This Had Oscar Buzz

By Joe and Chris

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Category: TV & Film

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Subscribers: 298
Reviews: 3


 May 11, 2022
really good show

Sergio
 Aug 5, 2021
fala bastante sobre filmes. escrevi em português porque eles não fazem questão de traduzir pra mim também

Lorena
 Mar 12, 2019
Love this podcast and the hosts. Keep up the good work!

Description

A podcast about movies the awards forgot

Episode Date
212 – The Bling Ring (with George Civeris)
1:58:22
StaightioLab cohost and Gawker editor George Civeris returns to us this episode, and we’re going to Paris’. In 2013, Sofia Coppola delivered another tale of disaffected youth, this time ripped from gossip column headlines with The Bling Ring. With a post-Harry Potter Emma Watson at the center, the film follows several Los Angeles celeb-obsessed teens … Continue reading "212 – The Bling Ring (with George Civeris)"
Sep 26, 2022
Reunited at TIFF!
1:54:02
It’s an annual tradition! Joe and Chris (reunited for the first time in years!) are reporting on the films of the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival, including this year’s (Not Grolsch) People’s Choice Award winner: Steven Spielberg’s The Fablemans. And we’ve got bets against each other gaining some heat! This episode, we unpack our feelings about some of … Continue reading "Reunited at TIFF!"
Sep 19, 2022
211 – Mermaids
1:38:26
We’ve got a personal favorite coming to you today starring one of our most beloved icons! After winning her Best Actress Oscar for Moonstruck, Cher then conquered the world with the album Heart of Stone, and didn’t return to the cinema until 1990′s Mermaids. With Cher as a mother of two rebuking societal expectations, the … Continue reading "211 – Mermaids"
Sep 12, 2022
210 – 25th Hour
1:49:54
We talk about a lot of films dealing with the social and political aftermath of 9/11 but few like this week’s episode: Spike Lee’s 25th Hour. Filmed in New York City in the months after and adapted by David Benioff from his own novel, the film captures that dysphoria while following a drug dealer played … Continue reading "210 – 25th Hour"
Sep 05, 2022
209 – A Walk on the Moon (with Tara Ariano)
1:31:30
This week, Tara Ariano returns to us to talk about a forgotten and quite lovely independent film from 1999, A Walk on the Moon. The first feature directed by actor Tony Goldwyn, the film stars Diane Lane as a late 1960s housewife who has a sexual awakening with a hippie blouse salesman (played by Viggo … Continue reading "209 – A Walk on the Moon (with Tara Ariano)"
Aug 29, 2022
208 – This Is Where I Leave You
1:30:05
It’s time to sit shiva with a slew of stars and 2014′s This Is Where I Leave You. Adapted from Jonathan Tropper from his own novel and directed by Night at the Museum’s Shawn Levy, the film casts Jason Bateman as a man whose life falls apart at the hour of his father’s death. His … Continue reading "208 – This Is Where I Leave You"
Aug 22, 2022
207 – Life Itself (with Billy Ray Brewton)
2:08:28
We don’t know if we’re equipped to episode this much, but here we are. A bomb so fiery, we brought host of The Incinerator podcast host Billy Ray Brewton to help us unpack it all: 2018′s Life Itself. From This Is Us’ Dan Fogelman, the film assembles a large ensemble including Oscar Isaac, Olivia Wilde, … Continue reading "207 – Life Itself (with Billy Ray Brewton)"
Aug 15, 2022
206 – Infamous
1:30:15
Before Bennett Miller’s Capote even arrived and made a steamroll Best Actor winner out of Philip Seymour Hoffman, there was an entire other Truman Capote biopic in the can. Charting the same portion of the legendary and controversial writer’s life as he wrote In Cold Blood, 2006′s Infamous cast Toby Jones as Capote along with … Continue reading "206 – Infamous"
Aug 08, 2022
205 – The Four Feathers
1:26:18
Long-time listeners of the podcast will recognize this week’s episode as one promised from the very beginning! In 2002, The Four Feathers arrived with major Oscar follow-up and star-on-the-rise pedigree. The film was Shekhar Kapur’s directorial follow-up to the Oscar anointed (and Cate Blanchett launching) Elizabeth, and starred three of the biggest young would-be megastars … Continue reading "205 – The Four Feathers"
Aug 01, 2022
204 – A Prairie Home Companion (with Clay Keller)
2:37:43
An episode long teased has finally arrived. Screen Drafts co-host (and proud Minnesotan) Clay Keller joins us to discuss the final film from beloved auteur Robert Altman, 2006′s A Prairie Home Companion. Based on and set within the eponymous radio show, the film follows the backstage goings-on during the show’s fictionalized final live recording, with … Continue reading "204 – A Prairie Home Companion (with Clay Keller)"
Jul 25, 2022
203 – Martha Marcy May Marlene
2:06:12
One of the major stories out of 2011′s Sundance Film Festival was the arrival of Elizabeth Olsen, a new actress who just happened to be the younger sibling of the Olsen twins. In Sean Durkin’s debut Martha Marcy May Marlene, Olsen stars as a young woman who escapes a cult and copes with her fractured … Continue reading "203 – Martha Marcy May Marlene"
Jul 18, 2022
202 – Us
1:54:29
Few filmmaking ascents have been as exciting and heralded as Jordan Peele’s with the arrival of Get Out in 2017. After creating lasting cultural importance and winning the Best Original Screenplay Oscar, Peele’s follow-up was one of the most eagerly awaited films before it was even announced. And in early 2019, the follow-up would be … Continue reading "202 – Us"
Jul 11, 2022
201 – How Do You Know
1:38:33
While not known for their love for comedies, the Academy has often proven a fan for the works of James L. Brooks. This week, we’re talking about his (likely) final film, the 2010 flop How Do You Know. The film stars Reese Witherspoon as a softball player grappling with the end of her career while … Continue reading "201 – How Do You Know"
Jul 04, 2022
200 – Gloria Bell
2:27:04
We’ve made it to 200 episodes! And as long-time listeners are aware, there are few THOB-eligible films as beloved as Gloria Bell. In 2013, Sebastián Lelio delivered Gloria, a delightful Chilean character study of the everyday life of a single woman entering middle age played by an incandescent Paulina García. When Julianne Moore approached Lelio about … Continue reading "200 – Gloria Bell"
Jun 27, 2022
199 – Shutter Island
1:48:27
This episode, we return to the work of director Martin Scorsese, with one of his very few films to receive zero Oscar nominations, 2010′s Shutter Island. The film was Scorsese’s highly anticipate follow-up to The Departed after finally securing his overdue Oscar win, and reunited him with that film’s star Leonardo DiCaprio. Adapted from Dennis … Continue reading "199 – Shutter Island"
Jun 20, 2022
198 – Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (with Christina Tucker)
1:54:59
YA-YA!! This week, Christina Tucker joins us once again to discuss popular literary adaptation and TNT staple, 2002′s Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. The directorial debut of Callie Khouri, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Thelma and Louise, the film stars Ellen Burstyn and Sandra Bullock as mother and daughter feuding over the playwright daughter’s very public … Continue reading "198 – Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (with Christina Tucker)"
Jun 13, 2022
197 – Downsizing
1:54:44
And we’re back to your regularly scheduled episodes! This week, we return to our non-EW episodes with one of the more divisive high-profile bombs in recent years, 2017′s Downsizing. A globalization satire from Alexander Payne and his Sideways co-writer Jim Taylor, the film follows an everyman played by Matt Damon who decides to join the … Continue reading "197 – Downsizing"
Jun 06, 2022
196 – Notting Hill (EW Summer Movie Preview – Listeners’ Choice)
2:29:30
Whoopsie daisies, we have come to the close of our May miniseries taking a deep focus look back at Entertainment Weekly’s seasonal movie preview issues. And the closer was chosen by you, listeners! For your Listeners’ Choice, you have selected the Summer Movie Preview for Notting Hill. The film famously went head-to-head with grand behemoth … Continue reading "196 – Notting Hill (EW Summer Movie Preview – Listeners’ Choice)"
May 30, 2022
195 – The Pelican Brief (EW Holiday Movie Preview) (with Bobby Finger)
2:28:42
We move forward with our May miniseries this week by looking back at the 1993 holiday season with EW’s Holiday Movie Preview and The Pelican Brief. And this week, we have returning guest and Who? Weekly cohost Bobby Finger joining us to unpack all of the John Grisham vibes. Based on Grisham’s novel and released in … Continue reading "195 – The Pelican Brief (EW Holiday Movie Preview) (with Bobby Finger)"
May 23, 2022
194 – Ransom (EW Fall Movie Preview)
2:39:59
What’s the one about a Best Director frontrunner who gets snubbed for a nomination only to have the star of his then-filming movie assume his frontrunner status all the way to a win. No joke, this is what happened with 1996′s Ransom, with director Ron Howard’s shockeroo miss for Apollo 13resulting in favor being showered … Continue reading "194 – Ransom (EW Fall Movie Preview)"
May 16, 2022
193 – The Da Vinci Code (EW Summer Movie Preview)
2:03:10
Our EW Movie Previews miniseries continues this week with a look at the summer season! After the ubiquity of the best-selling book, The Da Vinci Code was primed for a glossy movie adaptation even before it landed the Oscar pedigree pairing of Ron Howard and Tom Hanks. Considered prestigious enough to open the Cannes Film … Continue reading "193 – The Da Vinci Code (EW Summer Movie Preview)"
May 09, 2022
192 – Panic Room (EW Spring Movie Preview) (with Adam B. Vary)
2:27:30
We’re kicking off our May Miniseries on EW Movie Preview cover movies at the beginning of the calendar with the Spring Movie Preview spotlight on Panic Room. David Fincher’s post-Fight Club foray into elevating a straightforward thriller with his stylistic perfectionism, the film almost starred Nicole Kidman as a recently separated mother who hides with … Continue reading "192 – Panic Room (EW Spring Movie Preview) (with Adam B. Vary)"
May 02, 2022
BONUS – EW Movie Previews, We Love Yous
22:15
We have a special BONUS episode for you to kick off our May Miniseries looking back on Entertainment Weekly’s movie preview editions. We bid a fond farewell to the print edition of this formative, beloved publication as we set the stage for what’s to come in May: Spring Movie Preview – PANIC ROOM; Summer Movie … Continue reading "BONUS – EW Movie Previews, We Love Yous"
Apr 28, 2022
191 – The Zookeeper’s Wife
1:51:32
This week, we are returning to the work of the recent Academy Award winner Jessica Chastain. In 2017, the actress headlined the adaptation of the popular non-fiction book The Zookeeper’s Wife, detailing Antonina Zabinska and her husband Jan’s efforts to help Polish Jews escape the Nazis by hiding them within the Warsaw Zoo. Directed by … Continue reading "191 – The Zookeeper’s Wife"
Apr 25, 2022
190 – Love and Friendship
1:43:10
We’ve talked before about the shaky Oscar history with Amazon Studios, and this episode we are talking about one of their unfortunate misses that happened in the year of their biggest success: 2016′s Love and Friendship. Adapted from the scabrous Jane Austen novella Lady Susan, the film had a much-ballyhooed premiere at the Sundance Film … Continue reading "190 – Love and Friendship"
Apr 18, 2022
189 – Margot at the Wedding (with Kyle Buchanan)
1:49:52
After earning an Oscar nomination for his screenplay for The Squid and the Whale, Noah Baumbach followed up that film’s success by partnering with the recently Oscar-ed Nicole Kidman for Margot at the Wedding. The film cast Kidman opposite Jennifer Jason Leigh (then married to Baumbach) as verbally warring sisters, the youngest of who is … Continue reading "189 – Margot at the Wedding (with Kyle Buchanan)"
Apr 11, 2022
188 – Wild Mountain Thyme
1:50:48
We’re cracking the seal on our Class of 2020 films and somehow manage to do it without miring ourselves in the depression that was the first covid year! And as promised, we’re talking about Wild Mountain Thyme, the oddball romantic comedy from Moonstruck Oscar winner John Patrick Shanley, adapted from his Tony-nominated play Outside Mullingar. … Continue reading "188 – Wild Mountain Thyme"
Apr 04, 2022
187 – Water for Elephants
2:02:49
Adaptations of uberpopular novels are always ripe for awards prestige, but this week’s episode is for a film that fizzled quickly. 2011′s Water for Elephants assembled an impressive crew for the circus-set period romantic drama along with a starry cast at tricky career moments: Robert Pattinson breaking from the Twilight franchise, Reese Witherspoon on a … Continue reading "187 – Water for Elephants"
Mar 28, 2022
186 – Danny Collins
1:42:25
This week, we’re looking at another surprise Golden Globe nomination that fueled minor Oscar talk, 2015′s Danny Collins. An assemblage of fedoras, silk scarves, and one catchy original song, the film stars Al Pacino as a washed up singer in the vein of Neil Diamond who ingratiates himself to the family of his estranged son. Written … Continue reading "186 – Danny Collins"
Mar 21, 2022
185 – The Aeronauts
1:55:11
We’re taking flight this week with the “women don’t belong in balloons!” heard round the world. In 2019, The Aeronauts’ awards hopes took flight by reuniting The Theory of Everything’s Oscar winning-and-nominated duo of Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones in the quasi-true story of a hot air balloon expedition that launched modern day weather forecasting. The film … Continue reading "185 – The Aeronauts"
Mar 14, 2022
184 – Rumor Has It
1:28:29
This week, we’re looking at the less fondly remembered half of Shirley MacLaine’s 2005 buzzed grandmothers (after praising In Her Shoes in a previous episode) with Rumor Has It. Starring an immediately post-Friends Jennifer Aniston as a woman who believes her grandmother was the inspiration The Graduate’s Mrs. Robinson, the film assembled a prestigious cast for its conceptual take … Continue reading "184 – Rumor Has It"
Mar 07, 2022
183 – Margaret (with Patrick Vaill)
2:32:51
#TeamMargaret, your day is here! This week, we are joined by actor Patrick Vaill to discuss the contentious backstory and reemergence story that is Kenneth Lonergan’s Margaret. Originally filmed in 2005, the film follows Anna Paquin as Lisa Cohen, a New York City teenager who witnesses a horrific accident and her search for restitution when she … Continue reading "183 – Margaret (with Patrick Vaill)"
Feb 28, 2022
182 – State of Play
1:33:58
Adapted from the lauded UK miniseries of the same title, State of Play had a labored journey to the screen. Appearing on the 2006 Black List and originally intended as the screen reunion for Brad Pitt and Edward Norton, the American film adaptation weathered several delays, recastings, and creative setbacks, including the 2007 WGA strike. Once in … Continue reading "182 – State of Play"
Feb 21, 2022
Class of 2021
1:55:33
We finally have this year’s set of Oscar nominations, so that means it’s time for our Class of 2021 episode! This episode, we look back on the almost-was of the past awards season with films that received zero Oscar nominations, including in categories of Most Forgettable, Happiest Miss, and Saddest Snub. We also add a … Continue reading "Class of 2021"
Feb 14, 2022
181 – Leatherheads
1:33:03
This week, we are once again returning to the diminishing returns of George Clooney’s directorial career with 2008′s Leatherheads. The directing follow-up to his Oscar-nominated Good Night and Good Luck, this lighthearted film about the early days of American pro football stars Clooney as a player opposite Renée Zellweger as a journalist trying to break the story of … Continue reading "181 – Leatherheads"
Feb 07, 2022
180 – Birth
1:46:03
We’re finally talking about one of our most requested films, Johnathan Glazer’s 2004 sophomore feature Birth. Starring Nicole Kidman as a woman grappling with a young boy’s assertion that he is her reincarnated dead husband, the film was initially controversial and critically maligned upon release, even with stunning work from composer Alexandre Desplat and cinematographer Harris … Continue reading "180 – Birth"
Jan 31, 2022
BONUS – Sundance, I Say
1:58:03
We’re bringing you a special bonus episode to recap our time with year’s edition of the Sundance Film Festival! We discuss some of the biggest prize winners from the US Dramatic Competition winner Nanny and the US Dramatic Audience Award winner Cha Cha Real Smooth, and other award recipients like Descendant, Dos Estaciones, and Fire of Love. We also discuss the … Continue reading "BONUS – Sundance, I Say"
Jan 30, 2022
179 – On Chesil Beach
1:45:23
Saoirse Ronan came on strong at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival with two films that had the opposite experience: the immediately beloved Lady Bird and the misfire On Chesil Beach, which cratered after world premiering on the first day of the festival. The film reunited Ronan with Ian McEwan, the author of her Oscar-nominated breakthrough performan in Atonement, … Continue reading "179 – On Chesil Beach"
Jan 24, 2022
178 – October Sky (with Esther Zuckerman)
1:47:50
Moving along from Maggie Gyllenhaal’s breakthrough last week, this week we are dis cussing her brother Jake’s! Senior Entertainment writer for Thrillist Esther Zuckerman joins us to talk about middle school classroom mainstay and union-agnostic true story, 1999′s October Sky. The film starred Jake Gyllenhaal as Homer Hickham Jr., as young West Virginian who bucked the … Continue reading "178 – October Sky (with Esther Zuckerman)"
Jan 17, 2022
177 – Secretary
1:40:02
After a few minor roles in American indies, Maggie Gyllenhaal broke out in a big way with Sundance hit Secretary in 2002. The story of a young woman who copes with her mental health issues while entering a BDSM relationship with her boss (played by James Spader), Secretary was praised for its dark wit and daring, and immediately put … Continue reading "177 – Secretary"
Jan 10, 2022
Mail Bag: Vol. 2
1:29:11
And we’re back with the conclusion of our mailbag! This time, we are talking about a few Oscar What Ifs: what new categories should Oscar adopt? what if a different actress had won Supporting Actress in 2005? what if there was a Best Actress season of Survivor? We also answer your questions about the podcast, … Continue reading "Mail Bag: Vol. 2"
Jan 03, 2022
Mail Bag: Vol. 1
1:26:00
It’s our annual year-end tradition! You’ve sent us your questions on Oscar past and present, but this year’s mailbag brings a special surprise: you’ve asked us such fun and thoughtful questions that we’re splitting the mailbag into two instalments! [Cue “Battle Without Honor or Humanity”] This mailbag, we’ll be answering questions about what might be Glenn … Continue reading "Mail Bag: Vol. 1"
Dec 27, 2021
176 – The Holiday
1:53:43
Just in time for the holidays, we are doing The Holiday. Nancy Meyers followed-up her smash hit Something’s Gotta Give with this story of two women (played by Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet) who swap houses over the Christmas week in order to get away from their romantic disasters. Naturally, new love finds a way and … Continue reading "176 – The Holiday"
Dec 20, 2021
175 – Hustlers
2:12:22
This is an episode about control. We’ve tallied up the votes for our Listeners’ Choice episode and in a landslide victory, 2019′s Hustlers emerged quite victorious. One of our favorite films of 2019, the film (based on Jessica Pressler’s expose in The Cut) stars Constance Wu and Jennifer Lopez as two exotic dancers who team up to … Continue reading "175 – Hustlers"
Dec 13, 2021
174 – All is True
1:36:09
In 2018, perhaps the only audience that noticed All Is True were our belove AARP Movies for Grownups awards. The film is directed by and stars Kenneth Branagh as William Shakespeare returning home to his underappreciated wife and daughters after his Globe Theatre burned to the ground mid-production, reopening wounds of unspoken family tragedy. The period drama … Continue reading "174 – All is True"
Dec 06, 2021
173 – My Blueberry Nights
1:36:30
With the release of Criterion’s retrospective box set, film lovers have been revisiting the work of living master Wong Kar-wai. But this week, we’re going to be talking about his least celebrated (and one omitted from that treasured collection). His first film in the English language, My Blueberry Nights is an episodic movie about a woman who … Continue reading "173 – My Blueberry Nights"
Nov 29, 2021
172 – Money Monster (with Katey Rich)
1:45:33
Our Thanksgiving tradition continues this year, with Vanity Fair’s Katey Rich joining us as a guest, this time to talk about quickly forgotten prestige thriller Money Monster. Premiering out of competiton in 2016 at the Cannes Film Festival to middling reviews but embarrassing no one involved, the film stars George Clooney as a cable news financial … Continue reading "172 – Money Monster (with Katey Rich)"
Nov 22, 2021
171 – The Mighty
1:35:20
This week, we are talking about Sharon Stone and The Mighty. Adpated from the young adult novel Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick, the film follows a burgeoning friendship between a silent giant teenager Max (Elden Henson) and a King Arthur obsessed neighbor with a rare metabolic disorder Kevin (Kieran Culkin). But the film’s real … Continue reading "171 – The Mighty"
Nov 15, 2021
170 – Holy Smoke (with Jourdain Searles)
1:42:50
We have two exciting returns this week! First, entertainment writer and Bad Romance co-host Jourdain Searles is joining us once again. Second, we return to the work of Jane Campion, this time for 1999′s divisive and sexually charged Holy Smoke. The film premiered in competition at the Venice Film Festival with a high pedigree: Campion … Continue reading "170 – Holy Smoke (with Jourdain Searles)"
Nov 08, 2021
169 – Suspiria
2:03:30
“Volk” intensifies this week, because we’re talking about Luca Guadgnino’s 2018 Suspiria remake! Diverging greatly in style and story from the Dario Argento original, Luca Guadagnino followed up his Oscar success with Call Me By Your Name with this riff on witches, post-WWII Germany, feminine power, and the art of dance. Guadagnino’s mounting pedigree stirred some to expect the … Continue reading "169 – Suspiria"
Nov 01, 2021
168 – Never Let Me Go (with Tara Ariano)
1:40:30
This episode, Extra Hot Great co-host Tara Ariano returns to us to talk about another much-requested film, 2010′s Never Let Me Go. An adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s incredibly lauded science fiction novel, the film stars a post-nomination Carey Mulligan opposite Keira Knightley and breakthrough Andrew Garfield as clones raised for the sole purpose of harvesting their … Continue reading "168 – Never Let Me Go (with Tara Ariano)"
Oct 25, 2021
167 – The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
1:39:33
We’ll get you a red cap and a speedo for this week’s episode, becuase we’re talking about Wes Anderson for the first time with The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. The follow-up to Anderson’s first Oscar-nominated film The Royal Tenenbaums put Bill Murray front and center in the year after Murray almost won Best Actor for Lost in Translation. … Continue reading "167 – The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou"
Oct 18, 2021
166- To Die For
1:44:05
Nicole Kidman finally joins the THOB Six Timers Club this week with what many consider her first major critical success. In the same year that Kidman had a major blockbuster in Batman Forever, the actress joined forces with Gus Van Sant for satirical Joyce Maynard adaptation To Die For. The film starred Kidman as the … Continue reading "166- To Die For"
Oct 11, 2021
BONUS – NYFF We Love You! We REJECT This BLASPHEMY!
1:19:33
We’re back stumping film festivals to bring you this bonus episode on our experience with this year’s New York Film Festival slate! Here Joe reflects on the Oscar potential of The Tragedy of Macbeth and The Power of the Dog, and Chris says Pedro Almodóvar’s Parallel Mothers features one of Penélope Cruz’s very best performances. We discuss other films in the … Continue reading "BONUS – NYFF We Love You! We REJECT This BLASPHEMY!"
Oct 10, 2021
165 – The Counselor
1:44:40
There are few names in modern literature with more prestige than Cormac McCarthy, and his work has been adapted into the likes of Best Picture winner No Country for Old Men. For his first produced original screenplay, he partnered with one of the most prestigious names in movies and our most discussed director, Ridley Scott. Together … Continue reading "165 – The Counselor"
Oct 04, 2021
164 – American Pastoral
1:34:44
We’ve talked before about adaptations of Pulitzer Prize winners and films that had disastrous premieres at the Toronto International Film Festival, but perhaps none as disappointing as this week’s film. From one of the most lauded novels of the modern era, American Pastoral had the heaviest burden of expectations and stop-and-start production history. With a … Continue reading "164 – American Pastoral"
Sep 27, 2021
163 – The River Wild
1:46:46
How do you get a studio action movie some Oscar buzz? You cast Meryl Streep in the lead role. Starring the beloved actress as a woman whose family is taken captive on a white water rafting vacation, The River Wild was a modest fall hit for director Curtis Hansen and earned Globe nominations for Streep … Continue reading "163 – The River Wild"
Sep 20, 2021
BONUS – Another Year, Another TIFF
1:18:15
Chris and Joe are back “at” the Toronto International Film Festival, and as we’re prone to do, we’re bringing you a bonus episode to recap the experience. We review our virtual TIFF experience from home with a quick mention of the films we missed and how this hybrid year has made for a more muted … Continue reading "BONUS – Another Year, Another TIFF"
Sep 19, 2021
162 – The Good Dinosaur (with Kyle Amato)
1:54:41
We’re doing something a little different this week and setting our sights on one specific Oscar category: Best Animated Feature. This episode, Kyle Amato joins us to talk about The Good Dinosaur, one of the few box office and critical disappointments in the history of Pixar. The story of a timid dinosaur and the human baby … Continue reading "162 – The Good Dinosaur (with Kyle Amato)"
Sep 13, 2021
161 – The Mule
1:27:27
Many of Clint Eastwood’s most recent films have arrived in quick turnaround, going from announcement to filming to release in a head-spinningly short amount of time. In 2018, he had one of his fastest productions ever with The Mule, a story of an 80-year-old man estranged from his family who takes on a job hauling drugs … Continue reading "161 – The Mule"
Sep 06, 2021
160 – Elizabethtown (with Phil Iscove)
1:58:29
Joining us this week is Podcast Like It’s 1999′s Phil Iscove to finally unpack a foundational This Had Oscar Buzz text. After winning an Oscar for Almost Famous and delivering a financially succesful (if extremely divisive) hit in Vanilla Sky, Cameron Crowe decided to return to his roots with Elizabethtown. Starring Orlando Bloom as a … Continue reading "160 – Elizabethtown (with Phil Iscove)"
Aug 30, 2021
159 – The House of Mirth
1:44:01
This week, we are looking at the work of director Terence Davies and his 2000 literary adaptation of The House of Mirth. Based on the classic Edith Wharton novel, the film casts Gillian Anderson as Lily Bart, a woman who tragically fails to navigate the cruelties of New York high society at the turn of … Continue reading "159 – The House of Mirth"
Aug 23, 2021
158 – Stepmom (with Christina Tucker)
1:55:22
It has to be said that we have been waiting to do Stepmom from the very beginning, and what better excuse to finally dive in to Chris Columbus’ Christmas Day weepy than this week’s special guest Christina Tucker, co-host of the podcast Wait, Is This A Date?. Uniting the 1998 powers of America’s sweetheart Julia Roberts and … Continue reading "158 – Stepmom (with Christina Tucker)"
Aug 16, 2021
157 – Woman in Gold
1:49:30
Somehow we have yet to cover a film starring Helen Mirren, but this episode, we rectify that with 2015′s Woman in Gold. Mirren stars in the true story as Maria Altmann, a woman who fled the Nazis and later sought restitution of her very famous family paintings by Gustav Klimt. The film also stars Ryan … Continue reading "157 – Woman in Gold"
Aug 09, 2021
156 – A Most Violent Year (with Kevin O’Keeffe)
2:09:16
“This was very disrespectful.” Once again, Kevin O’Keeffe joins us to talk about the one and only Jessica Chastain for A Most Violent Year. Starring an on-the-rise Oscar Isaac as an emerging entrepreneur in the 1980s trying to avoid crime in dirty business, the film chased Oscar after writer/director J.C. Chandor’s Original Screenplay nomination for his … Continue reading "156 – A Most Violent Year (with Kevin O’Keeffe)"
Aug 02, 2021
155 – Moonlight Mile
1:58:25
Jake Gyllenhaal is the latest to join our Six Timers Club this week with 2002′s Moonlight Mile. Written and directed by Brad Silberling, Gyllenhaal leads the film as a young man living with the parents (played by Susan Sarandon and Dustin Hoffman) of his fiance’s parents in the aftermath of her murder. A light dramedy with … Continue reading "155 – Moonlight Mile"
Jul 26, 2021
154 – Battle of the Sexes
1:59:08
One year after winning Best Actress for La La Land, Emma Stone returned with an even better performance but faced even tougher competition. In Battle of the Sexes, the recent winner starred as Billie Jean King as she faced off Bobby Riggs (played by Steve Carell) in the famed titular tennis match. Directed by Little … Continue reading "154 – Battle of the Sexes"
Jul 19, 2021
153 – A Thousand Acres
1:46:55
It’s time for yet another long-promised episode in This Had Oscar Buzz lore, and also from a Pulitzer Prize winner! Adapted from Jane Smiley’s novel (which itself was loosely based on Shakespeare’s King Lear), A Thousand Acres cast two-time Oscar winner Jason Robards as one town’s beloved titan farmer and a trio of dynamo actresses … Continue reading "153 – A Thousand Acres"
Jul 12, 2021
152 – De-Lovely
1:44:16
Birds do it, bees do it; let’s do it, let’s talk De-Lovely! Reuniting Kevin Kline with his Life As A House director Irwin Winkler, the film casts Kline as the legendary songwriter Cole Porter. Also starring Ashley Judd as his devoted wife Linda, De-Lovely caught attention for its depiction of the Porters’ marriage amid his open homosexuality and … Continue reading "152 – De-Lovely"
Jul 05, 2021
151 – Lucy in the Sky
1:47:37
We’ve got another long anticipated episode this week! In 2019, Natalie Portman teamed up with Fargo creator Noah Hawley to bring to the screen a highly fictionalized account of a NASA astronaut who suffered a psychotic break and stalked her lover and co-worker across the country. The more salacious details (namely the urban legend diaper that she … Continue reading "151 – Lucy in the Sky"
Jun 28, 2021
150 – The Shipping News
1:57:46
We’re marking a milestone this week with our 150th episode. And for such a momentous occasion, we’re finally digging in to one of the most notorious films of THOB history with Lasse Lasse Hallström’s The Shipping News. Adapted from Annie Proulx’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel, the film cast Kevin Spacey as a meak man who uproots his … Continue reading "150 – The Shipping News"
Jun 21, 2021
149 – The Prize Winner of Defiance, OH
1:53:17
Can you believe it’s only our third episode discussing Julianne Moore? This episode we’re diving into the mid-00s period between nominations for Moore with 2005′s The Prize Winner of Defiance, OH. Starring the eventual Oscar winner in the true story of Evelyn Ryan, a mother of ten who supported her family through sweepstakes contests and … Continue reading "149 – The Prize Winner of Defiance, OH"
Jun 14, 2021
148 – Concussion
1:35:17
Finally, we are telling the truth! In 2015, Will Smith took on another biopic with Concussion as Dr. Bennett Omalu, the forensic pathologist whose research on chronic traumatic encephalopathy experienced by football players found opposition with the NFL. After premiering at AFI Fest, the film received middling reviews and opened on Christmas Day only to … Continue reading "148 – Concussion"
Jun 07, 2021
147 – Boy Erased (Focus Features – Part Five)
1:53:53
Our Focus Features miniseries comes to a close with 2018′s Boy Erased. Based on the memoir by Garrard Conley, the film stars Lucas Hedges as a young man from a religious family who is subjected to conversion therapy when his parents (played by Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe) discover that he is gay. Though sensitively approached … Continue reading "147 – Boy Erased (Focus Features – Part Five)"
May 31, 2021
146 – The Place Beyond the Pines (Focus Features – Part Four)
1:49:12
This week, our Focus Features miniseries brings us to The Place Beyond the Pines, Derek Dianfrance’s epic, novelistic tale of fathers and sons. The film reunited Cianfrance with his Blue Valentine star Ryan Gosling as a motorcyclist who turns to crime, with consequences that will reverbate across households and generations. After launching at TIFF in 2012, Focus Features … Continue reading "146 – The Place Beyond the Pines (Focus Features – Part Four)"
May 24, 2021
145 – Lust, Caution (Focus Features – Part Three)
1:45:32
We’ve come to the midpoint of our Focus Features miniseries with a work from a modern master, 2007′s Lust,Caution from Ang Lee. An erotic thriller set in Hong Kong and Shanghai during the Japanese occupation, Lust, Caution follows a breakthrough Tang Wei as Wong Chia-Chi, a woman who joins an assassination plot where she must seducce the target, played … Continue reading "145 – Lust, Caution (Focus Features – Part Three)"
May 17, 2021
144 – Possession (Focus Features – Part Two)
1:48:53
Our Focus Features miniseries continues with the first official Focus release, 2002′s Possession. Adapted by Neil LaBute from A.S. Byatt’s celebrated novel, the film follows Gwyneth Paltrow and Aaron Eckhart as poetry scholars who fall in love while unearthing a secret love affair between two Victorian poets, played by Jennifer Ehle and Jeremy Northam. The … Continue reading "144 – Possession (Focus Features – Part Two)"
May 10, 2021
143 – The Muse (Focus Features – Part One)
1:44:57
We’re kicking off our May miniseries on Focus Features with the winner of our Listeners’ Choice poll, 1999′s The Muse. To kick things off, we’re looking at how Focus was birthed from the previous companies of USA Films, October Films, Gramercy Pictures and Good Machine. Written and directed by Albert Brooks, The Muse stars Sharon Stone as the … Continue reading "143 – The Muse (Focus Features – Part One)"
May 03, 2021
142 – Friends with Money
1:46:45
This episode, we are returning to the career of the great Nicole Holofcener with 2006′s enesemble comedy Friends With Money. The film stars Jennifer Aniston as the housemaid friend to three wealthy women played by Joan Cusack, Catherine Keener, and Frances McDormand, and studies class and friendship with the kind of wit and grace that’s made … Continue reading "142 – Friends with Money"
Apr 26, 2021
141 – Carlito’s Way
1:43:33
We return to the filmography of Brian DePalma this week with 1993′s Carlito’s Way. The film reunited DePalma with his Scarface star Al Pacino as Carlito Brigante, a former criminal struggling to go straight after his release from prison and his shady circle that keeps pulling him back in. Released the year after Pacino’s long-awaited … Continue reading "141 – Carlito’s Way"
Apr 19, 2021
140 – A Home At The End Of The World
2:02:27
After the success of The Hours in 2002, author Michael Cunningham was a hot commodity in prestige cinema. At the same time, Colin Farrell emerged as the next big thing and was seemingly inescapable at the movies. The two converged in 2004 for A Home at the End of the World, an adaptation of Cunningham’s novel delivered by … Continue reading "140 – A Home At The End Of The World"
Apr 12, 2021
139 – Carnage
1:55:42
After becoming a Broadway sensation, landing the Tony Award for Best Play and lead acting nominations for each member of its acting quartet (including a win for Marcia Gay Harden), Yasmina Reza’s God of Carnage looked primed to become yet another stage-to-screen adaptation with Oscar in its sights. But when the movie version arrived, it eschewed the … Continue reading "139 – Carnage"
Apr 05, 2021
138 – All the King’s Men
1:27:57
We’re finally getting around to one of the most notorious of aughts era failed awards plays, Steven Zaillian’s All the King’s Men. A remake of the former Best Picture winner and originally heavily predicted in the 2005 season, the adaptation was unceremoniously punted into the following year. The next September, the film had a disastrous debut … Continue reading "138 – All the King’s Men"
Mar 29, 2021
Class of 2020
1:44:18
It’s finally here: our This Had Oscar Buzz Class of 2020! Even in a COVID-impacted Oscar year that saw a longer eligibility calendar and much fewer trips to the theatre, we still have a slew of movies with Oscar hopes that were left out in the cold on nomination morning. And we are here to … Continue reading "Class of 2020"
Mar 28, 2021
137 – Live By Night
1:40:32
After landing a Best Picture winner that famously left him without a Best Director nomination for Argo, Ben Affleck made his director-star return in 2016 with Denis Lehane adaptation Live By Night. Affleck cast himself as a criminal caught between the Irish and Italian mobs in Tampa (with an ensemble that included Chris Messina, Zoe Saldana, and … Continue reading "137 – Live By Night"
Mar 22, 2021
136 – White Oleander (with Nathaniel Rogers)
1:52:12
Pfor this week’s episode, we’ve invited The Film Experience creator and Michelle Pfeiffer superpfan Nathaniel Rogers back to discuss one of our listeners most requested films, 2002′s White Oleander. Based on the beloved novel by Janet Fitch, the film stars Allison Lohman as the teenage Astrid, who is plunged into the foster care system after … Continue reading "136 – White Oleander (with Nathaniel Rogers)"
Mar 15, 2021
135 – The House of the Spirits
1:44:00
By today’s standards, this week’s film stands out for its gobsmacking cast of Meryl streep, Gleen Close, Jeremy Irons, Antonio Banderas, and Winona Ryder. But back in the 90s, The House of the Spirits caught attention as both an adaptation of Isabel Allende’s beloved novel and the biggest acquisition Miramax had ever landed. Set over decades in … Continue reading "135 – The House of the Spirits"
Mar 08, 2021
134 – Big Eyes (with Jorge Molina)
2:06:56
After years of cast announcements, a biopic of painter Margaret Keane escaped development hell thanks to director Tim Burton and Oscar hopeful Amy Adams with 2014′s Big Eyes. A departure from Burton’s late-career big-budget preexisting IP efforts, the film promised a showcase for Adams that could earn her that elusive Oscar after her previous five … Continue reading "134 – Big Eyes (with Jorge Molina)"
Mar 01, 2021
133 – The Other Boleyn Girl
1:45:17
Heavily anticipated by Oscar predictors in fall 2007, Justin Chadwick’s historical fiction The Other Boleyn Girl paired Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johnasson as their Oscar stars were rising. But when the film was rescheduled into early 2008, all signs pointed towards a disappointment that the film ultimately proved to be. With Eric Bana as King … Continue reading "133 – The Other Boleyn Girl"
Feb 22, 2021
132 – Promised Land
1:49:20
Most remembered as “that movie about fracking”, this week we are talking about 2012′s Promised Land. Originally developed and written by John Krasinski and Dave Eggers, the film began as a potential directing vehicle for Matt Damon before the star brought on his Good Will Hunting director Gus Van Sant to take the reins. Damon stars … Continue reading "132 – Promised Land"
Feb 15, 2021
131 – Tea with Mussolini
1:42:37
No matter how hard we tried, we couldn’t keep pushing this movie aside – and Tea with Mussolini breaks through for this episode for you! The film is one of Cher’s few post-Oscar films and stars the icon opposite acting legends Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Joan Plowright, and Lily Tomlin – all cast as ex-pat women raising … Continue reading "131 – Tea with Mussolini"
Feb 08, 2021
BONUS – Sundancing at Lughnasa
1:20:45
We’re bringing you a special BONUS episode to talk about all the goings on at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival! Chris and Joe both just participated in the virtual festival and have some exciting films to talk about. First, we discuss the few films eligible in this current Oscar season, including the one with (we … Continue reading "BONUS – Sundancing at Lughnasa"
Feb 05, 2021
130 – The Station Agent
1:37:49
For this episode, we’re returning to 2003 with the film that almost won the Listeners’ Choice for our previous 2003 miniseries: Tom McCarthy’s The Station Agent. Starring Peter Dinklage in his breakout role as Finn, a loner who inherits a vacant train station in rural New Jersey and reluctantly makes a small circle of friends with … Continue reading "130 – The Station Agent"
Feb 01, 2021
129 – When A Man Loves A Woman
1:38:35
For our third episode on Meg Ryan, we’re going back to 1994 with When A Man Loves a Woman. One year after her megasmash in Sleepless in Seattle, the film stars Ryan as a woman entering recovery for alcoholism and Andy Garcia as her husband struggling to find normalcy. Though the film was a critical and box … Continue reading "129 – When A Man Loves A Woman"
Jan 25, 2021
128 – Cats
2:08:18
It’s time to finally talk about such serious things as digital fur technology and the perils of tribalism – you’ve been begging for it, we’re finally talking about Cats. Our first Class of 2019 film discussed on the podcast, Cats was announced to the immediate revulsion of many, but Oscar predictors saw some possibility thanks to the participation … Continue reading "128 – Cats"
Jan 18, 2021
127 – Conviction
2:05:00
This episode, we’re looking at 2010′s Conviction starring Hilary Swank as Betty Anne Waters, a real life Massachusetts woman who earned a law degree to fight for the innocense of her brother wrongly convicted of murder. With a cast that includes Minnie Driver, Peter Gallagher, and Sam Rockwell as Betty’s jailed brother Kenny, the film received a … Continue reading "127 – Conviction"
Jan 11, 2021
126 – Reservation Road
1:46:23
For our first episode of the new year, we’re taking things back to the very This Had Oscar Buzz beginning. Back when this old podcast was just a single service Tumblr, the first THOB entry was 2007′s Reservation Road, a domestic drama starring Joaquin Phoenix and Jennifer Connelly as a family mourning the loss of a … Continue reading "126 – Reservation Road"
Jan 04, 2021
Mailbag Fishing In The Yemen
2:18:23
Happy New Year, listeners! To close out 2020, we’ve compiled all of your questions for this special mailbag episode! We kick things off by surveying the state of the current, pandemic-delayed Oscar race including First Cow’s win with New York critics. the New York Times’ 25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century list, and how the … Continue reading "Mailbag Fishing In The Yemen"
Dec 28, 2020
125 – Widows
2:02:30
You asked for it and it’s finally here! To close the year, we are doing another Listeners’ Choice episode and the landslide victor is 2018′s Widows. The follow-up to Steve McQueen’s Best Picture winning 12 Years a Slave, Widows places Viola Davis at the head of a group of Chicago women caught in the middle of political corruption when … Continue reading "125 – Widows"
Dec 21, 2020
124 – Suffragette
1:46:11
In 2015, the ongoing efforts to champion stories told by and about women placed large awards expectations on Sarah Gavron’s Suffragette. A fictionalized telling of the women’s suffrage movement in Britain, Suffragette stars Carey Mulligan as Maud, a laundress who begins as a passive outsider and becomes a passioned activist. But once it debuted at the Telluride Film … Continue reading "124 – Suffragette"
Dec 14, 2020
123 – Life As A House (with LaToya Ferguson)
1:57:08
This week, we’re looking back at Oscar buzz molded from the success of American Beauty and the (new) hope of an incoming mega-franchise star: 2001′s Life As A House. Writer and podcaster LaToya Ferguson joins us to talk about the film that stars Kevin Kline as a dying man building a dream house with his estranged troubled son, … Continue reading "123 – Life As A House (with LaToya Ferguson)"
Dec 07, 2020
122 – Me And Orson Welles
1:40:22
While cinephiles celebrate the release of Mank this week, we’re looking back at a different Citizen Kane-adjacent awards hopeful: 2009′s Me and Orson Welles. The film stars Zac Efron as a young would-be actor who is plucked from the streets and cast in Welles’ landmark stage production of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. With Christian McKay as the infamous creative force … Continue reading "122 – Me And Orson Welles"
Nov 30, 2020
121 – About Time (with Katey Rich)
1:55:37
Richard Curtis arrived in the early 90s with his Oscar-nominated screenplay for Four Weddings and A Funeral and immediately cemented a heartwarming brand of romantic British fare. In the 2000s, he leaped to the director’s chair as well, with a streak that ended in this week’s surprise box office bomb: 2013′s About Time. Once again, deputy editor of … Continue reading "121 – About Time (with Katey Rich)"
Nov 23, 2020
120 – Burn After Reading
1:49:56
After steamrolling in the previous season with No Country for Old Men, the Coen Brothers quickly returned to movie theatres with the brilliantly silly Burn After Reading. Though financially successful, the film proved divisive over the high dosage of standard Coen misanthropy despite brilliant, off-type casting for Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, and George Clooney. A veiled satire … Continue reading "120 – Burn After Reading"
Nov 16, 2020
119 – Solaris
1:40:04
After following up his 2000 Oscar triumph with audience favorite Ocean’s 11, Steven Soderbergh pivoted into a different mode in 2002, doubling up with the low-fi Full Frontal and the subject of this week’s episode: Solaris. A revisit of Stanislaw Lem’s novel (previously canonized by Andrei Tarkovsky), the film follows George Clooney as a therapist called … Continue reading "119 – Solaris"
Nov 09, 2020
118 – Far And Away
1:47:52
Plunge and scrub, listeners! We’re going back to the early 90s to look at Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, and director Ron Howard for Far and Away. The film was both an intended inch toward Oscar’s embrace for Howard and a big budget romance for the recently wed stars, attempting David Lean-level grandeur with an Irish immigrant … Continue reading "118 – Far And Away"
Nov 02, 2020
117 – Melancholia
2:01:25
This episode, we’re bringing you one of our most requested films starring one of our most requested performers. In 2011, Kirsten Dunst triumphantly returned from a short break to work with a director notorious for lauded and tumultuous collaborations with actresses, Lars Von Trier. With Melancholia, the actress stars as a woman afflicted with severe … Continue reading "117 – Melancholia"
Oct 26, 2020
116 – 54
1:42:09
1998 was a brief moment in time of Studio 54 nostalgia, thanks in part to this week’s film. Starring Mike Myers chasing prestige in a dramatic role as clubowner Steve Rubell, 54 took an inside look at the notorious, celeb-packed New York City nightclub from the eyes of a fictional bartender played by Ryan Phillippe. But no … Continue reading "116 – 54"
Oct 19, 2020
115 – The Death and Life of John F. Donovan
1:55:28
For his first English language film The Death and Life of John F. Donovan, Cannes darling Xavier Dolan assembled a stunning prestige cast that promised a major leveling up from the filmmaker. And then disaster struck. Filming began shortly after his critically reviled It’s Only the End of the World debuted and at Cannes and Dolan’s response cemented … Continue reading "115 – The Death and Life of John F. Donovan"
Oct 12, 2020
114 – Nuts
1:45:35
One of the most notorious snubs of Oscar history is the directors’ branch not nominating Barbra Streisand, even though The Prince of Tides received a Best Picture nomination and the Golden Globes awarded her Best Director for Yentl. This week’s episode looks at the one and only Streisand in a film between those two achievements: … Continue reading "114 – Nuts"
Oct 05, 2020
113 – Running With Scissors
1:48:44
Annette Bening remains one of our most beloved actresses without an Oscar, and one of the most notorious (assumed) second place finalists after losing to Hilary Swank twice. This week, we’re looking at her turn as a mentally ill poet and mother in 2006′s Running With Scissors, adapted from the famously outrageous memoir by Augusten Burroughs. … Continue reading "113 – Running With Scissors"
Sep 28, 2020
112 – Goya’s Ghosts
1:45:47
Famous among Oscar predictors in the mid aughts, this week’s film had high sight unseen expectations that were thwarted by a prolonged release and dismal reviews. After twice winning Best Director, Miloš Forman followed a biopic heavy run in the 90s with the costume drama Goya’s Ghosts starring Natalie Portman and Javier Bardem. Cradling the … Continue reading "112 – Goya’s Ghosts"
Sep 21, 2020
BONUS – And From Canada, Virtual Festival (A TIFF ’20 Recap)
1:17:11
BONUS EPISODE ALERT! Though physically returning to the Toronto International Film Festival this year proved impossible, we are delighted to bring you a special dispatch from the virtual festival. This year, TIFF went online (while still providing in-person screenings for Canadian viewers) and we unpack the awards potential from the lineup! We get into heavy … Continue reading "BONUS – And From Canada, Virtual Festival (A TIFF ’20 Recap)"
Sep 19, 2020
111 – Much Ado About Nothing
2:00:25
We’re tackling our first Shakespeare adaptation this week with Kenneth Branagh’s Much Ado About Nothing. After launching immediately into Oscar’s good graces with his directorial debut Henry V, Branagh returned to the Bard with this lighter and more star-studded adaptation – but couldn’t match that previous film’s favor. With a cast featuring Emma Thompson, Denzel … Continue reading "111 – Much Ado About Nothing"
Sep 14, 2020
110 – The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)
1:44:19
Netflix and the Academy have had a rapidly evolving relationship in the past several years. This week, we look at the short trajectory from demonstrative shutout for Beasts of No Nation to a potential domination this season with a discussion of their 2017 awards also-ran The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected). The less heralded and less seen of … Continue reading "110 – The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)"
Sep 07, 2020
109 – The Way Way Back
1:54:08
We decided to end the summer with another Listeners’ Choice episode and your triumphant film was 2013′s Sundance title The Way Way Back. The film was another massive Sundance buy for Fox Searchlight, who sold it to audiences very much in the mold of its successful Little Miss Sunshine. But even with two of Sunshine’s Toni Collette and … Continue reading "109 – The Way Way Back"
Aug 31, 2020
108 – A Dangerous Method
2:07:19
If you look at many of the bizarre and not-safe-for-work fascinations embedded in the filmography of David Cronenberg, it might be surprising that the auteur’s work ever made it close to Oscar conversations. But this week, we’re looking at one of his films that did: 2011′s Freud and Jung horny costume drama A Dangerous Method. … Continue reading "108 – A Dangerous Method"
Aug 24, 2020
107 – Prime
1:50:48
We’re back to discussing Meryl Streep (for the SIXTH time!) this episode for a film starring the legend opposite an actress who was overlooked for a defining work. After Oscar ignored the hyperviolent Kill Bill films and its iconic star, Uma Thurman seemed poised for future Oscar success. When she was cast opposite Streep for … Continue reading "107 – Prime"
Aug 17, 2020
106 – Dr. T and the Women
1:40:45
This episode, we’re returning to the career of Robert Altman for one of the most bizarre films we’ve ever discussed. With a stacked female cast surrounding Richard Gere as a beloved Texan gynecologist, 2000′s Dr. T and The Women baffled audiences straight to its well-earned F CinemaScore. Erased from our memories one year later by the Oscar … Continue reading "106 – Dr. T and the Women"
Aug 10, 2020
105 – Somewhere (with George Civeris)
1:55:49
After reaching Oscar success in 2003 with Lost in Transalation, Sofia Coppola has stayed mostly on the fringes of Oscar conversations with her distinct but understated filmography. This week, comedian and StraightioLab cohost George Civeris joins us to look back at perhaps her quietest film, 2010′s Somewhere. Starring Stephen Dorff as a B-movie star and Elle Fanning … Continue reading "105 – Somewhere (with George Civeris)"
Aug 03, 2020
104 – The Terminal
1:56:57
Soak this one up, listeners, because this episode we’re taking one of the very few opportunities for us to talk about Steven Spielberg. The beloved director has one of the best Oscar track records in history, earning nominations for all but five of his feature films – including this week’s misfire, 2004′s The Terminal. Tom Hanks … Continue reading "104 – The Terminal"
Jul 27, 2020
103 – Natural Born Killers
1:45:31
This week, we’re going back to the mid-90s to visit Oliver Stone’s highly controversial skewering of the muckraking, blood-thirsty media landscape. Natural Born Killers arrived in late summer 1994 and immediately started a firestorm of outraged Republicans and a number of copycat killings. While an audacious and uncompromising satire, the violence of its central Mickey and Mallory … Continue reading "103 – Natural Born Killers"
Jul 20, 2020
102 – The Walk
1:43:32
Bonjour, listeners! This week, we’re returning to the work of Robert Zemeckis for a film whose buzz was built first by an Oscar winning documentary. In 2008, Man on Wire steamrolled the documentary race with the telling of highwire artist Philippe Petit’s daring tightrope performance between the World Trade Center towers – leading Zemeckis to give Petit the … Continue reading "102 – The Walk"
Jul 13, 2020
101 – Flawless
1:58:46
Philip Seymour Hoffman had a breakout 1999, winning critics prizes for performances in two films that just missed the Best Picture cut but landed his flashier costars with Supporting Actor nominations: Magnolia and The Talented Mr. Ripley. But this week, we’re discussing another less-praised film of his that year that nevertheless landed him a Lead Actor nomination at … Continue reading "101 – Flawless"
Jul 06, 2020
100 – mother!
2:31:30
We have finally arrived at a major milestone – our 100th episode!! To commemorate the occasion, we’re looking back at the notoriously divisive 2017 discourse factory, Darren Aronofsky’s mother!. An environmental allegory of biblical proportions, mother! arrived after a cryptic marketing campaign with few plot details beyond the promise of a horror spectacle and megastar Jennifer Lawrence at … Continue reading "100 – mother!"
Jun 29, 2020
099 – Proof
1:54:36
We’re looking to the stage for this week’s episode! After being awarded the Pultizer Prize for Drama, a Tony success, and two years on Broadway, Oscar obsessives looked to the big screen adaptation of Proof to continue its slew of trophies. With Gwyneth Paltrow reprising her role from the London stage (along with that production’s director and Shakespeare … Continue reading "099 – Proof"
Jun 22, 2020
098 – Lee Daniels’ The Butler (with Jourdain Searles)
1:52:59
One year after giving us Nicole Kidman peeing on Zach Efron in The Paperboy, Lee Daniels delivered a late summer hit and Oscar hopeful with The Butler. Starring then-recent Best Actor winner Forrest Whitaker as Cecil Gaines, a White House butler to eight presidents, the film follows the arc of civil rights in America through the lens … Continue reading "098 – Lee Daniels’ The Butler (with Jourdain Searles)"
Jun 15, 2020
097 – The Others
1:45:22
We are taking the rare This Had Oscar Buzz stroll through the horror genre this week and also discussing the rare case of a performer possibly splitting their own vote. The Academy rules state that one performer cannot be nominated for two performances in the same category, and one case against that rule was Nicole … Continue reading "097 – The Others"
Jun 08, 2020
096 – Nurse Betty (with Rob Scheer)
1:44:42
Renée Zellweger’s three year run with Oscar in the early 2000s makes for oft-discussed trajectory, perhaps so much so that we don’t always remember her near nomination the year before it all began. This week, film publicist Rob Scheer joins us to look back at her Golden Globe winning performance in Nurse Betty, a dark comedy … Continue reading "096 – Nurse Betty (with Rob Scheer)"
Jun 01, 2020
095 – St. Vincent (Naomi Watts – Part Four)
1:59:51
Nao-May comes to a close this week with St. Vincent, the 2014 film that starred Bill Murray as an old codger who learns to love while caring for a not-quite-precocious preteen. The dramedy targeted that elusive follow-up nomination for Murray after losing out for Lost in Translation a decade prior, not to mention holding promise … Continue reading "095 – St. Vincent (Naomi Watts – Part Four)"
May 25, 2020
094 – Diana (with Richard Lawson) (Naomi Watts – Part Three)
1:36:52
As our Naomi Watts miniseries continues into its third week, we come to the biggest misfire therein: 2013’s reviled biopic Diana. With Watts taking on titular role, the film follows Princess Diana in her final days and her thwarted romantic relationship with surgeon Hasnat Khan (played bby Naveen Andrews). But in an attempt to avoid … Continue reading "094 – Diana (with Richard Lawson) (Naomi Watts – Part Three)"
May 18, 2020
093 – The Painted Veil (Naomi Watts – Part Two)
1:46:20
Our second episode on the Oscar trajectory of Naomi Watts brings us to 2006’s The Painted Veil, a W. Somerset Maugham adaptation set during a cholera outbreak in 1920s China. Watts starred opposite Edward Norton as a combative English couple whose love rekindles after an affair, with the actress’s then-boyfriend Liev Schreiber as the other man. … Continue reading "093 – The Painted Veil (Naomi Watts – Part Two)"
May 11, 2020
092 – Le Divorce (with Bobby Finger) (Naomi Watts – Part One)
1:33:11
We kick off our Nao-May miniseries this week with contemporary Merchant Ivory misfire Le Divorce. After missing out on a nomination for Mulholland Drive, Naomi Watts’ first foray with prestige filmmaking was this literary adaptation about two American sisters in Paris caught in the cultural crossfires of French perspectives on love and legality. Opposite the … Continue reading "092 – Le Divorce (with Bobby Finger) (Naomi Watts – Part One)"
May 04, 2020
BONUS – We Like Her With The Bonnet
46:40
This May, we are kicking off our second ever miniseries by taking a month-long dive into the filmography and Oscar history of Naomi Watts. Coming this month: we’re talking Le Divorce, The Painted Veil, Diana, and St. Vincent. And to kick things off, we are bringing you a special mini episode to set the stage … Continue reading "BONUS – We Like Her With The Bonnet"
May 03, 2020
091 – Zodiac
2:06:44
2007 was a stacked year for the major names in cinema offering bleak masterpieces and one that got left in the dust was David Fincher’s Zodiac. The film meticulously details the notorious serial killer’s exploits and aftermath with a large ensemble and the obsessive attention to detail that has become synonymous with the auteur. Arriving … Continue reading "091 – Zodiac"
Apr 28, 2020
090 – Magic Mike
2:07:42
Based loosely on star Channing Tatum’s experience as an exotic dancer, 2012’s Magic Mike lured director Steven Soderbergh out of his ongoing “retirement” and became a summer smash. Women loved it, men loved, the critics loved it – except the Academy did not. Though released during the full swing of the McConnaissance, it would take … Continue reading "090 – Magic Mike"
Apr 20, 2020
089 – The Rainmaker
1:52:40
Francis Ford Coppola is a legendary director among Oscar lore thanks to the Corleone family, and this week’s episode pairs him with a name that resulted in much ‘90s cinematic prestige: John Grisham. After a string of hit adaptations that danced with major Oscar consideration, Coppola took his shot at Grisham’s The Rainmaker. But despite … Continue reading "089 – The Rainmaker"
Apr 13, 2020
088 – Alfie (with Griffin Newman)
2:23:51
We’re taking it back to Jude Law’s infamously busy 2004 this week and we’ve got a special guest to help dissect it. Actor and cohost of the Blank Check with Griffin and David podcast Griffin Newman joins us to discuss Alfie, the modernized remake of the 1966 Best Picture nominee with Law filling Michael Caine’s … Continue reading "088 – Alfie (with Griffin Newman)"
Apr 06, 2020
087 – The Bucket List
1:38:01
This week, we’re crossing a big one off our list. Arriving at the tail end of a very serious-minded 2007, Rob Reiner gave us The Bucket List, a globetrotting buddy comedy about two eldery men with cancer starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. Thanks to its two major stars and an early Best Of mention … Continue reading "087 – The Bucket List"
Mar 30, 2020
086 – The Bonfire of the Vanities
1:41:36
We’ve got our oldest movie yet this week and it’s a doozy! In 1990, auteur Brian DePalma gave us a prestige adaptation of the most lauded novel of the 80s and faceplanted to notorious depths. This week, we’re talking about a bomb of era-defining proportions – brace yourself for The Bonfire of the Vanities! Headlined by … Continue reading "086 – The Bonfire of the Vanities"
Mar 23, 2020
085 – Exodus: Gods and Kings
1:52:02
We as Oscar watchers can’t quit predicting Ridley Scott just like Ridley Scott can’t stop making historical epics that end up underwhelming. In 2014, he gave us one of them – a retelling of Moses story (minus all that religion) called Exodus: Gods and Kings. With Christian Bale at the forefront, the film stirred controversy … Continue reading "085 – Exodus: Gods and Kings"
Mar 17, 2020
084 – Burlesque (with Oliver Sava)
2:06:25
Come Oscar nomination morning, sometimes you show a little more, sometimes you show a little less. You know we stan Diane Warren, and this week, we’re talking about Burlesque. Yes, back in 2010, even this new camp classic earned it’s flashes of Oscar hope, as most post-Chicago musicals did. While it was the big screen … Continue reading "084 – Burlesque (with Oliver Sava)"
Mar 10, 2020
083 – Captain Corelli’s Mandolin
1:46:51
For this week’s episode, we have another quintessential prestige picture that flubbed with Oscar: it’s-a Captain Corelli’s Mandolin! Coming off of a Best Picture win with Shakespeare in Love, director John Madden returned with a WWII romance set on a gorgeous Greek island between recent Oscar winner Nicolas Cage and next-big-thing Penélope Cruz. But this … Continue reading "083 – Captain Corelli’s Mandolin"
Mar 03, 2020
082 – Stranger Than Fiction (with Kevin Jacobsen)
1:35:44
This week we’re returning to a subject that never fails to summon Oscar buzz: comedic actors going dramatic. For this round, we welcome And The Runner Up Is host and writer for Gold Derby Kevin Jacobsen to discuss 2006′s Stranger Than Fiction. The high-concept seriocomedy starred Will Ferrell in his first major attempt at a … Continue reading "082 – Stranger Than Fiction (with Kevin Jacobsen)"
Feb 25, 2020
081 – Finding Forrester
1:29:01
After the disasterous reception to his shot-for-shot remake of Psycho, Gus Van Sant returned to territory closer to his previous Oscar success with 2000′s Finding Forrester. Another tale of a prodigy in academia, the film follows newcomer Rob Brown as a young writer who stumbles into the guidance of a famed recluse writer William Forrester, … Continue reading "081 – Finding Forrester"
Feb 17, 2020
080 – Enough Said (with Mathew Rodriguez)
1:42:03
One one our favorite female filmmakers to hover just outside of Oscar’s graces is Nicole Holofcener, and this week The Body’s Mathew Rodriguez joins us to talk about one of her more recent films: 2013′s Enough Said. The romantic comedy stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus as a single mother preparing to send her daughter off to college … Continue reading "080 – Enough Said (with Mathew Rodriguez)"
Feb 11, 2020
079 – A Love Song for Bobby Long
1:40:34
The Golden Globes have a standing reputation for oddball nominations and this week we are discussing one of the peak examples: 2004′s A Love Song for Bobby Long. The film follows Scarlett Johansson as [ahem] Purslane Hominy Will, a young woman who inherits a home from her estranged mother only to find it occupied by … Continue reading "079 – A Love Song for Bobby Long"
Feb 03, 2020
078 – One Hour Photo (with Matt Jacobs)
1:43:20
After Robin Williams finally won his Academy Award for Good Will Hunting, unfortunately the next few years were a series of less-than-well-received projects after another. But after a quick break, Williams transitioned from more sentimental films into a run of dark and creepy material – including this week’s film, the stalking psychodrama One Hour Photo. … Continue reading "078 – One Hour Photo (with Matt Jacobs)"
Jan 28, 2020
Class of 2019
1:48:56
With last week’s announcement of this year’s Academy Award nominees, we can now discuss the episode a year in the making (or, in the case of The Current War, several years): the This Had Oscar Buzz Class of 2019. In keeping with last year’s tradition, we’ve broken the films up into several categories: The Cake … Continue reading "Class of 2019"
Jan 21, 2020
077 – Seven Years in Tibet
1:24:56
As Brad Pitt cements his status as a frontrunner in this year’s Oscar race for his performance in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, we decided to take another look back at his reign as prestige hottie in the 90s. After nearly missing a win on his first nomination for 12 Monkeys, Brad Pitt’s red … Continue reading "077 – Seven Years in Tibet"
Jan 14, 2020
076 – In Her Shoes
1:41:23
Though it was not the victor of our Listeners’ Choice, the very vocal fans of In Her Shoes told us we shouldn’t make you wait for this one any longer. Starring Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette, this one has slowly gained its admirers after  disappointing box office and failing to turn Shirley MacLaine’s 2005 comeback … Continue reading "076 – In Her Shoes"
Jan 06, 2020
075 – Cloud Atlas
1:54:18
We’re bringing 2019 to a close with another Listeners’ Choice, and our listeners have chosen perhaps what will be our most daunting title yet: 2012′s interconnected science fiction opus from Lana & Lilly Wachowski and Tom Tykwer, Cloud Atlas! This tale of several stories spanning generations, genres, and continents launched its Oscar hopes with a … Continue reading "075 – Cloud Atlas"
Dec 31, 2019
A Holiday Mailbag!
2:03:07
As an exciting holiday treat to show our love to our lovely listeners, Joe and Chris have wrapped up a special mailbag episode to answer all of your burning questions! This week, we’ll be unpacking everything from This Had Oscar Buzz lore to the current Oscar season to Oscar history. We’ll be looking back at … Continue reading "A Holiday Mailbag!"
Dec 23, 2019
074 – Welcome to Marwen
1:36:34
We’re cracking open the lid on the coffin of the This Had Oscar Buzz Class of 2018 for the first time this week! And as promised, the first title that we’re diving into is Robert Zemeckis’s uncanny valley disasterpeace Welcome to Marwen. Based on the documentary Marwencol and the life of artist Mark Hogancamp, the … Continue reading "074 – Welcome to Marwen"
Dec 17, 2019
073 – Hairspray (with Cameron Scheetz)
2:04:10
We’ve got a film notorious in the history of the IMDb Game this week: 2007′s Hairspray! After pointing out the film’s omnipresence in our trademark game during our first Mailbag episode, the nicest kid in town The AV Club’s Cameron Scheetz joins us this episode to talk about the film’s delights, from its stellar cast … Continue reading "073 – Hairspray (with Cameron Scheetz)"
Dec 10, 2019
072 – I Heart Huckabees
1:59:56
Fox Searchlight celebrates their 25th anniversary this year, and this week we’re looking back at their ascension to the Oscar titan that they are today. While 2004 saw Sideways become instrumental in their rise, they also shepherded a different offbeat comedy ultimately too quirky for Oscar’s tastes: David O. Russell’s farce I Heart Huckabees. The … Continue reading "072 – I Heart Huckabees"
Dec 03, 2019
071 – Pan (with Katey Rich)
2:04:34
This week, we welcome back our first ever returning guest: VanityFair.com deputy editor Katey Rich! And what better topic to discuss (as mutual defenders of the work of director Joe Wright) than 2015′s Pan? The film was yet another retelling of the Peter Pan story, this time arriving amidst expectations for Wright to deliver another … Continue reading "071 – Pan (with Katey Rich)"
Nov 26, 2019
070 – Prêt-à-Porter (Ready to Wear)
1:32:17
Robert Altman had a major comeback in the early 90s, scoring back-to-back lone Director nominations for The Player and Short Cuts. His follow-up, 1994′s Prêt-à-Porter (that’s Ready to Wear for American audiences and fellow philistines), aimed to skewer Paris Fashion Week to comedic effect, but instead ended Altman’s Oscar hot streak that wouldn’t be reignited … Continue reading "070 – Prêt-à-Porter (Ready to Wear)"
Nov 19, 2019
069 – Ladies in Lavender (with Danita Steinberg)
1:42:01
A perfect example of an early, long-list Oscar prediction movie, 2005′s Ladies in Lavender arrived after multiple festivals to a successful arthouse run thanks to the presence of its Dame headliners Judi Dench and Maggie Smith. But despite coming in the era primed to reward this kind of women’s picture and both actresses in particular, … Continue reading "069 – Ladies in Lavender (with Danita Steinberg)"
Nov 12, 2019
068 – The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
1:22:02
In the fall festival season, a primo premiere status can assert a film as having major Oscar ambitions. This week’s title, 2013′s The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, is a such a case – after debuting an eye-catching trailer, the film debuted as the centerpiece selection of that year’s New York Film Festival. But this … Continue reading "068 – The Secret Life of Walter Mitty"
Nov 05, 2019
067 – Cadillac Records (with Jourdain Searles)
1:56:07
This week, Bitch Media writer and Bad Romance podcast host Jourdain Searles joins us to talk about 2008′s musical multi-biopic Cadillac Records. Most famous for Beyoncé’s performance as Etta James, the film arrived when audiences and Oscar were getting fatigued with the genre. But detailing the groundbreaking Chess Records, the film spreads its attentions over … Continue reading "067 – Cadillac Records (with Jourdain Searles)"
Oct 29, 2019
066 – Bounce
1:34:47
This episode, we have another psychotic romance for you with 2000′s Bounce. One of Miramax’s 2000 awards-hopeful misfires (which ultimately led to the rise of Chocolat), the film stars Gwyneth Paltrow and Ben Affleck as two would-be lovers brought together by a plane crash – only she doesn’t know that he’s the one that gave … Continue reading "066 – Bounce"
Oct 22, 2019
065 – Bringing Out The Dead
1:51:04
With the incoming arrival of a new Martin Scorsese film with The Irishman, naturally we had to talk about the master, right? But rare is the film that results in no Oscar nominations for Scorsese – except for this week’s film which came at the end of the director’s downward trend with the Academy. Even … Continue reading "065 – Bringing Out The Dead"
Oct 15, 2019
064 – The Evening Star
1:35:59
Is there a faster fast track to Oscar buzz than being a sequel to a Best Picture winner? While there may not be much of a sample pool beyond The Godfather series, 1996 gave us The Evening Star, a follow-up to Terms of Endearment and Shirley MacLaine’s Aurora Greenway. This time without writer/director James L. … Continue reading "064 – The Evening Star"
Oct 07, 2019
063 – Morning Glory
1:33:09
What was it that placed a light comedy like Morning Glory on early Oscar predictions in 2010? Was it the potential for a morning news riff on Broadcast News brilliance? The ascendancy of Rachel McAdams that we knew would eventually pay off with an acting nomination? Or the late career turn as journalist curmudgeon from … Continue reading "063 – Morning Glory"
Sep 30, 2019
062 – Miss Potter
1:25:45
Certainly one of the biggest Oscar narratives this season will be Renée Zellweger’s return to the big screen, starring as the timeless Judy Garland in Judy. So to mark the occasion (with Chris highly anticipatory and Joe more hesitant in how far Judy can go), we’re discussing one of the actress’ few attempts at Oscar … Continue reading "062 – Miss Potter"
Sep 23, 2019
061 – Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
1:25:17
A title that became a punchline all its own, this week we are discussing 2012′s Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. A light romantic drama about project management and Western relationships with the Middle East, Lasse Hallström’s film accidentally stumbled into the Oscar race when the Golden Globes decided the film was a comedy and gave … Continue reading "061 – Salmon Fishing in the Yemen"
Sep 17, 2019
And From Canada MAILBAG!
2:13:44
You asked for it and it’s finally here! While Joe and Chris are away at TIFF, we are bringing you our first ever MAILBAG EPISODE! We have been taking your questions in the recent weeks and are so excited to bring you this jumbo sized episode devoted just to the Oscar obsessive minutiae that you … Continue reading "And From Canada MAILBAG!"
Sep 10, 2019
060 – Miss Sloane (with Kevin O’Keeffe)
2:00:45
Jessica Chastain emerged nearly a decade ago with a bevy of roles in major Oscar films like The Tree of Life and The Help and immediately cemented her place as a performer destined for Oscar. After a second nomination for Zero Dark Thirty, her roles after have all garnered some Oscar talk including John Madden’s … Continue reading "060 – Miss Sloane (with Kevin O’Keeffe)"
Sep 02, 2019
059 – Vanity Fair
1:24:44
This week, we’re looking back at a film that arrived too early in 2004′s Oscar season and received too mild of a response to eventually make Oscar’s lineup. From the classic William Makepeace Thackeray classic novel, Mira Nair’s Vanity Fair arrived corseted into Labor Day weekend and quickly disappeared from theatres and the conversation at … Continue reading "059 – Vanity Fair"
Aug 27, 2019
058 – Men, Women & Children
1:50:50
A film that uses Pale Blue Dot as a quasi-pickup line and features a couple aligning their sex life with 9/11, Men, Women & Children is likely one of the most maligned films we’ve ever discussed. Directed by Jason Reitman and adapted from the novel by Chad Kultgen, the film stars a large ensemble of … Continue reading "058 – Men, Women & Children"
Aug 20, 2019
057 – Truth
1:40:01
Not only are we Oscar historians here on This Had Oscar Buzz, we are also the Illuminati of Vanderbilts. This week, we look at the directorial debut of Zodiac screenwriter James Vanderbilt Truth. Detailing 60 Minutes’ expose on President George W. Bush’s military service that ended in Dan Rather’s demise, the film starred Cate Blanchett … Continue reading "057 – Truth"
Aug 13, 2019
056 – All The Pretty Horses
1:35:50
This week, we have a deceptively titled film that was also sold deceptively to audiences in 2000. Billy Bob Thornton’s Cormac McCarthy adaptation All The Pretty Horses was supposed to be an old-fashioned romantic epic filled with sweeping landscapes and big emotions – but what audiences got on Christmas morning was a bleak western about … Continue reading "056 – All The Pretty Horses"
Aug 06, 2019
055 – The Majestic
1:41:53
This episode we arrive at two inevitable discussion points for Joe and Chris. First, a fifteen minute discussion of the Cats trailer. Second, a look at an essential This Had Oscar Buzz title: Frank Darabont’s 2001 melodrama The Majestic. The film arrived in theatres during the Christmas holiday with most of its awards hype trailing … Continue reading "055 – The Majestic"
Jul 30, 2019
054 – J. Edgar
1:48:56
We’re taking a trip back this week to some of the darkest days in the “Get Leo an Oscar” saga: Clint Eastwood’s J. Edgar. The film starred Leonardo DiCaprio and detailed the many political exploits of J. Edgar Hoover and his efforts to stomp out communism. The actor would get close to a nomination (after … Continue reading "054 – J. Edgar"
Jul 23, 2019
053 – Random Hearts
1:25:24
Get ready for another Movie That Does Not Exist – except evidence of this week’s film is provided in one of the most iconic EW Fall Movie Preview covers! Yes, in 1999 Random Hearts promised us sexy Harrison Ford and Kristin Scott Thomas in a pool and instead it gave us… a creepy dry hump … Continue reading "053 – Random Hearts"
Jul 16, 2019
052 – Frankie and Johnny
1:36:31
We’re going all the way back to 1991 for this week’s episode on Gary Marshall’s take on the Terrence McNally two-hander Frankie and Johnny. Here is a film that was a convergence of several Oscar narratives: Al Pacino’s lengthy overdue status, Michelle Pfeiffer’s prestige ascent, and Marshall’s follow-up to the success of Pretty Woman. The … Continue reading "052 – Frankie and Johnny"
Jul 09, 2019
051 – I Saw the Light (with Erica Mann)
1:42:18
Can you believe it’s taken us this long to discuss that genre Oscar so adores, the musical biopic? This week, Erica Mann joins us for one of the most reviled paint-by-numbers biopics and a little bit of yeehaw with 2016′s I Saw The Light. The film stars Tom Hiddleston as Hank Williams and Elizabeth Olsen … Continue reading "051 – I Saw the Light (with Erica Mann)"
Jul 02, 2019
050 – Bobby
1:40:53
Can you believe we have made it to our 50TH EPISODE?! And for the occasion, we’ve allowed you the listeners to pick the film we are discussing – and you’ve chosen Bobby, Emilio Estevez’s 2006 film about the day Robert Kennedy was assassinated at the Ambassdor Hotel during the 1968 Democratic presidential primary! The film … Continue reading "050 – Bobby"
Jun 25, 2019
049 – Stonewall
1:23:51
This Pride season honors the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots – and here on This Had Oscar Buzz, we are taking a look at the film that only did so in lip service. From director Roland Emmerich, Stonewall is a cautionary case against the kind of year-ahead Oscar predictions that are made without much … Continue reading "049 – Stonewall"
Jun 17, 2019
048 – Rendition
1:30:27
With the return of Big Little Lies to our television screens, we’re taking a look at a film starring one of the Monterey Five’s key players and her newly arrived nemesis. No, that outdoor coffee shop wasn’t the first time someone demanded answers between Reese Witherspoon and Meryl Streep – they first squared off in … Continue reading "048 – Rendition"
Jun 11, 2019
BONUS – A Kiss At The End of 2003’s Rainbow
51:38
To wrap up our 2003 miniseries, Joe and Chris take a final look at the Oscar year that was 2003 in this special episode! We take a guess at what the remaining five films would be in a year of ten Best Picture nominees, share our personal ballots, and hint at what future This Had … Continue reading "BONUS – A Kiss At The End of 2003’s Rainbow"
Jun 04, 2019
047 – In The Cut (2003 – Part Four)
1:28:12
For our fourth of four films in our 2003 miniseries, we placed the responsibility squarely on you: the listener. (Please try to disregard  that Joe repeatedly refers to “readers” in this episode; to him, podcasts are books you read with your ears.) Out of a poll that included The Company, Shattered Glass, and The Station Agent, you chose director … Continue reading "047 – In The Cut (2003 – Part Four)"
May 27, 2019
046 – The Human Stain (2003 – Part Three)
1:27:43
This week we bring you the Stefon of the 2003 Oscar race: Anthony Hopkins inadvertently saying racial slurs, Nicole Kidman with curly hair, a cringeworthy adaptation of Philip Roth, holdover from the Monica Lewinsky scandal, cast members from The Real World London. It was only inevitable that we would eventually discuss The Human Stain, but … Continue reading "046 – The Human Stain (2003 – Part Three)"
May 21, 2019
045 – Sylvia (2003 – Part Two)
1:12:03
We continue our month-long look at the 2003 Oscar year with what could be the poster child for bland biopics: Sylvia. Starring Gwyneth Paltrow as poet Sylvia Plath, the film paint-by-numbered its way to box office and critical failure that inappropriately obsessed over the artist’s untimely death rather than the impact of her work. A … Continue reading "045 – Sylvia (2003 – Part Two)"
May 14, 2019
044 – The Missing (2003 – Part One)
1:18:12
With this episode, we officially begin our month-long miniseries on the 2003 Oscar year! We are beginning with a high profile failure from a major director: Ron Howard’s The Missing starring Cate Blanchett and Tommy Lee Jones. After winning the Oscar in 2001 for A Beautiful Mind, Ron Howard aimed to cash in on that … Continue reading "044 – The Missing (2003 – Part One)"
May 07, 2019
BONUS – A 2003 Rendezvous
1:04:02
To kick off our 2003 miniseries, we are bringing you this special bonus episode! Here we will lay the groundwork for what the expectations were for the Oscar season before we discuss our four chosen films – The Missing, Sylvia, The Human Stain, and our first Listeners’ Choice In The Cut! Joe and Chris also … Continue reading "BONUS – A 2003 Rendezvous"
May 05, 2019
043 – The Girl on the Train
1:32:41
The Girl on the Train will likely be remembered for following in the mold that Gone Girl had previously set for it, thanks to both books literary phenomenon status. However when it came time for a movie adaptation, The Girl on the Train chased that would-be spiritual predecessor’s formula without achieving its critical success. But … Continue reading "043 – The Girl on the Train"
Apr 30, 2019
042 – Evening (with Richard Lawson)
1:23:51
This Had Oscar Buzz has always been a long day’s journey into Evening! In 2007, the film strangely opened in the summer and quickly became the poster child for the “Oscar bait” moniker. Starring a massive female ensemble including [inhales sharply] Claire Danes, Toni Collette, Vanessa Redgrave, Natasha Richardson, Glenn Close, Mamie Gummer, Eileen Atkins … Continue reading "042 – Evening (with Richard Lawson)"
Apr 23, 2019
041 – The Ice Storm
1:26:42
Hello Charles! This week, we talk about a real headscratcher: how did Ang Lee’s The Ice Storm get no Oscar nominations? Debuting at the Cannes Film Festival and Lee’s follow-up to his first Oscar success Sense and Sensibility, The Ice Storm is perhaps even more critically beloved than when it debuted in 1997. But this … Continue reading "041 – The Ice Storm"
Apr 15, 2019
040 – Love and Other Drugs (with Nate Jones)
1:38:44
Can you believe that in 2010 we got Oscar buzz for a film about the rise of Viagara in the 90s that was also a sexy romance and was also about Parkinson’s AND was directed by your dad’s favorite director of macho war epics? It came true – we’re finally talking about Love and Other … Continue reading "040 – Love and Other Drugs (with Nate Jones)"
Apr 09, 2019
039 – Suburbicon
1:18:21
2017 was a rough year for Paramount and their awards slate, but none of their films bombed as hard as George Clooney’s Suburbicon. Retooled by Clooney and his writing partner Grant Heslov from a Coen Brothers’ script that sat unproduced for 30 years, the Coens’ brand of misanthropic crime saga is infused with a very … Continue reading "039 – Suburbicon"
Apr 02, 2019
038 – Shopgirl (with Pamela Ribon)
1:15:09
2005′s Shopgirl looked like a safe Oscar bet on paper – a whimsical, lighthearted romance with Claire Danes taking her ascendancy into lead roles and Steve Martin capitalizing on an Oscar shutout narrative that began in the 80s with All of Me. But its Oscar chances died once the film arrived in the May-December shadow … Continue reading "038 – Shopgirl (with Pamela Ribon)"
Mar 26, 2019
037 – The Gift
1:19:32
Before Sam Raimi went into the Spider-Verse, he tipped a toe into prestige waters with A Simple Plan before misfiring with The Gift. The 2000 film starred Cate Blanchett as southern clairvoyant helping solving the murder of a local woman (played by an off-type Katie Holmes) and also her damaged friends Hilary Swank and Giovanni … Continue reading "037 – The Gift"
Mar 19, 2019
036 – Where the Wild Things Are
1:37:38
Director Spike Jonze is somewhat of an Oscar anomaly, successfully turning oddities like Being John Malkovitch, Adaptation, and Her into auteur films embraced by the Academy. This week’s episode focuses on perhaps his riskiest and most personal film: 2009′s adaptation of children’s classic Where the WIld Things Are. The film was expensive and divisive, loved … Continue reading "036 – Where the Wild Things Are"
Mar 12, 2019
035 – Meet Joe Black (with Bobby Finger)
1:24:35
Can anyone today compare to how red hot of an actor Brad Pitt was in the 90s? After following his Oscar nomination for Twelve Monkeys with dual failed Oscar bait (The Devil’s Own and Seven Years in Tibet, for those keeping score at home), Pitt’s next headlining gig was a prestige fiasco: 1998′s Meet Joe … Continue reading "035 – Meet Joe Black (with Bobby Finger)"
Mar 05, 2019
034 – Riding in Cars With Boys (with Bowen Yang)
1:29:56
Penny Marshall’s passing last year reminded us of how unfortunately she never got her due as a respected director. Never was that more clear than the critical drubbing that was met with 2001′s Riding in Cars With Boys. On paper this one looked to capitalize on Drew Barrymore’s post Charlie’s Angels success and Penny’s previous … Continue reading "034 – Riding in Cars With Boys (with Bowen Yang)"
Feb 25, 2019
033 – Rent
1:21:37
Once intended to be adapted for the screen by Spike Lee, the Pulitzer-winning musical Rent made its leap to the big screen in 2005 amid impossible expectations. Having helped usher in the modern era of Broadway blockbusters, this one had to live up to the dreams of its massive fanbase but also the shadow cast … Continue reading "033 – Rent"
Feb 19, 2019
032 – Ricki and the Flash
1:31:47
After a string of August (yes, early buzzed) hits, Meryl Streep collaborated with two Oscar-winning names that sent Oscar obsessives to get lost in their rock and roll: director Jonathan Demme and screenwriter Diablo Cody. 2015′s Ricki and the Flash didn’t set the box office on fire and a very competitive Best Actress year possibly … Continue reading "032 – Ricki and the Flash"
Feb 12, 2019
031 – How to Make an American Quilt
1:23:06
Coming off of two successive Oscar nominations, Winona Ryder led an immaculate female ensemble for Jocelyn Moorhouse’s How to Make an American Quilt. But instead of furthering Ryder’s mounting Oscar narrative, the film wound up as a surprise SAG Ensemble nominee – and, as Joe and Chris argue, a welcome one. This week, we take … Continue reading "031 – How to Make an American Quilt"
Feb 04, 2019
Class Of 2018
1:26:16
An episode an entire year in the making – we’re welcoming This Had Oscar Buzz’s Class of 2018 into the fold! As requested, we’re running down all of this past year’s films that had lofty Academy Award aspirations and were left with nothing come last week’s nomination morning. And not to confuse these new inductees … Continue reading "Class Of 2018"
Jan 29, 2019
030 – Brothers
1:14:06
Our episode this week is on a film that once dominated the earliest Oscar predictions for 2009: Jim Sheridan’s American remake of Brothers. Led by Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Natalie Portman, the film repurposed Susanne Bier’s film as another in a line of film’s to take on the war in Afghanistan – and like … Continue reading "030 – Brothers"
Jan 22, 2019
029 – To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday (with Gavin Mevius)
1:45:35
This week, we dive into our pfirst Pfeiffer and it’s also pforgotten Pfeiffer. To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday arrived in 1996, coasting on a triple threat of Oscar buzz: a popular stage play, adapted by the Picket Fences team of David E. Kelley and Michael Pressman, and starring the beloved Michelle Pfeiffer as its … Continue reading "029 – To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday (with Gavin Mevius)"
Jan 15, 2019
028 – The Paperboy
1:20:19
An episode that asks that oft-repeated eternal question: will the Academy ever be ready for a movie where Nicole Kidman pees on Zac Efron? In 2012, Lee Daniels followed up his Precious Oscar success with a film that scandalized Cannes and answered that question with a resounding “no”. McConaissance be damned! The Paperboy may be … Continue reading "028 – The Paperboy"
Jan 08, 2019
027 – The Family Stone (with Tara Ariano)
1:19:24
This week, we invited over Extra Hot Great co-host Tara Ariano to discuss our problematic Christmas fav, 2005′s The Family Stone. It may be one of several love-it-or-hate it holiday movies, but spoiler alert the three of us are super fans. Oscar and critics however, were a different story. Once thought a potential play for … Continue reading "027 – The Family Stone (with Tara Ariano)"
Dec 25, 2018
026 – Crazy, Stupid, Love.
1:23:09
In many ways, 2011 was the year of Ryan Gosling. This was the peak “Hey Girl” era, and this year alone gave us the critical darling hotness of Drive and what we thought would suit the more traditional Academy tastes with The Ides of March. He was so omnipresent that a weak Best Actor field … Continue reading "026 – Crazy, Stupid, Love."
Dec 18, 2018
025 – Alexander (with David Sims)
1:26:36
Grab some snakes and prep that Dionysus monologue, because this week we are taking it back to 2004′s Alexander. Starring Colin Farrell filling the historic shoes of Alexander the Great, this film was a passion project for Oliver Stone that defeated a rival biopic from Baz Luhrman and Leonardo DiCaprio – but lost the war … Continue reading "025 – Alexander (with David Sims)"
Dec 11, 2018
024 – Anywhere But Here
1:26:00
This week’s episode is a tale of two actresses at the opposite ends of their respective Oscar stories: 1999′s Anywhere But Here, with Natalie Portman’s kicking off her Oscar trajectory and Susan Surandon struggling to get the nomination that has eluded her since her win for Dead Man Walking. This is a mother-daughter film stooped … Continue reading "024 – Anywhere But Here"
Dec 04, 2018
023 – The Tourist (with Katey Rich)
1:25:48
Remember that time a movie where Johnny Depp explains vaping to Angelina Jolie made everyone super mad at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association? That’s right, we’re talking this week about The Tourist, a film so notorious in Oscar buzz history that we’ve invited a special guest to unpack it: deputy editor for VanityFair.com Katey Rich! … Continue reading "023 – The Tourist (with Katey Rich)"
Nov 27, 2018
022 – Cake
1:20:00
2014 was a year of mirrored Best Actress hopefuls launched at the Toronto International Film Festival: out of nowhere, Julianne Moore capitalized on a “weak” field and finally won for Still Alice. And then, ultimately snubbed on nomination morning after being recognized by the other big prizes, there was Jennifer Aniston in Cake. Notorious among … Continue reading "022 – Cake"
Nov 19, 2018
021 – Tadpole
1:07:15
The Sundance Film Festival is an elusive mistress that giveth Oscar buzz only to taketh away when at lower altitudes. Case in point is this week’s would-be Oscar title: 2002′s Tadpole. The film was a sensation of the festival, winning a Best Director prize for Gary Winick and stirring buzz for newcomer Aaron Stanford and … Continue reading "021 – Tadpole"
Nov 13, 2018
020 – Secretariat
1:24:16
After landing a Best Actress nomination in a great Best Actress year for Unfaithful, we once thought Diane Lane could come back to the Oscar race by going to a horse race. This week, we’re talking about Secretariat, a live-action Disney biopic that got buried in the wake of The Social Network. Get ready for … Continue reading "020 – Secretariat"
Nov 06, 2018
019 – Hannibal
1:17:02
Happy Halloween, listeners! This week, we’re getting creepy with Ridley Scott’s follow-up to Best Picture winner Gladiator, the gross-out macabre sequel Hannibal. The legacy of The Silence of the Lambs made this one of the most heavily covered productions of the early 2000s and convinced that it might be similarly bound for Oscar glory. Maybe … Continue reading "019 – Hannibal"
Oct 30, 2018
018 – Sommersby
1:03:14
It’s time for some failed harlequin romance Oscar buzz and that means we are talking 1993′s Sommersby. A post-Civil War era love story of overtaken identity and languorous beard shaving, the presence of a post-Silence of the Lambs Jodie Foster had us thinking this weepy could be Oscar-bound. But as the dueling elements of Richard … Continue reading "018 – Sommersby"
Oct 23, 2018
017 – Seven Pounds
1:12:30
Cuddle up to your jellyfish, because this week’s we’re talking about Seven Pounds. Just two years after being nominated for The Pursuit of Happyness, we thought that Will Smith’s reteaming with director Gabriele Muccino could maybe bring the Oscar that has eluded him since first being nominated for Ali. But that was before we realized … Continue reading "017 – Seven Pounds"
Oct 16, 2018
016 – The Fifth Estate
1:09:45
If the past few weeks of movies we like had you weary, fear not for this episode we have a real stinker for you: 2013′s The Fifth Estate. This was the year that Benedict Cumberbatch was everywhere and nowhere, alone yet not alone. After the rise of Sherlock, this year saw him in four major … Continue reading "016 – The Fifth Estate"
Oct 09, 2018
015 – Get Shorty
1:07:13
For a short time in the 90s, Elmore Leonard was an Oscar thing and post-Pulp Fiction John Travolta being due was also an Oscar thing. Both of those may sound confounding in today’s era of Gotti and an unwatched series on Epix, but this week’s film brings both of those statements together to prove them … Continue reading "015 – Get Shorty"
Oct 02, 2018
014 – The Door in the Floor
1:18:28
This week’s episode is the sound of something trying to not make a sound. It’s our first failed Oscar buzz movie that we genuinely love and it’s 2004’s The Door in the Floor. Adapted from the first segment of John Irving’s A Widow for One Year, this film stars Jeff Bridges as a grieving novelist, … Continue reading "014 – The Door in the Floor"
Sep 25, 2018
TIFF ’18 BONUS – We’re Far From the Scotia Now
1:15:27
We’re taking a break from our usual dives into thwarted Oscar buzz this week and taking a look at all the films we saw at the Toronto International Film Festival! Not only are Joe and Chris in the same room for once, but we also have our very first guests: The Film Experience’s Nathaniel Rogers … Continue reading "TIFF ’18 BONUS – We’re Far From the Scotia Now"
Sep 18, 2018
013 – It’s Complicated
1:16:14
Close your eyes. Picture the movie about kitchens you’ve always wanted. Now open them. Is Alec Baldwin blowing pot smoke into your face? That’s kind of what it’s like to experience the 2009 romantic comedy It’s Complicated, from celebrated (and beleaguered) director Nancy Meyers. Since Oscar buzz follows Meryl Streep around like a heartsick ex-husband … Continue reading "013 – It’s Complicated"
Sep 11, 2018
012 – An Unfinished Life
1:09:06
This week’s episode takes you back to September 2005, when the exit of the Weinsteins from Miramax resulted in a fire sale of delayed releases finally arriving in theatres to the most modest of fanfares. Least trumpeted of all was An Unfinished Life, starring Robert Redford, Jennifer Lopez, and Morgan Freeman. Here we have a … Continue reading "012 – An Unfinished Life"
Sep 04, 2018
011 – Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
1:06:41
In 1997 we celebrated a giant sinking ship with James Cameron’s Titanic, but we are here this week to talk a different cinematic capsizing that year: Clint Eastwood’s Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Adapted from the wildly successful work of nonfiction by John Berendt, this film opened to massive expectations its unimpressive … Continue reading "011 – Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil"
Aug 28, 2018
010 – Hyde Park on Hudson
1:06:05
Lend us a hand and listen along as we discuss this week’s case of failed Oscar buzz: 2012’s Hyde Park on Hudson. Opening with the burden of Bill Murray’s mounting Oscar hopes but in the shadow of The King’s Speech success handling a shared historical figure, Hyde Park on Hudson couldn’t charm its way into … Continue reading "010 – Hyde Park on Hudson"
Aug 21, 2018
009 – Serena
1:01:30
Grab your snake-catchin’ eagle and buckle up for this week’s Oscar misstep: Susanne Bier’s literary adaptation Serena. Set during the Great Depression, this lumber baron romantic thriller starred Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper and became a question mark lingering over multiple Oscar seasons. After a beleaguered post-production process and its struggles to find a distributor, … Continue reading "009 – Serena"
Aug 14, 2018
008 – Double Jeopardy
1:04:42
Before this year’s Oscar season kicks off, we have a cautionary tale for your early predictions: 1999′s revenge thriller smash hit Double Jeopardy! That’s right, you may have forgotten, but leading actress Ashley Judd started pulling Oscar buzz when Double Jeopardy opened and started raking in the cash. But this blockbuster (which opened opposite eventual … Continue reading "008 – Double Jeopardy"
Aug 07, 2018
007 – Lions For Lambs
1:10:59
In 2007, the movies went hard on the War in Iraq. But what happened when that righteous roar, bolstered by some of the biggest names in Oscar and cinema history, gave the weakest bleat in the barnyard? This week we are looking at Lions for Lambs, one of several politically motivated films of its year … Continue reading "007 – Lions For Lambs"
Jul 31, 2018
BONUS – If Queen Street Could Talk
39:18
We’re going to TIFF! If you haven’t seen, the first titles for this year’s Toronto International Film Festival lineup have been revealed. Joe and Chris couldn’t wait to talk about it, so we are treating you to a special bonus episode to discuss what’s to come from what many people consider the official start of … Continue reading "BONUS – If Queen Street Could Talk"
Jul 26, 2018
006 – 1492: Conquest of Paradise
1:09:30
Brace yourselves for some slow motion colonialism set to the dramatics of Vangelis – this week, we are discussing 1992′s Christopher Columbus epic 1492: Conquest of Paradise. With star Gerard Depardieu having a moment in American cinema and director Ridley Scott fresh off of his first nomination for Thelma and Louise, what could possibly go … Continue reading "006 – 1492: Conquest of Paradise"
Jul 24, 2018
005 – Courage Under Fire
1:08:31
This week, we are taking you back to 1996 for Edward Zwick’s Rashomon-esque half-examination of the Gulf War and sexism in the military, Courage Under Fire. While most of the praise on release was granted to star Denzel Washington and supporting player Lou Diamond Phillips, we take a look at the case for Meg Ryan … Continue reading "005 – Courage Under Fire"
Jul 17, 2018
004 – Ask the Dust
59:37
What’s that? You’re not familiar with the 2006 romantic drama Ask the Dust? Where a handsome young writer played by Colin Farrell moves to California, negs the hell out of waitress Salma Hayek, and begins a torrid love affair amid the dusty environs of the Great Depression? That’s probably because the early Oscar buzz on this … Continue reading "004 – Ask the Dust"
Jul 10, 2018
003 – Pay It Forward
1:02:20
This week we’re calling all angels as we discuss 2000’s major critical disaster and thwarted Oscar grab, Pay It Forward. That’s right, the one where a post-Sixth Sense Haley Joel Osment teaches the world to pass on one favor to three strangers. A film notorious in This Had Oscar Buzz lore, Pay It Forward‘s awards … Continue reading "003 – Pay It Forward"
Jul 03, 2018
002 – Tulip Fever
51:34
This week’s piece of failed awards bait is the 2017 costume drama/romantic “thriller” Tulip Fever, and by “2017,” we mean “filmed in 2014 and originally intended to be released at various times over the course of the next three years, only to finally limp into theaters after several waves of frantic test screenings, horrid buzz … Continue reading "002 – Tulip Fever"
Jun 25, 2018
001 – Mona Lisa Smile
1:08:53
Our first episode of This Had Oscar Buzz is about 2003’s Mona Lisa Smile, director Mike Newell’s Wellesley College period melodrama, starring Julia Roberts and all of the It Girls of the early Aughts. Come for the art history lesson, stay for the dashed awards hopes.
Jun 19, 2018
It Didn’t Come True
14:38
Joe Reid and Chris Feil discuss the origins of This Had Oscar Buzz, their first experiences with Oscar failures, and give a sneak peek at episodes to come…
Jun 04, 2018