Episode 76: 1951's Scrooge and 1992's A Muppet Christmas Carol with Stu & Al of The Stu & Al Pod

A blend of dark comedy and scathing social commentary, these two satires about class distinction became Oscar darlings and critical successes. Triangle of Sadness was a 3-time nominee, including Best Picture and Director, while Parasite made history as the first film ever to receive Best Picture, Director, and International Feature. Behind the sly cynicism and sardonic wit of both lies a message about the human condition. Plus, the usual fun facts, poll results, listener trivia segment, and shout-outs!

Aspiring filmmakers and former high school film students of mine, Brendan and Zak, join me for a conversation about each of our predictions for the 95th annual Academy Awards! Brendan, a professional production assistant and extra, and Zak, who's in the Air Force, prove their love of cinema as we reveal our picks for the nominees who will bring home the gold. Plus, the usual interactive trivia segment and listener shout-outs!

An Oscar-winning Best Supporting Actor performance by J.K. Simmons and a current nomination for Best Leading Actress for Cate Blanchett wave their batons in this episode about two Best Picture nominees about narcissistic, passionate, and headstrong music conductors. 10 acting nominations between them, and that's nothing to shake a stick at. Plus, the usual behind-the-scenes fun facts, poll results, interactive trivia, and listener shout-outs!

Oscars countdown with Silver Screeners continues with a look at two current Best Leading Actress nominees (Ana de Armas in Blonde and Michelle Williams in The Fabelmans), both of whom earned nominations in their careers for their portrayals of Marilyn Monroe in 2022's Blonde and 2011's My Week with Marilyn, respectively. Two films 11 years apart that serve up different interpretations of the one of the most photographed women of the 20th century ... plus, the usual fun facts, poll results, interactive trivia, and listener shout-outs!

A hunk-hunka-burnin' love and a champion of the world - Oscars countdown with Silver Screeners begins with a look at a current Best Picture and Leading Actor nominee (Austin Butler in Elvis) and a previous Picture nominee and Leading Actor winner (Rami Malek as Freddy Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody)! A look at a pair of biopics of rock stars that brought these two fine actors together in solidarity ... plus, the usual fun facts, poll results, interactive trivia, and listener shout-outs!

The 95th annual Academy Awards season is about to descend upon the entertainment industry! So as we tune in to see which celebrity will be the next to prove that they are one chromosome away from being a potato, we'll be revisiting Oscars of the past while doing a deep dive into some of this year's nominees. It's all explained here, along with the usual interactive trivia segment and listener shout-outs! Plus, a new Oscar-focused feature on famous (and notorious) moments from the past.

Return guest Chris of The Movie Psycho Podcast and I engage in an Orson Welles two-fer as we discuss The Third Man and Touch of Evil with a side dish of film noir thrown in. Plus, the usual behind-the-scenes fun facts, poll results, interactive trivia, and listener shout-outs!

December 1940. Miss Shields wants Ralphie to write ... a theme. Randy becomes Mommy's little piggy. The 'Old Man' wins a major award. Schwartz gets his. Flick gets triple-dog-dared. And Ralphie gets to dress up as a pink bunny. Yeet some milk bones next door to keep the Bupkis's dogs at bay so that you can relax and enjoy 7Ceez from the No on 15! All-Cast make a return appearance for a conversation about 1983's cult classic A Christmas Story. Plus, the usual behind-the-scenes fun facts, poll results, interactive trivia segment, and listener shout-outs!

75 years ago, the Macy's Santa Claus got drunk at the Thanksgiving parade, paving the way for the real Kris Kringle to step in and replace him. A single divorced career mother didn't want her little girl to grow up believing in fairy tales and myths and legends. The executives at Macy's and the executives at Gimbel's engaged in a Christmas season retail smackdown. And that's just the tip of the tinsel for this endearing holiday classic with Edmund Gwynn in his Oscar-winning performance as Santa, Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, and child star Natalie Wood. Plus, the usual behind-the-scenes fun facts, poll results, interactive trivia segment, and listener shout-outs!

Special guests Stephen J. Holloran, a UK-based actor and YouTuber, and DaveyA of the podcast I'd Give That 10 Minutes! both join me for a conversation about the first two - or as we say, the only two - Home Alone films. Fun facts, a trivia contest between them, plus the usual poll results, listener trivia segment, and shout-outs!