Hey Oscars fans, welcome to the 1981 Oscars for the films of 1980.  This is a HUGE year in terms of the conceit of this show — because while the Oscar winning film is respected, the film that DIDN’T WIN is regarded as a true masterpiece and one of the greatest films of all-time. If you know, you know, and if you don’t get ready to be enraged.  Or maybe not.  And that’s just the start of some curious decisions, omissions and oversights. Whether you’re a total film nerd (like us) or not — this was objectively a great year for movies and for debating the awards given to them!  And along the way, we hope to add a few more hidden gems to your movie-watching list.  As always, thanks for listening!

Movies Mentioned

The Elephant Man

Raging Bull

Coal Miner’s Daughter

Fame

Ordinary People 

Tess

The Empire Strikes Back

Melvin and Howard

Private Benjamin

The Stuntman

9 to 5

Stir Crazy

Airplane

Any Which Way You Can

Smokey and the Bandit 2

The Blue Lagoon

The Blues Brothers

Crash (Haggis version)

Barry Lyndon

The Empire Strikes Back

The Shining

Stripes

Protocol

Wildcats

Jumping Jack Flash

Stardust Memories

Duel in the Sun

Chinatown

The Two Jakes

Color of Night

The Eyes of Laura Mars

Return of a Man Called Horse

Never Say Never Again

American Gigolo

The Big Red One

Cruisin’

Tribute

The Great Santini

Urban Cowboy

The Long Good Friday

Breaker Morant

Inside Moves

Resurrection

Gloria

Carrie

Eyes Wide Shut

Altered States

Flash Gordon

The Zero Hero

Honeysuckle Rose

The Competition

8 Mile

Kagemusha

The Last Metro

The Gods Must Be Crazy

Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears

Can’t Stop the Music (Razzie Winner!)

Bachelor Party 2 (Direct to Video)

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Hey Oscars fans, welcome to the 1965 Oscars for the films of 1964 — a year that had a lot of great films, some of which have stood the test of time… and then there were the winners.  

We’re kidding of course. Half kidding. But as you’ll hear ‘Tex” is not a huge fan of this year’s winner and would have preferred any of the other nominees (and another movie that wasn’t nominated) — while Bruce Vilanch supplies the context and support of the winner.  

So, what were these films and how and why did they win or lose out?  You’ll have to listen to find out.  And as always, there are lot of great film recommendations to add to your viewing catalogue!  Thanks for listening!

Movies Mentioned

Minecraft

Mary Poppins

Becket

My Fair Lady

Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte

Zorba the Greek

The Unsinkable Molly Brown

Dr. Strangelove

Night of the Iguana

Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Fail Safe

Seven Days in May

Fiddler on the Roof

Gone With the Wind

Little Women

A Philadelphia Story

A Double Life

Born Yesterday

Cleopatra

Lawrence of Arabia

Masque of the Red Death

Seance on a Wet Afternoon

Marriage Italian Style

The Pumpkin Eater

The Americanization of Emily

The Miracle Worker

The Chalk Garden

The Best Man

Topkapi

Spartacus

Quo Vadis

The Barefoot Contessa

That Man From Rio

Breathless

The Organizer

One Potato, Two Potato

A Hard Day’s Night

Father Goose

Robin and the Seven Hoods

Dear Heart

Where Love Has Gone

Fate is the Hunter

Cheyanne Autumn

What a Way to Go

Gigi

A House is Not a Home

Kisses for my President

The Visit

The King and I

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

Woman in the Dunes

The Young Girls of Rochefort

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Hey Oscars fans, welcome to the 2013 Oscars for the films of 2012 — a year when Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln was poised to sweep based on a(mother) legendary performance by Daniel Day Lewis.  But instead…it was the second worst night in Lincoln’s life.  All in all, it was a pretty strange year for the Academy Awards — from the winners, non-winners, snubs and even the host!  So join Bruce Vilanch and Adam “Tex” Davis as they share their insider’s perspective on who won and why (and who should have won) — as well as why Seth Macfarlane will never host another Academy Awards show again.

Movies Mentioned

A Million Ways to Die in the West 

Ted

Ted 2

Lincoln

Life of Pi

Les Miserables

Silver Linings Playbook

Argo

Amour

Django Unchained

Skyfall

Zero Dark Thirty

Minecraft

Sinners

Beasts of the Southern Wild

Avengers

The Hurt Locker

The Master

Flight

Moonrise Kingdom

Batman: The Dark Knight

There Will Be Blood

Boogie Nights

The Hobbit

Brokeback Mountain

The Piano Teacher

Funny Games

Cache (aka Hidden)

The White Ribbon

Silkwood

The Impossible

The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming

Inglourious Basterds

The Big Lebowski

Raising Arizona

Barton Fink

Sessions

As Good As it Gets

Norma Rae

Places in the Heart

Forrest Gump

Mrs. Doubtfire

Pulp Fiction

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Anna Karenina

Red Sparrow

Under the Skin

La La Land

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Welcome Oscars: WWTT? Fans to the 1978 Oscars for the films of 1977 — the year that changed movies forever.  That’s because this is the year Star Wars came out.  But did Star Wars win the Oscar?  And if not, what legendary movie rose up to beat it?  And what other legendary film about outer space creatures by a luminary director wasn’t even nominated that year. And what movie about dancing was nominated over Saturday Night Fever?  Join us as we look back at a truly amazing year of movies, awards, oversights and possible snubs.   And as always, Bruce Vilanch shares his personal stories with some of the stars and filmmakers of the era — including how he was cast in the opening credits of Footloose and how he wound up writing the Star Wars Holiday Special!  

MOVIES MENTIONED

Spinal Tap 

Manchurian candidate

The Odd Couple

Airplane

Airplane 2

Casablanca

Singing in the Rain

Star Wars

Julia

The Turning Point

The Goodbye Girl

Annie Hall

Jaws

Gravity

Arrival

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

West Side Story

Gypsy

Saturday Night Fever

The Duelists

Three Women

Goodbye Mr. Chips

The Owl and the Pussycat

Play it Again Sam

The Sunshine Boys

Funny Lady

Footloose

Equus

A Special Day

Parasite

Moonlight

Anora

The Spy Who Came Out of the Cold

The Empire Strike Back

Sleeper

Love & Death

The Godfather

The Godfather II

The Graduate

The Pumpkin Eater

Klute

The Miracle Worker

Opening Night

Looking for Mr. Goodbar

All the President’s Men

Bridge on the River Kwai

The Lavender Hill Mob

The Horse’s Mouth

Oh God!

The Late Show

Hannah and Her Sisters

Midnight in Paris

Citizen Kane

A Bridge Too Far

Slap Shot

Snow White

French Connection

The Deer Hunter

Rocky

The Star Wars Holiday Special!

To learn more go to www.oscars.wtf

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Welcome Oscars: WWTT? fans to the 2003 Oscars for the films of 2002.  In the US we are in post-9/11 recovery; in the Middle East the Iraq War has just begun and on the Oscar stage it’s a battle between the hit musical adaptation of Chicago VS. The Hours, Gangs of New York, The Pianist and Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. So, which film about murder and/or death takes home the gold and why? And who else should have been considered?  That’s what we’re here to find out  as we re-examine an Academy Awards show that was equal parts razzle-dazzle and controversy — including some things that would never fly today!   

MOVIES MENTIONED

Bowling for Columbine 

Chicago

Gangs of New York

The Hours

The Pianist

Frida

Road to Perdition

Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Adaptation

Far From Heaven

Talk to Her

About Schmidt

Catch Me if you Can

Spiderman

Oliver

Joker 2

The Aviator

Shutter Island

The Lord of the Rings

25th Hour

Minority Report

Spirited Away

Y tu mama tambien

The Quiet American

Leaving Las Vegas

One Hour Photo

Punch Drunk Love

Uncut Gems

8 Mile

Secretary

Igby Goes Down

Unfaithful

The Deer Hunter

Entrapment

About a Boy

Winged Migration

Roger & Me

Fahrenheit 9/11

The Wild Thornberrys Movie

The Lion King

A Hard Day’s Night

Cats

Star Wars: Attack of the Clones

The Departed

Amelia Perez

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Strap in, it’s going to be a bumpy Oscars!  On this episode Bruce and “Tex” look back at one of the greatest years in filmmaking history, the 1951 Oscars for the films of 1950.  A year which produced perhaps the greatest Oscar battle of all time: SUNSET BOULEVARD vs. ALL ABOUT EVE. Hollywood tragedy vs. Broadway deception. With double digit nominations and luminary actors, writers, and directors for each project — this was a true heavyweight showdown where it would be almost impossible to get it wrong.  Yet in some cases, they may have!  (I’m looking at you Best Actor Award!)  This is one of our favorite episodes to record just from the sheer volume of outstanding movies and performances — some of which you may not have seen or heard of and should promptly add to your playlist!  “Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my Oscar!”

MOVIES MENTIONED

All About Eve

Sunset Boulevard

The Substance

Gone with the Wind

Titanic

La La Land

Mrs. Miniver

Born Yesterday

Samson & Delilah

Annie Get Your Gun

The Asphalt Jungle

Broken Arrow

Caged

Cinderella

Father of the Bride

King Solomon’s Mines

The Third Man

Destination Moon

The Flame and the Arrow

Harvey

The Magnificent Yankee

Adam’s Rib

The Gunfighter

Cyrano de Begerac

Roxanne

Mr. 880

Village of the Damned

Phffft

It Should Happen to You

Platoon

Arsenic & Old Lace

The Solid Gold Cadillac 

Chicago

Caged Heat

Of Human Bondage

My Fair Lady

Gigi

The Ghost and Ms. Muir

A Letter to Three Wives

Sleuth

No Way Out

Cleopatra

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

Key Largo

The African Queen

The Maltese Falcon

Gaslight

A Star is Born

The Philadelphia Story

David Copperfield

The Chapman Report

Panic in the Streets

Bitter Rice

Mystery Street

When Willy Comes Home

The Red Danube

The Furies

Stage Fright

D.O.A.

Night and the City

Cheaper by the Dozens

The Pink Panther

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In this episode we continue looking at the 1999 Oscars for the films of 1998.  However, we're doing things a little differently as we focus mainly on one of, if not, the most controversial Oscar campaigns of all-time.  In fact, the tricks, stunts and machinations pulled by Harvey Weinstein to secure the Oscar for Shakespeare in Love not only live on in Oscar lore — they forever changed the way Oscars are campaigned (both good and bad).  In addition to laying out all the behind-the-scenes maneuvering — Bruce and “Tex’ share personal stories of their dealings with Weinstein, uncover what really went on behind-closed-doors in 1998,  and shine a light on the impact this Oscar campaign has had on the Academy today.  This one is for true Oscar buffs looking to know more about one of the craziest Oscar races in Academy History. And if you're more interested in the actual awards of that year -- listen to 1999 Pt. 1 - Saving Private Oscar.  Enjoy!  

Movies Mentioned

Shakespeare in Love

Saving Private Ryan

Wicked 

Dune 2

The Greatest Show on Earth

Big Top Pee-wee

Just Friends

Get Bruce

Legends of the Fall

Glory

The Last Samurai

Annie Hall

The Alamo

Sunset Boulevard

All About Eve

To Leslie (Andre Riseborough film referred to)

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While it goes against the premise of the show (using the test of time to look back at past Oscars) we felt we had to respond to the Oscars of 2025. Especially since Adam and Mark's former classmate at NYU, Mr. Sean Baker, cleaned up with his film Anora! We don't discuss all the awards (we'll do that in 2030)...but we do look at all the top awards and give our thoughts and opinions on the winners/losers and possible snubs and mistakes. Enjoy!

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From Atomic Entertainment, creators of The Oscars: What Were They Thinking?, Brain Games, Who Smarted? and Brainchild – comes an exciting new way to re-evaluate History — through the lens of brain science.  And a chance for you to get smarter in the process!

Introducing The Daily Brain, a brand-new podcast designed to sharpen your mind in just a few minutes a day. Hosted by Emmy nominated producer and writer, Jerry Kolber – The Daily Brain explores fascinating moments in history, unpacks how your brain shapes your decision-making (both good and bad), and gives you simple, yet powerful tricks, tips and tools to boost memory, focus, and problem-solving.  How’s that for an award?

Listen to Daily Brain on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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On this episode of ‘The Oscars: What Were They Thinking?’ Bruce and “Tex” storm the beaches of one of the Academy Awards’ biggest Best Picture controversies. 

Of course we’re talking about the 1999 Oscars, for the films of 1998.  This is known as the year that changed everything thanks to a guy you may have heard of named Harvey Weinstein.  In a shocking upset, a brash, shameless, indie upstart managed to out-campaign the Hollywood elite and take home a best picture Oscar for an artsy film about love and Shakespeare. Using the test of time, many people look back at this year as a complete miscarriage of justice. But was it really? And what other controversies and unbelievable moments took place that evening? Bruce was there and is more than happy to share them with us.  What do you think?  Did Shakespeare deserve Oscar love? Or did Saving Private Ryan “Earn it?”       

MOVIES MENTIONED

From Russia With Love

Shakespeare in Love

Elizabeth

Saving Private Ryan

The African Queen

Life is Beautiful

The Thin Red Line

Armageddon

A Simple Plan

The Truman Show

Affliction

Civil Action 

Apollo 13

Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid

In Like Flint

Shine

Rushmore

The Big Lebowski

Rocky Horror Picture Show

A Fish Called Wanda

Gods and Monsters

Hillary and Jackie

Little Voice

Primary Colors

Mrs. Brown

Schindler’s List

Amistad

Warhorse

Lincoln

West Side Story

Munich

The Mask of Zorro

Out of Sight

The Big Chill

Mighty Joe Young

King Kong

What Dreams May Come

Pleasantville

Velvet Goldmine

Beloved

The Last Days

Dance Maker

The Farm Angola USA

Lenny Bruce:  Swear to Tell the Truth

Regret to Inform

Prince of Egypt

Patch Adams

Mulan

A Bug’s Life

The Horse Whisperer

Babe: Pig in the City

Skyfall

Barbie

Quest From Camelot

Wicked

Tango

The Grandfather

Children of Heaven

Central Station

Frankenstein

Bride of Frankenstein

American History X

Two Women

Lord of the Rings

One True Thing

Gia

Bulworth

The Best Years of our Lives

E.T.

The Day the Clown Cried

Guilty By Suspicion

On the Waterfront

Streetcar Named Desire

East of Eden

A Face in the Crowd

Splendor in the Grass

America, America

Gentleman’s Agreement

Viva Zapata

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