The AwardsWatch Podcast

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).

Oscar pre-season is in full swing and nothing says that more than the annual Oscar shortlists, which expand to 12 categories this year, adding Casting and Cinematography. On episode 320 of the AwardsWatch podcast, Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson is joined by Executive Editor Ryan McQuade and Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello break down the morning's shortlist announcement, discussing what surprised, what was snubbed and how it impacts the Oscar races overall. 12 categories for the 98th Academy Awards were announced this morning: Animated Short Film, Casting, Cinematography, Documentary Feature Film, Documentary Short Film, International Feature Film, Live Action Short Film, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Music (Original Song), Sound and Visual Effects. Leading the way with eight mentions apiece were Sinners and Wicked: For Good. Both films made the cut in the exact same categories: Casting, Cinematography, Makeup and Hairstyling, Score, two in Song, Sound and Visual Effects. Frankenstein came in with six: Casting, Cinematography, Makeup, Score, Sound and Visual Effects. Up next, with five mentions apiece were F1 and One Battle After Another but possibly one of the day's biggest surprises was the huge showing for Spain's Oscar entry and Cannes Grand Prize winner Sirāt. Also earning five spots on the shortlist, it showed up in International Feature, Sound and Score as was relatively easy to predict, but also in Casting and Cinematography. The Academy added two new shortlists this year. Well, one new one and one returning after several decades. The much-anticipated new Casting category that debuts this season brought contenders like The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value and Weapons but shockingly didn't have room for Wake Up Dead Man, the third in the Knives Out trilogy packed with a hearty ensemble. Cinematography is back on the menu after a 46-year absence with finalists that included the major players like Sinners, One Battle After Another and Hamnet but also Ballad of a Small Player, Die My Love, Nouvelle Vague and Song Sung Blue to the table. We focus a good deal of time on these new categories but also look to how sound and film editing are often in sync, if this means Wicked: For Good is back, if Hamnet might be in trouble, what the hell is Veni Verdi and much more. 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 1h1m. We will be back in next week for a review of the last big film of the year, Avatar: Fire and Ash. 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 319 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch contributors Dan Bayer, Mark Johnson, and Josh Parham to go back five years and take a look at the 93rd Academy Awards, covering the films of 2020. On this retrospective, the AW team take one last trip to the past for the year to talk about the pandemic year of cinema that saw one of the worst Oscar telecasts of all time. Baffling decision after another, the night ended on a sour note instead of one of celebration for Nomadland winning the top prize and Chloé Zhao becoming the second female director to win Best Director. Still, even with the ceremony being so divisive, the year presented plenty of films the team wanted to highlight and discuss over the course of changing the Academy's nominations, with films such as The Nest, Tenet, Miss Juneteenth, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, Clemency, Dick Johnson is Dead, I'm Thinking of Ending Things, The Father, Sound of Metal, Minari, Judas and the Black Messiah, and more. In their in-depth discussion, the AW team talked about the film year of 2020, briefly discuss talk about Nomadland as a Best Picture winner, how this year is full of celebrities that are problematic or "cancelled" 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 four films to make up the final set of eight 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, YouTube and more. This podcast runs 2h41m. We will be back in next week for a review of the last big film of the year, Avatar: Fire and Ash. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

No one is having as much fun making films as Rian Johnson. Over the course of the last twenty years, Johnson has delivered some of the most original, bold, entertaining films, dazzling audiences with noir mysteries, a sci-fi action thriller, and a journey to a galaxy far far away. But in his latest three pictures, Johnson has crafted his own IP, creating a new cinematic detective series with the help of one of the biggest movie stars on the planet, Daniel Craig. The director, alongside his famed actor and a crew of regular collaborators over the course of his career, delivered the smash hits Knives Out in 2019 and Glass Onion in 2022, whodunit mysteries following the cases of Detective Benoit Blanc. Known for the hilarious tone, massive ensemble casts, and immaculate third act resolutions, the first two entries of the franchise were widely acclaimed by audiences and critics, leading to Johnson landing two Oscar nominations for his screenplays. With the third entry in the Knives Out franchise, the director (in his own words) takes us "back to church" with a mystery centered around Reverend Jud Duplenticy (Josh O'Connor), a new priest who is framed for the murder of an another priest from a small parish in upstate New York. In trying to clear his name, Blanc hears of the case and is willing to assist Father Jud in clearing his name and getting the heart of who committed this horrible crime. In my review out of the Toronto International Film Festival, I raved about the film, calling it "the best entry in the Knives Out franchise to date" and also stating "Johnson and company pull out all the stops to create a dark, tense, comical, sharply-written mystery that sticks the landing." It's an entry that is not only darker, but seems more personal than ever for Johnson, as Wake Up Dead Man dabbles in ideas of faith, wickedness, revenge, spitefulness, how dangerous our world is, and how we need forgiveness more than ever if we are to heel as a species. In my recent, extensive, spoiler-filled discussion with the writer-director, we spoke about Johnson's approach to this entry, when he knew he was going to enter the world of the gothic mystery, and working with Craig on their third film together. We also spoke about collaborating with the new cast, the social, political, religious themes found at the center of the film, as well as his film and literary inspirations for Wake Up Dead Man, as well his thoughts on modern cinema, the importance of celebrating cinema, and if he could get a director to confess their secrets to him, who would he select and why. It's a more serious conversation than the last time Johnson and I spoke when Glass Onion was coming out, but that's a prime example of not just the tonal versatility found within the Knives Out, but also within the person its creator. Insightful, lively, introspectively honest, Rian Johnson is a real original and there aren't many left in Hollywood who are like him. Music: A Minor Omission, Nathan Johnson

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 130 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys discuss the next film in their Claire Denis series, Let the Sunshine In (2017). Over the last couple of years, Denis has had a bit of a renaissance with her contemporary work, exploring complex stories with female characters at the forefront, mostly portrayed by the incredible Juliette Binoche. In their first collaboration together, the duo takes us on a journey of a woman who is uncertain in the male relationships she's in, but knows that she wants more than ever to not be alone, forcing herself into situations that aren't healthy. By doing this, they show how heartbreaking it can be to grow old alone without someone to share a life with. Ryan and Jay break down their thoughts on the film, how grateful they are in the relationships they are in, how lonely it must be to grow old without a partner, Binoche's performance, and a couple of fun tangents as well. 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 1h55m. The guys will be back next week to conclude their series on the films of Claire Denis with a review of her film, High Life. 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 129 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys discuss the next film in their Claire Denis series, White Material (2009). Within the latest film of the Denis series, she heads back to Africa to explore a family drama set in the background of an unstable, unknown country, but as the film plays out, seems to be more interested in what is in the background rather than the characters that are focused on within the film. Instead of making a "white savior" movie, Denis is using this film as a honest, reflective look at her own place within this world as a white woman, commenting on the violent world that surrounds these white characters, and mirrors her own childhood. While it's not her best film, it's her most personal, and a bold piece of filmmaking that isn't looking for a pat on the back, but rather exposing the flaws within power dynamics in a part of the world we will never be able to fix or understand. Ryan and Jay break down their thoughts on the film, Denis' relationship to the source material, the violence in the background of the film, the lingering questions about the open ending, as well as plenty of fun tangents post-Thanksgiving for the boys, highlight some of their favorite films they've been catching up with lately. 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 1h57m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Claire Denis with a review of her film, Let the Sunshine In. 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).

It's been a big first week of December with no less than five sets of critics groups announcing winners and nominations as we kick off the next three months of nonstop awards season. On episode 318 I am joined by AwardsWatch Executive Editor Ryan McQuade and Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello to break down the awards landscape and more. Before we get into that we have to talk about the other huge piece of news this week and that was yesterday's announcement that Netflix had won the battle to buy Warner Bros and all of its properties, which includes the DC Universe films and HBO/HBO Max. Unsurprisingly, there is no one on the podcast thinks this move is a good idea and sees the Netflix model as intentionally destructive of the theatrical model. Next we move the Critics Choice Awards nominations, announced this morning, where Sinners and One Battle After Another lead the way, where Sentimental Value and Hamnet made comebacks and where Wicked: For Good faltered. Then it's onto the AFI and NBR lists, the New York Film Critics and the Gotham Awards, where Sophia gives her in the room insight of the event. This podcast runs 1h 18m 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 317 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson alongside AwardsWatch contributors Dan Bayer and Josh Parham to go back 30 years and take a look at the 68th Academy Awards, covering the films of 1995. On this retrospective, the AW team take a trip to 1995, where actor Mel Gibson rode off the with multiple Oscars, winning Best Picture for his war epic, Braveheart. While a hit within its own right, it was a bit of a shocking win considering many believed that Apollo 13 was going to take home Oscar's top prize. It's a massive upset that would have ripple effects over the course of Academy history that would have make up wins not just for Ron Howard, but for other nominees in this Oscar field. 1995 is a stacked, incredible year of cinema that the gang tries to reflect a little better than what the Academy nominated with films like Heat, Showgirls, Get Shorty, Clueless, Seven, Before Sunset, Friday, To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar and more getting either mentions, nominations, or wins in the big top eight categories.Maybe one of them wins Best Picture, maybe they don't, you'll have to listen and try not to fall down a flight of stairs to find out. In their in-depth discussion, the AW team talked about the film year of 1995, briefly discuss talk about Braveheart as a Best Picture winner, 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, YouTube and more. This podcast runs 2h47m. We will be back in next week for another retrospective over the 83rd Academy Awards, covering the films of 2010. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "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 128 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys discuss the next film in their Claire Denis series, 35 Shots of Rum (2008). Sometimes when you are planning a series, you don't think about the connections between the directors and their films, so this week is a happy surprise as Denis' 35 Shots of Rum is inspired by Yasujirō Ozu's film Late Spring, a film they covered earlier this year. Following a father-daughter relationship that is challenged by the arrival of a younger man who wants to date the daughter, Denis uses Ozu's masterpiece to reflect the racial, societal changes within France and Japan, as well as the differences between the two co-dependent family members, and the need for both to move on with their lives, no matter how heartbreaking it is. Ryan and Jay breakdown their thoughts on the film, its relationship to Ozu, how each film is different, as well as random thoughts on films from this year, Thanksgiving food, Jay's recent family vacation, and the pull quote that broke the internet this past 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 1h50m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Claire Denis with a review of her film, White Material. 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 316 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch contributors Josh Parham and Trace Sauveur to review the latest film from Universal Pictures, Wicked: For Good You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. This podcast runs 1h54m. We will be back in next week for an Oscar retrospective for the 68th Academy Awards, covering the films of 1995. 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 315 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade and Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson give their reactions to Wicked: For Good, Marty Supreme and give their updated thoughts on how both films will do in the Oscar race as well as an overview of where the race is at within the four acting categories. 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 1h16m. We will be back on Monday for a full review of Wicked: For Good. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "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 127 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys are joined by AwardsWatch Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson discuss the next film in their Claire Denis series, Beau Travail (1999). Jumping ten years into Denis' filmography, the boys hit the film of the series with Beau Travail, a film that follows the story of a section of French Foreign Legion soldiers training in the desert of Djibouti. What can seem like a macho, male dominate setting it quickly, slowly shown to be a memory piece about longing, desire, regret, attention, and more as she centers the film on a Adjudant-Chef Galoup and his evolutionary yet repressive time within the group. In doing this, Denis created a defining piece of filmmaking that cemented her legacy in cinema, giving us one of the greatest films of all time. Ryan, Jay, and Erik break down the film, its themes of sexual repression, how things that are super straight and masculine can be something else entirely, the ending featuring "The Rhythm of the Night," and an update on where Madonna was at in 1999. 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 2h07m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Claire Denis with a review of her film, 35 Shots of Rum. 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 314 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch contributor Trace Sauveur to review the latest film from director Edgar Wright, The Running Man. 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 1h24m. We will be back in next week for a review of Wicked: For Good. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "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 126 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys discuss the first film in their Claire Denis series, Chocolat (1988). One of the most singular, influential filmmaker of modern independent, French cinema is the subject of the boy's new series, Claire Denis. Known for making immersive, emotional films about repression and love, Denis' first film explores her childhood through the lens of a young girl who sees her country, France, imposing their will onto the people of Africa, at the same time her Mother's starts a longing, flirtatious relationship with the family's household servant. It's a stunning debut, instantly setting the bar high for the series and Denis' career. Ryan and Jay break down their thoughts on the film, the idea of who this film is being shown through, Denis' personal connection to the story, the central romance, their cultural, racial ties at the center of the film's conflict, and a story about Ryan's recent trip to the theater that you'll want to hear. 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 1h29m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Claire Denis with a review of her film, Beau Travail. 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 313 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello is joined by Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade, Associate TV Editor Karen Peterson, and Contributor Josh Parham to discuss the Original Score and Original Song categories at the Oscars and to do a quick state-of-play on the Best Director and Best Picture categories.  First, they share their predictions for the Original Score category, discussing how this branch may vote, the old favorites that might return, and which potential new composers they could see in the category. Will any of the top scores be ruled ineligible? They dig into all of that and more. Next, it's time to talk about Diane Warren, the "Golden" ticket to the Oscars, and the potential for double nominations for Sinners and Wicked: For Good in the Original Song category. Finally, the team does a brief check-in on the Best Picture and Best Director categories. They chat about the excitement surrounding a potential coronation year for Paul Thomas Anderson, Hamnet's audience prizes, and why One Battle After Another is the movie of the moment. What makes an awards season hero or villain? It's November, and the vultures are already circling.  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 1h17m. We will be back soon with a brand new episode. Until then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "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 125 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys discuss the final film in their Hughes Brothers series, The Book of Ell (2010). In their final collaboration as an artist pair, the Hughes Brothers take a dive into the end of the world, action genre where a man is roaming from town to town, searching for the haven of humanities last chance for hope within a broken country, where water is a privilege and knowledge is a weapon. In a making a film about the hunt for the last bible on Earth, the brothers tackle the rotten core of our humanity when faced up against each other, and the lust for power something as simple as a book can bring out of people. This plus it's just a cool idea for an action movie where Denzel Washington is being the best movie star on the planet and Gary Oldman is doing his villain thing that he does so well. But the real question with The Book of Eli is, why isn't it an all timer, why does it look the way it does, and why was this the last film the Hughes Brothers made together? Ryan and Jay breakdown all these questions, as well as look at the careers of Washington, Oldman, and Mila Kunis, what they learned from this series, what the Hughes Brothers are doing now, give their series rankings for the sibling duo, and preview their next director 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 2h22m. The guys will be back next week to begin their new series on the films of Claire Denis with a review of her film, Chocolate. 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 312 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson alongside AwardsWatch contributor Josh Parham to go back 20 years and take a look at the 78th Academy Awards, covering the films of 2005. We are finally out of film festival season and the team is back to give you one of their most anticipated Oscar retrospectives of the year, taking a look back at 2005, the year Crash beat Brokeback Mountain for Best Picture. In a time where the center of the film world was focused on a film centered around two gay men falling in love, the Oscars swung the opposite direction and gave it to one of the worst Best Picture winners of all time, a film so vile that its win hasn't aged well the moment it won. Beyond that, it was a fascinating year when the critically acclaimed films of the year took over the top eight categories, while the more populist films made up the winners in the below the line categories; an interesting split in the Oscar wins. In their in-depth discussion, the AW team talked about the film year of 2005, briefly discuss talk about Crash as a Best Picture winner, 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, YouTube and more. This podcast runs 2h40m. We will be back in next week for an update of the 2025 Oscar season. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).