Die-hard film fanatics Matt Flynn & Jonathan D'Ambrosio breakdown, explore, and celebrate work from one of art's greatest mediums: Feature-length films.
Join them weekly for each of their monthly-themed entries, and be sure to listen to the end where they reveal what they'll be discussing the following week so you can watch along and stay fresh!
Comments, criticisms, love letters, and hate-mail can all be directed to thereeladdictspodcast@gmail.com. ENJOY!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Die-hard film fanatics Matt Flynn & Jonathan D'Ambrosio breakdown, explore, and celebrate work from one of art's greatest mediums: Feature-length films.
Join them weekly for each of their monthly-themed entries, and be sure to listen to the end where they reveal what they'll be discussing the following week so you can watch along and stay fresh!
Comments, criticisms, love letters, and hate-mail can all be directed to thereeladdictspodcast@gmail.com. ENJOY!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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 for more information.
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://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Reel Addicts take flight this week with special guest Mary Antonini (24-Karat Christmas, Yuletide the Knot) for an analysis of Dreamworks' soaring 2010 masterpiece, How To Train Your Dragon.
Join Matt, Jonathan, and Mary as they unpack the film's rich themes, share their collective love for everyone's favorite Night Fury, and explore how legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins helped shape the film's stunning visual language. Plus, Matt finally reveals his dragon-sized skepticism about the franchise's sequels.
Catch How To Train Your Dragon on Max, then join us for a discussion that'll have you believing in dragons!
Directed by Chris Sanders & Dean DeBlois Written by Will Davies, Dean DeBlois & Chris Sanders (based on the books by Cressida Cowell)
Starring Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, T.J. Miller, Kristen Wiig
Opening and Closing Music: Memory Stain 2023 - by Steven F Allen https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/ https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
'Tis the season for family on The Reel Addicts Podcast! As such, Matt brought the first person who came to mind on as a special guest to help he and Jonathan unpack the 2005 Christmas classic, The Family Stone: His Mom.
Fresh off her fantastic Moonstruck episode earlier this year, Matt's Mom, Diane Warren, brings the matriarchal perspective needed to better understand what makes this film so wonderful. Nothing is safe or sacred as family, romance, sibling struggles, parental roles, and bringing home the new significant other for the holidays are all thrown under the microscope.
If you like to laugh and listen to others laugh, this is the one for you. Happy Holidays to all and thanks for listening!
*As of release, The Family Stone is available to stream for free with subscriptions to either Hulu or Amazon Prime.
Written and Directed by Thomas Bezucha
Starring Diane Keaton, Dermot Mulroney, Rachel McAdams, Craig T. Nelson, Sarah Jessica Parker, Luke Wilson, Claire Danes, Elizabeth Reaser, Tyrone Giordano, Brian White, Paul Schneider
Photography by Jonathan Brown
Music Composed by Michael Giacchino
Opening and Closing Music:
Memory Stain 2023 - by Steven F Allen
https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/
https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Step away from the mayhem and violence as The Reel Addicts welcome the delightful cinephile extraordinaire Georgina "Gee" Franco for a magical journey through Alfonso Cuarón's enchanting 1995 masterpiece, A Little Princess.
Join Matt, Jonathan, and Gee as they explore the film that helped launch Cuarón's legendary career, diving deep into its spellbinding visual storytelling, timeless themes, and the kind of pure movie magic that reminds us why we fell in love with cinema in the first place. Our special guest brings her infectious enthusiasm and sharp insights to this beloved adaptation that proves every little girl is a princess (and possibly has the fellas tearing up more than once).
Catch A Little Princess streaming on Amazon Prime and other platforms, then come along as we discover why this early Cuarón gem deserves its crown as one of the greatest children's films ever made!
Directed by Alfonso Cuarón
Written by Richard LaGravenese and Elizabeth Chandler (based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett)
Starring Liesel Matthews, Eleanor Bron, Liam Cunningham, Rusty Schwimmer, Arthur Malet, Vanessa Lee Chester, Errol Sitahal, Heather DeLoach, Taylor Fry, Darcie Bradford, Rachael Bella, Lauren Blumenfeld, Camilla Belle
Photography by Emmanuel Lubezki
Opening and Closing Music: Memory Stain 2023 - by Steven F Allen https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/ https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We're closing out our November: Film Feast series with a Matt pick, Peter Greenaway's 1989 masterwork, The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover. Despite it's difficulty to dig up (it is available on YouTube), this is a must-watch for any fan of cinema.
Alongside our return guest, writer/filmmaker Patrick Connolly, who is back by popular demand, we run the gauntlet of surrealism, misogyny, abuse, greed, power, consumption, and Dante's Inferno as they all pertain to this jewel. Let us take you on the ride - film fans will thank us, casual moviegoers will scratch their heads, and Harry Potter fans will never see the world the same way when we're through!
Written & Directed by Peter Greenaway
Shot by Sacha Vierny
Music Composed by Michael Nyman
Edited by John Wilson
Starring Richard Bohringer, Michael Gambon, Helen Mirren, Alan Howard, Tim Roth, Ciarán Hinds, Ewan Stewart, Roger Ashton Griffiths, Ron Cook, Liz Smith, Emer Gillespie, Ian Dury, & Paul Russell
Opening and Closing Music:
Memory Stain 2023 - by Steven F Allen
https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/
https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Get ready to dork out with your fork out! Continuing on to the main courses of our film feast, we're diving deep into Peter Jackson's groundbreaking adaptation that launched a thousand cosplay outfits: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001).
Join Matt and Jonathan for an episode so it necessitated two guests! They welcome the ultimate Middle-earth power couple, Katie Duennebier and Andrew Hollingworth, for a breakdown that's more loaded than Gandalf's fireworks bag. We'll explore how this film transformed blockbuster cinema, geek culture, and New Zealand tourism in one fell swoop. Expect passionate debates about practical effects, Viggo Mortensen's method acting, and exactly how many Fellowship characters that Andrew can impersonate.
The Fellowship of the Ring is streaming on multiple platforms (free on Max), so grab your elvish wine, prepare your most dramatic Aragorn impression, and join our quest through cinema's most beloved fantasy epic!
Directed by Peter Jackson
Written by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson Based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien
Starring Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys-Davies, Sean Bean, Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Liv Tyler, Christopher Lee and Andy Serkis
Opening and Closing Music:
Memory Stain 2023 by Steven F Allen
https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/ https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
November continues it's Film Feast theme with a Matt pick: Bob Giraldi's under-seen indie darling, Dinner Rush (2000).
Join the fellas alongside the sensational NYC-bred actor/restauranteur, John Solo, as the three celebrate the accuracy of the film's depiction of old New York, degenerate gambling, and life in a thriving fast-paced restaurant. And for fans of The Bear, an opportunity's never missed to breakdown how Dinner Rush walked so the FX series could run.
You can find Dinner Rush available to stream for free on YouTube and Kanopy amongst other services, so go enjoy the rush, then come hang with us for dessert right here on The Reel Addicts!
Directed by Bob Giraldi
Written by Brian Kalata and Rick Shaughnessy
Starring Danny Aiello, Edoardo Ballerini, Kirk Acevedo, Mike McGlone, John Corbett, Vivian Wu, Sandra Bernhart, Lexie Sperduto, Mark Margolis, Summer Phoenix, Ajay Naidu, Jamie Harris, John Rothman, Polly Draper, Alex Corrado, Sophie Comet
Opening and Closing Music:
Memory Stain 2023 - by Steven F Allen
https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/
https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Grab a bottle a wine, a big ol' basket of bread, and drape a cloth napkin across your lap because you're in for a feast! Matt and Jonathan continue the Film Feast of November with the 1996 indie hit Big Night. Our hosts are joined by Jonathan's sister, Lisa Wallick, to discuss one of her favorite films and tackle such savory topics as Italian families, great dialogue, the independent cinema scene of the 1990's, family-owned businesses, and a stellar performance by Marc Anthony. This is not one to be missed! SO TUNE IN!
Directed by: Stanley Tucci & Campbell Scott
Starring: Stanley Tucci, Tony Shalhoub, Isabella Rossellini, Minnie Driver, Ian Holm, Marc Anthony, Allison Janney, Liev Shreiber, Caroline Aaron
Opening and Closing Music:
Memory Stain 2023 - by Steven F Allen
https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/
https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What's your pleasure? If it's BDSM-horror-sci-fi-fantasy-demon-gore-erotica, you've come to the right place! Join your infamous hosts, Matt Flynn & Jonathan D'Ambrosio, alongside special guest extraordinaire and friend of the pod, writer/journalist, Veronika Lee, as they dissect the divisive debut from horror master Clive Barker, Hellraiser (1987).
The conversational gauntlet runs from the film, to sexual predilection, to religion, to toxic positivity culture, and so much more. This is an episode your mother won't want you to hear, but that she also might be secretly listening to...don't miss the fun as we celebrate our final film of October: Monster Mash!
Let us know what you think on our social media - @thereeladdictspodcast - or at via e-mail, thereeladdictspodcast@gmail.com!
Written & Directed by Clive Barker
Cast: Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins, Ashley Lawrence, Sean Chapman, Doug Bradley as Pinhead
Opening and Closing Music:
Memory Stain 2023 - by Steven F Allen
https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/
https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
October continues with the 1987 cult sensation The Monster Squad. Film aficionado Lauren Boynton joins us for Jonathan's final pick of the month. Grab a bucket of candy or a tub full of popcorn and listen as the three get into discussions about the 1980s, Shane Black's dialogue, special FX, Stan Winston, The Sopranos, electricity, dated jokes, and timeless one liners.
Directed by Fred Dekker
Co-Written by Shane Black
Starring Andre Gower, Stephen Macht, Ryan Lambert, Tom Noonan, Jon Gries, Stan Shaw, Jason Hervey
Opening and Closing Music:
Memory Stain 2023 - by Steven F Allen
https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/
https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
October keeps movin' on The Reel Addicts with a Matt pick - one of his all-time favorite monster films, John Landis' 1981 classic, An American Werewolf in London.
The fellas are joined by filmmaker Christina Acevedo to form a holy trinity of horror love that celebrates, educates, and stimulates all of you fellow monster-obsessed film fans out there.
Horror recommendations and deep-cuts are flyin' throughout this one, so you won't want to miss it!
Directed by John Landis
Starring David Naughton, Griffin Dunne, David Schofield, Jenny Agutter, John Woodvine, Lila Kaye, Brian Glover, Frank Oz
Opening and Closing Music:
Memory Stain 2023 - by Steven F Allen
https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/
https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Monster Mash continues as Jonathan and Matt sit down to talk about Matt Reeve's "Let Me In" (2010). For this english-language remake, the duo are joined by special guest, documentarian Lindsay Thompson, to get into all kinds of subjects including friendship, horror, music of the 1980s, the meaning of vampiric symbolism, Alfred Hitchcock, and compare this film to the original "Let The Right One In".
Directed by Matt Reeves
Starring Kodi Smit-McPhee, Chloe Grace Moretz, Richard Jenkins, Dylan Minnette
Opening and Closing Music:
Memory Stain 2023 - by Steven F Allen
https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/
https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Spooky Season is HERE and we're kicking off our new monthly theme, October: Monster Mash, with the Matt pick and all-time classic, Guillermo del Toro's, Pan's Labyrinth (2006).
We celebrate this masterpiece with some hardcore analysis and hilarity that no fan of this film will want to miss, so enjoy and soak up all of our love for Ofelia, as well as all of our hate for Captain Vidal!
Directed by Guillermo del Toro
Starring Ivana Baquero, Sergi Lopez, Maribel Verdu, Ariadna Gil, and Doug Jones
Opening and Closing Music:
Memory Stain 2023 - by Steven F Allen
https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/
https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Reel Addicts Podcast closes out September and the "Fall Around The World" theme with 2023's Anatomy of a Fall. Jonathan and Matt are joined by Caroline Bloom to discuss culture clashes, gender roles, animal trainers, and the French justice system. Tune in to hear the trio rap about everything from the 2023 Academy Awards to how easy it would be to frame Jonathan for a murder.
You can stream this film for free on Hulu. Check it out and join us as we talk about Jonathan's final pick of the month!
Directed by Justine Triet
Starring Sandra Huller, Swann Arlaud, Milo Machado-Graner, Samuel Theis, Antoine Reinartz, Jehnny Beth, Messi
Opening and Closing Music:
Memory Stain 2023 - by Steven F Allen
https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/
https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Join us on our trip to Japan for an exploration of 21st century Yukuza betrayal during our September: Fall Around the World series with Takeshi Kitano's 2010 firestorm, Outrage.
We find cause to reference not only three out of four of our August: Summer's Ovah picks as we break down this ultra-violent gangster epic, but we also manage to tie-in everything from parenting to pornography in our quest for expert analysis!
(And we also manage to find comparisons to four-out-of-five of the seasons of Fargo, because, well, we're us.)
You can stream this film for free all over the place, but we gave It a go on Amazon Prime. Have a watch and join us as we share our thoughts on Matt's final pick of the month!
Written and Directed by Takeshi Kitano
Starring Takeshi Kitano, Kippei Shina, Ryo Kase
Opening and Closing Music:
Memory Stain 2023 - by Steven F Allen
https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/
https://soundclick.com/AuDioChosisStevenFAllenAuDioMiRage
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Our month of international films continues with a Jonathan pick straight out of Holland... The Celebration ("Festen"). Join Jonathan and Matt as they discuss Thomas Vinterberg's 1998 masterpiece, exploring topics such as family secrets, the Dogme 95 film movement, ultra-dark themes, while sharing many uncomfortable laughs along the way.
Directed by Thomas Vinterberg
Written by Thomas Vinterberg and Mogens Rukov
Starring Ulrich Thomsen, Henning Moritzen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Paprika Steen, Trine Dyrholm
As always, catch our video clips on our Instagram: @thereeladdictspodcast. Enjoy!
Opening and Closing Music:
Memory Stain 2023 - by Steven F Allen
https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.