Cube Critics

Cube Critics Regina Medina and Max Sparber discuss a miniseries about the killing of Lincoln and a psychedelic action film set in India.The following are capsule reviews edited from the audio heard using the player above.‘Manhunt’“Manhunt,” streaming on Apple TV+, is an engaging historical drama series that captures the intense pursuit of John Wilkes Booth following his assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Styled as a 19th century version of the modern thriller “24,” the series substitutes advanced technology with the era’s horses and Morse code, adding a unique twist to the chase narrative.The series centers on Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, portrayed by Tobias Menzies of “Outlander” fame, who leads the manhunt with a deeply personal vendetta due to his admiration for Lincoln. Patton Oswalt adds a distinct flavor to the show, playing the head of a federal law enforcement agency and infusing his characteristic vibes into the historical setting.“Manhunt” employs a series of flashbacks that enrich the s

Cube Critics Jacob Aloi and Alex V. Cipolle discuss dystopian media.The following are capsule reviews edited from the audio heard using the player above.‘Fallout’“Fallout” is a new TV series on Amazon Prime, inspired by the beloved video game series of the same name. While I wasn’t deeply immersed in the Fallout games growing up — mostly watching friends play — I loved this series.“Fallout” unfolds in an alternate universe steeped in retro-futurism, where the narrative begins in the 2070s following a catastrophic nuclear fallout. The series fast-forwards 200 years post-disaster — we’re in a world where, quoting the franchise’s iconic phrase, “War, war never changes.”It follows a group of survivors navigating the harsh wasteland, trying to achieve various objectives. What’s particularly compelling about the show is its approach to storytelling; it doesn’t adapt any specific game or storyline from the Fallout series but offers an original narrative that seamlessly fits within the established world.— Jacob Aloi

Cube Critics Max Sparber and Alex V. Cipolle discuss a film about a Minnesota legend and … they really don’t know what.The following are capsule reviews edited from the audio heard using the player above.Click here.‘The Claw’This documentary should be distinguished from another recently reviewed title, “The Iron Claw,” a tragic look at a southern wrestling family. This is the Minnesota Nice version. “The Claw” is a heartwarming dive into the life of Jim Raschke, better known as Baron von Raschke, a prominent Minnesota wrestler from the American Wrestling Association’s classic era in the sixties and seventies. Known for his Teutonic superman persona and iconic crushing grip, Baron von Raschke is a figure I remember vividly, as he inspired post-viewing wrestling matches with my brothers.Full disclosure: “The Claw” is co-created by his son, Karl Raschke, whom I knew in college and features appearances by the Baron's daughter, Heidi, a senior producer here at MPR News. While I had a small part as an extra dur

Cube Critics Jacob Aloi and Max Sparber discuss a return to a 1980s franchise and an Estonian hard rock martial arts comedy.Click here.The following are capsule reviews edited from the audio heard using the player above.‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’“Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” is a vintage continuation of the beloved franchise, directly following the 2021 sequel, “Ghostbusters: Afterlife.”This installment recaptures the spirit of the original 1980s series, featuring a plot where an ancient god resurfaces in modern times, aiming to conquer the world with an array of ghosts — a true nod to the franchise’s roots.The film transports viewers back to iconic New York settings, including the legendary Ghostbusters firehouse. It includes significant cameos from original cast members like Dan Aykroyd, who plays a major role, as well as Minnesota’s own Ernie Hudson. Fun and nostalgic, it evokes the feel of a summer blockbuster, making its release outside the summer season a pleasant surprise. “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empi

Cube Critics Max Sparber and Alex V. Cipolle discuss documentaries featured at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival, “No One Asked You” and “The Fishing Hat Bandit.” Plus a web- and podcast-only extra roundtable of other MSPIFF films, featuring Alex V. Cipolle, Caitlyn Speier and Jacob Aloi.The following are capsule reviews edited from the the audio heard using the player above.Click here.‘No One Asked You’“No One Asked You” is a compelling documentary about Minneapolis-born comedian Lizz Winstead — and film captures a quintessentially Minnesotan moment as Winstead visits the State Fair and looks at seed art.Known for co-founding “The Daily Show” and co-creating Air America Radio where she introduced Rachel Maddow, Winstead has increasingly focused on reproductive rights and abortion access. The narrative follows her touring show across the country, featuring cameos from the likes of Mark Hamill in support of clinic efforts. Set against the backdrop of the looming overturn of Roe v. Wade, the

Cube Critics Jacob Aloi and Alex V. Cipolle review “Dream Scenario” and “Kung Fu Panda 4.”The following is a transcription of the audio heard using the player above, lightly edited for clarity.MPR News senior arts reporter and critic Alex V. Cipolle: “Dream Scenario.”MPR News arts reporter Jacob Aloi: (Simultaneously) “Kung Fu Panda 4.”Both: 3.2.1.Cipolle: Mystic.Aloi: (Simultaneously) Dustin Hoffman? I feel like Nic Cage has been in a movie with Dustin Hoffman. They’ve both been around for so long.Cipolle: But what about panda stuff?Aloi: Nic Cage seems like a guy who would do panda stuff. Anyway, I’m Jacob Aloi.Cipolle: Alex V. Cipolle.Aloi: And this is Cube Critics.Aloi: So, Alex, this week you watched a movie that stars Nicolas Cage. Tell me about it.Cipolle: Yeah, I watched “Dream Scenario.” It is a surreal dark comedy from A24, came out in theaters in November, but it just became available streaming — you can rent it on several platforms.So Nicolas Cage plays Paul, a kind of dorky and middling college p

Cube Critics Matt Mikus and Aron Woldeslassie review “Damsel” and “Love Lies Bleeding.”The following is a transcription of the audio heard using the player above, lightly edited for clarity.Click here.MPR News associate producer Aron Woldeslassie: Matt, I gotta ask: How did you end up surviving the two-day snowstorm?MPR News digital producer Matt Mikus: Eating lots of very warm food. Also had to shovel a lot which was kind of a pain.Woldeslassie: I’m Aron Woldeslassie. Mikus: I’m Matt Mikus. Woldeslassie: And this is Cube Critics.Matt, I’m told you watched a new film on Netflix.Mikus: Yeah, I got to see “Damsel.” It’s on Netflix. It’s basically a fantasy adventure kind of movie that flips the script in a way that’s really enjoyable. It stars Millie Bobby Brown as Elodie and basically, she’s a princess who agrees to a marriage to save their kingdom. It doesn’t really go into the details — you don’t need that. But what happens is, it turns out the marriage is just a ploy to throw her into a dragon’s lair to sat

Cube Critics Regina Medina and Alex V. Cipolle review “Shōgun” and “The Regime.”The following is a transcription of the audio heard using the player above, lightly edited for clarity.Click here.MPR News senior arts reporter and critic Alex V. Cipolle: Why did you want to watch this show in the first place? Like, what what drew you into it?MPR News correspondent Regina Medina: It wasn’t even the trailer. It was, like, what’s going on here?Cipolle: I’m Alex V. Cipolle.Medina: I’m Regina MedinaCipolle: And this is Cube Critics.Regina, what did you watch this week?Medina: I watched a show called “Shōgun” on Hulu, which is a 10-part miniseries that is based on the book by James Clavell called “Shōgun,” which was also a 1980s miniseries. It takes place in late 16th-century feudal Japan. And it’s a historical drama that is very sweeping and epic, and it involves political intrigue, and, really, to tell you the truth, I’m not grasping half of what’s going on here — but I love it.Hiroyuki Sanada, who you've seen i

Cube Critics Jacob Aloi and Kyra Miles disagree about Netflix’s live-action “Avatar: The Last Airbender.”The following is a transcription of the audio heard using the player above, lightly edited for clarity.Click here.MPR News reporter Jacob Aloi: You can say “half-assed,” “you can say “kick-ass,” you can say “worked my ass off,” you just can’t say [BEEP] like, or refer to your [BEEP]. And with that, my name is Jacob Aloi. MPR early education reporter Kyra Miles: And I’m Kyra Miles.Aloi: And this is Cube Critics.So Kyra Miles, thank you for coming back on Cube Critics. This week we both watched the live-action adaptation of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” on Netflix. It’s adapted from the beloved animated series of the same name, which tells the story of Aang, The Last Airbender, who is picked as this mystical sort-of shaman sort-of otherworldly being called The Avatar, who is destined to save the world from being overtaken by the Fire Nation. Miles: Boo!Aloi: Yes, boo the Fire Nation, they are an imperial Forc

Cube Critics Alex V. Cipolle and Aron Woldeslassie discuss the final season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and a new comedy special from Jenny Slate.The following is a transcription of the audio heard using the player above, lightly edited for clarity. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cube-critics/id525807831?mt=2MPR News senior reporter and critic Alex V. Cipolle: Richard Lewis recently passed. And he is, crazy enough, buried in Roseville.MPR associate producer Aron Woldeslassie: Do we know his Minnesota connection? Did he just enjoy the city of Roseville?Cipolle: I would love that. I think his wife is originally from here and bought plots there.Woldeslassie: Okay, I’m imagining him going to the AMC and going like I gotta get buried here. It’s so good.Cipolle: I’m Alex V. Cipolle. Woldeslassie: And I’m Aron Woldeslassie.Cipolle: And this is Cube Critics.Speaking of Richard Lewis, I am currently watching the final season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” the brainchild of Larry David, who is the co-creator of “Seinf

Cube Critics Max Sparber and Aron Woldeslassie discuss a quirky Ethan Coen film, “Drive-Away Dolls” and a unique adaptation of “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” as a series; plus, performer Bill Irwin’s deep dive into Samuel Beckett’s legacy, connecting vaudeville to the playwright’s profound influence.The following is a transcription of the audio heard using the player above, lightly edited for clarity.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or RSS.MPR Arts Editor Max Sparber: Aron, “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” the movie, starred Angelina Jolie, didn’t it?MPR Associate Producer Aron Woldeslassie: And Brad Pitt, but she carries it. Sparber: And the movie that I saw is a Coen Brothers film, who also wrote a movie for Angelina Jolie. So that’s kind of the theme for this weekend. Woldeslassie: Oh, yeah. Angelina Jolie-adjacent. I enjoy that. Sparber: And with that, I’m Max Sparber Woldeslassie: And I’m Aron Woldeslassie.Sparber: And this is Cube Critics.Aron, I watched a film called “Drive-Away Dolls,” in theaters now. It’s

Cube Critics Jacob Aloi and Sam Stroozas discuss “Madame Web” and “The Iron Claw.”The following is a transcription of the audio heard using the player above, lightly edited for clarity.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or RSS.MPR News Art Reporter Jacob Aloi: This movie was so horrible, like I can’t even like begin to describe how much I hated this movie, and I paid money to see it. And with that, my name is Jacob Aloi. MPR News Digital Producer Sam Stroozas: And I’m Sam Stroozas. Aloi: And this is the Cube Critics.So. Sam, this week I saw “Madame Web,” which is the newest addition to the Sony Spider-Man universe. Now, this is not part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s produced by Sony and made by Sony. And the reason why it’s not part of the MCU is because there’s some legal dealings with who owns the rights to who can make movies about Spider-Man and characters associated with Spider-Man. So anyway, this is part of the “Venom” universe, the horrible “Morbius” movie that’s part of this univer

Cube Critics Jacob Aloi and Max Sparber discuss “Finding Her Beat” and “Marmalade.” Plus a Cube Critics extra: An interview with taiko drummer Jennifer Weir.The following is a transcription of the audio heard using the player above, lightly edited for clarity.MPR News Arts Editor Max Sparber: Jacob, what did you see?MPR News Arts Reporter Jacob Aloi: Okay, hang on, wait! Max Sparber! And with that, I’m Jacob Aloi.Sparber: And I’m Max Sparber. Both: This is Cube Critics!Aloi: So, Max, I watched a documentary this week called “Finding Her Beat,” which was actually filmed largely here in Minnesota, about an event that took place in Minnesota. Sparber: Nice. Aloi: It’s about taiko drumming. Now for some context, taiko drumming is a Japanese art form that traditionally only men are allowed to be taiko drummers. But there has been a movement of women and nonbinary people that want to be recognized for their contributions to the art form. And in 2020, there was a concert that was put on locally and it was produced a

Cube Critics Jacob Aloi and Max Sparber discuss “Argylle” and “Meat Raffle.” Plus a Cube Critics extra: An interview with “Meat Raffle” filmmaker Aimee Chenal.The following is a transcription of the audio heard using the player above, lightly edited for clarity.MPR Arts Reporter Jacob Aloi: I’m Jacob Aloi MPR Arts Editor Max Sparber: And I’m Max Sparber.Aloi: And you’re listening to Cube Critics.Sparber: Cube Critics.Aloi: And then the (hums theme music)Sparber: Music starts. We dance.Aloi: So, Max Sparber, this week I saw “Argylle.” It is a new spy action comedy that was directed by Matthew Vaughn and it was written by Jason Fuchs. And it stars Bryce Dallas Howard and Sam Rockwell and Henry Cavill. Basically, Bryce Dallas Howard does her best J. K. Rowling impersonation as an espionage spy novelist — has the haircut and everything. And she gets swept up into a real-world espionage case. Because while she’s been writing these books, it’s mirrored a lot of real-life things that have happened. Sparber: So psych

Cube Critics Jacob Aloi and Lukas Levin discuss their differing opinions about the Disney+ series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians.”The following is a transcription of the audio heard using the player above, lightly edited for clarity.MPR Producer Lukas Levin: The main difference between this and Harry Potter is that Harry Potter maintains a lot of whimsy.MPR Arts Reporter Jacob Aloi: So, Lukas, this week we both watched “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” which is an adaptation of the popular book series by Rick Riordan, which tells a story of a boy named Percy who steals Zeus’s lightning bolt, and then over the course of the series has to prove that he did not steal that lightning bolt, at least this first season. I really enjoyed it. I thought it actually captured quite well the whimsy and the fun of the books that I grew up reading. I also think that it was it encapsulated how middle schoolers actually talk to themselves and actually act. The thing I had to keep reminding myself is that I’m a 20-something-

Cube Critics Jacob Aloi and Max Sparber discuss “Echo” and “Wild At Heart.” Plus a Cube Critics extra: An interview with the Chief of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Gary Batton.The following is a transcription of the audio heard using the player above, lightly edited for clarity.MPR News Arts Editor Max Sparber: Howdy Howdy.MPR News Arts Reporter Jacob Aloi: I don’t know what we should do for our little — Oh! Oscars! We should talk about the Oscars. So you know, the Oscars nominations just came out.Sparber: I do know that they came out.Aloi: And we’re not going to talk about any of that.Sparber: Nope. Aloi: So Max Sparber. This week, I watched “Echo.” It is the new Marvel mini-series that’s on Disney Plus about Maya Lopez, who’s a Choctaw superhero. And she’s working to take down criminal kingpin Wilson Fisk while trying to repair some familial ties that have been fractured. And she’s also dealing with the echoes of her past her ancestors that are giving her her supernatural powers. Sparber: Ah yes, “echo.”

Cube Critic Alex V. Cipolle discusses the new season of “True Detective”; guest critic Regina Medina discusses “Slow Horses.”The following is a transcription of the audio heard using the player above, lightly edited for clarity.MPR News Senior Arts Reporter and Critic Alex V. Cipolle: You can basically smell him through the screen. MPR News Correspondent Regina Medina: Yes. Cipolle: Not the best hygiene.Medina: No, he doesn't like to shower.Cipolle: So, Regina, we both watched detective shows this week. Medina: Yes. I love detective shows.Cipolle: Me too. I watched the fourth season of “True Detective,” which just started on Sunday on HBO. And it is a return to form of season one. Nobody really talks about the other seasons, they’re not that good. Season one — amazing. And it’s this kind-of like gritty noir detective series. This time instead of being based in the south, it’s based in Alaska. There’s also a new director, Issa López, and it’s a much more women-led cast as well, with Jodie Foster and kind-o

The following is a transcription of the audio heard using the player above.MPR News producer Matt Alvarez enters. MPR News arts reporter Jacob Aloi: Matt Alvarez. Now take your time. MPR News arts editor Max Sparber: No hurry. Aloi: We’re just kind of chillin’.Sparber: Chillaxing.Aloi: I want to be so clear: Never say that again.So, Max Sparber, this week I saw “American Fiction” starring Jeffrey Wright. It’s actually based on a novel, which I did not know. It’s a meta-novel called “Erasure.” And it tells the story of a writer named Monk. He’s also a professor of mythology and writing. And basically, Monk cannot get published.He has had a career publishing retellings of Greek stories, but he hasn’t been published in the last couple of years. And the reason why is because he feels like he’s being pigeonholed as a Black writer. He feels like he’s being pushed to write stories about a very particular kind of experience in the Black community when he’s from an affluent Bostonian family. Right? He feels like he’s

Cube Critics Alex V. Cipolle and Nina Moini look at documentaries about cults: “Escaping Twin Flames,” “Desperately Seeking Soulmate” and “Love Has Won.”

MPR News Cube Critics Jacob Aloi and Kyra Miles review “Anyone But You” and “The Color Purple.”