Best Film Ever

Episode 303 - Mask (w/ BFF of the BFE: Ariannah who Loves BFE the Most)

Listen Later

“Sometimes the most beautiful things in life don’t make sense.”

Join Ian & Liam, along with BFF of the BFE: Ariannah (Who Loves BFE the Most™), for our 303rd episode as we ride through the heart and humanity of Peter Bogdanovich’s Mask (1985) — the moving, funny, and unforgettable story of Rocky Dennis, his extraordinary mother, and the people who refused to let difference define them.

This week we discuss:

  • How Mask walks the perfect line between sentiment and sincerity without tipping into melodrama.
  • Cher’s powerhouse performance — fierce, fragile, and absolutely magnetic but was she well directed (or even well written?)
  • Eric Stoltz’s stunning transformation and how the film lets his humanity shine through the prosthetics.
  • Why this might be the most compassionate film of the 1980s — and what it still teaches us about empathy today.
  • Ariannah joins us to talk about how disability and difference are portrayed on screen, and why this one hits harder than most.
  • The use of music (and that classic Springsteen debate) — how the soundtrack shapes the film’s emotional DNA.
  • We rip on Bogdanovich’s simplistic direction and how his brevity is far from the film's greatest strength.
  • Ian wonders whether the film’s emotional punches still land as powerfully for modern audiences.
  • We talk about how Mask redefined expectations for family drama and biopic storytelling.
  • And finally, whether Mask (1985) is the Best Film Ever — or just one of the most human films we’ve ever covered.

    • Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE.


    We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support:

    • Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM
    • Hermes Auslander
    • James DeGuzman
    • Synthia
    • Shai Bergerfroind
    • Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most
    • Andy Dickson
    • Chris Pedersen
    • Duane Smith (Duane Smith!)
    • Randal Silva
    • Nate The Great
    • Rev Bruce
    • Cheezy (with a fish on a bike)
    • Richard
    • Ryan Kuketz
    • Dirk Diggler
    • Stew from the Stew World Order podcast
    • NorfolkDomus
    • John Humphrey's Right Foot
    • Timmy Tim Tim
    • Aashrey
    • Paul Komoroski

      • Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/.

      Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor.

      Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/

      ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store
      Best Film EverBy Movie Podcast
      • 4.5
      • 4.5
      • 4.5
      • 4.5
      • 4.5

      4.5

      52 ratings

      More shows like Best Film Ever

      View all
      Pop Culture Happy Hour by NPR

      Pop Culture Happy Hour

      11,535 Listeners

      The Bill Simmons Podcast by The Ringer

      The Bill Simmons Podcast

      30,220 Listeners

      How Did This Get Made? by Earwolf and Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, Jason Mantzoukas

      How Did This Get Made?

      23,097 Listeners

      Last Podcast On The Left by The Last Podcast Network

      Last Podcast On The Left

      51,167 Listeners

      Filmspotting by Adam Kempenaar & Josh Larsen

      Filmspotting

      3,954 Listeners

      Mad About Movies by Mad About Movies

      Mad About Movies

      1,479 Listeners

      Shat the Movies: 80's & 90's Best Film Review by Shat on Entertainment

      Shat the Movies: 80's & 90's Best Film Review

      1,437 Listeners

      The Watch by The Ringer

      The Watch

      5,375 Listeners

      Blank Check with Griffin & David by Blank Check Productions

      Blank Check with Griffin & David

      6,142 Listeners

      The Rewatchables by The Ringer

      The Rewatchables

      13,947 Listeners

      Horror Movie Club by Horror Movie Club

      Horror Movie Club

      818 Listeners

      The Big Picture by The Ringer

      The Big Picture

      5,636 Listeners

      Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend by Team Coco & Earwolf

      Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend

      59,271 Listeners

      Bad Movies Rule! by Cowboy Jack Pictures

      Bad Movies Rule!

      338 Listeners

      The Prestige TV Podcast by The Ringer

      The Prestige TV Podcast

      1,680 Listeners