“Goonies never say die!” Join your favorite TransAtlantic podcasting crew – Ian, Liam, KevDog & Megs – with a surprise zipline call-in from Georgia – as we hunt for treasure, dodge booby traps, and argue over coastal real estate law in our 281st episode covering the beloved ‘80s adventure The Goonies (1985). We’re trading poisoned apples for pirate maps and Baby Ruth bars as we discuss:

• Why Ian still can’t remember androgynous character names—and what that means for Andy and the podcast’s collective patience.
• We get into a surprisingly spirited debate over what foreclosure actually means (and how much Spielberg economics we're willing to accept).
• What’s the real tragedy behind the film’s stunning set design—and the moment it all went poof.
• Which young actor accidentally ruined an iconic shot… and whether Spielberg ever truly forgave him.
• We get honest about Chunk, fat shaming, and how watching it through a 2025 lens left some of us feeling a little queasy.
• We go over some podcast metrics, because if the Fratellis can chase gold, we can at least check our download stats.
• Who far outpunches his small role in the cast—and who far outkicked his coverage romantically (we’re actually not looking at Brand).
• Kev’s brought along some exotic treats (if you’re English), and reactions range from delighted to deflated.
• Someone (take a guess) tries to do some serious heavy lifting to make the central treasure-hunting plot actually make sense.
• Ian gives what he thinks is a masterclass in narrative construction and points out where The Goonies missed a few easy wins (even with pirate ships involved).
• Whether The Goonies is the Best Film Ever.

Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE.

We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support:

• Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM
• Hermes Auslander
• James DeGuzman
• Synthia
• Shai Bergerfroind
• Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most
• Andy Dickson
• Chris Pedersen
• Duane Smith (Duane Smith!)
• Randal Silva
• Nate The Great
• Rev Bruce
• Cheezy (with a fish on a bike)
• Richard
• Ryan Kuketz
• Dirk Diggler
• Stew from the Stew World Order podcast
• NorfolkDomus
• John Humphrey's Right Foot
• Timmy Tim Tim
• Aashrey

Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/.

Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor.

Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/.

“Here’s Johnny!” Join your favorite TransAtlantic podcasting duo – Ian & Liam (with Megs checking in later once she arrives from Florida) – as we snowmobile into the Overlook Hotel for our 280th episode (B-Tech Kev's not here. Doesn't he get that all work and no play make Kev a dull boy?) and crack open Stanley Kubrick’s psychological horror masterpiece The Shining (1980). We’re trading ditching the swim team for haunted hallways and axing our way through one of the most iconic films ever made as we discuss:

• Liam talks far too much about a film that we're not reviewing today (but what else is new?).
• We correct a few political misnomers from last week, because facts matter—especially when ghosts are listening.
• Ian talks about the passing of George Wendt; Liam, not to be outdone, imagines the hypothetical passing of one of his heroes.
• Megs joins us and delivers a full-on mini-episode as she trials her new sidepod and recounts her real-life triumph over the forces of nature.
• We debate whether Jack Nicholson is giving a genuinely strong performance… or just letting his charisma do all the heavy lifting.
• Is there causality in this story—or is it all just vibes? And if there isn’t, shouldn’t that break the movie?
• Ian reveals who he’s in good company with on this one—and who he most certainly is not.
• Ian also explains the origin of the iconic “Here’s Johnny!” line to, well… everyone.
• Ian asks if this movie is trying to cram two different horror movies into one
• Liam swears this isn't a horror movie and the boys try to come up with a list of what makes a film a horror film

Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE.

We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support:

• Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM Hermes Auslander James DeGuzman Synthia Shai Bergerfroind Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most Andy Dickson Chris Pedersen Duane Smith (Duane Smith!) Randal Silva Nate The Great Rev Bruce Cheezy (with a fish on a bike) Richard Ryan Kuketz Dirk Diggler Stew from the Stew World Order podcast NorfolkDomus John Humphrey's Right Foot Timmy Tim Tim Aashrey

Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/.

Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor.

Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/.

It’s another edition of See It or Skip It and this time Ian and Liam are tackling Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning (2025), the explosive (and supposedly final?) chapter in Ethan Hunt’s death-defying saga. Does Tom Cruise still deliver jaw-dropping stunts and spy-thriller spectacle—or is the mission starting to show its age?

If it is the end, is this truly a satisfying send-off for the franchise, or are we looking at Fast & Furious–style diminishing returns? Has the series said everything it has to say—or is there still life in the IMF yet? Is the plot compelling, or just another excuse to jump off a mountain with a briefcase? Do the emotional stakes hit as hard as the explosions? And most importantly—how many masks is too many masks?

Ian and Liam break down the set pieces, the pacing, the performances, and whether Final Reckoning delivers on nearly 30 years of buildup—or if it’s time for Ethan Hunt to finally accept that some missions really are impossible.

All that and more in this week’s See It or Skip It—and then they tell you whether you should SEE IT or SKIP IT.