Best Rock Steady Chris Podcasts (2024)

1
Watch With Jen - S5: E11 - Thelma Ritter with Nell Minow 47:50

2h ago47:50

47:50

This week, I'm very excited to bring back the great Nell Minow to the podcast. An accomplished lawyer & a highly readable film critic at her site MovieMom.com & RogerEbert.com, where she's also an editor, Nell Minow has written over 3,000 movie reviews since the 1990s. She's also authored several terrific film books, including 101 Must See Movie Mo…

1
Watch With Jen - S5: E10 - Kickass Women with Susan Elia MacNeal 48:13

3h ago48:13

48:13

As promised, Watch With Jen is back with your second brand-new time-sensitive episode of the week! And my goodness, it's a stellar conversation that writers, book lovers, WWII history buffs, & fans of awesome heroines will love. Returning to the podcast today, we have the terrific Susan Elia MacNeal. The NY Times bestselling author of the Maggie Ho…

1
Watch With Jen - S5: E9 - Don't Knock the Rock Fest: Allison & Tiffany Anders in Conversation with Kate Hagen & Jen Johans 1:13:24

7h ago1:13:24

1:13:24

We're back from our short spring hiatus this week with a very special conversation featuring my friend & occasional co-host, the wonderful Senior Vice President of The Black List, Kate Hagen. Joining us today are two of our favorite women & returning guests, the fabulous writer-director, cinephile, & retired professor Allison Anders, & her incredib…

1
Watch With Jen - S5: E8 - Physical Media: Spring '24 with Alison Gaylin, Blake Howard, Chris McKay, & Rachel Wagner 1:35:19

26d ago1:35:19

1:35:19

Welcome to our first Physical Media episode of 2024. Joining me today, we have a terrific quartet of movie minds discussing a handful of titles newly released on disc, including novelist Alison Gaylin on TO DIE FOR, podcaster-critic Blake Howard on CONTAGION, filmmaker Chris McKay on THE SHOOTIST & THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE, & podcaster-crit…

1
Watch With Jen - S5: E7 - Luchino Visconti with Robert Bellissimo 1:14:20

2M ago1:14:20

1:14:20

In this ambitious research-filled exploration of one of Italian cinema's most fascinating & influential figures, Canadian actor-writer-podcaster Robert Bellissimo returns to the podcast to discuss the singularly daring maestro Luchino Visconti. An aristocratic count turned Socialist who fought the Nazis as a member of the Italian Resistance & was s…

1
Watch With Jen - S5: E6 - Nancy Savoca & Richard Guay in conversation with Kate Hagen & Jen Johans 1:24:11

2M ago1:24:11

1:24:11

This week, I'm delighted to be joined once again by my good friend Kate Hagen, who is the Senior Vice President of The Black List. Returning to the show for another conversation with some of our favorite independent filmmaking heroes, in the past, we've spoken to such greats as writer-director Allison Anders and actors turned producers Amy Robinson…

1
MIDNIGHT RUN-THROUGH - Episode 12 (The Finale) - George Gallo & James Urbaniak (From One Heat Minute Productions & Watch With Jen) 59:51

2M ago59:51

59:51

Welcome to the finale of our podcast miniseries devoted to celebrating the 1988 contemporary classic, action buddy comedy MIDNIGHT RUN, written by George Gallo & directed by Martin Brest. Produced & hosted by Blake Howard & Jen Johans of One Heat Minute Productions & Watch With Jen, respectively, over the past 12 weeks, you've heard us explore the …

1
Watch With Jen - S5: E5 - '80s Spy Movies with Ace Atkins 1:03:05

3M ago1:03:05

1:03:05

Twisty, engaging, & filled with colorful performances, the Soviet paranoia of the Cold War '80s fueled the plotlines of so many first-rate films that New York Times bestselling author Ace Atkins & I vividly remember from the Reagan/Bush era. And with the next two books that Atkins is set to release revolving around spies &/or the '80s, it's the per…

1
MIDNIGHT RUN-THROUGH - Episode 11 - Rob Belushi & Sean Burns (From One Heat Minute Productions & Watch With Jen) 48:22

2M ago48:22

48:22

Welcome to our podcast miniseries devoted to celebrating the 1988 contemporary classic, action buddy comedy MIDNIGHT RUN, written by George Gallo & directed by Martin Brest. Produced & hosted by Blake Howard & Jen Johans of One Heat Minute Productions & Watch With Jen, respectively, each week, we’ll explore the film we first bonded over when we bec…

1
Watch With Jen - S5: E4 - SoCal Amateur Detectives with Duane Swierczynski 57:32

2M ago57:32

57:32

Earlier in the year, I was thrilled to meet longtime Twitter acquaintance Duane Swierczynski when he arrived in Scottsdale on his book tour for his terrific new crime novel CALIFORNIA BEAR. Co-hosting an event with Patrick Milliken at the beloved local bookstore Poisoned Pen, we spent an hour chatting with the Philadelphia native about his life, wo…

1
MIDNIGHT RUN-THROUGH - Episode 10 - Charles Hood & Adam Pally (From One Heat Minute Productions & Watch With Jen) 56:21

3M ago56:21

56:21

Welcome to our podcast miniseries devoted to celebrating the 1988 contemporary classic, action buddy comedy MIDNIGHT RUN, written by George Gallo & directed by Martin Brest. Produced & hosted by Blake Howard & Jen Johans of One Heat Minute Productions & Watch With Jen, respectively, each week, we’ll explore the film we first bonded over when we bec…

1
Watch With Jen - S5: E3 - Quintessential John Cusack with Duncan Birmingham 1:17:46

2M ago1:17:46

1:17:46

Surprise! Since next week marks the anniversary of when I started this podcast, I'm dropping this episode a few days early as a thank you for your support & listenership over the years. (Note: I haven't decided how to celebrate the date yet, but I think a good start would be not forgetting it like I usually do, haha.) Season 5 has kicked things off…

1
MIDNIGHT RUN-THROUGH - Episode 9 with Dan Mecca & Conor O'Donnell (From One Heat Minute Productions & Watch With Jen) 40:28

3M ago40:28

40:28

Welcome to our podcast miniseries devoted to celebrating the 1988 contemporary classic, action buddy comedy MIDNIGHT RUN, written by George Gallo & directed by Martin Brest. Produced & hosted by Blake Howard & Jen Johans of One Heat Minute Productions & Watch With Jen, respectively, each week, we’ll explore the film we first bonded over when we bec…

1
Watch With Jen - S5: E2 - Francis Ford Coppola in the '80s with Mitchell Beaupre 1:37:07

3M ago1:37:07

1:37:07

Although we had an early kickoff to our 2024 season with our episode dedicated to the work of Tom Wilkinson early in January, Watch With Jen listeners can consider this the official start of Season 5. Reuniting with my good friend & the senior editor of Letterboxd, the intelligent & highly articulate Mitchell Beaupre, in this delightful, research-f…

1
MIDNIGHT RUN-THROUGH - Episode 8 with Bryan Cogman & Clay Keller (From One Heat Minute Productions & Watch With Jen) 1:06:22

3M ago1:06:22

1:06:22

Welcome to our podcast miniseries devoted to celebrating the 1988 contemporary classic, action buddy comedy MIDNIGHT RUN, written by George Gallo & directed by Martin Brest. Produced & hosted by Blake Howard & Jen Johans of One Heat Minute Productions & Watch With Jen, respectively, each week, we’ll explore the film we first bonded over when we bec…

1
MIDNIGHT RUN-THROUGH - Episode 7 with Adrian McKinty (From One Heat Minute Productions & Watch With Jen) 42:25

4M ago42:25

42:25

Welcome to our podcast miniseries devoted to celebrating the 1988 contemporary classic, action buddy comedy MIDNIGHT RUN, written by George Gallo & directed by Martin Brest. Produced & hosted by Blake Howard & Jen Johans of One Heat Minute Productions & Watch With Jen, respectively, each week, we’ll explore the film we first bonded over when we bec…

1
MIDNIGHT RUN-THROUGH - Episode 6 with Megan Abbott & William Boyle (From One Heat Minute Productions & Watch With Jen) 39:06

4M ago39:06

39:06

Welcome to our podcast miniseries devoted to celebrating the 1988 contemporary classic, action buddy comedy MIDNIGHT RUN, written by George Gallo & directed by Martin Brest. Produced & hosted by Blake Howard & Jen Johans of One Heat Minute Productions & Watch With Jen, respectively, each week, we’ll explore the film we first bonded over when we bec…

1
MIDNIGHT RUN-THROUGH - Episode 5 with Cory Everett & Ethan Warren (From One Heat Minute Productions & Watch With Jen) 37:52

4M ago37:52

37:52

A podcast miniseries devoted to celebrating the 1988 contemporary classic, action buddy comedy MIDNIGHT RUN, written by George Gallo & directed by Martin Brest. Produced & hosted by Blake Howard & Jen Johans of One Heat Minute Productions & Watch With Jen, respectively, each week, we’ll explore the film we first bonded over when we became friends i…

1
MIDNIGHT RUN-THROUGH - Episode 4 with Jedidiah Ayres & Nikki Dolson (From One Heat Minute Productions & Watch With Jen) 30:08

4M ago30:08

30:08

Welcome to our podcast miniseries devoted to celebrating the 1988 contemporary classic, action buddy comedy MIDNIGHT RUN, written by George Gallo & directed by Martin Brest. Produced & hosted by Blake Howard & Jen Johans of One Heat Minute Productions & Watch With Jen, respectively, each week, we’ll explore the film we first bonded over when we bec…

1
MIDNIGHT RUN-THROUGH - Episode 3 with Ben Mankiewicz & Alan Sepinwall MIDNIGHT RUN-THROUGH - Episode 3 with Ben Mankiewicz & Alan Sepinwall (From One Heat Minute Productions & Watch With Jen) 56:10

4M ago56:10

56:10

Welcome to our podcast miniseries devoted to celebrating the 1988 contemporary classic, action buddy comedy MIDNIGHT RUN, written by George Gallo & directed by Martin Brest. Produced & hosted by Blake Howard & Jen Johans of One Heat Minute Productions & Watch With Jen, respectively, each week, we’ll explore the film we first bonded over when we bec…

1
MIDNIGHT RUN-THROUGH - Episode 2 with Peter Avellino & Nell Minow (From One Heat Minute Productions & Watch With Jen) 37:31

4M ago37:31

37:31

Welcome to our podcast miniseries devoted to celebrating the 1988 contemporary classic, action buddy comedy MIDNIGHT RUN, written by George Gallo & directed by Martin Brest. Produced & hosted by Blake Howard & Jen Johans of One Heat Minute Productions & Watch With Jen, respectively, each week, we’ll explore the film we first bonded over when we bec…

1
Watch With Jen - S5: E1 - Remembering Tom Wilkinson with Roxana Hadadi 59:09

5M ago59:09

59:09

Although Watch With Jen: Season 5 won't get into full swing until roughly February, we're returning early with a special episode devoted to honoring the life & career of the great British character actor Tom Wilkinson, whom we sadly lost over the weekend. Getting together for a Zoom on New Year's Eve with the always soulful & analytical Roxana Hada…

1
MIDNIGHT RUN-THROUGH - Episode 1 with BenDavid Grabinski & Drew McWeeny (From One Heat Minute Productions & Watch With Jen) 1:01:52

4M ago1:01:52

1:01:52

Welcome to our podcast miniseries devoted to celebrating the 1988 contemporary classic, action buddy comedy MIDNIGHT RUN, written by George Gallo & directed by Martin Brest. Produced & hosted by Blake Howard & Jen Johans of One Heat Minute Productions & Watch With Jen, respectively, each week, we’ll explore the film we first bonded over when we bec…

1
Watch With Jen - S4: E44 - Under-discussed Altman Movies with Sean Burns 1:02:43

5M ago1:02:43

1:02:43

It's always the greatest joy to spend the last few episodes of a phenomenally busy season just chatting about movies hangout-style with some of my closest friends & this year was no exception. I'm so lucky that in the middle of award-season deadlines, one of my funniest cinephile pals, the great Sean Burns joined me for two evenings after Thanksgiv…

1
Watch With Jen - S4: E43 - Car Movies: Part 2 - Frankenheimer with Priscilla Page (+ Donal Logue & Blake Howard) 1:25:30

5M ago1:25:30

1:25:30

My holiday gift to you is the early upload of what is easily one of the five funniest episodes of Watch With Jen that I've released so far. Joining me for another chat-a-thon is one of my wisest & wittiest besties, Priscilla Page, who tackles the legendary, iconoclastic 20th-century filmmaker John Frankenheimer with me in her rollicking, rowdy, & i…

1
Watch With Jen - S4: E42 - Car Movies: Part 1 - McQuarrie with Priscilla Page 1:53:51

5M ago1:53:51

1:53:51

This week, I was honored to bring one of my dearest friends & fellow "Brunette Dad with Bangs" aboard Watch With Jen for her first-ever podcast appearance. A long-in-the-works collaboration that Priscilla Page & I began planning in the summer of '22, the very first time we hung out as we cruised around to chat & see the lights of L.A. on a summer n…

1
Watch With Jen - S4: E41 - Physical Media: Winter '23 with Walter Chaw, Bilge Ebiri, William Boyle, S.A. Cosby, Sean Burns, & Nikki Dolson 2:44:13

6M ago2:44:13

2:44:13

Note: We're doing something new this season on Watch With Jen. Usually, I release our end-of-the-year Physical Media conversations across multiple episodes. But in '22, some listeners said they found it slightly confusing to see similar titles a few times in a row & they'd rather have a marathon installment instead so we're trying it in '23 with a …

1
Watch With Jen - S4: E40 - The Coens on Creativity: BARTON FINK & INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS with Adrian McKinty 1:24:43

7M ago1:24:43

1:24:43

This week, I was so pleased to welcome back to the pod one of my crime writer friends' favorite crime writers & a man whose taste in film, literature, & poetry is an endless source of delight on Twitter. Adrian McKinty was born & raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland, & then studied philosophy at Oxford University before he moved to Australia & New Y…

1
Watch With Jen - S4: E39 - Ron the Job: Ron Howard at Work with Conor O'Donnell & Dan Mecca 1:39:24

7M ago1:39:24

1:39:24

This week, I was so pleased to welcome back two friends & the hosts of The Film Stage's excellent podcast The B-Side, which covers movie stars in a fascinating way by focusing not on the films that made or kept them famous but the ones that actors made in between. A producer & filmmaker living in Pittsburgh, Dan Mecca started The Film Stage with Jo…

1
Watch With Jen - S4: E38 - French Crime Movies: Part 2 with William Boyle 1:08:55

7M ago1:08:55

1:08:55

Returning to Watch With Jen this week, we have my very talented friend and an official (and very popular) friend of the show. William Boyle is the acclaimed novelist behind such titles as Gravesend, The Lonely Witness, A Friend is a Gift You Give Yourself, City of Margins, and Shoot the Moonlight Out. In addition to crafting these wonderfully human…

1
Watch With Jen - S4: E37 - Elmore Leonard's Westerns with Jed Ayres 1:58:13

7M ago1:58:13

1:58:13

Peckerwood novelist and Hardboiled Wonderland blogger Jed Ayres returns to the podcast this week for a two-hour extravaganza devoted to the man famously dubbed "the poet laureate of wild assholes with revolvers," Mr. Elmore Leonard. One of the godfathers of contemporary crime fiction and an influence on every single writer working in the genre toda…

1
Watch With Jen - S4: E36 - Screen Magic with Jessica Ellis 52:56

7M ago52:56

52:56

Returning to the podcast this week, we have the witty and wonderful writer-director Jessica Ellis. A graduate of UCLA and the American Film Institute who made her feature filmmaking debut with the acclaimed coming-of-age movie What Lies West, Jessica is one of the brightest lights on Twitter and never fails to make me smile. In this thoughtful, cha…

1
Watch With Jen - S4: E35 - Warren Oates in the Early '70s with Travis Woods 1:38:09

8M ago1:38:09

1:38:09

"Because there was once a god who walked the Earth named Warren Oates." - Richard Linklater Friendly, feisty, fresh, and so-very funny, Bright Wall/Dark Room staff writer & contributing editor Travis Woods is as passionate about film as he is endearingly supportive of all who love it. The host & creator of producer Blake Howard's podcast Increment …

1
Watch With Jen - S4: E34 - Underrated Elvis Movies with Sheila O'Malley 1:22:50

8M ago1:22:50

1:22:50

This week, I was so pleased to welcome one of the best film writers currently working today - the wonderful Sheila O'Malley - back to the podcast. A regular film critic for RogerEbert.com and a member of the prestigious New York Film Critics Circle, Sheila's work has also appeared in Film Comment, The New York Times, The L.A. Times, Criterion Colle…

1
Watch With Jen - S4: E33 - Michael Ritchie with Larry Karaszewski & Daniel Waters 1:31:36

9M ago1:31:36

1:31:36

This week, I'm honored to be joined by not one but two brilliant screenwriters, Larry Karaszewski & Daniel Waters. Larry Karaszewski & his writing/directing/producing partner Scott Alexander are best known for writing unusual true stories such as the films ED WOOD, THE PEOPLE VS. LARRY FLYNT, MAN ON THE MOON, AUTO FOCUS, BIG EYES, DOLEMITE IS MY NA…

1
Watch With Jen - S4: E32 - Robert Mitchum with Raquel Stecher & Amy Robinson 2:00:11

9M ago2:00:11

2:00:11

Following up on our great Brian De Palma episode with Megan Abbott & Alison Gaylin that was released last week, we have our second of three installments this month featuring two tremendous guests. Centered on one of our greatest film stars in the form of Robert Mitchum, you'll hear two different conversations with two brilliant women, recorded over…

1
Watch With Jen - S4: E31 - Brian De Palma with Megan Abbott & Alison Gaylin (+ Peter Avellino as De Palma) 1:16:55

9M ago1:16:55

1:16:55

This week, I am honored to welcome a dynamic duo of acclaimed bestselling crime writers to the podcast & two women who've both won the Edgar and numerous other awards. Additionally, good friends who've also collaborated on the graphic novel NORMANDY GOLD, it's the wonderful partnership of Megan Abbott & Alison Gaylin. Author of such must-reads as D…

1
Watch With Jen - S4: E30 (Episode 200) - Burt Lancaster with Adam Nayman 1:06:42

9M ago1:06:42

1:06:42

Welcome to the 200th episode of the podcast Watch With Jen. It's a milestone I never anticipated reaching when I launched the show in early 2020. Back then, I wasn't sure if anyone would be interested in listening to me talk about the movies I love. I am so grateful for your listenership & support & hope you'll stay tuned in the future as I continu…

1
Watch With Jen - S4: E29 - Alan J. Pakula with S.A. Cosby 1:22:00

9M ago1:22:00

1:22:00

It's an honor to welcome a good friend & frequent guest back to the podcast. S.A. Cosby (or Shawn as he's known to his pals) is the multi-award-winning NEW YORK TIMES bestselling crime writer of such remarkable novels as BLACKTOP WASTELAND, RAZORBLADE TEARS, & ALL THE SINNERS BLEED. This week, he joins me to celebrate the films of Alan J. Pakula, a…

1
Watch With Jen - S4: E28 - Video Store Weekend '89 with Jordan Harper 1:25:57

10M ago1:25:57

1:25:57

I have a pretty busy week lined up so you're getting this new episode early! Returning to the podcast today, we have a fan favorite in the form of Mr. Jordan Harper. One of my dearest friends, this podcast's very first guest, and my Pandemic Movie Club, and Game Night crew buddy, Jordan is the Edgar award-winning author of She Rides Shotgun, Love &…

1
Watch With Jen - S4: E27 - Heist Flicks - Part 2 with Sabina Stent 1:14:27

10M ago1:14:27

1:14:27

This week, I'm thrilled to bring back my friend Dr. Sabina Stent. A freelance writer & speaker from Birmingham, UK, who specializes in women artists, surrealism, & visual culture, Sabina's interests include the feminist surrealist avant-garde, artists' lives & legacies, cinematic subversion, historical true crime, & surrealism in Los Angeles. She h…

1
Watch With Jen - S4: E26 - Meryl Streep Romances with Mitchell Beaupre 1:21:07

10M ago1:21:07

1:21:07

This week, I'm so pleased to welcome back to the podcast a talented, supportive, and funny friend. Currently based in Newark, Delaware, Mitchell Beaupre is not only the Senior Editor at one of my favorite services (via Letterboxd), but they're also the co-host of the Weekend Watchlist and Four Favorites podcasts, which you can find in the stream fo…

1
Watch With Jen - S4: E25 - Stanley Kubrick with Bilge Ebiri 1:57:16

11M ago1:57:16

1:57:16

A film critic for publications such as LA Weekly, New York Magazine, Vulture, The New York Times, and formerly, The Village Voice, the brilliant Bilge Ebiri is one of my favorite journalists working today. Although we've discussed some of his favorite directors like Terrence Malick & Neil Jordan tangentially in the past, I was thrilled to bring him…

1
Watch With Jen - S4: E24 - Budd Boetticher's Ranown Westerns with Chris McKay 1:09:59

11M ago1:09:59

1:09:59

The director behind the hilarious LEGO BATMAN MOVIE, the popular series ROBOT CHICKEN, as well as the films THE TOMORROW WAR starring Chris Pratt for Prime, & the brand new RENFIELD with Nicholas Hoult & Nicolas Cage, this week, I was so pleased to welcome filmmaker Chris McKay to the podcast. A huge film buff who fell in love with the films of Alf…

1
Watch With Jen - S4: E23 - Double Play Productions: A Conversation with Amy Robinson & Griffin Dunne (+ Kate Hagen) 1:32:42

11M ago1:32:42

1:32:42

In Season 3 of the podcast, my good friend Kate Hagen - a talented writer & Senior Vice President at The Black List - joined me to kick off a fascinating new series of conversations with the people behind the movies we love. We launched it with what is still one of my all-time favorite episodes: a long, career-spanning discussion with the great fil…

1
Watch With Jen - S4: E22 - French Crime Movies: Part 1 with William Boyle 1:26:16

11M ago1:26:16

1:26:16

Returning to Watch With Jen this week, we have my very talented friend and an official (and very popular) friend of the show. William Boyle is the acclaimed novelist behind such titles as Gravesend, The Lonely Witness, A Friend is a Gift You Give Yourself, City of Margins, and Shoot the Moonlight Out. In addition to crafting these wonderfully human…

1
Watch With Jen - S4: E21 - "Succession" with Roxana Hadadi 1:42:16

11M ago1:42:16

1:42:16

Whether you're embarking on an exotic vacation or staying close to home, we're back from our month-long hiatus a few days early to give you something you can escape into your headphones & enjoy over the long holiday weekend. Delivering a month of hotly anticipated episodes featuring a killer lineup of guests & themes, we begin with the return of th…

1
Watch With Jen - S4: E20 - PTA & DDL with Ethan Warren 1:01:56

1y ago1:01:56

1:01:56

Returning to the podcast this week for the first time since I chatted with him and other wonderful writer-editors of the online film journal BW/DR (Bright Wall/Dark Room) about their favorite comfort movies a few seasons back, we have Ethan Warren.A member of the Boston Society of Film Critics who holds an MFA in creative writing from the Universit…

1
Watch With Jen - S4: E19 - 3 Thrillers from '93 with Peter Avellino 1:09:12

1y ago1:09:12

1:09:12

This week, it was so great to welcome Peter Avellino back to the podcast. A talented and thoughtful writer (& Film Twitter royalty), Peter Avellino's long-form essays on the movies that fascinate & frustrate him in equal measure have long made his blog Mr. Peel's Sardine Liqueur a must-read for cinephiles. Just in time for the Memorial Day kickoff …

1
Watch With Jen - S4: E18 - Dennis Hopper - Part 3 1:24:41

1y ago1:24:41

1:24:41

Welcome to Dennis Hopper in the 1990s aka Watch With Jen's third & final installment in our first spotlight series devoted to the careers of iconic character actors that we love to see onscreen. Timed to be running the same week as his birthday, we kick off our Hopper finale with an extended appreciation of his return to the director's chair for th…

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