Video CULTure Podcast

We've reached the end of 2021 (finally) and the end of our third season! Can you believe it? We are celebrating like always by looking back at all the films we've officially covered on the show this past year and their lasting impact on us. Listen in as we discuss our third year as we look forward to a fourth!

Happy holidays! If there is one tradition we love it's Christmas movies around the holidays. Sometimes though, it's nice to watch something that is a little less than traditional Christmas fare… And we definitely have that here with these two stoner comedy “part 3” films that just happen to take place during Christmas! Haven't seen the other films in the series? Who cares! Jokes are jokes! So, let's light up (a nice Yule log fire), kick back, and dream of a “green” Christmas together!

He's Chevy Chase, and we're not. We mostly know him as "Clark W. Griswold" from the Vacation series and as the king of awkward, sarcastic humor. An early SNL cast favorite, there is no one that does banter like Chevy. Join in as Matt and Ryan discuss two of Chevy's films - one popular at the time ...but not so much today, and the other a 1980's comedy classic.

Halloween is just around the corner and we thought now is the perfect time to talk about some unconventional ghost stories! We are discussing two horror-comedies that have people trying to battle spirits… who kind of stink at it! We are joined again for this episode by Video CULTure's own Patrick Bartlett.

We have made it to episode 70! And just like we do every ten episodes we are talking about a movie and its sequel. This time we are talking about John Carpenter's iconic protagonist, played by the legendary Kurt Russell, Snake Plissken! To help up with that we are joined by Video CULTure's staff writer (and Carpenter superfan) Patrick Bartlett.

Steve Martin. We love him. You love him. So, let's talk about two of his starring roles that really illustrate why we think he's the greatest.

In this episode, we are talking about two movies that have a weird central element, lonely thieves, but that couldn't be more different. Well, except for the fact that they both also have great soundtracks. One's a timeless classic, the other is all but forgotten… and we go deep on just why that is.

We are finally talking all about the legendary Samuel L. Jackson on the show. We are focusing our discussion about one of the coolest actors in the game by talking about one of his classic performances and one that is too often slept on by audiences. This is one you don't want to miss!

It's another “T.V. Party” here at the show as we talk about the 80s punk rock/sci-fi/blue-collar classic REPO MAN and the 90s cable mainstay comedy MEN AT WORK both starring the under appreciated Emilio Estevez!

In this episode, we talk about two action films with more on their minds than just gunfire and car chases! Don't get us wrong, that stuff is involved but these two films, the classic Robert DeNiro-starring RONIN and the criminally under-seen SPARTAN (starring Val Kilmer), have a lot more going on than just that and we are going to break it all down for you! So set your (redacted) to receive and listen in!

The show is on a brief hiatus. So, during this time we are replaying favorite episodes from our archives with brand-new introductions about why these episodes were chosen. New episodes will be returning soon! *Original Synopsis: More than just our audience is listening in on this episode as we talk about films featuring surveillance teams! That's right, the phones are tapped and the mics are hot as we talk about, the classic Francis Ford Coppola paranoid thriller, THE CONVERSATION! We then lighten the mood with a look at SNEAKERS. We marvel at the acting talents of Gene Hackman and Robert Redford. We also talk about how SNEAKERS drew surprising inspiration from Coppola's film and a lot more

The show is on a brief hiatus. So, during this time we are replaying favorite episodes from our archives with brand-new introductions about why these episodes were chosen. New episodes will be returning soon! *Original Synopsis: We're taking over the airwaves on this episode as Ryan & Matt take a look at the classic ‘UHF' (starring Weird Al!) and the 90's rocker ‘Airheads'! Listen in as the guys heap praise on Al & talk about their love for 90s rock. Also, in this episode, we learn a little of Ryan's secret origin and discuss Rush Limbaugh's odd connection to one of these films. Other topics include what could broken glass do to a soundboard and who almost starred in UHF along with Weird Al. This episode is sponsored by ‘Spatula City', buddy!

Well, the summer season is starting and that has got us thinking about vacation! No, we aren't talking about *those* vacation movies but we are returning to one of our all-time favorite funnymen, the immortal John Candy, to talk about two slightly more obscure 1980s summer vacation comedies! We are discussing 1985's SUMMER RENTAL and then THE GREAT OUTDOORS (co-starring Dan Ackroyd) from 1988! It's fun in the sun with one of comedy's greats! 

This episode is all about puppets! Or should that be “muppets” (?) …and also David Bowie is in there too. Yep, things get a little strange as we talk about the two 1980s live-action fantasy films from the Jim Henson Workshop. Talk of great music, slow film pacing, and childhood trauma abound! Won’t you join us? We promise not to make you go through a hedge maze or touch a creepy puppet.

It’s time for another watch-along with the guys at the show! The movie of choice this time around is the John Carpenter-directed action/comedy classic BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA! Ryan and Matt talk all about the film while actually watching it together. So fire up your own copy of this hard to define cult classic and join in … oh, and remember, it’s all in the reflexes!

For this episode, we are breaking one of our fundamental rules for the show and reviewing a recently released film! Now we would only do this for something special and we thought a documentary about the rise and fall of the video store industry fit the bill perfectly. We will be talking all about the 2020 documentary THE LAST BLOCKBUSTER but we don’t just limit ourselves to that film. It quickly turns into a discussion of nostalgia and a truly bygone era. So, listen in and get nostalgic with us!

It’s Four Twenty! You ain’t got no job. You ain’t got s#*+ to do. So, why not listen to our podcast about these two classic 90s stoner comedies starring Ice Cube? C’mon… it’ll be fun… and you know this, maaaan!

Love from beyond the grave is the topic of this episode as we discuss the 1989 Steven Spielberg film ALWAYS and the 1990 smash hit GHOST! We’ll be talking all about Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Whoopi Goldberg, Holly Hunter (again!), John Goodman, and more!

Lovelorn underachievers? Meticulous set layouts? Impeccable needle-drops? We must be talking about the films of director Wes Anderson on this episode. Come join us. Together we can save Latin… or at least avoid getting bullied by Future Man.

WE ARE THE LAW!… uhh well, not really. We are still just two guys talking about movies and this time we are finally talking about the iconic Sylvester Stallone. We decided to narrow our look at his movies down to just the two science fiction films he made in the mid-90s. We made this choice solely because of the jokey title that we could use for this episode. Join us and let’s talk about these two action relics from our past that are about our future… and our future past?

We are going across the pond to engage in a little illicit activity as we talk about British gangster films on this week’s episode! We are focusing our trip to the virtual video store on the director who did the most to popularize this genre in the U.S., Guy Ritchie. We are looking at his first two films and more! Fancy a butcher’s?

Valentine’s Day is this week, so we thought we’d talk about something with romance in it but we are also oddballs who like to laugh. So, we thought now would be the perfect opportunity to talk about our favorite cinematic oddball again, the great Nicolas Cage, and his entries into the “RomCom” subgenre with the silly Elvis-inspired HONEYMOON IN VEGAS and the delightful award-winning MOONSTRUCK!

Pop quiz, hotshot! You have two movies, both about mad bombers released in the summer of 1994, what do you? WHAT DO YOU DO?? Well, you could start by checking out this episode where we discuss the merits and flaws of both films: starting with the mostly forgotten BLOWN AWAY starring Jeff Bridges (in a rare “action hero” role) and Tommy Lee Jones followed by the ultra-successful SPEED starring Keanu Reeves. Which one is superior? Are both films worth your time? Listen in and find out!

Welcome to our 3rd season! Now, before we begin another trip down the virtual video store aisle, we are going to take a brief look at another part of our nostalgic film history by discussing yet another magical movie summer. The summer of 1985! So many movies that are a part of our DNA as film fans came out that year! Come hang out with us as we shoot the breeze about another amazing time in film. Oh and don’t worry, our regular format will return next time.

We’ve reached the end of our second season of episodes! We are celebrating by looking back at all the films we’ve officially covered on the show this year and their lasting impact on us. Listen in and help us close out our second year the way we do – by talking about movies!

We here at the show think Holly Hunter is one of the great under-appreciated actresses of her generation. So in this episode of the podcast, we are watching two of her best films. First, we have the classic BROADCAST NEWS from 1987 and then, since this episode is dropping the week of Thanksgiving in the U.S., we are checking out the criminally under-seen HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS from 1995! Season 2 is almost over. So, let’s get in one more double feature before the year ends!

Batman. Arguably, the most popular superhero of all time and one who has numerous film adaptions. In this episode, we look at the ones that had the biggest impact on our childhoods- 1989’s BATMAN and, its follow up from 1992, BATMAN RETURNS. We also get into how “Batmania” swept the country in ‘89 plus a lot more!

Happy Halloween! Is there any holiday that lends itself to movie watching more than this one? We are celebrating here with a look at two films with Halloween vibes that the whole family can enjoy that still have an edge! We are doing a double feature of 1982’s POLTERGEIST and 1987’s THE MONSTER SQUAD! Ghosts! Vampires! Wolfmen! Nards?! It’s gonna be a spooky good time! Come hang out with us!

Do you want to play a game… wait, I mean watch a movie? Join us as the show does another movie watch along. This time we are checking out Ryan’s all-time favorite 1983’s WARGAMES and doing a running commentary filled with trivia and our personal histories with this Cold War classic!

In this episode, we have the power… atomic power! We are discussing films all about the atomic bomb. We start with 1989’s fictionalized account of the real creation of the bombs that ended WWII, FATMAN AND LITTLE BOY. We then follow that up with 1986’s THE MANHATTAN PROJECT which is about a kid who …steals plutonium and makes his own A-bomb to win a science fair. Only in the 80s, folks!

Join us as we talk about that difficult transition from youth to adulthood… How are we broaching this sensitive topic? Through the prism of movies, of course! This is a movie podcast, after all. We are actually talking about two comedies that are all about transitioning from one stage of life to another. They are 1979’s BREAKING AWAY and 1985’s FANDANGO! So hop on your bike, grab a cold beer, and let’s avoid responsibility for just one more day!

We love Ben Stiller here at the show and we think nobody plays a pompous jerk quite like he does. So, in this episode, we are talking all about Stiller as the bad guy squaring off against scrappy underdogs. We are doing a double feature of HEAVYWEIGHTS & DODGE BALL. If you can dodge a ball then you can listen to our podcast. That’s how that line goes, right?

We are heading back to the 80s in this episode as we talk about two scathing takes on the superficial greed culture of that time period with Oliver Stone’s classic WALL STREET and the grimly funny AMERICAN PSYCHO. So, put on your best suit, slick back your hair, and uhh… wait for us because we’ve got to return some videotapes.

We are in over our heads on this episode of Video CULTure as we talk about two movies with the very similar concept of “What happens when an actor is forced to be the hero for real?”. Yep, we are talking about THREE AMIGOS and GALAXY QUEST! Both these films are comedy classics that tell very similar stories in very different settings. Listen in as Ryan and Matt break it all down.

Video CULTure podcast, come out to plaAAAaay! That’s right. In this episode, we are talking about the 1979 cult classic THE WARRIORS! Since that one is an adaptation of a novel about street gangs, we thought we’d pair it with another one: 1983’s THE OUTSIDERS. So listen in as we discuss these two beloved, strangely similar, movies… and stay gold with us!

We want the knife… on this episode of Video CULTure as we talk about two very hard to classify 80s films with THE GOLDEN CHILD and THE ADVENTURES OF BUCKAROO BANZAI ACROSS THE 8th DIMENSION. Both these films have big cult followings and share some surprising connections. Listen in as Ryan and Matt discuss it all! Why should you listen in, you ask? Because you’re perfect that’s why.

As we do every ten episodes, we are talking about a film and its sequel. This time it’s the “Indiana Jones”-esque Disney film series starring one of the most divisive actors of the modern era, the one and only Nicolas Cage. Yes, we are watching the NATIONAL TREASURE films…

In this episode, Ryan and Matt… for the first time ever actually watch a film together! They chose the 1986 fantasy film HIGHLANDER for this momentous occasion. Ryan has never seen it and it’s one of Matt’s childhood favorites. What will Ryan think of this weird genre mashup? Will Matt start rambling about how under-appreciated Christopher Lambert is? Will they both end up just talking about how great the soundtrack from Queen is? Grab your sword, listen in, and find out!

Keanu Reeves. You love him. We love him. There is one phase of his career that doesn’t get talked about much though and that is “Sports Movie” Keanu. Well in this episode, we look at two underdog sports movies Keanu headlined with THE REPLACEMENTS and HARDBALL! So listen in and get ready to hit the field!

On this episode of the podcast, the spotlight is on one of the all-time comedic greats- Richard Pryor! We have picked two of his leading roles from the 1980s: Richard Donner’s THE TOY and Walter Hill’s BREWSTER’S MILLIONS. Ryan and Matt talk about the overlap between these two projects, how they hold up in the modern-day and, most importantly, if they are enjoyable and worth your time. So listen in and join the conversation, Scoop!

On this episode of the podcast, it’s “kids versus terrorists”… wait what? Yep, we are talking about the 1984 John Milius written and directed action film RED DAWN (starring Patrick Swayze and Charlie Sheen) and the 1991 Sean Astin -led thriller TOY SOLDIERS! So, let out a loud call of “Wolverines”, gather your gang of unlikely heroic friends, and listen in!

In this episode of the podcast, Matt makes a startling revelation- he doesn’t like James Bond films! Well here at the show we like to expand our horizons, so Ryan convinced Matt to give Mr. Bond another chance by watching a Bond film he’s never seen (the very first Bond film- DR. NO) and a film with a Bond he’s never seen (Timothy Dalton in THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS). Will this odd mix of different Bond eras win Matt over? Listen in and find out!

We stay up late on this week’s episode as we discuss two beloved modern day vampire movies that were released just months apart in 1987. Yep, we are talking about Kathryn Bigelow’s NEAR DARK and Joel Shumacher’s THE LOST BOYS! These two films have a lot in common and both helped redefine the vampire mythos… but which one is superior? Fangs or no fangs? Paxton or Kiefer? It’s going to be a bloodbath on this episode! Oh okay, maybe it won’t be a bloodbath… but it certainly won’t “suck”. Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.

Joe Dante is a director we feel should be considered one of the “video store greats”. He has directed so many genre-defying classics that were staples of the VHS boom period that we love. So, this week we are spotlighting two of his 80’s films with a look at the sci-fi comedy INNERSPACE and the horror comedy THE ‘BURBS! We talk Tom Hanks, Carrie Fisher, Corey Feldman, Dennis Quaid, Martin Short, and Meg Ryan! You don’t want to miss it!

This week we are talking about “Sword & Sorcery” films as we spotlight 1981’s stylized take on the King Arthur legend EXCALIBUR and the 1985 fantasy romp LADYHAWKE! We discuss the explosion of popularity this genre had in the 80’s and much more! So, grab your trusty broadsword, saddle up, and join us as we chat about tales of knights, wizards, and high adventure!

On this episode, the music is loud and emotions are running high as we talk about two films where melodrama and music go hand in hand! We are doing a double feature of the award winning TENDER MERCIES from 1983, starring Robert Duvall, and the largely forgotten LIGHT OF DAY from 1987, starring Micheal J. Fox and rock star Joan Jett. We talk about the greatness of Duvall, actors actually playing their own instruments on film, the surprising emotional overlap of both these films, and more.

We’ve made it to episode 30! You know what that means… we are talking about a movie and it’s sequel again. Well, it’s not a sequel as much as it is a “two parter”. That’s right. We are discussing Quentin Tarantino’s KILL BILL vol. 1 & 2 on this episode! Matt loves them and Ryan has never seen them. What will Ryan think of “The Bride’s” rip-roaring tale of bloody revenge? Listen in and find out!

On this episode we get animated…sorta. We are talking about the cinematic oddity of live action and animation hybrids with the beloved 1988 film WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT? and the much maligned COOL WORLD from 1992. These two films have a lot of ideas in common. So why is one loved and one hated? We talk about that and so much more. “Toon” in why don’t ya? Get it?… “toon”? Eh.. never mind.