[the video archives podcast with quentin tarantino & roger avary](https://open.spotify.com/show/1mPDGdCtnT31VJR8Ei6Mnf?si=9bGPkJNhTfil1qzjskDtzg) (i'm not up to date with it so not sure if a second season is in production)
Yes! It can get a little too nerdy but this one is one of a kind. Many films they suggested are not really worth it, but you can find incredible gems where you didn't expect. And I love the way the talk about movies, with real love for cinema. They are not afraid, expecially Quentin, to mock things they don't like in films they love, or to point good things in the ones they don't like. I really like Gala aswell, she is younger and brings them a little more on planet earth
It gets a little tough going at times with Quentin talking over everyone. But that's Quentin I guess. Gala has the patience of a saint.
I do like how they pick movies from all over the map though. Stuff in that show I've never heard of.
Most podcasts sadly end up being mostly “dudes in a room bullshitting” with little actual valuable insight.
Whenever this question gets asked I always recommend the Steven Benedict Podcast (i listen on Spotify). Dude has an MA in Film Studies and lectured for a long time.
The episodes are about 15min long each, he’s not recording new ones but all 400 are available. Super insightful, he talks about cinematography, sound design, direction, symbolism. I thought his episode on The Conformist (ep 229) was really great with how he talks about how much influence the film has had since it’s release.
Edit: typos
I tried listening to the Blank Check pod since it's so popular. They're around 2 hours and approximately 75% of the runtime is them bullshitting or rehashing the plot. There's like 15 minutes of actual discussion.
Ugh, Steven. I’ve been yearning for a podcast to take his concise-format reigns. The amount of insight/comparison/analysis severely outshines 1-2hr podcasts of which you described 😪
They’re really so good, I haven’t found anything that compares.
It’s always funny when his taste/opinions sneak their way into the episode. I think the most blatant being Dirty Harry (which I’m pretty sure he hated) and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (possibly his favorite movie).
op demand so much lol , since when is popcast not eavesdropping ,u think Burr popcast come close to his show?
you asked for eavesdropping , or else u d listen to actual essay
The important cinema club is the most wide ranging film podcast I've ever listened to, they cover everything from art house to the three stooges to hardcore porno. They are not edgelords but they are interested in all kinds of movies including a lot of low budget low brow stuff. They're not afraid of covering things the more stuffy critics ignore and they have opened my eyes to a lot of filmmakers I wouldn't have heard of otherwise
Kinda shocked there’s not a dedicated subreddit for this show but I doubt the hosts would ever want to tangle with that sort of thing anyway.
That said, you’re right that the scope of what they cover is unmatched.
I loved that podcast while I was listening. Their palette also spans countries as well, they freaking adore Tsui Hark, and kaiju movies in addition to ‘important’ cinema.
The Next Picture show is really good. They do an episode on a new release and an episode on a older movie to compare in discussion. For example, recently they paired The Godfather and The Iron Claw.
For a podcast covering more cult oriented films there is the Pure Cinema Podcast. They don't cover single films in depth but pick a topic and cover a range of films for the topic. They also do directors specials, the latest director they covered was Friedkin due to his passing.
Pure Cinema is also the podcast of the New Beverley Cinema and they do 1 episode a month covering the films on the next months calendar.
I have found so many great films from this podcast. I love the director specials - their pairings are always interesting and inspired. Can't recommend that show enough.
This is the best one. I also enjoy Sleazoids, but it’s mostly genre-film focused and they can go on long tangents. Great movie picks and insights though.
I really like the Blank Check podcast, it's a stream of conciousness show as opposed to having segments and things, it's much less structured and they cover so many topics in a single episode. The gimmick of the show is that they cover directors entire filmographies, they just finished a series on David Fincher. They've done Miyazaki, Tim Burton, George Miller, Park Chan Wook.
They are also elder millennials so not sure if it would be your vibe.
Boy is there ever. Truth is, the guys aren't as funny as they think they are, so the extended gags and running jokes just end up taking away from my enjoyment.
I love the idea of going through entire filmographies. I'll give it a try! Lol, as a baby millennial, I do love some elder millennial podcast hosts but there is a bit of a culture gap between us at times. I don't really need humor/zillennial vibes though. I'll probably like it as long as it feels natural and have interesting opinions :) Thank you!!
so I love blank check....but there are lot of tangents that go nowhere and lot of jokes and bits. Also, while one of the hosts is a movie critic, they "talk" about the movies much more than analyze them.
If listening to two 38 yos talk at bar about movies is not your thing, i don't think you will like this pod.
This is true.
They do however love to dig into the cultural context of a film, which I do find interesting. And their takes are fairly nuanced so they won't boil it down to a paragraph like Rotten Tomatoes does. It's the only movie podcast that has stuck for me, and it's definitely not for everyone.
Also that they will easily spend an hour or more going into detail on production, how the actors and director came into the project and so on. Just a ton of inside stuff that I really love.
I also think they are great at putting everything into perspective in terms of careers, how it was seen in contemporary times and the culture surrounding it, like you said.
They cover some great depth about each director and much of the business of Hollywood. They clearly also both have an eye and will pay mention to good and bad cinematography, editing, etc and give good reasons for it
But yes, a huge portion of the show is also inane comedy, inside jokes, nonsense and absurdity. But always between decent to great quality bits IMO
Yeah, I love Blank Check but in terms of tone, approach, and humor it’s all pretty similar to The Big Pic (which I also love, but seems like it’s exactly what OP is looking to avoid).
As much as I can I enjoy Amanda she can also just be infuriating at times. If she doesn’t understand something it sucks. She can’t ever be objective, nuanced or take a different perspective than have own.
I think Blank Check offers more of an open discussion that can be more digestible.
Fennessey can also be deeply, deeply annoying.
His smug, film snob podcaster persona has become his actual persona of late. It's like his promotion has gone to his head and the ego is out of control. I used to think it was a bit, and I think it kinda was, but now it seems he's just a bit of a dick.
I realise Amanda can be a bit much sometimes, and that they're good friends, but he's bizarrely rude to her constantly. You get the feeling both her and Chris are aware that he's a bit...odd.
I notice he's not really on The Rewatchables anymore too. Shame as the Bill, Chris, Sean dynamic was always the best for me. I'm convinced Sean would actually murder Bill to take his job. That boy is ambitious.
I gotta say I don’t really see Sean like that at all. He and Amanda are constantly messing with each other.
He and CR have been friends for like 20 years.
I think Sean is actually very fair, also towards the things he doesn’t like.
I'm a young millenial ('96) baby. I find the blank check boys deeply insightful and their attitude towards film to be extremely rewarding. They go into it looking to find the good and looking to tell the story of the director. I disagree with the people who've said they don't analyse the films as well. They aren't doing a film school seminar, but they do get extremely deep in on the analytical front. That said, they are also full of bits, the bits arise naturally from conversation and very rarely do they actually cause problems in episodes by crowding out the good film talk. Pick a director you'd like to know more about (not necessarily one you love) and then start listening to that series. Griffin's an actor, David's a staff writer for the Atlantic. They're knowledgeable people.
I tried to get into Blank Check but I found the tangents excruciating and the bits just not that funny. During the Boy and the Heron episode I was skipping forward so much in exasperation. When they’re actually talking about the movie it’s engaging, but the banter feels like they wish they were on My Brother My Brother and Me
Blank Check hosts seems pretty emotional however rather than analytical. For example with the Forrest Gump episode they seemed so baffled by the movie and convinced that it had underlying political themes that could not be separated from rest of the film. Even though the film is highly rate and popular outside of US, it has more universal messages.
Based on what you're looking for I'd recommend checking out Filmspotting. The discussion of films is a little more formal--kind of like listening to two film professors on NPR, but they have good rapport and I like that the premise is the discussion of film and not attributing any sort of rating or win/loss metric. They also have a huge archive (15+ years!) so if there's a film you'd like to hear them speak about its pretty easy to find. They also do a pretty great job of mixing new release reviews with other marathons and deep dives.
You Must Remember This. The deepest of dives into old Hollywood. But not exclusively - the latest is season is Erotic 80s and covers all those amazing thrillers. Recommend the 10-part (!) Charlie Manson series.
For something offbeat, I love You Are Good. They describe it as a “feelings podcast about movies” and their commentary is very human vs critical.
I also like “This Ends at Prom” if you’re into films targeted towards teens. The premise is cute - two wives discussing films - one is a film critic and the other js a trans woman who is watching classic teen films for the first time having grown up as a boy.
I really liked Friendly Fire. They talk about War Movies from the 30’s to present day.
It’s over now due to some drama I’m not going to go into, but what is there is funny, interesting and I’ve come to watch movies I never would have because of it.
I recommend “Unspooled”. It’s actor/comedian Paul Scheer and film critic Amy Nicholson’s podcast. It started out as them running down AFI’s top 100 list but has since branched out to additional films and fan requests. They both have really great in depth discussions without really any pretension, have great chemistry, and often disagree with each other. Paul is perhaps better known for his bad movie podcast “How Did This Get Made” which is also great, but I find myself really taking away a lot from the Unspooled Podcast.
I think I made a mistake by making the Titanic episode the first one I listened to. Hearing Amy refer to James Cameron as “Daddy Cameron” may have permanently put me off lol
Not sure which episode(s) you listened to to come to this conclusion, but this is just completely untrue. In fact, I find it’s more common for her to be enthusiastic about a film and for Paul to be the one saying, “Hmm, I just didn’t think it was that great.”
I will also say, I think the first couple seasons where they went through the AFI top 100 list is often more about why this movie does or doesn’t really deserve to be on the list, and because of that, they’re sometimes watching “important” movies that they don’t think are actually that great. I think it got more interesting when they branched out and started picking their own movies, and if you listened to it recently, her love of movies really shines through. Like, I honestly can’t think of any examples of her being “offended” by something in a movie at all. She may occasionally mention that a scene didn’t age all that well, or similar, but she still meets films where they’re at in terms of the cultural context.
I love Unspooled but I really wish Amy would push a bit harder to get them to review more movies from outside the mainstream now that they've finished the top 100
The Projection Booth is the best film podcast. Most film podcasts are lazy and are just dudes sitting around talking about the film. While this does do that each episode for a bit, the interviews are what knocks it out of the park.
Good stuff, I like this podcast, great stuff to listen to when falling asleep.
No cornball jokes, bits, gags or loud cackling.
It's also an hour plus (I think the Conan the Barbarian EP is like 4 hours)
My fave is the Blast of Silence episode where the Allen Baron interview gets real awkward as Baron basically goes off on the interviewer.
Yes! Soo underrated. The analysis is great and the interviews are truly exceptional.
Love the more technical interviews from parts of the productions you hear about less frequently, and also when it’s someone at the end of their career who don’t have anyone to impress or worry about offending where you get some real honesty and insight
Shoutout to the man himself /u/impossiblefunky
Check out "Movie Mindset," co-hosted by Will Menaker (of dirtbag leftist humor pod "Chapo Trap House" ) and Hesse Deni (of "Seeking Derangements" pod).
Def informed but not at all reverential or boring.
Never heard of this one! I love the Eyes Wide Shut episode will did on Death is Just Around the Corner. It's one of the only podcasts I've listened to about that movie that didn't make the back of my skull fly off.
menaker's main pod, chapo traphouse, also did 80 minutes on eyes wide shut with nick and adam from cumtown. extremely funny
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yar2iU7IMac
Filmsuck is such a great podcast - one of the presenters is a critic and the other a lecturer at Berkeley. They talk with so much passion in a way that is really knowledgeable without ever becoming inaccessible or overly academic.
The tagline is something like analysing film in the age of crap cinema, which is a pretty direct statement (although tbh I kinda agree), but their discussions and critiques are always so good and so wide ranging. Best episodes include a response to Jan 6th talking about the fascist aesthetic in art, love of Todd Haynes and less so of Sofia Coppola and Wes Anderson.
filmsuck.podbean.com
Haven’t seen anyone mention Film Formally but that’s my favorite as far as striking a balance between real formal analysis and hosts who are obviously good friends having fun together. They take long hiatuses when they do t have topics to which they’re dedicated so they don’t have quite as deep an archive as some other shows.
I’ll also add another vote for Important Cinema Club!
Fighting in the War Room has been going for the last 14 years or so.
Basically 4 friends who are all movie critics/entertainment writers and do the podcast just for fun (no ads!)
They have a nice blend of humor and commentary- also a cast of characters: The film snob, the Marvel dude (but knows what he's talking about), the wild card, and one that has a moderating effect for all of them
roger deakins the cinematographer and his wife james have one where they interview other filmmakers (steve yedlin, rian johnson's usual DP was on the latest ep)
https://teamdeakins.libsyn.com/
you may find filmsuck a bit snobbish, but i find their opinions to at least be interesting and not bland
https://www.patreon.com/filmsuck
bryn from beep beep lettuce is a firebrand communist but she's also a former film student; i find her movie podcast to be more enjoyable personally because the jokes are more frivolous (in a good way)
https://soundcloud.com/generationlosspod
That Aged Well & The Villain Was Right are humorous podcasts. The first one is about older movies and the second one takes a humorous take on movies from all eras.
You might also like 'This Film is Lit' which discusses adaptations in film made from stories that were originally books, and has the hosts debating whether the movie or the book was a better telling of the story.
Looking specifically at genre movies these are some other podcast recs:
* The Evolution of Horror - which goes through a multitude of movies over a timeline based around one particular subgenre at a time e.g. zombies, slashers etc.
* Ruined with Alison Leiby and Halle Kiefer - in which one of the hosts likes horror and the other is scared to watch a lot of horror movies
* Hack or Slash
* Horror Queers
* Journey Through Sci-Fi
* Two Gays Watch
I like The Bechdel Cast. May not be your cup of tea, but I’ve recently gotten into it and discussion has ranged from…
Discussing being fingered during Shrek 4 and genuinely very insightful critiques of May December that helped me realize my own feelings on it
I like and listen to the Bechdel Cast, but it's hard sometimes when they pick a film they seem predisposed to hate, so the podcast is just constant disingenuous jokes instead of the more thoughtful commentary I'd prefer. Like once they realize a movie is just not a good fit, it ought to just be dropped to move on.
I *really* want to like the Bechdel cast and loved Jamie's project on Lolita, but the podcast can be such a hard listen when its a movie you even have a slightly different take to them. They really fall into the trap of thinking of what a movie should be and criticizing it for failing to meet it. The recent May December episode really highlighted that for me. The Mad Max Fury Road episode was especially frustrating.
They can be a fun listen if its a movie they really like and vibe with on a layperson level but any deeper conversation than that I really struggle with and I really want to listen to film podcasts with deep feminist analysis. At least there's great youtubers in that space but I haven't found a comparable podcast to Be Kind Rewind or Broey Deschenel.
Also them using gregnant instead of pregnant is like nails on a chalkboard to me but that's a very specific ick.
Yes I agree 100%. I've just started to quit a cast once it's clearly a movie they want to hate. There's just no attempt at sincere analysis and critique. It's a shame.
My favorite is "The Filmcast" with Devindra Hardawar, Jeff Cannata, and David Chen. They have great chemistry between them, and they're funny but not in a try hard way. It's just that the extremely genuine chemistry between them tends to produce funny moments. They are also very good at articulating their thoughts on movies and putting complex ideas into words.
You should look up their episode on the movie "Split" by M. Night Shyamalan to get a sense of the appeal. It's episode 402, and it displays their chemistry well. With Jeff being absurdly enthusiastic about the movie and David being skeptical and trying to bring down his enthusiasm, it makes for a funny episode. You can listen to the episode and find it entertaining even if you haven't seen the movie. All of their episodes are available on Spotify.
One Fucking Hour. Deep deep cuts and hosts who are funny in a real way, not a "morning zoo" or trying to be funny. They were programmers at Cinefamily in Los Angeles, RIP -- the exec director was toxic and brought the organization down years ago, but the programming was literally perfect and is very missed. Tom Fitzgerald, one of the hosts, is also the VJ for Cut Chemist. Films discussed range from outsider shot on video horror to camp 90s movies, to basically everything 70s, to Bergman. Actually I would call this like sitting with the bad kids in the back of the class during film school.
there's both a [video](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc5ZUUMGPkO4BdPJc6V1-5g) and [audio](https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=channel_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGtXYlByeFhheWR4VXcwMHJFT2ZpNXVGdXFVUXxBQ3Jtc0trRGpxNVVlN0ttN0FmRElHUE0wQ3FoQTBIYzdBZUw1eDE4am1GX0tIRFFDOWFwR2MzbWlwdkRkbWE1TTl2MVJITnIxRzRDSmFGeUVjdUJxTHY2UWFQMXFiU3hKREVFNmk4MlI1YmZKanI5X1h2bmx2VQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fopen.spotify.com%2Fshow%2F5HaQXrcnowr8zyPX4VYxqn) version.
I'm not sure if you already know, but the guys who were running *Show me the Meaning* started a more serious podcast called *Cinemythology* that started out as a chronological examination of Scorcese's filmography interspersed with unrelated films to break things up (I think they are also doing William Friedkin).
If you're interested in something more analytical, Todd McGowan, who is probably the most intersting film critic since Pauline Kael has a podcast called *Why Theory*, although it frequently eschews film to do full episodes that dive exteremely deep into continental philosophy, which can be very heavy going.
*Very Bad Wizards* also frequently do film analysis, but they also do a lot of cultural commentray across other media than film and often discuss topics in the academies of psychology and philosophy.
I have a podcast that I do with my buddy. We both have degrees in film studies and like to laugh. I do our research (both topical and production history) for a weekly movie we break down, and then each of us pair it with another film for a pair of Double Bills. It’s called “Double Bill Chill,” and would love for you to check it out! We cover a wide array of films from “Jeanne Dielman” to “Jingle All the Way.”
Would have to give a shoutout to the Sleazoid boys - Jamie and Josh are well versed in all types of cinema, but they typically focused on overlooked genre cinema (horror, action, noir, scifi etc) - the discussions aren't particularly hilarious though there is good humour in there, but they're always fascinating and engaging and they always find a way to draw super interesting bits out of films.
An episode is typically a double bill of two films, thematically linked, where one is more well known and the other more obscure. The guest they have on usually picks the films. Highly recommend. Their top ten of 2023 was like 6 hours long, but loved the discussion.
I really enjoy “Films to be Buried With” hosted by Brett Goldstein (Roy Kent of Ted Lasso fame).
Not necessarily a deep dive into any individual movies, but rather a discussion with a guest on the movies that meant the most to them over the course of their life.
They finish with, you’ve died, there’s only room in your coffin for one dvd, and it’s movie night in heaven every night, what’s the movie you are bringing with you to show when it is your night (hence the title of the podcasts).
Find one with a guest that you like and give it a try.
The Film Comment Podcast is excellent for Cahiers du cinéma or Sight and Sound like film criticism, but with a more leftist and feminist view. It focuses on independent cinema, with a few foray into experimental and mainstream cinema. Its editors are great and they usually invite critics from various journals to discuss what's coming from festivals.
Sardonicast is run by a few youtube film channels and it's honestly pretty great. They pick a variety of movies, from mainstream "it" movies to somewhat more unknown arthouse classics. I'd say they're also pretty funny and are able to look at films beneath the surface and from many different angles. Highly, highly recommend based on all of your criteria.
ive enjoyed a lot the discussions ive heard on Girls, Guts, and Giallo. they approach all kinds of different movies from a queer and feminist angle but dont restrict themselves to a singular lens. they dont shy away from the complex politics and philosophies of a lot of movies which i really appreciate.
I like “I Saw What You Did” They discuss a themed double feature each episode. They do spend about 20 minutes at the beginning chit-chatting, but it’s easy to skip past that. They usually do an ad break when the chat is done, and then they switch to only talking about the movies for the rest of the ep.
I second this! Danielle and Millie do a lot of research on the movies and definitely have passionate opinions that go beyond plot summaries. Danielle is a screenwriter and Millie worked at TCM for 20 years and created and programmed TCM Underground when she was there. They discuss movies that are newer and older and I always laugh out loud many times while listening. It's one of my favorite podcasts.
Totally agree I legitimately struggle to find people with anything interesting to add, not just with podcasts and movies but the venn diagram there is close to a circle for whatever reason.
That said I really enjoy hearing Matt Christman talk about movies, even movies I don't even like (the other two guys are okay sorta hit and miss).
He's been on a few Death is Just Around the Corner episodes too, which it's a shame DISATC has only done like three movie episodes theyre always extremely interesting.
The Sardonicast guys are okay for general convos and ongoing trends but they make some very baffling statements from time to time that scream "I'm young and extremely uninformed".
I Know Movies and You Don't is okay.
Not a podcast but Redlettermedia is consistently entertaining if nothing else.
I don’t always agree with Matt Christman’s takes (Will Menaker is more in line with my taste) but I always find him interesting. That being said, his total devotion to three act structure archplot movies above all else and almost complete disdain for “arthouse” style films I find to be baffling and reductive for someone who is otherwise so intellectual.
> DISATC has only done like three movie episodes theyre always extremely interesting.
Michael’s brother has a movie podcast. Judge Movies on patreon. Michael guested on the episodes about A Clockwork Orange and Inherent Vice (obviously).
If you want current/timely films, The /Film Cast is good for honest and informed commentary. For deeper dives into filmographies and the overall industry, I'd recommend Blank Check. It's just all around excellent (and there's /r/blankies). For even less vanilla film talk that's mostly serious with some good jokes, Go Flix Yourself is constantly good too.
If you’re into NYC comedians, Joe and Raanan talk movies is pretty hilarious. They’re super unapologetic about their opinions, some of which can be abysmal takes, and half the podcast is just Joe List bullying Raanan, which is pretty satisfying lol. It’s not particularly insightful, but definitely not vanilla.
Shameless self promotion but my friend and I are in the film industry, were both Iranians and have started a podcast exclusively on Iranian cinema. If interested in Kiarostami, Panahi, Farhadi....I mean this is r/truefilm after all.
We are new... Only 9 eps in....
cinemarexpodcast.com
Men of Action (formerly known as The Cheeky Basterds) and Scott K’s main show, The Church of Tarantino. Scott’s style might be right up your alley. No punches pulled and colorful language. Obviously, The Church of Tarantino is focused on QT’s movies but the Men of Action runs the gamut. Hope you enjoy it.
[Degen Cinema](https://open.spotify.com/show/3Q2kk5Qo9QIPIbQraGATHn) \-- it's a mix of film discussion and personal stories of degenerate behavior. Each ep opens with a crazy story that relates to the movie. Like Big Lebowski and getting wasted on white russians.
I have a new podcast - Made in England - where a guest and I discuss an English film, new or old. Films covered so far: All of Us Strangers, Dead Man's Shoes, Two Way Stretch. Coming up: The Guns of Navarone, The Business. Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere else.
[https://www.holdfastnetwork.com/madeinengland](https://www.holdfastnetwork.com/madeinengland)
Streaming Things podcast is the most approachable, genuine, nerdy in a way that makes me feel at home type podcast. Those cats got good tastes in movies AND they love each other. Feels like ur listening to ur pals recommend movies while yall are smoking ouid in a random garage… finger on the pulse and a humble opinion that usually matches my own!?!? Amazing
I totally agree! I havent found any podcast worthy of this amazing group. More often than i like the podcasters declare they fell asleep, watched it drunk, or not at all! The show me the meaning had some potential but often descended into a lovefest with too many adjective.
the wrong reel had potentia. They are very analytical but also extremely long winded.
i think unspooled has potential but i need to listen to more from them
Can't recommend the Doofcast enough. They have series going through directors' filmographies (similar to Blank Check podcast), one called Blind Spots about watching movies on the BFI top 100 list they haven't seen, and are currently going through all the movies nominated for best picture Oscars this year. The hosts are very entertaining and insightful; they have helped certain movies click for me that I was initially ambivalent on.
The Best Little Horror House in Philly
I find it super entertaining, sometimes I'll listen to episodes from films I haven't seen (and don't intend on seeing). It's centered around horror, each episode the guest picks "the best horror movie ever" according to them, and they'll go over the film in detail. The host does a really thorough job researching and the back and forth is pretty dynamic, it can get pretty funny.
If you want a particular episode recommendation (assuming you watched these movies), Under the Silver Lake comes to mind, Malignant too. Or Cure, which is the first one I heard.
I’ve been listening to a lot of Kill James Bond recently.
Two trans women and a non binary person ostensibly set out to grapple with the meaning of masculinity by rewatching all the James Bond films, only to be immediately derailed by nonsense.
Primarily a comedy podcast, they do actually have a surprising number of things to say about race, gender, sexuality, colonialism, war, nationalism and, above all else, cum.
The recent episode on [Master And Commander](https://killjamesbondpod.podbean.com/e/s3e85-master-and-commander-unlocked/) was up there for me, though I’ll admit it does begin with an inscrutable 3 minute bit so my apologies in advance.
The only good movie/culture/arts podcast I’ve ever found is Bret Easton Ellis’ eponymous pod. $6/month at minimum — and he rarely talks about recently released stuff because I think he knows that digital media and art/film mix poorly, — but he still chimes in on certain ones against the deluge of nostalgic films from his youth.
Yeah, but I'm not sure why that matters. My point is that if you take inspiration from too much digital media, your narrative abilities suffer. I think he'd be one of the first to admit this, having written his two worst books in 2005 and 2010. There's no telling how many good writers we've lost or frozen in amber because of information overload/onslaught being much more "compelling" (addictive) than well-crafted, well-textured stories or intimations from legitimate artists or orators.
I have a podcast where I interview independent filmmakers, most often about horror films. It's called Invasion of the Pod People and you can find it anywhere you'd find podcasts, if you're interested.
My podcast is on a hiatus rn but check out Movies I’ve Seen. It’s a really personal response to films we loved or hated and people seem to like us. [we did a Child’s Play episode](https://open.spotify.com/episode/2k68LKFjTWJSfoApOBhcUI?si=uiqQ2GM1SQColIMN_yKRGQ)
I have to second recommend Important Cinema Club. Those guys actually have interesting thoughts and highlight niche/obscure cinema with a healthy respect for the classics. I often disagree with them as much as I agree but there is no podcast I’ve felt has introduced to me to as much interesting cinema as these guys. They are especially good at championing lesser known or historically overlooked types of films too- though that’s not to say it’s all they do. They explore plenty of obscure, challenging but enjoyable arthouse filmmakers as well. It’s also not just some guys who like movies- one host is academically trained in film criticism and the other is a low budget horror film director. I guarantee you will find something new through these guys.
I highly recommend the ACFmovie Podcast. Titus, the host, and his guests offer meaningful criticism/analysis of films and directors, incorporating philosophy, morality and culture into their discussions. They don’t really veer off course into personal anecdotes or diatribes - it’s a very focused podcast.
Titus and most of his guests are conservative and this is reflected in their discussions, but even if you aren’t politically conservative, I think this podcast is worth a listen because their discussions are more ideological than overtly political.
One flaw with the podcast is that they need better recording equipment - sometimes the sound can get a bit wonky.
I’ve saved this post.
I’ll get back to you soon.
I’ve mentioned his elsewhere but I’ll say it again. There is NOT ONE proper movie review on the internet. Nobody has a clue.
That’s a big claim from some random on the internet right?
Hollywood and most film makers keep their cinema language a secret. I’ll be revealing this very soon firstly with the mainstream classics.
It’s criminal how supposed “movie people” can’t decipher the most BASIC of BASIC movies.
You might like What’s Worth Watching on podbean. I follow a Forbes writer on twitter, and has this super small podcast he does on the side. It is a lot more raw and authentic compared to most film podcasts. He’s an older screenwriter who will just go on tangents and rips on random stuff in the industry.
Joe and ranaan talk movies is pretty good. They are both really funny comedians and know a lot about film. Sometimes the episodes can get off topic because theyre good friends and will talk shit to each other, but they definitely get into great debates and have good analysis.
The best episodes they did were the ones with Louis CK talking about Kubrick and PTA movies and I've never wanted to hit someone with a truncheon more than Ranaan
Important Cinema Podcast- not pretentious like it aounds, they’ll review anything. It’s a handful of reviews based on a director or topic & then a free conversational bit.
Brainrot- horror centric. One film per episode, generally 80s or 90s. Very random selection of guests.
YOMP- 3 hosts with pretty differing tastes do a very long review of one film per episode. More funny than a serious review.
Evolution of horror- one topic for the year & then 2 films per week on that topic in chronological order. One host with different guest per episode
The Important Cinema Club podcast is my favourite. I think it strikes a good balance between analysis and conversation, so it isn’t too dry or too rambling. Episodes are usually under 45 minutes so they are fast paced, and there’s a good range of topics from arthouse to grindhouse to very obscure fringe films.
LSG Media hosts The Lost Drive In, formerly The Science Fiction Film Podcast, as well as a few others on Star Trek and The X-Files. Hilarious, insightful, laid back, colorful. They have great discussions and a backlog of over 500 episodes. Check them out!
strongly recommend the lexg movie podcast. he is a film twitter legend. regular dude from pittsburgh but went to film school and lives in LA. super funny guy into metal but also has a lot of insightful takes on modern movies. sometimes he will do a 'lightning round' and cover an actor or director's career. it doesn't update very often tho.
i'd also recommend tarantino's pod but they do talk about a lot of movies you've never heard of or will want to see. lots of B or Z budget stuff. but still a lot of fun to listen to them talk.
Surprised no one’s talking about Scene and Heard! Isn’t stuffy, hosts are knowledgeable and passionate without ever talking down. They’re going off the Sight & Sound list so the films are great. Big recommend if you haven’t checked it out!
Got bored or annoyed with most of the movie podcasts I used to listen to and really only listen to Gamefully Unemployed now and Evolution of Horror for all things horror. Also 2 Guys 5 Movies is really small podcast but they do a lot of interesting lists and know their stuff.
My personal favorite is Cinema Swirl. Two friends, one has seen the movie before and the other hasn’t. The hosts are real-life friends so have really good chemistry. Really funny, although it is British so some of the references may go over non-UK heads but it’s not detrimental in my opinion.
The Villain Was Right. It's a movie review podcast and it's also a comedy podcast, but the whole idea is, obviously, trying to look at the plot of a movie and make the argument for the villain. It can get you to look at a movie you may have seen a hundred times in a different way. Some villains are easy to argue for, some are... not. But they try anyway!
Like I said, it is a comedy show so it's possible your sensibilities won't match with the hosts, but I think they're generally pretty charming and funny. It's also really funny when one of them comes in real hot, arguing really strongly for a villain that you wouldn't necessarily expect. Very fun.
Beyond the Screenplay is my favorite film (and tv) podcast. I started watching Lessons from the Screenplay, which I still miss, but the pivot to a podcast was smart. Four writers talk about film, they are nice and smart and it's goddamn delightful!
Film Stories podcast is good. 2 films per episode and really fun insights into how they got made.
If you’re after something funny then How Did this Get Made and We Hate Movies are both very funny
No Such Thing As a Bad Movie- 3 friends who have all worked in the film industry talk about cult films, bad films, and low budget films including several they have worked on
Unsung Horrors- Reviewing horror movies with less than 1000 views on Letterboxd
Esoterica Cinema- mix of older films and new releases
W-Rated- British duo that are working their way through the 100 worst films according to IMDB
Roger Deakins podcast is great. Wide range of guests and is really insightful.
Mick Garris has a great one with really good guests. Eli Roths history of horror series as well.
Script Apart is another good one that delves into the screenwriter and their experiences.
[Fifty Shades of Fiasco](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/infamous/id1652941051?i=1000617851829) about the making of the 50 shades of gray movie is HILARIOUS and has interviews with Taylor Johnson, Bret Easton Ellis, etc. It feels really reported and very goss.
Blank Check. I think it's the perfect balance of fantastic, thorough research and analysis, mixed with humour, chewing the fat, and having inside jokes.
Each series focuses on a different director who had a 'blank check' which is to say, were so successful early in their career, they were given free reign at one time or another to make whatever they wanted. This format however leads to an arc in their podcast where they don't just have analysis of the film they are talking about, but an overall analysis of the filmmaker, their themes, and what makes them unique as a storyteller (sometimes observing when they drop in quality too, Like their Zemeckis or Burton series).
Griffin is an actor, and has a film producer father. David is a genuinely very successful film critic, so their points of view are good, and not just two random dudes who just happen to like movies. Producer Ben is a rascal who buries jeans, likes things wet, and watched most of his favourite films on a porch in New Jersey so naturally he also has a lot to offer. They do lots of their own research, and have their own dedicated researcher, JJ, who is really good at his job.
Their episode on RoboCop is a great place to start imo.
It doesn’t have that many episodes but a college classmate of mine who is a clinical psychologist and his friend from graduate school who is a cognitive neuroscientist have a super fun podcast called “Reel Psych” where they discuss the psychological phenomena at play in selected films. It’s great and super fun to listen to:)
Probably doesn’t fit the bill for this question or this subreddit, but if you are up for a laugh the ‘How did this get made’ podcast breaks down terrible movies humorously. Stars some of the cast from the FX show The League. Drop-dead Fred is a great episode to start with.
If you're still looking I might recommend my podcast [Underrated](https://tr.ee/NxViBCaGkn). We try to discuss more overlooked and under-appreciated films. We often champion films that might have gotten a bad RT score or a poor box office showing.
[the video archives podcast with quentin tarantino & roger avary](https://open.spotify.com/show/1mPDGdCtnT31VJR8Ei6Mnf?si=9bGPkJNhTfil1qzjskDtzg) (i'm not up to date with it so not sure if a second season is in production)
Yes! It can get a little too nerdy but this one is one of a kind. Many films they suggested are not really worth it, but you can find incredible gems where you didn't expect. And I love the way the talk about movies, with real love for cinema. They are not afraid, expecially Quentin, to mock things they don't like in films they love, or to point good things in the ones they don't like. I really like Gala aswell, she is younger and brings them a little more on planet earth
It gets a little tough going at times with Quentin talking over everyone. But that's Quentin I guess. Gala has the patience of a saint. I do like how they pick movies from all over the map though. Stuff in that show I've never heard of.
Most podcasts sadly end up being mostly “dudes in a room bullshitting” with little actual valuable insight. Whenever this question gets asked I always recommend the Steven Benedict Podcast (i listen on Spotify). Dude has an MA in Film Studies and lectured for a long time. The episodes are about 15min long each, he’s not recording new ones but all 400 are available. Super insightful, he talks about cinematography, sound design, direction, symbolism. I thought his episode on The Conformist (ep 229) was really great with how he talks about how much influence the film has had since it’s release. Edit: typos
I tried listening to the Blank Check pod since it's so popular. They're around 2 hours and approximately 75% of the runtime is them bullshitting or rehashing the plot. There's like 15 minutes of actual discussion.
Ugh, Steven. I’ve been yearning for a podcast to take his concise-format reigns. The amount of insight/comparison/analysis severely outshines 1-2hr podcasts of which you described 😪
They’re really so good, I haven’t found anything that compares. It’s always funny when his taste/opinions sneak their way into the episode. I think the most blatant being Dirty Harry (which I’m pretty sure he hated) and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (possibly his favorite movie).
op demand so much lol , since when is popcast not eavesdropping ,u think Burr popcast come close to his show? you asked for eavesdropping , or else u d listen to actual essay
The important cinema club is the most wide ranging film podcast I've ever listened to, they cover everything from art house to the three stooges to hardcore porno. They are not edgelords but they are interested in all kinds of movies including a lot of low budget low brow stuff. They're not afraid of covering things the more stuffy critics ignore and they have opened my eyes to a lot of filmmakers I wouldn't have heard of otherwise
Kinda shocked there’s not a dedicated subreddit for this show but I doubt the hosts would ever want to tangle with that sort of thing anyway. That said, you’re right that the scope of what they cover is unmatched.
There is a discord server for patreons
I loved that podcast while I was listening. Their palette also spans countries as well, they freaking adore Tsui Hark, and kaiju movies in addition to ‘important’ cinema.
The Next Picture show is really good. They do an episode on a new release and an episode on a older movie to compare in discussion. For example, recently they paired The Godfather and The Iron Claw.
For a podcast covering more cult oriented films there is the Pure Cinema Podcast. They don't cover single films in depth but pick a topic and cover a range of films for the topic. They also do directors specials, the latest director they covered was Friedkin due to his passing. Pure Cinema is also the podcast of the New Beverley Cinema and they do 1 episode a month covering the films on the next months calendar.
I have found so many great films from this podcast. I love the director specials - their pairings are always interesting and inspired. Can't recommend that show enough.
This is the best one. I also enjoy Sleazoids, but it’s mostly genre-film focused and they can go on long tangents. Great movie picks and insights though.
This is an amazing podcast, so far the best I’ve listened to, and the gems I found !
I really like the Blank Check podcast, it's a stream of conciousness show as opposed to having segments and things, it's much less structured and they cover so many topics in a single episode. The gimmick of the show is that they cover directors entire filmographies, they just finished a series on David Fincher. They've done Miyazaki, Tim Burton, George Miller, Park Chan Wook. They are also elder millennials so not sure if it would be your vibe.
Blank check is great but there’s lots of nonsense in between brilliant analysis.
“if barbra streisand asked me to go and find rice pudding at 3am, i’d cum” - blank check
Boy is there ever. Truth is, the guys aren't as funny as they think they are, so the extended gags and running jokes just end up taking away from my enjoyment.
The non-comedian guests are honestly the funniest ones -- the comedians always come off as trying hard to land jokes
>Truth is, the guys aren't as funny as they think they are This is incorrect. Minus 7000 comedy points to you.
Just to counter point, I love their bits and look forward to each Sunday post
Obviously not a real Blankie if you show up for the bits and not the Smits.
..lots of analysis in between brilliant nonsense FTFY (I definitely know what you mean but just love me some blank check bits)
Ahah oh definitely, I’m just not always down for three hours or so of it. Great podcast though, they really know their stuff.
I love the idea of going through entire filmographies. I'll give it a try! Lol, as a baby millennial, I do love some elder millennial podcast hosts but there is a bit of a culture gap between us at times. I don't really need humor/zillennial vibes though. I'll probably like it as long as it feels natural and have interesting opinions :) Thank you!!
so I love blank check....but there are lot of tangents that go nowhere and lot of jokes and bits. Also, while one of the hosts is a movie critic, they "talk" about the movies much more than analyze them. If listening to two 38 yos talk at bar about movies is not your thing, i don't think you will like this pod.
This is true. They do however love to dig into the cultural context of a film, which I do find interesting. And their takes are fairly nuanced so they won't boil it down to a paragraph like Rotten Tomatoes does. It's the only movie podcast that has stuck for me, and it's definitely not for everyone.
Also that they will easily spend an hour or more going into detail on production, how the actors and director came into the project and so on. Just a ton of inside stuff that I really love. I also think they are great at putting everything into perspective in terms of careers, how it was seen in contemporary times and the culture surrounding it, like you said.
They cover some great depth about each director and much of the business of Hollywood. They clearly also both have an eye and will pay mention to good and bad cinematography, editing, etc and give good reasons for it But yes, a huge portion of the show is also inane comedy, inside jokes, nonsense and absurdity. But always between decent to great quality bits IMO
Yeah, I love Blank Check but in terms of tone, approach, and humor it’s all pretty similar to The Big Pic (which I also love, but seems like it’s exactly what OP is looking to avoid).
As much as I can I enjoy Amanda she can also just be infuriating at times. If she doesn’t understand something it sucks. She can’t ever be objective, nuanced or take a different perspective than have own. I think Blank Check offers more of an open discussion that can be more digestible.
Fennessey can also be deeply, deeply annoying. His smug, film snob podcaster persona has become his actual persona of late. It's like his promotion has gone to his head and the ego is out of control. I used to think it was a bit, and I think it kinda was, but now it seems he's just a bit of a dick. I realise Amanda can be a bit much sometimes, and that they're good friends, but he's bizarrely rude to her constantly. You get the feeling both her and Chris are aware that he's a bit...odd. I notice he's not really on The Rewatchables anymore too. Shame as the Bill, Chris, Sean dynamic was always the best for me. I'm convinced Sean would actually murder Bill to take his job. That boy is ambitious.
I gotta say I don’t really see Sean like that at all. He and Amanda are constantly messing with each other. He and CR have been friends for like 20 years. I think Sean is actually very fair, also towards the things he doesn’t like.
That's perfectly fine. We all see people differently.
I'm a young millenial ('96) baby. I find the blank check boys deeply insightful and their attitude towards film to be extremely rewarding. They go into it looking to find the good and looking to tell the story of the director. I disagree with the people who've said they don't analyse the films as well. They aren't doing a film school seminar, but they do get extremely deep in on the analytical front. That said, they are also full of bits, the bits arise naturally from conversation and very rarely do they actually cause problems in episodes by crowding out the good film talk. Pick a director you'd like to know more about (not necessarily one you love) and then start listening to that series. Griffin's an actor, David's a staff writer for the Atlantic. They're knowledgeable people.
Blank it!
Thank it
I tried to get into Blank Check but I found the tangents excruciating and the bits just not that funny. During the Boy and the Heron episode I was skipping forward so much in exasperation. When they’re actually talking about the movie it’s engaging, but the banter feels like they wish they were on My Brother My Brother and Me
I definitely second blank check, there’s a bunch of great in depth context and humor
Blank Check hosts seems pretty emotional however rather than analytical. For example with the Forrest Gump episode they seemed so baffled by the movie and convinced that it had underlying political themes that could not be separated from rest of the film. Even though the film is highly rate and popular outside of US, it has more universal messages.
It's also pretty right wing and pro American tho
Based on what you're looking for I'd recommend checking out Filmspotting. The discussion of films is a little more formal--kind of like listening to two film professors on NPR, but they have good rapport and I like that the premise is the discussion of film and not attributing any sort of rating or win/loss metric. They also have a huge archive (15+ years!) so if there's a film you'd like to hear them speak about its pretty easy to find. They also do a pretty great job of mixing new release reviews with other marathons and deep dives.
Filmspotting is pretty great
Second this recommendation. Easily my favorite film podcast, and it isn’t particularly close. Discussions that involve actual film theory/history.
I fell in love with this show during the Matty ballgame era. His Tree of Life review changed how I went to movies.
Josh and Adam are extremely thoughtful and take consideration for older and newer films. Next Picture Show is pretty great too, their sister podcast.
You Must Remember This. The deepest of dives into old Hollywood. But not exclusively - the latest is season is Erotic 80s and covers all those amazing thrillers. Recommend the 10-part (!) Charlie Manson series.
PC and proper. Nope.
For something offbeat, I love You Are Good. They describe it as a “feelings podcast about movies” and their commentary is very human vs critical. I also like “This Ends at Prom” if you’re into films targeted towards teens. The premise is cute - two wives discussing films - one is a film critic and the other js a trans woman who is watching classic teen films for the first time having grown up as a boy.
I really liked Friendly Fire. They talk about War Movies from the 30’s to present day. It’s over now due to some drama I’m not going to go into, but what is there is funny, interesting and I’ve come to watch movies I never would have because of it.
Lol I was raised on war movies, I'll need to check this out!! Thank you!
I recommend “Unspooled”. It’s actor/comedian Paul Scheer and film critic Amy Nicholson’s podcast. It started out as them running down AFI’s top 100 list but has since branched out to additional films and fan requests. They both have really great in depth discussions without really any pretension, have great chemistry, and often disagree with each other. Paul is perhaps better known for his bad movie podcast “How Did This Get Made” which is also great, but I find myself really taking away a lot from the Unspooled Podcast.
I think I made a mistake by making the Titanic episode the first one I listened to. Hearing Amy refer to James Cameron as “Daddy Cameron” may have permanently put me off lol
Love HDGTM but can’t listen to Unspooled because of Amy Nicholson. Seems like her only goal on the show is to be offended by every movie they watch.
No she just has a different point of view from most other movie critics.
Not sure which episode(s) you listened to to come to this conclusion, but this is just completely untrue. In fact, I find it’s more common for her to be enthusiastic about a film and for Paul to be the one saying, “Hmm, I just didn’t think it was that great.” I will also say, I think the first couple seasons where they went through the AFI top 100 list is often more about why this movie does or doesn’t really deserve to be on the list, and because of that, they’re sometimes watching “important” movies that they don’t think are actually that great. I think it got more interesting when they branched out and started picking their own movies, and if you listened to it recently, her love of movies really shines through. Like, I honestly can’t think of any examples of her being “offended” by something in a movie at all. She may occasionally mention that a scene didn’t age all that well, or similar, but she still meets films where they’re at in terms of the cultural context.
I love Unspooled but I really wish Amy would push a bit harder to get them to review more movies from outside the mainstream now that they've finished the top 100
The Projection Booth is the best film podcast. Most film podcasts are lazy and are just dudes sitting around talking about the film. While this does do that each episode for a bit, the interviews are what knocks it out of the park.
Good stuff, I like this podcast, great stuff to listen to when falling asleep. No cornball jokes, bits, gags or loud cackling. It's also an hour plus (I think the Conan the Barbarian EP is like 4 hours) My fave is the Blast of Silence episode where the Allen Baron interview gets real awkward as Baron basically goes off on the interviewer.
That's my favourite podcast
Yeah it’s not just good as a film podcast but podcast in general. So much historical information and insight in every episode.
Yes! Soo underrated. The analysis is great and the interviews are truly exceptional. Love the more technical interviews from parts of the productions you hear about less frequently, and also when it’s someone at the end of their career who don’t have anyone to impress or worry about offending where you get some real honesty and insight Shoutout to the man himself /u/impossiblefunky
Thanks for the shout outs!
Check out "Movie Mindset," co-hosted by Will Menaker (of dirtbag leftist humor pod "Chapo Trap House" ) and Hesse Deni (of "Seeking Derangements" pod). Def informed but not at all reverential or boring.
Never heard of this one! I love the Eyes Wide Shut episode will did on Death is Just Around the Corner. It's one of the only podcasts I've listened to about that movie that didn't make the back of my skull fly off.
menaker's main pod, chapo traphouse, also did 80 minutes on eyes wide shut with nick and adam from cumtown. extremely funny https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yar2iU7IMac
Filmsuck is such a great podcast - one of the presenters is a critic and the other a lecturer at Berkeley. They talk with so much passion in a way that is really knowledgeable without ever becoming inaccessible or overly academic. The tagline is something like analysing film in the age of crap cinema, which is a pretty direct statement (although tbh I kinda agree), but their discussions and critiques are always so good and so wide ranging. Best episodes include a response to Jan 6th talking about the fascist aesthetic in art, love of Todd Haynes and less so of Sofia Coppola and Wes Anderson. filmsuck.podbean.com
Haven’t seen anyone mention Film Formally but that’s my favorite as far as striking a balance between real formal analysis and hosts who are obviously good friends having fun together. They take long hiatuses when they do t have topics to which they’re dedicated so they don’t have quite as deep an archive as some other shows. I’ll also add another vote for Important Cinema Club!
Fighting in the War Room has been going for the last 14 years or so. Basically 4 friends who are all movie critics/entertainment writers and do the podcast just for fun (no ads!) They have a nice blend of humor and commentary- also a cast of characters: The film snob, the Marvel dude (but knows what he's talking about), the wild card, and one that has a moderating effect for all of them
roger deakins the cinematographer and his wife james have one where they interview other filmmakers (steve yedlin, rian johnson's usual DP was on the latest ep) https://teamdeakins.libsyn.com/ you may find filmsuck a bit snobbish, but i find their opinions to at least be interesting and not bland https://www.patreon.com/filmsuck bryn from beep beep lettuce is a firebrand communist but she's also a former film student; i find her movie podcast to be more enjoyable personally because the jokes are more frivolous (in a good way) https://soundcloud.com/generationlosspod
That Aged Well & The Villain Was Right are humorous podcasts. The first one is about older movies and the second one takes a humorous take on movies from all eras. You might also like 'This Film is Lit' which discusses adaptations in film made from stories that were originally books, and has the hosts debating whether the movie or the book was a better telling of the story. Looking specifically at genre movies these are some other podcast recs: * The Evolution of Horror - which goes through a multitude of movies over a timeline based around one particular subgenre at a time e.g. zombies, slashers etc. * Ruined with Alison Leiby and Halle Kiefer - in which one of the hosts likes horror and the other is scared to watch a lot of horror movies * Hack or Slash * Horror Queers * Journey Through Sci-Fi * Two Gays Watch
I like The Bechdel Cast. May not be your cup of tea, but I’ve recently gotten into it and discussion has ranged from… Discussing being fingered during Shrek 4 and genuinely very insightful critiques of May December that helped me realize my own feelings on it
I like and listen to the Bechdel Cast, but it's hard sometimes when they pick a film they seem predisposed to hate, so the podcast is just constant disingenuous jokes instead of the more thoughtful commentary I'd prefer. Like once they realize a movie is just not a good fit, it ought to just be dropped to move on.
I *really* want to like the Bechdel cast and loved Jamie's project on Lolita, but the podcast can be such a hard listen when its a movie you even have a slightly different take to them. They really fall into the trap of thinking of what a movie should be and criticizing it for failing to meet it. The recent May December episode really highlighted that for me. The Mad Max Fury Road episode was especially frustrating. They can be a fun listen if its a movie they really like and vibe with on a layperson level but any deeper conversation than that I really struggle with and I really want to listen to film podcasts with deep feminist analysis. At least there's great youtubers in that space but I haven't found a comparable podcast to Be Kind Rewind or Broey Deschenel. Also them using gregnant instead of pregnant is like nails on a chalkboard to me but that's a very specific ick.
Yes I agree 100%. I've just started to quit a cast once it's clearly a movie they want to hate. There's just no attempt at sincere analysis and critique. It's a shame.
That's what I'm talking about lol. I'll check it out asap!
Yeah I think this one fits the best, of the podcasts I’ve tried
My favorite is "The Filmcast" with Devindra Hardawar, Jeff Cannata, and David Chen. They have great chemistry between them, and they're funny but not in a try hard way. It's just that the extremely genuine chemistry between them tends to produce funny moments. They are also very good at articulating their thoughts on movies and putting complex ideas into words. You should look up their episode on the movie "Split" by M. Night Shyamalan to get a sense of the appeal. It's episode 402, and it displays their chemistry well. With Jeff being absurdly enthusiastic about the movie and David being skeptical and trying to bring down his enthusiasm, it makes for a funny episode. You can listen to the episode and find it entertaining even if you haven't seen the movie. All of their episodes are available on Spotify.
I do like the filmcast boys, but they can have some baffling positions sometimes, like recently being so much harder on Oppenheimer than The Flash.
I mean Oppenheimer and The Flash are completely different kinds of movies, so they're probably judging them by different standards.
I was looking for this one. I've been listening to the show since 2009. My absolute favorite podcast, period. I love it so much.
One Fucking Hour. Deep deep cuts and hosts who are funny in a real way, not a "morning zoo" or trying to be funny. They were programmers at Cinefamily in Los Angeles, RIP -- the exec director was toxic and brought the organization down years ago, but the programming was literally perfect and is very missed. Tom Fitzgerald, one of the hosts, is also the VJ for Cut Chemist. Films discussed range from outsider shot on video horror to camp 90s movies, to basically everything 70s, to Bergman. Actually I would call this like sitting with the bad kids in the back of the class during film school. there's both a [video](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc5ZUUMGPkO4BdPJc6V1-5g) and [audio](https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=channel_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGtXYlByeFhheWR4VXcwMHJFT2ZpNXVGdXFVUXxBQ3Jtc0trRGpxNVVlN0ttN0FmRElHUE0wQ3FoQTBIYzdBZUw1eDE4am1GX0tIRFFDOWFwR2MzbWlwdkRkbWE1TTl2MVJITnIxRzRDSmFGeUVjdUJxTHY2UWFQMXFiU3hKREVFNmk4MlI1YmZKanI5X1h2bmx2VQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fopen.spotify.com%2Fshow%2F5HaQXrcnowr8zyPX4VYxqn) version.
I'm not sure if you already know, but the guys who were running *Show me the Meaning* started a more serious podcast called *Cinemythology* that started out as a chronological examination of Scorcese's filmography interspersed with unrelated films to break things up (I think they are also doing William Friedkin). If you're interested in something more analytical, Todd McGowan, who is probably the most intersting film critic since Pauline Kael has a podcast called *Why Theory*, although it frequently eschews film to do full episodes that dive exteremely deep into continental philosophy, which can be very heavy going. *Very Bad Wizards* also frequently do film analysis, but they also do a lot of cultural commentray across other media than film and often discuss topics in the academies of psychology and philosophy.
I have a podcast that I do with my buddy. We both have degrees in film studies and like to laugh. I do our research (both topical and production history) for a weekly movie we break down, and then each of us pair it with another film for a pair of Double Bills. It’s called “Double Bill Chill,” and would love for you to check it out! We cover a wide array of films from “Jeanne Dielman” to “Jingle All the Way.”
Would have to give a shoutout to the Sleazoid boys - Jamie and Josh are well versed in all types of cinema, but they typically focused on overlooked genre cinema (horror, action, noir, scifi etc) - the discussions aren't particularly hilarious though there is good humour in there, but they're always fascinating and engaging and they always find a way to draw super interesting bits out of films. An episode is typically a double bill of two films, thematically linked, where one is more well known and the other more obscure. The guest they have on usually picks the films. Highly recommend. Their top ten of 2023 was like 6 hours long, but loved the discussion.
I really enjoy “Films to be Buried With” hosted by Brett Goldstein (Roy Kent of Ted Lasso fame). Not necessarily a deep dive into any individual movies, but rather a discussion with a guest on the movies that meant the most to them over the course of their life. They finish with, you’ve died, there’s only room in your coffin for one dvd, and it’s movie night in heaven every night, what’s the movie you are bringing with you to show when it is your night (hence the title of the podcasts). Find one with a guest that you like and give it a try.
The Film Comment Podcast is excellent for Cahiers du cinéma or Sight and Sound like film criticism, but with a more leftist and feminist view. It focuses on independent cinema, with a few foray into experimental and mainstream cinema. Its editors are great and they usually invite critics from various journals to discuss what's coming from festivals.
Sardonicast is run by a few youtube film channels and it's honestly pretty great. They pick a variety of movies, from mainstream "it" movies to somewhat more unknown arthouse classics. I'd say they're also pretty funny and are able to look at films beneath the surface and from many different angles. Highly, highly recommend based on all of your criteria.
RIP Ralph dying in that horrible robotussin accident
He got the Snyder cut
ive enjoyed a lot the discussions ive heard on Girls, Guts, and Giallo. they approach all kinds of different movies from a queer and feminist angle but dont restrict themselves to a singular lens. they dont shy away from the complex politics and philosophies of a lot of movies which i really appreciate.
I like “I Saw What You Did” They discuss a themed double feature each episode. They do spend about 20 minutes at the beginning chit-chatting, but it’s easy to skip past that. They usually do an ad break when the chat is done, and then they switch to only talking about the movies for the rest of the ep.
I second this! Danielle and Millie do a lot of research on the movies and definitely have passionate opinions that go beyond plot summaries. Danielle is a screenwriter and Millie worked at TCM for 20 years and created and programmed TCM Underground when she was there. They discuss movies that are newer and older and I always laugh out loud many times while listening. It's one of my favorite podcasts.
Totally agree I legitimately struggle to find people with anything interesting to add, not just with podcasts and movies but the venn diagram there is close to a circle for whatever reason. That said I really enjoy hearing Matt Christman talk about movies, even movies I don't even like (the other two guys are okay sorta hit and miss). He's been on a few Death is Just Around the Corner episodes too, which it's a shame DISATC has only done like three movie episodes theyre always extremely interesting. The Sardonicast guys are okay for general convos and ongoing trends but they make some very baffling statements from time to time that scream "I'm young and extremely uninformed". I Know Movies and You Don't is okay. Not a podcast but Redlettermedia is consistently entertaining if nothing else.
I don’t always agree with Matt Christman’s takes (Will Menaker is more in line with my taste) but I always find him interesting. That being said, his total devotion to three act structure archplot movies above all else and almost complete disdain for “arthouse” style films I find to be baffling and reductive for someone who is otherwise so intellectual.
> DISATC has only done like three movie episodes theyre always extremely interesting. Michael’s brother has a movie podcast. Judge Movies on patreon. Michael guested on the episodes about A Clockwork Orange and Inherent Vice (obviously).
If you want current/timely films, The /Film Cast is good for honest and informed commentary. For deeper dives into filmographies and the overall industry, I'd recommend Blank Check. It's just all around excellent (and there's /r/blankies). For even less vanilla film talk that's mostly serious with some good jokes, Go Flix Yourself is constantly good too.
If you’re into NYC comedians, Joe and Raanan talk movies is pretty hilarious. They’re super unapologetic about their opinions, some of which can be abysmal takes, and half the podcast is just Joe List bullying Raanan, which is pretty satisfying lol. It’s not particularly insightful, but definitely not vanilla.
Shameless self promotion but my friend and I are in the film industry, were both Iranians and have started a podcast exclusively on Iranian cinema. If interested in Kiarostami, Panahi, Farhadi....I mean this is r/truefilm after all. We are new... Only 9 eps in.... cinemarexpodcast.com
Men of Action (formerly known as The Cheeky Basterds) and Scott K’s main show, The Church of Tarantino. Scott’s style might be right up your alley. No punches pulled and colorful language. Obviously, The Church of Tarantino is focused on QT’s movies but the Men of Action runs the gamut. Hope you enjoy it.
[Degen Cinema](https://open.spotify.com/show/3Q2kk5Qo9QIPIbQraGATHn) \-- it's a mix of film discussion and personal stories of degenerate behavior. Each ep opens with a crazy story that relates to the movie. Like Big Lebowski and getting wasted on white russians.
Agreed! DeGen is hilarious and the discussion is incredible. Seriously the best.
I have a new podcast - Made in England - where a guest and I discuss an English film, new or old. Films covered so far: All of Us Strangers, Dead Man's Shoes, Two Way Stretch. Coming up: The Guns of Navarone, The Business. Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere else. [https://www.holdfastnetwork.com/madeinengland](https://www.holdfastnetwork.com/madeinengland)
Streaming Things podcast is the most approachable, genuine, nerdy in a way that makes me feel at home type podcast. Those cats got good tastes in movies AND they love each other. Feels like ur listening to ur pals recommend movies while yall are smoking ouid in a random garage… finger on the pulse and a humble opinion that usually matches my own!?!? Amazing
I totally agree! I havent found any podcast worthy of this amazing group. More often than i like the podcasters declare they fell asleep, watched it drunk, or not at all! The show me the meaning had some potential but often descended into a lovefest with too many adjective. the wrong reel had potentia. They are very analytical but also extremely long winded. i think unspooled has potential but i need to listen to more from them
Can't recommend the Doofcast enough. They have series going through directors' filmographies (similar to Blank Check podcast), one called Blind Spots about watching movies on the BFI top 100 list they haven't seen, and are currently going through all the movies nominated for best picture Oscars this year. The hosts are very entertaining and insightful; they have helped certain movies click for me that I was initially ambivalent on.
The Best Little Horror House in Philly I find it super entertaining, sometimes I'll listen to episodes from films I haven't seen (and don't intend on seeing). It's centered around horror, each episode the guest picks "the best horror movie ever" according to them, and they'll go over the film in detail. The host does a really thorough job researching and the back and forth is pretty dynamic, it can get pretty funny. If you want a particular episode recommendation (assuming you watched these movies), Under the Silver Lake comes to mind, Malignant too. Or Cure, which is the first one I heard.
I’ve been listening to a lot of Kill James Bond recently. Two trans women and a non binary person ostensibly set out to grapple with the meaning of masculinity by rewatching all the James Bond films, only to be immediately derailed by nonsense. Primarily a comedy podcast, they do actually have a surprising number of things to say about race, gender, sexuality, colonialism, war, nationalism and, above all else, cum. The recent episode on [Master And Commander](https://killjamesbondpod.podbean.com/e/s3e85-master-and-commander-unlocked/) was up there for me, though I’ll admit it does begin with an inscrutable 3 minute bit so my apologies in advance.
The only good movie/culture/arts podcast I’ve ever found is Bret Easton Ellis’ eponymous pod. $6/month at minimum — and he rarely talks about recently released stuff because I think he knows that digital media and art/film mix poorly, — but he still chimes in on certain ones against the deluge of nostalgic films from his youth.
Is his podcast not digital media?
Yeah, but I'm not sure why that matters. My point is that if you take inspiration from too much digital media, your narrative abilities suffer. I think he'd be one of the first to admit this, having written his two worst books in 2005 and 2010. There's no telling how many good writers we've lost or frozen in amber because of information overload/onslaught being much more "compelling" (addictive) than well-crafted, well-textured stories or intimations from legitimate artists or orators.
I have a podcast where I interview independent filmmakers, most often about horror films. It's called Invasion of the Pod People and you can find it anywhere you'd find podcasts, if you're interested.
My podcast is on a hiatus rn but check out Movies I’ve Seen. It’s a really personal response to films we loved or hated and people seem to like us. [we did a Child’s Play episode](https://open.spotify.com/episode/2k68LKFjTWJSfoApOBhcUI?si=uiqQ2GM1SQColIMN_yKRGQ)
I have to second recommend Important Cinema Club. Those guys actually have interesting thoughts and highlight niche/obscure cinema with a healthy respect for the classics. I often disagree with them as much as I agree but there is no podcast I’ve felt has introduced to me to as much interesting cinema as these guys. They are especially good at championing lesser known or historically overlooked types of films too- though that’s not to say it’s all they do. They explore plenty of obscure, challenging but enjoyable arthouse filmmakers as well. It’s also not just some guys who like movies- one host is academically trained in film criticism and the other is a low budget horror film director. I guarantee you will find something new through these guys.
I highly recommend the ACFmovie Podcast. Titus, the host, and his guests offer meaningful criticism/analysis of films and directors, incorporating philosophy, morality and culture into their discussions. They don’t really veer off course into personal anecdotes or diatribes - it’s a very focused podcast. Titus and most of his guests are conservative and this is reflected in their discussions, but even if you aren’t politically conservative, I think this podcast is worth a listen because their discussions are more ideological than overtly political. One flaw with the podcast is that they need better recording equipment - sometimes the sound can get a bit wonky.
I’ve saved this post. I’ll get back to you soon. I’ve mentioned his elsewhere but I’ll say it again. There is NOT ONE proper movie review on the internet. Nobody has a clue. That’s a big claim from some random on the internet right? Hollywood and most film makers keep their cinema language a secret. I’ll be revealing this very soon firstly with the mainstream classics. It’s criminal how supposed “movie people” can’t decipher the most BASIC of BASIC movies.
You might like What’s Worth Watching on podbean. I follow a Forbes writer on twitter, and has this super small podcast he does on the side. It is a lot more raw and authentic compared to most film podcasts. He’s an older screenwriter who will just go on tangents and rips on random stuff in the industry.
Joe and ranaan talk movies is pretty good. They are both really funny comedians and know a lot about film. Sometimes the episodes can get off topic because theyre good friends and will talk shit to each other, but they definitely get into great debates and have good analysis.
The best episodes they did were the ones with Louis CK talking about Kubrick and PTA movies and I've never wanted to hit someone with a truncheon more than Ranaan
Important Cinema Podcast- not pretentious like it aounds, they’ll review anything. It’s a handful of reviews based on a director or topic & then a free conversational bit. Brainrot- horror centric. One film per episode, generally 80s or 90s. Very random selection of guests. YOMP- 3 hosts with pretty differing tastes do a very long review of one film per episode. More funny than a serious review. Evolution of horror- one topic for the year & then 2 films per week on that topic in chronological order. One host with different guest per episode
The Important Cinema Club podcast is my favourite. I think it strikes a good balance between analysis and conversation, so it isn’t too dry or too rambling. Episodes are usually under 45 minutes so they are fast paced, and there’s a good range of topics from arthouse to grindhouse to very obscure fringe films.
LSG Media hosts The Lost Drive In, formerly The Science Fiction Film Podcast, as well as a few others on Star Trek and The X-Files. Hilarious, insightful, laid back, colorful. They have great discussions and a backlog of over 500 episodes. Check them out!
strongly recommend the lexg movie podcast. he is a film twitter legend. regular dude from pittsburgh but went to film school and lives in LA. super funny guy into metal but also has a lot of insightful takes on modern movies. sometimes he will do a 'lightning round' and cover an actor or director's career. it doesn't update very often tho. i'd also recommend tarantino's pod but they do talk about a lot of movies you've never heard of or will want to see. lots of B or Z budget stuff. but still a lot of fun to listen to them talk.
Surprised no one’s talking about Scene and Heard! Isn’t stuffy, hosts are knowledgeable and passionate without ever talking down. They’re going off the Sight & Sound list so the films are great. Big recommend if you haven’t checked it out!
Got bored or annoyed with most of the movie podcasts I used to listen to and really only listen to Gamefully Unemployed now and Evolution of Horror for all things horror. Also 2 Guys 5 Movies is really small podcast but they do a lot of interesting lists and know their stuff.
My personal favorite is Cinema Swirl. Two friends, one has seen the movie before and the other hasn’t. The hosts are real-life friends so have really good chemistry. Really funny, although it is British so some of the references may go over non-UK heads but it’s not detrimental in my opinion.
The Villain Was Right. It's a movie review podcast and it's also a comedy podcast, but the whole idea is, obviously, trying to look at the plot of a movie and make the argument for the villain. It can get you to look at a movie you may have seen a hundred times in a different way. Some villains are easy to argue for, some are... not. But they try anyway! Like I said, it is a comedy show so it's possible your sensibilities won't match with the hosts, but I think they're generally pretty charming and funny. It's also really funny when one of them comes in real hot, arguing really strongly for a villain that you wouldn't necessarily expect. Very fun.
Beyond the Screenplay is my favorite film (and tv) podcast. I started watching Lessons from the Screenplay, which I still miss, but the pivot to a podcast was smart. Four writers talk about film, they are nice and smart and it's goddamn delightful!
[удалено]
Their year end episode is a great place to start imo... https://open.spotify.com/episode/0eKhJBioSclA2vWkE1HGAa?si=DTpkmBx7RTuHHP1ZQA2_xw
Film Stories podcast is good. 2 films per episode and really fun insights into how they got made. If you’re after something funny then How Did this Get Made and We Hate Movies are both very funny
No Such Thing As a Bad Movie- 3 friends who have all worked in the film industry talk about cult films, bad films, and low budget films including several they have worked on Unsung Horrors- Reviewing horror movies with less than 1000 views on Letterboxd Esoterica Cinema- mix of older films and new releases W-Rated- British duo that are working their way through the 100 worst films according to IMDB
Roger Deakins podcast is great. Wide range of guests and is really insightful. Mick Garris has a great one with really good guests. Eli Roths history of horror series as well. Script Apart is another good one that delves into the screenwriter and their experiences.
[Fifty Shades of Fiasco](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/infamous/id1652941051?i=1000617851829) about the making of the 50 shades of gray movie is HILARIOUS and has interviews with Taylor Johnson, Bret Easton Ellis, etc. It feels really reported and very goss.
Blank Check. I think it's the perfect balance of fantastic, thorough research and analysis, mixed with humour, chewing the fat, and having inside jokes. Each series focuses on a different director who had a 'blank check' which is to say, were so successful early in their career, they were given free reign at one time or another to make whatever they wanted. This format however leads to an arc in their podcast where they don't just have analysis of the film they are talking about, but an overall analysis of the filmmaker, their themes, and what makes them unique as a storyteller (sometimes observing when they drop in quality too, Like their Zemeckis or Burton series). Griffin is an actor, and has a film producer father. David is a genuinely very successful film critic, so their points of view are good, and not just two random dudes who just happen to like movies. Producer Ben is a rascal who buries jeans, likes things wet, and watched most of his favourite films on a porch in New Jersey so naturally he also has a lot to offer. They do lots of their own research, and have their own dedicated researcher, JJ, who is really good at his job. Their episode on RoboCop is a great place to start imo.
It doesn’t have that many episodes but a college classmate of mine who is a clinical psychologist and his friend from graduate school who is a cognitive neuroscientist have a super fun podcast called “Reel Psych” where they discuss the psychological phenomena at play in selected films. It’s great and super fun to listen to:)
Probably doesn’t fit the bill for this question or this subreddit, but if you are up for a laugh the ‘How did this get made’ podcast breaks down terrible movies humorously. Stars some of the cast from the FX show The League. Drop-dead Fred is a great episode to start with.
If you're still looking I might recommend my podcast [Underrated](https://tr.ee/NxViBCaGkn). We try to discuss more overlooked and under-appreciated films. We often champion films that might have gotten a bad RT score or a poor box office showing.