Mama Needs a Movie

Latest Episodes:

Dirty Dancing with Lauryn Kahn Aug 02, 2022

Show notes

Screenwriter Lauryn Kahn (Hulu's Fresh) joins to discuss the coming-of-age romance DIRTY DANCING starring Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze, and Jerry Orbach. The 1987 drama directed by Emile Ardolino is one of the most iconic dance films of all time, but how has the film's perspective on touchier subjects like abortion and class consciousness aged in modern times? Is DIRTY DANCING still worth lifting up, or is it time to put it in the corner? Listen to find out, plus to hear some classic diversions into Baz Luhrmann, Scrooged, Rodney Dangerfield, cotton candy grapes, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Brett Kavanaugh, Weekend at Bernie's, and much much more.

First Reformed with Allan McLeod Jul 26, 2022

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Actor and comedian Allan McLeod (You're the Worst) joins to discuss Paul Schrader's FIRST REFORMED starring Ethan Hawke, Amanda Seyfried, and Cedric Kyles. The 2017 drama concerns the grieving pastor of a small church in upstate New York who undergoes a spiritual crisis after counseling a depressed parishioner and his pregnant wife. Made in a spare, transcendental style, the film is a career-capping summation of Schrader's frequently revisited themes of loneliness, despair, and self-flagellation, combined with the newfound existential threat of climate change. Don't miss this discussion of one of 21st century's most essential films that also somehow manages to touch on The Golden Girls, Southern accents in movies, Leap of Faith starring Steve Martin, glory holes, the future of restaurant buffets, and so much more.

FIRST REFORMED is available to stream on Kanopy or with subscription to Max.

Circle of Violence: A Family Drama with Doug Jones Jul 19, 2022

Show notes

Mama Needs a Movie discusses its first-ever TV movie with actor and voracious cinephile Doug Jones (Everything Is Terrible). Made for CBS in 1986, CIRCLE OF VIOLENCE: A FAMILY DRAMA features an impressive cast including Tuesday Weld, Geraldine Fitzgerald, and River Phoenix in a mother-daughter story tackling the issue of elder abuse. The film is a late-career effort from veteran British director David Green and alternates between moments touching and baffling. The spirited and wide-ranging discussion with Doug also somehow manages to fold in The Silent Partner, The Wonder Years, Interiors, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Beatles: Get Back, The Mosquito Coast, Coming to America, Two of a Kind, and so much more.

CIRCLE OF VIOLENCE: A FAMILY DRAMA is currently available to view on YouTube.

Coal Miner's Daughter with Brian Finkelstein Jul 12, 2022

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Writer and performer Brian Finkelstein joins to discuss the Loretta Lynn biopic, COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER starring Sissy Spacek, Tommy Lee Jones, Beverly D'Angelo, and Levon Helm. The Michael Apted-directed drama scored Spacek the Best Actress Oscar for 1980 and remains one of the seminal films about life in the world of country music. Don't miss this far-ranging Mama Needs a Movie conversation with our typical tangents touching on the real-life inspiration for Copland, Juliette Binoche, Albert Brooks' teaser trailers, The Game, sexism in country radio, children's play places, Stranger Things, and much much more.

Raising Arizona with Amy Heidt Jul 05, 2022

Show notes

Writer and performer Amy Heidt joins to discuss the Coen Brothers' RAISING ARIZONA starring Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter. The 1987 kidnapping caper is considered the Coens' most kinetic comedy, boasting speedy 94 minute runtime and more quotable lines than you can count, (and we make sure to quote most of them). Don't miss this wide-ranging conversation that touches on TikTok, Spielberg's E.T., the South's representation in movies, baby names, the real-life town that inspired Mayberry, Moonstruck, Alex Garland's Men, Spielberg's War of the Worlds, Top Gun: Maverick, The Adventures of Milo and Otis, and of course two of MNAM's favorite recurring topics: First Reformed and Woody Allen.

Get Carter with Jordan Morris Jun 28, 2022

Show notes

Comedy writer Jordan Morris (Bubble; Jordan, Jesse Go!) joins to discuss the 1971 British crime film, GET CARTER, starring Michael Caine. This ruthlessly violent drama, directed by Mike Hodges, follows the eponymous gangster Jack Carter (played by Caine) on a quest to avenge his brother's murder. The movie has long been a benchmark in the genre of underworld sleaze, but how does its bleak worldview compare to living in 2022, (not to mention the year 2000 remake starring Sylvester Stallone)? The lively discussion also spans Jordan's early moviegoing in Orange County, formative Jurassic Park obsession, Fuddruckers video games, '80s sex thrillers, smells of the '60s, Paul Schrader, stick shift driving, body horror, and yes... movie theater parking.

Lightyear with Joan Ford Jun 21, 2022

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Writer and animation connoisseur Joan Ford, (DC Super Hero Girls, Tiny Toons Looniversity), joins to discuss Pixar's new release, LIGHTYEAR starring Chris Evans, Keke Palmer, and Peter Sohn. The Angus MacLane-directed animated science fiction film is a (sort of) prequel to the Toy Story franchise, presented as a 1995 adventure movie that inspired the Buzz Lightyear toy. But does the movie-within-a-movie live up to the saga's gold standard? We get to the bottom of this question, stopping along the way for some trusty MNAM diversions into Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Child's Play 3, Ain't It Cool News, the lost roles of Tom Cruise, real life Tim Allen encounters, and of course, the AMC Stubs A-List. So buckle up, Star Command rookies, for a podcast that goes to infinity... and beyond!

LIGHTYEAR is currently available to stream on Disney Plus.

Jurassic World: Dominion with James III Jun 14, 2022

Show notes

In a conversation 65 million years in the making, guest James III (Astronomy Club, Black Men Can't Jump [In Hollywood]) joins Mama Needs a Movie to discuss JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION starring Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill, DeWanda Wise, Mamoudou Athie, and Campbell Scott. Colin Trevorrow directs this apocalyptic blockbuster conclusion to the Jurassic World trilogy where dinos run amok on earth and genetically-engineered locusts threaten to bring about worldwide famine. James III is a bonafide Jurassic super-fan with passionate opinions on all the films and books in the series, (and he has the fan fiction to prove it), but how will DOMINION stack up against giganotosaurus-sized reputation of the franchise's high points? You'll have to listen to find out. Also... everyone talks about where they parked when they saw the movie!

JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION is currently available to stream on Prime Video.

Top Gun: Maverick with Mark Rennie Jun 06, 2022

Show notes

In a supersonic episode, writer and film devotee Mark Rennie (co-host of Two Old Queens) joins Anne and Ryan to discuss the new high-flying blockbuster, TOP GUN: MAVERICK starring Tom Cruise, Jennifer Connelly, and Miles Teller. The Joseph Kosinski-directed sequel to Tony Scott's 1986 original has been widely-praised by critics and audiences alike for delivering old-school action thrills, but this trio of maverick filmgoers will take a ride into the danger zone of the film's more enigmatic conundrums: What country was the enemy supposed to represent? Did Jennifer Connelly dress too warm for the San Diego climate? Is this movie a secret Mission: Impossible movie? What will Tom Cruise do when he ages out of doing his own stunts?... and so much more! So strap yourself in and prepare for a Mama Needs a Movie episode that reaches Mach 10... and dares to push further.

Save the Last Dance with Caramel Nguyen May 31, 2022

Show notes

Anne and Ryan welcome guest Caramel Nguyen to discuss the 2001 romance SAVE THE LAST DANCE starring Julia Stiles, Sean Patrick Thomas, and Kerry Washington. The Thomas Carter-directed story of a teenage interracial couple in Chicago helped inspire the early-2000s dance flick craze, (not to mention a recent fascination on TikTok). Viewed two decade's later, the film's themes of race and class encompass far more than one white girl's hip-hop-infused Juilliard audition. In this broad-ranging conversation, Nguyen describes her fascination with this movie, along with her family's film-watching rituals, her horror fandom, people of color in the history of cinema, and much, much more.

SAVE THE LAST DANCE is currently available to stream for free on Pluto TV.

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