Roy Hobbs was born to play baseball—and nothing was going to stand in his way. A natural talent with a lightning bolt for a bat, he quickly catches the eye of scouts and earns the admiration of sportswriter Max Mercy. But just as his star begins to rise, a chance encounter with a mysterious woman derails everything. Years later, Hobbs resurfaces as a seemingly unknown rookie with the New York Knights. Despite clashing with crusty manager Pop Fisher, he becomes the team’s secret weapon—and a threat to the shady team owner, the Judge, who would rather see Hobbs fail than win it all.

Craig, Elisabeth and guest Derek McCaw talk about American Mythos, 47-year-old teenagers, the undeniable love of sports films and the movie “The Natural” on this week’s Matinee Heroes!

Show Notes

• 1:26

  Craig, Elisabeth and guest Derek McCaw talk about their love of baseball movies despite their indifference to baseball.

• 9:47

  Craig, Elisabeth and Derek discuss "The Natural"

• 54:14

  Recasting

• 1:15:36

  Double Feature

• 1:19:31

  Final Thoughts

• 1:23:34

  A preview of next week's episode "Hoosiers"

Next week we continue sports movies with a tribute to Gene Hackman and "Hoosiers"

Get ready to jump into the world of Star Wars animation with some of the most legendary voice actors in the galaxy! Recorded live at Retro Expo 2024 in Plano, Texas, this unforgettable panel reunited the cast of The Clone Wars and Rebels for a conversation full of laughs, surprises, and incredible behind-the-scenes stories. From Ahsoka Tano to Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker to Hera Syndulla, these voice actors have brought some of the most beloved Star Wars characters to life, shaping the animated universe in ways fans will never forget.

• Clone Wars and Rebels’ Impact: The actors reflected on how the animated series expanded the Star Wars universe and why they still hold a special place in fans’ hearts.
• Steve Blum Surprise Call: When one Rebels cast member was missing, they took matters into their own hands and called Steve Blum live during the panel!
• Behind-the-Scenes Bloopers: The cast revealed hilarious stories from the recording booth, including moments where they couldn’t stop laughing during emotional scenes.

“Oh, you think Rebels was chaotic? Try sitting on a stage with all of us!” – Tiya Sircar

Want more exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes stories from the people who bring your favorite characters to life? Subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on your favorite podcasting platform for more behind-the-scenes stories and exclusive interviews.

In the gritty steel town of Charlestown, things look grim: the local mill is about to lay off 10,000 workers, and the minor league hockey team, the Charlestown Chiefs, faces its final season after years of failure. To try and save the team, frustrated player-coach Reggie Dunlop unleashes the Hanson Brothers—three bruisers known more for fists than finesse—whose violent style electrifies the fans. Dunlop capitalizes, turning the struggling team into a rough-and-tumble spectacle that packs the arena.

Craig and Elisabeth talk about hocky fights, the grimy 70s, the end of Bradley Cooper and the movie “Slap Shot” on this week’s Matinee Heroes!

Show Notes

• 1:08

  Craig and Elisabeth talk about her beloved Mini Cooper, Bradley" being totaled by an elk.

• 13:39

  Craig and Elisabeth discuss "Slap Shot"

• 44:32

  Recasting

• 58:54

  Double Feature

• 1:02:00

  Final Thoughts

• 1:04:55

  A preview of next week's episode "The Natural"

Baseball season has started so we're talking "The Natural" on our next episode.