The AwardsWatch Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

On episode 312 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson alongside AwardsWatch contributor Josh Parham to go back 20 years and take a look at the 78th Academy Awards, covering the films of 2005.

We are finally out of film festival season and the team is back to give you one of their most anticipated Oscar retrospectives of the year, taking a look back at 2005, the year Crash beat Brokeback Mountain for Best Picture. In a time where the center of the film world was focused on a film centered around two gay men falling in love, the Oscars swung the opposite direction and gave it to one of the worst Best Picture winners of all time, a film so vile that its win hasn't aged well the moment it won. Beyond that, it was a fascinating year when the critically acclaimed films of the year took over the top eight categories, while the more populist films made up the winners in the below the line categories; an interesting split in the Oscar wins.

In their in-depth discussion, the AW team talked about the film year of 2005, briefly discuss talk about Crash as a Best Picture winner, do 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 three films to make up the final set of five nominated films. Like past retrospective episodes, it was a fascinating, fun conversation including spirited debates, alliances, 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 AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, YouTube and more.

This podcast runs 2h40m. We will be back in next week for an update of the 2025 Oscar season. Till then, let's get into it.

Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

Welcome to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter 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 episode 124 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys are joined by AwardsWatch contributor Josh Parham to discuss the next film in their Hughes Brothers series, From Hell (2001).

After making two independent films that feel very much like the Hughes Brothers announcing their style and cinema language to the world, they took a detour to making a studio film, one that had been in development for some time. Based on the beloved Alan Moore graphic novel, From Hell centers around a renowned detective who is hunting down Jack the Ripper and using his helpful powers of deduction to save the girls being harmed by this mad man before it's too late, while also discovering the truth around who the Ripper is. Convoluted and silly, From Hell is a piece of early 2000s nostalgia for millennial audiences that works more as a fun, disposable period thriller than the next film within the Hughes Brothers' filmography, as it seems that they were directors for hire and doesn't have much of their voice found within their first two films. Ryan, Jay, and Josh talk about their thoughts on the film, how it fits in the Hughes Brothers filmography, the careers of Johnny Deep and Heather Graham, Josh's connection to the history of Jack the Ripper, how much a nice guy Alan Moore seems (sarcasm), and what the hell is going on with the James Bond franchise and plenty of more tangents.

You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, YouTube and more.

This podcast runs 2h19m. The guys will be back next week to conclude their series on the films of the Hughes Brothers with a review of their last film, The Book of Eli. 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).

Welcome to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter 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 episode 118 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys are joined by Ross Bonaime, Senior Movies Editor of Collider, discuss the next film in their Yasujirō Ozu series, Good Morning (1959).

In the ultimate transition for Ozu, the rest of the films in this series goes from his elegant black and white filmmaking to the world of technicolor, as he slowly transitions into more modern forms of visual storytelling. By doing this, he's also going back in time, reimagining his own work, as Good Morning is a loose remake of his own 1932 silent film I Was Born, But..., and follows the story of two boys going on a silent strike against their parents in order to get a television. In what is an innocent film, is slowly morphs in a tale of gossip within a community and how perception by some doesn't make it a reality, leaving the film an introspective look at the shifting times in Japan. Ryan, Jay, and Ross break down their thoughts on the film, Ozu's evolution within the form, the running fart gags, the defiance of a stubborn child, 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, YouTube and more.

This podcast runs 1h50m. The guys will be back next week to continue their new series on the films of Yasujirō Ozu with a review of his next film, Floating Weeds. 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 265 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade and Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello break down the nominations for the 2025 Golden Globes, as well as the winners for the European Film Awards and Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA).

You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more.

This podcast runs 1h8m. We will be back next week to discuss some of the latest 2024 film releases before the end of the year.

Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 264 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello and AwardsWatch contributors Karen Peterson, Jay Ledbetter and Josh Parham to go back 30 years to take a look at the 67th Academy Awards, celebrating the films of 1994.

Thirty years ago, it was Bob's year as Robert Zemeckis' Forrest Gump took home the Oscar for Best Picture, alongside Tom Hanks winning his second straight gold statue for back to back wins. It was one of the most commercially successful films of 1994 that went on to win the big prize, and is part of one of the most influential years from the 1990s. Films like Pulp Fiction, The Shawshank Redemption, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Three Colours: Red, Hoop Dreams, The Lion King, and more highlight a crossover of studio films blending success with indie darlings to make for a fascinating film year to talk about.

In their in-depth discussion, the AW team talked about the film year of 1994, briefly discuss talk about Forrest Gump as a Best Picture winner, do 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 three films to make up the final set of five nominated films. Like past retrospective episodes, it was a fascinating, fun conversation including spirited debates, alliances, 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 AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more.

This podcast runs 2h28m. We will be back next week to discuss some of the latest 2024 film releases before the end of the year.

Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 263 of the AwardsWatch podcast, Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade and Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello break down the deluge of early season goodies with Gotham Awards, New York Film Critics Circle, Spirit Awards nominations, National Board of Review winners and the AFI Top 10 announcements.

You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more.

This podcast runs 1h24m. We'll return next week with reviews of A Complete Unknown, Nosferatu and Babygirl.

Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

Welcome to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter 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 episode 74 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys discuss the next film in their Krzysztof Kieślowski series, Three Colours: Red (1994).

In the last entry in his acclaimed trilogy, Kieślowski turns to the color red, which focuses on the idea of fraternity. In this drama, we find two characters, a young, curious girl and a reclusive older man, become interconnected within each other's lives and form a familiar bond that transforms into a surprising friendship. As other characters come in and out of their story, the film forms into a coming of age story for the younger protagonist and a redemption story for her male counterpart, making for a beautiful, profound piece of filmmaking from the director that saw him receive critical acclaimed, leading to several Oscar nominations. Ryan and Jay break down their thoughts on the film, surveillance being a strong aspect of the story, it's connection to Blue and White, if the film's ending adds anything to the overall experience of the trilogy, Irène Jacob and Jean-Louis Trintignant performances, closing thoughts on Kieślowski, their rankings of his films, and how old some of our favorite directors are.

You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more.

This podcast runs 1h29m. The guys will be back next week to begin their new series on the films of Nancy Meyers with a review of her film, the 1998 remake of The Parent Trap. 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).

Welcome to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter 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 episode 73 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys discuss the next film in their Krzysztof Kieślowski series, Three Colours: White (1994).

The next entry into Kieślowski trilogy might go down as one of the most surprising films the guys have covered so far, as this anti-comedy is a completed shift from the tone and ideas covered in Blue. Following a couple from two different countries playing a manipulative game of chess with one another over time, Kieślowski is able to use this duo as a personification of geo-political warfare and how smaller countries have to react and fight in order to relevant in the world. It makes for a fascinating examination of European ideals wrapped within a twist tale of love and country. Ryan and Jay break down their thoughts on the film, how the logic of it only makes sense from a non-literal perspective, shifting point of views throughout the film, the film's ending, if these two really do love each other, what they each like to put on a sandwich, and what a "dumpster Whopper" is.

You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more.

This podcast runs 1h16m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Krzysztof Kieślowski with with a review of his film, Three Colours: Red. 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 262 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch contributor Jay Ledbetter to give their thoughts on Gladiator II and discuss their Top 5 Denzel Washington performances.

Big weekend at the movie as audiences around the world got to see the long awaited Wicked Part 1 and Gladiator II. Before the guys get into their thoughts on Ridley Scott's latest, Ryan shares his reactions to Wicked Part 1, and why for him, the film is mostly frustrating experiences with a couple of good performances in it. After that, Ryan and Jay dive right into Gladiator II, a film over twenty years in the making, as Scott dives back into the world he created in 2000's Best Picture winning epic. Much like the original, the film is a tale of revenge, centered around a main character looking to take on not just the ones of betrayed him, but the most powerful of Rome, leading to bloody battles and political intrigue around every corner. The boys were mixed on it, with Jay not being as positive on the film as Ryan is, with the totality of the conversation focusing on the film's script, Scott and his team's craft of recreating Rome, if Paul Mescal is a "movie star," and Denzel Washington's incredible performance.

Once they are done reviewing the film, the episode shifts solely to Washington, one of the greatest movie stars of all time and his magnificent, celebrated career. The two time Oscar winner has built a career on and off screen that rivals many legendary actors and actresses. And after covering plenty of his films on Director Watch this year, Ryan and Jay give out their Top 5 Denzel Washington performances. The films discussed ranged from Remember the Titans, Malcolm X, Man on Fire, He Got Game, Crimson Tide, The Tragedy of Macbeth, Roman J Israel, Esq., John Q, Training Day, Philadelphia, Glory, Devil in a Blue Dress, and more. A fun, extensive dive into a career of one of the best to ever do it, and we hope you enjoy it.

You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more.

This podcast runs 2h11m. We will be back next week for a retrospective of the 67th Academy Awards, covering the films of 1994. Till then, let's get into it.

Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

Welcome to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter 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 episode 72 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys discuss the next film in their Krzysztof Kieślowski series, Three Colours: Blue (1993).

Moving right along into the trilogy that made Kieślowski a legend in the cinematic community, the director set out to make a trio of films based around the colors found in the French flag, the country to which he could get funding for the film. With Blue, we enter his first phase, liberty, and in the case of the film, a complex look into a woman recovery as she tries to go on living her life after a tragic car accident kills her husband and daughter. In turning cold on the world and everyone around her, Julie (Juliette Binoche in a masterful performance) slowly opens back up, and it is within the final act of the film we see her recover beyond her understandable, heartbreaking grief. It makes for a wonderful start to this important trilogy. Ryan and Jay break down their thoughts on the film, the idea of grief and how everyone handles it differently, the use of the color blue throughout the film, the balance of the loss of Julie's husband and daughter, the guy's thoughts on Binoche's career and what type of reality, trash television shows people are watching today.

You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more.

This podcast runs 1h42m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Krzysztof Kieślowski with a review of his film, Three Colours: White. 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).