The characters in director Wong kar-Wai's "In the Mood for Love," which recently ranked No. 5 on the BFI's Sight and Sound poll of the Greatest Films of All Time, crave human connection -- but they'll settle for a good meal. In this episode, Mike and Brian explore physical vs. emotional hunger; the various ways that Wong kar-Wai uses framing, color…

Duality. Facades! Identity!? It's all underneath the microscope in director Ingmar Bergman's "Persona" (1966), which ranked No. 18 on the BFI's Greatest Films of All Time Sight and Sound poll. In this episode, Mike and Brian dive into the subconscious to explore the links between authenticity and art, desire and security, intimacy and acting, secre…

Ranked No. 31 on the British Film Institute's Greatest Films of All Time poll is director Federico Fellini's surrealist meta-project "8 1/2" (1963). To really do the movie's vision justice, Mike and Brian intended to podcast about podcasting for a straight hour, but their producer (the illustrious Marc Gilliland) wouldn't allow it. Instead, the two…

Ranking No. 4 on the British Film Institute's recently released Greatest Films of All Time poll was director Yasujirō Ozu's "Tokyo Story" (1953), which plays as a meditation on time and generational divides, set during a parents' trip to Tokyo to visit their adult children. In this episode, Mike and Brian discuss Ozu's visual approach and whether o…

Coming in at No. 1 on the British Film Institute's recently released Greatest Films of All Time poll was "Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles" (1975), directed by Chantal Ackerman. Never seen the film? You're not alone. Its placement at the top of the charts was a surprise to many, which made it the perfect place for Mike and Brian …

Mike and Brian are celebrating the new year with a fresh new show format! In this episode, they discuss movie blindspots and introduce the miniseries to come, review the British Film Institute's Sight & Sound Top 100 list, discuss their own personal all-time top fives then hold a very formal ceremony honoring the first official inductees to gain en…

What's your favorite movie of the aughts? What's the best movie? Are they the same film -- if so, why not? In this special bonus episode, Mike and Brian recap their 10-year journey through the films of 2000 through 2009; discuss what the decade taught them about art, the Oscars and what they value most about movies; and then they rank their top fiv…

What was the best movie of 2009? The Academy awarded that title to Kathryn Bigelow's "The Hurt Locker," but in this series finale episode, Mike and Brian recap the year in film to rerank the Best Picture nominees, highlight standout films that didn't garner Oscar attention and choose their personal top-fives. Want to curate a future episode? BECOME…

It's not enough to edcuate us anymore, Academy. You have to tell us why you're doing it! In this episode, Mike and Brian explore the final Best Picture nominee of 2009: director Lone Scherfig's "An Education," starring Carey Mulligan, Peter Sarsgaard, Alfred Molina and more. They discuss allusions to the Great Recession, what the movie intends to s…

Jeff Bridges and Colin Farrell as country music icons?! Where do we sign? In this episode, Mike and Brian dive into director Scott Cooper's "Crazy Heart," an intimate character study of an aging and down-on-his-luck musician (Bridges, who won the Oscar for Best Actor). The film owes a lot to Darren Aronofsky's "The Wrestler," and Mike and Brian par…

Director James Cameron blew the budget on 2009's "Avatar," betting that film's ambitious visual spectacle would equate to big box office rewards. He was right, as the film went on to not only become the most profitable blockbuster of all time, but also earn nine Oscar nods, including a win for Best Visual Effects and a nomination for Best Picture. …

Through its obsession with pop culture, director Marc Webb's "(500) Days of Summer" is as much about romcoms as it is a romcom itself, full of stylistic flourishes, "Annie Hall"-like experimentation and non-linear structuring gimmicks. In this episode, Mike and Brian discuss how that approach informs the movie's central coming-of-age themes, they t…

There's no such thing as an uninteresting Coen brothers' movie, and 2009's Best Picture-nominated "A Serious Man" continues that tradition, offering plenty of philosophical meat to chew on through its exploration of faith and meaning. In this episode, Mike and Brian return to their conversation about nihilism's place in the Coen brothers' worldview…

Colin Firth was nominated in the Best Actor category in 2009 for "A Single Man," tallying the film's one and only Academy Award nod. In addition to Firth's performance, however, the film is a visual feast, full of impeccable costuming, set design and a color palette that, sometimes literally, radiates. The attention to visuals makes sense, given di…

Oprah and Tyler Perry were among the executive producers behind "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' By Sapphire," which helped the Lee Daniels-directed film draw in big-name talent from the Black music scene -- such as Mo'Nique, Mariah Carey and Lenny Kravitz. The movie went on to earn several Oscar nominations in 2009, including one for Best Pict…

The first Best Picture winner to be directed by a woman, Kathryn Bigelow's "The Hurt Locker" electrified critics in 2009, even while drawing lukewarm box office numbers. In this episode, Mike and Brian explore the film's thesis that "war is a drug" and discuss the ways in which addiction can change characters and character arcs. They talk about the…

Quentin Tarantino earned his first Best Picture Oscar nomination for 2009's "Inglorious Basterds," a bloody, revisionist take on World War II, starring Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz and Mélanie Laurent. It's not the typical type of film recognized by the Academy Awards, which begs the question: Did it deserve serious consideration as the top film of t…

Sandra Bullock earned a Best Actress Oscar for her turn as a no-nonsense southern mother with a flair for football and a heart of gold, in 2009 Best Picture nominee "The Blind Side," directed by John Lee Hancock. But 13 years later, does the movie still touch ... down on our hearts? In this episode, Mike and Brian talk feel-good movies, explore the…

Only three animated movies have ever been nominated for Best Picture, and one of them was Pixar's "Up," released in 2009, which placed it in rarefied air as one of the Greatest Animated Movies Ever. But was "Up" even the best animated movie of the year it released? In this episode, Mike and Brian talk stop-motion and how the technique affects story…

Pixar's "Up," released in 2009 to a box office gross of over $735,000, was one of only three animated movies of all time nominated in the Academy Awards' Best Picture category. That must mean it's an automatic top-five film of the year ... right? In this episode, Mike and Brian talk talking dogs, grumpy old men and sad moments framed by colorful ba…

Welcome to the world of South African sci-fi! Director Neil Blomkamp's debut feature, "District 9" -- a splattery, actiony genre film backed by Peter Jackson -- was one of the more obvious beneficiaries of the Oscars expanding the Best Picture race to 10 nominees in 2009. But how does it hold up today? In this episode, Mike and Brian talk body horr…

Director Jason Reitman tallied his second Best Picture nomination in a row in 2009, following his first nomination for "Juno" (2007), with the George Clooney Great Recession dramedy "Up in the Air," which earned a total of six Oscar nominations -- one for each of its top-billed stars (including Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick), as well as two more f…

What was the best movie of 2008? The Academy awarded that title to Danny Boyle's "Slumdog Millionaire," but in this series finale episode, Mike and Brian recap the year in film to rerank the Best Picture nominees, highlight standout films that didn't garner Oscar attention and choose their personal top-fives. Want to curate a future episode? BECOME…

Director Danny Boyle's "Slumdog Millionaire" mopped the floor with 2008, sweeping the Oscars with eight wins and making nearly $380 million worldwide. Not bad for a budget of just $15 million. In this episode, Mike and Brian discuss the film's diverse cinematography, the power of fairy tales, how and why some movies' reputations change over time an…

Kate Winslet starred in two Oscar contenders in 2008 (the other opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in Sam Mendes's "Revolutionary Road"), but she won Best Actress for her portrayal of an illiterate Nazi in the Best Picture-nominated "The Reader," which grapples with guilt, our relationship to the past and the nature of evil. Yes, it is, as critic Amy Nicho…

The Marvel Cinematic Universe kicked off with director Jon Favreau's "Iron Man," starring Robert Downey Jr. Maybe the most fascinating thing about this movie, though, is how, compared to the dozens of MCU films that would come to follow it, this one, with its narrow scope and human stakes, almost feels quaint. In this episode, Mike and Brian talk c…

Two greats, Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman, go head-to-head in writer-director John Patrick Shanley's "Doubt," which took home a loot of Best Actor noms in 2008 but was snubbed for Best Picture. In this episode, Mike and Brian explore the power of ambiguity, talk dramatic stakes, character depth, what makes a supporting actor turn award-wo…

Sean Penn took home Best Actor gold for his portrayal of Harvey Milk in Gus Van Sant's Best Picture-nominated MILK, which earnd eight Oscars overall, winning two (the other for Best Screenplay). But how does this biopic hold up 14 years later? In this episode, Mike and Brian discuss the importance of learning something from a historical drama, they…

This city deserves a better class of podcast, and we're gonna give it to them! In this episode, Mike and Brian trade in their hockey pants for body armor to revisit director Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight," which made over $1 billion at the box office and just might be the best comic book movie ever made. ... Or is it? To answer that question…

Director Ron Howard's Best Picture-nominated "Frost/Nixon" is about two guys just ... talking. But can two people talking really be that exciting? (As podcasts hosts, we certainly hope so!) In this episode, Mike and Brian verbal spar about verbal sparring, they do bad Richard Nixon impersonations, explore the line between historical fact and fictio…

Mickey Rourke's return to stardom (you know -- the "Rourkessaince") began with him playing the title role in director Darren Aronofsky's "The Wrestler," also starring Marisa Tomei. But this feature marked a major turning point for Aronofsky, as well -- away from the big, showy spectacles of his two prior releases ("Requiem for a Dream" and "The Fou…

Guess how much money Best Picture nominee "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" made at the box office when it released in 2008. Whatever you guessed, go higher! This thing raked in over $335 million, more than doubling its hefty $150M budget. That's called critical and commercial darling, ladies and gentlemen. But how does this crowd-pleaser, star…

What was the best movie of 2007? The Academy awarded that title to the Joel and Ethan Coen's "No Country for Old Men," but in this series finale episode, Mike and Brian wade through the many (many) titles that made this an all-time great year for film to re-evaluate if that selection holds up. They recap the year that was, rank the nominees for Bes…

The Coen brothers' "No Country for Old Men" beat out Paul Thomas Anderson's "There Will Be Blood" for the Best Picture Oscar of 2007. How do the two movies compare and differ? And what does a shift in how you remember a movie compared to how you experience it on rewatch say about the film itself? In this episode, Mike and Brian dig into all those q…

Mike and Brian ditch the script this week to dive into not one, not two but three (OK, more like 10 ... ish) titles from 2007 that they love. First, "Bug," an ultra-low-budget horror from director William Friedkin ("The Exorcist," "The French Connection"), starring Ashley Judd and Michael Shannon Next, "Away from Her," the beautifully sad Alzheimer…

Horror movies changed after director Oren Peli's "Paranormal Activity" hit the festival circuit in 2007. Suddently, found-footage was king, which is easy to understand, considering Peli's film was shot for just $15,000 then went on to make over $193 million at the box office. In this episode, Mike and Brian talk creaky house sounds, ominous footste…

Sensory spectacle -- bravura editing, Old Hollywood glamour, inventive scoring -- works as the foundation of director Joe Wright's "Atonement," which stars James McAvoy, Keira Knightley and Keira Knightley's silken green dress. In this episode, Mike and Brian explore the line separating "showy" from substantive high style, they talk metafiction, me…

Director Paul Thomas Anderson's "There Will Be Blood" lost the Best Picture Oscar to "No Country for Old Men" in 2007, but its legend has only grown since its release, and now it's easy to find the title topping critics' best-of-the-decade lists. Why? In this episode, Mike and Brian talk antiheroes and Daniel Day-Lewis' iconic performance as Daniel…

Before "The Walking Dead," director Frank Darabont took an unconventional route into the horror genre by turning two of Stephen King's more feel-good stories ("The Shawshank Redemption" and "The Green Mile") into uber-successful films. After that, he was ready to go dark -- which is exactly what he did with his third King adaption, this one based o…

Director Jason Reitman teamed with first-time screenwriter Diablo Cody to release one of 2007's most surprising smash hits: "Juno," starring Elliot Page, Michael Cera, Jason Batemon, Jennifer Garner, J.K. Simmons and (breath) Allison Janney. In this episode, Mike and Brian talk iconic characters, when "quirkiness" became cool, what makes a film a "…

Mike and Brian celebrate their 100th episode by kicking off a brand new miniseries -- this time on the films of 2007! First up: the momentum- and mood-forward "Michael Clayton," a Best Picture-nominated corporate thriller starring George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson and Tilda Swinton. In this centennial episode, Mike and Brian discuss the Oscars' ongoing…

What was the best movie of 2006? The Academy awarded that title to director Martin Scorsese's "The Departed," but in this series finale episode, Mike and Brian shake things up. They recap the year that was, rank the nominees for Best Picture, kick the ones that don't belong and discuss their personal top fives. www.bestpicturethis.com Want to curat…

Released in between "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight," "The Prestige" stands out as a bold, personal choice for director Christopher Nolan. In this episode, Mike and Brian talk about Nolan's obsession with obsession, magic as a standin for cinema, the all-consuming power of creativity and if Nolan's film about magic and magicians deserves a pla…

Is "The Departed" Martin Scorsese's best movie? It's the only one of his films that has won Best Picture at the Oscars, and the only one for which he's won for Best Directing. So it's gotta be his best! ... Right? In this episode, Mike and Brian put on bad Bostonian accents to talk identity, machismo, pulpy genre, love triangles, self-seriousness a…

Director Clint Eastwood released two films in 2006, both about a pivotal battle in World War II -- except, one movie ("Flags of Our Fathers") was told from the American perspective, while the other ("Letters from Iwo Jima") explored the Japanese experience. In this episode, Mike and Brian discuss what analyzing the two movies through the scope of t…

Director Alfonso Cuaron's "Children of Men," starring Clive Owen, Julianne Moore and Michael Caine, is full of stunning action sequences shot entirely in long takes. But is the movie more than visual spectacle? In this episode, Mike and Brian talk technical achievements in cinematography, biblical and prog rock allusions, and trivia, before decidin…

Nominated for Best Picture and winner of Best Screenplay of 2006, "Little Miss Sunshine," directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, was a surprise smash hit, both critically and commercially. But has its charm worn off in the 16 years since its release? In this episode, Mike and Brian talk screenwriting "tricks," the power of an ensemble cast …

Is "Pan's Labyrinth" director Guillermo del Toro's best movie? In the years since its release in 2006, the Academy has embraced this director, awarding him Best Picture for "The Shape of Water" (2017) and nominating his "Nightmare Alley" in 2021. Although "Pan's" was only recognized with awards for its visuals (cinematography, art, makeup), the bea…

Director Alejandro González Iñárritu's Best Picture-nominated "Babel," starring Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Rinko Kikuchi and others, explores cultural divides through several converging narratives. In this episode, Mike and Brian hone in on how Inarritu uses the power of misery to connect his characters, they dig into the movie's deeper meanings, t…

Can a "messy" movie also be "great"? Adam Sandler's career leading up to "Click," in 2006, was a defined by slapstick comedies made for teens, with only occasional dabblings in more "serious" fare ("Spanglish" and "Punch-Drunk Love"). "Click," however, tried to do both: be dumb fun, and make the audience feel something real. In this episode, Mike a…