Ex Rated Movies
250 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 year ago - ★★★★★ - 38 ratingsA movie podcast by two guys who used to date but don't anymore. We cover a broad range of movies focusing on style, substance, and originality. Or a complete lack thereof! Come join the "fun"!
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Episodes
With a TWIST: Dykes, Camera, Action!
October 12, 2018 18:01 - 7.46 MBLooking for an absorbing documentary that highlights the contributions of women, lesbians, and people of color to the collective queer film experience? Well, look no farther than Dykes, Camera, Action!. Learn things you didn’t know you didn’t know with this brisk and engaging compendium of personal stories and radical cinema. Dykes, Camera, Action! plays Monday, October 15th at 7:15 PM at Northwest Film Forum.
With a TWIST: When the Beat Drops
October 11, 2018 19:23 - 8.39 MBIf you go to see When the Beat Drops, the dance documentary about the bucking scene in Atlanta, be sure to tighten your shoelaces because these dancers are going to knock your socks off. Energizing, lively, and just plain fun this movie is sure to sparkle and wow on the big screen. When the Beat Drops plays Sunday, October 14th at 4:30 PM at SIFF Cinema Egyptian.
With a TWIST: 1985
October 10, 2018 20:56 - 8.23 MBSet in the year of its title, and filmed in gorgeous black and white, 1985 is a coming out story that gets it right. Sweet without being saccharine, emotive without being overdramatic, this film manages to tell its story between the lines and is richer for it. 1985 plays Sunday, October 14th, at 9:30 PM at SIFF Cinema Egyptian.
With a TWIST: Week 1 Mini Reviews
October 09, 2018 20:38 - 10.5 MBThe 2018 TWIST Film Festival starts this Thursday, October 11th! We’ll take a deeper dive into some of our favorites in the coming days, but for now we’re here to whet your whistle for some of the fantastic programming that’s in store.
Episode 90 The Witches and The Addams Family
October 08, 2018 12:00 - 85.8 MBEvery 30 episodes, we celebrate an actress we love with a double feature. Every October, we celebrate our darker sides with Schlocktoberfest. There is only one woman with the magnitude of talent, charisma, and guts to fulfill both criteria. Her name is Anjelica Huston. She is a spellbinding, scene-setaling tour-de-force capable of portraying a benevolent matriarch or a malevolent enchantress. Sometimes in the same role! Join us as we consider her delightfully grim starring roles in The Witche...
With a TWIST: Interview with Ben McCarthy and Kathleen Mullen
October 02, 2018 17:49 - 19.6 MBThrilling news! We somehow managed to convince the good folks at Three Dollar Bill Cinema to make Ex Rated Movies the official podcast of the 2018 TWIST Film Festival! We’re kicking off our coverage by chatting with the executive director of Three Dollar Bill Cinema, Ben McCarthy, and the director of the festival, Kathleen Mullen. Press play to find out what TWIST is all about and keep your ears and eyes on this space for more hot quality content throughout the festival. More info here: http...
Episode 89 The Pact
October 01, 2018 13:00 - 42.5 MBWelcome to Schlocktoberfest! It’s our monthlong celebration of all things spooky scary. Check your closets and crawlspaces because we’re kicking it off with the terrifying-in-conception yet mediocre-in-execution, The Pact (2012). Finishing just behind Leprechaun 4: In Space on Matt’s list of the greatest films of all time, this cobbled-together mishmash of ideas seems more interested in finding ways to scare you than telling a coherent story. Grab a jar of floor pickles and cuddle up with you...
Episode 88 Commando
September 24, 2018 13:00 - 54 MBThis week, we managed to talk for over an hour about the all-beef-platter of a movie, Commando (1985) and somehow didn’t crack a single joke about underwearlessness. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ This movie stars a hulking Arnold Schwarzenegger whole-assing his way through a series of gun fights and property explosions that somehow add up to the second gayest movie of all time. High altitude bogs, linguini arms, and dropped pins forgotten this week on Ex Rated Movies!
Quick & Dirty 5: Mandy
September 19, 2018 16:00 - 13.9 MBAs promised, we watched Panos Cosmatos’ revenge flick, Mandy (2018). And we were lucky enough to be joined by the Lynch Pin, Jessica Baxter! Join us for a Quick and Dirty discussion on this druggy, Cage-y, and coo-coo-bananas movie.
Episode 87 Cruising
September 17, 2018 16:00 - 49.8 MBKyle Getz and Mike Johnson from the Gayish Podcast join us this week to discuss William Friedkin’s controversial police procedural, Cruising (1980). Matt flippantly (yet not inaccurately) summarizes the movie as Al Pacino putting on his best Lou Reed disguise to infiltrate the seedy underbelly of Freddie Mercury look-alike clubs. Do cops still “finger” people? Is sex on the beach actually sexy? Who won Miss Belle Bottom 1999? Answers to these questions and a fistful of Star Trek puns this wee...
Episode 86 Police Story
September 10, 2018 13:00 - 46 MBIf you appreciate people destroying their bodies for entertainment purposes, then you’ll likely enjoy the coccyx-obliterating and wince-inducing Police Story (1985). This sometimes-funny, sometimes-scary action-comedy starring and directed by Jackie Chan, features top notch stunt work and mountains of broken sugar glass. Join us as we discuss the slapstick/action link, ponder the wigs in the Hong Kong court system, and invite Liza Minnelli over for some cosmos. It’s another off-the-rails epis...
Episode 85 The Queen of Versailles
September 03, 2018 13:00 - 47.9 MBWouldn’t it be ironic if an ostentatious billionaire who made his fortune pressuring people into buying things they couldn’t afford suddenly couldn’t afford the mortgage he took out on his 90,000 square foot dream home because of the 2008 subprime mortgage crisis? Well, that’s exactly what happens in Lauren Greenfield’s rich slice-of-life documentary, The Queen of Versailles (2012). Ryan gets a lap dance, Matt becomes a teacher, and we both speculate on chad perforation machine sabotage this ...
Episode 84 Dredd
August 27, 2018 13:00 - 49.6 MBWhile everyone can agree that practical effects are best, Dredd (2012) proves that, when used well, CGI can actually enhance the viewing experience. With a tight script by Alex Garland and impressive cinematography by Anthony Dod Mantle, this dystopian Training Day manages to deliver the violent action goods while keeping the stakes tangible. Join us as we mangle some LOTR character names, slather on some Pancreo-Grow Wound Away, and give Miss Kitty 101st Court a call. It’s time for Ex Rated ...
Episode 83 Xanadu
August 20, 2018 13:00 - 47.2 MBWhile certainly not a great film, the endearing fiasco that is Xanadu (1980) is probably the definition of watchable garbage. This musical disasterpiece on rolling shoes is most notable for being Gene Kelly’s final screen appearance and for inspiring the Razzies, but it’s also got some great ELO songs, a charming animation sequence from Don Bluth Productions, and a campy lightness that adds up to a whole lotta dumb fun. Cue the clarinets and get in the backseat, baby cuz it’s time to bring ba...
Episode 82 Hard Boiled
August 13, 2018 13:00 - 44.8 MBMatt’s going action this season and he’s kicking it off with a widely-recognized high point of the genre, John Woo’s Hard Boiled (1992). Chow Yun-fat plays a rogue cop trying to break up a gun smuggling ring. But when his partner gets killed, it all becomes personal. Flying bullets, explosions, and a high body count all add up to a thoroughly enjoyable action experience. Join us as we discuss bird cafes, the bananar phenomenon, and Matt’s crippling insecurity this week on Ex Rated Movies!
Episode 81 Wild at Heart
August 06, 2018 16:00 - 50.8 MBAs a symbol of our individuality and belief in personal freedom we not only launched season nine with a guest, we also let her choose the movie! The insightful and eloquent film critic Jessica Baxter joins us to talk about David Lynch’s woefully underrated Wild at Heart (1990). Fueled by primo performances and brimming with gorgeous cinematography, this gem showcases Lynch’s many talents yet somehow remains largely accessible. Join us for some ominous tones, lodge entities, and Texas-style po...
Episode 80 The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada and Swiss Army Man
July 23, 2018 13:00 - 93.3 MBCompanionship is a vital component in making the human condition bearable. While there are many ways to depict platonic love on screen, we’ve decided to focus on the lugging-around-a-putrid-farting-corpse variety with The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005) and Swiss Army Man (2016). Join us as we discuss the symbolism of the farts, how to make a primo corpse reviver #2, and what to do with our bodies once they become corpses. It’s a bloated, flatulent double feature this week on Ex Ra...
Episode 79 Poison Ivy
July 16, 2018 13:00 - 49.5 MBOn this episode, Matt’s study of sexy shockers comes to a thrilling climax with the distinct yet divisive Poison Ivy (1992). Straddling the line between camp and sincerity, this movie tells the story of a budding sociopath, (played with fervid pluck by Drew Barrymore) who will do whatever it takes to gain a modicum of financial and familial security. Join us as we discuss Tom Skerritt’s butt, attempt some truly horrible improv, and share the link to google.com this week on Ex Rated Movies!
Episode 78 Enemy
July 09, 2018 13:00 - 44.6 MBEnemy (2013) is a movie that, depending on how you want to watch it, could be about one man’s struggle to reconcile his irrational fear of commitment; or it could be about giant space spiders that are infiltrating our society through cloning. It’s debatable. Directed by Denis Villeneuve and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, this ochre-toned psychological thriller weaves a web of intrigue that lingers in the mind long after the movie ends. Meryl Streep, Gary Glitter, and Franz Kafka all get a name dro...
Episode 77 Criminal Lovers
July 02, 2018 13:00 - 51.2 MBContinuing his exploration of erotic thrillers, Matt finally chose one that blatantly objectifies its male leads with François Ozon’s Criminal Lovers (1999). This Hansel and Gretel meets Bonnie and Clyde tale deftly melds those two stories while also managing to usher in themes of sexual discovery and personal dominance. There’s even a little Story of the Eye thrown in for all you teenage lust killers out there. Ryan shoots a bunny, Matt eats some pears, and tumescence becomes a luxury this w...
Episode 76 The Fifth Element
June 25, 2018 13:00 - 48.1 MBIf Ryan were forced at gunpoint to choose his favorite movie, chances are he’d say The Fifth Element (1997). And he’d be totally fine with that! Directed by Luc Besson back when he still had something to prove, this colorful sci-fi blockbuster thoroughly delights thanks to creative editing, a playful visual style, and a perfect cast. Join us as we ponder the movie’s parallels with Taxi Driver, heap some love on the character of Ruby Rhod, and give ourselves a hearty pat on the back. All this ...
Episode 75 Mother's Boys
June 18, 2018 13:00 - 54.8 MBThis week we welcome the rakish and talented John Coons (aka Johnny Coonami, aka John the Dog) to help us unravel the baffling fiasco that is Mother’s Boys (1994). Sporting a Clueless-meets-Cruella de Vil wardrobe, Jamie Lee Curtis stars as a WASPy, ranine sociopath who just wants her family back. Like Vanessa Redgrave throwing herself into the role, we tumble headfirst down the stairs of confusion as we sort through a mess of C-section scars, architecture emergencies, and road groceries. One...
Quick & Dirty 4: Ocean's 8
June 14, 2018 20:35 - 9.57 MBIt's Quick & Dirty time! This time around we're talking about the fabulous female-fronted Ocean's 8.
Episode 74 World's Greatest Dad
June 11, 2018 13:00 - 43.4 MBThis week, on an extra hungover episode, Matt and Ryan tactfully traipse the territory of accidental suicide by autoerotic asphyxiation with World’s Greatest Dad (2009). Directed by Bobcat Goldthwait and starring Robin Williams, this breezy dark comedy examines what it means to live authentically and how legacy is crafted in the minds of the living. Is fallback high school teaching a trope? Can you hold things with your boobs? Why did we drink so much last night? Join us at our most desiccate...
Episode 73 Crash
June 04, 2018 04:00 - 52.1 MBSex and car crashes. Two great tastes that taste great together? David Cronenberg’s adaptation of the J. G. Ballard novel asks this question and a truckload more as we follow around a small cabal of symphorophiliacs in their pursuit of sexual satisfaction. While the premise might seem like a gimmick, analysis of the film yields many rewards. That is, as long as you consider head-scratching questions a reward. Come for the particularly incoherent opening banter! Stay for Matt’s speculation on ...
Episode 72 Election
May 28, 2018 16:00 - 49.3 MBEthics and morals: two easily confused concepts that are no less confusing after hearing us discuss them. Buoyed by a perennially prescient script and a pitch-perfect performance from Reese Witherspoon, Election (1999) puts its characters through the ethical and moral wringer and allows us to judge who’s right or wrong. And you know how we love to judge! Press play for some pear hate, financial “advice,” and a maintenance odyssey this week on Ex Rated Movies!
Episode 71 Basic Instinct
May 21, 2018 16:00 - 48.7 MBDo you smell that? There’s something in the air. Must be the odor of Matt’s pot of anticipation boiling over as he kicks off his erotic thriller season with the quintessential Basic Instinct (1992). Directed by Paul Verhoeven from a script by Joe Eszterhas, this baby’s got it all: sex, drugs, violence, double entendres, punch dancing, Steven Tobolowsky, hoo-haw peek-a-boos, and Pizza Hut. Find out if Michael Douglas makes us moist, who history’s greatest “urophile” is, and where to locate the...
Episode 70 The Living End and Nowhere
May 07, 2018 13:00 - 85.3 MBFor our 70th episode and 7th double feature, we decided to honor the brilliantly unique Gregg Araki, a director whose rebellious nature and nihilistic tendencies strongly resonate with our cold, cynical hearts. Allowing fate and last week’s guests to decide our movies by spinning the Wheel of Araki, we landed on the shaggy yet seminal The Living End (1992) and the bleak yet colorful Nowhere (1997). Join us as we celebrate senior discounts, grape-ologists, and Carmen Miranda this week on Ex Ra...
Quick & Dirty 3: Avengers: Infinity War
May 02, 2018 13:00 - 8.97 MBLike millions of other people, we watched The Avengers: Infinity War this weekend. Here's a Quick & Dirty about it for your listening pleasure, matey!
Episode 69 Midnight Madness
April 30, 2018 14:00 - 59.2 MBGrab yourself a plate of melons and a heaping cone of fagabefe because this week, for our 69th episode, we invited the fabulously talented Bettina McKelvey and Emily Shahan from Toxic Shock and the brilliantly hilarious Kevin Clarke and Travis Vogt of The Conversation Pieces podcast to join us in analyzing the bafflingly mean-spirited ensemble scavenger-race comedy, Midnight Madness (1980). Incoherent conviction, chaotic activity, and an odd inability to remember who Harold is, this week on E...
Episode 68 The Sacrifice
April 23, 2018 12:00 - 48.6 MBIf you’re looking for a movie that’s capital-A Art and capital-S Serious, look no further than Andrei Tarkovsky’s final film, The Sacrifice (1986). It is a dour, Bergmnanesque meditation on death and madness replete with stunning oners, extraordinary set pieces, and strong performances that Roger Ebert called, “not easy to watch,” and “long to sit through.” Join us as we discuss wine spritzers, Calgon bath supplement, and our hardest art yet, this week on Ex Rated Movies!
Episode 67 Rock & Rule
April 16, 2018 13:00 - 47.2 MBOn paper, Rock & Rule (1983) sounds like an awesome movie. It’s an animated dystopian rock musical featuring the vocal talents of Debbie Harry, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Cheap Trick, and Earth, Wind, and Fire. On screen, however, it’s a cacophony of missed opportunities, bad writing, and poor animation. Join us as we discuss Mok’s masturbation practices, Canada’s milk bladder method, and eating out of the kitchen toilet this week on Ex Rated Movies!
Quick & Dirty 2: A Quiet Place
April 11, 2018 14:00 - 7.9 MBTime for another Quick & Dirty! This time we're talking about the taught and tense horror flick, A Quiet Place.
Episode 66 Schizopolis
April 09, 2018 12:00 - 46.4 MBArsenal, fair listener! With Matt’s season of #hardart in full swing, he decided to take a turn for the absurd with Schizopolis (1996). It’s sort of like trying to explain Scientology using Meisner’s Repetition Exercise while wearing a blouse-y button up tucked in to pleated khakis. More or less. Join us as we struggle to summarize the plot, plan to scam the brick and mortar Amazon store, and ponder Steven Soderbergh’s hotness. Enthusiastic summary statement this week on Ex Rated Movies!
Quick & Dirty 1: Love, Simon
April 04, 2018 16:00 - 9.3 MBFor the first installment of the Quick & Dirty segment (wherein we talk about movies that are currently in theaters), we discuss the gay coming-of-age feature, Love, Simon.
Episode 65 Upstream Color
April 02, 2018 16:00 - 50.1 MBThis week the Exes attempt to tackle Shane Carruth’s polarizing and ambitious sophomore film, Upstream Color (2013). Fantasy, romance, and horror meld to produce an emotional experience that, depending on how hard your yoga class was, may or may not add up to a substantive whole. Is this the worst entry in the Babe franchise? Did Ryan pick it just because it has a sound engineer in it? What really happened on Oprah and Gayle’s camping trip? All this and an Air Bud reference this week on Ex Ra...
Episode 64 The Duke of Burgundy
March 26, 2018 16:10 - 52 MBSet in an out-of-time lesbian fantasia, The Duke of Burgundy (2014) is an aesthetically lush treat that yields copious intellectual rewards upon analysis. While it may display some artistic sensibilities and kinky sex play, at its heart it’s just a movie about two people trying to make it work. Join us as we dream up our sitcom opening and play a hearty (and kinda gross) game of Would You Rather. All this and some sentient goo this week on Ex Rated Movies!
Episode 63 Z
March 19, 2018 16:00 - 46.6 MBContinuing his tradition of sporadically choosing movies with single-letter titles, Ryan’s pick this week is the francophone thriller about political unrest in Greece in the 60’s, Z (1969). While it may sound like a snoozefest on paper, this movie rapidly becomes an engrossing procedural about a lone, steely magistrate fighting for justice in the face of a vile and corrupt government. You know, like today! Dildonic batons, the potato lobby, and the origin of the Futurama theme this week on Ex...
Episode 62 Beyond The Black Rainbow
March 12, 2018 16:00 - 51.9 MBPut on your appliances and whip up some steamed asparagus because this week Matt and Ryan are taking a trip into the druggy and stylish world of Beyond the Black Rainbow (2010). Flavorfully directed by Panos Cosmatos this acid-fueled voyage hypnotizes with it’s stunning visuals and marvelous synth score. Join us as we give a shout out to heshers, edge players, and grammar astronauts this week on Ex Rated Movies!
Episode 61 The Grifters
March 05, 2018 17:00 - 53.5 MBThe Grifters (1990) is a well-written neo-noir that comes with a stellar performance from Anjelica Huston and a hearty endorsement from Matt’s mom. It’s a movie that gets richer with every viewing and boasts a veritable who’s who of 90’s character actors. Stephen Tobolowsky!, Frances Bay! Pat Hingle! They’re all here. Join us as we mispronounce Annette Benning’s character’s name and ponder alien methods of eating an orange this week on Ex Rated Movies! #ThemsTheAppples
Episode 60 "A Parker Full of Poseys" - Louie & Party Girl
February 22, 2018 20:41 - 96.7 MBStart spreading the news, it’s double feature time! For our 60th episode we decided to honor the exceptional Parker Posey, an actress whose talent for invention and inimitable charisma consistently charm and astonish us. Whether she’s improvising her way through a Christopher Guest film or stealing the show in a Gregg Araki movie, she always brings depth and flair to her characters. Our Parker Full of Poseys includes a four episode arc from the TV show Louie (S03 Eps 04,05,09, and 13) and the...
Episode 59 X2: X-Men United
February 12, 2018 17:00 - 50 MBFor the final installment of Matt’s Season of Enfranchisement, he chose the best superhero movie ever made, X2: X-Men United (2003). Directed by Bryan Singer, this movie manages to strike the difficult balance between blockbuster entertainment, realistic character development, and pertinent social overtones with some hot dudes thrown in for good measure. That’s the Bryan Singer touch! Join us as we discuss some Oscar bait and reveal our preferred mutant abilities this week on Ex Rated Movies!
Episode 58 Happiness
February 05, 2018 17:00 - 55 MBIf you like hearing two people audibly squirm as they attempt to tackle some super icky subject matter, then today is your lucky day! This week, we discuss Todd Solondz’s magnum opus, Happiness (1998). It’s a controversial film that asks you to sympathize with some truly vile characters and dares you to laugh at the deep, dark emptiness that resides within us all. Recommended! (Recommendation rescinded if you are subject to bouts of the vapors, a tendency to clutch your pearls, or an inabilit...
Episode 57 You Only Live Twice
January 29, 2018 17:00 - 47.6 MBThis week we jump into a torpedo tube and immediately launch ourselves into a conversation about James Bond and the things that surround him with You Only Live Twice (1967). It’s got it all: the song, the locales, the gadgets, the set-pieces, and the sexism. Lots and lots of sexism. Join us as we get snobby about martinis, describe Matt’s sex costume, and ponder the death of the Broccoli lineage. All this and a painful reopening of the salted caramel debate this week on Ex Rated Movies!
Episode 56 Scorchy
January 22, 2018 17:00 - 45.8 MBIf the mark of a good story is when you have three friends explain it to you and you still don’t understand it, then the Seattle-centric Scorchy (1976) definitely fits the bill. The kids from The Dead Beat Film Society podcast join us this week to discuss everything from old Seattle landmarks, to glass ceiling shards, to Canadian dogs. Buckle up, kids because we’re hopping in a dune buggy and heading to the Fun Forest this week on Ex Rated Movies!
Episode 55 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
January 15, 2018 17:00 - 50.9 MBAccio some pod lube and lower your Expecto-tions, we’re heading to Hogwarts this week to talk about Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004). This Alfonso Cuarón-helmed entry in the franchise features time travel, shadow/light interplay, and some Miller’s Crossing level exposition. Also, in store: Ryan makes a case for divination, Matt questions Malfoy’s “dickitry”, and we both summon our patronuses. Patroni? Whatever. It’s a magical fairy land this week on Ex Rated Movies!
Episode 54 The Muppets Take Manhattan
January 08, 2018 17:00 - 48.8 MBVery few American institutions have had the broad social appeal of The Muppets. Jim Henson’s creations have brought their offbeat yet warmhearted sensibilities to almost every branch of our culture. And that includes movies! Ryan’s pick this week, his favorite from The Muppet franchise, is The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984). Join us as we ponder Kermit’s filing status, Miss Piggy’s feminist leanings and our own showering habits. Peoples is peoples this week on Ex Rated: Here Comes the Bagel!
Episode 53 Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason LIves
January 01, 2018 20:00 - 45.3 MBIt’s a new year and we’re ringing it in with the UberEats McDonald’s of horror movies, Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986). This cheeky, meta installment of the franchise manages to poke fun at the horror movie genre while simultaneously exemplifying the 80’s slasher flick. What’s the most temperate month in America? Do you need a certificate to operate U-Scan technology? Is there anything east coasters don’t bitch about? We delve into all this and more on this New Year’s Day episode ...
Episode 52 Force Majeure
December 25, 2017 17:00 - 49.6 MBFeeling yuley? Nothing says, “jolly holiday spirit” like masculine fragility. This week, for our Christmas episode, we watched the Swedish glacial drama with actual glaciers, Force Majeure (2014). Gather ‘round and hear us spin some heartcooling yarns of cowardice, insecurity, and nihilism. We also talk about skiing. Like, a lot. It’s a very special Ex Rated! Oh, He’s on Game of Thrones?
Episode 51 Superman Returns
December 18, 2017 19:09 - 49 MBLook! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! We’re back and we’re kicking off season 6 (aka The Season of Matt’s Franchise Faves) with the under-appreciated Superman reboot, Superman Returns (2006). Cons: length and problematic actors. Pros: Parker Posey and Brandon Routh’s crystalline blue eyes. We delve into the nitty gritty and wind up with a film all over us so you don’t have to! It’s Ex Rated: R.I.P. Kevin Spacey.