CinemArcade

The CARS series dumps the spy comedy in favor of a down-to-earth, weirdly poignant final entry, CARS 3! This 2017 film was largely overlooked and is one of Pixar's lowest-grossing films, but it has some interesting things to say and some of the most beautiful animation in the series to date. We're checking out the movie before playing CARS 3: DRIVEN TO WIN, which expands on the fun ideas of the CA...

Mater takes center stage this week for the oft-maligned spy parody CARS 2! While critics at the time may have relegated this to the bottom of the Pixar heap, the film may have finally found it's audience. It certainly has with our guest, certified CARS 2 superfan Hannah Mattes, who joins us to debate the finer points of this detour from the CARS formula. Then, we're playing the PS3/360 era game ad...

Ka-chow! This week we're kicking off a new miniseries all about Pixar's CARS, which is not only a successful film franchise but is one of Disney's most successful toy lines ever! We're kicking off a look at all three films in the franchise, starting this week with the 2006 original CARS! Then, we're getting behind the wheel of the Xbox/PS2-era game adaptation, a slick, kid-friendly racer. Hosted b...

This week we're checking out the 2001 Disney adventure ATLANTIS: THE LOST EMPIRE! A box office disappointment upon release, the film has grown a steady following over the years, in part because of just how stinkin' hot all the characters are. At least that's the contention of our guest, comedian/writer/filmmaker Marissa Macy! Join us as we talk about the film and it's multiple game adaptations, in...

Shhhh! Spooky month concludes this week with one of our more recent movies, and definitely our most recent game. We're talking about John Krasinski's 2018 hit A QUIET PLACE, an effective, largely silent thriller that launched a new franchise. We unpack our complicated feelings about this film before switching over to A QUIET PLACE: THE ROAD AHEAD, a brand-spanking-new first-person survival horror...

One, two, Freddy's coming for you! Spooky month continues with the 1984 classic A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, Wes Craven's smash hit that introduced iconic killer Freddy Kruger to the zeitgeist. Jarrod Hornbeck of Puppet Masters / Castle Freaks returns to talk about one of the formative franchises of his budding horror obsession, before we talk about the NES side-scrolling action game!  Hosted by Ste...

This week, it's the movie that taunts us with it's house-ness... MONSTER HOUSE! This 2006 animated horror-comedy was an early project for Dan Harmon and Rob Schrab, and they bring a welcome amount of wit and energy to this rare horror film for kids. We're covering the flick before turning to the surprisingly enjoyable Gamecube adaptation! Hosted by Steve Guntli, Jennifer "JBan" Bannister, and Just...

This week, a podcast is the warmest place to hide...  We're kicking off a full month of horror movies and games, and we're starting with an absolute banger: John Carpenter's THE THING! Carpenter's film was looked at as a career killer when it debuted in 1982, but it's grown in estimation over the years and is now considered one of the canonical great horror films. We're joined by special guest Kei...

Ailish Collins fills in for Justin this week on what may be our most contentious film to date: 1985's THE GOONIES! Is the film a timeless family classic or is it a victim of nostalgia goggles? We enjoy a firey debate on the subject before covering the odd NES pseudo-sequel, THE GOONIES II, which introduces a mermaid to the mythology.  Hosted by Steve Guntli, Jennifer "JBan" Bannister, and Justin W...

Pup, pup and away!  This week we're looking at our most recent movie, the 2022 animated riff on the DC universe, LEAGUE OF SUPER-PETS! Featuring a ridiculously stacked cast and a surprising fidelity to DC lore, the film is a fun if derivative riff on hits like SECRET LIFE OF PETS, only with superheroes. We're talking about the film and it's recent game adaptation, THE ADVENTURES OF ACE AND KRYPTO,...

Ki ki ki, ma ma ma...  That sound can only mean one thing: Jason's back in town! Or he will be at least, because this week we're talking about the original FRIDAY THE 13th, the slasher sensation that would spawn one of the most indelible horror icons on the 20th century. Austin improv great Mickey May joins us as we take a deep-dive into 1980 classic and it's sequels, before diving in to two of ou...

Get ready to scan your multipass and step into the audacious sci-fi future of THE FIFTH ELEMENT! This massive French production found a huge crossover audience here in the states, and remains a fascinating, funny bit of pulp filmmaking. We're joined this week by filmmaker, comedian, and musician Jer Moran, who checks out the movie and the ill-begotten PS1 game adaptation. Austin listeners! Check o...

The JUMANJI franchise came roaring back to theaters in a big way with 2017's surprise smash JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE! Starring Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Karen Gillen as teenagers trapped in a video game, this fun and lighthearted romp became a runaway box office sensation, even with stiff competition from a STAR WARS movie. We're talking about the 2017 film as well as it's...

Get ready to blast off with the next (weirdly unofficial?) entry in the JUMANJI saga, the spacefaring spinoff ZATHURA! Starring future YA superstars Josh Hutcherson and Kristen Stewart and directed by Jon Favreau, this appealingly old-fashioned adventure was a box office flop but has been reappropriated by its young fans over the years. Ailish Collins is back for both the film and the PS2 game ada...

We're rolling the dice on a new miniseries! We're covering three films in the JUMANJI series, starting this week with the 1995 original! Based on the classic picture book, JUMANJI has been delighting and traumatizing kids for generations, but despite the obvious potential, the film never received a great video game. We discuss the lost JUMANJI Windows games alongside our friend Nick Desai!  Hosted...

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...