Cube Critics Max Sparber and Alex V. Cipolle discuss a film about a Minnesota legend and … they really don’t know what. The following are capsule reviews edited from the audio heard using the player above. Click here. ‘The Claw’ This documentary should be distinguished from another recently reviewed title, “The Iron Claw,” a tragic look at a southern wrestling family. This is the Minnesota Nice version. “ The Claw ” is a heartwarming dive into the life of Jim Raschke, better known as Baron von R...
Apr 26, 2024•4 min
Cube Critics Jacob Aloi and Max Sparber discuss a return to a 1980s franchise and an Estonian hard rock martial arts comedy. Click here. The following are capsule reviews edited from the audio heard using the player above. ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” is a vintage continuation of the beloved franchise, directly following the 2021 sequel, “Ghostbusters: Afterlife.” This installment recaptures the spirit of the original 1980s series, featuring a plot where an ancient...
Apr 19, 2024•3 min
Cube Critics Max Sparber and Alex V. Cipolle discuss documentaries featured at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival , “No One Asked You” and “The Fishing Hat Bandit.” Plus a web- and podcast-only extra roundtable of other MSPIFF films, featuring Alex V. Cipolle, Caitlyn Speier and Jacob Aloi. The following are capsule reviews edited from the the audio heard using the player above. Click here. ‘No One Asked You’ “ No One Asked You ” is a compelling documentary about Minneapolis-bo...
Apr 12, 2024•11 min
Cube Critics Jacob Aloi and Alex V. Cipolle review “Dream Scenario” and “Kung Fu Panda 4.” The following is a transcription of the audio heard using the player above, lightly edited for clarity. MPR News senior arts reporter and critic Alex V. Cipolle : “Dream Scenario.” MPR News arts reporter Jacob Aloi: (Simultaneously) “Kung Fu Panda 4.” Both : 3.2.1. Cipolle: Mystic. Aloi: (Simultaneously) Dustin Hoffman? I feel like Nic Cage has been in a movie with Dustin Hoffman. They’ve both been around ...
Apr 05, 2024•4 min
Cube Critics Matt Mikus and Aron Woldeslassie review “Damsel” and “Love Lies Bleeding.” The following is a transcription of the audio heard using the player above, lightly edited for clarity. Click here. MPR News associate producer Aron Woldeslassie: Matt, I gotta ask: How did you end up surviving the two-day snowstorm? MPR News digital producer Matt Mikus: Eating lots of very warm food. Also had to shovel a lot which was kind of a pain. Woldeslassie: I’m Aron Woldeslassie. Mikus: I’m Matt Mikus...
Mar 29, 2024•3 min
Cube Critics Regina Medina and Alex V. Cipolle review “Shōgun” and “The Regime.” The following is a transcription of the audio heard using the player above, lightly edited for clarity. Click here. MPR News senior arts reporter and critic Alex V. Cipolle: Why did you want to watch this show in the first place? Like, what what drew you into it? MPR News correspondent Regina Medina: It wasn’t even the trailer. It was, like, what’s going on here? Cipolle: I’m Alex V. Cipolle. Medina: I’m Regina Medi...
Mar 22, 2024•3 min
Cube Critics Jacob Aloi and Kyra Miles disagree about Netflix’s live-action “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” The following is a transcription of the audio heard using the player above, lightly edited for clarity. Click here. MPR News reporter Jacob Aloi: You can say “half-assed,” “you can say “kick-ass,” you can say “worked my ass off,” you just can’t say [BEEP] like, or refer to your [BEEP]. And with that, my name is Jacob Aloi. MPR early education reporter Kyra Miles: And I’m Kyra Miles. Aloi: An...
Mar 15, 2024•4 min
Cube Critics Alex V. Cipolle and Aron Woldeslassie discuss the final season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and a new comedy special from Jenny Slate. The following is a transcription of the audio heard using the player above, lightly edited for clarity. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cube-critics/id525807831?mt=2 MPR News senior reporter and critic Alex V. Cipolle: Richard Lewis recently passed. And he is, crazy enough, buried in Roseville. MPR associate producer Aron Woldeslassie: Do we know ...
Mar 08, 2024•4 min
Cube Critics Max Sparber and Aron Woldeslassie discuss a quirky Ethan Coen film, “Drive-Away Dolls” and a unique adaptation of “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” as a series; plus, performer Bill Irwin’s deep dive into Samuel Beckett’s legacy, connecting vaudeville to the playwright’s profound influence. The following is a transcription of the audio heard using the player above, lightly edited for clarity. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts or RSS . MPR Arts Editor Max Sparber: Aron, “ Mr. & Mr...
Mar 01, 2024•7 min
Cube Critics Jacob Aloi and Sam Stroozas discuss “Madame Web” and “The Iron Claw.” The following is a transcription of the audio heard using the player above, lightly edited for clarity. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts or RSS . MPR News Art Reporter Jacob Aloi: This movie was so horrible, like I can’t even like begin to describe how much I hated this movie, and I paid money to see it. And with that, my name is Jacob Aloi. MPR News Digital Producer Sam Stroozas: And I’m Sam Stroozas...
Feb 23, 2024•4 min
Cube Critics Jacob Aloi and Max Sparber discuss “Finding Her Beat” and “Marmalade.” Plus a Cube Critics extra: An interview with taiko drummer Jennifer Weir. The following is a transcription of the audio heard using the player above, lightly edited for clarity. MPR News Arts Editor Max Sparber: Jacob, what did you see? MPR News Arts Reporter Jacob Aloi: Okay, hang on, wait! Max Sparber! And with that, I’m Jacob Aloi. Sparber: And I’m Max Sparber. Both: This is Cube Critics! Aloi : So, Max, I wat...
Feb 16, 2024•13 min
Cube Critics Jacob Aloi and Max Sparber discuss “Argylle” and “Meat Raffle.” Plus a Cube Critics extra: An interview with “Meat Raffle” filmmaker Aimee Chenal. The following is a transcription of the audio heard using the player above, lightly edited for clarity. MPR Arts Reporter Jacob Aloi: I’m Jacob Aloi MPR Arts Editor Max Sparber: And I’m Max Sparber. Aloi: And you’re listening to Cube Critics. Sparber: Cube Critics. Aloi : And then the (hums theme music) Sparber: Music starts. We dance. Al...
Feb 09, 2024•7 min
Cube Critics Jacob Aloi and Lukas Levin discuss their differing opinions about the Disney+ series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians.” The following is a transcription of the audio heard using the player above, lightly edited for clarity. MPR Producer Lukas Levin: The main difference between this and Harry Potter is that Harry Potter maintains a lot of whimsy. MPR Arts Reporter Jacob Aloi: So, Lukas, this week we both watched “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” which is an adaptation of the popular...
Feb 02, 2024•4 min
Cube Critics Jacob Aloi and Max Sparber discuss “Echo” and “Wild At Heart.” Plus a Cube Critics extra: An interview with the Chief of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Gary Batton. The following is a transcription of the audio heard using the player above, lightly edited for clarity. MPR News Arts Editor Max Sparber: Howdy Howdy. MPR News Arts Reporter Jacob Aloi: I don’t know what we should do for our little — Oh! Oscars! We should talk about the Oscars. So you know, the Oscars nominations just c...
Jan 26, 2024•7 min
Cube Critic Alex V. Cipolle discusses the new season of “True Detective”; guest critic Regina Medina discusses “Slow Horses.” The following is a transcription of the audio heard using the player above, lightly edited for clarity. MPR News Senior Arts Reporter and Critic Alex V. Cipolle: You can basically smell him through the screen. MPR News Correspondent Regina Medina: Yes. Cipolle : Not the best hygiene. Medina : No, he doesn't like to shower. Cipolle : So, Regina, we both watched detective s...
Jan 19, 2024•4 min
The following is a transcription of the audio heard using the player above. MPR News producer Matt Alvarez enters. MPR News arts reporter Jacob Aloi: Matt Alvarez. Now take your time. MPR News arts editor Max Sparber: No hurry. Aloi: We’re just kind of chillin’. Sparber: Chillaxing. Aloi: I want to be so clear: Never say that again. So, Max Sparber, this week I saw “American Fiction” starring Jeffrey Wright. It’s actually based on a novel, which I did not know. It’s a meta-novel called “Erasure....
Jan 12, 2024•4 min
Cube Critics Alex V. Cipolle and Nina Moini look at documentaries about cults: “Escaping Twin Flames,” “Desperately Seeking Soulmate” and “Love Has Won.”
Jan 05, 2024•4 min
MPR News Cube Critics Jacob Aloi and Kyra Miles review “Anyone But You” and “The Color Purple.”
Dec 29, 2023•4 min
Cube Critics Max Sparber and Aron Woldeslassie discuss season five of “Fargo” and the film “Maestro”
Dec 15, 2023•3 min
Cube Critics Jacob Aloi and Max Sparber review "The Boy and the Heron" and "Godzilla Minus One."
Dec 08, 2023•4 min
Cube Critics Jacob Aloi and Aron Woldeslassie review “Scott Pilgrim Takes Off” and “Scavengers Reign.”
Dec 01, 2023•3 min
Cube Critics Jacob Aloi and Max Sparber review Thanksgiving horror films "Thanksgiving" and "Blood Rage," plus a bonus podcast review of "Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes"
Nov 24, 2023•5 min
Arts reporter Jacob Aloi and original Cube Critic Stephanie Curtis review "The Marvels" and "Saltburn."
Nov 17, 2023•4 min
Cube Critics Alex V. Cipolle and Max Sparber discuss “Fingernails” and “Priscilla.”
Nov 10, 2023•4 min
Cube Critics Jacob Aloi and Aron Woldeslassie discuss “Five Nights at Freddy’s” and “I Am Not for Everybody.”
Nov 03, 2023•4 min
Cube Critics Jacob Aloi and Max Sparber discuss “The Burial” and “Killers of the Flower Moon.”
Oct 27, 2023•4 min
Cube Critics Alex V. Cipolle and Max Sparber attend two haunted houses: Onionhead’s Revenge at the Mall of America and Nowhere Haunted House in Inver Grove Heights, Minn.
Oct 20, 2023•4 min
Cube Critics Alex V. Cipolle and Aron Woldeslassie discuss “The Exorcist: Believer” and “Lessons in Chemistry.”
Oct 13, 2023•4 min
Cube Critics Jacob Aloi and Max Sparber discuss “The Creator” and “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar.”
Oct 06, 2023•4 min
Cube Critics Jacob Aloi, Alex V. Cipolle and Max Sparber discuss “One Piece,” ”Krapopolis” and “Cassandro”
Sep 29, 2023•5 min
