The Oscar Project Podcast: Recent Episodes

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1931 film Skippy. I'm joined Jonathan Hammond, film director and previous guest on the podcast and we talk about the deep trauma that resulted from watching this film, some major issues with the film's production when you look at it from today's perspective, and a long-standing legal battle over a simply name.

You can watch Skippy online and be sure to check out Jonathan's films at a festival near you and give him a follow on Instagram @jonohamm.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Ferris Bueller's Day Off directed by John Hughes
• John Wick directed by Chad Stahelski
• The Sixth Sense directed by M. Night Shyamalan
• E.T. The Extraterrestrial directed by Steven Spielberg
• A Free Soul directed by Clarence Leon Brown
• Cimarron directed by Wesley Ruggles
• Superman directed by Richard Donner
• La La Land directed by Damian Chazelle
• Boys Town directed by Norman Taurog
• City Lights directed by Charlie Chaplin
• Sooky directed by Norman Taurog
• Our Gang (shorts series)
• Tom Sawyer directed by John Cromwell
• Huckleberry Finn directed by Norman Taurog
• The Kid directed by Charlie Chaplin
• Sophie's Choice directed by Alan J. Pakula
• The Little Rascals directed by Penelope Spheeris
• Dennis the Menace directed by Nick Castle
• A Christmas Story directed by Bob Clark
• East Lynne directed by Frank Lloyd
• The Front Page directed by Lewis Milestone
• The Criminal Code directed by Howard Hawks

Other referenced topics:

• Skippy (comic)
• Calvin and Hobbs (comic)
• Peanuts (comic)
• Dennis the Menace (comic)
• Skippy.com
• The New York Times review
• The New Masses review
• Oscarchamps.com review

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In today's episode, I interview Matt Kennard, director of the short film "Before You Go," which tells the story of a young man who visits a loved one in the hospital to say his final goodbyes.

Listen to hear about Matt's thoughts on what seems like a rise in films set in hospitals, how he found his incredible lead actor, and the role that sound plays throughout the film.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
• The Shadow World: Inside the Global Arms Trade by Andrew Feinstein

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• “Before You Go” directed by Matt Kennard
• "Life Goes On" directed by Kat Butterfield and Daniel Audritt
• The Gathering (series)
• "Hymn of Hate" directed by Matt Kennard
• Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back directed by Irvin Kershner
• Apocalypse Now directed by Francis Ford Coppola
• Inside Out directed by Pete Docter
• Stand By Me directed by Rob Reiner
• The Thin Red Line directed by Terrence Malick
• In Bruges directed by Martin McDonagh
• Petite Maman directed by Céline Sciamma
• Ferris Bueller's Day Off directed by John Hughes
• Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri directed by Martin McDonagh
• Home Alone directed by Chris Columbus
• The Muppet Christmas Carol directed by Brian Henson

Follow the film on Instagram @beforeyougofilm and Matt @kennardmatt.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1931 film The Front Page. I'm joined by Matthew Carlson from the What Am I Making newsletter and we talk about the level of effectiveness of the film's humor, how this film paved the way for many that came after it including at least one remake of the story, and the deep rooted misogyny of the story.

You can watch The Front Page on YouTube, Tubi, or Amazon Prime and be sure to check out Matthew's newsletter and check out his summer music tour this July and August.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• A League of Their Own directed by Penny Marshall
• 12 Angry Men directed by Sidney Lumet
• His Girl Friday directed by Howard Hawks
• The Philadelphia Story directed by George Cukor
• All Quiet on the Western Front directed by Lewis Milestone
• Oppenheimer directed by Christopher Nolan
• The Hangover directed by Todd Phillips
• Ace in the Hold directed by Billy Wilder
• White Heat directed by Raoul Walsh
• Rain directed by Lewis Milestone
• Sadie Thompson directed by Raoul Walsh
• Ocean's Eleven directed by Lewis Milestone
• Mutiny on the Bounty (1962) directed by Lewis Milestone
• Mutiny on the Bounty (1962) directed by Frank Lloyd
• The Spirit of St. Louis directed by Billy Wilder
• Gentlemen Prefer Blondes directed by Howard Hawks
• The Wizard of Oz directed by Victor Fleming
• The Silence of the Lambs directed by Jonathan Demme
• The Front Page (1974) directed by Billy Wilder
• Switching Channels directed by Ted Kotcheff
• Wings directed by William A. Wellman and Harry d'Abbadie d'Arrast
• Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans directed by F. W. Murnau
• 7th Heaven directed by Frank Borzage
• Metropolis directed by Fritz Lang
• Nosferatu directed by F. W. Murnau
• Dracula directed by Tod Browning
• Frankenstein directed by James Whale
• City Lights directed by Charlie Chaplin

Other referenced topics:

• The Front Page (play) by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur
• David Nusair review on Reelfilm.com
• Mad Men (series)

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In today's episode, I interview Johnny Russell, director of the short film "A Scent." The film is based on a real person who claimed to have the ability to smell patients with a certain disease.

Listen to hear about how Johnny came to telling this story in his film, the challenges of filming a drama set in a hospital on a short film budget and schedule, and finding the balance between melodrama and the quieter moments of reflection and discovery.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
• Alchemy: The Surprising Power of Ideas That Don't Make Sense by Rory Sutherland
• This is Why We Dream: What Your Sleeping Brain Reveals About Your Waking Life by Rahul Jandial

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• “A Scent” directed by Johnny Russell
• Billy Liar directed by John Schlesinger
• Hot Fuzz directed by Edgar Wright
• A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence directed by Roy Andersson
• The Phantom Thread directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
• Camping (series)
• Happy-Go-Lucky directed by Mike Leigh

Follow the film on Instagram @a_scent_film and Johnny @__johnny_russell__.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1931 film East Lynne. I'm joined by Lewis Beer from the Slow Movie Pictures newsletter and we talk about some drastic changes the film made from the source material, the outstanding performances from the female actors in the film, and several innovative camera techniques used to show the world from Isabel's point of view throughout the film.

You can watch East Lynne on YouTube and be sure to check out Lewis's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Vampyr directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer
• Dracula directed by Tod Browning
• Rebecca directed by Alfred Hitchcock
• All Quiet on the Western Front directed by Lewis Milestone
• Thelma & Louise directed by Ridley Scott
• The Divine Lady directed by Frank Lloyd
• Weary River directed by Frank Lloyd
• The Big House directed by George Hill
• Condemned directed by Wesley Ruggles
• Holiday directed by Edward H. Griffith
• Underworld directed by Josef von Sternberg
• Shanghai Express directed by Josef von Sternberg
• The Divorcee directed by Clarence Brown
• Dynamite directed by Cecil B. DeMille
• The Public Enemy directed by William A. Wellman
• The Letter directed by Jean De Limur
• The Vagabond King directed by Ludwig Berger
• The Bride of Frankenstein directed by James Whale
• East Lynne on the Western Front directed by George Pearson
• Cimarron directed by Wesley Ruggles
• The Sound of Music directed by Robert Wise
• Double Indemnity directed by Billy Wilder
• Sunset Boulevard directed by Billy Wilder

Other referenced topics:

• "Mudd's Women" (Star Trek episode)
• Star Trek (original series)
• Mister Ed (series)
• The Fugitive (series)
• East Lynne (novel) by Ellen Wood
• Rebecca (novel) by Daphne du Maurier
• Ann Harding - Cinema's Gallant Lady by Scott O'Brien
• Frank Lloyd: Master of Screen Melodrama by Anthony Slide
• "Bradley King" by Brian Taves on Women Film Pioneers Project
• Anna Karenina (novel) by Leo Tolstoy
• Ulysses (novel) by James Joyce
• The New York Times review
• Variety review
• Zoe K. on Hollywood Genes
• Lisa Marie Bowman on Through the Shattered Lens
• A Literature of Their Own: British Women Novelists from Bronte to Lessing by Elaine Showalter
• ‘“Stepchildren of Nature”: East Lynne and the Spectre of Female Degeneracy, 1860-1861’ in Victorian Crime, Madness and Sensation by Andrew Maunder

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In today's episode, I interview Kat Butterfield and Daniel Audritt, directors of the short film “Life Goes On,” a darkly humorous take on a man in hospice who is forced to relive the same day over and over.

Listen to hear about the story that was ten years in the making, some time loop films that inspired this film, and the challenges of keeping a time loop film straight when it comes time to edit all the footage together.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• The works of Simon Rich
• Sombrero Fallout by Richard Brautigan
• I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman by Nora Ephron
• The works of Fran Lebowitz
• You'll Grow Out of It by Jessi Klein
• Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• “Life Goes On” directed by Kat Butterfield and Daniel Audritt
• Palm Springs directed by Max Barbakow
• Groundhog Day directed by Harold Ramis
• Little Miss Sunshine directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris
• When Harry Met Sally directed by Rob Reiner
• About Time directed by Richard Curtis
• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind directed by Michel Gondry
• School of Rock directed by Richard Linklater
• Bridesmaids directed by Paul Feig
• Chef directed by Jon Favreau
• The Big Lebowski directed by Joel Coen

Follow the film on Instagram @lifegoesonfilm and Kat and Daniel @audrittbutterfield.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1931 film Tabu: A Story of the South Seas. I'm joined by James Kreul from the Moving Image Madison newsletter and we talk about how the film's pacing suffers due to trying to blend documentary filmmaking with a loose narrative structure, the film's influence on modern films set in the same region like Moana, and the sad passing of the film's director just a week before it debuted.

You can watch Tabu on Amazon Prime or YouTube or purchase a copy for yourself and be sure to check out James's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• All Quiet on the Western Front directed by Lewis Milestone
• Dracula directed by Tod Browning
• Nanook of the North directed by Robert J. Flaherty
• Moana directed by Robert J. Flaherty and Frances Hubbard Flaherty
• White Shadows of the South Seas directed by W.S. Van Dyke
• Jaws directed by Steven Spielberg
• Sunrise directed by F. W. Murnau
• Nosferatu directed by F. W. Murnau
• City Girl directed by F. W. Murnau
• With Byrd at the South Pole directed by Julian Johnson
• Black Pearl directed by Michał Waszyński
• The Hurricane directed by John Ford
• Mutiny on the Bounty directed by Frank Lloyd
• The Last Laugh directed by F. W. Murnau
• Trader Horn directed by W.S. Van Dyke
• Morocco directed by Josef von Sternberg
• Cimarron directed by Wesley Ruggles
• The Right to Love directed by Richard Wallace
• Svengali directed by Archie Mayo

Other referenced topics:

• B.C. (comic)
• Wizard of Id (comic)
• Zog I of Albania
• "The Star Spangled Banner"
• "The Academy and the Cameramen" from Experimental Cinema
• lantern digital library
• "Reri's Real Name is Anna" from Movie Classic
• Morduant Hall in The New York Times
• Andréas Giannopoulos on Senses of Cinema
• "Photoplayfare" by Roy W. Winton in Movie Makers
• Information on the San Francisco Film Preserve's new restoration of Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans

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With today's episode, The Oscar Project has official hit a huge milestone, 250 episodes! That includes over 100 interviews with authors, filmmakers, and more as well as over 80 episodes focusing on specific Oscar nominated films from the first four years of the Academy Awards.

This special episode is a bit of a history of the show, a chance to recognize everyone who has helped me turn it into what it is today, and a chance to publicly thank those closest to me without whom the show would not be possible.

Here's to 250 more episodes and thank you for listening. Please share your favorite episode of the podcast with a friend and if you'd like to drop me a message to be featured on a future episode, go to www.speakpipe.com/TheOscarProject.

Thank you for listening and I'll see you at the movies!

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In today's episode, I interview Ingrid Runde Saxegaard, director of the short film “Sandy Fannies,” a deeply personal film about the conversations we often don't have with those we love the most.

Listen to hear about the challenges of filming on a remote beach on the Norwegian coast, how the story went through many iterations before landing on its final structure, and the lengthy process of finding the two actors to play the mother and daughter featured in the film.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Blood Awful in Different Ways by Andrev Walden

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• “Sandy Fannies” directed by Ingrid Runde Saxegaard
• “A Mash Moss Story” directed by Ingrid Runde Saxegaard
• The Sound of Music directed by Robert Wise
• My First Love (Min første kjærlighet) directed by Mari Storstein
• Pippi Longstocking directed by Olle Hellbom
• The Florida Project directed by Sean Baker
• Mamma Mia! directed by Phyllida Lloyd
• Dreams (Sex Love) directed by Dag Johan Haugerud
• Pride and Prejudice directed by Joe Wright
• One Battle After Another directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

Follow the film on Instagram @sandyfannies_short and Ingrid @ingridsaxegaard. And if you've seen the film, don't forget to log and rate it on Letterboxd.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1931 film Cimarron. I'm joined by Kevin Pettit from the See You At the Movies newsletter and we talk about the unbelievable scale of the world created for this film, the absolute character that is Yancey Cravat, and several excellent double features that you can pair with this film.

You can watch Cimarron online or purchase a copy for yourself and be sure to check out Kevin's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Men in Black directed by Barry Sonnenfeld
• Dodgeball directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber
• Cross Creek directed by Martin Ritt
• Rebel Without a Cause directed by Nicholas Ray
• Predator directed by John McTiernan
• Mad Max: Fury Road directed by George Miller
• Jackass: The Movie directed by Jeff Tremaine
• Killers of a Flower Moon directed by Martin Scorsese
• The Three Amigos directed by John Landis
• There Will Be Blood directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
• A Few Good Men directed by Rob Reiner
• Forrest Gump directed by Robert Zemeckis
• To Kill a Mockingbird directed by Robert Mulligan
• The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance directed by John Ford
• My Darling Clementine directed by John Ford
• The Searchers directed by John Ford
• How Green is My Valley directed by John Ford
• Stagecoach directed by John Ford
• The Ten Commandments (1923) directed by Cecil B. DeMille
• North by Northwest directed by Alfred Hitchcock
• All the President's Men directed by Alan J. Pakula
• The Addams Family (1991) directed by Barry Sonnenfeld
• Thief directed by Michael Mann
• King Kong directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack
• The Broadway Melody directed by Harry Beaumont
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King directed by Peter Jackson

Other referenced topics:

• Full House (series)
• Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI (book) by David Grann
• Cimarron (book) by Edna Ferber
• Little House on the Prairie (series)
• Our Gang (series)
• Film Daily review
• Variety review
• Pauline Kael in The New Yorker
• Christopher Lloyd on Film Yap
• The Hollywood Reporter review

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In today's episode, I interview Ran Jing, director of the short film “Imprint,” a look at how topics like immigration, class, and advancing technology can all be intertwined.

Listen to hear about the genesis for the story out of a conversation she had with a friend, how the film addresses the common fear of falling behind in our society, and the challenge of casting a young actor who needed to cover a wide array of talents in the film.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
• Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng
• The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami
• A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumdar

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• “Imprint” directed by Ran Jing
• The Matrix directed by Lana and Lilly Wachowski
• Gone with the Wind directed by Victor Fleming
• The Nightmare Before Christmas directed by Henry Selick
• Lust, Caution directed by Ang Lee
• Amélie directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet
• My Neighbor Totoro directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Follow Ran on Instagram @ranjing0108.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1931 film Trader Horn. I'm joined by Rob Thomas from the Not That Rob Thomas newsletter and we talk about how the film is at times an adventure story and at others a nature documentary, the sometimes surprising amount of violence on display in the film , and the most obnoxious pith helmet this side of the Sahara.

You can watch Trader Horn online or purchase a copy for yourself and be sure to check out Rob's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• City Lights directed by Charlie Chaplin
• White Shadows in the South Seas directed by W. S. Van Dyke
• The Thin Man directed by W. S. Van Dyke
• The Great Gatsby (1949) directed by Elliott Nugent
• Forbidden Planet (1956) directed by Fred M. Wilcox
• Hallelujah! directed by King Vidor
• Mr. Smith Goes to Washington directed by Frank Capra
• Mission: Impossible directed by Brian De Palma
• The Bridge of San Luis Rey (lost film) directed by Charles Brabin
• Trader Horn (1973) directed by Lewis J. Rachmil
• Trader Hornee directed by Jonathan Lucas
• Trader Horn: The Journey Back directed by Clyde Lucas
• Space Balls directed by Mel Brooks
• Cimarron directed by Wesley Ruggles
• East Lynne directed by Frank Lloyd
• The Front Page directed by Lewis Milestone
• Skippy directed by Norman Taurog

Other referenced topics:

• Trader Horn (book) by Alfred Aloysius "Trader" Horn and Ethelreda Lewis
• Doom Patrol (comic)
• Doom Patrol (series)
• The Cisco Kid (series)
• New York Times review
• Time Magazine review
• Variety review
• Rip Jagger on Rip Jagger’s Dojo

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In today's episode, I interview Misha Calvert, director of the short film “Fault,” an exploration of buried trauma that threatens the career of a star tennis player on the eve of the U.S. Open.

Listen to hear about the story that was adapted from the personal story of the film's star, the potential alternate setting for the film that still comes through in the final product, and how they found the fantastic home that the film uses as its main setting.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• “Fault” directed by Misha Calvert
• Raiders of the Lost Ark directed by Steven Spielberg
• Jurassic Park directed by Steven Spielberg
• Willow directed by Ron Howard
• The Passion of Joan of Arc directed by Carl Th. Dreyer
• The NeverEnding Story directed by Wolfgang Petersen
• "Pink Flags" directed by Misha Calvert (forthcoming)
• "The F*ckboy Diaries" directed by Misha Calvert (forthcoming)

Follow Misha on Instagram @mishacalvert and follow the film @faultfilmofficial.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1931 film Little Caesar. I'm joined by Charlotte Simmons from The Treatment newsletter and we talk about the array of differences between the novel and the film, the film's place as a foundation for many of the mob movies that have followed, and

You can watch Little Caesar online for or purchase a copy for yourself and be sure to check out Charlotte's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Wizard of Oz directed by Victor Fleming
• Quo Vadis directed by Mervyn LeRoy
• Frankenstein directed by James Whale
• Street of Chance directed by John Cromwell
• 42nd Street directed by Lloyd Bacon
• The Irishman directed by Martin Scorsese

Other referenced topics:

• Ragtime (novel) by E. L. Doctorow
• Little Caesar (novel) by W. R. Burnett
• Law & Order (series)
• Erik Lundegaard writing on eriklundegaard.com
• New York Times review
• Variety review
• Richard Brody writing in The New Yorker

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In today's episode, I interview Guy Trevellyan, director of the short film “Plastic Surgery,” a unique take on the body horror genre mixed with awareness of a crisis with global impact.

Listen to hear about how he re-wrote a character based on his lead actress being six months pregnant, getting connected with one of the actors from the Narnia films, and the importance of sound and practical visual effects in pulling off the film.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Midnight Library by Matt Haig
• Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
• Taste: My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• “Plastic Surgery” directed by Guy Trevellyan
• The Chronicles of Narnia
• mother! directed by Darren Aronofsky
• The Nun II directed by Michael Chaves
• The Substance directed by Coralie Fargeat
• Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World directed by Peter Weir
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King directed by Peter Jackson
• Seven directed by David Fincher
• Prisoners directed by Denis Villeneuve
• Gladiator directed by Ridley Scott
• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl directed by Gore Verbinski

Follow Guy on Instagram @GuyTrev and follow the film @plasticsurgery_film. You can also follow his company @niceguy_pictures.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1931 film The Criminal Code. I'm joined by Murray Mintz from the CineVibeZ Fanzine newsletter and we talk about what it means to stick to the criminal code, an excellent supporting performance from a pre-Frankenstein Boris Karloff, and a new understanding of the term yammering.

You can watch The Criminal Code online for yourself and be sure to check out Murray's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• The Right to Love directed by Richard Wallace (potentially lost)
• Stand and Deliver directed by Ramón Menéndez
• Five Star Final directed by Mervyn LeRoy
• The Godfather directed by Francis Ford Coppola
• The Dawn Patrol directed by Howard Hawks
• Scarface directed by Howard Hawks
• The Big Sleep directed by Howard Hawks
• Rio Bravo directed by Howard Hawks
• Frankenstein directed by James Whale
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas! directed by Chuck Jones
• Frankenstein directed by Guillermo del Toro
• The Big House directed by George Hill
• Cimarron directed by Wesley Ruggles

Other referenced topics:

• Five Star Final (play)
• The Criminal Code by Martin Flavin
• Morduant Hall's review in the New York Times
• Variety review
• Dennis Schwartz on dennisschwartzreviews.com
• Photoplay Magazine review

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In today's episode, I interview Wesley Wang, director of the short film “Violet and Marlowe Rob a Bank,” a frenetic animated short set to a new song "Feel It All Again" by adore.

Listen to hear about the collaboration between Wesley and adore with their unreleased music, some of the films that informed the creation of these characters, and his plans for the future of his company in the new age of digital media.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• The Trial by Franz Kafka
• The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• “Violet and Marlowe Rob a Bank” directed by Wesley Wang
• "nothing, except everything." directed by Wesley Wang
• Bonnie and Clyde directed by Arthur Penn
• The Matrix directed by Lilly Wachowski and Lana Wachowski
• John Wick directed by Chad Stahelski and David Leitch
• Fantastic Mr. Fox directed by Wes Anderson
• Wallace & Gromit directed by Nick Park
• Backrooms directed by Kane Parsons
• Iron Lung directed by Markiplier
• Brazil directed by Terry Gilliam
• Mulholland Drive directed by David Lynch
• City Lights directed by Charlie Chaplin
• The Master directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
• There Will Be Blood directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
• No Country for Old Men directed by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen

Other media mentioned in this episode:

• "did i tell u that i miss u" by adore
• "Feel It All Again" by adore

Follow Wesley on Instagram @wesleywanggg and subscribe to his YouTube channel @wesleywangfilm. You can also follow the film on Instagram @violetnmarlowe.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film The Royal Family of Broadway and I'm joined by Rebecca Deniston who writes the Taking Up More Room newsletter, and we talk about the distinct lack of story evident in the film, the complete ostentatiousness of every frame of the film, and how much influence the poor transfer of this film made on our opinion of it overall.

You can watch The Royal Family of Broadway on YouTube and be sure to check out Rebecca's newsletter and her website takinguproom.com.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• How the Grinch Stole Christmas! directed by Chuck Jones
• Laughter directed by Harry d'Abbadie d'Arrast
• All Quiet on the Western Front directed by Lewis Milestone
• Gone With the Wind directed by Victor Fleming
• The Wizard of Oz directed by Victor Fleming
• The Women directed by George Cukor
• My Fair Lady directed by George Cukor
• Citizen Kane directed by Orson Welles
• Cimarron directed by Wesley Ruggles
• You Can't Take It With You directed by C.C. Coleman and Frank Capra
• The Broadway Melody directed by Harry Beaumont (previous episode on The Broadway Melody with Kevin Pettit)
• Stage Door Canteen directed by Frank Borzage

Other referenced topics:

• The New Yorkers (musical)
• The Barrymore Family on Wikipedia
• Emanuel Levy writing on emanuellevy.com

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In today's episode, I interview Javier Cano Larumbe, director of the short film "Void," a horror take on the effects of a pending divorce on the world of a young child.

Listen to hear about the films that inspired this story, the process of casting the boy to play the lead actor in his film, and how he was able to turn the location of the home into a character of its own in the film.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Reflections: On Cinematography by Sir Roger Deakins

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "Void" directed by Javier Cano Larumbe
• The Sixth Sense directed by M. Night Shyamalan
• Poltergeist directed by Tobe Hooper
• Jaws directed by Steven Spielberg
• The 400 Blows directed by François Truffaut
• Rear Window directed by Alfred Hitchcock
• E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial directed by Steven Spielberg
• Batman directed by Tim Burton
• The Empire Strikes Back directed by Irvin Kershner

Follow the Javier on Instagram @jcanolarumbe.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film Min and Bill I'm joined by Maria Banson who writes the The Brunello Bombshell newsletter, and we talk about the interesting family dynamics at play in this film, an incredible (and Oscar worthy) performance from Marie Dressler in the lead role, and the second half of the film that flies by once the action really gets going.

You can watch Min and Bill on YouTube, Tubi, or Amazon Prime or pick up a physical copy for your collection and be sure to check out Maria's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• The Big House directed by George Hill
• The Champ directed by King Vidor
• Tugboat Annie directed by Mervyn LeRoy
• The Tragedy of Macbeth directed by Joel Coen
• Nomadland directed by Chloé Zhao
• The Taming of the Shrew directed by Sam Taylor
• Morocco directed by Josef von Sternberg
• Holiday directed by Edward H. Griffith
• A Free Soul directed by Clarence Brown
• Cimarron directed by Wesley Ruggles

Other referenced topics:

• Call My Agent! (series)
• Dark Star by Lorna Moon
• Steve Kopian on unseenfilms.com
• David writing on simbasible.com

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In today's episode, I interview Michael Cusumano and Charity Schubert, director, producer and lead actor of the short film "Last Minute," a comedic look at trying to get a school project done at the last minute in a world without the internet and smart phones.

Listen to hear about the story that grew out of generational differences between school today and 40 years ago, a bit of luck in casting one of the film's main characters, and the way the production crowdsourced period furnishings for the set to make it look and feel like the late 1980s.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Making Movies by Sydney Lumet
• The Only Woman in the Room: A Historical Novel of Hedy Lamarr and Her Secret Wartime Invention by Marie Benedict
• The Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "Last Minute" directed by Michael Cusumano
• "Napoleonic Code" directed by Michael Cusumano
• Back to the Future directed by Robert Zemeckis
• Black Mirror (series)
• The Third Man directed by Carol Reed
• Fargo directed by Joel Coen
• Big Night directed by Stanley Tucci and Campbell Scott
• Dangerous Liaisons directed by Stephen Frears
• Marie Antoinette directed by Sofia Coppola
• Bernie directed by Richard Linklater
• Silence of the Lambs directed by Jonathan Demme
• All About Eve directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz
• Amadeus directed by Milos Forman
• Only Lovers Left Alive directed by Jim Jarmusch
• Bram Stoker's Dracula directed by Francis Ford Coppola
• 12 Angry Men directed by Sydney Lumet
• Network directed by Sydney Lumet
• Dog Day Afternoon directed by Sydney Lumet

Follow the film on Instagram @lastminuteshortfilm, their production company @whiskeycatproductions, and Charity @charityschubert. You can also find information on the Marie Antoinette exhibit Charity mentioned on the Victoria & Albert website. You can also get more information on the Whiskey Cat Productions presentation of Les Liaisons Dangereuses by Christopher Hampton at their website.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film Just Imagine I'm joined by Amanda Kusek who writes the The 90-Minute Movie newsletter, and we talk about the vision of 1980 as seen from 1930, how the film takes on a completely new plot nearly halfway through, and some out of this world imaginings of what people on Mars might be like.

You can watch Just Imagine on YouTube, Tubi or the Amazon Prime or pick up a physical copy for your collection and be sure to check out Amanda's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Planet of the Apes directed by Franklin J. Schaffner
• The Wizard of Oz directed by Victor Fleming
• Back to the Future Part II directed by Robert Zemeckis
• Wings directed by William A. Wellman and Harry d'Abbadie d'Arrast
• Tarzan (film series)
• It's a Wonderful Life directed by Frank Capra
• A Woman of Affairs directed by Clarence Leon Brown
• Frankenstein directed by James Whale
• Cimarron directed by Wesley Ruggles

Other referenced topics:

• "California, Here I Come" written by Buddy DeSilva and performed by Al Jolson
• "California" by Phantom Planet
• The O.C. (series)
• Film Daily note about the print kept for future review
• New York Times review
• Nora Fiore writing on The Nitrate Diva
• Janne Wass on scifist.net

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Today's episode is my discussion of the 1930 film The Dawn Patrol. I don't have a guest today, but you can hear me discuss the comparisons between this and earlier WWI war films, the feud between Howard Hawks and Howard Hughes, and Hollywood's first nepo baby.

You can watch The Dawn Patrol on YouTube, or Tubi or pick up a physical copy for your collection.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Hell's Angels directed by Howard Hughes
• The Air Circus directed by Howard Hawks (lost film)
• The Road to Glory directd by Howard Hawks (lost film)
• The Criminal Code directed by Howard Hawks
• Wings directed by William A. Wellman and Harry d'Abbadie d'Arrast
• The Patent Leather Kid directed by Alfred Santell
• The Noose directed by John Francis Dillon (lost film)
• Little Caesar directed by Mervyn Leroy
• Bulldog Drummond directed by F. Richard Jones
• The Dawn Patrol (1938) directed by Edmund Goulding
• The Doorway to Hell directed by Archie Mayo
• Laughter directed by Harry d'Abbadie d'Arrast

Other referenced topics:

• Batman (series)
• The New Yorker review
• Danny Reid on pre-code.com

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film Morocco I'm joined by Jake Myshrall who writes the Film Runner newsletter, and we talk about how stars like Marlene Dietrich were treated both on screen and off, the way von Sternberg layers the visual aspects of his film sets, and the lengths some men will go for love.

You can watch Morocco on YouTube, Tubi or the Internet Archive or pick up a physical copy for your collection and be sure to check out Jake's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Thunderbolt directed by Josef von Sternberg
• Blue Angel directed by Josef von Sternberg
• Shanghai Express directed by Josef von Sternberg
• Wings directed by William A. Wellman
• Farewell to Arms directed by Frank Borzage
• A Star is Born directed by William A. Wellman
• Paths of Glory directed by Stanley Kubrick
• The Front Page directed by Lewis Milestone
• Tempest directed by Sam Taylor and Victor Tourjansky
• Wonder of Women directed by Clarence Leon Brown
• Madame X directed by Lionel Barrymore
• The Rogue Song directed by Lionel Barrymore
• Intolerance directed by D. W. Griffith
• The Criminal Code directed by Howard Hawks
• Svengali directed by Archie Mayo
• King Kong directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack
• Casablanca directed by Michael Curtiz

Other referenced topics:

• "American Pie" by Don McLean
• New York Times review
• "Morocco (1930)- Celebrating iconography and deconstructing the icon" by Alyssa Marie on the Trial Bi Media
• "Morocco (1930) Film Review" on GreatBooksGuy.com

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film The Doorway to Hell I'm joined by Jeff Kramer who writes The Death Star Human Resources Department Newsletter, and we talk about comparisons between being a mobster and being in war, the decision to show a child being seriously injured in a film of this era, and what happens when the police detective knows something about the gangster's love interest that the gangster himself doesn't know.

You can watch The Doorway to Hell on YouTube or Tubi for free and be sure to check out Jeff's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone directed by Chris Columbus
• The Godfather directed by Francis Ford Coppola
• Heat directed by Michael Mann
• All Quiet on the Western Front directed by Lewis Milestone
• Goodfellas directed by Martin Scorsese
• The Leatherneck directed by Howard Higgin
• Gone with the Wind directed by Victor Fleming
• Yankee Doodle Dandy directed by Michael Curtiz
• Dracula directed by Tod Browning
• Frankenstein directed by James Whale
• Scarface (1932) directed by Howard Hawks
• Avengers: Doomsday directed by Joe and Anthony Russo
• Disraeli directed by Alfred E. Green
• Casino directed by Martin Scorsese
• The Departed directed by Martin Scorsese

Other referenced topics:

• London Calling (play) by Geoffrey Kerr
• A Handful of Clouds (play) by Rowland Brown
• The Simpsons (series)
• New York Times review
• Variety review
• Danny Reid on pre-code.com

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In today's episode, I interview Radha Mehta, director of the short film "Sūnna," a look at the experience of a young girl losing her hearing and how that will impact the music that she shares with her mother.

Listen to hear about the origins of the story in her own truth, the importance of using the sound to drive the narrative of the film, and the way she used the casting process to create incredible chemistry between the mother and daughter characters in her film.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Directing Actors by Judith Weston

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "Sūnna" written and directed by Radha Mehta
• "Witness" co-directed and produced by Radha Mehta
• Sound of Metal directed by Darius Marder
• The Christophers directed by Steven Soderbergh
• Close directed by Lukas Dhont
• Past Lives directed by Celine Song
• Dune directed by Denis Villenueve
• Incendies directed by Denis Villenueve
• "The Last Day Of Byron Bray" directed by Michael Borrelli
• "Anitya" directed by Radha Mehta (forthcoming)

Follow Radha on Instagram @radhamehta.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film Whoopee! I'm joined by Dan Pal who writes the PalCinema, Television, & Music newsletter, and we talk about how the film feels more like a collection of skits rather than it's ultimate form, some very problematic racial portrayals, and the legacy of some of the music that came out of this film and the preceding stage production.

You can watch Whoopee! on YouTube for free and be sure to check out Dan's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Soup to Nuts directed by Benjamin Stoloff
• The King of Jazz directed by John Murray Anderson
• The Hollywood Revue of 1929 directed by Charles F. Reisner
• Flying Down to Rio directed by Thornton Freeland
• The Wizard of Oz directed by Victor Fleming
• Kid Boots directed by Frank Tuttle
• The Jazz Singer directed by Alan Crosland
• The Fabulous Baker Boys directed by Steve Kloves
• All Quiet on the Western Front directed by Lewis Milestone
• Peter Pan directed by Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske and Clyde Geronimi
• Everyone Says I Love You directed by Woody Allen

Other referenced topics:

• The Beverly Hillbillies (series)
• Film Daily review
• Variety review
• Danny Reid on pre-code.com
• "Makin' Whoopee" scene from The Fabulous Baker Boys

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In today's episode, Suzanne Ferriss, author of the new book, Greta Gerwig: Filmmaker makes a return to the podcast following her first appearance almost three years ago.

Listen to hear about the central theme of fashion and how the word "fashion" can come to have multiple meanings, why Gerwig (and other female directors) are more often recognized as writers than directors, and Gerwig's preference to be referred to as a "realizer" of films and the collaboration inherent in that term.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Greta Gerwig: Filmmaker by Suzanne Ferriss
• The Antidote by Karen Russell
• When the Going Was Good: An Editor's Adventures During the Last Golden Age of Magazines by Grayden Carter
• The Big Goodbye by Sam Wasson

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• Lost in Translation directed by Sofia Coppola
• Little Women directed by Greta Gerwig
• Lady Bird directed by Greta Gerwig
• Barbie directed by Greta Gerwig
• Narnia: The Magician's Nephew directed by Greta Gerwig (forthcoming on Netflix)
• Father Mother Sister Brother directed by Jim Jarmusch
• Blue Moon directed by Richard Linklater
• One Battle After Another directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
• Nouvelle Vague directed by Richard Linklater
• Somewhere directed by Sofia Coppola
• Psycho directed by Alfred Hitchcock
• The Shining directed by Stanley Kubrick
• The Grand Budapest Hotel directed by Wes Anderson

You can follow Suzanne on Instagram @suzanneferriss and visit her website at suzanneferriss.com.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film Laughter. I'm joined by Beth Lisogorsky who writes the You Need to Watch This newsletter, and we talk about the wild mess of relationships we see on screen, an ending that doesn't clearly wrap things up in a nice little bow, and the distinct lack of anything to truly laugh about in this film.

You can watch Laughter on YouTube for free and be sure to check out Beth’s newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• The Wizard of Oz directed by Victor Fleming
• Raffles directed by Harry d'Abbadie d'Arrast and George Fitzmaurice
• The Gold Rush directed by Charlie Chaplin
• Wings directed by William A. Wellman and Harry d'Abbadie d'Arrast
• The Philadelphia Story directed by George Cukor
• The Devil's Holiday directed by Edmund Goulding
• Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde directed by Rouben Mamoulian
• The Best Years of Our Lives directed by William Wyler
• The Lady from Shanghai directed by Orson Welles
• Rebecca directed by Alfred Hitchcock
• It's a Wonderful Life directed by Frank Capra
• It Happened One Night directed by Frank Capra

Other referenced topics:

• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• Blondie (comic strip)
• Jonathan Rosenbaum's critique
• José Arroyo writing on Notes on Film

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In today's episode, I interview Ray Morton, author of the book, King Kong: The History of a Movie Icon –Revised and Updated Edition.

Listen to hear about why King Kong has endured in popular culture for nearly a century, what the future of King Kong may look like, and Ray's own King Kong sculpture made out of snow.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• King Kong: The History of a Movie Icon –Revised and Updated Edition by Ray Morton
• Final Cut: Art, Money, and Ego in the Making of Heaven's Gate, the Film that Sank United Artists – A Witty Insider Account of Epic Hollywood Disaster and Human Absurdity by Steven Bach
• Fever: The Complete History of Saturday Night Fever by Margo Donohue
• Sonny Boy by Al Pacino
• Fay Wray and Robert Riskin: A Hollywood Memoir by Victoria Riskin

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• King Kong (1933) directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack
• King Kong (1976) directed by John Guillermin
• King Kong (2005) directed by Peter Jackson
• Kong: Skull Island directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts
• Godzilla vs. Kong directed by Adam Wingard
• Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire directed by Adam Wingard
• Skull Island (series)
• Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (series)
• Close Encounters of the Third Kind directed by Steven Spielberg
• Local Hero directed by Bill Forsyth
• The Apartment directed by Billy Wilder
• James Bond (series)
• Superman, The Movie directed by Richard Donner

You can follow Ray on Instagram @raymorton1 and you can find his website at raymorton.com.

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In today's episode, I interview Vanessa Esteves, director of the short film "Christopher & the Bug," a heartwarming animated short about a reclusive owl whose solitary world is upended by an unexpected visitor, evolving into a touching story about loneliness, empathy, and the courage to connect.

Listen to hear about the origin of the story in her own experience, the challenge of finding the balance between animal and human in animation, and the storybook feel of the film.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
• The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "Christopher & the Bug" directed by Vanessa Esteves and Kevin Micallef
• "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" directed by Chuck Jones
• Star Wars directed by George Lucas
• Wonderboys directed by Curtis Hanson
• Toy Story directed by John Lasseter
• Back to the Future directed by Robert Zemeckis
• Uncle Buck directed by John Hughes
• "We Were Here" directed by Pranav Bhasin

Follow the film on Instagram @christopherandthebug and Vanessa @vanesteves_animation. You can also check out the film's website at www.addthedog.com/catb.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film Holiday. I'm joined by Swabreen Bakr who writes the Anti-Brain Rot newsletter, and we talk about the variations between the play, this version of the film and the 1938 film adaptation, the strategies the Seton children have learned in dealing with their father, and an exploration of the difference between various characters and their relationship to wealth.

You can watch Romance on YouTube or Tubi for free or rent it on Amazon Prime, and be sure to check out Swabreen's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Holiday (1938 version) directed by George Cukor
• The Materialists directed by Celine Song
• The Philadelphia Story directed by George Cukor
• Love Story directed by Arthur Hiller

Other referenced topics:

• Holiday (play) by Philip Barry
• The Philadelphia Story (play) by Philip Barry
• The New Masses review
• Erin Snyder writing on Mainlining Christmas.com
• J. B. Kaufman writing on jbkaufman.com

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In today's episode, I interview Paul Fischer, author of the new book, The Last Kings of Hollywood: Coppola, Lucas, Spielberg―and the Battle for the Soul of American Cinema.

Listen to hear about tackling three of the titans of the film industry, how each of his three protagonists changed filmmaking in their own way, and some of the key contributors that helped influence these three men through their journey over the last 60 years.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• The Last Kings of Hollywood: Coppola, Lucas, Spielberg―and the Battle for the Soul of American Cinema by Paul Fischer
• What Makes Sammy Run? by Budd Schulberg
• The Director by Daniel Kehlmann

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• The Godfather directed by Francis Ford Coppola
• Jaws directed by Steven Spielberg
• Star Wars directed by George Lucas
• Avatar directed by James Cameron
• Raging Bull directed by Martin Scorsese
• The 400 Blows directed by François Truffaut
• Close Encounters of the Third Kind directed by Steven Spielberg

You can find Paul's website at www.paulfischerauthor.com and follow him on Instagram @pfischerbooks.

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Today's episode is the beginning of my conversations about the films nominated at the 4th Academy Awards. I'm joined by Kevin Pettit who writes the See You at the Movies newsletter and we break down some of the history of the 4th Academy Awards, a minor change to the writing categories, and all of the nominees.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get all the news episodes delivered to your device every Friday from now through early September 2026 and if you want to be a guest for a film from the 5th Academy Awards, send me a message replying to this episode and let me know you're interested.

Nominees of the 4th Academy Awards (linked films will take you to where you can watch the film online as of the recording of this episode):

• Holiday
• The Dawn Patrol
• Laughter
• Whoopee!
• The Doorway to Hell
• Morocco
• Just Imagine
• Min and Bill
• The Royal Family of Broadway
• The Criminal Code
• Little Caesar
• Trader Horn
• Cimarron
• Tabu
• East Lynne
• The Front Page
• Skippy
• The Public Enemy
• Svengali
• A Free Soul
• Smart Money

Check out Oscar Wars by Michael Schulman that Kevin mentioned in the episode.

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Today's episode is a special between Oscars conversation about the 1922 film Nosferatu. This was another suggestion from my son Joshua who came on last year between seasons to talk about The General with me and is another classic film that came along too early to be recognized by The Academy.

Listen to hear about some of the early the visual effects the film used quite effectively, the stark reality of certain German actors in the 1930s, and how this film has served as the basis for vampire films for over a century. Don't forget to check out the film for yourself on YouTube, Amazon Prime, or buy a copy of the remastered Kino Lorber disc for your collection.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Nosferatu the Vampyre directed by Werner Herzog
• Nosferatu (2024) directed by Robert Eggers
• The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari directed by Robert Wiene
• Twilight directed by Catherine Hardwicke
• Sinners directed by Ryan Coogler
• Bram Stoker's Dracula directed by Francis Ford Coppola

Other referenced topics:

• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• Vampire in the Garden (series)
• Variety review
• stevepulaski.com review
• Nosferatu episode on the Dead Meat YouTube channel

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In today's episode, I interview Philip Clyde-Smith and Eliza Power, director and writer of the short film "A Hand to Hold." The film is a darkly funny body horror look at love and dealing with loss.

Listen to hear about the single day writing process, the tricky balancing act between comedy and grotesque horror, and some advice to directors when casting a film.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• A Beginner's Guide to Dying by Simon Boas
• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica
• Lily

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "A Hand to Hold" directed by Philip Clyde-Smith
• The Young Offenders (series)
• Possession directed by Andrzej Żuławski
• Kinski: My Best Fiend directed by Werner Herzog
• Fright Night directed by Tom Holland
• The Exorcist directed by William Friedkin
• The Goonies directed by Richard Donner
• Ghostbusters directed by Ivan Reitman
• The Good, the Bad and the Ugly directed by Clint Eastwood
• The Lord of the Rings directed by Peter Jackson
• Mary Poppins directed by Robert Stevenson
• American Psycho directed by Mary Harron
• The Big Lebowski directed by Joel Coen
• Donny Darko directed by Richard Kelly

Follow the film on Instagram @ahandtoholdfilm, Philip @philipclydesmith, and Eliza @mselizapower.

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Today's episode is a special between Oscars conversation about the 1933 film King Kong. Podcast regular Kevin Pettit from the See You At The Movies newsletter recommended this film and even though it's out of order, the film was never nominated for an Oscar which made it a perfect candidate to fill in some of these in between weeks.

Kevin had a chance to watch King Kong on the big screen recently, but you can check out some lesser quality prints online or buy a copy for your collection, and be sure to check out Kevin's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• King Kong directed by Peter Jackson
• Kong: Skull Island directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts
• Jurassic Park directed by Steven Spielberg
• Chang: A Drama of the Wilderness directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack and Merian C. Cooper
• Forrest Gump directed by Robert Zemeckis
• The Lord of the Rings directed by Peter Jackson
• Star Wars directed by George Lucas
• Godzilla (film series)
• The Hobbit directed by Peter Jackson
• Room directed by Leonard Abrahamson
• E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial directed by Steven Spielberg
• Inglourious Basterds directed by Quentin Tarantino
• Jaws directed by Steven Spielberg

Other referenced topics:

• The Soundtrack Show Podcast Interview with David Farmer (Part 1, Part 2)
• The Lost World (novel) by Arthur Conan Doyle
• Motion Picture Herald review
• Chicago Tribune review
• Film Daily review
• Roger Ebert review

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In today's episode, I interview Blake Sherwyn, director of the short film "Chet Bond: License to Chill," a hilarious mockumentary about James Bond's nepobaby son.

Listen to hear about he identified a gap in the market for action comedy mockumentaries, the difficulty of finding the right actors to play the supporting roles in the film, and an on set incident that could have been much worse.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Save the Cat! Writes a Novel: The Last Book On Novel Writing You'll Ever Need by Jessica Brody

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "Chet Bond: License to Chill" directed by Blake Sherwyn
• "Lil Brick Answers the Web's Most Searched Questions" directed by Blake Sherwyn
• James Bond franchise
• The Social Network directed by David Fincher
• The Hangover directed by Todd Phillips
• Everybody Wants Some directed by Richard Linklater
• Marty Supreme directed by Josh Safdie
• Billy Madison directed by Tamra Davis

Follow Blake on Instagram @blakesherwynofficial.

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The 98th Academy Awards are over and today I'm joined by Beth Lisogorsky from the You Need To Watch This! newsletter to recap everything that happened at last night's ceremony.

Listen to hear us talk about the biggest winners and losers of the evening, some of the beautiful style we got to see, and anything that caught us by surprise.

Other topics:

• Whatever Nevermind newsletter

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Today is the final episode in my preview of the 98th Academy Awards where I will have broken down every category over the course of this week. Today I am joined by Enrico Banson from the Director's Notes newsletter, Janelle Lathrop from the Right Now, You Like Me newsletter, and Kevin Pettit from the See You At the Movies newsletter to break down all ten films nominated for Best Picture. I've listed the nominees below along with a few other films mentioned throughout the episode.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get all the preview episodes this week, and head over to my Substack to submit your guesses for my annual Oscar prediction contest.

The nominees for each category are listed below.

Best Picture:

• Bugonia
• F1
• Frankenstein
• Hamnet
• Marty Supreme
• One Battle After Another
• The Secret Agent
• Sentimental Value
• Sinners
• Train Dreams

Other media mentioned in this episode include:

• Killing of the Sacred Deer directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
• Kinds of Kindness directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
• Poor Things directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
• The Favourite directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
• Eddington directed by Ari Aster
• Weapons directed by Zach Cregger
• Top Gun: Maverick directed by Joseph Kosinski
• Avatar: Fire and Ash directed by James Cameron
• Crimson Peak directed by Guillermo del Toro
• Hellboy directed by Guillermo del Toro
• Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio directed by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson
• Hamlet by William Shakespeare
• Balls of Fury directed by Robert Ben Garant
• Good Time directed by Ben Safdie and Joshua Safdie
• Uncut Gems directed by Ben Safdie and Joshua Safdie
• There Will Be Blood directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
• The Battle of Algiers directed by Gillo Potecorvo
• Hard Eight directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
• Magnolia directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
• Boogie Nights directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
• I'm Still Here directed by Walter Salles
• The Conversation directed by Francis Ford Coppola
• The Worst Person in the World directed by Joachim Trier
• The Wizard of Oz directed by Victor Fleming
• The Thin Red Line directed by Terrence Malick
• The Tree of Life directed by Terrence Malick
• Magellan directed by Lav Diaz
• No Other Choice directed by Park Chan-wook
• Sirât directed by Oliver Laxe
• Caught By the Tides directed by Jia Zhangke
• On Becoming a Guinea Fowl directed by Rungano Nyoni
• Sorry, Baby directed by Eva Victor
• Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery directed by Rian Johnson

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Today is the third of a five episode preview of the 98th Academy Awards where I have been breaking down every category throughout the week. Today I am joined by Swabreen Bakr from the Anti-Brain Rot newsletter and Maria Banson from the Brunello Bombshell newsletter to break down all four acting categories, both screenplay categories, Best Director and the new Best Casting category. I've listed the nominees below along with a few other films mentioned throughout the episode.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get all the preview episodes this week, and head over to my Substack to submit your guesses for my annual Oscar prediction contest.

The nominees for each category are listed below.

Best Original Screenplay:

• Blue Moon
• It Was Just an Accident
• Marty Supreme
• Sentimental Value
• Sinners

Best Adapted Screenplay:

• Bugonia
• Frankenstein
• Hamnet
• One Battle After Another
• Train Dreams

Best Casting:

• Hamnet
• Marty Supreme
• One Battle After Another
• The Secret Agent
• Sinners

Best Supporting Actor:

• Benicio Del Toro – One Battle After Another as Sergio St. Carlos
• Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein as The Creature
• Delroy Lindo – Sinners as Delta Slim
• Sean Penn – One Battle After Another as Steven J. Lockjaw
• Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value as Gustav Borg

Best Supporting Actress:

• Elle Fanning – Sentimental Value as Rachel Kemp
• Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value as Agnes Borg
• Amy Madigan – Weapons as Gladys
• Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners as Annie
• Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another as Perfidia Beverly Hills

Best Actress:

• Jessie Buckley – Hamnet as Agnes Shakespeare
• Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You as Linda
• Kate Hudson – Song Sung Blue as Claire Cartwright
• Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value as Nora Borg
• Emma Stone – Bugonia as Michelle Fuller

Best Actor:

• Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme as Marty Mauser
• Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another as Bob Ferguson
• Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon as Lorenz Hart
• Michael B. Jordan – Sinners as Smoke and Stack
• Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent as Marcelo Alves

Best Director:

• Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
• Ryan Coogler – Sinners
• Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme
• Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value
• Cloé Zhao – Hamnet

Other media mentioned in this episode include:

• Casablanca directed by Michael Curtiz
• Jay Kelly directed by Noah Baumbach
• Silence of the Lambs directed by Jonathan Demme
• Get Out directed by Jordan Peele
• Parasite directed by Bong Joon-ho
• Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery directed by Rian Johnson

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Today is the third of a five episode preview of the 98th Academy Awards where I will be breaking down each and every category throughout the week. Today I am joined by Shawna Carroll from the Notes From Post newsletter to break down Best Animated Short Film, Best Live Action Short Film, and Best Documentary Short Film. I've listed the nominees below along with a few other films mentioned throughout the episode.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get all the preview episodes this week, and head over to my Substack to submit your guesses for my annual Oscar prediction contest.

The nominees for each category are listed below.

Best Animated Short Film:

• “Butterfly”
• “Forevergreen”
• “The Girl Who Cried Pearls” (podcast interview)
• “Retirement Plan” (podcast interview)
• “The Three Sisters”

Best Live Action Short Film:

• “Butcher’s Stain”
• “A Friend of Dorothy”
• “Jane Austen’s Period Drama” (podcast interview)
• “The Singers” (podcast interview)
• “Two People Exchanging Saliva”

Best Documentary Short Film:

• “All the Empty Rooms”
• “Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud”
• “Children No More: “Were and Are Gone””
• “The Devil Is Busy”
• “Perfectly a Strangeness”

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Harry Potter (film series)
• "The Only Girl in the Orchestra" directed by Molly O'Brien
• "Instruments of a Beating Heart" directed by Ema Ryan Yamazaki
• "Death by Numbers" directed by Kim A. Snyder
• "I Am Ready, Warden" directed by Smriti Mundhra
• "Incident" directed by Bill Morrison
• EO directed by Jerzy Skolimowski

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Today is the second of five episode previewing the 98th Academy Awards where I will be breaking down each and every category throughout the week. Today I am joined by Dan Pal from the PalCinema, Television, and Music newsletter to break down Best Animated Feature, Best International Feature, Best Documentary Feature, Best Original Score, and Best Original Song. I've listed the nominees below along with other films mentioned throughout the episode.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get all the preview episodes this week, and head over to my Substack to submit your guesses for my annual Oscar prediction contest.

The nominees for each category are listed below.

Best Animated Feature:

• Arco
• Elio
• KPop Demon Hunters
• Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
• Zootopia 2

Best International Feature:

• The Secret Agent (Brazil)
• It Was Just an Accident (France)
• Sentimental Value (Norway)
• Sirât (Spain)
• The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia)

Best Documentary Feature:

• The Alabama Solution
• Come See Me in the Good Light
• Cutting through Rocks
• Mr. Nobody against Putin
• The Perfect Neighbor

Best Original Score:

• Bugonia
• Frankenstein
• Hamnet
• One Battle after Another
• Sinners

Best Original Song:

• “Dear Me” from Diane Warren: Relentless
• “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters
• “I Lied To You” from Sinners
• “Sweet Dreams Of Joy” from Viva Verdi!
• “Train Dreams” from Train Dreams

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Flow directed by Gints Zilbalodis
• Zootopia directed by Rich Moore and Byron Howard
• Toy Story 3 directed by Lee Unkrich
• Rango directed by Gore Verbinski
• Brave directed by Brenda Chapman and Mark Andrews
• Frozen directed by Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck
• Big Hero 6 directed by Don Hall and Chris Williams
• Inside Out directed by Pete Docter
• Coco directed by Adrian Molina and Lee Unkrich
• Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse directed by Peter Ramsey, Bob Persichetti, and Rodney Rothman
• Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio directed by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson
• The Boy and the Heron directed by Hayao Miyazaki
• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba The Movie: Infinity Castle directed by Haruo Sotozaki
• Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc directed by Tatsuya Yoshihara
• Little Miss Sunshine directed by Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton
• I'm Still Here directed by Walter Salles
• Parasite directed by Bong Joon Ho
• Navalny directed by Daniel Roher
• 20 Days in Mariupol directed by Mstyslav Chernov
• American Symphony directed by Matthew Heineman
• Star Wars directed by George Lucas
• Jurassic Park directed by Steven Spielberg
• Psycho directed by Alfred Hitchcock
• Oppenheimer directed by Christopher Nolan
• The King's Speech directed by Tom Hooper

Other media mentioned in this episode include:

• "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" by Diane Warren, performed by Aerosmith
• "How Do I Live Without You" by Diane Warren, performed by Leann Rimes or Tricia Yearwood

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Today's is the first of a five episode preview of the 98th Academy Awards where I will be breaking down each and every category throughout the week. Helping me through that process is Murray Mintz from the CineVibez Fanzine newsletter and Rob Thomas from the Not That Rob Thomas newsletter and we break down all of the technical categories. I've listed the nominees below along with a few other films mentioned throughout the episode.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get all the preview episodes this week, and head over to my Substack to submit your guesses for my annual Oscar prediction contest.

The nominees for each category are listed below.

Best Sound:

• F1
• Frankenstein
• One Battle after Another
• Sinners
• Sirât

Best Production Design:

• Frankenstein
• Hamnet
• Marty Supreme
• One Battle after Another
• Sinners

Best Cinematography:

• Frankenstein
• Marty Supreme
• One Battle after Another
• Sinners
• Train Dreams

Best Makeup and Hairstyling:

• Frankenstein
• Kokuho
• Sinners
• The Smashing Machine
• The Ugly Stepsister

Best Costume Design:

• Avatar: Fire and Ash
• Frankenstein
• Hamnet
• Marty Supreme
• Sinners

Best Film Editing:

• F1
• Marty Supreme
• One Battle After Another
• Sentimental Value
• Sinners

Best Visual Effects:

• Avatar: Fire and Ash
• F1
• Jurassic World Rebirth
• The Lost Bus
• Sinners

Other topics mentioned in this episode include:

• Formula 1: Drive to Survive (series)
• Without Limits directed by Robert Towne
• Sinners exhibit at Warner Bros. Studio Tour
• Jurassic Park directed by Steven Spielberg
• Jurassic World directed by Colin Trevorrow
• Avatar directed by James Cameron
• Avatar: The Way of Water directed by James Cameron
• Titanic directed by James Cameron
• Terminator 2: Judgement Day directed by James Cameron

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Today's episode is my recap of everything from the third Academy Awards back in late 1930. I recap all 25 films I watched for this season, talk about the winners of each category and more. If you missed any of the episodes discussing specific films, you can go back in this feed or just tap on the links below.

• 3.72-Kicking Off the 3rd Oscars with Beth Lisogorsky
• 3.74-Bulldog Drummond with Gareth Bradwick
• 3.76-Hallelujah with Jonathan Hammond
• 3.78-Disraeli with Jeff Kramer
• 3.80-The Trespasser with Kevin Pettit
• 3.82-Condemned with Luis Mendez
• 3.84-The Love Parade with Enrico Banson
• 3.86-Sally with Dan Pal
• 3.88-Their Own Desire with Maria Banson
• 3.90-The Rogue Song with Helen Cox
• 3.92-Street of Chance with Amanda Kusek
• 3.94-The Green Goddess with Murray Mintz
• 3.96-The Vagabond King with Rebecca Deniston
• 3.98-Anna Christie with Swabreen Bakr
• 3.100-Sarah and Son with Matthew Carlson
• 3.102-King of Jazz with Matthew Brady
• 3.104-The Divorcee with Beth Lisogorsky
• 4.2-All Quiet on the Western Front with Kyle Wilson
• 4.4-The Big Pond with James Kreul
• 4.6-The Devil's Holiday with John DiLeo
• 4.9-Song of the Flame with Taylor Lewis
• 4.11-Hell's Angels with Vicki Lesley
• 4.13-With Byrd at the South Pole with Kevin Pettit
• 4.15-The Big House with Lewis Beer
• 4.17-Raffles with Madison Hatfield
• 4.19-Romance with Janelle Lathrop

Next week will feature five episodes previewing the 98th Academy Awards before a couple of special episodes later in March. Then I'll kick off the films of the 4th Academy Awards in early April. And if you want to be a guest for an upcoming episode of the podcast and help me discuss a future Oscar nominated film, send me a message replying to this episode. I would love to add your voice to my list of guests for the show.

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In today's episode, I interview Alejandro Vilpa, creator of the new streaming platform Vilpamax. The service is dedicated to showcasing short films from emerging filmmakers and is launched in early 2026.

Listen to hear about how Alejandro decided to create the platform when he identified a gap in the marketplace, using films from acclaimed festivals and Oscar nominees to bring people to the service and introduce them to other films, and what the plans are for the future.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Invisible by Paul Auster

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "The Undertone of David Jansen" directed by Alejandro Vilpa
• "Bienvenidos a Los Angeles" directed by Lisa Cole
• "The Mozart of Pickpockets" directed by Philippe Pollet-Villard
• "The Girl Who Cried Pearls" directed by Maciek Szczerbowski and Chris Lavis
• Memento directed by Christopher Nolan
• Eat Pray Love directed by Ryan Murphy
• Atonement directed by Joe Wright
• Alice in Wonderland directed by Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jaxon, and Hamilton Luske

Follow Alejandro on Instagram @alejandrovilpa and check out the service for yourself at vilpamax.com as well as subscribe to the YouTube channel. You can also check out his work at vilpafilms.com and follow Vilpa Films on Instagram @vilpafilms.

If you want to submit a film to Vilpamax for consideration, email business@vilpafilms.com and include a screener link.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film Romance. I'm joined by Janelle Lathrop who writes the Right Now, You Like Me newsletter, and we talk about confusing bits of plot development, an extremely long middle scene of the film, and the distinct lack of romance in a film titled Romance.

You can watch Romance on Tubi or grab a copy of the film on DVD for yourself, and be sure to check out Janelle's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• It Happened One Night directed by Frank Capra
• All Quiet on the Western Front directed by Lewis Milestone
• "Fiddlesticks" directed by Ub Iwerks
• Anna Christie directed by Clarence Brown
• Anna Karenina directed by Clarence Brown
• National Velvet directed by Clarence Brown
• Grand Hotel directed by Edmund Goulding
• Moulin Rouge! directed by Baz Luhrmann
• The Barretts of Wimpole Street directed by Sidney Franklin
• Juror #2 directed by Clint Eastwood
• Twelve Angry Men directed by Sidney Lumet

Other referenced topics:

• Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
• Mad Men (series)
• Romance (play) by Edward Sheldon
• Review in Harrison's Reports
• Review in Motion Picture News
• Review in The New York Times
• Review in Picture Play Magazine
• Danny Reid's review on pre-code.com

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In today's episode, I interview Nick Spake, author of the new book series, Bright and Shiny: A History of Animation at Award Shows.

Listen to hear about how he approached breaking the book up from one long volume into the three separate volumes we have today, the long history of animation and how it permeates nearly every film made today, and what the future or animation might hold in general and when it comes to awards recognition.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Bright and Shiny: A History of Animation at Award Shows (Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3) by Nick Spake
• After Disney: Toil, Trouble, and the Transformation of America's Favorite Media Company by Neil O'Brien

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• The Lion King directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff
• Up directed by Pete Docter
• Beauty and the Beast directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise
• Flow directed by Gints Zilbalodis
• The Ten Commandments directed by Cecil B. DeMille
• Ben-Hur directed by William Wyler
• Jurassic Park directed by Steven Spielberg
• Tron directed by Steven Lisberger
• KPop Demon Hunters directed by
• "Butterfly" directed by Florence Miailhe
• "Retirement Plan" directed by John Kelly
• "The Girl Who Cried Pearls" directed by Chris Lavis & Maciek Szczerbowski
• "Forevergreen" directed by Nathan Engelhardt & Jeremy Spears
• "The Three Sisters" directed by Konstantin Bronzit
• E. T. The Extraterrestrial directed by Steven Spielberg
• American Beauty directed by Sam Mendes
• The Empire Strikes Back directed by Irvin Kershner
• Pulp Fiction directed by Quentin Tarantino
• My Dinner with Andre directed by Louis Malle
• The Big Lebowski directed by Joel Coen

Follow Nick on Instagram @cartooncontender and visit his website cartooncontender.com for more great content about animation.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film Raffles. I'm joined by Madison Hatfield film writer and director who previously came on the podcast in 2025 to talk with me about her film "I Could Dom." In today's episode we talk about the now standard trope of pulling "one last job" in heist films, some incredible characters that populate the film, and why a big sports star would need to moonlight as a jewel thief in the first place.

You can watch Raffles on YouTube or Tubi, and be sure to check out "I Could Dom", follow her on Instagram @madhat31, and head to Madison's website to see more of her work.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• The Big House directed by George Hill
• James Bond (film series)
• Laughter directed by Harry d'Abbadie d'Arrast
• A Star is Born directed by William A. Wellman

Other referenced topics:

• Sherlock Holmes (book series) by Arthur Conan Doyle
• The Amateur Cracksman (novel) by E. W. Hornbug
• Review on pre-code.com

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Today I’m replaying an episode from earlier this winter, my interview with Christine La Monte, producer of two recent documentaries, Ai Weiwei’s Turandot and the Oscar shortlisted Viva Verdi!. Viva Verdi! is nominated for Best Original Song at the 98th Academy Awards and the film is available to stream on jolt.film today!

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller
• Cry to Heaven by Anne Rice
• Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
• The Crying Heart Tattoo by David Lozell Martin
• The Samurai’s Garden by Gail Tsukiyama
• The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
• Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off directed by Elizabeth Guest

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• Ai Weiwei’s Turandot directed by Maxim Derevianko
• Viva Verdi! directed by Yvo nne Russo
• La Traviata directed by Franco Zeffirelli
• Children of the River directed by Federico Rodelli (forthcoming)
• The Godfather directed by Francis Ford Coppola
• Black Orpheus directed by Marcel Camus
• Once Upon a Time in America directed by Sergio Leone
• Dances With Wolves directed by Kevin Costner
• Holiday directed by George Cukor
• The Night Manager (series)
• Something’s Gotta Give directed by Nancy Meyers
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (series)

Other things mentioned in this episode:

• “Sweet Dreams of Joy“ by Nicholas Pike

Follow Viva Verdi! on Instagram @vivaverdithefilm and check out the websites for both films at aiweiweisturandotfilm.com and vivaverdithefilm.com. And don’t forget to check out Viva Verdi! on jolt.film ahead of the 98th Academy Awards.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film The Big House. I'm joined by Lewis Beer who writes the Slow Moving Pictures newsletter, and we talk about the key themes that weave throughout the film, how the writing of the film helps propel the narrative forward, and some of the real life prisoners and prison personnel that inspired characters in the film.

You can watch The Big House on YouTube or Tubi or grab a copy of the film on DVD for yourself, and be sure to check out Lewis's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• The Letter directed by Jean De Limur
• A Woman Under the Influence directed by John Cassavetes
• The Divorcee directed by Robert Z. Leonard
• All Quiet on the Western Front directed by Lewis Milestone
• Roofman directed by Derek Cianfrance
• Min and Bill directed by George Hill
• Alibi directed by Roland West
• The Case of Sergeant Grischa directed by Herbert Brenon (lost film)
• Red-Headed Woman directed by Jack Conway
• The Champ directed by King Vidor
• Anna Christie directed by Clarence Brown
• The Big Parade directed by King Vidor
• The Flying Fleet directed by George Hill

Other referenced topics:

• "Frances Marion: Hollywood's Favourite Storyteller"
• "The Woman Who Invented the Hollywood Screenwriter" by Pamela Hutchinson
• Off With Their Heads: A Serio-Comic Tale of Hollywood by Frances Marion
• Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Powerful Women of Early Hollywood by Cari Beauchamp
• "Frances Marion: Censorship and the Screenwriter in Hollywood, 1929-1931" by Leslie Kreiner Wilson
• Prison Movies: Cinema Behind Bars by Kevin Kehrwald
• New York Times review by Morduant Hall
• "Life in and out of a Penitentiary" by John C. Mosher
• Francis Marion receiving her Oscar for Best Writing

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Today's episode is a re-air of portions of three interviews I did with several of this year's Oscar nominated filmmakers. You'll hear from Julia Aks and Steve Pinder, directors of the film "Jane Austen's Period Drama," John Kelly from "Retirement Plan," and Sam Davis of "The Singers." Full episodes are available at the links below along with over 100 other interviews with filmmakers, authors, and more.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film With Byrd at the South Pole. I'm joined by Kevin Pettit who writes the See You At the Movies newsletter, and we talk about how the film is essentially a silent film in a world that has fully transitioned to talkies, how the editing of the film made a huge difference on the feel of what we see on screen, and the spectacular images that the cinematographers brought back that led to the film winning Best Cinematography.

You can watch With Byrd at the South Pole on YouTube or grab a copy of the film on DVD for yourself, and be sure to check out Kevin's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• The Notebook directed by Nick Cassavetes
• A Woman Under the Influence directed by John Cassavetes
• Ferris Bueller's Day Off directed by John Hughes
• The Thing directed by John Carpenter
• The Empire Strikes Back directed by Irvin Kershner
• The Lighthouse directed by Robert Eggers
• There Will Be Blood directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
• King Kong (1933) directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack
• Wings directed by William A. Wellman
• Marty Supreme directed by Josh Safdie
• King Kong (1976) directed by John Guillermin
• Citizen Kane directed by Orson Welles
• Bowling for Columbine directed by Michael Moore
• The Broadway Melody directed by Harry Beaumont
• All Quiet on the Western Front directed by Lewis Milestone

Other referenced topics:

• The Terror (series)
• Movie scrapbook at the oDartmouth College archives

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In today's episode, I interview Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski, directors of the Oscar-nominated short film "The Girl Who Cried Pearls." The film is a wonderful lesson in the true value of a thing and is currently one of the five nominees for Best Animated Short Film at the 98th Academy Awards.

Listen to hear about the inspiration for the film that came from their previous film collaboration, the unique approach the duo took in creating the characters for the film, and how they changed the look of one of their puppets based on the casting process.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• The Book of Disquiet by Fernando Pessoa
• Nemesis by Agatha Christie

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "The Girl Who Cried Pearls" directed by Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski
• "Madame Tutli-Putli" directed by Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski
• "Higglety Pigglety Pop! or There Must Be More to Life" directed by Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski
• "Cochemare" directed by Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski
• "21-87" directed by Arthur Lipsett
• Star Wars directed by George Lucas
• "Street of Crocodiles" directed by Timothy Quay and Stephen Quay
• "When the Day Breaks" directed by Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby
• The Third Man directed by Carol Reed
• Ball of Fire directed by Howard Hawks
• The Pink Panther directed by Blake Edwards

Follow Chris and Maciek's production company on Instagram @clydehenryproductions.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film Hell's Angels. I'm joined by Vicki Lesley who writes the Vicki Lesley is...Documental newsletter, and we talk about the beautiful cinematographic moments that earned the film a Best Cinematography nomination, the realities of being called home from abroad to fight for your country in wartime, and an incredible scene of self-sacrifice that came as quite a surprise when we watched the film.

You can watch Hell's Angels on YouTube, Amazon Prime, or Tubi or grab a copy of the brand new Criterion 4K release from last November, and be sure to check out Vicki's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• All Quiet on the Western Front directed by Lewis Milestone
• Top Gun: Maverick directed by Joseph Kosinski
• The Jazz Singer directed by Alan Crosland
• Wings directed by William A. Wellman
• The Aviator directed by Martin Scorsese
• Iron Man directed by Jon Favreau
• Dark Knight Trilogy directed by Christopher Nolan
• The Dawn Patrol directed by Howard Hawks
• The Love Parade directed by Ernst Lubitsch
• City Lights directed by Charlie Chaplin
• The Public Enemy directed by William A. Wellman
• Scarface (1932) directed by Howard Hawks

Other referenced topics:

• Hell's Angels (1930) on TCM by Rob Nixon
• Outtakes from the recent Criterion release of the film
• Today is Tonight (novel) by Jean Harlow
• Review on The Tinseltown Twins

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In today's episode, I interview Luke Angus, director of the animated short film "Solstice." The film tells a story of loss and grief through the eyes of a lonely Inuit.

Listen to hear about how he started from the end of the story and worked backward, the challenges of getting certain visual elements just right, and a unique approach to scoring the film.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
• I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
• Orbital by Samantha Harvey

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "Solstice" directed by Luke Angus
• "Alienated" directed by Luke Angus
• Arrival directed by Denis Villenueve
• Interstellar directed by Christopher Nolan
• Toy Story directed by John Lasseter
• Jurassic Park directed by Steven Spielberg
• Parasite directed by Bong Joon-ho
• Everything Everywhere All at Once directed by Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
• Ratatouille directed by Brad Bird
• The Lord of the Rings directed by Peter Jackson
• The Truman Show directed by Peter Weir
• "Redivider" directed by Luke Angus (forthcoming)

Follow Luke on Instagram @lukeangusanimator and check out his YouTube channel including a behind the scenes video about "Solstice." You can also find more information on his website angusarts.com.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film Song of the Flame. I'm joined by Taylor Lewis who writes the Luz Films newsletter, and we talk about how difficult it is to evaluate a film based on just the partial audio, how a film can take on a different focus when large parts are missing, and some music in the film that is incredibly recognizable even today.

You can listen to the surviving audio of Song of the Flame on YouTube and be sure to check out Taylor's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• The Great Escape directed by John Sturges
• Bullitt directed by Peter Yates
• Milk directed by Gus Van Sant
• The Jazz Singer directed by Alan Crosland
• Glorious Betsy directed by Alan Crosland
• Don Juan directed by Alan Crosland
• King of Jazz directed by John Murray Anderson
• "Sinkin' in the Bathtub" directed by Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising
• The Big House directed by George Hill

Other referenced topics:

• www.georgegroves.org.uk
• New York Times review
• Photoplay Magazine review

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The nominees for the 98th Academy Awards are here. Take a listen to hear the full list, some fun trivia facts about the nominees, and my personal thoughts on the films that made the cut as well as those that were snubbed.

You can check out the full list of nominees on my Substack newsletter at theoscarproject.substack.com. While you're there, be sure to subscribe to the newsletter so you can get all the latest Oscar news and information and be notified of when you can submit your predictions in this year's Oscar Prediction Contest. If you win, you will have the opportunity to be a guest on this very podcast!

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In today's episode, I interview Simon Panay, director of the short film "The Boy With White Skin." The film explores the world of artisanal gold mines in West Africa and the beliefs and superstitions the miners have.

Listen to hear about the inspiration for the film in some of Simon's previous documentary work, the challenge of finding an albino child actor to fill the film's lead role, and choosing to shoot much of the film in almost complete darkness.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Journey to the End of the Night by Louis-Ferdinand Céline

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "The Boy With White Skin" directed by Simon Panay
• Titanic directed by James Cameron
• Apocalypse Now directed by Francis Ford Coppola
• Fitzcarraldo directed by Werner Herzog
• Better Call Saul (series)
• Out of Africa directed by Sydney Pollack

Follow Simon on Instagram @simonpanay and check out the film's website at theboywithwhiteskin.com.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film The Devil's Holiday. I'm joined by John DiLeo who previously appeared on the podcast talking about his latest book, Not Even Nominated, and we talk about several instances of overreactions throughout the film, how several scenes feel very out of place in the film, and how much Nancy Carroll drives the film with her performance.

You can watch The Devil's Holiday online on YouTube and be sure to check out John's author page on Amazon.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Ferris Bueller's Day Off directed by John Hughes
• The Trespasser directed by Edmund Goulding
• Follow Through directed by Laurence Schwab and Lloyd Corrigan
• Men Must Fight directed by Edgar Selwyn
• An American Tragedy directed by Josef von Sternberg
• A Place in the Sun directed by George Stevens
• Dinner at Eight directed by George Cukor
• Stolen Heaven directed by George Abbott
• Broken Lullaby (aka The Man I Killed) directed by Ernst Lubitsch
• Gone With the Wind directed by Victor Fleming
• Lady for a Day directed by Frank Capra
• Watch on the Rhine directed by Herman Shumlin
• Little Women directed by George Cukor
• Greed directed by Erich von Stroheim
• All Quiet on the Western Front directed by Lewis Milestone
• Casablanca directed by Michael Curtiz
• The Dance of Life directed by John Cromwell and A. Edward Sutherland
• The Divorcee directed by Robert Z. Leonard
• Their Own Desire directed by E. Mason Hopper
• Anna Christie directed by Clarence Brown
• Romance directed by Clarence Brown
• Morocco directed by Josef von Sternberg
• Hot Saturday directed by William A. Seiter
• Dark Victory directed by Edmund Goulding
• Nightmare Alley directed by Edmund Goulding
• Grand Hotel directed by Edmund Goulding

Other referenced topics:

• Variety review
• Full page advertisement in Variety
• Burlesque (play)
• filmsite.org list of the top films of 1930
• Cliff Alpertini writing on Immortal Ephemera

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In today's episode, I interview Christine La Monte, producer of two recent documentaries, Ai Weiwei's Turandot and the Oscar shortlisted Viva Verdi!.

Listen to hear about Christine's experience growing up listening to opera, what it was like working with a world renowned artist like Ai Weiwei, and the joy of finding new young filmmakers and helping them express their voice through film.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller
• Cry to Heaven by Anne Rice
• Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
• The Crying Heart Tattoo by David Lozell Martin
• The Samurai's Garden by Gail Tsukiyama
• The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
• Let's Call the Whole Thing Off directed by Elizabeth Guest

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• Ai Weiwei's Turandot directed by Maxim Derevianko
• Viva Verdi! directed by Yvo nne Russo
• La Traviata directed by Franco Zeffirelli
• Children of the River directed by Federico Rodelli (forthcoming)
• The Godfather directed by Francis Ford Coppola
• Black Orpheus directed by Marcel Camus
• Once Upon a Time in America directed by Sergio Leone
• Dances With Wolves directed by Kevin Costner
• Holiday directed by George Cukor
• The Night Manager (series)
• Something's Gotta Give directed by Nancy Meyers
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (series)

Other things mentioned in this episode:

• "Sweet Dreams of Joy" by Nicholas Pike

Follow Viva Verdi! on Instagram @vivaverdithefilm and check out the websites for both films at aiweiweisturandotfilm.com and vivaverdithefilm.com.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film The Big Pond. I'm joined by James Kreul from the Moving Image Madison newsletter and we talk about the comparison between this and the other recent Maurice Chevalier films covered on the podcast (The Love Parade), how a film can achieve romance between two characters that don't appear on screen together for most of the movie, and how efficiently the film tells the story in a tight 70-minute runtime.

You can watch The Big Pond online on YouTube and be sure to check out James's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Animal Crackers directed by Victor Heerman
• Monkey Business directed by Norman Z. McLeod
• All Quiet on the Western Front directed by Lewis Milestone
• The Divorcee directed by Robert Z. Leonard
• The Love Parade directed by Ernst Lubitsch
• One Hour With You directed by Ernst Lubitsch and George Cukor
• His Girl Friday directed by Howard Hawks
• Dracula (1931) directed by Tod Browning
• Frankenstein (1931) directed by James Whale
• The Invisible Man (1933) directed by James Whale
• It Happened One Night directed by Frank Capra
• Disraeli directed by Alfred E. Green
• The Green Goddess directed by Alfred E. Green

Other referenced topics:

• The Big Pond (play) by George Middleton and A. E. Thomas
• Spongebob Squarepants pilot episode
• The New Movie Magazine review

Also be sure to check out the full Lantern Media History website at https://lantern.mediahist.org/.

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In today's episode, I interview Jonny Durgan, director of the short film "G.S.W." The film stars Genevieve O'Reilly as a paramedic tasked with helping a gunshot wound victim who might be involved with a school shooting.

Listen to hear about why Jonny decided to make a film around this topic at this time, how he was able to land a dream casting choice, and the challenges of shooting a film about medical professionals in just one day and making it feel real and authentic.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Fatherland by Robert Harris
• The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "G.S.W." directed by Jonny Durgan
• Andor (series)
• Goldfinger directed by Guy Hamilton
• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind directed by Michel Gondry
• Total Recall directed by Paul Verhoeven
• Children of Men directed by Alfonso Cuarón
• The Dark Knight directed by Christopher Nolan
• Star Wars directed by George Lucas
• Is This Thing On? directed by Bradley Cooper
• A Star is Born directed by Bradley Cooper

Follow the film on Instagram @gsw_film.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film All Quiet on the Western Front. I'm joined by Kyle Wilson from the Oscar Chaser newsletter and we talk about the challenges of making a film about WWI from the German perspective in the United States, how many of the greatest war movies are about what war does to a person and how they deal with going back to normal life after what they've seen in war, and how this film doesn't shy away from so many of the grisly realities of warfare.

You can watch All Quiet on the Western Front online at The Internet Archive, Tubi, or rent it from Amazon, or pick up a DVD copy for your collection. And be sure to check out Kyle's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• The Talented Mr. Ripley directed by Anthony Minghella
• The English Patient directed by Anthony Minghella
• King Kong (2005) directed by Peter Jackson
• The Lord of the Rings (trilogy) directed by Peter Jackson
• Philadelphia directed by Jonathan Demme
• Silence of the Lambs directed by Jonathan Demme
• Saving Private Ryan directed by Steven Spielberg
• The Best Years of Our Lives directed by William Wyler
• Band of Brothers (series)
• The Divorcee directed by Robert Z. Leonard
• All Quiet on the Western Front directed by Edward Berger
• Two Arabian Knights directed by Lewis Milestone
• Dragnet (series)
• Gone With the Wind directed by Victor Fleming
• Mister Ed (series)
• Leave it to Beaver (series)
• Petticoat Junction (series)
• The Front Page directed by Lewis Milestone
• His Girl Friday directed by Howard Hawks
• Rain directed by Lewis Milestone
• The Big House directed by George Hill
• The Love Parade directed by Ernst Lubitsch
• With Byrd at the South Pole directed by Julian Johnson

Other referenced topics:

• All Quiet on the Western Front (novel) by Erich Maria Remarque
• The Things They Carried (book) by Tim O'Brien
• George Abbott's 100th Birthday Tribute at the 1987 Tony Awards
• Variety review
• Eve O’Dea on nextbestpicture.com

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Today's episode is a rundown of all the biggest films (and some not so big) that will be coming out in wide release in 2026. These dates are always subject to change, so be sure to subscribe to The Oscar Project newsletter to stay up to date on all the new releases coming your way each and every week.

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It's time for my 2025 podcast year in review where discuss some of the popular episodes from this year. Take a listen to hear clips from my Oscar nominated movie discussions with Beth Lisogorsky, Kevin Pettit, Maria Banson, Jeff Kramer, Enrico Banson, and Amanda Kusek. You'll also hear parts of my interviews with Jonathan Hammond, Madison Hatfield, Aaron Blaise, Tatiana McCabe, Xindi Zhang, Sam and David Cutler-Kreutz, and recent Osar winners Victoria Warmerdam and Trent. You can listen to all the full episodes by going back in this podcast feed and find many more interviews and movie discussions from the past year.

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Today's episode is the first of several year end episodes where I recap 2025 and look ahead into 2026. First up are my top 10s of 2025 where my lists include:

• Top movie books I read in 2025
• Top short film of 2025
• Biggest surprises and disappointments of 2025
• Top first time watches in 2025
• Top films of 2025

Be sure to check out my Substack newsletter for full articles on each of these as we count down to the new year and my next episode where I will be recapping everything that happened on the podcast in 2025.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film The Divorcee. I'm joined by Beth Lisogorsky from the You Need to Watch This! newsletter and we talk about Norma Shearer's Oscar-nominated performance, how different the film might have been had it been released a few years later under the Hayes Production Code guidelines, and the complex set of relationships the film uses to delve into all sorts of love and loyalty.

You can watch The Divorcee online for yourself or pick up a DVD copy, and be sure to check out Beth's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• King of Jazz directed by John Murray Anderson
• When Harry Met Sally directed by Rob Reiner
• The Philadelphia Story directed by George Cukor
• War of the Roses directed by Danny DeVito
• The Roses directed by Jay Roach
• Their Own Desire directed by E. Mason Hopper
• The Gold Rush directed by Charlie Chaplin
• The Jazz Singer directed by Alan Crosland
• All Quiet on the Western Front directed by Lewis Milestone
• The Big House directed by George Hill

Other referenced topics:

• Ex-Wife (novel) by Ursula Parrott
• Variety review of the film
• Danny Reid writing on pre-code.com
• Jessica Stewart writing on attaboyclarence.com
• Cinerama.com review

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In today's episode, I interview Giovanna Ferrari, director of the animated short film "Éiru," her directorial debut which is currently on the shortlist for Best Animated Short Film for the 98th Academy Awards.

Listen to hear about the inspiration for the story that stemmed from Giovanna's own travels around the world, the importance of being willing to see the world through the eyes of people not like ourselves, and whether an entire generation can feel like they lack a voice in the world.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Victory City by Salman Rushdie
• Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
• The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
• Q by Luther Bisset

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "Éiru" directed by Giovanna Ferrari
• Song of the Sea directed by Tomm Moore
• The Breadwinner directed by Nora Twomey
• Wolfwalkers directed by Ross Stewart and Tomm Moore
• "Screecher's Reach" (Star Wars Visions episode)
• My Father's Dragon directed by Nora Twomey
• Princess Mononoke directed by Hayao Miyazaki
• The Power of the Dog directed by Jane Campion
• Amarcord directed by Federico Fellini
• Alien directed by Ridley Scott
• Silence of the Lambs directed by Jonathan Demme
• Hamnet directed by Chloé Zhao
• "Late Afternoon" directed by Louise Bagnall
• Julián directed by Louise Bagnall

Follow the film on Instagram @eiruofficial and Giovanna @ferrarianimation.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film King of Jazz. I'm joined by Matthew Brady from the Warren Peace newsletter and we talk about the use of color in this film that sets it apart for many other films of the time, the relative success of various comedy bits throughout the film, and how many of the sequences throughout are reminiscent of the vaudeville days.

You can watch King of Jazz online for yourself or pick up the Criterion release of the film, and be sure to check out Matthew's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• "Sinkin' in the Bathtub" directed by Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising
• All Quiet on the Western Front directed by Lewis Milestone
• "Africa" directed by Walter Lantz
• Hollywood Revue of 1929 directed by Charles F. Reisner
• Singin' in the Rain directed by Stanley Donen and Eugene Kelly
• The Wizard of Oz directed by Victor Fleming
• Duck Soup directed by Leo McCarey
• Bulldog Drummond directed by F. Richard Jones
• The Love Parade directed by Ernst Lubitsch
• Sally directed by John Francis Dillon
• The Vagabond King directed by Ludwig Berger

Other referenced topics:

• Bewitched (series)
• All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
• "Rhapsody in Blue" (song) by George Gershwin
• Reviews from A New Movie and The New York Times on Wikipedia
• Danny Reid writing on pre-code.com
• Now You Has King of Jazz essay on The Criterion Collection

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In today's episode, I interview Alex Thompson, director of the short film "Em & Selma Go Griffin Hunting," the story of a mother and daughter faced with difficult choices as they take part in a coming-of-age hunt set in a fictional 1930s America.

Listen to hear about how Alex's world building for the film began with the characters, the process of casting the main characters of the film to ensure they had the right level of humanity for the story, and the challenge of creating a set of digital creatures to inhabit the world that would look like high quality blockbuster effects on a small short film budget.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Aesop's Fables
• Grimm's Fairy Tales
• The Great Mother: An Analysis of the Archetype by Erich Neumann
• Baudolino by Umberto Eco
• The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
• Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "Em & Selma Go Griffin Hunting" directed by Alex Thompson
• Jurassic Park directed by Steven Spielberg
• Hereditary directed by Ari Aster
• The Walking Dead (series)
• The Grapes of Wrath directed by John Ford
• "La jetée" directed by Chris Marker
• 12 Monkeys directed by Terry Gilliam
• "Un Chien Andalou" directed by Luis Buñuel
• "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" directed by Robert Enrico
• Avatar directed by James Cameron
• Blade Runner directed by Ridley Scott
• 2001: A Space Odyssey directed by Stanley Kubrick
• Everything Everywhere All at Once directed by Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
• Night of the Hunter directed by Charles Laughton
• Come and See directed by Elem Klimov
• The Passion of Joan of Arc directed by Carl Th. Dreyer
• The Seventh Seal directed by Ingmar Bergman
• Apocalypse Now directed by Francis Ford Coppola
• The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari directed by Robert Wiene
• 12 Angry Men directed by Sidney Lumet
• Poor Things directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
• The Thin Red Line directed by Terrence Malick

Follow the film on Instagram @emandselmagogriffinhunting and Alex @alexanderthompsonfilms.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film Sarah and Son. I'm joined by Matthew Carlson from the What Am I Making newsletter and we talk about whether the film would even survive today if not for Chatterton's Academy Award nomination for her performance as Sarah, compare lost films to what it would be like if our music catalog was missing dozens of Elvis or Beatles recordings, and learn about interesting familial connections and an actress who was a bit of a daredevil in her spare time.

You can watch Sarah and Son online for yourself and be sure to check out Matt's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Anna Christie directed by Clarence Leon Brown
• "The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat Station" directed by the Lumière Brothers
• The Devil's Holiday directed by Edmund Goulding
• All Quiet on the Western Front directed by Lewis Milestone
• Gone With the Wind directed by Victor Fleming
• Metropolis directed by Fritz Lang
• Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) directed by Rouben Mamoulian
• The Best Years of Our Lives directed by William Wyler
• Inherit the Wind directed by Stanley Kramer
• Death of a Salesman directed by László Benedek
• The Fighting Lady directed by Edward Steichen
• Raising Arizona directed by Joel Coen
• The Divorcee directed by Robert Z. Leonard

Other referenced topics:

• Roseanne (series)
• The Big Bang Theory (series)
• Young Sheldon (series)
• New York Times review of the film
• Catherine writing on obscurecinemamagic
• Homeward Bound (book) by Ruth Chatterton

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In today's episode, I interview Christoffer Stenbakken, director of the short film "The Thief," which follows a boy in a remote town in East Greenland as he looks for his dog that has gone missing.

Listen to hear about the challenges of filming with a small crew in a remote location, trying to find the film's lead actors around town when they didn't have phones, and the story's foundation in the personal life of the lead actor.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
• Borne by Jeff VanderMeer
• The Strange Bird: A Borne Story by Jeff VanderMeer

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "The Thief" directed by Christoffer Rizvanovic Stenbakken
• La Promesse (The Promise) directed by Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne
• Le Fils (The Son) directed by Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne
• A Prophet directed by Jacques Audiard
• Killing of a Chinese Bookie directed by John Cassavetes
• Winter's Bone directed by Debra Granik
• The Big Lebowski directed by Joel Coen
• Unforgiven directed by Clint Eastwood
• Scooby-Doo directed by Raja Gosnell
• Annihilation directed by Alex Garland

Follow Christoffer on Instagram @christofferstenbakken.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film Anna Christie. I'm joined by Swabreen Bakr from the Anti-Brain Rot newsletter and we talk about Greta Garbo's first words heard on screen, how the film addresses women's issues at a time when that was not a topic of conversation in film, and how the film looks at characters of lower social status in a time when many movies focused on the rich and well off.

You can watch Anna Christie online for yourself and be sure to check out Swabreen's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• The Manchurian Candidate (1962) directed by John Frankenheimer
• Grand Prix directed by John Frankenheimer
• The Island of Dr. Moreau directed by John Frankenheimer
• A Woman of Affairs directed by Clarence Brown
• The Big House directed by George Hill
• Reds directed by Warren Beatty
• Dynamite directed by Cecil B. DeMille
• Anna Christie (1923) directed by John Griffith Wray
• Eleanor the Great directed by Scarlett Johansson
• The Love Parade directed by Ernst Lubitsch
• Hell's Angels directed by Howard Hughes and James Whale
• All Quite on the Western Front directed by Lewis Milestone
• With Byrd at the South Pole directed by Julian Johnson
• The Divorcee directed by Robert Z. Leonard
• Anora directed by Sean Baker

Other referenced topics:

• Audiobook recording of the play
• Anna Christie (print version of play) by Eugene O'Neil
• New York Times review by Morduant Hall
• Variety review
• Danny Reid on pre-code.com
• TCM write-up on the film

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In today's episode, I interview Liz Rao, director of the short film "The Truck," which explores the story of a teenage girl and her boyfriend seeking out the morning-after pill in a small town.

Listen to hear about Liz's need to tell this story following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, how she made a film with a strict script that still allowed for improvisation from her actors, and some perfect behavior from the weather when it came to shooting the pivotal scene in the film.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Stay True: A Memoir by Hua Hsu
• Weather Girl by Brian Watkins
• Racecar Racecar Racecar by Kallan Dana

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "The Truck" directed by Liz Rao
• Beast Beast directed by Danny Madden
• Dìdi directed by Sean Wang
• Funny Pages directed by Owen Kline
• Ratcatcher directed by Lynne Ramsay
• The Godfather directed by Francis Ford Coppola
• Do the Right Thing directed by Spike Lee
• The Sopranos (series)
• Paper Moon directed by Peter Bogdanovich
• There Will Be Blood directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

Follow Liz on Instagram @lizrao and check out the film's website at www.thetruckfilm.com.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film The Vagabond King. I'm joined by Rebecca Deniston from the Taking Up Room blog and Taking Up More Room newsletter and we talk about how movie musicals continue to be very stagey, try to come up with other films where a character changes identity and is unrecognized by his friends, and look at some great performances from several actors early on in their careers.

You can watch The Vagabond King online for yourself and be sure to check out Rebecca's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• If I Were King directed by J. Gordon Edwards
• The Vagabond King (1956) directed by Michael Curtiz
• Princess Diaries directed by Garry Marshall
• Les Misérables directed by Tom Hooper
• Mank directed by David Fincher
• Citizen Kane directed by Orson Welles
• The Love Parade directed by Ernst Lubitsch
• The Letter directed by Jean De Limur
• The Bride of Frankenstein directed by James Whale
• Charlie Chan films
• Rocky and Bullwinkle (series)
• Wicked directed by Jon M. Chu
• King of Jazz directed by John Murray Anderson

Other referenced topics:

• The Poems of François Villon by François Villon
• Variety review and full page advertisement
• Danny Reid's review on pre-code.com
• Mark Conlan writing on MovieMagg

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In today's episode, I interview Salvatore Scarpa, Max Burgoyne-Moore, and Rachid Sabitri, the directors and producer of the short film "Largo," a look at the refugee experience through the eyes of a young child.

Listen to hear about knowing that they had the right actor to play their young lead, a very ambitious script which turned out to be easier to write than to film, and one sure fire way to test and see if a boat actually floats.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Big Swiss by Jen Beagin
• The Complete Cosmicomics by Italo Calvino
• Shit, Actually: The Definitive, 100% Objective Guide to Modern Cinema by Lindy West
• The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "Largo" directed by Salvatore Scarpa and Max Burgoyne-Moore
• Bicycle Thieves directed by Vittorio De Sica
• The Battle of Algiers directed by Gillo Potecorvo
• Pan's Labyrinth directed by Guillermo del Toro
• Looney Tunes
• The Godfather directed by Francis Ford Coppola
• Back to the Future directed by Robert Zemeckis
• Love Actually directed by Richard Curtis
• Barbie directed by Greta Gerwig
• "Yellow" directed by Elham Ehsas

Follow the film on Instagram @largo.film.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film The Green Goddess. I'm joined by Murray Mintz from the CineVibeZ Fanzine newsletter and we talk about how much fun George Arliss clearly has playing this role, the differences between the silent version and talkie version of the film, and we try to unravel a twisted knot of a love quadrangle.

You can watch The Green Goddess online for yourself and be sure to check out Murray's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• The Pink Panther directed by Blake Edwards
• The Towering Inferno directed by John Guillermin and Irwin Allen
• Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery directed by Jay Roach
• Space Jam: A New Legacy directed by Malcolm D. Lee
• The Green Goddess (1923) directed by Sidney Olcott
• Aladdin directed by John Musker and Ron Clements
• Disraeli directed by Alfred E. Green
• Adventure in Iraq directed by D. Ross Lederman
• Blood Island (film series)
• The King of Kings directed by Cecil B. DeMille
• Sunset Boulevard directed by Billy Wilder
• Lost Horizon directed by Frank Capra
• The Jackie Robinson Story directed by Alfred E. Green
• The Jolson Story directed by Alfred E. Green
• The Jazz Singer directed by Alan Crosland
• The Eddie Cantor Story directed by Alfred E. Green
• The Lion King directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff

Other referenced topics:

• The Fugitive (series)
• Variety review
• Film Daily review
• Danny Reid's review on pre-code.com

If you are interested in seeing AI generated videos of George Arliss, check out www.arlissarchives.com.

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In today's episode, I interview Phil Mazo, director of the short film "Replay," a short docucomedy that explores a memory from his own past.

Listen to hear about the challenges of making a documentary film about yourself, how Phil went about reaching out to the original interviewer to involve him in the project, and how certain memories can become lasting images in your mind even decades later.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace: A Brilliant Young Man Who Left Newark for the Ivy League by Jeff Hobbs
• Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter by Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson
• Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life by Arnold Schwarzenegger
• Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "Replay" directed by Phil Mazo
• Goodfellas directed by Martin Scorsese
• Schindler's List directed by Steven Spielberg
• Fargo directed by Joel and Ethan Coen
• Back to the Future directed by Robert Zemeckis
• Rob Peace directed by Chiwetel Ejiofor
• "Medusa" directed by Courtney Podraza
• "What the Heck Is Going On." directed by Greg Rubner
• Mouse directed by Kenny Riches

Follow the Phil on Instagram @philmazo.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film Street of Chance. I'm joined by Amanda Kusek from The 90-Minute Movie newsletter and we talk about how the gambling murder in the film ands up being front page news, how it is sometimes easier to follow a silent film than a sound film with poor sound quality, and how many of the stars of this film had just started acting in films after having successful Broadway careers.

You can watch Street of Chance online for yourself and be sure to check out Amanda's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Babylon directed by Damian Chazelle
• Ocean's Eleven directed by Steven Soderbergh
• Rounders directed by John Dahl
• Casino Royale directed by Martin Campbell
• Cimarron directed by Wesley Ruggles
• The Big House directed by George Hill

Other referenced topics:

• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

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In today's episode, I interview Alexandra Bahíyyih Wain, director of the short film "In the Clouds," a story of a family of Iranian refugees and the struggles they face in contemporary London.

Listen to hear about the inspiration for the story based on anti-immigration sentiment, how the shooting location became a bit of a character unto itself, and the challenges of finding actors to play her lead roles that fit a very specific set of skills.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• The works of Stephen King
• I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World by Malala Yousafzai
• Habibi by Craig Thompson
• The Life of Pi by Yann Martel
• On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "In the Clouds" directed by Alexandra Bahíyyih Wain
• The films of Mike Flannigan
• The Haunting of Hill House (series)
• The Humans directed by Stephen Karam
• The Innocents directed by Eskil Vogt
• A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night directed by Ana Lily Amirpour
• Burn After Reading directed by Joel and Ethan Coen
• Erin Brockovich directed by Steven Soderbergh
• Legally Blonde directed by Robert Luketic
• Sister Act directed by Emile Ardolino

Follow the film on Instagram @intheclouds.film and Alexandra @alexbahiyyihwain.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1930 film The Rogue Song. I'm joined by Helen Cox from the Movies of Note newsletter and we talk about how MGM could let a momentous film like this end up lost over the years, the incredible work put in by YouTuber Unreeled8 to recreate the film from what we do have remaining, and how MGM marketed the film as a Laurel and Hardy production rather than relying on the relatively new stars that featured more prominently in the film.

You can watch the reconstruction of The Rogue Song by Unreeled8 on YouTube and be sure to check out Helen's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Big directed by Penny Marshall
• The Birds directed by Alfred Hitchcock
• Such Men Are Dangerous directed by Kenneth Hawks
• Singin' in the Rain directed by Stanley Donen and Eugene Kelly
• Raider of the Lost Ark directed by Steven Spielberg
• Madame X directed by Lionel Barrymore
• Hollywood Revue of 1929 directed by Charles F. Reisner
• Scream directed by Wes Craven
• Bulldog Drummond directed by F. Richard Jones
• Condemned directed by Wesley Ruggles
• Disraeli directed by Alfred E. Green
• The Green Goddess directed by Alfred E. Green
• The Love Parade directed by Ernst Lubitsch
• Romancing the Stone directed by Robert Zemeckis

Other referenced topics:

• Martin Dickstein's 1930 review in the Brooklyn Eagle
• Phil Hall writing on cinema-crazed.com
• Macbeth by William Shakespeare
• Hamlet by William Shakespeare

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In today's episode, I interview Tobias Eckerlin, director of the short film "A Sparrow's Song," a story of a widowed air raid warden in the midst of World War II struggles to overcome grief and rediscover joy in her life.

Listen to hear about the challenges of creating a consistent look and feel in an animated virtual world, the importance of using sound and music to support and enhance the visual world, and what the experience of the Student Academy Awards was like.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Mouthful of Birds: Stories by Samanta Schweblin
• Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "A Sparrow's Song" directed by Tobias Eckerlin
• Zodiacdirected by David Fincher
• The Lord of the Rings directed by Peter Jackson
• Stalker directed by Andrei Tarkovsky
• Ratatouille directed by Brad Bird
• Soul directed by Pete Docter
• Aladdin directed by John Musker and Ron Clements

Follow Tobias on Instagram @tobiaseckerlin.visuals.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film Their Own Desire. I'm joined by Maria Banson from the Brunello Bombshell newsletter and we talk about Norma Shearer's place as an inspiration for women in Hollywood of the time, the portrayal of a young athletic woman on screen, and a special bond between father and daughter that is a throughline in the film.

You can watch Their Own Desire on YouTube or rent it from Amazon and be sure to check out Maria's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Sunset Boulevard directed by Billy Wilder
• The Last of Mrs. Cheyney directed by Sidney Franklin
• The Hollywood Revue of 1929 directed by Charles F. Reisner
• The Private Life of Helen of Troy directed by Alexander Korda (partially lost film)
• The Patriot directed by Ernst Lubitsch (lost film)
• Wonder of Women directed by Clarence Brown (lost film)
• A Woman of Affairs directed by Clarence Brown
• Madame X directed by Lionel Barrymore
• The Big House directed by George Hill
• Romance directed by Clarence Brown
• Coquette directed by Sam Taylor
• The Divorcee directed by Robert Z. Leonard
• Anora directed by Sean Baker

Other referenced topics:

• Their Own Desire (novel) by Sarita Fuller
• The Crown (series)
• Letterboxd reviews from Chris Hughes and Gentry
• Terry Sherwood writing on Stardust and Shadows

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In today's episode, I interview David and Sam Cutler-Kreutz, the duo over brother directors behind the film "A Lien" which was nominated for Best Live Action Short at the 97th Academy Awards last March. Their latest short film "Trapped" is also qualified for the 98th Academy Awards.

Listen to hear about the inspiration for the story based on their own childhood as sons of a teacher, a creative effects solution that solved the central problem of their film, and the story of shooting alongside a much bigger production at the same location.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• The works of Agatha Christie
• And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
• Red Rising series by Pierce Brown
• The Will of the Many by James Islington
• Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "Trapped" directed by David and Sam Cutler-Kreutz
• "A Lien" directed by David and Sam Cutler-Kreutz
• Uncut Gemsdirected by Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie
• Parasite directed by Bong Joon-ho
• The Social Network directed by David Fincher
• A Serious Man directed by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen
• The Marx Brothers movies
• The Lord of the Rings directed by Peter Jackson
• Andor (series)
• Michael Clayton directed by Tony Gilroy

Follow the film on Instagram @_trappedfilm, David @davidcutlerkreutz, and Sam @samcutlerkreutz.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film Sally. I'm joined by Dan Pal from the PalCinema, Television, & Music newsletter and we talk about the use and re-use of popular songs in movies even in the 1930s and 40s, the innovative use of early Technicolor in the film, and how the film might have been much different if made a few years later once the production code was in place.

You can watch Sally on Tubi and be sure to check out Dan's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• The Sound of Music directed by Robert Wise
• Knives Out directed by Rian Johnson
• With Byrd at the South Pole directed by Julian Johnson
• Coming to America directed by John Landis
• Some Like it Hot directed by Billy Wilder
• The Noose directed by John Francis Dillon (only print located at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City)
• Song of the Flame directed by Alan Crosland (only partial audio survives)
• King of Jazz directed by John Murray Anderson
• The Broadway Melody directed by Harry Beaumont
• Weary River directed by Frank Lloyd

Other referenced topics:

• 2016 recording of Sally the musical on Spotify
• Showboat (musical)
• The Honeymooners (series)
• Comet Over Hollywood review by J. N. Pickens

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In today's episode, I interview Elham Ehsas, director of the short film "There Will Come Soft Rains," a story of a young woman confronting the personal implications of rising sea levels resulting from global warming.

Listen to hear about the importance of understanding the personal stories of people impacted by climate change, the importance of layered identities in creating a complex character, and the poem that inspired the film's title.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• "There Will Come Soft Rains" (poem) by Sara Teasdale
• Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
• A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
• Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "There Will Come Soft Rains" directed by Elham Ehsas
• The Crown (series)
• "Yellow" directed by Elham Ehsas
• The Band's Visit directed by Eran Kolirin
• Dil Se.. directed by Mani Ratnam
• Hook directed by Steven Spielberg
• Gangs of Wasseypur directed by Anurag Kashyap
• Cold War directed by Paweł Pawlikowski
• It Was Just an Accident directed by Jafar Panahi

Follow Elham on Instagram @zoradzo and the film @softrainsfilm. You can also find Elham on his website at https://elhame.co/.

Find out more about Climate Spring and the work they do on their website.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film The Love Parade. I'm joined by Enrico Banson from the Director's Notes newsletter and we talk about some uses of editing we haven't seen much in early sound films, how gender roles and class differences are portrayed in the film, and what people mean when they talk about "Lubitsch Land" in the director's films.

You can watch The Love Parade on YouTube and be sure to check out Enrico's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Madam Satan directed by Cecil B. DeMille
• The Aristocats directed by Wolfgang Reitherman
• All Quiet on the Western Front directed by Lewis Milestone
• The Big House directed by George W. Hill
• Disraeli directed by Alfred E. Green
• The Divorcee directed by Robert Z. Leonard
• Star Wars directed by George Lucas
• Wonder Boys directed by Curtis Hanson
• The Crown (series)
• The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! directed by David Zucker
• The Naked Gun directed by https://amzn.to/3L2po8p

Other referenced topics:

• Ernst Lubitsch: Laughter in Paradise by Scott Eyman
• Photoplay Review
• The Love Parade on TCM.com

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In today's episode, I interview Daniel Persitz, director of the short film "Key of Genius," a story of a young blind autistic savant and the teacher determined to unlock his genius through music.

Listen to hear about the process of casting such a specific character, a brief communication with royalty, and the task of picking which music to feature in a film that focuses so much on playing music.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• In the Key of Genius: The Extraordinary Life of Derek Paravicini by Adam Ockelford
• Throne of Glass (series) by Sarah J. Maas
• Game of Thrones (series) by George R. R. Martin

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "Key of Genius" directed by Daniel Persitz
• Up directed by Pete Docter
• Back to the Future directed by Robert Zemeckis
• The King's Speech directed by Tom Hooper
• Jurassic Park directed by Steven Spielberg
• Coco directed by Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina
• The Shawshank Redemption directed by Frank Darabont
• Game of Thrones (series)

Other media mentioned in this episode:

• Enigma Variations by Edward Elgar

Follow Daniel on Instagram @dpersitz and the film @keyofgenius_film. Check out the 60 Minutes video Daniel mentions at the beginning of the interview on YouTube.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film Condemned. I'm joined by Luis Mendez from The Mendez Movie Report and we talk about whether or not it is smart for a prison warden to bring in a prisoner to work in his home, the ongoing development of story pacing in films at this time, and some choices that were made with the intent of taking advantage of the use of sound even in the early stages of sound cinema.

You can watch Condemned on YouTube and be sure to check out Luis's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Bulldog Drummond directed by F. Richard Jones
• Cimmaron (1931) directed by Wesley Ruggles
• Cimmaron (1960) directed by Anthony Mann
• Raffles directed by George Fitzmaurice
• Gone With the Wind directed by Victor Fleming
• Disraeli directed by Alfred E. Green
• The Big House directed by George Hill
• The Big Pond directed by Hobart Henley
• The Love Parade directed by Ernst Lubitsch
• The Rogue Song directed by Lionel Barrymore
• Lost Horizon directed by Frank Capra
• Tempest directed by Sam Taylor
• Two Arabian Knights directed by Lewis Milestone
• All Quiet on the Western Front directed by Lewis Milestone
• Sunrise directed by F.W. Murnau
• Wings directed by William A. Wellman
• Holiday directed by Edward H. Griffith
• The Maltese Falcon directed by Roy Del Ruth
• The Maltese Falcon directed by John Huston
• The Letter directed by Jean De Limur
• The Letter directed by William Wyler
• Acquitted directed by Frank R. Strayer

Other referenced topics:

• The Neverending Story (novel) by Michael Ende
• The Mary Tyler Moore Show (series)
• Condemned to Devil's Island: The Biography of an Unknown Convict by Blair Niles
• Derek Winnert review
• Fernando Silva on CineMaven's ESSAYS from the COUCH

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In today's episode, I interview Sam Davis, director of the new short film "The Singers," a beautiful exploration of untapped talent and raw emotion.

Listen to hear about the Russian short story that served as the inspiration for the film, some practical steps the production took to make the film feel more timeless, and the process of finding the incredible singers that populate the film.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life by George Saunders
• "The Singers" by Ivan Turgenev
• A Sportsman's Sketches by Ivan Turgenev

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "The Singers" directed by Sam Davis
• "Period. End of Sentence" directed by Rayka Zehtabchi
• "Nai Nai & Wài Pó" directed by Sean Wang
• Dìdi directed by Sean Wang
• Streetwise directed by Martin Bell
• Sound of Metal directed by Darius Marder
• Y tu mamá también directed by Alfonso Cuaron
• Boyhood directed by Richard Linklater
• Hoop Dreams directed by Steve James
• "Fender Bender" directed by Kurt Andrew Schneider

Follow Sam on Instagram @samdavis and the film @thesingersfilm. You can also follow the singers featured in the film online by checking out @mikeyung, @chrissmithermusic, @sailing_vessel_harlott, @judah_kelly, @tooloudtenor, and @venicedhutch.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film The Trespasser. I'm joined by Kevin Pettit from the See You at the Movies newsletter and we talk about comparisons between relationships of the 1920s and today, the impact of the stock market crash of 1929 on the film industry (and greater economy), and an unexpected hometown connection with the film.

You can watch The Trespasser on YouTube or on Vimeo and be sure to check out Kevin's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• The Letter directed by Jean de Limur (listen to the episode about that film with Lewis Beer)
• Thelma directed by Josh Margolin
• The Wolf of Wall Street directed by Martin Scorsese
• The Big Short directed by Adam McKay
• Margin Call directed by J.C. Chandor
• Too Big to Fail directed by Curtis Hanson
• The Broadway Melody directed by Harry Beaumont
• The Devil's Holiday directed by Edmund Goulding
• Hell's Angels directed by Howard Hughes and James Whale
• Grand Hotel directed by Edmund Goulding
• Nightmare Alley directed by Edmund Goulding
• The Dawn Patrol directed by Edmund Goulding
• The Irishman directed by Martin Scorsese
• Sadie Thompson directed by Raoul Walsh
• Sunset Boulevard directed by Billy Wilder
• Double Indemnity directed by Billy Wilder
• Holiday directed by Edward H. Griffith
• Babylon directed by Damien Chazelle
• The Grapes of Wrath directed by John Ford
• Weary River directed by Frank Lloyd
• Dynamite directed by Cecil B. DeMille
• It Happened One Night directed by Frank Capra
• Citizen Kane directed by Orson Welles
• Dredd directed by Pete Travis
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King directed by Peter Jackson
• Born Yesterday directed by George Cukor
• All About Eve directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz
• Caged directed by John Cromwell
• Lurker directed by Alex Russell

Other referenced topics:

• Photo of Gloria Swanson on Wikipedia in her later years
• "The Trespasser" by Shawn Anthony on Glorious Swanson
• Photoplay Magazine review
• Variety review
• Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears by Michael Schulman
• Sonny Boy: A Memoir by Al Pacino

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Today's episode is the final episode of my series of double episodes featuring conversations with 2025 Student Academy Award nominees.

My first interview today is with 2025 Student Academy Award finalists Loïck du Plessis D’Argentré, Maud Le Bras, and Jiaxin Huang, collaborators on the animated short film "The Shyness of Trees." We discuss thoughts on being away from family, thoughts of losing a parent, and the ability to bring influences from multiple cultures into the film.

Following that I chat with 2025 Student Academy Award semi-finalist Atharva Raut, director of the film "Beyond the Conflict." We talk about one of the workers who has developed a strong connection with the animals in his care and what Atharva hopes people learn about the leopard population in Mumbai from his film.

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "The Skyness of Trees" directed by Sofiia Chuikovska, Loïck du Plessis D’Argentré, Lina Han, Simin He, Jiaxin Huang, Maud Le Bras, and Bingqing Shu
• "Beyond the Conflict" directed by Atharva Raut
• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind directed by Michel Gondry
• The Taste of Tea directed by Katsuhito Ishii
• The Sacrifice directed by Andrei Tarkovsky
• Into the Wild directed by Sean Penn
• My Neighbor Totoro directed by Hayao Miyazaki
• The Great Gatsby directed by Baz Luhrmann
• Autumn Sonata directed by Ingmar Bergman
• The Disciple directed by Chaitanya Tamhane
• Virunga directed by Orlando von Einsiedel
• The Dark Knight directed by Christopher Nolan
• Dead Poets Society directed by Peter Weir
• All That Breathes directed by Shaunak Sen

Follow "The Shyness of Trees" film account on Instagram @shynessoftrees.gobelins and Maud is @grumpymaud, Loïck is @_ciklo_, and Jiaxin is @huanggechi. For "Beyond the Conflict," follow Atharva @atharva.raut and check out his website at www.atharvaraut.com.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film Disraeli. I'm joined by Jeff Kramer from The Death Star Human Resources Department Newsletter and we talk about British politics in the late 1800s, how well George Arliss carries the entire film as the title character, and how it seems like the Russians always make good spies and adversaries in movies regardless of the time period.

You can watch Disraeli on YouTube and be sure to check out Jeff's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Disraeli (1921) directed by Henry Kolker
• Alexander Hamilton directed by John G. Adolfi
• Suez directed by Otto Brower and Allan Dwan
• Alice in Wonderland directed by Clyde Geronimi , Wilfred Jackson and Hamilton Luske
• The Sound of Music directed by Robert Wise
• Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man directed by Roy William Neill
• Bulldog Drummond directed by F. Richard Jones
• Raffles directed by George Fitzmaurice
• Mutiny on the Bounty directed by Frank Lloyd
• Jealousy directed by Jean de Limur (lost film)
• The Letter directed by Jean de Limur
• The Arsenal Stadium Mystery directed by Thorold Dickinson
• The Green Goddess (1930) directed by Alfred E. Green
• The Green Goddess (1923) directed by Sidney Olcott
• Lincoln directed by Steven Spielberg
• John Adams (miniseries) directed by Tom Hooper
• Private Parts directed by Betty Thomas

Other referenced topics:

• A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
• Disraeli (play) by Louis Parker
• George Smiley books by John le Carré
• Movie Musings review
• More information on the Suez Canal
• New Zealand Herald review
• The Pittsburgh Press review
• "The Old Hollywood Best Picture Challenge: Disraeli (1929)" by Zoe K on Hollywood Genes
• Disraeli on Turner Classic Movies

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Today's episode is part of my series of episodes featuring conversations with 2025 Student Academy Award nominees. I spoke with 2025 Student Academy Award semi-finalist Megan Mullen, director of the documentary short film "Secrets of Satellite Beach" and we discuss the light that she wanted to shine on the issue of contaminated water in her home town, working with two incredible activists for for the film, and the challenges of making a film about a topic so close to her heart.

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "Secrets of Satellite Beach " directed by Megan Mullen
• All the Beauty and the Bloodshed directed by Laura Poitras
• Casino directed by Martin Scorsese
• You've Got Mail directed by Nora Ephron
• Erin Brockovich directed by Steven Soderbergh
• Legally Blonde directed by Robert Luketic
• Dark Waters directed by Todd Haynes
• "You Can't Wear That" directed by Eefaa Hassan (forthcoming)
• "Finding Espee" directed by Megan Mullen (forthcoming)

Follow the film on Instagram @secretsofsatellitebeach and Megan on @meganmullenproductions. Also, be sure to check out her website www.meganmullenproductions.com.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film Hallelujah. I'm joined by Jonathan Hammond, film director who has multiple shorts on the festival circuit this fall. We talk about many of the problems of the film even though it does include an all African American cast, some interesting images of what life was like at the time in the South, whether or not the film qualifies as a "musical" as we would define it today, and what representation looks like in film both in the past and today.

You can watch Hallelujah on YouTube and be sure to give Jonathan a follow on Instagram @jonohamm.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• The Crowd directed by King Vidor
• Weary River directed by Frank Lloyd
• Brokeback Mountain directed by Ang Lee
• The Birth of a Nation directed by D. W. Griffith
• Sinners directed by Ryan Coogler
• Highest 2 Lowest directed by Spike Lee
• High and Low directed by Akira Kurosawa
• Him directed by Justin Tipping

Other referenced topics:

• Daniel Haynes's quote in support of the film
• The Migration of Musical Film: From Ethnic Margins to American Mainstream by Desirée J. Garcia referencing William Fountain's objection to his lines in the film
• "Rediscovering Hallelujah (1929), director King Vidor’s sensitive film with all-black cast" by Bernd Reinhardt

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Today's episode is part of my series of double episodes featuring conversations with 2025 Student Academy Award nominees.

My first interview today is with 2025 Student Academy Award winner Tatiana McCabe, director of the documentary short film "Tides of Life." We discuss how she came to wildlife filmmaking to help realize a lifelong dream and the challenges that come with being a one woman show filming a documentary.

Following that I chat with 2025 Student Academy Award Winner Xindi Zhang, director of the film "The Song of Drifters." We talk about the inspiration for the film in her own experience and the viability of AI as a tool to use in filmmaking.

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "Tides of Life " directed by Tatiana McCabe
• "The Song of Drifters" directed by Xindi Zhang
• The Rescue directed by Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
• Fire of Love directed by Sara Dosa
• All That Breathes directed by Shaunak Sen
• News From Home directed by Chantal Akerman
• Perfect Blue directed by Satoshi Kon
• Black Swan directed by Darren Aronofsky
• Yi Yi directed by Edward Yang
• The Addams Family directed by Barry Sonnenfeld
• A Clockwork Orange directed by Stanley Kubrick
• Alice in Wonderland directed by Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, and Hamilton Luske

Follow Tatiana on Instagram @tatianamccabe and Xindi at @xindizhangfilm. You can also check out the website for Tatiana's film studio SecondHeart at secondheart.tv and Xindi's website at www.xindizhangart.com.

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Today's episode is the first film discussion episode of the 3rd Academy Awards and my conversation about the 1929 film Bulldog Drummond. I'm joined by Gareth Bradwick from the "Popped" newsletter and we talk about the film's influence on subsequent films in the genre, how the absence of music affects the overall mood of the film, and how this early example of a franchise film is different from what see today.

You can watch Bulldog Drummond on YouTube and be sure to check out Gareth's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Blackmail directed by Alfred Hitchcock
• James Bond (films)
• Dracula directed by Tod Browning and Karl Freund
• The Broadway Melody directed by Harry Beaumont
• The Hollywood Revue of 1929 directed by Charles F. Reisner
• Mission: Impossible directed by Brian De Palma
• Frankenstein directed by James Whale
• The Valiant directed by William K. Howard
• Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back directed by Roy Del Ruth
• The Return of Bulldog Drummond directed by Walter Summers
• Bulldog Drummond at Bay directed by Norman Lee
• The Divine Lady directed by Frank Lloyd
• Disraeli directed by Alfred E. Green
• Dark Shadows (series)
• Susperia directed by Dario Argento
• Gone with the Wind directed by Victor Fleming
• Arrowsmith directed by John Ford
• Dodsworth directed by William Wyler
• Babylon directed by Damian Chazelle
• The Great Dictator directed by Charlie Chaplin
• King of Jazz directed by John Murray Anderson
• Lord of the Rings directed by Peter Jackson

Other referenced topics:

• James Bond (books)
• Agatha Christie novels
• Bulldog Drummond (novel) by Sapper (aka H. C. McNeile)
• William Cameron Menzies: The Shape of Films to Come by James Curtis
• New York Times review
• Variety review
• Kingston Gleaner review

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Today's episode is part of my series of double episodes featuring conversations with 2025 Student Academy Award nominees.

My first interview today is with 2025 Student Academy Award semifinalist Tushar Bhojwani, director of the animated film "Roar of the Tiger." We discuss his experience growing up in what's known as "the land of urban tigers" in Bhopal, India and the delicate balance between humans and nature.

Following that I chat with 2025 Student Academy Award Winner Mati Granica, director of the film "flower_gan." We talk about what actually happens when you ask an AI like ChatGPT to generate an image and the implications of using copyrighted content to train AI models.

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "Roar of the Tiger " directed by Tushar Bhojwani
• "flower_gan" directed by Mati Granica
• Interstellar directed by Christopher Nolan
• The Social Network directed by David Fincher
• Arrival directed by Denis Villeneuve
• Deadpool directed by Tim Miller
• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl directed by Gore Verbinski
• The Hangover directed by Todd Phillips
• Ted Lasso (series)
• Fantastic Mr. Fox directed by Wes Anderson
• Midsommar directed by Ari Aster
• About Time directed by Richard Curtis
• Don't Look Up directed by Adam McKay
• The Secret Life of Walter Mitty directed by Ben Stiller
• Paddington directed by Paul King
• "The Fawn and the Blue Heron" directed by Thomas Keevil

Follow Tushar on Instagram @tusharbhojwani_wildlife and Mati at @matigranica. You can also check out Mati's website at https://matigranica.co.uk/.

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Today's episode is the beginning of my conversations about the films nominated at the 3rd Academy Awards. I'm joined by Beth Lisogorsky who writes the Beth's TV & Film Recommendations newsletter and we break down some of the history of the 3rd Academy Awards, all of the nominees, and take some a few moments to discuss the one missing film that won't get an individual episode this season.

You can check out a short clip of some of the awards being handed out on YouTube along with the video Beth mentioned in the episode from Awards Contender on YouTube.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get all the news episodes delivered to your device every Friday from now through February 2026 and if you want to be a guest for a film from the 4th Academy Awards, send me a message replying to this episode and let me know you're interested.

Nominees of the 3rd Academy Awards (linked films will take you to where you can watch the film online as of the recording of this episode):

• Bulldog Drummond
• Hallelujah
• Disraeli
• The Trespasser
• Condemned
• The Love Parade
• Sally
• Their Own Desire
• The Rogue Song (reconstruction only)
• Street of Chance
• The Green Goddess
• The Vagabond King
• Anna Christie
• Sarah and Son
• The Case of Sergeant Grischa (unavailable), book is available online for free
• King of Jazz
• The Divorcee
• All Quiet on the Western Front
• The Big Pond
• The Devil's Holiday
• Song of the Flame
• Hell's Angels
• With Byrd at the South Pole
• The Big House
• Raffles
• Romance

Wikipedia article about Oscar nominated

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Today's episode is the first of a series of double episodes you'll be getting throughout the month of September all featuring conversations with 2025 Student Academy Award nominees.

My first interview is with 2025 Student Academy Award Winner Lucas Ansel, director of the animated film "The 12 Inch Pianist." We discuss where he found the story the film was based on and some of what went into making the setting seen on screen.

Following that I chat with 2025 Student Academy Award finalist Zolomon Zelko, director of the film "PhotoPlay XX." We talk about how the film is an emotional character arc instead of a narrative arc and getting the perfect abandoned house ready to film in.

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "The 12-Inch Pianist" directed by Lucas Ansel
• "PhotoPlay XX" directed by Zolomon Zelko
• Shrek directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson
• Paris, Texas directed by Wim Wenders
• Cool Hand Luke directed by Stuart Rosenberg
• Ratarouille directed by Brad Bird
• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl directed by Gore Verbinski
• The Big Lebowski directed by Joel Coen
• The Lord of the Rings trilogy directed by Peter Jackson
• The Silence of the Lambs directed by Jonathan Demme
• The Girl with the Needle directed by Magnus von Horn
• She is Conann directed by Bertrand Mandico
• Megalopolis directed by Francis Ford Coppola
• Spy Kids directed by Robert Rodriguez
• Titus directed by Julie Taymor
• Ponyo directed by Hayao Miyazaki
• Star Wars directed by George Lucas

Other topics referenced in this episode include:

• "Guy Walks Into a Bar" by Simon Rich
• Charming Disaster (musical duo who comprise the cast of "PhotoPlay XX")
• Kotorino (musical project of Jeff Morris from "PhotoPlay XX")

Follow Lucas on Instagram @lucas_ansel and Zolomon at @swampzik.

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Today's special episode is a conversation I had with my son Joshua about the 1926 film The General, written by, directed by, and starring Buster Keaton. Joshua recommended this film to me after he saw it in a Film Studies class in school and when I realized I'd never seen the entire thing, we decided to make a podcast episode about it.

Take a listen to hear us discuss .

You can watch The General on YouTube and a huge thank you to Joshua for helping me edit many podcast episodes over the last few years.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• The Circus directed by Charlie Chaplin
• "A Horse in Motion" directed by Eadweard J. Muybridge
• "A Trip to the Moon" directed by Georges Méliès
• "The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat Station" by the Lumière Brothers
• Star Wars directed by George Lucas
• Five Nights at Freddy's directed by Emma Tammi
• Jaws directed by Steven Spielberg
• The Wizard of Oz directed by Victor Fleming
• Gone With the Wind directed by Victor Fleming
• Casablanca directed by Michael Curtiz
• Snow White and the Severn Dwarfs directed by David Hand

Other referenced topics:

• The Great Locomotive Chase: A History of the Andrews Railroad Raid Into Georgia by William Pittenger
• Variety review
• New York Times review
• New York Herald Tribune review
• Orson Wells quote on the Independent Cinema Office

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Today's episode is a replay of the very first interview episode from back in June 2023. My guest was Mia Mask, a professor at Vassar College where she teaches African American cinema, Documentary History, and seminars on topics including horror film and auteurs like Spike Lee, Charles Burnett and Ava DuVernay. She also teaches feminist film theory, African national cinemas, and other genre courses. Her commentary can be heard on NPR and her first book Divas on Screen: Black Women in American Film was published in 2009. She joined me back in 2023 to talk about her latest book Black Rodeo: A History of the African American Western.

Listen to hear about Mia's work with Criterion, including getting to speak with actor Sidney Poitier, what three of her favorite westerns are, and much more.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• The Western in the Global South by MaryEllen Higgins, Rita Keresztesi, and Dayna Oscherwitz
• Undead in the West: Vampires, Zombies, Mummies, and Ghosts in the Cinematic Frontier by Cynthia J. Miller and A. Bowdoin Van Riper
• Horror Noire: Blacks in American Horror Films from the 1890s to Present by Robin R. Means Coleman
• Horse by Geraldine Brooks

Films mentioned in this episode include:

• The Learning Tree directed by Gordon Parks
• Buck and the Preacher directed by Sidney Poitier
• Thomasine and Bushrod directed by Gordon Parks Jr.
• Queen & Slim directed by Melina Matsoukas
• Bonnie & Clyde directed by Arthur Penn
• Django Unchained directed by Quentin Tarantino
• The Harder They Come directed by Perry Henzell
• Five Fingers for Marseilles directed by Michael Matthews
• The Homesteader directed by Oscar Micheaux and Jerry Mills
• Swingtime directed by George Stevens
• A Raisin in the Sun directed by Daniel Petrie
• Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror directed by Robin Givens, Kimani Ray Smith, Rob J. Greenlea, Director X., Zandashé Brown, and Joe West

Check out Wikipedia for more information about the Lobo Comics mentioned in the interview.

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Today's episode is my recap of everything from the second Academy Awards back in 1930. I run through all the nominees and winners of every category and give a final ranking of all 19 films I was able to watch from this year of the Oscars. If you missed any of the episodes discussing specific films, you can go back in this feed or just tap on the links below.

• 3.28-The Return of the Oscars and Lost Nominees of 1928-1929 with Lewis Beer
• 3.30-Street Angel & Skyscraper with Beth Lisogorsky
• 3.32-Glorious Betsy with Enrico Banson
• 3.34-Our Dancing Daughters with Vicki Lesley
• 3.36-White Shadows in the South Seas with Matthew Brady
• 3.38-A Woman of Affairs with Amanda Kusek
• 3.40-In Old Arizona with Joanne Thornborough
• 3.42-The Broadway Melody with Kevin Pettit
• 3.44-Weary River with Jonathan Hammond
• 3.46-The Leatherneck with Gareth Bradwick
• 3.48-The Divine Lady with Janelle Miley
• 3.50-Coquette with Maria Banson
• 3.52-The Letter with Lewis Beer
• 3.54-Alibi with Jeff Kramer
• 3.56-The Valiant with Matthew Carlson
• 3.58-The Hollywood Revue of 1929 with Chris Mann
• 3.60-Thunderbolt with Jake Myshrall
• 3.62-The Last of Mrs. Cheyney with Shawna Carroll
• 3.64-Madame X with Dan Pal
• 3.66-Dynamite with Murray Mintz

I have a special episode planned for next Friday and then the following week we jump right in with a preview of the 3rd Academy Awards.

And if you want to be a guest for an upcoming episode of the podcast and help me discuss a future Oscar nominated film, send me a message replying to this episode and let me know you're interested. I would love to add your voice to my stellar list of guests for the show.

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In today's episode, I interview Dylan Trupiano, director of the new short film "Recesses," a poignant reflection on hidden childhood trauma and education system.

Listen to hear about the inspiration for the story in his own childhood experience with a teacher for a parent, the nature of childhood memories versus adult memories, and the difficulties of figuring out how to tackle such a serious topic with the right young actor for the film.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• 2666 by Roberto Bolaño
• Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
• John by Annie Baker

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "Recesses" directed by Dylan Trupiano
• Ratcatcher directed by Lynne Ramsay
• Certain Women directed by Kelly Reichardt
• La ciénaga directed by Lucrecia Martel
• No Country for Old Men directed by Joel and Ethan Coen
• Fallen Angels directed by Wong Kar-Wai
• Eddington directed by Ari Aster

Follow Dylan on Instagram @dylantrupiano and the film @recessesfilm.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film Dyamite. I'm joined by Murray Mintz from the "CineVibez Fanzine" newsletter and we talk about what the going rate for "buying a husband" was in 1929, some wonderful twists and turns throughout the plot, and innovative uses of sound in director Cecil B. DeMille's first fully sound feature.

You can watch Dynamite on YouTube and be sure to check out Murray's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Babylon directed by Damien Chazelle
• The Shawshank Redemption directed by Frank Darabont
• Beauty and the Beast directed by Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale
• The Ten Commandments directed by Cecil B. DeMille
• Sunset Boulevard directed by Billy Wilder
• Hold Back the Dawn directed by Mitchell Leisen
• John Wick directed by Chad Stahelski
• Glorious Betsy directed by Alan Crosland and Gordon Hollingshead
• The Hollywood Revue of 1929 directed by Charles F. Reisner
• The Ten Commandments (1923 silent version) directed by Cecil B. DeMille
• The Bridge of San Luis Rey (lost film) directed by Charles Brabin
• The Substance directed by Coralie Fargeat

Other referenced topics:

• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• MovieDiva article about the sound innovations produced for this film
• LA Times review

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In today's episode, I interview Meron Alon, director of the new short film "Too Good," a humorous take on what happens when we die and meet God at the gates to heaven.

Listen to hear about the process of casting the two stars of the film, some unconventional questions that God asks at the gates of heaven, and one of the best character names I think I've heard in a long time.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• All Fours by Miranda July

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "Too Good" directed by Meron Alon
• The Matrix directed by Lana and Lilly Wachowski
• The Talented Mr. Ripley directed by Anthony Minghella
• Closer directed by Mike Nichols
• Almost Famous directed by Cameron Crowe
• Call Me by Your Name directed by Luca Guadagnino
• 10 Things I Hate About You directed by Gil Junger

Follow Meron on Instagram @meronalon.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film Madame X. I'm joined by Dan Pal from the "PalCinema, Television, & Music" newsletter and we talk about the theme of forgiveness which appears in the film, director Lionel Barrymore's conscious decision to limit the amount of music in the film, and whether the story might have worked better as the original stage production.

You can watch Madame X on YouTube and be sure to check out Dan's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Madame X (1937) directed by Sam Wood
• The Broadway Melody directed by Harry Beaumont
• The Hollywood Revue of 1929 directed by Charles F. Reisner
• Madame X (1966) directed by David Lowell Rich
• Madame X (2021) directed by Ricardo Gomes, Nuno Xico, and Sasha Kasiuha
• The Wizard of Oz directed by Victor Fleming
• The Jazz Singer directed by Alan Crosland
• The Patriot directed by Ernst Lubitsch (lost film)
• It's a Wonderful Life directed by Frank Capra
• Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde directed by Rouben Mamoulian
• The Divine Lady directed by Frank Lloyd
• Coquette directed by Sam Taylor
• Apocalypse Now directed by Francis Ford Coppola

Other referenced topics:

• Madame X (play) by Alexandre Bisson
• Madame X (album) by Madonna
• The Dark Side of the Moon (album) buy Pink Floyd
• Variety review
• Hartford Courant review
• "Too Much Padding Spoils the Fun" by Mordaunt Hall in the New York Times
• Heart of Darkness (novel) by Joseph Conrad

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In today's episode, I interview Hannah Rose Ammon, director of the new short film "We Do Our Best," a tender, true-to-life portrait of motherhood, girlhood and growing up in New York.

Listen to hear about the real life event that inspired the film, what it was like filming in a small bar environment in New York City, and the importance of music in telling a story like this.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Just Kids by Patti Smith

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• "We Do Our Best" directed by Hannah Rose Ammon
• Moonstruck directed by Norman Jewison
• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind directed by Michel Gondry
• The Virgin Suicides directed by Sofia Coppola
• Breakfast at Tiffany's directed by Blake Edwards
• School of Rock directed by Richard Linklater
• Notting Hill directed by Roger Michell

Follow Hannah on Instagram @hannah.rose.a and the film @wdobfilm.

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Today's episode is my conversation about the 1929 film The Last of Mrs. Cheyney. I'm joined by Shawna Carroll from the "Notes From Post" newsletter and we talk about some interesting visual choices from the director and cinematographer throughout the film, incredible costumes (especially on Norma Shearer's Fay Cheyney), and how the plot of the film doesn't quite land in the third act.

You can watch The Last of Mrs. Cheyney on YouTube and be sure to check out Shawna's newsletter.

Other films mentioned in this episode include:

• Who's the Boss? (series)
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory directed by Tim Burton
• A League of Their Own directed by Penny Marshall
• The Patriot (lost) directed by Ernst Lubitsch
• The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1937) directed by Richard Boleslawski, George Fitzmaurice and Dorothy Arzner
• The Law and the Lady directed by Edwin H. Knopf
• Camille directed by George Cukor
• Mrs. Miniver directed by William Wyler
• The Divorcee directed by Robert Z. Leonard
• Dracula directed by Tod Browning
• Skyscraper directed by Howard Higgin
• The Leatherneck directed by Howard Higgin

Other referenced topics:

• The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (play) by Frederick Lonsdale (read for free online at fadedpage.com)
• "The first Oscars lasted 15 minutes — plus other surprises from 95 years of awards" by Mandalit del Barco from NPR
• The Maid of the Mountains (play) by Frederick Lonsdale
• Dracula (play) by Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston
• New York Times review
• Los Angeles Times review
• Jackson Upperco on That's Entertainment!

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In today's episode, I interview Aizzah Fatima, writer, producer, and star of the feature film Americanish, a look at several young Pakistani-American women living in Queens as they chase their American dreams.

Listen to hear about the roots of the story in Aizzah's one woman show she was performing in New York, the importance of portraying young Muslim women with agency and abilities on screen, and what went into building an ensemble cast for the film.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Dirty Paki Lingerie by Aizzah Fatima
• You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero
• The Dancing Girls of Lahore: Selling Love and Saving Dreams in Pakistan's Pleasure District by Louise Brown
• High Fidelity by Nick Hornby

Films and TV shows mentioned in this episode include:

• Americanish directed by Iman Zawahry
• Muslim Girls DTF Discuss Their Faith (series)
• Law & Order (series)
• Reasonable Doubt (series)
• New Amsterdam (series)
• Blue Bloods (series)
• High Maintenance (series)
• The Code (series)
• Mr. Robot (series)
• The Good Wife (series)
• Cheers (series)
• Ms. Marvel (series)
• Past Lives directed by Celine Song
• Joyland directed by Saim Sadiq
• The Godfather directed by Francis Ford Coppola
• Mrs. Doubtfire directed by Chris Columbus
• Love Actually directed by Richard Curtis
• High Fidelity directed by Stephen Frears