Episode #411: 'Superman' (2025) with Michael Hartney

Actor and comedian Michael Hartney -- a Superman guy to his core - joins us to discuss James Gunn's much-anticipated, highly-speculated upon take on the world's most famous superhero. Then, in honor of Krypto (the Superdog, of course) we nominated best (goodest?) movie dogs to the Hall of Excellence.What’s GoodAlonso - Dark Chocolate OreosDrea - gift article links on BlueskyMichael - Superman discourseKevin - finding his Tracy Bonham album (Sky Too Wide)ITIDICFinal Sundance in Park City Will Honor Its History in Utah and Founder RedfordAlamo Founder Launches Private Movie Experience in New York CityThe Devil Wears Prada Sequel Set for Next Spring HoE NomineesAlonso - Asta (The Thin Man)Drea - Dug (Up)Michael - Old Yeller Kevin - E. Buzz (Poltergeist)Staff PicksDrea - Life AfterAlonso - The Damned (2024)Michael - Popstar: Never Stop Never StoppingKevin - Hero at LargeMichael's Characters Welcome Patreon Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or LetterboxdWithKevin AveryDrea ClarkAlonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa FlaxbartSr. Producer Laura Swisher

It’s week two of our inadvertent two-week celebration of the post-apocalypse on film. This time around, Danielle Deadwyler and Michael Greyeyes head up a family fighting to protect their land and their lives from murderously hungry intruders in 40 ACRES. NPR Pop-Culture Happy Hour’s co-host Aisha Harris joins us to discuss this feature debut from RT Thorne.What’s Good?Alonso - Making pignoli cookiesDrea - Wedge Live Cat TourAisha - Finally falling for Love Island USAKevin - Tinder Box by James Andrew MillerITIDICJohn M. Chu to direct Mattel’s Hot Wheels movieBehind-the-scenes creative meddling on Pixar’s ElioList of “Down on the Farm” Movie Quiz MoviesStaff PicksDrea - SovereignAlonso - Before We ForgetAisha - The Annihilation of FishKevin - The Girl with All the GiftsAll of Aisha’s links can be found at AishaHarris.com  Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or LetterboxdWithKevin AveryDrea ClarkAlonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa FlaxbartSr. Producer Laura Swisher

23 years later, director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland bring the rage virus back to life with their sequel to 28 Days Later, 28 Years Later. Actor and director Graham Skipper guests this week to talk about the trilogy, Alpha prosthetics, and coming of age in a zombie UK. Then, we discuss the dream 23-years-later sequels we want to see.What’s GoodAlonso - Chef Alison RomanDrea -"Hi Andrea!" and Drea's Close Personal Friend Lucy LiuKevin - Trader Joe's Brazil Nut Body ScrubITIDICDenis Villeneuve to Direct Next BondNew York Times Names ‘Parasite’ the Best Film of 21 Century (So Far)Staff PicksAlonso - M3GAN 2.0Drea- PonyboiKevin - Rammbock: Berlin UndeadFollow Graham Skipper on Instagram @skipstagraham  Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or LetterboxdWithKevin AveryDrea ClarkAlonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa FlaxbartSr. Producer Laura Swisher

Film critic Katie Walsh joins us to take a close look at the various desirable qualities of MATERIALISTS, the sophomore feature from director Celine Song. Then, we talk about movies that didn’t quite match what their trailers were selling.What’s GoodAlonso - Sick and Dirty by Michael KoreskyKatie - Love Island “I’m a mommy” memeKevin - full-on astrology chartITIDIC48 Films Awarded Tax Credits To Shoot in CaliforniaMegalopolis is Going on a RoadshowRobert Eggers Developing ‘A Christmas Carol’ Adaptation at WBStaff PicksAlonso - Sorry, BabyKatie - Christiane FKevin - The Hunt for Red OctoberDetails for Alonso's screening of Ma Vie en Rose on June 28 Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or LetterboxdWithKevin AveryDrea ClarkAlonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa FlaxbartSr. Producer Laura Swisher

In honor of Pride Month, we’re taking a look back at an important title from queer cinema history. Our guest, Caden Mark Gardner, is the co-author (with Willow Maclay) of Corpses, Fools and Monsters: The History and Future of Transness in Cinema – he picked this Vincente Minnelli classic for us to watch! Then, we choose which flawed movies we’d edit (and how we’d amend them) to make them work for us.You can stream Tea and Sympathy across lots of platforms, or check your local library. What’s GoodAlonso - Nine Perfect Strangers Season 2 (sort of)Drea - Katya in the Criterion ClosetCaden - dog ownership (and traveling to LA for event)Kevin - first hot dog in a while, best everITIDICSummer of 1956 will be a big movie season (Erskine Johnson)“Robert Rich” (secret alias of a blacklisted Dalton Trumbo) is Nominated for Best Screenwriter for The Brave OneStaff PicksAlonso - The CobwebDrea - The Power of the DogCaden - VulcanizadorKevin - Blazing SaddlesLA Folks, Check out Alonso and Caden’s series “Taking Pride” with American Cinematheque! See and learn about some great films, and get your books signed.   Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or LetterboxdWithKevin AveryDrea ClarkAlonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa FlaxbartSr. Producer Laura Swisher

Film critic and podcast bon vivant (and Stephen King movie buff) William Bibbiani (Critically Acclaimed Network) joins us to take a look at the latest King adaptation, a movie told in three parts, backwards (and in heels). Then we get Hall of Excellence results and draw inspiration from a listener’s unexpected movie tattoo.What’s GoodAlonso - anti-ICE protests in “Red” statesDrea - Bentonville Film Festival (screening Heightened Scrutiny)Bibbs - Maximum Film! hostsKevin - Cinespia seasonITIDICPedro Almodovar’s Next Film will be a Christmas MovieWarner Bros. Discovery to Split into Two CompaniesVariety Editorial: No One in the Movies Stays Dead AnymoreStaff PicksAlonso - Cobra Woman (see him screen it in person on June 14, 2025!)Drea - DropBibbs - River (don’t watch it on Amazon, the subtitles get out of sync)Kevin - Silver Streak Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or LetterboxdWithKevin AveryDrea ClarkAlonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa FlaxbartSr. Producer Laura Swisher

Wes Anderson’s latest film has no shortage of charts and plans. Our guest, Matt Zoller Seitz, helps guide us through THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME, and warns us about emotional land mines (which, in fact, we might actually want to step on? It’ll make sense in context.) Then we nominate our favorite filmed father/daughter dynamics to the Hall of Excellence.What’s GoodAlonso - bitching about the new season of AND JUST LIKE THAT…Drea - your friends meetingMatt - The Life of ChuckKevin - The Traitors AustraliaITIDICDisney delaying next two Avengers filmsParamount Plans Celebrations for 30th Anniversary of ‘Clueless’2025’s Domestic Box Office ChatStaff PicksAlonso - MountainheadMatt - Deaf President Now & Sharp CornerDrea - Holy Cow (Vingt Dieux)Kevin - Mazes & MonstersVisit the arts bookstore at  Mzs.press Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or LetterboxdWithKevin AveryDrea ClarkAlonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa FlaxbartSr. Producer Laura Swisher

How many reckonings will Ethan Hunt face? More importantly, how many planes can he fly at once? None of these questions are answered in today’s discussion, but many more are raised and addressed as we consider Tom Cruise & Co.’s most Impossible Mission yet. We’re joined by special guest Billy Ray Brewton, whose new documentary Coroner to the Stars is cleaning up at festivals as we speak. Then we pitch some new (?) ideas for blockbuster franchise reboots based on old TV shows.What’s GoodDrea - Meat RaffleBilly Ray - Audience Award at Mammoth Lakes Film FestivalKevin - Trader Joe’s has cheap wine, you guys!ITIDICRichard Linklater’s Ode to Godard Sells at Cannes…To NetflixGoogle Financing Short Films to Make AI Seem Less “Doomsday”Staff PicksDrea - SinnersBilly Ray - Pee-Wee as HimselfKevin - Mission: Impossible 3 Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or LetterboxdWithKevin AveryDrea ClarkAlonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa FlaxbartSr. Producer Laura Swisher

Final Destination Bloodlines might be your sixth FD or your first (or maybe, like Kevin and Drea, you aren't confident about which ones you've seen or not). For our guest writer, filmmaker, and genre-film expert BJ Colangelo, Final Destination is THE horror franchise, making her the perfect lead for our metaphorical dance with Death. After we discuss the film, we honor the late Tony Todd by talking about our favorite "horror oracles."What’s Good?Alonso - Étoile (the new show from Amy Sherman-Paladino & Daniel Paladino, on Prime)Drea - Mission Impossible franchise rewatchBJ - Cash’s high school graduationKevin - Kara Morgan’s one woman show, Inner VoicesITIDICMax is HBO Max AgainClarksdale, MS, Setting for SINNERS, Petitions for Special ScreeningTubi Has a New Category Filled With Classic Movies From the Criterion CollectionHere’s the teaser trailer for Final Destination Bloodlines (as Alonso mentioned)Staff PicksDrea - Jane Austen Wrecked My LifeAlonso - Caught by the TidesBJ - The Ugly StepsisterKevin - Open WaterSleep Away Camp book, written by BJ and Harmony ColangeloThis Ends at Prom podcast Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or LetterboxdWithKevin AveryDrea ClarkAlonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa FlaxbartSr. Producer Laura Swisher

Tim Robinson (of I Think You Should Leave fame) hits the big screen in Andrew DeYoung’s feature debut. He’s becoming buds with Paul Rudd, but don’t call it a bromance – call it ‘Friendship.’ We’ve got a friend of our own joining us: comedian Michelle Biloon. After the movie chat, we’ll discuss some memorable drug trip/fever dream movie sequences. What’s GoodAlonso - Season 2 of Poker FaceDrea - Bentonville Film Festival Lineup AnnouncedMichelle - free airplane gin secondsKevin - Jill Sobule’s musicITIDICCatholic Cardinals Reportedly Consulted ‘Conclave’ Film Ahead of Vote for Next PopeCinecittà on Track to Build the Biggest One-Stop-Shop in EuropeMilestone Films Will Be Given AwayStaff PicksAlonso - I Love You ManDrea - Queen of the RingMichelle - Nice Girls Don’t ExplodeKevin - Avengers: EndgameAvengers: Engame audience reaction videoMichelle’s albums are:Permanent HatYou Can Be an Asshole Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or LetterboxdWithKevin AveryDrea ClarkAlonso DuraldeProduced by Marissa FlaxbartSr. Producer Laura Swisher