Reel Fanatics

Unfettered conversation about cinema.

#454 : 28 YEARS LATER 07/08/2025

#454 : 28 YEARS LATER Director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland return to the 28 Days Later franchise, so the Reel Fanatics do, too, for a review of 28 Years Later and reflections on the earlier films. Also, Michael and Jared recommend streaming comedy series, while Joe defends a maligned romantic dramedy. /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/37331605

#453 : Film Franchise Draft 06/30/2025

#453 : Film Franchise Draft To celebrate the summer movie season, the Reel Fanatics conduct a fantasy draft of film franchises! /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/37230005

#452 : PAPER MOON 06/19/2025

#452 : PAPER MOON Jared kicks off another round of retro reviews with Peter Bogdanovich's Paper Moon. Michael champions a new Netflix sketch series, Joe catches up with Andor, and Jared presents a Criterion Channel double feature. /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/37083880

#451 : MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - THE FINAL RECKONING 06/04/2025

#451 : MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - THE FINAL RECKONING Tom Cruise takes his signature action franchise on one last mission, and the Reel Fanatics are along for the ride! Before the guys discuss the Mission: Impossible closer, Michael and Joe recommend two other films currently in theaters, and Jared endorses three recent TV series. /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/36844395

#450 : LE TROU 05/21/2025

#450 : LE TROU For his retro review, Jared selects Jacques Becker's 1960 prison break thriller, Le Trou. Joe champions the new Cronenberg film, Jared recommends a Netflix series, and Michael revisits a 30 for 30 doc. /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/36654110

#449 : SINNERS 05/02/2025

#449 : SINNERS The guys sink their fangs into Ryan Coogler's vampire horror-thriller, Sinners, in this episode. Jared recommends a new physical media release of a Reel Fanatics favorite, Joe revisits Val Kilmer's work in Tombstone, and Michael updates his 2023 top ten with a provocative French film. /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/36408045

#448 : MR. DEATH: THE RISE AND FALL OF FRED A. LEUCHTER, JR. 04/24/2025

#448 : MR. DEATH: THE RISE AND FALL OF FRED A. LEUCHTER, JR. For a new retro review, Michael selects one of his favorite docs, Mr. Death: The Rise and Fall of Fred A. Leuchter, Jr. by Errol Morris. Joe recommends a recent Criterion Collection release, Michael revisits a Tom Cruise hit, and Jared explores the oeuvre of an overlooked Italian documentarian. /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/36288940

#447 : TRUCK TURNER 04/08/2025

#447 : TRUCK TURNER Another round of retro reviews begins with Joe's pick, Truck Turner: a 1974 Blaxploitation crime film starring Isaac Hayes as a badass bounty hunter. Jared recommends a new baseball indie, Joe champions a Netflix miniseries, and Michael finds a Malick movie he loves. /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/36058615

#446 : BLACK BAG 03/28/2025

#446 : BLACK BAG We're only three months into the year, and director Steven Soderbergh already has two theatrical releases. His new spy thriller, Black Bag, is the subject of this episode. Jared, Michael, and Joe also highlight some of their most anticipated movies for the rest of 2025. /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/35902240

#445 : MICKEY 17 03/23/2025

#445 : MICKEY 17 Bong's new oddball sci-fi comedy is the topic of the episode, and Michael, Jared, and Joe have differing reactions! Before digging into the film, the guys discuss the 97th Oscars results and telecast. /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/35823675

#444 : 2019 Film Draft 03/05/2025

#444 : 2019 Film Draft In reaction to recent comments by Quentin Tarantino, the guys decide to do a fantasy draft of the best movies from 2019. Was it as good of a year as we thought at the time? Jared goes for idiosyncratic favorites, Joe grabs some heavy hitters, and Michael makes a catastrophic mistake late in the game. Let us know who you think won! /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/35542115

#443 : 97th Oscars Predictions 02/21/2025

#443 : 97th Oscars Predictions Michael, Jared, and Joe react to the nominations for the 97th Academy Awards and offer their predictions for the major categories. /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/35374900

#442 : Top 10 Films of 2024, Part 2 02/13/2025

#442 : Top 10 Films of 2024, Part 2 Jared, Michael, and Joe close out the 2024 year in cinema by revealing their individual top five films and then discussing various honorable mentions. /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/35272020

#441 : Top 10 Films of 2024, Part 1 02/08/2025

#441 : Top 10 Films of 2024, Part 1 Jared, Michael, and Joe are finally ready to wrap up the previous year of movies. Here in Part 1, the guys reflect on the 2024 cinema landscape and share the #10-6 films from their individual top ten lists. /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/35200770

#440 : THE BRUTALIST 01/31/2025

#440 : THE BRUTALIST Michael, Jared, and Joe discuss Brady Corbet's The Brutalist, the buzziest film of the season. Michael champions a Sundance hit, Jared discovers an overlooked foreign film, and Joe recommends a visionary Oscar contender. /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/35104760

#439 : A COMPLETE UNKNOWN 01/22/2025

#439 : A COMPLETE UNKNOWN James Mangold returns to the music biopic to examine the early career of Bob Dylan. The guys share their reactions to this buzzy picture. Joe recommends a recent horror movie, Jared champions a foreign animated film, and Michael discusses a Dutch thriller that has haunted him for months. /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/34954145

#438 : NOSFERATU 01/14/2025

#438 : NOSFERATU Indie auteur Robert Eggers delivers a new version of the horror classic, Nosferatu! After seeing the film together—a rarity for the RF crew—Michael, Jared, and Joe share their reactions and compare it to other adaptations. Plus, Michael revisits a 2007 masterpiece, Jared recommends an animated family film, and Joe discusses the American giallo of Brian De Palma. /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/34846985

#437 : GLADIATOR II 12/23/2024

#437 : GLADIATOR II The guys reflect on their history with 2000's Best Picture winner, Gladiator, and then discuss in depth the new sequel, Gladiator II. /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/34592860

#436 : CALIGULA: THE ULTIMATE CUT 12/02/2024

#436 : CALIGULA: THE ULTIMATE CUT The recent release of a new cut of Caligula led Michael to suggest the guys take a look at this infamous film, which results in a lively discussion. Also, Joe soft-recommends a TV miniseries, Jared champions a new indie Christmas movie, and Michael breaks the rules of the recs section. /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/34224970

#435 : ANORA 11/18/2024

#435 : ANORA Indie auteur Sean Baker returns with his Palme d'Or-winning Anora, and the guys are eager to discuss this latest work. Michael checks another major blind spot off his watchlist. Joe revisits a Robert Zemeckis classic. Jared is puzzled by the release strategy for the new Clint Eastwood picture. /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/33970687

#434 : MADE IN ENGLAND 11/13/2024

#434 : MADE IN ENGLAND The new documentary Made in England, featuring Martin Scorsese, prompts Michael, Jared, and Joe to discuss the films of directors Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger, including The Red Shoes, Black Narcissus, and particularly The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp. /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/33912877

#433 : Fall Film Fest Report 11/02/2024

#433 : Fall Film Fest Report Jared reports on the movies he saw at the Mill Valley Film Festival in October. Joe recommends a recent film from a rising Japanese auteur. Michael explores the work of Buster Keaton. /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/33757037

#432 : MEGALOPOLIS 10/22/2024

#432 : MEGALOPOLIS Megalopolis has finally made its way to theaters, so the guys debate Coppola's likely final work. Also, Jared recommends a new indie flick, Joe revisits an Italian master's semi-autobiographical film, and Michael checks off two more '70s blindspots. /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/33563192

#431 : Essential Arthouse Films of 2024 10/01/2024

#431 : Essential Arthouse Films of 2024 Jared is joined by returning guest Colin Takasawa to pick out the ten best foreign, indie, or avant-garde movies of the year and discuss twenty other notable titles. /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/33278257

#430 : BRING ME THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA 09/21/2024

#430 : BRING ME THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA The guys kick off another round of retro reviews with one of Joe's favorites, Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia, a 1970s neo-western from Sam Peckinpah. The discussion evolves into an exploration of Peckinpah's entire oeuvre. Michael also talks about an older beloved western, Joe checks out an unseen Paul Schrader movie, and Jared recommends a recent indie film. /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/33150442

#429 : MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING 08/30/2024

#429 : MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING Out of nowhere comes another retro review! The guys take a look at the 1997 Julia Roberts rom-com hit, My Best Friend's Wedding, to see how it holds up today. Plus, Michael and Joe revisit two '70s cult classics, while Jared champions two new indie films. /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/32806077

#428 : DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE 08/16/2024

#428 : DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE Marvel expert Kyle Nabilcy returns to the pod to discuss Deadpool & Wolverine and the future of the MCU—especially RDJ's homecoming—with Michael and Jared. Joe calls in to share his reaction to the latest superhero movie, too. And Kyle asks an important question: What happened to John Grisham adaptations? /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/32603482

#427 : MAXXXINE / LONGLEGS 07/29/2024

#427 : MAXXXINE / LONGLEGS Michael moderates spoiler-free reviews of MaXXXine and Longlegs by Jared and Joe. Then the guys discuss the trailers for some upcoming horror-thrillers and weigh in on comments made by Paul Schrader about the horror genre. /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/32336897

#426 : INSIDE OUT 2 & The State of Theaters 07/08/2024

#426 : INSIDE OUT 2 & The State of Theaters A combo episode. First, Michael and Jared do a brief review of Pixar's Inside Out 2. Then Joe joins in for a discussion about the current state of movie theaters and where theatrical exhibition and moviegoing are headed. Spoiler alert: the future doesn't look bright! /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/32043737

#425 : HIT MAN 06/25/2024

#425 : HIT MAN Richard Linklater's new romantic crime comedy is the topic of the day. Michael catches up on some recent Netflix offerings. Joe finally watches a '90s cult classic. Jared describes a museum video installation piece. The guys argue over whether Hit Man would have been a theatrical box office success. /episode/index/show/reelfanatics/id/31878047

Reel Fanatics

TOPICS