Gabe Pacheco and Sami Hamarneh dive deep into the world of cinema, reviewing movies from various genres and break down what was going down when these movies came out.
Sami Hamarneh and Gabe Pacheco
Halal Cartels is hosted by Gabe Pacheco, a Chicano comedian with a background in education and Sameer Naseem, an Indian American comedian and marketing maven Two products of the Global South talking trash and centering ourselves at the heart of culture and empire here in lovely Brooklyn. And just like the Wu, we do for the children Today we talk about affluent people waiting in lines, Exterminate All the Brutes, Andrew Jackson, Vaccine Public Relations, and the Irish IG: @gabepac1 IG: @sameermon Contact: Halalcartels@gmail.com
Today on Eat Pray Judge we sit down to discuss Copland (1997). Sylvester Stallone takes a turn from action star to do some serious character work in this star-studded cast of acclaimed gangster cinema stars and Michael Rappaport. But does the movie hold up? Find out what we conclude today with guest and friend of the pod Jordan Rider. We spend a lot of the episode talking about this film in the wake of the 2020 unrest surrounding nationwide protests against police brutality. It's a wild ride.
In the wake of Cobra Kai's popularity, we decided to investigate the original text today and review The Karate Kid. On this episode Gabe and Sami invite friend of the pod, and fellow 80's baby Zilla Vodnas to help us break down the movie. IG: @eatprayjudgepod @Gabepac1 @funhousecomedy Guest: Twitch @zilla_vodnas Twitter @ZillaVodnas
Parent Trap 1998 This week we cover the 1998 remake of Parent Trap, the film that introduced Lindsay Lohan to the world. Our guest is the delightful comedian and host of the How Cum Podcast, Remy Kassimir.
This week we talk about the revolutionary classic Mad Max: Fury Road with our good friend from the Ridiculous People's Podcast Alex Shannon.
Amadeus 1984 We have finally gotten around to covering Milos Forman’s classic Amadeus. Join us for this enchanting story of envy, jealousy, and artistic genius in the Hapsburg court of Vienna. This week our guest is the New York City based comedian and actor Matt Maragno
Today we tackle Paul Verhoeven's classic Total Recall with returning guest Andrew Harriss.
In 1996 Wes Craven does it again. The 3 time genre trailblazer re-animates horror cinema with the meta teen-slasher flick Scream. Craven is able to wink, nod, critique, and reference the canon and his past work while seamlessly delivering a genuinely thrilling midnight murder mystery. Joining us this week is comedian and scream queen Joan Glackin. #wescraven
Broadcast News Ready for a tale about the ongoing erosion of standards in journalism and the rise of sensationalized media coverage? This week we tackle Broadcast News, a film about over achieving yuppies, love triangles, and flop sweat. Sami and Gabe dive deep with the help of very special guest Dan Wilbur. Enjoy!
Uhhhhh, like, run, dont, like, walk to join us as we review Steve Martin's Love/Hate letter to Los Angeles, L.A. Story. Enter Los Angeles in the early 90's, filled with spandex halter tops, roller skate Air Jordan's, and MC Shan as a rapping waiter. Thanks to LA Story we've also been listening to Enya all week. Sami and Gabe are joined by very special guest, Jordan Rider. We promise that you will not be "Bored beyond belief" https://votefwd.org/
Michael Mann’s world building is exquisite. His casting is phenomenal. Pacino and De Niro in the diner is a once-in-a-lifetime meeting of two of cinema's giants in their prime. As two opposing forces, their coffee break is like the World War 1 Christmas ceasefire between the French and German troops playing soccer in no mans land. Gabe and Sami take a break from the pandemic to cover the best bank robber film of the 1990’s.
Teen Witch 1989 Today we get witchy with it and cover the 1989 cult classic Teen Witch. Does this movie have the best battle rap scene in cinema? Probably you’d be hard-pressed to top “top that”. Joining us today is friend of the podcast, psychic medium spiritual advisor and tarot card reader Marcy Currier. https://www.metamarcy.com/ #teenmovies #1980steenmovies #witchcraft #witchmovies #magickmovies #cultclassics
Back to the Future Part 2 We are still in the Quar and now in the middle of a series of global police brutality protests. It’s like we are live in the timeline where Biff Tannen still has the almanac. Join us as we get political and talk about Back to the Future Part 2. #Fluxcapacitor #hoverboard #bifftannen #80ssequels #1989films #delorean #timetravel #backtothefuture #hueynewtonandthenews #80smovies #80snostalgia #1950snostalgia #zemeckismovies #hillvalleyhighschool #enchantmentunderthesea #leathompson #elizabethshue #michaeljfox #christopherlloyd #crispinglover #docbrown #madscientist #80scomedies
Serpico 1973 This week in honor of the nationwide protest against police brutality we decided to explore Sidney Lumet’s classic tale of one man’s fight against police corruption in New York City. Go back in time with us to the hot sweaty gritty dirty world of 1970s New York City, and to the cynical radical counterculture aesthetics of 1970s New Hollywood. #NewHollywood #AlPacino #PoliceMovies #1970sNewYork #SydneyLumet #Dogdayafternoon #BlackLivesMatter #BlueWallOfSilence #PoliceCorruption
Time travel, TAB soda, 80’s nostalgia engaged in 1950’s nostalgia, and Michael J. Fox at the top of his game. Join us as we explore the timeless and relatable story of when an old scientist befriends you, sends you to the past, your mom wants to sleep with you, and you teach Chuck Berry’s brother how to play rock n’ roll. Sami and Gabe discuss a classic during the Quar.
A sympathetic tale of a rich blonde alpha girl, Cher, discovering that she is not the center of the universe. This film offers gentle rude awakenings to Cher as she learns even though she’s rich she needs to work finding love and become a good driver. Oh yeah, also doing charity makes you a better person. Get ready for peak 1995 nostalgia with hacky-sacks, 3rd wave ska high school dances, and Luke Perry haircuts.
There is a man for every time and place. And in 1998 that was Jeff Bridges playing his most iconic role as the Dude. This is a slacker neo-noir set in a quirky Los Angeles inhabited by characters only the Coen Brothers could bring to life. Lebowski was a dorm room staple, highly quotable, and the inspiration for a religion, Dudism. This week we invite comedian Joe Alfano to discuss all things Lebowski.
This week, we sit down with Bay Ridge bred Greek-American comedy dynamo Gus Constantellis to discuss the 2008 ABBA music vehicle Mamma Mia! It’s a feel good musical with cringe singing performances by an all-star cast set on a idyllic Greek isle.
Judgement Night: so many things going in this perfectly mid-90’s urban thriller. JN is a star vehicle for Dennis Leary at the height of his Gen X “edgy” comedy bad boy powers. It has a stellar ensemble cast including Cuba Gooding Jr, Jeremy Piven, Peter Green, Stephen Dorff, and Everlast, all propping up Emilio Estevez’ wooden performance. It got a soundtrack that launched the rap/rock genre into the mainstream. This week we chop it up with Comedian Herbie Gill.
Can money buy love? How much money do you need to ruin a happy couple’s relationship. Let’s dive into this 1990’s adult-contemporary romantic melodrama about a bored billionaire Robert Redford who plays love games with a fresh faced couple played by Woody Harrelson and Demi Moore. Joining us on the Pod is Andrew Harriss.
Cannabis teen group therapy with the Breakfast Club. 1985 /with guest Khalid Rahmaan and Amber Rollo. John Hughes takes us on a nostalgic trip back to high school where the kids from different cliques learn that they all have a common enemy, their parents, while listening to Simple Minds. In studio today are NYC stand up comedians Khalid Rahmaan and Amber Rollo.
Another hot one. We had Pranav Behari from Mango Bae drop by to convince us that Caddyshack is actually a pretty woke film about class struggle, neoliberal capitalism, and gopher that can be a cypher for any oppressed community looking to resist. Episode drops on Wednesday.
1989 was a huge year for family friendly comedy classics with Parenthood, Ghostbusters 2, and Honey I Shrunk the Kids. George Bush, former CIA Spook, and son of a War Profiteer who made money working with the Nazis, became President. And Dana Carvey crushed it playing him on SNL. Today we cover a classic from this era, the John Hughes directed John Candy vehicle Uncle Buck. Special guest for the Narcisista Podcast Courtney Maginnis.
It’s 1999, the world is introduced to SpongeBob Squarepants, Vladimir Putin takes over Russia, and everyone is sharing music on Napster. Matt Damon, hot off his breakout performance in Good Will Hunting, is cast as The Talented Mr. Ripley. Join us as we examine this psychological crime thriller set on the sunny beaches of 1950’s Italy.
Do you know the muffin man? What if that was the score for when Jaws is coming? Spooky. Today we go fishing with Steven Spielberg and watch some seriously anti-shark propaganda and one of the best films of all time about starring 3 men in a boat. With guest Actor/Author Jordan Rider.
Harlem Nights written by Eddie Murphy, directed By Eddie Murphy, starring Eddie Murphy. The cast is full of peak 1980's black comedians and entertainers. RIP Richard Pryor, Redd Foxx, Robin Harris, Della Reese, Tommy Mikal Ford (and side note Danny Aiello). At least we still have Arsenio Hall. My question is where were Sinbad, Cosby, and Kadeem Harrison? On this week’s episode we are joined by Andre D Thompson.
From the files of Police Squad, we’re covering a cornerstone of the spoof genre and one of the greatest comedies of the 1980’s. This movie a joke every 30 seconds, and it’s chock full of visual gags, parodies, pratfalls, and pop-culture references and also has stellar performances from Leslie Nielsen, Richards Montalban, Priscilla Presley and OJ Simpson. Joining us this week is film maker/comedian Kendra Cunningham.
Thirteen is the craziest movie about 7th grade ever made in the US and banned in multiple countries. Shot in an cinema verite hand held style, this movie is a secular possession horror story about going through puberty portrayed with a gritty realism in LA. Join us as we delve into Tracy and Evie’s depraved middle school world of sex, drugs, and petty crime. With guest comedian, musician, and writer Amber Rollo.
Jiro is a 85 year old man who has 3 star Michelin rated sushi restaurant in a subway station in Japan. He has been slicing fish up in this spot for over 40 years. And he is regarded as the greatest master sushi chef in the world. This is his story. Joining us for the motivational food documentary is the fabulous Usama Siddiquee
Utah 1985: Matthew Lillard stars as Stevo, who alongside his pal, Bob, decide to spend their post college year pissing their lives away, only to realize that they and their friends must move forward with life and out of their unrealistic punk ideals. How long can you worship at the altars of anarchy and chaos? Joining us this week is musician, comedian, and podcaster Will Carey.
2006 was a Fergalicious year. And Amy Winehouse as still alive and singing about Rehab. Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, and Emily Blunt graced the solver screen and introduced the world to the soul-crushing grind of the fashion industry in the Devil Wears Prada. This is a perfect coming-of-age movie focused on the transition into your first job out of school. Joining us this week is the vibrant comedian Blair Dawson.
Selena was crossover success who could hold her own on the mainstream pop-charts, and was already Latin, and more specifically Tejano, music royalty. She was a mega star in the Latino community before white people even knew her name. With over a decade of making music, at 23 she could have been the next Madonna. TToday we review Gregory Nava’s 1997 biopic of Selena starring Jennifer Lopez and Edward Olmos, with comedian guest Glorelys Mora.
If you want a gloomy meditation on morality, faith, with crime procedurals twists and turns, this film will delight you. Prisoners fits nicely in the cannon with True Detective, The Killing, Se7en, and Mystic River, and Gone Baby Gone. Joining us to discuss this Denis Villeneuve masterpiece is filmmaker, musician, and all-around creative force Quincy Ledbetter
Why is John Cusack always wet? What’s the high watermark film capturing the 90s Gen X hipster aesthetic? Today travel back to the time of smoking, landlines, vintage clothes, and analogue music. Joining us is multi-talented comedic dynamo Jim Tews.
Are you ready for no-look passes, pump/fakes, and the awkward race relations of 1992? This week we take it to the hole with an in-depth look at the vibrant, witty, and unpredictable film about small time LA street-ball hustlers played by Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes and let’s not forget a stunning performance by Rosie Perez. Returning guest on the pod is Andrew “Buck” Charles.
Let’s take a trip to the Cabrini Green housing projects in Chicago to meet the first mainstream supernatural Black slasher, Candyman. Written by Clive Barker, co-starring Tony Todd, and Virginia Madden, and with a haunting score by Phillip Glass. This is a definite Halloween classic. Breaking it down this is today is the spooky queen Zilla Vodnas.
Wipe that face off your head bitches and strap in for our review of Richard Linklater's 1993 cult classic “Dazed and Confused”. High school in the 70’s seems like it was a blast, if you could avoid getting paddled by the football team. Joining us this week is Alex Shannon from “The Ridiculous People Podcast”.
Can money buy love? How much money do you need to ruin a happy couple’s relationship. Let’s dive into this 1990’s adult-contemporary romantic melodrama about a bored billionaire Robert Redford who plays love games with a fresh faced couple played by Woody Harrelson and Demi Moore. Joining us on the Pod is Andrew Harriss.
Dirty Dancing is Jennifer Grey in her 1980’s prime. Enjoy another film about rock n’ roll saving the day, with steamy scenes of teens grinding to the Mash Potato, and a heavy abortion subplot, and Patrick Swayze peacocking all over the dance floor. Fun for the whole family. With Comedian Xazmin Garza.
Point Break is a perfect cops and robbers action movie. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow. Everything about this Xtreme Sportz flick is sexy from Gary Busey’s surfwear shirts, to Lori Petty’s surf lessons, to a bank robber in a Ronald Reagan mask torching a car with a gas nozzle flame thrower. Joining us this week is Story Pirate, Improver, Comedian Catherine Montesi.
Al Gore’s Inconvenient Truth for people who like the Left Behind Series. Let’s go back to 2004 at the height of the Iraq War, Hummers, Tsunamis, and Martha Stewart doing jail time. Joining us this week is comedian Davidson Boswell.
King of New York 1990 is a timeless tale of a sinner seeking redemption. It’s a hip hop gangster flick full of classical music and crack raps. It’s Christopher Walken at his best. It’s an Abel Ferrara love letter to NYC. It’s a hot mess. Back in the studio with a root beer is guest Gastor Almonte.
Cher, The mega music star had already been famous for 20 years when she dropped this classic rom-com. But does she have the acting chops to carry a whole movie? We’ll give you our feedback, but ultimately you decide. Check her out, performing alongside a young, hungry, pre-Ghostrider Nicholas Cage. Enjoy the very Italian-American Moonstruck (1987). Also starring Danny Aiello and Olympia Dukakis. Rate, Review, Subscribe!
Guy Ritchie’s Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels is a radical departure from all of the British Bake Off we’ve been watching to go to sleep at night on Netflix. This week we review the ultra hip crime comedy jam packed with so much fast-talking cockney slang we’ll be grateful for the subtitles features on your laptop.
A suicidal cop is partnered with a family man and has to break up an international heroin trafficking ring comprised of Vietnam era black ops mercenaries on Christmas. This is an OG buddy cop film, and the template for countless knockoffs. Joining us this week is music artist Andrew Charles/Buck.
Today we watch Sandra Bullock play an extremely photogenic introvert computer program in this in this PG-13 techno thriller. This movie is simultaneously out of date, goofy, and extremely prescient of our current digitally connected society. Joining us this week is NYC Comedian and Sci-Fi writer Jaqi Furback
Tron 1982 is a beautifully animated cyber adventure, a landmark in CGI effects, and hypnotic art film. It’s also an anachronistic slog that gets the Internet wrong and it’s saving grace is Jeff Bridges. We could retitle Tron the dude in the Matrix. Guest star is Story Pirate Louie Pearlman.
On this episode we cover the 1994 Western epic melodrama Legends of the Fall, starring Julia Osmond, Sir Anthony Hopkins, peak 90’s Brad Pitt, and narrated by a Native American for some reason. Get ready to get misty eyed in this idealized version of American History, which could have easily be titled “Everybody Loves Tristan”. Joining us is NYC Comic Chloe La Branche.
It’s 1985, the year Berry Gordy of Motown fame executive produced a funky genre-bending cult classic, The Last Dragon. This script feels like someone smoked PCP while listening to Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting, and banged away at the keys of an old IBM Selectric to create a masterpiece. This week joining us is actor and Story Pirate Cedric Lilly. Rate, Review and Subscribe!
It’s time to review Top Gun. A sleek and stylish 1986 film that cranks the Cold War patriotism up to 10! This is an American Navy recruitment film dressed up as a Kenny Loggin’s music video, chalk full of daddy issues, daredevil dogfights, and cool code names. And the kids loved it. Joining us the week is actor Matt Maretz.
It’s a bitter/sweet 2009 coming-of-age story dressed up like a rom-com and it turns the manic pixie dream girl trope on its head. Check out this Joseph Gordon-Levitt/Zooey Deschanel banger. Covered at the behest of our friend and guest Maddy Smith.
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