Back to the Balcony

An amused second look at movies and culture from the last century.

Alien (1979) 04/25/2025

Alien (1979) While Jimmy can't deny Alien's popularity - it made big bucks and spawned a slew of follow-ups of somethimes great, sometimes dubious quailtiy - it still strikes him as clumsy and eye-rollingly dumb. Comedian Ryan Sim begs to differ and does so with a spirited defense. Can he win Jimmy over? Listen to find out. /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/36298965

Mary Poppins (1964) 04/11/2025

Mary Poppins (1964) At long last, the episode that got away, it's David Green here again to talk about 1964's Mary Poppins. Gee, who could find something not to love about a film that's a beloved classic? Certainly not David who adores this film, that leaves just... /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/36082385

Wizard of Oz (1939) And Meet Me In St. Louis (1944) - The Better Garland Movie? 03/28/2025

Wizard of Oz (1939) And Meet Me In St. Louis (1944) - The Better Garland Movie? Chris Jarvie and his beautiful other half Christine Kinahan join Jimmy to talk about their favourite movies. Listeners will no doubt remember that Jarvie always comes on with the intention of championing one film but then changing his mind at the last minute. Will he sing the praises of the Wizard of Oz or will he agree with his wife that Meet Me In St. Louis is the more loveable movie? /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/35890335

True Lies (1994) 03/14/2025

True Lies (1994) Arnold? In a romance movie? Or an action movie? Or both? Or neither? Guest Chris Wuergler sees a lot in this movie. All that plus the story of how guest engineer Ryan Sim met Tom Arnold. Now that's entertainment! /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/35701810

Funny People (2009) 02/28/2025

Funny People (2009) The explanation for why we talked about a movie outside our normal range is explained within the podcast. It's also unusual because it's about the comedy business and we had four comedians in the room so the conversation drifted into what it's like to be a stand-up comedian, what the movie gets right and if the relationships seem genuine. Manolis Zontanos, Patrick Coppolino, Kristian Reimer and Jimmy England together bring over fifty years of experience to the discussion. Absolutely fascinating. /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/35313585

Toxic Romance - Unfaithful versus Fatal Attraction 02/14/2025

Toxic Romance - Unfaithful versus Fatal Attraction Kristian Reimer and Chris Wuergler did such a great job last Valentine's Day talking about the most romantic movie. But there's more than one kind of romance, there's also those that turn out to be toxic and no more so than Unfaithful and Fatal Attraction. We got deep into the weeds about love, lust and romance. Thoughtful and funny too. /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/35284740

The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) 01/31/2025

The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) There are generational gaps in culture and never was it more glaring than in The Spy Who Shagged Me. Guest Mario Bernardi liked it when it came out but was appalled when he saw it again. Jimmy was no better but engineer Phil gave it a solid thumbs up. So what could be wrong with a movie that made a boatload of money? Listen to find out and see if you agree or not. /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/34866975

Forgotten Movies Part 2 01/17/2025

Forgotten Movies Part 2 Part 2 of our episode about the great or significant movies people are in danger of forgetting about with Jimmy and guest Mario Bernardi. Give a listen to both episodes and let us know what movies you think we should have included. As you'll hear it was a lot of fun to do and uncovered a lot of surprising facts. /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/34346145

Forgotten Movies Part 1 01/03/2025

Forgotten Movies Part 1 Okay, here's the deal, Jimmy and Mario were supposed to do an episode about ten great or significant movies people were in danger of forgetting about. Jimmy chose five and guest Mario Bernardi chose five. Good enough but nobody did the math about how long this episode would be. So this is part one featuring five of the ten. Some intriguing choices, surprising facts and a lot of fun to boot. /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/34346085

White Christmas (1954) 12/20/2024

White Christmas (1954) If there's one thing we've learned about guest Bob Kerr it's that he has a taste for the macabre. How else do you explain his love of Ernest Saves Christmas? This year we made him watch 1954's White Christmas - a movie this avowed lover of Christmas had never seen before - just to see if his head would explode. Did he find something to love? Give a listen to find out. Another fun episode. /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/34215670

The Matrix/Hail the Conquering Hero 12/06/2024

The Matrix/Hail the Conquering Hero Jimmy and Phil dare to challenge each other to watch a movie they've never seen before. Phil makes Jimmy watch The Matrix. Jim takes Phil back to WWII for Hail the Conquering Hero. Can something modern turn Jimmy's crank? And what about Phil, can he get into something - even a comedy - that came out long before he was born . You'll be surprised! An episode that wasn't really planned but just kind of happened with surprising results. /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/34204210

Major League Baseball (1989) 11/22/2024

Major League Baseball (1989) Gerry Hall takes us out to the ballgame for his take on the greatest baseball movie of all time prior to 2000, 1989's Major League. Surprisingly, he has a criteria that coulld possibly support his argument. Contains discussion of Gerry's career and the grand-daddy of all co-incidences. Lot of fun - and not just for baseball fans. /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/33761767

Grosse Point Blank (1997) 11/08/2024

Grosse Point Blank (1997) Barry Carter drops by to extolls the virtues of the quirky Grosse Point Blank from 1997. Does it sell out its premise to become just another rom-com or does it never lose its edge? There's holes and Jimmy ineveitably falls into them. /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/33761742

Army of Darkness (1992) 10/25/2024

Army of Darkness (1992) Talk about spooky! For our Halloween episode, guest Ryan Sim defends a movie that's credited with killing the Evil Dead series. What's worse, engineer Phil, loves the movie too. Stayed tuned to the very end for Ryan's challenge to Jimmy. /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/33297937

The Sandlot (1993) 10/11/2024

The Sandlot (1993) Not without its flawa but Jimmy actually agrees with guest Chris Jarvie that The Sandlot is not without its charm. But is it the best movie about baseball ever made? That was supposed to be Chris' position - but it's Chris Jarvie and you'll hear what that means. /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/33298057

Edward Scissorhands (1990) 09/27/2024

Edward Scissorhands (1990) Guest Chris Wuergler revels in this off-beat gothic-romance, while Phil and Jimmy confess they enjoyed it while being constantly confused by exactly when it's taking place. Big revelation of the episode: Chris used Avon Make-up. If you've seen the movie you'll know why that's significant. /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/33128222

Streetcar Named Desire (1951) 09/06/2024

Streetcar Named Desire (1951) Not just a classic but considered one of the seminal films of American cinema. It stands up for guest Chris Wuergler and engineer Phil as still powerful after all this time. The big question on Jimmy's mind? Did it really happen. Just one of the intriguing ways it send this talk down a very deep rabbit hole. /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/32740837

Money Pit Versus Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House 08/16/2024

Money Pit Versus Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House Most people probably don't know that The Money Pit was actually a remake of an old Cary Grant - Myrna Loy movie called Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House - a movie that's among Jimmy's favourites. Does it hold up or will guests Mario Bernardi and Chris Wuergler see something less in it. /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/32388867

Pee-Wee's Big Adventure 08/02/2024

Pee-Wee's Big Adventure For a twist - and to celebrate (late again) our 200th episode - Mario Bernardi and Joel Van Vliet turn the tables on Jimmy and make him the guest who has to talk about one of his favourite films: Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. Jimmy says it's a unique, cultural masterpiece. Will that be the prevailing opinion? Listen to find out if it it - and why this is such a special appearance by Joel. Mario, not so much but Joel! /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/32388947

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) 07/12/2024

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) Jimmy's new favourite episode. Guest Larry Smith and guest engineer Mitch McBeaudry bring a wealth of information and love for this movie. The result is hilarious, intriguing and hugely entertaining. /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/32085337

Stephen King's Cat's Eye (1985) 06/22/2024

Stephen King's Cat's Eye (1985) The ever horrifying Bob Kerr is back to talk about Stephen King's Cat's Eye. Is it a horror anthology? Is it a black comedy? Is it another attempt to gross Jimmy out? Okay, it's not very gross but it has some weird ideas. /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/31848327

Meet Joe Black (1998) 06/07/2024

Meet Joe Black (1998) Guest Nik Duncan surprises Jimmy with a rigorous defense of the virtues of Meet Joe Black. Includes a brief interlude where they may have been visited by the ghost of Barry White. Actually the 200th episode of Back to the Balcony - just not the 200th anniversary celebration of the show. /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/31651482

Rear Window (1954) 05/10/2024

Rear Window (1954) Better late than never (explanation for why we're a weak late will be in the next expisode). Chris Wuergler revisits her Hitchcock obsession with 1954's Rear Window, a fascinating movie that seems so unlikely to work but somehow does. Jimmy tries to poke holes but it's hard because this movie forces you to suspend your disbelief. Funny, as always but with some fascinating sidebars about eavesdropping. Are we alll guilty of it? Listen and decide for yourself. /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/31219147

All The President's Men (1976) 04/19/2024

All The President's Men (1976) We spend just about as much time talking about the political and social ramifications of this movie and events as we do about the movie itself. Like always it's funny but Jimmy and guest Mario Bernardi meander in a lot of directions with this one. /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/30883358

196 Groundhog Day 04/05/2024

196 Groundhog Day It's hard to review funny movies but Groundhog Day may be the most hilarious and the most well thought out comedy movie of all time. Guest Scott Faulconbridge makes a compelling argument for why it's so good and what we respond to in the movie. /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/30684138

Two Generations on the Road to Morocco (1942) 03/22/2024

Two Generations on the Road to Morocco (1942) What happens two distant generations meet a movie hit from the 40's? Will it stand up or was this a huge mistake? Mario Bernardi guests with Chris Jarvie (who is literally, half his age) to talk about the best of the Bob Hope and Bing Crosby road pictures, The Road to Morocco. Is here a renaissance coming, will a new generation embrace it? Will the old generation ev en remember it? Turns out to be a pretty fascinating discussion with an unexpected obstacle to universal acceptance. /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/30463113

Back to School (1986) 03/08/2024

Back to School (1986) Bret Measor joins Jimmy along with guest engineer Kristian Reimer (who forgot to turn his microphone on) to talk about the legacy of Rodney Dangerfield and his 1986 movie, Back to School. Bret loves it, Jimmy likes it but wishes it could have revealed more of Rodney and less shenanigans. Is he right or Bret? Give it a listen to find out. /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/30032968

Leslie Nielsen - Comedian? 02/23/2024

Leslie Nielsen - Comedian? Ryan Sim and Mitch McBeaudry join Jimmy to figure out if Leslie Neilen is a great comedian or someone who just got lucky a couple times and coasted on that career ever afterwards. Ryan Sinm says he was a natural comedian and 1988's The Naked Gun proves it. Mitch says no, just look at 1995's Dracula: Dead and Loving It. Somewhere's along the way Mel Brooks gets bashed. /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/30023508

Most Romantic - The Notebook (2004) Or Casablanca (1942) 02/09/2024

Most Romantic - The Notebook (2004) Or Casablanca (1942) Just in time for Valentine's Day it's Chris Wuergler and Kristian Reimer the most romantic movie. Is it 2004's paean to gooey love The Notebook or that tale of gritty sacrifice, 1942's Casablanca? A fun episode that also speaks to the romance in all of us. /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/29878253

Uncle Buck (1989) 01/26/2024

Uncle Buck (1989) Mario Bernardi and guest engineer Ryan Sim join Jimmy to re-visit Uncle Buck and the curious idea that no one understands children like somebody who doesn't have any. That's just one of the plot holes in a movie that still stands up surprisingly well. Listen to find out why. /episode/index/show/backtothebalcony/id/29644203

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