Shat The Movies

Shat The Movies listener Ashley Schlafly is better to us than we deserve. When we're stumped by a movie, she explains it in the context of literature and history. When we're perplexed by a TV show, she's there to save the day. Ashley is a die-hard Shatter, and even made us the godparents of her child. So when she asked us to do "Magnolia" for her husband, Tom, we jumped at the chance. Even though our recording setup stopped working, and Gene caught a sinus infection, and Rog felt too dumb...

Want the Shat Crew to really invest in a movie review? Give us something to relate to! Let Roger the vaper talk about life as a sorta' Cuban. Let Big D talk about the proper use of an M16A1 grenade launcher. Let Gene explain foreign slang and immigration. Listener Dale commissioned Al Pacino's "Scarface," opening the door to lengthy discussions of naming bongs, laughable riot scenes, questionable audio quality, whitewashed Latin-American roles, and why Roger doesn't do cocaine. The boys...

Listener Erika in Connecticut made Gene Lyons' dreams come true by commissioning the little movie that could: Weird Al's 1989 underground comedy "UHF." This scrappy film mixed corny plot lines with sociopathic humor to remind us all of those strange local stations we watched in our childhood. It was the final role for two very talented actors, and starred several top comedians in their prime: Victoria Jackson, Emo Philips, and Michael Richards. Find out why Gene Lyons defends UHF's blatant...

Only a Californian can truly appreciate Steve Martin's 1991 labor of love, "L.A. Story." So listener Emmet from Orange, CA, did the honors of commissioning it. And in the grand tradition of Shat The Movies making romantic comedies, things get really personal. Big D recalls his carefree days and asks, "Why do we let life suck our SanDeE dry?" Roger and Gene drool over a young Sarah Jessica Parker, and Gene point out the one sex scene in all of Hollywood he wishes did happen. The Shat boys...

Wife of the year Marisa commissioned “Iron Eagle” for her husband, Greg, but really it was a gift to all of Shat Nation. This 1986 Air Force cheese fest holds a special place in the hearts of ‘80s kids and inspired a disturbing number of today’s pilots. Who knew Top Gun’s ugly cousin—filled with bad effects, a generic Middle Eastern enemy, homoerotic undertones, teenage mass murder, horrific Air Force security, ecological disasters, and the worst chase scene since “Prince of Space”—would...

It's the Third Annual Shat The Movies Halloween Spooktacular and the Third Annual Roger Telling About His Grandparents' Haunted House! In this episode, we cover Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining," a 1980 film staggering in its production value and terrifying in its shooting schedule. Roger Roeper really shines in this episode, as he opens a portal into the world of psychic friends, imaginary friends, and creepy voices. Big D argues that vaping is the same as farting. And Gene beats his head...

Big D just watched his first "Evil Dead" movie and is here to talk about it. That alone makes this episode of "Shat The Movies" worth the price of admission. Need more? Listener Chris Powers' "Army of Darkness" commission also triggered discussion about how useless we'd be as time travelers, what a world would look like if killing your sex partners cured the STDs they gave you and Bruce Campbell's undeniable charm. At just 82 minutes, "Army of Darkness" is the shortest movie we've...

This isn't just a podcast about '80s movies; it's a podcast about FEELINGS. Or at least three guys' ideas on cheating, romantic comedies, and home inspections. Listener Joe in Alexandria, VA, commissioned 1986's "The Money Pit," in which Tom Hanks plays the same role he played in every '80s movie and Shelly Long is 100% swappable with Shelly Duvall. In this episode of Shat The Movies, we explore: Roger Roeper shares his theories on romance. Gene Lyons discusses the psychological...

Just when you thought we had covered all the '80s space classics: "E.T.," "The Empire Strikes Back," "The Last Starfighter," and "The Thing," listener John Clyburn takes the podcast where no Shat has gone before with "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan." Star Trek II widely is considered the best "Star Trek" movie ever made, and "Shat The Movies" certainly recognizes why: a chesty Ricardo Montalban, a young Kirstie Alley, and a surprise death that came years before "Game of Thrones" decided...

Shat The Movies listeners were asked to choose from six of Dick Eberts' favorites for this week's podcast, but their top choices already had been commissioned by other listeners. We get it: You love Dick. We've done "Demolition Man" and "The Karate Kid," so you're stuck with the film Rotten Tomatoes rated the Greatest Sci-fi movie of all time: "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial." Find out how to pronounce Reese's Pieces and how "E.T" made the candy an overnight success. Learn the Shat Crew's...

Most "Shat The Movies" episodes are commissioned by listeners who want to hear us revisit films they love. But this one was commissioned by a podcaster who wanted to hear us cover one of Big D's favorite movies. Drew Zakmin, of "One Headlight Podcast," shelled out a few bucks and opened the gates to Michael Bay's greatest cinematic achievement, 1996's "The Rock." It's got everything we've come to expect from a Michael Bay film: explosions, rain, patriotic slow-mo, and even groups of guys in...

"The Boondock Saints" went from the hottest script in Hollywood to a pathetic five-theater release, to one of the biggest cult classics of the late '90s. But does Troy Duffy's underground hit film live up to all the hype, or was it just a weird byproduct of an edgy era? Listener Jim L. from London wired some money across the pond to commission this shoot-em-up episode of Shat The Movies, exposing Big D to his first taste of The Saints in action. Did you know Duffy originally wanted Mark...

Have you ever caught yourself thinking, "I'd like some parenting advice from three male podcasters stuck in the '90s?" If you answered yes, then this is the podcast for you. Listener Stephanie commissioned "Kindergarten Cop," the ninth Arnold Schwarzenegger title featured on "Shat The Movies" and a perfect portrait of Arnold's awkward shift from action to comedy. Be there for Arnold's first passionate on-screen kiss, learn the difference between parrots and ferrets, find our why Roger...

With Big D visiting Gene and Roger in Arizona, this week's "Shat The Movies" keyword is "friendship." And what better movie to exemplify friendship than Jim Carrey's smash '90s hit? No, not "Dumb and Dumber" (which actually won in listener voting), but "The Cable Guy," a movie Roger Roeper can quote start to finish and Gene Lyons never had seen. We called an audible this week, actually visited Medieval Times in Scottsdale, Ariz., and immediately recorded this candid review of a dark comedy...

"Shat The Movies" celebrates 127 successful episodes of lighthearted banter about silly movies by reviewing a 1999 Kevin Smith hit that was labeled "blasphemy" by the Catholic League and bore its own warning label for offensiveness: It's "Dogma,' y'all. Listener John U. from Minnesota commissioned this controversial comedy, and really he got two movies for the price of one. In one movie, John got an all-star cast including Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, George Carlin, and Alan Rickman. In the...

In Part 2 of our Wondertwins co-commission, younger brother Josh dedicates "The Karate Kid" to big brother Adam. And the Shat Crew gets crazy nostalgic over this 1984 martial arts father-son romance. Gene predictably brings his three decades of martial arts experience to the table, while Roger explores the darker side of Mr. Miyagi's hermit status, Daniel's mischief, and Daniel's mom's conspicuously optimistic behavior. "The Karate Kid" stands up as a timeless classic, but we noticed a few...

What do you buy your twin for his birthday? A "Shat The Movies" review! What does he buy you? The same. Because, y'know, twins. This week's commission, coming from listener Adam for his brother Josh, is Michael Bay's directorial debut and a '90s action-comedy that confused the hell out of Roger Roeper. "Bad Boys" is a little too bloody to be a pure comedy. And it's a little too farcical to be a serious cop drama. Instead, you have a movie that touched off a franchise and propelled Martin...

Roger Roeper labeled "From Dusk Till Dawn" a tale of two movies, and he couldn't be more correct. Robert Rodriguez directing and Quentin Tarantino writing always equals something special, but is it a gritty shoot-em-up or a campy gorefest? And can a movie successfully be both? "From Dusk Till Dawn" was commissioned by listener Christian Di Leo and stars an impressive cast include George Clooney in his first starring Hollywood role, Cheech Marin in three different roles, Harvey Keitel,...

This week, we bid happy retirement to a listener to got the shaft from his employer, then realized he already had enough money to retire. Rob P. has been a longtime listener of both Shat on TV and Shat The Movies, and his film commission is nothing short of stellar. Boldly going where no Shatter has gone before, Rob chose a movie released in the final week of the '90s. And though "Galaxy Quest" never broke the top 5 in the box office, it might be the greatest sci-fi parody of all...

This week's Shat The Movies category is Roger's Favorite Movies, and the listeners overwhelmingly chose "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure," a film that gave us the opportunity to discuss Gene's music career, Big D's dislike of Southern California slang, and how a lack of dance moves cost Roger the most wanted job at Universal Studios. Learn about "Bill & Ted's" shoestring budget and imperiled past while the Shat Crew discovers cock rock, scoffs at time travel paradoxes, and worships George...