We’ve got power ballads and power grabs this week with The Last Emperor (Best Picture) and the top ten billboard hits of 1987. From egregious album titles to unsanitary toe-sucking, from the Forbidden City to the crowning of MTV stardom, we’re livin’ on a prayer and dancing with somebody who loves us. Don’t forget to sing along!

It’s a year of military dudes close talking with their shirts off, with Top Gun (top grossing) and Platoon (Best Picture). Whether you’re team Navy or team Army, whether you’re team marijuana or team alcohol, strap on your parachute and make sure that helmet is secure, because in this episode Steven and Gina go to battle with possibly their biggest disagreement yet. This week, it’s war.

In this episode, the truth is revealed: Steven is a conspiracy theorist! Crank up that classical music and sit back as we crack into Beverly Hills Cop (top grossing) and Amadeus (Best Picture) to unearth the secrets of the classic banana in the tail pipe maneuver, excellent old age makeup, and the...funny side of police brutality? Wait, no, that can’t be right.

We’re going on safari and traveling through time with two movies whose titles are the opposite of their plots: Out of Africa (Best Picture) and Back to the Future (top grossing). Join us as we interrogate the ethics of “bird watching” and the poaching practices of the original gentrifiers. What’s the takeaway? The Biffs of the world are the real winners!

Don’t underestimate the power of 1983, with Return of the Jedi (top grossing) and Terms of Endearment (Best Picture). Are you looking for some hot tips on making out and hosting guests in NYC? Do you have gentlemen callers who have been pursuing you for like 15 years? Or maybe you’re part of a weird love triangle involving a sibling? Then you better tune in, because this podcast station is fully operational!

Buckle up, cuz this may be a controversial episode! Gina and Steven break down the beloved classic E.T. (top grossing) and the news program 60 Minutes (top rated TV show). Join us as we expose weird trick or treating decisions, frog murder, and quite possibly the origins of reality television.

What do Raiders of the Lost Ark (top grossing) and Chariots of Fire (Best Picture) have in common? Both have runners: be it for god, glory, or... not getting crushed by a boulder. Is it a good idea to taste test a poison dart, or to clutch a hand-written note while participating in an Olympic event? You’ll have to decide!

Welcome to the ‘80s! This first year of the new decade is all about fathers and their emotional sons with Ordinary People (Best Picture) and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (top grossing). What is a waiter’s true reaction to customers who only order Cokes? What is that in Luke’s lunch box...breadsticks or space jerky? We’ll let you decide!

The Final (Cross-Over) Countdown: Just 1 week left until the 80s begin. Until then, check out Gina’s appearance on Spoiler, where she takes on There Will Be Blood!

Cross Over Alert! Before Gina and Steven kick off the 1980s, they have appeared on other Rock Rising podcasts, and want to share them with you. Take a listen to Steven’s appearance on Looking For Artists hosted by Michael Johnson! Enjoy, the 1980s are coming soon!