OVERHATED
Episode #81: The New Mutants (2020)
After numerous unexpected delays, this afterthought of an X-Men entry hit theaters and was then quickly forgotten -- but is it actually a bad movie? I'm joined by my old friend Rob Dean (@neuroticmonkey), a comic book & horror nerd who's happy to go to bat for the young mutants.
Episode #80: Robocop 2 (1990)
This insane sequel upped the violence, the satire, and the nastiness to a dizzying degree, and it still holds up as one of the darkest, strangest Hollywood sequels ever made. Listen in as I discuss the movie with comic book editor Andy Khouri (@andykhouri), who of course has some insights on Robocop 2 screenwriter Frank Miller.
Episode #79: Gamer (2009)
Critics hated it, audiences mostly ignored it, but if 2009's Gamer were to become a cult film, the support would start right about now. And my friend Shana (@geekgirldiva) would be the cult president.
Episode #78: Never Say Never Again (1983)
You'll learn more about this "asterisked" James Bond movie in 35 minutes than you'll ever need, thanks mostly to my frequently returning guest Brian Salisbury (@briguysalisbury), of the infamous Junkfood Cinema podcast.
Episode #77: Dragonslayer (1981)
This medieval adventure tale was meant to be a family film, to a degree, but things didn't really work out that way -- mainly because the movie, to its credit, is a lot darker than one would normally expect from the Disney brand. But enough typing. Listen in as I discuss Dragonslayer with Mr. Vincenzo Natali (@Vincenzo_Natali), a filmmaker you'll know if you've seen high-end genre films like Cube, Splice, or In the Tall Grass (or TV series like Hannibal, The Strain, or Westworld).
Episode #76: Newsies (1992)
This Disney musical vanished from theaters real quick back in 1992, but it managed to do three things: it helped kick-start the career of Christian Bale, it grew a very strong following of fans over the course of 20 years, and then it inspired a huge Broadway hit. So it's a fun story. Big thanks to my friend Laura Fawcett (@roguefour) for sitting in on this one.
Episode #75: Ishtar (1987)
I've been saving this infamous box office disaster for a fitting guest, and suffice to say that I found one in author / film critic / fellow Philadelphian Carrie Rickey (@carrierickey). I suspected she'd have some great insights on this movie, and she did not disappoint. Big thanks to Carrie, as well as all listeners, patrons, and pals.
Episode #74: The Great White Hype (1996)
The phrase "The Great White Hope" has been used in professional boxing for decades, so that's where the movie's title comes from. But how well does the satire hold up in this semi-forgotten ensemble comedy from the mid-1990s? Join me and my pal J.C. DeLeon (@jcdeleon1) to find out. Also check out his sports movie podcast: Love & Game Film.
Episode #73: Get Carter (2000)
Heading back to remake country! We do spend a lot of time there, come to think of it. Big thanks to Jason Krawczyk (@every1question) for picking a flick with a strong ensemble. That does help a lot. Be sure to check out Jason's movie He Never Died (from 2015) as soon as possible, especially if you love Henry Rollins.
Episode #72: Who's That Girl (1987)
The year was 1987. Madonna was unstoppable. Unless you count movies.
Big thanks to my pal Laurel Vail (@laurelvail) for returning! And thanks to all listeners, patrons, supporters, and their pets.
Episode #71: The Wicker Man (2006)
Regardless of if you're a Nicolas Cage fanatic, a horror nut, or a movie enthusiast in general, odds are you've seen at least some of this certifiably insane remake of a true genre classic. Memes, gifs, and random scenes from this flick still show up on social media with amusing frequency, so let's ask the question: is it really that bad? For this discussion I'm joined by world-class film critic Christy Lemire (@christylemire).
Episode #70: Masters of the Universe (1987)
Gen X action figure icon He-Man got his own live-action movie in 1987... and it did not go well. But enough blather from me. My guest for this super-sized episode is The Flop House's Elliott Kalan (@elliottkalan), and we get into all sorts of nerdly discussions and digressions. Thanks to all listeners, patrons, guests, and general well-wishers.
Episode #69: Charlie's Angels (2019)
This third adaptation of the iconic '70s TV series hit theaters in late 2019 and quickly vanished without a trace, and it sure didn't seem like film critics or movie nuts gave it half a chance. Fortunately, we have astute film critics like Alonso Duralde (@aduralde), who are more than happy to come to the movie's defense.
Episode #68: Xanadu (1980)
I'm starting to realize that you could do an entire year of Overhated just on disaster movies and musicals. There's just so much that can go wrong on those movies, I guess. And man was 1980 a weird / bad year for movie musicals. For this episode I'm joined by film critic Kristen Lopez (@journeys_film), who has a firm love for all things musical-related. (well, almost all.) And the topic is... Xanadu.
New Podcast on Patreon: Horror Yearbook!
Hello, loyal listeners! Here you'll find a segment from my new podcast, which is called Horror Yearbook, and my co-host is my old friend (and writer/filmmaker) Ben Rock! It's a patreon-exclusive podcast but I wanted to give you a free sample. Like the best ice cream shops do. And don't forget that my patreon has dozens of Overhated episodes that won't hit the public feed for a while!
Episode #67: The Black Hole (1979)
By late 1979 every big movie studio was churning out sci-fi movies and hoping to catch a fraction of the Star Wars success story. And this was Disney's shot. Suffice to say it didn't go all that well, but there are still lots of Gen Xers who harbor fond memories of this dry, weird, and frequently creepy space adventure. Big thanks to my guest Paul Osborne (@paulmakesmovies).
Episode #66: Sorcerer (1977)
After hitting Hollywood with two smash hits in The French Connection and The Exorcist, director William Friedkin could have chosen practically anything for his next movie. So he chose to remake a beloved international classic in the middle of the jungle. And then practically everything went wrong. For this underappreciated classic I'm joined by filmmaker Scott Derrickson (@scottderrickson), who you'll know from movies like Sinister, Dr. Strange, and The Black Phone. Suffice to say that Scott loves this movie deeply, and you'll hear why in this super-sized episode.
Episode #65: More American Graffiti (1979)
When I brought this movie up on twitter, some agreed it was overhated, some thought it was not, and a good portion of folks didn't even know it existed. Now that's a good movie to cover. Big thanks to hardcore movie fanatic Stone Gasman (@stonegasman) for choosing this fascinating misfire and for providing tons of good insights.
Episode #64: Hancock (2008)
This one was one of 2008's biggest hits at the box office -- but when's the last time you heard someone talk about it, let alone say something nice? There's a lot to discuss regarding this off-kilter action comedy (with pathos!), so I'm joined by the excellent Aundria Parker (@parkerandcooley) and we have a good time breaking the movie down.
Overhated TV #2: Manimal (1983)
Yes, kids. There was actually a TV show about a detective who solved crimes by transforming into various animals. The 1980s were a silly time. And for a TV show this absurd, we need an amusing TV expert like Ken Reid (@kennethWreid) of the TV Guidance Counselor podcast!