Jim and Ben’s Movie Adventures

Flannel, Romance and Hallmark Genius | A Maple Valley Christmas

In this episode of Jim and Ben’s Movie Adventures, the guys dive into A Maple Valley Christmas (2022) to find out what really makes a Hallmark holiday movie special… or not. From cozy vibes and small-town charm to romance, tropes, and festive expectations, they break down what works, what doesn’t, and whether this Christmas classic earns its Hallmark stripes.
 
Is it GENIUS or AWFUL? Listen to find out!

83. Home Alone

Jim and Ben revisit Home Alone (1990) and discover a movie that’s far smarter — and more carefully constructed — than its reputation suggests. From tight screenwriting and character arcs to tone, music, and perspective, this isn’t just a slapstick Christmas comedy. It’s a remarkably efficient film where almost everything set up early pays off later, and where emotional moments carry as much weight as the chaos.

82. Greenland

In this episode of Jim and Ben’s Movie Adventures, we dive into Greenland (2020) — the Gerard Butler disaster thriller that turned out to be far more intense, grounded, and emotionally confronting than we expected.

81. The Last Airbender (2010)

Jim and Ben dive into M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender and ask whether this story is truly impossible to adapt. Why does every live action version struggle. Is the problem the medium, the structure, or the creative choices. We explore the acting, the bending, the script, the production design and the deeper challenges of translating a nearly perfect animated series into a movie format. Join us as we unpack what went wrong, what could never have worked, and what might still be worth saving.

80. Avatar (2009)

Jim and Ben dive into James Cameron’s Avatar to figure out why it became a $3 billion phenomenon. From groundbreaking technology to the simplest story ever told, they unpack how spectacle and marketing shaped one of the biggest movies of all time. Watch, listen, and decide if Avatar really earned its crown.
 
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79. Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Jim and Ben revisit James Cameron’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day, the sequel that defined 90s action cinema. But when you strip away the explosions and one-liners, who really carries this movie? In this episode, Jim and Ben argue that the heart of T2 isn’t the T-800 or the T-1000, but Sarah Connor, whose character arc reshaped the action genre.
Jim and Ben's Movie Adventures is a podcast of thoughtful and funny conversations about cinema old and new.

78. Van Helsing (2004)

Jim and Ben take on Van Helsing (2004), where Hugh Jackman hunts monsters and Stephen Sommers makes every possible creative choice. From Richard Roxburgh’s unforgettable Dracula to CGI chaos and vampire eggs, it’s a wild ride through one of the most ambitious misfires of the 2000s.

77. Young Frankenstein

Jim and Ben revisit Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein (1974), weighing Ben’s nostalgia against Jim’s fresh eyes and digging into its unusual episodic structure, comedy legacy, and unforgettable performances.

76. G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

Jim and Ben revisit G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009), unpacking how a star-studded cast and $175 million budget still led to one of the clunkiest blockbuster misfires of its era.

75. The Jungle Book (1994)

Jim and Ben revisit Stephen Sommers’ 1994 The Jungle Book, a film that feels less like Kipling and more like a trial run for The Mummy. From talking animals that don’t talk, to collapsing temples and greedy treasure hunters, the DNA of Sommers’ later hits is already here. Jim comes in with fresh eyes, Ben brings nostalgia, and together they debate whether this forgotten ’90s family adventure deserves a second look.