Episode 100: 2000 with Mac Welch
Mac Welch an actor, cartoonist, filmmaker, and podcaster, but more importantly, he’s been friends with us nearly as long as they’ve been friends with each...
Episode 99: 1974 with Kevin M. Kruse
Author, historian, and professor Kevin M. Kruse joins us to walk through the very eventful year — historically and cinematically — of 1974, including the...
Episode 98: 1996 with Kristen Lopez
Film and television critic, author, and essayist Kristen Lopez joins us to discuss her book But Have You Read the Book?: 52 Literary Gems That Inspired Our...
Episode 97: 2008 with Daniel Waters
Screenwriter (Heathers, Demolition Man, Batman Returns) and encyclopedic cinephile Daniel Waters joins us to discuss 2008—a key year for him as a filmmaker...
Episode 96: 1930 with Catherine Stebbins
Catherine Stebbins is intimately acquainted with the year of 1930 - because it was the subject of the most recent of her year-by-year movie ‘zines, which...
Episode 95: 2018 with Abby Olcese
Abby Olcese’s new book Films for All Seasons walks the reader through “the church year at the movies,” finding unexpected movies to tie in to the liturgical...
Episode 94: 1958 with Beatrice Loayza
Film critic, editor, and intrepid festival traveler Beatrice Loayza joins us for another probing look into the oft-dismissed 1950s—this time 1958, as we look...
Episode 93: 1966 with Charles Taylor
Charles Taylor is the author of one of our fave film books, Opening Wednesday at a Theater or Drive-In Near You, so he joins us to discuss the “hinge year”...
Episode 92: 1947 with April Wolfe
Happy first day of fall, everybody! Screenwriter (and former film critic and podcaster) April Wolfe joins us to talk up the postwar pleasures of 1947, so...
Episode 91: 2020 with Emily St. James
TV critic, author, podcaster, and television writer Emily St. James is the co-author (along with previous guest Noel Murray) of the book LOST: Back to the...
Episode 90: 1993 with Nick de Semlyen
Empire magazine editor Nick de Semlyen’s most recent book, The Last Action Heroes, is a delightful history of ‘80s and ‘90s action cinema, so he joins us to...
Episode 89: 1984 with Andrea Chalupa
Author, filmmaker, and Gaslit Nation host Andrea Chalupa joins us to discuss 1984—an appropriate year for an Orwell scholar—in advance of the release of her...
Episode 88: 1945 with Jill Blake
Film historian, podcaster, and CineJourneys co-founder Jill Blake joins us to walk through the post-war euphoria and darkness of 1945, including I Know Where...
Episode 87: 1972 with Zach Clark
Independent filmmaker Zach Clark joins us in advance of the release of his new film The Becomers for a look at some of the most delightfully insane movies of...
Episode 86: 1981 with Josh Lewis
Film critic and podcaster Josh Lewis explores the “sleaze canon” on his “Sleazoids” podcast, and he joins us to discuss the very sleazy year of 1981, from...
Episode 85: 1940 with Stephanie Crawford
Film critic and podcaster Stephanie Crawford usually dabbles in horror and exploitation cinema, but she is also obsessed with screwball comedy — so she joins...
Episode 84: 1982 with Chris Nashawaty
Film critic and author Chris Nashawaty’s latest book is The Future Was Now: Madmen, Mavericks, and the Epic Sci-Fi Summer of 1982, so you’ll never guess what...
Episode 83: 2019 with Noel Murray
Film critic and O.G. AV Club member Noel Murray does not usually suffer from recency bias, but he thought it would be fun to glance back just five years to...
Episode 82: 1995 with Caden Mark Gardner
This week, we’re joined by the other co-author of the must-read new book Corpses, Fools and Monsters: The History and Future of Transness in Cinema, as film...
Episode 81: 1969 with Willow Catelyn Maclay
Corpses, Fools and Monsters: The History and Future of Transness in Cinema (out Tuesday) is one of our favorite film books of the year, and we’re welcoming...
Episode 80: 1959 with Phillip Lopate
The essayist, poet, and film critic Phillip Lopate joins us to discuss his new collection My Affair with Art House Cinema: Essays and Reviews and the cinema...
Episode 79: 1924 with Marya E. Gates
Nobody we know knows more about silent cinema than film critic, historian, and social media mastermind Marya E. Gates. She joins us to talk about movies from...
Episode 78: 1961 with Larry Karaszewski
Larry Karaszewski isn’t just an award-winning screenwriter and producer — he’s also a serious cinephile, as evidenced by the fact that we asked him for a top...
Episode 77: 1967 with Mark Harris
Mark Harris has written three of the essential film books of our time, and one of them — Pictures at a Revolution — tells the story of Hollywood in flux by...
Episode 76: 1987 with Carrie Courogen
Writer, editor, and director Carrie Courogen is the author of the breathtakingly good new book Miss May Does Not Exist, and since it’s a biography of Elaine...
Episode 75: 1964 with Ben Mankiewicz
Film critic, historian, and TCM stalwart Ben Mankiewicz joins us, on the eve of a new season of his essential podcast The Plot Thickens (focusing on the life...
Episode 74: 1976 with Alexandra West
Film critic, podcaster, and historian Alexandra West joins us to talk about her new book Gore-Geous: Personal Essays on Beauty and Horror and the movies of...
Episode 73: 1983 with Richard Shepard
Screenwriter and director Richard Shepard’s new film is catnip to us (and probably you too, if you’re listening to this show): Film Geek, an essay film about...
Episode 72: 1991 with Alonso Duralde
Critic, podcaster, and author Alonso Duralde was just beginning his professional life in 1991, and witnessed the early pangs of what became known as the New...
Episode 71: 1954 with Glenn Kenny
Glenn Kenny is the author of the new book The World Is Yours: The Story of ‘Scarface,’ and is one of our favorite film critics and scholars in general. He’s...
Episode 70: 1990 with Kate Erbland
Indiewire’s Kate Erbland was a literal child in the year 1990, but she luckily had parents who put very few viewing boundaries on her, which was how she...
Episode 69: 1997 with Tomris Laffly
Film critic and journalist Tomris Laffly was just starting to figure out who she was as a filmgoer in 1997, so she joins us to share some of her favorite...
Episode 68: 2002 with John Early
In advance of Friday’s theatrical debut of his Sundance hit Stress Positions, comedian, actor, writer, and cinephile John Early joins us to discuss all...
Episode 67: 2013 with Siddhant Adlakha
Filmmaker, actor, TV writer, and film critic Siddhant Adlakha was in a moment of transition in 2013, and vowed to see as many new movies as possible for the...
Episode 66: 1979 with Scott Drebit
Daily Dead columnist Scott Drebit’s new book is A Cut Below: A Celebration of B Horror Movies, 1950s-1980s, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that he picked...
Episode 65: 2017 with Alison Herman
Variety TV critic (and The Ringer’s founding TV critic) Alison Herman had just moved to Los Angeles in the year of our lord 2017, and she joins us to recall,...
Episode 64: 1994 with Bob Byington
It’s a special MID-WEEK EPISODE, in honor of Friday’s release of acclaimed director Bob Byington’s latest, Lousy Carter. Join us as we talk with Bob about...
Episode 63: 1965 with Robert Daniels
This week: For show number two from SXSW, we’re joined by the prolific film critic and RogerEbert.com Associate Editor Robert Daniels. He sings the praises...
Episode 62: 1989 with Jacob Knight
This week: Back at SXSW, we’re joined by Austin’s own Jacob Knight, co-host of the “Secret Handshake” podcast, and lover of great movies and great trash....
Episode 61: 1998 with Esther Zuckerman
This week: Esther Zuckerman is an appropriate guest for Oscar Sunday, as she is the author of the fabulous book Beyond the Best Dressed: A Cultural History...
Episode 60: 1968 with David Fear
This week: David Fear, chief film critic and senior editor at Rolling Stone, had not yet joined the living in the year 1968, but he’s always been fascinated...
Episode 59: 1978 with Katie Rife
This week: The whip-smart and hysterically funny Katie Rife joins us to talk about the movies of 1978 — from the terrifying precision to Halloween to the...
Episode 58: 1970 with Blake Howard
This week: Our Aussie invasion continues with this week’s guest, film critic and podcaster extraordinaire Blake Howard, the mastermind of One Heat Minute...
Episode 57: 1992 with Sam Adams
This week: Sam Adams, writer and senior editor for Slate, was in the midst of his cinephile awakening in 1992, when he was taking in new indies and other...
Episode 56: 1971 with Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
This week, film critic, author, Fangoria columnist, physical media mainstay, and recovering academic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas joins us for a jaunt through...
Episode 55: 1999 with Brian Raftery
Brian Raftery is the host of the excellent narrative podcasts Gene and Roger and Do We Get to Win This Time? for the Ringer and Spotify; he’s also SUCH an...
Episode 54: 1988 with Jen Johans
Guest Jen Johans and hosts Jason Bailey and Mike Hull. This week, we're talking about movies during the quiet time with the host of Watch with Jen and...
Episode 53: 1973 with Brian Sour
For season two, we’re wiping the slate clean and letting our guests pick any year they want, even if we covered it in season one. So first up, the very...
Bonus Episode: John and Janet Pierson's Fiji Year
For our last bonus episode before season two, we’re proud to welcome back one of season one’s most popular guests: indie guru John Pierson, who joined us...
Bonus Episode: 2023 with Alissa Wilkinson
New Bonus Episode: 2023 with Alissa Wilkinson Since she last joined us to talk about 2005 back in September, Alissa Wilkinson nabbed a new gig: she’s now a...