Bad Movies & Beer

Episode 98 - Idle Hands (1999)

Cooper and Nolan have been embracing the 90s slacker spirit this week, but that won't stop them from unleashing their IDLE HANDS episode! (Although it is a day or two late...)

When this combination horror movie/stoner comedy hit theaters, the guys were right in the middle of the target demo. So why don't either of them remember it fondly? 

Maybe it's the lazy humor, or teen heartthrob Devon Sawa's lame attempts at physical comedy. Or maybe it's the fact that the whole thing feels like it was cooked up in a lab as a way to get money from teenagers.

Whatever the reason, the conversation wanders to some truly strange places - from why women love Devon Sawa to zombie physiology to whether or not movie crushes get grandfathered in as you get older. 

It's a real window into 90s nostalgia, so get ready to roll up your sleeves; this episode (featuring a beer from Left Hand Brewing Co.) is one you won't be able to keep your hands off of!

Episode 97 - 10 to Midnight (1983)

Cooper and Nolan are getting back into the Charles Bronson business this week, when they take on 10 TO MIDNIGHT!

As if the vaguely sexual title (maybe) and impotence of the killer weren't enough fuel for the guys' constant stream of d**k jokes, this sordid crime thriller also features an EXTREMELY primitive version of a fleshlight (which is NOT what Nolan calls it).

Listener discretion is definitely advised for this one, so get ready for a gritty good time; this episode (featuring a beer from Grand River Brewing) won't stop when the clock strikes 12!

Episode 96 - Tank Girl (1995)

The guys are breaking out the heavy artillery this week when they go to war over TANK GIRL!

Nolan's undying love for this mid-90s bomb combined with Cooper's much more mainstream feelings about it (and a sneaking suspicion that he's being trolled) leads to the biggest argument in the history of the podcast.

But there's still plenty they're covering before that happens - like how exactly some actors become the go-to guy for creepy roles, whether interspecies relationships would be tolerated in a post-apocalyptic future, and whether or not a romantic soundtrack can include the music of Ice-T.

The battle lines are being drawn, so grab your helmet and pick a side; this episode (featuring a beer from Mill Street Brewery) is cocked, locked, and ready to rock!

Episode 95 - They Live (1988)

Cooper and Nolan are better late than never this week, as they finally cover THEY LIVE, John Carpenter's late 80s take on unbridled consumerism.

It's a sensitive topic that the guys try to navigate delicately, with Nolan claiming this movie is more relevant today than ever and Cooper claiming that Nolan is a communist. But regardless of political leanings, there's something we can ALL agree on - that fight scene is absolutely hilarious.

So grab your glasses and prepare to see the truth; this episode (featuring a beer from the South River Brewing Co.) is one you won't want to sleep on!

Episode 94 - Beneath (2013)

Cooper and Nolan are heading to the lake by special request this week when they explore BENEATH!

This 2013 monster movie (not to be confused with a different movie from 2013 about trapped coal miners with the same title) tries to deliver intense psychological drama and a powerful message. Unfortunately the result is less "Jaws" and more "Birdemic, but with fish."

At least the guys get to spend time with the prophetic old man (Nolan's #1 stock character), and put a modern twist on an old favorite when they play "Who's the real VILLAIN of this movie?"

All that plus a surprising number of arguments, so get ready to grab your rod; this episode (featuring a beer from Lake of the Woods Brewing Company) is definitely one you'll want to cast a line for!

Episode 93 - Champagne and Bullets (1993)

Cooper and Nolan are raising a glass to the fine folks at Vinegar Syndrome this week, as they sample CHAMPAGNE AND BULLETS!

This supremely low-budget piece of straight-to-video action is the unique vision of John De Hart, a man who Nolan actually referred to as a "quadruple threat" for his efforts writing, directing, starring in AND providing the soundtrack for the movie.

Is this a sadly overlooked diamond in the rough, or a sleazy vanity project that history was right to ignore? The answer probably won't surprise you, so get ready to bite the bullet; this episode (featuring a whole bunch of Miller High Life and Bulleit Bourbon) is one you'll definitely want to toast to.

Episode 92 - No Holds Barred (1989)

Cooper and Nolan are getting ready for a battle this week when they rip into NO HOLDS BARRED!

This EXTREMELY PG action/comedy is many things - nostalgia for 80s kids everywhere, the first ever film from WWE Studios, a MASSIVE heat check for Hulk Hogan - but what stands out the most is how many dramatic scenes the screenwriter decided to include in the script. Which is especially strange because when Hulk Hogan is your lead actor, dramatic scenes are NOT your friend.

That's just one of many lessons the guys are taking away from this one, so ring the bell and let's get started; this episode (featuring a not-quite beer from Great Lakes Brewery) would be a main event anywhere in the country.

Episode 91 - Blacula (1972)

A very drunk Cooper and Nolan are trying not to get drained this week when they meet BLACULA!

This legendary Blaxploitation movie is arguably more romance than horror, which leads the guys to some interesting topics (graveyard etiquette, vampire training, Tom Selleck's moustache) and also a LOT of double entendres (mostly about sucking).

It's a silly, sexy good time, but you better catch it before the sun goes down; this episode (featuring a beer from the Whitewater Brewing Co.) definitely packs some bite!

Episode 90 - Caddyshack II (1988)

Cooper and Nolan (and a wealthy special guest) are playing from the rough this week when they cover CADDYSHACK II!

This sub-par sequel features downgrades across the board, and it's forcing the guys to ask questions like:

- Where does this rank compared to other golf movies?

- What's the sexiest piece of sports equipment?

- Is it possible to identify people purely by their genitalia?

...and perhaps most importantly, why was this made?

Throw in a bunch of love for Dyan Cannon and you've got the makings of a memorable round. So grab your clubs and come along; this episode (featuring a beer from the Triple Bogey Brewing Co.) is one you won't need to take a mulligan on.

Episode 89 - The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)

Cooper and Nolan are trying to stay above ground this week when they encounter THE SERPENT AND THE RAINBOW!

This late 80s Wes Craven movie came the guys' way by sheer luck - after receiving the podcast's first ever BEER request, they Googled "movies about voodoo", and here we are.

And as if the glaring plot holes, era-appropriate special effects, and extremely bland leading man (Bill Pullman, anyone?) weren't enough to dig into, there's also the small matter of the way the zombie powder gets administered - by blowing it in people's faces (insert joke here).

It's all a trip worth taking, but watch out; this episode (featuring a beer from New Belgium Brewing) might just put a spell on you!