A Tripp Through Comedy

Our exit today has us maybe regretting that veiled autobiographical novel. This week, we are discussing The Best Man, written and directed by Malcolm D. Lee and starring an ensemble of wonderful up-and-coming young actors. Of course, we spend a lot of time discussing Taye Diggs, Morris Chestnut, Nia Long, Harold Perrineau, Terrence Howard, and of course, podcast favorite Regina Hall.

Plus, we talk about Lee's famous cousin Spike, some wedding dos and don'ts, strippers with a heart of gold, Space Jam: A New Legacy, what makes a great ensemble, and then Ross drops the bomb about the origin of one of next week's films...spoiler alert: Tripp is shocked!

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Our exit today has us trying to win a trip to Hollywood to become an extra in a film with positive moral values. This week’s film is Superstar, based on Molly Shannon’s Saturday Night Live character, Mary Katherine Gallagher. While the two hosts might start the episode with very different opinions on the movie, one of them actually manages to change the others mind a bit!

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Our exit today has us looking at two small town comedies that take place in the northwest part of the United States. First is Mumford, written and directed by Lawrence Kasdan and starring Loren Dean and a cast of lovely character actors. The second is Mystery, Alaska, written by David E. Kelly and Sean O’Byrne and directed by Jay Roach, with Russell Crowe, Burt Reynolds, and even more lovely character actors. Along the way, Tripp and Ross discover that one of these is charming and the other is maybe the weirdest movie we have covered yet.

Plus, discussions of Hannibal Lecter, obscure documentaries, why sports movies don't always get the respect they deserve, two very different impressions of Burt Reynolds' career, what makes a good small town lawyer, and Tripp picks on comedy stars randomly appearing in more serious-minded ensembles. Oh, and there are sex robots.

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Our exit today has us searching for stolen gold at the end of the Gulf War. This week, we are discussing Three Kings, written and directed by David O. Russell with a story by John Ridley, and starring George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube, Spike Jonze, and a strong ensemble cast. Along the way, Tripp and Ross talk about the lasting legacy of this movie (especially with a second Iraq war made after this film) and the repeated struggles of screenwriter Ridley with the auteurs who direct his scripts, as well as debate plot points of movie and find a fine line between finding dead animals humorous or disturbing.

Plus, emerging movie star George Clooney, Being John Malkovich, Ross is shocked by a very young actress making her debut in this film, lots of talk about authentic casting, and Tripp recommends a foreign film that, surprise, Ross has never heard of!

John Ridley's winning his Oscar for 12 Years a Slave.

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Our exit today has us taking a look at two action comedies that tried to excite and entertain audiences in 1999. First, there is Chill Factor, starring recent Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr. and Skeet Ulrich. Second, there is Blue Streak, starring Martin Lawrence. Both films try to walk that fine line between providing us great action set pieces and quippy one liners. Chill Factor puts its action stylings ahead of its comedic aspirations while Blue Streak leans much heavier into the comedy realm thanks in large part to its star. Along the way, Tripp and Ross touch on the use of some unfunny actors in these films, a wacky Roger Ebert contest, the timeliness of the films, and Tripp manages to recommend a random French film Ross has never heard of!

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Our exit today finds us in the mind of Full House creator Jeff Franklin and his directorial debut Love Stinks, starring French Stewart and Bridgette Wilson-Sampras. Along the way, Tripp struggles to find a word other than "baffling" to describe the film, but is driven to tangents about A Light in the Piazza and a very long list he complied in his notes while Ross tries to rewrite the ending of the film with inspiration from a surprising place.

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This week, our exit has us looking at two high school coming of age films that take place in two different decades. First, we have Outside Providence, written by the Farrelly brothers. Second, we have Drive Me Crazy. Both films show seniors in high school trying to navigate their social lives while also balancing complicated romantic entanglements. Outside Providence, taking place in the 1970s, looks at a working class guy who ends up at a Connecticut boarding school. Drive Me Crazy takes place in the present as two teenagers prepare for their high school’s centennial.

Along the way, Tripp and Ross are distracted by the baffling nature of both films, along with discussions of TGIF TV, James Dean, Connecticut, accent work, Siskel & Ebert, and an ending so confounding that they have to dissect it beat by beat. All of it adds up to one of the longest episodes yet, but they couldn't stop talking about these films like a deer in headlights!

This week, Tripp and Ross go to Hollywood and hit writers block with Albert Brooks' The Muse. Along the way, there is lots of talk about our love of Brooks, Sharon Stone, celebrity cameos, and the acting chops of Martin Scorsese. Plus, the Coen Brothers, Michael Crichton, and some upcoming movies Tripp has never heard of!

This week, Tripp and Ross get revenge on all their horrible teachers in the horror-comedy Teaching Mrs. Tingle. Of course, they can't help but compare it to the Kevin Williamson ouevre (and Scream especially), but also have plenty of time to talk about dames, odd school projects, and TWO Ross-certified National Treasures. Plus, Tripp refuses to answer one of the Ross' prompts about the film.

This week, Tripp and Ross get in over their heads with the mob comedy Mickey Blue Eyes. Of course, they can't help but compare it to several movies they have already seen this year, as well as talk The Godfather, The Sopranos, Hugh Grant, and James Caan. And to ring in the new year, both Tripp and Ross share their favorite movie of 2023. Oh, and in a shocking twist, Tripp recommends a movie with an 11% Rotten Tomatoes!