Contact (1997)

This week, Shat The Movies heads to Prohibition-era Chicago with Brian De Palma's The Untouchables, a glossy crime epic that somehow combines operatic violence, moral absolutism, and one of the most iconic staircases in movie history. Featuring Kevin Costner at his most upright, Sean Connery at his most Oscar-winning, and Robert De Niro going full scarface-with-a-bat, this film has long been considered a prestige gangster classic—but does it still earn its reputation? Gene and Big D break down Ennio Morricone's unforgettable score, De Palma's shameless love of excess, and whether Costner's Eliot Ness is compelling or just aggressively boring. Along the way, they revisit Connery's scene-stealing mentor role, De Niro's cartoonishly menacing Al Capone, and the film's "history-as-vibes" approach to law enforcement. Is The Untouchables a towering crime masterpiece—or just a stylish collection of unforgettable moments stitched together with slow-motion hero worship? Android: https://www.shatpod.com/android Apple/iTunes: https://www.shatpod.com/apple Help Support the Podcast Contact Us: https://www.shatpod.com/contact Commission Movie: https://www.shatpod.com/support Support with Paypal: https://www.shatpod.com/paypal Support With Venmo: https://www.shatpod.com/venmo Shop Merchandise: https://www.shatpod.com/shop Theme Song - Die Hard by Guyz Nite: https://www.facebook.com/guyznite

This week, Shat The Movies looks to the stars with Contact, Robert Zemeckis's thoughtful, talky, and occasionally frustrating sci-fi drama about faith, science, and whether humanity is ready for the truth. Based on Carl Sagan's novel and anchored by a career-best performance from Jodie Foster, Contact dares to ask big questions—then spends two and a half hours arguing about who gets to answer them. Gene and Big D debate whether this is smart, adult science fiction or a preachy lecture disguised as a blockbuster. They dig into Matthew McConaughey's spiritual hot takes, the movie's suspicious politics, the weirdly hostile government oversight, and one of the most memorable fake-out climaxes of the '90s. Along the way, they ask the ultimate Shat question: is Contact profound—or just very impressed with itself? Plot Summary A driven scientist discovers an alien signal containing instructions to build a mysterious machine, forcing humanity to confront the conflict between science, faith, politics, and the possibility that we are not alone. Subscribe Now Android: https://www.shatpod.com/android Apple/iTunes: https://www.shatpod.com/apple Help Support the Podcast Contact Us: https://www.shatpod.com/contact Commission Movie: https://www.shatpod.com/support Support with Paypal: https://www.shatpod.com/paypal Support With Venmo: https://www.shatpod.com/venmo Shop Merchandise: https://www.shatpod.com/shop Theme Song - Die Hard by Guyz Nite: https://www.facebook.com/guyznite

This week on Shat the Movies, we march into Glory (1989), the powerful Civil War epic telling the true story of the 54th Massachusetts, the first African American volunteer infantry regiment. With unforgettable performances by Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, and Matthew Broderick, the film tackles courage, sacrifice, and the fight for dignity. Gene and Big D dig into the emotional weight, historical accuracy, and lasting impact of this Oscar-winning drama. Does Glory still resonate today? Tune in and find out. Subscribe Now Android: https://www.shatpod.com/android Apple/iTunes: https://www.shatpod.com/apple Help Support the Podcast Contact Us: https://www.shatpod.com/contact Commission Movie: https://www.shatpod.com/support Support with Paypal: https://www.shatpod.com/paypal Support With Venmo: https://www.shatpod.com/venmo Shop Merchandise: https://www.shatpod.com/shop Theme Song - Die Hard by Guyz Nite: https://www.facebook.com/guyznite

This Christmas, Shat The Movies takes a detour into one of the strangest holiday comedies ever made with Mixed Nuts, Nora Ephron's chaotic 1994 remake of the French farce Le Père Noël est une ordure. We're revisiting this deeply uncomfortable Christmas movie in honor of the late Rob Reiner, who helped define smart, character-driven comedies—even when they didn't always work. Gene and Big D unpack how a film with an absurdly stacked cast—Steve Martin, Madeline Kahn, Rita Wilson, Adam Sandler, Juliette Lewis, and Liev Schreiber—somehow became a cult curiosity instead of a holiday classic. They debate whether Mixed Nuts was simply ahead of its time, fatally misjudged in tone, or doomed by trying to balance farce, mental health, and Christmas cheer in the same gift box. Along the way, the guys reflect on why Mixed Nuts now plays less like a failed holiday romp and more like a bizarre time capsule of transitional Hollywood. Is this a Christmas movie worth reclaiming—or one best left buried under the tree? Subscribe Now Android: https://www.shatpod.com/android Apple/iTunes: https://www.shatpod.com/apple Help Support the Podcast Contact Us: https://www.shatpod.com/contact Commission Movie: https://www.shatpod.com/support Support with Paypal: https://www.shatpod.com/paypal Support With Venmo: https://www.shatpod.com/venmo Shop Merchandise: https://www.shatpod.com/shop Theme Song - Die Hard by Guyz Nite: https://www.facebook.com/guyznite

This week, Shat The Movies dives headfirst into early-2000s suburban dread with Donnie Darko, the cult classic that launched a thousand dorm-room debates and taught a generation to fear jet engines and men in bunny suits. Commissioned by listeners Wes and Fernando, this episode tackles Richard Kelly's time-bending, angst-soaked sci-fi drama that somehow feels even more relevant today. Gene and Big D unpack Jake Gyllenhaal's star-making performance, the film's iconic '80s soundtrack, and whether Donnie Darko is a brilliant meditation on fate and free will—or just an elaborate emo Rorschach test. Along the way, they debate self-help gurus, creepy motivational speakers, suburban hypocrisy, and why this movie hits differently depending on when you first saw it. Is Donnie Darko a misunderstood masterpiece or a pretentious puzzle box that gets more credit than it deserves? Grab your Philosophy of Time Travel and find out. Subscribe Now Android: https://www.shatpod.com/android Apple/iTunes: https://www.shatpod.com/apple Help Support the Podcast Contact Us: https://www.shatpod.com/contact Commission Movie: https://www.shatpod.com/support Support with Paypal: https://www.shatpod.com/paypal Support With Venmo: https://www.shatpod.com/venmo Shop Merchandise: https://www.shatpod.com/shop Theme Song - Die Hard by Guyz Nite: https://www.facebook.com/guyznite

Struggling writer and wine enthusiast Miles (Paul Giamatti) takes his engaged friend, Jack (Thomas Haden Church), on a trip to wine country for a last single-guy bonding experience. While Miles wants to relax and enjoy the wine, Jack is in search of a fling before his wedding. Soon, Jack is sleeping with Stephanie (Sandra Oh), while her friend Maya (Virginia Madsen) connects with Miles. When Miles lets slip that Jack is getting married, both women are furious, sending the trip into disarray. Commissioned by Christopher D. Subscribe Now Android: https://www.shatpod.com/android Apple/iTunes: https://www.shatpod.com/apple Help Support the Podcast Contact Us: https://www.shatpod.com/contact Commission Movie: https://www.shatpod.com/support Support with Paypal: https://www.shatpod.com/paypal Support With Venmo: https://www.shatpod.com/venmo Shop Merchandise: https://www.shatpod.com/shop Theme Song - Die Hard by Guyz Nite: https://www.facebook.com/guyznite

This week on Shat the Movies, we're heading underground with Day of the Dead (1985), the grim and gory finale to George A. Romero's original zombie trilogy. As scientists and soldiers clash in a bunker full of tension (and entrails), we break down the film's bleak tone, standout effects, and the unforgettable performance of Bub the zombie. Gene and Big D ask: Is this a zombie masterpiece, or just a depressing mess with great gore?. Subscribe Now Android: https://www.shatpod.com/android Apple/iTunes: https://www.shatpod.com/apple Help Support the Podcast Contact Us: https://www.shatpod.com/contact Commission Movie: https://www.shatpod.com/support Support with Paypal: https://www.shatpod.com/paypal Support With Venmo: https://www.shatpod.com/venmo Shop Merchandise: https://www.shatpod.com/shop Theme Song - Die Hard by Guyz Nite: https://www.facebook.com/guyznite

This week, Shat The Movies tumbles through the space-time continuum with Terry Gilliam's Time Bandits, a chaotic fantasy adventure filled with Monty Python humor, mischievous dwarves, and a cosmic battle between Good, Evil, and negligent parenting. Commissioned by listener Mark, this 1981 classic follows young Kevin as he's swept away by a crew of dimension-hopping bandits who've stolen a map of the universe and are using it to rob history blind—Napoleon, Robin Hood, and ancient kings all included. Gene and Big D debate whether the film is a brilliant kids' movie for adults or an unsettling fever dream wrapped in British absurdism. Along the way, they revisit the unforgettable Evil Genius, the Supreme Being's bureaucratic disappointment, and the ending that scarred an entire generation of children. Is Time Bandits a masterpiece of imagination or just Gilliam letting chaos do the directing? Grab your map, avoid the pure concentrated evil, and find out. Subscribe Now Android: https://www.shatpod.com/android Apple/iTunes: https://www.shatpod.com/apple Help Support the Podcast Contact Us: https://www.shatpod.com/contact Commission Movie: https://www.shatpod.com/support Support with Paypal: https://www.shatpod.com/paypal Support With Venmo: https://www.shatpod.com/venmo Shop Merchandise: https://www.shatpod.com/shop Theme Song - Die Hard by Guyz Nite: https://www.facebook.com/guyznite

This week, Shat The Movies goes back to school—literally—as we revisit Adam Sandler's breakout man-child classic, Billy Madison. Commissioned by Hot Sauce Steve, this 1995 comedy asks the eternal question: what if the heir to a hotel empire had to redo grades 1 through 12 because he's too dumb to inherit a business? Gene and Big D break down Sandler's early "shouting gibberish at adults" era, debate whether Billy is secretly sweet or just deeply concerning, and marvel at how many jokes in this movie would definitely not get greenlit today. The guys revisit iconic bits like the dodgeball massacre, the penguin, the academic decathlon, and Steve Buscemi's lipstick-fueled redemption arc. Was Billy Madison actually funny, or were we all just 12 years old once? And more importantly, does shampoo really beat conditioner? Subscribe Now Android: https://www.shatpod.com/android Apple/iTunes: https://www.shatpod.com/apple Help Support the Podcast Contact Us: https://www.shatpod.com/contact Commission Movie: https://www.shatpod.com/support Support with Paypal: https://www.shatpod.com/paypal Support With Venmo: https://www.shatpod.com/venmo Shop Merchandise: https://www.shatpod.com/shop Theme Song - Die Hard by Guyz Nite: https://www.facebook.com/guyznite

This week on Shat the Movies, we roundhouse-kick our way into Best of the Best 3: No Turning Back (1995), where Phillip Rhee takes on a small-town gang of neo-Nazis with nothing but martial arts, a leather vest, and a serious sense of justice. Forget international tournaments, this one's all shotgun blasts, burning churches, and heartfelt speeches. Gene and Big D break down the film's bizarre tone, over-the-top villains, and whether Tommy Lee is the most polite action hero of the '90s. Subscribe Now Android: https://www.shatpod.com/android Apple/iTunes: https://www.shatpod.com/apple Help Support the Podcast Contact Us: https://www.shatpod.com/contact Commission Movie: https://www.shatpod.com/support Support with Paypal: https://www.shatpod.com/paypal Support With Venmo: https://www.shatpod.com/venmo Shop Merchandise: https://www.shatpod.com/shop Theme Song - Die Hard by Guyz Nite: https://www.facebook.com/guyznite