What Are You Watching?

40 Episodes
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By: Alex Withrow & Nick Dostal

A podcast for people who LOVE movies. Filmmakers/best friends, Alex Withrow and Nick Dostal, do their part to keep film alive. Thanks for listening, and happy watching!

179: Halloween (1978) Commentary | Halloween Every Week
Today at 7:00 PM

Alex completed his 2025 movie challenge of watching John Carpenter’s “Halloween” once a week for the entire year. 

In Part 1 (00:01:10) of this episode, Alex does a solo commentary on the film, reporting all the fun things he learned by watching the movie so much. 

In Part 2 (01:32:03), Alex brings Nick on to talk about every “Halloween” sequel, the four franchise timelines, John Carpenter’s music, the worst “Halloween,” Sam Raimi’s “Send Help,” and much more.

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178: 2026 Oscar Nominations (Uncut)
01/23/2026

Alex and Nick break down the 2026 Oscar nominations. The guys discuss “One Battle After Another” landing 13 nominations (!!), “Sentimental Value’s” surprise showing, and how Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” smashed the Oscar nomination record and will likely go on to win Best Picture.

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177: Top 10 Films of 2025
01/20/2026

Alex and Nick list their favorite films of 2025. The guys discuss all the foreign, indie, and mainstream films that worked for them, a few bigger movies that did not, probable Oscar nominees, and so much more.

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176: Klute (1971) | The Parallax View (1974) | All the President’s Men (1976)
01/08/2026

Alex and Nick end season 1 of the WAYW New Hollywood Film Project with Alan J. Pakula's Paranoid Thriller Trilogy. KLUTE, THE PARALLAX VIEW, and ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN are three of the best New Hollywood films.

The guys break down each film, Pakula’s career, Gordon Willis’ astonishing work as a cinematographer, the current state of journalism, Watergate, “Deep Throat,” JFK, sex work, and so much more.

Part 10 of the WAYW New Hollywood Film Project.

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175: The Way Back (2020)
12/25/2025

Alex and Nick discuss alcoholism, depression, losing parents, Ben Affleck’s best work, and Gavin O’Connor’s “The Way Back”. This episode is as real as What Are You Watching gets.

Watch Alex and Nick's film, "I Am Alive," for free online.

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174: Licorice Pizza (2021) Commentary
12/11/2025

Assassin’s focus. Gritted teeth and fixed bayonets. The “Licorice Pizza” commentary is here! 

Hang out with Alex and Nick as they watch Paul Thomas Anderson’s love letter to LA. Stray topics include PTA/Haim music videos, favorite Haim albums/songs, Bradley Cooper’s career, Oscar chances for “One Battle After Another,” peanut butter sandwiches, and much more. “I’m coming, Nancy!”

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173: Saturday Night Fever (1977)
11/23/2025

John Badham’s “Saturday Night Fever” is so much more than a fun disco movie. Alex and Nick break down the film’s hilarious dinner conversations, John Travolta’s thrilling dance scenes, and the movie’s unexpected sequences of real life. 

Early in the episode, Alex shares his radical theory about “Pulp Fiction” that he’s been afraid to share for years.

Part 9 of the WAYW New Hollywood Film Project.

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172: Serpico (1973)
11/07/2025

The WAYW New Hollywood Film Project continues with a ‘70s classic, Sidney Lumet’s “Serpico.” Alex and Nick discuss Al Pacino in his first starring role, Lumet’s 50-year career, police corruption, whistleblowers, roast beef sandwiches, the real Frank Serpico, the maniac who co-wrote the screenplay, and much more.

For WAYW, the guys briefly review new films from Benny Safdie, Guillermo del Toro, Richard Linklater, and Yorgos Lanthimos.

Part 8 of the WAYW New Hollywood Film Project.

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171: One Battle After Another (2025)
10/23/2025

There are no spoilers in this episode. As Alex and Nick give their glowing review of Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another,” topics include attending an LA premiere, the film’s Oscar chances, Alex’s recent brush with death, Nick’s recent brush with death, Top 5 Leonardo DiCaprio performances, re-ranking PTA’s filmography, meeting Colin Farrell, and much more.

For WAYW, the guys review new movies from Daniel Day-Lewis(!), Derek Cianfrance, Kathryn Bigelow, Luca Guadagnino, Rebecca Miller, Paul Greengrass, Edward Berger, and more.

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170: Shampoo (1975)
10/15/2025

“Hey, listen, baby, I'm a star.” Alex and Nick discuss the ‘70s hangout movie masterpiece, “Shampoo.” Alex explains why star/writer/producer Warren Beatty set the film on Election Day 1968, before the guys break down the film’s production design, costumes, and hair, the unique charms of Julie Christie, Goldie Hawn, and Jack Warden, how the great Lee Grant was blacklisted from Hollywood and came back to win an Academy Award for the film, and much more.

Part 7 of the WAYW New Hollywood Film Project.

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169: Remembering Robert Redford
09/25/2025

Alex looks back at the 60-year career of Robert Redford. Topics include Redford’s best acting performances, his Oscar-winning directing work, the meme to end all memes, and how he helped start the careers of many of the best film directors working today.

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168: Chinatown (1974)
09/19/2025

“Well, to tell ya the truth, I lied a little.” Alex and Nick break down one of the essential films of the New Hollywood movement, Roman Polanski’s “Chinatown.” The guys discuss their favorite Jack Nicholson performances, Polanski’s infamous career, Faye Dunaway’s disturbing performance, John Huston as one of the best movie villains of all time, Robert Towne writing one of the best screenplays of all time, and much more.

Part 6 of the WAYW New Hollywood Film Project.

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167: Top 10 Films of 1996
09/05/2025

This episode begins with some spoiler-free 2025 movie news and reviews, before Alex and Nick dive into their favorite films of 1996 (23:19). Topics include Leo as Romeo, Depp as Dead Man, Frances as Marge, (maybe) the best action film of all time, the movie that changed horror, the indies everyone talked about, new and old tattoos, and much more.

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166: High and Low/Highest 2 Lowest (1963/2025)
08/22/2025

There are no spoilers in this episode. Alex breaks down the opening segment of Akira Kurosawa’s masterpiece, “High and Low,” before bringing Nick on to review Spike Lee’s remake, “Highest 2 Lowest.” The guys discuss Spike’s post-“Inside Man" career, seeing Denzel Washington in “Othello” on Broadway, other remakes of Kurosawa’s work, Matthew Libatique, Dean Winters, Jules Dassin, and much more.

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165: Deliverance (1972)
08/08/2025

This is the weekend they didn’t play golf. Alex and Nick break down John Boorman’s masterpiece, “Deliverance.” The guys have an extended discussion on the horrifying attack sequence in the film, and the resulting impact it had on cinema and the culture. They also discuss Burt Reynolds’ breakout role, the film’s expert use of staging, how well Jon Voight plays drunk, Ned Beatty’s career, one of the most iconic music themes in movie history, and so much more.

Part 5 of the WAYW New Hollywood Film Project.

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164: Halloween (1978)
07/24/2025

Alex is watching John Carpenter’s “Halloween” once a week for all of 2025. In the latest installment of the WAWY New Hollywood Film Project, Alex and Nick discuss Alex’s crazy challenge, the film’s use of sound, cinematography, and editing, why “Halloween” is their favorite horror film, and how in the hell John Carpenter was able to write, direct, and score one of the most iconic films ever made with very little money. Totally.

Part 4 of the WAYW New Hollywood Film Project.

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163: Steven Soderbergh
07/10/2025

To celebrate five years of What Are You Watching, Alex and Nick discuss the most influential director of Alex’s life, Steven Soderbergh. Thirty-five movies, (at least) five career phases, a Palme d’Or, an Oscar, and an unparalleled work ethic all make Soderbergh an icon of modern cinema. Let’s go!

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162: F1: The Movie (2025)
07/01/2025

Alex welcomes back Taylor Scott to the pod to review “F1: The Movie.” The guys discuss F1: The Sport, Brad Pitt, IMAX, favorite car racing movies, and more. 

Later, the two have a wide-open What Are You Watching segment, anchored by Ridley Scott’s “Black Hawk Down.” Stray topics include Eric Bana, “Chopper,” favorite war movies, watching “Halloween” every week, watching “Dawson’s Creek” with your teenage daughter, “28 Years Later,” “Severance,” and much more.

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161: Anora (2024) Commentary
06/18/2025

For this special episode, Alex invites new guest, Igor “Warrior” Nedvalyuk, on the pod to watch Sean Baker’s Best Picture-winning masterpiece, “Anora.” The guys discuss using movie quotes as a form of communication, Slavic culture, Sean Baker’s filmography, “Compartment No. 6,” “Casino,” "Glengarry Glen Ross," raves, Best Actress winner Mikey Madison, the film’s authenticity, and so much more. 

Watch on Hulu right along with us!

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160: All That Jazz (1979)
05/31/2025

It’s showtime, folks! As Alex and Nick break down Bob Fosse’s masterpiece, “All That Jazz,” the guys discuss Fosse’s career, autobiographical films, accepting death, Roy Scheider, “Fosse/Verdon,” the 1979 Oscars, “Vanilla Sky,” and much more.

At the end of the episode (01:33:24), Alex does a solo review of the “Mission: Impossible” film franchise, including spoiler-free thoughts on “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.”

Part 3 of the WAYW New Hollywood Film Project.

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159: Marathon Man (1976)
05/13/2025

Is it safe? Alex and Nick break down one of the best paranoid thrillers ever, “Marathon Man.” Stray topics include the remarkable careers of Dustin Hoffman, Roy Scheider, Laurence Olivier, and William Devane, 1976 in film, John Schlesinger’s best movies, William Goldman’s brilliant source novel, watching “Jaws” for the first time, and debunking the infamous “Why don’t you try acting, darling?” story.

Part 2 of the WAYW New Hollywood Film Project.

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158: Five Easy Pieces (1970)
04/24/2025

Welcome to the first official episode of the What Are You Watching New Hollywood Film Project, where we examine films of the New Hollywood era, with a primary focus on 1970s classics. 

In this episode, Alex and Nick break down Bob Rafelson’s “Five Easy Pieces.” The guys discuss Rafelson’s career, BBS Productions, a struggling B-movie actor/writer/director named Jack Nicholson, Karen Black, The Monkees, chicken salad sandwiches, and one of the best endings in all of cinema.

Part 1 of the WAYW New Hollywood Film Project.

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157: Top 10 Films of 1997
04/13/2025

Alex and Nick list their favorite films from the great movie year 1997. Topics include Matt and Ben writing their Oscar ticket, the six pack of Cusack, the genius of “L.A. Confidential,” Pam Grier not being nominated (!), and how a little movie called “Titanic” dominated pop culture for more than a year.

Would you like to know more?

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156: Remembering Gene Hackman
03/31/2025

Alex has spent the past month watching every film the dearly departed Gene Hackman was in. In this solo episode, Alex looks back at Hackman’s career and highlights the dozens of legendary characters he played.

Rest in peace, Gene. We love you, we miss you. 

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155: The French Connection (1971)
03/23/2025

The guys review a film Alex has been obsessed with for decades, and Nick just watched for the first time. William Friedkin’s “The French Connection” won Best Picture and helped kickstart American ‘70s cinema. Stray topics include the film’s influence on the art form, picking your feet in Poughkeepsie, Friedkin’s career, the dearly departed Gene Hackman, the most infamous car chase in cinema history, and much more.

Rest in peace, Gene Hackman. We love you, we miss you. 

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154: 2025 Oscar Reactions
03/07/2025

March 2 was the greatest day of all. Alex, Nick, and friend-of-the-pod Dan excitedly react to the 97th Academy Awards, which have become Alex’s favorite Oscar show ever. Sean Baker makes history, Mikey Madison soars, Brody rambles, Culkin gets sincere, and Alex and Nick absolutely lose their minds when “Anora” takes five.

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153: 2025 Oscar Predictions
02/26/2025

Many categories heading into the 97th Academy Awards are wide open. As Alex and Nick break down the narratives of every race, topics include “Anora’s” overall chances, potential mini-waves from “Conclave” and/or “Wicked,” Demi vs. Mikey, Timmy vs. Brody, "Flow" vs. "The Wild Robot," important nominated documentaries, why acting sweeps happen, and so much more.

Tune in to Instagram Live at WAYW_Podcast the day of the awards for our final Oscar picks. Sunday March 2, 2025, 2:30p.m. PST.

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152: Top 10 Films of 2024
02/12/2025

Alex and Nick list their favorite films of 2024, a good year for movies if you look in the right places. The guys then review some Oscar-nominated films and break down the wild controversy surrounding “Emilia Perez,” before ending with a speechless WAYW segment.

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151: 2025 Oscar Nominations
01/27/2025

No Denzel, no Nicole, no “Challengers”?! Are Culkin and Saldaña committing category fraud? Does anyone even like “Emilia PĂ©rez”?
Alex and Nick present a special live episode of their reactions to the 2025 Oscar nominations.
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150: Babygirl (2024) | The Brutalist (2024)
01/22/2025

Alex discusses the passing of David Lynch, before praising Halina Reijn's “Babygirl,” and listing Nicole Kidman’s best performances. Later, Alex invites friend-of-the-pod Dan on to trash Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist.”
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149: One Movie Every Day Challenge
01/17/2025

Alex watched at least one movie a day in calendar year 2024. In this episode, Nick interviews Alex about this fun and ridiculous exercise. The guys also discuss a lovely note from a fan, the impact of “Duel of the Fates,” Alex’s (even crazier) 2025 movie challenge, and much more.
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148: Top 25 Films of the Century
01/01/2025

Four and a half years of podcasting have led to this. For their biggest episode ever, Alex and Nick list their 25 favorite films of the 21st century (so far). The guys discuss the films that mean the most to them, movies that changed their lives, accepting pain through cinema, getting extremely drunk with an A-list star a decade ago, and so much more.
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147: Manchester by the Sea (2016) Commentary
12/25/2024

Welcome to the annual What Are You Watching holiday episode in which Alex and Nick cover a film featuring the darkest aspects of humanity. Kenneth Lonergan’s “Manchester by the Sea” understands pain and grief better than most films. It’s also hilarious. Gather the family around and watch the movie right along with us. Happy Holidays!
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146: Miami Vice (2006)
12/17/2024

Smooth, that’s how we do it. Alex and Nick break down an all-timer vibe movie, Michael Mann’s “Miami Vice.” The guys discuss the film’s difficult production, its gorgeous, digital aesthetic, Michael Mann’s director’s cuts, its increased popularity, Colin Farrell being so out of it that he doesn’t remember making the movie, and more.
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145: The Insider (1999)
12/06/2024

"Are you a businessman or are you a newsman?!" Alex and Nick break down one of Alex’s favorite films, Michael Mann’s “The Insider.” Topics include the current state of journalism, corporate confidentiality agreements, tortious interference, poor communication skills, “60 Minutes,” all-timer performances from Al Pacino, Russell Crowe, and Christopher Plummer, and so much more.
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144: Twin Peaks
11/27/2024

Alex and friend-of-the-pod Dan enter the Black Lodge to discuss David Lynch's “Twin Peaks.” In this loose episode, the guys break down the show’s original two seasons, the prequel film “Fire Walk with Me,” and the 25-years-later follow-up season, “Twin Peaks: The Return.” Stray topics include Kyle MacLachlan, Mark Frost’s dossiers, BOB, “Part 8: Gotta Light?,” emphysema, Frances Bay, and who killed Laura Palmer.
Later in the episode, Nick and Alex invite a new guest on the pod to discuss his personal experiences with David Lynch.
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143: Anora (2024)
11/08/2024

Alex and Nick discuss writer/director Sean Baker’s filmography, Mikey Madison, and why the new film, “Anora,” is the best movie of the year.
This episode begins with a spoiler-free review of “Anora," followed by an extended What Are You Watching segment (50:57), before ending with a spoiler-filled discussion on “Anora" (1:07:35).
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142: David Lynch
10/31/2024

Alex and Nick profile the work of the iconic David Lynch. Stray topics include taking five years to make “Eraserhead,” Mel Brooks hiring Lynch for “The Elephant Man,” the pure Lynchian vibes of “Blue Velvet,” unabashed love for “Wild at Heart,” O.J. Simpson, the TV pilot for “Mulholland Drive,” Mary Sweeney, Angelo Badalamenti, TM, and much more.
This episode does not contain any “Twin Peaks” material. Alex and friend-of-the-pod Dan will have a full “Twin Peaks” discussion in the next episode.
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141: Phantom Thread (2017)
10/18/2024

The great Mikki Hernandez joins Alex and Nick to break down Paul Thomas Anderson's “Phantom Thread.” They discuss their favorite PTA films, Daniel Day-Lewis co-writing the movie, Lesley Manville, Vicky Krieps, Oscar-winning costumes, breakfast, relationships, marriage, fragile male egos, DDL’s retirement (?), and much more.
Watch Mikki and Nick in Alex’s film, “I Am Alive.”
Purchase Mikki’s book, “Cake Mix: Learning to Love All Your Ingredients” on Amazon, or Barnes & Noble.


140: Megalopolis (2024)
10/07/2024

Alex, Nick, and friend-of-the-pod Dan go back to the cluuubbb and review Francis Ford Coppola’s apparent magnum opus, “Megalopolis.” The guys discuss director passion projects, bad line readings, nonsensical plot elements, Adam Driver starring in everything, how Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, and Jon Voight stole the movie, and much more.
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