Back to the Balcony

The gloves come off when comedians Gerry Hall and Chris Jarvie try and decide what's the greatest hockey movie of all time. Both are big sports fans - which begs the question why talk about the most under-represented sport in cinema history? According to Wikipedia, there's more films about bull fighting. Funny episode.

Guests Joel Van Vliet and Allie Moore insisit that Martin Scorsese makes the most intense movies - they just can agree about which one is best. Joel says it's 2016's Silence, Allie says it's 2006's The Departed. So essentially a movie about priests in Japan is more intense than a movie about infiltraters in the police and gangs of Boston. Jimmy doesn't say much in this one - they do all the work f...

Comedian Dave Sokolowski considers Clue a great movie because it so seamlessly builds on the characters of the board game. Jimmy thinks that's a liability. Funny for what it is or not funny because of what it is? Give it a listen and tell us what you think.

This shaped up to be a cakewalk deciding which was the best spy spoof movie of all time. Instead, things got turned around in one of our funniest episodes with guests Ryan Sim and Mitch McBeaudry.

Is it about books or TV or censorship or ridiculous ideas? Mario Bernardi and Jimmy go back in time to talk about the movie based on a book they had to read in high school. While they don't reveal how they did when tested on it you get a pretty good idea based on their discussion. Surprisingly insightful.

Patrick Coppolino and Kristian Reimer join Jimmy to determine once and for all which movie has the worst special effects. Patrick Coppolino makes a pretty convincing argument for 1992's The Lawnmower Man. Kristian Reimer makes a surprisingly convincing argument for every tampered version of 1977's Star Wars - A New Hope. Most shocking reveleation: Patrick has never seen Star Wars.

Will anybody remember the Marx Brothers in fifty years? That's just one of the things Jimmy and guest Mario Bernardi ponder as they talk about a movie that isn't even the best Marx Brothers movie. So why not talk about their best? According to Mario, it's only for one reason: Tuttsi-fruittsi. If that doesn't mean anything you definitely have to give a listen. Fun and you might even learn something...

Once in a great while a movie comes along that makes Jimmy appreciate how good Love Story was. Chris Wuergler does it again with The Bodyguard, part Whitney Houston music video, part Kevin Costner trying to remember how many emotions he knows.

Okay, it's a sexist comment but would you really expect Chris Wuergler to bring us 1994's The Shawshank Redemption? Traditional wisdom is women don't want to see a movie that doesn't have women in it but Chris has a deep and abiding affection for this one. Jimmy is hard pressed to disagree and Phil goes missing in action for a while.

Comedian Larry Smith tries to convince Jimmy there's something beautifully funny about the movie Johnny Dangerously even if it's not great art. It's fascinating how two individuals can look at the same thing and see two different things. A funny look at a movie that may or may not be funny.

Good grief, guest Bret Measor can't stop talking about the Rocky movies! This time it's Rocky III. Jimmy says it's just another formula fight movie, Bret begs to differ - then insists Rocky IV has to be next. Nice try, Bret.

And now for something entirely different - that isn't Monty Python. Mitch McBeaudry and Ryan Sim face off to determine the best movie parody of all time. Is it Spaceballs or Shaun of the Dead? Or something entirely different (that still isn't Monty Python). Give a listen and then let us know your candidate.

Guest David Green spares us some time (that's a very clever pun when you see what the movie is), to talk about The Big Lebowski. Okay, maybe it's not all that clever but it is a fun podcast. A real treat for Coen brothers fans.

The ever insightful Bob Kerr joins Jimmy to talk about 1989's Heathers. Besides movie talk there's speculation on the state of croquet and a fascinating discussion on the viability of cow tipping. 

It's a Christmas miracle! That's guest Chris Jarvie's explanation for all the insanity in 1988's Die Hard, a movie requiring millions of dollars worth of destruction to repair a marriage and help a cop learn to kill again. What a heart-warming Christmas movie.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles is one of the most beloved holiday movies that everybody forgets. People generally forget it but when you bring it up they go, "Oh yeah, I really like that movie." It's such a perfect movie that even Jimmy is hard pressed to disagree with guest Mario Bernardi.

The Jerk was either ground-breaking or destroying. Guest Mario Bernardi is of two minds, he remembers it with fondness from his youth but finds much to cringe about today. Did it show us the Steve Martin we'd later come to love? Download to find out.

Having plummed the quality level with Howard the Duck, it was thought all but impossible to find anything worse this side of Ed Wood. Then along comes Bobby Knauff with Nothing But Trouble. Blew the budget making it slick, just forgot to make it worth watching - but that's just Jimmy's opinion.

The seasonally challenged but still lovable Kristian Reimer brings us 1984's Gremlins - a movie that insists they aren't called Gremlins for some reason. They insist on a lot of unbelievable stuff that Jimmy finds less than believable. 

People like Tom Hanks in You've Got Mailed give love a bad name. Meg Ryan doesn't have the business accumen to run a lemonade stand. Hard words but food for a lively debate on the merits of the movie with guest Chris Wuergler.

Chris Wuergler joins us to talk about Romancing The Stone. Is it a movie about romance or adventure? And about that ending - who should get the money. JImmy has thoughts but then when hasn't he?

Guest Pat Ordowich joins Jimmy to consider what made North by Northwest a great movie. Turns out it was one of the actors. Hint: It wasn't James Mason.

Is Pulp Fiction a comedy or a gangster film. Jimmy says comedy but guest Manolis Zontanos disagrees. As usual Phil takes the guest side. Is he wrong? Listen to find out.

My Cousin Vinny pits Jimmy's notorious dislike for leaps of logic and guest Scott Faulconbridge's equally notorious willingness to enjoy anything that's put in front of him. Interesting sidebar about why comedy doesn't get enough respect from the movies.

Guest host Joal Van Vliet mercilessly grills a surprise guest on what makes Back to the Future so bad. Turns out he's out of his mind.  Give a listen and see if you don't agree.