Nostalgia Be Damned

The Flintstones

YABBA-DABBA-DOO! Take a trip to Bedrock with Zach & Brandon as they revisit the live-action adaptation of the 60's beloved cartoon, The Flintstones. Released back in 1994, it banked on the nostalgia of baby boomers to massive box office success at the time. However it's rarely brought up today. Does it deserve to be forgotten or is it a misunderstood fever-dream family comedy? Tune in to hear Zach & Brandon's thoughts on all the insanity- from its impressive production design & cast to its nightmare-inducing puppets.

 

**DISCLAIMER** We experienced some audio issues during recording that forced us to cut some of Zach's audio. We cobbled it together as best we could. Forgive us!**

Lake Placid

A stacked cast. A killer crocodile. And a whole lot of sarcastic quipping. Zach & Brandon take a look back at one of the more popular creature features of the 1990s. Released just two weeks before Deep Blue Sea, 1999's Lake Placid was a modest box office success but became a hit on home video- spawning five sequels. It's blend of horror and humor left critics and audiences mixed. But everyone seemed to agree that witnessing Betty White curse like a sailor was worth a watch. Tune in to hear Zach & Brandon's thoughts on the crocodile effects, the low body count, that bear scene and much more. You'll never know what bit you!

Holes

Grab your shovel and get digging! Zach & Brandon revisit the acclaimed family adventure Holes, based on the best selling novel of the same name. The book's author actually wrote the script for the film. It's a densely plotted story about a boy who gets sent to a juvenile detention camp in the middle of nowhere Texas to dig holes. Why? Because it builds character. Tune in to hear if the beloved film is worthy of its nostalgia or if it deserves to be buried and forgotten. Zach and Brandon dig into all the quirks, such as the summer camp/ prison movie tropes, elaborate backstories, that D-Tent Boys single & much more. 

Look Who’s Talking Too

Mr. Toilet Man, nightmare-fuel baby puppets, and one very dysfunctional family- there's a whole lot to cover here. Zach & Brandon take a look back at the 1990 sequel to the monster hit family comedy Look Who's Talking. John Travolta, Kirstie Alley and Bruce Willis return to yuck it up with little Mikey's baby sister, voiced by Roseanne Barr, entering the fold. Does this one hold up to the original? Was it ever a good movie? The boys debate.

X-Men

Before Spider-Man, Hulk, Daredevil, or Fantastic Four, Marvel kicked off the 2000's with one of their most influential comic book movie adaptations. X-Men helped shape the superhero movie formula and kicked off a trend that's even more popular today. But is it any good? Zach & Brandon revisit this beloved blockbuster of their youth to see if it holds up. Hear all their thoughts on the film's incredible cast, it's problematic director, and Storm's line about lightning and what it does to a toad.  

Love Actually

We feel it in our fingers, we feel it in our toes. Christmas is all around us. So kick back and enjoy this holiday episode in which Zach & Brandon revisit the ultimate romantic comedy, 2003's Love Actually. Featuring a stacked cast of character actors, this beloved rom com features several iconic scenes and remains a yearly tradition for many. But is it the holiday classic it's often touted as? The boys debate. 

Mars Attacks!

Zach & Brandon look back at one of Tim Burton's most strange and juvenile films, 1996's sci fi comedy satire Mars Attacks! It's filled with a stacked cast of 90s all-stars, featuring the likes of Jack Nicholson (in two roles), Michael J. Fox, Danny DeVito and Glenn Close. And most are reduced to a couple minutes of screen time with not much to do! Tune in to hear Zach & Brandon's thoughts on the bizarre alien design, it's endless cavalcade of cameos, and campy yet cynical tone. Plus Sarah Jessica Parker's head ends up on a chihuahua at one point. ACK! ACK! ACK! 

8 Mile

It's not often Zach & Brandon review Academy Award winning films on the show, but when they do it has a main character nicknamed B-Rabbit, climactic rap battles and a glorious appearance by Michael Shannon. They take a look back on the Eminem pop cultural phenomenon of the early 2000s as well as his acting debit in 8 Mile. It's all covered here-  it's Oscar winning song, Scary Movie 3 parody references, Cheddar Bob, even mom's spaghetti. 

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie

Suit up for a trip back to 1995- at the height of Power Ranger popularity. Studio execs fast-tracked this theatrical adaptation of the hit children's TV show that licensed footage from older Japanese properties. Zach & Brandon relive this strange time in all its glory by reviewing Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie. They discuss their former appreciation of the pop culture phenomenon as well as the film's eccentricities- from the obsession with ooze to the out-of-nowhere half naked sage warrior that guides the rangers to the magic temple so they can once again obtain the powers of their ancient spirit counterparts. If that was nonsense to you, consider downloading to educate yourself. GO GO POWER RANGERS!

Shallow Hal

True love is worth the weight! Zach & Brandon take a look back at the 2001 romantic comedy fantasy Shallow Hal. Directed by the Farrelly Brothers, it paired Gwyneth Paltrow with Jack Black (in his first leading role) for a high concept love story about a guy who's hypnotized into seeing women's true inner beauty. More sentimental than the directors' previous efforts, it's a romcom that wears its heart on its sleeve but has taken heat in more recent years for some of its problematic subject matter. The boys attempt to wrap their heads around the confounding premise, Jason Alexander's horrific character, Paltrow's fat suit, and much more. Plus Zach learns the true meaning of the Baha Men's classic song 'Who Let the Dogs Out?' 

The Perfect Storm

Problematic New England accents, an all star cast and big budget special effects combine to create The Perfect Storm. Directed by Wolfgang Petersen, this disaster drama recounts the true story of a doomed commercial fishing boat caught in the storm of the century back in 1991. Join Zach & Brandon as they revisit this 2000 box office hit and discuss it in detail, from George Clooney's John Deere hat to shark kicking- it's all covered here, folks! 

Napoleon Dynamite

Grab your tots and chug that milk! Zach & Brandon revisit the 2004 indie comedy Napoleon Dynamite. With all its quirks and bizarre sense of humor, this was a film that both hosts disliked upon release. But over the years it grew on them more and more. They remove the nostalgia goggles to look at this sleeper hit more objectively. Tune in to learn more about the making of the film as well as the their thoughts on Jon Heder's breakout performance, the memorable title sequence, the epic dance number and much more. Just download it, GOSH!

The Sandlot

'YOU'RE KILLING ME SMALLS!' Take a trip back to the 1960's with Zach and Brandon as they revisit a seminal 90's baseball classic. It's the summer of 1962 and an abandoned patch of sand and grass becomes the summer oasis for a ragtag group of friends. 1993's The Sandlot is a movie built on nostalgia in the vein of Stand by Me and A Christmas Story. But does hold up today? Chewing tobacco, junkyard dog puppets, the infamous pool scene, Dennis Leary, and much more is discussed during the episode. Just remember, there's heroes and there's legends. Heroes get remembered, but legends never die. Follow your heart kid and you can never go wrong.

National Lampoon‘s Van Wilder

Don't graduate, celebrate! Zach & Brandon head back to school to party with the king of Coolidge College in 2002's National Lampoon's Van Wilder. In his first lead performance in a studio film, Ryan Reynolds tears into the role with his trademark sarcasm and sardonic charisma. It's a role built for the actor- a persona he'd revisit throughout the next twenty years of his career. He's a lovable underachiever who's managed to spend seven years on campus without earning a degree. But he has earned the respect and admiration of nearly everyone he meets. But is this movie as good as its star? Check out the episode to hear Zach & Brandon discuss its supporting cast, gross out comedies in general, stripper farts, the villain's comeuppance and of course the infamous bull dog scene. 

Mortal Kombat (1995)

Zach & Brandon tackle their first video game movie adaptation! Technically the fourth film based on a video game property to get theatrically released, 1995's Mortal Kombat remains one of the best according to fans. Critically reevaluated in recent years, it's gained a resurgence in popularity. The boys discuss if it's worthy of that praise or if video game adaptations are so terrible that it's cult following is unwarranted. They discuss the lack of gore, impressive set design, shoddy visual effects and that badass theme song. Plus, they get into the inevitable comparisons to the 2021 reboot and somehow Jake & Logan Paul fights. Tune in to see if this action adventure fantasy delivers a flawless victory.

Phone Booth

Zach & Brandon debate if a ringing phone needs to be answered in the 2003 thriller Phone Booth. Colin Farrell loses his Irish accent to portray a New York City publicist trapped in a phone booth, pinned down by a sniper voiced by Kiefer Sutherland. A relic of the early 2000s, it's a dated premise that might feature just enough clever direction and plot contrivances to keep it moving at a breakneck speed. Plus it has everything we know and love about NYC- prostitutes in need of phone booths, pizza delivery guys delivering to phone booths, and weapons stashed inside phone booths. The boys discuss the film from start to finish and highlight a few of its quirks, from the amount of times the sniper cocks his rifle, to Forest Whitaker's character's troubled marriage, to the hilarious fact that only 3 million people had cell phones in NYC in 2003. 

Any Given Sunday

Join Zach & Brandon as they revisit the testosterone-fueled football epic, 1999's Any Given Sunday. It's a sprawling drama touching all corners of the industry and everyone involved. Directed by controversial filmmaker Oliver Stone, the boys discuss whether this film attempts to condemn or glamorize the sport. They discuss the all-star cast, the aggressive editing & shot selection, as well as Jamie Foxx's rap song, Al Pacino's droopy peepers and the balls-to-the-wall energy of it all. 

Air Bud

'Ain't no rule that says the dog can't play basketball!' With that sound logic, Zach & Brandon revisit a seminal 90's favorite, Air Bud. Spawning 13 sequels/spinoffs, the boys discuss what audiences saw in the original to make this largely direct-to-video franchise so popular. Was it the alcoholic animal abusing clown played by Michael Jeter? Was it the coach violently pelting one of his players with basketballs in an attempt to make him catch better?  Or could it have been the sheer talent of an escaped circus dog sinking free throws? They answer those questions and raise many more on this week's episode!

The Ring

Zach & Brandon revisit the movie everyone was hyping up back in middle school as one of the scariest films ever, 2002's The Ring. An English language remake of an Asian horror hit, this box office juggernaut was dubbed my many as one of the best horror films of its decade. But how does it hold up nearly two decades later? The boys discuss their general disdain for the wave of remakes this film ushered in, as well as the disturbing urban legend at its core, the one scene everyone remembers, stretchy face filters, horse suicide, and much more! 

Sleepy Hollow

HEADS WILL ROLL! The boys celebrate Halloween with one of Brandon's favorite films to watch to get into the holiday spirit, 1999's Sleepy Hollow. Johnny Depp and Christina Ricci star in this big budget adaptation that became a box office hit and even earned a few Academy Award nominations. Tackling their second Tim Burton feature on the show, it's a first time viewing for Zach. They discuss their introduction to the Headless Horseman legend as well as this film's Oscar winning art direction, solid doses of gore & child murder, its cast of Harry Potter and Star Wars prequel alums, and much more!