n the Season 1 finale of What the Kids Were Watching, the hosts finally find a dino-sore spot: a film they vehemently disagree on. The 1993 dinosaur action/adventure/thriller/total special effects game-changer "Jurassic Park" had so much influence on Sarah that she talks at 1.5 speed for most of the podcast. Raf, meanwhile, is ready to roar with critiques and complaints about the movie.But as the hosts discover, there's a lot to love AND dislike about the original "Jurassic Park." For example, sexism clearly abounds, from the mean jokes at Lex's expense to the numerous Ellie Sattler butt shots. However, the film does a great job of building tension by slowly revealing the monsters (a la "Jaws"). Sarah also argues that the film is one coming-of-age metaphor after another, especially with its presentation of possible romantic partners. "If you watched this movie at the age that we watched it," she says, "you found yourself shockingly attracted to one of four characters: Sam Neill as Alan Grant, Laura Dern as Ellie, Jeff Goldblum as Ian Malcolm, or the velociraptor."Yet it's hard to ignore the film's larger message about how humans are the real problem, especially in this day and age. As Raf quips, "It's all fun and games until someone tries to destroy a civilization." But between groan-worthy dinosaur puns, hot fashion takes, Halloween costume suggestions, and the terrifying truth about pelicans, things never get too gloomy in the podcast. After all, the hosts want to end the season on tricera-top.

What The Kids Were Watching

"Jurassic Park": Dino Mighty

"This movie is basically Merrie Melodies meets 'Chinatown.'" So begins Sarah and Raf's analysis of the groundbreaking live-action-meets-animation film "Who Framed Roger Rabbit." This 1988 movie enchanted both of our hosts when they were young, driving them to learn as much as they could about its production. And what a production it was! From lawyers fighting over Donald and Daffy getting an equal number of frames per second to robots that had to move like animated penguin waiters, this film was all sorts of complicated.But "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" is more than just a logistical nightmare that became a technical triumph. It's also a portrait of haunted characters stuck in the past as villains around them stare maliciously toward the future. It's a story about the toxic reverberations grief can have years later. It's a pamphlet come to life called "How to Talk to Your Toons About Alcoholism." It's a dusty gallery of cringe-worthy references that have not aged well. But most of all, as Sarah says, "It's a dark noir thriller, you know, for kids!" And it's one that's worth revisiting.

"Who Framed Roger Rabbit": A Dark Noir Thriller 4 Kidz

The 1994 comic book film "The Crow" has a famous and heartbreaking history. Its star Brandon Lee — son of Bruce Lee — was tragically killed in an on-set accident. Because of this, the film was edited down with much of its expository material removed, and the result was a tight and haunting story with an iconic lead performance. Sarah and Raf note that it's hard to watch Heath Ledger's Joker in "The Dark Knight" and not think of Lee's Eric Draven.That doesn't mean "The Crow" is a perfect film. As much as Raf loved it, he admits that it's "the most 1994 movie ever made," but celebrates what a landmark it was for the comic book movie industry. The gore and violence made Sarah hesitate to embrace the film, as did the cheesiness. The villains' names "sound like something from a PBS children's television show," she says, adding that their "Fire It Up" dance "feels like they're just really excited about going to regionals."Yet "The Crow," for all its flaws, remains important to both hosts. It's an extraordinarily well-edited film, it helped popularize "Hot Topic" (For real! Kind of!), and its soundtrack was essential for goths and non-goths alike. Plus, the film's message about how "real love never dies" hits them right in their still-teenage hearts. In Sarah's words, "It's so important that it doesn't need to justify its existence. To ask if it holds up is sort of belittling how important it is."(Bonus content: Sarah's beloved dog Verona, who passed away in May 2019, spends a lot of time walking around, flapping her ears, and licking Raf's face in this episode. At the time of recording, the hosts thought she felt unsettled by the film's sad background and was driven to move around a lot. Now, her noise is a sweet reminder that — as the film's characters keep saying — real love never dies.)

"The Crow": Caws for Remembrance

The late aughts had “Twilight,” but in the early 90s, vampire fans were sinking their teeth into “Interview with the Vampire” and “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” — and today, these two movies are the subject of a bloody good podcast episode. Raf explains how these films were groundbreaking in many ways, from portraying vampires as creatures worthy of sympathy to featuring a gay subtext that was rarely seen in the era's big-budget films. Sarah admits she hasn't seen these movies as many times as Raf has, but she does approve of Gary Oldman’s “Victorian Geddy Lee” look.In many ways, these two films are as different as night and day. Both hosts agree that “Dracula” is beautiful but boring, despite Sadie Frost’s amazing Lucy (and in spite of Anthony Hopkins' scenery-chewing Van Helsing). “Interview,” meanwhile, suffers from Brad Pitt's Louis — who Sarah dubs "sullen furniture" — but sparkles thanks to Tom Cruise's charming sociopath Lestat and Kirsten Dunst’s fantastic baby vampire Claudia, as well as Latinx representation and the afore-mentioned gay subtext. But why do women suffer so much more than men in both films? And is living forever an eternal party, or an eternal funeral? The hosts try to find some answers that don't suck.

"Interview with the Vampire" and "Bram Stoker's Dracula": Sucks to Be Them

The legacy of the supposedly family-friendly comedy "Short Circuit" is a frustrating one; and in this podcast episode, Sarah and Raf try to parse out what's salvageable from the 1986 film and what's not."Short Circuit" is the story of a robot/mobile nuclear weapon that gets struck by lightning and, Pinocchio-like, goes on a series of wacky adventures to become alive. Or, as Sarah sums it up: "This whole movie is like one big commercial for a surge protector." In addition to the robot Johnny Five -- clearly the inspiration for WALL-E, according to Raf -- the film features Ally Sheedy as Stephanie Speck, a.k.a. "a bubbly female version of Noah's Ark," and the exceptionally smug Steve Guttenberg as Newton Crosby. The podcast hosts discuss the dangers of letting kittens run across the stove, the importance of learning the word "warmonger" at an early age, and how -- as Sarah notes with disappointment -- "Even robots can sexually harass you. There really is no safe space."But the hosts also address the elephant in the room: the Indian-American character Ben, played by Fisher Stevens in brownface. How do you talk about a racially insensitive film you loved as a kid? How do you publicly address your childhood ignorance? If you're Raf, you're honest and measured. If you're Sarah, you yell a lot. "I'm angry that I didn't know better...it's embarrassing that I thought this was funny, and I'm ashamed of it," she admits. Between the hosts' own experiences with negative Latinx representation in film and the racism their family members endured, they have a lot to say about this film's terrible legacy as they contemplate how to move forward.

"Short Circuit": Warmongers and Brownface and Kittens, Oh My

For Sarah and Raf, a certain 1989 marketing juggernaut changed the way they saw movies forever...and thinking about it drives them both a bit batty.In this podcast double feature, the hosts tackle Tim Burton's toxic-candy-colored "Batman" (1989) and the much-maligned "Batman Returns" (1992). Raf discusses how "Batman" laid the groundwork for modern-day comic book movies and ushered in the era of affordable VHS tapes. Sarah, meanwhile, notes that the film's kid-focused marketing and gritty embittered tone make it feel like "an angry divorced dad," though she stans Vicki Vale's bizarre fashion choices.But both hosts are here for "Batman Returns," the film that pushed Burton away from the franchise but won over Sarah and Raf's cine-manic hearts. They'll discuss whether Michelle Pfeiffer's Selina Kyle is actually a good guy, how Max Shreck is Peak Walken, how Bruce Wayne could've been the Penguin (or Shreck) in a different life, whether Batman and Catwoman could've made it work — and, most importantly, how this dark film about murder and corruption is really a Christmas movie. Just like "Die Hard."

"Batman" and "Batman Returns": Burton's Got a Bat Attitude

It takes a very special movie to get someone to start a podcast. For Sarah, that movie — the movie that launched the idea of What the Kids Were Watching — is the 1986 Eddie Murphy comedy "The Golden Child." Like many people their age, Sarah and Raf saw "The Golden Child" multiple times before the age of 11. HBO had it on constant rotation, Eddie Murphy was hilarious, and the film had fart jokes. What's not to love?Well...quite a lot, actually. Revisiting "The Golden Child" over three decades later reveals a ton of problems in the film, including the obvious and awful Asian stereotypes, many less-than-stellar punchlines, a romantic relationship that doesn't make sense, and bizarre style choices for the set (an Elvis poster in Eddie Murphy's living room? Really?). But after everything's said and done and we've all desecrated a prayer wheel reenacting the "I-I-I want the knife, please" scene, the hosts must decide if the movie is worth their time or if they should leave it in the recycle bin.

"The Golden Child": The Chosen One Just Wants to Have Fun

Steve Martin's delightful comedies "L.A. Story" (1991) and "Roxanne" (1987) have more in common than you may think. Both are based on classic works of literature: "Roxanne" is a sweet retelling of "Cyrano de Bergerac," while Raf insists "L.A. Story" loosely retells "Hamlet" and "The Tempest." Both movies can be seen as fairy tales for adults, respectively showcasing a whimsical and magic-drenched side of Los Angeles and the sheltered charm of the imagined mountain town Nelson. They paint adult life as a mixture of bizarre trends, Shakespeare quotes, and good old slapstick fun. But are these fairy tales for women or for men? And decades later, do these noses by any other name still smell as sweet? In the third episode of What the Kids Were Watching, the hosts break down why these Martin films initially won them over, why Sarah kept rewatching them (especially "L.A. Story") over the years, and whether or not they're worth a revisit...or a twist of lemon.

"L.A. Story" and "Roxanne": Fairy Tales for Grown-Ups

“Weekend at Bernie’s” was released in 1989. But 30 years later, people who haven't seen the movie still know its premise. So why won’t this film die?In the second episode of What the Kids Were Watching, Sarah and Raf take a journey deep into the heart of 80s movie stereotypes. Hear about the high points of “Weekend at Bernie’s," like Andrew McCarthy and Jonathan Silverman’s hotness; the low points, like how most of the women are “furniture with boobs;" and the surprisingly great performances, like Terry Kiser as the titular “dead mobster marionette." You’ll also hear fun facts about the movie, like how Bernie’s house was built on an environmentally protected beach — Sarah has questions about this — as well as the film’s sequel...just kidding; they refuse to talk about the film’s terrible sequel. (Bonus feature: You can hear Sarah’s beloved dog Verona running around, flapping her ears, and snorting, all free of charge.)

"Weekend at Bernie's": The Movie That Won't Die

Welcome to What the Kids Were Watching, a podcast dedicated to exploring the weird, wonderful, and terrible babysitter movies of Sarah and Rafael’s youth. In this podcast series, your hosts will revisit the movies they watched on repeat during their younger years, played in perpetuity thanks to their VCRs and HBO. Each episode includes a frank discussion about why the hosts loved the movie as kids, what they think upon revisiting the movie, and whether or not they’d recommend rewatching it. Not quite a gushing nostalgia-fest and not quite a harsh critical take-down, What the Kids Were Watching is funny, informative, and always honest.In the first episode, break out your “I <3 Toxic Waste” shirt and bunny slippers, because Sarah and Raf are talking about one of their favorite childhood movies: “Real Genius.” This 1985 film starring Val Kilmer celebrates nerds, science, the Cha Cha, popcorn, Bryan Adams songs, “smart people on ice,” fighting the military-industrial complex, and more. “Real Genius” was a hilarious departure from other nerd comedies of the 80s, treating its characters — including its female characters — more like people and less like punchlines. Learn why this film turned out so different from the other movies in its genre and how it had a long-term impact on a generation of self-professed nerds. Give it a listen. It's a moral imperative.

Welcome to What the Kids Were Watching, a podcast dedicated to exploring the weird, wonderful, and terrible babysitter movies of Sarah and Rafael’s youth. In this podcast series, your hosts will revisit the movies they watched on repeat during their younger years, played in perpetuity thanks to their VCRs and HBO. Each episode includes a frank discussion about why the hosts loved the movie as kids, what they think upon revisiting the movie, and whether or not they’d recommend rewatching it. Not quite a gushing nostalgia-fest and not quite a harsh critical take-down, What the Kids Were Watching is funny, informative, and always honest.In the first episode, break out your “I 

"Real Genius" - A Moral Imperative

Welcome to What the Kids Were Watching, a podcast dedicated to exploring the weird, wonderful, and terrible babysitter movies of Sarah and Rafael’s youth. In this podcast series, your hosts will revisit the movies they watched on repeat during their younger years, played in perpetuity thanks to their VCRs and HBO. Each episode includes a frank discussion about why the hosts loved the movie as kids, what they think upon revisiting the movie, and whether or not they’d recommend rewatching it. Not quite a gushing nostalgia-fest and not quite a harsh critical take-down, What the Kids Were Watching is funny, informative, and always honest.

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What The Kids Were Watching

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