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the Most Excellent 80s Movies Podcast

the Most Excellent 80s Movies Podcast

Auteur(s): TruStory FM
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À propos de cet audio

 It’s the podcast where a filmmaker (Nathan Blackwell of Squishy Studios) and a comedian (Krissy Lenz of Neighborhood Comedy Theatre) take a hilarious look at the 80s movies we think we love or might have missed with modern eyes and probably a significant haze of nostalgia.© TruStory FM Art
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  • Spies Like Us (1985)

    Spies Like Us (1985)
    Oct 8 2025
    When Childhood Nostalgia Meets RealityKrissy Lenz and Nathan Blackwell are joined by special guest Jordan Collier to revisit the 1985 spy comedy Spies Like Us, starring Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd. What happens when a beloved childhood favorite gets the modern rewatch treatment? Sometimes the results are as bumbling as the protagonists themselves.The Verdict: When Memory Lane Takes a DetourOur hosts discovered that Spies Like Us suffers from an identity crisis—never quite deciding whether it wants to be silly slapstick or serious espionage. While Jordan and Nathan remembered loving the film as kids, their adult viewing revealed a movie that couldn't nail down its tone, leaving characters without clear motivations and comedy that felt more meandering than memorable. The film's training montages and "Doctor! Doctor!" scenes still delivered laughs, but the lack of genuine tension between Chase and Aykroyd's characters left much to be desired.The consensus? Spies Like Us earns a middling 5 to 5.5 missiles out of 10—a film that works better as a nostalgic memory than a current viewing experience. Sometimes childhood classics are best left in the vault of fond recollections.Additional Takeaways:
    • The movie needed a third character to complete the comedic trio
    • Chevy Chase's character came across as surprisingly unlikable with modern eyes
    • The film's tonal shifts from broad comedy to serious nuclear warfare felt jarring
    • Dan Aykroyd's spy skills were inconsistent—sometimes brilliant, sometimes bumbling
    • The Bob Hope cameo represented the kind of absurdist comedy the film needed more of
    Connect With the Hosts
    • Learn more about this show and the TruStory FM network at trustory.fm. Want early, ad-free episodes plus bonus content? Check out membership options at trustory.fm/join.
    • Follow the podcast: Facebook | Instagram | Bluesky
    • Support the hosts: Neighborhood Comedy Theatre | Squishy Studios
    What's your take on rewatching childhood favorites? Do they hold up, or are some movies better left as treasured memories?
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    50 min
  • Stand and Deliver (1988)

    Stand and Deliver (1988)
    Sep 24 2025
    When Calculus Meets Heart: Stand and Deliver Gets the Math TreatmentWelcome to this episode of The Most Excellent 80s Movies Podcast! Hosts Krissy Lenz and Nathan Blackwell tackle the 1988 inspirational drama Stand and Deliver, starring Edward James Olmos as real-life teacher Jaime Escalante. This episode dives into whether this classroom classic still holds up or if it's just another case of sitting through endless math problems.The Good, The Bad, and The CalculusThe hosts appreciate Edward James Olmos' committed, Academy Award-nominated performance—he even underwent hair thinning for the role and followed the real teacher around for research. Lou Diamond Phillips also shines as Angel, the charismatic bad boy with hidden depths. However, Krissy and Nathan find themselves wanting more emotional depth and character development. They argue that while the movie succeeds as inspiration, it fails to show the real struggles and motivations that would drive these students to commit so deeply to advanced mathematics.The discussion takes an interesting turn when they question the practicality of teaching calculus versus life skills like tax accounting. They also critique the film's structure, noting that despite being billed as a comedy, it's more of a straightforward drama that keeps viewers at arm's length from the action. The hosts give Stand and Deliver a solid 6 out of 10, appreciating its heart while acknowledging its limitations.Additional Thoughts:
    • The movie should have been called "Sit and Calculate" given how much sitting and math occurs
    • More scenes showing students' home lives and personal struggles would have strengthened the narrative
    • The ending needed more follow-up on what happened to these students after passing their AP exams
    • Edward James Olmos deserved the Oscar over Michael Douglas that year
    • The film lacks the dramatic tension found in other inspirational teacher movies
    Final VerdictWhile Stand and Deliver remains an earnest tribute to dedicated educators and student potential, the hosts feel it plays things too safe. It's a movie that works better in memory than on rewatch, though Olmos' powerhouse performance still delivers the goods.Ready to join the conversation about your favorite 80s movies? Learn more about The Most Excellent 80s Movies Podcast and get early, ad-free episodes plus bonus content by becoming a member at trustory.fm/join. Connect with the show on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky. Check out Nathan's filmmaking at Squishy Studios and catch Krissy live at the Neighborhood Comedy Theatre.What's your take on inspirational teacher movies—do they still motivate you, or do you find them lacking in real-world practicality like our hosts?
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    44 min
  • Masters of the Universe (1987)

    Masters of the Universe (1987)
    Sep 10 2025
    By the Power of Grayskull... This Movie ExistsWelcome to this episode of The Most Excellent 80s Movies Podcast! Hosts Krissy Lenz and Nathan Blackwell are joined by special guests Jordan Collier and Derrick Tesson to tackle the 1987 sci-fi fantasy spectacle Masters of the Universe. What happens when you take beloved toys, add Dolph Lundgren in a furry loincloth, and let Cannon Films work their budget magic? A movie that should have been good but becomes a fascinating study in wasted potential.The Cosmic Key to This DiscussionThe crew dives deep into this He-Man adaptation that somehow makes its titular hero a supporting character in his own movie. While Franklin Langella chews scenery magnificently as Skeletor, delivering Shakespearean gravitas to lines like "Tell me about the loneliness of good, He-Man—is it equal to the loneliness of evil?", the film suffers from an identity crisis. Is it Star Wars? Is it Conan? The answer: it's a Cannon Films production that tries to be both and succeeds at neither.Nathan defends his childhood favorite while acknowledging its flaws, giving it a nostalgic 7 out of 10 cosmic keys. The other hosts are less forgiving, with ratings ranging from 3-6, all agreeing that the movie's biggest sin is having too much plot crammed into its runtime. The discussion reveals how Masters of the Universe exemplifies the late-80s trend of studios trying to manufacture Star Wars-level franchises without understanding what made that saga work.Additional Cosmic Revelations:
    • Gwildor (Billy Barty) somehow became the real protagonist while He-Man watches from the sidelines
    • Dolph Lundgren dubbed his own lines despite not being fluent in English during filming
    • The film's budget constraints forced most action to Earth, making it less a He-Man movie and more a sci-fi fish-out-of-water story
    • Skeletor's mask was later recycled for Star Trek: The Next Generation
    • The movie features unexpected connections to Friends and Back to the Future
    The Final VerdictDespite universal agreement that the movie fails to live up to its potential, the hosts find entertainment value in its ambitious campiness and Langella's committed villain performance. It's a movie that epitomizes the "so bad it's almost good" category—emphasis on almost.Ready for More 80s Movie Magic?
    Join the conversation at trustory.fm where members get early, ad-free access plus exclusive bonus content! Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky.Learn more about our hosts and guests: Squishy Studios and Neighborhood Comedy TheatreWhat's your take on 80s movies that had all the right ingredients but couldn't quite make the recipe work?
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    Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.
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    1 h et 1 min
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