Tentpole Trauma

Tentpole Trauma
  • 4.9 (35)
  • FILM HISTORY
  • UPDATED BIMONTHLY

A podcast where we look at movies that came with hype and high hopes, but left with crushing disappointment, either critically, at the box office, or both.

  1. Strange Days

    JAN 20

    Strange Days

    The teaming of Kathryn Bigelow and James Cameron is always a potent proposition, as the former married couple are both heavyweight directors in their own right. This should have made their 1995 collaboration Strange Days--a dystopian cyberthriller set on the eve of Y2K starring Ralph Fiennes, Angela Bassett and Juliette Lewis--a surefire smash. Unfortunately, the movie's hot button political themes and pitch black tone didn't translate to boffo box office, and to this day it remains frustratingly unavailable stateside in a high definition format. Join Sebastian and Jennifer as they jack in, fire up some playback and ring in the new year with this underappreciated and chillingly topical sci fi classic.

    1h 38m
  2. A Very Shane Black Xmas

    12/18/2025

    A Very Shane Black Xmas

    Few filmmakers love Christmas as much as writer/director Shane Black; the holiday features heavily in many of the films that made him one of the highest paid screenwriters in Hollywood, from Lethal Weapon to The Last Boy Scout to the Long Kiss Goodnight. As our gift to you this yuletide season, we are covering two of the films he directed--Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and The Nice Guys--both of which were, despite being great, coal-in-the-stocking disappointments at the box office. So break out the eggnog, roast some chestnuts, and kick back with a twofer of buddy comedy/hard-boiled detective noir/Christmassy goodness with your pals at Tentpole Trauma!

    1h 22m
  3. Return to Oz

    11/20/2025

    Return to Oz

    Hollywood had a hankering to return to the wonderful land of Oz following decades of the 1939 Wizard of Oz being a childhood staple. Many attempts were made, but none as traumatic as Disney’s 1985 effort Return to Oz, a nightmarish fantasy in which Dorothy, here played by Fairuza Balk, returns to the decimated magical land following a stint at an insane asylum. Join Sebastian and Jennifer as they follow a torn up yellow brick road, make some puppetastic new friends, and relive the days when kids movies were scarier than any old Wicked Witch.

    1h 13m
  4. Halloween Ends

    10/23/2025

    Halloween Ends

    Wrapping up a trilogy is always a tough pumpkin to carve -- a lesson director David Gordon Green learned with Halloween Ends, the climax of his otherwise financially successful Blumhouse "legacy" series that began with 2018's Halloween and carried through with 2021's Halloween Kills. Despite strong production values and the return of Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode, the film met with fan backlash and muted box office returns, due in part to the shift in focus from Michael Myers to a new slasher character, the unpopular Corey. But is it really as bad as all that? Join superfans Sebastian and Matt Anderson as they slash it out once and for all to determine if this is a worthy end to the franchise. Trick or treat, motherf**cker!

    1h 48m
  5. Borderlands

    09/17/2025

    Borderlands

    With video game adaptations raking in big coin at the box office, adapting the popular Borderlands series to screen seemed a no-brainer. But even pairing a puzzling high-profile cast—featuring Cate Blanchette, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis and Jack Black—with a jokey and colorful Guardians of the Galaxy sci fi vibe didn’t help Eli Roth’s beleaguered directorial effort connect with fans or ticket buyers. Join Sebastian and Steve as they comb the junkyard wastes of Pandora (no, not that Pandora) for any pleasures they can salvage from this muddled, madcap mess.

    1h 31m
  6. Alien Resurrection

    08/19/2025

    Alien Resurrection

    Following the commercial disappointment of the oppressively downbeat Alien 3, it stands to reason that 1997’s follow-up, Alien Resurrection, would attempt to recapture the fun, bug-hunt thrills of James Cameron’s Aliens. And while French auteur director Jean-Pierre Jeunet certainly lightened the mood—credited in part to the quippy, Joss Whedon-penned script—audiences were puzzled by this strange newborn, even with series heroine Sigourney Weaver returning and a solid supporting cast featuring Winona Ryder and Ron Perlman. Join Sebastian, Chris and Steve as they clone themselves 8 times, laser some whiskey cubes and lovingly cradle this bizarre hybrid of sci fi and French comedy/satire.

    2h 4m
  7. For Love of the Game

    07/24/2025

    For Love of the Game

    The late 90s found Kevin Costner on a serious losing  streak following high profile post apocalyptic flops Waterworld and The Postman, so it made sense that he would retreat to a sub-genre that had batted a thousand for him previously, the baseball drama. But despite the confident direction of a pre-Spider-Man Sam Raimi and a stellar supporting cast, For Love of the Game still struck out at the box office. Join Sebastian and Andrew as they take themselves out to the ballpark and see if this treacly romance is truly a no-hitter.

    1h 37m
  8. Eight Legged Freaks

    06/23/2025

    Eight Legged Freaks

    After Scream made him a semi-household name, David Arquette was poised for leading man status. Unfortunately, the first film he chose to lead was Eight Legged Freaks, a comedic, atomic age horror throwback featuring giant CGI spiders and Kari Wuhrer as his co-lead. But does this box office dud  have the power to catch Sebastian and Jennifer in its web of creature feature charm? Tune in and find out!

    1h 1m
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4.9
out of 5
35 Ratings

About

A podcast where we look at movies that came with hype and high hopes, but left with crushing disappointment, either critically, at the box office, or both.

Information

  • Creator
    Tentpole Trauma
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    163
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Tentpole Trauma
  • Show Website
    Tentpole Trauma