With a city in flames, four individuals come together to confront Hard Truths. 

Kirby Howell-Baptiste (“The Good Place”, “Killing Eve”)  joins us from London to talk Mike Leigh’s latest film “Hard Truths”. Wildfires have claimed historic Hollywood landmarks. And movies that capture the locations they’re set in perfectly.   

What’s Good

Alonso - Watch Duty app

Drea - An “adult Scholastic book fair”

Kirby Howell-Baptiste - Tina Lifford’s book The Little Book of Big Lies

Kevin - Kindness

ITIDIC

• Hollywood landmarks destroyed by the fires
• Awards Shows Postponed due to the fires

Movies 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 Avery

Kirby Howell-Baptiste

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram

With
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Ify Nwadiwe

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

It’s Maximum Horny on today’s 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 It’s Always Halloween Podcast, Lucé Tomlin-Brenner.

What’s Good:

Alonso - Squid Games

Drea - The 2024 Hater’s 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 It’s Always Halloween!

Check out more of Lucè!

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 Nwadiwe

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

We are looking at the 2024 film, Nickel Boys, directed by RaMell Ross, based off the 2019 Colson Whitehead book of the same name. Plus we look at other films covering lesser known historical events. Our guest today is the talented director and writer, Tristán T.A. Hill.

What’s Good:

Drea - LED face mask/cat snuggle combo

Tristan - New doc he directed: Game Maker's Journey | "Legends of Orisha: Blood and Water"

Ify - White Elephant gift party

Staff Picks:

Drea - A Fire Inside

Tristan - Conclave

Ify - Fruitvale Station

Plugs!

Watch Game Maker's Journey | "Legends of Orisha: Blood and Water"
 

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 Nwadiwe

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

The end of the year is upon us and we’re here to talk about our favorite films of 2024 aka the BEST films of the year.

What’s Good:

Alonso - TCM New Year’s programming

Drea - More lookalike contests

Ify - Friends’ wedding

Plugs!

Come see Holiday Hornyfest: Bound hosted by Ify, December 28th at Vidiots in Los Angeles!

Come see Holiday Hornyfest: Magic Mike XXL hosted by Ify, December 30th at Vidiots in Los Angeles!

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 Nwadiwe

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Today we are looking at the 2024 film, Nightbitch, directed by Marielle Heller, based on the 2021 novel by Rachel Yoder of the same name, starring Amy Adams, Scoot McNairy, and beautiful pack of pooches. Plus we are looking at other films that portray motherhood in a more complicated light. Writer and director, Mo Perkins, joins us.

What’s Good:

Alonso - Going to Wawa for the first time!

Mo - Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

Drea - Being on Bluesky

This Week's ITIDICs:

1. Even After ‘Kraven the Hunter’ and ‘Madame Web,’ Sony’s Marvel Movies Aren’t Dead (EXCLUSIVE)

2. Zoe Saldaña Feels Actors Who Use CGI for Roles Are Often Overlooked for Awards

3. Anne Hathaway Is ‘Desperate’ to Star in a Christmas Movie: ‘That’s a Weird Bucket List Thing’
 

Christmas Movie Minute:

1. Chrismess
2. Following Yonder Star
3. Sugar Plum
4. The Santa Class

Staff Picks:

Alonso - The Brutalist

Mo - My Old Ass

Drea - Holiday In Handcuffs

Plugs!

Come see Alonso intro Carol and sign books at the American Cinematheque THIS SUNDAY (December 22nd, at 7pm in Los Angeles)!

Come see Holiday Hornyfest: A Good Day to Be Black & Sexy hosted by Ify! Today, December 13th at Vidiots in Los Angeles!

Come see Holiday Hornyfest: Shortbus hosted by Ify, December 21st at Vidiots in Los Angeles!

Come see Holiday Hornyfest: Bound hosted by Ify, December 28th at Vidiots in Los Angeles!

Come see Holiday Hornyfest: Magic Mike XXL hosted by Ify, December 30th at Vidiots in Los Angeles!

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 Nwadiwe

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Today we’re looking at the 2024 period drama, Queer, directed by Luca Guadagnino, starring Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey, based on the 1985 novella by William S. Burroughs of the same name. Plus, we are looking at other straight action stars who have portrayed queer characters on screen. Senior Culture Writer for Newsweek, H. Alan Scott, joins us.

What’s Good:

Alonso - A City Full of Hawks by Stephen Rebello

Drea - Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell

H. Alan - Hashbrowns

Ify - Hating Spirit Airlines

This Week's ITIDICs:

1. 82nd annual Golden Globes Announced!
2. The Best Movies of 2024, According to John Waters
3. Olivia Wilde Talks Choosing Art Over Audience Approval: “I Don’t Make Movies So People Love Them”

Christmas Movie Minute:

1. Seasons Greetings From Cherry Lane
2. Christmas On Call
3. That Christmas
4. The Holiday Club

Staff Picks:

Alonso - Kraven the Hunter

Drea - September 5

H.Alan - The Birdcage

Ify - Holiday Hornyfest at Vidiots this month! See links below to every screening!

Plugs!

Come see Holiday Hornyfest: A Good Day to Be Black & Sexy hosted by Ify! Today, December 13th at Vidiots in Los Angeles!

Come see Holiday Hornyfest: Shortbus hosted by Ify, December 21st at Vidiots in Los Angeles!

Come see Holiday Hornyfest: Bound hosted by Ify, December 28th at Vidiots in Los Angeles!

Come see Holiday Hornyfest: Magic Mike XXL hosted by Ify, December 30th at Vidiots in Los Angeles!

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 Nwadiwe

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Today we are looking at 2024’s hit musical movie adaptation, Wicked: Part I, directed by Jon M. Chu, starring Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum. Plus we hear from the listener looking for movie recs while they recover from surgery. Author Paul Miles Schneider (The Silver Shoes trilogy) joins us.

What’s Good:

Alonso - BFI Classic’s 3 Women by Justin Wyatt

Drea - Spirit Awards 2024 nominations

Paul - Thanksgiving up in the Pacific Northwest

Ify - Thanksgiving meal (Al Pastor Turkey)

This Week's ITIDICs:

1. Thanksgiving Box Office Record: ‘Moana 2’ Scores Dazzling $225 Million Debut, ‘Wicked’ Adds Huge $118 Million

2.  Sebastian Stan’s Variety ‘Actors on Actors’ Halted Because No Other Talent Wants to Talk About Trump

3. ‘Wolfs’ Director Jon Watts Tells Apple: No Sequel, I Don’t Trust You

Christmas Movie Minute:

1. Holiday Touchdown
2. To Have & To Holiday
3. Christmas Under The Lights
4. A 90s Christmas
5. Deck The Walls

Staff Picks:

Alonso - The Gathering (1977)

Drea - Hard Truths

Paul - Miracle of Marcelino (in Spanish)

Ify - The Wiz

Plugs!

Get the Silver Shoes trilogy from Paul Miles Schneider!

Los Angeles! Come see Alonso, this Saturday, December 7th at Vidiots doing a book signing and introducing the Hitchcock film, Rope, at 4:15pm!

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 Nwadiwe

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

We are looking at 2024’s Gladiator II, a sequel to the original 2000 film, also directed by Ridley Scott. It stars Denzel Washington, Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, and Connie Nielsen. Plus we look at the Top Turkeys of 2024 and our favorite Legacy Sequels. Writer and comedian, Kevin Avery (The Great North, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver), joins us.

What’s Good:

Alonso - Disco: Music, Movies, and Mania under the Mirror Ball by Frank Decaro

Drea - Embracing sneakers

Kevin - Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham

Ify - Kendrick Lamar’s new album, GNX

Christmas Movie Minute:

1. Saint Nick of Bethlehem
2. A Novel Noel
3. Unwrapping Christmas: Lily's Destiny
4. Mistletoe Murders
5. Christmas in the Spotlight

Staff Picks:

Alonso - Nutcrackers

Drea - Maria/Maria by Callas

Kevin - Crimson Tide

Ify - Red One

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 Nwadiwe

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

We are looking at the 2024 Netflix adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning August Wilson play, The Piano Lesson, directed by Malcolm Washington, starring John David Washington, Danielle Deadwyler, Ray Fisher, and Samuel L. Jackson. Plus we take a music-movie quiz written by Steven Ray Morris. Emmy-winning film and television producer, Shelby Stone, joins us.

What’s Good:

Drea - Celebrity Look Alike Competitions

Shelby - Not Snowing or Freezing on the East Coast/Her pets

Alonso - A Season for Soft Foods (A can of Campbells’ Cream of Chicken Soup)

ITIDIC:
1. Several high-profile filmmakers pull their films out of Poland’s Camerimage Film Festival following a Misogynist op-ed written by the festival’s founder and head Marek Żydowicz.

- https://deadline.com/2024/11/coralie-fargeat-the-substance-camerimage-marek-zydowicz-women-cinematographers-1236178278/

- https://www.thewrap.com/camerimage-festival-jury-we-wholeheartedly-support-gender-inclusivity/

- https://deadline.com/2024/11/steve-mcqueen-blitz-camerimage-film-festival-2024-marek-zydowicz-female-cinematographers-1236174179/

2. Anna Kendrick Felt ‘Gross’ Making Money Off ‘Woman of the Hour,’ Donated All Her Pay to Anti-Violence Charities: ‘Felt Like the Least I Could Do’

3. Pop-Loving Beauty Brand E.l.f. Cosmetics Launches Production Arm

Christmas Movie Minute:

1. Festival of Trees
2. Tis the Season to be Irish
3. Christmas with the Singhs
4. Jingle Bell Run
5. Confessions of a Christmas Letter
6. Hot Frosty

Staff Picks:

Drea - Flow

Shelby - Nightbitch

Alonso - Carnage for Christmas

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 Nwadiwe

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

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:

1. Red One
2. Five Golden Rings
3. Santa Tell Me
4. Holidazed (series)
5. Unwrapping Christmas
6. Mistletoe Murders

Staff 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 Nwadiwe

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher