Welcome to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema’s greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision-making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you’ve got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. On episode 128 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys discuss the next film in their Claire Denis series, 35 Shots of Rum (2008).

Sometimes when you are planning a series, you don’t think about the connections between the directors and their films, so this week is a happy surprise as Denis’ 35 Shots of Rum is inspired by Yasujirō Ozu's film Late Spring, a film they covered earlier this year. Following a father-daughter relationship that is challenged by the arrival of a younger man who wants to date the daughter, Denis uses Ozu’s masterpiece to reflect the racial, societal changes within France and Japan, as well as the differences between the two co-dependent family members, and the need for both to move on with their lives, no matter how heartbreaking it is. Ryan and Jay breakdown their thoughts on the film, its relationship to Ozu, how each film is different, as well as random thoughts on films from this year, Thanksgiving food, Jay’s recent family vacation, and the pull quote that broke the internet this past week.

You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more.

This podcast runs 1h50m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Claire Denis with a review of her film, White Material. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let’s get into it.

Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and “B-3” from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 316 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch contributors Josh Parham and Trace Sauveur to review the latest film from Universal Pictures, Wicked: For Good

You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more.

This podcast runs 1h54m. We will be back in next week for an Oscar retrospective for the 68th Academy Awards, covering the films of 1995. Till then, let’s get into it.

Music: “Modern Fashion” from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), “B-3” from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 315 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade and Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson give their reactions to Wicked: For Good, Marty Supreme and give their updated thoughts on how both films will do in the Oscar race as well as an overview of where the race is at within the four acting categories.

You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, YouTube and more.

This podcast runs 1h16m. We will be back on Monday for a full review of Wicked: For Good. Till then, let’s get into it.

Music: “Modern Fashion” from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), “B-3” from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

Welcome to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema’s greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you’ve got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. On episode 127 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys are joined by AwardsWatch Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson discuss the next film in their Claire Denis series, Beau Travail (1999).

Jumping ten years into Denis’ filmography, the boys hit the film of the series with Beau Travail, a film that follows the story of a section of French Foreign Legion soldiers training in the desert of Djibouti. What can seem like a macho, male dominate setting it quickly, slowly shown to be a memory piece about longing, desire, regret, attention, and more as she centers the film on a Adjudant-Chef Galoup and his evolutionary yet repressive time within the group. In doing this, Denis created a defining piece of filmmaking that cemented her legacy in cinema, giving us one of the greatest films of all time. Ryan, Jay, and Erik break down the film, its themes of sexual repression, how things that are super straight and masculine can be something else entirely, the ending featuring "The Rhythm of the Night," and an update on where Madonna was at in 1999.

You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, YouTube and more.

This podcast runs 2h07m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Claire Denis with a review of her film, 35 Shots of Rum. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let’s get into it.

Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and “B-3” from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 314 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch contributor Trace Sauveur to review the latest film from director Edgar Wright, The Running Man.

You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, YouTube and more.

This podcast runs 1h24m. We will be back in next week for a review of Wicked: For Good. Till then, let’s get into it.

Music: “Modern Fashion” from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), “B-3” from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

Welcome to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema’s greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you’ve got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. On episode 126 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys discuss the first film in their Claire Denis series, Chocolat (1988).

One of the most singular, influential filmmaker of modern independent, French cinema is the subject of the boy’s new series, Claire Denis. Known for making immersive, emotional films about repression and love, Denis’ first film explores her childhood through the lens of a young girl who sees her country, France, imposing their will onto the people of Africa, at the same time her Mother’s starts a longing, flirtatious relationship with the family’s household servant. It’s a stunning debut, instantly setting the bar high for the series and Denis’ career. Ryan and Jay break down their thoughts on the film, the idea of who this film is being shown through, Denis’ personal connection to the story, the central romance, their cultural, racial ties at the center of the film’s conflict, and a story about Ryan’s recent trip to the theater that you’ll want to hear.

You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, YouTube and more.

This podcast runs 1h29m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Claire Denis with a review of her film, Beau Travail. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let’s get into it.

Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and “B-3” from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 313 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello is joined by Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade, Associate TV Editor Karen Peterson, and Contributor Josh Parham to discuss the Original Score and Original Song categories at the Oscars and to do a quick state-of-play on the Best Director and Best Picture categories. 

First, they share their predictions for the Original Score category, discussing how this branch may vote, the old favorites that might return, and which potential new composers they could see in the category. Will any of the top scores be ruled ineligible? They dig into all of that and more.

Next, it's time to talk about Diane Warren, the "Golden" ticket to the Oscars, and the potential for double nominations for Sinners and Wicked: For Good in the Original Song category. Finally, the team does a brief check-in on the Best Picture and Best Director categories. They chat about the excitement surrounding a potential coronation year for Paul Thomas Anderson, Hamnet's audience prizes, and why One Battle After Another is the movie of the moment. What makes an awards season hero or villain? It's November, and the vultures are already circling. 

You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, YouTube, and more.

This podcast runs 1h17m. We will be back soon with a brand new episode. Until then, let’s get into it.

Music: “Modern Fashion” from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), “B-3” from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

Welcome to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema’s greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you’ve got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. On episode 125 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys discuss the final film in their Hughes Brothers series, The Book of Ell (2010).

In their final collaboration as an artist pair, the Hughes Brothers take a dive into the end of the world, action genre where a man is roaming from town to town, searching for the haven of humanities last chance for hope within a broken country, where water is a privilege and knowledge is a weapon. In a making a film about the hunt for the last bible on Earth, the brothers tackle the rotten core of our humanity when faced up against each other, and the lust for power something as simple as a book can bring out of people. This plus it’s just a cool idea for an action movie where Denzel Washington is being the best movie star on the planet and Gary Oldman is doing his villain thing that he does so well. But the real question with The Book of Eli is, why isn’t it an all timer, why does it look the way it does, and why was this the last film the Hughes Brothers made together? Ryan and Jay breakdown all these questions, as well as look at the careers of Washington, Oldman, and Mila Kunis, what they learned from this series, what the Hughes Brothers are doing now, give their series rankings for the sibling duo, and preview their next director series.

You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more.

This podcast runs 2h22m. The guys will be back next week to begin their new series on the films of Claire Denis with a review of her film, Chocolate. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let’s get into it.

Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and “B-3” from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

On episode 312 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson alongside AwardsWatch contributor Josh Parham to go back 20 years and take a look at the 78^th Academy Awards, covering the films of 2005.

We are finally out of film festival season and the team is back to give you one of their most anticipated Oscar retrospectives of the year, taking a look back at 2005, the year Crash beat Brokeback Mountain for Best Picture. In a time where the center of the film world was focused on a film centered around two gay men falling in love, the Oscars swung the opposite direction and gave it to one of the worst Best Picture winners of all time, a film so vile that its win hasn’t aged well the moment it won. Beyond that, it was a fascinating year when the critically acclaimed films of the year took over the top eight categories, while the more populist films made up the winners in the below the line categories; an interesting split in the Oscar wins.

In their in-depth discussion, the AW team talked about the film year of 2005, briefly discuss talk about Crash as a Best Picture winner, do an extensive conversation over the below the line categories and nominees for the year, and then the new version of the AW Shoulda Woulda Coulda game, where instead of individual replacements, they must decide as a group who the nominees and winners should be in the top eight categories. The rules of the game state they can only replace two of the nominees that year from each category, except in Best Picture, where the group could replace up to three films to make up the final set of five nominated films. Like past retrospective episodes, it was a fascinating, fun conversation including spirited debates, alliances, vote swinging, celebrating various movies, performances that aren’t normally talked about and more that we all hope you enjoy.

You can listen to The AwardsWatch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, YouTube and more.

This podcast runs 2h40m. We will be back in next week for an update of the 2025 Oscar season. Till then, let’s get into it.

Music: “Modern Fashion” from AShamaleuvmusic (intro), “B-3” from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).