Maximum Film!

Episode #447: 'Spacewoman' with Kevin Smokler

We’re capping off a month at looking at different films directed by women with Hannah Berryman’s documentary, Spacewoman. Kevin Smokler [https://kevinsmokler.com/], author of Breaking the Frame: Conversations with Women Filmmakers joins us to talk about this close look at the stellar career of astronaut Eileen Collins, the first woman to pilot, and later command, a Space Shuttle mission. What’s Good Alonso - Calm [https://www.calm.com/] for naps Drea - getting a doctor’s appointment Kevin S. - Memorizing Oscar winners as a sleep aid Kevin A. - 3 hour Celebrity game ITIDIC * AI-Generated Val Kilmer Will Appear in Movie Kilmer Was to Shoot Before His Passing [https://variety.com/2026/film/news/val-kilmer-ai-film-as-deep-as-the-grave-1236691042/] * April Wolfe/Chloe Okuno Project Bad Hand Lands at Searchlight [https://deadline.com/2026/03/searchlight-april-wolfe-bad-hand-chloe-okuno-elizabeth-banks-1236760054/] Staff Picks Alonso - Late Shift [https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/heldin] Drea - Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice [https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/mike-and-nick-and-nick-and-alice] Kevin S. - Say Amen Somebody [https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/say-amen-somebody] Kevin A. - A Teacher [https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/a-teacher] Directors Mentioned in C-Block: * Patricia Cardoso [https://letterboxd.com/director/patricia-cardoso/] * Debra Granik [https://letterboxd.com/director/debra-granik/] * Amy Heckerling [https://letterboxd.com/director/amy-heckerling/] * Anna Boden [https://letterboxd.com/director/anna-boden/] * Rose Troche [https://letterboxd.com/director/rose-troche/] * Donna Deitch [https://letterboxd.com/director/donna-deitch/] * Cheryl Dunye [https://letterboxd.com/director/cheryl-dunye/] * Joan Micklin Silver [https://letterboxd.com/director/joan-micklin-silver/] * Lizzie Borden [https://letterboxd.com/director/lizzie-borden/] * Wanuri Kihiyu [https://letterboxd.com/writer/wanuri-kahiu/] * Melanie Laurent [https://letterboxd.com/director/melanie-laurent/] * Maggie Gyllenhaal [https://letterboxd.com/director/maggie-gyllenhaal/] * Allison Anders [https://letterboxd.com/director/allison-anders/] * Gillian Armstrong [https://letterboxd.com/director/gillian-armstrong/] * Celine Sciamma [https://letterboxd.com/director/celine-sciamma/] * Lynn Shelton [https://letterboxd.com/director/lynn-shelton-1/] * The Wachowskis [https://letterboxd.com/director/lilly-wachowski/] * Penny Marshall [https://letterboxd.com/director/penny-marshall/] * Martha Coolidge [https://letterboxd.com/director/martha-coolidge/] * Vera Drew [https://letterboxd.com/director/vera-drew-1/] * Jane Schoenbrun [https://letterboxd.com/director/jane-schoenbrun/] * Alice Maio Mackay [https://letterboxd.com/director/alice-maio-mackay/] * Mira Nair [https://letterboxd.com/director/mira-nair/] * Věra Chytilová [https://letterboxd.com/director/vera-chytilova-3/] * Ida Lupino [https://letterboxd.com/director/ida-lupino/] * Dorothy Arzner [https://letterboxd.com/director/dorothy-arzner/] * Alice Guy-Blaché [https://letterboxd.com/director/alice-guy-blache/] * Caitlin Adams [https://letterboxd.com/film/sticky-fingers/crew/] * Susan Seidelman [https://letterboxd.com/director/susan-seidelman/] * Nia DaCosta [https://letterboxd.com/director/nia-dacosta/] * Kathryn Bigelow [https://letterboxd.com/director/kathryn-bigelow/] * Julia Hart [https://letterboxd.com/director/julia-hart/] * Dee Rees [https://letterboxd.com/director/dee-rees/] * Catherine Breillat [https://letterboxd.com/director/catherine-breillat/] * Mary Harron [https://letterboxd.com/director/mary-harron/] * Regina King [https://letterboxd.com/director/regina-king/] * Dyan Cannon [https://letterboxd.com/director/dyan-cannon/] Follow us on BlueSky [https://bsky.app/profile/maximumfilmpodcast.bsky.social], Facebook [http://facebook.com/groups/maximum_film], Instagram [http://instagram.com/maximumfilmpodcast], or Letterboxd [https://letterboxd.com/maximumfilm/] With Kevin Avery [https://www.instagram.com/kevinaverycomedy] Drea Clark [http://twitter.com/thedreaclark] Alonso Duralde [https://bsky.app/profile/aduralde.bsky.social] Produced by Marissa Flaxbart [http://instagram.com/flaxbart] Sr. Producer Laura Swisher [http://twitter.com/swish]

Episode #446: 'Slanted' with Michelle Krusiec

We’re taking a good hard look in the mirror with our guest, actor/writer/director Michelle Krusiec [https://www.instagram.com/michellekrusiec/] as we discuss SXSW;s 2025 Grand Jury Prize winner, Amy Wang’s darkly comedic body horror, SLANTED. Then we’ll share some of our favorite movies that feature the prom, well…prominently. What’s Good Alonso - Alain Guiraudie Poster [https://www.quinzaine-cineastes.fr/en/news/discover-the-2026-poster] for Cannes Critics’ Fortnight (Quinzane des Cineastes) Drea - Jessie Buckley singing Sinead O’Connor’s “Troy [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fbc9DV1Pws]” (and the Jessie Buckley rabbit hole) Michelle - not getting kidnapped (taking nothing for granted) Kevin - People who come to FYC events for the buffet ITIDIC Oscars 2026 Recap - Variety's Coverage [https://variety.com/2026/film/awards/oscars-analysis-ryan-coogler-history-timothee-chalamet-loss-1236689785/] - Indiewire's Coverage [https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/2026-academy-awards-review-1235184557/] Letterboxd List of our "PROMinent Features" movies [https://boxd.it/TjXeA] Staff Picks Drea - Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die [https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/good-luck-have-fun-dont-die] Alonso - It’s Dorothy! [https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/its-dorothy] and Videoheaven [https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/videoheaven] Michelle - All of Us Strangers [https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/all-of-us-strangers] (also Saving Face [https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/saving-face-2004]) Kevin - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever [https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/black-panther-ii] 3/21/26, 7pm: Alonso and Christy’s After Hours Screening at the Gardena Cinema [https://ticketing.uswest.veezi.com/purchase/1018?siteToken=he5nsxynkgmw2w1wvfey3mvh64] Follow us on BlueSky [https://bsky.app/profile/maximumfilmpodcast.bsky.social], Facebook [http://facebook.com/groups/maximum_film], Instagram [http://instagram.com/maximumfilmpodcast], or Letterboxd [https://letterboxd.com/maximumfilm/] With Kevin Avery [https://www.instagram.com/kevinaverycomedy] Drea Clark [http://twitter.com/thedreaclark] Alonso Duralde [https://bsky.app/profile/aduralde.bsky.social] Produced by Marissa Flaxbart [http://instagram.com/flaxbart] Sr. Producer Laura Swisher [http://twitter.com/swish]

Episode 445: 'The Bride!' with Harmony Colangelo

Podcaster and writer Harmony Colangelo [https://www.instagram.com/harmonycolangelo/] joins the gang to track the many movements of THE BRIDE! Then we talk about actors we’d love to see paired up on the big screen.  What’s Good Alonso - matzoh Drea - filing (not clipping!) nails Harmony - definitely NOT Daylight Saving Time Kevin - zero degrees of Kevin Bacon?? ITIDIC * Disney Releasing Fully Re-animated ASL Versions of Several Movie Songs [https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2026-03-04/disney-animation-songs-sign-language-asl] * Annapurna May Be Back [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/megan-ellison-annapurna-movies-david-ellison-1236522368/] * A24 Opening a Vegas Wedding Chapel to Promote ‘The Drama’ [https://people.com/a24-is-opening-vegas-wedding-chapel-ahead-of-zendaya-and-robert-pattinson-the-drama-11919116] Staff Picks Alonso - Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains [https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/ladies-and-gentlemen-the-fabulous-stains] Drea - Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of Harley Quinn) [https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/birds-of-prey-and-the-fantabulous-emancipation-of-one-harley-quinn] Harmony - Baby Assassins [https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/baby-assassins] Kevin - Promising Young Woman [https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/promising-young-woman] Listen to Harmony and BJ’s show This Ends at Prom [https://podpeople.me/this-ends-at-prom] Or check out their book, Sleepaway Camp [https://diediebooks.com/products/sleepaway-camp-1983] Thanks to Christian Dueñas and Gabe Mara for production support on this episode. Follow us on BlueSky [https://bsky.app/profile/maximumfilmpodcast.bsky.social], Facebook [http://facebook.com/groups/maximum_film], Instagram [http://instagram.com/maximumfilmpodcast], or Letterboxd [https://letterboxd.com/maximumfilm/] With Kevin Avery [https://www.instagram.com/kevinaverycomedy] Drea Clark [http://twitter.com/thedreaclark] Alonso Duralde [https://bsky.app/profile/aduralde.bsky.social] Produced by Marissa Flaxbart [http://instagram.com/flaxbart] Sr. Producer Laura Swisher [http://twitter.com/swish]

Episode #444: Ida Lupino's 'The Bigamist' with Hadley Meares

March is Women’s History month, and all the movies we cover this month will be directed by women! To kick things off, we’re leaning into the “history” part, and going back to 1953 to cover the most popular film from a truly pioneering director (and prolific actor), the one and only Ida Lupino. It’s The Bigamist, with our special guest, a journalist covering culture and history, Hadley Hall Meares [https://www.hadleymeares.com/]! What’s Good Alonso - Stephen Rebello’s new book Hitchcockian Thrillers [https://www.stephen-rebello.com/hitchcockian-thrillers] Drea - Canada Dry Strawberry Fruit Splash Ginger Ale Zero Sugar Hadley - Jane Fonda’s My Life So Far [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/54251/my-life-so-far-by-jane-fonda/](for Vanity Fair’s Old Hollywood Book Club [https://www.vanityfair.com/topic/old-hollywood-book-club]) Kevin -  Brand new cast iron skillet ITIDIC 1. Lost Melies Film Found in the Library of Congress [https://blogs.loc.gov/loc/2026/02/lost-19th-century-film-by-melies-discovered-at-the-library/] 2. Alan Cumming, Bowen Yang, Lena Waithe, Adam Goldman Head New LGBTQ Film Initiative [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/alan-cumming-bowen-yang-foundation-lgbtq-filmmakers-1236519686/] 3. SAG’s Renamed ‘Actor Awards’ Air Live on Netflix [https://www.vulture.com/article/actor-awards-sag-2026-recap-best-moments.html] Movie Quiz Letterboxd List: “The [Blank}ist” [https://boxd.it/SZB2W$rDF6gqKNTP6311lp] Staff Picks Drea - André is an Idiot [https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/andre-is-an-idiot] Alonso - Micki & Maude [https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/micki-and-maude] Hadley - My Favorite Wife [https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/my-favorite-wife] Kevin - Bottoms [https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/bottoms] Follow us on BlueSky [https://bsky.app/profile/maximumfilmpodcast.bsky.social], Facebook [http://facebook.com/groups/maximum_film], Instagram [http://instagram.com/maximumfilmpodcast], or Letterboxd [https://letterboxd.com/maximumfilm/] With Kevin Avery [https://www.instagram.com/kevinaverycomedy] Drea Clark [http://twitter.com/thedreaclark] Alonso Duralde [https://bsky.app/profile/aduralde.bsky.social] Produced by Marissa Flaxbart [http://instagram.com/flaxbart] Sr. Producer Laura Swisher [http://twitter.com/swish]

Episode #443: 'How to Make a Killing': It Was a Movie

The gang's all here to discuss a new black comedy (sorta) where its Glen Powell's Becket Redfellow in a cat and mouse game to the death with his obnoxiously wealthy family -- a modernization of the 1949 Alec Guinness film Kind Hearts and Coronets [https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/kind-hearts-and-coronets]. What’s Good? Alonso - Slow TV walks through snowy Helsinki Drea - Dog and Pet advocacy from Isabel Klee [https://www.instagram.com/simonsits/] and the WeRateDogs [https://weratedogs.com/] guy Kevin - getting really into the last little bit of the Olympics (especially speedskating) ITIDIC 1. K-Pop Demon Hunters & GDT Frankenstein Getting Criterion Releases [https://variety.com/2026/film/news/kpop-demon-hunters-frankenstein-criterion-collection-1236670172/] 2. BAFTA Broadcast Bungles Difficult Slur/Tourette’s Situation [https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/story/bafta-awards-2026-tourettes-n-word-outburst] 3. Sony Exec Confirms Plans to Reboot Spider-Man Villain Movies [https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2026/2/24/sony-plans-to-reboot-morbius-kraven-and-entire-spider-man-villain-spin-off-universe] Check out our list of "Rags to Riches Movies" on Letterboxd. [https://boxd.it/SSvmi$Ij09XOfX59k6qafR] Staff Picks Alonso - River (2023) [https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/river-2023] Drea - The Ladykillers (1955) [https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-ladykillers] Kevin - Top Gun: Maverick [https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/top-gun-maverick] Follow us on BlueSky [https://bsky.app/profile/maximumfilmpodcast.bsky.social], Facebook [http://facebook.com/groups/maximum_film], Instagram [http://instagram.com/maximumfilmpodcast], or Letterboxd [https://letterboxd.com/maximumfilm/] With Kevin Avery [https://www.instagram.com/kevinaverycomedy] Drea Clark [http://twitter.com/thedreaclark] Alonso Duralde [https://bsky.app/profile/aduralde.bsky.social] Produced by Marissa Flaxbart [http://instagram.com/flaxbart] Sr. Producer Laura Swisher [http://twitter.com/swish]