Grumpy Octopus

Happy October to you! The spooky season has begun, and so has our mini podcast of decidedly non-spooky movies. That's right, we're commencing with our collection of Curtis Convos, a sojourn into (some of) the films written by Richard Curtis.

First up is the big rom-com breakthrough for both Curtis and stalwart star Hugh Grant, Four Weddings and a Funeral. So many topics to be debated! Which wedding is best? Why don't our leads have any chemistry? Why isn't John Hannah in every movie? Most importantly, is it still raining? We really actually would like to know, please tell us, we wanted to have a picnic later today. Why won't you answer, Hugh? 

Enjoy!

Well, all good things must come to an end, and today marks the final episode of our Ryan Romps minicast. Never fear! We shall be back soon for the fall season with more rom-com discussion, but this is the last call for Meg herself. We're ending by traveling back to when it all really kicked off for her. That's right, we're talkin' When Harry Met Sally. The big one. If you haven't seen it, why are you reading this? Go watch it instead.

This is a movie that asks the real questions. Can men and women ever truly be friends? Yes, obviously. Can every type of food be ordered on the side? Apparently. Most importantly, is he ever going to leave her? Oh honey, no. These beloved characters may not have all the answers, but rest assured dear listeners, we do.

Listen in before you turn 40. It could happen any day now.

Woah! What year is it? Oh, it's 2026, August 14th to be precise, the perfect time for another episode of our Ryan Romps miniseries to drop. For a second, I thought it was 1876! Why, I must have fallen through a time portal just like Hugh Jackman in 2001's Kate & Leopold. The very movie we're discussing today! It must be fate.

Yes, listen in as we talk about a rom-com where the male lead spends a lot more time with his love interest's brother than he does with her, where Meg Ryan is at her most bitter and Hugh Jackman is at his most foppish, and where the time travel mechanics are not entirely clear but it mostly works anyway. The modern world is a real mess, but is it bad enough to convince Meg to run off with this 150 year old manic pixie dream boy? Obviously yes. But do we buy it? That's the real question.

Bonjour! A new episode of our Ryan Romps miniseries drops today, and we're headed to Paris for a most whimsical and romantic adventure. That's right, we're talking French Kiss! French Kiss, the beloved Meg Ryan/Kevin Kline collaboration? French Kiss, the movie that rocked the world? At least it did for one of our hosts. 

Say goodbye to Tom Hanks and thorny ethical rom-com dilemmas, say hello to Kevin Kline and breezy french-accented banter. Well ok, Kevin may have committed some light (and heavy) thievery, but is that really a crime? Jean Reno says yes! Forget all that, we're really here to talk about Meg Ryan and her multiple all-timer comedy moments. You'll have to listen in to discover what they are...

You've got mail! Or rather, a podcast. That's right, a new episode of our Ryan Romps miniseries is out today, completing the Tom Hanks Hat Trick. Goodbye, Tom, you've performed your duties well, but soon Meg will have new screen partners to work with, new pastures to discover. 

But first we conclude the Ryan/Hanks trilogy with...what else? You've Got Mail! It took three tries, but our intrepid protagonists will finally be spending an entire movie engaging in normal conversation. Albeit quite argumentative and bitter conversation.

Can hatred turn into love? Can love triumph over capitalist business practices? Is it wrong to pretend to be somebody else on the internet in order to get closer to that girl you're interested in? Yes to all three! But as to how we feel about all that, you'll have to listen in to find out.

Our summer of Ryan Romps continues today with Sleepless in Seattle! It's Ryan and Hanks together again, and if you liked their chemistry in Joe Versus The Volcano, oh boy, you won't be seeing it here, as they will not be meeting. Or having scenes together. Hmm.

Can a rom-com work if the leads spend almost the entire movie apart? What if a rom-com is secretly just a movie about sad people trying to find some hope for the future? Is that what all rom-coms are? All these questions and more will be thoroughly dissected by us this week. Listen in to discover the answers, we have them! 

And we're back! Today kicks off our summer mini podcast of Ryan Romps! What better way to follow up a series of rom-coms than by watching multiple Meg Ryan movies? By the end of the year, we'll know this genre inside and out.

We're starting with Joe Versus The Volcano! Spoilers: the first half of this miniseries will have a noticeable Tom Hanks focus as well (a Hanks Hat Trick, if you will). But worry not, in this movie he is outnumbered by 1, 2, count 'em, 3 Meg Ryans! And all with different accents. There's a lot to unpack here, in a movie that's quite unlike any we've previously covered.

Why not throw caution to the wind and join us? You only have one life after all. But heed the wise words of Meg: You don't have to jump into that volcano.

Hello hello! Today marks the final episode of our Meyers Marathon, focusing on 2015's The Intern. It's a funky little movie that proposes a hard hitting question: What if you were old and you had a job?

Ok, there may be a bit more to it than that. There's some family drama here, some crazy heist hijinks, possibly even romance (just a tiny bit). But really the main draw is Robert De Niro working for Anne Hathaway, giving out his old man life lessons on one hand and being introduced to Facebook on the other. Anyway, I'm not sure he even has a "job" really, just an internship. Are they paying him? I'm worried they're not paying him. He needs the money to buy more ties for his fancy tie rack, something you young people wouldn't know anything about, with your untucked shirts and loose collars!

Sorry, that sort of young people shaming is exactly the kind of behavior you won't see from Robert De Niro in this movie, since he's basically a total sweetie pie. Listen to the episode to hear us discuss his positive qualities at great length.

We're out of Nancy Meyers movies (for now), but we'll be back soon with more rom-com discussion, so keep an ear out!

Happy Friday, Loyal Listeners! It's time for another episode of our Meyers Marathon, focusing on 2009's It's Complicated. And boy, is it. Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, and Steve Martin are all here (to clarify, not on this podcast), and prepared to get themselves involved in many a farcical situation. This is the kind of movie that makes you think about the hard questions, questions like: When will Meryl's new kitchen be finished? How big will it be exactly? Can we see it?

Alas no, but some things are so beautiful that they could never be captured properly on screen anyway. At least we still have all that  wonderful Meryl food to look at. And some delightful low-stakes shenanigans to watch these characters fumble through. So many characters, what a big family Meryl has - hey, John Krasinksi is here! He's having fun, we're all having fun, nothing complicated about that. Look, it's a great time.

Still wish we could have seen that kitchen though.

Hello hello! It's been two weeks since our last episode, and we've recharged our talking batteries to podcast again. Hey, you know what else is a great way to spend two weeks? Perhaps try swapping houses with a stranger from another country! That's right, it's time for our Meyers Marathon to tackle The Holiday, perhaps the most beloved Meyers movie of them all. 

The Holiday is a gentle film about finding love and growth where you didn't expect it. Therefore, we will be pitting its various elements against each other in fierce combat. Whose house is better? In what country would you rather live? Cameron Diaz vs Kate Winslet? Jude Law vs Jack Black? Who will win?! Only one way to find out.

Enjoy listening, and remember that they're all richer than you anyway.