Pat Green, author of Hearts of Glass: Living in the Real World and Editor-in-Chief of Gen X Watch joins Beth and Michelle virtually in the studio to discuss his emotional movie pick, Benny & Joon. This 1993 film remained unwatched by both Beth and Michelle, until now. We discuss all the things about this film that make it a must see for those who haven't.

Beth and Michelle take some time in the country, amongst the simple, salt of the earth folk of Redbud. And we realize that nostalgia has drastically altered our perception of a film that would have been better centered upon Elizabeth Farmer and the good eclectic and well portrayed townsfolk rather than upon Andy Farmer. This is a movie which ends suddenly without resolution to the issue but an acceptance that the issues mean nothing to the main character.

Author of Hearts of Glass, living in the real world, Tomi Adeyemi

Beth and Michelle sit down to a deep discussion about the themes within Drop Dead Fred. We talk about abuse in it's many forms and how this movie may or may not inform our own stances on how to deal with them. We talk about what nuances may have been lost and perhaps gain a better understanding of each other in the process.

Beth and Michelle sit down for a romantic movie in which the assumed protagonist doesn't win the man, but manages to win herself. They share their song, "Maggie May" by Rod Stewart, a deeply odd song for a couples song but you don't pick the song, the song picks you. And Beth has a teapot filled with wishin' and hopin' but mostly Earl Grey tea, because it's arguably the best tea.

Link to Balloon Fest '86 as mentioned in the episode:

The Disaster of Balloonfest '86

Beth and Michelle embark on an unedited and crafty adventure with 2004 National Treasure. We get crafty with diamond paintings while Nicholas Cage preemptively steals the Declaration of Independence. Good Trouble is what it's all about, freedom for everyone.

Our (un)finished products... that was two hours, it's like making claymation, so tedious!

Beth and Michelle press play one of Michelle's favorite movies. Don't turn into a morphing ball and roll to the bathroom, because you won't want to miss this emotional power up of an episode. We look at the feelings behind the characters even if they don't always go very deep and we pick up the coins they leave behind as they go. So travel the subspace highway with us in this deep bass rumbling, garage rocking, electronic love story.

Beth and Michelle replay a favorite episode of theirs, a seminal film about drag and identity. What this film gets right is simply wonderful and honest, what it gets wrong actually highlights the best things about humanity. We will return next week with an all new episode, thank you for your patience and kindness. Happy Pride, my friends!

We are going to college! Beth and Michelle dive into the strangely empty and open to students pool of beatbox-powered, perfectly harmonized, world of Pitch Perfect. The Bellas may start off as a ragtag bunch of misfits, but their journey to perfect harmony mirrors something deeper, finding their voice and each other. From mashups to meltdowns, this is a story of sisterhood stitched together with musical misadventure. Listen in for friendship, falsettos, and a few unexpectedly emotional mic drops.

Link to “No More Kings” - Schoolhouse Rock

Beth and Michelle attempt to jettison the cargo of this space monster film, to no avail. It's still an enjoyable film with plenty of room to create your own narratives and lore. This is goonies in space, if they were the monster squad but not friends and on an alien planet, in the dark. 

Beth and Michelle rewatch the idahostian film Napoleon Dynamite and feel the nostalgia wash over them like a dust trail from a farmers pickup driving down a gravel road. Taste the milk, taste the onion of the milk. It's going to be a real boondoggle of an episode. See if the Castellani test can weather the complete lack of weather and find out why the entire plot hinges on a character that enters the film a full three quarters of the way in.

Light and Dark, Love and Hate, not only the premise of the movie but a reflection of our feelings for the movie. Beth and Michelle argue with themselves on why this movie is great and also why it is not. Tim Curry is why, mostly. Join us in this dark fantasy where we ponder the true roles of the Unicorns, Jack, Lili, Blix and the Dark Lord.

When a romance author meets a wildlife trafficker, there are bound to be things to talk about. The best part is the drug dealer who gives them a speed tour of his hometown. Beth and Michelle delve into their feels and discover that this gem of a movie is still absolutely heart stopping. 

Beth pulls on her single bespangled white glove and Michelle dons her blue denim jacket, it's a nice day for a white wedding. We take a time slip into the 80s to discuss The Wedding Singer. It's all about the music, the clothes, friendship and love. This film is a classic that stands the test of time by having timeless themes.

Michelle has a cow, Beth has the same cow going back around. We are talking about the weather monster movie hit, Twister. It features two critically acclaimed actors Bill Paxton and Phillip Seymour Hoffman who are no longer with us, but not due to tornado vengeance. Join us as we discuss codependent relationships, weather chasers and why Michelle is more at ease with a damp tornado.

We are going nautical, bitches! Beth and Michelle flash back to Cape Cod where a little mermaid travels to New York to find her long lost Tom Hanks shaped lobster. Jump into chunky waters with us as we dogpaddle our way into the briny deep waters of relationships and retaining your identity.

This film, the only with Cindy Lauper as a title lead, showcases how even a tertiary character can raise an audiences experience. Beth and Michelle talk about hair, Peter Falk, and sudden romance as they follow Cindy through Vibes, the 1988 supernatural action flick.

This week, Beth and Michelle discuss their feelings around grief, loss, and justice in The Frighteners. A 1996 film about a man who's existence is very much like the ghosts he uses to con people, until he comes to terms with his guilt and loss. 

As mentioned in the episode:

Sean Astin's "A Bad Case of Stripes" can be found Here

Jim Fyfe's Leaf Erickson skit in Encyclopedia can be found Here

In tribute to the late Val Kilmer, Beth and Michelle follow the unreliable narrator, Harry, as he tries to save the girl and ends up saving himself. Val Kilmer as the world weary detective, "Gay" Perry van Shrike, becomes the surprising heart of a nuanced and layered film.

*This dark comedy includes some overtures of SA and incest so please be aware. 

Beth and Michelle dance their way through the glitz, the glamour, and the surprisingly feminist undercurrents of the 2002 cinematic musical, Chicago. They'll unpack their deepest feelings about Velma, Roxie, and cultural injustice. Prepare for show tunes, sharp wit, and maybe a little existential angst.

The link to the discussed Jerry Orbach performance of “All I Care About” is Here.

Pour a glass of scotch and don your finest burgundy blazer. Beth and Michelle cannonball into the world of Ron Burgundy and the Channel 4 news team. Was Anchorman secretly a feminist masterpiece? Probably not, but they'll argue about it anyway while dissecting the film's surprisingly complex (or not) portrayal of women in the workplace. Stay Classy, San Diego.

Mentions:

Into Dark Fantasy? https://www.pollyschattel.com/

This week, Beth and Michelle are discussing the cult classic that defined a generation of teenage angst, mullets, and saxophone solos. Beyond the iconic soundtrack and Kiefer Sutherland's menacing charm, we explore the film's surprisingly deep emotional core. And into the film's undeniable homoerotic subtext, examining the charged dynamic between David and Michael. Join us as we discuss the anxieties of adolescence, the complexities of family bonds, and the enduring appeal of Santa Carla's counterculture. 

Make your voice heard, stand up for marginalized groups, find a platform and direction for the people. Indivisible.Org

The great and wonderful Polly Schattel joins Michelle and Beth in a conversation about the classic 1980 Stanley Kubrick film, The Shining. In regards to the subject matter in the film, we do talk about abuse in various forms, including sexual as respectfully as can be done and still have an open and honest dialogue. 

You can find Polly and her work at PollySchattel.com  also you can follow Polly on BlueSky

The links and photos referenced in the episode:

Rob Ager

In this episode, Beth and Michelle try their best to remember the good times but still find a way to ruin nostalgia for hundreds of Gen Xers. They work really hard at not being critical of a film and focus on the feelings, but sometimes those things intersect. Johnny 5 is alive, but is he living his best life?

Beth and Michelle travel to Ireland and visit the delightfully cluttered and haunted Dromore Castle. We searched the crypts for some emotional discourse and came away with so much gossamer. But a film is not measured in emotion alone, this tale is a fun romp with little consequence for true emotional depths, it simply doesn't have the time. Come for the ghosts, stay for Peter Plunkett and his staff which I think make the movie not only enjoyable but heart warming.

In this episode Beth and Michelle talk about one of Michelle's favorite dance films and the first of the Baz Luhrmann "Red Curtain Trilogy". If this film was any more campy, Jason Voorhees would be murdering sexy camp counselors. But there are strong emotional themes that bind the movie together and deliver in a wonderfully quirky film about dance, moving to your own beat and yes, romance.

You can find some of the references Michelle quoted here:

https://www.sbs.com.au/whats-on/article/strictly-ballroom-cheat-sheet/v6rm6q368

Our first monster film of the podcast! Beth and Michelle talk about a surprisingly ageless horror-comedy classic, Tremors. It has quickly become the measure by which we personally rate movies, it has it all!

In this episode, Beth and Michelle dive deep into the 1997 film "In & Out." We explore the themes of identity, acceptance, and the pressures of societal expectations. Join us as we unpack Howard Brackett's journey, his struggles with self-discovery, and the impact it has on his relationships.

We discuss the film's portrayal of LGBTQ+ issues in the 90s and how a modern day lens changes the context. We also share our personal experiences of feeling like outsiders and the importance of finding your true self.

This episode is a safe space for anyone who has ever felt like they didn't belong. We encourage open and honest conversations about mental health and self-acceptance.

Resources:

• The Trevor Project: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/
• Crisis Text Line: https://www.crisistextline.org/about-us/faq/
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): https://www.nami.org/
• General Strike: https://generalstrikeus.com/

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of homophobia, societal pressures, and mental health challenges. Listener discretion is advised.

Bri Castellini, our first guest and the author of the Castellini Test we use in our episodes, joins us with her movie pick for us to discuss. Follow along as we discuss purity culture, doggy style, and how sometimes a flawed comedy can just be a good comedy despite it's flaws. You can find Bri at the following, be sure to check her out!

Instagram:

@BrisOwnWorld (personal/author account)

@CastelliniFilmSchool (consulting & filmmaking account) Bluesky: @brisownworld.bsky.social Website: BriCastellini.com Romance novel newsletter: forcedproximity.substack.com Her book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D1RWK2WS

Beth and Michelle try to find the lighter side of Dave, a movie that is cute with a hint of romance, but is fraught with unintended analogies to a current political atmosphere. 

We can't stop talking about this movie! This is Part 2, where we find all manner entertainment in forgetting Rufus' character name, and praising facial expressions of a blind man and his long lost son. Join us because you've come too far to turn back and we know where the balsa is buried.

Beth and Michelle pontificate upon this modern re-imagining of Chaucer's "The Knight's Tale". A love story that bears lengthy discussion and two parts to encapsulate a deceptively nuanced narrative. 

In this episode, Beth and Michelle each choose three songs that fit their lives thematically and share how these songs have deeply affected them. Through personal stories and emotional reflections, they explore the profound impact these songs had in their lives. Be sure to stay to the end as there is a wonderful indie folk rendition of "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" performed by Annie McD, her TikTok link is below. Links provided to the music in the order they are discussed:

"We Can Work it Out" - The Beatles  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IbPn5j2YKk

"No Roots" - Alice Merton  https://youtu.be/PUdyuKaGQd4?si=WEoh2qw9-SUsPCrt

"I Will Follow You Into the Dark" - Death Cab for Cutie  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iV_1ESMHaI

"Mystery Girl" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs  https://youtu.be/dunHh0VcXwY?si=sPthEkcTuETWXYUB

"I Don't Want To Be" - Gavin DeGraw  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gFCW3PHBws

"When I Need You" - Leo Sayer  https://youtu.be/obC0MFHWJ0A?si=an63Ye1-bOnaUyjm

In the Outro - Performing her Indie Folk version of "I Will Follow You Into the Dark", Annie McD. You can find her here - https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTYEVre5j/

In this episode, we discuss a Brooklyn Heights romantic comedy featuring a stolid bookkeeper and an overwrought baker. Michelle reflects on familial memories that are evoked by the story, while Beth ponders hidden social cues, the significance of the ruby shoes and their deeper meaning. 

To ring in the New Year, we wrestle with feminism, the lack agency and Donald Duck shenanigan's with this quirky RomCom from the olden days.

We don't do anything normally, so happy belated or early Rex Manning Day! Beth and Michelle hunt for some fresh beats in the coolest music store in all of Bexley, Delaware. It's 1995 and the music is tight, the weed is wicked and I'm running out of remembered 90s phrasing to shove into a sentence. This cult classic is one of the few times we get a "win" against big box stores but as we know sometimes the win is the battle, not the war. Come for the tunes but stay for the drama and Damn the Man, Save the Empire.

Join Beth and Michelle as we paint our Aldi brand Nutcracker figurines and watch The Hard Nut. A Mark Morris production of a holiday classic retelling of The Nutcracker, one of our holiday favorites. Presented to you in our holiday special watch-along unedited podcast. While the DVD released in 2007, it was of the 1991 performance. Please watch along with us free at: Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jnj5DAjupZc  & Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX1Hm5kzc6s

We lean into the holidays with a new movie for Beth and an old favorite for Michelle. This hopeful and uplifting movie will help you find what you didn't know you needed. The soundtrack alone is like a gift to the viewer. Beth tacks on the Castellani test at the end because of impulsivity and inattention to detail. 

Michelle and Beth talk about Beth's favorite Sandra Bullock movie and sees the hope that lies beneath loneliness. In this romcom that is much deeper and poignant than one would expect. 

Beth and Michelle search their feelings about this decidedly non Star Wars-like space film about enemies finding a common ground layered upon other, foamier ground. Is that a sarlacc pit? Someone is going to get sued.

Beth has big feelings about this comedy, which is in fact, an unintentional drama about three drag queens who don't seem to ever stop performing. Michelle keeps us on track and finds the fringe as we delve deeply into the darker undertones of this 1995 cult classic.

This is an iconic movie and Michelle's favorite. Three eccentric parapsychologists, Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, and Egon Spengler, lose their university positions and start a ghost-catching business in New York City. They soon find themselves battling supernatural forces, including a giant marshmallow man, that threaten the city.

"Son in Law" is a 1993 comedy directed by Steve Rash, featuring Pauly Shore as Crawl and Carla Gugino as Rebecca. Rebecca, a South Dakota farm girl, ventures to college in Los Angeles and feels out of place. She befriends the free-spirited Crawl, who helps her adapt to her new life. Over Thanksgiving, Rebecca invites Crawl to her family farm, resulting in a series of humorous culture clashes. 

THE CASTELLINI TEST! Created by Bri Castellini https://bricastellini.com

Beth and Michelle bring the Peanut Butter Falcon into the ring and wrestle with their emotional turmoil. This is ultimately a movie about overcoming the bigotries of intellectual disabilities,  living in grief and love in a found family, wrapped in a southern gothic hero's journey. Listen to our discussion, but you should also watch this movie. And I did not, in fact, edit the cats intermittently slow-falling down loose blankets in our studio.

We promo our new podcast, Folkloric

Beth and Michelle become entangled in the nostalgia trap with eyes wide open. This iconic film was likely misunderstood by many, even the writer, John Hughes. Lay against the wall on your mattress on the floor, bring up some Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, maybe just the one song that makes you cry. And join us in a conversation about a film that is nuanced in spite of itself. 

I ran across a very interesting and insightful opinion of the film, you should take a look:

GenXWatch - Being Fearless and Wrong about Pretty in Pink

Beth and Michelle tackle the environmental and personal drama, Erin Brockovich. We will tell you about the events that lead to the movies motivation and Erin's journey to become the hero who started out already a hero, trying to keep her children fed. Personal empowerment, civic duty, building a community, holding corporations accountable for their actions, these are all worthy goals. 

Links to things we mentioned:

EPA Superfund Site Search

Vulture Interview Erin Brockovich Q&A

Beth and Michelle talk about the fur baby they added to their family, Dame Edwina Alice Poe, or "Poe". We discussed  "The Spine" from Steam Powered Giraffe, you can find their link below. Mel Brooks turned 99 this year, Beth shares some facts about his life. The movie Spaceballs isn't really a rich emotional starscape but it has a few solar systems worthy of exploration. Put on your ring, rev up your "Winnenium Falcon" and may the Schwartz be with you.

The band, Steam Powered Giraffe

Kitten Poe:

This comedy hits home for both Beth and Michelle, who learned to love this film at different times in their perspective lives. They sit down and have an emotional and thoughtful discussion about the themes flowing through the movie. It is as funny as it is heart-wrenching, as cringe as it is illuminating, there are many layers to this Birdcage cocktail. 

There are many Cinderella stories, some use magic as a catalyst for change others use suffering to push the narrative. Beth and Michelle discuss how in this film progress is its own magic and how suffering can inform kindness. Join us in the Blanket Fort for a comforting and hopeful retelling of a fairytale classic.

Please join us in the blanket fort as we talk about the 2000 film “Where the Heart Is”. Beth and Michelle lean in for a story of found family, finding self-worth and a few tears along the way. We talk about a movie which never seems to lose its smile, even through the hard times.

In our first live stream watch-along of The Exorcist 1973 Beth and Michelle share a living room with you, in spirit, on Halloween. We do some crafts, talk about things and sometimes we remember there is a movie happening right in front of us. 

Apologies to the sound quality, as we are remodeling a 1950’s den to studio standards and had a lot of reflective surfaces. Things are changing here at the PeaPod and hopefully going forward we will be changing for the better. Stick with us as we grow and evolve!