For the first of our hiatus bonus episodes, we’re proud to welcome back one of the season’s most popular guests: indie guru John Pierson, who joined us back in April to talk about 1989. When we were discussing his appearance, he proposed talking about the year that he and his family spent a year operating the 180 Meridian Cinema, the most remote movie theater in the world. At this 288-seat venue on Tavueni Island in Fiji, the Piersons programmed a full year of programming, mostly new...

Since she last joined us to talk about 2005 back in September, Alissa Wilkinson nabbed a new gig: she’s now a movie critic for the New York Times. So she joins us to talk about that transition and the films of the year that just ended – our favorites of ‘23, for starters, as well as some of the (mostly heartening) trends we’ve seen in moviemaking and moviegoing this year. Become a member for Bonus Episodes, personal stories of working in the industry, and yes - EVEN MORE MOVIES....

We wrap up our first season — a full year of shows — in true season finale fashion: with a super-sized clip show, featuring some of our favorite segments from the past year, including our own Top 5 (of the best movies we watched for the first time for the show). Plus, a very good origin story, background on some of our most cherished episodes, and more! The headlines segment is from Episode 11: 1975 with Sean Burns, which you can listen to here.  Tracks is from Episode 6: 1976 with Noah...

Our final guest of the season is a legend of film history and criticism who spent 30 years as film critic for “Entertainment Tonight,” 25 years (and counting) teaching at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, and his entire career writing essential books including (but certainly not limited to) his standard-setting “Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide.” He joins us to discuss the movies of 1935, including his favorite Alfred Hitchcock, his favorite Marx Brothers, and a particularly timely pick for the...

Matt Singer is a film critic, entertainment journalist, and author — and his latest book is a real treat for all you nerds who listen to this nerdy show. “Opposable Thumbs: How Siskel & Ebert Changed Movies Forever” is a combination of dual biography, media history, and film commentary, so he joins us to talk about his love for Siskel & Ebert, and how it led him to this book. And they were active during his year of choice, 1984, so Matt not only shares his thoughts on his top five,...

We had to lose so much great stuff from this week's episode with guest Joe Lynch that we decided to lead off this week's bonus episode with a bunch of outtakes - and since we wanted to share all of that with so many of you, this week's bonus episode is free to the feed. So join us for more on 'Suitable Flesh,' more on 'Nightbreed' and 'Darkman,' and more in general. AND THEN you'll get to hear what an after-show sounds like, as Mike and Jason talk more about the movies of 1990, including some...

Joe Lynch is a genre director extraordinaire - his credits include ‘Wrong Turn 2,’ ‘Everly,’ ‘Mayhem,’ ‘Point Blank,’ and his latest, the H.P. Lovecraft adaptation ‘Suitable Flesh’ (out in theaters and on VOD October 27). Joe was in his early teens in 1990, and for reasons we’ll discuss, saw pretty much anything and everything in this year that proved key to his development as a filmmaker and movie lover.  Become a member for Bonus Episodes, personal stories of working in the industry, and...

Jason Diamond is one of our favorite writers, and not just because of his quality prose — it’s because he’s an expert and an enthusiast, about everything from men’s fashion to books to bagels. And one of his favorite things to geek out about is the cinema of the ‘70s, so he joins us this week to talk up 1973, and five films that, in their own (sometimes twisted) ways, made him who he is today.  Become a member for Bonus Episodes, personal stories of working in the industry, and yes - EVEN...

Writer, film critic, programmer, and curator Monica Castillo gave herself a challenge for this week’s show: she picked, by a good stretch, the earliest year we’ve ever done. But 1922 is an out-and-out banger, with key early texts in horror, documentary, comedy, and melodrama. Plus, bonus, there weren’t any Oscars for us to complain about! Become a member for Bonus Episodes, personal stories of working in the industry, and yes - EVEN MORE MOVIES. https://plus.acast.com/s/a-very-good-year. ...

Kristy Puchko — film critic, entertainment reporter, and the film editor at Mashable — was nine years old in 1992, and was probably entirely too young to see most of the dark, weird, horny movies that ended up shaping her warped mind at that age. Let’s look back at them! (This episode is sponsored by the New York Film Festival.) Become a member for Bonus Episodes, personal stories of working in the industry, and yes - EVEN MORE MOVIES. https://plus.acast.com/s/a-very-good-year. Hosted on...

Alissa Wilkinson - senior correspondent and critic at Vox - was just out of college in 2005 and, when the year began, she had not yet decided to devote her life to film criticism. But this was the year that she made that decision, so she joins us this week to discuss the movies that opened her eyes as a moviegoer and a critic. (This episode is sponsored by the New York Film Festival.) Become a member for Bonus Episodes, personal stories of working in the industry, and yes - EVEN MORE MOVIES....

Scott Wampler had his 13-year-old brain entirely re-arranged by a movie he saw in 1994, so he joins us to talk about how that happened, and what else he saw that year that stuck with him. This terrific film writer and podcaster co-hosts the “Kingcast,” a deep dive into the work and adaptations of Stephen King, so you won’t be surprised to learn that his list includes a King movie, and a movie kinda sorta about a King-like figure. Enjoy! Become a member for Bonus Episodes, personal stories of...

Ty Burr was the film critic for the Boston Globe for two decades, before departing that post to start up the must-read Substack newsletter “Ty Burr’s Watchlist.” He was also a senior writer for “Entertainment Weekly” from 1990 to 2002 —aka that publication’s glory years—but before THAT, he worked as a film selector and advisor for HBO and Cinemax (particularly the latter’s, ahem, late night programming). He was working that gig in 1986, a killer year for mainstream movies and the blossoming...

This week, we’re joined by Sarah Bea Milner, our first writer/editor/folk musician! She is currently the editor at Kidscreen, and she has bylines at Polygon, /Film, Screen Rant and more, and her area of expertise is classic horror - so she picked 1932, a year of mummies and freaks and old, dark houses. Become a member for Bonus Episodes, personal stories of working in the industry, and yes - EVEN MORE MOVIES. https://plus.acast.com/s/a-very-good-year. Hosted on Acast. See...

This week, we’re pleased to welcome director, writer, and comedian Sammi Cohen to talk about the movies of 1995 - many of which were big inspirations for their first feature, the queer high school love triangle rom-com “Crush” (on Hulu) and their new adaptation of the hit young adult novel “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitvah,” produced by Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison Productions and hitting Netflix this Friday.  Become a member for Bonus Episodes, personal stories of working in the...

Sheila O’Malley is a classic film buff who joins the esteemed ranks of our “the 1950s were AWESOME, actually” guests, looking back at the equally compelling domestic and foreign cinema of the wild, eventful year of 1953. Ruined women! International sideboob! Juvenile delinquents! What’s not to love? Sponsored by the New York Film Festival. Become a member for Bonus Episodes, personal stories of working in the industry, and yes - EVEN MORE MOVIES. https://plus.acast.com/s/a-very-good-year. ...

Justin Chang is one of the genuine greats of contemporary film criticism - chief critic for the "Los Angeles Times" and NPR’s “Fresh Air,” a title he previously held at "Variety." He joins us to talk about the films of 1944, and to explain how he became so enamored of crime fiction, hard-boiled movies, and film noir at such an impressionable age. (Sponsored by the New York Film Festival.) Become a member for Bonus Episodes, personal stories of working in the industry, and yes - EVEN MORE...

Craig D. Lindsey was a working critic in 1997, so he has a LOT of pleasant moviegoing (and reviewing) memories from that year; he also made a top ten list at the time, so he took particular pleasure out of revisiting and revising those favorites. And there were many: a new Tarantino, a new Lynch, breakthroughs for Paul Thomas Anderson and Matt and Ben, and a big blockbuster about a big-ass boat. Become a member for Bonus Episodes, personal stories of working in the industry, and yes - EVEN...

Character actor, cartoon doctor, and general bon vivant James Urbaniak joins us to walk through the cinema de 1957 - a year of foreign triumphs and domestic groundbreakers, of media satires and existential examinations. You won’t be surprised that a Hal Hartley regular is a knowledgeable and eloquent cinephile, but you WILL be delighted!  Become a member for Bonus Episodes, personal stories of working in the industry, and yes - EVEN MORE MOVIES. https://plus.acast.com/s/a-very-good-year. ...

Jessica Pickens is a film blogger and historian specializing in World War II-era cinema, movie musicals, and, luckily for us, the films of 1939. She started a side project of watching every damn movie from that greatest of movie years clear back in 2011, so she decided to leave aside the greatest hits of the year (your Wizards of Oz, your Gones with the Wind, etc.) to bring us some of the lesser-known gems she’s discovered in the process.  Become a member at for Bonus Episodes, personal...

Daniela Taplin Lundberg was born into film production - her father Jonathan produced the first major movie for a promising young filmmaker named Martin Scorsese - and her producing credits include “The Kids Are All Right,” “Honey Boy,” “Harriet,” and “Together Together.” Now she hosts the essential podcast “Hollywood Gold,” where she welcomes other producers to tell their war stories about iconic movies, and joins us to talk about her favorite films of 1988—including one with a very personal...

 Beloved film critic and niche culture aficionado Jordan Hoffman was wise enough to call dibs quite some time ago on not only one of the great years of the ‘70s, but great movie years, period—a game-changing 12 months for the movies, thanks to a pair of sci-fi smashes, a modest romantic comedy, and a big movie with a bigger soundtrack. Come for the high-profile flicks, stay for the tales of Jordan’s charming New Jersey youth! (Sponsored by MUBI.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for...

"Vulture" TV critic and author Jen Chaney was, like us, a young and deeply impressionable moviegoer in the year of our Lord 1982, when the Spielberg double-tap of "E.T." and "Poltergeist" lit up our dreams and haunted our nightmares. We talk all about both of those movies, as well as the sex comedies, sci-fi bummers, and romantic comedies that made '82 feel like, really and truly, the first year of '80s moviemaking. (Sponsored by MUBI).  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more...

We've never attempted a two-guest show before, but we think you'll agree that it was kind of essential here, since legendary film critic and historian Stephen Farber and former theatre executive and CARA member Michael McClellan collaborated on a perfect book for our purposes: “Cinema ’62: The Greatest Year at the Movies,” in which they write all about why 1962 was a peak year for film, with a high standard of quality that has not been equaled since. They join us to make their case, which...

Pop culture expert, Substacker extraordinaire, and fellow flyover country escapee Hunter Harris joins Jason and Mike to talk about the Year of our Lord 2004, in which Marty and Leo re-teamed, Julia Roberts said some really dirty words, and Tom Cruise chastised Jamie Foxx for being a bad son.  Sponsored by MUBI. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.