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What a night, especially for Sean Baker, the director of Best Picture winner, Anora! The film won five of the six of its Oscar nominations, surprising even those who had predicted it to win Best Picture. What does the indisputable success of a small indie film made for $6 million dollars (for reference, Wicked cost $150 million) with a 40-person crew mean for the future of movies? On this episode of The Long Take Review, we try to answer this question as well as react to the winners and losers more generally. Which wins made us happiest? Which were disappointing? Who had the best or worst speech? How many categories did we correctly predict, and in retrospect how should we have strategized differently? Join us to learn the answer to these questions, as well as P.T.’s bond theme preferences, the movie Greg’s pouring one out for, and Jen’s predictions for Wicked: For Good next year.
Thank you to all our listeners, family, and friends who have followed along with us this awards season! Our coverage all the more joyful because you were here with us.
You can listen to The Long Take Review on Substack, Spotify, Apple, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Easily, the biggest surprise of Oscar nomination morning was the Brazilian docudrama, I’m Still Here, making it into the Best Picture 10 in addition to being nominated for International Feature. We recently got a chance to catch up with Walter Salles’ film about a family targeted by a military dictatorship in 1971 and knew that we absolutely needed to squeeze a review in before the Oscars this Sunday. We try to explain why Best Actress nominee Fernanda Torres is so acclaimed, debate the film’s thesis, and have an extended conversation about a dog named Pimpão.
Note that we recorded this episode before we recorded our recently released Final Oscar Predictions episode and, therefore, before we knew who had won the SAG Awards. But if you want to hear our Oscar thoughts just on I’m Still Here, listen through to the end of this episode.
We go into SPOILER MODE at the 17:35 minute mark. If you are still undecided as to whether or not you want to still be here for spoilers, you can listen safely until then.
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The Oscars are finally here! If you haven’t had time to watch all the films, but find yourself looking to predict some winners, we at The Long Take Review have got you covered. In an epic, record-breaking episode, we discuss who will win and who should win in every. single. category. So this is your one stop shop for help with your Oscar pool. We’ve tiered the episode so you can opt in depending on your level of mania: first, all four of us talk the major “above the line” categories, then three of us stick around to talk animation, docs, and Greg’s wisdom on the shorts, and, finally, P.T. and I, left unchecked, go off the rails with the technical, “below the line” categories. Below you’ll find time stamps to guide your listening.
Part One (0:00:00 - 1:32:46) Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Actor, Actress, Adapted Screenplay, Original Screenplay, International Feature, Director, Best Picture
Part Two (1:32:47 - 2:15:53) Original Score, Original Song, Documentary Feature, Animated Feature, Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film, Documentary Short Film
Part Three (2:15:54 - 3:35:40) Makeup and Hairstyling, Costume Design, Production Design, Visual Effects, Sound, Film Editing, Cinematography, a discussion of broader narratives, and some wild unlikely to happen predictions.
The 97th Academy Awards will air on Sunday, March 2, 2025, starting at 4:00PM PT or 7:00PM ET. You can watch live on ABC or ABC.com or stream live on Hulu.
And if you need a ballot to keep track of your predictions (or hope-dictions), download our template below!
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Early speculation about films for 2024 frequently highlighted an adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer-prize-winning novel, The Nickel Boys, purely based on the source material’s notoriety. Few film critics, however, could have known then that Ramell Ross’ adaptation, Nickel Boys, would be so bold in its aesthetic choices. Ross reconfigures conventional film continuity to create what he calls a “sentient POV,” in which the camerawork reflects a sensory experience, as if the camera were a person. This radical, experimental style, deeply rooted in ideological resistance, has dazzled some critics while putting off others. It also seems to have had an impact on the Academy, which nominated the film in two categories.
In this episode, P.T., Antonio, and I share our viewing experiences and try to unpack Ross’ choices. To what extent are they a subversion of the white colonial gaze that cannot be disentangled from classical Hollywood cinema? How did the cinematography fit the themes of the story? How did it help deliver key plot points? And why might book readers like Greg be a little cooler on the film? Come for the answers and stay for an inspirational story from Antonio’s legal writing class.
We go into SPOILER MODE at the 29:17 minute mark. If you are still undecided as to whether or not you want to serve your sentence with this film, you can listen safely until then.
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It’s hard to believe, but The Long Take Review podcast has made it to 100 episodes! To commemorate this milestone, P.T., Greg, Antonio, and I take a break from our Oscar season coverage to ask each other some probing questions, both about the films we have covered during the first 100 episodes and more generally about our filmgoing lives. What has been our most memorable theatrical experience? What unpopular film would we defend? What film have we covered that we most associate with the other co-hosts? And if we were casting the pod, who would be in the ensemble? Find out our answers to these and so much more. This was very fun to record and confirmed for us how joyful and meaningful it has been making this show every week.
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Is it too early to talk about next year’s Oscars when this year’s hasn’t even happened yet? The Sundance Film Festival says no. In fact, a handful of films that premiere there go on to compete in the awards race the following year. And unlike most other film festivals, Sundance offers online screenings for us civilians, which means we can actually review some films! P.T., Antonio, and I share our thoughts on the films that we saw, and then we break down reactions to the titles we weren’t able to see, notable acquisitions, and all the early Oscar buzz. Which film was so sad it made Jen angry? Which film’s weirdness delighted P.T. to no end? And which film tricked Antonio into thinking it would be a thriller? Listen to find out.
This entire episode is SPOILER FREE. Enjoy!
Image Credit: (clockwise from top left) Sundance, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and Deadline
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Find someone who looks at you the way everyone in A Complete Unknown looks at Timothee Chalamet playing Bob Dylan.
For James Mangold’s film, covering Dylan’s four-year journey from first arriving in New York City through “going electric” in 1965, one debate amongst critics centers on the representation of Bob Dylan’s genius: does the film fall into the stereotypical biopic trap of putting its subject on a pedestal, unabashedly touting his generational talent and nothing more? Or does Mangold offer a more nuanced, complicated story, subverting the tropes that he arguably codified in Walk The Line (2005), his film about country music star Johnny Cash?
In this episode of The Long Take Review, we start with this question, discussing how the film does and does not adhere to its genre conventions. The conversation, however, sprawls many other topics, including the infighting between Dylan and more traditional folk artists, the historical accuracy of events portrayed in the film, what the film might be saying about Dylan’s artistry and legacy, how many Oscars it could win, and more.
We go into SPOILER MODE at the 21:04 minute mark. If you are still undecided as to whether or not you want to go on tour with us, you can listen safely until then.
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Everyone over at The Long Take Review got up bright and early Thursday morning to watch the live announcement of this year’s Oscar nominations. We share our thoughts on the broadcast, as well as the nominees. How many did Jen correctly predict? How many has Greg already seen? What is P.T.’s mastermind theory about which films have a path to winning Best Picture? And why did we spend so much time talking about monkeys? Listen to find out!
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Director Brady Corbet gave not one but two acceptance speeches at The Golden Globes, as he won for Best Director and his film, The Brutalist, won Best Motion Picture Drama. Star Adrien Brody also won Best Actor Motion Picture Drama. There were two predominant themes amongst those three speeches: that immigrant stories matter, and that film studios should take more chances on filmmakers’ artistic visions (especially when their ideas don’t seem as commercially viable). Those who have seen the two-part period drama know that these themes also manifest in the epic story of fictional architect, László Tóth.
In a year with no clear Best Picture frontrunner, however, it remains to be seen how much The Brutalist’s success will repeat at the Oscars. Antonio, Greg, P.T., and I do debate how well the film famously shot in VistaVision on an astoundingly small $10 million budget will fare on Hollywood’s biggest night. But before we do, we carefully unpack all of the film’s complicated themes and narrative choices.
Oscar Nom Wishes 3:25-25:24
Spoiler Free Takes: 25:25-44:04
SPOILER MODE: 44:05-1:45:52
Oscar Watch: 1:45:53 - the end
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Before we describe this episode of The Long Take Review, we would like to acknowledge and express our support for the victims of the Los Angeles wildfires. Here are some ways to help:
The Entertainment Community Fund provides a safety net for performing arts and entertainment professionals, including those impacted by the wildfires.
This GoFundMe supports a colleague of ours displaced by the Eaton Canyon fire in Altadena.
The Red Cross works with local partners to provide shelter, food, emotional support and health services for victims.
According to another colleague who regularly fosters dogs, the Pasadena Humane Center and the Agoura Animal Care Center are overburdened with animals affected by the fires.
This LA Times article lists many more organizations that are providing aid.
In this episode of The Long Take Review, we host, for the second time, our own awards ceremony, The LTRs or “Letters.” While we don’t have any delusions about our influence in the awards race, we tried to think of performances, screenplays, filmmakers, and films that we want to spotlight before Oscar voting closes on January 17th. (Those who campaign during awards season call this an FYC or “For Your Consideration” event.) We begin with our individual lists of nominees, form a shared list of nominees through consensus picks (nominees that appeared on more than one of our lists) and non-consensus shout-outs (nominees that appeared on only one list but we decide should be nominated anyway). After we have a set of shared nominees, we engage in a spirited yet collaborative debate to decide on a winner and honorable mention, live during the show.
Get ready to take some notes and make some Letterboxd watchlists! In a later post on The Long Take Substack, Jen will share each of our full lists of nominees for reference.
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After years of scandal, attempts to change, and a host who bombed last year, it seems like the Golden Globes has finally found its footing. Comedian Nikki Glaser, best known for her roast of Tom Brady, has received ubiquitous praise for her appropriately pitched jokes. And after expanding and diversifying their voting body last year, critics seems to be much less judgmental about the Golden Globes Foundation’s nominations.
And yet, pundits were uncertain going into last night’s ceremony. Would a frontrunner finally emerge? Would the Globes fall back onto their celebrity-pandering ways? Will they serve as more of an Oscar bellwether than ever before? Recording minutes after the broadcast ended, Antonio, P.T., and I try our best to answer these questions as we wade through the often surprising winners and glaring misses.
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Happy Holidays from the crew at The Long Take Review! In the spirit of the season, we spent this week’s episode celerating our holiday favorites. We each share two classics and (at least) one movie from any genre to watch over the holidays with your loved ones. Do television specials count as movies? Which actor played Scrooge the best? Which one of us will make the most hipster picks? Join us to find out.
And if you have films that you love to watch during this time of you, please share in the comments!
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We’re far enough away from “Glicked” weekend that we can declare a box office victor, and it wasn’t Gladiator II, Ridley Scott’s long-awaited follow-up to Best Picture-winning Gladiator (2000). Despite that, will the sword and sandals epic still get a thumbs up from the Academy? On this episode of The Long Take Review, P.T., Greg, and I deliberate this question (and celebrate Denzel Washington) after unpacking our diverse reactions to the film. Who had the best time? Who knows about the previous pitches that never got green-lit? And who is the biggest (OG) Gladiator super fan? Lend us your ears to find out.
We go into SPOILER MODE at the 22:50 minute mark. If you are still undecided as to whether or not you want to enter the Colosseum for a second time, you can listen safely until then.
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It’s the most wonderful time of the year…and here at The Long Take Review, we mean awards season when we make that declaration. We took this entire episode to check in on the Oscar race in the wake of the first big slew of precursor awards and nominations. From New York to LA, regional critics groups have been chiming in with their picks in the hope that they can have some sway or create the right conditions for a film or actor’s campaign to gain momentum. Bigger groups like The American Film Institute (AFI) and the National Board of Review (NBR) put out their top ten lists, which have some but not 100% crossover with the Best Picture lineup at the Oscars. And, most recently, the Golden Globes announced their nominations the day we recorded, this past Monday December 9th. Who’s feeling good after all that, and whose campaigns might be ending? What surprised and delighted us? We talk about all that and more on this special movies news episode.
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Right now, it seems as though Wicked’s potential is unlimited. It’s on the verge of hitting $500 million in worldwide box office, with no signs of slowing down over the holidays. It’s garnered a slew of award nominations, including four Golden Globes, as well as wins, including Best Film by the National Board of Review. The question on every pundit’s mind now is: does Jon M. Chu’s fantasy musical spectacular have what it takes to win at the Oscars?
On this episode of The Long Take Review, we too debate this very question. We share what we thought about the film in the context of our prior relationship with the source material, try to trace its literary and musical lineage, discuss the revisionist prequel of it all, and, of course, comment on the who, what, when, where, and why of the film’s massive popularity. Who’s a Glinda? Who’s an Elphaba? And how many of us will sing during the episode? Listen to find out!
We go into SPOILER MODE at the 30:21 minute mark. If you are still undecided as to whether or not you want to fly with Wicked, you can listen safely until then.
Image Credit: New York Times
Show Notes:
Jen referenced this iconic dance sequence by Fred Astaire in Dancing Through Life set inspired by Fred Astaire in Royal Wedding (1951). She then later found this IndieWire piece that confirmed that Dancing Through Life is in fact inspired by that number.
One of many videos showing the reaction when Michelle Yeoh brought the Oscar she had just won back to the set of Wicked.
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Most will recognize Jesse Eisenberg as an actor, if not for his iconic portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg in David Fincher’s The Social Network (2010), then for his turn as Lex Luthor in Zack Snyder’s DC films. Fewer will know him as a director, and yet his second film, A Real Pain, is currently in the Oscars conversation. The film follows two cousins, Benji (Kieran Culkin) and David (Jesse Eisenberg), who sign up for a Holocaust tour of Poland, in an attempt to honor the memory of their immigrant grandmother. Their personalities clash as they confront both the pain of their past and the collective pain of their tour group.
In this episode of The Long Take Review, Greg, P.T., Antonio, and I try to explain why this film works as both a character study and a vehicle for bigger ideas. Greg then launches our discussion into the stratosphere by applying Nietzsche’s notion of The Rational Man to Eisenberg’s philosophical meditation on pain. We close out, as usual, with a debate about how far A Real Pain can go at the Oscars.
We go into SPOILER MODE at the 18:01 minute mark. If you are still undecided as to whether or not you want to book a tour with A Real Pain, you can listen safely until then.
Image Credit: IndieWire
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Based on popular discourse, critics often dub one movie a year the “Oscar villain.” That’s usually a film that is a major contender in the race that also has a lot of haters or people who deem it unworthy of all the potential accolades. Jacques Audiard’s crime thriller musical, Emilia Pérez, could very well be this year’s Oscar villain; one only need look to the strong reactions that have flooded the Internet since the film became wildly available for subscribers to watch at home on Netflix. Many critics and viewers have identified potential problems with the representation of certain groups (to specify might be a spoiler). At the same time, the film stars four strong female actors who have been charming the press on the campaign trail; it doesn’t hurt that two of them, Zoe Saldaña and Selena Gomez, are beloved pop culture powerhouses.
This episode of The Long Take Review can serve as a microcosm of this polarized discourse, as some of us loved it and some of us (very respectfully) hated it. We debate whether or not the songs facilitate the storytelling, whether or not the film’s themes and plot make sense in the end, and try to determine a floor and ceiling for the film’s nominations and wins.
We go into SPOILER MODE at the 27:47 minute mark. If you are still undecided about whether or not you want to fire up Netflix for Emilia Pérez, you can listen safely until then.
Image Credit: LA Times
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Steve McQueen’s filmography has had an eclectic filmography: Hunger (2008) is about the 1981 Irish hunger strike, Shame (2011) is about sex addiction, Widows (2018) is a heist thriller, and Best Picture winner 12 Years a Slave (2013) adapts the 1853 memoir of Solomon Northrup, a free-born Black man kidnapped and sold into slavery. McQueen’s newest film, Blitz, focuses on a mother and son separated during the bombing of London during WWII, and while this is a return to the historical drama genre for McQueen, Blitz has not been unilaterally embraced by critics as 12 Years a Slave was. Despite the more muted reception, could McQueen still enter the Oscar race? On this episode of The Long Take Review, we try to answer this question through our own mixed and varied reactions to the film. Come for the debate about the film’s quality and stay for Greg’s hot takes on mushy peas.
We go into SPOILER MODE at the 22:58 minute mark. If you are still undecided about whether or not you want to give Blitz a go, you can listen safely until then.
Image Credit: New York Times
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How far would you be willing to go to look younger and more beautiful? That is the question that Carolie Fargeat’s The Substance horrifically asks and answers. In what some are calling a career best performance, Demi Moore plays an iconiclfilm and television actress who discovers an alluring new drug called The Substance just as the men in control of her career want to show her the door. It seems many viewers are interested to see what happens next, as the film marks MUBI’s most successful release to date, and has already collected several awards nominations and, in some cases, wins such as Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival.
On this episode of The Long Take Review, we discuss how this high concept film might appeal to a larger audience outside of horror fans, how the genre of body horror might be the perfect way to engage with the film’s themes, and whether or not a film like this can break through the Oscars’ historical bias against horror.
We go into SPOILER MODE at the 21:28 minute mark. If you are still on the fence about whether or not you can stomach The Substance, you can listen safely until then.
Image Credit: LA Times
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The Palm d’Or, the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival, is a big deal. And it has become an even bigger Oscar bellwether in recent years, as the Academy has expanded, diversified, and, as a result, become more international. The winners have certainly been international, as American films have won only 13 times during the award’s 80+ year history. In fact, an American film has not won since 2011 when Terence Malick’s The Tree of Life took the prize (and, later, three Oscar nominations). That all changed this year when Sean Baker’s romantic dramedy (maybe rom-com-dram?), Anora, earned the distinction and immediately zoomed to the front of the Oscar race.
Anora or Annie is an erotic dancer living in Brighton Beach who becomes involved with Vanya, the playboy son of an obscenely wealthy Russian oligarch. Once his parents find out about their relationship, however, they threaten to fracture Anora’s fairytale romance. The film is playin in theaters now, and will eventually become available to stream on Hulu.
On this episode of The Long Take Review, Greg, P.T., Antonio, and I debate how far this film can really go at the Oscars, what this film has to say about sex work, money, class, and power, and share our reactions to the film’s unexpected ending. Also, if you were ever wondering what some of us sound like with a thick New York accent…
As a bonus, you’ll also find in this episode a shorter conversation I had with Greg about his experience seeing RaMell Ross’ Nickel Boys and Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist before the rest of us. That conversation is spoiler free and takes place towards the beginning of the episode, before our Anora review. If you’d like more details to help you hop around the episode, see the time stamps below.
* Greg gives his spoiler-free reactions to Nickel Boys and The Brutalist. 3:58
* The Short Take and The Recommendation Algorithm for Anora (spoiler free) 37:16
* SPOILER MODE for Anora 50:12
* Oscar Watch for Anora 1:21:16
Image Credit: IndieWire
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