30 Daysof Oscar: Day 25 - Reel Insight #100: Liam Neeson Redux...and Unplugged

In the midst of our 30 Days of Oscar, we wrap up this chapter of the podcast with our 100th episode! We get back to our roots and retrace our steps all the way back to our first episode by re-discussing Liam Neeson, but hopefully a lot more smoothly. Also, outside of bumpers, there was zero editing involved. Thankfully we didn't go off on too many tangents and kept the actual discussion under 2 hours. However, in case you missed our first episode (lucky you), the original Liam discussion has been tacked on at the end for a nice comparison. So please enjoy the last episode of the Reel Insight Podcast (for now) and thanks for all you support over the past 99 episodes!

0:00 - Intro/Feedback
8:46 - New Movies: Flight, Zero Dark Thirty (Jess) and Warm Bodies (Rachel)
18:37 - Random Topic: What will win Best Picture and what should win Best Picture?
26:57 - Star of the Week: Liam Neeson
28:19 - Crossing the Line
33:02 - Darkman
39:12 - Schindler's List
45:24 - Nell
50:18 - Rob Roy
58:48 - Les Miserables
1:06:40 - Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
1:11:23 - K-19: The Widowmaker
1:18:22 - Taken & Taken 2
1:27:19 - The Grey
1:33:53 - Wrap Up
1:45:16 - Bonus: Episode #1 Liam Neeson Discussion

30 Days of Oscar: Day 11 - Reel Insight #99: Heath Ledger

Editor's note: Rachel and her husband Brad welcomed their second daughter, Zoe, yesterday, February 2, so I'll be trying to keep up with the blog while she has some time at home.  Hopefully, we'll still get to record our 100th episode.  Send feedback! - Jess


A tribute to an Oscar winner and nominee.  Though we're kinda sad discussing this week's actor, we still manage to lighten the mood with some silliness. Enjoy our next to last (for now) episode while sending in any feedback to be read on our 100th by February 7th.

0:00 - Intro/Feedback
2:41 - New Movies: Parental Guidance (Jess) and Lockout (Rachel)
12:49 - Random Topic: Do you watch the Oscar Ceremony?
18:07 - Star of the Week: Heath Ledger
19:31 - Two Hands
23:32 - 10 Things I Hate About You
27:45 - The Patriot
33:02 - A Knight's Tale
38:56 - The Brothers Grimm
46:32 - Brokeback Mountain
54:07 - Casanova
57:22 - Candy
1:01:23 - The Dark Knight
1:04:25 - The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus
1:09:27 - Wrap Up

Give it a listen and email your thoughts to reelinsight[at]gmail[dot]com. We love feedback and we love to read your feedback while casting. Our "theme" music is from Kevin MacLeod with Incompetech. Also, join the Facebook Fan Page and subscribe on iTunes to stay updated. Thanks for listening!

Reel Insight #98: Helen Mirren

After bumping her down the list several times recently, we can finally bring you our Helen Mirren episode.

0:00 - Intro/Feedback
3:37 - New Movies: Killer Joe (Rachel) and Bernie (Jess)
16:45 - Random Topic: How many Oscar Best Picture Winners have you seen?
20:38 - Star of the Week: Helen Mirren
21:57 - Age of Consent
24:52 - The Madness of King George
29:29 - Royal Deceit
34:57 - Gosford Park
38:53 - Calendar Girls
45:15 - The Queen
50:28 - The Last Station
54:25 - The Tempest
58:52 - The Debt
1:04:29 - Red
1:09:10 - Wrap Up

Give it a listen and email your thoughts to reelinsight[at]gmail[dot]com. We love feedback and we love to read your feedback while casting. Our "theme" music is from Kevin MacLeod with Incompetech. Also, join the Facebook Fan Page and subscribe on iTunes to stay updated. Thanks for listening!

Reel Insight #97: 2013 Oscar Nominations Special

I know last time we said there would be a Helen Mirren episode to look forward to, and there still is, but it won't be this week like we thought. Got some dates mixed up and had to bump up the Oscar nominations episode a week early to be, you know, somewhat relevant. Enjoy!

Reel Insight #96: 2012 Wrap Up

Join us for the New Year as we say goodbye to film in 2012 (the good and the bad) and discuss what 2013 will hopefully bring.

We will be posting our individual expanded lists tomorrow.

Reel Insight #95: Christmas Special

In which we discuss our experience with the 25 Days of Christmas marathon. Merry Christmas!

P.S. Enjoy this episode, as we're taking the week off.

Reel Insight #94: Philip Seymour Hoffman

We have a guest! We welcome Courtney to the show to discuss the career of the great Philip Seymour Hoffman.

0:00 - Intro/Guest Q&A/Feedback
8:23 - New Movies: Holy Motors and Argo (Courtney), Skyfall (Rachel), I Am Number Four (Jess)
21:16 - Random Topic: What type of Christmas movies do you prefer to get into the holiday spirit, traditional or twisted?
27:27 - Star of the Week: Philip Seymour Hoffman
29:08 - Happiness
34:44 - Flawless
38:49 - Capote
43:20 - Mission: Impossible III
47:15 - The Savages
51:52 - Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
56:31 - Synecdoche, New York
1:02:28 - Mary and Max
1:06:57 - Pirate Radio
1:12:54 - The Master
1:21:56 - Wrap Up

Give it a listen and email your thoughts to reelinsight[at]gmail[dot]com. We love feedback and we love to read your feedback while casting. Our "theme" music is from Kevin MacLeod with Incompetech. Also, join the Facebook Fan Page and subscribe on iTunes to stay updated. Thanks for listening!

Reel Insight #93: Bill Murray

Forget Bob. What about Bill?

0:00 - Intro/Feedback
2:58 - New Movie: People Like Us and The 11th Hour (Jess); Wreck-It Ralph (Rachel)
14:34 - Random Topic: Do you do movie marathons?
26:00 - Star of the Week: Bill Murray
27:34 - Caddyshack
31:01 - Stripes
35:18 - Ghostbusters
38:57 - Scrooged
43:20 - What About Bob?
48:37 - Groundhog
51:59 - Rushmore
57:06 - Lost in Translation
1:01:38 - Broken Flowers
1:07:16 - Get Low
1:11:36 - Wrap Up

Give it a listen and email your thoughts to reelinsight[at]gmail[dot]com. We love feedback and we love to read your feedback while casting. Our "theme" music is from Kevin MacLeod with Incompetech. Also, join the Facebook Fan Page and subscribe on iTunes to stay updated. Thanks for listening!

Reel Insight #92: Halle Berry

From her historical Oscar-winning performance to...Catwoman, and everything else, it's time to talk some Halle.

0:00 - Intro/Plugs/Feedback
7:13 - New Movie: Argo (Both)
13:41 - Random Topic: What gets you to watch new t.v. shows?
27:35 - Star of the Week: Halle Berry
30:15 - Boomerang
33:36 - Losing Isaiah
39:39 - Bulworth
43:00 - X-Men Franchise
45:02 - Monster's Ball
51:44 - Gothika
55:00 - Catwoman
59:49 - Their Eyes Were Watching God
1:05:03 - Perfect Stranger
1:09:19 - Things We Lost in the Fire
1:14:58 - Wrap Up

Give it a listen and email your thoughts to reelinsight[at]gmail[dot]com. We love feedback and we love to read your feedback while casting. Our "theme" music is from Kevin MacLeod with Incompetech. Also, join the Facebook Fan Page and subscribe on iTunes to stay updated. Thanks for listening!

Reel Insight #91: John C. Reilly

Who else has been in three Oscar Best Picture nominees in one year other than John C. Reilly? I don't know because I'm too lazy to look it up.

0:00 - Intro/Plugs/Feedback
5:21 - New Movies: What's Your Number (Jess), Sound of My Voice (Rachel), Looper (Both)
22:01 - Random Topic: Who is your odd celebrity crush?
29:05 - Star of the Week: John C. Reilly
30:17 - Boogie Nights
36:06 - Chicago
40:13 - Criminal
46:42 - Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
49:34 - Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
52:53 - Step Brothers
55:54 - Cyrus
1:00:30 - Terri
1:03:53 - Cedar Rapids
1:07:42 - Carnage
1:13:34 - Wrap Up

Give it a listen and email your thoughts to reelinsight[at]gmail[dot]com. We love feedback and we love to read your feedback while casting. Our "theme" music is from Kevin MacLeod with Incompetech. Also, join the Facebook Fan Page and subscribe on iTunes to stay updated. Thanks for listening!

Reel Insight #90: Hugh Jackman

Ummm...it's Wolverine. What more do you need to know?

0:00 - Intro/Plugs/Feedback
8:01 - New Movies: House at the End of the Street, The Master and Beverly Hills Cop (Rachel); Going the Distance and Dirt: The Movie (Jess)
15:04 - Character Actor of the Month: Celia Weston
19:43 - Random Topic: What is your dream job in the film industry?
24:21 - Star of the Week: Hugh Jackman
25:29 - X-Men Franchise
29:21 - Someone Like You
33:05 - Swordfish
37:06 - Kate & Leopold
43:47 - Van Helsing
47:23 - The Fountain
51:22 - The Prestige
56:47 - Australia
1:04:38 - Real Steel
1:1250 - Butter
1:18:37 - Wrap Up

Give it a listen and email your thoughts to reelinsight[at]gmail[dot]com. We love feedback and we love to read your feedback while casting. Our "theme" music is from Kevin MacLeod with Incompetech. Also, join the Facebook Fan Page and subscribe on iTunes to stay updated. Thanks for listening!

Reel Insight #89: Winona Ryder

Would the two of us love film as much as we do today without this classic 80s/90s star? Who knows, but we refuse to imagine a world without her.

0:00 - Intro/Plugs/Feedback
12:23 - New Movies: The Silver Linings Playbook (Jess) and Bachelorette/Butter (Rachel)
25:10 - Random Topic: What is your preferred average movie runtime?
32:20 - Star of the Week: Winona Ryder
33:13 - Beetlejuice
35:34 - Heathers
39:03 - Edward Scissorhands
43:42 - Mermaids
48:21 - The Age of Innocence
53:04 - Reality Bites
1:00:27 - Little Women
1:04:30 - Girl, Interrupted
1:08:54 - A Scanner Darkly
1:13:16 - Black Swan
1:15:37 - Wrap Up

Give it a listen and email your thoughts to reelinsight[at]gmail[dot]com. We love feedback and we love to read your feedback while casting. Our "theme" music is from Kevin MacLeod with Incompetech. Also, join the Facebook Fan Page and subscribe on iTunes to stay updated. Thanks for listening!

Reel Insight #88: Clive Owen

We try our best not to drool as we discuss Clive Owen. Still...beware.

0:00 - Intro/Plugs/Feedback
5:47 - New Movies: Restless (Jess) and Premium Rush and Piranha (Rachel)
13:58 - Random Topic: Is there an actor whose first performance you saw was so dark, it ruined the actor for you?
20:07 - Star of the Week: Clive Owen
21:08 - Bent
26:17 - Croupier
29:52 - Greenfingers
35:29 - Gosford Park
44:45 - Closer
49:37 - Sin City
54:55 - Inside Man
57:26 - Children of Men
1:04:02 - Duplicity
1:08:14 - Trust
1:17:15 - Wrap Up

Give it a listen and email your thoughts to reelinsight[at]gmail[dot]com. We love feedback and we love to read your feedback while casting. Our "theme" music is from Kevin MacLeod with Incompetech. Also, join the Facebook Fan Page and subscribe on iTunes to stay updated. Thanks for listening!

Reel Insight #87: Tilda Swinton

It was a rollercoaster week of watching for the chameleon that is the talented Tilda Swinton. Here's what's in store:

0:00 - Intro/Plugs/Feedback
6:50 - New Movies: The Odd Life of Timothy Green and The Bourne Legacy (Jess), and Beasts of the Southern Wild (Rachel)
15:36 - Random Topic: Do you watch potentially crappy films for actors you adore?
21:43 - Character Actor Spotlight: William Fichtner
28:31 - Star of the Week: Tilda Swinton
30:00 - Orlando
35:34 - The Deep End
41:06 - Thumbsucker
43:52 - The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
47:32 - Michael Clayton
53:16 - Julia
59:27 - Burn After Reading
1:01:56 - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
1:03:57 - I Am Love
1:09:48 - We Need to Talk About Kevin
1:10:15 - Wrap Up

Give it a listen and email your thoughts to reelinsight[at]gmail[dot]com. We love feedback and we love to read your feedback while casting. Our "theme" music is from Kevin MacLeod with Incompetech. Also, join the Facebook Fan Page and subscribe on iTunes to stay updated. Thanks for listening!

Reel Insight #86: Tommy Lee Jones

With some classics under our collective belt, we now return to our regular programming, but still sticking with a seasoned actor. Join us as we discuss the career of Tommy Lee Jones. And do forgive us if we sound a bit off. Jess was experiencing severe coast-to-coast jet lag and I was nursing my third headache in as many days.

0:00 - Intro/Plugs/Feedback
18:48 - New Movies: Total Recall (Rachel), The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Chimpanzee, and Journey 2 (Jess)
25:27 - Random Topic: How do you feel about the quality of aging actors' (men only) careers?
32:15 - Star of the Week: Tommy Lee Jones
33:35 - Coal Miner's Daughter
39:45 - Under Siege
42:52 - The Fugitive
45:36 - Batman Forever
48:26 - Men in Black Trilogy
50:55 - Space Cowboys
56:31 - The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
1:02:00 - No Country for Old Men
1:06:38 - In the Valley of Elah
1:09:47 - Captain America: The First Avenger
1:13:59 - Wrap Up

Give it a listen and email your thoughts to reelinsight[at]gmail[dot]com. We love feedback and we love to read your feedback while casting. Our "theme" music is from Kevin MacLeod with Incompetech. Also, join the Facebook Fan Page and subscribe on iTunes to stay updated. Thanks for listening!

Reel Insight #85: Classic Actress Series - Audrey Hepburn

It's time to balance out the cosmos and cover a classic leading lady, which we do by discussing the career of Audrey Hepburn. Here's what to listen for:

0:00 - Intro/Plugs/Feedback
3:16 - New Movies: Wanderlust (Jess) and The Dark Knight Rises (Rachel)
15:05 - Star of the Week: Audrey Hepburn
16:42 - Roman Holiday
22:38 - Sabrina
26:37 - Funny Face
30:47 - The Nun's Story
36:40 - Breakfast at Tiffany's
42:09 - The Children's Hour
48:25 - Charade
53:15 - My Fair Lady
59:40 - Wait Until Dark
1:07:36 - Robin and Marian
1:14:00 - Random Segment: General Thoughts on Classic Film
1:19:18 - Wrap-Up

Give it a listen and email your thoughts to reelinsight[at]gmail[dot]com. We love feedback and we love to read your feedback while casting. Our "theme" music is from Kevin MacLeod with Incompetech. Also, join the Facebook Fan Page and subscribe on iTunes to stay updated. Thanks for listening!

Reel Insight #84: Classic Actor Series - Jimmy Stewart

After two years, we finally broke down and decided to cover a classic actor. So check out our James "Jimmy" Stewart episode:

0:00 - Intro/Plugs/Feedback
10:43 - New Movies: 21 Jump Street (Rachel) and Brave (Jess & Rachel)
18:48 - Random Topic: Most anticipated films for the rest of 2012.
32:30 - Star of the Week: James "Jimmy" Stewart
35:25 - Made for Each Other
39:53 - Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
42:49 - The Shop Around the Corner
45:14 - The Philadelphia Story
49:11 - It's a Wonderful Life
54:36 - Harvey
58:05 - Rear Window
1:01:35 - Vertigo
1:06:07 - Anatomy of a Murder
1:12:58 - The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
1:18:12 - Wrap up

Give it a listen and email your thoughts to reelinsight[at]gmail[dot]com. We love feedback and we love to read your feedback while casting. Our "theme" music is from Kevin MacLeod with Incompetech. Also, join the Facebook Fan Page and subscribe on iTunes to stay updated. Thanks for listening!

Reel Insight # 83: Michael Fassbender

It's a new year for the show and as we promised in the last episode, some changes are here. So from now on you can find a "schedule" for the episode here and the show notes when you download the new episodes, since we do get heavy into spoilers for the selected 10 films.

0:00 - Introduction: We get to know our guest, Andy, of Ramblings of a Minnesota Geek.
4:50 - Plugs/Listener Feedback: Thanks for all the anniversary love!
15:37- New Movies: Piranha 3DD (Andy), Sarah's Key (Jess), Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (Rachel)
22:09 - Random Topic: Favorite films from the first half of 2012.
25:55 - Character Actor of the Month: Judy Greer
30:25 - Star of the Week: Michael Fassbender
31:52 - Angel
37:18 - Hunger
42:19 - Fish Tank
47:03 - Inglourious Basterds
50:49 - Centurion
55:57 - Jane Eyre
59:19 - X-Men: First Class
1:02:57 - A Dangerous Method
1:07:03 - Shame
1:17:18 - Prometheus
1:27:24 - Wrap up

I apologize if it seems some things were perhaps cut short, but I edited out an hour of material, so some things HAD to be cut short.

Give it a listen and email your thoughts to reelinsight[at]gmail[dot]com. We love feedback and we love to read your feedback while casting. Our "theme" music is from Kevin MacLeod with Incompetech. Also, join the Facebook Fan Page and subscribe on iTunes to stay updated. Thanks for listening!

Reel Insight #82: Two Year Anniversary

It's been two years of Reel Insight! Can you believe it? We couldn't, but we still did an episode anyway. This followed the same format as last year's anniversary episode, so it gives our listeners an insight into what we think of our own show. Enjoy!

Give it a listen and email your thoughts to reelinsight[at]gmail[dot]com. We love feedback and we love to read your feedback while casting. Our "theme" music is from Kevin MacLeod with Incompetech. Also, join the Facebook Fan Page and subscribe on iTunes to stay updated. Thanks for listening!

Reel Insight #81: Charlize Theron

This week we got together to celebrate Charlize Theron's busy month of June. But first we read lots of great listener feedback, discuss St. Elmo's Fire, Reality Bites and Haywire, plus announce the results of our last Lunchtime Poll and discuss this week's new question. About halfway through recording we ran into audio issues, so we apologize for those in advance.

Give it a listen and email your thoughts to reelinsight[at]gmail[dot]com. We love feedback and we love to read your feedback while casting. Our "theme" music is from Kevin MacLeod with Incompetech. Also, join the Facebook Fan Page and subscribe on iTunes to stay updated. Thanks for listening!

Picks of the Week

Jess' Pick: Monster - Charlize won an Oscar for her role as serial killer Aileen Wuornos. She uglied herself up, wore false teeth, took on a masculine posture and mostly used a southern accent. Other than barely being able to talk around her teeth, she did a good job - unrecognizable as a gorgeous former model-turned actress. But I HATED this movie. As a biopic, this is fairly well crafted in that it looks at just a few of the major events in her life that led to her life of crime. That's about all I can say that is positive about the film. Christina Ricci as Aileen's girlfriend is horribly annoying. The violence is particularly overdone - frequent violent and particularly graphic rapes, beatings, and then Aileen's murder streak and her total lack of humanity about it all. I don't think this person deserved a second of our time on film, and I recommend anyone who hasn't seen this avoid it at all costs.

Rachel's Pick: In the Valley of Elah - In one of the saddest "coming home" stories, Theron, a local detective, partners with Tommy Lee Jones, a former military police officer, to determine how his son was murdered after he returned home from war. The two have amazing chemistry as both persons of the law and parents. Charlize downplays her beauty, without overdoing the makeup or butch attitude, like in Monster, and gives a wonderfully subtle performance of a struggling female detective and single mother trying to solve a murder mystery with loads of opposition in her way. It's probably the best film on her resume.