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The Test of Time Posts

Episode 21: The Last Starfighter (1984)

Published November 25, 2016

A boy dreams of leaving his trailer park, only to end up in outer space defending the galaxy in the 1984 movie, The Last Starfighter.
The movie features an alien race with Mr. Burns haircuts, the most reluctant hero ever, and plenty of “homages” to another popular film franchise (hint: it rhymes with Bar Doors.)

Join us for an episode that features tangents about The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters, Passenger 57, and the entire theme song from Blossom (it makes sense in context, honest.) When all is said and done, we find out if The Last Starfighter stands the Test of Time.


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Episode 20: Back to School (1986)

Published November 18, 2016

Rodney Dangerfield is the big (and old) man on campus in the 1986 college comedy, Back to School.

In this episode, we talk about the 2016 Ghostbusters (which is now subtitled “Answer the Call” for some reason), the oeuvre of William Zabka, and how hard academia can be for dead monkeys. Our final grade hinges on one question: does Back to School stand the Test of Time?


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Episode 19: Major League (1989)

Published November 11, 2016


The Chicago Cubs may have won the 2016 World Series, but the Cleveland Indians will always have the 1989 flick Major League.

Listen as we touch on the Presidential election, the Nintendo Switch, and the day Alan’s social life died. Plus we analyze Cleveland lofts, the movie’s most cringe-worthy line, and the character who looks like a grown up Bobby Hill, all as we ask: does Major League stand the Test of Time?


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Episode 18: Flight of the Navigator (1986)

Published November 4, 2016


In Flight of the Navigator, a young boy passes out in 1978, wakes up in 1986, then has to travel through space and time to get back home.

This week’s conversation includes talk about Star Wars Rebels, Twisted Sister, and cursing in Disney movies. Plus, we expose the fact that Christopher Nolan basically just ripped off this flick when he made Interstellar. In the end, we ask if Flight of the Navigator stands the Test of Time.


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Episode 17: The Thing (1982)

Published October 28, 2016

In John Carpenter’s horror classic The Thing, a group of Antarctic scientists have to contend with a shape-shifting alien… that may have already taken over one of their own.

Just in time for Halloween, we discuss a scary movie that stars a young(er) Wilford Brimley, features characters named Mac and Windows (#NerdHumor), and a computer that can somehow predict a Thing-pocalypse. Ultimately, we find out if The Thing stands the Test of Time.


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Episode 16: Sixteen Candles (1984)

Published October 21, 2016

No one made movies about teen angst like John Hughes. Sixteen Candles tells the story of Sam, a girl having the worst day of her life—on her sixteenth birthday—which her family forgot about.

This movie insulted geeks with Anthony Michael Hall, Asians with Long Duck Dong, and violated the cardinal rule of characters breaking the fourth wall. But is Sixteen Candles “so major” that it stands the Test of Time?


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Episode 15: Starship Troopers (1997)

Published October 14, 2016

Bugs, bullets, and boobs: Starship Troopers has it all.

In a wide-ranging conversation that touches on the new season of South Park, the genius of Michael Ironside, and what happens when you pull the hypotenuse of a love triangle, we dare to ask the age-old question: does Starship Troopers stand the Test of Time?


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Episode 14: Dave (1993)

Published October 7, 2016

This election season, we’re taking a look back at Dave, arguably the greatest rom-com ever centered around a Presidential impersonator.
We take a hard look at the First Lady’s very specific “type,” the fan-fiction James wrote about these characters, and why the movie should have been called “Joe President.” No matter your political affiliation, we all need to come together to debate the country’s most serious issue: Does Dave stand the Test of Time?


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Episode 13: Short Circuit (1986)

Published September 30, 2016


What does it mean to be alive? How does one feel? What is the nature of the soul? These heady questions are kinda sorta addressed in the 1986 movie, Short Circuit.

Come listen as we rant about Fishers Stevens in brown face, the major design flaw in these robotic super weapons, and one of the single biggest plot holes ever: what happened to Robot #4? In the end, we ask: does Short Circuit stand the Test of Time?


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Episode 12: Kindergarten Cop (1990)

Published September 23, 2016

It’s not a tumor… it’s a podcast! Arnold Schwarzenegger goes from action hero to (kinda) family friendly star in 1990’s Kindergarten Cop.

We chat about Detective John Kimble’s great one-liners and his shoddy police work. We talk about Crisp, the bad guy with the incredible ponytail and the least intimidating name ever. We even give the movie credit (or is it blame?) for inspiring flicks like The Pacifier and Tooth Fairy. And we do it all in the name of finding out: does Kindergarten Cop stand the Test of Time?


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Episode 11: The Mighty Ducks (1992)

Published September 16, 2016

A ragtag group of misfits are terrible at sports, until they get an inspirational new leader who teaches them important life lessons… and learns a little something himself along the way. Not sure which movie we’re talking about? Here’s a hint: this flick has Emilio Estevez!

Our conversation about The Mighty Ducks includes a healthy debate over what the insult “cake eater” means, a dissection of the movie’s subtle pro-vaccination message, and as a bonus blast from the past, we taste test Crystal Pepsi! All this as we ask: does The Mighty Ducks stand the Test of Time?


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Episode 10: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)

Published September 9, 2016


RIP Gene Wilder. In light of the beloved actor’s passing, we’re taking a look back at his most iconic role, the seminal film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.

Join us as we wonder what the hell a bean feast is, discuss the part of the movie that we always fast-forwarded, and Alan questions the *real* motives behind Wonka’s Golden Ticket ploy, all in the name of finding out: does Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory stand the Test of Time?


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Episode 9: Tommy Boy (1995)

Published September 2, 2016

Tommy Boy is the quintessential Chris Farley/David Spade movie (sorry, Black Sheep!) The movie’s got plenty of Farley’s falls, Spade’s sarcasm, and even some genuine emotion mixed in (RIP, Big Tom.)
Join us as we reenact our favorite Chris Farley SNL sketches, try to remember what Apple Newtons did, and reminisce on when cow tipping was a thing, all as we decide if Tommy Boy stands the Test of Time.


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Episode 8: Labyrinth (1986)

Published August 26, 2016

Don’t you just hate it when your annoying baby brother gets kidnapped by the Goblin King, and you only have 13 hours to venture through a magical labyrinth to get him back?

Sarah can relate.

In a conversation about the beloved cult classic Labyrinth, we also discuss the Netflix sensation Stranger Things, Nintendo 64 polygons, and, yes, David Bowie’s prominently featured crotch. Plus Alan sings, and James manages to confuse Bowie, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and Simon and Garfunkel—all at the same time! Ultimately, we determine if the Jim Henson directed movie stands the Test of Time.


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Episode 7: The Goonies (1985)

Published August 19, 2016

Hey… you… guys! That’s what I said – booty traps! Down here, it’s our time!

The Goonies is the beloved—and highly quotable—80’s movie that sent a group of kids from the goondocks searching for the lost treasure of One Eyed Willie. Our chat covers The Goonies II Nintendo game, the brilliant decision to delete that terrible scene with the octopus, and just how medically accurate the movie is (spoiler alert: not very.) Then, when all is said and done, we determine if The Goonies stands the Test of Time.


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Episode 6: Stand By Me (1986)

Published August 12, 2016


This week marks the 30th (!) anniversary of Stand By Me, Rob Reiner’s coming of age story about four young friends who go on a journey to find a dead body.

Join us for a conversation that spans the horrors of leeches, a blueberry pie-eating contest with questionable rules, and how easy it is to adapt a Stephen King story into a movie. At the end, we ask if this movie, set in 1959 and released in 1986, stands the Test of Time in 2016.


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Episode 5: The Princess Bride (1987)

Published August 5, 2016

Hello! Our names are Alan and James! You found our podcast! Prepare to enjoy! 
It wasn’t a big hit when it was first released, but The Princess Bride has become one of the most beloved films of the 1980’s. Join us as we ask the hard hitting questions about this movie: What is the proper pronunciation of Westley and Cary Elwes? Is Prince Humperdink kind of a jerk, or a really big jerk? Is “to blave” an actual expression that means “to bluff?” And most importantly, does The Princess Bride stand the Test of Time?


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Episode 4: Pretty Woman (1990) and Overboard (1987)

Published July 29, 2016

Garry Marshall passed away last week, leaving behind an impressive body of work. To celebrate the late director, James and Alan look back at two of his classic rich-person-falls-for-a-poor-person movies, Pretty Woman and Overboard.

The discussion includes Alan’s (terrible) impression of Julia Roberts’ laugh, plenty of puns, and the one scene in Overboard that casts a dark, terrible shadow over what’s supposed to be a light-hearted rom-com, all in the name of finding out if these films stand the Test of Time.


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Episode 3: Ghostbusters II (1989)

Published July 22, 2016

Long before internet trolls worried about how a Ghostbusters reboot would tarnish the original—heck, long before the internet was a thing most people even knew about—Ghostbusters II effectively killed the film franchise for over 25 years.

Alan Noah and James Brief dissect the sequel from all angles, from the villain who kind of looks like Gérard Depardieu, to the questionable comedy of fake accents, to what really happened at the Paramus, New Jersey Holiday Inn, all in the name of finding out: does Ghostbusters II stand the Test of Time?


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Episode 2: Ghostbusters (1984)

Published July 15, 2016

Don’t debate the artistic merits of the new Ghostbusters remake—listen to James Brief and Alan Noah debate the merits of the 1984 movie that started it all!

Ghostbusters is widely considered to be a classic 80’s flick, but is it more “fun” than “funny?” Will young viewers be confused by the haunted card catalog? And how do Citizen Kane and George Clooney factor into the conversation? Join us as we determine if the original Ghostbusters stands the Test of Time.


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Episode 1: Independence Day (1996)

Published July 8, 2016

In 1996, aliens came to Earth to destroy our precious planet, and only the ragtag team of Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldbum, and… Randy Quaid (?) could stop them.

It’s been twenty years since the release of Independence Day, and its long-awaited sequel is now in theaters. To mark the occasion, join Alan Noah and James Brief as we discuss everything from that all-powerful computer virus to James’ love of Zima all in the name of finding out: does Independence Day stand the Test of Time?


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