Optimism Vaccine

THIS WEEK: What Happened Was... (1994), The Wife (1995) and The Shape of Something Squashed (2014)

To celebrate the life of beloved character actor Tom Noonan, we decided to take a look at his directorial efforts, which proved to be a trio of incisive, underseen gems. Did we do them justice? No we did not.

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THIS WEEK: It Couldn't Happen Here (1987), Disorderlies (1987) and The Jerky Boys (1995)

Strap in, sizzlechest, because The Fat Boys are back. I should probably work the Pet Shop Boys in here somehow, but that seems downright undignified. Anyhow, we're looking at the cinematic exploits of various Boys.

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THIS WEEK: Lifeline (1997), Bullets Over Summer (1999) and Fulltime Killer (2001)

We're back in Hong Kong, with a trio of films that showcase a changing industry in the wake of the transition from British to Chinese rule.

This topic was selected by one of our most excellent patrons. You too can choose a topic or slate of films for us to cover. See the link below for details!

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THIS WEEK: Big Money Hustlas (2000), Death Racers (2008) and Big Money Rustlas (2010)

You may know ICP as the rapping leaders of a dubious "gang" of graps-loving clowns. You may even know them for their contributions to the science of magnetism. But did you know that they're also auteur filmmakers?

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THIS WEEK: Hologram Man (1995), Last Man Standing (1995) and Rage (1995)

Sure, you've heard of white guy karate legend Jalal Merhi, but did you know that there was a completely unrelated Merhi who was silently pumping out high-octane DTV films by the dozen throughout the 1990s? It's time our audience got to know the name Joseph Merhi.

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THIS WEEK: Nosferatu (2024), Dracula (2025) and Dracula (2025)

Turns out this Dracula character is pretty hard to kill.

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THIS WEEK: The War of the Roses (1989), The Roses (2025) and War of the Worlds (2025)

Bloodless incompetent regurgitation. I'm sure that's how some folks would describe our podcast, but that's just a reflection of the times we live in, baby! Let's talk about remakes. Again.

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THIS WEEK: Tron (1982), Tron: Legacy (2010) and Tron: Ares (2025)

Tron is back again, after a fifteen year slumber. Why? I guess they thought a purported sex pest could help to quell growing societal anxieties surrounding the economical sustenance of the working class being wholly subsumed by the irresponsible deployment of artificial intelligence?

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THIS WEEK: Deathstalker II: Duel of the Titans (1987), Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell (1988) and Deathstalker IV: Match of Titans (1991)

The Deathstalker sequels led us down some bizarre rabbit holes, from Trump-appointed dignitaries to a bizarre A.I. infused IMDb profile hijacking? Or is it transcendence? We're still not sure. Let us know, Maria Ford.

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THIS WEEK: Deathstalker (1983) and Deathstalker (2025)

We're opening the new year with a discussion of the Corman classic Deathstalker, its Astron-6 "remake", and the sad state of sleaze in 2026.

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