Fools Who Dream Movies

Who are the greatest filmmakers of the 21st century? Your answer to that question probably depends a lot on your personal taste. That’s why we decided to interview 15 film critics and fans about their favorite filmmakers working today. In part one of this three-part series, we discuss Paul Thomas Anderson, Wes Anderson, Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, Ryan Coogler, and Guillermo del Toro.

"Sinners" vs. "One Battle After Another"; Ryan Coogler vs. Paul Thomas Anderson; Michael B. Jordan vs. Timothée Chalamet; Jessie Buckley vs. anyone delusional enough to believe they can beat Jessie Buckley. This year, the Oscars are filled with intriguing, unpredictable showdowns...and Chance Solem-Pfeifer, Fools Who Dream’s critic-at-large, is back to take the temperature of awards season.

John DiLillo returns to the Fools Who Dream Movies Podcast to discuss the wonders and the weirdness of James Cameron's "Avatar: Fire and Ash" with host Bennett Campbell Ferguson.

This week, we're revisiting another classic episode: Fools Who Dream editor Bennett Campbell Ferguson and Christopher Nolan correspondent Patrick Belin revisit their original reviews of Christopher Nolan's "Interstellar" 10 years after the film's premiere.

This month, we're revisiting a classic episode of the show. Fools Who Dream's critic-at-large, Chance Solem-Pfeifer (from The Kick podcast and Willamette Week), discusses his extraordinary career reviewing films. Part 1 of our series on The Art of the Critic.

Eric Ash guest hosts the Fools Who Dream Movies Podcast, interviewing Bennett Campbell Ferguson about his recently published oral history of the first "X-Men" film.

What makes a great Superman movie? Over the decades, filmmakers as different as Richard Donner, Richard Lester, Bryan Singer, and Zack Snyder have struggled to answer that question (to varying degrees of success). Now, director James Gunn ("Guardians of the Galaxy") offers his take. Super-fans Bennett Campbell Ferguson, Ray Gill Jr., and Morgan Shaunette sit down to discuss the cinematic legacy of the last son of Krypton...and Gunn's place in the pantheon.

2025 marks the 10th anniversary of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" and the 20th anniversary of "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith." Both are considered by many fans to be the best of their respective trilogies, but which is the superior "Star Wars" film? Bennett Campbell Ferguson and Josh O'Rourke debate the matter...with a twist.

You will know a man by his relationships. In Terrence Malick's "Knight of Cups," the life of screenwriter Rick (Christian Bale) is divided into eight chapters, each spotlighting one of the bonds that defines him, be it romantic or familial. For this episode, Malick acolytes Bennett Campbell Ferguson and Patrick Belin join forces to analyze (and rate) each chapter of the film.

Patrick Belin, Fools Who Dream's Christopher Nolan correspondent, returns to the podcast to discuss Christopher Nolan's upcoming adaptation of "The Odyssey," slated for July 2026.

Marc Mohan moved to Portland from Wisconsin in 1991, and has been exploring and contributing to the city’s film culture almost ever since, as the manager of the landmark independent video store Trilogy, the owner of Portland’s first DVD-only rental spot, Video Vérité; and as a freelance film critic for The Oregonian for nearly twenty years. Once it became apparent that “newspaper film critic” was no longer a sustainable career option, he pursued a new path, enrolling in the Northwestern School of Law at Lewis & Clark College in the fall of 2017 and graduating cum laude in 2020 with a specialization in Intellectual Property. He now splits his time between his practice with Nine Muses Law and his continuing efforts to spread the word about great (and not-so-great) movies, which include a weekly column at Oregon ArtsWatch.

Get ready to experience Portland Panorama, a new film festival championing creativity, diversity, and innovation (running April 10-20). Get tickets at https://www.portlandpanorama.org/ Marc Mohan is the co-chief of the Portland Critics Association and a board member of Portland Panorama. On the Fools Who Dream Podcast, he discusses his most anticipated films of the festival, including the Oscar-winning “I’m Not a Robot.”

Fools Who Dream editor Bennett Campbell Ferguson analyzes Sir Kenneth Branagh's "Much Ado About Nothing," his favorite film of 1993.

Fools Who Dream editor/founder Bennett Campbell Ferguson and critic-at-large Chance Solem-Pfeifer discuss the 2024 Oscars: Who will win, who should win, and who should have been a contender.

Fools Who Dream editor Bennett Campbell Ferguson and special guest Josh O'Rourke (host of Bespin Ice Cream Stand) celebrate Valentine's Day by giving valentines to "Definitely, Maybe," one of their all-time favorite romantic comedies.

Fools Who Dream editor Bennett Campbell Ferguson celebrates the best Batman movie...not directed by Christopher Nolan.

Celebrate 15 years of "Avatar" as Fools Who Dream editor Bennett Campbell Ferguson and writer John DiLillo discuss James Cameron's masterpiece and their respective journeys as fans.

Fools Who Dream editor Bennett Campbell Ferguson and Christopher Nolan correspondent Patrick Belin revisit their original reviews of Christopher Nolan's "Interstellar" 10 years after the film's premiere.

Fools Who Dream editor Bennett Campbell Ferguson and Christopher Nolan correspondent Patrick Belin analyze how "Oppenheimer" became the biggest success of Nolan's career and the possibilities of his upcoming film with Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong'o, and Robert Pattinson.