AwardsWatch Oscar and Emmy Podcasts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

On episode 140 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter discuss the final film in their Chantal Akerman series, A Couch in New York (1996). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. Chantal Akerman's late 1960s to 1970s output is what she is known for and highly celebrated for a time where the director was tapping into something artistically personal that resonates for decades to come. But what happens the rest of her career is a bit of sad, as she tried to chase the glory of her past work, delivering work that is fascinating given her early films, but rather aimless exercises. As the boys look at her past, they take a look at Akerman's attempt to make a Hollywood romantic comedy, with two leading stars of their times, but is missing the director's signature point of view and patience, thus making it a weird exercise to explore within her filmography. Ryan and Jay give their thoughts on the film, the strange premise of the film, Hurt and Binoche's lack of chemistry, if the ending makes sense, Akerman's documentary work with News From Home that is a much more vital piece of work from the director covering her time in New York. They also give out their rankings for the series and tease the new series they will be starting next week. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h56m. The guys will be back next week to begin their series on the films of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger with a review of their film, 49th Parallel. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On Episode 333 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello is joined by Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade and AW contributors Josh Parham and Dan Bayer out on the wily, windy moors to discuss Emerald Fennell's third feature, "Wuthering Heights," starring Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi, Alison Oliver, Shazad Latif, and Hong Chau. The adaptation of Emily Brontë's groundbreaking 1847 Gothic novel has already caused quite the stir, but is this an adaptation that they cannot live without or one that drives them mad? The team discusses Fennell's vision, their favorite performances, the changes made from book to screen, the movie's eroticism, and more. Then, the gang previews the 79th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) taking place next Saturday, February 22. Will it be one award after another for our nomination leader, One Battle After Another? How will the Brits respond to Chloé Zhao's spin on Shakespeare? We break it all down.     You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, and more. You can also listen to it on our AwardsWatch YouTube page. This podcast is 1h55m. We will be back next week with a recap of the BAFTA winners. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 139 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter discuss the next film in their Chantal Akerman series, Les Rendez-vous d'Anna (1978). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. It's not easy following up what people consider to be the greatest film of all time, but Akerman, her next feature film seemed to be another perfect, meticulous examination of a woman's journey through life, continuing the trend she's looked at within the first two films of this series. But what makes Les Rendez-vous d'Anna such a fascinating film is that the picture feels as if it's from someone who has lived a life, and as they enter their thirties, their reflection on who they are, what they've done in their life, and what their purpose becomes clearer as she meets more and more figures of her past. It's a blistering, meta look into the director's life at the time, and what she thought about choosing her art over a more normal type of life. Ryan and Jay break down their thoughts on the film and how they see the turning points of their lives reflected within the honest piece of cinema by Akerman. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h29m. The guys will be back next week to conclude their series on the films of Chantal Akerman with a review of her next film, A Couch in New York. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 332 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson and AwardsWatch contributors Dan Bayer, Jay Ledbetter, and Josh Parham to go back 25 years and take a look at the 74th Academy Awards, covering the films of 2001. On this retrospective, the AW team starts the year off with a look back at a solid year of film in 2001, that brought together some of the most memorable films of the last 25 years. But the winner for Best Picture is not one held in high regard, as A Beautiful Mind took home the top prize, a make-up win for director Ron Howard after losing for Apollo 13. While the film hasn't aged well as a winner, and even as a film, the year has with spectacular films that are mentioned throughout the show like In the Mood for Love, Mulholland Drive, Gosford Park, Memento, Ghost World, The Royal Tenenbaums, In the Bedroom, Hedwig and the Angry Itch, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, and more.  In their in-depth discussion, the AW team talked about the film year of 2001, briefly discuss talk about A Beautiful Mind as a Best Picture winner, and how that speaks to the legacy of their nominates and or wins, do an extensive conversation over the below the line categories and nominees for the year, and then the new version of the AW Shoulda Woulda Coulda game, where instead of individual replacements, they must decide as a group who the nominees and winners should be in the top eight categories. The rules of the game state they can only replace two of the nominees that year from each category, except in Best Picture, where the group could replace up to three films to make up the final set of five nominated films. Like past retrospective episodes, it was a fascinating, fun conversation including spirited debates, alliances, vote swinging, celebrating various movies, performances that aren't normally talked about and more that we all hope you enjoy. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen to it on our AwardsWatch YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h06m. We will be back in next week for a review of the latest film from director Emerald Fennell, Wuthering Heights. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 331 of the AwardsWatch podcast, AW Editor-In-Chief, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade and Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello break down the recent DGA win by Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another and what that win means to the Oscar race at large right now. There was a lot of anticipation leading up to last weekend's Directors Guild of America (DGA) awards, with Anderson and Ryan Coogler (Sinners) as the top contenders angling for that win, and with it came a good deal of Oscar pundit skittishness and squirming. Although most had acquiesced to the reality that Anderson was going to be the likely winner, the fact that no Black director had ever won DGA in its 77 years (78 now) gave some of them enough to hold onto a chance of it happening, and for a momentum switch from One Battle to Sinners begin to emerge. It didn't happen, and Producers Guild of America (PGA) voting ended days before the DGA Awards so those votes are locked in too. We won't know those results for almost another three weeks. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen to it on our AwardsWatch YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h. We will be back soon with an Oscar retrospective for the 74th Academy Awards, covering the films of 2001. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 138 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by Morgan Roberts, host of the Female Gaze; The Film Club podcast, to discuss the next film in their Chantal Akerman series, Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. The Director Watch duo have talked about some of the most important films of all time, but none bigger than Jeanne Dielman, the film voted as the number one film of all time by Sight and Sound back in 2022. Following the everyday life of a widower preparing meals for her and her son while also performing the occasional trick to make it by, Akerman dives deep into the soul of someone on the verge of falling apart, slowing showing a three-day meltdown that leads to shocking, heartbreaking conclusions. But is it the greatest movie of all time is the real question. Ryan, Jay, and Morgan break down their thoughts on the film, the methodical pace and structure of this portrait of a modern woman, her preparation for the various meals we see her make, her uneven relationship with her son, how missing someone you love has long term effects, the film's controversial ending, and so much more that includes Ryan breaking down the entire plot of the 2011 sci-fi action picture In Time. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. This podcast runs 1h43m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Chantal Akerman with a review of her next film, Les rendez-vous d'Anna (1978). You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 330 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch contributor Trace Sauveur to discuss the latest film from director Sam Raimi, Send Help. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen to it on our AwardsWatch YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h. We will be back later in the week for an Oscar retrospective for the 74th Academy Awards, covering the films of 2001. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 137 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter discuss the first film in their Chantal Akerman series, Je Tu Il Elle (1974). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to break down, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. Last week the guys said goodbye to the figure that is Warren Beatty, and switch things up by focusing on a director whose work has become discovered and evaluated more as her second feature was given the crown of the "greatest film of all time" from Sight and Sound; Chantal Akerman. Before next week's examination of said greatest film, Ryan and Jay first take a look at her feature film, an experimental look at the life of a young woman (played by Akerman) and her journey of discovering her relationship with wanting to connect with someone and the damage it can have on her if it's absent in her life. As thought provoking and patient of a debut feature as you will ever see, the boys breakdown their thoughts on the film, off the cuff Top 10 for the Sight and Sound list if they were ever asked, their marvel of Akerman's use of the form, what eating pure sugar from a bag must be like, and how this film is the appetizer for the meal that is Jeanne Dielman on next week's show. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen to it on our AwardsWatch YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h38m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Chantal Akerman with a review of her next film, Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles. You can watch it on HBO Max or rent it via iTunes or Amazon Prime in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 136 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by AwardsWatch contributor Trace Sauveur to discuss the final film in their Warren Beatty series, Rules Don't Apply (2016). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. In a Howard Hughes like move, for close to two decades, the world got used to see Warren Beatty more as the arm candy for his wife at award shows and less so as a direct. But in the mid-2010s, Beatty finally got back to the director chair to make his long-awaited dream project, a film about the famous Hughes. It was a box office, critical disaster of epic proportions, but in the time of its release, and in the process of going over his directorial achievements, it's a bittersweet ending (potentially) to one of the most curious figures in Hollywood history, with the film becoming a meta commentary on where the world and Beatty see himself; it's really the films only redeeming quality. Ryan, Jay, and Trace break down the film, their thoughts on it, how Beatty mirrors Hughes later years, how it almost continues the story after the events of The Aviator, cream jeans, the cinemas in the greater Georgia area, the 2016 Oscar fiasco, whose fault it really was, some justice for Alden Ehrenreich, and a mention or two about Rob Lowe singing with Snow White at the Oscars (yes, it really happened). Plus, the guys give out their rankings of the Beatty series and preview their next movie series starting next week. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. This podcast runs 2h08m. The guys will be back next week to begin their series on the films of Chantal Akerman with a review of her first film, Je Tu Il Elle (1974). You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

The Oscar nominations are in and we're wasting no time. On episode 329 of the AwardsWatch podcast, Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade and contributor Mark Johnson, aka The Awards Alchemist, break down the Oscar nominations for the 98th Academy Awards, including the record-setting number earned by Sinners, the total exclusion of Wicked: For Good and the most wtf nominations of the day. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen to it on our AwardsWatch YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h10m. We will be back next week with a review of the new Sam Raimi film, Send Help. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 328 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by Pop Culture Confidential host Christina Jeurling Birro to discuss the latest film from director Nia Dacosta, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen to it on our AwardsWatch YouTube page. This podcast runs 47m. We will be back later in the week to give our reactions to the 2026 Oscar nominations. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 327 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson, AwardsWatch Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello, and AwardsWatch contributor Josh Parham to discuss their final Oscar nomination predictions for the 98th Academy Awards coming this week on January 22. It's been a long run of this phase of awards season, which truly starts all the way back at the Sundance Film Festival last January, where potential contenders debut, to summer blockbuster, big Christmas releases, and the critics awards, guild awards, Golden Globes and our gut instincts guide us to where we land today. From One Battle After Another to Sinners to Hamnet, and the abundance of international contenders from Cannes and Venice like Sentimental Value, It Was Just an Accident, The Secret Agent, No Other Choice and more, we find some categories eerily settled on (like Supporting Actor) but more with so many possibilities and variables who knows who's going to get it right. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen to it on our AwardsWatch YouTube page. This podcast runs 3h10m. We will be back next week to give our reactions to the 2026 Oscar nominations. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 135 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by Pop Culture Confidential host Christina Jeurling Birro to discuss the next film in their Warren Beatty series, Bulworth (1998). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. The year was 1998, and politics were on the mind, as in the same year as his old friend Elaine May was working with Mike Nichols on Primary Colors, Beatty was making his own political commentary; one that was sure to be one of the more controversial films within the director's filmography. As Beatty grew tired and frustrated by the Democratic party, and feeling they had turned their back on their values and the people who voted for them, he made Bulworth, a satire about a politician that orders a hit on himself and as he is chasing his own death, he starts to unleash, telling the world what is really going on in Washington D.C., all the while being embraced by the black community, and rapping his message out. Sound crazy enough for you? Well that is just a fraction of what is going on in a film that thinks very highly of itself. Ryan, Jay, and Christina break down their thoughts on the film, if it has aged well, if it was an effective satire for the time, how Beatty can't help but get the girl in the end, why everyone was trying to make the great satire of the time, why many fail, and why Bamboozle did what this movie is trying to do, but better.   You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, YouTube and more. This podcast runs 1h58m. The guys will be back next week to conclude their series on the films of Warren Beatty with a review of his last film, Rules Don't Apply. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 326 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello to discuss their reactions to the 2026 Golden Globe Awards, as well as thoughts on the SAG, DGA, PGA nominations, BAFTA long list mentions, and preview next week's big episode as we went the final stages of Oscar voting for the 2026 nominations. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, and more. You can also listen to it on our AwardsWatch YouTube page. This podcast is sponsored by Hedda from Amazon MGM Studios and runs 56m. We will be back next week to give our FINAL predictions for the 2026 Oscar nominations. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 134 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson and Izzy of Be Kind Rewind to discuss the next film in their Warren Beatty series, Dick Tracy (1990). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. It took Beatty nine years to return to the director's chair after winning his Oscar for Reds, but when he did, he made a flashy, bold, audacious crime caper straight from the beloved comic book of the same name. Donning the iconic yellow trench coat, Beatty brought the world of Dick Tracy to life with music, vibrant colors, insane make-up design, and memorable supporting characters (an all-time Al Pacino), but in making the film, Beatty connected with the titular police detective grew larger than life, as he completed his mission he set out since 1975 to make. Finally getting the rights, he was able to shoot for the fences with this one, and make an entertaining picture that still holds up to today. Ryan, Jay, Erik, and Izzy break down their thoughts on the film, Beatty's relationship with his co-star Madonna, how wild Pacino gets within the film, if Beatty is right for the part of Dick Tracy, the production design, the recurring videos Beatty releases to keep the film rights, and if they like the original songs in the film from the legendary Steven Sondheim. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, YouTube and more. This podcast runs 2h16m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Warren Beatty with a review of his next film, Bulworth. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 325 of the AwardsWatch podcast, Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello leads the team of Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade and contributor Mark Johnson on predictions for the massive week of SAG, DGA and PGA nominations and next weekend's Golden Globes. After attending the Critics Choice Awards last weekend, we turn our eyes to our first major bite of the top guilds in the industry: the Screen Actors Guild, Directors Guild and Producers Guild, who will all be announcing their nominations this week. While we intersect a lot as a foursome, each of us have outliers and potential spoilers to mix things up. Next, we look at the Golden Globes, the second televised awards show of the season and where they will go. Will it be a One Battle After Another sweep? Can Sinners find love? How will the international films fare and can Hamnet rebound outside of Jessie Buckley? All will be told soon... You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen to it on our AwardsWatch YouTube page. This podcast is sponsored by Hedda from Amazon MGM Studios and runs 2h16m. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 133 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello discuss the next film in their Warren Beatty series, Reds (1981). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision-making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. After a successful directorial debut, Beatty pushed all of his chips into the middle of the table to make the passion project he wanted to make for the entire 1970s. In making Reds, he told the story of the life and career of John Reed, the journalist and writer who chronicled the October Revolution in Russia, and creative and passionate relationship with activist Louise Bryant. By making this epic, he showcased a sense of command of the camera in the midst of rewrites and on set fights with his leading lady and girlfriend of the time, the late Diane Keaton. With this, he created his masterpiece, resulting in an Oscar for Best Director and cementing his case for auteur status. Ryan, Jay, and Sophia break down their thoughts on the film, if Beatty is good in this film, if this is Keaton's best performance, the legend that is Jack Nicholson, the rewrites by Elaine May, and which steamy quote about Beatty's love life will Jay read before talking about one of the defining epics of the 1980s. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. This podcast runs 2h57m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Warren Beatty with a review of his next film, Dick Tracy. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 324 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello, AwardsWatch contributors Jay Ledbetter, Josh Parham, Griffin Schiller, Cody Dericks, and Trace Sauveur to discuss their favorite films of 2025 in part two of the AW end of the year show. As we are about to begin an exciting new year of cinema in 2026, we say goodbye to 2025 with our AW team's favorite films of the year. Instead of having everyone on one call together, the show is split up into two episodes this year, each covering a selection of the nine films the team loved the most. On this second installment of the end of the year show, the movies discussed were The Mastermind (Trace), Weapons (Cody, Griffin), Marty Supreme (Jay), and One Battle After Another (Ryan, Sophia, Josh). In each segment, each person talks about why they selected the film as their favorite of the year, as well as an in-depth discussion over the film. At the end, the team gave honorable mentions for other films that they loved that included Sentimental Value, Train Dreams, It Was Just an Accident, The Testament of Ann Lee, If I Had Legs Id Kick You, Twinless, Black Bag, Die My Love, No Other Choice, Sound of Falling, Hedda, and many more. Please enjoy this wonderful part two episode to wrap up 2025. Thank you all for reading everything on the website as well as listening to the show this past year. Have a Happy New Year and see you in 2026. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen to it on our AwardsWatch YouTube page. This podcast runs 3h34m. We will be back next week to breakdown the winners of the 2026 Critics Choice Awards, and preview the 2026 Golden Globes. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), 'Leonardo' by Chicago Underground Trio, 'Beware of Darkness' by George Harrison, 'Everyone Wants To Rule The World' by Tears for Fears, 'Dirty Work' by Steely Dan, "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 323 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson, TV Editor Tyler Doster, Associate TV Editor Karen Peterson, as well as AwardsWatch contributors Mark Johnson and Dan Bayer to discuss their favorite films of 2025 in part one of the AW end of the year show. As we are about to begin an exciting new year of cinema in 2026, we say goodbye to 2025 with our AW team's favorite films of the year. Instead of having everyone on one call together, the show is split up into two episodes this year, each covering a selection of the nine films the team loved the most. On this first installment of the end of the year show, the movies discussed were Sinners (Mark), Sorry, Baby (Tyler), The Secret Agent (Karen), Resurrection (Dan), and Hamnet (Erik). In each segment, each person talks about why they selected the film as their favorite of the year, as well as an in-depth discussion over the film. At the end, the team gave honorable mentions for other films that they loved that included One Battle After Another, Weapons, Sentimental Value, Train Dreams, Pillion, The Naked Gun, The History of Sound, F1, and many more. Please enjoy this wonderful part one episode to wrap up 2025. Thank you all for reading everything on the website as well as listening to the show this past year. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen to it on our AwardsWatch YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h53m. We will be back soon with part two of the best films of 2025, end of the year show. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), 'I Lied to You' from Sinners, 'Sorry, Baby (Piano)' from Sorry, Baby, 'Transfusão de Sangue' from The Secret Agent, 'Clamor of Time' from Resurrection, 'On the Nature of Daylight' by Max Richter, 'Silver Dagger' by Paul Mescal from The History of Sound (outro).

On episode 322 of the AwardsWatch podcast, Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson is joined by Executive Editor Ryan McQuade and Mark Johnson, aka The Awards Alchemist, to give their predictions for the upcoming Critics Choice Awards taking place on January 4, 2026. Recording the day after Christmas, the trio give a short version of their holiday experience (wine, so much wine) and then jump right into predicting who they think will be the winners of the 31st Critics Choice Association Awards, as well as reveal what some of our own votes were, including some races that feel very close. With Critics Choice happening a full week before the Golden Globes, will the group rely on being Oscar predictors or tastemakers as the first televised org of the season? While it feels like it's a head to head fight between One Battle After Another and Sinners in many categories--all of which is great for Warner Bros--some categories could be the beginning of a season-long coronation, like Amy Madigan vs Teyana Taylor in Best Supporting Actress and Jessie Buckley vs Rose Byrne in Best Actress. Best Actor could be a threeway race between Timothée Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio and Michael B. Jordan, although we're seeing Chalamet triumph here. This podcast runs 1h26m. We'll be back soon with a Best of 2025 wrap-up. Till then, let's get into it. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, YouTube and more. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 132 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter discuss the first film in their Warren Beatty series, Heaven Can Wait (1978). Welcome to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. One of the biggest movie stars on the planet from the 1970s was Warren Beatty, who was known not only for being the ultimate ladies' man, but an actor with extreme taste, charisma that rivals very few on screen, and was friends with just about everyone (even though he was a pain in the ass to work with). By the end of Hollywood's greatest decade, Beatty, alongside the help of acclaimed writer Elaine May, stepped back from in front of the camera and into the director's chair to tackle his first film as an auteur filmmaker, Heaven Can Wait, a remake of Here Comes Mr. Jordan from 1941, based on the Harry Segal play. By doing this, Beatty created a smash hit comedy that reigns supreme as the definitive adaptation of Segal's play, even if it also has some problems within the third act. Ryan and Jay break down their thoughts on the film, thoughts on Beatty, the flaws of this material, why the film's central romance doesn't work, the comedic genius that is Charles Grodin, and Jay reveals something about Beatty that will set up a very interesting theory the boys will be exploring over the next few weeks about Beatty the movie star turned director. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, YouTube and more. This podcast runs 2h04m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Warren Beatty with a review of his next film, Reds. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

Welcome to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. On episode 131 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys are joined by AwardsWatch Associate TV Editor Karen Peterson to discuss the final film in their Claire Denis series, High Life (2019) In the final look into the cinematic world of Claire Denis, we see the guys, alongside Karen, give into what is widely known as the director's most celebrated modern film, about a futuristic, sci-fi film that examines the flaws and humanity of those who have harmed or destroyed other human beings. Set on a spaceship travelling to the ends of our galaxy, carrying a group of dangerous group criminals being experimented on by a crazed, horned up doctor, Denis examines if these humans who have committed the most heinous crime should be treated like decent members of society, and what it is life to care for life at the end of the space and time; it's simple beautiful as well as complexly unique in terms of style and story, essentially Denis at her best. Ryan, Jay, and Karen break down their thoughts on the film, Robert Pattinson's performance, if these characters deserve a second chance, "the box" scenes, what this film says about being a parent, as well as the boys' rankings of Denis' filmography and a preview of their newest series. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, YouTube and more. This podcast runs 2h03m. The guys will be back later this week to begin their series on the films of Warren Beatty with a review of his first film, Heaven Can Wait. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 321 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch contributor Cody Dericks to review the latest film from director James Cameron, Avatar: Fire & Ash. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, YouTube and more. This podcast runs 1h01m. We will be back later in the week with a 2025 award season focused podcast before the holiday break. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).