The Blockbuster Effect: The Mega-Hits That Shaped Popular Culture
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In the latest episode of The Films That Ruined Us, Miles and I dive into the cinematic juggernauts that didn’t just break records — they broke us. We’re talking about the kinds of films that weren’t just movies but cultural milestones. The ones that exploded into our lives rewired our brains and left a permanent mark on how we see the world, for better or worse.
For me, it was The Matrix. I still remember seeing it as a young 20-something, sitting in the cinema and watching reality unravel in slow motion — quite literally. The leather coats, the green-tinted code, the impossible backbends… it felt like something from another universe, and suddenly I needed to be part of it. It’s not just the style (though I definitely tried to make tiny sunglasses work for a while); it’s the existential crisis it kickstarted. What is real? Are we all just batteries? It left me questioning everything — authority, society, my own choices — and I’ve never really stopped. Even now, it holds up as a genuinely intelligent blockbuster that dared to blend philosophy with fight scenes, and I love it for that. But it also kind of broke my brain.
Miles went with a slightly more controversial choice: Batman Returns. Yes, the one with Michelle Pfeiffer’s iconic Catwoman and Danny DeVito as an unhinged Penguin. For most, it’s a cult classic. For Miles, it was a chaotic fever dream that landed a bit too hard as a young man. We talked about how bleak it is, how weirdly horny it is (seriously, go rewatch that office scene), and how Tim Burton’s gothic vision somehow snuck its way into the mainstream under the guise of a superhero movie. It’s less a film for children and more a bizarre art-house take on power, trauma, and latex. And yet, it was for children. Kind of. Sort of. Not really. It’s complicated — which is exactly why it belongs on this podcast.
What we kept circling back to was the sheer influence of these films. They didn’t just entertain — they changed things. They shifted pop culture. They inspired endless copycats, parodies, academic essays, and Halloween costumes. They became part of the furniture of our lives. And sometimes, that power was a bit… too much. Because when a blockbuster hits that hard, it shapes more than just a weekend at the cinema. It shapes identity, values, aesthetics, and even expectations of what film should be.
It’s wild to think how different they are — one a sleek, stylish mind-bender about simulated reality, the other a freakish gothic fairytale with rocket-launching penguins — but both left deep imprints on us in totally different ways.
As always, the episode was a mix of nostalgia, pop culture analysis, and us laughing at the weird things we internalised growing up. Whether you were emotionally derailed by The Matrix or traumatised by some of the best villains in the business, we hope this one brings back memories — or, at the very least, makes you want to rewatch some classics with fresh (and maybe slightly ruined) eyes.