The Flop House The Flop House

FH Mini 158 - Astro-Nuts

Sep 12, 2026 · 58m

Summary

In this Flop House mini-episode, hosts Elliot Kalen, Dan McCoy, and Stuart Spaceman Wellington debate the definition of an "astronaut movie" versus general space sci-fi. They discuss why few films capture the reality of the job, distinguishing grounded stories like Apollo 13 and The Right Stuff from fantastical entries like Star Wars. The group compiles a list of the greatest astronaut films, including 2001: A Space Odyssey, Gravity, and The Martian, while debating borderline cases like Capricorn One and Interstellar.

Topics discussed

Introduction to Flophouse Mini and the 'Astronaut' theme Defining the astronaut movie genre and space conditions Discussing classic astronaut films like Apollo 13 and The Right Stuff Distinguishing space movies from true astronaut movies Tangents on 'Bad to the Bone' and 80s pop culture nostalgia Debating astronaut heist movies and pirate movie tropes Space Camp, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and octopus tangents Analyzing Ad Astra and the core elements of astronaut films Comparing astronaut movies to mob movies and discussing Hugh Grant Agreement on the definition of an astronaut movie Sponsorship segments for TV Chef Fantasy League and ZocDoc Squarespace ad and upcoming Flophouse events and episodes Tangents on the movie Sunshine and Womba Chumas Discussion of 'The Last Mimsy' and future words Reviewing the movie 'First Man' and its tone Tangents on Jack Kirby, Galactus, and Julia Garner Brainstorming a list of potential astronaut movies Narrowing down the top 10 astronaut movies list Finalizing the top 10 list with Interstellar and Space Cowboys Tangents on Morgan Freeman, old person movies, and Harold Wilson Ranking the final list and discussing Space Cowboys Conclusion, credits, and call to action for reviews
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