Maltin on Movies

This week Leonard and Baron welcome Leonard's wife Alice to sit in with them as they discuss three excellent documentaries that take you behind the scenes of movies in different ways: Casting By, a celebration of the casting profession and casting pioneer Marion Dougherty, Lost in La Mancha which follows Terry Gilliam's doomed attempt to get his film, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, off the ground...

Inspired by Father's Day, Leonard's daughter Jessie Maltin returns to discuss the movies that her dad shared with her growing up—and Leonard explains why he chose the classics. Plus, Baron explains how movies as diverse as Amadeus and the Muppets opened him up to a world of great movies.

This week Leonard and Baron discuss three films that prove cartoons aren't always intended for children: the first animated feature ever submitted by France as its official entry for the Oscars, 2007's Persepolis, a stop-motion animated sleeper from Australia, and a stinker from one of the medium's true innovators. (Hey, nobody's perfect…)

Every rule has exceptions, and while Leonard and Baron have reservations about many remakes of older films, this week they spotlight a couple they love! They praise the breathless, incredibly funny His Girl Friday, lament that the latest RoboCop was hamstrung from the beginning by a terrible script, and recommend a remake of a spooky Swedish thriller.

This week Leonard and Baron discuss three films adapted from books; two that are great, and one that's just grating. They're captivated by the many grace notes of the John Irving adaptation "The Cider House Rules," and appalled by the bloated, lugubrious "How The Grinch Stole Christmas," before recommending a classic from the 30's that takes you to a remote, exotic land.

This week Leonard and Baron discuss three movies made by women: Love & Basketball, written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, a reimagining of a popular TV show that's not worthy of its director or star, and a compelling sleeper written and directed by Dee Rees called Pariah.

This week Leonard and Baron discuss three movies featuring female duos of all stripes! After praising the debut film of a famed directorial duo, they advise listeners to steer clear of the shrill caricatures that populate The Other Woman, and check out the haunting musical sister act Hilary & Jackie.

While Baron is on assignment, Leonard welcomes a special guest-co-host, his daughter Jessie Maltin to discuss the movies that made a deep impact on them in their formative years. Tune in to hear which films changed the game for both Maltins from generation to generation.

This week, Leonard and Baron sing the praises of movies about (fictional) musicians and bands. First, they celebrate Christopher Guest's faux folk singers in A Mighty Wind, then blast a Broadway rock musical that shouldn't have left the stage. Finally they recommend a sleeper called Still Crazy—a treat for music lovers and Anglophiles alike.

Inspired by Russell Crowe's The Water Diviner, Leonard and Baron discuss three films in which a director also is the star of the film. Ed Harris' outstanding film Pollock, a turkey from Kenneth Branagh, and Jennifer Jason Leigh and Alan Cumming's wonderful sleeper The Anniversary Party.

This week Leonard and Baron discuss three films that fall under the umbrella of buddy movies: Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin in the classic Midnight Run, a prequel of a buddy movie that shouldn't have been made, and Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor in I Love You Phillip Morris, a movie you might have missed. Plus, Leonard shares a story about how he managed to land an interview with De Niro when Mi...

Cue the digital fanfare! In a first ever Bonus Episode, Leonard & Baron sit down with Stephen Tobolowsky to discuss acting, writing, storytelling, having your scenes cut from movies, the benefits of heated hallways, and of course, whether or not Godzilla was a documentary."

This week Leonard and Baron discuss three films with interesting women in them: Julianne Moore, Cate Blanchett, and Minnie Driver in An Ideal Husband, Charlize Theron in a film they both can't stand, and Passion Fish, a sleeper starring Mary McDonnell and Alfre Woodard.

Leonard and Baron are back to discuss three films revolving around the world of stand-up comedy: Martin Scorsese's The King of Comedy, a great comedian's semi-autobiographical saga that doesn't quite add up, and a sleeper with a hell of a Punchline.

This week, Leonard and Baron discuss the inimitable Morgan Freeman and focus on three films from his long career: Ben Affleck's Gone Baby Gone, another film that even this great actor couldn't salvage, and a sleeper worth checking out called The Magic of Belle Isle.

This week Leonard and Baron recognize the great Nicole Kidman by discussing 2010's Rabbit Hole, which earned her an Oscar nomination, another movie with a great cast that didn't come together (for many reasons), and 2004's Birth, a most unusual sleeper worth checking out.

Inspired by the release of Chappie, Leonard and Baron discuss three films based around robots. The original sharp and pointed Robocop, a remake worth forgetting, and a striking sleeper called Robot & Frank that you should seek out.

In celebration of Black History Month, Leonard and Baron discuss three significant films. Spike Lee's monumental film Malcolm X, a turkey about the Tuskegee Airmen that was made with all good intentions, and a sleeper that dates back just over 30 years called The Brother from Another Planet.

Continuing with the Oscar theme, Leonard and Baron discuss the movies of past Oscar winners: Emma Thompson's knockout performance in Primary Colors, Matthew McConaughey and Nicole Kidman in a very strange movie they don't recommend, and Denzel Washington in truly inspiring story you should seek out.

Leonard and Baron discuss three worthy individuals who were not nominated for an Oscar this year:  David Oyelowo of Selma, who's equally good in another film about the Civil Rights movement, Ralph Fiennes of The Grand Budapest Hotel in an unfortunate turkey, and a sleeper from the great writer/director Mike Leigh, who brought us Mr. Turner this past year.

In part two of their 2015 Oscar nominees conversation, Leonard and Baron discuss three more films from this year's contenders: Keira Knightley in the charming musical Begin Again, a movie about magic that sadly dropped the ball, and a sleeper from Norwegian director Morten Tyldum, who gave us The Imitation Game.

Inspired by this year's Oscar Nominees, Leonard and Baron discuss the movies of two actors and one filmmaker: the movie that put Eddie Redmayne on the map, Reese Witherspoon in a sequel that probably shouldn't have been made, and a sleeper from filmmaker Richard Linklater's catalog. Tune in next week for part two!

Inspired by the release of Taken 3, Leonard and Baron praise the versatile Liam Neeson by discussing A Walk Among the Tombstones, another high-profile film that turned out to be a dud, and a sleeper that means a lot to them both.

Inspired by her brilliant performance in Still Alice, Leonard and Baron pay tribute to the fearless Julianne Moore by discussing The Kids Are All Right, along with a rare clunker and a sleeper that no fan of this actress should miss.

In part two of their Movie Musicals conversation, Leonard and Baron discuss three more interesting choices:  the Irish musical Once, with its Oscar-winning song, a historically bad sequel that shouldn't have happened, and a student film from the creators of South Park that's well worth seeking out.