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
55. Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures (Portuguese Burgers) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:21:44
Whoa... There's a cartoon version of Bill & Ted? Nick and Mike check out the inaugural episode of the short-lived, then re-tooled into another short-lived cartoon, that was then re-tooled a third time into a failed sitco…
54. Vamping (Wonder Woman 2011 TV Pilot) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:19:50
Nick and Mike usher in the New Year by checking out an unreleased Wonder Woman pilot from 2011! Written and produced by David E. Kelly (Ally McBeal, The Practice, Little Big Lies), this version of Wonder Woman's story ta…
53. The Star Wars Holiday Special (Get A Life Day) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:57
Nick and Mike sit down and torture themselves with the infamous, terrifying, and genuinely un-cool 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special. It's so bad that they find themselves unable to even comment on the thing... Go figure. F…
52. A Hard Day's Night (Something British) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:49:15
Nick and Mike check out the classic 1964 rock and roll flick "A Hard Days Night" on this weeks Media Obscura Podcast! Mike also finds out that Nick... really likes The Beatles. Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheMediaObscur…
51. Man on the Moon (Jung and Reckless) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:23:57
Nick and Raekwon check out the Andy Kaufman biopic "Man on the Moon" in this weeks Media Obscura! They also get really into exploring what Andy Kaufman was all about, share Nick's theory about an unofficial Jim Carrey tr…
50. The Terminal (Empathy at JFK) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:55:50
Nick and Mike celebrate 50 episodes of The Media Obscura Podcast by watching Steven Spielberg's critically acclaimed, but often forgotten, gem: The Terminal. Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheMediaObscura Instagram: https:…
49. Mallrats (Don't Podcast and Drive) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:33
Nick and Raekwon get experimental this week, by taking the podcast on the road! They also review/discuss Kevin Smiths 1995 movie Mallrats! Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheMediaObscura Instagram: https://www.instagram.com…
48. Spider-Man (Shut Up, Brooklyn) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:31
Nick and Mike bring things full circle for the one year anniversary of the podcast, but checking out Sam Raimi's classic superhero flick, Spider-Man. They also talk about how Peter Parker needs therapy, how Willem Dafoe…
Rerun: Spider-Man '77 (Spiders, Tissues, and... Cults?) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:27
To prep for a celebration of the one year anniversary of the podcast, we decided to re-run our very first episode! Nick and Mike sit down for the very first episode of the Media Obscura podcast! On todays episode, they c…