Movie Chumps

Press play on some Huey Lewis with us as we set our course for 1985! A game-changing film, Back to the Future made household names of Christopher Lloyd and Michael J. Fox. It also made longtime fans out of Corrye, Luke, and special guests Cory Kesselring and Ken Morrill. The Chumps explore: -1980s iconography (Marty's vest, Doc's hair, the DeLorean) -The big guitar scene -Making science cool -Reco...

Friend of the Pod Mike Pagano isn't just into space and Nasa, you know. M-Pags shares his own inspiring health journey, as the Chumps reflect on Brittany Runs a Marathon, a film that's ABOUT running...and NOT about running. The Chumps tackle: -the Oscar nomination mistakes/snubs -self-worth, mind & body -the film's use of social media/texting as a storytelling device -that NYC Marathon sequence -P...

A race against time, but without a clock. Apocalypto is the ultimate revenge film, with a heavy helping of gut-wrenching awfulness. Mel Gibson shines behind the camera in a movie you have to see to believe. Okay, enough with the clichés. Jaguar Paw gets his life turned upside down...before turning the tables and going all "Kevin in Home Alone" on a tribe of hard-nosed tribesmen. The Chumps dissect...

Arguably the worst movie of all time may have lead to the Chumps' best episode of all time. Luke & Corrye welcome "Corey K" back to the pod, as the trio aims a missile launcher at the parade of bullsh*t lines, lackluster plot holes, and disturbing sequences. Gina Gershon survives the explosion; every other actor, director, writer is blasted with shrapnel. Corrye's verbal rampage here will live lon...

Luke's up in arms about the lack of help from the dwarves and elves at the Minas Tirith & Mordor battles, before Corrye sets him straight. Both Chumps lose their patience with Denethor, but happy he "flamed out" (too soon?). PLUS: crowd-pleasing Legolas moments; Miranda Otto does it again; the extended edition tidbits; the 74 "endings," and the majesty of Samwise/Sean Astin.

A worthy sequel. The Chumps do a deep-dive on the Battle of Helm's Deep; explore where Peter Jackson dropped the ball on Gimli; and ask themselves how much credit Andy Serkis should get for Gollum. PLUS: Luke revisits the old wives' tale about the ghost in Three Men and a Baby; and Corrye acknowledges Disney's "salute to the weirdos."

20 years later, it's arguably the greatest adventure film of all-time. The Chumps tackle: The game-changing special effects program that's influenced a multitude of films ever since; Peter Jackson's vision; Casting alternatives; Where Corrye ranks the film on his all-time theater experiences list; The storytelling strategies that translated brilliantly from the book. PLUS: The one nitpick that bot...

The final podcast of 2021, on arguably the greatest action film in history. That deliciously marvelous Furiosa! That lovable war boy Nux! That son of a bitch Immortan Joe! George Miller's bursting creativity behind the camera! The Chumps spray the chrome on and pick apart this box of dynamite with their usual flare and appreciation. PLUS: The wild backstory on the dude with the flame-throwing guit...

Yes, we know it's a brutal meditation on media, capitalism, and everything else. But the key conclusion from the Chumps: how in h*** did Jake Gyllenhaal NOT win an Oscar, or even get nominated? Corrye & Luke have a ball surgically plucking out their favorite nuances & lines from the 41-year-old stud. We've also got answers about Riz Ahmed's gaining of his role here. PLUS: Luke explains what the mo...

Luke & Corrye relive the thrill of the first time the Chumps ever saw the film in the theater. Some highlights: The constant running. The awkward but super passionate love scene. Cool-as-ice Uncas. Pete Postlethwaite's lack of lines. Mr. Belding's brother. The baffling "creative differences." Daniel Day-Lewis' corny but dramatic pleading. PLUS: Corrye slips in a FANTASTIC impression from the film,...

A run-of-the-mill action plot. So what is it about John Wick that has made it a modern classic? The Chumps welcome martial arts & film aficionado Corey Kesselring back to the pod to discuss the "Gun-Fu" style of combat, Wick's dog, the culture of the assassins' world, Alfie Allen's douchebaggery, The Continental hotel, and the movie's ability to capture grief so perfectly. PLUS: the Christmas game...

Luke & Corrye peruse the smorgasbord of delicious quotes in this feast of a heist film. The Chumps trade fun facts they discovered (the rapper Slaine! The alternative ending!), trade frustrations about why Jeremy Renner should have won an Oscar, and explain why this is Ben Affleck's best movie as director by miles. PLUS: The guy from Boston who got the call from Affleck himself to appear in the fi...

The Chumps welcome back space & NASA aficionado Mike Pagano as they sift through arguably Ron Howard's greatest picture. What makes the storytelling so riveting? How important is Hans Zimmer's exquisite score? Did Kevin Bacon lay the game on too thick when kicking it to that woman at that party? PLUS: Mike gets an extra question in our "Five Questions" segment. And Luke makes his most bizarre reco...

Why is Riders of Justice SO deliciously fantastic? It's about revenge! No! It's about dealing with trauma. No! It's about...everything. Luke & Corrye try to articulate why this film resonated so surprisingly with them. The Chumps' key takeaway: Don't watch the trailer or read any reviews - just watch the dang movie. ALSO: Mads Mikkelsen shines; the AWESOME twist and why we didn't see it coming; an...

What are 10 films YOU would bring on an island if stranded there for 10 years? Luke and Corrye both chose Goonies...but as for the other 9? Completely different! Surprises abound! The Chumps also exchange their Top 10 Heroes and Villains. Some may be obvious (Hans from Die Hard, Darth Vader) but be ready for some big-league curveballs. PLUS: How in the world non-golfer Corrye managed to pull off a...

Our final Halloween/October installment! We break down Jamie Lee Curtis aka Laurie Strode's performance: did she sell her lifelong trauma? The mystique of Michael Myers. The insane fun fact behind the marketing cost of this film. The Chumps also explore the lack of cell phones in the movie; the familiar horror film beats and the film's ability to still feel "new;" and those wacky podcasters at the...

World-building of the highest order! Denis Villanueve makes a third modern sci-fi classic (in our humble opinion). Luke & Corrye agree: this is a "10." The Chumps explore: Why guns aren't prevalent in the Dune universe; Cinematographer Greig Fraser's brilliance; what Baron Harkonnen provides that recent movies have been missing; Timothee Chalamet's potential; "dude bros" Josh Brolin and Jason Momo...

A labor of love. The trail of breadcrumbs and evidence proving Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg had a blast writing this rom-com/horror/buddy flick. The Chumps explore: how Pegg & Nick Frost incorporate their real-life friendship and background into the film; the clever nuances sprinkled throughout the movie; the charm of the Winchester; and the most punchable character. PLUS: A ballsy behind-the-scene...

There's an explanation for why the monsters seemed a little, shall we say, off in this film. The Chumps welcome Corey K. back to the pod to discuss: "Nards" vs Nuts, the ethics behind calling Horace "fat kid," the showbiz fate of the Monster Squad child stars, Rudy's heavy lifting during that vintage 80s movie montage, and the cool backstory on "scary German guy." PLUS: Calling BS on the army's ar...

We've got another underrated gem, folks! Ewan McGregor and a gang of unknowns make this a sequel to place on your Halloween shortlist. The Chumps admit being mesmerized by the delicious Rebecca Ferguson as Rose the Hat, while also being wowed by the young Kyliegh Curran and the dynamic Cliff Curtis. PLUS: Corrye's choice for MVP of the film, and Luke's fun facts about the hidden callbacks to The S...

Horror films are a dime a dozen. So what does 30 Days of Night do that the others don't? Luke & Corrye explore this question and many others including: Does Ben Foster get robbed of screen time? Is Eben and Stella's relationship believable? What is it that the vampires SHOULD have done earlier? PLUS: Corrye goes absolutely bananas for a TV show that he claims forced him to recently ugly cry.

Guest extraordinaire Mike Pagano stops by the pod...and has nitpicks galore about the film he JUST watched for the first time. Surprisingly, Luke & Corrye think the nitpicks are legit. The Chumps dive into: the father-son theme, Redford's age in real life: was it a problem? PLUS: What the movie got WRONG about the game of baseball; All the Buffalo & WNY filming locations; The groovy backstory to b...

Ryan Gosling fits into the Blade Runner world like a glove. Harrison Ford still runs like he did at the beginning of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Meanwhile, women finally get their due in key roles; Jared Leto is creepy but convincing; and Corrye paraphrases The Rock when discussing the age-old question that continues in this sequel: is Deckard a replicant? The Chumps explore how the film adds to the...

Blade Runner's stunning atmosphere and visuals? They're matched only by Corrye's articulation of humanity and how it looms large in Ridley Scott's picture. The fellas play hardball, quickly tackling the "is Deckard a replicant" question right out of the gate. PLUS: Luke is perplexed by the lack of security at the Tyrell Corporation and complains (again!) about movie criticism; Corrye stumps Luke i...

A true "who's who" of casting, including a bunch comedians that arguably steal the show: John Candy, Walter Matthau, Jack Lemmon. The Chumps believe Oliver Stone's heart is in the right place, even if his film is full of fake facts and omissions. JFK is a masterpiece of editing, but that's not all the filmmakers got right. Luke & Corrye pluck out some of the genius storytelling moves, while trying...