Month: February 2026

380 – The Company

After the tremendous success and Oscar comeback for Robert Altman with 2001’s Gosford Park, the idiosyncratic director delivered a more understated work for what would become his second-to-last film, 2003’s The Company. Set within Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet, the film follows a dance company both on and offstage, all in their sometimes less than glamour pursuit of artistry. With Neve Campbell as the star ballerina and Malcolm McDowell as the company’s boisterous artistic director, the film earned positive reviews but its subtleties make for minor Altman that seldom earned enthusiastic consensus.

This episode, we talk about Altman’s possible second place in Director for Gosford Park and his honorary Oscar in 2006. We also discuss Campbell developing the project and pursuing Altman, the payoff from the film casting real dancers, and the film’s shoehorned romance with James Franco.

Topics also include “Maloja Snake,” Diane Warren: Relentless, and dancing in the rain. 

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379 – Amsterdam

2022’s Amsterdam was a high profile box office dud from disgraced director David O. Russell with timely themes, a big budget, and a ton of stars. The film tells a (partly true) story about fascist maneuverings in America, with Christian Bale, John David Washington, and Margot as a friendship trio who sets out to thwart them after being reunited post-WWII. Though the film earned some fans like critic Richard Brody, it received a somewhat indifferent release by 20th Century Studios and was quickly out of theatres.

This episode, we talk about the film’s scattered look at timely themes and it’s very quiet release. We also discuss Robbie’s high wire performance in Babylon in the same year, Taylor Swift’s brief (and much memed) role, and Robert De Niro joins our Six Timers Club.

Topics also include Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Emmanuel Lubezki’s light resume after winning 3 Oscars, and Drunk History.

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378 – Being Flynn

Is the “buzzy literary adaptation to Oscar bonafide” pipeline kaput? This week, we’ve got a forgotten, pre-production-buzzy title on deck: 2012’s Being Flynn! Based on Nick Flynn’s memoir Another Bullshit Night in Suck City, the film follows Paul Dano as the author grappling with addiction, grief, and an absent, addict father played by Robert De Niro. While critics praised De Niro’s work as a return to form, the film quickly died at the box office without strong reviews or the noise of a festival launch.

This episode, we talk about De Niro’s eventual Silver Linings Playbook nomination in the same year and his connection to the film’s director Paul Weitz. We also discuss post-Little Miss Sunshine Dano, Julianne Moore gets the rare Ten Timers Club, and the film’s Weitz-ian approach to heavier material.

Topics also include early aughts icon Olivia Thirlby, the film’s title downgrade, and Judd Hirsch’s The Fablemansnomination.

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377 – The Iron Claw (w/ Roxana Hadadi!)

After our Class of 2025 episode last week, we’re doing one of the most requested from the Class of 2023! After his COVID-stunted release (and beloved THOB title) The Nest, Sean Durkin’s next film would be the true and tragic story of the Von Erich wrestling family. With Zac Efron headlining the film as Kevin Von Erich, The Iron Claw compassionately details the family’s legacy of loss and became one of A24’s biggest hits. Naturally, we had to bring Vulture critic Roxana Hadadi back on to help us unpack this story of masculinity, brotherhood, and grief.

This episode, we talk about how A24 skipped the festivals for the film and made it one of the final films seen that season. We also discuss the film’s secret powerhouse Holt McCallany as the Von Erich patriarch, Harris Dickinson and Jeremy Allen White taking different position in the modern hunk hierarchy, and Durkin’s underloved work on Dead Ringers.

Topics also include reality television, The Smashing Machine, and giant onscreen breakfast.

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