Episodes
Fantasy Island
It’s here! It’s here! It’s here! Did you get us any SHOCKTOBER presents? We got YOU something — a discussion of this year’s Fantasy Island, the horror (?) movie based on the decidedly NOT horror 1970’s light fantasy television anthology.
Hellboy LIVE
We couldn’t get together for a mini this week, but our busy schedule is the listeners’ gain, as we release this full-sized live show from the vault! It’s a flashback to happier times, last July, when people could assemble to live comedy! Here’s our live Hellboy (2019) show from The Parkway theater in Minneapolis, MN!
Deadly Lessons
If there’s one thing we’ve learned in all our years of discussing bad movies, it’s that vanity projects are often the creme de la creme of bizarre and terrible cinema. And hoo doggies, do we have something special for you. Made in 2006, then shelved for nearly a decade before getting quietly dumped to streaming in 2014, writer/director/star Stuart Paul’s magnum opus, Deadly Lessons, is a fantasy self-help (?) thriller (?) that’s impossible to describe, but lord, do we try.
Tom Brokaw’s Dune
The longtime anchor of the NBC Nightly News drops by to break down the new Dune trailer, and how he left his heart on Arrakis.
Money Plane
After a run of guests, we’re celebrating Smalltember with just family. Because at a time like this, family is important, y’know? Almost as important as a movie where Kelsey Grammer menacingly smokes a cigar while telling a professional wrestler to rob a sky casino. That’s right, we talked about Money Plane. You’re welcome.
The Call of the Wild, with Jesse Thorn
We finally invited the boss over for dinner, so we’d better hide all those staplers we stole! Noted dog lover and the head of Maximum Fun himself, Jesse Thorn, joins us to discuss The Call of the Wild, based on that one book you probably read in middle school.
Warhammer, What is it Good For?
Stuart explains Warhammer to Dan and Elliott, and everything is 100% cleared up forever and ever.
Last Christmas, with Hallie Haglund
The star of the show is back! We were SO happy to hang with the delightful and hilarious Hallie Haglund once more. And this time we didn’t force her to discuss some fantasy bullshit she hates! Instead, we all watched what is surely one of the top three movies based on a Wham! song — Last Christmas!
Alita: Battle Angel LIVE
What’s this? An off-week FULL EPISODE? That’s right — as a li’l thank you for all of the support during the Max Fun Drive, we’ve reached into the vault and let loose this live episode, taped at Boston’s CitySpace, on Alita: Battle Angel, so you can FINALLY learn the origin of Elliott’s conviction that Dan loves backstory.
Hudson Hawk, with Roman Mars
Did you think we wouldn’t pull out all the stops for Max Fun Drive 2020? More fool you! Because in this episode, we discuss legendary Hollywood flop and Bruce Willis passion project, Hudson Hawk! And to discuss this momentous film, we’re joined by Roman Mars, of the blockbuster design podcast 99% Invisible, the man many have called “The Hudson Hawk of Podcasting.”
Flop House: The Movie!
In perhaps our silliest episode yet, Elliott and Stuart try and pitch a Flop House movie to Dan, who… we guess owns a studio in this scenario? Whatever. Just listen.
Artemis Fowl, with Scott Weinberg
The fuck is this? No really, the fuck is this? What is this fucking thing? What? This? From a major studio and established director? What? The fuck? This? Was made? THIS? We talk about Artemis Fowl with critic and filmmaker Scott Weinberg.
Score Tactics
In honor of the passing of Ennio Morricone, we discuss movie scores, and some of our personal favorite composers.
Between Worlds, with Erin Foley-Chan
It’s Cagemas in July! That cherished Flop House tradition that Dan totally forgot about for the past couple of years. But he remembered this time! Lay off! Anyway, the wonderful Erin Foley-Chan (supervising producer of The Big Fib on Disney+) joins us to discuss the weird-ass supernatural sex thriller Between Worlds. Meanwhile, Dan has done some sex scene research, Erin offers a producer’s perspective, Stuart’s old comics collaborator makes a surprise appearance, and Elliott makes “kid flashback” the two funniest words in the English language.
Detectives! with John Hodgman and David Rees
Our pals John Hodgman and David Rees have an animated show called Dicktown, about an aging boy detective and his aging bully/partner, premiering on FXX’s “Cake” on July 9. Thus, in a completely generous, non-promotional gesture, they dropped by to discuss private detectives in movies, and in fiction generally.
Hawk the Slayer
“Hollywood” Kalan really worked his connections this episode, to bring us the utterly wonderful Felicia Day (of The Guild, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Supernatural, MST3K: The Return, and much more) to discuss seminal high fantasy, low budget epic “Hawk the Slayer.” Meanwhile Dan drops a crazy Pink Panther fact, Elliott launches an insulting guess-by-mail contest, Felicia is intrigued by some fish-eating prowess, and Stuart’s in this fantasy discussion like a fuckin’ fish in water.
Return to New Moon
Our delightful Flop House friend Chris Weitz returns to the show to talk about his career, and also continue to be unfailingly good-natured about our ribbing of Twilight: New Moon.
Gemini Man
Our guest for this episode is the terrific Jordan Kauwling, Maximum Fun producer, the woman who has made our recent shows sound better than they ever have, and a sheer delightful delight. We talk about the Ang Lee-directed Will Smith would-be blockbuster, Gemini Man.
Missed That Movie! – Zombies Anonymous
Somebody gave Stuart a movie, and he watched it! And now he’s telling us about it! Also, watch The Flop House LIVE show LIVESTREAM for CHARITY in your OWN HOME next Saturday, JUNE 6!
Dolittle
You can’t have one of #TheTwoFriends without the other! In this episode, we’re joined by David Sims of the Blank Check Podcast and film critic for The Atlantic, to talk about Robert Downey Jr.’s next iconic blockbuster character, Dolittle. Meanwhile Dan makes a pitch for fart acceptance, Stuart forgets our mission statement, David gives us a taste of what it was like to see Dolittle in the theater, and Elliott does an extremely aggravating bit with a raccoon finger puppet.
Missed That Movie! – Geteven
Dan joins in the missed movie fun with his report on “Geteven” (yes, all one word) AKA “Road to Revenge,” a passion project that’s more passion than project.
Sonic the Hedgehog
How can we follow up heavy-hitting guests like Griffin Newman and Chris Weitz, you may ask? Uh, well how about with JAMELLE BOUIE, New York Times columnist and guy you’ve definitely seen saying smart things on the news. Why does he like us? Who knows! But he stopped by to discuss Sonic the Hedgehog, about some sort of hedgehog who has definitely never been pregnant on the internet. Meanwhile, Jamelle gives us his history with SEGA, Stuart uses literary terms correctly, Dan only has old man references, and Elliott adds a few physics goofs to Sonic’s IMDB page.