Everyone Is Wrong

The Ten (with Alyson McManus)

This podcast is not a goof! Alyson McManus returns to the pod to smite those who spoke hearsay against David Wain's 2007 star-studded but little-seen 10 Commandments anthology comedy film, The Ten. We dive into the over-the-top absurdity, in-joke quotes, Winona Ryder lusting after a literal dummy, Arnold Schwarzenegger impressions, the true meaning of family, and more.

Batman & Robin (with Kurtis Mayo of Skating Polly - Live from Treefort Fest)

Holy live pod episode, Batman! Kurtis from Skating Polly emerges from the Batcave to defend the loathed 1997 Joel Schumacher superhero blockbuster Batman & Robin. In this condensed episode recorded in front of an actual audience at Treefort Fest, we dive into the film's pricey production design, Batsuits with nipples, how many ice puns a human can tolerate, sexy gorilla suit stripping, Arnold Schwarzenegger being extremely over-the-top, Danger: Diabolik, Uma Thurman being a sweet little eco-terrorist, X Games influence, Robin's general unlikability, the glut of fundraisers in Gotham, and an attempt to bribe the crowd with donuts. (Bonus: Count how many times I say "umm" and "uhh" because I'm nervous in front of a crowd and know I can't edit out my flubs!)

Across the Universe (with Naomi from Itchy Kitty)

Before we both head to Treefort Festival, Naomi from Itchy Kitty comes in through my bathroom window to defend the honor of Julie Taymor's 2007 romantic '60s Beatles jukebox musical Across the Universe. We dive deeper than a Yellow Submarine into the movie's controversial variations on Beatles songs, how damn hot most of the cast is, ambitious visual choices, Bono's weird mustache, the way the film condenses the decade, easter eggs for Beatlemaniacs, the level of nudity and drug use that can be shown in a PG-13 movie, and how the movie inspired Naomi to start singing.

The Last of Us (Video Game)

With the first season of HBO's The Last of Us coming to a close, I decided to turn my attention to the source material - the universally acclaimed 2013 PlayStation 3 video game. While this may get me torn apart quicker than a Clicker - I make the counterintuitive case that it's not actually a great game. The Last of Us lover James Battaglia returns to the show to counterbalance my infected rage as we discuss walking simulators, narrative innovation vs engaging gameplay, the importance of teaching kids how to swim, zombie Spidey-Sense, intentional vs unintentional difficulty, and other 2013 Game of the Year contenders. (We also talk about the game's fascinating ending, so maybe wait a few days to listen if you're geared up to watch the HBO show's S1 finale.)

George of the Jungle (with Kevin Parker)

Watch out for that pod! Since it's Oscar week and Brendan Fraser looks poised to potentially take home Best Actor for The Whale, Kevin Parker has decided to swing on in to defend a different Fraser vehicle: 1997's family-friendly comedy George of the Jungle. We get into the sincere idiot charm of '90s Fraser, the expert-level meta jokes the narrator provides, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, modern comedy insistence to be snarky and cool, Top Gun Maverick's script, and more jungle escapades.

Hackers (with Kate Meizner and Mike Falcone of Jobber)

*IF YOU'RE READING THIS YOU MAY ALREADY BE HACKED*

From the top rope, Kate Meizner and Mike Falcone of wrestling rock band Jobber look to infiltrate our firewalls in order to defend the 1995 teen cyber crime thriller, Hackers. We dive deep into the source code to talk about the style-forward cyberpunk chic, Angelina Jolie's manic hacker dream girl charisma (total nepo baby tho), ways to make typing look cool, electronica, how to visualize the early internet, The Matrix templating, and, of course, Penn Jillette's glasses.

The Counselor (with Will Baker)

Take a trip to the seedy world of the drug trade on the US/Mexican border... and then talk... and talk... and talk... That's what The Counselor, the 2013 star-studded Ridley Scott narco drama written by acclaimed novelist Cormac McCarthy does... and people hated it for that. Will Baker is not one of those people. Mirroring the film itself, we talk for a looooooooong time about the film's use of dialogue, its nihilistic outlook, its refusal to explain plot, McCarthy's prose, Scott's costuming choices, and being intimate with automobiles. Here's an entirely real list of tangent topics we dive down over the course of 2+ hours: Moby Dick, Emo Nites, My Dinner with Andre, Grand Theft Auto, crypto shills, Top Gun, Inception, Titane, and, of course, Carly Rae Jepsen vs. Taylor Swift. You know... The Counselor.

A Claymation Christmas Celebration (with Nic Sommerfeld)

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Why? Because you can now appropriately watch Will Vinton's A Claymation Christmas Celebration! Nic Sommerfeld comes a-wassailing onto the show the make the case that this forgotten '80s Christmas special is actually the GOAT Christmas special with its intelligent all-ages humor, dinosaur hosts, stunning visuals, and (most importantly?) penguins.

Speed Racer (with Peter Richards of Dude York)

♫ Here he comes, here comes P. Richards, he's a demon on wheels! He's a demon and he's gonna be chasing after someone! ♫ The someone(s) Peter is chasing after are the people who panned the Wachowskis' 2008 sensory overload big screen adaptation of the classic anime series Speed Racer. We hop in the Mach 5 and discuss how this is maybe the most live-action cartoon ever created, car punches, superb monkey acting, and how this movie lays some of the groundwork for both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the Fast and Furious franchise. Go speed listeners, go!

Good Charlotte (with Jess Abbott of Tancred)

Jess Abbott (Tancred) straps on her studded wristbands and throws down in a Warped Tour mosh pit to defend the honor of the maligned early 2000s pop punk hitmakers Good Charlotte. We deep dive into the band's hook-heavy scrappy appeal, the famous relationships of the Madden twins, and hit on topics ranging from a music video featuring members of NSYNC and Minutemen to a lot of Limp Bizkit chatter.