The Hamster Factor

It's the end of the world (and the pod) as we know it, and we feel fine! AJ and Mike finish their run on the wheel of The Hamster Factor by talking about a movie with equal parts disaster, sci-fi, and Nicolas Cage schlock, 2009's "Knowing." Thank you all for your support across 3 years and nearly 80 episodes. It's been a pleasure to keep the wheel spinning with installments that ran the gamut of film, and we look forward to hopefully re-entering the cage (not the Cage) somewhere in the future. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! AJ: @AJMass Mike: @AMikeBloomType   Intro/Outro Music: "Traveling Man" courtesy of Purple Planet music (http://purple-planet.com)

AJ and Mike splurge on a trip back to the 70s, which in turns takes them back to the 20s. There's no kidding around as they discuss the youth musical gangster comedy "Bugsy Malone." In addition, the guys make an announcement about the future of "The Hamster Factor." Next Film: Knowing (2009) FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! AJ: @AJMass Mike: @AMikeBloomType   Intro/Outro Music: "Traveling Man" courtesy of Purple Planet music (http://purple-planet.com)

AJ and Mike escape from the winter cold to the heat of Florida, and the boiling blood that leads to the preposterous true story of a murder depicted in 2001's "Bully." Next Film: Bugsy Malone (1976) FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! AJ: @AJMass Mike: @AMikeBloomType   Intro/Outro Music: "Traveling Man" courtesy of Purple Planet music (http://purple-planet.com)

AJ and Mike are dispatched to solve a grisly cinematic case. It involves a movie that had everything going for it, including an extremely talented cast and Oscar-winning writer, only to find it losing air and collapsed in a heap on the movie theater floor: 1989's "The January Man." Next Film: Bully (2001) FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! AJ: @AJMass Mike: @AMikeBloomType   Intro/Outro Music: "Traveling Man" courtesy of Purple Planet music (http://purple-planet.com)

In honor of the season of giving, AJ and Mike give you their first-ever double feature podcast, as they discuss all things childish in the Christmas specials "Christmas at Pee-Wee's Playhouse" and "Christmas Eve on Sesame Street." Next Film: The January Man (1989) FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! AJ: @AJMass Mike: @AMikeBloomType   Intro/Outro Music: "Traveling Man" courtesy of Purple Planet music (http://purple-planet.com)

Though AJ and Mike both woke up this morning with the head of a dog, they persevere to talk through 1996's indie darling and family drama "The Daytrippers." Next Film: Christmas Eve on Sesame Street (1978) & Christmas at Pee Wee's Playhouse (1988) FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! AJ: @AJMass Mike: @AMikeBloomType   Intro/Outro Music: "Traveling Man" courtesy of Purple Planet music (http://purple-planet.com)  

AJ and Mike discuss Todd Solondz's polarizing film "Happiness," a work equal parts ennui and ejaculate. Next Film: The Daytrippers (1996)   FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! AJ: @AJMass Mike: @AMikeBloomType   Intro/Outro Music: "Traveling Man" courtesy of Purple Planet music (http://purple-planet.com)

AJ and Mike close out their meta-horror trilogy with a film that took a saw to torture porn and a bear trap to the state of the franchise: 2012's "The Cabin in the Woods." Next Film: Happiness (1998)   FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! AJ: @AJMass Mike: @AMikeBloomType   Intro/Outro Music: "Traveling Man" courtesy of Purple Planet music (http://purple-planet.com)

Don't field any phone calls as you listen to AJ and Mike discuss the game-changing horror film "Scream." The two talk about AJ's favorite scary movie, the massive amount of lampshading, and the method behind the madness of the sequels. Next Film: The Cabin in the Woods (2012)   FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! AJ: @AJMass Mike: @AMikeBloomType   Intro/Outro Music: "Traveling Man" courtesy of Purple Planet music (http://purple-planet.com)

One, two, here's a podcast for you! AJ and Mike have been craving some Craven, so they take their first dive into the horror guru's rebirth of his monumental franchise: 1994's "New Nightmare." Next Film: Scream (1996)   FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! AJ: @AJMass Mike: @AMikeBloomType   Intro/Outro Music: "Traveling Man" courtesy of Purple Planet music (http://purple-planet.com)

AJ and Mike step out of the bathroom stall to present their audience with this, a podcast discussing the first writer/director outing for John Hughes, 1984's "Sixteen Candles." Next Film: New Nightmare (1994)   FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! AJ: @AJMass Mike: @AMikeBloomType   Intro/Outro Music: "Traveling Man" courtesy of Purple Planet music (http://purple-planet.com)

AJ and Mike find themselves revisiting the ominous town that is the works of John Carpenter, as they investigate the final chapter in his de facto Apocalypse Trilogy, 1994's "In the Mouth of Madness." Next Film: Sixteen Candles (1984)   FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! AJ: @AJMass Mike: @AMikeBloomType   Intro/Outro Music: "Traveling Man" courtesy of Purple Planet music (http://purple-planet.com)

With the NFL entering its fourth quarter of preseason, AJ and Mike hold their own podcast scrimmage as they discuss 1986's "Wildcats," an underdog story that features the beacon of Goldie Hawn and marks the first play for rookies Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes. Next Film: In the Mouth of Madness (1994)   FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! AJ: @AJMass Mike: @AMikeBloomType   Intro/Outro Music: "Traveling Man" courtesy of Purple Planet music (http://purple-planet.com)

Thanks to the help of their third string sound man, AJ and Mike are now set up to discuss the darkly comic murder mockumentary that is equal parts Belgian and brutal: 1992's "Man Bites Dog." Next Film: Wildcats (1986)   FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! AJ: @AJMass Mike: @AMikeBloomType   Intro/Outro Music: "Traveling Man" courtesy of Purple Planet music (http://purple-planet.com)

It's time to settle in for a long, revealing meal as AJ and Mike dig into 2003's "Melvin Goes a Dinner," a film adaptation of a play stuffed to the gills with twists, turns, and Tranice. Next Film: Man Bites Dog (1992)   FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! AJ: @AJMass Mike: @AMikeBloomType   Intro/Outro Music: "Traveling Man" courtesy of Purple Planet music (http://purple-planet.com)

It's officially the season of blockbuster CGI franchise. In celebration, AJ and Mike go back to a time when practical effects were the latest obsession, as they talk through 1986's action/thriller/insider film "F/X." Next Film: Melvin Goes to Dinner (2003)   FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! AJ: @AJMass Mike: @AMikeBloomType   Intro/Outro Music: "Traveling Man" courtesy of Purple Planet music (http://purple-planet.com)

Insect Overlord Month continues as AJ and Mike check out the story of a town over run by spiders, only to be deterred by William Shatner's quivering cheeks in 1977's "Kingdom of the Spiders." Next Film: F/X (1986)   FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! AJ: @AJMass Mike: @AMikeBloomType   Intro/Outro Music: "Traveling Man" courtesy of Purple Planet music (http://purple-planet.com)

AJ and Mike try not to drone on too long as they discuss the 1977 film "Empire of the Ants," starring Joan Collins, several disaster movie tropes, and a series of off-brand ant puppets. Next Film: Kingdom of the Spiders (1977)   FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! AJ: @AJMass Mike: @AMikeBloomType   Intro/Outro Music: "Traveling Man" courtesy of Purple Planet music (http://purple-planet.com)

It's time to dip into the Wild West of Netflix movies, as AJ and Mike explore 2016's "Paradox," the only sci-fi/action film to date to exclusively highlight stunt performers. Next Film: Empire of the Ants (1977)   FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! AJ: @AJMass Mike: @AMikeBloomType   Intro/Outro Music: "Traveling Man" courtesy of Purple Planet music (http://purple-planet.com)

AJ and Mike drill into Darren Aronofsky's debut mathematical thriller "Pi," a black and white movie that is anything but. Next Film: Paradox (2016)   FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! AJ: @AJMass Mike: @AMikeBloomType   Intro/Outro Music: "Traveling Man" courtesy of Purple Planet music (http://purple-planet.com)