Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Bonus Episode: The Florida Project

Hey, friends! We're closing out November 2017 with another of our patented b-b-b-b-b-b-bonus episodes here at Mousterpiece Cinema HQ! As we did hit the 800-Like threshold on Facebook this month, Scott and Josh are getting together to talk about one of this year's most acclaimed new films: The Florida Project, from director Sean Baker. Don't let that title fool you, though: this movie isn't about the making of Walt Disney World. Instead, The Florida Project focuses on a group of little kids growing up in relative poverty a few miles away from the Happiest Place on Earth, and how they try to have fun one crazy summer. Scott and Josh are joined by return guest Monica Castillo of The New York Times to discuss The Florida Project, getting the local details right, child performers, Willem Dafoe's performance as a kindly hotel manager, and more. If you haven't seen this movie yet, there may be spoilers in the final section of the episode, but otherwise, dig in!

Saturday, November 25, 2017

Episode 326: Candleshoe

Hey, friends! We hope you all had a fun Thanksgiving, which means only one thing: Christmas is right around the corner! While Scott and Josh hold off on their Coco discussion until next week, they're getting in the holiday mood appropriately! Because what better way to start off the Christmas season than with a movie adapted from a book with the word "Christmas" in the title, right? There's no way that movie...wouldn't have anything to do with Christmas, right? Well, it turns out that's the case, as Scott and Josh head back to the 1970s with Candleshoe, starring a young Jodie Foster, David Niven, and Helen Hayes. Though it's based on a book called Christmas at Candleshoe, this British-set scavenger hunt adventure has nothing to do with the holiday. But is it one of the rare Disney live-action films of the 1970s that isn't horrendous? Does this movie have a more tender heart than either Scott or Josh would have thought? Would kids from the 1970s ever have referenced Rudolph Valentino when they spoke? Find out now!

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Episode 325: Enchanted

Hey, friends! We hope you're in the mood for a happy working podcast, because that's exactly what we're giving you this week on a new Mousterpiece Cinema! As you might be able to tell, Scott and Josh are revisiting a decade-old Disney live-action/animated film, Enchanted, starring Amy Adams, Susan Sarandon, James Marsden, and Timothy Spall. OK, yes, fine, Patrick Dempsey is also in this film, but his performance as the fairly unexciting love interest is one of the key points on which Josh and Scott agree, even if Scott's a bit warmer on the film overall. Does this movie, though, hold up after a decade? Has Josh softened towards what he saw as its flaws before? Do either of your co-hosts have interest in a purported sequel to the world of Princess Giselle and Andalasia? Find out now!

Saturday, November 11, 2017

Episode 324: Thor: Ragnarok

Hey, friends! It's time for the main event, as Mousterpiece Cinema travels to a whole new world to talk about the latest adventure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor: Ragnarok. On this episode, Josh and Scott are joined by friend of the show Angie Han of Mashable to talk about the latest entry in the world of the God of Thunder, specifically because it's so extremely different from the two previous Thor films. Does Chris Hemsworth have the comic chops to pull the shift off? Do we want to see a new Hulk film? Could this movie stand to have more Jeff Goldblum? (That's a trick question: the answer is always yes.) Check out the new show to find out the answers to some of these questions! (And stick around to the end to hear a fun tease for next week's episode.)

Saturday, November 4, 2017

Episode 323: No Country for Old Men

Hey, friend-o! It's time for a brand-new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema, and listening to it will be as simple as calling a coin toss. Just call it. You have to call it. OK, we're in a mood this week, because Scott and Josh are celebrating the 10th anniversary of one of the great American neo-noirs, No Country for Old Men, written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, adapted from the iconic Cormac McCarthy novel. They're joined by author and editor Adam Sternbergh to talk about the 2007 thriller, the instantly memorable performance from Javier Bardem, the meaning of the implacable final scene, and whether or not Llewellyn Moss hooked up with the mysterious lady by the pool near the finale or not. Does No Country hold up after a decade? Is it the Coens' best film? Does the Mike Yanagita scene in Fargo make sense? (You know it does.) Find out the answers to these questions and more in the new episode!