Movie Friends

We are big. It's the podcasts that got small! July's theme was voted in by our patrons and we are covering films with costumes designed by the legendary Edith Heath! It's Head-ly! First up is Billy Wilder's tragic and painful look at Hollywood, Sunset Boulevard. We discuss Max, being addicted to riffing, why director's intent may or may not change how we view a finished product, and why Norma Desm...

Take off your shoes and don't forget the shrimp, it's time for The Birdcage! Michelle's June pick is one of her childhood favorites, and we discuss the play and French film that this version is based on, Nathan Lane's Albert as the heart of the film, Gene Hackman's incredibly repressed performance, our complicated feelings towards Val and what still works in the film 30 years later. Also: Everyone...

For this month's Patron voted episode we discuss Jamie Babit's 1999 queer classic, But I'm a Cheerleader! We discuss drag, critiquing queer humor too harshly, why the intimate moments highlight the horrors of conversion therapy, Rupaul, Natasha Lyonne's hair journey and why this film deserves it's place in the coming-of-age canon. Also: Sun Chips! Oreo kisses! The Governor! Check it out! Ad-free v...

Grab your lore-laden piece of driveway as we head deep into Kane Parsons smash hit, Backrooms! Seth is joined by Liam aka Rolo Tony to discuss the youtuber to hollywood pipeline, why science fiction and surrrealism are not the same thing, what is gained and lost when something is copied multiple times, the backside of a Christmas tree and how anger manifests itself on a long enough timeline. Also:...

Take a shot of absinthe and join us for our journey into Baz Luhrmanns Moulin Rouge! We discuss the burden of naive romanticism, the tortured artist triple feature, why the film is hard to share with the unimpressed, the incredible Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor and the transformative performance by Richard Roxburgh as The Duke. Also: Scorsese! Collage! Roxanne! Check it out! Ad-free versions of...

For our 300th(!!) episode we finally become respectable movie podcasters and sit down with Orson Welles' celebrated film Citizen Kane! We discuss the film's legacy and spot on movie ranking lists, why movie ranking lists are obsolete, the life and lie of Orson Welles, how coming from radio impacted the style of Citizen Kane and what we would whisper on our death beds. Also: nuts! small men with st...

Our podcast host won't let eXistenZ post without a capital E, our apologies. Anywho.. Grab your game pod and plug in to your bio port for a trip with us into the unknown with eXistenZ! Hey, it's our first David Cronenberg film on the show so we needed to pull in the big guns: Felicia Maroni from the Seeing Faces in Movies podcast joins us to talk Canadian Jude Law, crinkle cut haired Jennifer Jaso...

In this super sized episode of New Release Review Seth is joined by returning guest Kazmo to talk about Aleshea Harris's wild and weird revenge story, Is God Is! They discuss the twin performances of Kara Young and Mallori Johnson, why casting Vivica A. Fox is speaking Kazmo's language, how Sterling K. Brown nails his psychopath performance, and why a movie like Is God Is should always be availabl...

Seth is joined by Cassandra aka The Movie Mermaid to discuss Curry Barker's new film, Obsession! They discuss the youtuber to filmmaker pipeline, dancing with the stars, the incredible performance by Inde Navarrette, who Michael Johnston reminded Seth of the entire film and of course the real star of the film: crystal shop clerk number one. Check it out!  Follow Cassandra on TikTok or Twitter or e...

Feeling lonely? Rent a cat! Michelle's pick for May is Naoko Ogigami's quirky look at loneliness and grief, Rent-a-Cat! We discuss the wonderful Mikako Ichikawa's portrayal of Sayoko, a woman on a mission to fill the loneliness hole of everyone she meets, the best cat acting we've seen yet, a new way of eating donuts and the effectiveness of cat psychics. Also: Michelle starts a car! Seth works ha...

Settle in with an apéritif and join us for our discussion on Céline Sciamma's 2021 masterpiece of cinema, Petite Maman! We discuss time travel, how to eat a cheeto, dealing with grief and wanting to have a better goodbye, Sciamma's influences and rules for the film and why we feel differently about this film. Also: Michelle acts! Seth huffs and puffs! check it out!  Ad-free versions of all of our...

Melissa joins Michelle and Seth to talk about David Frankel's sequel 20 years in the making, The Devil Wears Prada 2! We discuss what we look for in sequels, Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, why they felt everyone but Nigel needed new love interests, how the film tackles modern day problems with classic characters, the great Lucy Liu and the moment that had Seth gasping in the theater. Check it out! A...

Wake up from your sleepwalking and put on your oversized earmuffs, it's time for Donnie Darko! We discuss the production and Richard Kelly, the idea of Fear vs Love, why the movie may be better left unexplained and of course everyone's favorite invisible bunny, Frank. Also: Michelle finds out the worst time to make a movie! Seth judges Michelle's breakfast choices! A knighted legend stops by! Chec...

Our series on musicians is coming to an end, and we cap it off with Damien Chazelle's 2014 film about drive and talent, Whiplash! We discuss what it means to be content vs motivated, the JK Simmons role that not everyone may remember, how the film reminds us of Taxi Driver and Full Metal Jacket, and why perfection and pleasure are not on the same planet. Also: The Devil Wears Tight Black Shirts! F...

Grab your boat rocks and knife block, it's time for Jorma Taccone's latest feature Over Your Dead Body! We discuss the wonderful Samara Weaving, our Jason Segel histories, why SNL is best when you are high school, how this movie compares to the original and the scene that had us looking away from the screen. Also: Karen Gillan! Friday the 13th! Bill & Ted! Check it out!  Ad-free versions of all of...

Hey, wha happend?! Our series on movies about musicians continues with Christopher Guest's A Mighty Wind! We discuss our history with folk music, getting psyched out by Christopher Guest, why improv is hard, the wonderful Catherine O'Hara and we answer the film's biggest question: is this movie funny? Also: Licking cats! Moby Dick! Model trains! Check it out! Ad-free versions of all of our episode...

Bidi bidi bom bom! Our series on movies about musicians continues with Seth's pick for the month: Gregory Nava's 1997 film Selena! We discuss the casting choice of Jennifer Lopez, our long histories with the movie and Selena, why representation matters despite your feelings on it, and the documentary Selena Y Los Dinos. Also: Michelle gets zapped! Seth rejects the Zoom Flume! We both cried, a lot!...

Put on your best wig and join us for Miloš Forman's classic, Amadeus! We discuss the hater archetype throughout history, the laugh, our experience with classical music, waging a war on God, loving the dessert guys at the beginning and why taking a risk on accents paid off. Also: Michelle romps! Seth visits Kashyyyk! Mozart: cat boy! Check it out!  Ad-free versions of all of our episodes are availa...

For Easter week we're heading back into the magical world of Rankin & Bass for one of Michelle's childhood favorites, Here Comes Peter Cottontail! We discuss the great Vincent Price as January B. Irontail, Casey Kacem as Peter Cottontail and everyone's favorite French caterpillar, Antoine. Is it a holiday classic or a nightmare? Maybe both! Also: MIchelle's "NINTENDO 64!!!" moment! Seth shares a h...

Put down that hacky sack and strap in, because we're traveling across the stars for Project Hail Mary! Seth is joined by Drake to discuss the latest film from Lord & Miller, Ryan Gosling's modeling potential, Sandra Huller's comedic chops, Rocky and the value of practical effects and why the film is garnering fascist comparisons. Also: Karaoke! Book Adaptations! That ending! Check it out! Ad-free...

Put down those stars and spin that bottle, because it is time for Kelly Fremon Craig's 2023 film Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. We discuss all the things you aren't supposed to, like religion, periods, boy/girl parties and the pain of existing at 12 years old. Also: Is Seth a "Blume Boy"? Is this an adaptation worthy of it's source material? What does Michelle call the "bagel holiday"? What...

Greetings, friends. We are all interested in podcasts, for that is where you and I will spend the rest of our lives. Join us today as we discuss Edward D. Wood Jr's often maligned (but still beloved) Plan 9 from Outer Space! We discuss Criswell, Vampira, why the plot isn't as hard to follow as people claim, it's place in atomic age anxiety filmmaking, getting over low budget filmmaking and yes, Ke...

Here comes The Bride! Seth and Michelle are joined by Mandy Kaplan to discuss Maggie Gyllenhaal's directorial debut, all of it's film history references, the incredible Jessie Buckley, bringing 10 year old's to see the movie and how to insult a horse while leading it to water. Also: Ida Lupino! Buster Keaton! Annette Benning! Check it out!  Follow this link to check out Mandy's podcast, her cabere...

Join us as we head back to Japan and the 1970s for Nobuhiko Obayashi's groundbreaking masterpiece House! We discuss the film's insane pre-production history, how the death's in the house align with the character traits, why the film can be as deep or shallow as you want and of course the cat behind it all. Also: Seth has a theory! Michelle channels her sensei! A man fits his butt into a bucket! Ch...

Whoah, impressive wingspan! Journey with us as we head back to a simpler time when the future of computing held hope for creativity and a little movie called Toy Story! We discuss the long production process, our favorite childhood toys, what toy is our shared favorite and why Mr. Potato Head deserves his day in the sun. Also: The villain behind Shrek is back! Michelle needs her sticker books! Set...