Nostalgium Arcanum

Road House

May 19th, 2025  |  1 hr 50 mins

1980s, 80s, action, ben gazzara, bouncer, movie, movies, nightclub, patrick swayze, sam elliott

Our month of Patrick Swayze movies continues with 1989's Road House. The Double Deuce is in double trouble and only one man with beautiful hair and Buddhist philosophy can clean it up. Guest comedian Rich Baker (@richbakercoaching) gives a full-throated endorsement to this ripping good time of a movie.

Point Break

May 5th, 2025  |  2 hrs 4 mins

1990s, 90s, action, entertainment, heist, keanu reeves, lori petty, movie, movies, patrick swayze, surf, surfing

For Cinco de Mayo it's "vaya con Dios" as we revisit surfing and bank robbing classic "Point Break". We start our Patrick MAYze month by hanging ten with Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves) and Bodhi (Patrick Swayze) for a radical ride that never lets up. We're joined by superfan Tania Newton to give this tubular movie two guns fired in the air, way up.

Blockbuster Video

April 28th, 2025  |  1 hr 21 mins

1980s, 1990s, 80s, 90s, blockbuster, dvd, entertainment, film, films, games, gaming, genesis, movie, movies, nes, nintendo, sega, snes, super nintendo, vhs, video, video game, video games

It's time to be kind and rewind back to the days when home media rental was a pillar of daily life. Whether it was Blockbuster, Hollywood Video, or your local mom-and-pop shop, renting movies and games was a ritual of living in the 80s an 90s that is now lost to the dominance of streaming. We're joined by Chris Coplien of the Retro Hangover podcast to rack up a few very late fees in service to the lost world of video rental.

Sneakers

February 24th, 2025  |  1 hr 46 mins

1990s, 90s, ben kingsley, caper, dan ackroyd, david strathairn, film, heist, movies, river phoenix, robert redford, sidney poitier, thriller

A high-stakes heist with an all-star cast, 1992's Sneakers is one of the most entertaining capers ever put on screen. Returning guest filmmaker Tarik Davis (@tarikrdavis) joins us to decrypt a film with too many secrets. Our voices are your passport.

80s Movies - Part 2

February 17th, 2025  |  3 hrs 9 mins

1980s, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 80s, action, cinema, comedy, disney, film, films, goonies, horror, indiana jones, john hughes, little mermaid, movie, movies, princess bride, rob reiner, scifi, steven spielberg

1985 through 1989 was the best period of filmmaking, period. Each of these years produced dozens of groundbreaking, blockbusting, genre defining, and unforgettable movies, making listing our top tens nearly impossible. Our review crew of Ami Lief, Ryan Merlo, and Tania Newton join us to close out our survey course of the best, of the best, of the best.

80s Movies - Part 1

February 10th, 2025  |  2 hrs 14 mins

1980s, 80s, action, cinema, comedy, film, films, ghostbusters, horror, indiana jones, movie, movies, scifi, star wars

The films from 1980 to 1984, buoyed by genre hits like Star Wars, took flight with bold imaginative storytelling and state-of-the-art special effects, establishing many franchises that continue to this day. We're joined by guests Tania Newton and Ryan Merlo to rank our top ten movies from this incredible period.

Die Hard

December 16th, 2024  |  2 hrs 7 mins

1980s, 80s, action, alan rickman, bruce willis, christmas, die hard, entertainment, heist, let it snow, movie, movies, x-mas, xmas

Yippie-Kay-Yay and Ho... ho... ho... It isn't Christmas until Hans Gruber takes a dive off of Nakitomi Plaza. On this episode we're joined by comedian Rich Baker (@ricbakercoaching) and Tarik Davis (@tarikrdavis) to celebrate the greatest Christmas story since 0 A.D. Come on out to the coast with us and have a few laughs.

The Santa Clause

December 9th, 2024  |  1 hr 54 mins

1990s, 90s, christmas, disney, movie, movies, santa, santa claus, tim allen, xmas

Tim Allen has to improve his home in an altogether different toy story as he kills Santa Claus and, by unbreakable North Pole contract law, must assume the awesome mantle of worldwide joy distribution. Guests Randy Allain and Kris Ingersoll of the Media/Lit podcast assure their places on the Nice list as we talk Santa murder, body horror, and the many metaphysical questions raised by this Disney holiday romp.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

November 25th, 2024  |  1 hr 55 mins

1980s, 80s, comedies, comedy, film, films, holiday, homeless, homelessness, john candy, john hughes, movie, movies, road trip, steve martin, thanksgiving

John Hughes' classic Thanksgiving story about Neal Page (Steve Martin) and Del Griffith (John Candy) questing home against geography and Murphy's Law combines stellar comedic performances and a heartbreaking (and ultimately heartwarming) twist to deliver an all-time holiday classic. Guest Dan Oster (MadTV, A Podcast, But Evil) tags along with us to make a meal of a film with far more substance than its Odd Couple trappings would suggest.

Also, please stick around to the end of the episode for special guest Michael Shepherd, who joins us for a discussion on what you can do to help those struggling with homelessness this holiday season.

Ernest Goes To Camp

November 11th, 2024  |  1 hr 58 mins

1980s, 80s, camp, cinema, comedies, comedy, ernest, film, films, jim varney, movie, movies

Hey Vern! We're joined by writer/comedian/filmmaker Tarik Davis (@tarikrdavis) to head off to Camp Kikakee with one Ernest P. Worrell. Despite its humble trappings this is, we maintain, a cinematic masterpiece. By the end of this podcast you'll know what we mean, knowwhatImean?