Jingle jingle, ya’ll! We’ve got comedian Ben Katzner joining us under the mistletoe for the holiday movie about a recovering improviser and a divorced dentist that you didn’t know were missing. Then we have a Hotline question about holiday movies that center Black Joy for a change! #4Brothers4Christmas

What’s Good
Alonso - LAFCA Citation for Gardena Cinema; Support Your Local Film Society
Drea - Pipsly.org
Ben - Sam Evans’ comedy special, Down a Mom
Kevin - moving boxes and having a space

WETIDIC
a).  Several Stories about films in development:

• Live Action Teddy Ruxpin Movie Coming from AmazonMGM and 7 Bucks
• Social Network 2 In the Works 
• Miss Piggy’ Movie In Development With Cole Escola Writing

b). Rick Moranis Returns to Acting for Spaceballs 2

c). Ariana Grande Grabber Sentenced to 9 Days in Prison

Christmas Movie Minute
A Make or Break Holiday
The Christmas Baby
The Best Thing About Christmas

Staff Picks
Alonso - Boys Go to Jupiter
Drea - The Muppet Christmas Carol
Ben - One of Them Days
Kevin - Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Watch Supple Harlot
Troll Hole Podcast

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With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

The Flop House’s Elliot Kalan joins us to put his “Mad about Mads”-ness where his mouth is as we discuss a stylized new horror-ish thriller from director Bryan Fuller. Then we’ll talk about movies that would make good genre entry points for kids who are ready.

What’s Good
Drea - Heated Rivalry
Elliott - Latke Night, his new book Joke Farming, & Werner Herzog’s A Guide for the Perplexed
Kevin - Yuletide Unc gets his decorations up

ITIDIC

a.) Zootopia 2 Becomes the Year’s Highest Grossing Film
b). Famed Variety Oscars Party Moves to LACMA

Christmas Movie Minute
Single on the 25th
Oy to the World
A Suite Holiday Romance
The Christmas Writer
(and a shout out to yet-unseen The Christmas Baby premiering on Hallmark on 12/21/25)

Staff Picks
Drea - The Princess Bride
Elliott - This Is Spinal Tap (see also, A Fine Line Between Stupid and Clever: The Story of Spinal Tap) 
Kevin - Misery

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With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

George Clooney is JAY KELLY in Noah Baumbach’s latest film…and that might be true in more ways than one. The film chronicles the career of a fictional movie star. Speaking of chronicles, we’re joined by actor and filmmaker Justin Tyler, voice of the titular Derf in MaxFun’s newest show, The Young Old Derf Chronicles. And we have a movie quiz about real actors playing fictional actors on film!

What’s Good
Alonso - “Buy a Christmas tree that’s considered too big for your apartment.”
Drea - Forks Out on Sesame Street
Justin - end of year check-out
Kevin - Paranormal Activity play

ITIDIC

• Netflix/Warner Bros. Monopoly Insanity
• Original Star Wars film to be Rereleased in Theaters for 50th Anniversary

Christmas Movie Minute
The Christmas Cup (Hallmark)
She’s Making a List (Hallmark)

Staff Picks
Drea - Goodbye June
Alonso - The Swimmer (1968)
Justin - Blue Moon
Kevin - Three Kings

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With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

What’s Good
Alonso - the magic of podcasting
Drea - the magic of a repainted bathroom
Kevin - the magic of live jazz improvisation (The Tyler Hammond Jazz Experience)

[Morgan Freeman falling asleep clip]

ITIDIC

1. 2020 and 2021 Titles Coming to Indie Theaters for ‘Lost Films of COVID’ Series
2. Shrek 5 is back in the news as 3 actors are cast as his triplets

Staff Picks
Alonso - BLKNWS: Terms and Conditions
Drea - Wild Rose
Kevin - Hamlet 2

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With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

The new film from the team behind JOCKEY and SING SING is a lyrical life story starring Joel Edgerton. We’ve got casting director Nicole Arbusto with us to discuss this, and take on a Hotline question asking for professional shoutouts. Plus our annual Turkeys of the Year and the first post-Thanksgiving Christmas Movie Minute!

What’s Good
Alonso - magazines
Drea - Buzz Ballz/BeatBox/Cutwater cocktail challenge
Nicole - LA cloud formations lately
Kevin - “books I haven’t even cracked open”

Staff Picks
Drea - All That’s Left of You
Alonso - Jesus’ Son
Nicole - A Little Prayer
Kevin - Zero Dark Thirty

Pick up Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas

Leave a message for the Hotline!

Get some Maximum Film! merch

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With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

An ode to a classic of French New Wave cinema – Jean-Luc Godard’s Breathless (A Bout de Souffle) – Nouvelle Vague is more than a heady film nerd love fest. It’s a Linklater movie, which means it’s a hangout film; it’s just that the gang we’re hanging with happens to be reinventing modern cinema, whether they know it or not. We’ve got writer, actor, and teacher Tarik R. Davis (The Amber Ruffin Show) with us to talk about the petite charms of this Cannes premiere. Then we pitch our own making-of hangout movies!

What’s Good
Alonso - “Trans Images on Film” on TCM (w/Caden Mark Gardner and Willow Catelyn Maclay)
Drea - Library Tool Checkout
Tarik - a really good rehearsal
Kevin - Conduct Your Own Orchestra (Golden Records)

ITIDIC

1. Filmmakers Meet the Pope (text of the pope’s full address is here)
2. D&D: Honor Among Thieves Team Working on new Star Trek Movie

Staff Picks
Alonso - Faces Places
Drea - Rental Family
Tarik - Brother John
Kevin - For Your Consideration

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With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

CW: discussion of domestic abuse

We get into the good the bad and the ugly of the new boxing biopic CHRISTY, which tells the story of pioneering boxer Christy Martin and her dark power struggles both in and outside the ring. Then we have a movie quiz about bio pics with first-name titles. 

What’s Good
Alonso - successful Parker House rolls trial run
Drea - remembering a detail of Arrival
Daresha - screening her new film to big crowd at a Black church in Cambridge, MA
Kevin - was in a play!

ITIDIC

1. Kristen Stewart declares "state of emergency" over gender inequality in film
2. Warners Making ‘Gremlins 3’ With Steven Spielberg, Chris Columbus Returning

Staff Picks
Drea - Rebuilding
Alonso - Little Amelie or The Character of Rain
Daresha - Natchez 
Kevin - Unknown Number: The High School Catfish

Love, Joy, & Power at DOC NYC

Alonso’s book, Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas

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With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Yorgos Lanthimos can be counted on for a weird, wild time, and this time around he’s back with Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons, plus newcomer Aidan Delbis, comedian Stavros Halkias, and even a bit of Alicia Silverstone. Former producer Casey O’Brien (co-host of Dear Movies, I Love You) joins us to take an up-close look at movie loaded with close-ups. Then we name some of our favorite actor-director frequent pairings.

What’s Good
Drea - Toners in spray bottles
Casey - BuzzBallz
Kevin - Costco cashews

ITIDIC

1. A Hello Kitty Movie is Coming in 2028
2. Taylor Sheridan Broke Up with Paramount, But He’s Back In for ‘Call of Duty’

Staff Picks
Drea - Sentimental Value
Casey - The Hidden
Kevin - The Menu

Physical Media merch at maxfunstore.com

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With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Just us chickens here this week to talk about the wild party we just witnessed...in Nia DaCosta's HEDDA, a modernized (but not modern-day) adaptation of the classic Ibsen play, HEDDA GABLER. Then we get into what works and doesn't work for us in stage-to-screen adaptations.

What’s Good
Alonso - Christmas creep!
Drea - “...There she is.”
Kevin - A weekend of artistic experiences

ITIDIC

1. A Memo Reveals that the Pentagon is Mad About ‘House of Dynamite’
2. LA Times: Horror May Have Its Moment at the Oscars
3. ‘Kidz Bop Live: The Concert Movie’ Set to Premiere in Theaters

Staff Picks
Drea - Nouvelle Vague
Alonso - It Was Just an Accident
Kevin - Good Fortune

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With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Josh O’Connor stars in a heist movie to end all heist movies – or at least end our illusions that the person pulling the heist is pretty cool and awesome. Comedian and friend Myq Kaplan is along to watch things unfold, and unravel, in THE MASTERMIND. Then we take a Hotline question about what film school courses we’d like to teach.

What’s Good
Alonso - Programme 4   
Drea - First women to cross the Atlantic unsupported (in their girthy canoe)
Myq - Communing with friends [Rini (and Rini), John Fugelsang appearance, Separation of Church and Hate, tea with Abby Wambaugh] 
Kevin - new mic cable and arm; guesting on How to Survive

Bernie & Phyl’s ad 

ITIDIC

• Penske Reportedly Offers Golden Globe Bribe Opportunity to Right-Wing Podcasters
• BUGONIA Offering Free Screening for Bald Audience

Staff Picks
Drea - La Chimera
Alonso - A House of Dynamite
Myq - The Life of Chuck
Kevin - Roofman

10/25: American Cinema Editors Short Film Showcase – The First Day of Your Last Period

11/2: Myq at Dynasty Typewriter

Alonso's book: Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas

Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd

With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher