This week, we talk about some of our most memorable or impactful childhood TV memories, meaning those moments that you still reflect on even still many years later. Many of us enjoyed morning cartoons, some of us remember when MTV actually had music videos, and the many different experiences of watching with our families and alone.

Also this week: spoiler-free review of Freaky, Happiest Season, Dreamland, a news roundup including Cinemark's deal with Universal, WandaVision premiere date and what that means for the MCU and the Short Circuit remake, new releases, and dropping all negativity to share what we're thankful for in 2020!

• (0:00 – 40:30) Opening | News Roundup | Being Thankful in 2020
• (40:31 – 102:59) Review: Freaky, Dreamland, Happiest Season | New Releases
• (103:00 – 1:33:33) From The Outside In: Childhood TV Memories
• (1:33:34 – 1:43:10) Recommendations | HO Teachable Minute | Outtakes
• Please support The Hollywood Outsider and gain immediate access to bonus content, including Patreon exclusive podcast content, by visiting Patreon.com/ TheHollywoodOutsider

This week, we look back at 2020 and how our normal TV and movie viewing habits have altered throughout the year. No movie theaters, increased streaming availability, an endless supply of new content: what are we doing different now that we will continue to do in the future?

Also this week: spoiler-free review of Let Him Go, a news roundup including Johnny Depp's shocking departure from Fantastic Beasts 3 and Ontario's choice to ditch movie ratings altogether, listener questions, new releases, a round of HO Jeopardy, and more!

• (0:00 – 17:35) Opening | News Roundup | HO Jeopardy
• (17:36 – 23:57) Review: Let Him Go | New Releases
• (23:58 – 48:38) From The Outside In: How TV and Movie Habits Have Changed in 2020
• (48:39 – 1:01:32) Listener Questions | Recommendations | HO Teachable Minute
• Please support The Hollywood Outsider and gain immediate access to bonus content, including Patreon exclusive podcast content, by visiting Patreon.com/ TheHollywoodOutsider

On this episode of The Hollywood Outsider podcast, we first take a look back at the legacy of Sir Thomas Sean Connery. Born on August 25,1930, Connery began acting in the '50s before he first launched to fame as James Bond in Dr. No. He went on to break away from Bond in films like Marnie and Robin and Marian, and then did a lot of ensembles and supporting roles in the 70s and 80s including The Untouchables (which is won an Oscar for), Highlander, and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. His career continued a box office resurgence as films like The Hunt for Red October, The Rock, Dragonheart, and Entrapment kept him on the A-list until he retired after A League of Extraordinary Gentlemen in 2003. He also won American Film Institutes Lifetime Achievement award in 2006.

We then shift over to Presidents in Entertainment. Whether it be from film or television, the greatest presidents in entertainment are - just like with any election - subject to personal tastes. Independence Day, 24, The West Wing, entertainment is full of fantastic representations of the United States Presidency. We discuss what constitutes being "presidential", how much movies and TV influences are opinion on actual presidents, and even play a few games with both real and fictional presidents. 

• (0:00 – 26:24) Opening | Sir Sean Connery
• (26:25 – 58:46) From The Outside In: Presidents in Entertainment
• (58:47 – 1:05:00) Recommendations | Closing | HO Teachable Minute
• Please support The Hollywood Outsider and gain immediate access to bonus content, including Patreon exclusive podcast content, by visiting Patreon.com/ TheHollywoodOutsider

Director John Maggio discusses his career and the timeliness of his latest film, The Perfect Weapon, centered around the growing use of cyberterrorism as the preferred warfare of the modern age. Maggio elaborates on many of the themes included in the film, such as the expansion of 5G and "Perception Hacks", as well as the challenges in bringing this riveting film to life. This is a fascinating interview every person needs to hear. 

Based on a best-selling book by New York Times national security correspondent David E. Sanger, The Perfect Weapon explores the rise of cyber conflict as the primary way nations now compete with and sabotage one another. ‌ ‌ Directed by Emmy-winning filmmaker John Maggio (Panic: The Untold Story of the 2008 Financial Crisis) and featuring interviews with top military, intelligence, and political officials on the frontlines of cyberterrorism, the documentary brings to light the combatants and innocent victims caught in the crosshairs of a hidden war that has been going on for decades — a war that America started, but has no idea how to finish.‌ ‌ - HBO

The Perfect Weapon is now available on HBO and streaming on HBO Max. 

After a horrible boating accident kills her family, shy, sullen Angela moves in with her eccentric Aunt Martha and protective cousin Ricky. One summer, Martha sends the kids to Camp Arawak. Soon after their arrival, bizarre, increasingly-violent accidents claim the lives of various campers. Who is the twisted individual behind these murders?

The disclosure of the murderer's identity is one of the most shocking climaxes in the history of American cinema...and you're going to hear our immediate reactions as we watch Sleepaway Camp LIVE!

If you want to follow along, watch the film on YouTube at this link (as of this recording)  https://youtu.be/OZSwckT_gvs

• Please support The Hollywood Outsider and gain immediate access to bonus content, including Patreon exclusive podcast content, by visiting Patreon.com/ TheHollywoodOutsider

On this episode, our news roundup leads into spoiler-free reviews of new films Borat 2 and Spell. 

• Opening | Movie and TV News Roundup | Spell Give-Away 
• Spoiler-Free Reviews: Borat 2 and Spell

Welcome tooooooooo The Hollywood Outsider Halloween special! On this episode, we've assembled some of our favorite discussions on horror films and anything related to Halloween! First we build a perfect horror movie, then dive into a bit of history on women in horror before director Darren Lynn Bousman discusses his favorite SAW traps, which leads perfectly into the most iconic villains in horror. To cap everything off, we have a little fun by sharing how we would survive a horror movie. Halloween might look a bit different this year for many of us, but that doesn't mean we can't still laugh and pontificate and the way things used to be. Enjoy our 2020 Edition of A Happy, Happy Halloween!

• (0:00 – 04:52) Opening | Love and Monsters giveaway 
• (04:53 – 46:50) Building a Perfect Horror Movie

In this episode, we're determining which '80s family movie is the best, why we love them, and defending them with our last dying breath. Okay, maybe not that serious, but we are taking them into battle. Joined by our special Patreon guest who bought her way onto the show (yes, that is indeed a perk), Kristina Flores, the four of us each have two movies we bring to the ring and knock 'em down until we land on just one. Titles like Back to the Future, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Goonies, and E.T. - you don't want to miss out on who takes home the title AND which one landed in the listener top 10 but just wasn't good enough for us.

Also on this week's episode: entertainment news roundup, spoiler-free reviews of The Haunting of Bly Manor, The Boys, The Wolf of Snow Hollow, Shithouse, and Love and Monsters, give-away winners announced for Spontaneous, new releases, and our HO Teachable Minute.

• (0:00 – 25:18) Opening | Movie and TV News Roundup | Should a Critic Review Any Genre | Spontaneous Give-Away Winners
• (25:19 – 50:43) Spoiler-Free Reviews: The Haunting of Bly Manor, The Wolf of Snow Hollow, Shithouse, Love and Monsters, The Boys | New Releases | Patreon Thank you
• (50:44 – 1:43:26) From The Outside In: 80's Family Movie Battle Royale
• (1:43:27 – 1:56:18) Recommendations | Closing | HO Teachable Minute | Outtakes
• Please support The Hollywood Outsider and gain immediate access to bonus content, including Patreon exclusive podcast content, by visiting Patreon.com/ TheHollywoodOutsider

Here are three of our most popular topics from earlier this year: Bad TV Couples, Classic Movie Monsters, and the Perfect Summer Soundtrack. 

First up, from Episode 384: we’re discussing bad TV couples. Anyone who loves television has a favorite couple, or even several favorites. But have you ever loved a show and two characters getting together just ruined it for you? Are there shows where you just dread any potential romantic couplings – like it just doesn’t belong? We will be discussing all of this and giving our top 3 worst TV couples we’ve experienced.

Next, we head to Episode 386: we’re discussing those movie monster classics such as Mummy (1932), Frankenstein, Wolf Man, Dracula, Invisible Man, Creature of the Black Lagoon, etc. These classic horror movies are the beginning drivers for what we know horror movies and horror characters to be today and their visionary masters still reside in the horror hall of fame. We decided – with the upcoming release of The Invisible Man – we need to discuss these classic monsters: how they scared us, our favorites, and why we love them despite being less of a razzle-dazzle than horror movies now.

Finally, we head to Episode 395: What are the best songs or themes from movies to crank up once Summer hits? Instead of dwelling on it all, let’s just make our perfect playlist. We each get 10 songs – they can be themes, songs from a movie soundtrack, or just synonymous with a movie – and make our own perfect summer movie soundtrack! That means you could see yourself, windows down, hair flowing, driving or jogging or whatever to our Spotify playlist, The Hollywood Outsider Perfect Summer Movie Soundtrack. Bonus points if you know the chorus…

Discussed on this episode of The Hollywood Outsider Movie and TV Podcast:

• (0:00 – 33:47) Opening | Bad TV Couples
• (33:48 – 59:54) Classic Movie Monsters
• (59:55 – 1:42:42) The Perfect Summer Movie Soundtrack
• Please support The Hollywood Outsider and gain immediate access to exclusive bonus content, including a BONUS monthly episode and Bad Movie Night, by visiting Patreon.com/ TheHollywoodOutsider

As we close out September, which is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and we’re approaching October 10th, which is World Mental Health Day, we thought it appropriate to take on a discussion about mental illness in entertainment. And this year it’s ironic, since so much of our personal mental health has been affected for better or worse by entertainment due to so many lockdowns across the country. We discuss what Hollywood gets right and what they get wrong about mental illness, the films or characters that opened our eyes to a particular mental illness, and our favorite movies, shows, and characters revolving around mental health. 

We also discuss our annual Fall TV preview, the shows returning we're looking forward to and new shows that we're anticipating. In this segment, we provide the premiere dates, the network, and the description, so don't miss out!

Also on this week's episode: entertainment news roundup, and reviews of Enola Holmes, Spontaneous, Kajillionaire, and The Curse of Audrey Earnshaw. 

• (0:00 – 15:55) Opening | Movie and TV News Roundup
• (15:56 – 54:00) Fall TV Preview
• (54:01 – 1:12:13) Spoiler-Free Reviews: Enola Holmes, Spontaneous, Kajillionaire, and The Curse of Audrey Earnshaw