Mama Needs a Movie

Latest Episodes:

Carrie with Dan Chamberlain Oct 03, 2023

Show notes

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.

Swiss Family Robinson with Harper Steele Sep 19, 2023

Show notes

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+

Il Sorpasso with Sean O'Connor Sep 05, 2023

Show notes

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.

Y Tu Mamá También with Oz Rodríguez Aug 29, 2023

Show notes

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.

La Piscine with Jordan Morris Aug 22, 2023

Show notes

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.

Mother with Kate Freund Aug 15, 2023

Show notes

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.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind with Conner Shin Aug 08, 2023

Show notes

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.

Barbie with Amy Heidt Aug 01, 2023

Show notes

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.

Oppenheimer with Nick Wiger Jul 25, 2023

Show notes

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!

A.I. Artificial Intelligence with Van Robichaux Jul 18, 2023

Show notes

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!

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