What If I Don’t Like It? - A Movie Discussion Podcast

First time watching Con Air (1997)… and somehow this absurd action movie actually works.

Is Nicolas Cage the reason this chaotic ‘90s classic still holds up, especially for first-time viewers?

In our newest episode of What If I Don’t Like It?, I’m joined by multidisciplinary artist and filmmaker Jaina Cipriano for her first-ever viewing of Con Air... and the results are not what we expected!

We break down:

- Jaina’s honest f...

Two weeks ago, I dropped the full deep-dive episode on Heavy Metal with illustrator/ artist Brett Kelley, and if you haven’t checked that out yet, this is your sign.

Today’s as part of our new formatting in Season 3, I have a standalone trivia segment packed with some of the wildest behind-the-scenes facts, obscure details, and straight-up insane production stories from this cult classic. From lost music rights that kept the film of...

This episode, we’re discussing the animated cult classic Heavy Metal. A strange, influential, and often controversial film that helped push adult animation into mainstream conversation.

Host Kt Baldassaro is joined by illustrator Brett Kelley for a deep dive into Heavy Metal (1981) : its origins, its visual style, and why the movie still has a devoted following more than four decades later.

In this Heavy Metal (1981) review and discu...

Ever wondered why Napoleon Dynamite feels so strangely specific — and why that awkwardness actually works?

In this trivia segment from What If I Don’t Like It? (Episode 43), filmmaker Victoria Roccaforte and I break down 10 obscure behind-the-scenes facts about Napoleon Dynamite that reveal how carefully constructed this “random” movie really is.

We get into:
• Why Jon Heder drew all of Napoleon’s sketches himself
• The deliberate choi...

I finally watched Napoleon Dynamite, and I need to talk about it!

With returning guest and filmmaker Victoria Roccaforte, we break down how this tiny Sundance film turned into a cultural juggernaut, why it made over $130 million in home video sales, and how its awkward sincerity separates it from the mean comedies of its era.

We get into:

– The origin of the character from Peluca

– The bizarre hand-model credit sequence

– The Rex...

Greta Gerwig’s Little Women (2019) is critically adored, but is it the version that actually lasts? In this episode, I'm joined by Holly Holiday (Get Your Popcorn Podcast) for a deep, conversational breakdown of why this story keeps returning, how adaptation shapes meaning, and why nostalgia is such a powerful (and dangerous) lens. This is a film conversation for people who love movies and like questioning them!

🎬 FILMS DISCUSS...

What If I Don’t Like It? – Season Two Finale: The Night of the Hunter (1955)

For the season two finale, I’m joined by film critic Carl Gustafson ("@Carlthefilmcritic") to talk about The Night of the Hunter (1955), a classic horror film often called one of the greatest and most influential movies ever made. Why do filmmakers love it? Why did it fail on release? And why can it feel intimidating to first-time viewers?

This epi...

Is Fried Green Tomatoes secretly the beginning of a Wendigo movie?A fun and heartfelt deep dive into Fried Green Tomatoes with Brian Cottington from Cinema Psychos. We break down the film’s queer subtext, Southern Gothic themes, adaptation changes, VHS nostalgia, and why this 1991 classic still resonates. Plus: Hellraiser, food in movies, 90s comfort rewatches, and way too many cannibalism jokes.

We get into:• why Fried Green Tomato...

Horror film reviewer Taylor Complains (@taylorcomplains) joins host Kt Baldassaro (@MovieRuntime) to dig into Frank Oz’s 1986 cult horror musical classic Little Shop of Horrors. Killer plants sing, Rick Moranis charms, and the bleak alternate ending is somehow more expensive than Aliens. 

Kt and Taylor dive into what happens when a horror fan with zero patience for musicals meets one of the campiest cult classics of the 1980s. From ...

Independent filmmaker Victoria Roccaforte joins host Kt Baldassaro (@MovieRuntime) to dive deep into Richard Linklater’s rotoscoped sci-fi masterpiece A Scanner Darkly and the world of Philip K. Dick.

▶️ From the mind-bending animation process to the film’s eerily prescient themes of surveillance, addiction, and identity, this conversation is packed with insight for cinephiles and casual viewers alike.

We also explore: 🎬 Victoria’s...

What if a board game could trap you for 26 years… and when you finally escape, you’re Robin Williams in full survival mode? That’s Jumanji — and it’s way darker, weirder, and more heartfelt than you might remember.

In this episode of What If I Don’t Like It?, Scott and I revisit the 1995 classic after traveling to Keene, New Hampshire for the 30th Anniversary celebration — inflatable animal stampede, restored theater screening, scav...

Independence Day Special NEW Episode!

You’ve seen the memes. You’ve heard the line: “I’m gonna steal the Declaration of Independence.” If you’re anything like me, that alone might’ve convinced you National Treasure wasn’t for you. I thought it was going to be overly patriotic, too Disneyfied, or worse—Nicolas Cage screaming about ancient glasses. I was wrong.

In this special July 4th episode, I sit down with the one and only National...

Join filmmaker and film critic Kt Baldassaro (@MovieRuntime) as she welcomes guest Crystal Justine (@HeyCrystalJ)—creator of TheCinemaNook.com—for a deep dive into Joe Wright’s Pride & Prejudice (2005). From manic pixie dream girls and horror community drama to ADHD writing chaos and the enduring power of practical effects, this episode is a warm, chaotic, and cinematic deep cut.

In this episode, we explore:• Why the Pride &...

Paprika (2006) Is Better Than Inception?
Talking Satoshi Kon, Dreams, and Fandoms with Aaron Wood

This week, we’re diving into a movie I love with someone I think you’re going to love too—illustrator, designer, and board game artist Aaron Wood.

We’re talking Paprika (2006), Satoshi Kon’s visually wild, brain-bending anime that’s basically Inception before Inception—but weirder, and honestly, better.

Aaron had never seen it before, ...

In this recut mini-episode from Season One, we revisit our conversation with guest Rocky Calsetta—but this time, we skip the setup and go straight to the post-watch reveal.

Rocky finally saw Raiders of the Lost Ark... and you might be surprised by his take.

We’re trimming down the two-part episodes from our early days and spotlighting the moments that matter most: how people feel after facing the films they’ve long avoided.

🎙 Hos...

🎙️ Birthday Special: Revisiting The Last Unicorn (1982) w/ Marta McFly | MovieRuntime Podcast✨ In this heartfelt birthday episode, host Kt (@MovieRuntime) is joined by film critic and nostalgia queen Marta McFly (@marta.mcfly) to take a wild, emotional, and insightful journey through the animated cult classic The Last Unicorn (1982).

We’re talking unicorn theology, feminist fantasy, lost innocence, harpy trauma, and why this film h...

🎉 APRIL FOOLS! Bet you weren’t expecting a new episode today, huh? But here we are—diving into one of the most unexpected Disney animation discussions ever!

🔥 A Goofy Movie (1995): Disney classic or overhyped nostalgia?
🚫 I don’t do Disney animation.
🚫 I don’t do musicals.
🚫 And I couldn’t even tell you who Goofy is.

But with the upcoming documentary Not Just a Goof (April 7th on Disney+) and the 30th anniversar...

🎬 What if you watched No Country for Old Men for the first time?
Writer & podcaster Harry Marks (@lobbyintros) takes on the Coen Brothers’ dark, eerie classic—will he love it or hate it? 😱

We break down the film’s chilling atmosphere, the cryptic ending, and Javier Bardem’s terrifying performance. Plus, Harry brings his storytelling expertise to the table in a way you won’t want to miss!

🔔 Subscribe for more deep dives!

📖 Check...

🎙 What If I Don’t Like It? – MINI Episode: Bad Boys & Michael Bay

Is Michael Bay’s Bad Boys actually worth watching? Or is it just loud, over-the-top chaos? In this Mini Episode of What If I Don’t Like It?, host Kt Baldassaro and special guest, Arielle Faye-Foulds both experience this 90s action blockbuster for the first time—and they're not sure what to expect.

This was part of our Mikes You Might Not Like series—where we looke...