Back by Popular Demand with Dennis Camlek

As a suffering, lifelong Cleveland fan, filmmaker David S. Ward figured the only way the Indians would ever win the World Series is if he wrote a movie allowing them to do so. And it would need to be a comedy, of course, because “nobody would believe it as a drama.” Ward’s dream came to fruition with 1989’s “Major League,” the film that players will tell you is their favorite baseball movie hands down. With a touch of Crisco and a pinch of Bardol, baseball purist Jason Thompson joins Dennis to celebrate America’s favorite pastime and discuss why this film gets all the little things right. Yo bartender, Jobu needs a refill!

When Richard Donner’s “Lethal Weapon 2” was released in 1989 it not only conquered the box office, it quickly and assuredly climbed the ranks of movie sequels which surpassed their predecessors…a rare feat. This rousing entertainment wears its heart on its sleeve. Laced with wit and spectacular action, the film is widely considered the best of the franchise. Author and media executive, Andrew Fryer, joins Dennis to discuss how the filmmakers perfectly harnessed the magic of Riggs and Murtaugh. So come on, be original, say yes, everyone else says no!

It’s hard to imagine a film as treasured as 1996’s “Swingers” actually failing at the box office. But it happened. Only a shrewd marketing push by Buena Vista Home Video gave the movie a second life, and in short order it became a highly-quotable cult classic. It also catapulted the careers of Jon Favreau, Vince Vaughn and director Doug Liman. Ad tech executive Jason Zollan, the guy behind the guy behind the guy, joins Dennis to discuss why this superb indie comedy defied the odds. We’re all growns up!

Media heavyweight and first time guest Jason Wagenheim didn’t bat an eye when asked which movie he wanted to discuss: Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction.” What can we say, Wagenheim doesn't screw around. Featuring three interlocking stories about thugs, palookas and divine intervention, this landmark achievement from 1994 hijacked the social conversation, resuscitated John Travolta’s career and instantly changed the course of independent cinema. So, grab yourself a Big Kahuna Burger and let’s get into character.

Jean Shepherd's razor sharp wit and keen eye for period detail provide the perfect holiday cheer in 1983's "A Christmas Story." Scot Safon and Jim Camlek return to the show and join Dennis to discuss why this heralded gem became one of the most treasured holiday films on record. It's a major award! (Dedicated to the loving memory of Barbara Camlek).

Jason Thompson is our resident expert on crime author James Ellroy. So it surprises no one when he leapt at the chance to join Dennis to discuss Curtis Hanson’s critically-acclaimed “L.A. Confidential” from 1997. This muscular, exquisitely crafted thriller about celebrity, crime and police corruption not only pays homage to classic noir of the 40’s and 50’s, but confidently earns its place alongside it. Life is good in Los Angeles, it’s paradise on Earth...that’s what they tell you, anyway.

Wes Anderson's critically-acclaimed 2001 film "The Royal Tenenbaums" is the kind of movie that takes on new meaning once you've danced a few rounds with life. Perhaps a comedy on the surface, this is a film about regret, loss, the passage of time...and Old Custer. Nick Malone returns to the show to revisit one of Anderson's greatest cinematic achievements. It's about putting a brick through the other guy's windshield, taking it out and chopping it up.

In Los Angeles, you never know who's sitting at the next table. Sometimes it's an accomplished, award-winning filmmaker who's worked in film and television for over thirty five years. Call it chance, call it serendipity, but when you bump into the director of "Halloween II" and "Halloween: Resurrection," you invite him onto the pod. Hollywood veteran Rick Rosenthal joins Dennis to discuss his prolific career in entertainment, an unwavering support for aspiring filmmakers and the mark he left on the legacy of Michael Myers. "I shot him six times!"

You've got Steven Soderbergh, a rising filmmaker eager to take his craft to the level, two budding movie stars in Jennifer Lopez and George Clooney, and an acclaimed novel by Elmore Leonard, a national treasure. "Out of Sight" was lightning in a bottle, a perfect storm that changed the course of everyone's careers. So why did it tank at the box office? Filmmaker Matthew C. Mills joins Dennis to geek out on this criminally-overlooked gem from 1998 and assess why nobody ever talks about it. No more time outs.