Smokey and the Snobby: Funny Movie Reviews and Hot Takes

Raffi and Aren Mahserdjian

Welcome to Smokey and the Snobby, the movie podcast where one of us loves high-octane car chases and the other prefers Cannes Film Festival winners... guess who's who? Each week, this father-son duo fires up the engines and reviews films from both ends of the cinematic highway. Whether it's a fast-paced blockbuster or a slow-burning art house drama, we score each ride on our patented but very different 1-to-10 Smokey scale based on runtime, plot detours, and how lost we got in the weeds. Expect laughs, popcorn debates, and a whole lot of loving disagreement.

  1. 18h ago

    EPISODE 47: TOWERING INFERNO(1974)

    138 floors. One raging inferno. Two Hollywood legends.And absolutely nowhere to run! This week on Smokey and the Snobby, we're turning upthe heat with The Towering Inferno (1974), the star-studded disastermovie classic featuring Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, Faye Dunaway, WilliamHolden, Fred Astaire, Richard Chamberlain, and O.J. Simpson. Enter Paul Newman as architect Doug Roberts and SteveMcQueen as fire chief Michael O'Hallorhan, two men racing against time tosave lives as the building becomes a towering death trap. Smokey and Snobby dive into the film's massive Hollywoodcast, spectacular practical effects, intense rescue sequences, and the goldenage of 1970s disaster movies. We explore the legendary pairing of SteveMcQueen and Paul Newman, the movie's impressive production, John Williams'Oscar-winning musical score, and the unforgettable moments that helped definean entire genre. Expect hilarious disagreements, Hollywood nostalgia,behind-the-scenes trivia, questionable character decisions, classic movieanalysis, and our final Smokey and Snobby ratings! Because when you're trapped 135 floors above the ground,the last thing you want to hear is, "Don't worry, it's just a littlefire." Smokey and the Snobby is your destination for classicmovie reviews, cult films, Hollywood blockbusters, 70s and 80s nostalgia,action movies, film analysis, comedy, and father-son debates about the movieswe love and the ones we love to argue about. Follow us on Spotify for weekly movie reviews,unforgettable cinematic moments, and two generations of movie opinions thatdon't always see eye to eye!

    EPISODE 47: TOWERING INFERNO(1974)

  2. Sep 30

    EPISODE 46 : MONEYBALL(2011)

    “How can you not be romantic about baseball?” This week on Smokey and the Snobby, we’re stepping up to the plate to review Moneyball (2011), the critically acclaimed baseball drama starring Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Chris Pratt, and Robin Wright. Based on Michael Lewis’ bestselling book Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, the film follows Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane as he attempts to compete against Major League Baseball’s richest teams with one major problem: He doesn’t have their money. So instead of playing the same game as everyone else, Beane decides to change it. There might be a better way. Smokey and Snobby break down Brad Pitt’s performance as Billy Beane, Jonah Hill’s Oscar-nominated turn as Peter Brand, Philip Seymour Hoffman as A’s manager Art Howe, the film’s sharp Aaron Sorkin and Steven Zaillian screenplay, and Bennett Miller’s direction. Did this movie Romanticize baseball? Smokey doesn't think so, Snobby does. Catch the episode to find out why!

    EPISODE 46 : MONEYBALL(2011)

  3. Sep 17

    EPISODE 45: SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION(1994)

    The Shawshank Redemption (1994) Movie Review | Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman & One of the Greatest Movies Ever Made “Get busy living, or get busy dying.” This week on Smokey and the Snobby, we’re heading behind the walls of Shawshank State Penitentiary to review The Shawshank Redemption (1994), the beloved prison drama directed by Frank Darabont and based on the Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. Starring Tim Robbins as Andy Dufresne and Morgan Freeman as Ellis “Red” Redding, The Shawshank Redemption tells the story of a banker sentenced to life in prison for the murders of his wife and her lover. Inside Shawshank, Andy forms an unforgettable friendship with Red while quietly refusing to let the brutality, corruption, and hopelessness of prison take away the one thing he still controls: hope. More than 30 years after its release, The Shawshank Redemption has become one of the most celebrated and rewatched films in movie history. But does it truly deserve its reputation as one of the greatest movies of all time? Smokey and Snobby break down Tim Robbins’ understated performance, Morgan Freeman’s iconic narration, the friendship between Andy and Red, Bob Gunton’s unforgettable Warden Norton, Clancy Brown’s Captain Hadley, Brooks’ heartbreaking story, Thomas Newman’s score, Roger Deakins’ cinematography, and the unforgettable journey that eventually leads us to Zihuatanejo. We also dive into the movie’s biggest themes: hope, friendship, institutionalization, freedom, redemption, perseverance, and what it means to keep living when the world gives you every reason to give up. And then there’s that ending. The posters. The rock hammer. The tunnel. The rain. The money. The letter. The beach. Of course, this is still Smokey and the Snobby, so even a movie this revered isn’t escaping without some disagreements, laughs, hot takes, movie trivia, and our final Smokey and Snobby ratings. In this episode: • The Shawshank Redemption (1994) movie review• Tim Robbins as Andy Dufresne• Morgan Freeman as Red• Frank Darabont’s direction• Andy and Red’s legendary friendship• Warden Norton and corruption inside Shawshank• Brooks and the heartbreaking reality of institutionalization• The meaning of hope and redemption• Andy Dufresne’s escape explained• The famous tunnel and rain scene• Red’s unforgettable parole hearing• The Shawshank Redemption ending• Behind-the-scenes facts and movie trivia• Why the movie became a classic after its theatrical release• Is it truly one of the greatest films ever made?• Our final Smokey and Snobby ratings Whether you’ve watched The Shawshank Redemption 20 times or somehow never made the trip inside Shawshank, join us as we revisit a movie about two men, an unlikely friendship, and the idea that even in the darkest places… Hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things. 🔥 Follow Smokey and the Snobby on Spotify for weekly movie reviews, classic movies, cult films, 80s and 90s movies, film analysis, movie debates, hot takes, comedy, nostalgia, and arguments over the movies everyone thinks you’re supposed to love.

    EPISODE 45: SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION(1994)

  4. Sep 10

    EPISODE 44: EVIL DEAD(1981)

    Five friends. One creepy cabin. One very bad idea involving an ancient book. This week on Smokey and the Snobby, we’re heading deep into the woods to review The Evil Dead (1981), Sam Raimi’s low-budget horror classic starring Bruce Campbell as the soon-to-be legendary Ash Williams. Made on a tiny budget with wild practical effects, inventive camerawork, buckets of blood, and seemingly no concern for good taste, The Evil Dead became one of the most influential cult horror movies of the 1980s. But more than 40 years later, does Sam Raimi’s original nightmare still scare us—or has it become more fun than frightening? We break down Bruce Campbell’s first appearance as Ash Williams, Sam Raimi’s frantic directing style, the infamous cabin, the Deadites, the practical gore effects, the movie’s relentless atmosphere, and the filmmaking creativity that turned a small independent horror movie into a legendary franchise. Check out our latest episodes available every Thursday!

    EPISODE 44: EVIL DEAD(1981)

  5. Sep 3

    EPISODE 43: HARD TARGET(1993)

    JCVD. John Woo. Mullet. Explosions. Slow motion. Flying motorcycles. What more do you need? This week on Smokey and the Snobby, we’re heading to New Orleans to revisit Hard Target (1993), the gloriously over-the-top action movie starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and directed by legendary Hong Kong filmmaker John Woo in his Hollywood directorial debut. Van Damme stars as Chance Boudreaux, a down-on-his-luck merchant sailor who agrees to help Natasha Binder (Yancy Butler) search for her missing father. But what starts as a missing-person investigation quickly uncovers a deadly operation run by the ruthless Emil Fouchon, played with maximum villainous intensity by Lance Henriksen. This movie goes beyond action and puts a mirror to society with an extreme display of how the disenfranchises members of our society are treated(Smokey called this out)

    EPISODE 43: HARD TARGET(1993)

  6. Aug 21

    EPISODE 42: STAND BY ME(1986)

    What started as a journey to find a dead body became one of the most unforgettable stories about friendship, childhood, growing up, and the people we never forget. This week on Smokey and the Snobby, we’re heading back to the summer of 1959 to review Stand by Me (1986), Rob Reiner’s beloved coming-of-age classic based on Stephen King’s novella The Body. Starring Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O’Connell, and Kiefer Sutherland, Stand by Me follows four friends—Gordie, Chris, Teddy, and Vern—as they set out on an adventure to find the body of a missing boy. Along the way, what seems like a simple childhood quest becomes something much deeper: a story about friendship, family, grief, fear, loyalty, and the painful realization that growing up sometimes means leaving people behind.

    EPISODE 42: STAND BY ME(1986)

  7. Aug 13

    EPISODE 41: ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW(1975)

    This week on Smokey and the Snobby, we’re heading to Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s castle to review the 1975 cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show, starring Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, Richard O’Brien, Meat Loaf, Patricia Quinn, and Nell Campbell. What started as a bizarre musical comedy became a pop-culture phenomenon famous for midnight screenings, audience participation, outrageous costumes, unforgettable songs, and the legendary “Time Warp.” But 50 years later, does Rocky Horror still deserve its status as the ultimate cult movie—or is nostalgia doing some seriously heavy lifting? We break down Tim Curry’s iconic performance as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, the movie’s campy humor, rock-and-roll soundtrack, bizarre characters, sexual satire, science-fiction influences, and the sheer insanity that made this movie unlike anything audiences had seen before.

    EPISODE 41: ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW(1975)

  8. Jul 30

    EPISODE 40: BATMAN(1989)

    Tim Burton's Dark Knight That Changed Superhero Movies Forever Holy nostalgia, Batman! This week on Smokey and the Snobby, we're revisiting Tim Burton's Batman (1989)—the groundbreaking superhero film that forever changed comic book movies. Starring Michael Keaton as the Caped Crusader and Jack Nicholson in his iconic performance as the Joker, this cinematic classic redefined Gotham City and launched a new era of blockbuster film-making. Join Smokey and Snobby as they dive into Burton's gothic vision, Danny Elfman's unforgettable score, Prince's legendary soundtrack, and the performances that made Batman one of the most influential comic book films of all time. And after more than 35 years, does Batman (1989) still deserve its legendary status? Whether you're a lifelong DC Comics fan, a Tim Burton enthusiast, or discovering this classic for the first time, this episode explores why Batman (1989) remains one of the most important superhero films ever made. In this episode: Michael Keaton as Batman/Bruce Wayne Jack Nicholson's unforgettable Joker Tim Burton's unique vision of Gotham City Danny Elfman's iconic Batman score Prince's unforgettable soundtrack Best scenes, favorite quotes, and hidden details Behind-the-scenes facts and production stories Final Smokey and Snobby ratings If you love Batman, DC Comics, classic superhero movies, movie reviews, film analysis, 1980s movies, and passionate debates about cinema, subscribe to Smokey and the Snobby for weekly episodes where two movie lovers are bound by blood, but divided by taste.

    EPISODE 40: BATMAN(1989)
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About

Welcome to Smokey and the Snobby, the movie podcast where one of us loves high-octane car chases and the other prefers Cannes Film Festival winners... guess who's who? Each week, this father-son duo fires up the engines and reviews films from both ends of the cinematic highway. Whether it's a fast-paced blockbuster or a slow-burning art house drama, we score each ride on our patented but very different 1-to-10 Smokey scale based on runtime, plot detours, and how lost we got in the weeds. Expect laughs, popcorn debates, and a whole lot of loving disagreement.

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