Optimism Vaccine

THIS WEEK: Garth Marenghi's Darkplace (2004), A Gun for George (2011), The Snipist (2012), Smutch (2016), Possum (2018)

Here at Optimism Vaccine, we've always loved the great tragedies: King Lear, The Poseidon Adventure, Superman 2. The greatest tragedy of all though is the lack of widespread respect and admiration for the work of writer, director and actor, Mathew Holness.

Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/optimismvaccine

THIS WEEK: Who's Minding the Store? (1963), The Ladies Man (1961), Smorgasbord A.K.A. Cracking Up (1983)

Jerry Lewis was the king of comedy and the only person named Jerry Lewis who didn't marry his 13-year-old cousin in 1958. He was also a cinematic pioneer and by the end of his career, a broken (but still hilarious) unchained lunatic.

Question: What do severed heads, secret stashes of marijuana, and Wings Hauser have in common? They are all featured in Tough Guys Don’t Dance, the film adaptation of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Norman Mailer’s murder mystery novel of the same name. What was once widely known as one of the first internet video memes has since been lovingly restored by Vinegar Syndrome, in all of its incomprehensible glory. Steve, Jack, and Jake took it upon themselves to hunker down and attempt to crack this bizarre nut of a motion picture. Oh man, oh God!

THIS WEEK: Tough Guys Don’t Dance (1987)

Rate and Review Optimism Vaccine on iTunes: https://bit.ly/OptimismVaccine

Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/optimismvaccine

We've got a detour from our usual film-centric content (and acceptable recording fidelity) for a very special episode.

Stephen and Steve return to Discourse From The Big Chair after two years of slowly losing their minds during a global pandemic because a new Tears for Fears album is just weeks away.

We've gushed about our favorite Tears For Fears songs and listened to what it sounds like when they cover contemporary pop acts, but what about when bands cover them?

We also dive into the first three singles (The Tipping Point, Break the Man, No Small Thing) from the new album and discuss the upcoming 2022 tour.

Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/optimismvaccine

2021 was a great year for roller skating ninjas, wholesome paternal love and people named Ryusuke Hamaguchi. Join us as we talk about the best films of 2021 and once again try to convince you to watch Me You Madness.

THIS WEEK: New York Ninja (2021), Me You Madness (2021), Pig (2021), Titane (2021), The Worst Person in the World (2021), Drive My Car (2021), Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy (2021), Red Rocket (2021), Licorice Pizza (2021) France (2021)

Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/optimismvaccine

OV pours one out for comedic genius/movie anti-star, Norm MacDonald, and beloved sitcom dad/penguin voice, Bob Saget

THIS WEEK: Dirty Work (1998), Screwed (2000), Half Baked (1998)

Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/optimismvaccine

What exactly is a wife guy and why have they sacrificed their Hollywood careers (and a few film studios) to honor their ladies? The OV boys investigate the wife guy phenomenon to get to the bottom of how Renny Harlin bankrupted Carolco Pictures for love and John Derek avoided prison.

THIS WEEK: Cutthroat Island (1995), Swept Away (2002), Bolero (1984)

Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/optimismvaccine

After years of grinding Jake's soul into dust by making him watch a cornucopia of trash every week, we're finally giving you the episode of his dreams: David Lynch's (unofficial) Los Angeles trilogy. Join us as we gush about one of the greatest living American Filmmakers and try to determine if Robert Forester modeled his life after his character in Lost Highway.

THIS WEEK: Lost Highway (1997), Mullholland Drive (2001), Inland Empire (2006)

Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/optimismvaccine

The Bebop crew goes after a bounty that leads them deep into space in search of an ancient chess master, while the Woolong Club crew gives you the history of Cowboy Bebop on home video and the game of chess.

Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/optimismvaccine

We're celebrating the holidays the only way we know how to: A critical reassessment of Dario Argento's most maligned (and recent) films. Tune in for a giallo that isn't a giallo (just an Adrian Brody lawsuit), a Suspiria sequel, and Dario's take on a mid-90s FMV aesthetic applied to a classic horror story.

THIS WEEK: Mother of Tears (2007), Giallo (2009), Dracula 3D (2012)

Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/optimismvaccine