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In this episode of Almost Classic Movies, Jon and Donald dive broom-first into Wicked (Part 1) — the movie adaptation based on the Broadway powerhouse musical. They unpack why the film is both visually stunning and emotionally frustrating, discuss questionable choreography ("Camp Rock flashbacks"), and debate whether Glinda and Elphaba’s friendship was ever real… or just one long manipulation with good lighting.

You’ll also hear:

• How the movie’s box office success was driven by theater nerd power
• Why the missing red brick road swirl triggered Donald’s continuity rage
• Jon’s wish for 10 extra minutes of character development (and fewer dance moves)
• A flashback to Drew Carey energy and Persona 5 negotiations
• The shocking origins of Elphaba (green + opium +… yep)
• Ariana Grande method acting as Glinda everywhere but Starbucks
• Why the flying monkey transformation scene was disturbingly PG

🎙️ Memorable Quotes

“If you’re messing with Wicked, you better respect the power of theater nerds.”

“She’s not defending her friend… she’s defending her political career.”

“I could skip that dance sequence. It felt like I was watching a better version of Camp Rock.”

If you want us to review Wicked for Good when it drops, leave a comment or DM us on Instagram. Also—rate, review, subscribe, and if you’re a proud theater kid… we see you.

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You can support the show by becoming a member on Patreon.

If you like what you’re listening to, don’t forget to share the podcast with fellow movie fans and give us a 5-star review!

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Contact:
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @almostclassicmovies

Co-Hosts:
Jon K.
Donald S.

Podcast Production:
Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2025 Almost Classic Movies LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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 In this episode, Jon, Don, and Editor Dan sit down to revisit The Running Man (1987), Arnold Schwarzenegger’s dystopian game-show-meets-gladiator spectacle that somehow predicted 2017 better than anyone expected. The trio breaks down Arnold’s peak-era one-liners, Richard Dawson’s shockingly good villain performance, and why late-80s action movies were legally required to be unhinged.

The conversation widens into the film’s political undertones, media manipulation, the blur between entertainment and propaganda, and how much of the movie’s “future” looks uncomfortably familiar today. Along the way, expect detours into Physical: 100, Drake Bell’s legal history, Johnny Depp memes, and the correct number of chainsaws required to deliver a truly cinematic death.

Topics in this episode:

• Why The Running Man is more relevant in 2025 than ever
• Arnold’s action-movie swagger and signature pun delivery
• Richard Dawson’s villain performance and game-show charm
• The movie’s wild stalkers: Subzero, Buzzsaw, Dynamo, and Fireball
• Eighties violence vs. modern standards
• Media manipulation, doctored footage, and dystopian “reality”
• The trio’s ideal version of Killian’s death (spoiler: spiralizers are involved)
• Final ratings: classic… or flaccid?

If you like absurd tangents, political satire baked into retro action films, and arguments about whether Arnold could beat Jim Brown in a real fight, this one’s for you.

Support the show

You can support the show by becoming a member on Patreon.

If you like what you’re listening to, don’t forget to share the podcast with fellow movie fans and give us a 5-star review!

Subscribing to the podcast ensures you get our newest episodes right when they publish.

Contact:
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @almostclassicmovies

Co-Hosts:
Jon K.
Donald S.

Podcast Production:
Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2025 Almost Classic Movies LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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In this episode of Almost Classic Movies, Jon and Donald dissect The Apprentice — a provocative biopic tracing Donald Trump’s transformation from ambitious New York builder to cultural icon. With a blend of dark satire and political restraint, the hosts explore how mentorship, ego, and media manipulation intersect in the film’s portrait of Trump and his infamous advisor, Roy Cohn.

They unpack Sebastian Stan’s unnerving performance, Jeremy Strong’s haunting portrayal of Cohn, and how the movie blurs the line between political commentary and psychological study. Along the way, Jon and Donald debate character arcs, moral decay, the film’s controversial moments, and its eerie relevance in today’s political climate.

From the cinematography and editing to the film’s raw depiction of power, The Apprentice leaves the hosts grappling with one unsettling question: where does ambition end and corruption begin?

Support the show

You can support the show by becoming a member on Patreon.

If you like what you’re listening to, don’t forget to share the podcast with fellow movie fans and give us a 5-star review!

Subscribing to the podcast ensures you get our newest episodes right when they publish.

Contact:
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @almostclassicmovies

Co-Hosts:
Jon K.
Donald S.

Podcast Production:
Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2025 Almost Classic Movies LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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In this Halloween-meets-Christmas episode, Jon and Donald tackle one of the most iconic stop-motion films ever made: The Nightmare Before Christmas. From Jack Skellington’s existential boredom to Oogie Boogie’s degenerate gambling habits, they unpack the film’s twisted charm, timeless animation, and odd moral compass.

The hosts debate lore inconsistencies (How do the holiday doors even work?), the unsettling obsession with capital punishment, and why the movie’s musical diction makes Jon wince. Donald confesses it’s his first full viewing—and delivers some hilarious first impressions about Lock, Shock, and Barrel’s questionable parenting supervision.

Together, they trace Tim Burton’s strange creative journey from Disney animator to gothic auteur, explore the movie’s musical highs and lows, and rate it on their Almost Classic scale.

Stick around for wild tangents about Festivus, Kingdom Hearts, and why Donald Duck probably fears Thanksgiving. It’s equal parts spooky and merry—perfect for the season when Christmas ads start in October.

Highlights include:

• 🎃 Why Nightmare Before Christmas works as both a Halloween and Christmas movie
• 💀 The underrated brilliance of stop-motion animation
• 🎶 Why some musicals make Jon physically cringe
• 🦴 How Tim Burton lost control of his own creation
• 🧦 The most cursed Christmas crossover ideas ever pitched on the show

Before you disappear into the hinterlands of holiday chaos, follow Almost Classic Movies on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Rate it, share it, and spread the spooky cheer.

Support the show

You can support the show by becoming a member on Patreon.

If you like what you’re listening to, don’t forget to share the podcast with fellow movie fans and give us a 5-star review!

Subscribing to the podcast ensures you get our newest episodes right when they publish.

Contact:
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @almostclassicmovies

Co-Hosts:
Jon K.
Donald S.

Podcast Production:
Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2025 Almost Classic Movies LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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Jon and Donald dive headfirst into Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)—Tim Burton’s long-awaited sequel to the 1988 cult classic. Thirty-six years later, the ghost with the most is back, and the hosts debate whether the chaos, nostalgia, and practical effects deliver a worthy return… or just a messy séance of the past.

From generational ghost stories to plotline overload, this episode unpacks it all:

• The tangled web of Lydia, Astrid, and Beetlejuice
• Why Michael Keaton still owns the role (and Willem Dafoe steals the show)
• How Burton balances legacy and lunacy
• And why Bob might be the real hero of the afterlife

Along the way, Jon and Donald detour through fantasy football, Italian-subbing jokes, and the eternal question: Was Beetlejuice actually the Antichrist?

🧠 In This Episode

• 0:00 – Trivia and intro banter
• 1:30 – Setting the scene: Beetlejuice returns
• 4:00 – Too many plotlines, not enough focus
• 10:30 – Lydia’s missing husband and the “shark attack” gag
• 15:00 – Claymation callbacks and the return to Winter River
• 20:00 – Beetlejuice’s ex-wife, creepy stitching, and nightmare fuel
• 30:00 – Italian Beetlejuice, Dante’s Inferno, and “the juice is loose”
• 36:00 – Chaos between realms and unexpected deaths
• 40:00 – The final showdown and emotional payoff
• 42:00 – Ratings, trivia, and production notes
• 49:00 – Next week’s hint: a Nightmare you probably know by heart

Support the show

You can support the show by becoming a member on Patreon.

If you like what you’re listening to, don’t forget to share the podcast with fellow movie fans and give us a 5-star review!

Subscribing to the podcast ensures you get our newest episodes right when they publish.

Contact:
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @almostclassicmovies

Co-Hosts:
Jon K.
Donald S.

Podcast Production:
Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2025 Almost Classic Movies LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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In this episode of Almost Classic Movies, Jon and Donald kick off spooky season with Tim Burton’s 1988 masterpiece, Beetlejuice. The hosts dive deep into the movie’s strange charm—where the macabre meets the hilarious—and unpack what makes it such a beloved cult classic.

They debate whether being an exterminator counts as “a trade,” discuss how Beetlejuice may have unfairly tarnished the profession, and marvel at the wild practical effects that define Burton’s world. Along the way, they revisit the film’s gothic aesthetic, its unforgettable cast, and Michael Keaton’s unhinged brilliance that turned 17 minutes of screen time into cinematic immortality.

Conversation Highlights:

• 🎃 How Beetlejuice set the tone for Tim Burton’s career
• 🎭 The movie’s perfect mix of horror, humor, and heart
• 🧟‍♂️ Michael Keaton’s wild improv and what made his Beetlejuice iconic
• 🧰 “Is exterminator a trade?” — the episode’s running gag
• 🧩 Why practical effects make Beetlejuice timeless
• 💀 Why it’s more “unnerving” than scary—and why that works
• 📽 The unlikely legacy: from canceled sequels to Broadway musicals

 👉 Is being an exterminator a trade? Tell us in the comments or on Instagram @AlmostClassicMovies.

Patreon Shoutout:
Support the show and help fund future “Almost Canceled” and TV spin-off episodes. Tip-based tiers start at $5.

Support the show

You can support the show by becoming a member on Patreon.

If you like what you’re listening to, don’t forget to share the podcast with fellow movie fans and give us a 5-star review!

Subscribing to the podcast ensures you get our newest episodes right when they publish.

Contact:
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @almostclassicmovies

Co-Hosts:
Jon K.
Donald S.

Podcast Production:
Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2025 Almost Classic Movies LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Send us a text

Neon grids, Daft Punk beats, and some questionable CGI Jeff Bridges — this week we dive into Disney’s Tron: Legacy (2010). Jon and Donald are joined again by fan-favorite Editor Dan for a wild ride through the Grid, complete with light cycles, disc battles, and theology that somehow feels like “bad Christian mythology” wrapped in a Mickey Mouse glow.

The trio debates whether the movie is underrated or just a product of its 2010 vibes, explores Joseph Kosinski’s rise from commercials to Top Gun: Maverick, and breaks down the world-building that makes Legacy stand out from the original. Expect tangents on Daft Punk, racing movies, Killian Murphy cameos, and why Kevin Flynn’s bachelor-pad hideout screams “stoner design chic.”

👉 Listen now to hear whether Tron: Legacy deserves “almost classic” status — or if it’s just a gorgeous, neon mess.

Support the show

You can support the show by becoming a member on Patreon.

If you like what you’re listening to, don’t forget to share the podcast with fellow movie fans and give us a 5-star review!

Subscribing to the podcast ensures you get our newest episodes right when they publish.

Contact:
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @almostclassicmovies

Co-Hosts:
Jon K.
Donald S.

Podcast Production:
Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2025 Almost Classic Movies LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Send us a text

Grab your light disc and step inside the grid as Jon and Donald revisit Tron (1982)—Disney’s groundbreaking cult classic that fused early CGI with a video-game aesthetic decades ahead of its time. From arcade nostalgia to AI paranoia, this episode explores why Tron still sparks debate about technology, storytelling, and the future of digital worlds.

We dive deep into:

• First Impressions & Ratings: How the film’s visuals wowed audiences in 1982 and where the script still falls short.
• World-Building vs. Missed Potential: Why Disney’s digital frontier felt huge yet strangely empty—and how Tron Legacy and the upcoming Tron Ares might finally deliver the scope fans crave.
• AI Before AI Was Cool: The Master Control Program as proto-AI villain and what it predicts about today’s tech anxieties.
• Cult Classic Status: From light-cycle battles to hidden spiritual themes, how Tron paved the way for cyberpunk aesthetics, arcade culture, and modern CGI blockbusters.
• Love Triangles & User Worship: A hilarious breakdown of Flynn, Laura, Alan, and their digital counterparts (plus a questionable on-grid kiss).
• Production Secrets: Black-and-white film stock, backlit animation, and why the Academy once called computer graphics “cheating.”

🎙️ Listen now and subscribe to Almost Classic Movies on your favorite podcast app so you never miss a nostalgic deep dive into films that are almost classics—but unforgettable all the same.

Support the show

You can support the show by becoming a member on Patreon.

If you like what you’re listening to, don’t forget to share the podcast with fellow movie fans and give us a 5-star review!

Subscribing to the podcast ensures you get our newest episodes right when they publish.

Contact:
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @almostclassicmovies

Co-Hosts:
Jon K.
Donald S.

Podcast Production:
Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2025 Almost Classic Movies LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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The Almost Classic Movies crew is back with an oversized episode on Magic Mike XXL. 

Daniel crashes the show with a surprise beer tasting, a Big Mac challenge, and a lightning round of “Hot Takes” that call out everything from Hamilton to fast food habits. 

Jon and Donald debate classic vs. flaccid ratings, share personal movie hot takes, and break down why this sequel delivers more heart and better dance sequences than the original. From unexpected drag club dance battles to discussions about toxic masculinity (or the lack of it), this road trip review blends comedy, craft beer, and surprisingly thoughtful commentary. 

Whether you love Magic Mike XXL or just want a hilarious night of pop culture banter, this episode has the laughs, the beer notes, and the movie insights you need.

Key Moments:

• 🍺 Beer Reviews: Heroic Doses West Coast Pale Ale and a hazy IPA from Hot Butcher get classic ratings.
• 🍔 Big Mac First Bite: Jon breaks his McDonald’s streak for the ultimate taste test.
• 🎬 Movie Deep Dive: Why Magic Mike XXL outshines the first film with more heart, road trip energy, and diverse dance scenes.
• 💃 Dance Culture Shoutouts: From voguing in a drag club to hip-hop inspiration, the crew explores how the film embraces inclusive performance styles.
• 🔥 Hot Takes: From Hamilton’s operetta debate to whether furries count as bestiality, nothing is off limits.

Listen Now: Crack a cold one, hit play, and decide if Magic Mike XXL deserves the “classic” stamp.

Support the show

You can support the show by becoming a member on Patreon.

If you like what you’re listening to, don’t forget to share the podcast with fellow movie fans and give us a 5-star review!

Subscribing to the podcast ensures you get our newest episodes right when they publish.

Contact:
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @almostclassicmovies

Co-Hosts:
Jon K.
Donald S.

Podcast Production:
Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2025 Almost Classic Movies LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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Jon and Donald dive into Almost Famous—Cameron Crowe’s semi-autobiographical love letter to 1970s rock journalism. They break down William Miller’s coming-of-age journey, the chaos of touring with a rising band, and the bittersweet lessons behind fame, love, and loyalty. Along the way they debate the difference between groupies and “Band-Aids,” share wild payphone stories, compare Cleveland’s food scene to New York, and confess the movies they still haven’t seen (Scott Pilgrim, anyone?).

What You’ll Hear in This Episode

• 🎸 Plot & Character Deep Dive – From William’s Rolling Stone assignment to Penny Lane’s elusive magic and Russell Hammond’s ego.
• 🎤 Rock Journalism vs. Reality – How the film captures the wonder and the dark side of the music industry.
• 🤯 Pop-Culture Tangents – New Girl references, RPG life analogies, and a passionate defense of Cleveland’s art scene.
• 🎬 Behind-the-Scenes Trivia – Cameron Crowe’s real teenage tour stories, the extended “bootleg cut,” and the cast’s intense band rehearsals.
• 🍕 Hot Takes & Ratings – Why Jon and Donald give Almost Famous a solid 9/10 and how it stacks up against This Is Spinal Tap.

Why Listen
Whether you’re a fan of classic rock, Cameron Crowe films, or hilarious movie debates, this episode blends film analysis with laugh-out-loud detours. Perfect for anyone searching for Almost Famous reviews, rock-movie recommendations, or insider trivia about Rolling Stone’s wild 1970s heyday.

Resources & Links

• Watch Almost Famous (Extended Bootleg Cut) on [Paramount+/Amazon] (insert current link).
• Previous episode: [This Is Spinal Tap Review].
• Follow Almost Classic Movies on Instagram/Twitter for upcoming episodes.

Keywords for SEO
Almost Famous podcast, Almost Classic Movies, Cameron Crowe, rock journalism, Rolling Stone movie, Kate Hudson Penny Lane, 1970s rock films, music movie reviews, cult classic movies podcast, film analysis comedy

Support the show

You can support the show by becoming a member on Patreon.

If you like what you’re listening to, don’t forget to share the podcast with fellow movie fans and give us a 5-star review!

Subscribing to the podcast ensures you get our newest episodes right when they publish.

Contact:
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @almostclassicmovies

Co-Hosts:
Jon K.
Donald S.

Podcast Production:
Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2025 Almost Classic Movies LLC. All Rights Reserved.