Episode 107: Toy Story (1995)

Ah, “In Ancient Times: the 90’s” The 1990’s . . . who truly remembers the events of such a distant time? Did we live in caves? Did dinosaurs walk the earth? Did we drive cars powered by our feet while yelling “yabba-dabba-doo”? Of course we did.  We all know we did.  But the 90’s was also the time before the rise of the Pixar Empire.  Believe it or not, there was a time when Pixar was almost unknown; the only people who knew it were those pathetic nerds who went to every animation festival I could find . . . I mean, that they could find.  Other people.  Not me.  Certainly not.  Yes, Pixar was known then as that weird animation studio who had the absurd idea that you could make interesting animation using those new-fangled electronic computational devices (they’re just a fad, you know).  That is, until that fateful day in 1995 when the first full-length computer-animated feature film was released: “Toy Story.” On that day, everything changed.  Up became down.  Blue became Thursday. Cowboys and spacemen living together . . . mass hysteria!  And the unstoppable engine of innovation (and cash juggernaut) that was Pixar Studios rose to take its place among the animation giants . . . until it was bought by Disney and everything had to have nine sequels.  But how does this, their first opus, hold up after a quarter of a century? Give a listen and pick up what we’re putting down (and then please put it back down; it’s there for a reason, thank you very much).

George Floyd Memorial Fund:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/georgefloyd

ACLU: https://www.aclu.org/

Black Lives Matter: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ms_blm_homepage_2019

Southern Poverty Law Center: https://donate.splcenter.org/

Episode 106: Magnolia (1999)

Ahhh, magnolias. The flower that signifies spring; a symbol of hope, beauty and hundreds of frogs showering down from the heavens. Wait, what? Oh yes. Frogs. Lots and lots of frogs. Because how else would you tie together such divergent stories of; lives gone wrong, kid tv stars who never really grow up, toxic masculinity gurus and cops who lose their guns at crime scenes? No better way, we say! And we say a lot. This week in the continuing saga of “Ancient History: The 90s,” we delve deep into Paul Thomas Anderson’s film of fractured lives. Haven’t heard of it? We’re not surprised but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check it out. The ensemble cast alone is worth a look: William H. Macy, Tom Cruise, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore, Jason Robards and even a short stint by Patton Oswalt. It’s one of those big, ensemble cast kind of movies and we warn you: it is long. Three hours long. But does it feel like it? Does the movie drag, does it work, does it take out the trash once a week without you having to nag it over and over and over again? That last one, I admit, it does not. But it’s going to if it knows what’s good for it. Regardless of what we think, there is one thing that makes this movie worth watching: proof that, when he really puts his mind to it, when he actually -tries-, Tom Cruise can be a good actor. No, really. This is not Bumpy the Wonder Pony typing this, making things up in hopes of getting a nice, juicy carrot. Oh no, it is the truth. Probably. So, tune in, won’t we and find out about this film with the frogs.

George Floyd Memorial Fund:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/georgefloyd

ACLU: https://www.aclu.org/

Black Lives Matter: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ms_blm_homepage_2019

Southern Poverty Law Center: https://donate.splcenter.org/

Episode 105: Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Hello, children! Hello! Welcome to Uncle Max, Uncle Mike; Uncle Movies! Yaaay! We’ve got a super delightful, fun story for you this week about a funny man who lives in a cave with his wacky friends when one day a little girl comes to ask him some oh-so-important questions about her friend Billy and why he murders women and cuts off their skin.  What’s that, Producer Jimmy? We’re fired? Our show’s been cancelled? There are some mean looking men from the FCC here to talk to us about our show? Oh fiddlesticks.
Yeah, so for this week’s “In Ancient Times: the 90’s” we’re talking about a 90’s movie that scared seven kinds of hell out of film audiences, and yours truly, when we saw it.  And yet some of us (me) went back and saw it four times in the theater, despite never being sensible enough to bring a set of adult diapers.  Brrr.  Sadly, I chose this movie so I have no one to blame for my night terrors this week but myself. Jonathan Demme’s “Silence of the Lambs” brought us one of the most iconic cinematic serial killers in history, as well as one of the coolest FBI agents, Clarice Starling, who was the template for Agent Scully of the X-Files (“Nerrrrrrrd!” “Shut up, Mike!”).  Crack open a bottle of Chianti, carve up a heapin’ helpin’ of census taker and join us for our discussion of this movie, which I will be participating in from under my blanket fort.

George Floyd Memorial Fund:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/georgefloyd

ACLU: https://www.aclu.org/

Black Lives Matter: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ms_blm_homepage_2019

Southern Poverty Law Center: https://donate.splcenter.org/

Episode 104: Being John Malkovich (1999)

Welcome back to another episode of Max, Mike; Movies in our series “In Ancient Times: the 90’s.” Say, do you want to be John Malkovich? Sure, we all do! But how many movies have addressed this very question? As far as we know, only 1999’s “Being John Malkovich” has dared to do this! Directed by Spike Jonze and written by Charlie “Normal? What Does That Mean?” Kaufman (a first effort for both), this movie is . . . different.  One of the reasons we’ve been talking so much about movies of the 90’s is that while this decade brought us some major trend-setters and blockbusters, it also brought us some remarkably edgy, daring, and experimental wide-release movies.  “Being John Malkovich” is decidedly one of the latter.  Dealing with both the painfully mundane and a sort of magical realism where crawling through a tiny door can land you inside the brain of John Malkovich (like you do), this movie brings us some strange and often uncomfortable ideas, intriguingly executed, and some remarkable performances by the likes of John Cusack, an almost unrecognizable Cameron Diaz, and playing the role of John Malkovich . . . John Malkovich! Interesting choice.  Me, I would have gone with Pee Wee Herman, but they didn’t ask me.  I’m sure that’s one of the director’s major regrets.  When will Hollywood learn that most important of lessons: always ask Max.

George Floyd Memorial Fund:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/georgefloyd

ACLU: https://www.aclu.org/

Black Lives Matter: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ms_blm_homepage_2019

Southern Poverty Law Center: https://donate.splcenter.org/

Episode 103: Wayne’s World (1992)

It’s Max, Mike; Movies! Max, Mike; Movies! Party time! Excellent! Random excited noises! It’s Monday, it’s “In Ancient Times: the 90’s” and it’s time to party! I’m your excellent host, Max Levine. With me as always is Mike. Party on Mike! . . . Party on, Mike! . . . Mike? Mike? . . . Dammit, you’re ruining this for me! Just say “Party on”! Why are you leaving me hanging? Did Bumpy put you up to this? Well, fine. I hope you two are very happy on the Mike an’ Bumpy Super Happy Smile Hour . . . for Jerks! Anyway, yes this week we’re partying down with a major comedy from the 90’s, a movie so meta it’s basically one big meta.  What’s a meta? Why, it’s where the cows graze, thank you! We’re here all week! Tip your waitresses! “Wayne’s World,” one of only two successful movies based on ANYTHING from Saturday Night Live.  Born out of a time when SNL was . . . what’s the word I’m looking for . . . right on the tip of my tongue . . . oh yeah, “funny.”  Remember those days? No? Not surprising.  So pop in that cassette tape of Queen, cruise on down to Aurora, Illinois and join us for a sedate, low-key, erudite discussion of “Wayne’s World” . . . not! Wow, that joke has just has not aged well. . . 

George Floyd Memorial Fund:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/georgefloyd

ACLU: https://www.aclu.org/

Black Lives Matter: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ms_blm_homepage_2019

Southern Poverty Law Center: https://donate.splcenter.org/