Baconsale: Hickory-smoked Pop Culture

Gather ‘round, children, and let Baconsale tell you the story of M. Night Shyamalan’s latest movie, Old. We’re going to review this film, and by review we mean tell you our opinions about its cinematography, acting, editing, and writing. And by our opinions, we mean how we felt as we were watching it and how it affected us after we left the theater. Are we overexplaining? It feels like we’re overexplaining. Anyway, the first part of this review is spoiler-free, which means we won’t be sharing any major plot points until the second part. Plus, we’ll give you sufficient warning before we start spoiling the movie. Press play to hear how much we age during this BaconBit.

Baconsale may not be great at geography, but we do know that our neighbors to the north have had a profound effect on pop culture. That’s why we’re dedicating this episode to America’s Hat, a.k.a. Canada. In honor of the 10 provinces and three territories in the Great White North, Kent & Joel have picked answers for 13 categories, including Best Band, Favorite TV Show, Funniest Comedian, Worst Export, and Voice Like Maple Syrup. Zack has also created a quiz to test their Canadian knowledge in between each round. Sounds like fun, eh? Press play to hear us try to be nice while sometimes being mean.

See the line where the sky meets the sea? It calls us. And no one knows how far each Disney song goes. Nevertheless, on this episode of Baconsale, we’re going to Try Everything to finish this bracket. You’re Welcome! It’s A Whole New World now, with some of the biggest hits going up against each other, but that’s just the Circle of Life on these kinds of tournaments. In the end, I’ve Got a Dream that we’ll be heroes and not villains in your eyes. Heigh-Ho! Heigh-Ho! Press play to let us be Part of Your World. Visit Baconsale.com to print your own advanced Disney song bracket.

Look at this bracket? Isn’t it neat? Wouldn’t you think our collection’s complete? On this episode of Baconsale, we’re putting the greatest Disney songs Out There against each other. We’re also launching Into the Unknown during this musical tournament, as the seeding is a Reflection of the number of Spotify streams each song has. Kent, Joel, and Zack are only moving One Jump Ahead this time, but Be Prepared for some anger and Hellfire, as well as the realization that sometimes you have to just Let It Go. Be Our Guest to this animated animosity, listener, and press play! Print out our official Disney song bracket and find our Spotify playlist at Baconsale.com.

After first being introduced to the Marvel Cinematic Universe 11 years ago in Iron Man 2, and after ***spoiler alert*** her death in Avengers: Endgame two years ago, ***end of spoilers*** Natasha Romanoff is finally getting her own standalone movie. But is Black Widow the MCU film we’ve been waiting for? Zack and Joel would tell you, but they weren’t able to see the screener before it expired, which means that Kent is reviewing this one solo. In fact, when we finally get into the spoiler section of this review, Joel will leave the room, so you’ll know when they’re coming. Press play to hear how much Kent likes violence.

The hills are alive with the sound of tierings! On this episode of Baconsale, we’re ranking some of the most popular musicals that made the leap from stage to screen. It’s the Hard Knock Life for a few of the films we talk about, but At the End of The Day we definitely have our favorites. So join Kent, Joel, and Zack as we expose geographical lies, use the Snyder Cut as a unit of measurement, sing when we’re filled with emotion, and All that Jazz. Don’t be Iowa Stubborn! Press play!

Don’t touch that remote, listener! On this episode of Baconsale we’re talking TV. Our guest, Brayden, came up with a series of categories such as The One with the Best Standalone Episodes, The One That Everyone Forgot About Once It Was Over, and The One That Got Canceled Too Early. Kent & Joel will try their best to not repeat answers from previous episodes, but it’s gonna happen because there are certain shows we contractually must mention on every television-themed episode. Press play to hear Brayden count Kent’s sins while agreeing with Joel.

Nine movies? There are now nine movies in the Fast & Furious franchise? Apparently so, and on this BaconBit Kent is ready to review F9, also known as Fast & Furious 9, also known as F9: The Fast Saga. Joel is really bothered at the lack of consistency to the film’s names, by the way. Kent does his best to keep the first part spoiler free, so people that haven’t seen the movie can still listen, but near the end he explodes in a rant about space NOS. Then, after we drift into spoiler territory, Kent recounts some of this movie’s most ridiculous moments to Zack & Joel, who don’t care if the movie is spoiled for them because at this point in the franchise, it really doesn’t matter. Watch out for magic magnets, listener, and press play!

Why did Baconsale eat every item on the Subway menu? Because it was there. And because, believe it or not, Subway is the largest fast-food restaurant chain in the world! It was quite the feat to conquer this Mt. Everest of menu quests, but Kent, Joel & Zack did it, and now they’re ready to talk about their favorite and least favorite sandwiches, salads, protein bowls, wraps, sauces, breads, and toppings. We’ll also discuss the company’s history, glitchy app ordering, warm ranch aversion, and napkin experiences. Do you want to eat fresh? Then press play, sandwich artists!

Did you see In the Heights when it first premiered on stage in 2005? Or did you wait until Lin-Manuel Miranda’s first musical hit Broadway in 2008? Regardless, the film adaptation is in theaters now and on HBO Max, so Baconsale is ready to review it. Zack has been a fan of the music for a while, whereas Joel & Kent are new to this story. And the first part of this review is spoiler-free, so even if you haven’t seen the movie, you can still hear our thoughts on it. Piragua! There are 96,000 reasons to press play.

Gimme a break! Is Baconsale really going to spend an entire episode talking about old commercial jingles? Uh-huh! After all, we don’t want to grow up. And fresh goes better with friends fresh & full of life, which is why Kent & Joel are joined by our guest Teri, who’s more than just a “filler” for Zack. Join us as we pick short, catchy tunes for such categories as Best Toy Jingle, Most Annoying, Most Enduring, and Won’t Leave Your Head. We would apologize for the earworms, but we had to suffer through them, too. Wouldn’t you like to be a Pepper, too? Then press play!

Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Baconsale is dedicating an entire episode to the legendary British band, Queen. This classic rock group has A Kind of Magic that’s hard to explain, and we’re Under Pressure because there’s a lot of musical ground to cover, but The Show Must Go On. We’ll be starting with the history of the band, and then we’ll wait for the Hammer to Fall as we each rank our top five and bottom five Queen songs. Zack has some more controversial takes, Kent keeps talking about “the movie,” and Joel exposes some shocking subliminal messages. Keep Yourself Alive by pressing play, and Play the Game along with us.

Shhhhhh! A Quiet Place was one of Baconsale’s favorite horror films of the past decade, so they were understandably skeptical about a sequel. But will A Quiet Place Part II silence their fears? Listen as we review this movie, yet can’t seem to get any of the characters’ names right. Joel also attempts some sign language, which is always great content for an audio show. Even if you haven’t seen the movie, you can listen carefully to this first part of this BaconBit, which is safe from spoilers. Watch out for bear traps, and press play!

Okay. Here’s the plan: Zack wants to steal the seven Batmobiles hidden in the Warner Bros. vaults beneath Mount Rushmore (just go with it). He’s looking to hire some professionals to help him accomplish this impossible mission. It’s up to Joel and Kent to each pick a team of characters from popular heist movies to fill traditional roles such as The Leader, The Hacker, The Driver & The Thief. Zack must then choose which group he’s going to go with. But watch out! There are a few hidden moles that could ruin Baconsale’s entire operation with their double-crossing. Press play to hear generic IMDb plot descriptions mixed with explosive action!

Listener, darling! Disney has given us another live-action origin story of one of its iconic villains, and Baconsale is here to debate whether or not Cruella’s got what it takes. We’ll discuss the performances from the two Emmas, the stylized look of the film, the elaborate camera work, the ever-present narration, and the presumably expensive soundtrack. And don’t worry, even if you haven’t seen this movie yet, you can listen to our spoiler-free review at the beginning to determine if you should see this in theaters or shell out the cash to see it early on Disney Plus. Press play to join our introductory discussion: Cruella de Vil 101.

Setting a film in the future is a risky move because, one day, the future becomes the past. And on this episode of Baconsale, we’re talking about movies such as Mad Max, Back to the Future Part II, and Johnny Mnemonic which boldly attempted to predict what the world would be like in distant years of 1985, 2015, and 2021. Our friend Ryan is here to join us in judging how accurate these movies were and to help us decide when the peak time was for certain actors. Press play to hear us keep things light & fluffy while discussing political overreach and post-apocalyptic worlds.

No matter how you slice it, a chip is delicious. And on this episode of Baconsale, Kent, Joel, and Zack are ready to rank 21 of these salty, crispy snacks for your enjoyment & irritation. We’ll first share the history of potato chips & tortilla chips, and then proceed to give some hot takes about the most popular brands (which are almost all owned by PepsiCo). We’ll talk Takis, discuss Doritos Nacho Cheese, fight about Funyuns, chat about Cheddar Pringles, frolic for Fritos, sound off about Sun Chips, and bicker about BBQ Lay’s. But what will end up in our bag of bags? Press play to find out. Just don’t lick your fingies first.

If you’re old, like Joel & Kent, then you’ll remember the days of newspapers and Sunday funnies, and this episode of Baconsale will bring about pleasant waves of nostalgia. If you’re Zack’s age or younger, well then, this will be a very educational discussion about the history of comic strips. We’ve picked answers for a dozen categories, and we’ll be reminiscing about such classic hand-drawn cartoons as Calvin and Hobbes, The Far Side, Garfield, Peanuts, Beetle Bailey, Dilbert, and The Family Circus. Press play to learn how amusing it is to hear someone try to describe the funny pages.

Last year, we sadly didn’t do a summer movie preview because films weren’t really being released in theaters. However, believe it or not, there ARE movies coming out during the months of May through August of this year. Or perhaps we’re just widening our scope because we’re including films released on streaming services, as well. We hope you enjoy us expressing our feelings about Emma Stone, Joel & Kent matching on too many choices, and the occasional pitch for Patreon.com/Baconsale. Press play, nebbish listener, to see what cinematic entertainment this summer season holds for you.

After a humiliating loss last time, Team JK is ready to take on Team Listener once again. This time it’s Spencer, Brandon, and Scott who are going to pit their pop culture knowledge against Joel & Kent. And with questions about chess moves, director’s middle names, Disneyland history, and Australia, it’s anyone’s game. Press play to hear who will win bragging rights for the next year.