Just in time for election season, we're kicking off our Political Thriller series with IN THE LINE OF FIRE starring Clint Eastwood, John Malkovich and Rene Russo. Wolfgang Petersen directed this 1993 suspense actioner about a Secret Service agent trying to thwart a would-be assassin targeting the U.S. President. Upon release, IN THE LINE OF FIRE was a critical and commercial hit, garnering Oscar nominations for Malkovich, screenwriter Jeff Maguire and editor Anne V. Coates. From now until Election Day, Mama Needs a Movie will delve into paranoia-driven political thrillers, starting with this pulse-pounding episode on IN THE LINE OF FIRE which contains the premiere of a new segment, Poetry Corner, the return of Let's Talk Physical, and diversions into Law & Order, the Olympics, Dermot Mulroney, incels, the 2024 election cycle and much, much more!

IN THE LINE OF FIRE is available from most streaming rental platforms and can also be streamed with a subscription to MGM+.

Anne and Ryan delve into the drama of the newly released IT ENDS WITH US starring Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, Jenny Slate, Hasan Minhaj and Brandon Sklenar. Based on the bestselling novel by Colleen Hoover, the movie follows Lily Bloom (Lively), a florist reconciling her father's death, beginning a relationship with a surgeon and reuniting with an old flame. As the story unfolds, darker themes of domestic violence reveal themselves, forcing Lily to make tough decisions about her life moving forward. With the off-camera drama between director Baldoni and the cast threatening to overshadow the film itself, we try to fairly examine the form and function of this modern day melodrama, along with some diversions into Nick Jonas, Douglas Sirk, Parachute, Gena Rowlands and much, much more!

IT ENDS WITH US is currently available to stream with subscription to Netflix.

Anne and Ryan volley points back and forth on Luca Guadagnino's tennis romance, CHALLENGERS starring Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh O'Connor. CHALLENGERS is the chronologically jumbled story of two young tennis players, Patrick (O'Connor) and Art (Faist) who meet another pro, Tashi (Zendaya) and are immediately drawn to her. Years later, Tashi has coached one player to numerous titles, while the other fumbles through a career low point, the fate of all three realigning at a Challenger event. Praised for its sexy, kinetic style and score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, CHALLENGERS is shaping up to be one of 2024's most discussed movies. We serve up an aggressive CHALLENGERS discussion along with some out-of-bounds diversions into Shampoo, Out of Sight, The Social Network, West Side Story, body hair, Universal CityWalk, the Americana, and much, much more!

CHALLENGERS is currently available to stream with subscription to Prime Video.

Anne and Ryan welcome producer, writer and film fanatic Andrew Grissom, to take a bite out of Mike Nichols' WOLF starring Jack Nicholson, Michelle Pfeiffer, and James Spader. Released in the summer of 1994, WOLF's mix of horror, romance, and satire opened to middling reviews, but has since garnered fascination due to its odd mix of sophisticated humor, Rick Baker creature makeup, and hypotonic Ennio Morricone score. Grissom brings his research A-game to the discussion (he's seen Wolf three times within the last year), as we delve into the film's writing (which went through an uncredited punch-up from Elaine May), locations (including Downtown LA's Bradbury Building), and fortuitous release date (which happened on one of the most memorable days of 1990s). It's a howlingly good conversation you don't want to miss!

Guest Jill Donnelly joins for a big-hearted discussion of 2017's PADDINGTON 2, starring Ben Whishaw, Hugh Grant, Sally Hawkins, and Hugh Bonneville. The Paul King-directed family comedy is a rare modern classic to receive almost universal acclaim, but that won't stop Mama Needs a Movie from complicating it. In addition to everyone's favorite marmalade loving bear, Jill talks with great humor and compassion about her life as an improviser, actor, health policy consultant, New York style pizza-prefering Chicagoan, and mother.

Director and writer, Eric Appel (Son of Zorn, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story) joins to discuss on the acclaimed new sci-fi comedy action parental drama, Everything Everywhere All at Once starring Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, and Ke Huy Quan. Helmed by the directing duo, Daniels, the film is a fast-paced sensory cornucopia about family dynamics stretching through multiple universes. In this thrilling conversation, Mama Needs a Movie discusses childhood moviegoing, focus groups, Tim Burton, VHS retail prices, anime, TikTok, Danny DeVito, Being John Malkovich, the Oculus Quest, Letterboxd, parking at The Grove, and much much more. One might even say this conversation is... Everything.... Everywhere (podcast platforms only).... All At Once (1hr and 48min required to listen.)

Special guest Becky Feldman (host of Too Stupid to Live) brings her romance novel expertise to a discussion of the The Lost City starring Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, and Daniel Radcliffe. This new big budget adventure/comedy/romance directed by Aaron and Adam Nee features Bullock as a romance novelist, Radcliffe as her eccentric billionaire kidnapper, and Tatum as a fumbling cover model who is her only hope for rescue. Becky stacks the plot against her very high stack of romance novels in a wild conversation that covers everything from the Daniel Radcliffe's beard to the Hollywood and Highland parking structure. Will this episode end with a Happily Ever After? There's only one way to find out! 

THE LOST CITY is currently streaming on Amazon Prime and Paramount Plus.

Comedian and actor Josh Fadem (Twin Peaks: The Return, Better Call Saul) joins to discuss Douglas Sirk's 1956 melodrama, WRITTEN ON THE WIND starring Rock Hudson, Lauren Bacall, Robert Stack, and Dorothy Malone. Sirk's deeply layered themes of American capitalism and sexual inadequacy are explored in this wild and far-ranging discussion that folds in Freddy Krueger, nymphomania, Unsolved Mysteries, Glenn Ford, Regarding Henry, Gene Roddenberry, and much much more. It's conversation no film fan should let blow past.

Writer and performer Kimberly Truong (Crush Fictionally) joins Anne and Ryan in a discussion of Spider-man: No Way Home starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, and directed by Jon Watts. An unparalleled box office phenomenon of the pandemic era, No Way Home is no run-of-the-mill Marvel outing, but a cameo-packed superhero juggernaut that now ranks as the third highest grossing movie of all time. In the wake of the film's global dominance, only Mama Needs a Movie dares to sling shocking questions like: Is Andrew Garfield the most underrated Spidey? Is the the multiverse just secular heaven? Is Happy Hogan datable? Which one of the Spider-Mans wore a fake butt?... and much, much more.

San Fernando Valley native Scott Gairdner (Podcast: The Ride, Saturday Morning All Star Hits!) joins Anne and Ryan to discuss Martha Coolidge's teen classic, VALLEY GIRL (1983) starring Nicolas Cage, Deborah Foreman, and Elizabeth Daily. Does Gairdner bring his tubular expertise on Valley mall culture to the discussion? Fer sure! You, like, totally won't want to miss this episode.

VALLEY GIRL is currently available to stream for free on Kanopy, Pluto TV or Tubi.

In their most shocking episode yet, Anne and Ryan welcome guest Joe Saunders (The Bread Cast), to discuss the grungy blockbuster, THE BATMAN, starring Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Colin Farrell, Paul Dano, and directed by Matt Reeves. Like the movie's villainous trio of Riddler, Penguin, and Catwoman, this rouge's gallery of reviewers will stop at nothing to challenge the Caped Crusader's newest incarnation, delving into the film's drab color palette, pessimistic political subtext, and epic 3-hour length in a spoiler-heavy discussion. All this, plus a detailed breakdown of where everyone parked before the movie, will have you shouting, "Holy Mama, Batman!"

THE BATMAN is currently streaming on HBO Max.

Anne and Ryan welcome their guest, writer and performer Deborah Tarica, to discuss Grease 2 (1982) starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Maxwell Caulfield. Considered a disappointment upon release, this musical sequel directed by choreographer Patricia Birch has become a bonafide cult classic with fans praising its rousing musical numbers and Pfeiffer's spirited performance. So rev your engines for a thrilling jump into Grease 2's feminist undertones, leather culture connections, surprising celebrity admirers, and so much more!

GREASE 2 is available to stream for free on Kanopy or PlutoTV.

Anne and Ryan welcome guest writer/director Alex Kavutskiy to discuss the new romantic comedy, Marry Me directed by Kat Corio, starring Jennifer Lopez, Owen Wilson, and Maluma. This is the internet's only Marry Me discussion to ask important questions like: Is romance dead? How many NBC host cameos are TOO many for one film? And... how many times can the movie Moonfall be mentioned during a Marry Me review?

Actor and podcaster Craig Jorczak (The Oscar Should Have Gone To) joins to discuss the newly released action thriller, MONKEY MAN starring Dev Patel, Sharlto Copley, Pitobash, Vipin Sharma and Sikandar Kher. The film marks Patel's directorial debut in which he plays Kid, a young man set on taking revenge against the corrupt police chief who murdered his mother. Plagued by injuries sustained during fight training, a harsh mid-pandemic production, and a late withdrawal of Netflix distribution, Patel’s first foray behind the camera required a resiliency worthy of his action hero protagonist, but is the film worthy of the blood, sweat and tears that went into it? Join us as we tackle MONKEY MAN with some diversions into Ripley, Letterboxd, John Woo, the Skarsgård siblings, Monster's Ball, Foe, Kenneth Lonergan, movie stars on Broadway, and much, much more!

MONKEY MAN is available to stream with subscription to Peacock.

Anne and Ryan welcome their first-ever guest, writer/director Danny Jelinek (Jimmy Kimmel Live, Last Week Tonight), to discuss Lana Wachowski's The Matrix Resurrections (2021) starring Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss. The conversation goes deep down the rabbit hole of childhood movie experiences, from Danny's early memories of the Rutger Hauer action film, The Blood of Heroes (1989) to the more family-friendly Planes: Fire & Rescue (2014). So what are you waiting for? Take the red pill and give it a listen!

Director and writer Harrison Atkins (Lace Crater) joins for a discussion of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's rhapsodic 1947 drama, BLACK NARCISSUS starring Deborah Kerr, Kathleen Byron, David Farrar and Sabu. Based on Rumer Godden's novel, BLACK NARCISSUS tells the story of Anglican nuns establishing a convent on a Himalayan mountaintop. Overwhelmed by the region's natural beauty and their own natural urges, the sisters begin to question their lives as nuns. Shot in stunning Technicolor by cinematographer Jack Cardiff, BLACK NARCISSUS is one of Powell and Pressburger's defining films, a thorny, surprisingly modern work on female devotion, repression, lust and madness. Join Mama Needs a Movie as it gazes into BLACK NARCISSUS, with some diversions into Annihilation, Paris Is Burning, declining horniness, Madeline, Silence, haircuts, Sister Wendy and much, much more!

BLACK NARCISSUS is available to stream with subscription to The Criterion Channel or Max, and can be streamed for free on Freevee, Tubi, and The Roku Channel. 

Mama Needs a Movie celebrates 100 episodes of flawless podcasting with a telephone survey of former guests Danny Jelinek, Allan McLeod, Jessica Lee Williamson, Alex Kavutskiy, Courtney Davis, Meghann Murphy, Caramel Nguyen, Jon Millstein, and Rachel Lee Goldenberg.

Anne and Ryan serve up a spicy discussion of Denis Villenueve's DUNE: PART TWO, the second installment of the epic science-fiction saga starring Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, and Javiar Bardem. Based on Frank Herbert's classic novel, the film picks up where 2021's DUNE left off: In a distant future, after the fall of the House Atreides, Paul Atreides (Chalamet) and his mother Jessica (Ferguson) travel with the Fremen on the planet of Arrakis. Paul's romance with Chandi (Zendaya) grows as he struggles with visions of a terrible future and an impending war with House Harkonnen. Opening to rave reviews and a strong box office performance, DUNE: PART TWO has already cemented its place as one of 2024's most celebrated releases, but does the film really live up to the hype? Join Mama Needs a Movie down the wormhole of Villenueve's latest, along with diversions into Star Wars, Priscilla, The Last Temptation of Christ, Sydney Sweeney, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and much, much more!

DUNE: PART TWO is available to stream with subscription to Max.

Actor, comedian and playwright John Ross Bowie (Brushstroke) joins to discuss the 1954 animated adaptation of George Orwell's ANIMAL FARM featuring the voices of Gordon Heath and Maurice Denham. Co-directed by John Halas and Joy Batchelor, ANIMAL FARM is a beast fable symbolizing decades of Russian history as an animal uprising on a brutally-maintained farm. Partially funded by the CIA's Office of Policy Coordination, ANIMAL FARM was intended as a covert piece of anti-communist propaganda, but performed poorly at the box office, eventually finding its biggest audience in American classrooms. We delve into this animated oddity in the context of Bowie's new play, BRUSHSTROKE, a Cold War comedy thriller dealing with the CIA's involvement in the modern art movement. Plus, we leave room for some off-topic diversions into
The Secret of NIMH, The Green Berets, No Way Out, Mike Leigh, Andy Serkis, Captain America, Captain Phillips and much, much more!
ANIMAL FARM is currently streaming for free on Freevee and Tubi.
BRUSHSTROKE is currently playing at the Odyssey Theater in Los Angeles.
Tickets at: https://odysseytheatre.com/tickets/?eid=111850

Actress and writer Meghann Murphy (host of The Oscar Should Have Gone To) joins for a look back at James Cameron's Oscar-winning romance TITANIC starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet and Billy Zane. Set aboard the ill-fated vessel, the story finds a newly-engaged first class passenger Rose (Winslet) falling for a free-spirited artist (DiCaprio) in third class. Cameron's ambitious epic, (pitched as "Romeo and Juliet on the Titanic"), was a fraught production, racking up a then all-time record budget of $200 million dollars and sparking speculation that it would be a box office disaster. Upon release in December of 1997, TITANIC remained number one at the box office for 15 consecutive weeks, racked up 14 Academy Award nominations, won 11, and launched DiCaprio and Winslet into the ranks of superstardom. Congrats, you've won a ticket aboard the our detailed reassessment of this Valentine's Day staple, along with diversions into Amadeus, May December, Revolutionary Road, Bradley Cooper, Saltburn, Lars von Trier and much, much more! 

TITANIC is currently available to stream with subscription to Paramount+ or Peacock.

Anne and Ryan discuss Yorgos Lanthimos's gothic comedy POOR THINGS starring Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo and Willem Dafoe. Based on a novel by Alasdair Gray, POOR THINGS tells the fantastical tale of Bella Baxter (Stone), a Victorian era woman resurrected from the dead through a brain transplant. Escaping her constrictive environs with a rapidly maturing mind, Bella experiences an intellectual and sexual awakening traveling throughout London, Lisbon, Alexandria, and Paris. Released at the end of 2023, POOR THINGS received praise for the performances of Stone, Dafoe, Ruffalo, as well as its innovative production design, costumes and musical score. But what will MAMA NEEDS A MOVIE have to say about Lanthimos' twisted variation on Frankenstein? Observe our grisly dissection of POOR THINGS, along with divisions into The Curse, The Man with Two Brains, Yellow Submarine, NYAD, Frankenhooker, Good Time, Bunnicula, and much, much more!

POOR THINGS is currently available to stream with subscription to Hulu.

Anne and Ryan look back on their most memorable movie experiences from 2023 in this special year-in-review episode. Buckle up for a spoiler-heavy discussion of 2023 films including: AFIRE, ALL OF US STRANGERS, AMERICAN FICTION, ANATOMY OF A FALL, THE HOLDOVERS, THE IRON CLAW, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, MAY DECEMBER, NAPOLEON, PASSAGES, PAST LIVES, SALTBURN, THE ZONE OF INTEREST, plus first-time watches of older titles like THE HIDDEN FORTRESS, HISTORY IS MADE AT NIGHT, NO WAY OUT, OUT OF THE BLUE and much, much more!

Our "Alone for the Holidays" series concludes with our final episode of 2023, a discussion of Andrew Dominik's bleak 2012 crime drama KILLING THEM SOFTLY starring Brad Pitt, James Gandolfini, Ray Liotta and Richard Jenkins. Set against the backdrop of the 2008 financial crises, KILLING THEM SOFTLY follows a pair of low-level criminals pulling an opportunistic heist, then switches to the hit man hired to control the fallout. Based on the novel Cogan's Trade by George V. Higgins, KILLING THEM SOFTLY was largely dismissed by audiences upon release as too downbeat, but it's an honest and exhilarating movie of big ideas, expressing with great efficiency and poetry what it means to be alone in America.

In this unlocked episode of Mama Needs a Movie's Patreon spinoff podcast, ATTENTION MUST BE PAID (patreon.com/MNAM), Anne and Ryan look back at Lynne Ramsay's MORVERN CALLAR, a 2002 Scottish drama anchored by a haunting performance from Samantha Morton that is worthy of far more attention. Traumatized by the suicide of her novelist boyfriend on Christmas morning, Morvern Callar (Morton), submits his last manuscript as her own, then sets out on a trip to Spain with her best friend Lana (Kathleen McDermont). Following Ramsay's acclaimed debut feature, RATCATCHER, and preceding her more widely-recognized WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN and YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE, MORVERN CALLAR is at turns moving, meditative, unsettling, and essential to understanding Ramsay's one-of-a-kind directorial approach.

MORVERN CALLAR is available to stream for free on Kanopy or Freevee (with ads), or with subscription to The Criterion Channel or Prime Video.

In this special holiday bonus episode, Anne and Ryan have seen MAESTRO and simply must have an emergency discussion of Bradley Cooper's long-gestating 2023 biopic of composer/conductor Leonard Bernstein. Cooper's drama largely focuses on Bernstein's marriage with Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan), and the couple's many challenges in the face of Bernstein's success. Enjoy this surprise discussion of MAESTRO that also diverts into Humoresque, TÁR, The Bandwagon, Beavis and Butt-Head, Oppenheimer, Unfaithfully Yours and much much more!

MAESTRO is currently available to stream with subscription on Netflix.

Writer and performer Brian Finkelstein returns for our "Alone for the Holidays" film series, discussing Robert Zemeckis's survival tale, CAST AWAY starring Tom Hanks and Helen Hunt. In CAST AWAY, Hanks plays a time-obsessed FedEx employee who survives a plane crash on Christmas Eve, drifting ashore on a deserted island. After years of learning to survive in solitude, he must decide whether to risk his life to return to civilization. CAST AWAY was a box office and critical hit in the year 2000, scoring Hanks an Oscar nomination for his astounding body transformation. Join us for a discussion of CASTAWAY that also drifts toward diversions into The Shawshank Redemption, The Martian, James Cameron, the Sphere in Las Vegas, Octonauts, Charlie Wilson's War and much, much more!

CAST AWAY is currently available to stream with subscription to Hulu.

Musician Owen Ashworth (Advance Base) joins our ongoing "Alone for the Holidays" series with a discussion of JEANNE DIELMAN, 23 QUAI DU COMMERCE, 1080 BRUXELLES starring Delphine Seyrig. At the age of 25, Chantal Akerman wrote and directed this slow-burning Belgian drama depicting the daily chores of a widowed mother in exacting detail. Through a series of static long takes, we become accustomed to Jeanne Dielman's well-worn pattern of cooking, cleaning, caretaking, and sex work- until the pattern breaks down and her behavior grows increasingly erratic. When first screened at Cannes in 1975, JEANNE DIELMAN was met with a mixed reception, but subsequent re-evaluation deemed it a masterpiece of slow cinema. In the 2022 Sight and Sound poll, JEANNE DIELMAN was voted to be the greatest film of all time by critics, and is but one film of many in Akerman's body of work to grow in esteem since her 2015 death. Join us as we try to figure out the deal with DIELMAN, taking a few diversions into Aki Kaurismäki, Cold Mountain, Playtime, Afire, famous filming locations, housecleaning, and much, much more!

Check out Owen's music with Advance Base: https://advancebasemusic.com/

Check out Owen's drawings: https://www.instagram.com/ownashworth

JEANNE DIELMAN can currently be streamed with subscription to The Criterion Channel or Max.

Our "Alone for the Holidays" season kicks off with writer/director Pat Bishop (This Fool, Corporate) joining to discuss Wim Wenders's 1984 road film, PARIS, TEXAS starring Harry Dean Stanton, Nastassja Kinski, and Dean Stockwell. Scripted by Sam Shepard, the film opens in the Mojave desert where Travis (Stanton) emerges from years of self-imposed isolation. After reuniting with his brother Walt (Stockwell) and son Hunter (Hunter Carson), Travis's complicated past comes into greater focus, spurning another road trip of reconciliation. Featuring vibrant camerawork by Robby Müller and a starkly soulful musical score by Ry Cooder, PARIS, TEXAS was awarded the 1984 Palme d'Or and is now widely considered Stanton's iconic role and Wenders's American masterpiece. Join Mama Needs a Movie on a trip through PARIS, TEXAS that includes pit stops into Twin Peaks, The End of Violence, John Ford, '80s interest rates, Disney+, The Last Temptation of Christ, peep shows, Baywatch and much, much more!

PARIS, TEXAS is available to stream with subscription to The Criterion Channel or Max.

Writer and performer Joan Ford returns to the podcast to discuss Mama Needs a Boo-vie's final spooky October selection, Paul Schrader's CAT PEOPLE (1982) starring Nastassja Kinski, Malcolm McDowell and John Heard. This loose remake of Jacques Tourneur's 1942 supernatural classic follows Irina (Kinski) traveling to New Orleans to meet her brother, Paul (McDowell). As incestuous undertones rage between the two, Irina is drawn into an investigation of serial murders, befriending a hotshot zoologist (Heard). This probe eventually leads to a shocking discovery about Irina's family lineage. Upon release, CAT PEOPLE received decent reviews, but proved a box office failure with only later reappraisals fully appreciating its sexy atmosphere and moody Giorgio Moroder synth score. Join us as the claws come out for this discussion of CAT PEOPLE, along with diversions into Five Nights at Freddy's, Doctor Detroit, Body Heat, Deep Blue Sea, Swiss Family Robinson, Mark Wahlberg, Las Vegas zoos, Scorsese on Letterboxd, and much, much more!

Writer Dave Ferguson (The Birthday Boys, I Love You America) braves our October excursion into cinematic scare fare with a discussion of David Cronenberg's 1986 classic THE FLY starring Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis. The Canadian auteur injects his unmistakable brand of body horror into this sci-fi fable of scientist Seth Brundle (Goldblum) whose experiments with matter transport go awry when he mistakenly teleports himself along with a single house fly. THE FLY was a well-reviewed box office hit upon release, solidifying Goldblum and Davis as a brainy (and very tall) screen couple for the '80s and unleashing Cronenberg as a sicko master for the masses. Join us as we merge with THE FLY, taking a few diversions into Vidiots, The Garbage Pail Kids Movie, Mel Brooks, bug digestion, Little Monsters, stress dreams, kid Halloween costumes, Axe Body Spray, the Grinch and much, much more!

THE FLY is currently available to stream with subscription to Max.

Writer and actor Dan Chamberlain (The Tonight Show) returns to kick off our October "Mama Needs a BOO-vie" fright-fest with Brian De Palma's supernatural classic, CARRIE starring Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, Amy Irving, Nancy Allen and John Travolta. This 1976 adaptation of Stephen King's novel follows Carrie White (Spacek), a timid teen who lives under the thumb of high school bullies and her abusive zealot mother, Margaret (Laurie). As her classmates devise a cruel prom night prank, Carrie begins to develop telekinetic powers, leading up to one of horror cinema's most unforgettable climaxes. A box office smash and double Oscar nominee (Spacek and Laurie both received nods), CARRIE solidified De Palma's status as New Hollywood's most audacious stylist, King's bankability as an adaptable author, and telekinesis as a horror movie trend. Join us as we discuss CARRIE with some spooky diversions into Scary Stories to Tell In the Dark, H.P. Lovecraft, Freddy Krueger, Blue Steel, The Exorcist, Duets, Sam Elliott, and much, much more!

CARRIE is currently available to stream with subscription to Max.

Writer Harper Steele (SNL, Casa de mi Padre, Eurovision) joins to discuss the adventure classic SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON starring John Mills and Dorothy McGuire. Director Ken Annakin helmed Disney's lavish 1960 adaptation of Johann David Wyss's 1812 novel about a family of five shipwrecked on a deserted island. Scavenging the contents of the defunct vessel, the Robinsons manage to build an elaborate tree house and play host to a menagerie of wild animals- but the coziness of their newfound Eden threatens to be corrupted by a looming pirate menace. SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON may have been initally released as an family offering, but its gender dynamics, racial representation and themes of colonization make for a complicated reassessment through a contemporary lens. Listen as we explore the deep roots this film has taken in our own lives, and as we branch out into diversions on Mary Poppins, Freebie and the Bean, dumpster diving, Kurt Russell, living off the grid, and much, much more!

SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON is available to stream with subscription to Disney+

In the conclusion of our "Summer Abroad" world cinema series, comedian and writer Sean O'Connor (Solar Opposites, Norm Macdonald Live) returns to discuss the 1962 Italian road comedy IL SORPASSO starring Vittorio Gassman and Jean-Louis Trintignant. Dino Risi directed this primo example of commedia all'italiana, a genre of socially astute, highly successful comedies that coincided with Italy's economic boom of the 1960s. Gassman gives an indelible performance as Bruno, a smooth-talking alpha male who manhandles a mild-mannered stranger, Roberto (Trintignant) into having the best day of his life. Hitch a ride with our discussion of IL SORPASSO, with a few pit stop diversions into Al Pacino, Austin Butler, Letterboxd, Bottoms, Ava DuVernay, Willy Wonka, the "art of the steal" and much, much more!

IL SORPASSO is available to stream with subscription to The Criterion Channel.

Our "Summer Abroad" international film series continues with director Oz Rodríguez (Miguel Wants to Fight, SNL) joining to discuss Alfonso Cuarón's Mexican road picture, Y TU MAMÁ TAMBIÉN starring Diego Luna, Gael García Bernal and Maribel Verdú. Cuarón and his brother Carlos scripted this unconventional coming-of-age story of two teenage boys on a road trip, while vying for the affection of a newly single traveling companion in her late twenties. Layered against the backdrop of Mexico's class disparity and late-millennium political upheaval, Y TU MAMÁ TAMBIÉN was an unqualified world cinema smash upon release in 2001, but how has its frank and sexy subject matter matured in the past two decades? Join Mama's discussion of MAMA along with diversions into Oppenheimer, Andor, Pablo Larraín, Looking, directing fight scenes, natural wine, Great Expectations, circumcision and much, much more!

MIGUEL WANTS TO FIGHT is available to stream on Hulu.

Y TU MAMÁ TAMBIÉN is available for streaming rental and on Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.

Anne and Ryan discuss the newly-released disaster sequel, TWISTERS starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell. Lee Isaac Chung (director of 2020's Minari) helms this fresh follow-up to Jan de Bont's 1996 original. TWISTERS follows meteorologist Kate Carter (Jones) as she re-enters the dangerous world of tornado chasing after a tragedy. When Kate meets Tyler (Powell), a hotshot hillbilly with a storm chasing YouTube channel, she is compelled to resume her groundbreaking scientific research into windy weather. Opening to positive reviews and a record box office debut for a natural disaster thriller, TWISTERS has stirred up a lot of attention, but does the movie itself suck, blow, or soar? Batten down the hatches for a breezy discussion of TWISTER that also takes diversions into the Presidential race, Miranda July, Beetlejuice, Armie Hammer, Normal People, White Christmas and much, much more!

TWISTERS is currently available to stream with subscription to Peacock.

Our "Summer Abroad" international film series continues with writer Jordan Morris (Bubble; Jordan, Jesse, Go!) joining to discuss the French thriller LA PISCINE (THE SWIMMING POOL) starring Alain Delon, Romy Schneider, Maurice Ronet and Jane Birkin. Jacques Deray directed this sexually-charged slow-burner in which a couple's vacation at a stylish Saint-Tropez villa is disturbed by the arrival of an ex-lover and his daughter. As unease builds within this tanned and toned quartet, sex and violence become the obvious outlets for their growing resentments. A box office hit and style landmark upon release, LA PISCINE experienced a resurgence in popularity with American audiences after its 2021 re-release. In this spoiler-filled discussion, we venture to the deep end of THE SWIMMING POOL, but not before a few diversions into school dances, pool noodles, Luca Guadagnino, David Hockney, boba, Boba Fett, the O.J. Simpson freeway chase and much, much more!

Go to orphanbooksinc.com/shop for signed copies of Jordan's graphic novel BUBBLE, or attend AN AFTERNOON WITH AUTHORS at Dynasty Typewriter August 26th at 4pm. (Net proceeds go towards the Entertainment Community Fund)

LA PISCINE is available to stream with subscription to The Criterion Channel.

Our "Summer Abroad" world cinema tour continues with writer, actor, and director Kate Freund joining to discuss Bong Joon-ho's thriller MOTHER starring Kim Hye-ja, Won Bin, Jin Goo and Yoon Je-moon. This 2009 South Korean film follows an unnamed Mother who is fiercely protective of her intellectually disabled adult son, Do-joon. When Do-joon is accused of murder, Mother will stop at nothing to clear him of the charges. A twisty and tragic portrait of unconditional love turned lethal, MOTHER could be Bong's most severely underseen genre-defying modern masterwork. Listen along as we pay tribute to MOTHER, along with diversions into Ghostbusters, All That Jazz, Shaw Brothers, Wesley Snipes, Klute, Baahubali 2, James Cameron, Elizabeth Taylor and much, much more!

MOTHER is currently available to stream on Tubi and Amazon Prime.

Our month-long "Summer Abroad" world cinema series kicks off with writer and actor Conner Shin (Harley Quinn) joining to discuss Hayao Miyazaki's 1984 post-apocalyptic anime fantasy NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND featuring the voices of Sumi Shimamoto, Gorō Naya, Youji Matsuda and Hisako Kyoda. NAUSICAÄ tells the story of a bug-loving teenage princess who resides in the peaceful Valley of the Wind, but regularly traverses the Toxic Jungle to communicate with large mutant insects called the Ohm. When the kingdom of Tolmekia threatens to destory the Ohm through the use of a nuclear bomb-like device known as the Giant Warriror, the princess desperately attempts to broker peace between humans and nature. NAUSICAÄ was Miyazaki's notoriously troubled introduction to a global audience, originally shown in Western markets in a severely butchered form. But as Miyazaki's reputation as an anime auteur has grown outside of Japan, so has interest in NAUSICAÄ, which is now considered an essential early work of a cinamatic titan. Join us as we talk NAUSICAÄ, along with diversions into And Just Like That..., Dune, Top Gun, Elemental, Oppenheimer, Mike White, Turning Red and much, much more!

NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND is currently available to stream on Max.

Actor and writer Amy Heidt joins to discuss Greta Gerwig's blockbuster comedy BARBIE starring Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera and Kate McKinnon. Gerwig's satiric take of Mattel's flagship doll finds Barbie (Robbie) in an existential crisis, venturing outside of the idyllic and matriarchal Barbieland and into the real world for answers to womanhood's complexities. Meanwhile, Ken (Gosling) discovers the patriarchal structure of the real world and threatens to forever transform Barbieland with his forbidden knowledge. As half of summer 2023's fabled "Barbenheimer Weekend," BARBIE opened to enthusiastic reviews and a record-breaking box office take, all but cementing the launch of a Mattel cinematic universe. Join us for a spirited discussion of this worldwide phenomenon that also includes diversions into The Wizard of Oz, Oppenheimer, Sex Education, Ben Shapiro, Sound of Freedom, Little Women, Jeff Daniels, Death on the Nile and much much more!

BARBIE is available to stream with subscription to Max.

Writer and comedian Nick Wiger (Doughboys, Get Played) joins to discuss Christopher Nolan's biopic OPPENHEIMER starring Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon and Robert Downey Jr. One of 2023's most highly-anticipated films, OPPENHEIMER chronicles the life and times of the father of the atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer, from his early days at Cambridge, to his spearheading the Manhattan Project at Los Alamos, the fateful Trinity test, to facing scrutiny at the peak of Cold War paranoia. Written and directed by Nolan in his road-tested non-linear style, OPPENHEIMER is an epic of uncommon intimacy and intelligence positioned as a summer blockbuster- not to mention half of the phenomenally successful "Barbenheimer Weekend" at the box office. Join our discussion of OPPENHEIMER along with diversions into incel inventors, moviegoing cosplay, the WGA/SAG strike and much, much more!

Screenwriter Van Robichaux (Fist Fight, Brooklyn 99) joins to discuss Steven Spielberg's 2001 science fiction film A.I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE starring Haley Joel Osment, Jude Law, Frances O'Connor and William Hurt. Originally developed by Stanley Kubrick and handed to Spielberg, A.I. is a fascinating mix of two major filmmakers' disparate sensibilities, combining fairy tale fancy with dystopian sci-fi. Osment earned praise for his intense portrayal of David, a sophisticated robot boy programmed with the single-minded desire to love. Unfurling as a futuristic variation on Pinocchio, A.I. confounded some critics and audiences upon release, but has since gained pockets of appreciation as a brilliantly atmospheric and philosophical entry in Spielberg's illustrious filmography. As the emergence of AI technology makes today's headlines, join us as we revisit this strange and singular film along with diversions into the WGA/SAG-AFTRA dual strike, Chappie, Hubie Halloween, Star Trek, Jack and Jill, and much, much more! 

Anne and Ryan discuss Celine Song's 2023 drama PAST LIVES starring Greta Lee, Teo Yoo and John Magaro. Song wrote and directed this tender story of two childhood sweethearts, Nora (Lee) and Hae Sung (Yoo) from Seoul, South Korea reuniting as adults in New York City, much to the discomfort of Nora's husband, Arthur (Magaro). PAST LIVES is an intimate romance of epic scope, exploring the immigrant experience, and the human bonds that persist through our lifetime(s). Join Anne and Ryan for a wide-ranging discussion of PAST LIVES that also finds room for diversions into The Bear, Baggus, hit man movies, the MTV Movie Awards and much, much more!

Writer Emily Strachan joins to discuss Nancy Meyers's 2009 romantic comedy, IT'S COMPLICATED starring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin and John Krasinski. Set in sunny Santa Barbara, IT'S COMPLICATED features Streep as a successful bakery owner pursuing a fling with her now re-married ex-husband, played by Baldwin. A rare and upbeat portrait of sex in middle age, the film was one of Meyers's biggest commercial hits upon release, but how do the movie's sexual politics and famously bright style fare in 2023? Listen in as we attempt to simplify IT'S COMPLICATED, taking diversions into home renovation, French films festivals, Home Again, Damage, potty training, and much, much more!

IT'S COMPLICATED is available to stream with subscription to Netflix, Peacock Premium, or Starz.

Director Chris VanArtsdalen (The Birthday Boys) joins to discuss Wes Anderson's newest, ASTEROID CITY starring Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody and many more. Anderson uses a nesting play-within-a-show-within-a-movie structure to tell the story of a Junior Stargazing event gone awry in a remote desert town. ASTEROID CITY has opened to mostly positive reviews and promising box office returns, but some critics have contended that Anderson's distinct style has worn out its welcome in this, his 11th feature film. Hitch a ride with Mama Needs a Movie as we take a trip into the heart of ASTEROID CITY with some detours into Adrien Brody's SNL hosting, staying up late, InAPPropriate Comedy, Trumbo, Bane impressions and much, much more!

ASTEROID CITY is now available to stream on Peacock.

In this preview of Mama Needs a Movie's Patreon-exclusive spinoff, ATTENTION MUST BE PAID (patreon.com/MNAM), Anne and Ryan show some love to under-seen cinematic gems like 2017's LOVE AFTER LOVE starring Andie MacDowell, Chris O'Dowd and James Adomian. Russell Harbaugh's directorial debut follows Suzanne (MacDowell), a mother of two adult sons, trying to move on after the death of her husband. Unfurling its lived-in character dynamics with unusual patience, the film creates a indelible portrait of a complicated family, featuring roundly excellent performances and a cozy analog vibe from its 16mm cinematography. LOVE AFTER LOVE is a recent American indie of consequence and a film toward which more attention must be paid.

In anticipation of the newly released sequel, Anne and Ryan take a look back at 1996's original TWISTER starring Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, Jami Gertz, Cary Elwes, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Lois Smith, Jeremy Davies, Todd Field and Alan Ruck. Director Jan de Bont's disaster spectacular follows a group of amateur storm chasers across Oklahoma, flirting dangerously close with tornados as old flames Jo (Hunt) and Bill (Paxton) flirt with each other. Michael Crichton and Anne-Marie Martin co-wrote TWISTER, which turned out to be the second highest grossing movie of 1996, stirring up $242 million at the box office. As Lee Isaac Chung's remake touches down this week, we look back at the original that started it all, along with diversions off path into The Bear, Jurassic Park, Outbreak, Nightcrawler, Los Angeles Plays Itself, Longlegs, Daddy Longlegs, and much much more!

Writer, producer and cinephile Andrew Grissom returns to the podcast to discuss Nicole Holofcener's newest comedy YOU HURT MY FEELINGS starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tobias Menzies, Michaela Watkins and Arian Moayed. The plot concerns a New York writer Beth (Louis-Dreyfus), who overhears her therapist husband (Menzies) trashing her latest work in progress. YOU HURT MY FEELINGS debuted to positive reviews, critics citing it as one of Holofcener's strongest recent works as writer and director- but will its touchy themes cut too close to home for our podcast conversation? Listen to see if we hurt each other's feelings as we discuss this film, plus diversions into AMC snacks, The French Connection, Planet of the Apes, The Last Duel, Paterson, Regarding Henry, Voyage of the Rock Aliens, and much, much more!

Actor and writer Allan McLeod (You're the Worst) returns to discuss the third film in Paul Schrader's "Man in a Room" trilogy, MASTER GARDENER starring Joel Edgerton, Sigourney Weaver, and Quintessa Swindell. Written and directed by Schrader, MASTER GARDENER focuses on Narvel Roth (Edgerton), the resident horticulturist of a lavish estate. When the garden's wealthy owner Norma (Weaver) enlists Narvel to mentor her grand-niece Maya (Swindell), complications threaten to expose Narvel's past as a murderous white supremicist. Following 2017's FIRST REFORMED, (discussed with McLeod on a previous MNAM episode), and THE CARD COUNTER from 2021, MASTER GARDENER finds Schrader in his comfort zone: a simple room with a lone man writing a journal at a desk. Hear us tend to MASTER GARDENER along with some diversions into LA transit, prison life, Pete Davidson, the Alamo Drafthouse, Huntington Gardens, and much, much more!

Listen to our episode on FIRST REFORMED with Allan here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mama-needs-a-movie/id1605912846?i=1000571213883

Comedian Nina Nguyen joins to discuss FAST X, the tenth installment in the Fast and Furious franchise starring Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, John Cena, Nathalie Emmanuel, Sung Kang, Brie Larson, and many, many more. Director Louis Leterrier picks up the saga of Dominic Toretto and his crew of expert car thieves as they face off against Dante Reyes (Jason Mamoa), the vengeful son of a drug lord they killed five movies ago. Don't miss our furious discussion of FAST X where we also find time for some pit stops into Super Mario Land, Aquaman, Sucker Punch, Pete Davidson's necklaces, and much, much more!

Check out Mama Needs a Movie's new Patreon Exclusive series ATTENTION MUST BE PAID at patreon.com/MNAM

Writer, actor and comedian Lesley Tsina joins to discuss the new film adaptation of Judy Blume's ARE YOU THERE, GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET starring Abby Ryder Fortson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, and Benny Safdie. Director Kelly Fremon Craig adapted and directed Blume's coming of age classic about an 11-year-old girl wrestling with puberty and religion in the suburbs of New Jersey. ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME MARGARET has received critical acclaim for its superb kid performances and tender portrayal of adolescent friendship, but has struggled to find a huge audience at the box office. In this episode, we ask and answer many questions about MARGARET, and take diversions into summer camp, mimes, Mandy Patinkin, WGA picket signs, Zoom magic and much, much more!