Drive-In Double Feature Podcast

Nathan and Ryan unleash Munchie (1992), one of the most notorious Gremlins knockoffs of the direct-to-video era. Starring Dom DeLuise as the voice of an obnoxious, fourth-wall-breaking creature of chaos, the film follows a kid whose new “friend” helps him deal with bullies, adults, and basic logic through nonstop noise and bad jokes. The hosts break down the movie’s endless mugging, cartoon physics, and why Munchie feels less like a family film and more like an endurance test. Love it, hate it, or fear it—this is peak early-’90s VHS insanity.

Nathan and Ryan roundhouse-kick their way into Sidekicks (1992), the wish-fulfillment martial arts fantasy that turned every bullied kid’s daydream into a movie. Starring Jonathan Brandis as a lonely teen whose imagination places him alongside the unbeatable Chuck Norris, the film blends coming-of-age drama with kid-friendly karate action. The hosts talk about the movie’s earnest tone, early-’90s vibes, and how it plays like a feature-length version of childhood power fantasies—complete with mullets, bullies, and tournament glory. Is it cheesy? Absolutely. Is it also weirdly heartfelt? Also yes.

Nathan and Ryan step into the Technicolor fantasy worlds of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947), the Danny Kaye–starring comedy that turns escapist daydreaming into full-blown cinematic spectacle. Loosely inspired by the James Thurber story, the film follows a meek photo editor whose vivid imagination repeatedly whisks him away from mundane reality into swashbuckling adventures, musical numbers, and heroic alter egos. The hosts discuss Kaye’s rapid-fire performance style, the film’s playful visual inventiveness, and how Hollywood transformed a short, subtle story into a maximalist studio showcase. Is it a classic of Golden Age comedy or a fascinating case of adaptation excess? Tune in to find out.

Nathan and Ryan take a hard look at The Gunfighter (1950), one of the most introspective and tragic Westerns ever made. Gregory Peck stars as aging outlaw Jimmy Ringo, a man haunted by his reputation and trapped by a world that won’t let legends walk away quietly. The hosts discuss the film’s surprisingly modern take on fame, violence, and inevitability, its stripped-down tension, and why it stands apart from more traditional shoot-’em-up Westerns of the era. Short, sharp, and emotionally heavy, The Gunfighter proves that sometimes the deadliest weapon is a name people won’t forget.

Nathan and Ryan close out the Heisei era with Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995), one of the most emotional and consequential films in the entire franchise. With Godzilla undergoing a catastrophic nuclear meltdown and facing his most terrifying enemy yet—born from the Oxygen Destroyer itself—the stakes have never been higher. The hosts discuss the film’s apocalyptic tone, its brutal monster designs, the tragic fate of Junior, and how Toho deliberately framed this as a true ending for the King of the Monsters. It’s epic, grim, and surprisingly heartfelt kaiju cinema.