Welcome to Flick Flops, the podcast where we take a deep dive into movies that were critically panned, but may not necessarily be as bad as their reputation suggests. We're here to wade through the muck and give you our honest thoughts on the best and worst aspects of these films.
From bad acting and poor writing to uneven pacing and cringe-worthy dialogue, we'll be analyzing every aspect of these cinematic disasters to determine whether they truly deserve their reputation as "bad movies". But, we also recognize that there can be a certain charm to even the most notorious flops, and we'll be exploring whether these films have any redeeming qualities.
So, whether you're a die-hard fan of bad movies or just love to hate-watch the occasional train wreck, this is the podcast for you. This is Flick Flops, and we're about to take you on a journey through the world of cinematic failures.
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It’s been snow, snow, and more snow… so we figured it was a good time to check in. ❄️
In this laid-back episode, Andy and Gary sit down for a casual chat with you all—talking about the winter weather that just won’t quit, how it’s been affecting everyday life, and what we’ve been binge-watching to survive the cold.
No reviews, no deep dives, no pressure—just a friendly hang and a quick hello to our subscribers. Think of this as a warm cup of coffee on a cold day… except we’re talking movies, TV, and snowstorms instead. ☕📺
Thanks for sticking with us, watching along, and being part of the community.
Drop a comment and let us know:
• How bad has the snow been where you live?
• What shows or movies are getting you through winter?
Stay warm out there… it’s snow big deal. 😉
Tangent Station podcast: https://tangentstation.alitu.com/
A lot of changes are coming to this channel — but not in the way you might expect. Today we’re talking about how Flick Flops (soon to be known as NAME TO BE REVEALED SOON) is evolving, what’s staying, what’s moving, and how this helps us deliver more consistent, film-focused content going forward.
Flick Flops, Cult Classics, and Retro Rewind are all staying right here, and with a new scheduling approach, you’ll start seeing them show up more consistently. We’re also introducing a brand-new, multi-episode film-centric series designed to go deeper into topics that deserve more than a single discussion.
We also cover where Sonic Legacy, Nights at the Round Table, and other projects are heading — including which shows are moving to their own dedicated channels and which ones will return in a more intentional format.
As always, your input matters. If there are upcoming movies you’re cautiously excited about and want to know whether they’re worth your money, drop them in the comments. And don’t forget to vote in this week’s community poll for an upcoming tribute episode.
This is about clarity, consistency, and making sure every show has the space it deserves.
Episode 155 - Big Changes Ahead for Flick Flops (Help Us Pick 2026’s Biggest Movie Flops!)
Episode 155
Saturday, January 3, 2026 • Duration 08:39
Big changes are coming to Flick Flops — and they’re all about making the channel better for you and more sustainable for us.
We’re not diving into all the details just yet, but we wanted to give our subscribers a heads-up that some refinements are on the way in 2026. The goal is simple: clearer focus, stronger episodes, and more of what you actually enjoy watching.
And that’s where you come in 👇
We want your help picking future movie flops to review.
💬 Drop your suggestions in the comments:
What movie totally missed the mark?
What flop deserves a second look?
What film made you ask, “How did THIS happen?”
Your feedback directly helps shape the future of Flick Flops, and we’ll be pulling ideas straight from the comments for upcoming episodes.
This week we’re getting horny for the holidays as we unwrap Krampus, the 2015 horror/comedy directed by Michael Dougherty and starring Adam Scott, Toni Collette, David Koechner, and Allison Tolman. When a dysfunctional family’s Christmas spirit collapses faster than a mall Santa on his lunch break, they accidentally summon a shadowy Alpine demon who punishes the naughty—not with coal, but with nightmare fuel. So did this holiday horror-comedy slay the sleigh, or did Krampus just leave us feeling frostbitten and frustrated?
Writer(s): Michael Dougherty, Zach Shields, Todd Casey
Top Billed Stars: Adam Scott, Toni Collette, David Koechner, Allison Tolman
Running Time: 98 minutes
Country of Origin: United States
Official Release Date(s):
• November 30, 2015 (Los Angeles premiere)
• December 4, 2015 (U.S. wide release)
🎬 Background & Interesting Details
Folklore roots: Krampus is based on a real European Christmas demon from Alpine folklore, traditionally portrayed as punishing misbehaving children—often depicted carrying chains, bells, or sacks for abducting the wicked.
Director pedigree: Michael Dougherty is a massive monster nerd, previously co-writing X2 and Superman Returns, before later directing Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019).
Practical effects love: Many of the creatures—like the Jack-in-the-Box, gingerbread men, and the deranged toys—were done with practical effects and animatronics, giving the film an old-school Gremlins-style vibe.
Tone tug-of-war: The movie intentionally walks a tightrope between horror and comedy, which has made it divisive—some viewers love the pitch-black humor, others want it scarier or funnier, but not both.
Episode 153 - Flick Flops Holiday Special - Our Top 5 Christmas Films
Episode 153
Wednesday, December 24, 2025 • Duration 31:41
This week we’re decking the halls and trolling a little Yuletide carol as we countdown our Top 5 Christmas Films. These are the ones we rewatch every year, quote way too much, and argue about like it’s a family tradition.
So grab some hot cocoa, and strike the harp while Andy dons his gay apparel… this is our Merry Christmas special!
This week we get Trapped in Paradise and discuss the 1994 comedy written and directed by George Gallo. Nicolas Cage, Jon Lovitz and Dana Carvey star in this holiday heist as three ex-cons who rob a tiny Pennsylvania bank on Christmas Eve. Did we enjoy our stay with Cage and friends or did this festive fiasco leave us wishing we could escape town too?
• The film was both written and directed by George Gallo, which gave the project a single creative vision.
• It was produced by 20th Century Fox.
• The town of “Paradise, PA” serves as a charming but improbable setting for a bank-heist holiday film, which critics picked up on as part of the film’s tonal mismatch.
• Critical reception was overwhelmingly negative: for example, famed critic Roger Ebert wrote that the film “fights a tendency to come to a dead halt every five minutes” and essentially missed its comedic beats.
• Despite poor box office (approximately US $5.8 million in the U.S. per some sources) and bad reviews, it has developed something of a cult following among fans of quirky holiday films.
This week we submit to arbitration with The Ref, Ted Demme’s 1994 holiday hostage comedy starring Denis Leary, Judy Davis, and Kevin Spacey as the most dysfunctional trio to ever share a Christmas Eve. When a burglar ends up trapped in a house with a family who arguably needs more help than he does, chaos - and some brutally honest therapy - ensues. But did this dark holiday madness cure the onset of our winter blues or is The Ref just the loudest Christmasshole in the room?
Ted Demme’s breakout film: While he worked heavily in MTV programming before this, The Ref helped solidify his emergence as a feature director.
Dark comedy vs. Christmas expectations: The studio struggled to market a movie that was both a holiday film and a caustic marital satire. Over time, it found its audience on cable and home video.
Script origins: Writers Marie Weiss and Richard LaGravenese (who also wrote The Fisher King) originally constructed the story as a more serious dramatic hostage scenario before leaning fully into comedy.
Her high-strung performance as Caroline is partly thanks to Davis riffing on-the-fly, which meshed perfectly with Leary’s abrasive comedy style.
This week we’re breaking our silence on Violent Night (2022), Tommy Wirkola’s holiday brawler starring David Harbour as a Santa who isn’t here for milk and cookies - he’s here to crack skulls. When a squad of mercenaries holds a wealthy family hostage, ol’ Saint Nick teams up with the family’s still-believing daughter to turn Christmas Eve into an all-out sleigh ride of chaos. Did this yuletide beat-down jingle our bells… or was the plot just a little too holy?
• Top Billed Stars: David Harbour, John Leguizamo, Alex Hassell, Alexis Louder, Beverly D’Angelo
• Running Time: 112 minutes
• Country of Origin: United States
• Official Release Date(s):
○ World premiere: October 7, 2022 at New York Comic Con
○ U.S. theatrical release: December 2, 2022
Background & Interesting Details
• The idea for the film reportedly originated from a sketch the writers developed in high school, combining the Santa mythos with action tropes.
• The film was produced by 87North Productions (led by David Leitch) and directed by Tommy Wirkola, known for his genre-mixing style.
• Filming took place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, during the harsh winter with temperatures reportedly plunging.
• The tone draws heavily from films like Die Hard and Home Alone: the writers said they wanted to explore the “booby-trap” concept of Home Alone—but with more realistic, brutal consequences.
This week we are taking a time machine back to 1984 and discussing one of the wildest holiday creature features ever made: Joe Dante’s Gremlins — starring Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, and the half-Yoda, half-Ewok Gizmo. What starts as the world’s cutest Christmas gift quickly mutates into a full-blown small-town monster meltdown because people just cannot follow the rules no matter how many damn times you tell them! Does this film of tiny terrors still deliver holiday cheer… or are the logical leaps and physics failures too much to keep this film from crashing and burning? Mogwai don't you stick around to find out…
• The film was executive-produced by Steven Spielberg, whose influence shaped its mix of horror and heart.
• Chris Columbus wrote the script while living in a Manhattan loft plagued by actual mice—his “creature in the night” anxiety grew into Gremlins.
• Gizmo was originally supposed to become Stripe, but Spielberg insisted Gizmo stay good to give the movie a sympathetic hero.
• The film helped launch the PG-13 rating, along with Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, due to its surprisingly gruesome (and hilarious) moments.
Other Projects (Director/Writer/Main Leads)
Episode 148 - Wolfs (2024) Review
Episode 148
Saturday, November 22, 2025 • Duration 12:35
This week, we dive into Wolfs, the 2024 Jon Watts-directed action comedy that finally reunites George Clooney and Brad Pitt after 16 years. Set in a single chaotic night, it follows two lone-wolf fixers who are hired separately—by a DA and a hotel owner—to clean up what seems like a dead man, hidden cameras, shady drug deals, and inevitable betrayal. Does their star power save the film, or did we give this film a full moon?
• Filming locations included parts of Ontario, Canada (Niagara-on-the-Lake, Elora) and some New York staging according to international descriptions.
• Interesting production note: Casting Carvey and Lovitz (both known primarily for stand-up/SNL-style comedy) alongside Nicolas Cage (dramatic actor) created a tonal mismatch that many believe contributed to the film’s uneven feel.
Other Projects (Writer/Director/Main Leads)
• George Gallo: Known for writing Midnight Run (1988) and Bad Boys (1995).
• Nicolas Cage: Key past projects include Leaving Las Vegas (1995), Face/Off (1997).
• Jon Lovitz: Stand-up comedian, former SNL cast member; film roles include Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999).
• Dana Carvey: Also ex-SNL; notable film/TV work includes Wayne’s World (1992) and The Church of What’s Happening Now?! (TV).
Leary’s stand-up persona shaped Gus: His rapid-fire ranting was so aligned with the character that some lines were rewritten to fit his cadence.
Filming location: Though set in Connecticut, much of the production took place in Toronto, a common mid-90s cost-saving choice.
Glynis Johns (the grandmother) is the same actress who played Winifred Banks in Mary Poppins.
Cult revival: In the last decade, The Ref has been rediscovered as an offbeat holiday staple for people who love sarcastic, dysfunctional-family Christmas movies.
Controversy: Kevin Spacey’s later scandals haven’t affected the film’s cult status much—many fans still revisit it as a sharp comedic ensemble piece.
The dinner scene choreography: The climactic dinner sequence took days to shoot because of the number of overlapping insults, blocking, and timing.
Other Projects (Director/Writer/Main Leads)
Ted Demme (Director) Blow (2001), Life (1999), Beautiful Girls (1996)
Marie Weiss & Richard LaGravenese (Writers) LaGravenese: The Fisher King, Living Out Loud, A Little Princess, P.S. I Love You Weiss: Primarily known for The Ref
Denis Leary Rescue Me (TV), Demolition Man, Ice Age series (voice of Diego), Wag the Dog
Judy Davis Husbands and Wives, A Passage to India, Barton Fink, Marie Antoinette (2006)
Kevin Spacey The Usual Suspects, American Beauty, L.A. Confidential,...
• The film had a budget of around $20 million and grossed approximately $76.6 million worldwide.
• A sequel, Violent Night 2, is confirmed and slated for December 4, 2026.
Other Projects (Director / Writers / Main Leads)
• Tommy Wirkola (Director): Known for Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, and the Norwegian zombie comedy series Dead Snow.
• Pat Casey & Josh Miller (Writers): Previously wrote the Sonic the Hedgehog films.
• David Harbour (Lead – Santa): Known for playing Jim Hopper in Stranger Things; also starred in Black Widow.
• John Leguizamo (Lead – Mercenary Chief): Known for the “Juan-the-Bug” character in John Hancock; also voice work and comedic roles.
• Alex Hassell (Lead – family member): Appeared in series like Masters of the Universe: Revelation; stage actor background.
• Alexis Louder (Lead – family member): Emerging actress; known also for her role in Champions.
• Joe Dante leaned into Looney Tunes-style slapstick—Warner Bros. even opens the film with a vintage Bugs Bunny/Daffy Duck bit.
• Many Gremlins were complex animatronics costing up to $40,000 each. Crew members had to check for stolen puppets at the end of each day.
• Phoebe Cates’ infamous monologue about her dad getting stuck in the chimney was controversial—even Spielberg debated cutting it—but it became one of the film’s signature dark-comedy moments.
• The movie was shot entirely on the Universal backlot; Kingston Falls uses the same town square as Back to the Future.
• Gizmo’s vocals were provided by Howie Mandel, while Frank Welker voiced Stripe.
• The film was a massive hit, earning over $200 million worldwide and becoming a holiday cult classic with a mischievous twist.
Joe Dante (Director):
The Howling (1981)
Explorers (1985)
Innerspace (1987)
The ’Burbs (1989)
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
Chris Columbus (Writer):
The Goonies (1985)
Young Sherlock Holmes (1985)
Home Alone (1990)
Home Alone 2 (1992)
Later directed Mrs. Doubtfire and Harry Potter 1 & 2
Zach Galligan:
Gremlins 2: The New Batch
Waxwork (1988)
Waxwork II (1992)
Phoebe Cates:
Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
Drop Dead Fred (1991)
Bright Lights, Big City (1988)
Hoyt Axton:
Musician and songwriter (“Joy to the World,” “Never Been to Spain”)
Appeared in The Black Stallion and Disorganized Crime
Social Links:
YouTube:
• There was a bidding war for the rights early on. Apple won out among many studios/streamers.
• Filming took place in New York City (including Harlem, Chinatown) starting in January 2023.
• Initially planned for a wide theatrical release, but Apple changed strategy: it released Wolfs in a limited number of theaters, then on its streaming platform. This change was controversial.
• There had been talk of a sequel, with Clooney, Pitt, and Watts involved. But the sequel was later cancelled by the director (Watts), citing loss of trust with Apple over the theatrical / streaming release decisions.
Other Projects (Writer / Director / Main Leads)
• Jon Watts (Director / Writer): Before Wolfs, Watts is best known for directing the Spider-Man trilogy in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home, Spider-Man: No Way Home).
• George Clooney: Long career; some recent / notable films include The Midnight Sky (2020), The Tender Bar (2021), among many others. And historically, the Ocean’s trilogy, Gravity, Up in the Air, etc.
• Brad Pitt: Also extensive, recent/highlighted work: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019), Bullet Train (2022), Babylon (2022), etc.
