Whether you’re hosting or traveling for Thanksgiving, watching movies can be a great way to spend time with your loved ones. To help guide you through that tryptophan-assisted down time, P.T., Greg, and I put together a series of recommendations in four different categories: 1.) movies playing in theaters, 2.) family films to stream at home, 3.) films for grownups to stream at home, and 4.) movies just coming out in theaters that we’re excited to see. You can listen to The Long Take Review on Su...
Nov 20, 2023•1 hr 37 min
With new “state of the MCU” articles coming out every day, The Marvels enters a precarious discursive climate. And, unfortunately, Nia DaCosta’s superhero team-up space comedy now has the distinction of the lowest grossing opening weekend of any Marvel movie. How much does that reflect the quality of the film, though? On this episode of The Long Take Review, Greg and I explain why we still had a great time with The Marvels , despite its flaws. We then try to diagnose the MCU’s much-discussed dow...
Nov 15, 2023•2 hr 1 min
Alexander Payne — the director behind Sideways , The Descendants , Election , Nebraska , and About Schmidt — has a new film out in theaters: The Holdovers . The title refers to a group of boarding school students stuck on campus for the holidays, along with their begrudging chaperone, a hard-nosed history teacher, played by Paul Giamatti. Hilarious and heartfelt shenanigans ensue. Comedian Da’vine Joy Randolph and new discovery Dominic Sessa accompany Giamatti in a trio of smart, funny, and auth...
Nov 08, 2023•2 hr 24 min
Did she do it? Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall pushes the boundaries of what a movie about a murder can do. This fresh take, executed with precision storytelling, won the biggest prize at the Cannes Film Festival this past May, launching it into the Oscars conversation. It is now out in theaters and will likely stream on Hulu after its theatrical run. In this episode of The Long Take Review, P.T., Antonio, and I work through what we saw in the film, unpack its themes, and draw connections to t...
Oct 30, 2023•1 hr 54 min
Legendary director and champion of cinema Martin Scorsese adapted David Grann’s 2017 non-fiction book Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, with some significant shifts that have sparked debate amongst a variety of film critics. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone, and Robert De Niro, who all give indelible performances. It is currently playing in theaters and will stream on Apple TV+ later this year. In this episode of The Long Take Review, P.T., G...
Oct 25, 2023•2 hr 14 min
Wes Anderson, the director behind The Grand Budapest Hotel and, more recently, Asteroid City , adapted four short stories by Roald Dahl for Netflix: “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar,” “The Swan,” “The Rat Catcher,” and “Poison.” These films feature a troupe of famous faces, including Benedict Cumberbatch, Sir Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes, Dev Patel, Rupert Friend, and Richard Ayoade. In this episode, Greg, P.T., and I unpack their meaning, consider them in the context of both Wes Anderson’s fi...
Oct 17, 2023•2 hr 17 min
P.T., Greg, and I love Star Wars as much as we love movies, so we’re dipping a toe into television waters with a review of the first season of Ahsoka , the new Star Wars series that recently concluded on Disney+. We discuss the extent to which Star Wars animation is a prerequisite, how the series moves forward in light of the tragic loss of actor Ray Stevenson, what this series tells us about the future of Star Wars, and much more. You can listen to The Long Take Review on Substack , Spotify, Ap...
Oct 10, 2023•2 hr 9 min
This week, Gareth Edwards, the director behind Rogue One: A Star Wars Story , debuted his original science fiction epic, The Creator . P.T., Greg, and I break down what makes the film worth seeing — even dazzling in some respects — while also acknowledging the flaws in the story. The wide-ranging conversation includes AI, the Vietnam War, and a slew of other science fiction films. You can listen to The Long Take Review on Substack, Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts. Movie News Ch...
Oct 02, 2023•1 hr 56 min
Before we become engrossed in all the Oscar bait that awaits this fall, Greg, P.T. and I thought it would be fun to give a series of “awards” to movies we watched over the summer. Greg finds every opportunity to talk about Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny , P.T. tries to backdoor reviews of Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and TMNT:Mutant Mayhem , and Jen just wants to give Rocket Raccoon a hug. This one has a lot of laughs, so come join us in celebrating a great summer at the movi...
Sep 26, 2023•2 hr 12 min
P.T. and I are back to finish up our “way too early” Oscar predictions. Since we last recorded, a lot has happened — reviews from some of the fall film festivals have come in and a few Oscar hopefuls have been pushed to next year. Which films have emerged as early frontrunners? Which might be too weird to appeal to Oscar voters? Which have a better chance during the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes (which we support)? And how are our picks from the 2023 movie hype draft doing? We’ve gotten really good ...
Sep 18, 2023•2 hr 16 min
Is it still too early to make Oscar predictions? Yes. Will that stop P.T. and me from making them? Not a chance. After a rundown of what’s slated for all the major film festivals this year and a discussion of their role in the Oscar race, we speculate about nominations in 8 categories: animated feature, international feature, documentary feature, original score, original song, production design, makeup and hairstyling, and visual effects. We also get a little help from Greg Greg , who breaks som...
Aug 30, 2023•2 hr 13 min
Theater Camp, a loving send-up of “theater kid” culture, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival to high praise from critics. Months later, Searchlight Picture’s sincere comedy starring Molly Gordon ( The Bear ) and Ben Platt ( Pitch Perfect ) quietly released in theaters, overshadowed by Barbenheimer fever. That’s why P.T., Antonio, and I wanted to give this heavily improvised indie film a starring role in this episode. We discuss our own personal connections to theater, debate whether or not t...
Aug 02, 2023•1 hr 34 min
The simultaneous release of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer , now known as “Barbenheimer,” has quickly become the movie event of the year, sweeping pop culture and breaking all kinds of box office records. We share our takes on each film, put them in conversation with one another, and posit their cultural, political, and film industry significance. Rather than reviewing the two films in succession, we’re embracing the very idea of Barbeheimer with one big conversation a...
Jul 27, 2023•2 hr 9 min
The new Mission: Impossible movie is exclusively in theaters, and Tom Cruise wouldn’t want it any other way. After shining a light on the actor’s strike that began this week and discussing some of the contentious issues in the context of Dead Reckoning Part One , P.T., Greg, and I unpack (and clarify) the dense spy thriller plot, rejoice over our favorite action set pieces, and compare our notes on characters old and new. We’ll be your parachute as you float down from a blockbuster high. Movie N...
Jul 18, 2023•2 hr 35 min
In anticipation of the new Mission: Impossible film, which skydives into theaters this week, P.T. McNiff, who’s been a fan from the beginning, and I, who only just watched five out of six films for the first time, examine the franchise to date. We provide context about Tom Cruise, the origins or the making of the films, the different directors who have chosen to accept these missions, the spy thriller genre, and M:I’s place in action blockbuster filmmaking. After that extensive primer, we share ...
Jul 11, 2023•2 hr 38 min
Buckle up your prop plane seat for our wide-ranging discussion of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny . First-time guest, as well as dear friend and colleague, Jim Clements Jim Clements joins P.T., Greg, and me to compare this fifth film to its predecessors, contemplate whether or not anyone under the age of 40 cares about this genre, nerd out about what we liked, pinpoint what didn’t work for us, and daydream about Harrison Ford winning an Oscar someday. We had the widest variety of takes (of...
Jul 04, 2023•1 hr 48 min
We are on the precipice of a new Indiana Jones film in theaters, so P.T., Greg, and I *had* to have an episode dedicated to the four preceding films. We share what we love about the character and the franchise, try to figure out what makes Harrison Ford so singular, rank all the films, and parse our expectations for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny . Grab your fedora and join us on Substack, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Image Credit: Variety Intro and outro mu...
Jun 29, 2023•2 hr 17 min
It’s a Wes Anderson jubilee! Greg, P.T., and I share our thoughts on the beloved yet polarizing director’s newest film, Asteroid City . We attempt to unpack its dense layers, pulling out themes and connections between the various frame narratives. After a robust discussion, we speculate about the film’s Oscars chances and share our top five Wes Anderson films of all time. I felt privileged to be a part of this conversation; P.T. and Greg shared so much insight, and we were having a good time eve...
Jun 28, 2023•2 hr 44 min
Celine Song’s directorial debut, Past Lives , garnered an immense amount of critical praise, with strong (and very early!) Oscar buzz coming out of the Sundance Film Festival in January. Antonio Elefano and I discuss whether the film lives up to the hype, dissect the the themes, and explain how the screenplay redefines romance. The film will play in theaters everywhere starting June 23rd. Movie News Check-In :52 The Short Take 16:00 The Recommendation Algorithm (Spoiler Free) 26:53 SPOILER MODE ...
Jun 19, 2023•1 hr 52 min
With dazzling animation and a superb screenplay, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse , the follow-up to Oscar-winner Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse , has performed heroically at the box office . Greg Cass Greg and I try to pinpoint the source of the film’s success, dissect how the creators have seeded themes into the story so effectively, share our favorite scenes and Easter eggs, and much more. Stick around until the end of the recording to learn just how deep a certain cameo’s connection to...
Jun 09, 2023•1 hr 45 min
The Cannes Film Festival just wrapped up last weekend, which means we now have the first wave of reactions for several of our most anticipated films of the year. P.T. and I discuss the big award-winners, and then speculate as to which films unofficially won the festival. Get ready for a lot of chatter about Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon , Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City , and, of course, James Mangold’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny . Which films premiering at Cannes have Osc...
Jun 01, 2023•2 hr
The Guardians of the Galaxy’s final ride with writer, director, and now co-CEO of DC James Gunn hit theaters this weekend, and to break it all down, P.T. and I recruit host of The Colbycast and MCU expert, Colby Mead. We discuss the impact the ongoing writer’s strike might have on future Marvel productions, what GotG Vol. 3 could mean for the future of Marvel and DC, and how we feel about all the feelings this new film made us feel. Movie News Check-In: 3:01 The Short Take (Spoiler Free): 17:20 ...
May 11, 2023•1 hr 57 min
We are movie lovers and Oscar prognosticators, but we are also dedicated Star Wars fans. In honor of Star Wars Day (May 4th) 2023, P.T., Greg, and I share our memories of Return of the Jedi as well as our experiences seeing the 1983 film on the big screen during its recent 40th anniversary re-release. We then transition to a discussion of the Star Wars franchise as a whole, especially from a film perspective. Listen for our takes on The Mandalorian Season 3, the recently announced Dave Filoni “e...
May 04, 2023•1 hr 50 min
Is this a sequel, Part Two, or, dare I say, a reboot of our Most Anticipated Movies of 2023 episode? CinemaCon, an industry event that previews upcoming films for the year, revealed new information about many films P.T. and I discussed last week, as well as ones that didn’t make our lists. Which ones are we even more excited for? Which ones have we cooled on? Which ones suddenly have our attention? P.T. and I react to new trailers and reports of exclusive footage. Image Credit: CNN Trailers for ...
Apr 30, 2023•1 hr 39 min
Is it too early to predict next year’s Oscars? Probably. Nonetheless, P.T. and I speculate about what upcoming films might become Oscar contenders later in the year. We then draft our top five most anticipated films of 2023. The results may surprise you; they certainly surprised us in a few instances! Movie News Check-In 1:49 Potential Oscar Contenders 13:37 Movie Draft: Top 5 Most Anticipated 2023 1:08:08 Image Credit: Deadline Intro and outro music is “Divers,” by Hara Noda, licensed through E...
Apr 20, 2023•2 hr 4 min
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are together again, this time to tell the story of how Nike signed Michael Jordan and revolutionized sports marketing and fashion with his own shoe line. Greg and I share our thoughts about some big Star Wars film news before we share our overall reactions to “Air,” highlight some of our favorite performances, and try to figure out if this film has enough of a point of view to swish into the Oscars conversation. Movie News Check 1:47 The Spoiler-Free Short Take 14:40 T...
Apr 11, 2023•1 hr 24 min
The latest installment of the franchise based on everyone’s favorite dog lover, John Wick, is out now in theaters. In this episode, P.T. and I catch up on some movie news before we give our spoiler-free reactions to and recommendations for John Wick: Chapter 4 . We finish with a more detailed, spoiler-filled breakdown of the film’s themes and highlights, as well as a discussion of its potential Oscar prospects. Movie News Check 1:54 Spoiler-Free Reactions and Recommendations 12:32 Spoiler Mode B...
Mar 29, 2023•1 hr 39 min
The Oscars aired this past Sunday; it went as expected in some categories, with a few surprises in others. P.T. McNiff and Antonio Elefano join me to share their reactions to the winners, how their predictions panned out, and what the results might mean for the Oscars in the future. Image Credit: CBS Intro and outro music is “Divers,” by Hara Noda, licensed through Epidemic Sound. Logo art: Illustration 73265080 © Worldofvector | Dreamstime.com Get full access to The Long Take at thelongtake.sub...
Mar 15, 2023•1 hr 37 min
The final countdown to Oscars Sunday has begun. To discuss all the “below the line” or crafts categories, I invited my colleague, friend, and fellow film history nerd, P.T. McNiff. He really brought his A-game with research, stats, and Oscars history. If you’ve ever wanted to know who songwriter Diane Warren is, he has a comprehensive and definitive answer for you! I also appreciated his supportive advice as I had minor meltdowns with a few categories. Image Credit: New York Times Forthcoming is...
Mar 10, 2023•1 hr 41 min
We’re back with another Oscars breakdown. This time, I’m joined by my former grad school officemate, longtime friend, fellow movie nerd, and author of Eye On Canon , Greg Cass. He miraculously watches every single Oscar-nominated film (in all categories!) every year, so I really needed his help to parse these categories. Image Credit: CNN I will publish a couple posts to have a shorter text only version of our predictions shortly. You can opt for one or the other depending on how you’d like to c...
Mar 09, 2023•1 hr 32 min
