Episode 53: The Jungle Book

Baloo the bear always told his friend Mowgli the man-cub to look for the bare necessities in life. Does that principle apply to movies, too? This week on Mousterpiece Cinema, Josh and Gabe are joined by the editor-in-chief of Sound on Sight, Ricky D, to take an in-depth look at the 1967 Disney classic The Jungle Book. Among other things, The Jungle Book is notable for being the last film Walt Disney had a strong producing hand in before he passed away. Does his influence show? Do Josh, Gabe, and Ricky think as fondly of The Jungle Book as adults as they did as children? And which member of the Rat Pack is the voice of Baloo, Phil Harris, most like? The answers to these burning questions and more are revealed on this week's Mousterpiece Cinema!

Episode 52: Brave

Do you have what it takes to change your fate? Can you possibly know the costs of damaging the bond among familial allies? This week, Josh, Gabe, and Michael go head-to-head with Disney-Pixar's newest movie, Brave, set in the Scottish Highlands and featuring the voices of Kelly Macdonald, Emma Thompson, Billy Connolly, and more. There's little complete agreement this week, but it may shock you to learn that the sole voice of dissent isn't Josh! (He's sure to remind you of his black, black heart in the weeks to come.) So, with talk of heaving bosoms, archery, bumbling men, and a few Scottish accents thrown in for good measure, the new Mousterpiece Cinema is a must-listen!

Episode 51: Victory Through Air Power

With Independence Day right around the corner, the new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema celebrates a part of the Walt Disney Company's history all about protecting America. Though you may not be as familiar with the period when Walt Disney and his animators worked on wartime propaganda, there was a time when Disney focused more on convincing America to get involved in the World War II effort instead of entertaining mass audiences with fairy tales. This week, Josh and Gabe are joined by Michael Crawford from Progress City, U.S.A. to discuss the pinnacle of Disney's propaganda, the full-length feature Victory Through Air Power. This hybrid of live-action and animation features a dry Russian narrator, an animated history of aviation, and an eagle pounding the life out of an octopus! Even if you haven't seen the film, this episode is a can't-miss affair, with discussions of Disney history, keeping historical context in mind in the modern day, and a few Edward G. Robinson impressions. So check out the new Mousterpiece Cinema!

Episode 50: Herbie: Fully Loaded

What better way to celebrate Mousterpiece Cinema's 50th episode than with another milestone? Yes, after what feels like years but has really only been a few months, Josh and Mike have reached the end of the Herbie, the Love Bug franchise. (Or have they?) This week, they're thrilled that Herbie has finally joined the 21st century in the 2005 reboot/sequel Herbie: Fully Loaded, starring Lindsay Lohan, Michael Keaton, and Matt Dillon. Josh and Mike get loose and silly almost immediately, ping-ponging from a mini-discussion of John Carter to looking at two of the writers of Herbie: Fully Loaded, Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant, to the piece de resistance: Mike throwing down a challenge to all of you listeners! Find out about the challenge and more on the new Mousterpiece Cinema!

Episode 49: Bambi

Almost everyone can remember the moment when their childhood innocence was shattered: it's when Bambi's mom got shot by a hunter, right? (I assume you're all nodding in agreement.) This week, Josh, Gabe, and Mike honor the 70th anniversary of Walt Disney Pictures' fifth full-length animated film, Bambi, by discussing its animation style, its overall realism, and by invoking movies like Monty Python and the Meaning of Life and Speed. How do those movies relate in any way to this one? Which of your hosts loves the film more than any other Disney animated feature? And what of the malevolent Ronno? (The right answer to that is, "Who?") Discover the answers by listening to the latest Mousterpiece Cinema!

Episode 48: WALL-E

Through the magic of the Internet, we're managing to bring you a brand-new episode of Mousterpiece Cinema despite Josh currently being on vacation in the happiest place on Earth. And what better way to celebrate than by discussing one of the most magical and entertaining romantic comedies of the past decade? Yes, this week, Josh and Michael discuss Pixar's 2008 film WALL-E, which may be set in a dystopian future but is also a sweet and lovely story of two lonely robots who find love as humanity struggles to survive. They're joined by special guest Rowan Kaiser of The AV Club and Joystiq Magazine to talk about the fabled "Pixar moment," showtunes, gender coding in nonhuman characters and fascism! Heady stuff, and it's all part of another great Mousterpiece Cinema you won't want to miss!

Episode 47: Herbie Goes Bananas

Listeners, it's finally come to this. After four films starring the rascally Love Bug himself, Herbie, your hosts Josh and Michael have begun to question each other's sanity. The real culprit is the topic of this week's podcast, the 1980 film Herbie Goes Bananas, where the supposedly lovable VW Beetle faces off against scheming thieves, an outrageously horny older woman, a stuffy cruise-ship captain, and a fuming bull. (Absolutely none of that is a lie or a joke. We promise.) For anyone hoping that Michael would, for once, succumb to the Dark Side, you may be disappointed, but you'll get to hear Josh rage and rant like never before. This one's an episode for the pantheon, so check out the new Mousterpiece Cinema today!