Oscarwatch Podcast

A musical that is sooo musical that another musical didn't win Best Picture for 34 years! Now, whether or not that's a good thing is up for debate, but Oliver! sure provokes some conversation on this week's episode. Hosts Alex and Steve approach it from two very different histories and chat about all things Dickensian, from the 'hey, that kid isn't actually singing', to the eternal bastardy that is Oliver Reed and finally, are these songs memorable? Because one of them has never heard any of them before. Also, 1968 was a great year for movies and we debate the relative merits of the Best Picture nominees when there are certainly more well known (and well regarded) films to have come out ::cough 2001 cough :: So grab your bowl and come on up, there's plenty more here for everyone! Thanks for listening. Drop us a line at oscarwatchpodcast@gmail.com, or find us on Social Media (@oscarwatchpod). If you'd be so kind, like, subscribe and leave a review on iTunes. It really does help! Next week, our first animate

Flying solo, Steve manages to keep himself together whilst discussing the ins and outs of this year's crop of Academy Award nominees, from the record tying number of minority actors and actresses to the Mel Gibson redemption story. This year's got a lot to talk about it. And yes, there's a very big fish in the pond and if history has shown anything, those big fish often win. But let's discount what a little moonlight can do for your well-being. Mostly, though, he's just wondering where the hell Sing Street is? I mean, seriously. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@oscarwatchpod) and be sure to drop a line at oscarwatchpodcast@gmail.com. Find and like and review on iTunes. We return to our regularly scheduled program next week (and hopefully Alex is there, too!).

Join Alex and Steve on their adventure down The Road - Fellini's La Strada, which was actually released in 1954, but which won Best Foreign Language Film in 1956. The guys bring it back to film school for a lovely discussion on the Italian Neorealist movement of the Post-War era and how Fellini is slowly starting to break away from that, the simple grace of the film's main actress and the bizarre way Fellini used to shoot his movies. Steve wrestles with his emotions and much like any character on the road, comes out different when all is said and done. Oh, and we figure out just how much 10,000 Lira is in today's dollars (hint: it's not a lot!) Thanks for listening. Drop us a line at oscarwatchpodcast@gmail.com, and find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@oscarwatchpod)

The Artist may be silent, but we most certainly are not! Join Alex, Steve and guest host Matt Neglia of @nextbestpicture as we discuss the most egregious example of Hollywood celebrating itself, 2011's The Artist. We find it bears a striking similarity to this year's big Best Picture front-runner! Sure, we'll admit that the film is technically pretty great but there's not a lot there, is there? And while 2011 was a dog of a year, what better films could you find to say, Drive their way into your hearts? All that, plus an update on Alex's ever worsening medical conditions! Drop us a line at oscarwatchpodcast@gmail.com. Find us on iTunes and be sure to leave a review. You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@oscarwatchpod). Next week, we go from the silent to the foreign as we take a walk down a long and lonely Street...

Remember Butch & Sundance? It's kind of like that, what with Newman, Redford and director George Roy Hill getting the band back together for 1973's The Sting. Our first movie of the new year is a charming, delightful and ultimately hollow heist movie whose influence can be seen on every con-man film made since then. Ocean, meet Hooker. Hosts Steve and Alex discuss why this film, over a far more memorable one, may have taken the top prize, the timeless cool of both its stars and how 1973 was a fantastic year in film. Plus, once again, Alex gets really excited about Day of the Dolphin. All that and more in this week's episode. Like and subscribe on iTunes. Drop us a line at oscarwatchpodcast@gmail.com, find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@oscarwatchpod). And happy new year! We'll be seeing you.

Here at last, we come to the end of our fellowship with the final entry into Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Return of the King. The only one of the three to win best picture! Join Alex, Steve and returning guest Justin Clark for this Extended Edition of Oscarwatch as we discuss the ridiculous, emotionally charged highs of this entry, the many endings (and how you're all wrong for not liking them), ugly crying, Steve's admiration for the oddly loyal Orcs in the film and just how ridiculous Legolas can be. All that and more on this week's episode! Like and subscribe on iTunes. Find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@oscarwatchpod). And with that, we close out 2016. Happy holidays and a very happy New Year to all of our listeners. See you in 2017!

This week, hosts Alex and Steve are taking the Hobbits to Isengard for the second chapter in our Lord of the Rings retrospective with The Two Towers (2002). Joining us for this middle part is film and game critic Justin Clark, a learned and wise sage - who actually doesn't like the books. But don't worry, he gives a great reason why. The three get together to discuss how Andy Serkis was really, really robbed at the Oscars, where this one ranks among the Extended Editions and how friggin awesome the Battle for Helm's Deep remains to this day. All that and a sobering talk of the timelessness of these films. Join us, won't you? Send us an email to oscarwatchpodcast@gmail.com. Subscribe and review on iTunes, and be sure to find us on all the social media, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (@oscarwatchpod). Join us next week as we come to the end of our fellowship...

This week, hosts Alex and Steve volunteer to take the ring to Mordor. But a quest like this requires a few extra swords and axes. Helping to carry this burden is friend to the podcast Matt Thomsen, Dungeon Master extraordinaire to help guide us through Peter Jackson's 2001 epic adventure! The three of us wonder how in the hell this movie not only got made but was as successful as it was, its continuing relevance in this, or any age, and just why the hell didn't the characters give the ring to the Eagles? All that and more. So, if you're eavesdropping, you may just get swept along on the greatest adventure of all time. This also marks the first episode of our 'Contender' series; films that were nominated for Best Picture but did not win, that maybe really should have. Off the top of your head, what movie did win that year? Find us on iTunes and Google Play. Subscribe and write a review, it really does help put the word out about our little podcast. Drop us a line at oscarwatchpodcast@gmail.com, and be sure

The MacLaine train keeps a rolling with Terms of Endearment (1983), the movie about the lifetime between a mother and daughter. So naturally, two guys have a long chat with one another and mansplain a thing or two. Like why you shouldn't date, let alone marry, a guy named Flap - seriously, why is that hard? And whether a film should have a character you actually like and we wonder if our wives will feel the same way about our daughters when they're all grown up. Oh, and did you know there was a sequel? Don't worry, Steve fell on that grenade for you! But is it the Best Picture? 1983 was a hell of a year. Let's see what else came out then. Drop us a line at oscarwatchpodcast@gmail.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@oscarwatchpod) and be sure to subscribe and review on iTunes, it really helps get the word out. Next week, we begin our holiday countdown with a bunch of guys, some jewelry and a very long hike in the woods...

Man, the rents in the city were far more manageable back then! Not that Jack Lemmon, budding internet 'Nice Guy' ever got to stay in his own place, what with his adult-oriented AirBnB operation. If you liked Mad Men but wish it had less social commentary, with weaker female characters and no real subtlety to its message, then congratulations - how did you find us? The Apartment is a classic, for sure, but like many of the films from previous eras, there is a lot to be taken aback by. Enjoyable? Maybe. Is Jack Lemmon great? Yes. One cannot escape this 'Trump Grime' that coats the entire film in a slimy film of social ick. Want to drop us a line? Write an email to oscarwatchpodcast@gmail.com. Subscribe and rate us on iTunes, it really does help get the word out about this little show. Look for us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@oscarwatchpod) Next week, the Shirley MacLaine train keeps a rolling...

There are more Best Pictures lurking if only you feel like reading. Join hosts Alex and Steve as they travel to China to discuss the first of many Best Foreign Language Film winners, Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. As of 2016, the most award winning foreign language film of all time! Sure, it might not be the most representative of the Wuxia genre of kung fu flicks, but as an introduction to western audiences, the guys can't think of anything better. Beautiful, breathtaking and very romantic, the boys take a deep dive into Ang Lee's tale of love, hate and societal expectations - and how they can shape everyone, willingly and unwillingly. Also, Alex has some words regarding this year's follow-up film. In a nutshell: 'Abort!' Drop us a line at oscarwatchpodcast@gmail.com. Find us on iTunes and Google Play, and be sure to leave us a review! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (@oscarwatchpod). Next week, we head back across the ocean to a tiny Apartment, where we resume our regularly sche

Friends, Romans, countrymen! Lend us your ears!...for our latest episode: William Wyler's Ben-Hur. Oh, you might think it's about a Jewish prince who is betrayed and seeks revenge, but let us assure you: you are wrong. This is all about Jesus, even if he isn't on screen that much. Alex and Steve discuss the spectacle that dazzled audiences back in the day, but wonder if the film really needed to be this long (spoiler: it really doesn't), the homoerotic undertones between the film's main characters and of course, the chariot race. Because what else do you think of when you think of Ben-Hur? Plus, we draw some parallels between the selfish quest for fulfillment displayed in the film and a certain major political event that happened recently. Find us on iTunes and be sure to leave us a review. If you'd like to get in touch, send an email to oscarwatchpodcast@gmail.com; and thank you for listening. Next week, we leave the Roman coliseum for the plains of Mongolia...

OscarWatch breaks out the fava beans and a nice chianti to bring you our slightly belated Halloween episode, The Silence of the Lambs - the only "horror" movie to have won Best Picture. Though Steve and Alex may have differing definitions of what horror is, and if this qualifies as one. And of course, an in-depth conversation about one of cinema's greatest villains, Hannibal Lecter. And before FBI Agent Dana Scully, there was Clarice Starling, still one of the greatest examples of law enforcement ever put on film - and she puts up with a ton of crap in this movie and we don't think that's all that right or fair or decent. We'd love to have you for dinner...to listen to this podcast! Enjoy our most 'spooktacular' episode yet! Subscribe to us on iTunes and be sure to leave a rating! Find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@oscarwatchpod). Of course, you can always drop a line to us at oscarwatchpodcast@gmail.com. Next week, OscarWatch dusts off the old chariot for a trip back to ancient Rome...

You may only be hearing one voice, but the words are from both of your esteemed hosts! Due to technical difficulties, we have had to scrap the traditional format for the show and present this solo, Steve-only endeavour about Robert Redford's directorial debut, Ordinary People. Like the film in question, there is someone missing to make everything right. And while our esteemed co-host Alex will return, the same cannot be said for the Jarrett family, wrestling with the loss of a child and the bittersweet drama that ensues. It's a fantastic movie, with a great look at psychiatry and America in the 80s, but is it 'THE' Best Picture? We take a look at the year's offerings and definitely wonder... Email us at oscarwatchpodcast@gmail.com, be sure to find us on iTunes (and leave a review!). And as always, find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@oscarwatchpod). Next week, we forego the traditional beer and coffee for a nice chianti...

A special mini-episode that did not make the cut for our Spotlight episode. Alex, Steve and guest host Matt discuss all the great, and not-so-great, films of 2015 - some of which should definitely have been nominated for Best Picture. Others, like a certain rebootquel, should have been left in the amber the filmmakers found it in! Did your favorite make the cut? Think something is missing? Write us a strongly worded email to oscarwatchpodcast@gmail.com Thanks for listening.

Alex and Steve once again ship on up to Boston for a look back at the most recent Best Picture winner. Joining them is longtime friend to the show and fellow podcast host, Matthew Krol of The Only Podcast About Movies! Together, they discuss whether a great and powerful narrative is the same as a great and powerful film, the quality of the acting (is it actually good acting when no one has a real character arc?) and why no one should ever mess around with Marty Baron. Just look at Trump's poll numbers to see why. Don't worry, they get on a fairly long tangent as to the real Best Picture of 2015 and man, are they full of both sound...and Fury. And, Steve gets so excited that he yells the entire time, so we apologize for the poor sound quality on his end. You can find Matt Krol and the archives of his show over at www.onlymoviepodcast.com. Find us on iTunes, like and subscribe. We're on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @oscarwatchpod. Like what you hear? Don't like what you hear? Have an idea or a request

This week, the boys of OscarWatch return to World War II with a look at the classic David Lean epic, The Bridge on the River Kwai. A gorgeous, tense and wonderful look at obsession in wartime, Obi-Wan Kenobi -- err, Alec Guinness, called it some of his finest acting (and he even won an Oscar, too). Our fearless hosts dissect the iconic theme, the nature of drama, motivation and conflict and get down to the business of watching a film in which all the pieces fall together beautifully. We also learn just why Steve was so eerily quiet these past few weeks. Turns out, he was on a little adventure of his own. All of this and more on this week's episode of OscarWatch. Find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Drop us a line at oscarwatchpodcast@gmail.com and be sure to leave a review on iTunes. It really does help get the word out about the show.

Today you have the FREEEEEEDOOOOMMMMM to listen to Steve and Alex talk about Mel Gibson's Oscar-winning Braveheart. Here we find out how important it was to certain young minds, and how well it has held up in the twenty one years since its release. They also discuss how amazingly historically accurate the film is (snicker) and whether the battle sequences still pack a punch. Has Mel's escapades tainted his previous performances? Will revisiting this ruin childhood memories? Find out here, and make sure to listen to the end for a special behind the scenes glimpse at OscarWatch!

This week, OscarWatch addresses the troops with a very special look at the 1970 Best Picture winner, Patton. Joining the discussion is internet critic legend, fantasy novelist, and all-around cinephile, James Berardinelli of Reelviews.net (@reelviews). James explains his longtime admiration of the WWII biopic, a film he has named his favorite of all time (and he's seen his share of movies in his nearly 25 year career as a film critic!) From the central performance, to the script, the music, and technical mastery on display, James and OscarWatch get down to the reasons why Patton will always be 5-stars. Find James Berardinelli and his writings at www.reelviews.net And look for OscarWatch on iTunes, SoundCloud and GooglePlay. Follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @oscarwatchpod and if you'd like to drop a line, shoot us an email at oscarwatchpodcast@gmail.com

The Sound of Music is one of the most acclaimed musicals of all time. It's also a slog to get through. Could it be 16 going on 17... hours long? Did The Sound of Music deserve the Best Picture Oscar for 1965? Watch as our fearless hosts discuss a few of their favorite things they saw while wondering just how many minutes were left. Revel in in the undeniably iconic soundtrack while wondering just where the plot is going. Cower in fear as lame Nazis come in and offer our hero a job as the film goes to a standstill.