Mixed Bag

"Dipping sauces are at the core of American culture."

"If I have a kid... what if I name her Cinema?"

Such insights as these can only be brought to you by the Mixed Bag trio. Did you miss us? Are you on the edge of your seats to find out what we thought of 2005's Cursed, a werewolf movie that was re-shot more times than its central monster was by the LAPD? Well, too bad, because first you'll have to listen to an hour of takes about Whānau Marama New Zealand International Film Festival and the films wherein.

We talk about the GOOD (Whistle, Elephants in the Fog, La Bola Negra, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, All of a Sudden, La Gradiva, Blue Heron, Everytime, Flesh and Fuel, Big Girls Don't Cry), the BAD (Hope, The Chronology of Water) and the MIXED (Fjord, Coward) of the Fest, before moving on to talk about Wes Craven's hopelessly muddled werewolf flick that at least provided some good "Jesse Eisenberg at a computer" clips for future Social Network fan edits.

Cass here, flying solo, checking in. Gonna go back to playing Dolly's greatest hits now.

Bag Hags, I got really sick the morning after we recorded this (causation? correlation?) so you're getting a half-assed caption today.

"A beautiful, pure-hearted young woman, Maleficent has an idyllic life growing up in a peaceable forest kingdom, until one day when an invading army threatens the harmony of the land. She rises to be the land’s fiercest protector, but she ultimately suffers a ruthless betrayal – an act that begins to turn her heart into stone. Bent on revenge, Maleficent faces an epic battle with the invading King’s successor and, as a result, places a curse upon his newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Maleficent realizes that Aurora holds the key to peace in the kingdom – and to Maleficent’s true happiness as well." (Sourced from Letterboxd).

Over in the Pop Corner, we talk cinema etiquette, Disney flops, She's A Killer and what our fave pop girlies are up to.

"Suck a toe, get your piggies licked" - Matt Loveranes, 2026

Hey, are you one of those people who only listens to Mixed Bag for Pop Corner and skips the feature presentation? Then you're going to love this one where we talk about The Odyssey in Pop Corner for about as long as we talk about The Fountain. Sometimes the Baguettes have to record a podcast on Saturday night and things get pretty hazy, okay?

The Fountain is Darren Aronofsky's Extremely Deep film all about this guy who's searching for the secret to everlasting life (or more like everlasting WIFE, since his impetus is saving his dying wife). We see the same basic story play out over three different yet intertwined timelines. It's definitely the kind of movie a seventeen year old thinks is very cool and profound, which is why Jamie brought it as her personal pick for the episode.

Pop Corner chat includes (but is not limited to:) The Odyssey, Madonna's new album and her place as a cultural figure ("Me and Madonna? We're the same," says Matt) and a tribute to New Zealand's own dear departed Sam Neill.

That's IT! I've had it with these motherf*ckin' SNAKES on this motherf*ckin' PODCAST!

Our ongoing surprise series JetBag: Emergency Landing continues with another instalment, and this one is a real first class episode if I do say so myself. Featuring yet another Evil Flight Attendant theory, reflections on the band Cobra Starship, and a pitch for a brand new Obra Dinn-alike video game (TM TM TM).

Over in the Pop Corner we talked about so many things I've divided them into categories:

New Release Movies

The Invite, Toy Story 5, Couture

Old Movies

Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (1982), Orpheus (1950), The Doom Generation (1995), Crooked House (2017), O Brother Where Art Thou (2000), Kiki's Delivery Service (1989), A Woman Under the Influence (1974)

TV

The Traitors NZ Season 3, Widow's Bay

Video Games

Alice: Madness Returns (2011), The Seance of Blake Manor (2025), Ratline (2026), Utter a Name (2025)

Music

CMAT's Euro-Country (2025)

RIP

Bonnie Tyler, your rasp will live on forever.