The Test of Time

It’s a classic tale: boy meets mannequin. Mannequin comes to life. Boy and mannequin fall in love. Mannequin helps boy achieve career success. Boy’s jilted ex-girlfriend kidnaps and tries to destroy mannequin. Mannequin becomes a real girl and lives happily ever after with boy. This week, we chat about the 1987 movie Mannequin, where the ancient Egyptian curse that drives the plot isn't explained at all, the female lead almost murders her love interest, and the only thing that determines a...

The Shawshank Redemption was a flop when it was first released in theaters, but it's now the top rated movie on IMDb. Special guest "Andrew" Mehler joins us as we discuss who would play old man Brooks in a Shawshank remake, the best video rental store in Fort Lauderdale, and the business model of Red's prison smuggling operation. We also chat about 4D movies and the best Stephen King adaptations before being obtuse enough to ask if The Shawshank Redemption stands the Test of Time. Logo...

Al Pacino plays a blind, retired soldier who's determined to experience life’s greatest pleasures before killing himself in the 1992 movie, Scent of a Woman. This week, we’re joined by special guest Eddie Perez-Cortes for a conversation about how this movie can impress the ladies at fraternity formals (or not), why you shouldn't let a suicidal blind man drive a car, and if it's worse to be rude to a family member or a stranger. In the end, we find out if Scent of a Woman stands the Test...

Jim Carrey proved that he was more than just a comedy actor with his turn as an unwitting reality star in the 1998 movie, The Truman Show. This week, we chat about some very strange behavior, like crossing your fingers on your wedding day, holding a six-pack of beer next to your face, and watching an obscene amount of television from the bathtub. And that's before we even get into The Truman Show Delusion, a real life condition where people don't believe in real life. Plus James tells the...

In 1998, there was something about There’s Something About Mary that propelled Ben Stiller and Cameron Diaz to the A-list. As we chat about the movie, we discuss the bizarre layout of Mary's house, which Dillon brother is more famous, and the very real fear of getting "caught" in your zipper. Plus Alan describes a very Ted-like moment when he met Cameron Diaz in person, and we ponder the promotion of the next Spider-Man movie before deciding if There's Something About Mary stands the...

In 1998's second movie about the end of the world, humanity can only be saved by Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck... and the music of Aerosmith. This week, we're talking about Armageddon, a flick that's heavy on emotional manipulation and meteor showers that only hit major cities (thanks, Michael Bay!) We also discuss the Tunguska event, if space dementia is real, and how this movie ruined animal crackers forever. You don't want to miss a thing (#sorrynotsorry) as we find out if Armageddon...

Twenty years ago, we were graced with two movies, released just months apart, about celestial objects threatening to end life as we know it on Earth. The first, Deep Impact, explores how the U.S. President, a group of astronauts, a news reporter, and a horny teenager respond to the crisis. In our chat about the movie, we discuss rampant MSNBC product placement, terrible parenting decisions, and a total disregard for saving women and children first. We also ponder what would happen if a...

An adventure 65 million years—and 103 podcast episodes—in the making. Jurassic Park is the movie that made dinosaurs cool, put Laura Dern in a whole lotta denim, killed Samuel L. Jackson off-screen, and turned Jeff Goldblum into... a sex symbol? We also discuss the movie's lame original ending, and why 1993 was a great year for Michael Crichton but an amazing/awful year for Steven Spielberg. Hold on to your butts as we find out if Jurassic Park stands the Test of Time. Logo by...

Before Animal House and The Blues Brothers, John Landis directed the 1977 independent comedy, The Kentucky Fried Movie. As we chat about a flick that's filled with wordplay and gratuitous nudity, James gets sepia confused with black and white, Alan reveals what he would name his first studio album, and we both admit that we know nothing about Leave it to Beaver. We draw parallels between this film and Saturday Night Live, The Onion, "Weird Al" Yankovic, Die Hard with a Vengeance (?),...

George Clooney leads a team of Hollywood’s hottest actors in the 2001 heist flick, Ocean's Eleven. This week, we talk about the actor with an extremely punchable face, movies that could be gender-flipped in the future, and we try (unsuccessfully) to name all the members of the Rat Pack. Plus, we break the record for the most number of times the word "cool" is said in a single podcast as we find out if 2001's Ocean's Eleven stands the Test of Time. Logo by Courtney...

Tom Hanks plays a 12-year-old boy who wished to be big. We're adults who act like we’re 12-years-old and wished for 100 podcast episodes. Spoiler alert: everyone’s wishes came true. Join us for a conversation that includes baby corn trivia, dumb things to ask Zoltar for, and why you shouldn't put your life in the hands of carnival workers. Plus, we celebrate our centennial episode with *two* major show announcements before finding out if the 1988 movie Big stands the Test of Time.

Our hero is too cool for school in the 1986 flick, Ferris Bueller's Day Off. This week, we discuss the difference between a principal and a dean, the way Sloane sometimes talks with a British accent, and what it means to be "The Sausage King of Chicago." All the kids may think Ferris Bueller is a righteous dude, but does his movie stand the Test of Time?

The first Karate Kid centered around two rivals going head to head in a karate tournament. The sequel culminated in a fight to the death. And the third film, the climax of this blockbuster trilogy... all leads up to… another karate tournament. As we wrap up our series on the Karate Kid franchise, we discuss good hair styles for bad guys, the stupidest thing you can force someone to do under duress, and a guerrilla marketing stunt gone horribly wrong. Along the way, we also give our...

Daniel-san and Mr. Miyagi travel to Okinawa for the fight of their lives—literally—in the 1986 sequel, The Karate Kid Part II. This movie contains a ridiculously traumatic breakup story, what might be the first fight club ever, and a super sharp hook that totally killed dozens of fishermen for no good reason. After discussing how Bill Maher kinda threw shade at us, we see if The Karate Kid Part II stands the Test of Time.

You’re the best! Around! Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down!!! That’s right — this week, we’re talking about the 1984 classic, The Karate Kid. Listen as we chat about the "best friend" who disappears after three scenes, Daniel's utterly brilliant Halloween costume, the subtle difference between wax-on/wax-off and sand the floor, and the one tournament rule that could totally kill someone. Don't sweep the leg as we find out if The Karate Kid stands the Test of Time.

A baby is destined to destroy an evil queen, and a farmer must lead an epic quest to protect the child in the 1988 fantasy film, Willow. This week, Sweetie and Sweety from the Large Marge Sent Us podcast come by to talk about Ron Howard's (alleged) ginger conspiracy, the one character in this movie with a semi-normal name, and how George Lucas "borrowed" ideas from Star Wars and Indiana Jones when he came up with this story. In the end, we find out if Willow stands the Test of Time.

Super Troopers, about a group of cops who'd rather prank each other than write speeding tickets, was a surprise hit when it was released in 2002. This week, we discuss what this stoner comedy has in common with both Police Academy 3 and the works of William Shakespeare, we wonder if real Vermonters would ever actually chug syrup, and Alan mocks James for not knowing how to laugh. As the long-awaited sequel finally hits theaters (on 4/20, of course), we find out if Super Troopers stands...

Two pissed off teenagers wreak havoc on their town with murders and forged suicide notes in 1989's Heathers. This movie left us with a lot of questions. Like, why do cool high school girls hook up with loser college guys? Did anyone ever really go cow tipping? What's up with all the croquet? And, most important of all, does Heathers stand the Test of Time?

A kid who's obsessed with action movies gets transported into a world of gratuitous explosions and cheesy one-liners in the 1993 flick, Last Action Hero. Join us as we discuss a terrible way to end a fictional blockbuster, how to get teenagers interested in Shakespeare, and why it's ridiculous that famed illusionist Harry Houdini would have an actual magic ticket. We also rant about the latest season of The X-Files before deciding if Last Action Hero stands the Test of Time.

When a dead couple needs help scaring the yuppies who move into their house, they turn to Michael Keaton's ghost with the most in 1988's Beetlejuice. This week, we discuss Tim Burton's bureaucratic vision of the afterlife, the oddly spelled star that's Beetlejuice's namesake, and the deus ex machina that ultimately saves the day. Plus Alan sings Harry Belafonte, and James talks about his Star Wars experience at South by Southwest as we see if Beetlejuice stands the Test of Time.