A Real Pain

We watched a ton of movies this year, but some of the most exciting ones weren't new. In a special holiday episode, Anne and Ryan discuss a handful of older films that fascinated them in 2024, from first-time discoveries of underseen gems to reexaminations of all-time classics. From noir to gothic horror, from Brando to Bogart, these are some of the film experiences that felt most vital to us in the past year.

Anne and Ryan discuss Luca Guadagnino's new drama QUEER starring Daniel Craig, Drew Starkey, Jason Schwartzman, and Lesley Manville. Based on the William S. Burroughs novella of the same name, QUEER follows an American writer living in 1950s Mexico City, pursuing a romance with a recently discharged Navy man. As the pair travel to South America in search of a mysterious drug, the story takes on a dreamlike aura in its depiction of longing and wanderlust. Join us for this discussion of Guadagnino's directorial follow-up to this year's Challengers, as well as diversions into James Bond, AMC theaters, Melancholia, the Babygirl trailer, Black Narcissus, Derek Jeter's gift baskets, Under the Volcano, The Agency and much, much more! QUEER is currently in theaters.

Writer/director/actor Courtney Davis returns to the podcast to discuss the newly-released NIGHTBITCH starring Amy Adams and Scoot McNairy. Marielle Heller directed this adaptation of Rachel Yoder's novel about an artist struggling with the monotony of stay-at-home motherhood. As her frustrations worsen by day, she transforms into a canine at night. Released in time for the holidays, is NIGHTBITCH the feisty underdog of awards season, or is this feminist fable for the dogs? Delve into our discussion of NIGHTBITCH that goes into some off-leash diversions on Miranda July's All Fours, Whole Foods, The Fly, Bob Dylan, Queer, and much, much more! NIGHTBITCH is currently in theaters.

Anne and Ryan enter the arena of discussion for the newly-released epic GLADIATOR II starring Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Connie Nielsen, and Denzel Washington. Ridley Scott directs this sequel to his Oscar-winning GLADIATOR, which finds Marcus Aurelius's grandson, Lucius (Mescal) captured and enslaved by the Roman General Acacius (Pascal). After an impressive gladiatorial performance, Lucius is recruited by a conniving stable master to win matches for an opportunity at revenge. Timed for Thanksgiving release, GLADIATOR II performed admirably at the box office, but how does this sword and sandal spectacle compete against Scott's original? Join us for an action-packed analysis of GLADIATOR II, along with diversions into Normal People, Jude Law, Déjà Vu, Ralph Finnes, La Chimera, Metallica, Barabbas, Adam Somner, and much, much more! GLADIATOR II is currently in theaters. 

Anne and Ryan discuss JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga. Todd Phillips directed this follow-up to 2019's stratospherically successful JOKER, which finds Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) confined to Arkham State Hospital and pursuing a romance with the mysterious inmate Lee (Gaga). As Arthur stands trial for his crimes, he mentally escapes the threat of punishment through imagined juke box musical numbers. Critically reviled and box office flop, JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX is one of 2024's most high profile failures, but is all the hatred justified? Listen to our takes on JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX, along with diversions into the Arclight, House of Gucci, The Band Wagon, holiday commercialism, Now, Voyager, Paul Mescal and Denzel Washington, and much, much more! JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX is currently available for streaming rental and launches on Max on December 12th.

Anne and Ryan discuss Sean Baker's Palme d'Or winner, ANORA starring Mikey Madison and Mark Eydelshteyn. When Brooklyn stripper Ani (Madison) meets and impulsively weds the mega-wealthy Ivan (Eydelshteyn), a madcap adventure ensues as Ivan's family desperately attempts to annul the marriage. ANORA finds Baker executing his gritty style at a larger and more accessible scale than before, resulting in a near-unanimously praised awards contender. But does Mama Needs a Movie ador-a ANORA, or do we think ANORA is a snore-a? Listen to our discussion of Baker's latest along with with diversions into Woman of the Hour, Milk Money, Last Night in Soho, Kenji Mizoguchi, the Safdie brothers, the Duplass brothers, the Coen brothers, and much, much more! ANORA is currently in theaters.

Anne and Ryan discuss the new released comedy-drama, A REAL PAIN starring Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin. Written and directed by Eisenberg, A REAL PAIN follows two estranged cousins on a tour through Poland as they attempt to connect with the memory of their recently deceased grandmother, their cultural heritage, and each other. Featuring a standout performance from Culkin, A REAL PAIN is just the kind of dialogue-driven character study perfect to kick off MNAM's tour of this autumn's most intriguing releases. We hope you'll join us for this discussion that also includes a few detours into the 2024 election results, The Sixth Sense, The Odd Couple, Sunshine, Thomas Jefferson, Unstrung Heroes, Woody Allen and much, much more! A REAL PAIN is currently in theaters.

Our political thriller series comes to an exciting Election Day conclusion with writer and actor Dan Chamberlain (Have I Got News for You) joining to discuss John Frankenheimer's THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE starring Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, Angela Lansbury and Janet Leigh. Based on Richard Condon's novel, this 1962 classic concerns a Korean War veteran Raymond Shaw (Harvey), who is brainwashed by communists to become an unwilling killer in an international conspiracy. One of the defining films of the Kennedy-era Cold War, THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE has earned a reputation as the quintessential political thriller, but can its dark paranoid fantasy possibly outdo the tension of the current political moment? Find out on a special 2024 Election Day episode of Mama Needs a Movie that also takes diversions into The Ghost Writer, James Carville, libertarianism, Brian Wilson, the Nixon Library, Joycelyn Elders, Parade Magazine, Queer, Conclave, and much, much more! THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE is currently streaming for free on Tubi, PlutoTV, Kanopy, Hoopla, and the Roku Channel.

Our political thriller series reaches a fever pitch as writer Jack Allison (author of Kill the Rich) joins to discuss Oliver Stone's JFK starring Kevin Costner, Tommy Lee Jones, Gary Oldman, Kevin Bacon, Sissy Spacek, Joe Pesci, and many, many more. This 1991 Oscar-nominated drama relitigates the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy through the probing lens of New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison (Costner). Overflowing with equal parts historical information and conjecture and expertly edited to achieve an anxiously breathless pace, JFK is the quintessential conspiracy film- but what does that mean in a culture where online political conspiracies currently dominate America's fringes? We'll try to solve the mystery of JFK along with some diversions into the current election, January 6th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, American Tabloid, The Irishman, and much, much more! Order Jack Allison's novel KILL THE RICH from Clash Books: https://www.amazon.com/Kill-Rich-Jack-Allison/dp/1955904855

As the 2024 election draws near, we can't get enough political thrillers, this week looking at Steven Spielberg's Cold War tale, BRIDGE OF SPIES starring Tom Hanks and Mark Rylance. Scripted by Matt Charman, Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, the film tells the true story of James B. Donovan (Hanks), a New York City lawyer called upon to defend a recently arrested spy for the Soviets, Rudolph Abel (Rylance). Donovan develops a surprising respect for his stoic client, eventually fueling his motivation to attempt an historic prisoner exchange in East Germany just as the Berlin Wall is going up. A rare espionage suspense story that's focused more on diplomacy than violence, BRIDGE OF SPIES has garnered a dubious reputation as the quintessential Speilberg/Hanks "Dad movie", but it's time for MAMA to cross this BRIDGE, stopping for a few diversions into Christopher Nolan, The Man Who Knew Too Much, nepo babies, Munich, Henry Fonda, The Great Gatsby, The Negotiator, The White Ribbon, nuclear war and much, much more!