#474: Less Than Hero, Pt. 1 — Mystery Men

The Next Picture Show

Telegraph Road Productions

Tv & Film, Film Reviews, Film History

4.6 • 819 Ratings

🗓️ 13 May 2025

⏱️ 60 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The new THUNDERBOLTS* assembles some leftovers from the Marvel Cinematic Universe who are tough to describe as superheroes but nonetheless step up to save the day when their city needs them, which reminded us of MYSTERY MEN and its negligibly powered not-so-superteam. A flop in 1999, the comedy is as chaotic and sloppy as its titular (with an asterisk) group, but that imperfect charm is arguably central to the cult appreciation it’s attained since. So this week we’re taking a closer look at MYSTERY MEN’s small-time wannabe crime-fighters to determine how they fit into the bigger picture of modern superhero cinema. Then in Feedback, we keep the SINNERS conversation going with the help of some prompts from our listeners. Please share your thoughts about MYSTERY MEN, THUNDERBOLTS*, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to [email protected], or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730. Intro: 00:00:00-00:07:56Mystery Men Keynote: 00:07:57-00:15:51Mystery Men Discussion: 00:15:52-00:45:35Feedback/outro: 00:45:36-end Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Whoa! Look! Is that Dragonite? Dragon-type Pokemon have arrived. Discover in Happy Meal now!
0:10.1	Some fun, some food, it's all inside this Happy Meal. Until 17th of June, from 11am includes one pre-selected
0:17.2	book or toy. Pokemon range comprises toys only, whilst talks last. Hello, Next Picture Show, listeners.
0:21.7	Here's a friendly reminder that if you enjoy the Next Picture Show,
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0:35.3	and other topics for $5 a month.
0:41.5	To subscribe to our Patreon, please visit patreon.com slash next picture show.
0:44.5	That's patreon.com slash next picture show.
0:50.0	It's very difficult to keep the line between the past and the present.
0:56.7	You believe that someone out of the past can enter and take possession of a living being? We may be true with the past, but the past is not through with us.
1:04.6	Welcome to the next picture show, a movie of the week podcast devoted to a classic film
1:08.5	and how it's shaped our thoughts on a recent release.
1:10.7	I'm Tasha Robinson, here with Scott Tobias and Genevieve Koski.
1:15.0	Keith went off to check out some mysterious supervillain cackling from the palatial mansion
1:18.5	up the road, and we haven't seen him since, but we're sure he'll be fine.
1:21.9	This week, we've got a couple of movies about superheroes who might charitably be described
1:25.7	as street level or local heroes, and might less charitably be described as street level or local heroes, and might
1:28.9	less charitably be described as sucky. One funny thing that links both of these movies is that
1:33.9	the characters portrayed here might agree with that less charitable description, particularly
1:38.1	during moments where they're feeling down or defeated. Here's a question I'm not sure we've
	...

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