EP #201: 2009, Part II — Conspiracy Season

2009 didn’t just entertain—it reflected a culture already steeped in paranoia and conspiratorial thinking. Jason and Chauncey Telese (La Podfidential) rank five box office giants that, in hindsight, reveal how stories of secret cabals, engineered crises, and “truth” shaped by vibes over facts were already dominating the mainstream.

The Lineup:

What seemed like harmless fun at the time now reads as a cultural preview of the conspiratorial mindset that would escalate throughout the next decade. The conversation also touches on the death of Hulk Hogan, the paranoia baked into Dan Brown’s novels, Ron Howard’s attempt to give pulp a prestige sheen, and Peter Thiel, who secretly bankrolled Hogan’s lawsuit against Gawker, a real-world conspiracy that toppled a media empire.

Which film deserves preservation in the Vault, and which one feels like prophecy for America’s conspiratorial future?

Credits

EP #200: VHS Summer V–80s Sex Comedies

200 episodes! To mark the milestone, Jason is joined by Clare from W-Rated to rewind to the neon-soaked heyday of 1980s sex comedies. From locker room pranks to ski slope stripteases, these raunchy relics of VHS culture pushed boundaries and buttons. Along the way, friends and fans drop in with special messages to celebrate the journey so far.

This week’s lineup:

Porky’s (1981)

The Last American Virgin (1982)

Hardbodies (1984)

Revenge of the Nerds (1984)

Hot Dog...The Movie (1984)

Which film earns a spot in the Vault, and which ones get left in the bargain bin?

Credits

EP #199: John Hughes, Ranked

John Hughes gave us the dream of teen freedom, family bonding, and life lessons wrapped in pop hits. But in 2025, do his movies still hold up—or are they time capsules better left sealed? Jason and guest Kristin Battestella (Women InSession; I Think, Therefore I Review) rank five Hughes classics, from road-trip chaos to suburban rebellion, deciding which deserves the Vault…and which buckle under the weight of modern eyes.

Bonus conversations dive into The Great Outdoors, Home Alone, and Some Kind of Wonderful.

Credits

INSTANT REACTION: Seventeen kids vanish at 2:17 a.m., and that’s only the start of the nightmare. Director Zach Cregger (Barbarian) returns with Weapons — a chilling, multi-chapter descent into paranoia and dread. In this spoiler-free instant reaction, we break down the film’s tone, tension, and craft without giving away a single twist. No plot summaries. No safety nets. Just the gut-level verdict from the last video store in the universe.

Director: Zach Cregger

EP #198: VHS Summer V – Val Kilmer

VHS Summer returns for its fifth and final installment! Jason is joined by Evan Crean (Spoilerpiece Theater) to rank and review five of Val Kilmer’s most iconic performances. From boy genius to gunslinging legend, Kilmer’s range is on full display in this eclectic lineup:

Real Genius (1985)

Willow (1988)

Thunderheart (1992)

Tombstone (1993)

Heat (1995)

Which film enters the Vault, and which get left out in the summer sun?

They told you not to rewind. You did it anyway.

We’re talking suburban malls, sex pests, and sleepless summers, all through the warped plastic of a rental copy that’s seen too much.

Every week, a new lineup. A new meltdown.

INSTANT REACTION: Superman must reconcile his alien Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as reporter Clark Kent. As the embodiment of truth, justice and the human way he soon finds himself in a world that views these as old-fashioned.

A group of survivors of the rage virus live on a small island. When one of the group leaves the island on a mission into the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors.

INSTANT REACTION: Plagued by a recurring violent nightmare, a college student returns home to find the one person who can break the cycle and save her family from the horrific fate that inevitably awaits them.

INSTANT REACTION: A fading midwestern town in which Frendo the clown, a symbol of bygone success, reemerges as a terrifying scourge.