Why Wasn't It Better?

Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers concludes this year's spooky mini-season! After Halloween 4 successfully resurrected the franchise, its sequel rushed into production less than a year later. The result was a film that introduced new mythology, sidelined a fan-favorite character, and took the series in bizarre creative directions that still divide horror fans today. Has time been kinder to Michael Myers' fifth outing, or is it one of the franchise's biggest misfires?

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It's one of the most fascinating high-concept ideas in modern horror: one night a year, all crime is legal. Released in 2013, The Purge turned that irresistible premise into a surprise box office smash and launched one of Blumhouse's biggest franchises. But despite its success, the original film has long been criticized for keeping its ambitious concept confined to a single home invasion story. Did The Purge squander one of the greatest ideas in horror, or is it better than it's often given credit for? Guest Peter Baldeo is here to share his thoughts.

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For years, video game movies had a reputation for missing the point. Then Silent Hill arrived in 2006 with an unusually faithful recreation of Konami's legendary horror franchise. Christophe Gans' adaptation won over many fans of the games while dividing critics. Two decades later, does Silent Hill deserve to be remembered as one of the best video game adaptations ever made? Producer Eric Taylor is our guest, because it's one of his favorite games.

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Following one of the greatest horror films ever made was never going to be easy. Poltergeist II: The Other Side brings back the Freeling family while expanding the mythology surrounding the Beast and introducing one of horror's most memorable villains in the Reverend Kane. Although the sequel has earned a mixed reputation over the years, it remains a fascinating, and deeply strange, entry. Was it an underrated follow-up, or should they have left the original alone? First time guest Phil Walsh of Phil At The Movies is here to discuss.

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The Conjuring universe was still in its infancy when Annabelle arrived in 2014. Based on the creepy doll introduced in James Wan's blockbuster a year earlier, Warner Bros. quickly spun the character into her own franchise. Critics weren't impressed, but audiences showed up in droves, turning the film into one of the most profitable horror movies ever made and proving The Conjuring was more than a one-hit wonder. Was it simply riding the coattails of its predecessor, or is there more to Annabelle than its reputation suggests? Guest Jay Skipworth of @TheFilmStripPod is back to weigh in.

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Often cited as the last of Alfred Hitchcock's classic period, The Birds is one of the most influential horror films ever made. Is it actually scary? Does it hold up 60+ years later? First time guest Carmelita Valdez McKoy joins to discuss.

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One year after its release, it's time to review Tron: Ares. Following the cult success of Tron: Legacy, fans spent over a decade waiting for a follow-up. Instead of continuing the story that film set up, Disney delivered a very different movie, one that divided audiences and flopped at the box office. What happened? Was Ares doomed by development hell and delay? Did Disney misunderstand what audiences wanted from a Tron sequel? Guest Tom Paradiso is here to sort it all out.

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It's hard to believe now but at one point in the 1980s, Disney animation was in trouble. After The Black Cauldron bombed, the studio desperately needed a hit. What they got was The Great Mouse Detective, a charming Sherlock Holmes-inspired mystery featuring one of Disney’s greatest villains, a memorable cast of characters, and some surprisingly ambitious animation. Guest Adam Hecht is back to proclaim his love.

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Despite featuring one of the greatest ensemble casts ever assembled, spectacular aerial photography, and an extraordinary commitment to historical authenticity, Battle of Britain was a box office failure. This week, we examine why. We discuss the film's incredible flying sequences, its documentary-style approach, the challenge of telling such a massive story without a central protagonist, and why audiences in 1969 may have been looking for something very different. Is Battle of Britain an overlooked masterpiece, or a technically brilliant film that never quite soars? Guest Paul Kind joins to discuss.

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It's time for another ranking episode! Guest Kai Wang joins as we sort out the Pierce Brosnan James Bond films.

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Despite being a high-profile dramatic retelling of the biggest environmental disaster in American history, Deepwater Horizon was largely ignored by audiences in 2016. Director Peter Berg assembled a tension-filled, highly accurate portrayal that plays as one part docudrama, another part horror movie. Why didn’t this get more attention, and why has it still failed to leave much of a cultural impact nearly a decade later?

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With a new remake on the horizon, we're covering Cliffhanger, aka Die Hard On A Mountain. In need of a hit, Sylvester Stallone teamed up with director Renny Harlin for a high-altitude thriller packed with death-defying stunts, brutal violence, and one of the most memorable opening sequences of the decade. Add in a scenery-chewing performance from John Lithgow and you've got all the ingredients for a classic action movie. But does it still hold up? Guest Garret Ohringer is back to hang on.

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Enjoy this sneak preview of our Tron: Ares episode. The full episode is available right now for our supporters over on Patreon. The full episode will not be available for another month. So if you want early access, head over to patreon.com/wwibofficial and become a Patreon!

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A Patreon request! Few filmmakers are as instantly recognizable as Wes Anderson, and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou may be the moment his style fully took over. Part ocean adventure, part midlife-crisis comedy, part tribute to Jacques Cousteau, the film follows the eccentric Steve Zissou as he sets out to hunt the mysterious shark that killed his best friend. The result was Anderson's biggest box office failure. It's since become a divisive cult classic. Guest Ben Hill is here to discuss.

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Despite a massive voice cast featuring Will Smith, Robert De Niro, Angelina Jolie, and Jack Black, Shark Tale has aged into one of the strangest animated hits of the 2000s. Released at the height of the DreamWorks Animation vs. Pixar rivalry, the film throws everything at the wall: celebrity impressions, mafia movie references, pop culture jokes, bizarre worldbuilding, and fish with human lips. Here to discuss is returning guest Nathan Perry.

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Enjoy this sneak preview of our Ranking thee Pierce Brosnan Bond Films episode. The full episode is available right now for our supporters over on Patreon. The full episode will not be available for another month. So if you want early access, head over to patreon.com/wwibofficial and become a Patreon!

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After making his MCU debut in Civil War, Tom Holland was given his own full-length cinematic debut with Spider-Man: Homecoming the following year. It was a big success for Marvel and well-liked, but what purpose does it serve beyond wedging everyone's favorite neighborhood superhero into the overall MCU? Guest and industry insider Ivan Calixto joins the pod to talk about his experience working on the trailer for this film.

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Cahill U.S. Marshal is one of the lesser-known late-career John Wayne westerns, and for good reason. Released during a period when the Western genre was rapidly evolving, Cahill feels caught between old-school Wayne heroics and the grittier, morally complex revisionist Westerns audiences were beginning to prefer. Why didn’t it leave more of an impact? Why has it largely faded into obscurity among Wayne’s filmography?

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In 1996, Arnold Schwarzenegger teamed up with director Chuck Russell for Eraser, a gloriously over-the-top 90s action movie filled with railguns, alligators, witness protection conspiracies, and Arnold one-liners. And yet… despite being a box office success, Eraser rarely comes up when people discuss Arnold’s best movies. It arrived right at the tail end of his run as the king of action cinema, just before audience tastes — and Arnold’s career — started to shift. Guest Adam Hecht is here to discuss.

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Miami Vice should have been a slam dunk. Michael Mann adapting his own iconic television series with Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx in the lead roles sounds like a guaranteed hit. Instead, audiences got a moody, digitally-shot crime film that cared far more about atmosphere, professionalism, and vibe than plot or nostalgia. But over the years, the movie has developed a passionate following. Mojito fiend and Certified Mann Fan Garret Ohringer is here to proclaim his love for Miami Vice.

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