Maximum Film!

A rom-com is going to rom-com, but YOU, ME, & TUSCANY is actually doing at least one thing that feels pretty unique. We talk about this new movie from Kat Coiro and producer Will Packer (starring Halle Bailey & Regé-Jean Page) with All the Feels podcast’s Dory Benford. What’s Good Drea - friends coming by and doing helpful stuff Dory - Easter candy Alonso - chocolate pound cake ITIDIC Over 1000 Big Hollywood Names Sign Letter Opposing Paramount/WB Merger Elaine May’s MIKEY & NICKY to get 50th Anniversary Theatrical Rerelease Mario Bros. Sequel Sets Record…for Smallest Popcorn Bucket Staff Picks Drea - French Kiss & Only You Dory - Bull Durham Alonso - Yes This episode was edited by Gabe Mara. Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd With Kevin Avery Drea Clark Alonso Duralde Produced by Marissa Flaxbart Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

What’s the drama behind director Kristoffer Borgli’s new film, THE DRAMA? And, unlike Mary J. Blige, do we want said drama? We unpack all that with film critic Ariel LeBeau, and then talk about some movies that were secretly darker than advertised. What’s Good Alonso - Flossing first Drea - Artemis II Ariel - soft boiled eggs for breakfast (6m) Kevin - rediscovering Billy Joel ITIDIC Writers Guild Reaches Tentative 4-Year Deal with Studios“It’s Not Your Imagination: Movies ARE Getting Longer” Staff Picks Alonso - Marc by Sofia Drea - The Christophers Ariel - Dogfight Kevin - One Hour Photo this episode edited by Gabe Mara Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd With Kevin Avery Drea Clark Alonso Duralde Produced by Marissa Flaxbart Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Ryan Gosling is on a one-man mission to save the universe...but he's not alone. We've got film critic Rendy Jones with us to discuss PROJECT HAIL MARY from directing duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Then we share some of our favorite science fiction concepts from cinema. What’s Good Alonso - Free airplane Wifi Drea - skin flooding Rendy - taking time to rest Kevin - taking down Christmas decorations ITIDIC K-Pop Demon Hunters 2 Is a Big Payday for Its Directors Lord and Miller to Produce Murder She Wrote Film With Jamie Lee Curtis Staff Picks Drea - Europa Report Alonso - UFOria (available on 4K UHD) Rendy - Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs Kevin - Warrior Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd With Kevin Avery Drea Clark Alonso Duralde Produced by Marissa Flaxbart Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

We’re capping off a month at looking at different films directed by women with Hannah Berryman’s documentary, Spacewoman. Kevin Smokler, 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 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 PassingApril Wolfe/Chloe Okuno Project Bad Hand Lands at Searchlight Staff Picks Alonso - Late Shift Drea - Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice Kevin S. - Say Amen Somebody Kevin A. - A Teacher Directors Mentioned in C-Block: Patricia CardosoDebra GranikAmy HeckerlingAnna BodenRose TrocheDonna DeitchCheryl DunyeJoan Micklin SilverLizzie BordenWanuri KihiyuMelanie LaurentMaggie GyllenhaalAllison AndersGillian ArmstrongCeline SciammaLynn SheltonThe WachowskisPenny MarshallMartha CoolidgeVera DrewJane SchoenbrunAlice Maio MackayMira NairVěra ChytilováIda LupinoDorothy ArznerAlice Guy-BlachéCaitlin AdamsSusan SeidelmanNia DaCostaKathryn BigelowJulia HartDee ReesCatherine BreillatMary HarronRegina KingDyan Cannon Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd With Kevin Avery Drea Clark Alonso Duralde Produced by Marissa Flaxbart Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

We’re taking a good hard look in the mirror with our guest, actor/writer/director Michelle Krusiec 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 for Cannes Critics’ Fortnight (Quinzane des Cineastes) Drea - Jessie Buckley singing Sinead O’Connor’s “Troy” (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 - Indiewire's Coverage Letterboxd List of our "PROMinent Features" movies Staff Picks Drea - Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die Alonso - It’s Dorothy! and Videoheaven Michelle - All of Us Strangers (also Saving Face) Kevin - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 3/21/26, 7pm: Alonso and Christy’s After Hours Screening at the Gardena Cinema Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd With Kevin Avery Drea Clark Alonso Duralde Produced by Marissa Flaxbart Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Podcaster and writer Harmony Colangelo 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 SongsAnnapurna May Be BackA24 Opening a Vegas Wedding Chapel to Promote ‘The Drama’ Staff Picks Alonso - Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains Drea - Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of Harley Quinn) Harmony - Baby Assassins Kevin - Promising Young Woman Listen to Harmony and BJ’s show This Ends at Prom Or check out their book, Sleepaway Camp Thanks to Christian Dueñas and Gabe Mara for production support on this episode. Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd With Kevin Avery Drea Clark Alonso Duralde Produced by Marissa Flaxbart Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

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! What’s Good Alonso - Stephen Rebello’s new book Hitchcockian Thrillers Drea - Canada Dry Strawberry Fruit Splash Ginger Ale Zero Sugar Hadley - Jane Fonda’s My Life So Far (for Vanity Fair’s Old Hollywood Book Club) Kevin - Brand new cast iron skillet ITIDIC Lost Melies Film Found in the Library of CongressAlan Cumming, Bowen Yang, Lena Waithe, Adam Goldman Head New LGBTQ Film InitiativeSAG’s Renamed ‘Actor Awards’ Air Live on Netflix Movie Quiz Letterboxd List: “The [Blank}ist” Staff Picks Drea - André is an Idiot Alonso - Micki & Maude Hadley - My Favorite Wife Kevin - Bottoms Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd With Kevin Avery Drea Clark Alonso Duralde Produced by Marissa Flaxbart Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

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. What’s Good? Alonso - Slow TV walks through snowy Helsinki Drea - Dog and Pet advocacy from Isabel Klee and the WeRateDogs guy Kevin - getting really into the last little bit of the Olympics (especially speedskating) ITIDIC K-Pop Demon Hunters & GDT Frankenstein Getting Criterion ReleasesBAFTA Broadcast Bungles Difficult Slur/Tourette’s SituationSony Exec Confirms Plans to Reboot Spider-Man Villain Movies Check out our list of "Rags to Riches Movies" on Letterboxd. Staff Picks Alonso - River (2023) Drea - The Ladykillers (1955) Kevin - Top Gun: Maverick Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd With Kevin Avery Drea Clark Alonso Duralde Produced by Marissa Flaxbart Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Romance novelist and filmmaker Alys Murray joins us to unpack Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights adaptation, and (perhaps unsurprisingly) opinions are varied! What does the movie have in common with Grease 2? Listen and learn! Plus, we have a Hotline call all about movie characters that need family or couples counseling. What’s Good Alonso - Nathan Rabin’s The Fractured Mirror Drea - Talking Spindle Cove on Reading Smut Alys - The Artful Dodger TV series Kevin - Valentine’s Day romance, courtesy of Avengers: Endgame ITIDIC Bad Bunny Sets First Lead Movie Role in ‘Porto Rico’ With Norton, Bardem Tom NoonanFrederick WisemanRobert Duvall The Store The WifeWifey Staff Picks Drea - Emily Alonso - A Useful Ghost Alys - Dangerous Beauty Kevin - Sliding Doors Alys Murray’s new book is A Little Buzzed Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd With Kevin Avery Drea Clark Alonso Duralde Produced by Marissa Flaxbart Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Have you heard about the new A24 movie from writer/director Harry Lighton that’s almost a romantic comedy about gay BDSM biker culture? That’s PILLION, starring Alexander Skarsgaard and Harry Melling, and we’re thrilled to have our friend Nayland Blake (an influential artist and teacher who’s an authority on queer kink, riding with us! What’s Good? Alonso - Trans Girl Scouts you can buy cookies from Drea - The Milan-Cortina Olympics (also Coach Jackie) Nayland - Midwest Magic Cleaning on YouTube Kevin - Casey Abrams at Hotel Cafe (w/surprise Dave Koz); Bobby Brown at the bar ITIDIC Letterboxd Op-Ed: Is Streaming Making Movies Less Memorable?Kristen Stewart Buys Highland Park TheaterOur ‘Sex-Positive Movie Night’ Picks in a Letterboxd List Staff Picks Alonso - Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die Drea - Nirvanna The Band The Show The Movie Nayland - Bloodsisters Kevin - Secretary Nayland’s Books: My Studio Is a Dungeon Is the Studio No Wrong Holes: Thirty Years of Nayland Blake Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd With Kevin Avery Drea Clark Alonso Duralde Produced by Marissa Flaxbart Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Sam Raimi's darkly comedic thriller SEND HELP is a bright spot in the early 2026 movie calendar, and we've got writer and film critic Kristen Lopez with us to discuss it, as well as some of our favorite "Desert Island Movies" -- by which we mean movies set on a remote island, of course. What's Good Alonso - Super Bowl festivity & food Drea - Rainbow Wool Kristen - good movies in January Kevin - Twilight Zone fundraiser reading ITIDIC IRON LUNG, YouTube Creator’s $3m Indie, Opens #2 at the Box Office Lake Oswego Theater Loses Rights to Screen ‘Melania’ After Marquee Jokes MST3K and Rifftrax Plan Crossover Check out our "Desert Island Movies" List on Letterboxd Staff Picks Drea - The Housemaid Alonso - Office Killer Kristen - Pillion Kevin - The Ruins Read all about Kristen Lopez at her site or on The Film Maven Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd With Kevin Avery Drea Clark Alonso Duralde Produced by Marissa Flaxbart Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

We’re throwing our whole bodies into this discussion of Mona Fastvold’s epic historical musical biopic THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE. But it’s an audio medium, so you’ll have to take our word for it. We’re thrilled to have Emily St. James back with us! What’s Good Alonso - Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man Drea - The power of “DROWSING” (in Scrabble) Emily - Rewatching 28 Years Later Kevin - Love Thy Neighbor: A Charity Live Reading of The Twilight Zone (Live at Dynasty Typewriter and Livestreamed, 1/31/26) ITIDIC Oscar Nominations AnnouncedSundance Film Festival kicks off, for the final time in Park CityUnusual Musicals List on Letterboxd Staff Picks Drea - A Poet Alonso - The Moment Kevin - Martha Marcy May Marlene Follow Emily St. James on Bluesky or Instagram @emilystjams Subscribe to Episodes Listen to Podcast Like It’s… Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd With Kevin Avery Drea Clark Alonso Duralde Produced by Marissa Flaxbart Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

MaxFun's own Jordan Morris (Jordan, Jesse, Go and Free with Ads) joins us to discuss Nia DaCosta's latest flex -- this time, she's settling into the 28 Years Later director's chair for the second in a proposed trilogy of 28 Years films (which are themselves sequels to 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later). It's 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, starring Ralph Fiennes, Chi Lewis-Parry, Erin Kellyman, and Jack O'Connell. Then we take a Hotline call about food and cooking in the movies. What’s Good? Alonso - Experimenting with Bro Soap Drea - the many queens of the Midwest (here’s a list of ways to help Minnesota) • The Smitten Kitten • Comma, a bookshop Jordan - search for “ICE agents slipping on ice” Kevin - YouTube ‘80s/’90s football games rabbit hole ITIDIC Kathleen Kennedy Stepping Down as Lucasfilm HeadBoots Riley to Direct An Adaptation of ‘Mr. Burns,’ a Play About The SimpsonsStaff Picks Drea - Pride Alonso - A Bigger Splash Jordan - Godzilla vs. Biollante Kevin - The Marvels More about Jordan’s Predator: Bloodshed bit.ly/coolfight to preorder a signed copy Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd With Kevin Avery Drea Clark Alonso Duralde Produced by Marissa Flaxbart Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

After making a splash at Cannes, THE CHRONOLOGY OF WATER is finally getting released to theaters around the US. It’s a faithful film adaptation of the memoir by Lidia Yuknavitch, and we’re joined by both a memoirist and a filmmaker to discuss it all — Roxane Gay (HUNGER, BAD FEMINIST, and much more) and Alain Martin (The Forgotten Occupation). Then we’ll name some of our favorite memoir adaptations, and some memoirs we’d like to see adapted to film What’s Good? Alonso - The Hunger: Film Writing 2012-2024 by Melissa Anderson Drea - TasteBuds NYC videos Roxane - Heated Rivalry book series Alain - LA trip (for local premiere of The Forgotten Occupation!) Kevin - Buzz Ballz for Drea ITIDIC Golden Globes 2026 HappenedAlamo Drafthouse Shifting from Pen-and-Paper to Mobile Menu OrderingStaff Picks Alonso - The Swimmer Drea - Sound of Falling Alain - Nouvelle Vague Roxane - Hedda Kevin - Cedar Rapids Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd With Kevin Avery Drea Clark Alonso Duralde Produced by Marissa Flaxbart Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Josh Safdie directed it, Timothée Chalamet stars in it, awards groups are crazy for it, and it’s seriously stressing us out. This week we’re back in the swing of things and talking about MARTY SUPREME. Then, in honor of main character Marty Mauser, we’re naming some of our favorite world-class assholes of cinema. What’s Good? Alonso - The meme feedback loop of Heated Rivalry Drea - Taskmaster (and the show’s quiet inclusivity) Kevin - Batman Bomber Jacket (and getting Alonso’s book for J) ITIDIC Betty Boop and Blondie Enter Public Domain in 2026 John Mayer and McG Buying the Henson Studio Lot and Name it Chaplin Studios Staff Picks Drea - Predator: Badlands Alonso - Familiar Touch Kevin - We Bury the Dead Leave us a message with your movie query! MaximumFun.org/Hotline Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd With Kevin Avery Drea Clark Alonso Duralde Produced by Marissa Flaxbart Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

We’re celebrating the end of the movie year that was and the start of the movie year to come, plus our first year (minus a few months in the middle there) with Kevin at the helm! We’ve got our annual Maxie Awards, movies we’re looking forward to in 2026 and, most importantly, each host’s 10 favorites from 2025. What's Good? Alonso - Barebells Drea - Warm (True) Spring Kevin - a year of hosting (sorta)! *indicates a film we covered on the show! Drea 10. Twinless* 9. Lurker 8. Hamnet* 7. Bugonia* 6. Sentimental Value 5. Sorry, Baby 4. The Secret Agent 3. Train Dreams* 2. One Battle After Another* 1. Sinners* Alonso 10. Happy End 9. A House of Dynamite 8. Rebuilding 7. It Was Just an Accident 6. One Battle After Another* 5. Train Dreams* 4. Caught by the Tides 3. My Undesirable Friends: Part I — Last Air in Moscow 2. Eephus 1. Sinners* Kevin 10. Good Fortune 9. Hedda* 8. The Long Walk* 7. Twinless* 6. Weapons* 5. Thunderbolts** 4. F1 3. Superman* 2. Sinners* 1. 40 Acres* Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd With Kevin Avery Drea Clark Alonso Duralde Produced by Marissa Flaxbart Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

Jingle jingle, ya’ll! We’ve got comedian Ben Katzner joining us under the mistletoe for the holiday movie about a recovering improviser and a divorced dentist that you didn’t know were missing. Then we have a Hotline question about holiday movies that center Black Joy for a change! #4Brothers4Christmas What’s Good Alonso - LAFCA Citation for Gardena Cinema; Support Your Local Film Society Drea - Pipsly.org Ben - Sam Evans’ comedy special, Down a Mom Kevin - moving boxes and having a space WETIDIC a). Several Stories about films in development: Live Action Teddy Ruxpin Movie Coming from AmazonMGM and 7 BucksSocial Network 2 In the Works Miss Piggy’ Movie In Development With Cole Escola Writingb). Rick Moranis Returns to Acting for Spaceballs 2 c). Ariana Grande Grabber Sentenced to 9 Days in Prison Christmas Movie Minute A Make or Break Holiday The Christmas Baby The Best Thing About Christmas Staff Picks Alonso - Boys Go to Jupiter Drea - The Muppet Christmas Carol Ben - One of Them Days Kevin - Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Watch Supple Harlot Troll Hole Podcast Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd With Kevin Avery Drea Clark Alonso Duralde Produced by Marissa Flaxbart Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

The Flop House’s Elliot Kalan joins us to put his “Mad about Mads”-ness where his mouth is as we discuss a stylized new horror-ish thriller from director Bryan Fuller. Then we’ll talk about movies that would make good genre entry points for kids who are ready. What’s Good Drea - Heated Rivalry Elliott - Latke Night, his new book Joke Farming, & Werner Herzog’s A Guide for the Perplexed Kevin - Yuletide Unc gets his decorations up ITIDIC a.) Zootopia 2 Becomes the Year’s Highest Grossing Film b). Famed Variety Oscars Party Moves to LACMA Christmas Movie Minute Single on the 25th Oy to the World A Sweet Holiday Romance The Christmas Writer (and a shout out to yet-unseen The Christmas Baby) Staff Picks Drea - The Princess Bride Elliott - This Is Spinal Tap (see also, A Fine Line Between Stupid and Clever: The Story of Spinal Tap) Kevin - Misery Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd With Kevin Avery Drea Clark Alonso Duralde Produced by Marissa Flaxbart Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

George Clooney is JAY KELLY in Noah Baumbach’s latest film…and that might be true in more ways than one. The film chronicles the career of a fictional movie star. Speaking of chronicles, we’re joined by actor and filmmaker Justin Tyler, voice of the titular Derf in MaxFun’s newest show, The Young Old Derf Chronicles. And we have a movie quiz about real actors playing fictional actors on film! What’s Good Alonso - “Buy a Christmas tree that’s considered too big for your apartment.” Drea - Forks Out on Sesame Street Justin - end of year check-out Kevin - Paranormal Activity play ITIDIC Netflix/Warner Bros. Monopoly InsanityOriginal Star Wars film to be Rereleased in Theaters for 50th AnniversaryChristmas Movie Minute The Christmas Cup (Hallmark) She’s Making a List (Hallmark) Staff Picks Drea - Goodbye June Alonso - The Swimmer (1968) Justin - Blue Moon Kevin - Three Kings Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd With Kevin Avery Drea Clark Alonso Duralde Produced by Marissa Flaxbart Sr. Producer Laura Swisher

What’s Good Alonso - the magic of podcasting Drea - the magic of a repainted bathroom Kevin - the magic of live jazz improvisation (The Tyler Hammond Jazz Experience) [Morgan Freeman falling asleep clip] ITIDIC 2020 and 2021 Titles Coming to Indie Theaters for ‘Lost Films of COVID’ SeriesShrek 5 is back in the news as 3 actors are cast as his tripletsStaff Picks Alonso - BLKNWS: Terms and Conditions Drea - Wild Rose Kevin - Hamlet 2 Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd With Kevin Avery Drea Clark Alonso Duralde Produced by Marissa Flaxbart Sr. Producer Laura Swisher