Hold Up

In 1980, angsty teen Luke Skywalker was the first in a long line to stand up to authoritarian parental figures and clearly state “You’re not my father” in the second (or fourth) movie in the Star Wars Saga, The Empire Strikes Back. This space adventure follows up to the wildly successful A New Hope film as deadbeat dad Darth “Noooooooo” Vader scours the galaxy for his estranged son with the hope of turning his boy to the dark side and destroying the rebellion in one swift swoop. But Luke will not be easily swayed, and with the help of his team of freaks and geeks like his smoochy sister Leia, the OG scoundrel Hans, the Wookie who loves Nookie Chewy, a pathological liar turned friendly ghost Ben, an aged little green back-talking Jedi master Yoda, and the neurotic butler super complaining dynamic duo of CR3PD2DO, this team of outcasts will fight tooth and robotic nail to stop the Empire from conquering the galaxy.  Made for $18M, Empire brought in $538M in the box office, making it one of the most successful s

The year is 1980 and Shelly Duvall has just emerged from her burrow.  Later in the year, she will star in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining with Jack Nicholson, and the Scatman…bee-do be-dum bop.  Jack and Shelly star as, Jack and Wendy, a married couple who, along with their son Danny and his finger person Tony, have decided to become the new caretakers for a remote mountain resort that shuts down for the winter.  Jack is hoping the isolation will give him the opportunity to focus on his book. Wendy and their son Danny just hope time will pass quickly.  However, things aren’t as they seem and the hotel turns out to have a haunted influence with murderous intent. An adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, the film was made for $19 million, brought in $44 million at the box office, and became one of the most influential horror movies of all time.  But does it hold up?  Listen in as Jon, Colin, and Brent talk about hotels, the dangers of hard work, and useless superpowers to see if this movie still shines or if it has

In 1990 Director Ron Underwood thrust a terrifying new reality to the world, Graboids! More specifically, the Tremors franchise.  Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward star as Val and Earl, a couple very small-town guys who seem to do all the labour jobs for a small town with a population of 14, Perfection.  But this little community ends up being anything but perfect, and our two heterosexual life mates decide to depart for greener pastures.  Just as they’re trying to leave town, bad things start happening and their big dreams are reduced to mere survival as giant beaky worm monsters appear and start to kill whatever they can get their little snaky tongues on.  Made for $11M, this small budget comedy horror flick brought home a modest $16M in theatres and then ended up becoming a huge cult classic, tripling the theatrical release in the rental and home sales markets.  But, does it hold-up?  Listen in as Jon, Colin, and Brent talk Graboids and Kevin Bacon’s seagull hair and see if this movie is perfection itself, or if i

 In 1984 Robert Zemeckis was fired from a pending project for directing Romancing the Stone, a generic brand Raiders of the Lost Ark.  Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner star as Jack and Joan.  Joan is a neurotic romance novelist forced out of her comfort zone when she’s forced to travel to Columbia to deliver a treasure map to kidnappers that have taken her sister and killed her brother-in-law.  Joan takes a wrong turn and ends up hiring Jack, an exotic bird smuggler, to guide her safely to her destination, but things continue to go wrong and yadda yadda yadda…hijinx ensues and they fall in love.  Despite the studio predicting this movie to be a flop, the film brought home an $86 million payday and critical acclaim from a $10 million dollar budget. But does it hold up?  Listen in as Jon, Colin, and Brent see if this jungle journey is worthy of a Lara Croft or Indiana Jones, or if Zolo and DeVito’s cavern of secrets is too much to handle, wearing the shine off the famed stone.  

The year is 1987 and director Joel Schumacher has just released Lost Boys, a movie about what happens if a town has a serious murder problem but no one cares enough to look into it. This movie is a virtual genre fuck fest - mixing comedy, horror, and teen stylings, to create a movie which is almost certainly the first of its kind. Starring Jason Patric and Corey Haim as two brothers who move with their mother to a bustling little Californian resort town only to discover that not only is it the murder capital but the murders are due to the town being plagued with a bunch of super edgy vampires. Made for $8 million, Lost Boys opened at #2, brought home a box office of $32 million, and for many became an instant classic. So, grab your holy water and garlic and listen while Jon, Colin, and Brent find out whether this movie holds up or sucks…your blood. 

In 2007 Judd Apatow gave us Knocked Up following the smash hit 40 Year Old Virgin.  Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl are Ben and Alison, an unlikely couple that is forced together after a night of drunken, unprotected sex, that results in Alison getting…knocked up. Hijinx ensues as this odd couple decides to take a shot at a relationship after Alison states that she’s going to keep the baby.  The two worlds are juxtaposed under the setting of Alison’s sister’s struggling marriage, Ben and his loser stoner buddies who spend their days tracking nudity on film, and Alison who just got a promotion to her dream job on E! and is living in her sister’s pool house. Made for $30 million, Knocked Up brought home critical acclaim and a Box Office of $219 million, but does it hold up?  Listen as Jon, Colin, and Brent navigate parenthood and uncomfortable relationships while they revisit this movie and see if this one should have been kept or aborted.

In 2004, Michael Mann brought us the worst buddy comedy of all time, but a pretty successful action thriller, Collateral. Led by solid performances from the silver fox and rarely villainous Tom Cruise, and rarely subdued every man Jamie Foxx, Collateral was initially praised by critics and fans alike for its gorgeous representation of Los Angeles at night. Made for $65M, Max and Vincent brought in $217M and Jamie Foxx’s portrayal of cab driver Max earned him an Oscar nomination. But does it hold up? Listen as Jon, Colin and Brent hail a cab to catch this movie and see if they can survive the wild ride with Vincent thanks to Max and his quick thinking, or if the boys say the wrong thing at the wrong time in the wrong movie, and last words they ever hear are “Yo homie. That my briefcase?”

In 2005, the world received the gift of Judd Apatow’s directorial debut with The 40 Year-Old Virgin.  Co-written by and starring Steve Carell, this unique take on the “still a virgin” story moved away from the typical high school hijinx and instead centred around a 40-year-old electronics store employee who loves collectable action figures. Catherine Keener co-stars as Carell’s best option to get laid for the first time, and we also see some of the typical Apatow crowd of Paul Rudd, Seth Rogan, Jonah Hill, and Leslie Mann.  Made for $26M, this sex comedy raked in $177M at the box office and was received very well by critics, proving to be an amazing launching pad for both Carell’s and Apatow’s movie careers.  But does it hold up?  Listen as Jon, Colin and Brent consider the life as sexless 40 somethings and see if they take the necessary steps to see that sex, love, and marriage are worth sticking around for, or if they should take their toy collections and go back to a sexless life full of awkward encounters

In 1991, Ted Tally adapted the Thomas Harris novel The Silence of the Lambs, and the world was never the same again. A rare Oscar-winning horror film, Silence stars Jodie Foster as Clarice Starline, Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter, with Ted Levine and Scott Glenn supporting as Buffalo Bill and Jack Crawford respectively. Equal parts thrilling, creepy, and satisfying, audiences and critics alike were impressed with this hard-hitting movie, and they continue to be as Silence of the Lambs continues to be considered one of the most influential films of all time. Made for $19M, Hannibal the Cannibal went on to rake in $272M at the box office and swept the big five categories at the Oscars. But does it hold up? Listen as Jon, Colin and Brent revisit the asylum and see if Hannibal has the same impact on their souls after nearly 30 years, chilling them to the bone as they are unable to look away, or if they fall prey to a sadistic woman suit maker who wants to do himself so hard while the boys put the lotion in th

In 1994, Jim Carrey stormed the big screen with his unforgettable and over the top portrayal of Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Carrey's use of physical comedy took the world by storm, and while he has contempt for 99% of the humans he encounters in his adventures (Courtney Cox is the exception here), he still manages to come off as a likable and confident lead who champions the cause of his furry and feathered friends. Made for $15M, Ace went on to bring in $107M in the box office, and contributed to Carrey's explosive success along with his other 1994 hits Dumb and Dumber and The Mask. But does it hold up? Listen as Jon, Colin and Brent do some detecting of their own and see if Ace can solve the case of the 25 year old comedy that is trying to hard to remain funny and relevant, or if the combination of Finkle, Einhorn, tucks, bulges, and Dan Marino are too much trouble to deal with, causing this case to go unsolved to our hosts dismay.

In 1998, the Farrelly brothers followed up their third movie, Kingpin, with the smash comedy There’s Something About Mary. Starring Ben Stiller, Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon, and Chris Elliott, audiences were captivated by the mix of over the top edgy comedy and deeper than typical relationships between characters. Taking many chances with jokes about intellectual disabilities, semen, pre-dick pic Brett Favre and humans drugging and fighting dogs, Mary pleased fans and critics alike, pulling in $370M on a budget of only $23M. But does it hold up? Listen as Jon, Colin and Brent lust after Mary and see if they can find enough heart in this 21 year old comedy film to have Mary win their heart, or if they will join the ever growing group of unsuccessful suiters, damned to dream what could have been and ready to kill for it.

In 1994, Richard Donner teamed up with Mel Gibson for the fourth time (they worked together 6 times in total) to bring the TV series Maverick to the big screen with the western comedy, Maverick.  Starring Jody Foster, James Garner, Graham Greene, James Coburn, and Alfred Molina, Maverick is one of the few comedy westerns of the last 30 years. With an Oscar nomination for best costume design, Maverick was made for a considerable $75M, but pulled in $183M worldwide and satisfied movie goers and critics alike.  But does it hold up?  Listen as Jon, Colin and Brent revisit the old west and see if they can con each other to fall in love with poker, southern ladies, and money, or if the long arm of the law and unsavory types are too persistent to let them reach their ultimate goal of liking this movie.

In 1994, the Farrelly brothers wrote and directed the hit comedy Dumb and Dumber.  Starring Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels, this outrageous comedy flick follows the trials and tribulations of Lloyd and Harry as they bumble and bungle their way to Aspen to return a briefcase to Lauren Holly.  What this movie lacks in story and character arc, it tries to make up with slapstick and over the top comedy.  Made for $17M (with $7M of that being Jim Carrey’s salary), D&D made $247 in the box office, spawning a prequel, cartoon, and sequel over the next three decades.  Love it or hate it, Dumb and Dumber has a cult following and while it did not win any major awards, it has won the hearts of fans all over the world.  But does it hold up? Listen as Jon, Colin and Brent discuss this 90’s comedy and see if their sides can withhold the strains from the non-stop comedy, or if they are too dumb to keep up with poop jokes and succumb to the lack of structure and story.

In 1990, John McTiernan brought us the Tom Clancy underwater spy thriller film, The Hunt for Red October.  Starring Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, Sam Neill, James Earl Jones, and Scott Glenn, Red October was the first Jack Ryan movie to hit screens and Baldwin was the first of 5 actors to portray Jack Ryan.  Winning an Oscar for Sound Editing, THFRO was received well by fans and critics, raking in $200M off of a budget by $30M, and is widely regarded as the best Jack Ryan film.  But does it hold up?  Listen as Jon, Colin and Brent set to sea and find out if the caterpillar drive keeps them safe from rogue Russian subs, scathing acting, and plot holes, or if a failure in the cryogenic plant rips the hull out from under the ship, causing it to sink to the bottom of the ocean of disappointment.

In 1990, the team of Richard Gere and Julia Roberts set out to see if movie goers would be into a romantic comedy that features a down on her luck hooker and a wealthy businessman with daddy issues.  Turns out, everyone was, and the result was Pretty Woman.  Filled with charming performances, a fairly light look at prostitution, and Jason Alexander getting violent and frisky, Attractive Female is a movie that would make Roy Orbison proud.  Made for $14M, this hooker with a heart of gold fairy tale made $465M in the box office, making it one of the most successful RomCom’s out there.  But does it hold up?  Listen as Jon, Colin and Brent take a walk down Rodeo Drive and see if they are pleasantly surprised at the friendly faces and welcoming story, or if they are kicked out on their butts and beaten to a pulp by their pimps for trying to be something they aren’t.

In 1984, Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer conceptualized and funded the fish out of water/buddy cop comedy Beverly Hills Cop.  With Sylvester Stallone, Al Pacino, Richard Pryor, and James Caan in mind for the starring role, it eventually went to Eddie Murphy who plays the charming but over the top Axel Foley.  Well written by Daniel Petrie Jr. and competently directed by Martin Brest, Beverly Hills Cop was made for $15M, and went on to make $316M in the box office, making it the highest earning R rated movie until the Matrix Reloaded in 2003.  But does it hold up?  Listen as Jon, Colin and Brent live the high life in Beverly Hills and see if Axel’s antics can save our hosts from as much trouble as he gets them into, or if his smart mouth and risky choices leave them wanting more, sitting in a jail cell, or buried six feet under Rodeo Drive.

In 1989, Stephen Spielberg went on a journey to see if the third time was a charm with Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.  With the second Indy movie disappointing critics and fans alike, Spielberg decided to tone down the gore and beef up the cast with Sir Sean Connery to play Henry Jones, father of Henry Jones Junior and proud owner of Indiana the dog.  The Last Crusade received mostly positive reviews, though it was widely accepted that it didn’t surpass the first film, but excelled compared to the second film. Made for $48M, the third Indiana Jones installment made nearly $475M, so whether you feel this is a good Indiana Jones movie or simply a good movie, the box office speaks for itself.  But does it hold up? Listen as Jon, Colin and Brent follow the Jones’ around the world as they try to fight off the Nazi’s and see if they choose poorly, crashing blimps, planes, tanks, cars, and horses, or if they choose wisely, picking the wooden cup and passing the test as a penitent man should.

In 1989, James Cameron brought us one of the most difficult movies to make in history, The Abyss.  Also known as The Abuse, The Abyss is a sci-fi drama that takes place mostly underwater, and so faced challenges that risked lives and put the project over time and over budget.  Starring Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Michael Biehn, this movie follows a team of deep core drillers as they are drawn into a Navy rescue operation and introduced to an underwater alien species.  Made for $45M, the Abyss received good critical reviews, but only grossed $90M, which is low for a James Cameron film.  But does it hold up?  Listen as Jon, Colin and Brent dive deep to find redemption in the alien species that save the day, or if they experience malfunction after malfunction, making their mixtures too rich and ultimately succumbing to the deep black abyss of crap.

In 1984, Saturday Night Live alum Dan Aykroyd brought his long percolating idea to life with Ghostbusters.  Originally conceived as a time and space travel movie for Aykroyd and John Belushi, some major changes were made after Belushi’s death and budget concerns.  Harold Ramis came on board to assist with rewrites, Ivan Reitman was brought on to direct, and Bill Murray was onboarded along with Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis, rounding out a stellar cast that delivered nonstop laughs. Ghostbusters saw a sequel 5 years after the original, two animated television series, a reboot in 2016, and another film planned for 2020, making this a hugely successful franchise.  While critics were not receptive to the sequel and reboots, the original Ghostbusters was a critical and commercial success, making $300M off of a $30M budget.  But 35 years later, does it hold up?  Listen as Jon, Colin and Brent revisit 1980’s New York to fight paranormal free roaming vapors and see if they are disgusted at the level of slimings,

In 1993, Tony Scott brought together one of the most recognizable ensemble casts of all time to make Quentin Tarantino’s True Romance. Starring Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Dennis Hopper, Val Kilmer, Gary Oldman, Brad Pitt, Christopher Walken, and many more, True Romance is an often copied and highly praised for its dialogue, action, pop culture references, and style.  Regarded as one of the best romantic crime movies, True romance showed that love stories between a prostitute and her trick don’t have to look like Pretty Woman.  While True Romance received strong critical reception and now enjoys cult status, Tony Scott’s best movie cost $12.3M to make and only made $12.5M in the box office. Still, it will always be remembered for it’s strongly delivered dialogue and characters that go down as some of the best ever to hit the screen.  But does it hold up?  Listen as Jon, Colin, and Brent take a coke fueled roller coaster ride back to the 90’s and see if True Romance leaves town with no warning, never