MAFIA MAMMA and SHOWING UP on Episode #457

Toni Collette talks frantically on the phone in the movie Mafia Mamma.This week we’re reviewing MAFIA MAMMA and SHOWING UP! We start by discussing Kelly Reichardt’s dramedy SHOWING UP (3:22), which stars Michelle Williams as a sculptor trying to pursue her artistic work while contending with the struggles of daily life. Next, we cover Catherine Hardwicke’s comedy MAFIA MAMMA (27:42), which stars Toni Collette as an American woman who inherits her grandfather’s mafia empire in Italy and has to decide how she wants to run her crime family. And in this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, in honor of its upcoming Amazon Prime Video adaptation, we’re talking about David Cronenberg’s 1988 thriller/horror film DEAD RINGERS starring Jeremy Irons! 

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WOMEN TALKING and THE FABELMANS on Episode #441

The cast of Women Talking sitting in a dark barn looking concerned.We start by reviewing Steven Spielberg’s autobiographical film THE FABELMANS (2:14), which explores his love of filmmaking, his parents’ marriage, and the antisemitism he experienced growing up. They’re themes we’ve seen him tackle before in his movies, but we’re split on whether there’s enough unique value that makes this movie worth watching. Next, we delve into Sarah Polley’s WOMEN TALKING (33:34), a compelling chamber piece drama about women from a religious community who have been abused by the men in it, debating whether they should forgive them, stay and fight, or leave. And in this week’s Patreon exclusive audio, we discuss a Patron’s choice, the Hallmark movie HANUKKAH ON RYE!

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Download Here – and don’t forget to follow us on Apple PodcastsPandoraStitcher, or Spotify! Call us at 862-21–PIECE (862-217-4323) or send us an e-mail: spoilerpiece AT gmail.com.

MANCHESTER BY THE SEA, THE HANDMAIDEN, KRISHA, and more on Episode #125

Casey Affleck and Lucas Hedges in MANCHESTER BY THE SEA

Casey Affleck and Lucas Hedges in MANCHESTER BY THE SEA

This week Kris shares the unusual tale of his 10 year high school reunion. The guys carry their silliness from that story over into their intro, where they ask, you the listener, which 60 Minutes anchor you think they are. It’s a good thing they get to the movies, because there are several to cover. Kris starts with a segment of “Keepin’ up with the Jensons,” where he talks about why he liked SWISS ARMY MAN (at 6:00) more than he expected. Then he and Dave join forces for a recap of HELL OR HIGH WATER (at 18:04), where they joke about the title, discuss the score, and dissect its Western elements. They get to new movies with their review of THE HANDMAIDEN (at 28:09), a three hour movie that flies by due to a layered story and perfect performances, set design, and camerawork. Next, Evan quickly reviews KRISHA (at 42:23), a tough film about a woman spending Thanksgiving with her estranged family that’s shot and edited in an unsettling way. Lastly, he and Kris review MANCHESTER BY THE SEA (at 48:32), an effective examination of grief that also reveals how frustrating it is to drive in Massachusetts.

Download Here – and don’t forget to subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher! Call us at 862-21PIECE (862-217-4323) or send us an e-mail: spoilerpiece gmail.com.