This week on Last Chance Theater, Justin and Laura take on One-Eyed Willy in the Goonies (1985).

When a country club development threatens to foreclose their entire neighborhood, a group of kids search for a hidden treasure to save their home. When Mikey (Sean Astin) finds a map to a mysterious pirate treasure, he enlists his friends and older brother, Brandon (Josh Brolin), to head out on an adventure. It takes them from downtown Astoria, Oregon through booby-trapped tunnels to a real pirate ship. Chased by high school bullies and a criminal family, the Goonies have to work together to make it out alive.

As Laura explains why she chose this movie, she and Justin discuss how the Goonies influenced current pop culture like Netflix’s Stranger Things. The hosts compare the similarities between this movie and the other major 80s kids-on-bikes film, Stand By Me: dead bodies, adventures, bullies, and of course, bikes. Justin and Laura struggle to rationalize how Andy could not figure out that she was kissing a child – couldn’t she feel the braces? It’s just too creepy, on both sides. They also note that people in movies seem to get knocked out quite easily, and with no apparent brain trauma. Who needs realism? And finally, at long last, Justin figures out the Ataris’ “So Long, Astoria.”

On our next episode, our hosts fall into Crazy, Stupid, Love with Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling.

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It’s another very special episode where our intrepid hosts take a break from the usual format of the podcast to discuss… well, nothing in particular this time. It’s just a seemingly random conversation this time around.

Since Justin and Laura have been getting a bit sidetracked during the regular episode conversations lately, they decided that they should get it out of their system and just chat. Listen as they discuss even more Arrow and CW-verse than normal. They also get into it about comic books, especially the X-Men. They do agree that Cyclops is the absolute worst. Are they really the only people with such strong feelings about character design and backstory? You might even catch some snippets about Laura’s and Justin’s respective New Year’s Eve 2017 plans, if you really want to date this recording!

It’s back to our usual programming with another 1980s classic: the Goonies!

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It’s finally time for a Tom Cruise flick! This episode is all about the overlooked gem, Edge of Tomorrow (or Live. Die. Repeat. Because this crazy movie has two titles).

In the not-so-distant future, Earth is overwhelmed by alien attacks across the globe. Major Cage (Cruise) represents the newly-formed global military force to the public – but he’s never been in combat. When Cage is forced onto the frontlines of an alien battle in France, he dies within minutes, only to relive the day. After realizing he’s stuck in a time-loop, Cage seeks out Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt), an experienced and celebrated soldier. As Vrataski and Cage fight and die repeatedly, they get closer and closer to understanding the alien invasion – and how to stop it.

Despite Laura’s current track record with picking movies he’ll like, Justin is shockingly impressed with this one. Our hosts have a lively discussion about Tom Cruise’s long career, stunt work, and whether or not he is a legitimate crazy person. The conversation gets a little off the rails when Justin and Laura start talking about Arrow and the CW-verse. Back on subject, Justin praises the editing and structure of the movie, despite the old Groundhog Day concept. Laura wonders how a fun movie got such a terrible marketing campaign. Plus, it has two titles: Edge of Tomorrow and the literal Live. Die. Repeat. to confuse you even more. Finally, the hosts ponder a difficult question: is it ever possible to have enough Emily Blunt?

We have another surprise special episode! (Okay, it’s less of a surprise this time – but it’s still special, we promise.)

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A very special episode where our hosts take a break from the regular format. They discuss an actual recent release – Black Panther!

Despite Laura being very sick during the recording of this special, she and Justin manage to hit a wide range of topics – including the badass ladies of Wakanda, Disney’s money-making formulas, and Michael B. Jordan. Our hosts also weigh in on the Captain America vs. Iron Man debate (spoiler alert: Laura hates Iron Man) and compare the Marvel film and TV divisions. Somehow the conversation turns to the Star Wars prequels and why interesting villains are so important. Ultimately, Justin and Laura agree that everyone needs more Shurri in their lives.

Weigh in below with your own thoughts about Black Panther or the episode discussion. There’s just too much to cover in an hour! And look for more special episodes coming soon!

We’ll be back with our regularly scheduled review of Edge of Tomorrow!

The post Special Ep. 1 – Black Panther appeared first on Last Chance Theater.

This time our hosts discuss their first animated feature, Anastasia!

Starring Meg Ryan, John Cusack, and Kelsey Grammer, Anastasia reimagines the story of Anastasia Romanov after her family’s assassination as an animated children’s musical! Tsar Nicholas Romanov and his family are cursed by the evil Rasputin – leading to their deaths. Ten years later, rumors persist that the Grand Duchess Anastasia escaped the fate of the rest of her family. Amnesiac orphan Anya is searching for clues about her past when she meets Dmitri and Vlad, con men working on a scheme to swindle the Dowager Empress Marie out of the reward she has promised to anyone who can return her granddaughter to her. As Dmitri and Vlad train Anya to become royalty, she begins to regain her memories and fall in love. Rasputin realizes Anastasia lives and attempts to complete his curse – but Anya saves her grandmother, Dmitri, and the city of Paris from Rasputin’s destruction.

As usual, our hosts cover a lot of topics, both relevant and odd. Justin and Laura spend a surprisingly long time trying to figure out the correct timeline of St. Petersburg and its many names. They also debate whether or not Anya will become a Disney princess in 2019. The movie’s complete rejection of history and unexplained rules of magic also come up more than once. Laura explains her childhood fascination with the Anastasia legend. She also tries to figure out why Justin is so obsessed with what year movies are made. Finally, in true pop culture fashion, our hosts find a way to connect the movie to both Frozen and Woody Allen scandals.

Our next film is the modern Tom Cruise classic, Edge of Tomorrow!

The post Ep. 6 – Anastasia appeared first on Last Chance Theater.

Justin and Laura journey back to 1954 for Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window on this week’s episode.

Rear Window centers around Jeff (Jimmy Stewart). After breaking his leg in an attempt to get the perfect photo, he’s confined to a wheelchair in his small NYC apartment. He bides the time by watching his courtyard neighbors through the window. Jeff’s girlfriend Lisa (Grace Kelly) and nurse Stella (Thelma Ritter) grow concerned as he becomes obsessed with the neighbors’ daily lives and unique habits. When Jeff witnesses what he thinks is a murder, he pulls Lisa and Stella into a a dangerous game as Jeff tries to catch a killer.

The conversation takes some unexpected turns as Laura raves about the styling for Grace Kelly and Justin gripes about distracting a killer without a plan. They debate the ethics of voyeurism, why everyone seems so concerned about Jeff’s sex life, and where the top edge of Jeff’s cast is. Justin and Laura also spend a lot of time analyzing the racist undertones of a 30-second phone call with a character never even seen on screen. Finally, they take the time to discuss Hitchock’s creepy reputation and how that factors into recent discussions about sexual harassment in Hollywood and other industries. It’s an episode you don’t want to miss!

Join us next time for our first animated movie, Anastasia!

The post Ep. 5 – Rear Window appeared first on Last Chance Theater.

This episode is all about the 2000 ballet flick, Center Stage!

In Center Stage, small-town girl Jodie Sawyer (Amanda Schull) earns a place at the prestigious American Ballet Academy in NYC. The American Ballet Academy is run by the demanding director, Jonathan Reeves (Peter Gallagher). Jodie and her new friends struggle to keep up with the demands of the program and each other. As they juggle relationships with competition and rehearsal, the ABA students learn some unexpected lessons. Set against the backdrop of the competitive ballet world, Center Stage is all about growing up and forging your own path – with some amazing choreography.

The conversation is all over the place this episode. Justin and Laura get into a spirited debate about whether Jodie is a naive small-town girl or just plain dumb. They also discuss the rarity of a film with no contrived personal drama or absurdly high stakes and why friendship montages are both cute and annoying. Other topics that come up are the cruel business of professional ballet, how well Center Stage holds up seventeen years later, and, most importantly, Peter Gallagher’s epic eyebrows. Justin even shares his expert insights from the made-for-TV sequels.

We’ll take our first trip back to Old Hollywood with Alfred Hitchcock’s classic, Rear Window!

The post Ep. 4 – Center Stage appeared first on Last Chance Theater.

For our third episode, our hosts take on Guillermo del Toro’s Oscar-winning Pan’s Labyrinth.

A fairytale set after the Spanish civil war in 1944, Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) mixes harsh reality with otherworldly adventure. Eleven-year-old Ofelia and her pregnant mother move to the Spanish countryside with her cruel stepfather, Captain Vidal. While exploring nearby ruins, Ofelia meets the faun Pan. He gives her three magical tasks to achieve immortality. Set against a backdrop of violence and political instability, Pan’s Labyrinth will give you some feelings.

As they discuss the film, Justin and Laura try to make sense of why kids are so attracted to things that most adults find creepy. They trade imaginary backstories for the Captain and Carmen, and remain shocked at how violent he is. Laura complains about Ofelia’s grape-eating mistake and Mercedes’s questionable skills as a spy. Justin wonders about the film’s context post-Spanish Civil War and military influence. The hosts compare Pan’s Labyrinth to other stories like Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, and the Little Mermaid. Finally, they try to figure out if the fairy tale was real or just in Ofelia’s imagination. It’s a pretty heavy discussion that you don’t want to miss.

Next episode, join us for Center Stage!

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In this episode, Justin and Laura jump into Disney’s Newsies!

Set in 1899, Newsies (1992) tells the story of young New York City newsies who make a living by selling papers on the city streets. Led by Jack Kelly (Christian Bale), the newsies unite and strike against unfair practices of the newspaper owned by Joseph Pulitzer. A rare Disney live-action musical, Newsies features catchy songs and the most heartwarming story about orphans since Annie.

This episode’s conversation takes some wild turns as Justin and Laura discuss what makes this film so unique. They cover everything from the surprising amount of violence to differences in the Broadway adaptation starring Supergirl‘s Jeremy Jordan. Justin gets weirded out by watching baby Batman singing and dancing while other children smoke cigars throughout the entire film. Laura is excited about the attention to detail in all the sets and costumes. The hosts even tackle the biggest question: why is Teddy Roosevelt always the hero, even in movies that aren’t about him? If you enjoy shockingly dark Disney musicals, or just like Bill Pullman, you don’t want to miss this episode.

Brush up on your Spanish, because, next time, we’ll be watching Pan’s Labyrinth!

The post Ep. 2 – Newsies appeared first on Last Chance Theater.

For our very first episode, Laura introduces Justin to her favorite 80’s movie, Heathers.

A dark comedy about high school power dynamics, Heathers (1988) is a revered cult classic. Veronica Sawyer (Winona Ryder) is a reluctant member of Westerburg High’s popular clique, the Heathers. Everything changes when she falls for rebel JD (Christian Slater) and a string of deaths shake up the Heathers’ carefully-crafted high school hierarchy. Full of witty dialogue, colorful clothes, and murder – what more could you want from a teen movie?

Join us as Laura and Justin dive deep into all aspects of the vicious classic. They debate whether or not Veronica is an anti-hero, how exactly JD found gay porn in a small conservative Ohio town, and whether or not the parents are underdeveloped or just terrible humans. Justin spends a long time trying to find the name of a funeral song, and Laura gives a brief review of the off-Broadway Heathers musical. Plus, they break down why everyone plays croquet and the symbolism of red scrunchies. It’s an interesting journey through one of the most controversial teen movies to exist!

Check back in two weeks for our next episode. We’ll be talking about the Christian Bale and Disney gem, Newsies, so get ready!

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