Movie Bonerz

We are really excited about this upcoming feature film, and it was so fun getting to talk to the writer, director, editor, and overall creator: CJ Goodwyn. We talk about what goes into researching and writing a compelling mystery featuring the world's greatest detective. We also discuss balancing characters fans know and love with bringing in new, original villains. It was a very cool conversation, and you have the opportunity to support this movie, as well as get it brought to your town as CJ tours the country showing it theatrically.

This topic has been on the list since the beginning, but we can't believe it took so long to get around to. There are SO many great movies made around the world, but they are almost never shown in American theaters, so they really rely on word-of-mouth to get noticed in the states. Well we're happy to be those mouths! Here are our favorite movies from a foreign country which (mostly) are also in a foreign language. We also talk about how we weirdly have zero Bollywood exposure, and debate subtitles vs. dubbing. We recorded this back when we both saw "Dune Part Two," but keep it brief. Dustin keeps it on theme by also seeing "Train to Busan" for the first time, and Jake gives his first impression thoughts on "Argylle." Then both of them watched an incredible new sci-fi crime thriller from the Czech Republic called "Restore Point." It's out now on digital and available to rent through Amazon, Apple, YouTube and more. It was amazing and right up our alley, so check it out!

Possibly the best remake ever attempted, we break down why the Apes trilogy works so well. One of us grew up loving the original movies, and the other didn't, but we both are so profoundly moved by the new series. We get deep into the decisions made by the filmmakers, and the powerful visuals and messages throughout Caesar's arc. We're definitely looking forward Kingdom, and are hopeful that it continues this incredible legacy, but after 7 years and a Disney acquisition... will it?

The boys skip the draft, but have a lot of new movies to share spoiler-free thoughts on. Dustin saw The First Omen, Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, Civil War, and Abigail. Jake watched Madame Web (yes, seriously) and the first two episodes of Fallout. Then both of them watched Late Night with the Devil! Dustin also makes reference to Restore Point, but you'll hear a lot more about that next episode (spoiler alert: it's a huge recommend).

Since Justice League, the discussions of Director's Cuts have been at an all-time high. Even though it's been a thing since the 60's, and continues to affect movies that were initially released in the late 1920's. But as we wait for Zack Snyder's apparently definitive "Rebel Moon" versions, let's look back at some examples where a new edit to a film made it measurably better, and when they made a movie significantly worse. While Ridley Scott and Zack Snyder most commonly utilize the re-release gimmick, other greats like Coppola, Spielberg, Cameron and more have also attempted it with varying degrees of success. We also discuss extended editions, unrated versions, alternate endings, mythical assembly cuts, and much more!

When people complain there's no originality left in Hollywood, this is the kind of movie they should be seeking out and supporting. Fantastic performances from actors you don't know the names of. Amazing that it is both almost entirely improvised, and a brilliant, mind-blowing story as well! Do yourself a favor and watch "Coherence" (2013), then come join us because we know you'll have a lot of questions.
Before the episode, the boys give extended thoughts on the new Road House remake! On top of that, Jake gives spoiler-free first impressions of Self Reliance, Anyone But You, and I Feel Pretty. Dustin watched American Nightmare, Out of Darkness, and Strays.

The Inaugural Movie Bonerz Awards highlights the best (and some of the worst) that last year had to offer. From stunts to practical effects, from the writing to the music, from the best hero to the worst villain, and from the most over-the-top sex scene to... whatever can follow that. We were fortunate enough to be joined by a ton of very hilarious guest presenters for each of our categories. Since this was recorded in our first-ever live stream, subscribe to be notified when we go live next time, because we will definitely be doing that again!

No first impressions this week, as we've been cramming all the movies we missed or skipped last year. But make sure you watch Coherence (2013) before next episode, because we're going to spoil the shit out of it.

Sure we aren't David Lynch fans, and yes it's mostly based on Mulholland Drive, but because Lynch himself hated the production and result the 1984 Dune adaptation, perhaps that means we'll like it? We test that theory by both watching it for the first time, and trying to decode how much of this insane story will be in the new Dune: Part Two. We spoil the whole thing, but if you've seen Villeneuve's versions, I really don't think you need to worry about it. Although some of it is so crazy it really does need to be seen to be believed....

But before that, Dustin gives spoiler-free first impressions of The Iron Claw, Wonka, and American Fiction. Jake has finally seen Anatomy of a Fall, A Haunting in Venice, and a movie we've since become obsessed with: Coherence.

In this episode we both bring perfectly complimentary beers to the episode, Dustin finally picks a movie draft team name, and we get into a topic that is both very popular and very taboo: public nakedness! There have been a lot of bad examples of pointless nudity in film, but what are some of the best uses of it? We discuss both in depth, as well as a fairly comprehensive history of naked people in moving pictures and also art throughout human existence. It's crazy that our MPAA rating system episode was two years ago, but this is a great follow-on to that one.

But before that, Dustin gives spoiler-free first impressions of Argylle and Past Lives. Jake has finally seen Black Adam, Aquaman 2, They Cloned Tyrone, and May December.

One of our first episodes ever was insanely hilarious but the quality was pretty awful. We revisit the topic of our favorite romantic movies ever, bring up the greatest blooper in the history of the show, and I think deliver an episode that's even better than the original. So grab a pint of ice cream and some happy tissues, and enjoy our favorite love stories ever. As with all these "redux" episodes, you can still find the original at MovieBonerz.com

Jake gives his spoiler-free first impressions Are You There God, It's Me Margaret, the American Nightmare crime doc, and the first two episodes of True Detective: Night Country. Dustin shares thoughts on Meg 2, Dumb Money, Coherence, Definitely Maybe, Anatomy of a Fall, The Sound of Freedom, Poor Things, and Saltburn.

This episode we find out what Brazil from 1985 is really about, and how the visuals and story are both a beautiful dream and a horrific nightmare. We get deep into spoilers, so make sure you check this movie out first. We liked it a lot! It is a great mix of fun and bleak which makes this black comedy so poignant. We go on a few anti-authoritarian (and anti-internet) rants, reflect on society and human nature through the ages, and make connections to all the media this movie has to have inspired over the years. It also includes the most amazing Robert De Niro cameo ever!

Before that, Dustin gives spoiler-free first impressions of Good Burger 2, Candy Cane Lane, Best Christmas Ever, and Merry Little Batman. Jake just saw the 2018 remake of The Grinch, but his son has forced him to see it about 100 times since then.

We recap the results of 2023, with the best and worst performing movies before crowning a champion for last year. We also draft what we think will be the best movies of 2024 for the next season, and talk about the ones that should be terrible along the way. Join us for a very fun time looking forward to what should be a year of some really good movies!

Jake tries to catch up on 2023 movies, giving spoiler-free first impressions of The Iron Claw, Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part 1, Saw X, Dumb Money, Totally Killer, The Clovehitch Killer, At the End of Eight, The Hunger Games Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Dream Scenario, and Rebel Moon: Part 1. Dustin also shares thoughts on Rebel Moon, Family Switch, Leave the World Behind, and Barbie.

Your favorite childhood films are likely a weird amalgam of old movies your parents showed you, new movies from your generation, and random crap you rented one time with your best friend, that you don't remember the name of, but will never forget at least one scene. This episode is about all of that as we both share our top ten movies we watched over and over when we were young. It's so nostalgic and fun, we thought it was the perfect mindset to return to for the holidays. I gotta say, after returning to our child selves, we were weird but we were awesome!

Dustin gives spoiler-free first impressions of Godzilla Minus One and Dream Scenario. Jake's shares thoughts on Good Burger 2!

Don't forget about our December giveaway where you can win 6 months of FREE MOVIE TICKETS!  Go to ⁠Instagram ⁠or ⁠MovieBonerz.com⁠ for how to enter before the end of the year!

As kids, we LOVED Ernest and would rent every movie we could get our hands on.  It’s probably been over two decades since we’ve watched one, but we still remember the key moments (and not much else).  Even though we worry we might be as annoyed as our mothers were back in the 90s, we are enticed by the shot of nostalgia and decided to rewatch Jim Varney’s entire Ernest filmography for this episode!

Dustin gives spoiler-free first impressions of Napoleon, Next Goal Wins, Home For the Holidays (1995), and I Stand Alone: The Sully Erna Story.  Jake talks about the pre-finale episodes of Squid Game: The Challenge and gives second impressions after re-watching Midnight Mass.

In our third episode ever recorded, we had technical difficulties and made some really silly decisions about our top ten comedies. So we're taking the opportunity now to present our proper favorites once and for all! I hope you like funny movies because these are definitely the funniest films ever made. I also hope you like repeating the lines and giggling and obscure references because there's a lot of that as well. If you're interested, you can still find the original Top 10: Comedy episode, available exclusively at MovieBonerz.com.

Dustin gives his spoiler-free first impressions of Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon, Fincher's The Killer, and Roth's (what?) Thanksgiving. Jake talks about watching the first couple episodes of The Curse and the much anticipated History of the World, Part 2.

"Requiem for a Dream" is not just about junkies and hard drug use. In fact, we relate to these four stories for a million different reasons, but we all have that vulnerability inside of us. We dig into one of Dustin's favorite movies ever that Jake's never seen before. Be sure to watch "Requiem for a Dream" before we spoil the whole film! We also remind you to drink water, admit our own vices, and pick apart the whole story and filmmaking choices Darren Aronofsky made to figure out why it's so great.

Dustin gives spoiler-free first impressions of "Five Nights at Freddy's" and "Old Dads." Jake shares thoughts on "There's Something Wrong with the Children" and "The Fall of the House of Usher."

Special thank you to Alan Hlavacek and Travis Mason from Attack on Venus for the sick theme music! Check them out here:

Over 3 years ago we recorded our 8th episode ever, with our Top 10 Horror movies. The audio had issues in those early episodes, and it's been long enough that we decided to archive them and make new lists! The result is that both our lists are pretty different, with quite a few new entries. You'll find classics and hidden gem recommendations from both of us in the episode, just in time for Halloween. And if you really want to check out that original recording, you can still find it exclusively at MovieBonerz.com, just search "horror" at the top.

Dustin gives his spoiler-free first impressions of The Creator, Slice, and As Above, So Below (FINALLY)!! Jake has only seen the first episode of The Continental and Love is Blind Season 5.

It's a trope as old as time, and one that's evolved with each generation. This episode we each share our ten favorite final girls and discuss what the exact qualifications need to be. Must she be a virgin? Does the character really need to be in a horror movie? We push the boundaries as always, and Jake forgets which girl in Psycho dies in the famous shower scene (how embarrassing).

Rian Johnson's earliest stuff was so creative and interesting, so we revisit his first, independent, low-budget high school noir detective story: Brick. Before Knives Out, and before The Last Jedi, he had a log of strengths, and this movie (along with Looper) proves it. We spoil and discuss every aspect of "Brick" so be sure to check it out!

Dustin gives his first impressions of Blue Beetle. Jake gives thoughts on Barbie, Boston Strangler, season one of Heels, and You Are So NOT Invited to My Bat Mitzvah!

One of the most fun episodes to prepare for, we've been watching our favorite B-movies for the last couple weeks and can't wait to share our offical top 10 with you! We also give some of the history, the original intent of the "genre" (if you can call it that), and discuss why it's become sorta hard to define but you know it when you see it. With such a wide category, I'm sure we missed some great ones, so let us know your favorites as well!

Jake shares two very sad movie draft announcements (if you're him) and gives a spoiler-free review of No Hard Feelings. Dustin reviews Velocipastor, Talk to Me, and The Last Voyage of the Demeter.

It is extremely rare for a sequel that seems unnecessary on the surface to completely blow away its predecessor. This time we focus more on the movie than real world events, as we explore both the beauty and thematic depth that is Blade Runner 2049. We imagine if Ridley Scott had made it and wonder how you make a perfect movie better. We're really enjoying this new conversational format for our movie dissection episodes, and I think this one flows especially well. Let us know what you think, or if you prefer the scene-by-scene breakdowns we've done before!

Jake also gives spoiler-free reviews of Succession Season 4 and Oppenheimer. We also have an interesting discussion of the inevitable Mattel Cinematic Universe, and how Wishbone (the dog that loves classic literature) should be their Iron Man.

Blade Runner is a fascinating and fantastic film that wasn't appreciated in the time it came out. Interestingly, there was a big actors strike when production began as well. We try a new format this episode, let us know what you think! We still talk about the deep themes, fan theories and of course spoilers around this cult classic turned sci-fi staple. But we also blaze new trails discussing the present threat of AI, the writers and actors strikes and their most valid concerns, and how Blade Runner, like many science fiction dystopian stories, warned us of a future that we're willingly edging closer to.

Reach out and let us know what you think, any major connections we missed between the movie and the real world, and what your preferred version of the film is! Also, be sure to watch Blade Runner 2049 before next episode as we take everything a step further.

Jake also gives quick reviews of Muscles & Mayhem (The American Gladiators docuseries), Attack of the Doc, and Nope. Dustin gives spoiler-free reviews of The Strays, Oppenheimer, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1, and The Exorcist: Believer trailer.

This episode we imagine what if it was possible to watch a movie you've already seen for the first time again. If it was possible, which ten movies would we be most excited to do that with? We get a little (okay a lot) sidetracked reminiscing about the good old days and sound like old men basking in nostalgia. Our reasons span the gambit, ranging from our first viewing being ruined to the first viewing being special and magnificent.

Also Jake gives quick reviews for "Black Mirror" Season 6, "Beau is Afraid" (finally), "Maggie Moore(s)", and "Succession" Season 3. Dustin reviews "Run Rabbit Run" and "Living."

Let us know your thoughts! Are there movies you loved the first viewing of, or perhaps the first time was flubbed and you'd like a do-over?

With "Dead Reckoning - Part 1" just a week away, we have rewatched all six previous movies so we can give you everything you need to know. Sure this episode is 4 hours long, but we save you from watching almost 13 hours. We cover all the important characters and plot points, the differences in each movie and of course all the amazing set piece stunts that the franchise is known for.

Dustin gives quick reviews for Asteroid City, Arnold, No Hard Feelings, and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Jake reviews From season 2 finale and Succession season 2.

In this episode, the boys share their top ten favorite original film scores of all time. They intentionally share the love with a ton of different composers and styles, but there is of course a undeniable presense of the legend, their favorite: Hans Zimmer. Dustin gets into some deeper personal themes the music evokes, and Jake goes on another long Star Wars rant (at least it's been awhile).

The guys also unexpectedly defend SKA music, of all things. Dustin gains ground in the Movie Draft with Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse coming out! He also gives quick reviews for Fast X, Air, The Mother, Brigsby Bear, and Extraction. Jake gives his review of Paint and reminds people (again) that they need to watch the horror-mystery series "From" which is incredible.

Tommy Wiseau has described "The Room" as an onion, with many layers, and you need to watch it 100 times in order to fully understand it. We put that to the test this week as we struggle to understand what's commonly described as the best bad movie ever made. More over, we explore the mystery and mythology of Tommy himself. We also try to discuss "The Disaster Artist" in depth, since it's based on the book about the making of "The Room," but only scratch the surface. It's a wild and hilarious ride (seriously, we break down crying from laughter at one point).

We also of course do terrible Tommy impressions, sorry in advance. We present our new summer merch, which we're very excited about. We complain about the terrible CGI fish in "The Little Mermaid" for a bit. Also Jake gives quick reviews of Dungeons & Dragons, Silo on Apple TV, and the old Dick Van Dyke Show.

On this Mother's Day, we discuss what makes a good mom by highlighting the best moms in film. Moms are magical people who make great sacrifices and efforts for us. At the same time, they're very common. Everyone's got one, to varying degrees. For that reason they can be overlooked or taken for granted. But to make a movie character a mom completely changes the dynamic of the film, and adds instant weight and background that the audience connects with. We also discuss the writer's guild strike a bit, and Dustin gives a very shocking review of "Beau is Afraid."

It may be pretty shocking that two movie nerds like us have never seen what is proclaimed to be one of the all time greatest films, because we're pretty shocked ourselves. We make up for that failure now. Does a movie from 1954 that influenced pretty much every movie you love from Tarantino to Star Wars actually hold up? The simple answer is "absolutely it does." But why? Tune in to find out.

We continue our highlight of female characters with Femme Fatales. French for Fatal Woman, we explore the female characters that destroy everything around them. They could kill your body, spirit, or even reputation. We catch up on a ton of new movies that came out recently, including spoiler-free reviews of John Wick: Chapter 4 from both of us. Let us know your favorite villainess, and what you think makes women uniquely intriguing as the antagonist.

Everyone's got one. This episode we each admit to over ten of our biggest movie crushes. The kinds of crushes you develop as a youngster and that stay with you for a lifetime. And yes, a few are animated, and at least one isn't even human (and it's probably not the one you're thinking of). Fair warning, we both happen to pick only lady characters in this episode. Sorry to disappoint our straight lady and gay dude fanbase! Let us know if you want a "man-crush" episode in the future because we just might have a couple....

It's not uncommon for us to dislike a movie originally, then watch it later and realize we were wrong.  This week we tackled that premise head-on by each selecting ten movies we really disliked and haven't seen in awhile, but for whatever reason think they may be better after a second viewing.  Tune in to find out of any are redeemed, and which ones actually get worse!

This is a very happy and heartfelt episode as we share our love for The Muppets, the characters, their songs, and especially the theatrical films.  We discuss all 8 films in released order, reviewing the massive pros (and occasional cons) of each.  Before that, the guys share new movies they've watched, including remembering to do their homework from last episode!  There's a first time for everything.

This episode the guys spend the first 45 minutes talking about new stuff they've seen, sharing a variety of good and bad movie news, and reviewing their DCU wish list.  But the real episode is all about each of their top ten movie power couples!  It's beginning of February and the perfect time to start planning your Valetine's date, so take our recommendations to find the perfect date movie.  Our favorites run the gambit between old and new movies, and new and old relationships.  They also dare each other to watch movies they've never seen before next episode.

This episode we tackle the messy world of intellectual property in movies as Disney deals Winnie the Pooh becoming a horror movie this year, and the original Mickey Mouse entering public domain next year.  We talk about the complexity of adapting works and producing Marvel movies when different studios own each character.  We may or may not admit to some minor crimes as we discuss movie piracy in the internet age.  We also speculate about the dangers of big studios stealing from small creators, and also big studios preventing innovation and better stories from fans that don't own the rights to a property.  It's all way more exciting and fun than it sounds!

This episode we recap the best and worst of 2022 and crown a champion in last year's movie draft!  We then pick our most and least anticipated in 2023 for the new season.  Christy returns to present the movie draft trophy.  Dustin recaps a ton of movies he saw over the break.  And Jake learns the hard way that he didn't learn his lesson last year.

This episode we recover from the trainwreck last time by celebrating one hundred enjoyable episodes and also answering the question we most commonly get: what are your favorite movies across all genres?  We spent weeks trying to answer that question honestly, and believe we have finally narrowed the list down to our top 10 films (at this point in our lives).  We hope you enjoy and thank you for the support thus far!

TRIGGER WARNING: This week the guys watch some of the most offensive movies of all time so you don't have to! While it was painful, and we can't unsee some of those things, we're glad we did as it led to the deepest and most meaningful conversation about movies, art, censorship, and culture. Be warned though, we do talk about rape, brutal murders (including of animals), racism, religion, tasteless comedy, and briefly mention pedophilia and necrophilia.

This episode is dedicated to the two heaviest hitters of all time when it comes to movie stardom.  It's Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson versus Arnold "The Terminator" Schwarzenegger.  Old school versus the next generation.  Conan versus Hercules.  Kindergarten Cop versus The Tooth Fairy.  Black Adam versus Mr. Freeze! Who is the bigger action star?  Who is the more well rounded entertainer?  We debate but as always the audience will be the judge! 

This week the guys tackle the list of movies they've wanted to see for awhile by each picking ten new ones to try.  Some are classics, some are obscure, and some got lost in the churn of time.  We also weirdly spend more than normal talking about other new movies and shows we've been watching, and Dustin gets feisty after having watched some very bad new movies.  Let us know what you think about the movies we watched, or of any sound interesting to you!  

This week the guys imagine their ideal western film, from casting, writing, directing, and musical score. Dustin steals a key component of Jake's picture, and we both fully enjoy each other's production. Shout out to Christy, Jake's wife, for inspiring the majority of his imaginary movie. Some might call that cheating, but whatever. We also spend a good bit of time at the top finally sharing our thoughts on the "Rings of Power" show.

This week we watch ten random movies we've never seen, AGAIN!  There's some adult content in the video version as the movies (and trailers on YouTube) had some nudity, so be advised.  Still remembering stuff we meant to bring up from the break, we share a discovery which led to the patron saint of our little podcast!  Jake discovers he can do an Australian accent, apparently. We also debate if the 80's hair-metal band Motley Crue shot and edited a movie about nudists attacked by a "monster" at camp. 

In this episode the guys recap a few topics they missed from the Dad episode last time, and Dustin gives a spoiler-free review of "Nope."  Then we struggle to understand and concisely explain anything about the decline of the Wachowskis, which is illustrated by "Jupiter Ascending."  Hopefully this episode is a little more coherent than the actual film itself.

What are your thoughts on "Jupiter Ascending?"  Connect on social media or call in and let us know!

The Movie Bonerz are back, and now that we're both dads found it fitting to highlight the best dads ever represented in movies.  We have a few special guest dads call in to talk about their favorites as well.  It's a very dad-centric, dad-positive, masculine episode full of fatherly advice, lots of a laughs, and a couple misty moments.  

The first 30 minutes have some technical difficulties as we get back into the swing of things, but it's smooth sailing after that.    

What's your favorite movie dad?  Any we missed?  Connect on social media or call in and let us know!