Critical Mess Podcast

Critical Mess Podcast
  • 4.8 (15)
  • TV & Film
  • Updated Biweekly

A podcast where a copywriter, creative director, and web developer discuss movies that critics and audiences don’t agree on. Any era, any genre, doesn’t matter. When the critics and the people don’t see eye to eye, we’re talking about why.

  1. National Lampoon's Van Wilder | Episode 071 Critical Mess Movie Podcast

    May 22

    National Lampoon's Van Wilder | Episode 071 Critical Mess Movie Podcast

    Remember when people actually liked Ryan Reynolds? National Lampoon’s Van Wilder is a 2002 comedy starring Ryan Reynolds, Tara Reid, Kal Penn, Tim Matheson, Paul Gleason, Daniel Cosgrove, and Sophia Bush. It’s basically a documentary about “the raddest f’n dude alive.” Does it hold up? Does it suck? We get to the bottom of it. National Lampoon’s Van Wilder has an 18% rating with critics on Rotten Tomatoes and a 73% rating with audiences (aka popcorn people). Check out criticalmesspodcast.com and give us movie recommendations!

    1h 34m

  2. May 7

    The Wizard | Episode 070 Critical Mess Movie Podcast

    The Wizard is a 1989 adventure/comedy starring Fred Savage, Beau Bridges, Christian Slater, Luke Edwards, Jenny Lewis, Wendy Phillips, and Frank McRae. It’s a Nintendo advertisement with the occasional “plot point.” We also “enjoyed it.” The Wizard has a 29% rating with critics on Rotten Tomatoes and a 60% rating with audiences (aka popcorn) people.  Check out criticalmesspodcast.com and give us movie recommendations!

    1h 38m
  3. Butterfly Effect | Episode 069 Critical Mess Movie Podcast

    Apr 23

    Butterfly Effect | Episode 069 Critical Mess Movie Podcast

    If only we could go back in time to change this film. The Butterfly Effect is 2004 sci-fi/thriller starring Ashton Kutcher, Amy Smart, Eric Stoltz, William Lee Scott, Elden Henson, and Logan Lerman. It’s about a guy who can time travel back to traumatic moments in his youth to right the wrongs of the past. It’s a pretty cool idea on paper, but—according to the critics at least—ain’t working too well in practice. The Butterfly Effect has a 34% rating with critics on Rotten Tomatoes and an 81% rating with audiences (aka popcorn people). Check out criticalmesspodcast.com and give us movie recommendations!

    1h 27m
  4. Coyote Ugly | Episode 068 Critical Mess Movie Podcast

    Mar 29

    Coyote Ugly | Episode 068 Critical Mess Movie Podcast

    $150 to see the butt? We’ll show you ours for free. Coyote Ugly is a 2000 comedy/drama starring Piper Perabo, Adam Garcia, Mario Bello, Tyra Banks, and (are you f*ing kidding me) John Goodman. It’s mostly just girls dancing on a bar, and yet the plot description on Wikipedia is inexplicably five paragraphs long. But seriously, butt shaking on a bartop is at least 80% of the film. Coyote Ugly has a 23% rating with critics on Rotten Tomatoes and a 71% rating with audiences (aka popcorn people). Check out criticalmesspodast.com to give us movie recommendations!

    1h 29m

  5. 11/14/2025

    Transformers | Episode 067 Critical Mess Movie Podcast

    If Optimus Prime had bad credit, would he be Optimus Subprime?  Transformers is a 2007 sci-fi/action movie starring Shia LeBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, John Turturro, Jon Voight, Rachael Taylor, and lots of CGI. It’s directed by Michael Bay, so obviously we had to talk about it. The film is mostly about big robots from space that do lots of punching and shooting. As you might expect, many, many things explode. Transformers has a 57% rating with critics on Rotten Tomatoes and an 85% rating with audiences (aka popcorn people).  Check out criticalmesspodcast.com to give us movie recommendations!

    1h 56m
  6. Under the Skin | Episode 066 Critical Mess Movie Podcast

    10/23/2025

    Under the Skin | Episode 066 Critical Mess Movie Podcast

    🎃This counts as a Halloween movie, right? 🎃Under the Skin is a 2013 sci-fi/horror film starring Scarlett Johansson, Adam Pearson, Marius Bincu, Joe Szula, and Paul Brannigan. It’s really ambiguous, there’s not much talking, and it’s not for everybody. But it most certainly leaves an impression. This one was directed by Jonathan Glazer. Under the Skin has an 83% rating with critics and a 55% rating with audiences (aka popcorn people) on Rotten Tomatoes.

    1h 42m

  7. 10/02/2025

    Man of Steel | Episode 064 Critical Mess Movie Podcast

    Smash-y, smash, boom, boom, punch, punch, punch.  Man of Steel is a superhero/action movie starring Henry Cavill, Diane Lane, Amy Adams, Russel Crowe, Kevin Costner, Michael Shannon, Laurence Fishburn, and Ayelet Zurer. It was directed by Zach Snyder.  This one’s a Superman origin story. Capeesh?  Man of Steel has a 57% rating with critics on Rotten Tomatoes and a 75% rating with audiences (aka popcorn people).

    1h 47m

  8. 09/18/2025

    Captain Ron | Episode 063 Critical Mess Movie Podcast

    The Snake Plissken origin story.  Captain Ron is an adventure/comedy film starring Kurt Russell, Martin Short, Mary Kay Place, Meadow Sisto, and Benjamin Salisbury. This one was directed by Thom Eberhardt.  So, back to the Snake Plissken thing. Is it just the eyepatch? No, no it’s not. Because there’s also the mysterious military backstory. The total disdain for authority. The parallels between the lawless landscapes of Cuba and New York. And most of all, there’s the hair. What a glorious mane.  Captain Ron has a 26% rating with critics on Rotten Tomatoes and a 52% rating with audiences (aka popcorn people). So yeah, we cheated our rules a little bit on this one, too. Whatcha gonna do about it?

    1h 48m
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4.8
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

A podcast where a copywriter, creative director, and web developer discuss movies that critics and audiences don’t agree on. Any era, any genre, doesn’t matter. When the critics and the people don’t see eye to eye, we’re talking about why.

Information

  • Creator
    Critical Mess Podcast
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    69
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Critical Mess Podcast
  • Show Website
    Critical Mess Podcast