Obscure Obsessions: A Pop Culture Podcast

In which our heroes celebrate Christmas with a completely forgotten sequel to A Christmas Story, My Summer Story (1994), also known as It Runs in the Family. Follow Ralphie (Succession’s Kiernan Culkin) as he goes on summer vacation. Also starring Turkey Hollow’s Mary Steenburgen and The Great Muppet Caper’s Charles Grodin. __________ Taylor Zaccario….Host, Director, Producer, Writer Nick Zaccario...

Nick loves musicals. Hear how much he loves Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical (2005), starring Kristen Bell and Alan Cumming. Taylor isn’t much of a musical fan. So listen and find out why he’s such a fan of The Harvey Girls (1946), starring Judy Garland and Angela Lansbury.  __________ Taylor Zaccario…Host, Director, Producer, Writer  Nick Zaccario…Host, Director, Producer, Editor

Welcome to our monster movie double feature! Taylor, a kaiju aficionado, champions an overlooked installment in the Godzilla franchise: Godzilla Raids Again (1955). Later, Nick tells us why he thinks The Blob (1988) ranks as one of the great remakes.  __________ Taylor Zaccario…Host, Director, Producer, Writer  Nick Zaccario…Host, Director, Producer, Editor

In which our heroes celebrate Thanksgiving with Jim Henson’s Turkey Hollow (2015). Two kids search for an elusive creature in this Lifetime Original Movie, starring Mary Steenburgen and narrated by Chris “Ludacris” Bridges (yes, that Ludacris).   __________ Taylor Zaccario….Host, Director, Producer, Writer  Nick Zaccario….Host, Director, Producer, Editor Megan Zaccario….Special Appearance Speciali...

This week Taylor & Nick have two thrillers for you. First, Nick recommends Christopher Nolan’s Insomnia (2002). An LAPD detective (Al Pacino) arrives in a small Alaskan town to investigate the murder of a local teen. Also starring Hilary Swank and Robin Williams. Afterward, Taylor recommends an Australian movie, a Hitchcock-esque thriller called Roadgames (1981). A truck driver (Stacy Keach) p...

In which our heroes celebrate Halloween with Munster, Go Home (1966), the first film adaptation of the cult classic sitcom, The Munsters.   __________ Taylor Zaccario….Host, Director, Producer, Writer  Nick Zaccario….Host, Director, Producer, Editor

Taylor follows Bob Hoskins (Who Framed Roger Rabbit) through London’s criminal underworld in Mona Lisa (1986). Meanwhile, Nick encounters a masked martial artist in Iron Monkey (1993), starring Donnie Yen (Rogue One).  __________ Taylor Zaccario…Host, Director, Producer, Writer  Nick Zaccario…Host, Director, Producer, Editor

Taylor & Nick travel to Tibet and Los Angeles with their movie picks this week. Nick chooses Volcano (1997), a disaster movie about a volcano erupting in L.A. Only Tommy Lee Jones, Anne Heche, and Don Cheadle can divert the lava’s deadly path! Then, Taylor revisits a British horror film, The Abominable Snowman (1957). Star Wars’s Peter Cushing climbs the Himalayas in search of the elusive Yeti...

Taylor doesn’t love rom-coms, but he is obsessed with one: Catch and Release (2006). Jennifer Garner plays a grieving woman who falls in love with her late fiance’s best friend. Taylor’s recommendation inspires Nick’s choice this week: This Is Where I Leave You (2014). In this comedy-drama, four adult siblings (including Tina Fey and Adam Driver) are forced to return to their childhood home after...

…or “The Importance of Being Ernest (P. Worrell)”   In which our heroes obsess over Jim Varney’s “classic” goofball hero, Ernest P. Worrell.  FEATURING: Harmony Starr! Rimshot! Auntie Nelda! Felix Nash! Chuck! Bobby! Joe Carruthers! Trantor! AND Seth Applegate aka Santa Claus! ALSO FEATURING: Jim Varney! Noelle Parker! The voice of the Sultan! Oscar’s Robert Lesser! Jim Varney, again! Gailard Sart...

…or "Ewoks: The Battle That Has Nothing to Do with Endor" In which our heroes obsess over Ewoks: The Battle for Endor (1985), a forgotten sequel to a forgotten Star Wars television movie. In this follow-up to Caravan of Courage, Cindel and the Ewoks are pursued by the evil Marauders.    ALSO FEATURING: Lonely nights in the hut! Wilford’s brimley! Breaking and entering! Shapeshifting litt...

…or “The One with Danny Glover / The One with Danny Trejo”  In which our heroes obsess over Predator 2 (1990) and Predators (2010), two underrated entries in the Predator franchise.  ALSO FEATURING: Voodoo drug cartels! Bug-Eyed Busey! Extraterrestrial game reserves! Academy Award Winner Mahershala Ali! 1997 of the future! Spinal cords! Produced by Robert Rodriguez! The Predator rides the subway!...

…or “Dumblegore”  In which our heroes obsess over Orca (1977). A revenge-seeking killer whale goes on a killing spree. Starring Richard Harris, known to a certain generation as Albus Dumbledore in the first two Harry Potter films.     ALSO FEATURING: Death Wish Meets Free Willy! Get this filth off my deck! In praise of Alligator! Styrofoam icebergs! Lizzie McGuire’s dad! Random narration! Randy “M...

…or "Endure Endor" In which our heroes obsess over Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure (1984), a forgotten Star Wars television movie. On the forest moon of Endor, two stranded kids enlist the help of the Ewoks to rescue their parents from the clutches of the gigantic Gorax.  ALSO FEATURING: Hansel & Gretel…with Ewoks! Dollar Tree Spiders! Production design by the great Joe Johnsto...

…or “On Her Manta Ray’s Secret Service”  In which our heroes obsess over Licence to Kill (1989), the second of two James Bond flicks to star Timothy Dalton as 007.   ALSO FEATURING: Gladys Knight gets left out! Manatee couches! Q’s $30 million broom! Licence vs. License! Appreciating Timothy Dalton! Yo ho, Penguin! Benicio del Toro gets grounded (into beef)! Inspector Clouseau bails on Casino Roya...

…or “Shut Up Your Face, Mussolini”  In which our heroes conclude their Sylvester Stallone celebration with Oscar (1991). Directed by John Landis, this movie offers up a rare comedic performance from Stallone. He plays a Prohibition-era gangster, attempting to give up his life of crime.  ALSO FEATURING: Chazz Palminteri’s dangling participle! Tim Curry smooches Marisa Tomei! Kirk Douglas throws a p...

…or “The Po-SLY-don Adventure”  In which our heroes continue to celebrate Sylvester Stallone, obsessing over Daylight (1996). After an explosion traps commuters in an underground tunnel, an EMS chief (Stallone) attempts a rescue.   ALSO FEATURING: Mr. California gets pancaked! Jonathan “Coolio” Crane! 90s WiFi! Remembering Sage Stallone! The dog lives! Roseanne’s Jay O. Sanders and Danielle Harris...

…or “That’s a Nice Song, Mike”  In which our heroes celebrate Sylvester Stallone’s birthday month with three of his lesser-known films. In Week 1, they talk about Over the Top (1987). Stallone plays a truck driver trying to reconnect with his son, while preparing for the World Arm Wrestling Championship.  ALSO FEATURING: The competitive world of arm wrestling! Tractor trailers as fitness equipment...

…or “Hhhhhhuuuuuuuueeeeeeeeeyyyyyyy” In which our heroes obsess over Baby Huey’s Great Easter Adventure (1999), a direct-to-video movie about a giant talking duckling.  ALSO FEATURING: Skatetown U.S.A.’s Maureen McCormick! D.W. Griffith’s Intolerance! P.T. Wynnsocki! Bad montages! Directed by Flounder! Barney the Dinosaur or Samuel Beckett! Where’s my froggy?! Adolphus Raymondus Vernon Agopsowicz!...

…or “Hold Onto Your Potatoes”  In which our heroes obsess over Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), the unrightfully maligned second installment in the Indiana Jones film series.  ALSO FEATURING: In praise of Key Huy Quan! Musical kidneys! Cousin Eddie does his Sam Kinison impression! The Rise of PG-13! Willie Scott needs a phone! The elephant from Babylon! Spielberg meets Cole Porter! For...

…or “Of Thee I Wee Sing”  In which our heroes obsess over Wee Sing, a series of children’s singalong videos produced from 1985 to 1996.  FEATURING: Punchinello! Sillywhim! Little Bunny Foo Foo! And Weeber! Snoodle! Doodle! Trunky, too! All on the Wee Sing Train!!! ALSO FEATURING: The cheese stands alone! Domo arigato, Uncle Rubato! The Spurtle Gurgles! 1 2 3 peppermint trees! The Next Elaine Strit...

Threequel Trilogy, Part 3…or “Yo, Empress!” In which our heroes obsess over The NeverEnding Story III: Escape from Fantasia (1994), starring Jason James Richter of Free Willy fame and a young Jack Black.  ALSO FEATURING: Don Knotts as Falkor! The Mildly Rudes! Lufthansa product placement! William “Top…Men” Hootkins! The Livingston Mall! Serendipity! Uncle Buck fan-fiction! Unthreatening bullies! A...

Threequel Trilogy, Part 2…or “Boff the Lineman”  In which our heroes obsess over Psycho III (1986). This threequel to the Hitchcock classic was the directorial debut of Norman Bates himself: Anthony Perkins.  ALSO FEATURING: Trashy pizza! Coitus interruptus! The Babylon of Psycho movies! Norman Bates goes slow dancing! You’ll burn in Hell for this! Woody Woodpecker cartoons! Mother Supervisor take...

Threequel Trilogy, Part 1…or ”The One with Richard Pryor”  In which our heroes obsess over Superman III (1983). The Man of Steel confronts a brand new enemy: a computer genius played by Richard Pryor.  ALSO FEATURING: Watered-down Brainiac! Our friends Golan-Globus! The Salkind Clause! Homemade Kryptonite! Lois Lane takes a vacation! Transcendental logic! The “comedy” of hand dryers! Applauding An...

…or “My Dear Friend or Family Member” In which our heroes obsess over 3 lesser-known movies that feature one of their favorite actors: Christopher Lloyd. ALSO FEATURING: R.L. Stein! Kevin James: Ladies Man! The Scooby-Doo Connection! Megan references Captain America: Civil War! The kiln of Curtis Danko! The Dewey Decimal System! Nerplex! Dr. Jekyll! AND mis-ter… HYDE!!! __________ Taylor Zaccario…...