Release Date Rewind – Details, episodes & analysis

I see... alive podcasters! Spooky season is here so it's time to get creepy with the horror-loving hosts of the How I Met Your Monster podcast, Danny, Zach, and Casey! Mark is surrounded by not one, not two, but three ghostly guests in this episode ("they're everywhere!") to celebrate the twisty 1999 thriller The Sixth Sense for its 25th anniversary. From the movie's memorable reveals to the stellar acting from the whole cast (Donnie Wahlberg still haunts us) to the ending that launched M. Night Shyamalan's career, there's a lot to love and analyze. Speaking of Shyamalan's career, the group gives their thumbs up or down for each of his following films, ending with Mark's take on this summer's Trap, in a fun short bonus episode on YouTube! 

Let's take a ride on Falcor and fly back to 1984! Mark welcomes fellow podcasters and movie lovers Josh and Joe from Video Dropbox to reopen The Neverending Story and celebrate the memorable Wolfgang Petersen movie's 40th anniversary. They follow little bullied Bastian and model tween Atreyu into the world of Fantasia, where there are Swamps of Sadness, sexy Sphinxes, and lots of amazing '80s practical effects. They discuss the trilogy of films, rave about the Limahl theme song, and wonder what even is Moon Child? 

Grab your heels and your popsicles because Mark welcomes writer, director, and producer Darren Stein for a very special episode! The Jawbreaker filmmaker takes a trip down memory lane to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his dark campy comedy that captured lightning in a bottle during a fast shoot with a low budget. They discuss the entertainment that influenced and inspired Stein, how he made films with recognizable faces when he was only in his 20s, plus the stars who auditioned for roles in Jawbreaker! And the big news: a movie musical is now in development! Who does Stein want in the cast? Oh, Kim Petras, Mary J. Blige, and more. You're gonna die (ha!) with all this trivia and insider knowledge of how a cult classic was created and how it continues to gag us.

Make way for Satan in heels, but don't be petrified! Mark welcomes horror artist and movie lover Clark Felix (@clarkmakesart87) to chat about the cruel politics of high school and celebrate the 25th anniversary of the dark comedy Jawbreaker. The twisted and campy Darren Stein film was Heathers on a sugar high and Mean Girls before Mean Girls, with a perfect cast, colorful costumes, nods to classic movies, and dialogue that slays. Clark wonders if they would join the Flawless Four if Rose McGowan offered them the chance, and Mark wonders how many licks does a jawbreaker that big even take? Also, the 1998 guilty pleasure Devil in the Flesh gets a shout-out!

It's a very special 3-part episode: a Jim Carrey triple feature! Mark wraps up the 30th anniversary celebration of three hit 1994 comedies starring Jim Carrey with old friend and movie lover Katie Bruno. Jim became a breakout movie star with Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask, and Dumb and Dumber all in theaters during an 11 month span! In this third and final part, they celebrate the so-dumb-it's-brilliant Dumb and Dumber, the story of everlasting friendship written and directed by the Farrellys. Katie can relate to eating very hot and spicy food that she thought would kill her, and they both can relate to that explosive toilet scene. Plus, did you know they filmed the movie at the infamously haunted Stanley Hotel in Colorado?

It's a very special 3-part episode: a Jim Carrey triple feature! Mark continues the 30th anniversary celebration of three hit comedies starring Jim Carrey with old friend and movie lover Katie Bruno. 1994 gave us Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask, and Dumb and Dumber all within 11 months of each other! In this second part, they focus on The Mask, directed by horror filmmaker Chuck Russell and co-starring Cameron Diaz in her film debut (Smokin'!). It's an Oscar-nominated kid-friendly comic book movie, but a couple of those moments weren't for kids! And speaking of comic books, did you know the source material is much darker and more violent? Stay tuned for Part 3 coming soon.

It's a very special 3-part episode: a Jim Carrey triple feature! Mark welcomes old friend and movie lover Katie Bruno back on the show to celebrate three hit comedies starring Jim Carrey that were released 30 years ago, solidifying his movie star status. 1994 gave us Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask, and Dumb and Dumber all within 11 months of each other! In this first part, they discuss Ace Ventura, directed by Tom Shadyac, which is technically a football movie even though we don't see much pigskin (laces out!) and is problematic for sure from a 2024 perspective. Excellent tuck though! Stay tuned for Parts 2 and 3 coming soon.

It's a Paul Walker double feature! The public voted in a recent Instagram poll and the January 1999 teen movies Varsity Blues and She's All That won by a landslide. Mark welcomes real friends and California dudes Gaius Bolling, from the Back to the Blockbuster podcast, and David Parke, from Jimmy Eat Pod, to celebrate the 25th anniversaries of these two #1 films. First up is Varsity Blues, then She's All That begins about an hour in. None of them played sports in high school, or had a school DJ like Usher, or a teacher who was also a stripper, but they do all love the spoof Not Another Teen Movie. Special shout-out to The Sopranos for its 25th anniversary as well!

What an excellent day for an exorcism... and for a new episode! Lots to discuss with returning guests and horror movie lovers Solana Sorrento and Jeff Bugajski as they join Mark to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the still shocking William Friedkin classic The Exorcist. Both Jeff and Solana went to Catholic school, so the power of Christ compelled them to not only watch this movie at young ages but to also join this special discussion about pea soup, shaking beds, bloody crucifixes, head spins, and a dayplayer who ended up being a murderer (Paul Bateson). Plus, their moms share their thoughts on the movie as well! 'Tis the season for family celebrations after all. And there's a special appearance by the one and only Regan MacNeil, so grab your holy water.

Start the dial-up and get your fingers ready because we're signing onto the world wide web to chat with strangers! A/S/L? Mark welcomes longtime friend, New Yorker, and You've Got Mail superfan Melissa Ward back to the show to celebrate the classic rom-com's 25th anniversary this month. This is an extra special episode not only because they're together in person but also because they're recording from a fancy hotel room, not from Mark's basement! They share thoughts on AOL chatrooms and screen names, Meg Ryan's hair, Tom Hanks' charm even when he's hiding a big secret, and Nora Ephron's delightful dialogue and direction. Long live Barnes & Noble!