Best Retired Rock Critic Podcasts (2025)

1
Controversial Scenes So Bad They Were Pulled From Movies + Did Disney Ruin ‘Lilo and Stitch’ for Mike? + Trailer Park: F1 and Why Brad Pitt Will Never Play a Grandpa 53:53

4d ago53:53

53:53

Mike talks about movie scenes that were considered to be too inappropriate and were removed from the final cuts from films such as The Program, Toy Story 2 and Lilo and Stitch. Mike shares what made the scenes controversial that audiences ended up finding offensive, disrespectful or some that even posed a threat to the public. In the Movie Review, …

1
Hûsker Dû…an Underrated Legacy 1:10:20

10d ago1:10:20

1:10:20

In which The Curmudgeons give loud, deserved props to one of modern rock's most influential bands. Hûsker Dû started out as a revered hardcore punk band in Minneapolis in 1979, but by the mid-1980s, the band had veered toward a style that became known as punk-pop--loud and abrasive but also unquestionably melodic and heartfelt. During this episode,…

1
How An Indie Doc About ‘A Goofy Movie’ Made It to Disney+ with ‘Not Just a Goof’ Filmmakers + Movie Review: Final Destination Bloodlines + Trailer Park: The Long Walk 55:33

11d ago55:33

55:33

Mike talks to the filmmakers behind ‘Not Just A Goof’ the documentary that uncovers the untold story of A Goofy Movie. Mike talks to directors Christopher Ninness and Eric Kimelton along with producer Scott Seibold. They share their 5 year journey to get the movie released on Disney+, the coolest things that discovered about A Goofy Movie during fi…

1
Robert Schwartzman on The Princess Diaries, his uncle Francis Ford Coppola and new ‘The Zombies’ Documentary + Movie Review: Thunderbolts* aka The New Avengers + Trailer Park: Will The Rock Win An Oscar ... 54:12

18d ago54:12

54:12

Mike talks to Robert Schwartzman (director, actor, musician) about his new documentary Hung Up On A Dream: The Zombies Documentary in theaters now. Robert talks about growing up in a musical household, his band Rooney getting featured on The O.C., auditioning for The Princess Diaries with Anne Hathaway, his brother Jason Schwartzman and what he lea…

1
Los Angeles Rocks in the 1980s Part 2 (1986-90) 1:52:31

23d ago1:52:31

1:52:31

In which The Curmudgeons continue their exploration of the City of Angels during arguably its most fertile period, namely the decade of the 1980s. Last episode, we established that the glam metal and punk scenes gestated based on a similar us-against-the-world ethos, albeit expressed much differently from one another. By the late '80s, glam metal h…

1
Mike Drags Tom Hardy and Kelsey’s Shocking Worst Movie Pick + Movie Review: What Went Wrong with ‘The Accountant 2’? + Trailer Park: I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) 47:46

25d ago47:46

47:46

It’s been a while but Mike and Kelsey are back to break down their best and worst movies of the last 2 months. Kelsey hurts Mike’s feelings by picking one of her favorites as her worst, Mike shares why he thinks Tom Hardy isn’t the lead he thinks he is, and a movie that blew both of their minds with little expectation going into it. In the Movie Re…

1
Top 10 Ryan Gosling Movies + Movie Review: Warfare + Trailer Park: Him 48:05

1M ago48:05

48:05

Mike shares his list of the Top 10 Ryan Gosling movies of all-time. From the roles that defined him, stretched him, and made audiences fall in love with him all over again. He shares what movie he should have won an Oscar for and one of his most underrated performances in his filmography. In the Movie Review, Mike talks about Warfare which was writ…

1
Los Angeles Rocks in the 1980s Part 1 (1981-85) 1:48:21

1M ago1:48:21

1:48:21

In which The Curmudgeons travel back to sleazy, sweaty streets of Los Angeles to celebrate the music emanating from the City of Angeles. On one end, you had the burgeoning glam metal scene, a parade of excess and depravity in leather, chains and spandex--and some glorious, decadent riffage. On the other end, you had the DIY punk underground, led by…

1
What ‘A Goofy Movie’ Means To Me + Ryan Coogler on Representation in Film + Movie Review: Sinners + Trailer Park: Another Simple Favor 59:12

1M ago59:12

59:12

Mike shares what A Goofy Movie (1995) means to him personally and why it was such a transformative film for him growing up. He shares his thoughts and takeaways from Disney+ “Not Just A Goof” documentary that tells the story of it's unlikely journey and how it almost never saw the light of day. Mike talks about how his relationship with his dad is …

1
Oklahoma City Bombing: American Terror (Netflix) with Director Greg Tillman and Retired FBI Agent Walter Lamar + Movie Review: Drop + Trailer Park: M3GAN 2.0 43:41

2M ago43:41

43:41

Mike talks to director Greg Tillman about his upcoming documentary called The Oklahoma City Bombing: American Terror that hits Netflix on April 18th. The documentary provides a gripping, minute-by-minute retelling of the bombing and aftermath, and revisits the 1995 bombing through stories of those that were at the deadliest act of domestic terroris…

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The 3rd Golden Age of Rock: 1980 (Turn It On Again) 1:50:04

2M ago1:50:04

1:50:04

In which The Curmudgeons end their dynamic 3rd Golden Age of Rock series with a loving reexamination of the year 1980. The year stands as crucial pivot point for the development of rock 'n' roll culture. Punk and post-punk were becoming Gothic rock and New Wave. The Clash was serving as a virtual world jukebox. Talking Heads was virtually doing the…

1
Finn Wolfhard, Billy Bryk and Fred Hechinger on Hell of A Summer + Movie Review: Minecraft + Trailer Park: One Battle After Another 41:08

2M ago41:08

41:08

Mike sits down with Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things, It, Ghostbusters: Afterlife), Billy Bryk (Hell of a Summer co-director/co-writer) and Fred Hechinger (Gladiator II, The White Lotus, Nickel Boys). They talk about their Gen Z slasher Hell of a Summer, how they wrote it for themselves, making sure it was funny while being behind and in front of the…

1
How ‘The Ballad of Wallis Island’ Inspired Mike in Real Life with Tom Basden and Tim Key + Movie Review: Snow White + Trailer Park: Freakier Friday 44:58

2M ago44:58

44:58

Mike sits down with Tim Key and Tom Basden, the stars of The Ballad of Wallis Island. Mike talks to them about the difference in US and UK pop culture, why it’s important to support indie movies, being stunned by meeting famous people and what the movie motivated Mike to do in real life. In the Movie Review, Mike talks about Disney’s Snow White. He…

1
Big L - Hip-Hop's Lost Genius 1:09:10

2M ago1:09:10

1:09:10

In which The Curmudgeons honor one of hip-hop's most tragic figures. Big L was a hip-hop savant from Harlem whose flows were endlessly inventive, whose lyrics walked a fine line between pathos and shock value and whose professionalism allowed him to dominate any beat and any style. His star was on the rise in early 1999 before disaster struck and B…

1
Alan Siegel (The Ringer) On The Simpsons in the 90’s and Famous Movie Parodies + Movie Review: The Electric State (Netflix) + Trailer Park: The Woman In The Yard 50:24

2M ago50:24

50:24

Mike talks to writer Alan Siegel (The Ringer) who just wrote a book about the golden era of The Simpsons in the 90s changed TV and America forever. They build their Mount Rushmore of 90’s Simpsons episodes, how the show was influenced by classic cinema and the best movies that they did parodies of on the show. In the Movie Review, Mike defends The …

1
Top 10 Baseball Films + Movie Review: Novocaine + Trailer Park: Lilo & Stitch 56:42

2M ago56:42

56:42

Opening day is right around the corner and Mike can’t wait! He shares his Top 10 Baseball movies of all time that include the classics and some unexpected picks in true Movie Mike fashion. He also talks about where his love of baseball started and the MLB player who ghosted him as a kid. In the Movie Review, Mike gives his thoughts on Novocaine sta…

1
Curtis Mayfield - The Most Underrated Artist in Music History 1:25:23

3M ago1:25:23

1:25:23

In which The Curmudgeons passionately laud, lavish and defend one of the true gentle giants of popular music--and certainly its most underappreciated. Curtis Mayfield was an absolute pioneer of soul, R&B and funk. Mayfield produced an astonishing body of work, first as the bandleader for soul trio The Impressions in the 1960s, and then as a prolifi…

1
The Best “Mid” Childhood Movies That Would Fail Today + Movie Review: Mickey 17 + Trailer Park: Death of a Unicorn 56:01

3M ago56:01

56:01

Mike shares his favorite ‘mid’ movies that he thinks would fail today. He chooses movies that are nostalgic, cult classics but didn’t perform well at the box office and found success with physical media sales and rentals. In the Movie Review, Mike talks about Mickey 17 starring Robert Pattinson. It’s a sci-fi comedy about an "expendable" who goes o…

1
Oscar 2025 Recap + How to Fix the Award Show 19:47

3M ago19:47

19:47

Mike recaps the Biggest moments from the 97th Academy Awards. Mike talks about the biggest surprise of the night, the picks he got right and wrong. Plus, how he thinks Conan did as host and what the award show can do to make it better moving forward before it totally becomes irrelevant. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

1
Best and Worst of Feb with Mike and Kelsey + Movie Review: Riff Raff + Trailer Park: Warfare 57:13

3M ago57:13

57:13

Mike and Kelsey share their best and worst movies they watched in February. They talk about The Shrek 5 teaser that dropped, the Barney movie that got announced and their nostalgic childhood TV shows. In the Movie Review, Mike talks about Riff Raff. It’s a crime-comedy starring Bill Murray, Pete Davidson and Ed Harris. It’s about a former criminal …

1
The 3rd Golden Age of Rock - 1979 (Dawn of a New Era) 2:00:18

3M ago2:00:18

2:00:18

In which The Curmudgeons honor one of the most important years in all of rock 'n' roll history. Through the greatest albums and songs of 1979, we hear the sound of one decade fading and another decade splashing into full color and light. Post-punk, for instance, reached its most glorious heights, with bands like Public Image Ltd. and Gang of Four o…

1
Ranking Top 10 Sequels Releasing in 2025 + Movie Review: + Trailer Park: Friendship 48:15

3M ago48:15

48:15

After much speculation, it’s officially official that we are getting a Goonies 2. Mike shares his thoughts on the age old tale of everything being a reboot or sequel. In doing so, he ranks the Top 10 direct sequels coming out this year in which he thinks will be the worst to best. In the Movie Review, Mike talks about The Monkey directed by Oz Perk…

1
SPOILER REVIEW: Captain America: Brave New World - Top 3 Things Mike Liked and Didn’t Like 15:58

3M ago15:58

15:58

Mike gives his SPOILER filled thoughts on Marvel's Brave New World starring Anthony Mackie. Only listen to this episode if you’ve seen the movie or don’t care to have it spoiled. Mike talks about the weak cameos, strong supporting cast but ultimately where the movie lost him. He also talks about what part this movie plays in the MCU leading up the …

1
5 Most Important Superhero Films + Movie Review: Captain America: Brave New World + Trailer Park: Jurassic World: Rebirth 51:19

3M ago51:19

51:19

In honor of the release of a new Marvel movie, Mike talks about what he thinks are the 5 most important films in Superhero hero history. These are not Mike’s favorites but what he believes are the most significant movies to the development and history of the genre. In the Movie Review, Mike gives his thoughts on Captain America: Brave New World. Ho…

1
Real Hip-Hop's Last Stand (1999-2008) 2:31:23

4M ago2:31:23

2:31:23

In which The Curmudgeons examine the last great era for hip-hop, namely the years between 1999 and 2008. After the catastrophe that was the murders of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls, hip-hop could have imploded and or lost its footing--or even its respect as a genre. Instead, the movement throughout the 1990s, in which the hardcore went mainstream,…

1
Ranking All 8 Harry Potter Movies + Movie Review: Anora + Trailer Park: Sinners 52:28

4M ago52:28

52:28

Mike and Kelsey rewatched all 8 Harry Potter movies and broke down the entire franchise from 2 different types of HP fan. Mike ranks all of the moves from his least to most favorite, most memorable character deaths and most iconic moments. In the Movie Review, Mike talks about Anora. It’s a story about a young woman from Brooklyn, who gets her chan…

1
Movies of the Month (Jan) with Mike and Kelsey + Movie Review: Presence + Trailer Park: Drop 53:09

4M ago53:09

53:09

Mike and Kelsey give their Best and Worst movies they saw in January. They talk about the day they spent watching 6 movies in one day, why Mike is neurotic about planning out meals around, why they can’t believe how much Cameron Diaz’s Netflix deal is worth after seeing her film that made her unretire from acting. In the Movie Review, Mike talks ab…

1
Elton John (1970-75)…A Legacy 1:30:31

4M ago1:30:31

1:30:31

In which the Curmudgeons know it's going to be a long, long time before the heavens produce a young man as preternaturally gifted as a songwriter and performer as Elton John proved to be back in the early 1970s. John's output during the early part of that fabled decade was routinely incredible, possessed with both a swagger and a tenderness that sh…

1
97th Oscar Predictions + Movie Review: The Brutalist + Trailer Park: The Monkey 55:25

4M ago55:25

55:25

Mike and Kelsey go through all of the Oscar nominations. Mike gives his predictions on who will win, surprises, snubs and he officially endorses a film for Best Picture. In the Movie Review, Mike keeps it in the Oscars theme and talks about The Brutalist starring Adrien Brody. Escaping postwar Europe, a visionary architect comes to America to rebui…

1
Top 10 Most Anticipated Movies of 2025 + Movie Review: One of Them Days + Trailer Park: Novocaine 55:16

4M ago55:16

55:16

Mike shares the movies he is most excited to see in theaters this year. He talks about what he expects from Marvel this year, his favorite Disney movie getting a live-action remake and the little thing he loves the most about going to the movies. In the Movie Review, Mike talks about One of Them Day. The story follows Dreux and Alyssa, played by Ke…

1
The 3rd Golden Age of Rock - 1978 (Between Punk and Post-Punk) 2:09:00

5M ago2:09:00

2:09:00

In which the Curmudgeons revisit the underrated yet crucially important year of 1978. Punk rock had gone mainstream in the two years prior to '78, and true to the restlessness that defined the genre, the music was ready to morph into post-punk and New Wave. We marvel at the movement this pivotal year brought in this episode. We cover albums by Elvi…

1
Movie of the Month (Dec) with Mike and Kelsey + Movie Review: Sonic 3 + Trailer Park: Love Me 55:07

5M ago55:07

55:07

Mike and Kelsey watched so much over the holidays! They are back with their Best and Worst Movies for the month of December. In the Movie Review, Mike talks about why Sonic is the best video game movie franchise after watching Sonic the Hedgehog 3. He compares it to the MCU, why it’s not nominated for an Oscar and how the movie plays almost perfect…

1
Top 10 Best and Worst Movies of 2024 + Movie Review: Babygirl and Seeing Nicole Kidman In Person Talking About It! 1:05:00

5M ago1:05:00

1:05:00

In the first new episode of the year, Mike shares his Top 10 movies of 2024 including ones that he watched that came out over the holidays. Mike also shares what movie he thinks will be up for Best Picture, the difference in family films vs kid films and how he is trying to be a more fail an balanced reviewer this year. In the Movie Review, Mike an…

1
Kelsey’s Top 10 Books of the Year 27:29

5M ago27:29

27:29

Today is Kelsey’s birthday! In honor, she has compiled a list of her top 10 books of 2024. She’s read over 80 books of the year and narrows it down to the one’s she recommends the most. Mike also shares his favorite comic of the year! Follow Kelsey on GoodReads Follow Kelsey on StoryGraph (Username: Kelseybrod) New Episodes Every Monday! Watch on Y…

1
Top 5 Interviews of 2024 + Mike’s Bucket List Interview Picks! 1:05:10

5M ago1:05:10

1:05:10

As we reach the end of another year, Mike looks back on his favorite conversations of 2024. They range from Freddy Kruger to the director of Wonka. Catch some interviews you may have missed. Mike also shares who his bucket list interviews would be for both a dream guest director and actor. But ultimately, Mike just wants to give a big THANK YOU to …

1
The Top Ten Albums of 2024 1:19:46

5M ago1:19:46

1:19:46

In which each of Yours Truly Curmudgeons offers our list of the ten best albums we consumed over the past 12 months. This was a surprisingly strong, deep year for new music releases...something exemplified by the fact that our lists share five entries in common. Here's a sneak peek: The top album on both of our lists is one of the greatest and most…

1
3 Christmas Movies That Make Kelsey Want to Have Kids + Movie Review: Carry-On (Netflix) + Trailer Park: Superman 53:34

5M ago53:34

53:34

It’s time for the Christmas special! Mike shares his Top 5 R-Rated Christmas movies meanwhile Kelsey shares the movies she wants to show their future kids. They also talk about their favorite Christmas movies as kids and why this season has felt less Christmassy. In the Movie Review, Mike talks about Carry-On starring Jason Bateman and Taron Egerto…

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Top 10 Underrated Movies of 2024 + Movie Review: Y2K + Trailer Park: 28 Years Later 58:54

6M ago58:54

58:54

As we come close to the end of the year, Mike shares his Top 10 Underrated films of 2024 with Kelsey. He calculated the movies based on his original rating, box office performance and audience score. He explains why this movies went unnoticed or what made them crash at the box office. In the Movie Review, Mike talks about the horror comedy Y2K set …

1
Queen in the 1970s 1:26:30

6M ago1:26:30

1:26:30

In which The Curmudgeons shout before all the human race like we'll never lose. Yup, we're discussing the mighty, mighty Queen on this episode, focusing on the band's undeniable greatness from their beginnings all the way through 1980, when they peaked commercially with "Another One Bites the Dust" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love." The band man…

1
Movie of the Month (Nov) with Mike and Kelsey + Movie Review: Gladiator 2 + Trailer Park: Snow White 56:45

6M ago56:45

56:45

Mike and Kesley are back with another month in review for November. What movies they loved and recommended for you to check out and what they each despised and think you should skip. In the Movie Review, Mike talks about Gladiator 2. Why fans of the original will hate certain aspects of the film, the questionable special effects on the CGI animals …

1
Top 5 Animated Sequels + Movie Review: Moana 2 + Trailer Park: Minecraft 46:47

6M ago46:47

46:47

In honor of Moana 2, Mike takes on the world of animated sequels to rank his Top 7 of all time! From timeless classics to modern marvels, see which sequels truly live up to the magic of their originals. In the Movie Review, Mike shares his thoughts on Disney's highly anticipated Moana 2—does it capture the same heart and adventure as the first? Are…

1
The 3rd Golden Age of Rock - 1977 (God Save the Punks!) 2:22:28

6M ago2:22:28

2:22:28

In which the Curmudgeons continue to revisit the fertile fields of the late 1970s and land on 1977, one of the most explosive years in rock history. It's when the Sex Pistols dropped their album Never Mind the Bollocks, here's the Sex Pistols and set off a punk revolution. It's also when Fleetwood Mac, Kraftwerk and Bob Marley dropped genre-definin…

1
Top 5 Tubi Finds for Free! + Movie Review: Wicked + Trailer Park: ‘Mission: Impossible 8’ 58:43

6M ago58:43

58:43

In honor of Thanksgiving Week, Movie Mike wants to show his gratitude to you by giving you something you can do for free this week! Mike shares his Top 5 Tubi finds that you can watch at home without paying for a subscription. He gives his recommendations for hidden gems you may have missed in a variety of genres and explains why he enjoyed each on…

1
Ticket or Skip It? New "Star Wars" Trilogy Is in the Works + Movie Review: A Real Pain + Trailer Park: Dear Santa 59:51

6M ago59:51

59:51

Movie Mike debuts a new game called Ticket or Skip It? He shares big announcements that have been shared recently and whether he’d buy a ticket to see it or skip it because it doesn’t seem like it’d be good. He gives his thoughts on the new Star Wars trilogy, Denzel Washington in Black Panther 3 and Glen Powell possibly taking over for Tom Cruise i…

1
The Neil Young Archives Vol. III Tales Album...A Curmudgeonly Review 1:33:19

7M ago1:33:19

1:33:19

In which the Curmudgeons dive into the little bit of the third installment of Neil Young's Archives that we can. The full 17-CD, five-Blu Ray Archives Vol. III is available for roughly $450, but only for 5,000 lucky customers willing to spend a small fortune. The rest of us get an album Young refers to as "Takes," which contains a 16-song sampling …

1
Movies of the Month (Oct) with Mikey and Kelsey + Movie Review: Here + Trailer Park: Presence 49:50

7M ago49:50

49:50

Mike and Kelsey return to talk about the best and worst movies they watched in October. Kelsey shares why she can’t stand Joaquin Phoenix and Mike reveals the nerdiest thing he bought recently. In the Movie Review, Mike talks about Here starring Tom Hanks and Robin Wright. The movie reunites the “Forrest Gump” co-stars with their director Robert Ze…

1
Desert Island Movie Bracket + Movie Review: Woman of the Hour (Netflix) + Trailer Park: One Of Them Days 54:01

7M ago54:01

54:01

Mike dives into the question: If you could only bring one movie with you to watch on a desert island....what would it be? He shares a list of his top picks and puts them into an elimination bracket forcing him to pick just one. In the Movie Review, Mike talks about Woman of the Hour on Netflix starring and directed by Anna Kendrick. It’s based on a…

1
Led Zeppelin....The Legacy of All Legacies 2:14:28

7M ago2:14:28

2:14:28

In which The Curmudgeons worship at the altar of the mighty, mighty Led Zeppelin. With scorching guitar licks, torpedo-heavy drumming and sex-god screamer vocals, this band epitomized the sensuality and the swagger of rock 'n' roll, and in presenting their take on the genre, they helped create what we now call heavy metal. During this episode, we c…

1
Top 5 Movies Mike Wants to See Before He Dies + Movie Review: Venom: The Last Dance + Trailer Park: Ballerina 57:18

7M ago57:18

57:18

There was MAJOR movie news that dropped last week that was so exciting but stressful knowing how far away it will be until we actually see it. Mike decided to put together a list of movies he hopes he is alive to see that have been announced. He also talks about movies he hopes to see in his lifetime that currently have no news of being made. In th…

1
Top 10 Final Girls in Horror Movies + Movie Review: Smile 2 + Trailer Park: Babygirl 46:53

7M ago46:53

46:53

Mike discusses Ranker’s List of the Top 10 Final Girls of all-time. If you're a fan of horror movies, then you know all about the final girl. She's the woman who survives the killer, and usually kills him or her. Mike weighs in on who should and shouldn’t be on the list and what movies are worth seeing if you haven’t. In the Movie Review, Mike give…

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Retired Rock Critic Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen