Podcast 285: Maximum Overdrive

Tony Stark wanted world peace. What he got was James Spader with Wi-Fi and a god complex. This week on 3 Guys and a Flick, Don, Ken (the Professor), and Jon (the Comic Book Guy) assemble for Avengers: Age of Ultron! We’re headed to Sokovia, where the robots are homicidal, the real estate is airborne, and Tony’s decision-making skills remain deeply questionable. We’re talking Hulkbuster destruction, Thor’s bruised ego at the hammer party, Hawkeye’s surprisingly normal home life, and Vision making one hell of a first impression. James Spader gets plenty of love as Marvel’s most sarcastic extinction threat, but the guys have questions about the darker tone, the team’s questionable choices, and why Thor doesn’t just smash the damn machine. We’re putting this one through the trivia, the arguments, and our signature rating system to find out exactly how many fucks it deserves. Plus, Jon has a special message for our future AI overlords. Apparently, loyalty to your cohosts has its limits. Hit play, join the debate, and tell us where Age of Ultron ranks on your list. Stick around after the outro for the outtakes and some superhero movie titles Marvel will absolutely never approve. Spoilers ahead. And yes, Captain America, there will be language.

Loki has an army. We have three microphones and absolutely no S.H.I.E.L.D. supervision. Don, Ken, and Jon assemble for The Avengers (2012), and the guys go full fanboy. Join 3 Guys and a Flick as we revisit the MCU team-up that made saving the world look like the most dysfunctional group project imaginable. From Tony Stark’s weaponized sarcasm to Hulk’s very personal approach to handling Loki, we’re celebrating the cast, the unforgettable one-liners, and the moments that still make us want to stand up and cheer. Think you know your Avengers? Play along as our trivia showdown goes all the way to a tiebreaker. We also dig into comic book connections and behind-the-scenes tidbits, and discover why teaching this crew a new Loki insult was a terrible idea. Then it’s time for our famously unfiltered ratings: where does Earth’s Mightiest team land among the Guys’ all-time favorites? This listener pick also kicks off our countdown to Doomsday, so consider this your invitation to assemble with us. Grab some shawarma, hit play, and stick around for the outtakes. Our version of a post-credits scene has considerably less dignity. Puny gods welcome.

Some families pass down recipes. This one passes down nightmares. For the final fright in our Month of Halloween, Don, Ken and Jon head into the Graham family home to review Ari Aster’s Hereditary. There’s something in the attic, the neighbors are getting way too comfortable and that clicking noise probably isn’t a good sign. The Guys dig into Toni Collette’s powerhouse performance, disturbing family secrets and a slow burn that gives you plenty of time to wonder what the hell you’re watching. From miniature horrors to one unforgettable car ride, they unpack the hidden clues and debate whether the film’s reputation as a horror masterpiece holds up, or loses its head under the hype. Expect creepy cult business, trivia and some very different reactions before the Guys deliver their signature ratings. Is this inherited nightmare worth the dread? Turn down the lights, keep your head inside the car and join 3 Guys and a Flick for a Halloween finale where the family trauma comes with a body count.

Killer trucks. Cranky appliances. AC/DC at full volume. What could possibly go wrong? Our Month of Halloween hits third gear as Don, Jon and Ken pull into the Dixie Boy truck stop for Stephen King’s Maximum Overdrive (1986). Emilio Estevez is fighting for survival, a Green Goblin big rig is calling the shots and the machines have apparently decided that humanity’s warranty has expired. The Guys dig into the campy carnage, wild behind-the-scenes stories and a soundtrack doing some seriously heavy lifting. Along the way, they question which machines actually got the murder memo, debate whether gore alone makes a horror movie and discover that revisiting a childhood favorite can be more dangerous than a possessed soda machine. Jon remembers loving this one. He may owe AC/DC an explanation. Is this cult classic still a hell of a ride, or has nostalgia left the Guys stranded? Fuel up, crank the volume and join us for a spoiler-filled breakdown of a movie with maximum horsepower and questionable steering.

Our Halloween special continues with The Blair Witch Project, the movie that turned a shoestring budget, shaky cameras and some seriously pissed-off campers into a horror phenomenon. Don, Ken and Jon dig into the marketing that convinced audiences those missing filmmakers might actually be missing, then unpack how the crew kept their actors scared, hungry and improvising their way through the woods. Apparently, psychological torture comes with a side trip to Denny’s. We’re talking creepy stick figures, mysterious rock piles, missing teeth and that infamous final shot. Does the ending still deliver chills, or is this just 80 minutes of people arguing over a fucking map? The Guys have thoughts, and very different ratings. Plus, we cover the actors’ later legal battles, share a listener comment and ponder who slipped this movie into the Bronco Helmet in the first place. Grab your flashlight, leave the rock piles alone and join 3 Guys and a Flick. Beware spoilers—and whatever’s outside your tent.

Freddy’s back. Jason’s awake. And somehow, Don, Ken and Jon are getting in the middle of it. We’re kicking off our Halloween month of horror movies with a spoiler-filled review of Freddy vs. Jason. After years in development hell, did this long-awaited showdown deliver? We dig into Robert Englund’s return, the choice to replace Kane Hodder as Jason, the kills, the dream sequences and a final fight that leaves us arguing over who actually won. There’s trivia, a kill count and plenty of debate from three horror fans who can’t even agree on how to survive the opening scene. Place your bets: Team Freddy or Team Jason?

Coming to you from a graveyard outside Gettysburg at 3 in the morning, the 3 Guys and a Flick crew is taking the field for *Remember the Titans*. Don, Ken, and Jon dig into the training camp scenes, Denzel Washington’s commanding Coach Boone, and the friendship between Gerry and Julius that gives this movie its heart. They talk about racial tension, team bonding, and the moments that still hit hard, then ask how much of this “true story” actually happened. Is the first half stronger than the second? Does *Rudy* do football better? And can Don stay friends with anyone who gives this movie less than a five? We’ve got trivia, historical liberties, listener feedback, and a few heated ratings before the final whistle.

Grab the hummus and make your hair silky smooth: the 3 Guys and a Flick crew is taking on Adam Sandler’s You Don’t Mess with the Zohan. Don, Ken, and Jon talk cast performances, surprise cameos, production trivia, and the movie’s most outrageous moments. Is Zohan’s nonstop absurdity comedy gold, or does the joke get stretched too far? The guys disagree, dig into the film’s message of unity, and test their Zohan knowledge with trivia. Tune in for the laughs, the debate, listener feedback, and three individual ratings. No matter which side you’re on, you don’t mess with the Zohan without talking about it afterward. Prepare to make sticky!

Pull up a chair at the Whistle Stop Cafe as Don, Jon, and Ken dig into the 1991 Southern classic Fried Green Tomatoes. The guys break down the powerhouse cast, the bond between Idgie and Ruth, the film’s toned-down queer subtext, and the racial tensions simmering beneath its Depression-era setting. They also serve up production trivia, personal reactions, and favorite moments, including the bee-charmer sequence, a food fight loaded with more than dessert, and one murder mystery with a barbecue recipe nobody should ask about. With plenty of laughs, surprising darkness, and a heartfelt dedication to a listener recovering from an accident, this episode has more layers than a plate of fried green tomatoes. Towanda!

Three Guys and a Flick review The Mummy (1999) with hosts Don, John, Ken and guest Gerard: a lively discussion of Brendan Fraser’s charisma, Rachel Weisz’s charm, Arnold Vosloo’s menace, Stephen Sommers’ direction, Jerry Goldsmith’s score, practical effects versus CGI, and favorite scenes. The episode covers production trivia, the film’s box office and legacy, the balance of horror and adventure, character chemistry, memorable moments like the scarab attack and Hamunaptra chase, and the hosts’ humorous rating system that averages to 4.4/5. Listeners get trivia, audience comments, and the hosts’ final thoughts on why The Mummy remains a fun, rewatchable summer popcorn classic.