The Weekly Movie Throwdown

This week on the show, Mike and Steven returning to their Rewatch & Reconsider series with a title Steven thinks could stand the test of time. From 1985, it's Moving Violations, a forgotten comedy that found a second life on HBO, but eventually went back into obscurity. Co-written and directed by Neal Israel of Police Academy fame, this story of a wacky anti-authoritarian and his band of bad-driving misfits is a fun romp of the eighties variety. Does it hold up to Steven's memory of it? Listen to find out!PROGRAMMING NOTE:This is our last episode of 2025. But we'll be back at the start of 2026 with a brand new format, where instead of just reviewing one film that fits our monthly theme, we'll be comparing two films in a "movie throwdown" to determine which one is better. It's going to be a lot of fun, and we need your help. Follow us at the social handles below so that you can vote to help us decide:Threads: @moviethrowdownpodInstagram: @moviethrowdownpodFacebook: @moviethrowdownpodTikTok: @moviethrowdownpod

On this week's episode Mike and Steven discuss The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, an impeccable noir film that touches on many of the genre's hallmark tropes: nihilism, murder, the past, deception, and blackmail. Barbara Stanwyck stars as the titular Martha Ivers, who carries a secret from childhood into her adult life. Alongside her are Oscar winner Van Heflin and, in his first on-screen role, Kirk Douglas!And in the news segment this week:Hamnet and Steven SpielbergOpening bids to buy Warner Bros.____________________On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________WE’D LOVE TO CONNECT!Please drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com, and follow us on social media:Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/moviethrowdown/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moviethrowdownpod/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@moviethrowdownpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moviethrowdownpodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/moviethrowdownpod/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MovieThrowdownPodWebsite: https://moviethrowdownpod.com

On this week's episode Mike and Steven return to Veronica Lake during November Noir Month, and examine her second big film with Alan Ladd, The Blue Dahlia. This noir classic is a great look at post-war trauma, urbanization, and . . . murder. And in the news segment this week:ShowgirlsJohn Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein to helm Star Trek____________________On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________WE’D LOVE TO CONNECT!Please drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com, and follow us on social media:Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/moviethrowdown/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moviethrowdownpod/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@moviethrowdownpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moviethrowdownpodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/moviethrowdownpod/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MovieThrowdownPodWebsite: https://moviethrowdownpod.com

Noir November rolls on with one that's a bit controversial. Clash By Night, Fritz Lang's 1952 tale of dissatisfaction and adultery starring Barbara Stanwyck, Robert Ryan, and Marilyn Monroe, is often questioned for its noirness. There are hallmark elements of the genre (despair, deception, violence), but it lacks one of the big ones: murder. So while some people think it could be classified as noir, others disagree. Listen to the episode to find out what Mike and Steven think!And in the news segment this week:Slow Box OfficeAdam Greenberg____________________On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________WE’D LOVE TO CONNECT!Please drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com, and follow us on social media:Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/moviethrowdown/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moviethrowdownpod/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@moviethrowdownpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moviethrowdownpodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/moviethrowdownpod/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MovieThrowdownPodWebsite: https://moviethrowdownpod.com

It's November, which means Mike and Steven are talking noir on the show. This time around they're focusing on two leading ladies of the genre: Veronica Lake and Barbara Stanwyck. Things kick off with This Gun for Hire, one of the very first noir films, and the first credited role for Alan Ladd, who'd work with Veronica Lake several more times. This film is a lot of fun, and the discussion is great, so check it out!And in the news segment this week:Taylor SheridanBox Office Massacre____________________On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________WE’D LOVE TO CONNECT!Please drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com, and follow us on social media:Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/moviethrowdown/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moviethrowdownpod/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@moviethrowdownpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moviethrowdownpodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/moviethrowdownpod/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MovieThrowdownPodWebsite: https://moviethrowdownpod.com

This week on the show, Mike and Steven wrap up Not-So-Scary Horror Month with 1987's The Monster Squad. This horror-comedy is Goonies meets the Universal Monsters, co-written by Shane Black!And in the news segment this week:Animal OscarsPodcasts on Netflix____________________On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________WE’D LOVE TO CONNECT!Please drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com, and follow us on social media:Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/moviethrowdown/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moviethrowdownpod/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@moviethrowdownpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moviethrowdownpodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/moviethrowdownpod/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MovieThrowdownPodWebsite: https://moviethrowdownpod.com

On this week's episode, Mike and Steven break down the 1978 sci-fi classic, Invasion of the Body Snatchers. This film of conformity and the struggle against it is a feast for the senses, and lends itself to some great conversation. And in the news segment this week:Jim Carrey's JetsonsBox Office WoesDrew Struzan____________________On Letterboxd? Follow along with this month’s movie list here.____________________WE’D LOVE TO CONNECT!Please drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com, and follow us on social media:Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/moviethrowdown/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moviethrowdownpod/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@moviethrowdownpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moviethrowdownpodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/moviethrowdownpod/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MovieThrowdownPodWebsite: https://moviethrowdownpod.com

It's October, which means spooky season. So Mike and Steven are kicking off a month of horror discussions with a caveat: the frights in these films are few and far between. Call them horror lite. Things get kicked off with Freaky, a body-swapping horror-comedy from director Christopher Landon. It stars Kathryn Newton and Vince Vaughn, who knock it out of the park in this fun, stylish slasher story.IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK:Paywalled PeanutsTilly Norwood: Tinseltown's New AI Actress_______________________STILL TO COME THIS MONTH:10/13: 13 Ghosts (1960), dir. William Castle10/20: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), dir. Philip Kaufman10/27: The Monster Squad (1987), dir. Fred Dekker_______________________WE’D LOVE TO CONNECT!Please drop us a line at moviethrowdownpod@gmail.com, and follow us on social media:Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/moviethrowdown/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moviethrowdownpod/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@moviethrowdownpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moviethrowdownpodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/moviethrowdownpod/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MovieThrowdownPod