Best Original Podcast

In outer space, no one can hear you…clean?! Animation Month continues to roll along right on schedule, and for Week 5, Kyle Genther joined the show to talk ‘WALL-E' (2008). We discussed the film's unique ability to blend genres, how it stands out from the rest of Pixar's filmography, and our different interpretations of the ending. Later, I gave Kyle two quizzes to determine if he could survive in Outer Space, and, if so, which planet he would live on. 14 films down, 386 to go. Opening Song: Put On Your Sunday Clothes (from the ‘Hello Dolly' Soundtrack)  Closing Song: The Cosmos by Porches. Listen and subscribe to Best Original Podcast on Spotify Subscribe to, rate, and review the show on Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Twitter @PodBestOriginal We're also available on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to all your silly little shows Best Original Podcast is a proud member of Light Switch Podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @LightSwitchPod, and be sure to check out the other outstanding shows we have to offer: Half Asian Half Hour, Popcorn Restaurant, and Long Live King Bitch Link to Hannah Selinger article “I Think About This a Lot: The ‘Happy' Ending of Wall-E” Link to PDF “WALL-E: About the Production”

Anyone can podcast…and in this case, the Devil made us do it! Ryan Kiourkas joined the show for the long-anticipated Week 4 out of 7 of Animation Month(s) to talk both this episode's Original Screenplay nominee ‘Ratatouille' (2007), AND new release ‘The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It,' which we saw in theaters right before recording. It's the double feature that nobody has been asking for! We talked our experience at The Conjuring, our relationship with rats, how to survive a night in a walk-in freezer, and tons of other whacky stuff. Later, I gave Ryan two rat-related quizzes. This is the most unhinged episode yet, so you better buckle your seatbelts, get back to your sewer (because you're a dirty, dirty rat), and pray that the Devil doesn't come for you next—or else you might just find yourself as a guest on this podcast *wink*! 13 films down, 387 to go. Opening Song: Satan Pulls the Strings by The Avett Brothers Transition Song: Ball of the Dead Rat by The Teeth Closing Song: Rat in a Hat by ??? Listen and subscribe to Best Original Podcast on Spotify Subscribe to, rate, and review the show on Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Twitter @PodBestOriginal We're also available on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to all your silly little shows Best Original Podcast is a proud member of Light Switch Podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @LightSwitchPod, and be sure to check out the other outstanding shows we have to offer: Half Asian Half Hour, Popcorn Restaurant, and Long Live King Bitch

Someone find my super suit! I’m going to need it for Week 3 out of 7 of Animation May, where Anthony Daniel joined the show to talk Brad Bird’s superhero classic, ‘The Incredibles.’ We talked about the how the film plays off of archetypes in an original way, my childhood trauma from watching this movie, and whether or not it could/should be considered an objectivist text. Later, I gave Anthony a quiz to determine his superpower. 12 films down, 382 to go.  Listen and subscribe on Spotify Subscribe to us, rate us, and review us on Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Twitter @PodBestOriginal We’re also available on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to all your silly little shows Best Original Podcast is a proud member of Light Switch Podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @LightSwitchPod, and be sure to check out the other outstanding shows we have to offer: Half Asian Half Hour, Popcorn Restaurant, and Long Live King Bitch Link to Bill Desowitz article “Brad Bird & Pixar Tackle CG Humans Like True Superheroes” Link to Jessica Winter article “Full Metal Racket”

It’s Week 2 out of 7 of Animation May! Once more, I was joined by Ryan Kiourkas and Cody Krull to discuss Pixar’s ‘Finding Nemo,’ the second animated film ever to receive a Best Original Screenplay nomination. We talked about how the film held up to our childhood memories compared to last week’s experience with ‘Toy Story,’ the clash between Disney and Pixar over the making of the film, my fear of the ocean, and much more. Later, I gave the boys a quiz to see if they would be successful at finding Nemo. Do you believe in miracles? 11 films down, 389 to go.  P.S. The audio quality was way better than last week’s episode, but it came at a cost: we lost Zoom connection partway through the recording. I decided not to edit out Ryan and Cody’s insane ramblings. Enjoy! P.S.S. I’m disheartened to announce that not a single one of you tweeted at me last week with the hashtag I provided in the episode description.  Listen and subscribe on Spotify Subscribe to us, rate us, and review us on Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Twitter @PodBestOriginal We’re also available on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to all your silly little shows Best Original Podcast is a proud member of Light Switch Podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @LightSwitchPod, and be sure to check out the other outstanding shows we have to offer: Half Asian Half Hour, Popcorn Restaurant, and Long Live King Bitch Link to Ashley Fetters article “10 Years Ago, Finding Nemo Was Disappointing by Pixar Standards”  Link to Holly Ware article “DISNEY TOME DESCRIBES EISNER’S ‘NEMO’-PHOBIA”

It’s Animation May on Best Original Podcast! Over the next seven weeks, I’ll be going through each of the animated films that have received nominations for Best Original Screenplay, starting this week with Pixar’s rookie debut, ‘Toy Story.’ Ryan Kiourkas and Cody Krull joined the show to talk about how revisiting the film compared to our childhood memories of it, ‘Toy Story’s’ tumultuous production history, if Syd is actually a bad kid or just sorely misunderstood, how unlikable Woody is, and, most importantly, how tumbleweeds were invented. Later, I gave the boys a quiz to find out which Toy Story characters they are—and the results were pure poetry. I’m glad the Oscars are over and we can get back to talking about some original screenplays! 10 films down, 390 go. P.S. I am so sorry that the audio quality for this episode sounds like I recorded it while aggressively crinkling rolls of tinfoil in my hands. I promise I was not doing that—I just forgot my microphone and had to record with my phone. I’m only human (like that Christina Perri song from the Twilight movies).  P.S.S. I also said this was episode 22 and that was a lie. It’s only episode 21. It was wrong of me to mislead you in this way, and I’m deeply sorry. Please don’t start a hate campaign against me on Twitter with the hashtag “#BestOriginalPodcast?MoreLikeWorstOriginalPodcast!” and get me trending. I would hate that. -XOXO Dakota Listen and subscribe on Spotify Subscribe to us, rate us, and review us on Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Twitter @PodBestOriginal We’re also available on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to all your silly little shows Best Original Podcast is a proud member of Light Switch Podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @LightSwitchPod, and be sure to check out the other outstanding shows we have to offer: Half Asian Half Hour, Popcorn Restaurant, and Long Live King Bitch Link to Andrew Gay article “The Cowboy, the Spaceman and the Guru: Character and Convention in the Screenwriting of Toy Story” Link to Entertainment Weekly article “'Toy Story': The inside buzz” Link to Joe Blevins article “Maybe destructive Sid from Toy Story wasn’t such a bad kid after all” Link to Kirsten Acuna article “'Toy Story' Had An Unwatchable Script Until Joss Whedon Saved It” Link to Nicholas Barber article “The dark side of Toy Story”

The 93rd Academy Awards have come and gone, and whether you like Steven Soderbergh’s big swings or absolutely despised them, you can’t deny that the ceremony was…interesting. Kyle Genther returned to the show to talk about the hits, misses, and anticlimactic ending from an Oscars show that will likely go down in history as one of the biggest train wrecks of all time. Later, to leave behind the films of 2020 on a positive note, Kyle and I each came up with three alternative awards to hand out. Best Pipes! Grooviest Dance Moves! Best Not-Quite-Picture! I don’t want to spoil the winners, but here’s a hint: they all went to Anthony Hopkins.  P.S. Sorry that there is so much annoying noise in the background. I was doing my laundry. I’m only human.  Listen and subscribe on Spotify Subscribe to us, rate us, and review us on Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Twitter @PodBestOriginal We’re also available on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to all your silly little shows Best Original Podcast is a proud member of Light Switch Podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @LightSwitchPod, and be sure to check out the other outstanding shows we have to offer: Half Asian Half Hour, Popcorn Restaurant, Long Live King Bitch, and Want To Game

By popular demand (and because I had already scheduled him anyway), my former high school calligraphy teacher, Kyle “Mr. Genther” Genther, returned to Best Original Podcast for us to make our boldest Oscar predictions. Thomas Vinterberg for Best Director? ‘A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon’ for Best Animated Feature? ‘Mank’ for Best Picture? We didn’t actually predict any of those…but it would be crazy whacky sexy fun if they happened! But when all is said and done, all that really matters this awards season is that ‘Husavik’ is given its rightful Oscar glory, ensuring a spot in cinema history for ‘Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.’ Big thank you to Mr. Genther, who will be returning after Sunday’s ceremony to talk about the results. Listen and subscribe on Spotify Subscribe to us, rate us, and review us on Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Twitter @PodBestOriginal We’re also available on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to all your silly little shows Best Original Podcast is a proud member of Light Switch Podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @LightSwitchPod, and be sure to check out the other outstanding shows we have to offer: Half Asian Half Hour, Popcorn Restaurant, Long Live King Bitch, and Want To Game

Lars and the Real Girl? More like Dakota and the Real Ryan Kiourkas! Ryan returned to the show to talk about the moving, sincere kindness that drives ‘Lars,’ Ryan Gosling’s layered performance & stunning singing voice, and our experiences showing this movie to our moms. Later, I gave Ryan a quiz to determine what his real dream girl would be like...and what that reveals about Ryan's secret desires. My previous episode with Ryan as a guest is by far the least-listened-to episode of the show so far; don’t let him down like this again, or he will be banished from the show forever! 9 films down, 391 go!  Listen and subscribe on Spotify Subscribe to us, rate us, and review us on Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Twitter @PodBestOriginal We’re also available on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to all your silly little shows Best Original Podcast is a proud member of Light Switch Podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @LightSwitchPod, and be sure to check out the other outstanding shows we have to offer: Half Asian Half Hour, Popcorn Restaurant, and Long Live King Bitch Link to Gavin Spoors article “Between the Lines: The Sincerity of the ‘Lars and the Real Girl’ Screenplay” Link to interview with Craig Gillespie and Ryan Gosling Link to Jenna Benchetrit article “Filling a Lonely Void in ‘Lars and the Real Girl’” Link to Margy Rochlin article “Guy and Doll, and the Woman Behind Them” Link to Roger Ebert article “Oh, you beautiful doll” Link to Sam Fragoso article "Director Craig Gillespie Gets Real About 'Lars and the Real Girl'"

Having a podcast is a crazy thing to do. It’s a socially accepted form of insanity—and I was joined by Ryan Kiourkas (my former co-host of the fabled podcast And Now Our Watch Begins) to be insane together. We talked about Spike Jonze’s weird and wonderful ‘Her,’ and debated whether the film was more romantic or melancholy. Then, I gave Ryan a quiz to help him find his perfect AI soulmate (spoiler alert: she has more scalp tattoos than you). 8 films down, 392 go. Be sure to tune in next week when Ryan returns to talk about ‘Lars and the Real Girl!’ Listen and subscribe on Spotify Subscribe to us, rate us, and review us on Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Twitter @PodBestOriginal We’re also available on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to all your silly little shows Best Original Podcast is a proud member of Light Switch Podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @LightSwitchPod, and be sure to check out the other outstanding shows we have to offer: Half Asian Half Hour, Popcorn Restaurant, and Long Live King Bitch Link to Chris Michael article “Spike Jonze on letting Her rip and Being John Malkovich” Link to Mark Harris article “Him and Her: How Spike Jonze Made the Weirdest, Most Timely Romance of the Year” Link to NPR interview “Spike Jonze Opens His Heart For ‘Her'" Link to Uproxx article “Cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema on capturing Spike Jonze’s ‘Her’ through a non-dystopian lens”

How can you not be romantic about podcasting? It’s Opening Day 2021, and to celebrate the greatest unofficial holiday on Earth, Brian Schlosser joined me to vote on a bracket of the best baseball movies and crown a single champion. Hollywood has such an interesting, intimate relationship with America’s pastime, and it was a real treat to watch all of these baseball films—from classics like ‘Bull Durham’ and ‘A League of Their Own,’ to contemporary showstoppers like ‘Moneyball’ and ‘Everybody Wants Some,’ to obscure gems like ‘The History of the Seattle Mariners’ and ‘Bang the Drum Slowly.’ Also 'Fever Pitch,' which sucks, but I love it. Stick to the end to hear Brian & I make our World Series predictions, and if you haven’t yet voted on my Twitter polls for the listener bracket, STAY IN LINE AND VOTE! Happy Opening Day everyone!  Listen and subscribe on Spotify Subscribe to us, rate us, and review us on Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Twitter @PodBestOriginal We’re also available on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to all your silly little shows Best Original Podcast is a proud member of Light Switch Podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @LightSwitchPod, and be sure to check out the other outstanding shows we have to offer: Half Asian Half Hour, Popcorn Restaurant, Long Live King Bitch, and Want To Game

Do you all realize what a metaphysical can of worms this podcast opens up? I was joined by Allie Mahai, a true Kaufman-head (in the sense that she’s a fan of his, and NOT that she’s found a portal into his head and is controlling him), to open that can and let the worms flow all over the place. We talked about identity, gender, and celebrity in the hilarious and haunting ‘Being John Malkovich,’ which is maybe the most bonkers movie ever made. 7 films down, 393 go. Or should I say…7 and 1/2 films down! (This was a reference to the movie, you had to be there.) Listen and subscribe on Spotify Subscribe to us, rate us, and review us on Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Twitter @PodBestOriginal We’re also available on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to all your silly little shows Best Original Podcast is a proud member of Light Switch Podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @LightSwitchPod, and be sure to check out the other outstanding shows we have to offer: Half Asian Half Hour, Popcorn Restaurant, and Long Live King Bitch Link to Lindsay Zoladz article “Do ‘Get Out’ and ‘Being John Malkovich’ Exist in the Same Universe?” Link to Rob Harvilla article “Make the Case: ‘Being John Malkovich’ Was a Head Trip Masterpiece—and the Best Film of 1999” Link to Ryan Lattanzio article “John Malkovich Initially Thought ‘Being John Malkovich’ Should’ve Been ‘Being Tom Cruise’” Link to Scott Tobias article “Being John Malkovich at 20: why the surrealist comedy demands a rewatch”

I love two things: the opera, and this podcast! I also love several more things: my guests Callie Webb and Kasey Leibas (two people I love, and the hosts of My Friend Show podcast (which I also love)), who joined me to talk about the bizarre, bewitching, unhinged, morbid 1987 romcom ‘Moonstruck’ (a final thing I love). We talked about the opera, love, death, Italians, makeovers, Cher, Nic Cage’s hairy chest, binaries, getting hit by a bus, and so, so much more. Stay to the end for my Cher impression! 6 films down, 394 go. Listen and subscribe to My Friend Show Listen and subscribe on Spotify Subscribe to us, rate us, and review us on Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Twitter @PodBestOriginal We’re also available on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to all your silly little shows Best Original Podcast is a proud member of Light Switch Podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @LightSwitchPod, and be sure to check out the other outstanding shows we have to offer: Half Asian Half Hour, Popcorn Restaurant, and Long Live King Bitch Link to Emily VanDerVerff article “Moonstruck: Life in the In-Between” Link to Garin Pirnia article “13 Enchanting Facts About Moonstruck” Link to Priscilla Page Patreon article on 'Moonstruck' Link to Roger Ebert review of ‘Moonstruck’

The nominations for the 93rd Academy Awards are here, and the official Best Original Podcast Oscar Correspondent (my former high school calligraphy teacher, Kyle “Mr. Genther” Genther) joined the show to talk about all the snubs, surprises, and MANK’S of the 2020-2021 awards season. EuroVision’s Best Original Song campaign starts HERE!  Listen and subscribe on Spotify Subscribe to us, rate us, and review us on Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Twitter @PodBestOriginal We’re also available on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to all your silly little shows Best Original Podcast is a proud member of Light Switch Podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @LightSwitchPod, and be sure to check out the other outstanding shows we have to offer: Half Asian Half Hour, Popcorn Restaurant, Long Live King Bitch, and Want To Game

It’s been one year and one day since I last set foot in a movie theater. To celebrate this ominous anniversary, I was joined by Brad Beideman, Jordan Wold, & Maggie Calcagne of Popcorn Restaurant: A Movie Theater Podcast and Emily Walborn & Nako Narter of Half Asian Half Hour to reminisce on our favorite movie-theater-memories, reflect on what makes the going to the movies such an other-worldly experience, and dream about the day when we can all grab an icee, an AMC hot dog, and maybe even some dots as we sit down to see whatever happens to be out, regardless of its quality. I sure do miss the movies, gang. (Or should I say: I shirt do miss the movies, gang.) Listen and subscribe on Spotify Subscribe to us, rate us, and review us on Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Twitter @PodBestOriginal We’re also available on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to all your silly little shows Best Original Podcast is a proud member of Light Switch Podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @LightSwitchPod, and be sure to check out the other outstanding shows we have to offer: Half Asian Half Hour, Popcorn Restaurant, Long Live King Bitch, and Want To Game

You’ve all been demanding it, and it’s finally here: Best Original Podcast is joining the WandaVision discourse. Unfortunately for me, I am not at all knowledgeable about Marvel, and I didn’t love the show that much—but luckily, my friends Serena Osmus and Jack Wampler know way more about it and were a lot more enthusiastic! They joined the show to talk about WandaVision’s genre-hopping, the Jeremy Renner app, and where the MCU is headed in Phase 4. Plus, stick around for my Doctor Strange impersonation (it’s really good). Sorry for how bad this episode sounds!  Listen and subscribe on Spotify Subscribe to us, rate us, and review us on Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Twitter @PodBestOriginal We’re also available on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to all your silly little shows Best Original Podcast is a proud member of Light Switch Podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @LightSwitchPod, and be sure to check out the other outstanding shows we have to offer: Half Asian Half Hour, Popcorn Restaurant, Long Live King Bitch, and Want To Game

We may have already looked at all of the 2017 Best Original Screenplay nominees, but now it’s time to talk about the best of the rest! Enter the 2017 Original Screenplay Draft, a game where myself, Arden Jurskis, and Roman Kissack took turns selecting our favorite non-nominated screenplays from 2017—which could very well be the greatest year for original screenplays in decades. We each selected four original films, one adapted, and one franchise blockbuster to assemble our super-teams. As for who one? Well, one day, when we’ve all died and ascended to the afterlife, God will greet us as the doors of Heaven and let us know who emerged victorious…and the losers will rot in Hell. (Or you guys can vote for who won on Twitter or whatever.) Listen to Arden’s podcast Disney+ Podcast+ Listen and subscribe on Spotify Subscribe to us, rate us, and review us on Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Twitter @PodBestOriginal We’re also available on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to all your silly little shows Best Original Podcast is a proud member of Light Switch Podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @LightSwitchPod, and be sure to check out the other outstanding shows we have to offer: Half Asian Half Hour, Popcorn Restaurant, Long Live King Bitch, and Want To Game

Jill Lambie is a lady. Dakota Lovins is a bird. Can I make it any more obvious? I was joined by Jill to talk ‘Lady Bird,’ Greta Gerwig’s beloved coming-of-age-movie meets love-letter-to-Sacramento. We covered the film’s nostalgic, memory-like aesthetic, charming performances, and our feelings about our own hometowns. Plus, Jill recommended that I watch Bridgerton—just like my therapist did earlier in the day! If 5 people tweet @PodBestOriginal on Twitter, I will do a special Bridgerton episode. Let’s make it happen, BOP-heads! This marks the end of our 2017 nominee episodes! 5 films down, 390 go!  Listen and subscribe on Spotify Subscribe to us, rate us, and review us on Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Twitter @PodBestOriginal We’re also available on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to all your silly little shows Best Original Podcast is a proud member of Light Switch Podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @LightSwitchPod, and be sure to check out the other outstanding shows we have to offer: Half Asian Half Hour, Popcorn Restaurant, and Long Live King Bitch Link to Esther Zuckerman article “How Greta Gerwig Turned the Personal ‘Lady Bird’ Into a Perfect Movie” Link to Julie Miller article “How Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird Came to ‘Look Like a Memory’” Link to Kate Erbland article “Greta Gerwig Explains How Much of Her Charming Coming-of-Age Film ‘Lady Bird’ Was Inspired By Her Own Youth” Link to Terry Gross interview “Greta Gerwig Explores Mother-Daughter Love (And Angst) In 'Lady Bird’"

Eight podcasts episodes in one month? And still no Amber Varnado as a guest? How come, Dakota Lovins? Well, that changes today! I was joined by Amber, a notorious ‘Three Billboards’ defender, and the two of us LITERALLY fought one another about this movie. Punches were thrown, people were defenestrated, and podcast studios were firebombed—but who emerged victorious? Was Amber able to convince me that ‘Three Billboards’ is actually good? Or did my astute observations about the flaws of the movie (i.e., racist cop bad) change her perception? Find out on this week’s episode of Best Original Podcast! 4 films down, 391 go. Listen and subscribe on Spotify Subscribe to us, rate us, and review us on Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Twitter @PodBestOriginal We’re also available on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to all your silly little shows Best Original Podcast is a proud member of Light Switch Podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @LightSwitchPod, and be sure to check out the other outstanding shows we have to offer: Half Asian Half Hour, Popcorn Restaurant, Long Live King Bitch, and Want To Game Link to Alyssa Rosenberg article “‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’ didn’t need its racist cop” Link to Christina Radish article “Martin McDonagh on Directing 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' and Writing for Frances McDormand” Link to Ira Madison III article “Tone-Deaf ‘Three Billboards’ Tries Absolving White People of Racism. And Oscars Season Loves It.” Link to Joe Utichi article "Golden Globe Winner Martin McDonagh On ‘Three Billboards’, Strong Women, And Why Formulas Are “F–king Boring” Link to Tim Parks article “The Feel-Good Fallacies of ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’”

In the mood for love on this Valentine’s Day? Best Original Podcast has you covered! I was joined by hopeless romantic Gabby Tedesco to break down our 5 favorite movies that make our hearts sing and swoon. The world of modern romance is cruel and cold, but this podcast was made with a secret ingredient: love. Happy Valentine’s Day! XOXO, from your secret admirer (just kidding—it’s me, Dakota) Listen and subscribe on Spotify Subscribe to us, rate us, and review us on Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Twitter @PodBestOriginal We’re also available on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to all your silly little shows Best Original Podcast is a proud member of Light Switch Podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @LightSwitchPod, and be sure to check out the other outstanding shows we have to offer: Half Asian Half Hour, Popcorn Restaurant, Long Live King Bitch, and Want To Game

I talked about how the delightful, fevered romance that is ‘The Shape of Water’ honors and inverts the fairytale genre—and how it might be set in the same cinematic universe as ‘Hairspray’ (2007). You’re going to learn more about fairytales than you ever wanted to know. Sorry for that! 3 films down, 392 to go.  Listen and subscribe on Spotify Subscribe to us, rate us, and review us on Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Twitter @PodBestOriginal We’re also available on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to all your silly little shows Best Original Podcast is a proud member of Light Switch Podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @LightSwitchPod, and be sure to check out the other outstanding shows we have to offer: Half Asian Half Hour, Popcorn Restaurant, Long Live King Bitch, and Want To Game Link to Ben Sachs article “The Shape of Water is wondrous, but woefully narrow-minded” Link to Emily Dickinson poem “After great pain, a formal feeling comes — (372)” Link to Jenna Marotta article “Why Guillermo Del Toro and Vanessa Taylor Didn’t Speak While Writing Their Film” Link to Kate Bernheimer essay “Fairy Tale Is Form, Form Is Fairy Tale” Link to Library of Congress article “Who wrote the poem at the end of ‘The Shape of Water?’” Link to Matt Grobar article “‘The Shape Of Water’s’ Guillermo Del Toro On The ‘Biggest Missing Piece’ Co-Writer Vanessa Taylor Brought To The Table” Link to Michelle Ruiz article “In Praise of the Weird and Actually Pretty Underrated Film That Will Definitely Win at Least One Oscar This Year” Link to Sheila O’Malley review for RoberEbert.com

I made friends at Sundance! Two of them—Chloey Garza-Warnick & Desiree Guzzetta—joined me to talk about the best, the worst, and the whackiest from the virtual film festival that was. I saw a truly disgusting number of movies over the last week, and while many of them were largely underwhelming, I learned a very valuable lesson: the true meaning of Sundance doesn’t have anything to do with movies at all. It’s about the friends we make in 15-minute virtual chats along the way. Everybody should watch CODA and Strawberry Mansion!  Listen and subscribe on Spotify Subscribe to us, rate us, and review us on Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Twitter @PodBestOriginal We’re also available on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to all your silly little shows Best Original Podcast is a proud member of Light Switch Podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @LightSwitchPod, and be sure to check out the other outstanding shows we have to offer: Half Asian Half Hour, Popcorn Restaurant, Long Live King Bitch, and Want To Game

To celebrate my first ever real job (and by that, I mean this podcast, and NOT the gig I started at a tech company earlier this week), I splurged and bought an all-access pass to this year’s Sundance Film Festival. I previewed the festival by scoping out my jam-packed schedule that will likely leave me hating movies by the end of it, talking about birds and werewolves, and ranking my 5 most anticipated films for the week ahead. I am so excited, gang! I hope you enjoy this episode, but please do remember: you’re listening to the soulless voice of someone who belongs to corporate America. I definitely understand the stock market.  Listen and subscribe on Spotify Subscribe to us, rate us, and review us on Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Twitter @PodBestOriginal We’re also available on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to all your silly little shows Best Original Podcast is a proud member of Light Switch Podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @LightSwitchPod, and be sure to check out the other outstanding shows we have to offer: Half Asian Half Hour, Popcorn Restaurant, Long Live King Bitch, and Want To Game

It’s actually really rude to heckle a podcaster, so no shouting “Whoo!” while you’re listening to this episode—or else we might fall in love. I talked about what makes ‘The Big Sick’ so delightfully charming, revolutionary for the romcom genre, and a milestone for cultural representation on film. The movie may not have won any Oscars, but it won my freaking heart! 2 films down, 393 go. Please wish me luck in my future endeavors of watching an insane amount of movies.  Listen and subscribe on Spotify Subscribe to us, rate us, and review us on Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Twitter @PodBestOriginal We’re also available on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to all your silly little shows Best Original Podcast is a proud member of Light Switch Podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @LightSwitchPod, and be sure to check out the other outstanding shows we have to offer: Half Asian Half Hour, Popcorn Restaurant, Long Live King Bitch, and Want To Game Link to Andrew Marantz article “Kumail Nanjiani’s Culture-Clash Comedy” Link to Justin Chang podcast “'The Big Sick' Is A Wonderful Movie And An Imperfect Milestone’” Link to Marlow Stern article “Kumail Nanjiani on the Art of Crafting a Masterful 9/11 Joke and That Time He Was Accosted by Trump Supporters” Link to Proma Khosla article “Bollywood's dad, Anupam Kher, on the unique warmth of 'The Big Sick’" Link to Terry Gross interview with Emily & Kumail Link to Yohana Desta interview with Holly Hunter

I was joined by dear friends and movie aficionados Jordan Wold & Emily Walborn to discuss the bizarre year in movies that was 2020. Then, we each ran through our 5 favorite original screenplays of last year, including ‘Minari,’ ‘Promising Young Woman,’ and ‘Palm Springs.’ Be sure to listen to Emily’s podcast, ‘Half Asian Half Hour,’ for a special discussion on ‘Minari’ on January 28th!  Listen to Emily’s podcast, Half Asian Half Hour Listen and subscribe on Spotify Subscribe to us, rate us, and review us on Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Twitter @PodBestOriginal We’re also available on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to all your silly little shows Best Original Podcast is a proud member of Light Switch Podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @LightSwitchPod, and be sure to check out the other outstanding shows we have to offer: Half Asian Half Hour, Popcorn Restaurant, Long Live King Bitch, and Want To Game  

Welcome to the freaking show! In the most important inauguration this week (this podcast's inaugural episode), I talked about what makes Jordan Peele's 'Get Out' such an unmitigated creative success, how the movie captured our collective cultural imagination, and how the film effectively juggles horror, humor, and social commentary. 1 film down, 394 to go. I'm going to live forever! Listen and subscribe on Spotify Subscribe to us, rate us, and review us on Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Twitter @PodBestOriginal We’re also available on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to all your silly little shows Best Original Podcast is a proud member of Light Switch Podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @LightSwitchPod, and be sure to check out the other outstanding shows we have to offer: Half Asian Half Hour, Popcorn Restaurant, Long Live King Bitch, and Want To Game Link to Damon Young article "The Disturbing Truth That Makes Get Out Depressingly Plausible" Link to Julie Miller article “The 25 Most Influential Movie Scenes of the Past 25 Years” Link to ‘Get Out’ alternate ending on YouTube Link to Keith Phipps article “Jordan Peele’s ‘Get Out’ Uses 21st Century Racism To Make A Masterful Horror Movie”

Listen and subscribe on Spotify Subscribe to us, rate us, and review us on Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Twitter @PodBestOriginal We’re also available on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to all your silly little shows Best Original Podcast is a proud member of Light Switch Podcasts. Follow us on Twitter @LightSwitchPod, and be sure to check out the other outstanding shows we have to offer: Half Asian Half Hour, Popcorn Restaurant, Long Live King Bitch, and Want To Game