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Episode 157 - We are back again on a quick turnaround for the second part of Bresson-tober, a month long celebration of the spooky season through the films of French minimalist director Robert Bresson. This week we watch and discuss A Man Escaped (1957) where we spend a lot of time watching a man escaping. Tune in for the fun, and tune in next week for Pickpocket (1959). email us at [email protected]

Episode 156 - Pack your bags! It's October so that must mean we are headed to... 1950's France? Yes, that's right. Pete is going against the grain this month and celebrating the spooky season by diving into the French minimalist films of director Robert Bresson. Why? Because it's Pete. For week 1 we are watching Diary of a Country Priest (1951). Tune in for lots of religious talk... and lots of face talk. And tune in soon for week 2 and our discussion of A Man Escaped (1956)

Episode 155 - Pack your bags, we are headed to Columbia during the height of its cartel run soccer program. This is the final week of Renzo’s residency here at MRAC for the month of War Sports: On Invasion Games and “Politics by other means.” This week we return to the sport of soccer and the influence Pablo Escobar had on Columbian soccer and international politics. And we get some bonus material of what we all watched separately for supplementals. It was a great wrap to the month, and then Pete had to go and ruin October again with his choice of non-spooky season theme. So tune in next week for the first week of Bresson month, when we will watch and discuss something French from the 1950s. email us at [email protected]

Pack your bags, and make sure you pack a swimsuit because we will be in the pool this week in Russian occupied Hungary in the 1950s. We are mixing it up here at MRAC and spending the month watching sports documentaries that include the subplot of international war politics. The title for this month is War Sports: On Invasion Games and “Politics by other means.” We once again welcome back Renzo for his residency for Freedom's Fury (2006) and our discussion about Water Polo, post WW2 Hungary, the rise of authoritarianism and totalitarianism in Europe, anti-Semitism, “socialist football”, the relationship between “top-down” and “bottom-up” development, the power of identity. Plus peanut butter! email us at [email protected]

Episode 153 - Pack your bags! We are headed to Naples, Italy to discuss the life and career of Diego Maradona. Renzo joins us once again to host week 2 of War Sports: On Invasion Games and "Politics by Other means." This week's highlighted sport is soccer, but the subplots running through this discussion are the the Falklands War , the deification of the athlete, and the impact cocaine and organized crime can have on your sports career. Join us for this discussion, and join us next week as we turn our attention to water polo and other topics when we watch Freedom's Fury (2006) email us at [email protected]

Pack your bags, and make sure you dress warmly because we will be on the ice this week in both Canada and Russia. We are mixing it up here at MRAC and spending the month watching sports documentaries that include the subplot of international war politics. The title for this month is War Sports: On Invasion Games and “Politics by other means.” And as an added bonus, this month is cohosted by old friend to MRAC and brother of one of the members, Renzo. We welcome back Renzo who curated this month along with Marco. Week 1's focus is on hockey and more specifically the Cold War, sport as a reflection of ethos, fences and neighbors, sport as an expression of national greatness, and befriending your enemies. All of that jam packed into an hour and a half. We hope you enjoy. Tune in next week where we watch Diego Maradona (2019) among other things, and shift our focus to soccer (and other things). email us at [email protected]

Episode 151 - This week we put a big fat drippy wet 90's industrial bow on the Alien Franchise with the final two films following in chronological order of when they are set. By that timeline it means we are ending with Alien3 (1992) and Alien Resurrection (1997). There were a lot of hot takes coming from all angles. Marco may or may not have been broken after mistakenly watching the Assembly Cut of Alien3.. But we all had a blast so tune in for the fun. And Marco's battery will surely be recharged as he cohosts next month with his brother Renzo. Next month's title is "War Sports,: On Invasion Games and Politic by Other Means" and the month will be willed with sports documentaries and countries at war. If you want to know more about what that entails you're going to have to tune in. Also don't forget to take the poll. Vote for QQ or Caifu as Top Cat. You can also email your vote and other inquiries to [email protected]

Episode 150 - It's our 150th episode! and once again in classic MRAC fashion we forgot to mention it, even though someone made a note of it to mention. Well nonetheless it was an epic conversation for another epic episode with an epic special guest. This week we welcome back friend of the pod Raghoul from Headlong into Monsters to discuss one of the best sequels ever made: Aliens (1986) directed by the great James Cameron. While not all of us agree on the level of its greatness, Raul more than makes up for it by bringing the much derived love to this installment in the franchise. Tune in for this, and tune in next week as we wrap up the month with Alien 3, and Alien Resurrection. And don't forget to vote below in the poll for QQ or Caifu to get entered in our contest. You can also email your vote to [email protected] and check out Raul at Headlong into Monsters, and Metalwork and Monsters on social media.

Episode 149 - We are finally here in our timeline at the OG Alien (1979). This one is a classic and not much more needs to be said about it. But we did go over 2 hours for this one. In addition to the original Alien we discussed Alien: Romulus (2024) for a bit, as well as the series Alien: Earth. We hope you enjoy this one as we nerd out on Alien. We might as well be wearing Dan O'Bannon suspenders and bow tie. And a disclaimer to all you true Alien nerds out there... we are not experts. Tune in next week when we discuss Aliens (1986). And don't forget to take the Top Cat poll at our Alien: Covenant discussion. Vote for QQ or Caifu and automatically be entered in our contest. you can also email your vote to [email protected]

Episode 148 - This week we continue our coverage of the Alien franchise chronologically in the order they take place in the Alien Universe. Alien Covenant is the follow-up to Prometheus and the second "pseudo prequel" to Alien. It follows the crew of a colony ship as they receive a signal from a planet that is not their destination. And we know how it goes in this franchise when you deviate from the plan. Join us for this in depth discussion. And tune in next week as we discuss the original Alien (1979), and Alien Romulus (2024) AND we have a poll Vote for QQ or Caifu as Top Cat to enter your name in a drawing to win an MRAC club card to appear on MRAC, OR a Subway Sub Card. The poll will be ongoing until 12/31/2026 or you can email your vote to [email protected]

Episode 147 - Pack your bags, are headed to deep space this month to embark on a journey through the Alien franchise. We are doing this chronologically in order of when the films take place, so we are starting with Prometheus (2012). Prometheus is the first of two current prequels to the original Alien (1979). It follows a group of scientists as they explore a far away planet where they are hoping to meet the makers of humankind. Will they they find the answers they are looking for? Tune in to find out (or better yet just watch the movie) and listen as we break this one down. And tune in next week for Alien Covenant (2017) email us at [email protected]

Episode 146 - Pack your bags and get ready to leave Los Angeles (and Earth) as we put a sleazy bow on LA Summer of Sleaze. We wrap up the month by watching and discussing Walking the Edge (1985) a low budget exploitation revenge film starring Robert Forster as a cab driver assisting Nancy Kwan in her mission to avenge the death of her husband and child at the hands of Joe Spinell and others. We also teased some supplemental talk about The Boys Next Door (1985) but we did not get to that. We did however find out our theme for next month when we dive into the Alien franchise in order of when the films take place. So join us next week as we watch and discuss Prometheus (2012) email us at [email protected]

Episode 145 - The LA Summer of Sleaze continues with more bed time stories filled with grimy revenge. This week we watch and discuss the cut classic Savage Streets (1984) which stars Linda Blair as a crossbow wielding vixen hell bent on vengeance. The recipient of said vengeance is a local gang headed by the razor blade earringed Robert Dryer. This is the exemplar of sleazy 80's LA cult film and to do it justice we are joined once again by the legendary Barely Ashley. Ashley brings her knowledge of exploitation film as well as a love of cult film to this discussion. Join us for all the sleazy fun. And join us next time as we wrap up LA Summer of Sleaze with Walking the Edge (1985) email us at [email protected]

Episode 144 - This week we have a double feature of early 80's LA Sleaze, with Vice Squad (1982), and Angel (1983). Both of these films have a lot of similarities; a prostitute protagonist, the setting of the Hollywood strip, a savage killer. But while these elements unite the film there are clear differences in tone which sets them apart. Join us as we discuss these two films and dive deeper into the LA sleaze. And join us next week as we are joined by special guest Barely Ashley to discuss Savage Streets (1984). email us at [email protected]

Episode 143 - Pack your bags, we are headed to the city of lights Los Angeles circa early 1980's for the month. It's July and we are doing an LA Summer of Sleaze, looking at exploitation films set in Los Angeles from 1982-1985. For the first week we are focusing more on Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) and the Death Wish franchise, focusing on Death Wish II (1982). Death Wish II features Kersey after he's moved to LA with his daughter following the events of the first Death Wish which took place in New York City. Kersey returns to his vigilante ways in the sequel and once again looks for revenge. Tune in for this one as we dive deep in Death Wish II. And tune in next week for a double feature: Vice Squad (1982) and Angel (1983) email us at [email protected]