Nostalgia Be Damned

Two computer animated family films about insects were racing to release first in the fall of 1998. While Dreamworks' Antz may have beat Pixar's A Bug's Life to theaters by a month, the latter earned more at the box office and has arguably eclipsed the former in terms of pop culture relevance. But is it deserved? Is Antz actually the better film? The boys debate. They also discuss the 'Starship Troopers/ Saving Private Ryan termite battle carnage, the disturbing character facial design that tried to match the actors' features, as well as the historic rivalry between two of Hollywood's animation powerhouse studios. 

Zach & Brandon rediscover 2004's historically ACCURATE action adventure blockbuster National Treasure. From Nic Cage's forfeiture of a billion dollars to the amount of times the phrase 'steal the Declaration of Independence' is uttered, they're diving deep into the movie Brandon watched several times in high school on standard def in history class.

SIZE DOES MATTER. But plot, effects, and acting - not so much. Zach & Brandon dig up a fossil from their childhoods and take a look back on 1998's Godzilla to see if it holds up (or if it was ever good in the first place). They discuss the pregnant predator's destructive habits and remarkable ability to evade the military while straight up disappearing on the streets of Manhattan. And so much more.

The boys saddle up for an animated adventure filled with Elton John music and implied sex acts. Zach & Brandon share their thoughts on 2000's The Road to El Dorado, including its two interchangeable leads, TWO animal sidekicks, and a villain obsessed with sacrifice. Another early DreamWorks flick with suggestive humor and bright animation that ended up underperforming at the box office. Is it worth introducing to a new generation?

Zach & Brandon tackle their second Adam Sandler sports comedy. They discuss 1998's surprise blockbuster The Waterboy and all its quirks, including the 'Mother Dead and Dearest' vibes of Kathy Bates' character, the relentless tormenting of some classic 90's jock bullies, as well as soaking in the first motion picture appearance of the Rob Schneider 'YOU CAN DO IT' townie. So sit back and enjoy- preferably with some high quality H20.

It's 1993 and every kid wishes to see real life dinosaurs. Luckily Walter Cronkite is listening through his wish radio, and he's got plenty of interstellar brain cereal to make dinos intelligent. He and his alien employee travel through time to bring four lucky dinosaurs to the future so they can interact with children in New York City. The boys try to make sense of this childhood favorite, We're Back! A Dinosaur Story.

The boys take a close look at 2001's third highest grossing movie, and recipient of the first Best Animated Feature Academy Award, Shrek. They also discuss Brandon's obsession with Smash Mouth's 'Astro Lounge' album, the stellar voice cast, as well as the long production history of the film.

There are dozens of adaptations of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol but only one of 'em has Muppets. Zach & Brandon discuss the 1992 family film and all its quirks, including the dead-eyed CGI baby face of the Ghost of Christmas Past, the catchy tunes, and Michael Caine's Oscar caliber performance as he acts opposite puppets with the utmost sincerity. 

In 1994, America was thirsty for Tim Allen. Disney cashed in on the country's obsession with a holiday hit that confused an entire generation of children regarding the correct spelling of 'Claus.' This week the boys unwrap The Santa Clause and all the darkness bubbling beneath its clever premise. 

Despite its critical and commercial success, the boys debate whether 2000's Chicken Run remains popular 18 years after its release. They also examine the dark WWII parallels, the villains' loveless marriage, and its impressive stop-motion animation.