For the entire month of March, the guys at Not A Bomb are throwing it back to their old Movie Matchup format, pitting notorious box office bombs against each other in a battle for redemption. Two flops enter… only one survives. There can only be one!
This week, Troy and Brad are strapping on their headbands, polishing their katana, and diving into a matchup that blends ‘80s martial‑arts mayhem with ‘90s neo‑samurai intensity. It’s a clash of cultures, a duel of destinies, and—let’s be honest, a celebration of that timeless cinematic art form: white‑guy karate. That’s right, it’s American Ninja vs. The Hunted, and the dojo has never been more chaotic.
American Ninja (1985)
Directed by Sam Firstenberg and starring Michael Dudikoff, Steve James, Judie Aronson, and Tadashi Yamashita, this Cannon Films classic is the apex of Reagan‑era martial‑arts absurdity. It’s a movie where ninjas fall from trees like confetti, the U.S. Army apparently has no HR department, and the choreography proudly screams, “We taught this guy karate last week.” A cult favorite for anyone who believes the greatest martial art is confidence.
The Hunted (1995)
Directed by J.F. Lawton and starring Christopher Lambert, John Lone, Joan Chen, and Yoshio Harada, this sleek, bloody thriller drops a confused American businessman into a centuries‑old samurai feud. Lambert, armed with nothing but bewilderment and the fighting instincts of a man who once took a weekend aikido class. It’s stylish, atmospheric, and surprisingly intense, proving that even in the ‘90s, Hollywood couldn’t resist the allure of “What if a regular white guy accidentally became part of a ninja war?”
The Matchup
This isn’t just a duel—it’s a full‑blown martial‑arts heavyweight fight. Cannon‑era ninja chaos vs. moody samurai noir. Dudikoff’s “I guess I’m a ninja now” energy vs. Lambert’s “I definitely did not sign up for this” panic. Troy and Brad break down which film kicks harder, which one stumbles, and which earns the coveted weekly crown. Expect shurikens, sword fights, questionable accents, and enough white‑guy karate to power a VHS dojo.
We Want to Hear From You
Got a cinematic flop you want us to tackle? Drop us a line at NotABombPod@gmail.com or reach out through our contact page. Reviews on Apple Podcasts or Spotify help us grow and keep the chaos coming.
Cast: Brad, Troy
There’s something special about early ‘90s boxing movies. They live in that sweet spot between grit and charm—before everything became overly polished, but after the genre had already gone a few rounds with audiences. For Episode 301 of Not A Bomb, we step into the ring with two films that don’t always get a title shot: Gladiator (1992) and Diggstown (1992).
Here is the tale of the tape:
Gladiator (1992)
Gladiator comes out swinging with raw, underground energy. It’s a coming-of-age story that doesn’t pull its punches, following a young fighter caught in a world where every decision feels like going toe-to-toe with disaster.
This movie fights in close quarters, dirty, aggressive, and personal. There’s no dancing around the ring here. Every hit lands, and you feel it. It’s the kind of film that wins on sheer grit… even if it occasionally looks like it forgot the game plan between rounds.
Gladiator Rowdy Herrington and stars Cuba Gooding Jr., James Marshall, Robert Loggia, Ossie Davis, and Brain Dennehy.
Diggstown (1992)
Diggstown, meanwhile, is light on its feet and heavy on charm. It’s less about haymakers and more about the long con—built around a bet that feels like the cinematic equivalent of calling your shot before the fight even starts.
This film shadowboxes with expectations. It jabs, it dodges, and every now and then it lands a clever uppercut of a twist. It may not hit as hard as Gladiator, but it definitely knows how to score points with the judges (and the audience).
Diggstown is directed by Michael Ritchie and stars James Woods, Louis Gossett Jr., Oliver Platt, Heather Graham, Bruce Dern
We Want to Hear From You
Got a cinematic flop you want us to tackle? Drop us a line at NotABombPod@gmail.com or reach out through our contact page. Reviews on Apple Podcasts or Spotify help us grow and keep the chaos coming.
Cast: Brad, Troy
For our 300th episode, Not A Bomb takes a moment to look back on nearly six years of exploring overlooked and misunderstood films. Brad and Troy reflect on the evolution of the show, the community that has grown around it, and the conversations that have shaped its identity.
To mark the milestone, the episode revisits Michael Mann’s Heat (1995) — a film that has long been part of the podcast’s internal history. Though never a “bomb,” Heat is a work whose reputation has deepened over time, making it a fitting choice for this moment. The discussion examines the film’s legacy, performances, craftsmanship, and themes, drawing on ideas explored in past blog posts while offering new perspective.
Episode 300 serves as both a celebration and a reaffirmation of the show’s purpose: to give films the thoughtful attention they deserve and to continue discovering the stories behind them.
Heat is directed by Michael Mann and stars Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Tom Sizemore, Diane Brenneman, Ashley Judd, Mykelti Williamson, Wes Studi, Ted Levine, Jon Voight, and Val Kilmer
Support the Show
Want to help support the show? Head over to the Not A Bomb Tee Public store and check our merchandise. Special thanks to Ted Blair for the amazing designs!
We're committed to hearing your feedback and suggestions. If there's a cinematic flop you'd like us to delve into, please reach out to us at NotABombPod@gmail.com or through our contact page. Your reviews and feedback are what drive us. If you enjoy our content, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.
For the entire month of March, the guys at Not A Bomb are throwing it back to their old Movie Matchup format, pitting notorious box office bombs against each other in a battle for redemption. Two flops enter… only one survives. There can only be one!
This week, Troy and Brad aren’t just stepping into the ring, they’re calling the fight of the century. It’s a bruising, bare‑knuckle, cinematic heavyweight showdown between two crime‑soaked epics: King of New York and Gangs of New York. Decades apart, stylistically worlds away, but both swinging for the fences with operatic violence, towering performances, and enough swagger to level a city block.
King of New York (1990)
Directed by Abel Ferrara and starring Christopher Walken, Laurence Fishburne, Wesley Snipes, David Caruso, Victor Argo, and Giancarlo Esposito, this neon‑drenched gangster fever dream follows drug lord Frank White as he storms back into New York’s underworld after a stint in prison. It’s stylish, chaotic, and packed with performances so intense they practically melt through the screen.
Gangs of New York (2002)
Directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day‑Lewis, Cameron Diaz, Brendan Gleeson, Jim Broadbent, and John C. Reilly, this sprawling historical epic throws you into the blood‑soaked streets of 1860s Manhattan. Rival factions. Political corruption. Revenge quests. And at the center of it all, Daniel Day‑Lewis delivering one of the most terrifying, magnetic performances of his career as Bill the Butcher.
The Matchup
This isn’t just a comparison; it’s a clash of titans. Frank White vs. Bill the Butcher. Modern crime mythmaking vs. historical gangland opera. Ferrara’s gritty, punk‑rock filmmaking vs. Scorsese’s grand, blood‑stained spectacle. Troy and Brad break down which film lands the cleanest hits, which one stumbles, and which earns the coveted weekly crown. Expect fireworks, body blows, and enough cinematic carnage to fill Madison Square Garden.
We Want to Hear From You
Got a cinematic flop you want us to tackle? Drop us a line at NotABombPod@gmail.com or reach out through our contact page. Reviews on Apple Podcasts or Spotify help us grow and keep the chaos coming.
Cast: Brad, Troy
For the month of April, Not A Bomb is shining a spotlight on Hong Kong films. This week, Troy and Brad shift gears from modern action thrillers to a film that feels like a love letter to classic Hong Kong stunt cinema as they explore Jackie Chan’s 2025 return to the kind of handcrafted, physical filmmaking that made him a legend — The Shadow’s Edge.
With jaw‑dropping practical stunts, a surprising amount of warmth, and a few well‑timed laughs, The Shadow’s Edge asks a simple question: can a veteran action star still surprise us when the camera stays close and the risks feel real? Troy and Brad argue yes, both calling it a return to form for Jackie Chan. They dig into how the film trusts physical performance over CGI, how the tone balances grit and levity, and why seeing Chan take hits and improvise in the frame still lands in a way few modern action films manage.
Buckle up: this one is equal parts thrilling and tender.
The Shadow’s Edge is directed by Larry Yang, and stars Jackie Chan, Zhang Zifeng, Tony Leung Ka-fai, and Ci Sha.
Want to help support the show? Head over to the Not A Bomb Tee Public store and check our merchandise. Special thanks to Ted Blair for the amazing designs!
We're committed to hearing your feedback and suggestions. If there's a Hong Kong film or a cinematic gem (or flop) you'd like us to delve into, please reach out to us at NotABombPod@gmail.com or through our contact page. Your reviews and feedback are what drive us. If you enjoy our content, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Cast: Brad, Troy