How important is logic in a movie? Does it matter more with the scientific rules of the story? Or with the motivations of the movie's characters? Rafer and Kristen contemplate questions of logic, as well as issues of family in this week's Movie Date. On the chopping block: Christopher Nolan's outer space story of humanity and heroism, "Interstellar"; "Horns," starring Daniel Radcliffe as a young man who resembles the devil; and "Big Hero 6," which centers on a robotics prodigy and his big, puffy...
Nov 07, 2014•33 min•Ep. 264
It's a haunted Halloween Movie Date with a wide range of creepy options, from an amnesia suspense flick to a sociopath-centered thriller. Nicole Kidman wakes up confused about who she is and where she is every single day in "Before I Go to Sleep." Jake Gyllenhaal is willing to cross the line as he chases down ambulances in "Nightcrawler." And Keira Knightly hangs out with kids half her age, and sleeps with a man twice her age in "Laggies." The strangeness continues in this week's Sweatpants conv...
Oct 31, 2014•37 min•Ep. 263
It's a week when real men are being pushed to their limits, on the football field ("23 Blast"), on the world stage ("Citizenfour"), and in a universe where mobsters kill puppies ("John Wick"). In addition to the new releases, Kristen and Rafer also weigh in on two picks you can watch at home, in their weekly Sweatpants segment. Plus, special guest Jason Schwartzman, of "Rushmore," "Grand Budapest Hotel," and "Saving Mister Banks" fame stops by to discuss his new film, "Listen Up, Philip." And, a...
Oct 24, 2014•35 min•Ep. 262
It's a rage-filled week on the newest Movie Date podcast, as Rafer and Kristen delve into race relations, child abuse, career angst, and war. Up for review: "Dear White People," from first-time filmmaker Justin Simien; the newest Nicholas Sparks adaptation, "The Best of Me"; the comeback within a comeback film, "Birdman"; and the Brad Pitt-led World War II film, "Fury." But it's not all anger and rage this week. There's also Movie Therapy for a listener feeling the stress of home renovations. Pl...
Oct 17, 2014•38 min•Ep. 261
This week, Robert Downey, Jr. and Robert Duvall team up as a dysfunctional father and son in "The Judge." Bill Murray reminds us of why he's a lousy babysitter in "St. Vincent." And Jeremy Renner reminds us not to "Kill The Messenger." If that's not enough miserable jerkiness for you, we also talk abusive teachers - both real and fictional - with Damien Chazelle, writer and director of the new film, "Whiplash." Stick around long enough, and you'll also be treated to some angry voices in this wee...
Oct 10, 2014•27 min•Ep. 260
There's a lot to be afraid of this week: the rapture, homicidal husbands, the internet, and, of course, dolls. That's because, Rafer and Kristen and are reviewing "Left Behind," "Gone Girl," "Men Women & Children," and "Annabelle." They also help a listener who loves watching Halloween movies in the lead-up to Halloween...but needs suggestions of films where Halloween actually factors into the story line. And, as always, there's trivia! 28 Halloween Movies for our Movie Therapy Patient Movie...
Oct 03, 2014•35 min•Ep. 259
Rafer and Kristen never could have imagined 1980s TV shows like "The Equalizer" being made into feature films. What's next? "Simon and Simon"? "Three's Company"? But they try their best to approach the new Denzel Washington film with open minds. Also up for review: "Boxtrolls," the new children's movie about small creatures trying to survive in a world that doesn't want them and "The Two Faces of January," a thriller starring Viggo Mortenson, Kirsten Dunst, and Oscar Isaac. Dan Pashman, host of ...
Sep 26, 2014•30 min•Ep. 258
Rafer thinks it's a week for people on film to take personal responsibility for their lives. But not all of them seem up for the task. The members of the Altman family need to tell the truth and make peace with each other in "This is Where I Leave You." A podcaster needs to face a strange challenger in "Tusk." A former cop must commit crimes to fight crimes in "A Walk Among the Tombstones." And a group of teenage boys must take control of their lives and free themselves of what cages them in "Th...
Sep 19, 2014•35 min•Ep. 257
Rafer thinks it's a red-letter week for women in the movies (if you count dolphins). Kristen's not so sure. Of course, there are other disagreements as well: like, what is a real crisis in a marriage? And why would a suburban mom become BFFs with a teenager? Up for debate: "Dolphin Tale 2," "The Drop," "The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby," and "Kelly and Cal." Rafer and Kristen also offer up some Movie Therapy to a listener who's sending her only daughter off to college. And, as usual, there's t...
Sep 12, 2014•32 min•Ep. 256
This week's Movie Date podcast starts with questions, ends with questions, and of course there are plenty of questions in between. Like: What really happened during the fall of Saigon? Was Elvis Jewish? And are voiceovers ever okay? On the chopping block are "Last Days in Vietnam," "The Identical," and (by popular demand) "Snowpiercer." The Movie Date team also shares a snippet of Kristen's Soundcheck interview with Stuart Murdoch, lead singer and songwriter of Belle & Sebastian and director...
Sep 05, 2014•35 min•Ep. 255
Fall 2014 movie season is right around the corner, and the Movie Date team is geared up with ten of the movies they're most looking forward to. Rafer's Picks The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby (September 12) Jimi: All is By My Side (Sepbember 26) Whiplash (October 10) Interstellar (November 7) Foxcatcher (November 14) Kristen's Picks Gone Girl (October 3) The Theory of Everything (November 7) The Interview (December 25) This is Where I Leave You (September 12) Annie (December 19) Subscribe to th...
Aug 29, 2014•29 min•Ep. 254
Sometimes it feels like the only thing you can say at the end of a movie is: "Nothing to see here. Move on." And sometimes that feeling applies to every single movie in the theatre. This is one of those weeks. On the chopping block:"If I Stay," "Sin City: A Dame to Kill For," and "What If." Kristen and Rafer also discuss "When the Game Stands Tall" with guest review/sports writer/former athlete Ibrahim Abdul-Matin . And, as always, there's trivia! Subscribe to the Movie Date podcast, like Movie ...
Aug 21, 2014•31 min•Ep. 253
Rafer and Kristen are having a tough week; the kind of week that has them tag-teaming three movies in one day and quoting lines from "Splash." But they try their best to keep their energy up as they review four of this week's movie releases: "Let's Be Cops," "The Expendables 3," "The Giver," and "Frank." They also respond to a listener who's starved for some clever modern remakes of ancient stories. And, as always, there's trivia! Subscribe to the Movie Date podcast, like Movie Date on Facebook,...
Aug 14, 2014•30 min•Ep. 252
Let's just warn you upfront: This week's episode of Movie date includes singing by Kristen, which is pretty terrible. But does anyone sound good when they're singing the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" theme song? Probably not. In addition to singing, there's also some TMNT history and analysis (as well as lots of laughs), courtesy of Scott Rosenberg of AM New York (Movie Date's resident comic book expert). Rafer and Kristen also tackle the new natural disaster movie "Into the Storm" and the food...
Aug 08, 2014•27 min•Ep. 251
This week's Movie Date podcast is dedicated to two men named James: James Brown, who's depicted in the new biopic "Get On Up" and James Franco , who directs the new film, "Child of God." James Brown expert Robert Baird, of Stereophile , helps Rafer and Kristen take a closer look at the former. And the real James Franco, along with actor Scott Haze, talks with the Movie Date team about the latter. Rounding things out are reviews of two of the most highly anticipated films of summer: "Sharknado 2:...
Aug 01, 2014•30 min•Ep. 250
In this week's Movie Date podcast, Rafer and Kristen review Woody Allen's new romantic comedy, "Magic in the Moonlight," Rob Reiner's "And So It Goes," and the new Scarlett Johansson sci-fi flick, "Lucy." They also offer some Move Therapy to a listener who's recovering from cancer, and in need of films that don't mention cancer. And, as usual, there's trivia! Subscribe to the Movie Date podcast, like Movie Date on Facebook, follow Kristen on Twitter, and leave a message for Rafer and Kristen any...
Jul 25, 2014•29 min•Ep. 249
In this week's Movie Date podcast, Rafer and Kristen review "Sex Tape," "Planes: Fire and Rescue," and "The Purge: Anarchy." They also talk with very special guest Mandy Patinkin about his new film, "Wish I Was Here," and about what all his projects have in common. Subscribe to the Movie Date podcast, like Movie Date on Facebook, follow Kristen on Twitter, and leave a message for Rafer and Kristen anytime at 571-7MOVIES (571-766-8437)....
Jul 18, 2014•29 min•Ep. 248
Rafer and Kristen grapple with serious questions about life and death as they review "Life Itself," "Boyhood," and "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes." "Life Itself" looks at the life and final days of the esteemed film critic Roger Ebert. Richard Linklater's "Boyhood" was shot over the course of twelve years, using all the same cast members, and tells the story of one family, and their son in particular. And "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" continues the story of humans versus nature which began i...
Jul 11, 2014•25 min•Ep. 247
In this week's Movie Date podcast, Rafer and Kristen celebrate America's birthday with movies that may or may not leave you bored on the Fourth of July. The new releases for Independence Day include: "Earth To Echo," "America," and "Tammy." Rafer and Kristen also help Hillary Frank, host of WNYC's podcast, The Longest Shortest Time , with some Movie Therapy for new moms. And, as always, there's Movie Trivia! Subscribe to the Movie Date podcast, like Movie Date on Facebook, follow Kristen on Twit...
Jul 03, 2014•30 min•Ep. 246
In this week's Movie Date podcast, Rafer and Kristen ask: When is a robot fight sequence too violent? Why is Hollywood afraid to depict abortion? Does Hollywood understand the music industry? And would a movie centering on lawn darts be a hit? It's all in honor of this week's big releases: "Transformers 4: Age of Extinction," "Obvious Child," and "Begin Again." They also offer up some Movie Therapy to a listener who's both sick and homesick. And, as always, there's Movie Trivia! Big thanks this ...
Jun 26, 2014•30 min•Ep. 245
This week's Movie Date podcast is dedicated to boys and men and broken hearts. Kristen and Rafer begin with the new Clint Eastwood film "Jersey Boys," asking whether it measures up to the Broadway musical. They then have a serious conversation about how race and gender are depicted in the media with Oscar nominee Tarji P. Henson, Golden Globe nominee Michael Ealy, and producer Will Packer (of "Think Like A Man Too"). They wrap things up with a Movie Therapy question for all the folks out there n...
Jun 20, 2014•30 min•Ep. 244
In this week's Movie Date podcast, Rafer and Kristen look at two movies focused on best friends who always have each others' backs: "How to Train Your Dragon 2" and "22 Jump Street." Helping them mull over the debatably homophobic humor of the latter is Eric Sasson, columnist behind the Wall Street Journal's CTRL-ALT column. Rafer and Kristen also dedicate some time to a listener in need of some Father's Day related Movie Therapy. And, as always, there's trivia!...
Jun 13, 2014•29 min•Ep. 243
In this week's Movie Date podcast, Rafer and Kristen explore the theme of survival: against aliens and time (in "Edge of Tomorrow"), against cancer and first love (in "The Fault in Our Stars"), and against the awfulness of high school (in "Palo Alto"). Gia Coppola, writer and director of "Palo Alto," joins them, and shares some strange stories about navigating Hollywood as a Coppola, being a first-time director, and first coming into contact with James Franco (whose collection of short stories i...
Jun 06, 2014•32 min•Ep. 242
What makes a hero and hero and a villain a villain? And are the two really so different? Rafer and Kristen mull over these questions as they look at this week's big releases, which include "Maleficent" (the story of "Sleeping Beauty's" evil fairy); "A Million Ways To Die In the West" (which looks at the romance between a sheep farmer and a gun-slinging wanderer with a checkered past); and "Words and Pictures" (which centers on a teacher who's truly inspiring to his students, but an alcoholic mes...
May 29, 2014•29 min•Ep. 241
Have we been here before? Because Rafer and Kristen are feeling some serious deja vu. It's all due to the release of the third Sandler-Barrymore romantic comedy and the seventh film in the X-Men franchise. "Blended" brings Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore back together as a mis-matched pair of single parents, on a joint vacation in South Africa. "X-Men: Days of Future Past" brings the X-Men back to 1973, to stop the war on mutants before it starts. Giving Rafer and Kristen some behind-the-scenes ...
May 23, 2014•29 min•Ep. 240
In this week's Movie Date podcast, Rafer and Kristen look at the theme of immigration on film through three of this week's big releases. "The Immigrant" follows the story of a Polish woman (Marion Cotillard) who falls victim to an unscrupulous man (Joaquin Phoenix) shortly after arriving at Ellis Island at the turn of the twentieth century. "Godzilla" tells the story of a monster who leaves his home off the coast of Japan to spend some time in Hawaii and California. And "Million Dollar Arm" foll...
May 15, 2014•28 min•Ep. 239
It's an odd mix of adult humor, faith-based comedy, indie food porn, and animated family fair in this week's Movie Date podcast, as Rafer and Kristen review "Neighbors" (starring Seth Rogan and Zac Efron), "Moms' Night Out" (starring Patricia Heaton and Trace Adkins), "Chef" (starring Jon Favreau, Sofia Vergara, and Scarlett Johansson), and "Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return" (starring Lea Michele and Dan Aykroyd).
May 09, 2014•27 min•Ep. 238
In this week's Movie Date podcast, Rafer and Kristen enlist the help of a real comic book enthusiast as they review "The Amazing Spider-Man 2." Scott Rosenberg, in addition to loving superheroes, is the entertainment editor of AM New York. Rafer and Kristen also review two smaller movies: "Locke," a one-man movie starring Tom Hardy; and "Belle," a historical drama starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Tom Wilkinson, and Emily Watson.
May 02, 2014•25 min•Ep. 237
This week's Movie Date podcast is all about revenge, as Rafer and Kristen review "Brick Mansions" and "The Other Woman." "Brick Mansions" centers on a good cop (Paul Walker) who's out to kill the man who murdered his father. "The Other Woman" centers on several women (Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, Kate Upton) who've all been wronged by the same man, and set out to punish him. Additionally, Rafer and Kristen administer some Movie Therapy to a listener who needs help with an upcoming journey. And, as...
Apr 25, 2014•29 min•Ep. 236
In this week's Movie Date podcast, Rafer and Kristen grapple with two very different interpretations of life after death, in "Heaven is For Real" and "Transcendence." The first is a faith-based film based on a real memoir, starring Greg Kinnear. The second is a sci-fi thriller about the melding of mind and computer, starring Johnny Depp and Rebecca Hall. One of them has Rafer yelling about it being the worst movie of the year. The other has Kristen wondering whether Jesus really has blue-green e...
Apr 18, 2014•30 min•Ep. 235
