Back To The Balcony

Okay, it's a sexist comment but would you really expect Chris Wuergler to bring us 1994's The Shawshank Redemption? Traditional wisdom is women don't want to see a movie that doesn't have women in it but Chris has a deep and abiding affection for this one. Jimmy is hard pressed to disagree and Phil goes missing in action for a while.

Comedian Larry Smith tries to convince Jimmy there's something beautifully funny about the movie Johnny Dangerously even if it's not great art. It's fascinating how two individuals can look at the same thing and see two different things. A funny look at a movie that may or may not be funny.

Good grief, guest Bret Measor can't stop talking about the Rocky movies! This time it's Rocky III. Jimmy says it's just another formula fight movie, Bret begs to differ - then insists Rocky IV has to be next. Nice try, Bret.

And now for something entirely different - that isn't Monty Python. Mitch McBeaudry and Ryan Sim face off to determine the best movie parody of all time. Is it Spaceballs or Shaun of the Dead? Or something entirely different (that still isn't Monty Python). Give a listen and then let us know your candidate.

Guest David Green spares us some time (that's a very clever pun when you see what the movie is), to talk about The Big Lebowski. Okay, maybe it's not all that clever but it is a fun podcast. A real treat for Coen brothers fans.

The ever insightful Bob Kerr joins Jimmy to talk about 1989's Heathers. Besides movie talk there's speculation on the state of croquet and a fascinating discussion on the viability of cow tipping. 

It's a Christmas miracle! That's guest Chris Jarvie's explanation for all the insanity in 1988's Die Hard, a movie requiring millions of dollars worth of destruction to repair a marriage and help a cop learn to kill again. What a heart-warming Christmas movie.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles is one of the most beloved holiday movies that everybody forgets. People generally forget it but when you bring it up they go, "Oh yeah, I really like that movie." It's such a perfect movie that even Jimmy is hard pressed to disagree with guest Mario Bernardi.

The Jerk was either ground-breaking or destroying. Guest Mario Bernardi is of two minds, he remembers it with fondness from his youth but finds much to cringe about today. Did it show us the Steve Martin we'd later come to love? Download to find out.

Having plummed the quality level with Howard the Duck, it was thought all but impossible to find anything worse this side of Ed Wood. Then along comes Bobby Knauff with Nothing But Trouble. Blew the budget making it slick, just forgot to make it worth watching - but that's just Jimmy's opinion.

The seasonally challenged but still lovable Kristian Reimer brings us 1984's Gremlins - a movie that insists they aren't called Gremlins for some reason. They insist on a lot of unbelievable stuff that Jimmy finds less than believable. 

People like Tom Hanks in You've Got Mailed give love a bad name. Meg Ryan doesn't have the business accumen to run a lemonade stand. Hard words but food for a lively debate on the merits of the movie with guest Chris Wuergler.

Chris Wuergler joins us to talk about Romancing The Stone. Is it a movie about romance or adventure? And about that ending - who should get the money. JImmy has thoughts but then when hasn't he?

Guest Pat Ordowich joins Jimmy to consider what made North by Northwest a great movie. Turns out it was one of the actors. Hint: It wasn't James Mason.

Is Pulp Fiction a comedy or a gangster film. Jimmy says comedy but guest Manolis Zontanos disagrees. As usual Phil takes the guest side. Is he wrong? Listen to find out.

My Cousin Vinny pits Jimmy's notorious dislike for leaps of logic and guest Scott Faulconbridge's equally notorious willingness to enjoy anything that's put in front of him. Interesting sidebar about why comedy doesn't get enough respect from the movies.

Guest host Joal Van Vliet mercilessly grills a surprise guest on what makes Back to the Future so bad. Turns out he's out of his mind.  Give a listen and see if you don't agree.

Ryan Sim provides a vigorous defence of the movie Howard the Duck while admitting he fell asleep three times while watching it. He also demonstrates an appalling ignorance of pop culture when he admits to not knowing who H. R. Pufnstuf is. 

A weird movie that enjoyed a vogue in the seventies and eventually spawned the beloved Airplane! Guest Mario Bernardi keeps saying he didn't like it but he keeps finding moments to enjoy. Jimmy revels in it.

Guest Mitch McBeaudry takes a $25,000 film school education and tries to explain why An American Werewolf in London is a great movie. Jimmy restrains himself from suggesting he's owed a refund.