Maximum Film!

“A nice guy and his playboy buddy host an ill-advised mega-party.” That vague logline is what the original HOUSE PARTY (1990) starring Kid N' Play has in common with the new HOUSE PARTY, starring Jacob Lattimore and Tosin Cole. Well, that and the title. For today’s episode, the core gang digs into a whole comparative analysis of these two movies.  Then, there’s a new round of nominees for the Hall...

Talk about a two-hand spectacular! We’ve got Nikole Beckwith, the director of one phenomenal indie two-hander ( Together Together , starring Ed Helms and Patti Harrison) talking about the two-hander debut from director Charlotte Wells (in which the two “hands” are Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio). And only two of our usual hosts are here (which was totally planned, look how nice it all lines up, no...

The co-host of Good Christian Fun joins us to talk about a movie that is quite good, pretty Christian, and not a ton of fun. But it's also not, as Caroline points out, a "stone cold bummer." It's the latest film from Sarah Polley, based on a book by Miriam Toews, and is fascinating both on a literal and a metaphorical level. We get serious between goofs, and then lighten the mood with a Hotline le...

Long before THE WHALE was released, Drea texted our friend (comedian, movie star, and Mr. Prune) Guy Branum and asked him to join us for this episode whenever it happened. So today, we answer the question: What happens when a provocative filmmaker puts an excellent, straight actor in an elaborate fat suit and then films a stage play about it?  Plus, everyone shares some 2023 New Movie Year Resolut...

It’s the final episode of 2022! We start out with our annual MAXI AWARDS, and then move on to top 10 lists from each host. No matter what the haters say, it was a year of great movies — there’s only one film that appears on all three lists, and only three repeats in all. That’s a lot of best movies! Plus, we’ll close things out by looking forward to some of next year’s titles.  What’s Good Alonso...

Christmas-averse city boy Sam meets holiday-loving smalltown Jason…who can guess what might happen next? it’s a Hallmark Channel holiday movie first, and we’re here to dissect it in all its sweet, slapstick-y, romantic glory, with film and culture writer Justin Kirkland in (mistle)tow. Then, a double dose of Holiday Hotline calls , and the last Christmas Movie Minute of 2022! What’s Good Alonso -...

The pitch: “ Die Hard but Bruce Willis is Santa, Nakatomi Plaza is a rich lady’s house, and Hans Gruber is John Leguizamo. Also add in some Home Alone, a lot of bone-crushing, and jokes.” The pitch meeting might not have gone down exactly like that, but the resulting film is called Violent Night , and we’re talking about it today with the director of the new RLJE/Shudder/AMC holiday horror film Th...

Screenwriter and director Daniel Waters ( Heathers, Hudson Hawk, Batman Returns, Vampire Academy ) joins what he’s hoping will be a “wall-to-wall lovefest” for Bones and All , the cannibal love story starring former Ify Nwadiwe co-star Timothée Chalamet. Will one of our hosts rip his proverbial still beating heart from his chest? That’s the drama today on a very memorable episode of Max ™️. Then,...

Travel back in time to everyone’s favorite year, 2016, as the true story of reporters Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor’s exposé of Harvey Weinstein unfolds before your eyes. Plus, we go from movie news to news movies as we take a look back at the year in Film Twitter and then rip some movie plots from the headlines. And a Christmas Movie Minute! What’s Good? Alonso - Christmas Past by Brian Earl Drea...

We’re on our way to Wakanda this Thanksgiving weekend, by land and by sea. Aaron “Bear Cov” Covington, co-writer of Creed and Grand Crew , is our illustrious guest. Plus, it’s our Turkeys of the Year episode…spoiler alert: it’s heavy on CEOs!  What’s Good? Alonso - Turkey Tetrazzini ("think about tetrazzini: you'll be glad you did") Drea - Spirit Awards Nominations Cov - Sacramento Kings Ify - Esc...

Sebastián Lelio directs Florence Pugh, Tom Burke, and a beatific kiddo (Kila Lord Cassidy) in the new Netflix film, The Wonder. Then, we have Hall of Excellence results, a movie quiz about framing devices, and a Christmas Movie Minute. What’s Good Alonso - VHS Drea - Ravensburger puzzles within puzzles Leah - Wordle, kinda Ify - St Louis trip and package season ITIDIC Marcel the Shell With Shoes O...

Now streaming on AppleTV+ is the latest A24 release, the directorial debut of Lila Neugebauer. Set in New Orleans in the somewhat recent past, CAUSEWAY has a lot of pieces the gang loves. So, do they all come together into something screen-worthy? Let’s find out! What’s Good Mentions Alonso - Cap’n Crunch Christmas Crunch Drea - autumn in New York Ify - all the dumplings ITIDIC a.) Andy Serkis Wou...

No, it’s not the The Invitation that came out this year; we’re taking it back to 2016, when Karyn Kusama’s thoughtful thriller The Invitation was released in theaters. Drea’s away on set, but we’ve got three (sometimes four) Angelenos and a Brooklynite sharing their movie thoughts, as well as their tips for when and how to leave a sketchy party. Oh, and Karyn Kusama was born in Brooklyn! Later, Ma...

We’ve got film critic Robert Daniels to help us answer the hard-hitting questions about a film about the kind of gutwrenching true story you wish were pure fiction. Questions like: Did you want to see this movie? Then, we take a hotline call that brings in a healthy dose of Black Joy.  What’s Good Drea - wedding ridiculousness  Robert - awesome Chicago weather Ify - skincare ITIDIC Angelina Jolie...

Sometimes, when planning our Maximum Film! calendar, someone will text the group saying, “I just saw a movie and, hoo boy.” That’s how this episode was born. To help us on this horror journey, we have an expert guest, Nay Bever. Nay is an artist, a producer and interviewee on Queer for Fear , and co-host of Attack of the Queerwolf , and she gamely joins us to explain details like how Pinhead fits...

Comedian Steve Hernandez joins us to take a look at Universal's splashy gay rom-com. We talk about where it sits in queer cinema history and whether it delivered on its promises (of both the "rom" and "com" varieties). Then, we get some characters from movies past set up with podcasting narrators of their own. What’s Good Alonso - Retail Christmas season Steve - wedding planning, The Chatterbox ,...

Welcome to Victory, where the sinks are spotless, the wardrobes are flawless, and dinner is on the floor.  Depresh Mode's John Moe joins us to dissect Don't Worry Darling , a movie that is definitely a movie.  Then, we'll take a hotline call about directorial blank checks. What’s Good Alonso - Queer for Fear Drea - Law & Order Character Drea Clark (ep: “Battle Lines”) John - The return of Don’t Hu...

The Montana winter isn’t the only thing ice-cold and unrelenting in God’s Country , directed by newcomer Julian Higgins and starring Thandiwe Newton. We’ve got Vulture’s TV critic and film writer Roxana Hadadi along to unpack all that this indie is bringing us. (Btw, today’s conversation is relatively spoiler-free.) Then we’ll play a word quiz inspired by the title of this week’s movie. What’s Goo...

A lot of the fun of BARBARIAN is in the suspense of not knowing what to expect. So let’s just say: there’s this house. There are people there. And if you want to know more, see the movie, then listen to this special trio-only episode of MaxFilm! (Or, you can listen to the first segment, then skip to the last segment). Later, we’ll play a round of ScareBnB. What’s Good Alonso - Sprinkles’ “La Glori...

Enjoy this episode of the only podcast that gives you BOTH a capsule description of the Paramount Accords and personal childhood memories of an imaginary mermaid girlfriend. With special guests like television luminary writer/producer Bryan Fuller, who are also witness to all of the above in real time! You can't miss it. And you're not missing it, because here you are, reading the shownotes. Later...

We’ve had our eye on this one from its premiere at Sundance (!). Now, Adamma Ebo’s mockumentary, starring Sterling K. Brown and Regina Hall, has hit theaters and Peacock, with a period in its title and a lot more than pearl Prada on its mind. Later, we’ll nominate mockumentaries to the Hall of Excellence. What’s Good Alonso - Gratitude for the people in his life that let him rest and recuperate  D...

While Alonso's away, Drea and Ify have fellow MaxFun host Jordan Crucchiola ( Feeling Seen ) over to their New York mansion to wait out a hurricane...metaphorically speaking. The game -- er, movie -- of the hour is Halina Reijn's BODIES BODIES BODIES. It's A24's latest  horror venture and it stars a cast of 20-somethings (and Lee Pace) making a bloody mess.  Enjoy! Then, our trio swaps actors into...

A proven prequel director (Dan Trachtenberg), an excellent cast (led by Amber Midthunder), an original setting (1700s Comanche village), and one killer monster from space (Predator of course). Does all this add up to a movie worth “screen”-ing (whether you can or not)? Listen and find out! Then, we’ve got a hotline call about reimagining movies. All with She-Hulk writer Cody Ziglar! What’s Good Al...

It is not enough to ask, “is this movie like Smokin’ Aces ?” One must also ask, “how do you feel about Smokin’ Aces ?”  Love it or hate it, Bullet Train is a movie that is very much what it is. And what is it, exactly? Listen and we’ll explain to the best of our abilities. Plus, the gang invents their own assassin personas, all of which are just begging to be made into some kick-ass fan art.   [No...

During this year’s MaxFunDrive, we promised one lucky supporter the opportunity to choose a film for us to watch if we hit our goal. Well, hit it we did, and now (thanks to listener Andrea D.) this film is hitting our screens, and your ears! Will it be a hit with our favorite movie geniuses? Listen and learn! Plus: good news for us nerds…there will be a quiz! What’s Good Alonso - Physical Season 2...