Ruined Childhoods

Shall we play a game? Perhaps one where Dan and Jon have to figure out a way to resurrect WarGames after being untouched for nearly 40 years? But first, they discuss modern-day movie making and the safety of legacy reboots. Next Episode: Newsies Contact us, follow us on social media, or buy some merch at linktr.ee/RuinedChildhoods

Hayao Miyazaki has redefined animation and helped put Japan on the animation world map in some very significant ways. And you can’t talk about the works of Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli without talking about Princess Mononoke . Dan and Jon dip their toes into the animation world for the first time with this classic tale of humans vs nature vs human nature. Next Episode: WarGames (1983) Contact us, fo...

With an all-star cast and one creepy puppet, Richard Attenborough’s 1978 psychological thriller/horror Magic shocked audiences and brought the horror of ventriloquism and severe mental illness into the 1970s spotlight. Dan and Jon look back on what could have been a pillar in the discussion of 1970s horror, but only lives on as a footnote in the careers of legends. But is there a chance to remind...

In the 90s, some of Hollywood’s biggest names got together to make a werewolf movie and Dan and Jon have some ideas for how it could be brought back…and all they need is a full moon. Contact us, follow us on social media, or buy some merch at linktr.ee/RuinedChildhoods Next Episode: Magic (1978)

With a killer 80s cast and an innovative director, One Crazy Summer should have been a hit, but it may have just been too weird for audiences of the time. Still, it struck a chord for Dan & Jon, so 171 episodes in - why not cover it? Contact us, follow us on social media, or buy some merch at linktr.ee/RuinedChildhoods Next episode: Wolf (1994)

Try and compare it with other films where a man has to pretend to be a woman or vice versa, but there is no other movie truly like Mrs. Doubtfire . This family comedy has so much more beneath the surface and Dan & Jon do their best to imagine how that could be explored further in new projects based on this 1993 young adult novel adaptation. Next episode: One Crazy Summer (1986) Contact us, fol...

No film trilogy has ever predicted and influenced sneaker fashion, sci-fi filmmaking, and hovercraft technology more than Back to the Future and it would be a shock if another could match the prowess of this series. Dan and Jon do their best to imagine a world beyond what we already have regarding the adventures of Marty McFly and Doc Brown. Next episode: Mrs. Doubtfire Contact us, follow us on so...

Before he was the neurotic guy in movies like Along Came Polly , Night at the Museum , Meet the Parents , and There’s Something About Mary , Ben Stiller was the neurotic guy in this mid-90s gem. But is there a future for the characters in this story? Dan and Jon decide. Next episode: Back to the Future (1985) Contact us, follow us on social media, or buy some merch at linktr.ee/RuinedChildhoods

Daniel vs. Aaron? Simon vs. Oscar? Peter vs. Frank? These two versions of the same movie offer interesting takes on the same dysfunctional family at the funeral of a loved one, but their slight differences stick out like a naked guy tripping balls on a rooftop. But what happens next? Next episode: Flirting with Disaster Contact us, follow us on social media, or buy some merch at linktr.ee/RuinedCh...

Before Al Franken did the right thing after doing the wrong thing in his stint as US Senator, he was a comedian and SNL cast member known best for his character Stuart Smalley. Stuart is a 12-Step Program enthusiast and the main character of one of the less successful SNL films. But Dan and Jon want to celebrate it for what it does well, especially considering its all-star cast. But what do you do...

As Dan and Jon take a closer look at films about interesting families, they hop on the yellow VW bus and talk about the 2006 quirky indie classic, Little Miss Sunshine . This film, which also spawned a stage musical, has a lot of potential for a revisit 14 years later. This is also Dan and Jon’s 2nd look at a movie touching on the world of pageants. Next episode: Stuart Saves His Family Contact us...

For Dan & Jon, few movies compare to Ron Howard’s personal ode to one of life’s greatest challenges, Parenthood . This film spawned two television series, but Dan and Jon know that this is a deep well from which to draw water. And if you look at the cast list, you have to wonder how we can get these talents to reprise their roles. Next episode: Little Miss Sunshine (2006) Contact us, follow us...

When it comes to MTV in the 1990s, you know you were getting served a healthy dose of Aerosmith , especially after their 1993 release, Get A Grip , which brought us the Alicia Silverstone trilogy of music videos that Dan and Jon discuss on this episode. Additionally, they go over the David Fincher -directed music video for Janie’s Got a Gun . Next episode: Parenthood (1989) Contact us, follow us o...

Few songwriters have a legacy like Jim Steinman . Having written some of the biggest hits of the 70s, 80s, and 90s, Steinman managed to pen hits for some of the biggest artists of the time and even inspired music videos that live in infamy for their over-the-top cinematic qualities. Dan and Jon are here to try to figure out how to recapture the magic. Meat Loaf - I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Wo...

When it comes to women, few are as little as the March sisters. On this episode, Dan and Jon dish on both the 1994 and 2019 adaptations of the Louisa May Alcott classic, Little Women . Next episode: The cinematic music videos of Jim Steinman I’d do Anything for Love by Meat Loaf Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler Making Love out of Nothing at All by Air Supply Contact us, follow us on soci...

When it comes to movies that have a vaguely March theme, you can’t go wrong with the Fredric March classic, Inherit the Wind . A story that’s always relevant, this film also features an actor with whom Jon has a strange personal connection. Contact us, follow us on social media, or buy some merch at linktr.ee/RuinedChildhoods

Less of a political thriller and more of a thrilling moving about politics, The Ides of March gathers some of the hottest actors of the era for a brilliant poster design. And when all is said and done, Dan and Jon also have some pretty cool ideas on how it could be brought back 11 years later. Contact us, follow us on social media, or buy some merch at linktr.ee/RuinedChildhoods

When it comes to vaguely-March-related movies, few nail the vibe of a Chicago St. Patrick’s Day parade the same way as The Fugitive and Dan & Jon are here to give their takes on how this film adaptation of a tv series could be brought back today. Contact us, follow us on social media, or buy some merch at linktr.ee/RuinedChildhoods

When it comes to vaguely March movies, you can’t miss Lions for Lambs , which isn’t a reference to the old idiom, but who cares? Panned by critics at the time, this film is certainly worthy of discussion when it comes to the political motivations behind tragic wartime decisions. So why not discuss how it could be brought back?! Contact us, follow us on social media, or buy some merch at linktr.ee/...

In the early-mid 2000s, Sandra Bullock was hot shit in a cool toilet and this film could be her most popular. But with a less successful sequel, is there still lifeblood for a future telling of Gracie Hart’s story? SPECIAL GUEST: Molly Gottlieb Contact us, follow us on social media, or buy some merch at linktr.ee/RuinedChildhoods

I can’t believe it took us 155 episodes to cover Point Break . Contact us, follow us on social media, or buy some merch at linktr.ee/RuinedChildhoods

This one may have flown past some radars, but when it comes to a simple story about women winning in a traditionally men’s game, few do it like FEDS . And this episode marks possibly the first time a podcast has ever devoted this much brain-space to this 1988 law enforcement comedy. Contact us, follow us on social media, or buy some merch at linktr.ee/RuinedChildhoods

There are few characters as chilling as Hannibal Lecter , but many have portrayed the infamous cannibal psychiatrist. This episode details each adaptation of the Thomas Harris novels, focusing specifically on the 1991 classic thriller, The Silence of the Lambs . Contact us, follow us on social media, or buy some merch at linktr.ee/RuinedChildhoods

Much like Hook (1991), some movies exist in our memories with fondness not because they are great, but because they came into our lives at just the right moment. For Jon & Dan, one of them is this week’s film, Who’s That Girl . Though this film underwent many changes once it signed on its star, Madonna , it should be noted for introducing us to a modern-day acting and food-tasting legend, Stan...

1999 was a huge year for movies; American Beauty , Magnolia , The Matrix , The Sixth Sense . But one movie may have missed the mark, perhaps because of its use of CGI where practical effects would have made for a scarier experience. That movie is 1999’s The Haunting , directed by this month’s hero, Jan de Bont . Contact us, follow us on social media, or buy some merch at linktr.ee/RuinedChildhoods