Max, Mike; Movies

You know what really chaps my nose? Teenagers! Them dang kids, always riding their jalopies around at crazy speeds, like thirty miles per hour . . . swinging those indecent hula-hoops around . . . listening to that devil's Big Band music . . . well, for this week's episode of “Oh No! A Giant … Continue reading "Episode 340 – The Blob (1958)"

You know who we don't talk about enough on this podcast? Vin Diesel. Yes, that big bald heap of a man has given us some truly awe-inspiring performances, and some epic line-reads. So, on this week's episode of “Oh No! A Giant Monster!” we are going to correct this tragic error with a show about … Continue reading "Episode 339 – The Iron Giant (1999)"

Well, if we're doing “Oh No! A Giant Monster!” as a series, there is no way we can ignore the King of Monsters, Godzilla (or Gojira, if you're a purist). Godzilla: seventy years of squashing Tokyo under his belt and he shows no signs of slowing down. But which movie to choose? There are so … Continue reading "Episode 338 – Godzilla: Final Wars (2004)"

When Mike said he was choosing a movie about a troll for this week's episode of “Oh No! A Giant Monster!”, I naturally assumed he would make the obvious choice of an animated classic. No, not those silly “Trolls” movies with Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberland or whatever his name is; those are just colorful … Continue reading "Episode 337 – Troll (2022)"

This week's entry in our series “Oh No! A Giant Monster!” asks the question “Just what makes that little old ant/Think he'll move that rubber tree plant/Everyone knows an ant/Can't/Move a rubber tree plant.” BUT what if that selfsame ant is mutated by the magic that is 1950's radiation into a GIANT ant? You don't … Continue reading "Episode 336 – Them! (1954)"

Welcome to a brand new, city-crushing series! We here at Max, Mike; Movies like to be larger-than-life so we're trying to come up with some larger-than-life ideas for AHHHHH! A GIANT MONSTER IS ATTACKING THE CITY!! Ohhhhhh! Is it the judgment of the gods? Is it a metaphor for nuclear destruction? Perhaps it is the … Continue reading "Episode 335 – Super 8 (2011)"

Oi! We're so done with our f-ing series “I Can't Believe You Haven't Seen That 3: the ReBelievening”! And we're closing it out with some serious PUNK ACTION! “Repo Man”! Yeah! Because Mike and I are totally punk! Look, Mike's got a safety-pin stuck through his shirt collar in place of a button! How punk … Continue reading "Episode 334 – Repo Man (1984)"

Good eeeeevening. Ve bid you velcome to our humble series “I Can't Believe You Haven't Seen That 3: the ReBelievening”. We are your vun! Two! Two hosts! AH AH AH AH! {THUNDERCLAP}, Count Max and Just-Learned-To-Count Mike, here in Castle MaxMikeMoviesStein. Zis veek, ve are discussing a true feel-good romp that vill make ze cheeldren … Continue reading "Episode 333 – Nosferatu (2024)"

High school, am I right? The combination of the onslaught of puberty, dealing with new people, peer pressure . . . everyone has their own nightmare. But what is the most terrifying thing about high school? Teenage girls. Well, if you're a teenage boy, anyway (although I've heard this same thing from some former teenage … Continue reading "Episode 332 – Carrie (1976)"

Ah, the Moon. Distant. Mysterious. Probably not made of cheese (or that's what they WANT you to believe). Its light is great for dancing . . . in.  That's what we call a “Moondance,” and what a marvelous night it is for one! Sometimes it's a “Blue Moon”, sometimes we have to beg it to … Continue reading "Episode 331 – Moon (2009)"

Welcome back, ‘Super Freaks'! We're cool and groovin' our ‘Good Times' here in our “I Can't Believe You Haven't Seen That Part 3: The Rebelievening” and we're going to ‘Get Down Tonight' with that ‘Disco Inferno' of a movie “Saturday Night Fever”! Why? Because Mike's never seen it, so we're going to ‘Turn the Beat … Continue reading "Episode 330 – Saturday Night Fever (1977)"

Oi, oi, oi, me old tatters and whiskey! In this week's nobble and flonk, by which I mean “I Can't Believe You Haven't Seen That Part 3: The Rebelievening,” your ol' nachos and carburetors Max and Mike are taking a bit of a what's-that-pancreas at Guy Ritchie's “Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels.” That's a … Continue reading "Episode 329 – Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels"

Hiya, folks! Good to see you here at the Max, Mike; Movies Diner! Sit wherever you like, fire up your podcast app and listen to our tasty selections! Poll question: What specific location do you think has been over-used in movies? Coffee shop? Front seat of a car? Comment here or call our hotline at … Continue reading "Episode 328 – Diner (1982)"

Good evening one and all. We've got a ripping new series here, haven't we? Yes, we have. We're revisiting a favorite of ours with “I Can't Believe You Haven't Seen That 3: The Re-Believening.” Me old china Mike and I have come up with a little list each, listing movies everyone assumes we've seen but … Continue reading "Episode 327 – Quadrophenia (1979)"

I looked at the recently-dug grave and read the name on cheap headstone: “Remember! You Asked for It!” I considered how ironic irony can be. Ironically. It was hard reading the headstone upside down, and the heavy rain was pouring up my nose. Maybe hanging upside down from a tree branch wasn't the most dignified … Continue reading "Episode 326 – His Kind of Woman (1951)"

This week's penultimate entry in our “Remember! You Asked For It!” series comes from Keith Wright and is heavily rooted in the lyricism and magic of the Harlem Renaissance, a time of remarkable literature, theater, and art. One of the historically-real main characters in this film, Bruce Nugent was known as a great jazz poet … Continue reading "Episode 325 – Brother to Brother (2004)"

Ok, before anyone gets too excited, I should point out that this week's entry in “Remember! You Asked For It!”, suggested by Tyler Stewart, is NOT the much-awaited sequel to “Kubo and the Two Strings.” I know, I know, I was disappointed too but I should have been tipped off by the fact that the … Continue reading "Episode 324 – Six String Samurai (1998)"

Welcome to another episode in our “Remember! You Asked For It!” series! This week's suggestion comes from crime-solving landscape artist Degsy O'Brien (I'm almost certain that's what he does for a living) and it's going to be a delightful romp! Yes, I'm pretty sure that this movie is an in-depth look into the life of … Continue reading "Episode 323 – The Anderson Tapes (1971)"

Hello, dear listeners and fellow members of the proletariat! Welcome to another episode in our series “Remember! You Asked For It!”  Well, we find ourselves in a teensy-weensy pickle this week. It seems that somehow, someone got ahold of a pre-post copy of this week's show about our good chum Daaaaaave's suggestion “The Death of … Continue reading "Episode 322 – The Death of Stalin (2017)"

Hullo, children! Hullo! Welcome back to Uncle Max, Uncle Mike; Uncle Movies. Are you sitting comfortably? Good! This week in our “Remember! You Asked For It!” series, we've got a question from young Julie O'Malley who wants to know all about “The Fifth Element.” Well, Julie, you must be the smartest one in your class! … Continue reading "Episode 321 – The Fifth Element (1997)"

Once again, most elegant and finely-manicured listeners, you spoke and we listened! This week, for our “Remember! You Asked For It!” series, the most worthy Brian Mundo requested a review of an obscure, rather confusing Stephen King sequel involving a rabid St. Bernard stalking the great singer-songwriter Gorden Sumner and his recently-discovered clone. So, I … Continue reading "Episode 320 – Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)"

WOOO! ROCK AND ROLL! ‘ALLO, DUBUQUE! WE! ARE! MAX! MIKE! MOVIES! AND WE ARE HERE TO ROCK YOUR STREETS UNTIL THEY FIRE! YEEEEAHHHH! If I can bring it down for a moment, Mike and I are thrilled to be here, this latest stop on our “Remember! YOU Asked For It!” tour. And we are gonna … Continue reading "Episode 319 – Streets of Fire (1984)"

A new year and a . . . slightly new series. Technically we started this one last year with “Wicked” but . . . look, stop nit-picking ok? Why must you hound me so?! Where will it all end?! Well, not with this week's entry in our “Remember! You Asked For It!” series, that's for … Continue reading "Episode 318 – Bedazzled (1967)"

Great shrieking clams, we've got us a brand-new series for you all! Oh yes we do, oh yes we do! Mike and I were thinking (a rare and dangerous occurrence) and we figured why should WE do all the work picking out movies like a couple of chumps, when we can ask you, our erudite, … Continue reading "Episode 317 – Wicked (2024)"

All good things must come to an end . . . and on an unrelated note, so must our series “Ready When You Are, C.B.,” movies about making movies. We're closing out with a somewhat less-than-well-known mocumentary about a fictional film team attempting to make a movie covering the entire Bible. As you might guess, … Continue reading "Episode 316 – The Making of “And God Spoke” (1993)"

Welcome, welcome to another entry in our series “Ready When You Are, C.B.”, where we address . . . what the hell? Who are all these people? Where did these cameras come from? What the Hec Ramsey is going . . . hah? What release? I never agreed to allow a film crew to use … Continue reading "Episode 315 – State and Main (2000)"

Ah, the Matinee; this may seem a strange subject for our series “Ready When You are, C.B.” but really, I think a film about these glorious sea mammals is long overdue. Gentle, plant-eating, and able to swim in bursts up to 20mph, these so-called sea cows may have in fact evolved from a four-legged land … Continue reading "Episode 314 – Matinee (1993)"

Ok . . . ok . . . come on, Max . . . you've done over three hundred of these . . . it's not that hard . . . just write. Just write SOMETHING. Oh god, why does a blank white screen look so horrible? Why is my keyboard laughing at me? Come … Continue reading "Episode 313 – Barton Fink (1991)"

Ah, Hollywood! The land of glitter and sparkle! The land where dreams are born, struggle, and eventually end up in a miserable job in middle-management . . . I mean dreams come true! Obviously that's what I meant, and you all know it! Hollywood is the most terribly important industry in all of The United … Continue reading "Episode 312 – The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)"

Order, order! The Committee for “Ready When You Are, C.B.” will come to order! The witness has been sworn in and we are ready to proceed. The witness is reminded that failure to answer any of the committee's questions will result in the witness being held in contempt . . . even more than they … Continue reading "Episode 311 – Trumbo (2015)"

Welcome to another episode in our continuing stooooooory “Ready When You Are, C.B.!” movies by Hollywood, about Hollywood, smothered in Hollywood gravy! This week's entry is a film from the late 80's, forgotten by some but surprisingly influential to others: Robert Townsend's “Hollywood Shuffle”. Is it a coincidence that a movie with this title came … Continue reading "Episode 310 – Hollywood Shuffle (1987)"

Heeeyyyyyy, listeners! Sweeties, honeys, babies, pussycats, pumpkins! Fabulous to see you, totally mean that, been too long, what's your latest project, that's great, how'd the rehab stint go, glad to hear it, have they dropped the charges yet, absolutely terrif to hear that, gotta run, have your service call my service we'll do breakfast lunch … Continue reading "Episode 309 – The Player (1992)"

Great Cesear's film reference! I know you're all shocked, waiting as you have been for the start of our next series with a worm on your tongue (baited breath. Thank you! Try the veal!) but we're delaying our next series a week because here at Max, Mike; Movies we are nothing if not topical! Yes, … Continue reading "Special Episode – Megalopolis (2024)"

By the Spear of Odin/Wotan/Woden/Veratyr and lots of others! Welcome, most valorous warriors to this, the Twilight Of The Series “Give Me One More Chance.” Today you draw your blades with us as we face the trial of the final movie of our lord Thor/Thunor/Donar/Irving (that last one is a rare translation) and if we … Continue reading "Episode 308 – Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)"

Welcome to the next-to-last episode in our “Give Me One More Chance” series. Before we get into this latest installment of the “Mission: Impossible” series (which should be called “Mission: Impossible: Too Many Colons”), we have some unpleasant business to take care of. I'm afraid our top-secret Max, Mike; Movie headquarters has been infiltrated by … Continue reading "Episode 307 – Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning: Part One (2023)"

Ok, ok, hang on, hold that still . . . so, in honor of this week's entry in our “Give Me One More Chance” series, the found-footage, shaky-cam opus “Cloverfield,” I'm creating my very own handheld video masterpiece “Thistlemeadow,” complete with terrifying monsters and human drama, so let's get, wha' . . . DAMN, I … Continue reading "Episode 306 – Cloverfield (2008)"

Well, good evein' to you all, ladies and gents, a very good, Ah say, Ah say, a very good evening to all of you. ‘cept, mebbe it ain't such a good evenin' for one individual in particular, hear in our “Give Me One More Chance” series. Yes, one individual ain't gonna get no more chances, … Continue reading "Episode 305 – Glass Onion (2022)"

Hello, hello, hello, and welcome to another episode of “Give Me One More Chance” at Max and Mike's House of Magic *poof* *cough, hack* uh, yes, magic smoke! Stupid, semi-toxic magic smoke . . . I mean, Oooo! Such magic! Now I have here the very magical Dagger of Dennak, which I assure you is … Continue reading "Episode 304 – Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)"

Ok, Indy, ok. Enough. It's too much, you understand? The candy, the flowers, the cards, the singing gorilla-grams . . . it's gotta stop. Sure, we're doing a series called “Give Me One More Chance”, and yes, your last movie didn't exactly smooth over what you did in the movie before it . . . … Continue reading "Episode 303 – Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)"

Helloooo, Adventurers! Welcome back to our series “Give Me One More Chance”! Your quest today . . . is to listen to OUR quest today, which is to revisit the most recent attempt to bring the tabletop roleplaying game Dungeons and Dragons (a game that Mike and I MIGHT have some teeny, tiny, very slight … Continue reading "Episode 302 – Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)"

Welcome to another new, minty-fresh, sanitized-for-your-convenience series here at “Max, Mike; Movies”! After 300 episodes, we're in a forgiving mood. Our hearts are filled with love and whipped hydrogenated oil.  We've all been hurt in the past, some of us as recently as this morning (sorry Mike! You just looked so flammable!), by friends, by … Continue reading "Episode 301 – Minority Report (2002)"

Three hundred episodes! Who would have believed it? It seems like only yesterday that people were asking us “why are you bothering?” over and over and over. Then came the genuine incredulity, the open hostility, the petitions begging us to stop, the changes in city zoning laws to try to outlaw us, the angry mobs, … Continue reading "Episode 300 – Dune: Parts One and Two (2021, 2024)"

Welcome to the final Roger Corman episode (no, really, we mean it this time) in our mini-series “Be Adjacent to the Cor-Man.” Super-hero movies: can you believe there was a time when they weren't being released on a daily basis? This dim and distant era was called “The 1990's” and we didn't have any of … Continue reading "Episode 299 – The Fantastic Four (1994 . . . sort of)"

We thought we were free of the Cor-Man, but we've decided to do him true honor, we must honor the films that he may not have directed but that are still covered in his sweaty hand-prints, and this week is no different . . . from this week. We're taking on 1977's “Grand Theft Auto,” … Continue reading "Episode 298 – Grand Theft Auto (1977)"

We've done it! We've come to the end of our series “Be Like the Cor-Man”! They all laughed at us, laughed at us, I tell you! They said we were mad! Mad!! Well, now who's mad?! Ahahahahahaha! We've made it through Roger Corman's final directorial opus “Frankenstein Unbound”! They told us only lunatics would even … Continue reading "Episode 297 – Frankenstein Unbound (1990)"

Log entry, nighttime, July something or other. So, we're coming to the end of our series “Be Like the Cor-Man” and in preparation for our discussion of “The Trip,” an exploration of the effects of an LSD experience, I've decided to really commit to the message of the film, so I've eaten half a sheet … Continue reading "Episode 296 – The Trip (1967)"

Once upon a weekend dreary, while I pondered, drunk and bleary,Over many a scratched and stainéd film, inducing quite a snore –On the toilet I sat crapping, while the weekend I was mappingIn my head, my brain foot-tapping, hoping not to be a bore.Surely there is something more!Ah, distinctly I remember! It was May, no, … Continue reading "Episode 295 – The Raven (1963)"

Hey, all you Daddy-os and cool chicks! Get hip to this new scene, man! We got some groovin' behoovin' all in the name of that heppest of hepcats Rog Corman and man, is this guy a real gone cat! We're  diggin' the scene in our scenario-series “Be Like the Cor-man”, man, and brother, have we … Continue reading "Episode 294 – A Bucket of Blood (1959)"

In 1977, a little indie film called “Star Wars” was released, ushering in a new era for science-fiction films. Its budget? Eleven million dollars. To which Roger “Be Like the Cor-Man” Corman replied “hold my beer” and a mere three years later presented the world with the sci-fi epic “Battle Beyond the Stars” for a … Continue reading "Episode 293 – Battle Beyond the Stars (1980)"

There's a new superhero in town, the man they call “X”! He has the power to see through things! Clothing! Human skin! Manila file folders! And how does he use this power to fight crime, you ask? Uh . . . well, I guess he could see criminals naked and mock them about any body … Continue reading "Episode 292 – X: the Man with the X-Ray Eyes (1963)"

Tremble before the rise of the Cor-man! We're in “Be Like the Cor-man” now, up to our necks! For all his chintzy budgets, churned-out scripts, and lilliputian shooting schedules, Roger Corman hardly ever lost money on any of his pictures. Some of those pictures . . . one finds oneself asking “how?” as is the … Continue reading "Episode 291 – Little Shop of Horrors (1960)"