Watch With Jen™

Returning to the podcast this week, we have a woman who needs no introduction and one whose voice is or should be - especially if you're a cinephile - her own introduction. A film writer I remember reading as far back as her days at "Cinematical" and "The Village Voice," as well as the author of "Seduction: Sex, Lies, and Stardom in Howard Hughes' Hollywood," and books on George Lucas, Al Pacino, and Meryl Streep, the wonderful Karina Longworth is the historian and podcaster behind the acclaimed, addictive, and utterly fascinating series You Must Remember This and the recent show Love is a Crime for "Vanity Fair" as well. Having joined us in the past two seasons for episodes about Dean Martin and Erotic '80s titles, I was so happy and honored to have her back once again to tell us all about the new season of You Must Remember This devoted to the Erotic '90s. Taking time out of her busy schedule, in this fast-paced, jam-packed conversation, Karina not only gives us a sneak preview of what's to come on her show but also helps dissect the popular early '90s films PRETTY WOMAN, THELMA & LOUISE, and INDECENT PROPOSAL. Originally Posted on Patreon (4/7/23) here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/81181158Logo: KateGabrielle.com Theme Music: Solo Acoustic Guitar by Jason Shaw, Free Music Archive

This week, I was the luckiest host because shortly after both Rob Belushi and Jordan Harper dropped into Phoenix separately this year, I was once again able to reunite on the pod with not one but two of my favorite guys. The closest you can get to know what it's like to hang out with Rob and Jordan in real life, I was honored to have them join me for a long, funny, vulnerable, surprisingly philosophical conversation about God, addiction, acting, and the highs and lows of gambling movies, including OWNING MAHOWNY, MISSISSIPPI GRIND, and ROUNDERS. So double down or split your aces and settle in because this is one of the richest and deepest season four episodes we've released so far. Bios: An actor, former host of the excellent Game Show Network series GET A CLUE, longtime improv teacher at Second City, plus a writer, producer, entrepreneur, and gifted impressionist, Rob Belushi is a loyal and caring friend, husband, father, son, and a man who wears many hats. In his last two appearances on Watch With Jen, Rob joined me to help cover the FX series MR. INBETWEEN and also went back in time to discuss a handful of Steven Soderbergh's best films from his late '90s, early aught heyday. And returning alongside Rob, we have Jordan Harper, who was the podcast's very first guest, the Edgar award-winning author of SHE RIDES SHOTGUN, LAST KING OF CALIFORNIA, and EVERYBODY KNOWS as well as the screenwriter and producer of such series as THE MENTALIST, GOTHAM, and HIGHTOWN. Although you've heard him on a wide variety of episodes so far including ones devoted to David Mamet, Preston Sturges, and others, most recently, we discussed the Hong Kong INFERNAL AFFAIRS series on the second to the last physical media episode in Season 3, and also the topic of Crime Families as well. Originally Posted on Patreon (4/1/23) here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/80884212 Logo: KateGabrielle.comTheme Music: Solo Acoustic Guitar by Jason Shaw, Free Music Archive

At the end of classic 007 pictures, the words "James Bond will return" filled the screen. And although there is no actual screen available on Watch With Jen because it isn't a video podcast, James Bond has indeed returned for the second time in our series run so far, following the success of our very popular Roger Moore episode in season two. And once again, my lovely, funny, crackerjack guest Julia Ricci is back. A Film Programming Manager at Heartland Film in Indianapolis, Indiana, which organizes the Heartland International Film Festival, and the Academy Award-qualifying Indy Shorts International Film Festival, Julia has been part of the programming team since 2018. Selecting films for the festival's shorts, features, and retrospective slates, she has programmed 17 short films that went on to become Oscar nominees and winners in the Live Action, Documentary, and Animated Short categories. Prior to Heartland Film, Julia was a researcher for Turner Classic Movies and The Criterion Collection's former streaming platform FilmStruck, and appeared on TCM as a Guest Fan Programmer. She has a degree in History from Ball State University and is a regional Emmy nominee for the documentary short LEGACIES OF PERFECTION: AUBURN, CORD, DUESENBERG, from 2013. While we will definitely continue these conversations about James Bond with the latest man to wear the suit in the form of Daniel Craig in the future, we decided to have some fun traveling back in time to the '90s to when Pierce Brosnan picked up Timothy Dalton's shaken-not-stirred martini in what can best be described as the second Roger Moore era. Taking a look at every single Brosnan entry, in this lively hour-long conversation, join us as we dive deeply into the actors, the action, the songs, and the way the franchise has evolved in the films GOLDENEYE, TOMORROW NEVER DIES, THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH, and DIE ANOTHER DAY. Logo: KateGabrielle.com Theme Music: Solo Acoustic Guitar by Jason Shaw, Free Music Archive Originally Posted on Patreon (3/27/23) here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/80618553

Joining me this week is Jason Carney, who is not only a colleague and friend but also, the incredibly hard-working Executive Director of the Phoenix Film Festival, which is a fun, filmmaker-friendly nationally acclaimed, impressive event that has run for 23 years. Held at the wonderful Harkins Scottsdale 101 Theatre, this year's festival is set to open on Thursday, March 23 with Ray Romano's directorial debut SOMEWHERE IN QUEENS, and will run through Sunday, April 2nd with director Chris McKay's RENFIELD, starring Nicolas Cage, which is slated to close down the festivities.Taking time out of his busy schedule to chat with me about the history of the festival, its humanistic mission as a non-profit, and all of the incredible plans they have this year, Jason offers great insights that filmmakers and fans of film festivals will find fascinating. A passionate movie lover, which obviously goes with the territory, in this brisk, infectious forty-five-minute conversation, he also zeroes in with me on a few favorites that have played there over the years including ANDREW JENKS - ROOM 335 and SING STREET, along with additional shout-outs to a mutual favorite THE MERRY GENTLEMAN as well.Originally Posted on Patreon (3/23/23) here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/80435799Logo: KateGabrielle.comTheme Music: Solo Acoustic Guitar by Jason Shaw, Free Music Archive

Having recorded several extra episodes in February & March in the lead-up to Season 4, it's a true delight to sprinkle a bunch of these bonus conversations into the new season, both as a surprise & also my sincere way of thanking you for making the podcast more successful than it's ever been before. While eventually, we will ease back into weekly releases, for now, I hope you're enjoying these frequent uploads & finding a lot of great movies to explore. Returning for the first time since season one, we have the witty & wonderful Maria Lewis. A bestselling author, screenwriter, & film curator based in Australia, over the past eighteen years of her career, Maria Lewis has built a great reputation as a storyteller across a diverse range of mediums she's the author of over ten internationally published novels, including the upcoming MOCKINGBIRD: STRIKE OUT from Marvel, slasher THE GRAVEYARD SHIFT, & the Aurealis award-winning SUPERNATURAL SISTERS series. As a screenwriter, she has worked on projects for AMC, Netflix, SBS, Stan, ABC, DC Comics, Ubisoft, & many more. She is the writer, producer researcher, & host of AWGIE award-winning audio documentaries THE PHANTOM NEVER DIES about the first superhero & JOSIE & THE PODCATS about the 2001 cult film, which was produced by her best friend Blake Howard. And this year, she's making her directorial debut with the short film THE HOUSE THAT HUNGERS, based on her Aurealis and Ditmar-award nominated short story of the same name. In this highly freewheeling lively conversation, Maria & I take a look at two excellent, though overlooked studio-made genre hyphenate romcoms from the 2010s, including James Mangold's hilarious screwball action romantic comedy KNIGHT AND DAY from 2010 & 2019's political romcom LONG SHOT from director Jonathan Levine. With frequent shout-outs & asides to other films, stars, & more that we enjoy, ranging from director Philip Noyce's brilliant SALT to other films which manage to subvert the romcom genre trope of a power imbalance between couples in inventive ways, this discussion, which breezes by in 52 minutes, is guaranteed to make you smile. Warning: This episode contains explicit language, best suited for adults. Originally Posted on Patreon (3/19/23) here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/80241353Logo: KateGabrielle.com Theme Music: Solo Acoustic Guitar by Jason Shaw, Free Music Archive

A writer and filmmaker based in Los Angeles, today's guest Duncan Birmingham was an executive producer and screenwriter for IFC's MARON and also served as a co-executive producer and writer on the Starz series BLUNT TALK as well. Additionally, Duncan's short films have premiered at such festivals as Sundance and AFI, and his screenplay SWINGLES, which was bought by Paramount, was also on The Black List. Recently, his lively, irreverent short-story collection THE CULT IN MY GARAGE was published by Maudlin House in 2021, & last year, he wrapped & released his excellent first feature-length film as a writer-director called WHO INVITED THEM. Having joined me in 2022 for one of my favorite conversations devoted to director Hal Ashby in the fifth episode of the third season, he's back for the fifth episode of the fourth to discuss writer-director Noah Baumbach's career over the decades & the films KICKING AND SCREAMING, THE SQUID & THE WHALE, GREENBERG, FRANCES HA, & MARRIAGE STORY. Note: If you hear me blank on things a bit more than usual in this episode, it's because I was battling an unrelenting sinus infection but was determined to power through & have an analytical conversation about outstanding talky indies with Duncan, who was coming off of the tail end of a bad cold himself! 'Tis the season! Nonetheless, it's a very rich discussion for fans of the filmmaker's work wherein we assessed recurring themes, compared the ways in which newer films & characters commented on past ones, & celebrated Baumbach's rich collaborators as well. Theme Music: Solo Acoustic Guitar by Jason Shaw, Free Music Archive Logo: KateGabrielle.com Originally Posted on Patreon (3/16/23) here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/80110999

This week, I was so happy to welcome back my good friend Rachel Wagner who was my guest for the most downloaded episode of Season 3 devoted to LOL Funny '90s Romcoms. The woman behind not only the website, pod, & YouTube channel Rachel's Reviews as well as The Criterion Project podcast, the Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic also runs the incredibly popular Hallmarkies podcast, & is a veteran interviewer in her own right.Additionally, she has a keen interest in both obscure animation & the genre that brings her back today, which finds us dishing out an '80s-themed sequel to last year's episode & celebrating the films SPLASH, MOONSTRUCK, BULL DURHAM, & WHEN HARRY MET SALLY. A fast-paced, funny, & freewheeling hangout-styled conversation that delves into what makes these films work while also serving up some romantic & biographical tales of our own, we set out to make you laugh along with us while reliving some of the decade's most delightful movies.Originally Posted on Patreon (3/12/23) here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/79916599Logo: KateGabrielle.comTheme Music: Solo Acoustic Guitar by Jason Shaw, Free Music Archive

As soon as this episode was announced & I began researching it, there was a massive amount of interest from listeners to hear what turned out to be an absolutely hilarious yet still very insightful conversation with author Adrian McKinty. So in that spirit, & because I've recorded a pretty healthy backlog of episodes for the new season so far, I thought I'd upload it early for all of you as a bonus surprise release.This week, I was so pleased to welcome to the podcast one of my crime writer friends' favorite crime writers & a man whose taste in film, literature, & poetry is an endless source of delight on Twitter. Adrian McKinty was born & raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and then studied philosophy at Oxford University before he moved to Australia & New York. He is the author of more than a dozen crime novels, including his Dagger & Edgar nominated debut DEAD I WELL MAY BE, the critically acclaimed Sean Duffy series, as well as the smash international bestseller & award-winning standalone thriller THE CHAIN. A man whose books have been translated into over thirty languages, Adrian has won the Edgar Award, the International Thriller Writers Award, the Ned Kelly Award (three times), the Anthony Award, the Barry Award, the Macavity Award, the Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year Award. His latest bestseller THE ISLAND is set to be a Hulu original series & will be hitting paperback soon as well, & he shares more book news in this episode.In this very lively 87-minute discussion, I join Adrian to embark on a quest & return with elixir, while learning more about a genre about which I am far from an expert! Dissecting two popular fantasy films that he's passionate about as both a writer & cinephile - John Boorman's divisive yet beloved 1981 Arthurian epic EXCALIBUR & Peter Jackson's smash blockbuster adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RINGS - fans of storytelling, film, & McKinty's work are sure to adore this amusing installment. A nice break from traditional deep dives into the careers of filmmakers & actors, I hope this conversation makes you laugh as hard as I did throughout the recording.Originally Posted on Patreon (3/8/23) here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/79754710Logo: KateGabrielle.comTheme Music: Solo Acoustic Guitar by Jason Shaw, Free Music Archive

An episode that we've been planning since we recorded our first conversation devoted to Martin Scorsese in Season 2, this week, I was so honored to welcome back my favorite crime writer working today to dissect one of her most significant sources of inspiration, the fascinating & controversial writer-director Paul Schrader.Novelist Megan Abbott is the Edgar-winning author of such acclaimed, rich works as GIVE ME YOUR HAND, YOU WILL KNOW ME, THE TURNOUT, DARE ME, QUEENPIN, and more. Her newest book, BEWARE THE WOMAN, is set to release on May 30 from Penguin Random House and is already available for pre-order.Much like when we discussed Martin Scorsese and opted to tackle some of her underrated or under-discussed favorites from his filmography, we did the same here. For this episode, Megan selected five Schrader films that are often overlooked, including HARDCORE, PATTY HEARST, THE COMFORT OF STRANGERS, LIGHT SLEEPER, and AUTO FOCUS. Sprinkled into this deeply analytical & appreciative conversation, I've included first-person accounts from filmmaker Paul Schrader that I encountered in the book SCHRADER ON SCHRADER during my research. Except, as I was unable to find them voiced by Schrader himself, doing the honors today, we have past guest and veteran film critic Sean Burns graciously bringing the man, the myth, the Michigan accent to life for your listening pleasure. The result is an episode that I know film buffs will cherish. It's two sharp women on Schrader, seediness, Scottsdale, & sex. What more could you want?!Originally Posted on Patreon (3/4/23) here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/79557830Logo: KateGabrielle.comTheme Music: Solo Acoustic Guitar by Jason Shaw, Free Music Archive

We are back in 2023 with the first episode of the fourth season of Watch With Jen & it's a nice long, chatty, analytical one that's as surprisingly moving as it is filled with great Hollywood stories. RAVENOUS, OCEAN'S ELEVEN, & MATCHSTICK MEN screenwriter Ted Griffin (who also created FX's TERRIERS & produced THE WOLF OF WALL STREET) returns to the podcast to pay tribute to his old late mentor, the beloved yet still widely unsung writer-director Curtis Hanson.A man who began his career as a film critic, journalist, & photographer for "Cinema" magazine before he cut his teeth at Roger Corman's American International Pictures, Hanson went on to become a terrific director of crackerjack Hitchcockian thrillers before directing his masterpiece LA CONFIDENTIAL, & delving into more character-driven work like WONDER BOYS & IN HER SHOES.Focusing on the start of his career & rise to become a master of genre filmmaking, in this roughly ninety-minute conversation, we discuss the works THE SILENT PARTNER (adapted from a Danish crime novel by Hanson for director Daryl Duke), THE BEDROOM WINDOW, BAD INFLUENCE, THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE, & THE RIVER WILD.A heartfelt ode to Hanson - the man as well as the filmmaker - this was such a wonderful discussion & Ted Griffin went above & beyond in calling the director's old friends, family, & collaborators, including the incredible cinematographer Robert Elswit, in order to paint the most accurate portrait of Hanson. I'm so honored to be in a position to not only hear all of these stories but share them with all of you as well, & I know you'll enjoy our celebration of the life & career of the great Curtis Hanson.Originally Posted on Patreon (2/27/23) here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/79288476Logo: KateGabrielle.comTheme Music: Solo Acoustic Guitar by Jason Shaw, Free Music Archive