Mousterpiece Cinema

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Episode 366: Kronk's New Groove Sep 01, 2018

Show notes

Hey, folks! It's that time once more, time for another new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema! And this episodes marks yet another special occasion, as it's time for Scott and Josh to delve into another of the direct-to-DVD sequels made by DisneyToon Studios. They're heading back to the valley to get into the groove, or trying to get into the groove, with Kronk's New Groove. (Sorry, all you hopeful fans of Bambi II. We know we had it scheduled, but you'll just have to wait.) Longtime listeners will remember that Scott's a big fan of The Emperor's New Groove, while Josh was a bit cooler on the 2000 original. But what did they think of the 2005 sequel? Is it as funny as the original? Is it better for Kronk to be a sidekick? Does anyone care about his daddy issues? You'll have to listen to find out!

Episode 365: Disney's The Kid Aug 25, 2018

Show notes

Hey, folks! It's time for a brand-new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema, and it's another episode all about little boys who want to become big boys, and big boys who come into contact with their little-boy selves. OK, that last part might be unique to today's movie, Disney's The Kid (not to be confused with the Charlie Chaplin classic, which you all were going to do, DON'T LIE). Josh and Scott talk in-depth about the 2000 comedy featuring a very young Spencer Breslin playing the young version of a very grouchy Bruce Willis. This one's got a very overqualified cast, including Jean Smart, Chi McBride, and Lily Tomlin, and is from longtime Disney journeyman director and recent The Meg filmmaker Jon Turteltaub. But is it any good? Should The Kid be remembered as an underrated gem, or has it been rightly forgotten? And how hard does this movie's score need to chill out? Find out on the new episode!

Episode 364: Spirited Away Aug 18, 2018

Show notes

Hey, folks! It's time for a brand-new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema, and Scott and Josh are headed to the truly magical world of spirits this week. We're revisiting a film that many critics and fans might call one of the very best of the 2000s, Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away. Scott and Josh are joined by freelance writer and still the most frequent guest on the show, Alexander Huls, to talk about this 2001 animated film and whether or not it's as wonderful as everyone else says. If you've never heard Josh talk about the film--and since it was the topic of the fifth episode of the show, way back in 2011, you may not have!--you may not be shocked to hear his grumpy side rear its ugly head. Do Scott and Alex love the film? Are they less warm to its charms? Find out now!

Episode 363: Christopher Robin Aug 11, 2018

Show notes

Hey, folks! It's time for a brand-new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema, and for this show, we're headed deep in the Hundred Acre Wood, where a little boy who wants to be a big boy plays with his stuffed animals. Specifically, Scott and Josh are talking about a new Disney film about what happens when that little boy a) becomes a big boy and b) has to act like a little boy all over again! Yes, we're talking about Christopher Robin, the new film starring Ewan McGregor and lots of CGI stuffed animals, all about an adult version of everyone's...uh...favorite Winnie the Pooh character. Scott and Josh are joined by Hoai-Tran Bui of Slashfilm to talk about the new film, the way that Winnie the Pooh and his friends inhabit Taoist tendencies, and why the hell everyone in the world hasn't fallen completely in love with Paddington 2. Check out the new show now!

Episode 362: He Got Game Aug 04, 2018

Show notes

Hey, folks! It's the dog days of summer, and we're mixing things up on this new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema. Sure, it's about to be the NFL preseason, and America's true pastime, baseball, is in full swing. But this week, we're talking about a movie that's all about another big American sport, basketball. Specifically, Scott and Josh are talking about the 1998 Spike Lee sports drama He Got Game, starring Denzel Washington and a young Ray Allen as a man let out of prison and the frustrated but talented son he tries to convince to go to college, respectively. After twenty years, how well does He Got Game hold up? How shocking is it, especially in light of recent events at Disney, for a movie as adult as this one and a director as fiery as Spike Lee to have found at home at the Walt Disney Company? And which sport is truly America's greatest? Find out the answers to these questions and more on the new episode!

Episode 361: Armageddon Jul 28, 2018

Show notes

Well, folks, it's time to rip off a particularly painful Band-Aid on this week's episode of Mousterpiece Cinema. Josh and Scott are headed back in time about 20 years to talk about one of Michael Bay's earliest, and possibly worst, films, the sci-fi action film Armageddon. Josh and Scott are joined by friend of the show Emma Stefansky of GQ and Vanity Fair to talk about this Baysterpiece, its massive ensemble cast, and its utter disregard for all logic, common sense, or joy. (It's possible that one of your two hosts really hated this movie.) What good is there in this film? Is it secretly enjoyable in spite of its bad scriptwriting? Does Michael Bay even deserve all of the blame? And do your hosts and guest indulge in a fair bit of profanity this week? The answer to that last one is yes, so...earmuffs, children! Now, go listen to the new show!

Episode 360: WALL-E Jul 21, 2018

Show notes

Hey, folks! It's that time of the month again, as Scott and Josh head back into the annals of Mousterpiece Cinema episodes to do a Revisited show! This week, Scott and Josh are headed into the reaches of deep space and hundreds of years into the future to spend time on a luxury space cruise liner with lots of overweight humans and a couple of plucky robots. Yes, that's right, we're talking about the 2008 Pixar film WALL-E on this episode, and your hosts are joined by friend of the show Angie Han of Mashable to talk about the now-decade-old film. Is WALL-E still an adorable masterpiece? Is this Pixar's boldest film to date? Does it make a lot of sense how and why human babies are still getting churned out in the 2800s? You'll have to listen to the show to find out!

Episode 359: Ant-Man and the Wasp Jul 14, 2018

Show notes

Hey, folks! No, we haven't gone invisible on you--we've just shrunk this brand-new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema down to a miniscule size for your entertainment. Yes, you might have already guessed it, but this week on the show, Scott and Josh are headed to the quantum realm of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to discuss the MCU's 20th movie, Ant-Man and the Wasp. They're joined by longtime friend of the show and new member of the Six-Timers' Club, film critic and podcaster Tim Grierson, to talk about whether this sequel measures up to the 2015 original, how well the movie handles making Evangeline Lilly a bigger part of the story, and whether or not this movie has enough Michelle Pfeiffer. Should more MCU movies be low-stakes? Should Scott Lang hang out with the Avengers more often? Do the post-credits scenes live up to their promise? You'll have to find out on the new show!

Episode 358: What's Love Got To Do With It Jul 07, 2018

Show notes

Hey, folks! It's time for yet another brand-new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema, and this week, Scott and Josh are taking the spotlight for a musically themed movie. Specifically, they're talking about the 1993 biopic of Tina Turner, What's Love Got To Do With It, which depicts the rise of young Anna Mae Bullock into one of the biggest rock stars in the world, but only after surviving an intensely abusive relationship with songwriter/guitarist Ike Turner. Scott and Josh are joined by Craig Lindsey of Nashville Scene and The Village Voice to talk about the blend of musical performances and harrowing display of spousal abuse, and why Scott dislikes how biopics end with the real person showing up at the end. Does this movie hold up after 25 years? Is it remotely fair that Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne have only ever been nominated for Oscars for just this film? Will Proud Mary keep on turnin'? You'll have to check out the show to find out! Note: Apologies in advance for the fact that you're going to hear some outside background noise in this episode--as much as possible has been removed (without making it impossible to hear the conversation), but you can blame Skype for this one.

Episode 357: Tombstone Jun 30, 2018

Show notes

Hey, folks! It's time for a rootin', tootin', brand-new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema, so git your six-shooters, rustle up some grub, and shoo away any nearby varmints so you can enjoy this episode. As you may have guessed, this is a Western-themed episode, because Scott and Josh are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Western drama Tombstone, featuring Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Bill Paxton, Sam Elliott, and a whole lot more actors. Scott and Josh are joined by return guest Libby Hill of the Los Angeles Times to talk about this film, its shaky production history, and whether or not that production history translated into an equally shaky film or if the movie has earned its mild cult status in the late-2010s. Does this movie hold up? Is it too earnest for its own good? Does it do poorly by the women folk? Are we your huckleberry? You'll have to listen to the show to find out!

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