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PODCAST

Maximum Film!

A movie podcast that isn"t just a bunch of straight white dudes. Comedian Kevin Avery is joined by film producer Drea Clark and film critic Alonso Duralde for a fast, funny, flight through film. Maximum Film! is news, reviews and in-depth insight, beamed directly into your ears every week.

tv & film film reviews

All Episodes

01:08:30

Episode #427: BUGONIA with Casey O'Brien

Maximum Film! ·

2025/11/07

Yorgos Lanthimos can be counted on for a weird, wild time, and this time around he’s back with Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons, plus newcomer Aidan Delbis, comedian Stavros Halkias, and even a bit of Alicia Silverstone. Former producer Casey O’Brien (co-host of Dear Movies, I Love You) joins us to take an up-close look at movie loaded with close-ups. Then we name some of our favorite actor-director frequent pairings.What’s GoodDrea - Toners in spray bottlesCasey - BuzzBallzKevin - Costco cashewsITIDICA

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01:12:30

Episode #426: HEDDA Throws the Party of the (Last)...

Maximum Film! ·

2025/10/31

Just us chickens here this week to talk about the wild party we just witnessed...in Nia DaCosta's HEDDA, a modernized (but not modern-day) adaptation of the classic Ibsen play, HEDDA GABLER. Then we get into what works and doesn't work for us in stage-to-screen adaptations.What’s GoodAlonso - Christmas creep!Drea - “...There she is.”Kevin - A weekend of artistic experiencesITIDICA Memo Reveals that the Pentagon is Mad About ‘House of Dynamite’LA Times: Horror May Have Its Moment at the Oscars‘Kidz

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01:09:40

Episode #425: 'The Mastermind' with Myq Kaplan

Maximum Film! ·

2025/10/24

Josh O’Connor stars in a heist movie to end all heist movies – or at least end our illusions that the person pulling the heist is pretty cool and awesome. Comedian and friend Myq Kaplan is along to watch things unfold, and unravel, in THE MASTERMIND. Then we take a Hotline question about what film school courses we’d like to teach.What’s GoodAlonso - Programme 4 Drea - First women to cross the Atlantic unsupported (in their girthy canoe)Myq - Communing with friends [Rini (and Rini), John Fugelsang

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01:07:40

Episode #424: 'Kiss of the Spider Woman' with Carlos...

Maximum Film! ·

2025/10/17

A little gritty political drama, a little technicolor musical, a little revolutionary politics, a little ahead-of-its-time queer representation…Kiss of the Spider Woman has been a novel, a play, an Oscar-winning movie, a Tony-winning Broadway musical, and now a Bill Condon movie musical starring Jennifer Lopez, Diego Luna, and relative newcomer Tonatiuh. LA-based film critic Carlos Aguilar joins us to get into the enduring allure of Spider Woman, and to name some bleak movies that could be jazzed up

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01:07:10

Episode #423: 'Play Dirty' with Danielle Radford

Maximum Film! ·

2025/10/10

If you’ve got Amazon Prime, you can put PLAY DIRTY (starring Mark Wahlberg, Rosa Salazar, LaKeith Stanfield, Tony Shaloub, and many more) right now. But should you? That’s where we come in, careening into your remote-wielding hand like a car chase onto a horse racing track in the first few minutes of PLAY DIRTY.Speaking of which, we’re also nominating Hall of Excellence candidates in the category Best Car Chase. All with Danielle Radford riding shotgun!What’s GoodAlonso - Zach BryanDrea - mom's

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01:03:55

Episode #422: 'One Battle After Another' with Michael...

Maximum Film! ·

2025/10/03

Paul Thomas Anderson's latest film has car chases, explosions, secret societies, and and confused ex-revolutionaries...but did it make Drea cry? Find out the answer, plus our favorite underground cabals from film history, on this episode with special guest, noted critic Michael Phillips.What’s GoodAlonso - Brian Earl’s Of Christmases Long, Long AgoDrea - COVID booster/Worm Charming ChampionshipMichael - being with us (and Gov. Pritzker)Kevin - The Big Show at The EarlITIDICThe Tilly Norwood

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01:02:33

Episode #421: 'The Long Walk' with Lauren Shippen

Maximum Film! ·

2025/09/26

An impossible, dystopian "sporting event" is the subject of this week's film, leading to a seemingly impossible feat of storytelling, production, and adaptation. It's THE LONG WALK, with YA Novelist and podcasting impresario Lauren Shippen as our special guest. Then, we talk about films that don't pass the Bechdel Test, but still pass muster.What’s GoodAlonso - Hallmark Holiday movie lineup unveiledDrea - duck stamp painting controversyLauren - second largest zucchiniKevin - worlds colliding, Great

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01:08:41

Episode #420: 'Twinless' with Bryan Fuller

Maximum Film! ·

2025/09/19

Director/star James Sweeney’s sophomore follow-up to Straight Up made a spalsh at Sundance this January, winning the Audience Award and a lot of buzz about Dylan O’Brien’s dual roles as twins Roman and Rocky. Director and writer Bryan Fuller, whose feature debut DUST BUNNY recently premiered at TIFF, joins us to see what all the fuss is about. Then we share some of our favorite dark comedies.What’s GoodAlonso - Hobnobs (and Hobnob Fever!)Drea - Competitive nonsense (windowdressing, bedmaking,

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01:07:10

Episode #419: 'Highest 2 Lowest' with W. Kamau Bell

Maximum Film! ·

2025/09/12

W. Kamau Bell is a noted comedian, author, filmmaker, and activist. He’s also the former co-host of the podcast DENZEL WASHINGTON IS THE GREATEST ACTOR OF ALL TIME PERIOD, along with our very own Kevin Avery. Now, we've gotten the former co-hosts (and former roommates!) back together. It’s a big deal, but does Spike Lee and Denzel Washington’s big reunion rise to the occasion? Find out as we discuss HIGHEST 2 LOWEST, and stay to hear some fantasy pitches for other classic movies that we’d like to

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01:04:28

Episode #418: "Weapons' with Louis Peitzman

Maximum Film! ·

2025/09/05

This week we’re talking WEAPONS, Zach Cregger’s follow up to BARBARIAN, with freelance writer and host of Chasing Amy Adams, Louis Peitzman. Plus, in honor of a spooky movie with a lot of kids at the center of its plot, we honor some of our favorite creepy kids from cinema.What’s Good?Drea - llama costumes at the MN State FairLouis - giant beaver/fall scented candlesKevin - AMC A-List bingeITIDIC- The Toxic Avenger Pledges to Commit Profits to Help With Medical Debts- Fall Film Festival Season Is

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01:05:40

Episode #417: ‘Honey Don’t’ with Meghan Fitzmartin

Maximum Film! ·

2025/08/29

Writer Meghan Fitzmartin joins us to debate: does a movie have to be "good," or is it enough to just be fun? Then, we'll discuss our favorite Hollywood power couples, both on and off the screen.What’s Good?Alonso - The Dean Martin Association YouTube channelDrea - State Fairs, MN State Fair, Cropseed Art (Crop Art & Scarecrow)Meghan - Clay pipes (mudlarking on the foreshore)Kevin - Studio 54 themed birthday partyITIDICK-Pop Demon Hunters Hits Big Screens and Leads Box OfficeM:I Final Reckoning

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01:04:45

Episode #416: 'East of Wall' with Taylor Gates

Maximum Film! ·

2025/08/22

Director Kate Beecroft made her debut feature after meeting and living with a singular family, and then building a script and feature film around their lives – with them as the stars. The resulting film, EAST OF WALL won the Audience Award at the (ahem) Sundance Film Festival. Collider’s Taylor Gates joins us to discuss the movie, and to daydream about what kind of movie we’d set at some of our personal favorite real-world locations.What’s GoodAlonso - Pumpkin Spice Season Creep/Laughing Cow Pumpkin

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01:05:28

Episode #415: 'Freakier Friday' with Mary Lynn Rajskub

Maximum Film! ·

2025/08/15

**We have new PHYSICAL MEDIA merch! Check it out at maxfunstore.com**Everything old is freaky again, and vice verse, with this late-breaking sequel to the 2003 version of Freaky Friday. Prolific actor/comedian Mary Lynn Rajskub is our prestigious guest to take a look at Lindsay, Jamie Lee, and a whole cast of new and returning folks game to get Freakier. Then we have fun talking about best and worst sequel titles.What’s GoodAlonso - personalized coupons from RalphsDrea - first female umpire in the

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01:04:03

Episode #414: 'The Naked Gun' (2025) with Dan McCoy

Maximum Film! ·

2025/08/08

THE FLOP HOUSE's Dan McCoy joins us to consider the power of taking stupidity very seriously. Then, a dishy movie quiz about on-set meetings that led to off-set romances.What’s GoodAlonso- Mark Rappaport, Book of DreamsDrea - Midwest trip, “Schumers,” and great chip flavorsDan - Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, Collected Screenplays 1Kevin - Trip to Lake ArrowheadITIDICMARRIAGE STORY Fight Scene Being Used to Scare Off WolvesLas Vegas Sphere’s Manipulation of The Wizard of Oz Raises QuestionsOriginal Star

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01:02:12

Episode #413: 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' with...

Maximum Film! ·

2025/08/01

Is the fourth time the charm when it comes to Fantastic Four movies? We’ve assembled our own fearsome foursome – including graphic novelist and comics writer/artist Sina Grace – to debate all the charms of the modem MCU’s First Steps into Earth 828. Then we’ll celebrate some of our favorite character actors and promote them to center stageWhat's GoodAlonso - Voluspa candles (Drea references this SNL song)Drea - Mom’s “4” punchlineSina - Lady GagaKevin - Meeting Adam Stein (and seeing Ify!) at

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01:08:04

Episode #412: 'In the Mood for Love' with John Powers

Maximum Film! ·

2025/07/25

Wong Kar-Wai's In the Mood For Love (which some are calling the fifth best movie ever made, or at least the fourth best this century?) was released 25 years ago, and anniversary screenings of a new 4k restoration have been happening all over. We've got critic John Powers (Fresh Air, Vogue), author of WKW: The Cinema of Wong Kar-Wai with us to help us take an inside look at a movie that continues to enchant and haunt audiences through the decades.What’s GoodAlonso - Boorman and the Devil to premiere

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01:08:28

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

Maximum Film! ·

2025/07/18

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

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01:07:34

Episode #410: '40 Acres' with Aisha Harris

Maximum Film! ·

2025/07/11

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

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01:03:55

Episode #409: '28 Years Later' with Graham Skipper

Maximum Film! ·

2025/07/04

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

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00:58:34

Episode #408: 'Materialists' with Katie Walsh

Maximum Film! ·

2025/06/27

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’

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