Welcome to the first official episode of the What Are You Watching New Hollywood Film Project, where we examine films of the New Hollywood era, with a primary focus on 1970s classics. In this episode, Alex and Nick break down Bob Rafelson’s “Five Easy Pieces.” The guys discuss Rafelson’s career, BBS Productions, a struggling B-movie actor/writer/di…

Alex and Nick list their favorite films from the great movie year 1997. Topics include Matt and Ben writing their Oscar ticket, the six pack of Cusack, the genius of “L.A. Confidential,” Pam Grier not being nominated (!), and how a little movie called “Titanic” dominated pop culture for more than a year. Would you like to know more? Follow @WAYW_Po…

Alex has spent the past month watching every film the dearly departed Gene Hackman was in. In this solo episode, Alex looks back at Hackman’s career and highlights the dozens of legendary characters he played. Rest in peace, Gene. We love you, we miss you. Follow @WAYW_Podcast on Twitter and Instagram and Letterboxd. Send mailbag questions to whata…

The guys review a film Alex has been obsessed with for decades, and Nick just watched for the first time. William Friedkin’s “The French Connection” won Best Picture and helped kickstart American ‘70s cinema. Stray topics include the film’s influence on the art form, picking your feet in Poughkeepsie, Friedkin’s career, the dearly departed Gene Hac…

March 2 was the greatest day of all. Alex, Nick, and friend-of-the-pod Dan excitedly react to the 97th Academy Awards, which have become Alex’s favorite Oscar show ever. Sean Baker makes history, Mikey Madison soars, Brody rambles, Culkin gets sincere, and Alex and Nick absolutely lose their minds when “Anora” takes five. Follow @WAYW_Podcast on Tw…

Many categories heading into the 97th Academy Awards are wide open. As Alex and Nick break down the narratives of every race, topics include “Anora’s” overall chances, potential mini-waves from “Conclave” and/or “Wicked,” Demi vs. Mikey, Timmy vs. Brody, "Flow" vs. "The Wild Robot," important nominated documentaries, why acting sweeps happen, and s…

Alex and Nick list their favorite films of 2024, a good year for movies if you look in the right places. The guys then review some Oscar-nominated films and break down the wild controversy surrounding “Emilia Perez,” before ending with a speechless WAYW segment. Follow @WAYW_Podcast on Twitter and Instagram and Letterboxd. Send mailbag questions to…

No Denzel, no Nicole, no “Challengers”?! Are Culkin and Saldaña committing category fraud? Does anyone even like “Emilia Pérez”? Alex and Nick present a special live episode of their reactions to the 2025 Oscar nominations. Follow @WAYW_Podcast on Twitter and Instagram and Letterboxd. Send mailbag questions to [email protected]…

Alex discusses the passing of David Lynch, before praising Halina Reijn's “Babygirl,” and listing Nicole Kidman’s best performances. Later, Alex invites friend-of-the-pod Dan on to trash Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist.” Follow @WAYW_Podcast on Twitter and Instagram and Letterboxd. Send mailbag questions to [email protected]…

Alex watched at least one movie a day in calendar year 2024. In this episode, Nick interviews Alex about this fun and ridiculous exercise. The guys also discuss a lovely note from a fan, the impact of “Duel of the Fates,” Alex’s (even crazier) 2025 movie challenge, and much more. Follow @WAYW_Podcast on Twitter and Instagram and Letterboxd. Send ma…

Four and a half years of podcasting have led to this. For their biggest episode ever, Alex and Nick list their 25 favorite films of the 21st century (so far). The guys discuss the films that mean the most to them, movies that changed their lives, accepting pain through cinema, getting extremely drunk with an A-list star a decade ago, and so much mo…

Welcome to the annual What Are You Watching holiday episode in which Alex and Nick cover a film featuring the darkest aspects of humanity. Kenneth Lonergan’s “Manchester by the Sea” understands pain and grief better than most films. It’s also hilarious. Gather the family around and watch the movie right along with us. Happy Holidays! Follow @WAYW_P…

Smooth, that’s how we do it. Alex and Nick break down an all-timer vibe movie, Michael Mann’s “Miami Vice.” The guys discuss the film’s difficult production, its gorgeous, digital aesthetic, Michael Mann’s director’s cuts, its increased popularity, Colin Farrell being so out of it that he doesn’t remember making the movie, and more. Follow @WAYW_Po…

"Are you a businessman or are you a newsman?!" Alex and Nick break down one of Alex’s favorite films, Michael Mann’s “The Insider.” Topics include the current state of journalism, corporate confidentiality agreements, tortious interference, poor communication skills, “60 Minutes,” all-timer performances from Al Pacino, Russell Crowe, and Christophe…

Alex and friend-of-the-pod Dan enter the Black Lodge to discuss David Lynch's “Twin Peaks.” In this loose episode, the guys break down the show’s original two seasons, the prequel film “Fire Walk with Me,” and the 25-years-later follow-up season, “Twin Peaks: The Return.” Stray topics include Kyle MacLachlan, Mark Frost’s dossiers, BOB, “Part 8: Go…

Alex and Nick discuss writer/director Sean Baker’s filmography, Mikey Madison, and why the new film, “Anora,” is the best movie of the year. This episode begins with a spoiler-free review of “Anora," followed by an extended What Are You Watching segment (50:57), before ending with a spoiler-filled discussion on “Anora" (1:07:35). Follow @WAYW_Podca…

Alex and Nick profile the work of the iconic David Lynch. Stray topics include taking five years to make “Eraserhead,” Mel Brooks hiring Lynch for “The Elephant Man,” the pure Lynchian vibes of “Blue Velvet,” unabashed love for “Wild at Heart,” O.J. Simpson, the TV pilot for “Mulholland Drive,” Mary Sweeney, Angelo Badalamenti, TM, and much more. T…

The great Mikki Hernandez joins Alex and Nick to break down Paul Thomas Anderson's “Phantom Thread.” They discuss their favorite PTA films, Daniel Day-Lewis co-writing the movie, Lesley Manville, Vicky Krieps, Oscar-winning costumes, breakfast, relationships, marriage, fragile male egos, DDL’s retirement (?), and much more. Watch Mikki and Nick in …

Alex, Nick, and friend-of-the-pod Dan go back to the cluuubbb and review Francis Ford Coppola’s apparent magnum opus, “Megalopolis.” The guys discuss director passion projects, bad line readings, nonsensical plot elements, Adam Driver starring in everything, how Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, and Jon Voight stole the movie, and much more. Follow @WAYW…

Fifty years ago, Francis Ford Coppola made one of the best paranoid thrillers ever, “The Conversation.” A movie about a guy who can’t let it go. Alex and Nick discuss Gene Hackman, John Cazale, young Harrison Ford, Watergate, favorite movies about surveillance, Top 5 Coppola, Top 5 Hackman, anticipating “Megalopolis,” and much more. Follow @WAYW_Po…

Nick and Alex review Roger Avary’s adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ “The Rules of Attraction.” Topics include the film’s stunt casting of former child stars, Ellis’ source novel, how they shot the Victor sequence, Shannyn Sossamon, and much more. Deal with it, rock ’n roll. Follow @WAYW_Podcast on Twitter and Instagram and Letterboxd. Watch Alex's …

Alex reviews Tim Burton’s classic film, “Beetlejuice,” and its 36-years-later sequel, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.” Later, he lists his favorite Tim Burton films and highlights some new Oscar movies to look out for this fall. Follow @WAYW_Podcast on Twitter and Instagram and Letterboxd. Watch Alex's films at http://alexwithrow.com/ Watch Nick's films …

Alex and Nick discuss their love for Trey Edward Shults’ modern masterpiece, “Waves.” The guys break down the film’s use of music, aspect ratios, and colors, the power of Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Sterling K. Brown, the grace of Taylor Russell and Renée Elise Goldsberry, the force of Alexa Demie, text fights, losing parents, finding love, and so much…

Alex and Nick pay tribute to one of the best performers to ever grace a stage or screen, the great Gena Rowlands. Listen to our previous episode on the films of John Cassavetes here. Follow @WAYW_Podcast on Twitter and Instagram and Letterboxd. Watch Alex's films at http://alexwithrow.com/ Watch Nick's films at https://www.nicholasdostal.com/ Send …

Alex and Nick cover nearly every film genre as they review a bunch of new films and shows including M. Night Shyamalan’s “Trap,” “The Bear Season 3,” “Baby Reindeer,” “A Family Affair”, “MaXXXine,” “Longlegs,” Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Kinds of Kindness,” “Catherine Breillat’s “Last Summer,” Frank Perry’s “The Swimmer” starring Burt Lancaster, and more. L…

It’s the wonder of nature, baby! Alex and Nick discuss all things “Twister(s),” first by sharing their general thoughts on Lee Isaac Chung’s new film, “Twisters” (00:30). Next, the guys have a spoiler-filled conversation about the polarizing end of “Twisters” (23:10). Lastly, they close with a deep dive into Jan de Bont’s legendary blockbuster, “Tw…

"Babylon" Hive, unite! Watch Damien Chazelle’s misunderstood, big swing of a film right along with Alex and Nick. Topics include starting your movie with an elephant shitting all over everything, Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt’s best roles, the birth and death of Old Hollywood, the film bombing with critics, audiences, and the Oscars, ties to “Irrever…

Hey, are you awake? Yeah, I’m right here. Well can I ask you, About Today? In this mixed-bag episode, Alex invites brand-new guest, Taylor, to the podcast to review Gavin O’Connor’s “Warrior” (4:28). The guys discuss boxing, brothers, MMA, Nick Nolte, Frank Grillo, Tom Hardy not knowing how to fight, meeting Joel Edgerton in real life, and what it …

Alex and Nick give a spoiler-free review of Richard Linklater’s new film, “Hit Man,” before re-ranking their favorite Linklater films. Stray topics include when good movies make obvious factual errors, what happened to the real Bernie Tiede after Linklater’s movie “Bernie,” Glen Powell, Adria Arjona, “School of Rock,” “Anyone But You,” and much mor…

Alex and Nick dive deep into Derek Cianfrance’s “Blue Valentine.” The guys discuss the film’s lengthy development, its use of heavy improvisation, juxtaposing two narratives, the respective careers of Cianfrance, Ryan Gosling, and Michelle Williams, the great John Doman, why the MPA is dumb, and much more. Follow @WAYW_Podcast on Twitter and Instag…

Alex schools Nick on the history of the erotic thriller film genre. Topics include the parallels between 1940s film noir and 1980s erotic thrillers, TV cuts vs. theatrical cuts vs. director’s cuts, famous femme fatales, Michael Douglas, sex in cinema, the Top 10 Erotic Thrillers, and much more. For WAYW, Alex shares two exciting movie-going experie…

“What is this war in the heart of nature?” Watch Terrence Malick’s “The Thin Red Line” with Alex and Nick as they discuss the film’s huge cast, all-timer cinematography, ceaseless voiceover, James Jones’ book, the Japanese perspective, Nick Nolte vs. Elias Koteas, how Adrien Brody got screwed over, war as hell, Catalina Island, and so much more. Fo…

Alex tells Nick why Luca Guadagnino’s “Challengers” is a much better movie than its marketing suggests. The guys briefly discuss Zendaya’s Oscar prospects, Guadagnino’s filmography, Mike Faist & Josh O’Connor, an amazing score by Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, and how the movie connects to “Past Lives.” Follow @WAYW_Podcast on Twitter and Instagram a…

Terrence Malick has never talked about his films, but Alex and Nick are delighted to gush about them for over three hours. As the guys break down each Malick movie, topics include a career of all-timer voiceover, editing that moves like water, intentional music, the pissed-off crew of “Days of Heaven,” the perfect ending to “The New World,” how the…

Theory will get you only so far, so today, Alex is turning theory into a practical podcast commentary. Alex flies solo to fulfill his obsession with Christopher Nolan’s Best Picture-winning masterpiece, “Oppenheimer.” The detonators are charged, the martinis are made, and it is time to hear the music. Follow @WAYW_Podcast on Twitter and Instagram a…

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark! Alex, Nick, and friend of the pod, Dan Bracey, ramble about John McTiernan’s cult classic, “Last Action Hero.” The guys discuss the film’s troubled production, which movie they would enter into, favorite McTiernan films, Arnold’s best roles, scene stealer Charles Dance, McTiernan’s stint in prison, the 2…

“My eyes see...Oppenheimer!" Alex, Nick, and friend of the pod, Dan, react to the 96th Academy Awards moments after the show ended. The guys discuss their favorite speeches, the best presenters, Jimmy Kimmel’s performance, the “Poor Things” mini wave, John Cena’s on-ramp, Al Pacino’s bewilderment, “Oppenheimer” winning big, and much more. Follow @W…

It’s the most wonderful time of year, and there’s a lot to cover as we lead to the 96th Academy Awards. As Alex and Nick break down every Oscar nomination, stray topics include an animated film Alex loves, a truly horrific documentary, Downey’s lack of humility, an extremely close Best Actress race, Kevin O’Connell as the GOAT sound mixer, the jack…

This is a podcast about “Sleepers” that runs deeper than blood. Alex and Nick discuss their favorite Barry Levinson film, “Sleepers.” Stray topics include the film’s quick pacing, childhood trauma, the timbre of Jason Patric’s voiceover, Robert De Niro as a good guy, Dustin Hoffman as a fumbling drunk, and Kevin Bacon as one of the vilest character…

The Oscars never should have touched Best Picture. In 2009, the Academy changed Best Picture from five nominees total, to five-to-10 nominees. If Best Picture had remained only five nominees, which five movies would have been nominated? And which film should have actually won Best Picture? Alex and Nick look at the Best Picture races from 2009-2023…

No Greta?! No Margot?! Is Lily Gladstone in the right category? Will Bradley Cooper ever win an Oscar? Thelma Schoonmaker makes history, "Oppenheimer" grabs 13, and an arthouse film gets major love. Alex and Nick (and Alex’s dad!) present a special uncut episode of their reactions to the 2024 Oscar nominations. Follow @WAYW_Podcast on Twitter and I…

Thank god 2023 was a great year for film. As Alex and Nick list their favorite movies of the year, stray topics include “Barbenheimer” domination, Leo’s Oscar chances, Bella Baxter as an all-timer character, “Fair Play’s” sleeper success, and the little Christopher Nolan movie that could. Follow @WAYW_Podcast on Twitter and Instagram and Letterboxd…

Modern movies don’t get much better than Tony Gilroy’s “Michael Clayton.” Alex and Nick discuss the film’s perfectly constructed screenplay, ‘70s paranoid thrillers, George Clooney’s best work, exploding Ford Pintos, manic depression, meeting Denis O’Hare, Tilda Swinton, Sydney Pollack, ingenious editing, and so much more. This episode is in memory…

Why do we love movies we used to hate? Why do we dislike movies we used to love? Alex and Nick explore those questions as they list the movies they’ve changed their minds on the most. Stray topics include finding humor in horror, finding empathy in pain, weepy movies, and much more. Follow @WAYW_Podcast on Twitter and Instagram and Letterboxd. Watc…

This episode has a bit of everything: a spoiler-free review of Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things,” threats to The Academy, answers to some frequently asked mailbag questions, a spoiler-filled review of Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro,” and a breathtaking note from a fan. Follow @WAYW_Podcast on Twitter and Instagram and Letterboxd. Watch Alex's films at htt…

Alex and Nick break down their favorite Spike Lee joint, "He Got Game." The guys discuss the film’s all-timer setup, Aaron Copland’s powerful music, Denzel Washington’s best roles, Ray Allen as a debut actor, Milla Jovovich’s controversial role, great basketball scenes in film, the most awkward movie-going experience Alex ever had, the poetic final…

In this mixed-bag episode, Nick interviews Alex about a ton of new movies, including films from Ridley Scott, Todd Haynes, Eli Roth, and Alexander Payne. Later, Alex highlights recent 4K releases, describes seeing “Punch-Drunk Love” in Paris, and reexamines the work of Peter Weir. Nick makes a drastic update to his Top 10 of 2022, shares his though…

What’s the most you ever lost on a coin toss? Watch along with Alex and Nick as they discuss the Coen brothers’ modern classic, “No Country for Old Men.” Topics include: What the guys would do if they found $2 million, movies about process, favorite Coen brothers films, Javier Bardem’s hair, Cormac McCarthy’s source novel, the fate of Llewyn Moss, …

David Fincher’s new film, “The Killer,” is now on Netflix and it ROCKS. Alex and Nick give a spoiler-free review of the film, discuss masterful genre movies, films about process, the arc of Michael Fassbender’s career, favorite movie assassins, and much more. For What Are You Watching, both guys enthusiastically recommend new movies to check out. L…

No one makes movies the way David Fincher does. Alex and Nick discuss Fincher’s obsessive filmmaking process, B-movies vs. sentimental films, “Alien³” being better than people remember, “Se7en” being better than ever, Fincher’s dry humor, “The Social Network” as a contender for Best Film of the Century, the most difficult film David Fincher ever ma…