“Oh God! Somebody help me! I’M POSSESSED!”
Whaaaaat’s up, Cinemaniacs?! Ealan here with another HMC Newsletter!
Just a reminder that later today, the gang will be discussing Innerspace, the 1987 action adventure comedy directed by Joe Dante (Gremlins), and produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Steven Spielberg, among others. It seems like no one could get away from that pairing of Kennedy and Spielberg, since so many films were overseen by that dynamic duo in the 80s. And we’re here for it!
So set your alarms for 4PM PDT/7PM EDT to take part in the live stream! I honestly wish this could’ve been in the theaters for an anniversary release, but perhaps that will be coming next year, since in 2027, it will be 40 years since it’s original theatrical release. So I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it will still happen! 🤞
And another reminder about next week’s HMC: Double Take episode discussing *batteries not included. I haven’t done extensive research on this, but is this the only film in which the title not only has an asterisk next to it, but is also fully lowercase? The only other use of an asterisk off the top of my head in more recent years was 2025’s Thunderbolts*, but it’s not fully lowercase. 🤔 Just an observation…😁
So please watch *batteries not included beforehand if you can, and join Derek and I on Tuesday May 26th at 12PM PDT/3PM EDT for the live stream! Although as I suspected, it is not streaming for free on any platform, currently. But it can be rented from your preferred app, if you so choose. Or you can do what I did and get the Blu-ray for cheap! Just sayin’. 😎
Recommendation
I’ve been a fan of The Lonely Island for quite some time, but have only recently started listening to the podcast in which the trio + Seth Meyers go back and discuss their time on SNL, and the many sketches and digital shorts they produced while at 30 Rock.
It’s been an eye-opening experience getting to hear the behind-the-scenes nonsense that happened…but in a good way! When I think of The Lonely Island, I have selective memory and only think of their hits like Lazy Sunday, Natalie Rap, D*ck in a Box, I’m on a Boat, Jack Sparrow, among many others.
But it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows! Like anything that happens behind the scenes at SNL, there were plenty of ideas that never made it to air, or some that did make it to air which the trio consider some hard core duds!
So I’m just loving this time I’ve been having going back to episode 1 and blazing through this podcast, hearing about the good, the bad, and the downright ugly attempts they had at making some comedy for national television.
One of the most fascinating aspects is how digital shorts were never a thing on SNL before these 3 dudes from the Bay Area got hired. So in the beginning, they were literally borrowing cameras, shooting raw handheld, and editing these shorts entirely on their own.
But now? There is literally a dedicated off-campus sound stage and an entire team dedicated to shooting, recording/mixing music, and editing SNL shorts. So The Lonely Island were creative pioneers, paving the way and getting such a specific style of comedy recognized as another art form that could make some noise on SNL. Crazy!
So if you are a fan of their music, or that style of irreverent humor, I highly recommend it if you haven’t given it a chance yet. And beyond hearing about the back stories from The Lonely Island dudes, it’s been a thrill to hear Seth Meyers in a more relaxed, conversational environment. He really shines as an incredibly quick-witted comedy writer and host, with his dry humor that speaks to my soul. 😊
So subscribe to that podcast on your favorite pod catcher and let the funny wash over you!
And there you have it! Innerspace, *batteries not included, and The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast.
Booyah, Grandma! Have a wonderful week, and we’ll see you at today’s live stream!
And don’t forget to subscribe to the $5 pledge tier to be included in the physical media giveaways! Or check out the affiliate links below to purchase the titles discussed in this newsletter so you too can have them in your collection! 🥳
As always, don’t just watch TV and movies, experience them! Preferably with friends or family!
Affiliate Links
Innerspace (Amazon) – https://amzn.to/4nFg89F
*batteries not included (Amazon) – https://amzn.to/4wCZj3d
Thunderbolts* (Amazon) – https://amzn.to/4uepdZn