"Aliens" Revisited.

by Nathaniel R

How long was I out. HOW LONG? Please."

This week I had the pleasure of guesting on InSession's podcast to discuss James Cameron's sci-fi/horror classic Aliens (1986). When they asked me to guest on the show I secretly thought "What more can I say about it? I've been talking about this movie forever!" but then of course I couldn't shut up and the episode was too short for me to squeeze in everything that was inside of me. So herewith some notes and, of course, the podcast itself...

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The One-Inch Barrier: The Finale

by Cláudio Alves

After covering 74 years of Best International Film winners, nominees, and other contenders, Juan Carlos Ojano has brought The One-Inch Barrier podcast to an end. The project was a fantastic opportunity to explore world cinema through the prism of Oscar history, though it often went beyond that limit, too. It featured a varied slew of guests that spanned from critics to academics, film students, filmmakers, and even an Academy member. I was lucky enough to appear five times through its course, talking 2001, 1983, 1961, 1954, and, now, this special farewell episode. You can check out our wrap-up conversation in audio format here or click on the video below:

Thank you, Juan Carlos Ojano, for this formidable podcast. Thank you to all the listeners and every world cinema lover out there.

Alternate Oscars: 1955 Edition

by Cláudio Alves 

Ever since I started following the Oscars, I've liked to come up with dream ballots. Indeed, it's become something of a hobby to write down such ideal Academy Awards, whether following eligibility rules or not. Lately, through Letterboxd and the influence of an Excel-addicted friend, those lists have graduated from notebooks to an array of overcomplicated multicolored spreadsheets with which I horrify whoever is unlucky enough to see them. All this to say that, when Gabe Guarin asked me to be part of his Alternate Oscars podcast, I was ecstatic. At long last, I've found an opportunity to make good use of those spreadsheets!

On the latest episode of Alternate Oscars, Gabe and I discuss 1955 and come up with our ideal ballots in a podcast awards ceremony full of cinephile gushing and Kenji Mizoguchi-love. Take a listen:

What do you think of our choices? Share your choices, too.

And the runner up is... Rosalind Russell? Joan Crawford? Susan Hayward?

I had the pleasure of joining Kevin Jacobsen on his great podcast series "And the Runner Up Is..." for a fourth time. Kevin opted to assign me 1947 when I asked for this decade. So listen in to hear us talk about the following lineup which has two great performances, one coaster nomination, a bullet dodged, and one of my mother's favourites from her childhood.

• Joan Crawford, Possessed
• Susan Hayward, Smash-Up: The Story of a Woman
• Dorothy McGuire, Gentleman's Agreement
• Rosalind Russell, Mourning Becomes Electra 
• ★ Loretta Young, The Farmer's Daughter

Which of those performances do you love?

Podcast: Past (first Oscar nights), Present (Oscar aftermath), and Future

Nathaniel welcomes back Nick Davis to talk about making peace with Oscar night such as it was. It's the only Oscar podcast you'll hear that doesn't discuss The Incident! Instead we talk about our first Oscar nights as children as well as what we liked about Sunday's show (yes, there were a few things) and then the conversation drifts towards what's next. What do we hope to see from some of the actors and directors in the future?

You can listen to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or Spotify or download the attachment below. 

Oscar Aftermath