Episode 107: My Neighbor Totoro

It's that time of year again, as Gabe and Josh go back into the Studio Ghibli coffers to take a look at one of their Disney-distributed animated movies. This time, they tackle one of the most beloved films from director Hayao Miyazaki, My Neighbor Totoro, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. To join them in discussing this story of the imaginative spirit of childhood, Gabe and Josh brought back self-described "super-hipster" Zack Handlen of The AV Club. They discuss the difference between the film's English and Japanese-language dubs, the film's very unique connection to Troma Films (yes, really), and there's maybe a bit of singing in between. So grab your Totoro doll, hop on the catbus, and get ready for a wild ride of a show!

Episode 106: Oliver and Company

Which Oliver Twist-related pun should we start this description off with? There are just so many to choose from, even if this week's new Mousterpiece Cinema focuses on an Oliver Twist adaptation, Oliver & Company. So maybe we could say that this is a podcast...podcast for sale. Or we could ask, shocked, if you want...MORE? And so on. Kidding aside, this week's episode is no joke. Gabe and Josh are joined by Anthony Breznican of Entertainment Weekly to revisit this 1988 Disney animated film that represents a transitional period right before Disney's Renaissance period, to sing a few bars of a Billy Joel song or two, and to discuss the state of hand-drawn animation at Walt Disney Feature Animation. If you're a hand-drawn animation advocate--and who isn't?--you'll want to stay around for the whole show, as Anthony describes in detail his recent interview with the head honcho himself, John Lasseter. Now, if you've got just enough street savoir faire, take a listen to this week's show!

Episode 105: Planes

Are you ready to soar to new heights? Have you checked your mental baggage? Are your tray tables in their fully locked and upright positions? Oh, sure, you're rolling your eyes at this aviation-based puns, but if you think similar jokes aren't littered all over the new movie Planes, you've got another think coming. Yes, this week on Mousterpiece Cinema, it's time to face off against this new not-Pixar movie inspired by the Cars films from Disney/Pixar honcho John Lasseter. And once again, Gabe's nowhere to be found (though he might've made the right decision). So Josh is joined by Noel Kirkpatrick of This Was TV and Mark Pfeiffer of Reel Times to ask the hard questions: is Planes as bad as the chatter would lead you to believe? Does Dane Cook remind anyone else of Alex Rodriguez? And what kind of vehicle would Hitler be if Hitler was a vehicle in the world of Cars? (And...oh, yeah, why is World War II invoked in a kids' movie without humans? That too.) It's time to answer those burning queries and depart on the Boeing 747 known as Mousterpiece Cinema, so get on board!

Episode 104: Song of the South

You read the title right, friends. This week, Josh and Gabe tackle one of the most controversial films in American cinema, and arguably the most challenging in Disney's filmography: the 1946 live-action/animated hybrid Song of the South, which tells the tale of white and black characters living in harmony in the Reconstruction-era Deep South. To unwrap all of its complications, Josh and Gabe are joined by Noel Murray of The Dissolve, and they ask the big questions: should this movie be shown publicly? Should Disney profit as much as they do on its theme-park inspiration, Splash Mountain? And is Gabe a racist? (For liking this movie, that is.) If the bluebird is on your shoulder and you're whistling a very specific tune, tuck in and listen to the new show for the answers!

Episode 103: The Straight Story

Everything's topsy-turvy on Mousterpiece Cinema this week, from top to bottom. For the first time in a while, Gabe's not on the show due to scheduling issues; in his stead, Josh got two esteemed guests--Peter Labuza of The Cinephiliacs and Jake Cole of MovieMezzanine.com--to join him to review, of all things, a David Lynch movie. Yes, David Lynch does have a Disney connection: his 1999 film The Straight Story, which is rated G, features no terrifying nightmare sequences, and is, on the surface, as un-Lynchian as it gets. But maybe not. Maybe The Straight Story is David Lynch's most centered film, his most emotional, and his heaviest. You'll have to listen to the new show to find out!