Hops and Box Office Flops

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent – Nic f’n Cage

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is an absolute joy bomb for fans of Nicolas Cage. Playing a fictionalized version of himself, Cage delivers a top-tier performance. It should remind everyone that, to summarize his character in the film, he never really went anywhere.
This is as thoughtful and well written an ode to the long, winding career of Cage could be. He's able to channel his younger self; dive headfirst into the neuroses that defined some of his best work; and, all the while, he's not afraid to laugh at or embrace the more absurd aspects of his acting choices.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is a masterclass of comedic storytelling.
But, credit where credit is due: This film works as well as it does because Pedro Pascal's Javi is the perfect foil for Cage. Their chemistry is undeniable; they are both having so much fun that the film's title could fittingly be The Unbearable Weight of Massive Charisma.
On a budget of just $30 million, it should not be struggling to make its money back; so go see this movie! Like, right now! Come back to the podcast afterward and revel in the love we had for it. 
Now, sit back, chug a Schneider Aventinus Wheat Doppel underwater, and don't drive on acid! I, the Thunderous Wizard (@WriterTLK), Chumpzilla, Capt. Cash, and a special guest are embracing the Nouveau Shamanic acting method!
This Week’s Segments:
Introduction/Plot Breakdown – First, we introduce our special guest, comic book artist Ryan Gutierrez, who discusses his soon to be released series Wesdeacon; and then, it's time to talk all things Nic f'n Cage! (00:00)
Lingering Questions – After a word from our brothers in beer at Hop Nation USA, we each choose which celebrity we'd like to have a shrine dedicated to. (49:37)
The "Nic Cage Smooches Good" Trivia Challenge – The Double Turn Podcast uses the wax Castor Troy as a weapon, and then I challenge the field to trivia about the movie. (1:14:11)
Recommendations – We offer our picks for the week and next up: We finish "Hops and Cage Match Flops" with The Sorcerer's Apprentice! (1:24:51)
And, as always, hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to check out all the interesting factoids—the deleted scenes and more—from this week’s episode!
You can find this episode of Hops and Box Office Flops on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, Spotify, Acast, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, Vurbl, and Amazon Music!

Mandy – Chainsaw Fight

Mandy is an absolutely bonkers, psychedelic acid trip loaded with blood, violence, and raw nerve.
It's a tragic film—one where a man witnesses his beloved be burned alive by a religious cult. This action, of course, leaves him no other option than revenge. The brutality, though visually striking, is only a small portion of the movie's brilliance.
Directed by Panos Cosmatos—son of famed director George P. Cosmatos—Mandy delights in its 80s look and feel. It utilizes atmosphere, unique colors, and framing to build upon the disturbing world it forces upon us.
Mandy is unapologetically itself; and whether someone wants to be on that ride may depend on their tastes. This can be a hard watch and not just because of Nicolas Cage's Red slowly losing his mind or having to witness him scream into the void of agony.
There are visuals here that will stick with you long after the credits roll. This may be a niche, genre movie, but it is one that transcends that characterization. Critics loved it. With 250 reviews, it's a Certified Fresh 90%. And despite not grossing very much ($1.4 million) during its limited theatrical run, it is wholly deserving of its cult status.
Now, sit back, demolish a few a Devil's Harvest Breakfast IPAs from Southern Prohibition Brewing, and don't use any of that biker LSD! I, the Thunderous Wizard (@WriterTLK), Chumpzilla, and Capt. Cash are fashioning the most metal ax in history to dole out some sweet and furious vengeance!
This Week’s Segments:
Introduction/Plot Breakdown – Like Jeremiah Sand, we come bearing a Message from the Mountain! (00:00)
Lingering Questions – After a word from our brothers in beer at Hop Nation USA, we discuss our favorite gore-tastic scenes from the film. (38:58)
The "Children of the New Dawn" Trivia Challenge – The Double Turn Podcast survives a Chainsaw Match, and then Chumpzilla challenges the field to trivia about the movie. (1:00:56)
Recommendations – We offer our picks for the week and next up: We continue "Hops and Cage Match Flops" with The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent! (1:10:51)
And, as always, hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to check out all the interesting factoids—Jeremiah's folk music and more—from this week’s episode!
You can find this episode of Hops and Box Office Flops on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, Spotify, Acast, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, Vurbl, and Amazon Music!

Willy’s Wonderland – It’s Your Birthday

Willy's Wonderland is delightful schlock.
An unabashed Five Nights at Freddy's ripoff, it stars Nicolas Cage as the Janitor—the silent protagonist who is stuck cleaning Willy's Wonderland to pay off a debt. It should come as no surprise that the titular establishment is not on the level.
In fact, its troupe of animatronic mascots are actually reanimated serial killers who committed ritualistic suicide before the authorities could apprehend them. Enter the Janitor. He's there to take out the trash, literally.
He is supposed to be the prey, offered to Willy's Wonderland as a sacrifice from the town. Instead, he is the predator, eliminating Willy's crew one by one in a variety of violent ways. And it is glorious. I mean, where else can you witness Cage using a plunger to assault a birthday mascot?
Now, sit back, bash open a Neon Rainbows New England Style IPA from Ommegang, and keep out of the air ducts! I, the Thunderous Wizard (@WriterTLK), Chumpzilla, and Mayor McCheese are slamming Punch energy drinks and curb-stomping animatronic gorillas!
This Week’s Segments:
Introduction/Plot Breakdown – Let playtime begin! (00:00)
Lingering Questions – After a word from our brothers in beer at Hop Nation USA, we discuss whether any of us could survive the horror of Willy's Wonderland. (27:59)
The "It's Your Birthday" Trivia Challenge – The Double Turn Podcast body slams Arty the Alligator, and then I challenge the field to trivia about the movie. (38:30)
Recommendations – We offer our picks for the week and next up: We continue "Hops and Cage Match Flops" with Mandy! (43:52)
And, as always, hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to check out all the interesting factoids—Cage's AMA and more—from this week’s episode!
You can find this episode of Hops and Box Office Flops on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, Spotify, Acast, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, Vurbl, and Amazon Music!

Black Friday – Not Worth the Bargain

Black Friday is like if someone took Dawn of the Dead, Army of Darkness, and The Mist, threw them all in a blender, but somehow removed any of the ingredients that made those films so memorable.
Biting social criticism? Well, it is there; it just doesn't work. Humor and over the top, practical gore? Both are in far too short supply. Dramatic tension? Sorry, there are no real scares to speak of.
This one, folks, is dead on arrival. And even if it is available for a mega sale, it's not worth the bargain.
Somehow, though, critics did not eviscerate it like one of the insatiable mutants would an unsuspecting stock boy. With 19 reviews, it sits at 63% on Rotten Tomatoes. The public, however, wasn't buying it. They can smell a cheap knockoff. They land at a 35%. Seems fair to me.
Now, sit back, crack open a Galactica West Coast IPA from Clown Shoes Beer, and stay out of the Christmas Village! I, the Thunderous Wizard (@WriterTLK), Chumpzilla, and Mayor McCheese are strapping on some roller skates to escape a horde of unruly and parasite-ravaged shoppers!
This Week’s Segments:
Introduction/Plot Breakdown – Don't let the holidays eat you alive! (00:00)
Lingering Questions – After a word from our brothers in beer at Hop Nation USA, we discuss whether any item could draw us out for Black Friday shopping. (23:43)
The "Suburban Savages" Trivia Challenge – The Double Turn Podcast uses a toy truck as a foreign object, and then I challenge the field to trivia about the movie. (37:02)
Recommendations – We offer our picks for the week and next up: We start "Hops and Cage Match Flops" with Willy's Wonderland! (45:24)
And, as always, hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to check out all the interesting factoids from this week’s episode!
You can find this episode of Hops and Box Office Flops on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, Spotify, Acast, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, Vurbl, and Amazon Music!

Annihilation – It’s a Metaphor

Annihilation is based upon a 2014 novel of the same name. And it is director Alex Garland's follow up to his highly acclaimed directorial debut Ex Machina.
Like that title, Annihilation is much more than the sum of its parts. Certainly, it is a Sci-Fi film where a team of women head into the unknown, the Shimmer as its called, to identify the source of the invading entity. But that is just the surface.
Annihilation is also about marital infidelity and the cost our decisions have on the ones we love. The setting is more a metaphorical trapping for how such things irrevocably change us.
Yes, listeners, this is highbrow fare, and it mostly works. The Shimmer provides a haunting setting, one that tests our explorers in a myriad of ways. The deeper they journey, the more of themselves they lose. Plus, there's a gnarly mutant bear that wrecks shit.
Anyway, Annihilation, despite outstanding reviews, did poorly at the box office. It grossed just $43.1 million on a budget estimated to be as high as $55 million. It's unfortunate because like all good Sci-Fi, it's asking you to look beyond just what's on the screen. 
Now, sit back, indulge in a Triple Shakes from Hitchhiker Brewing, and don't watch that recording! I, the Thunderous Wizard (@WriterTLK), Capt. Cash, and Chumpzilla are battling our inner demons in the form of amorphous aliens!
This Week’s Segments:
Introduction/Plot Breakdown – One way in. No way out! (00:00)
Lingering Questions – After a word from our brothers in beer at Hop Nation USA, we debate whether this should've flopped. (38:00)
The "T-Virus" Trivia Challenge – The Double Turn Podcast has a tornado tag versus the mutant bear, and then Capt. Cash challenges the field to trivia about the movie. (49:19)
Recommendations – We offer our picks for the week and next up: We finish "Hops and Pandemic Flops" with Black Friday! (55:55)
And, as always, hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to check out all the interesting factoids—Garland's next film and more—from this week’s episode!
You can find this episode of Hops and Box Office Flops on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, Spotify, Acast, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, Vurbl, and Amazon Music!

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City – Itchy, but Not So Tasty

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City is the seventh live-action iteration of the storied video game franchise. Sadly, like its predecessors, it fails to live up to the legacy of the series.
Yes, folks, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City is yet another uninspired video game adaptation. But unlike the Paul W.S. Anderson saga, this at least sticks close to the source material.
Raccoon City is a reboot, carrying no connection to the insipid six that came before it. In fact, it is essentially a narrative retelling of the first two games. In principle, that sounds like a good idea, but there's a reason there were two of them. This film can never find the right balance between the horrors of the Spencer Mansion and the panic-inducing labyrinth that is the titular city's police station.
In effect, it shortchanges them both; and through its slavish devotion to the games, it also shoehorns in far too much—including the cringe-worthy dialogue that was a hallmark of the series' early years.
Listen, I also hate W.S. Anderson's movies, but at least they made money. Raccoon City—certainly hindered by the ongoing pandemic—grossed just $41.9 million on a budget of $25 million. Critics had little appetite for it either. At 31% on Rotten Tomatoes with 84 reviews, it falls somewhere within the median of its predecessors. Not great.
Anyway, sit back, have a tasty (and itchy?) Undead Party Crasher from Clown Shoes Beer, and don't trust Wesker! I, the Thunderous Wizard (@WriterTLK), Capt. Cash, Mayor McCheese and Chumpzilla are heading to the ophthalmologist to have our blood eyes examined!
This Week’s Segments:
Introduction/Plot Breakdown – Witness the beginning of evil! (00:00)
Lingering Questions – After a word from our brothers in beer at Hop Nation USA, we discuss our perfect Resident Evil adaptation. (42:04)
The "T-Virus" Trivia Challenge – The Double Turn Podcast gets mauled by a licker, and then I challenge the field to trivia about the series of games. (1:07:57)
Recommendations – We offer our picks for the week and next up: We continue "Hops and Pandemic Flops" with Annihilation! (1:18:22)
And, as always, hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to check out all the interesting factoids—the glory of the games and more—from this week’s episode!
You can find this episode of Hops and Box Office Flops on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, Spotify, Acast, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, Vurbl, and Amazon Music!

The Happening – It’s Crappening

The Happening is a cinematic travesty. Directed by M. Night Shyamalan, it has zero in common with some of his finer work. For one thing, it lacks even the hint of a twist—a hallmark of his better movies.
It's also painfully stupid. Boasting Mark Wahlberg as high school science teacher Elliot Moore. Yes, you read that right; he's a science teacher. The Happening is little more than a premise. What happened if the trees starting infecting people with a toxin that would rob them of impulse control?
That's the movie. Nothing comes of that. There is no resolution whatsoever. If you're a viewer of this movie, you don't necessarily care anyway. There's so little to enjoy. From the horrendous acting, to the hammy script, to the dearth of palpable tension, The Happening, like its hapless victims, can't stop itself from causing you pain.
It's a tortuous experience. Hence why it sits at 17% on Rotten Tomatoes with 186 reviews. 
Anyway, sit back, sip a Voodoo Ranger Juice Force IPA from New Belgium Brewing through a hole in your gas mask, and don't piss off the trees! I, the Thunderous Wizard (@WriterTLK), Capt. Cash, Mayor McCheese and Chumpzilla are standing in place until the foliage stops murdering people!
This Week’s Segments:
Introduction/Plot Breakdown – We've sensed it. We've seen the signs. Now... it's happening! (00:00)
Lingering Questions – After a word from our brothers in beer at Hop Nation USA, we determine whether The Happening is the pod's new Shit Movie Champion. (35:09)
The "Crappening" Trivia Challenge – The Double Turn Podcast gets pinned by the wind, and then Chumpzilla challenges the field to trivia about the movie. (55:06)
Recommendations – We offer our picks for the week and next up: We continue "Hops and Pandemic Flops" with Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City! (1:04:32)
And, as always, hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to check out all the interesting factoids—the unintentional comedy of this movie and more—from this week’s episode!
You can find this episode of Hops and Box Office Flops on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, Spotify, Acast, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, Vurbl, and Amazon Music!

Showdown in Little Tokyo – Samurai Cop

Showdown in Little Tokyo is indisputably a bad movie, but that doesn't mean it isn't a heck of a lot of fun.
Starring Dolph Lundgren as Sgt. Chris Kenner and Brandon Lee as his partner Johnny Murata, it desperately wants to be Lethal Weapon. Unfortunately, it lacks the wit, charm, and overall directing acumen that film had.
Instead, this is a low budget 90s flick with a seedy aesthetic that rises above its mediocre quality because of some insane, though unintentionally hilarious, scenes.
Seriously folks, the way the villain bites it in this movie is one of the all-time great cinema deaths.
All that said, this movie tanked. That wasn't entirely its own fault. WB, who produced it, hated Showdown in Little Tokyo, releasing it in under 200 theaters domestically and butchering the original edit.
With such low distribution stateside and internationally, it was destined to fail. Boasting a budget of just $8 million, that shouldn't have been the case. There's a bathhouse fight, for Pete's sake. 
Anyway, sit back, cut the top off a Kirin Ichiban, and if the bathhouse is rocking, don't bother knocking! I, the Thunderous Wizard (@WriterTLK), Capt. Cash, and Chumpzilla are playing pin the katana on Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa!
This Week’s Segments:
Introduction/Plot Breakdown – One's a warrior. One's a wiseguy. They're two Los Angeles cops going after Japan's top mobster...Feet first! (00:00)
Lingering Questions – After a word from our brothers in beer at Hop Nation USA, we discuss the most gnarly death of "B-List Action Star Flops." (49:00)
The "Double Team" Trivia Challenge – The Double Turn Podcast wins the Samurai Sword Death Match, and then I challenge the field to trivia about the movie. (1:00:20)
Recommendations – We offer our picks for the week and next up: We begin "Hops and Pandemic Flops" with the much maligned The Happening! (1:10:22)
And, as always, hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to check out all the interesting factoids—the glory of this film's ending and more—from this week’s episode!
You can find this episode of Hops and Box Office Flops on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, Spotify, Acast, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, Vurbl, and Amazon Music!

Double Team – Spy Island

Double Team is an ill conceived 1997 action film that attempts to capitalize on the waning star power of Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dennis Rodman. Though each had experienced much success in their respective careers, this came far after each of their sell by dates.
For Van Damme, who stars as Jack Quinn, a series of misses and a well known issue with drugs took their toll. The latter can be said for Rodman, as well. His partying has been well documented.
Thus, this was Van Damme's big attempt at a come back. He needed a win. Rodman, more than likely, was just along for the ride. For the director—Chinese film legend Tsui Hark—the whole enterprise was probably more than he bargained for.
Double Team isn't exactly disastrous—like Hark's follow up to it Knockoff—but it's not too far from it. The plot is nonsensical, the action is hectic in the worst possible ways, and the stunt doubling is flagrant.
This is probably why it bombed so badly. Double Team grossed a paltry $48.14 million on a budget of $30 million. Critics also dunked on it. It sits at 11% on Rotten Tomatoes and carries a User Score of 25%.
Those are harsh numbers. They may be fair, but they also eschew the utter awesomeness of Van Damme fighting a tiger! Oh, and Mickey Rourke is here, chewing every awful line he has! You can't not love that!
So sit back, imbibe in a 2XMas Spiced Double Ale from Southern Tier Brewing, and hack the Vatican with the cyber monks! I, the Thunderous Wizard (@WriterTLK), Capt. Cash, and Chumpzilla are fleeing spy island, so we can fight some tigers in the Roman Colosseum!
This Week’s Segments:
Introduction/Plot Breakdown – He's a one-man arsenal... with enough voltage to rock the free world! (00:00)
Lingering Questions – The Double Turn Podcast hits a Ram Jam from the top, and then we discuss whether this movie's absurdity is enough to mask its awful script. (59:16)
The "Double Team" Trivia Challenge – After a word from our brothers in beer at Hop Nation USA, Capt. Cash challenges the field to trivia about the movie. (1:10:44)
Recommendations – We offer our picks for the week and next up: We cap off "Hops and B-List Action Star Flops" with Brandon Lee's U.S. film debut Showdown in Little Tokyo! (1:20:03)
And, as always, hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to check out all the interesting factoids—when Rodman ruled the world and more—from this week’s episode!
You can find this episode of Hops and Box Office Flops on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, Spotify, Acast, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, Vurbl, and Amazon Music!