The eleventh episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 2012 features our producer David Rosen’s pick, Harmony Korine’s Spring Breakers . Written and directed by Harmony Korine and starring Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Benson, Selena Gomez, Rachel Korine and James Franco, Spring Breakers premiered at the 2012 Venice International Film Festival and was the third theatrical release from A24. The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Manohla Dargis in The New York Times ( https:/...
Apr 19, 2023•56 min•Season 14Ep. 11
The tenth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 2012 features the Academy Awards Best Picture winner, Ben Affleck’s Argo . Directed by Ben Affleck from a script by Chris Terrio and starring Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, Alan Arkin, Scoot McNairy and Tate Donovan, Argo was nominated for seven Oscars and won three, including Best Picture. The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Roger Ebert ( https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/argo-2012 ), Manohla Dargis in t...
Apr 12, 2023•54 min•Season 14Ep. 10
The ninth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 2012 features the Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize winner, Benh Zeitlin’s Beasts of the Southern Wild . Directed and co-written by Benh Zeitlin and starring Quvenzhané Wallis and Dwight Henry, Beasts of the Southern Wild was nominated for four Academy Awards. The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Roger Ebert ( https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/beasts-of-the-southern-wild-2012 ), Ty Burr in the Boston Globe (...
Apr 05, 2023•49 min•Season 14Ep. 9
The eighth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 2012 features Jason’s personal pick, Michael Dowse’s Goon. Directed by Michael Dowse from a screenplay by Jay Baruchel and Evan Goldberg and starring Seann William Scott, Alison Pill, Jay Baruchel, Marc-André Grondin, Kim Coates and Liev Schreiber, Goon was inspired by the career of real-life professional hockey player Doug Smith. The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Roger Ebert ( https://www.rogerebert.com/review...
Mar 29, 2023•59 min•Season 14Ep. 8
The seventh episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 2012 features our foreign film pick, Thomas Vinterberg’s The Hunt . Co-written and directed by Thomas Vinterberg and starring Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Annika Wedderkopp, Lasse Fogelstrøm, and Alexandra Rapaport, The Hunt premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Ann Hornaday in The Washington Post ( https://ww...
Mar 22, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 14Ep. 7
The sixth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 2012 features Josh’s personal pick, Zal Batmanglij’s Sound of My Voice . Directed and co-written by Zal Batmanglij and starring Christopher Denham, Nicole Vicius and co-writer Brit Marling, Sound of My Voice was the first feature from longtime collaborators Batmanglij and Marling. The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Roger Ebert ( https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-sound-of-my-voice-2012 ), Wesley Morris in The...
Mar 15, 2023•52 min•Season 14Ep. 6
The fifth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 2012 features our documentary pick, Sarah Polley’s Stories We Tell . Written and directed by Sarah Polley, Stories We Tell premiered at the 2012 Venice Film Festival. The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Manohla Dargis in The New York Times ( https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/10/movies/stories-we-tell-written-and-directed-by-sarah-polley.html ), Peter Howell in the Toronto Star ( https://www.thestar.com/entertainment...
Mar 08, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 14Ep. 5
The fourth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 2012 features the Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or winner, Michael Haneke’s Amour . Written and directed by Michael Haneke and starring Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva and Isabelle Huppert, Amour went on to receive five Oscar nominations and one win. The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Roger Ebert ( https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/amour-2013 ), Manohla Dargis in The New York Times ( https://www.nytimes....
Mar 01, 2023•59 min•Season 14Ep. 4
The third episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 2012 features the year’s biggest flop, Andrew Stanton’s John Carter . Directed and co-written by Andrew Stanton and starring Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Willem Dafoe, Samantha Morton, Dominic West and Mark Strong, John Carter was meant to launch a franchise based on Edgar Rice Burroughs’ classic novels. The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Roger Ebert ( https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/john-carter-2012 ), Owen G...
Feb 22, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 14Ep. 3
The second episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 2012 features our pick for a notable filmmaking debut, Brandon Cronenberg’s Antiviral . Written and directed by Brandon Cronenberg and starring Caleb Landry Jones, Sarah Gadon, Joe Pingue and Malcolm McDowell, Antiviral premiered at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Megan Lehmann in The Hollywood Reporter ( https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/david-cronenberg-brand...
Feb 15, 2023•52 min•Season 14Ep. 2
The first episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 2012 features the highest-grossing film at the box office, Marvel Cinematic Universe entry The Avengers . Written and directed by Joss Whedon and starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson and Jeremy Renner, The Avengers was the sixth movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Roger Ebert ( https://w...
Feb 08, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Season 14Ep. 1
In this epilogue to our season on the awesome movie year of 1953, we talk about alternate movies we considered including in all of our different categories this season, and read suggestions from some listeners about which movies they hoped we would cover. Visit https://www.awesomemovieyear.com for more info about the show. Make sure to like Awesome Movie Year on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/awesomemovieyear and follow us on Twitter @Awesomemoviepod You can find Jason online at http://gofo...
Feb 03, 2023•25 min•Season 13Ep. 14
The finale of our season on the awesome movie year of 1953 features our audience choice pick, H.G. Wells adaptation The War of the Worlds . Directed by Byron Haskin from a script by Barré Lyndon (based on Wells’ novel) and starring Gene Barry, Ann Robinson and Les Tremayne, The War of the Worlds prevailed over two other alien/monster attack movies in our 1953 audience choice poll. The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from A.H. Weiler in The New York Times ( https://www.nytimes.co...
Feb 01, 2023•52 min•Season 13Ep. 13
The twelfth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1953 features our future cult classic pick, Ed Wood’s Glen or Glenda . Written and directed by Ed Wood and starring Wood, Timothy Farrell, Dolores Fuller and Bela Lugosi, Glen or Glenda was long considered one of the worst movies ever made but has built a cult following as a pioneering depiction of transgender identity. The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Variety ( https://variety.com/1952/film/reviews/glen-or-g...
Jan 25, 2023•47 min•Season 13Ep. 12
The eleventh episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1953 features our producer David Rosen’s pick, 3D horror movie House of Wax . Directed by Andre de Toth from a screenplay by Crane Wilbur and starring Vincent Price, Phyllis Kirk, Paul Picerni, Frank Lovejoy and Carolyn Jones, House of Wax is a remake of 1933 horror movie Mystery of the Wax Museum . The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Bosley Crowther in The New York Times ( https://www.nytimes.com/1953/04/11/ar...
Jan 18, 2023•48 min•Season 13Ep. 11
The tenth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1953 features the Academy Awards Best Picture winner, military drama From Here to Eternity . Directed by Fred Zinnemann from a script by Daniel Taradash (based on James Jones’ novel) and starring Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Deborah Kerr, Donna Reed and Frank Sinatra, From Here to Eternity was nominated for 13 Oscars and won eight, including Best Picture. The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from A.H. Weiler in The...
Jan 11, 2023•55 min•Season 13Ep. 10
The ninth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1953 features the Venice International Film Festival co-winner, Federico Fellini’s I Vitelloni . Directed and co-written by Federico Fellini and starring Franco Fabrizi, Franco Interlenghi, Alberto Sordi, Leopoldo Trieste, and Riccardo Fellini, I Vitelloni shared the top prize at Venice in 1953 with five other movies. The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Campbell Dixon in the Daily Telegraph , Bosley Crowther in Th...
Jan 04, 2023•51 min•Season 13Ep. 9
The eighth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1953 features Jason’s personal pick, outlaw biker drama The Wild One. Directed by László Benedek and starring Marlon Brando, Mary Murphy, Robert Keith and Lee Marvin, The Wild One was inspired by media coverage of a so-called riot at a 1947 motorcycle rally in Hollister, California. The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Milton Luban in The Hollywood Reporter ( https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/wil...
Dec 28, 2022•54 min•Season 13Ep. 8
In this special holiday episode, we’re looking back to our seasons on the films of 1977 and 1992, to talk about two Christmas movies featuring Jim Henson’s Muppets, Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas and The Muppet Christmas Carol . Both written by Jerry Juhl and featuring the Muppets, Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas was directed by Jim Henson and The Muppet Christmas Carol was directed by Henson’s son Brian. The contemporary reviews for Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas quoted in this episode com...
Dec 23, 2022•1 hr 11 min
The seventh episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1953 features our foreign film pick, Yasujiro Ozu’s Tokyo Story . Co-written and directed by Yasujiro Ozu and starring Chishū Ryū, Chieko Higashiyama, Setsuko Hara, Haruko Sugimura and So Yamamura, Tokyo Story was released in Japan in 1953 but didn’t open in the U.S. until 1972. The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Roger Ebert ( https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/tokyo-story-1953 ), Kenneth Turan in the Los Angel...
Dec 21, 2022•54 min•Season 13Ep. 7
The sixth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1953 features Josh’s personal pick, Howard Hawks’ Gentlemen Prefer Blondes . Directed by Howard Hawks, adapted from Anita Loos’ novel and stage musical, and starring Marilyn Monroe, Jane Russell, Charles Coburn, Elliott Reid and Tommy Noonan, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes was the seventh highest-grossing film of 1953. The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Bosley Crowther in The New York Times ( https://www.nytimes.com/19...
Dec 14, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Season 13Ep. 6
The fifth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1953 features our documentary pick, Disney’s The Living Desert . Directed by James Algar, The Living Desert won the Oscar for best documentary feature and was the first feature-length installment in Disney’s True-Life Adventures series. The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Bosley Crowther in The New York Times ( https://www.nytimes.com/1953/11/10/archives/two-pictures-have-premieres-the-living-desert-a-disney.html ...
Dec 07, 2022•50 min•Season 13Ep. 5
The fourth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1953 features the Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or winner, Henri-Georges Clouzot’s The Wages of Fear . Directed and co-written by Henri-Georges Clouzot, based on the novel by Georges Arnaud, and starring Yves Montand, Charles Vanel, Folco Lulli and Peter van Eyck, The Wages of Fear won the top prizes at both Cannes and the Berlin Film Festival in 1953. The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Bosley Crowther in The New...
Nov 30, 2022•58 min•Season 13Ep. 4
The third episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1953 features the year’s biggest flop, Dr. Seuss’ The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T . Directed by Roy Rowland from a concept and a screenplay co-written by Dr. Seuss and starring Tommy Rettig, Hans Conried, Peter Lind Hayes and Mary Healy, The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T was such a disappointment to Dr. Seuss that he vowed never to work in Hollywood again. The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Bosley Crowther in The New York Ti...
Nov 23, 2022•52 min•Season 13Ep. 3
The second episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1953 features our pick for a notable filmmaking debut, Stanley Kubrick’s Fear and Desire . Directed by Stanley Kubrick from a screenplay by Howard O. Sackler and starring Kenneth Harp, Frank Silvera, Steve Coit and Paul Mazursky, Fear and Desire was disowned by Kubrick and remained unavailable for decades following its premiere. The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from A.H. Weiler in The New York Times ( https://www.n...
Nov 16, 2022•51 min•Season 13Ep. 2
The first episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1953 features the highest-grossing film at the box office, Biblical epic The Robe . Directed by Henry Koster, based on the novel by Lloyd C. Douglas and starring Richard Burton, Victor Mature, Jean Simmons and Michael Rennie, The Robe was the first movie released in CinemaScope. The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Abel Green in Variety , Richard L. Coe in the Washington Post , and Bosley Crowther in The New York T...
Nov 09, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 13Ep. 1
NOTE: This episode is a timed exclusive over on our producer David Rosen’s Patreon. Sign up to one of the tiers for access to this bonus episode and more great content from us, Piecing It Together, All Rice No Beans and David Rosen. https://www.patreon.com/bydavidrosen This special bonus episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1992 features Rob Reiner’s A Few Good Men . Directed by Rob Reiner from a screenplay by Aaron Sorkin and starring Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Kevin Bacon, Kevin Pol...
Nov 02, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Season 12Ep. 16
In the third of three special Halloween episodes this year, we’re looking back to our season on the awesome movie year of 1980 to talk about Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining . Directed and co-written by Stanley Kubrick (based on the Stephen King novel) and starring Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd and Scatman Crothers, The Shining opened to mixed response but has since become a horror classic. The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Janet Maslin in The New York Times ( ...
Oct 26, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Season 11Ep. 17
In the second of three special Halloween episodes this year, we’re looking back to our season on the awesome movie year of 1999, to talk about horror comedy Idle Hands . Directed by Rodman Flender from a screenplay by Terri Hughes and Ron Milbauer and starring Devon Sawa, Seth Green, Elden Henson, Jessica Alba, Jack Noseworthy and Vivica A. Fox, Idle Hands was a semi-finalist in our 1999 audience choice teen-movies tournament. The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Roger Ebert...
Oct 19, 2022•56 min•Season 9Ep. 17
In the first of three special Halloween episodes this year, we’re continuing with 1992, the year we covered in our most recent season, to talk about Robert Zemeckis’ Death Becomes Her . Directed by Robert Zemeckis from a screenplay by David Koepp and Martin Donovan and starring Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn, Bruce Willis and Isabella Rossellini, Death Becomes Her won an Oscar for its pioneering special effects. The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Rita Kempley in the Washington ...
Oct 12, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Season 12Ep. 14
