A Piece of Pie: The Queer Film Podcast
Welcome to A Piece of Pie: the Queer Film Podcast. Creator and host Brian Rowe welcomes a rotating cast of contributors to discuss/ review movies both new and old; giving them their own unique queer perspective. Podcasts will post bi-weekly.
Fri, April 25, 2025
The Doom Generation
Click here to send us a message! This week we’re joined by film scholar Syd Wrigley, who joins the podcast to discuss Gregg Araki’s famed Teen Apocalypse Trilogy. Starting with Totally Fucked Up in 1993, he followed it with The Doom Generation in 1995 and finally Nowhere in 1997, the trilogy that would define a generation and stands at the center of the New Queer Cinema movement. Recently re-released via Criterion, these films are being discovered by a brand new generation, and Araki is only now finding auteur status.
S8 E137 · Fri, April 04, 2025
1-800-ON HER OWN (with director Dana Flor)
Click here to send us a message! This week we have an interview with director Dana Flor discussing her new documentary, 1-800-ON-HER-OWN, an intimate look at singer songwriter Ani DiFranco ! And we’re excited to announce a partnership with the filmmakers to bring the movie to Chicago! On April 13 at the #Music Box Chicago to catch the Chicago premiere in person!
S8 E136 · Fri, March 21, 2025
Yentl
Click here to send us a message! This week we're joined by writer Alonso Duralde, author of Hollywood Pride to discuss Barbra Streisand's directorial debut, Yentl. The story of a young woman who bucked convention, and gender norms, to follow her dreams. Progressive for 1983, the film was ahead of it's time, and is undergoing a queer reappraisal.
S8 E135 · Fri, March 07, 2025
Oscars 2025
Click here to send us a message! We only have one tradition here at Piece of Pie, and that's our annual Oscar episode. We started this little podcast discussing the Oscars, and ever since we've made sure to cover them. This year Paul Klein and Chris Alexander join Brian to discuss queer representation at the yearly show, Conan O'Brien and more!
S7 E134 · Fri, February 21, 2025
All That Heaven Allows & Polyester
Click here to send us a message! This week we're joined by Chicago's Joan Waters, local drag queen and John Waters super fan, and we're taking a look at Polyester , John Waters' first studio film. With his biggest budget to date, Waters paid tribute to William Castle, and Douglas Sirk, two of his favorite filmmakers. Sirk directed the Rock Hudson classic All That Heaven Allows , a clear influence on queer filmmakers like Todd Haynes and Rainer Werner Fassbinder. So we paired it with Polyester as we take a look at the similarities, differences, and Sirk's continued influence in queer cinema.
S7 E133 · Fri, January 24, 2025
The People's Joker (with director Vera Drew)
Click here to send us a message! Brian interviews filmmaker, writer and actor Vera Drew about her debut film, The People's Joker. Produced on a shoestring budget and released in secret while Warner Bros waged a legal battle, The People's Joker uses popular DC Comics characters to tell a truly unforgettable coming age of story.
S7 E132 · Thu, December 12, 2024
Wicked
Click here to send us a message! We're saying goodbye to a tumultuous 2024 by discussing one of the year's biggest, and arguably gayest, box office hits. From bookshelves, to Broadway and now to movie theaters, Wicked is a superhero tentpole movie for theatre kids, but is it any good? And how does it hold up taken next to the beloved stage play? Rob and Max join Brian to discuss all that and more!
S7 E131 · Fri, November 01, 2024
Terms of Endearment & Steel Magnolias
Click here to send us a message! We’re closing out spooky season with a couple of tear-jerkers. In one of our most poignant episodes, Brian opens up about the loss of his mother and how it affected watching these two films, one an Oscar powerhouse the other something of an Oscar also-ran, each of them with passionate queer followings given their stacked casts.
S7 E130 · Sat, October 19, 2024
Megalopolis
Click here to send us a message! Brian and Max went to the Alamo Drafthouse to catch one of the year's most talked about films of the year, Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis. Developed by Coppola over a course of 3 decades, Megalopolis finally hit screens in 2024. After standing ovations at film festivals, the film released to the public with mostly a shrug, but Brian and Max wanted to see it for themselves, and then recorded at a bar after the screening.
S7 E129 · Sat, October 05, 2024
Point Break & Speed
Click here to send us a message! By now, Keanu Reeves is an accomplished action star with two multi-billion dollar franchises to his name. But this week we're taking a look at the two movies that helped get him there, Point Break and Speed. He hit it big with these two films, and represented a shift away from the buff action heroes which drove the critics of the time to only one conclusion - he must be gay. Join us as we unpack two of the biggest hits of the 1990's; the queer coded Point Break and what was then seen as feminine features for a masculine action hero.
S7 E128 · Thu, August 29, 2024
Crash (1996) & Titane
Click here to send us a message! This week we're joined by "The Horror Dyke," Heather O. Petrocelli as we take a look at David Cronenberg and recent Palme D'Or Winner! In 1996, Cronenberg released the controversial Crash , about a man who seeks to reinvigorate his sex-life after a near-fatal automobile accident. We pair it with 2021's Titane , Julia Ducournau feminist body horror film that owes a huge debt to Croneberg's work, while remaining it's own truely unique vision.
S7 E127 · Thu, August 08, 2024
The Hateful Eight & Phantom Thread
Click here to send us a message! Our newest contributor Paul rejoins the podcast as Max and Brian revisit their series pairing off the films of Quentin Tarantino and Paul Thomas Anderson. We've skipped ahead a bit to land on their 70mm roadshow pictures, each auteur using their clout to shoot on film, on location. In doing so they crafted two of their most personal movies, with wildly varied results. Give us a listen as we continue to pit these two geniuses against each other!
S7 E126 · Fri, July 26, 2024
Smiley Face & Kaboom
Click here to send us a message! This week we’re taking a look at two films from Gregg Araki. One of the architects of the New Queer Cinema movement of the 1990’s, Araki pivoted in the new century after finding critical success with Mysterious Skin . He followed up that award winner by pivoting to a stoner comedy that Max argues is worth revisiting every April 20.
S7 E125 · Thu, July 11, 2024
A Night to Remember & Titanic
Click here to send us a message! This week we're joined by film scholar Paul T. Klein, as he brings a queer appraisal to one of the biggest box office hits of all time, Titanic. What is it about this film that appeals to queer audiences? Is it Rose rejecting the life others want for her? Or did Cameron interject just enough Sirkian melodrama to appeal to our camp sensibilities? Maybe it was just Leonardo DiCaprio in his Twink era? We also take a look back at the 1958 classic, A Night to Remember, the film that inspired James Cameron. Paul joins Brian and Chris to discuss why this doomed ocean liner has captivated audiences for over a century.
S7 E124 · Fri, June 28, 2024
Pride & Stonewall
Click here to send us a message! As we head into the final stretch of #Pride2024 we’re taking a look at a couple of movies that attempt to dramatize the very concept. In 2014, action film director Roland Emmerich tried, and failed, to tell the legendary story of #Stonewall via a white-washed tale of privilege. A year later came a film called #Pride that tells the true story of a group of activists who find kindred souls in a group of coal miners and work to support their cause. Two true stories told in vastly different ways, each tell essential stories of queer history.
S7 E123 · Fri, June 14, 2024
Pink Flamingos
Click here to send us a message! We're celebrating Pride 2024 by introducing Pink Flamingos to a contributor who'd never seen a John Waters movie! This disgusting masterpiece has been grossing people out since 1972, long since becoming a beloved cult classic. With tongue firmly in cheek, Waters' film features violent SA, cannibalism and, yep, that famous ending with dog feces. How does it hold up fifty years after it's debut? You'll have to listen to find out.
S7 E122 · Thu, May 16, 2024
The Talented Mr. Ripley
Click here to send us a message! With the recent release of Ripley on Netflix, Brian welcomes Max and Nick to discuss all things Tom Ripley. Since the novel was released in 1955, audiences have been captivated by the murderous exploits of this charming sociopath. Every generation, filmmakers bring their own perspectives and a brand new actor to the role, as he gets gayer by the decade. Join us as we discuss the character, why does he endure, and why are audiences so enthralled by a queer murderer?
S7 E121 · Fri, May 03, 2024
Midnight Cowboy & Beach Rats
Click here to send us a message! With celebrated out filmmaker John Schlesinger at the helm, 1969's Midnight Cowboy has entered the queer canon, flaws and all. We pair it up with 2017's Beach Rats from director Eliza Hittman.
S7 E120 · Fri, March 29, 2024
D.E.B.S. & Bottoms
Click here to send us a message! We're joined this week by writer Casey Snow, who brings her love of the lesbian spy comedy D.E.B.S. and we pair it with 2023's hit comedy, Bottoms, starring Ayo Edebiri and Rachel Sennot.
S7 E119 · Tue, March 12, 2024
Oscars 2024
Click here to send us a message! We don't have many yearly traditions here at The Queer Film Podcast, but we always make time for the Academy Awards! It's our seventh annual discussion--despite what Brian says in the recording, mistakenly saying it's the sixth--and he convened with regular contributors Rob and Chris, to discuss predictions before the show and reactions after the fact. Join us as we celebrate yet another year of movies!
S6 E118 · Thu, February 22, 2024
The Love Witch
Click here to send us a message! Is the director of The Love Witch a cult visionary, or a TERF Tommy Wiseau? This week we're joined by Raphael Martinez, programmer at Facets and host of their monthly film trivia night, to discuss that exact question. And be sure to join us on February 29, 2024 as your host Brian co-hosts the trivia with Raphael as we give away prizes before a screening of the film in question!
S6 E117 · Sat, February 10, 2024
Maestro & Rustin
Click here to send us a message! With Oscar season in full swing, Brian and Chris are once again looking at the Best Actor race. This year, Bradley Cooper and Colman Domingo are nominated for playing real life queer figures , and so too are Jodie Foster and Annette Bening. In an Oscar season that's largely been defined by snubs, there's also a record number of queer characters and stories this year.
S6 E116 · Thu, January 25, 2024
There Will Be Blood & Inglorious Basterds
Click here to send us a message! We're revisiting our Quentin Tarantino / Paul Thomas Anderson series with two films that many would say are their respective masterpieces. After they spent the 90's being the gods of film schools everywhere, they entered the 21st century artists with something to say, each filmmaker forging seeking to forge a new path for their career. Or did they? Brian welcomes Max and Nick back to the show to discuss two modern classics, There Will Be Blood and Inglorious Basterds .
S6 E115 · Thu, January 11, 2024
Heathers & Mean Girls (2004)
Click here to send us a message! With a new Mean Girls in theaters, what better time to revisit the 2004 film that's become a classic. It's also one of our most requested movies to cover, so for those who've asked, your wait is over! We've paired it with the cult 1988 classic Heathers, starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater. Is Heathers a precursor to the Lindsay Lohan film or does it have more in common with Terence Malik's Badlands ?
S6 E114 · Fri, December 15, 2023
The Long Kiss Goodnight & Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Click here to send us a message! For our final episode of 2023, Brian and Max are celebrating a Shane Black Christmas!
S6 E113 · Thu, November 30, 2023
Chocolate Babies (with director Stephen Winter)
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S6 E112 · Sun, November 19, 2023
The Social Network & The Wolf of Wall Street
Click here to send us a message! Two of Brian's favorite filmmakers have movies coming out in the last few months of 2023, so for this episode we put on our Film Nerd Caps to revisit their earlier works. Chris from When We Were Young joins us again as we discuss David Fincher's The Social Network and Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street.
S6 E111 · Fri, October 13, 2023
Christine & The Dead Zone
Click here to send us a message! Just in time for Halloween, Brian and Max return to discuss Stephen King adaptations! Back in 1983, when he was the hottest writer in the country, two auteurs tackled his bestselling novels! John Carpenter, fresh off a couple of commercial duds was looking to cash an easy check, while David Cronenberg was fresh off two of his biggest hits. Each filmmaker brings their unique style to King’s macabre stories in the process crafting two of his most beloved adaptations.
S6 E110 · Sat, July 29, 2023
Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed & Pillow Talk
Click here to send us a message! When Rock Hudson died of AIDS in 1985, it shocked much of the world. In Hollywood, his homosexuality was an open secret, but to the rest of the world he was a charming, handsome leading man to the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Doris Day. This week, we're taking a look at one of the earliest face's of the AIDS epidemic and discussing the documentary, Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed and his most famous rom-com, Pillow Talk !
S6 E109 · Thu, June 15, 2023
Pecker & Cecil B. DeMented
Click here to send us a message! For Pride month 2023, we're taking a look back at two of John Waters' later movies, Pecker & Cecil B Demented. One of our most iconic filmmakers, Waters at the end of the 20th Century had settled into a more grand statesman of cinema more than simply being a provocatuer. While he never loses his sense of humor, these two films feel more auto-biographical than his previous works, with Pecker focusing on a young photographer and Cecil B Demented following a gang of maverick filmmakers. Brian and Max discuss all this, plus a young Maggie Gylenhaal, praise for Christina Ricci and debate the term "ugly hot."
S6 E108 · Fri, June 02, 2023
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again
Click here to send us a message! We're kicking off Pride 2023 with a look at the ABBA-centric sequel, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again! Host Brian had never seen the original, much-less the sequel, but over the years, it's become a beloved new classic. So, Rob and Max agreed to show him the movie for the first time ever!
S6 E107 · Thu, May 04, 2023
Knife + Heart
Click here to send us a message! This week, we're joined by special guest Kyle Turner, writer of the new book, The Queer Film Guide. Brian and Matthew welcomed him to discuss the new book, and one of his favorite entries, 2018's Knife + Heart.
S6 E106 · Thu, April 20, 2023
Super Mario Bros. (1993) & The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)
Click here to send us a message! In 1993, Hollywood adapted S uper Mario Bros. , then a hit Nintendo video game, into a live-action movie starring Bob Hoskins and Dennis Hopper. It was the first time a video game would make the leap to the big screen, but it certainly wouldn’t be the last. In 2023, Nintendo tried it again, this time teaming with Illumination for an animated take on their most famous franchise. It took the world by storm, becoming one of the biggest hits of the year. This week, Matthew and Brian discuss the new release, and are joined by Max as we take a trip down memory lane and re-examine the 1993 attempt. It’s weirder, darker and yes, gayer than you probably remember, but how do the two movies hold up? Join us as we discuss video game movies, Bob Hoskins’ mustache and much more!
S6 E105 · Thu, March 30, 2023
Punch-Drunk Love & Jackie Brown
Click here to send us a message! We're re-visiting a project we started a couple years ago, pairing the films of auteurs Paul Thomas Anderson and Quentin Tarantino. We're picking up with Anderson's fourth film, the offbeat Punch-Drunk Love starring Adam Sandler and pairing it with Tarantino's third, Jackie Brown. Both films find the filmmakers in transition, dealing with critical acclaim and awards recognition by defying expectations and crafting quirky, unforgettable love stories. They're both outliers in their respective filmography's, but on this episode we suggest that maybe that needs to change.
S6 E104 · Mon, March 13, 2023
The Oscars 2023
Click here to send us a message! It’s our sixth annual Oscar episode! Brian and Chris are talking about Hollywood’s biggest night!
S5 E101 · Thu, March 02, 2023
Philadelphia & Dallas Buyers Club
Click here to send us a message! It's Oscar season, so we're taking a look at two controversial Academy Award winning movies! In 1993, Philadelphia was the first movie to address the ongoing AIDS crisis, winning Academy Awards and angering gay rights activists like Larry Kramer. Twenty years later, in 2013, Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto each won acting's top honor in Dallas Buyers Club, while angering the entire community. Brian welcomes Chris back to discuss landmark AIDS representation, and major steps backward.
S5 E102 · Thu, February 16, 2023
Fire Island & Bros
Click here to send us a message! Last year, the gay community was gifted not just one but TWO romantic comedies given release by major studios. Fire Island debuted on Hulu, while Bros was released to theaters, but both sought to bring a queer touch to the old rom-com formula. Fire Island is a modern adaptation of "Pride and Prejudice" while Bros borrows from Nora Ephron and Woody Allen. We're joined by our contributors Rob and Lauren as we compare the two films and ponder why one gets so much right, while the other gets a lot wrong.
S5 E101 · Thu, January 12, 2023
The Whale
Click here to send us a message! Another year, another straight actor playing queer in a quest for Oscar gold! This year, it's Brendan Fraser, the erstwhile George of the Jungle, who turns in a rare dramatic performance in what is being billed as his big comeback vehicle. But was he ever a good actor in the first place? And why is he in a fat suit? Contributor Chris, from When We Were Young returns to continue the never-ending discussion of what happens when straight folks tell queer stories.
S5 E100 · Thu, December 15, 2022
Episode 100
Click here to send us a message! We’re celebrating 100 episodes! To commemorate, Brian asked his contributors to come on and discuss their favorite queer films. The results may surprise you!
S5 E99 · Thu, December 01, 2022
Frosty the Snowman & Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Click here to send us a message! This year we're celebrating the holidays by taking a look at two of the most beloved Christmas movies of all time! And for this one Brian and Matthew are joined by Derek, from the instagram account, Queer Cinema Archive, as we revisit these family favorites. It turns out both films are dripping with queer coding and stereotypes. Join us as we dissect these tropes, and how they're still doing damage today.
S5 E98 · Thu, November 17, 2022
The Ice Storm & The House of Yes
Click here to send us a message! This year we’re celebrating Thanksgiving with Parker Posey, Sigourney Weaver and many more! Two films where dysfunctional families reconnect for a holiday weekend, The Ice Storm and The House of Yes !
S5 E97 · Thu, October 27, 2022
It Follows & X
Click here to send us a message! This Halloween season, we're taking a look at two recent horror films, 2014's It Follows and this year's sleeper hit X. Both films take the "sex is bad" trope so common in horror and use it not just for their final girl, but as motivation for the villains themselves! It Follows is the story of Jay, a woman who gets more than she bargained for after a one night stand, while X follows an adult film crew to a remote farm-house they've rented to film their latest movie, much to the chagrin of that farm's owners. Matthew and Brian paired these movies up for those reasons, and we found it opened up a much larger discussion on modern horror films such as Barbarian , Candyman, the new Scream entry and A24 as a brand vs A24 as a film studio. Beware of spoilers for those other films, and join us as we talk Ti West, John Carpenter and much, much more!
S5 E96 · Fri, September 16, 2022
Dog Day Afternoon & I Love You Phillip Morris
Click here to send us a message! Our two movies this week are based on real-life criminals who went to great lengths for love and lived the catch-phrase "Be gay Do Crime." Dog Day Afternoon is frequently listed as one of the finest films of the 1970's, but ignores the fact it features Oscar nominees Al Pacino and Chris Sarandon playing a queer couple. In 2009, Jim Carrey played a leading man to love interest Ewan McGregor the subversive crime caper I Love You Phillip Morris. Brian and Chris are once again debating straight people playing queer, but Brian is far more forgiving when it's pitched just right.
S5 E95 · Thu, September 01, 2022
A Streetcar Named Desire & Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Click here to send us a message! This week we're taking a look back to the 1950's, the Hays Code, and repressed homosexuality. Tennessee Williams won several awards for his works, including a Pulitzer and a Tony, but when Hollywood came calling, they had some changes they needed to make. For this episode, we're joined by Chris and Rob to discuss Williams' provocative plays, Hollywood adaptations, and Paul Newman's steely blue eyes.
S5 E94 · Fri, August 19, 2022
Hairspray (1988 & 2007)
Click here to send us a message! In 1988, John Waters, the Sultan of Sleaze himself, released what might be called his sweetest movie, Hairspray . Starring Ricki Lake, Sonny Bono, and Divine, it was the first time a Waters character had a conscience, and set out to do the right thing. It retains a lot of his sensibilities, but it can easily be seen as his attempt at a Hollywood ending. It worked, because the film became a cult classic and eventually would be turned into a hit Broadway musical, and then of course, Hollywood adapted the musical for the screen in 2007. It polishes off some of the rougher edges, casts John Travolta as a woman, Michelle Pfieffer as a racist and Zac Efron as, what else, but a teen heartthrob. For the first time ever, we've paired a movie and it's remake to look at what makes each of them work and where they fall short. Matthew joins Brian as they discuss all this and more!
S5 E93 · Thu, May 19, 2022
Top Gun
Click here to send us a message! To celebrate the upcoming sequel, we asked contributor Rob to check out the original 1986 Top Gun, starring the newly minted superstar, Tom Cruise, in what would become a template for his early characters. Is it a queer classic with homoerotic overtones or too mired in its own fake masculinity?
S5 E87 · Thu, May 05, 2022
Romeo + Juliet & 10 Things I Hate About You
Click here to send us a message! Writer and contributor Lauren Emily Whalen returns to the podcast to discuss her new novel, Take Her Down, a YA re-telling of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar ! To commemorate it's release, she agreed to discuss two of our generation's most beloved Shakespeare adaptations; Romeo + Juliet and 10 Things I Hate About You.
S5 E91 · Thu, April 21, 2022
Shortbus
Click here to send us a message! To celebrate the arrival of Shortbus to digital platforms, after being hard to find for over a decade, we are taking a brand new look at John Cameron Mitchell's followup to Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Contributor Matthew joins Brian to watch this overlooked gem for the first time.
S5 E90 · Thu, March 31, 2022
Oscars 2022
Click here to send us a message! The very first episode of this podcast was focused on the 2018 Oscars and in this, our fifth annual look at Hollywood’s Big Night, Will Smith gave us an Oscar ceremony we won’t soon forget! But that has overshadowed the incredible work of actors, writers and directors whose career goal is an Oscar night victory. While the Smith debacle cannot go unremarked upon, Matthew and Chris joined Brian to discuss the night overall, where legacy awards were aplenty and a few new stars got to shine.
S4 E89 · Fri, March 25, 2022
The Power of the Dog
Click here to send us a message! This week we're taking an early look at an Oscar front-runner, Jane Campion's The Power of the Dog. Chris, from "When We Were Young" joins to discuss how the film examines toxic masculinity in classic Western stories, and how the film constantly seeks to upend the classic John Wayne stoic American hero trope. Meanwhile, host Brian was annoyed the film leans into negative queer stereotypes, including a secretly queer bully, and a murderously inclined Mother's Boy. Who's right and who's wrong? Give it a listen to find out!
S4 E88 · Thu, March 10, 2022
The 90’s Batman Movies
Click here to send us a message! To commemorate the release of an all-new Batman movie, we at Piece of Pie decided to take a look back! This time we’re discussing the gayest superhero films of all time; Batman Forever and Batman & Robin ! But we couldn’t discuss those without setting our sights on the two Bat-flicks that preceded them, Tim Burton’s Batman , and Batman Returns .
S4 E87 · Thu, January 27, 2022
Flawless & Capote
Click here to send us a message! Phillip Seymour Hoffman was one of the greatest actors of his generation, and he tragically left us far too soon in 2014. But his work lives on, and this week we're taking a look at his two lead queer roles. The idea of straight people playing queer is a controversial one, but Phillip Seymour Hoffman sets the bar with his performances in Flawless and Capote. Despite queer writer/director Joel Schumacher, Flawless doesn't seem to understand Hoffman's character and leans too heavily on Robert DeNiro's macho cop, Walter. In Capote he beautifully captures a queer icon, winning his only Oscar in the process. Join us as Lauren and Brian discuss representation and how if you're straight and want to play queer, do it as well as Phillip Seymour Hoffman.
S4 E86 · Thu, December 23, 2021
Female Trouble
Click here to send us a message! To celebrate the holidays, Brian and Max slip on their cha-cha heels and take a look at John Waters’ Female Trouble ! This queer classic spit in the face of mainstream culture and good taste in 1974, but how does it hold up? Join us as we discuss the influence of Waters and his muse Divine, who gave us cinema’s queerest Christmas morning!
S4 E85 · Thu, December 09, 2021
As Good as It Gets
Click here to send us a message! For this episode, we were joined by the hosts of the podcast "Gayest Episode Ever," Drew and Glen! Their podcast is devoted to queer-focused episodes of classic television, and we joined them to discuss Mad About You, and they agreed to join us to discuss the Academy Award winning As Good as It Gets, both starring Helen Hunt. They join Max and Brian as we discuss this problematic heartwarmer, where a queer man's tragedy is just a straight man's inconvenience. Be sure to check out this weeks episode of Gayest Episode Ever, featuring Brian and Max! https://www.gayestepisodeever.com/episodes/mad-about-you-coming-out-episode
S4 E82 · Thu, October 28, 2021
The Scream Movies (1-4)
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S4 E83 · Thu, October 14, 2021
The Lost Boys & Flatliners
Click here to send us a message! Just in time for scary movie season, we are back with a look at two horror classics. In 1987, gay filmmaker Joel Schumacher redefined the vampire film with The Lost Boys , featuring a stellar soundtrack and a cast filled with hot young up-and-comers like Kiefer Sutherland and Jason Patric, placing them alongside theater and film veterans like Edward Hermann and Diane Wiest. The result was a phenomenon that built careers and changed Hollywood forever. In 1990, he followed it up with another Kiefer Sutherland vehicle, this time bringing along Julia Roberts, Oliver Platt and William Baldwin. This high-concept horror film was Flatliners, with the soon-to-be-superstars playing medical students who play God, and toy with death. To discuss these two seminal queer films, we looked to the filmmakers of Scream, Queen: My Nightmare on Elm Street, Roman Chimienti and Tyler Jensen. We were thrilled to welcome them to the podcast to discuss Joel Schumacher and his only two horror films.
S4 E82 · Thu, September 16, 2021
Drop Dead Gorgeous & Miss Congeniality
Click here to send us a message! This week we're joined by Chicago's own drag queen Coco Sho-Nell to discuss movies about beauty queens! 1999's Drop Dead Gorgeous has become a queer cult classic in the years since it's release, with it's biting social satire and broad caricatures mocking the culture of American capitalism and teen beauty pageants. For a pairing, we look to 2000's Miss Congeniality, starring Sandra Bullock as a woman who goes undercover in a beauty pageant. Both films seek to skewer the culture that celebrates the objectification of women, but do they succeed? Are they biting social commentaries or do they use the pageants as a backdrop to a mediocre romcom? Join Brian and Coco as they debate this and much more!
S4 E81 · Thu, September 02, 2021
When Harry Met Sally... & Sleepless in Seattle
Click here to send us a message! This week we're taking a look at two classic romantic comedies! Lauren joins Brian as they discuss When Harry Met Sally... and Sleepless in Seattle. Both were written by the legend Nora Ephron, with Sleepless her directorial debut. We discuss the legacies of Ephron and her work, a writer who did more for romantic comedies than any modern director. We examine what makes these films not just stand out, but hold-up over the years as shining examples of the genre. If you're interested in ordering Lauren's new book, Two Winters , you can find it on Amazon here: https://tinyurl.com/2376amc2 or talk to your local bookseller!
S4 E80 · Thu, August 19, 2021
Magnolia & Kill Bill
Click here to send us a message! We’re continuing our look back at the careers of Quentin Tarantino and Paul Thomas Anderson, as we pair up their two most emotional epics; Magnolia and Kill Bill.
S4 E78 · Thu, August 05, 2021
Rope & Strangers on a Train
Click here to send us a message! This week we’re putting on our film nerd caps and re-examining the legendary Alfred Hitchcock. With both Rope and Strangers on a Train ol’ Hitch trots out killer queers in high society out to commit the perfect murder. Under the rules of the infamous “Hayes Code,” these films couldn’t portray homosexuals explicitly, and Alfred Hitchcock seemed to take that as a challenge, crafting two films that show more than they tell. But did he help create stereotypes that still abound today? Our friend Nick joins Brian and Max for the first time to discuss queer villains, the Hayes Code and Hitchcock’s various problematic qualities.
S4 E77 · Thu, July 22, 2021
Marvel Cinematic Universe #3
Click here to send us a message! For this episode we're taking another look at the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and this time we have a special guest. The Marvel comic-book series, "The United States of Captain America" introduces us to Aaron Fischer. and we're proud to have writer Josh Trujillo as a guest to talk to us about the creation of the first queer Captain America, as well as take a look back at the last six months in the MCU, as we discuss the Disney+ shows, Black Widow and speculate on the future of the world's biggest franchise.
S4 E77 · Thu, July 15, 2021
Identity & Serenity (2019)
Click here to send us a message! We're abandoning all pretensions for this episode, as we cover two beloved shlock-fests, 2003's Identity and the 2019 head-scratcher Serenity , starring Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway. We won't get into the strange twists of these films here in the description, but know that they were paired together because of those twists. In each case, its the third-act reveal that seems to be their reason d'être, with the screenwriter's seemingly working backwards from the end. Max and Matthew join Brian for their first in-person recording since March 2019, covering two films that must be seen to believed.
S4 E76 · Thu, June 24, 2021
Mala Noche & Poison
Click here to send us a message! We’re wrapping up Pride Month 2021 with a look back at two films that are now seen as precursors to the New Queer Cinema. Today, Gus Van Sant and Todd Haynes are Oscar-nominated filmmakers, but Mala Noche and Poison were their first theatrical releases. How did these once-and-future auteurs introduce themselves to the world? Join us as Brian, Matthew and Max take a look back at these debut films to find out!
S4 E75 · Thu, June 17, 2021
Cruising & Basic Instinct
Click here to send us a message! Continuing our celebration of queer cinema for Pride 2021, we're turning our attention to some controversial films. Both Cruising (1980) and Basic Instinct (1992) take the Killer Queer stereotypes to stylish if problematic heights. Each was protested heavily throughout production, with queer activists not just disrupting filming, but at the multiplex, with signs giving away the ending in an effort to cut into profits. But, all these years later and they've earned a spot in the queer canon. Cruising offers a snapshot of a community on the brink of disaster, proudly cooperating with Hollywood elites to live their truth, despite the protests of their peers. Basic Instinct veers into camp, with depictions of queer women written by men who were terrified of them. Len and Max join this week to discuss two of queer cinema's most divisive films.
S4 E74 · Thu, June 10, 2021
Trick & The Broken Hearts Club
Click here to send us a message! We're continuing our look back at formative gay films from the late-90's, as we look back at Trick and The Broken Hearts Club. Each film has developed a following, with The Broken Hearts Club boasting a cast of then unknowns like Zach Braff, Billy Porter and Timothy Olyphant as a group of gay coworkers at a West Hollywood restaurant. Trick stars JP Pitoc and Christian Campbell as two gay men just looking to hookup. They were big at the time, and remain beloved, but do they hold up? Max returns as we examine two films who were revolutionary for proving gay people can make mediocre rom-coms, too.
S4 E73 · Thu, June 03, 2021
The Opposite of Sex & But I'm A Cheerleader
Click here to send us a message! For Pride 2021, Brian and Max are revisiting the seminal queer films of their teenage years, better known as the 1990’s. We’re starting off with The Opposite of Sex, paired with the cheerful But I’m a Cheerleader. In Opposite of Sex a teenaged Christina Ricci walks into a gay man’s life and blows it up by sleeping with his boyfriend. But I’m a Cheerleader takes a broad, John Waters-aping swing at not just homosexuality but religion, the suburbs and gender norms. One of these films had Oscar buzz and one was largely panned, and they’re seminal in their own right. But how do they hold up?
S4 E72 · Mon, April 26, 2021
The Oscars 2021
Click here to send us a message! It's our fourth annual Oscar episode! We started this podcast discussing the 2018 Oscars so every year we make sure to watch as many nominees as possible to properly cover Hollywood's most glamorous night. This time Brian, Max and Matthew hopped on Zoom to talk predictions before the big show, and came back after to discuss the results. A few things caught us by surprise, of course, but isn't that supposed to be part of the fun?
S3 E71 · Thu, April 15, 2021
Blade Runner & Blade Runner 2049
Click here to send us a message! For the first time ever, we're covering a film and it's sequel. The Ridley Scott classic Blade Runner redefined science fiction films forever, but how does it hold up today? Join us as we pair it with the 2017 sequel starring Ryan Gosling. James and Max join this week to discuss both films, the influence of Phillip K. Dick and the sex appeal of a young Harrison Ford.
S3 E70 · Thu, April 01, 2021
Promising Young Woman
Click here to send us a message! For the first time ever, we scrapped a planned pairing because one of the movies gave us enough to talk about. An Academy Award nominee for Best Picture, Actress Carey Mulligan, and writer/director Emerald Fennell, this subversive revenge fantasy gave us a lot to talk about. TW: Our discussion delves into sexual assault; listener discretion advised.
S3 E69 · Fri, March 19, 2021
Showgirls
Click here to send us a message! We’re celebrating our 69th episode with the least sexy film of all time, the cult classic Showgirls ! Is it a cutting satire, the ultimate in camp cinema or does it belong in the trash? Our contributors take a look back to 1996, the Clinton era, queer coded thrillers, white trash screenwriters and Dutch auteurs!
S3 E68 · Thu, March 04, 2021
My Own Private Idaho & The Living End
Click here to send us a message! After a few episodes in a row featuring queer adjacent stories made for straight audiences, we’re taking a look back at the New Queer Cinema. In the early 90’s, filmmakers like Gus Van Sant and Greg Araki reclaimed the road movie for queer audiences. These two tales of narcoleptic hustlers and murderers on the run tapped into a queer culture ignored and left for dead by their government. They take very different stylistic approaches, with wildly varying budgets, but each one captures the early 90’s in their own captivating way.
S3 E67 · Fri, February 12, 2021
My Best Friend’s Wedding & The Object of My Affection
Click here to send us a message! We’re continuing our look back at 90’s queer films made for straight audiences with My Best Friend’s Wedding and The Object of My Affection! Both of these films feature early portrayals of the gay best friend trope, setting queer male characters as romantic leads for...straight women. While that’s one reading of My Best Friend’s Wedding, the Object of My Affection actually doubles down and gives the pair an almost-sex scene! Join us as we talk about casting representation, gay best friends and much more!
S3 E66 · Thu, January 28, 2021
The Birdcage & In & Out
Click here to send us a message! This week we're finally covering two of the 1990's most iconic gay films; The Birdcage and In & Out. Arriving in the middle of the Clinton era, they feature mostly straight actors in queer roles (Nathan Lane didn't come out until 1999) . Made largely by straight people for straight people, these films nevertheless touched a nerve to a generation still coming to terms with their sexuality. Join us while we talk about our experiences using these films as cover for our burgeoning sexuality, whether the comedy holds up and Hank Azaria's short shorts.
S3 E65 · Thu, January 14, 2021
Pulp Fiction & Boogie Nights
Click here to send us a message! For the second edition of our Quentin Tarantino/Paul Thomas Anderson pairings we’re discussing their second films Pulp Fiction and Boogie Nights !
S3 E64 · Fri, December 25, 2020
Happiest Season
Click here to send us a message! In our final episode of 2020, we take a look at Happiest Season, Hulu's new queer holiday movie! Directed by a lesbian icon and featuring the queerest ensemble this side of a Ryan Murphy project, the new film is one of Hulu's most popular movies. So we reached out and got our contributors to weigh-in on the new queer hit. And since it's the last episode in this very weird year, we also discussed our favorite 2020 finds, the movies or TV shows we finally got around to seeing thanks to months in quarantine. Join us as we discuss Search Party, Succession, P-Valley and Netflix's Dark.
S3 E63 · Fri, November 13, 2020
Contact & Interstellar
Click here to send us a message! We’re leaving the planet this week and taking Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey with us! We’re covering the 1997 classic Contact with Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar. Each movie sends their protagonist to outer space to ask life’s most important questions, but which one does it better? We discuss IMAX's inevitable transition from 3d documentaries to Christopher Nolan films; Robert Zemeckis' trailblazing career and Matthew McConaughey's questionable talent.
S3 E62 · Fri, October 30, 2020
Closet Monster & You’re Killing Me
Click here to send us a message! With just a few days left in October, we take a look at two horror-adjacent queer films. Closet Monster takes coming out cliches and familiar character arcs and gives them a dash of Cronenberg, a sprinkle of Lynch and a pinch of Donnie Darko to tell its coming out story, but does it work? Meanwhile You’re Killing Me casts viral LA comedy stars as friends who welcome a mysterious new boyfriend into their circle, just as some of them begin disappearing. We take a look at both, discuss the unmistakable horror influence of each film, even if neither one strictly qualify as horror.
S3 E61 · Thu, October 22, 2020
The Descent & Jennifer's Body
Click here to send us a message! Even though 2020 has been plenty terrifying, we’re getting into the Halloween spirit! We’re joined by Lauren to discuss women in horror with the badass adventurers of The Descent and the teenage succubus of Jennifer’s Body! Did we overlook Megan Fox? Does adding a male character make matters better or worse? We tackle these questions, plus reminisce about Adam Brody, dismiss Chris Pratt and much more!
S3 E60 · Wed, October 07, 2020
The Boys in the Band (2020)
Click here to send us a message! We covered the original queer classic, The Boys in the Band , back in June in celebration of pride. This month, Netflix released a remake starring the cast of the Tony winning revival and produced by Ryan Murphy. So this week, in celebration of its release, Max and Rob dropped in to watch the remake. Starring Zachary Quinto and Jim Parsons, the drama has some big shoes to fill. Does it? Or does it feel more like a community theater production of your favorite show? Join us for a special episode as we watch the movie, from the solitude of our own apartments, and debate it's merits.
S3 E59 · Fri, September 25, 2020
Reservoir Dogs & Hard Eight
Click here to send us a message! Quentin Tarantino and Paul Thomas Anderson are two of their generation's most celebrated filmmakers. But, everyone starts somewhere and The Queer Film Podcast is taking a look back at two auteur's debut films. Academy Awards and Palme d'Ors were in both men's future, but they announced themselves to the world in the 1990's with two movies about criminals with daddy issues. This multi-part series will compare and contrast our favorite filmmakers' rise from Sundance darlings to respected Academy Award elders. Join us as we follow their careers over time, have they evolved as filmmakers or are they still making the same movies over and over? Will they ever learn to write a woman? We'll find this out as Brian, Max and our contributors examine and dissect two of the best American filmmakers, side by side. In this episode, we start at the beginning, with their first films; Reservoir Dogs and Hard Eight.
S3 E58 · Thu, August 27, 2020
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert & To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar
Click here to send us a message! This week we're finally covering two of queer cinema's most famous road trips; To Wong Foo and Priscilla Queen of the Desert! (We know these aren't the full titles of these films, but brevity is everything when you have a character count.) One film beautifully showcases the Australian outback, features Oscar winning costume designs and three characters with secrets and their own hero's journey. The other stars Patrick Swayze and Wesley Snipes! How do these films hold up now? Are they cult classics or a patronizing story about magical drag queens who show up to solve everyone's problems? Chicago queen Alexis Bevels joins us with our newest contributor, Josh, to discuss all this, and of course Guy Pearce's body.
S3 E57 · Thu, August 13, 2020
Romeos & The Skin I Live In
Click here to send us a message! We’re back! After a month off, we’re joined by activist Len DeWilde, who brings with him the transgender German rom-com you didn’t know existed, Romeos , and we pair it with Pedro Almodóvar’s The Skin I Live In. One is a harmless coming out story, the other is about an evil scientist and a sadistic quest for revenge. We play Almodovar drinking games, discuss trans representation in modern media, bland white leads and Antonio Banderas!
S3 E56 · Thu, July 02, 2020
Mary, Queen of Scots & The Favourite
Click here to send us a message! We're wrapping up Pride 2020 with a long look back, way back, to the sixteenth century with Mary, Queen of Scots. The film features great performances from Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie and some great beards from David Tennant and Guy Pierce. We pair it with the The Favourite, starring Rachel Weisz, Emma Stone and Best Actress winner Olivia Coleman. Two revisionist modern takes on the politics of being royalty, but do they work? Or are they bogged down by virtue signaling and trying too hard? Our friends Lauren Whalen and Matt Jackson join to help us find the answers to these questions!
S3 E55 · Thu, June 18, 2020
9 to 5 & The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
Click here to send us a message! Continuing our celebration of Pride Month, this week we take a look at a couple of 1980's classics, each starring the one and only Dolly Parton. Brian is joined by his friend and Dolly Parton expert, Zack Hudson. In addition to sharing a star in Dolly, the films share a director, Colin Higgins. He was an out gay man, making an unapologetically feminist film with three of the early 80's biggest stars, and he followed it up with the musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas! Join Brian and Zack as they revisit these two now classics, discussing Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLouise as well as share their favorite stories about Dolly Parton's legendary career.
S3 E54 · Thu, June 11, 2020
Milk & The Times of Harvey Milk
Click here to send us a message! Pride events are canceled all over the world; but pride can never truly be canceled. To celebrate our community, we're covering queer films all month long. We start with the Oscar winning documentary, The Times of Harvey Milk and pair it with the 2008 biopic starring Sean Penn. The documentary helped introduce the world to the first openly gay city councilman, who was assassinated after just eleven months in office. Max joins this week as we wrestle with the problematic cast of the 2008 film, talk about Harvey's legacy, and of course, find time to compliment somebody's butt.
S3 E53 · Thu, May 28, 2020
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? & The Boys in the Band (1970)
Click here to send us a message! We’re heading to Broadway this week, as we cover two queer classics based on plays. First, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton team up to host the worst dinner party of all time in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Not to be outdone, the unabashedly gay leads of The Boys in the Band throw a birthday party for one of their friends, and learn a few secrets while they’re at it. Two iconic films, but have they aged well, or are were they eerily prescient? Rob and Max join this week, as we put on our theater caps and discuss two of cinema’s most iconic queer films. Let the games begin...
S3 E52 · Fri, May 15, 2020
Ed Wood & Gods and Monsters
Click here to send us a message! This week, Max and Matt join Brian to discuss films about queer filmmakers! Ed Wood tells the tale of the titular director, giving us Tim Burton's finest film and Johnny Depp's best performance, tracing Wood's struggle to make it in Hollywood alongside his queer family. On the other hand, we have queer filmmaker Bill Condon telling the story of the last days of James Whale's life. Ian McKellan was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Whale's final days, but how does it hold up in 2020?
S3 E51 · Thu, April 30, 2020
Quarantine Special, Part 2
Click here to send us a message! Our celebration of fifty episodes continues into our 51st! To commemorate the milestone, Brian reached out to his contributors to check in, and find out what everyone's watching while under quarantine. This week we're joined by contributors Lauren, Rob and Stephen. Once again, no stone is left unturned. We talk movies, like A Simple Favor, Onward, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and touch on our favorite television shows, like Schitt's Creek, The Comeback, You, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Feel Good.
S3 E50 · Fri, April 24, 2020
Quarantine Special, part 1
Click here to send us a message! It's our 50th official episode!!! To celebrate, Brian used Zoom to get a hold of every single contributor to check in on how they're doing and what pop-culture they're consuming to pass the time while stuck at home under quarantine. The result is two hours of our queer film experts discussing all their favorite things right now. No stone is left unturned across the two episodes! In Part 1, we discuss Tiger King, Westworld, Birds of Prey, the new albums from Fiona Apple and Purity Ring, Ken Russel films, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the camp classic The Apple, The Sopranos, Kurt Vonnegut and even video games like the "Uncharted" and "Monster Hunter" series.
S3 E49 · Tue, March 24, 2020
Safe & Contagion
Click here to send us a message! Just before our home state put us on Shelter in Place orders, Max and Brian got together to talk about the movie on everyone's mind: Contagion. Not content with with a fictional pandemic amid our real one, we paired it with Todd Haynes' 1995 feature, Safe! A young, but always incredible, Julianne Moore begins coughing and hyperventilating near any chemicals. Or is she just suffocating from toxic masculinity? Meanwhile, Stephen Soderbergh's 2011 hit, Contagion is turning out to be prescient, and not just a star studded disaster movie. Even if it's totally a star-studded disaster movie. (But at least they don't sing Imagine).
S3 E48 · Thu, March 19, 2020
The Others & A Quiet Place
Click here to send us a message! With the coronavirus putting the world in lockdown, it was only appropriate that we cover two horror films with isolated protagonists. But we'd be lying if we said we had that in mind. Instead, we planned to release this one to coincide with the release of A Quiet Place Part 2, but that film has since been delayed. But no matter! Contributors Lauren Whalen and Steve Moore drop by to discuss these two modern horror classics. Each are tales about parenting, isolation and a fear of the larger world. Are they metaphors for fame? for Parenting? Or are they just cautionary tales about walking in formation when exploring a post apocalyptic wasteland? We discuss all this and more in this week's episode!
S3 E47 · Fri, March 06, 2020
Portrait of a Lady on Fire & Call Me By Your Name
Click here to send us a message! This week, contributor Matt returns and we discuss two of the 21st centuries most iconic queer stories, 2019's Portrait of a Lady on Fire and 2017's Call Me By Your Name. Two epic, beautifully shot tales of couples falling in love, seemingly in exile from the outside world.
S3 E46 · Fri, February 21, 2020
Us & Parasite
Click here to send us a message! Contributor Max Bever returns to talk the most recent Best Picture winner, Parasite, and we've paired it with the year's second most unconventional horror film, Jordan Peele's Us. Are these films two sides of the same coin? What does each film have to say about their respective countries, or are they both just responding to capitalism? Two of the year's best movies, by two of the era's finest filmmakers; they have more in common than you might think, and Max and Brian are here to talk it out.
S3 E45 · Mon, February 10, 2020
Oscars 2020
Click here to send us a message! For the first episode of 2020, A Piece of Pie brings you our first ever live recording! We sat down to watch the Oscars and during commercial breaks, we paused and commented on the awards. Who won, who lost, and who made the best impression. Recorded as we watched, this is a live, unedited, unpolished episode with off the cuff remarks, long awkward pauses, not to mention our thoughts on the winners, losers, the live performances and more!
S2 E44 · Wed, November 13, 2019
Nightmare on Elm Street 2 & Scream, Queen
Click here to send us a message! In our final episode of 2019, we finally review the queer cult horror classic Nightmare on Elm Street 2! The gayest horror film of all time stars Mark Patton as Jesse, a suburban teen with his own demons, who crosses paths with the legendary Freddy Krueger. Thirty years later, Mark Patton's documentary Scream, Queen: My Nightmare on Elm Street tales his story of navigating 1980's Hollywood amid the AIDS Crisis, rampant homophobia and Ronald Reagan's tenure as president. We discuss the two films and give our thoughts on the documentary, now playing at film festivals across the country.
S2 E43 · Sat, October 19, 2019
To Die For
Click here to send us a message! This week, since James showed Brian one of his favorite films, we've switched roles and now Brian introduces James to Gus Van Sant's To Die For. The 1995 film stars Nicole Kidman as a ruthless woman looking for fame and fortune at any cost - even murder. We take a look at how the film holds up, discuss Van Sant's queer gaze and lament the lack of roles for the actress Illeana Douglas!
S2 E42 · Thu, October 03, 2019
A Chat with Queer Horror Icon Mark Patton
Click here to send us a message! For this very special of A Piece of Pie, Brian and James sit down with actor Mark Patton, of Nightmare on Elm Street 2! He has a new documentary making the festival rounds: “Scream, Queen: My Nightmare on Elm Street” The night before the film’s Chicago debut, Mark sat down with us to talk about his journey through Hollywood in the 1980’s, his quest to make this documentary and tell his story. It was an honor to talk with this queer icon for our first ever interview episode!
S2 E41 · Fri, September 13, 2019
Serial Mom
Click here to send us a message! We're trying out a new format for this one! Instead of our usual 2 movies, James' talked Brian into watching John Waters' camp classic, Serial Mom! As Brian discovers this cult queer staple, we also discuss Waters' legacy, Homer Simpson, and the great Kathleen Turner! This film skewers the 1990's in John Waters' unique voice, join us as James' revisits it via the special edition blu-ray, and Brian watches it all the way through for the first time ever!
S2 E40 · Thu, August 22, 2019
Bound & Wild Things
Click here to send us a message! For our 40th episode, we're joined by Matt and Ryan, hosts of ExRated Movies! So of course these four gay men tackled the lesbian crime drama, Bound, the first film from the Wachowski's, starring Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilly. We paired it with the lesbian-adjacent 90's campy thriller, Wild Things, starring Neve Campbell and Denise Richards. Who's the best actress among these four? It's not Denise Richards! Is Wild Things a knowing satire of sex-filled 90's crime films, or just a bad example of one? Can Joe Pantoliano out-act his wig? We answer these questions and more, plus find time to appreciate Christopher Meloni's backside and Kevin Bacon's front-side!
S2 E39 · Fri, August 09, 2019
A Hard Day's Night & Across the Universe
Click here to send us a message! We have Beatlemania this week at a Piece of Pie! Max returns this week to talk the messy Across the Universe , Julie Taymor's disjointed Beatles movie musical. Meanwhile, Brian gets to gush over the first movie starring his favorite band, the. Why does Julie Taymor take the Beatles' more seriously than the Beatles do? How many cliche's did Richard Lester's classic invent? And what's better, a Beatles movie by the Beatles, or a Beatles movie inspired by them? We tackle these questions and many more this week, only on A Piece of Pie: The Queer Film Podcast!
S2 E38 · Thu, July 25, 2019
Interview with the Vampire & Only Lovers Left Alive
Click here to send us a message! It's Halloween in July as Brian and James revisit two vampire tales, Interview with the Vampire and Only Lovers Left Alive. Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt play gay-adjacent vampires in the 90's goth classic, with Kirsten Dunst in her debut role. We talk Anne Rice's lurid prose, Antonio Banderas' accent and Brad Pitt's boredom. Then we discuss Jim Jarmusch's Only Lovers Left Alive, starring Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston as an ageless vampire couple drifting through Detroit.
S2 E37 · Thu, June 27, 2019
Far From Heaven & A Single Man
Click here to send us a message! With Pride Month 2019 winding down, James and Brian take a look at two queer films that share more than just an actress in Julianne Moore. For the first time, we're talking two queer films from two queer filmmakers! Each film takes a look back at where we've been with Far From Heaven taking place in the 1950's. In the era of Leave It to Beaver and Donna Reed, Todd Haynes' film showcases a woman who learns her loving husband is gay and must deal with the fallout. First time filmmaker Tom Ford takes us to the 1960's, where the titular single man, Colin Firth, loses his lover in a tragedy and spends the film planning his last day on Earth.
S2 E36 · Fri, June 21, 2019
The X-Men Films, Part 2
Click here to send us a message! For the second part of our 2-part X-Men special, we start with Matthew Vaughn's "First Class," all the way to this year's "Dark Phoenix." Is the new flick as bad as you've heard? Is James McAvoy a better or worse Professor X? Is Logan a masterpiece of comic book films or just a straight-up masterpiece? How much screaming does it take to play Wolverine? All these questions will be answered!
S2 E35 · Thu, June 13, 2019
The X-Men Films, Part 1
Click here to send us a message! With the release of the long-delayed Dark Phoenix, and the Fox X-Men movies essentially coming to an end, we decided to go back and revisit 19 years of films! From it's humble beginnings in the year 2000, with a cast of unknowns, to its conclusion years later starring Oscar winners, we go all the way back to the beginning. We discuss the problematic Bryan Singer and behind the scenes drama. Meanwhile, Jean Grey super-fan James gives us the full rundown on Phoenix and talks why she's always been a queer icon.
S2 E34 · Fri, June 07, 2019
Rocketman & Velvet Goldmine
Click here to send us a message! We're kicking off Pride 2019 with two flamboyant glittery movie musicals! We cover the Elton John biopic, Rocketman and pair it with the queer classic, Velvet Goldmine!
S2 E33 · Thu, May 23, 2019
Mosquita y Mari & A Fantastic Woman
Click here to send us a message! This week Brian and James are joined by the hosts of They/Them Pod, Chicago's Queerest Podcast! Host Sal Gado brings their favorite film, Mosquita y Mari, the 2012 indie drama and we paired it with the Academy Award winner A Fantastic Woman! Sal and Devlyn join Brian and James to talk queer cinema, transphobia, supportive - and not so supportive -families.
S2 E32 · Tue, May 14, 2019
Jackie Brown & Out of Sight
Click here to send us a message! James and Brian finally tackle one of their favorite films, Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown, and pair it with another Elmore Leonard adaptation, Steven Soderbergh's Out of Sight. Was Pam Grier robbed of an Oscar? Are these two films the best from their respective filmmakers? Is this film where George Clooney officially transformed into a movie star? Will we ever get another great performance from Jennifer Lopez? We discuss all this and more, including the wardrobes and the soundtracks of these two modern classics!
Bonus · Thu, May 09, 2019
One Night Stand #4 (Avengers: Endgame/Game of Thrones)
Click here to send us a message! For our latest One Night Stand, we take a look at two of the biggest pop-culture phenomenons going right now! Brian and James give you their takes on what's shaping up to be the biggest movie of all time, Avengers: Endgame, and while they were at it, they talked about the first 3 episodes of the final season of Game of Thrones. We give our predictions on who'll sit on the Iron Throne and discuss saying goodbye to our favorite superheroes!
S2 E30 · Thu, April 25, 2019
Rear Window & Stranger by the Lake
Click here to send us a message! For their 30th episode, James and Brian take inspiration from real life! Inspired by Brian's broken knee, they turned to the classic Alfred Hitchcock film, Rear Window starring James Stewart, and paired it with 2013's, Stranger by the Lake! Each involve eyewitnesses to murder and nosy neighbors, but which one is gayer? We talk coded questions and turning down Grace Kelly, French film money shots and stop to ask ourselves: would we sleep with a murderer?
S2 E29 · Sun, April 14, 2019
Her & Ex Machina
Click here to send us a message! This week, Brian and James tackle artificial intelligence as they pair up the Spike Jonze love story, Her and Alex Garland's Ex Machina! As ever we ask the important questions; Is Joaquin Phoenix a creep or just a dope? Or both? Does anyone look good in high-waisted pants? Is Oscar Isaac's performance channeling Mark Zuckerberg or a James Bond villain? Which one of these two AI's will happen first, a lovable OS or a robot with a grudge? All this and more on A Piece of Pie: The Queer Film Podcast
S2 E28 · Fri, April 05, 2019
One Night Stand #3
Click here to send us a message! For 2019's first One Night Stand, Brian and James get together to discuss recent trailer drops from Marvel and Quentin Tarantino. We belatedly heap praise upon Natasha Lyonne's "Russian Doll," James talks his excitement for Dark Phoenix and recommends a unique Japanese reality show. All this and, of course, our Avengers: Endgame predictions.
S2 E27 · Thu, March 14, 2019
Wonder Woman & Captain Marvel
Click here to send us a message! We’re joined by James' husband Kurt! He guests to talk about his two favorite super heroines, Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel! How do the two strong, bad ass iconic comic book characters translate to film? Why does Hollywood think they need a love interest? And why do these movies about female superheroes each feature dick jokes?
S2 E26 · Thu, March 07, 2019
Oscars 2019
Click here to send us a message! Well, that happened. The Oscars of 2019 were decidedly underwhelming, but it was also our anniversary episode, so we watched anyway. Brian and James are joined by Max as they share their favorites of 2018, react to that undeserved best picture win and, as ever, still find time to swoon over Chris Evans and his beard. Join us as we celebrate our first year!
S1 E25 · Thu, February 14, 2019
All the President's Men & Dick
Click here to send us a message! With Roger Stone's recent indictment, we look back to Richard Nixon and the Watergate Scandal and two movies about that investigation. First, the fact-based true story of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein's investigation, All the President's Men and the 1999 spoof of that investigation, Dick. How much has All the President's Men influenced film history, not to mention journalism? Did Woodward and Bernstein get along? And what does Nora Ephron have to do with all of this? Meanwhile, we're excited to discuss a movie called "Dick" not just because we're the queer film podcast, but because we love an easy joke! All of this, plus praise of Michelle Williams, a hat-tip to The Who's Who of 90's comedy, and lots of debate over whether or not Dustin Hoffman is even attractive!
S1 E24 · Thu, January 31, 2019
Mulholland Drive & Gone Girl
Click here to send us a message! This week we're joined by writer and film critic, Lauren Emily Whalen, as she brings her two of her favorite films, Mulholland Drive and Gone Girl! As always, the important questions; Did she know she was choosing films by our favorite directors? What do these blonde, beautiful, duplicitous femme fatales have in common and how do these male filmmakers influence the telling of their story? Does Billy Ray Cyrus remember being in Mulholland Drive? When do you pause to see Ben Affleck's penis? All this and more on Episode 24 of a Piece of Pie!
S1 E23 · Thu, January 17, 2019
All About Eve & Black Swan
Click here to send us a message! Your favorite queer film-nerds welcome 2019 with two of their all-time favorite films, All About Eve and Black Swan! Is Bette Davis' Margo Channing one of the best film performances of all time? Is Eve Harrington actually queer? Are you #TeamMargo or #TeamEve? Where is the line between a delicate sex scene and one clouded by male gaze? Which of these films has a more enlightened view of women? Should you, if given the chance, have sex with a gymnast? In one of our longest episodes, we answer these questions and many more on A Piece of Pie: The Queer Film Podcast.
S1 E22 · Thu, December 20, 2018
Meet Me in St. Louis & Carol
Click here to send us a message! In the final episode of 2018, James and Brian revisit (or, in Brian's case, visit) two Christmas films. One is a bonafide classic, Vincente Minnelli's Meet Me in St. Louis, starring the legendary Judy Garland. Was Judy Garland the original Mean Girl in 1904? Is her kid sister a proto-Wednesday Addams? How gay do you have to be to look gay standing next to Dorothy Gale herself? We pair that classic with the new queer classic, Todd Haynes' Carol; a lesbian love story set over the holidays in 1945. Is gaydar a fun party trick or a survival mechanism for queer people? Is this the first queer love story with no villains? Or are we just naturally sympathetic to Kyle Chandler? We answer these questions and more as we celebrate the holidays with two Christmas movies on A Piece of Pie!
S1 E21 · Thu, November 22, 2018
Home for the Holidays & Addams Family Values
Click here to send us a message! They're creepy and they're kooky, they're altogether spooky, they're everyone's family! And on this special Thanksgiving episode of A Piece of Pie, we're tackling two very different, but very queer-adjacent families in Jodie Foster's Home for the Holidays, and Addams Family Values as James, Brian and contributor Max break down these queer Thanksgiving classics. The men in these movies are repulsive (Uncle Fester, Dylan McDermott) and the women (Holly Hunter, Angelica Huston, Christina Ricci and Anne Bancroft) get to shine, but are these movies as queer as we remember? Which one is gayer than the other? With a queer writer on Addams Family Values and queer director for Home for the Holidays, the answer might surprise you!
S1 E20 · Fri, November 09, 2018
Zodiac & Insomnia
Click here to send us a message! We're pitting two modern filmmaking masters against each other, David Fincher's "Zodiac" and Christopher Nolan's "Insomnia." We ask the important questions: Who shoots a confrontation better? How long has Christopher Nolan been pining for IMAX screens? Who taught Hilary Swank how to act? and Who's your favorite Ninja Turtle? And we call for justice for under-used film actresses Ashley Judd, Barbara Hershey and Mira Sorvino! Because they deserve it.
Bonus · Wed, October 31, 2018
One Night Stand #2
Click here to send us a message! We wrap up our Halloween horror film coverage with a look at some of our favorite horror tales from the small screen! Max joins us once again as we discuss classic Treehouse of Terror episodes and the unlikely costumes of television characters. We talk our favorite episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Parks and Recreation, and of course, because it's us, 30 Rock. Spooky, scary!
S1 E17 · Tue, October 23, 2018
Halloween (1978/1998/2018)
Click here to send us a message! Continuing our look at horror films in October, Brian and Max went to see the brand new Halloween, starring Jamie Lee Curtis and directed by David Gordon Green, and paired it with two movies! The original 1978 John Carpenter classic and 1998's Halloween H20 starring Curtis, LL Cool J and Josh Hartnett. But which sequel's Laurie is more Laurie? The gun-toting Midwestern prepper or the college professor in Northern California? How does the trauma of the first film influence the Strode women in 2018? Join Brian and special guest Max as they dissect this classic franchise! Oh and don't worry, they haven't forgotten that these films introduced us to Paul Rudd!
S1 E16 · Thu, October 11, 2018
The Witch & Hereditary
Click here to send us a message! What's more horrifying, a witch in seventeenth century America, or a 21st century family with secrets? Are talking goats scary or funny? Is Toni Collette the greatest actor alive? For the first time ever, hosts Brian and James are joined by both Max and Kyle to get to the bottom of these questions and more! They discuss two new horror classics on a special October edition of A Piece of Pie!
S1 E15 · Thu, September 27, 2018
Romy and Michele's High School Reunion & Never Been Kissed
Click here to send us a message! We go back to high school with Drew, Lisa and Mira as we revisit two classic 90's comedies, Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion and Never Been Kissed! What do Romy and Michelle have in common with Bart and Lisa? How many bumpits does Jessica Alba wear in her small role? And we finally find John C. Reilly's worst film performance. All this and more in A Piece of Pie Episode 15!
S1 E14 · Thu, September 13, 2018
The Sandlot & A League of Their Own
Click here to send us a message! Our friend Rob joins us for a special baseball themed episode as we cover two classics about America's pastime, The Sandlot & A League of Their Own ! Why doesn't Benny 'the Jet' Rodriguez get to tell his own story? Are there any lesbians on the Rockford Peaches? And why are three queers talking baseball, anyway? These answers and more on A Piece of Pie!
S1 E13 · Thu, August 30, 2018
The Happytime Murders & Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Click here to send us a message! Is puppet sex subversive? Is it even remotely funny? Does Kathleen Turner still have the sexiest voice in showbiz? How does this contemporary train wreck hold up to a modern classic? Brian and James answer these questions and more on this week's episode of A Piece of Pie
S1 E12 · Thu, August 16, 2018
Jaws & The Meg
Click here to send us a message! It's giant shark vs giant shark as we dissect Steven Spielberg's classic "Jaws" in, uh, celebration of this week's #1 movie in the box office ,"The Meg." Why isn't Jason Statham versus a shark any fun? Are the guys in Jaws masculinity more threatened by the shark or each other? Our friend Max Bever returns to help us ask all these questions and more!
Bonus · Thu, August 09, 2018
One Night Stand #1
Click here to send us a message! Every gay man has a one-night stand at some point and this podcast is no exception! As the name implies, our new feature, "One Night Stands" will be brief and inconsequential flings where we'll talk about whatever's on our minds. This time it was Hulu's "Castle Rock," HBO's "Sharp Object" as well as Janelle Monae, The Golden Girls and the hit podcast "Alice Isn't Dead." So unlock those face pics and come on over for a quickie with your Piece of Pie hosts Brian and James and don't worry; If we see you out, we'll pretend not to recognize you.
S1 E10 · Thu, August 02, 2018
Carrie & The Craft
Click here to send us a message! Special guest Roman Harrington brings one of their favorites, Carrie (1974),and we pair it with the, ahem, cult classic The Craft (1996) ! Two tales of female empowerment? Or men channeling their fear of women into the supernatural? Has John Travolta ever been attractive? Was Carrie's mom once an atheist? A Piece of Pie answers these questions, and more, and still find time to talk about butts!
S1 E9 · Thu, July 19, 2018
Brokeback Mountain & Happy Together
Click here to send us a message! This week we cover two queer classics: Ang Lee's 2005 masterpiece and Academy Award also-ran, "Brokeback Mountain" and Wong Kar-Wai's seminal 1997 Chinese film, "Happy Together." Join us as we discuss repressed homosexuals, violent relationships, bad wigs and how much lube is not-enough-lube. With special guest Max Bever!
S1 E8 · Fri, July 06, 2018
The Handmaiden & Crimson Peak
Click here to send us a message! We wrap up Pride Month with a look at Chan-wook Park's lesbian drama The Handmaiden and we pair it with Guillermo Del Toro's lush Crimson Peak starring Tom Hiddleston and Jessica Chastain!
S1 E7 · Mon, June 18, 2018
Love, Simon & Weekend
Click here to send us a message! We are back! Just in time for Pride Month 2018, we're covering two recent gay-themed films, and asking the important questions: Do high school students really drink coffee? Do they know who Elliot Smith is? And what does Josh Duhamel do between Transformers movies? All this and more on A Piece of Pie!
S1 E6 · Sun, May 13, 2018
Gravity & Fearless
Click here to send us a message! Which character in Gravity is also a dog-sledder? When did Jeff Bridges reach peak Jeff Bridges? Why doesn't anyone else know Isabella Rossellini is funny? These answers and more on our special Mother's Day episode! James' Mom's favorite, Fearless and Oscar-winner, Gravity!
S1 E5 · Sat, April 28, 2018
The Marvel Cinematic Universe, Part 2
Click here to send us a message! Who’s queerer, Hela or Valkyrie? Are Chris Evans and Sebastian Stan showing off their butts in those new posters? Why does Dr. Strange look like Benedict Cumberbatch's Halloween costume? And what does Pitch Perfect 2 have to do with the Guardians of the Galaxy? Join James, Brian and a guest as they look back on ten years of Marvel Studios!
S1 E5 · Tue, April 24, 2018
The Marvel Cinematic Universe, Part 1
Click here to send us a message! Can you see Jeremy Renner's potato face from behind? Does Joss Whedon even like Thor? Can we cover all these movies in an hour? Join us as we try! With our friend Rob, we take a deep dive into the Marvel Cinematic Universe!
S1 E4 · Sat, April 07, 2018
Ready Player One & Minority Report
Click here to send us a message! How many films does it take for Spielberg to get a queer character right? Should Lois Smith cameo in every film? Can we dig our way out from under the weight of too many licensing opportunities? These answers and more on this week's episode of A Piece of Pie: The Queer Film Podcast. (With special guest Max Bever)
S1 E3 · Mon, March 26, 2018
The Badass Ladies of Sci-Fi
Click here to send us a message! In what year did Tom Skeritt reach peak bangability? Can we successfully navigate the problematic mine field of discussing Jodie Foster? What are we most thankful to Jonathan Glazer for? (Hint: it's dicks.) Throw out the Vagisil, because we've got the cure for these burning questions and more on Episode 3 of A Piece of Pie: The Queer Film Podcast!
S1 E2 · Fri, March 16, 2018
Badlands & True Romance
Click here to send us a message! Can Martin Sheen fill out a pair of Daisy Dukes? Is it appropriate to talk to Quentin Tarantino while high? Can Sissy Spacek stare a hole through another human being? What is it about steamy manholes that Tony Scott finds so irresistible? These burning questions and more will be answered on Episode 2 of A Piece of Pie!
S1 E1 · Sat, March 10, 2018
Oscars 2018
Click here to send us a message! Did Meryl Streep fart her way to an Oscar? Is Timothée Chalamet a secret douche? Is Cher even alive? We’ll answer all these questions and more! Join Brian, James, and Kyle for their inaugural episode as they rave, bitch, and wax philosophical about the Oscars.
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