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Optimism Vaccine’s panel of experts and idiots explore the dingy crevices between pop culture and forgotten trash in a never-ending quest to celebrate your guilty pleasures in the world of cinema and beyond.
435 Episodes
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THIS WEEK: What Happened Was... (1994), The Wife (1995) and The Shape of Something Squashed (2014)To celebrate the life of beloved character actor Tom Noonan, we decided to take a look at his directorial efforts, which proved to be a trio of incisive, underseen gems. Did we do them justice? No we did not.Donate to Palestinian Medical AidSupport Optimism Vaccine on Patreon
THIS WEEK: It Couldn't Happen Here (1987), Disorderlies (1987) and The Jerky Boys (1995)Strap in, sizzlechest, because The Fat Boys are back. I should probably work the Pet Shop Boys in here somehow, but that seems downright undignified. Anyhow, we're looking at the cinematic exploits of various Boys.Donate to Palestinian Medical AidSupport Optimism Vaccine on Patreon
THIS WEEK: Lifeline (1997), Bullets Over Summer (1999) and Fulltime Killer (2001)We're back in Hong Kong, with a trio of films that showcase a changing industry in the wake of the transition from British to Chinese rule.This topic was selected by one of our most excellent patrons. You too can choose a topic or slate of films for us to cover. See the link below for details!Donate to Palestinian Medical AidSupport Optimism Vaccine on Patreon
THIS WEEK: Big Money Hustlas (2000), Death Racers (2008) and Big Money Rustlas (2010)You may know ICP as the rapping leaders of a dubious "gang" of graps-loving clowns. You may even know them for their contributions to the science of magnetism. But did you know that they're also auteur filmmakers? Donate to Palestinian Medical AidSupport Optimism Vaccine on Patreon
THIS WEEK: Hologram Man (1995), Last Man Standing (1995) and Rage (1995)Sure, you've heard of white guy karate legend Jalal Merhi, but did you know that there was a completely unrelated Merhi who was silently pumping out high-octane DTV films by the dozen throughout the 1990s? It's time our audience got to know the name Joseph Merhi.Donate to Palestinian Medical AidSupport Optimism Vaccine on Patreon
THIS WEEK: Nosferatu (2024), Dracula (2025) and Dracula (2025)Turns out this Dracula character is pretty hard to kill.Donate to Palestinian Medical AidSupport Optimism Vaccine on Patreon
THIS WEEK: The War of the Roses (1989), The Roses (2025) and War of the Worlds (2025)Bloodless incompetent regurgitation. I'm sure that's how some folks would describe our podcast, but that's just a reflection of the times we live in, baby! Let's talk about remakes. Again.Donate to Palestinian Medical AidSupport Optimism Vaccine on Patreon
THIS WEEK: Tron (1982), Tron: Legacy (2010) and Tron: Ares (2025)Tron is back again, after a fifteen year slumber. Why? I guess they thought a purported sex pest could help to quell growing societal anxieties surrounding the economical sustenance of the working class being wholly subsumed by the irresponsible deployment of artificial intelligence?Donate to Palestinian Medical AidSupport Optimism Vaccine on Patreon
THIS WEEK: Deathstalker II: Duel of the Titans (1987), Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell (1988) and Deathstalker IV: Match of Titans (1991)The Deathstalker sequels led us down some bizarre rabbit holes, from Trump-appointed dignitaries to a bizarre A.I. infused IMDb profile hijacking? Or is it transcendence? We're still not sure. Let us know, Maria Ford.Donate to Palestinian Medical AidSupport Optimism Vaccine on Patreon
THIS WEEK: Deathstalker (1983) and Deathstalker (2025)We're opening the new year with a discussion of the Corman classic Deathstalker, its Astron-6 "remake", and the sad state of sleaze in 2026.Donate to Palestinian Medical AidSupport Optimism Vaccine on Patreon
THIS WEEK: Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny (1972), Bikini Bloodbath Christmas (2009) and The Grinch that Stole Bitches (2024)Rather than purchasing thoughtful gifts for his loved ones, Steve spent his December scrolling Tubi. Merry Christmas to none.Donate to Palestinian Medical AidSupport Optimism Vaccine on Patreon
THIS WEEK: Highlander II: The Quickening (1991), Highlander III: The Sorcerer AKA Highlander: The Final Dimension (1994) and Highlander: Endgame (2000)Turns out there is a whole lot of Highlander media. Is any of it worth a damn? No. Definitely not. But we're talking about it anyway!Donate to Palestinian Medical AidSupport Optimism Vaccine on Patreon
THIS WEEK: Meteor (1979) and Outland (1981)We were short on time this week, so we turned to Steve's list of drunken half-formed ideas. Hence we're discussing two Sean Connery that vaguely deal with outer space. Does one of them take place entirely in mundane offices right here on planet Earth? You bet.Donate to Palestinian Medical Aid Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon
THIS WEEK: Max Headroom: 20 Minutes into the Future (1985), D.O.A. (1988) and Super Mario Bros. (1993)We've been dancing around it for years, and now seems like the ideal time to get hooked on the brothers. That's right, we're back digging through e-waste, as we take a look at the brief directorial career of U.K. cyber-enthusiasts Annabel Jankel and Rocky Morton.Donate to Palestinian Medical Aid Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon
THIS WEEK: Don't worry about it. Nothing to see here.[DESCRIPTION REDACTED]Donate to Palestinian Medical Aid Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon
THIS WEEK: Memories Within Miss Aggie (1974), Through The Looking Glass (1976), A Woman's Torment (1977)Does something need to be erotic to be pornographic? Do some folks just get off on misery? Maybe! Nothing says HOT AND STEAMY like isolation, grief, psychological meltdowns, art house horror, and a carrot in your butt.Welcome to the wonderful world of feel-bad films in the golden age of pornography.Donate to Palestinian Medical Aid Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon
THIS WEEK: Nude on the Moon (1961), Bad Girls Go to Hell (1965) and Deadly Weapons (1974)Pornography is a different beast in the hot Florida sun, where everyone is melting and there's no infrastructure to support a competent film industry.Donate to Palestinian Medical Aid Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon
THIS WEEK: Nightdreams (1981), Café Flesh (1982) and Dr. Caligari (1989)Our finest theme month returns as we examine a pair of Hustler ad men who donned the monikers Rinse Dream and F.X. Pope in the noble effort to push pornography past its gonzo, counter-culture breaking point. Donate to Palestinian Medical Aid Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon
THIS WEEK: The Woman in the Yard (2025), Bring Her Back (2025), Weapons (2025) and 28 Years Later (2025)I mean, the title is just as applicable to this episode of our dumb podcast as it is to Zach Cregger's film, amiright?Donate to Palestinian Medical Aid Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon
THIS WEEK: Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), The Mummy (1932), The Invisible Man (1933), Bride of Frankenstein (1935), The Wolf Man (1941) and The Creature From the Black Lagoon (1954)We're breaking format for the (permanent?) finale of Shawntober, as we take a wide-ranging look at the origins of the American horror film.Donate to Palestinian Medical Aid Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon
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