First Watch

This week, we've assembled our team with one mission. Morgan and Jake join Zach and Cole to debrief on all our favorite action movies of this century so far, from the turn of the millennium to the films on this week's marquee. In this stuffed episode we talk James Cameron, we talk George Miller, and of course, we talk all things Mission: Impossible. In this conversation you can get a break...

It's July, the summertime, the midway point of the year 2023. Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, Oppenheimer and Barbie are still in the future tense for Cole and Zach, but before the bomb, the pink shoe, and Tom Cruise all drop, it's time to look back and celebrate the best cinema has to offer at this halfway point.

This week, after a huge rundown of new releases, guest Ryley joins Zach and Cole to talk about the great Hungarian slow cinema maestro, Béla Tarr, and all the things, big and small, that make his work endure through the decades, focusing particularly on Sátántangó and Werckmeister Harmonies .

Last weekend the historic Texas Theatre hosted one of the era's premier cinematographers, Roger Deakins, with a series to celebrate the accomplishments of Team Deakins', their Oscar glory, and some of the best looking films of this century. This week, new guest Tyke sits down with Zach to discuss the event and all four films screened - Andrew Dominik's The Assassination of Jesse James...

The demise of the superhero film has been greatly exaggerated. This week, Ben joins Cole & Zach to discuss the latest insect/arachnoid caped comic adaptations, Hideaki Anno's Shin Kamen Rider , and the much anticipated animation juggernaut, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

Our final episode has finally arrived. The big one. The best ever Czech film, according to the Czech people: František Vláčil's Marketa Lazarová. Ryley joins Cole and Zach to unpack this masterpiece and a specific type of period film that eschews modern themes and character dynamics in favor of the cold, harsh realities of the past.

This week Ryley joins Cole and Zach to continue with the third part of our Czechoslovak New Wave series. On this episode, we dive into the communist political context that defines all the films in the movement by focusing in on Miloš Forman's radically silly The Firemen's Ball.

Pop on LP3. This week we're mixing it up and interrupting our ongoing Czechoslovak New Wave series to discuss the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe trilogy finisher, James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Guests Ben and Trevor discuss with Zach what makes this entry stand above the rest of the fold and also talk about recent theatrical re-releases of trilogy final installments, Return...

Heard of some gravesites, out by the highway, a place where nobody knows... This week, Cole and Zach are once again joined by Ryley to discuss one of the best and most famous films of the Czechoslovak New Wave, Juraj Herz' The Cremator. After discussing some new releases, including the latest seasons of Barry and Succession , we dive into a discussion of one of the movement's - frankly one...

This week is the beginning of a new series, where Cole, Zach, and guest host Ryley sink their teeth into the Czechoslovak New Wave. Kicking off these conversations is Věra Chytilová's wild, crazy, madcap provocation, Daisies . Simultaneously one of the movements most popular and difficult films, it's the perfect unconventional focal point for a discussion on our first topic—anarchism. Stay...

Whoa mama. We have a whole lot of new releases and a whole lot of guest hosts. Luke, Jake, and Morgan join Cole and Zach to talk about all the month's latest, including Kelly Reichardt's artistic exploration Showing Up, Makoto Shinkai's latest fantasy anime Suzume, Ari Aster's new nightmare comedy Beau Is Afraid, and finally, the latest splatter feature, Evil Dead Rise!

"Jeanne Dielman should be on Chopped." This week kicks off a new ongoing series where Cole and Zach discuss the top 100 movies in the 2022 Sight & Sound Greatest Films of All Time poll, beginning with the one and only, Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles. Join us as we take a trip back in time to discuss not only Chantal Akerman's revolutionary slow cinema masterp...

It's Easter, and it's Passover, and it's Ramadan! With so many holy holidays stacked up, Cole & Zach are celebrating with their seasonal favorites, from studio bible epics to the modern day. This week's new release includes (spoiler-free) discussion of Air, No Bears, and Enys Men , and culminates with a full review of the 2022 Cannes Icelandic and Danish drama, Godland, to wrap...

The films of 2013 are turning 10 years old this year, and we're celebrating with analysis our ten favorites! In the first of our "Class Of" retrospective series, Cole and Zach take a trip back in time to discuss the year's finest celebrating a decade since their release. Join us for an expansive breakdown of our favorites, Oscars winners, the best performances, characters, script...

Bullets, nunchucks, screeching tires, flaming ammunition, and samurai swords. They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions, so why wouldn't the road to heaven be smeared with blood? This week, Cole and Zach return to discuss the good ( Pacifiction ), the bad ( Shazam: Fury of the Gods ), and the surprisingly decent ( Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves ) before breaking into...

Just as Quantumania's box office star fades, another Jonathan Majors vehicles arrives to save the box office. This week, Cole and Zach are discussing Michael B. Jordan's knockout debut feature, Creed 3 and discuss how the new film and trilogy as a whole are great sports movies, satisfying dramas, and are a sincere antidote to other big budget fare.

This Valentine's, Cole and Zach are joined once again by Morgan to celebrate Quentin Tarantino's nostalgic, warm, hilarious love letter to the city of angels, Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood. Join us as we discuss what makes Tarantino's 9th such a beautiful and moving ode, and one of our favorites of the past decade. This episode we also discuss (spoiler-free!!) the latest M. Night Shyamalan thri...

After our big 2022 new release episode, Cole and Zach return to discuss a shared favourite, 2018 Oscar-winner The Favourite directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. Join us as we break down what makes this period piece so funny, smart and enduring. Also tune in for our (spoiler-free!) talk on new releases M3GAN, Saint Omer, Shin Ultraman and indie horror smash Skinamarink!

One year ends, another begins, and Cole and Zach celebrate the very best films of the year. From blockbuster titans like Spielberg, Peele and Cameron, to international arthouse darlings Park Chan-wook, Todd Field and Jerzy Skolimowski, we cover it all! Our favorite films, characters, performances and more, all in two spoiler-free hours. Looking to catch up on the best of 2022? Look no further.

This week we're delighted to present our biggest episode yet, our ten favorite Walt Disney Animated feature films. Join us as we discuss our personal canons, our favorite villains, our most underrated and overrated films, and much more. Please enjoy our expansive journey through the history of the biggest company in American animation.

This week, the (other) Zach joins Zach and Cole to discuss the movies of the late fall - White Noise, Bones & All, The Eternal Daughter, and Glass Onion (NOTE: SPOILER FREE :D), before diving into Spielberg's walk down memory lane, The Fabelmans. Join us as we celebrate one of the finest American filmmaker's greatest modern works.

The dead speak! To celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, Cole, Zach and Jake bite into George A. Romero's classic horror trilogy of classic zombie films, Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, and Day of the Dead. There's no better way to honor America's foibles than with the genre master. Bon appetit!

This week, Cole and Zach review the hotly anticipated Wakanda Forever, the first MCU entry covered on the show! During the conversation, we discuss the potent sense of mortality imbued in the film, the incredible cast, Ruth E. Carter's Oscar-winning, and Oscar-worthy efforts, as well as the way forward for this superhero franchise colossus.  

November means the theaters are packed with awards hopefuls, and this week Cole and Zach are joined by Trevor to explore Park Chan-wook's newest thriller, Decision to Leave. The gang also discusses (spoiler-free) a other awards winners and awards hopefuls, Triangle of Sadness, The Banshees of Inisherin and Armageddon Time. Check out our new movie roundup!

For the second week, Cole and Zach are joined by a Jams & Tea guest, Morgan, to discuss seasonal horror watchlists and Kiyoshi Kurosawa's procedural masterpiece, Cure. Stay tuned for (spoiler free!) discussions of TAR and Decision to Leave!