Loading...

PODCAST

Unspooled

Paul Scheer & Amy Nicholson | Realm

Each week actor & comedian Paul Scheer (Black Monday, The League) and film critic Amy Nicholson (LA Times Chief Film Critic ) watch and discuss the best movies out there. From the classics to new releases and every indie film in-between. Along the way, they’ll dissect iconic scenes, spotlight their favorite characters, and decide if these movies still stand the test of time.

tv & film film reviews

All Episodes

01:41:52

Cooley High

Unspooled ·

2020/09/17

Paul & Amy pour one out for 1975's comic high school drama Cooley High! They learn how the film scored a soundtrack of wall-to-wall Motown hits, analyze the film's take on teenage hijinks, and praise Michael Schultz as one of the great underrated directors. Plus: Glynn Turman ("Preach") talks about the impact Cooley High had on his career. This is the fifth episode of our "Back To School" miniseries; next week’s film is Fast Times At Ridgemont High! Learn more about the show at unspooledpod.com,

en-us

01:41:22

Rebel Without A Cause

Unspooled ·

2020/09/10

Amy & Paul are torn apart by 1955's landmark teen drama Rebel Without A Cause! They celebrate the instantly iconic performance of James Dean, learn about the wild backstory of director Nicholas Ray, and take a close look at the seismic generational shifts of the era. Plus: reflections on the recent passing of Chadwick Boseman. This is the fourth episode of our "Back To School" miniseries; next week’s film is Cooley High! Learn more about the show at unspooledpod.com, follow us on Twitter @unspooled

en-us

01:14:47

The 400 Blows

Unspooled ·

2020/09/03

Paul & Amy raise hell for 1959's French New Wave adolescent drama The 400 Blows! They learn how François Truffaut went from a Hitchcock-worshipping critic to a director himself, discuss how he then became a major influence on directors like Steven Spielberg, and praise the value of creative limitations in creating truly fresh works of art. Plus: a scene from the unforgettable Sesame Street adaptation. This is the third episode of our "Back To School" miniseries; next week’s film is Rebel Without A

en-us

01:35:51

Stand and Deliver

Unspooled ·

2020/08/27

Amy & Paul stand for 1988's rousing math class drama Stand And Deliver! They ask if this is the first major 'indie' film, learn how Edward James Olmos crafted his commanding performance as Jaime Escalante, and investigate whether the real students depicted cheated on their exam. Plus: Lou Diamond Phillips explains how he got cast as Angel, and why poker requires top-notch math skills. This is the second episode of our "Back To School" miniseries; next week’s film is The 400 Blows! Learn more about

en-us

01:33:40

Mean Girls

Unspooled ·

2020/08/20

Paul & Amy are obsessed with 2004's teenage clique comedy Mean Girls! They approach the film as a work of anthropology, praise Amanda Seyfried's perfectly dumb performance, and ask how this pre-social media movie became so heavily GIF'd. Plus: Mark Waters talks about how it feels to have directed a modern sleepover classic. This is the first episode of our first miniseries of Season 2, Back To School; next week’s film is Stand And Deliver! Learn more about the show at unspooledpod.com, follow us on

en-us

00:01:36

Coming 8/20: Unspooled Season 2

Unspooled ·

2020/07/24

Get ready for Unspooled: The New 100, beginning August 20th!

en-us

01:25:35

Wrapping Up the AFI 100

Unspooled ·

2020/07/23

It's the end of Season 1...welcome to the AFI Thunderdome! Amy and Paul discover which movies from the AFI 100 surprised and stuck with Unspooled listeners the most, reveal their top 10 and bottom 10 films from the list (along with Producer Josh and Engineer Devon) and make some hard decisions regarding which films deserve to stay in the 100, and which should get cut. Stick around until the end for a big announcement about Season 2, which begins August 20th. Go to unspooledpod.com to see Paul &

en-us

01:49:58

Casablanca

Unspooled ·

2020/07/15

Paul & Amy will always have 1942's Humphrey Bogart WWII romance Casablanca! They learn the trick Bogart used to make himself a magnetic romantic lead, ask each other what their most used Casablanca quote is, and watch an alternate ending as imagined by The Simpsons. Plus: Ben Mankiewicz (TCM, The Plot Thickens) shares why he thinks Casablanca is a greatest-film-of-all-time contender. Join us next week as we say goodbye to the AFI list and tell you what we have in store for Season 2. In the

en-us

01:33:28

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Unspooled ·

2020/07/09

Paul & Amy make a last stand for 1969’s mythic Western Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid! They praise the film’s use of montage, discuss how the unusually light tone sets it apart from other Westerns, and contemplate whether Steve McQueen could have played Sundance as well as Robert Redford. Plus: Author Thom Hatch (The Last Outlaws) tells us the stories of the real life Butch and Sundance he wishes made it into the film. You can join the conversation on Paul’s Discord at

en-us

01:53:30

Jaws

Unspooled ·

2020/07/01

Amy & Paul take a bite out of 1975's blockbuster Spielberg creature feature Jaws! They take a close listen to John Williams' iconic score, praise the way Spielberg adds emotional stakes to the story, and ask whether Jurassic Park does much of what Jaws does, but better. Plus: Hannah Medd, founder of the American Shark Conservancy, weighs in on whether dolphins are bigger jerks than sharks. Which AFI character do you think deserves their own thematic film festival, along the lines of Sundance? Call

en-us

01:34:19

It Happened One Night

Unspooled ·

2020/06/25

Paul & Amy piggyback onto 1934's Frank Capra romantic comedy It Happened One Night! They ask if this script fits the "screwball" mold, praise Claudette Colbert for subverting the cliches of the genre, and learn how Clark Gable inspired Bugs Bunny. Plus: which romantic comedies would Unspooled listeners add to the AFI list? Help make a campaign ad for (or against) the mayor in Jaws! Call the Unspooled voicemail line at 747-666-5824 with your answer. Follow us on Twitter @Unspooled, get more info at

en-us

01:21:45

Modern Times

Unspooled ·

2020/06/18

Paul & Amy crank through 1936's mechanical Charlie Chaplin comedy Modern Times! They praise the film's ever-escalating setpieces, learn why Joseph Goebbels banned it in Germany, and ponder how much the working world has really changed since the 30s. Plus: We hear your recommendations for other silent films to add to the list. For It Happened One Night week, what other romantic comedies do you want to see on the AFI list? Call the Unspooled voicemail line at 747-666-5824 with your answer. Follow us

en-us

01:26:19

Shane

Unspooled ·

2020/06/11

Paul & Amy mosey into 1953's archetypal western Shane! They learn about star Alan Ladd's often tragic life, examine how director George Stevens made gun violence feel heightened, and play a referential clip from the X-Men film Logan. Plus: Digging into your thoughts and theories on Blade Runner. For Modern Times week, what silent film do you think needs to be on the AFI list? Call the Unspooled voicemail line at 747-666-5824 with your answer. Follow us on Twitter @Unspooled, get more info at

en-us

02:03:20

Blade Runner

Unspooled ·

2020/06/04

Amy & Paul run through 1982's moody Ridley Scott dystopia Blade Runner! They listen to the infamous original voiceover, learn what inspired Philip K. Dick's source material, and yes, give their theories on whether Deckard is a replicant. Plus: Screenwriter David Peoples explains which pivotal scene makes the whole film work. Give us a more iconic cowboy name than "Shane"! Call it in to the Unspooled voicemail line at 747-666-5824. Follow us on Twitter @Unspooled, get more info at unspooledpod.com

en-us

01:52:35

A Streetcar Named Desire

Unspooled ·

2020/05/28

Paul & Amy roll into 1951's Southern Gothic Tennessee Williams drama A Streetcar Named Desire! They compare the opposite physicality of Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh, analyze the buildup to Brando's famous scream, and listen to a montage of musical Streetcar references. Plus: Brian Lohmann from the Impro Theater discusses improvising in the style of Tennessee Williams. For Blade Runner week, give us your rendition of the "tears in rain” speech! Call it in to the Unspooled voicemail line at

en-us

01:30:19

The Bridge On The River Kwai

Unspooled ·

2020/05/21

Amy and Paul cross 1957's David Lean WWII epic The Bridge On The River Kwai! They explore the career of star Sessue Hayakawa, ask why Lean's tyrannical methods pop up so often in the AFI 100, and compare the film to author Pierre Boulle's other famous work "Planet Of The Apes." Plus: responding to your comments on Goodfellas, and the passing of Fred Willard and Lynn Shelton. For Streetcar Named Desire week, scream your post-quarantine desires a la "Stella!" Call it in to the Unspooled voicemail

en-us

01:24:55

Spool Party: House Party

Unspooled ·

2020/05/14

Amy & Paul raise the roof for 1990's Kid N' Play comedy smash House Party! They, listen to the film's all-timer rap battle, look at how the Simpsons was influenced by hip-hop culture, and talk to the film's writer and director Reginald Hudlin, and star Christopher "Kid" Reid. (This episode originally aired live on YouTube as part of Unspooled's "Spool Party" series.) Next week get ready for the 1957 war epic "The Bridge On The River Kwai"! Follow us on Twitter @Unspooled, get more info at

en-us

02:13:52

Goodfellas

Unspooled ·

2020/05/07

Amy & Paul jump into 1990's kinetic Scorcese mob epic Goodfellas! They learn some of the wild details about Henry Hill that didn't make it into the film, discover the origins of the Morrie's Wigs commercial, and ask if there are too many gangster films on the AFI list. Plus: Chef Evan Funke (The Shape Of Pasta) shares a tomato sauce recipe you can make even in quarantine. Next week tune in for our Spool Party episode about Kid N Play's House Party! Follow us on Twitter @Unspooled, get more info at

en-us

01:29:48

Intolerance

Unspooled ·

2020/04/30

Paul & Amy gawk at 1916's D.W. Griffith silent spectacle Intolerance! They praise the eternally cool Mountain Girl, ask if Griffith was the original 'troll' director, and marvel at the ambition on display in the oldest film on the AFI list. Plus: Unpacking your thoughts on Yankee Doodle Dandy. If you could kick just one film off the AFI list, which would it be? Call the Unspooled voicemail line at 747-666-5824 with your answer! Follow us on Twitter @Unspooled, get more info at unspooledpod.comand

en-us

01:38:08

Yankee Doodle Dandy

Unspooled ·

2020/04/23

Paul & Amy salute to 1942's Jimmy Cagney musical extravaganza Yankee Doodle Dandy! They analyze the film as a template for modern musical biopics like Bohemian Rhapsody, break down a bizarre proposal scene, and learn how the real life political views of Jimmy Cagney clashed with his subject George M. Cohan. Plus: listeners offer their thoughts on Cabaret! For Intolerance week, what movie set do you think could inspire a great mall! Call the Unspooled voicemail line at 747-666-5824 with your

en-us

487 results

Similar Podcasts

The Survivor Buff

Zale Mednick

The Hot Mic

John Rocha

Mindset Movie Reviews

Simon

The Love Of Cinema

Picturehouse Cinemas

RHAP: We Know Survivor

Survivor Know-It-All, Rob Cesternino