Maltin on Movies

You know him and you love him from Freaks and Greeks, Inglourious Basterds, and his notoriously celebrated appearances on Doug Loves Movies, Samm Levine joins Leonard this week to discuss his lifelong love of movies and one of his particular favorites, James L. Brooks' Broadcast News.

The man who directed National Lampoon's Animal House, The Blues Brothers, and Michael Jackson's "Thriller" is also one of Hollywood's most avid and knowledgeable film buffs. John Landis joins Leonard and Baron this week to talk about a wide variety of subjects, from Don Rickles to Fred Astaire. He also reveals one of his favorite unsung horror movies of the 1930s.

Jerry Beck of CartoonResearch.com is one of the world's leading experts on Animated Cartoons. This week Jerry joins Leonard to talk about growing up with cartoons, recent animated shorts from Disney and Pixar, and three must-see animated features: Disney's Teacher's Pet, Surf's Up, and Nina Paley's Sita Sings the Blues.

That frightening time of year is upon us and this week Leonard and Baron work up the courage to discuss three terrific films perfect for the Halloween season: a modern classic 28 Days Later, Guillermo del Toro's masterful Pan's Labyrinth, and Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, a clever film that mixes humor with horror.

This week, Leonard and Baron discuss the remarkable Philip Seymour Hoffman and focus on three films from his unbelievable career: the exceptionally great film Charlie Wilson's War, a definite dud in which he's actually very good in, and a sleeper worth checking out called A Late Quartet.

Leonard and Baron respond to Jessie Maltin's concept of naming "chicken soup" movies: films that make you feel better when you're sick, and others that you might discover when you're housebound. Examples range from Marx Brothers comedies to 10 Things I Hate About You.

If you haven't seen Fred Willard's face you have been living under a rock for the past 35 years. Fred joins Leonard and Baron this week to talk about his career from his time performing at Second City in Chicago to his work in many hilarious Christopher Guest films. Fred also discusses his love of baseball movies which include The Pride of the Yankees, Field of Dreams, and Clint Eastwood's Trouble with the Curve.

Who is your Batman—Michael Keaton, Christian Bale, Adam West? Leonard and his daughter Jessie talk about the movie heroes we've all grown up with, and why we're attached to the ones we saw first…from Superman to James Bond.

Recorded from the 2015 Los Angeles Podfest, Leonard and Baron discuss LA Movies: the 2006 true-crime period film Hollywoodland, a true-crime turkey also released that very same year, and a brilliant sleeper by the name of King of California. Plus, they take questions from the live audience!

Phil Rosenthal, creator of "Everybody Loves Raymond" and the new PBS series "I'll Have What Phil's Having" joins Leonard this week to discuss Woody Allen's Broadway Danny Rose: a hilarious film that showcases the low end of New York show business.

Finally, a sequel as good as the first! This week Leonard & Baron discuss the many great performances by Catherine O'Hara, Madeline Kahn, and Melissa McCarthy, as well as Baron's new theme song!

School is back in session and this week Leonard and Baron discuss three films that deal with school life: the terrific social satire Election, a movie with a likable cast that is unapologetically bad, and the breath of fresh air that is 2004's Saved!

Leonard and Jessie Maltin are back this week to talk about many facets of moviegoing: accepting a movie for what it is and not for what it isn't, the experience of seeing a movie with an engaged audience at a film festival, and discovering a wonderful movie sometimes by luck.

Transferring hit TV shows to the big screen isn't a new idea. This week Leonard and Baron discuss three films that have received this treatment: 1991's dark and twisted The Addams Family, two unfortunate turkeys, and the underrated (and star-studded) SNL film Coneheads.

This week Leonard and Baron discuss three documentaries that are well worth your time and will make you cry: Jesse Moss' The Overnighters, Crips and Bloods: Made in America, and an inspiring film about two remarkable people separated in age by more than 60 years.

Baron and Leonard are reunited once again! Inspired by leading ladies Amy Schumer & Melissa McCarthy, they discuss three films that feature funny ladies: Whoopi Goldberg in the crowd pleaser Sister Act, Lily Tomlin in The Late Show, a sleeper from 1977, and a stinker from one of everyone's favorite female comics. (p.s. it wasn't her fault).

Leonard and Jessie Maltin are back this week and this time they are answering your questions about music in film! What's the best music score? Which film has the best soundtrack? What are some unknown musical movie gems? Tune in to find out!

Leonard returns along with his daughter Jessie Maltin to answer all your questions! What was Leonard's first (and second) experience walking out of a movie? What is the best Alan Smithee film? If you can only watch movies from one decade which will it be? Tune in to find out!

Baron is joined once again by the globe-trotting Jessie Maltin as they discuss actors who fill major roles in major motion pictures constantly but aren't names known by "your mom."

This week Baron and special guest Jessie Maltin answer some listener questions addressed to Leonard & Baron including: favorite film of all time, favorite film composers, if they have ever changed their opinion of a film upon a second viewing, and much more.

This week Leonard and Baron welcome Leonard's wife Alice to sit in with them as they discuss three excellent documentaries that take you behind the scenes of movies in different ways: Casting By, a celebration of the casting profession and casting pioneer Marion Dougherty, Lost in La Mancha which follows Terry Gilliam's doomed attempt to get his film, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, off the ground, and It's All True: Based on an Unfinished Film by Orson Welles, the story of a notorious Orson Welles project about South America that was never completed.

Inspired by Father's Day, Leonard's daughter Jessie Maltin returns to discuss the movies that her dad shared with her growing up—and Leonard explains why he chose the classics. Plus, Baron explains how movies as diverse as Amadeus and the Muppets opened him up to a world of great movies.

This week Leonard and Baron discuss three films that prove cartoons aren't always intended for children: the first animated feature ever submitted by France as its official entry for the Oscars, 2007's Persepolis, a stop-motion animated sleeper from Australia, and a stinker from one of the medium's true innovators. (Hey, nobody's perfect…)

Every rule has exceptions, and while Leonard and Baron have reservations about many remakes of older films, this week they spotlight a couple they love! They praise the breathless, incredibly funny His Girl Friday, lament that the latest RoboCop was hamstrung from the beginning by a terrible script, and recommend a remake of a spooky Swedish thriller.

This week Leonard and Baron discuss three films adapted from books; two that are great, and one that's just grating. They're captivated by the many grace notes of the John Irving adaptation "The Cider House Rules," and appalled by the bloated, lugubrious "How The Grinch Stole Christmas," before recommending a classic from the 30's that takes you to a remote, exotic land.

This week Leonard and Baron discuss three movies made by women: Love & Basketball, written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, a reimagining of a popular TV show that's not worthy of its director or star, and a compelling sleeper written and directed by Dee Rees called Pariah.

This week Leonard and Baron discuss three movies featuring female duos of all stripes! After praising the debut film of a famed directorial duo, they advise listeners to steer clear of the shrill caricatures that populate The Other Woman, and check out the haunting musical sister act Hilary & Jackie.

While Baron is on assignment, Leonard welcomes a special guest-co-host, his daughter Jessie Maltin to discuss the movies that made a deep impact on them in their formative years. Tune in to hear which films changed the game for both Maltins from generation to generation.

This week, Leonard and Baron sing the praises of movies about (fictional) musicians and bands. First, they celebrate Christopher Guest's faux folk singers in A Mighty Wind, then blast a Broadway rock musical that shouldn't have left the stage. Finally they recommend a sleeper called Still Crazy—a treat for music lovers and Anglophiles alike.

Inspired by Russell Crowe's The Water Diviner, Leonard and Baron discuss three films in which a director also is the star of the film. Ed Harris' outstanding film Pollock, a turkey from Kenneth Branagh, and Jennifer Jason Leigh and Alan Cumming's wonderful sleeper The Anniversary Party.

This week Leonard and Baron discuss three films that fall under the umbrella of buddy movies: Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin in the classic Midnight Run, a prequel of a buddy movie that shouldn't have been made, and Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor in I Love You Phillip Morris, a movie you might have missed. Plus, Leonard shares a story about how he managed to land an interview with De Niro when Midnight Run was about to be released.

Cue the digital fanfare! In a first ever Bonus Episode, Leonard & Baron sit down with Stephen Tobolowsky to discuss acting, writing, storytelling, having your scenes cut from movies, the benefits of heated hallways, and of course, whether or not Godzilla was a documentary."

This week Leonard and Baron discuss three films with interesting women in them: Julianne Moore, Cate Blanchett, and Minnie Driver in An Ideal Husband, Charlize Theron in a film they both can't stand, and Passion Fish, a sleeper starring Mary McDonnell and Alfre Woodard.

Leonard and Baron are back to discuss three films revolving around the world of stand-up comedy: Martin Scorsese's The King of Comedy, a great comedian's semi-autobiographical saga that doesn't quite add up, and a sleeper with a hell of a Punchline.

This week, Leonard and Baron discuss the inimitable Morgan Freeman and focus on three films from his long career: Ben Affleck's Gone Baby Gone, another film that even this great actor couldn't salvage, and a sleeper worth checking out called The Magic of Belle Isle.

This week Leonard and Baron recognize the great Nicole Kidman by discussing 2010's Rabbit Hole, which earned her an Oscar nomination, another movie with a great cast that didn't come together (for many reasons), and 2004's Birth, a most unusual sleeper worth checking out.

Inspired by the release of Chappie, Leonard and Baron discuss three films based around robots. The original sharp and pointed Robocop, a remake worth forgetting, and a striking sleeper called Robot & Frank that you should seek out.

In celebration of Black History Month, Leonard and Baron discuss three significant films. Spike Lee's monumental film Malcolm X, a turkey about the Tuskegee Airmen that was made with all good intentions, and a sleeper that dates back just over 30 years called The Brother from Another Planet.

Continuing with the Oscar theme, Leonard and Baron discuss the movies of past Oscar winners: Emma Thompson's knockout performance in Primary Colors, Matthew McConaughey and Nicole Kidman in a very strange movie they don't recommend, and Denzel Washington in truly inspiring story you should seek out.

Leonard and Baron discuss three worthy individuals who were not nominated for an Oscar this year: David Oyelowo of Selma, who's equally good in another film about the Civil Rights movement, Ralph Fiennes of The Grand Budapest Hotel in an unfortunate turkey, and a sleeper from the great writer/director Mike Leigh, who brought us Mr. Turner this past year.

In part two of their 2015 Oscar nominees conversation, Leonard and Baron discuss three more films from this year's contenders: Keira Knightley in the charming musical Begin Again, a movie about magic that sadly dropped the ball, and a sleeper from Norwegian director Morten Tyldum, who gave us The Imitation Game.

Inspired by this year's Oscar Nominees, Leonard and Baron discuss the movies of two actors and one filmmaker: the movie that put Eddie Redmayne on the map, Reese Witherspoon in a sequel that probably shouldn't have been made, and a sleeper from filmmaker Richard Linklater's catalog. Tune in next week for part two!

Inspired by the release of Taken 3, Leonard and Baron praise the versatile Liam Neeson by discussing A Walk Among the Tombstones, another high-profile film that turned out to be a dud, and a sleeper that means a lot to them both.

Inspired by her brilliant performance in Still Alice, Leonard and Baron pay tribute to the fearless Julianne Moore by discussing The Kids Are All Right, along with a rare clunker and a sleeper that no fan of this actress should miss.

In part two of their Movie Musicals conversation, Leonard and Baron discuss three more interesting choices: the Irish musical Once, with its Oscar-winning song, a historically bad sequel that shouldn't have happened, and a student film from the creators of South Park that's well worth seeking out.

Inspired by the year-end release of Annie & Into the Woods, Leonard and Baron discuss three movie musicals: the cult classic Hedwig and the Angry Inch, another film that made the transition from Broadway to the big screen in a most unfortunate way, and a sleeper about a singing group that is close to Baron's heart. Tune in next week for part two!

In celebration of the New Year, Leonard and Baron tackle three enjoyable Food movies: the incredible animated Pixar film Ratatouille, a romantic comedy revolving around two chefs in New York, and a sweet movie about two Italian brothers who own a restaurant in the 1950s.

In the spirit of the holiday season, Leonard and Baron discuss three Holiday films: the classic Black and White film Miracle on 34th Street, a Christmas movie that doesn't hit the bullseye, and a continental sleeper that you must put on your list. Along the way, they'll spread some holiday cheer as they talk about other Christmas classics.

Triggered by the release of the new DreamWorks animated feature Penguins of Madagascar, this week Leonard and Baron discuss three other feature-length cartoons: a Disney classic that will make you cry, a big CGI movie that looks great but doesn't do a good job of storytelling, and a unique, wonderfully wacky sleeper called A Town Called Panic.

Inspired by the release of Horrible Bosses 2, Leonard and Baron return this week to talk about sequels: the good, the bad, and the ugly. They'll explain why they don't like the idea of sequels in general, before citing a notable exception, Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 2. They also discuss a terrible sequel (complete with a bad subtitle), and a horror/slasher sequel that's improbably good given its pedigree.