This week, J. McVay and Matt Ruby discuss the competing documentaries recently released by Netflix (‘Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened’) and Hulu (‘Fyre Fraud’) within days of each other, both about the infamously failed Fyre Festival, which was planned by Billy MacFarland and Ja Rule for April and May of 2017, ostensibly to promote their Fyre booking App.

Also, Jacqueline Soller and J. McVay discuss the 2018 movie, ‘First Man,’ directed by Damien Chazelle and starring Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy...

And we’ll take an exclusive early listen to a performance by Brooklyn artist Bedstudy, from their upcoming BTR Live Studio session.

Music composed by and show edited by Hansdale Hsu.

00:00 - Intro

01:06 - START /// Matt Ruby & J. McVay on Hulu and Netflix’s competing documentaries on the Fyre Festival

01:55 - Hulu’s ‘Fyre Fraud’ vs. Netflix’s ‘Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened’

13:00 - Netflix vs. Hulu and the mounting streaming wars

22:25 - Influencer culture

34:33 - How much of the Fyre Fest fiasco was a delusion or a scam?

38:28 - 1st Person: China // Making Connections Through Social Media

42:31 - John Knefel // Warren's Wealth Tax

44:48 - Movie Review: Jacqueline Soller on ‘First Man’

46:23 - Movie Chat w/ Jacqueline Soller & J. McVay (Spoiler Alert)

68:21 - “NE1” (BTR Live Studio, 2019) - Bedstudy

74:33 - Outro / Credits

75:20 - Finish.

This week, J. McVay is joined by Jacqueline Soller and Charles Hinshaw for an extended conversation about the Academy Award nominations that were announced this week for films released in 2018. Additionally, they discuss some of their own film favorites from 2018 along the way.

And we’ll take an exclusive early listen to a performance by Nashville’s Liz Cooper and the Stampede, from their upcoming BTR Live Studio session.

Music composed by and show edited by Hansdale Hsu.

00:00 - Intro

01:06 - START /// J. McVay, Jacqueline Soller, & Charles Hinshaw share their thoughts on the Oscar nominations and their favorite films, performances, etc, of 2018

01:28 - Which movies surprised and disappointed you most in 2018?

09:12 - How surprising or expected were the Oscar nominations?

11:52 - Best Actress thoughts (is Olivia Colman really the lead of ‘The Favourite?’)

20:44 - Best Actor thoughts

25:06 - Best Supporting Actor thoughts (is Adam Driver really a supporting actor in ‘BlacKkKlansman?’)

30:10 - Best Supporting Actress thoughts (are Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone really supporting actors in ‘The Favourite?’)

33:28 - Best Original Screenplay thoughts

38:10 - Best Adapted Screenplay thoughts

46:03 - Best Director thoughts

52:33 - Best Picture thoughts

60:27 - Interesting/deserving/undeserving nominees in other categories

66:30 - Snubs in other categories

70:24 - Making up our own categories: Best Stunts / Most Unsettling The Entire Movie / Best Cameo / Best Use Of Voiceover / Best Use Of Real World Skills In A Performance

73:50 - Favorite scenes or moments in 2018 movies

87:23 - Final thoughts & trivia /// END

99:19 - "Outer Space" (BTR Live Studio, 2019) - Liz Cooper and the Stampede

105:20 - Outro / Credits

106:09 - Finish.

This week, J. McVay and Matt Ruby discuss a few topics they’ve been following this week:

A new commercial from razor company, Gillette, that’s angered so-called men’s rights activist.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s letter to President Trump effectively canceling the upcoming State Of The Union address unless the government shutdown is ended.

The announcement that director Jason Reitman will be directed a sequel to his father’s ‘Ghostbusters’ films.

Also, Charles Hinshaw and J. McVay discuss the 2018 movie, ‘First Reformed,’ directed by Paul Schrader and starring Ethan Hawke, Amanda Seyfried, and Cedric The Entertainer.

And we’ll take an exclusive early listen to a performance by a band from New Paltz, NY, called Top Nachos, from their upcoming BTR Live Studio session.

Music composed by and show edited by Hansdale Hsu.

00:00 - Intro

01:27 - START /// Timely Topics w/ Matt Ruby + J. McVay

02:11 - Gillette releases new commercial urging men to be be better examples for boys… mens’ rights activists rage online

12:42 - Pelosi effectively cancels the State of the Union address unless the government shutdown ends

23:45 - Jason Reitman is making a sequel to his father’s ‘Ghostbusters’ movies /// END

35:04 - 1st Person: Lorraine // Growing Up As A Sickly Child

38:23 - John Knefel // Steve King Is Too Racist For The GOP

40:25 - Movie Review: Charles Hinshaw on ‘First Reformed’

42:23 - Movie Chat: Charles Hinshaw + J. McVay (spoiler alert)

68:40 - "Hang" (BTR Live Studio, 2018) - Top Nachos

71:36 - Outro / Credits

72:23 - Finish.

This week, J. McVay is joined by Charles Hinshaw to discuss two movies out in theatres now:

‘Vice’ - directed by Adam McKay and starring Christian Bale, Amy Adam, Steve Carell, Sam Rockwell, and Jesse Plemons.

‘Stan & Ollie’ - directed by Jon S. Baird and starring John C. Reilly, Steve Coogan, Shirley Henderson, and Nina Arianda.

And we’ll take an exclusive early listen to a performance by Brooklyn rock band The Sharp Shadows, from their upcoming BTR Live Studio session.

Music composed by and show edited by Hansdale Hsu.

00:00 - Intro

01:13 - Movie Review: Charles Hinshaw on ‘Vice’

02:54 - Movie Chat: Charles Hinshaw + J. McVay (spoiler alert)

26:01 - 1st Person: Nicole // On Religion Saving Her Family

30:53 - John Knefel // The Next Generation of Democrats

32:45 - Movie Review: Charles Hinshaw on ‘Stan & Ollie’

34:02 - Movie Chat: Charles Hinshaw + J. McVay (spoiler alert)

54:50 - "Lessons" (BTR Live Studio, 2018) - The Sharp Shadows

59:59 - Outro / Credits

60:47 - Finish.

This week, J. McVay is joined by both Jacqueline Soller and Charles Hinshaw to discuss three movies out in theatres now:

‘Aquaman’ - directed by James Wan and starring Jason Momoa and Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson, Nicole Kidman, Dolph Lundgren, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Temuera Morrison.

‘Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse’ - directed by Peter Ramsey, Robert Persichetti Jr., and Rodney Rothman.

Mary Poppins Returns’ - directed by Rob Marshall and starring Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

And we’ll take an exclusive early listen to a performance by New York band Glass Slipper, from their upcoming BTR Live Studio session.

Music composed by and show edited by Hansdale Hsu.

00:00 - Intro

01:18 - Movie Review: Jacqueline Soller on ‘Aquaman’

02:40 - Movie Chat: Jacqueline Soller + J. McVay (spoiler alert)

24:04 - 1st Person: Mike // Miami in the 1940s

27:25 - Movie Review: Jacqueline Soller on ‘Spider - Man: Into The Spider-Verse’

29:05 - Movie Chat: Jacqueline Soller + J. McVay (spoiler alert)

54:20 - John Knefel // Indict DHS

56:18 - Movie Review: Charles Hinshaw on ‘Mary Poppins Returns’

57:47 - Movie Chat: Charles Hinshaw + J. McVay (spoiler alert)

74:42 - "Deadbeat" (BTR Live Studio, 2018) - Glass Slipper

77:24 - Outro / Credits

78:12 - Finish.

This week, J. McVay looks back on the year in film. He shares his favorite films of 2018; talks about a few films that don’t yet have distribution, but hopefully will sooner rather than later; and previews a handful of films set for release in 2019 that he and the podcast’s contributors on movies were able to see at the Tribeca and New York Film Festivals earlier this year.

And, as the year comes to close, we take a listen to a few of our favorite 1st Person segments from 2018 and revisit some of our favorite BTR Live Studio sessions.

Films discussed in the episode:

Black Panther / directed by Ryan Coogler / distributed by Walt Disney Studios

Blowin’ Up / directed by Stephanie Wang-Breal / produced by Once In A Blue

Burning / directed by Lee Chang-dong / distributed by Well Go USA Entertainment

Cold War / directed by Paweł Pawlikowski / distributed by Amazon Studios

The Death of Stalin / directed by Armando Iannucci / distributed by IFC Films

Diane / directed by Kent Jones / out March 29th from IFC Films

The Feeling of Being Watched / directed by Assia Boundaoui / produced by Impact Partners, Multitude Films, and Naked Edge Films

Her Smell / directed by Alex Ross Perry / out March 29th from Gunpowder & Sky

High Life / directed by Claire Denis /out from A24 in 2019, date TBD

House Two / directed by Michael Epstein / distributed by Buccaneer Media

If Beale Street Could Talk / directed by Barry Jenkins / distributed by Annapurna Pictures and Stage 6 Films

Monrovia, Indiana / directed by Frederick Wiseman / distributed by Zipporah Films

Roma / directed by Alfonso Cuarón / distributed by Netflix

Sorry to Bother You / directed by Boots Riley / distributed by Annapurna Pictures

State Like Sleep / directed by Meredith Danluck / out January 4th from The Orchard

Stockholm / directed by Robert Budreau / out from Smith Global Media in 2019, date TBD

We the Animals / directed by Jeremiah Zagar / distributed by The Orchard

Widows / directed by Steve McQueen / distributed by Twentieth Century Fox

Music composed by and show edited by Hansdale Hsu.

00:00 - Intro

01:16 - START /// J. McVay’s Favorite Films of 2018

02:21 - Number 10

03:40 - Number 9

04:30 - Number 8

05:42 - Number 7

06:43 - Number 6

07:48 - Number 5

11:48 - Number 4

14:30 - Number 3

17:55 - Number 2

20:40 - Number 1 /// END

24:59 - 1st Person: Yanelli // Seeing Her Estranged Father

28:20 - 1st Person: Simone // Working At A Porn Cinema (NSFW)

33:00 - 1st Person: Michael // Meeting His Husband

37:20 - START /// Movies That Need Distribution

38:05 - ‘Blowin’ Up’ / directed by Stephanie Wang-Breal

39:05 - ‘The Feeling of Being Watched’ / directed by Assia Boundaoui

40:10 - ‘House Two’ / directed by Michael Epstein /// END

41:32 - John Knefel // U.S. Foreign Policy 2018

43:48 - START /// 2019 Film Preview

44:02 - ‘High Life’ / directed by Claire Denis / out from A24 in 2019, date TBD

45:10 - ‘State Like Sleep’ / directed by Meredith Danluck / out January 4th from The Orchard

46:08 - ‘Diane’ / directed by Kent Jones / out March 29th from IFC Films

47:15 - ‘Her Smell’ / directed by Alex Ross Perry / out March 29th from Gunpowder & Sky

48:15 - ‘Stockholm’ / directed by Robert Budreau / out from Smith Global Media in 2019, date TBD /// END

49:45 - “Squared Winds” (BTR Live Studio, 2018) - Language

52:28 - “Wayside” (BTR Live Studio, 2018) - Renata Zeiguer

55:54 - “Part Of Me” (BTR Live Studio, 2018) - Tubafresh

60:48 - “Falling Hearts” (BTR Live Studio, 2018) - Heaven

66:40 - Outro / Credits

67:37 - Finish.

This week, J. McVay is joined by Jacqueline Soller to discuss the new movie, ‘Cold War,’ directed by Pawel Pawlikowski and starring Joanna Kulig and Tomasz Kot.

And as the year comes to close, we take a listen to a couple of our favorite 1st Person segments from 2018, revisit some of our favorite BTR Live Studio sessions, and listen back to our first movie chat of 2018

Music composed by and show edited by Hansdale Hsu.

00:00 - Intro

01:05 - Movie Review: Jacqueline Soller on ‘Cold War’

02:48 - Movie Chat: Jacqueline Soller + J. McVay (spoiler alert)

16:10 - 1st Person: Faheem // Living With Mental Illness

20:49 - Movie Review: Charles Hinshaw on ‘Phantom Thread’

23:04 - Movie Chat: Charles Hinshaw + J. McVay (spoiler alert)

45:29 - John Knefel // U.S. Domestic Politics 2018

47:39 - “Show Your Troubles Out” (BTR Live Studio, 2018) - Garcia Peoples

53:27 - “Jazinka/32” (BTR Live Studio, 2018) - Idgy Dean

62:25 - 1st Person: Tauran // Running Into Santa Claus At Walmart

66:27 - Outro / Credits

67:12 - Finish.

This week, J. McVay and Matt Ruby look back on some key events of the year with Rabbi Avram Mlotek. Together, they discuss the aftermath of the February school shooting in Parkland, Florida, and the activism of the survivors; the policies put in effect at the southern border resulting in family separation, children in cages, and tear gassing of families; and acts of violence motivated by bigotry and politics.

Later in the episode, Jacqueline Soller and J discuss the recently released movie, Mary Queen of Scots, directed by Josie Rourke and starring Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie.

And we have an exclusive early listen to a performance by Ontario rock band The Dirty Nil from their upcoming BTR Live Studio session.

Music composed by and show edited by Hansdale Hsu.

00:00 - Intro

01:08 - START /// Rabbi Avram Mlotek on 2018 w/ Matt Ruby & J. McVay

01:45 - Parkland shooting survivor’s example of activism

11:00 - Southern border policies (family separation, children in cages, tear gas)

21:34 - Violence motivated by bigotry and politics /// END

36:12 - 1st Person: Ann // Finding Peace In Life

39:40 - Movie Review: Jacqueline Soller on ‘Mary Queen of Scots’

41:10 - Movie Chat: Jacqueline Soller + J. McVay (spoiler alert)

61:56 - John Knefel // Can Congress Force Change In Yemen?

64:01 - “Super 8” (BTR Live Studio, 2018) - The Dirty Nil

66:58 - Outro / Credits

67:47 - Finish.

This week, J. McVay is joined by both Jacqueline Soller and Charles Hinshaw to discuss three movies out in theaters now:

‘Roma’ - directed by Alfonso Cuarón and starring Yalitza Aparicio and Marina de Tavira.

‘Vox Lux’ - directed by Brady Corbet and starring Natalie Portman, Jude Law, and Raffey Cassidy.

‘Creed II’ - directed by Steven Caple Jr. and starring Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, and Florian Munteanu.

And we’ll take an exclusive early listen to a performance by Brooklyn band Coco Verde, from their upcoming BTR Live Studio session.

Music composed by and show edited by Hansdale Hsu.

00:00 - Intro

01:20 - Movie Review: Jacqueline Soller on ‘Roma’

02:56 - Movie Review: J. McVay on ‘Roma’

03:22 - Movie Chat: Jacqueline Soller + J. McVay (spoiler alert)

17:54 - 1st Person: Kenice // Surviving Betrayal

21:46 - Movie Review: Jacqueline Soller on ‘Vox Lux’

24:15 - Movie Chat: Jacqueline Soller + J. McVay (spoiler alert)

36:46 - "Glitter" (BTR Live Studio, 2018) - Coco Verde

41:36 - Movie Review: Charles Hinshaw on ‘Creed II’

43:12 - Movie Chat: Charles Hinshaw + J. McVay (spoiler alert)

62:28 - Outro / Credits

63:15 - Finish.

This week, Matt Ruby joins J. McVay for another edition of Twitter Moments, in which they talk about these topics that were trending on Twitter as they recorded:

NSA John Bolton said he hasn't listened to the Khashoggi tape because he doesn't speak Arabic

The world is on track for catastrophic climate change, UN report says

Paul Manafort held secret talks with Assange in 2016, The Guardian reports

New study suggests dogs are not 'exceptional'

Later in the episode, Charles Hinshaw and J. McVay discuss the new movie, If Beale Street Could Talk, directed by Barry Jenkins, based on the book by James Baldwin, and starring KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Regina King, Colman Domingo, Teyonah Parris, and Brian Tyree Henry.

And we’ll take an exclusive early listen to a performance by Connecticut band Bilge Rat, from their upcoming BTR Live Studio session.

Music composed by and show edited by Hansdale Hsu.

00:00 - Intro

01:16 - START /// Twitter Moments w/ Matt Ruby

02:52 - MOMENT 1: NSA John Bolton said he hasn't listened to the Khashoggi tape because he doesn't speak Arabic

07:54 - MOMENT 2: The world is on track for catastrophic climate change, UN report says

16:53 - MOMENT 3: Paul Manafort held secret talks with Assange in 2016, The Guardian reports

26:03 - MOMENT 4: New study suggests dogs are not 'exceptional' /// END

31:48 - 1st Person: Marian // His First Heartbreak

36:02 - Movie Review: Charles Hinshaw on ‘If Beale Street Could Talk’

38:00 - Movie Chat: Charles Hinshaw + J. McVay (spoiler alert)

58:00 - "Slacker" (BTR Live Studio, 2018) - Bilge Rat

62:53 - Outro / Credits

63:40 - Finish.