Zen Pop

Cathy and Todd talk about 1939’s The Wizard of Oz, from its famously troubled production to the AI-powered version they just saw at the Las Vegas Sphere. They talk about the influence of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey, Jung’s idea of the shadow, and why it makes sense that the Witch melts from a bucket of water thrown to save a friend. They also get into how much Dorothy’s journey looks like a Zen teaching and how Wicked turned the whole thing around and let the Witch tell her side. And they keep coming back to how the gu...

Mike Flanagan’s Midnight Mass just turned 5! To celebrate, we’re replaying our 2021 conversation about our favorite Mike Flanagan show with Camryn and Sky, who were just 16 and 14 when we recorded it. The dialogue alone gives us so much to talk about, and the questions about faith, fear, grief, and stay with you long after it ends. We hope you’ve seen it by now, but if you haven’t, Midnight Mass is your Halloween watch with our podcast deep dive to go with it!

Halloween month continues with The Sixth Sense! Cathy and Todd revisit M. Night Shyamalan’s 1999 phenomenon, the quiet ghost story starring Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment and Toni Collette that gave us “I see dead people” and one of the most famous twists in movie history. They dig into the hidden clues, the meaning of the color red, the “Stuttering Stanley” scene, and whether Cole knew Malcolm’s secret all along. Beneath the chills, they find a film that’s really just about so many different kinds of grief. Rewatch, reflect, and relate to what The Sixth Sense has to teach us.

We celebrate Halloween month on Zen Pop with the original Poltergeist from 1982. Cathy and Todd revisit the movie that made us afraid of television static, bedroom closets, and that terrifying clown doll, along with the behind-the-scenes stories that fueled its “curse” reputation. JoBeth Williams and Craig T. Nelson play Diane and Steve Freeling, whose suburban family life turns upside down when their youngest daughter, Carol Anne, played by Heather O’Rourke, starts talking to the “TV people.” We discuss childhood fears, how parents respond when their kids are scared, and what happens when the things we bury refuse to stay burie...

Cops and Robbers month continues with The Dark Knight. We rewatched Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight and know for sure that Heath Ledger earned that posthumous Best Supporting Actor Oscar, and that we got to see a lot of Chicago. Christian Bale plays Bruce Wayne/Batman, who teams up with Gary Oldman's Lt. Jim Gordon and Aaron Eckhart’s DA Harvey Dent to take down the mob, only to find that every move he makes invites a worse response. After the Joker pulls off a bank heist where his own crew kills each other off, he offers to rid th...

It's Cops and Robbers month, and we rewatched Michael Mann's Heat and know for sure that it set the standard and that the Academy blew it by giving it zero Oscar nominations. Robert De Niro plays Neil McCauley, a professional thief who lives by one rule: never get attached to anything you can't walk away from in 30 seconds flat (emotional unavailability as a lifestyle!). Meanwhile, Al Pacino's LAPD detective Vincent Hanna is closing in while his third marriage falls apart because he's really married to the job (he's an obsessed workaholic!). When the two men finally sit down for...

Cops & Robbers Month- The Town
We rewatched Ben Affleck's The Town and know for sure that Jeremy Renner earned that Best Supporting Actor nomination and that we got to see a lot of Boston. Affleck plays Doug MacRay, who runs a crew of bank and armored car robbers in a one-square-mile neighborhood where the family business isn't optional, it's inherited (generational trauma!). After a job goes sideways and the crew briefly takes a bank manager hostage, Doug starts trailing her and ends up dating her. Meanwhile, Jon Hamm's FBI agent is closing in and Doug's ex-girlfriend, played by...

Cops & Robbers Month
We rewatched and overanalyzed Point Break, and realized Bodhi was doing self-help before self-help was a thing, just with more bank robberies and extreme sports thrown in. An FBI agent goes undercover with a crew of surfers who rob banks in president masks to fund a life of chasing the perfect wave. But it's also a movie about a generation looking for meaning outside the usual institutions, and a new kind of masculinity starting to take shape. This week: Set the Scene, Remember When, Random Facts, WTF!, Hot Takes, Hidden Gems, and REEL Therapy.
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Cathy and Todd close out their "Movies We Love (But Love to Make Fun Of)" series with 1987's Summer School, the comedy where Mark Harmon's laid-back gym teacher gets stuck teaching English after the assigned teacher wins the lottery and bails. It's full of '80s pop culture, and underneath all of it there's a genuinely sweet message about meeting struggling kids where they are.

Cathy and Todd discuss Teen Wolf for Movies We Love and Love to Make Fun Of month, the 1985 werewolf-basketball classic that turned a barely-known Michael J. Fox into a star just months after Back to the Future changed his life. They discuss the movie's best and strangest moments from Stiles's party-hosting mastery to Boof simply refusing to take no for an answer, and get into what the wolf actually represents: a metaphor for suddenly gaining power and having to learn how to handle it responsibly. They count down their 10 best Gen X high school party scenes in movie history...

Cathy and Todd discuss St. Elmo's Fire for Movies We LOVE and LOVE to Make Fun Of month, the 1985 classic that made $37.8 million on a $10 million budget despite critics disliking it. They get into the David Blum "Hollywood's Brat Pack" article that changed everyone's careers overnight, Andrew McCarthy's book and documentary about being labeled a Brat, and then go over the movie's genuinely alarming WTF moments like Kirby's rewarded stalking arc, Billy pushing past Jules's "no," and his "there was no St. Elmo's Fire, you're making it up" non-help speech — before landing on their red flags list for the mo...

Cathy and Todd discuss Cocktail for Movies We Love and Love to Make Fun of Month. They revisit the 1988 Tom Cruise classic with its flair bartending, strange plot turns, and very serious ideas about money, masculinity, friendship, and success. They share their memories of seeing it when they were younger, explore the darker story hidden beneath the story, unpack Doug’s Coughlin’s Laws and Kerry’s missing backstory, and ask the important questions: Why does everyone make life-changing decisions based on barroom bets? And how did a critically despised Razzie winner become a movie we all still quote, rewatch, and lo...

Cathy and Todd discuss Top Gun: Maverick to complete their summer blockbuster series, the 2022 legacy sequel that brought Tom Cruise back to the role that made him famous, three decades (and a pandemic delay) later. They talk about Val Kilmer's real battle with throat cancer and how it shaped his return as Iceman, discuss the film's themes of grief, legacy, and mentorship, debate why Jon Hamm's character is such a dick, and share Cathy's deeply conflicted feelings about Tom Cruise, who happens to look a lot like Todd.

Cathy and Todd continue their summer blockbuster series and discuss Wedding Crashers, the 2005 comedy starring Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson that grossed $288.5 million on a $40 million budget. They cover the cast including Rachel McAdams, Isla Fisher, Christopher Walken, Bradley Cooper, and Jane Seymour, plus behind-the-scenes trivia like the almost-cast Justin Long, the scrapped Daniel Craig sequel, and Owen Wilson's improvised "Rules" of wedding crashing. They count down the movie's best quotes and talk through the film's male friendship theme.

Cathy and Todd discuss the most recent summer blockbuster, The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan's take on Homer's epic and why a 2,700-year-old story about identity, home, and longing still hits just as hard today. From the Cyclops to the Sirens to Circe, they trace the myths and monsters and what those stories still reveal about who we are, and why the humanities matter to a thriving culture. It's also a conversation about disguise and belonging, and why it's so hard to come home when the choices of war change the world and leave shame behind.

Cathy and Todd continue their summer blockbusters series with National Lampoon's Animal House (1978), John Landis's frat-house classic that launched the college-comedy genre. They discuss the cast, behind-the-scenes trivia, the film's most WTF scenes, and their own experiences in the Greek system. They also list the top 15 fraternity party songs of the early '90s, plus the top ten things Animal House gave us that are still discussed, used, or homaged today.

Cathy and Todd discuss Back to the Future for their summer blockbuster series, Robert Zemeckis's 1985 time-travel classic that took nearly 40 rejections to get made before Steven Spielberg got involved. They discuss how Eric Stoltz was originally cast as Marty McFly and shot for five weeks before being replaced by Michael J. Fox, who then secretly filmed the movie at night while shooting Family Ties by day. On a $19 million budget, the film grossed nearly $400 million and became a cultural touchstone, complete with an uncredited Huey Lewis cameo and a Crispin Glover lawsuit that changed how Hollywood handles an actor's likeness...

Cathy and Todd discuss Apple TV's Widow's Bay, the 10-episode horror-comedy that has a 98% on Rotten Tomatoes and an early season two renewal. They discuss its "Parks and Rec meets Stephen King" premise and its numerous horror movie homages including Carrie, The Wicker Man, The Shining, Jaws, Halloween, and more. It's small-town bureaucracy, ancient sea-gods, a resurrected Boogeyman, and sunset cocktails all in one, and they knew they needed to discuss this one-of-a-kind show.

Cathy, Todd, Jacey, Camryn, and Skylar draft their way through 10 movie categories: horror/thriller, rom-com, animated, 80s, since 2020, based on a book, sports, most rewatched, holiday, and honorable mention. Snake draft order, 10 rounds, everyone answers every category exactly once.

Cathy, Todd, Jacey, Camryn, and Skylar draft their way through 10 movie categories: horror/thriller, rom-com, animated, 80s, since 2020, based on a book, sports, most rewatched, holiday, and honorable mention. Snake draft order, 10 rounds, everyone answers every category exactly once.

Cathy and Todd continue their summer blockbusters series with Terminator 2: Judgment Day, James Cameron's 1991 sci-fi action landmark that grossed $519 million on a then-record $102 million budget and won four Academy Awards. They cover the best behind-the-scenes stories, including how Billy Idol was originally cast as the T-1000 before a motorcycle accident took him out, how Edward Furlong was discovered at a Pasadena Boys and Girls Club with zero acting experience, and why Robert Patrick trained so relentlessly that he outran the insert car on the very first take of the mall chase scene.

Cathy and Todd discuss Gladiator, released in 2000 and directed by Ridley Scott, it stars Russell Crowe as Maximus, a Roman general betrayed by the Emperor's son Commodus, who murders his own father Marcus Aurelius to seize power, then orders the execution of Maximus and his entire family. Sold into slavery and forced into the arena, Maximus fights his way back to Rome for one purpose: vengeance. With a box office of $466 million, five Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Actor for Crowe, and a Hans Zimmer score that became one of the bestselling soundtracks of all time, the film...

Cathy and Todd continue their summer blockbusters series with Raiders of the Lost Ark, the George Lucas and Steven Spielberg collaboration born from a beach conversation in Hawaii, diving into the film's origins, iconic casting (Tom Selleck almost got the role), and the chaotic Tunisia shoot where nearly the entire cast and crew got food poisoning. They rank history's oddest movie titles, wrestle with the film's deeply uncomfortable Marion subplot, and close out with why Raiders still holds up as a masterclass in humble heroism and why Indy wins in the end by simply closing his eyes.

Cathy and Todd kick off their summer blockbuster series with Top Gun (1986), directed by Tony Scott and produced by Simpson and Bruckheimer, which turned a $15 million budget into $357 million worldwide and made Tom Cruise a superstar. The episode covers the Scott brothers' contrasting Hollywood legacies, the Navy's behind-the-scenes script approval that reshaped the story, plus fun trivia like Cruise's height-correcting boots and Meg Ryan secretly dating Anthony Edwards on set all while debating whether Iceman was the better pilot and whether Quentin Tarantino’s theory about the subtext is correct.

Cathy and Todd discuss Mel Brooks' Spaceballs for Zen Pop’s space month, a 1987 Star Wars parody following Lone Starr and his half-man half-dog sidekick Barf as they rescue Princess Vespa from Dark Helmet and the incompetent President Skroob (whose name is literally an anagram of Brooks). The cast includes Bill Pullman, John Candy, Rick Moranis, Daphne Zuniga, Joan Rivers, and Dom DeLuise as Pizza the Hutt. They discuss the WTF moments, the lines they quote at home, and the news that a sequel, Spaceballs: The New One, arrives April 23, 2027 with most of the original cast returning.

Cathy and Todd discuss Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar for Space Month - the dying Earth, the wormhole near Saturn, the black hole that swallows decades of a man's life while his daughter grows old without him. They get into Matt Damon showing up two-thirds through as a villain nobody knew was in the movie, why Anne Hathaway's love speech is the whole point of the film, the fact that Nolan grew 500 acres of real corn for the opening scenes, and the science behind the black hole Gargantua that was so accurate it accidentally produced two peer-reviewed papers. Plus the bigger qu...

Cathy and Todd discuss Apollo 13 (1995) for Space Month, Ron Howard’s docudrama starring Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, and Ed Harris, based on the true story of NASA's near-disastrous 1970 lunar mission. The film was nominated for nine Academy Awards and grossed over $355 million worldwide, cementing its place as one of the great survival stories ever put on screen. They discuss the complicated legacies of the astronauts, the emotional devastation of the wives left behind, and why the most famous line in the film isn't what anyone actually said.

It's Space Month on Zen Pop, and Cathy and Todd are talking about E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, the Steven Spielberg film he called the first movie he ever made for himself. They discuss why it dominated 1982 and held the all-time worldwide box office record for eleven years, the Reese's Pieces deal that made Mars look very foolish, the Atari game so bad they buried it in the desert, and why at its core this movie is really about divorce, grief, and two outsiders who find each other.

Cathy and Todd discuss Rocky IV, the 1985 film that Sylvester Stallone wrote, directed, and starred in, grossing $300 million on a $31 million budget and spending six weeks at number one over Christmas. They break down Apollo Creed's shocking death at the hands of Ivan Drago and the real story of Brigitte Nielsen sliding a photo under Stallone's hotel room door and landing a role he wrote specifically for her. They dig into what the film is really about, whether Drago is a villain or the Soviet state's most tragic victim, how every great sports movie is secretly about an individual fighting...

Cathy and Todd discuss Rocky III (1982), the Sylvester Stallone-written and directed sequel that introduced Mr. T’s iconic Clubber Lang and took the franchise in a bold new direction, grossing over $270 million worldwide. They dive into behind-the-scenes stories and standout moments, unpack the evolution of Rocky from hungry underdog to complacent champion, and explore how the film deepens Apollo Creed’s role as both rival and mentor while setting up one of the most emotional turning points in the series.

Cathy and Todd discuss Rocky II (1979), the Sylvester Stallone-written and directed sequel that earned $200 million worldwide and briefly became the highest-grossing sequel ever made. They break down the film's best behind-the-scenes stories and hidden details, make the case that Apollo Creed is actually the more compelling character in the film, and explore how Rocky II quietly lays the emotional foundation for the entire Creed franchise decades later.

Cathy and Todd discuss Rocky (1976), a film that feels more like a documentary than a traditional sports movie, set in the working-class neighborhoods of Philadelphia and made on a shoestring budget by writer and star Sylvester Stallone and director John G. Avildsen. The story follows Rocky Balboa, a small-time boxer and part-time debt collector living an almost invisible life, who unexpectedly gets a shot at the heavyweight title against champion Apollo Creed as a publicity stunt. At its core, the film is about Rocky trying to prove he’s not a “bum,” developing his relationship with Adrian, and wrestling with the de...

To celebrate spring and baseball season, Cathy and Todd discuss Major League, the 1989 baseball comedy that wasn’t supposed to be a huge hit but ended up sticking around for decades. They get into the cast including Tom Berenger, Charlie Sheen, Wesley Snipes, and Rene Russo and the behind-the-scenes details, like filming in Milwaukee instead of Cleveland and Sheen having legit pitching skills. They also talk about the tone of the movie, how it got away with being a little rougher and more irreverent than expected, and why it became such a cable TV regular.

Cathy and Todd discuss Dirty Dancing and how a low-budget film about a summer romance became a cultural phenomenon and why it still resonates. They explore how it’s not just a love story between Johnny and Baby, but also a deeper look at class tension, autonomy, and a girl finding her voice. They dig into behind-the-scenes tension, surprising casting what-ifs, and the film’s groundbreaking abortion storyline set in pre-Roe America, along with the chilling way privilege and disposability show up through characters like Robbie. It’s nostalgia, cultural analysis, and an important look at a movie that’s always b...

Cathy and Todd discuss Billy Elliot (2000), the British film set during the 1984–85 miners’ strike about a working-class boy who secretly pursues ballet while his community expects him to box and follow the rigid rules of masculinity. Using the film as a lens, they also discuss the documentaryLouis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere, exploring how ideas about what boys “should” be, tough, unemotional, traditionally masculine, continue to shape conversations about gender today. They discuss the cultural impact of Billy Elliot, from its eventual transformation into the hit Elton John stage musical to the way the story challenges assumptions about masculinity through Billy’s passion...

In this episode of Zen Pop Parenting, Cathy and Todd dive into the iconic 1983 film Flashdance and explore why its story still resonates decades later. Beyond the unforgettable soundtrack and legendary dance scenes, Flashdance captures something deeper about ambition, identity, and the courage it takes to pursue a dream. Cathy and Todd reflect on how Alex Owens’ journey speaks to the universal desire to express ourselves, challenge expectations, and believe in our own potential—even when the path forward feels uncertain.

In this episode of Zen Pop Parenting, Cathy and Todd revisit the iconic 80s classic Footloose and explore why its themes still resonate today. Beyond the dancing and unforgettable soundtrack, they dive into the deeper layers of rebellion, control, grief, and the universal need for self-expression. They reflect on how music becomes a lifeline for young people, how communities respond to fear, and what happens when adults forget to listen. As always, the conversation blends pop culture with personal insight, inviting us to consider how we show up for our kids and for ourselves.

Cathy and Todd discuss The Wedding Singer and why this Adam Sandler–Drew Barrymore rom-com lived fully inside the 80’s, the music, the clothes, and all that emotional earnestness. They talk about the chemistry that made it work and the unexpectedly sharp stuff underneath, and what happens when genuinely open-hearted people fall in love with each other. They get into Steve Buscemi’s awesome chaotic presence and why the soundtrack sold so many copies. The Wedding Singer helped reframe the ’80s as emotionally formative and it’s remained one of the most loved rom-coms of its era.

What happens when admiration turns into ownership? In Episode #856, Cathy and Todd explore how Misery exposes the psychology of obsession, the need for control, and the terrifying cost of losing autonomy.

In this episode of Zen Parenting Radio, Cathy and Todd explore their favorite movie and TV romances across the decades—from beloved 80s and 90s love stories to romantic comedies, dramatic pairings, forbidden love, and the best and worst relationships on television. With humor and heart, they reflect on what makes on-screen chemistry feel real, why certain stories stay with us, and how the relationships we watch shape our expectations about love, identity, and connection.