Episode 9: Rocky IV and Masters of the Universe (Dawn of the Dolph)

And now, what the entire world has been waiting for...two men give you their hot takes on Greta Gerwig's 2023 film BARBIE.

This is, of course, an exaggeration. This movie could use fewer male hot takes. That said, we felt it was unfair to disqualify the movie from our RSS feed just because other people had been loud and cranky, so we felt the need to get in and defend this Oscar nominee.

The film stars Nighthawks favorites Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, with a host of cameos and celebrity walk-ons that are, frankly, just fun to watch. But that's not the only fun you'll be having with this subversive, techno-color, cornball satire of our times. Pull up a stool at the Nighthawks counter while Trevor and Matt man the booth to talk about this one.

Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, find us on Facebook, and rate and review us where applicable. Also, if you really dig the show please consider contributing to our Ko-Fi campaign to help make the show extra special.

Support us via Ko-Fi!

Need to find us on a specific podcatcher? Look for us here.

The Nighthawks Podcast enthusiastically recommends: Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes.
This delightful, tight, Japanese film from a Kyoto-based theatre troupe is the debut film of director Junta Yamaguchi, and we think you should see it. This movie is low budget, non-American, subtitled, and high concept which seems to have doomed this movie to be underseen and underdiscussed.
Join the Nighthawks and see if we can turn you on to watching this nifty little sci-fi comedy that (as of press time) was highly accessible on streaming.
If you are among the blessed masses who HAVE seen this movie, stick with the back half of the episode for a spoiler-filler deep dive into the plot.

Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, find us on Facebook, and rate and review us where applicable. Also, if you really dig the show please consider contributing to our Ko-Fi campaign to help make the show extra special.

Support us via Ko-Fi!

It has long been told, in select circles, that The Nighthawks recorded an episode covering Tobe Hooper's 1982 family horror classic Poltergeist during the early years of the podcast.

The stuff of legend, the evidence does not exist that this episode was ever committed to record.

Until now.

Join Matt and Trevor in this brand-spanking-new Halloween treat, closing out the Curse of Monstoberfest as they discuss this PG rated, PG-13 in spirit, childhood-shaking haunted house movie starring Coach T. Nelson, Jo Beth Williams, and Zelda Rubenstein among others.

Is it tame? Is it frightening? Is it cursed? 

It's Poltergeist. 

Just when you thought it was safe to undress in front of your tech devices, one Hollywood movie decides to blend post-Y2k tech panic with the classic formula of the killer doll, and manages to keep things fresh enough to keep The Nighthawks nodding along throughout the movie.

This 2022 movie seems to share a lot of grace notes with a 2019 remake of the iconic Child's Play property, but seems to strike more of those notes in a clean and well executed manner and it makes for a better movie with no obiligation to an existing license.

Support us via Ko-Fi!

When a young girl, Cady, is involved in a wintertime car accident that claims the lives of her parents, she is sent to live with her career-minded aunt, Gemma. As it happens Gemma is the lead developer on a high-tech toy project that has seen a lot of success, and she struggling with the follow-up. Gemma wants to push the envelope on a super advanced AI driven humanoid playmate for kids, her boss wants a cheaper Furby. Cady’s presence is just what Gemma needs as inspiration to kick off M3GAN, a child-size doll that acts just like another person. But when its time for Cady and M3GAN to integrate with other children Cady’s age, Cady has some difficulty and M3GAN decides that she’ll do anything to protect Cady- including killing people. It’s tech paranoia packaged in a 4-foot tall iBarbie from Hell.

Join Matt and Trevor as they play with their dolls, talk about their fears, and parse if the R or PG-13 after the title of any given horror movie is all that important.

Support us via Ko-Fi!
From the world of superstition, from the bowels of the Earth, long forgotten: IT'S THE NIGHTHAWKS PODCAST!!!

We're here to get you as much Monstoberfest as our lives will allow with a comeback holiday special to chill the very bones. 2023's Halloween season kicks off with an action monster extravaganza known as THE RELIC from 1997, starring Penelope Ann Miller and Tom Sizemore (RIP).

Loosely adapted from a novel by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, the film version of The Relic finds a hulking monster eating the brains of people at the Chicago Field Museum on the eve of a new blockbuster exhibition based around superstition. 

It is up to no-nonsense Chicago cop Vincent D'Agosta and Museum Scientist Nora Kelly to get to the bottom of what's happening and hopefully avert disaster.

Matt and Trevor grabbed this one at random and are faced with the consequences, as they parse the film as both a stand-alone entity and an adaptation of a book that spawned many sequel novels. The movie wasn't so well received...

Once again it’s time for a glamorous strut on the red carpet, out front of the Nighthawks conceptual diner, to talk about Hollywood’s most prestigious night.

Oscar Czar and Nighthawks house band musician Cameron Maris, Nineteen Cent Feast, is coming out of cold storage and Matt is going in. Cameron and Trevor to talk about the EGOTS, the controversies, the nominations, and the snubs. Matt, chills himself elsewhere.

The small and valuable metal humanoid is back at it again and there’s a whole new roster of movies to discuss including Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Fabelmans, Tàr, All Quiet On the Western Front, and many others.  Up for grabs in this episode is Best Writing, Best Direction, and Best Film, among others.

Slide up with a slice of pie and a cup of coffee and talk about this year’s best.

For this year’s Oscar ballot pdf, click here

Once again it's time for a glamorous night on the red carpet out front of the Nighthawks conceptual diner, to talk about Hollywood's most prestigious night.

Oscar Czar and Nighthawks house band musician Cameron Maris, Nineteen Cent Feast, is coming out of cold storage and Matt is going in. Cameron and Trevor to talk about the EGOTS, the controversies, the nominations, and the snubs. Matt, chills himself elsewhere.

The small and valuable metal humanoid is back at it again and there’s a whole new roster of movies to discuss including Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Fabelmans, Tàr, All Quiet On the Western Front, and many others.  Keep your podcatchers subscribed to the channel and catch part 2 later this week where we will discuss the remaining categories including Best Director and Best Picture.

Slide up with a slice of pie and a cup of coffee and talk about this year’s best.

For this year's Oscar ballot, visit Nighthawkspodcast.com

WHYBW – What Have You Been Watching?

Mysteries, murder, and rebellion on the menu at the Nighthawks Diner for a discussion of what Matt and Trevor have been watching. Pull up a seat in the Nighthawks booth and grab a heaping helping of pod-fodder.

Confess, Fletch– Is it a book adaptation, a Chevy Chase sequel, neither, or both? John Hamm dons the Los Angeles Lakers hat of the mononymed Fletch, a former investigative reporter of some note. A retired fletch is on the heels of an art theft when he finds a dead woman in his rental. What is a guy to do?

Dahmer- Important question: does a rapist, murderer, terrorist, criminal, cannibal deserve an on-screen treatment this good? This one left us feeling a little funny.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery– Rian Johnson continues his unimpeachable record for mystery films with the first Benoit Blanc sequel, starring the absolutely fabulous Daniel Craig and the stone cold Janelle Monet, with a supporting cast that will leave your jaw on the floor.

• See also: Matt and Trevor parse Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, directed by Rian Johnson

Ti West’s X and Pearl- A high quality slasher with overtones of 70s pornography AND it’s early 20th Century Wizard of Oz prequel in this same year?! It’s true! The guys talk about the latest horror sensation and Trevor confesses his complicated feelings about the films of Ti West.

Andor- Matt says it’s the best Star Wars property in a while. Do you agree? He makes the case for the story about the roots of rebellion, currently playing on Disney+.

WHYBW – What Have You Been Watching?

An all-franchise edition of WHYBW has us looking at three sequels and one prequel from the recently-released and recently-streaming bin. A mixed bag of continuing stories for both the large and small screens. Join the Nighthawks as we serve up another hot and fresh plate of takes.

Jurassic World Dominion– A disappointing end to a disappointing franchise that began with one hell of a good movie.

• See also: Mini-episode review on Jurassic World
• See also: Full episode on Jurassic Park

Avatar: The Way of Water- It's a "sploosh" from Matt, but the runtime might have Trevor leaving this one high and dry. An effects marvel that is a treat for the eyes, and it has...a story.

Willow– 35 years after the original 1988 feature from George Lucas and Ron Howard, Willow gets his own sequel series on Disney+. Matt and Trevor touch on it briefly, but leave the big review for...

• See also: Matt and Trevor join the One of Us panel for a complete no-spoiler review of Willow on Disney+

The Witcher: Blood Origin- Toss a coin to your Witcher and have them banish this beast from your Netflix queue. Matt discusses why he finds this The Witcher prequel to be disappointing.

• See also: Matt joins the One of Us panel for a complete no-spoiler review of The Witcher: Blood Origin 

WHYBW – What Have You Been Watching?

An examination of some of the best movies of the year, and one book that gave Trevor comfort in a time of need. Join Matt and Trevor in the conceptual Nighthawks Diner to go over a menu of some of 2022's best

Everything Everywhere All At Once– The bonkers kung-fu tale of multiverses, taxes, laundry and family.

RRR- "The Indian Bromance Action-Adventure Musical that we need right now" -Trevor 

The Banshees of Inisherin– Matt discusses the latest darkly funny film from Martin McDonagh about two men who used to be friends, but now they aren't. Is it another In Bruges? Or is this Golden Globe winner (Best Comedy or Musical) something else?

Leonard Maltin's Star Struck- A book recommendation from Trevor regarding the latest from THE Hollywood Historian, Leonard Maltin. The audiobook recording of this new memoir gave Trevor some peace during tumultuous times.