Optimism Vaccine

THIS WEEK: Tiger Claws (1991), Tiger Claws II (1996) and Tiger Claws III (2000) Rothrock hitches her wagon to Beirut’s Steven Seagal in what must be the only DTV martial arts franchise to involve both an illicit arms deal with ancient China AND legally distinct spectral goons straight out of the Phantom Zone. Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/optimismvaccine

THIS WEEK: Devil Fish AKA Monster Shark (1984), Deep Blood (1990), and Cruel Jaws (1995) Our Patrons spoke and we listened. Still a little shocked they didn't vote to make Miros watch Hentai. Oh well. Nothing says SUMMER FUN like watching teens get eaten by sharks (or maybe a prehistoric shark-like fish with tentacles) in a trio of Italian Jaws knockoffs. Or, if you're Bruno Mattei you can't be bo...

THIS WEEK: China O'Brien (1990) and China O'Brien 2 (1990) What happens when one of Hong Kong's hottest new action stars makes her triumphant return to America and teams up with the legendary director of Enter the Dragon? Shit, not much, actually. Join us for part two of our Cynthia Rothrock retrospective where the most dangerous woman alive gets to karate kick evil lumberjacks and liberate sex sl...

THIS WEEK: Yes, Madam! (1985) and Righting Wrongs (1986) Ronda Rousey might call herself "the baddest woman on the planet" but we all know that can't be true as long as Cynthia Rothrock is still breathing. This week, we're exploring a pair of Hong Kong action classics from the five-time martial arts champion turned underappreciated action queen of 80s and 90s. Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon:&...

THIS WEEK: Ravenous (1999), The Proposition (2005), Lawless (2012) Nobody pulls off the "exhausted Australian in dire need of a bath" look quite like Guy Pearce. Maybe that's why when it comes to contemporary westerns he's been a go-to actor for decades. This week, we're watching three films starring our guy, Guy, and making an official statement on whether or not Ravenous is a lost classic or jus...

THIS WEEK: The Butcher/Le Boucher (1970), Just Before Nightfall/Juste Avant la Nuit (1971), and The Ceremony/La Cérémonie (1995) Every once in a while we need Shawn Glinis to jump in and make our show classy again. This week, we're dissecting three films from the underrated French New Wave master, Claude Chabrol. Over the course of six decades, Chabrol made nearly 60 films. While he was never afra...

THIS WEEK: Mad God (2021) and The Thief and the Cobbler (1993) Colin Tanner drops in for a scintillating discussion on the minutiae of process. Is a creative work ever truly complete? Is Harvey Weinstein the enemy of all art? Is Aladdin actually terrible? All questions will be answered. Eventually. Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/optimismvaccine

THIS WEEK: WarGames (1983) and Cloak and Dagger (1984) Whether you're a young Mathew Broderick or just the kid from E.T., the only surefire way to protect America from a nefarious foreign power is with a little dab of Dabney Coleman. Join us as we confront 1980s cold war anxiety and Russophobia the only way we know how: By watching a pair of 40-year-old movies made for children. Support Optimism V...

THIS WEEK: Crimes of the Future (2022), Crimes of the Future (1970), eXistenZ (1999) David Cronenberg is back with more body horror because the man can't resist a good goopy bone machine. Plus, it's been a while since he's tried to make a film with the title Crimes of the Future so he needs to check that box. Grab a big ol' bar of tasty synthetic waste to munch on, kick your feet up, and see if yo...

Steve and Stephen endured cross-state travel and sweltering heat to check out Tears for Fears on their 2022 tour in support of The Tipping Point. How do the new songs translate live? More importantly, did the OV squad finally make it backstage or did Tears For Fears melt into a pile of black long sleeve shirts and perspiration? Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/optimismv...

THIS WEEK: Thriller: A Cruel Picture AKA They Call Her One Eye (1973) and Breaking Point (1975) Swedish director Bo Arne Vibenius may have gotten his start working with Ingmar Bergman, but he made his mark on cinema with the grindhouse classic, Thriller: A Cruel Picture . He's also the only director who has been breathlessly lauded by Quentin Tarantino and had multiple films completely banned in h...

THIS WEEK: The Guyver (1991) and Guyver: Dark Hero (1994) Brian Yuzna sure did make a pile money off of Honey I Shrunk the Kids. That's the only explanation for this franchise based on an incomprehensible manga that boldly toes the line between body horror and Barney. Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/optimismvaccine

THIS WEEK: Scanners 2: The New Order (1991), Scanners 3: The Takeover (1991), Scanner Cop (1994), and Scanner Cop 2: Volkin's Revenge (1995) We celebrate the release of Crimes of the Future by examining the only franchise to emerge from a David Cronenberg film: Scanners. Surely, each sequel will prove more cerebral than the last. Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/o...

THIS WEEK: RRR (2022) With Steve marooned on a godless island, we've called Jake Tropila away from his fatherly duties to discuss the best film of the... year? Decade? Century? All answers are valid. Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/optimismvaccine

THIS WEEK: Mad Dog Time (1996) and Hell Ride (2008) Larry Bishop rubbed shoulders with the Hollywood elite at a young age and made a name for himself among cult film fans with roles in classic biker exploitation movies like The Savage Seven and Wild in the Streets . So what happens when Larry cashes in his clout and connections to write and direct his own feature films? Support Optimism Vaccine on...

THIS WEEK: The Haunting of Morella (1990), The Demolitionist (1995), Amanda and the Alien (1995), and Blown Away (1993) Nicole Eggert was an American television mainstay with roles on Who's the Boss, Charles in Charge, and later alongside Pamela Anderson on Baywatch. TV made her a star but what happened when Eggert became a leading lady in feature-length films? Let's just say your mileage with her...

THIS WEEK: Father Stu (2022) Sometimes God calls you to do something extraordinary. Maybe he wants you to get blackout drunk and carbo load until you're accepted into the priesthood. Maybe he wants you to team up with Mel Gibson and his girlfriend to make the Catholic biopic every major studio has already declined. Either way, nothing beats mop top Marky Mark on the silver screen teaching us about...

THIS WEEK: The Laughing Dead (1989) and Shatter Dead (1994) From the fringe corners of the zombie film spectrum comes a pair of movies that might have "dead" in the title but couldn't be further from anything George A. Romero has cooked up. One is a bleak, shot-on-video masterpiece proudly proclaiming that "God hates you." The other is about catholic romance, kaiju battles, and basketball. Normal...

THIS WEEK: High Risk (1995) and The Red Wolf (1995) Steve is sick, Miros is hung over, and Jack is fending off a feral dog. Ideal recording conditions for discussing two Hong Kong Die Hard clones. Does one of them exist solely to spite Jackie Chan in surprisingly vulgar fashion? You betcha! Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/optimismvaccine

THIS WEEK: Champagne and Bullets AKA Geteven AKA Road to Revenge (1993) How do you measure greatness? When do you know you're watching an unimpeachable masterpiece? What is it like to touch the hand of God? The closest any of us can really get is John DeHart's 1993 movie, Champagne and Bullets . Originally released to little fanfare and then re-edited and re-released multiple times by writer/direc...

THIS WEEK: Snapdragon (1993), Raw Force (1994), Barb Wire (1996), Naked Souls (1996) From Playboy centerfold to first-run syndication starlet and tabloid fodder, only one woman can claim the title of THE definitive cultural icon of the 1990s: Pamela Anderson. Sure, you're probably familiar with Anderson's big-budget studio film, Barb Wire , but what about the rest of her cinematic oeuvre? Join us...

THIS WEEK: Fatal Exam (1990), Beyond Dream's Door (1989), Winterbeast (1992) From the crusty bowels of middle America to a crisp HD Vinegar Syndrome boxset, Homegrown Horror Volume 1 collects three regional horror films from the 80s and 90s. Join the OV boys as we wax poetic about goopy monsters shot on 16mm, claymation stop motion action, and hanging out with your St. Louis buds. Support Optimism...

THIS WEEK: Nothing But Trouble (1991), Cool As Ice (1991), Return to the Blue Lagoon (1991), Hudson Hawk (1991), and Dice Rules (1991) The morning zoo crew tackles the hottest awards show in tinsel town. Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/optimismvaccine

After seven years of podcasting and 18 years since Everybody Loves a Happy Ending, a day we never thought would come has arrived. There's finally a brand new Tears for Fears album. Steve and Stephen dive headfirst into The Tipping Point, share their initial impressions, expectations vs reality, and more. Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/optimismvaccine

THIS WEEK: Boardinghouse (1982) and Pathogen (2006) The OV Team turns their keen critical eyes to the world of shot-on-video horror films. First up, Boardinghouse, the film that dared to combine murder, music and man thongs. It also holds the distinction of being completely incomprehensible AND the first SOV film released theatrically. The chaser to this shot of 80's sleaze is Pathogen; a homegrow...