Almigos

It's a strange movie year ahead of us. With a weird 2023 in the rear view, 2024 poses yet another year with a release schedule affected by strange circumstances (hopefully no pandemic this time).  Alejandro and Jon delve into a variety of topics and give their thoughts on the odd year, as well as give what seems like a euelogy for physical media.

Happy New Years our lovely listeners! After an extended break (again), we're back!!! Again! We're sorry we have personal lives! Work and stuff gets in the way sometimes ya know.  Any way, what better way to kick off the new year than by reflecting on the previous one? 2023 was a strong year for the motion pictures, and Alejandro and Jon are here to list their favorites (in order of course), as well as some honorable mentions. They also discuss television programs, video games and some music as well. We missed you very much and we just KNOW you're dying to hear what we have to say!

It's the biggest cinematic event of the decade! Literally! The internet strikes again, and made this unqiue release of Barbie and Oppenheimer on the same day one of the most anticipated days ever. And an event this feels like. With both films killing it at the box office and dominating the conversation in the common rhetroic, Alejandro and Jon sit down and break down both films, the hype surrounding it, and what this means going forward. They also squeeze in a little discussion of the Netflix film They Cloned Tyrone, which unfortunately was released in the midst of the Barbenheimer madness and was overlooked. 

The summer is here. That means two things- awful humid weather and MOOOOOOVIES. It also means that the year is just over after done, and before the Summer Movie season really kicks into high gear with a chaotic July, Alejandro and Jon are back from a hiatus to recount the year so far. They each talk about what 2023 has been for the Hollywood industry, talk about the movies they loved thus far, and even a couple that they've LOATHED. 

The Almigos gang has been busy! With what, you ask? Making short films!! Alejandro Cardenas joined forces with his childhood friend Matt Benson and his now fiance Eve Smith to create two short films that we are excited to share with you, Bugsy and Bright Noise. Jon also helped (he's writing this description and wanted to be sure you guys know he was involved). The "Troublesome Two" (as dubbed by Alejandro) join the Almigos duo to discuss the productions, which both star Almigos alum Alexa Pastor (who was in the land down under during the recording of this pod). They discuss inspirations, set fun among other things. Enjoy the episode, and you guys better have seen the two shorts. OR ELSE!

The duo are joined by Almigo alum and video game enthusiast Mike Reis to discuss the biggest show of the year, a show based on a video game! The Last of Us, the HBO phenomenom, is sweeping the nation by storm, along with Pedro Pascal-mania. The group break the show down, give their thoughts on how the show has translated from video game form, what they thought of the shows many twists and turns, as well as speculate on future season- including a spoiler discussion for the video game Last of Us Part II (skip to 1:05:00 to avoid).

The duo is back, and this time they tackle a popular topic. Fellow Sea graduate and longtime pal, Chris Bertosen, has been dying to come on. Finally he does, and he does not disappoint. Mystery/true crime stories/podcasts are all the rage these days, and these three debate their favorites in the genre. They attempt to discuss lesser known entrys in the genre and try to recommend under the radar Mystery films you may have missed! They attempted to veer away from the popular films like Seven and Knives Out to give you some gems of recommendations. We hope you enjoy them as well as the episode!

In a surprisng turn of events, the duo have an episode that went UNDER one hour. Who would've guessed!  In light of the recent announcement that AMC will be pricing certain seats differently for reasons that remain unclear, the duo take this opprotunity to discuss the sad state of the movie theaters. Despite some recent glimmers of hope from the likes of Avatar 2 and Puss in Boots 2 (is it the second one? The third? I dunno), times are scary for the theater going experience. And the two weigh in on this, especially the behavior of the movie goers.

The year is upon us, and in store is a fun gimmick for you, humble listener.  First the duo recap what they've seen so far in the new year, including a discussion of the hit new HBO television program The Last of Us. Then, the meat of the episode, the two draft the movies they are most looking forward to in the coming year! Divided into categories of genre, the two take turns picking the films they are most excited about.

It's the biggest episode of the year, and appropriately the longest one of the year. No clever description is needed. Chris Esposito joins to break down a truly splendid year for the pictures. Jon wrote this description in case you couldn't tell. Strap in, and get ready for the gang's top 10 favorite movies of 2022.

He's taken the world by storm. He's topping music charts. He's selling out shows left and right. He's spitting on Nick Kroll. And finally, he's the topic of an episode of Almigos. In this episode, the duo are joined by Certified Harry Styles Stan (or "Harry" as the fanbase calls it) Theresa Cambeis to tackle the pop culture phenom. They talk about Harry's career, from his humble beginnings as a member of a boy band, to Billboard powerhouse, to aspiring actor (spoiler alert- he isn't very good at it). They talk about his role in the lexicon, his booming career, and his recent antics on movie sets and press tours. It's Harry-mania on Almigos!!

It's the most wonderful time of the year- Election season!!! This episode, the duo talk about everyone's favorite subject: politics.  But rather than be divisive, the Almigos gang strives to unify their wonderful listeners. And what better way to do so than with movies! So listen as Al and Jon discuss their favorite pictures centered on government, politics, conspiracies, and problematic actors! 

The days are getting shorter, the skies are getting grayer and the weather getting colder. It's the perfect time of the year to snuggle up under a nice blanket, get a cup of hot chocolate and fire up some plesant movies!! This week, the duo are joined by Al's better half, Jess Nivelo, to chat about their comfort movies. The movies they've seen a million times and just always leave them with that warm, fuzzy feeling inside.

It's a month of firsts on the Almigos Podcast. After hosting their first couple on the show, the Almigos Duo hosts their first pair of siblings on the show. Decorated Almigos Alum Anthony "Figz" Figliozzi brings on the younger Figz (and movie nerd) Nicolette!  In this episode, they discuss their relationships with their siblings, and then transition into a movie talk. They talk about their favorite depictions of siblings in the pictures. You won't want to miss this!

Summer is coming to a close and Fall is nigh! To celebrate the time of change, spookiness, sweater weather, football and pumpkin spice, we give you one of the most seasonal episodes in the history of Almigos! Recorded while Jon is drafting in one of his fantasy leagues, the duo host the couple with the coolest combination of names ever, one a first timer and one an Almigos alum. Al's longtime friend, Matthew Benson, and his girlfriend, Eve Smith, have recently moved here from sunny Los Angeles, and they join the Alimgos duo to talk about horror films. The theme this time is obscure horror movies, and there's some gems in here- Everything from movies that'll make you keep the lights on and movies that are so terrible you'll be laughing your ass off. It's a fun time as always on this episode!

The duo is joined by long time friend and now 3x Almigos guest Joe Bitetto! In a departure from the usual pop culture heavy topics, this one gets a little more personal. Joe opens up about his fitness journey, personal struggles, highs, lows, goals and more.  And then, because we are contractually obligated to tie this back into movies, we round the episode by testing Joe on his knowledge of actor's health. We play a game of "Natty or Not" where we show Joe a pic of a shredded celebrity and he must deduce whether they are natural or not. It's a fun and suprisingly heartfelt episode that you won't want to miss.

We're back again! After another extended hiatus, the duo are back to recap the year. Sort of joined by previous guest, Pat Blancero, the two talk about the year 2022 in pop culture so far. They tackle some of the big shows like the Bear and the Boys, as well as some massive movies such as Nope, Top Gun: Maverick and Crimes of the Future!! Hopefully this is the last extended break we take and we can get back to weekly content for you guys. We shall see!

Reacting to the recent news about apparent struggles at Netflix, Jon and Al take a step back and evaluate the streaming industry as a whole. They talk about Netflix's decline in subscribers, possible reasons, the other competition and speculate on a changing industry. They also, of course, talk about the movies they've seen. Most notably The Northman and Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

After about two weeks of everyone talking about the biggest pop culture moment of the 21st century, Jon and Al finally weigh in on the controversy. In addition, they give their thoughts on a mostly bizzare ceremony all around, even without the infamous slap heard around the world. They then round out with discussing some movies they've seen. This includes the incredible Everything, Everywhere All at Once.

It's finally here! ANOTHER incarnation of the Caped Crusader has been unleashed on the movie landscape. And this time he's more of the world's greatest detective than a dark knight. Jon and Al break down the movie at length. This is a spoiler filled episode, so watch the movie before you listen to this. They're also is a guest appearance by Cooper! He was in a mood when we recorded this so get ready to hear him whine and bark throughout.

On this week's episode, the duo are joined by Al's ol colleague and friend Sean Donnelly. A enthusiastic cinephile, the trio spend 2 hours talking about nobody's favorite film event of the year- the Oscars!!! They give reactions, predictions, snubs and all that jazz. It's a long one, but an absolute dynamite conversation including Al mispronouncing Titane numerous times. You dont wanna miss out!

This week, the duo welcomes a new guest. He's appeared in the background before but this is his first official time in the midst of the conversation. The man with the golden voice, Pat Blancero!!! Known for his love of deep complicated movies, the gang decided to roll with this idea. Here, they talk about the movies that they would love to recommend to people but aren't easy sells, whether its subject matter, run time, style or whatever. Enjoy!

With another year coming to a close and a new one beginning, Al and Jon recount their favorites of 2021. The very best of the year, from movies, tv shows, video games to music, is covered here. Hopefully you've seen these and can weigh in on your favorites as well.

The Alimgos clan congregates in these uncertain times of Christmas and Covid to talk about the latest Marvel sensation- Spider-Man No Way Home! A film that's immune to Covid apparently as it's made approximately a trillion dollars so far. This is a spoiler filled episode, but you've probably seen it already so no worries. But if you haven't, get your rear end to a theater and see it already! What are you scared of the 19 or something?!

Hello All. No more jive. After a long year of many hectic events, the Almigos duo is back and they're hear to stay. Join Jon and Al as they explain the reason behind their extended hiatus, make a huge life announcement, and (of course) talk about movies! And video games! And Gordon Ramsey! We're sorry for the absence, and that will not happen again. Thank you for being patient and sticking with us. You will not be disappointed!

After another hiatus, the Almigos Duo is back. Longtime pal Joseph Scanni to yuck it up about a variety of things, but most prominently the wonderful world of food. Favorite cuisines, cooking dishes, movie dishes are discussed. It's a flavorful episode you won't want to miss.

The MCU has been going strong since the beginning of the year. With three shows and one movie now in the rearview, resident Almigos Marvel enthusiast Taylor Amato returns with Nicole (who's is practically the third host at this point) to recap the year. They discuss the shows WandaVision, Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Loki as well as the long awaited Black Widow movie. 

This week, Al's often mentioned friend Matt Benson returns to New York and Almigos. Not to be outdone, Jon forces his friend Pat Blancero to kind of make his debut on the episode, relegating him to the background. The four yuck it up about an extremely fun topic, their favorite horror comedies, an often overlooked genre.

Following a miscommunication on the behalf of our beloved hosts, this episode is done in a bit of a different manner. This time, the two go back and forth exchanging completely opposite topics. Jon discusses scenes he dislikes in movies he likes, and Al talks about scenes he likes in movies he dislikes. It was supposed to be the former, but whatever. These things happen. Nicole joins for added lolz.

On this episode of the show, the fellas discuss a special topic with extremely special co hosts. The duo's significant others, Nicole (who's been on before) and Jess (making her podcast debut), join them to talk about date movies. Hear them break down their various favorites from eclectic genres. It's a sultry episode you won't want to miss!

WE..... ARE..... BACK. After the hiatus to end all hiatus, Jon and Al join forces once again, dust off the ol' microphones and give you, the people, what you have long been waiting... the 100th edition of Almigos. In this episode, the fellas recount the seminal and most iconic moments of the show, the way their lives have been changed and affected by it, and the many movies that have dropped during its run. It's a fun and heartwarming episode that you won't want to miss.

After a hiatus, Al and Jon are back! Finally out of the dreaded calendar year of 2020, the duo continues the annual tradition of ranking their favorites of the year. It's a bit different this year, however. As the two didn't see a lot of movies, the two bend the rules a bit to rank their top 10 "things" (movies, shows and video games) that released in 2020. Buckle up, this is a two hour extravaganza that you won't want to miss!!

Ahoy, listeners! Al and Jon are back for the holiday, and what better way to celebrate than to complain about the movies that they loathe. Join the duo as they discuss and bash the films they despise the most. A fun cathartic episode you won't want to miss! Enjoy the episode and Happy Thanksgiving !

On this edition of Almigos, Jon and Al are joined by dear friends and alum of the show, Taylor Amato and Nicole Ierardi, to discuss the successful Amazon Prime Show The Boys. They break down both seasons, give their thoughts, interpretations and predictions. This episode obviously has spoilers so proceed with caution.

Jon and Al are joined by Jon's childhood friend and Almigo superfan, Anthony Trani to discuss Nolan's new mindbender, TENET. Join them as the trio recount their trip to Philly to see it, their first time in a movie theater in months, reactions to the movie, and try to make sense of the film's plot. There are spoilers towards the end so try and see it before you listen if possible. Wohs eht yojne!

In light of the recent tragic news about the passing of Chadwick Boseman, Al and Jon reflect on the careers of some of the greats whose careers met an untimely end. Despite short stints in our lives, these careers still had a tremendous legacy and impact that was felt, and even amplified, by their unfortunate circumstances.

This week Almigos gets trippy as Michael Stevens drops by to talk about how drugs are portrayed in movies. From the insane wild takes like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and 21 Jumpstreet to the dark places addiction can take you portrayed in Requiem for a Dream. We cover it all and have a great time doing it, so tune in and break out the quaaludes.  

This week on Almigos, we explore the fascinating world of buying and selling high end street fashion and the thousands of dollars in between. Returning guest Joe Scanni, shines a light as an insider into how one pair of shoes can flip into a 6 digit sale and how the industry has boomed in the last decade. Hope you enjoy this different episode of the show! 

Almigos makes it IN PERSON recording return this week with special guest James Clinton to talk about the world's most popular superhero: Batman. The character has gone through so many iterations in his 81-year history but has always resonated with audiences and has made him an icon in pop culture. So what is it about Batman that has made him so timeless all these years later? 

This week on Almigos, we discuss the current state of theaters after the effects of Covid-19. Studios are exploring the concept of putting new movies straight into our homes with VOD, while traditionalists like Christopher Nolan are pushing for theaters to come back right away. I know me and Jon are dying to get back into theaters, where do you stand??

Almigos is back this week to debate one of the biggest arguments on film twitter right now: which is the best year in film of the last decade: 2014 or 2017. Both years had excellent films out such as Guardians of the Galaxy, IT Chapter 1, Boyhood, and Baby Driver. Jon and I go head to head on a hefty debate which is the year that takes the crown in the 2010s. Make sure to comment and let us know who's your winner! 

This week we take a walk down memory lane with another adfellow, Nudrat Kadir, for a very unique episode of the show. Join us as we look back at 5 songs that instantly take us back to a specific time or place in our lives: A Life Playlist. We hope you're staying safe, staying inside and watching some of your favorite movies! 

We're back! It's been a while since the last episode. Mainly because of a global pandemic rocking the world. Finally, Al and Jon regroup via skype to catch up on what they have been doing in the quarantine and give some recommendations for you guys to watch. Please forgive the audio quality in this one. It isn't easy to record a podcast remotely.

This week we change pace from our usual movie talk to discussing what it's like living in New York City. Special guests Marcos Baistrocchi and Mehlum Kayamali (two out of towners) discuss  adjusting to life in New York after living all over and Jon and I talk about living here all our lives. This is a very different episode than usual and we really loved doing it, let us know if its something we should do again! 

This week we change it up on Almigos as Anthony Figliozzi and Joe Scanni stop by to talk about our favorite albums of the decade! Music defines us in a way that few other mediums really can and this past decade's music shaped us into the people we are today. That being said Figz has some rough choices in there (Chris Brown really?) Enjoy and hope you pick up your new favorite album! 

This week on Almigos, Jon and I break down the nominations for the 91st Academy Awards! The Oscars are always a tough balance of the Superbowl for us film fans while also being the most frustrating thing to watch (also kinda like the Superbowl). Let us know your picks for what you think should win in each category and if you don't agree with ours... well keep it to yourself 

This week we tackle one of the hardest questions there is for film lovers: what are our favorite 10 films to be released in the last decade. We are joined by fan-favorite John Rizzo, to talk about some of our absolute favorite movies in the decade where we really found our love for movies. 

2019 has finally wrapped up and will go down as one of the best years of film in the decade. Jon and I couldn’t be more excited to make our picks for our absolute favorites of the year and movies we’ll be watching for years to come. Comment down below your favorite movie of 2019!

It's that time of year again where we break down the latest Star Wars movie and slowly lose our sanity while talking about it. This week we have special guests Anthony Figliozzi and Joe Scaffidi to talk about Episode 9: The Rise of Skywalker and what we thought of the Skywalker Saga in retrospect as it comes to a close. If you're interested in hearing 4 nerds talk Star Wars you're going to love this episode. 

To celebrate the 80th episode, we have a very special guest who just so happens to be dating one of our hosts: Jon's girlfriend Nicole Ierardi! This week we explore some of our favorite fictional worlds across film, tv, and literature that we would love to live in! Yes, it's a lot of Harry Potter and Star Wars but like come on who wouldn't want to live there. 

This week on Almigos, one of our all-time favorite guests Alexa Pastor stops by to talk our favorite action movie heroes. This is a hard one folks, as Jon loves his 80's cheese and one-liners and I prefer our heroes with a bit more grit. I hope you enjoy this episode and have a Happy Thanksgiving.