Mousterpiece Cinema

Latest Episodes:

Episode 18: The Nightmare Before Christmas Sep 28, 2017

Show notes

NOTE: This episode was originally recorded in 2011, and is being revived from the vault in advance of our Revisited show this coming month. Boys and girls of every age, wouldn't you like to hear something strange? It's Halloween time, and what better way to celebrate this spooky holiday than by watching the 1993 Disney film The Nightmare Before Christmas? Josh revisits this now-iconic stop-motion animated film about what happens when Jack Skellington, King of Halloween Town, decides that he wants to give Christmas a try, too. There's a bit of discussion about Tim Burton, too, so why not try out this show, right in time for the beginning of the holiday season? Everybody, sing! "This is Halloween, this is Halloween..."

Episode 317: The Shaggy Dog (2006) Sep 23, 2017

Show notes

Hey, friends! It's time for a new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema, and this week, Scott and Josh are headed, once again, for the dogs. Well, for a dog. A shaggy one, specifically. Yes, on the new episode of the podcast, Scott and Josh wrap up their discussion on the series of feature films all about The Shaggy Dog. This time, they're discussing the 2006 remake starring Tim Allen, Kristin Davis, Robert Downey, Jr., and...wait, Robert Downey, Jr.? Yes, really, before he was Tony Stark, RDJ was...barking like a dog at one point in this movie. Is it an improvement on the original? Dumber than the sequel? Overly conventional? Or is this one...a real howler? Find out on the new show!

Episode 316: Aladdin Sep 16, 2017

Show notes

It's time once more to fly to a whole new world, friends. On this week's episode of Mousterpiece Cinema, Josh and Scott are revisiting one of the most beloved modern Disney animated films, Aladdin. The 1992 film celebrates its 25th anniversary this fall, and is now being remade as a live-action/computer-animated hybrid starring Will Smith. So what better time than now to discuss the film, and whether it works as well as other Disney Renaissance films after all these years? Are the lead characters too dull for this film to work? Do the villains stand out as much as the Genie does? Does the plot make enough sense, or is Josh too focused on the nuts and bolts to be swept up off his feet? Find out on the new show!

Episode 315: Three Men and a Little Lady Sep 09, 2017

Show notes

Hey, friends! It's time for a new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema, and this week, Josh and Scott are going old school. Well, Josh is, at least, because he busts out at least one rap during this week's discussion of the 1990 sequel Three Men and a Little Lady. Despite Scott's horror at this turn of events, there's sadly good reason to invoke old-school rapping in this discussion of the sequel to Three Men and a Baby. Though they're guest-free this week, Josh and Scott are both able to dig into this sequel and its many, many problems. Yes, even though Scott was higher on the original than Josh was, both of your hosts found lots of faults with this follow-up. Should the film have focused more on the 5-year old Mary? Is the Nancy Travis character too stupid to function? And how does Scott's Michael Caine impression measure up to anyone else's? Find out on the new show!

Episode 314: Jackie Brown Sep 02, 2017

Show notes

Hey, friends! Head on over across 110th Street, because it's time for a new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema. This week on the show, Josh and Scott invite friend of the show Jason Bailey of Flavorwire to help commemorate the 20th anniversary of Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown, based on the Elmore Leonard novel Rum Punch. This story of a flight attendant playing a con on ATF agents as well as a menacing gun-runner didn't get quite the fanfare of Pulp Fiction (also a Miramax release in the 1990s, back when Disney owned that studio, in case you're wondering why this movie counts!), but is it secretly Tarantino's best film? Should people give it more of a chance in 2017? Or is it more sluggish than expected? (Maybe Josh is the only one who thinks that.) Find out now!

Episode 313: The Shaggy D.A. Aug 26, 2017

Show notes

Hey, folks! It's time for a new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema, and this one's for the dogs. Well, it's for a dog, at least. A shaggy one! In this episode, Scott and Josh are talking all about the 1976 film The Shaggy D.A., the sequel to the 1959 film The Shaggy Dog. What took Disney more than 15 years to return to the story of Wilby Daniels, the boy (now man) who can turn into a sheep dog? Was it a smart move to have Wilby run for office while also being a dog? And giving just as much time to Tim Conway the Ice Cream Salesman? Your hosts are joined by return guest Anthony Strand of Tough Pigs to answer these hard questions, along with a more general: what the hell is going on in this movie? Find out by listening to the new show!

Episode 312: Con Air Aug 19, 2017

Show notes

Hey, friends! It's time to fly the unfriendly skies with a new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema, as Scott and Josh strap in to talk about another of the mid-1990s Jerry Bruckheimer productions from the Walt Disney Company, Con Air. This Die Hard-esque action film starring Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, and John Malkovich is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and has gotten some pretty strong praise around the Internet as of late, but is it as good as its recent reputation? Zack Handlen of the A.V. Club returns to the show to help talk about the film, the racial politics on display, the Trisha Yearwood song, and of course, all things Cage. Check out the show now!

Episode 311: The Jungle Book (1967) Aug 12, 2017

Show notes

Hey, friends! It's time to mosey on down to the darkest parts of your nearby jungle and make sure that have all the bare necessities in life to begin your journey. In other words, on this episode of Mousterpiece Cinema, Scott and Josh are talking about the 1967 animated film The Jungle Book, based on the novel by Rudyard Kipling. And if that title sounds familiar, it's because this is another Revisited episode of the podcast! This time around, Josh is watching the film with the Jon Favreau movie from last year in his head, and Scott's comments are new overall. So what do they think of the film? Is it one of Disney's best? A standout from the Xerographic Era? Does it read as racist 50 years later? Find out the answers to these and other questions on the new podcast!

Episode 310: 25th Hour Aug 05, 2017

Show notes

Hey, friends! It's time for a brand-new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema, and Josh and Scott are once again talking about a film celebrating a big anniversary this year. This time around, they're discussing the Spike Lee joint 25th Hour, starring Edward Norton, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Barry Pepper, and more. The intense drama celebrates its 15th anniversary this year, and in spite of the film being widely lauded online as one of the best films of the new century, it's the source of some spirited debate this week! Josh and Scott are joined by return guest Scott Tobias of NPR and the New York Times to talk about Lee's career, the film's connection to Martin Scorsese, its liberal usage of 9/11 imagery, the infamously profane monologue in the early going (earmuffs, folks), and more. So don't wait--listen to the new show now!

Episode 309: Three Men and a Baby Jul 29, 2017

Show notes

Hey, friends! It's time for a new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema, and this one is a doozy. Josh and Scott are gearing up to discuss another film celebrating a big milestone in 2017: the warm-hearted comedy Three Men and a Baby, turning 30 this year. But is it actually fair, or even accurate, to call Three Men and a Baby a comedy when a good chunk is dedicated to a subplot about smuggling heroin? (You did not read that question wrong.) Josh and Scott are joined by not one, but two guests to discuss the film: Todd VanDerWerff of Vox and Libby Hill of the Los Angeles Times. Is Three Men and a Baby an actor's film? Should Leonard Nimoy (y'know, Spock) have gotten a bigger boost from directing this film? Can you believe it was the highest-grossing film of 1987? Prepare yourself for all these and other surprises, and listen to the show!

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