This week on VHS Therapy, Mary and Teddy revisit the 90s thriller Kiss the Girls (1997) starring Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd.

What once felt like a gripping serial killer mystery now raises deeper questions about how violence—especially against women—has been portrayed as entertainment.

The sisters break down the film through a modern lens, including Ashley Judd’s recent reflections on the role and whether movies like this still hold up today.

💬 What We Talk About

• Our first memories watching Kiss the Girls (probably too young)

• The explosion of 90s serial killer movies

• Why audiences were—and still are—obsessed with true crime

• Ashley Judd’s performance and whether her character is empowering or exploited

• Morgan Freeman’s role: lead investigator or background support?

• The twist ending—does it still work?

• The ethical line between storytelling and exploitation

• Real-world consequences of true crime obsession

  
  

  Did Kiss the Girls scare you when you first saw it—or does it feel different now?

  Let us know on social or share this episode with a friend who grew up watching these movies with you.

In this episode of VHS Therapy, Mary and Teddy revisit the 1999 adventure blockbuster The Mummy and ask the big question: does it still hold up nearly 30 years later?

Starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz, this desert adventure has everything—ancient curses, undead priests, terrifying scarabs, and one of the most entertaining action-romance pairings of the late 90s.

Mary and Teddy discuss why the chemistry between Rick O’Connell and Evelyn Carnahan still makes the movie so watchable, how the film balances comedy, horror, and romance, and why the cast seems like they were having the time of their lives making it.

They also revisit some memorable characters including Jonathan, the charming but chaotic brother, the dramatic villain Imhotep, and the opportunistic (and very relatable) Benny.

Along the way, Mary and Teddy talk about:

• Why Rick O’Connell might be the ultimate late-90s action hero

• The appeal of Evelyn as a “bumbling brainiac” who still has agency

• Whether the movie’s CGI still holds up today

• The blend of action, comedy, horror, and romance that makes the film so rewatchable

• Why the chemistry between the cast carries the movie

The episode also includes some behind-the-scenes trivia and a chaotic round of Smash or Pass: Mummy Edition.

🎬 This Week on VHS Therapy

Mary and Teddy revisit the 1992 World War II spy romance Shining Through, starring Melanie Griffith, Michael Douglas, and Liam Neeson.

This early 90s drama follows Linda, a secretary-turned-spy who is sent behind enemy lines in Nazi Germany after falling in love with her boss — who just happens to be a spy.

The question is:
Was this sweeping wartime romance misunderstood… or was it truly a stinker?

💥 In This Episode We Discuss:

• Is the spy plot even remotely plausible?

• Does the movie know whether it’s a romance or a war thriller?

• Melanie Griffith’s accent — bold choice or fatal flaw?

• The Razzie Awards sweep (Worst Picture, Worst Actress & more)

• Liam Neeson before he had “a very particular set of skills”

  
  

  🎥 Next Week

  We’re heading to 1999 with The Mummy — Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, adventure, chemistry, and a movie we actually remember fondly.

  If you enjoyed this episode of VHS Therapy:

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  • Share with a fellow millennial who grew up on questionable VHS rentals

  
  

This week on VHS Therapy, we pivoted. Instead of Shining Through, we revisited the 1997 sci-fi cult classic Starship Troopers — and let’s just say… this is NOT the movie we thought we were watching as teenagers.

Directed by Paul Verhoeven and based on the novel by Robert Heinlein, Starship Troopers looks like a glossy 90s action movie about humans fighting alien bugs. But on rewatch? It’s something much sharper — a satire about militarism, propaganda, meritocracy, and media manipulation.

Also… we may have let our kids watch it. Parenting fail.

🧠 What We Discuss

• Why so many people missed the satire when it first came out

• Fascism and meritocracy in the Federation

• War as entertainment and media spectacle

  The infamous co-ed shower scene and why it still feels uncomfortable

  
  

  
  

🎬 Episode Summary

This week on VHS Therapy, Mary and Teddy revisit The Dark Crystal, Jim Henson’s ambitious and controversial fantasy that confused, unsettled, and possibly traumatized a generation of kids. Marketed as a family film in the early 80s, The Dark Crystal drops viewers into a fully realized fantasy world with no hand-holding, no human characters, and a heavy reliance on symbolism, puppetry, and atmosphere.

🧠 What You’ll Hear in This Episode

• Why The Dark Crystal struggled to find its audience as a “family film”

• How puppetry changes the way we read emotion, performance, and story

• Jim Henson’s technical brilliance—and where it works better than the story

• Why modern audiences may resist movies that require patience and interpretation

• The one scene that still absolutely works: the legendary puppet party

⏭️ Up Next on VHS Therapy

Next episode, we’re heading into very different territory with Shining Through, starring Melanie Griffith and Michael Douglas—a movie we definitely watched growing up and are very curious to revisit.

⭐ Support the Podcast

If you enjoyed this episode:

• Follow VHS Therapy wherever you listen

• Leave us a review—it really helps new listeners find the show

• Join us each week as we revisit the movies we probably shouldn’t have seen as kids

When Harry Met Sally (1989): Romance, Timing, and the Problem with Harry

In this episode of VHS Therapy, Mary and Teddy revisit the iconic 1989 romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally, directed by Rob Reiner and written by Nora Ephron.

On rewatch, this genre-defining rom-com hits a little differently. While the dialogue is still sharp and endlessly quotable, the dynamics between Harry and Sally raise some uncomfortable questions about emotional labor, double standards, and whether timing—not love—is the real villain of the story.

We dig into why Harry’s cynicism is treated as charming, why Sally’s standards become a punchline, and whether the famous happy ending actually delivers the growth it promises.

• Why Billy Crystal’s Harry feels more exhausting than endearing on rewatch

• The double standard between Harry’s neuroses and Sally’s boundaries

• Whether men and women can truly be platonic friends — especially once marriage enters the picture

• How timing quietly sabotages Harry and Sally at every stage of their relationship

• A breakdown of the deli scene: empowerment, performance, or male fantasy?

• Why the rewritten ending may have elevated the film — even if it undermines its honesty

• The surprisingly unquestioned whirlwind romance of Jess and Marie

• Behind-the-scenes trivia, including Rob Reiner’s real-life influence on the ending

💾 Follow, Rate & Rewind

If you enjoyed this episode:

• Follow VHS Therapy wherever you get your podcasts

• Leave a review — it helps more than you think

• Join the conversation on social and tell us: romantic or red flag?

Be kind, rewind. 🎞️

In this episode of VHS Therapy, sisters Mary and Teddy revisit Point of No Return (1993), the American remake of La Femme Nikita, starring Bridget Fonda, Gabriel Byrne, Dermot Mulroney, Anne Bancroft, and Harvey Keitel.

What they remembered as a slick, empowering assassin movie turns out to be something very different on rewatch.

• Why Point of No Return feels more like a story about control than empowerment

• Bridget Fonda’s performance and whether she was miscast

• Bob’s disturbing “creator” relationship with Maggie

• Amanda as mentor vs. groomer inside a corrupt system

• Victor the cleaner as Maggie’s possible future

We were excited to revisit this one—and it let us down. While there are interesting ideas buried in the film, Point of No Return ultimately fails to deliver on the empowerment it promises.

🎧 Next Episode: When Harry Met Sally — we’re officially entering romantic comedy month.

In this episode of VHS Therapy, Mary and Teddy revisit The Last of the Mohicans (1992) — the sweeping historical epic directed by Michael Mann and starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeleine Stowe, and Wes Studi.

We break down how the movie hits differently as adults, from its unforgettable soundtrack to its emotional love story and complex characters. We talk about Michael Mann’s intense dedication to authenticity, the film’s stunning cinematography, and why the score remains one of the most recognizable in movie history. We also dig into character motivations, especially Magua’s nuanced role as antagonist, and explore why this film feels more like a romance than a traditional war movie.

Topics include:

• How The Last of the Mohicans compares to the original novel

• Why the soundtrack is so iconic (and a little controversial)

• The female gaze, romance, and emotional storytelling

• Performances that still stand out decades later

• What we missed as kids — and what hits harder now

If you grew up watching movies you maybe shouldn’t have, this one’s for you.

🎬 Next episode: Point of No Return
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VHS Therapy – Season 1 Finale

In this episode of VHS Therapy, sisters Mary and Teddy revisit Mel Brooks’ Spaceballs (1987), the iconic sci-fi parody that somehow managed to spoof Star Wars, Star Trek, Alien, and 80s masculinity all at once.

We talk about why Spaceballs still holds up, which jokes land (and which feel dated), and how Bill Pullman’s Lone Starr is a surprisingly subversive hero, especially compared to the swaggering male leads of the 1980s. From fourth-wall breaks to merchandising jokes that predicted the future, this movie is doing more than being silly… and we unpack why.

⚠️ Content Warning: This episode is marked explicit and includes mild language and adult humor.

• What movies Spaceballs directly spoofs and references

• Mapping the jokes: visual gags vs. meta humor

Summary

Mary and Teddy close out 2025 with gratitude, Spotify “awards” bragging rights, and the most unhinged seasonal debate of all: is Die Hard aChristmas movie? From Bruce Willis’ sweaty, progressively-filthier tank top to Alan Rickman’s scene-stealing villainy, they dig into what still works, what doesn’t (hi, Holly’s agency), and why this single-location action classic became the blueprint for decades of copycats. Plus: genuinely great trivia, including the wild Frank Sinatra connection you won’t believe.

What You’ll Hear

• The “Die Hard is a Christmas movie” debate… and why it’s basically a personality test now
• Why John McClane felt like a new kind of action hero (and yes: “short king energy”)
• Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber: controlled, charismatic villainy—and how he steals the whole film
• The missed opportunity with Holly Gennaro: strong setup, frustrating payoff
• Why the movie’s one-location constraint still makes it feel tight, creative, and rewatchable