The AwardsWatch Podcast

AwardsWatch

Podcasts from AwardsWatch on the Oscars, Emmys, Golden Globes, SAG and more.

Listen in podnod RSS feed Show website

20 episodes
Updated Thursday

Episodes20

Newest first

Thursday · 1 hr 37 min
Director Watch Ep. 166: 'An Angel at My Table' (Jane Campion, 1990)
On episode 166 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter to discuss the second film in their Jane Campion series, An Angel at My Table (1990). Welcome back 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. With her second feature, director Jane Campion made herself a staple of New Zealand cinema as she explored the world of author Janet Frame, and three of her most vital texts. In diving deeper into her works, Campion looked inward at the life of Frame, her troubled adolescence, her complex diagnoses inside mental institutions, and her awakening as a young woman. By touch on these important moments in her life, Campion gives Frame as empathetic of a examination into the life of an artist that you will ever find on screen. Ryan and Jay break down their thoughts on the film, which section of the film works best for them, the themes of Frame's work and how it relates to Campion, Campion's confidence in the material shining brighter here than her debut, the reverence to Frame's work the country and how it is sprinkled and hinted at within the narrative of her life. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h39m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Jane Campion with a review of her next film, The Piano. 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).
Monday · 37 min
12 Years Later: Richard Linklater on Adolescence, Parenthood, Generational Optimism, and Everlasting Memories of 'Boyhood' [AUDIO INTERVIEW]
Over the course of his career, no other director has documented the passage of time better on screen than writer-director Richard Linklater. The Texas filmmaker, synonymous with being one of the vital voices of the independent film movement of the 1990s, has used his filmography to record the most vital parts of our lives, and how those moments from our past and present can shape our future. Whether it's our first love and the long romantic journey with that person (the Before Trilogy), the magic of his childhood (School of Rock, Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood), the glory of high school and college (Dazed and Confused, Everybody Wants Some!!), the evolution of artistic expression (Me and Orson Welles, Blue Moon, Nouvelle Vague), Linklater has looked inward at the human condition expertly for close to forty years, but none more so perfectly than he did with his 2014 masterpiece, Boyhood. Originating as an idea in his mind over two and a half decades ago, Linklater assembled a cast and crew to go on a twelve-year journey of filming that would chronicle the life of a young boy from the age of six all the way to eighteen, from kindergarten to the end of high school. From the early 2000s to the mid-2010s, Linklater tinkered in the editing room with footage from limited days to shooting with his actors, sometimes even without a finish script, and sprung out a one-of-a-kind film that serves as a memory box for generation within its specific look at a boy growing up in South Texas as he's discovering who he wants to be, living with his mother and sister and occasionally spending time with his father when he is in town. In symbolic nod to the years, it took to make Boyhood, it returns to theaters for a run of anniversary screenings nationwide for its twelve-year celebration to re-explore the evolving yet universal themes Linklater concluded about adolescence, parenthood, siblings, and learning that the road to becoming the person we want to be takes exactly one thing Linklater has become known for, time. In a recent conversation, Linklater and I spoke about the origins of the project, collecting the music that made up the character's world, the evolving nature of the project, and retooling the film's narrative to fit the film's star Ellar Coltrane's life and interests. We also spoke about working with Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke, their growth within these characters as parents and how Arquette's role mirrored the life of Linklater's mother. Our discussion continued with what it was like to film eight other films while creating Boyhood, why San Marcos, TX was a great location to shoot the majority of the film (he continued to use this location for Everybody Wants Some!!), his optimism about the future generations on the whole as well as within the confines of artistic expression. In our final moments, Linklater teased his latest expansive project he's doing right now, an adaptation of the musical Merrily We Roll Along, this time with the film commencing over the course of twenty years to complete the time period of this celebrated work from Stephen Sondheim. While it seems like a daunting task, only Linklater would have the trust from audiences to deliver again once we are able to see the film in the years to come. But until then, the director, much like when he was making Boyhood, will continue to create great work that reminds us of his artistic super power; that by looking inward, we discover the value of our place, our time, and the skin we live in. Boyhood will receive a 12th anniversary theatrical re-release from Independent Film Company (IFC) on July 31.
Monday · 2 hr 43 min
Ep. 355: Oscars Retrospective of the 79th Academy Awards
On episode 355 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson and AwardsWatch contributors Josh Parham and Karen Peterson to go back 20 years and take a look at the 79th Academy Awards, covering the films of 2006. The AW team goes back twenty years to take a look back on a time that was a nail biter of a season that resulted in Martin Scorsese coming out on time, winning his long awaited Oscar for the crime, gangster thriller The Departed. Alongside that, it was a fascinating five films in the Best Picture line-up that made up a pretty deep year of films that rank as some of the best of the decade of the 2010s upon retrospective. Films like Notes on a Scandal, Pan's Labyrinth, The Devil Wears Prada, United 93, Little Children, Half Nelson, and more from the nominations are talked about in-depth on this week's episode alongside Maria Antoinette, The Prestige, Miami Vice, Casino Royale, Children of Men, Inside Man, The Holiday get more attention from the group than their original award season run or get more nominations past their original snubs. It's a stacked conversation, and it makes for a fun episode of deliberation amongst the group. In their in-depth discussion, the AW team talked about the film year of 2006, briefly discuss talk about The Departed as a Best Picture winner, 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 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 and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h44m. We will be back in next week to talk about the latest film from the MCU, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and talk about the best films of 2026 so far. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).
July 24 · 2 hr 4 min
Director Watch Ep. 165: 'Sweetie' (Jane Campion, 1989)
On episode 165 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter to discuss the first film in their Jane Campion series, Sweetie (1989). Welcome back 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. In the same week the boys say goodbye to the Christopher Nolan series, their next adventure begins as they make their way back to New Zealand to cover the films of a singular voice in cinema, Jane Campion. Known for make films about female expression, rebellion, awakenings, and how women's roles change over time, Campion is an essential director the guys knew they had to talk about, and all her themes come to form one way or another in Sweetie, which covers two sisters that are polar opposite of one another, with the titular character going through their own emotional breakdown due to the siblings' family dynamics. Ryan and Jay break down their thoughts on the film, their relationship with Campion's filmography, the point of view as a storyteller, and how this all relates to her promising, haunting first film. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h04m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Jane Campion with a review of her next film, An Angel at My Table. 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).
July 23 · 1 hr 35 min
Ep. 354: Breaking Down the Venice Film Festival Lineup and Early Oscar Predictions
On episode 354 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello is joined by Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade, and Mark Johnson, aka The Awards Alchemist, to chat about the lineup for the 83rd Venice International Film Festival and to share their first Oscar podcast predictions for Adapted and Original Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Picture. First, they dive into Venice's world premieres, including Wild Horse Nine, Primetime, and Bucking Fastard. Does this lineup look a little bit lackluster compared to previous editions? The group gives an overview of how they think this lineup (plus early announcements for TIFF and NYFF) could shape the Telluride lineup and the rest of the season. Then, they take a look at four major Oscar categories, the likely nominees, and early possible winners. They discuss the dominance of Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, contenders from the Cannes Film Festival, potential lone writing nominees, and other unseen films that could crash the party. Other films mentioned include Dune: Part Three, Project Hail Mary, La Bola Negra, Fjord, Minotaur, The Invite, Club Kid and more. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, SoundCloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, YouTube, and more. This podcast runs 1 hr and 35 min. We will be back next week with an Oscar retrospective of the 79th Academy Awards. Until then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).
July 20 · 2 hr 34 min
Director Watch Ep. 164: 'The Odyssey' (Christopher Nolan, 2026)
On episode 164 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by AwardsWatch Editor In Chief Erik Anderson and Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello to discuss the last and latest film in their Christopher Nolan series, The Odyssey (2026). Welcome back 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. How does Nolan follow up the most commercially, critically successful film of his career that landed him onto of the cinematic world and landed him two Oscars? You get a blank check to create your version of the oldest story ever told, The Odyssey, and you spare no expense in make a grand epic that rivals all other blockbuster released this year. In doing this, Nolan has conjured up another monumental, technical achievement, one that audiences are already obsessing over, seeing in the largest formats they can find. But is the film worth the hype? Ryan, Jay, Erik, and Sophia break down their complicated thoughts on Nolan's latest, why it's the perfect "Nolan film" and a clumsy adaptation, what the film's themes are, how gives the best and worst performances in the film, their favorite scenes, just how smelly is must've been inside that Trojan horse, and the logistics of The Odyssey's popcorn bucket. Ryan and Jay also give out their final Nolan rankings as well as 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. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 3h07m. The guys will be back later this week to begin their series on the films of Jane Campion with a review of her first film, Sweetie. 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).
July 16 · 3 hr 7 min
Director Watch Ep. 163: 'Oppenheimer' (Christopher Nolan, 2023)
On episode 163 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by AwardsWatch Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello to discuss the next film in their Christopher Nolan series, Oppenheimer (2023). Welcome back 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. In 2023, there was no bigger cinematic event that double feature of Greta Gerwig's Barbie and Nolan's Oppenheimer, each dominating the box office and culture for the entire summer. But as the year went on, it was clear, Nolan's historical, biopic epic was something more than his average popcorn film, but the epic of our time following the man who created the atomic bomb, thus it leads Nolan to not only to one of his most celebrated films to date, and a film of the decade candidate, but Oscar dominance as he reigned supreme over Hollywood and cemented his case the major filmmaker of his time. Ryan, Jay, and Sophia break down their thoughts on Oppenheimer, the questions of morality the film asks, the horror Nolan shows in the aftermath of testing the bomb, the structure of the "fission" and "fusion" storylines, Nolan's cynicism over humanity, the incredible work by all of his artisans, the brilliant performances from Cillian Murphy and the entire ensemble, and how this became one of the most rewatchable films of the decade so far but also one of the most vital films in the modern era. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 3h07m. The guys will be back next week to conclude their series on the films of Christopher Nolan with a review of his new film, The Odyssey. 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).
July 13 · 4 hr 46 min
Ep. 353: Best Supporting Actress Tier Ranking – PART 2
On episode 353 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson, Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello, and AwardsWatch contributors Mark Johnson, Josh Parham, and Karen Peterson come together for part two of their Best Supporting Actress Oscar winner tier ranking. In the second part of the Best Actress tier rankings (listen to Part One here), the team return to the scene of the crime from last week to rank the remaining 45 Oscar winning performances, and discuss where they place them in their all-ranking. In trying to place these winners in the correct spot, the team had to come together and decide on whether to place these performances in the S (all-time winner), A, B, C, D, or F tier and explain the ranking. For the first time in the tier ranking episodes, the performances have been randomized, making the show even more unpredictable as to who will be covered from the list of winners on this episode. Also, the team has instituted two rules that include only 12 winners (when looking at percentages vs whole numbers compared to Best Actress, the group added two by the end of the episode) being able to be in the "S tier" and if an actress has multiple wins, only one of their wins can make it into the 12. Some of the winners ranked on this week's episode are Eva Marie Saint (On the Waterfront), Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls), Viola Davis (Fences), Mo'Nique (Precious), Meryl Streep (Kramer vs Kramer), Jane Darwell (The Grapes of Wrath), Amy Madigan (Weapons), two wins for Dianne Wiest (Hannah and Her Sisters, Bullets Over Broadway), Whoopi Goldberg (Ghost), and more. By the end of the episode, some of the wildest takes of the episode start coming out, so you will want to listen all the way to the end to hear them; it's lot of fun. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 4h46m. We will be back in next week for a special episode Director Watch, where co-hosts Ryan and Jay, alongside some guests, review the final film of their Christopher Nolan series and his latest epic, The Odyssey. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).
July 10 · 2 hr 49 min
Director Watch Ep. 162: 'Tenet' (Christopher Nolan, 2020) with Special Guest Diego Crespo
On episode 162 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by the host of The Waffle Press Movie Podcast, Diego Crespo to discuss the next film in their Christopher Nolan series, Tenet (2020). Welcome back 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. We live in a twilight world, or should we say, we live in a Nolan's world, and we are lucky to be living in it where films like Tenet are getting made. In an attempt to make his own spy film, Nolan creates an uncompromising, complex, loose thriller about an unnamed secret agent working to take down a rich, Russian billionaire who has discovered objects from the future and brought them to the past to end the world as we know it. Along the way, our Protagonist enlists the help of our villain's wife and a fellow spy (unknowing it's his best bud) and with just the titular word as his guild, doors open to a puzzle he finds himself at the center of. Complicated, confusing, and downright brilliant, Nolan stops explaining everything in this film, instead, opting for the audience to "just feel it" and make a film off good vibes and technical wonder; and doing so, made one of his best films. Ryan, Jay, and Diego break down their love of this film, when they saw it and how they saw if given the COVID-19 virus, and it's questionable release schedule, Kenneth Branagh's accent, the use of Elizabeth Debicki's height, what Hollywood is going to do with John David Washington, how good looking Aaron Taylor-Johnson is, what makes a modern movie 5 stars on Letterboxd, their excitement over the phrase "temporal pincer movement," if they like hot sauce with their meals, and whether the movie makes sense and if that even matters at all. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h50m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Christopher Nolan with a review of his next film, Oppenheimer. You can stream it on Peacock or 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).
July 6 · 4 hr 14 min
Ep. 352: Best Supporting Actress Tier Ranking - PART 1
On episode 352 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson, Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello, and AwardsWatch contributors Mark Johnson and Josh Parham, for part one of their long-awaited Best Supporting Actress Oscar winner tier ranking. It's that time of year for the AW team to dive deep into a two-part tier ranking episode. After doing Best Actress last year, the team moves on from those fiery episodes to the another popular category; Best Supporting Actress and its 90 winners. In trying to place these winners in the correct spot, the team had to come together and decide on whether to place these performances in the S (all-time winner), A, B, C, D, or F tier and explain the ranking. Only 45 of the winners are discussed on this episode, with the rest covered next week. For these Supporting Actress tier ranking episodes, the performances have been randomized, making the show unpredictable as to who will be covered from the list of winners on this episode. Also, the team has instituted two rules that include only 10 winners being able to be in the "S tier" (since the supporting categories weren't added until the 9th Academy Awards) and if an actress has multiple wins, only one of their wins can make it into the 10. It adds a fun wrinkle for the team to try and figure out when they get to their final rankings. Some of the winning performances discussed on this show were Catherine Zeta-Jones (Chicago), Renée Zellweger (Cold Mountain), Melissa Leo (The Fighter), Hattie McDaniel (Gone with the Wind), Rita Moreno (West Side Story), Jamie Lee Curtis (Everything Everywhere All at Once), Judi Dench (Shakespeare in Love), Ruth Gordon (Rosemary's Baby), and more. It may only be part one, but it's a great episode and we hope you all enjoy it and listen next week to part two. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 4h15m. We will be back in next week for part two of our Best Supporting Actress tier rankings. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).
July 3 · 1 hr 32 min
Ep. 351: FINAL Predictions for the 78th Primetime Emmy Nominations
On episode 351 of the AwardsWatch podcast, TV Editor Tyler Doster is joined by Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson to predict the Emmy nominations that will come out on Wednesday, July 8, announced by Emmy winners Jeff Hiller and Liza Colón-Zayas. The AW duo provided predictions for 78th Primetime Emmy Award nominations in series and performance categories and dabble with possibilities in writing and directing. The two discuss the likelihood of The Pitt sweeping nominations, how Hacks could get more noms than ever before, and how anthology series' like Monster and Love Story will affect the race. Going through each of these categories, the two provide their picks for who they think will grab nominations and who else is in the running for each category. Listen along to find out who they think will make the cut, and who will be left out. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h33m. We will be back after the holiday weekend with part one of our Best Supporting Actress Oscar tier ranking. Till then, let's get into it.
July 2 · 2 hr 4 min
Director Watch Ep. 161: 'Dunkirk' (Christopher Nolan, 2017)
On episode 161 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by AwardsWatch contributor Trace Sauveur to discuss the next film in their Christopher Nolan series, Dunkirk (2017). Welcome back 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. After Nolan's epic space family drama, the director looked to his other home country of England to take a look at one of the most important moments of humanity within World War II with Dunkirk. Instead of making a sweeping war picture, Nolan strips everything down to the visuals, uses three different sections of time, and splices them together to create the tension, fear of these men stranded on a beach within looking distance of home. In doing this, he created an undeniable masterpiece that took away some of his bad habits and makes a lean film that feels like an action set piece all the way through. Ryan, Jay, and Trace break down their thoughts on the film, Hoyte van Hoytema first collaboration with Nolan, each section of the war, how awesome Tom Hardy is in the plane we see in the film, the acting of Harry Styles, the sound work, and Jay's continued quest to remind us all that WWII is still underrated when we talk about important events in the world. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h04m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Christopher Nolan with a review of his next film, Tenet. 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).
June 29 · 2 hr 21 min
Ep. 350: Oscars Retrospective of the 54th Academy Awards
On episode 350 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson and AwardsWatch contributor Josh Parham to go back 45 years and take a look at the 54th Academy Awards, covering the films of 1981. The AW team goes back nearly fifty years to a year dominated by a group of young men running on the beach to the score of Vangelis, as Chariots of Fire took down Reds and Raiders of the Lost Ark to win Hollywood's top prize. In the same year, the four acting Oscars went to some of the eldest group of winners in Oscar history, performers who won late in their careers instead of for their best work. In this year at the theaters, genre reigned supreme and was discussed at length on this episode, with films like Escape from New York, The Road Warrior, Body Heat, An American Werewolf in London, Dragonslayer, Excalibur, Polyester were discussed alongside films like Arthur, The Great Muppet Caper, Thief, Blow Out, Mommie Dearest, Prince of the City as films to highlight from this bountiful year of cinema. In their in-depth discussion, the AW team talked about the film year of 1981, briefly discuss talk about Chariots of Fire as a Best Picture winner, 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 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 and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h22m. We will be back in next week for part one of our Best Supporting Actress Tier Ranking. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).
June 25 · 2 hr 32 min
Director Watch Ep. 160: 'Interstellar' (Christopher Nolan, 2014)
On episode 160 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by AwardsWatch contributors Cody Dericks and Josh Parham to discuss the next film in their Christopher Nolan series, Interstellar (2014). Welcome back 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. After hanging up his cape and cowl Dark Knight pictures, Nolan set his sight on the stars, for a space epic that defined a generations taste in cinema. With Interstellar, the famed director takes us on a trip through time and space with a rescue mission to save the human population as Earth slowly dying and decaying. In this trip through a wormhole to investigate prospective, future inhabitance, one engineer (and former pilot) will stop at nothing to finding a solution to not only save humanity, but his family he left back on Earth. In making this bold, ambitious film, Nolan created his most emotional, thrilling, technically daring film of his career so far, but much like Inception, had detractors who took issue with the explanation of the science in the film, as well as feeling emotionally manipulated by the film's ending. Ryan, Jay, Cody, and Josh break down both sides of the Interstellar argument, why they love or dislike it, the score from Hans Zimmer, the use of time in the ending, the film's set piece, the importance of the McConaissance, Anne Hathaway's speech about love, a few impressions of Michael Caine, and why this film is the one that resonates the most with younger cinephiles. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h32m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Christopher Nolan with a review of his next film, Dunkirk. 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).
June 21 · 1 hr 25 min
AwardsWatch Podcast Ep. 349: Reviewing 'Toy Story 5'
On episode 349 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch contributor Trace Sauveur to give their thoughts on the latest film from Pixar, Toy Story 5. 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 1h25m. We will be back next week with an Oscar retrospective over the 54th Academy Awards, covering the films of 1981. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).
June 18 · 2 hr 46 min
Director Watch Podcast Ep. 159: 'The Dark Knight Rises' (Christopher Nolan, 2012) with Special Guest Trey Flynn
On episode 159 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by Trey Flynn of The Extra Credits podcast to discuss the next film in their Christopher Nolan series, The Dark Knight Rises (2012). Welcome back 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. Riding high off the success of his two biggest films to date, Nolan went back to the world of Gotham City to conclude his Dark Knight trilogy with a full circle, political warfare, myth busting epic, settling one and for all his ties to the genre, while deconstructing what it means to put on the mask, and how does one carry on a legacy when faced with so much pain. After the death of actor Heath Ledger, it took a lot for Nolan to step back into his vision of Batman, but with the help of two memorable villains, and leaning into the political, social aspects found in the first film, he left the franchise on a financial high, with some questionable story choices that have aged well for some (Trey) and no so much for others (Ryan and Jay). Controversial, dated, unique, The Dark Knight Rises ends Nolan's superhero vision on his own terms, for better or for worse. The guys and their guest break down their thoughts on the film, what worked for them and what didn't, the appeal of Anne Hathaway, Nolan's use of the original characters throughout the third film, how radical or dull the film's politics are, the choices Bruce makes throughout the film, the puzzling ending, the opening plane sequence, and plenty of Bane voice impressions. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h47m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Christopher Nolan with a review of his next film, Interstellar. 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).
June 14 · 1 hr 6 min
AwardsWatch Podcast Ep. 348: Reviewing 'Disclosure Day'
On episode 348 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch contributors Mark Johnson and Cody Dericks to give their thoughts on the latest film from director Steven Spielberg, Disclosure Day. 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 1h07m. We will be back next week with a review of the latest film from Pixar, Toy Story 5. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).
June 11 · 2 hr 27 min
Director Watch Podcast Ep. 158: 'Inception' (Christopher Nolan, 2010)
On episode 158 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by AwardsWatch contributor Griffin Schiller discuss the next film in their Christopher Nolan series, Inception (2010). Welcome back 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. How does someone follow up one of the most popular, important films of the last 25 years? Make one of the most original films of a generation, as Nolan cashed in his blank check from The Dark Knight to create a heist, action film set within the world of people's dreams. Inception became the next obsession for audiences, fully trusting Nolan to take them on a thrilling ride, making him more than just the guy who can director the Batman films, but a filmmaker that conjures up event films that every needs to see urgently once they are released. Over time, Inception has become, for people like Griffin, an important piece of art that has shaped their movie-going experience, or for Ryan and Jay, a nostalgic experience that's legacy is complicated due to its pacing issues and over-explanations; thus making for an episode where a balanced conversation over this complicated movie takes place. Ryan, Jay, and Griffin break down their thoughts on the film, when and where they saw it, Nolan's action set pieces in the film, DiCaprio's involvement in the making of the film, what ultimately works and doesn't work inside the film, and if Nolan should ever make a Bond film. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h27m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Christopher Nolan with a review of his next film, The Dark Knight Rises. 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).
June 8 · 1 hr 27 min
AwardsWatch Podcast Ep. 347: Catching Up with 'Obsession,' 'Backrooms,' 'Bluilm,' 'Blue Heron' and More
On episode 347 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch contributor Josh Parham to give their thoughts various films playing in theaters right now that include Obsession, Backrooms, Masters of the Universe, Blue Heron, Blue Film, and I Love Boosters. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h28m. We will be back next week with a review of the latest film from legendary director Steven Spielberg, Disclosure Day. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).
June 5 · 2 hr 52 min
Director Watch Podcast Ep. 157: 'The Dark Knight' (Christopher Nolan, 2008) with Special Guests JD Duran and Dave Giannini
On episode 157 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by founder and podcast host at InSession Film JD Duran and Editor-In-Chief of InSession Film Dave Giannini discuss the next film in their Christopher Nolan series, The Dark Knight (2008). Welcome back 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. In what might be the single most important film of the 21st century for blockbuster filmmaking, The Dark Knight turned Christopher Nolan into the legend, iconic filmmaker he is today, creating a comic book, action packed crime thriller that elevated the entire genre, creating a film that audiences would obsess over for decades to come; the definitive comic book movie. With an all-time performance from the late Heath Ledger, Nolan upped the stakes of this second Batman film to be more about the fight to save soul of Gotham City, and gain hope in the future beyond the capes and clowns, and created a epic masterpiece. Ryan, Jay, JD, and Dave break down their thoughts on the film, the action set pieces, the battles for Gotham with our flawed heroes, Ledger's iconic Joker, the special effects work on Two-Face, the legacy of this film and why it's (more or less) aged so well. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h53m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Christopher Nolan with a review of his next film, Inception. 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).

The AwardsWatch Podcast

Director Watch Ep. 166: 'An Angel at My Table' (Jane Campion, 1990)

12 Years Later: Richard Linklater on Adolescence, Parenthood, Generational Optimism, and Everlasting Memories of 'Boyhood' [AUDIO INTERVIEW]

Ep. 355: Oscars Retrospective of the 79th Academy Awards

Director Watch Ep. 165: 'Sweetie' (Jane Campion, 1989)

Ep. 354: Breaking Down the Venice Film Festival Lineup and Early Oscar Predictions

Director Watch Ep. 164: 'The Odyssey' (Christopher Nolan, 2026)

Director Watch Ep. 163: 'Oppenheimer' (Christopher Nolan, 2023)

Ep. 353: Best Supporting Actress Tier Ranking – PART 2

Director Watch Ep. 162: 'Tenet' (Christopher Nolan, 2020) with Special Guest Diego Crespo

Ep. 352: Best Supporting Actress Tier Ranking - PART 1

Ep. 351: FINAL Predictions for the 78th Primetime Emmy Nominations

Director Watch Ep. 161: 'Dunkirk' (Christopher Nolan, 2017)

Ep. 350: Oscars Retrospective of the 54th Academy Awards

Director Watch Ep. 160: 'Interstellar' (Christopher Nolan, 2014)

AwardsWatch Podcast Ep. 349: Reviewing 'Toy Story 5'

Director Watch Podcast Ep. 159: 'The Dark Knight Rises' (Christopher Nolan, 2012) with Special Guest Trey Flynn

AwardsWatch Podcast Ep. 348: Reviewing 'Disclosure Day'

Director Watch Podcast Ep. 158: 'Inception' (Christopher Nolan, 2010)

AwardsWatch Podcast Ep. 347: Catching Up with 'Obsession,' 'Backrooms,' 'Bluilm,' 'Blue Heron' and More

Director Watch Podcast Ep. 157: 'The Dark Knight' (Christopher Nolan, 2008) with Special Guests JD Duran and Dave Giannini