Finally!  After leaving empty handed with 5 Best Director (and 4 Best Picture) nominations… one of the greatest film directors of all-time, the God of pure cinema, Martin Scorsese, finally gets to go home with Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director.  The Departed, his 2006 crime epic starring half of Hollywood seemed like the perfect vehicle to get him to the finish line… But at the same time, it’s a little bittersweet because in many people’s minds because The Departed might not have been the best movie of the year — and is nowhere near the best film Scorsese has ever made over his long and storied career.  In fact, as we inspect this year’s Oscar awards — we discover a lot of nominations rewarding good people for their not best work.  (And a few who deliver career benchmark performances!)  Join us as we hash through a year that is equal parts rewarding and confounding and try to discover whether there was a ‘rat’ in the Academy who had it in the bag for a legend.  As always, thanks for listening and supporting the show!

Movies Mentioned  

(*Recommended)

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest

*Night at the Museum

Cars

X-Men: The Last Stand

The DaVinci Code

Superman Returns

Happy Feet

Ice Age: The Meltdown

*Casino Royale

*The Pursuit of Happiness

*Dreamgirls

Babel 

*Pan’s Labyrinth

*The Queen

Blood Diamond

*The Departed

*Letters From Iwo Jima

*Little Miss Sunshine

*Notes on a Scandal

*Flags of Our Fathers

**Children of Men

*Apocalypto

*Inside Man

*The Prestige

The Illusionist

*United 93

*Little Children

*Volver

*The Last King of Scotland

Half Nelson

*Venus

*The Devil Wears Prada

*Borat

*An Inconvenient Truth

*1917

**The Lives of Others

Contact us at: [email protected]

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Hey Oscars WWTT? Fans — for this bonus episode, a companion piece to our recent 1938 Oscars episode, “Tex” and Mark take a fun look back at an acting legend — the incomparable Humphrey Bogart. However, rather than do a full retrospective of Bogart’s entire career in front of the camera (70+ films) — instead we’re focusing on the 7 films Bogart acted in, in 1937. Two of these films received Oscar nominations (DEAD END and BLACK LEGION) while the other five showcased an actor on the rise trying to turn the corner from a bit player in the ‘Also Starring’ section of the credits — to a well-rounded actor capable of playing more than just mobsters and wise-guys. This was a breakthrough year for Bogie and a chance to learn about some great hidden gem films for anyone who is a fan of movies, great acting and the rise of one of America’s greatest acting treasures.  Thanks for listening! 

Movies Mentioned

(*Recommended)

*Casablanca

*High Sierra

*The Maltese Falcon

*Key Largo

*The African Queen

*Treasure of the Sierra Madre

*Black Legion

*The Great O’Malley

*Marked Woman

San Quentin

*Kid Galahad

*Dead End

Stand In

*To Have and Have Not

*In a Lonely Place

*Beat the Devil

*The Caine Mutiny

*The Petrified Forest

*The Roaring 20’s

*The Harder They Fall

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I know, I know, another old Oscars ceremony from over 85 years ago. It can’t possibly be interesting!  You can think that… but you’d be wrong!  This year had 10 best picture nominees, covering a wide range of interesting topics — from the rise of fascism, the great Chicago fire and a love affair with Napoleon to the struggles of making it as an actress or Broadway star, the pitfalls of divorce and the plight of ancient Chinese farmers (played by non-Chinese actors.) Plus the first of four versions of A Star is Born. It’s an amazing year featuring the rising stars of the industry (Bogart, Spencer Tracy, Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Greta Garbo, Barbara Stanwyck, Paul Muni and more!) Trust us, if you love movies, (and adding movies you've never heard of to your watch list) you’re gonna love this episode.  As always, thanks for listening!

Films Mentioned

(* recommended)

*The Awful Truth

*The Life of Emile Zola

*A Star is Born

*Dead End

*One Hundred Men and a Girl

*Stage Door

*The Good Earth

*Lost Horizon

*In Old Chicago

*Captains Courageous

*Conquest

*Night Must Fall

*Hurricane

*The Black Legion

Topper

*Camille

*Stella Dallas

*Angel

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Few filmmakers achieve the level of notoriety and legendary status of Sam Peckinpah. He didn’t just direct movies — he detonated them. And while he never received any love from the Oscars, that was never his goal. Unflinching, uncompromising, and unrelenting, Peckinpah existed to turn on-screen violence into an art form… often in slow motion. Join us as we break down the bruised beauty of his short but lasting filmography — and pay homage to the man whose balletic violence and broken heroes changed the language of film forever.

Films Mentioned

*Recommended   

(P) Peckinpah directed

*The Ballad of Cable Hogue  (P)

Airport

Noon Wine (P)

**The Wild Bunch (P)

*Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (P)

**Straw Dogs (P)

*The Getaway (P)

*Convoy (P)

The Other Side of the Wind

*The Deadly Companions (P)

*How Green Was My Valley

*The Quiet Man

McLintock

*Ride the High Country (P)

*Lawrence of Arabia

*The Music Man

*To Kill a Mockingbird

*The Longest Day

*Major Dundee (P)

*Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid

*Midnight Cowboy

A Clockwork Orange

*The French Connection

*Fiddler on the Roof

*The Last Picture Show

Sunday Bloody Sunday

Junior Bonner (P)

The Last Straighter

Smokey and the Bandit

Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (P)

The Killing of a Chinese Bookie

*The Godfather

The Killer Elite (P)

*Cross of Iron  (P)

*Inglorious Basterds

*Saving Private Ryan

The Osterman Weekend (P)

Straw Dogs (2011)

The Killer Elite (2011)

The Getaway (1994)

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Hey Oscar fans, welcome to the 1971 Oscars for the films of 1970.  The title of the episode refers to the opening line of this year’s Best Picture Winner — Patton — a movie driven by one of the most powerful performances in film history.  In fact, George C. Scott’s portrayal of General George S. Patton was so acclaimed that despite telling the Academy not to vote for him and that he wouldn’t show up to the Oscars; wouldn’t accept the award; and thought the entire concept of actors competing for awards was a stupid ‘meat parade’ — he still won for Best Actor!  Yep, this was a strange year full of strange movies, bizarre choices and enough ‘WTF?’ to make you wonder if George C. Scott had the right idea!  As always, thanks for listening!

Movies Mentioned

(*Recommended)

Love Story 

Airport

*M*A*S*H

*Patton

*Woodstock

*Little Big Man

*Tora! Tora! Tora!

*Ryan’s Daughter

Catch-22

The Owl and the Pussycat

*The Haunting (1963)

*Citizen Kane

*Five Easy Pieces 

*The Ballad of Cable Hogue

*The Great White Hope

*The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes

*Joe

*Rocky

*The Karate Kid

Lovers and Other Strangers

The Landlord

Women in Love

Fellini’s Satyricon 

*Planet of the Apes

*The Country Girl

*Miracle on 34th Street

*Diary of a Mad Housewife

*Barry Lyndon

*Easy Rider

*I Never Sang For My Father

*Hud

*Being There

*Ninotchka

*The Hustler

*The Getaway

*The Godfather

*Hobson’s Choice

*Pollyanna

*The Hours

*Lawrence of Arabia

*Bridge on the River Kwai

*Doctor Zhivago

*A Raisin in the Sun

*My Night At Maud’s

*Wanda

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Hello Oscar lovers, we are back with a very special bonus episode that celebrates the fabulous films from the year 1986.  In fact, “Tex” and Mark think there were so many great films released that year, that we could have an ALTERNATE OSCARS where we nominate and select completely different movies and performances and still have an amazing Oscar show.  And to prove it — that’s exactly what we did!  

So enjoy (and play along) with our ‘Alternate 1987 Oscars’ for the non-nominated films of 1986 — one of the greatest years in movie history!  As always, thanks for listening!  

FILMS MENTIONED

(* Highly Recommended)

(The Room)

*Wizard of Oz

*Gone With the Wind

*Stagecoach

*Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

*Ninotchka

*The Matrix

*Fight Club

*The Sixth Sense 

*Being John Malkovich

*Magnolia 

The Talented Mr. Ripley

*The Green Mile

*Toy Story 2

*Platoon

*Children of a Lesser God

*The Mission

*A Room With a View

*Hannah & Her Sisters

*The Color of Money

*Top Gun

*Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

*Hoosiers

*Aliens

*Blue Velvet

*Peggy Sue Got Married

*Heartburn

*The Mosquito Coast

*Stand By Me

*Alien

Jaws 2

*Jaws

*Raging Bull

*Rocky 3

*Mulholland Drive

*The Hustler

*The Fly

*Labyrinth

*Little Shop of Horrors

*A Few Good Men

*The Breakfast Club

*The Verdict

*Manhunter

*Lucas

*Carnal Knowledge

*Witness

Hot Shots Part Deux

The Morning After

Crimes of the Heart

*Something Wild

Sid and Nancy

9 1/2 Weeks

*Working Girl

Nothing in Common

*Highlander

*Ruthless People

About Last Night

*Crocodile Dundee

*Silkwood

Iron Eagle

At Close Range

Absolute Beginners

*The Dark Knight

*Nickel Boys

*Round Midnight

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Oscars fans, movie fans and especially horror movie fans — you are in for a treat.  Just in time for Halloween, we’ve got a special bonus episode exploring the complicated history of horror movies and the Oscars!  

Well, for some people it’s not complicated — the Oscars seem to HATE horror films. But is that true? And what even IS a horror film? We’ll answer those questions and more by looking at objective horror films that were nominated, or won (it’s not a long list); look at some horror movies that should/could have been nominated — and explore some movies that were nominated that may have been secret horror films.

 Plus we’ve got some hidden gems for you to watch this spooky season!  As always, thanks for listening!   

Horror Films Mentioned

(* Recommended)

*Crash (1996)

*Friday the 13th

Friday the 13th Pt.V

*Halloween

*Don’t Go in the House

Don’t Go in the Woods

*Don’t Look in the Basement

*Don’t Go Near the Park 

*Don’t Torture a Duckling

*Frankenstein (2025)

Manos:  The Hands of Fate

Snuff

Boogeyman 2

*The Blair Witch Project

*Psycho

*Night of the Living Dead

*The Birds

*Henry Portrait of a Serial Killer

*Dracula

*Wolfman

*Frankenstein

*The Mummy

*Creature From the Black Lagoon

Eraserhead

*The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

*Child’s Play  

*Candyman

Barbarian

*Midsommar

*The Lighthouse

*Frozen (2010)

*Fight Club

*No Country For Old Men

*Nightcrawler

*A Clockwork Orange

*Requiem for a Dream

*Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

The Hound of the Baskervilles

*Thirteen (2003)

*The Exorcist

*Jaws

*The Silence of the Lambs

*The Sixth Sense

*The Green Mile

*The Shawshank Redemption

*The Black Swan

*Room

*Get Out

The Shape of Water

The Substance

*M (1931 & 1951)

*Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1931)

*Freaks (1932)

*King Kong (1933)

*Cat People (1942 & 1982)

*Isle of the Dead

*Suspicion

*Strangers on a Train

*Shadow of a Doubt

*Rear Window

*The Birds

*Rosemary’s Baby

Apartment 7A

*Dawn of the Dead

*Land of the Dead

*The Omen (1976)

*Alien

*Aliens

*Alien 3

Prometheus

Sasquatch

Halloween 3

*The Shining

*American Werewolf in London

*The Thing

*Poltergeist

*Misery

*Stand By Me

*Scream

*The Others

*Zodiac

*Se7en

*Ex-Machina

*Hereditary

*Rebecca

*Gaslight

*The Towering Inferno

*Deliverance

*Wrong Turn

*The Hills Have Eyes

*Carrie

*No Country For Old Men

*The Hitcher

*Parasite

*Don’t Breathe

*It Follows

*2001 A Space Odyssey

*The Body Snatcher

*Invasion of the Body Snatchers

*The Seventh Victim

*The Old Dark House

*I Walked With a Zombie

*Ghost Ship (2002)

*Bride of Frankenstein

*Obsession

*Dressed To Kill

*Body Double

*Blow Out

Sisters

Raising Cane

*Funny Games 

*Benny’s Video

*The Piano Teacher

*Knife in the Water

*Repulsion

*The Tenant

*The Fearless Vampire Killers

*Nope

*What Lies Beneath

Innocent Blood

Hour of the Wolf

*The Virgin Spring

*Last House on the Last

*The Bay

*Antichrist

*mother!

*Panic Room

*Near Dark

*Dracula (Francis Ford Copolla)

*Dementia 13

*Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans

*Nosferatu:  A Symphony of Horror (1922)

*Frailty

*Skeleton Key

*Triangle

*Sightseers

*The Invitation

*Saint Maud

*Oculus

*Hush

*Wait Until Dark

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Welcome to the 1987 Oscars for the films of 1986 — arguably one of the greatest years for movies…ever!  Nearly every category is stacked with worthy entries, but as always, there are a few Oscar oddities, snubs and things to make you go ‘Hmm.’ Mostly, this Oscars has everything — from a born writer/filmmaker spinning his most harrowing wartime experiences into Oscar gold; to a deaf newbie beating out a string of 80’s acting legends; to an aging legend finally getting their Oscar due.

In a year when nearly all the top talent in Hollywood was creating art — it helps you appreciate how movies can tell diverse, complex stories with the power to stay with you forever.  Oh, and you’ll also hear Bruce's behind the scenes stories about working on Hollywood Squares and Sidney Lumet's 'The Morning After!' As always, thanks for listening! 

FILMS REFERENCED

(* Recommended)

*Top Gun

*Crocodile Dundee

**Platoon

Karate Kid 2

*Star Trek 4:  The Voyage Home

*Back to School

**Aliens

**Alien

The Golden Child

**Ruthless People

**Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

*Something Wild

*Down & Out in Beverly Hills

**Mosquito Coast

**The Color of Money

**Hoosiers

*Salvador

*Peggy Sue Got Married

*In the Name of the Rose

*Foul Play

*Seems Like Old Times

*A Room With a View

**Children of a Lesser God

**The Mission

*Hannah and her Sisters

*Caged

**The Deer Hunter

**Apocalypse Now

Gandhi 

Chariots of Fire

Empire of the Sun

*She’s Gotta Have It

**Stand By Me

**Blue Velvet

**‘Round Midnight

*Born on the Fourth of July

**JFK

The Doctor

Wrestling Ernest Hemmingway

Dance With Me

**The Hustler

*Mona Lisa

**Who Framed Roger Rabbit

*Hud

**Cool Hand Luke

*Absence of Malice

**The Verdict

Heartburn

Sid & Nancy

Jaws 4:  The Revenge

Poltergeist 2

Crimes of the Heart

The Morning After

*Carrie

*Monsters Ball

Catwoman

*My Beautiful Launderette

At Close Range

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Did you know one of, if not THE, greatest film directors of all time never won an Oscar for Best Director?  Yep. That is the premise for this bonus episode…  Join Adam “Tex” and Mark as we examine the glorious career of the legendary Sir Alfred Hitchcock and discuss how the Motion Picture Academy just never got around to awarding him its top prize. 

 Along the way we’ll dissect Hitchcock’s greatest known films, tell little-known behind the scenes stories, and identify some lesser-known, hidden gems among the 53 films he directed. And we’ll discover how even when the Academy did nominate him (including his one Best Picture win) they still got it wrong!

Hitchcock may have had a long and storied career telling crime stories — but the greatest crime of all may be the one the Academy committed against him!  As always, thanks for listening!  

Films Mentioned

(* Recommended)

*Dial M for Murder

*Rear Window

Three Coins in a Fountain

*The Lodger

*Blackmail

The Ring

*Murder!

*Rebecca

*Foreign Correspondent

*Grapes of Wrath

*The Letter

*Lifeboat

*Rope

*Double Indemnity

*Laura

Wilson

Going My Way

*The Lost Weekend

Anchors Aweigh

The Bells of St. Mary’s

*Mildred Pierce

Spellbound

*Rear Window

*Sabrina

The High and the Mighty

*The Country Girl

*On the Waterfront

*Gentleman’s Agreement

*The Graduate

*The Miracle Worker

*Psycho

*The Apartment

*Never on Sunday

Sons and Lovers

The Sundowners

*The Birds

*Jaws

*Notorious

*Suspicion

*To Catch a Thief

*Strangers on a Train

*The Lady Vanishes

*Shadow of a Doubt

*North by Northwest

*Vertigo

*The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)

*The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)

*The Wrong Man

*Marnie

*1941

*Birdman

*The Trouble With Harry

*Casablanca

*The 39 Steps

*Secret Agent

*Sabotage

The Paradine Case

Torn Curtain

*M

*Goodbye Mr. Chips

*Jamaica Inn

*The Best Years of our Lives

*Mrs. Miniver

I* Confess

*The Offence

*The Hill

Saboteur

Under Capricorn

Frenzy

*Topaz

Family Plot

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Hey Oscar fans — welcome to the 1955 Oscars for the films of 1954.  In case you weren’t aware, 1954 was an absolutely outstanding year full of great movies…some of which even got nominated for Academy Awards!  Which means some of the best movies that are still beloved, rewatched, referenced and remade today did NOT get any Oscar love.  This includes a few shockingly egregious omissions that we’re pretty sure will have you scratching your head.  So join us down on the waterfront as Bruce and “Tex” attempt to solve the mystery of “What they were thinking?” when the Academy looked out their rear window and saw…nothing.  As always, thanks for listening and joining us at The Oscars!   

Films Referenced

(* Recommended)

**On the Waterfront

**The Caine Mutiny

**The Country Girl

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

Three Coins in a Fountain

**Rear Window

*A Star is Bron

**Dial M For Murder

**Notorious

Robinson Crusoe

The High and the Mighty

The Zero Hour

The Barefoot Contessa

*Carmen Jones

**Sabrina

**The Glenn Miller Story

*Magnificent Obsession

**Executive Suite

Broken Lance

*Genevieve

Knock on Wood

Rogue Cop

The Egyptian

The Silver Chalice

*Gate of Hell

*Le Plaisir

**The Earrings of Madame de

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