Podcast
Mixed Bag
Hosted by Mixed Bag · EN
A podcast looking at the mixed, muddled and meh movies throughout film history. Featuring Matt, Cassandra and Jamie. Contact us at mixedbagcontact@gmail.com
11episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
168 - Indecent Proposal 💸
6d ago02:07:18Tap to summarizeWe continue the Demi Moore miniseries with a movie that made many viewers question their values, and made Cass question where she could get a cool backpack/vest/saddlebag combo. As Letterboxd says: "John Gage offers a down-on-his-luck yuppie husband $1 million for the opportunity to spend the night with the man’s wife." Would you take the money? We also talk about the Rise of the Golden Idol video game series, music documentaries Little Richard: I Am Everything, It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley and Luther: Never Too Much, Ball of Fire (1941), Julio Torres' Color Theories, Chris Fleming: Live at the Palace, Kimberly Bellflower's John Proctor is the Villain, Saraid de Silva's Amma, Resident Evil 4 and its upcoming movie adaptation. Plus for some reason Jamie delivers a full beat-by-beat recap of Species (1995).
Transcribe →167 - Ghost 👻
3w ago02:01:27Tap to summarizeOOOoooooOOOoooOOH! Is it spooky season!? No, it's just time for the second instalment in our Demi Moore series, Demisexual. "After a young man is murdered, his spirit stays behind to warn his lover of impending danger, with the help of a reluctant psychic" (Letterboxd). We clearly have a lot to say about Sam Wheat and his otherworldly antics. Apologies for the occasional loud storm sounds -- the night after we recorded this, a massive flood came and ruined several of Jamie & Cass's neighbours' homes. We're fine though! Over in the Pop Corner, we chat The Pitt, James Whale's Universal Monster movies (specifically The Old Dark House (1932) and the iconic queen Ernest Thesiger), In the Mood for Love (2000), The Cell (2000), The Cranes Are Flying (1957), this year's Snapshot Shorts, The Old Cold Hearts Club, Mr. Nobody Against Putin, and new albums from Robyn, Raye, Hilary Duff and Slater.
Transcribe →166 - St Elmo's Fire 🔥
Apr 1202:14:34Tap to summarizeIt's the first instalment of our latest miniseries: DEMISEXUAL. That's right, we're celebrating the life and career of Ms. Demi Moore, starting right here at her first feature film appearance St Elmo's Fire. Letterboxd has a very long summary for this one, so we'll just say that it's about seven friends in their post-university era, trying to get their lives and love lives together. Also, most of the men should be in jail!!!!!!! In the Pop Corner, we chat Green Snake (1993), Project Hail Mary, After the Hunt (2025), Stick It (2006), I Swear (2025), the pro-shot of Merrily We Roll Along, a recent concert from the Mountain Goats, and a prolonged discussion of The Drama. We do get into spoiler territory for The Drama at a certain point, so feel free to skip ahead to 32:19 if you want to go in fresh!
Transcribe →165 - Michael Collins 🇮🇪
Mar 2901:42:32Tap to summarize"Oh... they're the IRA." – Matt Loveranes, 2026 It's a Cass pick, which means you know it'll either be animated, a musical, or an obscure period piece (shout out Dean Spanley). Today's film is definitely in the third category and comes straight from Year 11 history class. "Michael Collins plays a crucial role in the establishment of the Irish Free State in the 1920s, but becomes vilified by those hoping to create a completely independent Irish republic," says Letterboxd. Not a word on the smouldering sexual tension between Michael and his bestie Harry Boland? Say it ain't so! Over in the Pop Corner, we chat Oscars, the book Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson, Two People Exchanging Saliva, the game Book of Hours, Song Sung Blue, Arrival (2016), Woodenhead (2003), Pillion and the graphic novels Witch's Egg (Donya Todd) and Kill Six Billion Demons (Tom Bloom). We also return to our discussions of The Bride and The Testament of Ann Lee, now that more hosts have seen the films. Also, Cass presents some strong evidence to prove that Christopher Luxon is a huge F1 fan (derogatory, on both sides).
Transcribe →164 - Junebug 🐞🤰
Mar 1501:38:25Tap to summarizeIt's Matt's personal pick, and in honour of the upcoming Oscars he's decided to go back to where it all began... "it" being Amy Adams' long unfinished road toward Oscar glory. On the way to meet with an independent artist in the South, newlywed art dealer Madeleine is convinced by her husband, George, that they should stop to meet his family in North Carolina. Madeleine’s affluent lifestyle clashes with the family, but she befriends George’s wide-eyed and pregnant sister-in-law, Ashley, who is nearing her due date. Through the family, Madeleine gains greater insight into George’s character. (Sourced from Letterboxd). Turns out a lot of people over on Letterboxd think this movie is really boring? Not so our three hosts, who are all in for a movie about complex family dynamics that doesn't make the same mistakes certain other films made (*cough* The Family Stone *cough*). Over in the Pop Corner we talk recent gigs (The Beths and Laneway festival), Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, the video game TR-49, The Bride (brain attack!), Sirāt, the Wellington Central Library reopening, No Other Choice, The Testament of Ann Lee, The Moment and a long discussion of the Khia Asylum. Matt and Cass also discover their mutual love of Minute Cryptic. Download that app, Baguettes, it's free!
Transcribe →163 - On Golden Pond 🎣 YOU OLD POOP!
Mar 101:36:01Tap to summarizeIt's a totemic film for Jamie, who has been working on her Katharine Hepburn impression since childhood. But truly, how many times can someone say "You old poop!" with a straight face? We (attempt) to keep a tally. For Norman and Ethel Thayer, this summer on golden pond is filled with conflict and resolution. When their daughter Chelsea arrives, the family is forced to renew the bonds of love and overcome the generational friction that has existed for years. (Sourced from Letterboxd). Over in the Pop Corner, (the Poop Corner??) we talk about: Bitter Karella's Moonflow, Francesca de Tores' Saltblood, the Godzilla-themed short films Coming Out and Gigi, the Joker as trans icon, a brand new Georges Méliès short film??, Blue Moon, the YouTube channel Musora, Bad Bunny at the Superbowl, a new Lana Del Rey single and of course Wuthering Heights after our much-hyped fundraiser viewing. If you're listening to this and you didn't see Once Upon A Time in Homowood, sorry to say you missed out – but you still have time to catch Matt's other Fringe show, Tolerance which is on this week!
Transcribe →162 - Saltburn 🏰
Feb 801:59:31Tap to summarizeSaltburn — it's the dumb person's idea of a smart movie. Luckily we're all dummies and we are ready to LICK this salt. Struggling to find his place at Oxford University, student Oliver Quick finds himself drawn into the world of the charming and aristocratic Felix Catton, who invites him to Saltburn, his eccentric family’s sprawling estate, for a summer never to be forgotten. (Sourced from Letterboxd). Pop corner kernels include: the Trans Theatre festival in Melbourne, the Lord of the Rings trilogy up on the big screen, Marty Supreme, The Secret Agent and Hamnet. We also share some thoughts on the Oscar nominations and take a long diversion into how tall various movie stars are. If you liked this taste of Fennell and want a little more in your life, come along to our fundraiser screening of "Wuthering Heights" on February 12th! Tickets available here. We're fundraising for Once Upon A Time in Homowood, our show in this year's NZ Fringe. Tickets are on sale for our 17 - 21 February season right now. See you there xx
Transcribe →161 - Avatar: Fire and Ash 🔥
Jan 2501:21:50Tap to summarizeWe're back for our first real episode of 2026! We saw the Big Blue Boys again and let me tell you those returns are diminishing. In the wake of the devastating war against the RDA and the loss of their eldest son, Jake Sully and Neytiri face a new threat on Pandora: the Ash People, a violent and power-hungry Na’vi tribe led by the ruthless Varang. Jake’s family must fight for their survival and the future of Pandora in a conflict that pushes them to their emotional and physical limits. (Sourced from Letterboxd). Over in a bumper post-summer Pop Corner, we talk the video game Kinophobia, the short stories of Ursula K LeGuin, The Apartment (1960), Opening Night (1974), the Nebula original show Scav, *pant*, Hamnet (the book - movie discussion next ep!), Alison Rumfitt's Tell Me I'm Worthless, *pant*, the Odyssey, Some Of My Best Friends Are... (1971), *breathless inhale*, Marlon Williams: Ngā Ao E Rua (Two Worlds), Jay Kelly, Hedda, West Side Story (2021), Elio, Nickel Boys (2024), Roofman, Blithe Spirit (1945), *last desperate gulp of air*, If I Had Legs I'd Kick You.
Transcribe →Top Tens of 2025 (Bonus Episode)
Jan 1101:17:20Tap to summarizeWe bid farewell to the year gone by with a round up of our favourite films of 2025. From arthouse to blockbusters, international cinema to Aotearoa-grown, the Mixed Bag trio have a lot to say about a bunch of films that will never feature on this podcast because they are too good. We'll be back soon with our first real episode of the year discussing Avatar: Fire and Ash!
Transcribe →160 - Mixed Nuts with Lucas Neal 🎄
Dec 2101:26:02Tap to summarize"You there, boy, what day is it?" "Why, it's Mixedmas, sir!" Celebrate the festive season with the most of Mixed of all Mixed films, Mixed Nuts! We're joined, as is tradition, by the Ghost of Christmas Pod, Lucas Neal. Letterboxd describes this simply as "The events of a crisis hotline business on one crazy night during the Christmas holidays." It's a French farce with a lot more suicide jokes than you'd expect for a Christmas film, we can tell you that much. Over in the Pop Corner, we chat Wake Up Dead Man and Wicked: For Good, plus shout outs to Castration Movie, Herculine by Grace Byron, the video game Is This Seat Taken?, Stranger Things, Die My Love and Train Dreams.
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