On episode 172 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter discuss the first film in their Edward Yang series, Taipei Story (1985).

Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love.

As Campion came to a close last week, the DW boys take a pivot to a Taiwanese master behind the camera, Edward Yang. Known for being one of the signature voices in the Taiwanese New Wave of the 1980s, Yang is mostly a blind spot filmmaker for the show's hosts, as Yang's vital filmmaking has been celebrated as some of the best films of the era, making the list for Sight and Sound multiple times, and being regarded as one of the masters of international cinema. With his first feature in the series, Taipei Story a look at a relationship dooms to fail, and the peaks and valleys the characters go through in order to understand what they want and need out of life in their present and futures; a massive, powerful film to start the series within. In what might be one of the most open, honest episodes of the podcast yet, Ryan and Jay break down their thoughts on the film and Yang, and where they see themselves right now in their lives next to the events of Taipei Story.

You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page.

This podcast runs 1h50m. The guys will be back later this week to continue their series on the films of Edward Yang with a review of his film, The Terrorizers (1986). You can watch it via Amazon Prime in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it.

Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 362 of the Awards Watch podcast, it's a full house with Awards Watch Editor-In-Chief joined by Executive Editor Ryan McQuade, Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello, contributors Mark Johnson and Jorge Tenreiro, and AW friend and confidante Christina Birro of Pop Culture Confidential, as we break down last weekend's Telluride Film Festival.

It was another whirlwind Telluride for the group, with splashy world premieres including Jesse Eisenberg's The Debut, starring Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti, Simon Stone's Elsinore, starring Andrew Scott and Olivia Colman, and the big talk of the festival, the surprise TBA of Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim's secret film You Can See Everything, about Theranos fraudster Elizabeth Holmes, which was shot with unprecedented access during the month before she went to prison in 2023.

During our zippy and efficient conversation, we talk about our favorite films of the festival (where titles like Club Kid and La Bola Negra pop up), what everyone non-film and film awards-related at the festival was talking about (again, La Bola Negra and Club Kid) and our favorite moments from the many, many parties thrown during this very short window of cinephile celebration.

You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page.

This podcast runs 46m58s. We'll be back next for the main show talking about director Zach Cregger's new Resident Evil film and with a recap of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), which just kicked off.

Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 171 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by AwardsWatch Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello discuss the final film in their Jane Campion series, The Power of the Dog (2021).

Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love.

Reaching the end of a series doesn't always mean that you will be talking about a director's best work, but with Campion, The Power of the Dog challenges The Piano has her defining masterpiece as she examines the toxicity within masculinity and within the western genre. While it created a wildfire of conversations and discourse, Campion delivered a masterpiece that is still one of the best films of the 2020s so far, while also cementing her legendary status with an Oscar win for Best Director. Ryan, Jay, and Sophia discuss their thoughts on the film, the magnificent quartet of performances at the core of the film, the gorgeous cinematography of Ari Wegner, the magnificent score from Jonny Greenwood, the power dynamics between Phil and Peter, the lasting implications of Bronco Henry's actions of the past, and how the film was at the same time both the best film of the year and most divisive film of the year, mirroring the same problems Brokeback Mountain and other queer films have faced throughout the years.

You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page.

This podcast runs 2h42m. The guys will be back next week to begin their new series on the films of Edward Yang with a review of his film, Taipei Story. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it.

Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

In the early 2010s, no one showed more promise as a filmmaker than writer-director Adam Wingard. The young genre filmmaker from Tennessee had made a name for himself after the success of his break out films You're Next (2011) and The Guest (2014, one of the best films of that year). But much like many modern directors, Wingard took his talents to the cinematic worlds of big budget, existing IP, which saw him make Blair Witch, the third film in the franchise, the live-action Death Note, based on the popular Japanese manga. In this decade, he's explored the thrills and spectacle of two Godzilla vs. Kong films, making his mark within two of the biggest characters in the history of cinema, showcasing ridiculous action mixed with even more outrageous world building.

After nearly a decade of being inside the studio machine, Wingard, alongside his screenwriting partner Simon Barrett, have returned to form with his latest film, Onslaught, an action-packed, kinky, bloody, paranoid driven machine within the same universe as The Guest; a full display of the promise he once showed us, just more mature now, speaking on themes of how our government and institutions want to harm us more than hurt us, and see humans as collateral damage more than as assists. Starring Adria Arjona, Drew Starkey, Reginald VelJohnson, Rebecca Hall, and Dan Stevens, Onslaught is one of the best action movies of the year, proving that Wingard is still a highly original voice that is needed in creating perfect, throwback action-horror flicks we just don't get anymore, and also showcasing why Arjona is a badass movie star.

In my conversation with Wingard, we spoke about his journey to make Onslaught, what he learned about himself when making studio films, and why this was the right time to head back into the previous cinematic universe he and Barrett worked in before. We also discussed his research into cults, super soldiers, lack of institutional trust, and how the power-hungry characters in the film explore and exploit their own kinks. In speaking with him about every aspect of the film, working with his cast, and looking at his place in the world of independent filmmaking, a joyous energy shined out of him, much like the night before when he introduced the film before a packed audience at the Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar in Austin, Texas. It's nice to tell that the writer-director is back making movies in his comfort zone, and we are lucky to see Adam Wingard back to working in a sandbox he created, all the while waiting to see how he's going to blow it up with some killer needle drops along the way.

You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast and interviews wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. Let's get into it.

On episode 361 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello to review the latest film from director Ridley Scott, The Dog Stars.

You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page.

This podcast runs 1h26m. We will be back next week with a recap of the 2026 Telluride Film Festival. Till then, let's get into it.

Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

It's time for part 2 of Talking Madonna with Erik and Abdi, as one episode covering 'Confessions II' wasn't nearly enough. After part 1 covered the first seven songs: "I Feel So Free," "Good For the Soul," "One Step Away," "Bring Your Love," Danceteria" and "Everything," part 2 is where Madonna, and we, go deeper. While the rescue and release of the dancefloor is still in full effect on the second half of 'Confessions II,' Madonna begins excavating and reclaiming her past, especially her relationships, as she talks about Sean Penn, her stepmother, her brother Christopher and, maybe most emotionally, a duet with her eldest daughter Lola and the price Madonna's fame and public persona has cost her. In this episode, famed author and producer Abdi Nazemian and I pour through "Love Sensation," "Love Without Words," "Bizarre," "School," "Fragile," "My Sins are My Savior," "Betrayal," "The Test" and "L.E.S. Girl," in hopes of understanding the record and where Madonna is at this point in her life, as well and how much her music and experiences have either echoed or informed our own, sometimes on a very personal level.

This episode runs 1h21m.

You can listen to this review wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, and more. You can also watch the video review on the AW YouTube page.

On episode 170 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by AwardsWatch contributor Josh Parham discuss the next film in their Jane Campion series, Bright Star (2009).

Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love.

It was six years between the reception for In the Cut and her next big screen project, and with it, Jane Campion went back to her comfort zone, making a period piece about a famous writer. This time the film focused on the last three years of the life of poet John Keats, and his relationship with Fanny Brawn, and their off and on courtship of each other. While Campion had worked on a documentary in the time between, her return to narrative filmmaking was a breath of fresh air, exploring the heartbreaking nature of these two people's lives mixed with their fascination with the written word; also featuring some of Campion's most gorgeous visuals. Ryan, Jay, and Josh break down their thoughts on the film, Campion's interest in period pieces, how tender this love story is while at the same time devastating, the career choices of Abbie Cornish, and why Ben Whishaw is an "important person" for Josh.

You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page.

This podcast runs 2h10m. The guys will be back next week to conclude their series on the films of Jane Campion with a review of her next film, The Power of the Dog (2021). You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it.

Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

"One of the most controversial things I've done is stick around."

It's been seven years since the Queen of Pop released 'Madame X,' the longest time between studio albums in her 40+ year career, and a lot's happened since then. A worldwide pandemic, of course, but for Madonna herself, a sudden and life-threatening experience in June 2023 when she contracted a severe bacterial infection that developed into sepsis and acute septic shock. She was hospitalized in the ICU, placed on a ventilator, and spent four days in a medically induced coma. And no one even knew until it was over. All just as she was about to embark on a world tour in support of her landmark 50 #1s on Billboard and the release of 'Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones,' the now best-selling album celebrating those 50 dance hits. A handful of shows were postponed but the tour, originally set to begin July 15, kicked off on October 14. But struggle wasn't finished with Madonna. Her eldest brother, Anthony, had died in February 2023 then in 2024 her stepmother Joan, who had raised Madonna since she was eight years old and her younger brother Christopher, art director on The Blonde Ambition tour and more, died within 10 days of each other in the fall.

That means it's also been six years since the last episode of Talking Madonna with Erik and Abdi, a series where celebrated author and producer Abdi Nazemian and I broke down all 14 of her studio albums and even curated our own 'greatest hits' album where we each chose one song from each album (with a few cheats) to create the perfect Madonna record. Now it's time to talk 'Confessions II.'

Please enjoy this new conversation between Abdi and myself, where we talk about the build up to the album and its first seven songs: "I Feel So Free," "Good For the Soul," "One Step Away," "Bring Your Love," "Danceteria," and "Everything." This episode runs 1h4m. Keep and eye out for part two soon.

Confessions II by the numbers

• Released on July 3, 2026
• Peaked at #1 on Billboard 200 album chart
• Length: 63:52
• First week sales: 134,000 (currently at approximately 500K)

We're less than two weeks before the 53nd Telluride Film Festival kicks off on Labor Day weekend and we have a packed show. On episode 360 AwardsWatch Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by Editor-In-chief Erik Anderson Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello, contributors Jay Ledbetter, Mark Johnson, and Jorge Tenreiro, and Christina Birro of Pop Culture Confidential to break down what we think will be at Telluride this season, who might be getting the Silver Medallion festival tributes, and much more.

You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, YouTube and more.

This podcast runs 1h01m. We will be back next week with a review of the latest film from director Ridley Scott, The Dog Stars. Till then, let's get into it.

Music: "Modern Fashion" from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

Director Andrew Patterson's big screen journey has been unconventional to say the least. With his debut feature film, The Vast of Night, Patterson patiently watched as his film was shopped around the festival circuit, landed a spot at the 2019 Slamdance Film Festival, going on to win the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature. It was then acquired by Amazon Studios, where they were going to give it a proper release in 2020, but then the pandemic happened, and most audiences had to discover this bright new talent from the comfort of his own home. In this time, where we were all locked away in our homes, Patterson went back to an old script he was developing, one about an eccentric, beloved, blue grass-playing beekeeper and his estranged former foster daughter, their reconnection, and the passing of a touch between a business and the bloodlines you make along the way; The Rivals of Amziah King.

In writing a draft that was close to 360 pages long, Patterson, a former editor before he turned writer-director, slowly stripped his epic down to the version that he wanted to put on the big screen; a sprawling tale that features people, a town, a culture, an environment he grew up around in a small town in rural Oklahoma. This baked in familiarity and personality resulted in his script impressing many, including the actor who plays the titular Amziah King, Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey, who is a revelation in the film, as well as his co-star Angelina LookingGlass, one of the best discoveries of the year. Together, this acting duo brought to life the unique, brilliant vision of Patterson's expansive second feature and in result, was a rousing success at the 2025 SXSW Film Festival, with buzz building from the moment it screened. After being acquired by Black Bear Pictures, the world finally gets to see an Andrew Patterson film on the big screen, which, per my review from SXSW, is still "one of the best films of the year so far," and announced the director as "a serious name to be reckoned with in the world of cinematic storytelling," as well as high praise for McConaughey, who delivers "one of the best performances of his career and his best work in over a decade."

In a recent conversation, Patterson and I spoke about the process of getting the film to the big screen, the patience it took to trust the studio, and his work as an editor shapes new role as a writer-director. We also spoke about recreating the world of Oklahoma in Alabama (where the film was mostly shot), his collaborative process with his crew and two lead actors, as well as his thoughts on the state of independent cinema, and the stories he wants to tell going forward, no matter how big or small they might be. Insightful doesn't begin to describe Patterson, a growing voice in modern cinema that's open to unknown possibilities that lie ahead, willing to still look optimistically at this business after an atypical start to one's cinematic career; humming along to his next project much like bees in his latest film, waiting for his chance to deliver something special yet singular like his first two features.

The Rivals of Amziah King is currently in theaters from Black Bear Pictures.

You can listen to this interview wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page.

Music: "Quill" from Matthew McConaughey and Ben Hardesty (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).