The Retro Nostalgia Podcast

People love tier lists, so we thought we'd make one of ALL the movies we reviewed in 2025. Cristina ranks all the movies Chad picked, and Chad ranks all the movies Cristina picked. You might be as surprised as us to see how high (or low) our co-host ranked some of our childhood favorites! Do you agree with our rankings? Let us know in the comments. FOLLOW US EVERYWHERE👉 https://linktr.ee/hisa...

When Quentin Tarantino took the movie world by storm in the 1990s with Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown, suddenly all of Hollywood wanted to emulate his style. Movies that combined hard boiled crime capers with non-linear storylines and twisted/dark humor were EVERYWHERE! What separated GO from the pack of imitators was its approach of being a comedy first with the gritty/thrilling el...

It's December, so of course we've been reviewing Christmas movies all month, but we never do anything by the rules around here. This week, Cristina went with a "Christmas Adjacent" classic: EDWARD SCISSORHANDS. Tim Burton already pulled off a "weird family-friendly comedy/fantasy" with Beetlejuice, so why not another? EDWARD SCISSORHANDS stars Johnny Depp in one of his firs...

There have been A LOT of movies about Santa Claus, but few have told his origin story aside from 1985's SANTA CLAUS: THE MOVIE. This film was on constant rotation in Chad's house growing up in the 1980s; but Cristina had never even heard of it until now! It stars David Huddleston as Santa Claus; Dudley Moore as his assistant elf Patch; and John Lithgow as the dastardly villain B.Z. The mov...

When you think of horror movies, family-friendly comedies probably don't come to mind. Well, that's exactly what 1984's GREMLINS is: a horror/comedy/fantasy hybrid actually intended for families. Since Cristina loves horror movies, this was her pick for one of her favorite Christmas movies. Chad saw GREMLINS a few times as a kid, but says it didn't have the lasting impact of other...

The Star Wars HOLIDAY SPECIAL was a one-time-only airing in November of 1978. To this day, it's never received any kind of official home video release by Lucasfilm or Disney. Thankfully, some copies are available on YouTube (which is how we saw it). Chad and Cristina had never seen it until JUST NOW! Neither of us have any memories of it as a child or even remembers hearing that it existed unt...

The are more Christmas themed movies than you can shake a stick at, but what about Thanksgiving? The only one we can think of is 1987's PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES from writer/director John Hughes. Up until this point, most of Hughes' films had been mostly family-friendly comedies about teenagers in high school. So the premise was quite a change of pace; however the COMEDY is as funny a...

Halloween may be long gone, but there's no reason we can't discuss another horror movie. This time it's John Carpenter's THE THING (another 1982 pick by Cristina!). Neither of us had seen this until recently, which is quite surprising considering how much Chad likes sci-fi and Cristina like horror. Check any list of the greatest sci-fi and/or horror movies of the 1980s and you'...

When we started this show we never thought we'd be going to the movie theaters for an episode. However, this is the 40th anniversary of BACK TO THE FUTURE and cinemas around the country were showing it on the big screen so how could we pass up this opportunity?! Much like Ghostbusters, Back to the Future is a classic 80s movie that blends comedy and sci-fi perfectly. The music, the set design,...

Chad and Cristina revisit the movie that helped launch the modern superhero blockbuster: Superman (1978). While Chad brings decades of comic book knowledge to the discussion, Cristina experiences much of Superman's origin story for the first time. Together they break down Krypton, Lex Luthor, Lois Lane, Christopher Reeve's iconic performance, the practical effects, and whether the film sti...

In this episode, Cristina and Chad dive into Wes Craven’s iconic horror film from 1984, A Nightmare on Elm Street. Cris revisits this horror classic with nostalgia, while Chad sees it with fresh eyes for the first time (sort of). Together, they break down what makes the first appearance of Freddy Krueger a timeless Gen X movie; from the practical effects and creepy atmosphere to how it shaped pop...

This week on The Retro Nostalgia Podcast , Chad and Cristina revisit Stanley Kubrick's legendary 1980 horror film The Shining . Cristina first discovered the movie as a teenager during her Stephen King phase, while Chad takes a fresh look at the film's haunting atmosphere, unsettling sound design, groundbreaking camera work, and unforgettable performance by Jack Nicholson. From the eerie O...

As part of the Disturbing Childhood Movies series, Chad and Cristina revisit the 1982 horror classic Poltergeist. Cristina remembers it as one of the very first scary movies she ever saw as a child, while Chad experiences it for the first time in 2025. Together they discuss whether this Steven Spielberg-produced supernatural thriller still holds up today, its groundbreaking special effects, the fa...

In this episode of The Retro Nostalgia Podcast, Chad and Cristina revisit the 1984 classic *Ghostbusters* for the first time in years. From Bill Murray's endlessly quotable performance to Dan Aykroyd's paranormal obsession, they discuss why this unique blend of comedy, science fiction, supernatural horror, and practical special effects became one of the defining movies of the 1980s. Along...

In this episode of The Retro Nostalgia Podcast, Chad and Cristina revisit the 1982 animated fantasy classic The Last Unicorn. Cristina loved the film as a child and still appreciates its beautiful artwork, fairy-tale atmosphere, and memorable characters. Chad, on the other hand, wasn't nearly as enchanted. While both hosts enjoyed the film's moments of humor and the unique soundtrack by th...

On this episode of the His and Hers Gen X Podcast, Chad and Cristina watch Return of the Jedi (1983). Chad grew up watching it countless times as a kid, while Cristina just saw it for the very first time in 2025. To her surprise, she ended up liking it the best out of the original trilogy. Chad still enjoys it, but rewatching as an adult, he noticed more of the flaws—and the 1997 Special Edition e...

In this episode of the His and Hers Gen X podcast, hosts Christina and Chad delve into the world of disturbing children's movies, focusing on 'The Secret of NIMH.' They explore the film's dark themes, animation style, and cultural impact, while also discussing the character dynamics and voice acting. The conversation highlights the film's unsettling nature and questions its sui...

Cristina just watched The Empire Strikes Back for the very first time — and Chad, who grew up with the Star Wars saga, is here to guide her through the galaxy far, far away. In this episode of the His and Hers Gen X Podcast, we dive into Cristina’s fresh perspective, iconic moments, and why Empire is often considered the best of the series. FOLLOW US EVERYWHERE👉 https://linktr.ee/RetroNostalgiaPo...

In this episode of His and Hers Gen X Podcast, Chad and Cristina review the 1985 Disney cult classic Return to Oz. Chad watched it as a kid but barely remembers it; Cristina saw it for the very first time, and together they dive into why this strange sequel to The Wizard of Oz has fascinated and unsettled audiences for decades. Part children’s fantasy; part psychological thriller; and almost a hor...

Cristina watches the original 1977 Star Wars (A New Hope) for the very first time, while Chad revisits one of the most influential movies ever made through modern eyes. From practical effects and iconic characters to plot holes, special edition changes, and the legacy of George Lucas, this episode explores what still works nearly 50 years later—and what doesn't. Does Star Wars hold up for some...

Welcome to His and Hers Gen X Podcast , where hosts Chad and Cristina—two proud Gen Xers—rediscover the pop culture that shaped a generation. Each week, one of us introduces the other to something from the 1970s, 1980s, or 1990s that they either never experienced or haven’t revisited in decades. From movies, music, and TV shows to toys, fads, and forgotten gems, we’ll explore whether our childhood...