Jerrod Carmichael’s directorial debut hit Sundance back in 2021, but now it’s finally available on big and small screens. Film critic Carlos Aguilar joins us to describe the ways that this short film packs a long punch.

AND: We cast our dream movie driving buddies!

(cw: today’s movie is about suicide and depression; we’ll give you a heads up during the show too)

What’s Good
Alonso - LGBTQ Media Elite Status: Bros trailer
Drea - Heartstopper
Carlos - Worst Roommate Ever
Ify - trip to Europe!

ITIDIC
Zack Snyder’s Fan-Voted Oscar Wins May Have Been Rigged by Bots
Adele Haenel Steps Away From the Film Industry for Political Reasons
Jason Momoa Apologizes After Posting Photos from Sistine Chapel

Staff Picks
Alonso - Hit the Road
Drea - Emergency
Carlos - Vortex
Ify - Collateral

Carlos’s review of On the Count of Three 

Carlos’s review of Emergency for The Wrap

Buy Alonso’s book, I’ll Be Home For Christmas Movies

*****

With:
Ify Nwadiwe
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Carlos Aguilar

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart

Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

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

Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd

With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Stephen Strange is back on the big screens, and he’s f-ing around and finding out the hard way that messing with multiverses is complex business. Good news, true believers: our sherpa to the top of Mount Wundagore is MaxFun’s own Riley Silverman!

What’s Good:

Drea: The new Doctor
Riley: The new Simple Favor
Alonso: The new season of The Circle

ITIDIC:

• Dirty Dancing Sequel in the works at Lionsgate
• Redbox acquired by Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment
• James Cromwell glues himself to a Starbucks counter to protest vegan milk costs

Staff Picks:

Drea: Chungking Express
Riley: The Quick and the Dead
Alonso: On the Count of Three

We're sponsored this week by...

Soylent

Go to Soylent.com/maxfilm and use promo code MAXFILM to get 20% OFF your first order. 

Trade Coffee

Take their coffee-matching quiz at drinktrade.com/maxfilm  and get $30 off your first order plus free shipping!

Preorder Riley’s book, Exploring Tatooine: An Illustrated Guide, at your local shop or online

Want to see that MCU ranking Alonso referenced?

Buy Alonso’s book, I’ll Be Home For Christmas Movies

***

With:
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Riley Silverman

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart

Sr. Producer  Laura Swisher

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

Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd

With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

The day this drops is the final day of the MaxFunDrive! Help us hit our goal by joining, upgrading, or boosting your membership! maximumfun.org/join

Nicolas Cage is “Nick Cage” in the new movie from director Tom Gormican. It’s a buddy comedy, it’s an action flick, it’s a meta-commentary on movies themselves (and Cage’s career in particular). So who better to have as our guest than the author of the new retrospective Age of Cage, Keith Phipps (of The Next Picture Show podcast, The Reveal, and more)?

We’ll also daydream about what other stars we’d give the ‘Unbearable Weight…’ treatment!

ITIDIC

1. IMAX CEO Says Day-and-Date Movie Release Experiment Is Over
2. Avatar 2 Footage (and Title) Debuts at CinemaCon

What’s Good: 
Alonso: gargling with apple cider vinegar
Drea: Ghost by Dolly Alderton
Keith: Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama by Bob Odenkirk
Ify: Leica Q2 & Steam Deck I

The Buster Keaton episode of The Twilight Zone is called “Once Upon a Time”

Staff Picks
Drea: Red Rock West
Alonso: Irma Vep
Keith: Petite Maman
Ify: Color Out of Space

Friday May 6 at 5pm PT, Drea and Alonso host the #MaxFunDrive Finale Hangout!

Buy Alonso’s book, I’ll Be Home For Christmas Movies

With:

Ify Nwadiwe
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Keith Phipps

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

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

Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd

With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Become a MaxFun supporter or boost/upgrade your membership! maximumfun.org/join

Matt Reeves' new Batman movie (maybe you heard about it?) is finally streaming, and we’re commemorating the moment with Batman nerd – ahem, EXPERT – Glen Weldon. Plus, what made-up movie drug haunts our panelists’ dreams? It’s a MaxFunDrive spectacular!

What’s Good
Alonso: shelled pistachios
Drea: Life in Looks on YouTube
Glen: First time/long time! & Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Ify: Apex Legends - Newcastle!

ITIDIC

1. Justin Lin Has Stepped Down as the Director of Fast X
2. Viola Davis has responded to criticism of her portrayal of Michelle Obama
3. Scorsese’s Film Foundation to Start Virtual Screening Room for Restored Movies

Staff Picks
Drea: All My Friends Hate Me
Alonso: Teen Titans Go! to the Movies
Glen: Careful
Ify: There Will Be Blood

Join us April 30, 2022 at 4pm Pacific for a watch along of DIRTY DANCING! You’ll find it on Twitch at twitch.tv/IfDeez

Some of Glen’s Books:

The Caped Crusade: Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture

NPR’s Podcast Startup Guide

Buy Alonso’s book, I’ll Be Home For Christmas Movies

With:

Ify Nwadiwe
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Glen Weldon

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart

Sr. Producer  Laura Swisher

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

Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd

With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

The new film from Apichatpong Weerasethakul isn’t just a movie – it’s a perpetual roadshow, with plans to keep showing the movie from theater to theater indefinitely (check out where it's showing for the next few months). It made a lot of best-of 2021 lists and now that the show is finally on the road, our gang weighs in, joined by LA Times film critic Justing Chang.

What’s Good

Alonso: A banner week at the Hallmark channel

Drea: “Double jury week” and SIFF

Justin: Writing about Petite Maman (in clean clothes)

Ify: new Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann tattoo; Atlanta

ITIDIC

1. The tenth Fast and Furious Movie has its title
2. Tom Hanks Reunited With Wilson the Volleyball at Baseball Game
3. Art House Theater Tests Out “Bring a Friend” Ticket Sales Strategy

Hotline Recs 
Wild Zero
Mindwalk
Shag
Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter
Sieranevada (read Justin’s review) 

(Have a question for the hotline? Send a voice memo to maximumfilm at maximumfun dot org)

Staff Picks
Drea: Petite Maman
Alonso: The End of Innocence
Justin: Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
Ify: The Nice Guys

We’re sponsored this week by…

Trade Coffee
Take their coffee-matching quiz at drinktrade.com/maxfilm and get $30 off your first order!

Soylent
Go to Soylent.com/maxfilm and use promo code MAXFILM to get 20% OFF your first order. 

Join us April 30, 2022 at 4pm Pacific for a watch along of DIRTY DANCING! 
You’ll find it on Twitch at twitch.tv/IfDeez

Buy Alonso’s book, I’ll Be Home For Christmas Movies

* * *

With:

Ify Nwadiwe
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Justin Chang

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

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

Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd

With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

After months of waiting, a new day has come: ALINE is finally in US theaters, and there’s a lot to talk about. Luckily, the gang doesn’t have to do it all by themselves. Kyle Buchanan (whose NYT review of the movie is quoted prominently in the film’s Wikipedia page) is here to answer questions like, “how much of this is true?” and “is this movie a comedy?” Later, we’ll propose some biopics we want to see. And that’s the way it is!

What’s Good?
Alonso: “I wrote a puzzle!”
Drea: Family visit/digitizing family photos
Kyle: Survivor Season 42 
Ify: Severance/Hot Boi Summer

ITIDIC
Warner Bros Removes references to gay relationship for China release of Secrets of Dumbledore

Netflix Has Added a “Two Thumbs Up” Button

There’s going to be a Spirit Halloween movie

Staff Picks
Drea: American Splendor
Alonso: The Greek Tycoon
Kyle: The Northman
Ify: Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

We’re sponsored this week by…

Everyplate
Try EveryPlate for just $1.79 per meal by going to EveryPlate.com and entering code maxfilm179.

Soylent
Go to Soylent.com/maxfilm and use promo code MAXFILM to get 20% OFF your first order. 

***

Buy Alonso’s book, I’ll Be Home For Christmas Movies

Kyle's book is Blood Sweat and Chrome: The Wild and True Story of Mad Max: Fury Road

With:
Ify Nwadiwe
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Kyle Buchanan

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

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

Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd

With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

In our unofficial, ongoing series of movies that are hard to summarize, we find ourselves back at the theater for a brand new film that’s operating on a lot of levels (in more than one sense). Then, we find out what car is being hoisted up to the Hall of Excellence rafters, AND form a new super fight squad when Ify, Alonso, and Drea select movie character skillsets to verse-jump into.

What’s Good?:
Alonso - Rothaniel
Drea - Returning to the dentist
Ify - Returning to the theater (w/ a big Coke)

ITIDIC:
Redbox Lays off 10% Of Staff

Nancy Meyers is directing her first feature film in 7 years

Tyrese Gets Tricked

Staff Picks:
Alonso - Apollo 10 1/2
Drea - Boy
Ify - Jet Li’s The One

See Also:
Everything Everywhere All at Once Coffee Table book

Spiderman 2 Giant Jamie Foxx Head

Buy Alonso’s book, I’ll Be Home For Christmas Movies

With:
Ify Nwadiwe
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart

Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

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

Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd

With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Julia Ducournau’s horror thriller TITANE won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 2021 and is now streaming on Hulu. It’s a movie that kinda defies description, but that’s never stopped us before! Plus, we’re nominate some of the Best Movie Cars for the Hall of Excellence. Vroom vroom!!

What’s Good?
Alonso: Burlap & Barrel’s Pizza Party seasoning
Drea: Stitches out!
Ify: n/naka anniversary dinner
Tod: Playing basketball with buds

ITIDIC
Oscars Thoughts…
Sounds like there are plans for a Sonic Cinematic Universe

Staff Picks:
Drea: The Imposter 
Alonso: Take Me To the River
Ify: Anatomy of Hell
Tod: French Lieutenant’s Woman

Vote for your Hall of Excellence winner on our Facebook page

Buy Alonso’s book – I’ll Be Home for Christmas Movies

This episode is sponsored by Trade Coffee
Take their coffee-matching quiz at drinktrade.com/maxfilm and get $30 off your first order!

With:
Ify Nwadiwe
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Tod Mesirow

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

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

Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd

With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Multiple top-Oscar nominations and top-10 list appearances won’t stop this foursome from engaging in a healthy debate over whether Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Drive My Car is worth the three-hour ride. 

What’s Good:
Alonso: Maintaining sanity
Drea: Pep talks from kindergarteners (707-998-8410)
Inkoo: Birria tacos
Ify: Masala chai concentrate from Kumquat, Fly by Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp

ITIDIC
West Side Story’s Rachel Zegler Wasn’t Invited to the Oscars
Daniel Radcliffe Isn’t Interested in Going Back to Hogwarts
After Disney’s Florida Debacle, Pixar’s Lightyear has restored a same-sex kiss

Staff Picks:
Alonso: Norwegian Wood
Inkoo: Everything Everywhere All At Once
Drea: 7 Days
Ify: Jeen-Yuhs

***

The tweet that inspired this week’s Comedy “MaxFilmscars” 

Buy Alonso’s book, I’ll Be Home For Christmas Movies

***

Support Our Sponsor Curiosity Stream

Curiosity Stream is offering a full year’s subscription for just $14.99 with code MAXFILM

With:
Ify Nwadiwe
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde
Inkoo Kang

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

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

Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd

With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Something’s coming; something good? Comedian and film critic Brandon Collins sits in to go over the high notes and low notes of Spielberg’s West Side Story, now streaming.

Plus, we play the new Box Office Game together! Will Alonso’s movie trivia prowess also apply to a randomly selected box office weekend? 

What's Good :
Alonso: permanent daylight savings
Drea: kitchen update
Brandon: SXSW

ITIDIC:

New MPA Report Says Digital Box Office Revenue Was 3x Theatrical in 2021

Theaters are playing 2014 Ukrainian film THE GUIDE to raise money for relief effort

After Two Virtual Years, the SXSW Film Festival Is Happening In Person This Week

Staff Picks:
Drea: BALLET 422
Alonso: DEEP WATER
Brandon: IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT

Brandon’s Podcast, Medium Popcorn

Buy Alonso's book - I'll Be Home for Christmas Movies

The Box Office Game

With:

Drea Clark

Alonso Duralde

Brandon Collins

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart

Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

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

Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd

With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher