Shat the Movies: 80's & 90's Best Film Review

We've all seen that scene from "Perfect" where John Travolta is humping his way through a Jamie Lee Curtis aerobics class, but there's another two hours to this 1985 box-office bomb. And we had to watch all of it.

Longtime Shat The Movies beer buddy Scott in Friendswood, Texas, was kind enough to commission a film about Gene Lyons' three favorite topics: journalism, fitness and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Not to be left out, Dick Ebert had lots to say about sex with elite athletes. And Ash got into a car accident.

What genre is "Perfect?" Do newsrooms run on self-loathing? How is 2024 gym etiquette different from 40 years earlier, and did we need so much footage of Jamie Lee Curtis driving? Find out for yourself in this week's episode of Shat The Movies.

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"The Legend of Billie Jean" had a little something for each Shat The Movies host. Gene got his Honda Elite scooter. Ash got her Christian Slater. And Big D got Helen Slater with no bra.

But that's not why listener BreAnn M. commissioned this 1985 coming-of-age film. For her, "The Legend of Billie Jean" was an inspiration, a gateway to feminism and a radical view of what kids could do.

In this episode, the Shat Crew debates whether all Gulf Coast states are the same, whether men are as bad as the movie makes them out to be and whether teens are a powerful force or apathetic losers.

Gene offers some tips on how to make a powerful video for the media. Ash rails against the "these darn kids" messaging of '80s films. And Big D describes what would really happen to Billie Jean and her gang in the real world. 

Other topics range from the accuracy of police snipers to the plausibility of life in Vermont. And, of course, everyone loves Pat Benatar. 

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When listener Rob F. commissioned "Gattaca" in honor of his father, we all remembered it as beautiful, futuristic and distinct. Oddly enough, we couldn't remember much else. 

We remembered Ethan Hawke but not his lengthy voiceovers. We remembered Jude Law but not the incinerator scene. We remembered Uma Thurman but not her character's heart condition. 

This 1997 sci-fi debut for director Andrew Niccol made some interesting choices, like casting loads of TV talent and pretending Jude Law and Ethan Hawke look anything alike. And it also had some swagger, like pinstripe spacesuits and film-noir vibes. 

The Shat Crew was left to debate: Is "Gattaca" a case of style over substance, or is it a visionary film that went underappreciated for years?

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Shat The Movies didn't invent sexual perversion, edgy attitudes and impeccable taste in music, we just perfected it. More than 25 years earlier, Christian Slater inspired teens to "talk hard" in the 1990 box office bomb "Pump Up The Volume."

Ash was delighted when listener Eric commissioned this coming-of-age movie to highlight his belief in the power of listening. Dick Ebert viewed it from a parent's perspective, and Gene was aghast at Happy Harry Hard-on's terrible microphone discipline. 

As the Shat Crew debate whether a teen can suffer in the affluent suburbs, they touch on the King of Teen Angst, rites of passage, how to unmask a pirate-radio host, microwave explosions and whether "Pump Up The Volume" is just "Footloose" minus the dancing.

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We noticed all the biggest podcasts seem to have celebrity hosts, murder or hot takes. Shat The Movies lacks star power. And it doesn't have thrilling true-crime tales. So this week we're banking on misguided opinions as we plug into "Short Circuit."

Big D doesn't think Johnny 5 is really alive. Ash believes this is Ally Sheedy's worst performance. And Gene is convinced Ben Jabituya isn't Indian. Two of them are wrong, and Gene wrote this episode description. 

Despite their divergent opinions, the Shat Crew agreed on a lot of things about this 1986 Steve Guttenberg comedy: The robot design is classic. The film is oddly paced. And NOVA's security force is a bunch of dicks.

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Before Arizona was the playground of retired athletes and conservative Californians, it was a quiet, spooky place full of Old West ghosts, dusty roads and alien abductions. We're taking you back to the Travis Walton story with "Fire in the Sky."

Released in the same year "The X Files" debuted, "Fire in the Sky" terrified a young Gene Lyons, who went day camping in the same woods where aliens scooped up a logger in 1975, slapped jelly in his mouth and stuck a needle in his eye. 

In this episode commissioned by letter carriers Carlos and Natasha, the Shat Crew debates which podcast host is the bravest, when it's OK to leave a friend for dead and why it's so hard to believe aliens exist.

Grown-up Gene and Big D see the film's rebel through new eyes. Ash gushes over David Duchovny (who isn't even in this movie), and everyone agrees Travis' friends and family are idiots. Come to think of it, so is Travis.

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Shat The Movies power couple Carlos and Natasha were kind enough to gift the Shat Crew three film commissions of our choice. So we  used the first to fill a glaring omission in the Pantheon of Shat: "Legend."

Nursing a "Hawk The Slayer" hangover, Ash was a bit worried venturing back into her beloved fantasy genre, but she quickly discovered Legend's production value was top-notch. Gene was impressed with dwarven heroics, and Big D felt like he was having a bad acid trip.

But all three Shat hosts agreed on three things: Tom Cruise looked ridiculous, Ridley Scott builds incredible worlds, and Tim Curry is a god.

In this episode, your hosts discuss the difference between alicorn, unicorn and Pegasus while plunging into less critical questions, including: Why does Jack abandon his loot? Was the enchanted dress all that enchanting? How long is too long to play Frisbee with metal platters? Are goth girls dirty, sexy or both? Did Darkness deserve banishment? And which version of "Legend" is the right one to watch?

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Shat The Movies takes its anglophilia to a new level with an English commissioner, an English guest host and a movie that epitomizes the English film renaissance: "Four Weddings and a Funeral."

Rob Will Taylor joins Ash and Gene to discuss the reality of British weddings, why they start so early and why they suck for guests. The Shat Crew also explores the tragic tale of Charlotte Coleman, the charm of Hugh Grant and Ash's favorite sex scene ever. 

In this episode, Gene assumes Dick Ebert's mantle of Curious Average American Guy, asking about British phone habits, whether viewers are supposed to hate Andie MacDowell and how sleeping at pubs works. Ash applauds a powerful scene that still packs a punch. And Rob rails against That Fucking Song.

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When listener Joe asked to commission a pair of films for his grandmother's 100th birthday, the Shat Crew never suspected his first choice would be "Hawk The Slayer."

And the surprises didn't end there. This low-budget 1980 sword-and-sorcery fantasy treated us to machine-gun crossbows, a magical fisting sword and Jack Palance in a cape. We also got a Lord Rockingham soundtrack, serious Medieval Times vibes, a draggy dark wizard and a possible cinematic record for Most Improvised Grills In A LARPing Motion Picture.

Can Dick Ebert convince Ash and Gene this Rifftrax-worthy movie deserves anything more than 4 wipes? Listen to find out!

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If you had to assemble a film canon, a collection of movies you'll never outgrow, what would be in it? For listener Shawn, the answer is simple: "Death Becomes Her."

We're kicking off 2024 with cutting-edge computer-generated effects (for 1992), life lessons about immortality and Goldie Hawn in a fat suit.

As Big D explores the appeal of "Death Becomes Her" to the gay community, Ash dives into her skin-care routine, and Gene drools over Isabella Rossellini's ... umm ... mansion. 

And what Shat The Movies episode would be complete without references to "Rocky Horror Picture Show," Bruce Willis and hilarious eulogies?

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Proving that we always save the Shat for last, Shat The Movies humbly presents its final film review for 2023: "Philadelphia Experiment 2." It's a movie full of time travel, family drama and big people giving small performances.

Closing out the Month of Mark from Minneapolis, this 1993 sci-fi sleeper has all the feels of a prescription-drug ad mixed with military mistakes, questionable casting and wacky cinematography. 

In this episode, Dick argues that "Philadelphia Experiment 2" could have presented a more fun view of a dystopian 1993 ruled by Nazis (Ash thought it was plenty fun), and Gene helps him through a "Roger moment" while earning the Nobel Prize for Explaining B Movies.

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What more do you want from Christmas than some warm fuzzies, friends returning from afar and the miracle of Shat The Movies covering another film from the new millennium? Maybe some Will Farrell.

"Elf" is the rare movie that old people like Dick Ebert and young people like Ash's kids can equally enjoy. It's timeless, hilarious, a bit optimistic and a clever nod to the Christmas classics that came before.

In this episode, the Shat Crew discusses Zooey Deschanel's singing, the perils of an all-sugar diet, New York City peaking in 2005, what makes a good Christmas movie, whether we're losing our holiday spirit, the "Elf" test ending that bombed, Central Park Rangers and the national treasures that are Bob Newhart and the late James Caan.

Merry Christmas, everyone, and thank you for listening.

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The Month of Mark from Minneapolis enters its Christmas phase with the 1999 crime comedy "Go." Or, as we like to call it, "MTV Magnolia."

While Gene praises the film's optimistic attitude toward drug use, he struggles with painful memories of how trivia failed to make him popular. Ash compares director Doug Liman to Quentin Tarantino, and Dick tries to convince his co-hosts that being middle-aged is cooler than being young and dumb.

"Go" provided the Shat Crew with plenty to discuss, including Timothy Olyphant as a sexy drug dealer, unexpected vehicular violence, strip clubs after threesomes, '90s soundtracks, hiding bodies and where to shoot an Englishman.

Special thanks to listener Rob T. for his production assistance on this episode.

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Ash is back! Shat The Movies' "female expert" rejoins the team and breaks the millennial wall to cover her favorite movie: "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind."

Topics in this episode run the gamut from manic pixie dream girls to breakups to losing pets. Gene airs some personal grievances about ex-girlfriends who needed to talk "right now;" Dick questions why people are allowed to relabel their character flaws as strengths; and Ash asks if "Eternal Sunshine" is the most honest love story ever made.

Does Clementine suck, or does Joel just remember her that way? How close is memory-eraser technology to becoming reality? Does Big D need to do more hallucinogens to work through childhood trauma? We explore these questions and more as Shat The Movies kicks off the Month of Mark from Minneapolis.

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What do "The Quick and the Dead" and NBA Jam have in common? Is loose clothing appropriate for quick-draw competitions? How many flashbacks is too many? 

Commissioner Edwin instructed the Shat Crew to drink a few beers and have fun with this episode, and we were happy to oblige. Technically, Big D drank decaf coffee, but Gene made up for it with a few Red Trolleys. 

Along the way, Dick Ebert offered explosives advice and narrated "The Quick and the Dead" camera movement. Gene noted moments where he could feel Joss Whedon's influence, and both hosts agreed its pretty cool to see a kid shoot her dad in the face.

For those listeners deeply invested in our chronic discussion of Gene Hackman vs Kevin Spacey, this episode settles the matter once-and-for-all while tipping a hat to Sam Raimi's unmistakable style.

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If you made a mashup of Shat The Movies films, "The Blood of Heroes" might be the result. It has a dose of "Mad Max," a pinch of "Blade Runner," two tablespoons of "Robot Jox" and just a hint of "The Sandlot." Definitely an acquired taste.

Rutger Hauer returns to a dark, wet dystopia in this 1989 sci-fi cult classic that spawned the real-life game of Jugger and reminded Dick Ebert of all the niche sports he discovered in the early days of the pandemic. 

"The Blood of Heroes" piqued the Shat Crew's curiosity in a way few movies have, leading to questions about post-apocalyptic aristocracy, water conservation, armor design, measuring time in stones, nerd dream girls and the logistic of carrying large furniture as luggage.

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Of all the '80s movies that needed a sequel, "Young Guns" wasn't one of them. But when you quadruple the budget, beef up the cast and toss in Christian Slater, the Shat Crew (and commissioner Kelly B.) certainly will saddle up.

This 1990 Western is more "The Ballad of Brushy Bill Roberts" than an accurate retelling of the events following the Lincoln County War—with questionable wound care, incredible distances traveled, oddly accurate "wanted" posters, terrible Old Face and the notion that anyone would want to boink William Petersen.

In this episode, hear about Big D's powwow adventure, play "Navajo or Shakespeare," learn how a Jenny Wright nude scene could possibly be a bad thing and decide whether Aragorn really needed to be in "Young Guns II."

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If you aren't a Kathleen Turner fan, haven't experienced a young Nicolas Cage or want to see what would happen if Francis Ford Coppola directed a time-travel fantasy rom-com, "Peggy Sue Got Married" is the movie for you. 

Both Shat The Movies hosts went into this 1986 film with low expectations, and each found something to appreciate. Dick Ebert appreciated the life lessons about living "in the now." And Gene Lyons did flips when he noticed the same cast playing the older versions of themselves. Jim Carrey didn't even change his hair!

And you know the Shat Crew can't resist any movie featuring a bootstrap paradox, burrito theory, amazing grandparents and teen sex. 

Was "Peggy Sue Got Married" the original multiverse movie? Would you give a finger to be 10 years younger? Do time travelers have an obligation to preserve the future? All these questions are answered in this week's episode.

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Who doesn't love a movie about making a movie? Who doesn't love Eddie Murphy? Who doesn't love Steve Martin? By the end of our "Bowfinger" podcast, you'll find out exactly who.

Along the way, you'll hear Big D downplay the tragedy of Anne Heche's death. Gene will explain his fascination with Gogglebox. And you'll discover this 1999 comedy's connection to the Church of Scientology.

As the Shat Crew considers a move to Michigan, your hosts also reveal what exactly they'd do for a shot at stardom (Big D would do a bit more than Gene would) and reflect back on the pop hit "Boogie in Your Butt."

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This year's Shat The Movies Spooktacular brings you three movies in one: It's the 1985 horror anthology "Cat's Eye." What do all the stories have in common? A cat, Drew Barrymore and a heavy dependence on Stephen King's name recognition.

In this episode, Gene questions why anyone would own a cat. Big D makes the case for rabbits being the ultimate pets, and both hosts admit to using racist terms they didn't know were racist.

The Shat Crew also debate the value of aversion therapy, speculate that Robert Hays has petite feet and consider whether all horror movies should at least be Rated R.

Was that tiny troll a puppet or a dude in a suit? Should you always believe kids? Does Scotland use miles or kilometers? We answer these questions and more while playing Stephen King Bingo. Happy Halloween!

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