The Freshman Fifteen

What? More Freshman 15? The boys are back with a long-awaited 37th episode, this time featuring Academy Award-winning renaissance director Steven Soderbergh and his 1989 freshman film, Sex, Lies and Videotape. Jeremy reveals his most embarrassing story from his early attempts to break into the film industry, while Daniel weighs in on the nuance of portraying an onscreen psychotherapeutic relations...

It's our 10th Oscars Special! Jeremy, Daniel and Jeff return for a spoiler-free discussion of the year's Best Picture nominees and this time we've invited a few friends to join in. At the end of this longest-ever episode, we submit our personal ranking of each nominated film, from least to most deserving of the coveted award for the year's Best Picture.

Jeremy, Daniel and Jeff Jensen reconvene, New York Times-style, to count down the 10 greatest freshman films of the 21st Century (so far). They've conferred and collaborated and they're presenting their findings to you. Who will take the top spot?

Oscars 2025! Once again, Jeremy and Jeff Jensen take to the mics for a spoiler-free discussion of the year's Best Picture nominees. Following a lengthy deep-dive into the 10 films in question, the three hosts submit their personal ranking of each film nominated, from least to most deserving of the ultimate prize.

In a bonus discussion cut from our 2024 Oscars Special, Jeff Jensen reads a prepared essay comparing Alexander Payne's nominated film The Holdovers to the 1970s films that inspired it.

In the 2024 edition of the Freshman Fifteen Oscar Specials, Jeremy and Daniel are once again joined by Jeff Jensen for a spoiler-free discussion of the year's Best Picture nominees. Following a lengthy deep-dive into the 10 films in question, the three hosts submit their personal ranking of each film nominated, from least to most deserving of the ultimate prize.

F15 is back with our SECOND October episode and the final entry in our comedy block. This time, we turn our focus to SNL alumn and Academy Award winner Adam McKay and his 2004 freshman film, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. Daniel muses on the parallels between an artist's approach to making art and their approach to living life, while Jeremy reveals both the right and the wrong way to direc...

Proving themselves the most unreliable podcast ever, The Freshman Fifteen stumbles back in for part two of a no-longer summer series focusing on comedy directors. This time: New Zealand actor/writer/director Taika Waititi and his 2007 indie, Eagle vs Shark. Jeremy ponders how one considers the styles and trends of any given decade of film while Daniel delves into the ways in which the attitudes in...

After a lengthy hiatus, The Freshman Fifteen is back to kick off a new summer series focusing on comedy directors. First up: legendary writer/director/producer Judd Apatow and his 2005 film, The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Jeremy discusses how many cameras it takes to shoot a comedy scene while Daniel credits Apatow as one of the few filmmakers everyone in his house can enjoy. Also, are stand-up comedians...

In the seventh of their annual Oscar Specials, Jeremy and Daniel are, as always, joined by author and pop entertainment maven Jeff Jensen for a spoiler-free discussion of the the 2023 Best Picture nominees. Following a lengthy deep-dive into the 10 films in question, the three hosts submit their personal ranking of each film nominated, from least to most deserving of the ultimate prize.

A Freshman Fifteen exclusive conversation with director Alison Star Locke about her freshman film, The Apology (a dark thriller starring Anna Gunn, Linus Roache and Janeane Garofalo). Jeremy speaks with Alison about the freedoms of within a darker genre, writing psychologically complex characters and the value of a smart, committed crew. Also, Alison discusses the need for more female creative lea...

In this longest-ever episode, Jeremy and Daniel take a break from their podcast break to talk Academy Awards with the ever-faithful, ever-brilliant pop culture maniac Jeff Jensen once again. As always, it's a spoiler-free dive into the Best Picture nominees for Oscars 2022! True to tradition, the three co-hosts end the discussion with their rankings of each film nominated, from least to most deser...

A Freshman Fifteen exclusive interview with director Fred Munk about his freshman documentary, the 2021 Netflix Original 'Why Did You Kill Me?' Jeremy speaks with Fred about the artform of documentary, the responsibility of telling a true crime story and how a germ of an idea can grow into a successful film streaming all over the world. Also, Jeremy speaks with the film's cinematographer (and long...

It's not a fake-out, it's true: Daniel is back to talk Oscars! He and Jeremy sit down with longtime friend and entertainment guru Jeff Jensen for a spoiler-free discussion of the 2021 Academy Awards nominees in the category of Best Picture. As always, your faithful hosts wrap up this uber-length special episode by giving their personal rankings of each film, from least to most deserving.

Director Alexander Payne takes center stage in this episode's conversation as we take a look at his 1996 freshman film comedy, Citizen Ruth.

In our first animated feature entry, we focus our virtual cameras on Pixar's Toy Story, the 1995 freshman film of director and animator John Lasseter. Jeremy digs into the cinematography side of 3D-animated storytelling while Daniel pontificates on Pixar's ability to evoke a sense of nostalgic familiarity inside a cartoon environment. Also, what are the best and worst Pixar films?

In a bonus discussion cut from the Reservoir Dogs episode, Daniel and Jeremy close the book on one of the enduring mysteries surrounding the end of the film: Who shot Nice Guy Eddie? Also, some thoughts about reasonable gangsters and the psychotic Lawrence Tierney. 

After an indefensibly long hiatus, The Freshman Fifteen returns to kick off a new volume of freshman films with Quentin Tarantino's legendary 1992 film, Reservoir Dogs. Daniel is conflicted about how to respond to directors who insist on reminding their audiences that they're watching a movie while Jeremy weighs the benefits of shifting your style of storytelling mid-film. Also, should some filmma...

Jeremy once again sits with longtime friend/guest/honorary co-host of the podcast, award-winning Watchmen writer Jeff Jensen with a spoiler-free discussion of the Best Picture nominees in the 2020 Oscar race. The two rank the films from least to most deserving of the grand prize.

Jeremy sits with longtime friend of the podcast, entertainment guru Jeff Jensen with a spoiler-free discussion of the Best Picture nominees in the 2019 Oscar race. The two weigh in on who most deserves the grand prize.

Jeremy sits down with former EW journalist and current HBO writer Jeff Jensen to discuss recent developments concerning the slighting of cinematography and other categories from the upcoming 2019 Oscars telecast.

In Episode 30, the finale of The Freshman Fifteen’s second volume, the boys take to their mics with their biggest, boldest, most elaborate episode yet. Up for discussion: master craftsman and filmmaking legend Martin Scorsese and his 1967 film, Who’s That Knocking at My Door. Jeremy declares Scorsese and Schoonmaker to be the Lennon and McCartney of film, while Daniel wrestles with outdated views...

It took 29 episodes to get to our very first foreign language freshman film: 1993's Cronos, directed by cinematic legend Guillermo del Toro. Daniel delves into the how Mexican culture translates to films for non-Mexican audiences while Jeremy explores the psychology of subtitles. Also, how does color tell a story?

Episode 28 takes us to the 1998 freshman film of director Darren Aronofsky, the mind-bending, mathematical thriller Pi. Jeremy breaks down the mechanics of the SnorriCam while Daniel makes the case for artistic limitations. Also, what’s the relationship between film, religion and myth?

Breaking from the norm, the boys go current-events-crazy to weigh in on the recent misdoings of space-hero-action-flick director James Gunn. What’s more important, art or the artist? Where’s the line between appropriate humor and punk rock free speech? Jeremy and Daniel examine and wrestle with Hollywood’s latest scandal in their most personal special episode yet.