Movies and a Microphone: Recent Episodes
The Little Theatre
Part 2 of our Spooky Season 2025 series explores the specters who visit The House of Silent Shadows. We sit down and interview paranormal investigator Vinny Carbone about his favorite ghost stories, his investigations, and his (potentially haunted) trinkets.
The Little crew dives into the Spooky Season 2025 lineup. We preview the films, drop some fun facts, and reveal the process of programming the horror-filled series.
Sophie's Choice a perfect 4/20 movie? Most of our panel doesn't recommend it, but some are saying it's the move. The Little podcast crew chat about favorite films for this sacred holiday.
Ah, love. The Little crew breaks down Valentine's Day movies, films to swoon for, and twisted love pictures.
As the High Falls Women in Film Series at The Little gets ready to screen 2020's "Birds of Prey", Scott, Candice, KP, Vanessa, Jackie, and Adam discuss the evolution of Harley Quinn, the importance of the femme anti-hero, and the pressure put on women filmmakers in the superhero movie realm. "Movies a a Microphone" is The Little Theatre's podcast, and can also be found on Soundcloud: / the-little-theatre-638484983 Birds of Prey screens Wednesday, July 24, 2024 at 7:30pm at The Little Theatre. Details and tickets: https://thelittle.org/birds-of-prey/The Little Theater: https://thelittle.org/
Movies, they're good! Our Little Crew is back to chat about the 2024 Oscar nominations—Oppenheimer, Barbie, Past Lives, Poor Things, and more. Snubs! Fake awards! we have it all.
Spooky Season returns to the House of Silent Shadows. Little staff previews the October 2023 lineup (in a possibly haunted historic theatre).
Googly eyes, alternative Oscars (hello best comedy and best animal actors!), snubs and more. The Little staff previews our upcoming Oscar Trivia Party + shares their thoughts on Hollywood's biggest night.
The High Falls Women in Film Series takes over "Movies & A Microphone" - the Little's Podcast - to discuss queer representation in film, 90s romcoms, and more! "But I'm a Cheerleader" (Director's Cut) screens at The Little on Wednesday, February 15, 2023.Screening details: https://thelittle.org/but-im-a-cheerleader-feb-15/
Scott Pukos, Jackie McGriff, Mona Seghatoleslami, Matt Passantino, Adam Lubitow, and Matt DeTurck discuss the 2022 Oscar Nominations! What do they love? What was snubbed? Find out in this 1-hour chat about movie-awards and year-end favorites!
Scott Pukos, Jackie McGriff, Adam Lubitow, and Matt DeTurck chat about movies coming out in December 2021, and beyond! What’s on the horizon? What has awards buzz? What other podcast topic ideas does Jackie have? What other series are coming to The Little? WOW! Tons of great movie madness!
The Little's Scott Pukos talks the new film "Drunk Bus" ("based on real shit"), now playing at The Little. Q&A cast and crew: Directors John Carlucci and Brandon LaGanke Stars Charlie Tahan and Pineapple Tangaroa Producer Eric Hollenbeck
The 2021 Rochester Polish Film Festival is happening online at thelittle.org April 7-14. We chat with the fest's programmer to preview this ode to Polish cinema.
Breaking down the 2021 Oscar nominees, shaking our fists at the snubs, and spreading love for our favorites.
The Movies and a Microphone gang is back! Scott, Adam, and Jackie discuss their favorite films of 2020, and preview what movies they're most looking forward to in 2021. Tangents happen, and Twister gets a surprising amount of airtime.
The wild, zany, "nightmarishly Canadian" film, THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, is now playing at The Virtual Little. The Movies and a Microphone crew break down this indescribable film, and also talk about narwhals a lot. Don't worry, it makes sense here (kind of).
We now exist in a world where PARASITE is the Best Picture Oscar winner. Congratulations, to us all. We look ahead to what this historic victory means, plus preview what the 2021 Oscars could be like. Plus, Oscars BINGO!
The crew talks about their favorite movies of the year, Oscar picks, and we hand out our own -- way more prestigious -- awards. Also, a Little theme song is born?
We accidentally made this as long as an actual motion picture. To make things easier, here's our episode 35 key:
2:15 - Best Comedy Oscar 4:05 - Underrated film of the year 16:06 - Favorite scripts of 2019 23:31 - Directors who rock 33:35 - The Nai Nai Cinematic Universe 34:37 - Performances that win our fictional awards 40:57 - Jackie drops the mic (figuratively) 54:26 - Reminder that our friends are talking Oscars on Connections 1:00:24 - Wildcards/doc talk 1:13;36 - Music snubs 1:18:00 - Personal Best Pictures 1:40:00 - Best Picture Predictions 1:51:58 - Epilogue
Some stunning films are coming to The Little this fall. We discuss them. Tomfoolery ensues.
Sit back, chug some truth serum latte, and listen to this preview of the 2019 One Take Film Festival, Rochester's celebration of documentaries. Music via Guy Higgins.
Academy Awards chat including a look at outrageous snubs, fictional categories, and Spider-Man.
The Movies and a Microphone 2018 season finale breaks down the movies we'd marry, smooch, and kill. Plus, what to expect at The Little in 2019!
It's a beautiful day in The Little neighborhood. 'Won't You Be My Neighbor?' is this year's true summer blockbuster, and it opens at Rochester's Little Theatre June 21. In this episode, we recall our favorite Mister Rogers moments, and discuss why his message of kindness is as vital as ever.
Most book clubs stick to simple discussion, but not the "Off The Page" group. They use the words they read to create art. The Work from these artists is currently on display at The Little Cafe (runs through April 27).
Bold storytellers and exciting new voices dominated the film world in 2017. Movies and a Microphone recaps the 2018 Oscars and explores what these new trends mean for the future of Hollywood.
The Black Cinema Series celebrates both documentary and narrative expressions in black cinema with a curated film choice every month at the Little Theatre.
Members of the Rochester Association of Black Journalists (RABJ) join the podcast to celebrate the series' one-year anniversary and to discuss upcoming screenings.
(Begins air conducting like crazy) Movies and a Microphone returns with a chat about film scores, upcoming Little events, Seal, The Rocketeer, and more!
A stretch of gloriously weird and creative oddball movies continues with Colossal. The Little Podcast returns to chat about the Anne Hathaway monster indie comedy.
Humans of The Little returns with Little staffers Emily and Rhys. They give an inside look on what it's like to work at a movie theater, plus their favorite customer interactions.
Everyone likes an underdog, and most like a twist ending too. We got both last night with MOONLIGHT pulling off a best picture shocker, and it was presented in an utterly bizarre fashion. Depending on who you are, it was either the award show’s most joyous moment…or it’s most heartbreaking.We breakdown this victory for fresh and bold independent filmmaking, talk about the show's super mega gaffe, and much more.
Let's talk Oscars. We give our award picks, plus make up our own awards! Burritos also factor into this mix.
A whimsical musical versus an intimate beauty of a film: La La Land and Moonlight have dominated the Oscar discussion. Both films are now playing at The Little!
More: Matt Marshall of We Live Entertainment and Matt Passantino of BigPictureBigSound.com join the podcast to discuss the 2017 Oscar nominations.
"It's Christmas in December! A fundraiser for music at The Little with Watkins & the Rapiers" will bring the cheer Dec. 22 at 8 p.m. for the final Little Concert series show of 2016.
The Little Podcast previews the show with a goofy conversation on songwriting, music, and how to come up with the perfect band name.
Ben Scrivens, of Fright-Rags, joins The Little podcast to preview the October Saturday Night Rewind lineup.
Rochester has a rocking art scene, and we discuss it in this episode. Fun fact: The Little Cafe has a new art gallery every month! October artists Brian O’Neill, Suzi Zefting-Kuhn and Diane Bellenger join Movies and a Microphone to discuss their three-person exhibit: Wild Things - Animals in Art.
Curator Zanne Brunner also joins the fun, and previews upcoming Little galleries.
Movies and a Microphone went live Wednesday, Aug. 31 for our Don't Think Twice discussion. The panel for this one includes members of a popular Rochester improv group, a writer for Rochester's top online comedy show, and a Mike Birbiglia super fan.
In this supersized episode, we discuss documentaries, Penny Lane's John Brinkley doc NUTS! and one of The Little's popular monthly film series.
Joining host Scott Pukos are: Filmmaker/One Take Doc curator Linda Moroney, Resident Scholar in Media at St. John Fisher College Tom Proiettie, and St. John Fisher professor Todd Sodano.
Finding Tammy Jo creator/Great Lakes Today reporter Veronica Volk and WXXI Connections producer Megan Mack join the podcast to discuss WEINER -- a riveting documentary that follows Anthony Weiner's NYC mayoral run in 2013.
Justin Curtis is an up-and-coming teen filmmaker. He's also our latest Human of The Little.
Dark and imaginative, The Lobster proves that original ideas still exist. This episode we dive into a discussion about this interesting satire and pose the question: What animal would you want to be turned into?
Our Humans of The Little feature profiles the people who help make Rochester's iconic Little Theatre such a house of awesomeness. The debut selection interviews movie blogger, and Little Superfan, Roxanne Baker.
A wise film critic recently said the movies of Stephen Chow (The Mermaid, Kung Fu Hustle) are filled with "absurd goofballery." That's obviously a brilliant term, and this episode follows Chow's lead with plenty of zany goofballery.
In this episode: Host Scott Pukos, along with Time Warner Cable News reporter Bre Fuss and News 8 reporter Jeff Rusack, discuss the Chinese box office smash The Mermaid, popcorn-sushi hybids, and they preview upcoming films at The Little.
Ben Scrivens of Fright-Rags and Eric Maira of The Little join host Scott Pukos to talk about Saturday Night Rewind -- a new 35mm film series at the Little Theatre.
The next Saturday Night Rewind show is Saturday, April 23. Head down to East Ave. in Rochester, eat some poutine, and enjoy "Critters."
Movies and a Microphone recaps the Oscars in style, plus we take a look at what to expect this upcoming movie season.
Host Scott Pukos is joined my movie super mega fan Jackie McGriff, veteran film critic Erich Van Dussen and University of Rochester film student Jeremy Reich.
Movies and a Microphone returns to breakdown everything Oscar-related. We also honor snubbed movies with fictional awards (best comedy, worst date movie, etc.).
CITY film critic Adam Lubitow, movie blogger Roxanne Baker join host Scott Pukos and sidekick Nicole Morello.
The Little Podcast burst into 2016 in style. Host Scott Pukos returns with a discussion about The Revenant (its beauty, brutality and BEARS), plus we take a look ahead to the Oscars. The discussion also delves into Quentin Tarantino's controversial The Hateful Eight.
The episode six guests include:
-- Rochester film critic Erich Van Dussen
-- News 8 reporter/movie super fan Jordan Guerrein
-- The Little intern/intern extraordinaire Nicole Morello
If you'd like to be a guest on Movies and a Microphone (and you totally should!), sent a note to scott@thelittle.org.
Movies and a Microphone returns in style -- Quentin Tarantino-style, that is. The fifth episode of The Little podcast talks all things Tarantino, including our MONDO November series dedicated to the popular writer/director and his upcoming film, The Hateful Eight (coming soon to The Little!).
In the episode's second half we discuss Adam Imitating Art -- a short film made in Rochester and featuring several members of the talented staff at The Little, along with some of our other friends (including the co-owner of the amazing Le Petit Poutine). You can catch Adam Imitating Art at 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21. Just know, you may crave a sub after the film.
Things are getting spooky and scary for episode four of The Little podcast, Movies and a Microphone. Ben Scrivens of Fright-Rags joins host Scott Pukos to discuss The Little's MONDO October film series, their most frightening moments, poutine, Halloween costumes, and the worst trick-or-treating candy.
For episode three of The Little podcast, it's all about the Depp. The man of the hour (well, 35 minutes), Johnny Depp, stars in Black Mass -- now playing! In this biopic, Depp plays James "Whitey" Bulger -- a notorious Boston criminal who enters into an agreement with the FBI. And you may imagine, things don't always go smoothly in this partnership.
Guests for episode three of Movies and a Microphone are: Megan McLaughlin, an associate producer at WXXI and an owner of Johnny Depp socks, and Mike Scipioni, a web coordinator at WXXI and he's the creator of a local online talk show Rochester Live.
We touch upon the acting in Black Mass, Boston accents, and yes, those Depp socks. I also drop a Depp surprise on the guests ....
Episode two of Movies and a Microphone takes a look at Arcade Fire: The Reflektor Tapes, coming soon to The Little. Host Scott Pukos and guest Adam Lubitow of Rochester CITY Newspaper also discuss the Lily Tomlin comedy Grandma, the Toronto International Film Festival, dreams, and DANCING.
Some may say the debut of The Little podcast "Movies and a Microphone" is "irrational." That's because host Scott Pukos -- along with guests James Battaglia and Jeff Rusack -- discuss Woody Allen's Irrational Man, including the film's dark turn and a connection to Rochester.
Produced by Veronica Volk. "Movies and a Microphone" is brought to you by The Little Theatre and WXXI.