We’re back with an all-new season of Guide for the Film Fanatic! In each episode, Jason Bailey and Mike Hull invite a guest from the world of film (including filmmakers, authors, critics, actors, and more) to select one of the 1600+ “must-see movies” collected in Danny Peary’s seminal 1986 book, Guide for the Film Fanatic. Bailey, Hull, and their guests deep dive on each film, discussing its history, themes, style, performances, initial reception, and legacy, taking a fresh look at some of the most beloved titles in cinema history.

Usually our guests select a movie they love. Film essayist, podcaster, and ‘80s chronicler Drew McWeeny instead picked a movie he knows doesn’t work, but is fascinated by: Noted not-comedy director John G. Avildsen’s adaptation of Thomas Berger’s satirical novel, the final on-screen pairing of the cast-against-type John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd.

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. We’ve partnered up with One Heat Minute Productions on this show, so we’ve migrated over to their feed; subscribe now if you haven’t already. 

We’re also putting our new episodes up on YouTube! Watch the show on our YouTube channel, @guideforthefilmfanatic, for visual accompaniment and bonus stuff and who knows what else:

Neighbors is streaming on Hulu, YouTube, and Tubi, and is available for digital rental or purchase. You can read Janet Maslin’s New York Times review here, Roger Ebert’s Chicago Sun-Times review here, and Drew’s “80s Roulette” assessment here. You can also hear Drew’s episode that we mentioned of “A Very Good Year,” covering 1999, here.  

Drew’s website is Formerly Dangerous, where you can find his various musings on film and culture here and his Last ‘80s Newsletter here. You can also listen to his podcast “The Hip Pocket” here. You can listen to Mike’s new podcast “Whitewashed History” here, and you can also watch his documentary  Betrayal at Attica on Tubi and Apple TV+. And Jason’s book Gandolfini: Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend is now out in paperback (and hardback, ebook, and audiobook), and you can order it from MZS Press, Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, or wherever you get your books.

Last but not least, if you’d like to make a little donation to support us and the show, you can do that at Ko-fi!