Ready 2 Retro

For the first time ever, Ready 2 Retro recorded an album listening party! Jesse from @heartgodmedia joins Max as the two of them listen to every track of Dashboard Confessional's "Dusk and Summer" to celebrate its 20th anniversary. 

Hear why this album was the epitome of Max and Jesse's era in high school. They also discuss the band's history, the genius of Chris Carrabba's song making abilities and the appeal of emo music in the early 2000s. 

All this and more and as always, "We're Ready 2 Retro...Are You?"

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He...

Join Max and Jesse from @heartgodmedia as they share about their favorite Top 5 concerts/shows they've ever attended...thus far. From hip-hop to pop punk, "The Princess of Pop" to "Macca", this episode covers a large variety of genres spanning over the last couple of decades! 

From unexpected small-venue magic to full-blown arena chaos… this one gets personal and revered.

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Heartgodmedia is now on Youtube! Visit here for the link!

Episode 220 of Ready 2 Retro brings you a conversation with working actor Rob Brownstein. Rob is an acting coach and professional actor who has been in projects including "Curb Your Enthusiasm", "Blonde", "Modern Family", "Straight Outta Compton", "Argo", "The Office", "The O.C.", "Gimore Girls", dozens of commercials (some running even now) and so many more!

Join us as Rob Brownstein shares his love for community, basketball, coaching actors and the importance of connecting with others. 


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Visit Rob Brownstein's Acting Class here 

Rob Brownstein's IMDB Page

With the unfortunate passing of the icon that is Catherine O’Hara, Ready 2 Retro dedicated an entire episode highlighting her personal life, key roles of her career and why this comedic legend will always be missed!

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Happy Valentine's Day! 

Returning to Ready 2 Retro for this special episode is Max's wife, Jasmine! The episode begins with two of them sharing a life update as they navigate the aftermath of the Eaton Fire from 2025.

After that, the episode is all about the 30th Anniversary of Baz Luhrmann's "Romeo + Juliet" (1996)! Max and Jasmine discuss the iconic style to this film, how it differs from other adaptations, the stellar cast, the amazing soundtrack and how dreamy young Leonardo DiCaprio was! 

"The sun, for sorrow, will not show his head and join with all in gr...

This is part 2 of our conversation about Ready 2 Retro's Top 10 Movies of 2025.

Joining the conversation with Max and Chelsea is Max's coworker David who is one of the biggest film buffs you'll ever meet!

Part 1 is here if you missed it


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Another year is in the books which means it is time for Ready 2 Retro to give you our favorite movies of 2025! It's our annual Top 10 list and this year we have a special guest, David, who is Max's coworker and one of the biggest film buffs you'll ever meet!

Join us for Part 1 of Episode 217 as Max, Chelsea and David reveal their favorite movies ranked 10-6.

Part 2 is coming soon!

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A special "swapcast" with Podcasting After Dark &Two Dollar Late Fee

Tremors (1990) synopsis: “Natives of a small isolated town defend themselves against strange underground creatures which are killing them one by one.”

Starring: Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward, Finn Carter, and Michael Gross

Director: Ron Underwood

This week on Podcasting After Dark, Zak and Corey are joined by Max from Ready2Retro to review Tremors! The boys have a blast discussing this quintessential cult classic (according to Max) , so grab a stick and polevolt over some Graboids because this threeway swapcast is sure to gi...

Ready 2 Retro is diving headfirst into the 30th anniversary of Waterworld!

Joining R2R for the very first time is Diallo Jackson and he explains why this movie actually holds up despite its "sinking" reputation. 

In this episode we break down the history of the film, the myths and realities behind its famously turbulent production, and Kevin Costner’s deep involvement in shaping what became one of the most talked-about movies of the 90s. We also discuss the legendary Universal Studios stunt show, explore the forgotten Waterworld comic book series, and unpack how this movie built a c...

Grab your red bow tie and hop on your bike, because this week we’re taking a wild ride to celebrate the 40th anniversary of "Pee-wee’s Big Adventure"—the quirky, chaotic, and utterly unforgettable film that launched Tim Burton's career and gave pop culture one of its most iconic characters.

Also in this episode we share our tributes to Paul Reubens-reflecting on the genius who brought Pee-wee to life and the impact of his creativity and uniqueness 

Joining us for the ride is huge Pee-Wee fan, Nic Cowan!

So cue the Breakfast Machine—because p...

Happy Halloween!

Max and The Duchess of Horror, Chelsea, wind down the spooky season as they share about meeting John Carpenter, visiting Knotts Scary Farm, watching horror movies and their other adventures. Also they share about their favorite 90s Halloween commercials and spooky themed toys!

Whether you’re unwrapping a pack of Gushers or rereading a Goosebumps book today, remember. keep it creepy, keep it kooky, and keep it totally RETRO!

It has been 50 years since the release of one of the greatest movies of all-time, "Jaws". There is not much more to be said that hasn’t already been muttered about this incredible film already.

So to celebrate the 50th Anniversary, Read 2 Retro has assembled 5 different generations to discuss their appreciation of Jaws! To represent the Baby Boomer Generation, Max’s dad Tim is present, to represent Gen X is Zak from the Two Dollar Late Fee Podcast, Max is standing in for the Millennials, returning to R2R is Andy Foreman from HorrorHound speaking for Gen Z and...

Mark Beltzman is an actor, teacher, director, writer, tubaplayer and private acting coach who lives by the philosophy: SMILE and DO MORE OF IT. 

Mark has been featured in many beloved projects including Mo Money (1992), Billy Madison (1995), Speed 2 (1997), The Wedding Singer (1998), Seinfeld (1993), According to Jim (2001) and Lilo & Stitch 2025, just to name a few. 

In this episode we discuss Mark's upbringing around improv, his love for being in front of the camera and the necessity of enjoying life to the fullest. 

Visit markbeltzman.com to connect with Mark with all of the great work he is...

Spooky September concludes with an overlooked gem! 

Corey from Podcasting After Dark and Jesse from The Sight and Sound Podcast presented by Heartgod Media join Max as they talk about the 20th anniversary of George A. Romero's "Land of the Dead". 

In this episode the three zombie enthusiasts gush over the vision, humor, message and cast of the film. 

Also featured in the episode is Corey and Jesse doing a blink ranking of top 10 horror directors! 

We're Ready 2 Get Spooky... Are You?

For the 6th year in a row, Spooky September is here on Ready 2 Retro! 

Jesse from The Sight & Sound Podcast presented by Heartgod Media joins R2R to celebrate the 40th anniversary of "Once Bitten" starring Jim Carrey. 

It is no secret that Ready 2 Retro are huge fans of Jim Carrey, so it only made sense that we discuss and review Jim Carrey's first ever leading role in a theatrical release.

Join us as we talk about the history of the film, Hollywood in the 1980s and we recast Once Bitten using today's actors an...

What do you get when you combine the biggest Adam Sandler fan, the raddest TMNT dude and Ready 2 Retro? You get the best “Happy Gilmore 2” review!

Join Max (R2R), Joey (@ninjatoitles) and Dustin (@limestonepicker) as they share their thoughts about Adam Sandler’s newest film, “Happy Gilmore 2”.

And remember “it’s all in the hips”

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Visit: Ready2retro.com for all your nostalgic needs

Check out Joey at ninjatoitles.com for all your TMNT needs

Check out Dustin on YouTube and follow his journey collecting relics from the nostalgic pa

Ready 2 Retro introduces the first-ever ""ImmediateReaction Review"! Chelsea and Max got together to watch Wes Craven's underrated "Red Eye" (2005) and immediately hopped on the mic to get instant reactions. 

This episode celebrates the film's 20th anniversary as they talk about prime Rachel McAdams, Cillian Murphy's "dreamy blue eyes", air travel stories, the film's simple plot and bizarre ending and so much more!


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Help Max & his family recover from the LA Fires:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-max-and-jasmine-Eaton-Fire

Max gives an update to the Ready 2 Retro community about how him and his family have adjusted 6 months after losing their home in the #eatonfire.

Also, included is an update of what to expect from the Ready 2 Retro Podcast moving forward.

Check here to support Max and his family. 

www.ready2retro.com

Today marks the 30th Anniversary of the hit movie and every 90s kid’s favorite ghost…CASPER! Join Max and Chelsea as they reminisce about the iconic design of Whipstaff Manor, the influence that Steven Spielberg had on this film, the themed toys at Pizza Hut, our favorite lines and cameos that still blow our minds to this day!

All this and so much more!

The Ready 2 Retro crew is back! 

Join R2R as Max, Chelsea and Chris share about why the podcast was on hold due to the Eaton Fire back in January. Also, Episode 207 is the celebration of the 5th Anniversary of Ready 2 Retro and because this is the first episode in 2025, it was only appropirate to discuss our favorite films from 2024!

Did your favorite from 2024? Check out the episode to find out!

Click the link below to give towards Max and his family as they recover from the LA Fires:

Max's GoFundMe

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Ready 2 Retro! 

For the last episode of 2024, Max and Chelsea get lost in New York City with Kevin McCallister as they review "Home Alone 2"!

"One night of presents? Hell no! We got EIGHT CRAAAAZZY NIGHTS!"

This week Ready 2 Retro is joined by first time guest and the man with the biggest Adam Sandler collection, Dustin Tucker aka @limestonepicker! Along with Max, another huge Sandman fan, the two of them discuss the often forgotten, "Eight Crazy Nights"!

So time to bust out the menorah, spin the dreidel, dust off your Eight Crazy Nights DVD and get ready for one awesome movie review that it'll make you say "This is the happiest seizure of my life!" 

Back in October Max and Jasmine took a cross country train trip from Los Angeles to Boston. On this special bonus the two of them share about their experience on Amtrak, the eight different cities they visited and their Top 5 Tips about train traveling!

Episodes Notes:

The Route- Los Angeles ---> Albuquerque ---> Kansas City ---> Chicago ---> Washington D.C. ---> Philadelphia ---> New York City ---> New Haven ---> Boston 

Youtubers that specialize in Amtrak travel that we found helpful: 
Ground Life Travel 
In The Great Wide

This week R2R is getting WAY retro as "Happy Days" showrunners Brian Levant & Fred Fox Jr join us for a coversation all about the show and their recent book "50 Years of Happy Days: A Visual History of an American Television Classic".

Hear why Levant and Fox decided to create this book, the process of making it and personal stories of their time working on the show. 

There's no doubt that after hearing this episode it'll make you say "Ayyyy!"

You can purchase the book now wherever books are sold or click here for a...

This week Ready 2 Retro revisits one of the greatest sports movies of all time to celebrate its 20th anniversary..."Friday Night Lights" (2004). Joining this week is Max's high school buddy and fellow football teammate, Caz Wolter, as the two of them share their fond memories of the film, their high school football experience and the craze that is MOJO FOOTBALL!

Carlos@thenostalgiclatino is back on @ready2retro to talk all things old school Nickelodeon! Carlos shares about his favorite old school Nick shows, the untimely cancellation of Splat Con and the awesome impromptu meet up that followed!

As always, we're Ready 2 Retro...Are You?

Links to Carlos' Content:
Instagram: @thenostalgiclatino
TikTok: Tiktok Link


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Alien Month ends with the latest installment of the series, "Alien: Romulus". Returning to Ready 2 Retro is our buddy Corey from @podcastingafterdark as he and Max share what they loved about "Romulus", what they felt was missing and of course, they're going to talk about that polarizing last act!

This is an episode for all Alien fans old and new! 

Max, Chelsea and Chris reunite for the first time in a long time to reflect, share memories and talk about Episode 200!

Thank you to all the listeners and friends of the show who have made this podcasting journey absolutely incredible!

Alien month continues with a panel full of "Aliens" fans. Joining Ready 2 Retro this week is Jesse from @heartgodmedia, Corey from @podcastingafterdark and screenwriter Jonathan Scott. This episode is an open conversation with huge fans of James Cameron's "Aliens" sharing why they absolutely love this film!

All month long @ready2retro will be highlighting films from the "Alien" franchise. 

First up is the one that started it all! Chelsea, Jesse from @heartgodmedia and Max discuss the brilliance that is Ridley Scott's "Alien" (1979). 

In this episode R2R dives into what makes this movie not just a top tier horror or sci-fi film, but one of THE greatest films of all time!

With so much anticipation leading into the "Beetlejuice" sequel, it was only right to find two huge fans of the original movie. Returning to Ready 2 Retro this week is the Duchess of Horror, Chelsea, and Nic Cowan (Surf Ninjas) as they passionately share their thoughts about the long awaited "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice"! 

Nic breaks down ALL the plot points of this convoluted film, Chelsea gushes over Catherine O'Hara's portrayal of "Delia" and Max breaks down why Tim Burton had to crush this movie to save his career and legacy as a filmmaker. 

All this and more!

Prop Master Mark Richardson returns to Ready 2 Retro, but unlike the previous episodes, Mark isn't here to talk about Power Rangers. Instead, the conversation is all about Mark's passion, Horror Films! Listen to the latest episode of Ready 2 Retro as we dive into Mark's early career with Troma, his time working with Rob Zombie on the Halloween films (2007 & 2009) and some of his favorite horror films of all time!

Ready 2 Retro is thrilled to have Josh from@hauntingseason join us for Week 2 of #spookyseptember! In this conversation, you'll hear Josh talk about his haunting thrift adventures, his favorite horror movies and all things retro!

Spooky September returns for the 5th year on @ready2retro! To kick things off, 
Jesse from The Sight & Sound presented by @heartgodmedia returns to R2R as we talk about Goosebumps' "The Haunted Mask"! 

Join us as we talk in depth about the inaugural episode of the show that warned all 90s kids that we were in for a scare! 

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Instagram Pages:
Max @ready2retro
Jesse @heartgodmedia

This week on Ready 2 Retro features the very talented Gavin Smith who is a freelance artist based in Indiana. Gavin's work is featured all over your local comic book store as he's worked on projects such as Heart Piercer, The Last Ronin, TMNT main series, Godzilla: Sons of Giants and so much more! 

In this conversation we talk all things turtles, nostalgia and Gavin's personal journey in being an artist who is living his dream!

And of course, if it a TMNT related conversation, you know Joey from @ninjatoitles will be on with us!

This week's episode features screenwriter Mike Werb, who has famously been involved with projects like The Mask (1994), Face/Off (1997) and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)! Join in the conversation as Mike shares about his career, his love for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Blink-182, and talks in detail about the significance of the 30th Anniversary of The Mask!

On Episode 191 of the Ready 2 Retro Podcast, we are thrilled to welcome guests Jordan Warkol (who played "Foggy") & Blake Collins (who played "Woim") for a special 30th Anniversary Celebration of the The Little Rascals (1994)! In this episode we hear from Jordan and Blake about their experiences on the set, growing up as a child actor in the 1990s, being friends for the majority of their lives and playing Goldeneye on the Ninetendo 64! 

This episode is a must listen to if you are a fan of the film and growing up in the 90s!

Over the weekend, the unthinakable occured..."The Duchess of Horror", Chelsea, watched professional wrestling and actually liked it! 

In response to watching SummerSlam together, The Nerd Twin Podcast (Chelsea & Tess) enter the ring on Ready 2 Retro as Max gives them a full run through of professional wrestling! In this episode Chels & Tess learn the difference between "work" and "shoot", what's the deal with "Money in the Bank" and Max tells them about the legendary wrestler that is Val Venis! 

Whether you're a hardcore wrestling fan or not, there is something for everyone in this episode!

Part 2 of Episode 189 is here! Join @ready2retro host Max, Joey from @ninjatoitles & Jesse from @heartgodmedia as they provide a deep dive on the 1994 classic, "Dumb & Dumber". In this episode they'll share their favorite scenes and lines from the film, as well as facts about the movie and thoughts on the 2014 sequel. 

It is the finale of #jimcarreyjuly and it is an episode YOU DO NOT want to miss! 

As always, "We're Ready 2 Retro... Are You?" 

Instagram Pages:
Max @ready2retro
Joey @ninjatoitles
Jesse @heartgodmedia

Jim Carrey July continues with the remaining of the 3 Jim Carrey 1994 film relases: "Dumb & Dumber". Returning to Ready 2 Retro to talk all about it is "The Godfather of Ready 2 Retro", Joey from @ninjatoitles & Jesse from @heartgodmedia! 

Episode 189 is split into two parts: the first part includes a Jim Carrey movie draft and a deep dive into Jim Carrey’s career as a whole. Part 2 will be more of the expected Ready 2 Retro review of "Dumb and Dumber". 

As always, "WE'RE READY 2 RETRO...ARE YOU?"


Instagram Pages:
Max @ready2retro
Joey...