We're finally back with the format that started it all! In this episode we dive into Norbit — Eddie Murphy's infamous 2007 comedy that managed to be both a box office hit and a long-running cultural punching bag. We talk about how it fits into Murphy's career, especially with the new Being Eddie documentary adding fresh context. And don't forget to…

On this movie catch-up, we dive into Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein adaptation for Netflix and discuss where it fits in the long legacy of monster movies! Support us on Patreon for tons of bonus content and features at: www.patreon.com/almostcultclassics Check out our YouTube channel for additional video episodes and more: https://www.youtube.co…

In this episode of Off the Radar, we dive into Mad Dog Time — the 1996 gangster comedy that somehow managed to assemble an all-star cast (Richard Dreyfuss, Jeff Goldblum, Diane Lane, and even Joey Bishop) yet (rightfully) still slipped completely under the cultural radar. Written and directed by Larry Bishop, this bizarre mix of noir parody, nightc…

In this episode, we explore the 50-year legacy of Toronto’s kids’ programming — from Uncle Chichimus and Canadian Howdy Doody to Razzle Dazzle, Today’s Special, The Kids of Degrassi Street, and the birth of YTV. Ed and Ryan discuss the early days of CBC children’s programming, the influence of Sesame Street, Francophone broadcasting in Ontario, and…

What if your middle school English project became a published book? That’s exactly what happened to Gordon Korman. At just 12 years old, he turned a classroom assignment into This Can’t Be Happening at Macdonald Hall—the start of a legendary career in children’s literature. Featuring insights from cultural historian Ed Conroy (Retrontario) and Gord…

Rejecting Monty Python: This week, we bring you this episode from our friends at We Regret to Inform You: The Rejection Podcast. Lo! Upon the first breath of Monty Python’s Flying Circus o’er the enchanted waves of BBC One, scribes within the castle walls did trade many a curious whisper and scroll, to wit: “This episode contained two really awful …

We asked our loyal Patreon supporters to send us some questions they would like answered by us for our first ever Q&A special. We got a really great response that resulted in a 2 hour and 14 minute episode! Here is a preview of that episode. The full episode is out now only at: www.patreon.com/almostcultclassics You can also find us on X: Joe: http…

Author Paul Myers talks about his new book John Candy: A Life in Comedy—exploring what made Candy funny, with anecdotes about Chevy Chase, Richard Pryor, Dave Thomas, and more. Paul Myers is a Canadian writer and musician living in Berkeley, California. His previous books include The Kids in the Hall: One Dumb Guy, which was the source for the Cana…

Join us for a SPOILER heavy discussion on Zach Cregger's Weapons - a movie-going experience that involved us venturing to another state, following issues we- well, one of us- had with the closer alternatives. But at least we were able to get a nice beaver popcorn bucket, tax free! We also talk about the evolution of the podcast this past summer and…

What makes a John Candy classic? Ryan Barnett invites Joe Ramoni (Hats Off Entertainment) and Tracey Morgan (author of Searching for Candy) to take a joyous, laugh-filled tour through John Candy’s entire filmography — from beloved hits to forgotten gems. Along the way, they debate, reminisce, and wrestle with the impossible task: narrowing it all d…

We went to Regal to see the new Naked Gun movie... and we have some hot takes. Support us on Patreon for tons of bonus content and features at: www.patreon.com/almostcultclassics You can also find us on X: Joe: https://twitter.com/joeramoni Ryan: https://twitter.com/ryanlancello And don't forget to check out our website and merch store: https://www…

After months of speculation, it's finally here! Were our predictions correct? Let's find out. Support us on Patreon for tons of bonus content and features at: www.patreon.com/almostcultclassics You can also find us on X: Joe: https://twitter.com/joeramoni Ryan: https://twitter.com/ryanlancello And don't forget to check out our website and merch sto…

In the late ’80s, John Candy's hit a rough patch with a string of underwhelming films—Hot to Trot, Speed Zone, and Who’s Harry Crumb. But a creative reunion with John Hughes soon put him back on track, leading to some of the most memorable roles of his career. In this episode, we chart Candy’s quiet resurgence and surprising pivot into sports owner…

Joe's Shelf finally returns! In this series, I pick a movie that Ryan has never seen, we watch it, and then discuss. Groundbreaking concept for a podcast, I know. This time, in honor of Gene Hackman and Harris Yulin, I chose Night Moves - a 1975 neo noir directed by Arthur Penn. Man, do I just love a good private detective movie and Night Moves is …

John Candy spends the early ’80s steadily climbing the ranks—grinding out supporting roles, inching toward leading man status. He misses out on Ghostbusters, but gains something greater: a growing family with his wife Rose, and a career-defining turn in Planes, Trains and Automobiles. This episode traces Candy’s breakout moment and the beginning of…

John Candy enlists in Stripes, returns to the familiar chaos of Melonville on SCTV, and then makes waves in Hollywood with a breakout role in Splash. This episode follows a pivotal stretch in Candy’s career, as his comedic chops earn him big-screen attention and set the stage for stardom. John Candy: The Lou Gehrig of Comedy is a series that honour…

We swear we'll be getting back to talking about movies very soon. In the meantime, here's more Jerry! Intro 0:00:00 Jerry's 7-11 Commercials 0:04:45 Jerry Attacks the Press 0:10:09 Jerry Messing with People 0:19:24 Jerry's Acting Roles 00:29:45 Stories About Jerry 00:32:29 Jerry's Ethnic Jokes 00:35:33 Jerry Gets Mad at Viewers 00:42:12 Old Jerry 0…

As SNL takes off, the Second City crew launches SCTV, carving out their own place in sketch comedy history. Hollywood soon comes calling, and John Candy lands a coveted role in Steven Spielberg’s 1941—his first real taste of movie stardom. This is the moment Candy begins to bridge the gap between cult favourite and big-screen contender. John Candy:…

John Candy takes his first steps into professional comedy on the main stage at Second City Chicago, where he strikes up a friendship with a young Bill Murray. But just as he’s finding his rhythm, he’s called home to help launch a new chapter of Second City in Toronto. We trace Candy’s early days in improv—and the beginnings of a career rooted in co…

This is a true story. The events recounted in this podcast took place at a convention in 2025. At the request of the survivors, the names have been changed. Out of respect for the dead, the rest has been told exactly as it occurred. View some of the visuals from this episode exclusively on our Patreon at: www.patreon.com/almostcultclassics. You can…

On this (potentially final) installment in our quest to cover Jerry Lewis, we dive into Jerry's MDA Labor Day Telethons, including segments from various broadcasts of the telethon, showcasing the best moments between Jerry and his announcer, Ed McMahon. In addition to those clips, we also watch more of Jerry's interviews where he defends himself ag…

Before the fame, John Candy was a kid from the Toronto suburbs with a big heart and a knack for making people laugh. This episode looks back at his early years—from children's theatre stages to his first big break auditioning for Second City Toronto—marking the quiet start of a legendary comedic journey. John Candy: The Lou Gehrig of Comedy is a se…

On this episode we finally revisit a movie we have been talking about doing since we launched the show - Brewster's Millions starring Richard Pryor and John Candy! We also wanted to profile the career of writer/director Walter Hill and we used this as an excuse to check out his early film work, which includes: Intro 00:00:00 Walter Hill's Screenwri…

Starting May 22, 2025, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood North is back with a new season in which we deep dive into the life and career of comedy legend John Candy. And I won’t just cover Uncle Buck or Planes, Trains and Automobiles. I’m looking at the whole enchilada, from the stage of Second City Toronto to heights of Hollywood stardom, and a brief d…

We're back with even more Jerry! The great response to our last Jerry Lewis episode inspired us to dive deeper and check out even more interviews with the King of Comedy. This time around, we not only listened but also watched a few interview clips with Jerry, where he opens up about a variety of topics including; Dean Martin, Las Vegas, cricket, t…

On this random episode about nothing, we listen to interviews with comedy legend Jerry Lewis, where he shits on everyone from his fans to Joan Rivers to the Academy. We also discuss some of Jerry's later movie roles and controversies. Want to hear more? Join us on Patreon for 40+ bonus episodes and discussions: https://www.patreon.com/almostcultcla…

It's another new segment! On this series, we will look at some truly forgotten, OFF THE RADAR movies - mostly ones that were never released beyond VHS, if they even got a home video release at all. For our inaugral episode, Ryan chose Meet the Parents - not the 2000 film starring Ben Stiller and Robert DeNiro, but rather the independent 1992 film o…

It's a brand new segment! We have been exploring ways to produce more content outside of the main show and we've come up with a few new concepts that we think you'll enjoy. The first up is something we are calling Joe's Shelf, where Joe will pick a movie from his physical media collection (must be PHYSICAL MEDIA) that Ryan has ideally never seen. T…

We're back with a discussion on a movie we have been meaning to talk about since we launched the podcast - The Cable Guy! This dark comedy stars Jim Carrey and Matthew Broderick, and was directed by Ben Stiller. We spent the first half of the podcast doing a deep dive on Ben Stiller's early acting career and the movies he directed, including: Intro…

Not sure how we got this carried away talking about what essentially amounts to seven movies, but here we are! On this catch-up, we discuss mostly newer theatrical and streaming releases, along with some older stuff as well. Spoilers are heavy so consult the timecodes below: Joe's BluRay Viewings (8 Million Ways to Die, 1917, Hang 'Em High) - 00:00…

Following our episode on The Matador, we decided to revisit another hitman comedy: Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, which was George Clooney's directorial debut. Ryan also revisited two later films by screenwriter Charlie Kaufman; Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Synecdoche, New York. We also got sidetracked a bunch and talked about other …

On this episode, we look back at 2005's The Matador - a really unique black comedy starring Pierce Brosnan and Greg Kinnear, directed and written by Richard Shepherd. Before getting into the plot of the movie, we also discuss some other Pierce Brosnan movies such as The Long Good Friday, Nomads, Taffin, The Thomas Crown Affair, GoldenEye, and The T…

On our first movie catch-up of 2025, we discuss some of our favorite pieces of media from the previous year, along with some unrelated recent movies thrown in. As always, SPOILERS are heavy so timecodes to skip what you don't want spoiled are below: 00:00:00 - Indiana Jones and the Great Circle 00:10:40 - The Apprentice 00:23:50 - The Penguin (2024…

Last year we had a discussion on a few David Lynch movies at the end of a Movie Catch-up, including The Elephant Man, Eraserhead, Lost Highway, and Inland Empire. We figured some of you might have missed this conversation and wanted to re-post it in tribute to him. Also included is a discussion we had on Blue Velvet on a later episode. Here's the f…

Following our Kurt Russell triple-feature, we decided to talk about even more Kurt Russell movies on Patreon! Those movies ended up being Tango & Cash (1989), 3000 Miles to Graceland (2001), and Bone Tomahawk (2015). Here is a small snippet of our discussion on that first film. You can hear the full episode now only on Patreon at https://www.patreo…

It's our first ever triple feature episode! We decided that instead of discussing one movie, we would check out three starring one of our favorite actors - Kurt Russell! We picked three films that couldn't be more different from one another. They are: The Best of Times (1986), Escape from LA (1996), and Breakdown (1997). But we didn't stop there as…

For the Patreon after-show following our episode on Bulworth, Ryan suggested we check out another political satire from the year prior called Wag the Dog. This great comedy stars Robert DeNiro and Dustin Hoffman as a political operative and a film producer who orchestrate a fake war to improve the president's approval rating going into the next ele…

On this random Sidetracks, we discuss attending a Monster Mania horror convention to meet Mr. Alec Baldwin! As this was Ryan's first time at any type of movie/pop-culture convention, we detail every aspect of the experience, including; awkward fans, strange odors, long lines, depressing celebrity encounters, terrible panel questions, and more! Ther…