First Watch

This October, our horror maestros are celebrating the season with a horror medley – first a rundown of our recent horror watchlists, then a breakdown of Argento's original 1977 nightmare masterpiece, Suspiria, and Guadagnino's 2018 reimagining of the same name. Grab your candy bowl and tap in! 

You may have heard, the biggest movie in history is back in theaters. This week, Cole and Zach get together to discuss James Cameron's feast for the senses, James Cameron's Avatar, and discuss its technological innovations, lasting appeal and one-of-a-kind theatrical experience. 

This week, Zach and Cole discuss one of the great Italian filmmakers, Luchino Visconti, his life, his work, and particularly The Leopard and The Damned. Visconti's films are a rich, vivid tapestry of history, and this conversation is a primer to give some context to his films and unpack what makes them epic and epochal. 

Cue the strings! Cole's back from vacation, and together he and Zach cover several summer new releases - Bodies, Bodies, Bodies, Beast, Inu-Oh and Prey - before Cole launches into an impassioned defense of one of the most reviled films of the 1990s, Gus Van Sant's remake of Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, starring the late Anne Heche and Vince Vaughn.  

This week, Zach is joined by new guest Davey to discuss Fran Kranz' debut film, Mass , one of the most emotionally powerful, achingly relevant, well acted, yet badly underseen and underdiscussed films of 2021. It's an empathetic and totally assured work from a first time filmmaker and screenwriter, and we make the case why you should seek it out and experience all it has to offer.

Look up in the sky! It's a cloud! It's a UFO! It's Jordan Peele's Nope. This year, the best up and coming American filmmaker goes full blockbuster mode, and Zach, Cole and guest Morgan discuss what makes this metacinematic alien invasion romp each of our favorite Peele movie so far.

This week, Zach and Cole are joined by Jake (@thosewhodwell @JamsTeaPod) to discuss the financial success and abject creative failure of the Jurassic World trilogy and its latest entry, Jurassic World Dominion (no colon!). Strap in as we break down and explore the apotheosis of all lazy legacy sequels and how they fail to live up to or capitalize on the iconography of Spielberg's '93 classic.

Summer movies are upon us! Cool off with Cole and Zach as they discuss the smash hit Top Gun: Maverick and break into this week's main discussion of David Cronenberg's new sci-fi body horror film, Crimes of the Future. Grab your friends, grab a (plastic) snack, and sink your teeth into the season!

In this supersized episode, Cole and Zach return from a long hiatus to discuss new releases and their favorite films of the year so far, including Mad God, The Northman , and more! The conversation culminates with a discussion of Gapar Noé's entire feature filmography and our favorite film of the year, Vortex. Be advised: while we take care to not give away too many details, there are some spoiler...

In this episode, Cole joins me to discuss Almodóvar's latest collaboration with Penélope Cruz, Parallel Mothers. This conversation starts with an exploration of history, and how the celebrated Spanish director deftly balances melodrama, rich character, humor and history, even five decades into his storied career. We also take some time to discuss Almodóvar's most beloved film, All About My Mother,...

On this week's episode, my friend Cole drops in to discuss his recommendation, Costa-Gavras' fiery political thriller, Z! In our spoiler-free conversation, Cole and I discuss the turbulent historical context behind the film and its source novel and dig in on the history that defined other 20th century classics like The Battle of Algiers, Come and See, Viridiana and Investigation of a Citizen Above...

This week, I'm joined by my friends Cole and James to discuss two new releases, both Shakespeare adaptations, Steven Spielberg's first ever musical, West Side Story, and Joel Coen's first solo filmmaking effort, The Tragedy of Macbeth.

On a special holiday installment, Zach from The (Other) Film Guys Podcast joins me to discuss PTA's Licorice Pizza! particularly exploring its period details and how the film paints a hazy portrait of nostalgia and romance. be sure to stick through to the end for a brief bit on Drive My Car!

On our first episode, listen to Zach and guest, Cole, discuss Jackie, the history of Massachusetts, Dallas, the US, the historic Texas Theatre, as well as briefly touching on Spencer, Parallel Mothers and Ridley Scott's latest, House of Gucci.