CinemArcade

It's showtime! Tim Burton's iconic Ghost With The Most, BEETLEJUICE, is our topic this week! We've covering the surprise hit 1988 film, plus the 1991 NES game, which blends elements from the film and the successful animated show.  Hosted by Steve Guntli, Jennifer "JBan" Bannister, and Justin Wilhelm  Logo by Douglas McCambridge  Email: cinemarcadepodcast@gmail.com   Instagram/Threads: @cinemarcade...

Your wish is our command! ALADDIN has become one of our most requested episodes, because it's one of the rare films that not only has a great game adaptation, it has TWO. Between the classic1992 film and the two games, we've got a lot of ground to cover, so we've invited actors and writers John Gholson and Bryan "Lubu" Roberts to join us to discuss the film and finally give a definitive ruling on...

This week, it's one of the most truly bizarre cult films of the 1980s, HIGHLANDER! A stylish but often dizzying mix of action, fantasy, and magic, the saga of Connor MacLeod touched a real nerve for a certain section of fans, including our very own JBan and special guest Connor MacDonald! We dig into the film franchise, the TV spin-off, and of course the video games, a crop of some of the stranges...

Truly one of the strangest summer tentpole movies of the last few decades, Warren Beatty's decadent, stylish, ultimately overwhelming 1990 film DICK TRACY needs to be seen to be believed. Beatty pulled out all the stops to bring the beloved 1930's comic strip to life, packing the film with stars, songs, and special effects, and riding a marketing bonanza not seen since a certain Caped Crusader hit...

Kwantzu, dudes! We're taking a trip back to the early 90's for the totally radical time capsule that is SURF NINJAS! Starring TMNT2's Ernie Reyes, Jr., a 30-year-old Rob Schneider playing a teenager, and of course cybernetic evil general Leslie Nielsen, this silly little concoction is weirdly notable for our show, as the Sega Game Gear adaptation of the movie actually plays a weirdly crucial role...

Joe Dante returns to tiny terror territory with 1998's SMALL SOLDIERS! The director of GREMLINS tries to recapture the dark comedy magic of his original hit, and if this film isn't quite of that tier, it's still a fun little romp. We're talking about the star-studded film, and then looking at the attempted launch of a SMALL SOLDIERS gaming franchise that came and went in the span of a year.  Hoste...

Go, go Power Rangers! We're talking about the kids TV phenomenon of the 90s, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers! In 1993, the Rangers basically overtook pop culture, dominating TV ratings and toy sales and becoming an icon of 90's cheese. We're looking at the first full-length feature film in the series before playing four different versions of the game adaptation, which each bring their own spin to...

Our unplanned Vin Diesel marathon continues as we visit our latest Justin's Choice: xXx! This 2002 spy thriller tried to disrupt Bond's spy supremacy with an X-treme sports superstar, and it's every bit as goofy and dated as it sounds. We're talking about the film, then looking at the GBA-exclusive game, which is weirdly a soft remake of... LILO & STITCH?  Hosted by Steve Guntli, Jennifer "JBa...

This week, we're learning to be afraid of the dark with the 2000 sci-fi action thriller PITCH BLACK! A breakout film for Vin Diesel, it's also become his favorite franchise, and he's been keeping the Richard B. Riddick torch burning across sequels, animated films, and of course video games. JC Chavez joins us to talk about the film and it's prequel, the Xbox classic CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK: ESCAPE F...

We're hopping back into our Mini Coopers for another turn at THE ITALIAN JOB! This time, we're looking at the vastly different 2003 heist movie, featuring Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, Edward Norton and a standout supporting cast! This remake has a very different energy than the cheeky original, but is it still fun? We'll find out before diving into the 2003 Xbox game featuring plenty of Mini ra...

We're blowing the bloody doors off of British classic THE ITALIAN JOB! The cult favorite starring Michael Caine and Noel Coward became one of the definitive films of London in the swinging 60s, and featured some of the most elaborate and impressive car stunts yet put on film. We talk about the film as well as the 2002 game adaptation, a faithful recreation of the film from Rockstar Games! Hosted b...

This week, special guest Diego de los Reyes joins us for 1998's swashbuckling throwback, THE MASK OF ZORRO! We talk all about the film and the careers of Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, and Catherine Zeta-Jones, before transitioning to the Game Boy Color-exclusive game adaptation that tries some perhaps overly-ambitious gameplay ideas for the tiny console.  Hosted by Steve Guntli, Jennifer "JBa...

We're taking a bit of a detour this week, deviating from our usual movie-to-game pipeline to talk about the recent release of the FALLOUT TV show! The three of us are FALLOUT fanatics and couldn't resist the opportunity to talk about both the show and the games, which have experienced a massive surge in popularity and seem to be dictating an interesting new pop cultural trend for the next decade. ...

We're putting up our quarters for the dazzling, energetic, and heartfelt SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD! Edgar Wright's 2010 adaptation of Bryan Lee O'Malley's graphic novel series was a box office disappointment that has become one of the most beloved movies of the decade, and has found success in just about every other medium in the process. Actress/comedian/nemesis Syd Goin joins us this week for...

Greetings, Starfighter! We're taking the fight straight to the Ko'Dan Empire this week, because we're talking about the 1984 cult favorite THE LAST STARFIGHTER! The tale of a young video game whiz who gets recruited to join an interstellar war is renowned for its fun atmosphere and groundbreaking CGI special effects, but how does it hold up 40 years later? We're then discussing two game adaptation...

A modern spin on the classic Beauty and the Beast trope, BEASTLY was a YA adaptation from 2011 that was plagued with delays, bad press, and some scathing reviews. But is it any good? No, it's not! But we still have fun talking about it, because we're joined by our friend Whitney Benson to break down this bananas movie and the even more bizarre, hilariously chintzy Wii adaptation!  Hosted by Steve...

This week, we're exposing the greatest cover-up in human history by cracking THE DA VINCI CODE! Ron Howard's 2006 film starring Tom Hanks was just one part of an unprecedented literary phenomenon, which also included an often-forgotten Xbox game adaptation! Actress and filmmaker Ashley Park joins us for a slappy and hilarious episode where we cover everything from mud wallops to the Spice Girls. H...

The film that helped usher in a second renaissance for Disney, TANGLED's legacy may have been overshadowed by FROZEN, but it remains an important and interesting film for Disney nerds. We're discussing the film this week with returning guest Ailish Collins, before diving into the co-op platformer TANGLED: THE VIDEO GAME!  Hosted by Steve Guntli, Jennifer "JBan" Bannister, and Justin Wilhelm  Logo...

Our ROCKY miniseries comes to an end as the Rocky passes the gloves down to the next generation in 2015's CREED! Directed by Ryan Coogler, the film was a surprise critical and commercial smash that reignited interest in the ROCKY franchise. We're discussing the film this week with our friend Sid Desai, before playing our first VR game, CREED: RISE TO GLORY, an experience that may or may not have r...

An aging Rocky steps back into the ring 30 years after the first film for 2006's ROCKY BALBOA! Is this throwback a welcome return to the Italian Stallion's roots or does it adhere too closely to the classic formula? We give it a deep dive, as well as it's PSP exclusive game adaptation! Hosted by Steve Guntli, Jennifer "JBan" Bannister, and Justin Wilhelm  Logo by Douglas McCambridge  Email: cinema...

The uplifting 70's classic ROCKY is a quintessential underdog story both on screen and in real life. It helped turn writer-star Sylvester Stallone into one of the most successful actors of his generation, and shaped the future of sports movies to come. We're kicking off a three-part exploration of the ROCKY franchise, starting with the 1976 original and it's video game adaptations for Sega Master...

In 1994, Steven Spielberg bankrolled an ostentatious, live-action version of the beloved 1960's cartoon series THE FLINTSTONES, and it remains one of the weirder blockbusters of the 90s. We talk about it's strange production, it's failed sequel, and of course it's 1995 SNES adaptation, in which John Goodman's head is transported onto a cartoon body, with sexy results.  Hosted by Steve Guntli, Jenn...

This week we're going undercover for ALEX RIDER: OPERATION STORMBREAKER! If you've never heard of this 2006 teen spy thriller, you're not alone; this adaptation of a the popular YA novel series flopped hard at the box office, despite having an unbelievably stacked cast. We're going to go over all of the various production and execution issues of the film before talking about the two (!) games base...

Akira Kurosawa's 1954 masterpiece SEVEN SAMURAI is maybe the defining film of Japanese cinema, a sprawling adventure epic that has influenced almost every action movie since. It's a momentous achievement, but how do you meet up to that standard with a video game? SEVEN SAMURAI 20XX attempts to tackle the original by not tackling it, moving the action to the distant future and using the film as a v...

Perhaps the only video game based on a biopic, but if any biopic lends itself to gamification, it's DRAGON: THE BRUCE LEE STORY. This 1993 confection is a highly fanciful, action-heavy portrayal of the martial arts legend that goes real heavy on the cheese. The belated video game adaptation translates the film's plot into an oddball fighting game.  Hosted by Steve Guntli, Jennifer "JBan" Bannister...