Sharpen your blade! This week on Enjoy Stuff we duel through the best sword fights in movie history, from Errol Flynn and Basil Rathbone to Luke Skywalker and The Bride. En garde and Enjoy Stuff!

Whether you’re swinging a wrapping paper tube, a sharp saber, or just a stick, we all love the romanticism of sword fighting. Let’s look at the best ones in the movies. 

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Check out our TeePublic store for some enjoyable swag and all the latest fashion trends

What we’re Enjoying

Jay celebrates Texas Massacre Day (Aug 18) with a special screening of the 1974 horror classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Shua dives into the fascinating world of Disney fandom with AJ Wolf’s book Disney Adults

 

 

Sci-Fi Saturdays - 

This week on Sci-Fi Saturdays Jay takes a look at Coherence (2014), a twisty tale that truly defines the meaning of “coherence,” both in its story and its theme. Read Jay’s full breakdown on RetroZap.com. Also check out his latest work on MCULocationScout.com. Plus, you can tune in to SHIELD: Case Files where Jay and Shua talk about great stuff in the MCU.

Enjoy Sword Fighting! 

Sharpen your blade and tighten your grip! This week Jay and Shua celebrate the art of the sword fight, both in history and on the big screen. From legendary real-world figures like Miyamoto Musashi, Joan of Arc, and Julie d’Aubigny to Hollywood’s masters of swashbuckling like Errol Flynn and Basil Rathbone, they slice into the roots of swordsmanship and how it translates into movie magic.

 

They look at the evolution of sword fights on screen:

 

Silent Era swashbucklers like The Mark of Zorro (1920) with Douglas Fairbanks

 

Golden Age Hollywood spectacle in The Adventures of Robin Hood

 

Post-War Realism in Japanese samurai cinema (Seven Samurai)

 

Modern Era duels ranging from Star Wars lightsabers to Game of Thrones brutality

 

Plus, they salute the fight choreographers who make it all possible, Nick Gillard, Bob Anderson, Donnie Yen and break down famous sword fighting techniques like the parry and riposte, feints, disarms, and Iaido precision strikes.

 

Finally, they take a tour through some of cinema’s greatest sword battles:

 

The Princess Bride’s witty duel

 

Rob Roy’s brutal finale

 

Pirates of the Caribbean’s rolling water wheel fight

 

Kill Bill’s unforgettable Crazy 88 showdown

 

The operatic lightsaber clashes of Star Wars

 

And many more from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to The Lord of the Rings

What makes a sword fight truly great? Choreography? Stakes? Cinematography? First person that emails me with the subject line, “En Garde!” will get a special mention on the show.  Let us know. Come talk to us in the Discord channel or send us an email to EnjoyStuff@RetroZap.com 

Join Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd on a bumbling Cold War mission in Spies Like Us! We break down the laughs, the cameos, and the chaos

Our country sends nothing but the best of the best in espionage when fighting for the freedom of our country. And also decoys who are expendable. Let’s see which ones Austin Milbarge and Emmet Fitz-Hume are as we check out this classic John Landis movie. 

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A moment of silence for any bunnies harmed during last week’s magic episode.

 

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Star Wars: A New Hope returns to theaters for its 50th anniversary celebration.

 

Remembering Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell, who passed away at age 97 on August 8, leaving behind a legendary spaceflight legacy.

 

Check out our TeePublic store for some enjoyable swag and all the latest fashion trends

What we’re Enjoying

Shua has been having fun with the reality-bending, body-swapping comedy of Freakier Friday, a quirky take on the classic genre. Jay, on the other hand, has been exploring the ghostly past of Maryland on a guided tour through its haunted history. 

 

 

Sci-Fi Saturdays - 

This week on Sci-Fi Saturdays Jay revisits Edge of Tomorrow, a clever blend of science fiction, action, and dark humor; breaking down its themes of persistence, time loops, and unexpected heroism. Read Jay’s full breakdown on RetroZap.com. Also check out his latest work on MCULocationScout.com. Plus, you can tune in to SHIELD: Case Files where Jay and Shua talk about great stuff in the MCU.

Enjoy Movies! 

This week, we head back to the Cold War comedy days of Spies Like Us (1985), directed by John Landis and written by Dan Aykroyd, Lowell Ganz, and Babaloo Mandel. Inspired by the Hope/Crosby “Road” pictures, the film takes a satirical jab at espionage and military absurdities of the Reagan Era. Aykroyd and Chevy Chase play bumbling “spies” who are unwittingly used as decoys in a high-stakes mission to distract the Russians, only to accidentally stumble into the real operation and prevent World War III. We break down the story, the scathing humor, and the long list of cameos, from Frank Oz and Bob Hope to filmmakers Sam Raimi, Terry Gilliam, and Ray Harryhausen. We also compare Austin Milbarge and Emmett Fitz-Hume against our secret agent bracket from a few weeks back to see how they stack up in spy cinema history.

Are you a spy, like them? Do you still like the 80s political satire? First person that emails me with the subject line, “Doctor!” will get a special mention on the show.  Let us know. Come talk to us in the Discord channel or send us an email to EnjoyStuff@RetroZap.com 

 

Shua and Jay pull rabbits out of their hats as they take you through the fascinating world of magic, from ancient Egyptian illusions to modern Vegas spectacle on Enjoy Stuff!. 

It's time for magic on Enjoy Stuff! Jay and Shua reveal a history of illusions, mishaps, and wonder. Pull up your cape and join the show now on RetroZap or wherever you summon your podcasts!

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Wednesday season 2 has brought our favorite Goth teen back into our lives on Netflix 

 

Check out our TeePublic store for some enjoyable swag and all the latest fashion trends

What we’re Enjoying

Jay is a true go-getter when it comes to his collections. He has been organizing and recording 38 years worth of some very cool ticket stubs. This will be very helpful to the future curators of the Museum of Jovialness. Meanwhile, Shua is vibing to the unique sounds of DJO, the band fronted by Stranger Things star Joe Keery, whose blend of retro synth and modern indie rock brings a fresh twist to his playlist.

 

 

Sci-Fi Saturdays - 

This week on Sci-Fi Saturdays Jay stomps into the modern reboot of the iconic kaiju franchise with the 2014 installment of Godzilla. Read Jay’s full breakdown on RetroZap.com. Also check out his latest work on MCULocationScout.com including “Fantastic Four-apalooza!” and coverage of Agents of SHIELD Season 5. Plus, you can tune in to SHIELD: Case Files where Jay and Shua talk about great stuff in the MCU.

Enjoy Magic! 

Magic has a rich history spanning over 4,000 years, beginning with ancient Egyptian magician Dedi, known for early “cut and restore” illusions. Modern magic was shaped by Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin in the 19th century, who brought illusions from street performances to theaters. The late 1800s to early 1900s, known as magic’s Golden Age, featured stars like Harry Houdini, who popularized escape acts and debunked fake spiritualists. As we grew up, we got to see all kinds of spectacular magic that was so hyped we couldn’t resist trying it ourselves. Magic remains a captivating blend of art, science, and mystery that continues to evolve, and we can’t get enough!

 

Who’s your favorite magician? Got any tricks of your own? First person that emails me with the subject line, “Expelliarmus!” will get a special mention on the show.  Let us know. Come talk to us in the Discord channel or send us an email to EnjoyStuff@RetroZap.com 

 

A nerd, a jock, a princess, a werewolf, and a gender-swapping journalist walk into 1985… This week, Jovial Jay and Shua take a nostalgic trip back to high school to celebrate the teen comedies that defined a generation on Enjoy Stuff

Whether you were eating lunch in the library, building your dream girl, or skiing the K12, teen comedies in 1985 tapped into real adolescent emotions with totally tubular exaggeration. It’s been 40 years since these iconic films hit theaters—so grab your Walkman, fluff your bangs, and join us as we Enjoy Teen Movies!

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Strange New Worlds renewed for 5th and final season

 

H.E.R.B.I.E. and the Fantastic Four join the Avengers Campus lineup

 

Spinal Tap II drops a trailer—get ready to crank it to 11 again this September

 

RIP Tom Lehrer—brilliant satirist and mathematician

 

Check out our TeePublic store for some enjoyable swag and all the latest fashion trends

What we’re Enjoying

Shua is fascinated by Huge* (*if true), a smart and engaging YouTube show hosted by Cleo Abram that tackles big ideas with clarity and positivity. Jay fell down a retro rabbit hole with Wild Rides (1982), a Nickelodeon doc/music special hosted by a young Matt Dillon and set to rollercoaster footage with music from The Who, Steely Dan, Hendrix, and more.

 

 

Sci-Fi Saturdays - 

This week on Sci-Fi Saturdays Jay analyzes the rebooted Robocop (2014). It has a slicker suit, sharper tech, and a whole lot more Michael Keaton, but does it hold up to the original? Read Jay’s full breakdown on RetroZap.com. Also check out his latest work on MCULocationScout.com including “Fantastic Four-apalooza!” and coverage of Agents of SHIELD Season 5. Plus, you can tune in to SHIELD: Case Files where Jay and Shua talk about great stuff in the MCU.

Enjoy Teen Movies! 

1985 was a banner year for teen comedies, giving us characters we loved, related to, and sometimes cringed at. These movies didn’t just entertain, they helped define Generation X adolescence. Why did these films resonate so much? Because the '80s were overflowing with disposable teen cash, hungry studios, and an army of rising stars like Michael J. Fox, Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, John Cusack, and more. They gave us escapism, identity, and some truly quotable lines.

 

Did one of these movies speak to you? Did you own the soundtrack? First person that emails me with the subject line, “Two Dollars!” will get a special mention on the show.  Let us know. Come talk to us in the Discord channel or send us an email to EnjoyStuff@RetroZap.com