This week's Movie Date podcast includes some heavy matters as well as some livelier ones. On the heavy side, Rafer and Kristen give a recap on the recent Woody Allen / Dylan Farrow drama (warning: if you're looking for them to come down on one side or the other, you're going to be disappointed). They also remember the brilliant actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, with the help of Hoffman's friend and former high school English teacher, John Baynes, of Fairport High School in Rochester, NY. On the livelier side, they review the star-packed WWII film, "Monuments Men," and the animated action adventure, "The Lego Movie." And, as usual, there's also listener mail and trivia.  

This week's Movie Date podcast is going up a few days late, as Rafer and Kristen have been on vacation. Thanks for your patience! And now, with no further ado, reviews of the suspense/romance "Labor Day," starring Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin; and the bromance/chick flick "That Awkward Moment," starring Zac Efron, Michael B. Jordan, and Miles Teller.

In this week's Movie Date podcast, Rafer and Kristen try to squeeze as much as they can into half an hour. They begin with a review of the sci-fi semi-religious adventure movie, "I, Frankenstein." Starring Aaron Eckhart and Bill Nighy, it's written and directed by Stuart Beattie. Next, the great film critic Anne Thompson gives Movie Daters a dispatch from the Sundance Film Festival. When she's not rubbing elbows with Robert Redford, Thompson writes the Thompson on Hollywood blog at Indiewire. And then it's time to get onto the Movie Therapy couch, as Rafer and Kristen try to help a listener make the most of those months between her proposal and wedding. Next, there's a major correction to make. And finally, as always, Rafer and Kristen end with trivia. Phew! Buckle up because it's that kind of date.

In this week's Movie Date podcast, Rafer and Kristen recount their encounters with wildlife in the city and ponder the ways that dance-offs are better than shoot-outs. It's all in honor of the animated feature, "The Nut Job," the buddy cop comedy, "Ride Along," and the spy thriller, "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit." Rafer and Kristen also weigh in on the Oscar nominations, which were announced this Thursday. And there's a big trivia-related mea culpa as well!

THE FULL LIST OF ACADEMY AWARD NOMINEES

Best Picture

Actor in a Leading Role

Actor in a Supporting Role

Actress in a Leading Role

Actress in a Supporting Role

Animated Feature Film

Cinematography

Costume Design

Directing

Documentary (Feature)

Documentary (Short Subject)

Film Editing

Foreign Language Film

Makeup and hairstyling

Music (Original Score)

Music (Original Song)

Production design

Short Film (Animated)

Short Film (Live Action)

Sound Editing:

Sound Mixing:

Visual Effects

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

Writing (Original Screenplay)

In this week's Movie Date podcast, Rafer and Kristen review the new Renny Harlin action flick, "The Legend of Hercules," starring Kellan Lutz. They also give their predictions for the major film categories of this weekend's Golden Globes (Sunday, January 12). And, bonus: this week's trivia winner gets a very special prize!

THE FULL LIST OF GOLDEN GLOBE FILM NOMINEES

Best Motion Picture - Drama

Best Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical

Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Best Director - Motion Picture

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture

Best Original Score - Motion Picture

Best Original Song - Motion Picture

Best Animated Feature Film

Best Foreign Language Film

In this week's Movie Date podcast, Rafer and Kristen answer a few of the many listener letters they've recently received. Along the way, they try to lend some movie therapy and (hooray!) end up on a surprise speed date. Bonus: Rafer and Kristen have some big announcements to make. Among them: a recent smackdown with the Game Night Guys and an upcoming singles movie mixer at WNYC.

In this week's Movie Date podcast, Rafer and Kristen review seven of the big movies being released on Christmas Day 2013. The films touch on everyone's favorite holiday topics, including family fights, financial corruption, elder abuse, war, extramarital affairs, lay-offs, and samurais. So pour yourself a cup of eggnog, and hear what Rafer and Kristen have to say about: "Lone Survivor," "August: Osage County," "Invisible Woman," "47 Ronin," "Wolf of Wall Street," "Grudge Match," and "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty."

This week's Movie Date podcast has Rafer wishing he knew how to do the hustle and Kristen questioning whether computers will eventually try to have sex with us all. On the chopping block: the star-packed heist film by David O. Russell, "American Hustle"; the long-awaited next chapter in the Ron Burgundy saga, "Anchorman 2"; and the Spike Jonze artificial intelligence romance, "Her." To help separate fact and fiction in "Her," Kristen and Rafer are joined by a very special guest. Gary Marcus is an artificial intelligence expert and NYU professor, and, as he sees it, we could be only a few years away from living the plot of "Her." 

In this week's Movie Date podcast, Rafer and Kristen look back on their own magical childhood memories as they review the making-of-"Mary Poppins" movie, "Saving Mister Banks" and the second installment in "The Hobbit" trilogy, "The Desolation of Smaug." They also consider whether the Golden Globe Award nominations make any sense whatsoever, and help a listener who needs advice on how to make holiday travel a little less torturous.

In this week's Movie Date podcast, Rafer and Kristen look at the intersections of music and film in three new releases: "Inside Llewyn Davis," the Coen brothers' film about a 1960s folk singer trying to make it big; "Out of the Furnace," starring Woody Harrelson, Christian Bale, and Casey Affleck; and "Sound of Music Live," the live television staging of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical made famous by Julie Andrews.

They also embark on some movie therapy with a listener who wants help with tracking down quality lesbian-themed films. And, as always, there's movie trivia.