Reel Big Mistakes

For the final episode of season 2 Jason Koenigsberg and Rich Tola go deep into the jungles of Africa to rediscover Congo. Based on a novel by Michael Crichton, Jason and Rich will determine if the critically panned blockbuster from the summer of 1995 should receive more recognition or the critics are right and this deserves to be forgotten and remain on the endangered species list because it is a Reel Big Mistake.

In honor of this movies 20th anniversary Jason Koenigsberg and Rich Tola look back at Broken Lizard's feature film debut Super Troopers. A modest success at the box office, Super Troopers has since maintained a cult following that resulted in a 2018 sequel despite the fact that critics have deemed the film rotten on the Tomato meter. For the penultimate episode of season 2 Jason and Rich will determine once and for all if this raunchy comedy is as funny as its fans think it is, or if the critics are right and it is a Reel Big Mistake.

In honor of its 35th anniversary Jason and Rich take a look at Mannequin. A surprise hit that has maintained a cult following and one of the biggest movies for its stars Kim Cattrall and Andrew McCarthy. Is Mannequin worth revisiting for those that have fond memories of it? Is it good enough for people to discover for the first time? Or is it just another Reel Big Mistake?

Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe dominated the blockbuster landscape, Wesley Snipes starred as Blade which became an unlikely hit during the late summer of 1998. It was the first box office success for Marvel and even though Blade could not be more different in its look, violence, and tone than the modern Disney produced Marvel movies, it unofficially paved the way for bigger hits based on Marvel properties like X-Men (2000), Spider-Man (2002), and eventually Iron Man (2008). The first Blade was lucrative enough to have two sequels however it was not well received by critics and is considered rotten on the Tomato-meter. This week Jason and Rich go back to the late 90's when comic book movie adaptations were less common and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of Blade to determine if the critics were right and it is a Reel Big Mistake.

Jim Carrey's star making role which shot him to the top of the A-list as the biggest comedy star for the next decade was not well received by critics. In fact, his breakout hit Ace Ventura: Pet Detective was universally panned and on a number of worst of the year lists. However audiences did not care and came out in droves for this and many of Jim Carrey's subsequent pictures. Now Jason and Rich look at Jim Carrey's first bonafide hit and determine once and for all if the critics were right and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective is indeed a Reel Big Mistake.

This week Jason and Rich continue with another film from the historically loaded year in cinema of 1999 as they analyze and dissect the controversial classic Fight Club. This film has been in the news with the passing of its costar Meatloaf and China's recent decision to censor the ending. A financial disappointment on its theatrical release Fight Club received mostly positive reviews and quickly became a modern classic. But is this macho testosterone filled tale a savage, smart, and witty commentary about toxic masculinity or were the critics wrong and it is a Reel Big Mistake?

With the NFL playoffs winding down now is the perfect time to check out one of the most high profile football movies. Jason Koenigsberg and Rich Tola discuss Oliver Stone's hard hitting Any Given Sunday. Despite its star studded cast it is deemed rotten on Rotten Tomatoes. Listen to Jason and Rich determine once and for all if Any Given Sunday is worth viewing prior to the Super Bowl to satisfy your sports movie needs or if the critics were right about this one and it is another Reel Big Mistake.

Norm MacDonald was a big star on Saturday Night Live in the mid 90’s and his first leading role in a motion picture Dirty Work did not launch his career to movie stardom as it bombed at the box office and received a thrashing from the critics. A few months ago Norm MacDonald passed away and two weeks ago its director Bob Saget, mostly known as a comic actor from the ABC sitcom Full House died suddenly as well. With both of their untimely deaths still fresh in our minds Jason and Rich sit down to talk about a movie they both remember fondly from their youth. Listen to find out if Dirty Work is as funny as they recall or if the critics were right and it is a Reel Big Mistake.

It’s been cold outside and this week Jason and Rich go back to the 1980’s for the Cold War comedy Spies Like Us starring Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd. The critics were not particularly fond of it but Jason and Rich will discuss this movie and determine once and for all if it is indeed a Reel Big Mistake.

In honor of Paul Thomas Anderson’s newest film Licorice Pizza now in theaters Jason Koenigsberg and Rich Tola kick off 2022 by giving their analysis and discussion of one of P. T. Anderson’s critically praised films The Master starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix, and Amy Adams. Jason has seen it before and disagreed with the critical consensus. Rich has never seen it so listen to find out if they feel the critics were right or if the critics are the ones who made the Reel Big Mistake.

For the tenth episode of season 2 before going on a hiatus for the holidays Jason Koenigsberg and Rich Tola are going to discuss the 2008 Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly comedy Step Brothers. Released during a busy summer and a week after The Dark Knight premiered (yikes) Step Brothers ended up making over $100 million but the critics were not very kind. Listen to Jason and Rich decide once and for all if this movie deserves its harsh reviews or did the critics make the Reel Big Mistake?

The late Great Chris Farley is regarded as as comedic genius from his work on 'Saturday Night Live' and Tommy Boy is often hailed and his greatest leading role in a motion picture. Jason and Rich are doing to take a look at why the critics deemed one of his most beloved movies rotten and determine if they made a Reel Big Mistake.

Home Alone (1990) was a huge box office hit and so was the sequel Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992). Over the years these both have become perennial favorites during the holiday season. In this weeks episode Jason and Rich will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of Home Alone 2: Lost in New York and determine once and for all if it is worth being part of your holiday movie rotation or if the critics were right and it is just another Reel Big Mistake.

A critical and commercial disappointment during its initial theatrical run, Jingle All the Way has since become a recurring holiday movie staple. Jason and Rich celebrate this Arnold Schwarzenegger comedy vehicle on its 25th anniversary and discuss if Jingle All the Way is a fun family friendly Christmas classic, or if the critics were right and this is just another Reel Big Mistake.

Last week Jason and Rich discussed the controversial movie that helped make Woody Harrelson a movie star. This week they discuss one of Woody Harrelson’s first big flops as a leading man. The bowling comedy Kingpin came and went from theaters during a crowded summer losing money to big special effects blockbusters. Does Kingpin deserve to be rediscovered as a buried treasure sandwiched between The Farrelly Brothers big hits Dumb and Dumber (1994) and There’s Something About Mary (1998), or were the critics right and this is just another Reel Big Mistake?

Entertainment Weekly called Natural Born Killers the best movie of the decade. Siskel and Ebert gave it two thumbs up calling it one of the best movies of the year. The tagline ‘the media made them superstars’ is appropriate since this is the movie that made Woody Harrelson a movie star. How is one of the most controversial yet critically acclaimed movies of the 1990s considered rotten today? Jason Koenigsberg and Rich Tola discuss Oliver Stone’s hyper violent satire Natural Born Killers and decide once and for all if it is a masterpiece of social commentary about the media or just another Reel Big Mistake.

Everyone knows Ghostbusters (1984) is a modern comedy classic. Arguably one of the funniest movies ever made, and one of the best movies of the 1980’s. But what about the sequel? This week in anticipation of Ghostbusters: Afterlife Jason and Rich delve deep into the Ghostbusters II which is often ignored since it is not disparaged as much as the all female remake nor is it as beloved as the original. Is this an underrated movie that deserves to be rediscovered with how it compliments the first film, or were the critics right in lambasting Ghostbusters II as just another Reel Big Mistake?

In this APE-isode Jason and Rich continue their horror movie theme for October and discuss a lesser known film from genre maestro George A. Romero. He is mostly known as the creator of the modern zombie movie with Night of the Living Dead (1968). That film and some its sequels are considered horror classics but his other films seem to fall through the cracks of time. One such film is Monkey Shines about a quadriplegic man and his helper monkey who starts to wreak havoc as the animal develops dangerous thoughts and emotions. Does Monkey Shines deserve to be re-APE-raised as a horror ‘monkey-piece’ or is this just another Reel Big Mistake?

Jason Koenigsberg and Rich Tola are back and in honor of the world premiere of the 25th official James Bond adventure and Daniel Craig’s final outing as 007 with No Time to Die they kick off season 2 by discussing Roger Moore’s farewell to Bond with A View to a Kill. This is the lowest rated film in the long running series. Listen to Jason and Rich embark on a review to a kill and discuss their opinions on the series’ past, present, and future, as they debate one of the more maligned entries that even Roger Moore denounced. Does A View to a Kill deserve its rotten score or did the critics make a Reel Big Mistake?

In the second episode of Season 2 Jason Koenigsberg and Rich Tola discuss the fourth and one of the most popular entries of the Jason Voorhees franchise Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter. Despite the fact that the title of this movie is a blatant lie, is there enough to recommend this slasher sequel or were the critics right and this is just another Reel Big Mistake?

In the Season Finale Jason Koenigsberg and Rich Tola discuss the cult classic One Crazy Summer. Reuniting actor John Cusack with director Savage Steve Holland after their surprise hit Better Off Dead from the previous year, Jason and Rich decide if this movie is a great way to kill a few hours on a lazy summer afternoon, or if the critics were right and it is just another Reel Big Mistake.

In this week’s podcast Jason Koenigsberg and Rich Tola discuss one of the most critically acclaimed movies of the 1990’s, True Romance. With an all-star cast, written by Quentin Tarantino, and directed by Tony Scott, Jason and Rich will debate if this movie deserves all the high praise it has received and if it belongs in the same category as the films Tarantino directed in his movie-verse or were the critics wrong. Listen to find out once and for all if True Romance is worthy of its commendations or if it is just a Reel Big Mistake.

At the time of its release during the summer of 1995 with a budget listed at $175 million Waterworld was the most expensive movie ever made. An infamous troubled production, it seemed like critics and audiences all wanted this movie to fail. It was labeled ‘Fishtar’ and ‘Kevin’s Gate’ after the notorious box office bombs Ishtar (1987) and Heaven’s Gate (1980). Despite the negative hype surrounding it, Waterworld did open up #1 at the box office even though it did not recoup its budget. Jason and Rich go back into the high seas to determine once and for all if Waterworld was unfairly judged by all of the toxic press it received or if the critics were right and it is indeed a Reel Big Mistake.

Unhinged was one of the very few wide releases to come out during the pandemic of 2020 and was met with rather lackluster reviews. Was this road rage thriller starring Russell Crowe worth checking out or is it a Reel Big Mistake? Jason and Rich debate the film and discuss the tumultuous career of its star below.

In the newest episode Jason Koenigsberg and Rich Tola discuss Rad. Never heard of it? Neither had Jason, but he and Rich are going to dive deep into this 80’s cult classic and childhood favorite of Rich’s. They will determine once and for all if Rad is a buried treasure that deserves to be rediscovered for a new generation, or if the critics were right and it is a Reel Big Mistake.

For their thirteenth episode Jason Koenigsberg and Rich Tola will discuss the loud, bombastic, and undeniably 90’s action hit Con Air. The second part of Nicolas Cage’s Holy Action Trinity sandwiched between The Rock (1996) and Face/Off (1997), Jason and Rich will determine once and for all if Con Air deserved the scathing reviews critics gave it or if the critics were right and this is just another Reel Big Mistake.

In their twelfth episode Jason Koenigsberg and Rich Tola discuss the hit film National Treasure starring Nicolas Cage when he was still a viable leading man. A massive box office success upon its release it received a thrashing from the critics declaring it a shameful ripoff of Dan Brown’s novel ‘The Da Vinci Code’. Were the critics right or did they make the Reel Big Mistake?

Jason Koenigsberg and Rich Tola discuss the counterculture figures Cheech and Chong in their motion picture debut Up in Smoke which introduced moviegoers to their low brow antics and drug fueled humor. Over forty years later the duo has stood the test of time and been influential to many comedic acts that have followed in their footsteps, but were the critics justified in trashing their first film or did they make a Reel Big Mistake?

In the tenth episode of Reel Big Mistakes Jason and Rich discuss the ninth and most divisive Star Wars movie The Rise of Skywalker. Is this a fitting closure to the Star Wars legacy or was this a Reel Big Mistake?

In the ninth episode Jason Koenigsberg and Rich Tola discuss the highest grossing movie of 1986, Top Gun. This is the film that made Tom Cruise one of the biggest box office stars of all time. Critics were unfavorable of the film but it did not stop audiences from buying tickets. Is this film worth revisiting prior to the sequel Top Gun: Maverick being released 35 years later, or were the critics right? Jason and Rich will decide if the original Top Gun is indeed a Reel Big Mistake.

*We forgot to mention Clarence Gilyard Jr.'s biggest role as a hacker in Die Hard (1988). 

Jason Koenigsberg and Rich Tola discuss Short Circuit starring Steve Guttenberg and Ally Sheedy. A childhood staple for many kids who grew up in the 80’s. Is it deserving of the lashing the critics gave it back then or did they make a Reel Big Mistake?

Jason Koenigsberg and Rich Tola discuss King Ralph, John Goodman's first leading role in a major motion picture. A modest hit upon its release thirty years ago, they determine if the critics were correct by giving it such harsh reviews when it came out or if this movie deserves better than its reputation suggests.

Jason Koenigsberg and Rich Tola discuss the box office hit The Great Gatsby starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, and Carey Mulligan in an adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel about the American dream. Listen to see if the critics were right and it is a Reel Big Mistake.

We all agree that the original Predator (1987) starring Arnold Schwarzenegger is a bonafide classic of its era, but in this episode Jason Koenigsberg and Rich Tola discuss the merits, or lack thereof, of its less celebrated sequel Predator 2 (1990) and if it deserves a second look.

In this episode of Reel Big Mistakes Jason Koenigsberg and Rich Tola discuss the fourth installment of the Indiana Jones series Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and determine if it deserves to be panned as an unnecessary failure or praised with the rest of the trilogy.

In the newest podcast of Reel Big Mistakes Jason Koenigsberg and Rich Tola discuss the mostly unknown Lawrence Kasdan film Mumford starring Loren Dean, Hope Davis, and Ted Danson. Is this an underrated gem or a buried treasure that deserves to stay buried? Listen below to find out.

For the second episode of Reel Big Mistakes Pan and Slam’s Jason Koenigsberg and Rich Tola discuss the under-appreciated Tom Hanks comedy The ‘Burbs directed by Joe Dante. Click play to listen below.

Film critic Jason Koenigsberg from PanandSlam.com and Rich Tola discuss the notorious 1996 flop 'The Island of Dr. Moreau' starring Marlon Brando, Val Kilmer, and David Thewlis and analyze if it is worthy of its toxic reputation as one of the worst movies of all time.