Episode 320 – Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)

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 had a lot of trouble finding a copy of “Cujo and the Two Stings” but I have to say it was truly worth the price from that Bulgarian Dark Web site so I *OW!* Geez, Mike, why did . . . hah? Oh. Really? Kubo and the what now? Ah. Yes, that is a bit different. Right, right, fourth movie from Laika studios . . . well, as Mike, that scamp, has reminded me with a playful hatchet lobbed into my occipital lobe, we were supposed to be discussing “Kubo and the Two Strings,” a remarkable achievement in stop-motion from the people who brought us “Coraline” and “ParaNorman.” Now, normally I’d run off and quickly check out this animated effort but I’m going to suggest that Brian might actually be more interested in hearing what we have to say about this Bratisolva Slovokian horror movie involving a pair of Stings and an insane hound. I mean, it stars Bohumil Nováková as Sting One and Sting Two and the great Jaroslav Tóthová as Cujo; we all know that Bohumil Nováková never made a bad movie, so why not *OW!* Dammit, where do you keep getting those hatchets? Fine, fine, we’ll discuss your precious animated thingy. I just hope there’s a giant fire-breathing chicken in it. Give a listen and find out if there is!

Poll question: in animation, how do you feel about professional voice actors vs. celebrity voices being used?

Episode 319 – Streets of Fire (1984)

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 RAAWWWWKKK! YEEEEEAHHH! Our show has it all! An evil Willem Dafoe! Rick Moranis as a music industry sleaze! Amy Madigan as a badass! And a THOROUGHLY UNLIKEABLE 80’s HERO WITH TOTALLY 80’S STUBBLE! YEAAHHHH! What’s more rock and roll than that? How about a totally bitchin’ 80’s rock soundtrack, written mostly by the Ry Cooder Band?! You want that? You want it?! How bad do you want it? YEAAAAHHHHH, that’s what I’m talking about! Now let’s get ready to RAWWW…. ow . . . owowowowowow . . . dammit, I pulled my back again. Crap, my orthopedic platform boot just lost a heel! Mike, get untangled from the flight wires and help me! Aaahhh, my hip! Give a listen, quick, before my heart pills kick in.

Poll question: What is your favorite rock and roll movie?

Episode 318 – Bedazzled (1967)

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 gosh-darn sure. And speaking of being gosh-darned, this week’s entry deals with that very touchy subject: selling your soul to the Devil! Yes, in this moderned-up version of the Faust story, Dudley Moore sells his soul to the Peter Cook (who makes a darn fine devil, don’tchaknow) meaning that his soul will be darned to Heck for all etern-diddly-ernity! That’s a dilly of a pickle! This suggestion comes to us from the Lord of Flightless Tuxedo-Clad Birds, Vince, dread master of the Great Dark North. Join us and see how British humor merges with the concept of sin, free will, blowing raspberries, and nuns on trampolines! And never forget the magic words: “Julie Andrews”! [disclaimer: Ms. Andrews does not appear in this film. Racquel Welch does, but she is not to be confused with Julie Andrews. Nor could she be, really]

Poll question: do you have a favorite biblical, or bible-adjacent movie? “Ten Commandments”? “Dogma”? “Jesus Christ: Superstar”? Leave a comment or call our Unholy Hotline at 617-398-7266.

Episode 317 – Wicked (2024)

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, well-coifed, and splendidly handsome listeners for your suggestions! Which brings us to our series “Remember! YOU Asked For It!” We’re booting off this series with a suggestion from our resident scholar Adam Mark, a movie that is still in theaters (and, judging from the audience reactions, will be for some time): “Wicked.” Sadly, this has nothing to do with the Boston dialect (which is wicked disappointing, pally) but rather an unusual take on the classic story “The Wizard of Oz” focused rather on the so-called Wicked Witch of the West, aka Elphaba, just a soul whose intentions are good; oh, Oz, please don’t let her be misunderstood . . . ok, enough song references, sorry. This is a movie based on a stage musical based (VERY loosely) on a book. So what did we think? Did it carry us somewhere over the rainbow or did we feel it was flying monkey poop? Give a listen and find out!

Poll question: Do you like your villains simply villainous or do you prefer them deeply examined, with backstory and such? Answer in the comments or call our evil lair and leave a message at call us at 617-398-7266.