4. Independence Day (Should We Celebrate Independence Day?) | Glaring Admissions

4. Independence Day (Should We Celebrate Independence Day?) | Glaring Admissions

Author: Nicholas Abouhamad July 1, 2024 Duration: 1:13:58

Independence Day is a 1996 action/disaster blockbuster that was directed by Roland Emmerich. It stars Bill Pullman, Will Smith, and Jeff Goldblum (among many others) as humans forced to scramble to fight off an alien invasion in the days leading up to the 4th of July. The film was released to massive success back in the 90s and briefly held the title as the second highest grossing film of all time (behind Jurassic Park). Despite it's popularity, and it's notability for helping jumpstart Will Smith's film career, it's also a movie that has received a mixed reception from critics and audiences alike for close to thirty years now. Which brings us to this video: Should we celebrate ID4? Is it actually a good movie? Welp, that's what here to find out.


Digging through the dusty archives of pop culture, Media Obscura-Retro and Obscure TV/Movie Reviews is a conversation among friends who love to unpack the forgotten and the formative. Host Nicholas Abouhamad, a video editor and content creator, is joined by Sierra Watson, Raekwon Davis, and Michael Capurso for deep dives that are equal parts analysis and good-natured debate. The focus here isn't just on the celebrated classics, though they're certainly part of the discussion. This podcast thrives on unearthing the curiosities: the big-budget misfires that vanished from memory, the oddball features that never found an audience, and the shows that somehow defined a moment despite their obscurity. Each episode feels like pulling a strange VHS off a shelf and figuring out what it all means, with plenty of bickering and laughter along the way. You'll hear genuine reviews that come from a place of affection, even for the flawed gems, making it a perfect listen for anyone who thinks the best stories are sometimes hidden in the margins. Tune in for a regular dose of cinematic archaeology, where every forgotten film or television show gets its day in the sun.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Media Obscura - Retro and Obscure TV/Movie Reviews
Podcast Episodes
64. Bubba Ho-Tep (So That's What Happened to Elvis) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:34
Team Obscura checks out the 2002 cult horror comedy "Bubba Ho-Tep," a movie about a retired/not dead Elvis Presley that has to team up with an also retired/not dead John F. Kennedy Jr. to fight a Mummy in a retirement ho…
63. Turkish Star Wars/The Man Who Saved The World (Galaxy Era Wizards) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:38
Team Obscura sits down and gets weird by checking out the 1982 film "Dünyayı Kurtaran Adam," better known around the world as "The Man Who Saved The World" and even better known as "Turkish Star Wars." Twitter: https://t…
62. Battle Beyond the Stars (We Have Star Wars At Home) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:44:12
Another week of firsts for the show! Nick, Mike and Raekwon sit down (at the same time!) to talk about the 1980 Roger Corman sci-fi B-movie "Battle Beyond the Stars," a movie that reminds the gang of a certain movie that…
61. The Running Man (Family Feudalism) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:33:04
Nick and Mike return... WITH VIDEO! On this weeks episode, they check out the 1987 movie "The Running Man," which was inspired by the Stephen King novel of the same name. The movie follows Arnold Schwarzenegger as he pla…
60. Super Mario Bros: The Movie (Plumbing and the Dank Gaming PC) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:41:51
Nick and Mike bring in the sixtieth episode of The Media Obscura Podcast by checking out the critically maligned Super Mario Bros movie! It's a movie about plumbers that... plumb. And also visit dystopian realities that…
59. King Kong (Imperialism, brought to you by...) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:43:11
Nick and Mike take a dive through time and check out 1933's cinema hallmark, King Kong on this weeks Media Obscura! They also share some trivia about Donkey Kong, stuff the episode with a bunch of fake ad-reads in a last…
58. Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie (Ink Cartridge Baby) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:19
Nick and Mike go back to the (Sega) Genesis of Sonic's cinematic overtures by checking out Pierrot's 90's Sonic OVA! EDIT: The episode mistakenly mentions Toei Animation as being behind this special... our bad! Love the…
57. Operation Condor: Armor of God II (Grunts and Stunts) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:23:45
Raekwon returns to The Media Obscura crew to help Nick watch and discuss the Jackie Chan, action/adventure/kung fu classic Operation Condor! Think of it as Indiana Jones with kung fu and what the movie's box calls "sexy…
56. Fraggle Rock: The Animated Series (Lincoln Logs) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:08
On this weeks Media Obscura podcast, Nick and Mike check out the animated version of Jim Hensons Muppet classic, Fraggle Rock! Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheMediaObscura Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themediaobs…