A24 – This Had Oscar Buzz

Though this episode brings talk of the gloom of covid lockdown, we still get to talk about one of our favorite films of the last several years. The story of two men who become friends in the harshness of the 19th century Pacific Northwest and start a business by stealing the milk of the area’s only cow, Kelly Reichardt’s First Cow is a delicate study of American capitalism from one of the most under-rewarded filmmakers working today. The film’s modesty (a Reichardt specialty) might have kept it away from awards talk had it not been one of the last films released prior to covid lockdowns. Though the lack of released films that year and a Best Picture win with New York critics helped keep the film in conversation, First Cow and Reichardt remained on the outside of the Academy’s tastes.

This episode, we talk about Reichardt’s filmography and the film’s long festival run ahead of its thwarted theatrical release. We also talk about the performances of John Magaro and Orion Lee, A24 putting all of its 2020 Oscar energy towards (the also great) Minari, and retired bovine actress Evie the cow.

Topics also include the Academy ratio, cow puns, and the Gotham awards.

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We’ve made it to 200 episodes! And as long-time listeners are aware, there are few THOB-eligible films as beloved as Gloria Bell. In 2013, Sebastián Lelio delivered Gloria, a delightful Chilean character study of the everyday life of a single woman entering middle age played by an incandescent Paulina García. When Julianne Moore approached Lelio about an American remake, the director decided to take over the reigns himself, remaking his own movie. The resulting Gloria Bell launched at 2018 TIFF, receiving good reviews and getting picked up by A24, leading some to see a potential Globes Comedy player. But A24 held the film until the spring, and it got lost among their already stacked awards slate.

This episode, we look back Lelio’s trifecta of films in 2017-2018, which would include an International Feature Oscar win for A Fantastic Woman and the underrated Disobedience. We also talk both Glorias perfect endings, recall our first formative friendship viewing of the film, and celebrate the 200 episode milestone with our annual look back at the past year of THOB.

Topics also include Jeanne Tripplehorn’s vape, the film’s joyous soundtrack, and (stick around after the IMDb Game) a post-credits quiz about our past post-credits song outros.

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Tag: A24

246 – First Cow

200 – Gloria Bell