Movie Meltdown

Movie Meltdown - Episode 601 Join us as we venture into the grindhouse world of 1990: The Bronx Warriors directed by Enzo G. Castellari.  And while we mistakenly get off at the wrong stop on the subway, we also bring up… No Exit, Knock at the Cabin, John Wick: Chapter 4, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, The Long Kiss Goodnight, Italian genre cinema, Vic Morrow, loving Keanu Reeves, where did the horses come from, Sam Raimi, a fistful of funeral, Mark Gregory, a great moment for theater kids, Shane Black, Mad Max, Samuel L. Jackson, looks like a war zone, George Eastman, Ana de Armas, a giant elaborate birthday cake, Geena Davis, Ennio Girolami, action scenes in slo-mo, dark elves, The Warriors, Escape from New York and Fosse!  Spoiler Alert: Full spoilers for 1990: The Bronx Warriors, so watch the movie before you listen.  “He's definitely very Snake Plisskenny… without the charm.”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 600 Join us as head to the Lexington Comic & Toy Convention and while we hang out there we also delve into… Crying Freeman, bronze age horror comics, Jason Lee, Future Man, bringing back video stores, Clueless, SubUrbia, Vertigo, Crab Man, Missy Peregrym, The Crow: Salvation, John Saxon, Dr Pepper Shake, a new wave of anime kids, Romy and Michele's High School Reunion, The Crow: 2037, Jeremy Sisto, Walton Goggins, Eric Mabius, Cannibal Apocalypse, beaver nuggets, a working vacation, tables all over the world, Kissing a Fool, Justified, getting beaten down by life, Whataburger, Derek Wilson, the state of brisket and bonding through spitefulness. “Yeah… I've stabbed myself so many f-ing times.” For more on the convention, go to: lexingtoncomiccon.com

Movie Meltdown - Episode 599 The Meltdown Horror Club returns to ask - what's your favorite scary movie... franchise? Listen as we discuss Scream 6 directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett. And as we discuss Jenna Ortega's plans for world domination, we also address… Resurrection, The Pyjama Girl Case, Return of the Living Dead: Part 2, visiting Cocaine Bear, Samara Weaving, ghost dad hallucinations, the Greenwich Village Halloween parade, Melissa Barrera, not being a therapist, Murder Party shout out, being a ruined by the internet, being really annoyed at Gale, got Julius Caesar-ed, Giallo, Hayden Panettiere, shopping at Hot Topic, Stab: The Musical, The Core Four, hero or psychopath, Wednesday Addams, movie neighbors, pausing the movie, a no Ghost Face policy, Courteney Cox, girl in a box, quit sword of Damocles-ing me, a Scream museum, medical rules don't apply, just pause your movie, Sammy Davis Jr. and our new Ghost Face cartoon series. Spoiler Alert: Full spoilers for “Scream 6” (and the whole series) so go watch the movie(s) before you listen.  “Scream is its own universe.”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 598 (For our Patreon "Horror Club") This episode we discuss House of Wax, the 2005 film directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and starring Elisha Cuthbert, Jared Padalecki, Chad Michael Murray and Paris Hilton. And while we order our box set of Cousin Skeeter, we also mention… Noroi: The Curse, Old, celebrity sex tapes, murdered imaginary friends, another Florida rant, being ripped, being really good at swimming, the extra brother, bodily functions in this universe, the questionable timetable, Supernatural, the hubris of young people, not getting cast in Hollywood, One Tree Hill, duct taping children, building a whole town, bones turning to dust, Gilmore Girls, opinions of rich people, the volume on that outfit, Japanese folk horror, The Girl Next Door, she moves in such a weird way, horror remakes, the WB, the football game, a wilderness camp for troubled teens, the death pile, M. Night Shyamalan, a paranormal TV show and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Spoiler Alert: Full spoilers for "House of Wax", so go watch the movie before you listen. “Horny teens are a classic horror trope.”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 597 This installment of The Super Series we discuss Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania as well as a lot of other topics along the way.  And as we dig into our own mental Video Archives, we also cover… a retired Wolverine, Brian De Palma, Only Murders in the Building, Match Point, Jiminy Glick, Dressed to Kill, No Exit, Janet van Dyne, The Micronauts, Jonathan Majors, Ironheart, Mobius, Timely Comics, The Clone Wars, Kathryn Newton, Kraven the Hunter, Demonoid, The Approach, stand-up movies, MODOK, a wish version of Darth Vader, the internet brought consequences, Rick and Morty, Disney+, Taiwanese action, Veb, Peyton Reed, F. Murray Abraham, Loki, Blow Out, Night of the Ghoul, Identity, Michelle Pfeiffer, the butt shot, Bill Murray, The Council of Kangs, mythical monsters vs. dinosaurs, Hank Pym, Paul Rudd, John Wick: Chapter 4, David Dastmalchian, Scarlett Johansson, Speed, The One Armed Executioner, Tom Holland, influenced by Hong Kong cinema, the devil hates rock n roll, Evangeline Lilly, Aaron Taylor Johnson, Choose or Die, sitting next to people in a theater, The Exorcist, Michael Douglas, Blind Rage, it's too much awesome is what it is, gelatinous worms and a technocracy.  Spoiler Alert: Major spoilers for “Blow Out” and “Dressed to Kill” are revealed in this episode. You have been warned!  “Look out for the little guy… and don't be a dick. That's the things we've learned in this movie here.”  

Attack of the Killer Soundtrack 67 This episode we are once again joined by composer Erich Stem as we play and discuss all the 2022 Oscar nominees for both Best Original Song and Best Original Score.  And as we work our way toward our own fifty year collaboration, we also bring up… Ashley Thursby, harmonium, Clair de lune, destruction, slap tonguing, watching the ceremony, collaboration, specific pieces only working with specific scenes, the leitmotif, how much time do you give a composer to write a piece, doesn't know how to play a snare, neo-romantic melodies, Shenandoah, glockenspiel, listen as an album, the old version of Top Gun, Sofia Carson, director and songwriter, a percussion concerto, more international flavor, life-long projects, two different types of scores, metallic sounds, years of collaboration, sampling other composers and the Academy loves a narrative.  “No other approach to writing music would have worked for this film.”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 596 Join us as we visit with a couple of long lost co-hosts who may think they are trying to derail the conversation. But the secret to our show is... we were never on the rails at all.  And while we try to unravel the mystery of our crazy nightmare movie dreams, we also delve into… The Man from Uncle, The Menu, Top Gun: Maverick, Armed and Dangerous, National Treasure, Megalopolis, Night Court, Vengeance, It's a Wonderful Life, Citizen Kane, DJing movies, Glass Onion, cannibalism, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Foghorn Leghorn, Rambo, conspiracy theories, friends and groups and cliches, ADHD, Stacy Keach's dad, intelligentsia douchebag, a quiet stabbing death, Cloak & Dagger, did we really go to the moon, an incredible art collection, changing technology, which Clue ending did you get, The Da Vinci Code, Werner Herzog, Universal Studios vs Disney World, Francis Ford Coppola, plow over two dozen cars, Death on the Nile, Frank Capra, The Vogue Theatre, B.J. Novak, Rian Johnson and was she tender and tasty? “I mean, say what you want about the movie… whether you liked it or not, it still changed the face of the Western world.”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 595 (For our Patreon "Horror Club") This episode we discuss Choose or Die, the 2022 film directed by Toby Meakins.  And while we wait for our ancient video game to load up, we also address… Alice in Borderland, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Scott Adams Classic Adventures, The Garbage Pail Kids Movie, Iola Evans, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, Glass Onion, Robert Englund, Ready Player One, Terror Train, eat the computer, The Wicker Man, old school Disney movies, the drowned little brother of it all, Trivial Pursuit, murder games, the 80s abandoned warehouse apartment dream, Trading Places, Cannon Films, making millions of dollars, face fixes, Asa Butterfield, making fun of rich people, broken glass, Nintendo Switch, David Copperfield, World War 2 fascism, obtusely bad, adding an extra O to your name, The Birds and a screaming goat. Spoiler Alert: Full spoilers for "Choose or Die", so go watch the movie before you listen. “This ain't no Jumanji.”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 594 Join us as we continue on our labyrinthian discussion of different films and filmmakers. And once we realize we're actually just hiding in the round rack of life, we also mention… Dawn of the Dead, Invaders from Mars, Elvis, Blonde, Albert Pyun, I Wanna Hold Your Hand, Terrifier, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, They Live, Everything Everywhere All at Once, once your eyes stop uncrossing, Dan O'Bannon, unapologetically what it is, George Miller, Looney Tunes world, James Karen, Alien from L.A., Wendie Jo Sperber, Stan Winson, new terrible things waiting to happen tomorrow, Cyborg, Bruce Willis, special make-up effects, Tobe Hooper, this is great French toast, Thom Mathews, Tales From the Crypt, I've got one word for you… mime, Dario Argento, Hunter Carson, The Return of the Living Dead, Baz Luhrmann, torturing a puppet on-screen, production design, Radioactive Dreams, Robert Zemeckis, Kevin Bacon, long trench coats, twenty isolated viewings, in 3D, American Graffiti, I'm not a smart person and the color correction on these movies is actually really good! “It felt so cinematic and so big and so broad and beautiful to behold. That you know, you're just like, man I think this is like - his best movie.”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 593 This episode our host is virtually reunited with one of his favorite people - a character by the name of Sam Drog. Sure he's an enigma and a potential threat to humanity… but he's also a film lover and a hell of a lot of fun. So join us as we see what he's been up to lately and just what he's been watching.  And while we both expel a screaming, psychic cry for help, we also cover… Nope, going back to conventions, Firestarter, going up to a random stranger, a screen-accurate Highlander sword, social anxiety, The Crow: Stairway to Heaven, John Waters, the initial promise of the internet, old people explaining anime to each other, I'm in The Thing right now, Captain Harlock, hey chainsaw man, punching a moose, doughnuts make that all go away, Keith David, telekinetic powers, Battle of the Planets, someone who has trouble reading the room, on team calls, stressed-out high school kids, our WALL-E future, lockdown messed up kids, an office frozen in time, degenerate weirdo losers, Speed Racer, the elder gods of Valhalla, being bulletproof, trying to put all these pieces together, set your bar real low, Jordan Peele and the general geek vibe. “Maybe you caused the freak-out for humanity?”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 592 (For our Patreon "Horror Club") Bust out the hot cocoa and Christmas cookies and settle in as we discuss the controversial holiday horror “classic” Silent Night, Deadly Night. And while we try to decide just how to put “The Star Wars Holiday Special” into perspective for someone who hasn't seen it, we also bring up… Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities, Wednesday, Glorious, that creepy old mother superior nun, retail fantasies, Linnea Quigley, command strips, a fork to the gut, creating Catholic weirdos, Utah, who's gettin' it on at an orphanage, Charles E. Sellier Jr., FAO Schwarz, RoboSanta, talking through a glory hole, Tim Burton movies, child trauma, Bob Vila, not watching Troll, Jenna Ortega, hunting a human, merchandising nightmares, sledders, hanging out with The Doors, a murderous snowman, a Lovecraftian entity, who unlocked the door, homicidal maniac dressed as Santa, Jack Frost, Phil Donahue, dancing on a giant piano, the God-like level of Dolly Parton and being distracted by the toys. Spoiler Alert: Full spoilers for the 1984 film “Silent Night, Deadly Night”, so go watch the movie before you listen. “He's got his own traumatic Santa memory.”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 591 This episode we sit down with actor Michael Paré and discuss his impressive and lengthy career. Plus we also rundown some of our personal favorites of Michael's movies.   And as we dig into the films of John Carpenter in the 1990s, we also delve into… Eddie and the Cruisers, the camera knows where you're going, The Blasters, Walter Hill, above reproach, werewolf movies, Bruce Dern, The Philadelphia Experiment, four days in full prosthetics, not everybody can be an actor, searching for cryptids, Jim Steinman, Tom Berenger, shooting on a virtual reality LED set, this is an artist, Village Of The Damned, Eric Red, Jane Goodall, you can't say no to Diane Lane, Nix, Cigarette Burns, working in a kitchen, John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band, Willem Dafoe, Sacred Grounds, Crazy Times, Jeff Bridges, subconscious demons, flirting with girls, Dan Hartman, Bad Moon, Chevy Chase, the dog's POV and the challenge of marketing an eclectic movie.  “I don't know if anybody is prepared for their first time in Hollywood.”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 590 We're back with another Marvel Super Special as we discuss Ryan Coogler's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - as well as many other Marvel properties.  And while we try to decide what constitutes the end of a phase, we also address… She-Hulk, Werewolf by Night, Ironheart, Daredevil, Chadwick Boseman, Namor the Sub-Mariner, James Gunn, different kinds of zombies in the Marvel universe, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Doctor Doom, opening Marvel logo, Letitia Wright, trying to stage a battle scene on the water, Dominique Thorne, Creed 3, The Quantum Realm, Michael B. Jordan, secret societies, female leads, DC world-building, Ms. Marvel, the legacy of Tony Stark, Angela Bassett, Blade, the new Black Panther, Bat-Mite, rescuing Baskin-Robbins, introducing mutants, Thunderbolts, the Target commercial, the mole men, Constantine, Mad About You with superheroes, a pike through the head and Kang the Conqueror. Spoiler Alert: Full spoilers for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” so watch the movie before you listen.  “Despite all the other action and stuff that's going on, this whole movie is basically a funeral dirge - for not only T'Challa but for Chadwick himself.”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 589 (For our Patreon "Horror Club") Gather your family around the table and your listening device - as we discuss the Thanksgiving "classic" BLOOD RAGE!  And while we consider whether we want to sample turkey meat powder, we also mention… Barbarian, hunting a human being, Ghosts, Night of the Demons, Carnival of Souls, it features a cemetery which is not in this movie, Ed French, The Whitest Kids U' Know, so perfectly 80s, peripheral at all, the edited version, A Ghost Story, motive, creepy sad existence, The House that Cried Murder, your belly's full of turkey, Louise Lasser, invest in a shower curtain, Sleepaway Camp, popped collar and a skinny tie, Zach Cregger, so you're telling me you didn't murder all your friends, John Grissmer, pumpkin pie on a wall, Scalpel, what a great plan for a ten-year-old psychopath, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, unhinged and I love her, bleak and misanthropic, being cut in half, and then it's onto late night tennis, Scarecrow Crunch and weird people in Florida.  Spoiler Alert: Full spoilers for “Blood Rage”, so go watch it before you listen. You'll be thankful you did.  “This entire movie - it's just so horny!”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 588 This episode we head to Lexington for Scarefest and hang out talking about movies, actors, costumes and the ever-changing convention scene. And as we rewatch that videotape that fell behind the entertainment center, we also cover… The Slumber Party Massacre, The Midnight Club, Robert Englund, Hellfire Club, Beetlejuice, wearing double denim, that's just going to slime-up your meat cleaver, Brinke Stevens, one of these costumes is not like the other, Christopher Pike, Lance Henriksen, knowing who the killer is, a lot of nudity with open windows, Heather Langenkamp, rechargeable tools, Emilio Estévez and the hockey ducks, the Guinness Book Of World Records as the single television episode with the most amount of jump scares, preparing for Blood Rage, a CG house, how did you feel about his weapon of choice, a bunch of kids in a hospice, Stranger Things, Michael Flatley, knows how to make Kool-Aid and who gets fully naked at the drive-in? “If you want a good background sound, that makes you depressed… here ya go - ‘cause that's all you're gonna get.” For more on Scarefest, go to: https://scarefestweekend.com/

Movie Meltdown - Episode 587 Join us for our annual “spooky soiree” as we discuss the usual seasonal fun as well as our take on David Gordon Green's Halloween Ends. And while we try to decide just what the phrase “more nougat than normal” really means, we also bring up… Deadstream, The Munsters, The Hitcher, Cronenberg's The Fly, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, one of those strainer scanning devices, the DJ character, what noise do you make when you stab, how dark this dude's energy is, catatonic schizophrenia, don't run sideways, moments when I genuinely yelled, this is a weird series, The Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue, as far as, people being murdered goes…, writing a book, a hopeful and uplifting tagger, a zombie with a decanter of coffee, The Hitcher II: I've Been Waiting, blood ‘n' guts everywhere, The Fly 2, you walk away saying is that going to happen to me tomorrow, Ben Tramer, the stepdad, the economy of Haddonfield, insane Matthew McConaughey and the dead body parade.  Spoiler Alert: Full spoilers for “Halloween Ends”, so go watch the movie before you listen.  “Move out of that town - cancel Halloween.”

Attack of the Killer Soundtrack 66 As we are well into spooky season, we thought we would play and discuss some of our favorite songs that round out different horror movies. As we try to figure out the best horror song hat trick, we also delve into… Night of the Ghoul, Smile, Werewolf by Night, stunt casting, Barbarian, a new era of horror, patient zero of all monsters, a spooky old house, amazing special effects, zombie bum, see you next Wednesday, building tension, Blackie Lawless, cassette tapes and record players, Final Destination, outrunning a werewolf, The Muppet Show, why are you not arresting this man because he's probably got people in the basement, angry slasher fans, how to fight off a ghost, the '46 Universal fire, vampire role playing games, King of the werewolves, Teen Witch, and a love song to a rat.  “This movie spoke to me on numerous, numerous levels.”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 586 (For our Patreon "Horror Club") This episode we're discussing Things Heard & Seen, the 2021 film written and directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini. And while we continue our investigation of the pumpkin patch, we also address… Perfect Blue, Devil In Ohio, Day Shift, What We Do in the Shadows, Amanda Seyfried, speaking of vampires, they're up to being helpful, another wonderful moment of police work, Doug Jones, the wrap-around framing device, religious overtones, microfiche, Martha Stewart, the Hudson Valley, Natalia Dyer, repeat child actors, going to hell, pumpkin patch, a vampire real estate agent, face healing, good spirits, bad job ghosts, Kyle Richards, family drama, aging athletes, you're doing your eating disorder wrong, deus ex Justine, a girl who becomes a surfer, a pop star who leaves her group, being totally useless to her friend, moving a piano and Snoop Dogg.  Spoiler Alert: Full spoilers for "Things Heard & Seen"... so watch the movie before you listen. You have been warned.  “Well the last woman who was murdered here…”

Attack of the Killer Soundtrack 65 Join us “live” from The Whirling Tiger as we talk with Tim Cappello. He's an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, a singer, a songwriter and a man who will forever be known as - the sexy sax man from “The Lost Boys”.  And while we consider pausing the interview to start looking for back issues of Interview Magazine, we also mention… Tina Turner, John Coltrane, Billy Crystal, Captain Beefheart, Charlie Parker, military bands, The New England Conservatory of Music, Michael Chapman, Lennie Tristano, The Raspberries, banned from CBGBs, The Marotta Brothers, Andy Warhol, throwing live bait into the audience, Elton John, clarinet, Saturday Night Live, Eric Carmen, tie-dye, Cameo, I know a guy that can do both, Peter Gabriel, we were doing McDonald's conventions, Joel Schumacher, being a meme, Steely Dan, Lester Young, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, Garland Jeffreys, Jon Hamm, head banging to sax, a wall of LPs, Aretha Franklin, you gotta have some wrong in what you are doing, Ornette Coleman, utility players, The Ken Dolls, Adolphe Sax and the ever-present cod-piece.  “That's just another night in Santa Cruz.”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 585 (For our Patreon "Horror Club") This session of the horror club we discuss Dead Silence, the 2007 film directed by James Wan. And while we reminisce about special times with Donnie Wahlberg, we also cover… Tourist Trap, The House, Stan Against Evil, Ryan Kwanten, Frankenstein, digging up bodies, an anthropomorphic mouse, he's very proud of those paintings, ghosts with weaknesses, ambient noise ceases, What We Do in the Shadows, soup, trying to rhyme those two words… you gotta save those for the boys overseas, Judith Anna Roberts, House of Wax, out of his jurisdiction, red herring or legit pay-off, sew a bunch of tongues together, Only Murders in the Building, Amber Valletta, girl on a theremin, setting up a lore, I love a good mannequin movie, CG faces, honoring the final wishes of the person you murdered and a dehydrated husk of a person.  Spoiler Alert: Full spoilers for "Dead Silence", so go watch the movie before you listen.  “There's something that's so like - endearing to me about this movie…”

Attack of the Killer Soundtrack 64 Join us for a soundtrack episode as we discuss finale songs and/or our favorite songs that play during the closing credits. “There are songs… that do get stuck in my head as a credit song. And I will hear it and like… in my mind credits will be rolling on the screen.”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 584 This episode we are coming to you “live” from Character Fest as we talk with actor Sy Richardson. And as we realize our unlimited capacity for twinkly lights, we also bring up… The State Theater, a family reunion, Tim Robbins, came to California, Slim Jim Phantom, Straight to Hell, I had no place to stay I had fifty dollars in my pocket, taking me to the nightclub, Charles Bronson, this bubble of love, I didn't wanna be a movie star, Alex Cox, a nonagenarian, driving the city bus, you think there'll be swear words, Fishbone, dropping off pizza, Repo Man, the center of the universe, don't allow money or names to get in the way, The Cheap Dates, Drama-logue, Emilio Estévez, Chicago, you don't have to be the star, Lil' June and The January's, it's very ornate, a gospel group, John Cusack, be willing to work with your friends, Harry Dean Stanton, six naked women and Lee Rocker.  “You see… I came to California to be a character actor. I didn't wanna be a movie star.”  For more on Character Fest, for now, check in with: harrydeanstantonfest.org For Sy by Sy The Journey of a Character Actor: lulu.com/spotlight/syrichardson1 For more on The Kentucky Theater: kentuckytheatre.org

Movie Meltdown - Episode 583 Join us “live” from The Kentucky Theater for this year's Harry Dean Stanton Fest with special guest - director Allison Anders. And as we try to decide if we've had too much coffee, we also delve into… Wim Wenders, the unacknowledged Kevin Bacon, Billy Woodberry, RiverDale, double features, the OG, Billy Swan, The Paramount and The Capital, cop shows, American independent cinema, post office anxiety, I don't want you to die by the way, Paris, Texas,  Nicholas Ray, the L.A. Rebellion, Steven Bochco, Illeana Douglas, friends trying to makes a film together, Werner Herzog, you have control over nothing, bawled like a baby, Fairuza Balk, movie palaces, Southland, Duran Duran, Rodrigo García, never give up, Murder in the First, how to get a t-shirt, Ione Skye, there's a lot of pointing, Lightning Over Water, I'd won a grant, this is like a new movement in movies here in our film school, DIY culture, Stanley Kubrick, telling amazing stories and Paul is Dead.  “I don't know how you could not be in love with movies.” For more on Harry Dean Stanton Fest: harrydeanstantonfest.org For more on The Kentucky Theater: kentuckytheatre.org

Movie Meltdown - Episode 582 The Super Series continues as we discuss Taika Waititi's Thor: Love and Thunder. And as we try to decide if we ourselves would work better as a limited series or as a theatrical film, we also address… Ms. Marvel, Miek, Wilson Fisk, Slash, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, Taron Egerton, the Hemsworth family affair, Hercules, Secret Wars, there's a whole bunch of people who are partially inhuman, Star-Lord vs. Chris Pratt, The incursion, The Punisher, world-building, a Sif skin-suit, Melissa McCarthy, She-Hulk, Hugh Jackman, economic writing, The Asgardian Players, Eternity, Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, Pet Sematary, Christian Bale, Surtur, Clan Destine and Matt Damon.  Spoiler Alert: Full spoilers for “Thor: Love and Thunder” - so watch the movie before you listen.  “Let's go over here and do Marvel things.”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 581 (For our Patreon "Horror Club") This episode we're discussing Fresh, the 2022 film directed by Mimi Cave and starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Sebastian Stan. And as we realize it's best if people just stay away from each other, we also mention… A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Baby, cotton candy grapes, The Regal Beagle,  mismatching periods of singlehood, mean letters from Richard Marx, Cry Baby, pancakes in a paper bag, you're giving ghouls a bad name, internet art, tons of overtones, nothing tops the bats, a normal rom-com, that grows back, the audacity of you… just being you, ordering meat, vast underground network, guys are gross, ketchup-flavor Doritos, Freddy Krueger, Comin' at Ya!, a cool dungeon, got off on a technicality, a baby drop box, they found a way to make it legal, spaghetti westerns and micro-aggressive gross phases that women get all the time. Spoiler Alert: Full spoilers for the 2022 movie "Fresh", so go watch it before you listen. And it's best if you don't know what's going to happen, so if you haven't seen it… just go in blind - it's so much better.  “If I didn't know this is going to end horribly… I would totally want you two to get together.”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 580 This episode we're coming to you “live” from WonderFest as we visit with friends and look at amazing models. All before we are joined by director, author, screenwriter, producer - Nicholas Meyer. He's the creative mind behind movies like Time After Time, The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, The Day After, as well as bringing us many of the most beloved Star Trek films including The Wrath of Khan, The Voyage Home and The Undiscovered Country.  And while we test out the new meds, we also cover… Tremors, The Stand, Stranger Things, Regular Show, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Around the World in 80 Days, Television Event, Willow, Fred Ward, The Raft, artists are not the best judges of their own work, George Romero, emergency Twizzler, The Player, Mike Todd, I guess this is where we find out who you really are, pizza with The Beastmaster, DeForest Kelley, fish pimp, Robert Altman, cleaning up the Statue of Liberty, Brendan Fraser, it's important to be fortunate, Joe Dante, what happens if the wall comes down in outer space, Kevin Bacon, I said to my dad… you have to help me do this, Gayne Rescher, cobbling together selected elements of these five unproduced scripts, Greg Nicotero, Michael Gross, Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, Carol Kane, I either walked off it or was fired off it, Jamie Kennedy, Rodan and Mothra. “You too can make a motion picture… no previous experience necessary.” For more on Nicholas Meyer and The Return of the Pharaoh, go to: https://www.nicholas-meyer.com/ For more on WonderFest, go to: https://wonderfest.com/

Movie Meltdown - Episode 579 (For our Patreon "Horror Club") Join us as we discuss Fright Night, the 2011 movie directed by Craig Gillespie and featuring Anton Yelchin, Colin Farrell, David Tennant, Toni Collette, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and our beloved Imogen Poots. And as we consider recording our future episodes in Romania, we also bring up… Fright Night 2, Death on the Nile, Todd & the Book of Pure Evil, Midori, setting yourself on fire, Ginger and Peter, new build suburbs, Marti Noxon, religious weapons, McLovin, the shark from Jaws, Kenneth Branagh, more real world then we want to think about, the best product placement I've ever seen, racing the sun, the PTSD that these kids are going to have, I gauge everything against Celine Dion, unscrupulous vampire dating, single dude home decor, as battle axes go, the coming events of Revelations, lesbian vampire seduction scenes, being orphaned by an undead creature and a lot of questions about insurance. Spoiler Alert: Full spoilers for the 2011 version of “Fright Night” - so go watch the movie before you listen. “Yeah this movie reminded me so much of my senior year of high school.” “‘Cause you were killing vampires right and left.”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 578 Join us as we discuss Sam Raimi's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness… and all things Marvel.  And as we order up a round of pizza balls, we also delve into… Moon Knight, Drag Me to Hell, Steve Ditko, Elizabeth Olsen, James Gunn, Black Bolt, Robert E. Howard, She-Hulk, The Savage Land, Doctor Doom, Benedict Cumberbatch, the Delta 88, universal constants, Ms. Marvel, Natalie Portman, The Darkhold, 1602, Dormammu, Superman, Xochitl Gomez, rope-a-dope, Hawkeye, Jon Watts, Gorr the God Butcher, no more mutants, easter eggs, sorceress supreme of the dark dimension, Midnight Sons, Captain Britain, Night Court, Jim Steranko, Marvel Christmas special, Benedict Wong, Loki, Gargantos, Bruce Campbell, Kamala Khan, The Living Tribunal and incursions.  Spoiler Alert: Full spoilers for “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”. “It's so good you'll punch yourself in the face!”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 577 This episode we discuss Blood Fest directed by Owen Egerton and starring Zachary Levi. Yep...  Zachary Levi. Oh yeah, and also Robbie Kay, Seychelle Gabriel, Jacob Batalon and Barbara Dunkelman. And as we work on creating our own horror movie theme park, we also address… Reacher, Sleepaway Camp, Death Trap, The Cabin In The Woods, research and development, The Houses October Built, Tate Donovan, side project, all my friends are dead, they overcomplicated their own nonsense, Christopher Reeve, Faces of Death, resurrecting dead people, that's my toucan, wrist band technology, the real-world setting of things, Mr. Leadfeet, building a tower, Superman, gaming references, we haven't seen any other grown-ups in this movie, too much going on, the theater full of dolls, Dad story issues, the clowns still ruin everything for me, Disney World, we have to follow the rules, security camera footage, Michael Caine, a slap in the face to horror fans, I don't know anything about electronics, Lovecraftian gods and the power of Ned. Spoiler Alert: Spoilers for the finale of “Sleepaway Camp” as well as the entire movie “Blood Fest”... go watch them before you listen. You have been warned. “Your endgame here is not near as big as all of the orchestration it would take to make this thing happen.”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 576 This episode we return to The Lexington Comic & Toy Convention and have a run-in with a certain beloved celebrity as well as a lot of fun!  And as we wait ever vigilant against an onslaught of geese, we also mention… Twin Peaks, Clancy Brown, William Hurt, Don Coscarelli, Muzan Kibutsuji, the slime pit, the new Scream, Burlesque, Rose McIver, Jeepers Creepers 2, Channing Tatum, he's Satan and a scrapper, Billy Wirth, Dana Ashbrook, putting your child in danger, Daria, Demon Slayer, Battle Cat, Billy Zane, Ghosts, SpongeBob SquarePants, Corey Haim, custom Chucks, Kimmy Robertson, Mena Suvari, Erik Estrada, Dirk Benedict's shirt, get out of hell free, anime characters and cosplay, Marc Singer, a mandala universe and celebrities touching you.  Spoiler Alert: Major spoilers for Scream (2022) and Jeepers Creepers 1 and 2. You have been warned.  “We have become a very stationary people.” For more on the convention, go to: lexingtoncomiccon.com

Movie Meltdown - Episode 575 (For our Patreon "Horror Club") This episode we discuss The Devil's Hand, a 1961 movie directed by William J. Hole Jr. This movie is about a man and a woman... and another woman, and a doll, and a cult... and a witch? There's a lot of stuff going on. Well - kind of. So get your personalized devil dolls and join us as we cover… Fresh, shirt/vest combo, Last Night in Soho, House on Haunted Hill, Linda Christian, electronics, The Ghosts of Dragstrip Hollow, Sebastian Stan, shooting movies in Mexico, midcentury interior design, opening song, the torso of a beautiful woman, free twist lessons, Vincent Price, mystical dreams, rockin' the loungewear as streetwear, I'm pretty sure that's how typewriters work, duck feedin', William Castle, I could never be part of a cult, because I'm always in bed before eleven, the more it went on the more annoyed I got, Robert Alda, a sincere cult leader, walking around in sexy night clothes, Bond girls, a douche with a doll fetish to fix your electronic devices, a wagon wheel chandelier with swords, that's a break-up reason if I've ever seen one, handing out Quaaludes like Tic Tacs and Baker Harris and/or Baker Knight. Spoiler Alert: Full spoilers for The Devil's Hand. It's streaming for free online, so just go watch the movie first. “The subtitle of this movie… could just be - horny men make the worst decisions.”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 574 This episode our dynamic duo returns to discuss Matt Reeves' The Batman. And while we wait patiently for our red phone to ring, we also bring up… The Eternals, Richard Kind, Year One, The Court of Owls, the lighting, Robert Pattinson, Kurt Cobain, dealing with a horde of evil, DC's showrunner, Frank Miller, The Suicide Squad, Seven, Joe Chill, Planet of the Apes, Jeffrey Wright, Kumail Nanjiani, deluxe theater seats, Blade Runner, there's a reason why their name is on an asylum, Dr. Leslie Thompkins, the Shazam universe, Zoë Kravitz, Injustice, Dex-Starr, Colin Farrell, CG creatures, becoming a symbol, Andrea Sorrentino, Teen Titans, fight coordination, Paul Dano, Chloé Zhao, Chicago, The Long Halloween, Brightburn, Peacemaker, The Raid, Tim Burton, Barry Keoghan, the cipher, Carmine Falcone, Andy Serkis, Christopher Nolan, citizens of Gotham, Ego, Michael Giacchino and robots makin' pizzas.  Spoiler Alert: Full spoilers for “The Batman”, so see the movie before you listen.  “The lighting, the production design - my hats are off to you because… you did it.”

Attack of the Killer Soundtrack 63 This episode we welcome back composer Erich Stem as we play and discuss all the 2021 Oscar nominees for both Best Original Song and Best Original Score.  And as we decide who has just thrown in a B-side from their latest album, we also delve into… the movie trailer formula, a transformation, layers upon layers, the harmonic box, If Beale Street Could Talk, taking a year off, moody and quiet, Nicholas Britell, that was the point… was to watch stuff break, calculated, detuned piano, Coco, Tōru Takemitsu, sometimes they gotta snub somebody, Beyoncé, chord progression, The Cure, they made you feel like you were in the room with the band, Hans Zimmer, checking the boxes, the single sound of a standard orchestra, Radiohead, Daniel Craig, Lin-Manuel Miranda, thriller score, different harmonies, Ashley Thursby, Germaine Franco, Don't Look Up, sounds of different cultures, Alberto Iglesias, VHS tapes mailed to your house, Trent Reznor, when we run the microwave, Van Morrison, parenting styles, the Belgian radio orchestra, writing in another language, oh this is what they are doing, Jonny Greenwood, the Shenandoah Valley, inserting politics, colorful shifts, Billie Eilish, Zoom calls, assaulting you with jazz and a floodgate of musical performances. "Well she had the good formula... she had a key change at the chorus then a... multi-instrument climactic moment followed by the crash cymbal and then just the voice alone."

Movie Meltdown - Episode 573 So the Meltdown Horror Club was so excited to discuss the new Scream movie - we decided to put together a bonus horror club episode - available to everyone! So join us as we discuss the new "requel" directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett.  And as the horror snake eats it's own tail, we also address… The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window, Eli Roth's History of Horror, Only Murders in the Building, Kevin Williamson, how to be a celebrity, Charles Bronson, the media, people's annoying theater habits, so meta, CG FX, the O.J. verdict, the Knives out guy, I'm just constantly terrified, the gang of youths, a horror subreddit, other-worldly thing, geek fandom, Roman Polanski, the whodunit format, streaming cheating, Murder, She Wrote, get to killin', blame the parents, Black Christmas, having your finger on the pulse of what's going on, grandiose soliloquy, Harvey Weinstein, when your cats eat you, doing smart things, Emma Roberts, meta-horror movie commentary, Friday the 13th IV: The Final Chapter, what company is still making those masks, disturbing the people around me,  Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood, corny but in a great way, straight off of the internet, there is no villain, talking to the screen, channeling a ghost, who's upset, PTSD, hand sanitizer and I guess they're not subtle.  Spoiler Alert: Full spoilers for not just this latest Scream… but all five Scream movies. You have been warned!  “That's probably also why I was so invested… I was like, it's me - don't kill me.”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 572 Get yourself a heart-shaped box of candy and join us as we discuss some alternate (questionably) romantic movies to watch for Valentine's Day.  And as we try to decode our special love messages from Reeses, we also mention… George Wendt, cannibalism, redefining cinema, The Island of Dr. Moreau, a golem more than a zombie, Danny Trejo, nothing good can last, Oliver Stone, being Batman, Dementia 13, your third rate Mickey Rourke, bitter love scenes, Reese Witherspoon, hot movies for mom, Gary Oldman, Harold Faltermeyer, Ione Skye, dating adventures, Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, coal miners, the undead, the career trajectory of Keanu Reeves, sideway Careless Whisper, the second-coming of Val Kilmer, Paul Rudd, the bad boy with the heart of gold, Frank Sinatra, time-traveling romance, a thinly-veiled religious allegory against substance abuse, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Skinamax. “There's a lot of schmaltzy in this movie… misguided schmaltzy.”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 571 (For our Patreon "Horror Club") This episode we discuss Kuntilanak - aka "The Chanting Revisited". This 2018 film directed by Rizal Mantovani tells the story of a sinister mirror and a creepy witch. And as we get a small window into life in Indonesia, we also cover… Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Malignant, adding a wacky noise, worst babysitter ever, extended jaw, how many rupiah, Goosebumps, they really didn't need that useless girl, and your socks are wet, explaining the plot, universal kid activities, where did mom get her money, being attacked while going to the bathroom, drunk dad, The Ring, airplane bathroom, dumped on the lawn, bickering and curse words, that's an odd place to put a railroad spike, roots takeover, an alternate theory, The Goonies, lookin' for something to jump scare ‘em, I don't ever want to choke a child, Oculus, ridiculousness, ghost RC car and the wrong Polaroid. Spoiler Alert: Full spoilers for the 2018 movie “Kuntilanak”. So go watch the movie before you listen. “I will be very susceptible to getting a haunted mirror… because they look so cool and ornate. Antique mirrors like that cost a lot of money, ok. And if I found a free one, I'd be like… hell yeah! And then I'm haunted.”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 570 This episode we return to the Super Series with a vengeance as we discuss Spider-Man: No Way Home and all things Marvel.  And as we work to make sense of the alternate universe we now live in, we also bring up… Hawkeye, Daredevil, Kingpin, She-Hulk, Tom Holland, Kate Bishop, Shang-Chi, Loki, What If...?, Spider-Man: Freshman Year, WandaVision, Young Avengers, Kang the Conqueror, Miles Morales, Kraven the Hunter, Jon Watts, The Rhino, arrogance personified, Betty Brant, self-masochistic, reappearing people, The Celestials, Zendaya, Gorr the God Butcher, something's getting blown up somewhere, Vincent D'Onofrio, it's Alexander the Great with a time machine, Felicia Hardy, Echo, The Lizard, tech in the wrong hands, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon, Eternals, Doctor Jane Foster, Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, Charlie Cox, a recent expert, working as a team, Electro, Christian Bale, a victim of mental illness, Dr. Curtis Connors, Justin Hammer, Harry Styles, superhero lawyers, further examples of what not to do, Mac Gargan, Armor Wars and you shouldn't trust a Skrull.  Spoiler Alert: Full spoilers for "Spider-Man: No Way Home". We usually tell you to go see the movie before listening, but based on the number of millions it's already made, we're guessing most people have already seen it. “That's one thing I like about the MCU… the world is always getting destroyed and being rebuilt - every damned month!”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 569 (For our Patreon "Horror Club") Join us as we round out our holiday party with the Horror Club feature - Black Christmas. The 2006 remake/sequel directed by Glen Morgan is an alternate and gorier take on the college co-eds trapped at Christmas idea. And as we try to decide the perfect way to shove Christmas down your throat, we also delve into… musky caramel, The Fall of the House of Usher, two skeletors, A Christmas Prince, the icicle, we're gonna smack you in the face with it again, Andrea Martin, over the top, candy cane shiv, the red herring game, everyone is so mesmerized by carolers, Michelle Trachtenberg, a defibrillator. Billy's little telescope, Kit Kats beget Kit Kats, Bob Clark, we all have jaundice, Dimension Films, sinister nutcracker, mostly as a head, James Wong, how much do you know the first movie… or think you know, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, red and green light, alternate universe, the leg lamp, Jesus rode a unicorn one time, don't think about it too hard, Oliver Hudson, this is the sorority we came for, Katie Cassidy, behind his back, horror movie hospital and… who hurt you?! Spoiler Alert: Full spoilers for the 2006 version of “Black Christmas”, so go watch the movie! “Well right away, the opening shot - like you see one girl smoking pot and another one drinking, and I went… oh yeah, they're gonna get dead.”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 568 Our holiday festivities continue as we discuss six Christmas movies we've recently watched. Some are more disturbing than others… you be the judge as to which you find the most ridiculous.  And while we get involved in crazy scenarios involving mistaken identity, aliens, lies, murders, usurpers, dating apps, fairy tales and telepathy - we also address… Pirates World, Dark Angel, Santa extreme close-up, dating apps, during World War 2, Geraldo Rivera's mustache, losing musical eras, naughty Martians, Hans Christian Andersen, Mad Max homage, Jon Favreau, fighting off a wolf, our brain stem fluid is a drug, working in a toy factory, gloriously annoyed, A Midnight Clear, stuck in Florida, RiffTrax, plucked a gorilla, an air raid horn, showing off how dumb our characters are, the whole mise en scène of the whole thing, cops and aliens, It's a Wonderful Life and mutant karaoke.  “So we have completely mishmash nostalgia, out-of-date references… and we're making references to far better films.”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 567 Grab yourself some cocoa and join us for a roundabout discussion of holiday movies. From the mainstream staples to the insane amount of recent independent entries - to some of the forgotten Christmas "classics".  And while we decide just who deserves to be on the naughty list, we also mention… Hawkeye, Kurt Russell, a rag-tag band of misfits, Buzz's parenting skills, Avengers #168, Last Action Hero, Lifetime, Malcolm McDowell, Hallmark, the melting stairs, Netflix, Whitney Houston, swap the white people out, the production value is pretty low… the story is pretty thin, Bill Murray affection, posters in movie theaters, the naughty list, Vanessa Hudgens, cold pizza and cleaning your guns, we need more Batmans, John Lithgow, Cousin Eddie, that beanie would have been melted into his skull, Michael Keaton, Lucky the pizza dog, weird sequels, creme-filled wafers, the pre-adolescent Sophie's Choice, they did that one in 3D, wrestlers at Christmas, a classic Toys R Us commercial, it's more of a documentary, Kate Bishop and very pepperminty.  “Where are the Martin Scorseses and Ridley Scotts complaining about Christmas movies on Lifetime and Hallmark?!”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 566 (For our Patreon "Horror Club") On this “very special” holiday episode, we gather around the table to give thanks for all the different movies we've watched in the past. And this year we watched ThanksKilling 3 - Jordan Downey and Kevin Stewart's follow-up to their super indie cult hit ThanksKilling. Will they be able to recapture the holiday magic of the first film… we'll see.  And as we test out the savory flavors of Turkey Dinner Candy Corn, we also bring up puppet fetishism, robots, Wanda Lust, Eldritch horror, outside of an abandoned Wendy's, Garfield, Thanksgiving music, purposefully crude, Beetlejuice, self-important, trying to balance a horror/comedy, Natural Born Killers, skip its own sequel, shooting in real people's homes, stick a knife in an electrical outlet, animated gay cats, Jim Henson, viscerally grossed out, throwing money at things, The Happytime Murders, you just showed up and got beaten with the sequel, Meet the Feebles, the charm of Gwar, string cheese, there ain't no magic, The Blarth aka FrankenTurkey, food innuendos, comedy hits people in totally different ways, Spitting Image, a Kickstarter campaign, Uncle Donny, you can put it in our movie, I almost had to get a divorce, I'm in Hell, I remember saying to my cat, Phallus in Wonderland… in space.  Spoiler Alert: Full spoilers for ThanksKilling 3, but I'm not going to tell anyone to watch this movie. You can take that upon yourself if you choose.  “The puppet school inmates are running the asylum.”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 565 This episode features the return of George aka “The Fanatic” as we look back at 1982 and all the monumental films that came out that year.  So put on your Flynn's Arcade T-shirt, grab your Reese's Pieces and get ready from some crazy tangents as we delve into... Bob Clark, Amy Heckerling, some sort of weird allegory for consumerism, Eddie Murphy, pandering garbage, George Romero, Colonel Trautman, a theater kid, David Lynch, the post-apocalyptic aesthetic, Richard Pryor, playing Atari, Rob Bottin, Lord Humungus, guns or walkie talkies, Lee Horsley, it is all about prostitution, Mr. Yankovic, missing parent issues, metal kids, Tom Hanks, competing against himself, Catherine Mary Stewart, practical effects, Walter Hill, the marketing didn't know what the hell they had, he's John Williams, going to the drive-in, John Waters, brutally honest comedies, Steven Spielberg, the next G.I. Joe, Christopher Reeve, sex comedies, Split Second, it is still getting worse, Ben Kingsley, Satanic panic, Wes Craven, psychedelic spots and the Showcase Cinemas.  “There's times where there's some nostalgia factor in the movie.”  

Movie Meltdown - Episode 564 (For our Patreon "Horror Club") As our October party continues, join us as we discuss the latest entry in the partially rebooted Halloween franchise -  David Gordon Green's Halloween Kills. And along the way, we come up with theories that involve Bigfoot, aliens, kung fu, teleportation, cults and William Shatner himself. And while we find new creepy-themed candies, we also address… The People Under the Stairs, What We Do in the Shadows, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, double wines, John Carpenter, occulty reasons, mob mentality, the power of the mask, Anthony Michael Hall, a big flashy way to go out, callbacks to movies that don't exist, genre gets political, Loomis, in a hospital bed, Kyle Richards, he's ready to murder! he's been holding it in for 40 years, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tommy Jarvis > Tommy Doyle, the headless horseman, streaming services, alternate timeline and continuity, George Bailey, the magical jumpsuit, young kids in danger, energy vampire, changing perspective, there's something paranormal going on with Paul Rudd, the gimp suit, the spooky tree and the Mariana Trench. Spoiler Alert: Full spoilers for “Halloween Kills”... so watch the movie before you listen. You have been warned!! “Evil runs amok tonight.”

Movie Meltdown - Episode 563 (For our Patreon "Horror Club") Join us as we kick off our Halloween festivities with a discussion of The Houses October Built directed by Bobby Roe. And as we test our candy endurance, we also mention… Hider in the House, Only Murders in the Building, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, House, Zack Andrews, awesome spooky songs, green-colored creme, Fruit Brute, zombie strip clubs, all these clowns in an RV, The Forest, Roald Dahl witches, Brandy Schaefer, camera placement, The Blair Witch Project, roadside attractions, Mikey Roe, unintentionally so funny, pre-head injury, a working walkman, fancy coffins, a fun centerpiece, Elvira, weirdos taking a nap, The Game, two yutes tuna, one long post-credits scene, Gary Busey, The Monster Mash, riding around in a truck, screaming candy, Jeff Larson, confrontations with strange people, occasional sounds and then them being scared and the unenthusiasm of children. Spoiler Alert: Full spoilers for 2014's "The Houses October Built"… you have been warned!! “I'm being way too practical as I get into this?!”