The Rolling Tape

In our second Women in Film Spotlight for Ladies Night, we delve into the career of Kelly Reichardt spotlighting two of her films: First Cow and The Mastermind. Both films reflect her unique storytelling style of slow cinema that challenges conventional narratives while exploring profound themes related to the human experience. First Cow transports us to the early 19th century, where a cook and a Chinese immigrant form an unlikely partnership to steal milk from a prized cow while The Mastermind introduces us to a failed architect who, despite having a family and a home, engages in a more ambitious heist of stealing art.On this episode:Sara CiplickasClaire May Lewis Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

See our live Fantasy results here on our website.We're taking a bit of a pause from our ongoing Oscar predictions to revisit the Oscar Contenders Fantasy Draft we started back in April. A group of us drafted films we believed would be major awards contenders, and we accumulate points based on each film's performance at the box office, critics' and audience reception, and the potential precursors and Oscar nominations they'll earn later in the season.We each started with eight films during our initial draft on April 1. We followed that up with an episode on June 3, where we assessed the fallout from the Cannes Film Festival and how the reception there affected our picks. Some movies had been pushed to next year, so we decided to implement a convoluted system of trades. We dropped certain films we weren't confident in and introduced a system where portions of a film's point performance could be traded as assets in order to upgrade our rosters. We also added an additional film to everyone's draft, bringing each of us up to nine picks. This will be our final opportunity to upgrade our teams by drafting a new film and making more trades and exchanges to maximize our potential point values.Once the drafts are locked, we won't be able to make any further changes. From there, we'll have to face the harsh realities of awards season and see how our picks actually perform. We won't know the final winner until Oscar nomination morning, when the final piece of the puzzle falls into place and we see which films receive nominations and how those nominations affect everyone's scores.We'll touch base on the status of our picks throughout the season, but today is our last chance to spice things up, make some trades, and cause even more mayhem and headaches for everyone involved.On this episode:Danny JarabekPaul RaiGabe LillianthalJacob DiedenhoferOur teams after the last negotiations:Gabe:The OdysseyGodzilla: Minus ZeroWild Horse NineDisclosure DayWerwulfAvengers: DoomsdayParallel TalesI Love BoostersResident EvilDanny:Project Hail MaryDune: Part ThreeFjordJosephineClub KidThe Social ReckoningFatherlandSpider-Man: Brand New DayHopePaul:DiggerPossible LoveAll of a SuddenLa Bola NegraThe InviteToy Story 5Behemoth!The DebutObsessionJacob:Paper Tiger Saturn ReturnThe Adventures of Cliff BoothMichaelTonyThe End of Oak StreetClarissaAnimalsWildwood Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

Instead of stepping inside the Insidious franchise this weekend with Insidious: Out of the Further, we’re switching it up here today because summer is winding down, and also we make the rules here. Rather than our typical review of one movie, we are reviewing four that have stood out to our team over the past couple of months that we have not talked about in-depth on prior review episodes, including Maddie’s Secret, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, Tony, and It Ends.We’ll do this in a speed run format reviewing each in short 15-20 minute sections and wrap up by previewing the fall festivals including Venice, TIFF, and NYFF.Our pre-episode Patreon exclusive conversation features:Whalefall trailerWild Horse Nine Oscar prospectsWildwood trailer live reactionOn this episode:Adam Patla Danny JarabekJoshua Mbonu Mariana Fabian Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

It’s been six years since the idea for It Ends entered writer-director Alex Ullom’s brain. The “hangout horror” film played the festival circuit, where it generated considerable buzz (you can read our team’s review from last year’s Chicago Critics Fest here). It then went on to be one of the first films available on the Letterboxd Video Store. Neon subsequently scooped the film for theatrical release which brings us here. Ullom has dubbed It Ends as “hangout horror,” blending suffocating horror with the heart of a summer coming-of-age story. He joins Adam Patla to discuss the making of the film, conceptualizing the rules of an endless road scenario, and the personality dynamics between the characters in the Jeep.It Ends is now playing in select cities and playing everywhere August 28th. You can check out our full interview with Alex Ullom here. (SPOILER WARNING FROM 4:20 - 5:48)Follow our interviewee online:Alex Ullom InstagramFollow our interview host:Adam PatlaSupport the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

Is it another day of sun? Or is there someone in the crowd on this lovely night, as a city of stars shines bright for those who dare to dream? If that gives you any indication, we're talking about the Oscar-winning musical La La Land, starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling.It's a bittersweet romantic tale about two creative artists in Los Angeles who pursue their dreams while falling in love. With the film celebrating its 10th anniversary this week, we're taking a look back at the movie that captured Hollywood's imagination.La La Land first premiered at the 73rd Venice International Film Festival on August 31, 2016, where it received rapturous acclaim. Critics immediately praised the performances from Stone and Gosling, Damien Chazelle's dazzling direction, the catchy original songs and score from Justin Hurwitz, Linus Sandgren's lavish cinematography, the vibrant production design, and the colorful costumes.The film quickly established itself as the frontrunner throughout the 2016–17 awards season as more and more people fell in love with this dreamlike original movie musical. It paid homage to the Golden Age of Hollywood musicals while bringing a contemporary sensibility to the genre. Its box office reflected that enthusiasm, with the film ultimately grossing approximately $447 million worldwide during its original theatrical run.Of course, La La Land's legacy doesn't stop there as its awards run has become a piece of infamous Oscar history. But there's no denying that, ten years later, La La Land has left an enormous mark on movie culture from the careers of Stone, Gosling, and Chazelle to the renewed interest in movie musicals, and even the way Oscar envelopes are handled and double-checked before they're opened onstage.Let's take a look back at La La Land, its legacy, and the cultural phenomenon it became.On this episode:Paul RaiMariana FabianJustin DugganAdam Patla Timmy Lee Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

Today, we're heading back to Westeros. After more than two years away, House of the Dragon is finally back for its long-awaited third season.And it's time for the Dance of the Dragons, the war we've been waiting for and the conflict fans have been asking to see fully erupt. The season opens with the absolutely insane Battle of the Gullet and only gets more chaotic from there. We get major character deaths, some major new players to talk through, dragons literally everywhere, and, of course, Rhaenyra Targaryen finally taking the Iron Throne and dealing with all the chaos that follows.Today, we're going to talk about Season 3 as a whole including the characters, the biggest moments, our favorite performances, and where exactly the series goes from here.On this episode:Jake FittipaldiNandita JoshiTimmy Lee Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

Before we officially get into the buzz of the fall festival circuit, it’s good to take a step back in time and reflect on bygone eras of planetary history. Today in fact, we’re embracing that by going 200 million years in reverse to the age of dinosaurs with David Robert Mitchell and The End of Oak Street. The End of Oak Street is written and directed by David Robert Mitchell as his third feature film after It Follows and Under the Silver Lake. It stars Anne Hathaway, Ewan McGregor, Maisy Stella and Christian Convery as a family whose suburban neighborhood has been transported from 1982 into prehistoric times.We review the movie and then blind rank 25 dinosaur movies. Our pre-episode Patreon exclusive conversation features:D23 Announcements X-Men CastingAnimals TeaserPractical Magic 2 TrailerOn this episode:Danny JarabekAdam Patla Jacob DiedenhoferMariana FabianTate Fowler Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

Welcome back to In The Queue, a new show in The Rolling Tape network of podcasts that answers the question “What should I watch this weekend?” Every month, we line up what’s in theaters, what’s headlining our watchlists, and what we recommend adding to yours. We kicked off this series all the way back in March and then went on summer vacation for 6 months, who's to blame us? But at long last we are back to report on our findings from the watchlist shuffle and discuss what we've seen recently at home and in theaters.As always, to keep our own watchlists in check, we end with a recommendation game where we randomly select a movie from each other’s Letterboxd watchlists to watch before the next episode. This month we filtered by romance and comedy to celebrate the one night a year when it's legal for singles to have sex. Listen next month to hear our reports.Films mentioned:Letterboxd ListOn this episode:Danny JarabekDes MackCameron RitterRed Broadwell Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

In just a few weeks, Venice, Telluride, New York, and Toronto will kick off a new cycle of anticipated awards contenders, with premieres and early reactions that will reshape our already exhaustive Oscar predictions. This is where some of our assumptions about certain films will go to die, or be validated. Who's to say?Even though films like Digger, The Social Reckoning, and Dune: Part Three will premiere later in the fall and winter, movies like Wild Horse Nine, Ink, The Debut, Behemoth, and Elsinore will be shown to audiences for the first time over the next several weeks. And yet, all of that may feel somewhat moot, because every other film is being overshadowed by the Trojan horse that is Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey.The big-budget epic has already passed $1 billion at the global box office, including more than $400 million domestically. It boasts a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, an 88 on Metacritic, and a 4.4 average on Letterboxd. Perhaps we're just spinning our wheels here, and Nolan is once again going to sweep the industry awards—we just don't want to admit it to ourselves. Whatever happens, we still have more than 70 slots to fill across 18 categories, and today we're going to focus on half of them.We're giving you our pre-Fall Festival Oscar predictions for Best Picture, Best Director, all four acting categories, and both screenplay categories. We'll also touch on some of the below-the-line technical categories as an extra treat.This is our last chance to truly theorize, fantasize, and project our hopes onto some of these films before we've actually seen them. Once the fall festival season begins, we'll have reactions, reviews, and new information that could completely change the race.Our guest:Dean CoburnOn this episode:Paul RaiOwen WilczekJacob DiedenhoferAdam Patla Claire May Lewis Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

You know what's more romantic than living under an authoritarian government where you can only have sex for one night of the year? Finding your true love for life. Time to nut up for Will Gluck's One Night Only, starring Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner. Written by Travis Braun and based on his Black List script. The film follows two hapless romantics, Monica Barbaro's Allie, a hopeful romantic looking for something more, and Callum Turner's Owen, a recently dumped hopeless romantic.They happen to be two aimless singles navigating the one night of the year when premarital sex is legal in their society. As the night stretches on, what begins as a quest for a hookup turns into a series of awkward encounters, side quests, and run-ins with a society built around enforcing the government's strict rules on sex. Allie and Owen eventually realize that what they really want is each other, and that maybe they don't need to take advantage of the twelve-hour window at all. They can wait until the next morning, or, if necessary, the other 364 days of the year.Love and fascism are in the air, and to help me celebrate our new puritanical reality, we're going to take a look at One Night Only and some of the greatest romantic-comedy couples in cinema history. We review the latest dystopian romantic comedy and rank some of cinema's best romantic-comedy couples. Our pre-episode Patreon exclusive conversation features:Wonka 2 DelayedPrimetime TrailerX-Men Casting AnnouncementsOn this episode:Paul RaiDes MackNadia ArainRisa Bolash Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

While it didn’t debut at Fantasia Fest (that honor belongs to SXSW this year), A Safe Distance also played at the Montreal-based festival. An eighty-five-minute thriller, A Safe Distance follows Alex (Bethany Brown) as she goes camping with her long-time partner in the forest of Canada. Shortly into their stay,  Joey (Chris McNally) pops the question to Alex. She says no. And, well, things don’t go as expected after that. The Rolling Tape's Ethan Simmie was joined by Director Gloria Mercer and cast members Tandia Mercedes and Bethany Brown to discuss making a film that “is about contemporary relationships, toxic masculinity,” and being in a relationship “where it feels like you are not being true to yourself”.A Safe Distance has currently has distribution secured for the US and Canada but does not have an official release date.Follow the film online:A Safe DistanceFollow our interview host online:Ethan SimmieSupport the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

It's the opening weekend of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, but I don't think we can conclusively say it'll be part of this upcoming awards conversation—outside of a potential Best Visual Effects nomination. So instead of focusing on that amid the hundreds of millions of dollars being made by The Odyssey and Spider-Man, there's a much smaller film quietly holding its own at the box office, The Invite, directed by and co-starring Olivia Wilde, alongside Seth Rogen, Edward Norton, and Penélope Cruz.A24 acquired the film of the Sundance Film Festival for more than $12 million, and it has quietly become one of the studio's biggest success stories of the year. It's now approaching $40 million worldwide, including roughly $20 million domestically and nearly $16 million internationally. Critically, the film has been a standout as well, earning a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, an 82 on Metacritic, and a 4.0 average on Letterboxd.Its performance is starting to resemble another Sundance acquisition from A24: Past Lives, which went on to earn Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay nominations at the 96th Academy Awards.So, today we discuss The Invite's Oscar chances, as well as A24's broader awards strategy this year. With a slate that includes Club Kid, Primetime, and The Debut, could the studio once again land multiple Best Picture nominees once again?We also discuss films like The Invite and Past Lives more broadly—movies that live on the fringe of the Best Picture race and ultimately sneak into the lineup thanks to widespread passion and strong overall support from Academy voters. We rank 17 of our favorite (or not so favorite) fringe Best Picture nominees that fit that mold.On this episode:Paul RaiDanny Jarabek Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

It’s episode 200 of our weekly Monday show, and what better way to celebrate than with the 38th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and the fourth film in the MCU Spider-Man film series. It's also National Spider-Man Day which is celebrated annually on August 1st. The date marks the anniversary of the character's first comic book appearance in Amazing Fantasy #15, published in August 1962 by Marvel Comics creators Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.The film is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, and written by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers. Tom Holland stars as Peter Parker and Spider-Man, alongside Zendaya, Sadie Sink, Jacob Batalon, Liza Colón-Zayas, Jon Bernthal, Florence Pugh, Tramell Tillman, Marisa Tomei, and Mark Ruffalo.We review Destin Daniel Cretton’s entry to the Tom Holland era of Spider-Man, discuss recent MCU news out of San Diego Comic-Con, and turn the tables on our weekly mini-game where I’ll be posed with questions and trivia regarding the Marvel Cinematic Universe.Our pre-episode Patreon exclusive conversation features:The Thomas Crown Affair TrailerWicker TrailerOn this episode:Danny JarabekJoshua MbonuAdam PatlaPaul RaiCameron RitterEthan Simmie  Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

We celebrate the 20th anniversary of She’s The Man by breaking down the film and “women in sports” movies. We also give some of our favorite recs from the genre and look at the progression of sports films over the past two decades. She’s The Man, loosely based on Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, stars Amanda Bynes as Viola Hastings, a high school soccer player who disguises herself as her twin brother, Sebastian, to play on the boys' soccer team at a rival boarding school, after her own school cuts the girls' team. The film also stars Channing Tatum and Laura Ramsey.On this episode:Sara CiplickasSasha RaquelBobbi MillerOur guest:Paige Irwin Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

In a barren post-apocalyptic world with no humans, a barter system of sunflowers for scrap parts, and robots, Zap is very lonely. In his scavenging one day, he finds the broken body of another robot. His curiosity gets the better of him, and he takes this robot home, in hopes of reviving it. As we follow Zap on his journey, the theme of Sunspark remains ever clear: how far are you willing to go to help a complete stranger?It’s a theme that director Danny Bourque discusses as he joins The Rolling Tape to talk about the new 4K animated short. He divulged his creative process, his excitement for the screening at Fantasia Film Festival 2026, and even some insight into how he created the robot noises. Bourque also discusses his experience as a solo and independent filmmaker. He is a Slamdance Anarchy Award Winner, Regional Student Academy Award Finalist, and has done professional work with Hasbro's Star Wars and Transformers IP. Sunspark had its Canadian Premiere at Fantasia on July 18, with a subsequent screening on July 19. Follow the interviewee online: Danny Bourque, IMDB, Website, Instagram Follow our interview host online:Mariana FabianSupport the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

The lineup for the 83rd Venice International Film Festival was announced on Thursday, July 23, coming on the heels of the first wave of announcements from the Toronto International Film Festival. That means we're officially entering fall festival season, the multi-week stretch in late August and September where many of the biggest contenders for the 99th Academy Awards will make their world premieres and begin their awards campaigns.Acclaimed actress and filmmaker Maggie Gyllenhaal will serve as Jury President for this year's Main Competition. Joining her on the jury are composer Daniel Blumberg, filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, whose documentary The Voice of Hind Rajab won the Grand Jury Prize at Venice last year, Hong Kong filmmaker Johnnie To, Italian film theorist Francesco Casetti, and several other internationally acclaimed artists.The reaction to this year's lineup has been somewhat mixed. Many critics and industry observers expressed disappointment that several heavily rumored titles ultimately didn't make the cut. The competition lineup has also drawn criticism for its lack of representation, featuring just one film directed by a woman, Danish filmmaker May el-Toukhy's Woman Unknown. We break down what this all means before our host of The Awards Tape, Paul Rai, ships off to Venice next month!On this episode:Paul RaiJustin DugganOur Guest:Mariane Tremblay on X, Instagram, Letterboxd, and W Spotlight Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

We're going channel surfing for round 2! If you missed our last Channel Surfing episode, instead of spending an hour diving deep into a single series, we bounce around the television landscape and talk about the shows we haven't had a chance to cover on the main show, along with the hidden gems we think deserve a little more attention.Hopefully, we'll give all of you (and ourselves) a few new additions to your watchlists. If you missed the first one, this is just a chance for us to hang out and talk about TV, which is one of the best parts of being a TV fan, recommending shows to your friends and catching up on everything everyone's been watching.So we're excited to bring back this little show-within-a-show that we do here on The Rolling Remote and finally shine a spotlight on some of the series that have slipped through the cracks.On this episode:Jake FittipaldiEthan DaytonTimmy Lee Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

Christopher Nolan please exit stage left, this episode is for the freaks. It's time to get wild, Olivia Wilde that is! With her third directorial feature, The Invite, in theaters as of last week, and an upcoming leading role in Gregg Araki’s I Want Your Sex set to go into wide release next week, we discuss her career building up to this moment.In her directorial effort, The Invite, Joe and Angela's marriage is on thin ice. When they invite their enigmatic upstairs neighbors for a dinner party, the night spirals into unexpected places. This is of course paired with Gregg Araki’s Olivia Wilde led feature where Elliot lands a job for Erika Tracy as her sexual muse. The Invite is written by Will McCormack and Rashida Jones as an English-language remake of the 2020 Spanish film The People Upstairs (Sentimental) by Cesc Gay and stars Seth Rogen, Wilde, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton. I Want Your Sex is directed by Gregg Araki and written by Karley Sciortino and Araki. It stars Olivia Wilde, Cooper Hoffman, Mason Gooding, Chase Sui Wonders, Johnny Knoxville, Margaret Cho, Roxane Mesquida, Charli XCX, and Daveed Diggs.We discuss both films and the state of the actress-director’s career before playing a guess the Letterboxd review mini-game.Our pre-episode Patreon exclusive conversation features:Paramount x Warner Bros. Deal PausedAvengers: Doomsday Trailer WatchalongOn this episode:Danny JarabekJoshua MbonuMariana FabianAdam PatlaPaul RaiEvan MillerDes Mack Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

Heartstopper Forever is a new Netflix film that concludes the three-season TV series Heartstopper, which was adapted from Alice Oseman's graphic novels. Set in the UK, the story follows a gay high school romance and the friendships that surround it. We're joined by Todd Downing, editor of the film, to discuss bringing the beloved coming-of-age romance to its emotional conclusion. Todd shares what it was like collaborating closely with creator Alice Oseman to preserve the characters fans have grown to love, how transitioning from a three-season series to a feature film created new opportunities for emotional depth and visual storytelling, and why subtle character moments are so essential to the film's impact. In conversation with Risa Bolash, they discuss everything from exploring authentic queer representation to the lasting legacy of Heartstopper as one of the defining LGBTQ+ coming-of-age stories of its generation.Follow our interviewee online:Todd Downing IMDbFollow our interview host online:Risa BolashSupport the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

We read it. We watched it. It’s time for the receipts. For this month’s Read Receipts, we are going on an Odyssey. Or should we say a Pod-yssey? Welcome back to your favorite podcast for readers and watchers alike. If you’re new here, this is Read Receipts: A Big Screen Book Club from The Rolling Tape.Every month, we read a book, watch its onscreen adaptation, then share our receipts. I am your Read Receipts host Kasey Dunifer. And this month we read none other than The Odyssey, the epic poem from Ancient Greece attributed to Homer, dating back to 8th century BC, and is widely considered one of the oldest surviving works of literature. First derived from generations of oral tradition. We then of course watched the new film adaptation, which everyone is talking about, including all of us here at the Rolling Tape. We watched Christopher Nolan’s 2026 The Odyssey. Starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, alongside a very star-studded cast.On this episode:Kasey DuniferRed BroadwellOur guests:Arnold WoodsEzra Bebop Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

Ten years on this fucking podcast. Let's go home! Today, our destiny comes to a close. We add The Odyssey to our collaborative rankings that we've been building for weeks. Call it the Trojan horse of RETRO//RANKED, but where will it end up?RETRO//RANKED is a Rolling Tape network series ranking the individual entries of beloved franchises and filmographies, timed to major new releases. For season 7, we're diving into the complete filmography of Christopher Nolan, building episode by episode, two films at a time, toward the release of his latest film, The Odyssey.The Odyssey is the 13th film from Christopher Nolan. He wrote and directed the film, which is of course based on Homer’s epic poem. It was released on July 17, 2026. Nolan has long been a prominent filmmaker in advancing the use of IMAX technology in mainstream cinema, beginning with The Dark Knight in 2008. For this film, Nolan challenged IMAX to develop new 70 mm film cameras that are lighter and up to 30% quieter than the previous standard. In response, IMAX provided new cameras that met the requirements, and Nolan is the first person to use them, shooting the entire film with them from start to finish.Enjoy all VIDEO episodes of SEASON 7 one week ahead of their public audio-only release.Our current collaborative ranking so far:OppenheimerThe Dark KnightInterstellarThe PrestigeInceptionTenetMementoDunkirkThe Dark Knight RisesBatman BeginsFollowingInsomniaOn this episode:Evan MillerDanny JarabekTimmy Lee Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is quite possibly the most anticipated film of the year. It marks Nolan's first feature since Oppenheimer, which won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, along with Actor, Supporting Actor, Film Editing, Cinematography, and Original Score. The film grossed more than $970 million worldwide, and in the wake of that success, Nolan was essentially handed a $250 million blank check to bring to life the passion project he's been developing for more than two decades: an old-school Hollywood epic adapting one of the most celebrated and enduring works of literature in human history.The Odyssey is currently tracking for a global opening weekend approaching $250 million, including approximately $125 million domestically. At the time of this recording, the film holds a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, an 89 on Metacritic, and a 4.3 average rating on Letterboxd.Our team has already released a full review of the film on The Rolling Tape, but here on The Awards Tape, we break down The Odyssey's Oscar prospects, starting with our overall impressions before diving into category-by-category predictions. Then, we'll wrap things up with a conversation on Christopher Nolan's past awards success.On this episode:Paul RaiDanny Jarabek Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

Call it our (p)odyssey weekend here at The Rolling Tape as we’ll have not one, not two, not three, but FOUR podcasts across our network of shows discussing Christopher Nolan’s 13th feature film in various capacities. The Odyssey is, of course, written and directed by Christopher Nolan. We have taken the long journey home to our closest IMAX theaters to see the film. An adaptation of Homer's ancient Greek epic poem, Matt Damon stars as Odysseus, the Greek king of Ithaca, and it chronicles his long and perilous journey home after the Trojan War and his encounters with mythical beings as he attempts to reunite with his wife, Penelope, portrayed by Anne Hathaway. The ensemble cast includes Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Samantha Morton, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron. Universal released the film in wide theatrical exhibition this weekend July 17.We review the film and play a mini-game attempting to guess the the order and percentages of Christopher Nolan's filmography on Rotten Tomatoes.For more discussion on The Odyssey, our upcoming shows include:The Awards Tape: The Odyssey Awards AssessmentRead Receipts: The Odyssey (comparing the epic poem to the movie)RETRO//RANKED: The Odyssey & Season 8 Announcement (placing the film in our current collaborative ranking list)Our pre-episode Patreon exclusive conversation features:Digger trailerBehemoth! trailerInk Opening Venice Film FestivalOn this episode:Danny JarabekJoshua MbonuMariana FabianAdam Patla Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

The Summer 2026 Box Office Draft returns. This is our check-in episode. We kicked off the second annual edition of our Summer Box Office Draft back in May around Memorial Day, taking a deep dive into the entire summer release schedule. Each of us made our predictions for the top 10 highest-grossing films of the summer and estimated how much each would earn at the box office.Today, we're checking in to see how those predictions are holding up. We take a look at the current top 10 based on the films that have already been released, discuss how the rankings could still change with several major releases arriving over the next few weeks, and revisit some of the movies we didn't spend much time on in our original draft. In particular, we talk about a few August releases that could still have the potential to shake up the summer box office.On this episode:Evan MillerDanny JarabekEthan DaytonJoshua MbonuPaul Rai Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

THE LAST PRE-ODYSSEY EPISODE IS HERE.Don’t try to understand the ranking you hear on this podcast today. Feel it.RETRO//RANKED is a Rolling Tape network series ranking the individual entries of beloved franchises and filmographies, timed to major new releases. For season 7, we're diving into the complete filmography of Christopher Nolan, building episode by episode, two films at a time, toward the release of his latest film, The Odyssey.Tenet is the eleventh movie from Christopher Nolan. He served as both writer and director on the project. It was released on September 3, 2020, amid peak COVID times. It was originally slated to release on July 17, but repeatedly got delayed due to theatres being shuttered amid the pandemic.Oppenheimer is Nolan’s twelfth film. It was released on a day that will be forever remembered as Barbenheimer day, July 21, 2023, amid the strikes of the actors and writers guilds. Nolan wrote the script, which he based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning biography American Prometheus.Enjoy all VIDEO episodes of SEASON 7 one week ahead of their public audio-only release.Our current collaborative ranking so far:The Dark KnightInterstellarThe PrestigeInceptionMementoDunkirkThe Dark Knight RisesBatman BeginsFollowingInsomniaOn this episode:Evan MillerEthan SimmieClaire May Lewis Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

We're bringing you somewhere we've never been before: the world of reality television. Here on The Rolling Remote, we've covered just about every kind of show imaginable from medical dramas, science fiction, fantasy to vampires, medieval knights, and post-high school drug mules to Mexico, but somehow we've never ventured into the corner of television that can completely take over pop culture like almost nothing else.Today, we're diving into the recently finished Love Island USA Season 8, hosted by Ariana Madix and streaming on Peacock. The series follows a group of Islanders living together in a villa in Fiji as they couple up, recouple, survive Casa Amor, navigate public votes, welcome bombshells, endure Movie Night, and deal with plenty of other chaos, all in the hopes of making it to the end with a genuine connection. The winning couple walks away with a $100,000 prize.This season became the biggest original entertainment launch in Peacock's history. Viewership continued to grow throughout its six-week run, making it one of the platform's biggest breakout successes to date.We break down the final four couples, our feelings about the design of the show as a whole, and the most standout contestants that were dumped throughout the season.On this episode:Jake FittipaldiTate FowlerDanny JarabekCourtney Ward Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

The 78th Primetime Emmy Award nominations were announced on Wednesday, July 8, with major acting and series categories revealed by Jeff Hiller and Emmy winner Liza Colón-Zayas. Hiller earned an Emmy nomination last year for Somebody Somewhere, while Colón-Zayas won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for The Bear. Among the biggest takeaways, The Pitt led all programs with 25 nominations for its second season. Hacks followed closely with a record-breaking 24 nominations, setting a new high for a comedy series by surpassing the 23 nominations earned by The Studio and the second season of The Bear last year. Apple TV+'s breakout horror comedy Widow's Bay also made a major splash, earning 19 nominations despite its final three episodes falling outside the Emmy eligibility window. By network, HBO Max led the field with 122 nominations, followed by Netflix with 111. Apple enjoyed its strongest Emmy performance to date with 89 nominations, fueled by breakout series including Widow's Bay, Pluribus, and Shrinking. We break down all the nominations and how our predictions stood up against the results.On this episode:Paul RaiBobbi Miller Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

This week we are locating the Kandarian Dagger...Evil Dead Burn is the third standalone entry, after Evil Dead (2013) and Evil Dead Rise (2023), and the the sixth installment in the "Evil Dead" franchise as a whole. It was originally slated to be released wide in theaters on July 24, but was moved up two weeks to July 10.The film is directed and co-written by Sébastien Vaniček, and produced by Rob Tapert and series creator Sam Raimi. It stars Souheila Yacoub as a young woman who seeks solace with her in-laws following the death of her husband, as the family comes together in a secluded house. The gathering becomes a “family reunion from hell” as members gradually turn into Deadites. It also stars Tandi Wright, Hunter Doohan, Luciane Buchanan, Erroll Shand, and Maude Davey in supporting roles.We review the film and discuss the franchise overall.Our pre-episode Patreon exclusive conversation features:Letterboxd Up For SaleFirst 3 TIFF Premieres AnnouncedFocus Features Acquires ElsinoreOn this episode:Danny JarabekJoshua MbonuNadia ArainDes MackPaul Rai Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

Night Nurse, the feature directorial debut of writer-director Georgia Bernstein, premiered earlier this year in the NEXT section of the Sundance Film Festival, and it arrives in theaters July 10 as, in Bernstein's own words, "an erotic thriller which takes place in a retirement community."In joining The Rolling Tape for a conversation on the film, Bernstein describes how the film originated from the experience of her own grandmother nearly being scammed over the phone. We also discuss how she and her team developed the ambiguous suburban setting, the casting choices for the primary characters of Eleni and Douglas, and her collaborators on the cinematography and score that help shape the unnerving tone of the film.Follow our interviewee online:Georgia Bernstein IMDb, InstagramFollow our interview host online:Danny JarabekSupport the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

First off, we want to apologize in advance to Matt Damon. We were going to include him on this episode as a surprise guest, but went through the run of show and he decided he had to spend time with Ben Affleck instead.RETRO//RANKED is a Rolling Tape network series ranking the individual entries of beloved franchises and filmographies, timed to major new releases. For season 7, we're diving into the complete filmography of Christopher Nolan, building episode by episode, two films at a time, toward the release of his latest film, The Odyssey.We are in July now. It is Odyssey month. It’s right there in the distance, we can almost touch it.Interstellar is Christopher Nolan’s ninth film. It was released on October 26, 2014, interestingly not in July. Steven Spielberg, who was attached to direct this movie in 2006, hired Jonathan Nolan to write the screenplay, but chose other projects to direct instead. This is the first movie Nolan worked with Hoyte van Hoytema as Director of Photography. Van Hoytema has gone on as the Cinematographer for all of Nolan’s forthcoming movies, including The Odyssey.Dunkirk is Nolan’s tenth movie. It was released on July 21, 2017. After first-hand accounts of the Dunkirk evacuation revealed to the writer, producer, and director how young and inexperienced the soldiers were, he decided to cast young and unknown actors for the beach setting. This of course included a small, unknown indie artist making his way in the pop music scene, Harry Styles.Enjoy all VIDEO episodes of SEASON 7 one week ahead of their public audio-only release.Our current collaborative ranking so far:The Dark KnightThe PrestigeInceptionMementoThe Dark Knight RisesBatman BeginsFollowingInsomniaOn this episode:Evan MillerPaul RaiClaire May Lewis Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

Leviticus, directed by Adrian Chiarella, is an Australian queer horror film that has resonated with audiences through its blend of horror, coming-of-age drama, and tender romance. While much of the conversation has centered on its emotional story and breakout performances, the film's visual language is equally vital to its impact. In this exclusive interview, Leviticus costume designer Zohie Castellano discusses crafting the film’s haunting Australian gothic aesthetic and using costume to reflect the emotional journeys of Stacy Clausen’s Ryan and Joe Bird’s Naim. Castellano breaks down the symbolism behind the film’s colour palette, recurring motifs, and character wardrobes, revealing how every detail was designed to support themes of yearning, identity, and self-acceptance. We also explore her collaboration with director Adrian Chiarella and how costume design helped bring one of 2026’s most talked-about queer horror films to life.Leviticus is now playing in select theaters. You can read Kam’s essay on the film here. Follow our interviewee online:Zohie Castellano Follow our interview host:Kam RyanSupport the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

What better way to celebrate 250 years of American history than by talking about the upcoming Emmy nominations? That's right. As of time of this recording, we were just four days away from the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards nominations set to be announced Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at 11:30 A.M. EST, where we'll celebrate the best television has to offer from June 1, 2025, through May 31, 2026.We have new shows, returning favorites, and series finales to discuss, so it's a packed episode as we deliver our final Emmy nomination predictions for the Drama Series, Comedy Series, and Limited Series categories, along with their respective lead, supporting, and guest acting races. Altogether, that's sixteen acting categories.Throughout our discussion, we also work in our writing and directing predictions for each section to help strengthen our arguments for each show's overall performance. It's a lot of ground to cover, especially since this is our very first Emmy predictions episode, so we brought in a couple of TV gurus to help navigate this awards-season terrain.On this episode:Paul RaiJake FittipaldiTate Fowler Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

We are here to tell you where the minions were between 1939 and 1945...Minions & Monsters is directed by Pierre Coffin and written by Coffin and Brian Lynch. Produced by Illumination, it is the third installment in the Minions prequel series and the seventh installment overall in the Despicable Me franchise. Taking place in 1927, 41 years before the events of Minions (2015), the film follows the Minions as they aim to make a monster movie of their own in Old Hollywood. The film stars director Pierre Coffin as the Minions, alongside Trey Parker, Allison Janney, Christoph Waltz, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeff Bridges, Zoey Deutch, Bobby Moynihan, and Phil LaMarr.We will review the film before discussing the best of the first half of 2026 and previewing our most anticipated titles yet to come.Our pre-episode Patreon exclusive conversation features:Werwulf trailerHeat 2 officially happeningArtificial picked up by NEON for the 2026-27 awards seasonOn this episode:Danny JarabekAdam PatlaJoshua Mbonu  Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

To conclude our Pride Series for 2026, we start off with a speed review of LEVITICUS, by Adrian Chiarella, an Australian horror-romance that follows two teenage boys who must escape a violent entity after their religious community discovers their sexuality.We also discuss Gender-Based media, exploring and recommending films that are not based on sexuality, a main topic often included in conversation on Queer Cinema. Resources:Pride WatchlistPOC & International Queer CinemaOn this episode:Sara CiplickasRed BroadwellJake FittipaldiBobbi MillerDes Mack Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

You are unlikely to encounter another movie like Maddie’s Secret this year. The film, born from the mind of writer, director, and star John Early, satirizes both the Lifetime movies of the 80s and 90s and modern influencer culture while also sincerely addressing disordered eating. arly plays Maddie, a dishwasher turned content creator for mega-company Gourmaybe. It’s her dream come true. However, the newfound attention and popularity in front of the camera causes a relapse of her bulimia.Adam Patla is joined by director John Early to discuss the unique tone of the film and how he executed the project both behind and in front of the camera.Read more from the interview here.Follow our interviewee online:John Early on Instagram, Twitter, IMDbFollow our interview host:Adam PatlaSupport the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

We’re going to podcast about Inception and The Dark Knight Rises. When the conversation is done, and the recording is finished processing, then you have my permission to die.RETRO//RANKED is a Rolling Tape network series ranking the individual entries of beloved franchises and filmographies, timed to major new releases. For season 7, we're diving into the complete filmography of Christopher Nolan, building episode by episode, two films at a time, toward the release of his latest film, The Odyssey.Inception is Christopher Nolan’s seventh movie. It was released on July 13, 2010. For better or worse, Nolan is credited as the sole writer of the film. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Nolan explained that he based the roles of the Inception team similar to roles that are used in filmmaking. Cobb is the director, Arthur is the producer, Ariadne is the production designer, Eames is the actor, Saito is the studio, and Fischer is the audience.The Dark Knight Rises is Nolan’s eighth movie. Like the previous film in the trilogy, it was co-written by Christopher Nolan, alongside his brother Jonathan Nolan off a story by Chris Nolan and David S. Goyer. The film released on July 20, 2012, four years and two days after The Dark Knight. The wait must have been excrutiating.Enjoy all VIDEO episodes of SEASON 7 one week ahead of their public audio-only release.Our current collaborative ranking so far:The Dark KnightThe PrestigeMementoBatman BeginsFollowingInsomniaOn this episode:Evan MillerKam RyanPaul RaiRed Broadwell Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

It's been a full six months into 2026, and quite a lot has happened. The Sundance, Berlin, and Cannes Film Festivals have come and gone. Greta Gerwig's Narnia has been moved to 2027. Luca Guadagnino's Artificial has been pushed to 2027, dropped by Amazon MGM, and acquired by NEON to go back into the 2026 slate. Michael has surpassed Oppenheimer as the highest grossing biopic of all time, and Obsession is the cultural box office phenomenon of the year. That means it's time for an Oscar Pulse check. Before Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is out in three weeks, we decided to do an episode where we check in on how we feel about the upcoming Oscar race for 2027. We give our updated predictions for the above the line categories, which include the four acting categories, Best Director, and Best Picture lineups. We discuss how they've changed, how they reflect the current mood of the overall race, and our overall gut check level on how we feel about the awards season so far.On this episode:Paul RaiDanny JarabekJacob DiedenhoferAdam Patla Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

With the second film in the rebooted DCU now in wide release to pair with last year's Superman, we analyze the recent Supergirl movie, exploring its marketing, storytelling choices, and representation of female superheroes. With the film currently sitting at around 54% on Rotten Tomatoes, the reactions have been mixed. We discuss broader trends in superhero films, particularly with female superheroes, gender dynamics, and industry failures when marketing toward female audiences. On this episode:Sara CiplickasBobbi MillerSasha Raquel Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

Supergirl is the second film in the DCU created by James Gunn and Peter Safran, following Superman from 2025. Clayface will follow this year as the third entry of "Chapter One: Gods and Monsters" in the soft reboot of the DCEU which featured 16 films between 2013 and 2023.Supergirl follows Kara Zor-El who joins forces with an unlikely companion on an interstellar journey of vengeance and justice when an unexpected adversary strikes too close to home. The film is directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Ana Nogueira and stars Milly Alcock as the titular Supergirl, alongside Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, David Corenswet, and Jason Momoa.We review the film before doing a blind ranking of 25 randomized DC movies.Our pre-episode Patreon exclusive conversation features:Venice lineup predictionsWerwulf first lookSense and Sensibility trailerOn this episode:Danny JarabekPaul RaiJoshua Mbonu Ethan DaytonJacob DiedenhoferTimmy Lee Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

In our continued conversation on Queer cinema for Pride, we look toward POC and International Cinema, two topics that often get left out of the Western canon. POC and International Queer cinema provides a platform to explore diverse identities and experiences, often absent from the dominant Western narrative with examples dating back to 1919. These films challenge stereotypes, broaden perspectives, and invite audiences into the lives of those who have often been sidelined. Understanding these narratives is crucial to appreciating the complexity of Queer experiences worldwide. We explore these stories and why they matter, with a Letterboxd list capturing the films we discuss.On this episode:Sara CiplickasRed BroadwellDes Mack Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

Now, are you watching closely? Let’s begin with today’s films.RETRO//RANKED is a Rolling Tape network series ranking the individual entries of beloved franchises and filmographies, timed to major new releases. For season 7, we're diving into the complete filmography of Christopher Nolan, building episode by episode, two films at a time, toward the release of his latest film, The Odyssey.The Prestige is Christopher Nolan’s fifth movie. It was released on October 20, 2006. This is a film that was once again co-written by Nolan and his brother Jonathan Nolan. The movie’s editing includes one hundred forty-six time jump cuts, in which the next shot either flashes back or skips ahead to another time period of the storyline.The Dark Knight is Nolan’s sixth movie. It was co-written again by the Nolan brothers off a story by Chris Nolan and David S. Goyer. The film released on July 18, 2008. It was the first movie in his filmography to be released in that coveted July release spot.Enjoy all VIDEO episodes of SEASON 7 one week ahead of their public audio-only release.Our current collaborative ranking so far:MementoBatman BeginsFollowingInsomniaOn this episode:Evan MillerKam RyanTimmy LeeClaire May Lewis Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

With the release of Toy Story 5 (and its estimated $160 million+ opening weekend box office), we're focusing on examining a specific category in the 2027 Oscars race that perhaps has gone through the most interesting evolution over its 25 year history: the Best Animated Feature category. Here we discuss how we feel about the category itself, the animated race that's shaping up this year for the 99th Academy Awards, and what animated films we've seen so far this year and are looking forward to in the near future.We cap off with a ranking of all 25 Animated Feature Oscar winners going back to Shrek in 2002. Check out our Letterboxd list of the full rankings here.Some of these titles were reviewed by Nandita Joshi at Cannes here.On this episode:Paul RaiAdam PatlaRed Broadwell Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

This is Read Receipts: A Big Screen Book Club where the pronunciations don’t matter! Every month over here at The Rolling Tape, we read a book, watch its onscreen adaptation, then share our receipts with our Read Receipts host Kasey Dunifer – or should I say Dune-ifer?Because this month, for DUNE JUNE, we read none other than Frank Herbert’s 1965 seminal science-fiction novel DUNE. Additionally, we watched the first two installments in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune Trilogy: DUNE: PART ONE from 2021 and DUNE: PART TWO from 2024. This is in preparation for the final installment, DUNE, you guessed it, PART THREE, coming out later this year, adapting DUNE MESSIAH. This is a little something different for Read Receipts. It’s a Throwback adaptation and covering TWO films AND a kind of big book.So Happy Dune June, everyone! Thanks for joining.On this episode:Kasey DuniferPatrick J. RegalAdam Patla  Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

How many hours has it been since you've been scrolling on your phone or tablet? Did you forget that the toys you once played with are now collecting dust and feeling neglected? It's one of the pressing themes we'll discuss with today's review of Toy Story 5, the 31st feature-length film from Pixar Animation released by Disney on June 19th. It's been seven years since we've hung out with the Toy Story gang since Toy Story 4. Toy Story 5 is co-written and co-directed by Andrew Stanton and McKenna Harris.We review Pixar's latest in their most successful franchise ever before ranking every single movie in Pixar's catalog.Today you've got a friend in us as we regroup with Woody, Buzz, and Jesse and more with our discussion of Toy Story 5. The film is described as follows: when Bonnie receives a Lilypad tablet to start making connections with friends in the real world, her screen time obsession makes playtime with her toys exponentially harder, as Jesse, Buzz, and Woody have to go head-to-head with the biggest threat to toys and their connections to children. The film stars Joan Cusack, Tim Allen, Tom Hanks, Greta Lee, and Conan O'Brien.Our pre-episode Patreon exclusive conversation features:Artificial dropped by Amazon MGMSean Penn to direct story of January 6th CopCurry Barker 8-figure dealSpider-Man: Brand New Day TrailerShrek 5 TeaserOn this episode:Paul RaiRisa BolashAdam Patla Sasha RaquelJoshua Mbonu  Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

Taking a break from the silver screen, we look back on the TV shows that made us and the progression of Queer representation in television. Looking back on our childhood watches, teen dramas, and what’s hot right now, we break down the best and worst of Queer television and what we are looking for next. Follow along as we continue to celebrate Queer Cinema with discussions on international and person-of-color representation next week! On this episode:Sara CiplickasClaire May LewisRed BroadwellMariana FabianJake Fittipaldi  Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

Why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves up. Let’s dive into the films.RETRO//RANKED is a Rolling Tape network series ranking the individual entries of beloved franchises and filmographies, timed to major new releases. For season 7, we're diving into the complete filmography of Christopher Nolan, building episode by episode, two films at a time, toward the release of his latest film, The Odyssey.Insomnia is the third feature film from director Christopher Nolan. It was released on May 24, 2002. As of today, this is the only film directed by Nolan in which he does not have an official writing credit - even though he wrote the final draft of the screenplay himself.Batman Begins is Nolan’s fourth movie. Co-written by Nolan and David S. Goyer, the film released on June 15, 2005.Enjoy all VIDEO episodes of SEASON 7 one week ahead of their public audio-only release.Our current collaborative ranking so far:MementoFollowingOn this episode:Evan MillerPaul RaiTimmy Lee Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

Steven Spielberg — you know the name. He's one of our greatest living filmmakers on the planet. The man has created cinematic classics and enduring masterpieces that have and will stand the test of time. Yet early on in his career, he had a fascinating relationship with the Academy Awards, starting with his infamous home video in which he sarcastically reacts to not receiving a Best Director nomination for Jaws during the announcement of the 48th Academy Award nominations. "I got beaten out by Fellini," he joked. This rocky relationship continued even as he made blockbusters and heartfelt dramas all the way up until he won Best Director and Best Picture for Schindler's List at the 1994 ceremony.Spielberg's filmography has amassed dozens of nominations above and below the line over the past 50 years. So with the release of his 35th directorial effort, Disclosure Day, we decided to do something massive in scale: a Steven Spielberg Awards Draft, where each of us will competitively draft Oscar nominations and wins from Steven Spielberg films that have been recognized by the Academy. We close the episode with a discussion of the awards potential for Disclosure Day at next year's Academy Awards. On this episode: Paul RaiTate FowlerJacob DiedenhoferDanny Jarabek Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

Christian Sprenger has spent eighteen years in television, but his collaboration with director Hiro Murai is in a category of its own. Together they have built a creative language across more than fifty episodes of television, from Atlanta to Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and now to Widow's Bay, the Apple TV+ comedy horror series created by Katie Dippold that has become one of the most talked-about shows of 2026. On Widow's Bay, Sprenger serves not only as cinematographer alongside co-DP Cody Jacobs, but also as a producer, a role he first stepped into during season three of Atlanta. Danny Jarabek spoke with Sprenger about the camera techniques he used to straddle the genre line between horror and comedy, the excitement of working with Ti West as the director of Episode 6, and how the colorist team reverse-engineered the filmic look of the show to give it the nostalgic, pre-digital feeling.Follow our interviewee online:Christian Sprenger IMDb, Instagram, WebsiteFollow our interview host online:Danny JarabekSupport the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

RETRO//RECAP is the spin-off of RETRO//RANKED where we hit pause on the rankings and rewind the tape to catch you up on everything that’s happened in a franchise or filmography before the next entry hits theaters. Previously, we’ve recapped the Scream Franchise and The Devil Wears Prada, and this time we’re recapping Pixar’s most successful franchise that dates back to 1995 and includes four primary film entries, two spin-offs, and a television series. The first Toy Story was the first feature-length film to be made entirely using computer-generated imagery. The first two films were directed by John Lasseter, the third film by Lee Unkrich, the fourth film by Josh Cooley, the upcoming fifth film by Andrew Stanton. Bring out your Woody and Buzz Lightyear toys and let’s recap before previewing what's ahead for Toy Story 5.On this episode:Danny JarabekPaul RaiJoshua Mbonu Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller

If you found out we weren't alone, if someone showed you, proved it to you, would that frighten you? That is one of many questions we approach today while discussing Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day which has been theatrically released by Universal as of June 11. We’ve been in eager anticipation of the film which is directed by Spielberg and written by David Koepp since April of 2024 when news first hit that Spielberg’s next film would be a UFO movie. The world stands poised on the brink of World War III, cybersecurity specialist Daniel Kellner steals a piece of extraterrestrial technology and related files detailing various events of human-alien contact dating back to the Roswell incident from the Wardex Corporation, a secret arm of the U.S. government. The film stars Emily Blunt, Josh O'Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, and Colman Domingo.We review the newest sci-fi addition to his legendary catalog and tier rank his entire filmography. Our pre-episode Patreon exclusive conversation features:Gatto teaserThe Social Reckoning teaserWhalefall trailerJustice department approves WB acquisition24 Jump Street announcedOn this episode:Danny JarabekJoshua Mbonu Mariana FabianTate FowlerTimmy Lee Support the showSubscribe for Early Access and Video:The Rolling Tape PatreonListen Here:SpotifyApple PodcastsAll Listening PlatformsHave questions? Email [email protected] Website LinkWebsite & Publications: www.therollingtape.comSocial Platforms on LinktreeCredits:Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl VincentArtwork: Danny JarabekEditor: Danny JarabekAssistant Producer: Evan Miller