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The Manchurian Candidate (2004)

Shat the Movies: 80's & 90's Best Film Review

Release Date: 03/31/2025

Dead Poets Society (1989) show art Dead Poets Society (1989)

Shat the Movies: 80's & 90's Best Film Review

This week, the Shat The Movies boys dust off their prep school blazers and follow Robin Williams into Welton Academy for 1989’s Dead Poets Society. Commissioned by listener Rob F., this Oscar-winning coming-of-age drama gave the world “Carpe Diem,” a standing-on-desks finale, and enough inspiration to launch a thousand “cool teacher” clichés. But does it still move us 35 years later, or has it become too earnest for its own good? Gene and Big D wrestle with their own school baggage while debating whether John Keating is a saintly mentor or a reckless enabler who lit fires in his...

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Shat the Movies: 80's & 90's Best Film Review

Shat the Movies ask, what are the best 80s & 90s movies? Do you find yourself asking if the movies we loved while growing up were really that good? Have you caught yourself thinking, “why don’t they make movies like they use to?” Can you still remember spending your Friday Nights searching for the perfect movie rental at Blockbuster Video? Do you know what Blockbuster Video is? If you answered yes, then this is the podcast for you! Your hosts, Dick Ebert, Gene Lyons, & Roger Roeper will take a look back in time & decide if our favorite films still hold up. Subscribe Now ...

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Shat the Movies: 80's & 90's Best Film Review

This week, Shat The Movies heads to small-town Indiana, where basketball is life, second chances are rare, and Dennis Hopper is cold, coach—real cold. Commissioned by fantasy football champion Stephen J., 1986’s Hoosiers is one of the most celebrated underdog stories in sports cinema, often hailed as the “best basketball movie ever made.” But does it hold up nearly 40 years later? Gene and Big D debate whether Gene Hackman’s Coach Norman Dale is a genius strategist or just a guy yelling “four passes!” while waiting for Jimmy Chitwood to show up. Along the way, we question the...

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Shat the Movies: 80's & 90's Best Film Review

For our Ninth Anniversary Episode, the Shat Crew draws the sword from the stone and rides into John Boorman’s epic Excalibur (1981). Commissioned by Chris, Mike, and Ollie to celebrate their father Robert’s 60th birthday, this Arthurian fever dream delivers knights, magic, and more shiny armor than a Manowar album cover. From Nicol Williamson’s scene-stealing Merlin to Helen Mirren’s wickedly alluring Morgana, the movie is equal parts mythic grandeur and campy chaos. Gene marvels at the operatic visuals, while Big D is dazzled by the medieval carnage. Together they debate whether...

info_outline Toy Soldiers (1991) show art Toy Soldiers (1991)

Shat the Movies: 80's & 90's Best Film Review

This week on Shat the Movies, we’re taking hostages with Toy Soldiers (1991), where teen rebels face off against terrorists in a prep school under siege. Sean Astin, Wil Wheaton, and Louis Gossett Jr. bring the heat in this action-packed mix of Die Hard, The Goonies, and teenage rebellion. Gene and Big D break down the implausible plot, glorious explosions, and whether this 90s cult classic still makes the grade. Is it a hidden gem, or just juvenile fantasy with pipe bombs? Tune in and find out! Plot Summary:Colombian terrorist Luis Cali (Andrew Divoff) takes an American prep school hostage...

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Shat the Movies: 80's & 90's Best Film Review

The Shat Crew trades leather jackets for Stetsons and arena rock for steel guitars with George Strait’s acting debut, Pure Country. Commissioned by listener Frank Fall, this 1992 romantic drama follows country superstar "Dusty" Chandler, who’s grown tired of the smoke, lasers, and screaming crowds. Disappearing from the spotlight, Dusty sets out to rediscover the joy of music—and maybe find love—while keeping his identity a secret. While Big D marvels at the film’s unapologetic sincerity and old-school values, Gene wrestles with whether Dusty’s “just folks” routine is genuine...

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Shat the Movies: 80's & 90's Best Film Review

This week on Shat the Movies, it’s a date night gone completely off the rails with Mystery Date (1991)! Ethan Hawke stars as a shy teen whose dream night with the girl next door spirals into chaos involving mistaken identity, a dead body, and a punk club performance by Gwar. Gene and Big D unpack the movie’s strange tone, chaotic plot, and missed opportunities for greatness. From creepy crushes to club culture, this dark comedy has more surprises than a trunk full of corpses. Does it hold up, or should this movie stay forgotten? Tune in to find out!. Plot Summary:Teenage Tom McHugh (Ethan...

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Shat the Movies: 80's & 90's Best Film Review

The Shat Crew soars into DreamWorks territory for a film that melted even Gene’s icy heart: How to Train Your Dragon. This animated fantasy wasn’t just a box office smash—it was a coming-of-age story that redefined what kids’ movies could be, combining sweeping visuals, smart storytelling, and a surprising emotional punch. Commissioned by Cheryl, this pick launches Big D into dad mode, marveling at the Viking village’s parenting techniques and dragon integration programs, while Gene questions how the filmmakers got him gushing over a silent reptile with puppy eyes.  Is How to...

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Shat the Movies: 80's & 90's Best Film Review

This week on Shat the Movies, we’re delving into the heart of The Deer Hunter (1978), a haunting exploration of friendship, war, and what remains behind. With powerhouse performances from Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, and Meryl Streep, this Best Picture winner delivers brutal realism, emotional gut punches, and one very tense game of Russian roulette. Is it still a masterpiece—or just a long, grim march? Tune in and find out.. Plot Summary: The Deer Hunter (1978), directed by Michael Cimino, is a powerful war drama that follows a group of working-class friends from a...

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Shat the Movies: 80's & 90's Best Film Review

This week on Shat The Movies, Gene and Big D rope in a modern Western classic with City Slickers (1991), a film that’s equal parts midlife meltdown, male bonding, and calf-birthing madness. Commissioned as a birthday gift from Ken to Eileen, Shat The Movies Episode 450 explores the heartfelt—and sometimes hilarious—journey of three friends finding purpose on a New Mexico cattle drive. Gene shares personal reflections on Americana cosplay, toxic corporate life, and the ever-elusive “one thing,” while Big D opens up about aging, friendship, and why his idea of bliss is scrubbing solar...

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This week on the pod, we're diving into the high-stakes paranoia of The Manchurian Candidate (2004), a political thriller reboot that trades Cold War chills for post-Gulf War conspiracy. Denzel Washington stars as Major Ben Marco, a decorated soldier haunted by dreams suggesting something sinister happened during his time in Kuwait. With the help of an eerie performance by Liev Schreiber and a chillingly manipulative Meryl Streep, the film leans hard into psychological suspense but does the tension still land in 2024? Tune in as we revisit this remake, break down its big themes, and ask the ultimate question: Is The Manchurian Candidate still worth voting for?

Plot Summary:
In the 2004 political thriller The Manchurian Candidate, directed by Jonathan Demme, Denzel Washington stars as Major Ben Marco, a Gulf War veteran plagued by disturbing dreams and lingering suspicions about his past. A remake of the 1962 classic, the film updates the Cold War paranoia to a post-9/11 world of corporate influence, political manipulation, and psychological warfare.

Marco served alongside Sergeant Raymond Shaw (Liev Schreiber), who has since returned home a decorated war hero and rising political star. Shaw's mother, Senator Eleanor Prentiss Shaw (Meryl Streep), is a powerful and cunning politician pushing her son toward the vice presidency. But Marco begins to suspect that their wartime memories have been tampered with—and that Shaw may be the product of mind control by a shadowy multinational corporation known as Manchurian Global.

As Marco digs deeper, he uncovers a chilling conspiracy involving psychological conditioning, implanted memories, and a plan to manipulate the highest levels of the U.S. government. His grip on reality begins to waver as he races to uncover the truth and stop a sinister plot that could alter the future of American democracy.

Denzel Washington gives a powerful, haunted performance as a man unraveling a web of lies, while Meryl Streep delivers a chilling turn as an ambitious mother who will stop at nothing to seize power. The film blends intense suspense with thought-provoking commentary on political corruption, the military-industrial complex, and the dangers of unchecked influence.

Join our podcast review as we revisit this modern thriller, exploring its performances, themes, and whether this cerebral update of a classic still resonates in today’s political climate.

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