The Rewind

Josh is joined by recurring guests Joe Morgan and Fred Kolb to talk about the newest movie from director Paul Greengrass starring Tom Hanks, "News of the World." They discuss whether the movie has interesting things to say about America today, how Greengrass' style fit in the Western, Hanks' performance as an ex-Confederate solider, why Greengrass should watch "Air Bud" and much more! Spoilers for "News of the World" start at 33:13 before they give their latest streaming recommendations (46:44-End)!

Josh is joined by recurring guests Lissa Khoshbakhti and Denise Akerman to talk about Netflix's "Pieces of a Woman." They discuss its harrowing first 30 minutes showing a home birth in one take, its effectiveness in depicting how people deal with grief, Vanessa Kirby's Oscar-worthy performance, how it felt watching Shia LaBeouf in such a movie not long after domestic abuse allegations surfaced against him and much more. Then (54:12-End), they give their most recent streaming recommendations!

Josh is joined by recurring guest Daniel Lima to talk about the directorial debut of Regina King, "One Night in Miami." They discuss how the actors involved did in portraying icons Jim Brown, Sam Cooke, Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali and Malcom X as well as its imagination of the conversations those men had one night in 1964. Josh and Daniel also get into whether the filmmaking was effective in transitioning this story that was conceived as a play from the stage to the screen. Then, they give their most recent streaming recommendations!

Josh is joined this week by Pixar correspondent Joe Morgan and recurring guest Josh Brown for a blockbuster double feature! First (Beginning-38:00), they discuss Pixar's "Soul" and whether it stuck the landing in dealing with weighty themes about the meaning of life, its renderings of the afterlife and New York City, the varied voice performances and much more! Then (38:01-44:44), Josh Brown gives his quick thoughts on "Wonder Woman 1984" before having to exit the pod early. Afterwards, Josh and Joe wrap up the Soul discussion (44:45-53:32) before moving onto a larger discussion about "Wonder Woman 1984" in which they talk about whether if it gets away from telling Diana's story in favor of less important aspects of its story, whether Chris Pine was incorporated in a sensible way, if it does any better with its final act than 2017's "Wonder Woman," Pedro Pascal and Kristen Wiig's supporting performances and much more! Then (1:33:09-End), Josh and Joe give their most recent streaming recommendations!

Spoilers throughout for both movies!

Josh is joined by recurring guest Maya to talk about Netflix's "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom." They discuss how writer Ruben Santiago-Hudson and director George C. Wolfe did in adapting August Wilson's play for the screen, how it conveyed Wilson's messages including the with regard to its many messages including white appropriation of black art, Viola Davis' performance as the title character, Chadwick Boseman's powerful final performance, and much more! Then, they give their most recent streaming recommendations!

Josh is joined by recurring guest Daniel Lima for a very logical double feature episode. First (Beginning-22:58), they talk about "Fatman" and whether it does enough with its concept of the everyman Santa Clause being hunted by a hitman, if watching Mel Gibson play Chris Kringle was too big of an ask, Walton Goggins' committed performance, what the movie's economic message might have been and much more! Then (22:59-end) they discuss "Antebellum" and try to figure out what the movie's message about racism might have been and whether they even are glad the movie was made. Spoilers throughout! (We especially recommend not learning anything about Antebellum before seeing it or listening to the pod. Also, there is a spoiler for M Night Shyamalan's The Village during the this podcast, so now you are warned.)

Josh is joined by recurring guest Kayla Stetzel to break down Hulu's Happiest Season. They discuss how writer/director Clea Duvall took the traditional family-coming-home-for-Christmas romantic comedy formula and made it fit a queer story, Kristen Stewart as a rom-com lead, whether it conceived of its central romance in a way that allowed the audience to cheer for the couple, Aubrey Plaza nearly walking away with the movie and much more! Spoilers throughout!

Josh is joined by recurring guest Elijah Howard to talk about the newest film from Netflix and David Fincher, "Mank." They discuss how effective writer Jack Fincher was in telling the story of Herman Mankiewicz becoming disillusioned from William Randolph Hearst, leading to the writing of "Citizen Kane," how it showed economic struggle that echoes what America is experiencing in 2020, whether Fake News started in movie studios in the 1930s, David's decision to make the film look like a movie that was made in the time period in which it was set and much more!

Josh is joined by recurring guest Lissa Khoshbakhti for an all body-switching movie podcast! First, (Beginning-34:15) they discuss the newest film from Blumhouse, “Freaky” and how it managed to take from other classic horror films while still having unique action, Kathryn Newton and Vince Vaughn’s performances depicting themselves possessed by the other and whether the movie could have had some stronger storytelling choices. Then (34:16-55:04), they revisit 2003’s Freaky Friday and whether it still entertained them as adults, Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis’ body switching performances, if 15-year-old maids of honor are an actual thing and much more! Finally (55:05-end) they given their most recent streaming recommendations!

Josh is joined by recurring guest Nick Menta to go back to 2009 to revisit Jason Reitman’s “Up in the Air.” They discuss how it feels to watch a movie about traveling and switching to remote work in light of the country is currently experiencing, if the movie strikes the right tone despite being largely about firing people, its three central performances and much more! Then (47:00-End), they give their most recent streaming recommendations!