Episode 311 - Mallrats (6 Year Anniversary)
Welcome back to Not A Bomb! — the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: is it a bomb? This week is extra special as Troy and Brad celebrate six years of cinematic redemption, deep dives, financial flops, and the occasional chocolate-covered pretzel.
To mark the anniversary, the guys are heading back to the mid‑’90s to revisit Kevin Smith’s sophomore effort — Mallrats. Released in 1995, this follow‑up to Clerks was supposed to launch Smith into the mainstream. Instead, it belly‑flopped harder than Brodie Bruce off an escalator. Critics weren’t impressed, audiences stayed home, and Universal watched its teen‑comedy gamble turn into a full‑blown financial wipeout. Of course, like many Not A Bomb favorites, Mallrats eventually found a second life on home video, becoming a cult staple for slackers, comic‑book nerds, and anyone who has ever loitered in a food court.
But how does Mallrats hold up nearly three decades later? Is it an unfairly maligned comedy that deserved better, or a chaotic, juvenile relic that only works if you lived through the era of Magic Eye posters? Troy and Brad dig into the film’s legacy, its infamous production woes, and the early signs of the View Askewniverse taking shape.
Snootchie bootchies — and listen now!
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.
Welcome back to Not A Bomb! — the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: is it a bomb? This week is extra special as Troy and Brad celebrate six years of cinematic redemption, deep dives, financial flops, and the occasional chocolate-covered pretzel.
To mark the anniversary, the guys are heading back to the mid‑’90s to revisit Kevin Smith’s sophomore effort — Mallrats. Released in 1995, this follow‑up to Clerks was supposed to launch Smith into the mainstream. Instead, it belly‑flopped harder than Brodie Bruce off an escalator. Critics weren’t impressed, audiences stayed home, and Universal watched its teen‑comedy gamble turn into a full‑blown financial wipeout. Of course, like many Not A Bomb favorites, Mallrats eventually found a second life on home video, becoming a cult staple for slackers, comic‑book nerds, and anyone who has ever loitered in a food court.
But how does Mallrats hold up nearly three decades later? Is it an unfairly maligned comedy that deserved better, or a chaotic, juvenile relic that only works if you lived through the era of Magic Eye posters? Troy and Brad dig into the film’s legacy, its infamous production woes, and the early signs of the View Askewniverse taking shape.
Snootchie bootchies — and listen now!
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.
NAB Presents: Breaking Brad - Experiment 17: Glitter
This week’s experiment: the shimmering, logic‑defying pop‑music fever dream known as Glitter. A film that dares to ask, “What if Mariah Carey starred in her own A Star Is Born?” and then immediately forgets to answer because it got distracted by a sparkly butterfly.
Set in a version of 1980s New York that appears to have been reconstructed entirely from perfume commercials and vague memories, Glitter is less a movie and more an extended montage that occasionally remembers it should have dialogue. Plot threads drift in and out like they’re late for a different film, emotional beats land with the grace of a dropped microphone, and the editing suggests someone was frantically trying to escape the room while cutting it.
Mariah whisper‑acts her way through heartbreak, fame, and several questionable wardrobe choices, while her love interest delivers a performance so beige it could be sold at Home Depot. It’s not just a movie, it’s a stress test. Of patience. Of endurance. Of Brad’s ability to keep his soul from leaving his body mid‑episode. And this week, we find out whether he can survive ninety minutes of glitter‑coated melodrama… or if this is the moment he finally, truly, spectacularly breaks.
Be sure to subscribe to the Gentlemen’s Guide to Midnite Cinema to hear more of Sammy. Also, check out Jose’s podcast - Watch/Skip+ • A podcast on Anchor. Both are highly recommended.
If you want to leave feedback or suggest a movie bomb, please drop us a line at NotABombPod@gmail.com or Contact Us - here. Also, if you like what you hear, leave a review on Apple Podcast.
This week’s experiment: the shimmering, logic‑defying pop‑music fever dream known as Glitter. A film that dares to ask, “What if Mariah Carey starred in her own A Star Is Born?” and then immediately forgets to answer because it got distracted by a sparkly butterfly.
Set in a version of 1980s New York that appears to have been reconstructed entirely from perfume commercials and vague memories, Glitter is less a movie and more an extended montage that occasionally remembers it should have dialogue. Plot threads drift in and out like they’re late for a different film, emotional beats land with the grace of a dropped microphone, and the editing suggests someone was frantically trying to escape the room while cutting it.
Mariah whisper‑acts her way through heartbreak, fame, and several questionable wardrobe choices, while her love interest delivers a performance so beige it could be sold at Home Depot. It’s not just a movie, it’s a stress test. Of patience. Of endurance. Of Brad’s ability to keep his soul from leaving his body mid‑episode. And this week, we find out whether he can survive ninety minutes of glitter‑coated melodrama… or if this is the moment he finally, truly, spectacularly breaks.
Be sure to subscribe to the Gentlemen’s Guide to Midnite Cinema to hear more of Sammy. Also, check out Jose’s podcast - Watch/Skip+ • A podcast on Anchor. Both are highly recommended.
If you want to leave feedback or suggest a movie bomb, please drop us a line at NotABombPod@gmail.com or Contact Us - here. Also, if you like what you hear, leave a review on Apple Podcast.
Episode 310 - Angel’s Egg
This week, Not A Bomb slows things down for a very different kind of Ani‑MAY‑e pick. The hosts dive into Angel’s Egg, Mamoru Oshii’s 1985 avant‑gothic meditation on faith, memory, and meaning. If last week was all speed and neon, this film is pure atmosphere, built from quiet moments, stark imagery, and a story that refuses to explain itself.
The episode sets the stage by exploring the film’s unusual production history, its cult reputation, and why it remains one of the most debated works in anime. Troy and Brad talk about how Angel’s Egg abandons traditional narrative structure in favor of mood and symbolism, creating a viewing experience that lingers long after the credits roll.
They are joined once again by Mr. Korean Kool, John from the YouTube podcast And Now For Something A Little Bit Different. Few films invite deep discussion like this one, and the trio goes long, stretching the conversation well past the film’s 71‑minute runtime. Together they unpack themes, imagery, and interpretations while debating whether the film is a masterpiece, a puzzle, or something in between.
Want to support the show? Check out the Not A Bomb TeePublic store for merch, featuring designs by Ted Blair.
We’d love to hear from you—send your feedback, suggestions, or film recommendations to NotABombPod@gmail.com or through our contact page. If you enjoy the show, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Cast: Brad, Troy
Guest: John
This week, Not A Bomb slows things down for a very different kind of Ani‑MAY‑e pick. The hosts dive into Angel’s Egg, Mamoru Oshii’s 1985 avant‑gothic meditation on faith, memory, and meaning. If last week was all speed and neon, this film is pure atmosphere, built from quiet moments, stark imagery, and a story that refuses to explain itself.
The episode sets the stage by exploring the film’s unusual production history, its cult reputation, and why it remains one of the most debated works in anime. Troy and Brad talk about how Angel’s Egg abandons traditional narrative structure in favor of mood and symbolism, creating a viewing experience that lingers long after the credits roll.
They are joined once again by Mr. Korean Kool, John from the YouTube podcast And Now For Something A Little Bit Different. Few films invite deep discussion like this one, and the trio goes long, stretching the conversation well past the film’s 71‑minute runtime. Together they unpack themes, imagery, and interpretations while debating whether the film is a masterpiece, a puzzle, or something in between.
Want to support the show? Check out the Not A Bomb TeePublic store for merch, featuring designs by Ted Blair.
We’d love to hear from you—send your feedback, suggestions, or film recommendations to NotABombPod@gmail.com or through our contact page. If you enjoy the show, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Cast: Brad, Troy
Guest: John