The Most Excellent 80s Movies
Amadeus (1984)
Krissy Lenz and Nathan Blackwell welcome guest Aaron Kes to unpack “Amadeus,” the 1984 Best Picture winner that turns Mozart’s genius into Salieri’s tragedy.
September 23, 2026
For all you proper film enthusiasts who would like to peruse the films of TruStory FM’s entertainment podcasts by release decade. Get ready for a firehose of film history in these here stacks.
Krissy Lenz and Nathan Blackwell welcome guest Aaron Kes to unpack “Amadeus,” the 1984 Best Picture winner that turns Mozart’s genius into Salieri’s tragedy.
Shannon Mauck of the Neighborhood Comedy Theatre joins us to dig into Blood Simple (1984), the lean, sweaty debut that first put the Coen brothers on the map.
Dorian Lenz of the Neighborhood Comedy Theatre joins us to dig into Above the Law (1988), the film that introduced the world to Steven Seagal’s particular blend of aikido, righteous fury, and remarkable hair choices.
We welcome special guest Pete Wright of TruStory FM to dig into Never Say Never Again (1983), the unofficial Bond outing that dragged Sean Connery back into the tux via one very petty lawsuit.
Nate McWhortor joins us to dig into The Living Daylights (1987), the movie that hands the tuxedo to a brand-new 007 and asks the trio whether “Bond summer” gets even better on the second stop.
Jeff Frank joins to discuss “A View to a Kill”, Roger Moore’s final outing as 007. Expect microchips, motorized blimps, and real disagreement over just how silly a Bond movie can get.
Krissy, Nathan, and guest Mandy Kaplan revisit When Harry Met Sally… (1989)—Nora Ephron’s screenplay, Harry’s infamous thesis, and what it’s like to finally watch a film you’ve only known in clips.
Pete Wright joins us to dig into Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables (1987), where the real question isn’t whether Al Capone goes down, but how far a Fed is willing to bend to make it happen.
We dig into Resurrection in our Ellen Burstyn series—healing without doctrine, faith without explanation, and a performance that carries everything.
We strap in for Philip Kaufman’s sweeping 1983 epic The Right Stuff—a film so genuinely, stubbornly good that it nearly breaks our ability to snark about it.