Movies My Friends Have Never Seen

This week comedy writer River Clegg (The Onion, The New Yorker, The Opposition with Jordan Klepper) steps into the Mothership for the first time to watch the Steven Spielberg classic Close Encounters of the Third Kind.  Join us as we discuss how the film changed science fiction, how Spielberg is both hugely successful and vastly underrated, the many different versions of the film and much more.  Follow River on Twitter and check out his latest humor piece for The New Yorker. Like Movies My Friends Have Never Seen on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. You can also get the show on iTunes, Spotify, Soundcloud and Stitcher. Or paste the RSS feed into the preferred podcast player of your choice to get new episodes when they're released. 

This week we have a holiday treat with James Hancock from the Wrong Reel podcast stopping by to watch the heartwarming classic "The Sound of Music" for the first time.  Join us as we talk about the childhood trauma that made James avoid "The Sound of Music" until now, our favorite and least favorite Von Trapp kids, the brilliance of Julie Andrews, the pros and cons of modern movie musicals, the baller move director Robert Wise pulled on Austria and much more.  Listen to James talk movies and more on Wrong Reel, the podcast that covers everything from Jean-Luc Godard to Jean-Luc Picard. For more pop culture geekery, check out his YouTube Channel and follow him on Twitter.  Like Movies My Friends Have Never Seen on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. You can also get the show on iTunes, Spotify, Soundcloud and Stitcher. Or paste the RSS feed into the preferred podcast player of your choice to get new episodes when they're released. 

This week we're talking Steve Martin and John Candy with returning guest Timothy Cooper stopping by to watch the Thanksgiving classic Planes, Trains & Automobiles for the first time.  Join us as we discuss the genius of John Candy, marvel at the many amazing actors in bit parts and break down how the dad from Home Alone is connected to Del Griffith in the extended John Hughes-verse. Plus, we cast the inevitable remake of this comedy classic. Follow Tim on Twitter and watch his short film Lemon (starring Jennifer Westfeldt and Noah Bean) on Amazon Prime. If you're in the New York City area, you can also take one of his writing classes at Blueprint Screenwriting Group.  Check out a funny deleted airplane food scene from the movie.  Correction: The version of "Everytime You Go Away" heard in the film is performed by Blue Room. Like Movies My Friends Have Never Seen on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. You can also get the show on iTunes, Spotify, Soundcloud and Stitcher. Or paste the RSS feed into the prefe

This week comedy writer/performer Emily Menez (IFC, UCB) returns to discuss her experience watching the Al Pacino/Robert De Niro/Michael Mann crime classic Heat for the first time. Join us as we dig into Pacino's insane acting choices, the low-rent TV pilot origins of this dense crime saga, the script's lack of strong female characters, what the waiter was doing during the iconic coffee shop scene and much more.  Follow Emily on Twitter and check out some of her sketch comedy work.  For a different version of Heat, watch the diner scene and shootout from L.A. Takedown, the TV pilot that was basically Michael Mann's late '80s first draft. Watch the sketch below (made by Emily, Bill Scurry and me) that answers the burning question "What was the waiter doing during the Heat restaurant scene?"  Like Movies My Friends Have Never Seen on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. You can also get the show on iTunes, Spotify, Soundcloud and Stitcher. Or paste the RSS feed into the preferred podcast player of your choice to

This week we have a spooky Halloween treat with returning guest Kevin Maher (Kevin Geeks Out) stopping by to watch the Donald Sutherland/Julie Christie supernatural horror classic Don't Look Now for the first time.  Join us as we discuss the film's haunting depiction of grief, the many visual motifs director Nicolas Roeg utilizes, Donald Sutherland's in-demand '70s butt, the landscape of horror at the time of the film's release and much more.  Visit Kevin's website to get news on his live Kevin Geeks Out shows (like the Christmas show featuring your humble podcast host) and watch his video essays on everything from the use of water and trucks in Stephen King films to the most extreme PG-rated movies. Watch Nicholas Roeg discuss the making of Don't Look Now.  Check out Donald Sutherland's brilliant performance in Kate Bush's "Cloudbusting" music video.  Like Movies My Friends Have Never Seen on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. You can also get the show on iTunes, Spotify, Soundcloud and Stitcher. Or paste th

This week we welcome back Big Quiz Thing creator Noah Tarnow to watch the 2004 dramedy Garden State for the first time and discuss his personal relationship to both writer/director/star Zach Braff and the titular state.  Join us as we dig into early '00s nostalgia, the good and troubling points of the film, the "manic pixie dream girl" trope, getting comfortable with your friend's success, the film's beloved soundtrack and much more.  Follow Noah and Big Quiz Thing on Twitter and hire him for all your corporate trivia needs.  Listen to Noah and past guest Bill Scurry tackle the hottest trends on the I Don't Get It Podcast. You can also hear your humble Movies My Friends Have Never Seen host on a recent episode gabbing about exotic ice cream.  Here's a defense of Garden State and a funny takedown.  Correction: The Twitter drama Zach Braff got into was about Pharrell Williams, not Kanye West as mentioned in the episode.  Like Movies My Friends Have Never Seen on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. You can also g

This week we're hitting the mat and pumping our fist in the air with wrestling expert and Paramount Network digital producer Brian Dermody stopping by to watch the '80s underdog sports movie Vision Quest for the first time.  Join us as we talk about why the film is beloved in wrestling and MMA circles, the film career of Hulk Hogan, '80s sports movie montages and much more. Plus, we go track-by-track through the movie's killer soundtrack.  Follow Brian on Twitter and head over to the Paramount Network to see his work on the digital side of Bellator MMA.  Watch fighter Michael Chandler's tribute to Vision Quest. Like Movies My Friends Have Never Seen on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. You can also get the show on iTunes, Spotify, Soundcloud and Stitcher. Or paste the RSS feed into the preferred podcast player of your choice to get new episodes when they're released. 

This week we're talking about the most awkward prom ever with writer/performer/podcaster Don P. Hooper stopping by to watch the horror classic Carrie for the first time.  Join us as we talk about horror movies that scared us growing up, blunt 1970s teaching methods, old-school movie effects, the Carrie musical episode of Riverdale, real-life Get Out moments and much more.  Follow Don on Twitter and check out Jamtown Films to see his horror short film Page One and other work. Also give a listen to his podcast Brothers From Another Planet.  For a smart, feminist perspective on Carrie and other horror films, check out the Switchblade Sisters podcast and Graveyard Shift Sisters.  Like Movies My Friends Have Never Seen on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. You can also get the show on iTunes and Stitcher. Or paste the RSS feed into the preferred podcast player of your choice to get new episodes when they're released. 

This week we're taking the highway to the danger zone with guest Camila Jones stopping by to watch Top Gun for the first time.  Join us as we get our breath taken away by the infamous volleyball scene, Tom Cruise's kissing style, anonymous '80s bad guys that are totally Russian but also not Russian and much more. Follow Camila on Twitter and Instagram. Be sure to hit up her website to check out all the cool stuff she's creating and hosting.  Like Movies My Friends Have Never Seen on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. You can also get the show on iTunes and Stitcher. Or paste the RSS feed into the preferred podcast player of your choice to get new episodes when they're released.  (Apologies to Kelly McGillis for how many times I mangle her last name in this episode.) 

This week we're getting afraid, very afraid with Alama Drafthouse Brooklyn film programmer Cristina Cacioppo stopping by to watch Jeff Goldblum vomit goo for the first time in the David Cronenberg horror classic The Fly. Join us as we discuss how the film cemented the classic Goldblum persona, the many ways Cronenberg avoids horror movie cliches, how movies change as we grow older, the weird connection between The Fly and The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Cristina's approach to film programming and much more.  Check out the excellent films Cristina programs at the Alamo Drafthouse Brooklyn like the Australian film Puberty Blues screening in July.  Watch the deleted monkey-cat scene. (Content warning: the clip contains cruelty to both monkeys and cats.)  Like Movies My Friends Have Never Seen on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. You can also get the show on iTunes and Stitcher. Or paste the RSS feed into the preferred podcast player of your choice to get new episodes when they're released. 

This week we're grabbing a Diablo sandwich and a Dr. Pepper as John Cribbs from the film website The Pink Smoke stops by to watch the Burt Reynolds/Sally Field classic Smokey and the Bandit for the first time.  Join us as we discuss the ups-and-downs in Burt's career, the brilliance of Jackie Gleason, what our trucker handles would be and much more.  Follow John on Twitter and check out his writing over on The Pink Smoke. Also check out the Pure Cinema Podcast and John talking about The Burbs on Just the Discs. And if you'd like to support The Pink Smoke on Patreon, you can do that here.  Read the Vanity Fair article about Burt selling his Valhalla estate which (naturally) has a bar called "Burt's Place." Trucker movie fans will want to check out Mike Sacks' hilarious parody book Stinker Lets Loose.  Like Movies My Friends Have Never Seen on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. You can also get the show on iTunes and Stitcher. Or paste the RSS feed into the preferred podcast player of your choice to get new epi

This week we're hopping aboard The Pork Chop Express with returning guest Steve Flack watching Big Trouble in Little China for the first time.  Join us as we discuss the brilliance of Kurt Russell, John Carpenter's genre mastery, how the film both embraces and indulges in stereotypes, the current dearth of fun adventure movies on the big screen and much more.  Follow Steve on Twitter, Instagram and Vero if that's still a thing.  Get funky with the "Big Trouble in Little China" music video from John Carpenter and fellow genre filmmakers Nick Castle and Tommy Wallace. Like Movies My Friends Have Never Seen on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. You can also get the show on iTunes and Stitcher. Or paste the RSS feed into the preferred podcast player of your choice to get new episodes when they're released.

This week we're checking our damage with writer Victoria McNally stopping by to watch the '80s high school comedy classic Heathers for the first time.  Join us as we discuss the film's impact on the snarky high school movie genre, how much has changed since it was released in 1989, the ill-fated Heathers TV series and much more.  Follow Victoria on Twitter and Instagram and hit up her website to check out her writing for places like Nerdist, The Mary Sue and Pajiba.  Like Movies My Friends Have Never Seen on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. You can also get the show on iTunes and Stitcher. Or paste the RSS feed into the preferred podcast player of your choice to get new episodes when they're released.

This week we're on double secret probation with comedian Alex Fossella stopping by to talk about watching Animal House for the first time.  Join us as we discuss the film's influence on modern comedy, viewing the problematic bits through modern eyes, the brilliance of John Belushi and much more.  Follow Alex on Twitter and listen to the podcast Modern Day Philosophers he does with comedian Danny Lobell. And check out his web series My Racist Toaster.  Check out the Netflix movie about Doug Kenney and the making of Animal House and Caddyshack, A Stupid and Futile Gesture, written by friends of the podcast Michael Colton and John Aboud. Also check out Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead, the excellent documentary on the National Lampoon.  Here's a clip from Harold Ramis' group TVTV featuring Bill Murray.  Like Movies My Friends Have Never Seen on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. You can also get the show on iTunes and Stitcher. Or paste the RSS feed into the preferred podcast player of your choice to get new episodes

This week Noah Tarnow of The Big Quiz Thing returns to the podcast to watch the Jimmy Stewart/Hitchcock classic Rear Window for the first time.  Join us we discuss the film's enduring influence on the thriller genre, watching classic films through a modern lens, the ethics of spying on your neighbors and much more.  Listen to I Don't Get It, the podcast Noah cohosts with Bill Scurry, on iTunes, SoundCloud and Stitcher. Visit The Big Quiz Thing for info on Noah's live and private trivia events.  Like Movies My Friends Have Never Seen on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. You can also get the show on iTunes and Stitcher. Or paste the RSS feed into the preferred podcast player of your choice to get new episodes when they're released.

This week we're decking the halls with Ginger, Posh, Scary, Sporty and, uh, Baby with writer Emmy Potter returning to the podcast to watch Spice World for the first time.  Join us as we talk about why '90s kid Emmy missed the flick the first time around, what a Backstreet Boys versus *NSYNC crossover movie would've been like and much more.  Follow Emmy on Twitter and check out her writing for CultureSonar and Belladonna Comedy. (For her thoughts on Jim Henson and Bowie's infamous codpiece, check out the Labyrinth episode of this podcast.)  Like Movies My Friends Have Never Seen on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. You can also get the show on iTunes and Stitcher. Or paste the RSS feed into the preferred podcast player of your choice to get new episodes when they're released.  

This week we're chasing dancing gophers with Shannon Walker from the Lower East Side Film Festival stopping by to watch Caddyshack for the first time.  Join us as Shannon reveals why Caddyshack is one of her dad's favorite movies and we talk peak Chevy Chase, comedians with '80s cartoons and much more.  Visit the Lower East Side Film Festival's site for more info and read Shannon's missives to 45 on her Instagram Notes To Trump. (You can also listen to the Shannon talk to filmmakers on the Below the Line Podcast.) And if you're looking to laugh, watch her hilarious Web series Vicky and Lysander.  Like Movies My Friends Have Never Seen on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. You can also get the show on iTunes and Stitcher. Or paste the RSS feed into the preferred podcast player of your choice to get new episodes when they're released.

This week we have a Halloween treat where I'm in the guest chair to watch the cult '80s horror comedy The Monster Squad for the first time. Friend of the podcast, filmmaker and co-host of the I Don't Get It podcast Bill Scurry joins me to discuss the 30th anniversary screening of the film we attended, talk about kids movies then and now, and cast the inevitable Monster Squad remake.  Follow Bill on Twitter and check out his short film work over on his YouTube page. Watch friend of the podcast Kevin Maher's supercut of the most traumatic moments from PG-rated '80s movies.  Like Movies My Friends Have Never Seen on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. You can also get the show on iTunes and Stitcher. Or paste the RSS feed into the preferred podcast player of your choice to get new episodes when they're released.

This week we have a spooky pre-Halloween treat with writer/social media guru Andy Webb (Big Think) stopping by to watch the David Cronenberg sci-fi chiller Scanners for the first time.  Join us as we discuss how the famous head exploding scene is an early meme, debate our favorite Cronenberg films and delve into how a low budget Canadian sci-fi/horror flick basically predicted the Internet.  Follow Andy on Twitter and check out his work with folks like Bill Nye and Neil deGrasse Tyson over on Big Think.  Enjoy the smooth stylings of every Scanner's favorite soft rock band The Atlanta Rhythm Section.  Like Movies My Friends Have Never Seen on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. You can also get the show on iTunes and Stitcher. Or paste the RSS feed into the preferred podcast player of your choice to get new episodes when they're released.

This week we're talking about the film that put Jim Carrey on the map with writer/comedian Emily Menez stopping by to watch Ace Ventura: Pet Detective for the first time.  Join us as we unpack the film's many problematic moments and discuss the highs and lows of the Carrey-ography. Plus, Emily reminds us of a forgotten Heather Graham/Chris Klein/Farrelly Brothers joint.  Follow Emily on Twitter and check out her writing for places like UCB and IFC.  If you're in the NYC-area, catch Emily's play Margene Salt at the Pit Loft. (Click the links below to get tix!) Thursday, October 26 at 7p Friday, November 3 at 6p Sunday, November 5 at 6p The Jim Carrey/Frank Darabont drama I couldn't remember the title of is The Majestic. Witness the birth of "Alrighty then!" in a dated In Living Color sketch. Like Movies My Friends Have Never Seen on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. You can also get the show on iTunes and Stitcher. Or paste the RSS feed into the preferred podcast player of your choice to get new episodes when