Sitting Around Talking Movies

The award season has finally ended and it went out with a bang with the 2026 Oscars. Big stars, a few surprises and some bittersweet moments. We'll give you our quick take on how the show went down and we want to know what you think too. So listen in and let us know. It won't take long, we promise.

The endless movie award season is about to come to an end (finally!). But before it does, there's still the Oscars on March 15th. Yes, it's all led up to this. But first you'll want to hear our Oscar predictions! We're not always right and we almost never agree but before you go to bet anything at your office Oscar pool you may want to hear what we have to say. A lot has changed during the lengthy (oh so lengthy) award season and what may have been a sure bet back in December may not be now. So listen in and get the latest take.

It seems the groundhog was right. Winter is dagging on. But even though the big movie companies aren't sending their usual franchises and sequels out to the theaters, there's still plenty to take your mind off that sidewalk that needs to be shoveled. We start with the latest version of "Wuthering Hights." This one stars Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi and it's directed by Emerald Fennell. Bill McCuddy saw it and he'll tell you what he thinks of it. Then there's the dark comedy "How to Make a Killing" starring Glen Powell and Margaret Qualley. Bill Bregoli checked that one out. And Neil Rosen finally caught up with "Nuremberg" now that it's streaming. It's got Nazis and Russell Crowe. Neil also got out to Broadway where he saw "Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York." Does it feel as long as its title? For you streaming fans we've got "How to Get to Heaven From Belfast" from the creator of "Derry Girls." and the Italian crime series "My Name is Venetta." There's more too, including "In the Blink of an Eye" and "Nivanna the Band the Show the Movie." so listen in.

There hasn't been a winter like this in years. Most of the country is dealing with bitter cold conditions. Of course, your local theater is prettty warm, and there's probably a cozy spot in front of your TV at home. So if your looking for entertainment options we've got lots to tell you about. We start with "Send Help" starring Rachel McAdams and directed by Sam Raimi. It's about an employee and her insufferable boss who become stranded on a deserted island, the only survivors of a plane crash. Here, they must overcome past grievances and work together to make it out alive.It's pretty intense. Then there's the thriller "Crime 101" starring Chris Hemsworth as an elusive thief, eyeing his final score. Speaking of crime, there's also "Dead Man's Wire" starring Bill Skarsgard and directed by Gus Van Sant. And there's also "The Rip" which reunites Ben Affleck and Matt Damon and puts them in Miami. Neil Rosen tells about his time on Broadway and Bill McCuddy has the streaming series "Steal" to tell you about. And oh yeah, there's "Melania" which we haven't seen but that doesn't stop us from talking about. So listen in.

In this special episode Neil Rosen has a fascinating conversation with Brigit Grant who wrote a movie about Beatles manager Brian Epstein. Often referred to as "the fifth Beatle," Epstein was instrumental in rocketing the four unknown lads from Liverpool to worldwide fame. "Mdias Man" reveals Epstein's complicated personal life and the toll it took on him. Brigit gives us a behind-the-scenes look at how this unique film was put together.

The Critics Choice Awards and the GOlden GLobe Awards have come and gone. You've probably forgotten the monologues already. But what about the winners and losers? Are there any sure bets as to who will win or even get nominated for the Oscars. Listen in and we'll let you know

The Critics Choice Awards and the Golden Globe Awards are behind us now. But there are plenty ahead on the road to the Oscars. Are there any sure bets yet? We've taken a look at what's transpired yet so listen in and you'll here what we think may happen in the future. Award-wise that is.

Judging from what's already happened so far in 2026 we may look back on 2025 as the good old days. So we decided to take a look back and tell you our best and worst movies of 2025. Neil Rosen and Bill McCuddy both take a different approach while Bill Bregoli demurred because he thinks the entire year's offerings were pretty much "meh," But we also have some new movies to talk about. We start with "The Housemaid" starring Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney, who contractually has to be in every other movie being filmed these days. We all saw it and we actually all agreed on it. And speaking of Amanda Seyfried, we also have "The Testament of Ann Lee" which is giving her some Oscar buzz. Plus we have "Song Sung Blue" with Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudon singing more Neil Diamond songs than doctors would recommend. Then there's "The Choral" starring Ralph Fiennes as a choir master. Just what audiences are craving for these days. Plus there's "We Bury the Dead" because someone thought we should start 2026 with a zombie movie. Then again, why not? So listen in and put off all those New Year's resolutions you're probably not going to keep anyway.

Here is our tribute to the late, great Ron Reiner, who was taken from us all too soon.

Award season is nigh, so is the holiday movie season. All the movies are heavily advertised and publicized now. But not all of them are worth your good money, In fact, we may save you a lot of money this time around. We start with "Marty Supreme." It's this year's award bait movie starring Timothee Chalamet. There was one last year too but this one is about a ping pong player. Really. We all saw it and let's just say we pretty much agree on it. We've also all seen "Jay Kelly." "It stars George Clooney as a movie star named Jay Kelly. It's got Adam Sandler in it too. Our thumbs all pretty much pointed in the same direction on this one too. But which way? Then there's "Is This Thing On?" starring Will Arnet as a standup comedian going through a divorce. "Aren't they all? You ask. Yes, but they're not all directed by Bradley Cooper. We've also got a quirky fable called "100 Nights a Hero" which probably won't play in a theater near you but should you watch it when it inevitably streams? And there's "Merrily We Roll Along" which is a filmed version of a Broadway musical which people payed big money to see. But even crappy Broadwaymusicals cost big money to see. Is this worth paying a movie price to watch? There's more. There's the streaming series "Pluribus" and tales of film company parties too. Plus we'll fill you in on who got snubbed by the Golden Globes and the Critics Choice Awards. And by our count we may save you over $100 bucks you would have wasted at the movies so you owe us a listen.

We get it. You've had way too much to eat and now you want to sit back and watch something. Something that's not football. And with all the movies to talk about this podcast is  overstuffed as well. First there's "Wicked: For Good." You've seen the first one, but how is this one? We'll let you know. For action fans there's "Sisu: Road to Revenge" and "The Running Man."  And for those who like movies in exotic locations there's "Lefthanded Girl" and "Rental Family." We've got buzz-worthy movies too like "Hamnet" and "After the Hunt." Into streaming series? We've got "Pluribus" and "Down Cemetery Road." And there's even "Nouvelle Vague" for those of you who like black and white movies. And we haven't told you everything so listen in!

In this very special episode our very own Neil Rosen and Roger Friedman of Showbiz411.com sit down with Woody Allen in his New York townhouse for a wide ranging and eye opening discussion. Woody has been doing publicity for his first novel "What's With Baum," but the conversation goes far beyond that. He talks about his many triumphs. Included in those are the 50 movies he’s made, winning the Oscar for “Annie Hall,” and the many actors he’s worked with. And speaking of "Annie Hall," Woody also expresses his feelings over the passing of his co-star and muse Diane Keaton. It's a fascinating discussion so listen in!

Award Season is looming and so far there are no clear favorites. And there may never be, Some years are like that. BUT there are some pictures coming soon that have been getting some buzz and lucky us,we've seen them. And lucky you because we'll tell you which movies are worthy of buzz. Neil Rosen starts us off with "Bugonia" which is the latest from director Yorgos Lanthimos who seems to find new ways to torture Emma Stone in every movie he makes. Bill Bregoli tells us about the Netflix movie "Ballad of a Small Player" in which Colin Farrell sweats a lot and gambles in far-off Macau. Is it a safe bet? And Bill McCuddy tells us about "Christy" starring Sydney Sweeney as boxer Christy Martin. We've also got Bill M's interview with Jodie Foster about her latest movie "A Private Life." You can hear it right here. We've also got the Springsteen sort of biopic "Deliver Me From Nowhere" as well as "Nuremberg" starring Russell Crowe as a Nazi! Plus we've got the nuclear thriller from Kathryn Bigelow "A House of Dynamite" and the documentary Ben Stiller made about his parents called "Stiller and Meara: Nothing is Lost." Geez, there's even more including the spicy "Hedda" and the buzzy foreign film "Sentimental Value." There's even more but your humble scribe is tired from all this typing and has just enough energy left to tell you Neil teases something special that's coming soon.

Not only is Fall in the air but you can tell it's also time for the serious movies. The award show bait, the film festival films. The films you heard someone talk about at a party. We've seen some of them and we're going to let you know which are worth your time and money. We start with "Kiss of the Spider Woman." It's been on film before and even on Broadway. But now it's a movie musical. Neil Rosen kind of went nuts on this one. Then there's the latest from Paul Thomas Anderson called "One Battle After Another: which stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn. Bill McCuddy will let you know what he thought of that one. Neil then fires back with "Blue Moon" which stars Ethan Hawke and it tells the story of ells the story of Lorenz Hart's struggles with alcoholism and mental health as he tries to save face during the opening of "Oklahoma!". Not to be outdaone, Bill Bregoli tells us about the long awaited sequel "Spinal Tap: The End Continues" about everyone's favorite fictional heavy metal band. He also saw "Roofman" which stars Channing Tatum as a charismatic criminal, who on the run from the police, hides in a hidden space of a toy store. We've also got "The Smashing Machine" which stars Duane Johnson as you've never seen before, the Paul Greengrass action film "The Lost Bus," and a little gem of an action movie called "Dead of Winter" which stars, beleive it or not, Emma Thomson. And since you may need a drink after listening to us we've got the new streaming series "House of Guinness." So listen in.

We'll be honest, none of these movies or streaming shows have anything to do with pumpkin spice. The title is simply there to get your attention, which all these shows could use. They're not awards bait (though there's a slight chance they may get some) and they're not heavily promoted. But still, they're worth cheking out. We start with "Highest 2 Lowest" which is a Spike Lee remake of a Kurosawa film your obnoxious friends may brag that they've seen. They're probably lying. Anyway, it stars Denzel Washington as a music mogul who is faced with a dliemma when a teenager is kidnapped. Bill McCuddy and Bill McCuddy both saw it and they'll let you know what they think. Then there's "Honey Don't" starring Margaret Qualley as a lebian private eye. Of course Bill Bregoli saw it. He also saw "Caught Stealing" starring Austin Butler as ex-baseball player Hank Thompson who unexpectedly finds himself embroiled in a dangerous struggle for survival amidst the criminal underbelly of 1990s New York City. Neil Rosen streamed "My Mom Jayne" which explores the life and legacy of Mariska Hargitay's mother, Hollywood icon Jayne Mansfield, who died tragically in a car accident at age 34 when Mariska was only three years old. Bill Mccuddy's been straming too and he tells us about "The Paper" which in which a documentary crew searches for new subject, finding a dying Midwestern newspaper and its publisher's efforts to revive it using volunteer reporters. Think "the Office" with newsprint all over its hands. He also watched the series "Blood" which IMDB tells us is about "old secrets, older betrayals, mind games, and the lies family tell each other." And not getting out of his chair. Mr. McCuddy also watched "Rebus" about a hardboiled Edinburgh cop with a tendency to bend rules. Meanwhile, Bill Bregoli keeps going to movie theaters where he saw a bizarre Ron Howard movie called "Eden," about a group of outsiders who settle on a remote island only to discover their greatest threat isn't the brutal climate or deadly wildlife, but each other. And if you want a movie to watch on Netflix with yur parents there's "The Thursday Murder Club." Oh, and Neil read a book about Elaine May. Plenty here, so listen in.

The Summer Clearance Sale at your local theater continues but we've done our best to find some interesting selections for you. First we have "Weapons," the box-office surprise horror movie. It tells what happens when all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance. It's got Julia Garner and Josh Brolin. Both Bill Bregoli and Bill McCuddy have different opinions on it. Then there's the long awaited (for some people anyway) sequel "Happy Gilmore2" which NeilRosen will fill us  in on. We also have the thriller "Relay" starring Lily James and Riz Ahmed in which a broker of lucrative payoffs between corrupt corporations and the individuals who threaten them breaks his own rules when a new client seeks his protection to stay alive. For documentary fans there's "Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan" which tells how Ed Sullivan broke barriers by booking Black artists on his Sunday night variety show. Plus Neil fills us in on a book about Woody Allen and Bill McCuddy poses an interesting question. So listen in!

It's the time of the yearwhen the weirder stuff comes out. And there's nothing wrong with that after a summer of over hyped high budget extravaganzas. So we start with "The Naked Gun." Like the 80's original, this reboot spoofs police procedurals and more. Plus it's got Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson. Bill Bregoli had a beer and watched it and he'll tell you what he thought. Neil Rosen fills us in on the latest "Fantastic Four" movie. There have been others that haven't fared so well. Is the 4th time the charm? We've also got documentaries such as "Sally" which tells how Sally Ride's groundbreaking journey as the first American woman in space concealed a deeply personal story. And "Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Story" which is (ba-dum,ba-dum, ba-dum) all about making "Jaws." Bill McCuddy talks about his golf junket and catching up with "The Devil All The Time" which stars Bill Skarsgard and Tom Holland. And for streaming series we've got  "Untamed" in which Eric Bana tries to solve a murder mystery in Yosemite National Park" and then there's the trashy fun sometimes sapphic murder mystery "The Hunting Wives. Both are on Netflix. So take off a few layers and listen in.

It's our 4th of July episode and boy do we have short fuses! We start with "Jurassic World Rebirth" which an expedition braves isolated equatorial regions to extract DNA from three massive prehistoric creatures for a groundbreaking medical breakthrough. Never mind all that - it's Scarlett Johansson wearing a sweaty tank top in jungle full of dinosaurs. We'll let you know if it's extinct or not. Then we all went and saw "F1: The Movie" (as opposed to "F1: The Broadway Musical) which stars Brad Pitt as a Formula One driver who comes out of retirement to mentor and team up with a younger driver. Does he put his pedal to the metal? And then there's the streaming series "Dept Q" starring Matthew Goode as a former top-rated detective wracked with guilt following an attack that left his partner paralyzed and another policeman dead. We've also got a slew of documentaries starting with "Cold Case: The Tylenol Muders" which explains why you need a chainsaw to open a bottle of pills these days. And there's "Pee-wee As Himself" which traces the life of the reclusive Paul Reubens. Then Neil Rosen tells us about "Billy Joel: And So It Goes" and he tells us a story that's almost as long as the movie itself. Neil and Bill McCuddy will fill you in on "Materialists" in which Dakota Johnson plays a young, ambitious New York City matchmaker who finds herself torn between the perfect match and her imperfect ex. And finally Bill Bregoli brings us to a fitting conclusion with the Netflix documentary "Trainwreck: Poop Cruise" We're a classy bunch.

The Summer movie season is upon us and your entertainment options are flooding in. We start with "From the World of John Wick: Ballerina" in which Ana De Armas plays an assassin trained in the traditions of the Ruska Roma organization who sets out to seek revenge after her father's death. Is it any good? Does Keanu Reeves show up? Bill Bregoli saw it and he'll let you know. Then we've got "The Life of Chuck" which is based on a Stephen King novella and goes backwards in time. Not weird enough for you? How about the stage musical Neil Rosen saw called "Maby Happy Ending." Neil Rosen raves about it. Neil also raves about "The Four Seasons" series on Netflix though Bill McCuddy disagrees. The two of them do rave about the documentary "Ron Delsner Presents." Neil and Bill M talk about the summer movies they're looking forward to this year. Bill Bregoli on the other hand has been out watching them and will fill you in "Karate Kid: Legends" and "The Fountain of Youth." There's more too, so listen in.

We do all our own stunts on our podcasts and so does Tom Cruise. That's why we're starting with "Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning." It's something to do with AI run amok, plus Tom walks on an airplane wing and takes his shirt off a lot. We watched all 2 hours and 49 minutes of it. Did we like it? You'll have to listen. We've also got the latest Marvel movie "Thunderbolts" which may very well help reinvigorate a franchise. Neil (finally) caught up with "Your Friends and Neighbors"  and Bill McCuddy tells us about holding on to something belonging to Gary Cooper. What, pray tell, could that be? Bill M also aught up with a Tom Hardy movie and Bill Bregoli (of course) tells us about a teen sex comedy starring SNL's Chloe Fineman (it's on Hulu) called "Summer of 69." Notice the lack of apostrophe -  it's very telling. Somehow Neil was let back onto Broadway again and he swears he saw "this year's 'Hamilton.'" He also watched a Mathew Perry documentary and read a book about Nora Epron. Where does he find the time? And for those who like real crime documentaries we've go "Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer" on Netflix. There's a lot here so listen in!