#69 - "The Untouchables" (1987) with Nicholas Pepin from "Pop Culture Roulette" Podcast
1930. Prohibition has transformed Chicago into a City at War. Rival gangs compete for control of the city’s billion dollar empire of illegal alcohol, enforcing their will with the hand grenade and the tommy gun. It is the time of the Ganglords. It is the time of Al Capone. And now its time for Tim Williams and guest co-host Nicholas Pepin, from "Pop Culture Roulette" Podcast to discuss “The Untouchables” from 1987 on this episode of the 80’s Flick Flashback Podcast!
Here ar…
BONUS - "Turk 182" (1985) with Laramy Wells from the "Moving Panels" Podcast
Taking aim squarely at the popular theme of the working man’s struggle against the in- equities in the system, this forgotten 80’s flicks tells the story of a mystery rebel in New York City whose popularity reaches almost mythic proportions before the internet, social media, and hashtags became the norm for spreading a protest message. So grab some spray paint, jump on your military motorcycle with matching sidecar as Tim Williams and guest co-host Laramy Wells from "Moving Panels"…
#64 - "First Blood" (1982) with Laramy Wells from the "Moving Panels" Podcast
Based loosely on David Morrell's 1972 novel of the same name, this 80’s flick was the first of a decades long franchise. Unlike the following sequels which were war adventure films set in foreign countries, this was a post-Vietnam War psychological thriller set in the United States that lacks the gore and violence that would later become a trademark of the series. So journey back with us to the small town of Hope, Washington as Tim Williams and guest co-host Laramy Wells from "Movi…
#63 - "Rain Man" (1988) with JB Huffman from "Manly Movies" Podcast
No one was overly surprised when this 80’s flick dominated the 1989 Academy Award ceremony. It featured one of America's biggest movie stars showing a little gravitas as a self-absorbed hustler who learns the importance of family. It had an Oscar mainstay going deep into affliction, playing a character with a disorder that not many everyday moviegoers knew much about at the time. And at the helm, a respected director whose films had been gaining in prestige and popularity throughout the…
#62 - "Big" (1988) with Chris McMichen
Undeniably, the best of the mini-cycle of body-swap comedies from the late eighties, this is the flick that revealed that Tom Hanks was capable of much more than just one-dimensional idiotic comedic roles. His transformation into the floppy walk and wide-eyed enthusiasm of a 13-year-old boy is a masterclass in physical acting. It also proved that Penny Marshall was a bona fide blockbuster movie director and not just the tough-talking and boy-crazy Laverne De Fazio on TV's “Laverne &…
#55 - "School Daze" (1988) with Tyra Williams
Before "A Different World" came into its own. Before "Higher Learning" and "Dear White People" critiqued the fraught relationship between Black students and white students at predominantly white institutions. And before "grown-ish", there was this '80s flick. Multi-talented Spike Lee’s sophomore feature took a critical look at Historically Black Colleges & Universities (aka HBCUs), revealing their beauty and complexity in a decade where Black …
#49 - "When Harry Met Sally..." (1989) with Bethany Wells
“Baby Fishmouth.” “I’ll have what she’s having”. The Wagon Wheel Coffee Table. And the elaborate apple pie order that has inspired thousands of elaborate apple pie orders in diners and restaurants everywhere. In the 30 plus years since this 80’s flick was released, nearly every scene has become iconic and the stuff of rom-com legend. So in honor of Valentine’s Day, cuddle up with the one you love and join Tim Williams and guest co-host, Bethany Wells, as they discuss “When Harry Met Sally” f…
#39 - "All The Right Moves" (1983) with Ron West
Before “Friday Night Lights” there was this often forgotten 80’s flick. It’s not so much a film about the sport of high school football, but the effect of football on its characters. It features solid performances from its young actors, and became an important film in the career of its lead by showcasing the tremendous star power and acting skills of a man who would become a mega-movie-star. So grab your football pads, your cleats, and expect heavy rain to hit football field as Tim Williams …
#38 - "Beaches" (1988) with Bethany Wells
No bikinis. No blankets. No bingo. This awkwardly titled 80’s flick is a bosom-buddy movie about a friendship that was destined to be -- like surf and turf, M&Ms, Laverne and Shirley, Lucy and Ethel, maybe even Cagney and Lacey. As most buddy movie rules require, it is a tale of enduring friendship between disparate souls, formed against the odds. There are ups and downs. Jealously and redemption. And, thanks to Bette Midler, some show-stopping musical numbers. So grab a box of tissues, …
#31 - "Field of Dreams" (1989) with Laramy Wells from the "Moving Panels" Podcast
If you have seen this heart-warming 80’s baseball fantasy flick, you likely have a strong opinion on it. While some are moved by its fantastical and heartfelt story of personal redemption, others dismiss it as over sentimental and even silly. Or as Richard Corliss of TIME Magazine once infamously put it, a "male weepie at its wussiest,". Either way you look at it, the Oscar-nominated movie still tugs at the heartstrings and makes us rekindle our love for America’s Pastime. So grab …
#27 - "Steel Magnolias" (1989) with Bethany Wells
Since its release over three decades ago, this 80’s flick has been hailed as a celebration of women. In his original review of the film, Roger Ebert raved about the dialogue and camaraderie of the dynamic ensemble cast. “There may be no movie that better epitomizes the bond of female friendship,” HuffPost declared in 2014. “Mothers share the film with their daughters, teen girls turn to it as a sleepover staple, and men of all ages find themselves taken with the tale of six brassy Southern l…
#26 - "The Breakfast Club" (1985) with Laramy Wells from the "Moving Panels" Podcast
Praised as a quintessential piece of '80s cinema and highly regarded among the greatest high school movies of all time, the legacy of this 80’s flick had endured due to the film's eclectic cast of teenage archetypes. Writer-director John Hughes' characters weren't just derivative personalities found in the everyday, run-of-the-mill teen comedy of the day, the characters were actually rooted in genuine human problems. Working with a $1 million budget, the reflective charac…
#22 - "The Karate Kid Part II" (1986) with Ron West
In the eighties, the high-concept movie was in vogue. Thanks largely to 70’s blockbusters Jaws and Star Wars, the eighties saw the repackaging of formula for audiences wanting to rekindle the thrills. If the roller coaster ride ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The amount of sequels that appeared in the 1980s was unheard of before. Many, unfortunately, were poor imitations, and few did better box office than the original film. Yet some were surprisingly good, especially when talented – even visiona…
#21 - "The Karate Kid" (1984) with Ron West
The 1980s was a golden era for blockbuster hits, and countless films released during this decade have gone on to become cult-classic films. One '80s movie that has certainly stood the test of time and continues to wax on in cinematic glory is The Karate Kid, which-- more than 30 years later-- is still adored by audiences of all ages. Not only did The Karate Kid provide an arsenal of catchphrases that seem to appropriately fit into almost any situation, it also, more importantly, inspire…
#18 - "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" (1987) with Laramy Wells from the "Moving Panels" Podcast
A road trip movie, a buddy comedy and teen-angst director du jour, John Hughes’ first attempt at a holiday movie. It’s a classic double-act farce that might not fit that well in the decade it came out in. There are no guns or bad guys like 48 Hours or Lethal Weapon; no winks at Cold War anxiety a la Spies Like Us; and no time machine like Bill and Ted used in their excellent adventure. What it does share with a number of his best works is that mix of Norman Rockwell and Frank Capra in Reagan…
#10 - “Dirty Dancing” (1987) with Tyra Williams
In 1987, a small Connecticut-based direct-to-video company made its first feature film for a true theatrical release. With low expectations from investors due to a female-driven plot amid a testosterone-heavy Summer blockbuster season, this small movie became a word-of-mouth sleeper hit, made a dancing football player turned actor into a bona fide sex symbol movie star, and birthed the worldwide phenomenon called “Dirty Dancing”.
#3 - “Stand By Me” (1986) with Laramy Wells
A tender and poignant story of four friends who spend the last weekend of the Summer of 1959 looking for the body of a missing local boy, “Stand By Me” won the hearts of critics and audiences in the Fall of 1986. Starring Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, and newcomer Jerry O’Connell, the movie still stands as one of the most influential and also most beloved coming-of-age films of the 1980’s.
On this episode, Tim Williams and guest co-host, Laramy Wells, share their memorie…