Nighthawks' Podcast

It's a Marvel prequel. Although the boys call it the first, in the episode, it's not.Where Captain America: The First Avenger took us back to World War II, Captain Marvel: The First Female Lead Marvel Hero Movie takes us back to Operation Desert Storm.Not that the Middle Eastern conflict plays heavily into the story of Carol Danvers and her fantastic super powers, but the setting of the early 90s is important.Captain Marvel manages to evoke a nostalgia for a largely untapped 90s market, while also managing to cater to a largely untapped female market.While it can be a disservice to call this "A Female Superhero Movie" as an assignment of genre, we do feel that it's a Superhero Movie that very much deals with female identity in modern society, and serves as an allegory for the fight for women's rights.The political angles on this have some Marvel fans ruffling their feathers, but...Get used to it. Captain Marvel is blazing a trail, and the Nighthawks think this is just one example of many more inclusive movies

Happy New Year to all of the listeners of the Nighthawks Podcast.As the slow march of time slowly ticks over an arbitrary number assigned by men to account for revolutions around the sun, the boys decide to join in the festivities with a movie that starts with a New Year's Eve Celebration.According to the mythology of The Poseidon Adventure, just after midnight on New Years Eve, a rogue wave struck and capsized the SS Poseidon, as it was on its final voyage.Stuck on the boat is a handful of survivors led by a rebellious preacher (Gene Hackman), with backup from the immortal Shelly Winters, Ernest Borgnine, Red Buttons, Carol Lynley, and Jack Albertson.It's a disaster tale of survival and thrills as the midnight hour brings calamity to The Poseidon Adventure.

You're traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That's the signpost up ahead—your next stop, the Twilight Z-Ho-Ho-Ho-ne!It is the holiday season, and as many people, both secular and spiritual, gather for feasts and get-togethers, the Nighthawks serve up something special.Leaving the realm of cinemas for a short story told on a small screen, the Nighthawks Diner passes into the 5th dimension, as Matt and Trevor discuss an episode of the classic anthology series, The Twilight Zone.Grist for discussion in this episode is Night of the Meek, a Christmas-based episode for the 'Zone, starring Art Carney as a down-and-out drunk of a department store Santa. Think if Miracle on 34th Street ended up being about the drunk Santa at the beginning, then he falls into some Tim Allen Santa Clause action.Spiritually based holidays in the modern age, holiday based programming, and the grander phenomenon of

Our last episode was full of characters. Main characters, side characters, comic relief characters, live characters, dead characters, even weird child characters. We decided this time out, we’d go for something a little more bottled up. A little more nocturnal. You might say we’re putting the podcast on … Cruise control. We’re watching the 2004, Michael Mann helmed Tom Cruise/Jamie Foxx vehicle Collateral, the story of a cab driver with big dreams, a hitman with a long list, and a dark night in LA. It’s a game of cat and mouse as cab driver Max (Fox) tries to avoid ending up dead or in prison after the tightly-wound hitman Vincent (Cruise) shanghais Max into being his driver for a series of hits.We picked Collateral because we think it’s a cool thriller with a lot of well stylized action, great banter, and a rooted- yet surreal- sense of place. Despite all this, Collateral is a little bit forgotten - in that respect, you could say it’s a cousin to another one of Cruise’s out of franchise efforts, 2014’s Edge

The holidays are upon us, and many U.S. Americans are smack dab in the middle of having just had an awkward meal with their families and gearing up for another one, less than a month later.At least during the holidays it's an event we can plan for. We know there will be food, we know there will be arguing over politics, we know that at the end of the day we can gather around the warm glow of the television for a shot at a parade or a football game and renew our bonds with each other. What really is the pits, is when you have these family gatherings unplanned, and with a lot of stress involved.The Nighthawks podcast salutes the awkward family gatherings surrounding the holidays with an awkward family gathering at a funeral.Rip Torn plays the deceased, Piper Laurie his suicidal widow, Hank Azaria his failed actor son, Ray Romano his perverted lawyer son, Debra Winger his bigoted daughter, and Kelley Preston as the daughter who is gearing up for a same-sex wedding in 2004.Add to that Zooey Deschanel as a manic p

Look, folks. Vote.That's the takeaway, here. That's all we want you to do, is just exercise your right, should that be something you possess. We acknowledge that some of our listeners may not be eligible. We know that some of our listeners don't live in the United States of America. Some people who hear this episode, won't do so until some far flung date well after the election at hand is long decided.There's stuff for those people too. Matt and Trevor take a dive into The Purge franchise, examining the third movie in the series- The Purge: Election Year. Not only do the Nighthawks apply their usual compliments of Nighthawks gravy, as they talk about the movies and what they mean to them. But the boys also use the occasion to examine political allegory in artistic works, and its place in society.Also, it doesn't hurt that this is a movie where Frank Grillo kicks quite a lot of ass.But more than any of that, just vote.

The Nighthawks cafe turns the special Monstoberfest neon sign off, for another year, but if we're going to go out, we're taking the rest of the world with us.Nothing is sacred as the Matt an Trevor take a deep bite of Orson Welles' legendary radio broadcast, that panicked an entire nation!Or... did it?It is the 80th Anniversary of the Halloween Eve broadcast that would go down in infamy, and propel its director into putting together the (arguably) greatest American film ever made. From the people who brought you Citizen Kane (Orson Welles), Casablanca (Howard Koch), and Psycho (Bernard Hermann serves as Welles' orchestra leader). Assembled talent that would become synonymous with "Hollywood," first took their stab at terrifying a nation wirelessly.Just how successful were they?A download of the original War of the Worlds broadcast is available from Archive.org.

As a child, Trevor spent his years never owning a My Buddy doll or a Teddy Ruxpin.As a child, Matt spent his time sneaking horror movies on HBO, in his friend's basement.As a child, Mark was exposed to killer dolls at way too young an age, by his sister.Child's Play, the iconic film about a killer doll inhabited by the soul and being of a Chicago serial killer, was omni-present during the childhood of the Nighthawks, as well as their guest host Mark Ball.For this episode during Monstoberfest, the three talk about 1988's classic horror film, Child's Play. A movie about malicious toys, getting parents to believe you, getting the police to believe the parents, and teaching Chris Sarandon how to drive in crisis situations.Another slice of Halloween pie for our listeners.Mark's finalist bumper for Fantastic Fest, Chief Hopper Clowns Around, can be found here: https://youtu.be/lLManXXxpj4Much of Mark's action figure photography can be found on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fancy_mark/?hl=en

Doom chords, creeping voices, killer artwork, and heavy metal family values are deftly painted on the screen, in this sophomore effort from Tasmanian filmmaker Sean Byrne.The first film in 2018's REVENGE OF MONSTOBER FEST takes the boys from the comforts of the Nighthawks Diner, to the inky black, humid, and hot hills of Texas' Williamson County. A married couple of rock and roll artists from nearby Austin have locked in their dream home at an unbeatable price.Meanwhile, a confused killer who tries to keep his literal demons at bay by playing doom chords on a guitar, decides he wants to return home. A home currently occupied by a transplant Austin family.A criminally underwatched classic for fans of Heavy Metal, Horror Movies, and top-tier genre performances. The Devil's Candy delivers on its sweetness.But the Nighthawks can't do anything the easy way. Not unlike the conflict of a struggling artist finding his way between personal fulfillment and commercial success; The Devil's Candy is an artwork on two can

Nothing Fancy this time around, folks. The boys are talking trailers, that you can watch right here, right now. Links below, current as of the date of the episode:Historic Trailers...Star Wars- Episode 1: The Phantom Menace- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fo--sWDK_nU&feature=youtu.beTerminator 2: Judgement Day- https://youtu.be/-W8CegO_IxwSuperheroes are go…Dark Phoenix - https://youtu.be/QWbMckU3AOQCaptain Marvel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1BCujX3pw8Things are getting intense...Assassination Nation- https://youtu.be/d9qyOGEuLY4Hold the Dark- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFAwDO6b5KIHardy Har Har…Holmes and Watson- https://youtu.be/-AKU-T7_rDAStan and Ollie- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdcBNrjc3wo

Matt was out of the diner when this episode was recorded. Polishing his filthy mind in academic pursuits.Sitting in for Matt is Charity O'Haodagain, a mainstay of the Hello Sweetie Podcast Network. With her, Charity brings the Disney Classic feature film, A Goofy Movie.Following the exploits of Disney's signature dog and his son, Max and Goofy set out on a cross-country road trip full of pratfall, song, dance, and special lessons about family and honesty.Trevor had never seen A Goofy Movie Before. Charity counts it among her childhood favorites.Can the movie win over a contemporary adult in 2018?Spolier Alert: Yes. After all, we all need something to cling to, in this day and age.

There are no two ways around it folks."You can never go home again."It's true in life, and it's mentioned probably three or four times throughout the course of the episode. Just putting out there that it could be important.The movie for this session of coffee and pie is an old favorite of Matt's and a new notch in Trevor's belt. Believe it or not, only 50% of the Nighthawks Diner had seen Grosse Pointe Blank at the beginning of the summer of 2018. We're pleased to announce that the numbers have significantly shifted since then.What better way to explore the trials and tribulations of attending a high school reunion, than by exploring it through the eyes of an assassin with social anxiety?That's exactly what director George Armitage did with John Cusack in the lead role, for the 1997 film. The movie is mostly about Martin Blank, a character that disappeared on prom night, ten years previous, and is now considering attending his class reunion. It would be as simple as reconnecting with old friends and rekindlin

The American serial killer who dubbed himself "Zodiac" began his reign of terror in 1968 and was never officially identified or captured.50-years later, the mystery and the allure of the Zodiac crimes remains the white whale for many professional and amateur investigators alike. The obsession over the case is the centerpiece theme to the 2007 film "Zodiac" from film auteur David Fincher.You may remember Fincher from such films as Fight Club and Seven ("Alien 3 doesn't get enough visual love." -Matt), but Fincher takes his first bite of (mostly) non-fiction in this Police/Journalism procedural. From Fincher's take on the obsession surrounding the case, from Robert Downey Jr.'s worst case scenario performance in Paul Avery, to Anthony Edwards' Bill Armstrong escaping the case with his soul, we see a complicated and woven tale. Not only about an enticing mystery, but about the price tag that comes with trying to solve it.In solidarity with our Hello Sweetie Podcast Network sisters over at "This is the Place," th

Oh, mama! Can this really be another prequel?!The Disney/Lucasfilms Juggernaut continues to roll with the Star Wars franchise, post-JJ Abrams, with the latest "anthology film"- Solo: A Star Wars Story.Following the life and times of a young(er) Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Lando Calrissian. We see the motley crew of rogue and peasants fall in line with a smuggler and thief named Beckett (Woody Harrelson) as he attempts to steal valuable hyperdrive fuel for the sinister Dryden Voss (Paul Bettany) and his lieutenant, Qu'ira (Emilia Clarke).It's smugglers, thieves, pirates, rogues, scoundrels, crime bosses, and outer space train heists. This movie has it all, and if it were taken on its own merits... probably represents a good film.But this isn't just any movie. This is STAR WARS...

Big news from the little Nighthawks diner on, this, our three-year anniversary for the podcast.First things first, it is official: Matt, Trevor, and all the fictitious staff of the conceptual Nighthawks diner will be joining the Hello Sweetie Podcast Network out of Salt Lake City, Utah. While the partnership with the network wont change operations at the diner, we're excited to begin recommending some exciting new podcasts that we think our listeners will enjoy.Hello Sweetie began as a podcast 7 years ago, and they are at the threshold of their 300th episode. Following that episode, the Hello Sweetie Podcast will go into a cocoon, become a pupa, and will quickly blossom into the Hello Sweetie Podcast Network. The network will not only be bringing you your dose of coffee and pie from the Nighthawks Diner, but you'll also get a dash of regional true crime with This is the Place, a pinch of RPGs and laughter with Dungeons and Comedy, and the girl-geek hot-take on pop culture from the most notorious Sweeties in t

As of this writing, The Avengers: Infinity War is on pace to shatter a $2-billion global box office.The superheroes have arrived, and it doesn't matter if you like it or not, they're here to stay. After all, they're stronger than us, and can make demands of our Earthly dollars.However, there was another time. A time when the most definitive superhero franchise involved neon lights, rubber nipples, butts, and Schwarzenegger dealing out bad ice-themed puns. (I scream, you scream, we all scream for Ice Themes.)(Sorry.)After Schumacher put his stank on Batman, but before Hugh Jackman and Sir Patrick Stewart would put their stank on X-Men, there was a weird little superhero comic book adaptation experiment. This movie would dare to play on the tropes of comic book superheroes, in a time when those tropes had not been solidly cast in stone, on the silver screen.The experiment was a financial failure.Mystery Men is a superhero comedy about a rag-tag group of "other" guys, who decide to "avenge" a grievous wrong done

There's a lot to be said about The Avengers: Infinity War. There's a lot to discuss, there's a lot to examine, there's a lot to question. There's also a lot to spoil.Walking that fine line, like they do, the denizens of the Nighthawks Diner have divided this episode up into two separate parts: Spoiler-Free, and Spoiler-Riddled. If you want to avoid spoilers in this episode, a rough verbal approximation, but wholly different and distinguishable from the genuine article, Thanos will let you know when to stop listening.In our first segment, a broad strokes discussion on Trevor and Matt's general feelings about the movie. As well as a frank discussion, looking back on 10 years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Franchise. Has the grand Marvel experiment fully paid off?In the second half... the boys get down to the granular grist of what happens in the latest Marvel tent pole. But the less said about that here, the better.

The Nighthawks Diner is many things to many people. It's conceptual. That's how it works.For some people, it's a great place for coffee and pie, after you catch a movie. For others, it's a good place for coffee and pie, after you catch a buzz.No matter if you're satiating your artistic interpretation, or satiating your munchies; Jennie the Waitress has you.But on 4/20, the Nighthawks like to celebrate both breeds. In this special TOTALLY UNCENSORED and TOTALLY SPOILER-FILLED episode, Matt and Trevor decide to celebrate the unofficial holiday, by exalting one of the most beloved stoners of the silver screen:The Dude.We've been sitting on this episode idea for a very long time, and now the time has come.An off-the-wall mixture of the grittiest of film noir and the indiest of film character study, THE BIG LEBOWSKI is a Coen Brothers movie that stands on its own. A movie that belongs nowhere, yet is so beloved it is synonymous with cult following.We're not kidding. There's a religion.Want some good movie chatter

Much like the slice of conceptual pie that our listeners treat themselves to at the end of every NIGHTHAWKS episode, this slice of the NIGHTHAWKS PODCAST is indulgent.The boys sit down and reach into the slimy and slippery muck that is their interior feelings, you'll find this movie nestled snug against the heartstrings: GONE IN 60 SECONDS (2000).Not the O.G. exploitation movie from the 1970s, this remake comes to us straight from the turn of the millennium. A car theft ring runs afoul of the law, meaning that the head heist-er is on the hook for 50 cars, to be stolen in a matter of hours.It's up to the retired master thief, Memphis Raines, to sail into industrial Los Angeles to bail out the young hotness, who also happens to be Memphis's estranged brother.Starring a cavalcade of stars in an ensemble car-chase heist film, GONE IN 60 SECONDS is an official NIGHTHAWKS "Underappreciated Gem."

Listen, gang. The Nighthawks get it. We're not out to snag a few clicks and a few downloads by offering a contrarian opinion to the Zeitgeist. However, they also feel the need to be completely honest with you, and the truth is that sometimes these opinions run contrary to the overwhelming opinion of the populace. The Nighthawks' track record for Oscar predictions should be testament to that.That being said, the world seems ready to love and embrace Ready Player One.Trevor and Matt are not among those people.This doesn't mean that people are wrong, there's no need to flame in the comments, and The Nighthawks don't think any less of those who disagree. But when it came to Ready Player One, the boys found their after-dinner-cake to be heavy on frosting and light on actual cake.Sit back. Enjoy. Agree and embrace. Argue and test your might. When it comes to art, there are no wrong opinions.Except Asylum's Shark Week. That movie can go to hell.