In this episode, Matt explores the relationship between ghost stories and historic injustice as it relates to the experience of Chinese migrants to 19th century California. The episode involves a weird book in a Death Valley Cabin, bloody rainstorms, and a bunch of smart-aleck pre-teens, all trying to come to terms with history.
Category Archives: KMMA
49. Moxie
Jennifer and Kaylia resist the urge to sing Rebel Girl while discussing this new Netflix movie. Mostly. Join us for a conversation about white feminism, intersectionality, the frustration with sexist dress codes, and of course how all this affects the boys. Does this very earnest film go far enough to radicalize the next generation of feminists? Does Vivian actually learn anything? What exactly is going to happen to Mitchell and the scholarship money? Get out your sharpies, your bathrobes, and your dancing shoes… Moxie Girls Fight Back.
50 Episode Celebration!
We want to celebrate in style. Here is what you can look forward to!
14. Mary King’s Close
Matt discusses a famous hidden road that is part historic educational facility, part tourist trap, and part spooky story generator. In this episode, you will learn about the intersection of plague horrors, ghost stories, urban renovation… and also how ghost stories and public perceptions of history intertwine.
“Screams, Flings, and Inception-Like Things”
Kaylia got to be a guest on Cheap Seat Reviews (a movie review podcast) to talk about the first Chris Evans superhero movie: Push (2009).
48. The Dressmaker
Kaylia and Jennifer talk about this Australian “gothic” novel turned Australian melodrama movie. We ask the burning questions: How many characters is too many characters? Does it count as LGBTQ representation when it’s a secret? Where is the church? How much tragedy can one dressmaker take? How do you fix this novel? Yes, we have answers to all of these and more. Happy listening!
13. Gef The Talking Mongoose
This episode’s story is a bit of an oddity. It’s not quite a ghost story…but also not quite something else. The entity – commonly known as Gef the Talking Mongoose is said to have claimed to be a variety of things, ranging from an extra-clever mongoose from India to a spirit to…something else strange, but not completely defined. Matt and, special guest, Dave talk about Gef, what he probably was, and why it matters… or does it?
47. Like Water For Chocolate
Kaylia and, special guest Claudya, discuss the book and movie: Like Water For Chocolate. Join us for a conversation about magical realism, the true tragic characters, the trouble with translations, the subversive feminist qualities, and the disappointment of Pedro. Plus, Kaylia continues her trend of not being able to pronounce anything properly. She’s working on it, and she’s sorry. All that plus a reminder that there is no hierarchy for what lights your fire, errr, matches. You do you!
12. Ghost Ship in the California Desert
This story involves treasure hunters, crazy old prospectors, a spectral ship, and one of the most unfortunate alleged navigation errors in human history.
46. Enola Holmes
Kaylia and, special guest host, Leah talk about this YA novel turned movie. We discuss crappy parenting choices, crappy writing choices, and how charming Mille Bobby Brown is. Was Enola a Mary Sue, a perfect iteration of a young naive girl, a heroine worth rooting for, or maybe a bit of everything? We also discuss the gross misogyny of Sherlock, the villainess of Mycroft, and how the movie really, really, changed the tone, characters, scope, point, and overall EVERYTHING-ness of the book. Plus Kaylia can’t decide if the French words in this English world written by the American author should get the French, English, or American/Kaylia pronunciation.