Screen Drafts

David Thomson, the author of The New Biographical Dictionary of Film , Have You Seen...? , Rosebud: The Story of Orson Welles , and many more, is one of the most prolific and influential writers about film and film history. He is also the favorite writer of Screen Drafts Legend Darren Franich. When the opportunity arose to speak with Mr. Thomson about his new book, A Sudden Flicker of Light , we i...

Multi-hyphenate Hollywood legend Rob Reiner had a run of films from 1984 to 1995 that are amongst the best that America has ever produced. Many are defining examples of their genre. All are imbued with the wit and heart of their director. Ranking these 9 movies could very well be a fool's errand, but if so, we have just the fools for the job: The Screen Drafts Legends! Join Clay Keller, Ryan Marke...

Team This Had Oscar Buzz (Hall of Famers Joe Reid & Chris Feil) and Team Supporting Actresses (née Chasing Amy Adams, Hall of Famer Louis Peitzman & All Star Dane McDonald) return to the Draft Table to competitively / collaboratively rank the 10 films the won the Oscar for BEST ACTRESS in the 1990s! Want more Screen Drafts? Become a Booster! For just $5 a month get ad-free Main Feed episodes, plus...

It's Part Three of the ROBERT ALTMAN SUPER DRAFT, and Emily St. James ( Podcast Like It's, Woodworking ) joins Ryan to make picks 21-15 on the list of 35, crossing the threshold into the TOP HALF of the Draft! Back again is guest co-commish Alonso Duralde ( Maximum Film, Hollywood Pride ) to provide both support and admonishment, as necessary. Want more Screen Drafts? Become a Booster! For just $5...

Legends Ryan Marker (The American Cinematheque) and Drea Clark ( Maximum Film, Film Independent Spirit Awards, Bentonville Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival) meet at the Draft Table for a competitive / collaborative ranking of the films of award-winning documentarian STEVE JAMES! Also joining us at the table is Screen Drafts Booster Joy Novak, representing the Official Sponsor of this episode,...

Happy Pride! We're kicking off the month with director Angela Robinson ( D.E.B.S., Professor Marston & the Wonder Women ) author Mark Harris ( Mike Nichols: A Life ) and entertainment reporter Adam B. Vary ranking the 11 best GAY films released in the 1990s!

Rookie Month 2026 comes to a close with The New Flesh co-hosts Brett Arnold (Yahoo Entertainment) and Jesse Hassenger (The A.V. Club) ranking the 7 best franchise PART FOURS ever made! Want more Screen Drafts? Become a Booster! For just $5 a month get ad-free Main Feed episodes, plus monthly installments of The Franchise mini-Super Draft, The Marathon, Speed Drafts, and the Cool Kids Criterion Clu...

Rookie Month continues! It's a wild night at the Draft Table as food and movie writer Vince Mancini and his Pod Yourself a Gun co-host, comedian Matt Lieb, rank the 7 best films set in RESTAURANTS! Want more Screen Drafts? Become a Booster! For just $5 a month get ad-free Main Feed episodes, plus monthly installments of The Franchise mini-Super Draft, The Marathon, Speed Drafts, and the Cool Kids...

Rookie month continues as film programmers Jourdain Searles (MIX NYC) and Maddie Whittle (Film at Lincoln Center) competitivley / collaboratively rank the 7 best movies ever made about WEDDINGS! Want more Screen Drafts? Become a Booster! For just $5 a month get ad-free Main Feed episodes, plus monthly installments of The Franchise mini-Super Draft, The Marathon, Speed Drafts, and the Cool Kids Cri...

Rookie Month 2026 kicks off with Dear Movies, I Love You co-hosts Casey O'Brien and Millie De Chirico putting their friendship to the test over the single, definitive, Best Of list of the very normal feature filmography of director FRANK HENENLOTTER! Filling in for Ryan as co-commish is comedian, podcaster, and connoisseur of weird, Lucé Tomlin-Brenner! Want more Screen Drafts? Become a Booster! F...

It's a Booster Club Sneak Peek this week, as Clay and Ryan rank the 5 Best Picture nominees at the 1951 Academy Awards, honoring the films of 1950 ( All About Eve, Born Yesterday, Father of the Bride, King Solomon's Mines, Sunset Boulevard ). Joining them in Draftland are guest commish Bryan Cogman and the Quizard, Darren Franich! Coming in May... Rookie Month 2026! Want more Screen Drafts? Become...

Three of Screen Drafts' favorite Wild Cards, Clark Collis ( Screaming & Conjuring ) Piya Sinha-Roy, and Billy Ray Brewton ( Antenna Releasing ) gather at the Draft Table at the behest of Official Sponsor Benjamin Butcher to competitively / collaboratively rank the 11 best INDEPENDENT FILMS made in BRITAIN in the 21st CENTURY. Note: This Draft was originally announced as having slightly different p...

The epic 4-part ROBERT ALTMAN SUPER DRAFT continues, with author & critic Walter Chaw joining commissioner Ryan at the Draft Table to place picks #28 to #22 on the definitive list of 35 narrative feature films. Returning as guest co-commish is author & podcaster Alonso Duralde, providing trivia, insight, and tough love! This episode is brought to you by the Film & Media Archive at WashU Libraries,...

Legends only on this episode! Join us at the Draft Table as Screen Drafts Legends Bryan Cogman and Oriana Nudo rank the 7 BEST films from the career of Movie Legend DIANE KEATON! Want more Screen Drafts? Become a Booster! For just $5 a month get ad-free Main Feed episodes, plus monthly installments of The Franchise mini-Super Draft, The Marathon, Speed Drafts, and the Cool Kids Criterion Club Corn...

Screen Drafts Rookies Rosalie Kicks (editor-in-chief, Moviejawn) and Ryan Silberstein (staff writer, Moviejawn) join us at the Draft Table to rank the 7 BEST films ever made about NUNS! Check out the Moviejawn Zine, reviews, articles, interviews, and podcasts by visiting www.moviejawn.com Want more Screen Drafts? Become a Booster! For just $5 a month get ad-free Main Feed episodes, plus monthly in...

Author, screenwriter, and Night of the Living Dead historian Daniel Kraus ( Partially Devoured , Whalefall ) is joined by filmmaker, special effects makeup legend, and George A. Romero collaborator Greg Nicotero ( The Walking Dead , Shudder's Creepshow ) to rank the 7 BEST films from the defiant and industry-altering career of horror icon GEORGE A. ROMERO! Find Daniel's new book, Partially Devoure...

Commissioner Clay is in the hot seat, alongside Screen Drafts Hall of Famer Phil Iscove ( Podcast Like It's ), competitively / collaboratively ranking the nine BEST films from the filmography of one of his favorite actresses: the incredible , incomparable HOLLY HUNTER! They are joined by guest co-commish Adam B. Vary, and Official Sponsor Jim Laczkowski ( The Director's Club ), who brought the who...

The biggest Draft of the year is here! Rookie / screenwriter Daniel Waters ( Heathers, Batman Returns ) joins Legend Drea Clark ( Maximum Film ), All-Star / film critic Katie Walsh, and the Co-Commish Mr. Ryan Marker to definitively rank the 20 BEST FILMS from the year 2025! This episode is brought to you by the Film and Media Archive at WashU Libraries, celebrating 60 years of Kartemquin Films! T...

Two of the things we love on Screen Drafts are ongoing Draft series, and the films of the 1980s. So it stands to reason that we would eventually launch an occasional Draft series going through each and every year of the 1980s with '80s expert, and Screen Drafts MVP, Drew McWeeny ( The Last '80s Newsletter You'll Ever Need )!  In the inaugural installment, Drew is joined by his old buddy and former...

The years were 2001 and 2002 (and 2016). The website was www.bmwfilms.com . The directors were John Frankenheimer, Ang Lee, Wong Kar-Wai, Guy Ritchie, Alejandro González Iñárritu, John Woo, Joe Carnahan, Tony Scott, and Neill Blomkamp. The Driver was Clive Owen. The year is 2026. The guest GM is Blake Howard (One Heat Minute Productions). This is the Super Draft of executive producer David Fincher...

Ethan Hawke-ologist and Screen Drafts All-Star Marya E. Gates ( Cinema Her Way ) is joined by film critic and Screen Drafts rookie Robert Daniels to rank all 9 feature film collaborations between actor ETHAN HAWKE and director RICHARD LINKLATER! Visit  www.patreon.com/screendrafts to join the Booster Club, and get ad-free Main Feed Drafts plus four bonus episodes every month!

Vinegar Syndrome's Justin LaLiberty is joined by film writer Brandon Streussnig for the definitive competitive / collaborative ranking of the best movies that bring frights and fights in equal measure! Visit www.patreon.com/screendrafts to join the Booster Club, and get ad-free Main Feed Drafts plus four bonus episodes every month!

Enjoy this special SNEAK PEEK behind the Booster Club paywall, and may the odds be ever in your favor... Visit www.patreon.com/screendrafts to join the Club, and get ad-free Main Feed Drafts plus four bonus episodes every month!

The co-commish, Mr. Ryan Marker, is joined by Screen Drafts All-Star Katie Walsh and Screen Drafts Rookie / Cinephile Game creator Cory Everett for the grand finale of ANDERSON MONTH! Check out the PTA MUSIC VIDEOS DRAFT with Ryan Marker & Darren Franich coming to the Booster Club SOON! Want more Screen Drafts? Become a Booster! For just $5 a month get ad-free Main Feed episodes, plus monthly inst...

Week three of ANDERSON MONTH is a big one! First, we're inaugurating Oriana Nudo as our newest Screen Drafts Legend, then Oriana is joining fellow Legends Darren Franich and Graham Skipper in ranking the full feature filmography of undersung genre journeyman BRAD ANDERSON! Next week: the PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON SUPER DRAFT with Commissioner Ryan, Katie Walsh, Cory Everett, and guest co-commish Drew M...