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 43 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys are joined by Nicole Ackman to discuss the next film in their Sofia Coppola series, The Bling Ring (2013).

Following her most subtle work to date, Sofia Coppola took a full swing the other way in tackling a larger than life, true story that is all about how we consume celebrity culture and consumerism. The Bling Ring follows a group of young, fame-obsessed teenagers in the late 2000s, that use the internet to track where their favorite movie and reality stars are so they can rob their homes while the stars are away. Led by Emma Watson, Taissa Farmiga, and a mostly unknown cast, Coppola examines the newest generations obsessions with the figures and institutions that she grew up around, how this mindset has gotten worse since the actions seen in the film, and how it all seems inconsequential in the grand scheme of things once all the dust settles on the robbers. Ryan, Jay, and Nicole break down their impressions on the film, if Coppola was the right choice to tackle this modern subject matter, Watson’s career path (a lively, respectful argument between Ryan and Jay), the minimalist approach to the screenplay, the sharp contrast in the cinematography between the day and night sequences, what is the best sandwich they’ve ever had, and is this the best social film commentary released in 2013.

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 2h01m. The guys will be back next week to begin their new series covering the films of Sofia Coppola with a review of her next film, The Beguiled. You can stream the film on Netflix, as well as 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).

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 42 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys discuss the next film in their Sofia Coppola series, Somewhere (2010).

With the underwhelming commercial and critical reaction to Marie Antoinette, Sofia Coppola took a step back in terms of approach and returned to making a smaller, vibes based film set in modern day Los Angeles. By doing this, it was almost a reset for the director, and yet she delivered her most underrated film within her filmography, as she dives into making another personal, profound film about the anxiety of growing up as an adult, and the responsibility it takes to be a parent. Led by an incredible performance by Stephen Dorff and a breakout role for Elle Fanning, Ryan and Jay break down their reaction to the film, Coppola’s loose filmmaking for this project, the mundanity found in being a celebrity, how much of Coppola is found in both Dorff or Fanning’s character, the meaning behind the film’s ending and how it might tie into Lost in Translation, the Fanning Sister’s careers, and the appreciation of Chris Pontius as well as a look into the Jackass movies.

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 1h42m. The guys will be back next week with a review of her next film, The Bling Ring. You can stream the film on MAX, as well as 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).

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 41 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys are joined by AwardsWatch Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello to discuss the next film in their Sofia Coppola series, Marie Antoinette (2006).

Three years after Sofia Coppola was riding high off her Oscar winning, smash hit Lost in Translation, she cashed in her black check to create a stylized, personal account of the life of one of history’s most recognizable figures. With Marie Antoinette, she took a forty-million-dollar budget and made it feel like a hundred-million-dollar epic about a young women force into a social, political world she is not ready for, and must find a way to blend in before she is devoured from the inside out. Led by a magnificent ensemble, as well as luscious costumes, production design and a modern soundtrack, Marie Antoinette may have been criticized by audiences at the time of release for not being the movie they wanted after Coppola’s era defining masterpiece, but over time, it has become an essential piece of filmmaking within her celebrated career. Ryan, Jay and Sophia break down Dunst’s brilliant performance, the non-existing French accent work by the casts, Coppola’s confident scope and vision for the film, the idea of a ‘birds in a cage’ that the director loves to explore, the career of Jason Schwartzman, and what their favorite type of pie is (they aren’t that big on cake).

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 2h13m. The guys will be back next week to begin their new series covering the films of Sofia Coppola with a review of her next film, Somewhere. 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).

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 40 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys are joined by Pop Culture Confidential host Christina Jeurling Birro to discuss the next film in their Sofia Coppola series, Lost in Translation (2003).

Four years after her confident, striking debut, Sofia Coppola returned with her most celebrated, revered film to date with Lost in Translation. Set in modern day Tokyo, we follow a veteran movie star going through a mid-life crisis and a young woman neglected by her husband who form an unlikely bond after crossing paths in the hotel they are staying at. This innocent, sweet friendship blossoms into an awakening for the both of them, realizing what they must do going forward to live out their lives as well as continue to move on in their marriages. Shot on location in Japan a relatively cheap budget, Coppola was able to tap into her personal life, looking both at her family’s material history as well as her own as she had just recently married at the time. In doing so, she created one of the most talked about, acclaimed films of the 21^st century. Ryan, Jay, and Christina break down their relationship with the film, the aspects that have agreed well as well as the ones that haven’t over time, fish out of water stories, personal stories of random connections they have had over time, Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson’s performances, and how no one likes to cook their own meal at a restaurant.

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 2h. The guys will be back next week to begin their new series covering the films of Sofia Coppola with a review of her next film, Marie Antoinette. You can stream the film on Pluto TV. 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).

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 39 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys discuss the first film in their Sofia Coppola series, The Virgin Suicides (1999).

Over the past thirty years, there have been few female filmmakers who have been as influential as Sofia Coppola. As the child of one of cinema’s greatest America directors, the deck could be stacked against them to succeed. But Sofia Coppola directorial vision was focused from the beginning because when she read Jeffrey Eugenides’s acclaimed novel, she knew exactly how to make this story come to life. Setting aside her acting career, her transition to writer director proved to be the correct decision as The Virgin Suicides was not only one of the great films released in 1999, but it was one of the best directorial debuts of all time. As we follow a group of young boys who become enamored with five mysterious sisters who are sheltered by their strict, religious parents in suburban Detroit in the mid 1970s, we see that Coppola is also examining not just how these boys see these girls, but rather the society around them. As a commentary on suburbia, adolescence, desire, and human insecurities, The Virgin Suicides is still as relevant as when it premiered 25 years ago. Ryan and Jay give a full break down into their thoughts on the film, Coppola’s style and visual language, the incredible ensemble at work here, and give their overall thoughts on Sofia Coppola as an artist as they jump into this brand new, exciting 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 1h46m. The guys will be back next week to begin their new series covering the films of Sofia Coppola with a review of her next film, Lost in Translation. You can stream the film on Amazon Prime Video. 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).

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 38 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys discuss the final film in their William Friedkin series, The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (2023).

After a 12-year absence from making a feature film, William Friedkin returned with a faithful, reverent adaption of one of the most celebrated plays of all time, The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial. Being a movie he’d wanted to make his entire career, the film came together over the course of two months in early 2023; a modern, relevant version of Herman Wouk's classic text, only to sadly pass away before the film premiered at the 2023 Venice Film Festival. For a final film, it is a perfect end to a celebrated career by one of Hollywood’s most unique directorial talents. With an extraordinary cast lead by incredible performances from Kiefer Sutherland and Jason Clarke, Ryan and Jay break down Friedkin’s last film, the modern setting of his adaption, Lance Reddick’s career, the film’s explosive ending, favorite court room dramas, and they give their definitive rankings of William Friedkin’s filmography.

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 1h48m. The guys will be back next week to begin their new series covering the films of Sofia Coppola with a review of her debut film, The Virgin Suicides. You can stream the film on Pluto TV. 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).

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 37 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys discuss the latest film in their William Friedkin series, Killer Joe (2011).

After the successful collaboration with screenwriter Tracey Letts on his last film Bug, Freidkin went right back to work with him on an adaptation of Letts’s debut play about a family who hire a corrupt police detective with a side career as a contract killer to take out their estranged mother for her insurance policy. Based in a small Texas town, Killer Joe is slowly unfolds into a twisted, violent American Southern Gothic crime drama that explodes with one of the craziest endings in the acclaimed director’s career. Ryan and Jay break down their reactions to the film, if the ending justifies it’s grizzly conclusion, the overall journey of the McConaissance, fried chicken legs and so much more.

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 1h35m. The guys will be back next week to conclude their series covering the films of William Friedkin with a review of his last film, The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial. You can stream the film on Paramount+. 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).

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 36 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys discuss the latest film in their William Friedkin series, Bug (2007).

Moving away from his early 2000s action thrillers era, Friedkin set his sights on a project of much small scale, as he saw a play by writer/actor Tracy Letts that blew him away. Set mostly in a single location, motel room, Bug follows Agnes (a fantastic Ashley Judd) as she begins a new relationship with Peter (an excellent Michael Shannon), a stranger that turns unstable and unpredictable as layers of his past unfold and we start to see the lines of what is real and what is fake collide. With this, Friedkin creates an effective paranoid thriller with stellar performances and a scorching good ending. Ryan and Jay break down what they like about the film, the careers of both Judd and Shannon, the wild choices made by Harry Connick Jr. with his work in the film, how the film handles PTSD, and once again discuss the great film year that was 2007.

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 1h35m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series covering the films of William Friedkin with a review of his next film, Killer Joe. You can stream the film on Amazon Prime Video. 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).

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 35 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys are joined by AwardsWatch Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello to discuss the latest film from director Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two (2024).

Due to the WGA and SAG strikes from 2023, Warner Bros decided to move the second installment in their new franchise, Dune, thus making moviegoers around the world, as well as Ryan and Jay, have to wait till March 2024 to not only see the film, but to truly conclude their Denis Villeneuve movie series from last year. Well, the time has come to talk about one of the year’s most anticipated films; one that has been called “a masterpiece” by many and worthy of being in the same conversation as movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Lawrence of Arabia, and even The Godfather. On this special episode of Director Watch, Ryan, Jay, and Sophia break down their thoughts on the latest sandworm epic by talking looking back on their thoughts on the first film, the relationship with the source material, and what about Dune: Part Two didn’t fully work. In a very tough but fair overview of the film, the trio thoroughly explain the parts of Dune: Part Two that worked for them (the performances from the all-star cast, the production design of each world, the final thirty minutes of the film) and what didn’t work (the screenplay and lack of visual wonder found in the first part), as well as look to the future and briefly talk about the film’s Oscar chances.

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 2h. The guys will be back next week to continue their series covering the films of William Friedkin with a review of his next film, Bug. You can stream the film on Pluto TV. 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).

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 34 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys discuss the latest film in their William Friedkin series, The Hunted (2003).

In the early 2000s, William Friedkin had transitioned into work in some mainstream adult action-dramas that looked into ideas of the military industrial complex and how those institutions can break and corrupt a man. With his 2000 feature, Rules of Engagement, he unsuccessfully tried to tackle these issues in a run of the mill court room drama that fell flat for most audiences, as well as Ryan and Jay. But with The Hunted, Friedkin makes a bloody, lean, mean action thriller about an FBI deep-woods tracker who attempts to capture a trained assassin he mentored who is going on a killing spree and must be stopped. Led by two entertaining performances from Tommy Lee Jones and Benicio del Toro, the guys break down this underrated gem in Friedkin’s filmography, the wild action sequences, Tommy Lee Jones’s career, the biting commentary Friedkin is able to pull off with making a cat and mouse thriller, and they get into a little bit of a debate on the correct year you should say when referring to a previous Oscar season.

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 1h38m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series covering the films of William Friedkin with a review of his next film, Bug. You can stream the film on Pluto TV. 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).

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 33 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys discuss the latest film in their William Friedkin series, Blue Chips (1994).

Since the mid-1980s with To Live and Die in L.A., Friedkin started a stretch that would fully cement his journeyman status for the remainder of his career. After a couple of flops and uninteresting project, Friedkin was given a script by acclaimed screenwriter Ron Shelton (Bull Durham, White Men Can't Jump) that dives deep into the world of college basketball, and the questionable tactics a coach would take to recruit players in the modern era. In what feels like a movie ahead of its time in terms of speaking out about the corruption within college athletics, as well as also outdated in some aspects given that the film is over 30 years old, Friedkin makes a more interesting film to discuss rather than one to watch. Led by a committed performance from Nick Nolte, Ryan and Jay discuss their relationship to the sport of basketball, their overall thoughts on the film, the connection between Nolte’s character and legendary coach Bobby Knight, the use of real players, Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway, where this film ranks in the genre of sports movies, and if the final speech at the end is earned.

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 1h41m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series covering the films of William Friedkin with a review of his next film, The Hunted. You can stream the film on Max. 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).

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 32 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys discuss the latest film in their William Friedkin series, To Live and Die in L.A. (1985).

At the midpoint of the 1980s, Friedkin found himself in no man’s land, as the studios had made the full switch to more stylized, commercial vehicles that audiences would want to see, rather than blank check films made by popular directors. After failing hard with one of the worst films in his filmography in 1983’s Deal of the Century, he set his sights on an adaptation of Gerald Petievich’s novel To Live and Die in L.A., in which we follow two Secret Service agents go on a wild investigation to arrest a dangerous counterfeiter. Wild a mild success at the time, it’s influences could be traced throughout the rest of the decade, especially in the works of Michael Mann (whom Friedkin may have took a lot of ideas from). What we get in return is a lean mean neo-noir that ranks as one of the last great films from Friedkin. Ryan and Jay break down the film, the connections to Mann and other films and shows of the 1980s, the gruesome violence, the careers of William Petersen and Willem Dafoe, how cool it looks to make counterfeit money, and morality at play with the film’s ending.

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 1h44m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series covering the films of William Friedkin with a review of his next film, Blue Chips. Till then, let’s get into it.

Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and “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 31 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys are joined AwardsWatch Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson to discuss the latest film in their William Friedkin series, Cruising (1980).

Entering the 1980s, Friedkin is still reeling from the fall out of the box office mess of Sorcerer and the flop that followed it up with The Brink’s Job. But as we entered the new decade, right as we is able to become a mostly “director for hire” for the good chunk of the next two decades, Friedkin delivered one of his most talked about features in Cruising, which is about a police officer that goes undercover in the underground, S&M gay subculture of New York City to catch a serial killer. After being approached by multiple producers to adapt reporter Gerald Walker’s novel, Friedkin became interested in the project after string of an unsolved killings within gay leather bars within the 1970s. Working with the local Mafia members of New York City who owned the bars shot in the film, and having Al Pacino as his lead actor, Friedkin set out to make another significant, yet controversial film within not just his filmography but a milestone in the history of queer cinema. Ryan, Jay, and Erik break down the film’s legacy, the film’s depiction of S&M culture, the lost forty minutes of footage cut from the film, Pacino’s laughable performance, Friedkin’s intentions with the ending and violence throughout Cruising, pleasure vs. pain, and so much more.

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 2h03m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series covering the films of William Friedkin with a review of his next film, To Live and Die in L.A. Till then, let’s get into it.

Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and “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 30 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys are joined film critic Jake Tropila to discuss the latest film in their William Friedkin series, Sorcerer (1977).

Riding off the high of two of the biggest films of his career, and having the cachet to make whatever film he wanted, Friedkin set out to make a semi remake of the classic film The Wages of Fear, about four outcasts who are forced to take a job transporting unstable dynamite through the Colombian jungles. On the screen, it is one of the most tense, cynical thrillers of the 1970s, looking deeply into the souls of these men, their circumstances, and the inevitability of their dangerous actions catching up to them; thus it is a masterpiece. But behind the scenes, Sorcerer was a financial disaster, and consider one of many films that push studios to get away from the auteur, blank check driven vehicles of the 1970s, and the studios controlled filmmaking processes of the 1980s. Ryan, Jay and Jake break down the creation of this project, where the production went wrong, the restoration of this film, how this movie impacted Friedkin’s career going forward, and how a little film from a galaxy far, far away came in and stole Sorcerers thunder, and if the title of the movie actually fits the film.

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 1h44m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series covering the films of William Friedkin with a review of his next film, 1980's Cruising. 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).

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 29 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys are joined film critic Jesse Nussman to discuss the latest film in their William Friedkin series, The Exorcist (1973).

How does a director follow up his Oscar winning effort that landed him the prize for Best Director? That’s simple, he goes on to make one of the greatest, most influential horror films of all time, and in the process, makes the film we would all remember him by. Friedkin’s The Exorcist, which follows the demonic possession of a young girl and her mother's attempt to rescue her through an exorcism by two Catholic priests, was one of the biggest films of the 1970s. Controversial upon release, it’s staying power in the mind of cinephiles is in large part to creating the template for every exorcist/possession/horror film to come along after it, as well as being notoriously known for its rocky behind the scene’s production. But through all the good and the bad, Friedkin, alongside screenwriter and author of the original novel William Peter Blatty, made a flat out masterpiece. Ryan, Jay, and Jesse break down their love for The Exorcist by talking about the ambiguous opening to the film, their favorite scene, Ellen Burstyn and Linda Blair’s performances, the film’s iconic score, the god awful sequels in this franchise, and ponder how long they would last in a room where an exorcism was being performed.

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 2h03m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series covering the films of William Friedkin with a review of his next film, Sorcerer. 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).

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 28 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys are joined AwardsWatch Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello to discuss the latest film in their William Friedkin series, The French Connection (1971).

Though The Boys in the Band was a significant film in Friedkin’s filmography, the young director hadn’t quite yet made a hit, and was running out of chances within the Hollywood system. But along came The French Connection, a movie made right around the success of Bullitt, where audiences were ready for a cat and mouse cop movie with really good chance sequences. Though it fits that templet, The French Connection finds Friedkin dabbling into the grimy workings of a anti-hero cop who is looking to break the case of a lifetime, regardless of the collateral damage he leaves in his path. Led by an all time, Oscar winning performance from Gene Hackman, Friedkin made the hit of the year, and went on to win the Oscar for Best Director, and the film landed the Best Picture win of 1971. Ryan, Jay and Sophia breakdown all the crazy behind the scene stories from the making of the film, Friedkin’s account of the events, Friedkin thought’s on Hackman, the original ending of the film, the French New Wave influences, if Popeye Doyle is good at his job, if this is an all-time Best Picture winners for Dads, and more than a couple of signature tangents from the gang.

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 2h10m. The guys will be back later this week to continue their series covering the films of William Friedkin with a review of his next film, The Exorcist. You can stream the film on Max. 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).

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 this special episode of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys are joined by the Head of Content for The Ringer and co-host of The Big Picture podcast Sean Fennessey to give out the first awards for a Director Watch series, the PTA Awards.

Towards the end of last year, Ryan and Jay set out to cover the films of writer, director Paul Thomas Anderson, thus breaking down one of the great modern filmographies of any contemporary director. In doing this, they talked about dozens of great performances, lines of dialogue, needle drops, favorite scenes, and so much more. So it only made sense to come back one more time to the world of PTA to break down and single out the various categories and reasons why they love PTA’s films. Joined by Sean (a fellow lover of PTA’s work), they discuss give out awards ranging from Best Male Performance, Best Female Performance, Best Direction, Best Screenplay, Best Needle Drop, Best Scene, the PTA Acting Muse award, Most Valuable Collaborator, and talk about the actor they would love to see in a future PTA film that hasn’t already worked with the director. It was a very loose, fun conversation that we hope you all enjoy.

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 1h27m. The guys will be back later this week to continue their series covering the films of William Friedkin with a review of his next film, The French Connection. You can stream the film on Max. 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)

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 27 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys are joined by AwardsWatch contributor Josh Parham to discuss the first film in their William Friedkin series, The Boys in the Band (1970).

Early in his career, director William Friedkin started out unlike most directors, making studio for hire work like Good Times starring Sonny Bono and Cher. After a couple of other moderate to unsuccessful films, Friendkin was brought onto a project that would change his career, as he helmed one of the most influential LBGTQ+ films of all time, The Boys in the Band. Centered around a group of friends celebrating one of their owns birthday, the movie unravels into a look at the regrets and unspoken truths gay men were and still are feeling to this day. In this episode, Ryan, Jay, and Josh break down the film’s themes, if it holds up, the over the top performances, if Friedkin’s style and voice is found in the project, the 2020 Netflix remake, and if they would nominate this movie for any Oscars for the 1971 ceremony.

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 1h54m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series covering the films of William Friedkin with a review of his next film, The French Connection. You can stream the film on Max. 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).

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 26 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys are joined by AwardsWatch contributor Dan Bayer to discuss the final film in their Paul Thomas Anderson series, Licorice Pizza (2021).

In his latest film to date, PTA embarked on a cinematic return to his home, the San Fernando Valley, to create a nostalgic look back on the time and place he grew up in. In collecting stories from friends, permission to create characters based on real life people, and filming a movie with his friends and family during the end of the 2020 pandemic, PTA set out to make a hot bottom film that got a lot of people talking about the story of Alana and Gary, to lost souls that collide for a series of adventures during the summer of 1973. With two all-time first-time performances from Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman, PTA made relaxed comedy on the surface that works equally as a commentary on the uneven power dynamics men and women deal with throughout their lives. In this film episode of the series, Ryan, Jay, and Dan talk about the central relationship of the film, what the ending really means, some of the internet chatter surrounding the film, the veteran actor work from Sean Penn and Bradley Cooper, Alana Haim’s real life family playing roles in the film, water beds, pinball machines, gas shortages, peanut butter sandwiches and a whole lot more.

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 2h15m. The guys will be back next week to begin their series covering the films of William Friedkin with a review of his next film, The Boys in the Band. 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).

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 25 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys are joined by AwardsWatch Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello to discuss the next film in their Paul Thomas Anderson series, Phantom Thread (2017).

The idea for PTA’s eighth film came to him when he was ill. As he laid helpless on his back in bed, he saw the look of his wife taking care of him, and knew there was something there to latch onto. In creating Phantom Thread, Anderson recruited his There Will Be Blood lead actor Daniel Day-Lewis, to craft a story about an eccentric, meticulously mannered dressmaker who meets his match with a strong-willed woman that becomes his muse. Within this period piece lies honest, captivating power dynamics that showcase not only what it is like to fall in love and live with an artist, but the realistic, day to day interactions one has with someone whom they’ve been in a long term relationship with. These interactions can be sad, sexy, hilarious, deliciously evil, or a combination of all of them at once, much like the film. Led by three fantastic performances, Ryan, Jay, Sophia breakdown why this is Sophia’s favorite film of all time, if the dress in the film are actually good dresses, the iconic breakfast order, if this is really Daniel Day-Lewis’s final role, their favorite lines from the film, their thoughts on Taylor Swift using the film as inspiration for one of her songs, and which of one our Director Watch co-hosts has the film as their favorite PTA film.

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 2h33m. The guys will be back next week to conclude their series covering the films of Paul Thomas Anderson with a review of his next film, Licorice Pizza. The film is streaming on Amazon Prime. 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).

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 24 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys discuss the next film in their Paul Thomas Anderson series, Inherent Vice (2014).

In what is his most controversial film of his career amongst cinephiles, PTA set out to do what many in the literary and film world deemed impossible; adapt a novel by author Thomas Pynchon. In doing this exercise, he was able to take this stoner neo-noir comedy and mold it into another brilliant examination of how power structures of the world is built on a system of corrupt that will eat you alive the more you go down the rabbit hole looking for answers. With an all-star cast led by a gonzo performance by Joaquin Phoenix, Inherent Vice rewards viewers more and more over time, making it a rewarding, layered puzzle box film within Anderson’s filmography. Over the course of this episode, Ryan and Jay discuss their initial viewing experiences with the film, PTA’s love of making movies in LA, the wild adaption process PTA took to bring the book to the screen, how great Josh Brolin and Reese Witherspoon are, how much paranoia was at play in the 1970s, the use of perfect needle drops throughout the film, and showcase their Jay Leno impressions.

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 1h40m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series covering the films of Paul Thomas Anderson with a review of his next film, Phantom Thread. The film is streaming on Netflix. 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).

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 23 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys are joined by AwardsWatch Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson to discuss the next film in their Paul Thomas Anderson series, The Master (2012).

How does someone follow up one of the most important films of the 2000s you may ask? It’s simple, you make a film that is to its level and one of the best films of the 2010s. That’s what PTA did with The Master, a philosophical drama with dark humor splashed throughout about a World War II vet who’s struggling to fit back into society and finds himself in a religious movement (a cult) under the leadership of its charismatic leader and wife, who is always keeping a watchful eye on everything. What forms from there is one of Anderson’s most complex films, exploring the dangers of religious fanaticism, toxic masculinity, mental health, alcoholism, and just about everything else you can think about when it comes to the human condition. Led by three titanic performances, Ryan, Jay and Erik dive right into deep process to discuss the film’s themes, Amy Adams' career choices of late, weird Joaquin Phoenix performances, scientology, the film’s lack of Oscar recognition for PTA, missing Philip Seymour Hoffman, and how the visual language of the film is so alluring.

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 2h02m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series covering the films of Paul Thomas Anderson with a review of his next film, Inherent Vice. 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)

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 22 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys are joined by AwardsWatch contributor Josh Parham to discuss the next film in their Paul Thomas Anderson series, There Will Be Blood (2007).

At the midpoint of the series, the boys have reached one of the most important films of the 21^st century, and a vital film for both hosts in terms of their film taste and inspired them to become the writers/podcasters they are today. With There Will Be Blood, PTA created a film that broke through the zeitgeist, crossing over with audiences and the Academy, and thus he made the film he’d arguable be most remembered for, as Anderson constructed a captivating, darkly humorous masterpiece that clashes capitalism and religion in an oil filled epic set in the small, imaginary town of Little Boston. Led by an all time performance by Daniel Day Lewis, Ryan, Jay, and Josh discuss the film overall, Day Lewis and Paul Dano’s performances, how There Will Be Blood shares a bond with No Country for Old Men in more ways than one, downloading movies in the early 2000s, Jonny Greenwood’s iconic score, the morality of these characters, milkshakes and so much more.

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 1h57m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series covering the films of Paul Thomas Anderson with a review of his next film, The Master. The film is streaming on MAX. 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).

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 21 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys are joined by Associate Editor of RogerEbert.com Robert Daniels to discuss the next film in their Paul Thomas Anderson series, Punch Drunk Love (2002).

Following his previous two features, PTA looked to strip things back, opting out of making another three-hour epic of storytelling, and instead making something that was ninety minutes. Hand selecting one of the biggest stars on the planet at the time in Adam Sandler, Anderson set out to make a unconventional romantic-comedy that challenged himself as a filmmaker to stay within the lines and parameters he personally set on himself. In doing so, he created what many consider to be his most underrated film of his career, with the best performance Sandler has within his career, In diving into Punch-Drunk Love, Ryan, Jay, and Robert explore their love of Sandler from this era, Barry and Lena’s relationship, an all-time supporting turn from the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, a minor discussion on Robert Altman’s Popeye, and puka shells.

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 1h33m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series covering the films of Paul Thomas Anderson with a review of his next film, There Will Be Blood. 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 209 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch contributors Josh Parham and Kevin L. Lee discuss Ridley Scott’s latest film Napoleon and give out their Top 5 Ridley Scott films.

With one of the most interesting filmographies of all time, director Ridley Scott’s mark on cinema is one that will always leave you curious. In making some of the best, most influential films of his time, Scott has become a Hollywood journeyman, specializing in visual spectacle. Though he has just as many misfires as he does hits, there is always something drawing you into the theaters to see his latest film, regardless of how good or bad the last one was. With this in mind, Ryan, Josh, and Kevin review Napoleon, Scott’s nearly three-hour epic about the French Emperor and the love of his life Josephine, played by Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby. Their reactions to the film vary, leading to a very good conversation. Afterwards, they transitioned into talking about their Top 5 Ridley Scott films, with discussions over titles such as The Last Duel, Alien, Blade Runner, Gladiator, Thelma and Louise, Matchstick Men, and more.

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 1h46m. We will be back next week to talk about our updated Oscar predictions and our Top 5 Films We Saw Way Too Young. 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 20 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys are joined by Managing Editor of RogerEbert.com Brian Tallerico to discuss the next film in their Paul Thomas Anderson series, Magnolia (1999).

After making a giant statement with Boogie Nights, Paul Thomas Anderson took it up a notch with his third feature film centered around a cast of lonely characters connected grief, chance, divine intervention, and the music of Aimee Mann. Inspired by the films of Robert Altman, in particular Short Cuts, PTA creates a masterful examination of the human condition and the complexities that exist in order to find peace within one’s self. Ryan, Jay and Brian dive deep into the dozens of interpretations Magnolia presents, if the film is a religious movie, PTA find his voice so early on, the darkness surrounding each story line, the performances from one of the best ensembles of the 1990s, and where Magnolia ranks in the epic year of cinema that was 1999.

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 1h32m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series covering the films of Paul Thomas Anderson with a review of his next film, Punch Drunk Love. 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)

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 19 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys are joined by AwardsWatch Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello to discuss the next film in their Paul Thomas Anderson series, Boogie Nights (1996).

By the time you are done watching Hard Eight, you can just feel that there was something wonderful just waiting to get out, and that was the sexy, wild comedy-drama that PTA made as his second feature. Set during the late 1970s, early 1980s in the San Fernando Valley, Boogie Nights falls the rise and fall of the porn industry through the eyes of a hot shot actor, his filmmaker mentor, and a cast of eccentric, heartbreaking characters that make up this broken family. Inspired by John C. Holmes, a real life porn star, and his own short from high school called The Dirk Diggler Story. Anderson through everything but the kitchen sink at the creation of his film, ruffling feathers with his cast, crew, audiences, and people in the industry. But in doing so, he created the first of his signature masterpieces, and a film that is an essential piece of filmmaking from the 1990s. Ryan, Jay, and Sophia breakdown what makes the film so special, if PTA’s directorial influences get in the way of his creation, how is the MVP of this cast, if Leonardo DiCaprio would’ve made a good Dirk Diggler, and which character they identify with.

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 1h59m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series covering the films of Paul Thomas Anderson with a review of his next film, Magnolia. 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).

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 18 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys are joined by Ethan Warren, Senior editor at Bright Wall/Dark Room and author of The Cinema of Paul Thomas Anderson: American Apocrypha Ethan Warren, to discuss the first film in their Paul Thomas Anderson series, Hard Eight (1996).

So begins a new series about a director that might not only be the best of his generation, but is a foundation filmmaker for both Ryan and Jay. But before he influenced them, a young PTA had to find his voice, and after breaking out with the short film Cigarettes & Coffee, he was given the chance to turn it into a feature film. In this somber directorial debut, Hard Eight follows an older gambler takes a younger, homeless kid (John C. Reilly) under his wing, and they do well making money, till they both meet a waitress (Gwyneth Paltrow) that will change their life, for better and for worse. Led a stellar performance from veteran actor Philip Baker Hall, Ryan, Jay and guest Ethan talk about the legacy of Anderson’s debut, if he wears his influences too much on his sleeve, how this movie lead to Boogie Nights, the final shot of the film, and read an interesting review for Ethan’s fantastic book.

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 1h38m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series covering the films of Paul Thomas Anderson with a review of his next film, Boogie Nights. You can stream Boogie Nights on Paramount + with the Showtime plan, as well as 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)

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 17 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys discuss the last film in their Lynne Ramsay series, You Were Never Really Here (2018).

In her fourth film of her career, Ramsay seemed to change direction back to the style of films she was making before We Need to Talk About Kevin, and strip everything back to a singular focus and tone rather than grander ideas. In doing so, she collaborated with one of Hollywood’s most in demand actors, Joaquin Phoenix, to create a violent, tight neo-noir crime thriller about a mercenary haunted by his past, who is hired to rescue a politician’s daughter who was kidnapped by a human trafficking network. Premiering at the Cannes Film Festival in 2017, Ramsay and Phoenix would go on to win prizes for her screenplay and his fully committed performance as Joe, some of the best work of his celebrated career. Ryan and Jay break down the film, speak briefly about Phoenix’s filmography, the film’s beautiful yet haunting ending, Jonny Greenwood’s subtle score, and give out their rankings of Lynne Ramsay’s small but fascinating body of work.

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 1h18m. The guys will be back next week to begin their next series covering the films of Paul Thomas Anderson with a review of his debut film, Hard Eight. You can stream Hard Eight on Pluto TV, as well as 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).

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 15 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys discuss the next film in their Lynne Ramsay series, Morvern Callar (2002).

Three years after making her feature film debut, Lynne Ramsay returned with another fascinating character study in Morvern Callar, which follows a young woman whose life completely changes for better and worse following the suicide of her boyfriend. Based on the novel by Alan Warner, Ramsay and her co-writer Liana Dognini took the experimental nature of the book and expanded the scope of who this protagonist is and created a fascinating look into the life of someone who is making things up as they go in order to run away from their grief. Led by an extraordinary performance from Samantha Morton, Ryan and Jay discuss the vibrant direction by Ramsay, Morvern’s decision making process and how it fits within the rules of the film, the unsettled feeling they both had watching the film, and how this was their first experience using Freevee to watch a movie with commercials.

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 1h22m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series covering the films of Lynn Ramsay with a review of her third feature film, We Need to Talk About Kevin. You can stream We Need to Talk About Kevin on Amazon Prime Video, as well as 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)

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 14 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys discuss the first film in their Lynne Ramsay series, 1999's Ratcatcher.

Gaining notice throughout the 1990s for her short films, director Lynne Ramsay became a name cemented in the fabric of modern cinema as someone who was able to distinctly exam human relationships at such a raw yet honest perspective. After winning the 1996 Cannes Prix de Jury for her graduation short film, "Small Deaths," she spent some time working on various short films, all with critical success, leading her to develop one of the most personal debuts of the last 25 years, Ratcatcher. In telling the story of a young boy trying to move on in his life after a tragedy to one of his best friends, Ramsay showcases what happens when the innocence of childhood is taken too soon before you are ready to grow up, and announces herself as one of the best visual storytellers of her generation. Led by a cast of mostly unknown actors and shot impeccably by cinematographer Alwin H. Küchler, Ryan and Jay breakdown down Ramsay’s debut and where it ranks as some of the best debuts of the 90s, the child performances in the film, the open ending for the film, and the film year that was 1999.

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 1h19m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series covering the films of Lynn Ramsay with a review of her second feature film, Morvern Callar. You can stream Morvern Callar on Max, as well as rent it via iTunes or Amazon Prime Video 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).

Welcome to Director Watch! On this brand new 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 2 of the Director Watch Podcast, they are joined by AwardsWatch Editor-In-Chief Erik Anderson discuss the latest film in their Todd Haynes series, Far from Heaven (2002).

Right off at the top of the show, we address that there won’t be an episode on Velvet Goldmine, as an error was made, and the episode has been lost forever. But Ryan, Jay and Erik give some brief thoughts on the 1998 film before diving into Haynes’s 2002 follow up. In a pivot away from the glam rock drama, he found his way back into the cinematic world with another look at the domestic life of a wife played by Julianne Moore. Unlike Safe, Far From Heaven takes place in the 1950s, and explores a traditional 50’s family crumbling due to sexual and racial relationships the married couple form in the film that were taboo for the time. Known for being one of the best films of the year 2002, Ryan, Jay, and Erik breakdown the film from every angle, from the brilliant score, Moore’s performance, Haynes’s screenplay, the homages to the genius director Douglas Sirk, and so much more.

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 1h31m. The guys will be back next week to continue their Todd Haynes series with a look at I’m Not There. Till then, let’s get into it.

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