It’s neither a bird, nor a plane, nor Superman. It’s Supergirl, the newest film from James Gunn’s DC that has some folks talking, but probably not as many as Warner Bros. would like. We’ve got LA Times film critic, Unspooled co-host, and friend of the show Amy Nicholson along to talk about the stellar highs and dank cave lows, plus we name some of our favorite superhero movie acting performances.

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ITIDIC
'Michael’ Becomes the Highest-Grossing Biopic Ever
Netflix Announces Weird Willy Wonka Project

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Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

LEVITICUS is the new Australian horror movie that turns (already quite frightening) gay conversion rituals into something even more haunting. And with us to unpack it is our friend Justin Kirkland, who just happens to have a new podcast exploring (with good humor!) how the Bible has been yielded as a weapon. Then we imagine some classic romances with a devilish twist.

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ITIDIC
AmazonMGM Bails on Guadagnino’s Almost-Complete Sam Altman Movie
Madonna Says Her Biopic was Scrapped at Universal Over Budget

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With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Steven Spielberg's new film may be about conspiracies, coverups, and car chases, but it all hinges around the concept of journalism you can trust...so who better to join us than our favorite trusted journalist (and movie podcaster, with UNCLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER), NYT columnist Jamelle Bouie! We put DISCLOSURE DAY under the microscope, then talk about some directors whose filmographies reveal hidden secrets.

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ITIDIC
AMC Postpones Concert Simulcast Plan to Make More Room for…Movies
Sean Penn Directing a Jan 6 Movie Starring Bradley Cooper (maybe?)
SUPERGIRL’s Cape Uses Fabric from Original Reeve Superman Cape

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Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

A dreamy two-piece love story about two men, one a soldier and the other a country boy. Or is three men? Or four? Also there's a tiger. We watch 2004's Tropical Malady from Apichatpong Weerasethakul, director of the 2010 Palme d'Or winner, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives. He goes by Joe in the Western world which is too bad.

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ITIDIC
The Academy is creating the "Academy Marquee Theater List", an annual list of the 25 best US and 25 best international cinemas
Bad Bunny will voice "Pizza with Sunglasses" in Toy Story 5

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With
Kevin Avery
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Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Just a well-intentioned bounty hunter and his magic green baby, zooming through the galaxy: you guessed it, we're talking THE MANDALORIAN & GROGU. We've got Danielle Radford (of MaxFun's TIGHTS & FIGHTS, Dropout, and more) along with us this episode to talk about the newest thing from the Star Wars universe, and whether being deeply invested in the lore is a benefit or a drawback to enjoying the film. Then we'll take a hotline question about Dad Movies!

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ITIDIC
Paddington 4 Will be Written by Armando Iannucci
Mark Duplass and Other Big Names Defend BACKROOMS’s Young Director

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With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

It’s been 8 long years since Boots Riley’s directorial debut (Sorry to Bother You) surprised and delighted moviegoers. Does his follow-up deliver on color, comedy, and chaos? We’ve got Black People Love Paramore’s Ryann Graham with us to discuss I Love Boosters. Then, we talk about how some of the sci-fi tech from this film might be deployed in other movies!

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ITIDIC

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This episode edited by Gabe Mara

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With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Part revenge thriller, part Greek tragedy, and fully its own thing, Aleshea Harris’s directorial debut is an adaptation of her own award-winning Off-Broadway show. We have Geek Girl Riot’s Sherin Nicole with us to talk about all the twists, turns, and treacheries.

Then we have a fun quiz about “twin” movies.

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ITIDIC
Sweeney/Seyfried Thriller The Housemaid Is Headed to the Stage
Discourse Around American Accents in Nolan’s The Odyssey Trailer

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Listen to Sherin’s show Geek Girl Riot

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With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

If you didn’t have “Hugh Jackman/CGI Talking sheep murder mystery” down as a lock to be both a critical hit and a box office success, you’d be forgiven. Does it help or hurt to know that it’s director did all the MINIONS movies and it’s screenwriter did both THE HANGOVER and HBO’s CHERNOBYL? We get into all of that, plus our favorite moments in talking animal moviedom!

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With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

What’s RUNWAY like in 2026? THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2 takes that question pretty seriously. We’ve got film critic (and former 2000s-era abused NYC assistant) Katie Walsh with us to talk about the fashion, the journalism, the nostalgia, and the cerulean of it all.

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This episode was edited by Gabe Mara.

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Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

MaxFunDrive is almost over! Don’t wait – ensure the future of this show at MaximumFun.org/joinmaxfilm

Jaafar Jackson (son of Jermaine) dances his slouch-socked feet off in Antoine Fuqua’s new Michael Jackson biopic. And we have no less a personage than Tre’vell Anderson here to help us figure out how to feel about what was left in and what was left out. Then we’ll talk about some biopics that really work for us.

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ITIDIC

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This episode was edited by Gabe Mara.

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joinmaxfilm

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With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher