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What happens when a Spanish director adapts an American graphic novel into a dialogue-free animated film? Laughter, tears, and an Oscar nomination, apparently. Sierra Katow joins us to get into this conversation (which we've carefully cordoned off with warnings and chapter markers to avoid any big spoilers)! Then everyone shares some animated films that delivered adult-level gut-punch moments.  Wh...

From Pamela Adlon (her feature debut as a director!) and comedy pals Ilana Glazer and Michelle Buteau, the comedy Babes is expanding this week across US theaters.  We are joined by director (and mom)  Trish Sie  ( Players ,  PitchPerfect 3 ) to talk about the film, which may or may not be anything like Bridesmaids . Then the gang will pitch some movies about personal experiences which the movies r...

Our friend Maria Lewis joins us from Australia once again, this time to break down George Miller’s highly anticipated follow-up to FURY ROAD (that’s also a prequel to FURY ROAD). Then we answer a hotline call about “stereotypical” characters that don’t rub us the wrong way for some reason. What’s Good Alonso - TIME Magazine issue from his birthday Drea - “digital pebbling”  Maria - the healing pow...

The latest (and second) film from director Jane Schoenbrun is a glimpse into the void, into the ‘90s, and into a whole lot more – it all depends on how you’re watching. We’re joined by MaxFilm producer (and now host of the new show, Primer ), Christian Dueñas to see it all. Then, we have a fast and loose movie quiz about…Justice! What’s Good Alonso - Jenny Nicholson’s 4-Hour Deep Dive into the Sta...

David Leitch, the director of Atomic Blonde , Bullet Train , and Hobbs & Shaw , got his Hollywood start as a stunt man. Now he’s coming full circle, making an action/comedy/romance about that stunt life, with a pair of Oscar-nominated Barbenheimer love interests at the center. And we’ve got filmmaker April Wright , director of Stuntwomen: The Untold Story , here to offer an insider’s perspective!...

Luca Guadagnino’s latest film (and biggest to date) has been the talk of cinema circles since its release. Whether it’s causing a thirst for threesomes, a craving for churros, or a burning desire to pick up a racket, folks have been talking about it, and now we are too, with help from LAFCA President and critic Robert Abele ! Then we’ll hear a lot more about Alonso’s forthcoming book, HOLLYWOOD PR...

Writer/director (and Chicago native) Minhal Baig’s newest film centers around Malik and Eric, two young kids going through the things young kids go through, with the added complications of life in the Cabrini Green housing projects of the ‘90s. Robert Daniels (another Chicagoan) is here to help us talk through it. Then, a Hall of Excellence update and a Hotline letter that inspires a plethora of s...

Studio Ghibli’s GKIDS has a new film out about a little girl who just wants her mom to cook her a really specific dinner. If that sounds like not quite enough for a movie to be about, then you haven’t seen CHICKEN FOR LINDA! We’ve got returning guest, film critic Carlos Aguilar , on to join the conversation, and we’re even pitching some childhood memories of our own that could become future featur...

We’ve seen the Sasquatch(es)! We head into the woods to talk wild animal actors, convincing bigfoot suits, bodily functions, and the legend of Sasquatch itself, with comedian and writer Joey Clift. Then, a new set of HALL OF EXCELLENCE nominations, this time for best non-speaking performance! What’s Good Alonso - It Was Vulgar and It Was Beautiful by Jack Lowery Drea - wool dryer balls Joey - Furi...

Vera Drew’s very personal, exceedingly irreverent, and definitely unauthorized THE PEOPLE’S JOKER got its TIFF premiere in 2022, but has been fighting a path to (legally) be shown in theaters ever since. That fight is finally over, and THE PEOPLE’S JOKER can be seen by the people…though certain folks seem to be forming their opinions on the movie sight-unseen. We get into the film, plus pitch our...

The second feature from director Rose Glass has been on our watchlist since Sundance…even longer in the case of our guest Mallory O’Meara ( Reading Glasses ), who had the film’s poster on her wall far before its premiere. Now that we’ve left Arrakis in the rearview, we’ve got our hands free to take on the buff and bloody (and yes, horny)  LOVE LIES BLEEDING.   What’s Good Drea - graphite chopstick...

It’s the final episode of Dune Month, aka “How You Dune? Month”...and it’s also the final days of #MaxFunDrive! If you’ve got the means and you’ve been putting it off, please join or upgrade to keep the MaxFilm flowing (much like the spice must flow). Head to maximumfun.org/join . And remember to email a screenshot of your confirmation email to maximumfilm@maximumfun.org to get a Staff Pick from o...

It’s #MaxFunDrive! Join (or upgrade or boost your existing membership!) to support this show directly at MaximumFun.org/join ! Both monthly memberships and one-time annual membership plans are available. Thank you for everything – we couldn’t do this without you! As "Dune Month" (aka "How You Dune? Month") winds toward its climax, a foray into the world of documentary to glimpse the Dune that migh...

This podcast is part of the #MaxFunDrive! If you’d like to help this podcast continue and get great gifts in the process, go to maximumfun.org/join and become a MaxFun Member for as little as $5 a month. You can also upgrade or boost your membership for as little as $1 more a month to help the show out even more and earn gifts and certain levels. It all started with a text from Ify (who else?). Ea...

This special network wide event is a celebration of the MaxFunDrive! If you’d like to support podcasts you love for just $5 a month and get bonus gifts in the process, go to maximumfun.org/join .  We’re kicking off the most exciting time of the year for the MaxFun Network with a trivia game show featuring hosts from tons of great podcasts. J. Keith van Straaten and Helen Hong from “ Go Fact Yourse...

DUNE MONTH CONTINUES! If you, too, are indulging in a Dune Month, YOU might find yourself searching certain video sharing website for 2000's Sci Fi Channel miniseries FRANK HERBERT'S DUNE, aka "The one where Paul Atreides is bringing big Anakin Skywalker energy." Or perhaps you'd like to skip that and just listen to us tell you about it. Either way, this is the episode for you! We're talking all 9...

How much Dune is too much Dune? We're fixing to find out this March on Maximum Film! We're starting with the 1984 Lynch/Dino De Laurentiis space opera that was a theatrical flop, yet remains an enduring (cult?) classic. Then we'll pitch some outside-the-box auteur/book series pairings to fantasize about. What’s Good Alonso - Schmigadoon Season 2 Drea - GORP-Core and scroggin Guy - Whenever I Call...

This one is a wild ride, y’all. Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke have teamed up to make a wacky, raunchy lesbian road trip crime comedy, and (almost) everyone has an opinion about the results! Then, a hotline question about “litmus test” movies. What’s Good Alonso - reading more James Baldwin ( The Fire Next Time ) Drea - voting and progressive voter guides Ever - bench record and new goals Ify - Naomi...

Madame Web is Dakota Johnson seeing the future, barefoot villains with ADR as bad as their intentions, and a surprising dearth of Spider Women fighting crime. But is it the next Morbius ? Is it time to #ReleaseTheClarksonCut? We’ve got resident Spider-Man-man Jordan Morris on the case! Then, a movie quiz about 2003 (did we mention this movie is set in 2003?)  What’s Good Alonso - Olive Oil Chocola...

Today's movie takes on the guise of a weird '80s teen comedy, then adds in some supernatural phenomena and some axes. So we consult THE JV CLUB's Janet Varney on the peculiarities of Lisa's high school experience, and then make up some Monster Mash-up movies of our own. What’s Good Alonso - RO-TEL Dip Janet - Mochi Muffins from Third Culture Bakery Drea - Chocolate-dipped Twinkies ITIDIC The Oscar...

With one extremely emotive stroke of the metaphorical podcast baton, we complete the magnum opus that is Best Picture Oscar Nominees 2023!  Is Bradley Cooper's Leonard Bernstein too big to fit on the small screens at Netflix? Find out in our MAESTRO discussion, for which we're joined by Vanity Fair 's chief critic, Richard Lawson . Then, a fun movie quiz about composer biopics (well, it's fun for...

We catch up with Cord Jefferson's Oscar-nominated comedy that's about more than you might have guessed. Then, we've got new nominees for the Hall of Excellence: Best Fictional Books! What’s Good Alonso - Barbara Streisand’s memoir Drea - Mom’s Dave confusion Ellie - new season of True Detective Ify - clear spheres/foggy balls  ITIDIC Godzilla Minus One Inching Towards a Near-Record Box Office Run...

You’ve heard the Plastics and the Art Freaks talk about their lives and loves. But what if you could hear them SING about it? That’s the service the new Mean Girls musical (adapted from the Broadway show) will provide, should you so desire. We’ve got writer/critic/musical theater wonk B.J. Colangelo with us to navigate the halls of the new North Shore High. Then, we’ll pitch some new grist for the...

We've been keeping tabs on today's movie for a while -- either a couple years or a couple decades, depending on how you count it. To discuss the movie musical adaptation of the stage musical adaptation of the movie adaptation of Alice Walker's classic novel, we brought in Tre'vell Anderson, noted Fantasia Barrino expert (and also a journalist, author, critic and expert in other things).  What’s Go...

Based on the tragic real-life story of the wrestling family known professionally as the Von Erichs (liberties were taken, but most of them seem to have tamped the sheer tragedy down somewhat, rather than the other way around), The Iron Claw has been anxiously anticipated by some wrestling fans. Fans like our guest, Danielle Radford, who co-hosts Tights and Fights ! After discussing the movie where...