Episode 349: 'Challengers' with Robert Abele

Episode 349: 'Challengers' with Robert Abele

Author: MaximumFun.org May 10, 2024 Duration: 1:02:46

Luca Guadagnino’s latest film (and biggest to date) has been the talk of cinema circles since its release. Whether it’s causing a thirst for threesomes, a craving for churros, or a burning desire to pick up a racket, folks have been talking about it, and now we are too, with help from LAFCA President and critic Robert Abele! Then we’ll hear a lot more about Alonso’s forthcoming book, HOLLYWOOD PRIDE, out soon on May 14! 

What’s Good
Alonso - Justin Chang winning a Pulitzer Prize
Drea - PRF Facial in Vegas
Robert - LA Lemons galore and making food with them 
Ify - Warhammer Cafe in Monrovia

ITIDIC

  1. Slamdance Is Moving to Los Angeles!
  2. Vin Diesel’s Riddick Sequel Will Begin Filming This Fall
  3. McDonald’s Happy Meal Toys Are Revealing MCU Spoilers

Vin Diesel Street Sharks Demo (as referenced by Ify)

Tennis player Andrea Petkovic’s review in The Guardian (referenced by Robert)

***Order a signed copy of Alonso’s book from Book Soup***

Staff Picks
Drea - The Idea of You
Alonso - Egoist
Robert - Whatever is on Criterion 24/7! (also: Evil Does Not Exist)
Ify - Dial M for Murder

Get your Physical Media Sign for tapping! Art by Producer Marissa…tap at will!

Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, or Letterboxd

With
Kevin Avery
Drea Clark
Alonso Duralde

Produced by Marissa Flaxbart
Sr. Producer Laura Swisher


Every week, comedian Kevin Avery, film producer Drea Clark, and critic Alonso Duralde gather to tear into the world of movies, offering a perspective that breaks from the usual mold. Their conversations are a rapid-fire mix of sharp critique, industry knowledge, and genuine comedy, making each episode feel like hanging out with the most film-obsessed friends you have. Maximum Film! dives into the latest releases, dissects classic cinema, and unpacks the news shaping Hollywood, all delivered with an energy that’s as entertaining as it is insightful. This isn’t a dry lecture; it’s a lively, thoughtful, and often hilarious flight through everything on screen. You’ll find yourself reconsidering films you love and discovering new favorites, all thanks to the distinct voices and experiences each host brings to the microphone. Part of the MaximumFun.org network, this podcast consistently delivers that perfect blend of smart analysis and effortless fun, turning your weekly listen into a highlight for any film fan.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 459

Maximum Film!
Podcast Episodes
Episode 371: "Joker: Folie à Deux" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:39
Joker: Folie à Deux is the 2024 follow-up to 2019’s Joker. Directed again by Todd Phillips (of The Hangover fame originally), it stars Joaquin Phoenix (reprising the Oscar-winning role as Arthur Fleck), joined by musicia…
Episode 370: “Will & Harper” with Willow Maclay [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:11
Will & Harper is a 2024 American documentary film directed by Josh Greenbaum and follows Will Ferrell and Harper Steele as the duo made a 17-day road trip across the United States discussing Harper’s transition, and thei…
Episode 369: ‘A Different Man’ with Kristen Lopez [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:07
After undergoing facial-reconstructive surgery, Edward becomes fixated on an actor in a stage production based on his former life. That’s the setup for A Different Man starring Sebastian Stan, written and directed by Aar…
Episode 368: 'My Old Ass' with Marissa Flaxbart [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:01
An 18 year old scores a phone number...for herself at 39. That's the soft sci-fi hook of Megan Park's second movie, a coming of age story that is very much of this era, even if it has its eyes on the future. All that and…
Episode 367: 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' with Riley Silverman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:46
We go into a whole song and dance this week over Tim Burton's new BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE,. with Riley Silverman as our special guest. Then we'll remember (and suggest) some movies that made/would make for pretty bizarre…
Episode 366: 'Blink Twice' with Amber Benson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:03
Naomi Ackie and Channing Tatum lead an ensemble cast of blissful (and, for a while, blissfully unaware) island-timers in mind- and genre-bending new movie BLINK TWICE. Amber Benson (filmmaker, writer, and actor) joins us…
Episode 364: 'Dìdi' Is Top 8 Anxiety [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:21
We’re getting into that 2008 headspace with Sean Wang’s narrative feature debut, Dìdi. Then, a not-quite-a-Hotline “call” from Marissa about movies that showcase how media worked in the past.What’s GoodAlonso - a nice, c…
Episode 363: 'Trap' with Fran Hoepfner [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:56
It’s a thriller. It’s a Josh Hartnett vehicle. It’s…a comedy? But is it the kind of trap you want to fall into, or the kind you want to avoid? Our mileage varies, but one thing is for sure: cinema yappers and movie snitc…
Episode 362: 'Sing Sing' with Odie Henderson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:53
Colman Domingo does it again, this time alongside a cast of mostly real-life former participants in the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program at Sing Sing penitentiary. The Boston Globe's Odie Henderson is with us to t…