A Millennial and Gen Zer clash over what makes their movies a classic. A Reel Pain is a movie debate podcast hosted by John Choate and Matthew Pursell, where generational nostalgia meets fresh perspective—and not everyone leaves happy. John, a millennial with a deep love for iconic ’80s and ’90s films, introduces Matthew to the movies he grew up believing were untouchable classics. Matthew, a Gen Z movie fan shaped by more modern cinema, returns the favor by bringing films John somehow missed along the way.
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In space, no one can hear you argue about movies.
This week on A Reel Pain, John brings Matthew aboard the Event Horizon (1997), the cult-classic sci-fi horror film starring Sam Neill and Laurence Fishburne. What starts as a rescue mission quickly turns into a nightmare, and the real question is whether this terrifying piece of '90s cinema still holds up nearly 30 years later.
John revisits a movie that absolutely horrified him as a teenager, while Matthew experiences its disturbing imagery, incredible practical effects, and questionable '90s decisions through a Gen Z lens. The guys break down the incredible spaceship sets, unforgettable performances, terrifying imagery, unintentionally hilarious sound effects, and the legendary lost footage that might have made this movie even more disturbing. Plus, is the director's cut the greatest horror movie we'll never get to see?
Does Event Horizon deserve its cult-classic status, or should this ship have stayed lost in space? Find out as John and Matthew reveal their final ratings!
#EventHorizon #MovieReview #AReelPain #MillennialVsGenZ #SciFiHorror #HorrorMovies
14 Oct 2026
Can Gen Z and Millennials Agree Y2K Is a Future Cult Classic?
Matthew’s pick sends A Reel Pain back to 1999 with Y2K (2024), where the computers turn deadly and Fred Durst might be humanity’s best hope. Matthew thinks this horror comedy is a future cult classic, but he might have accidentally picked the perfect movie for John. Between the dial-up nostalgia, ridiculous robot kills, and Kyle Mooney’s sense of humor, this Millennial has a lot to love.
John and Matthew break down their favorite scenes, debate whether one awkward rap scene is cringe or comedy gold, and explain why this movie needed even more mayhem. Plus, Matthew’s Fred Durst obsession gets its moment, John revisits the real Y2K panic, and the final ratings reveal who loved the movie more. Is this a future cult classic hiding in plain sight?
Subscribe for more movie reviews from a Millennial and Gen Z perspective, and tell us: does Y2K deserve a bigger following?
#AReelPain #Y2KMovie #MovieReview #KyleMooney #FredDurst #MillennialVsGenZ
7 Oct 2026
Street Fighter - Will Gen Z Give This Movie the Hadouken?
John heads back to 1994 for his Millennial pick with Street Fighter, the video game adaptation starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as Guile and Raul Julia as M. Bison. John remembers this one being a childhood banger, but revisiting it decades later raises a much tougher question: was Street Fighter ever actually good, or was nostalgia doing most of the work?
Matthew gets his first-ever Jean-Claude Van Damme movie, while John slowly realizes he may have chosen one of the worst possible introductions. The crew breaks down the movie’s bizarre tone, overloaded cast of characters, underwhelming fight scenes, questionable performances, Blanka getting absolutely done dirty, and the one thing they can all agree on: Raul Julia understood exactly what kind of movie he was in and gave M. Bison everything he had.
Can the ridiculous one-liners, Bison Dollars, nostalgia, and sheer fun of talking about this movie save Street Fighter from a knockout? John, Matthew, and Tabi put the 1994 cult oddity through the A Reel Pain test and find out whether this Millennial favorite still deserves a place on the character select screen.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
7 ratings
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