Episode 137: Muppets Most Wanted

Hi-lo, friends, time for a fun new Disney movie podcast episode! OK, OK, maybe Constantine won't take over the podcast anytime soon. But the new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema is all about the newest Muppet adventure, Muppets Most Wanted, with everyone's favorite frog, pig, bear, dog, and...whatever back in fine form. Josh and Gabe are joined by Muppet expert and past guest Estelle Hallick of This Happy Place to talk about this sequel and if, like the opening song says, it's not quite as good as the 2011 film. Turns out that maybe one or more of your hosts have soured, ever so slightly, on the Jason Segel-led nostalgia-fest. Is Muppets Most Wanted better than The Muppets? Is it worse? Could they do it all again? Is the entire episode spoken in question form? Will you find out by listening to this new episode?

Episode 136: Need for Speed

Friends, do you feel the need? The need for...a new video-game adaptation? Well, good! (You did say "Yes," right?) Because on the new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema, Gabe and Josh are putting the pedal to the metal to discuss the new action film from Touchstone Pictures, Need for Speed. With Aaron Paul of Breaking Bad fame, as well as Michael Keaton, and Imogen Poots--whose name is so delightful to say, Josh can't help but say it a few extra times--how could this movie go wrong? Well...it turns out that the filmmakers found a few ways to screw up, at least according to Gabe. Josh's a little more willing to give the film leeway, but as you'll hear, it all comes down to what they think of The Fast and the Furious franchise. So sit back and enjoy the ride, because this episode's racing to the finish line! [Insert at least fourteen more racing puns here.]

Episode 135: Darby O'Gill and the Little People

Faith and begorrah! Time to grab your blarney stone or find a four-leaf clover, dearies, because just in time for St. Patrick's Day, Mousterpiece Cinema is celebrating in style. (Here, "style" means doing goofy Irish accents a fair bit.) Only two days before the holiday when everyone's Irish, Josh and Gabe look back at one of the earliest Disney live-action films, Darby O'Gill and the Little People. They're joined this week by Andrew Welch, co-founding editor of To Be (Cont'd.), to decide if this film has charm outside of being one of the first appearances from a pre-007 Sean Connery. And how, exactly, does this quaint little story about leprechauns and their pots of gold connect to...Buffy the Vampire Slayer? You'll have to get lucky and listen to the show to find out!

Episode 134: Toy Story 3

Get out a box or two of tissues, friends, because if you're like Gabe or Josh, you're probably going to need them as we discuss Toy Story 3 on the new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema. Closing out their trilogy of discussions about what might very well be the best American cinematic trilogy ever, Gabe and Josh invite past guest Scott Renshaw of Salt Lake City Weekly on to discuss this final chapter in the saga of Sheriff Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and the rest of their pals. Is this the greatest of all the Toy Story films? Does the ending hit on the same emotional level now as it did in 2010? Will Gabe drop any more crazy movie-related theories this week? You can only find out if you listen! (Note: There's a bit of wonky sound issues in this episode, thanks to the ever-fickle Skype. Apologies!)

Episode 133: The Wind Rises

This is what's called serendipitous timing, folks. If you're downloading this episode the day it drops on iTunes, then we're just one day away from the Academy Awards, and the film we're talking about on the new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema may very well walk away with an Oscar this year. No, we're not going over Frozen again; instead, it's time to discuss Hayao Miyazaki's newest, and possibly final, film, The Wind Rises. Gabe and Josh are joined by Film School Rejects' Rob Hunter to debate Miyazaki's fictionalized biopic of Japanese airplane designer Jiro Horikoshi. Did Miyazaki need to be more strident in his criticism of the man who helped Japanese fighters fly in World War II? Is this film more than just a bunch of beautiful animation, or hollow aside from the visuals? And is the English-language dub going to be worth watching aside from hearing Werner Herzog as an animated character? Find out on the new episode!