The first ever remote episode of The 80s Movie Podcast, we remember an old friend, and recount how a long-forgotten Keanu Reeves TV movie, The Brotherhood of Justice, which was filmed at the host's high school weeks after his graduation and moving to Los Angeles to break into the film industry. Expect production anecdotes, personal memories, and a fresh look at a little-known early Keanu role.

This week, we look back at 40 years of The Brat Pack, from the naming of the group, to who is and is not a Brat Packer, and which Brat Pack movie was the best Brat Pack movie. (It's not The Breakfast Club or The Outsiders.)

On this episode, we deep dive into Susan Seidelman’s 1987 film Making Mr. Right. We analyze tone, themes, and behind‑the‑scenes context as Seidelman's follow-up to Desperately Seeking Susan, and unpack performances by John Malkovich and Ann Magnuson. Concrete takeaways on the film’s place in Seidelman’s 1980s work and why it matters to fans of 80s cinema and film analysis.

Calico Kids series author Todd Downing shares his five favorite fantasy films of the 1980s, with discussion of why each film matters, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and viewing recommendations. Host Edward Havens digs into themes, synth scores, cult status, and what makes these 80s fantasy movies enduring classics. Ideal for fans of 1980s fantasy films, film history, and retro movie deep dives. Listen for perspective and curated watchlist.

Season 7 Premiere: after a six-month break the host issues an apology for a previous bait-and-switch, explains the delay, and leads a focused discussion of Collision Course — the only movie to feature comedian and talk show host Jay Leno in a leading role. Expect context on the film’s place in 80s movie culture, clear episode notes explaining the gap, and a concise look at what makes this Jay Leno film notable.

A continuation of our series on Susan Seidelman’s 1980s films, this episode examines her biggest hit, Desperately Seeking Susan (1985). We analyze Seidelman’s direction, key performances, and the film’s cultural impact within 80s cinema—essential listening for fans of 80s movies and film history.

We pause our Susan Seidelman retrospective to examine Andrew McCarthy’s new Hulu documentary about the Brat Pack. This episode breaks down the doc’s portrayal, the 1985 New York Magazine article which created the Brat Pack name, and whether that piece affected McCarthy and his co-stars’ careers. For fans of 1980s movies and film history: context, key scenes, and concise takeaways.

The first episode of our Susan Seidelman miniseries. We begin a focused deep‑dive into Seidelman’s work with her 1982 directorial debut Smithereens, examining its themes, production context, and cultural impact. Part of our annual spotlight on female filmmakers (following our 2023 Martha Coolidge miniseries), this installment explains why Seidelman matters to 1980s film history and what listeners should watch for on a rewatch.