A lesser podcast might do a special Father's Day episode by curating a selection of DAD DAY FAVS and reminiscing about bygone moments with pops. Fuck that. We take Father's Day very seriously and very literally. We'll remember to call up dear old dad this year (doubtful) and do an episode where we watch any film with the title Father's Day . That means we'll be checking out the 1997 Ivan Reitman joint starring Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, Sugar Ray, and a skankin' ska soundtrack. If you're won...
Jun 17, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 143
Charles Grodin was one of the greatest comedic minds of the 20th century and the king of deadpan humor. This week, we're honoring the life and times of the almighty GRODES by revisiting some of his best cinematic moments. Join us as we break down three of his most iconic roles, ponder Grodin's level of support for a free Palestine, question The Ultimate Warrior's level of cocaine consumption, and discover the secret of becoming an Instagram influencer. THIS WEEK: Real Life (1979), The Heartbreak...
Jun 11, 2021•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 142
We're wrapping up the To-down with four films that cover the full spectrum of Johnnie To cinema, from a classic Hong Kong crime thriller to an anti-capitalist musical. THIS WEEK: Running Out of Time (1999), Turn Left, Turn Right (2003), Mad Detective (2007), The Office (2015) Rate and Review Optimism Vaccine on iTunes: https://bit.ly/OptimismVaccine Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/optimismvaccine...
Jun 03, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 141
The OV Johnnie To-down continues with four of the Hong Kong director's most acclaimed crime films. THIS WEEK: PTU (2003), Breaking News (2004), Election (2005), Drug War (2012) Rate and Review Optimism Vaccine on iTunes: https://bit.ly/OptimismVaccine Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/optimismvaccine
May 27, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 140
This week, we're joined by Ryan Swen (The Film Stage, Reverse Shot, Catalyst and Witness ) and taking a detour away from Johnnie To action flicks to look at how To's style translates to comedy, romance, and non-traditional genre films. Prepare to get deeply emotionally invested in a frog and have a man in a rubber muscle suit bring you tears. J. To isn't fuckin' around. THIS WEEK: Running on Karma (2003), Sparrow (2008), Don't Go Breaking My Heart (2011), Romancing In Thin Air (2012) Rate and Re...
May 20, 2021•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 139
Johnnie To is one of the most prolific filmmakers in the world. For four decades he's written, produced and directed everything from lighthearted romantic comedies to bleak and bloody action, creating a peerless filmography. Despite critical acclaim and success in his native Hong Kong, the majority of To's films remain overlooked and underappreciated in the West. This week, we're kicking off a multi-part TO DOWN to try to pinpoint what makes his work so special and how he's managed to apply his ...
May 13, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 138
Promising Young Woman just took home the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and critics can't stop telling us how IMPORTANT it is. But is Emerald Fennell's brand of sanitized lily-white feminism truly what we need to navigate our neoliberal hellscape? More importantly, why would you bother watching it in the first place when a deranged auteur-driven Day-Glo nightmare like Me, You, Madness exists? Maybe these aren't the films we need, but they're certainly the ones we deserve. We're joined by Fil...
May 06, 2021•57 min•Ep. 137
Kan you believe it's been over 25 years since the first Mortal Kombat film hit your lokal multiplex? Since then, we've had more games, kartoons, live aktion series, and films than any reasonable person kould ever hope to keep trakk of. If you're into komplex lore derived from the game that yells "toasty" while you spam upperkuts, well, I bet you're thrilled that the franchise has once again been rebooted. But kan the new Mortal Kombat stand tall alongside the kampy klassic films of the past? Or ...
Apr 29, 2021•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 136
The glitz! The glamor! The discourse! That's right, it's Oscar season, and we're contractually obligated to discuss all of the bland prestige films that you'll completely forget about in another week. This year, we're broadcasting LIVE from your favorite left-of-the-dial AM radio station for a comprehensive breakdown of the 58th Annual Academy Awards with international film correspondent, Alistair Ryder. THIS WEEK: Out of Africa (1985), Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985), Prizzi's Honor (1985), The...
Apr 22, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 135
There's plenty of knockoff James Bond films, but how many have a filipino agent 007 under three feet tall? Join us as we take another detour from the mainline Bond series and dip our toes into the world of Weng Weng; an unheralded cinematic superstar in the Philippines and arguably one of the greatest unofficial Bonds of all time. Rate and Review Optimism Vaccine on iTunes: https://bit.ly/OptimismVaccine Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/optimismvaccine...
Apr 15, 2021•51 min
Nothing brings us more joy than watching a big monkey and his lizard pal beat the shit out of some weird bugs, a dinosaur bird and maybe a robot. Plus, as true believers in the Hollow Earth Theory, it's nice to finally have a cinematic universe that represents people who know there's a whole jungle world to explore underneath the dumb dirt beneath our feet. So how did we end up with a Monsterverse anyway? And, more importantly, do any of the contemporary Godzilla/King Kong movies satisfyingly sc...
Apr 08, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 134
For two long years, the Snyhard masses cried out to Warner Bros. for justice, and, against all odds, the impossibly dumb has become improbably real: #ReleaseTheSnyderCut has delivered us Zack Snyder's J ustice League. Now we can finally answer pressing questions like "Can doubling a bad film's runtime make it good?" This week we're diving into The Snyder Cut, comparing it to Joss Whedon's 2017 Justice League hatchet job, and dissecting the cinema of Snyder to find the essence of his popular appe...
Apr 01, 2021•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 133
Some might call it confusing meta-fiction, others a smart cash-in. Either way, Neil Connery did what any of us would have done in his situation. Ignore the fact that you're shorter, less handsome, and less charismatic than your famous sibling and play a spy in a James Bond knockoff film. You're Sean Connery's brother, dammit, and that should be enough to land you a leading man role in Hollywood... or at least a low-budget Italian production. And hey, if your brother is widely considered to be th...
Mar 26, 2021•46 min
Tim Thomerson is one of the finest character actors to ever live and a "guys who look like sexy stepdads" hall of famer. No one this side of Tom Atkins can convincingly romance a young Helen Hunt the way Thomerson does. Best of all, he does it with an Old Crow and Marlboro Lights aesthetic that has made him look 47 years old his entire life. Join us as we celebrate Tim Thomserson's action hero acting, comedic chops, and impossibly cool one-liners. Dry hair is for squids! And Tim hates fucking sq...
Mar 18, 2021•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 132
We're going on a journey to find your inner brooding teen. Close your eyes and think back to when you believed girls would talk to you because you watched Donnie Darko a dozen times and had THINGS to say about it. Maybe it's been a few years since you spent time with the films of Richard Kelly. Maybe it's about time you discovered if Southland Tales is better than you remember. Maybe you should finally watch The Box (someone needs to). Maybe you should listen to this podcast because we watched t...
Mar 11, 2021•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 131
Throughout the 80s and 90s, David and Peter Paul, The Barbarian Brothers, were the ultimate Hollywood triple threat; acting, singing and flexing their way through the world of film and television. Sadly, the beefiest boys to ever grace the silver screen never reached superstar status. Max Nestorowich ( Good Brews Bad Views ) and Claire Higginbottom join us as we dig deep into Barbarian Brothers lore, explore their filmography, and try to determine if David and Peter are the greatest fashion icon...
Mar 04, 2021•1 hr 37 min•Ep. 130
It's hard out there for an obscenely rich lady with unchecked power and limitless resources. Sometimes you just need to make an utterly tone-deaf film and call it Music . Sometimes you make your main character autistic. Sometimes you research the role by passively watching I Am Sam while you refresh your Twitter feed and consulting a hate group. Normal stuff. Wouldn't you know it, people got pissed off at Music before it was even released. What a shame! We decided to do what Sia begged us all to...
Feb 25, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 129
When Albert Pyun's Cyborg was ripped away from him by the studio he did what any self-respecting auteur would do: Re-cut the original film and make his own unofficial sequels. Sure, they're all bogged down by small budgets that can't support Albert's big ideas, but c'mon! Pyun gave us a robot cowboy wuxia and an Eastern European riff on Yojimbo . What more could you ask for? THIS WEEK: Slinger (2013), Knights (1993), Omega Doom (1996) Rate and Review Optimism Vaccine on iTunes: https://bit.ly/Op...
Feb 18, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 128
The occasionally great, always ambitious, frequently derided films of Albert Pyun have been a mainstay of late-night premium cable and dusty video store shelves for decades. But who is the man behind the only good sequel to Kickboxer and the best Captain America movie? Justin Decloux, author of Radioactive Dreams: The Cinema of Albert Pyun, joins us as we explore Pyun's wild filmography and one-of-a-kind cinematic voice. It's time to get Pyun-pilled, baby. THIS WEEK: Radioactive Dreams (1985), V...
Feb 10, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 127
We're officially squashing all rumors that we antagonize our listeners and never listen to feedback by doing a very special request episode. That's right, we're men of the people. And what do the people want? CROCODILE DUNDEE! Join us on a journey of self-discovery as we learn about America's obsession with Australia, Paul Hogan's Oscar nomination, Mick Dundee's weird sexual hang-ups, and how we ended up with Larry David-esque Crocodile Dundee movie in 2020. THIS WEEK: Crocodile Dundee (1986), C...
Feb 04, 2021•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 126
We watched the entire Cyborg trilogy and it's definitely better than any franchise without a villain named after a guitar and a Kato Kaelin cameo. You also get a big dollop of brooding Jean-Claude Van Damme AND Jack Palance's mouth. Impossible to go wrong here. You would think watching a film franchise called CYBORG would lead to a few more cyborgs on screen though. Cyborg Week is officially canceled at Optimism Vaccine. These are goddamn androids. THIS WEEK: Cyborg (1989), Cyborg 2: Glass Shado...
Jan 28, 2021•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 125
Fantasy isn't just your favorite mid-90s Mariah Carey song. It's the place where D&D nerd storytelling collides head-on with oiled-up beefcakes. For this episode, we're digging into the gorgeous new 4K release of Don Coscarelli's Beastmaster from Vinegar Syndrome. We're also getting way too deep into He-Man lore and proving once and for all that Lucio Fulci can do anything if you give him a bucket of fake blood and a fog machine. THIS WEEK: Masters of the Universe (1987), Beastmaster (1982),...
Jan 21, 2021•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 124
Our odyssey into the bizarre corners of pseudo-pornography comes to a close with one of the best (and one of the worst) films we've watched yet. Is a horned up version of The Muppets Take Manhatten enough to finally break the will of Adam Miros? Will a dozen naked French men in the woods drive Jack's wife to smother him with a pillow in his sleep? Possibly! THIS WEEK: Let My Puppets Come (1976), Liberté (2019), and The Telephone Book (1971) Rate and Review Optimism Vaccine on iTunes: https://bit...
Jan 14, 2021•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 123
What could possibly be better than starting off 2021 with a big juicy batch of porn flicks? More importantly, why are the OV wives saying "you can't hang out with Steve anymore"? Join us as we do a very serious investigation of the concept of smut without smut and destroy the fabric of reality by watching the blooper reel from Final Flesh . Stuff your underpants full of pasta, grab a toilet muffin, and get ready for the apocalypse (or divorce papers). THIS WEEK: Things to Come (1976), The Dirty ...
Jan 07, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 122
What's the best way to gain insight into the soul of America? By watching a pair of revered genre classics from Cannon Films, of course. Special guest Colin Tanner joins us as we end the year breaking down cinema's ultimate conservative power fantasies and attempt to pin down the source of Charles Bronson's sexy grandpa energy (Pall Malls and Kessler?). THIS WEEK: Joe (1970) and Death Wish 3 (1985) Rate and Review Optimism Vaccine on iTunes: https://bit.ly/OptimismVaccine Support Optimism Vaccin...
Dec 31, 2020•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 121
We're getting into the holiday spirit with our old yuletide pals: unbathed Mel Gibson and Kirk Cameron the irredeemable sewer chud! Plus, we check out an underappreciated French genre gem that begs the question "What if Home Alone had an R rating?" Crank up the Bonnie Tyler record, baby. Christmas has never been more festive. THIS WEEK: Saving Christmas (2014), Fatman (2020), and Deadly Games: Dial Code Santa Claus (1989) Rate and Review Optimism Vaccine on iTunes: https://bit.ly/OptimismVaccine...
Dec 24, 2020•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 120
Not every great movie in 2020 can star a bloated Russell Crowe but we did find a dozen or so other films that were pretty decent. Kristy Strouse, editor-in-chief of Film Inquiry, joins us to help pick out the best-of-best from this year. THIS WEEK: City Hall, Undine, Fourteen, Tommaso, Siberia, Da 5 Bloods, On the Rocks, Days, Bacurau, The Assistant, I'm Thinking of Ending Things, First Cow Rate and Review Optimism Vaccine on iTunes: https://bit.ly/OptimismVaccine Support Optimism Vaccine on Pat...
Dec 17, 2020•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 119
Is Twins a top-tier 80s comedy? Of course not. It's probably not even a top-tier Arnold Schwarzenegger comedy or Ivan Reitman movie if we're being honest. Maybe it's the funniest eugenics comedy. At least we can all agree that there's something special about Arnie belting out "Yakety Yak" on an airplane. Anyway, we paired this with a Frank Henenlotter grindhouse classic and some vintage Brian De Palma to really dig deep into the power of twin magic. Probably going to start dropping some hot flee...
Dec 10, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 118
You'd think after doing this for six years we'd run out of gimmicks for episodes, but then our genius brains come up with stuff like "films with single word titles released in 2020." After that, we remember " Jiu Jitsu " is two words but being idiots is still on brand, so who cares? Anyway, we're covering the latest, greatest DTV movies in the year of CINEMA DEATH. Cool! THIS WEEK: Run (2020), Alone (2020), Jiu Jitsu (2020), and Possessor (2020) Rate and Review Optimism Vaccine on iTunes: https:...
Dec 03, 2020•1 hr 35 min•Ep. 117
What's that? You're isolated from everyone you love during a holiday centered on comradery and familial gathering? Your life has been ravaged by unfettered capitalism, leaving you at the mercy of a federal government unwilling to offer even the slightest bit of relief as they they twist the boot pressed against your neck? Join us as we suffer in solidarity this Thanksgiving the only way we know how: By watching vaguely related, Thanksgiving-ish splatter films in preparation to make a blood sacri...
Nov 26, 2020•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 116
