Old Roommates

A very special Christmas special rewatch...episode special. This year, we revisited two TV classics, “Frosty the Snowman” and “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Beloved for decades by kids young and old, these winter wonders are viewing essentials. But what happens when we put them through an only marginally merry middle-aged lens in 2020? What is the real message of Frosty? And, does Lucy have a future...

***RECORDED PRIOR TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC*** Jessica Lange may have won the Oscar, but Dustin Hoffman was the real ‘lady of the hour.’ Arguably the best gender-bending comedy of all time, Tootsie was a critical and box office hit. Now, decades later, does its “woman in the workplace” themes still ring true in a Me Too world? Is Bill Murray as funny as we remember? And, how did ‘Dorothy’ accomplis...

“You wanna go to Mexico from Oklahoma but you don’t wanna go through Texas?” The groundbreaking action-drama, “Thelma & Louise” raised many questions that got audiences talking back in 1991. Now, nearly 30 years later, are any of them answered? Is a ‘feel-good’ movie allowed to begin and end so tragically? Are any of the male characters redeemable? And, who leaves $6,700 all out in the open li...

Is it possible to be both a good witch and a good wife? That was the central dilemma in the 1960’s hit TV Show, Bewitched. Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick York played a wife and husband involved in a ‘mixed’ marriage. But now, over 50 years later, do we still find magic in the mismatched couple? Are Darrin’s demands for normalcy just full-on sexism? Is this whole TV series a metaphor for the plight...

“Those aren’t pillows!” Steve Martin and John Candy got cuddly, cranky and crazy in 1987’s, Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Back then, the slapstick road trip was a hit with both audiences and critics, and boosted John Hughes into the world of more adult comedy fare. Now, decades later, is a rewatch worth the trip? Are Martin’s mannerisms showing some wear and tear? Are Candy’s giggles contagious...

Let’s hear it for the boy, the girl, and that naked-bum shower scene. A 1984 classic, Footloose featured Kevin Bacon, a smash soundtrack, and an iconic tractor battle. We all remember the moves and songs, but does the movie have new meaning now that we’re older? And did Ariel break the girl code with Rusty without any of us noticing? The Old Roommates put on their Sunday shoes and shimmy in. Liste...

Sex, sex, sex...and an occasional murder or conversation about sex or murder. “Basic Instinct” was very linear in its storytelling back in 1991. Decades later, which is more shocking: the sex or the film’s clear disdain for lesbians and bisexuals? Could Sharon Stone’s Catherine Trammell still be considered the “f*ck of the century?” And, who was the icepick murderer? The Old Roommates grab their f...

Election Day Episode! We rewatched the Ivan Reitman 1993 presidential comedy, Dave. Kevin Kline plays the dual role of a complicated world leader and his much more likable look-alike. With today’s stranger-than-fiction election year, how do the highbrow hijinks of Dave stack up? Does the coma coverup hit too close to home? And, can anyone be president? The Old Roommates let voices be heard. Listen...

“One, two, Freddy’s coming for you,” begins one of the more frightening jingles of the 1980s. “A Nightmare on Elm Street” was a sleeper hit in 1984. Made for under 2 millions dollars, the horror movie scared up over 50 million thanks to its novel concept: a literal dream killer. America’s scary intro to Freddy Krueger also features a drunk mom, gallons of fake blood, and a supporting turn from Joh...

*** RECORDED PRIOR TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC *** “Eat It” and “Like a Surgeon” were two of the many parody hits of Weird Al Yankovic. The Old Roommates revisit them both. First up: The parody of Michael Jackson’s Beat It. Dive into the slapstick, silliness, and one hilarious beheading. Then: The parody of Madonna’s Like a Virgin. Operating on all cylinders, Al digs into the comedy of an O.R., addin...

Ohhhhhh, Neil. He came, he made goofy faces, he left our world so early...and dramatically. Actually, Neil is just one of the main characters with a flair for drama in 1989’s Dead Poets Society. A slow-burning showcase for Robin Williams, Ethan Hawke and writer-director Peter Weir, the school-based hit charmed critics and audiences alike. But, decades later, is it a rousing inspiration or a boring...

Inconceivable! It has taken us a long time to revisit one of Christina’s favorite movies. Back in 1987, The Princess Bride was not a box office hit, but it was destined to become a cult classic in its VHS life...and then it became just a plain old classic. Robin Wright, Cary Elwes and a comedic cast of dozens create memorable characters with an oft-quotes script by William Goldman. Now, decades la...

Match Game and $20,000 Pyramid were crazy TV game shows. “How crazy were they?” Join the Old Roommates as they revisit the stars, cash prizes of these two oft-rebooted classics. Were game show hosts as happy as we remember? Was Brett Sommers an underrated comedy queen? Does anyone love Rice-a-Roni that much? From the Gene Rayburn’s mic to Dick Clark’s answers for everything, the roomies discuss it...

John Candy cooks, cleans and kidnaps a boy named Bug in the family comedy, Uncle Buck. The film was a big hit in 1989 and made a pre-Home Alone Macauley Culkin a national treasure. Now, over thirty years later, do drunk clowns, giant pancakes and a seductive Laurie Metcalf still satisfy? Is the icy mom in the wrong movie? And who did Amy Madigan’s makeup? The Old Roommates discuss. Listen to this....

Putting your hand in dinosaur poop should be scary enough...and yet it’s one of the more mellow moments in the action-packed original Jurassic Park movie. Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum led the way into fears we didn’t know we had before 1993. Now, almost thirty years later, are we still as scared, or are our CGI-addled eyes less impressed. The Old Roommates re-enter gates of pop culture’...

Gadgets, gizmos, and twenty thingamabobs could only keep Ariel happy for so long. The girl needed more. In 1989, The Little Mermaid had audiences and critics cheering for Ariel’s chance at true love, but what about now? How does this mermaid’s plight stack up when compared against our latest batch of brave Disney princesses? And, how hot is King Triton by today’s standards? (Spoiler: Very.) The Ol...

“I’m the bad guy.” Julia Roberts broke her sweetheart persona wide open with the 1997 blockbuster, “My Best Friend’s Wedding.” The film is not only notable for its snarky side of Julia, but also for showcasing Cameron Diaz and Rupert Everett in arguably the most charming performances of their careers. Decades later, does the film make us want to merrily sing along...or aggressively throw rice? The...

The music videos for “Vacation” and “Head Over Heels” feature big hair, neon colors, and the shoulder-shimming dance moves of lead singer, Belinda Carlisle. Yes, The Go-Go’s remain one the best all-girl bands of all time. Decades later, are their videos as much fun as we remember? Or more fun? And how well did we remember them in the first place? Join the Old Roommates as they revisit these two hi...

The lambs have stopped screaming, but does the terror remain? This week, the Old Roommates revisit the thrills, chills and all the icky kills of The Silence of the Lambs. The 1991 thriller wowed critics, audiences, and the Academy, winning a historic bunch of Oscars. Nearly thirty years ago, the movie was a talky, suspenseful, disturbing delight, but does Hannibal Lecter still leave us hungry for...

That poor chicken. All aboard the SS Old Roommates as we revisit the classic Gene Wilder film, “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.” From the chocolate river to that controversial gobstopper, all of the treats, twists and turns will be given another look, this time through a middle-aged lens. Brian and Christina will attempt to answer a variety of questions, like: is this even a kids’ movie?...

Our One-Year Anniversary Spectacular! A revisit of our first year of revisits. Our favorite movies, our favorite moments, our favorite...fights. Relive the love, laughter and pop culture conversations of Old Roommates’ first 54 episodes. One year later, Old Roommates still stands tall (well, sits proudly on a sofa) as the only podcast that revisits pop culture though a middle-aged lens. Enjoy the...

Wax on, wax off. We’re waxing poetic with special guest Matt Ferrara from the pop culture podcast, “What Did We Miss?” This week, Matt and the Old Roommates re-watched The Karate Kid (1984). From discussing Daniel’s journey to analyzing Cobra Kai’s anger issues, they’re diving into the high emotions and high kicks of the franchise-starting classic. Does the movie hold up better than Lucille’s car,...

Dolly, Jane & Lily lit one up and lit up the screen in the blockbuster “9 to 5” back in 1980. The ode to women’s (and workforce) empowerment was a madcap yet meaningful yarn involving pot-fueled fantasies, sexual harassment, and an artificial sweetener. Forty years later, it seems we haven’t come a long way, baby. Its messages are still needed and intact, but what about the laughs? The Old Roo...

“You’re a fake and a phony and I wish I never laid eyes on you.” Oh, the drama of summer lovers. Add in several Karaoke-able tracks and you get one of the most successful musicals of all time. John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John sang their high school hearts out in “Grease” back in 1978. Decades later, does the movie still make us long for pep rallies and pregnancy scares? The Old Roommates revis...

Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey jerked tears and tickets from millions of moviegoers back in 1988, not to mention that soundtrack. Beaches is a story spanning decades, marriages, and hairstyles. Now decades later, how does this ode to friendship hold up? Does the “Oh, Industry!” musical number seem even weirder now? And why didn’t either one of these ladies ever pick up the phone and say hi? Allo...