Episodes

  • Sophia and Nick return for an historic episode to discuss the director with the most Oscar wins and the first to win consecutively: John Ford. Revered by many filmmakers throughout history and known for his Westerns, Ford blazed a trail that also showcased his Irish background, his actors- many of whom also won Oscars- and the fractured American Dream.

    They begin with a thorough history of his illustrious career before reviewing The Informer, the 1935 film for which he won his first Oscar. Even though he didn’t win for Stagecoach four years later, he was successful the following year with The Grapes of Wrath (28:34). Steinbeck’s classic novel created a perfect tapestry for his next directorial feat. (Check out their previous episode on How Green Was My Valley here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/oscar-rewind-the-1941-oscars-how-green-was-my-valley/id1502773822?i=1000560735448).

    Lastly, enjoy their breakdown of The Quiet Man, which also earned him a Best Picture nomination, before they answer some creative listener questions (53:46). Would you have awarded him any other Director wins?

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    Music: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

    More content including updated nomination predictions @ oscarwild.squarespace.com

  • “The secret lies with Charlotte.” So begins an unforgettable treasure hunt to some of America’s most historic monuments and beyond. This week, Nick and Sophia join Nicolas Cage and his motley crew in their search for gold in National Treasure. This adventure has remained a staple for them after all these years, so listen to find out why it’s one of their favorite Disney live-action films. Even though it wasn’t nominated at the Oscars, they honor the award ceremonies that did celebrate it and its team which accounted for over 75 Oscar nominations and wins!

    If you would like to hear the rest of the episode as they discuss some of their favorite scenes and quotes along with playing another round of Smash or Pass, check out www.patreon.com/OscarWild and contribute at the ‘Oscar Wild: After Dark’ tier or higher. We appreciate your support!

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    Music: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

    More content including updated nomination predictions @ oscarwild.squarespace.com

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  • Sophia and Nick are excited to celebrate Halloween with their devilish review of The Omen. They share their thoughts on both the recent prequel, The First Omen, and the original classic along with exalting its winning performance at the Academy Awards. (They promise there’s no chanting of “Ave Satani.”) Listen to find out their favorite scenes, performances, and kills before they debate what was snubbed and which one Oscar they’d award the film!

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    Music: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

    More content including updated nomination predictions @ oscarwild.squarespace.com

  • The second half of this year’s New York Film Festival brought other previous festival favorites, like the Sundance hit A Real Pain, featuring Kieran Culkin and writer-director Jesse Eisenberg, and highly-anticipated auteur releases, like Luca Guadagnino’s Queer, Mike Leigh’s Hard Truths, and Pedro Almodóvar’s The Room Next Door. Nick and Sophia densely pack this week’s episode with reviews of all of these and more, including chatting Oscar buzz and potential in multiple categories, like Costume Design, Actress, and International Feature.

    Then, enjoy a spoiler-free review of Sean Baker’s latest and 2024 Palme d’Or winner, Anora (37:43). In the best screwball comedy of the year, Mikey Madison stuns as the titular sex worker on her own rollercoaster of a fairy tale. Go experience the spectacle for yourself in theaters this weekend!

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    Music: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

    More content including updated nomination predictions @ oscarwild.squarespace.com

  • Audiences have been flooding Lincoln Center for this year’s exciting 62nd edition of the New York Film Festival and Sophia and Nick are here to highlight its exceptional first week. They begin with reactions to some hits and award winners from Cannes and Telluride, like The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Emilia Pérez, Maria, and Nickel Boys. Then, they showcase a special architect double feature with Megalopolis and The Brutalist, more distant cousins than siblings (28:03). They wrap up by sharing some memorable #NYFF62 moments, superlatives for favorite shots and quotes from anything they’ve seen, and what one Oscar they would award!

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    Music: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

    More content including updated nomination predictions @ oscarwild.squarespace.com

    Megalopolis clips: https://youtu.be/tNybhMsO5ew?si=A6rVuGogNC4P34Mh

  • “Have you ever dreamt of a better version of yourself? Younger, more beautiful, more perfect.” This simple, yet expansive idea frames the timely new release, The Substance, a hyper-stylized modern fairy tale that heavily satirizes Hollywood and the beauty industry. Nick and Sophia thoroughly break down this wildly thrilling body horror award winner from Cannes, including: Demi Moore’s daring performance, the gruesome prosthetic and makeup effects, the meaning behind its many movie references, and its continued awards potential. If you haven’t seen the film yet (we definitely recommend finding a packed screening), there’s a spoiler warning mid-episode (22:54) in case you decide to revisit later.

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    Music: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

    More content including updated nomination predictions @ oscarwild.squarespace.com

  • Now that all of the Big Five film festivals (Berlin, Cannes, Sundance, Toronto, and Venice) have ended and handed out their awards, it’s time for Sophia and Nick to recap how their premieres will influence the rest of awards season. Listen as they discuss initial reactions from Venice, Telluride (18:31), and TIFF (37:21), and preview some releases coming at the New York Film Festival (46:21). Afterwards, they answer some fun listener questions related to buzzy performances and their chances at competing on Survivor, older films that would pair well with recent releases, and some category specific possibilities, like in Screenplay or Picture. If you’re curious about what audiences think of Anora, Conclave, Saturday Night, The End, Nightbitch, The Brutalist, Maria, Hard Truths, or The Last Showgirl (with Pamela Anderson and Jamie Lee Curtis), or want to learn more about these movies, then this is the episode for you!

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    More content including updated nomination predictions @ oscarwild.squarespace.com

    Music: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

  • Even though the yearly transition from the dog days of summer into sweater weather always feels too abrupt, it also means that there’s an exciting crop of new releases on its way! To talk about over 40 of these movies headed to the big screen and on streaming, Nick and Sophia are joined by Benjamin VanHoose, @People’s Associate Editor, Movies. Listen as they highlight blockbusters and indie films alike being released in September, October (27:34), November (44:42), and December (1:04:50). Are you a fan of horror? Then The Substance, Heretic, or Nosferatu might be for you. Looking for a family night at the theater? Check out showtimes for The Wild Robot, Transformers One, Moana 2, or Mufasa: The Lion King. Let us know what your most anticipated movie of the fall is!

    Follow Benjamin at https://people.com/author/benjamin-vanhoose/ or on Instagram @benjamin_vanhoose and Twitter @BenVanHoose

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    Music: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

  • Sophia and Nick are looking back on 1974 once more, this time to a wonderful comedy double feature: both Oscar nominees and both made by the same director! Here’s to Mel Brooks’ odd couple, the unforgettable Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein (22:09). Listen as they uncover behind the scenes facts and share their favorite quotes and scenes alike. Gene Wilder and Madeline Kahn aren’t the only ones seeing double! Do you think either of these classics deserved to win at least one Oscar?

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    Music: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

    More content including updated nomination predictions @ oscarwild.squarespace.com

  • Fall festivals are about to begin which means it’s time for Oscar Wild’s biggest episode of the year! Nick and Sophia are excited to invite back eight extraordinary guests to compete in their fifth Awards Season Fantasy Draft: All-Stars Edition. Part competition, part movie madness, the draft showcases what they believe to be the biggest players throughout the coming awards season, possibly even taking home some Oscar gold come March.

    Each of their teams select films, cast and crew, and some fun creative picks that could earn them the most points via critics prizes, multiple guilds, and the biggest award ceremonies. Tune in for a lively, hilarious, enlightening, and all together unforgettable insider look at the year’s biggest movies!

    Which team do you think will take home the win: Team Berger Kings or Team New Rochelle Bi-Coastal Champions?

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    Music: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

  • The movie at the heart of this week’s episode deeply embodies the passion behind Oscar Wild’s favorite mini-game, Smash or Pass. Men can be unreliable, deceitful, temperamental, or just plain old rude. But at the end of the day, they can also be charming, hot, upstanding, and in endless supply, and I know, my toast is burning.

    Sophia and Nick rewind to 1937 yet again to further discuss the contentious Oscar race for Best Actress. They previously highlighted Barbara Stanwyck in Stella Dallas on “Stanwyck September” last year along with Janet Gaynor in A Star Is Born on “Always Remember Us This Way”with guests Connor and Dylan MacDowell. Listen to hear them break down Irene Dunne’s Oscar nominated performance in The Awful Truth before critiquing Luise Rainer’s poorly aged win for The Good Earth and providing an extensive conversation on their favorite acting category (25:57). Would they have awarded their one Oscar to Irene Dunne or does Luise get to keep her statuette?

    Who would you have awarded Best Actress this year?

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    Music: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

    More content including updated nomination predictions @ oscarwild.squarespace.com

    Listen to Sophia’s guest appearance on “And The Runner-Up Is” with friend of the pod Kevin Jacobsen as they discuss the 1937 Best Actress race in even more detail: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/and-the-runner-up-is/id1358031226?i=1000543593068

  • “Her web connects them all.” Nick and Sophia are back to answer some fun listener questions! Find out about their favorite (and worst) theatrical experiences, which Oscar winners they would form an alliance with on Survivor, awards potential for multiple upcoming releases, how they would reallocate Meryl Streep’s wins, and many more! Comment below with who you’d like to see host this year’s Academy Awards!

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    Music: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

  • “I coulda been a contender, I coulda been somebody.”

    Sophia and Nick are back to discuss another Best Picture-winning classic, On the Waterfront, which is also celebrating its 70th anniversary. Marlon Brando’s career-defining performance earned him his first Oscar and one of eight for the film. Listen as they talk about the film’s other wins and if it was (or could’ve been) snubbed elsewhere, Elia Kazan’s role with testifying to HUAC and the film’s not so subtle hints, and of course their favorite scenes, quotes, and performances. Did the Academy get it right? Which one Oscar would they award the film? Find out and comment with your thoughts!

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    Music: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

  • Thirty-nine light-years from Earth, crew members aboard the cargo ship Nostromo take one small step onto an unknown planet, leading to an endless number of giant disasters for mankind. So begins the interstellar saga that sends its heroine, Ellen Ripley, to hell and back, with corporate-fueled alien adventures continuing to this day. It’s no wonder Alien remains one of the all-time greatest science fiction films 45 years after Ridley Scott and his innovative and imaginative collaborators birthed such chilling beauty.

    Listen as Nick and Sophia unearth some far out production facts while providing a deep discussion on Alien and Aliens (55:39). Find out which film each of them prefers, what their favorite and scariest scenes are, and, of course, which one Oscar they would award for each film! Make sure to see these two classics before Alien: Romulus is released on August 16th.

    Oral history of Power Loader EW article: https://ew.com/comic-con/2016/07/18/aliens-anniversary-oral-history/

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    Music: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

  • “I’ve gotta go Julia, we’ve got cows.” Well, there might not be flying cows in this unconventional sequel to the original 1996 disaster movie, but there's enough daredevil tornado wrangling to last a lifetime. Give your best "Yee Haw" and saddle up as Sophia and Nick entertainingly review Twisters side-by-side with Twister. They marvel at Glen Powell's instant charm and Lee Isaac Chung's direction, are intrigued by the 4DX experience, debate if this film will also earn Oscar nominations, and much more!

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    Music: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

  • Greta Gerwig was right: maybe going back to the beginning after some time really does put everything into perspective. Whether it’s the dawn of time in Barbie or a star-defining role that solidified Ryan Gosling’s fame in The Notebook, there’s no denying that that early spark set Hollywood on fire. And for Rachel McAdams, too, who so effortlessly makes Allie the endearing heart to this romantic tale of love lost yet never forgotten. Nick and Sophia discuss the film’s legacy, the tight grip Nicholas Sparks had on teenagers in the early 2000’s, all of the actors and their convincing performances, and some of their favorite moments and quotes that may or may not have aged well.

    To hear the extended version of this episode, subscribe at www.patreon.com/OscarWild at the After Dark tier or higher! We appreciate your support!

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    Music: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

  • There’s no drought of horror movies this year, and we’re only getting started! Great news for ghoulish fans of the genre, like Sophia and Nick, who discuss three recent releases that are sure to give you nightmares for weeks…or will they? Listen as they talk through- spoiler-free of course- the prequel A Quiet Place: Day One, Ti West’s trilogy closer, MaXXXine (20:49), and Osgood Perkins’ latest (yes, Anthony Perkins’ son), Longlegs (36:40). From monster to slasher to sci-fi and occult, there’s a little bit of everything for all horror fans! Let us know your thoughts and which you like most!

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    Music: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

    The Boo Crew podcast with Oz Perkins: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-423-oz-perkins-longlegs/id1318465262?i=1000659620414

  • This episode serves as a perfect example of this season’s theme, They Didn’t Win For That?! Or even better (however you look at it), how ludicrous it was that Donald Sutherland was never nominated, let alone for his challenging performance in Ordinary People. So Nick and Sophia are here to break down the film and get to the bottom of why the Academy never went for his adaptable, understated craftsmanship.

    At the top, they honor his filmography and list some of his best roles and partnerships. Then, in discussing the movie, they share some of their favorite scenes, detailing all of the masterful performances— however uncomfortable or infuriating they may be. Lastly, they answer creative listener questions to pinpoint their favorite Sutherland scene in the film, debate if category confusion led to his nomination snub, and restructure the categories to account for blatant category fraud (38:00). Watch Ordinary People on Max now and let us know what you think!

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    Music: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

  • Trailers for fall and winter movies are slowly appearing, which means it’s time for one of our favorite episodes of the year: sharing our Oscar predictions for the ceremony that is over 8 months away. Listen as Sophia and Nick debate who and what they think could take home the gold this coming awards season in all four acting categories, Director (34:00), and Picture (42:22). Comment with your own predictions and if you agree with our hot takes!

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    Music: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich

  • “Commonality of experience” brought people back to the cinema in droves to experience Riley’s expanding, pubescent world in Inside Out 2. There’s no one better nor happier to celebrate Pixar’s continued success than returning guest and friend of the pod, Ryan Lamb. He breaks down the film with Nick and Sophia as they all share their various opinions on how well this worked as a sequel, which emotion they connected with most, and what they look forward to in the next installment (hint: Riley goes to therapy). They also discuss its Oscar potential and debate which Disney film may have the upper hand come March 2025. Comment below with your thoughts on Inside Out 2!

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    Music: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich