Direct to Audio: A Movie Discussions Podcast

April Fools from the pod! For ONE NIGHT ONLY we are a music pod, and Max & Gavin join the show to find out who is the best American Rock Band of All Time. We had to do a for radio edit of this podcast, because the original was like a Grateful Dead song: it just kept going and didn't want to end. From Sublime to The Stooges, and from Heart to Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, we go in depth to find out who stands alone at the American Rock Mountaintop.

Award season makes its final stop at the Direct to Audio Podcast Awards, where we celebrate all that was good in film this past year. Hosts Liz & Spencer share their picks for the 17 categories, and give their top movies of the year from all genres and backgrounds. Dust off that suit or ballgown, because you have one more red carpet to walk!

This one is for Carl.

An 80s action movie that takes place in Detroit, starring Carl Weathers as a tough as nails cop trying to stop Craig T. Nelson from his power trip? Sign this pod up! Guest Steven and Host Spencer get back together to discuss this crazy ride, and pay homage to one of the best to ever grace the screen.

*sigh* yes, we did it. Similarly to her mother, our souls died a little while researching this spider movie. Why did this get made, why is the ADR so bad, why is the villain not wearing shoes, and since when do fireworks break human sized holes through brick walls? New friends Stephanie and Damien don't know, and neither do host Spencer and his side kick Theresa. The web that connects the 4 of them is more confusion than a super hero power... which the 4 leads don't even have.

Hey the 2000s was obsessed with franchises and sequels, so why not have a 2 part episode? This time around Max & Host Spencer cover the back half of the decade, and give their final picks for the top 3 movies of the decade based on their choices. Will it be odd? Probably. Will the nostalgia play a factor? Of course. Does it matter? Absolutely not.

It's time to hop back into the time machine and reminisce about the 2000s! From the obsession with parody movies, a desire to start the next big fantasy franchise, to the foundations of the modern superhero genre being set, this decade brought it all; so much so that we had to make this a 2 parter! Max & Host Spencer get lost in the conversation (I mean, they have a whole episode about that in November), and thus, our first 2 part episode in 2 years is here.

It's Valentine's Day, and we celebrate here on Direct to Audio a little differently. Instead of flowers and chocolate we are about film reels and... well movie theater chocolate. Host Spencer's Rootin' Tootin' partner Theresa comes back on the pod, and they discuss their dating life through the movies they have seen. From the Alamo Drafthouse showings, to the random films Spencer makes her watch, and the themed dates, they discuss their relationship through, and with, film. The love is in the air!

Ding. Ding. It's time to tape your fists and get ready for the bright lights, as we enter the ring to see which of the 9 Rocky Movies (Creed included) is the Champ! Over 5 decades of Box (ing) Office Dominance, Sylvester Stallone's ultimate underdog story has been a staple in the cultural zeitgeist since it's first iteration in 1976, and has held onto the title up to 2023's Creed 3. Looking at the reviews with guest Steven, we look to see which will stay on top? Unlike Rocky 3, I DID hear a bell, so let the fight for sports supremacy begin!

Everyone, it's time to draft! Brainstorm all the characters you can, or in this case bands too, as Liz & Theresa join in to draft their Movie Band Music Festivals and their Declaration of Independence Stealin' Teams. For the former, it's 3 fictional movie bands, 1 musical act that has had a biopic, and one venue to hold the jams! For the latter, 5 characters to help you steal, search for, and uncover the iconic National Treasure; but be careful as a random member will be turned against you, and a random movie cop will be too!

Welcome to Season 8! This episode Max is back to talk about a director with 8 films to his name, and dozens more on top as a screenwriter, who for an entire decade had the cultural zeitgeist in the palm of his hand. We talk about the collaborators, the success, the weird end, and how strange his career feels, for better and worse. With one of the greatest screenwriting minds of all time, it feels weird to only include one line, so just think of your favorite quote from a John Hughes project, and we think that will suffice.

It's time to put a bow on this year's holiday episodes by bringing Liz & Theresa on to duke it out in some movie trivia! 3 rounds of jeopardy style questions that cover dozens of Christmas Movies to really wrap up (pun intended) the most wonderful time of the year. Play along, and have a happy holidays from all of us here with Direct to Audio.

The podcast takes another visit to The Plaza Hotel, but this time it's a different plucky young kid running around the lobby trying to make sure people know the meaning of Christmas! Theresa joins in to share her love for the movie with Host Spencer, and they discuss all the fun antics Eloise gets up to in this brief Disney deep cut.

WE DID IT AGAIN! Well, kinda. Last year we covered Home Alone 3, and this year the pod decided to go down in order and pick an absolute Christmas Classic... even though it basically does everything the Original one does in a certain way. Max joins Host Spencer to discuss the highs, the lows, and the ridiculous. Enjoy another episode of Holiday Season, and Merry Christmas ya filthy animals.

The Holiday pods are coming to town! First up is a stocking stuffer of an episode, where Host Spencer discusses the impact and history of the Rankin/ Bass Animated Holiday specials. From Frosty to Rudolph to the Misers, these specials brought all your favorites to life, and deserved an episode to discuss where it all began, and the key contributors in the whole "animagic" process.

It's not cranberry sauce, but it sure is our Thanksgiving Episode for 2023! Liz is here to join the festivities, as the pod covers the Thanksgiving Slasher Classic Blood Rage, where turkeys aren't the only thing being carved. This might be the most obscure but most ridiculous movie to ever be covered on the pod. It's got it all: Sinister sinth, an actor playing 2 parts, too many scenes of cleaning or phone calls, nudity, and some of the best gore you will ever see. Put on your comfy pants, because you're eating good with this one!

Well, that got out of hand fast, didn't it? The plan was to have Max and Spencer talk about Midnight Movie experiences, and that just spiraled into the following: A Hugh Grant/ Jeff Goldblum impression comparison, a discussion of the Greatest American Rock Band, movie theater snack rankings, a discussion of Zack Snyder, and a whole bunch of trying to get back on track. Basically it's just 2 friends having a chat. Join us!

Horror Movies have been alive (or dead) and well for over a century, with countless contributors, styles, and inspirations from every corner of the world. Join host Spencer in our farewell to Spooky Season with a tribute to the greatest genre there is, and an A-Z rundown of what has made horror so far, and what will make horror continue for another 100+years.

Zoinks, Spooky Season takes a vacation to Spooky Island, as Natalie joins host Spencer to discuss the absolutely over the top live action adaptation of Scooby Doo. This might be the most early 2000's feeling movie ever made, with Sugar Ray, Matthew Lillard, Fart Jokes, and horrible CGI all over the place. So, why is this movie weirdly good, and why does it remind us so much of From Dusk til Dawn? Get your ticket, pack your bags, and join in on this last minute trip before Halloween is here!

ALRIGHT! YOU SIR, how about a pod? Now, this podcast might not come with the musical qualities of Stephen Sondheim, however we can sure talk about his masterful work alongside Tim Burton, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and the rest of this cast & crew that brought the iconic vengeful barber to life in 2007's Horror Musical classic. Listen, because we all deserve to... well, maybe not do EXACTLY what Sweeney wants us to do in the song, but maybe we deserve a little episode about blood, gore, and a kickass score.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! I have HAD IT with these MF'n epsiodes without any MF'n SNAKES. Everybody strap in, we're covering a creature feature. David is back, and we are talking about the absolutely ridiculous (yet oddly groundbreaking) 2006 Action Horror Creature Feature extravaganza. This movie was everything it needed to be and more, and honestly we consider this a classic and we will hear no slander.

Spooky Season wouldn't be complete without a classic movie review, and this one is an kult klassic! Steven comes back on the pod to discuss all the krazy kills and khaos kaused by the Killer Klowns... okay I think we are done with the letter k. Grab your popcorn but make sure it isn't alive, and enjoy the ride!

Let's call this a video venn diagram, if you will. Liz is back for her Spooky Season Episode, and this time we are looking at 2 bona fide classics: 1998's Ring aka Ringu, and 2002's The Ring, aka the American version. Not a direct remake of the original, The Ring started a horror movie revolution in the US, with J-Horror remakes coming to cinemas for almost a decade. We discuss the merits of both, the differences, and of course, the spooky stuff. Make sure you share this with someone within 7 days...

Spooky Season has to take a pitstop to quickly Hail to the King, baby (also to all the queens who grace the last 2 movies). BUT STILL, it's time to talk deadites! Mike joins to discuss the 5 Evil Dead movies, in all it's chainsaw gory... sorry we mean glory. We discuss Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell's work on creating this iconic franchise, including the 2 spin off movies that have joined in the past decade, and all the crazy things that come with chainsaws and boomsticks. The pod looks at the rankings to see the good, the bad, and the guy with the gun. Time to get GROOVY.

LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLEEEEEEE! 64 Characters are back on the pod to try to win the title of the most slash-tastic Spooky Season Character of all! Former Champions are sitting this year out, with 32 return from last year, a few more exclusively from the first bracket, and the rest brand new to the tournament thanks to Liz, Steven, and Host Spencer. Place your bets and find out who stands tall in the Annual Spooky Season Pod Tradition you all know and love!

If you say Spooky Season 5 times in a mirror, nothing happens, but you might just hear the feint voices of Max and Spencer discussing a classic horror movie. That also might be because you left this episode playing on your phone. Either way, they discuss Max's first time watching the slasher classic from the minds of Bernard Rose and Clive Barker, and the iconic performances of Tony Todd and Virginia Madsen. They discuss the social and racial commentary it makes (both positively and negatively), get into what the white savior trope means, and discuss all the gruesome details of what makes this movie stand out amongst the rest.

This podcast has always been animal friendly, with official podcast cat Stormy taking up the whole outro, but this might take it to a whole 'nother level! Morgan joins the podcast to talk about this modern Disney movie that is way deeper than it's cute characters and name suggests. Oh, they also take 2 quizzes midway through to see what animals they would be. So, that too.

It's the event of the year. 2 movies, 5 hours, $1.6 BILLION and climbing in the box office. Barbie and Oppenheimer combined to take over cinemas all across the globe, becoming a meme in the process that will be long replicated and referenced. So, naturally the pod had to go see for themselves! Host Spencer and his rootin' tootin' partner Theresa did the 5 hour double feature, and wanted to give their thoughts!

2 Words. 2 Syllables. Stars Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams. Sounds like "Frame Fright". Okay... maybe that was too easy. Or maybe you're just really experienced in this game. Give yourself a pat on the back. While you celebrate your victory, also celebrate Max's Birthday and listen to this episode about this underrated 2018 comedy!

We're off to talk about the Wizard, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz! Well, technically for half the episode, as the movie drops the "Wonderful" from the title. Either way, the pod is back with a book to film comparison, as we compare the 1900 classic novel by L. Frank Baum and the 1939 Technicolor Masterpiece staring Judy Garland, and both featuring all of our favorite characters we know and love. Grab your Red (or Silver) slippers and watch out for those flying monkeys, and join Spencer & Theresa as they traverse the similarities and differences of these two classics of their respective mediums.

You might be seeing a lot of things online about a strike in Hollywood. The pod felt like it was important to help inform you on what this is, who the groups are, and what this means going forward.

It's Liz's Birthday (again), and for this year we had to keep the Spielberg love going with an episode about everyone's favorite Alien! E.T. The Extra Terrestrial is one of the biggest movies of all time, and after re-watching it it's easy to see why. The combination of fun moments, scares, and light up your heart beacon sweet moments are as amazing today as they were 40 years ago. Just make sure you buy yourself new Reese's Pieces, because those went bad years ago.

Let's be honest, this isn't the best idea for an episode. The movie is tanking, superhero fatigue is legit, and there's so much going on off set with people involved in this movie that a review is a bit of a strange choice... but you wanna get nuts? C'mon, let's get nuts! Because Michael Keaton is back in the Batsuit, and that means that we had to fire up the Bat Signal to get super-fans Max & Host Spencer to go back to the garage for a reaction & review after seeing it. The Multiverse is now open for DC, and with that comes a lot of discussion and confusion. So, join the pod in this mission, and let's feel "meh" together!

Iconic movie dads are timeless. Darth Vader, Mufasa, Clark Griswold, Vito Corleone, the list could go on and on. But, sometimes, when talking about movie fathers you have to turn to what you know the best, and that is your own! Host Spencer invited his own dad on the pod to just have a father and son chat about movies. From Rocky Horror Picture Show to John Wayne to random 80s action movies, they discuss it all in a wholesome, albeit goofy, chat about films. Of course, at the end, they have to end with a bit of a game, because that's just what dads and sons do.

SEASON. 7. IS. HERE. Sound the siren, do the main ice intros, and queue the organ player to play something fancy. We start by celebrating one of the best endings to any sport, and what leads to arguably the best trophy in sports, the Stanley Cup Final! Hockey fan (and goon in his own right) Jamie is here with Captain of the Pod Spencer to discuss one of the most important and influential hockey movies (and sports movies in general) of all time: Slap shot! The Paul Newman/ Hanson brothers classic is over the top, strangely authentic, and is trying to say many messages about culture, but do they land as well as the punches thrown in the film? Give it a listen, and if anyone tries to talk to you while you are listening, just do your best Hanson brother impression and yell at them that you are trying to listen to the F'n pod.

Give me a person, a place, and a thing: How about our lovely guest Theresa, the new Chicago Apartment, and the Direct to Audio podcast! See how easy that was? Now, you can listen as host Spencer and guest Theresa play another round of Movie Mad Libs. Do they always make sense? Nope. But are they fun? Well, we will let you fill in the blank there.

It's the end of an era in MANY senses. The Guardians are wrapping up, actors are stepping away, and most of all James Gunn leaves to join DC. But, they didn't leave without making a lot of noise both on the screen and with that soundtrack! Host Spencer breaks down the cosmic chaos that this group gets into, and discusses the tragedy of Rocket, how Quill saved his character arc, and what might be next for the best group in the MCU (this pod fully endorses that statement).

A Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Far, Far Away Host Spencer saw Star Wars for the first time as a 6 year old boy. However, not all of us have that journey. His Rootin' Tootin' Partner, the threepeo to his R2, the Leia to his Han, the Sarlacc to his Boba Fett... wait... anyway guest Theresa has NOT seen Star Wars; until now! Listen as they recap her first steps into the realm of the Force, and discuss her thoughts on all three Original Trilogy Films: a New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. She discusses her thoughts on why Han is kinda rude to start, what the heck is up with Boba Fett fans, and her love for the golden boy C3PO & his ewok followers. She also speculates what happens in the prequel & sequel trilogy, and they go on their usual fun tangents.

THE BEACONS ARE LIT! THE PODCAST CALLS FOR AID! And boy, does the podcast get it, as Host Spencer watches the Lord of the Rings trilogy for the first time, and he has super fans Liz & Steven to help him on this journey. The 3 of them go through discussing the extended editions of this iconic trilogy, and they get into it all: Character breakdowns, differences in the extended & theatrical, a debate on if these could ever be remade, and the trial of Faramir (because yeah, he might not be host Spencer's favorite.) Just like the extended editions, this is a long episode, as one does not simply record a short episode about one of the greatest trilogies in cinema history.

April means baseball is back, so on the pod it's time to play ball! Mike is here for a quick draft episode, and alongside host Spencer they are drafting all time movie baseball players into a lineup! Starting 9 (DH included), 1 Starting Pitcher, 1 Reliever, and a Manager, but the curveball is no real players and they can't draft from a movie more than 2 times per team. Get your lineup cards and buy your peanuts & crackerjacks, and listen in/ make your pick for who is going to lift the championship trophy!

Have you ever been watching a movie & laughed when the Hospital is completely empty at night? Or when the good guy gets double crossed by one of there own? What about when a character says something like "You just don't get it, do you?" or "I have to sacrifice myself, there's no other way out"? Each one gets an eye roll, but which gets the BIGGEST eye roll? The pod is back to find that out! Last year we had 32 movie tropes that are too often used, and this year we are back with 32 more! No repeat tropes, but repeat guests, as Morgan & Jamie are here to help host Spencer get through this bracket to find out this years worst trope.

On this podcast we love rankings, brackets, and drafts; yet one of those has less episodes than the rest. So, we have to pay catch up, and we do it with the best of the best! Liz & Max are here, and we are doing a movie draft, but this time we ACTUALLY draft movies! 3 Scenarios, 4 movies each, and each one of us has selected a topic to draft. Max picked Spoof/ Parody movies, Liz picked Stephen King Adaptations, and Host Spencer picked Robin Williams movies. Should they go for the heavy hitters? The sleeper movies? The personal preferences? Find out their separate draft styles, and pick who you think has the best lists!

Happy St. Paddy's Day from the Pod! Our first special was all about the Irish Horror Icon's trip to Space, but this time, we decided to talk about the rest... but only the ones with Warwick Davis, because he's the GOAT. Mike joins the pod to go through all 6 of the Leprechaun movies featuring Mr. Davis, and we get into all the crazy places the classic character goes to: Las Vegas, Space, the Hood (twice), and North Dakota? We talk about the good, the bad, the green, and the gory, so grab a pint and celebrate with some of the campiest movies to ever grace the direct to video DVD bin.

Welcome to the first ever episode of The Direct to Audio Game Show! 2 contestants, this time Max & Liz, step onto the stage to do 3 Jeopardy style rounds of movie questions. Can you play along to see if you are up on your movie/ podcast trivia? With categories such as "Name that Episode", "Super Dupe-r", and "Slay, Queen!" you hopefully are well versed in all topics. Are our contestants? Step to your podium and find out!

No one can decide on what the best MCU Infinity Saga movie is? Fine, I'll do it myself... or in this case we will, as the pod is ranking all 23 films in the first 3 Phases by their Average Review Scores! Guest Steven joins the pod to help with the definitive ranking of one of Cinema's greatest feats. Starting with Iron Man in 2008 and ending NOT with Avengers Endgame but strangely with Spiderman: Far From Home in 2019, the Infinity Saga consists of 23 movies, all connected, and are in a genre/ style of film that truly DOMINATED the box office and the media zeitgeist for over a decade. So, we go through and answer many debates people have had at their local bar, cinema, or random Shawarma place they heard was good from a friend. What is the highest rated? Lowest? Overall Average of the Infinity Saga? We will do the math so you don't have to. So LISTENERS... Assemble. 

Another Valentine's Day is here, and that means love is in the air! It also means Host Spencer and his rootin' tootin' partner Theresa have a date night on the Pod and discuss very important questions about their relationship... or instead discuss movie based Would You Rather Questions that are as goofy as they are insightful. Join in and celebrate the Holiday, and play along as they both try to navigate through questions just as they did a year prior!

That's right you woodchuck-chuckers, it's GROUNDHOG DAY! Even though it's a holiday, class is STILL in session, as Professor Spencer is back to discuss the 1993 comedy classic Groundhog Day. He also dives into the Holiday itself, a brief description of it's beginnings, and how this film changed the future of the Holiday forever. Class also goes in depth with the creation of the film, the deeper philosophical meanings of this, and the aftermath of one of the most influential comedies of the 1990s. It's coooooooold out there, so grab your blanket and get ready for class! If you miss it, don't worry, this class will be repeated tomorrow... and the next day... and the next day... and on and on.

Welcome to __(Adj)__ to __(Noun)__, a ___(Noun, entertainment related)___ Discussions Podcast, and we are playing Mad Libs! Max is on the pod, and host Spencer has 6 movies total for Max to "make" and guess! A simple game this week, as Spencer took the synopsis of these films, and took out key words to be replaced by Max. They then read back the ridiculous results, and Max will guess what movies they are supposed to be. Is it goofy and strange? Yes. Will it work on the pod? Who knows, but it was fun!