Matinee Heroes

THE SURE THING Gib is a college freshman who can’t catch a break with women. When he hears a gorgeous girl in California is interested in him, he joins a cross-country carpool to meet her. The catch? Alison, the uptight classmate who already rejected him, is along for the ride. What starts as a nightmare road trip slowly turns into something neither of them expected. Craig, Elisabeth and guest Derek McCaw talk about if opposites attract, 50-year-old undergrads, summer in central California and the movie “The Sure Thing” on this week’s Matinee Heroes! Show Notes 1:01 Craig, Elisabeth and Derek talk vacationing in Central California. 9:46 Craig, Elisabeth and Derek discuss "The Sure Thing." 50:45 Recasting 1:13:20 Double Feature 1:17:58 Final Thoughts 1:24:48 A preview of next week's episode "The Great Outdoors." Next week, we wrap up our summer fun movies with "The Great Outdoors."

MEN IN BLACK A smart-mouthed New York cop discovers that aliens are secretly living on Earth and gets recruited into a hidden agency that keeps them under control. Paired with a stone-faced veteran, he must stop a deadly alien invader searching for a powerful object that could spark an intergalactic crisis. As he adjusts to a bizarre new world of disguises, weapons, and cosmic secrets, his first day on the job turns into a fight to save the planet. Craig, Elisabeth and guest Tami Anderson talk about immigration, galactic pugs, neurolyser damage and the movie “Men in Black” on this week’s Matinee Heroes! Show Notes 0:58 Craig, Elisabeth and Tami Anderson talk alien encounters but with human beings. 7:28 Craig, Elisabeth and Tami discuss "Men in Black." 52:12 Recasting 1:12:59 Double Feature 1:19:14 Final Thoughts 1:24:19 A preview of next week's episode "Starman." Next week, Alien April continues with the low-key adventure "Starman."

PAUL For the past 60 years, a wisecracking alien named Paul has been held at a top-secret military base in America’s UFO heartland. When he decides he’s had enough of Earth, he escapes and jumps into the first vehicle he finds, a rented RV driven by two British sci-fi geeks, Graeme and Clive. With federal agents and an angry father chasing them, the two come up with a wild plan to help Paul get back to his spaceship. Craig, Elisabeth and guest Paul Hitchcock talk about sincerity in comedy, Elisabeth’s starring role, Comic Con fatigue and the movie “Paul” on this week’s Matinee Heroes. Show Notes 1:15 Craig, Elisabeth and Paul Hitchcock talk alien encounters. 5:44 Craig, Elisabeth and Paul discuss "Paul." 54:14 Recasting 1:20:59 Double Feature 1:27:21 Final Thoughts 1:37:01 A preview of next week's episode "Men in Black." Next week, Alien April continues with the blockbuster "Men in Black."

REAR WINDOW Confined to his apartment with a broken leg, a newspaper photographer passes the time by watching the lives unfolding outside his window. But what starts as idle curiosity turns into something far more dangerous when he becomes convinced he has witnessed a murder. With help from his nurse and the woman he loves, he sets out to prove it, before the suspected killer realizes he is watching. Craig, Elisabeth and Movies that Make Us cohost Tracy Mangum talk about Voyeurism, BDE, Boysenberries and the movie “Rear Window” on this week’s Matinee Heroes! Show Notes 1:22 Craig, Elisabeth and Tracy Mangum talk a recent trip to Knott's Berry Farm. 13:20 Craig, Elisabeth and Tracy discuss "Rear Window." 52:42 Recasting 1:12:52 Double Feature 1:17:31 Final Thoughts 1:21:17 A preview of next week's episode "The Long Goodbye." Next week, Mystery March ends with an Altman take on a classic character in "The Long Goodbye."

THE THIRD MAN Holly Martins, a writer of pulp Westerns, arrives broke to visit his childhood friend Harry Lime, only to discover that Harry is dead. Suspicious circumstances surrounding the death, including reports of a mysterious third man at the scene, pull Holly into a growing conspiracy. As he digs deeper, he faces resistance from a British officer and falls hard for Harry’s grieving lover, Anna. Craig, Elisabeth and guest Derek McCaw talk about black markets, inept protagonists, Horror Not Hate and the movie “The Third Man” on this week’s Matinee Heroes! Show Notes 1:04 Craig, Elisabeth and Derek McCaw talk the crowdfunding of Horror Not Hate and introduce Mystery March. 10:55 Craig, Elisabeth and Derek discuss "The Third Man." 57:30 Recasting 1:13:08 Double Feature 1:18:12 Final Thoughts 1:22:16 A preview of next week's episode "Chinatown." Next week, Mystery March continues with the classic neo-noir "Chinatown."

DO THE RIGHT THING Sal Fragione owns a pizzeria in Brooklyn, where the Wall of Fame features only Italian celebrities. A neighborhood local, Buggin’ Out, argues that a business in a Black neighborhood should also honor Black icons, but Sal refuses. The wall becomes a symbol of exclusion, and as more people take sides, tensions escalate. Craig and Elizabeth talk about racial tensions, boom box culture, the Winter Olympics and the movie “Do the Right Thing” on this week’s Matinee Heroes! Show Notes 1:15 Craig and Elisabeth talk about the Winter Olympics and the smell of death. Not in that order. 16:05 Craig and Elisabeth discuss "Do the Right Thing." 1:05:42 Recasting 1:26:44 Double Feature 1:28:32 Final Thoughts 1:32:55 A preview of next week's episode "The Third Man." Next week, Mystery March kicks off with the all-time classic "The Third Man."

ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN Two rookie reporters and rivals at The Washington Post investigate the botched 1972 break-in at the Democratic Party’s headquarters in the Watergate complex. With help from a shadowy source known as Deep Throat, they connect the burglars to the White House and keep digging despite mounting pressure and threats. Following the money, they uncover a conspiracy that reaches the highest levels of power. Craig, Elisabeth and guest Annie Bulloch talk about the current state of journalism, widespread corruption, president’s Day and the movie “All the President’s Men” on this week’s Matinee Heroes. Show Notes 0:55 Craig, Elisabeth and guest Annie Bulloch talk (reluctantly) about their favorite presidents. 8:11 Craig, Elisabeth and Annie discuss "All The President's Men". 51:11 Recasting 1:14:25 Double Feature 1:20:11 Final Thoughts 1:25:17 A preview of next week's episode "Tightrope." Next week, we celebrate Mardi Gras with the New Orleans based "Tightrope."

Some panels feel like a press junket with polite clapping. This panel, recorded at FanX Salt Lake in 2017, feels like a family reunion where the relatives happen to be movie icons. From the jump, the room lands on the perfect vibe: not “you were in my childhood,” but “we grew up together,” like distant cousins swapping stories you already love hearing. John talks about playing Brian Wilson and how meaningful it was to feel like they did right by him. He also shares a great detail about working alongside Paul Dano: they did not compare notes, but both found their way in through the Smile Sessions box set. Joan shares an early set memory: she starts as an extra, gets upgraded to a line, and is told to go buy an outfit. She winds up in purple corduroy pants while processing that this is somehow her life now. John tells a story about someone on Twitter posting “cast Joan Cusack more,” and his reaction is basically “correct.” The moment turns into a mini rally, and honestly, the internet should do more of that. "All I did was look for dignity. It was a constant search for dignity." - Joan Cusack Want more exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes stories from the people who bring your favorite characters to life? Subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on your favorite podcasting platform for more behind-the-scenes stories and exclusive interviews.