The Queen of Soul passed away last month and we are here to talk about it. Who are we? D-E-A-T-H-W-A-T-C-H. Sing a song about it.

This prolific screenwriter collaborated with Akira Kurosawa through the most fruitful period of that director's career; accidentally helped birth STAR WARS; and with RASHOMON, may have permanently redefined the concept and structure of narrative itself. This month we look at THE OUTRAGE (1964, an American remake of RASHOMON) and Masaki Kobayashi's masterful 1962 film HARA KIRI by way of getting at the career of the late, great Shinobu Hashimoto.

The news of Anthony Bourdain's sudden death by suicide in June rolled across the world like a wave. The Deathwatch team dives into his work and holds up a life well lived.

Wanna start a fight with a cinephile? Ask whether the match cut (which is NOT a match cut) from Lawrence of Arabia, or the bone cut from 2001: A Space Odyssey, is the greatest single edit of all time. Regardless, Anne V. Coates is one hell of an editor.

Co-founder of Studio Ghibli, Isao Takahata passed away last month having directed far less features than his better-known (over here anyway) counterpart, Hayao Miyazaki. But here's the little secret: every one of Takahata's films (of which we look at Grave of the Fireflies, Pom Poko and Only Yesterday) are GREAT.

The Deathwatch team hits the road to the 20th annual Ebertfest to discuss the life and career of film critic (and, at least once, film writer) Roger Ebert.

One of many people who have proven that you're never too old to follow your passion, John Mahoney started acting in his late thirties and became one of the most beloved character actors (and sitcom dads) in America. For our retrospective, Matt Price looks at STREETS OF GOLD and BETRAYED, while Matt Brown dives into BARTON FINK. 

GLAVIN! Jerry Lewis is dead! Did laughter die with him? Matt Brown tackles Martin Scorsese's The King of Comedy and Matt Price looks at The Bellboy and The Ladies Man, and many horrible impressions are exchanged.

A longtime collaborator with Rainier Werner Fassbinder and Martin Scorsese, Michael Ballaus passed away in 2017 leaving a legacy of great cinematography. We dig into THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST and THE HOUSE ON CARROLL STREET as an entry point to discuss what, exactly, the cameraman brings to a motion picture. 

With The Last Jedi in theatres, and by way of commemorating the one-year anniversary of her death, we look at the life and career of the indomitable Carrie Fisher, with side-trips to Postcards From The Edge and Wishful Drinking.