We chat about the current state of the U.S. box office, how its a great time to be a cinema goer, and maybe not such a great time to be a Disney executive. Then, we get into the interesting mood and aesthetics of Backrooms as well as the severely flawed execution of it's inadequate script.

We highlight new films they've seen lately, then have a a brief conversation about the swings and risks of David Lowery's latest and how they (mostly) pay off. Finally, we get into a shared recent favorite of ours: the very very charming film, The Sheep Detectives.

On this episode (recorded on 3/7/2026), we discuss what we think should win and will win at the 98th Academy Awards. Additionally, we discuss some of our personal favorites from this year in all the categories.

We catch up on our Oscar preparations by rewatching and discussing Ryan Coogler's Sinners. We discuss the record breaking 16 Oscar nominations this movie recently received, its big blockbusting spectacle, the performances that we love, and the thematic multitudes that it contains.

Join us as we watch the Oscar Nominations get announced live and react in real time!

On this episode we are joined by our friend ⁠⁠Josh⁠⁠ Wilbur to discuss the newest in Rian Johnson's Knives Out series. ⁠Wake Up Dead Man⁠ is, in our opinion, without question the best of these films yet and we love just about everything about it.

On this episode we discuss Hamnet and why it works better for some people than it does for others. We talk about Jessie Buckley's powerhouse performance, Paul Mescal's so-so performance. Then, we discuss the film in the context of the 2025 Oscar race.

Ian and McKenzie give their brief reviews and some thoughts on Jafar Panahi's It Was Just an Accident. McKenzie also reports on seeing the man himself in-person at a Q&A at Chicago's Music Box Theatre.

On this episode we are joined by ⁠Frankie⁠ Simmons and ⁠Josh⁠ Wilbur to discuss the newest film from Joachim Trier as he teams back up with Renate Reinsve.

We are joined by ⁠Christian Gutiérrez⁠ to chat about the latest from Guillermo del Toro, his adaptation of Mary Shelley’s iconic Frankenstein.

On this episode we are joined by ⁠Kevin Reilly Jr. to break down the new film from Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone, ⁠Bugonia⁠.

On this episode, Ian and McKenzie review the new film from Mary Bronstein (Yeast, 2008), ⁠If I Had Legs I'd Kick You⁠. They get into the autobiographical content, the film's surreal nature, and how some people are reading the film incorrectly.

On this episode, Ian and McKenzie review the lovely new one location drama from Richard Linklater and frequent collaborator Ethan Hawke about one of the final nights in composer Lorenz Hart's life, ⁠Blue Moon⁠.

On this episode, Ian and McKenzie discuss early-October 2025 releases with the charming new comedy ROOFMAN, the movie musical KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, and Luca Guadagnino’s latest film AFTER THE HUNT starring Julia Roberts.

In our inaugural episode we discuss September 2025 theatrical releases — what we loved, what we hated, and most importantly Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest feature film ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER.