We Love the Love

We're taking a look at one of the iconic B movies of the 1950s, the original version of The Blob!

Join in as we discuss the great Burt Bacharach theme song, the film debut of Steve McQueen, and early depictions of teenagers.

Plus: Are these the most exasperated cops ever? What does star jelly taste like? Under what circumstances do you have to street race someone? And are we really just rooting for the Blob to win?

Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe!

Next week: I Married a Monster from Outer Space (1958)

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Key sources and links for this episode:

• The Blob at Turner Classic Movies
• "Celebrating Film Nostalgia with Ooze and Aahs at Blobfest" (New York Times)
• "Kate Phillips, Actress Who Christened The Blob, is Dead at 94" (New York Times)
• "The Mystery of the Dissolving Saucer of 27 September 1950" (Miskatonic Blog)
• "Oscars 2016: Sam Smith Congratulated Himself on an LGBT Milestone He Didn't Achieve" (Vox)

We're headed to North Dakota for some reason this week as we look at the fast-developing romance of the 1993 horror "classic" Leprechaun!

Join in as we discuss Jennifer Aniston's movie-stealing performance, Warwick Davis's star turn, and the AMC theaters merch section.

Plus: How old are these characters supposed to be? Why do any of them live out in the middle of nowhere? Should the leprechaun be more obsessed with shoes? And, most importantly, is this the best Aniston has ever looked?

Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe!

Next week: The Blob (1958)

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Key sources and links for this episode:

• "Shlocky Charms: The Crazy Rise and 'Terrifying' Return of Leprechaun" (Entertainment Weekly)
• "Marketing Leprechaun" (Entertainment Weekly)
• "Billy Zane Almost Totally Murdered Fabrizio in Titanic's Original Ending" (SlashFilm)

We're kicking off the spooky season with a return to the Universal monster movies and Boris Karloff in Karl Freund's 1932 version of The Mummy!

Join in as we discuss Karloff the union organizer, the fights between Freund and star Zita Johann, the film's connection to silent film trends, and Imhotep's convoluted scheme.

Plus: What was Imhotep doing for ten years? Why aren't there any classic novels about ancient Egypt? And, most importantly, how could Helen's final outfit be so bad?

Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe!

Next week: The Babadook (2014)

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Key links for this episode:

• "Boris and Bela" miniseries from You Must Remember This
• "Ben Carson Stands by Statement that Egyptian Pyramids Built to Store Grain" (PBS NewsHour)
• That picture of the Babadook Will sent everyone at the end of the episode

We're continuing our month of movie monsters with a look at Jennifer Kent's 2014 cult classic The Babadook!

Join in as we discuss the movie's dismal emotions and colors, its outsized impact compared to its tiny box office, the movie's varying levels of Australian-ness, and Sam's "bad kid" status.

Plus: How did the Babadook become a queer icon? Is this monster a murderer? What is Acorn TV? And, most critically, what do the worms represent?

Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe!

Next week: Leprechaun (1993)

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Key sources and links for this episode:

• "How Jennifer Kent Made The Babadook" (SBS Australia)
• "Homespun Horror: The Making of The Babadook" (FilmInk)
• "The Babadook: 'I Wanted to Talk about the Need to Face Darkness in Ourselves'" (The Guardian)
• "Boogeyman Nights: The Story behind this Year's Horror Hit The Babadook" (Rolling Stone)
• The Babadook Kickstarter Page (includes Kent's earlier short film Monster)
• "How The Babadook became the LGBTQ Icon We Didn't Know We Needed" (Vox)
• "The Bird Box Effect: How Memes Drive Users to Netflix" (The Ringer)
• "The True Story behind the Greatest Halloween Tweet of All Time" (Intelligencer)
• "Weapons is Why We Go to the Movies" (The Big Picture)
• The Babadook published picture book

We're checking in this week on a brand new rom com, Roshan Sethi's 2025 adaptation of A Nice Indian Boy, starring Karan Soni and Jonathan Groff!

Join in as we discuss awkward first dates, a scene-stealing performance by Zarna Garg, and the nice change of a gay rom com that's not about coming out.

Plus: What's the best joke in the movie? Why would Jay smoke weed in his fiance's parents' bathroom? And where is this movie set?

Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe!

Next week: The Mummy (1932)

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Key sources and links for this episode:

• "Calgary Filmmaker Dreams Up a Big Gay Bollywood Wedding in New Rom Com" (CBC)
• "A Nice Indian Boy: Jonathan Groff and Karan Soni Make Rom Com History" (The Daily Beast)
• "Gay Rom-Com A Nice Indian Boy Unites Deadpool's Karan Soni, Jonathan Groff, and Roshan Sethi: 'Everyone was Turned On'" (Variety)
• "Out and About with Karan Soni" (OUT Magazine)

We're at the beach with Jack and Diane as we look at the romance of Nancy Meyers's 2003 smash rom com Something's Gotta Give!

Join in as we discuss thinly-veiled adaptations of real life, the film's examination of Jack Nicholson, and the weird lack of Frances McDormand.

Plus: How long has Julian (Keanu Reeves) been tracking down productions of Erica's (Diane Keaton) plays? Why didn't Harry's employees ever show up again? And did Nancy watch the Matrix sequels?

Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe!

Next week: A Nice Indian Boy (2025)

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Key sources and links for this episode:

• "Nancy Meyers Searches for Her Own Comfort" (Vulture)
• "What's it Like to be Directed by Nancy Meyers" (Vulture)
• "A Kooky Conversation with Nancy Meyers Muse Diane Keaton" (Vulture)
• "Set Design: Something's Gotta Give" (Architectural Digest)
• "Venice 2012: Paul Thomas Anderson says Tom Cruise Has Seen The Master 'and We're Still Friends'" (The Hollywood Reporter)
• "The Story of Harold Ramis and Amy Heckerling's Secret Daughter" (Vulture)
• "Last 5 Years is a Musical Marriage-Go-Round" (New York Post)
• "Stereophonic Settles Lawsuit with Fleetwood Mac Producer" (The Hollywood Reporter)
• "Life Isn't Like the Movies (Even if You Write the Movies)" - Modern Love essay by Nancy Meyers (New York Times)

We're at the beach with Jack and Diane as we look at the romance of Nancy Meyers's 2003 smash rom com Something's Gotta Give!

Join in as we discuss thinly-veiled adaptations of real life, the film's examination of Jack Nicholson, and the weird lack of Frances McDormand.

Plus: How long has Julian (Keanu Reeves) been tracking down productions of Erica's (Diane Keaton) plays? Why didn't Harry's employees ever show up again? And did Nancy watch the Matrix sequels?

Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe!

Next week: A Nice Indian Boy (2025)

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Key sources and links for this episode:

• "Nancy Meyers Searches for Her Own Comfort" (Vulture)
• "What's It Like to Be Directed by Nancy Meyers?" (Vulture)
• "A Kooky Conversation with Nancy Meyers Muse Diane Keaton" (Vulture)
• "Set Design: Something's Gotta Give" (Architectural Digest)
• "Venice 2012: Paul Thomas Anderson Says Tom Cruise Has Seen The Master 'and We're Still Friends'" (The Hollywood Reporter)
• "The Story of Harold Ramis and Amy Heckerling's Secret Daughter" (Vulture)
• "Last 5 Years a Musical Marriage-Go-Round" (New York Post)
• "Stereophonic Settles Lawsuit with Fleetwood Mac Producer" (The Hollywood Reporter)
• "Life Isn't Like the Movies (Even if You Write the Movies)" - Nancy Meyers "Modern Love" Essay (New York Times)

We're closing out the trilogy of Nora Ephron romantic comedies with a look at the third Tom Hanks / Meg Ryan collaboration, 1998's You've Got Mail!

Join in as we discuss formative computer memories, childhood bookstores, and War of the Worlds (2025).

Plus: Why does the rest of the Fox family seem to hate books? Did Birdie really date Franco? When is David Lowery's Mother Mary coming out? And remember when the internet was charming?

Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe!

Next week: Something's Gotta Give (2003)

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Key sources and links for this episode:

• "The Strange Eating Habits of Steve Jobs" (NBC News)
• "Ice Cube's New Sci-Fi Movie Debuts with a Well-Earned 0% on Rotten Tomatoes" (Polygon)
• "The Winding Tale of Neopets" (The History of the Web)
• "George Clooney Dodged a Career Blow by Turning Down a Holiday Flop" (Collider)
• "How Barnes and Noble Made a Comeback by Revitalizing its Philosophy" (PBS News)

We're headed back to 2007 to look at the romance of the indie sensation Juno, starring Elliot Page as a pregnant teenager, Michael Cera as the awkward boyfriend, and Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner as would-be adoptive parents.

Join in as we discuss the careers of director Jason Reitman and writer Diablo Cody, the film's iconic soundtrack, and a couple weirdly un-streamable movies.

Plus: What's the deal with Smartless Mobile? Was "everyone" aware of Ricki and the Flash? Is A Minecraft Movie quietly good (or at least not bad)? And will we find a way to talk about The Odyssey every week between now and July?

Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe!

Next week: You've Got Mail (1998)

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Key sources and links for this episode:

• "Diablo Cody, Lap Dancer Turned Ace Screenwriter" (The Times)
• "From Saucy to Sweet" (The Age)
• "Jason Reitman Tackles Teen Pregnancy in Juno" (ComingSoon.net)
• "Juno: Inside Oscar's 100 Million Dollar Baby" (Entertainment Weekly)
• "Diablo Cody Meditates on Juno and its Critics 15 Years Later: 'I am Emphatically Pro-Choice'" (The Hollywood Reporter)
• "Death to the Juno Effect" (Salon)
• "Charli XCX Eyed for Greta Gerwig and Netflix's Narnia Movie" (Deadline)
• "Missing Teen's Friends Go on TV to Plead for Her Release, Gossip about Ugly Classmates" (Onion News Network on YouTube)

We're returning to Genovia after seven years away to look at the romance of Garry Marshall's 2004 Disney sequel The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement!

Join in as we discuss the career of screenwriter Shonda Rhimes, the long development of Princess Diaries 3, the odd CGI plane, and a lot about the Genovian government.

Plus: Who would want a remote control closet? Why is Genovia's anthem so similar to Canada's? Why didn't PD3 happen sooner? And, most importantly, why does Genovia have so many orphans?

Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe!

Next week: Juno (2007)

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Key sources and links for this episode:

• "Anne Hathaway: The Reluctant Princess" (The Independent)
• "Anne Hathaway on Ella Enchanted and Her Princess Roles" (ThoughtCo)
• "Julie Andrews to Sing in Diaries 2" (LA Times)
• "John Rhys-Davies on Gimli, Brexit, and Rural Hell" (RNZ)
• "The Most Popular Wine Glass in the Country has Scandal to Thank" (VinePair)
• "Cash Rules Everything about Ellen Pompeo Staying on Grey's Anatomy" (Vulture)
• "Irish Wish is a Crypto-Fascist, AI-Generated Harbinger of Doom" (Vulture)