For the third installment of our Friendsgiving series, we welcome first-time guest and professional singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Zev Marx-Kahn to discuss Pitch Perfect (2012), which Zev first saw at age 11. It greatly inspired him to join an a capella group once he went to college a few years later, and he's able to share his first-hand experience to give some serious street cred to our movie discussion. We talk about the absolute perfection of Rebel Wilson's Fat Amy, the differences between movie a capella and real-life a capella, the short-term cultural takeover of the "Cups" song, the talented cast and equally sharp musical arrangements, the surprisingly emotional moments in this seemingly fluffy film, and which pie we prefer at our Thanksgiving feast. Aca-join us for an aca-mazing chat!

For this second episode of our Friendsgiving series, we welcome back Etta Goodridge (of previous episodes 35: Legally Blonde and 79: Wet Hot American Summer) to travel back in time to the Middle Ages to solve a monastery mystery with Sean Connery and Christian Slater in The Name of the Rose! We discuss the connections between Connery's William of Baskerville and greatest of all literary detectives Sherlock Holmes, references to the seven deadly sins, F. Murray Abraham's chilling performance as evil Inquisitor Bernardo Gui, Ron Perlman's full commitment to the disgusting role of Salvatore, the accuracy of the history and philosophy underpinning the screenplay, and what exactly was the deal with medieval monk hairdos. Meet us in the secret library for a great discussion!

For the month of November, we're throwing a four-episode Friendsgiving celebration and inviting friends old and new to talk about some of their favorite films! We start with welcoming returning guest Frank Bonanno to discuss the Steve Martin/Rick Moranis mob movie My Blue Heaven, a de facto comedic sequel to Goodfellas (which came out a few weeks later). Writer Nora Ephron was married to Henry Hill biographer Nicholas Pileggi during the writing of Wiseguy and took real stories of Hill's time in witness protection as inspiration for her screenplay. We talk about the Goodfellas connections, the crazy casting process that at one point had Arnold Schwarzenegger playing mobster Vinnie Antonelli, Joan Cusack's excellent work as prosecutor Hannah Stubbs - who holds her own toe to toe with Martin's Antonelli and Moranis's Barney Coopersmith, the difficulties of finding good Italian food in certain parts of the country, and the idea of a heaven populated by mobsters in witness protection. Let's hit the dance floor and do the merengue--don't forget to overtip your server!

For the second of our DisComfort Films episodes for Halloween month, we’re joined by special guest and real life pal Cathleen Mortensen Bittner to discuss the one and only Stephen King adaptation directed by the man himself, Maximum Overdrive! Though this gory, darkly humorous film has never received its due from critics, all three of us consider it a masterpiece of cartoonish, near-slapstick horror. We discuss King’s director influences from Hitchcock to Romero, the hard-hitting AC/DC-dominated soundtrack, the Cold War as a backdrop to this and many other 80s films, Brat Pack star Emilio Estevez’s ex-con hero Bill Robinson, the questionably criminal background of Bubba Hendershot (Pat Hingle), the role of anxiety in horror, and the movie’s many excellent practical effects, including the very angry soda machine. Keep a close eye on your appliances and join us to explore the question, “Who made who?”

It's October again--that time of year when comfort gives way to DIScomfort, the fog rolls in, the slashers sharpen their blades, and we gleefully indulge in rewatching some of our spooky season favorites! First up, we're talking about Shaun of the Dead, an Edgar Wright/Simon Pegg collaboration and the first of the Cornetto trilogy, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. This horror comedy has a Ph.D. in zombie movie trivia, and as zombie aficionados ourselves, that puts it right up our alley! We talk about the Pegg/Wright script and its many references to Romero, Carpenter, and other classic horror. We discuss the use of foreshadowing, perfectly timed music sequences, the intersection of horror and humor, the Shaun and Ed bromance, and how a zombie apocalypse is just the type of growth event Shaun needs to rattle him out of his rut. Head on down to the Winchester and give us a listen -- pints are on us!

Have you ever had one of the those days when you just wanted to stop the world and have an adventure with your best friends? We know that we sure have! Along with special guest Jessica Sandidge we dive back in time to reminisce about the blissful freedom of high school skip days as we discuss the John Hughes classic Ferris Bueller's Day Off. We ask the important questions, like if Ferris is a good friend, how do you know when a prank has gone too far, is Ferris just Duckie from Pretty in Pink with financial privilege, and why did Jeannie get a car when Ferris only got a computer? In this episode we pack in more topics than Ferris Bueller can pack activities into a day off. Grab a drink, kick up your feet, and have a laugh with us because as Ferris Bueller said "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." Don't miss this awesome episode!

School just started, but we're already ready for a couple of skip days! First off, we're joining Riff Randell (PJ Soles) and The Ramones to take on Principal Togar (Mary Woronov) and her fascist high school administration in this cult classic midnight movie from executive producer and B-movie godfather Roger Corman. We discuss the surprisingly long and complex process of script development, director Allan Arkush's musical pedigree, high school rebellion, lots of behind-the-scenes stories, movie connections and influences, and of course, the music and on-set antics of The Ramones. Come make a black mark on your permanent record with us!

We've got a golden ticket! For the second of our duo of kids' classics, we're indulging in a sweet treat - Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory! We discuss Roald Dahl's wildly imaginative source novel, art director Harper Goff's fantastical visual interpretations of Wonka's candy factory wonderland, the unforgettable soundtrack, the real-life candy bar tie-in to the film, and the incredible cast, including the absolutely incomparable Gene Wilder, who brought heart, soul, and just the right amount of insanity to the title role. Come with me, and you'll be in a world of pure imagination!