Little Gold Men by Vanity Fair

Adam McKay, director of The Big Short and a fellow podcaster, joins us to talk about the sense of anger— but also humor— that led him to make the financial crisis film The Big Short, and why he absolutely had to bring in Anthony Bourdain to help him do it. From there we’re joined by Vanity Fair’s executive West Coast editor Krista Smith to dig into Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight, which is just one of two movies this Christmas about men killing each other in the snow. Finally we go big before we go home and weigh on whether Leonardo DiCaprio is a lock to win the best actor category.    Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

We’ve finally seen the new Star Wars film, so we discuss (with minimal spoilers!) whether it lived up to the hype, and what its Oscar potential might be. From there we talk to Jennifer Jason Leigh, a Golden Globe nominee for her role in Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight and one of the three voice actors in Charlie Kaufman’s Anomalisa. Finally we make our predictions for who will win best cinematography— and can Emmanuel Lubezki make history?  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

After a crazy week of awards nominations, top ten lists, and everyone complaining about “snubs,” we sort through the SAG and Golden Globe Nominations and the critical buzz to figure what’s really happening with awards season now. Then we use all of that newfound knowledge to make our predictions, once again, of what will win the best picture Oscar. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

We’ve finally seen The Revenant, so we dig into the awards potential of the grim, long Western that should finally get DiCaprio his little gold man. From there we look back at our favorite Oscar wins of the recent past, and then forward to the upcoming Golden Globe nominations. Finally, we go big before we go home and predict who we think will win best supporting actress. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Special guest Karina Longworth, host of the Hollywood history podcast You Must Remember This, joins us to explain how producer David O. Selznick bucked Hollywood tradition to put his weight behind future Oscar behemoth Gone With the Wind. We also discuss the much-loathed Oscar tradition of “category fraud” and whether or not it even matters, pick some movies we think might surprise us this year, and make our bold predictions for who will win the best supporting actor Oscar.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Vanity Fair’s executive west coast editor Krista Smith joins us to give a real insider’s look at the year’s Oscar campaigns so far, and make a bold prediction about the Best Picture hopes of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. And speaking of bold predictions, we close with our best guess of who will win Best Director.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Special guest Joe Reid joins us to talk about his Tumblr This Had Oscar Buzz and look back at movies that didn’t quite make it into the annual derby. Plus we discuss your choices for under-appreciated Oscar contenders of years past, ponder the awards possibilities for Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies, and make our boldest predictions for who will win Best Actor. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Our special guest Jason Segel, who plays David Foster Wallace in The End of the Tour, tells us what was scary about taking on the role, what it was like to attend the Oscars with The Muppets, and how the help of friends like Paul Rudd has raised the profile of this tiny— but Oscar-buzzy— indie film. Plus, we go over the highs and lows of Steve Jobs, talk about your answers to our question about which overlooked talents deserve awards attention this year, and make our bold, probably foolish picks for who will win Best Actress. This episode is sponsored by Audible.com. Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/GOLD Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The Oscars may not be until February, but awards season has already kicked off. In the first episode of Vanity Fair’s Little Gold Men, Katey Rich, Mike Hogan, and Richard Lawson discuss the two buzziest titles from the Toronto Film Festival, Room and Spotlight, and then look at two A-list actors— Johnny Depp and Matt Damon— who are making a run for best actor. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices