We power rank the contenders, specifically the Best Picture Category and go film by film to discuss how all the contenders performed with this past wave of news including the Golden Globe, Critics Choice & Indie Spirit Nominations +++ wins at NBR, AFI and the LAFCA.

One Battle After Another is definitely the frontrunner - 2:36

Sinners and how it stacks up w/ Hamnet - 7:50

Hamnet, Mescal’s chances in Supporting Actor & NYFCC/LAFCA Stats - 11:09

Frankenstein + the Cinematic or Box Office Achievement Globe + YouTube plans - 19:30

Sentimental Value & the potential double nom in Supporting Actress - 25:23

Marty Supreme & Timothee’s supreme confidence - 29:16

Wicked: For Good and the glut in the midfield for that Best Picture 10 - 33:57

Train Dreams & Bugonia + stumping for Film Independent membership - 40:08

It Was Just An Accident - 48:25

Jay Kelly & Discussing the Casting Category - 53:00

No Other Choice + AlsoMike’s Review of the Film - 56:34

Avatar Fire & Ash & The Secret Agent - 58:48

Other International Contenders like Nouvelle Vague, Sirat, etc - 1:03:45

Other Domestic Players like F1, Weapons, Blue Moon, Die My Love, etc - 1:07:38

OUTRO: If you are able, please donate to the Chaz and AJ Toy Crabtree Chevrolet Toy Drive https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/L8CTKDGN4MZZ6 Thank you, and have yourself some happy holidays!

We review Jay Kelly starring George Clooney, Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, Billy Crudup and many more recognizable Hollywood stalwarts for Noah Baumbach’s latest feature, now playing on Netflix (crowd boos and we cringe.) Will there be a Netflix bias in the upcoming awards season months? Or will Jay Kelly stay in contention for certain categories?

NON-SPOILER REVIEW OF JAY KELLY:

Reception, Award Profile & Initial Thoughts - 2:17

A Christmas Carol Vibes & 1st Watch Stories - 6:01

Review of the Performances & Casting Category - 12:22

Production Values - 24:23

Oscar Lens - 27:45

Spoiler Warning - 33:31

SPOILER FILLED REVIEW OF JAY KELLY:

The Josh Hartnett connection - 34:04

The Jay & Ron (Clooney & Sandler) Relationship is the heart of the film - 36:17

A Christmas Carol with no ghosts? - 40:29

That Ending - 43:52

More Bests and Worsts - 49:46

Final Grades & One Final Awards Discussion - 52:22

OUTRO: If you’re enjoying what we do here, please like & subscribe, rate & review and tell your people about our show. Thank you for doing so. https://linktr.ee/mikemikeandoscar Stay tuned for more Oscar Race Checkpoints, Oscar Profiles, and special episodes in the near future.

News of Netflix buying WB & Critics Choice Noms opens the show, and then we dive into a full film study review of Chloe Zhao’s Hamnet, the sad story of how Shakespeare came to write Hamlet.

WB sells to Netflix - 1:01

NON-SPOILER REVIEW:

Reception & Awards Profiles - 7:01

Awards Profile Thus Far including Critics Choice Award Noms - 12:01

Movie Watching Stories & Non-Spoiler Script Thoughts - 13:46

Performance Reviews - 18:32

Production Values - 25:07

Oscar Lens & Over/Under for Nominations - 31:29

Spoiler Warning - 38:17

SPOILER FILLED REVIEW:

The big emotional scene - 39:05

That Ending & Arguments Against Tragedy Porn - 48:15

7 Stages - 56:55

More Bests and a Few Worsts - 1:01:29

Final Grades - 1:08:19

OUTRO: Please subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts and rate, review, like our show to help us grow. https://linktr.ee/mikemikeandoscar Otherwise, stay tuned for more Oscar Profiles, Oscar Race Checkpoints and gambling specials in the near future as we kick awards season into high gear.

We are not mature enough to ignore that she said Jafar Punani, and we promise never to act mature enough to ignore that she said Jufar Punani. You’re welcome. Nor will we ever underreact to the first big winners of awards season at the Gotham and NYFCC Awards + BIFA’s. They mean everything (and nothing at all) AS ALWAYS! Plus, we react to the Thanksgiving week box office, and we review new films from DOC NYC and our nearby movie theaters and discuss the AMC Popcorn Pass in the final moments of the episode as well.

AWARD NEWS:

Half of the NYFCC Winners - 1:48

The 2025 Gotham Awards from all angles - 3:54

Reviewing 2000 Meters to Andriivka - 32:22

BIFA Winner Tallies - 37:22

Thanksgiving Week Box Office + how right was M1 about Wicked: For Good? - 41:04

MORE REVIEWS:

Mr. Nobody Against Putin - 48:00

There Was, There Was Not - 50:46

Fackham Hall - 54:26

Rental Family - 58:17

The Rest of the NYFCC Winners including One Battle After Another wins - 1:00:25

OUTRO TALK: we discuss where you can follow us on social media and how you can support us with 5 star ratings and likes wherever you get your podcasts. https://linktr.ee/mikemikeandoscar

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Plus, we discuss which one of us went in for the AMC Popcorn Pass and whether or not its actually a good deal.

Sentimental Value should contend for big nominations at the Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards and many upcoming precursors as well as major Oscar Nominations, and we have to study it in this loaded film study Oscars Profile review show.

NON-SPOILER REVIEW OF SENTIMENTAL VALUE:

Reception Thus Far. Critical, Audience & Box Office - 2:55

Our Theater-Going Experience - 4:50

The Awards Profile Thus Far + Golden Globes Predictions - 7:58

Enjoying the film much more on 2nd viewing, more so than at the festivals - 11:04

A Huge Stellan Skarsgard Discussion and a Dissection of Supporting Actor - 13:23

Having Fun with a Film about Filmmakers - 22:41

Trier makes personal films hiding behind fictions, much like Gustav in this story - 25:10

Renate Reinsve and THREE! Tremendous Supporting Actress Performances - 27:32

Review of the Production Values including praise for the Score & Cinematography - 32:21

Our Oscar Nom Predictions, a Lead Actress Breakdown & Over/Under - 35:23

SPOILER WARNING - 40:39

SPOILER SECTION FOR SENTIMENTAL VALUE:

Two Big Nitpicks - 41:29

Big Performance Moments for Renate Reinsve - 45:00

Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas Big Performance Takeaways - 49:33

Stellan Skarsgard’s Gustav Motivations & Performance Takes - 55:03

The Themes Played Out in the Ending - 1:03:43

How A Worst Scene Becomes A Best Scene on Rethink - 1:08:06

Final Grades - 1:11:01

OUTRO: We have more Oscar Race Checkpoints and Oscar Profile film studies coming soon, maybe, kinda, sorta… or not. We won’t say. But thank you as always for listening. Please follow us on social media and rate/review our show to pledge your support. And thanks again for doing that as well. https://linktr.ee/mikemikeandoscar

What is This Episode? - Top of Show

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BOX OFFICE UPDATE:

Wicked 2 is Making Money, Despite Reviews Dropping - 2:19

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WHAT WE’RE WATCHING:

Train Dreams Review - 5:34

AM Reviews The Running Man - 13:00

AM Reviews Predator: Badlands - 16:30

aaaaaand Being Eddie for Good Measure - 19:55

M1 Reviews The History of Sound - 23:10

AM Reviews In Waves In War - 27:17

Death By Lightning Review - 30:11

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MUSIC CATEGORY CATCH UP:

Clayton’s, Scott’s Current Predix - 32:31

HMMA Winners Include Sinners, Warren - 35:31

KPop Makes a HUGE Grammys Splash - 37:39

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DOCUMENTARY CATEGORY CATCH UP:

The Perfect Neighbor is the Front Runner…So It Will Miss Oscars - 40:49

Cinema Eye Honor Doc Noms - 46:12

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INDUSTRY NEWS:

Amy Pascal to Get PGA Selznick Award - 48:27

Sarah Jessica Parker Getting Globes’ Burnett Award - 49:45

The Globes Doing What the Oscars Should - 52:08

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CONTENDER TRAILERS:

Project Hail Mary Trailer #2 - 54:37

Hunger Games: Reoping Trailer #1 - 58:08

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WHAT’S NEXT/LEAVE US 5 STARS/WORDS OF WISDOM - 1:03:10

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https://linktr.ee/mikemikeandoscar

What Is This Episode - Top of Show

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WICKED FOR GOOD OSCARS PROFILE

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Spoiler-Free Review:

Reception, Scores, $$ - :55

Script Thoughts, 1.0 - 5:57

The Song Problems - 7:25

Script Thoughts, 2.0 - 10:33

Production Values, JK, Performances - 14:02

Production Design, For Real - 21:12

How Many Noms? - 26:08

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SPOILER WARNING - 33:28

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Spoiler-Filled Review:

Get Physical - 34:24

Just…Listen - 37:17

Glinda the Boss - 42:26

Bad People and Oz - 45:24

The Roses - 48:55

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FINAL GRADES: 50:37

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What’s Next From MMO/Leave Us 5 Stars! - 53:44

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https://linktr.ee/mikemikeandoscar

Oscar Race Checkpoint returns with a big Awards News segment covering the EFA & BIFA noms, changes from SAG & Critics Choice, an added Gotham Tribute that we called +++ Governor’s Awards and campaign talk. Then we enjoyed a big What We’re Watching segment covering Nouvelle Vague, Ballad of a Small Player, House of Dynamite, Die My Love, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Christy, Nuremberg, Are We Good?, and I’m Not Everything I Want To Be. Finally, we close with a few trailer reviews including Scream 7, Michael, The Testament of Ann Lee, and Marty Supreme.

AWARDS NEWS:

EFA Noms: The European Film Awards could be a big day for Sentimental Value - 1:54

BIFA Noms: British Independent Film Awards & where we’re looking for crossover - 5:26

The Governors Awards & Tom Cruise’s Big Speech - 15:27

The Critics Choice Awards add 4 categories on E! - 20:09

The Gotham Awards add a tribute for Jeremy Allan White + Wicked/campaign talk - 22:44

The Actor Awards are the new SAG’s - 28:06

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING:

Nouvelle Vague - 30:32

Ballad of a Small Player - 34:47

Die My Love - 37:43

If I Had Legs I’d Kick You - 40:40

A House of Dynamite - 42:56

Christy and the latest Sydney Sweeney drama - 45:07

Nuremberg - 49:31

Are We Good? - 52:14

I’m Not Everything I Want To Be - 58:50

TRAILER REVIEWS:

Scream 7 - 1:03:56

Michael - 1:07:42

The Testament of Ann Lee - 1:09:30

Marty Supreme - 1:12:04

OUTRO: We discuss where you can find us on social media and the big green and pink movie that we may or may not be reviewing next. https://linktr.ee/mikemikeandoscar We also reminisce about our lost loved ones after AlsoMike lost his grandmother this week. R.I.P., Grammy. We love you.

Alex Schmider is a producer of award winning films like Changing The Game, Disclosure and Chasing Chasing Amy, and his next film - KICK - will chronicle the amazing journey of 1500m distance runner Nikki Hiltz to the 2024 Olympics.

Alex is also the Senior Director of Entertainment at GLAAD, where he oversees consultation and advising on TV, film and digital media that feature LGBTQ characters and storylines. Fresh off his inclusion on the OUT100 list, we are thrilled to have Alex Schmider join the show to discuss his incredible career & filmography.

Read up on Alex’s latest honor of being included in the OUT100 List https://www.out.com/out100/2025/educators/alex-schmider

Check out Alex Schmider’s filmography

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9559142/?ref_=ttfc_fcr_4_15

Learn more and support Alex Schmider’s good work at GLAAD https://glaad.org/

And if you’d like to support KICK - about Nikki Hiltz - here’s an opportunity to do that as well. https://seedandspark.com/fund/kick-1#story

As for us at MMO, please follow us on social media and support our podcast via positive ratings and reviews wherever you may listen. https://linktr.ee/mikemikeandoscar

What Is This Episode - Top of Show

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FRANKENSTEIN OSCARS PROFILE

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Spoiler-Free Review:

Background, Scores - 4:30

Script Thoughts - 7:51

Performances - 10:55

(Elordi Makes M1 Hate Himself - 11:43)

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The Oscars Lens - 16:05

MUAH is Done - 18:49

Production Design/VFX/Cinematography - 20:21

Score - 24:02

Total Noms - 27:00

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SPOILER WARNING - 28:26

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Spoiler-Filled Review:

Is It Alive? - 29:35

Oscar Get Your Gun - 32:06

The Details of My Life Are Quite Inconsequential - 34:48

Expos - 37:10

Bro-mancing The Bones - 39:40

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FINAL GRADES: 47:20

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What’s Next From MMO/Leave Us 5 Stars! - 49:04

https://linktr.ee/mikemikeandoscar