Watch This Tonight

A 3-hour raw nerve ending, Magnolia is considered a divisive film, but looking back at it now, it has gained in power over the years since it was released (especially depending on what age you are when you watched it). Every minute of this movie is an intense, screaming, crying, nervous breakdown - and yet it's ultimately an upbeat message in the end. Bonus points for me sharing an extremely embarassing Magnolia-esque scene from my own life. Did you have a Magnolia moment in your own life? Let me know at [email protected], @BenamorDan (Twitter), watch_this_tonight (Instagram), or @watchthistonightpodcast (TikTok). This episode was a listener request - if you'd like to pick a movie or TV show covered on the show, all you need to do is write a review of the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and name the film or TV show you'd like me to cover. Thanks for listening.

My biggest surprise of the year, since I'm on record as not being a fan of the first film. James Cameron's movie event of the year, Avatar: The Way of Water is a massive improvement over the first film. The themes of environmentalism and spirituality are better integrated into the plot and characters, the villain (all hail the great Stephen Lang) is now nuanced and complex, it's better written top-to-bottom, it's a great movie about family, the action is more effective, the world-building is more complex. It is long as hell, but for me personally the time went by in a flash. Did this movie work for you? Let me know at [email protected], @BenamorDan (Twitter), watch_this_tonight (Instagram), or @watchthistonightpodcast (TikTok). And if you're enjoying the show, please leave a five star review on Apple Podcasts and request a film or TV show for me to cover in the podcast. Thank you for listening.

Rian Johnson's follow-up to Knives Out, this film has a killer cast (Ed Norton, Daniel Craig, Janelle Monae, Dave Bautista, Kate Hudson, Leslie Odom Jr., and Kathryn Hahn), impeccably sharp, impish, clever writing, and beautiful locations populated by clueless rich jerks set against a murder mystery (it's White Lotus Season 3 in movie form). A straight up winter delight, I expect this film to become the most popular film in Netflix history because anyone can watch it and be entertained, and everyone needs something to watch during this holiday week. Also stay tuned for a tease for a future episode requested in a listener review. If you review the show on Apple Podcasts and request a film or TV show for me to cover, I will do so in a future episode. Thanks for listening.

A guarantee: you will not predict the number one selection. As much a dissection of top films of the year as a referundum on the state of cinema in 2022 vs. prior years. I'd really love to know YOUR favorite film of 2022, your number one selection - email me at [email protected], or reach out on social media @BenamorDan (Twitter), watch_this_tonight (Instagram) or @watchthistonightpodcast (TikTok). Would love to read and react to your favorite film of 2022 on a subsequent episode. Thanks for listening.

I last saw this film as a naive, innocent college student. Watching it again, 15 years later, I discovered that Daniel Day Lewis' character does have an actual arc, and real human emotions, as opposed to being a straight up sociopath, if you watch the film closely. The father-son material hits me very differently now. Time has also made this Paul Thomas Anderson film even better, in comparison to our current film scene (and to the detriment of Paramount Vantage, rest in peace). A surprisingly fun movie to revisit despite its bleakness, this is one of my favorite films of all time.

If you're enjoying Watch This Tonight, please leave us a 5-star review in Apple Podcasts, or anywhere you're listening, and mention what movie or TV series you'd like me to cover on the podcast (and I will). You can also connect with the show by joining our Facebook group (just search "Watch This Tonight") or find me on Twitter (@BenamorDan), Instagram (watch_this_tonight) or TikTok @watchthistonightpodcast

Thanks for listening.

Television writer Kendall Lampkin (who has worked on TV series produced by JJ Abrams and Dean Devlin) joins the podcast and we rank our top three favorite TV series of the year, as well as our honorable mentions. We floored each other with some of our choices, which we did not discuss beforehand, and we may have finally convinced each other to press play on some shows we had been refusing to watch. Let me know your top three TV series of the year by sending an email to [email protected], or reaching out on social @BenamorDan (Twitter), watch_this_tonight (Instagram), or @watchthistonightpodcast (TikTok).

Come back to Watch This Tonight as your podcast for the best TV recommendations. If you're enjoying the show, please leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts, and subscribe now for future episodes. Thanks for listening.

Martin McDonagh's new film starring Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell, running back the same central trio from In Bruges. But this movie is very different from In Bruges. It's beautiful and often funny but also melancholy, philosphical and exisential. Now available on HBOMax, this is absolutely worth watching, but you may want to alter your expectations going in. A memorable, surprisingly emotionally poignant film. What did you think of The Banshees Of Inisherin? Let me know - reach out at [email protected], @BenamorDan (Twitter), watch_this_tonight (Instagram, or @watchthistonightpodcast (TikTok). And please leave a review on Apple Podcasts with whatever movie or TV show you'd like to cover and I'll do it on the show. Thanks for listening.

Producer Garrick Dion (Whiplash, Nightcrawler) joins the podcast to discuss John Patton Ford's excellent independent film Emily The Criminal, starring Aubrey Plaza (having a hell of a year between this and The White Lotus). This is exactly the kind of movie we do this show for. Was under the radar, just popped up on Netflix, and has consistently gotten great reviews. Deservedly so, because this is a tight, attention-grabbing, compelling character study of one woman's exhilarating journey to the dark side (that for her, is actually not dark). In some ways, it's own version of Breaking Bad, but in a distinctive style and narrative. If you're on the hunt for a good movie to watch on Netflix, look no further tonight.

Let me know your thoughts on this film, feel free to shoot an email to [email protected], or reach out on social @BenamorDan (Twitter), watch_this_tonight (Instagram) or @watchthistonightpodcast (TikTok).

Come back to Watch This Tonight as your podcast for the best movie recommendations. If you're enjoying the show, please leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts, and subscribe now for future episodes.

Thanks for listening.

Watch This Tonight is a movie recommendation podcast and TV recommendation podcast, produced by Voyage Media. You can find other Voyage Media podcasts at voyagemedia.fm

I told you this motherf**ker was gonna come back with some kind of non-electrical camera! Shane Rogers from the podcast Midnight Facts For Insomniacs joins the podcast to discuss his controversial favorite Jordan Peele film (Us), how Eddie Murphy's stand-up comedy relates to Nope, and our mutual enthusiasm for the pure cinema moments of this film starring Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer, now streaming on Peacock and available to rent on VOD.

An innovative White Lous episode that will eat its own tail. If you listen PRIOR to the release of the Season 2 finale of White Lotus, you'll hear my predictions for the finale. If you listen on Monday night or later AFTER the Season 2 finale of White Lotus airs, you'll hear my predictions AND my report card on how I did, what I got right and wrong about the finale. Would love to hear your thoughts (either before or after) - reach out at [email protected], @BenamorDan (Twitter), watch_this_tonight (Instagram) or @watchthistonightpodcast (Tik Tok). Thanks for listening.