Movies at Grandma's House — Family Films, Kids Movies & Film Analysis

It's the return everyone's been waiting for — Pixar's Toy Story 5! On this family movie review, Isaac and Seth bring real film analysis and honest movie reviews to one of the most anticipated sequels in Pixar history, asking: does this long-awaited chapter prove there's still life in these toys, or should they have stayed on the shelf? They dig into the surprisingly timely story — Bonnie's growing attachment to technology and what it means for Jessie, Woody, Buzz, and the whole gang — plus breakout new characters Lillipad, Blaze, and the scene-stealing Smarty Pants (voiced by Conan O'Brien). This is one of the more emotionally rich kids movies and children's films Pixar has made in years, with a Jessie-centered arc both hosts agree is the true heart of the film. Fun facts you'll want to share: Bullseye finally speaks on-screen for the first time in the franchise, voiced by Alan Cumming. A hidden image from Finding Nemo appears on Lillipad's screen. And Woody's bald spot lines up exactly with where his hair was repaired back in Toy Story 2 — a small, deliberate continuity touch. Plus a true-or-false trivia question about which actors have appeared in all five films, the Kid Test across all four of Isaac's kids (spoiler: everyone loved it, though their personal franchise rankings couldn't be more different), and — since we've now covered all five entries — a special bonus segment ranking the entire Toy Story franchise from both hosts. Granny's official family friendly rating: an A — one of the cleanest, most wholesome films this franchise has ever produced. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 0:16 – Intro: One of Pixar's Most Anticipated Sequels Arrives 1:26 – Movie Reveal: Toy Story 5 (2026) 3:24 – Film Facts & Granny's Family-Friendly Rating 6:08 – The Surprisingly Low IMDb Score, Explained 8:09 – Sequel & Spin-off Speculation 9:06 – First Memories & Theater Experiences 13:55 – Plot Rewind: Full Film Analysis Begins 14:29 – Kids Movies Premise: Toys vs. Technology 19:24 – The Buzz Lightyear "Star Command" Update 22:38 – Character Breakdown: Lillipad, Blaze & Smarty Pants 30:59 – Woody & Buzz Take a Backseat 39:23 – "When Somebody Loved Me" — The Emotional Highlight 42:03 – Fun Facts & Easter Eggs 46:14 – Trivia: The Only Actors in All 5 Films 48:51 – What Other Movie Reviews Are Saying 57:14 – The Kid Test 58:10 – Our Official Family Movie Review Rating 1:00:41 – Bonus: Ranking All 5 Toy Story Movies 1:07:31 – Outro & Where to Find Us We've also partnered with Big Poppin' LLC for our own custom flavor — "Grandma's Punch-Aid"! Follow them to grab your bag: https://www.facebook.com/BigPoppinLLC/ Find us on YouTube, Instagram, Threads, Facebook, and TikTok for more family movie reviews. Sign up for our newsletter for a chance to win a FREE movie poster from movieposters.com — use code GRANDMASHOUSE for up to 15% off: https://moviesatgrandmashouse.beehiiv.com/ Check out our Patreon for exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/c/MoviesatGrandmasHousePodcast Hello hello! We'd love to hear your thoughts, send us a voice note!

Isaac sits down with Brian Tarbox, owner and self-described caretaker of the By-Jo Theatre in Germantown, Ohio — one of the last surviving single-screen small town movie theaters in the area — for an honest, behind-the-scenes conversation about what it really takes to keep a historic local cinema alive in 2026. This one is personal. Isaac saw Baby's Day Out (1994) at the By-Jo as a kid and still carries that memory. Now he gets to hear the full story of the man keeping those experiences alive for a new generation. 🎬 The Origin Story: Brian grew up in neighboring Carlisle, Ohio and attended the By-Jo as a child. In the summer of 2019, he and his wife went to see Toy Story 4 at the theater — and spotted a "for sale" sign on the whiteboard. His biggest fear? That someone who didn't care about film history or the Germantown community would turn it into a brewery. He walked across the street to First National Bank, pitched his vision, got the loan, and took ownership in December 2019 — just weeks before COVID shut everything down. 😤 Surviving the Impossible: Three great months. Then the pandemic. Brian openly admits he probably wouldn't take business advice from himself after that timing. He used an emergency fund — originally earmarked for theater upgrades — to simply keep the doors from closing permanently. He sold popcorn through the window during the shutdown. He then weathered the streaming wars, Hollywood simultaneously releasing films to streaming and theaters, and the 2022 actor and writer strikes that brought new releases to a standstill. Through all of it, the By-Jo survived. 💰 Why Local Theaters Matter More Than You Think: The numbers say everything. Two tickets, a large popcorn, and a large soda at a major chain theater runs roughly $54. At the By-Jo? $18. For families that difference is everything. 65 to 70 percent of every ticket sold goes straight back to the studios. Concessions are what actually keep the lights on. When you buy that popcorn at a small local theater, you are genuinely keeping it alive. 🍿 The Famous Popcorn: People drive to the By-Jo just for the popcorn. The secret? The previous owner passed down one golden rule — never deep-clean the kettle. Like a seasoned cast iron pan, it holds decades of flavor. Brian accidentally over-cleaned it once early on and immediately knew it when customers started asking what was different. Brian draws the comparison himself — it is the Ratatouille effect. One taste and it takes you straight back to being a kid. 🎥 What Keeps the Doors Open: New release family friendly films are the bread and butter. Toy Story 5 was a cornerstone film for the By-Jo this past summer. Dog Man did surprisingly well. And after seven years of ownership Brian has learned one thing above all else — Germantown is wonderfully unpredictable. A Michael J. Fox film once lost at the box office to an Ernest movie at the same theater. There is no formula. 📍 Find the By-Jo Theatre: 🌐 Website: byjoetheatre.com 📘 Facebook: By-Jo Theatre 📧 Email: [email protected] If you are anywhere near Germantown, Ohio — go. See a movie. Buy the popcorn. Support a piece of living history that Brian is working hard to keep alive for another century. 🎥 Remember to be kind and rewind. Hello hello! We'd love to hear your thoughts, send us a voice note!

It's the feel-good movie that made you want to start a band — and one of Tom Hanks' most personal passion projects. On this family movie review, Isaac and Seth bring real film analysis and honest movie reviews to the 1996 gem That Thing You Do!, celebrating its 30th anniversary, to ask: does this nostalgic one-hit wonder still have us tapping our feet, or has the song finally faded out after all these years? They dig into Tom Hanks' writing and directorial debut — reportedly written out of boredom while promoting Forrest Gump — the tight, character-driven ensemble cast, and a surprisingly deep look at how one song can change a band's life forever. Plus the incredible detail work throughout the film, from subtle callbacks to the way the cinematography puts you right in the drummer's seat. Fun facts you'll want to share: the title song was written by Fountains of Wayne bassist Adam Schlesinger for a studio-held songwriting contest. The actors playing the band rehearsed for a full eight weeks to look authentic performing their instruments. And in real life, "That Thing You Do!" actually charted at #41 on the Billboard Hot 100. Plus a true-or-false trivia question about a surprising real-life connection between two of the film's stars, a look at glowing reviews from around the internet, the Kid Test (this one skews a bit older, and Isaac's younger kids weren't quite ready for it yet), and a rare unanimous rating — both hosts are taking this one home. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 – Intro: A Nostalgic Family Movie Review Begins 1:26 – Movie Reveal: That Thing You Do! (1996) — A 30th Anniversary Celebration 2:10 – Film Facts & Granny's Family-Friendly Rating 6:03 – First Memories & Nostalgia 9:35 – Plot Rewind: Full Film Analysis Begins 13:24 – Character Breakdown & Band Dynamics 23:15 – Favorite Quotes & Scenes 26:15 – Fun Facts: Tom Hanks' Forrest Gump-Era Inspiration 31:35 – More Fun Facts: 8 Weeks of Band Rehearsal & a Charlize Theron Story 34:52 – Trivia: The Real-Life Best Man Twist 36:22 – What Other Movie Reviews Are Saying 43:27 – The Kid Test 46:17 – Our Official Family Movie Review Rating 52:53 – Outro & Where to Find Us We've also partnered with Big Poppin' LLC for our own custom flavor — "Grandma's Punch-Aid"! Follow them to grab your bag: https://www.facebook.com/BigPoppinLLC/ Find us on YouTube, Instagram, Threads, Facebook, and TikTok for more family movie reviews. Sign up for our newsletter for a chance to win a FREE movie poster from movieposters.com — use code GRANDMASHOUSE for up to 15% off: https://moviesatgrandmashouse.beehiiv.com/ Check out our Patreon for exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/c/MoviesatGrandmasHousePodcast Hello hello! We'd love to hear your thoughts, send us a voice note!

If you've been curious about the kettle corn behind the Movies at Grandma's House movie nights — this one's for you. Isaac sits down with Jennifer from Big Poppin', MAGH's official snack partner, for a full Q&A on how this Ohio kettle corn small business got started, what makes their popcorn stand out, and how a casual conversation at grandma's house sparked the whole thing. Here's what you'll hear: 🍿 The origin story — Jennifer bought all their equipment before she even told her husband. He was on board. Four years later, Big Poppin' is here. 👨‍🍳 The recipe took real dedication -The flavors go way beyond original 🎬 The Movies at Grandma's House collab flavor — Isaac and Jennifer dig into the details of their exclusive "Grandma's Punch Aid" Kool-Aid themed kettle corn — a colorful mix of blue raspberry, cherry, green apple, and lemon. Isaac's kids tried to guess every flavor blind. They got most of them right. (The yellow was lemon. The red was cherry. Green apple they nailed.) 👩‍⚕️ The hustle is real — Jennifer and Her work full time. Big Poppin' is entirely a weekend and event-based business right now — and they're doing it all while raising kids. 🎯 The dream — Going full time. Doing more events. Potentially selling online so fans can order Big Poppin' kettle corn from anywhere and have it delivered for movie night. 📍 Where to find them in Ohio: Upcoming events include Wagnor's/Bicentennial Park, soccer tournaments, and Vintage Market Days at the Greene County Fairgrounds Oct. 1st! Follow on Facebook for weekly event updates Also on Instagram and Street Food Finder Email: [email protected] If you haven't tried Big Poppin' yet — Isaac is out of stock and heading back for more. That says everything. 🎥 Remember to be kind and rewind. Hello hello! We'd love to hear your thoughts, send us a voice note!

Family movie review: Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014) is one of the most overlooked kids movies and children's films DreamWorks ever made. On this nostalgic film analysis, Isaac and Seth bring their honest movie reviews and some genuine classic movie talk to this time-travel adventure that flew under the radar — and ask whether critics got it wrong. They dig into the film's origins as a Rocky and Bullwinkle segment, a surprisingly deep character arc, and a stacked, scene-stealing cast (Stephen Colbert, Stanley Tucci, a blink-and-you'll-miss-it Mel Brooks cameo). Fun facts include Robert Downey Jr. almost voicing Mr. Peabody before scheduling conflicts pulled him out. Plus a Jimi Hendrix trivia question, a unanimous Kid Test across all five of Isaac's kids, and the final rating — Take it home, Watch it at Grandma's, or Hide it in the attic? Granny's official family friendly rating: B+ — proof this is one of DreamWorks' more wholesome films, and a great pick among clean family movies for your next movie night. Find us on YouTube, Instagram, Threads, Facebook, and TikTok for more family movie reviews. Newsletter: https://moviesatgrandmashouse.beehiiv.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MoviesatGrandmasHousePodcast Hello hello! We'd love to hear your thoughts, send us a voice note!