HeyJaredThe Screen Hoppers
Join Ian and Michael as they hop from screen to screen catching the movies that shared the cineplex with the biggest hits of all time asking the question, "Did America get it right?"Subscribe now.Season 2 launching March 3rd, 2026An Up Left Media Production. Hosted on Acast.
- Indexed episodes, last 90 days
- 7
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- Sep 1, 2026
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- Jul 7, 2026
Latest episodes
Because it's a bullshit question (opens the original)
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Is My Cousin Vinny better than Liar Liar? In this episode, Michael and Ian set out to debate which classic 1990s comedy deserves a spot on our Essential Cut Watchlist. However, after rewatching both, we independently reached the same conclusion: My Cousin Vinny, starring Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei, is the far superior film. We break down why My Cousin Vinny outshines Jim Carrey's Liar Liar across cultural significance, emotional depth, and pure entertainment value. Plus, Ian calls out Michael fo
Dr. No vs. Live and Let Die (opens the original)
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Is Dr. No the unmatched gold standard for James Bond debuts? Welcome back to The Essential Cut ! This week, we’re shaking (and stirring) things up. Normally, we pit two iconic films against each other throughout the episode before deciding which one earns a coveted spot on The Greatest Watchlist of All Time . Not today. This time, the verdict was clear before we even hit record: Dr. No beats Live and Let Die as the ultimate Bond beginning. Instead of a standard debate, we’re delivering a special
2026's Essential Movies (so far) (opens the original)
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Ian and Michael take stock of the big screen and rank every major movie release of 2026 so far! From cinema misfires you should avoid at all costs to mid-tier background watches, solid recommendations, and non-negotiable masterpieces, no film is spared. Hot takes fly, arguments break out, and our choices for both the single worst movie and the #1 top film of the year so far will definitely surprise you. Did your favorite film make the top tier, or did we roast a movie you loved? In this episode:
Superman III vs. Batman Forever (opens the original)
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Two polarizing superhero spectacles face off in a battle for survival: Superman III (1983) and Batman Forever (1995). Are these misunderstood masterpieces or glorious cinematic disasters? On this episode of The Essential Cut, we dissect two of the most bizarre entries in comic book movie history—and by the end, one enters The Greatest Watchlist of All Time, while the other is deleted forever. First up, we dive into Superman III. Is it a legitimate Man of Steel story, or just a Richard Pryor come
Fatal Attraction vs. Basic Instinct (opens the original)
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Are you team Alex Forrest or Catherine Trammell? This week on The Essential Cut, we are diving headfirst into the sweaty, suspenseful, and highly controversial world of the late-80s and early-90s psycho-sexual thriller. We are pitting two undisputed giants of the genre against each other: Fatal Attraction (1987) and Basic Instinct (1992). The stakes? Only one of these neo-noir classics can secure a permanent spot on the Greatest Watchlist of All Time—the other is getting deleted forever. We expl
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