The SchmearCast

Director Marc Munden on his hallucinatory new Netflix adaptation of Lord of the Flies—pulling the infrared filter off the camera and letting the jungle bleed pink. We get into casting with Nina Gold, five weeks of rehearsals, and why Lox Pratt (next up as Draco in HBO's Harry Potter) plays Jack like a spoiled rock star prince. Plus: directing the final episodes of The Sympathizer with Robert Downey Jr. and Park Chan-wook; his No Notes pick (Sweet Smell of Success); and why Lord of the Flies isn't about toxic masculinity—it's about a dutiful democrat losing to an entitled narcissist.Marc Munden's Lord of the Flies is streaming now on Netflix.

(DISCLAIMER—This was recorded prior to S5 renewal announcement!!)Well, we've made it to the Industry S4 finale, and it feels so...bad?The Titans of Industry—Schmear, Sena Adjei, and Jesse Aaronson—parse a uniquely elegiac finale, which brought big wins and huge spiritual and moral losses for nearly all of Industry's characters. They break down a vitriolic exchange between Kit Harington's Henry Muck and Max Minghella's Whitney and praise Harington's unsung comedy chops. They delve into Harper, Kwabaneh, and Sweetpea at Stern ____ (née Tao)?, turning conviction into dollars, and Maria Abela's Yasmin going full political operator mode. Then, a trip to Paris for a very disturbing dinner party put on by Yas for icky political hopeful Sebastian Stefanowicz (Edward Holcroft). The trio discuss the dissolution of Yas and Harper's friendship, the eerie Ghislaine Maxwell parallels, and the surprising final scene with Harper and our favorite investigative journalist. After that it's Stock Up and Stock Down, and the trio announces what's next for The Official Unofficial Industry Podcast.WATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

'Industry' composer Nathan Micay joins The Official Unofficial Industry Podcast!Nathan talks about scoring the series, what his workflow is like, how creators Konrad Kay and Mickey Down acquit themselves at nightclubs, and his thoughts on some famous past and present movie scores.WATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

'Industry' composer Nathan Micay joins The Official Unofficial Industry Podcast!Schmear, Sena Adjei, and Jesse Aaronson—The Titans of Industry—reunite to discuss the penultimate episode of the 4th season, "Points of Emphasis."Amongst many topics, the trio discuss Yasmin's manipulation of the media, the fallout of "Dear Henry," Whitney's puppeteering of Henry, political machinations in Whitehall, a last-ditch NYC plan for Tender, and FINALLY a Yasmin and Harper moment that is cause for both joy and concern. After, the trio wrap up with "Stock Up, Stock Down" and discuss some incredible needle drops (1:00:31).Finally, composer Nathan Micay joins the pod (1:06:06) to talk about scoring the series, what his workflow is like, how creators Konrad Kay and Mickey Down acquit themselves at nightclubs, and his thoughts on some famous past and present movie scores.WATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

Max Minghella—aka "Whitney Halbertstram"—joins the Official Unofficial 'Industry' Podcast!The trio chats with Minghella about when he first watched 'Industry,' if Whitney cares for Kit Harington's Henry, what his thoughts on the Ripley comparisons are, and more. They pitch Minghella their Whitney origin story ideas and give Whitney truth serum on some compelling topics. Check out our full recap of the episode too.WATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

Max Minghella—aka "Whitney Halbertstram"—joins the Official Unofficial 'Industry' Podcast!'Industry' S4 E6 "Dear Henry" is our favorite episode of the season so far, so it's a HUGE privilege to sit with Minghella for a chat. Prior to that, the Titans of Industry—Schmear, Jesse Aaronson, and Sena Adjei—break down this thrilling, dizzying new episode, filled with shocking twists and turns. They analyze the epistolary "Dear Henry" structure of the episode, dig into who Minghella's Whitney really is, and praise Ken Leung's absurdly great acting. They wrap up the episode coverage with "Stock Up, Stock Down" (1:00:45). Then, the trio chats with Minghella (1:05:31) about when he first watched 'Industry,' if Whitney cares for Kit Harington's Henry, what his thoughts on the Ripley comparisons are, and more. They pitch Minghella their Whitney origin story ideas and give Whitney truth serum on some compelling topics (1:26:44). WATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

Industry S4 E5 "Eyes Without a Face" travels to Accra, Ghana for a thrilling episode of twists and turns. The Titans—Schmear, Sena Adjei, and Jesse Aaronson—reconvene to break down one of the series's most unique hours, discussing the spotlighting of Miriam Petche's "Sweetpea" and Toheeb Jimoh's "Kwabena" as the two characters chase a lead in Africa. The trio cover the introduction of Tony Day (Stephen Campbell Moore), check in on Harper and Eric over at SternTao, and wrap up with "Stock Up, Stock Down" (51:22).Hosts: Gabriel Frieberg, Sena Adjei, Jesse AaronsonProducers: Pavlo Melnyk, Gabriel FriebergMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

YEESH! Is this the darkest episode of 'Industry' yet?The Titans—Schmear, Sena, and Jesse—parse Industry S4 E4, "1000 Yoots, One Marilyn."The trio dive into such topics as Muck's big moment, Rishi's plight, Hayley's heel turn, Dyker's quagmire, and Whitney's soul (or lack thereof). They wrap up by analyzing the worst drug sesh ever (44:20)—though the music was on point—before doing "Stock Up" and "Stock Down." (59:55)Hosts: Gabriel Frieberg, Sena Adjei, Jesse AaronsonProducers: Pavlo Melnyk, Gabriel FriebergMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

Guten Tag aus Österreich!Schmear, Sena, and Jesse—the Titans of Industry—take a trip to Austria to break down Industry S4 E3, "Habseligkeiten."Things get weird and steamy there for Yas and Henry Muck with some new friends. The trio breaks down the awkward visit, that key scene with Kiernan Shipka's Hayley, and what it all amounts to. Care to discuss some Weimar-era landscape painting?They also discuss what's happening over at SternTao™ and assess Harper Stern's (Myha'la) less than agreeable behavior. Wrapping up with "Stock Up" and "Stock Down" (43:01).Hosts: Gabriel Frieberg, Sena Adjei, Jesse AaronsonProducers: Pavlo Melnyk, Gabriel FriebergMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

"Shine your shoes, boys."Schmear, Sena, and Jesse—The Titans of Industry—return to break down Industry S4 E2 "The Commander and the Grey Lady."They dive into Henry Muck's (Kit Harington) dark night of the soul, discussing ghostly Christmas themes and bold formal choices, and break down why this daring hour-long episode feels like a movie. Take a shot for each time they say "Barry Lyndon," and you'll be on the floor by episode's end. Then it's "Stock Up" and "Stock Down" before deciding where this hour ranks in terms of iconic Industry christmas episodes (36:37). Hosts: Gabriel Frieberg, Sena Adjei, Jesse AaronsonProducers: Pavlo Melnyk, Gabriel FriebergMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

For the run of our favorite series, Industry, the NO NOTES podcast is now "The Official Unofficial Industry Podcast."Schmear, Sena Adjei, and Jesse Aaronson, aka "The Titans of Industry," are back covering the brilliant HBO financial drama from Creators Konrad Kay and Mickey Down. For Episode 1, "The PayPal of Bukkake," they unpack new characters played by the likes of Max Minghella and Kiernan Shipka, break down the newly introduced company Tender and check in on fan favorites like Harper Stern and Eric Tao. The Titans wrap up with some stock-up, stock-down as they look forward to Episode 2 (37:21).Hosts: Gabriel Frieberg, Sena Adjei, Jesse AaronsonProducers: Pavlo Melnyk, Gabriel FriebergMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

The 100th episode, and a GREAT one too. Schmear and Sena count down their Top 10 favorite movies of 2025 before being joined by the director of 'No Other Choice,' Park Chan Wook and the film's star, Lee Byung Hun. Intro (00:00)Top 10 Countdown (8:07)Honorable Mentions (39:39)'No Other Choice' Director Park Chan Wook (44:50)'No Other Choice' Star Lee Byung Hun (49:46)-Hosts: Gabriel Frieberg, Sena AdjeiGuests: Park Chan Wook, Lee Byung HunProducers: Pavlo Melnyk, Gabriel FriebergMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

Charlie Polinger, director of the brilliant new adolescent psychological thriller 'The Plague,' joins the show. This debut is a blistering, anxiety-inducing look at hazing rituals between tweenage boys at a water polo camp in 2003. Polinger discusses his NO NOTES perfect movie, how both The Shining and Full Metal Jacket served as influences, talks his castmembers including Joel Edgerton and Kayo Martin, and much more. Hosts: Gabriel Frieberg, Sena AdjeiGuest: Charlie PolingerProducers: Pavlo Melnyk, Gabriel FriebergMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

Abel Ferrara, director of such jaw-dropping classics as 'King of New York' and 'Bad Lieutenant,' sits down to discuss his brilliant, stormy career and his thoughts on filmmaking.We dive into his reaction to watching 'The Shining' for the first time, his friendship and collaborations with Willem Dafoe, how he wrangles such talented performers, and even his new role opposite Timothée Chalamet in 'Marty Supreme.' Abel’s new memoir, 'Scene,' is available now from Simon & Schuster. Hosts: Gabriel Frieberg, Sena AdjeiGuest: Abel FerraraProducers: Pavlo Melnyk, Gabriel FriebergMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

Kleber Mendonça Filho, director of the new Neon film The Secret Agent, sits down and shares his NO NOTES perfect movie, working with star Wagner Moura, and the films that influenced The Secret Agent, before revisiting some of his most iconic Letterboxd reviews. Hosts: Gabriel Frieberg, Sena AdjeiGuests: Kleber Mendonça FilhoProducers: Pavlo Melnyk, Gabriel FriebergMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

A spoiler-free sprint through fall’s biggest and best TV shows and movies. Schmear is back—joined by Jesse Aronson—and the two put seven minutes on the clock for a speed-round tour through the season’s standout titles.-TASK (7:36)-The Lowdown (14:18)-The Chair Company (20:51)-Nobody Wants This (27:10)-Pluribus (33:20)-One Battle After Another (41:20)-Bugonia (47:27)They close out with what they’re most excited to watch before year’s end (53:25)SchmearCast is back.Host: Gabriel FriebergGuests: Jesse AaronsonProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

'Jaws' turns 50 and is back on IMAX screens this weekend!To celebrate, Schmear and Sena Adjei are joined by legendary documentarian Laurent Bouzereau for a deep dive into both 'Jaws' and his new documentary, 'Jaws @ 50' (4:22).They discuss Steven Spielberg’s PTSD while making the original film, whether Laurent sees any modern equivalents to Spielberg, his favorite scene in 'Jaws,' and much more.After that, the conversation turns to Brian Raftery—author, podcaster, and creator of the new Ringer podcast series 'Mission Accomplished,' which explores the movies of the George W. Bush era (30:27).It’s a scintillating talk about films like 'Michael Clayton,' 'Zodiac,' and 'Anchorman'; where big-budget comedies went; whether superhero movies ruined everything; and what Brian set out to uncover with his latest series.Two great conversations, two brilliant guests. Dive in.Host: Gabriel FriebergGuests: Laurent Bouzereau, Sena Adjei, Brian RafteryProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

Alex Russell, writer and director of the new psychological drama thriller 'Lurker,' joins the pod!First up, resident FX expert Teddy Kim stops by to vivisect Noah Hawley's 'Alien: Earth' (3:45). Teddy and Schmear discuss what's working and what's not through the first 3 episodes, assess the performances, and talk about how Episode 3, "Metamorphosis," was a step in the right direction for the series.After that, Alex Russell helps unpack what a "lurker" means to him as he talks about his brilliant new film and the performances of his leads Theodore Pellerin and Archie Madekwe, what he thinks about parasocialism, and his time working on 'Dave' and 'The Bear' (32:25).Host: Gabriel FriebergGuests: Teddy Kim, Alex RussellProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

Weapons writer and director Zach Cregger, as well as the film’s production designer Tom Hammock, join The SchmearCast!Before that, Schmear is joined by horror expert Rachel Lydia Barker to review Weapons. They start by discussing Zach Cregger’s earlier work, Barbarian, before diving into what works and what doesn’t in the new film, assessing the performances, and getting into spoiler territory about its meaning.After that, Zach Cregger shares on-set wisdom, his feelings about The Shining and Magnolia, working on the upcoming Resident Evil movie, and more.Lastly, Tom Hammock discusses his influences in building out the world of Weapons, names the movie he considers to have the most inspiring production design, and shares anecdotes from working on films like X and Pearl.Host: Gabriel FriebergGuests: Rachel Lydia Barker, Sena Adjei, Zach Cregger, Tom HammockProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

Ari Aster's latest film, 'Eddington,' is pissing A LOT of people off.But on this episode, Schmear is joined by Karsten Runquist to discuss why they think this Joaquin Phoenix / Pedro Pascal neo-western is so brilliant. They talk about Ari Aster's career up to this point (14:52) and the brutal reception of 'Eddington' at Cannes (20:37) before diving into the movie's themes, what works, what doesn't, and delving into Austin Butler and Emma Stone's performances (37:10). They wrap up by sharing some other ''Eddington'-adjacent recommendations (45:12) before Karsten shares 3 overlooked movies from the year so far (47:12).Then, Alison Sivitz (Bald Ann Dowd) returns to the show to talk about Lena Dunham's new rom-com series 'Too Much,' starring Megan Stalter and Will Sharpe (49:05). She and Schmear assess why they loved the series and why everyone should be watching it.Host: Gabriel FriebergGuests: Karsten Runquist, Alison SivitzProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

It’s a bird, it’s a plane—it’s a...divisive new 'Superman' movie?Schmear is joined by Sean Byrne (Modern Mythos) and Brock Engi (Movie Talk with Brock) to break down James Gunn’s much-anticipated 'Superman,' starring David Corenswet as the Big Blue Boy Scout. They share headline thoughts and discuss the meaning of the Superman character before debating what works and what doesn’t in the new film and the tricky tightrope Gunn walks in rebooting the DCU. They wrap up by discussing what's in DC's pipeline and assess how Marvel’s 'Fantastic Four ' might stack up in just a couple of weeks.Host: Gabriel FriebergGuests: Brock Engi, Sean ByrneProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

Seems like no one’s talking about Season 4 of 'The Bear.'Schmear is joined by Jesse Aaronson and Lauren Brodauf to unpack why that might be, while also sharing their big-picture thoughts on the season. Then they dive into a full episode-by-episode breakdown, including the Ayo Edebiri-led 'Worms' (33:17) and the big wedding moment in 'Bears,' (52:11) featuring a standout scene from Jeremy Allen White and Bob Odenkirk.After digging through the season, the trio looks ahead and asks, where does the show go from here? (1:16:36)Host: Gabriel FriebergGuests: Jesse Aaronson, Lauren BrodaufProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

Brad Pitt stars in ''F1'—loud, shiny, and fast—but is it a good movie? Schmear and writer/critic—and Formula One expert—Iana Murray rev up to debate Joseph Kosinski’s (Top Gun: Maverick) latest film. They discuss the impact and attraction of the sport before diving into the film, arguing about Brad Pitt’s star wattage, discussing supporting performances from Kerry Condon, Damson Idris, and Javier Bardem, and questioning whether the racing was portrayed in an exciting enough way.They wrap up by giving some other racing recs if you leave 'F1' with the need for speed.Host: Gabriel FriebergGuest: Iana MurrayProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

The rage virus returns!Danny Boyle and Alex Garland re-team for ’28 Years Later,’ and Schmear hosts Marta Djordjevic (Rewind & Revive) in an in-depth conversation covering everything you need to know about the film. They first discuss zombie films (7:10) and their significance, then talk through the careers of Boyle and Garland (10:24) before analyzing both ’28 Days’ and ’28 Weeks Later’ (14:34) and their impact on the genre. They then dive into ’28 Years Later’ in its entirety (23:00), discussing the plot, filmmaking, performances, and why it’s such a surprising, fresh blockbuster that subverts expectations. Wrapping up, they discuss its reception, box office, and if they are looking forward to its sequel, “The Bone Temple” (58:55).Host: Gabriel FriebergGuests: Marta DjordjevicProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

Schmear is rejoined by Alison Sivitz—aka Bald Ann Dowd—to dive into one of the most divisive movies of the year: 'Materialists,' the new Celine Song rom-com (or is it?) starring Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Evans.They discuss the rom-com genre (3:38), break down what works and what doesn’t (9:48), and discuss the film’s strange and extreme reception (45:57). Schmear wraps by asking Sivi about the masterpiece movies she's been watching since she was last on the show for White Lotus coverage (56:04).Then, Schmear is joined by Jason Keller, creator and showrunner of the hit Apple TV+ comedy 'Stick,' starring Owen Wilson—and screenwriter of 'Ford v Ferrari.' (1:00:55) Schmear asks about working with Owen Wilson, how Keller promotes cast chemistry on set, and his thoughts on golf overall. They finish with a lightning round of rapid-fire questions (1:16:39), including what makes a good dad movie—and Jason’s favorite sports movie of all time.Host: Gabriel FriebergGuests: Alison Sivitz, Jason KellerProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

Schmear is joined by Ezgi Eren, creator of the excellent 11am Saturday questionnaire, for a wide-ranging conversation on the state of moviegoing in 2025. They trace the origins of her newsletter and unpack some of the best responses she’s received—favorite snacks, ideal showtimes—before diving into the electric energy currently powering theatrical culture.Together, they break down what’s working for theaters (and what’s not), compare moviegoing in LA and New York versus the rest of the country, unpack the bizarre Minecraft release, and analyze how Gen Z is reshaping their relationship to movies—both online and in theaters—through platforms like Letterboxd and Film Twitter.Then, Ezgi flips the script and has Schmear fill out her own questionnaire—prompting some unpredictable answers to questions like “What movie world would you want to live in?” and “Which movie do you wish you saw on the big screen?” Schmear closes by turning the tables again, asking Ezgi for a few spicy movie hot takes of her own.Host: Gabriel FriebergGuests: Ezgi ErenProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

New Wes Anderson! Jesse Armstrong’s first project since Succession! And Gen Z’s answer to Girls?Schmear, Sena Adjei, and Jesse Aaronson dig into all of that. Up first, they discuss Wes Anderson’s latest, 'The Phoenician Scheme. ' (2:04) They start off talking about how and why Wes is such a lightning rod before diving into their favorite moments in the film and judging the performances of Benicio Del Toro and Michael Cera, among others.After that, they dive into the new HBO film 'Mountainhead,' (25:30) a dark satirization of tech billionaires. They debate why the film is working for some but bumping for others, which performance stood out most, and what Jesse Armstrong should skewer next.Lastly, the trio assesses 'Adults' (47:16), the new FX comedy series in the vein of generational comedies like 'Broad City' and 'Friends,' about 20-somethings living on top of each other in NYC. They discuss why it feels so fresh, the amazing cast chemistry, and where they want the show to go in its hopeful second season.Host: Gabriel FriebergGuests: Sena Adjei, Jesse AaronsonProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

Schmear is back from Cannes and ready to debrief. He watched 16 films — including Eddington, The Phoenician Scheme, and Palme d’Or winner It Was Just an Accident — and breaks them down into four clear categories: plagues (3:26), politics (9:23), the personal (13:50), and the past (22:04).Then, it’s time for the definitive ranking: all 16 films, worst to best (29:47).Host: Gabriel FriebergProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

It’s the wrap-up of 'Andor'—one of the most accomplished shows of the year and maybe the finest example of IP storytelling to date. Schmear is rejoined by Sean Byrne (Modern Mythos) and Dan Monaghan (ReelTakes) to break down episodes 10, 11, and 12: how they function as a bridge to 'Rogue One,' whether they’re a slight comedown from the explosive highs of episodes 8 and 9, and why 'Andor' remains a rare gift—both within the Star Wars universe and the larger landscape of franchise storytelling.Episode 10: (13:57)Episode 11: (43:11)Episode 12: (52:12)Host: Gabriel FriebergGuests: Dan Monaghan, Sean ByrneProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

Schmear and Sena Adjei run down the most intriguing titles at Cannes 2025 ahead of their arrival, featuring 'Eddington', a new Western thriller from Ari Aster; directorial debuts from Harris Dickinson and Scarlett Johansson; Schmear’s dark horse Palme d’Or pick; and, of course, Spike Lee’s hotly anticipated re-team with Denzel Washington, 'Highest 2 Lowest'.Host: Gabriel FriebergGuest: Sena AdjeiProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

'Andor' ascends to thrilling new heights with its latest batch of episodes. Schmear is joined by Dan Monaghan of Reel Takes to dive into Season 2, Episodes 7–9: they discuss the slow start and debate the odd inclusion of the force as a theme in episode 7 (08:25), unpack the chilling real-world political echoes in the masterfully tense episode 8 (21:27), and celebrate the pure excitement of episode 9 (36:46) — spotlighting Genevieve O’Reilly’s tremendous speech as Mon Mothma and the show’s smooth, confident storytelling.Host: Gabriel FriebergGuest: Dan Monaghan Producer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

Schmear returns to the post-apocalyptic world of 'The Last of Us,' joined once again by Sena Adjei to break down episodes 2 through 4 of S2 (1:52). They unpack that massive E2 shocker, explore why episode 3 left them disappointed, and assess whether the show is back on track after a much-improved episode 4 packed with visceral set pieces and Jeffrey Wright's compelling new character.Later, Schmear and Sena pivot to the new Marvel film 'Thunderbolts*', diving into the performances, debating whether the film worked for them, and sharing what they’re excited about next in the world of superheroes (26:02).Host: Gabriel FriebergGuest: Sena AdjeiProducer: Gabriel FriebergMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

Episodes 4–6 of 'Andor' S2 deliver masterfully thrilling television, pushing the Tony Gilroy-created series to soaring new heights.Schmear is joined by Sean Byrne (Modern Mythos) and Dan Monaghan (Reel Takes) to break it all down: they unpack the fan reactions to the season’s first batch, dig into the Ghorman-centered arc, and spotlight the standout performances, shifting motivations, and intricate webs of deception. They wrap with three things they’re most excited to see in the back half of the season.Episode 4 Recap and Review (16:11)Episode 5 Recap and Review (36:47)Episode 6 Recap and Review (56:35)Host: Gabriel FriebergGuest: Sean Byrne, Dan MonaghanProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

The thrilling, deeply layered 'Andor' — arguably the best Star Wars byproduct — returns for a spectacular Season 2.Schmear is joined by Sean Byrne (Modern Mythos) to break down what makes this Tony Gilroy-created series so exceptional (3:06). After touching on the show's development and its ties to 'Rogue One' (11:04) they dive into the first three episodes: “One Year Later,” (18:04) “Sagrona Teema,” (35:28) and “Harvest.” (44:33)Sean and Schmear parse the stellar, across-the-board performances — spotlighting Diego Luna and Stellan Skarsgård — while assessing the action-packed storytelling, analyzing the timely political undercurrents, and unpacking how the Empire evokes Nazi Germany. They wrap by speculating on where the season might head (1:02:58) and Sean lets loose on the stunted Star Wars fan base’s baffling response to the series (1:06:53). Host: Gabriel FriebergGuest: Sean ByrneProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

Ryan Coogler’s 'Sinners' is one of the best, boldest movies of the year.Schmear and Sena Adjei dive in rapturously, starting with their big-picture impressions and in-theater experiences. They break down Coogler and Michael B. Jordan’s creative partnership, the film’s development, and then go deep on the filmmaking, performances, standout scenes, and major themes.They wrap with thoughts on the film’s reception and box office, the current state of Black horror, what’s next for Coogler—and three films each to watch if you’re craving more of 'Sinners.'Host: Gabriel FriebergGuest: Sena AdjeiProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

'The Last of Us' is BACK...but is it any good?Schmear is joined by Sena Adjei to break down the Pedro Pascal-led series, reflecting on the highs and lows of Season 1 before diving into the S2 premiere, "Future Days." They talk about new cast members like Kaitlyn Dever and Catherine O’Hara, why Sena’s underwhelmed so far, and whether they’re emotionally in for the long haul.Then, Schmear links up with Dan Monaghan of Reel Takes to dissect 'Warfare'—Alex Garland’s explosive, hotly debated follow-up to 'Civil War,' co-directed with Navy SEAL Ray Mendoza. They unpack the film’s big ideas, the discourse it’s sparked, and why 'Warfare' stands out as a raw, boots-on-the-ground war story—before sharing their top picks from the “war is hell” canon.Host: Gabriel FriebergGuest: Sena Adjei, Dan Monaghan Producer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

'The Pitt,' which wrapped up last night, is one of the best shows of 2025, and joining the SchmearCast are two of its amazing stars, Gerran Howell (Dennis Whitaker) and Shabana Azeez (Victoria Javadi)!!First up, Jesse Aaronson returns to break down episodes 3 and 4 of 'The Studio.' Schmear and Jesse re-engineer their expectations for the sitcom before diving into "The Note" and "The Missing Reel" and discussing the guest cameos from Anthony Mackie, Zac Efron, and Olivia Wilde. Then Gerran Howell (Whitaker) unpacks that powerful scene with Dr. Robby in Episode 14 and how Noah Wyle served as an amazing mentor. Howell talks the importance of great sneakers on set and what Day 1 living with Trinity Santos (Isa Briones) looks like.After that, Schmear and Shabana Azeez discuss the background of her brilliant, precocious character "Victoria Javadi" and what drives her. Azeez also answers who cracked her up most on set, the biggest differences in healthcare in the USA vs. Australia, and her favorite 'The Pitt' moment.Host: Gabriel FriebergGuest: Jesse Aaronson, Gerran Howell, Shabana AzeezProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

'White Lotus' S3 comes to an explosive, divisive close.Schmear and Alison Sivitz (Bald Ann Dowd) reunite one last time to break down the action-packed 90-minute finale, “Amor Fati.” Schmear defends the episode overall before the two dive into the twists and turns. Alison makes a bold 180 on Saxon Ratliff, while Schmear praises the fateful, artful Lachlan scene. They unpack the climactic ending and the moments that fell short.The episode wraps with final thoughts on the season, theory-brained fandom, and predictions for White Lotus S4—both thematic and literal.Host: Gabriel FriebergGuest: Alison SivitzProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

In 'The White Lotus’s' penultimate episode, “Killer Instincts,” this roller coaster season barrels ahead with a sharp focus on the nature of violence.Schmear and Alison Sivitz return to break it all down (2:05)—Rick’s cockamamie Bangkok scheme (10:39), the ladies on the warpath (14:47), and the monastery misadventure (17:50). Schmear casts a wary eye on Mook, while Alison unpacks her complicated feelings about Saxon and Chelsea (25:20). After analyzing the eventful nights for multiple characters, they wrap with bold predictions for the finale (41:10).Host: Gabriel FriebergGuest: Alison SivitzProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

New Seth Rogen Hollywood satire series 'The Studio' is one of the best and funniest shows of the year.Joining Schmear to help break it down is Jesse Aaronson. The two give their top-line thoughts (3:19), discuss some of the best and worst examples of the "Hollywood" subgenre on the small screen (10:17), then assess the incredibly hysterical, smart, and stylish first episode "The Promotion" (15:09) and talk about the farcical comedy of episode two, "The Oner" (34:27).They walk through which characters they're enjoying most (38:47) before projecting what they want to see in the rest of the season for it to remain successful (42:12).They wrap up by drafting a starting five of their favorite "Hollywood" movies against each other (46:16), where Jesse makes a bold, brilliant pick that undercuts Schmear's top-heavy strategy.Host: Gabriel FriebergGuest: Jesse AaronsonProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

Did “brotherly love” go a little too far in Thailand?Schmear and Alison Sivitz reunite to break down 'The White Lotus' S3 E6, “Denials.” They parse an awkward “next day” (11:03) for every character and debate the episode’s dream sequences. Schmear shares his own Thai Buddhist monastery experience (22:33) before unpacking how the Ratliffs are changed by their visit. After questioning whether Laurie broke the friend code (31:06), they wrap up by sharing their excitement over the thrilling Rick-centric cliffhanger (35:28).Host: Gabriel FriebergGuest: Alison SivitzProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok

An ambitious, imaginative, cinematic finale to 'Severance' Season 2, fitting for a show and a season defined by those very qualities. Schmear and Sean Byrne share their big-picture thoughts on the jam-packed, 76-minute episode "Cold Harbor," (2:54) covering Adam Scott’s remarkable performance (6:49), bizarre Lumon shenanigans (16:13), and the emotional journeys of each character. They break down the note-perfect final act (27:57), debate that shocking last moment (43:40), and class is in session for Schmear’s cinema studies (51:20) as they unpack the inspirations behind that bold ending freeze frame. They wrap with overall impressions of the season (56:31), how “Cold Harbor” could function as a series finale, and a discussion of Season 3 prospects (1:03:38).Host: Gabriel FriebergGuests: Sean ByrneProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠TikTok

We were promised fireworks in “Full-Moon Party,” but did the latest ‘White Lotus’ episode deliver?Schmear and Alison Sivitz fiercely debate the success (or lack thereof) of ‘The White Lotus’ S3 E5 (2:01). Schmear explains why he thinks the season feels “tired,” while Alison argues there's still some juice left. They break down the episode’s biggest moments, vent about Gaitok and Tim (16:24), unpack that HUGE guest star cameo (25:20), and discuss what needs to happen next for the season to feel satisfying (37:44).Host: Gabriel FriebergGuests: Alison SivitzProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠InstagramTikTok

Schmear and Sean Byrne break down ‘Severance’ S2 E9, "The After Hours" (2:16), discussing how it serves as a ramp-up to what should be a thrilling finale. They debate what worked and what didn’t within the episode, including tracking Milchick’s emotional journey, saying goodbye to Irving (22:49), and the brewing Innie vs. Outtie battle (37:46).Later, Isaac Feldberg, critic at RogerEbert.com, joins to discuss Steven Soderbergh’s sleek new espionage thriller ‘Black Bag’ (42:57). Schmear and Isaac break down Soderbergh’s restless and impressive recent work ethic and the themes he's been exploring before diving into the film itself—highlighting Michael Fassbender’s magnetic performance (52:56), how ‘Black Bag’ tackles surveillance, and why it's exactly the movie audiences need right now (1:05:27).Host: Gabriel FriebergGuests: Sean Byrne, Isaac FeldbergProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠

Bong Joon Ho’s hotly anticipated follow-up to the Best Picture-winning ‘Parasite’ - ‘Mickey 17’ — is finally here.So how’s the movie?Schmear and Sena Adjei dig into the film landscape ‘Mickey 17’ arrives in (1:56), debate their favorite Bong Joon Ho movies (7:55), and talk about the allure of Robert Pattinson (13:26) before diving into the film’s merits and drawbacks (21:15). They break down Pattinson’s performance, the cartoonish villains, and the political satire, before debating whether the film will age well (43:50) and what it augurs for auteurs working at a blockbuster scale (46:10) .Then, Schmear and Alison Sivitz return to ‘The White Lotus’ to talk S3E4, “Hide or Seek,” (56:44) arguably the season’s weakest episode so far—though not without its charms. They discuss the great setup but lack of payoff for the boat party and the ladies going off-hotel, Schmear rants about Rick’s stasis (1:20:12), and they consider how awful Gaitok is at his job before wrapping talking about what’s ahead next week (1:32:12).Host: Gabriel FriebergGuests: Sena Adjei, Alison SivitzProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIALetterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠

Revisiting conversations with three Oscar winners on this bonus episode of The SchmearCast.Lol Crawley, DP of ‘The Brutalist’ and winner of the Best Cinematography Oscar, discusses pulling off some of the film’s standout scenes, his working relationship with Brady Corbet, and what he thinks Laszlo Toth’s favorite movies might have been (3:42).Gints Zilbalodis, director, writer, animator, and composer of the Best Animated Film winner ‘Flow,’ joins the show for an in-depth chat about his stirring film, his thoughts on Miyazaki comparisons, and his favorite animated films of all time (31:36).Lastly, Alex Coco, who picked up the Best Picture award for producing ‘Anora,’ shares what it’s like working with Sean Baker, when he knew star Mikey Madison had the it factor, and what it means for ‘Anora’ to be called “American New Wave.” (51:04)Host: Gabriel FriebergGuests: Lol Crawley, Gints Zilbalodis, Alex CocoProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠

Finally catching up with Patricia Arquette's "Harmony Kobel" in this week’s 'Severance ' episode, S2 E8, “Sweet Vitriol.”Schmear and Sean Byrne (Modern Mythos) discuss this unique bottle episode, how it recontextualizes aspects of the series, the efficacy of the storytelling, and debate if we’re set up for a thrilling end-of-season run or not.Host: Gabriel FriebergGuests: Sean ByrneProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠

Between the Oscars and 'White Lotus ' S3E3, last night was a BIG night.Sena Adjei returns to the show as he and Schmear break down the Oscars telecast (1:57)—debating Timmy vs. Adrien Brody, discussing 'Anora’s' big night (8:40), and Demi Moore getting “Substanced” by Mikey Madison (12:32). They wrap up by assessing the night’s miscellaneous winners and losers (30:59) and getting existential about the state of movies.Speaking of existentialism, 'White Lotus' S3E3 was a surreal, twisted affair, and Alison Sivitz (Bald Ann Dowd) returns to analyze the episode (47:56). She and Schmear discuss how dreams factor into the story, Walton Goggins and the snakes (1:10:38), politics (!), and how the episode sets up the rest of the season.Host: Gabriel FriebergGuests: Sena Adjei, Alison SivitzProducer: Pavle GajicMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠

"Enjoy this special edition episode, a collaboration with the amazing "That Final Scene" podcast!" - Schmear------------------------------------------I've never been so unprepared for an Oscar season. This year's race feels like someone threw all the conventional wisdom into a blender, hit puree, and walked away laughing.So in this episode, we are joined by The Schmear Hunter’s Gabriel Frieberg—whose Berlinale stories alone are worth the price of admission—to walk us through his film and TV journey and quickly descend into our annual tradition of pretending we have any idea what'll happen on Hollywood's favorite night of self-congratulation: The Academy Awards.Gabriel turned out to be the perfect antidote to my cynicism, bringing actual insights from the festival circuit while Ben chugged tea and ranted about why "Furiosa" deserved more recognition. We dove into the genuine surprise of Ariana Grande's performance in "Wicked" (who knew?) and debated whether Demi Moore will finally get her flowers in the Best Actress category.The real fun came when we compared our predictions against what YOU, the TFS community, voted for in our Substack ballot. Your "will win" picks are surprisingly industry-savvy, but your "want to win" choices? Pure chaos in the best possible way.Sean Baker vs. Brady Corbet for Best Director created our most heated exchange (sorry for the sound spike), and none of us could agree whether "Conclave" deserves its Best Picture nomination. But there's unanimous support for "Anora" in both our panel and community picks—which probably means something else will win because the Oscars love nothing more than making us all look foolish.Make sure you listen to our take on the Bond franchise's uncertain future and stay for Gabriel’s passionate defense of the films that got completely overlooked this awards season. As always, I promise to eat my words publicly when my predictions turn out wrong.Catch up on Gabriel’s work at:schmearhunter.comAlso subscribe to his podcast, The SchmearCast, on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts 🎧And follow him on Instagram, TikTok & Letterboxd.instagram.com/schmearhunter_tiktok.com/@schmearhunterhttps://letterboxd.com/SchmearHunter/Loved what you heard? Let's keep the conversation going at the That Final Scene chat on Substack:https://substack.com/chat/3141096Follow That Final Scene at:Substack: thatfinalscene.comInstagram: @thatfinalsceneTikTok: @thatfinalsceneYouTube: @ThatFinalSceneTimestamps00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest00:51 Gabriel's Journey in Film and TV03:24 The Importance of Unique Voices in Film Critique05:49 Experiences at the Berlinale Film Festival07:58 Discussion on 'Mickey 17' and Director Bong Joon-ho09:39 The Future of Big Budget Films and Auteur Directors11:48 Concerns Over the Bond Franchise and Amazon's Influence20:02 Oscar Predictions and the Best Actor Category29:17 The Rise of Timothée Chalamet30:39 Best Actress Predictions32:36 Best Supporting Actor Insights35:08 Best Supporting Actress Discussion40:00 Best Adapted Screenplay Contenders44:35 Best Director Showdown55:04 Fan Favorites and Cult Classics56:56 Cinematography Predictions01:00:07 Film Editing Insights01:03:21 Best Picture Predictions01:10:30 Oscar Snubs and Underrated FilmsGet full access to That Final Scene at www.thatfinalscene.com/subscribe

'Severance' cinematographer and director of the masterful Season 2, Episode 7, "Chikhai Bardo," Jessica Lee Gagné joins The SchmearCast!First, Schmear and Sean Byrne (Modern Mythos) break down this rich, dense, and emotionally devastating episode, starting with their big-picture impressions (2:44) before diving into the plot specifics. They discuss the beautiful, warm direction, Dichen Lachman’s performance as Gemma, the horrors of Lumon (25:08), and what the hell they think is actually happening in the export hall.After the recap, they’re joined by director and cinematographer Jessica Lee Gagné to discuss the making of "Chikhai Bardo" (42:31)—how she pulled off some of its best shots, the episode’s unique use of music (56:47), and so much more.Finally, Schmear wraps up Berlinale 2025 coverage with Euronews critic David Mouriquand (1:02:07), counting down the festival’s five best films and analyzing the awards handed out.Host: Gabriel FriebergGuests: Sean Byrne, David Mouriquand, Jessica Lee GagnéProducer: Pavlo MelnykMusic: Justin FriedmanWATCH ON YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠