Midday Movies

💕 WELCOME TO THE SUMMER OF LOVE — REVIEWING THE BEST ROMANCES OF THE 21ST CENTURY💕

In this episode of 'Midday Movies,' Laura and Stephen take a lunch break to discuss Cameron Crowe's semi-autobiographical masterpiece “Almost Famous” (2000). They delve into the film's journey of a teenage rock journalist following an up-and-coming band, band politics, and unrequited love. They share researched behind-the-scenes insights, including...

💕 WELCOME TO THE SUMMER OF LOVE — REVIEWING THE BEST ROMANCES OF THE 21ST CENTURY💕

In this episode of Midday Movies, Laura and Stephen are discussing the 2017 instant romance classic, “Call Me By Your Name.” Starring Timothee Chalamet in his breakout role and with a script adapted by James Ivory (and for which he won the Oscar), this film follows a 6-week summer romance in Italy between 17 year old Elio and a 24 year old doctoral...

💕 WELCOME TO THE SUMMER OF LOVE — REVIEWING THE BEST ROMANCES OF THE 21ST CENTURY💕

In this episode of Midday Movies, Laura and Stephen discuss the 2004 Charlie Kaufman masterpiece, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” Starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet (in an Oscar-nominated role) as lovers so toxic that both have decided to surgically remove the memory of their relationship, this film was voted the 7th best movie of the 21...

In this episode of Midday Movies, Laura and Stephen delve into the incisive themes of Bong Joon-ho's "Parasite," a film that masterfully explores the complexities of social mobility and meritocracy. As they dissect the symbolic elements and narrative structure, they reflect on how the film mirrors societal hierarchies and the elusive nature of the American Dream (or, South Korean Dream). Join them as they unravel the layers of this...

In this episode of 'Midday Movies,' hosts Laura and Stephen count down the top 50 movies of the 21st century, continuing from their previous podcast episode that covered numbers 100 to 51. The list, compiled by the New York Times, reflects votes from 500 industry luminaries. Highlights include Pixar’s 'Up' at number 50, Alfonso Cuarón’s 'Roma' at 46, Quentin Tarantino's 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' at 44, and Christopher Nolan’s...

In this episode of 'Midday Movies,' hosts Laura and Stephen delve into the New York Times' list of the best movies of the 21st century. They discuss the first half of the list, films ranked from 100 to 51, sharing their opinions and insights about each selection. Titles discussed include 'Superbad,' 'Black Panther,' 'Gravity,' 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' and many more. They also touch on the selection process, which involved polli...

In this episode of 'Midday Movies', hosts Laura and Stephen dive into the 1989 cult classic 'Heathers,' starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater. They explore its enduring influence on teen comedies like 'Clueless', 'Mean Girls', and 'Jawbreaker', the dark, Kubrickian portrayal of high school dynamics, and its thematically rich dialogue by Daniel Waters. Including key discussions on the film’s depiction of teenage violence, socie...

In this episode of 'Midday Movies,' hosts Laura and Stephen celebrate the 50th anniversary of the iconic summer blockbuster 'Jaws,' directed by Steven Spielberg and scored by John Williams. They delve into fascinating behind-the-scenes stories, including Spielberg's early career (and his break-in at the Universal Studios lot) and the logistical challenges of filming with a malfunctioning mechanical shark named Bruce. The discussion...

In this episode, Shea (of the Rainy Day Rabbit Holes Podcast), Laura, and Stephen gather to passionately discuss and rank their favorite and least favorite movies from the Alien franchise. From the 1979 original 'Alien' to the more recent 'Alien Romulus,' they dive into the elements that make each film unique. They also touch on the character development, special effects, and the overall impact of each movie on the franchise. The c...

In this episode of “Midday Movies,” hosts Laura, Stephen, and guest Jason from the 'Rainy Day Rabbit Holes' podcast delve into “Alien vs. Predator” (AvP, 2004). They discuss the film's setting in an Antarctic pyramid, the characters including Alexa Woods and Charles Bishop Weyland, the intriguing crossover of iconic extraterrestrial creatures, and the themes of camaraderie and conflict. Conversations also touch upon the influences ...

In this episode of 'Midday Movies,' hosts Laura and Stephen, joined by guest Jason from the 'Rainy Day Rabbit Holes' podcast, dive into “Alien Resurrection,” (1997) the final entry in the original Ripley quadrilogy. Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet (“Delicatessen”, “Amelie”) and written by Joss Whedon (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Firefly”), the film is praised for its unique characters, production design, and distinct 90s genre trop...

The Intriguing Case of the McMinnville UFO Photos

Laura and Stephen present a crossover episode from the Mysterious PNW podcast, where hosts Jen and Sarah delve into the 1950 McMinnville UFO photographs taken by Evelyn and Paul Trent in Oregon. They explore the history, examine the images, consider expert analyses, and discuss the impact of the photos over the years. Despite differing opinions on their authenticity, the photos have ...

In this episode of “Midday Movies,” hosts Laura, Stephen, and special guest Bryon dive into the 2017 film “Alien: Covenant,” the second installment in the 21st-century Alien franchise. Joined by Bryon Kershaw from the “Spirits and Monsters of Old Seattle Podcast”, the discussion ranges from reflections on David the Android's theological journey, the film's rich religious subtext (as embodied by Billy Crudup & Katherine Watersto...

In this episode of 'Midday Movies,' hosts Laura, Stephen, and Shea Drury from the 'Rainy Day Rabbit Holes' podcast dive into the third installment of the original Alien series, 'Alien 3.' Directed by David Fincher, 'Alien 3' is known as one of the more controversial films in the franchise. The conversation covers the unique setting of Fury 161, a decommissioned prison planet, the survivalist themes, and the complexities of Ripley's...

Join hosts Laura, Stephen, and special guest Shea from the Rainy Day Rabbit Holes podcast on Midday Movies as they delve into James Cameron's iconic film 'Aliens.' In this episode, they explore why 'Aliens' is often hailed as one of the best action films in American cinema, discussing its characters, influences, and connections to contemporary films. They also touch on the upcoming FX series 'Alien Earth,' and share insights into t...

Hosts Laura and Stephen delve into the unique Polish animated film 'The Peasants' in their podcast 'Midday Movies.' The innovative film, directed by filmmaking couple Hugh and DK Welchman, is composed of 40,000 oil paintings and based on the 1924 Nobel Prize-winning novel by Wladyslaw Stanislaw Reymont. The film uses six paintings per second to create a visually stunning narrative about Jagna (played by Kamila Urzedowska), a young ...

In this episode of ‘Midday Movies,’ hosts Laura and Stephen discuss Studio Ghibli's emotionally potent film ‘Grave of the Fireflies,’ directed by Isao Takahata and based on the acclaimed book of the same name. The film tells the harrowing tale of two children, Seita (voiced by Tsutomu Tatsumi) and Setsuko (Ayano Shiraishi), struggling to survive in Japan during the final days of World War II. Despite being an animated film, ‘Grave ...

Today we’re hosting an episode by our friend and fellow Umbrella Podcast Collective member, Rob Bradley’s “Dark History” Podcast!

As the stocky and robustly built man determinedly strode into the Houses of Parliament on June 4th, 1940, an unusual hush fell over the chamber. Front and backbenchers alike waited with bated breath as his piercing blue eyes scanned the room with unyielding intensity. Clad in his iconic dark suit, bow...

Today we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of Wong Kar-Wai’s masterpiece of doomed romance, “In the Mood for Love” (2000). An instant classic following its premiere at Cannes, “In the Mood for Love” is the story of Mrs. Chan (Maggie Cheung) and Mr. Chow (Tony Leung Chiu-wai), two married Hong Kong residents in the early 1960s whose spouses are having an affair with each other. Experimental, nonlinear, and ultimately tragic, this...