Hey, Do You Remember...?

Donna sure does love The Muppets and she decided to take us through her favorite Muppet movie of all-time: The Muppets Take Manhattan. Chris and Carlos have similarly fond memories of Jim Henson's beloved band of misfits and none of them can remember a time when they weren't a part of their lives. They discuss the differences between the films & TV shows produced when Henson was still alive and the ones that followed after his death, Donna has some issues with the lyrics of Miss Piggy's love ballad, Chris is surprised that the supporting cast is largely absent for most of the movie's running time, and everyone does a Kermit the Frog impression at some point. Other topics include: the live-action Muppet Babies sequence and the cartoon that followed, Chris' not-so-irrational fear of Miss Piggy as a child, what to do when you see a rat, what NOT to do when a woman says no, what happened to The Muppets in the late 90s/early aughts, and the most recent attempts at recapturing this property's former glory. iT

We decided to take a break from our regularly scheduled programming and try something a little different for this episode. Rather than picking a movie or TV show, we thought it might be interesting to re-read Lois Lowry's young-adult novel The Giver. Carlos and Donna remembered most of the story, but both agree that its final moments come across very differently now. Chris had almost no memory of the book and was impressed with how skillfully Lowry allows the true nature of the narrative to unfold. Topics include: all the questions raised by considering how this utopian society actually works, how our parents policed what we watched on TV but not what we read, the two ways to view the ending and the evidence that supports each interpretation, subsequent books in the series, our thoughts on the upcoming film adaptation, and much more. iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram About The Show

By the power of Grayskull... it's the ultra-bizarre Masters of the Universe movie! Chris, Carlos, and Donna all watched the He-Man cartoon and played with the toys when they were kids, but these characters and their lore didn't stick with them the way other properties from this era have. Chris and Carlos remember being fairly bummed out by this 1987 live-action adaptation and its glaring disregard for some of the show's more iconic elements, Donna didn't even know it existed, and all of them were left pretty confused after revisiting it. Topics include: how the tight budget and restrictions from Mattel left the filmmakers with their hands tied, why so many new characters were created for the film while fan-favorites were sidelined, the vague and impossibly murky mythology of Eternia,  the irritating decision to make two teenagers the focus of the story, how the first Thor movie delivered a more successful version of the same premise, why He-Man's costume just absolutely does not work in live-action, and mu

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles brand has seen its share of peaks and valleys over the years, but when the first live-action film was released in the spring of 1990, the heroes in a half-shell were at the apex of their popularity.  This was one of the first "event" movies for Chris, Donna, and Carlos - and all three of them were at exactly the right age to be completely captivated by it. In this episode they discuss how the filmmakers blended elements from the original comic book and the wildly successful 1987 cartoon series to craft something that honored both mythologies while simultaneously staking its own claim. They also discuss the practical effects created by Jim Henson's Creature Shop, speculate over what Shredder's long-term plan is, share a surprising anecdote about the Turtles' canonical origin, and much more.  Although the film still works for the most part, they also reveal some of their issues with it - including the Turtles' curious lack of involvement in the climax's two biggest moments an

Once Bitten is either the best or worst movie we've watched for the show. Actually, it's probably both. We all had a great time with it despite the fact that it's objectively awful. After giving some context for what else was going on in the world when the film was released in 1985, the gang buckles up for a completely bonkers breakdown of this misguided horror/comedy. Donna gushes about her favorite scene, Carlos complains about one he found particularly offensive, and Chris pitches a more straightforward version of this story. iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram About The Show

There were so many great Christmas movies to choose from for our first Holiday Special, but we finally settled on one that was a childhood favorite for all of us - Home Alone.  Topics include: what it was like growing up in the Chicagoland area when the film was released, the surprisingly sound internal logic of the story, the one actor who really didn't want to be there, the supposedly dead pop icon who might be there, a discussion about whether or not the final showdown still works for us, and a disturbing story about the summer Chris and his sister tried to play To Catch A Predator with a weirdo at their dad's apartment complex. Merry Christmas Ya Filthy Animals! iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram About The Show

Empire Records may not be a great film, but it is a beloved cult favorite. The initial reviews were pretty terrible and it sort of came and went from theaters in the blink of an eye. So how has it amassed such a devoted following in the years since its release? Why does it continue to resonate with audiences when so many of its contemporaries have long since been forgotten? Chris, Donna, and Kristen take a look at both the original cut and the Special Fan Edition to see if they can figure it out. Chris was introduced to the film as a kid. Donna and Kristen didn't discover it until much later in life. They determine how this might have affected their opinions and what they each got out of those inaugural viewings. Other topics include - the additional/alternate material from the extended cut and whether or not it fixes or compounds the issues of the original version, what's still missing from both cuts (entire characters, subplots, and even a second day at the store), the uncomfortable realization that some

When The Professional first came up as a possibility for our next episode, it was immediately apparent that everyone had fond memories of this film. EVERYONE!!! Chris and Carlos watched the uncut international version (known as Leon: The Professional) and Donna watched the original theatrical version. They highlight the differences in each cut, discuss the strengths and drawbacks of these choices, and discover that a few minutes of additional footage might have a pretty dramatic effect on some people's impressions of the movie. Topics include: the multiple ways you can view the Leon/Mathilda relationship, proper post-coital hygiene, the majesty of Gary Oldman's hammiest performance, how some of the unconventional decisions made by the filmmakers helped elevate the material above and beyond similar movies from the same era, whatever happened to this Luc Besson, and much more. We wrap things up by taking our own version of 2 Truths 1 Lie for a spin and then we expertly navigate our way through what could hav

Don't be an L7 weenie! Head back to the summer of '62 with us so that we can play some ball, talk about The Great Bambino, perv some dishes, roast some s'mores, and face off against The Beast. The Sandlot's idealistic and sentimental tone made all of us nostalgic for an era we didn't even grow up in (and that we all agree probably didn't actually exist). But that's sort of it's charm - it does a spectacular job of capturing the fun and innocence of childhood. We discuss what makes the film work despite its lack of a traditional narrative, have some disagreements over how effective the climax is, and then wrap things up with a round of Who Would You Be and Who Would You F? Also... I know there have been issues with the audio quality lately. We're working really hard to get all of that sorted out.  iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram About The Show

We close out this year's run of Halloween episodes with a retrospective of the Child's Play franchise. Chris was really into these movies as a kid. Kristen had never seen any of them. Together, they sat down and watched all six - Child's Play, Child's Play 2, Child's Play 3, Bride of Chucky, Seed of Chucky, and the newly released Curse of Chucky. iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram About The Show

In our second Halloween-themed episode, Donna walks us through one of her childhood favorites - Hocus Pocus . Chris and Carlos weren't as into this one as kids, but for different reasons. Donna still adores it, Chris still can't really get into it, and Carlos was surprised to find that it was more entertaining than he'd remembered.  iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram About The Show

We begin our run of Halloween-themed episodes with a look back at Are You Afraid of the Dark ?- a show that absolutely terrified our hosts as children. Chris, Donna, and Carlos each chose one of their favorite episodes to rewatch and discuss. After revisiting The Tale of the Dark Music, The Tale of the Super Specs, and The Tale of the Quiet Librarian, they close things out with a conversation about what's arguably the most popular episode of the entire series - The Tale of Laughing in the Dark. iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram About The Show

Megabytes of input! Get ready for a very spirited discussion about this surprisingly ambitious 1988 comedy.  It probably seems strange to revisit the sequel without looking at the original Short Circuit, but we all realized that we have much clearer and fonder memories of this one. Short Circuit 2 has so much more going for it than any of us could possibly have anticipated. For a kids movie about a talking robot, this slapstick fish-out-of-water story is also brimming with moral dilemmas, spiritual quandaries, and philosophical ponderings. We're not making this up! And because the filmmakers chose to make a movie that was actually about something rather than going for a simple cash grab, we were able to enjoy this one just as much as adults as we did as children. iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram About The Show

There's no denying that Dick Tracy is a visually impressive film. The production design, the cinematography, and the effects are all truly incredible. Chris doesn't think it's a bad movie by any means, but he's always been a little baffled by all the love for it. Even as a kid he felt like the story wasn't anywhere near as interesting as the world it took place in. Carlos is a little bit more forgiving of its flaws and Donna still unabashedly adores it. In this episode we marvel over the film's striking palette, question some of the unusual editing decisions, discuss the pros & cons of the script's broad characterizations, take a look at alternate versions of the story that were abandoned early on, and debate whether or not Warren Beatty should have cast someone else in the lead role. iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram About The Show

With a scant 78 min. running time, Problem Child certainly doesn't have to worry about overstaying its welcome. It got in, got out, and happily surprised the HDYR gang. Initially, our memories of this film and its sequel were all jumbled up. As a result, it was easy to forget that the first Problem Child actually has some witty satirical elements, a strong point-of-view, and an endearing overall message. Maybe we've just been watching too many convoluted movies lately, but there was something refreshing about the film's simplicity. In this episode we discuss how effectively each character is set-up, how much we miss John Ritter, some of the misguided criticisms leveled against the character of Junior, how re-arranging a few scenes in the second act would give the story some more momentum, and the glorious majesty of a certain farting pig. iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram About The Show

Have to fight. Have to fly. Have to crow. Steven Spielberg's Hook was maligned by critics upon its release in 1991, but many who grew up with it still remember it fondly. Is the film a misunderstood masterpiece or were its detractors right on the money? For the HDYR gang, the truth is somewhere in the middle. It was the first movie that truly disappointed Chris as a child, Carlos found the whole thing a bit aimless, and Donna adored it. Have their opinions changed in the last two decades? Topics include: Spielberg's late 80s/early 90s identity crisis, randy old Wendy, the unfathomable awesomeness of Dustin Hoffman, the strangely limited scope of the film, the half-baked "was it all a dream?" nonsense, Rufio the heartbreaker, why Tinkerbell is the real villain of Neverland, and much more! iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram About The Show

There's no beating around the bush with this one... Super Mario Bros. is a pretty epic misfire. None of us liked it that much as kids, but Chris thought the bizarre choices the filmmakers made were so fascinating that it was worth a discussion. In this episode, we look back at the property's odd journey from video game to silver screen and wonder if there was ever going to be a good version of this film. We also wind up having a larger discussion about adaptations in general and how closely they should stick to their source material. Is Mario Bros. divergence from the games ultimately what sinks it? We're not so sure. And then we wrap things up with a new game from Donna called Who Would You Be & Who Would You F? iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram About The Show

We're right on top of that, Rose!  In this episode we dig up the corpse of one of Donna's childhood favorites and try to convince her it's a rotting mess. She still loves it, Carlos doesn't, and Chris is somewhere in the middle. Join us as we discuss irresponsible mothers, moon goddesses, bizarre pick-up lines, Chris' problem with the lack of "fun & games" in the screenplay, the irresistible charm of Kenny and Brian, why Steve Harvey would approve of this story, and of course... the fashion. Click below to stream or download, but only if the dishes are done. iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram About The Show

Chris & Donna both loved Harry and the Hendersons as kids. As adults, well... it's sort of a mixed bag. In this episode, they discuss the top-notch creature fx, the annoying older sister, the film's abundance of either set-up or payoff (but not both),  their own personal camping horror stories, Bigfoot's *ahem* appendages, and much more. iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram About The Show

Chris & Donna revisit Adventures in Babysitting and discuss the importance of expositional vanity plates, G-rated Playboy spreads, the single most bonkers gang fight in all of cinema, and much, much more! Quick disclaimer - this is basically our pilot episode. It was the very first attempt we made at recording something, so the format isn't totally in place yet and it runs a little long. There were also some minor issues with Donna's side of the audio, but nothing too terrible. So please keep all of that in mind before you listen to what we've officially dubbed our Training Wheels Episode!  iTunes / Stitcher / RSS / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram About The Show