Load Bearing Beams

Matt and Laci are mysteriously missing, so this episode is brought to you by replacement hosts Sister Anastasia Killian and Friar Jacob Aloysius Clement, who have the required expertise to talk you through the 1992 Whoopi Goldberg vehicle Sister Act. Is it an accurate portrayal of convent life? Do nuns really have this much fun?   Anyway, the show has lots of praise for this frankly delightful nun comedy. Obviously Whoopi is a megastar here, but how wonderful is Maggie Smith? Honestly, all of these nuns are terrific, they should star in remakes of other movies. Like, wouldn’t it be great to see Nuns in Wonderland, or The Nuns and the Chocolate Factory, or Nun Transformers: Age of Extinction?   Prayers up for Laci and Matt, who we haven’t heard from since all that unpleasantness in Reno.   Next week: Mad Max 2 (we Americans know it as The Road Warrior)   Want to watch this episode? Catch it on YouTube: https://youtu.be/5XUj0Pm3MbQ   Time stamps: 00:02:32 — Our histories with Sister A

As we face the dawn of the new Planet of the Apes, the podcast takes a look at Tim Burton’s ill-fated 2001 “reimagining” of the original classic. Charlton Heston gave one of the most captivating leading man performances in sci-fi history back in 1968, so how does Mark Wahlberg’s performance stack up here? And why is Tim Roth doing... that... in this movie?   The ape makeup looks great though, doesn’t it folks? This is a movie Matt has long contended is “not as bad as everyone says.” Will he stick to his convictions this time around?   The show is joined by its friend Cinematic Joshua (@CinematicJoshua on TikTok) to help us answer these questions and many more.   Next week: Sister Act (1992)   Watch this episode in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-XdQPkT1mNk   Time stamps: 00:05:37 — Our relationships with the many Planet of the Apes movies 00:13:34 — Pre-movie predictions 00:25:25 — History segment: Pierre Boulle’s original novel, the 1968 film, and the development of production of t

We held a Listener Choice Lottery, and the winning selection was 1986’s Howard the Duck, brought to us courtesy of Smash Trivia John. So we dive in—beak first—to unpack the history of this notorious disaster of a movie. Then we go through the movie itself, excruciatingly thoroughly, to figure out if this movie is too sexy or not sexy enough. Plus, a lot of talk about '80s weirdos and how they're not so different from us, when you think about it. And we try to get to the bottom of what exactly this movie is saying.   Next week: We visit Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes (2001) with our friend, returning guest Cinematic Joshua   Watch this episode in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/c3i2sKcFp7Y   Time stamps: 00:01:00 — Why are we covering Howard the Duck on our podcast? 00:06:31 — Pre-movie predictions 00:17:34 — History segment: A history of Howard the Duck in comics and the production and disastrous reception of the movie, as shepherded by executive producer George Lucas, writer/director

NOTE: Boy do we say some stuff in this episode. As always, please keep in mind that the language on this podcast is rated R. For pirates. As adults in their late thirties, Laci and Matt are just the right age to play the “teenager” characters in the sexy cult classic Cruel Intentions (1999). Together, your hosts unpack how differently the movie plays for them as adults (funny) than when they were teenagers (deadly serious), and gush over the deliciously evil performance of Sarah Michelle Gellar. Also, Laci finds this Ryan Phillippe fellow very appealing, but we won’t get into that here.  You can put this podcast anywhere, but we recommend the ear.  Next week: We engaged our listeners to program our next episode, so on this episode you will hear us spin the wheel and land on the winner, and react to it in real time. (You have to listen to find out the movie that won, is what I am saying.) Watch this episode in full: https://youtu.be/ci7L1LG1mwc    Time stamps: 00:03:43 — Our personal histories with Cruel Inten

Content warning: We discuss the sexual assault allegations against director Bryan Singer.  As adults in their late thirties all around the world gush about X-Men 97 on Disney Plus, we take a look back at a movie widely considered one of the high points of superhero cinema: 2003’s X2 (a.k.a. X-Men 2, a.k.a. X2: X-Men United). We begin by unpacking our histories with the X-Men and comic books and superheroes in general, then take a look at the serious allegations against Bryan Singer.  We also talk a lot about how surprisingly resonant mutants as metaphor is, and how movingly this movie deals with the metaphor.  Next week: Cruel Intentions (1999) Watch this episode in full: https://youtu.be/OgKbZ2rxy4U   Time stamps: 00:07:22 — Our personal histories with the X-Men, and comic books 00:15:35 — Pre-movie predictions 00:22:25 — History segment: A brief history of the X-Men; career overview of and allegations against director Bryan Singer 00:41:20 — In-depth movie discussion 01:32:37 — Final thoughts and star ratin

Look, you shouldn’t kidnap a woman who has suffered a traumatic brain injury and then imprison her for months, lying to her about who she is in order to get her to clean your house and raise your kids. It’s not an ideal way to start a relationship. That is something we believe. But when you're Kurt Russell and you do it? Well then we're having a different conversation.  We’re talking about the rom-com classic from 1987, Garry Marshall’s Overboard! Plus, a lot of talk about an ass crack and its centrality to the plot.  Next week: X2: X-Men United (2003) Want to watch this episode? It's on YouTube: https://youtu.be/tWIed_vOamA  Time stamps: 00:04:17 — Our personal histories with Overboard and Goldie & Kurt 00:09:15 — Pre-movie predictions 00:20:33 — History segment: The real-life news story that inspired this script; career overviews of director Garry Marshall and stars Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell 00:34:51 — In-depth movie discussion 01:42:26 — Final thoughts and star ratings   Artwork by Laci Roth.   Musi

Howdy everybody. We're still exhausted after our epic Easter Egg Hunt earlier this week. That's right, like Parzival and all his Ready Player One friends, we're Gunters. Anyway, we're taking this week off. We'll be back on Friday, April 12, 2024 with an episode about Overboard (1987), starring that adorkable couple, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. 

It’s Springtime for Laci and Matt as film historian Harry Marks (@lobbyintros on TikTok) joins the show to go over Mel Brooks’s first movie: the classic comedy The Producers (1968). Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder give two of the funniest performances ever… but what about the rest of the movie? Is it laugh-out-loud-funny in 2024? Or is it hopelessly dated? Or is there possibly a third option? Harry’s making great videos about classic films on his TikTok. We’d like to point you specifically to his movie intros (https://bit.ly/3TB6KVV), his series on the Hollywood Blacklist (https://bit.ly/43EsswF), and his series on the WGA strike of 1960 (https://bit.ly/3TYksDP).  Next week: We’re taking a week off. We’ll be back on April 12, 2024 with an episode about Overboard (1987). Watch every episode of Load Bearing Beams on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@loadbearingbeamspod   Time stamps: 00:12:25 — Our personal histories with The Producers and Mel Brooks 00:20:30 — Pre-movie predictions 00:24:47 — History segment: Career o

As the world prepares to embrace its new Frozen Empire, lovingly brought to us by the good people at Ghost Corps, we take a look at a movie that was kind of Ivan Reitman’s unofficial Ghostbusters 3: 2001’s Evolution. Um, so… yeah, this movie is something else, I tell you what. David Duchovny trying to be Bill Murray. Julianne Moore falling down. Selenium sulfide. A magical periodic table. But hey, Phil Tippett did the creature designs! And Seann William Scott’s always a fun addition. Next week: The Producers (1968) with Harry Marks from Let’s All Go to the Lobby Watch every episode of Load Bearing Beams on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@loadbearingbeamspod   Time stamps: 00:03:07 — Our personal histories with Evolution and also Ghostbusters 00:09:24 — Pre-movie predictions 00:16:31 — History segment: The evolution of Evolution; career overviews of director Ivan Reitman and designer Phil Tippett 00:40:05 — In-depth movie discussion 01:34:57 — Final thoughts and star ratings   Artwork by Laci Roth.   Music by Ru

The week Robert Downey Jr. has finally secured his coveted Oscar, we take a trip back in time. The year is 1993. A movie called Heart and Souls is released, in the aftermath of what Downey must have assumed was his Academy Award for the movie Chaplin (1992). We take a big long look at RDJ's career and also examine the curious '90s phenomenon of angel movies.  Next week: The movie that was supposed to be Ghostbusters 3: Ivan Reitman’s Evolution (2001). Watch every episode of Load Bearing Beams on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@loadbearingbeamspod   Time stamps: 00:01:04 — Our personal histories with Heart and Souls 00:08:04 — Pre-movie predictions 00:12:23 — History segment: Career overviews of director Ron Underwood and star Robert Downey Jr. 00:47:41 — In-depth movie discussion 01:43:37 — Final thoughts and star ratings   Artwork by Laci Roth.   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bi

The written word... that's the real magic, isn't it, you guys? Don't you just love cracking open a great book and being transported to a wondrous world? The Pagemaster (1994) is going to insist that you do love this. Loudly, and repeatedly. Laci and Matt take a look at this bizarre '90s live-action/animation flop and try to figure out exactly what Turner Feature Animation was going for.  There's also a lot of discussion about the sort-of-forgotten genre of made-for-kids-not-families movies. Next week: The Robert Downey, Jr. vehicle Heart and Souls (1993) Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/A8pJpwKGKuY   Time stamps: 00:01:00 — Our personal histories with The Pagemaster 00:10:25 — Pre-movie predictions 00:19:53 — History segment: Turner Feature Animation; career overviews of animation director Pixote Hunt, live action director Joe Johnston, and star Macaulay Culkin 00:32:47 — In-depth movie discussion 01:15:41 — Final thoughts and star ratings   Artwork by Laci Roth. Music by Rural Route Nine. List

Hey folks, as we announced previously, we are taking this week off due to work requirements. We're coming back and better than every on March 8, 2024 with a brand-new episode about the wild Macaulay Culkin book movie The Pagemaster (1994).  As always, thanks for supporting our dumb podcast. If you haven't already, please check us out on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@loadbearingbeamspod And why not check us out on TikTok, where Laci is producing great videos, including her popular 'coloring' series: https://www.tiktok.com/@load.bearing.beams  

In what is quite possibly the most snoogans episode we've ever recorded, we examine Kevin Smith’s Dogma (1999). At Laci's behest, we take our maiden voyage into the View Askewniverse to see what this controversial, transgressive, downright RUDE film has to say about religion, politics, and the state of things in Clinton’s America at the end of history.   Next week: We’re taking a week off. We’ll be back on March 8, 2024 with an episode about (...reads notes...) ... The Pagemaster? Watch this episode in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/i67IeCrBlNE   Time stamps:  00:04:19 — Our personal histories with Kevin Smith 00:27:14 — History segment: Career overview of Kevin Smith 00:41:12 — In-depth movie discussion 01:40:32 — Final thoughts and star ratings   Sources:  Down and Dirty Pictures: Miramax, Sundance, and the Rise of Independent Film by Peter Biskind — https://amzn.to/42Q2wOo  Kevin Smith on Surviving a Heart Attack: ‘It’s Like I Got to Attend My Own Wake’ - by Matt Wilstein, The Daily Beast — htt

Wade Hymel and Matt Stokes sit down for a free-wheeling discussion about different approaches to songwriting, creativity, collaboration, and recording. Wade also talks about his experience as a working musician, what going on tour is like, and what it's like to play music on a cruiseship. Then they talk about Wade's great new album Who Said That?  Hear Wade's amazing new album WHO SAID THAT? on Apple Music (https://apple.co/49xiC29), Spotify (https://bit.ly/3I2SwYE), or wherever else music is streamed. Or you can purchase the album from Bandcamp (https://bit.ly/3I2Syje). Watch this conversation on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Z3pf0N858yA Time stamps: 00:44 — What is a typical day like for a working musician? 05:37 — Wade's experiences playing on cruiseships 08:50 — Van life 11:39 — How have things changed over time for touring musicians? 16:58 — The importance of the producer in recorded music  19:24 — Different approaches to songwriting 22:57 — How did Rural Route Nine's song "Winston-Salem" go from a

Hear Wade's amazing new album WHO SAID THAT? on Apple Music, Spotify, or wherever else music is streamed. Or you can purchase the album from Bandcamp. Load Bearing Beams welcomes back Number 1 Friend of the Show, “Jack” Wade Hymel, to reconsider GoldenEye (1995). Wade first brought this movie to the show's attention on an episode in 2017, when both Laci and Matt panned it. Have their hearts thawed? Will James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) catch that falling plane in time? Will the villainous Alec Trevelyan (Sean Bean) successfully pull off his illegal electronic ACH bank transfer? Will the power of Bond's tender kisses ever bring a woman to climax? Will Laci like any of this?  Next week: Kevin Smith's Dogma (1999)! Watch all episodes of the show in full on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@loadbearingbeamspod   Time stamps: 00:05:04 — Fierce debate: Are movie posters part of a movie? 00:12:44 — Our histories with James Bond and GoldenEye 00:29:02 — Pre-movie predictions 00:34:29 — History segment: Brief history of Ja

Hey folks! Laci and Matt here to tell you that we were just on the great In Love With Horror podcast, and you can catch that episode right now! It's a deep dive into the classic 1981 slasher My Bloody Valentine and its 2009 remake.  If you're not already listening (In which case: the fuck?), it's a show hosted by a married couple, the lovely Kristie and AJ. They cover all things horror—movies, TV, games, books. Like our show, their show can go a little off the rails, but a good time is had by all.  You can watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/rS3Dt1g_liw?si=5VEJrJ2dq7iCr-Uv Or else listen to it on Apple Podcast: https://bit.ly/48cDqKN ...or Spotify: https://bit.ly/48mzEhM  And why not give them a follow on Twitter while you're at it? @nlovewithhorror

At the suggestion of our friend StitchAndStoryTime, we take a look at 1991's Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. This movie was a colossal hit in its day, and it's got a little something for everyone—tree houses and homemade gadgets and traps for the kids, sword battles for Dad, romance for Mom, and a healthy amount of the Dark Arts for Matt Stokes. This movie is nuts and we had a lot of fun talking about it for over two hours (sorry/you're welcome). Next week: Friend of the Show Wade Hymel returns, and we reconsider GoldenEye (1995)! Watch all episodes in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Cu55CX78ga8?si=g2frpAKZeH5xf_nj   Time stamps: 00:06:23 — Our personal histories with Kevin Costner and movies about Robin Hood 00:20:40 — Pre-movie predictions 00:25:00 — History segment: The Robin Hood folklore, movie adaptations of Robin Hood, and career overviews of star Kevin Costner and director Kevin Reynolds 00:37:56 — In-depth movie discussion 02:00:20 — Final thoughts and star ratings   Artwork by Laci Roth.  Music by

We head back to good old Hollywood, USA: Golden Era for a look at one of the most beloved American films of all time, 1942's Casablanca.  You hear this all the time about old, black-and-white movies, but this thing feels incredibly modern, and with much to say about the world of 2024. We discuss our personal histories with it, Matt's story of getting into classiv movies after watching it for the first time as a teenager, what audiences would have understood watching the movie in the 1940s that we might not understand now, and, of course, that beautiful friendship between that scoundrel Rick Blaine and that scamp Louis Renault.  Next week: It's a Listener's Choice selection of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)!  Watch this episode in full on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Cu55CX78ga8?si=g2frpAKZeH5xf_nj   Time stamps: 00:11:35 — Our personal histories with Casablanca 00:28:01 — History segment: The Second World War, Vichy France, and American neutrality in the early 1940s; the development and production of Casab

We take a trip to Montreal, to check in with the mild-mannered Dr. Nicholas "Oz" Oseransky (Matthew Perry) and his scary neighbor, Jimmy the Tulip (Bruce Willis). Can you even imagine what shenanigans these two get up to? We'll tell you all about them in our discussion of the 2000 hitman/dental comedy The Whole Nine Yards.  Most of this episode is a fierce argument about whether or not all the Matthew Perrying Matthew Perry does in this movie is good or bad.  Next week: Casablanca (1942)! Watch full-video episodes of Load Bearing Beams on our YouTube channel.   Time stamps: 00:03:16 — Our personal histories with The Whole Nine Yards 00:14:57 — Pre-movie predictions 00:18:50 — History segment: Career overviews of director Jonathan Lynn and star Matthew Perry 00:36:33 — In-depth movie discussion 01:16:22 — Final thoughts and star ratings     Artwork by Laci Roth.  Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or Yo

We have to postpone our episode this week because of some ridiculous weather events that basically threw our lives into chaos. Here's what happened: It got cold in Louisiana. No one knew what to do, so they shut down the schools, the roads, everything. Three days at home with the kids, unable to work, or think, or podcast. So we have to push back our schedule and do our episode on The Whole Nine Yards on Friday, January 26; our episode on Casablanca will follow on Friday, February 1, 2024. Thank you for your support of Load Bearing Beams. We love you, bye!