AMERICAN BEAUTY

ANORA

We know how to pick 'em here at The Reel Addicts! Matt's final pick of our Top 4 of '24 series saw Sean Baker personally walk with FOUR Academy Awards this past Sunday (Best Picture, Editing, Original Screenplay, and Director) - the first to do it since Walt Disney. We're talking of course about the indie sensation, Anora. Joining us to give her thoughts on the film's content and accuracy is Creative Writing professor and PHD student, Natassja Schiel, who also brings her perspective as a former stripper with five years of experience to the table as we dissect this Oscar darling. This isn't an episode (or a film) to miss, so have a watch, give a listen, and enjoy the ride! Directed, Produced, Written, and Edited by Sean Baker Starring: Mikey Madison, Yura Borisov, Mark Eydelshteyn, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan, Darya Ekamasova, Aleksey Serebryakov, Lindsey Normington, Vincent Radwinsky, Brittney Rodriguez ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

THE WILD ROBOT

The Reel Addicts welcome brainiac Michelle Martinez for a journey into the mechanical heart of 2024'sThe Wild Robot. Join Jonathan, Matt, and Michelle (who brings both her nature-loving expertise and maternal wisdom) as they disassemble this surprise animated hit piece by piece. The crew tackles everything from the film's voice casting to its unflinching approach to mortality, while compiling their definitive list of animated tearjerkers. Plus, a fascinating detour into the current state of conservative animation that you won't want to miss! Directed by Chris Sanders Screenplay by Chris Sanders (based on the novel by Peter Brown) Starring Lupita Nyong'o, Kit Connor, Stephanie Hsu, Pedro Pascal, Mark Hamill, Catherine O'Hara, Bill Nighy, Ving Rhames, and Matt Berry Opening and Closing Music: Memory Stain 2023 - by Steven F Allen https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/ [https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/] https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage [https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

KNEECAP

Welcome to our "Top 4 of '24" series! Matt kicks things off with his favorite film of 2024, Rich Peppiatt's indie gem, Kneecap (2024). Jonathan and Matt start the party with a brief summation of 2024 in film, then Irish-American/New York native/ex-pat extraordinaire and storytelling powerhouse, Paul Coughlan joins in for the conversation about all things Irish, all things film, and all things Kneecap. (7:59) This film is a wild, lean machine that takes a tight ride through the unlikely journey of Irish language preservation. It's fun, it's original, it's poignant, and it's free on a bunch of streaming services at the moment, so give a watch, have a listen, and enjoy it as much as we did! Directed by Rich Peppiatt Written by Rich Peppiatt & Kneecap Edited by Chris Gill & Julian Ulrichs Starring Móglaí Bap, Mo Chara, DJ Próvai, Josie Walker, Fionnuala Flaherty, Jessica Reynolds, Adam Best, and Michael Fassbender Opening and Closing Music: Memory Stain 2023 - by Steven F Allen https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/ [https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/] https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage [https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

PARASITE

The Reel Addicts welcome the hilarious Jared Watterworth for a basement-level excavation of Bong Joon-ho's Oscar-winning phenomenon, Parasite (2019). Join Matt, Jonathan, and Jared as they descend through the film's intricate layers of class warfare, moral ambiguity, and family bonds. The trio dares to imagine an American remake (while praying it never happens), debates the film's complex entanglements, and explores how Bong masterfully pulls our sympathies in opposing directions like a game of emotional tug-of-war. Whether you're living in a finished basement or a modernist mansion, catch Parasite streaming on various platforms, then come join us for a discussion that'll make you question everything - including what's really in your ramdon! Directed by Bong Joon-ho Written by Bong Joon-ho & Han Jin-won Starring Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-shik, Park So-dam, Lee Jung-eun, Jang Hye-jin, Park Myung-hoon, Jung Ji-so, Jung Hyeon-jun, Park Keun-rok, Park Seo-joon Opening and Closing Music: Memory Stain 2023 - by Steven F Allen https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/ [https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/] https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage [https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

AMERICAN BEAUTY

The Family Celebrations continue with an existential crisis of Americana wrapped inside of an unsuspecting slice-of-life film: Sam Mendes' all-time classic, American Beauty (1999). Matt and Jonathan break down everything they can in this masterpiece, including it's importance for sexual exploration, the acceptance of alternate lifestyles, fatherhood and male role models, what we're taught is important in American culture, The Kevin Spacey Problem, and much, much more! Come along for the ride as we "Look closer" at one of the most influential films of the twentieth century - the film that taught us to feel gratitude for every single moment of our stupid little lives, Much love everyone! Directed by Sam Mendes Written by Alan Ball Music by Thomas Newman Cast: Kevin Spacey, Annette Benning, Thora Birch, Wes Bentley, Chris Cooper, Mena Suvari, Allison Janney, Peter Gallagher, Scott Bakula, Sam Robards Opening and Closing Music: Memory Stain 2023 - by Steven F Allen https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/ [https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/] https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage [https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.