Old Roommates

Eddie Vedder and Tim Burton are among the many cameos in the star-studded 1991 romcom, Singles. Written and directed by Cameron Crowe, the movie charmed critics and audiences with its fourth-wall-breaking love stories and a hard-rocking Matt Dillon. But now, over 30 years later, did our hearts grow... Fonda? Is its popular soundtrack still music to our ears, or does it leave us shouting in the str...

Macauley Culkin’s dad was allegedly a bigger villain than Henry Evans. Yes, the making of The Good Son was complicated. But let’s talk about the actual 1993 thriller that wanted us to hate the little kid from Home Alone. Back then, audiences lined up to see a different side of their beloved “Kevin!” Critics weren’t kind and audiences weren’t too crazy about it either. But now, nearly 30 years late...

This is it. Thiiiiis is it. Or was it? The original 1975 sitcom One Day at a Time focused on a divorced Ann Romano raising two daughters in Indianapolis. Tackling issues ranging from teenage runaways, petty thieves, and the pressure of “going all the way” pushed the TV show into the “dramedy” realm and also kept it a hit for nine seasons. Over forty years later, in a world where half of all marria...

Whoopi! Oprah! Spielberg! None of them are here, but Brian and Christina have re-watched the multi-Oscar-nominated saga of sisters Celie and Nettie. Back in 1985, The Color Purple an opportunity for its director and stars to break out. Audiences went in droves. Could Whoopi do drama? Could Oprah act? Can Steven Spielberg make a movie without special effects? The answers were resounding yeses. But...

Yes, the original one starring Jodie Foster and Barbara Harris! Freaky Friday provided the outline for all future "switching bodies" movies to come. Back in 1976, kids loved it. Critics liked the performances, but little else. Now, decades and a remake later, is it just slapstick kids' stuff? Could we see inklings of Oscars in Foster's performance? And, who hired all these stunt doubles? The Old R...

"I can't have a baby because I have a 12:30 lunch meeting." Back in 1987, audiences met workaholic JC Wyatt, played by Diane Keaton. Released in the heyday of "baby" movies, Baby Boom didn't rattle the box office much, but it found new life on cable and even spawned a TV series. Now decades later, is "having it all" a goal better left in the 1980's? Should Keaton's "Tiger Lady" be loved or loathed...

Elizabeth Berkley, Gina Gershon, and Kyle MacLachlan put their careers on the line and left their clothes on the floor for 1995's epic flop, Showgirls. The Paul Verhoeven NC-17 drama shined a light on Vegas showbiz, strip joints, and Berkley's private parts...and audiences and critics hated every minute of it. Now, decades later, is it really as bad as we remember? The Old Roommates ice up their D...

“Hungry Like the Wolf” and “Rio” were two of the top videos of the early 1980’s by the English new wave band, Duran Duran. Back in the day, the videos were filmed-on-location, rock star romps featuring lots of beaches, body paint, and shirtless-ness. But now, decades later, do the videos turn us on...or just make us want to travel? Are Simon LeBon and John Taylor as swoon worthy as Gen Xers rememb...

A long time ago, on a podcast far, far away...Brian and Christina somehow forgot all about Star Wars. The original (or Episode 4, if you’re into that) blockbuster that changed cinema as we know it, Star Wars was everything. The movie, the toys, the...bed sheets? Made for a paltry $11M, the George Lucas space opera went on to become the second highest-grossing film of all time. But now, decades, se...

Beloved by dads everywhere, "Caddyshack" was the quote-loaded comedy everyone was lining up to see back in 1980. The cast featured some of the funniest men on TV (Ted Knight, Chevy Chase, Bill Murray) and then top-comedian Rodney Dangerfield. Back then, the film served as a showcase for each funny man to do their thing. But now, over 40 years later, does the humor just putter along or do these jok...

"A boy's best friend is his mother." Before uttering that gem, Norman Bates appeared to be pretty okay, and (if we're being honest) kind of a hottie. In the 1960's classic horror, Psycho, director Alfred Hitchcock left audiences shocked, speechless, and forgoing unnecessary showers. From killing off a main character one hour into the story, to the twisted...twist of the killer's identity, Psycho w...

Deco was 16 years old. We repeat, "Deco was 16!" Andrew Strong was a wee lad when he busted out covers of "Mustang Sally" and "Try a Little Tenderness" in the 1991 film, The Commitments. The Alan Parker drama-comedy about an assembled band of soul-singing Dubliners featured a rough and ready cast, great music, and one bummer of an ending. Three decades later, do the melodies linger? Do the accents...

Has Robin Williams ever been more “Robin Williams” than in The Fisher King? Yes, back in 1991, Robin gave audiences everything: the comedy, the drama, the furry, full-frontal nudity. The movie also gave Brian and Christina full-on “pop culture PTSD” via a graphic nightclub-shooting scene. Yes, this kinda-complicated tale of a former shock-jock seeking redemption from a homeless man shook audiences...

Thank you for being a...flop? How could a beloved sitcom like “The Golden Girls” dish out a much-disliked spinoff like “The Golden Palace” in 1992. Did the continuing adventures of Rose, Blanche, and Sophia mean nothing to us back then? Or were we simply not interested in learning about hotel management? Whatever the reason, the one-season misfire was met with disappointed fans and ever-dwindling...

Atreyu! Falkor! Moon Child! Character names were perhaps the least weird thing in 1984’s The NeverEnding Story. Loaded with multi-headed townspeople, rock-eating rock people, sad horses and more, the fantasy film dazzled kids and enchanted adults. Now, decades later, does the world of Fantasia still fascinate? Brian is using his “Birthday Episode” to force Christina to endure the 94-minute movie....

Kat, Daisy, and Jojo. Friends who work together. Friends who share everything together. Friends who giggle...about everything together. Yes, in 1988, audiences were smitten with the friendships and relationships on display in Mystic Pizza, a film that helped launch its leads (Julia Roberts, Lili Taylor, and Annabeth Gish) into movie stardom. Decades later, is the film still as fresh as Leona's piz...

"You guys wanna see a dead body?" In 1986, it seems we all did. Audiences lined up for Stand By Me, an adaptation of Stephen King's novella, The Body. Set in 1959, the film followed four boys on an adventure that involved train dodging, leech attacks, and an unhinged Keifer Sutherland. Decades later, is there still fun to be had in the search for a corpse? Is the "Lardass" story engaging or just k...

Alllllllrighty then. In 1994, audiences were dropped into the crazy pool of Ace Ventura, Jim Carrey's gyrating, face-contorting, bizarro pet detective. And they loved it. Ace would go on to have two blockbuster films and an animated series. Decades later, is Ace playing with a full deck? What exactly is wrong with him? And, oh man, how exactly does the "Finkle is Einhorn" storyline land with our L...

John Travolta got an Oscar nomination for his star-making role as Tony in "Saturday Night Fever," the low-budget blockbuster of 1977. Decades later, as we look through the disco lights and dance-floor fog, we find unchecked racism, drug use, and sexual assaults. Is this a dance movie or a downer? Is Tony good enough for any of his dance partners? And what SNF scene scarred co-host Christina for li...

"Toepick!" Yes, the 1992 sporty rom-com "The Cutting Edge" stopped audiences cold with its downright adorable cast, quotable quotes, and oh-so happy ending. Decades later, does the figure-skating flick still thrill ... or does its lightweight plot find itself on thin ice? Were Moira Kelly and DB Sweeney stuck in a movie better left in the 80s? Or are its 80's tropes the reason audiences gave it a...

"Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" and "As Long As You Love Me" were two mega-hits for the Backstreet Boys. One was a spooky, sexy costume party. The other, an audition for love. Both featured the Boys singing, dancing, and smirking ... and showing the occasional nipple. Now decades later, how do these 90's music videos hold up? Are they as memorable as their song lyrics? And how does the presence of...

“I’m too old for this sh*t.” An iconic line. A suicidal hero. A villain who literally rubs salt in the good guy’s wounds. Yes, 1987’s Lethal Weapon was nuts. Back in the eighties, Richard Donner’s action hit gave audiences Mel Gibson’s bare bum, a friendship to love, and Gary Busey with devious dimples. The film went on to spawn 3 sequels and a TV show. But now, decades later, are we still crazy f...

A special Thank You. Brian and Christina take a moment to give thanks and recommend their own personal favorite revisits of the past couple years. A brief episode that is sure to warm the cockles of your heart, A Holiday Message says goodbye to the year that was. Listen to this. Become a Patron of Old Roommates at patreon.com/oldroommates! Follow Old Roommates on social media @OldRoommates. Email...

A Special Holiday Spectacular! Two revisits in one! And, Christina sings! And she sings the praises of The Miser Brothers. Yes, Mother Nature’s rascally sons were a highlight in A Year Without a Santa Claus, a 70’s TV special in which a grumpy Santa wants to take a year off. Now, over 40 years later, is Santa’s wish for a break simply self-care ...or selfish? Is Mrs. Santa Claus a loving wife, or...

What’s worse: The microwave massacre or the “dad died in the chimney” story? Join Brian and Christina as they discuss all the pop-culture PTSD from Gremlins. Back in 1984, the movie was a funny, frightening smash that charmed audiences – but angered many parents with it’s pivot from Mogwai mystery to full-on holiday horror flick. But now, decades later, what is it all really that big of a deal? Ar...