Reel First Time

Teased all season, we have finally reached our first FLIPPED episode! Emma has seen no movies... except for gripping dramas about the teens on the Upper East Side or boy wizards. While it was difficult to find a movie that David hadn't seen, we finally found the winner - Cruel Intentions. And what 30-year-old man doesn't want to watch a bunch of high schoolers played by Sarah Michelle Gellar, Reese Witherspoon, Ryan Phillippe, and Selma Blair be terrible people? Joining us for the most batshit movie created is Katie Pecho! She's a writer and comedian and you can check out her website here! Follow us @reelfirsttime and rate us on the things!

We're going to make you an offer you can't refuse. We aren't 100% sure what this offer will be, but it probably includes listening to the latest episode of Reel First Time, The Godfather! We take a dive into this very long movie, and try not to veer off into the film career of the most talented Coppola, Nicolas Cage. Joining us today is Will Jonas, someone who saw The Godfather far too young but fortunately it didn't scar him for life. You can follow him @wendlin_jonas and catch him performing around Chicago! Remember to rate & review Reel First Time and follow us @reelfirsttime !

There's no doubt how far we'll go to get off track on the newest episode of Reel First Time.. Moana! There are not many Disney movies that Emma has not seen, so we had to jump at the chance to watch one of the best in recent history. With many a Lin-Manuel mention, a hard turn into Star Wars, and an EXTREMELY important Buzzfeed quiz, you'll feel as though you are crashing through the waves of Motunui. Joining us on the episode is Chicago comedian and actress, Victoria Montalbano! You can check out her website victorianotvicky.com and follow her @victorianotvicky1 on Instagram. Rate & Review us on all the things & follow us @reelfirsttime to stay up to date on the newest episodes!

WIIIIILLSSOOOONNNN!!! And thus, a thousand tears were shed over a volleyball. On this all-ladies episode of Reel First Time, we discuss that sweet sweet FedEx lawsuit money, Tom Hanks' acting chops, our time as Girl Scouts, and more! We also have an absolute TREAT in the form of our guest host, Hannah Murphy! Her first experience with Cast Away involved stuffed animals and the movies K-Pax and Bandits, which is a far cry from Emma's 2020 viewing right after Tom Hanks won the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the Golden Globes. You can follow Hannah @legallyhannahmurphy to see what she is up to next! Joining Emma & Hannah is Sarah Shoemaker, an Alaskan turned Chicagoan who loves a good Cast Away viewing. Catch her performing around the city & follow her next project, @theatrechi on Instagram! Follow Reel First Time on all the platforms @reelfirsttime & remember to rate and review us!

During this episode of Reel First Time, we give a definitive answer to the age-old question: Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? Further topics of discussion include a recasting of Die Hard, watching the Devil's Advocate at a too-young age, the best movie villains, and more! We also have a holiday surprise for our listeners, as we have a guest host for this episode, Bobby Swanson! Joining Bobby & Emma for this episode is Mike Proper, a die hard Die Hard fan and a friend of the podcast. You can also catch him on his own podcast, Brewdacris!

Darth Vader is a dad, Han Solo knows some stuff about Leia, and they covered up Mark Hamill's car accident extremely well. You guessed it, it's Empire Strikes Back! Widely regarded as one of the, if not the, best Star Wars films of the franchise, we discuss if it actually is and if it holds up. We get real deep into the universe, and it's at that point that Emma gets extremely lost. Joining us is Daniel Westheimer, a true Star Wars fan and an actor in the Chicago area! Follow us @reelfirsttime and rate and review us!

David finally got his wish and Emma watched a Marvel movie for the podcast! Join the Reel First Time crew as we venture into Wakanda, and discuss everything from the genius of Ruth E. Carter to some hot takes on Hamilton! How giddy was David through this entire process? How much did Emma bring up Shuri? Does Forest Whitaker's real son make an appearance as his younger self? As excited as David was to do a Marvel movie, we were even more excited about our guest, Devin Middleton! A writer & comic in Chicago, you can catch him around the city, including at Studio Eleven at iO at 10:30pm on Fridays. Remember to follow us @reelfirsttime and review us on your podcast platform!

With Robin Williams, Boston accents, and Matt Damon's haircut, how could we not delve into Good Will Hunting? Despite Emma's love of academia, she did miss out on the movie that made Affleck & Damon household names, and won Robin Williams his Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Joining us on the podcast is Bobby Swanson, a self-professed fan of Reel First Time & a true lover of movies. Don't forget to follow us @reelfirsttime !

We're back and (hopefully) better than ever! Reel First Time made it through the first season without David leaving in frustration or Emma quitting over movies being too long. To kick off our second season, and just in time for the spookiest day of the year, we'll be discussing The Shining with our guest, Jack von Albade! This is also a momentous occasion for the Reel First Time duo, as this is our first movie that NEITHER David nor Emma has seen! We've got more games & more bits & some great things planned for the season, we can't wait to have you listen!

It's the SEASON FINALE of Reel First Time! To celebrate the end of season one, we chose the highly acclaimed film, Shawkshank Redemption. We take a deep dive into small nuggets of information that the filmmakers left for us, and, in Reel First Time tradition, go on some tangents. Joining us today is Brad Klein, a man who loves Shawshank Redemption almost more than Emma loves Harry Potter. Follow us @reelfirsttime to stay up to date on when our next season will arrive!

Despite Emma's deep love of musicals, she had not yet seen The Greatest Showman. We sit down to discuss Zac Efron's abs, Hamilton, and how to correctly pronounce the word "bag". Episode Disclaimer: We do not support the circus, unless we are talking about Britney Spears' comeback album. Joining us is Chris Bartlett, one of Emma's former coworkers and an all-around delight. Mentioned at the end of the episode, please consider donating to his triathlon charity to help raise funds for pediatric cancer research! Link to Donate: https://donate.teambrightside.com/fundraiser/1929473

Summer is here, and so are sand bags! Despite Emma's love of Steve Carell, she had never seen 40 Year Old Virgin.. until now. Follow our journey through Steve's breakthrough film role, particularly through his brass instrument breakdown. Joining us is Amit Joshi! Originally from Nashville TN, Amit has done shows in various places all over Nashville and Chicago, including Judy's Beat Lounge Second City, Playground Theater, Juicebox Theater, Under the Gun Theater, and many more. Most recently, he was voted as part of the "Elite 8" in the DAS Funny "Funniest in Chicago" March Madness Bracket Contest.

Just in time for the NBA Playoffs, we've got a JAM of an episode... Space Jam! We take a deep dive into Michael Jordan, bad first dates, spring training, and whether or not the sequel should be made. With us today is Maria Konopken! Maria’s roots started in the beautiful city of Phoenix, but after moving to Chicago, her heart belongs in this frozen tundra. Maria is a graduate of the training programs at iO Chicago, Torch Theatre, and Annoyance. When she isn’t experiencing extreme weather changes, Maria can be found with her notebook, running shoes, performing around Chicago with Matt Damon Improv, dancing with Burlesque Is More, or telling stories and poetry. She also loves the movie Space Jam, and has mix feelings if they should make another one. You can follow her pictures of tacos, wine, and running on Instagram @mariakonopken Follow us @reelfirsttime !

Earn this. Oooh BABY did we choose a doozy of a film. From the first 27 minutes of Saving Private Ryan to the reveal at the end, we pick and choose what parts of the plot to discuss. Was it robbed at the 71st Academy Awards? Exactly how hot was a young Ed Burns? Does the movie pass the Bechdel test? (Hint: Yes/Very/No) Joining us is Cass Maher, a straight up hottie from Iowa who performs and coaches musical improv throughout Chicago!

Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get. In this episode of Reel First Time, we discuss the Academy Award winning film, Forrest Gump! Discussions on Forrest Gump taking credit for discovering the Watergate Scandal to what year Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone came out occur, and many "Roll Tides" are said. Our guest is the incomparable Sarah Baumann, whose favorite movie is Forrest Gump and favorite food is shrimp. Listen to her podcast, Death and All Her Friends, wherever you listen to podcasts! Follow us @reelfirsttime and follow @deathnherfriends!

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away... there lived someone who had never seen Star Wars. We rectify that with a viewing of the first-ever Star Wars film, A New Hope! Join David & Emma as we discuss Harrison Ford, the drinking age in Wisconsin, Donald Glover, and more. Follow @reelfirsttime !

With our next episode, we answer the tough questions. Questions like: Can we get Snoop Dogg to narrate Jurassic Park? Was Jurassic Park too long? Why does Emma's hometown have no movie theaters? That's right, our next movie focuses on dinosaurs and Jeff Goldblum aka Jurassic Park. Joining Reel First Time is Nick Rowley! He is originally from Omaha, Nebraska, where he was a co-owner of the Backline Improv Theater. He is a member of the sketch and variety show Studio Eleven at the iO Theater. He also writes and performs with the sketch group Windy Batch, whom he loves dearly and are all the best of friends. You can see him performing improv around the city, including alongside podcast cohost Emma! He hesitantly shares that you can follow him at @nrowley before he turns it into a repository for dog photos. Follow us @reelfirsttime !

It's the second episode of Reel First Time, and we're going back in time! That's right, our next endeavor is Back to the Future! From the friendship of Marty McFly and Doc Brown to Biff to Crispin Glover on David Letterman, we cover it all. Joining us on the podcast is Sean Leahy! He is a soon-to-be MBA graduate living and working in Chicago. When he isn’t training for the Chicago Marathon, you can find him checking out a new brewery, cheering the Cubs or Blackhawks on, or searching for the best taco in the city. His favorite part of Back to the Future is Doc Brown’s 88-mile-an-hour quote, and he’s excited to be the first guest of the podcast! Follow us @reelfirsttime !

For our inaugural episode, we picked the movie that is every pubescent boys' favorite film. No, not Fight Club... Pulp Fiction. Opinions are strong, Travolta's shorts are high, and Amanda Plummer gets multiple shout-outs. Tune into our debut episode, where we explore Tarantino's pulp classic. Follow us @reelfirsttime !