Cinema Spectator

  Oscar-bait or revolutionary masterpiece? Can Isaac, Juzo, and Cameron survive the most infamous 2024 Academy Award-nominated movie? From the mind of Jacques Audiard comes a musical crime film, Emilia Pérez. The story follows Mexican cartel leader Emilia, portrayed by Karla Sofía Gascón, who seeks lawyer Rita's (Zoe Saldaña's) assistance to orchestrate her disappearance and transition into a woma...

Robert Eggers' newest film breathes new life into the classic tale of a secretive count who has been living in a dilapidated castle in the outskirts of Transylvania, and the disturbing affair that brings him to haunt the civilized world. Lily-Rose Depp and Nicholas Hoult play newlyweds who are quickly driven apart by forces darker than they can imagine. Excellent performances from Depp, Hoult, and...

A Different Man (2024) stars Sebastian Stan as a man with ‎neurofibromatosis who wishes for a new life, only to find that he's the same bitter person after he gets it. Co-starring Renate Reinsve as the flirtatious neighbor he desires and Adam Pearson as the confident and charismatic person he envies (even though he too has neurofibromatosis), the film buzzes with dark irony and comedic charm.  Cin...

Happy New Year! The film review begins at 38:29. Join Isaac and Juzo as they explore Gints Zilbalodis's animated masterpiece, Flow (2024). This dialogue-free film follows a solitary black cat navigating a post-apocalyptic world devastated by floods, finding unexpected companionship among other animals. Celebrated for its innovative use of Blender software and winner of the 2025 Golden Globe for Be...

We're wrapping up 2024 by looking back on the many movies we watched this year and seeing which ones resonated with Isaac the most. We're so thankful that you choose to spend your time listening to Cinema Spectator. Happy Holidays!   Cinema Spectator is a movie podcast hosted by Isaac Ransom and Cameron Tuttle, with frequent appearances from film expert Juzo Greenwood. The show is executive produc...

One of the final collaborations between John Wayne and John Ford, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) pits attorney Ransom Stoddard (James Stewart) against a cruel and violent gangster Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin). Stoddard must decide if he wants to stick to his principles and defeat Valance through legal means, or use frontier justice.    Cinema Spectator is a movie podcast hosted by Isaac R...

John Ford serves up a classic Western story telling the events of Tombstone Arizona and the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Unlike more modern depictions, My Darling Clementine is a much more soft-spoken and melancholy movie, less about the lawlessness and debauchery and more about the casualties of a modernizing West. Join Juzo and Cameron as they discuss the often told tale of Wyatt Earp and Doc Ho...

We're going back to classic movies this week, and spending some time with John Ford. The Grapes of Wrath (1940) is based on the 1938 Steinbeck novel and follows a group of rural Oklahomans as they search for a better life in the west. Henry Fonda stars as Tom Joad, a former prisoner trying to better his life and take care of his family. Will Isaac like this movie, or will it be a snooze-fest for h...

Ford v Ferrari is an excellent film about the struggles between artistry and success. On the surface, it can be taken as a unique and beautiful action-racing movie, but lurking underneath are themes of friendship, the politics of navigating a massive corporation, and the ecstasy of success. Ford v Ferrari is a pure joy to watch, and an even more interesting movie to think about once you've already...

Friday Night Lights (2004) is a cultural classic that has the earmarks of a being a trope filled sports movie, though its real interest is what lies beneath the surface. It exists as a critique of the small-town stardom of high school football, and what keeps people trapped in that cycle.   Cinema Spectator is a movie podcast hosted by Isaac Ransom and Cameron Tuttle, with frequent appearances fro...

Warrior is a special and seriously underrated sports movie. Two brothers are pitted against each other in an unlikely matchup in a winner-take-all fighting tournament. Both are haunted by the pain of their past, and both are struggling to reconcile with their now sober father. Warrior is a gut punch and a deeply emotional movie that deserves more love.   Cinema Spectator is a movie podcast hosted...

Get ready for a grand slam of an episode, because our bases our loaded with a special guest: Kaleb Tuttle. Kaleb is a prolific film and television watcher, sports fan, and Aaron Sorkin devotee, which is why he's the perfect expert to bring on for this episode. Moneyball (2011) is film about statistics battling the human element, and what makes a game like baseball so romantic. Starring Brad Pitt a...

Finishing off Horror Month is The Babadook (2014), which takes on the terror of grief and loneliness. This small scale story of a single mother and a disobedient son takes a much quieter approach to monster-horror movies and delivers something more introspective.    Cinema Spectator is a movie podcast hosted by Isaac Ransom and Cameron Tuttle, with frequent appearances from film expert Juzo Greenw...

Cameron, Isaac, and Juzo are back to discuss this 80's horror classic, David Cronenberg's The Fly (1986). Jeff Goldblum stars as the eccentric scientist attempting to perfect teleportation, as well as trying to romance the skeptical journalist Geena Davis. Through his experiments, he finds out that some experiments are irreversible.   Cinema Spectator is a movie podcast hosted by Isaac Ransom and...

Robert Eggars' debut feature The Witch (2015) is a slow, contemplative movie about the inner workings of an exiled protestant family in the 1630s. Plagued by poor harvest and unusual happenings, they wonder if they are cursed... or are bringing it on themselves. Cameron and Juzo talk about this innovative horror movie that has surely become a modern classic.   Cinema Spectator is a movie podcast h...

Sorry for the curveball, but this movie is just too weird and too interesting not to talk about. Megalopolis is the latest Francis Ford Coppola epic about.... well, let's just say it's one of the most unique film experiences of our lifetime. An aged director, coming back from a 13 year hiatus, making a dream project he's been wanting to make for decades. Not to mention the extraordinary budget and...

Isaac, Juzo, and Cameron begin horror month with Signs (2002), directed by M. Night Shyamalan. Starring Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix, this suspenseful thriller follows a former priest as mysterious crop circles appear on his family’s farm. With tense moments, thought-provoking themes, and Shyamalan's signature creativity, the hosts debate how Signs holds up as a modern thriller and a deeper clas...

A bank robbery gone wrong turns into a panicked and sweaty hostage situation in this Lumet classic, Dog Day Afternoon (1975). Al Pacino puts in an all-time great performance as the high-strung, charasmatic, and a little unhinged bank robber, Sonny Wortzik, as he fumbles the robbery but attempts to make a clean escape by negotiating with the NYPD. Based on a true story, this one location spectacle...

The Hill is a brutal depiction of cruelty and masochism in British military prisons during World War II. The film follows a disgraced Sergeant Major Roberts (Sean Connery) as he fights through the corruption and brutality of his captivity in North Africa. He must learn to follow the rules of the guards or be subject to punishments including "the Hill". Cinema Spectator is a movie podcast hosted by...

Sydney Lumet's Fail Safe (1964) is time capsule of nuclear paranoia, and a powerful allegory for the dangers of technology getting out of hand. Starring Henry Fonda as the President put in an unwinnable situation, he only has so long to stop a deadly nuclear accident. In order to stop the chain of events that increasingly seem inevitable, he must make some disturbing choices, and ask who's lives a...

  12 Angry Men is not only a classic film, but one that has influenced the justice system for decades since its release. In this episode, Cameron, Juzo, and Isaac kick off Sidney Lumet month by tackling his debut film, 12 Angry Men. It also happens to be considered to be one of the greatest films of all time, and is one that has left an enormous impact on the modern audience.    Cinema Spectator i...

Isaac, Juzo, and Cameron jump into the VR-gaming realm of Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster 'Ready Player One' (2018), where virtual reality becomes the ultimate playground and battleground. Starring Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, and Ben Mendelsohn, the film transports viewers into a novel-based dystopian future where the OASIS offers an escape from a bleak reality. Join the Cinema Spectator boys as th...

In one of Steven Spielberg's most somber and least recognized films, Munich (2005) is a dark and introspective spy thriller. Starring Eric Bana and Daniel Craig, Munich is as thrilling as it is troubling, mixing engaging high-stakes heist sequences with difficult moral questions. Join Cameron and Juzo as they break down this little known classic.   Cinema Spectator is a movie podcast hosted by Isa...

Among the exceptional list of Steven Spielberg classics, this film is one that stands the test of time. We have always loved Catch Me If You Can, but now we put it to the test to see if it's our favorite Spielberg movie of them all. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio as the gutsy, conniving conman Frank Abagnale Jr., and Tom Hanks as the dutiful FBI Agent on his tail, this cat-and-mouse thriller is true t...

Isaac, Juzo, and Cameron are back for a brighter Steven Spielberg classic,  'Minority Report' (2002). Starring Tom Cruise as a PreCrime officer framed for a murder he has yet to commit, this sci-fi thriller delves into themes of free will and destiny. With standout performances from Colin Farrell and Samantha Morton, the film's visionary depiction of a dystopian future and its ethical dilemmas mak...