Mousterpiece Cinema

Hi there! On this tearjerking episode of Mousterpiece Cinema, Gabe and Josh are going on a trek into the darkest reaches of the Venezuelan jungles to discover a lost species of animal to bring back to civilization, and have traveled in an old house lifted up via balloons and--squirrel! OK, fine, the truth is slightly less adventurous: they're talking about Pixar's 2009 film Up, and are joined in doing so by Slate film critic Dana Stevens. Is Up as emotional and romantic now as it was a few years ago? More importantly, are the relationships that grouchy old Carl has with the living as interesting as the one he has with his recently deceased wife? And what's this whole business about one of your hosts not...liking...dogs? (And it may not be who you think.) You can't know if you don't listen, so get some hankies ready and listen to the new show!

Today's episode of Mousterpiece Cinema is a bit different, a bit crazy, maybe even a bit surreal. Josh and Gabe decided to break from tradition even more than in the past. Yes, this episode is a first, because the film up for discussion isn't technically...a Disney movie. But Escape from Tomorrow was shot and set in the Disney theme parks, so that kind of counts, right? Right? OK, good. To join them in talking about this highly controversial new drama, Josh and Gabe are joined by Jacob S. Hall of Movies.com, ScreenCrush.Com, and OneOfUs.Net. And if you were hoping to hear a fierce debate over the moral and legal issues surrounding this movie, well, you are in luck. But if you think Josh was the most negative on the film, think again. You may hear Gabe in a whole new light. But you'll have to listen to find out!

Who's ready for a ghost story? If you're excited to get spooked a bit, to get a fright or two...well, you'll have to fast-forward to the final 15 minutes of this week's movie of choice on Mousterpiece Cinema, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. Sure, the Headless Horseman makes a stunning and scare-ifying appearance in this package film, but not until the very end, a source of distress in this week's conversation. Josh and Gabe are joined by Geoffrey Denson, a Mousterpiece Cinema fan who's also a recent big donor to Sound on Sight. Is one half of this two-part movie better than the other? Is the animation too cartoonish, as Walt Disney feared? Is Gabe's Bing Crosby impression up to snuff? Check out the new show to find out!

Wouldn't it be awful if this episode description invoked that most famous line from the 1999 psychological thriller The Sixth Sense? Wouldn't that be the hackiest thing ever? Of course it would be, which is why we see new podcasts! They're walking around like regular podcasts, but they don't know they're new. All right, it's out of our system, but can you blame us? Yes, the new Mousterpiece Cinema is all about M. Night Shyamalan's star-making film, catapulting him into the Hollywood stratosphere only a few years before he'd begin descending into something of a public joke. And someone who's having none of that joke is Gabe, who's a no-show this week, for reasons Josh divulges in the episode. In Gabe's place, Josh got three excellent guests: Scott Meslow of The Week, Alexander Huls of Film School Rejects and Movies.com, and Mark Pfeiffer of Reel Times. Goofy jokes aside, all four are pretty big fans of The Sixth Sense, so there will be less ragging on Shyamalan than you might think. But plenty of Dreamcatcher 

It's Josh's birthday, and his wish has come true: to travel to the depths of the ocean to explore the wreck of the infamous Titanic. OK, maybe that wasn't exactly his birthday wish, but that is the topic of this week's Mousterpiece Cinema: the 2003 documentary Ghosts of the Abyss, starring and directed by Oscar-winner/cinematic titan James Cameron. Josh and Gabe are joined by Sound on Sight's very own Josh Slater-Williams to tackle this documentary, in both its theatrical hourlong version and extended DVD version. Is one better than the other? Are the scenes in the expanded version crucial enough that the hourlong version may suffer in comparison? And what does Bill Paxton peeing have to do with any of this? All these topics and more are dealt with in the new podcast, so check it out today!

All you need is faith and trust, friends. Don't you want to fly to Neverland? It's just past the second star to the right, straight on till morning! OK, maybe Josh and Gabe aren't exactly Peter Pan and Tinker Bell (or vice versa, though they haven't decided just yet which role suits each of them best), but Disney's 1953 version of J.M. Barrie's classic children's story Peter Pan is the topic of discussion on today's all-new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema! Once more, the dynamic duo are guest-free, but they found plenty to talk about regarding the film's presentation of Native Americans and women, as well as the crocodile with a clock in its stomach, and even more. And you just might hear Gabe admit to--gasp!--agreeing with Josh! Wholeheartedly! No fooling! Just listen to the new show to find out!

It's all for one, one for all, all for love, and more for you. (Some of that may have been written by Alexandre Dumas. But probably not all of it.) Yes, this week on Mousterpiece Cinema, Josh and Gabe are talking about the 1993 adaptation of the classic story The Three Musketeers, starring Kiefer Sutherland, Chris O'Donnell, Charlie Sheen, and Tim Curry. And this week, it's just Josh and Gabe--they're guest-free and debating whether they're Athos and Porthos, Athos and Aramis, or some combination in between. They debate the 90s-era stardom of Chris O'Donnell, Kiefer Sutherland's young-Jack-Bauer-like line readings, and exactly who needed to die in this movie. And yes, according to at least one of your hosts, someone did need to die. Find out who in the new podcast!

Are you confused? Feeling lost, perhaps? Well, you should try Hare Krishna. But if you have and found that religion to be more of a myth (myth! myth!), then maybe it's time to move right along and discover the fabled rainbow connection on the new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema. If you haven't figured out yet what movie's on the docket today, then you really are in for an education. (And you have no excuse for not having seen it yet!) We're talking about the 1979 family classic The Muppet Movie, of course, and Josh and Gabe are raring to go in reviewing this iconic film. They're joined by Estelle Hallick of This Happy Place in debating the villains who get away, the best and worst cameos and songs in this great Muppet story, and more. Don't hope that something better will come along--it has, and it's this show! So take a listen!

It's that time of year again, as Gabe and Josh go back into the Studio Ghibli coffers to take a look at one of their Disney-distributed animated movies. This time, they tackle one of the most beloved films from director Hayao Miyazaki, My Neighbor Totoro, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. To join them in discussing this story of the imaginative spirit of childhood, Gabe and Josh brought back self-described "super-hipster" Zack Handlen of The AV Club. They discuss the difference between the film's English and Japanese-language dubs, the film's very unique connection to Troma Films (yes, really), and there's maybe a bit of singing in between. So grab your Totoro doll, hop on the catbus, and get ready for a wild ride of a show!

Which Oliver Twist-related pun should we start this description off with? There are just so many to choose from, even if this week's new Mousterpiece Cinema focuses on an Oliver Twist adaptation, Oliver & Company. So maybe we could say that this is a podcast...podcast for sale. Or we could ask, shocked, if you want...MORE? And so on. Kidding aside, this week's episode is no joke. Gabe and Josh are joined by Anthony Breznican of Entertainment Weekly to revisit this 1988 Disney animated film that represents a transitional period right before Disney's Renaissance period, to sing a few bars of a Billy Joel song or two, and to discuss the state of hand-drawn animation at Walt Disney Feature Animation. If you're a hand-drawn animation advocate--and who isn't?--you'll want to stay around for the whole show, as Anthony describes in detail his recent interview with the head honcho himself, John Lasseter. Now, if you've got just enough street savoir faire, take a listen to this week's show!

Are you ready to soar to new heights? Have you checked your mental baggage? Are your tray tables in their fully locked and upright positions? Oh, sure, you're rolling your eyes at this aviation-based puns, but if you think similar jokes aren't littered all over the new movie Planes, you've got another think coming. Yes, this week on Mousterpiece Cinema, it's time to face off against this new not-Pixar movie inspired by the Cars films from Disney/Pixar honcho John Lasseter. And once again, Gabe's nowhere to be found (though he might've made the right decision). So Josh is joined by Noel Kirkpatrick of This Was TV and Mark Pfeiffer of Reel Times to ask the hard questions: is Planes as bad as the chatter would lead you to believe? Does Dane Cook remind anyone else of Alex Rodriguez? And what kind of vehicle would Hitler be if Hitler was a vehicle in the world of Cars? (And...oh, yeah, why is World War II invoked in a kids' movie without humans? That too.) It's time to answer those burning queries and depart on t

You read the title right, friends. This week, Josh and Gabe tackle one of the most controversial films in American cinema, and arguably the most challenging in Disney's filmography: the 1946 live-action/animated hybrid Song of the South, which tells the tale of white and black characters living in harmony in the Reconstruction-era Deep South. To unwrap all of its complications, Josh and Gabe are joined by Noel Murray of The Dissolve, and they ask the big questions: should this movie be shown publicly? Should Disney profit as much as they do on its theme-park inspiration, Splash Mountain? And is Gabe a racist? (For liking this movie, that is.) If the bluebird is on your shoulder and you're whistling a very specific tune, tuck in and listen to the new show for the answers!

Everything's topsy-turvy on Mousterpiece Cinema this week, from top to bottom. For the first time in a while, Gabe's not on the show due to scheduling issues; in his stead, Josh got two esteemed guests--Peter Labuza of The Cinephiliacs and Jake Cole of MovieMezzanine.com--to join him to review, of all things, a David Lynch movie. Yes, David Lynch does have a Disney connection: his 1999 film The Straight Story, which is rated G, features no terrifying nightmare sequences, and is, on the surface, as un-Lynchian as it gets. But maybe not. Maybe The Straight Story is David Lynch's most centered film, his most emotional, and his heaviest. You'll have to listen to the new show to find out!

Before Robert Downey, Jr. donned the cap and pipe, before Benedict Cumberbatch deduced in the modern world, there was another revival of Sherlock Holmes back in the 1980s. And yes, it was a Disney movie. Sure, the lead characters were...mice, and sure, they weren't...called Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. But no matter! This week on Mousterpiece Cinema, Josh and Gabe take a look at The Great Mouse Detective, one of Disney's last animated features before the vaunted Renaissance period kicked in. They're joined by Doug Tilley of DailyGrindhouse.com to discuss the majesty of Vincent Price, the old-school bumbling nature of Watson (or, as he's known here, Dr. Dawson), Basil of Baker Street, and erotic fan fiction. (No joke! And if you're listening with kids, be warned: we do discuss said fan fiction in a bit of PG-13 detail around 40 minutes in.)

Take a walk back in the past with us, friends, on the new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema. This week, Josh and Gabe look back to the humble beginnings of Pixar Animation Studios, specifically its animated short films. Yes, it's time to look at the Pixar Short Films Collection, Volume One DVD set on the podcast. Josh and Gabe are joined this week by Sound on Sight contributor and Sordid Cinema co-host Edgar Chaput to discuss the awfulness of Mater the tow truck, the sadness of a lonely unicycle, and exactly how much they all kind of hate Boundin'. But there's plenty of positivity to go around in spite of those few stumbles, so make sure to check out the new show!

Hey, friends! It's time for another b-b-b-bonus episode of Mousterpiece Cinema, going along with the show having recently hit 300 Likes on Facebook. And per an old challenge laid out by our good friend Michael Ryan, Gabe and Josh are tackling the high and low of the Lucasfilm enterprise, now owned by Disney. First up, it's the 1986 disaster known as Howard the Duck; Gabe's seen it before, but Josh has not. Would you be surprised to learn that neither of the hosts was impressed with the misguided story of an anthropomorphic talking duck in 80s-era Cleveland? They were, of course, thrilled as usual by the other movie on the docket this week: Steven Spielberg's adventure classic Raiders of the Lost Ark. Come for the Lucasfilm discussion, stay for Josh's dramatic reading from the Star Wars Holiday Special!

Yes, you read that title right, friends, it's our 100th episode. The first episode of Mousterpiece Cinema focused on Cars 2, not the most auspicious film to kick off any podcast. So perhaps it's fitting that our first major milestone episode focuses on the fine old mess known as The Lone Ranger. Gabe and Josh are joined by Battleship Pretension and CriterionCast writer Scott Nye to sift through all of Johnny Depp's quirks, Gore Verbinski's excess, and William Fichtner's cannibalistic nature to discuss whether this movie is actually as bad as so many people feared, if it's halfway decent, or if it's actually a hidden gem. Plus, Gabe pulls out his patent-pending Dumb Guy Voice! Celebrate 100 episodes by giving this one a listen.

If you've had a bad day, or a bad week, or simply made a few too many bad decisions lately, follow this simple advice: keep moving forward. No, seriously, say it to yourself: keep moving forward! You feel a bit better now, don't you? You especially will if you're a fan of Disney's 2007 animated film Meet the Robinsons, as those three little words are the film's mantra. And that film is this week's topic on Mousterpiece Cinema, as Josh and Gabe are joined by Scott Mendelson of Forbes.com to discuss B-movies in Disney's animated canon, time travel, emotion, and, at the very end, Despicable Me 2. (Because why not?) Check it out!

Attention, students! The summer session has just begun at your beloved and monstrous educational institution, and now it's time for class to commence. Apologies for the academic build-up, but this week, Josh and Gabe are going back to school with Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan, those lovable monsters from Monsters, Inc. Mike and Sulley, though, are a bit younger this time around, of course. Yes, it's time to talk Monsters University, Pixar's newest computer-animated feature. To do so, Josh and Gabe are joined by past guest Adam Kempenaar, from the Filmspotting podcast, to discuss prequels, Pitch Perfect, and...wait, Pitch Perfect? Yes, really. And you may be surprised by which member of this motley crew is most positive about a Pixar prequel. But you'll have to tune into this scare-ifying episode to find out!

Anniversaries aplenty this week, friends. First up, we're at the two-year point of Mousterpiece Cinema's history! (Two years is a mix of silver and gold, right? We'll take all gifts of both kinds.) But more importantly, we're celebrating another anniversary on today's podcast, in which Josh and Gabe discuss the 1988 animated/live-action hybrid Who Framed Roger Rabbit with Walt Disney Imagineering intern and friend of the show Morgan Ditta. Yes, this episode is going up on the 25th anniversary of this classic, and you'd better believe that Josh, Gabe, and Morgan spent the entire show figuring out new ways in which to explain how great this movie is. Does it hold up? Is the Pope Catholic? Will we stop asking questions without answering them? Yes. (See?) Check out the new show today, and raise a glass to one of the all-time classics celebrating its birthday. (Also, make sure to honor Who Framed Roger Rabbit.)