The Takeaway: Movie Date

Latest Episodes:

Movie Date: 'On the Road,' 'The Impossible,' 'Promised Land' Jan 04, 2013

Show notes

It's a new year, with lots of new complaints from Movie Date listeners. This week, Rafer and Kristen answer just a few of the many letters they've received in recent weeks (about "The Hobbit," "Les Miserables," and "Django: Unchained"). Listen to find out if you're one of the writers showcased! And while you're at it, hear how Kristen and Rafer feel about "On the Road," "The Impossible," and "Promised Land."

Happy 2013! Keep your letters coming!

Love, Rafer and Kristen

Movie Date: 'Les Miserables' and 'Django Unchained' Dec 26, 2012

Show notes

It's Christmas 2012, one of the most highly anticipated movie release days of the year, and Rafer and Kristen are prepared to throw down over two of the big ones: "Les Miserables" and "Django Unchained." Weighing in at nearly three hours each, both are epic in scale...but are they epic in content? Does the campy violence in Django make Rafer cheer? Does the celebrity singing in "Les Mis" move Kristen to tears? And, perhaps, most important...will Kristen be able to convince Rafer to sing on the podcast?

Movie Date: 'Zero Dark 30,' 'The Guilt Trip,' 'This is 40,' 'Jack Reacher' Dec 18, 2012

Show notes

It's the week before Christmas, when a lot of movies hit the big screen. Of course, some of them are better than others, and Rafer and Kristen each have their favorites. On the chopping block: the new Kathryn Bigelow film about the hunt for Osama Bin Laden, "Zero Dark 30"; the mother-son road trip comedy starring Barbra Streisand and Seth Rogan "The Guilt Trip"; Judd Apatow's follow up to "Knocked Up," "This is 40"; and the movie that turns Werner Herzog into an action star "Jack Reacher."

Movie Date: 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' Dec 14, 2012

Show notes

In this week's podcast, Rafer and Kristen review the highly anticipated "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey." Along they way, they do their best Gollum imitations, contemplate the greatness of Benny Hill's humor, and recognize the similarities between "The Hobbit" and "The Smurfs."

Movie Date: 'Playing for Keeps' and 'The Fitzgerald Family Christmas' Dec 07, 2012

Show notes

This week, Rafer admits to being a player, Kristen admits to wanting more handcuffs in the movies, and they both mull over why every person from Europe or the past in Hollywood films speaks with a British accent. Along the way, they also give their thoughts on "Playing for Keeps" (starring Gerard Butler, Jessica Biel, Catherine Zeta Jones, and Uma Thurman) and "The Fitzgerald Family Christmas" (starring and directed by Edward Burns).

Movie Date: 'Hitchcock' Nov 30, 2012

Show notes

Alfred Hitchcock was an imperfect man, and the new movie "Hitchcock" puts many of those imperfections on display. From his fixations on young blondes to his work obsessions to his heavy reliance (both professionally and personally) on his wife, Alma.

But is the movie telling the whole story? Is it embellishing?

Kristen and Rafer wanted to find out, and so they decided to turn to an expert.

Peter Mascuch is associate professor of English and American studies and coordinator of the film/media studies program at St. Joseph's College in New York. He's also a Hitchcock expert.

Movie Date: 'Rise of the Guardians', 'Silver Linings Playbook', 'Life of Pi', 'Red Dawn', 'Anna Karenina Nov 21, 2012

Show notes

In this special hour-long Thanksgiving podcast Kristen and Rafer respond to listener mail, review five new movies, and give thanks.

'Rise of the Guardians,' a 3-D animated fantasy adventure based on William Joyce's The Guardians of Childhood book series, stars Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Hugh Jackman, Isla Fisher and Jude law. 'Silver Linings Playbook,' is an unconventional romantic comedy-drama starring Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence. 'Life of Pi,' directed by Ang Lee, is a fantasy adventure film and is expected to be an Oscar contender. 'Red Dawn' is a remake of the 1984 film of the same name, except this time the high school guerrilla fighters are battling the North Koreans instead of the Russians. And 'Anna Karenina' is a drama adapted from Leo Tolstoy's novel of the same name. The film stars Keira Knightley and Jude Law.

Movie Date: 'Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2' Nov 16, 2012

Show notes

In this week's podcast, Rafer and Kristen review the highly anticipated final installment of the Twilight saga. "Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2" is expected to be one of the highest grossing movies of 2012. Vampire lovers prepare to be awed in one way or another.

Movie Date: 'Skyfall,' 'Lincoln,' and 'Flight' Nov 09, 2012

Show notes

In this week's podcast, Rafer and Kristen catch up after more than a week of being derailed by Hurricane Sandy. On the menu: Denzel Washington's booze-filled suspense flick "Flight," the long-awaited Daniel Day-Lewis-led "Lincoln," and "Skyfall," the new James Bond movie that has Rafer wondering if nobody does it better...and Kristen wondering if something fishy is going on with her local multiplex.

Movie Date: 'Cloud Atlas' Nov 02, 2012

Show notes

Spanning four hundred years, and featuring an all-star cast of award-winning actors (most of whom play multiple characters), the new film "Cloud Atlas" is big, ambitious, and divisive.

Not surprisingly, Rafer Guzman and Kristen Meinzer find themselves disagreeing about whether it's any good, whether it makes any sense, and whether it's worth seeing.

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