Viddy Well Podcast

We've made it halfway through another year, so it's time to talk shop about the best of — so far. Join Aaron as he flys solo and discusses the 15 new-release movies that impressed him the most so far this year.  Pillion: (1:26 - 4:22) — Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man: (4:22 - 7:20)   Send Help: (7:20 - 10:14)   Andre Is An Idiot: (10:14 - 13:15)   Mother Mary: (13:15 - 17:15)   Over Your Dead Bod...

Oh, fuck yeah! In preparation for 'Merica's 250th birthday, Viddy Well political field correspondent, Anthony Cleveland, joins Aaron to talk about Trey Parker & Matt Stone's "Supermarionation" puppet flick Team America: World Police.  The two look back on America during those post 9-11 years, reminisce about the old Jerry Bruckheimer blockbusters and the 60s puppet program Thunderbirds that inform...

Aaron reaches back into the Viddy Well vault for another filmmaker Q&A from before the pod was born!  This one features Ari Aster discussing his 2019 film, Midsommar, and is moderated by Alamo Drafthouse founder Tim League. The pair had been hitting the Drafthouse bar a bit hard, and it added to the atmosphere of this unique Q&A. Slightly confrontational, but always entertaining, this is some good...

Aaron digs into the Viddy Well vault for a filmmaker Q&A he attended before the podcast was up and running. This one is for the 2018 film MANDY, a real mind-melter of a midnight movie, directed by Panos Cosmatos and starring Nicolas Cage. Cosmatos and Cage were joined by actor Linus Roache for a Q&A moderated by Kevin Smith. You won't wanna miss out on this throwback special or else the Cheddar Go...

Grab your corset — and maybe even a tissue — and prepare to be charmed because Aaron & Rob discuss Joe Wright's 2005 film, Pride & Prejudice! Based on the book by Jane Austen and bursting at the seams with sexual tension, this adaptation is sumptuously filmed and excellently performed, totally embodying the themes of class, love, and the pride that sometimes gets in the way of the swelling of the...

In vino absurditos! Strap in for an outlandish trip to Napa Valley with the one, the only, the Napa Boys, and that take audiences on another comedic journey into wine country.  Framed the movie as the "fourth entry" in a fictional franchise, The Napa Boys takes Alexander Payne's 2004 film Sideways and turns it upside down, adding in notes of Wet Hot American Summer , American Pie , Animal House ,...

It's that time again to do the obligatory top 10 retrospective for last year.  Join Aaron as he takes a break from packing to ramble on about the "ten" films he loved most out of the 100 new-release films he caught last year. Who will reign supreme?! You'll have to listen to find out.  Chapters:  Intro (0:00 - 2:37) Number 10 (2:38 - 8:13) Number 9 (8:14 - 15:44) Number 8 (15:45 - 21:28) Number 7...

Strap in for a real "ankle-breaker" of an episode because this winter selection will have you hobbled with tension and engrossed by the rich cat-and-mouse dynamic of its central players. The "Four Season Of Film" series returns with the 1990 Rob Reiner film, Misery, an iconic horror thriller that's bolstered by subtle writing, smart direction, and the excellent performances from James Caan and Kat...

New blood?! What the cuss?! On this year's fall entry for the Four Seasons of Film series, Aaron is joined by first-time guest Arron Quinn, a writer and director of animated films, to talk about Wes Anderson's foray into stop-motion animation, 2009's The Fantastic Mr. Fox. It's a lovely film that oozes charm and craftsmanship out of every frame -- and it's a fun watch for the whole family. As the...

It's time to say "Ahhhh" and get weird because Aaron talks with Sam Fox & Lara Repko about their short-form horror-comedy,  Open Wide ! The short was featured as a part of Fantastic Fest's Shorts Fuse programming this year, a shorts block that seeks to find "the scary in the unsettling everyday." It marks another stylish slice of kooky, nightmarish comedy that shines a stark light on a squirm-indu...

Aaron and Rob return with more seasonal cinema fun!  On this episode, the two discuss Anthony Minghella's 1999 psychological thriller, The Talented Mr. Ripley. Bring your tanning oil so you don't get burned because it's another sun-soaked summer in Italy — but this time full of deception and murder and identity crises. Pop some corn and kick back as we talk about this complicated Tom Ripley fella...

Grab some peanuts or Cracker Jacks and join Aaron & Rob as they kick of season 7 of the podcast with more "Four Seasons of Film Fun!"  For this year's Spring entry, they round the bases on the 1992 period sports dramedy A League Of Their Own, directed by Penny Marshall and starring Geena Davis, Tom Hanks, Madonna, Lori Petty, Rosie O'Donnell, Jon Lovitz, and Bill Pullman. Based around true events,...

Join Aaron has he briefly discusses the 10 (but really 14) films that he thought were the best that 2024 had to offer. Intro (0:18) Number 10 (1:32) Number 9 (3:06)   Number 8 (4:57) Number 7 (6:24) Number 6 (8:42)   Number 5 (11:01)   Number 4 (14:06)   Number 3 (15:45)   Number 2 (18:16)   Number 1 (21:42)   Outro (24:39)   For a full list of 2024 films, check out the Letterboxd link below!: htt...

Join Aaron as he talks about 21 more films from 2024 that he feels are some of the better offerings.     Smile 2 (1:33) Azrael (4:33) A Complete Unknown (8:12) The Apprentice (13:32) Conclave (16:38) Evil Does Not Exist (19:40) Wild Robot (22:56) Casa Bonita Mi Amor (26:51) Red Rooms (29:19) Didi (31:27) Cuckoo (33:02) A Real Pain (36:07) Allen Sunshine (39:05) Queer (40:14) La Chimera (43:35) Nos...

Aaron had the pleasure of talking with Harley Chamandy on his quietly profound and beautifully meditative feature film debut, Allen Sunshine, which received the 2024 Werner Herzog Film Prize. Listen in as the two chat about the film & its production, hope as the new punk-rock sentiment, hanging out with Werner Herzog, and arthouse cinema.  You can check out Allen Sunshine right now anywhere films...

Join Aaron & guest host Rob Chenoweth as they close out this year's "Four Seasons Of Film" series by diving into the snowdrifts of Sergio Corbucci's cold-blooded late-60s western: The Great Silence. With chilling seasonal vibes and a bleak ending that's numbingly frigid, this winter western totally embraces its icy nature and paints the white snow spaghetti-sauce red. Boltered by beautiful cinemat...

On this latest installment of "Happy Home Invastion For The Holidays!," Aaron talks about irresponsible pet owners by having a midnight snack outta Joe Dante's 1984 Christmastime classic that famously contrasts the cheery lightness of the holiday season with devilish monsters and family-friendly horror: Gremlins!  Written by Chris Columbus, and produced (alongside Warner Bros.) by Steven Spielberg...

Aaron and a very special guest were able to attend an early screening of Robert Eggers' Nosferatu remake on Friday the 13th and lived to the tell the tale! Built in that rigorous period-accurate detail that's become Eggers' signature hallmark and embodied by a stellar cast, this retelling gives more depth to its cast of characters and drives a stake right into the dark heart of the gothic romance...

Grab your blade or battle axe, and join Aaron & guest host Chris Wolford as they go "berserker" and pillage the plot of Robert Eggers' third feature-length film, The Northman . This epically sweeping Nordic revenge saga combines Viking mythology with Viking reality, culminating in a volcanic eruption of red-hot Viking vengeance and a valkyrie wail.  Hypnotic, hallucinatory, stunningly Shakespearea...

This ain't no trick, kiddos, we've got a double dose of Four Seasons for Film: Fall this year! Join Aaron and Rob as they stick around Haddonfield, Illinois for another brush in with  PURE EVIL! as they discuss Halloween II. Picking up right off the heels of its predecessor, the film marks another slow-burn slasher with a simple premise and a solid atmosphere, but it comes boasting a higher body c...

For the Fall entry of this year's Four Seasons Of Film, Aaron and Rob brush shoulders with  PURE EVIL! as they slice and dice John Carpenter's iconic seasonal slasher, Halloween! Since that fateful night when a young Mikey Myers carved up his older sister like a jack-o'-lantern, the streets of Haddonfield, Illinois were never the same, and in the year 1978, Myers is all grown up and returns to the...

Nine years before the Wayans Bros. used the title for their spoof franchise, Daniel Erickson laid claim to it in his early-90s indie horror hangout comedy set on Halloween, Scary Movie, starring a young John Hawkes giving a fantastically committed performance that oozes Courage The Cowardly Dog vibes (well before that was a thing). Shot near Austin, Texas, it's not exactly on the same caliber as 1...

Join Aaron as he talks about 19 films from 2024 that he feels are the best the year has to offer (so far).  Intro (0:00 - 1:20) Steve! (Martin) A Documentary in 2 Pieces (1:21) Longlegs (4:07) Civil War (7:42)   Snack Shack (11:33) Blink Twice (13:23) The Bikeriders (15:22) Alien Romulus (17:41) Problemista (19:52) Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (20:41) Rebel Ridge (23:21) Furiosa (26:00) The Last Stop I...

Join Aaron as he catches up with New Orleans writer/direct Joe Badon and talks about his lastest feature film extravaganza, The Wheel Of Heaven. The film marks another unfettered kaleidoscopic blast of wacky strange cinema from the indie auteur, whose boundless creativity continues to work wonders on a small budget. The two talk about the film, its production, "choose your own adventure" books, su...

Tensions are running high — and so is the heat! There's a demonic pooch named Harvey whose constant barking is driving a serial murderer to target young brunettes, which is setting the Big Apple on fire with paranoia. That's right, the boys are back with another "Four Seasons Of Film" entry, and for this scorching summer installment, Aaron and Rob discuss Spike Lee's 1999 film, Summer Of Sam. It's...