Watch With Jen™

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

Behold our final episode of not only this 3-part holiday bonus special, but also the final episode of Season 3. For fun last night, I used a calculator to add up the number of installments of Watch With Jen that have been uploaded in the show's history so far & was stunned to discover that this one is number 170! That's A LOT of conversations about film, you guys, & I want to thank you so much for digging it & joining us along the way. I hope you will return for what is shaping up to be a thrilling Season 4! Today's episode involves a handful of larger-than-life figures that most of us in the past few generations grew up loving in the form of Tennessee Williams, Richard Burton, Ava Gardner, Deborah Kerr, John Huston, Elvis Presley, & Angela Lansbury. Joining me to discuss the newly released & remastered edition of THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA, we have my very good friend & one of the show's most frequent guests, author William (Bill) Boyle, plus one of the greatest film writers & Elvis experts working today, the wondrous Sheila O'Malley on BLUE HAWAII. Sheila & I had a ball tackling the scandalous world of sexy, violent pre-code Hollywood midway into the second season & I was so honored to have her back once again to cover a topic she's so passionate & knowledgeable about. Both Bill & Sheila will be back in Season 4, as will all of the other guests you heard this week, & I know you'll get a kick out of this chatty, celebratory, funny, & eye-opening roughly 52-minute episode. Originally Posted on Patreon (12/22/22) here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/watch-with-jen-76243968

Welcome to the second of three bonus episodes on films you can now find on physical media. Zeroing in on some of my favorite contemplative foreign & art-house releases, in this 82-minute installment of Watch With Jen, we discuss three films you can now find on Criterion disc, including THE POWER OF THE DOG, DRIVE MY CAR, & THE INFERNAL AFFAIRS TRILOGY, as well as MONSIEUR HIRE, which Cohen Films just made available on Blu-ray. An engaging, alternately soulful & funny chat, in a gem of an episode, you'll hear from three more of my dearest friends & your favorites from the show, including author/critic Walter Chaw, author/blogger Jed Ayres, & author/screenwriter Jordan Harper. Theme Music: Solo Acoustic Guitar by Jason Shaw, Free Music ArchiveLogo: KateGabrielle.comOriginally Posted on Patreon (12/21/22) here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/watch-with-jen-76199157

Welcome to the first of three bonus physical media episodes that I'll be releasing this week to celebrate the end of the third season, the end of the year, and above all, to thank you for your support throughout 2022. In this installment, which is devoted to '22 releases, you'll hear film critic Sean Burns and critic/podcaster Blake Howard on TOP GUN: MAVERICK, "New York Times" bestselling author S.A. Cosby on NOPE, & crime writer Nikki Dolson on THE BAD GUYS, DC's LEAGUE OF SUPER-PETS, & MOONFALL (which made us laugh so hard that I deleted sections of us just howling). Blake - the absolute prince among men that he is - gave us all the coolest holiday present by editing the TOP GUN section himself & splicing in audio from the film so you can lose yourself in its soundscape & it sounds amazing so I know you'll love it!Theme Music: Solo Acoustic Guitar by Jason Shaw, Free Music ArchiveLogo: KateGabrielle.comOriginally Posted on Patreon (12/20/22) here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/watch-with-jen-s-76157436

For the third season finale of Watch With Jen, I was thrilled and proud to welcome back one of my dearest pals and the hardest-working man in pod-business, Mr. Blake Howard.The brains behind the stellar One Heat Minute Productions that launched with an in-depth minute-by-minute investigation and appreciation of Michael Mann's "Heat," he's released numerous pods since, including "All The President's Minutes," "Josie and the Podcats," "Zodiac: Chronicle," and also, the excellent "Increment Vice," hosted by our good friend, the film essayist Travis Woods. With several more releasing now like "Miami Nice," "Rum and Rant," "Too Much Movie," plus essays on heist films at Vague Visages, his busy family life with his lovely wife and two young children, and a new career as a teacher, Blake Howard is one of the busiest and most talented people I know... and also, the nicest.In this thoughtful, funny, and passionate episode devoted to one of our favorite filmmakers, Blake and I discuss the career of Australian master director and recent honorary lifetime Oscar winner Peter Weir. Celebrating his diverse career of groundbreaking work that set a new bar for Australian film and helped kick off the country's new wave in the 1970s along with fellow directors like George Miller and Bruce Beresford, in this fast-paced conversation, we investigate what makes GALLIPOLI, WITNESS, and THE TRUMAN SHOW (still) so powerful, entertaining, and profound.Our final regular season episode of the year, Watch With Jen will be delivering a bonus Physical Media episode in mid to late December first for our Patreon subscribers (before making it available to all). We will also return in February of 2023 with Season 4 and have many exciting future installments in various planning stages that you're sure to love. Thank you so much for your loyalty, enthusiasm, and support, and for making this year our biggest yet.Theme Music: Solo Acoustic Guitar by Jason Shaw, Free Music ArchiveLogo: KateGabrielle.comOriginally Posted on Patreon (12/5/22) here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/75508099