Episode 370: Tuck Everlasting

Hey, folks! It's time for a brand-new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema, and this week, Scott and Josh are drinking from this very special well of water they found while wandering in the forest, and you can't tell anyone! It's very secret water, and if you let anyone know about it, you'll....be in trouble! Or we will! One of those! OK, we might have just seen a movie about people who have had a sip or two from a fountain of youth. In fact, it's our movie of the week, Tuck Everlasting, the 2002 adaptation of the Natalie Babbitt novel starring Alexis Bledel, Jonathan Jackson, a very weird Ben Kingsley and more. Scott and Josh are joined by friend of the show Fran Hoepfner of Bright Wall/Dark Room to talk about the story, the film's brief running time, the heat or lack thereof between Bledel and Jackson, Kingsley being a real creeper, and lots more. Check out the new show now!

Episode 369: The Joy Luck Club

Hey, folks! It's time for a brand-new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema, and for this episode, Scott and Josh are getting ready to sit down and play some mah-jong, and listen to some epic stories about the Chinese-American experience in the 20th century. Yes, this week, we're celebrating the 25th anniversary of The Joy Luck Club, the film adaptation of the iconic Amy Tan novel, featuring Ming-Na Wen, Rosalind Chao, Tamlyn Tomita, and...Andrew McCarthy. Josh and Scott are joined by Inkoo Kang of Slate to talk about the impact this film has had on modern culture, its depiction of very different mothers and daughters, and whether or not there's such a thing as too much narration. Does The Joy Luck Club still hold up, especially in light of the recent phenomenon Crazy Rich Asians? Find out now!

Episode 368: Dumbo

Hey, folks! We're taking to the skies this week for a very special episode of Mousterpiece Cinema. Josh and Scott are revisiting one of the vaunted classics of the Golden Age of Disney Animation, the short but memorable 1941 film Dumbo. They're joined by National Catholic Register film critic Steven Greydanus for this Revisited episode of the show, as Josh looks back on a film he hasn't discussed in full in seven years. Is Dumbo one of the true classics of Disney lore? Does "Baby Mine" still have the same emotional power for adults as it did for all of us as little boys who wanted to be big boys? Or does Dumbo feel like the weak link in the Golden Age? Find out more on the new show!

Episode 367: Super Mario Bros.

Hey, folks! It's-a us, the hosts of Mousterpiece Cinema! We're getting into character this week as we talk about one of the truly memorable video-game adaptations, the 1993 film Super Mario Bros. starring Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo, Dennis Hopper, Samantha Mathis, and more. Yes, to commemorate the 25th anniversary, we're talking about a movie with a truly awful reputation, and are joined by longtime friend of the show Scott Meslow of GQ to talk about whether Super Mario Bros. deserves its bad reputation. Is this film really as bad as everyone, including its very lead actors, say it is? Do you need to know the game to like the film, or does that make it worse? Can your hosts do a serviceable Brooklyn accent? Find out now!

Episode 366: Kronk's New Groove

Hey, folks! It's that time once more, time for another new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema! And this episodes marks yet another special occasion, as it's time for Scott and Josh to delve into another of the direct-to-DVD sequels made by DisneyToon Studios. They're heading back to the valley to get into the groove, or trying to get into the groove, with Kronk's New Groove. (Sorry, all you hopeful fans of Bambi II. We know we had it scheduled, but you'll just have to wait.) Longtime listeners will remember that Scott's a big fan of The Emperor's New Groove, while Josh was a bit cooler on the 2000 original. But what did they think of the 2005 sequel? Is it as funny as the original? Is it better for Kronk to be a sidekick? Does anyone care about his daddy issues? You'll have to listen to find out!