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Back to the Balcony

An amused second look at movies and culture from the last century.
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Back to the Balcony
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Now displaying: Category: Film Reviews
Jan 26, 2024

Mario Bernardi and guest engineer Ryan Sim join Jimmy to re-visit Uncle Buck and the curious idea that no one understands children like somebody who doesn't have any. That's just one of the plot holes in a movie that still stands up surprisingly well. Listen to find out why.

Dec 1, 2023

Guest Ronald Hae sees Rush Hour as more comedy than drama. Phil leans towards the suspense. Jimmy leans towards end of life therapy if he ever has to watch it again. 

Nov 3, 2023

Guest Greg Dobrowski wants to talk about a most unusual movie, 1981's Time Bandits. it's kind of like the Wizard of Oz on acid. It's kind of like a lot of things, but is it a good movie? Jimmy has some strong feelings here.

Jun 16, 2023

Guests Joel Van Vliet and Allie Moore insisit that Martin Scorsese makes the most intense movies - they just can agree about which one is best. Joel says it's 2016's Silence, Allie says it's 2006's The Departed. So essentially a movie about priests in Japan is more intense than a movie about infiltraters in the police and gangs of Boston. Jimmy doesn't say much in this one - they do all the work for him. Our most fast paced episode.

Jun 2, 2023

Comedian Dave Sokolowski considers Clue a great movie because it so seamlessly builds on the characters of the board game. Jimmy thinks that's a liability. Funny for what it is or not funny because of what it is? Give it a listen and tell us what you think.

May 20, 2023

This shaped up to be a cakewalk deciding which was the best spy spoof movie of all time. Instead, things got turned around in one of our funniest episodes with guests Ryan Sim and Mitch McBeaudry.

May 5, 2023

Is it about books or TV or censorship or ridiculous ideas? Mario Bernardi and Jimmy go back in time to talk about the movie based on a book they had to read in high school. While they don't reveal how they did when tested on it you get a pretty good idea based on their discussion. Surprisingly insightful.

Apr 21, 2023

Patrick Coppolino and Kristian Reimer join Jimmy to determine once and for all which movie has the worst special effects. Patrick Coppolino makes a pretty convincing argument for 1992's The Lawnmower Man. Kristian Reimer makes a surprisingly convincing argument for every tampered version of 1977's Star Wars - A New Hope. Most shocking reveleation: Patrick has never seen Star Wars.

Apr 7, 2023

Will anybody remember the Marx Brothers in fifty years? That's just one of the things Jimmy and guest Mario Bernardi ponder as they talk about a movie that isn't even the best Marx Brothers movie. So why not talk about their best? According to Mario, it's only for one reason: Tuttsi-fruittsi. If that doesn't mean anything you definitely have to give a listen. Fun and you might even learn something about some comedians who deserve to be remembered.

Mar 24, 2023

Once in a great while a movie comes along that makes Jimmy appreciate how good Love Story was. Chris Wuergler does it again with The Bodyguard, part Whitney Houston music video, part Kevin Costner trying to remember how many emotions he knows.

Mar 10, 2023

Okay, it's a sexist comment but would you really expect Chris Wuergler to bring us 1994's The Shawshank Redemption? Traditional wisdom is women don't want to see a movie that doesn't have women in it but Chris has a deep and abiding affection for this one. Jimmy is hard pressed to disagree and Phil goes missing in action for a while.

Feb 10, 2023

Good grief, guest Bret Measor can't stop talking about the Rocky movies! This time it's Rocky III. Jimmy says it's just another formula fight movie, Bret begs to differ - then insists Rocky IV has to be next. Nice try, Bret.

Jan 13, 2023

Guest David Green spares us some time (that's a very clever pun when you see what the movie is), to talk about The Big Lebowski. Okay, maybe it's not all that clever but it is a fun podcast. A real treat for Coen brothers fans.

Dec 30, 2022

The ever insightful Bob Kerr joins Jimmy to talk about 1989's Heathers. Besides movie talk there's speculation on the state of croquet and a fascinating discussion on the viability of cow tipping. 

Dec 2, 2022

Planes, Trains and Automobiles is one of the most beloved holiday movies that everybody forgets. People generally forget it but when you bring it up they go, "Oh yeah, I really like that movie." It's such a perfect movie that even Jimmy is hard pressed to disagree with guest Mario Bernardi.

Nov 4, 2022

Having plummed the quality level with Howard the Duck, it was thought all but impossible to find anything worse this side of Ed Wood. Then along comes Bobby Knauff with Nothing But Trouble. Blew the budget making it slick, just forgot to make it worth watching - but that's just Jimmy's opinion.

Oct 7, 2022

People like Tom Hanks in You've Got Mailed give love a bad name. Meg Ryan doesn't have the business accumen to run a lemonade stand. Hard words but food for a lively debate on the merits of the movie with guest Chris Wuergler.

Sep 23, 2022

Chris Wuergler joins us to talk about Romancing The Stone. Is it a movie about romance or adventure? And about that ending - who should get the money. JImmy has thoughts but then when hasn't he?

Aug 26, 2022

Is Pulp Fiction a comedy or a gangster film. Jimmy says comedy but guest Manolis Zontanos disagrees. As usual Phil takes the guest side. Is he wrong? Listen to find out.

Jul 29, 2022

Guest host Joal Van Vliet mercilessly grills a surprise guest on what makes Back to the Future so bad. Turns out he's out of his mind.  Give a listen and see if you don't agree.

Jul 15, 2022

Ryan Sim provides a vigorous defence of the movie Howard the Duck while admitting he fell asleep three times while watching it. He also demonstrates an appalling ignorance of pop culture when he admits to not knowing who H. R. Pufnstuf is. 

Jun 17, 2022

Guest Mitch McBeaudry takes a $25,000 film school education and tries to explain why An American Werewolf in London is a great movie. Jimmy restrains himself from suggesting he's owed a refund.

May 20, 2022

Now would could be wrong with a great movie like this? A lot, surprisingly - but is it still entertaining once the band-aids come off (that's a great mummy pun - too bad there isn't a mummy in the movie)? Give a listen and be the judge.

Apr 22, 2022

Nothing like a light and fluffy episode about hubris, dinosaurs running amuck and chaos theory. Comedian Patrick Coppolino talks with Jimmy England about his favourite movie and how he did it live in Levity, his comedy club.

Apr 11, 2022

If this shows up twice in your downloads our apologies but the first attempt never got released. Luckily, we're trying again because this was an unusual episode on a genre we've never done before. With comedian Bob Kerr.

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