DeGen Cinema Podcast

For the first time in three years, DeGen Cinema’s Andy S sits down behind the microphone without his co-host, creative partner, and one of his best friends in the entire world, Brandon Bombay.

Following Brandon’s unexpected passing, Andy looks back at the unlikely friendship that eventually became DeGen Cinema - from two degenerates arguing about movies on the internet, to a bizarre conversation at five o’clock in the morning that changed everything.

This is the story of how Brandon came into Andy’s life, how two deeply flawed movie obsessives somehow turned their friendship into a podcast, and what it means to lose the person who sat on the other side of that screen every week for the past three years.

There are stories to tell, movies to talk about, and a whole lot of shit that probably never should have made it onto a microphone in the first place.

But this one is for Brandon.

We love you very much.

Degens Andy S and Brandon Bombay get their frank and beans stuck in their zippers while rushing to talk about one of the funniest movies of all-time, 'There's Something About Mary.' Bombay starts off the episode by recalling a date hookup that got messy on several levels. 

Then the boys dive into this Farellelly Brothers classic that's jam-packed with standout performances, but it's Matt Dillon's bumbling scumbag private eye Healy who walks away as the MVP. From resuscitating a dog he drugged, to complaining about his "damn Nepalese coins," he's constantly finding the best say-the-wrong-thing humor in his performance. Meanwhile, Cameron Diaz is effervescently stunning, and charming as the eponymous Mary, as she has to ground the film while surrounded by raging lunatics, all while hitting great comedic notes. It's no wonder this film brought out wild aisle-rolling reactions from audiences when it hit theaters in the late '90s and redefined gross out comedy, but still maintaining enough heart and charm. Ben Stiller's starring role is a career-best physical performance, as he convincingly portrays getting his junk wrapped up in his zipper, and fights a dog in one of the funniest uses of a dummy ever caught on camera. That's all without mentioning Chris Elliott's genius comedic timing, and Harland Williams' gonzo 7 Minute Abs cameo. Similar to moviegoers in the '90s, this episode will have you rolling around so much with laughter that you'll be calling everyone "roller pig." 

Degens Andy S and Brandon Bombay celebrate the podcast's three year anniversary by covering a Cruisemas movie that was specially requested by a listener to talk, 'Vanilla Sky.' Andy opens it up with a dreamstate story involving Ambien that had him questioning his reality, by ending up in the wrong situation.  Then the fellas tackle one of the most ambitious big budget movies of the 2000s that is very emblematic of its era. The film opens with one of the most jaw-dropping scenes of the decade in an empty pre-9/11 Times Square, and then proceeds to bite off more than it can chew, but offers a compelling ride. It's a glimpse at a bygone era of NYC, and a bygone era in cinema where Tom Cruise offered a personal performance before his well-publicized breakdown. Along with the meta-Cruise role, is Penelope Cruz who reprises her role from the original Spanish-language film the movie is based on. Her charm, and angelic face jump off the scream, and she even graces the audience by losing her clothing in one intimate scene. Juxtaposed to her effortless charm is Cameron Diaz's manic turn as the vengeful love whose body gets lied to and spouts, "I swallowed your c** that means something." The film also marked the peak of Cameron Crowe's Hollywood reign, as his career went on a precipitous fall after failing to grapple with a perplexing third act. Unlike Crowe, Degen Cinema is not slowing down as we're grateful to all our maniac listeners who've been along for the ride the past three years, and counting. 

Degens Andy S and Brandon Bombay prove the juice is worth the squeeze as they talk about the ultra-2000s comedy, 'The Girl Next Door.' Bombay starts it off by recalling how when he was a little kid he would stare out the window hoping to see someone saying, and eventually his wish sort of came true. Then the boys discuss a film that is packed with incessant needle drops, and is dripping with 2004-ness to the point you can smell the Axe body spray and envision the FHM write up about the movie.They ponder why Elisha Cuthbert, who was on the verge of superstardom, never became a bigger star — and if her reluctance to be nude on film played a part. Obviously, the movie borrows heavily from the '80s teen romp masterpiece, 'Risky Business,' and shares more DNA with that project besides the plot. Both are cases of a cast that would go onto bigger things with the lead Emile Hirsch flirting with Oscar glory in the late 2000s, Paul Dano becoming one of the most respected character actors in Hollywood, and Timothy Olyphant — who steals the show here — becoming a bonafide A-lister. Perhaps you had to be there, but 'The Girl Next Door' is a perfect time capsule for its era. 

Degens Andy S and Brandon Bombay say, come with them if you want to live, as they discuss James Cameron's action masterpiece, 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day.' Bombay starts off the episode by recalling how his overzealousness, and love for this movie brought him on a misguided attempt to see the sequel on a date. Then the boys dive into one of the most relentlessly cool films ever made. They recall their life-altering moviegoing experiences of seeing this in theater as little kids, and how the T2 phenomenon swept the nation. All of it was made possible by Cameron, a true cinema dictator, who strove for perfection while recalibrating what mainstream action could achieve. There's the mall fight with T-800 and T-1000 that made jaws drop, which segued into an incredible chase scene, and the feat was repeated multiple times including a 45 closing that included three ludicrous action set pieces seamlessly stitched together. At the time the boundary-pushing CGI visuals — and mind boggling inventiveness — altered movies, but today it's the practical FX that endure, as the director had no issues putting real human lives in danger to achieve the perfect shot. At the heart of the film is Linda Hamilton's physical, and emotional, transformation from a timid wallflower to a terminator-esque killing machine with one purpose: to deliver an enthralling picture. Loving this episode is easy money. 

Degens Andy S and Brandon Bombay head to Bangkok completely unprepared in the fight of their lives before discussing a Cannon Films classic, 'Kickboxer.' Andy opens up the first round by recalling a time when a man off the street entered his boxing gym with misplaced confidence similar to Eric getting whooped by Tong Po. Then the fellas jump into action to talk about this wonderful '80s oddity. A starring vehicle for Jean-Claude Van Damme just before he exploded into the mainstream, the film was ahead of its time having Muay Thai at the forefront, and features some incredible location shots in Thailand, but is extremely light on dialogue from actual Thai actors. The dialogue is obviously secondary as we all just want to get amped and watch Van Damme consciously showing off spinning kicks while training, which helped inspire a generation of kids to foolishly believe they could kick trees with their shins to toughen up. Opposite Van Damme is one of his most notable villains in the insidiously evil Tong Po (played by Van Damme's good friend in Thai face). The Muscles from Brussels gets to put some of his acting chops on display, as he is often playful and goofy — leading to a bar fight that is beloved on social media — and also emoting while crying for his brother, or reconnecting with ancient warriors. Similar to the episode, it's all delightful nonsense that will have you shouting Nok Su Kow by the time it's over. 

Degens Andy S and Brandon Bombay have a bad day turn to worse, and worse, and worse while discussing the criminally underrated actioner, 'Ambulance.' Bombay kicks off the episode by telling a story about meeting an excited Michael Bay at a party, and how his real-life enthusiasm bleeds through to his work. Then the boys dive in on one of the best films of the decade, an action movie that bares all the tension-building tropes of a classic thriller. They discuss how impressive it was to see Bay return to his roots and pull off incredible stunts with practical FX, and all on a relatively modest $40 million budget. For the film, the seasoned director brought his favorite co-star which was hundreds of drones. This technology appeared to allow Bay to fully achieve his vision of Bayhem. The movie's pacing is dialed up to an 11, and Jake Gyllenhaal delivers a wonderfully gonzo performance that is also cranked up. Eiza Gonzalez is given one of her meatier roles to date, and manages to go toe-to-toe with Gyllenhaal — whose run before this movie was one of the greatest ever seen by a modern actor. Besides the propulsive action all the trademark Bay touches are there including overstuffed amount of characters, and juvenile humor, but it all adds to the charm of this comparatively stripped-down installment in the Bay oeuvre.  

Degens Andy S and Brandon Bombay confront their horrifying doppelgangers while discussing the runaway smash box office hit, 'Backrooms.' Andy starts off the episode by recalling the time he worked a late night shift in a hospital, and came across something quite disturbing. 

Then the fellas try to describe a dog to someone who inexplicably has never seen one, as they dive into Kane Parsons' feature debut. They discuss how surprising it was to not only see moviegoers flock to this horror flick,but how locked-in the (mostly) young audiences were during screenings. The movie taps into the innate fear of exploring unknown liminal spaces, all while relying predominantly on vibes over storyline. A new voice in horror has officially broken through, but besides the ominous creepy feeling that pervades throughout, the film is elevated by two incredible lead performances from a spiraling Chiwetel Ejiofor, and an unnerving final girl turn from Renate Reinsve. Similar to the movie, the episode is immersively atmospheric, and will leave you staring at a refracted version of yourself.

Degens Andy S and Brandon Bombay discuss one of the greatest, scariest, and most sweltering movies of all-time, 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.' 

For a very special episode 150, Andy S and Brandon Bombay finally decide it's time to meet god, as they cover a Degen Cinema staple, and one of the greatest modern films, 'Sicario.' Bombay is the first through the door as he recalls an insane night out that led to randomly meeting dancers at a hotel, and ended with him watching 'Sicario.' Then the boys get into this beast of a film that was the true arrival of Denis Villeneuve as the greatest director of the 2010s. With cinematography that looked to have been captured by a higher power, which it is virtually was by Roger Deakins at the top of his gave, and an unforgettable gripping score from the maestro Jóhann Jóhannsson. The guys share their surprise that this certifiable classic never received true awards buzz, especially for the always incredible Benicio del Toro who delivered arguably his most memorable performance. He's a terrifying entity released on the world alongside Josh Brolin's Matt Graver who are trying to restore order. Meanwhile Emily Blunt is the audience's POV as she attempts to navigate a new job in a terrifying landscape, all with physical gusto. There are numerous unforgettable set pieces including the border crossing's masterclass in tension, the night vision tunnel cross, and the dinner table scene denouement. Fair warning to our listeners that they may want to seek out a podcast where the rule of law still exists, cause this is a pod for wolves now.