A milestone episode for Reel 21 and the first one in video.

Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person in the World may begin as a deceptively simple coming-of-age story, but it unfolds into something much richer, a deeply felt meditation on identity, relationships and the uncertainty of choosing a life.

In this inaugural video episode, Nathan revisits the film for a second time and finds it even more resonant on rewatch, exploring Julie’s (Renate Reinsve) search for purpose, the emotional pull of the film’s central relationships and the tension it captures between planning your future and surrendering to life’s unpredictability. He also reflects on the film’s inventive chapter structure, its memorable visual flourishes and why this quietly powerful drama marked Joachim Trier as one of contemporary cinema’s most exciting voices.

And fittingly, a film about transitions and new chapters becomes the launch point for one of this podcast’s own.

Up next: Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction
• 06:44 Exploring Relationships and Choices

Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther wasn’t just another Marvel movie — it was a cultural moment. In this episode of Reel 21, Nathan revisits the 2018 blockbuster to explore its lasting impact, Chadwick Boseman’s powerful performance and why Killmonger remains one of the MCU’s most compelling villains.

Does it fully transcend the Marvel machine? And where does it land in Nathan’s personal superhero rankings?

Up next: The Worst Person in the World.

Read Nathan's thoughts on Black Panther.

Yes, it’s February… but we finally made it happen. Nathan is joined by returning guest Mark Blitch to count down their Top TV Shows of 2025, from prestige heavy-hitters to pure comfort-watch chaos.

Along the way, they compare notes on what held up (and what fell off), talk legacy seasons (The Bear, The White Lotus), debate slow-burn patience tests (Pluribus), celebrate the beautifully unhinged brilliance of The Rehearsal and share a few curveballs.

Plus: honorable mentions, a few “what were they thinking?” disappointments and the shows they wish more people were watching.

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In this year-end tradition, Nathan Chandler welcomes back filmmaker and film-obsessive Mark Blitch to break down their favorite movies of 2025. The two recap a year filled with more theater trips, more indie discoveries (including DeadCenter highlights) and a few titles they still haven’t caught up with yet.

They count down their Top 10 lists, compare overlap and dig into the year’s biggest standouts — from the darkly funny Friendship and the wildly entertaining The Naked Gun to the ambitious horror puzzle box Weapons. Then they debut a new segment: 2025 superlatives, including Surprise of the Year, Funniest Movie, Favorite Dialogue, Favorite Scene and Favorite Performance — with plenty of laughs, side quests and passionate takes along the way.

In this episode, Nathan kicks things off with a quick update on the release schedule for the rest of 2025 and a sneak peek at what’s coming to the podcast in 2026—then dives into a conversation with writer-director Daniel V. Masciari about his hauntingly tender feature Stationed at Home.

Nathan and Daniel dig into the film’s gently magical mood, its fascination with strangers colliding in the cold and the way Stationed at Home finds wonder in mundane moments. Daniel shares how the movie grew from a single bus-stop image into a fully realized feature, why Christmas Eve and the International Space Station became key to its tone and how he worked with his cast and cinematographer to create performances and images that feel fully lived-in.

If you’re drawn to offbeat holiday-adjacent stories, character-driven night movies or modern indies that believe there’s still real magic in human connection, this is a conversation worth tuning into and a film you’ll want to seek out on your favorite digital platform.

Watch the critically acclaimed film / Learn more: stationedathome.com/watch

Follow the film on Instagram: @stationedathomefilm

Read Nathan's thoughts on ‘Stationed at Home’.

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Alfonso Cuarón’s 2013 thriller Gravity follows Dr. Ryan Stone, a first-time astronaut who becomes stranded in orbit after a devastating cascade of satellite debris destroys her shuttle. Blending stunning visual effects, groundbreaking sound design and a career-defining performance from Sandra Bullock, Gravity transforms a simple premise into an immersive, edge-of-your-seat cinematic experience.

In this episode, Nathan revisits Gravity more than a decade after its release to explore Cuarón’s visionary direction, why the film became a technical benchmark of the 2010s, and how its blend of tension, metaphor and spectacle earned it a spot among the essential films of the century.

Up next: Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther (2018).

Read Nathan's thoughts on ‘Gravity’.

Cowabunga, dudes! We’re traveling back to March 30, 1990, when the world’s most unlikely heroes burst from the sewers and straight into pop-culture history. Nathan is joined by longtime friend and fellow movie buff Kyle Radford to talk about the surprise indie hit that mixed martial arts, mutant mayhem and teenage angst into one slice of pure turtle power.

From Jim Henson’s Creature Shop suits to Casey Jones’ questionable life choices, the guys dig into everything that made this movie way better than it had any right to be. They swap stories about VHS rentals, forbidden viewings, action figures and the eternal debate—who’s the best turtle? (Spoiler: it’s not Raphael.)

So grab a slice, crank up that M.C. Hammer end-credits jam and join us for a totally tubular trip back to where it all began.

Read Nathan's thoughts on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

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It’s not your fault. This week on You Had Me at Rewind, Nathan Chandler travels back to Dec. 5, 1997, to revisit Good Will Hunting, the film that made therapy cinematic and turned two childhood friends, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, into Hollywood legends.

Nathan is joined by returning guest Beau Gatlin for an in-person conversation recorded deep in the heart of Texas. Together they unpack why the story of a janitor-genius from South Boston still resonates, reflect on Robin Williams’ unforgettable performance and explore how this film made emotional vulnerability cool long before it was mainstream.

From Elliott Smith’s moody soundtrack to the movie’s lasting influence on pop culture (and a few laughs about AOL screen names), Nathan and Beau dig into what makes Good Will Hunting both timeless and very, very ’90s.

Read Nathan's thoughts on Good Will Hunting.

Support the podcast: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/moviesarelife

This job would be great if it wasn’t for the customers.

We’re heading back to October 19, 1994, to talk about Clerks — the scrappy, black-and-white indie that turned convenience store chaos into cinematic history. Shot for $27,000 on maxed-out credit cards, Kevin Smith’s debut launched a generation of filmmakers (and Jay & Silent Bob) while capturing the sarcasm, boredom and pop-culture debates of ‘90s slackerdom.

Nathan is joined by Marisa Boyd for a conversation about Clerks’ raw DIY spirit, its laugh-out-loud realism and why the female characters might just be the smartest people in the room. They also reminisce about video stores, Magic Eye posters, the power of the Weezer Blue Album and that unforgettable “37” scene.

It’s a love letter to indie film, Gen-X humor and the jobs we couldn’t wait to quit.

Read Nathan's thoughts on Clerks.

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Life is like a box of chocolates — and this episode has a little bit of everything. Nathan is joined by longtime friend Abel Cass to revisit Forrest Gump, the 1994 Best Picture winner that defined a decade and divided movie fans ever since.

Together they look back at what made Robert Zemeckis’ sweeping Americana epic so unforgettable, from Tom Hanks’ iconic performance to its groundbreaking special effects, timeless soundtrack and endlessly quotable lines. The two also reflect on how the film hits differently as adults and parents, why it resonated so deeply in the ‘90s and how its portrayal of love, history and innocence still sparks debate today.

Plus, a nostalgic 90s Pop Quiz, memories of small-town movie theaters and a few laughs about homemade Forrest Gump reenactments.

Run, Forrest, Run… back to 1994 with us.

Read Nathan's thoughts on Forrest Gump.

Support the podcast: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/moviesarelife