Hops and Box Office Flops

So I Married an Axe Murderer – Head, Pod Now!

So I Married an Axe Murderer came hot off the heels of the mega hit Wayne's World. Unfortunately for Mike Myers, it could not replicate the famous skit's success.
Banking just north of $11 million, So I Married and Axe Murderer was a box office bomb. But any child of the 90s will tell you that it's still a damn good time.
This is peak Myers, a time when his oddball characters were still funny. It's also his attempt to play the generic male lead. Aside from his dual role of Stuart, the curmudgeonly Scottish father of Charlie, he's just your average joe.
The results of that attempt are mixed. Perhaps if they weren't, Myers wouldn't have made it his life's purpose to play increasingly bizarre characters. I guess, what I'm saying is: It's all our fault that The Love Guru happened. Damn us all to hell.
Now, sit back, hack open a Fireside Chat from 21st Amendment Brewery, and help resuscitate the downed piper! I, the Thunderous Wizard (@WriterTLK), Capt. Cash, Mayor McCheese, and Bling Blake are hitting open mic night for some sick slam poetry!
This Week’s Segments:
Introduction/Plot Breakdown – The honeymoon was killer! (00:00)
Lingering Questions – Shrek, Stuart, or Fat Bastard, which Mike Myers Scotsman reigns supreme? (38:32)
The "Whoa, Man" Trivia Challenge – Bling Blake challenges the field to trivia about the movie. (1:01:24)
Recommendations – We offer our picks for the week and next up: We continue Bomb Coms by living our lives in repeat with Palm Springs! (1:15:00)
And, as always, hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to check out all the interesting factoids—the truth behind The Pentaverate 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, Amazon Music, and more!

Summer Catch – Strike’s Out Looking

Summer Catch came at the peak of Freddie Prinze, Jr. mania. He was sort of the king of sub-par romantic comedies in the mid-2000s, and like the rest of his films, this one, too, is mediocre.
Full of cringeworthy schmaltz and baseball scenes that strain credibility, Summer Catch is exactly what one would expect from a genre that feasts on the contrived.
It's got the local boy (Prinze, Jr.) trying to make it after experiencing a downward spiral; it's got the rich girl (Jessica Biel) who falls for him; and, of course, it has the bad actor, her father (Bruce Davison), who doesn't want his daughter slumming it up with a guy destined to cut grass for a living.
Even more obvious than all these stock characters is the fact that Ryan Dunne, the hometown pitcher, will not only achieve his baseball dreams, but he will also land the girl. Cue the corn!
Anyway, with a plot as stupid as that and a moronic script to match, it is no wonder Summer Catch was lambasted by critics. It sits at 8% on Rotten Tomatoes with 92 reviews. Its box office fortunes weren't much better. It earned just $19.7 million.
Now, sit back, clock a fastball with one hand while holding a cold New Grist Pilsner from Lakefront Brewing in the other, and hand us that cucumber! I, the Thunderous Wizard (@WriterTLK), Capt. Cash, and Bling Blake are workshopping mascot costumes for our beloved Chatham As!
This Week’s Segments:
Introduction/Plot Breakdown – Baseball's a sport. Love's the game for Freddie Prinze, Jr. and Jessica Biel! (00:00)
Lingering Questions – Where does Ryan Dunne rank on the list of fictional pitchers? (24:47)
The "Shore Road Princess" Trivia Challenge – I challenge the field to trivia about the movie and Cape Cod Baseball. (34:44)
Recommendations – We offer our picks for the week and next up: We continue Bomb Coms with a large cappuccino and Mike Myers before he was so randy, baby, in So I Married an Ax Murderer! (47:48)
And, as always, hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to check out all the interesting factoids—the era of Freddie Prinze, Jr. 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, Amazon Music, and more!

Werewolves Within – Guess Wholf?

Werewolves Within—which is as loosely based on a video game as possible—is a horror/comedy whodunnit that relies far more on humor than gore.
And, for the most part, it works well. Starring Sam Richardson as bumbling park ranger Finn Wheeler, Werewolves Within never takes itself too seriously.
Beaverfield, VT, is a small-town full of eclectic stereotypes of modern America. From the uppity gas pipeline executive to the moronic MAGA tandem to the yogi gay couple, it's a place already full of mistrust. The titular werewolf preys on those seeds of doubt; so, as a viewer, it is up to us to solve who is behind the sowing of the chaos.
Hilarity mostly ensues.
Now, sit back, gnarl an Imperial Amber from Great Lakes Brewing, and stay off of Emerson's porch! I, the Thunderous Wizard (@WriterTLK), Capt. Cash, and Bling Blake are throwing axes and dancing to Ace of Base!
This Week’s Segments:
Introduction/Plot Breakdown – A whodunnit with teeth! (00:00)
Lingering Questions – This movie is a lot of fun. Are we surprised it didn't do better? (42:31)
The "Mr. Rogers" Trivia Challenge – Bling Blake challenges the field to trivia about werewolves. (1:01:04)
Recommendations – We offer our picks for the week and next up: We kickoff Hops and Bomb Coms with Summer Catch! (1:17:22)
And, as always, hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to check out all the interesting factoids—the game it's based on 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, Amazon Music, and more!

Renfield – Wiccan Tumblr for the Win

Renfield is a delightful little horror comedy chronicling the titular character's toxic relationship with his master, Count Dracula.
Featuring Nicholas Hoult as Renfield and Nicolas Cage as that overbearing boss, it's a film that works despite its own confusion on what it wants to be.
Cage is phenomenal as Dracula and Hoult is charming as the nebbish Renfield. Their interplay almost universally hits. The other identity of the film is a smattering of over-the-top action and balletic gore. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed that, too. I just wish there was more of the former.
Why? Well, quite simply, Cage is the principal reason to watch Renfield. He is just so damn zany and fun. The fact that he disappears for large sections of the movie as Renfield makes googly eyes at a cop named Rebecca (Awkwafina) hurts the driving narrative of the film.
We're here to see Dracula gaslight and manipulate Renfield, so give it to us.
Anyway, as I said, this movie is mostly a good time. That sadly did not translate to box office success. On a budget of $65 million, it grossed a putrid $26.7 million. But with decent fan reactions (79% favorability compared to the 58% of critics), Renfield does at least seem destined for semi-cult status. 
Now, sit back, suck the flavor from Rhinegeist's Franz, and don't make it a sexual thing! I, the Thunderous Wizard (@WriterTLK), Chumpzilla, and Bling Blake are scouring New Orleans for some nuns or a busload of cheerleaders to feed the Lord of Death's insatiable apetite!
This Week’s Segments:
Introduction/Plot Breakdown – Stop serving. Start living! (00:00)
Lingering Questions – Where does this version of cinema's most notorious vampire rank for us? (39:44)
The "I Deserve Happiness" Trivia Challenge – Bling Blake challenges the field to trivia about Count Dracula. (56:33)
Recommendations – We offer our picks for the week and next up: We conclude Hops and Boo-Haha Flops with Werewolves Within! (1:12:02)
And, as always, hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to check out all the interesting factoids—the history of Count Dracula on 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, Amazon Music, and more!

The Blackening – Enter the Game Room

The Blackening is a satirical take on the horror genre. Poking fun at the trope of the Black character dying first, it offers an interesting quandary for the killer: If every character is Black, they can't all die first.
Based on a skit of the same name, The Blackening makes good on that premise. It is often hilarious, has a ton of fun playing with that central theme, and features a great cast of actors on the rise.
Shockingly, despite its strong reviews, The Blackening only made $17.7 million at the box office. Considering its small budget, $5 million, that's not too shabby; but this is a movie we highly recommend, even if you're adverse to scary movies.
So, sit back, play some spades while sipping on a Make America Juicy Again from Heretic Brewing, and don't get that trivia question wrong ... or you will die! I, the Thunderous Wizard (@WriterTLK), Chumpzilla, and Bling Blake are sipping on some Kool-yay and dodging some arrows!
This Week’s Segments:
Introduction/Plot Breakdown – We can't all die first! (00:00)
Lingering Questions – In a movie full of very funny scenes, which did we enjoy the most. (26:37)
The "Jim Crow Monopoly" Trivia Challenge – I challenge the field to trivia about the movie. (50:26)
Recommendations – We offer our picks for the week and next up: We continue Hops and Boo-Haha Flops with Cage going full Cage in Renfield! (1:08:23)
And, as always, hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to check out all the interesting factoids—the original skit 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, Amazon Music, and more!

Any Given Sunday – Steamin’

Any Given Sunday is a brutal, uncompromising look at the world of pro football. It's never subtle—in either its performances or depictions—which unfortunately is what ultimately hamstrings it.
Oliver Stone over-directs the hell out of this movie. From its frequent cuts to its odd insertions of clips from other films, Any Given Sunday is full on cinematic whiplash. 
For the actual football scenes, that chaos works. For everything else, not so much. In fact, Stone's insistence of seizure-inducing framing only detracts from the exceptional acting.
And the cast of Any Given Sunday is stacked. Most notably, it boasts Al Pacino as aging coach Tony D'Amato and Jamie Foxx as upstart quarterback Willie Beamen, but it also features Cameron Diaz, John C. McGinley, Ann-Margret, LL Cool J, Lawrence Taylor, Jim Brown, and many more.
Despite those issues, this is a quintessential football movie. And, fittingly, in a game that leaves many a good man battered and broken, there are few heroes here.
Now, sit back, sack a few Land Shark Lagers, and don't get strokes, give them! I, the Thunderous Wizard (@WriterTLK), Capt. Cash, and Bling Blake are still spinning like your favorite CD!
This Week’s Segments:
Introduction/Plot Breakdown – Life is a contact sport! (00:00)
Lingering Questions – The Double Turn Podcast hit their bonus stats, and then we discuss who we'd start in the Pantheon Cup. (45:15)
The "Steamin' Beamen" Trivia Challenge – Bling Blake challenges the field to trivia about the movie. (1:17:16)
Recommendations – We offer our picks for the week and next up: We kickoff Hops and Boohaha with The Blackening! (1:30:30)
And, as always, hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to check out all the interesting factoids—the legendary career of LT 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, Amazon Music, and more!

Dazed and Confused – L-I-V-I-N!

Dazed and Confused is flat out a classic. Focusing on a group of wayward teens in 70s Austin, Texas, it somehow remains one of the most relatable looks at the high school experience.
Sure, some things don't really translate to the present—the hazing, for example—but few movies have captured the essence of what it's like to feel stuck, even though your whole life is still in front of you.
One of the reasons it remains so beloved is its eccentric cast of characters and the budding stars who played them. Dazed and Confused has a cast stacked with actors and actresses on the cusp of fame. From Ben Affleck to Matthew McConaughey to Parker Posey, it helped usher in the next phase of Hollywood stars.
And, for some—like McConaughey's Wooderson—their characters in Dazed and Confused are recognized as a seminal role in their filmography.
Few movies are as quotable, engaging, and culturally relevant as this, so it's no wonder it remains so prevalent in the cultural zeitgeist.  
Now, sit back, grab your go-to high school brew, and air raid! I, the Thunderous Wizard (@WriterTLK), Capt. Cash, and Bling Blake are paddling freshmen and getting ready to party at the Moon Tower!
This Week’s Segments:
Introduction/Plot Breakdown – It was the last day of school in 1976, a time they'd never forget... if only they could remember! (00:00)
Lingering Questions – The Double Turn Podcast signs the commitment pledge, and then we discuss which character would be the best hang. (24:30)
The "Alright, Alright, Alright" Trivia Challenge – I challenge the field to trivia about the movie. (45:24)
Recommendations – We offer our picks for the week and next up: We conclude Hops and Gridiron Flops with a game of inches on Any Given Sunday! (53:26)
And, as always, hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to check out all the interesting factoids—the Oral History of the 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, Amazon Music, and more!

The Replacements – Chicks Dig Scars

The Replacements is a fairly derivate football film about a group of underdogs overcoming the odds.
It takes elements of Major League, Necessary Roughness, and even the kid-centric Little Giants and throws them into a blender, producing a jumbled blend of bits done better in other movies.
Despite all that, The Replacements somehow still works. That is due in large part to the sheer charisma of Keanu Reeves as quarterback Shane Falco and Gene Hackman as old timey coach Jimmy McGinty. Without them, this would just be another hackneyed entry in the sports film pantheon.
Even with them, The Replacements struggled to hit its mark upon release. Critics lampooned it as "cliched," penalizing it with 41% on Rotten Tomatoes. And a on a budget of $50 million, it grossed just $50.1 million.
But, as I mentioned, it is impossible not to root for Shane Falco—the unlucky lefty who's been given one last shot to conquer his on-field demons.
So, sit back, hold onto a Public Pale Ale from DC Brau Brewing with some stickum, and don't cross that picket line! I, the Thunderous Wizard (@WriterTLK), Chumpzilla, Capt. Cash, and Bling Blake are hoping all this pain heals. If it does, the glory will last forever!
This Week’s Segments:
Introduction/Plot Breakdown – Pros on strike. Everyday guys get to play! (00:00)
Lingering Questions – The Double Turn Podcast commits several personal fouls, and then we discuss what we love about The Replacements. (32:49)
The "Chicks Dig Scars" Trivia Challenge – Bling Blake challenges the field to trivia about the movie. (46:42)
Recommendations – We offer our picks for the week and next up: We continue Hops and Gridiron Flops with the high school stoner classic, Dazed and Confused! (54:09)
And, as always, hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to check out all the interesting factoids—the  actual Year of the Scab 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, Amazon Music, and more!

The Faculty – Skat Man

In The Faculty, a malevolent alien force descends upon Herrington High School and begins taking over—one hapless teacher at a time.
It is up to the students—a ragtag group of people who wouldn’t be caught dead together otherwise—to put a stop to it.
Written by Kevin Williamson, who also co-wrote Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, The Faculty is a hip, high school-centric take on Invasion of the Body Snatchers and The Thing. And, it mostly works.
Though it is less subtle and gnarly than those other two films, the charming cast elevates its light mystery. And the proceedings are further buoyed by a couple of cool creature effects.
Hence why it did fairly well at the box office, earning $63.2 million on a budget of $15 million. Shame to the critics who were so mixed on it.
Now, sit back, dry yourself out with a Watermelon Gose from Terrapin Beer Company, and leave those kids alone! I, the Thunderous Wizard (@WriterTLK), Chumpzilla, Capt. Cash, and Bling Blake are dissecting a pot sticker to make sure it's not actually an alien pod!
This Week’s Segments:
Introduction/Plot Breakdown – What if your teachers really were from another planet? Think your teachers are aliens? You could be right! (00:00)
Lingering Questions – The Double Turn Podcast riles up the Friday crowd, and then we discuss our favorite kills from the movie. (31:03)
The "Herrington High" Trivia Challenge – Chumpzilla challenges the field to trivia about the movie. (56:05)
Recommendations – We offer our picks for the week and next up: We continue Hops and Gridiron Flops with everyone's favorite unlucky lefty, Shane Falco, in The Replacements! (1:03:42)
And, as always, hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to check out all the interesting factoids—the movie's inspirations 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, Amazon Music, and more!