Not a Bomb

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, Troy and Brad dive into the world of espionage, revenge, and shark tanks with the 1989 James Bond entry License to Kill. And yes, the guys are fully aware this one wasn’t a full‑blown bomb, but it definitely underperformed and remains one of the more divisive chapters in 007’s long cinematic history.

Coming off The Living Daylights, Timothy Dalton returned as Bond in a darker, more brutal story th...

This week’s experiment: Visitors from the Arkana Galaxy, an Eastern European sci‑fi fever dream that asks, “What if humanity’s first contact looked like a disco‑soaked existential crisis?” and then answers with one of the most gloriously unhinged films ever committed to celluloid. Strange creatures, stranger humans, and a plot that feels beamed in from another dimension collide into something so confident, so imaginative, so defiantly weird that you start to wonder if the filmmakers actually were from Arkana.

The movie drifts through surreal set pieces, deadpan performances, and cosmic absurdity with the swagger of a masterp...

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, the guys march into the chaos of Steven Spielberg's 1979 war comedy 1941. Fresh off the unprecedented successes of Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Spielberg was handed the ultimate Hollywood blank check to make whatever he wanted. The result was an enormous, effects-driven comedy about panic erupting across Southern California in the days following Pearl Harbor. While 1941 wasn't a full-blown box office bomb, it fell well short of th...

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, the guys set sail for one of the most ambitious and accomplished films of the 21st century with Peter Weir's Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. Released in 2003, this sprawling naval epic follows Captain Jack Aubrey and the crew of HMS Surprise as they pursue a powerful French warship across the globe during the Napoleonic Wars. Despite earning critical acclaim, multiple Academy Award wins, and a pa...

Welcome back to Not A Bomb! — the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: wis 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. Criti...

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 fi...

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...

For this installment of Not A Bomb’s Ani‑MAY‑e celebration, the hosts floor it into Redline — the 2009 hand‑drawn fever dream that treats racing like ritual and animation like pure adrenaline. What reads like a simple, neon‑soaked contest on the surface quickly reveals itself as an all‑out sensory sprint: outrageous vehicle designs, frame‑heavy animation that refuses to idle, and a world where every overtake feels like a declaration. The episode opens by putting Redline in context, its famously long production, cult ascent, and why it still feels like a film that was built to be watched at fu...

For this installment of Not A Bomb’s “Ani-MAY-e” celebration, the hosts dive into Jujutsu Kaisen 0, the explosive prequel to the massively popular Jujutsu Kaisen. Centered on the tragic story of Yuta Okkotsu, the film introduces audiences to a world where cursed spirits, powerful sorcerers, and overwhelming grief collide in spectacular fashion. What begins as a supernatural tale about loss and isolation quickly transforms into a high-energy action epic filled with brutal battles, emotional revelations, and enough cursed energy to level entire city blocks.

The hosts break down how the film functions both as an entry point for ne...

For this installment of Not A Bomb’s “Ani-MAY-e” celebration, the hosts step into the surreal dreamscape of Paprika, Satoshi Kon’s mind-bending animated thriller that continues to blur the line between fantasy and reality nearly two decades after its release. What begins as a psychological mystery quickly spirals into a dazzling exploration of identity, technology, and the fragile barrier between the waking world and the subconscious mind.

The hosts unpack how Paprika weaponizes dream logic to create an intentionally disorienting experience, where transitions between scenes, locations, and even characters occur without warning. They dig into the film’s c...

This week’s experiment: the baffling, bargain-bin martial arts spectacle known as King Kong Fu. A film that dares to ask, “What if a kung fu master… was also a gorilla?” and then refuses to answer that question in any coherent way.

Shot in Wichita, the very place Troy grew up, this cinematic fever dream brings things uncomfortably close to home. Local landmarks, questionable fight choreography, and a surprising amount of gorilla-related mayhem combine into something that feels less like a movie and more like a dare that went too far.

We would explain the plot, bu...

For the month of April, Not A Bomb shines a spotlight on Hong Kong cinema. This week, Troy and Brad take a sharp turn into horror-comedy with Vampire vs. Vampire, a wildly inventive entry in the jiangshi (hopping vampire) subgenre that blends folklore, slapstick, and supernatural mayhem.

Joining Troy and Brad this week is Sophia from the Moviestruck Podcast, who brings a deep well of knowledge to the discussion, having even written about Hong Kong cinema during her college studies. Her insights help ground the conversation in the cultural and historical context of the jiangshi genre, while...

For the month of April, Not A Bomb is shining a spotlight on Hong Kong films. This week, Troy and Brad shift from contemporary action to a raw, visceral reimagining of wuxia as they explore Tsui Hark’s 1995 film The Blade — a brutal, expressionistic take on revenge and identity that strips the genre down to its bone structure.

Set in a bleak, rain‑slick world where honor and survival collide, The Blade follows a young swordsman whose life is shattered by betrayal and violence. Tsui Hark abandons glossy spectacle for something harsher and more immediate: jagged editing, stark...

For the month of April, Not A Bomb is shining a spotlight on Hong Kong films. This week, Troy and Brad shift from modern action thrillers to one of John Woo’s most personal and harrowing works: Bullet in the Head. Directed, written, produced, edited, and shaped by John Woo, the film pushes his trademark balletic action into darker, tragic territory.

The film opens in 1967 Hong Kong and moves into the chaos of war‑torn Vietnam, following three childhood friends whose loyalty and innocence are corroded by greed, survival, and the horrors they witness. The narrative moves from...

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 cam...

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...

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 w...

This week’s experiment: the pint-sized action sequel The Impossible Kid, starring the endlessly charming Weng Weng. After the crew unexpectedly fell in love with the chaotic brilliance of For Your Height Only, they’re diving back in… and happily so.

And somehow, the magic is still there.

What could have easily felt like a retread instead leans into everything that made the first film so special, the inventive action, the earnest weirdness, and a lead performance that’s impossible not to root for. Sure, it’s scrappy. Sure, it’s unconventional. But that’s exactly where...

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...

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 fenc...

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!

Crank up the amps, listeners, because this week we’re going full volume with a double feature of rock‑and‑roll misfits: Airheads and The Rocker. That’s right, Troy and Brad are diving into two cult‑leaning comedies about musicians who refuse to let obscurity, bad decisions, or basic common sense get in t...

For the month of February, Not A Bomb is shining a spotlight on some of the greatest Black directors in cinematic history. This week, Troy and Brad dive into their first film from legendary music‑video visionary Hype Williams with his 1998 crime drama Belly, a film that’s as visually bold as it is culturally influential.

Anchored by performances from DMX and Nas, the film brings Willams’ unmistakable aesthetic to every frame — surreal lighting, striking color palettes, and kinetic camera work, creating a dreamlike, hypnotic atmosphere that feels ripped straight from the golden era of hip‑hop. It’s a wor...

Love is in the air… which means it’s time for a group of so-called friends to emotionally waterboard their buddy with terrible cinema.

This week’s experiment: the glitter-soaked fever dream starring Paris Hilton — The Hottie and the Nottie. A romantic comedy that bravely asks, “Can true love conquer all?” …and then immediately tests that theory against a script that absolutely cannot.

We would break down the plot, but that would imply there’s structure. Instead, imagine a loose collection of baffling decisions, early-2000s fashion choices, and jokes that feel like they were rescued from a r...

For the month of February, Not A Bomb is shining a spotlight on some of the greatest Black directors in cinematic history. This week, Troy and Brad shift gears from grounded crime dramas to full‑throttle grindhouse fantasy as they explore their first film from RZA — the Wu‑Tang Clan legend turned filmmaker — with his 2012 martial‑arts epic The Man with the Iron Fists.

Set in the chaotic, neon‑splashed world of Jungle Village, the film follows a humble blacksmith who becomes entangled in a violent power struggle between assassins, warriors, mercenaries, and one extremely committed Russell Crowe. Drawi...

Welcome back to Not A Bomb!—the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.

For the month of February, Not A Bomb is shining a spotlight on some of the greatest Black directors in cinematic history. This week, Troy and Brad take on their very first Spike Lee joint with his 1995 crime drama Clockers — a film that blends gritty realism, moral complexity, and Lee’s unmistakable visual style.

Set in a Brooklyn housing project, C...

Welcome back to Not A Bomb! —the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.

For the month of February, Not A Bomb is shining a spotlight on some of the greatest Black directors in cinematic history. And look — Brad and Troy fully acknowledge that two white guys aren’t exactly the cultural authorities here. But they are passionate about movies, and they wanted to take time to celebrate a handful of incredible filmmakers and the films that...

Welcome back to Not A Bomb! —the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.

For the month of January, Not A Bomb asks a very important cinematic question: what happens when actors decide that being in front of the camera just isn’t enough and take a shot at directing themselves?

This week, Brad and Troy dive into the wild, weird world of one of cinema’s most unique action heroes — Steven Seagal — and his 1994 d...

It’s a magical day…..for Season 2 of Not A Bomb Presents: Breaking Brad. The premise is simple. Troy, Sammy from GGTMC, and Jose from Watch/Skip+ pick some of the worst films imaginable to see if they can break Brad.

To kick off the new season, the guys dive headfirst into their very first Neil Breen experience — Fateful Findings, a movie that boldly asks, “What if one man did everything… and maybe shouldn’t have?”

We tried to write a quick synopsis, but that’s scientifically impossible. This film doesn’t have a plot so much as it has…...

Welcome back to Not A Bomb! —the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.

For the month of January, Not A Bomb asks a very important cinematic question: what happens when actors decide that being in front of the camera just isn’t enough and take a shot at directing themselves?

In the latest episode of Not A Bomb, Troy and Brad crack open one of Hollywood’s strangest sequels — The Two Jakes. Arriving six...

Welcome back to Not A Bomb! —the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.

For the month of January, Not A Bomb asks a very important cinematic question: what happens when actors decide that being in front of the camera just isn’t enough and take a shot at directing themselves?

In the latest episode of Not A Bomb Podcast, we boldly go where many fans wish the franchise hadn’t with Star Trek V: Th...

Welcome back to Not A Bomb! —the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.

For the month of January, Not A Bomb asks a very important cinematic question: what happens when actors decide that being in front of the camera just isn’t enough and take a shot at directing themselves? Troy and Brad are “kicking” things off with The Quest, the 1996 martial‑arts adventure film both directed by — and starring — the Muscles from Brussels himself, Jean‑Clau...

Welcome back to Not A Bomb! —the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.

As Not A Bomb waves goodbye to 2025 and kicks open the saloon doors of 2026, Troy and Brad saddle up for one last cinematic misfire from the year that was. This time, the guys take aim at Eddington, Ari Aster’s divisive neo‑western that split audiences harder than a frontier land dispute.

Despite Aster’s reputation as one of modern horro...

Welcome back to Not A Bomb! —the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.

Not A Bomb is seeing double this week! Troy and Brad continue their tour through 2025’s biggest cinematic misfires with Mickey 17, Bong Joon Ho’s sci‑fi black‑comedy follow‑up to his Academy Award–winning masterpiece Parasite. Armed with a massive budget and total creative freedom, Joon Ho delivered a true blank‑check passion project… that somehow managed to lose over $75 million.

This week, we’re doing something a little different—and a whole lot of fun. It’s time to reveal the Not A Bomb Community’s official list of the 25 greatest films of the last 25 years. That’s right… your picks, your favorites, and your cinematic darlings.

To help us break down this monster list, Troy and Brad are joined by longtime friend of the show Charlie, who brings his signature insight, enthusiasm, and love of history to the discussion. Together, the trio look back at a quarter century of unforgettable filmmaking—everything from the universally beloved to the “wait…...

Welcome back to Not A Bomb! —the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.

Not A Bomb! marches on with their discussion of some of the biggest bombs of 2025. Some movies stroll into the Not A Bomb clubhouse with a polite knock. Others kick the door down, track mud across the carpet, and immediately ask where you keep the bourbon. Caught Stealing (2025) is absolutely the second kind.

This week, we dive into the pulpy...

Welcome back to Not A Bomb! —the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.

Not A Bomb! continues with the bombs of 2025, this time examining the black comedy film - The Phoenician Scheme. Troy and Brad use this opportunity to reflect on the cinematic career of Wes Anderson. Everyone knows Wes has a unique visual, but has he grown as a filmmaker? Is he just doing the Wes Anderson thing?

The hosts find themse...

Welcome back to Not A Bomb! —the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.

Not A Bomb! rolls into month two of dissecting the biggest cinematic disasters of 2025. This week, the crew tackles a film that dares to ask: what if Robert De Niro played not one, but two mobsters? That’s right—double the De Niro, half the payoff—in The Alto Knights.

Do you love watching Sopranos alums remix their old tricks with...

Welcome back to Not A Bomb! —the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.

🔥 Not A Bomb! marches back into the battlefield of cinematic disasters with another contender for “biggest bomb of 2025.” This week, Troy and Brad summon a Greek God to their party—friend of the show Soph—who brings his artistic lens to the carnage.

⚔️ The subject? The 2025 remake/reboot of the 1985 sword-and-sandals cult relic Red Sonja. Armed with snark and steel, the crew takes...

Welcome back to Not A Bomb! —the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.

On this week’s episode of Not A Bomb! - the guys continue examining some of the biggest bombs of 2025 and for this episode they jump into Steven Soderbergh’s 36th directorial film - Black Bag. This spy thriller finds Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett putting their marriage to the test to see just how far they would go to find a traitor...

Welcome back to Not A Bomb! —the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.

The “celebration” of 2025’s biggest cinematic misfires rolls on, and this week, Troy and Brad pirouette into the bullet-riddled ballet that is Ballerina. Set in the ever-expanding World of John Wick, this spin-off tries desperately to remind you that, yes, the John Wick franchise is still very cool, very successful, and very much alive—even if this particular entry feels like it’s limping t...