Could Megan realistically do the things she does in this movie? How many other horror films does this movie reference? And is this movie even any good? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Matt Janulewicz unhack M3GAN (2022). When a young girl loses her parents in a car accident, she must go live with her aunt and learn to cope with her new life…

Can AI paintings personalize their display? What's a dolly zoom shot? And is this movie any good? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Matt Janulewicz unhack Antitrust (2001). When a software engineer gets a dream job, he must put his ethics to the test and make his way through a maze of traps. Ryan Phillippe, Tim Robbins, Rachael Leigh Cook, an…

How do they do invisibility effects in 1933? Why should we feel sorry for the barman? And do we have invisibility technology today? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Mike Young unhack The Invisible Man (1933). When a stranger arrives in town, he turns the community into a living nightmare and the police must stop him before it's too late. Cla…

Does Subliminal Messaging really work? What happened when Peter Falk directed a Columbo episode? And who should be on the Mt. Rushmore of television characters? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco, Mike Young, and Jay Holavarri unhack Columbo, "Double Exposure" (1973). When a man is murdered during a film presentation it's up to Columbo to solve th…

How great are Christine's characters? What genre of film is Maximum Overdrive? And what music video did Siskel and Ebert review in 1983? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Mike Young unhack Christine (1983) and Maximum Overdrive (1986). When an unpopular teen gets a new car, things start to turn around for him. But his car has its own motivati…

Is the relationship between Stephanie and Number Five cute, or weird? What is Number five's major design flaw? And are there any likable characters in this movie? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Matt Janulewicz unhack Short Circuit (1986). When a military robot weapon escapes, it's all hands on deck to track it down. But when they find it, …

Does this movie get the medical scenes right? Is sacrifice for the greater good a sound medical policy? And how are the actors' performances? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Christina Croco unhack Extreme Measures (1996). When an ER patient inexplicably dies, the ER doctor who treated him descends into an investigation that leads him only t…

How do Ouija Boards work? What makes this movie so scary? And which movie had the highest ROI of all time? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Jay Holavarri unhack Paranormal Activity (2007). A young couple records video of freaky happenings inside their home. Paranormal Activity (2007)! Episode Log: Summary of Paranormal Activity's story/plot …

How does one awaken their "third eye"? Did we like the performances and special effects? And what's new in parallel universes? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Dan Brooks unhack From Beyond (1986). A man accused of murder wants to prove he didn't do it and also destroy the culprit: a supernatural machine that opens a portal to a parallel uni…

What was it like to grow up at a shopping mall in the 80s? What are the real-life security bots like? And does this movie follow the rules of the slasher genre? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Mike Young unhack Chopping Mall (1986). When the mall security robots go on a murder spree, a group of friends must try to survive the night locked i…

How realistic is the depiction of this computer in 1964? How funny is the comedy in this Twilight Zone episode? And what's the deal with Baskin-Robbins? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco, Mike Young, and Matt Janulewicz unhack The Twilight Zone, "From Agnes - With Love" (1964). When a computer goes on the Fritz, Elwood is called in to fix it. But…

Is smoking allowed on submarines? How often do captains threaten men with guns and punch people? And how does a Sailor have any privacy on a sub? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco, Tim Fogarty, and Christina Croco unhack Crimson Tide (1995). Tim spent many years serving on submarines in the U.S. Navy and shares his insights on this classic 90s th…

Why is the main character so unlikable? Why was the badguy's plan so disappointing? And what was the deal with Stuxnet? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Matt Janulewicz unhack Blackhat (2015). When a nuclear facility gets hacked, the FBI brings in an expert, who happens to be in prison, to help solve the crime. Chris Hemsworth stars in Micha…

Would these death contraptions actually work? In what ways does the movie undermine itself? And why is searching your car before getting inside important for FBI agents? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Michael Scott unhack Untraceable (2008). When a vengeful killer begins murdering people live on the internet, FBI agent Jennifer Marsh must …

Can this movie hold a candle to the movies that inspired it? What was the deal with dial-a-joke? And did this movie invent Tinder? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Mike Young unhack Battle Beyond the Stars (1980). When a peaceful planet faces a galactic threat, it sends a hero out in search of mercenaries who can help defend the planet and r…

Is Deckard a replicant? Can you really zoom in and enhance a photograph? And is there something special about the chess game Sebastian and Tyrell play? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Jay Holavarri unhack Blade Runner (1982). When four escaped replicants need to be hunted down and retired, it's up to former blade runner Rick Deckard to trac…

Do we like this version of John McClane? Are the villains good at designing bomb triggers? And are the action scenes worthy of the Die Hard franchise? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Matt Janulewicz unhack Live Free or Die Hard (2007). When domestic terrorists attack the country's computer infrastructure, only John McClane and a talented ha…

By Scott Croco

By Scott Croco

By Scott Croco

By Scott Croco

How does the reverse chronology affect the storytelling? Can false memories be implanted? And did Charlie Kaufman follow traditional screenplay structure? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Jay Holavarri unhack Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004). When a man discovers his girlfriend has erased him from her memory, he does the same thi…

By Scott Croco

Scary movie month! What are the origins of this film? What is the current state of reanimation science? And what are our favorite character moments? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Mike Young unhack Young Frankenstein (1974). When Dr. Frankenstein's grandson inherits the family estate, he battles his own scientific beliefs to dabble in rean…

Which of these 10 films will be inducted into the Movies Unhacked Hall of Fame? Re-Animator (1985), Terminator 2 (1991), The Last Starfighter (1984), Paranoia (2013), Upgrade (2018), Robocop (1987), Smokey and the Bandit (1977), Dr. Strangelove (1964), Ocean's Eleven (2001), or Blow-Up (1966)? Listen now to find out! The votes are in; Scott Croco a…

There's a lot of comedy in this film ... but is it funny? Does this franchise believe in fate and destiny? And is there a little misogyny in this movie? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Matt Janulewicz unhack Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003). When a new terminator model (the T-X) arrives from the future, the good old T-800 must keep…

How many ridiculous scenes can one movie have? And is encryption unbreakable until you really really really need to break it, and then can you do it in about 60 seconds? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Mike Young unhack Swordfish (2001). When a computer hacker gets drawn into a plot to rob a bank, he must find a way to accomplish the task w…

Is this movie sexist? Is the VR shown in this film realistic? And does this movie hold up? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco, Christina Croco, and Jenny Belforte unhack Disclosure (1994). When a Seattle tech manager gets entangled in a sexual harassment incident while trying to fix manufacturing problems that threaten an upcoming merger, he must …

Which of these 10 films will be inducted into the Movies Unhacked Hall of Fame? The Net (1995), Independence Day (1996), The Conversation (1974), The Terminator (1984), Dune (1984), Electric Dreams (1984), Ex Machina (2014), Superman III (1983), Paycheck (2003), or Dial M For Murder (1954)? Listen now to find out! The votes are in; Scott Croco and …

How do the zero gravity scenes look so real? Why did that oxygen tank explode, anyway? And how does the movie keep the tension high when the outcome is already known? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and George Fiedziuszko unhack Apollo 13 (1995). When things go wrong during a manned space mission, NASA must find a way to get the men home safely…

Which of these movies is more mind-blowing? What's the difference between a Grandfather paradox and a Causal Loop paradox? And will Matt win at "Fiction or Fake?" Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Matt Janulewicz unhack Primer (2004) and Predestination (2014). When a couple engineers inadvertently create a time-travel machine, the logistics o…

What the heck is CRISPR? Where was this movie filmed? And how do the twists and turns affect subsequent viewings? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Jay Holavarri unhack Gattaca (1997). A man poses as someone else with much better genes in order to go into space, and must jump through hoops to go undetected. Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, and Jude …

Why do Scott and Mike disagree on this film's quality? How do planes take-off and land on aircraft carriers? And what is this new "fiction or fake" game? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Mike Young unhack The Final Countdown (1980). When an aircraft carrier encounters a weather anomaly, the crew must figure out what happened and make decisio…

What 90s movies does I.T. resemble? Are there actually smart showerheads available? And how accurate is the tech-speak in this picture? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Matt Janulewicz unhack I.T. (2016). When a creepy I.T. guy starts messing with a CEO, his business, and his family, the CEO must find a way to stop him. Pierce Brosnan stars …

Why did Taco Bell win the franchise wars? How well does the film represent future technology? And who gives a better performance, Stallone or Snipes? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Mike Young unhack Demolition Man (1993). When a criminal from the 1990s is unfrozen in the future, the only way to catch him is to unfreeze the cop who caught h…

Is it possible to perform a face transplant? Are John Travolta and Nicolas Cage good at impersonating each other? And how many John Woo trademarks are in this movie? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Christina Croco unhack Face/Off (1997). When an FBI agent gets a chance to go undercover by physically transforming into his arch rival, he unde…

What genre is this movie? What is the Kessler Syndrome? And what was the largest piece of space debris purposely sent into space in 2018? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Matt Janulewicz unhack Gravity (2013). When a debris field in outer space comes racing towards a Hubble telescope repair team, they must find a way to survive. Sandra Bullo…

Is Roger Moore a good James Bond? Would a wrist-mounted dart gun be effective? And how did they film that skydiving stunt sequence? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Jay Holavarri unhack Moonraker (1979). When a space shuttle is stolen by a wealthy entrepreneur with plans to recolonize Earth, only James Bond can save the planet. Roger Moore s…

Does this film still hold up today? Are there any time travel paradoxes? And what was happening in the NFL when this movie was released? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Mike Horne unhack Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989). When Bill and Ted are in danger of flunking high school, they must travel through time and collect history's gre…

We pick some of our favorite movies of all time. Listen now to find out what they are! Episode Log: Jay's pick - Life of Brian (3:15) Jay's pick - Grease (5:25) Scott's pick - WarGames (7:25) Jay's pick - Pulp Fiction (9:45) Jay's pick - Adaptation. (12:15) Scott's pick - A Nightmare on Elm Street (15:00) Jay's pick - Dr. Strangelove (17:10) Matt's…

How intelligent is HAL 9000 really? What's the deal with that dawn of man segment? And how do you simulate gravity on spaceships? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Mike Young unhack 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). Go on an interstellar journey spanning all of man's existence in this science fiction masterpiece. Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space O…

Which other movies did we recognize in this movie? What is considered to be the very first "hack"? And why did we pick this movie in the first place? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Matt Janulewicz unhack Hot Millions (1968). When a con man targets a company to steal from and gets hired on, he must hack the computer and juggle his lies to k…

Who is the better character, Austin Powers or Dr. Evil? How do cryonics work? What movies from the 1960s and 1970s influenced this movie? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco unhacks Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997). When an evil genius is unfrozen after 30 years, only Austin Powers can stop him. In this podcast episode, Scott Croc…

By Scott Croco

By Scott Croco

By Scott Croco

Learn the answers to questions like: How fast are Van Damme's reflexes? How soon will we have autonomous vehicles? And does Timecop explain the Mandela effect? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Matt Janulewicz unhack Timecop (1994). When a corrupt politician uses time travel for personal gain, it is up to the Timecops to stop him and restore …

Learn the answers to questions like: Why are those mimes playing tennis? And how does photograph enlargement work? Listen now to find out! Scott Croco and Mike Young unhack Blow-Up (1966). When a photographer thinks he has snapped photos of a murder, he must try to unravel the mystery without getting sidetracked by swingin' 60s London. David Hemmin…

Bryce Dallas Howard stars in Black Mirror, "Nosedive" (2016)! Learn the answers to questions like: How does China's social credit system work? What are the best scenes in this episode? And what 1984 film made a big impact on Scott? Listen now to find out! In a world where your social score determines your status in society, you either play along or…

George Clooney and Brad Pitt star in Steven Soderbergh's Ocean's Eleven (2001)! Learn the answers to questions like: How much does $160 million in cash weigh? Which Ocean's Eleven is better, the 1960 version or 2001 version? And what exactly is "the biggest Ella Fitzgerald ever"? Listen now to find out! When Danny Ocean is released from prison, he …