Indepedence Day

I wonder what happened to the Wonders? Tom Hanks wrote and directed exactly one movie, and it's a perfect little ode to the one-hit wonder. We get into Lenny's endless quotables (shoutout to "Alone in My Principles"), whether that song is actually fast or just an "up-tempo number," Faye putting Jimmy in his place, the extended cut's extra 40 minutes, and the absolute worst sandwich in cinema history. Plus: could this movie even exist in the age of TikTok and AI music? Do yourself a favor and change your shoes.

Do you like scary movies? Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson made horror self-aware in 1996, and we're heading back to Woodsboro to see if Scream still cuts deep 30 years later. We get into the Drew Barrymore fake-out, Randy's rules, Matthew Lillard going fully unhinged, the killer reveal, and why not one adult in this town makes a good decision. Whatever you do, don't say "I'll be right back."

Edward Norton shows up in his very first movie role and takes the whole thing from Richard Gere's slick lawyer Martin Vail. Was there ever really a Roy? We won't spoil it, but we will argue about whether that ending makes the movie, and how anyone knew which VHS tape to grab.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it: rewatch Brian De Palma's Mission: Impossible with us and try to figure out what the hell is actually happening in that vault scene. Tom Cruise dangles, Jon Voight lurks, Jean Reno smokes, Ving Rhames types, and Emmanuelle Béart is up to something — we untangle the plot (allegedly), talk about how this launched a three-decade franchise on the back of one iconic set piece, and ask whether anyone in 1996 actually followed the double-crosses on first watch.

Is this the best bowling comedy in film history? Is it the ONLY bowling comedy in film history? Is it a worthy middle child to the Farrelly brothers' 90s run that starts Dumb and Dumber and after this goes to There's Something About Mary?

We revisit Jerry Maguire and try to figure out why it's still so endlessly rewatchable nearly three decades on. From the iconic setup and its surprising R-rated origins, to Cuba Gooding Jr.'s scene-stealing turn as Rod Tidwell, to the question of whether anyone but Tom Cruise could have carried this movie — we dig into the runtime debates, the awards legacy, and the deep bench of casting wins (Renée Zellweger, Regina King) that Cameron Crowe assembled. A love letter, a rewatch, and an honest breakdown of one of the '90s most quietly influential films.

I know y'all remember the action comedy two-hander with Adam Sandler and Damon Wayans, right? RIGHT?Nah, I checked the box office numbers, only we remember it. But it's got good stuff happening! Really quotable and fun '96 deep cut. 

John Travolta month continues with Broken Arrow, where he faces/off (get it?) against Christian Slater over some thermonuclear warheads. John Woo (WOOOOO!) directs, featuring Samantha Mathis, Howie Long, Delroy Lindo, and some other folks. 

Something like a phenomenon.....no, wait, that's different. This is John Travolta playing an angel. No, wait, that's another 1996 movie. THIS one is John Travolta as a super genius in a small town with Kyra Sedgwick and Forrest Whittaker and Robert Duvall.Seriously it's kinda good.

Welcome to Earth! We've got the biggest movie of 1996, a cross between Top Gun, Alien, and Mad Max, featuring Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Judd Hirsch, Mary McDonnell, Vivica A. Fox, and way more.