A podcast about movies that are bad... but kind of good?
Join hosts Masie and Stuart as they autopsy various films throughout history, finding the bones that make them compelling in spite of their flaws.
CW: Police brutality, racism, and sexual assault discussed in relation to the plot and themes of the film.
After an extended (and accidental) hiatus, Masie & Stuart are finally back with a new monthly schedule to dissect the unfortunately topical 1995 Kathryn Bigelow cyberpunk action film Strange Days. Starring Ralph Fiennes as the most pathetic ex-cop ever dealing street illegal VR-esque tech on New Year's Eve in the near future 1999, Strange Days is a shockingly prescient film in its portrayal of the evils of police brutality and racism. Does it nail its conclusions on these topics though? And does Angela Bassett slay so hard that its easy to overlook those faults? Tune in to find out!
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/cinema_bones
Follow Us on Social Media @ Cinema_Bones on Instagram and Letterboxd for podcast updates.
Additional Reading/Sources:
Kathryn Bigelow's Commentary on Filming the POV Sequences (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NQDgoM_sNE)
FilmScouts Interview with Bigelow and Co-Screenwriter Jay Cocks
Juliette Lewis, PJ Harvey Article from LA Times
LA Time's Article about New Year's Eve Party Created during the Film's Production
Christian Science Monitor Article on Strange Days Featuring Comments from Bigelow
29 Oct 2025
Cinema Bones - Ep 29 - From Up On Poppy Hill (2011)
In this episode, Masie & Stuart close out their examination of the filmography of Goro Miyazaki by checking out his second feature film, From Up On Poppy Hill. Has Goro learned any lessons from his first directorial outing with Tales from Earthsea? Or does he crash straight downhill? Listen as our hosts discuss this film's interesting historical setting, architecture, and character designs, but also its bizarre romantic conflict and mayhaps overly nostalgic perspective of 1960's Showa-era Japan.
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/cinema_bones
Follow Us on Social Media @ Cinema_Bones on Instagram and Letterboxd for podcast updates.
Additional Reading/Sources:
Inside Studio Ghibli's From Up on Poppy Hill: Grounding a Romance in Memories
NYT Interview with Goro Miyazaki
14 Sept 2025
Cinema Bones - Ep 28 - Tales from Earthsea (2006)
In this episode, Masie and Stuart take a boat to the fantasy lands of Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea book series for Studio Ghibli's 2006 adaptation titled Tales from Earthsea. Along with the director Goro Miyazaki, this film has quite a negative reputation among Ghibli's otherwise illustrious catalogue of animated productions. But does it deserve said reputation? Well, our hosts on their travels unfortunately find a film with a strong lack of visual identity and craft with a script that is... confusing to say the least. Tune into our hosts journey through turbulent waters as they discuss its strange adaptation decisions as well as how the film points to Ghibli's weaknesses as a studio.
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/cinema_bones
Follow Us on Social Media @ Cinema_Bones on Instagram and Letterboxd for podcast updates.
Additional Reading/Sources:
Interview with Toshio Suzuki about the Production of Tales from Earthsea (https://www.ghibli.jp/storage/000283/)
Archive of Ursula K. Le Guin's Response to the Tales from Earthsea
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.3 / 5
6 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 39 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
67
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
31
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