Old Roommates

Sweet dreams were made of ... this? Cows, cellos, and buzz cuts? Yes, back in the 80s, pop duo, Eurythmics, jolted out our senses with new wave, synth pop tunes and, thanks to Annie Lennox, music videos that challenged what a female pop star should look like. But now, decades later, are their videos more like 80s nightmares? The Old Roommates want to abuse you, but instead revisit "Sweet Dreams (A...

Bette Midler sang, screeched, and sobbed her way to an Oscar nomination in 1979's "The Rose," directed by Mark Rydell. Loosely based on Janis Joplin, the film infused rock-star drama with electrifying concert footage and made Midler a household name. But now, decades later, to borrow a song title, whose side are we on? From a self-destructive singer to the ill-tempered cowboy who loves her, to the...

We're taking a wintry week off, but we don't want to leave you hanging like last season's stockings. We've both picked some of our favorite episodes to keep you company on your holiday travels, or while you're working away. Thank you so much for another year of listening. We wish you the happiest of holidays and the best of everything in the year ahead. Old Roommates can be reached via email at ol...

The director of "Porky's" may seem an unlikely choice for a holiday slice of 1940's life, but in 1983, it worked. Bob Clark's "A Christmas Story" would be destined for success, sequels, and cable TV marathons thanks to its charming cast and oh-so-quotable script based on the writing of Jean Shepherd. But now, decades later, does the umpteenth viewing make us want to shoot our eyes out? Is Raphie a...

The roses. We forgot about the roses. Or did we? Back in 1978, the somber ice skating drama "Ice Castles" slid by the box office with barely a blip. The film would go on to become a cult classic, thanks in part to its iconic Melissa Manchester love song, "Through the Eyes of Love." But now, decades later, how does the movie hold up through the eyes of the Old Roommates' middle-aged lens? Does it t...

Tom Cruise was a loser. A hilarious, Oscar-nominated loser in 1996’s Jerry Maguire. The actor took on the titular underdog role to great acclaim, and brought Cuba Gooding Jr., Regina King and newbie Renee Zellweger along for the ride. The film was a hit and boasted some of the most memorable lines in cinema history. But now, decades later, did we maybe show this movie our money too willingly? And,...

You old poop! You gotta give it to the late-great Katherine Hepburn. The then-74-year-old icon lifted lumber, rowed boats, and even dove into rocky waters for 1981’s On Golden Pond. Hepburn and Henry Fonda would go on to win Oscars for their roles. But now, in a time when age is just a number and our world leaders are older than the fictional Thayers, does this drama need a nitroglycerin pill? And...

Can Jodie Foster do no wrong? Well, back in 1995, the verdict was still out. Despite the film’s all-star lineup of Holly Hunter, Anne Bancroft, and Robert Downey Jr, Home for the Holidays was a turkey at the box office. Now, decades later, can we find the fun in this family’s disfunction? Who’s the real antagonist in this holiday tale? And just how many cooked turkeys were needed to make the big d...

He meant to do that. The late-great Paul Reubens character, Pee Wee Herman, made his cinematic splash in 1985's Pee Wee's Big Adventure. The film was coincidentally the feature film debut of director Tim Burton. The happy marriage created a beloved box office hit. But now, decades later, is the titular "man child" just too much or not enough? Is "Dotty" now endearing or desperate? Is "Large Marge"...

You may think Nicolas Cage is an unlikely choice to portray a lovelorn angel ... and you'd be right. Yes, 1998's City of Angels asked audiences to suspend a variety of beliefs: Meg Ryan as a seen-it-all surgeon. Dennis Franz as a fallen deity. And, oh yeah, beach-loving angels with cloudy job descriptions. Audiences bought it all. But now, over two cynical decades later, does this fantasy flick ra...

Happy Halloween! This year, in honor of All Hallows Eve, we rewatched 1985's Fright Night, written and directed by Tom Holland. Back in the 80's, vampire movies were all the rage (The Hunger, Once Bitten, The Lost Boys). Fright Night more than succeeded by delivering gore, good performances and even guffaws. But now, decades later, has our bloodlust for such stories run dry? Why is "Evil" evil? An...

What hump? Yes, the 1974 comedy classic Young Frankenstein had its work cut out for it for a younger audience. Adult jokes, old horror film references, and its black-and-white palette may've been lost on hip kids of the 1970s. But now, nearly 50 years later, we're all grown up and ready for our rewatch. Do visual gags and slapstick have an expiration date? Is this Mel Brooks' finest hour (and a ha...

A very special episode: It's Christina's birthday! As is tradition, co-host Christina gets to make co-host, Brian, watch one of her favorite movies for The First Time. Christina's choice? Grease 2, that much-maligned 1982 sequel to the 1978 masterpiece. Michelle Pfieffer cooly rode her way to super stardom while critics panned the rest of this (now) cult classic. Upon rewatch, does Christina still...

Ben Affleck and Joey Lauren Adams star in Kevin Smith's 1997 romcom with a twist, Chasing Amy. Back then, the film's slim budget, sex-centric themes, and salacious script were the talk of the movie world, indie and otherwise. But now, decades later, is the movie's boy-loves-a-lesbian plot doomed to feel dated? Does the flick's filthy dialogue still have an edge? And is Affleck's "Holden McNeil" th...

"Billie Jean" and "Thriller" were two of the biggest videos of 1983 and both from the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson. Both videos featured Jackson, darkly lit streets and, well, the similarities kind of end there. Billie Jean's dance moves and Thriller's big budget both got MTV audiences talking 40 years ago. But nowadays, do the videos hold up as well as the songs do? Would zombies really d...

Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer incorporated. The #1 TV show in America in the late-70s, Laverne & Shirley, certainly did it their way. The groundbreaking sitcom featured lead characters who were unmarried, hardworking, independent, sex positive ... women! The fact that the series took place in the late-50s was all the more fascinating. But now, 40 years since it last aired, are our fond m...

Wilford Brimley was a sprightly 49 years old when he took the role of Ben in 1985's sci-fi adventure, Cocoon. Directed by Ron Howard and featuring a cast of septuagenarian movie stars, the movie went on to win Oscars and bring in over $80M at the box office. But now, decades later, does the whole saga feel past its prime? Why is Steve Guttenberg's character so awful? And, should a person ever have...

Arnold Schwarzenegger was kicking ass and taking names in the 1990 comedy Kindergarten Cop. Directed by Ivan Reitman, the movie combined a variety of genres - comedy, action, drama - with mixed results. But now, decades later, how does its Terminator-teaches-tots concept measure up? Are themes of child abuse, drug addiction, and divorce all too much for a PG-13 flick? And is Eleanor Crisp one of t...

Season Premier! "Take the gun, leave the cannoli." Back in 1972, Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather took it all. Big box office, Academy Awards, and a place on many lists as one of the best films of all time. But now, over 50 years later, does the 3-hour saga give us an offer we "can refuse"? Was Brando's Don Corleone just too sensitive for his own good? Was Diane Keaton's Kay too understanding...

Bonus: Our 4th Anniversary episode featuring The 3rd Annual Roomie Awards. Join us for a recap of our recaps! Brian and Christina take a look back at the films, tv shows, and music videos they've revisited over the past twelve months. They'll discuss their most-downloaded episodes, surprising stats, and their favorite moments. And after all the pleasantries are exchanged (cue drum roll) they'll pr...

"Fantasy" and "Always Be My Baby" were two #1 hits (among many) for Mariah Carey in the mid-90s. They also have the rare distinction of spawning music videos directed by the Queen of Christmas herself. Both videos featured Carey smiling, posing, lip syncing, and riding both roller coasters and tire swings. But now, decades later, are the videos as good as the songs? Do they need to be? And how man...

Clark. Ellen. Rusty. And...Audrey. Back in 1983, National Lampoon's Vacation featured the Griswolds as the quintessential American family attempting to have a cross-country road trip. The fact that everything went wrong only made them more endearing to movie audiences, more than quadrupling the film's budget at the box office. But now, forty years later, what's the wear and tear on this thing? Is...

Just when you thought it was safe to re-watch a sequel. As co-host Christina exclaims in this episode, “No one talks about Jaws 2.” Back in 1978, though, they sure did, and for a variety of reasons. Most critics trashed it. Audiences devoured it. Roy Scheider didn’t even want to be part of it. Yes, “Jaws 2” tore people up with its clunky shark, screaming teens and awfully familiar storyline. But n...

“I wanna f*ck!” Yes, friends, 1999’s “Cruel Intentions” didn’t beat around the bush in showcasing the carnal needs of its oversexed highschoolers. Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillipe and Reese Witherspoon formed a Dangerous Liaisons-inspired lust triangle with mixed results among audiences and critics. But now, decades later, has the movie’s edgy dialogue, casual coke-snorting, and borderline inc...

Conjunction Junction, what was your function? Many 70’s kids grew up singing and learning in 3-minute intervals thanks to those Saturday morning cartoon gems, Schoolhouse Rock. From the solar system to subtraction, Gen X youngsters were smitten with these educational earworms. But now, nearly half a century later, how much did we retain of the cartoons themselves? Did “Just a Bill” really prepare...