audience-pleasing mix of clever gags and violent action stack up to the RUSH HOURs and THE NICE GUYSes of today? Listen as Jonny and Darin discuss genre tropes, the chemistry between the co-stars, '80s perving, and more!
Have fun storming the castle as NostalgiaCast takes a fond look back at Rob Reiner's storybook classic THE PRINCESS BRIDE. Jonny and Darin are joined (again) by childhood friend Jason Payne to discuss the movie's legacy and its impact on generations of moviegoers (for good AND bad). "As you wish!" "Is this a kissing book?" "You killed my father, prepare to die!" ... all the best quotes are here. It'd be inconceivable of you to miss it!
Today is a good day to podcast! Join Jonny and Darin as they fire up their defibrillators for FLATLINERS, Joel Schumacher's psychological horror classic starring Kiefer Sutherland, Julia Roberts, and Kevin Bacon as medical students who get more than they bargain for when they dabble in near-death experiences. You've never seen the afterlife drenched in so much neon in the history of film!
Turtle power! Everyone's favorite heroes in a half shell make the leap from comic books to the big screen in 1990's TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, starring some of Jim Henson's greatest animatronic creations. The inimitable Kevin R. Brackett of Reel Spoilers joins Jonny and Darin to discuss the world's most fearsome fighting team in their first live-action adventure. You'll have a totally tubular time!
Feed me, Seymour! Producer / composer David Rosen of the Piecing It Together podcast joins Jonny and Darin for a flowery discussion of Frank Oz's LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, starring Rick Moranis and Steve Martin. Man-eating sentient plants, pain-dispensing dental hygienists... no leaf is left unturned as they gush over this B-movie-turned-off-Broadway-musical-turned-cult-favorite!
Grab your rottweiler-sized rolling dice and your video game cassette tapes as Jonny and Darin take a look back at Richard Franklin's 1984 kiddie classic CLOAK & DAGGER, starring Henry Thomas (from E.T.) and Dabney Coleman (who's the best). But does this wannabe Hitchcock-ian thriller score points with us as adults? Or do its attempts to offer deeper meanings for the kiddos make us toss our joysticks at the screen in a profanity-filled rage? Not even Jack Flack can escape NostalgiaCast's clutches!
Great Scott! Celebrate the 50th episode of NostalgiaCast as Jonny and Darin welcome author / podcaster / fellow film fanatic Luke R. Harris for a discussion of BACK TO THE FUTURE, starring Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. We all know the backstory and the Spielberg-ian touches that made Robert Zemeckis's seminal time-travel comedy such an enduring classic, so what could we possibly add to the discourse that hasn't already been said? Make like a tree and listen as we give it our best shot!
Grab your tringlers, fuzzles, dafflers, and wuzzles as NostalgiaCast celebrates the season with Chuck Jones's 1966 animated classic HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS, featuring the smooth intonations of Boris Karloff. Then stick around as we set our sights on Ron Howard's live-action 2000 remake starring Jim Carrey, and decide whether its countless embellishments add to (or take away from) Dr. Seuss's seminal book. You're guaranteed a Grinchy-good time!
In the mood for a basic riches-to-rags story? Join Jonny and Darin as they discuss Walter Hill's comedy classic BREWSTER'S MILLIONS, starring late greats Richard Pryor and John Candy. But is this umpteenth adaptation of 1902's most popular novel worth the price tag and moral degradation? NostalgiaCast serves it up to you on a very hot plate!
The streets are paved with cheese in our latest episode of NostalgiaCast. Robert Yaniz Jr. of Crooked Table Productions joins Jonny and Darin for a 35th Anniversary discussion of AN AMERICAN TAIL, Don Bluth's second attempt to usurp Disney's animation throne. But is this melancholy tale of a Russian-Jewish family of mice emigrating to America too heavy for kids? Hold tight to your family and find out!
Strap on your proton packs and dive feet first into a river of slime as NostalgiaCast takes a fond(?) look back at GHOSTBUSTERS II, Ivan Reitman's much-maligned follow-up to his supernatural comedy hit. The comic genius of Murray-Aykroyd-Ramis, the toxicity of fandoms, the difference between lackluster sequels and quality ones... we ain't afraid of no topic!
Don't fall asleep! NostalgiaCast celebrates Halloween 2021 with everyone's favorite wisecracking serial murderer of children, Freddy Krueger! Join Jonny and Darin as they revisit Wes Craven's A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, to see if this iconic horror classic still has the power to keep us awake at night. Then stick around as your haunted hosts recap their Top 3 Craven films. You're in for a spook-tacular time!
NostalgiaCast returns for another fun-filled season of revisiting your childhood favorite films through adult eyes. Speaking of childhoods, fellow film fanatic Judd Harris joins Jonny and Darin for a discussion of Joe Dante's kiddie classic EXPLORERS, starring River Phoenix and Ethan Hawke. But how does this wannabe blockbuster stack up against Dante's other classics, GREMLINS and INNERSPACE? Adventure awaits!
NostalgiaCast returns for another bite-sized (?) special episode to tide you over until we embark on our latest season! Climb aboard as Jonny and Darin take you on a quick tour of Disney's JUNGLE CRUISE, starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt. But does this wannabe summer blockbuster make us feel fitfully nostalgic for PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, THE AFRICAN QUEEN, and the like? Or does it leave us stuck between The Rock and a hard place? Set sail with us and find out!
Saddle up for the latest episode of NostalgiaCast, as Jonny and Darin welcome cinephile/ Sylvester Stallone enthusiast Lauren K. for a high-diving discussion of WILD HEARTS CAN'T BE BROKEN, 1991's Disney classic about a girl and her horse. But is this ANNE OF GREEN GABLES-esque period romance worth a ticket to the fair? Take the reins and find out!
Pull up a rocking chair and sip your iced tea as NostalgiaCast takes a fond look back at SECONDHAND LIONS, starring Haley Joel Osment, Michael Caine, and Robert Duvall. Twitter's own Dallin The Film Fanatic joins Jonny and Darin for an enlightening discussion on the difference between fantasy, memory, and defective imported wildlife.
"And they'll work you when the day is through on the night shift. / And they'll comfort you, and they'll love you, too, on the night shift!" Actor-writer-director-blogger extraordinaire Jeannette Mickenham joins Jonny and Darin for a dramatic discussion of Ron Howard's NIGHT SHIFT, starring Michael Keaton and Henry Winkler. But is this 1982 comedy classic dead on arrival? Pull up a slab and find out!
The one and only Kevin The Critic joins Jonny and Darin for a spooky discussion of Nicolas Roeg's THE WITCHES, based on the beloved children's book by Roald Dahl. Talking animatronic mice (courtesy Jim Henson Productions), purple-pupiled enchantresses, plus Anjelica Huston all sexed up for the kiddies... it's sure to be a spirited good time!
Go balls out as NostalgiaCast turns back the clock on RAD, Hal Needham's... um... classic?... tale of one man's love affair with his BMX bike. Brian Skutle of Sonic Cinema joins Jonny and Darin for a spirited discussion of all things ass-sliding, bicycle boogying, and possibly the most ineptly-assembled mishmash of sports clichés in movie history. Taste the glory now!
Welcome to Indiana basketball! NostalgiaCast goes to the hoop with HOOSIERS, David Anspaugh's 1986 inspirational classic starring Gene Hackman and Dennis Hopper. Listen as Jonny and Darin discuss the unending appeal of underdog sports dramas, whether grumpy on-set antics from A-list actors help or hinder production, and the top feel-good sports-themed films of all time!
It's time to cut loose and kick off your Sunday shoes as Jonny and Darin wind back the clock on FOOTLOOSE, Herbert Ross's Utah-based musical classic starring John Lithgow and Kevin Bacon. But does this feature-length string of music videos make us wanna get up and dance? Or will it have us boogying to a different beat? Lose your blues with the latest episode of NostalgiaCast!
It don't mean a thing if you ain't got that swing! Author R.J. Craddock joins Jonny and Darin for a jump jivin' discussion on SWING KIDS, starring Christian Bale, Robert Sean Leonard, and Kenneth Branagh. But does this Disney-fied peek into history give us a goose-stepping good time? Take to the dance floor for the latest episode of NostalgiaCast!
Turn back the clock to your childhood, as Jonny and Darin reminisce about the Stephen King novella-turned-Rob Reiner coming-of-age classic, STAND BY ME. Leeches, cherry-flavored Pez, Mighty Mouse versus Superman, no pie plate is left unturned. But does the movie give us warm, fuzzy feelings about times and friendships past? Listen to the latest episode of NostalgiaCast and find out!
Regulators! Journey back to the time of cowboys, cattle barons, and Billy the Kid, as Jonny and Darin saddle up for Christopher Cain's Brat-Packing Western classic, YOUNG GUNS. But is this ode to frontier justice worth the trip? Or will its hip cast and electric guitar-heavy music score chap our hides? Strap on your six-guns and join us for the latest episode of NostalgiaCast!
Party on, dudes, as Jonny and Darin wind back the clock on BILL & TED'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE, Stephen Herek's time-travel comedy classic starring Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter. But is it time for these bodacious buds to face the music? Or is their trip through history anything but a bogus journey? Be excellent to yourself and find out!
It's time to wax on, wax off in the latest episode of NostalgiaCast! Join Jonny and Darin as they talk the continuing adventures of Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso in COBRA KAI, Netflix's reboot/revival of THE KARATE KID. But is the show just another wallow in nostalgia for nostalgia's sake? Or does it deepen the mythology we loved so much as kids? Enter the dojo and find out!
Johnny 5 is alive in the latest episode of NostalgiaCast! Join Jonny and Darin for a spirited discussion on John Badham's SHORT CIRCUIT, starring box office behemoths Steve Guttenberg and Ally Sheedy. But is this sci-fi comedy classic still just as charming and memorable today, or should its dated '80s attitudes relegate it to the scrap heap?
It's a bat, it's a luck dragon, it's THE NEVERENDING STORY! Jonny and Darin tackle the childhood classic that drove millions of kids to cry over a horse sinking into mud. But does this Wolfgang Petersen-directed, special effects-laden fantasy stand up to scrutiny? Or does it leave less to the imagination than we initially thought? Saddle up a snail and find out!
It's Wheelers and Mombiis and electroshock treatment (oh my!) as NostalgiaCast takes a look at Walter Murch's RETURN TO OZ (1985). Journey back to the... dismal? desolate? deadly? land of L. Frank Baum's books and relive the deepest, darkest existential nightmares of your childhood, then stick around as Jonny and Darin discuss "classic" films that aren't necessarily classics. It's sure to be a fun, family-friendly time!
Grab your skiis and your TWO DOLLARS! as Jonny and Darin look back at "Savage" Steve Holland's BETTER OFF DEAD (1985). But is this coming-of-age cult comedy classic just a quirky collection of quips, or is there something deeper bubbling beneath its surface? NostalgiaCast's latest episode is truly a sight to behold!
It's all for each other and all for one in the latest episode of NostalgiaCast! Saddle up with Jonny and Darin as they discuss John Landis's THREE AMIGOS (1986), starring comedy giants Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, Martin Short, and... Philip E. Hartmann? With a plethora of piñatas, talking turtles, and invisible swordsmen, you're in for a rootin', tootin' good time!
Also don't forget to visit NostalgiaCast's previous episodes, including a look back at other favorites such as CLASH OF THE TITANS, RAISING ARIZONA, TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE, LADYHAWKE, and THE GOONIES.
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In this special, easier-on-the-ears episode of NostalgiaCast, Jonny and Darin take a break from their usual hour-long format to discuss BIG (1988). It's a truncated but no less insightful look at some of the "darker" themes that permeate Penny Marshall's seminal coming-of-age fantasy classic, with a special nod to (of course) Tom Hanks's career-making performance. So grab your ice cream soda pop vanilla on the top and join us for a spell!
Gordon's alive in the latest episode of NostalgiaCast! Join Jonny and Darin as they DIIIIIIIIVE! into 1980's Dino De Laurentiis-produced, Mike Hodges-directed fantasy-adventure FLASH GORDON, based on the swashbuckling comic strip hero of the same name. Impromptu football games, cuckoo-crazy interplanetary space travel, and loads of awkward sexual politics get served up with a healthy dose of Freddie Mercury, as your hosts try to make sense of this campy cult classic.
Ten-hut! There's a new episode of NostalgiaCast on deck! Join Jonny and Darin for a deep-dive discussion of Rob Reiner's blockbuster courtroom drama A FEW GOOD MEN (1992), starring Hollywood up-and-comers Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore, and Kevin Bacon. The pros and cons of Aaron Sorkin's (pre-WEST WING) dialogue, the performances, Reiner's sure-footed, no-frills direction... no stone is left unturned! Plus, listen as your hosts reminisce about their high-school history with the play. You think you can handle the truth? Of course you can handle the truth!
Also on YouTube, Stitcher, and Apple Podcasts!
NostalgiaCast returns for a second season with a (possibly controversial) look back at the movie that launched millions of Bat t-shirts, collectible mugs, and Prince albums, Tim Burton's BATMAN (1989). But is the Bat-nostalgia for this one justified? Or have the countless Bat-reboots and sequels dulled its awesome-ness 31 years after the fact? Join Jonny and Darin for a fun-filled conversation that's sure to cause unanimous agreement from Bat-fans all over!
- Find BATMAN's opening titles re-scored with Danny Elfman's SIMPSONS THEME here: https://youtu.be/W8PTAnotjN0
After a looooooong hiatus, everyone's favorite nostalgia-based podcast returns with two bonus episodes that will (hopefully) set the tone for 2020. In the second of these Very Special Episodes, actor/ special guest David Nugent joins Jonny and Darin for a lighthearted look back at the Steven Spielberg-produced, Richard Donner-directed THE GOONIES. But is this 1985 kids' classic a welcome blast from the past? Or a forgotten treasure that should've stayed buried? Join us for a chat, you Goonie!
After a looooooong hiatus, everyone's favorite nostalgia-based podcast returns with two bonus episodes that will (hopefully) set the tone for 2020. In the first of these Very Special Episodes, Jonny and Darin dive into Frank Oz's DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS. But did this Steve Martin/ Michael Caine-starring comedy "classic" con our gracious hosts into thinking it's actually a quality movie? Or is the movie honest with its intentions?
Conquer your fears, face the unknown, and discover the incredible link between man, animal, and all that is phantasmagorical as NostalgiaCast looks back at THE BEASTMASTER, starring Marc Singer and Tanya Roberts. Jonny and Darin welcome actor-producer Bryce Bishop for a ferret-filled discussion on Don Coscarelli's sword-and-sorcery classic, and whether its spray-painted tigers, gruesome child sacrifices, and ample PG-rated nudity still harness the power of our imaginations. Join us... it's sure to be a Dar-rific time!
Rent/stream THE BEASTMASTER on OV Guide and YouTube today!
It's murder most foul in our latest episode of NostalgiaCast, as Jonny and Darin discuss Sidney Lumet's comedy-thriller classic DEATHTRAP, starring Michael Caine, Christopher Reeve, and Dyan Cannon. But do the film's maaaaaany back-stabbings and double- and triple-crosses still hold up after 35 years, or could the movie stand a page-one re-write? Enter at your own risk and hear for yourself!
Rent/stream DEATHTRAP on Amazon Prime, Fandango Now, Google Play, and Vudu today!
Leave the sardines, hang up the phone and exit with the newspaper, as NostalgiaCast peeks behind the scenes of NOISES OFF, Peter Bogdanovich's 1992 adaptation of the London/Broadway smash. Lend us your ears as Jonny and Darin relive their theatrical pasts and then marvel as Michael Caine, Carol Burnett, John Ritter, Christopher Reeve, and Marilu Henner play characters in a movie playing characters on the stage. But is this a farce to end all farces or should its slamming doors and overlapping dialogue have died in Cleveland? Curtains up!
Supplies! It's the latest episode of NostalgiaCast, featuring parodist/singer/songwriter extraordinaire "Weird Al" Yankovic in UHF! Longtime listener and friend of the podcast Adam Merkley joins Jonny and Darin for a special discussion on Jay Levey's cult comedy classic, and whether its offbeat brand of humor should be beloved by everyone or just a core group of fans. Grab your mop and your box of Yappy's Dog Treats and tune on in!
Rent/stream your copy of UHF on Amazon or Vudu today!
Welcome to a world where heroes come in all sizes and adventure is the greatest magic of all... it's Episode 15 of NostalgiaCast, featuring WILLOW! Jonny and Darin welcome special guest Ryan Templeman (HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL, S. DARKO) for a discussion on all things Nelwyns, Daikinis, and Brownies, plus the many mythologies that inspired George Lucas and Ron Howard to conjure up their 1988 sword-and-sorcery epic. But is it a fairy tale for the ages or should it be left on the shelf?
Recorded at Art City Sound, Springville UT.
Fool your parents, fake out your principal, and take that Ferrari out for a spin, as NostalgiaCast turns back the clock to FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF, John Hughes's seminal teen comedy starring Matthew Broderick, Mia Sara, and Alan Ruck. In this episode, Jonny and Darin debate the movie's place in pop culture, and whether its fourth-wall breaking and goofball humor stand up to scrutiny today. Or perhaps it's best to go straight to the source about this. Care to enlighten us, Mr. Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?
Rent/stream FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF on Amazon, Fandango Now, Google Play, or Vudu today!
Always together, eternally apart… but enough about the Trump administration, today NostalgiaCast looks back at LADYHAWKE, directed by Richard Donner and starring Matthew Broderick and Michelle Pfeiffer! Keep your crossbows at the ready as Jonny and Darin discuss the dangers of contemporary fantasy filmmaking (including - but not limited to - distractingly anachronistic 80’s progressive synth scores) and also the ups and downs of recording with Skype for the first time. Be you flesh, spirit, or sorrow, you owe it to yourself to hear this week's episode!
Rent/stream LADYHAWKE on Amazon, Fandango Now, or Google Play today!
Goblin King! Goblin King! Wherever you may be - take this child of mine far away from me! Join NostalgiaCast for a lively discussion on LABYRINTH, Jim Henson's musical fantasy adventure beloved by millions... of prepubescent pre-teen girls, while alienating everyone else unequipped to handle its not-so-subliminal sexual subtext. Author R.J. Craddock (THE THIRTEEN TRIBES OF CAIN book series) drops by the studio to school Jonny and Darin in all things Door Knockers, Fireys, and fairies, and helps makes sense of the difference between boy fantasy adventures and girl fantasy adventures. But will it be enough to rescue the film from the Bog of Eternal Stench? Or do the countless Muppet characters - and David Bowie's androgynous (and erotically-charged) rock star persona - have no power over the rest of us? Enter the labyrinth and find out!
Rent/stream LABYRINTH on Amazon, CinemaNow, Google Play, or Vudu today!
Ug ug ug ug ug ug! Grab your schooners and your spinach cans as NostalgiaCast looks back at POPEYE, Robert Altman's live-action, comedy-musical adaptation of the classic E.C. Segar comic strip. Jonny and Darin stare wide-eyed in wonder at all the fantastical sights, sounds, and cartoon shenanigans of seaside Sweethaven, and what happens to the townsfolk there when a muttering, semi-deformed sailor man steps off the docks and into their hearts. But does Altman's signature style lend itself to the comic book format? Or do the whimsical songs and spot-on character impersonations get lost in the fray? Have a listen and we'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today!
Rent/stream POPEYE on Amazon, Google Play, or Vudu today!
Time is a gift given to you, given to give you the time you need, the time you need to have the time of your life! Join Jonny, Darin, and special guest Kenneth F. Brown as we brave the 90% animated / 5% live-action classic, THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH! The star of THE YANKLES and THIS DIVIDED STATE graces the 'Cast with his jovial wit (and killer Michael Moore impression) for a lively discussion on Chuck Jones's 1970 adaptation of the popular children's book. But is it worth all the wordplay or do its abstract allegorical lessons land too hard to make much of an impact? Take an hour and change the fate of the world!
Rent/stream THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH on Amazon, Google Play, or Vudu today!
Unicorns, and ogres, and dwarves, oh my! Grab your swords and shields as NostalgiaCast looks back at LEGEND, Sir Ridley Scott's 1985 fantasy epic, starring Tim Curry as the sexiest Satan you ever saw. But is it a fairy tale come true or should it be banished to the dungeons of hell? Listen as Jonny and Darin recount the film's troubled post-production history, discuss the differences between the Theatrical Version and Director's Cut, and try to figure out who's prettier - Mia Sara or Tom Cruise? Join us for a spell, won't you?
Download or stream LEGEND on Amazon Prime, Fandango Now, Google Play, or Vudo!
Sit back, relax, and suck down that energon, as NostalgiaCast sets its optics on TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE, a cartoon so overloaded with 80's hair metal and robot destruction porn, it's traumatized children for decades. Listen as Jonny and Darin ponder such important metaphysical questions as: Why do so many Transformers convert into useless household objects? Where does Optimus Prime's semitrailer disappear to when he transforms? Was there actually a time when Judd Nelson was considered a star? Then, as a bonus, the 'Cast welcomes a Very Special Guest (hint: he looks and sounds just like a mini-Darin) to discuss "passing the torch of nerdiness" from father to son. Transform, roll out, and join us!
Download or stream TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE on Vudo, Amazon Prime, Fandango Now, or Google Play!
Shout "Hot Dog!", "Hee Haw!", and other sentimental hogwash as Jonny and Darin revisit Frank Capra's Christmas classic IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed. In yet another NostalgiaCast first, your hosts attempt to forget the "if"s and figure out the "why"s behind this perennial holiday favorite – why it flopped at the box office, why it's become so highly regarded today, and why, if you haven't watched it in a while, it's so much darker than you probably remember. But is it the filmmaking or the sentiment that sticks with us the most? Grab some egg nog and ring those bells with us!
Download or stream IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE on Vudo today!
Okay then! Knock back a couple of Coca Colas, turn to the right, and take that diaper off your head and put it back on your sister, as Darin and Jonny take on the Coen Brothers’ cornpone comedy classic, RAISING ARIZONA! First, listen as our hosts (briefly) recap the Coens' collective filmography, then reel in shock as Darin admits that RA was far from his favorite film growing up. Can Jonny convince him that there's more to the movie's heavily-stylized camerawork, character choices, and dialogue than meets the eye? Everybody freeze, get down on the ground, and find out!
Download or stream RAISING ARIZONA on Vudo, Amazon Prime, or Google Play!
By train, biplane, or stolen police cruiser, it turns out you CAN catch the Streak! Join Jonny and Darin as they welcome their first special guest, filmmaker Duane Andersen, for a discussion on the 1976 action comedy SILVER STREAK, starring Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor. But will this be a calm, relaxing trip down memory lane, or will we want off before the train reaches the station? Hop on board and find out!
Recorded at Art City Sound, Springville UT.
Download or stream SILVER STREAK on Vudo, Amazon Prime, Fandango Now, or Google Play!
Keep your chin up, your head down, and one round in the chamber as Jonny and Darin close ranks with the 1981 military drama, starring Timothy Hutton as Sean Penn, Sean Penn as Tom Cruise, and Tom Cruise as Timothy Hutton. (Don't worry, it'll all make sense in a bit.) But is the movie more LORD OF THE FLIES than A FEW GOOD MEN, or somewhere in between? Saddle up and join us for a stretch!
Rent/stream TAPS on Netflix, Amazon, Vudu, Fandango Now, or Google Play!
It's GHOSTBUSTERS meets NATURAL BORN KILLERS in our spook-tacular Halloween episode of the NostalgiaCast. Listen as Jonny and Darin struggle to make sense of the rules and revelations of Peter Jackson’s post-HEAVENLY CREATURES, pre-LORD OF THE RINGS Horror-Comedy lark, and how Michael J. Fox, icon that he is, might be the world's worst basketball player. Then, grab your torch and pitchfork as our hosts rattle off their Top 3 frightfully funny flicks of all time. Join us for a spell, won’t you?
Rent/stream THE FRIGHTENERS on Vudu, Amazon, Sling, Google Play or CinemaNow!
In which Jonny and Darin tackle the 1981 stop-motion classic, starring a gaggle of classically-trained Shakespearean actors trying to convince us (and themselves!) that a story about two-headed demon dogs and giant claymation scorpions should be taken seriously.
Recorded at Art City Sound, Springville UT.
Rent or stream on Vudo, Amazon Prime, Fandango Now, Cinema Now or Google Play!
Our introductory episode, in which Jonny and Darin struggle to make sense of Hollywood's current nostalgia boom, lay the groundwork for future episodes, then dive headfirst into the Neil Diamond-starring, Laurence Olivier-slumming '80s classic that's more memorable for its soundtrack than its nonsensical non-plot.
Recorded at Art City Sound, Springville UT.
Rent or stream on Vudo, Amazon Prime, Cinema Now or Google Play!