Nostalgia Be Damned

War of the Worlds (2005)

Travel back to 2005 with Zach & Brandon to the year that brought us Tom Cruise jumping on Oprah's couch to promote his latest collaboration with Steven Spielberg. War of the Worlds became one of the highest grossing films of that year, further proof that Americans love some good ol' fashioned disaster porn. The boys discuss everything about this alien invasion epic, including Dakota Fanning's MTV Movie Award nominated performance, blood vegetation, humans harvested via alien anus mouth, Morgan Freeman's narration and Tom Crusie playing a terrible father/ badass Brooklyn dock worker. So crank that camera iris open, overexpose them whites, disintegrate into dust or suddenly decide to join the military because it's time to revisit this sci-fi blockbuster!

Flubber

Zach & Brandon revisit 1997's sci-fi family comedy Flubber. A remake of a Disney classic, Flubber was marketed as a children's chucklefest about Robin Williams befriending a glob of sentient green goo. What we got dealt a lot more with a robot's infatuation with its human master, a scientist with a degenerative brain disorder that causes him to forget to marry his fiancé multiple times, and a pair of Wet Bandit wannabees attempting to steal intellectual property. Does it hold up? Was it ever good? The boys debate.

Austin Powers in Goldmember

He's got the Midas touch, but he touched it too much. Zach & Brandon revisit one of their favorite characters from their childhood, and one of the most recognizable pop-culture creations of the 1990s, Austin Powers. Yeah, baby! Rather than dissect the original, or its shagadelic sequel, they tackle the third entry in this popular spy parody franchise. Austin teams up with Foxxy Cleopatra to take down Dr. Evil & Goldmember while also making a whole lot of mole puns, fart jokes, and quintessential early 2000s references. The boys get into everything that works and doesn't work about this sequel, including the legendary Michael Caine as Austin's 'Faja,' the hilarious meta opening, the strange amount of musical interludes, recycled gags, and Mini- Me's kickstand talents. GROOVY!

Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace

Anticipation was at a fever pitch back in 1999 for the latest installment in the Star Wars saga. Zach and Brandon revisit the film that introduced them to the movie hype machine courtesy of the constant bombardment of television promos, Pepsi can characters, and Taco Bell toys. They take a deep dive into one of their childhood favorite franchises to determine if The Phantom Menace deserves its reputation as one of the worst films in the series or if it's an impressive feat of imaginative filmmaking. They discuss the badass Darth Maul, the confounding Jar Jar Binks and the likelihood of them finishing the saga if this were their introduction to it. 

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)

2003's The Texas Chainsaw Massacre ushered in a new wave of classic horror remakes throughout the remainder of the decade. Zach and Brandon revisit this box office hit to see if it remains as brutal and unflinching as they remember. Is this one of the better horror remakes of its time or is it a whole lot of desaturated style over substance? Topics of discussion include salting stump legs, the producers' desperate attempts to soak Jessica Biel's white tank top, the dolly shot through the back of that lady's head, and R. Lee Ermey's truly gross-o character. 

Zoolander

One look? One look? I don't think so! Zach and Brandon revisit one of their favorite comedies growing up, Zoolander. Released just two weeks after the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks, Zoolander was considered a disappointment at first, but slowly built a devoted cult fanbase over the next few years. Endlessly quotable and a clever satire on the fashion industry & celebrity culture, it's a true time capsule of the early 2000s. There's runway walk-off competitions, gasoline fights, celebrity cameos galore, and one of Will Ferrell's greatest moments in front of a camera. It also taught us valuable lessons like there's more to life than being really really really ridiculously good looking. And that Hansel, he's so hot right now.

Bad Boys 2

At a hefty two and half hours long, there's a lot to say. Zach and Brandon revisit a favorite from their teenage years- one that's got excessively long car chases, several factions of ecstasy obsessed villains, and charismatic leads. With 2003's Bad Boys II, Michael Bay unleashed his MOST Michael Bay creation overflowing with booty shots, fast cars, and wait, is that Michael Shannon at a KKK rally? And are those rats having sex? Are those REAL rats simulating sex in missionary position? Was that Dan Marino? Lots to cover, a whole lot to dissect. Whatcha gonna do? 

Cool Runnings

Zach & Brandon take a look back at a childhood classic with this 90's sports comedy. 1993's Cool Runnings is based on the true story of the first Jamaican bobsled team to compete at the Olympics. It's a tale as old as time filled with East German rivals, a sweet-as-can-be John Candy, and some montage perfection. Feel the rhythm! Feel the rhyme! Get on up, it's bobsled time!

Jack Frost (1998)

Zach & Brandon struggle to understand how exactly Michael Keaton turns into a snowman. A magical harmonica played on Christmas brings back Jack Frost back from the dead on the one year anniversary of his car accident. Now he's a terrifying CGI/puppet snowman that sort of resembles George Clooney. But hey, 'Snow Dad is better than No Dad.' 

Good Burger

Welcome to Good Burger, home of the Good Burger. Can we take your order? Zach & Brandon revisit this 1997 family comedy based off a skit on Nickelodeon's sketch series 'All That.' They take off the nostalgia goggles to discuss Kenan & Kel, rollerblading, shark poison, and the scathing indictment of the fast food industry underlying this 90s cult comedy. Other highlights include the 20 year-old owner of the rival burger business, the seminal 'I'm a Dude' song, and Sinbad's wardrobe. 

Signs

Zach & Brandon take a look back at 2002's sci-fi thriller Signs. They unpack Shyamalan twists and their thoughts on his filmography. Brandon was diagnosed with Shyamalan fever back in the day while Zach was a little cold on the filmmaker, even before his later career missteps. So grab a half full glass of 'contaminated' water, wrap your tin foil hat, and tell Merrill to 'swing away,' because we're seeing Signs. 

Idle Hands

Zach and Brandon are joined by recurring guest Jamie Gagnon to talk about the best late 90's horror stoner comedy about appendage possession there is. When Devon Sawa's right hand gets an evil mind of its own, it's up to his two cannabis crazed undead zombie buds to help him out and win the girl of his dreams. Idle Hands became a cult classic on DVD, but does this comedy that purports to "give horror films the backhand" hold up or does it belong staked to a corpse with a high priestess dagger? Grab your Druid watches and Mighty Joe Bong, because the boys are about to tackle the touching story of a boy and his right hand.

Shark Tale

Zach & Brandon dive into the Academy Award nominated Shark Tale to see if this early 2000's Dreamworks' family comedy holds up 15 years later. They discuss the vegetarian shark subtext, the ill advised animation of Will Smeeth (yes, that's spelled correctly) as a fish, literal loan sharks, and 'OJ Shrimpson.' 

Cats & Dogs

We've all known cats and dogs are mortal enemies, but in 2001 we found out why. Cats & Dogs answers the age old question, positing a world in which these two household creatures are waging a war right under our noses. Zach & Brandon revisit a childhood favorite to see if this family comedy lands in the doghouse or the litter box... either way it won't be good. They discuss the complexities of the dog/spy world, puppet animal violence, a spirited voice performance by Sean Hayes, as well as some troubling Nazi subtext.  

Mulan (1998)

For two 90's boys with sisters, Mulan was a beloved classic for Zach & Brandon growing up. One of the last of the Disney renaissance era, this empowering action adventure brought humor and heart into the well-worn animated princess genre. The boys revisit the flick to discover what made it so enjoyable back then - and to see if it still holds up today. They, of course, get into the nitty gritty details such as Mulan's wacky soldier sidekicks, Li Shang's personal struggle with falling in love with a woman he believes to be a man, and the sore spine of Eddie Murphy who at times picks the entire movie up and carries it on his little dragon back. That, and much more, on this week's episode!

The Fifth Element

Zach & Brandon watch The Fifth Element, ya know- that movie where a blonde Bruce Willis has to save the world by rescuing a sexy element to evade an evil space fireball. They get into every strange detail about Luc Besson's space opera, including Gary Oldman's Texan/Gary Busey accent, how terrible it would be to drive a floating taxi cab in future New York, and spy cameras attached to cockroaches. Oh yeah, Chris Tucker's in this movie too! 

The Mighty Ducks

Zach & Brandon tackle a film that spawned a trilogy, an animated cartoon series, and its own official NHL team. It's The Mighty Ducks of course! Alcoholic lawyer Gordon Bombay, played by Emilio Estevez, is forced to teach a ragtag team of misfits how to play hockey but he just might learn something about himself along the way. Zach loved it as a kid. Brandon's watching it for the first time. They try to wrap their heads around the Aryan Hawks, the conventions of 90's sports comedies, and why Pee Wee hockey is so damn important to everyone in Minnesota. 

Spider-Man (2002)

Sam Raimi's Spider-Man set the stage for the modern superhero origin story. Following successful adaptations of Superman, Batman, and the X-Men, 2002 brought the release of Tobey Maguire's 35-year-old high schooler Peter Parker, and his wild ride through puberty and one helluva spider bite transformation. Join Zach & Brandon as they revisit one of their favorite flicks from their preteen years to hear all their thoughts on how the movie shaped the genre today, that sexy upside down kiss, and the brilliance of J.K. Simmons & Willem Dafoe. Plus they get into Mopey Maguire, Uncle Ben's tearful goodbye and Macho Man Randy Savage!

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer‘s Stone

There isn't a 90's kid alive who isn't aware of the wizarding world of Harry Potter. Whether a fan or not, it was impossible to not get swept up in the cultural phenomenon of the series - and it all starts with the 2001 family fantasy adventure Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. The boys debate whether or not the first entry in the wildly successful franchise holds up 18 years after its release. They also discuss early 2000's CGI, the nightmare of actually attending this school, the rationale behind leaving a wizard celebrity in the hands of some extremely abusive relatives, and much more!

The Fast and the Furious

Zach & Brandon take a look back at the racing flick that started it all! They discuss The Fast and the Furious franchise roots as well as how the series evolved since its simple inception. What began as some street racers stealing VHS/ DVD combo players would eventually spiral out of control and into superhero/ super-spy territory. But they're taking it back to the sweaty, Limp Bizkit filled year of 2001 to get into the Diesel/ Walker bromance, Vince's toxic masculinity and of course that sweet NOS CGI!