In today's episode, I am joined by Kyle, the winner of the 2024 Oscar prediction contest on The Oscar Project. We talk about a little of everything including what we liked from the 96th Academy Awards, other movies from 2023 we enjoyed, and things we're looking forward to in 2024.   Books mentioned in this episode include: Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson Elvis and Me: The True Story of the Love Between Priscilla Presley and the King of Rock N' Roll by Priscilla Beaulieu Presley Robot Dreams by Sara Varon Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann American Prometh ..read more

Today I am discussing the 1928 film Sadie Thompson. The film tells the story of Sadie Thompson, a woman of questionable moral character, and Mr. Davidson, the devout missionary who makes it his mission to reform her while they are both forced to stay on a remote Pacific island. Listen now to hear about the troubles the film faced in being made, how Swanson's performance can be related to her later work in Sunset Boulevard, and as always, my own thoughts about the film. Resources: Read the short story Read the play Watch the film ..read more

Today I am discussing the 1928 film Sadie Thompson. The film tells the story of Sadie Thompson, a woman of questionable moral character, and Mr. Davidson, the devout missionary who makes it his mission to reform her while they are both forced to stay on a remote Pacific island. Listen now to hear about the troubles the film faced in being made, how Swanson's performance can be related to her later work in Sunset Boulevard, and as always, my own thoughts about the film. Resources: Read the short story Read the play Watch the film ..read more

In today's interview, I speak with Lisa Stein Haven, a Professor of English at Ohio University and expert in all things Charlie Chaplin. She has written extensively on the actor and director and hosted the first international Charlie Chaplin conference ever held on American soil in 2010, the 100th anniversary of Charlie's first trip to America. In addition to several works on Charlie Chaplin, she has published books about hi brother Syd Chaplin and Max Linder. She joins the show to talk about her latest book, The Early Years of Charlie Chaplin: Final Shorts and First Features.  Listen to ..read more

As I announced in my spring preview episode earlier this week, today I am discussing the 1928 film The Crowd. The film focuses on the story of John and Mary Sims as they build a family together and face life's challenges in early 1900s New York City. Listen now to hear about the creative people behind the film, and as always, my own thoughts about the film ..read more

With the 96th Academy Awards in the book, I am joined today by Luis Mendez to discuss all the happenings at the Oscars on Sunday night. Check out Luis at The Mendez Report and follow him on Instagram, Twitter, Threads, and Letterboxd ..read more

It's time for me to break down who I think will win at the Oscars this weekend. In this episode I go over all 23 categories, letting you know who I think will win the Oscar and who I think should win. They don't always match, so listen in to win your Oscar prediction pool ..read more

In today's episode, I interview Vincent René-lortie, the director of "Invincible",  an ode to the memory of Marc-Antoine Bernier and the tale of a young man yearning for his freedom. The film is nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the 96th Academy® Awards after winning Best Live Action Short Film at Chicago Children’s Film Festival in 2022 and Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma in 2023 . Listen to hear Vincent discuss his personal connection to the story, how he got to work with some tremendous young actors and how he has dealt with being an Oscar nominee. Books recommended by Vincent i ..read more

In today's episode, I interview Nazrin Choudhury, the director of "Red, White and Blue",  the story of a single mother in Arkansas who must cross state lines in search of an abortion. After winning the Grand Jury Award for Best Live Action Short at the Edmonton International Film Festival, the film is nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the 96th Academy® Awards. Listen to hear Nazrin discuss how she decided to make this impactful film, what she was able to bring from working in television to making a short film, and her experience of being announced as an Oscar nominee. Books m ..read more

In today's interview, I speak with Ryan Britt, a fiction and non-fiction author who has written for Inverse, Esquire, The New York Times, and StarTrek.com, among others. His first two books were Luke Skywalker Can’t Read and Other Geeky Truths and PHASERS ON STUN! How the Making and Remaking of Star Trek Changed the World. He joins me to talk about his latest book, The Spice Must Flow: The Story of Dune, from Cult Novels to Visionary Sci-Fi Movies. Listen to hear how Dune might have been different if it was published today, the genesis of Dune in the coastal seagrass of Oregon, and how the va ..read more