Second Run: A Movie Lover's Podcast

We finally pinpointed the beginning of the "curmudgeonly Alan Arkin" era. This week, the "Second Run" crew and special guest Drew Taylor tackled 1991's action-superhero movie "The Rocketeer" starring Billy Campbell, Jennifer Connelly, Alan Arkin, and Timothy Dalton. Topics discussed include depictions of Howard Hughes in cinema, the movie's remaining footprint (or in one case "jetpack blast print") on current Disney properties, and an epic third act that rivals anything in "Indiana Jones" or "James Bond"

Who knew the Minnesota beauty pageant circuit could be so deadly? This week, the "Second Run" squad set their sights on the very dark 1999 mockumentary "Drop Dead Gorgeous," which boasts an all-star cast that includes Kirstie Alley, Ellen Barkin, Denise Richards, Alison Janney, Kirsten Dunst, and ... wait for it ... Amy Adams. Topics discussed include how amazing Alison Janney is (seriously, it's worth watching just to see her steal the movie), the insulting/condescending nature of small-town comedy, and all of the racist jokes that just wouldn't fly in 2017.

Renny Harlin's "Cliffhanger" has something for everyone: Sylvester Stallone, mountain climbing, Italy pretending to be the Rocky Mountains, stoner base jumpers, an iconic cold-open death scene, horses, "wolves," terrible accents, avalanches, and blood ... so much blood. This week, "Second Run" took a second look at the 1993 action-thriller "Cliffhanger" and decided that the title is far more literal than it is descriptive of the movie's suspenseful nature -- mostly because it's not suspenseful at all. But thrilling? Oh yes, it is thrilling! Topics discussed include confusingly elaborate (but exciting!) fight choreography, predictable dialogue, avuncular character deaths, and the woefully miscast John Lithgow.