Best AFI Top 100 Podcasts (2024)

1
Will Success Fix Me? (Cutting Room Floor #211) 48:22

2d ago48:22

48:22

Bestseller. Top of the Box Office. Hit TV show. Oscar. Millions...success will fix everything, right? I mean, it's literally what we're chasing so hard, the tippy top of our dreams, how could it possibly NOT fix us, right? RIGHT? Hmmm. So, what if it doesn't? What if success were only to make our personal issues WORSE? Oh, god. Perhaps the work on …

1
Cleo From 5 To 7 40:32

2d ago40:32

40:32

The French New Wave was headlined by names like Truffaut & Godard, but Agnes Varda was a vital writer/director in the movement too. Her Cleo From 5 To 7 is set in in Paris and plays out in real time (90 minutes, though, not 2 hours). The beautiful and compelling Corinne Marchand wanders around the city, killing time until she will find out whether …

1
Female Protagonists 1:55:17

9d ago1:55:17

1:55:17

The tricky 31st episode features Female protagonists. Was it left this long to see if it could tempt Lewis into going to the cinema to see Furiosa, or Inside Out 2? The answer is 50% yes with Lewis, wearing his new Midnight Run shirt recalling his experience of going to the cinema as a wheelchair user. Female protagonists are more fragile and vulne…

1
Rope (Alfred Hitchcock Deep Dive #34) 53:27

11d ago53:27

53:27

Murder can be an art, too... So, Hitchcock is doing some THINGS. He's out on his own away from Selznick for the first time in Hollywood, and he's come out with a big swing: can we shoot a movie with no cuts? All one take? Or, at least the illusion of that? And how would such a real-time filming method influence the drama that unfolds? Kinda blew ou…

1
10 Directors' Most-Underrated Movies 40:29

9d ago40:29

40:29

Have You Ever Seen doesn't post listicles or Top 10 lists very often, but for episode #598 on a holiday in our home and native land, that's exactly what you're getting on Canada Day. We each talked about 5 different directors and the most-underrated movie each of them has made, with an unintentional theme of twins and doppelgangers coming up again …

1
Why Is Your Process So Different From Mine? (Cutting Room Floor #210) 43:33

13d ago43:33

43:33

You've probably heard this before: there is no ONE WAY to be a writer. Or a filmmaker. Or an actor, or a painter, or a dancer, or a sculptor...the possibilities, personalities, and pathways are endless. Why is that? And if its true, how can I find my own way? We discuss and answer! Also, Josh recommends The Terror Season 1 (again!), and Ira recomme…

1
The Paradine Case (Alfred Hitchcock Deep Dive #33) 49:47

17d ago49:47

49:47

I loved Andre Latour, and you murdered him... It's the last rodeo for Alfred Hitchcock and David O. Selznick, the last time the two work together. And this time, it's written by the producer himself. We have ourselves a murder, a mysterious, beautiful woman accused, and a dashing young lawyer who's convinced she didn't do it. So, how does it all sh…

1
This Is Spinal Tap 47:47

16d ago47:47

47:47

We post our last episode in June (#597 overall) and wrap up this month of joyful movies by yapping about the hilariously quotable This Is Spinal Tap. Director and co-writer Rob Reiner and the Guest/McKean/Shearer trio lead a team of funny people through 82 minutes of improv, providing us with so many classic lines. This is the greatest mockumentary…

1
All At Once vs. Slow & Steady (Cutting Room Floor #209) 43:38

25d ago43:38

43:38

What's the best way to work: burst energy, get it out as hard and fast as you possibly can go go go don't stop...or slow and steady, this is a marathon not a sprint, and you can't just drop everything when life never stops, so drip drip it away, one brick at a time until you're finally done? Spoiler: it's not an either/or. It's BOTH. We talk about …

1
American Fiction 1:00:01

23d ago1:00:01

1:00:01

American Fiction is more of a dramedy or a clever satire than a true comedy, but few movies in recent years have been funnier than this is. Writer/director Cord Jefferson crafted a remarkable film, even though he balances maybe a few too many plots in his big-screen debut (racial strife, white guilt, difficult family issues, money troubles, inabili…

1
Notorious (Alfred Hitchcock Deep Dive #32) 1:01:57

1M ago1:01:57

1:01:57

Say it again, it keeps me awake. ...I love you... Ingrid Bergman and Hitchcock go back to back! This time its Cary Grant she teams up with, in a tale of international espionage, manipulation, uranium, and...love. All things Hitch has covered before, but not quite like this. Grant and Bergman heat up the silver screen. We watch and discuss!…

1
Footloose 47:35

1M ago47:35

47:35

Everybody cut (everybody cut) in the 1984 version of Footloose. The story takes us to a repressed middle-American town where dancing is outlawed until Kevin Bacon rages against that particular machine. He's the city slicker with fast feet who pushes back on John Lithgow's religious father figureness. They both do very good work here and so does the…

1
Good Habits (Cutting Room Floor #208) 53:52

1M ago53:52

53:52

On this podcast, we've talked before about BAD habits and how to break them. But what about GOOD habits? What about that stuff that we know we SHOULD be doing, but it's hard to get going? Josh and Ira talk about how it works for them. Also, Josh recommends The Terror Season 1 (again), and Ira recommends Welcome to Wrexham, which is on Hulu.…

1
Reality Bites 49:00

1M ago49:00

49:00

There were a few keystone movies about Generation X that came out around 30 years ago, but Reality Bites is one of the red-letter titles. Ben Stiller was making his directorial debut and he also plays the third part of a love triangle with Winona Ryder and Ethan Hawke. Ryder was at her peak in this time frame while Hawke---who was at least doing so…

1
To Have And Have Not 36:56

1M ago36:56

36:56

Bogie and Bacall's first movie together was directed by Howard Hawks and was based on a book by Ernest Hemingway, so that's some serious cache. Of course, Hawks barely used anything from his friend's To Have And Have Not novel other than the title, even though the screenplay is filled with snappy lines. This is "Casablanca In The Caribbean" and it'…

1
Spellbound (Alfred Hitchcock Deep Dive #31) 1:07:05

2M ago1:07:05

1:07:05

Amnesia: the trick of the mind for remaining sane... You see "Dream Sequence by Salvador Dali" in the credits and you get excited! Hitch is doing some things with this one. We're going super psychological with it. Like SUPER psychological. Gregory Peck doesn't remember who he is, but he's convinced he's a murderer. Ingrid Bergman is convinced that …

1
Edge Of Tomorrow 51:21

2M ago51:21

51:21

Memorial Day is a good time to talk about a war movie, even if the intense Edge Of Tomorrow is almost as witty as it is heart-pounding. The one that's better known as "Live Die Repeat" has a Groundhog Day-esque hook as military hype man Tom Cruise restarts a day every time he dies. Emily Blunt is in "keep up with me" badass mode while Cruise unchar…

1
The Warped Shelf - Goodfellas (AFI Top 100 #92) 1:17:20

2M ago1:17:20

1:17:20

As far back as we can remember, we've always wanted to talk about Goodfellas. And Casino, by extension. It's all mobs all the time today. Episode #160By The Warped Shelf

1
Does It Get Any Easier? (Cutting Room Floor #207) 43:40

2M ago43:40

43:40

It's so, sooooo hard when you're starting out. We all look forward to the day where it gets easier. The thought of the work just pumping out of us, amazing and free, kinda keeps us going in those early, dark, hard days. But...DOES it get any easier? We ask each other and discuss. Also, Josh recommends The Terror Season 1, and Ira recommends Eurotri…

1
Lifeboat (Alfred Hitchcock Deep Dive #30) 1:19:44

2M ago1:19:44

1:19:44

Dying together's even more personal than living together... Hitchcock plays with setting this time around, confining his ENTIRE FILM to a single lifeboat. And it doesn't pull any punches. Dead babies, murder, suicide, paranoia, love, hate, desperation, and brutal violence...it all takes place on that tiny boat. This film really goes for it. We watc…

1
Dial M For Murder 39:26

2M ago39:26

39:26

After 3 weeks off, Bev returns to the podcast to chat about Alfred Hitchcock's chamber piece. His Dial M For Murder stars a few very talented liars. Well, the characters are, not the actors. The best of those is Ray Milland, who's tremendous in this as one of Hitchcock's most-diabolical villains. His wife was unfaithful and he has a coldblooded pla…

1
Yesterday, Today And Tomorrow 33:34

2M ago33:34

33:34

Ryan's quest to review at least one movie starring all the actors on the AFI's Top 50 Stars list has been achieved with this one-man-talk about Vittorio De Sica's comic anthology. Sophia Loren was the last one standing. She and "Mar-chell-o", not "Mar-cell-o" Mastroianni star in all 3 chapters of Yesterday, Today And Tomorrow, each time as Italian …

1
Advice For An Aspiring Writer (Cutting Room Floor #206) 44:34

2M ago44:34

44:34

So you want to be a writer. You're interested in a life of storytelling. Long term. What do you need to know? Or, as someone who's already dedicated themselves to a lifetime of spinning tales, what would you say to someone who was interested in doing the same? As a pair that fall into the latter, Josh and Ira discuss! Also, Josh recommends The Angr…

1
Shadow of a Doubt (Alfred Hitchcock Deep Dive #29) 1:23:37

2M ago1:23:37

1:23:37

The cities are full of women... Alfred transports us to small-town America this time, a land of unlocked doors, everyone knows everyone, and the world is full of innocence. But then Uncle Charlie comes home, and all that idealism starts to unravel. Uncle Charlie is hiding something. He might not be who young "Charlie" (Charlotte) thought he was. Hi…

1
On The Town 36:56

2M ago36:56

36:56

Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra were both tremendous movie stars, but their names haven't come up very often in 11+ years of Have You Ever Seen. So after covering plenty of dark films in recent weeks, Ryan talks alone in this 589th episode about these singers and dancers in their light musical romp. It's glossy and the songs are mostly good, but this …

1
A Good Kick In The Ass (Cutting Room Floor #205) 36:13

2M ago36:13

36:13

An ass-kicking never feels good! It hurts every time. And yet, especially in the creative sense, we all need to be told when we're doing something wrong; we all need to be humbled. So...how can getting your ass kicked be a good thing? If the pain is the same either way, how can you tell constructive criticism from just a plain whoopin'? We discuss!…

1
Saboteur (Alfred Hitchcock Deep Dive #28) 1:11:07

2M ago1:11:07

1:11:07

Must I remind you that *you* are the fugitive from justice and not I? It's The 39 Steps: Part 2! Hitchcock returns to what is clearly a favorite premise: an innocent man on the run from a criminal conspiracy with the fate of the country at stake. This time, we're in American, and there's a real-world war going on. So...how does it shake out? Does A…

1
Little Caesar 27:09

2M ago27:09

27:09

The early-'30s were a tumultuous time, so it's fitting that we were introduced to violent gangster flicks during that timeframe. The Public Enemy & Howard Hawks' Scarface are both better than Mervyn LeRoy's Little Caesar, but Edward G Robinson's star-making performance is just as iconic as what Cagney & Muni did in their shoot-'em-up crime movies. …

1
Films of the 2010s 1:53:35

2M ago1:53:35

1:53:35

Fresh from the success of their new play, our boys return with their long awaited 30th episode. The 2010s were a time where they admit to being less prolific in visiting the cinema. Did life get in the way, or did it seem like films became longer and we are talking generally and not specifically referring to The Irishman. This was a decade that fea…

1
Dark Victory 28:10

2M ago28:10

28:10

We've only covered Bette Davis twice before now (including the classic All About Eve), but she's nearly as good in Dark Victory as she was in that or in anything else she ever made. Geraldine Fitzgerald does solid work here too, but George Brent, Ronnie Reagan and even Humphrey Bogart just aren't as up to snuff. In any case, Edmund Goulding directs…

1
Remembering Greatness, Forgetting the Rest (Cutting Room Floor #204) 55:56

2M ago55:56

55:56

400 episodes! Wild. This week, we're tackling the question of bad vs good vs great from the angle of seeking out new books, TV, and Film. It can be a hard road! Most stuff out there isn't great...so, how does one keep going, keep up the enthusiasm? We discuss what's worked for us. Also, Josh recommends Robodoc, which is currently on Tubi, and Ira r…

1
Suspicion (Alfred Hitchcock Deep Dive #27) 55:38

2M ago55:38

55:38

There was something strange about Johnny Asgarth... We're back to the realm of suspense, paranoia, and murder. Or...is it? That's the question Joan Fontaine must answer when she marries the charming but mysterious Cary Grant: IS he trying to kill her? A return to form, perhaps, after Hitchcock's last jaunt through screwball comedy, and it's the fir…

1
Batman 53:16

2M ago53:16

53:16

Tim Burton's dark 1989 take on the billionaire who dresses as a bat came decades after Bob Kane and Bill Finger invented the character. And while Ryan talks a little about the other films in this long-running series (and the '60s TV show), the star of this one-man show is the '89 Batman. Michael Keaton proved the naysayers very wrong in this stylis…

1
The Warped Shelf - Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire 1:06:58

2M ago1:06:58

1:06:58

Lizard and Monke return to battle Bad Monke and Chill Lizard in Adam Wingard's latest MonsterVerse entry. How does it stack up to the franchise, both on the western side and comparing it to the Toho films? Is it still fun? Episode #159By The Warped Shelf

1
Commanding Intelligence (Cutting Room Floor #203) 51:59

3M ago51:59

51:59

Can you fall in love, deeply in love love, with somebody you know isn't as smart as you are? We're not talking about pets, or kids, inanimate objects, or even sexual attraction. We're talking about grown-up, head over heels, enduring, inspiring LOVE. Can you? Interesting, huh? You can't, can you? Stories are the same way. All the best stories open …

1
Mr. and Mrs. Smith (Alfred Hitchcock Deep Dive #26) 1:09:07

3M ago1:09:07

1:09:07

If you had it all to do over again, would you have married me? Hitch takes on married life in its screwball form! These comedies were very popular at the time (see: Grant and Hepburn in Bringing Up Baby), so it's not surprising that our British Director, fresh in Hollywood, would take on such a project. Given his hit and (mostly) miss track record …

1
Cape Fear 46:46

3M ago46:46

46:46

Our 6th of 7 episodes during this Revenge Month takes us to America's Deep South as we talk about Robert Mitchum making Gregory Peck's life a living hell in Cape Fear. What's more, the convicted rapist threatens the lawyer's family in some of the worst way's a hateful person can. "Rape" is never spoken in the dialogue, but it's a constant theme. Mi…

1
Revenge Of The Nerds 52:19

3M ago52:19

52:19

Since this is still Revenge Month, the time has come for a one-Ryan episode about Revenge Of The Nerds. Yes, there are a few controversial scenes where our otherwise-lovable heroes strike back against mean-spirited football players...although what they do to the jocks' snobby cheerleader girlfriends is far worse. But this IS a tacky, sex comedy tha…

1
The Wrong Direction (Cutting Room Floor #202) 40:56

3M ago40:56

40:56

How do you know when you've gone in the wrong direction? What are the signs? And when you realize that you have, what do you do? Josh and Ira share their own personal insights on this question, covering the spectrum of a chronic over-planner to leaping-before-looking impulsiveness. Also, Josh recommends South Park currently available on Prime, and …

1
Foreign Correspondent (Alfred Hitchcock Deep Dive #25) 58:24

3M ago58:24

58:24

There's a crime hatching on that bedeviled continent... World War II is in full swing when this movie releases. Or, at least it is in Europe. London is being bombed, and Hitchcock can't help but feel, well, helpless. And guilty for not being there. This film, more than any he's made to this point, truly reflects the time in which it was made: an Am…

1
Mandy 48:00

3M ago48:00

48:00

Nicolas Cage can't be accused of making safe choices during his 40+ years of acting. He's appeared in his share of crap this century, but he also has plenty of terrific titles on his resume. Mandy is one of the best ones he's ever starred in and it's certainly one of his most unique. Director Panos Cosmatos leads Cage through a phantasmagoric odyss…

1
The Elements of a Great Film (Cutting Room Floor #201) 35:26

3M ago35:26

35:26

What makes a good movie? What are the things that stand out? We all have our own personal versions of the answer to this question. Josh and Ira each answer for themselves without getting into the weeds as much as possible. Also, Josh recommends Somebody Feed Phil on Netflix, and Ira recommends Tarkovsky's Stalker on Max.…

1
Rebecca (Alfred Hitchcock Deep Dive #24) 59:32

3M ago59:32

59:32

Do you think the dead come back and watch the living? Mr. Hitchcock is in Hollywood! Alfred makes his first film in the States, and holy crap does he have some fun with his budget. Everything tinsel town had to offer in 1940 is on display: star power, massive sets, camera tricks, sweeping score, and even FIRE. It's a moody, gothic horror story to b…

1
Hustlers 54:01

3M ago54:01

54:01

Outside of Out Of Sight, it's hard to find a Jennifer Lopez performance that's any better than her work in Hustlers. Her fair-weather friends in this though? Well, except for Keke Palmer, not so much. But J Lo's stunning sex appeal and swagger overwhelm everything else. Lorene Scafaria's Goodfellas-esque execution of the story are pretty snazzy too…

1
Foxy Brown 31:50

3M ago31:50

31:50

Blaxploitation movies were very popular with audiences 50 years ago. Jack Hill's Foxy Brown is a classic largely because of Pam Grier, who was not only a staggering beauty with 12/10 sex appeal, but she also plays a badass you could root for. And her sublime performance in Jackie Brown happened largely because of how much QT liked this flick. Ryan'…

1
Hitchcock's British Period Takeaways (Cutting Room Floor #200) 57:05

3M ago57:05

57:05

Hitchcock is moving to Hollywood! As the master of suspense makes his way west, we're taking a pause here to look back on his period in Britain. 13 years. 24 films (one of which has been lost since). An era that saw him struggle to fit in, thrive as technology developed and ambition increased, and eventually find his "thing." What are the ups and d…

1
Jamaica Inn (Alfred Hitchcock Deep Dive #23) 1:05:42

3M ago1:05:42

1:05:42

CHAAADWIIIICK??!! Hitch teams up with dynamo actor Charles Laughton for a tale of piracy, lies, and corruption. The stage actor is riveting, even if the film has its flaws, and apparently he and Alfred had a hard time working together. There's a lot to like with Jamaica Inn! More than we expected. And certainly lots to criticize. We discuss it all.…

1
Gone Girl 1:09:45

3M ago1:09:45

1:09:45

Gone Girl begins our 2nd (Probably) Annual Revenge Month as Rosamund Pike plays a narcissistic sadist who wants vengeance on her lazy, cheating husband. Ben Affleck plays that husband, a very-flawed man who has to deal with tabloid "journalists" as he tries to figure out why his wife is missing...and possibly dead. David Fincher's mystery movie has…

1
White Lies (Cutting Room Floor #199) 58:03

4M ago58:03

58:03

A small lie. A sentence I didn't actually write, or a shot I didn't really shoot that I pass off as my own. Or I didn't actually do something the way I said I did. How big of a deal are these kinds of lies or omissions? Do they really matter? How truthful do we need to be with those who consume our work? Where is the line? We discuss! Also, Josh re…

1
The Lady Vanishes (Alfred Hitchcock Deep Dive #22) 1:06:36

4M ago1:06:36

1:06:36

Nuns don't wear high heels... A woman has disappeared into thin air, on a train no less. But when Iris Henderson reports it, nobody believes her. In fact, nobody on the train even knows who she's talking about. So, what gives? Is Iris crazy? Or is everyone else? This dilemma caps off a pretty solid run of Hitchcock's later British period that's see…

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