Old Millennials Remember Movies

Nature vs. nurture. Eddie Murphy vs. the establishment. Jamie Lee Curtis vs. shirts. "Trading Places," from John Landis, is one of the defining Murphy comedies of the 80s. Plus Dan Aykroyd is there doing a "rich" accent! You know the story: Two evil rich guys (Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche) orchestrate a bet in which down-on-his-luck Murphy gets thrust into an extravagant lifestyle. Meanwhile, Aykroyd plays the poor employee who gets everything stripped away, but it's okay because at least he gets to hang out with Jamie Lee Curtis.

The Old Millennials discuss the enduring relevance of the film's message about privilege and opportunity, and they even tread through some of the thorny racial issues that pop up here too. Plus you know we gotta talk about the Belushi in the ape costume.

Lots of topless women in this movie. (Begins a Jerry Seinfeld accent) "What's the deal with 80s comedies and random nudity?" And is Dan Aykroyd a good actor? That's a more complicated discussion than you might expect. And yes, the Old Millennials also walk through the complicated climax set on the commodities trading floor (something about orange juice), and Tyler still doesn't understand what's going on. Look, he's not really a numbers guy, okay?

One thing's for sure - Eddie Murphy crushes this movie. Oh and Marcus Brody from "Indiana Jones" rules too (Denholm Elliott).

Also discussed on this episode:

Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

Soul (2020)

Spontaneous (2020)

Sound of Metal (2020)

Possessor (2020)

Cats (2019)

Kung Fu Panda Trilogy

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (final season)

Bridgerton (television series)

Imposter (television series)

Fa la la la la, la la la casual racism.

Aside from the slight blemish at the end of the film, "A Christmas Story" remains a certifiable holiday classic, thanks in no small part to the film's annual Christmas Day marathon on TBS. The story of Ralphie and his quest to obtain a Red Ryder BB Gun for Christmas is filled with setbacks and failures. Every adult thinks he'll shoot his eye out, and, after Ralphie's triumphant victory, that's pretty much exactly what he does. Ah, life sucks, little kid. Good thing you learned it at a young age.

The Old Millennials hosts probably LOVE "A Christmas Story" as much as you do, and they discuss their favorite vignettes, the best one liners ("NOT A FINGER!") and why their kids would much rather watch "Home Alone" this time of year. Tyler and Angela share childhood memories too, including Tyler's own fateful encounter with a frozen pole.

You'll also learn all about laserdiscs thanks to Tyler's weird memories of "A Christmas Story," as he knows the exact second of the film you needed to flip that giant disc over to SIDE B. Why didn't these laserdiscs catch on, anyway?

The Old Millennials also celebrate the mom and true hero of "A Christmas Story," Melinda Dillon, discuss the Old Man's propensity for tabloid news and toxic masculinity, and whether or not Ralphie means to call his little brother "Brandy." Also, we spent a good amount of time comparing red cabbage and poop.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Old Millennials Remember Movies!

What We've Been Watching

Godmothered (2020)

Holiday rewatches - Home Alone, Elf, Noelle

Ammonite (2020)

Mank (2020)

Tesla (2020)

Uncle Frank (2020)

Check out these related past holiday episodes of Old Millennials Remember Movies:

Home Alone - ep 26 -1990

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York - ep 63 - 1992

The Santa Clause - ep 61 - 1994

Jingle All the Way - ep 27 - 1996

Scrooged - ep 24 - 1988

We break all the rules with this holiday episode of Old Millennials Remember Movies. The beloved television special "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" isn't a movie, and it didn't come out in the 80s or 90s. Nevertheless, the Rankin/Bass stop-motion animated special was a formative experience for children of many generations. It still gets played every year, and one Old Millennials host can't go a Christmas season without it. The other host is, well, let's just say less enthusiastic.

Lots of weird characters to discuss in "Rudolph," including that flying lion who rules over his own island of misfit toys. What's that about? Quick aside - what's the best misfit toy on the island? Answer: Cowboy riding an ostrich.

A tale of tolerance back in 1964, many lessons can be taken from "Rudolph," though the Old Millennials reach different conclusions about how Rudolph comes to pull Santa's sleigh on that foggy Christmas Eve.

Among the heavy topics on this deep-dive analysis - Why is Santa Claus such a jerk? Seriously, the guy sucks. Do the marginalized female characters actually serve a vital role in Rudolph's journey? Is Rudolph right to return to Christmas town to help all the people who were shitty to him? Is this special preaching tolerance or acceptance, and does that message still resonate in the dumpster fire of 2020? Does the Burl Ives snowman just hang around all day looking for someone willing to talk to him?

Yes, the Old Millennial hosts take this kiddie cartoon discussion to some interesting and surprising places. Angela is fired up for some reason, and Tyler just wants to be loved. Both want to make a $200 million live-action Yukon Cornelius epic. Probably starring Samuel L. Jackson.

Also discussed on this very merry episode of Old Millennials Remember Movies:

Happiest Season (2020)

The Christmas Chronicles 2 (2020)

Princess Switch 2: Switched Again (2020)

Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square (2020)

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020)

Lego Star Wars Holiday Special (2020)

Here's an idea: Have a point! It makes it so much more interesting for the listener.

Those famous, cruel words in "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" aren't always taken to heart on a typical episode of Old Millennials Remember Movies, but for the sake of this John Hughes comedy classic, we'll give it a try this time.

While there aren't many "Thanksgiving classics" out there, "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" lives comfortably at the top of the list, thanks to the dynamic between comedy legends Steve Martin and John Candy. It's a family-friendly romp about an exasperated jerk and a cartoonish oaf battling poor weather and bad luck in order to make it home for Thanksgiving dinner. Well... it's a family-friendly romp EXCEPT for that glorious, f-bomb riddled explosion by Martin at the car rental kiosk. Kids, if you need to learn how to swear properly, study this scene until you can recite every syllable.

Like so many of the movies discussed on Old Millennials Remember Movies, nostalgia plays a major role in how this movie plays in 2020. Old Millennials co-hosts Tyler and Angela had very different experiences growing up with "Planes, Trains and Automobiles," and so their reactions to the re-watch triggers some deeper than expected discussion. The Old Millennials analyze the enduring legacy of John Hughes and whether the modern film industry is even capable of delivering zeitgeist-triggering communal experiences that pass from generation to generation. See! We have a point to all this!

And if you take away just one thing from "Planes, Trains and Automobiles," remember that you can include this movie in your spirited games of "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon."

Also discussed in this episode:

Mangrove - from the Small Axe anthology by Steve McQueen (2020)

Over the Moon (2020)

Rebecca (2020)

The Queen's Gambit (2020 limited TV series)

Expecto patronum! Expelliarmus! Exfoliate-ess! Journey back to Hogwarts and the early stages of puberty with "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," the third installment in the J.K. Rowling-inspired movie franchise. It's time to get SERIOUS in Harry Land thanks to director Alfonso Cuaron, hot off that other popular children's franchise, "Y Tu Mama, Tambien."

Yes, the future multi-Oscar winner Cuaron injects style and gravitas into the adventures of Harry, Ron and Hermoine. Most notably - the movie actually features multiple outdoor locations! The "world" of Harry Potter finally extends beyond the castle walls without green screen (okay, there's still some green screen).

"Prisoner of Azkaban" is widely regarded as the best movie in the franchise, and the Old Millennials discuss why it's earned that reputation. Is this really the "best made" movie, or did having Alfonso Cuaron's name on it boost its critical adoration?

Regardless, "Prisoner of Azkaban" features many memorable additions, including Gary Oldman as Sirius Black, the beginning of Michael Gambon as Dumbledore (replacing Richard Harris, RIP), Emma Thompson and David Thewlis as Lupin (although co-host Tyler might get him confused a few times with Rufus Sewell). Lots of CGI dogs and whatnot in this movie, but we also get a pretty dynamic time travel climax with some major "Back to the Future" vibes. Also Dementors! Those guys are jerks!

Tyler and Angela also have an extended discussion about the film's "plot twist" involving Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew. It's a scene that left their 9-year-old daughter super confused, and Tyler kinda understands the sentiment. The Marauder Map gets discussed, which is a very morally questionable and powerful magical device where the user can see the location of EVERYONE in the castle at any given time. This world has such crazy powerful magic, and yet Harry can't see a damn thing without his eyeglasses.

Also, for the third year in a row, Tyler and Angela marvel at the brilliance of Alan Rickman as Snape, and they continue to be sad about Rickman's permanent absence from Planet Earth.

Check out our previous November episodes on Harry Potter below:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - Episode 23

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - Episode 57

Also discussed in this episode

The Middleburg Film Festival

One Night in Miami (2020)

Minari (2020)

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (2020)

This is Halloween... or this is Christmas... or when are we supposed to watch "The Nightmare Before Christmas" every year?

The short answer, of course, is anytime, as the Henry Selick-directed stop-motion animated musical has become a certifiable classic. People love this movie, especially people who buy all their clothes at Hot Topic. It's a pretty great story about how a ghoul (Jack Skellington) goes through a mid-life crisis and nearly ruins the world. But with songs! The Danny Elfman music rules, and the animation and character/production design has aged incredibly well, especially compared to other Disney animated entries from the 90s.

The Old Millennials discuss the "sweet spot" time period to watch "Nightmare Before Christmas" (hint: around the early November release date of this podcast feels right), how their little kids reacted to all the spooky creatures and the kidnapping of Sandy Claws on first viewing, the Tim Burton influence (it's called "Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas" for a reason) and the enduring awesomeness of Catherine O'Hara (aka Sally, the only one smart enough to realize Jack is buying out the Jerk Store). We also unpack those accusations of racism made against the movie, and Tyler talks about how "cool" he was for liking animated musical at age 9.

Oh, and what's this?! This episode also features what the Old Millennials watched for Halloween, which includes an extended discussion on 1982's "Poltergeist" from director Tobe Hooper and writer Steven Spielberg. It's like a mini-episode on "Poltergeist" to start the program, almost like the Old Millennials originally intended to devote an entire episode to the movie... hmmm. Life is stressful in 2020.

Also discussed in this episode

Bad Hair (2020)

Psycho (1960) and Psycho II (1983)

Red Dragon (2002)

Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)

The Invisible Man (2020)

So many heads roll in "Sleepy Hollow," Tim Burton's gory, uber-Gothic blockbuster based on the classic Washington Irving story. This movie goes big with cartoonish spurts of blood, spinal stumps, a bombastic Danny Elfman score and an undead ax murderer in search of Christopher Walken's head.

Travel all the way back to a time when an unusual Johnny Depp performance would be a box office asset and movie studios gave directors $100 million to make a Ye Olde Slasher Film. Ah, you gotta love the hubris of the late 90s.

The Old Millennials revisit "Sleepy Hollow" and debate the merits of Burton's style-over-substance approach. The plot is unnecessarily knotty, but damn, look at all those decapitated heads! We talk about the strange Boys Club comprised of Emperor Palpatine, Uncle Dursley, Albus Dumbledore and Mr. Rooney from "Ferris Bueller," as well as why Christina Ricci seems so uncomfortable as the romantic lead to Depp's cowardly Icabod Crane. The Old Millennials also try to shake off the movie's sole "scary" moment (those eyeballs through the floorboards) and discuss whether "Pirates of the Caribbean" director Gore Verbinski based his entire concept of Jack Sparrow around "Sleepy Hollow's" climactic carriage chase.

Plus Tyler says the word "moody." A lot.

Also discussed in this episode:

"Hubie Halloween" starring Adam Sandler (2020)

"The 40-Year-Old Version" from writer/director Radha Blank (2020)

"Kajillionaire" from writer/director Miranda July (2020)

"Moneyball" with Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill (2011)

Van Helsing (Vanessa!) TV series

"They do what they wanna do, say what they wanna say, live how they wanna live, play what they wanna play, dance how they wanna dance, kick and they slap a friend, The Addams Family!"

Yes, MC Hammer provides the soundtrack to the live-action, big screen update of "The Addams Family." If anything, it's Cousin Itt's go-to jam while rolling around in that sweet ITT-Mobile.

The 1991 film, directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, was a massive hit, capitalizing on some slick production design, inspired casting and a rather peculiar mix of slapstick and morbid humor. "Addams Family Values" in 1993 is a true rarity - a sequel that improves upon the original in almost every way, most importantly with the inclusion of a true antagonist in the form of a vamping Joan Cusack. It's also the movie where the Addams kids Wednesday and Pugsley terrorize a saccharine summer camp.

The Old Millennials discuss the legacy of this 90s mini-franchise, the strange combination of gallows humor and kiddie cartoon antics, the sometimes exhausting simmer of Raul Julia and Angelica Huston as Gomez and Morticia, and the showstopping MVP performance of a young Christina Ricci as Wednesday Addams. Also, is Thing a fun marvel of 90s-era special effects or a super annoying distraction? How does he (it? Itt?) get a job in an office mailroom anyway? Is the sentient severed hand a normal occurrence in this world?

Also in this episode, Tyler (sorta) attends the New York Film Festival, and the 2019 animated reboot of "The Addams Family" is reviewed, though one of the hosts slept through a good 45 minutes of it.

If you take away one lesson from "The Addams Family," it's this: Just because a family gets a new baby doesn't mean one of the other children has to die. At least not anymore.

Also discussed in this episode:

Nomadland (2020)

The Boys in the Band (2020)

Weathering With You (2020)

Dick Johnson is Dead (2020)

Wishmaster (1997)

Yikes. There's no way to justify all that's wrong with the Josie Grossie - Alias Afterthought student-teacher relationship in this Drew Barrymore "romance."

Life moves pretty fast. Just not the middle section of "Ferris Bueller's Day Off."

Okay, so that was a bit of a cheap shot. By many accounts, this John Hughes classic deserves its place as one of the most enduring comedies of the 1980s, despite a few questionable narrative pit stops in the movie's middle-act travelogue of Chicago.

Matthew Broderick's character is in the title, but he may actually be one of the movie's least interesting characters. Jennifer Grey as Ferris' perpetually pissed sister Jeannie and Alan Ruck as Ferris' depressed best friend Cameron steal the movie at every turn, in part because it's their characters who must grow and change as the result of Ferris' antics. Plus Cameron's "phone voice" endures as one of the best comic line deliveries of all time. Call me SIR, GAWDDAMNIT! MIND YOUR Ps and Qs, BUSTER!

The Old Millennials hosts discuss their complicated history with "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." Angela could never tolerate the stupidity of every single adult in the movie. And Tyler, despite having fond memories of watching the movie many times growing up, hasn't been compelled to watch it in years. So how do they feel after this long-overdue re-watch? And what does Jack Sparrow have to do with any of this? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

The Back to School miniseries returns to "Old Millennials Remember Movies" with "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," the John Hughes-penned comedy that (probably) inspired the "Home Alone" franchise. Really! Mr. Rooney gets violently pranked worse than a Wet Bandit!