Shat the Movies

The Best 80s & 90s Movie Podcast

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Dick Ebert

1980s Best Movies / View All

Withnail and I (1987)

Withnail and I (1987) is a British dark comedy following two struggling, eccentric actors—Withnail (Richard E. Grant), a flamboyant alcoholic, and Marwood, or “I” (Paul McGann), his neurotic friend—who escape their grim London lives for a chaotic, booze-soaked retreat in the English countryside. Their plans for relaxation quickly devolve into disaster as they face hostile locals, relentless rain, and Withnail’s lecherous Uncle Monty (Richard Griffiths). Filled with biting wit and bleak humor, the film explores themes of friendship, failure, and the search for meaning amid disillusionment.

1970s Best Movies / View All

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

When ordinary man Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) witnesses mysterious lights in the sky, his life is turned upside down as he becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth behind these strange phenomena. Drawn to an isolated mountain along with other people experiencing the same visions, Roy joins a scientist (François Truffaut) and a mother (Melinda Dillon) in a breathtaking journey that leads them face-to-face with extraterrestrial visitors. Close Encounters of the Third Kind is an awe-inspiring tale of discovery and human connection with the unknown, where the extraordinary meets the everyday.

1980s Best Movies / View All

Betty Blue (1986)

In this intense and passionate tale, handyman Zorg (Jean-Hugues Anglade) finds his mundane life ignited by his whirlwind romance with the fiery and unpredictable Betty (Béatrice Dalle). As their relationship spirals into chaos, Betty’s fierce determination to achieve a better life unravels her mental state, dragging Zorg into a tumultuous journey of love, madness, and self-destruction. With raw emotion and vivid cinematography, Betty Blue explores the fine line between passion and obsession, leaving the audience captivated by its beauty and heartbreak.

1990s Best Movies / View All

Payback (1999)

In this gritty revenge thriller, ex-criminal Porter (Mel Gibson) is left for dead after being double-crossed by his partner and wife, but he survives with one goal: to get back the $70,000 that was stolen from him. As Porter methodically takes down anyone standing in his way, he finds himself battling both the criminal underworld and corrupt cops in a relentless pursuit of payback. With its dark humor, brutal action, and a chilling antihero, Payback delivers a hard-hitting tale of vengeance and redemption.

1980s Best Movies / View All

A Fish Called Wanda (1988)

In this uproarious heist comedy, seductive con artist Wanda (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her bumbling lover Otto (Kevin Kline) team up with a hapless barrister (John Cleese) to steal a fortune in jewels. But as double-crosses pile up and loyalties shift, the eccentric crew finds themselves in a hilarious tangle of romance, greed, and deception. With razor-sharp wit and memorable performances, A Fish Called Wanda delivers a riotous blend of crime and comedy that will leave audiences laughing out loud.

1990s Best Movies / View All

SLC Punk! (1998)

Set against the backdrop of Salt Lake City’s conservative culture, rebellious punk Stevo (Matthew Lillard) and his best friend Bob (Michael A. Goorjian) live life on the edge, rejecting authority and embracing chaos. But as Stevo faces the inevitable crossroads between reckless youth and adulthood, he begins to question his ideals, friendships, and the true meaning of rebellion. With its blend of humor, angst, and heart, SLC Punk! captures the wild spirit of the punk movement while delivering an unexpectedly emotional punch.

1990s Best Movies / View All

Face/Off (1997)

Obsessed with bringing terrorist Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) to justice, FBI agent Sean Archer (John Travolta) tracks down Troy, who has boarded a plane in Los Angeles. After the plane crashes and Troy is severely injured, possibly dead, Archer undergoes surgery to remove his face and replace it with Troy’s. As Archer tries to use his disguise to elicit information about a bomb from Troy’s brother, Troy awakes from a coma and forces the doctor who performed the surgery to give him Archer’s face.

1990s Best Movies / View All

Con Air (1997)

Just-paroled army ranger Cameron Poe (Nicolas Cage) is headed back to his wife (Monica Potter), but must fly home aboard a prison transport flight dubbed “Jailbird” with some of the worst criminals living. Along with Diamond Dog (Ving Rhames) and Baby-O (Mykelti Williamson), genius serial killer Cyrus “The Virus” Grissom (John Malkovich) unleashes a violent escape plot in mid-flight. Secretly working with U.S. Marshall Vince Larkin (John Cusack), Poe tries to foil Grissom’s plan.