PODCAST · tv
Jason and the Movienauts
by Jason Sacks
Jason and his friends talk about old and new movies
Episodes
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Douglas Sirk Films Ranked: The Master of Melodrama, From Taza to Imitation of Life
Jason and Michelle wrap up their series on Douglas Sirk, Hollywood's master of melodrama, by counting down all 13 Sirk films they covered, from the noir thrills of Lured to the towering tearjerker Imitation of Life. They agree on seven spots, including #1 and #13, but the biggest fight is over...
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It Don't Worry Us, Ep. 5 — Minutes 5:10–6: Opal from the BBC
In the latest episode of their minute by minute discussion of Robert Altman's epochal film Nashville, Haven stops everything to have Opal thrown out of his studio, and Nashville gives us its first burst of overlapping dialogue. Jason Sacks and Dan Story explain the Lion's Gate 8-track sound…
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John Carpenter Goes West: Vampires, Village of the Damned and the End of a Hot Streak
Jason Sacks, Paul McCoy and Shawn Hill continue their journey through the films of John Carpenter with his late-’90s pair: Village of the Damned (1995) and Vampires (1998). Neither is anyone’s new favorite Carpenter. The verdict is “very, very okay.” But there’s plenty to dig into. Village of the...
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It Don't Worry Us, Ep. 4 — Minutes 4–5:10: "200 Years" in Haven's Studio
In the latest discussion of Robert Altman's brilliant Nashville, Haven Hamilton finally takes the mic, recording his bicentennial anthem "200 Years," and Jason Sacks and Dan Story ask whether it's the most pandering song in Robert Altman's Nashville. They read Joan Tewkesbury's screenplay...
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A Time to Love and A Time to Die: Douglas Sirk's Most Personal Film
Jason Sacks and Michelle wrap up their Douglas Sirk series with his most personal film, 1958's A Time to Love and A Time to Die. Based on Erich Maria Remarque's novel, it follows a young German soldier on a three-week furlough through a bombed-out Germany in 1944, where he falls fast and hard for...
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It Don't Worry Us, Ep. 3 — Minutes 2:30–4: Welcome to Haven's Studio
Twelve musicians. Four backup singers. One man in white rhinestones watching every one of them like a hawk. In episode 3 of It Don't Worry Us, Jason Sacks and Dan Story step into Haven Hamilton's dark, cramped recording studio. That's minutes 2:30 to 4:00 of Robert Altman's Nashville, where one...
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Theater Troupes and a Heist Gone Wrong: Early Shohei Imamura
Jason Sacks and Eric Hoffman dig into Shohei Imamura's first and third films, both from 1958: Stolen Desire and Endless Desire. Made as Nikkatsu studio assignments with titles that have nothing to do with the movies, they're still unmistakably Imamura: energetic, earthy, darkly funny portraits of...
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IT DON'T WORRY US EPISODE 2: Walker, Talker, Sleeper
In this second episode of It Don't Worry Us, Jason Sacks and Dan Story dig into the opening scene of Robert Altman's Nashville, where Hal Phillip Walker's campaign van pulls out and winds through the city. They unpack the Replacement Party's populist, folksy rhetoric against the backdrop of...
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THE NASHVILLE MINUTE EPISODE 1 — K-TEL, CHAOS & ROBERT ALTMAN
Announcing a new podcast from the people who brought you Jason and the Movienauts! Search for "It Don't Worry Us" in your podcast feeds! What happens when two movie obsessives decide that watching Nashville once—or even a dozen times—isn't enough? Jason Sacks and Dan Story begin their...
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Douglas Sirk: Hollywood Glamour, Secret Tragedies & Imitation of Life
Douglas Sirk's movies look like glossy Hollywood melodramas—but what happens when you start looking beneath the surface? Jason and Michelle dig into Interlude (1957) and Imitation of Life (1959), examining Sirk's complicated relationship with stars who weren't necessarily great actors, his use of...
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Obey, Consume, Conform: Rewatching John Carpenter's "They Live"
In this episode of Jason The Movienauts, the John Carpenter team tackles one of Carpenter'ss most enduring films: They Live. Jason, Paul, and Shawn discuss why the movie’s deliberately cheap-looking B-movie aesthetic, Roddy Piper’s unlikely leading-man performance, and Carpenter’s straightforward...
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Douglas Sirk's Melodramas of Desire: Written on the Wind & The Tarnished Angels
In this episode of Jason and the Movienauts, Michelle and Jason dive into two beautifully similar Douglas Sirk melodramas: Written on the Wind and The Tarnished Angels. We talk about wealth, desire, obsession, and the damaged characters at the heart of both films—including the unforgettable...
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Prince of Darkness & In the Mouth of Madness: Carpenter's Apocalypse Trilogy Pt. 2
Jason Sacks, Paul McCoy, and Shawn Hill dig into the second two-thirds of John Carpenter's Apocalypse Trilogy: Prince of Darkness and In the Mouth of Madness. With Shawn watching both films for the first time, the hosts unpack Carpenter's blend of theology, quantum physics, and cosmic horror in...
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Spider-Man: Brand New Day: Peanut Butter and Teriyaki Sauce
Is the web-slinger’s latest cinematic outing a masterpiece or a mismatched digression? Join hosts Jason Sacks and Eric Hoffman as they dive deep into the latest Tom Holland Spider-Man film. The duo breaks down why this blockbuster’s emotional core and stunning, real-world New York visuals…
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The Great Douglas Sirk: There's Always Tomorrow and All That Heaven Allows
In this episode of "Jason the Movienauts," hosts Jason Sacks and Michelle analyze two classic melodramas by director Douglas Sirk: 1955's All That Heaven Allows and 1956's There's Always Tomorrow. They discuss how All That Heaven Allows tackles social hypocrisy, suburban conformity, and…
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Shohei Imamura-cast: The Sublime Pigs and Battleships and Intentions of Murder
In this episode of "Jason the Movienauts," hosts Jason Sacks and Eric Hoffman contrast the kinetic fury of Shohei Imamura's 1961 satire Pigs and Battleships with the domestic claustrophobia of his 1964 film Intentions of Murder. Pigs and Battleships uses a post-war American naval base, corrupt...
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John Carpeter-cast: Big Trouble in Little China and Memoirs of an Invisible Man
Jason, Paul, and Sean continue their John Carpenter journey with a sharp, funny double feature: the misfiring Memoirs of an Invisible Man and the beloved chaos of Big Trouble in Little China. They dig into Chevy Chase’s awkward bid for dramatic credibility, the movie’s impressive invisible…
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Shōhei Imamura-cast: Women at Drift Through Japanese History
Eric is back again, and the guys are digging into Japanese film again, continuing their look at two classics by the great Shōhei Imamura: The Insect Woman and History of Postwar Japan as Told by a Bar Hostess. Both films are fascinating portraits of Imamura's favorite topics: Japan as a member of...
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Douglas Sirk: the Melodrama Before the Melodrama
Michelle is back and we're starting to move into the prime period of Douglas Sirk's filmmaking. Sirk was famous for his melodramas that played with identity, a place in a fixed society, and the balance of responsibilities and dreams. His films Taza, Son of Cochise, Magnificent...
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John Carpenter Goes Commercial: Christine and Starman
Paul and Shawn are back to talk John Carpenter movies. This time we're looking at two films that were more commercial for the master horror director: Christine and Starman. Shawn's husband has a tattoo of the car from Christine, so you can guess what Shawn's opinion of the film was. I was…
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Alan Rudolph's Historical Dramas: Mrs Parker and The Moderns
Eric is back, and this time the guys are not discussing Japanese films! Instead, they decided to explore a pair of films directed by Alan Rudolph, a filmmaker mentored by Robert Altman and who directed some fascinatinhly odd films over his long career. Eric and Jason decided to take a look at two...
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Douglas Sirk: the Noirs
Michelle is back, after she and Jason finished their epic watch of Billy Wilder films -- make sure to go back and listen to their rating list of Wilder movies if you haven't heard it yet! So it was time to start a look at a new director for this pod, and who better than Michelle's all time…
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'Backrooms' and the surprisingly great state of movies these days
Carlos and Jason saw Backrooms together. After the film they got together for an in-depth conversation about that film, about the seeming transition of the film industry in America, and what that might mean for the future. Warning: this is an optimistic episode!
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Carlos Didn't Love Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood
Carlos is back, and he's kind of burning up ready to share his comments about Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, the Tarantino classic that has some deep and frustrating flaws according to Carlos. What are the flaws? Give the pod a listen, think about them, and then let us know what you think.…
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John Carpenter's The Thing: How Could the Critics Be So Wrong in 1982?
Paul and Shaun are back to continue our look at the films of John Carpenter. Now it's time to discuss his film that has the biggest dichotomy between opinions when it first came out and opinions now: The Thing. Do the guys agreee with any of the complaints from 1982 or do they think this movie is…
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Ranking Billy Wilder's Films!
Michelle and Jason recently looked at nearly every film directed and/or cowritten by the great Billy Wilder. So it's time for the inevitable rankings episode. What Wilder film is number 31 and worst? Which of his masterpieces are best? And which are the mid-tier must-watches? Come listen and…
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The Great Ozu: Green Tea and What Did the Lady Forget?
Eric is back once again, and once again he and Jason discuss classic Japanese cinema. But this time the pair discuss the work of one of the most iconic directors from that nation, one they hadn't discussed before: Yasujirō Ozu. Eric and Jason dig into 1937's What Did the Lady Forget? and its 1952...
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Billy Wilder-cast: The Apartment
Michelle is back for the conclusion of her and Jason's look at Billy Wilder's vast filmography, with a look at one of his absolute finest films, The Apartment. Jason overcomes his dislike of Jack Lemmon to appreciate a wonderfully subtle performance, while Michelle rhapsodizes over the brilliance...
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Two Amazing Japanese Noirs: Black Test Car and Giants and Toys
Eric is back and he and Jason are continuing their deep dive into classic Japanese cinema with a look at two pitch-dark films directed by Yasuzō Masumura: Black Test Car and Giants and Toys. These dark satires of Japanese corporate life are fascinating, intense, often funny and often horrific...
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John Carpenter's Escape from New York and Escape from L.A.
Paul and Shawn are back, so it has to be time for another discussion of the films of John Carpenter. This time, the pair take on a real Carpenter classic along with the only sequel Carpenter ever directed: Escape from New York and Escape from L.A. As he loves to do, perverse Paul defends L.A. as,...
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Billy Wilder: The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes and Avanti!
Michelle is back for another episode discussing the filmic career of the great Bily Wilder. This time the pair discuss perhaps Wilder's final great film, the complicated and butchered (but still fascinating The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes. They also take up one of Wilder's intriguing final...
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Jason and Paul Talk "THX-1138" and "Silent Running"
Paul Moyer joins Jason Sacks for the first of a series of discussions of 1970s dystopian cinema. This time: George Lucas's THX-1138 and Douglas Trumbull's Silent Running. Join Jason and Paul for a thoughftul and (we think) fascinating discussion of alienation, ecological collapse, the trauma of…
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Jason and Eric Talk "The Man Who Knew Too Much" (1934) and Other Classic Hitchcock
Eric Hoffman joins Jason to talk about one of Alfred Hitchcock's classic films, the 1934 version of The Man Who Knew Too Much. You may be familiar with the 1950s version of this film starring Jimmy Stewart and Doris Day, but the earlier movie is actually better than th remake, with more complex...
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John Carpenter's TV Movies Are His Proving Ground for Halloween
Shawn and Paul are back to continue our look at the amazing films of John Carpenter. This time, the trio take a look at the two TV movies Carpenter directed in 1978-79, Someone's Watching Me! and Elvis!. Both movies are early work by a director learning on the job, and both are surprisingly…
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Japanese Crime Drama: Vengeance is Mine and A Fugitive from the Past
In honor of Jason's upcoming trip to Japan, Eric is back to talk about two classic Japanese crime dramas - one of which is frequently listed as one of the greatest films ever to come out of that country. A Fugitive from the Past is a deeply immersive and deeply impressive cop drama from director...
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Billy Wilder: the Matthau and Lemmon Films
Michelle is back to continue our look at the films of Billy Wilder. This time we look at the the three films he made which start Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon: The Fortune Cookie, The Front Page and Buddy Buddy. Are these three late career Wilder films lost classics or signs the old man didn't...
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Shōhei Imamura: The Eel and The Pornographers
Eric is back again, and as usual, he and Jason are talking about Japanese films. In fact, they're continuing their series on the work of Shohei Imamura with two fascinating, odd, contrasting films: The Eel and The Pornographers. The former is an intriguing tale of redemption, guilt and the…
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John Carpenter's Halloween and The Fog
Paul and Shawn are back! And now it's time to dig into the real beginnings of John Carpenter's rise to filmic greatness. Yes, it's time to talk about Halloween and The Fog. Both are great, but what did people think of Halloween at the time it came out, and does the film still stand up today? And…
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John Carpenter-cast: Dark Star and Assault on Precinct 13
Paul and Shawn are back, and this time the guys are taking on a new project. It's time to dig into the movies of the great John Carpenter. We're not going to go completely chronological through his filmography (this later movies are famously bad) but we wanted to get his two earliest movies out…
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Billy Wildercast: Major & Minor Films...
Michelle is back for our continuing discussion of Billy Wilder films. At this point we've watched and discussed 18 Wilder films which span the gamut of his career. There always comes a moment when doing a director durvey when we hit a few more minor obscure films in their filmography and that…
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The Smart, Intense Films of Peter Watkins
Eric is back so it's time for him and Jason to dig into obscure masterpieces. Today the guys take on two brilliantly intense fils by British master Peter Watkins: Edvard Munch and The War Game. Eric fills Jason in on Watkins's long and well documented history of making avant-garde films, then the...
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Jason's Top 10 of 2026!
I saw 93 movies released in 2026 so I feel like that's enough to give you a top 10, along with some honorable mentions and a few bottom feeders. Let me know what you think of the list!
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Jason and Eric Talk Jacques Tati Movies
Jacques Tati directed some of the most wonderfully humorous and charming comedies of all time. Eric Hoffman joins Jason to discuss Tati's short filmography and delight in Tati's meticulous attention to detail, his clashes between urbanism and tradition, and his deep influences on other filmmaking...
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Billy Wilder-cast: Ace in the Hole and Witness for the Prosecution
Michelle is back to continue Billy Wilder-Cast, this time with maybe one of the darknes movies ever committed to film, Ace in the Hole, and one of the most fun (but still kind of dark), Witness for the Prosecution. Do Jason and Michelle git whiplast from discussing these very different movies or…
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Diving deep into Shōhei Imamura's Profound Desires of the Gods
Shōhei Imamura's 1968 epic Profound Desires of the Gods is a brilliant, dizzying, extremely complex drama/satire focusing on a Japanese island in transition. The film focuses on one family on the island, a group of highly inbred people, and how the whole island reacts when post-WWI modernity…
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Two Versions of the Same Story: The Different Approaches to The Ballad of Narayama
Eric is back this week, and the guys dive deep into Japanese film as they often do. This week, a look at two classic, contrasting takes on a Japanese legend, The Ballad of Narayama. Keisuke Kinoshita's 1958 version is sylized Kabuki brilliance, while Shōhei Imamura's 1983 take on the same…
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Saving the Best for Last? Alien: Romulus and Predator: Badlands
Shawn and Paul are back, which means it's time for the guys to wrap up their look at the Alien and Predator franchises with a review of Alien: Romulus and Predator: Badlands. Will the guys like the kids of Romulus and the family dynamics of Badlands ior will they demand the return of Sigourney…
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Billy Wilder at His Wackiest: Irma La Douce and Kill Me, Stupid!
Michelle is back, so that means it's time again for our series looking at the films of the great Billy Wilder. This time: two of Wilder's silliest and most edgy movies -- at least, edgy for the 1960s -- Irma La Douce and Kill Me, Stupid!. Both films have a broad, wacky comedy sensibility, both...
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Jason and Paul Talk "Rollerball" and "Logan's Run"
When Paul Moyer joins Jason to talk movies, that means it's '70s dystopia times. This time: two different sci-fi visions of the future from the mid-1970s. Rollerball seems prophetic in some ways, a deeply intriguing tale of future sports that imagines a future similar to the one we're living in...
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Jason and Eric Talk "The Crazies" and "No Blade of Grass"
This week Eric Hoffman joins Jason to talk about two 1970s films that take on the idea of a pandemic in very different ways. In George Romero's The Crazies, a virus is loose in a small Pennsylvania town that makes all its residents crazy. Jason loves the low budget, handmade feel of the film…
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Jason and the Movienauts have?
Jason and the Movienauts currently has 248 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Jason and the Movienauts about?
Jason and his friends talk about old and new movies
How often does Jason and the Movienauts release new episodes?
Jason and the Movienauts publishes regularly with 248 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Jason and the Movienauts?
You can listen to Jason and the Movienauts 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 Jason and the Movienauts?
Jason and the Movienauts is created and hosted by Jason Sacks.
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