MacGuffin Podcast

This week we try to round up a few year-end releases with reviews for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," a new bloody adaptation of Shakespeare's "Macbeth" and the recession-era dramatic comedy "The Big Short." At the end of the show we review the 2010 survival drama "The Way Back" for our Netflix Homeowork.Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailerThe Big Short trailerMacbeth trailer

This week we discuss Ron Howard's new film "In The Heart of the Sea," based on the real account that inspired "Moby Dick." We also talk about the Golden Globe nominations and Katheryn Bigelow's new terrorist recruitment drama for HBO, alongside her old writing partner Mark Boal's involvement with this year's season of the popular podcast Serial. At the end of the show we try to make sense of the Netflix original special, "A Very Murray Christmas." A Very Murray Christmas trailerIn The Heart of the Sea trailer

This week's episode we get in a heated debate about the new holiday-themed horror-comedy "Krampus," of all movies. We also answer letters, discuss Luc Besson's developing 183-million dollar sci-fi project, and at the end of the show we review the documentary "Dark Star: H.R. Giger's World" for our Netflix homework.Krampus trailerDark Star: H.R. Giger's World trailer

Leland Brungardt of the Olympia Washington comedy podcast Dampercast steps in for Richard this week to review the new "Rocky" spin-off "Creed" and the Netflix original series "Master of None," starring and created by Aziz Ansari. Cassidy also does a solo review of the new Brie Larson drama "Room"(no, not THAT movie) and Leland explains his new obsession with playing Dungeons and Dragons. Room trailerCreed trailerMaster of None trailerAnd be sure to check out Dampercast here

This week we are joined by author and YA fiction enthusiast Mindy Crouchley to review the final installment of the Hunger Games franchise "Mockingjay Part 2." We discuss the film in context to the aftershocks of recent political violence, the deeper themes of YA distopian literature, and weather or not Francis Lawrence should make an "Aliens" film.  Cassidy does a solo review of the Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara romantic-drama "Carol," and for our Netflix homework we also review the 1991 ensemble comedy "Soap Dish," starring Sally Field, Kevin Cline, and Robert Downey Jr. Purchase a digital copy of Mindy's own YA novel "Metal Heart" here.Carol trailerMockingjay Part 2 trailerSoap Dish trailer

Today we give you two doses of Netflix content with their original narrative feature "Beasts of No Nation," starring Idris Elba, and the 2013 Belgian thriller "The Strange Color of Your Body's Tears." We also weigh in on the news of a "Memento" remake and a possible "Fast and Furious" cinematic universe. Beasts of No Nation trailerStrange Color of Your Body's Tears trailer

Because Richard is out this week, friend of the show Alec Engerson joins Cassidy to review the new James Bond film "Spectre," directed by Sam Mendes. We also discuss gender-swapping movie remakes, action choreography, and at the end of the show, for our Netflix Homework, we review the 1978 Hong Kong martial arts film "The Five Venoms."Spectre trailerThe Five Venoms trailer

It's a few days before Halloween and we decide to list a few film that are scary, even though they aren't technically horror movies. We also review the new Danny Boyle film "Steve Jobs," written by Aaron Sorkin and starring Michael Fassbender, and in our Netfllix homework we review the Iranian vampire film "Girl Walks Home Alone At Night." Steve Jobs trailerGirl Walk Home Alone At Night trailer

Even though we're both under the weather we still managed to pull it together for this spooky, haunted-house episode. We discuss the finer intricacies of the "Nightmare on Elm Street" franchise, we talk a bit of movie news, and we review Guillermo del Toro's new horror film "Crimson Peak." At the end of the program, for our Netfix homework, we also review the low-budget gore movie "Frankenstein's Army." Crimson Peak trailerFrankenstein's Army trailer

We're back with reviews of Ridley Scott's Matt Damon stranded in space dramedy "The Martian, and the dark cartel thriller "Sicario." We also talk about drones, Furbies and the person hired to direct the new "Thor" sequel. At the end of the show we also review "Berberian Sound Studio for our Netflix homework.The Martian trailerSicario trailerBerberian Sound Studio trailer