Hold Up

Beetlejuice

In 1988, riding high from the success of Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, Tim Burton released Beetlejuice, starring Michael Keaton, Alec Baldwin, Gena Davis and Winona Ryder.  While the movie focuses on demons and dead people, Burton decided to take the original script in a more comedic direction, as the first cut was far darker.  Thankfully, the change paid off.  Winning an academy award for Best Makeup, Beetlejuice made $73 Mil on a budget of $15 Mil and was a critical and commercial success. But does it hold up?  Listen as Jon, Colin and Brent revisit the Maitlands see if they can come to grips with death and safely remove the Deetz family, or if Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice….Oh Shit.

Aliens

When James Cameron was selected to direct Aliens, one has to wonder whether he know he would be making a movie that would be considered to be one of the best sequels in history.  Sigourney Weaver returned to reprise her role as Ellen Ripley, and a more than competent cast was assembled including Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser, Lance Henriksen, and Bill Paxton.  Made for only $18 Million (about $42 million in today’s dollars), and relying heavily on practical effects, Aliens went on to receive critical acclaim and pull in $180 million worldwide, a huge number for an R rated film.  For better or worse, Aliens just kept going with more movies, video games, and novelizations, but this movie will always be remembered for its strong female lead, intense action sequences, and enough tension to pucker a few bums.  But does it hold up?  Listen as Jon, Colin and Brent revisit LV-426 and see if they pitch a tent to hang out with the queen and half a Bishop and enjoy this movie with a bucket of popcorn, or if their experience crashes and burns while they are nuked from orbit.

Heat (1995)

In 1995, Michael Mann made robbing banks and getting into shootouts in the middle of a crowded street cool with his action/drama Heat.  Combining De Niro and Pacino along with Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore, Ashley Judd, Jon Voight, and Natalie Portman, Heat took the time to develop both the criminals and the police chasing them.  Receiving positive critical reviews, this movie made $187 Mil on a budget of $60 Mil, and to this day has some of the most riveting action scenes ever.  But does it hold up?  Listen as Jon, Colin and Brent lock and load to prepare for a shootout the likes of which has never been seen, and when the dust settles will they wish they had sided with Hanna, great asses, and bad marriages, or McCauley, no attachments, and big scores?

Air Force One

In 1997, Harrison Ford once again rocked the box office with the blockbuster action movie Air Force One.  With experienced director Wolfgang Petersen at the helm, Air Force One made over $300 Mil worldwide, and former President Bill Clinton is said to have seen the movie twice and liked it.  Gary Oldman plays the man with the evil agenda, and Glen Close and William H. Macy are two very recognizable faces in this recognizable cast.  But does it hold up?  Listen as Jon, Colin and Brent climb aboard this doomed airplane and see if it sinks to the bottom of the ocean under the weight of a questionable plot, dodgy acting, and unconvincing action sequences, or if it just is an ok summer blockbuster that services the right areas of the brain while we all say, “Get off my plane”

Superbad

In 2007, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg ended a 15 year journey as the script they had been working on since the mid 1990’s finally hit the big screen, and that movie is Superbad.  Produced by Judd Apatow, and starring Rogen himself, this coming of age comedy boosted the careers of Michael Sera, Jonah Hill, Bill Hader, Emma Stone, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse.  Made for $20 Mil, Superbad grossed over $160 Mil worldwide, making it the highest grossing high school comedy at the time. Superbad received critical acclaim due to its good mix of comedy, raunchiness, and heart, and so it appealed to a wide audience.  But 12 years later, does it hold up?  Listen as Jon, Colin and Brent revisit Superbad and see if they can still relate to the days of high school graduation, leaving the nest, and moving on with their lives, or if they are stuck in middle school drawing dicks all day and dreaming of a woman’s first touch.

Star Wars - A New Hope

In 1977, the world was changed forever as young visionary director George Lucas brought us the first movie and fourth episode of a yet to be created series, Star Wars: A New Hope.  Made for $11 Mil, this movie went on to gross a bazillion dollars, spawn several sequels, toys, religion, tv shows, video games, books, and even Ice Capades type shows, resulting in a kagillion bazillion dollars, cult status, and a dedicated, creative and interestingly dressed fan base.  What else can you say about the movie that started it all except holy cow has this become a world wide phenomenon.  But does A New Hope hold up?  Listen as Jon, Colin and Brent go waaaaaaay back in time to a galaxy far away and see if rebellion is a bunch of idealists who just want freedom and are willing to do what it takes to put down the evil empire, or if the Empire is right and just trying to install order in the galaxy and the rebellion is a terrorist faction that sabotages space stations to destroy them, murdering thousands of innocent workers just trying to make their way in this big strange galaxy.

Office Space

In 1999, office workers everywhere rejoiced as Mike Judge’s satire of a few weeks in the life of a software development company.  Made for only $10 mil, Office space was a box office disappointment, making only $12 million, but the geniuses of Comedy Central aired the movie regularly, and a loyal fan base saw to it that all of their friends and family saw this silly but strangely accurate comedy, making it a cult classic.  With memorable lines and characters, Office Space appeals to basically anyone with a job, and though the technology is now dated, the core satire of the work place, overbearing and out of the loop management, and efficiency consultants coming in to lay off staff still plays out today.  But does it hold up?  Listen as Jon, Colin and Brent show up for work at Initech and see if they praise this movie, sweet talk the Bob’s, keep their jobs, and maybe even get promoted, or if the movie’s purpose is unclear and it deserves to be let go along with our hopes and dreams for a better workplace.

The Hangover

In 2006, Director Todd Phillips followed up on Old School and Starsky & Hutch with the box office bomb School for Scoundrels.  But nobody gives a shit about that movie, they care about 2009’s comedy hit, The Hangover, starring and pretty much launching the cast of Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis and Ken Jeong into stardom.  Made for just $35 Million, The Hangover grossed over $460 Million worldwide, making it one of the highest revenue R rated movies of all time.  But after 10 years, does it hold up?  Listen as Jon, Colin and Brent take a boys trip to Vegas and see if the roofies, babes, babies, and little Chinese nuts are too much for the guys to handle, or if they keep their wits, charm and luck win big at the tables and hold on to fond memories of this over the top comedy.

Groundhog Day

1993 saw Harold Ramis and Bill Murray team up for the last time…again and again and again in Groundhog Day.  The film was received favourably by critics, but time continues to do this movie justice as viewers seem to appreciate the subtle undertones on repeat viewings.  Benefiting from a short run time, talented cast, and Bill Murray, Groundhog Day made $71 million in the box office, and has spawned a musical adaptation.  But does it hold up?  Listen as Jon, Colin and Brent visit Punxsutawney  to see if Phil the groundhog sees his shadow, cursing us to more winter and an endless loop of lost love, death, and redundancy, or if he sees nothing but bright skies, funny jokes, heartfelt self-discovery, and more Bill Murray.

The Usual Suspects

In 1995, Bryan Singer and Christopher McQuarrie teamed up to bring us the academy award winning film, The Usual Suspects.  Responsible for skyrocketing several careers, The Usual Suspects dazzled audiences with the catchy dialogue, interesting characters, and twist ending.  Made for just $6 million dollars, this movie made back around $35 million and has established itself as an American classic.  But does it hold up?  Listen as Jon, Colin and Brent give their testimony on this mystery film and see if they are ahead of the game in determining the true identify of Keyser Soze before his release, or if smooth talking Verbal Kint can keep the bull going long enough to dazzle, distract, and dumbfound the boys, getting away clean to rejoin his barbershop quartet in Skokie, Illinois