Episodes
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We are taking a look at A24’s 2024 spiritual horror film, Heretic, starring Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, and Chloe East about two Mormon missionaries whose faith is tested by a seemingly awkward, but polite man. Plus we look at more movies about playing games. Oh No, Ross and Carrie's Ross Blocher joins us.
What’s Good:
Alonso - Direct action and act locally
Drea - SKINCARE (medicube collagen overnight wrap and peel facial mask pack!)
Ross - Moana 2
Ify - Flyover Comedy Festival in St. Louis this weekend!
ITIDIC:
1. ‘Wicked’ Dolls: Mattel Apologizes for Mistakenly Linking to Adult Porn Site on Packaging
2. Mubi Cancels Turkish Film Festival Over Istanbul City Hall ‘Queer’ Ban
3. Sean Baker Says the Fight for Theatrical Before Streaming Is Now a Permanent Battle
Christmas Movie Minute:
Red OneFive Golden RingsSanta Tell MeHolidazed (series)Unwrapping ChristmasMistletoe MurdersStaff Picks:
Drea - Conclave
Alonso - Meet Me Next Christmas
Ross - Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
Ify - SLC Punk
Plugs!
Oh No, Ross And Carrie on Facebook!
Have Yourself A Movie Little Christmas
I’ll Be Home For Christmas Movies
Follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Ify NwadiweProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
We are taking a look at the new Steve McQueen film Blitz, the 2024 historical war drama starring Saoirse Ronan as Rita, a single mother, working in a bomb factory, and introducing Elliot Heffernan as her son, George. Plus we look at other films where characters go on a journey to find their way home again.
What’s Good:
Alonso - Phyllis theme song
Drea - “John” sign, NYC marathon
Ify - Landmark Theatres
ITIDIC:
1. Jennifer Lopez & Anthony Ramos Mattel Animated Movie ‘Bob The Builder’ Heading To Amazon MGM Studios – The Dish
2. China’s Hishow Acquires ‘Megalopolis’; Ramps Up Slate Of Prestige Festival Titles For China Release
3. Hallmark Holiday Stars Won’t Be Ignored by Hollywood Anymore: ‘I Treat Each Production Like a Martin Scorsese Film’
Christmas Movie Minute:
Best Christmas Pageant EverSudden Case of ChristmasMy Sweet Austrian HolidayOur Holiday StoryHoliday MismatchStaff Picks:
Alonso - Christmas Eve in Miller's Point
Drea - Their Finest/My Old Ass
Ify - Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Plugs!
Have Yourself A Movie Little Christmas
I’ll Be Home For Christmas Movies
Follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Ify NwadiweProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
Missing episodes?
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We are taking a look at Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut, Woman of the Hour, the new Netflix movie focusing on the true story about serial killer Rodney Alcala’s 1978 appearance on The Dating Game. Plus we look at other true crime stories dramatized on film. Lucy Fitzgerald from Wine & Crime joins us.
What’s Good:
Alonso - End of Daylight Savings Time
Drea - Memorizing Geography
Lucy - Going to Italy
Ify - Magic-Con
ITIDIC:
Newsom calls for big boost in funding for California’s film and TV tax credit, throwing Hollywood a lifelineNicole Kidman Says She’s Acting in So Many Projects Because ‘I Can Create Jobs for People’ and Help Newcomers in Hollywood‘Oregon Trail’ Action-Comedy Movie In Development at AppleChristmas Movie Minute:
Hallmark MysteryChristmas CharadeFive Year Christmas PartySee You Next ChristmasStaff Picks:
Alonso - Chasing Chasing Amy
Drea - A Real Pain
Lucy - True Crime Bullshit & Somewhere In The Pines
Ify - Don’t Breathe
Plugs!
Listen to Wine & Crime
Have Yourself A Movie Little Christmas
I’ll Be Home For Christmas Movies
Follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Ify NwadiweProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
Anora is a 2024 romantic-comedy (?) written and directed by Sean Baker (Tangerine, The Florida Project), starring Mikey Madison as stripper Anora Mikheeva, and follows her beleaguered romance with Vanya (Mark Eidelstein), the son of a Russian Oligarch. All that and a discussion of other films portraying sex work.
What’s Good:
Alonso - Christmas Movie Magic: The Game!
Drea - A freshly, deep-cleaned fan (Doing the one small thing).
Ify - Benadryl and When We Were Young
ITIDIC:
Alien: Romulus is Bringing Its Terror to VHS in DecemberMeta Teams with Blumhouse to Test Movie Gen AI ToolWho Needs Critics When You Have Influencers?Staff Picks:
Alonso - Piece By Piece
Drea - Compartment No. 6
Ify - Smile 2
Plugs!
Come see The Fog and hear Alonso talk about it on October 27th at The Frida Cinema!
Have Yourself A Movie Little Christmas
I’ll Be Home For Christmas Movies
Follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Ify NwadiweProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
The Substance is a 2024 body horror film written and directed by French filmmaker Coralie Farageat, starring Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, and Dennis Quaid. The film follows a recently displaced celebrity who decides to take a secret drug that temporarily creates a younger version of herself with unexpected side effects. All that and a discussion of films that make you squirm. The one and only Katya Zamolodchikova joins us.
What’s Good:
Alonso - Christmas Movie Ultimate Trivia Book by Neal E. Fischer
Drea - Friend Trip!
Katya - Woman of the Hour
Ify - Biqtch Puddin Substance drag performance
ITIDIC:
Dueling Taylor Swift/Travis Kelce-inspired films set to debut this fall on Lifetime and HallmarkHarrison Ford Says Avoiding Marvel Roles is "Silly" When MCU Films Provide "Good Experiences for an Audience," Calls the Death of Movie Stars "Rubbish"Elon Musk accused of copying designs by I, Robot directorStaff Picks:
Alonso - Basketcase
Drea - Anora
Katya - Candyman (1992)
Ify - Margaret Qualley
Plugs!
Go see Katya live in your city (Trixie And Katya Live)!
This weekend, see Alonso during the Deck The Hallmark marathon!
Follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Ify NwadiweProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
Joker: Folie à Deux is the 2024 follow-up to 2019’s Joker. Directed again by Todd Phillips (of The Hangover fame originally), it stars Joaquin Phoenix (reprising the Oscar-winning role as Arthur Fleck), joined by musician-turned-actor Lady Gaga, playing the iconic comic book character Lee Quinzel aka Harley Quinn. All that and discussion of other musical moments in “none-musicals.”
What’s Good:
Alonso - Sally Field gets real.
Drea - LA Voterguide 2024
Ify - Corn telethon to fight Project 2025
ITIDIC:
Airline apologises after R-rated Dakota Johnson film played to all passengersToxic Fandom: How Hollywood Is Battling Fans Who Are ‘Just Out for Blood’ — From Social Media Boot Camps to Superfan Focus GroupsDisney’s ‘Princess Diaries 3’ Gets Royal Treatment, Sets Adele Lim As DirectorStaff Picks:
Alonso - Terrifier 3
Drea - Casa Bonita Mi Amor
Ify - Chicago (2002)
Plugs!
Purchase Corpses, Fools and MonstersThe History and Future of Transness in Cinema
Follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Ify NwadiweProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
Will & Harper is a 2024 American documentary film directed by Josh Greenbaum and follows Will Ferrell and Harper Steele as the duo made a 17-day road trip across the United States discussing Harper’s transition, and their friendship. All that and discussion of other iconic friendships in cinema. Film Critic and Essayist, Willow Maclay joins us!
What’s Good:
Alonso - Texas State Fair
Drea - Free Covid tests
Willow - Spooky double features at The Brattle on October 8th and 9th
Ify - Wasteland Festival
ITIDIC:
James Cameron Joins Board of Stability AI in Coup for Tech FirmSAG-AFTRA Launches Bid to Organize Intimacy CoordinatorsLionsgate Offering Employees Voluntary Severance Amid “Disrupted Business Environment”Staff Picks:
Alonso - Tea With The Dames
Drea - It's What's Inside
Willow - The Silence of The Lambs
Ify - The Substance
Plugs!
Purchase Corpses, Fools and MonstersThe History and Future of Transness in Cinema
Follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Ify NwadiweProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
After undergoing facial-reconstructive surgery, Edward becomes fixated on an actor in a stage production based on his former life. That’s the setup for A Different Man starring Sebastian Stan, written and directed by Aaron Schimberg. All that and a discussion of best plays-within-films from movie history. Writer and film critic Kristen Lopez joins us!
What’s Good:
Alonso - Kelly Bishop, The Third Gilmore Girl
Drea - zackfox.com
Kristen - finally ready to start Spooky Season
Ify - Ranting for a good cause (fundraising for Ysabel Jorado campaign)
ITIDIC:
Major Cineplexes Plan $2 Billion UpgradeMagic: the Gathering Animated Series Hits the Restart Button with New ShowrunnerSaiorse Ronan Could Make Oscar HistoryStaff Picks:
Alonso - In the Summers
Drea - Rez Ball
Kristen - The Wild Robot
Ify - The Substance
kristenklopez.com
Ticklish Business
Plugs!
See In The SummersWatch Rez Ball
Watch Hollywood Black
Watch The Mirror Game
See Alonso in Dallas with The Last of Sheila (9/26)
Watch Drea’s A New York StoryFollow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram
Follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Ify NwadiweProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
An 18 year old scores a phone number...for herself at 39. That's the soft sci-fi hook of Megan Park's second movie, a coming of age story that is very much of this era, even if it has its eyes on the future. All that and a discussion of best and worst older/younger character casting choices. Plus, big life news from Producer Marissa, who joins in as an all-episode guest this time around.
What’s Good
Alonso - Agatha All Along
Drea - Moo Dang the baby pygmy hippo in Thailand
Marissa - English Teacher
Ify - painting Warhammer guys and thinkingITIDIC
Sundance Narrows Down Its List of Potential Venues to 3 Cities
Tyler the Creator Making His Movie Debut in Josh Safdie’s A24 Table Tennis MovieStaff Picks
Drea - His Three Daughters
Alonso - Seconds
Marissa - Between the Temples
Ify - Freaky Friday (2003)Plugs!
Listen to Feeling Seen
Watch The Mirror Game
Listen to Sweet Valley Diaries
See Alonso in Dallas with The Last of Sheila (9/26)
Watch Drea's A New York StoryFollow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Ify NwadiweProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
We go into a whole song and dance this week over Tim Burton's new BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE,. with Riley Silverman as our special guest. Then we'll remember (and suggest) some movies that made/would make for pretty bizarre Saturday Morning cartoons.
What’s Good
Alonso - Big Ice Cubes™
Drea - Ross Taylor’s NYC exhibit, A knowing History
Riley - Reading streak
Ify - Chris Tucker’s protection of his carITIDIC
a.) Almodovar’s Latest Wins the Golden Lion
b). Happy Gilmore 2 is “Officially In Production”
c). James Earl Jones Passes Away at 93Staff Picks
Drea - ROBOT DREAMS
Alonso - CLOSE YOUR EYES
Riley - ELEMENTAL
Ify - SCREAMFollow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Ify NwadiweProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
Naomi Ackie and Channing Tatum lead an ensemble cast of blissful (and, for a while, blissfully unaware) island-timers in mind- and genre-bending new movie BLINK TWICE. Amber Benson (filmmaker, writer, and actor) joins us to uncover the secrets of Slater King’s mysterious island. Then we do a movie quiz about actors who’ve dabbled (and then some) in directing.
What’s Good
Alonso - general food quality in Italy/Europe
Drea - the Paralympics (and the release of A New York Story!)
Amber - pugs
Ify - traveling to London for his show at Leicester Square TheatreITIDIC
TikTok May Be Driving More Folks to TheatersCalifornia Senate Passes a Law Requiring Consent for AI Replicas of Deceased ActorsStaff Picks
Alonso - Lover of Men
Drea - Rebel Ridge (and A New York Story!)
Amber - The Last of Sheila
Ify - Skywalkers: A Love StorySlayers: A Buffyverse Story on Audible
Follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Ify NwadiweProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
A book adaptation with cast of leading ladies to die for, three life stories, and only two hours to get it all out! We've got the smart and radiant Shar Jossell (newly elected President of NABJLA!) here with us to fill in the gaps. Then, we pitch some movies of our own, about unexpected celebrities in unexpected places.
What’s Good
Alonso - WHAMMY!
Drea - Photobook from Gidget
Shar - Strawberry horchata smoothie
Ify - LARP Bar with Amanda Turner in AustinITIDIC
Now Entering the Streaming Service Arena…Chick-fil-A?
Lionsgate Gets Into Trouble With Megalopolis TrailerStaff Picks
Alonso - Something New
Drea - Tokyo Cowboy
Shar - Waiting to Exhale
Ify - Caligula: The Ultimate CutFollow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Ify NwadiweProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
We’re getting into that 2008 headspace with Sean Wang’s narrative feature debut, Dìdi. Then, a not-quite-a-Hotline “call” from Marissa about movies that showcase how media worked in the past.
What’s Good
Alonso - a nice, cold meal
Drea - her movie to screen in White Bear Lake, MN
Ify - meeting Alonso’s nephew at a CommandFestITIDIC
Despicable Me Director On Idea of Live-action Minions Movie: “God I Hope Not”James Gunn Doubts There Will Be Much Need for Reshoots on his SupermanBorderlands Is Headed to Streaming Like, NowStaff Picks
Drea - Eighth Grade
Alonso - Close to You
Ify - North Hollywood, mid90sIfy’s FBI Story
Follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Ify NwadiweProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
It’s a thriller. It’s a Josh Hartnett vehicle. It’s…a comedy? But is it the kind of trap you want to fall into, or the kind you want to avoid? Our mileage varies, but one thing is for sure: cinema yappers and movie snitches are both likely to get bonechilling glares from a MaxFilm host. We’ve got culture writer and film critic Fran Hoepfner along for these Shyamal-antics, plus a hotline question about memorable moviegoing experiences.
What’s Good
Alonso - Imane Khelif’s gold medal, but really her cyberbullying lawsuit
Drea - Seeing Ify in a short, but really her new movie, A New York Story!
Fran - Albero dei Gelati yellow bell pepper gelato
Ify - Gundams survived the big quakeITIDIC
At D23, An Announcement about…Nine Inch Nails?Dominic Sessa will play Anthony BourdainJoaquin Phoenix Made an 11th-Hour Exit from the next Todd Haynes FilmStaff Picks
Alonso - The Stepfather
Drea - Jackpot! (also Virgin Suicides)
Fran - Rap World
Ify - The FacultyAlonso Duralde presents No Time for Love at the Los Feliz 3
Fran on Letterboxd
Leave us a Hotline message!
Follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Ify NwadiweProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
Colman Domingo does it again, this time alongside a cast of mostly real-life former participants in the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program at Sing Sing penitentiary. The Boston Globe's Odie Henderson is with us to take a closer look at a film that is, in fact, one of A24's latest. Then, a movie quiz that is much sillier than the film at hand!
What’s Good
Alonso - Hollywood Black on MGM+
Drea - time with friends in the Midwest
Odie - “Blaxploitation, Baby!” Film Festival at Film Forum
Ify - Naomi getting into CoraQuestITIDIC
Britney Spears Biopic Set at Universal
On Hot Ones, Vince Vaughn Predicts the Return of R-Rated Comedies
Tom Cruise Rumored to Be Doing a Hollywood Stunt to Mark Handoff of Summer GamesDouble Trouble on Letterboxd
Staff Picks
Alonso - Daughters
Drea - Jockey
Odie - Quiz Show
Ify - LifeFollow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Ify NwadiweProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
This week, Ify is reunited with the host of Very Important People, but not dressed as a purple alien this time, AND Alonso gets to meet the star of his favorite Hallmark movie of last year (Round and Round)...and oh hey, it’s the same person, TWISTER superfan Vic Michaelis! It’s all in celebration of some tornado chasin’ (and Glen Powell in the rain in a white t-shirt) in Lee Isaac Chung’s TWISTERS!
Then, we get our Hall of Excellence results (Best Time Travel Movie) and we fantasize about our dream 4DX experiences. Ify even predicts some 4DX news about TWISTERS!
What’s Good
Alonso - weaponizing “creepy”
Drea - Regional ads
Ify - Comic-Con speed run
Vic - the repartee?Staff Picks
Drea - My Old Ass
Alonso - Faye
Vic - Twisters, Rachel
Ify - American HoneyEquality Florida
Follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Ify NwadiweProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
Today we're taking a look at a movie from director Luke Gilford that started out as a book of photographs taken on the Gay Rodeo circuit and became a lot more. It's NATIONAL ANTHEM, with EUROVANGELISTS' own Oscar Montoya as our very special guest! Plus, we're naming favorite instances of drag on film and pitching fresh Westerns that deserve that angel investor capital.
What’s Good
Alonso - McConnell’s x See’s Candy Ice Cream Collab
Drea - Minnesota State Fair’s “Fried Ranch”
Oscar - Platform Crocs
Ify - going to the beach (esp Carbon, Zuma)/ “listening to me”Drag Moment Movie Mentions
See them as a Letterboxd List!Sylvia Scarlett
Some Like it Hot
Yentl
Victor/Victoria
Bugs Bunny
Port Authority
Romeo + Juliet
To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar
LegendCole Escola’s “Our Home Out West”
Staff Picks
Alonso - Small Town Gay Bar
Drea - A Quiet Place: Day One (and Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe)
Oscar - Hellzapoppin’
Ify - Boys in the Sand (FYI: NSFW)Follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Ify NwadiweProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
Listener Harrison gave us a great shortlist of films to choose from this year – a prize Harrison became eligible for by supporting the show at MaximumFun.org/join. We went with Nahnatchka Khan’s slasher comedy from last year, TOTALLY KILLER (starring Kiernan Shipka as a teen who ends up back in time and tries to catch a murderer…before the murderer catches her! That inspires our latest slate of Hall of Excellence nominees: Best Time Travel Movie. (Vote for your winner at facebook.com/groups/maximumfilm before July 29, 2024).
What’s Good
Alonso - Not watching the news
Drea - cat ordeal over at last
Ify - WHOOP bandHall of Excellence Nominees
Alonso - Time After Time
Drea - Peggy Sue Got Married
Ify - InterstellarStaff Picks
Drea - The Final Girls
Alonso - Let It Snow
Ify - The BlackeningFollow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Ify NwadiweProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
The third installment of Ti West's maybe-a-trilogy, MaXXXine follows up on the bloody sagas of X and Pearl. And it does so in 1980s LA drag. Writer and critic Sarah Gorr joins us to share her big feelings about it! Then most of us take a Hotline email about introductions to horror for the horror-averse.
What’s Good
Alonso: Corpses, Fools and Monsters by Willow Maclay and Caden Gardner
Drea: European election relief
Sarah: Sister’s first visit to LA
Ify: Sundresses, day parties…etcITIDIC
John Cena is Retiring from the WWEToho Will Release My Hero Academia: You’re Next in the USMark Ruffalo Got The Avengers Cast Together to Dub the Film in the Lakota LanguageStaff Picks
Alonso - FTA
Drea - Dandelion
Sarah - Mother, Couch
Ify - A Nightmare on Elm StreetSarah’s Letterboxd list, “Horror 101"
Follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Ify NwadiweProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher -
Director Erica Tremblay's narrative feature debut stars Lily Gladstone and Isobel Deroy-Olson as an aunt and niece on the Seneca-Cayuga rez. After a long search for distribution, it's finally found its home on AppleTV+. We'll tell you why you should look out for it, and then round out the aunt-ly experience with a movie quiz all about the Aunts of Cinema.
What's Good
Alonso - the hand fan
Drea - Diet Cherry Ginger Ale ("Fruit Splash")
Ify - not the hockey clinic, but Arizona Hard Iced TeaITIDIC
IATSE and Studios Reach a Tentative AgreementWicked Release Moved Up to Nov 22 – The Same Weekend as Gladiator 2World’s Largest Screen X Auditorium to Open at a New Jersey Mega-MallStaff Picks
Alonso - Catch the Fair One
Drea - Frybread Face and Me
Ify - Sorry to Bother YouLook out for: Justin Simien’s BLACK HOLLYWOOD on MGM+
Alonso's screening in TennesseeFollow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram
With
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Ify NwadiweProduced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher - Show more
