Quasar Sniffer

A talented cast participates in an ill-fated, overly-complex Christmas-time robbery scheme? Sounds like a film in the proud tradition of Reindeer Games, therefore, I approve. Plus, we could GET INTO the bizarre, sad, long, and twisted road that is Dana Carvey's post-SNL career... which isn't the funniest topic, but worth addressing.

"This movie is completely insane and a joy to watch" is pretty much my opinion of this movie as well. It's not exactly the most clean and professionally made film, but fuck it, I love it. It's a passion project from RZA, who is a fascinating and brilliant human so that makes this movie worth seeing, especially for someone as film-nerdy as myself (and a fan of Wu-Tang and martial arts movies to boot).

I watched this all the time as a kid as well, but that doesn't mean it isn't garbage. Kids like terrible, terrible things. How many years was Barney on the air? TV is still airing Lazy Town episodes. Have you seen the trailers for the new Turtles movie? That is destined to be shit.

One of the all time legendary Hollywood disasters. A modern skewering by talented comedians would be worthwhile.

I endorse this idea. This, of course, would continue the fabulous through-line of Vanilla Ice appearing in HDTGM garbage, beginning with Cool As Ice.

My favorite part of this movie is the idea of hiding from cops behind, and while driving, these one-of-a-kind supercars.

The delay will be worth it if we can organize a Twitter campaign to send tweets to that guy from Imagine Dragons, claiming that it's his fault Jake has been rendered unable to do the podcast. Anyway, I look forward to the return of The Files.

I do think there were some logical inconsistencies (like Evans being grossed out by eating insect-pulp), but other than that, this movie is stellar and one of my favorites of the year. It is neither ridiculous enough in its action to be laughed about (like Fast and the Furious movies), nor is it "bad" or illogical enough to be laughed at. It's one of the most unique films I've seen in a long, long time and there are far worse films worthy of podcast mockery out there.

I understand. It's not exactly a movie that is even easy to enjoy. Frankly, it has a lot of ingredients I DON'T like in movies and I HATE HATE HATE Lars Von Trier... but for some reason I love this film. It's weird like that.

I wanted to post this earlier, but I was out of the country so my interneting abilities were limited. NERD PROBLEMS. Anyway, if anyone cares, there is this weird trope in a lot of the movies of the period where, to denote Troubled Youths, a movie would have the kid listening to very loud metal or hip hop. It's a very cheap and ineffective gimmick because, like a lot of the stuff in this movie, it makes no sense. In an example of obscure shit that interests me but probably nobody else, In Mr. Nanny, the son is listening to the classic thrash metal band (and by "classic" I mean, "underrated to thrash metal fans and totally unknown to everyone else") Rigor Mortis performing their song "Foaming at the Mouth," a track originally recorded as a demo and then included as a bonus track on their debut, self-titled LP. Why is some 11-year-old rich kid listening to this? I have no idea. I mean, it's awesome this relatively unknown thrash band is in a "family comedy," but it serves no narrative purpose and is just some random noise to most people. Maybe a fan of the band worked in the editing or sound department?

I just want to reiterate Paul's recommendation of 'Under the Skin.' That movie is fantastic and weird and unique. See it.

On the subject of Ernest movie ideas... did anyone else get the impression that Mr. Nanny is basically an Ernest movie starring Hulk Hogan? There's just so many jokes requiring silliness, charming ignorance, and physical comedy from the main character (things Hulk has no business doing) that you could have easily just put in Jim Varney in the role and you'd have the same movie. Replace the weightlifting bits with janitorial bits (instead of a weight room, you could be in a storage closet with cleaning products that go haywire like the floor buffer in Ernest Goes to Jail) and instead of flashbacks involving Hulk getting beat up, you get flashbacks with Ernest being scolded by a teacher (also played by Varney) for failing another math test or something. The kids would treat him with the same disrespect, the villains would be just as dismissive, and the black maid would still call him an idiot and whack him with a spoon for trying to eat her chocolate frosting (wait... what?). Hell, Jim Varney in a tutu is probably way funnier than Hulk in the same getup.

Also, the song name-checks Kathmandu as a place where one can find turbans and vindaloo, which is weird since it's the capitol of Nepal. You're more likely to find those things anywhere from Scottsdale, Arizona to Edinburgh, Scotland than in Nepal. Yes, I am correcting the geographical demographics in the song lyrics of an Elvis knock-off jingle in an Indian snack food commercial. I am satisfied with my life choices.

Todd Glass is good, obviously, but I think that Hell for English teachers would be to transcribe his dialogue from interviews and then have to diagram those sentences. Forever.

First, like everyone else, I am overjoyed that HDTGM is back for regular podcasting. May the literal crazyballs commence! Also, much thanks to Mr. Paul Scheer for reading my Correction and Omission comment on this episode; the whole thing even! I will not lie, it gave me the giggles on an otherwise crappy morning. Finally, my Baseball nerdom combines with my film nerdom in a fortuitous fashion!

These movies are the fucking worst. Any mocking they receive is well-deserved.

Every time I think I've reached the nadir (apex?) of 1980s and 90s ridiculous trash, the 1980s and 90s surprise me.

More grumpy cat nonsense...

I've been wondering where the podcast has gotten to as well. It brings my ears weekly joy.

This might be a nitpicky kind of thing, but whatever, this is a podcast about weird shit in movies so here we go. In the scene where Wild Bill is telling his kids all about who Jackie Robinson is, how he's the first "colored man" in baseball, etc., they are listening to a radio broadcast of the Dodgers winning the World Series for the first time (in the background, you can hear the announcer say "and at last, the Dodgers are the world champions"). Ok, the Dodgers won their first World Series in 1955, a full six years after Jackie Robinson debuted in 1949. Not only had he been an all-star and a superstar athlete all that time (including winning the MVP in 1949), but breaking the color barrier was obviously a major national news story, becoming one of the seminal events in all of sports history and a landmark for the Civil Rights Movement. This is not new information. For a dad to tell his kids in 1955 who Jackie Robinson was would be like if Lebron James was named Person of the Year by Time magazine for finally apprehending Joseph Kony and these sports-loving boys STILL did not know who he was. Maybe Wild Bill kept his kids sequestered and hidden away on that farm, away from all civilization? Indoctrinating them in his own twisted moral philosophy, like a more racially tolerant, motorcycle-loving Fred Phelps? Who knows.

The way this guy is fondling that poster in front of those children makes this clip uncomfortable enough to be on the podcast. Then there's the whole Michael Jackson thing...

Mr. Krumholtz is good at what he does and is wonderful on this podcast. I remember seeing him on "Numbers," which was really the first time I noticed him since I never saw 'Slums of Beverly Hills,' and thinking, "oh, this guy is better than this," which is saying something because Judd Hirsch was also on that show. So.... I guess I understand the bitterness some comedians might have had at him being on it, since maybe he deserves better material? I dunno, that's still a bullshit reason to give someone the cold shoulder. He's great, he's been great in everything I've seen him in, and this podcast was a joy.

This is honestly a serious thing I want to do: My uncle is an enormous Bruce Springsteen fan, and so am I (though not as devout as my uncle, probably because he was in high school at pretty much THE TIME to be a Bruce Sprinsteen fan and to have songs like "Born to Run" define your life). So yeah, I'd love to do a Boss podcast with him. This is just a goofy thing that I would be ripping from Scott and Scott, but my uncle and I share both a first (John) and a last name... and my Dad's middle name is my first name and HIS first name is my uncle's middle name, so we could also have him on as a guest. It would be confusing and silly! What's even better is that my dad's family is from New Jersey, and what does the world need more than a bunch of Italians from New Jersey talking about how great Bruce Springsteen is? The title of this podcast? "Johns Bond Jover Bruce Springsteen." I am terrible.

One of the things I love about The Files is the exposure to obscure music, movies, and all-around wacky stuff that I would otherwise be ignorant of. I am just curious if any of you lovely podcast listeners have been similarly exposed to new material and/or inspired to seek new stuff out. I am currently watching 'Breaking Glass,' which I only know about because of the discussion in the Drunk Projectionist episode with Marc Edward Heuck. It's quite enjoyable, and a very different film despite the superficial plot similarities to 'Ladies and Gentlemen the Fabulous Stains' (rags-to-ritches-to-corporate-manipulation story of an ambitious young female musician from an economically depressed background who is taken up and ground down by the record industry). Speaking of The Stains, I would not have known about Heuck's commentary on that film, which is excellent... if you're into detailed film commentaries... which I am. One of my favorite documentaries from the past couple years is 'Room 237,' which I knew about before director Rodney Ascher appeared on the show (episode 28), but his and Jake's enormously enjoyable discussion made me seek it out post-haste and I ended up loving the movie.

With the passing of Rick Mayall, here is this bizarre piece of pop and comedy history: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_BxxjFENMQ