Each episode of The Next Reel Film Podcast is a part of a series or collection of films brought together by time, idea, or contributor. Looking to build a great watchlist? You can’t go wrong with starting on a Next Reel Series.
For our November member bonus episode, we add a ‘what if?’ to our run of 1976 Hugo Awards Best Dramatic Presentation Nominees series, talking about Bryan Forbes’ 1975 film The Stepford Wives. How does it compare to the nominees?
We wrap up our member bonus episode series looking at the three films nominated for the National Society of Film Critics Awards for Best Cinematography in 1969 with a chat about Sam Peckinpah’s The Wild Bunch. It’s a brilliant film and one we’re thrilled to talk about.
We return to the 1969 National Society of Film Critics Awards nominee list for Best Cinematography for this month’s member bonus episode. Specifically, we’re talking about Haskell Wexler’s narrative feature directorial debut “Medium Cool.” Taking place around Chicago during the 1968 Democratic National Convention, it has a lot to say about politics, race relations, and the media. Still, that last act leaves us scratching our heads… Tune in!
For this month’s member bonus episode, we’re kicking off a three-part series looking at the nominees of the 1969 National Society of Film Critics Awards for Best Cinematography. First up, it’s Lindsay Anderson’s 1968 film “if…”. Fascinating film to talk about, interesting usage of both black-and-white and color cinematography. Tune in!
We wrap up our conversations about Ethan Hunt and the Mission: Impossible franchise – at least until next summer – with a deep (and spoilery) discussion about Christopher McQuarrie’s new film Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One. It’s a great new entry to the franchise, even if it doesn’t feel as strong as the past few films. Tune in!
Our June member bonus episode brings us to the conclusion of ‘Fast Eddie’ Felson’s story as we return to the world of billiard halls and hustlers with Martin Scorsese’s “The Color of Money” from 1986. How’s Paul Newman? What about young Tom Cruise? Does it work as a followup to “The Hustler”? Tune in!
Our members voted, and for this month and next, we’re talking about ‘Fast’ Eddie Felson. We start this month with Robert Rossen’s 1961 film ‘The Hustler’ starring Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason, Piper Laurie, and George C. Scott. It’s a brilliant film about pool and life, and definitely takes us on a dark journey. Tune in!
We wrap up our conversations about the Infernal Affairs trilogy with our April 2023 member bonus episode, discussing Andrew Lau’s and Alan Mak’s 2003 film INFERNAL AFFAIRS III. Does it work as the conclusion to this trilogy? Why does it feel more convoluted than the previous two? Which of the story threads works best for us? Tune in!
We return to the world of moles working both for the cops and with the criminals as we dig into Andrew Lau’s and Alan Mak’s 2003 follow-up INFERNAL AFFAIRS II. Does it work as a prequel? Does it get muddied with character information that feels unnecessarily included just because it’s a prequel? How does the further development of our police superintendent Wong and crimelord Sam work? Tune in to our March member bonus episode!
We return to the Slumber Party Massacre series for our February 2023 member bonus episode. That’s right, we’re talking about Danishka Esterhazy’s 2021 remake/reboot ‘Slumber Party Massacre.’ It’s a ton of fun as a parody and revisioning of the original films. They’re all clearly having fun with this. They even throw in references to other great horror films and franchises. But does the parodying nature of this diminish the feminist approach? Do you need to have seen the previous films? Or does it stand strong as-is? Tune in!