The Retro Nostalgia Podcast

We're big fans of Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse. Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, and Dogma were favorites of ours back in the 1990s. So when CLERKS: THE ANIMATED SERIES was announced during the Super Bowl in 2000, fanboys like us totally geeked out over the idea that Dante & Randall and Jay & Silent Bob would be on NETWORK TV during prime time!

Unfortunately, it really didn't work out that way. Only two of the six episodes ever actually made it to air... during the SUMMER (where new shows go to die). It wasn't until this was made available on DVD in 2001 that CLERKS: THE ANIMATED SERIES truly found its audience.

For those of you who LOVE nerdy/geeky humor with jokes about obscure pop culture references; Gen X youth nostalgia; and just random nonsequiturs - this show is for you! It'll remind you of The Simpsons, Family Guy, South Park, Robot Chicken and countless YouTubers!

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Watch the video version👉 https://youtu.be/Vi-LUIR2c2U

Continuing with "Animation August," Cristina picked AN AMERICAN TAIL; Steven Spielberg's first foray into animation which was released in late 1986. This movie was directed by Don Bluth, who had a minor hit with "The Secret of NIMH" back in 1982.

Much like NIMH, this movie uses all hand drawn animation and painted detailed backgrounds. However, the tone is a little lighter as it contains quite a few musical sequences. The most famous being "There Are No Cats in America" and of course "Somewhere Out There" which went to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Neither Cristina nor Chad has seen this since they were young children, so it was almost like a first time viewing for both. Is it as visually impressive as NIMH? Is it just a kids' movie or something adults can enjoy too? Did it make us cry? Does it hold up 40 years later? Listen to our podcast to find out!

Watch the video version👉 https://youtu.be/4Q4pSTfgTnw

Our SECRET OF NIMH review👉 https://youtu.be/T5DzoKaDEdQ

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It's "Animation August" so Chad picked AKIRA - the 1988 cyberpunk fever dream that introduced Japanese animation (or anime) to mainstream American audiences. This is definitely one of the most influential films across a variety of genres and Chad and Cristina both agree it's got a timeless quality.

If you've never seen Akira, it's rather difficult to describe because there are at least three or four sub-plots that interconnect and the pacing is rather frantic. It's one of those rare films that gets better upon repeated viewings. There's so much detail to both the story and the imagery; you'll notice something new each time you see it.

What other Japanese animation do you think we should watch? Let us know in the comments!

Watch the video version👉 https://youtu.be/eedSxliRsbI

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Back in 1994 a show debuted on ABC that would pretty much define what it was like being a GenX/Millennial (Xennial?) of the day: MY SO-CALLED LIFE starring Claire Danes. Unlike other "teen dramas" of the day that were essentially prime time soap operas, this show took a fairly earnest approach of depicting life in the suburbs. The show centers around 10th grader Angela Chase and her relationships with friends Rayanne, Sharon and Brian; her crush on Jordan Catalano (Jared Leto); and her parents Patty and Graham (who tend to steal the spotlight quite often). This show only produced 19 episodes in the 1994-95 season, but it remains one of the greatest "one hit wonders" of TV.

Not surprisingly, we thought the best guest to discuss this show would be Natalie from  @mysocalledgenxlife . In this podcast, we discuss the main cast; the most memorable, funniest and tearjerking moments; various fan theories; and everything that made it a perfect time capsule of the 1990s. We also contrast how we felt about it as teenagers versus how we view it through adult eyes. It's quite amazing what teens got away with back in the 20th Century!

Did you watch this show back in 1994? Did you catch it in syndication, streaming, or on DVD? Let us know in the comments what we got right and wrong!

Follow Natalie👉 https://youtube.com/@mysocalledgenxlife

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There were a LOT of comedies in the 1980s about summer vacations gone awry. This niche sub-genre probably got its start in 1983 with NATIONAL LAMPOON'S VACATION. The movie stars Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo with a young Anthony Michael Hall and a then-unknown Randy Quaid. Written by comedy virtuoso John Hughes and directed by Harold Ramis, it launched a franchise of SIX* films!

Vacation was a box office success, so naturally a sequel was created: NATIONAL LAMPOON'S EUROPEAN VACATION (which went up against Back To The Future in the summer of 1985). This time John Hughes only provided the story and it was directed by Amy Heckerling (who did pretty well with Fast Times At Ridgemont High).

Cristina grew up watching the original Vacation with only vague memories of the sequel. Chad had NEVER seen either movie in its entirety until just now! Are these comedy masterpieces that hold up decades later or are they just arbitrary pop culture fixtures? Listen and find out!

*Technically there were six films in the series: Vacation, European Vacation; Christmas Vacation; Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure; Vegas Vacation, and the 2015 Vacation reboot starring Ed Helms and Christina Applegate.

WATCH THE VIDEO VERSION👉 https://youtu.be/BQRAvgVfyGg

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There may have been buddy-cop movies before LETHAL WEAPON, but this franchise has outlived (and out-earned) them all! Mel Gibson and Danny Glover actually play it fairly straight in this first installment. Sure there are jokes and the usual action sequences, but compared to competitors like BEVERLY HILLS COP and DIE HARD; Lethal Weapon is quite dark and serious... so much so that it borders on being campy.

We discuss Mel Gibson and Danny Glover’s chemistry, Gary Busey’s role as the psychotic villain, the recognizable ’80s soundtrack, that ridiculously long final fight scene; and why the sequels probably improved this franchise. And of course, why does the internet consider DIE HARD a Christmas movie, but not LETHAL WEAPON!?

Watch the video version👉 https://youtu.be/Sf1Z8VWHry4

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Chad and Cristina head to Amity Island (wherever that is) to revisit Steven Spielberg’s 1975 classic, JAWS! Cristina has watched it every summer since childhood, while Chad came to the movie much later. We debate whether Jaws is a horror, thriller or drama; its rather titillating and gruesome PG-rated moments; the mayor’s questionable priorities; and whether that enormous shark could really swim in such shallow water. Does the original summer blockbuster remain an all-time masterpiece? Listen and find out!

Watch the video version👉 https://youtu.be/jGTjqmrSnFs

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Any list of greatest summer blockbuster movies would have to include 1988's DIE HARD starring Bruce Willis. It's one of the few films of the genre that could perfectly balance explosions, gunfire and plenty of insane stunts with a rather lighthearted and comical approach.

Believe it or not, Cristina had never seen DIE HARD until just now! In fact, she wasn't all that familiar with the premise of the story, so Chad refused to give her any spoilers going into it. Thus, she's in a perfect position to judge this movie with fresh eyes 38 years after its release. But is it a Christmas movie? What and find out the results of that debate!

Watch the video version👉 https://youtu.be/1pphRPR8Lzk

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Chad and Cristina revisit INDEPENDENCE DAY for its 30th anniversary and find out if this alien invasion classic is as fun to watch now as it was in 1996. It definitely was one of the biggest science fiction blockbusters of the 1990s (rivaling The Matrix and The Phantom Menace!). Starring Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Randy Quaid, Vivica A. Fox, Judd Hirsch, and Brent Spiner, INDEPENDENCE DAY became one of the defining summer blockbuster movies of the decade with groundbreaking visual effects, unforgettable action sequences, memorable one-liners, and one of the most iconic movie speeches ever filmed.

Of course we share our favorite moments, discuss the film's strengths and weaknesses, compare it to other '90s blockbusters, and decide whether this is movie essential viewing or simply a fun nostalgic popcorn movie.

Watch the video version👉 https://youtu.be/yQ4tjVnE0yw

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check out The 80's and 90's Uncensored podcast👉 https://the80sand90s.com

Two weeks ago, Chad and Cristina reviewed the 1989 movie THE WIZARD featuring Fred Savage. Something that movie is best known for is its sneak preview of SUPER MARIO BROS 3. It seemed only natural that we would discuss that game for its own episode. But we had to bring in an expert in Nintendo NES games: James from  @BigOleWords . Chad had been following James since he initially launched his channel 5 years ago and has been a member of his Patreon for quite some time now.

Since this is a podcast, there's no gameplay footage in this episode; but rather a fun nostalgic discussion of our memories of this game back in 1990 and how it holds up today. We reminisce on Nintendo Power, the Super Mario Bros franchise, Easter Eggs scattered throughout the game, tips and tricks, and so much more. Plus, James delights us with some behind-the-scenes information on his channel.

Watch the video version👉 https://youtu.be/amzxCxHQBwM

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