The AwardsWatch Podcast

Over the course of his career, no other director has documented the passage of time better on screen than writer-director Richard Linklater. The Texas filmmaker, synonymous with being one of the vital voices of the independent film movement of the 1990s, has used his filmography to record the most vital parts of our lives, and how those moments from our past and present can shape our future. Whether it's our first love and the long romantic journey with that person (the Before Trilogy), the magic of his childhood (School of Rock, Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood), the glory of high school and college (Dazed and Confused, Everybody Wants Some!!), the evolution of artistic expression (Me and Orson Welles, Blue Moon, Nouvelle Vague), Linklater has looked inward at the human condition expertly for close to forty years, but none more so perfectly than he did with his 2014 masterpiece, Boyhood. Originating as an idea in his mind over two and a half decades ago, Linklater assembled a cast and crew to go on a twelve-year journey of filming that would chronicle the life of a young boy from the age of six all the way to eighteen, from kindergarten to the end of high school. From the early 2000s to the mid-2010s, Linklater tinkered in the editing room with footage from limited days to shooting with his actors, sometimes even without a finish script, and sprung out a one-of-a-kind film that serves as a memory box for generation within its specific look at a boy growing up in South Texas as he's discovering who he wants to be, living with his mother and sister and occasionally spending time with his father when he is in town. In symbolic nod to the years, it took to make Boyhood, it returns to theaters for a run of anniversary screenings nationwide for its twelve-year celebration to re-explore the evolving yet universal themes Linklater concluded about adolescence, parenthood, siblings, and learning that the road to becoming the person we want to be takes exactly one thing Linklater has become known for, time. In a recent conversation, Linklater and I spoke about the origins of the project, collecting the music that made up the character's world, the evolving nature of the project, and retooling the film's narrative to fit the film's star Ellar Coltrane's life and interests. We also spoke about working with Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke, their growth within these characters as parents and how Arquette's role mirrored the life of Linklater's mother. Our discussion continued with what it was like to film eight other films while creating Boyhood, why San Marcos, TX was a great location to shoot the majority of the film (he continued to use this location for Everybody Wants Some!!), his optimism about the future generations on the whole as well as within the confines of artistic expression. In our final moments, Linklater teased his latest expansive project he's doing right now, an adaptation of the musical Merrily We Roll Along, this time with the film commencing over the course of twenty years to complete the time period of this celebrated work from Stephen Sondheim. While it seems like a daunting task, only Linklater would have the trust from audiences to deliver again once we are able to see the film in the years to come. But until then, the director, much like when he was making Boyhood, will continue to create great work that reminds us of his artistic super power; that by looking inward, we discover the value of our place, our time, and the skin we live in. Boyhood will receive a 12th anniversary theatrical re-release from Independent Film Company (IFC) on July 31.

On episode 355 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson and AwardsWatch contributors Josh Parham and Karen Peterson to go back 20 years and take a look at the 79th Academy Awards, covering the films of 2006. The AW team goes back twenty years to take a look back on a time that was a nail biter of a season that resulted in Martin Scorsese coming out on time, winning his long awaited Oscar for the crime, gangster thriller The Departed. Alongside that, it was a fascinating five films in the Best Picture line-up that made up a pretty deep year of films that rank as some of the best of the decade of the 2010s upon retrospective. Films like Notes on a Scandal, Pan's Labyrinth, The Devil Wears Prada, United 93, Little Children, Half Nelson, and more from the nominations are talked about in-depth on this week's episode alongside Maria Antoinette, The Prestige, Miami Vice, Casino Royale, Children of Men, Inside Man, The Holiday get more attention from the group than their original award season run or get more nominations past their original snubs. It's a stacked conversation, and it makes for a fun episode of deliberation amongst the group.  In their in-depth discussion, the AW team talked about the film year of 2006, briefly discuss talk about The Departed as a Best Picture winner, and how that speaks to the legacy of their nominates and or wins, do an extensive conversation over the below the line categories and nominees for the year, and then the new version of the AW Shoulda Woulda Coulda game, where instead of individual replacements, they must decide as a group who the nominees and winners should be in the top eight categories. The rules of the game state they can only replace two of the nominees that year from each category, except in Best Picture, where the group could replace up to three films to make up the final set of five nominated films. Like past retrospective episodes, it was a fascinating, fun conversation including spirited debates, alliances, vote swinging, celebrating various movies, performances that aren't normally talked about and more that we all hope you enjoy. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h44m. We will be back in next week to talk about the latest film from the MCU, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and talk about the best films of 2026 so far. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 165 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter to discuss the first film in their Jane Campion series, Sweetie (1989). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. In the same week the boys say goodbye to the Christopher Nolan series, their next adventure begins as they make their way back to New Zealand to cover the films of a singular voice in cinema, Jane Campion. Known for make films about female expression, rebellion, awakenings, and how women's roles change over time, Campion is an essential director the guys knew they had to talk about, and all her themes come to form one way or another in Sweetie, which covers two sisters that are polar opposite of one another, with the titular character going through their own emotional breakdown due to the siblings' family dynamics. Ryan and Jay break down their thoughts on the film, their relationship with Campion's filmography, the point of view as a storyteller, and how this all relates to her promising, haunting first film. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h04m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Jane Campion with a review of her next film, An Angel at My Table. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 354 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello is joined by Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade, and Mark Johnson, aka The Awards Alchemist, to chat about the lineup for the 83rd Venice International Film Festival and to share their first Oscar podcast predictions for Adapted and Original Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Picture.  First, they dive into Venice's world premieres, including Wild Horse Nine, Primetime, and Bucking Fastard. Does this lineup look a little bit lackluster compared to previous editions? The group gives an overview of how they think this lineup (plus early announcements for TIFF and NYFF) could shape the Telluride lineup and the rest of the season.   Then, they take a look at four major Oscar categories, the likely nominees, and early possible winners. They discuss the dominance of Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, contenders from the Cannes Film Festival, potential lone writing nominees, and other unseen films that could crash the party. Other films mentioned include Dune: Part Three, Project Hail Mary, La Bola Negra, Fjord, Minotaur, The Invite, Club Kid and more.  You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, SoundCloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, YouTube, and more. This podcast runs 1 hr and 35 min. We will be back next week with an Oscar retrospective of the 79th Academy Awards. Until then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 164 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by AwardsWatch Editor In Chief Erik Anderson and Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello to discuss the last and latest film in their Christopher Nolan series, The Odyssey (2026). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. How does Nolan follow up the most commercially, critically successful film of his career that landed him onto of the cinematic world and landed him two Oscars? You get a blank check to create your version of the oldest story ever told, The Odyssey, and you spare no expense in make a grand epic that rivals all other blockbuster released this year. In doing this, Nolan has conjured up another monumental, technical achievement, one that audiences are already obsessing over, seeing in the largest formats they can find. But is the film worth the hype? Ryan, Jay, Erik, and Sophia break down their complicated thoughts on Nolan's latest, why it's the perfect "Nolan film" and a clumsy adaptation, what the film's themes are, how gives the best and worst performances in the film, their favorite scenes, just how smelly is must've been inside that Trojan horse, and the logistics of The Odyssey's popcorn bucket. Ryan and Jay also give out their final Nolan rankings as well as preview their next director series. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 3h07m. The guys will be back later this week to begin their series on the films of Jane Campion with a review of her first film, Sweetie. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 163 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by AwardsWatch Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello to discuss the next film in their Christopher Nolan series, Oppenheimer (2023). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. In 2023, there was no bigger cinematic event that double feature of Greta Gerwig's Barbie and Nolan's Oppenheimer, each dominating the box office and culture for the entire summer. But as the year went on, it was clear, Nolan's historical, biopic epic was something more than his average popcorn film, but the epic of our time following the man who created the atomic bomb, thus it leads Nolan to not only to one of his most celebrated films to date, and a film of the decade candidate, but Oscar dominance as he reigned supreme over Hollywood and cemented his case the major filmmaker of his time. Ryan, Jay, and Sophia break down their thoughts on Oppenheimer, the questions of morality the film asks, the horror Nolan shows in the aftermath of testing the bomb, the structure of the "fission" and "fusion" storylines, Nolan's cynicism over humanity, the incredible work by all of his artisans, the brilliant performances from Cillian Murphy and the entire ensemble, and how this became one of the most rewatchable films of the decade so far but also one of the most vital films in the modern era. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 3h07m. The guys will be back next week to conclude their series on the films of Christopher Nolan with a review of his new film, The Odyssey. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 353 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson, Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello, and AwardsWatch contributors Mark Johnson, Josh Parham, and Karen Peterson come together for part two of their Best Supporting Actress Oscar winner tier ranking. In the second part of the Best Actress tier rankings (listen to Part One here), the team return to the scene of the crime from last week to rank the remaining 45 Oscar winning performances, and discuss where they place them in their all-ranking. In trying to place these winners in the correct spot, the team had to come together and decide on whether to place these performances in the S (all-time winner), A, B, C, D, or F tier and explain the ranking. For the first time in the tier ranking episodes, the performances have been randomized, making the show even more unpredictable as to who will be covered from the list of winners on this episode. Also, the team has instituted two rules that include only 12 winners (when looking at percentages vs whole numbers compared to Best Actress, the group added two by the end of the episode) being able to be in the "S tier" and if an actress has multiple wins, only one of their wins can make it into the 12. Some of the winners ranked on this week's episode are Eva Marie Saint (On the Waterfront), Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls), Viola Davis (Fences), Mo'Nique (Precious), Meryl Streep (Kramer vs Kramer), Jane Darwell (The Grapes of Wrath), Amy Madigan (Weapons), two wins for Dianne Wiest (Hannah and Her Sisters, Bullets Over Broadway), Whoopi Goldberg (Ghost), and more. By the end of the episode, some of the wildest takes of the episode start coming out, so you will want to listen all the way to the end to hear them; it's lot of fun. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 4h46m. We will be back in next week for a special episode Director Watch, where co-hosts Ryan and Jay, alongside some guests, review the final film of their Christopher Nolan series and his latest epic, The Odyssey. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 162 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by the host of The Waffle Press Movie Podcast, Diego Crespo to discuss the next film in their Christopher Nolan series, Tenet (2020). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. We live in a twilight world, or should we say, we live in a Nolan's world, and we are lucky to be living in it where films like Tenet are getting made. In an attempt to make his own spy film, Nolan creates an uncompromising, complex, loose thriller about an unnamed secret agent working to take down a rich, Russian billionaire who has discovered objects from the future and brought them to the past to end the world as we know it. Along the way, our Protagonist enlists the help of our villain's wife and a fellow spy (unknowing it's his best bud) and with just the titular word as his guild, doors open to a puzzle he finds himself at the center of. Complicated, confusing, and downright brilliant, Nolan stops explaining everything in this film, instead, opting for the audience to "just feel it" and make a film off good vibes and technical wonder; and doing so, made one of his best films. Ryan, Jay, and Diego break down their love of this film, when they saw it and how they saw if given the COVID-19 virus, and it's questionable release schedule, Kenneth Branagh's accent, the use of Elizabeth Debicki's height, what Hollywood is going to do with John David Washington, how good looking Aaron Taylor-Johnson is, what makes a modern movie 5 stars on Letterboxd, their excitement over the phrase "temporal pincer movement," if they like hot sauce with their meals, and whether the movie makes sense and if that even matters at all. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h50m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Christopher Nolan with a review of his next film, Oppenheimer. You can stream it on Peacock or rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 352 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson, Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello, and AwardsWatch contributors Mark Johnson and Josh Parham, for part one of their long-awaited Best Supporting Actress Oscar winner tier ranking. It's that time of year for the AW team to dive deep into a two-part tier ranking episode. After doing Best Actress last year, the team moves on from those fiery episodes to the another popular category; Best Supporting Actress and its 90 winners. In trying to place these winners in the correct spot, the team had to come together and decide on whether to place these performances in the S (all-time winner), A, B, C, D, or F tier and explain the ranking. Only 45 of the winners are discussed on this episode, with the rest covered next week. For these Supporting Actress tier ranking episodes, the performances have been randomized, making the show unpredictable as to who will be covered from the list of winners on this episode. Also, the team has instituted two rules that include only 10 winners being able to be in the "S tier" (since the supporting categories weren't added until the 9th Academy Awards) and if an actress has multiple wins, only one of their wins can make it into the 10. It adds a fun wrinkle for the team to try and figure out when they get to their final rankings. Some of the winning performances discussed on this show were Catherine Zeta-Jones (Chicago), Renée Zellweger (Cold Mountain), Melissa Leo (The Fighter), Hattie McDaniel (Gone with the Wind), Rita Moreno (West Side Story), Jamie Lee Curtis (Everything Everywhere All at Once), Judi Dench (Shakespeare in Love), Ruth Gordon (Rosemary's Baby), and more. It may only be part one, but it's a great episode and we hope you all enjoy it and listen next week to part two. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 4h15m. We will be back in next week for part two of our Best Supporting Actress tier rankings. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 351 of the AwardsWatch podcast, TV Editor Tyler Doster is joined by Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson to predict the Emmy nominations that will come out on Wednesday, July 8, announced by Emmy winners Jeff Hiller and Liza Colón-Zayas.  The AW duo provided predictions for 78th Primetime Emmy Award nominations in series and performance categories and dabble with possibilities in writing and directing. The two discuss the likelihood of The Pitt sweeping nominations, how Hacks could get more noms than ever before, and how anthology series' like Monster and Love Story will affect the race. Going through each of these categories, the two provide their picks for who they think will grab nominations and who else is in the running for each category. Listen along to find out who they think will make the cut, and who will be left out. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h33m. We will be back after the holiday weekend with part one of our Best Supporting Actress Oscar tier ranking. Till then, let's get into it.

On episode 161 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by AwardsWatch contributor Trace Sauveur to discuss the next film in their Christopher Nolan series, Dunkirk (2017). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision-making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. After Nolan's epic space family drama, the director looked to his other home country of England to take a look at one of the most important moments of humanity within World War II with Dunkirk. Instead of making a sweeping war picture, Nolan strips everything down to the visuals, uses three different sections of time, and splices them together to create the tension, fear of these men stranded on a beach within looking distance of home. In doing this, he created an undeniable masterpiece that took away some of his bad habits and makes a lean film that feels like an action set piece all the way through. Ryan, Jay, and Trace break down their thoughts on the film, Hoyte van Hoytema first collaboration with Nolan, each section of the war, how awesome Tom Hardy is in the plane we see in the film, the acting of Harry Styles, the sound work, and Jay's continued quest to remind us all that WWII is still underrated when we talk about important events in the world. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h04m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Christopher Nolan with a review of his next film, Tenet. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 350 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson and AwardsWatch contributor Josh Parham to go back 45 years and take a look at the 54th Academy Awards, covering the films of 1981. The AW team goes back nearly fifty years to a year dominated by a group of young men running on the beach to the score of Vangelis, as Chariots of Fire took down Reds and Raiders of the Lost Ark to win Hollywood's top prize. In the same year, the four acting Oscars went to some of the eldest group of winners in Oscar history, performers who won late in their careers instead of for their best work. In this year at the theaters, genre reigned supreme and was discussed at length on this episode, with films like Escape from New York, The Road Warrior, Body Heat, An American Werewolf in London, Dragonslayer, Excalibur, Polyester were discussed alongside films like Arthur, The Great Muppet Caper, Thief, Blow Out, Mommie Dearest, Prince of the City as films to highlight from this bountiful year of cinema. In their in-depth discussion, the AW team talked about the film year of 1981, briefly discuss talk about Chariots of Fire as a Best Picture winner, and how that speaks to the legacy of their nominates and or wins, do an extensive conversation over the below the line categories and nominees for the year, and then the new version of the AW Shoulda Woulda Coulda game, where instead of individual replacements, they must decide as a group who the nominees and winners should be in the top eight categories. The rules of the game state they can only replace two of the nominees that year from each category, except in Best Picture, where the group could replace up to three films to make up the final set of five nominated films. Like past retrospective episodes, it was a fascinating, fun conversation including spirited debates, alliances, vote swinging, celebrating various movies, performances that aren't normally talked about and more that we all hope you enjoy. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h22m. We will be back in next week for part one of our Best Supporting Actress Tier Ranking. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 160 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by AwardsWatch contributors Cody Dericks and Josh Parham to discuss the next film in their Christopher Nolan series, Interstellar (2014). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision-making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. After hanging up his cape and cowl Dark Knight pictures, Nolan set his sight on the stars, for a space epic that defined a generations taste in cinema. With Interstellar, the famed director takes us on a trip through time and space with a rescue mission to save the human population as Earth slowly dying and decaying. In this trip through a wormhole to investigate prospective, future inhabitance, one engineer (and former pilot) will stop at nothing to finding a solution to not only save humanity, but his family he left back on Earth. In making this bold, ambitious film, Nolan created his most emotional, thrilling, technically daring film of his career so far, but much like Inception, had detractors who took issue with the explanation of the science in the film, as well as feeling emotionally manipulated by the film's ending. Ryan, Jay, Cody, and Josh break down both sides of the Interstellar argument, why they love or dislike it, the score from Hans Zimmer, the use of time in the ending, the film's set piece, the importance of the McConaissance, Anne Hathaway's speech about love, a few impressions of Michael Caine, and why this film is the one that resonates the most with younger cinephiles. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h32m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Christopher Nolan with a review of his next film, Dunkirk. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 349 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch contributor Trace Sauveur to give their thoughts on the latest film from Pixar, Toy Story 5. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. This podcast runs 1h25m. We will be back next week with an Oscar retrospective over the 54th Academy Awards, covering the films of 1981. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 159 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by Trey Flynn of The Extra Credits podcast to discuss the next film in their Christopher Nolan series, The Dark Knight Rises (2012). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. Riding high off the success of his two biggest films to date, Nolan went back to the world of Gotham City to conclude his Dark Knight trilogy with a full circle, political warfare, myth busting epic, settling one and for all his ties to the genre, while deconstructing what it means to put on the mask, and how does one carry on a legacy when faced with so much pain. After the death of actor Heath Ledger, it took a lot for Nolan to step back into his vision of Batman, but with the help of two memorable villains, and leaning into the political, social aspects found in the first film, he left the franchise on a financial high, with some questionable story choices that have aged well for some (Trey) and no so much for others (Ryan and Jay). Controversial, dated, unique, The Dark Knight Rises ends Nolan's superhero vision on his own terms, for better or for worse. The guys and their guest break down their thoughts on the film, what worked for them and what didn't, the appeal of Anne Hathaway, Nolan's use of the original characters throughout the third film, how radical or dull the film's politics are, the choices Bruce makes throughout the film, the puzzling ending, the opening plane sequence, and plenty of Bane voice impressions. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h47m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Christopher Nolan with a review of his next film, Interstellar. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 348 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch contributors Mark Johnson and Cody Dericks to give their thoughts on the latest film from director Steven Spielberg, Disclosure Day. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. This podcast runs 1h07m. We will be back next week with a review of the latest film from Pixar, Toy Story 5. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 158 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by AwardsWatch contributor Griffin Schiller discuss the next film in their Christopher Nolan series, Inception (2010). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. How does someone follow up one of the most popular, important films of the last 25 years? Make one of the most original films of a generation, as Nolan cashed in his blank check from The Dark Knight to create a heist, action film set within the world of people's dreams. Inception became the next obsession for audiences, fully trusting Nolan to take them on a thrilling ride, making him more than just the guy who can director the Batman films, but a filmmaker that conjures up event films that every needs to see urgently once they are released. Over time, Inception has become, for people like Griffin, an important piece of art that has shaped their movie-going experience, or for Ryan and Jay, a nostalgic experience that's legacy is complicated due to its pacing issues and over-explanations; thus making for an episode where a balanced conversation over this complicated movie takes place. Ryan, Jay, and Griffin break down their thoughts on the film, when and where they saw it, Nolan's action set pieces in the film, DiCaprio's involvement in the making of the film, what ultimately works and doesn't work inside the film, and if Nolan should ever make a Bond film. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h27m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Christopher Nolan with a review of his next film, The Dark Knight Rises. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 347 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch contributor Josh Parham to give their thoughts various films playing in theaters right now that include Obsession, Backrooms, Masters of the Universe, Blue Heron, Blue Film, and I Love Boosters. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h28m. We will be back next week with a review of the latest film from legendary director Steven Spielberg, Disclosure Day. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 157 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by founder and podcast host at InSession Film JD Duran and Editor-In-Chief of InSession Film Dave Giannini discuss the next film in their Christopher Nolan series, The Dark Knight (2008). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. In what might be the single most important film of the 21st century for blockbuster filmmaking, The Dark Knight turned Christopher Nolan into the legend, iconic filmmaker he is today, creating a comic book, action packed crime thriller that elevated the entire genre, creating a film that audiences would obsess over for decades to come; the definitive comic book movie. With an all-time performance from the late Heath Ledger, Nolan upped the stakes of this second Batman film to be more about the fight to save soul of Gotham City, and gain hope in the future beyond the capes and clowns, and created a epic masterpiece. Ryan, Jay, JD, and Dave break down their thoughts on the film, the action set pieces, the battles for Gotham with our flawed heroes, Ledger's iconic Joker, the special effects work on Two-Face, the legacy of this film and why it's (more or less) aged so well. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h53m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Christopher Nolan with a review of his next film, Inception. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 346 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson and AwardsWatch contributors Dan Bayer, Mark Johnson, and Josh Parham to go back 15 years and take a look at the 84th Academy Awards, covering the films of 2011. On this week's retrospective, the AW team returns from Cannes to take a look back at the 84th Oscars, one that was known for having a great selection of films to choose from that the Academy decided to mostly ignore for more middle of the road, safer choices. This lead to a winner that is not remembered as much for a film that defined the year, both from a critical and commercial aspect, and also lead to one of the worst wins in the Best Actress category. So given the nature of the show and the game played by the AW team, change is a coming for 2011, as the following films were mentioned over the courses of lengthy discussions over every category; Weekend, Contagion, Shame, Melancholia, Crazy Stupid Love, Take Shelter, Killer Joe, The Skin I Live In, 50/50, as well as films that were already nominees getting more love like Moneyball, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Warrior, The Tree of Life, Drive, Bridesmaids, and more. In their in-depth discussion, the AW team talked about the film year of 2011, briefly discuss talk about The Artist as a Best Picture winner, and how that speaks to the legacy of their nominates and or wins, do an extensive conversation over the below the line categories and nominees for the year, and then the new version of the AW Shoulda Woulda Coulda game, where instead of individual replacements, they must decide as a group who the nominees and winners should be in the top eight categories. The rules of the game state they can only replace two of the nominees that year from each category, except in Best Picture, where the group could replace up to four films to make up the final set of five nominated films. Like past retrospective episodes, it was a fascinating, fun conversation including spirited debates, alliances, vote swinging, celebrating various movies, performances that aren't normally talked about and more that we all hope you enjoy. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h52m. We will be back in next week for a review round-up episode discussing some of the newest releases in theaters like Obsession, Backrooms, Masters of the Universe, Power Ballad, Blue Film, Blue Heron, and more. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 156 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by film critic Jake Tropila discuss the next film in their Christopher Nolan series, The Prestige (2006). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to break down, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. Just a year after dazzling audiences with Batman Begins, Nolan returned with a film that would become one of the best films of his career, about two magicians dueling each other for the right to produce not only the best magic trick of all time, but to be the last man standing in a feud that costs more than anyone could imagine. In being a film about filmmaking as well as a stellar adaptation of the Christopher Priest novel, Nolan made his darkest, most cynical film to date; a twisted tale about the sacrifices it takes to create art, and the obsession that consumes someone when they are close to reaching an immortality level of fame. Ryan, Jay, and Jake break down their thoughts on the film, how much The Prestige is a cousin to Memento in terms of tone, where Christian Bale is within his career, why Hugh Jackman has never delivered a better performance than this, the power of David Bowie, the horrid accent of Scarlett Johansson, the logic of the film's twist, the wild differences between the film and the original novel, and if seeing/knowing a film's twist helps or hurts a film's rewatchability. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h15m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Christopher Nolan with a review of his next film, The Dark Knight. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 345 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson and AwardsWatch Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello to break down their favorite films of the 79th Cannes Film Festival, the winners of the In Competition prizes, and what they might mean going forward this coming award season. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h31m. We will be back next week with an Oscar retrospective over the 84th Academy Awards, covering the films of 2011. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 155 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by podcaster, film critic Bob Goochman discuss the next film in their Christopher Nolan series, Batman Begins (2005). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. In the summer of 2005, Warner Brothers took the risk of handing over the world of Batman to Christopher Nolan, hoping he could revive a franchise that leaned too much into the cheesy nature of the Schumacher era, and had run the character into a bit of a joke on the big screen. With Nolan at the helm, he created a comic book film set in a world not too different than ours, and allowed for us to go on an emotional, action packed journey not just with the Caped Crusader, but with his real identity, Bruce Wayne. In doing this, Nolan delivered a massively entertaining blockbuster that would elevate his status to another level than what he was before, and showed he could handle such a monumental task; thus he never stopped making films of this size again. Ryan, Jay, and the Gooch break down their thoughts on the film, why the Batman property got stuck, Nolan's vision and version of Gotham City, how scary the film is at times, the use of mostly unknown villains at the time, the acting of Christian Bale and Katie Homes, and that epic reveal of the Joker card at the end of the film, signaling something grand is on its way. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h49m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Christopher Nolan with a review of his next film, The Prestige. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 154 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by Pop Culture Confidential host Christina Jeurling Birro discuss the next film in their Christopher Nolan series, Insomnia (2002). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. What does one do after making their big breakthrough? For Christopher Nolan, it was his chance to step up another level and work on a American remake of the 1997 Norwegian film of the same name, Insomnia, which follows a washed up cop investigating a murder case in a small town, stuck in a web of lies connected to his past mistakes and getting tangled in a cat and mouse game with a smart criminal who wants to get away with the crime they've committed. Obsessed with the original when he was making Following, the young director set out to make his version of the modern cautionary crime tale, which for the guys and Christina seems like a misstep for him following his monumental statement of Memento. Ryan, Jay, and Christina break down their thoughts on the film, their connection with the original, the sleepiness of Al Pacino (with an impression by Ryan once or twice on the show), the dramatic work of Robin Williams, the appeal of Hilary Swank, not being able to sleep with the lights on, and how this is the least "Nolan" movie of his filmography, both in good ways and mostly bad ways. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h041m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Christopher Nolan with a review of his next film, Batman Begins. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 153 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter discuss the next film in their Christopher Nolan series, Memento (2001). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. After making his debut film and showcasing it at film festivals around the world, Christopher Nolan caught the attention of audiences and studios, given small prizes and a chance to level up with his next film with resources needed to make his latest mind trip work. In getting those resources, he was able to make Memento, a crime thriller spliced together within the present and the past that showcases a broken man recreating a mystery over and over again to run away from the trauma he inflicted years ago. With this second feature, Nolan announced himself as a force to be reckoned with, as Memento is a deeply personal, heartbreaking looking in the mind of someone who simple wants to forget. Ryan and Jay break down their thoughts on the film, Leonard's secrets past and his plan to keep his secrets at bay, Nolan's use of black and white photography mixed with the scenes of color and how they play with time, the incredible performance of Guy Pearce, and the morality found within the shocking ending. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h05m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Christopher Nolan with a review of his next film, Insomnia. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 344 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson, AwardsWatch Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello, and Pop Culture Confidential's Christina Birro to preview the 79th Cannes Film Festival and discuss the dramatic new rules set forth by the Academy last week for the upcoming Oscars and beyond. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h05m. We will be back next week with a live episode from the 79th Cannes Film Festival talking about the highlights of the first weeks of films. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 343 of the AwardsWatch podcast, Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson is joined by Associate TV Editor Karen Peterson to review the spring blockbuster sequel The Devil Wears Prada 2, starring Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci. It's been 20 years since we spent time with Miranda Priestly, Andy Sachs, Emily Charlton and Nigel Kipling and it's been well worth the wait. In this spoiler-filled review of the sequel to the 2006 hit, Erik and Karen talk about what the first film means to them, how successful the sequel is to follow up their story, the choice to focus on the state of journalism not just in the digital age but in the age of disappearing jobs in the industry, the new fashion and much more. Written review here: https://awardswatch.com/the-devil-wears-prada-2-review-the-long-awaited-sequel-proves-that-fashion-is-always-in-vogue-b/ You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h8m. We will be back later this week with an episode of Director Watch, where Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter will be continuing their Christopher Nolan series with a review of his film, Memento (2000). Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 152 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter discuss the first film in their Christopher Nolan series, Following (1998). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to break down, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. At our current moment in cinema history, there is no other living director that compares to Christopher Nolan; he reigns supreme. In making some of the most memorable, eventful, successful films of the last 30 years, it was only a matter of time before Ryan and Jay tackled his filmography, and in doing so, they must start all the way back at the beginning, where Nolan lacked the resources he has today, making a noir thriller (on the weekends while working his day job) about a man who follows people and ends up following the wrong person down a rabbit hole of con artistry at its finest. A very small debut for Nolan that laid out the good and the bad tendencies that would be discovered about the famed director over the course of his bigger projects. Ryan and Jay break down their thoughts on the film, the smaller scale and scope compared to his bigger projects, their relationships with Nolan as a director, the lack of momentum in the film's story and pace, and how, in this early era of his filmography, Nolan will never get back to this small size of filmmaking ever again. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h44m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Christopher Nolan with a review of his next film, Memento. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it.  Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 151 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter discuss the last film in their Charles Burnett series, The Annihilation of Fish (1999). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to break down, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. After making a wild turn with The Glass Shield in 1994, Burnett went back to his roots, making a smaller indie drama about two people who are polar opposites that fall in love. The Annihilation of Fish is another gem from the director, exploring love at an older age, the effects of mental health on the lonely, and how hard it must feel to grow old alone; a thought too painful to even think about. Ryan and Jay break down their thoughts on the film, the performances of Lynn Redgrave and James Earl Jones, how The Annihilation of Fish fits within the themes of the series so far, give their rankings for the series, as well as tease what their next film series is going to be. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h28m. The guys will be back next week to begin their series on the films of Christopher Nolan with a review of his film, Following. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 150 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter discuss the next film in their Charles Burnett series, To Sleep with Anger (1990). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. After breaking through with Killer of Sheep and My Brother's Wedding, Burnett made a massive statement, and the best film of his career, with To Sleep with Anger. In following a family whose world is rocked by an old friend coming in and turning their world dangerously upside down, the director chose to explore the internal emotions of those closest in our lives, and how we've spent years building up anger, resentment, jealousy, rage within ourselves, only for our worst impulses to come out when pushed to expose them. Darkly funny and harrowing, Burnett made an independent film statement that defined the time, and his career. Ryan and Jay break down the film, their thoughts on Danny Glover's performance, how this film mirrors Burnett's past work, the families battle with the good and the evil, seeing their world through the eyes of a child, and how the indie film world looked like in the 1990s. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AwardsWatch YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h19m. The guys will be back next week to conclude their series on the films of Charles Burnett with a review of his film, The Annihilation of Fish. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 342 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello to give their thoughts on the news out of CinemaCon, and then give a review of David Lowery's latest film, Mother Mary, starring Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h52m. We will be back later this week with an episode of Director Watch, where Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter will be wrapping up their Charles Burnett film series with a review of his film, The Annihilation of Fish (1999). Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 341 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive TV Editor Tyler Doster is joined by AwardsWatch Editor-in-Chief Erik Anderson and Associate TV Editor Karen Peterson for a quick dive into the shows that could possibly make waves at the Emmys. We look into Lead and Series categories for Drama, Comedy, and Limited Series with a round-up of potential nominees in each, with a bit into the supporting categories for drama to wrap up.  Some of the series' in contention this year and discussed on this podcast are Half Man (HBO), Beef (Netflix), Hacks (HBO Max), The Comeback (HBO), Rooster (HBO), Nobody Wants This (Netflix), A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (HBO), Margo's Got Money Troubles (AppleTV), The Pitt (HBO Max), Pluribus (AppleTV), The Testaments (Hulu), and The Diplomat (Netflix). Also mentioned is the upcoming Netflix film Remarkably Bright Creatures, starring Sally Field.  You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h5m. We will be back for deeper Emmy dives next month and with a review of the new David Lowery film Mother Mary, starring Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel, this week. Until then, let's dive in. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 149 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter discuss the first film in their Charles Burnett series, Killer of Sheep (1978). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. Over the course of time, cinema of various time periods that was once considered lost is remastered, reborn, and reexamined as they reenter the public conscience. For the case of director Charles Burnett, this has been true as his films have been restored to their former glory on physical media over the last couple of years, thus giving the DW boys the opportunity to tackle a vital African-American voice who made films about the structure of family, the innocence of the youth within the black community, and finding the emotions with characters that deal with real life problems. With the case of his debut film, Killer of Sheep, Burnett examined the life of a weary slaughterhouse worker whose family life is slowly being tested every single day; it's impressive debut, one that still resonates to this day. Ryan and Jay break down the film, its themes on family dynamics, the innocence of a child, the incorporation of Italian neorealism with the narrative, their favorite shots within the film, as well as a discussion as to who the best professional athlete is in the world right now. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h19m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Charles Burnett with a review of the film, To Sleep With Anger. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

Back in 2021 I proclaimed in my review of The Green Knight that writer-director David Lowery was "the great American director of his generation;" a statement that holds even stronger weight given the rising talent behind the camera in modern filmmaking. With his latest film, Mother Mary, Lowery gives this writer enough ammunition to back up that proclamation as he's created yet another bold, poppy, hypnotic drama that could only come from the mind of a special, singular talent; a master of the artform. Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin as the eldest of nine children, Lowery and his family moved to Texas in his youth, and where he and his family still reside today. His curiosity for film sprung at a young age, with the director making his first short when he was nineteen years old, and from there on, a slew of independent narrative feature films that included Deadroom, It Was Great, But I Was Ready to Come Home, and St. Nick. His breakthrough came within a two-year span, with his short film Pioneer winning the Competition and Grand Jury Award at the South by Southwest Film Festival, which lead to the release of his 2013 romantic crime drama, Ain't Them Bodies Saints, which was nominated for the Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize and garnered a Best Feature nominated at the Gotham Awards that same year. Those two projects were a springboard for Lowery into the public consciousness, as he was given bigger opportunities to explore his complex themes of humanity that lies at the core of his filmography. In 2016, he delivered the best Disney live-action adaptation yet with version of Pete's Dragon, followed up the next year the smaller, intimate yet profound meditation of the loss of someone and letting go as we enter the afterlife with A Ghost Story, and finishing this incredible three year run in 2018 with The Old Man and the Gun, a warm crime drama based on a true story that not only serves as an entertaining piece of throwback cinema, but an owe to one of the greatest actors of all time and the star of the film, Robert Redford. As we swung into the 2020s, Lowery gave us the aforementioned The Green Knight, a film I hailed as "a medieval masterpiece," and is, in my mind, one of the best films of the decade so far. He returned to Disney with a reimagining of the classic Peter Pan story with Peter Pan and Wendy, a film that may not be as successful as Pete's Dragon but it was a project Lowery found a sense of change within himself, and as he states in this interview for The Film Stage, he discovered the right amount of "courage and conviction" needed to make his latest, Mother Mary. In her review, our own Sophia Ciminello praised Lowery's film as "a beguiling, religious experience that will only get richer with the passage of time," as well as stated that just like Lowery's other standout work, "Mother Mary is about the ephemeral and the eternal, yet in an entirely new package for the filmmaker," it's another standout achievement from this visionary artist.  In a recent in-person conversation, the Mother Mary writer-director and I discussed about his origins to the project, being a massive fan of pop music, crafting this world with the film's production designer Francesca Di Mottola, as well as his work in helping the edit of the film. We also spoke about his collaborations with FKA twigs, Charli XCX, and Jack Antonoff on producing the original music in Mother Mary, molding his lead characters with his lead actresses Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel, and his thoughts on the state of independent cinema and the role he sees himself in it as the industry is in a constant state of change. This wasn't the first time the director and I met, as we first spoke at the 2024 Telluride Film Festival, where we not only share a geek out moment of being in a three-person conversation with director Alfonso Cuarón, but it was the first weekend where Lowery has seen all of the footage of Mother Mary together as one cut. At the top of the conversation lies our reunion, as well as a look into his influences on the program, ranging from The Red Shoes to Taylor Swift concerts. Only someone as special as Lowery could take the wide ranging scope of this world and make it come to life, thus continuing to be a singular talent in a time where artistic expression and creativity is vastly need.

On episode 340 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson and contributors Mark Johnson, Karen Peterson, and Josh Parham to go back 35 years and take a look at the 64th Academy Awards, covering the films of 1991. On this retrospective, the AW team takes a look back in time to when the Oscars last rewarded a film for winning the "Big Five" awards, with The Silence of the Lambs taking home Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay. In being only the third film in Oscar history to ever do that, and it being 35 years since it's big night, the wins for the film are historic, so the question would be for this episode, will The Silence of the Lambs stay a "Big Five" winner? In a wide ranging conversation, the Best Picture winner is mentioned alongside films The Prince of Tides, JFK, Beauty and the Beast, My Own Private Idaho, The Addams Family, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Cape Fear, Thelma & Louise, Boyz n the Hood, and more, as well as spicy, first time moment for the game that you'll want to listen to asap! In their in-depth discussion, the AW team talked about the film year of 1991, briefly discuss talk about The Silence of the Lambs as a Best Picture winner, and how that speaks to the legacy of their nominates and or wins, do an extensive conversation over the below the line categories and nominees for the year, and then the new version of the AW Shoulda Woulda Coulda game, where instead of individual replacements, they must decide as a group who the nominees and winners should be in the top eight categories. The rules of the game state they can only replace two of the nominees that year from each category, except in Best Picture, where the group could replace up to three films to make up the final set of five nominated films. Like past retrospective episodes, it was a fascinating, fun conversation including spirited debates, alliances, vote swinging, celebrating various movies, performances that aren't normally talked about and more that we all hope you enjoy. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h32m. We will be back in next week for a review of Mother Mary, the latest film from director David Lowery. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 148 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter discuss the final film in their Powell and Pressburger series, Peeping Tom (1960). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. After decades of working together, the Archers split up towards the end of the 1950s, ending one of the greatest cinematic partnerships of all time. For both, they went on to make more films, but none of them reached the heights of their collaborations, with Pressburger being the less successful of the duo. For Michael Powell however, he made one key piece of art from the two of them that lasted in Peeping Tom, a provocative thriller about a killer who stalks his pray and films the murders of his victims. Shocking for the time, it basically forced Powell into retirement, but is now revered as a champing of pushing the medium forward, and being a masterclass in directorial creation of tension. Ryan and Jay break down their thoughts on the film and the controversy surrounding it, the break-up of Powell and Pressburger, if the shocking nature of the film has aged well, and their complete rankings of the films of the Archers, while also previewing their next films series. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h03m. The guys will be back next week to begin their series on the films of Charles Burnett with a review of the film, Killer of Sheep. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 339 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch contributor Josh Parham discuss their spoiler-filled thoughts on the latest film from A24, Kristoffer Borgli's The Drama, starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h1m. We will be back next week with an Oscar retrospective for the 64th Academy Awards, covering the films of 1991. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 147 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by Pop Culture Confidential host Christina Jeurling Birro to discuss the latest film in their Powell and Pressburger series, The Tales of Hoffmann (1951). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to break down, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. In a massive pivot in the type of film the Arches have made before, comes the film that was the last great film from them before their partnership broke. The Tales of Hoffmann follows a poet's glamorous, gorgeous journey of recounting his past failed romances, and in doing so, the directors examine, in excellent fashion, the cost it takes to make art, and the sacrifices it takes to collects along the way. Ryan, Jay, and Christina break down their thoughts on the film, how meta the opera is for the directors, the crumbling of the Archers relationship, preview Peeping Tom, and go over the three sections of the film that make the film so elegant. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h55m. The guys will be back next week to conclude their series on the films of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger with a review of the film, Peeping Tom. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 338 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson, Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello, and AwardsWatch contributors Dan Bayer, Jay Ledbetter and Josh Parham, to go back 50 years and take a look at the 49th Academy Awards, covering the films of 1976. In this retrospective, the AW team returns from their two week break after the end of the 2025-2026 Oscar season to take a trip back 50 years to one of the most interesting ceremonies of all time; one similar to the one they just covered in more ways than one. A big, crowd pleasing film about an underdog boxer stole the heart of the Academy and audiences around the world, while the politically charged, socially relevant films walked away with the most awards on Oscar night, but missed out on the top two prizes. It was an epic battle between Rocky,All the President's Men, and Network, with Bound for Glory, Taxi Driver, Seven Beauties, Face to Face, Carrie, Marathon Man, and more honored by the Academy, with films like The Ritz, Grey Gardens, Mikey and Nicky, The Omen, The Bad News Bears, and more making up the films talked about on this show as films that could replace or be celebrated in this retrospective; highlighting a wide range of memorable titles released in 1976 that the team admire in one way or another.  In their in-depth discussion, the AW team talked about the film year of 1976, briefly discuss Rocky as a Best Picture winner, how that win speaks to the legacy of their win and the franchise, do an extensive conversation over the below the line categories and nominees for the year, and then the new version of the AW Shoulda Woulda Coulda game, where instead of individual replacements, they must decide as a group who the nominees and winners should be in the top eight categories. The rules of the game state they can only replace two of the nominees that year from each category, except in Best Picture, where the group could replace up to three films to make up the final set of five nominated films. Like past retrospective episodes, it was a fascinating, fun conversation including spirited debates, alliances, vote swinging, celebrating various movies, performances that aren't normally talked about and more that we all hope you enjoy. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h30m. We will be back next week for a review of the latest film A24, The Drama, starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 146 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by AwardsWatch Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello to discuss the latest film in their Powell and Pressburger series, The Red Shoes (1948). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to break down, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. In their most popular, acclaimed film of their career, Powell and Pressburger take a look into the competitive, obsessive world of ballet and the personal scarifies it takes to make real art. With The Red Shoes, they created another lasting masterpiece, one with a trio of incredible performances, expert dialogue, a twisted ending, and one of the greatest sequences in film history involving the titular film's ballet. Ryan, Jay, and Sophia break down their admiration for the film, the price it takes Victoria Page to become the best dancer in the world, the jealousy of Boris Lermontov, the naiveté of Julian Craster, how the duo behind the camera were able to pull off that miraculous sequence, the food, the clothing, the mixture of location shooting and sets, the process it took to preserve this film via the Criterion Collection and Martin Scorsese, and one of the biggest, longest weekly recommendations in the history of Director Watch. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. This podcast runs 2h55m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger with a review of their next film, The Tales of Hoffmann. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 145 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by Editor-In-Chief of InSession Film Dave Giannini to discuss the latest film in their Powell and Pressburger series, Black Narcissus (1947). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to break down, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. In taking a darker turn with their latest film, Powell and Pressburger explore the role of temptation, guilt has on the mind when dealing with religion in Black Narcissus. A film that is about a group of nuns coming to a small village to spread their word of god only to be internally turned upside down by the human impulses being challenged by their beliefs in god and their mission, thus leading to one of the hottest, most complex films the duo ever created. Ryan, Jay, and Dave break down their thoughts on the film, the religious conversations the film is having, how gorgeous the film is, how sexy David Farrar is as Mr. Dean, the use of color photography in the film, and a silly summer movie bet between the two co-hosts that is from a galaxy far, far away.  You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h06m. The guys will be back later this week to continue their series on the films of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger with a review of their next film, The Red Shoes. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it.  Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 144 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by film critic Jesse Nussman to discuss the latest film in their Powell and Pressburger series, A Matter of Life and Death (1946). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to break down, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. In the start of a run of episodes that will feature the guys talking about Powell and Pressburger's signature masterpieces, the Archers take a look at the power of love in the face of death and how having love can mean more than anything on this planet or in the afterlife. In a beautiful blend of black and white photography and technicolor, Powell and Pressburger delivered a cinematic statement that as long as a you have true love, nothing else matters and it's stronger than logic, reason, or whatever else you want to throw at someone when they are under the spell of love; matters of the heart mean more than matters of the brain, thus is a necessity of life. Ryan, Jay, and Jesse break down their thoughts on the film, the power of love, various iconic shots within the film, map painting, and a special Nussman surprise at the end of the episode. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h02m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger with a review of their next film, Black Narcissus. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it.  Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 337 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello and AwardsWatch contributor Josh Parham break down their reactions to the winners at the 98th Academy Awards and our newest Best Picture winner, One Battle After Another. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h46m. We will be back in two weeks with an Oscar retrospective for the 49th Academy Awards, covering the films of 1976. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 143 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter discuss the latest film in their Powell and Pressburger series, I Know Where I'm Going (1945). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to break down, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. After their expansive wartime epic, Powell and Pressburger went to Ireland to tell a love story that is more than just about finding someone to spend the rest of your life with but more so about finding who you are before you make the biggest decision of your life. Shot on and off location, I Know Where I'm Going takes the time to dive deep in these two protagonist's heads, examining their stations in life, the pasts or futures that haunt them, leading to being in each other's arms in the end that feels poetic. Ryan and Jay break down their feelings on the film, how time and love have changed them, the beautiful shots found in the film, how the directors were able to convey everything on screen when some of the actors weren't there, and how this romantic fable feels also like a ghost story at times.  You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h05m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger with a review of their next film, A Matter of Life and Death. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it.  Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 336 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson, Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello, and AwardsWatch contributor Mark Johnson to give out their final Oscar winner predictions for the 98th Academy Awards. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 3h12m. We will be back next week to give our reactions to the winners for the 98th Academy Awards. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

Since its first season premiered last January, The Pitt has been on a steep climb to being the best drama on television. Acting as a true ensemble show, every character gets their moment, however small it may feel in the moment. A sprawling cast that characterizes nurses, doctors, security guards, clerks, and patients seems unwieldy to handle, but Emmy winner Pitt actor Shawn Hatosy chose to direct an episode on top of being a guest star in the series.  Hatosy plays Dr. Jack Abbot, a night-shift attending that – we found out this season – also doubles as a field medic during the day. To hear Hatosy say it, this is Abbot's way of managing himself and his emotions, perhaps taking the suggestion of a therapist and twisting it to do something he enjoys and keeps his adrenaline pumping. Hatosy stepped into the director's chair for the ninth episode of the second season, "3:00 P.M." Though Hatosy doesn't have as much screen time as the regular ensemble, he makes his own impact with this episode, as "3:00 P.M." travels through the emergency department struggling with technology woes due to a potential cyberattack, Mel's sister showing up with her own ailment, a young boy who has blown off two of his fingers, and a cancer patient at wit's end.  Hatosy gets to show his commitment to camera choreography and blocking during the episode, the camera fluidly moving throughout, fast enough for the audience to suffer whiplash as the patients pour in and the day gets more difficult. As an actor (and former director on Animal Kingdom) on the show, he was already familiar with the planning that would be needed to get every part precise. The episode is tightly constructed and introduces the beginning of the end of the day, moving quickly but never rushed, every minute moving quicker than the last. The episode ends by introducing a major disaster that could influence the rest of the season: a waterpark slide has collapsed, and we all know where any potential patients will be going.  I spoke to Hatosy about getting the camera and blocking just right, setting up new relationships on the show, his preparation for directing "3:00 P.M." and how he's affected by the online community that loves him. 

On episode 142 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by film critic Bilge Ebiri discuss the latest film in their Powell and Pressburger series, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. The latest film in the boy's P&P series is a showcase of when filmmakers don't go for propaganda, and instead try to tell a version of their own truth. During WWII, the filmmaking duo did films for audience's tailor-made to provoke the political agenda of their country. For The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, they take a look inward at their own countrymen and system and how destructive is has been on the war as much as the enemies they are fighting across Europe, even making our protagonists best friend a German character, causing uproar about the inclusion of someone for whom the world was morally against. In doing this, they created one of their defining masterpieces where their thesis lies in someone who has given their whole life to fighting for their country, all for their wisdom and talent to be washed away as a new generation rises up, a brilliant work. Ryan, Jay, and Bilge break down their thoughts on the film, laserdisc physical media, the idea on romance at the heart of our main trio, showing no violence in a war picture, the films ending, and much more. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h33m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger with a review of their next film, I Know Where I'm Going. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 335 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch Editor-In Chief Erik Anderson and AwardsWatch contributor Josh Parham to discuss The Actor Award and 2026 PGA Award winners, and what these wins mean going into the final days of Oscar voting. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h17m. We will be back next week to give out our final winner predictions for the 98th Academy Awards. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 141 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter discuss the first film in their Powell and Pressburger series, 49th Parallel aka The Invaders (1942). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to break down, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. Known as the most influential director duo of all time, and the greatest British filmmakers not named Hitchcock, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger were a powerhouse team in their era, creating some of the richest films of their time that have aged impeccably. But you don't have to tell the Director Watch hosts this because they've covered these filmmakers before on a previous series, on their old show. That was during the pandemic, and now they have had time to settle on their motion pictures, and seen them multiple times, and thought it would be a wonderful chance to go back and review these films under a now familiar lens. In the first entry into their series, they take a look at their 1941 war picture (released in 1942 in the U.S.), where the duo subverts the expectations of the audience, and force us to examine a group of "protagonists" that were rather unconventional at the time; a group of Nazis on the run, attempting to cross into the then-neutral United States. Ryan and Jay breakdown their thoughts on the film, their vast respect for Powell and Pressburger, their use of the Germans as the main characters, the propaganda within films during the war, and the amazing talents of Leslie Howard, Laurence Olivier, Anton Walbrook; the latter who will be mentioned much more throughout this series. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. This podcast runs 1h54m. The guys will be back next week to begin their series on the films of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger with a review of their next film, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it.  Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 334 of the AwardsWatch Podcast, Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson is joined by Executive Editor Ryan McQuade and Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello to break down the winners of the 79th BAFTA Film Awards. Recorded minutes after the BAFTA ceremony, the details of the horrible incident involving Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo being hurled slurs by Tourette's Syndrome advocate and subject of the BAFTA-winning film I Swear were not available and therefore not heavily discussed at risk of misinformed or misinformation. The full details are available in the BAFTA winners write-up, which was updated this morning. The team opens with a healthy amount of time on the two supporting wins for Sean Penn (One Battle After Another) and Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners) and how that may have tipped us off on the upcoming SAG Awards and potential Oscar winners. Going deeper, we look at the haul of both One Battle (6) and Sinners (3) as the Oscar frontrunners and how the surprise Best Actor win for Robert Aramayo impacts that Oscar race. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, and more. You can also listen to it on our AwardsWatch YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h28m. We'll be back next week for a post-PGA and post-SAG Actor Awards reaction. Til then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).