Ramblin: An Amblin Podcast

Big Action! Big Podcast! Small Soldiers! The Ramblin boys draw up battle plans to face Joe Dante’s final - at least for now - Amblin joint, the 1998 action-adventure SMALL SOLDIERS. We assemble an elite unit made up of returning guests Rhys Edwards and Dan Kelly to assist in taking down the Commando Elite and aiding the peaceful Gorgonites, as we cover the film’s production history, Burger King tie-ins, its anti-military industrial complex sentiments and the uncanny similarities to Avatar. Civilians, declare your allegiance and take on the mission - everything else is just a podcast. 

No, that’s not swamp gas from a weather balloon trapped in a thermal pocket and reflecting the light from Venus—it’s Ramblin’s episode on Barry Sonnenfeld’s 1997 masterpiece MEN IN BLACK! To join us in dissecting this perfect blockbuster (as though it were an expired Arquillian ambassador) is self-professed ‘Queen of the Dead’ Anna Bogustkaya, critic/broadcaster extraordinaire and host of The Final Girls, Successionistas and Dead By Dawn podcasts. Together we work through that Smith and Jones chemistry, the killer Rick Baker designs, some exquisite ‘90s goo and a Vincent D’Onofrio performance that’s up there with the very best of Lon Chaney. Time to push the little red button.

We welcome you back once more to the Jurassic Park franchise as we make the journey to the dark and brooding shores of Isla Sorna for our episode on the 1997 sequel THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK, once again directed by Steven Spielberg with a script by David Koepp, based on the novel by Michael Crichton. 

Similarly, as The Lost World brings back Ian Malcolm for the ride, we also welcome the return of a surviving guest from the first Jurassic Park incident, as Jurassic Outpost founder Jack De La Mare joins us to wade into the long grass to discuss the beast that is The Lost World. What’s that Ajay? DON’ T go into the long grass? But wh-ARRRGHHH!

You're travelling through another dimension - a dimension not only of sight and sound, but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land of imagination. Next stop, Ramblin! That’s right, it’s time to step through that scary door into the twilight zone of 1996 thriller THE TRIGGER EFFECT, screenwriter David Koepp’s feature directorial debut and an altogether overlooked entry in the Amblin canon. 

Joining Andy and Josh on their journey is newly-minted three-timer Dan Kelly (@DeekingAround), self-proclaimed Koepp-head and general appreciator of this kind of conceptual, slimline blockbusting. Together they talk about the film’s conception, the cast of Amblin all-stars and tonal reference points that range from the understandable (Spielberg!) to the unexpected (Shyamalan?). Cock your shotgun (several times) and follow along!

Well shake it up, baby, now! Twist and shout! Yes, that’s right, it’s time to hunker down and strap yourself to a pipe as the Ramblin team go chasing that fabled F5 by tackling Jan de Bont’s wacky 1996 disaster-ish thriller-ish, TWISTER. The boys are joined by fellow tornado enthusiast Charlotte Bailey, and together they delve into the bonkers production history, the chills and spills of repurposed CGI zebras and the film’s enduring legacy amongst extreme weather freaks. So grab your DOROTHY, leave your lemonades on the car roof and come join us in the suck zone. (This is something that a character says in the film, we promise, we’re not just being rude.)

The bell has finally rung on Amblimation, as we reach the third and final film produced by the short-lived animation wing of Amblin Entertainment. It has been a rocky road for Spielberg’s attempt at tackling the animation market, but it tries to cut fresh tracks in the snow with the based-on-fact adventure BALTO, directed by Simon Wells and featuring the voice talents of Kevin Bacon, Bridget Fonda, Bob Hoskins and Phil Collins (no songs though). We head out on the trial of the movie, taking a look at its relationship with the true story of the great serum run to Nome Alaska in 1925, the undue pressure the failures of the previous two Amblimation films put on Balto and perhaps most importantly seek justice for Togo, the real hero of this story. Let’s mush, Ramblin fans!

Young lovers seek perfection. Old lovers learn the art of sewing shreds together and of seeing beauty in a multiplicity of podcast ramblings. In this Ramblin episode, we thread together the connecting stories of Jocelyn Moorhouse’s HOW TO MAKE AN AMERICAN QUILT, the 1995 adaptation of Whitney Otto’s novel, described by Amazon as a ‘gentle comedy’ We’ll determine just how gentle it is as we welcome our guest - critic and broadcaster Rihanna Dillon - to become a part of the Ramblin patchwork. We discuss Moorhouse’s background and the performances of a stacked cast that includes the likes of Winona Ryder, Anne Bancroft, Ellen Burstyn, Lois Smith, Alfre Woodard, and Maya Angelou. But most importantly, will we find out just how to make an American quilt?

You can follow Rhianna on Twitter @RhiannaDhillon and you can listen to her on BBC Radio 6 Music and catch PodPod (@podpodofficiak) wherever you get your podcasts.

No one say anything frivolous for the next few moments. We are having a significant experience! The Ramblin gang are back on the road of Amblin Entertainment. This time, we’re hitching a ride in a 1967 Cadillac Deville with drag queens Vida Boheme (Patrick Swayze), Noxeema Jackson (Wesley Snipes) and Chi Chi Rodriguez (John Leguizamo) as we discuss Beeban Kidron’s comedy TO WONG FOO, THANKS FOR EVERYTHING! JULIE NEWMAR. To tackle the longest title - in terms of letters that is - so far, we invite Sarah Buddery of Looper and Let’s Jaws For A Minute podcast fame. for the journey. Along the way, we get into the casting, the costuming and the fabulous message at the heart of this mid-90s gem. We’re so excited, we could just spit!

You can follow Sarah on Twitter @sarahbuddery and her podcast @jawsforaminute, which is available to listen to now, wherever you get your podcasts.

For more Wong Foo context ands goodness, check out these articles, interviews and episode sources:

Happy Boxing Day to all the fellow Ramblers out there! In this festive tryst with an Amblin outlier, the boys head Iowa-ward with production manager extraordinaire and host of CineMortuary podcast Rob Yeomans (@dancinghenry) to document the storied BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY. En route they talk about the historical perception of Clint Eastwood, swoon over his gorgeous central romance with Meryl Streep and get stuck into the heady themes of desire, duty and dashed dreams. Grab yourself a leftover sandwich, pour some Bucks Fizz and buckle in for a voyage of emotional discovery!

You can follow Rob and CineMortuary podcast on Twitter via @DancingHenry and @CineMortuary respectively. Listen, rate, review and subscribe to CineMortuary now wherever you get youtube podcasts.

Things are getting benevolently spooky here at Amblin Manor, as the Ramblin boys welcome back returning guest Michael Perry to discuss Brad Silberling’s family comedy ‘CASPER’ released in the summer of 1995. The make-shift ghostly trio get cosy and warm with their nostalgia as they recount their tales of meeting the friendly ghost for the first time, address the film’s ‘my first existentialism’ themes, its surprising emotional heft, its Harvey comics origins and praise the ever brilliant and incredibly missed James Horner. Come on in and join us as we unpack the unfinished business of Casper the Friendly Ghost.

Hut hut! It’s time for some football! Pee Wee football that is as we take to the field to discuss the 1994 sports family comedy ‘LITTLE GIANTS’, directed by Duwayne Dunham and starring Rick Moranis and Ed O’Neal as bickering brothers with rival Pee Wee football teams. Seeing as Andy and Josh's knowledge of NFL and American football is somewhat limited, the Ramblin boys call in assistant coach Rhys Edwards for their discussion to make a play that can rival the Annexation of Puerto Rico. Join us as we discuss the film’s McDonald’s Super Bowl ad origins, sing the praises of Mac And Me and share some of our finest sporting moments from childhood (don't laugh, we had some!). Good huddle, now let’s play some football!

Good day, Ramblin fans, can we get an azooga!? We welcome you to the clubhouse as we assemble a group of little rascals to aptly chat about all things THE LITTLE RASCALS, the 1994 Penelope Spheeris-directed adaptation of the classic Hal Roach ‘Our Gang’ short films from the early era of Hollywood. In our clubhouse we welcome back returning guests Jack Buckley and Seb Jones and let chaos reign as our chat gets as unwieldy as the film itself. And how!

Yabba Dabba Doo! We’re back and this time we’re heading to the town of Bedrock through the courtesy of our two pairs of feet to meet The Flintstones. This 1994 adaptation of the Hanna-Barbera cartoon from the 1960s was much maligned by critics at the time of its release, but is the Brian Levant directed movie starring John Goodman and Rick Moranis really all that bad? To help us take apart the comically large rack of ribs that is this movie, we’re joined by podcaster co-host of W-Rated, Clare Brunton. Pour yourself a cold one and have a gay old time!

We finally arrive at one of the most crucial films in both Spielberg’s and Amblin’s filmographies, 1993’s Best Picture-winning SCHINDLER’S LIST. To help us in our examination of the film’s portrayal of the Holocaust, Jewish life and Oskar Schindler, we’re very lucky to be joined by Chief Executive of UK Jewish Film, Michael Etherton. Together we break down the film’s aesthetic choices, Spielberg’s motivations behind tackling this subject matter at this particular time and the ethics of trying to depict such an abhorrent moment in human history, let alone in a piece of popular entertainment. It’s an understandably difficult area to explore, but we hope that you find the discussion illuminating.

After a brief hiatus, the Ramblin boys are back, baby, with an episode on a film that was so hard to track down that we almost had to do the unthinkable and skip it. Yes, that’s right, we’re talking A DANGEROUS WOMAN, Stephen Gyllenhaal’s 1993 melodrama starring Debra Winger, Barbara Hershey and Gabriel Byrne. It’s a film that comes the closest to not actually existing out of any we’ve covered yet, but still provides plenty of fertile ground for discussion. Join us as we work through such questions as ‘isn’t Byrne a dish?’ and ‘who exactly is the dangerous woman?’ and ‘just how cack-handedly is this going to deal with the representation of neurodivergence?’ (Hint: About as well as you’d think.)

It’s time to chow down on some brian grain and get weird with it in our episode on the second film from Amblin’s animation house - Amblimation - the other 1993 dinosaur movie WE”RE BACK! A DINOSAUR’S STORY. With a script by JOE VERSUS THE VOLCANO’s John Patrick Shanley and multiple hands on the wheel, the final product needs to be seen to be believed, as our makeshift herd will attest. Join us as we welcome new guest, friend and fellow Warwick grad Lucy Ogilvie, and welcome back returning guest Jack Buckley to take the trip from the prehistoric era to early-90s New York City, as we roam the streets with Rex and pals and run away to the circus - now that’s a notion with some spice!

NOTE: We, unfortunately, lost a chunk of Mr. Buckley’s audio, so if you’re wondering why he goes quiet for a period that would be why. If you’re looking for someone to blame, blame Stubbs the Clown. We can also confirm that Jack’s fear that would emanate from the Fear Radio is Slack message related.

It is time for the episode that has been 65 million years in the making. That’s right folks, let us at Ramblin welcome you to JURASSIC PARK - the 1993 mega-blockbuster directed by Steven Spielberg that became the highest-grossing movie of all-time. To excavate the mines of this cinematic milestone, we invite Jurassic expert Jack De La Mare - founder of the site Jurassic Outpost - to share his expertise, while being mindful of anything in mirrors that may be closer than they appear. It’s a suitably epic episode where we spare no expense, leaving no Barbasol Can untouched as we travel through the production and share our thoughts on this stone cold classic. Hold onto your butts.

It is 1993, the start of a big year for Amblin Entertainment. But on our way to JURASSIC PARK, we got a bit lost and ended up in A FAR OFF PLACE - the directorial debut of ALWAYS cinematographer Mikael Salomon and one of the earliest roles for future Oscar-winner Reese Witherspoon. Released by Walt Disney Pictures, the coming of age adventure drama has fallen into obscurity, forgotten by most including, seemingly, Disney themselves. We dig into why that might be, all the while reflecting on where Amblin is at this juncture, while Josh reflects on his past as a high jumper. Join us for the journey won’t you?

On we blindly stumble, as the Ramblin gang tackles Peter Bogdanovich’s 1992 adaptation of classic farce NOISES OFF. For this episode we’re joined by our resident expert on the matter (she’s seen it three times in the theatre!) Emily Tatham, who helps bring the requisite amount of chaos to a discussion of a movie about a play that goes horribly wrong. Together we take a journey through Bogdanovich’s tumultuous career, pitch our own Roger Corman pictures, practise our Michael Caine impressions and try not to slip on the sardines. We also try to make time to talk about whether it’s possible to successfully adapt something so dependent on the live sage, what’s required when transitioning a work to the big screen and whether Michael Frayn’s play loves or hates actors. But will we remember to hit our marks on the night? Join us and find out!

‘Have to fly, have to fight, have to crow, have to save Maggie, have to save Jack… Hook is back.’

It’s time to take flight with Ramblin once more as we head for the second star on the right and straight on till morning to discuss Steven Spielberg’s take on the Peter Pan legend - 1991’s ‘HOOK’, starring Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman and Julia Roberts  - which asks the question, what if Peter Pan grew up?

It would be bad form not to have a guest join the Jolly Ramblin crew for such a voyage, which is why we are pleased to welcome writer, journalist, marketing manager and Hook super-fan, Sarah Cook (@CookieNScreen) aboard the pod. Together, we chart the map of development, discuss Spielberg’s own apathy towards the final product, the fairy dust of nostalgia, screaming housekeepers and Maggie Smith’s horny eyes.

So, don’t be a boil-dripping beef, fart-sniffing bubble butt - think happy thoughts, hit play and join us on our adventure to Neverland. Bangarang!

You can follow Sarah on Twitter @CookieNScreen and can find her writing at moviesonweekends.com, Hey You Guys and Film Stories.

Howdy pardners, we’re back. Sorry for the hiatus, one of your fine feathered hosts got struck down with dreaded ‘rona. Don’t sweat it though Ramblin’ fans, as we’re back on the saddle to continue our epic journey through the valley of Amblin Entertainment. That’s right we’re back in the Old West, this time with an animated mouse, with our look at sequel ‘An American Tail: Fievel Goes West’.

We’re joined by our old pal - film journalist Barry Levitt (@blevitt93) - to chart our travels on to  the dusty town of Green River, home to even more nefarious cats and one gassy sheriff, old dog Wiley Burp (James Stewart in his final film role). We go deep into the creation of Amblimation, Spielberg’s very own animation house, and how a lot of hopes were hinged on the return of Fievel and the Mousekewitz family. But does the Don Bluth-less sequel match up to his heartfelt original? Join us and find out!

Josh Glenn would also like to let everyone know that The Matrix Resurrections is out now on all home entertainment formats.

You can follow Barry on Twitter and Letterboxd @blevitt93 , and catch his writing over at Looper, i-D and SlashFilm.

Eight-legs, two fangs and an attitude. In this episode, we take you on a journey from the deep jungles of Venezuela to Canaima, California, as we follow the adventures of Big Bob, a lovable previously unknown species of spider who has plans to make it big in the USA. On his way he finds love and starts a family, but quickly becomes the target of a community resistant to change and new ideas. Can Big Bob make them see that just because something’s different, doesn’t mean it’s bad? 

Join us as we… wait, what do you mean that’s not what this is? Oh… strap in for thrills, creepy crawly chills and goofy guffaws as we untangle the web of Frank Marshall’s directorial debut - the ‘thrill-omedy’ ‘Arachnophobia’. From fang-tastic animatronics to Jimmy Buffet songs and a handsome Jeff Daniels, no dark corner or cereal box is left unexplored. We even tuck into some Amblin news with our thoughts on the first Jurassic World: Dominion trailer and more! Rock and roll!

After an extended Christmas break, Ramblin is back, baby! This time we’re joined by Ollie Guthrie (@OGEpisodes), graduate of the Institute of Gremlins 2 Studies, to delve into Joe Dante’s jekakqzzzzz&”””&##%*

Your usual episode description writer has been temporarily indisposed as, in my esteemable opinion, ‘Gremlins 2: The New Batch’ requires a level of nuance only attainable by, say, having emerged from a gooey green cocoon. This picture is many things: a furious cry against the machinations of late capitalism; a Trojan horse designed to rip apart a studio release from the inside; and, most importantly, a utopian image of what a complete gremlin civilisation might look like. The Geneva Convention. Chamber music. Susan Sontag. Before we return you to your usual programming, just bear in mind who the real protagonists are.

Yours,

Brain Gremlin

You can find Ollie on Twitter @OGEpisodes and on Letterboxd (Oliver Guthrie) Follow the Institute of Gremlins 2 Studies on Twitter @G2Institute.

Ramblin heads to Hill Valley for one last time as we round out Robert Zemeckis’ 'Back to the Future’ trilogy with this goofy little Old West delight. Fellow Warwick grad Robin Kerrison (@robinjames_) joins us on the proverbial locomotive, and together we ponder how adorable Doc and Clara are, how thrilling that steam train climax is, and how Jules and Verne are somewhat… unsettling. So don your ponchos, get your frisbees ready and pop on some ZZ Top – it’s time to say goodbye to our favourite time travellers. Don’t be yella, now.

It’s time to jump into the fiery crater that is the 1990s, and our first step of the journey takes us to the Big Wu and beyond with John Patrick Shanley’s existential mid-life crisis rom-com ‘Joe Versus the Volcano’. The first in the unofficial Tom Hanks-Meg Ryan ‘meet cute’ trilogy, Joe is a stranger film than its appearance may lead you to believe. We won’t be making our voyage to Waponi Woo alone, as we are joined by BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra film critic Ali Plumb for our discussion. So, pack your steamer trunks Ramblin listeners and get ready to make the leap.

You can follow Ali on Twitter @AliPlumb and find his interviews with some of Hollywood’s brightest stars on BBC iPlayer and Youtube.

You have to come back with us! Where, you ask? Back to ‘Back to the Future... Part II'! That’s right, gang, it’s time to load up Mr Fusion and set the time circuits to 1989 as the Ramblin boys return from their hiatus to talk about Robert Zemeckis’ looney sci-fi sequel. Returning guest Dan Kelly (@DeekingAround on Twitter) is also along for the ride, which covers such storied ground as the disappearance of Crispin Glover, the mistreatment of Jennifer, the under-rated talents of Thomas F. Wilson and the prophetic Trumpiness of alternate-1985 Biff. There are takes, theories and impressions galore, so grab your Gray’s Sports Almanac and come mess with the space-time continuum!

Allow us to introduce you to ‘Dad’, the Amblin movie that very few seem to know exists. Despite starring Hollywood legend Jack Lemmon, ‘Cheers’ star Ted Danson and a young Ethan Hawke hot on the heels of ‘Dead Poets Society’, this multi-generational comedy-drama is a film that has very little cultural footprint (and a sparse IMDB trivia page). We take a look at how it came to be and offer our thoughts as to why this is one film in the Amblin canon that seems to have drifted into relative obscurity.

TRIGGER WARNING: The film and our conversation touch on emotionally loaded themes such as bereavement, terminal illness, dementia and parental relationships that some listeners may find sensitive.

As mentioned in the episode, check out the delightful video of the 'Dead Poets Society' cast taking New York City while auditioning for 'Dad': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1eOYkQpifk

Once upon this same earth, beneath this same sun, in the winter of 1988, Amblin Entertainment released ‘The Land Before Time’, and kids have been emotionally traumatised ever since. Don Bluth’s second and final Amblin movie sees a group of young dinosaurs making an incredible journey to find the Great Valley, all within 59 minutes. We put together our own herd by inviting our two friends, Nicole Davis and Michael Perry to make the pilgrimage across Bluth’s prehistoric landscape with us. Along the way, we encounter a troubled production history, stumble over a crater of 13 direct to video sequels, and unearth Josh’s Irish brontosaurus impression. Join us, won’t you?

Hollywood, 1988. Director Robert Zemeckis, along with producer Stephen Spielberg, somehow convinces Disney to bankroll a live-action/animation hybrid containing a plethora of characters from rival studios, lurid film noir plotting and the libido of a teenage boy. How did he do it? What was its effect on blockbuster cinema? And who did set-up that little cartoon leporid? All of this and more will be explored in this episode, as the Ramblin boys - joined by Anton film executive Jack Buckley - crack open the case file for ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ and examine the gloriously bizarre delights within. So hop in Bennie, the cartoon taxicab, and join us for the ride!

You can follow Jack over on Twitter (@buckleyjack) and Instagram (also @buckleyjack) to keep up with his various film and Love Island-related witterings.

There’s something strange going on in a rundown apartment block on New York’s lower east side. To check it out, we’ve invited our guest, writer and friend Steph Brandhuber (@StephBranded) to see what’s what. We discover some Amazing Stories within concerning a deeply lovable elderly couple, a wannabe artist with a milky beard who grinds everyone’s gears, and of course some incredible 'Fix It' flying machines. All this and more in our adventure through Matthew Robbin’s ‘*batteries not included.’

You can follow Steph over on Twitter (@stephbranded) and Instagram (also @stephbranded) to stay up on her latest work.

After a brief hiatus, we take flight once again with the next film in the Amblin Entertainment timeline, Steven Spielberg’s 1987 adaptation of JG Ballard’s novel, ‘Empire of the Sun’. Starring a young Christian Bale in a tale that offers a unique perspective of World War Two, we dive into the underrated Spielberg war epic, admiring its use of imagery and exploring its relationship with its source material to deliver a story about makeshifts community and a loss of innocence against the grand scale of worldwide conflict.

Strap in and get ready for a podcast of incredible proportions. Martin White (@TheMovieNerdSB) joins us as we miniaturise and intravenously enter the world of Joe Dante’s overlooked 1987 classic ‘Innerspace’. Follow us as we latch onto the optic nerve and look at the film’s glorious Looney Tunes excesses, explore the rich subgenre of shrinking movies and discuss how much of a snack Dennis Quaid was in the mid-’80s. How does it sound? Sounds good. The Ramblin machine, zero defects.

Bigfoot is real, and he loves TV! Head into the woods with the Ramblin Boys as they welcome Petros from the Caged In and Coppola Connections (@cagedinpod) podcasts to discuss William Dear’s bigfoot family comedy, ‘Harry and the Hendersons’, produced by Amblin Entertainment in 1987. Listen as they gawk over great Rick Baker effects, be puzzled by a Purge-esque narrative detour, and consider the shadow of a three-foot ET that weighs heavy over the proceedings. The gang also put Harry’s seemingly innocent and cuddly demeanor on trial, once and for all.

Hop aboard a ship across the Atlantic, as we make the journey to ‘An American Tail’, the first animated movie from Amblin, released back in 1986. Friend and fellow podcaster Barry Levitt (@blevitt93) joins Andy and Josh to unpack the rollercoaster career of the film’s director Don Bluth, before sharing their thoughts on the beautiful animation, the strange details of mice society and pray that nothing happens to their sweet boy, Fievel Mousekewitz. We also ask the question: what’s Don Bluth got against cats?

Don’t worry, that’s not the sound of a bathtub coming through your ceiling, it’s just the Ramblin episode on ‘The Money Pit.’ Griff (@TheEnigmaGriff), co-host of The Paul and Griff Show (@paulngriffshow), joins Andy and Josh to dig through the Tom Hanks/Shelley Long 1986 comedy, directed by Richard Benjamin and produced, of course, by Amblin Entertainment. No airbourne turkey is left unchecked, as they chart the making of the film, try to impersonate Hanks’ exasperated laughter and somehow get on to the topic of ‘Wild Wild West’ once again.

The game is afoot, dear listeners! Who will solve the mystery of 'Young Sherlock Holmes' and its place in the Amblin Entertainment canon? Don’t you fret, The Ramblin Boys are on the case! Join them on their latest adventure as they examine the career of the film’s director, Barry Levinson, discuss the brand power of exec-producer Steven Spielberg, and uncover how this little seen schoolboy detective story helped pave the way for the creation of Pixar Animation Studios. Listen, like, review and subscribe; why that’s elementary dear listener!

Great Scott! The time has come for The Ramblin Boys to tackle one of the most defining hits of Amblin Entertainment, Robert Zemeckis’ 1985 sci-fi classic, ‘Back to the Future’ (which also happens to be Josh’s favourite film of all-time). Joined by their guest, creator and host of the Fandomentals podcast (@FandomentalsPod) Harley Mumford (@harleymumford), the boys discuss just what it is that makes this timeless blockbuster tick. From the origins of Zemeckis, to the casting (and firing) of Eric Stoltz, to Huey Lewis and The News and bespoke Van Halen tapes; no Old Man Peabody impression is left behind in this epic discussion of one of the Amblin greats.

Hey You Guys! It’s time to hop on your bikes once again and go in the search of some rich stuff, as we discuss Richard Donner’s beloved adventure movie, ‘The Goonies’. Andy and Josh are joined by friend and fellow Warwick Film Grad, Seb Jones, as they recount their own Goonie-esque childhood escapades, unearth an old spiteful Terry Wogan clip and unpack the problematic character of Sloth. And Cyndi Lauper’s ethos will be put to the test as they find out once and for all if ‘The Goonies’ really ‘r’ good enough. 

Grab a case of beer and hop in a Cadillac, as we take to the road with The Groovers to discuss Kevin Reynolds’ debut feature film, 1985’s ‘Fandango’. Executive produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and an uncredited Steven Spielberg, this little seen coming of age flick is also the first leading role for one Kevin Costner. Join us as we chat about its student film origins, uncover the dangers of reading the Wiki page for a film whilst you’re still watching it, and question the fact that Kevin Costner clearly doesn’t like sharing booze. Also, if you thought Josh’s Phoebe Cates impression was good, wait until you hear his Quentin Tarantino.