Oscars Predictions + Filmspotting Madness: 1940s Play‑Ins (#1056)

15:40Adam Kempenaar:And so she is too. Somehow she's completely over the top and believable.

15:46Josh Larsen:Now, listen, I know that it's inconvenient, but I really needed to speak to you about our conversation yesterday oh oh marcus get her a glass a bowl please

16:00Adam Kempenaar:a bowl yes a bowl it's a peculiarity of mine i don't even try to rationalize it anymore i do credit madigan for that and that's why i am voting for her i would vote for her if i could even though i like all the other performances and i might and i was going to say Michael I think you are right I want to I want to corroborate what you said and Josh did as well that's a new there Lilius Lilius is the is the one performance that is just a steady presence throughout her film right and and and feels like she's doing really important work that character is doing really important work for the narrative but subtle subtle but important work the entire time, whereas these other characters kind of have really important scenes and then they may disappear for chunks of the film.

16:54Adam Kempenaar:But that all said, I still would actually give it to Madigan, I think.

16:58Michael Phillips:I might take slight issue with, and I've used the characterization before just in conversation. I don't think what Madigan is doing is really over the top. I mean, she does so much. She's very smart. Yes. Yes. And she knows how much that physical design work of what she's wearing and that particular hair, you know, in all the sort of makeup and hair that sort of adds to the slightly, I mean, you know, maybe radically off kilter is just a visual appearance of this woman who has, you know, a few secrets to share with the audience as the story goes. but it's not a performance that's like over the top in the sense of Nicolas Cage

17:45Adam Kempenaar:or... No, I agree with you, Michael. I'm saying Aunt Gladys is over the top. Yeah. Outlandish character versus outlandish performance. She counters that by not playing that at all. I agree. One other thing,

17:58Michael Phillips:and then I'll let you... Adam, you said your hairdresser was talking about Aunt Gladys. Do you have any fears about going back to him based on if he's a little fan of weapons so i'm gonna trust him devoted to that sort of bowl cut look because that is that redefines her bowl cut is like a whole no that's like 2.0 man i didn't

18:17Adam Kempenaar:think i actually should have specified he is my former hairdresser oh i was gonna say when he when

18:23Josh Larsen:adam shows up on our next video show with orange hair orange hair i'll have no questions we know what happened okay michael the fun part let me follow up real quick okay to your question that actually chicago film critics uh the winner was tayana taylor oh from one battle after another

18:41Michael Phillips:for best supporting actress yeah okay i pretty sure i bet the votes i suspect will be close on

18:46Adam Kempenaar:this one but yeah see where it goes if you could have nominated someone instead who would that be Michael and who would you cut if you had to?

18:55Michael Phillips:I personally, myself, I would honestly go, I would dip into the same ensemble and I would have nominated Chase Infinity. And not just because on the page, the character Willa, who becomes increasingly the focus of the story. And I think without pandering, I think the father-daughter dynamic in the picture and the fact that it actually means something and there's no corollary at all in terms of like true authentic sincerity and emotional feeling in the Pynchon novel with those corollary characters. I think she's not just young and promising or young and highly talented. I think she's essentially really damn lucky that the part lets her do all she's completely capable of now because that's what gets you over the line.

19:52Michael Phillips:I think that's why it's one of the few films I saw last year of any quality, let alone top tier, that truly does get better and better as it goes. And she's, I think, the reason, number one. So that's my pick.

20:05Adam Kempenaar:Not to get too lost in the semantics of it, though, Michael, was she someone you really saw as appropriate for the supporting actress category? Because I think she was being tossed around more for best actress.

20:19Michael Phillips:That would have raised just as many eyebrows, I think, you know, among a different crowd. So no, I don't know. Okay. Hard to say. But that's, again, like, as I say, I sort of find the willful sort of genre mashup and, like, focus switcheroos with a lot of my favorite movies last year, kind of stimulating. Sure. But no, I don't think so. I think it's actually, yeah, it's about right. Okay. Yeah. Yeah.

20:42Josh Larsen:Who would you have kicked out, Michael? This is Ashley Iacanetti from the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast. i-Veam is built for losing weight and moving forward. i-Veam is built for feeling your best and seeing real results. i-Veam is a medical weight loss program built for you. Their approach is individualized, virtual, integrative medicine. 99.2 % of patients who've completed the i-Veam weight loss protocol achieved meaningful change, dropping an average of 45 pounds. iVeam, built for your wellness journey. iVeam, built for real life. When you sign up right now, you can get a one-month free trial.

21:26Josh Larsen:Start your personalized plan in minutes by visiting IVIMHealth.com. That is IVIMHealth.com. Subscription required, medication, labs, and supplements not included. Results based on patients who completed the full iVeam protocol over 68 weeks. Individual results may vary. Not all patients are eligible. Prescription medication may carry risks and should be used only as directed by your provider. What if your soda actually did something for you? Introducing Sky Pop Protein Soda. With 10 grams of complete protein, zero sugar, and 45 calories, Sky Pop Protein Soda offers four delicious flavors with big taste and real benefits.

22:10Josh Larsen:Light, refreshing, and ready for wherever your day takes you. It's Anytime Protein that helps you reach higher. Skypot Protein Soda. Reach for the sky. Get your Skypot Protein Soda now at Target. You know what's wild? We can video chat from space, order groceries just by talking out loud. And men have like 17 options for hair loss alone. But a bra that actually fits and feels good? Apparently, too much to ask. Until now. Meet the Uplift Bra from NYX. That's K-N-I-X, a wireless bra that finally delivers real lift and all-day comfort. The secret? Molded cups with a built-in foam panel that gently enhances your natural shape, so you get a subtle boost without wires, digging, or that why am I still wearing this moment at 3 p.m.?

23:01Josh Larsen:You asked for it. We delivered in a push-up bra that doesn't dig, poke, or pinch. And with an extensive size range from 28A through 42E, You'll be sure to find your perfect fit with the Uplift. Try the Uplift bra at Nix.com and use code PERFECTFIT15 for 15 % off your first order. That's K-N-I-X.com, code PERFECTFIT15. Nix.com. When people turn to telehealth or weight loss, they're looking for real support. That's why more people are choosing OrderlyMeds.com.

23:31Michael Phillips:OrderlyMeds connects you with real doctors and access to proven GLP-1 medications like semaglutide and terzeptatide. No guessing, just a more supportive experience. and all shipped directly to your door in discreet packaging. Do your research. Ask questions. Then visit orderlymeds.com slash podcast for an exclusive offer. That's orderlymeds.com slash podcast. Individual results may vary. Not medical advice. Eligibility required. See site for details. Kicked out? Elf Fanning, I guess. Certainly, yeah. Out of the five, I think it's a very good performance, and it's not an unimportant role. and it's, you know, but it's not quite as special.

24:13Michael Phillips:Maybe it doesn't serve the same kind of narrative purpose. It's, you know, it's very good work. It's also like, it's really sharply written because it's not just a stooge or a straw kind of adversarial character. Like, oh, you know, the imperious American star coming in. But no, it's much better than that. The whole film was much better than that. So that's what, Elle Fanning, next time, pal. I say. I call her pal.

24:35Josh Larsen:That's good for you. All right. should have been nominated for me. I mean, basically when I do this thought exercises, I try to stay, I try to stay realistic. So I don't go to my personal ballot and pick, you know, someone who the Academy would never even consider because it was a minor independent film, or maybe even, um, uh, foreign language film that they're not going to recognize the acting work. So I set those picks, even though I may have made them aside from my personal list and look for someone who, huh, curious that the Academy didn't go this way. And they were, you know, close to my favorite performances of the year.

25:11Josh Larsen:Odessa Azayan from Marty Supreme falls squarely in that category. She's a standout in a cast full of endlessly fascinating faces and characters. And she holds her own with every one of them, including Timothee Chalamet. So I would say she should have been nominated, really eager to watch her future work. Who am I going to kick out? Yeah, This is like, this is the, the, the really where you feel bad part of this is now we're piling on because I would also choose Al fanning totally with you, Michael, very good work, astutely performed, agree with you on your observation about the character being written.

25:45Josh Larsen:It's a very richly conceived character. I don't know that she necessarily brings much more to the part that isn't on the page. There's so much on the page. She doesn't have to. So this isn't, this isn't a critique. We're just talking about the best of the best of the year. And, and yeah, I would probably move her out and move Odessa Zion in.

26:04Adam Kempenaar:Yeah, I'm actually right with you, Josh. I would nominate the more I thought about again, reconsidered rewatched Marty Supreme and fell in love with that entire movie. all over again, but on a deeper level, I also really appreciated that Zion performance. And I think you spoke to this during our review, but also just now a little bit, the way that character, and of course, through Zion's spunky performance, I don't know what else to call it. It's just so alive. It's so electric. The way she challenges Marty, the way she's able as an actress to challenge Chalamet. I don't know how many other performers who maybe aren't as known as her would be up to that challenge.

26:56Adam Kempenaar:And she stood out. There's no doubt about it. And you now want to see whatever she's going to be in next based on that performance. So I would put in a Zion and with Fanning as well. It feels like I'm not going to say slight work. It feels like slight or work, but that's that is part of the character. That's part of that's inherent to the character and how it's written. And so there are some times where you're watching the film and you're thinking, is Elle Fanning a really good actress playing a bad actress? Or is she a not very good actress who's also kind of playing a not very good actress? Or is she just a good actress who's playing kind of an unformed actress?

27:42Adam Kempenaar:And that's infiltrating our minds a little bit as we consider the performance. in the end I feel the same way the two of you do I think it's a really smart performance and I think it is a very nuanced performance and I think she she knows the layers that she's playing and it isn't a bad performance even though that actress maybe needs some more development and that's who that character is but I I do think of the five it's my least favorite performance and she's in a movie full of heavyweights so maybe that's a little bit unfair but you're right it's we're talking about the best performances of the year so it doesn't it doesn't really need to be an attack

28:22Michael Phillips:on Elle Fanning and now she's never going to work in any town again I mean I know she's never never gonna you know she's it's all her good work for nothing and the Oscar goes to Kieran Culkin

28:38Adam Kempenaar:Best Supporting Actor Benicio Del Toro One Battle After Another Jacob Elordi Frankenstein Delroy Lindo Sinners Sean Penn One Battle After Another Stellan Skarsgård Sentimental Value Michael, will and should Okay, will, Sean Penn Shouldn't

28:58Michael Phillips:But will I mean should out of that bunch Holy crap I mean, you know, Del Toro is just delightful. You know, I just love the way he just sort of swims against the whole tide of all the nervous, you know, sort of social collapse going on around him and doing what he can with a few small beers, too. But yeah, I mean, out of that bunch, I will counter the trends and say the one who won't win, but Delroy Lindo, I think, for Swin. Now that's, I've always loved that actor. A lot of people feel like he got skipped over for any number of films, including Defy Bloods and other work for many other directors.

29:47I've seen that guy on stage since I saw him with James Earl Jones and Delroy Lindo in Master Harold and the Boys, the Ethel Flugard play.

29:56Michael Phillips:I mean, it's like, could you get two better actors alive in English? I mean, it was just stunning, this tale of this South African sort of power play with the three-character play. But man, oh man, that guy's good. And so good in August Wilson's stuff. I've seen him. So Delroy Lindo, his best scenes got cut. Like a lot of people, there's plenty of deleted scenes from Sinners. A couple of them are online here and there. And I think a couple of scenes for that character Lindo plays didn't make the final cut. It's not a short movie as is. And I suspect he felt at the time like, ah, the big scenes in the second half, where are they?

30:37Michael Phillips:But I don't think he's the only actor who felt that way. And I still think he registers great just for the voice he comes up with in this part. Because it's perfect because it's attention-getting, but it completely feels lived in like he really has been down there in that town playing those songs, sitting on whatever he's sitting on, on the railway platform, and just being the kind of cultural emissary for the region that he is as a blues man. So yeah, I love that performance. So that's who I would like to see win. I've been hearing about this one particular young man all day. supposed to be a bad blues man.

31:17Josh Larsen:Pretty boy. Where you at? Come on over here, man. Josh. This was a very divisive category for the Copenhagen crew. We probably spent the most time on this one. There was some strong support for Penn. And then Mikko countered with the good point that he and Del Toro could split the one battle vote. So that, you know, gave us pause. I personally was partial to Delroy Lindo as well, Michael, and also thought maybe the career achievement factor might come into play here, which voters do take into account in the end. And because Denmark at least is still a democracy, we put it up to a vote. Penn came out on top.

32:01So should win, I'm going to go a different direction.

32:05Josh Larsen:Will win, will win is Penn. should win Benicio del Toro. I mean, since Sergio St. Carlos, still my patron saint for 2026, I'm not going to abandon him now because he will never abandon me.

32:20Adam Kempenaar:Fair. Completely fair. Okay. Who will win? I think it's going to be Stellan Skarsgård. I think because of the Golden Globe win, I think potentially the narrative around being the first supporting actor nominee from an international film because he's international that that may explain why I would suggest unlike an Amy Madigan for for example he may not be considered like a beloved Hollywood figure but certainly a very well respected actor and I think you factor all of that together, even if it could be seen as some kind of lifetime achievement award or career achievement award, the fact is the performance is deserving of it.

33:10Adam Kempenaar:And when all of that conspires, that feels to me like a win. And I think you're right, Josh, as well, or the Copenhagen crew was right that the split factor for one battle after another could really play a role here as well. I think Skarsgård is the one who's going to take it. And in terms of who should, here's the thing. We may have to retire this show, this episode, or reformat it, because the Academy isn't making consistently terrible choices anymore. There are two categories I wouldn't alter at all this year, of the six we're doing, even if I could. And I'd probably be okay with leaving intact another two.

33:57Adam Kempenaar:You may recall this, Josh, if you haven't blocked it from your memory, because it was such a heinous violation of the rules. In 2024, there were two categories then where I refused to play the who should have been, who do you cut game, because the academy was bang on, supporting actor and director. And so, you know, this entire exercise, the silly exercise we're doing is predicated on the understanding, like the fundamental understanding that every year, every category, the Academy is going to screw something up royally and we're going to have something to disagree with. But but when we don't, what are we doing anymore?

34:38Adam Kempenaar:And that's my feeling about this category. They got it exactly right. These are the nominees. I have no notes and that makes it very difficult. Wait a minute. Yeah, I think they did. This guy's campaigning to become an academy voter. That's what's happening here. I think it makes it, you can question my integrity all you want. I'm saying these are the five. It makes it very difficult for me to pick a winner. It makes it almost impossible for me to kick someone out unnecessarily. So with all that said, I'll get to who I would kick out. who I think should win. I am also going to stick with who I had number one on my CFCA ballot, as tough as it was, because it was these five.

35:23Adam Kempenaar:I had Stellan Skarsgård at number one. And I, even though, of course, Benicio Del Toro and his character is my favorite character, I love Delordi. I think he's maybe the only real reason to see Frankenstein. and lindo when i saw sinners michael i was sure when i saw sinners there would be a no better supporting actor performance that year and then at the end of the year i had already penciled lindo in as my number one you know so that's why this is so hard and yet i do think about sentimental value and and besides the the landscape of that film like the physical landscape of that film, the other physical landscape I think about is Stellan Skarsgård's face.

36:11Adam Kempenaar:And I think about the toughness of that performance, but also the gentleness that that character shows. I do think there's a lot going on and a lot of quiet moments with that character. And it is a quiet performance ultimately. And I was really drawn to it. And I'm going to stick with my guy, Stellan Skarsgård. He's your guy. Yeah.

36:33Josh Larsen:Well, and in the predictive sense, you know, it's, he clearly has the most screen time of any of these, right? There's no doubt about that too. So, yeah. Some people think he should have been nominated for actor, not supporting. I mean, I could, I can understand that. So, so that works in his favor in terms of, you know, a possible win.

36:50Michael Phillips:Yeah. I, I, and also we should not, I mean, I think because it may be a factor with some U S you know, Hollywood based voters, uh, especially if they're sort of, if they've had a few decades behind him like Skarshart has. You know, look, he's recovered from a pretty serious stroke. You know, he doesn't have all his memory like it was, and he's struggled with a few things. And, you know, he did, made no bones about it. He took an earpiece for the role, and, you know, in that you're fed the lines, you know, through that, and then you say them. And this is not, he's not the only actor to be doing this now.

37:25Michael Phillips:Johnny Depp has been doing it for years, and it's all, you know, it's on the record. I mean, you can go back to Marlon Brando in The Godfather. He wasn't wearing an earpiece yet. No, reading it off of Robert Duvall's chest. Yeah, that was right. It was like taped of an actor or it was on a chalkboard. And somehow, if you have the actor or actress, but the performer who's got everything going for them except an interest in or an ability to memorize like they used to in the old days, You do not notice it while experiencing the performance if the film is good enough. And that's what you have here, I think, Scar's got it.

38:05Michael Phillips:But a lot of people, I think, a lot of U.S. character men, let's say, or let alone all the rest of the Academy, great actresses, great cinematography, whatever, they're going to look at that and say, you know, this guy came back and he didn't just come back in some sentimental doodad of a role. It's like he's right in there. It's an organic piece of ensemble work. Everybody's part of it, and he's obviously a key part of it. Yeah, so I think that's a factor. If he wins, then maybe that's a factor in why.

38:38Adam Kempenaar:Okay. Michael, who should have been? It seems like maybe you guys disagree with my take that these are the right five, so it'll be very easy for you to suggest someone who should have been and who should have been cut. Yeah, it's easy for me to correct you on that, Adam.

38:52Michael Phillips:I think that Jacob Elordi's very good. I would flush his participation in this category this year. I don't think he's all that in Frankenstein. I also, maybe it's because I was struck, I had to see it a second time because it had been a few months. So the second time through Frankenstein, I was struck at just how not just in terms of story themes, but just in the way that Del Toro is filming and shaping the whole story. It really is like an unofficial remake of The Shape of Water. And it's, and I've seen that film and, uh, and I don't know if Alordi is really bringing anything to that project that, um, truly surprised me.

39:36Michael Phillips:And maybe he's a, he's a fastidious enough, uh, visualist, uh, as a director that del Toro just doesn't allow for necessarily a lot. On the other hand, you've got people swinging for the ramp. They're just swinging for the fences in this movie, like Oscar Isaac with mixed results, kind of going bug house on the role, which is entertaining-ish. But I don't know. Does Elordi really deserve this nomination? I don't think so. So he's out. He's out. And I would put in either, honestly, I'm going to split it. I hate to pull an Adam. Isn't that more Adam's tendency, Josh? to, you know, couple off. Yeah, he's already admitted to

40:17Josh Larsen:refusing to play by the rules. Allegedly.

40:20Michael Phillips:All right, I give it to Michael Cera in the Phoenician scheme for pulling me through that movie alive single-handedly. We agree. We agree on that. You know, getting last where none were found anywhere else and also honoring, you know, Anderson's chosen aesthetic. But it's a tie with the opposite. It's funny, he could be his grandson. in terms of like sort of demeanor and everything else, but William H. Macy in Train Dreams, he really is kind of the best of that. And even in the scenes where he's sitting around the campfire speaking some somewhat indigestible hunks of poetry disguised as human speech, it took an actor as good as Macy to pull it off.

41:03Michael Phillips:And I, you know, it's probably his best performance. It's one of the least mammity performances he's ever given.

41:10Adam Kempenaar:That's for sure.

41:10Michael Phillips:You know, David Mammity. It really feels like he just knew how to play that guy because he's about that age. And he's looking back as much as he's looking forward at this point. Yeah.

41:19Adam Kempenaar:It's hard to recognize him, actually. And I don't just mean because of the beard and the age. Like, it took me a good 20, 30 minutes to be like, that's William H. Macy. Yeah. He disappears into that character.

41:30Michael Phillips:Yeah. Yeah. And actually, I was mistaken watching Weapons. I thought William H. Macy was playing Aunt Gladys. So maybe he's just more versatile and kind of a chameleon than I thought. But that's the only time I'm going to throw, that's the only time I'm going to mention tonight with these categories. So that's my time.

41:47Josh Larsen:Good. William H. Macy also goes to Adam's hairdresser, curiously enough.

41:55Josh Larsen:Adam, been traveling lately. Sometimes when I travel, I try to catch a movie, you know, like to do that in different cities, different places. It hasn't happened. So I haven't been to a theater in quite a bit. It's one of the reasons we haven't been able to review The Bride as we hope to, a movie we've both been anticipating. I'm back at my home base, and I've got some movies to catch up with in the theater, and I can't wait. The Bride, of course. I'm also interested in Hoppers, a new Pixar film. I don't think I realized Pixar had a new film out this year, and it's been getting some decent reception.

42:32Josh Larsen:So I'm going to check both of those out. with Regal Unlimited, I'm able to see one of those titles for free. Regal Unlimited is the all-you-can-watch movie subscription pass that pays for itself in just two visits. Right now, Regal is offering film-spotting listeners endless movies for less. If you sign up for Regal Unlimited using code FILMSPOT26, you'll get 15 % off. Now, Regal Unlimited is the only truly limitless movie subscription pass. You can see any standard 2D movie anytime. There are no blackout dates or restrictions. With Regal Unlimited, you'll also save money on concessions, snacks.

43:14Josh Larsen:You'll get 10 % off all non-alcoholic concessions. Sign up now in the Regal app or at the link in our description code and use code filmspot26 to receive your discount.

43:31Josh Larsen:that's right that's right michael i'm gonna help you make the decision you refused to who should have been nominated michael cera for the phoenician scheme uh holy moly the academy got that one wrong uh who should have been kicked out i i i think i would remove sean penn i love the spot-on impersonation of an insecure ice boy i that gave me so much pleasure i still think even after two viewings. Um, and while appreciating what he's doing a little less of lockjaw would have been a little better for one battle after another film. So, so for that reason, he's the one I'd probably, I'd probably remove.

44:09Adam Kempenaar:Okay. Well I said, well, I couldn't stand the judgment from you guys if I didn't play along, even though I think these are the right five. So I've got, I've got picks here guys. Nice. And let's go. Let's go. I said, I said they're the right five and I had these right five, but that's not technically true. I had left Sean Penn off my ballot originally. I've only come around to be a fan of that performance after reconsidering it when we did our Sacred Cow review of that film a month or six weeks ago or so. I'm getting it now. I'm more on the wavelength with what Penn is doing as Lockjaw, and I think it belongs in this category now.

44:49Adam Kempenaar:At the time, though, I actually had snuck in the work Paul Meskel's doing and Hamnet alongside Jesse Buckley. But the the others that I was strongly considering and moving in and out, depending on what ballot I was filling out, were William H. Macy, Michael for Train Dreams, and Andrew Scott as Richard Rogers in Blue Moon, who I think does some pretty incredible work there in a performance that, you know, could be very much overshadowed by what Ethan Hawke is doing. is Lorenz Hart. Michael Cera, I honestly didn't think about as much as you know, Josh, I love that performance. I'm with you. It was the only thing I really enjoyed about the Phoenician scheme.

45:29That one felt to me, I guess, a little bit like not a realistic option for the Academy.

45:34Adam Kempenaar:And so maybe my brain didn't give it full consideration. I am going, nevertheless, since I am playing along, I'm going to cut Penn because he wasn't on my ballot originally. And if I was going to put someone in, I'm going to go with Andrew Scott. I'm going to go with Andrew Scott as Richard Rogers. That performance just surprises me. It surprised me in the moment. It surprises me when I rewatch scenes of it, the depth of what he does with few scenes, actually with relatively few scenes in that movie to counter just that avalanche of energy that Loren's heart is, but without being ever overwhelmed at all by it.

46:18Adam Kempenaar:Like he somehow still gives as good as he gets from Hawk in that role. So Andrew Scott would be my should have been if I had to pick.

46:26Michael Phillips:I don't know anybody who doesn't think that those are the best scenes in Blue Moon. I mean, he's only got about 15, 17 minutes of screen time in the film, and that's more than enough. And you do absolutely kind of just lean into him because you're happy to see Hart as played by Ethan Hawke. kind of enter a different kind of dynamic with the material. He's got a great actor to work off of. And it's very good because it's a very casually self-centered, casually, subtly insecure. Right. He should be really easily hateable. And he might be. But also truly sort of exasperated at his longtime colleague's behavior and dissolution.

47:13Michael Phillips:And rightfully so. Yeah. You know, those are very good scenes.

47:16Adam Kempenaar:They are. Yeah. Okay. Let's go to, I'm, I'm, I'm so glad you approve of me for once, Michael. I feel like you're Richard Rogers in this scenario. And the Oscar goes to Adrian Brody. Let's go to lead actor. Speaking of Lorenz Hart, because Ethan Hawke is nominated for Blue Moon alongside Timothy Chalamet, Marty Supreme, Leonardo DiCaprio, one battle after another. Michael B. Jordan, a dual performance in Sinners, and Wagner-Wagner-Mora, I should say, for The Secret Agent. Michael, will and should? Michael B.

47:54Michael Phillips:Jordan, I think, will. And that sort of really seems like it's only come up the last month or so where he seems more and more possible, not just possible, but maybe likely to win. But I think he will. He should win. I go Wagner-Mora, actually. I think that was, you know, as long as he's been working in film, some of us have seen him in a few things. I think, you know, he's it doesn't say much to say he's the key to why The Secret Agent holds together in its unpredictable narrative. It's a very and like a lot of the work we're talking about here, just like Andrew Scott, it's a very it's a very sort of steady, fairly subtle performance.

48:39Michael Phillips:it's not the character is not you can't afford to be an emotional extremist lest he give his cover away so it's baked into it but I just I found him maybe it's the same kind of discovery people felt about Pedro Pascal you know it was seven eight years ago when he started really hitting everybody's radar because he just made so many movies you know or any number of other actors but I love that performance and Michael B. Jordan also you know very, very good. If I had one reservation about what he's doing, I wish that Kugler and Jordan together had figured out a way to make those two twins, you know, one of the, you know, just to make the characterization, uh, just slightly more surprising in, in, in terms of either one or the other, do you know what I mean?

49:32Michael Phillips:Yeah. I mean, I mean, I'm not saying like, you know, you don't want to turn it into like some sort of like flashy showcase for, you know, you know, like wild versatility, but just some, it's about 15%, uh, the same, this is just in demeanor and personality. Cause they're meant not to be the same personality, obviously hothead, less hotheaded, you know, volatile, less volatile, uh, a little more. And I know he was, as an actor, he would have been up to it. And I kind of wish they had kind of, it would have juiced the movie this much more and the movie works as it is obviously, but anyway, that's enough on that.

50:05Josh Larsen:Yeah, no, I'm really with you there, Michael. It's a shading. It's a shading thing because it's a great performance and you can see the potential for it to elevate to the stratosphere if that shading was there. So who will win? And, um, man, I'm second guessing this as, you know, as you talk, Michael, but, uh, we did end up going with Chalamet and here's where maybe being me personally, not on social quite as much hurts. Also the timing of when voters actually submit their ballots, I think is crucial because not only did Michael B. Jordan have this, you know, this kind of like late push of, of wins, but apparently, you know, Chalamet said something about the ballet.

50:47Josh Larsen:I don't know, but maybe that was. Operate ballet.

50:49Michael Phillips:He was like saying opera and ballet are dead. Movies are worth dead. Yeah, ruffled a lot of feathers.

50:53Josh Larsen:And then was that before votes were due? Who knows? I don't know. We stuck in our conversation with Chalamet. Who should win? I'm going to go, and I'm kind of surprised by this. Adam, this is due to our second watch of one battle. And digging into that, I'm going with DiCaprio. It just really solidified the comic dexterity he shows there. and he's shown this before. Like, I think that's one of the things I've always appreciated about Wolf of Wall Street, as big of our split is on that film, Adam. Like DiCaprio's comic dexterity there is undeniable. Here, it's just maybe in a different register, more attuned with the film, more aligned with the film for me.

51:36Josh Larsen:And then he has all the emotional sincerity that the part needs, which you touched on, Michael, in terms of the father-daughter element of this movie. So I'm going to go should win. I think it should be DiCaprio. Okay. Interesting. Okay.

51:48Michael Phillips:Yeah, I think— Well, you know, I'm a convincing argument. Sure, sure. I'll take it. I'll take it.

51:55Adam Kempenaar:I do think, Michael, you're right. It just seems like—and I don't know all the ins and outs of the voting and the timing either, and that could be really important because it does seem like now all of the momentum somehow is behind Michael B. Jordan. And I don't mean somehow, isn't it surprising? Really? It's, it's deserved. I get it. But I somehow thought until I really started researching and paying a little bit more attention, I really somehow thought this was Ethan Hawks. I thought it was in the bag just due to the, the nature of everyone's kind of collective appreciation for him as a performer and, and that performance feeling like it was the, the perfect application of his verbal dexterity.

52:36Adam Kempenaar:And apparently that's not the case because this whole time it's been Chalamet and now Michael B. Jordan and winning the actor award. The fact that he, he seems now, like I said, he's, he's kind of overtaken him in the conversation. Chalamet, the the sinners domination really of the award season to this point, taking the the largest, you know, nominations, you know, to date with 16. There's just there's just a lot of buzz around this movie. And I think it is extending to Jordan as well. I think he's going to I think he's going to win it. And I I am I'm OK with that if that's the case. maybe I'm blinded by my appreciation for him as an actor and for his entire career, but of these, Hawk's performance is my favorite.

53:29Adam Kempenaar:And it's actually for how un-Hawksian it is. I don't think that Ethan Hawke relies on any of his usual bag of tricks in that performance. I don't think playing Lorenz Hart allows him to rely on his go-to kind of tools as a performer. So I'm going to, I'm going to say, I'm going to give Ethan Hawke the love that I don't think the Academy apparently is willing to give him. And we will see.

53:56Josh Larsen:I mean, he's got the, he, in a normal year, Adam, it's the sensible pick because how many nominations does he have without a win? And I know some of them are in the writing category as well. Is it three? I think at least two acting, right? Yeah. And maybe two, maybe two in writing as well. So, and, and, you know, this is not to denigrate its element in the performance though, though his look is quite jarring in the movie, I will say, but just trying to look objectively and Academy history, physical transformation is an element that tends to get attention and awards. Now, to your point, Adam, like that has maybe shifted in recent years where I do think the voting membership has become more sophisticated and maybe we've seen less of that recently, but in Academy history, that would work in his favor too.

54:50Josh Larsen:I think it's just, and personally, I think it's a very good performance as well. I think it's just like maybe the wrong year for him to have given this performance and get a win. Yeah.

55:00Michael Phillips:Yeah. Yeah, I don't agree. Well, I don't agree for reasons we can get to if we get to the category. Let's do it right now.

55:08Adam Kempenaar:Let's talk about who should have been cut and who you would like to insert instead, Michael.

55:13Michael Phillips:Well, let's just call up the notes here. I was looking up Ethan Hawke's five Oscar nominations right now. I forgot about Training Day. Okay, that's the one I was thinking of for sure. Yeah, and Boyhood, and so this is his third. I would kick out Ethan Hawke of the five. I think he's done beautiful work here and there, and a lot of it's been on television. And I think he was excellent boyhood. I thought he was really good in First Reformed because you could feel that Paul Schrader gave him one piece of direction, which is just, you know, well, A, putting a lot of it just in voiceover as the character's writing in his journal at night, you know, a dark night of the soul after a dark night of the soul.

56:02Michael Phillips:But it's the only conspicuously restrained performance he's ever given in his life. And Hawk has talked about this on, he was on Fresh Air with Terry Gross, talking about how his over-eagerness to impress is sort of an albatross, and he has to watch out for it. And I pray that one day he really, really will take care of that last 5%, 7 % too much. because I think... The math again, Michael. Well, yeah, exactly. I'm just going for what the statisticians say. But, you know, he is the movie. You know, he's talking throughout it constantly. He's kind of a compulsive storyteller and anything to fend off the loneliness and insecurity.

56:45Michael Phillips:And it's, you know, it's a very accomplished and often very touching performance, I think. But it's just if Linklater is going to shoot that close, you don't need that much. You do not. I don't care. You know, he's right. You know, I don't care. I don't think Larry Hart was necessarily that sort of enormous presence in a room, you know, even with that talent or that width or that, you know, that much alcohol. I just I don't think so. And I just think a little less pal. So I call him pal as well. So many pals. He's out. but no very good but that's just my personal something about it a little much and I know he's aware of it because I heard about it on Terry Gross you know Fresh Air and I thought he's smart enough to know he knows what he has to work on and he's working on it probably all the time but I would probably roll in Lee Byung-Hung from No Other Choice I think he's you know he's done great work in everything from stuff I don't care about like Squid Game to stuff I actually care about that film sort of just got sidelined And a lot of good work, other work from the international realm, which is kind of a weird way to, you know, I can't get comfortable with that word, guys, with the change in the category.

58:03Michael Phillips:I know it's better than foreign, because foreign is like judgy and patronizing and inherently kind of slightly racist. International is just kind of like, oh, yeah, well, you know, it's an international film. It's like, can we just say, is there another way to say that?

58:19Josh Larsen:I don't have a solution, Michael. We'll have to submit a proposal to the Academy. Well, it's an enemy. In terms of terminology, Michael, I'm just thrown, I'm starting to think of you now just as pal to the stars. Is that how I refer to you now?

58:36Michael Phillips:Well, let me just, I'll just close on this. Let's just get with the times and just call them, it's an enemy film. You know, it's a film from an enemy country. You know, it's not us. so if you're not with us you're a case of course I would go no other choice is a film I do hope people discover if they haven't seen it and it's another and it's one of the very best films from last year that is utterly tonally unpredictable and goes you know it's a story that just takes so many swerves you can't believe that it all stays on the same road to the finish it's really really remarkable work so anyway And a great performance.

59:18Michael Phillips:So, yeah. Yeah. Josh.

59:20Josh Larsen:This is Ashley Akinetti from the Ben and Ashley I, Almost Famous Podcast. iVeam is built for losing weight and moving forward. iVeam is built for feeling your best and seeing real results. iVeam is a medical weight loss program built for you. Their approach is individualized, virtual, integrative medicine. 99.2 % of patients who've completed the IVIM weight loss protocol achieved meaningful change, dropping an average of 45 pounds. IVIM, built for your wellness journey. IVIM, built for real life. When you sign up right now, you can get a one month free trial. Start your personalized plan in minutes by visiting IVIMHealth.com.

1:00:08Josh Larsen:That is IVIMHealth.com. Subscription required. Medication, labs, and supplements not included. Results based on patients who completed the full IV protocol over 68 weeks. Individual results may vary. Not all patients are eligible. Prescription medication may carry risks and should be used only as directed by your provider. Wait, this is a soda? Yeah. And it has protein? 10 grams. No sugar? Zero. And it actually tastes good? It's Sky Pop. Sky Pop Protein Soda delivers the refreshing taste you want from a real soda. Crisp and delicious with 10 grams of complete protein, zero sugar, and just 45 calories.

1:00:50Josh Larsen:So you're not choosing between great taste and real benefits. You're getting both in every sip. Sky Pop Protein Soda. Reach for the sky. Get your Sky Pop Protein Soda now at Target. You know what's wild? We can video chat from space, order groceries just by talking out loud. And men have like 17 options for hair loss alone. But a bra that actually fits and feels good? Apparently, too much to ask. Until now. Meet the Uplift bra from NYX. That's K-N-I-X. A wireless bra that finally delivers real lift and all-day comfort. The secret? Molded cups with a built-in foam panel that gently enhances your natural shape.

1:01:31Josh Larsen:So you get a subtle boost without wires, digging, or that, why am I still wearing this moment at 3 p.m.? You asked for it. We delivered. In a push-up bra that doesn't dig, poke, or pinch. And with an extensive size range from 28A through 42E, you'll be sure to find your perfect fit with the Uplift. Try the Uplift bra at NYX.com and use code PERFECTFIT15 for 15 % off your first order. That's K-N-I-X dot com, code PERFECTFIT15. Are you trying to get weight loss support through telehealth, but it feels overwhelming and rushed? Check out orderlymeds.com now. Orderlymeds.com was built to be different.

1:02:11Josh Larsen:Here, you connect with real doctors who take the time to understand your goals, review your eligibility, and guide you through a plan that's right for you. Orderlymeds provides access to proven GLP-1 medications like semaglutide and terzepatide, including both name brand options and personalized compound versions when appropriate. So you have choices backed by clinical oversight, not guesswork. It's a simpler, more supportive telehealth experience designed around people who want clarity, care, and confidence in their weight loss journey. And your medication is delivered directly to your home in discreet packaging.

1:02:44Josh Larsen:So your experience stays private from start to finish. Do your research. Ask the right questions. Then visit orderlymeds.com slash podcast for an exclusive offer. Again, that's orderlymeds.com slash podcast.

1:03:01All right.

1:03:03Josh Larsen:Best actor should have been nominated for me, Josh O 'Connor in Wake Up Dead Man, my favorite performance from a lead actor last year. And I look forward to the day when the Academy wakes up to the wonder of Josh O 'Connor. Who should have been kicked out? Man, was this hard? I mean, so hard. even with slight reservations I had about some of these performances I completely agree they're among the best of the year and this is unfair for me I just being honest it would probably be more up because The Secret Agent is a movie that I did like quite a bit and didn't like it to the degree most people did which means I need to watch it again and probably when I did so Maura would be elevated even higher on this list for me.

1:03:49Josh Larsen:But where I'm at right now, he's probably the one

1:03:51Adam Kempenaar:I'd take out in favor of Josh O 'Connor. It's too bad we can't get more tension here because Michael is cutting my pick and I'm going to cut Josh's pick, actually, even though I love DiCaprio's performance in One Battle After Another. Wow, this is a shock. You're cutting DiCaprio? Look, this is another case. This is the other category, even though I actually feel stronger about this category than best supporting actor. I think these are the five. This is, this is another category. They got it right. There is, there is no reason to pick anybody else than these five on my CFCA ballot. I had DiCaprio at six and Michael, you know who I had on my list?

1:04:30Adam Kempenaar:I had Lee Byung-hun for no other choice. Okay. So I had a great, I had a great top six. Now I don't think he realistically stood a chance. And like you, Josh felt even more passionately about how good DiCaprio is after watching it again. So I bumped him up a spot. I think these are the best five lead actor performances. I'm, I'm great with this list. I don't want to swap anybody in or out. If I had to DiCaprio, because he was number six originally for me, I guess that's why I'm going to, I'm going to move him out. And I'm with you that it'd be Josh O 'Connor. It'd be Josh O 'Connor as my as my pick to put in for wake up dead man, the knives out mystery.

1:05:15Adam Kempenaar:And I think he is an actor. I mean, look, at the end of the day, it's not going to really make your career or validate you as a as a performer. Of course, I know we don't feel this way. If you ever get Oscar nominations or an Oscar win, but I'd be shocked if Josh O 'Connor doesn't end up with multiple Oscar nominations over the course of his career. I think that I think that seems likely. And when I think back, this was easy for me to put him in because I think back to us, you know, doing our wrap party and thinking about the, the movie and the moments that moved us the most. And yes, Rian Johnson had a lot to do with it.

1:05:55Adam Kempenaar:Rian Johnson probably had the most to do with it because of his writing and directing with that movie. But they were both moments that josh o 'connor gave us his performance gave us we can't overlook that and that that that performance in and that movie i think are i don't know if it's fair to say that they're under appreciated or not but obviously we felt that it was much more than just the really good mystery that it is there's a lot of mysteries within that mystery to unpack yeah i think underappreciated

1:06:30Josh Larsen:in award circles, which, you know, maybe will come up for me at least a little bit further down the line.

1:06:36Michael Phillips:Also, O 'Connor is so good in The Mastermind. I mean, that was, which I saw very late, right under the wire for, you know, the first time for the first kind of year discussions. And I mean, that, you know, that's one of Reichert's best. And so it's the perfect actor in that material and for her way of just sort of sitting with and slowly burrowing into a character.

1:06:58Josh Larsen:Yeah, it's great. He's just doing something completely different than what's happening in wake up dead man. Yeah. Yeah.

1:07:05Adam Kempenaar:And the Oscar goes to Mikey Madison. We have lead actress now. I don't know if we really need to even weigh in on who will win. Jesse Buckley is first up because she has a B in her name and it comes before burn for Hamnet Rose Byrne. If I had legs, I'd kick you. Kate Hudson's song sung blue. Renata Reintzva. Sentimental value. and Emma Stone for Bugonia. Maybe we can just get this out of the way. Do we all agree that if Buckley doesn't win this, it would be the shock of all shocks? The shock of the night, for sure.

1:07:42Josh Larsen:Yeah, I agree. And also for what it's worth, unanimous in Copenhagen.

1:07:47Adam Kempenaar:Okay. Oh, wow. The Copenhagen doctrine, you know, they spoke and there's no questioning that.

1:07:57Michael Phillips:This is going to be become an increasingly important historical group you've established there this is great you better

1:08:06Adam Kempenaar:believe it i just i think about you know the the fact that of course the movie too is a best picture nominee chloe zhao got a nomination the the cross branches you know the support that it's gotten um that all that all points to of course the the win but also the adulation i mean of course all of these performances that are nominated, co-stars and directors and people in the industry are going to speak highly of a performance. But I don't know that I have seen so many people not even associated with the movie speak as highly of a performer and a performance as I have with Jesse Buckley and Hammond.

1:08:47Adam Kempenaar:People seem other actresses and actors seem who are really good, who I really respect and seem like they're at the top of their craft, seem genuinely in awe of the work, Jesse Buckley is doing in Hamnet and I'm going to, I suppose, take them at their word. Yeah.

1:09:03Josh Larsen:So we all have that. She should win as well. I have, I have that. She should Michael. Do you disagree?

1:09:08Michael Phillips:I do. I do. And it's so reluctant because I have D I've wildly mixed feelings about that film, but I don't have wildly mixed feelings about what, what she does to make me, to, to make me just sideline my, my only mixed feelings is just appreciate what she's up to. It's not her fault. she has to kind of do, you know, that particular kind of roundly of grief and anguish, the way it's treated, it couldn't be more authentic from a performance point of view. And for me, you know, could have been handled a different way, even with the same... And there's something about the film that I have yet to locate exactly why I resisted some of it.

1:09:54Michael Phillips:it just felt a little like it was discreetly assaultive in terms of its kind of full bore go for the throat pathos. I mean that's not Chloe Zhao by temperament but somehow I mean this is just stupid kind of like patronizing guesswork but it's like the minute I saw Spielberg and Sam Mendes come up on the opening credits as executive producers I thought uh oh in the same way that Spielberg's best work wasn't The Color Purple, you know, that Sam Mendes has done very slick work sometimes, sometimes adapting, sometimes not, in emotional human drama, right, that just feels a little engineered to me, and there's something about it around it.

1:10:46Michael Phillips:But not Ashley Buckley, man. I mean, she is, you know, she is the last 12, 15 movies she's made. she has been you know a reason enough to go and uh and yeah i think she it's will and should

1:11:00Adam Kempenaar:okay then who would you have nominated instead in this category if you could have michael and

1:11:05Michael Phillips:who would you cut uh jesse buck no i wouldn't um um i like i really like kate hudson and song song blue i don't like the movie don't don't love the movie but uh it's it's she's she's good She's good, but out you go. And to make Room 4, they're very unlikely to be nominated, but I've already touted her publicly in other reasons. I just, you know, I saw one of them days and Kiki Palmer just in there. There you go. Moving her like a pro, a comic pro who knows how to just, like, propel and sort of push a scene in the best way. She works like a tiger, you know, And it's not just about size of performance or like the willingness to go big or whatever.

1:11:56She just has a great ear for where, how a scene's rhythm should sort of like go.

1:12:00Michael Phillips:And even when the director is kind of struggling to keep up with her, you know, it's just a moderately well-made film at best. But Kiki Palmer is like grade A. Of course, comedy never gets, you know, just a kind of a zingy, unpretentious comedy. It doesn't get props from the Academy much.

1:12:19Josh Larsen:but it's yeah kiki palmer yeah i mean that was michael that's who i had i should have been nominated she was on my cfca ballot one of them days was on my top 10 films i mean i think it's a better film than you described top 10 films of the year but it's so unrealistic it's not my official pick i mean no chance in hell you mean no chance with the academy again this has changed in recent years. Why are you such a realist? And I want to be fair. I want to be fair. I was about to say, what are the chances any Academy Award voter saw one of them days? But I will retract that and say in recent years, I bet that has changed.

1:12:57Josh Larsen:And a lot of them have, but I still don't think we're at a point where a comic performance, even with some very serious dramatic layers to it, which I think Kiki Palmer brings, is going to be recognized for the Oscars. So, you know, there are other less Academy-friendly performances on my ballot like um ava victor for the golden brick winning sorry baby actually you know i don't think that would ever happen so what i'm actually going to go with is one i was surprised to not see happen which was tessa thompson for hedda that's my pick too josh and i thought it might be yours

1:13:29Michael Phillips:michael it seems like i mean that's not my top five for the year so as a well yeah let's hear it

1:13:35Josh Larsen:josh yeah no i know i i mean that's where you should have gone i just i just think it's it's similar, the way you describe Michael B. Jordan's performance in Sinners, Michael, I feel is how I felt here is like, it's really good. And there's something, there's like that shading or 10 % of something that would have put it on my ballot of top five rather than say top eight, which is where she landed. So, so yes, um, she should have been nominated. I would have been fine with that. And I would have kicked out, you know, Emma Stone, speaking of petitions to the Academy, I'm waiting to hear back on my petition that Stone, Lanthimos, there's a temporary ban, let's say five years, and we can get back to them after that point.

1:14:17Josh Larsen:But haven't heard back. I'll let you know.

1:14:19Adam Kempenaar:Yeah, I would co-sign, and that will come up later, but it doesn't come up in this category. As I said, Tessa Thompson for Hedda, that was in my top five. A remarkable performance, and that would be in for me. Hard to decide which one of these I would kick out. And it's tempting to go with Emma Stone, Josh, because I'm not a fan of Begonia. I am actually going to go with Rose Byrne. And it's not because I don't like the performance and I don't think Rose Byrne is very good. Okay. Again, I'm having to pick between the five. But I think of all of those performances, the movie is a bit oppressive.

1:14:57Adam Kempenaar:And the performance then also takes on that quality. It has to, right? But if I'm weighing, for example, actually what Kate Hudson does in Song Song Blue versus what Rose Byrne does in If I Had Legs, there's a part of me that actually appreciates a little bit more Hudson having to balance the kind of wild swings, emotional, melodramatic moments of that movie and not make them feel like that, like making that character feel like a real human being. that impresses me almost a little bit more than the heaviness that Rose Byrne has to bring, but brings to that character in If I Had Legs. So that's my best explanation for why I'm kicking her out.

1:15:46Adam Kempenaar:There's not really a good explanation. And the Oscar goes to Anora. Sean Baker! We go to director, and we have Hamnet. Chloe Zhao is the director. Josh Safdie for Marty Supreme. PTA, one battle after another. Joachim Trier, sentimental value. Ryan Coogler for Sinners. Michael, do you have a pick for who will win? And is it the same director who you think should win?

1:16:15Michael Phillips:uh it is uh paul thomas anderson and and so not a lot need be said except that when when a film of his comes along that i like less than the ones i really love uh it tends to be all about um what i might have questions about in the writing whether it's an original screenplay is or uh you know in a couple cases uh adaptations uh twice on pension you know and very loosely with this one which is which is a very good move, just like There Will Be Blood is an adaptation in a loose sense in that they're just using a bit of the original novel oil. And here, you know, they're using a bit more of Vineland, the source material for One Battle.

1:17:00But I think Paul Thomas Anderson is a truly inspired visual master.

1:17:08Michael Phillips:And his directing instincts are often a little ahead of his writing. And I think he's actually a director who would profit from just not writing his, from directing somebody else's scripts for a little bit, for part of his career. And just, I mean, he's, every film he's made, he's got shots that I would see it again just for that eight seconds or minute and a half or whatever. but One Battle is one of his best screenplays and this is certainly one of his two or three best directorial sort of like resume I love it, good work what can you say? it was the easiest movie to see twice in a hurry last year especially when the second time was on 70mm film at the Music Box Wow, yeah here in Chicago

1:18:01Josh Larsen:I'm with you Michael 14 nominations for Paul Thomas Anderson across various categories. Zero wins. It's time. Who should win? Paul Thomas Anderson. It's time. And his work on one battle, I think, deserves it.

1:18:17Adam Kempenaar:So I'm with you. Okay. Well, we are all aligned, though, obviously, or it seems obvious anyway, that the who will win battle, I mean, it is going to be a battle between PTA and Kugler. Kugler very clearly could win this. He could. Yeah, for sure. The strength of Sinners, the 16 nominations to, I believe, One Battles, 13. They have similar profiles in terms of the categories that they're being nominated in and how they're both filmmakers who are also writers on that film. And of course, you know, interesting, even just that they're coming from the same studio, right, in this case this year. All those things together, just it seems like it obviously is coming down to these two movies.

1:19:05Adam Kempenaar:And I think it's going to be those two directors. And could it be a case where because this filmmaker, the one we're talking about, may not be the one who wins Best Picture, is Best Director going to be his primary consolation prize? Perhaps. I think PTA will win. I do think that PTA should also win. And I think about, again, Josh, our fairly recent Sacred Cow discussion of that film where we noted that it ended up being maybe the longest review we've ever had in the history of the show, which we didn't plan. And it just ended up being like a 70 or 80 minute conversation about that film. And how much of that, what percentage of that time, I was looking back through my notes, it had to be at least three quarters of that runtime was spent talking about the choices PTA made as a filmmaker.

1:20:02Adam Kempenaar:It wasn't about, yes, we did talk about the politics. We talked about its relevance, the timeliness, things that matter to us personally. That was part of it. but it wasn't the brunt of the conversation. We talked about the filmmaking. We talked about what PTA was doing as a director. So for me, it's, it's a no brainer that it's, I mean, it is because even though I like a lot of the films that are nominated for best picture and I like the films that are nominated in this category, four of them in particular, quite a bit. I still think that one battle is, is the best of the bunch by far. Michael, what film would you like to have put in place instead of one of these?

1:20:40Adam Kempenaar:And I think it's fair to say that you would kick out Hamnet.

1:20:44Michael Phillips:Well, we're talking about the director, right? Oh, yeah. So Chloe is where I was going. You would kick out Chloe Zhao's Hamnet. I know, I know. I know. Maybe Chloe Zhao or Wacom Trier maybe in a way. I mean, his work is excellent. And her work is, all right, Chloe Zhao goes out there. But, you know, I don't if somebody made the number one film of a certain year, not too many years ago for me, and that was Chloe Zhao and the writer. I can't kick that director off a list under your stupid premise that we have to lose somebody. Everybody's human. All right.

1:21:24Adam Kempenaar:Ups and downs, Michael.

1:21:25Michael Phillips:All right, then. All right. Welcome to your enemy country. Go home. That's it. He's out. Sure. And in, you know, this is a tight one, man. And yes, would it have ever happened realistically in Josh's realm of realism for some reason? You know, oh, well, they would never do that. Well, yeah, no, the Academy wouldn't have nominated Nia DaCosta as Best Director for HEDA. But for me, I mean, it's one of the very best stage to screen adaptations I've ever seen. I think there's a, I've always thought her work was sharp and very interesting and character-driven and also visually, you know, quite beautiful.

1:22:07Michael Phillips:This is a new fluidity for her in Hedda, movement, kind of activating all these different sort of like subterranean, you know, all the sort of secrecy and gossip in this going on within this sort of 1930s manor house and all in her adaptation of Ibsen's Hedda Gabler. So Nia DaCosta, on the other hand, And if I had to do another tie, it'd be Kelly Reichert in The Mastermind. So, you know, Kelly Reichert, so good. And this is one of her best films. So that's my second, that's my second time.

1:22:41Adam Kempenaar:DaCosta, obviously unrealistic to an extent, but not shockingly so. I could see it happening. That film, yeah, that film was in conversations around awards season. So I liked it.

1:22:51Michael Phillips:It did have like, you know, everywhere from geographically, Amy Nicholson at the LA Times, loved it. Richard Brody and the New Yorker, a huge champion. And so it has its not just defenders, but like passionate champions. And I'd like to think I'm one of them. So, yeah, no, it's great work.

1:23:11Josh Larsen:This is Ashley Akinetti from the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast. iVeam is built for losing weight and moving forward. iVeam is built for feeling your best and seeing real results. iVeam is a medical weight loss program built for you. Their approach is individualized, virtual, integrative medicine. 99.2 % of patients who've completed the iVeam weight loss protocol achieved meaningful change, dropping an average of 45 pounds. iVeam, built for your wellness journey. iVeam, built for real life. When you sign up right now, you can get a one-month free trial. Start your personalized plan in minutes by visiting IVIMHealth.com.

1:23:59Josh Larsen:That is IVIMHealth.com. Subscription required, medication, labs, and supplements not included. Results based on patients who completed the full IV protocol over 68 weeks. Individual results may vary. Not all patients are eligible. Prescription medication may carry risks and should be used only as directed by your provider. What if your soda actually did something for you? Introducing Sky Pop Protein Soda. Sky Pop Protein Soda has 10 grams of complete protein, zero sugar, and real delicious soda taste. Sky Pop Protein Soda. Reach for the sky. Get your Sky Pop Protein Soda now at Target. You know what's wild?

1:24:38Josh Larsen:We can video chat from space, order groceries just by talking out loud. And men have like 17 options for hair loss alone. But a bra that actually fits and feels good? Apparently, too much to ask. Until now. Meet the Uplift bra from NYX. That's K-N-I-X. A wireless bra that finally delivers real lift and all-day comfort. The secret? Molded cups with a built-in foam panel that gently enhances your natural shape. So you get a subtle boost without wires, digging, or that why am I still wearing this moment at 3 p.m.? You asked for it. We delivered. in a push-up bra that doesn't dig, poke, or pinch. And with an extensive size range from 28A through 42E, you'll be sure to find your perfect fit with the Uplift.

1:25:26Josh Larsen:Try the Uplift bra at NYX.com and use code PERFECTFIT15 for 15 % off your first order. That's K-N-I-X dot com, code PERFECTFIT15. NYX dot com. Less support through telehealth, but it feels overwhelming and rushed. Check out OrderlyMeds.com now. Now, orderlymeds.com was built to be different. Here, you connect with real doctors who take the time to understand your goals, review your eligibility, and guide you through a plan that's right for you. Orderly Meds provides access to proven GLP-1 medications like semaglutide and terzepatide, including both name brand options and personalized compound versions when appropriate.

1:26:04Josh Larsen:So you have choices backed by clinical oversight, not guesswork. It's a simpler, more supportive telehealth experience designed around people who want clarity, care, and confidence in their weight loss journey. And your medication is delivered directly to your home in discreet packaging. So your experience stays private from start to finish. Do your research. Ask the right questions. Then visit orderlymeds.com slash podcast for an exclusive offer. Again, that's orderlymeds.com slash podcast. Individual results may vary. Not medical advice. Eligibility required. See site for details. yeah da costa and reichert both good substitutes michael which i considered i'm actually going who should have been nominated for best director i'm gonna go with zach crager for weapons i mean good if amy madigan got a nod why not her director the just the precision and the control behind the camera in that movie and the way if you saw that movie with a packed theater you were in the palm of its hand.

1:27:06Josh Larsen:There's a lot of factors at work there. Absolutely. The director is one of them. So that's who I think should have been nominated. And man, kicking out, this is a really hard one. Unlike you, Michael, I'm a bit more on board with what Zhao is doing as a director in Hamnet. It didn't make my top 10, so it's not at that level for me, but I don't have as many quibbles with it. So I don't think I'm going to go that way. I guess, I guess safety for Marty Supreme. And that's only because, you know, if I'm looking at this category, the best director in the movies represented, I'd probably rank Marty Supreme the lowest.

1:27:47Josh Larsen:So that's the logic I'm leaning on for removing him, even though it's, you know, also a movie that keeps you in the palm of its hand. And the director safety deserves credit for that.

1:27:58Adam Kempenaar:I love the writer too, Michael. I think it's a masterpiece. I'm not as high on Nomadland, but that's not factoring into my thought process here at all. The simple fact of the matter is that Hamnet is, using your logic, Josh, and that's usually what I go by here with Best Director, Hamnet is my least favorite film of these five, and by quite a distance. Now, I feel more preferential towards it than you do, Michael, by a little bit. I don't like it nearly as much as you do, Josh. So it's pretty easy for me against these other four to remove it, even though, again, you're right, the writer is an incredible film.

1:28:38Adam Kempenaar:And I think Zhao's obviously a very talented filmmaker. It's out though. And I think the film that I would put in its place, the director I would put in its place, I would just kind of follow the logic here of some of the other nominations. I'm going for realism, but it's not just realism. I'm going for the, the film, another film that I actually loved that I had in my top 10 and that has been recognized in at least one other major category deservedly. So that we've touched on, I would have put in instead of Chloe Zhao, Kleiber, Mendoza, Filio for the secret agent, secret agents. If it's going to get a best picture nomination, right if Wagner Moore is going to get the best actor nomination why not go ahead and also put him in for best director and I do think that film is is a significantly better one than Hamnet so that's a pretty easy choice right now make in this case and the Oscar goes to are they playing us all no well maybe uh Anora that brings us to finally best picture we have nine films in alphabetical order Bugonia F1 Frankenstein Hamnet Marty Supreme One Battle The Secret Agent Sentimental Value Sinners and Trained Dreams we probably don't need 10 films 10 oh you're right I'm sorry it is 10

1:30:10Michael Phillips:they went as high as they can go you got 10 I don't know where I had 9

1:30:14Adam Kempenaar:they went 10 I don't think we need to belabor the fact that we all think one battle after another should be the best picture. Do we all think, however, that it's actually going to be Sinners that wins it? Or not? Where are you at, Michael?

1:30:33Michael Phillips:Yes. I think it's going to be—I think it's will and should. Yeah. Okay. I've got to say, I struggled a moment there. Again, you're confounding me.

1:30:43Adam Kempenaar:It's your number one film of the year, but now it's not the best picture.

1:30:47Michael Phillips:I love this, you know, I see these things twice. And, you know, I love The Secret Asian. I really do. And I like your, that's the great reason for working in the director, you know, because it's somebody directed it and wrote it. But yes, no, I think one battle, I've long, in recent years, I've given up the idea that you can't have substantial reservations about a film you love. I don't know why. I might have been fussy about that when I was younger. And I think a lot of the stuff I've liked the best in recent years has been sort of the, not just almost ambitious and not just arguably messy, but, you know, just sort of some substantial misjudgments within it.

1:31:31Nonetheless, One Battle has all that for me, but it also has so much in it that, again, I happily saw that twice in the same week.

1:31:41Michael Phillips:and just to kind of see what I missed or I couldn't wait to see certain things again or moments between actors and just how it all came together. So yeah, should, will, PTA, one battle?

1:31:56Adam Kempenaar:You don't think it's sinners. Okay, so Josh, what do you think?

1:31:59Josh Larsen:Yeah, so this one battle versus sinners question is fascinating to me. And I think it's really a question of how political the Academy actually wants to get. it, which is a thorny question, because let me be absolutely clear. Sinners is political. Clear. I mean, it's inherently political what it's addressing, but it's sort of political within the safeness of the past and the safeness of history. Again, even though the dynamics it explores are still at play today and relevant today. So I don't mean to imply that at all. One battle after another, however, is political. It was political when it came out.

1:32:41Josh Larsen:It's political now. And unfortunately it's going to be political for the near future. So it is the more dangerous pick in a way, which seems ridiculous, but this is where we are. Um, also I think it's worth pointing out with, which, uh, Miko did at our Copenhagen group that the Academy doesn't generally like horror. Um, and sinners definitely takes a severe turn towards horror at the end. That might be worth considering here. So at the end of our deliberations with all of this, we did say one battle after another is going to win with a hesitation that there could be a classic director picture split here, right?

1:33:24Josh Larsen:I think you alluded to this already, Adam, Paul Thomas Anderson getting director and sinners getting picture. I can clearly see that happening, but official pick is going to be one battle should win. Yeah. One battle. You said it out on my favorite movie of the year, the Academy anointing it right now. It's not going to change anything about our political reality. Let's be honest about that. But I think it will plant a historical flag that I do think is important to have this movie win Best Picture in 2026, looking back 10, 20 years from now. I think that would be important. So that's the movie I think should win Best Picture.

1:34:04Michael Phillips:I think I would actually argue that Sitters would be equally, if not more dangerous, not dangerous, but like a path-breaking selection, just because of the fact that it is such a complicated embrace of black life and culture in 20th century America and 21st. Yeah. I think there's something to that. And my uneasiness about three middle-aged white guys sitting around talking about the issue of whether or not, and I've read an awful lot of good debate, really thoughtful and excellent, sort of necessary debate about whether or not one battle in PTA are not, together are not, are they fetishizing black women sort of in a way that actually feeds in a little bit to the Colonel Lockjaw point of view?

1:35:01Michael Phillips:I mean, I mean, you know, is it, is it really, is it enough to have hired and written a half a dozen, not just decent, but, you know, juicy roles for excellent, you know, black female performers when the perspective has struck many different people in many different countries and not just black women writing, but all kinds, you know, as like a little off or a lot off. So it's, it's something to consider. I've, I, you know, I, I did, I, the second time through, you know, as again, I, I only saw it twice in a, in a quick lump and then, and then I've been reading all this stuff since. And it's been, you know, it's been a good thing to kind of, check yourself on.

1:35:41Michael Phillips:So anyway, sinners would have been a different kind of risk for the academy if it wins. And I'm frankly great either way with it, even if I happen to prefer one battle in many ways.

1:35:52Josh Larsen:So, yeah. I think those are all obviously fair questions to consider and entertain. And we did that in our second look at one battle after another. We addressed some of those. And I'd agree with you, Michael, in the sense that I don't know. Yes. To your point, white guy speaking here. I don't know that black history month like ever felt as vital in the last five years as it did in 2025. And again, recently in 2026, like this is, you know, this is something we need to fight for in the United States of America. That black history month is a, is a thing. So, so I don't say that lightly to say that sinners is a safer political choice.

1:36:34Josh Larsen:I only mean it in that it is a fictional historical setting, the distance and the distance allows voters to, um, you know, to, to, to go that direction when you have an actually the issues you raise, Michael are part of the point of why one battle is more dangerous, uh, is, is it is a movie that's, you know, throwing at us a lot of things in a lot of different ways that need to be reconciled. And I don't mean to say it's more political to mean it's more perfect necessarily. Um, but it's more challenging and more disturbing. And if Academy voters of any persuasion feel that and still vote for it, I feel like that's actually saying something.

1:37:24Josh Larsen:Here's a succinct way to say it. I can see sinners winning best picture five to 10 years ago. I can't imagine one battle after another being made or needed to be made five or 10 years ago. And within that context for it to win, I think says something different.

1:37:44Adam Kempenaar:So we'll see what happens. What about Sinners, though, as a challenge just in terms of the business side of Hollywood? And I want to be clear, this is the part of the movie commentary industry that we're in that I don't really pay attention to and know very little about. But I have the headlines in front of me. I do remember seeing them, like from Vulture in April. Hollywood execs fear Ryan Coogler's Sinners deal could end the studio system. You know, is this a case where Hollywood is embracing the thing that is actually sort of destroying them or that is actually negative for them in some ways, but in the end they're going to go against it because they actually see it as too much of a subversion of the status quo that they want to maintain in some way?

1:38:35Michael Phillips:Meaning not just the film you made, but Cougar's deal.

1:38:38Adam Kempenaar:I'm talking about everything about the actual process of how it was made exactly and Kugler's power.

1:38:47Michael Phillips:Yeah, that's the final cut. Yes. And look, everything interesting about Sinners was absolutely cemented by whatever contract. I'm sure you could dramatize the contract negotiations, but I mean, there's scenes, whole scenes you could pick out that no studio, well most studio heads would have said no no that's we don't have time for time or money for a four or five minute fantasia that sort of deals with sort of you know this you know the generational power of black music and we'll have you know that that dance sort of fantasy sequence in the club right i mean that's but i i've seen that film with a student audience at the university of Illinois.

1:39:30Michael Phillips:And there were, I mean, there were people coming out of that saying, I've never seen a scene like that in my life. I love it. And, and it's, uh, you know, yes, it's, it's why we, it's the one thing it has in common with one battle. I think it's, it's not, it's a film made with, with, uh, rare freedom, you know, and actually of the two, Sitters is the one that made a little money. You It wasn't a huge hit, but it was a hit. And to the degree any of the money matters as we're talking about, one battle lost about$100 million in the end.

1:40:05Adam Kempenaar:Right. It's a lot. Yeah, a lot of elements to this conversation. I ultimately do think Sinners is going to win. I'm going Sinners. I think the 16 nominations, I think obviously the breadth of the categories it's nominated in and those specific categories, the precursor awards that it's won at this juncture, Critics' Choice, the BAFTA. The fact that I think I saw this on IMDb. More math for you, Michael. You'll appreciate this. You don't actually have to do any calculations. According to IMDb, across global critics groups and guilds, Sinners is in the top spot with 310 wins and 494 total nominations.

1:40:46Adam Kempenaar:Now, that may or may not factor into the Academy's ultimate voting, but it feels like it's a juggernaut, and I think it's Sinner's Year.

1:40:57Michael Phillips:So for you, it's Sinner's Will and One Battle Should? Should, yeah.

1:41:02Adam Kempenaar:One Battle's my favorite film of the bunch, absolutely, but I think Sinner's Will. I don't think it's going to be hard for us. I don't want to presume too much here, Michael, but I don't think it's going to be too difficult to find one or two movies that we'd like to kick out. I definitely want to hear what you would have preferred to nominate instead. So, so give us both.

1:41:25Michael Phillips:Well, F1, you know, I mean, whatever. So I'll, you go, you know, uh, I mean, I don't hate it. You know, right. Look in kindergarten, I was there for front row watching Grand Prix with James Garner. and I got an eye infection that kept me home from school for a week. So not only did he get the racing scenes I wanted, I got a week off school. The movie was that bad. No. He'd give you an eye infection. Hey, man, John Frankenheimer and that split screen, that'll change your life at age five. I bet. So anyway, F1, you know, I like the racing scenes fine, but no, out you go. And I would put in Hedda, absolutely.

1:41:59Michael Phillips:You know, honorable mention on that, weapons, because I just love the success of it. I love the fact that, I mean, that's a movie that Jordan Peele, who's been writing his own stuff, you know, was dying. They bid the moon for that film and he got aced out. So there's something about that thing that just kind of plain works. And the fact that it turns into this nutty, I mean, I feel this dour, solemn, really kind of grim premise. And then you get like just this little tiny burst of zombie slapstick at the end that actually works. and you know you just can't believe it's all working so you know yes uh run over there but i had a i'd throw head in there instead of f1 because they're so similar yeah it's true it's

1:42:45Josh Larsen:true michael uh yeah i you know i think the only other academy friendly movie that was on my top 10 list which did include weapons michael so maybe i should have given that some thoughts but for me it seemed to be possibly wake up dead man you know but knives out glass onion they only got screenplay nods. Maybe that ship has sailed, but again, that puts them in the, that puts Ryan Johnson's mystery series in the Oscar conversation. So not unthinkable that wake up dead man could have gotten a nomination. I would have liked to have seen that. And yeah, F one man, what a chore. I can't even defend the racing scenes.

1:43:21Josh Larsen:I felt like I was binging an eight episode Netflix series about Formula One in one sitting. And beyond that, I had to sit through a smug Brad Pitt performance, which I never find myself sitting through. I'm generally more appreciative of his onscreen presence than not. And this one was a rough go. So I'm with you.

1:43:43Adam Kempenaar:F1 out. I'm not going F1, even though I don't love F1 by any stretch. But while I can say that the movie I'm about to mention is a greater artistic endeavor. It's striving for something greater than F1 is, which is Mirror Entertainment, Josh and Michael. Name of my next podcast, Mirror Entertainment. But it's successful as Mirror Entertainment, and this is what you said earlier. I am ready to put, I'm ready right now, I think, to put the moratorium on Lanthimos nominations, okay? Okay. Begonia is not a movie. I feel like I need to wrestle with again. I'm good. I'm good. I don't think it deserved a nomination.

1:44:35Adam Kempenaar:I know it is dealing with some big topics. I think we had a perfectly reasonable, hopefully intelligent discussion about the film. I'm not saying it's a film that you write off completely. It doesn't, it doesn't deserve some significant consideration. And I actually think Emma Stone is very good in it. And I certainly think that And Plemons, Jesse Plemons is very good in that film, but it is the one of these 10 that I would, I would kick out in the film. I would put in pretty easy for me. It would be the film that I actually had just above one battle after another on my end of year top 10. It would be Jafar Panahi's.

1:45:09Adam Kempenaar:It was just an accident, which is not actually that much of a stretch when you consider that. I do know that Variety had it on its list of best picture contenders, like in the top 10 all year after it came out. It was a possibility. But beyond that, it did get the original screenplay nomination for Panahi, and it did get the international feature nomination. So there was a chance. Yeah.

1:45:35Josh Larsen:Well, maybe not a huge chance. Maybe not a huge chance. But it was a chance. If the secret agent got best picture, why not? Right. It was just an accident.

1:45:41Adam Kempenaar:Yeah. Yeah. I thought it might have. When you knew there were 10 slots, I thought it was just an accident could be there. So it wasn't there. And it's the one that I would put in, certainly in place of Begonia, also in place of F1. There's no doubt about that. But if I had to pick one, I would go Begonia. So those are our Oscar picks. I am sure that we did not help you at all in finishing up your Oscar ballots. But we certainly had a lot of fun doing it. And what we're going to do right now is we're going to share how our listeners put together their Oscar ballots. We gave them over at filmspotting.net a survey where they had all 10 films and they could rank those films.

1:46:29Adam Kempenaar:And then, Josh, that produced a weighted rank where the lowest number then means the winner. Who's ever closest to one, right, is the top film. So is it going to be sinners here? Is it going to be one battle here? You do the honors. How did the listeners rank choice? Best picture vote come out. I'm all a tingle. I bet you are.

1:46:52Josh Larsen:And to be clear, this is the, the should win category. This is who they want to win.

1:46:58Michael Phillips:Okay.

1:46:58Josh Larsen:And they, they don't want F1 to win. It was in last place. Frankenstein came next. Then begonia. We have a batch together of closer scores, I'll just say without giving you all the math, but this group includes The Secret Agent, then Hamnet, then Train Dreams, then Sentimental Value. The next tier here that listeners voted for, that included Marty Supreme. And yeah, so this leaves us with the two big pictures, Sinners in One Battle After Another. According to film spotting listeners, the Oscar this year for best picture should go to one battle after another sinners came in second place. Adam, you know, the bath, you know, the math better than me, how this actually works.

1:47:49Josh Larsen:This totally blows my mind that the ranking and the, and the categories, maybe you can give us a sense of how close this actually was.

1:47:56Adam Kempenaar:Well, I, I thought it would be closer than it is. Let me put it that way, because one battle after another's weighted rank was one point nine eight. So we could just call it two centers was three point four three. So that is a pretty healthy jump. After that, Marty Supreme was four point six seven. Then we're in the fives F one's at eight point eight eight. So I am a little bit surprised, actually, that that one battle and centers weren't maybe more somewhere within that two ranking together, you know, within a point of each other. Whereas right now they're about a point and a half separated, but they still are clearly the two choices that separated themselves from all of the others.

1:48:39Adam Kempenaar:And that makes sense. That's how we would have expected it to go.

1:48:43Josh Larsen:Yep. Okay.

1:48:44Adam Kempenaar:We thank everyone who voted in that poll. And we do remind you, as always, you can find all of our picks as you can with all of our top five lists for this Oscars show. You can find all of them over at filmspotting.net. Just click on lists right there at the top of the page. Michael, do you have any grand plans for the Oscars this year?

1:49:05Michael Phillips:Well, I'm not nominated, so what the hell do I care? No, I think I'm going to go over to Copenhagen. It sounds like a fun group. I think I'll head over there and keep it going. What do you think, Josh? Can you hook me up?

1:49:17Josh Larsen:Yeah, go to Haven, H-A-V-N, and that is an incredible array of beer on tap. like 12 options. I think between the what's five, six of us, we sample, you know, at least eight of them. And yeah, I would say, I would say, check it out. I'm actually still here in St. Andrews, Scotland. This will be the first time I don't watch the Oscars live. I'm sure there's a time I missed it in my life, but I can't remember it. So. Oh, wow. Well, I'll wake up to the results. You're not very devoted, Josh. What? You need your sleep more than the Oscars live? Yeah, I mean, if I'm not staying up for the NBA, Adam, over here, I'm not staying up for the Oscars.

1:50:00Josh Larsen:Sorry.

1:50:01Adam Kempenaar:Okay. Okay. Michael, it was a pleasure. I hope you enjoyed yourself.

1:50:06Michael Phillips:Yes, just to make sure to delete all extraneous opinions. So it'll be like a four or five second appearance this year. Yeah, I was going to say, it's a short show. It's a short show. What are you going to do?

1:50:18Josh Larsen:As always, Michael, obviously you've never heard a show that you've actually been on. No. Where?

1:50:25Michael Phillips:I have heard him. I occasionally actually listen through him, you know, all the way to the bitter end, you know.

1:50:32Adam Kempenaar:Where can our listeners find more about you, Michael?

1:50:36Michael Phillips:Well, you know, the most interesting thing about me is that I'm over on WFMT now as a straight announcer on the classical music station here in Chicago, the classical WFMT. I do, you know, I got some shifts over there. And it is a real pleasure to just actually tee up a bunch of great music, some of which I know, some of which I'm getting to know. And, you know, in addition to doing the weekly film music program soundtrack, which I introduce every Saturday at 9 a.m. But you can catch all this stuff online at WFMT.com. So that's something I do. And I'm writing here and there. I write for the San Francisco Chronicle a bit.

1:51:13Michael Phillips:I've done a few things for RogerEbert.com. But, you know, I like this new shift and it's nice to talk to you guys. And this podcasting game is, I think it's going to catch on. And I think I may, you know, who knows? I may look into it in a larger way. Who knows? Yeah.

1:51:27Adam Kempenaar:Like to hear your voice some more. Thank you as always, Michael. Thanks, Michael. Thanks, guys. I appreciate it.

1:51:33Josh Larsen:This is Ashley Iacanetti from the Ben and Ashley I, Almost Famous podcast. iVeam is built for losing weight and moving forward. iVeam is built for feeling your best and seeing real results. iVeam is a medical weight loss program built for you. Their approach is individualized, virtual, integrative medicine. 99.2 % of patients who've completed the iVeam weight loss protocol achieved meaningful change, dropping an average of 45 pounds. iVeam, built for your wellness journey. iVeam, built for real life. When you sign up right now, you can get a one-month free trial. Start your personalized plan in minutes by visiting IVIMHealth.com.

1:52:21Josh Larsen:That is IVIMHealth.com. Subscription required. Medication, labs, and supplements not included. Results based on patients who completed the full IV protocol over 68 weeks. Individual results may vary. Not all patients are eligible. Prescription medication may carry risks and should be used only as directed by your provider. What if your soda actually did something for you? Introducing Sky Pop Protein Soda. Sky Pop Protein Soda has 10 grams of complete protein, zero sugar, and real delicious soda taste. Sky Pop Protein Soda. Reach for the sky. Get your Sky Pop Protein Soda now at Target. You know what's wild?

1:53:00Josh Larsen:We can video chat from space, order groceries just by talking out loud. And men have like 17 options for hair loss alone. But a bra that actually fits and feels good? Apparently, too much to ask. Until now. Meet the Uplift bra from NYX. That's K-N-I-X. A wireless bra that finally delivers real lift and all-day comfort. The secret? Molded cups with a built-in foam panel that gently enhances your natural shape. So you get a subtle boost without wires, digging, or that Why am I still wearing this moment at 3 p.m.? You asked for it. We delivered in a push-up bra that doesn't dig, poke, or pinch. And with an extensive size range from 28A through 42E, you'll be sure to find your perfect fit with the Uplift.

1:53:48Josh Larsen:Try the Uplift bra at NYX.com and use code PERFECTFIT15 for 15 % off your first order. That's K-N-I-X dot com, code PERFECTFIT15, NYX dot com. Are you trying to get weight loss support through telehealth, but it feels overwhelming and rushed, check out orderlymeds.com now. Orderlymeds.com was built to be different. Here, you connect with real doctors who take the time to understand your goals, review your eligibility, and guide you through a plan that's right for you. Orderlymeds provides access to proven GLP-1 medications like semaglutide and terzepatide, including both name brand options and personalized compound versions when appropriate.

1:54:27Josh Larsen:So you have choices backed by clinical oversight, not guesswork. It's a simpler, more supportive telehealth experience designed around people who want clarity, care, and confidence in their weight loss journey. And your medication is delivered directly to your home in discreet packaging. So your experience stays private from start to finish. Do your research. Ask the right questions. Then visit orderlymeds.com slash podcast for an exclusive offer. Again, that's orderlymeds.com slash podcast. Individual results may vary. Not medical advice. Eligibility required. See site for details. Adam, let's thank a couple of film spotting family members, those folks who support the show and help us to keep doing what we're doing.

1:55:08Josh Larsen:We want to thank a couple of family plus members actually this week. Tori Lightcap in Topeka and Kurt Hansman in LaGrange, Illinois. I want to say I met both Tori and Kurt at the Cinema Interruptus Phantom Thread event a while back. If I have the wrong Kurt, I apologize, Kurt, but I think that's you. At any rate, Kurt is a longtime listener, came to the show via word of mouth. Earliest episodes that Kurt remembers, Atonement, Zero Dark Thirty, The Road, and Winter's Bone. As for Torrey, Torrey said he was searching for film podcasts while working in the yard during the pandemic, July 2021. Landed on the Wong Kar Wai Marathon and suddenly needed to know everything about it.

1:55:56Adam Kempenaar:Tori's favorite episode, The Godfather at 50. That was a good one. Episode 859. He says, it was a cool new set of lenses for seeing things I'd been taking for granted for too long. Movies they credit with making them cinephiles. Kurt says, The Seven Samurai. And Alan Pakula's The Sterile Cuckoo from 1969. I think it's possible Kurt's just messing with us. Did he just make that up? Was that like a Mad Libs? I couldn't tell you. I am not familiar with that movie. I love it when our listeners pull out movies I've actually never even heard of. Tori says something I am familiar with, a movie that's actually been discussed on this show.

1:56:34Adam Kempenaar:I saw Shadow of a Doubt in a college film course and realized there was a lot going on there.

1:56:39Josh Larsen:Indeed. How about favorite books about movies or movie making? For Kurt, it's Seymour Chapman's What Novels Can Do That Films Can't and vice versa. Also, V.F. Perkins' Film as Film. Tori recommended Final Cut, Art, Money, and Ego in the making of Heaven's Gate, the film that sank United Artists by Steven Bach.

1:57:22Adam Kempenaar:You get exclusive opportunities like being part of the Film Spotting Family Discord. You get monthly bonus shows, early opportunities or exclusive opportunities. How about participating in trivia spotting like you could do coming up Thursday night, March 19th. We'll put a link in this show, at least the episode that's going to our family members, because it is an exclusive opportunity just for our family members. We look forward to seeing many of them on the 19th. And if you're interested in more information about joining the family, you can find it at filmspottingfamily.com. We always do like to mention that there is another way you can support the show, and that's just giving us a rating or a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

1:58:05Adam Kempenaar:I think we're a 4.9 on Spotify, Josh, which I'll take it. I'll take it. You know, perfection is hard to attain these days. This is true. Maybe you can help us get even closer, if there is such a thing, to that 5.0. Every new review and rating does hopefully help us reach new listeners.

1:58:27Michael Phillips:Vern, there's something on your neck. Yeah, right.

1:58:30Adam Kempenaar:I'm not falling for that one, a chance.

1:58:31Michael Phillips:No, Vern, there is something on your neck. It's a leech. Leech it! Oh, my God! Now, Josh, producer Sam, appropriately, wants me to say here,

1:58:43Adam Kempenaar:I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was 12 does anyone. And it's a great sentiment. But you know what? I may be just exceptionally lucky. I still talk to and often hang out with the guys I was friends with when I was 12.

1:58:59Josh Larsen:I mean, isn't that how it goes in Iowa? That's just... Maybe so. That's just the way.

1:59:05Adam Kempenaar:There you go. It's a small town thing.

1:59:07Josh Larsen:I wish I could say the same. Josh Regore, wherever you are, if you're out there listening to this, hello. It's been too long. Probably, yeah, at least 10 years since we've run into each other. But I think the sentiment stands. Yeah, that's any friendship at that time is a very special one.

1:59:26Adam Kempenaar:That's absolutely true. Next week, we'll give Rob Reiner's Stand By Me, The Sacred Cow Treatment. It turns 40 this year. We're going to pay tribute to Rob Reiner. And that film returns to theaters for a limited engagement later this month. What is your history with this movie, Josh? Is it a film you've seen more than once?

1:59:46Josh Larsen:Oh man. Yeah. I've seen it more than once. When did I first see it? It's fuzzy. And I just texted my dad asking this because, you know, 12 years old, speaking of that age, that's for me when it came out. Yeah. Let's stand by me rated R at the time. And I wasn't, you know, going to see a lot of rated R movies with my parents' permission at 12. he said pretty sure he took me that he didn't really start coming down hard on the ratings for me until, you know, I was dating and silence of the lambs and longtime listeners know that story. So yeah, maybe I saw it in theaters with my dad.

2:00:26Adam Kempenaar:It sounds like that was the case. Okay. I think I, I had just turned 11 when it came out and I do remember seeing it in my small town, Iowa movie theater, summer, end of summer. And it's an end of summer movie, right? Or, or feels that way as they're going back to school, this, this last mournful hurrah for these, these boys. And I, I don't remember who I saw it with. It was not my father. It was not a parent. I don't know how we snuck in or how they let us in. They weren't checking IDs, I guess, too carefully there, Josh, or too rigorously. I remember seeing it with some friends and being really moved by it.

2:01:04Adam Kempenaar:I don't know that I have seen. It's one of those films. I don't think I have seen Stand By Me from start to finish since 1986. I think it's just been one of those films. You know, it comes on TV every now and again over the past 40 years or however many years it's been. And I have seen parts of it and I've enjoyed parts of it, but I haven't taken it in. And so, yes, It will be fun to revisit this film. We also did want to give you an update. We had planned and we had, I think, promised or certainly at least teased that we were going to talk about The Bride this week. Didn't work out for your schedule.

2:01:41Adam Kempenaar:Trying to see that in Scotland this week and with some of your travel. Just didn't end up working out with my schedule, even though it was playing in multiple theaters near me where I'm located. We're going to see it. We're both eager to see it. And at some point, we're going to talk about it, whether it's been out for a couple weeks or not. I promise that I think it's a film. Let me say this. I promise that we're going to give it a few minutes. I know we both think it's a movie that deserves a few minutes. And that's not based on knowing really much about it at all, other than that we want to see it and give Maggie Gyllenhaal's film its due.

2:02:18Josh Larsen:Yeah, and it's coming my way here around St. Andrews this weekend. So I'm definitely going to be catching up with it. And yeah, looking forward to talking about it with you at some point in the near future.

2:02:29Adam Kempenaar:Back to Rob Reiner next week. We will also have results from our Rob Reiner poll. We have been asking you to choose one and only one 80s Rob Reiner movie. Very tough when you've got the likes of This is Spinal Tap, Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, or When Harry Met Sally. You can only pick one. If you can only pick one of these to watch for the rest of your life and all the other ones, they're gone. They're in the incinerator, Josh. Which one do you pick? Results so far show that there is a definitive winner. It's not running away with it, but there is a definitive winner. Based on the poll comments, though, that certainly doesn't account for.

2:03:09Adam Kempenaar:The metrics don't account for how difficult the decision seems to be. Yeah, I believe that.

2:03:14Josh Larsen:Can I guess? Can I guess? You can. You tell me if I'm right or wrong, or are you afraid that might skew votes from here on out? No, no, let's do it. Okay. Princess Bride. I think Princess Bride is the definitive winner at this point.

2:03:27Adam Kempenaar:Yep. Okay. It's definitely looking like the Princess Bride may take it, but your voice can still be heard at filmspotting.net. Vote in that poll and leave a comment there. And if you'd also like to check out what we have planned for future episodes, go to filmspotting.net and click on episodes right there at the top of the page.

2:03:46Josh Larsen:If you're looking for more Oscars talk on the eve of the ceremony, we have it for you. Actually, our sister podcast, The Next Picture Show, has it for you. It is there. If we picked the Oscar winners episode. Now, this just came out for me today, so I haven't had a chance to dig in. I understand, though, it's a debate towards consensus where they're trying to come together, the four of them, over who they think should win. So there should be some good back and forth there among Keith, Scott, Tasha, and Genevieve. New episodes of The Next Picture Show drop every Tuesday, and you can find them wherever you get your podcasts.

2:04:27Josh Larsen:Time now for Massacre Theater, or at least a Massacre Theater winner. This is where Adam and I perform a scene, and you get a chance to win a film spotting prize. Last time we massacred this scene.

2:04:39Adam Kempenaar:Can you sing me a six there? Can you sing a six? Everybody's gonna sing. Everybody's gonna sing. One, two, three. Oh.

2:04:48Josh Larsen:What? Yeah.

2:05:13Josh Larsen:That was John Michael Higgins and Christopher Moynihan in 2003's A Mighty Wind, written by Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy, directed by Guest. Our massacre of that scene was part of our top five Catherine O 'Hara characters tribute. There's always a tie in. So why that scene from A Mighty Wind?

2:05:34Adam Kempenaar:One of our more obvious tie ins, perhaps Jack in St. Cloud, Minnesota writes, it's a mighty win. I just recently caught up with this one in the wake of O 'Hara's passing and absolutely loved it. And while O 'Hara is the heart and soul of the movie, I personally found John Michael Higgins to be the funniest player involved. The clear connection to this massacre is Catherine O 'Hara, to whom you devoted a wonderful top five character segment. And I'm starting to laugh only because Jack in St. Cloud, Minnesota might be right about John Michael Higgins. I did just rewatch A Mighty Wind, ironically, just after we prepared for and recorded and published this show.

2:06:09Adam Kempenaar:You can check out my log on Letterboxd and my short review there. And what actually might be my favorite funniest bit in the movie, like I'm just I'm I'm I'm dying just thinking about it right now is when Jane Lynch, his wife, is talking to the camera about her whole colors thing. you know the the mysticism around the colors and and guest who's so good at this right in so many of his films they'll get that moment where the camera captures the other character in a scene who who we we believe is bought into whatever their partner is selling and acts like they're bought in wholeheartedly but the facade cracks just for a second and there's there's a cut to a close-up where you just see the terror in john michael higgins eyes like the way he shows that terror like i can't believe what she is spouting i can't believe that this is my life i want to run out of here so fast everything he conveys just with that like two second close-up is the best

2:07:14Josh Larsen:yeah and they have to play that right too it can't be wide eyes from the beginning it has to be as You described it a slow crack. Yes, it just kind of, it builds to it. You're right. Uh-huh. All right. We also heard from Adam Hoffer from Memphis, Tennessee. I'll start off my guess by confessing that the scene y 'all massacre does not ring a bell at all with me, even though I saw the movie for the first time just a couple of years ago. But knowing it was a Catherine O 'Hara episode is my clue. And Adam saying he was going to use his guitar. I had a strong feeling what it was before y 'all even said action.

2:07:48Josh Larsen:When the dialogue started and it was clear the scene was a Christopher Guest film, what other director continually hilariously features characters being pedantic and overly committed to something that really is not that big of a deal? From best in show to waiting for a guffman to mascots, there's a consistency in the psychology of his characters that includes the ones featured in this week's film, A Mighty Wind.

2:08:10Adam Kempenaar:It's a good insight. Thank you, Adam. Thank you, Jack. Thank you to everyone who entered. I gave Sam a little grief that this was one of the lowest entered massacre theaters of all time. Maybe just a little too obscure, even as obvious as the tie in was. That was a little bit unfair. Josh, we got we got a few more than I had originally suspected. Still low, still very low. But we'll see what we can do when we we bring massacre theater back after the break.

2:08:38Josh Larsen:I think the real problem was I mean, it was a problem for the episode overall. Well, now that I think about it, as soon as we started singing, everyone just put, like, played.

2:08:48Adam Kempenaar:That's right. Left the episode entirely and moved on. 15, 30. I think it's because we didn't hit the sixth. If we had just hit the sixth properly, they would have known. There was no hope of that. Right. Reach in to the not-so-brimming FilmSpotting hat and pick out this week's winner. Our winner is Mike Brown from Los Angeles. Congratulations, Mike. Email feedback at FilmSpotting.net. We will set you up with your very own film spotting t-shirt, tote bag, or trial membership to the film spotting family. Sadly, no singing this week, no terrible acting of any kind. We are putting Massacre Theater on hiatus.

2:09:23Adam Kempenaar:As we do this time of year, it will return after the conclusion of film spotting madness in April.

2:09:31Josh Larsen:This is Ashley Akinetti from the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast. iVeam is built for losing weight and moving forward. iVeam is built for feeling your best and seeing real results. iVeam is a medical weight loss program built for you. Their approach is individualized, virtual, integrative medicine. 99.2 % of patients who've completed the iVeam weight loss protocol achieved meaningful change, dropping an average of 45 pounds. iVeam, built for your wellness journey. iVeam, built for real life. When you sign up right now, you can get a one month free trial. Start your personalized plan in minutes by visiting IVIMHealth.com.

2:10:20Josh Larsen:That is IVIMHealth.com. Subscription required, medication, labs, and supplements not included. Results based on patients who completed the full IV protocol over 68 weeks. Individual results may vary. Not all patients are eligible. Prescription medication may carry risks and should be used only as directed by your provider. What if your soda actually did something for you? Introducing Skypot Protein Soda. Skypot Protein Soda has 10 grams of complete protein, zero sugar, and real delicious soda taste. Skypot Protein Soda. Reach for the sky. Get your Skypot Protein Soda now at Target. You know what's wild?

2:10:58Josh Larsen:We can video chat from space, order groceries just by talking out loud. And men have like 17 options for hair loss alone. But a bra that actually fits and feels good? Apparently too much to ask. Until now. Meet the Uplift bra from NYX. That's K-N-I-X. A wireless bra that finally delivers real lift and all-day comfort. The secret? Molded cups with a built-in foam panel that gently enhances your natural shape. So you get a subtle boost without wires, digging, or that, why am I still wearing this moment at 3 p.m.? You asked for it. We delivered in a push-up bra that doesn't dig, poke, or pinch. And with an extensive size range from 28A through 42E, you'll be sure to find your perfect fit with the Uplift.

2:11:46Josh Larsen:Try the Uplift bra at NYX.com and use code PERFECTFIT15 for 15 % off your first order. That's K-N-I-X.com, code perfectfit15 nix.com

2:12:24Josh Larsen:Not medical advice. Eligibility required. See site for details.

2:12:28Adam Kempenaar:This is blasphemy. This is madness. This is absolute madness. This is madness.

2:12:35Michael Phillips:Madness. Madness, madness. This is absolute madness, Ambassador. Why should you build such a thing?

2:12:43Adam Kempenaar:Madness. This is Sparta! There it is, Josh. It's official. It's here. The Film Spotting Madness intro is back. That means Film Spotting Madness is back. It's time to get a little crazy and start our 11th annual bracket style movie elimination tournament. This year's theme is custom made for the Turner Classic Movies and Criterion Channel obsessive out there. It is the best of the 1940s. 40s. And we hope that these little tournaments, especially as we go back through the decades here, and we have suggested the 40s is probably where we'll leave off, that it really is about what the show has always been about.

2:13:29Adam Kempenaar:It's been about, and it will continue to be about discovery and homework in the best way possible, giving you an excuse, a mechanism to check out films that maybe you've always wanted to. Maybe in some cases you didn't know you always wanted to, and now you have a reason to, you have an incentive to. And we just actually, maybe 24 hours ago or less, Josh, got this wonderful email from Maria in Kent, UK, that really couldn't have made us feel better about embarking on this enterprise yet again. Yeah, don't take Adam's word for it.

2:14:06Josh Larsen:Here, listen to Maria. I just wanted to say a massive thank you for choosing to do Film Spotting Madness with the best films of the 1940s. When you first suggested this, I was really worried as it's not a decade of cinema I know. I thought it was going to be a chore to try and fill all my blind spots, but not so. I am enjoying immensely watching the films on the list on Letterboxd. I am discovering amazing films which I would never, ever watch otherwise. I'm discovering incredible noir films, comedies, classic Westerns, et cetera. And I can't believe I have never seen some of these masterful films before.

2:14:41Josh Larsen:That's why I love you guys. You are making me a better cinephile and you are opening up my very limited experience. I'm looking forward to the film Spotting Madness. It will be very difficult to pick a winner as there are so many, many amazing films alongside classics such as Casablanca.

2:14:57Adam Kempenaar:How about that? Thank you, Maria. We will share the complete 64 film bracket next week. That is also when we will launch the bracket contest. So you'll have a week to get your picks in and you will compete against us and other film spotting listeners. If you're the winner, there will be some prizes at the end of it all. But first, the play in round. We have to get it down to 64 films. Josh, we have to get it down to that tidy 64. The big dance. We have 29 films vying to advance to the big dance. 13 play-in matchups to highlight here this week. We're going to go through them pretty quickly. Maybe we can just kind of alternate here.

2:15:36Adam Kempenaar:These are the films that we felt like, man, they really deserve, the selection committee felt like they really deserve some acclaim. They need to be part of Film Spotting Man as best in the 1940s, but we couldn't necessarily justify a place, an automatic bid to the tourney. So we've found some common ground here, some themes as we like to do. and these are the matchups we're giving to you.

2:16:01Josh Larsen:And this is the fun part. Kudos to the selection committee, you and Sam. Oh, thank you. Not a part of the selection committee, but this is the fun part of the play-in are the pairings that you find and the thematic connections, which honestly oftentimes makes it harder. So, which is, you know, of course the ultimate point, but yeah, some of these are fun. So let's jump into them here. Go ahead, start us off. All right. The first pairing is a Disney one, Dumbo versus Fantasia. So you have Dumbo kept the studio afloat during wartime. Fantasia flopped, but eventually became a prestige cornerstone.

2:16:37Josh Larsen:You have some avant-garde versus minimalism maybe going on here. Maybe the most intimate Disney feature versus the studio's most ambitious. I don't know. Do you have an emotional, sometimes with Disney films like this, Adam, that we saw for the first time as kids, there's an emotional response when you're forced to choose one. I think if you're leaning on emotion, there's maybe an obvious way to go. But as an adult, you might add some more objectivity to it.

2:17:06Adam Kempenaar:I'm just going off of the heart and Dumbo if I'm going to vote in this play-in matchup. How about this one? Screwball comedies, we have Adam's Rib versus Ball of Fire versus the Palm Beach story. That's a lot of chaos. You've got Ball of Fire, Billy Wilder as writer before he really became Billy Wilder. Adam's rib gives you Tracy Hepburn chemistry, like full legal sparring strength. I guess we could phrase it that way, Josh, the Palm beach story. A lot of people have said this is like a lethal dose of Sturgis chaos. So take that for what it's worth. As you consider these films in the screwball comedy triumvirate next up reporting for duty.

2:17:50Adam Kempenaar:This is one close to my heart, all journalism based, all the King's men, gentlemen's agreement versus foreign correspondent, gentlemen's agreement, moral crusade, journalism, all the King's men, you know, journalism drifting into corruption, foreign correspondent, those journalism as foreign thriller spectacle. Of course, that's Hitchcock. So you've got two best picture winners against a Hitchcock thriller. You're going to go prestige best picture, or are you going to go Hitchcock fun in reporting for duty? That's the question. You know how I feel about this next matchup, Josh. Okay. I don't know how you feel though.

2:18:26Adam Kempenaar:This will be interesting.

2:18:27Josh Larsen:Oh yeah. Yeah. This will be easy for you. Back to back best pictures. So how green was my Valley versus Mrs. Miniver, you know, Wales versus England. That's right. Of course you could look at it that way. These are prestige heavyweights, both of them. Ford's film, which we just talked about recently as part of our Pantheon project, very nostalgic, but at the same time, very mournful. Weilers is morale boosting, patriotic. You would probably say propagandistic, which is why you're voting for how green was my valley. Strongly. And you know what? That warms my heart, Adam. It's still one of the favorite things that's happened on the show recently is how much you embraced how green was my valley.

2:19:08Josh Larsen:I would have been very sad if you had just not enjoyed that at all. So I think, yeah, between the two, I'm much higher in Mrs. Miniver. But between the two, how green was my valley is, is, you know, much more the masterful work. So I would vote that way as well.

2:19:24Adam Kempenaar:Okay. Crosby, the Kelly, the Cagney going my way, the on the town, the Yankee doodle dandy being Crosby charm, Gene Kelly, athleticism, James Cagney, just being Cagney, that raw energy of Cagney. Comparing on the town, Yankee doodle dandy. I'm definitely picking Yankee doodle dandy. But again, can't compare those right now against going my way.

2:19:50Josh Larsen:Next category, another Orson, the lady from Shanghai versus the stranger. The stranger was Wells trying to play studio ball and Shanghai maybe shattering the ball. You've got a solid noir versus fun house mirror shootout.

2:20:05Adam Kempenaar:And, you know, also Rita Hayworth. Another Orson, because you can certainly expect that at least one Orson Welles is going to be part of the bracket. Probably a high seed classic monsters. Josh, where are you on your classic monsters like Bud Abbott and Luke Costello meet Frankenstein? The the Wolfman. So you've got the Wolfman, you know, legit, solid, universal horror. Abbott and Costello is like horror comedy mashup. Both of us give us an ensemble that features Lon Chaney Jr. and Bela Lugosi.

2:20:40Josh Larsen:Yeah, I mean, the Wolfman, it's it's not like a masterpiece. but it's one of those that still earns its classic status. And my blind spot area is horror comedy, especially horror comedy this old. I didn't end up doing a chapter in my horror book, Fear Not, on horror comedy as a subgenre. It was in the initial plan until my word count got cut down. That would have been a great opportunity to catch up on movies like Abbott and Costello. So Meet Frankenstein, sadly, didn't happen. I can't encourage people enough, though, to see The Wolfman if you haven't.

2:21:17Adam Kempenaar:Okay. We have, is it Tournier? I believe it's Tournier. I'm going to go with that. I think that's right. Okay. Cat People versus I Walked With a Zombie, both films written by Val Luton. Repression and Desire on display in Cat People, Colonialism, Spiritual Ambiguity in I Walked with a Zombie.

2:21:38Josh Larsen:These two, I did deeply consider for fear, not for the horror book. And I came away at them. I know cat people is the better known. It's the one I had actually seen before researching for the book. Um, it's probably the better regarded. I really like, I walked with a zombie more. I think some of the ideas it's digging into there are richer. Not that cat people doesn't have them, but yeah, this is maybe a bit of a counterintuitive vote for me, but I'm going with, I walked with a zombie. I like it. Fatal Femmes is our next category. Well, I'm just going Fatal.

2:22:14Adam Kempenaar:Fatal Femmes, Josh, in this case.

2:22:16Josh Larsen:Oh, I was thinking, I was thinking, I thought this was like a play on words you two were up to here. It is, but I'm just going Fatal. Femmes Fatal. Sure. Yes. I got to get on this selection committee and fix some of this stuff. That's right. Femmes Fatal or Fatal Femmes, the movies are Detour versus Leave Her to Heaven, two distinct visions of doom, the bleakest fatalism versus technical or noir detour we discussed on the show adam both liked

2:22:44Adam Kempenaar:quite a bit yes i remember i think yes i think we like it might have been our favorite film of that marathon call me larry that is in that as in lawrence olivier hamlet the henry the fifth of course two forerunners of kenneth branagh and his films two takes on masculinity i suppose you You can look at it, Josh. Henry V is, you know, stirring jingoism, really. And then Hamlet, you've got the brooding main character there and the psychology unraveling. I have seen these, but it has been a long time for both. And I'm really not a fan of Olivier's Henry V. I find it far too jingoistically stirring.

2:23:33Adam Kempenaar:So I'm inclined to go Hamlet. All right.

2:23:36Josh Larsen:I'm going to take your word for that on this. This is your realm, so to speak. Our next category, Wounded Men, Drunken Angel versus I Shot Jesse James. So here, just to show we have been doing our homework, Adam, Drunken Angel, we just recently saw and talked about the early Kurosawa Mifune picture. the James the Samuel Fuller picture his first feature I believe not one I've seen yet no so

2:24:05Adam Kempenaar:that's more homework for me yes indeed to two director breakouts though and and both of them with you know some some broken men so that should be fun all have a Guinness great expectations the kind hearts and coronets prestige literary classic versus a cult favorite and you get to decide, Josh, do you want just one pint of Guinness Alec that is, or do you want eight because he plays eight characters in kind hearts and coronets kind hearts and coronets, I think was part of a marathon. Was that pre dating you here on the show? Josh predating me.

2:24:39Josh Larsen:Um, but yeah, but, but I've seen it and, and like it quite a bit more than great expectations. Actually, I'm still trying to determine if this is, is this a pun you guys are pulling here? Do I allow this? It's a title though. I thought you were okay with titles. I kind of like it. Okay. It's good. It's good. Okay. Last one. Give it to us. Psycho Thriller. Casey. Casey. Is that? Is that? Come on. Talking heads guy.

2:25:04Adam Kempenaar:Psycho Thriller.

2:25:05Josh Larsen:Keskese. Keskese. There we go. Yes. Let's go with that. Yeah. What are you two up to here? This is Spellbound versus Suspicion. Suspicion. Two Psycho Thrillers.

2:25:17Adam Kempenaar:Yes. Prestige Hitchcock from the 40s.

2:25:21Josh Larsen:I'm imagining as we're going here that this Slack thread started at about 11 p.m. and finished at about 3.30.

2:25:29Adam Kempenaar:I actually came up with that title all on my own, and Sam didn't shoot it down. It explains it even more. Yeah, I mean, Spelldown is, I think, considered more like prestige Hitchcock. Cary Grant, Joan Fontaine from the mid-40s, and then you've got Ingrid Bergman and Gregory Peck in more of a paranoid thriller from the early 40s. So two, two different types of Hitchcock, just a few years apart and both do involve a little bit of psychosis and they're definitely thrillers. Josh, hence the title. Do you have a clear winner there for you?

2:26:04Josh Larsen:I mean, it's, it's hard not to think about more than the stars here and Bergman or Grant you're, you're choosing between Ingrid Bergman or Cary Grant.

2:26:14Adam Kempenaar:Yeah, I know. I know. And you know, Gregory. Spelldown's really good.

2:26:18Josh Larsen:Gregory Peck, you know, is I don't want to just kind of set him aside, but Joan Fontaine and Cary Grant. Now you're really, now you're really cooking. No, I can't decide. I'm this is, I'm going to put in my refusal to vote here. Okay. Fair enough.

2:26:33Adam Kempenaar:You, you get one every round, Josh. There you go. The schedule play-in polls are live right now. Don't bother us. We've got viewing to do. The play and polls close at noon central time on Monday. That's our usual routine. So Monday, March 16th is when they close after that every week, moving forward, they'll close a new round will open and that new round will open on Tuesdays at noon central time. And the bracket contest is coming starting Monday, the 16th through the following Tuesday, the 24th. I think, I think Sam, we're contradicting ourselves there. Is it just next week? It starts on a Monday and then And Tuesdays after that, we've got to get ourselves in gear here.

2:27:14Adam Kempenaar:It's early, Josh. The selection committee is a little wobbly. I promise you it'll be clear next week. You can rest assured that we're going to give you the matchups in round one. And the bracket contest will be live next week on the show. That's really all you need to know. So again, play-in polls are live right now. Vote in those at filmspotting.net slash madness. filmspotting.net slash madness. You've got until Monday at noon to get your votes in. And that's our show, Josh.

2:27:46Josh Larsen:If you want to connect with Adam and the show on social media, you can find him on Instagram, Facebook, Letterboxd, YouTube, as FilmSpotting. I'm on all those places as Larson on film. We are independently produced and listener supported. You can support the show by joining the FilmSpotting family at FilmSpottingFamily.com. That way you'll be able to listen early and add free. You'll also get a weekly newsletter, monthly bonus episodes, and access to the entire show archive. For show t-shirts and other merch, go to filmspotting.net slash shop.

2:28:17Adam Kempenaar:In limited release out now, Josh, you can see an insecure Chinese-American teenager undergoes experimental surgery to appear white, hoping to secure the prom queen title and peer acceptance. That's slanted. And letterbox Mia Lee Vecino says it's blunt satire with sharp teeth. That's my favorite kind of satire. In wide release, Reminders of Him, adapted from the Colleen Hoover novel starring Micah Monroe and Tyreek Withers. And this does sound fascinating, Josh. The host of a popular paranormal podcast becomes haunted by terrifying recordings mysteriously sent her way. It's Undertone. Our friend Brian Tallarico gave it four stars on Letterboxd from this year's Sundance and said, I knew podcasting was evil.

2:29:03Adam Kempenaar:So it's coming from inside the house. Yeah, this is the FilmSpotting origin story, right? I think so. Undertone. Look for it now. Next week, Stand By Me at 40 and FilmSpotting Madness Best of the 40s.

2:29:20Josh Larsen:Round one. FilmSpotting is produced by Golden Joe DeSoe and Sam Van Hogren. Without Golden Joe and Sam, I'm going to switch it around this week. This show wouldn't go. Why not? Actually, that doesn't work, does it? It doesn't sound as good. Our production assistant is Sophie Kempinar. Special thanks to everyone at WBEZ Chicago. More information is available at WBEZ.org. For FilmSpotty, I'm Josh Larson.

2:29:43Adam Kempenaar:And I'm Adam Kempinar. Thanks for listening. This conversation can serve no purpose anymore. Goodbye.

2:29:57Josh Larsen:This is Ashley Iacanetti from the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast. iVeam is built for losing weight and moving forward. iVeam is built for feeling your best and seeing real results. iVeam is a medical weight loss program built for you. Their approach is individualized, virtual, integrative medicine. 99.2 % of patients who've completed the iVeam weight loss protocol achieved meaningful change, dropping an average of 45 pounds. iVeam, built for your wellness journey. iVeam, built for real life. When you sign up right now, you can get a one month free trial. Start your personalized plan in minutes by visiting IVIMHealth.com.

2:30:46Josh Larsen:That is IVIMHealth.com. Subscription required, medication, labs, and supplements not included. Results based on patients who completed the full iVeam protocol over 68 weeks. Individual results may vary. Not all patients are eligible. Prescription medication may carry risks and should be used only as directed by your provider.

2:31:08Adam Kempenaar:This is Julian Edelman from Games with Names. I want to take a second to talk about something that's personal to me. I've had the privilege of working closely with Robert Kraft for a long time. And one thing I've always respected is how seriously he takes up standing up to hate. As a Jewish athlete, my identity is something I am proud of. But I also know what it feels like to be singled out for it. That's why this new commercial for the Blue Square Alliance Against Hate that aired during the big game really hit home. It's about showing up for someone when they're targeted, even if you don't have the perfect words.

2:31:46Adam Kempenaar:And sometimes standing next to someone is enough. And you can show support by sharing the Blue Square.

2:31:53Josh Larsen:Wait, this is a soda? Yeah. And it has protein? 10 grams. No sugar? Zero. And it actually tastes good? It's Sky Pop. Sky Pop Protein Soda delivers the refreshing taste you want from a real soda. Crisp and delicious with 10 grams of complete protein, zero sugar, and just 45 calories. So you're not choosing between great taste and real benefits. You're getting both in every sip. Sky Pop Protein Soda. Reach for the sky. Get your Sky Pop Protein Soda now at Target. When people turn to telehealth or weight loss, they're looking for real support. That's why more people are choosing orderlymeds.com.

2:32:29Michael Phillips:Orderly Meds connects you with real doctors and access to proven GLP-1 medications like semaglutide and terzeptatide. No guessing, just a more supportive experience. And all shipped directly to your door in discreet packaging.

2:32:40Josh Larsen:Do your research, ask questions, then visit orderlymeds.com slash podcast for an exclusive offer. That's orderlymeds.com slash podcast. Individual results may vary.

2:32:49Michael Phillips:Now medical advice eligibility required. See site for details.