In celebration of our 100th episode, CJ goes toe-to-toe against a fan to keep his title as the Resident Nerd.

Abominable didn't do terribly well at the box office, and we have some theories as to why. Join us for a thoughtful conversation about how good stories do and don't get developed, and enjoy a behind-the-scenes anecdote about CJ and Jordan's first conversation about this movie, before either of them had seen it yet.

John Rambo has had his ups and downs throughout the 37 years of blood and makeshift traps. Join us and Mr. Aaron Woodall from Mormon and the Methhead as we discuss the "masculine" franchise that is Rambo - for better or for worse.

Mormon and the Methhead - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-and-the-meth-head/id1357356830

We know you love to hear us fight, so we brought our knives to this episode. CJ came out swinging with words like "pretentious" and "stop yelling." Jordan mounted a grand defense supported almost entirely by a wildly oversimplified explanation of the movie's primary flaw. But, at the end of the day, we agreed that we both love space movies. And this is a pretty good space movie.

Do you like horror movies? Before you answer that, you should know that CJ didn't think he did until he saw Haunt. We loved this movie, and we think you will, too. That is, if you can stay open minded about disturbing images and inventive slasher gore. If you're still unconvinced, listen to the first part of this episode and see if we can change your mind.

Fight Club made one of the biggest cultural splashes of any movie in the past thirty years. In this episode, we talk about why, and explore whether this late 90s phenomenon holds up under the scrutiny of 2019 sensibilities. Plus, Brad Pitt.

Scott Beck and Bryan Woods were truly excellent guests -- everything we could have hoped for and more. Not only did we unpack IT Chapter Two in a way that left us all feeling a bit wiser, we also got to geek out about how much we loved Haunt (their new movie out TODAY -- go see it!), and revisit some of the salient themes from A Quiet Place. Man, what a great episode. (Can you hear our satisfied sigh from all the way over there?)

If you haven't seen this movie, see if the first part of this episode can't convince you. It's way better and way more fun than anyone had a right to expect. If you HAVE seen it, join us for a conversation about gore as slapstick and the problem of old money. Plus, listen for a pretty sweet announcement. We're excited, and you should be, too. 

If you haven't seen this movie, see if the first part of this episode can't convince you. It's way better and way more fun than anyone had a right to expect. If you HAVE seen it, join us for a conversation about gore as slapstick and the problem of old money. Plus, listen for a pretty sweet announcement. We're excited, and you should be, too. 

You may or may not have heard of Blumhouse Productions, but you've heard of Blumhouse Productions' productions. Today, we talk about the unique strategy the company has used to become so successful, and we're also FINALLY talking about one of their most beloved films: Get Out, Jordan Peele's writer-directorial debut and masterwork. And if one of your Nerd Critic hosts starts claiming to have been named after Mr. Peele, please just humor him.

You know what? Sure. It's been a slow summer. But guess what else! We liked this movie. It was fun. It had good action. And while it may not have delivered the kinds of complex moral exploration we've come to expect from this franchise (...*ahem*), it sure did inspire a rich and thoughtful conversation between your favorite Nerd and Critic. Enjoy.

Fooled ya! OK here's the story. We WERE going to talk about 300 (in honor of Gerard Butler's somewhat abortive career), but then we came to our senses and pivoted. HARD. Today, we finally, finally talked about one of the movies that has had the greatest impact not only on CJ and Jordan, but on nearly everyone. And we could swear that time slowed down the deeper we dove into this Christopher Nolan classic. Or maybe it sped up? Either way, come enjoy this shared dream with us.

Regardless of anything, Cate Blanchett is wonderful. Join us in our appreciation. Also, come explore the absence of a question mark in the title of this movie. On Nerd Critic, we always address the most urgent issues and deliver the most meaningful insights.  

According to IMDb, The Shawshank Redemption is the best (or at least most popular) movie ever, and that will probably never change. How did that happen? We have some ideas. But also, we have some very positive thoughts about the movie itself. Because, while it might not be the best movie in whole past and future history of movies, it certainly is a damn good one.