The Academy’s Captive Audience

To kick off the 63rd Academy Awards we invited filmmaker, critic, and all around cinephile C.B. Jacobson to discuss what is arguably the best film in this year's nominees! Give him a warm welcome as we dive into Martin Scorsese's masterpiece, the behind the scenes stories, and the quintessential film that sets up the next decade to come. Our nominee is... - Goodfellas - If you enjoyed our guest, c...

In this episode we wrap up the 61st Academy Awards. Ben and Kit pack their bags to visit a grieving father as he is pursued by a woman whose persistence knows no bounds. Afterwards we head south to follow the FBI's murder investigation that leads to the apprehension of KKK members. Then we hit the road into the sunset with an excellent driver and his brother. The nominees are... - The Accidental T...

Welcome one and all to the 61st Academy Awards! In this episode Ben and Kit bear witness to a scandalous game of cat and mouse in pre-revolutionary France before jet setting to New York to take in the sights and see the rise of an overlooked secretary stake her claim in the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple. Our nominated films are... - Dangerous Liaisons Working Girl - Don't forget to like, subs...

In this episode we round off the the surprising 36th Academy Awards! Surprising how? Well first Ben and Kit take us west across an epic and harrowing journey across America. After that we shoot all the way to the height of civilization spanning Rome and Egypt and the many costumes along the way. After that we find our winner in the chaotic misadventures of a man that whole wide wonderful wicked wo...

Welcome to the year 1963! Ben and Kit are here to take you through one of the slimmest years Hollywood ever went through. To start our odyssey across our five nominees, we follow a Greek immigrant from Anatolia as his harrowing tale leads us to New York, New York—so nice it's named twice. After that we head out on a mission to the Arizona desert where we meet a rather hotheaded yet laidback handym...

We round out the summer with our final installment of the 12th Academy Awards! Ben and Kit join Marc to help out a couple of Steinbeck's ranch hands through tough times and difficult decisions. Things don't get much easier after that as we take on the Outstanding Production winner and quintessential Civil War romance epic that has endeared the test of time. The award goes to... - Of Mice and Men G...

All rise! In this episode Ben and Kit make a motion for the 12th Academy Awards to recognize those who love their jobs. First is a legacy teacher whose life exemplifies duty and service to nurture generations of children. Second is a young and upcoming senator whose seemingly simple mannerisms show courage and integrity in the arena of our Republic. Before the motion is seconded we will take a rol...

We've crossed the halfway point in the 12th Academy Awards! In this episode Ben and Kit encounter a girl that lives on borrowed time, wind up in a rags to riches love quadrangle, and liberate a bond so strong that the facade of the iron curtain absolutely breaks. This episode features the following films... - Dark Victory Wuthering Heights Ninotchka - Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit those...

Our 25th episode features Mike Zolik! Give him a warm welcome as he joins Ben and Kit as we dedicate a full episode to his favorite film and this iconic nominee from the 12th Academy Awards. We explore the themes of the story, its place in the history of cinema, some of our favorite bits of trivia, and share with you our recent trip to the yellow brick road in Las Vegas.  - The Wizard of Oz - Don'...

The news is grim across the sea but grand old Hollywood is booming. In this episode we head back to 1939 in an attempt to grapple with the average movie goer on the cusp of World War II. We first get a taste of American mythology as we travel through Monument Valley and its hoof stamped legacy. After that we board an ocean liner bound for New York City to witness a fated pair of 102nd floor crosse...

Ben and Kit finish up the 44th Academy Awards and it is a doozy. We describe this year as a rather bleak year for cinema. Iconic in every sense of the word as we step off the stage to the familial strife of a beloved Russian Jewish family before taking a turn for the not so great. Be warned that the dark underside through the eyes of a youthful delinquent is not for the faint of heart. So if you w...

Ben and Kit return to their regularly scheduled programing to bring you the 44th Academy Awards. We start the year with the birth of the Tsar and Tsarina's fifth child and first son and boy what a life he lives. Then we mosey on down to a small oil town in Texas to salute the last ticket sale of the town's movie theater. The following films of the 44th Oscars are... - Nicholas and Alexandra The La...

Ben and Kit are breaking off from our regular schedule to interact with some questions asked by our listeners. We also engage in the current discussion on The Odyssey by Christopher Nolan and take a look at the new rule implemented by the Academy for next years' Oscars and beyond. - Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit those notification buttons for future episodes!  If you enjoy what you've h...

With the final films of the 52nd Academy Awards coming to a close, Ben and Kit make a huge discovery. After punching in to the life of a textile factory worker, we live it up once again on Broadway hitting the after party of a lifetime, before bringing down the ultimate ruling on a never before witnessed trilogy of films. The following films are... - Norma Rae All That Jazz Kramer vs. Kramer - Don...

We begin this journey into the heart of the 52nd Academy Awards by going through a brief overview of what was happening during the latter part of the 1970's. Ben then takes us on a descent through the thick overgrowth of the Vietnam jungle, and Kit takes us on a well needed and timely bicycle tour around Bloomington Indiana. Go Hoosiers! The films in this episode are... - Apocalypse Now Breaking A...

We wrap up our look into the 20th Academy Awards but not before we have a chance to check our pulse as we encounter the high strangeness surrounding Christmas. Afterward Ben and Kit encounter the antisemitism of 1947... not sure much has changed since then but maybe there is something to be learned from our last two nominees. Our following films are... - The Bishop's Wife Crossfire Gentleman's Agr...

Welcome back to our regularly scheduled programing! In this episode Ben and Kit kick off the 20th Academy Awards. We start by getting into the well dressed and smokey post war cinema mindset before spending Christmas at Macy's. Then we hop the pond to take in the Dickens tale of a boy named Pip. The following films in this episode are... - Miracle on 34th Street Great Expectations - Don't forget t...

Well we finally made it! One last installment before the big night. In this episode Ben and Kit take their final look across the nominees including other categories and films seen from them. To top it all off we touch on a potential theme that seemed to be a driving force in the majority of the films nominated for Best Picture. So listen in and let us know what you think! Do you agree, disagree, o...

We made it to the final two Best Picture nominees of the year! In early celebration Ben and Kit make their way down south to check out the Juke Joint nightlife scene, after which we make our way further south to experience the brief reprieve of Carnival in 1977 Brazil. Dancing or running shoes are recommended as we take a look at the following films... - Sinners The Secret Agent - Reach out to us...

In this installment of our look at the Best Picture nominees, Ben and Kit prepare for the actions and consequences of the resistance before returning home to reconnect with family. Be ready for a wild ride as we look at the following nominees... - One Battle After Another Sentimental Value - Reach out to us at our email theacapodcast@gmail.com  to be added to our ESPN Oscar Pick'ems group and rece...

Welcome back to the Pod! Contrary to what Ben says to Kit, this is indeed the third installment of our look into the best picture nominees. In this episode we sit and mourn with those who mourn before getting wrapped up into a bizarre conspiracy theory for the ages. The following films in this episode are... - Hamnet Bugonia - Reach out to us at our email theacapodcast@gmail.com to be added to our...

In this episode we welcome back Marc Mens to join Ben and Kit on a voyage to the arctic where we hear the fantastical story of a monster and his father. After being sent out to sea we skip ahead a couple of centuries to globetrot the racetracks of the quintessential and fastest motorsports event in existence. Buckle up, watch out for lightning storms, and enjoy our discussion of the following film...

In this episode Ben and Kit trek the Washington forests to see a man at the turn of the century come to terms with the vastness, brutality, and majesty of nature that cradles his life. Afterward we cross the continent to the east coast to see another man pull himself out of New York to rise up on the world stage of the table tennis scene. So sit back and enjoy our look at the following nominees......

Welcome one and all to the 98th Academy Awards! We are excited to bring you this special episode highlighting what is about to take place for the run up to this years Academy Awards celebration. In this episode we discuss our plans for covering the 10 films nominated this year. So settle in for the buzz and stay tuned for what's to come! - Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit those notificatio...

Welcome to the first episode of 2026! Ben and Kit wrap up the 77th Academy Awards by heading down to Georgia on the Spruce Goose to watch a title boxing match that ends a life. Shocking we know. So take your seats, sit back, and listen in to find out how we capture the leading ideas of 2005. The following films are discussed... - Ray The Aviator Million Dollar Baby - Don't forget to like, subscrib...