Spinning the Reel

Evan and Zach break down the categories and nominees for today's ceremony!

It's finally the new season of Spinning the Reel! As is tradition we kick off this year with our Top Ten of last year. Stay tuned and thanks for joining us! Content Warnings: Genocide (The Zone of Interest; Killers of the Flower Moon), Suicide (Anatomy of a Fall), Sexual Assault (May December), Animal Abuse (Anatomy of a Fall)

They boys discuss Godzilla Minus One, The Holdovers, and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Tune in!

The boys discuss their annual pilgrimage to Los Angeles for the American Film Institute Festival.

The boys cover the latest Wes Anderson releases starting with the Netflix shorts: The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar The Swan The Rat Catcher Poison Then we round it out with his 2023 feature Asteroid City.

Another late episode! Sorry STR fans! We are discussing Killers of the Flower Moon just as it is leaving theaters. In our second segment we discuss Anatomy of a Fall, still in theaters! Check it out. Regular episodes will resume weekly.

Hello and welcome to Spinning the Reel! It's been a sporadic season for us but we're excited to bring you this episode on two of the biggest releases this year. We should be back on schedule soon. Thanks for listening!

At long last the boys are back and what better way to celebrate than a rundown of every big (and not so big) release we've seen since Barbenheimer. After that Evan and Zach preview some upcoming movies but mostly just re-litigate a few controversial movies from the past few years. Enjoy!

The boys (minus Cody) are back after a brief hiatus to talk about some major animated releases. First up is the newest Pixar: Elemental. After a full review we discuss our latest Regal Mystery Movie: Ruby Gillman Teenage Kraken. Finally we go deep on Spider-Man Across the Spiderverse. 0:00 - Intro 2:07 - Elemental 24:44 - Ruby Gillman Teenage Kraken 43:57 - Spider Man Across the Spiderverse 1:10:00 - Close

Evan and Zach are back to talk about the conclusion to one of Marvel's most interesting franchises: Guardians of the Galaxy. The boys do a full review before moving on to discuss solidarity with the striking WGA writers and explore some of the union's concerns in their fight with the studios, including AI and streaming. Finally we talk about a few smaller indie movies that moved us but haven't made their way onto the show yet. Enjoy! 0:00 - Intro 2:22 - Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3 34:30 - WGA Strike 48:58 - Indie Films to Check Out 1:20:54 - Close

Evan and Zach get Political™ talking about the latest A24 and NEON features to hit theaters.

The boys are back and powered up for a game themed episode. First up is a contentious review of The Super Mario Bros. Movie. After our brief excursion to the Mushroom Kingdom, we play a new game devised by game master Cody called Level Up. Finally its back to the world of fantasy to talk all about Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Enjoy! 0:00 - Intro 3:37 - The Super Mario Bros. Movie Review 29:42 - Level Up Game 44:44 - Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves Review 1:07:45 - Close

Much like the Baba Yaga himself, Cody is back from his semi-retirement to join Zach and Evan in talking John Wick 4. We break down this one and touch on the rest of the Wick universe. After that its game time once again on STR as the boys each draft 4 Keanu Reeves movies. Finally we use the upcoming Continental series and Wick spin-off Ballerina as a springboard to talk about how every Hollywood movie is a franchise now. Enjoy 0:00 - Intro 3:40 - John Wick 4 38:52 - Keanu Draft 54:11 - Franchises 1:23:19 - Close Evan's Reviews Mentioned on this Episode John Wick 4 and Guns

Evan and Zach discuss the latest entry in the Creed franchise along with a quick Oscars recap and a discussion of Regal's March Mystery movie. Come check it out!

In just under the wire, Evan and Zach predict winners, pick favorites and lament the lack of After Yang in every category for this year's Oscars

Zach and Evan are back this week but the trifecta is still missing our dear host Cody. The show must go on and the boys talk all about Quantumania from Kang to the divisive response and Evan's surprising admiration. After that Zach gets us up to date on the Oscar nominated short films in the Live Action and Animation category. Finally we fill in some podcast blank spots by discussing the Best Picture nominated All Quiet on the Western Front. Enjoy! 0:00 - Intro 2:26 - Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania 36:24 - Oscar Shorts 1:01:42 - All Quiet on the Western Front 1:29:04 - Close

Zach and Evan are back again to talk about all things movies. First up is a bit of a debate over M Night Shyamalan's newest divisive feature: Knock at the Cabin. After that Evan is forced to relive trauma in a review of 80 for Brady. Finally the boys recap everything they saw at Virtual Sundance. Enjoy! (we miss you Cody) 0:00 - Intro 1:58 - Knock at the Cabin 34:36 - 80 for Brady 50:36 - Sundance Recap 1:27:31 - Close

Its a big and busy week here at STR as the boys put together an episode during virtual Sundance. First up is our full breakdown of the Oscar nominees announced last week. After that we jump into a review of Magazine Dreams, our first Sundance screening of the year. Finally Zach and Evan talk about their experience at the Regal Mystery screening which turned out to be Missing. Enjoy! 0:00 - Intro 2:13 - Oscar Nominations 32:00 - Magazine Dreams 49:30 - Missing 1:15:30 - Close

Another year, another season. Evan and Zach (sadly no Cody yet) kick off season 5 of STR with a review of the hottest new toy on the market... M3GAN. After that we preview our upcoming trip to virtual Sundance. Finally the boys heavily debate the merits of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and how it may spark a revival of the Shrek franchise. 0:00 - Intro 2:07 - M3GAN Review 18:28 - Sundance Preview 30:14 - Puss in Boots: The Last Wish Review 58:39 - Close Evan's Reviews Mentioned in this Episode: Evan's Top 10 Films of 2022

Cody is back and taking full hosting duty to end the year. Our valiant host returns to shepherd Zach and Evan through their favorite movies of the year. Lots still to be seen but its the end of the year so enjoy our picks for top 10! Happy New Year!

RIP to our lost Fabelmans episode (don't worry more to come on the top 10s) but we are coming back strong with an auteur driven episode. First up Evan and Zach break down James Cameron's newest spectacle: Avatar The Way of Water. After that we share some catch up recommendations for the end of the year. Finally, the boys close things out with a review of Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio. Enjoy! 0:00 - Intro 2:14 - Avatar: The Way of Water 46:47 - Best Of Recommendations 59:30 - Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio 1:30:14 - Close

Still no Cody this week :(, but the show goes on with Evan and Zach talking about Black Panther Wakanda Forever. After a full review we talk about Zach's recent viewing of the 355 and modern propaganda movies. Finally the boys discuss the indie darling The Banshees of Inisherin. Enjoy! 0:00 - Intro 3:04 - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 41:32 - Propaganda Films 1:00:41 - Banshees of Inisherin 1:22:22 - Close

Just Zach and Evan this week with high hopes for Cody's return. Its a niche episode as the boys talk about some unique filmgoing experiences. First up is a review of Nanny, a buzzy Amazon release out of AFI Fest. After that we talk about the Regal Mystery Movie of the Month, why it upset folks and why the concept could work. Finally, November is a big month on the movie calendar and we're here to round up some of our most anticipated films. 0:00 - Intro 2:32 - Nanny AFI Fest Review 35:54 - Regal Mystery Movie 56:50 - November Releases 1:12:02 - Close

No Cody this week but the show must go on. Zach and Evan are here to talk about the Palme d'Or winning satire Triangle of Sadness. After that we dive into spooky season right with a discussion of Marvel's Werewolf by Night. Finally the boys close out this prestige heavy episode with a discussion of Decision to Leave. Enjoy!

No Zach this week but the original STR Duo of Cody and Evan is here to talk about a couple new movies. First up is a review of Billy Eichner's new rom com Bros. After that the boys break down The Greatest Beer Run ever, Peter Farrelly's follow up to his Best Picture winning Green Book. Enjoy!

Cody is out again but Don't Worry Darlings, Evan and Zach remain to discuss Oliva Wilde, Florence Pugh and Harry Styles's beautiful disaster. After that its onto the outer rim planet of Ferrix to discuss Andor and the way Disney+ has handled its two most prized franchises: Marvel and Star Wars. Finally we end on a mysterious note by discussing the under seen whodunnit See How They Run. Enjoy! 0:00 - Intro 2:47 - Don't Worry Darling 35:52 - Andor 1:02:05 - See How They Run 1:18:55 - Close

Cody is gone this week and wish as he may, wish as he might, Zach nor Evan will never be real Disney Boys. The remaining hosts discuss the disastrous Pinocchio remake on this episode. After that the boys talk film festival drama and contenders they are excited about. Finally it's back to Disney to break down the D23 convention and all the upcoming money grabs. Enjoy! 0:00 - Intro 2:38 - Pinocchio 26:42 - Festival Highlights 40:51 - D23 1:04:39 - Close

The boys are all together in person this week to talk about George Miller's new fantasy epic; Three Thousand Years of Longing. After a bit of debate we debut a new game, the Wishing Newlyweds Game. Finally, in honor of Spider-Man, we talk about the recent trend of films being re-released into theaters. Enjoy! 0:00 - Intro 1:58 - Three Thousand Years of Longing 22:02 - Wishing Newlyweds Game 43:45 - Re-released Films 1:03:56 - Close Evan's Reviews Mentioned on this Episode: Three Thousand Years of Longing Review

The whole gang is back together this week to talk about the blockbuster smash Bullet Train. After that the boys play a game of Cody's design called Thomas the Tank Engine Word Association. Finally Zach, Evan and Cody talk about modern action and the new Netflix film Day Shift. Enjoy! 0:00 - Intro 3:18 - Bullet Train 30:35 - Thomas Word Association 48:48 - Day Shift 1:14:15 - Close

Its a Zach and Evan week on the show as Cody is out of town and the boys waste no time. First up is a review of the Hulu Original Predator prequel: Prey, along with a discussion of the streaming only model. After that Evan brings up a recent movie he saw on an airplane and the boys chat about inflight entertainment. Finally things and slightly more contentious with a review of Vengeance. Enjoy! 0:00 - Intro 2:33 - Prey 22:27 - Airplane Cinema 37:42 - Vengeance 1:10:42 - Close

Evan and Cody are on the road this week so Zach has teamed up with special guest Brian to talk about the comedy classic Mean Girls. After that the boys dive into the state of streaming and finish up with a conversation about Brian's favorite movie: The Warriors! Enjoy

Technical difficulties abound this week but the boys are all back to talk film. The whole gang is here for the new Netflix thriller The Gray Man but it's just Zach and Evan for the review of Jordan Peele's Nope. In between those reviews is a draft game of Cody's creation. Enjoy! 0:00 - Intro 2:07 - Nope 24:56 - Nope/Gray Man Draft 38:21 - The Gray Man 59:51 - Close

No Cody this week, but we do have special guest, fan of the show and Evan's Aunt: Kim joining us to talk all about Where the Crawdads Sing. The Crawdad (and singing ) fun doesn't stop there though as Kim has devised a quiz around the crustaceans of the hour. After that Evan and Zach talk about the new Nat Geo documentary Fire of Love that is finding its way to more theaters each week. Enjoy! 0:00 - Intro 2:16 - Where the Crawdads Sing Review 30:08 - Kim's Crawdad Quiz 42:00 - Fire of Love Review 1:03:26 - Close

At long last, Cody has returned to his rightful place as The King of STR, just in time to discuss The King of Rock and Roll's biopic Elvis. But before that the boys talk Thor: Love and Thunder and also open up a time capsule of films Cody has missed in his time away. Enjoy! 0:00 - Intro 3:30 - Thor: Love and Thunder 32:36 - Time Capsule 48:45 - Elvis 1:12:23 - Close

Evan and Zach are back for a week of blockbuster reviews. First up is Pixar's Lightyear, a movie that is definitely not about the real guy who inspired Andy's toy. After that we break down the divisive Obi-Wan Kenobi series and finally the boys take a bite out of Jurassic World Dominion. Enjoy!

The boys are back in the Danger Zone this week to discuss the high flying blockbuster Top Gun Maverick. After that Evan and Zach take a look at the first half of the year by picking some early favorites, least favorites and under seen gems. Enjoy!

Big news as the podcast returns from unofficial hiatus. Frequent guest Zach has joined the show as a host. It's just Zach and Evan this week to talk about some indie darling films but fear not, Cody will return as his work schedule allows in the coming weeks and months. This week the boys break down The new Alex Garland thriller, Men, and talk about the subtle nuances of Celine Sciamma's Petite Maman. We aren't all niche this week though as the boys close out with a round up of Disney releases: Multiverse of Madness, Moon Knight and Chip and Dale. Enjoy!

Cody is on vacation this week so it's another Evan and Zach special. The boys dive into the brand new Robert Eggers project, The Northman. After that we talk about the silly viral idea that Marvel turn every movie made into MCU movies. Finally its Nic Cage time as the boys discuss The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Enjoy! We miss you Cody! 0:00 - Intro 2:04 - The Northman 24:25 - Make it all MCU 41:40 - The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent 59:19 - Close

After a week off the boys are back with a packed show. The Living Vampire himself, Zach, joins Evan and Cody to talk all the highs but mostly the lows of Morbius. After that Cody presents his newly reworked version of Letterboxd 21 and quizzes the gang on Jared Leto films. Finally we end on a good note by reviewing the delightful and poignant Everything Everywhere All at Once. Enjoy! 0:00 - Intro 2:16 - Morbius 19:45 - Letterboxd 21: Jared Leto 35:05 - Everything Everywhere All at Once 1:01:43 - Close

Cody is back just in time to discuss an eventful Oscars ceremony he didn't watch. The boys break down Will Smith and Chris Rock's viral conflict and Evan gets Cody's thoughts on some of the night's winners. After that we talk about a few films that wont get full segments on the show while Cody compares Turning Red to Lady Bird. Enjoy! 0:00 - Intro 3:31 - Oscars Recap 29:23 - Other Movies 45:09 - Close

Cody is still under the weather so Zach joins Evan again this week to break down the Oscar field and make predictions about who will win. We take a look at all 23 categories and lock in our picks for Sunday's show. Enjoy Want to join in on the fun? Fill out our 2022 Oscar Prediction Contest

Half of the boys are back this week with Evan being joined by emergency guest host Zach to break down two massive March releases. First up is The Batman, a dark and brooding film detailing Bruce Wayne's early bat career. After that we discuss the new Pixar charmer Turning Red. In between these massive tentpole reviews is a discussion of why it's been so hard to find other good films in the early part of this year. Enjoy! 0:00 - Intro 3:13 - The Batman 36:23 - Going to the Movies 48:30 - Turning Red 1:12:04 - Close

The boys are back and tackling the fierce debate over gamers. That's right, this week Evan and Cody are talking Uncharted and all it represents for film. After that Cody cooks up a quiz about video game movies and the boys wonder where all the movie stars went. Enjoy! 0:00 - Intro 2:07 - Uncharted 21:24 - Tomatoes, Why's it Always Have to Be Tomatoes (game) 31:44 - Action Stars 45:20 - Close Evan's Reviews Mentioned on the Podcast Uncharted Review

It's been a busy time the last couple weeks but the boys are back to talk about the buzziest topics in the film world right now. First up is our quick review of the hotly anticipated Marry Me. After that we take a look at how we did in predicting Oscar Nominations, discuss what surprised us and Cody takes a victory lap. 0:00 - Intro 2:26 - Marry Me 15:00 - Oscar Nominations 41:07 - Close Evan's Reviews mentioned on this episode: Oscar Nominee Breakdown

It's the most wonderful time of the year here at STR: Oscars Season. With the nominees for 2022 set to be announced Tuesday, the boys are catching up on some movies sure to be in the mix. We briefly touch on Don't Look Up, Being the Ricardos, Licorice Pizza, Flee, Belfast and The Power of the Dog. After that Cody gets quizzed on the previous nominees and the boys make their predictions for which films, directors and performers will hear their names called next week. Enjoy! 0:00 - Intro 2:18 - Oscars Catch Up 27:40 - Random Questions: Oscar Nominees 38:07 - STR predictions of the Oscar Nominees 1:02:58 - Close

The Boys are back with another season and things just keep on spinning. First we talk Shakespeare and Joel Coen's The Tragedy of MacBeth. After that Evan (and Cody!!!) check in from virtual Sundance. We close things out by picking a few movies we're excited about in 2022. Enjoy 0:00 - Intro 3:30 - The Tragedy of MacBeth 17:50 - Virtual Sundance 30:00 - Most Anticipated Films of 2022 47:50 - Close Evan's Reviews mentioned on this episode: The Tragedy of MacBeth Sundance 22 Reviews

The Boys are back with special guest Zach to breakdown the very best in film of 2021. As with every year, this one brings some agreement, some controversy, but inarguably it was a great year for movies. Thanks to all of you that have listened along to Season 3 and we look forward to more fun in Season 4! Happy New Year and keep Spinning. 0:00 - Intro 11:45 - Top Tens Year in Review Posts from SpinningTheReel.com Evan's Top 25 of 2021 Cody's Top 10 of 2021

The boys are swinging back into action this week to talk about the hotly anticipated Spider-Man: No Way Home. **THIS IS A FULL SPOILER REVIEW** After that Cody quizzes Evan on the cinematic Spider-Men with a game he calls Multiverse Letterboxd Game. Finally we talk about some of our memories and regrets from film in 2021 in anticipation of our Top 10 Episode next week. Enjoy! As noted on the show, if you would like to be a part of our Top 10's episode, send in a recording with 1) Your name, 2) Your favorite movie of 2021 and 3) Why you love that movie to us at SpinningTheReelPod@gmail.com or by adding a voice message to our page on Anchor (0:00) - Intro (3:37) - Spider-Man: No Way Home **FULL SPOILERS** (26:31) - Multiverse Letterboxd Game (36:33) - Year End 2021 (51:32) - Close ----- Check out our site spinningthereel.com! ---- Follow us and join the conversation on Twitter, Instagram, and Letterboxd! @spinningthereel Tweet at us! View our Instagram Post! Spider-Man: No Way Home Letterboxd Review! ---- If you want more STR, check out Evan's post from SpinningTheReel.com referenced on this episode: Spider-Man: No Way Home Don't Look Up

Sometimes it can feel like Cody and Evan are as at odds as the Jets and the Sharks, but this week the boys are mostly in agreement about Steven Spielberg's West Side Story. After talking about the musical movie of the moment, we dig into why it can be so hard to find smaller movies and we break down former President Obama's top movies of the year. Finally the boys discuss Mike Mills' touching ode to childhood, C'mon C'mon. Check it out! 0:00 - Intro 2:56 - West Side Story 24:30 - Indie Accessibility 38:30 - C'mon C'mon 54:20 - Close Evan's Reviews Discussed on today's episode: Movie Accessibility *SPOILERS* Spider-Man: No Way Home

The Boys are back to talk... Spinning the Reel? Believe it or not STR has been around for 100 episodes and a couple of former guests, Connor and Zach, join Cody and Evan to reflect on the journey so far and the path forward. Along the way we talk disappointments, surprises, a lost 100th episode and, for some reason, The Tomorrow War (2021). Thanks for sticking with us so far. Enjoy!

The boys are back with another double feature and, for the second week in a row, a Lin Manuel Miranda discussion centered around Disney's Encanto. First up though, Evan and Cody tackle Ridley Scott's divisive House of Gucci, accents and all. In between the boys talk Spider-Monday and the state of movies. (0:00) - Intro (2:12) - House of Gucci (24:04) - Spider-Monday (35:05) - Encanto (52:27) - Close ----- Check out our site spinningthereel.com! ---- Follow us and join the conversation on Twitter, Instagram, and Letterboxd! @spinningthereel Tweet at us! View our Instagram Post! House of Gucci Letterboxd Review! Encanto Letterboxd Review! ---- If you want more STR, check out Evan's post from SpinningTheReel.com referenced on this episode: Movies after the pandemic