Mama Needs a Movie

Latest Episodes:

Hollow Triumph with Josh Fadem May 09, 2023

Show notes

Comedian and actor Josh Fadem (Better Call Saul) joins to discuss the 1948 film noir HOLLOW TRIUMPH (aka THE SCAR) starring Paul Henreid and Joan Bennett. Credited to director Steve Sekely, but mostly directed by Henried himself, HOLLOW TRIUMPH follows John Müller, a criminal whose casino heist goes awry, forcing him into hiding. When mistaken for a local psychoanalyst, Müller assumes the doppelgänger doctor's identity, down to a prominent facial scar. But can Müller survive long with both the law and his underworld contacts closing in? Shot by pioneer noir cinematographer John Alcott, HOLLOW TRIUMPH is an all too underseen B-movie gem, showcasing Henreid's elegant authority as both actor and director. With noir aficionado Fadem to guide us, MNAM ventures deep into the shadows to examine this downbeat thriller along with diversions into Babylon, Top Gun: Maverick, Barbara Stanwyck, Douglas Sirk, Jules Dassin, Psycho, Mel Gibson, Humphrey Bogart, Dead Ringers, and much, much more!

HOLLOW TRIUMPH is currently available to stream on Pluto TV, Tubi, or with subscription to Amazon Prime.

Air with Sean O'Connor May 02, 2023

Show notes

Comedian and writer Sean O'Connor (Solar Opposites, Norm Macdonald Live) joins to discuss the new release AIR starring Matt Damon, Viola Davis, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Matthew Maher, Chris Messina and Chris Tucker. Affleck directed this true story of marketing intrigue set in 1984, back when Nike found themselves an underdog in the growing basketball shoe market. In a risky gambit, the company courts a promising draft pick, then-20 year old Michael Jordan, vowing to build the revolutionary Air Jordan line around him. But first Nike must convince Jordan's mother, Deloris, that they can offer something their successful competitors, Converse and Adidas, cannot. Affleck's corporate comedy opened to mostly glowing reviews for its cracking script, and game performances by Damon and Davis, but can a talky movie about a selling shoes have legs with modern audiences? Take a step into this episode of MNAM as we talk AIR, plus wander off court for diversions into Babylon, Batman, Kevin Smith, Species, Under Siege, Moneyball, Funny Pages, His Girl Friday, and much, much more!

AIR is available to stream on Prime Video.

A Clockwork Orange with Sloan De Forest Apr 25, 2023

Show notes

Author and film historian Sloan De Forest joins to discuss Stanley Kubrick's A CLOCKWORK ORANGE starring Malcolm McDowell. The 1971 dystopian science fiction film based on Anthony Burgess's novel follows a British teen Alex DeLarge and his gang of Droogs committing ultra-violence in a not-so-distant future. When convicted of a brutal murder, Alex is given an opportunity to submit to an experimental behavioral treatment, leading to unpredictable psychological damage. A CLOCKWORK ORANGE sparked controversy upon its release, some critics praising its visionary world-building, others decrying its depiction of rape and murder as irresponsible. Though labeled with an "X" rating, CLOCKWORK proved to be a box office hit and Best Picture nominee. After a series of alleged copycat crimes took place, the film was made unavailable in the UK for nearly three decades, but that only strengthened the film's reputation as a transgressive and singularly powerful work. On this episode, we take a long look into CLOCKWORK's artistry and infamy, as well as diversions into Working Girl, The Searchers, The Sopranos, Star Trek Generations, The Postman Always Rings Twice, Franklin & Bash, and much, much more!

A CLOCKWORK ORANGE is currently available to stream with subscription to Max.

Beau Is Afraid with Jefferson Dutton Apr 18, 2023

Show notes

Director and writer Jefferson Dutton (The Sloppy Boys) joins to discuss the newly released dark comedy BEAU IS AFRAID starring Joaquin Phoenix, Patti LuPone, Nathan Lane, Amy Ryan, Stephen McKinley Henderson and Parker Posey. Written and directed by Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar), BEAU IS AFRAID revolves around a deeply fearful middle-aged man's nightmarish journey to properly attend to his mother's unexpected death. Aster's surrealist film has divided critics, many of whom find genuine depth in the movie's neurotic enigmas and others who claim BEAU to be a hollow auteur exercise coasting on A24's good will. Either way, BEAU IS AFRAID has shown early strength at the specialty box office, outperforming all limited releases in recent memory. Join Mama Needs a Movie as we try to decode the Mother of All Mommy Issue Movies, along with diversions into Darren Aronofsky, The Odyssey, sleeping during movies, The Fly, Perry Mason, Nightmare on Elm Street, M. Night Shyamalan, Synecdoche New York, and much much more!

Nell with Jake Noll Apr 11, 2023

Show notes

Comedian, actor and writer Jake Noll joins to discuss the 1994 drama NELL starring Jodie Foster, Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson. Directed by Michael Apted, NELL tells the story of a young woman raised in an isolated North Carolina mountain cabin, making her first contact with the outside world after the death of her mother. NELL was released to a mixed critical reaction, but Jodie Foster received an Oscar nomination for her unique performance communicating only through an invented language (created by Foster herself.) So listen up, chickabees, as we spee all 'bout NELL, along with some diversions into Liam Neeson's accent work, dog reactions to movies, Spanking the Monkey, bad doctors, The Room, Room, Jodie Foster's Masterclass, tays in the winn, and much, much more!

Badlands with Jessica Lee Williamson Apr 04, 2023

Show notes

Writer and storyteller Jessica Lee Williamson joins to discuss Terrence Malick's directorial debut BADLANDS starring Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek. Loosely based on the real-life 1958 killing spree of Charles Starkweather and his accomplice (or kidnapping victim?) 14 year-old Caril Ann Fugate, BADLANDS is a meditative portrait of shattered innocence and a landmark achievement of low-budget filmmaking. Released in 1973 to a muted critical response, the movie was quickly reappraised as a new American classic, announcing Sheen and Spacek as movie stars and Malick as a major voice in American cinema. So pop on this episode of Mama Needs a Movie to take a road trip into the heart of BADLANDS, making pit stops into Cruella, serial killer shows,The Long, Long Trailer, seasonal colds, good crying locations, The Parent Trap, and much, much more!

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent with Greg Stone Mar 28, 2023

Show notes

Comedian Greg Stone joins to discuss the 2022 action comedy THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT starring Nicolas Cage, Pedro Pascal, Ike Barinholtz, and Tiffany Haddish. Cage portrays an altered version of himself who, suffering from a career slump and dejected from missing out on a good role, agrees to appear at a billionaire's birthday party in Majorca for a quick $1 million dollar payday. Things take a turn when the cheerful billionaire, Javi (Pascal) is suspected of arms dealing and Cage is recruited by the CIA to help take down his empire. Writer/director Tom Gormicon infuses the film with multiple nods to Cage's most iconic roles, making UNBEARABLE WEIGHT part buddy comedy and part career retrospective for one of the American cinema's most fascinating modern personas. Join MNAM as we take on the unbearable weight of podcast during cold and flu season, and the hilarious Stone takes us on diversions into Star Wars television shows, Predator, The Voice, the Waco siege, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Casablanca, parenting TikTok accounts, Wonder Woman 1984, and much, much more!

Contribute to Greg's stand-up special at: https://gofund.me/408e1676

The Color of Money with Sam Brown Mar 21, 2023

Show notes

Actor, writer and comedian Sam Brown (The Whitest Kids U' Know) joins to discuss Martin Scorsese's THE COLOR OF MONEY starring Paul Newman, Tom Cruise, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. This 1986 sequel to 1961's THE HUSTLER finds the aging, once-slick pool hustler "Fast Eddie" Felson long retired from the game and making a living as a liquor salesman. When he meets Vincent, a spirited yet naive pool hotshot, Eddie offers to mentor the kid in the ways of the hustle- but can the impetuous Vincent sit still long enough to be taught? THE COLOR OF MONEY earned Paul Newman his first Best Actor Oscar and was Scorsese's first genuine box office hit. Coming during a period of mid-'80s survival for Scorsese, the film has long been considered the director's most "one for them" effort, a minor journeyman film from a major auteur. But with its virtuoso camerawork, razor sharp editing, classic '80s soundtrack, and themes of aging and excellence, has THE COLOR OF MONEY been hustling us this whole time, hiding in plain sight as a secret bonafide Scorsese classic? Cue up our convo to find out, as well as to hear diversions into baby Halloween costumes, Harold and Maude, Eve of Destruction, young John Turturro, Man on a Swing, Netflix originals, leading man physiques, and much, much more!

THE COLOR OF MONEY is available to stream on Paramount+.

Mommie Dearest with Scott Gairdner Mar 14, 2023

Show notes

Scott Gairdner (Podcast: The Ride) returns to discuss the biographical drama MOMMIE DEAREST starring Faye Dunaway, Diana Scarwid and Mara Hobel. Frank Perry directed this adaptation of Christina Crawford's eponymous memoir which portrays Crawford's adoptive mother, Hollywood actress Joan Crawford, as unstable and abusive. Featuring a legendary lead performance by Dunaway as Joan Crawford, MOMMIE DEAREST opened in 1981 to such scathing reviews, Paramount Pictures quickly altered the film's ad campaign to market the film as high camp. In the following years, the film gained a cult following as an unintentional comedy and queer classic, but how will it fare when viewed through MNAM's modern parenting perspective? You won't want to miss this, the Mother of all MOMMIE DEAREST discussions, with diversions into The Room, John Waters, Showgirls, The Joker, vaping, Chris Rock, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, and much much more!

MOMMIE DEAREST is available to stream on Max.

Now and Then with Alana Johnston Mar 07, 2023

Show notes

Actress and comedian Alana Johnston (Self Esteem Party) joins to discuss the 1995 coming-of-age drama NOW AND THEN starring Christina Ricci, Thora Birch, Gaby Hoffmann and Ashleigh Aston Moore. Director Lesli Linka Glatter helmed this period piece about four adolescent friends growing up in a small Indiana town in 1970, bookended by scenes of the same quartet in adulthood played by Rosie O'Donnell, Melanie Griffith, Demi Moore, and Rita Wilson. NOW AND THEN came and went upon release in 1995, but decades worth of slumber party viewings had bolstered the film's cult reputation as a rare cinematic bildungsroman to focus on female characters. With the always-hilarious Johnston, we delve into this '90s staple along with diversions into Casper, Canadian television, Euphoria, Romeo + Juliet and much, much more!

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected