The Letterboxd Show

For our grand finale, the Best in Show crew heads to the 96th Academy Awards! Brian, who had a golden ticket to the ceremony itself, recaps how it felt for his eyes to see Al Pacino announce, “My eyes see Oppenheimer!”, while Gemma and Mia recount their hectic day on the red carpet and evening in the press room—plus dancing with the Anatomy of a Fall lawyers at the afterparty. Finally, we invite our London correspondent/Best in Show newsletter extraordinaire George Fenwick to reflect on the awards season as a whole, and to submit his winning pick for the inaugural Bradley Moze (and Otis) Awards, named for our beloved cats who kept us grounded over the past few months. Chapters: Credits: Recorded in Los Angeles, London and Auckland. Edited by Slim, production manager Sophie Shin, editorial producer Brian Formo. Theme: ‘Hyperlight’ by Letterboxd member Trent Walton (AKA Echo Wolf). Artwork by Danny Haas. Best in Show is a TAPEDECK production. Title courtesy of Christopher Guest.

This week, Gemma chats with Academy President Janet Yang and CEO Bill Kramer about the importance of the Oscars to the global film community, plus its engaging impact on theater-going in a constantly changing industry. Also, Mia and Brian debrief about the Dune: Part Two hype (Space melodrama! More worms! All hail Denis Villeneuve!) and its entry into the Letterboxd Top 250 at a miraculous number six. For the grand finale, riot grrrl rockers Sleater-Kinney make a special appearance, with Carrie Brownstein recounting her brief appearance in Todd Haynes’ Carol. Chapters: Credits: Recorded in Los Angeles. Edited by Slim, production manager Sophie Shin, editorial producer Brian Formo. Theme: ‘Hyperlight’ by Letterboxd member Trent Walton (AKA Echo Wolf). Artwork by Danny Haas. Best in Show is a TAPEDECK production. Title courtesy of Christopher Guest.

This week, the Best in Show crew is full of Indie Spirit as they mingle on the carpet and out the back of the Film Independent Spirit Awards, where Zoe Lister-Jones, Jordan Firstman and the teams from Kokomo City and The Zone of Interest all stop by for chats about Cassavetes versus Altman, the secrets to a great director-producer relationship and epic movie dog moments. Brian meets his sporting hero Marshawn Lynch, and Mia settles in for a conversation with International Feature Spirit winner Justine Triet about the multiple languages of Anatomy of a Fall. Finally, Neil Hamburger himself (On Cinema’s Gregg Turkington, cast member in the John Cassavetes Award-winning Fremont) tells Mia and Gemma about the first award he ever won (and seems to keep on winning). Chapters: Credits: Recorded in Los Angeles. Edited by Slim, production manager Sophie Shin, editorial producer Brian Formo. Theme: ‘Hyperlight’ by Letterboxd member Trent Walton (AKA Echo Wolf). Artwork by Danny Haas. Best in Show is a TAPEDECK production. Title courtesy of Christopher Guest. Lists & Links: Best in Show’s HQ Page, Film Independent’s HQ Page

This week, the Best in Show crew finds out what they’re made for with Grammy-winning special guests Billie Eilish and Finneas. The superstar sibling duo is behind the Best Original Song Oscar nominee ‘What Was I Made For?’, and Mia chats with them about hiding secrets in their devastating-but-hopeful tune, the music and movies that make them feel emotionally validated and Billie’s directing aspirations. There’s also some queening out over a mutual love of Andrew Scott in Fleabag and Sherlock—relevant because he and Billie are both nominated in acting categories at the Indie Spirits this year (him for All of Us Strangers, her for Swarm), and because Andrew is always relevant. London Editor Ella Kemp pops in as well for a BAFTAs debrief, sharing her interviews with Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Samantha Morton and Best in Show bestie Paul Mescal. Chapters: Sponsor: Sony Pictures Credits: Recorded in Los Angeles and London. Edited by Slim, production manager Sophie Shin, editorial producer Brian Formo. Theme: ‘Hyperlight’ by Letterboxd member Trent Walton (AKA Echo Wolf). Artwork by Danny Haas. Best in Show is a TAPEDECK production. Title courtesy of Christopher Guest. Lists & Links: List of movies mentioned, Best in Show’s HQ Page, BAFTAs HQ Page

This week, Brian, Gemma and Mia break down the art of visual effects with a little help from our friends: The Creator director Gareth Edwards and his visual effects on-set supervisor Andrew Roberts. More ‘Help!’ arrives in the form of Sean Lennon, co-writer of the Oscar-nominated short War Is Over!, via his chat with our New York correspondent, Julia Barrett-Mitchell. Mia and Brian also recap their Oscars Luncheon experience, which involved press and A-listers alike getting starstruck by Messi the dog, who plays Snoop in Anatomy of a Fall (and was snubbed for Best Supporting Actor). Chapters: Credits: Recorded in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Auckland. Edited by Slim, production manager Sophie Shin, editorial producer Brian Formo. Theme: ‘Hyperlight’ by Letterboxd member Trent Walton (AKA Echo Wolf). Artwork by Danny Haas. Best in Show is a TAPEDECK production. Title courtesy of Christopher Guest. Lists & Links: List of movies mentioned, Best in Show’s HQ Page, Gender at the Oscars

Bonjour! The Best in Show crew digs into the Best International Feature race, with an entrée of an interview between Brian, Juliette Binoche and Trần Anh Hùng about their César-nominated collaboration, The Taste of Things. Gemma, Mia and Brian also divulge the recipe for the International Feature category and how its submissions work—and briefly bring in Perfect Days director Wim Wenders and Society of the Snow's J.A. Bayona as a treat. Chapters: Opening credits (00:00:00)News (00:02:22)Behind the curtain (00:14:07)Juliette Binoche and Trần Anh Hùng interview (00:27:28)Winner Winner Chicken Run Dinner (00:48:07)Closing credits (00:59:40) Sponsor: Focus Features’ Lisa Frankenstein Credits: Recorded in Los Angeles and Auckland. Edited by Slim, production manager Sophie Shin, editorial producer Brian Formo. Theme: ‘Hyperlight’ by Letterboxd member Trent Walton (AKA Echo Wolf). Artwork by Danny Haas. Best in Show is a TAPEDECK production. Title courtesy of Christopher Guest. Lists & Links: List of movies mentioned, Best in Show’s HQ Page

Bonjour! The Best in Show crew digs into the Best International Feature race, with an entrée of an interview between Brian, Juliette Binoche and Tran Anh Hung about their César-nominated collaboration, The Taste of Things. Gemma, Mia and Brian also divulge the recipe for the International Feature category and how its submissions work—and briefly bring in Perfect Days director Wim Wenders and Society of the Snow's J.A. Bayona as a treat. Chapters: Opening credits (00:00:00)News (00:02:22)Behind the curtain: J.A. Bayona (00:14:07)Juliette Binoche and Tran Anh Hung interview (00:27:28)Winner Winner Chicken Run Dinner (00:48:07)Closing credits (00:59:40) Sponsor: Focus Features’ Lisa Frankenstein Credits: Recorded in Los Angeles and Auckland. Edited by Slim, production manager Sophie Shin, editorial producer Brian Formo. Theme: ‘Hyperlight’ by Letterboxd member Trent Walton (AKA Echo Wolf). Artwork by Danny Haas. Best in Show is a TAPEDECK production. Title courtesy of Christopher Guest. Lists & Links: List of movies mentioned, Best in Show’s HQ Page

The Best in Show team welcomes our East Coast correspondent Adesola Thomas to chat about her best of the Park City fest, among them the raucous Irish-language rap-musical Kneecap, sisterly drama In the Summers and coming-of-age charmer Dìdi (弟弟). Then, Mia and Gemma head to Osage County with five-time Oscar-nominated costume designer Jacqueline West for an in-depth interview on her “method costuming” techniques for Killers of the Flower Moon—which included close collaboration with fellow nominees Lily Gladstone and Martin Scorsese, as well as Osage wardrobe consultant Julie O’Keefe. She also shares how she creates a real-life closet to help her actors inhabit their characters’ wardrobes, an insightful approach that Jessica Chastain has requested on all of her films since working with West on The Tree of Life. Chapters: Credits: Recorded in Los Angeles, New York and Auckland. Edited by Slim, production manager Sophie Shin, editorial producer Brian Formo and our newsletter edited by George Fenwick. Theme: ‘Hyperlight’ by Letterboxd member Trent Walton (AKA Echo Wolf). Artwork by Danny Haas. Best in Show is a TAPEDECK production. Title courtesy of Christopher Guest. Lists & Links: List of movies mentioned, Best in Show’s HQ Page

The 96th Academy Award nominations have been announced, and the Best in Show crew have both axes to grind (Charles Melton of May December, you will be avenged!) and champagne bottles to pop (Justine Triet of Anatomy of a Fall, you will be fêted!). Plus, Spider-Slim swings Across the Spider-Verse to chat with the directors behind Letterboxd’s highest rated film of 2023: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson. Chapters: Sponsor: Sony Pictures Credits: Recorded in Los Angeles and Auckland. Edited by Slim, production manager Sophie Shin, editorial producer Brian Formo. Theme: ‘Hyperlight’ by Letterboxd member Trent Walton (AKA Echo Wolf). Artwork by Danny Haas. Best in Show is a TAPEDECK production. Title courtesy of Christopher Guest. Lists & Links: List of movies mentioned, Best in Show’s HQ Page

The BAFTA nominations are in—Lily Gladstone and Andrew Scott are out. What’s that about? London Editor Ella Kemp joins Mia and Gemma for a rant. Plus: the invisible but visceral art of sound design with The Zone of Interest and Poor Things sound designer Johnnie Burn, Society of the Snow director JA Bayona, and Killers of the Flower Moon sound mixer Mark Ulano. Chapters: Sponsor: Searchlight Pictures’ All of Us Strangers Credits: Recorded in Los Angeles, London, and Auckland. Edited by Slim, production manager Sophie Shin, editorial producer Brian Formo. Theme: ‘Hyperlight’ by Letterboxd member Trent Walton (AKA Echo Wolf). Artwork by Danny Haas. Best in Show is a TAPEDECK production. Title courtesy of Christopher Guest. Lists & Links: List of movies mentioned, Best in Show’s HQ Page, Gemma’s interview with Molly Manning Walker, Ella’s interview with Charlotte Regan

We are so temporarily back. This time around ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Slim⁠⁠, Mia, and Mitchell discuss the upcoming slate of movies and why you might need to add them to your own watchlists including Challengers, Nosferatu, Dune: Part Two, and also tease new podcast plans. They also look ahead outside the most popular movies and shuffle their watchlists just like old times. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekend Watchlist – Updated Weekly list⁠⁠⁠⁠ > movies mentioned in this episode. Chapters: Credits: Recorded in Philadelphia PA, Newark DE and Los Angeles CA. Edited by Slim. Theme music: ‘⁠IZON’ by Trent Walton. Production manager: Sophie Shin. The Letterboxd Show is a TAPEDECK production. Lists & Links: Paul Oyama’s The Bikeriders review; Jeff Zhang’s Hit Man review; Zac’s Love Actually review, Dare’s Cop Land review, lorddnewton’s Wonka review

In this art direction-focused episode of Best in Show, Mia chats with the production designers behind the mad world of Poor Things—James Price and Shona Heath—about their human anatomy-inspired sets, and Gemma catches up with an old friend: Grant Major, Academy Award-winning production designer of a little film saga called The Lord of the Rings. The crew also hears from a few contenders at the Governors Awards (including a serenade from The Holdovers’ Dominic Sessa), rages against the SAG nomination snubs (WHERE is Charles Melton?!) and goes in on those Golden Globes (Stone and Gladstone world domination). Oh, and Mark Ruffalo, Yorgos Lanthimos and ol’ blue eyes Cillian Murphy may just stop by, too. Chapters: Credits: Recorded in Los Angeles, Palm Springs, and Auckland. Edited by Slim, production manager Sophie Shin, editorial producer Brian Formo. Theme: ‘Hyperlight’ by Letterboxd member Trent Walton (AKA Echo Wolf). Artwork by Danny Haas. Best in Show is a TAPEDECK production. Title courtesy of Christopher Guest. Lists & Links: List of movies mentioned, Best in Show’s HQ Page, Wood & Ella’s Playtime reviews

The Letterboxd crew pops the champagne and rounds up a roundtable for a celebration of 2023 cinema! We detail the results of our annual Year in Review, highlight the highest rated films of the year across categories and continents, reflect on the controlled chaos of our own personal stats and anticipate what 2024 has in store (the returns of Robert Pattinson and Bong Joon-ho). Plus, a New Year’s present from the creative team behind our community’s #1 favorite: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Featuring the voices of Slim, Mia Lee Vicino, Gemma Gracewood, Brian Formo, Mitchell Beaupre, Sophie Shin, Ella Kemp, Flynn Slicker and Aaron Yap. Chapters: Credits: Recorded in Los Angeles, New York City, Auckland, London, Toronto, Nantucket, Delaware and Philadelphia. Edited by Slim, production manager Sophie Shin, editorial producer Brian Formo. Theme: ‘Hyperlight’ by Letterboxd member Trent Walton (AKA Echo Wolf). Artwork by Danny Haas. Best in Show is a TAPEDECK production. Title courtesy of Christopher Guest. Lists & Links: 2023 Year in Review, Best in Show’s HQ Page, list of movies mentioned, Emoji Movie Channel’s Blue Giant review, Ruth Pan’s Barbie review, Val The Movieguy’s Falling in Love Like in Movies review, Jack’s The Swan review

This week, the Best in Show crew dives deep into two documentaries that just made the 96th Academy Awards shortlist. After answering some mailbag questions about pesky release dates and Oscars eligiblity rules, London Editor Ella Kemp swoops in to take us in front of the camera with Jon Batiste—the composer and subject at the center of American Symphony—then Gemma goes behind the camera with Maciek Hamela, director of In the Rearview, which chronicles the immediate refugee crisis created by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Plus, Mia discovers the cat-centric Chlotrudis Awards, leading to her and Brian’s creating a new awards body for film and feline fans. Chapters: Credits: Recorded in Los Angeles, Auckland, London, and Toronto. Edited by Slim, production manager Sophie Shin, editorial producer Brian Formo. Theme: ‘Hyperlight’ by Letterboxd member Trent Walton (AKA Echo Wolf). Artwork by Danny Haas. Best in Show is a TAPEDECK production. Title courtesy of Christopher Guest. Lists & Links: List of movies mentioned, Best in Show’s HQ Page, Sydney’s Society of Snow review

This special episode includes interviews with two renowned film editors: first up, Letterboxd’s own video editor AJ tells us what makes good editing and lists his favorite examples of movie cutting from 2023. And then, one of AJ’s 2023 picks, Jennifer Lame, joins Mia Lee Vicino and Brian Formo for a chat about working with Christopher Nolan, Greta Gerwig, Noah Baumbach and Ari Aster. Lame breaks down why she loves editing talking scenes and why she really wants to work on a comedy. And finally, because Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget has finally been released, Gemma Gracewood brings her thoughts on the overdue sequel home to roost. Chapters: Credits: Recorded in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Christchurch and Auckland. Edited by Slim, production manager Sophie Shin, editorial producer Brian Formo. Theme: ‘Hyperlight’ by Letterboxd member Trent Walton (AKA Echo Wolf). Artwork by Danny Haas. Best in Show is a TAPEDECK production. Title courtesy of Christopher Guest. Lists & Links: List of movies mentioned, Best in Show’s HQ Page, AJ’s Letterboxd profile, Assemble

Season’s greetings! Join us as the Letterboxd crew sits down with their hot chocolate for a roundtable discussion about Love Actually. Slim⁠ watches this “classic” for the first time in preparation and welcomes ⁠Gemma⁠, ⁠Mia⁠, and Ella into the Letterboxd Studio to walk down memory lane on their first-time watches, how viewings of certain movies change over time, favorite moments, and much more. Ella explaining the haunted inner workings of a Build-a-Bear workshop to Gemma will likely stay with you for several years. They also discuss how not to seduce someone, the bonkers fashion and musical choices, if Mr. Firth has rebounded into fully formed human being on-screen, and of course offer up some other holiday romantic comedy recommendations. It’s a miracle! Chapters: Sponsor: NEON’s Ferrari. Credits: Recorded in Auckland, LA, London, and Philadelphia. Edited by Slim. Theme music: “Vampiros Danceoteque” by Moniker. Editorial producer: Brian Formo. Production manager: Sophie Shin. The Letterboxd Show is a TAPEDECK production. Email us!

This special episode features multiple interviews with award-winning actors: first up, London editor Ella Kemp speaks with Oscar nominee and Letterboxd pal Paul Mescal about All of Us Strangers, his wider reflections on awards season and his “shady” Letterboxd account. Meanwhile in Los Angeles, our birthday girl Mia enjoyed a casual chat about movies with Paul’s co-star Andrew Scott at the film’s premiere, and in Atlanta, our East Coast correspondent Adesola Thomas rocked our centerpiece interview with Jeffrey Wright about American Fiction, André 3000 and Westworld. ACTING! Sponsor: Disney Bundle Credits: Recorded in Los Angeles, London and Auckland. Edited by Slim, production manager Sophie Shin, editorial producer Brian Formo. Theme: ‘Hyperlight’ by Letterboxd member Trent Walton (AKA Echo Wolf). Artwork by Danny Haas. Best in Show is a TAPEDECK production. Title courtesy of Christopher Guest. Chapters: Lists & Links: List of movies mentioned, Best in Show’s HQ Page, Jack’s An Oscar-worthy life list

May December screenwriter Samy Burch joins Mia and Gemma for a chat, fresh from her New York Film Critics Circle win for Best Screenplay. Topics range from Melanie Lynskey to Sister Act to Persona (and Burch’s favorite Letterboxd review), and how the presence of major tabloid figures such as Monica Lewinsky informed her themes of media obsession, performance and agency. We also welcome our London editor Ella Kemp and Best in Show newsletter scribe George Fenwick to give us the lowdown on their attending the British Independent Film Awards, including its big winner All of Us Strangers. Cheers! Sponsor: Film Independent Credits: Recorded in Los Angeles, London and Auckland. Edited by Slim, production manager Sophie Shin, editorial producer Brian Formo. Theme: ‘Hyperlight’ by Letterboxd member Trent Walton (AKA Echo Wolf). Artwork by Danny Haas. Best in Show is a TAPEDECK production. Title courtesy of Christopher Guest. Chapters: Lists & Links: List of movies mentioned Film Independent’s HQ page on Letterboxd Ella & George’s Letterboxd profiles Brian’s interview with Todd Haynes Christian Jacob Ramón & Josiah Morgan’s May December reviews

The season two premiere of Best in Show kicks off with a very special guest: Sean Fennessey, Head of Content at The Ringer, co-host of The Big Picture podcast and fellow awards obsessive. Gemma, Mia and Brian interrogate Sean about his favorite films of the year so far, and he talks about finding Letterboxd more useful than Wikipedia (his words!) for the sheer encyclopedic knowledge of awards season available—all thanks to your lists—and the time he watched Sunshine with Drew Barrymore. Sponsor: GKIDS/The Boy and the Heron Chapters: Credits: Recorded in Los Angeles and Auckland. Edited by Slim, production manager Sophie Shin, editorial producer Brian Formo. Theme: ‘Hyperlight’ by Letterboxd member Trent Walton (AKA Echo Wolf), artwork by Danny Haas. Best in Show is a TAPEDECK production. Title courtesy of Christopher Guest. Links: Best in Show’s new HQ page on Letterboxd; Awards Season 2023-2024 list; Sean Fennessey’s Letterboxd profile; Mia’s interview with Martin Scorsese; Martin Scorsese’s Letterboxd profile Lists mentioned: List of movies mentioned, Sean Fennessey’s David Fincher, Ranked, The Killer List, Men, Alone

Writer and Executive Producer of Scott Pilgrim Takes Off BenDavid Grabinski joins slim and Flynn to chat about Big Trouble in Little China, Stop Making Sense, Midnight Run, and The Legend of Billie Jean. They also discuss their favorite concert experiences, Harry Potter midnight releases, forcing their relatives to watch Planes, Trains, and Automobiles every Thanksgiving, poorly marketed rom-coms, and much more. Chapters: Credits: Recorded in Los Angeles, Massachusetts, and Philadelphia. Edited by Slim. Theme music: “Vampiros Danceoteque” by Moniker. Production manager: Sophie Shin. The Letterboxd Show is a TAPEDECK production. Email us!