The Dudes take a voyage of pure imagination in 1971's Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. This children's fantasy favorite brings humor and adventure for all ages, with a sugary coating of social commentary. It's weirdly delightful and worth every second of your time, but if you want admission, you'll need a golden ticket. Other movies discussed…

We read your responses to our Questions of the Week for July 2024! Episode 225 - The Iron Claw - What stories that interest you haven't yet been made into a movie? Episode 226 - The Christmas Shoes - What are some TV Movies you remember? Episode 227 - Michael Clayton - What are your favorite movies with extended monologues? Episode 228 - Wet Hot Am…

The Dudes warp to what they're told is the Mushroom Kingdom with 1993's Super Mario Bros. Nintendo screened this film, saw what was done with their iconic game and characters, and left The Movie Business forever. An extreme reaction, but a fair one. This movie is really dumb everybody, but now and then that's how we like it. Other movies discussed:…

The Dudes' fear of separation culminates at a house party in 2007's Superbad. This crude high school comedy set a new standard for the genre, and is considered by many to be one of the best. It also showcases many talents before their rise to fame. So grab your fake ID and be careful who you dance with. Other movies discussed: Longlegs (2024) - Dir…

The Dudes are presented with tacos that might hold up in court with 2022's The Menu. Do you despise the wealthy and the pretentious? Then prepare yourself for roughly 100 minutes of massively creative frontier justice visited on people who are brand-new to consequences. Do not eat. Taste, savor, relish. Then die with those who give. Other movies di…

The Dudes head to summer camp in 2001's Wet Hot American Summer. This absurdist parody takes conventions from popular summer camp movies of the 70s and 80s and spins them on their head. It also features a who's who cast of actors that will keep you saying "Oh, they're in this?" Just be sure to keep your eyes on the sky. Other movies discussed: Hour…

We read your responses to our Questions of the Week for June 2024! Episode 221 - My Own Private Idaho - What movies were you forbidden from seeing as a young person? Episode 222 - Paris is Burning - What are your favorite movies about subcultures? Episode 223 - Go Fish - What are the most unusual love stories? Episode 224 - The Rocky Horror Picture…

The Dudes aren't the guys you kill, they're the guys you buy, with 2007's Michael Clayton. This well-acted, suspenseful, legal thriller is George Clooney at his smoldering best, while Tilda Swinton and Tom Wilkinson show you why they're two of the best to ever do it. So curl up with a gripping Fantasy novel, and then irreparably embarrass your coll…

The dudes hold back their anger, unsuccessfully, with 2004's The Christmas Shoes. What do you get when you adapt a crappy song into a crappy book and then into a crappy movie? You get this. Rob Lowe learning it's okay to be an asshole as long as your wife accepts your apology. Good lord everyone. Just listen. Other movies discussed: Persona (1966) …

The Dudes head to the Dallas Territory with 2023's The Iron Claw. The Von Erichs captivated wrestling fans, and the tragedy of them dying so young and so needlessly is an important story that needed to be told. And while you'll likely cry when you see this film, you'll somehow leave smiling too. Sing it with us now: "I wanna live that waaaayyyy, fo…

The Dudes wrap up Pride 2024 with an all-time classic, 1975's The Rocky Horror Picture Show! Join us on a journey of song and pleasure, as we discover the secrets of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, portrayed by the indelible Tim Curry, and his devious plans. This is the original cult movie, and has been played at theaters around the globe for nearly 50 years. …

The Dudes celebration of Pride 2024 rolls on with 1994's Go Fish! This artistic, highly personal film is pure class, and when you realize they did it all with no money, it becomes even more impressive. Intimate, funny, and groundbreaking, this one is still referenced 30 years later as an inspiration to all independent filmmakers, and it deserves al…

We read your responses to our Questions of the Week for May 2024! Episode 217 - The Matrix - What are your favorite movies of 1999? Episode 218 - Attack The Block - What are your favorite directorial debuts? Episode 219 - Mortal Kombat - What are your favorite movies based on video games? Episode 220 - The Incredible Shrinking Man - What are your f…

The Dudes continue Pride 2024 with 1990's Paris is Burning! This documentary gives an unrelenting look at late 80's ball-culture in New York City, and has been placed in the National Library of Congress for being culturally significant. It's a candid look that's simultaneously fun and heartbreaking. We see it all: the good, the bad, and the fabulou…

The Dudes elegantly start Pride 2024 with 1991's My Own Private Idaho. Part Shakespeare, part faux-documentary, part avant-garde experiment, this genre-defying classic gave moviegoers a new perspective on street life, and showcased its two famous leads in ways we hadn't seen before. So tune in for a discussion on New Queer Cinema, and Udo Kier appr…

The Dudes get blasted with radiation in 1957's The Incredible Shrinking Man! What first seems like a silly tale of nuclear danger turns out to be so much more, tackling philosophical issues about what it means to be human, and how we too often take for granted the small things in life. Great special effects, and a compelling story will leave you ta…

The Dudes scream a movie title at you before the opening credits roll with 1995's Mortal Kombat. Based on a video game that shaped our culture for better and worse, this less violent live-action adaptation features impressive fighting and attractive locations. So GET OVER HERE...and...FINISH HIM...and...FLAWLESS VICTORY...Man, the 90s were great. O…

We read your responses to our Questions of the Week for April 2024! Episode 212 - Pump Up the Volume - What are your favorite teen angst movies? Episode 213 - Alien 3 - What polarizing franchise films do you most admire? Episode 214 - Bill & Ted Face the Music - What is your favorite legacy sequel? Episode 215 - Tiptoes - What are the most embarras…

The Dudes fight invading aliens, and systematic injustice, in 2011's Attack the Block! This highly original sci-fi adventure not only delivers the thrills and laughs, but thoughtful commentary on modern day society. It also introduced the world to the commanding presence of a pre-Star Wars John Boyega. Both Dudes agree, everyone should be watching …

The Dudes finally tackle a modern classic with 1999's The Matrix. If you live on this planet, there's a good chance you're very familiar with this movie, and our only hope is that our discussion measures up. The good news is that if you were blown away in 1999, nothing has changed since then. Other movies discussed: Late Night With The Devil (2023)…

The Dudes battle a tyrannical Alan Rickman in 1991's Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves! This box office sensation brought grit and gore to a familiar tale, but it also brough criticism. Is Kevin Costner as bad as they say, does Morgan Freeman celebrate Life Day, and is Bryan Adams the real hero of the film? The Dudes find out and more in this revamped …

The Dudes patience is stretched far too taut with 2003's Tiptoes, the insanely inappropriate outrage that entreats for the rights of Little People while casting a non-Little Person actor as a Little Person. Ugly, wrongheaded, shameful, and appalling, this legendarily terrible film is as rotten as movies get. It's also called Tiptoes. For God's sake…

We read your responses to our Questions of the Week for March 2024! Episode 208 - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - Whose films are hard to watch because of the artist's misdeeds? Episode 209 - The Crucible - What are your favorite movies about injustice? Episode 210 - Saturday Night Fever - What are your favorite movies about idiot friend…

The Dudes attempt to save the world, and their marriages, in 2020's "Bill & Ted Face the Music"! This legacy sequel finds our most excellent heroes at a low point in their lives, not having lived up to their expectations. However, they get an opportunity to make things right with the help of their loving daughters and several other versions of them…

The Dudes go into hypersleep, and are again greeted with terror with 1992's Alien 3. This famously troubled production almost ended David Fincher's career before it got started, but time has been semi-kind to most of it, mainly due to still impressive practical special effects, and the always awesome Sigourney Weaver. Other movies discussed: In a L…

The Dudes broadcast their pirate signal to angsty high schoolers in 1990's Pump Up the Volume! Get ready for some pre-grunge rebellion led by Christian Slater and the always amazing Samantha Mathis in her first major role. It's filled with poignant drama, still relevant social commentary, and a feast of excellent underground tunes! So get your bubb…

The Dudes pray for a Game 7 miracle and put Boston fans on blast with 1996's Celtic Pride. While this sports-based comedy can be frustrating at times with unwanted athlete cameos, it still features decent humor and some fairly realistic basketball scenes. It's also a mostly harmless good time at the movies that we don't get much of anymore, so kick…

The Dudes are staying alive in 1977's Saturday Night Fever. Watch John Travolta dance his way through Brooklyn, women, and life in general. Will he learn to better himself? Will he "make it" with Annette? And will Bobby stop asking so many damn questions? Tune in to find out, and make it two slices two is good. Other movies discussed: The Devil's H…

We read your responses to our Questions of the Week for February 2024! Episode 204 - Face/Off - What are your favorite examples of actors mimicking other actors? Episode 205 - Sphere - What mediocre films do you enjoy the most? Episode 206 - The One I Love - What are the best movies with a small cast? Episode 207 - The Last Temptation of Christ - W…

The Dudes can't recall one key Commandment with 1996's The Crucible. Arthur Miller's masterpiece was both a dramatization of terrible historical events as well as a powerful allegory against McCarthyism and the HUAC. Such witch-hunts unfortunately carry on to this day, and if this were a just world, the swine who start them would receive swift retr…

It's time once again for the Dudes annual Oscar show. Join us as we make our picks in all of the major categories. You know how we feel at this point: we care about the nominees and discussing the films, and that's where it ends. Can you imagine if they let us program the ceremony? We'd be done in an hour, and people would have fun for once. Strap …

The Dudes visit Hogwarts for the first time with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban! As the third film in the franchise, it develops a more mature tone while hanging on to some of the childish nature from the prior films. But does the film pull it off? Is Snape secretly in a metal band? And why is Gary Oldman riding a bird-horse? Tune in to f…

The Dudes spread a message of love in 1988's The Last Temptation of Christ. This Scorsese passion project spawned a worldwide controversy due to its sympathetic and exaggerated portrayal of biblical characters and events. Not just protests, but actual death threats and violence. Sometimes these are the things Men must face to accomplish something g…

The Dudes stumble into a romantic Event Horizon with 2014's The One I Love, one of the strangest love stories ever told. Though this movie contains only 3 actors with onscreen speaking roles, its ambition is limitless, and by the end the voice of Mama Cass will play on a loop in your head for days afterward. Let's just get it going now! "While I'm …

We read your responses to our Questions of the Week for January 2024! Episode 199 - Before Sunrise - What are your favorite movies that take place over a single day? Episode 200 - Being There - What are your favorite final performances? Episode 201 - Midsommar - What are your favorite movies about cults? Episode 202 - The Hunger - What are your fav…

The Dudes don't often find themselves pondering mediocrity, but that's the case this week with 1998's Sphere, an atmospheric but often tedious Science Fiction adventure. Weirdly edited, unevenly paced, and sometimes a gigantic mess, even the bombastic ending leaves you wanting after 135(!) misspent minutes. All aboard. Other movies discussed: Lord …

The Dudes attempt to explain an experimental surgery gone wrong in 1997's Face/Off! This unhinged action film from acclaimed director John Woo is just as awesome as it is ridiculous. Excellently crafted action sequences, and incredible mimicry from its two stars, propel this off-the-wall crowd pleaser beyond its plot holes and into the the action m…

In this Bonus Hangout episode, Scott and Dave give you their thoughts on the state of the show, as well as additional insight into when they screw up. Its a lot of fun, and its all for the benefit of our favorite people: The Listeners! Thank you so much everybody! (Photo: Cate Blanchett and Todd Field at Criterion.) Contact us below! dudesonmovies@…

Dudes On Demand 2024 makes its final stop in South Korea with 2003's Oldboy, the brutal, stylish, relentless masterpiece that asks you to think very carefully about revenge. Infamous for its brutality and shocking twists, it's also entirely grounded and the kind of human drama you can't believe you can identify with. Other movies discussed: The Won…

The Dudes live forever and ever in 1983's The Hunger! This sexy vampire tragedy ponders mortality and eternity in a way that only Tony Scott could: with soft-blue light and billowing curtains. The mood is set, and the cycle must continue, so grab your ankh, practice your cello, and engage in monkey science, because we're on the hunt for eternal you…

On its first international stop, Dudes On Demand 2024 goes way out of your phone's signal range with 2019's Midsommar. If you're patient, this movie delivers massively in every scenario. And if these events disturb you, try to remember its just a spring clean for The May Queen. Other movies discussed: Blood Feast (1963) – Directed by Herschell Gord…

We read your responses to our Questions of the Week for December 2023! Episode 195 - Gods and Monsters - What are your favorite fictional stories in which real people are characters? Episode 196 - Ferris Bueller's Day Off - What are your favorite examples of breaking the fourth wall in movies? Episode 197 - The Hidden Fortress - What are the best f…

Dudes On Demand 2024 ventures forth with 1979's Being There! This satire of American politics, culture, and society was famously Peter Sellers' final performance, and oh what a performance it is. Grab your television remote, put on your finest vintage clothing and give Raphael this message: the Dudes like to watch. Other movies discussed: A Disturb…

Dudes On Demand 2024 launches with 1995's modern classic Before Sunrise! You've probably never lived quite as vicariously through other people as you do watching this movie, and with good reason. Celine and Jesse's romance is what we all aspire to, even if it slips our grasp after roughly 12 hours. Just remember everybody: This is life, and everyth…

In Part I of their series on Hollywood History, Scott and Dave take you through the Production Code and its influence on not just Cinema but the rest of American culture. Will Hays, Joseph Breen, and their enablers worked tirelessly to make sure movies didn't reflect reality, and in this podcast we give you the background on how it all happened, as…

The Dudes learn there's more to life than money in 1946's It's a Wonderful Life. This holiday classic tells the tale of George Bailey, a generous everyman who sacrifices his own happiness to do what's right. But is there a cost? Make a wish, ring those bells, and celebrate the people you love - because Clarence said so! Other movies discussed: Drea…

The Dudes protect their future Queen in enemy territory with 1958's The Hidden Fortress. This classic jidaigeki adventure is another excellent entry in the Toshiro Mifune/Akira Kurosawa collaboration. While Mifune is as amazing as ever, prepare to be blown away by the power of Misa Uehara, whose portrayal of the Princess will make you seriously dep…

We read your responses to our Questions of the Week for November 2023! Episode 191 - Primal Fear - What is your favorite courtroom drama? Episode 192 - Pumping Iron - What are your favorite movies that feature actors before they were famous? Episode 193 - The Karate Kid Part III - What sequels do you find the most disappointing? Episode 194 - Clash…

The Dudes run afoul of school officials and ditch class in style with 1986's Ferris Bueller's Day Off. There's a good chance you're very familiar with this classic, so let us walk you through this impossibly overstuffed day of activities. Gummy bear? They've been in my pocket, they're real warm and soft. Other movies discussed: Chasing Chasing Amy …

The Dudes lumber down the street beneath a rain machine with 1998's Gods and Monsters. This brilliant fictionalized story of the last days of filmmaker James Whale is not only a great movie about Old Hollywood, but also a realistic, meditative study on aging and dementia. Its a great success for everyone involved, and a must-see if you love The Mov…