Episoder
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Itâs episode 401 and weâve reassembled, now with Kevin Avery at the helm. Back in the guest chair is the familiar voice of Jordan Morris, Maximum Fun superstar and writer of TV and comics. And the movie is Thunderbolts* , the MCUâs little gang of misfits film that just might have what it takes to make you feel again.** Then weâll have a movie quiz to test our memories of MCU Phases past.
Whatâs Good
Alonso - âmy first dump saladâ
Drea - WhatsApp + voicenotes = âfriendship podcastâ
Jordan - The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar
Kevin - Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John MandelITIDIC
Spike Leeâs New Film, Which Reunites Him With Denzel, To Premiere at CannesOscar Voters Have to Watch the Movies NowStaff Picks
Drea - Sacramento
Alonso - Godardâs King Lear (Wiki)
Kevin - Magic Mike XXL
Jordan - Black Bag*yes weâre still calling it that
**about Marvel movies specifically. General depression reduction not guaranteed. But hey, worth a shot!Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
Itâs been a long timeâŠand a sizeable chunk of this podcast! Weâre preparing a hell of a party this week, as we hit 400, Ify cruises into the sunset as host, and we finally cover the original supernatural drama that film nerd dreams are made of, Ryan Cooglerâs SINNERS. Weâve got past guest and IRL Ify bud Cody Ziglar riding shotgun this week to boot! And we dream up what some serious films might be like if we threw some vampires into the mix.
Whatâs Good
Alonso - Pineapple Upside-Down Cake (especially Nancy Silvertonâs)
Drea - âHow long does it actually takeâ TikToks
Zig - Tom Cruise coconut cake from Doanâs Bakery (+Ify mentions Kingâs rainbow cake)
Ify - NeotropolisIfyâs Staff Picks on Letterboxd
Ryan Coogler Aspect ratio video
Staff Picks
Alonso - Red Rooms
Drea - Let the Right One In (and Green Room)
Zig - Assault on Precinct 13 and From Dusk Till Dawn
Ify - From Dusk Till DawnThanks to our sponsor, Good Story Guild! Listen to In Media Res wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
Manglende episoder?
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Weâve got the fabulous Parvesh Cheena here, once again on the gaysian movie beat! This time around, itâs Andrew Ahnâs THE WEDDING BANQUET, which reimagines and modernizes the core story of a nearly unseeable 1993 Ang Lee film (maybe try your local library?). Itâs a complicated relationship comedy between two queer couples, and two of their matriarchs. Plus, we choose which classic films weâd like to see get a queer remake (besides all of them).
Whatâs Good
Alonso - TCM Festival
Drea - Drag Race finale, TV as a group activity
Parvesh - More Drag Race
Ify - Temptation Island (see also: Montoya Por Favor)ITIDIC
SINNERS is the first horror movie to receive an âAâ Cinema ScoreWickedâs VOD âBonus Featuresâ Are Getting Tons of PlaysStaff Picks
Drea - The Half of It
Alonso - Art for Everybody
Parv - A Nice Indian Boy
Ify - Crouching Tiger Hidden DragonSee Parvesh in Trauma Play at IAMA
Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
Our own Mr. January, Kevin Avery, joins the crew IRL (!!!) for an episode all about one of Ifyâs favorite movies, The Big Lebowski. With a foursome made up of half long-time Little Lebowskis and half newcomers to the film, weâre tackling a much-memorized Coen Classic with fresh(ish) eyes. Plus, some Very Big Show News and a rundown of movies we canât shut up about.
This in-studio episode happened because of members who supported Maximum Film! In the latest MaxFunDrive. Check out the video version of the episode on MaxFunâs YouTube page!
Whatâs Good
Alonso - Right-on pudding (Petit Pot)
Drea - Davy Mayerâs alder win in Madison, WI
Kevin - The Traitors UK
Ify - Latex jumpsuitITIDIC
Oscars Add a Category Honoring Stunts for 2027Meta and Blumhouse Are Bringing a Second Screen Experience to CinemasCinema Dedicated to LGBTQ+ Films Opens in LondonStaff Picks
Ify - The Amateur
Alonso - A Minecraft Movie
Kevin - Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One
Drea - Psycho Therapy: The Shallow Tale of a Writer Who Decided to Write About a Serial KillerFollow us on BlueSky, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
Naomi Watts, Bill Murray, and a Great Dane named Bing star alongside a lot of terrific character actors in this adaptation of the 2018 National Book Award-winning novel by Sigrid Nunez. Is it your run of the mill pet movie, or something more? While weâre (topically) in New York City, we thought weâd collect some nominees for the Hall of Excellence!
Whatâs Good
Alonso - Michael G. Leeâs biography of Randy Shilts, When the Band Played On
Drea - Miss Eggyâs live television moment
Ify - Wayfair delivery journeyITIDIC
Young Moviegoers Are Making a Ruckus at Minecraft Movie ScreeningsTangled Live-Action Remake Gets Put on PauseA New Arthouse Cinema is Opening in ManhattanHall of Excellence
Into the Spiderverse (possibly any Spiderman)
Sweet Smell of Success
Do the Right ThingStaff Picks
Drea - A NICE INDIAN BOY
Alonso - PLAY IT AS IT LAYS
Ify - MARLEY AND MEFollow us on BlueSky, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
Cate Blanchett, her wardrobe, Michael Fassbender, Rege-Jean Page, that house, Pierce BrosnanâŠthere are so many nice things to look at in Steven Soderberghâs new spy thriller, in theaters and already out on streaming now. The caper moves along, but does it move us? Find out with film critic and writer Kristen Lopez. Then we name some of our favorite movie marriages.
Whatâs Good?
Alonso - A stunt in the senate, finally
Drea - uptick in black cat adoption (thanks, Flow)
Kristen - Finishing Women in Love for her forthcoming book
Ify - Catsitting for Gotrek and FelixITIDIC
Sundance Moving to Boulder!Studios Making Money From Fake AI Trailers on YouTubeStaff Picks
Alonso - An Unfinished Film
Drea - The Ballad of Wallis Island
Kristen - The Goodbye Girl
Ify - LĂ©on: The ProfessionalFollow us on BlueSky, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
It's the end of the MaxFunDrive! Support this show directly (and any others on the network, if you wish!) at MaximumFun.org/join
We're covering a movie that started out as a noteworthy Sundance debut from director Elijah Bynum, but later became noteable for much less fun reasons. While we attempt to separate art from artist -- in this case, star Jonathan Majors -- the film's intensity and dark subject matter don't make that a simple task. We've got writer and comedian David Gborie with us to assist. Then, we go through some of the non-horror movies that most freaked us out.
Whatâs Good
Alonso - Luke Macfarlaneâs Home Is Where the Heart Is
Drea - Nature videos for cats as background
David - PM Dawn Radio while cycling
Ify - Buff dudeâs morning routine video (and comments)ITIDIC
âCoyote vs. Acmeâ May Be Rescued from WB Purgatory After AllHollywood Director Charged with Defrauding Netflix for $11mEmerald Fennellâs âWuthering Heightsâ Being Shot in VistavisionStaff Picks
Drea - Teddy Bear
Alonso - On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
David - Polite Society
Ify - Pumping IronFollow us on BlueSky, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
For way, way, way more Bonus Content, become a member! All you have to do is go to MaxiumumFun.org/join. Your membership money goes straight to the creators of the podcasts you love!
With Ify Nwadiwe, Drea Clark, Alonso Duralde, and Stuart Wellington (of The Flop House).
Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
Now's the time to join us and help us keep the show rolling: maximumfun.org/join!
Is an "American" Bong Joon-ho movie a different beast than a "Korean" Bong Joon-ho movie? We have friend of the show. #1 Drea fan, and New Yorker TV critic Inkoo Kang with us to consider the possibilities. Then we pitch a few more movies that could benefit from Mickey 17's "multiples" treatment.
What's Good?
Alonso - Frozen puff pastry
Inkoo - end-of-winter coziness appreciation
Drea - Lee Meridithâs ZineITIDIC
Utahâs Hopes Of Keeping Sundance Threatened By Anti-Pride Flag BillSAG-AFTRA Reaffirms Commitment to DiversityStaff Picks
Inkoo - Klute
Alonso - Mickey One
Drea - Bob Trevino Likes ItInkoo freaks should head to inkoo.substack.com!
Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
Itâs not MaxFunDrive without a wild kickoff spectacular! Former real-life VJ and host of MTV's Spring Break 1999, Dave Holmes, takes your favorite MaxFun hosts through some wacky â90s- and Spring Break-themed mini games!!
Featuring: Dave Holmes, Jeremy Bent, Oscar Montoya, Dimitry Pompée, Tom Lum, Ellen Weatherford, Alex Schmidt, Brenda Snell, Drea Clark, Alonso Duralde, Dan McCoy, Jordan Morris, Manolo Moreno, Ella Hubber, Caroline Roper, Ella McLeod, John-Luke Roberts, Justin McElroy, Clint McElroy, Mike Cabellon, Sierra Katow, Hal Lublin, Danielle Radford, John Moe, Christian Dueñas, Christian Duguay
Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
Weâre commemorating the 25th anniversary of the time director Mary Harron and co-writer Guinevere Turner adapted AMERICAN PSYCHO for the screen and tossed in an extra dose of feminist rage and humor, with the help of Christian Bale and a stunning cast of your favorite character actors. With Stuart Wellington of The Flop House! Then, weâll work together to try and name the top 10 domestic box office movies of 2000.
Whatâs Good
Alonso - âa strong nameâ at Gusto Bread
Drea - Farmacyâs The Honey Grail
Stuart - Triangle Agency Rulebook
Ify - JoCo CruiseITIDIC
âIRL Movie Clubâ Encourages Cinema-going & ConversationâHundreds of Beaversâ Crosses $1 Million at the Box OfficeAppleTV+ Turned Down Offers to Release Killers of the Flower Moon on BlurayStaff Picks
Alonso - Charlie Says
Drea - Eephus
Stuart - Blue Steel
Ify - The Perfect StormStuartâs Twitch
Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
Sylvester Stewart, aka Sly Stone, aka the driving force behind Sly and the Family Stone, makes a complex subject for Ahmir âQuestloveâ Thompsonâs latest documentary, SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius). Music and pop culture writer/professor (and one time co-host of MaxFun alumna podcast Heat Rocks) Oliver Wang is with us to take a closer look. Then we'll give Questlove some (probably unneeded, but good!) ideas for his next doc.
Whatâs Good
Drea - painting You Tube channels
Oliver - The Altons, Heartache in Room 14
Alonso - Woodworking by Emily St. JamesITIDIC
Oscars 2025 WinnersSean Bakerâs acceptance speech (re: theatrical experience)CinemaStream parody adMany DVDs from Warner Bros No Longer WorkMore about the Interrotron
Staff Picks
Drea - Searching for Sugar Man
Oliver - The Karate Kid
Alonso - Grand Theft HamletOliverâs Upcoming Exhibit: Cruising J-Town: Behind the Wheel of the Nikkei Community
Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
Finally, years after taking the reins from Steve Rogers, Anthony Mackieâs Sam Wilson finally gets his turn on the big screen. And heâs being asking to work with an impulsive, angry president with a history of abuse of power. Sounds like some juicy fodder, right? Right, Disneyâs Marvel?? Austin Taylor from Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries joins us to unpack whatâs going on. Then, we name some favorite âfunâ movies that have something important to say.
Whatâs Good?
Alonso - Rachel Maddow chastising MSNBC over Joy Reid
Drea - Jane Fondaâs SAG Life Achievement Acceptance Speech
Austin - Beating strangers at Magic (the Gathering)
Ify - Timotheeâs SAG speechITIDIC
Spirit Awards Recap!Amazon Now Has Creative Control of James Bond FranchiseNicole Kidman has worked with 19 Female Directors in the past 8 yearsStaff Picks
Alonso - The Spook Who Sat By the Door
Drea - Soundtrack to a Coup DâEtat
Austin - Princess Mononoke
Ify - Air Force OneFollow us on BlueSky, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
Could there be a tougher act to follow than Paddington 2? With a new director, a new Mrs. Brown, and a new continent to explore, weâll see if this bear is able to reach his former heights. Weâre joined by writer and film critic Abby Olcese, whose new book is called Films for All Seasons.
Whatâs Good
Alonso - 25th anniversary of Coyote Ugly (and the fire benefit screening of it)
Drea - hair brushing
Abby - cat cuddles and True/False Film Fest
Ify - Minnesota tripITIDIC
Awards Season in Full Swing, with BAFTAs, WGA Awards, and HMU Awards all Last WeekendDisney+ Rewording, Shortening Its Content Warnings on Old FilmsNEON Still Sends Out a Coveted DVD Box Set of ScreenersWKUK sketch referenced (totally legally)
Hall of Excellence Nominees
Drea: Logan
Alonso: Goldfinger
Abby: Die Hard With a Vengeance
Ify: Toy Story 3Staff Picks
Alonso: âŠCoyote Ugly
Drea: Jazzy
Abby: Universal Language
Ify: FlowFollow us on BlueSky, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
It's the latest star turn for former Ify Nwadiwe co-star Timothée Chalamet! We're joined by musician and educator Enrique Chi (of the appropriately-named band Making Movies) with us to share notes on the Bob Dylan origin story that isn't really an origin story at all. Then we'll have fun pitching our own ideas for musical biopics.
Whatâs Good
The Super Bowl was onâŠTubi (and here was Tubiâs ad)Princeâs Estate Has Blocked the Release of a New DocumentaryPharrell and Gondry Musical Scrapped
Alonso - Erotic Vagrancy by Roger Lewis
Drea - 5Calls.org
Enrique - arts as public health
Ify - youngest brotherâs bachelor weekendâThe Prince We Never Knewâ (Sasha Weissâs NYT article)
Staff Picks
Alonso - Iâm Not There
Drea - Suze
Enrique - Quincy
Ify - SelenaCheck out Enriqueâs band, Making Movies
Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
From a fun little Cannes oddity to an Oscar mega-nomineeâŠand (ahem) beyond, EMILIA PĂREZ has had quite the journey. Itâs also made the journey into the eyeballs of our three hosts and their esteemed guest, writer (of essays, books, TV, and now a novel!) Emily St. James. Everyone lived to tell the tale, but not in songâŠbut donât worry, we have musical content in the form of a movie quiz about movie musicals that sound unmakeable.
Whatâs Good
Alonso - weekly Christmas cookie trials
Drea - Bookshop.org now has e-books (Preorder Woodworking by Emily St. James!)
Emily - Woodworking :: Sabrina Carpenter
Ify - Being back!B.J. Colangeloâs Slashfilm article (referenced by Ify)
Staff Picks
Alonso - Iâm Still Here
Drea - Companion
Emily - You Are Not Me
Ify - Johanne SacrebleuPodcast Like Itâs the 2000s
Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
THE BRUTALIST has been catching accolades, awards noms, and headlines. But who is LĂĄszlĂł TĂłth? What's the deal with Brutalism? And is any movie worth 215 minutes of your life? These answers and more, with Kendra Gaylord, architecture YouTuber and host of Someone Lived Here. Plus, Oscars chat, and we talk about the movie houses we'd most like to move into.
What's Good?
Alonso - the rise of the repertory screening
Drea - secret safeword party
Kendra - USPS announces Goodnight Moon stamps
Marissa - cinephile babysitting friend Will
Kevin - Lego therapyJohn Lautnerâs Garcia House
BOOM!âs Villa Goforth
Kendraâs Witch House VideoStaff Picks
Drea - The New Bauhaus
Alonso - Columbus
Kevin - The Court Jester
Kendra - The House FromâŠThis episode is hosted by Kevin Avery. THANK YOU, KEVIN!
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With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
Did Keke crush it and SZA sizzle?! This is but one question on this weekâs show. Another? Plus, âDrea, Alonso and Kevin bring on âBring It Onââ is a sentence that makes little to no sense. It will make more sense after you listen to the episode. Fine. They reveal the female buddy comedies that made each of them LOL. But literally made them laugh out loud.
Whatâs Good
Alonso - Electronic Frontier Foundation article Mad at Meta?
Drea - Ayoh Dill Pickle Mayo
Kevin - Beetle House
ITIDIC
Film and TV Production In L.A. Was Already Plummeting. Wildfires May Hasten the ExodusDavid LynchStaff Picks
Drea - Unstoppable
Alonso - Presence
Kevin - Captain America: Winter Soldier
Mentioned in the episode
Kyle MacLachlan NYT obit for David Lynch
Dungeons & Dragons Twenty-Sided Tavern
Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher
Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
With a city in flames, four individuals come together to confront Hard Truths.
Kirby Howell-Baptiste (âThe Good Placeâ, âKilling Eveâ) joins us from London to talk Mike Leighâs latest film âHard Truthsâ. Wildfires have claimed historic Hollywood landmarks. And movies that capture the locations theyâre set in perfectly.
Whatâs Good
Alonso - Watch Duty app
Drea - An âadult Scholastic book fairâ
Kirby Howell-Baptiste - Tina Liffordâs book The Little Book of Big Lies
Kevin - Kindness
ITIDIC
Hollywood landmarks destroyed by the firesAwards Shows Postponed due to the firesMovies That Capture Locations Perfectly
Kirby - Uncut Gems & Shaun of the Dead
Alonso - True Stories & Dr. T and the Women
Drea - Young Adult and Nebraska
Kevin - Beat Street
Staff Picks
Alonso - Career Girls
Drea - Sing Sing and Grand Theft Hamlet
Kevin - Spy Game
Kirby - We Strangers
Follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Kevin AveryKirby Howell-Baptiste
Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura SwisherFollow us on BlueSky, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
Itâs Maximum Horny on todayâs Maximum Film. We are looking at the 2024 erotic thriller(?), Babygirl, starring Nicole Kidman, written and directed by Halina Reijn. Our returning guest today is filmmaker, writer, comedian, and the host of the Itâs Always Halloween Podcast, LucĂ© Tomlin-Brenner.
Whatâs Good:
Alonso - Squid Games
Drea - The 2024 Haterâs Guide To The Williams-Sonoma Catalog
Lucé - Keeping Letterboxd Clean in 2025
Kevin - The Bob Bakker Maronite theater
This Week's ITIDICs:
1. Melania Trump Documentary Directed By Brett Ratner Bound For Prime Video
2. Netflix Is Telling Writers to Dumb Down Shows Since Viewers Are on Their Phones
3. If you cry while watching movies, it is probably a sign of your emotional strength
Staff Picks:Drea - Good Luck To You Leo Grand
Alonso - Hope Springs
Lucé - Secret Ceremony
Kevin - The Lookout
Plugs!Listen to Itâs Always Halloween!
Check out more of LucĂš!
Have Yourself A Movie Little Christmas
Iâll Be Home For Christmas Movies
Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher - Vis mere
