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.

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• 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

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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

In this episode of VHS Therapy, Mary and Teddy revisit Gremlins (1984), the genre-bending Christmas movie that confused parents, traumatized kids, and helped create the PG-13 rating. What starts as a seemingly cute holiday film quickly turns into chaotic horror-comedy, complete with impossible pet rules, wildly inconsistent adults, and some of the most memorable practical effects of the 1980s.

We break down why Gremlins never felt like a Christmas movie to us as kids (but absolutely does now), how Steven Spielberg’s involvement shaped the film’s tone and merchandising legacy, and why Gizmo remains an enduring pop-culture icon 40 years later. Along theway, we question the logic of the Mogwai rules, celebrate the unsung heroes of the movie (Billy’s mom, obviously), and reflect on why this movie still makes us uncomfortable… yet weirdly nostalgic.

• Why Gremlins helped lead to the creation of the PG-13 rating
• Whether Gremlins is actually a Christmas movie (and why our opinions changed as adults)
• The intentionally vague and impossible Mogwai rules
• The bar scene, the movie theater scene, and how eight-hour-old Gremlins somehow have full personalities
• Why this movie made us uncomfortable as kids… and why we still watch it every Christmas

In this episode of VHS Therapy, Mary and Teddy revisit the 1992 classic Sister Act—a movie that defined early-90s comedy, helped cementWhoopi Goldberg as a pop-culture icon, and gave millennials one of the most unexpectedly enduring soundtracks of its era.

Mary still loves the Motown-inspired choir performances, while Teddy… has some sharp thoughts about the writing. We break down the famously chaotic script rewrites, the film’s surprisingly thin plot, the lack of diversity inthe convent choir, and why these musical numbers still dominate TikTok and Instagram decades later.

We also talk about our favorite nuns, the truth behind Sister Mary Robert’s singing voice, and how Sister Act—despite neither of us beingCatholic—shaped our childhood idea of convent life.

What You’ll Hear

• Why Sister Act hits differently as adults
• The wild behind-the-scenes story of rewrites, ghostwriters, and shifting tone
• Why the musical numbers still hold up
• Our favorite nuns, iconic comedic moments, and the lasting impact of Whoopi Goldberg's performance
• How Sister Act was marketed as family-friendly in the 90s

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Ready for next week? We’re sliding head-first into holiday chaos with Gremlins. Buckle up.

This week on VHS Therapy, Mary and Teddy head to early-1900s Montana to revisit Legends of the Fall — the sweeping, melodramatic epic we all thought was a romance when we were kids… and now realize is actually a two-hour dissertation on grief, trauma, and unhinged family dynamics.

We dive into Brad Pitt’s peak heartthrob era, why Tristan and Susannah’s “love story” feels wildly different as adults, and how PTSD quietly shapes nearly every character’s choices. We break down Alfred’s misunderstood bitterness, Colonel Ludlow’s self-imposed exile, the film’s Indigenous representation, and that memorable bear subplot.

Was there a villain? Could this movie even be made today? And why on earth were we allowed to watch this as children? We get into all of it.

If you love 90s nostalgia, messy men, sweeping landscapes, and psychologically complex characters, this one is for you.

What You’ll Hear

• Why Legends of the Fall hits completely differently as adults — especially around grief, trauma, and PTSD

• A deep dive into Tristan, Susannah, and Alfred: messy love, emotional spirals, and misunderstood motivations

• The breakup of the Ludlow family and how one decision (hi, Mom) shifted every character’s fate

• If you’re loving VHS Therapy, don’t forget to:

• Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

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Next up: Sister Act — finally, a movie that doesn’t leave us emotionally devastated.