Binge Movies: Rankings and Reviews

EPISODE 195: 2008’s Box Office Countdown (10–6) – Iron, Espionage, Penguins, and Robots (ft. Robert Yaniz Jr. & DW Lundberg) Episode Description: The countdown continues! Jason is joined by returning guests Robert Yaniz Jr. and DW Lundberg to tackle the back half of 2008’s top-grossing movies—where talking animals, malfunctioning robots, and emotionally exhausted spies battled it out for box office supremacy. This batch has it all: MCU beginnings, Pixar magic, Bond reboot blues, and a certain talking lion who just can't catch a break. Films Discussed: Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (6) – The animals are back and... still trying to get home. Quantum of Solace (7) – Bond is brooding, brutal, and possibly bored. Iron Man (8) – The movie that launched a universe (and Robert Downey Jr. into legend). WALL·E (9) – A near-silent ode to love, loneliness, and environmental collapse. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (10) – Slightly darker, slightly edgier, but did anyone notice? IN THIS EPISODE: Was Quantum of Solace an artistic casualty of the 2008 writers' strike? How Iron Man became a bigger gamble than anyone remembers. Why WALL·E might be Pixar’s boldest and most bittersweet gamble. Robert, DW, and Jason try to answer the eternal question: "Who actually watched Prince Caspian?" From Armored Avengers to existential robots, the back half of 2008’s top 10 is more influential than you might think.

Episode 142: Season 7 kicks off with one of the most profitable franchises in American film history that not a soul recalls fondly. Polymath Matt F. Basler makes his long-awaited return to rank the Police Academy films!  HOST: Jason Guest: Matt F. Basler Binge Movies comes to you from the last video store in the universe. Store manager Jason and his guests rank and review movies to determine which are most worthy of preservation for all time. At Binge Movies the very strange, deeply analytical, and highly ridiculous meet to make a movie review show unlike any other. Become a Patron Binge Movies Merchandise  Elite Patrons: Heather Sachs Joe Buttice  Pete Nerdrovert  Dan Kawecki

INSTANT REACTION: ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER (2025) Many critics are calling Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another (2025) a “blockbuster.” But is that really what it is? In this spoiler-free instant reaction, Jason digs into the hype and interrogates whether Anderson has truly delivered his first large-scale crowd-pleaser...or something more complicated. The $175 million action thriller, inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland and released by Warner Bros. Pictures, stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti. It follows an ex-revolutionary forced to rescue his daughter from a corrupt military official, set against a backdrop of revolution, betrayal, and power. Credits Host: Jason Produced by: Binge Movies Franchisees: Heather, Dan, Jason, Matt, Pete Support: patreon.com/bingemovies

Jason, Megan from Spoilerpiece Theatre (the balanced critic), and Paul from The Countdown (the curmudgeon) reunite to continue their descent into the golden age of slashers. This round, they tackle the first wave of 1981’s massive blood-soaked slate. The Blood Pool includes: Home Sweet Home (Jan 1, 1981) – a killer Thanksgiving turkey of a movie to kick off the year. Night School (Jan 7, 1981) – Boston goes giallo with a motorcycle-helmeted killer. My Bloody Valentine (Feb 11, 1981) – Canadian miners dig up one of the genre’s defining entries. The Funhouse (Mar 13, 1981) – Tobe Hooper’s creepy carnival ride from Universal Studios.     Keep the conversation going on Letterboxd: slasherspodcast Drop us a line: slasherspodcast@gmail.com Series theme: Shattered by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio This episode first aired as part of The Slashers limited series — now back in circulation for the true believers. And remember… DON’T let them catch you.

The Slashers: 1980 (Season 1 Rebroadcast) Coming to you from the last video store in the universe, this is The Slashers. Season 1 was originally recorded in 2023, and we’re re-airing it now on this new feed to get you ready for Season 2! Hosted by Jason from Binge Movies, Megan Kerns from Spoilerpiece Theatre, and Paul from The Countdown, The Slashers takes you year by year through the golden era of the slasher film. Each episode, we assemble that year’s Blood Pool — a lineup of slasher movies — and at the end, we hand out awards for: Best Artwork  Best Kill  Best Cult Classic  Best Final Girl  Best Overall Flick 1980 Blood Pool Don’t Answer the Phone! (Feb 29, 1980) Friday the 13th (May 9, 1980) Prom Night (July 18, 1980) Motel Hell (Aug 14, 1980) Schizoid (Sept 1, 1980) Fade to Black (Oct 14, 1980) Maniac (Dec 26, 1980) Some became icons, some became obscurities, but all sharpened the blade for the slasher boom to come. Subscribe to The Slashers feed so you don’t miss Season 2, coming very soon.

EP 202: Top Grossing Movies of 2009, Ranked Part II Few believed Blue Cat People would work, but by the end of the 2000s, it was the biggest movie of all time. Proving once again, you should never bet against Jim Cameron. Jason and Robert Yaniz Jr. (Crooked Table) close out the Top Grossing Movies of the 2000s series with the five biggest hits of 2009. From Gladiator to Avatar, this series has tracked a decade where franchises rose, originality waned, and box office spectacle became Hollywood’s ultimate currency. The Lineup: 5. 2012 4. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen 3. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs 2. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince 1. Avatar  Which of these blockbusters deserves preservation in the Vault, and which should be left behind with the aughts? Credits Host: Jason Guest: Robert Yaniz Jr. (Crooked Table) Produced by: Binge Movies Franchisees: Heather, Dan, Jason, Matt, Pete Support: patreon.com/bingemovies

EP #201: 2009, Part II — Conspiracy Season 2009 didn’t just entertain—it reflected a culture already steeped in paranoia and conspiratorial thinking. Jason and Chauncey Telese (La Podfidential) rank five box office giants that, in hindsight, reveal how stories of secret cabals, engineered crises, and “truth” shaped by vibes over facts were already dominating the mainstream. The Lineup: 10. The Hangover (2009) 9. Angels & Demons (2009) 8. Sherlock Holmes (2009) 7. The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) 6. Up (2009) What seemed like harmless fun at the time now reads as a cultural preview of the conspiratorial mindset that would escalate throughout the next decade. The conversation also touches on the death of Hulk Hogan, the paranoia baked into Dan Brown’s novels, Ron Howard’s attempt to give pulp a prestige sheen, and Peter Thiel, who secretly bankrolled Hogan’s lawsuit against Gawker, a real-world conspiracy that toppled a media empire. Which film deserves preservation in the Vault, and which one feels like prophecy for America’s conspiratorial future? Credits Host: Jason Guest: Chauncey Telese (LA Podfidential) Produced by: Binge Movies Franchisees: Heather, Dan, Jason, Matt, Pete Support: patreon.com/bingemovies    

EP #200: VHS Summer V–80s Sex Comedies 200 episodes! To mark the milestone, Jason is joined by Clare from W-Rated to rewind to the neon-soaked heyday of 1980s sex comedies. From locker room pranks to ski slope stripteases, these raunchy relics of VHS culture pushed boundaries and buttons. Along the way, friends and fans drop in with special messages to celebrate the journey so far. This week’s lineup: Porky’s (1981) The Last American Virgin (1982) Hardbodies (1984) Revenge of the Nerds (1984) Hot Dog...The Movie (1984) Which film earns a spot in the Vault, and which ones get left in the bargain bin? Credits Host: Jason Guest: Clare (W-Rated) Produced by: Binge Movies Franchisees: Heather, Dan, Jason, Matt, Pete Support: patreon.com/bingemovies

EP #199: John Hughes, Ranked John Hughes gave us the dream of teen freedom, family bonding, and life lessons wrapped in pop hits. But in 2025, do his movies still hold up—or are they time capsules better left sealed? Jason and guest Kristin Battestella (Women InSession; I Think, Therefore I Review) rank five Hughes classics, from road-trip chaos to suburban rebellion, deciding which deserves the Vault…and which buckle under the weight of modern eyes. National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983) Sixteen Candles (1984) Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986) She’s Having a Baby (1988) Career Opportunities (1991) Bonus conversations dive into The Great Outdoors, Home Alone, and Some Kind of Wonderful. Credits Host: Jason Guest: Kristin Battestella (Women InSession; I Think, Therefore I Review)  Produced by: Binge Movies Franchisees: Heather, Dan, Jason, Matt, Pete Support: patreon.com/bingemovies

INSTANT REACTION: Seventeen kids vanish at 2:17 a.m., and that’s only the start of the nightmare. Director Zach Cregger (Barbarian) returns with Weapons — a chilling, multi-chapter descent into paranoia and dread. In this spoiler-free instant reaction, we break down the film’s tone, tension, and craft without giving away a single twist. No plot summaries. No safety nets. Just the gut-level verdict from the last video store in the universe. Director: Zach Cregger Starring: Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Alden Ehrenreich Genre: Horror / Mystery / Thriller Credits Host: Jason Guest: Evan Crean Produced by: Binge Movies Franchisees: Heather, Dan, Jason, Matt, Pete.  Support: patreon.com/bingemovies Merch: bingemovie.threadless.com

EP #198: VHS Summer V – Val Kilmer Season Premiere VHS Summer returns for its fifth and final installment! Jason is joined by Evan Crean (Spoilerpiece Theater) to rank and review five of Val Kilmer’s most iconic performances. From boy genius to gunslinging legend, Kilmer’s range is on full display in this eclectic lineup: Real Genius (1985) Willow (1988) Thunderheart (1992) Tombstone (1993) Heat (1995) Which film enters the Vault, and which get left out in the summer sun? Credits Host: Jason Guest: Evan Crean Produced by: Binge Movies Franchisees: Heather, Dan, Jason, Matt, Pete.  Support: patreon.com/bingemovies

They told you not to rewind. You did it anyway. NEXT WEEK, sunburnt cinema returns for one final scorched season of sweat, sand, and magnetic tape decay. This is VHS Summer V: The Boys of Summer. Five episodes, five movies at a time, diving deep into the films that raised a generation…questionably.  We’re talking suburban malls, sex pests, and sleepless summers, all through the warped plastic of a rental copy that’s seen too much. Plus, we finish what we started: the final countdown of the 2000s box office kings, closing the book with 2009. Every week, a new lineup. A new meltdown. Press play… while it lasts.

INSTANT REACTION: Superman must reconcile his alien Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as reporter Clark Kent. As the embodiment of truth, justice and the human way he soon finds himself in a world that views these as old-fashioned.

A group of survivors of the rage virus live on a small island. When one of the group leaves the island on a mission into the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors.

INSTANT REACTION: Plagued by a recurring violent nightmare, a college student returns home to find the one person who can break the cycle and save her family from the horrific fate that inevitably awaits them.

INSTANT REACTION: A fading midwestern town in which Frendo the clown, a symbol of bygone success, reemerges as a terrifying scourge.

EPISODE 195: An American Original! – No apologies, no half-measures, all fire. (ft. Joe Buttice) Episode Description: This week, Jason is joined by Joe Buttice (Reel Spoilers) to lock and load a ranking of five films tied to the myth, the man, the cigar-smoking cinema warlord: John Milius. Whether writing frontier survival epics or directing operatic war fantasies, Milius brought a thunderous, unapologetic voice to American film. Strap in for manifest destiny, surfboard theology, Cimmerian steel, and teenage guerrilla warfare. Films Ranked: Jeremiah Johnson (1972, writer) – The loner as legend in a snow-covered survivalist western.\ Dillinger (1973) – Milius’s directorial debut, mixing gangster cool with mythic Americana. Big Wednesday (1978) – A lyrical, wave-soaked ode to brotherhood and the end of an era. Conan the Barbarian (1982) – Barbarism, Nietzsche, and epic vengeance in the Hyborian Age. Red Dawn (1984) – Wolverines! Teenage insurgents defend America in a Cold War fever dream. IN THIS EPISODE: Joe defends Red Dawn as both fantasy and prophecy Jason meditates on Big Wednesday as the most personal of war films The complicated politics, masculine myth-making, and the man behind the bombast    

INSTANT REACTION: Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.

EPISODE 194: Elegant, epic, existential, and electric. Volume 2 goes to 11 (ft. Megan Kearns) Episode Description: Jason returns to the closet of cinema history to crack open another stack from the Criterion Collection! From enchanted castles and sinking ships to philosophical chess matches, outback odysseys, and the loudest band in England, this lineup is as diverse as it is iconic. Films Ranked: Beauty and the Beast (1946) – Cocteau’s poetic dreamscape of love and transformation. A Night to Remember (1958) – The definitive Titanic film, long before Leo and Kate. Walkabout (1971) – A haunting vision of isolation, survival, and cultural collision. The Seventh Seal (1957) – Bergman’s meditation on mortality, meaning, and the black plague. This Is Spinal Tap (1984) – The rockumentary that turned it up to eleven... and never came back down. Jason and Megan wrestle with the big questions: Could anyone make the Seventh Seal today? Does Spinal Tap still hit as hard in the age of memes? Is A Night to Remember secretly the most profound film of the bunch? And where does Walkabout fit into the pantheon of coming-of-age stories? ALSO: Cocteau’s magic mirrors and movie sorcery The layers beneath the surface of A Night to Remember Existential laughs in chain mail Why the line between satire and reality might be thinner than we think  

EPISODE 193:  Through a Dream, Darkly — Ranking David Lynch (ft. Molly Razz) Episode Description: This week, we tumble headfirst into the subconscious as Jason is joined by the enigmatic Molly Razz to rank five of David Lynch’s most haunting cinematic visions. From industrial nightmares and small-town secrets to Hollywood hallucinations, we tackle the big questions: What is real? What is a performance? And where does that damn radiator song keep coming from? Films Ranked: Eraserhead (1977) The Elephant Man (1980) Blue Velvet (1986) Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992) Mulholland Drive (2001) Is Eraserhead a surreal masterpiece or an anxiety dream gone on too long? Is Fire Walk with Me the secret key to Twin Peaks? Does Mulholland Drive mark the apex of Lynch’s dream logic? And how many mysteries can be packed into one velvet curtain? Molly brings razor-sharp insight, Jason brings existential dread, and together they attempt the impossible: ranking the unrankable. PLUS: The legacy of Lynchian dread The fine art of being uncomfortable Molly’s theory on Blue Velvet and American repression A brief trip into the Black Lodge (we think)