The Smartest People in the Room

By Maddie Weiner and Rachel Casey

Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner have a lot of opinions on film - the industry, the art form, the makers, the viewers - and they just can't shut up about it. Join these two redheaded millennial women pl... more

· TV & Film

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FAQs about The Smartest People in the Room:

How many episodes does The Smartest People in the Room have?

The podcast currently has 32 episodes available.

The Smartest People in the Room episodes:

April 11, 2023Episode 20 - Crime Clone Party
This week we talk about Rachel's problem with Mia Goth, touch on the films of Kelly Reichardt, and share the upcoming films we're excited about. Plus, Maddie details her recent experience working on an indie film production which shall not be named.
Movies discussed (* indicates spoilers):
MaXXXine, Emma., Suspiria (2017), X, Pearl, Infinity Pool*

Resurrection (2022), Call of the Wild (1935), Hail, Caesar!, Air, Moneyball, Showing Up

River of Grass, Night Moves, Wendy & Lucy, Meek’s Cutoff, Strictly Ballroom, Poison, Carol, Dark Waters, Wonderstruck

Barbie, Killers of the Flower Moon, Armageddon Time, Eileen

John Wick: Chapter 4, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, 80 for Brady, Book Club 2, Predator, High Hopes, Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Beau Is Afraid, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
The Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @sc00gle and find more of his work on ⁠Bandcamp⁠.
...more
50min
March 21, 2023Episode 19 - It's A Tragesty
Ahhh, the Oscars. First half of the episode is Rachel and Maddie making their picks for winners, and the second half is their reactions to the winners. Irene and Yayoi both stop in with their opinions. OVER IT: Oscar bait war movies, fat suits, apology Oscars. HERE FOR IT: Naatu Naatu, first-time nominees, animation is film.
Movies discussed (* indicates spoilers):
Nomadland, Tár

Avatar: The Way of Water

Babylon, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Elvis, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, Black Panther

All Quiet on the Western Front, BARDO, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths, Empire of Light

The Batman, The Whale*, The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021)

Top Gun: Maverick

The Fabelmans

Banshees of Inisherin, La La Land

RRR

My Year of Dicks

All That Breathes, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, Fire of Love, House Made of Splinters, Navalny

Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinnochio, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, The Sea Beast, Turning Red

Argentina, 1985, Close, EO, The Quiet Girl, Saint Omer, Decision to Leave

Triangle of Sadness

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Living, Women Talking

Causeway

Showing Up

Aftersun, Ikiru, La chambre

Blonde, To Leslie

The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

The Secret Life of Pets, In the Mood for Love, Nope, Titane, The Northman, Monster, CODA, Parasite

Past Lives, The Persian Version, Shortcoming, Passages, Magazine Dreams

The Souvenir, The Souvenir: Part II, Scream VI, Showing Up, A Good Person, Garden State
The Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @sc00gle and find more of his work on Bandcamp.
...more
1h 12min
February 17, 2023Episode 18 - The Moneyball Episode (with Spencer Campbell)
No Maddie until next time, but join Rachel and special guest Spencer Campbell for this episode themed around the films of Bennett Miller!
Movies discussed (* indicates spoilers):
Moneyball*, Capote*, Foxcatcher*

Goon, Remember the Titans, Ford v Ferrari

Boogie Nights, Pirate Radio (The Boat That Rocked)

The Social Nework, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Molly’s Game, His Girl Friday

In The Bedroom, Fight Club
The Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @sc00gle and find more of his work on Bandcamp.
...more
59min
January 10, 2023Episode 17 - We're All Obsessed with the Spoon
Our topics this week include the 8th Sight & Sound Greatest Films of All Time poll, Avatar: The Way of Water, White Noise, and "nepo babies." Maddie will be back in March!
Sight & Sound poll
Sight & Sound 2022 Films poll
Movies discussed (* indicates spoilers):
Avatar: The Way of Water*

Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles*, Vertigo, Citizen Kane, Marie Antoinette, Safe (1995), Saute ma ville*, Bicycle Thieves, Get Out, Nope, Parasite, Moonlight, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Beau Travail, Mulholland Drive, Yi Yi, Tropical Malady, Y Tu Mamá También, All About My Mother, Apocalypse Now

The Godfather, Stalker, Persona, Sunset Boulevard, A Brighter Summer Day, The Godfather Part II

Barry Lyndon, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Apartment, Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, The Master, Brokeback Mountain, Erin Brockovich

Avatar (2009), Iron Man, Star Wars: The Last Jedi

White Noise* (2022), Inherent Vice

Moneyball
The Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @sc00gle and find more of his work on Bandcamp.
...more
59min
December 27, 2022Episode 16 - Sweep the Leg
This week we're discussing a backlog of movies, including The Fabelmans, The Menu, Glass Onion, RRR, BROS, romantic comedies, Todd Field, and more! The next episode will be in two weeks instead of three and then after that we'll be doing some guest episodes as Maddie has a new job!
You're Wrong About podcast: The Movie Rating System with Karina Longworth
Movies discussed (* indicates spoilers):
The Fabelmans*, CODA

The Menu*, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery*, Knives Out, Guardians of the Galaxy, Blade Runner 2049

Moneyball

RRR*, Mad Max

Avatar: The Way of Water

BROS*, Brokeback Mountain, Set It Up, Fire Island, You’ve Got Mail

Eighty for Brady, West Side Story (1964), Carol, TÁR, In the Bedroom, Eyes Wide Shut, Little Children

White Noise
The Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @sc00gle and find more of his work on Bandcamp.
...more
39min
November 29, 2022Episode 15 - Tap Dancing, Crying, Tap Dancing, Crying
We're back... again!! We're finally done filming our short film so expect more podcast episodes from us, at least for now! This week we discuss The Banshees of Inisherin, TÁR, the death of Film Twitter and its effect on people's brains (for better or for worse), Disney's internal drama, Don't Worry Darling, Elvis, Blonde, and the year's remaining new releases.
"How Personal Baggage Will Impact Oscar Chances" by Scott Feinberg (The Hollywood Reporter)
Movies discussed (* indicates spoilers):
Three Thousand Years of Longing, Nope, Bodies Bodies Bodies

The Banshees of Inisherin*, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, In Bruges, Seven Psychopaths, The Lobster, The Beguiled (2017), Miami Vice

TÁR*, Babylon (2022), Women Talking, White Noise, The Fabelmans, Armageddon Time, Triangle of Sadness, Decision to Leave, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Emancipation (2022), Killers of the Flower Moon

Don’t Worry Darling*, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Enchanted, Disenchanted

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story*, Boogie Nights, Bohemian Rhapsody

Elvis*, Blonde*, Petite Maman, Crimes of the Future (2022)

The Matrix, The Truman Show, The Stepford Wives

Nightmare Alley (2021), Spencer

Fire of Love*, All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)*, Moonage Daydream, Grizzly Man, Loving Highsmith, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, The Eyes of Tammy Faye
The Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @sc00gle and find more of his work on Bandcamp.
...more
1h 3min
September 20, 2022Episode 14 - Respecting Spielberg in Our Old Age
We're back!! Who knows how long it will be before the next episode but we're here now, and that's what matters. This week we catch up with the movies we've watched lately, including Nope, Three Thousand Years of Longing, and Bodies Bodies Bodies. We also discuss the problems facing HBO Max and other streaming services, theatrical releases, festival movies we're looking forward to, Gen Z, and... the astrology of film?? Also some TV?? You'll have to check it out!
Nope, Blonde, BROS, Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul

We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, X, Belle (2022), Bodies Bodies Bodies, Irma Vep (2022)

Uncharted, Marry Me, Platoon, Three Thousand Years of Longing*

Synecdoche, New York, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets

Mad Max: Fury Road, Happy Feet, Babe: Pig in the City, The Witches of Eastwick, Practical Magic

Cha Cha Real Smooth, Moonlight

TÁR, White Noise, Elvis (2022), Women Talking, BARDO, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths, The Fabelmans, Babylon (2022), Armageddon Time, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2021), Ahed’s Knee, RRR, Killers of the Flower Moon

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Avatar, Avatar: The Way of Water
The Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @sc00gle and find more of his work on Bandcamp.
...more
54min
August 09, 2022 Update 8/8/22
Just a quick update, we’re not dead!
...more
2min
July 12, 2022Episode 13 - Pour One Out for Village 8 (with Irene Mudd)
We are raising money to produce a short film!! Please check it out here and consider throwing some support our way. Every little bit helps. If you like the podcast, we really think you'll like the film. Thanks :)
This week we are joined by Irene in the first half of the episode (she had to dip after the break) and we tell you more about our movie. We also discuss Memoria, which we all saw together, Alfonso Cuarón for some reason, Elvis, Benediction, and the intriguing nature of this summer's box office so far.
Movies mentioned (* indicates possible spoilers):
Clue, Beatriz at Dinner, Babette’s Feast, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, August: Osage County, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Invitation (2015), The Invitation (2022), Diner (1982), Feast, Flux Gourmet, The Menu, Phantom Thread

Memoria*, Parallel Mothers*, Arrival, Lost In Translation

Roma, Y Tu Mamá También, Gravity, The Lost City (2022)

Elvis*, Moulin Rouge, Romeo + Juliet, The Great Gatsby, Strictly Ballroom, Top Gun: Maverick, Lightyear, Vox Lux*, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love & Thunder, Thor: Ragnarok, Nope

Benediction*, The Long Day Closes, A Quiet Passion, Pride & Prejudice, The Boys in the Band, The Deep Blue Sea, Of Time and the City

Bernie, Wet Hot American Summer

Good Luck to You, Leo Grande*
The Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @sc00gle and find more of his work on Bandcamp.
...more
54min
June 21, 2022Episode 12 - Me-LONK-aly
We get some visits from Maddie's pet snake Cleo as we discuss Top Gun: Maverick, Fire Island, Apollo 10 1/2, The Bob's Burgers Movie, and Netflix's ill-fated decision to stop producing "vanity projects".
Support the Kickstarter for our short film Blanch!
Movies mentioned (* indicates possible spoilers):
Top Gun: Maverick*, Top Gun*

Ford v Ferrari, The Bob’s Burgers Movie*, Mad Max: Fury Road, Apollo 10 1/2*

Fire Island*, The Age of Innocence, The Happiest Season, Love, Simon, Crush

The Godfather

Everybody Wants Some!!, The Before movies*, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief

Jurassic World Dominion, Jurassic World

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Downton Abbey: A New Era, Crimes of the Future (2022)

The Irishman, Roma, Green Book, The Power of the Dog, Enola Holmes, Tall Girl, The Kissing Booth

Killers of the Flower Moon

Call Me By Your Name, A Bigger Splash

Nope, Alice (2022), Minions: The Rise of Gru

Benediction, Memoria
The Smartest People in the Room is hosted by Rachel Casey and Maddie Weiner. It is edited by Maddie Weiner. Original theme and interstitial music is by Scott Boice - follow him on Instagram @sc00gle and find more of his work on Bandcamp.
...more
52min

FAQs about The Smartest People in the Room:

How many episodes does The Smartest People in the Room have?

The podcast currently has 32 episodes available.