Why Wasn't It Better?

Michael Jordan was the biggest athlete on the planet. The Looney Tunes were still cuturally relevant. On paper, Space Jam seemed like a slam dunk. Released in 1996, the film became a cultural phenomenon, introduced a generation of kids to Bugs Bunny, and remains one of the most recognizable sports movies ever made. But beyond the nostalgia and the shoe sales, how well does Space Jam actually hold up thirty years later? Guest Ivan Calixto teams up with us to discuss.

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When Tommy premiered in 1975, audiences had never seen anything quite like it. Based on The Who's groundbreaking rock opera, Ken Russell transformed the album into an unapologetically bizarre spectacle featuring an all-star cast that included Roger Daltrey, Ann-Margret, Tina Turner, Elton John, Jack Nicholson, and Eric Clapton. Equal parts musical, fever dream, and sensory overload, Tommy remains one of the most unique films ever made. But is it a masterpiece of cinematic excess, or simply too much to handle? Guest Cam Sully of The Jacked Up Movie Podcast is here to rock on.

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Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers concludes this year's spooky mini-season! After Halloween 4 successfully resurrected the franchise, its sequel rushed into production less than a year later. The result was a film that introduced new mythology, sidelined a fan-favorite character, and took the series in bizarre creative directions that still divide horror fans today. Has time been kinder to Michael Myers' fifth outing, or is it one of the franchise's biggest misfires?

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It's one of the most fascinating high-concept ideas in modern horror: one night a year, all crime is legal. Released in 2013, The Purge turned that irresistible premise into a surprise box office smash and launched one of Blumhouse's biggest franchises. But despite its success, the original film has long been criticized for keeping its ambitious concept confined to a single home invasion story. Did The Purge squander one of the greatest ideas in horror, or is it better than it's often given credit for? Guest Peter Baldeo is here to share his thoughts.

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For years, video game movies had a reputation for missing the point. Then Silent Hill arrived in 2006 with an unusually faithful recreation of Konami's legendary horror franchise. Christophe Gans' adaptation won over many fans of the games while dividing critics. Two decades later, does Silent Hill deserve to be remembered as one of the best video game adaptations ever made? Producer Eric Taylor is our guest, because it's one of his favorite games.

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Following one of the greatest horror films ever made was never going to be easy. Poltergeist II: The Other Side brings back the Freeling family while expanding the mythology surrounding the Beast and introducing one of horror's most memorable villains in the Reverend Kane. Although the sequel has earned a mixed reputation over the years, it remains a fascinating, and deeply strange, entry. Was it an underrated follow-up, or should they have left the original alone? First time guest Phil Walsh of Phil At The Movies is here to discuss.

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The Conjuring universe was still in its infancy when Annabelle arrived in 2014. Based on the creepy doll introduced in James Wan's blockbuster a year earlier, Warner Bros. quickly spun the character into her own franchise. Critics weren't impressed, but audiences showed up in droves, turning the film into one of the most profitable horror movies ever made and proving The Conjuring was more than a one-hit wonder. Was it simply riding the coattails of its predecessor, or is there more to Annabelle than its reputation suggests? Guest Jay Skipworth of @TheFilmStripPod is back to weigh in.

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Often cited as the last of Alfred Hitchcock's classic period, The Birds is one of the most influential horror films ever made. Is it actually scary? Does it hold up 60+ years later? First time guest Carmelita Valdez McKoy joins to discuss.

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One year after its release, it's time to review Tron: Ares. Following the cult success of Tron: Legacy, fans spent over a decade waiting for a follow-up. Instead of continuing the story that film set up, Disney delivered a very different movie, one that divided audiences and flopped at the box office. What happened? Was Ares doomed by development hell and delay? Did Disney misunderstand what audiences wanted from a Tron sequel? Guest Tom Paradiso is here to sort it all out.

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It's hard to believe now but at one point in the 1980s, Disney animation was in trouble. After The Black Cauldron bombed, the studio desperately needed a hit. What they got was The Great Mouse Detective, a charming Sherlock Holmes-inspired mystery featuring one of Disney’s greatest villains, a memorable cast of characters, and some surprisingly ambitious animation. Guest Adam Hecht is back to proclaim his love.

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