The Smartest People in the Room

Sorry it’s so late, but this week we discuss Sinners, The Phoenician Scheme, Brokeback Mountain, and the New York Times’ top movies of the century so far! (Episode recorded on 7/9/25).Maddie’s ballot: Mulholland Drive (2001), Spirited Away (2002), Margaret (2011), The Master (2012), Under the Skin (2014), Carol (2015), Moonlight (2015), Phantom Thread (2017), First Reformed (2018), Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)Rachel’s ballot: Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), Napoleon Dynamite (2004), Children of Men (2006), Y Tu Mamá También (2001), Brokeback Mountain (2005), Silence (2016), There Will Be Blood (2007), Moneyball (2011), Ocean’s Eleven (2001), A Hidden Life (2019)Links:The 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century - The New York TimesMaddie’s Letterboxd list The America I LoveMovies discussed (* indicates spoilers):Sinners*, Black Panther, Black Panther: Wakanda ForeverThe Odyssey (2026), Juror #2, Superman (2025), The Batman, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Weapons, Wolf Man, The Royal HotelBrokeback Mountain, This Is Spinal TapThe Phoenician Scheme, Asteroid City, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Grand Budapest HotelParasite, Mulholland Drive, Memories of Murder, Bloody Nose Empty Pockets, Titane, Love Lies Bleeding, Spirited Away, Margaret, The Master, Magnolia, There Will Be Blood, Phantom Thread, Under the Skin, Tár, The Zone of Interest, Moonrise Kingdom, Carol, Moonlight, We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, I Saw the TV Glow, Phantom Thread, First Reformed, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Mad Max: Fury RoadSuperbad, Children of Men, The Worst Person in the World, Michael Clayton, Fish Tank, Interstellar, The Gleaners & I, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Past Lives, Anchorman, Napoleon Dynamite, Everybody Wants Some!!, The Tree of Life, Aftersun, Everything Everywhere All At Once, O Brother Where Art Thou?, Ratatouille, Ocean’s Eleven, Spotlight, Oppenheimer, Killers of the Flower Moon, Silence, Gone Girl, The Irishman, Little Miss Sunshine, Inception, Pan’s Labyrinth,  Before Sunset, The Lives of Others, Almost Famous, Roma, Moneyball, Eephus, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Oldboy, Amélie, Ladybird, Call Me By Your Name, Suspiria (2018), A Serious Man, Bridesmaids, Lost in Translation, Marie Antoinette, Arrival, The Dark Knight, Anatomy of a Fall, Her, Boyhood, Wolf of Wall Street, Zodiac, Y Tu Mamá También, Brokeback Mountain, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, City of God, Inglourious Basterds, The Social Network, Get Out, Nope, Us, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, No Country for Old Men, In the Mood for LoveThe Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @yeah.boice and find more of his work on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bandcamp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

TW: eating disorders Last episode of 2024 and an important reminder that Rachel and Maddie are shrill feminist buzzkills with hater energy :) This episode we discuss Megalopolis, Emilia Pérez, Wicked, "live action" remakes of animated films, The Substance, and Conclave. Links: The episode of On Point that Rachel mentions: https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2024/12/02/trump-authoritarianism-ruth-ben-ghiat-voters-strongmen Movies discussed (* indicates spoilers): Megalopolis*, The Substance*, Emilia Pérez*, The Zone of Interest, TÁR, Joker: Folie à Deux, Honeyboy Nosferatu, The Iron Claw, Wicked, Crazy Rich Asians, West Side Story (2021)*, Singin’ in the Rain, West Side Story (1961) Moana 2, Moana, Inside Out, Inside Out 2 How to Train Your Dragon (2025), How to Train Your Dragon trilogy, The Lion King (2019), The Little Mermaid (2023), Mufasa The Apprentice, Magic Mike XXL, The Terrifier series, Suspiria (2018), Nightbitch, Showgirls, The Souvenir*, The Souvenir: Part II, Tenet Conclave*, All Quiet on the Western Front (2022), The Brutalist, Nickel Boys, The Holdovers, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, La Chimera, Gladiator II, Heretic, A Real Pain, Anora, His Three Daughters, I Saw the TV Glow,  A Different Man, Sing Sing, The People’s Joker*, Batman Forever, Babygirl, Will & Harper, Hale County This Morning, This Evening, A Complete Unknown, Queer The Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @yeah.boice and find more of his work on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bandcamp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

We are now in awards pre-season and we have a lot to discuss. How are we going to get to 10 Best Picture nominees? Can James Mangold pull off A Complete Unknown? Will Nightbitch be good? (Answer: yes, it's Marielle Heller). Why are there so many horror movies about pregnancy right now, and romcoms with older women age gap relationships? (Not complaining!) Listen and find out! Movies discussed (* indicates spoilers): The Brutalist Anora, Sing Sing, Conclave, Maria (2024), Jackie, Spencer, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Perez, Blitz, Nickel Boys, Gladiator II, A Complete Unknown, The End (2024), Mother Mary, The Governesses Tár, Vox Lux, The Order (2024), Bram Stoker’s Dracula Saturday Night, The Piano Lesson (2024), Joker: Folie à Deux, A Real Pain, Past Lives, Everything Everywhere All At Once, CODA (2021) Sentimental Value All Quiet on the Western Front (2022) Mrs. Doubtfire, Wanted The Substance, The Apprentice, The Witch, A Different Man, Under the Skin, Walk the Line, Ford v Ferrari Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point, Heretic, Babygirl, Queer, The Room Next Door, A Strange Way of Life, The Killing of a Sacred Deer Nightbitch, Jeanne Dielman, 23, quad du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles, Honeyland, The First Omen, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Diary of a Teenage Girl, Tully The Godfather, Her Smell, Wildlife, Gone Girl, Pride & Prejudice (2005), Pirates of the Caribbean series, The Boston Strangler, Colette, Silent Night The Idea of You, Anyone But You, Eileen, Twisters, Immaculate, The Deliverance, Madame Web, Bohemian Rhapsody, The Running Man, Barbarella Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Lawrence of Arabia, The Ten Commandments, Chinatown, The Witches of Eastwick, The Bucket List, As Good As It Gets, The Shining, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, The Taste of Things, The French Connection, Easy Rider Presence, No Sudden Move, A Star Is Born (2018), House of Gucci, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Bikeriders, Molly’s Game, John Wick Red Rocket, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice The Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @sc00gle and find more of his work on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bandcamp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Sorry for the delay between episodes! A lot has happened - Maddie went to Cannes! We hate the suburbs! Maddie and Rachel saw Challengers! Links: Maddie's Cannes ranking on Letterboxd The article about pop music's "middle class" that Rachel mentioned Maddie's Seed & Spark campaign for the short film she's producing, Always Were - or if you'd like to make a tax-deductible donation, the Louisville Film Society fiscal sponsorship page Maddie's newsletter Movies discussed (* indicates spoilers): Megalopolis*, Anora, Bird, Red Road, American Honey, Cow, Passages The Hyperboreans (Los Hiperbóreos), The Wolf House (La casa lobo), Beau Is Afraid Rumours, Oh Canada*, The Substance Honey Boy, Hereditary, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, It's Not Me(C’est pas moi), Titane Inside Out 2, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Vrse, Flee, The Boy and the Heron, Coraline, Paranorman, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Inside Out Love Lies Bleeding, I Saw the TV Glow*, We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, Top Gun: Maverick, The Lion King (2019), Twin Peaks: The Return Challengers* Twisters, Joker: Folie à Deux, Wicked, Gone Girl, Maxxxine, Janet Planet, Thelma, Kinds of Kindness, The Bikeriders, Cora Bora, The Favourite, Poor Things, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Lobster, Dunkirk, American Animals, The Batman - Part II, The Master, Eileen, Godzilla Minus One, Inside Man, Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Twister The Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @sc00gle and find more of his work on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Bandcamp⁠⁠⁠⁠.

It's time for the Smartest People Oscar Predictions! Hopefully we are of some help to your ballots this weekend 🙏🏻 we also discuss the releases we're looking forward to in 2024. Movies discussed (* indicates spoilers): Oppenheimer*, Everything Everywhere All At Once Poor Things*, Nyad Eileen The Boy and the Heron, Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse Barbie The Zone of Interest*, Killers of the Flower Moon* 20 Days in Mariupol Anatomy of a Fall Maestro*, Society of the Snow A Star Is Born (2018) Green Book Asteroid City, Napoleon (2023) The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar Godzilla Minus One American Fiction Following, The Prestige, Tenet, Vice Dune: Part 2, The Taste of Things, Drive-Away Dolls, Love Lies Bleeding, La Chimera Civil War (2024), Ex Machina, Annihilation, Inside Llewyn Davis, Drive, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, MEN* The First Omen, Challengers, Hit Man, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Mad Max: Fury Road, Three Thousand Years of Longing, Nosferatu (2024) Longlegs, Joker: Folie à Deux, Joker, Faces of Death (2024), The End (upcoming), Nightbitch, Gasoline Rainbow, I Saw the TV Glow, Maxxxine, Mickey 17, Megalopolis, The Way of the Wind, They Follow, It Follows Margaret The Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @sc00gle and find more of his work on ⁠⁠⁠Bandcamp⁠⁠⁠.

Okay, so, we recorded this emergency podcast the Saturday after the Oscar nominees were announced, and then Maddie got too busy and is only just now uploading it. This episode is no longer topical, nor a hot take. Please forgive us but please listen anyway! (Also, Maddie knows the song is called "What Was I Made For?" but was too worked up to remember the title). "Barbie Has Cellulite (But You Don't Have To)" from Jessica DeFino's newsletter The Unpublishable Movies discussed (* indicates spoilers): Barbie* Priscilla May December Past Lives, Eileen Green Book, Bohemian Rhapsody, Crash, Forrest Gump, Shakespeare In Love Nyad, Asteroid City Singin’ in the Rain, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg The Eternals, Hamnet The Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @sc00gle and find more of his work on ⁠⁠⁠Bandcamp⁠⁠⁠.

Things are getting back on track in 2024. We discuss awards season (recorded before the Oscar nominees were announce so don't @ us!), our Barbie's box office success, our favorite movies of 2023, and May December. Movies discussed (* indicates spoilers): Anatomy of a Fall, The Boy and the Heron Thelma (June Squibb’s film) Barbie, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, Oppenheimer, The Lego Movie The Zone of Interest, Birth (2004), Sexy Beast, The Fall (2019 short), Under the Skin, La Chimera, Saltburn, Promising Young Woman, All of Us Strangers, A Thousand and One Killers of the Flower Moon*, Eileen, Beau Is Afraid*, Certain Women, The Holdovers, Dolemite Is My Name May December*, Napoleon (2023), Ferrari, Priscilla, Hustlers, The Go-Between, Babylon (2022), La La Land Asteroid City*, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The French Dispatch, Waves (2019), The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar Past Lives*, Poor Things*, Sanctuary (2022), The Tragedy of Macbeth The Iron Claw*, Bottoms, How to Blow Up a Pipeline The Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @sc00gle and find more of his work on ⁠⁠Bandcamp⁠⁠.

I know last time we said we were gettin' it together but, well, a lot has been going on! Maddie co-produced a movie, Rachel is a damn city planner, but we're here now to talk about festival buzz, actor-directors, stage-to-screen adaptations, and we pour one out for one of the greatest directors of our time, the late Terence Davies. The Private Eye, the graphic novel we discussed Passing Time, Terence Davies's final film, a short he did in collaboration with composer Florence Di Concilio for Film Fest Gent's 2x25 project. Movies discussed (* indicates spoilers): Wildcat, Fire Island The Exorcist: Believer, Bottoms, Stop Making Sense, Oppenheimer, Barbie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, David Gordon Green's Halloween trilogy (Halloween (2018), Halloween Kills, Halloween Ends), Jojo Rabbit, Next Goal Wins, Bend It Like Beckham Twilight*, The Twilight Saga: New Moon*, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2* Woman of the Hour, Gonzo Girl, Ezra, Poolman Kundun, Silence (2016), Phantom Thread, Hacksaw Ridge, 2010 Star Wars trilogy, Ferrari, Megalopolis, Killers of the Flower Moon The House of Mirth, The Age of Innocence, Benediction*, The Deep Blue Sea, The Long Day Closes, The Boys in the Band (1970) Fences, One Night in Miami, The Tragedy of Macbeth, Drive-Away Dolls, Challengers, Sanctuary, May December, Scream, Priscilla A Star Is Born (2018), Maestro, A Star Is Born (1954), A Star Is Born (1976), Wildlife, Joker: Folie à Deux, Joker, The Master, The Revenant, The Last Temptation of Christ The Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @sc00gle and find more of his work on ⁠Bandcamp⁠.

We're gettin' it together, folks. This week we talk a lot about Matt Damon, Lily Gladstone, Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Sofia Coppola, plus Killers of the Flower Moon and Beau Is Afraid. Movies discussed (* indicates spoilers): Air, BlackBerry, The Martian, The Last Duel, Hustlers, Erin Brockovich, The Departed*, Promised Land, Downsizing, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, Terminator: Dark Fate Beau Is Afraid, Hilma, Showing Up, First Cow Killers of the Flower Moon*, Uncharted, The Whale, Certain Women Body Double, Phantom of the Paradise, The Rocky Horror Picture Show The Wolf of Wall Street, Romeo + Juliet, Once Upon A Time… in Hollywood The Night of the Hunter, Far from Heaven, All That Heaven Allows, Days of Heaven, Heaven’s Gate Hereditary, Midsommar, Babylon The Virgin Suicides, Marie Antoinette, The Bling Ring, Priscilla, The Sweet East, Saltburn, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, American Animals May December, The Holdovers, Sideways, You Hurt My Feelings, Master Gardener, Occupied City, Small Axe: Mangrove, Small Axe: Lovers Rock, Small Axe: Education, Bad Education (2019), La mala educación (Bad Education) (2004), An Education, The Miseducation of Cameron Post, The Starling Girl, White Men Can’t Jump (2023) Of An Age, Before Sunset, Ghosted, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Little Mermaid (2023), The Lure Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Book Club: The Next Chapter Deadline's viral Martin Scorsese interview Sofia Coppola: The Politics of Visual Pleasure by Anna Backman Rogers The Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @sc00gle and find more of his work on ⁠Bandcamp⁠.

This week we talk about Rachel's problem with Mia Goth, touch on the films of Kelly Reichardt, and share the upcoming films we're excited about. Plus, Maddie details her recent experience working on an indie film production which shall not be named. Movies discussed (* indicates spoilers): MaXXXine, Emma., Suspiria (2017), X, Pearl, Infinity Pool* Resurrection (2022), Call of the Wild (1935), Hail, Caesar!, Air, Moneyball, Showing Up River of Grass, Night Moves, Wendy & Lucy, Meek’s Cutoff, Strictly Ballroom, Poison, Carol, Dark Waters, Wonderstruck Barbie, Killers of the Flower Moon, Armageddon Time, Eileen John Wick: Chapter 4, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, 80 for Brady, Book Club 2, Predator, High Hopes, Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Beau Is Afraid, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves The Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @sc00gle and find more of his work on ⁠Bandcamp⁠.

Ahhh, the Oscars. First half of the episode is Rachel and Maddie making their picks for winners, and the second half is their reactions to the winners. Irene and Yayoi both stop in with their opinions. OVER IT: Oscar bait war movies, fat suits, apology Oscars. HERE FOR IT: Naatu Naatu, first-time nominees, animation is film. Movies discussed (* indicates spoilers): Nomadland, Tár Avatar: The Way of Water Babylon, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Elvis, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, Black Panther All Quiet on the Western Front, BARDO, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths, Empire of Light The Batman, The Whale*, The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021) Top Gun: Maverick The Fabelmans Banshees of Inisherin, La La Land RRR My Year of Dicks All That Breathes, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, Fire of Love, House Made of Splinters, Navalny Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinnochio, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, The Sea Beast, Turning Red Argentina, 1985, Close, EO, The Quiet Girl, Saint Omer, Decision to Leave Triangle of Sadness Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Living, Women Talking Causeway Showing Up Aftersun, Ikiru, La chambre Blonde, To Leslie The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story The Secret Life of Pets, In the Mood for Love, Nope, Titane, The Northman, Monster, CODA, Parasite Past Lives, The Persian Version, Shortcoming, Passages, Magazine Dreams The Souvenir, The Souvenir: Part II, Scream VI, Showing Up, A Good Person, Garden State The Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @sc00gle and find more of his work on Bandcamp.

No Maddie until next time, but join Rachel and special guest Spencer Campbell for this episode themed around the films of Bennett Miller! Movies discussed (* indicates spoilers): Moneyball*, Capote*, Foxcatcher* Goon, Remember the Titans, Ford v Ferrari Boogie Nights, Pirate Radio (The Boat That Rocked) The Social Nework, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Molly’s Game, His Girl Friday In The Bedroom, Fight Club The Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @sc00gle and find more of his work on Bandcamp.

Our topics this week include the 8th Sight & Sound Greatest Films of All Time poll, Avatar: The Way of Water, White Noise, and "nepo babies." Maddie will be back in March! Sight & Sound poll Sight & Sound 2022 Films poll Movies discussed (* indicates spoilers): Avatar: The Way of Water* Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles*, Vertigo, Citizen Kane, Marie Antoinette, Safe (1995), Saute ma ville*, Bicycle Thieves, Get Out, Nope, Parasite, Moonlight, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Beau Travail, Mulholland Drive, Yi Yi, Tropical Malady, Y Tu Mamá También, All About My Mother, Apocalypse Now The Godfather, Stalker, Persona, Sunset Boulevard, A Brighter Summer Day, The Godfather Part II Barry Lyndon, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Apartment, Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, The Master, Brokeback Mountain, Erin Brockovich Avatar (2009), Iron Man, Star Wars: The Last Jedi White Noise* (2022), Inherent Vice Moneyball The Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @sc00gle and find more of his work on Bandcamp.

This week we're discussing a backlog of movies, including The Fabelmans, The Menu, Glass Onion, RRR, BROS, romantic comedies, Todd Field, and more! The next episode will be in two weeks instead of three and then after that we'll be doing some guest episodes as Maddie has a new job! You're Wrong About podcast: The Movie Rating System with Karina Longworth Movies discussed (* indicates spoilers): The Fabelmans*, CODA The Menu*, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery*, Knives Out, Guardians of the Galaxy, Blade Runner 2049 Moneyball RRR*, Mad Max Avatar: The Way of Water BROS*, Brokeback Mountain, Set It Up, Fire Island, You’ve Got Mail Eighty for Brady, West Side Story (1964), Carol, TÁR, In the Bedroom, Eyes Wide Shut, Little Children White Noise The Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @sc00gle and find more of his work on Bandcamp.

We're back... again!! We're finally done filming our short film so expect more podcast episodes from us, at least for now! This week we discuss The Banshees of Inisherin, TÁR, the death of Film Twitter and its effect on people's brains (for better or for worse), Disney's internal drama, Don't Worry Darling, Elvis, Blonde, and the year's remaining new releases. "How Personal Baggage Will Impact Oscar Chances" by Scott Feinberg (The Hollywood Reporter) Movies discussed (* indicates spoilers): Three Thousand Years of Longing, Nope, Bodies Bodies Bodies The Banshees of Inisherin*, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, In Bruges, Seven Psychopaths, The Lobster, The Beguiled (2017), Miami Vice TÁR*, Babylon (2022), Women Talking, White Noise, The Fabelmans, Armageddon Time, Triangle of Sadness, Decision to Leave, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Emancipation (2022), Killers of the Flower Moon Don’t Worry Darling*, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery Enchanted, Disenchanted Weird: The Al Yankovic Story*, Boogie Nights, Bohemian Rhapsody Elvis*, Blonde*, Petite Maman, Crimes of the Future (2022) The Matrix, The Truman Show, The Stepford Wives Nightmare Alley (2021), Spencer Fire of Love*, All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)*, Moonage Daydream, Grizzly Man, Loving Highsmith, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, The Eyes of Tammy Faye The Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @sc00gle and find more of his work on Bandcamp.

We're back!! Who knows how long it will be before the next episode but we're here now, and that's what matters. This week we catch up with the movies we've watched lately, including Nope, Three Thousand Years of Longing, and Bodies Bodies Bodies. We also discuss the problems facing HBO Max and other streaming services, theatrical releases, festival movies we're looking forward to, Gen Z, and... the astrology of film?? Also some TV?? You'll have to check it out! Nope, Blonde, BROS, Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, X, Belle (2022), Bodies Bodies Bodies, Irma Vep (2022) Uncharted, Marry Me, Platoon, Three Thousand Years of Longing* Synecdoche, New York, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets Mad Max: Fury Road, Happy Feet, Babe: Pig in the City, The Witches of Eastwick, Practical Magic Cha Cha Real Smooth, Moonlight TÁR, White Noise, Elvis (2022), Women Talking, BARDO, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths, The Fabelmans, Babylon (2022), Armageddon Time, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2021), Ahed’s Knee, RRR, Killers of the Flower Moon The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Avatar, Avatar: The Way of Water The Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @sc00gle and find more of his work on Bandcamp.

Just a quick update, we’re not dead!

We are raising money to produce a short film!! Please check it out here and consider throwing some support our way. Every little bit helps. If you like the podcast, we really think you'll like the film. Thanks :) This week we are joined by Irene in the first half of the episode (she had to dip after the break) and we tell you more about our movie. We also discuss Memoria, which we all saw together, Alfonso Cuarón for some reason, Elvis, Benediction, and the intriguing nature of this summer's box office so far. Movies mentioned (* indicates possible spoilers): Clue, Beatriz at Dinner, Babette’s Feast, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, August: Osage County, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Invitation (2015), The Invitation (2022), Diner (1982), Feast, Flux Gourmet, The Menu, Phantom Thread Memoria*, Parallel Mothers*, Arrival, Lost In Translation Roma, Y Tu Mamá También, Gravity, The Lost City (2022) Elvis*, Moulin Rouge, Romeo + Juliet, The Great Gatsby, Strictly Ballroom, Top Gun: Maverick, Lightyear, Vox Lux*, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love & Thunder, Thor: Ragnarok, Nope Benediction*, The Long Day Closes, A Quiet Passion, Pride & Prejudice, The Boys in the Band, The Deep Blue Sea, Of Time and the City Bernie, Wet Hot American Summer Good Luck to You, Leo Grande* The Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @sc00gle and find more of his work on Bandcamp.

We get some visits from Maddie's pet snake Cleo as we discuss Top Gun: Maverick, Fire Island, Apollo 10 1/2, The Bob's Burgers Movie, and Netflix's ill-fated decision to stop producing "vanity projects". Support the Kickstarter for our short film Blanch! Movies mentioned (* indicates possible spoilers): Top Gun: Maverick*, Top Gun* Ford v Ferrari, The Bob’s Burgers Movie*, Mad Max: Fury Road, Apollo 10 1/2* Fire Island*, The Age of Innocence, The Happiest Season, Love, Simon, Crush The Godfather Everybody Wants Some!!, The Before movies*, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief Jurassic World Dominion, Jurassic World Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Downton Abbey: A New Era, Crimes of the Future (2022) The Irishman, Roma, Green Book, The Power of the Dog, Enola Holmes, Tall Girl, The Kissing Booth Killers of the Flower Moon Call Me By Your Name, A Bigger Splash Nope, Alice (2022), Minions: The Rise of Gru Benediction, Memoria The Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @sc00gle and find more of his work on Bandcamp.

Despite our impromptu break between episodes Rachel has been too busy to see any new movie, while Maddie has seen The Northman, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, and Deep Water. We also discuss The Trial Currently Happening Now, A24's membership club, and the types of action movies we like. Movies mentioned (* indicates possible spoilers): Mikey and Nicky Judy, Pirates of the Caribbean series The Northman*, The Witch The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent*, Pleasure, Men, Adaptation., Moneyball Deep Water*, Serenity (2019), Serenity (2005) Everything Everywhere All At Once, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Moonlight, Spring Breakers Crimes of the Future, Petite Maman, The Worst Person in the World, Memoria, Parasite Top Gun: Maverick, Top Gun, Everybody Wants Some!!, The Fast and the Furious series, Ford v Ferrari, John Wick series, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Lost City of Z, Mission Impossible series, Transformers series Quo Vadis, Lawrence of Arabia, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, Cleopatra Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Lord of the Rings: Return of the King The Hobbit (1977), Slumdog Millionaire In the Cut The Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @sc00gle and find more of his work on Bandcamp.