On episode 181 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by joined by Awards Watch contributor Cody Dericks to discuss the first film in their Michael Mann series, Thief (1981). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this Awards Watch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. On last week's show, the boys and their guest Sean Fennessey teased the beginning of this series, as the first film of Michael Mann's career, Thief, is a blue print into the mind of one of the greatest directors of all time. Mann is obsessed with examining men who are struggling to keep their power or place in the world in the face of giant obstacles of their own making, while also being a director who loves to examine the complicated processes of the world. In his first film, he delivers all of that with one of the best debut films ever about a small time thief that gets caught up with the wrong people as he is trying to make his version of the American Dream come true; and it epically rules. Ryan, Jay, and Cody discus why the film rules, their thoughts on Mann as a whole, why this is an essential Chicago film, the performance of James Caan, the glorious score from Tangerine Dreams, and more. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h43m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Michael Mann with a review of his next film, Manhunter. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 368 of the Awards Watch Podcast, contributor Josh Parham is joined by Awards Watch Editor-in-Chief Erik Anderson and fellow contributors Karen Peterson and Mark Johnson to go back 10 years and take a look at the 89th Academy Awards, covering the films of 2016. This retrospective examines at the race that unfolded a decade ago, a season that appeared to be an agreed-upon anointment of Damien Chazelle's La La Land as the year's most celebrated film. That is until the passion surrounding Barry Jenkins's Moonlight overtook the momentum in the last minute to claim the top prize for Best Picture, a decision so surprising that it contributed to one of the craziest and memorable moments of any Oscar telecast. The conversation at the time may have concentrated around these two films, but the year provided so many other great works that were worthy of analysis. The year features a deep bench of films with an incredible variety. Some were already in the crosshairs of the awards season, such as 20th Century Women, The Lobster, Nocturnal Animals, Hail, Caesar! and Jackie. Others did not have the same luck, but like Silence, The Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Split, Krisha, 10 Cloverfield Lane, The Handmaiden and Other People were still championed in the deliberations. The landscape had a vast array of captivating titles to analyze, producing an entertaining commentary. In their in-depth discussion, the AW team talked about the film year of 2016, briefly talking about Moonlight as a Best Picture winner, including the infamous "Envelope-gate" and how that speaks to its legacy over the years. They also have an extensive conversation over the below the line categories and nominees for the year, and then the new version of the AW Shoulda Woulda Coulda game, where instead of individual replacements, they must decide as a group who the nominees and winners should be in the top eight categories. The rules of the game state they can only replace two of the nominees that year from each category, except in Best Picture, where the group could replace up to five films to make up the final set of nine nominated films. Like past retrospective episodes, it was a fascinating, fun conversation including spirited debates, Survivor-style alliances and vote swinging, celebrating various movies, performances that aren't normally talked about and more that we all hope you enjoy. You can listen to The Awards Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h21m. We will be back next with a review round-up of several movies that have recently hit theaters as we catch up with the latest releases. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 180 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by joined by the Senior Talk Strategist for The Ringer and co-host of The Big Picture podcast Sean Fennessey to discuss the final film in their Richard Kelly series, The Box (2009). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this Awards Watch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. After the disappointment of Southland Tales, Richard Kelly had gone from the hot, independent director to a voice with a big miss on his record. His next film, adapted from the 1970 short story "Button, Button" by author Richard Matheson, and his biggest budget yet, turned out to be a real breaking point for Kelly, as audiences barely went to see his latest science-fiction thriller about a suburban family having to make a dangerous choice of whether or not they should press a button in a box that would give them one million dollars, but would kill someone in the world that they don't know. Inside the conspiracy theories, alien observation, and his signature portals, Kelly layers in the personal stories and lives of his parents, making it his most personal film yet, and a movie that put him in permanent director jail, as it's been nearly two decades since his latest feature film release. But why hasn't Kelly been able to make his follow-up to The Box, and why did audience distance themselves from it the moment it came out? Ryan, Jay, and Sean discuss their theories as to where the director has gone, why he's primed for a comeback, what works about The Box and what doesn't, as well as what their favorite movie candy is, their mutual admiration for physical media, and their rankings of Kelly's filmography, and the Director Watch co-host preview their film director series of 2026. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h24m. The guys will be back next week to begin their series on the films of Michael Mann with a review of his first film, Thief. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 179 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by film critic, podcaster Dan Mecca to discuss the next film in their Richard Kelly series, Southland Tales (2006). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this Awards Watch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. Over the course of the existence of Director Watch, our co-hosts have seen directors have to follow up their massive early successes and dive head first into a passion project that makes or breaks them. For the most part, they've covered successes but with Richard Kelly's second film, Southland Tales, they explore a maligned, misunderstood testament of America in the Bush era that was vilified at the time of release, only to become a statement of the messed up world that has taken hold over the course of the 21st century; a real cult classic. Ryan, Jay, and Dan break down their thoughts on Kelly's second feature while also explore their thoughts on the time period, how the movie is as much about their own views on the world and a collection of scenes that connect via vibes and political shock and awe; it's a wild ride they go on here. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h54m. The guys will be back next week to conclude their series on the films of Richard Kelly with a review of his next film, The Box. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 367 of The Awards Watch Podcast, Co-Executive Editor Sophia Ciminello is joined by Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson and Co-Executive Editor Ryan McQuade to wrap up the fall film festival season and much more.  First, Erik and Ryan recap their experiences at the Mill Valley Film Festival and the Middleburg Film Festival, where Tenzing, Elsinore, and The Debut took home audience awards. Then, the trio chats about their time at the AFI FEST Film Festival, where Quentin Tarantino unveiled the first 17 minutes of The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth.   Next, it's time to talk about the phenomenon that is Lance Oppenheim and Nathan Fielder's You Can See Everything, as it continues to hit box office milestones and stake its claim in the awards conversation. Warning: this conversation has full UNREDACTED spoilers. The movie's stock is up, and Sophia, Ryan, and Erik share some other contenders with rising and falling stock after festival season, including The Debut, Fjord, Wildwood, and more.  You can listen to The Awards Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, SoundCloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, YouTube, and more. This podcast runs 1hr4m. We will be back soon with a brand new episode. Until then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 178 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by Awards Watch Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson to discuss the first film in their Richard Kelly series, Donnie Darko (2001). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this Awards Watch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision-making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. In a massive pivot from the elegant filmmaking of Edward Yang, the boys travel back to the early 2000s to cover a director whose filmography is small, but has an impact on cinema that has left them curious enough to want to explore why Richard Kelly has only made three films in his career. Given the first film in this series, Donnie Darko was a cultural moment of the early millennium that tapped into the darkness of a generation still trying to figure themselves out post-9/11 and in a world that doesn't fully understand who they are. Kelly's haunting screenplay is a vital examination of the heartbreak and horror found within the suburbs, with a supernatural element that makes for one of the most fascinating debut feature films ever discuss on the show. Ryan, Jay, and Erik break down their thoughts on this 2001 classic, the ramifications of the ending, the time travel element, the loss of innocence within a close society, that bunny outfit, leaving your date in a movie theater to burn someone's house down, the insane cast attached to the project, and so much more.  You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h56m. The guys will be back later next week to continue their series on the films of Richard Kelly with a review of his next film, Southland Tales. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 177 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter discuss the final film in their Edward Yang series, Yi Yi (2000). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. In his final masterpiece of not only this series but of his career, Yang delivered his last cinematic investigation, insight into his country, this time from the perspective of people his own age, centering the narrative around a middle class family struggling to accept the world and roles they have in society, school, work, and in their home. In doing so, Yang gives us his most vital film, about the regrets of the past meeting the reality of the moment that result in heartbreak and silence in the future, done in such an elegant, beautiful fashion. Ryan and Jay discuss their thoughts on the film, Yang's overall statement within the film, his career being cut short by illness, and the themes of the film that resonated and are shined a light on throughout the director's filmography. They also give their ranks of the films they reviewed in the series and preview the next series they will be covering, starting next week.  You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h20m. The guys will be back later next week to begin their series on the films of Richard Kelly with a review of his first film, Donnie Darko. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 366 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade, Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson and Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello break down their highlights from the 2026 New York Film Festival, thoughts on Aaron Sorkin's latest, The Social Reckoning, and discuss their thoughts on the rising and falling contenders for the four major acting categories for this year's Oscars as they hit the final stage of the film festival season. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h57m. We will be back two weeks with recap the AFI Film Festival and the 2026 regional film festivals. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 176 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter discuss the next film in their Edward Yang series, Mahjong (1996). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this Awards Watch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. In his second modern satire of the mid 1990s, Edward Yang looked inward again at the youth of his homeland, mirroring the violent, aimless nature of young men much like his masterpiece A Brighter Summer Day. Instead of being located in a small city, he sets Mahjong in the heart of a downtown Taipei, where every interaction comes with a dollar and personal price to it that can't be quantified, resulting in a riveting drama about a group of young men, and the women they know, trying to make enough money to escape the world they live in and the fate destined for them if they continue down their dangerous paths. Ryan and Jay break down their thoughts on the film, how Yang is an observer more than a commenter about his world and the characters that live in it, the power dynamics at play involving the young men in the film and those who are old than them, the outside, western cultured forces at play in the film, as well as the guys pitching some cool business ideas, and a few fun stories from their time at Telluride. You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h. The guys will be back later next week to conclude their series on the films of Edward Yang with a review of his final film, Yi Yi. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it. Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 365 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch Associate TV Editor Karen Peterson to review the latest film from director Alejandro González Iñárritu, Digger. You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 1h26m. We will be back next week with a recap of the 64th New York Film Festival and a review of the latest film from Aaron Sorkin, The Social Reckoning. Till then, let's get into it. Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).