If you’ve got Amazon Prime, you can put PLAY DIRTY (starring Mark Wahlberg, Rosa Salazar, LaKeith Stanfield, Tony Shaloub, and many more) right now. But should you? That’s where we come in, careening into your remote-wielding hand like a car chase onto a horse racing track in the first few minutes of PLAY DIRTY.

Speaking of which, we’re also nominating Hall of Excellence candidates in the category Best Car Chase. All with Danielle Radford riding shotgun!

What’s Good
Alonso - Zach Bryan
Drea - mom's girls trip to Portland (and a drag show)
Danielle - Hello Kitty Island Adventure (and no IMdB-ruiner encounters)
Kevin - Rocky Horror Picture Show @ Cinespia (starring Barry Bostwick, FYI)

ITIDIC

• Amazon Disarmed a James Bond Poster, then Undid it when folks noticed
• Tarantino’s ‘Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair’ Sets Theatrical Release

Hall of Excellence Noms
Terminator 2
What’s Up Doc?
Mad Max Fury Road
The Matrix Reloaded

Staff Picks
Drea - If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Alonso - Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror
Danielle - Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master
Kevin - Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein

Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd

With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Paul Thomas Anderson's latest film has car chases, explosions, secret societies, and and confused ex-revolutionaries...but did it make Drea cry? Find out the answer, plus our favorite underground cabals from film history, on this episode with special guest, noted critic Michael Phillips.

What’s Good
Alonso - Brian Earl’s Of Christmases Long, Long Ago
Drea - COVID booster/Worm Charming Championship
Michael - being with us (and Gov. Pritzker)
Kevin - The Big Show at The Earl

ITIDIC
The Tilly Norwood situation
LA Times Editorial: Oscars International Feature Category Is Broken; No Easy Fix

Staff Picks
Alonso - Smashing Time
Drea - Fairyland
Michael - Spartacus
Kevin - Apollo 13

Check out Michael's appearances on Filmspotting and his piece on Ebert.com

Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd

With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

An impossible, dystopian "sporting event" is the subject of this week's film, leading to a seemingly impossible feat of storytelling, production, and adaptation. It's THE LONG WALK, with YA Novelist and podcasting impresario Lauren Shippen as our special guest. Then, we talk about films that don't pass the Bechdel Test, but still pass muster.

What’s Good
Alonso - Hallmark Holiday movie lineup unveiled
Drea - duck stamp painting controversy
Lauren - second largest zucchini
Kevin - worlds colliding, Great British Baking Show

ITIDIC
Disney+ announces streaming price hikes at this of all moments
Marlon Wayans Takes Career of Bad Critical Reviews in Stride

Staff Picks
Drea - Secret Mall Apartment
Alonso - Happyend
Lauren - Edge of Tomorrow
Kevin - On the Right Track

Listen to Lauren’s new show, Two Thousand and Late

Alonso at Vroman’s Pasadena for Stephen Rebello’s Criss-Cross

Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd

With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Director/star James Sweeney’s sophomore follow-up to Straight Up made a spalsh at Sundance this January, winning the Audience Award and a lot of buzz about Dylan O’Brien’s dual roles as twins Roman and Rocky. Director and writer Bryan Fuller, whose feature debut DUST BUNNY recently premiered at TIFF, joins us to see what all the fuss is about. Then we share some of our favorite dark comedies.

What’s Good
Alonso - Hobnobs (and Hobnob Fever!)
Drea - Competitive nonsense (windowdressing, bedmaking, etc)
Bryan - a murder of yard crows
Kevin - no more wasps

ITIDIC
TIFF Wraps Up, Chloe Zhao’s Hamnet Wins Audience Award
Paramount Wants to Buy Warner Bros
Remembering Robert Redford

Staff Picks
Drea - Predators (2025) (and Love and Monsters)
Alonso - Chain Reactions
Bryan -  The Last Viking
Kevin - Alien

Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd

With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

W. Kamau Bell is a noted comedian, author, filmmaker, and activist. He’s also the former co-host of the podcast DENZEL WASHINGTON IS THE GREATEST ACTOR OF ALL TIME PERIOD, along with our very own Kevin Avery. Now, we've gotten the former co-hosts (and former roommates!) back together. It’s a big deal, but does Spike Lee and Denzel Washington’s big reunion rise to the occasion? Find out as we discuss HIGHEST 2 LOWEST, and stay to hear some fantasy pitches for other classic movies that we’d like to see get Denzel-ified.

What’s Good?
Alonso - Petit Grain (and supporting your local bakery…and eating your feelings)
Drea - being on festival juries
Kamau - pizza; daughter fetching an umbrella for dad
Kevin - killing a wasp in a beekeeping suit

ITIDIC
Unfinished Orson Welles Movie Being Completed By AI
…Meanwhile, WB Sues Midjourney
After The Smashing Machine, Benny Safdie and The Rock Are Pairing Up Again

Staff Picks
Alonso - The Baltimorons
Drea - Preparation for the Next Life (?)
Kevin - Love, Brooklyn
Kamau - The Unforgivable Sin of Ms. Rachel

Subscribe to Kamau’s Newsletter, Who’s With Me?

Akira Kurosawa's HIGH AND LOW on Criterion

Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd

With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

This week we’re talking WEAPONS, Zach Cregger’s follow up to BARBARIAN, with freelance writer and host of Chasing Amy Adams, Louis Peitzman. Plus, in honor of a spooky movie with a lot of kids at the center of its plot, we honor some of our favorite creepy kids from cinema.

What’s Good?
Drea - llama costumes at the MN State Fair
Louis - giant beaver/fall scented candles
Kevin -  AMC A-List binge

ITIDIC
- The Toxic Avenger Pledges to Commit Profits to Help With Medical Debts
- Fall Film Festival Season Is Underway: Venice and Telluride
- Another Live Action Remake Scrapped at Disney: Questlove’s Aristocats

Staff Picks
Drea - Twinless & A Little Prayer
Louis - The 4th Man (De Vierde Man)
Kevin - Longlegs

Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd

With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Writer Meghan Fitzmartin joins us to debate: does a movie have to be "good," or is it enough to just be fun? Then, we'll discuss our favorite Hollywood power couples, both on and off the screen.

What’s Good?

Alonso - The Dean Martin Association YouTube channel

Drea - State Fairs, MN State Fair, Cropseed Art (Crop Art & Scarecrow)

Meghan - Clay pipes (mudlarking on the foreshore)

Kevin - Studio 54 themed birthday party

ITIDIC

1. K-Pop Demon Hunters Hits Big Screens and Leads Box Office
2. M:I Final Reckoning Fakes-Out Fans Re: Free Release on YouTube

Staff Picks

Drea - Griffin in Summer

Alonso - Splitsville

Meghan - Life Size

Kevin - The Shakiest Gun in the West

Mary Sue by Meghan Fitzmartin is out October 8

Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd

With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Director Kate Beecroft made her debut feature after meeting and living with a singular family, and then building a script and feature film around their lives – with them as the stars. The resulting film, EAST OF WALL won the Audience Award at the (ahem) Sundance Film Festival. Collider’s Taylor Gates joins us to discuss the movie, and to daydream about what kind of movie we’d set at some of our personal favorite real-world locations.

What’s Good
Alonso - Pumpkin Spice Season Creep/Laughing Cow Pumpkin Spice Cheese Wedges (in principle)
Drea - Chris Ware USPS Stamps
Taylor - Renee Rapp’s Bite Me
Kevin - Tracy Bonham live w/Chris and Adrienne Woods; Silver Lake sightings

Airplane Jive scene (watch at your own risk!) 

Physical Media merch!

ITIDIC

1. Disney’s Marvel Pulling Out of Georgia
2. Anna Faris and Regina Hall Return for Wayans’ Scary Movie Reboot

Staff Picks
Drea - Relay
Alonso - Souleymane’s Story
Taylor - Private Life
Kevin - F1 The Movie

Linoleum Knife Presents CLUE on August 24

Taylor on Collider and Fanversation

Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd

With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

**We have new PHYSICAL MEDIA merch! Check it out at maxfunstore.com**

Everything old is freaky again, and vice verse, with this late-breaking sequel to the 2003 version of Freaky Friday. Prolific actor/comedian Mary Lynn Rajskub is our prestigious guest to take a look at Lindsay, Jamie Lee, and a whole cast of new and returning folks game to get Freakier. Then we have fun talking about best and worst sequel titles.

What’s Good
Alonso - personalized coupons from Ralphs
Drea - first female umpire in the MLB
Mary Lynn - a day at Mt. Fuji
Kevin - satisfaction from household item restock

ITIDIC

1. Charlie Kaufman’s New Movie Will Go Directly to Kanopy
2. WB Sets Wiig/Hill Comedy CUT OFF to Debut Against Nolan’s THE ODYSSEY
3. Hamilton Will Screen in Cinemas Next Month

Staff Picks
Alonso - The High Note
Drea - Sketch
Mary Lynn - All of Us Strangers
Kevin - Weapons

Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd

With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

THE FLOP HOUSE's Dan McCoy joins us to consider the power of taking stupidity very seriously. Then, a dishy movie quiz about on-set meetings that led to off-set romances.

What’s Good
Alonso- Mark Rappaport, Book of Dreams
Drea - Midwest trip, “Schumers,” and great chip flavors
Dan - Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, Collected Screenplays 1
Kevin - Trip to Lake Arrowhead

ITIDIC

1. MARRIAGE STORY Fight Scene Being Used to Scare Off Wolves
2. Las Vegas Sphere’s Manipulation of The Wizard of Oz Raises Questions
3. Original Star Wars Will Return to Cinemas for Its 50th Anniversary in 2027

On-Screen/Off Screen Romances Letterboxd list

Pamela Anderson in the Criterion Closet

Staff Picks
Alonso - Billy Joel: And So It Goes
Drea - Sorry, Baby
Dan - Together
Kevin - The Incredible Mr Limpet

Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd

With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher