Armchair Directors
A podcast for movie nerds. Be prepared for long-winded, rambling chit-chat. Your hosts DO NOT know how to shut up! Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon take you through their favorite movies, many of which also happen to be their biggest influences as writers. What would they do different as the film's writers, and is there such thing as a perfect movie? Listen and find out! New episodes regularly. SUBSCRIBE today!
Hercules (1997)
August 17, 2023 • 121 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 35: HERCULES (1997) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon dive into an animated classic. Matt finally gets to bask in the greatest of his favorite Disney villain, Hades. James Woods' performance is legendary and proves that sometimes a role is meant for only one actor... Subscribe today!
Blazing Saddles (1974)
August 7, 2023 • 110 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 34: BLAZING SADDLES (1964) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon have a very special guest on the show. Rich's father, "Paddo," joins the fellas to chat about the comedic classic, Blazing Saddles. While some in today's world way call this movie crude, we like the think of it as a fair-game, boundary breaker. Mel Brooks went for broke on this one, and in our opinions, he nailed it. Also, everything truly is better with Dom DeLuise... Subscribe today!
Mary Poppins (1964)
July 28, 2023 • 125 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 33: MARY POPPINS (1964) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon switch gears and discuss one of the most beloved movies of all time. It also happens to star one of the most beloved actresses of all time too - not to mention an phenomenal supporting cast with the likes of Dick Van Dyke and David Tomlinson. Yes, MARY POPPINS holds a special place in many people's hearts... Subscribe today!
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
July 20, 2023 • 137 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 32: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD'S END (2007) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon finish the Verbinski/Pirates trilogy and try to explain what went wrong with AT WORLD'S END. Though, it wasn't all bad... Subscribe today!
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
July 11, 2023 • 136 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 31: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST (2006) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon happily scamper to the studio like Jack Sparrow to talk Pirates 2: Dead Man's Chest. Maliki Liki!... Subscribe today!
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
June 21, 2023 • 158 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 30: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL (2003) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon give one of best adventure films of a generation its due. It's incredibly rare nowadays that an original concept/story births the kind of pop-culture icon that is Captain Jack Sparrow. It also gave us a now iconic score, one of the boys' favorites of all time... Subscribe today!
Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)
June 12, 2023 • 125 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 29: ROBIN HOOD: MEN IN TIGHTS (1993) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon giggle like children. ROBIN HOOD: MEN IN TIGHTS has that effect on them. A hilarious spoof with a perfect cast, this version of Robin Hood will always be the best. Because unlike other Robin Hoods (Cary Elwes) can speak with an English accent... Subscribe today!
Galaxy Quest (1999)
June 7, 2023 • 92 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 28: GALAXY QUEST (1999) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon relive the beautiful homage to fandom that is GALAXY QUEST. By Grabthar's Hammer, what a movie... Subscribe today!
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)
May 30, 2023 • 158 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 27: THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE (2023) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon revel in the gloriousness that was The Super Mario Bros. Movie of 2023. We celebrate like with a hearty, enthusiastic WAHWHOO! and discuss why this Illumination-produced film may just be the best video game adaption (to screen) ever. And remember, if you ever need tip-top plumbing services that won't break the bank, call the Super Mario Bros. today... Subscribe today!
National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets (2007)
May 19, 2023 • 139 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 26: NATIONAL TREASURE 2: BOOK OF SECRETS (2007) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon are rejoined by USA Today bestseller Ernest Dempsey. We do another deep dive into American history, including Native American history, as well as "fix" the villain problem that National Treasure 2 suffers from... Subscribe today!
National Treasure (2004)
May 12, 2023 • 165 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 25: NATIONAL TREASURE (2004) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon are joined by USA Today bestseller Ernest Dempsey. If this wonderful movie has taught us anything, it's that it's okay to steal stuff when it's really important. Kidding! As far as action-adventure movies are concerned, National Treasure is hard to beat. It has also been a major influence on many authors... Subscribe today!
Evolution (2001)
May 10, 2023 • 125 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 24: EVOLUTION (2001) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon relive a massively underrated comedy by the man behind GHOSTBUSTERS and STRIPES, Ivan Reitman. EVOLUTION features an all-star cast that plays off one another beautifully. And as with many of Reitman's classics, the most humorous moments aren't always the most laugh-out-loud scenes, though the LOL parts are actually LMFAO parts... Subscribe today!
Favorite Movie Castings
May 1, 2023 • 190 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 23: FAVORITE MOVIE CASTINGS - Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon run through a laundry list of their favorite actor/character combos in this special episode of Armchair Directors. They also play another awkward game of intercontinental Rock, Paper, Scissors to decide who goes first... Subscribe today!
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)
April 21, 2023 • 131 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 22: SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW (2004) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon really want listeners to understand why Sky Captain is an important piece of art, not just an entertaining, well-cast movie... Subscribe today!
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
April 7, 2023 • 170 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 21: INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE (1989) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon are once again joined by bestseller Andrew Clawson. The Nazis are back, yay! Hang on, wait a second... Why are we celebrating that? It's because we get the return of the "classic" Indy vs. the Nazis, something that was sorely missed in Indy #2. And remember, it's okay to be named after the dog... Subscribe today!
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
March 24, 2023 • 137 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 20: INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM (1984) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon are once again joined by bestseller Andrew Clawson. In this episode, Matt desperately tries to convince Rich and Andrew that the second installment in the Indy franchise is good. And please remember, if Dr. Jones is listening, there is ALWAYS time for love... Subscribe today!
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
March 17, 2023 • 136 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 19: RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon are joined by bestseller Andrew Clawson. Oddly, while Andrew was inbound to the show, there was some mysterious red line following him around telling everyone where he had just been. And yes, we know that the Raiders March has been playing in your head while reading this... Subscribe today!
Spaceballs (1987)
March 12, 2023 • 175 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 18: SPACEBALLS (1987) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon are chased through the galaxy by Dark Helmet, Colonel Sandurz, and their fellow Spaceballs. Thankfully, Lone Starr, Barf, and Yogurt swoop in at the last moment to save them, preventing them from getting an unwanted nose job. Holy sh!t, there goes the planet... Subscribe today!
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
March 4, 2023 • 199 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 17: UNCHARTED 4: A THIEF'S END (2016) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon have what they believe is their best show yet. UNCHARTED 4 is not only one of the best video games ever made, but it is also one of the best stories ever written. Yes, it's that good! Warning: It gets emotional. Subscribe today!
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)
February 24, 2023 • 139 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 16: VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS (2017) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon get lost exploring Alpha and Big Market in one of the most visually pleasing movies ever made. Subscribe today!
The Fifth Element (1997)
February 17, 2023 • 159 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 15: THE FIFTH ELEMENT (1997) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon eagerly board celestial cruise liner Floston Paradise to witness an epic performance by greatest diva in all the galaxy. Will the experience be "super green," or will it be the beginning of a prophesied apocalyptic event? Subscribe today!
Twister (1996)
February 11, 2023 • 146 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 14: TWISTER (1996) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon are cutoff by an F5 tornado and pulled into the "Suck Zone" in TWISTER. Also, that's not the technical term for it, obviously... Subscribe today!
The Princess Bride (1987)
February 5, 2023 • 139 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 13: THE PRINCESS BRIDE (1987) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon gush over the feel-good movie of a generation THE PRINCESS BRIDE. And remember, this is for posterity, so be honest. How do you feel? Interesting... Subscribe today!
Favorite Movie Scores
January 27, 2023 • 119 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 12: FAVORITE MOVIE SCORES - Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon absolutely love a good movie score, and in this special episode of Armchair Directors, they do a deep dive into the ones that are near and dear to them. They also play an awkward game of intercontinental Rock, Paper, Scissors, and then go back and forth and draft their favorites scores into dueling five-man teams. Subscribe today!
Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)
January 21, 2023 • 123 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 11: GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE (2021) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon are rejoined by USA Today bestseller Kevin Tumlinson to continue their discussion on the Ghostbusters franchise with the fun, heart-felt GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE. Subscribe today!
Ghostbusters 2 (1989)
January 13, 2023 • 116 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 10: GHOSTBUSTERS 2 (1989) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon are rejoined by USA Today bestseller Kevin Tumlinson to continue their discussion on the Ghostbusters franchise with GHOSTBUSTERS 2. Who you gonna call? He-Man! Subscribe today!
Ghostbusters (1984)
January 6, 2023 • 141 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 9: GHOSTBUSTERS (1984) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon are joined by USA Today bestseller Kevin Tumlinson to discuss his favorite film of all time, GHOSTBUSTERS. They also contemplate what would've happened if Ray had, in fact, chosen J. Edgar Hoover! WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Subscribe today!
The Blues Brothers (1980)
December 31, 2022 • 129 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 8: THE BLUES BROTHERS (1980) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon are 106 miles from Chicago, have a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and they're wearing sunglasses. Oh, and they love THE BLUES BROTHERS! Subscribe today!
Rise of the Guardians (2012)
December 23, 2022 • 110 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 7: RISE OF THE GUARDIANS (2012) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon don't understand why RISE OF THE GUARDIANS wasn't a blockbuster? Subscribe today!
Jurassic Park III (2001)
December 17, 2022 • 165 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 6: JURASSIC PARK III (2001) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon find themselves back on Isla Sorna in JURASSIC PARK III. Subscribe today!
The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
December 10, 2022 • 101 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 5: THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK (1997) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon tiptoe through Site B in THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK. Subscribe today!
Jurassic Park (1993)
December 3, 2022 • 134 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 4: JURASSIC PARK (1993) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon take a stroll through JURASSIC PARK...before having to run for their lives. Subscribe today!
GoldenEye (1995)
November 25, 2022 • 202 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 3: GOLDENEYE (1995) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon take you on a journey through the history of James Bond, focusing mostly on the film turned groundbreaking video game, GOLDENEYE. Subscribe today!
The Mummy Returns (2001)
November 19, 2022 • 130 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 2: THE MUMMY RETURNS (2001) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon jump right back into the glorious fisticuffs that is O'Connell vs. Imhotep with THE MUMMY RETURNS. Subscribe today!
The Mummy (1999)
November 12, 2022 • 89 MIN
ARMCHAIR DIRECTORS Ep 1: THE MUMMY (1999) Action-thriller authors Matt James and Richard F. Paddon drool over the cinematic masterpiece that is THE MUMMY (1999). Subscribe today!