Oscar Wild

“Her web connects them all.” Nick and Sophia are back to answer some fun listener questions! Find out about their favorite (and worst) theatrical experiences, which Oscar winners they would form an alliance with on Survivor, awards potential for multiple upcoming releases, how they would reallocate Meryl Streep’s wins, and many more! Comment below with who you’d like to see host this year’s Academ...

“I coulda been a contender, I coulda been somebody.” Sophia and Nick are back to discuss another Best Picture-winning classic, On the Waterfront , which is also celebrating its 70th anniversary. Marlon Brando’s career-defining performance earned him his first Oscar and one of eight for the film. Listen as they talk about the film’s other wins and if it was (or could’ve been) snubbed elsewhere, Eli...

Thirty-nine light-years from Earth, crew members aboard the cargo ship Nostromo take one small step onto an unknown planet, leading to an endless number of giant disasters for mankind. So begins the interstellar saga that sends its heroine, Ellen Ripley, to hell and back, with corporate-fueled alien adventures continuing to this day. It’s no wonder Alien remains one of the all-time greatest scienc...

“I’ve gotta go Julia, we’ve got cows.” Well, there might not be flying cows in this unconventional sequel to the original 1996 disaster movie, but there's enough daredevil tornado wrangling to last a lifetime. Give your best "Yee Haw" and saddle up as Sophia and Nick entertainingly review Twisters side-by-side with Twister . They marvel at Glen Powell's instant charm and Lee Isaac Chung's directio...

Greta Gerwig was right: maybe going back to the beginning after some time really does put everything into perspective. Whether it’s the dawn of time in Barbie or a star-defining role that solidified Ryan Gosling’s fame in The Notebook , there’s no denying that that early spark set Hollywood on fire. And for Rachel McAdams, too, who so effortlessly makes Allie the endearing heart to this romantic t...

There’s no drought of horror movies this year, and we’re only getting started! Great news for ghoulish fans of the genre, like Sophia and Nick, who discuss three recent releases that are sure to give you nightmares for weeks…or will they? Listen as they talk through- spoiler-free of course- the prequel A Quiet Place: Day One , Ti West’s trilogy closer, MaXXXine (20:49), and Osgood Perkins’ latest...

This episode serves as a perfect example of this season’s theme, They Didn’t Win For That?! Or even better (however you look at it), how ludicrous it was that Donald Sutherland was never nominated, let alone for his challenging performance in Ordinary People . So Nick and Sophia are here to break down the film and get to the bottom of why the Academy never went for his adaptable, understated craft...

Trailers for fall and winter movies are slowly appearing, which means it’s time for one of our favorite episodes of the year: sharing our Oscar predictions for the ceremony that is over 8 months away. Listen as Sophia and Nick debate who and what they think could take home the gold this coming awards season in all four acting categories, Director (34:00), and Picture (42:22). Comment with your own...

“Commonality of experience” brought people back to the cinema in droves to experience Riley’s expanding, pubescent world in Inside Out 2 . There’s no one better nor happier to celebrate Pixar’s continued success than returning guest and friend of the pod, Ryan Lamb. He breaks down the film with Nick and Sophia as they all share their various opinions on how well this worked as a sequel, which emot...

It’s time to stick it to the man in this high voltage episode all about Richard Linklater’s School of Rock . Sophia and Nick have loved this classic for over 20 years and they’re here to share all of their favorite scenes and quotes including how this special film has transformed through rewatches over the years. Today’s assignment: answering fun listener questions (including Smash or Pass), talki...

Leave it to Richard Linklater, one of our greatest and most meditative filmmakers, to team up with Glen Powell, one of Hollywood’s biggest stars (who also writes!), and create one of the best movies of the summer! Based on a true story, Hit Man embodies as many genres- romcom, thriller, noir- as Powell does personalities as fake hit men: it really needs to be seen to be believed. Listen to Nick an...

First, Sophia and Nick review Furiosa , George Miller’s latest adrenaline-fueled film and prequel to his previous masterwork, Mad Max: Fury Road . They debate if parallels between the two films work or not, including structure, visual effects, and performances, before predicting how it may do at next year’s Oscars. Then, they travel to La Croisette and discuss some of the biggest films out of this...

Nick and Sophia are excited to share this MEGA episode discussing nearly 50 movies released so far this year. They include everything from pre-Oscars releases like Madame Web and Mean Girls to biopics like Back to Black , and horror flicks like Immaculate and Late Night with the Devil . Then, they recap festival releases (32:44), including those from Sundance, like I Saw the TV Glow and Love Lies...

1999 brought audiences a remarkable number of unforgettable films, like: The Matrix, The Virgin Suicides, 10 Things I Hate About You, Eyes Wide Shut, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Magnolia, The Mummy — the list is nearly endless. Some were appreciated by the Academy while some were forgotten, but one movie did impress both voters and viewers alike: American Beauty . Its worldwide success was a surefire...

Challengers isn’t just the hottest movie of the year, it’s a game changer when it comes to coming-of-age stories, exciting sports films, and dramas of the love triangle variety. Nick and Sophia are buzzing with excitement, ready to break down Luca Guadagnino’s latest and discuss how he creates another tantalizing universe full of electricity. In this PG-13 edition, they examine beautiful shot and...

There's no complete list of 70's paranoia thrillers without The Conversation -- and it almost never came to be! Sophia and Nick dive into Francis Ford Coppola's other 1974 film this week, walking through the film’s pre-Watergate production, key scenes, and quotes, how Room 773 was the original Room 237, and why Harry Caul and Ron Swanson would be friends. At the end, they answer some fun listener...

There’s neither a dull moment nor a wasted breath in this week’s feature— only a flaw in the iris. Nick and Sophia are excited to share a thorough deep dive into Chinatown , an exemplary film from 1974 brimming with eyes and oranges and water (oh my!). They discuss how the Academy awarded it only one out of its eleven nominations, and even debate if it should’ve won some of The Godfather Part II ’...

Welcome back to Season Five! To start off with a BANG, Sophia and Nick tackle one of cinema’s greatest sequels, The Godfather Part II . Coppola returned to adapt this second film only a few months after The Godfather took home Best Picture, but this time he had demands and drama to deal with. They discuss all of this and more, including a run-through of the movie’s best scenes, their favorite shot...

The long-awaited second installment of Dune is finally here and Nick and Sophia are ready to don their stillsuits back on Arrakis. In reviewing the film, they list some of their favorite shots and scenes, debate whether Denis Villeneuve’s altered world lives up to the book, and tease what’s to come with Dune: Messiah . Of course, the episode isn’t complete without Smash or Pass with some of the Du...

The latest Oscars telecast not only attracted the most viewers since 2020, they brought back the fanfare the biggest night in movies deserves! Sophia and Nick recap the many memorable moments from the night, including emotional speeches, the showstopping “I’m Just Ken” performance and Jonathan Glazer’s compelling acceptance speech. Don’t worry, they break down all the shocking and awkward moments,...

It’s almost time to hear “And the Oscar goes to…” which means Nick and Sophia will finally be sharing their Oscar predictions. Will they change before the ceremony? Only time will tell. (Yes.) Even with the beginning of the end of this awards season in sight, they start the episode by sharing their initial reactions to a film that could dominate the 97th Academy Awards: Dune: Part Two . A more in-...

With only a few more guild ceremonies remaining and Oscar voting over, we’ve officially entered the final stretch before the 96th Academy Awards! On today’s episode, Sophia and Nick cover the final four categories in their 2024 Contenders series, including: Adapted Screenplay, Original Screenplay (23:35), Director (37:18), and Picture (55:40). Who do you think should win in each category? Follow u...

With a new Contenders episode comes great responsibility. Err— Madame Web is on the brain as Nick and Sophia discuss Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and many more in a jam-packed penultimate episode in this series. First, they break down the three feature film categories with International Feature, Documentary Feature (19:03), and Animated Feature (29:20), before diving into the Short Film cat...

What comes to mind when you think of your favorite performance? Is it Meryl Streep, who leads the way with the most acting nominations of all time? Or is it the scene in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood , when Trudi whispers into Rick’s ear, “That was the best acting I’ve ever seen in my whole life”? Or Tammie Brown’s iconic ruveal, “I’m acting”? Whichever it is, consider adding some of the performa...

In the next batch of categories covered in their Oscar Contenders series, Nick and Sophia celebrate the sleek, eye-popping, and masterful artistry in the remaining below-the-line categories. Tune in to hear about each of the nominees in the following categories including their own write-in votes they wish would have made it in, too: Makeup and Hairstyling, Costume Design (29:52), Production Design...