Middle-Aged and Mediocre

In the vast landscape of popular culture, few franchises have captured the hearts and imaginations of fans across multiple generations quite like Masters of the Universe. What began as a line of action figures in the early 1980s blossomed into a multimedia empire that included an animated show and a live-action film. This epic saga, with its rich mythology, iconic characters, and enduring legacy, has become an integral part of the collective nostalgia and pop culture lexicon.

A hulking warrior with the haircut of a small Dutch boy wages a never-ending battle with a skeleton man set in a hybrid world of sword and sorcery and technological sci-fi... it's a tale as old as time but one we're here to tell once again. This is Middle-Aged and Mediocre... and by the power of Grayskull, we have the power! So raise your swords high, find a big cat to saddle up and ride, and let's get into the world of Masters of the Universe!

The 1980s was a remarkable era for cinema, leaving an indelible mark on popular culture that still resonates today. It was a time when big hair, neon colors, and shoulder pads were in vogue, and the silver screen transported audiences to worlds both familiar and fantastical. From heartwarming tales that tugged at our heartstrings to pulse-pounding adventures that kept us on the edge of our seats, the '80s had it all.

From action-packed blockbusters like "Indiana Jones" and "Die Hard" to comedic gems like "Ghostbusters" and "Back to the Future," the '80s gifted us with unforgettable characters, quotable lines, and imaginative worlds that captured our imagination.

Beyond the compelling stories, the '80s introduced us to a new wave of visionary directors who pushed the boundaries of filmmaking. From Steven Spielberg's mastery of spectacle and fantasy to John Hughes' ability to capture the essence of teenage angst, these creators left an indelible imprint on the cinematic landscape.

So, dust off your VHS tapes, cue up your favorite '80s soundtrack, and join us as we celebrate the magic of a decade that continues to enchant audiences of all ages.

In Part One, we covered Joel's Top 5 Films from the 80s – License To Drive, Stand By Me, Back to the Future, Batman, and Robocop. In Part Two, we'll look at my Top 5 80s Films. As we said in Part One, these are the movies we loved IN the 80s... not necessarily the 80s movies that we watched later in life and now love.

This is Middle-Aged and Mediocre.... and this is Our Top 10 80s Movies: Part Two!

The eighties... supposedly Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George Bush were all presidents of the united states but the only President we acknowledged was WWF President, Jack Tunney. It was the decade of glam rock, hair metal, acid-washed jeans, Hulk Hogan, the Nintendo Entertainment System, DeLoreans, and Bird vs Magic in the NBA.

Family sitcoms, Saturday morning cartoons, MTV, video games, comic books... more so than anything else from the 80s, it was the films of the 1980s that shaped so many of us.

With that nostalgia in mind, we will be looking back at our Top 10 favorite movies from the 80s. Joel has made his list of 5 and I've picked 5 of mine. We based our choices off of films that we enjoyed at the time... leaving behind the movies from the 80s that we watched later in life and became fans of. We'll cover Joel's 5 picks in part 1 and Cash's 5 in part 2. We hope you'll enjoy revisiting the 80s with us and make sure you let us know what your favorite movies were when you were living life in the 80s.

Chicago native, James Keehan, known later in life as Count Dante, was a martial artist who considered himself a master of the violent fighting style known as "Dim Mak" and once challenged Muhammad Ali to a duel. Count Dante was a character before his time who had a vision for karate tournaments that would be harder-hitting, more violent, and much bloodier than what his fellow practitioners of combat were accustomed to. The "Crown Prince of Death" added flair and style to his persona and had big dreams but unfortunately, life seemed to always crane kick him in the face before he could accomplish those dreams. Check out our latest episode to hear about the ridiculous life of THE DEADLIEST MAN WHO EVER LIVED!

The Klan arrived in South Bend, Indiana in 1924 with plans to hold a rally and parade down main street but the students from the University of Notre Dame stood together and ensured that those plans would never come to fruition.

This episode was a very special request from Joel's daughter, Lilly, and we felt like it would be really fun to do an episode that was PG so anyone who wanted to could listen to it could do so with their kids. We dive into the worlds of Coraline Jones and discuss her journey between reality and the "other" world where things might seem perfect at first but the vibes turn weird & creepy pretty quickly. This is a really fun episode so thanks for listening and we hope you enjoy it!

Texas had a real problem with its banks being robbed in the 1920s. The problem was bad enough that the Texas Bank Association offered a $5,000 reward to anyone who shot a bank robber during the crime. A group of outlaws, led by Marshall Ratliff, devised a plan that they thought would protect them from law enforcement and reward-seeking vigilantes. Christmas was only a few days away so they figured having "Santa" with them while they robbed the First National Bank in Cisco, Texas would be their ticket to fortune. Marshall Ratliff, donning a stolen Santa suit, and his three accomplices entered the bank and proceeded to rob it on the morning of December 23, 1927. Within minutes, all hell broke loose and a gunfight broke out. The Santa Claus bandits would shoot their way out of the bank and make their getaway but they wouldn't find much Yuletide cheer in their future.

We cannot tell a lie... President George Washington's death was an absolute nightmare and a bloody clusterfuck!

Picking up where we left off, James Lewis and his wife, LeAnn, have assumed new identities once again but James has continued to sit and stew on the injustice he felt that his wife's former boss, Fred McCahey, had levied against him by not having the funds to pay his wife's last paycheck. With revenge in mind, Lewis sat and waited for his opportunity to strike... and then seven people in Chicago dropped dead after taking Tylenol. Looking to capitalize on the tragedy, Lewis got to work on ruining McCahey's life only to find himself at the center of the investigation into the deaths. Oops!

Cash & Joel discuss the life of a man who went by many names but was born Theodore Wilson, Jr. before a troubled childhood led him to be renamed James William Lewis by his adoptive parents. James Lewis grew up to be a lot of things; a husband, a father, a tax man, a scam artist, an extortionist, and a suspected murderer.

Also in this episode, the boys have decided to partner with AI to bring you "Middle-Aged and Mediocre Theatre" featuring an argument about pants, a debate on who would win between Jason Voorhees and a squirrel, and detectives Cash and Joel investigating The Muppet Massacre. Enjoy!