PODCAST · tv
Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr.
by OddPods Media
Blending pop culture with personal storytelling, Close Watch gives host Robert Yaniz Jr. the chance to get to know guests through the movies they love. From emotional favorites like Field of Dreams and The Crow to beloved cult hits like The Wicker Man, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and The Big Lebowski, each episode offers a thoughtful deep dive discussion into how films both shape who we are and reflect who we’ve become.
Episodes
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'Wicked: For Good' [CROOKED ROUNDTABLE]
Close Watch completes its journey down the Yellow Brick Road with 2025's Wicked: For Good, the second half of director Jon M. Chu's adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical and the final chapter in our Oz-focused series. And this is perhaps the most politically and emotionally charged entry…
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'Oz the Great and Powerful' (feat. Kevin the Critic)
We’re heading back down the Yellow Brick Road. But this time, it’s all about how the Wizard became “great and powerful.” On the latest Close Watch, Kevin Thomas aka Kevin the Critic joins us to revisit Sam Raimi’s big, bold, and sometimes bizarre 2013 film Oz the Great and Powerful. We'll discuss...
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'Return to Oz' (feat. Kai Yaniz)
As we continue our journey down the yellow brick road, Close Watch host Robert Yaniz Jr. is joined by his wife, Kai Yaniz, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of one of Disney’s strangest, darkest, and most fascinating cult classics: Return to Oz. Released in 1985 as a sort-of sequel to The Wizard…
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'The Wiz' (feat. Phoenix Clouden of Curtain to Curtain)
Ease on down the road with us as Close Watch returns to Oz one more time, this time through the soulful, big-city reimagining of 1978's The Wiz. We're joined by Phoenix Clouden of Curtain to Curtain, for a deep dive into one of the boldest movie-musical swings of the 1970s. We'll explore how the...
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'Journey Back to Oz' (feat. Will Ashton of Cinemaholics)
Just like Dorothy, we’re returning to the yellow brick road! In this episode of Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr., Will Ashton of Cinemaholics joins us to explore the often-overlooked animated sequel Journey Back to Oz (1972). With Judy Garland’s own daughter, Liza Minnelli, stepping into…
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'The Wizard of Oz' (feat. The Famous Ashley Grant)
We’re off to see the Wizard! On this episode of Close Watch, host Robert Yaniz Jr. and returning guest The Famous Ashley Grant take a trip down the Yellow Brick Road to explore how 1939’s The Wizard of Oz became one of the most beloved and enduring films of all time. From Judy Garland’s timeless...
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Grease (feat. Kai Yaniz)
Grease is the word on this episode of Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr., which also closes out our recent series on movie musicals. So we’re heading back to Rydell High to revisit the 1978 blockbuster that made a vibe of summer lovin’. With its unforgettable soundtrack, iconic performances from...
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Moonwalker (feat. Russ Robinson of Infectious Groove Music)
Michael Jackson didn’t just dominate the charts—he redefined the music video and took it to the big screen with Moonwalker. On this episode of Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr., we take a deep dive into Michael Jackson’s 1988 film. Part music video anthology, part retrospective, and part sci-fi...
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'Moulin Rouge!' (feat. Jennifer Howell of Every Rom Com)
The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to watch—and discuss—a movie in return! On this episode of Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr., we step into the dazzling, high-energy world of Moulin Rouge!, the 2001 jukebox musical that redefined modern movie musicals. Directed by Baz Luhrmann and...
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‘Chicago’ (feat. The Famous Ashley Grant)
Murder, media, and musical numbers—oh my! On this episode of Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr., we take center stage with The Famous Ashley Grant to explore the razzle-dazzle of the 2002 film Chicago, the Oscar-winning musical that brought Broadway’s show-stopping energy to the silver screen....
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‘The Sound of Music’ (feat. Phoenix Clouden of Curtain To Curtain)
The hills are alive with the sound of podcasting! On this episode of Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr., we celebrate one of the most beloved musicals in cinematic history, 1965’s The Sound of Music. Directed by Robert Wise and starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, this Rodgers and...
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'Fiddler on the Roof' (feat. Pete Abeyta of Middle Class Film Class)
For this episode of Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr., we raise a glass—L’Chaim!—to one of the most celebrated musicals of all time. Robert is joined by Pete Abeyta of Middle Class Film Class to dive into 1971’s Fiddler on the Roof, Norman Jewison’s sweeping adaptation of the beloved Broadway…
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'Wicked: Part I' (feat. Lauren Knight of That Movie Is Fine)
Rejoicify! Close Watch is back with the first Crooked Table podcast of 2025. As we continue talking movie musicals, we’re off to see the wizard with the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation of all time. Lauren Knight of That Movie Is Fine joins us to discuss Wicked: Part I (2024), the first of…
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'tick, tick... BOOM!' (feat. Rachel Wagner of Rachel's Reviews)
Although its sister show Franchise Detours has been trucking along, the feed for Close Watch has been deafening quiet throughout 2024. But fear not, dear listener, the podcast is far from over. In fact, ahead of its triumphant return in 2025, here's another in our series on movie musicals. Rachel...
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'West Side Story' (1961/2021) (feat. Darin Lundberg of NostalgiaCast)
In a harmonious double feature, Close Watch continues venturing through the world of movie musicals with an in-depth breakdown of both the 1961 classic West Side Story and Steven Spielberg's 2021 remake. Does the Oscar-winning original still hold up, and was its update worth the creative risk?...
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'An American in Paris' (feat. Philip Boone of Ultimate Gilmore Girls Movie Night)
Every episode, Close Watch gives us the chance to get to know our guest through the movie they love. But more recently, the show has sharpened its focus on the wide world of movie musicals. And after the man-eating plant of Little Shop of Horrors and the cultural celebration of In the Heights,...
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'In the Heights' (feat. The Lady-Wan from Screen Run)
Way back in 2020, a few hardcore Hamilfans -- including this episode's guest -- united for the first-ever Crooked Roundtable to talk up the Disney+ release of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tony-winning musical Hamilton. Now, at last, loyal listeners get the long-awaited spiritual sequel to that…
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'Little Shop of Horrors' (1986) (feat. film critic Morgan Roberts)
It's 2023, and Close Watch has a song in its heart this year. For the next year, we're dedicating this podcast to movie musicals. Every month, the show will feature at least one episode in which Rob and a guest go in-depth on a beloved movie musical. And what better way to celebrate one of…
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'Weird: The Al Yankovic Story' (feat. Lauren Carey of the Beer'd Al Podcast)
After UHF, "Weird Al" Yankovic fans faced a wait of more than three decades for another movie featuring the musical icon. And finally, along comes Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. Starring Daniel Radcliffe as "The Weird One" himself, the movie pokes fun at Yankovic's life and career as well as the...
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'Bandits' (feat. The Famous Ashley Grant)
Cate Blanchett might be poised to win a third Academy Award for her performance in Tár. But more than two decades ago, the actor -- who was already well on her way to becoming one of the best actors of her generation -- co-starred with Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton in an under-seen crime...
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'Cloud Atlas' (feat. Brian Skutle of the Sonic Cinema Podcast)
Some movies are too big to cover in a single conversation. Cloud Atlas -- the 2012 epic directed by the Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer -- is definitely such a movie. So to celebrate the film's tenth anniversary, we invited Brian Skutle of the Sonic Cinema Podcast to help us dig into the movie and its...
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'Willow' (feat. Jeremiah Stewart of Let's Talk)
Unless superheroes, hobbits, or boy wizards are involved, fantasy films are all too rare these days. But in the 1980s, the genre was thriving on the big screen. Filmmakers coupled state-of-the-art visual effects with puppetry, make-up, and good ol' movie magic to create worlds fans could…
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'Airplane!' (feat. film critic Albert Lanier)
Cinema -- like all art forms -- is wholly subjective. And within that, comedy is perhaps most subjective of all. That being said, 1980's Airplane! remains widely considered one of the funniest movies of all time. So as Close Watch emerges from a lengthy hiatus, we'll take to the skies for an...
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'Beetlejuice' (feat. Bri Azmoudeh of Killer Waffles)
It's showtime. Close Watch kicks off a new year with the "ghost with the most" himself. Tim Burton's 1988 comedy Beetlejuice made mega-stars out of both Burton and Michael Keaton ahead of their next film, Batman. On this episode, Bri Azmoudeh of the Geeky Waffle Network's new podcast, Killer...
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'The Mummy' (feat. Catherine Gonzales of Latinx Lens)
The Dark Universe might have been dead on arrival, but 1999's The Mummy remains just as beloved as ever. More than two decades later, fans continue to revisit Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz's sweeping adventure. On this episode, Catherine Gonzales of Latinx Lens joins the show as we talk about…
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'The Big Lebowski' (feat. Kerri Jones)
Call him The Dude, His Dudeness, El Duder, or even El Duderino (if you're not into the whole brevity thing). Whatever you call Jeff Bridge's loveable hipster hero in The Big Lebowski, he's certainly become a cinematic icon. This episode, Kerri Jones joins the show to help us break down the ethos…
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'Time Bandits' (feat. JC from Screen Fix)
Who needs parents when there's adventure? That seemed to be the philosophy of fantasy films in the 1980s. And as it turns out, 1981's Time Bandits might be the granddaddy of all those fan-favorite cult classics. JC from the Screen Fix podcast joins the show as we talk about how Time Bandits...
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'Do the Right Thing' (feat. David Snyder)
Spike Lee is without a doubt one of the most essential filmmakers of his generation. And 1989's Do the Right Thing is widely considered his masterpiece. So this episode, we're giving this indelible classic its due. David Snyder joins the show as we discuss Lee's ground-breaking use of hip hop in...
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'The Wicker Man' (1973) (feat. Amy Otero)
The Wicker Man has gotten a bad rap in recent years, thanks to the widely ridiculed 2006 remake starring Nicolas Cage. But this episode, we're setting aside the "not the bees!" jokes for a closer look at the original 1973 classic. Amy Otero joins the show to go in-depth on The Wicker Man. We'll...
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'The First Wives Club' (feat. Phoenix Clouden of the Film Code Podcast)
Considering The First Wives Club earned $100 million in 1996, it's remarkable how little people seem to discuss it. This episode, Phoenix Clouden of the Film Code Podcast helps us fix that. As the movie celebrates its 25th anniversary, now is the perfect time to celebrate the iconic performances...
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'The Crow' (feat. Brian Skutle of Sonic Cinema Podcast)
General audiences might remember Alex Proyas' 1994 movie The Crow for the tragic on-set death of star Brandon Lee. Yet, despite that infamous incident -- or, perhaps, in part because of it -- the film -- based on the comics by James O'Barr -- inspired a cult following that endures today. And this...
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'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang' (feat. Thomas Greene of Movies After Work)
Shane Black is a name that tends to elicit either unbridled enthusiasm or consternation from moviegoers. Black started out as an actor before hitting it big as the legendary screenwriter of Lethal Weapon. Then in 2005, he made the leap to directing his own scripts. And this episode, Thomas Greene...
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'Your Name' (feat. Rachel Wagner of Rachel's Reviews)
Even some fans of animated films need to brush up on their anime. Such was the case when Rachel Wagner of Rachel's Reviews stopped by the show. A self-professed ambassador of Makoto Shinkai's 2016 film Your Name, Rachel joined us to discuss the film. And the conversation -- just like Your Name...
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'Field of Dreams' (feat. Darin Lundberg of NostalgiaCast)
Everyone familiar with 1989's Field of Dreams knows that "if you build it, he will come." But is the same true if you podcast about it? Darin Lundberg of NostalgiaCast helps us test that theory with an in-depth chat about writer-director Phil Alden Robinson's iconic sports film starring Kevin...
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'Goodfellas' (featuring Jason from Binge Movies)
The era of the Crooked Table Podcast ends with a bang as we discuss Martin Scorsese's 1990 crime drama Goodfellas. Jason from Binge Movies joins the show as we break down the film's legacy, its place in Scorsese's legendary filmography, and Goodfellas' Best Picture loss to Dances with Wolves.…
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'Rudy' (feat. Philip Boone of Sports Flix, Just Give Us Clix)
Over the years, cinema and sports have crossed paths countless times. But it takes something very special to stand out in the genre. And for an entire generation, Rudy represents the ultimate underdog story. Starring Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings), the film tells the inspiring true story of...
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'Howard the Duck' (feat. Jamie Williams)
The final round of Crooked Table Podcast episodes -- prior to the rebranding, at least -- continues. And of course, we had to tap into the red-headed step-child of Marvel Comics movies: 1986's Howard the Duck. The first full-length movie based on a Marvel character, the movie was an infamous box...
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INTERVIEW with CinemaSins' Jeremy Scott
For years, CinemaSins has taken the movies to task with its popular videos cheekily tackling "everything wrong with" the movies. However, with billions of views and millions of subscribers, even critics can't deny the success of CinemaSins. Jeremy Scott -- the YouTube channel's co-founder and the...
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'Mulholland Drive' (feat. Albert Lanier)
Few films released in the 21st century have as universal a reputation as David Lynch's 2001 thriller Mulholland Drive. To that end, a celebration of the film and its 20th anniversary hardly qualifies as "the world of film from a fresh angle." Yet, the movie's surrealistic tone and multi-layered...
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'UHF' (feat. Lauren Carey of the Beer'd Al Podcast)
Come one, come Al! After 2020, things were bound to get weird. So we kick off 2021 with the only logical episode: "Weird Al" Yankovic's one and only big-screen starring role, 1989's cult comedy UHF. Lauren Carey of the Beer'd Al Podcast joins the show to talk about the film's legacy, its impact…
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'The Matrix Reloaded'/'The Matrix Revolutions' [Part 2] (ft. Jackson Smith)
It ends tonight. Yup, it's time for part 2 of our discussion on The Matrix sequels. Jackson Smith is back to talk The Matrix Revolutions. After the Matrix-y hijinks of its predecessor, this third chapter takes a more "real world" approach. But does it deliver a satisfying close to the trilogy?...
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'The Matrix' Bonus Material (featuring Freddy Yaniz)
As we catch up with the remaining chapters of The Matrix trilogy, it seemed like the perfect time to share a bit of bonus content. This episode features a collection of outtakes recorded during our two-part, 100th episode extravaganza on The Matrix with guest Freddy Yaniz. Until now, this bonus...
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'The Matrix Reloaded'/'The Matrix Revolutions' [Part 1] (ft. Jackson Smith)
The Matrix has you (again). In this first half of our two-part discussion on the sequels, Jackson Smith -- our own Agent Smith, so to speak -- joins the show to examine The Matrix Reloaded. We'll cover whether the movie is a smooth transition from the first film, its wild action sequences, and…
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'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2' (featuring Ryan McQuade)
It all ends (finally). But now Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 has brought the saga of The Boy Who Lived to an appropriately epic conclusion. Guest Ryan McQuade returns to the show to help us bid farewell to Harry, Ron, Hermione, and She-Who-Must-Not-Be Named with our very last…
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'Scrooged' (featuring Kim Stock Foster)
Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol has to be one of the most adapted literary works of all time. But the story of Ebenezer Scrooge has never been told quite like this. Bill Murray leads a "modern" take on Dickens' work in 1988's Scrooged. And Kim Stock Foster brings the holiday classic to the…
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'Enter the Dragon' (featuring Robert Dean)
Nowadays, martial arts feel like a distinct part of the fabric of Hollywood action movies. But that wasn't always the case. In fact, if not for Bruce Lee and his iconic 1973 hit Enter the Dragon, the state of the entertainment industry might look a whole lot different. Robert Dean joins the show…
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'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1' (featuring Lyndsey Cole)
2020 is nearing a close. And with it, the Crooked Table Podcast is almost finished with its ill-timed deep dive into the Harry Potter franchise. In 2010's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, the stakes have never been higher. We knew a fresh perspective was required to deliver the...
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'Salt of the Earth' (featuring Rosa Parra)
When the podcast relaunched in December 2018, it did so with the goal of bringing new voices -- and therefore a wide range of movies -- to the forefront. That's certainly the case with this episode, which highlights the unjustly forgotten 1954 release Salt of the Earth. The movie has since fallen...
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'Singin' in the Rain' (featuring Ryan McQuade)
Even though we just covered Hamilton in our first-ever Crooked Roundtable, we're not quite ready to move on from musicals just yet. So this episode, we're discussing one of the most beloved big-screen musicals of all time: 1952's Singin' in the Rain starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and…
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'Hamilton' (Crooked Roundtable #1)
We were willing to wait for it. Now the time has finally come to cover the Disney+ release of Hamilton. But how best to commemorate the "ten-dollar Founding Father without a father"? Surely, with the pop cultural impact of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tony-winning musical, we wouldn't be satisfied with...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Blending pop culture with personal storytelling, Close Watch gives host Robert Yaniz Jr. the chance to get to know guests through the movies they love. From emotional favorites like Field of Dreams and The Crow to beloved cult hits like The Wicker Man, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and The Big Lebowski, each episode offers a thoughtful deep dive discussion into how films both shape who we are and reflect who we’ve become.
HOSTED BY
OddPods Media
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr. have?
Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr. currently has 230 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr. about?
Blending pop culture with personal storytelling, Close Watch gives host Robert Yaniz Jr. the chance to get to know guests through the movies they love. From emotional favorites like Field of Dreams and The Crow to beloved cult hits like The Wicker Man, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and The Big Lebowski,...
How often does Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr. release new episodes?
Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr. publishes regularly with 230 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr.?
You can listen to Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr. on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr.?
Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr. is created and hosted by OddPods Media.
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