Mostly Murder (But Sometimes Not)

New episode out now! We cover one of Hollywood’s most famous noir films, Double Indemnity (1944). We pick apart the moral quandaries and decisions of the main characters, discuss the banter inherent in these types of films, and debate whether or not certain acts took place offscreen. We talk about how the people in these movies seem to fall in love extremely quickly, wonder exactly when Neff created the insurance fraud scheme in his mind, call out the racial stereotyping, and someone laments the continued presence of Raymond Chandler in our podcast. We compare this movie to a few other films we’ve covered, comment on the sheer amount of cigarette action, and reveal who the actual coolest person in the movie is. Katy is a big fan of a short tie with a high pant, Carrie loves a dictaphone, Maddy thinks that crab mouth parts are incredible, and Mack tells a story about searching for a house. We debate whether lighting a match is code for something, admire actuarial tables, try to decide if we would live in a house where we knew a death had just happened, and appreciate the loosening of relationship deal-breakers since the 1940s. We also talk about autocannibalism, how phone numbers worked, old Hollywood bloopers, and the price of real estate. Give it a listen to hear us all try at least one accent!

TW: Death by suicide, age difference in ambiguous relationship, infidelity, racism

Show Notes:

New episode out now! We cover Paul Feig’s A Simple Favor (2018), a modern-day thriller starring Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively. We dissect the wild twists and turns taken, think that the sapphic undertones were really not that “under,” debate the characters’ shifting motivations and loyalties, and decide that no one in this film is all that healthy, mentally. We also talk about the depictions of modern motherhood and the stereotype of a “mommy” clique, delve into the characters’ previous trauma, and get distracted by shoes. We think the costumes are essential (especially Blake Lively’s), love an adaptive antagonist, get skeeved out by some choices, and discuss the bits of Paul Feig’s vibe that appear in the film. Katy gets confused by symbology, Carrie sabotages herself, Maddy creates some cool and hip lyrics, and Mack makes an astute connection to a previous film we covered. We also clear up some misconceptions about the term “house poor,” get confused about names and cars, spot some convenient product placement, and reveal we all took very expressive notes. Listen to hear more of our thoughts about interior decorating, LEGO prices, repurposed Midwestern castles, toy storage, and more! Give it a listen wherever you get your podcasts!

TW: Drowning murder, sororicide, incest, infant death in utero, motherhood discussions, religious upbringing trauma, vehicular fatalities, death by suicide

New episode out now! We watched Bong Joon Ho’s Memories of Murder (2003), a cult crime movie often considered one of the best East Asian films ever made. We get right into the main characters, discussing how they are not good at their jobs and start out morally and ethically terrible, rightfully being called out by the community. We talk about the journeys the detectives go through and how their country and city cultures clash, discuss the aspects of masculinity the film depicts, hit on the many parallels we saw between Korean and American culture, and figure this is more a slice of life/culture of crime-solving film rather than a straight detective story. We also consider the fact that it is the first non-English language film we’ve covered, wonder if some of the aspects went over our heads because of an unfamiliarity with both Korean culture and 1980’s Korean history, and talk about the visual style of the film such as desaturated colors and impactful composition. Katy severely misremembers Stand By Me, Carrie shares product placement theories, Maddy teaches us how the Swiss lightly curse, and Mack remembers a psychological study about bullying. We get terrified of killers in fields, believe America is a Western ideal but a bad reality, get infuriated by sexism in the police force, and wonder about the real life case this is based on. We also talk about getting old, medical consent, cool chase scenes, great adages, and generalizations about men. Listen to the very end for a post credit surprise!

TW: Rape, murder, abuse of developmentally disabled individuals, police brutality both past and present, abuse, torture and coercion, militarization of police, school shootings, abuse by Christian leaders, emergency amputation, authoritarian military politics

Show Notes:

New episode out now! We watched the season four episode of Inspector George Gently, “Gently Upside Down”. We discuss how this show feels a little different than other period British mystery shows, and how it handles tough subjects in what seems to be a more realistic manner. We talk about the differences between Gently and Bacchus, and how those different strengths and weaknesses allow them to work together successfully as a team while still clashing occasionally. We also cover the timeless quality of English architecture, discuss 1960s attitudes towards class, age, and gender, and wonder if Bacchus is a viewer substitute who jumps on all the red herrings. Katy brings up the Beatles twice, Carrie reminisces about school seating, Maddy thinks everyone should dance, and Mack brings up a disturbing detail from a Transformers movie. We spend some time debating if hiding a murder is prohibitively expensive, wonder if checking run time when someone confesses is cheating, and expound on the collective universal love for the Shrek franchise. We also cover multiple Mr. Rochesters, legal history, Gretna Green, and more! Give it a listen and you’ll also learn who is really behind Batman’s mask!

TW: Inappropriate student/teacher relationships, statutory rape, teen pregnancy, domestic abuse, child abuse

New episode out now! We cover 1963’s Charade and discuss this “absolute whirlwind” of a movie. We get right into the multiple mysteries and twists involved, and try to figure out the timelines of all the identity reveals. (So many identity reveals). We discuss our issues with the age gap between Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn, and wonder if calling it out in the script was the right move even if they’re both charming. We also discuss her character’s levels of naivete, love the costumes and production design, marvel at the specific dialogue and banter, and think the ‘60s was just a wild time. Katy is bad at math, Carrie has Opinions about skincare, Maddy cannot trust her memory, and Mack is afraid of subway tunnels. We talk about volatile collector markets, forget that drugs exist, wonder if we would trick a child for $2 million dollars, and love us some built-in shelving. We also cover Batman facts, realistic fight scenes, eyebrow acting, and awkward elevators. Give it a listen!

TW: Age gap romance, veteran amputee discussion, WWII prisoners of war, Nazis

Show Notes:

The movie Katy was thinking of was The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) and it’s definitely worth watching.

New episode out now! We cover the complicated world of obsessive Victorian magicians in 2006’s The Prestige, and beware–spoilers abound! This movie is wild and we get right into it by trying to unravel the many layers and timelines of this mystery-adjacent film. We talk about the themes of obsession, sacrifice, class, and of course magic while wondering if the addition of a sci-fi element muddles the mystery a little. We also try to decide if all of the main characters are sociopaths, mull over the concept of magic vs science, think the acting is appropriately intense, and get into a slight philosophical debate about the nature of cloning, souls, and consciousness. Katy squeezes in some London knowledge to the surprise of no one, Carrie gets jealous of handwriting, Maddy wants all the magic wands, and Mack has a get-rich plan for his clones. We also talk about other Victorian stage acts, wonder if we’ve ever been to Colorado Springs, agree that electricity is scary, and get surprised by Andy Serkis. Give it a go and remember, always listen to Michael Caine! Enjoy!

TW: Racism, suicide, death by drowning, exploitation of disabled people including the blind, voluntary self-mutilation, sociopaths, classism, animal death

Show Notes:

New episode out now! We’re back to our regular schedule with a dive into the world of Disney animation, covering 1986’s The Great Mouse Detective. We learn how it adapts a children's book which in turn mirrored Sherlock Holmes, wonder at the world-building of mice parallels to human monarchies and war, and don’t really understand the rules concerning which animals get to talk. We also discuss the state of Disney animation in the ‘80s leading to the disjointed development of this movie in particular, as well as how the animators felt about it. Most of us agree that the songs don’t really slap, but we all fully agree that Vincent Price gives a masterful villain performance. Katy makes guesses about the history of the British monarchy, Carrie establishes the roots of a childhood fear, Maddy is only interested in mouse capitalism, and Mack gives us all a passionate lecture. We also debate if this movie is the beginning of Skynet, discuss the awful ways cartoons villainize fat people, wonder why we assign gender to types of animals, and realize that taxes are a shortcut for evil in kids movies. Listen to hear us talk about drag queens, octopus eyes, harmful princess culture, and babysitter stories! Enjoy!

TW: Monarchies, fatphobia, capitalist systems causing harm

Show Notes

Special episode out now! We watched the new Rian Johnson whodunit Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, starring Daniel Craig as the gentleman detective Benoit Blanc! We discuss how Johnson both pays homage to the Agatha Christie of it all while also making unconventional and surprising choices, as well as wonder whether it’s really a sequel or if it was forced to be called so by Hollywood expectations. We talk about how the pattern you think you can see is not what unfolds, examine Blanc’s relationship with the people he’s helping, and debate whether he’s become a bit manic in lockdown. We also discuss the depiction of the tech genius billionaire, how being rich does not equal being smart, how money influences choices for all the characters, and debate whether the comeuppance for the murderer was satisfying for all of us. We rave about the acting and how it felt like they were having a blast, praise the costuming choices, and just love the overall design of the movie. Katy shows off some Beatles knowledge, Carrie drops some amazing cameo facts, Maddy compares Blanc to a Muppet, and Mack is too immature for brussel sprouts. We also get into nightmare AI clowns, pandemic mask shorthand, and bathing suit inspirations. Spoilers abound, so we DO recommend you watch the movie before listening! Enjoy!

New special episode out now! We enter the world of Victorian London yet again with the new Netflix film Enola Holmes 2. We get right into picking apart the multiple mysteries, discuss how our feelings compare to the original, debate how the film handled the balance between being an Enola vs a Sherlock movie, and wonder if we are just too old to care about young romance. We all liked the inclusion of true events and how it didn’t shy away from portraying the real corruption in the police force, the industrial world, and in the government while maintaining the same Enola air of adventure. We also discuss how Sherlock needs constant care, think Grail felt like a Bond villain in his acting, and still get annoyed by the fourth wall breaking. And we of course all continue to find Henry Cavill and his hair very attractive. Katy got confused by dance and math, Carrie will not allow plagiarizing, Maddy is a wild wagon driver, and Mack finally gets to speak. We reveal a practice of sneaking into each other’s rooms growing up, wonder if bulking up makes your hands look small, love the push for strike action, and lament our prior knowledge of Victorian industrial diseases. We also talk about Rube Goldberg machines, feeling like a mother bird, Victorian poop jokes, and good names for horses. Listen to find out which one of us tried to gather evidence showing why this movie was bad - and failed! Enjoy!

TW: Government and corporate negligence/corruption, police corruption and violence, racism

New episode out now! We encounter another jewel-heist-in-London-involving-Muppets film with 2014's Muppets Most Wanted! We discuss the appeal of the Muppets and how the format they're in can really make or break the offbeat humor, and debate whether this movie accomplished that traditional zaniness. We talk about how we love the practical nature of the Muppets, wonder if we may have liked this movie a bit more if a few actors were replaced, and complain about the use of CGI. We also get into the fun cameos and how we recognized almost all of them, and confirm we loved all the songs - even the romantic one. Katy loves synchronized swimming and lists, Carrie does not enjoy a mirror mime gag, Maddy knows Josh Groban, and Mack goes on two separate rants but then does an incredible Doofenshmirtz impression. We also argue about the word of art thieves, think that freely dancing to the Macarena seems fun, yell at Mack twice, and some of us get weirded out by sexy Kermit (aka Constantine). Give it a listen to hear us talk about European employment laws, clown cars, the Tower of London, Labyrinth, and which one of us thought this movie was incredible. Enjoy!

TW: Covid references, Russian gulag

Show Notes/Corrections: