HeyJaredA Reel Pain
A Millennial and Gen Zer clash over what makes their movies a classic. A Reel Pain is a movie debate podcast hosted by John Choate and Matthew Pursell, where generational nostalgia meets fresh perspective—and not everyone leaves happy.
- Indexed episodes, last 90 days
- 12
- Latest publication
- Sep 23, 2026
- Audience
- Checking…
- Earliest in this view
- Jul 8, 2026
Latest episodes
Little Giants — The Ultimate ’90s Kids Movie? | Millennial vs Gen Z (opens the original)
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John takes Matthew back to 1994 with Little Giants, the Rick Moranis and Ed O’Neill football comedy packed with underdogs, ridiculous trash talk, go-karts, fart jokes, and of course, John Madden. John’s nostalgia is working overtime as he argues that Little Giants still holds up as one of the best kids movies of his generation, while Matthew has to decide whether the movie’s charm, comedy, and surprisingly heartfelt story are enough to overcome some unfinished character arcs and very ’90s moment
Bridge to Terabithia — Traumatizing a Generation | Millennial vs Gen Z (opens the original)
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Matthew remembers childhood heartbreak. John had no idea what he was walking into. This week on A Reel Pain, we revisit Bridge to Terabithia (2007) as a Millennial watches this Gen Z childhood staple for the first time. Does it hold up beyond the emotional damage? From imaginary battles and surprisingly relatable childhood memories to a teacher subplot that raises some serious questions, John and Matthew unpack the movie’s biggest strengths and strangest choices. Along the way, they debate its a
Resident Evil - Can Nostalgia Save This One? | Millennial vs Gen Z (opens the original)
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John remembered 2002’s Resident Evil as a ridiculously cool mix of zombies, action, hard rock, and one unforgettable roundhouse kick to a zombie dog. Matthew came in with almost no attachment to the franchise. Somehow, they ended up in almost exactly the same place: wondering what the hell happened. This week on A Reel Pain, the guys revisit Milla Jovovich’s first trip into the Hive and try to figure out whether there’s actually a good movie buried underneath the questionable CGI, underdeveloped
The Game Plan — Is The Rock’s Disney Movie Actually Good? | Millennial vs Gen Z (opens the original)
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Matthew grew up with The Game Plan . John grew up knowing Dwayne Johnson as THE ROCK. Somehow, those two realities collide this week on A Reel Pain . For Matthew, the 2007 Disney comedy is a childhood classic — and somehow his introduction to Dwayne Johnson’s acting career. For John, that fact alone is almost impossible to comprehend. But after revisiting Joe Kingman, Peyton, ballet lessons, football montages, cinnamon allergies, questionable championship turf, and a surprisingly emotional fathe
Speed — A Movie That Unites Generations? | Millennial vs Gen Z (opens the original)
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A bus. A bomb. And one very important rule: don’t drop below 50 mph. This week on A Reel Pain , it’s John’s Millennial pick as he introduces Matthew to the 1994 action classic Speed , starring Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, Dennis Hopper and Jeff Daniels. John grew up with this one—but can a Gen Z first-time viewer get past the ridiculous physics, impossible bus jumps and peak ’90s action-movie logic? Turns out, Matthew might be a lot more on board than John expected. From Keanu’s one-liners and
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