Munsons at the Movies

Munsons at the Movies
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  • Film Reviews
  • Updated Biweekly

Welcome to the Munsons at the Movies podcast, where we discuss a randomly selected actor on each episode and rank them on the Munson Meter. Featuring Craig Case, James D'Imperio, Kyle Hickman, Aubrey McKay, and a variety of featured guest Munsons!

  1. 1d ago

    Episode 138 - Gary Sinise (Feat. Laura Bennecke)

    The Munsons are thrilled to welcome back one of our favorite guest Munsons, Laura Bennecke, for a celebration of one of Hollywood's most respected actors: Gary Sinise. The episode also marks the podcast debut of the D'Imperio household's newest addition, little Blake Lively III, making his first-ever appearance behind the mic. We trace Sinise's unlikely beginnings in theater, where he was recruited for West Side Story simply because he looked like he belonged in a gang, before following the remarkable career that grew from those humble roots. We spotlight the incredible work of the Gary Sinise Foundation and its unwavering commitment to supporting veterans, first responders, and their families, while examining a filmography that earns Sinise the 6th-best first act of any of the 138 actors we've covered. Whether he's anchoring historical dramas, helping build Chicago's theater scene as a co-founder of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, or delivering another memorable performance in uniform, Sinise has quietly become one of the most dependable actors of his generation. Along the way, Case explains why he can't stand anyone else's attempt at the Forrest Gump accent, Laura casually reveals she appeared in one of the films we review (hint: Gary plays the cop who's in on the kidnapping), and we officially welcome Sinise into the exclusive club of Munsons—alongside Dan Hedaya, Robert Forster, and Chazz Palminteri—who simply know how to play a great cop. We're also left stunned by his unforgettable turn in The Human Stain before finally solving one of the biggest mysteries of his career: why his film output slowed so dramatically in the 2010s. The answer? He was too busy making CSI: NY money. How does he rank on the Munson Meter? Listen to find out.

    2h 4m

  2. Jun 18

    Ep. 137 - Blake Lively (feat. Lauren Hopkins Price)

    The Munsons are once again joined by guest Munson, Lauren Hopkins Price, to discuss Blake Lively and enjoy James' bonus content while everyone waits for the arrival of little Giovanni Ribisi Jr. We also get wildly creative attempting to solve James' latest Two Truths and a Lie: Fast & Furious Edition, with results that are about as successful as you'd expect. From there, we trace Lively's path to stardom, beginning with her upbringing in a family deeply embedded in the Los Angeles entertainment industry. In an effort to fully appreciate one of her signature roles, the Munsons give Gossip Girl the old college try... and eventually admit defeat as we collectively realize we are nowhere near the target audience. Thankfully, films like The Town remind us why Lively became such a compelling screen presence. We gush over the performances of both Blake Lively and Rebecca Hall and wonder why Hollywood didn't give us more of this version of Blake. We also discuss her controversial antebellum-style wedding to Ryan Reynolds and how public perception has shifted over the years. In true Munsons fashion, Aubrey gets an opportunity to break down a shark movie with The Shallows, while the rest of the crew debates whether Lively's deliciously manipulative turn in A Simple Favor proves she'd be an outstanding Fast & Furious villain, following the path carved by Charlize Theron. We also examine why The Rhythm Section failed to break through in the same way that female-led action films like Atomic Blonde and Red Sparrow managed to capture audiences. And then there's the elephant in the room: the It Ends With Us controversy. Where do we land on the Munson Meter with the performances, the headlines, and the broader conversation surrounding Blake Lively's place in Hollywood? You'll have to listen to find out.

    1h 48m

  3. May 28

    Ep. 136 - Giovanni Ribisi (feat. Chip Hessenflow)

    The Munsons welcome back our favorite bald guest Munson, Chip Hessenflow, to dive into the strange, fascinating, and deeply anxious world of Giovanni Ribisi. From the jump, we’re captivated by Ribisi’s obsession with cinematography, vintage cameras, and filmmaking technology—so much so that he literally loans equipment out to legendary directors like Paul Thomas Anderson. Naturally, this leads us into discussing one of the more unusual distinctions in Munson’s history: Giovanni becomes the first practicing Scientologist we’ve covered in 136 episodes. We spend a shocking amount of time talking about Boiler Room (seriously, keep count at home), while James takes a passionate detour into why the Avatar franchise actually rules and continues to hold up better than people want to admit. Along the way, we explore how Ribisi essentially cornered the market in Hollywood on playing “the weird guy,” weaponizing his nervous, twitchy, anxious energy into one of the most unique character actor careers of his era. We revisit his endless string of early television appearances, uncover just how many massive Friends fans are apparently on this podcast, and celebrate his memorable run on the series. The deeper we go, the more impressed we become by the absolutely loaded list of directors and co-stars Ribisi worked with throughout the late 90s and early 2000s—a résumé that quietly stacks up against almost anyone from that generation. How does he rank on the Munson Meter? Listen to find out.

    1h 57m

  4. May 7

    Ep. 135 - Leslie Bibb (feat. Cori Wallace)

    The Munsons are joined once again by returning guest Munson Cori Wallace to break down the fascinating and unpredictable career of Leslie Bibb. We kick things off with her unlikely origin story—winning a modeling competition through Oprah, leaving UVA after just one semester, and diving headfirst into entertainment. Cori even takes us back to watching that moment in real time, along with Bibb’s early work on Ryan Murphy’s Popular, setting the stage for a career that never quite followed a straight line. From there, we dig into a box office snapshot that starts surprisingly strong… and then falls off a cliff. With entries like See Spot Run, Movie 43, and Midnight Meat Train, it’s not hard to see why. We revisit her brief role in Private Parts and wonder if it foreshadowed the types of characters she’d take on, before diving into The Skulls and how that role may have shaped her trajectory—complete with some very real fraternity and sorority parallels from Kyle, James, and Cori. Despite all of this, we’re genuinely surprised she’s never been fully typecast, given her early TV success and run of questionable film choices. We also debate why she never leaned back into comedy after Talladega Nights (Ricky Bobby deserves answers), and whether her success there was her own comedic timing or just the strength of the script. Along the way, we unpack her unconventional relationship with Sam Rockwell (a former Munson and Case favorite), question the tonal whiplash between her roles in To the Bone and Tag, and even detour into an Aubrey vs. James debate on whether The White Lotus is actually good. Do we have a new lowest scoring actor on the Munson Meter? Listen to find out.

    1h 55m

  5. Apr 16

    Ep. 134 - Chiwetel Ejiofor (feat. Josh Outing)

    The Munsons welcome back guest Munson Josh Outing, fresh off being part of the team behind the short film Welcome, which premiered at the Florida Film Festival on April 11, 2026. As we dive into the remarkable career of Chiwetel Ejiofor, we humbly ask for a bit of grace from listeners—there are almost certainly a few mispronunciations along the way, but it comes from a place of admiration for a name and career that deserve to be said correctly and respected fully. We applaud Ejiofor for never changing his name to something more “marketable” for American audiences—a decision that may have limited his pop culture reach but only adds to his authenticity. From his early theater training to his commanding presence across film and television, it’s clear that stage discipline has shaped every performance. He consistently takes on challenging material, never shying away from stories centered on heavy themes like slavery and genocide, while still finding room for range—yes, including his wildly entertaining turn as the over-the-top villain in Four Brothers, which we proudly label a “good bad movie.” The Munsons gush over some of his best work in Redbelt, Kinky Boots, 12 Years a Slave, and Children of Men, while also diving into one of our favorite ridiculous tropes: the “hot scientist” casting phenomenon (2012, The Martian, Venom: The Last Dance—you know the type). We take a detour to appreciate just how stacked 2013 was for film, and highlight Ejiofor as one of the rare Munsons who has written, directed, and starred in his own project. Finally, we break down his take on Scar and how it compares to the legendary Jeremy Irons, because that’s a debate worth having. How does he rank on the Munson Meter? Listen to find out. The Josh Outing Collection We are thrilled to welcome back filmmaker and writer Josh Outing! Bringing a decade of narrative and documentary experience, Josh’s insights into performance and "bearing witness" to art always elevate the conversation. Revisit his past appearance: Ep. 119: André Holland (June 2025) The Wheel Decides: May 7th with Cori Wallace The Wheel is preparing for another deep dive on May 7th. The potential lineup features true Hollywood heavyweights and versatile legends: Tommy Lee Jones: The king of high-intensity "grumpy" brilliance. John Goodman: A comedic and dramatic staple we "must" cover. Diane Kruger: The German powerhouse Aubrey is "really excited" for . Don Lake & Leslie Bibb: Icons of character acting and "tractor beam hotness". #MunsonsAtTheMovies #ChiwetelEjiofor #12YearsASlave #DoctorStrange #TheOffice #TheWire #Amistad #MunsonMeter #TheWheelDecides #JoshOuting #CharacterActor #FilmAnalysis #BelcourtTheater #PodcastLife #12YearsASlaveMasterpiece #Scar #VenomTheLastDance #EleanorTheGreat

    2h 17m

  6. Mar 26

    Ep. 133 - Amy Ryan (feat. Krystal Clark)

    The Munsons are joined by guest Munson Krystal Clark to shine a light on one of the most quietly impressive performers working today: Amy Ryan. From a stage career boasting three Tony nominations to a film and television résumé filled with range, Ryan has built a career that somehow flies under the radar while consistently delivering memorable performances. We dig into her standout role in The Wire, which finally settles a long-running agreement between Aubrey and James—and yes, it means Aubrey will inevitably have to watch The Sopranos. From there, we explore how Ryan has become synonymous with memorable characters across some of the greatest television shows ever made, while also noticing a surprising trend: she’s appeared in a lot of projects centered around the trauma of children. Coincidence? The Munsons investigate. We absolutely gush over her Oscar-nominated performance in Gone Baby Gone and question how she didn’t take home the Academy Award. Her heartfelt turn as Holly on The Office gets its flowers for making audiences forgive the impossible—Michael Scott leaving the show—while we also highlight her sneaky comedic chops in films like Central Intelligence. Along the way, we try to unpack the “why” behind her eclectic role choices and wonder how someone this consistently great isn’t more widely known by general audiences. How does she rank on the Munson Meter? Listen to find out. The Krystal Clark Collection We are thrilled to welcome back the incomparable Krystal Clark, Past Chair of Nashville’s legendary Belcourt Theater. Krystal has become our go-to expert for the "Versatile Powerhouse" trend—specializing in actors who bring gravitas and prestige to every frame. Amy Ryan perfectly follows the lineage of Krystal’s past deep dives: Ep. 118: Rosario Dawson | Ep. 102: Renée Zellweger Ep. 83: Christine Baranski | Ep. 62: Halle Berry Episode Chapter Outline 00:00:00 ~ Welcome & Guest Spotlight: Krystal Clark (A Belcourt Theater perspective on Amy Ryan’s ‘Everywoman’ mastery) 00:06:00 ~ Celebrity Birthdays (Keira Knightley, Leslie Mann, and the legendary James Caan) 00:10:46 ~ Overview of Actor Choice: Amy Ryan (From the Broadway stage to the HBO elite) 00:11:16 ~ Actor Trivia: Two Truths and a Lie...Fast & Furious Style (Where the ”family” facts are faster and the lies are more furious) 00:17:09 ~ Box Office History (Analyzing the commercial reach of a character powerhouse) 00:23:45 ~ Port Cop Heart: The Beadie and McNulty Dynamic (Why this role defined her early career) 00:28:29 ~ First Major Role: Breakout in ’Keane’ (2004) (The performance that caught Hollywood’s eye) 00:38:31 ~ Gone Baby Gone: The Oscar-Nominated Breakout (The Academy Award debate and the child trauma trend) 00:47:45 ~ The Perfect Match: Why Holly and Michael Scott Just Work (Comedy gold and chemistry) 00:52:31 ~ Lowest Critic Score: Discussing ’Bob Funk’ (2009) 00:56:03 ~ Largest Critic Gap: The Mystery of ’The Missing Person’ (2009) 01:00:13 ~ Highest Critic Score: The Brilliance of ’Win Win’ (2011) (Jackie Flaherty as a career standout) 01:06:07 ~ 2012–2019: ’Birdman’ and ’Bridge of Spies’ (Working with Spielberg and the SAG win) 01:12:30 ~ Sneaky Comedy: ’Central Intelligence’ (The surprising comedic timing of Agent Pamela Harris) 01:22:02 ~ Largest Audience Gap: Analyzing ’Strange but True’ (2019) 01:27:03 ~ 2020–Present: ’Only Murders in the Building’ (Jan Bellows and the Season 1 twist) 01:32:22 ~ Amy Ryan: Top Performances 01:35:31 ~ The Munson Meter 01:44:23 ~ Coming Soon 01:49:25 ~ Munsons Out! The Wheel Decides: April 16th with Josh Outing We are thrilled to welcome back Josh Outing! After his captivating contribution to our André Holland deep dive (Ep. 119), Josh returns to see where the Wheel lands for a diverse new shortlist of prestige and power: Chiwetel Ejiofor: A powerhouse of prestige range. Diane Ladd: Acting royalty and three-time Oscar nominee. Neal McDonough: The king of high-intensity "villain" energy. Erick Avari & Graham Beckel: Masters of the "that guy" world. #MunsonsAtTheMovies #AmyRyan #TheOffice #TheWire #GoneBabyGone #MoviePodcast #HollyFlax #OnlyMurdersInTheBuilding #MunsonMeter #TheWheelDecides #KrystalClark #BelcourtTheater #JoshOuting #CharacterActor #FilmAnalysis #PodcastLife

    1h 52m

  7. Mar 5

    Ep. 132 - Woody Harrelson (feat. Dames Marves of Loch 22 Productions)

    The Munsons are joined by Dames Marvs of Loch 22 Productions and The Dames Marvs Show to celebrate a legend, a namesake, and—most importantly—Aubrey’s anniversary. That’s right, we finally cover the man who played Roy E. Munson, the spiritual godfather of Munsons at the Movies: Woody Harrelson. We dive headfirst into his absolutely wild family history, including a father who was a contract killer and rumored to have ties to the JFK assassination (casual dinner table conversation, we’re sure). From there, we celebrate Woody’s breakout run on Cheers—over 200 episodes and five Emmy nominations—before marveling at one of the shortest marriages we’ve ever encountered: his blink-and-you-miss-it union with Neil Simon’s daughter. The man moves fast. We can’t stop gushing about White Men Can’t Jump and Woody’s effortless charm in it, and we’re genuinely impressed by how quietly he’s stacked up three Oscar nominations while building an acting résumé that shows surprising range. Whether he’s living his best life in Maui and Texas with his family, running his marijuana business, or simply staying unapologetically himself (“The man has never pretended to be something he’s not outside of work.” – James), Woody feels like one of the most authentic stars we’ve covered. We even take a moment to imagine what it would look like if he randomly showed up in a Lord of the Rings movie—because why not? After tallying the Munson Meter, we come to a surprising realization: Woody Harrelson might actually be underrated. Before this episode, we’re not sure we would’ve even called him an A-lister. Now? We’re not so sure we wouldn’t.

    2h 8m

  8. Feb 12

    Ep. 131 - Charles Durning (feat. Jim from the FilmRage podcast)

    The Munsons are joined by Jim from the FilmRage podcast for a deep dive into one of the most fascinating humans we’ve ever covered: Charles Durning. We kick things off by half-seriously contemplating a future Munsons episode sponsored by the Feral comic series before quickly realizing Durning’s real life was already more unbelievable than fiction. This is a man who literally stormed the beaches of Normandy in World War II and killed Nazis—an absolute legend—then somehow went on to become a professional ballroom dancer with a bullet still lodged in his hip. We make the case that Hollywood should immediately greenlight a biopic of his life, especially when you consider his theatrical dominance: over 200 plays, a Tony Award, and induction into the Theater Hall of Fame, placing him among an elite group of just four Munsons to earn that honor. Even more incredible, he didn’t land his first major film role until age 50, thanks to a standout theater performance. From there, we explore his long-standing working relationship with Burt Reynolds, marvel at how effortlessly genuine every performance felt, and celebrate his astonishing range across decades of characters. By the end, it’s clear we weren’t just talking about a great actor—we were talking about a true character-actor titan, whose career and life story feel almost impossible by today’s standards. How does he rank on the Munson Meter? Listen to find out.

    1h 50m
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4.9
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About

Welcome to the Munsons at the Movies podcast, where we discuss a randomly selected actor on each episode and rank them on the Munson Meter. Featuring Craig Case, James D'Imperio, Kyle Hickman, Aubrey McKay, and a variety of featured guest Munsons!

Information

  • Creator
    Munsons at the Movies
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    138
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2020 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Munsons at the Movies