Surf's up, and the crime wave is gnarly.

This week on 100 Things We Learned From Film, we’re grabbing our boards, slipping on our Nixon masks, and catching waves (and feelings) with the 1991 cult classic Point Break. Planty and John ride through the most extreme FBI training montage ever committed to film, debate how many meatball subs is too many, and discover just how wet Keanu Reeves got making this movie.

We’re talking skydiving stunts, behind-the-scenes beefcakes, surfing facts, FBI realness from Quantico, and the legacy of director Kathryn Bigelow’s wild action masterpiece.

This episode was picked by our radical patron Maria – who supports the show for just £1 a month and gets a shoutout! Want yours? Hit up:

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🧠 In this episode you’ll learn:

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• Why Patrick Swayze did most of his own stunts
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• How Keanu became Johnny Utah (and why Johnny Unitas should be honoured)
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• Which surfer inspired Bodhi
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• What the FBI really teaches you (spoiler: not surfing)
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• The surprising link between Point Break and The Fast and the Furious
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Point Break podcast, Point Break facts, Keanu Reeves FBI, Patrick Swayze surfing, Kathryn Bigelow movies, Point Break trivia, 100 Things We Learned From Film, best film podcasts UK, cult movie podcast, action movie podcast, surfing movies, skydiving stunts

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This week we're doing the most Mid Rap, Taking the Turnpike to Jersey and putting on the last ray bans we'll ever wear with 1997's Men in Black.

We're doing the comic and shadowy government departments.

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Men in Black (abbreviated as MIB) is a 1997 American alien/UFO science fiction action comedy film[2] starring Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith as "men in black", secret agents who monitor and police extraterrestrials. The film is directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, based on a script by Ed Solomon, that adapts the Aircel Comics series The Men in Black by Lowell Cunningham. In the film, Agent K (Jones) and Agent J (Smith) investigate a series of seemingly unrelated criminal incidents related to the extraterrestrials who live in secret on Earth. Linda Fiorentino, Vincent D'Onofrio, and Rip Torn also appear in supporting roles.

Development for the film began in 1992, after producers Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald optioned the rights to the comic book series. Solomon was soon hired to write the screenplay; Sonnenfeld was the preferred directorial choice, which resulted in delays due to his commitments to other film projects and a failure to secure any alternative directors. Principal photography began in March 1996 and lasted until that June, with filming primarily taking place in New York City. The film's visual effects were helmed by Industrial Light & Magic. The film's soundtrack contains the theme song of the same name, performed by Smith, as well as the score, composed by Danny Elfman.

Men in Black premiered at Pacific's Cinerama Dome in Hollywood on June 25, 1997, and was theatrically released in the United States on July 2. It received critical acclaim for its screenplay, humour, action sequences, and the performances and chemistry between Jones and Smith. The film was a box-office success, grossing more than $589.4 million worldwide and becoming the third-highest-grossing film of 1997 as well as the ninth-highest-grossing film of the decade. It won for Best Makeup and was also nominated for Best Art Direction and Best Original Score at the 70th Academy Awards, among numerous other accolades. A sequel was released in 2002, a third film was released in 2012, and a stand-alone sequel was released in 2019, with Jones and Smith absent.

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Tommy Lee Jones as Kevin Brown / Agent K: J's grizzled and humorless mentor.

Will Smith as James Darrell Edwards III / Agent J: A former NYPD detective, newly recruited to the MIB.

Linda Fiorentino as Dr. Laurel Weaver / Agent L: A deputy medical examiner, and later J's partner.

Vincent D'Onofrio as Edgar / The Bug: An abusive farmer who is killed and eaten by a giant alien insect, which then wears his skin in order to search for the Galaxy and incite a war from the Arquillians.

Rip Torn as Chief Zed: The head of the MIB.

Tony Shalhoub as Jack Jeebs: An alien arms dealer who runs a pawn shop as a front.

Siobhan Fallon Hogan as Beatrice: Edgar's abused wife.

Mike Nussbaum as Gentle Rosenberg: An Arquillian royal family member, posing as a jeweler, who is the guardian of "the Galaxy".

Jon Gries as Nick the van driver: the American smuggler who unknowingly carries a literal alien among his posse.

Sergio Calderón as Jose

John Alexander as Mikey: An alien who poses as a Mexican being smuggled across the border.

Patrick Breen as Mr. Redgick

Becky Ann Baker as Mrs....

This week we're attempting to to cash in on the announcement of Spaceballs 2 with our episode on Spaceballs the search for more downloads!

We're talking the terrible 80's film choices of Gene Wilder, George Lucas and the original Star Wars Trilogy as well as Pizza Hut and why Elon Musk means we can't have nice things any more.

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Want to support the podcast?

It'll only cost you a quid and we'll shout you out every episode!

It's nowt to you but it means the world to us.

https://www.patreon.com/100thingsfilm

You can also find us everywhere else at

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Spaceballs is a 1987 American space opera parody film co-written, produced and directed by Mel Brooks. It primarily parodies the original Star Wars trilogy, but also other popular franchises such as Star Trek, Alien, The Wizard of Oz, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Planet of the Apes, and Transformers. The film stars Bill Pullman, John Candy, Rick Moranis and Daphne Zuniga, with the supporting cast including Dick Van Patten, George Wyner, Lorene Yarnell, and the voice of Joan Rivers. In addition to Brooks playing a dual role, the film features Brooks regulars Dom DeLuise and Rudy De Luca in cameo appearances.

In Spaceballs, heroic mercenary Lone Starr (Pullman) and his alien sidekick Barf (Candy) rescue Princess Vespa (Zuniga) of the planet Druidia and her droid, Dot Matrix (Yarnell, voiced by Rivers), from being captured by the Spaceballs, led by President Skroob (Brooks), who wants to use Vespa as ransom to obtain Druidia's air for their own planet. However, the heroes get stranded on a desert moon, where they encounter the wise Yogurt (also Brooks), who teaches Starr about the metaphysical power known as "the Schwartz". Meanwhile, Spaceball commanders Dark Helmet (Moranis) and Colonel Sandurz (Wyner) lead the search for them, but are hindered by their own incompetence.

The film was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) on June 24, 1987. A sequel is in the early stages of development as of June 2025. Directed by Josh Greenbaum and co-written by Josh Gad and Brooks, the sequel will star Lewis Pullman, Keke Palmer, and Gad, with Brooks, Bill Pullman, Moranis, and Zuniga reprising their roles. The sequel has an anticipated theatrical release by MGM in 2027.

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Bill Pullman as Lone Starr, a mercenary who travels the galaxy in his flying 1986 Winnebago Chieftain 33, Eagle 5. He is a parody of Luke Skywalker and Han Solo.

John Candy as Barf, a parody of Chewbacca.

Daphne Zuniga as Princess Vespa, the spoiled princess of Planet Druidia. She is a parody of Princess Leia.

Joan Rivers as the voice of Dot Matrix, Princess Vespa's droid of honor and guardian. She is a parody of C‑3PO.

Lorene Yarnell provided Dot Matrix's on-screen physical performance.

Rick Moranis as Dark Helmet, the Spaceballs' short-statured, bratty, and childish chief enforcer, who can wield the "down-side" of the Schwartz. He is a parody of Darth Vader.

Mel Brooks as:

President Skroob, the incompetent leader of Planet Spaceball. His name "Skroob" is an anagram of "Brooks".

Yogurt, the wise and powerful keeper of the "up-side" of the Schwartz. He is a parody of Yoda.

George Wyner as Colonel Sandurz, the commander of Spaceball One. His name is a reference to Colonel Sanders.

Dick Van Patten as King Roland, the ruler of Planet Druidia and Princess Vespa's father.

Michael Winslow as a radar technician on Spaceball One who can re-enact the radar's sounds.

Ronny Graham as the minister.

Jim J. Bullock as Prince Valium, a narcoleptic prince.

Leslie Bevis as Commanderette Zircon, a minion of President Skroob on Planet...