We know how to pick 'em here at The Reel Addicts! Matt's final pick of our Top 4 of '24 series saw Sean Baker personally walk with FOUR Academy Awards this past Sunday (Best Picture, Editing, Original Screenplay, and Director) - the first to do it since Walt Disney. We're talking of course about the indie sensation, Anora.

Joining us to give her thoughts on the film's content and accuracy is Creative Writing professor and PHD student, Natassja Schiel, who also brings her perspective as a former stripper with five years of experience to the table as we dissect this Oscar darling.

This isn't an episode (or a film) to miss, so have a watch, give a listen, and enjoy the ride!

Directed, Produced, Written, and Edited by Sean Baker

Starring: Mikey Madison, Yura Borisov, Mark Eydelshteyn, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan, Darya Ekamasova, Aleksey Serebryakov, Lindsey Normington, Vincent Radwinsky, Brittney Rodriguez

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Reel Addicts welcome brainiac Michelle Martinez for a journey into the mechanical heart of 2024'sThe Wild Robot.

Join Jonathan, Matt, and Michelle (who brings both her nature-loving expertise and maternal wisdom) as they disassemble this surprise animated hit piece by piece. The crew tackles everything from the film's voice casting to its unflinching approach to mortality, while compiling their definitive list of animated tearjerkers. Plus, a fascinating detour into the current state of conservative animation that you won't want to miss!

Directed by Chris Sanders

Screenplay by Chris Sanders (based on the novel by Peter Brown)

Starring Lupita Nyong'o, Kit Connor, Stephanie Hsu, Pedro Pascal, Mark Hamill, Catherine O'Hara, Bill Nighy, Ving Rhames, and Matt Berry

Opening and Closing Music:

Memory Stain 2023 - by Steven F Allen

https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/

https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage

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Welcome to our "Top 4 of '24" series! Matt kicks things off with his favorite film of 2024, Rich Peppiatt's indie gem, Kneecap (2024).

Jonathan and Matt start the party with a brief summation of 2024 in film, then Irish-American/New York native/ex-pat extraordinaire and storytelling powerhouse, Paul Coughlan joins in for the conversation about all things Irish, all things film, and all things Kneecap. (7:59)

This film is a wild, lean machine that takes a tight ride through the unlikely journey of Irish language preservation. It's fun, it's original, it's poignant, and it's free on a bunch of streaming services at the moment, so give a watch, have a listen, and enjoy it as much as we did!

Directed by Rich Peppiatt

Written by Rich Peppiatt & Kneecap

Edited by Chris Gill & Julian Ulrichs

Starring Móglaí Bap, Mo Chara, DJ Próvai, Josie Walker, Fionnuala Flaherty, Jessica Reynolds, Adam Best, and Michael Fassbender

Opening and Closing Music:

Memory Stain 2023 - by Steven F Allen

https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/

https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Reel Addicts welcome the hilarious Jared Watterworth for a basement-level excavation of Bong Joon-ho's Oscar-winning phenomenon, Parasite (2019).

Join Matt, Jonathan, and Jared as they descend through the film's intricate layers of class warfare, moral ambiguity, and family bonds. The trio dares to imagine an American remake (while praying it never happens), debates the film's complex entanglements, and explores how Bong masterfully pulls our sympathies in opposing directions like a game of emotional tug-of-war.

Whether you're living in a finished basement or a modernist mansion, catch Parasite streaming on various platforms, then come join us for a discussion that'll make you question everything - including what's really in your ramdon!

Directed by Bong Joon-ho

Written by Bong Joon-ho & Han Jin-won

Starring Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-shik, Park So-dam, Lee Jung-eun, Jang Hye-jin, Park Myung-hoon, Jung Ji-so, Jung Hyeon-jun, Park Keun-rok, Park Seo-joon

Opening and Closing Music:

Memory Stain 2023 - by Steven F Allen

https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/

https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Family Celebrations continue with an existential crisis of Americana wrapped inside of an unsuspecting slice-of-life film: Sam Mendes' all-time classic, American Beauty (1999).

Matt and Jonathan break down everything they can in this masterpiece, including it's importance for sexual exploration, the acceptance of alternate lifestyles, fatherhood and male role models, what we're taught is important in American culture, The Kevin Spacey Problem, and much, much more!

Come along for the ride as we "Look closer" at one of the most influential films of the twentieth century - the film that taught us to feel gratitude for every single moment of our stupid little lives, Much love everyone!

Directed by Sam Mendes

Written by Alan Ball

Music by Thomas Newman

Cast: Kevin Spacey, Annette Benning, Thora Birch, Wes Bentley, Chris Cooper, Mena Suvari, Allison Janney, Peter Gallagher, Scott Bakula, Sam Robards

Opening and Closing Music:

Memory Stain 2023 - by Steven F Allen

https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/

https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Reel Addicts take flight this week with special guest Mary Antonini (24-Karat Christmas, Yuletide the Knot) for an analysis of Dreamworks' soaring 2010 masterpiece, How To Train Your Dragon.

Join Matt, Jonathan, and Mary as they unpack the film's rich themes, share their collective love for everyone's favorite Night Fury, and explore how legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins helped shape the film's stunning visual language. Plus, Matt finally reveals his dragon-sized skepticism about the franchise's sequels.

Catch How To Train Your Dragon on Max, then join us for a discussion that'll have you believing in dragons!

Directed by Chris Sanders & Dean DeBlois Written by Will Davies, Dean DeBlois & Chris Sanders (based on the books by Cressida Cowell)

Starring Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, T.J. Miller, Kristen Wiig

Opening and Closing Music: Memory Stain 2023 - by Steven F Allen https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/ https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'Tis the season for family on The Reel Addicts Podcast! As such, Matt brought the first person who came to mind on as a special guest to help he and Jonathan unpack the 2005 Christmas classic, The Family Stone: His Mom.

Fresh off her fantastic Moonstruck episode earlier this year, Matt's Mom, Diane Warren, brings the matriarchal perspective needed to better understand what makes this film so wonderful. Nothing is safe or sacred as family, romance, sibling struggles, parental roles, and bringing home the new significant other for the holidays are all thrown under the microscope.

If you like to laugh and listen to others laugh, this is the one for you. Happy Holidays to all and thanks for listening!

*As of release, The Family Stone is available to stream for free with subscriptions to either Hulu or Amazon Prime.

Written and Directed by Thomas Bezucha

Starring Diane Keaton, Dermot Mulroney, Rachel McAdams, Craig T. Nelson, Sarah Jessica Parker, Luke Wilson, Claire Danes, Elizabeth Reaser, Tyrone Giordano, Brian White, Paul Schneider

Photography by Jonathan Brown

Music Composed by Michael Giacchino

Opening and Closing Music:

Memory Stain 2023 - by Steven F Allen

https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/

https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Step away from the mayhem and violence as The Reel Addicts welcome the delightful cinephile extraordinaire Georgina "Gee" Franco for a magical journey through Alfonso Cuarón's enchanting 1995 masterpiece, A Little Princess.

Join Matt, Jonathan, and Gee as they explore the film that helped launch Cuarón's legendary career, diving deep into its spellbinding visual storytelling, timeless themes, and the kind of pure movie magic that reminds us why we fell in love with cinema in the first place. Our special guest brings her infectious enthusiasm and sharp insights to this beloved adaptation that proves every little girl is a princess (and possibly has the fellas tearing up more than once).

Catch A Little Princess streaming on Amazon Prime and other platforms, then come along as we discover why this early Cuarón gem deserves its crown as one of the greatest children's films ever made!

Directed by Alfonso Cuarón

Written by Richard LaGravenese and Elizabeth Chandler (based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett)

Starring Liesel Matthews, Eleanor Bron, Liam Cunningham, Rusty Schwimmer, Arthur Malet, Vanessa Lee Chester, Errol Sitahal, Heather DeLoach, Taylor Fry, Darcie Bradford, Rachael Bella, Lauren Blumenfeld, Camilla Belle

Photography by Emmanuel Lubezki

Opening and Closing Music: Memory Stain 2023 - by Steven F Allen https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/ https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage

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We're closing out our November: Film Feast series with a Matt pick, Peter Greenaway's 1989 masterwork, The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover. Despite it's difficulty to dig up (it is available on YouTube), this is a must-watch for any fan of cinema.

Alongside our return guest, writer/filmmaker Patrick Connolly, who is back by popular demand, we run the gauntlet of surrealism, misogyny, abuse, greed, power, consumption, and Dante's Inferno as they all pertain to this jewel. Let us take you on the ride - film fans will thank us, casual moviegoers will scratch their heads, and Harry Potter fans will never see the world the same way when we're through!

Written & Directed by Peter Greenaway

Shot by Sacha Vierny

Music Composed by Michael Nyman

Edited by John Wilson

Starring Richard Bohringer, Michael Gambon, Helen Mirren, Alan Howard, Tim Roth, Ciarán Hinds, Ewan Stewart, Roger Ashton Griffiths, Ron Cook, Liz Smith, Emer Gillespie, Ian Dury, & Paul Russell

Opening and Closing Music:

Memory Stain 2023 - by Steven F Allen

https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/

https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get ready to dork out with your fork out! Continuing on to the main courses of our film feast, we're diving deep into Peter Jackson's groundbreaking adaptation that launched a thousand cosplay outfits: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001).

Join Matt and Jonathan for an episode so it necessitated two guests! They welcome the ultimate Middle-earth power couple, Katie Duennebier and Andrew Hollingworth, for a breakdown that's more loaded than Gandalf's fireworks bag. We'll explore how this film transformed blockbuster cinema, geek culture, and New Zealand tourism in one fell swoop. Expect passionate debates about practical effects, Viggo Mortensen's method acting, and exactly how many Fellowship characters that Andrew can impersonate.

The Fellowship of the Ring is streaming on multiple platforms (free on Max), so grab your elvish wine, prepare your most dramatic Aragorn impression, and join our quest through cinema's most beloved fantasy epic!

Directed by Peter Jackson

Written by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson Based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien

Starring Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys-Davies, Sean Bean, Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Liv Tyler, Christopher Lee and Andy Serkis

Opening and Closing Music:

Memory Stain 2023 by Steven F Allen

https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/ https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.