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PODCAST

Midday Movies

Laura Fones and Stephen Frothingham

Welcome to the Midday Movies podcast, provider of fun, funny, and thoughtful media reviews 2-3x a week. Streaming on @radiotacoma101.9 every Tues/Thurs/Sat at 3pm.

tv & film

All Episodes

00:22:14

Ep 173: It's Not a Corporate Dystopia If It's Not...

Midday Movies ·

2024/09/26

Today we're discussing the newest addition to the Alien franchise, "Alien: Romulus" (Scott Free Productions, 2024). Written and directed by Uruguayan filmmaker Fede Alvarez, who directed the iconic 2016 horror film, "Don't Breathe," "Alien: Romulus" follows the journey of five indentured teen workers (Cailee Spaeny, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn, and Aileen Wu) on a Weyland Corp mining colony who are desperate to escape to a planet with sunlight

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00:17:49

Ep 172: “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” The Ghostly Sequel...

Midday Movies ·

2024/09/25

Today we're discussing the blockbuster film of the fall, "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" (2024). Directed by Tim Burton and staffed by returning film icons Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O'Hara, this new Beetlejuice film follows the myriad dramas of both its living and death characters -- containing weddings, funerals, and reconciliations beyond the grave. Additional cast members include Jenna Ortega ("Wednesday"), Justin Theroux ("The Leftovers"), Willem

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00:25:36

Ep 171: Olympian Drama and Modernizing Greek Myth in...

Midday Movies ·

2024/09/24

Today we're discussing the new Top 10 Netflix streaming show, "Kaos" (2024). Created by Charlie Covell and starring Jeff Goldblum as Zeus, this limited series is a contemporary retelling of Ancient Greek mythology that is darkly comic and epic in scale. Winding between the jealous gods of Olympus, the apartheid state of Minoan Crete/Krete, and the grey bureaucracy of the Underworld, this is the story of how three unwitting humans may bring about a catastrophic ancient prophecy

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00:21:03

Ep 170: Horror, Romance, and the Strange Structure of...

Midday Movies ·

2024/09/19

Today we're doing a spoiler-free review of the mind-bending indie horror film, "Strange Darling" (2024). Winner of the Jury Prize for Best Feature Film (2024 Popcorn Frights Film Festival), written and directed by J.T. Mollner and starring Willa Fitzgerald ("Fall of the House of Usher") and Kyle Gallner ("Smile"), this indie darling premiered last year at Fantastic Fest and hung out for months in distribution limbo because no one could figure out how to market the

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00:21:45

Ep 169: The Sisyphean Joy of “Hades” (Video Game...

Midday Movies ·

2024/09/18

Today we're talking about the 2020 megahit video game, "Hades" (produced by Supergiant Games). A roguelike hack-and-slash game taking place in the Ancient Greek underworld, you play as Hades' son Zagreus ("Zac"), the prince of the underworld, in a seemingly-impossible quest to fight through the afterlife, back to earth, to be reunited with his birth mother, Persephone. Featuring Olympians, Titans, demigods, and ancient heroes, Hades is a beautifully designed and written

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00:26:35

Ep 168: The Troubling Paradise of “Blink Twice”...

Midday Movies ·

2024/09/17

Today we're reviewing and analyzing Zoe Kravitz's directorial debut, "Blink Twice" (2024). A psychological thriller taking place largely on a tech billionaire's (played by Channing Tatum) private island paradise, "Blink Twice" is informed by centuries of Greek mythology, themes of trauma and memory, and a delicious twist ending that will leave your jaw on the floor. The film is fleshed out by great performances by many new actors (Naomi Ackie, Adria Arjona, Liz

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00:31:11

Ep 167: Analyzing Modern Masterpieces — “Fleabag”...

Midday Movies ·

2024/09/12

Today we're tackling season 2 of the 2010's cult classic, "Fleabag" (created by Phoebe Waller-Bridge). Widely considered the best season of "Fleabag," and still starring Phoebe Waller-Bridge and company, series two follows our protagonist getting her life together after the grief-fueled antics of series one. To the backdrop of her sister's (Sian Clifford) professional successes and her father's (Bill Paterson) imminent wedding to an antagonist godmother (Olivia

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00:25:14

Ep 166: 3 Productivity Lessons from “The 12 Week...

Midday Movies ·

2024/09/11

Today we're discussing Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington's goal-setting system, "The 12 Week Year." Aimed at encouraging consistent execution on your annual goals, this system reduces a 12-month year to just 3 months -- dialing up the time pressure, necessity of commitment, and utility of accountability buddies. Simple, non-cult-y, and iterative, Stephen is 4 weeks into his 12 week year and has already lost 8 pounds. Very impressive. If that sounds like something useful to you,

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00:29:29

Ep 165: Analyzing Modern Masterpieces —...

Midday Movies ·

2024/09/10

Today we're discussing series one of the 2010s British television masterpiece, "Fleabag." Created by and starring Phoebe Waller-Bridge, this 6-episode series is adapted from Phoebe's successful 2013 theater piece and follows the grief-fueled misadventures of a messy 20-something who has recently lost her closest friend, is navigating complex family drama, and who has a deeply dysfunctional relationship with relationships. Hilarious and heavy, "Fleabag" is a significant

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00:25:30

Ep 164: Mad Max Politics and the Mythos of “Furiosa”...

Midday Movies ·

2024/09/05

Today we're analyzing the newest Mad Max film, "Furiosa," now streaming on HBO MAX. Starring Anya Taylor Joy and Chris Hemsworth, and written and directed by George Miller, "Furiosa" is the most detail-rich Mad Max we've yet seen. Crossing an epic 20 years of history and giving insight into the inner workings of Immortan Joe's vast Wasteland empire, we follow young Furiosa from her kidnapping by raiders, to her imprisonment in Dementus' road warrior gang, to her

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00:24:46

Ep 163: Nunsploitation and Religious Hysteria in...

Midday Movies ·

2024/09/04

Today we're reviewing the 2024 horror film, "Immaculate," now streaming on Hulu. Starring Sydney Sweeney and taking place in a remote Italian convent, this religion-themed thriller centers on an improbable, seemingly immaculate conception by novice nun Cecilia. But, of course, there are more sinister forces afoot than any divine plan. With delightful side characters (including Benedetta Porcaroli and Simona Tabasco) played by Italian actors you probably haven't seen before, the

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00:26:52

Ep 162: What Are Your 10/10 TV Show Recommendations...

Midday Movies ·

2024/09/03

Today we're discussing television shows that we (and the redditors of r/AskReddit) consider to be 10-out-of-10 amazing. Mind-bendy, rewatchable, and much beloved, these shows defined our childhoods, broadened our adult perspectives, or just plain burrowed themselves into our hearts. Are your favorite shows classic anthologies that defined a genre like the original "Twilight Zone"? Or do you prefer cinematic, well-acted series with Shakespearean stakes like "Breaking Bad"? Or

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00:26:40

Ep 161: PNW Ghost Stories — Ghosts at the Museum

Midday Movies ·

2024/08/29

Today we're talking about some of the ghostly residents of the Pacific Northwest (informed by Margaret Read MacDonald's book, "Ghost Stories from the Pacific Northwest"). Widely considered to be horror-movie-spooky and a nest of cryptids, the PNW is also known for housing a number of jolly ghosts. We're sharing the stories of three such post-human entities, all of whom reside in PNW museums. Are you ready to hear the tale of Grace Ceperley, the grey lady ghost who just wanted

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00:21:39

Ep 160: The Clockwork Horror of “Cuckoo” (Dir. Tilman...

Midday Movies ·

2024/08/28

Today we’re reviewing the newly-released indie horror film, “Cuckoo” (2024). Written and directed by Tilman Singer and starring Hunter Schafer, “Cuckoo” is the most unique horror concept we’ve seen in a while. Set in an isolated resort in the Swiss Alps, with a mysterious billionaire proprietor (played by Dan Stevens), a cutting edge medically facility, and a 10pm curfew everywhere, the eerie and disorienting elements of the film will keep you guessing until the very end. Though high concept, the

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00:23:10

Ep 159: Reviewing “Borderlands” with Two Super-Fans...

Midday Movies ·

2024/08/27

Today we’re discussing the recently-released video game film, “Borderlands” (2024). Written and directed by Eli Roth, starring Cate Blanchett, and featuring gamers’ most beloved Pandora environments, this film captures so much of the fun associated with the looter-shooter video game series. As avid fans of the Borderlands franchise, Stephen and Laura were delighted to see the anarcho-capitalist, post-apocalyptic Pandora brought to life. Here we saw Academy Award-winners painstakingly craft our

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00:21:55

Ep 158: The Wholesome Horror Inside “Trap” (Dir. M....

Midday Movies ·

2024/08/22

Today we’re reviewing M. Night Shyamalan’s newest film, “Trap” (2024). Starring Josh Hartnett, Haley Mills, and Shyamalan’s own daughter Saleka, this unique thriller is a kind of anti-heist that centers on one serial killer’s attempt to evade capture at a stadium concert venue (while also showing his daughter the time of her life with her favorite pop star). Cleverly constructed, endlessly surprising, and with many lovable side characters, this horror movie is an unexpectedly rich viewing

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00:25:11

Ep 157: Reviewing “Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam”...

Midday Movies ·

2024/08/21

Today we are concluding our discussion of the Netflix top 10 docuseries, “Dirty Pop: the Boy Band Scam” (Dir. David Terry Fine). In this part two, we’re discussing the financial crimes side of pop mega-manager Lou Pearlman. From lopsided management contracts with Backstreet Boys and N* SYNC to aeronautics insurance fraud to making an enemy of a high-profile trial lawyer, we lay out the multivariate elements of Lou’s shell game, which amounted to the longest-running Ponzi scheme in American history

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00:22:08

Ep 156: Reviewing “Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam”...

Midday Movies ·

2024/08/20

Today we are discussing the Netflix top 10 docuseries, “Dirty Pop: the Boy Band Scam” (Dir. David Terry Fine). This series follows Lou Pearlman, the “Big Poppa” of pop music managers and creator of mega groups like Backstreet Boys, N*SYNC, and O-Town. Within the glitz and glamour of the Boy Band era, though, is the financially predatory action of the man who made this era of pop music possible. In this part one episode, we discuss the formation of these iconic boy bands, the larger-than-lifestyle

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00:22:32

Ep 155: Cliche Life Advice That Turned Out to Be True...

Midday Movies ·

2024/08/15

Today we’re diving in to life advice cliches that are actually really valuable when you fully ingest their meaning. We’ve all had the, “Ugh that so true!” moment. Alongside contributions from the lovely redditors who populate the r/AskReddit subreddit, we share our own favorite platitudes that only seem to get truer with age. What have you been told makes up a happy life? Are you pouring from an empty cup? And what Japanese concept will help you find your life’s purpose? Join us for some of the best

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00:25:54

Ep 154: The Childfree vs. Having Children Debate...

Midday Movies ·

2024/08/14

Today we’re discussing one of the most important questions for Millennials and Gen Z — to have children or be childfree. From our Baby Boomer parents who long to be grandparents to vice presidential candidates obsessed with your personal procreation, child-having is a hot topic. We share our own experience fielding questions about family planning in our thirties as well as reflecting on common family structures from a historical point of view. Whether you’ve got a Post-War nuclear family, a

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294 results

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