Grease is the word on this episode of Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr., which also closes out our recent series on movie musicals. So we’re heading back to Rydell High to revisit the 1978 blockbuster that made a vibe of summer lovin’. With its unforgettable soundtrack, iconic performances from John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, and a rebellious streak that sets it apart from other musicals of its time, Grease remains a pop culture powerhouse decades later. Joining Robert for this high-energy...
Mar 26, 2025•1 hr 21 min
Michael Jackson didn’t just dominate the charts—he redefined the music video and took it to the big screen with Moonwalker . On this episode of Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr., we take a deep dive into Michael Jackson’s 1988 film. Part music video anthology, part retrospective, and part sci-fi parable, Moonwalker also serves as a quintessential (and often overlooked) piece of Michael Jackson’s visionary career. Joining this discussion is Russ Robinson of Infectious Groove , which itself focuse...
Mar 12, 2025•1 hr 39 min
The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to watch—and discuss—a movie in return! On this episode of Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr., we step into the dazzling, high-energy world of Moulin Rouge! , the 2001 jukebox musical that redefined modern movie musicals. Directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman, this visually stunning spectacle is equal parts romance, tragedy, and theatrical extravaganza. Joining Robert for this cinematic deep dive is Jennifer Howell of Ev...
Mar 11, 2025•1 hr 14 min
Murder, media, and musical numbers—oh my! On this episode of Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr., we take center stage with The Famous Ashley Grant to explore the razzle-dazzle of the 2002 film Chicago , the Oscar-winning musical that brought Broadway’s show-stopping energy to the silver screen. Directed by Rob Marshall and starring Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Richard Gere, Chicago masterfully blends crime, corruption, and the power of the press into a dazzling spectacle of music an...
Feb 27, 2025•1 hr 5 min
The hills are alive with the sound of podcasting! On this episode of Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr., we celebrate one of the most beloved musicals in cinematic history, 1965’s The Sound of Music . Directed by Robert Wise and starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, this Rodgers and Hammerstein adaptation became an instant classic, winning five Academy Awards (including Best Picture). Robert is joined by Phoenix Clouden of Curtain To Curtain to explore why this iconic film has remained ...
Feb 20, 2025•1 hr 11 min
For this episode of Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr., we raise a glass—L’Chaim!—to one of the most celebrated musicals of all time. Robert is joined by Pete Abeyta of Middle Class Film Class to dive into 1971’s Fiddler on the Roof , Norman Jewison’s sweeping adaptation of the beloved Broadway show. With Topol’s unforgettable performance as Tevye and a soundtrack full of iconic songs, the film captures a family, a village, and an entire way of life on the brink of change. We explore Fiddler on t...
Feb 12, 2025•1 hr 14 min
Rejoicify! Close Watch is back with the first Crooked Table podcast of 2025. As we continue talking movie musicals, we’re off to see the wizard with the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation of all time. Lauren Knight of That Movie Is Fine joins us to discuss Wicked: Part I (2024), the first of Jon M. Chu's ambitious two-part adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical. This long-awaited cinematic spectacle brings the untold story of the Witches of Oz to the big screen, starring Cynthia Erivo as E...
Feb 05, 2025•1 hr 23 min
Although its sister show Franchise Detours has been trucking along, the feed for Close Watch has been deafening quiet throughout 2024. But fear not, dear listener, the podcast is far from over. In fact, ahead of its triumphant return in 2025, here's another in our series on movie musicals. Rachel Wagner of Rachel's Reviews joins Close Watch to dive into Lin-Manuel Miranda’s directorial debut tick, tick… BOOM!. We'll discuss how the 2021 film breaks movie musical conventions, how it cements the l...
Nov 14, 2024•1 hr 1 min
In a harmonious double feature, Close Watch continues venturing through the world of movie musicals with an in-depth breakdown of both the 1961 classic West Side Story and Steven Spielberg's 2021 remake. Does the Oscar-winning original still hold up, and was its update worth the creative risk? Darin Lundberg of NostalgiaCast joins us in this melodic journey through two versions of Maria and Tony's love story. We'll explore the rich history of the original film and how it laid the foundation for ...
Oct 19, 2023•2 hr 28 min
Every episode, Close Watch gives us the chance to get to know our guest through the movie they love. But more recently, the show has sharpened its focus on the wide world of movie musicals. And after the man-eating plant of Little Shop of Horrors and the cultural celebration of In the Heights , musical icon Gene Kelly has officially entered the chat. Philip Boone of the Ultimate Gilmore Girls Movie Night podcast joins us to discuss 1951's An American in Paris. We'll discuss where it fits into Ke...
Jun 07, 2023•1 hr 30 min
Way back in 2020, a few hardcore Hamilfans -- including this episode's guest -- united for the first-ever Crooked Roundtable to talk up the Disney+ release of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tony-winning musical Hamilton. Now, at last, loyal listeners get the long-awaited spiritual sequel to that discussion. On this episode, Close Watch continues its year-long analysis of movie musicals as The Lady-Wan of Screen Run joins us to talk 2021's In the Heights. Based on Miranda's other Tony-winning musical, the ...
Apr 05, 2023•1 hr 36 min
It's 2023, and Close Watch has a song in its heart this year. For the next year, we're dedicating this podcast to movie musicals. Every month, the show will feature at least one episode in which Rob and a guest go in-depth on a beloved movie musical. And what better way to celebrate one of cinema's most beloved genres than with a man-eating plant from outer space?! Film critic Morgan Roberts joins the show to discuss 1986's Little Shop of Horrors starring Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, and Steve Ma...
Feb 15, 2023•1 hr 8 min
After UHF , "Weird Al" Yankovic fans faced a wait of more than three decades for another movie featuring the musical icon. And finally, along comes Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. Starring Daniel Radcliffe as "The Weird One" himself, the movie pokes fun at Yankovic's life and career as well as the very notion that someone would make a biopic about him. Lauren Carey of the Beer'd Al Podcast joins us to discuss 2022's Weird: The Al Yankovic Story ( a movie she and Rob willed into being ). We'll cove...
Dec 23, 2022•1 hr 8 min
Cate Blanchett might be poised to win a third Academy Award for her performance in Tár. But more than two decades ago, the actor -- who was already well on her way to becoming one of the best actors of her generation -- co-starred with Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton in an under-seen crime comedy-drama. And unsurprisingly, she steals the film. The Famous Ashley Grant joins us to discuss 2001's Bandits from director Barry Levinson. We'll talk about Blanchett's mesmerizing turn as the hostage ...
Nov 24, 2022•1 hr 8 min
Some movies are too big to cover in a single conversation. Cloud Atlas -- the 2012 epic directed by the Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer -- is definitely such a movie. So to celebrate the film's tenth anniversary, we invited Brian Skutle of the Sonic Cinema Podcast to help us dig into the movie and its ensemble cast, which includes Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, and Jim Broadbent. In this first half of a massive two-part crossover event, Brian joins us to discuss the audacious production that was Cloud Atlas,...
Oct 26, 2022•1 hr 35 min
Unless superheroes, hobbits, or boy wizards are involved, fantasy films are all too rare these days. But in the 1980s, the genre was thriving on the big screen. Filmmakers coupled state-of-the-art visual effects with puppetry, make-up, and good ol' movie magic to create worlds fans could previously only imagine. Director Ron Howard's 1988 film Willow is one such film. Featuring a story by George Lucas, Willow was the filmmaker's blatant attempt to tell a story like The Lord of the Rings. And wit...
Sep 23, 2022•1 hr 10 min
Cinema -- like all art forms -- is wholly subjective. And within that, comedy is perhaps most subjective of all. That being said, 1980's Airplane! remains widely considered one of the funniest movies of all time. So as Close Watch emerges from a lengthy hiatus, we'll take to the skies for an in-depth chat. On this episode, film critic Albert Lanier returns to break down how Airplane! works not only as a comedy parodying the disaster films of the 1970s but also as an adaptation of the 1957 film Z...
Jul 01, 2022•59 min
It's showtime. Close Watch kicks off a new year with the "ghost with the most" himself. Tim Burton's 1988 comedy Beetlejuice made mega-stars out of both Burton and Michael Keaton ahead of their next film, Batman. On this episode, Bri Azmoudeh of the Geeky Waffle Network 's new podcast, Killer Waffles, joins the show to talk about why Bri connected so strongly to Beetlejuice, its balance of horror and comedy, and a possible sequel. SYNOPSIS After Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam Maitland (Alec Bald...
Jan 05, 2022•1 hr 18 min
The Dark Universe might have been dead on arrival, but 1999's The Mummy remains just as beloved as ever. More than two decades later, fans continue to revisit Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz's sweeping adventure. On this episode, Catherine Gonzales of Latinx Lens joins the show as we talk about the film's influence on modern blockbusters, its iconic cast of unforgettable characters, and how well it holds up by today's standards. SYNOPSIS The Mummy is a rousing, suspenseful and horrifying epic ab...
Dec 18, 2021•47 min
Call him The Dude, His Dudeness, El Duder, or even El Duderino (if you're not into the whole brevity thing). Whatever you call Jeff Bridge's loveable hipster hero in The Big Lebowski, he's certainly become a cinematic icon. This episode, Kerri Jones joins the show to help us break down the ethos of The Dude, what it has to say about the culture (and counter-culture), and why so many fans seem ready and willing to convert to Dudeism. SYNOPSIS Jeff "The Dude" Leboswki (Jeff Bridges) is mistaken fo...
Dec 17, 2021•1 hr 9 min
Who needs parents when there's adventure? That seemed to be the philosophy of fantasy films in the 1980s. And as it turns out, 1981's Time Bandits might be the granddaddy of all those fan-favorite cult classics. JC from the Screen Fix podcast joins the show as we talk about how Time Bandits influenced fantasy-adventure films, what the movie really says about childhood versus adult, and that completely bonkers ending. SYNOPSIS Young history buff Kevin (Craig Warnock) can scarcely believe it when ...
Dec 16, 2021•1 hr 13 min
Spike Lee is without a doubt one of the most essential filmmakers of his generation. And 1989's Do the Right Thing is widely considered his masterpiece. So this episode, we're giving this indelible classic its due. David Snyder joins the show as we discuss Lee's ground-breaking use of hip hop in the film, his stellar ensemble cast, and how Do the Right Thing balances a variety of tones to create something wholly unique. SYNOPSIS Salvatore "Sal" Fragione (Danny Aiello) is the Italian owner of a p...
Dec 15, 2021•1 hr 14 min
The Wicker Man has gotten a bad rap in recent years, thanks to the widely ridiculed 2006 remake starring Nicolas Cage. But this episode, we're setting aside the "not the bees!" jokes for a closer look at the original 1973 classic. Amy Otero joins the show to go in-depth on The Wicker Man. We'll discuss its representation of pagan culture, how it uses folk music, and its influence on horror. Who is the real villain of director Robin Hardy's movie? SYNOPSIS Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) arrives...
Dec 14, 2021•1 hr 21 min
Considering The First Wives Club earned $100 million in 1996, it's remarkable how little people seem to discuss it. This episode, Phoenix Clouden of the Film Code Podcast helps us fix that. As the movie celebrates its 25th anniversary, now is the perfect time to celebrate the iconic performances from Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, and Diane Keaton. Even as a child, Phoenix found himself drawn into the story of three women of a certain age contending with their duplicitous ex-husbands. We'll discuss ...
Oct 21, 2021•1 hr 2 min
General audiences might remember Alex Proyas' 1994 movie The Crow for the tragic on-set death of star Brandon Lee. Yet, despite that infamous incident -- or, perhaps, in part because of it -- the film -- based on the comics by James O'Barr -- inspired a cult following that endures today. And this episode, Brian Skutle of the Sonic Cinema Podcast helps us discuss why. Normally, The Crow would have been a contender for our sister podcast, Franchise Detours. However, Proyas' film tells a standalone...
Oct 06, 2021•1 hr 33 min
Shane Black is a name that tends to elicit either unbridled enthusiasm or consternation from moviegoers. Black started out as an actor before hitting it big as the legendary screenwriter of Lethal Weapon. Then in 2005, he made the leap to directing his own scripts. And this episode, Thomas Greene of Movies After Work joins us to discuss Black's directorial debut, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang stars a pre-Iron Man Robert Downey Jr., a post-Batman Val Kilmer, and a star-making turn by M...
Sep 29, 2021•1 hr 20 min
Even some fans of animated films need to brush up on their anime. Such was the case when Rachel Wagner of Rachel's Reviews stopped by the show. A self-professed ambassador of Makoto Shinkai's 2016 film Your Name, Rachel joined us to discuss the film. And the conversation -- just like Your Name itself -- went some unexpected places along the way. Your Name blends comedy, fantasy, romance, sci-fi, and drama into one distinctive subversion of the body-swap concept. Listen in as Rachel and I discuss...
Aug 13, 2021•1 hr 1 min
Everyone familiar with 1989's Field of Dreams knows that "if you build it, he will come." But is the same true if you podcast about it? Darin Lundberg of NostalgiaCast helps us test that theory with an in-depth chat about writer-director Phil Alden Robinson's iconic sports film starring Kevin Costner, Amy Madigan, James Earl Jones, Ray Liotta, and Burt Lancaster. Field of Dreams has a reputation for being a film that emotionally resonates with its audiences. Listen in as Darin shares the persona...
Aug 02, 2021•1 hr 16 min
The era of the Crooked Table Podcast ends with a bang as we discuss Martin Scorsese's 1990 crime drama Goodfellas. Jason from Binge Movies joins the show as we break down the film's legacy, its place in Scorsese's legendary filmography, and Goodfellas' Best Picture loss to Dances with Wolves. Stay tuned in mid-July for the first episode of Close Watch with Robert Yaniz Jr. Or check out our sister show, Franchise Detours, also coming soon wherever you listen to podcasts. SYNOPSIS A young man grow...
Jun 29, 2021•1 hr 31 min
Over the years, cinema and sports have crossed paths countless times. But it takes something very special to stand out in the genre. And for an entire generation, Rudy represents the ultimate underdog story. Starring Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings), the film tells the inspiring true story of Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger. Philip Boone of Sports Flix, Just Give Us Clix joins the show to share his own longtime love for Rudy. We'll discuss why the 1993 movie has become such a classic, whether we would...
Jun 07, 2021•1 hr 6 min
