Reel Comic Heroes

Get ready for a wild, surreal ride through the twisted corridors of early-2000s cinema as the Reel Comic Heroes crew dives headfirst into Monkeybone—a film that’s part dark fantasy, part slapstick comedy, and entirely confusing. In this episode, we unpack the strange journey of cartoonist Stu Miley (Brendan Fraser), who finds himself trapped in a bizarre limbo world filled with oddball creatures, bad decisions, and one very horny monkey. We’ll explore the film’s chaotic tone, the surprisingly impressive creature design by Stan Winston Studio, and ask the big questions—like “Who exactly was this movie for?” and “Was Hollywood just... okay with this?” We also look at director Henry Selick’s jump from The Nightmare Before Christmas to Monkeybone, and how the film’s troubled production and studio meddling might’ve buried its potential. Expect laughs, bewilderment, and a healthy dose of 2000s nostalgia (and regret). Spoiler warning: monkey business ahead. Discuss the episode over on the Facebook group: The Reel Co