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

00:59:36

Listener Questions Special

Unspooled ·

2018/11/08

In this week's special episode, Paul & Amy are answering all of your questions, submitted by Unspooled's Facebook group! They reminisce about the origin story of the podcast, explain which documentaries they would add to the AFI 100, and tell each other their favorite movie snacks. Finally, they celebrate the first 25 episodes by unveiling their official ranking of every movie covered on Unspooled so far.Next week's movie is "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington," so call the Unspooled voicemail line at

en-us

01:19:42

Duck Soup

Unspooled ·

2018/11/01

This week Amy & Paul hail the Marx Brothers' 1933 madcap comedy Duck Soup! They ask whether this is the first great comedy of the talkie era, parse the different comedic styles of the brothers, and praise Margaret Dumont as the perfect foil. Plus: Conan O’Brien joins the show to talk about why he loves the Marx Bros!Don't forget to tune in to next week's special episode, where we answer all our listeners' burning questions and officially rank the first 25 films. Follow us on Twitter @Unspooled, get

en-us

01:10:56

The African Queen

Unspooled ·

2018/10/25

Paul & Amy set sail through 1951’s Katharine Hepburn & Humphrey Bogart adventure The African Queen! They ask whether the central romance is convincing, discuss John Huston’s groundbreaking and arduous location shoot, and reminisce about the Disneyland ride inspired by the film. Plus: Suzanne Holmquist tells about running the actual African Queen as a modern day tourist attraction. For Duck Soup week, call the Unspooled voicemail line at 747-666-5824 to sing part of the Freedonia national anthem

en-us

01:26:39

Raiders Of The Lost Ark

Unspooled ·

2018/10/17

This week Amy and Paul uncover 1981's rollicking Indiana Jones adventure Raiders Of The Lost Ark! They ask if Indy is actually a good archeologist, find out whether Belloq really ate a fly, and discuss what makes the film's action sequences so irresistible to kids. Plus: Indiana Jones superfan Guy Klender shares his wealth of Indy knowledge, and talks about his work on the Raiders fan remake.What do you think the film The African Queen is about? If you haven't seen it, call the Unspooled voicemail

en-us

01:21:03

Psycho

Unspooled ·

2018/10/11

Paul & Amy pull off the highway for a short stay at 1960's proto-slasher masterwork Psycho. They dissect Alfred Hitchcock's artful use of misdirection, listen to Anthony Perkins' pre-Psycho pop single, and ask if there was any value in Gun Van Sant's controversial remake. Plus: Alexandre O. Philippe, the director of "78/52: Hitchcock's Shower Scene," discusses one of cinema's most infamous moments in detail.What do you think is in the warehouse at the end of Raiders Of The Lost Ark? Call the

en-us

01:24:27

The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring

Unspooled ·

2018/10/04

Amy & Paul embark on an epic quest through Peter Jackson's 2001 fantasy adaptation The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring! They praise Elijah Wood's stellar silent acting, learn which modern dictator hates being compared to Gollum, and debate which if any Harry Potter film could make the list. Plus: Motion capture specialist Brett Ineson talks about making Gollum come to life in Return Of The King.For Psycho week, what would you write in your positive Yelp review of the Bates Motel? Call

en-us

01:26:20

Apocalypse Now

Unspooled ·

2018/09/27

Paul & Amy plunge into the heart of darkness to cover 1979's Vietnam War fever dream Apocalypse Now. They discover which famous film character screenwriter John Milius inspired, dig into the meaning of the USO show sequence, and are ultimately amazed this film ever came together in the first place. Plus: All of your amazing/terrible Marlon Brando impressions!What character would you be in The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring? Call the Unspooled voicemail line at 747-666-5824 and let us

en-us

01:16:01

High Noon

Unspooled ·

2018/09/20

Amy & Paul saddle up and ride through 1952’s archetypal Western, High Noon! They celebrate Katy Jurado’s fierce performance, learn about the ill-advised High Noon sequel, and discover how the film works as an allegory for HUAC-era America. Plus: Henry C. Parke of True West Magazine tells us what makes High Noon stand out in the Western pantheon. For Apocalypse Now week, call the Unspooled voicemail line at 747-666-5824 and give us a pearl of wisdom using your best Colonel Kurtz impression! Follow us

en-us

01:36:51

E.T. The Extra Terrestrial

Unspooled ·

2018/09/13

Paul & Amy beam up to Steven Spielberg’s heartwarming alien feature, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial! They learn E.T.’s real name, marvel at Spielberg’s uncanny ease directing children, and wonder how well the film holds up with kids today. Plus: Seth Shostak, an astronomer from the SETI Institute, tells us how likely we are to find actual E.T.s on Earth. Next week: the western showdown classic, High Noon. If you've never seen it, or can't quite remember it, give us your guess about the plot, and bonus

en-us

01:30:51

Taxi Driver

Unspooled ·

2018/09/06

This week Paul & Amy cruise through 1976's terrifying character study Taxi Driver. They ask whether the film is anti-misogynist or simply misogynist, debate whether the ending is real or fake, and discover a surprising source of inspiration for another film on the AFI 100. Plus: actor and writer Curt Neill tells us about his experiences driving for Uber, and how it helped him empathize with Travis Bickle.If E.T. didn't stand for extra-terrestrial...what would it stand for? Next week is E.T. week, so

en-us

01:20:24

The Sixth Sense

Unspooled ·

2018/08/30

Paul and Amy see dead people in 1999's supernatural drama The Sixth Sense! They debate how Haley Joel Osment's performance compares to modern child actors, explain how the famous twist is accomplished through misdirection, and dive deep into the career of Tommy Tammasimo. Plus: Actor and magician Rob Zabrecky explains what it's like to perform a seance. For Taxi Driver week, call the Unspooled voicemail line at 747-666-5824 and tell us what you think Travis Bickle's taxicab smells like! Follow us on

en-us

01:20:04

Singin' In The Rain

Unspooled ·

2018/08/23

Amy & Paul tap, swing and two-step through 1952's meta-musical Singin' In The Rain! They are dazzled by the film's stylized color, dive into its perspective on honesty in Hollywood, and hear Lena Lamont's real voice. Plus: dancer & choreographer Sarah Reich drops by the show to talk about the art of tap!For Sixth Sense week, call the Unspooled voicemail line at 747-666-5824 and tell us which dead actor from an Unspooled film you'd want to talk to! Follow us on Twitter @Unspooled, and don’t forget to

en-us

01:15:22

Double Indemnity

Unspooled ·

2018/08/16

Paul & Amy investigate 1944's murderous noir Double Indemnity! They talk about what lines snuck past the censors, learn about the true story that inspired the film, and ask whether Barbara Stanwyck's femme fatale is actually telling the truth in her final scenes. Plus: comic & crime fiction writer Ed Brubaker stops by to talk about the contentious relationship between Billy Wilder & Raymond Chandler.Who would you boink, marry or kill from the cast of Singing In The Rain? Call the Unspooled voicemail

en-us

01:26:16

All About Eve

Unspooled ·

2018/08/09

Fasten your seatbelts - this week Paul & Amy take on 1950's showbiz satire All About Eve! They marvel at how well Joseph Mankiewicz understands his female characters, dish on which actors secretly hated each other, and furiously debate whether the title character is actually all that bad. Plus: film critic and historian Karina Longworth (You Must Remember This) talks about Bette Davis and her place in Hollywood history.In honor of Double Indemnity week, call the Unspooled voicemail line at

en-us

01:12:13

King Kong

Unspooled ·

2018/08/02

This week Amy & Paul unveil 1933's seminal monster movie King Kong! They ask if this was the first true blockbuster film, discover how the distinctive animal sounds were made, and wonder what Ann sees in Jack Driscoll. Plus: primatologist Kate Gilmore stops by to explain King Kong is not a gorilla!What do you think All About Eve is all about? If you haven't seen it, call the Unspooled voicemail line at 747-666-5824 with your best guesses. Follow us on Twitter @Unspooled, and don’t forget to rate,

en-us

01:09:17

The Shawshank Redemption

Unspooled ·

2018/07/26

This week Paul & Amy tunnel through Frank Darabont's prison allegory The Shawshank Redemption! They discuss the use of opera as a 90's film signifier, learn why Shawshank was constantly played on TNT, and debate whether this is "the Bud Light of movies." Plus: comedian and podcaster Duncan Trussell stops by to talk about Stephen King adaptations, and how prison films can be a metaphor for transcendence.Call the Unspooled voicemail line at 747-666-5824 with your best King Kong grunt or Fay Wray

en-us

01:13:31

The General

Unspooled ·

2018/07/19

Amy & Paul plow full steam ahead through Buster Keaton's silent opus The General! They realize this was the Fast And Furious of 1926, examine the rivalry between Keaton and Charlie Chaplin, and dig into Buster's incredibly depressing childhood. Plus: An interview with Jeff Tremaine, the director of the Jackass films, on why he's never messed around with trains.Does The Shawshank Redemption deserve to be the #1 film on IMDB? Call the Unspooled voicemail line at 747-666-5824 with your take. Follow us

en-us

01:25:01

Platoon

Unspooled ·

2018/07/12

Paul & Amy hunker down to cover 1986's Vietnam War drama Platoon! They look at director Oliver Stone's relationship with Martin Scorsese, discover how he film captures the chaos of war, and remember the ill-advised Platoon video game Plus: Amy sits down with the military advisor on Platoon, Dale Dye, to learn how he helped the cast get in the soldier mindset. What do you think The General is about? Call the Unspooled voicemail line at 747-666-5824 and let us know. Follow us on Twitter @Unspooled,

en-us

01:19:48

Bonnie And Clyde

Unspooled ·

2018/07/05

This week Paul & Amy tear through 1967's revolutionary "Bonnie And Clyde!" They discuss how the film mixes wildly different tones, adore Faye Dunaway's style, and learn the secret source of those terrifying gunshot sounds. Plus: An interview with the writer of Bonnie & Clyde, Robert Benton!Call the Unspooled voicemail line at 747-666-5824 with your best gun or explosion sound effects for Platoon! Follow us on Twitter @Unspooled, and don’t forget to rate, review & subscribe to us on Apple

en-us

01:09:06

2001: A Space Odyssey

Unspooled ·

2018/06/28

Paul & Amy journey beyond the infinite to Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey! They ask what the film has in common with a Rothko painting, marvel at what 2001 got right about the future, and decide whether to join Team Hal. Plus: Discover what other listeners think that ending is all about! What iconic duo would you cast in a modern Bonnie & Clyde? Call 747-666-5824 with your answers. Follow us on Twitter @Unspooled, and don’t forget to rate, review & subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts. And

en-us

487 results

Similar Podcasts

We"ll Bring The Popcorn

Josh Fields & Brad Covey

Entertain This!

Hayden, Mitch, and Tom

Pop Culture Happy Hour

NPR

Classic Conversations: Pop culture Interviews with Jeff Dwoskin

Jeff Dwoskin

Deck The Hallmark

Bramble Jam Podcast Network