Look Hughes Talking

Jeff Galante is this week's guest when we watch Beethoven (Charles Grodin, Bonnie Hunt, Stanley Tucci, Oliver Platt, David Duchovny, Patricia Heaton) a movie that John Hughes was so proud of, he wrote it under the pen name Edmond Dantes. We talk dog destruction, being bullied, invasive thermometers, and omniscient canines. Anthony shares an odd dream, and Tim and Jeff try to break down the thought process of the film's ammunition manufacturers. We suffer a slight microphone mishap in the last ten minutes of the show. We're sorry. But we push through the crap, just like John Hughes did throughout most of the 90s and 2000s.     

This week we mess up the order, and watch Dennis the Menace (Lea Thompson, Walter Matthau, Christopher Lloyd, Joan Plowright, Mason Gamble, Robert Stanton). The guys debate bathing etiquette while babysitting, Darren exposes his backside, and Anthony recently watched The Babadook. Honarable mentions to Gilligan's Island, Leave it to Beaver, and Dobie Gillis. Dave Navarro's hit SPIKE TV show, Ink Master, is mentioned, and the show wraps with a heated E.T. discussion. Are those welcoming aliens at the end of E.T. his parents, botanists, or parent botanists? You decide! Damage to your nether regions is unavoidable. 

We forgo the Hughes this week to watch The Phantom Menace with someone that doesn't care about Star Wars as dearly as we do, Claire Stanton. Holy crap, turn up the volume, because Richard makes an appearance. We rundown the movie, Claire thinks there's something fishy about that Palpatine guy, and Watto impressions get a lot of play. Opinions on podracing and E.T. divide the gang, but get overshadowed by prequel disappointment. It's not all bad though! The guys give mad respect to George Lucas, and talk about how optimistic they are about the upcoming, J.J. Abrams helmed trilogy. Claire finds fault with Queen Amidala's disguise, and everyone misses Darth Vader. To close, we go around the table and speak about Star Wars, from the heart.        

This week, we watch Curly Sue (Jim Belushi, Alisan Porter, Kelly Lynch, John Getz, Fred Thompson, Steve Carell) with the very funny Jasmine Elist. Tim straps on his overalls for a show that  begins with disparaging comments about a 10 year old, ends with disparaging comments about a 10 year old, and is filled with disparaging comments about said 10 year old. Jasmine is mesmerized by one man, a hand, and a crack, plus she tells the guys the secret song she sings to herself at night. A review is read, and the show ends with an odd connection between Alisan Porter and Adam Lambert. Get well soon, Darren Hayes! 

You've been asking for it, and after months of deliberation, we've decided to give it to you. Darren Hayes hosts the show! Our fearless leader takes us through Dutch (Ed O'Neill, Ethan Embry, JoBeth Williams, Christopher McDonald, EG Daily), and develops another crush on the films' star. The guys talk about going to London, visiting a variety of friendly orifices, and Tim's curse when he handles himself. Darren shares some of the "pranks" he developed as a miscreant youth, and everyone stereotypes male flautists. Finally, the guys talk about the future of the show, and what you can look forward to.

The guys wrap up their Career Opportunities (John Hughes, Jennifer Connelly, Frank Whaley, Dermot Mulroney, John Candy) conversation with Chris Laxamana (host of Carolla Digital's Resume) and acclaimed audio engineer, Trevor Yasuda (Lana Del Rey, The Great Gatsby). Everyone struggles to find something they like about the movie and Chris brings up the unnecessary pressure put on charitable baseball players. Darren and Anthony disagree about the Freudian undertones behind a key scene involving a coin opertated rocking horse. And Despite Darren's hostility towards Anthony, the gang agrees with Trevor; they are all Mr. Hayes' humble Savage Gardeners. Jennifer Connelly continues to be respected. 

The guys sit down to watch extended Target commercial, Career Opportunities (Jennifer Connelly, Frank Whaley, John Candy, Dermot Mulroney and Kieran Mulroney) with sound guru Trevor Yasuda and host of Carolla Digital's Resume, Chris Laxamana. Right off the bat (puns!) Chris and Trevor explain the wonders of their high stakes fantasy baseball league to Darren. Chris, Anthony and Trevor talk about some of their early jobs, and Part 1 ends with an odd combination of foodstuffs. Jennifer Connelly is treated like a lady.  

John Hughes' holiday classic Home Alone (Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern,) is this week's subject, when the guys are joined by Stephanie Altholz. Anthony and Stephanie are pitted against each other in a half-assed Chicago-Off. Darren shares a traumatic childhood experience involving a toliet and his sister, Anthony can't get out of the hallway, and Tim regales a charming story about an aquaintance shitting the bed. Everyone heaps praise on Catherine O'hara and John Candy for their performances, and Darren reads an article about the abuse suffered by the Wet Bandits. 

We're closed for business! After 20 something weeks in a row we decided to rest up for the long haul. But don't worry, we'll be back next week with Home Alone Part 2. Thanks again for listening, folks. We love and appreciate you. Here's some Debarge.  

Christmas continues, when the guys sit down to talk about Home Alone before they watch it. Darren asks the question, "Macaulay Culkin: Good Actor or Adorable Kid?" Anthony sporadically updates everyone on the Oscar winners from last week, and joins Tim in criticising John Hughes' imagination when it comes to naming his characters. Darren tells a story about sleep walking, and the boys give out a few awards of their own. Some winners may surprise you. 

Anthony helms the show today, and the shit goes down (quite literally). Road rage and Final Destination become topics brought on by the film's opening scene. The guys unanimously choose fake Christmas trees over real ones, and Tim does his best to diffuse breast talk. The guys watch and address Randy Quaid's Rupert Murdoch video. Darren takes issue with the pronunciation of "Julia Louis-Dreyfus." Plus, Johnny Galecki and Juliette Lewis don't cut it as Griswold's, in Tim's mind.  

The Look Hughes Talking gang invites Madeleine Coghlan over to watch Uncle Buck. Anthony talks about his angsty teenage years, and Maddy tells how she avoided hers by playing Neopets. Macaulay Culkin steals the show, and John Hughes continues to hate women. Tim brings up answering machines, and everyone shares their embarrassing outgoing messages. An age-old question is answered, "Can you get intimate with a donut?" 

Comedian, Drew Talbert, is this week's guest when the guys watch The Great Outdoors (John Candy, Dan Aykroyd, Annette Bening). Right off the bat, everybody picks apart the child actors. Drew and Anthony share stories about unwanted animals invading their homes. Later, Darren becomes acquainted with Grizzly actor, Bart the Bear, and the Americans teach him about some of their country's greatest folk heroes. The gang, once again, highlights John Hughes' father issues. 

Comedian and self-proclaimed professional idiot, Laura Hughes, drops in to tell us if she's related to our hero, John Hughes. Darren and Laura share their engagement stories, and everyone analyzes Kevin Bacon's penis by googling movie stills from the 1998 classic, Wild Things. The gang agrees that She's Having a Baby is all over the place, then Darren has a visceral reaction to an intimate scene between Bacon and Alec Baldwin. Tim poses an important question, "are French girls real?"    

Actor and comedian, Drew Droege, watches Planes, Trains & Automobiles (John Candy, Steve Martin) with us, then shares a personal story about Lyman Ward (Ferris Bueller's Day Off). The gang talks about their worst experiences flying, and terrible children. Invasive fists become a hot topic, and we hope you kids are listening to this on your damn iPads!

Darren Hayes is back, but this time he's staying for good. So, shoot the man a little congratulatory tweet. This week, the guys give a preamble to the John Hughes' masterpiece, Plans, Trains & Automobiles (John Candy, Steve Martin), then share their own horrible travelling experiences. Madonna and Eminem become topics of discussion, and IMDb reviews of the film are read.   

Tim introduces a very special German episode of Look Hughes Talking, then the guys rundown the cast (Lea Thompson, Eric Stoltz) and crew of Some Kind of Wonderful. Candace Cameron Bure and Elias Koteas recieve special attention, and the film is recast with Billy Dee Williams and Alfonso Ribeiro. Anthony shares a traumatic experience involving a library, and the hosts argue over the appropriate time to drink milk. Other topics include Watts' (Mary Stuart Masterson) obession with drumming, and how the film's ending differs from other contemporary teen movies. 

The hilarious Emily Wilson joins Look Hughes Talking for an in-depth look at Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Jennifer Grey's nose job and subsequent disappearance are discussed. Then, the gang talks sibling popularity and heckling at sports games. A variety of songs are sung, including hits by Save Ferris, Rooney, and The Beatles. Later, Tim and Anthony admire John Hughes' direction of the film, and Emily criticises Jeanie's choice of venereal disease when fending off attackers. 

Ferris Bueller's Day Off is the subject of this week's show, and the host's discuss how John Hughes encouraged the actors to improvise during many of the film's key scenes. Praise is thrown at Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara, and Edie McClurg. Then, the guys tiptoe around Jeffrey Jones' (Mr. Rooney) recent troubles. The Crash Test Dummies' classic, Keep A Lid On Things, is played, and the show wraps with a chat about Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight.

The boys circle around the fireplace to bring you one more Christmas episode before Santa's big day. Talk includes gift giving etiquette, believing in Santa Claus and their best Christmas memories. Holiday themed productions discussed are, Rankin and Bass' Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey, Jack Frost, Home Alone 2: Lost In New York, Elf, Saved by the Bell's Home for Christmas, Home Improvement, the Office (UK series) and the Star Wars Holiday Special. Before the show ends, Anthony unintentionally brings down the mood, then pays homage to the greatest Christmas character of all time, 90s Canadian sensation, Snow.