The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!

1974 - Get the Butter, this Oscar is Going to Sting!

Hey Oscar fans, Bruce and “Tex” are back with another outstanding year for movies (you really can’t go wrong in the ’70s). And yet, they still found a way to include some head-scratchers while leaving some ‘time-tested’ film classics out in the cold.  Or not.  It all depends on whether you think certain movies are more cult classics, than classic-classics.  Or something like that.  But in a year when you have films like Serpico, Papillon, Save the Tiger, Paper Moon, The Paper Chase and the The Last Detail on the outside looking in — then you know it’s a banger of a year.  Enjoy a spirited debate over what we think should or shouldn’t have made the cut and whether the winner was the right choice or just a con job!  As always, thanks for Oscar-ing with us!     Films Mentioned **The Exorcist **The Sting *American Graffiti **Papillon The Way We Were *Magnum Force Last Tango in Paris **Paper Moon *Live and Let Die **Serpico *Cinderella Liberty *The Last Detail *The Paper Chase **Save the Tiger **Cries and Whispers A Touch of Class *Badlands *Don’t Look Now *Day for Night *Amarcord *Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid **The Offence Tom Sawyer *Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams *Dirty Harry *Sudden Impact The Long Goodbye *Day of the Jackal *Bang the Drum Slowly **The Wicker Man *Sisters *Soylent Green *Sleeper *Scenes From a Marriage *Jonathan Livingston Seagull Email us: info@oscars.wtf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus - The Incredible Indie Explosion of 1996

Hey Oscar Fans -- after last episode's look at the 1997 Oscars for the films of 1996, "Tex" and Mark were compelled to take a deeper dive into the world of independent cinema that exploded onto screens that year. Some of the films were mentioned already, many were not. Along the way we also break down what makes a film an "indie" and "Tex" draws from his experiences having written both a studio and an indie film But most of all, you'll listen in awe at the sheer number of great indie films & the talented filmmakers (including some notable first-timers) who made them. Enjoy! Films Mentioned *Fargo *Secrets & Lies *Shine *The English Patient *Sling Blade *Bottle Rocket *Rushmore *Swingers *Go *Flirting With Disaster *Spanking the Monkey She's the One *The Brothers McMullen *Trainspotting *Trees Lounge *Big Night *Romeo & Juliet *Basquiat *Citizen Ruth *Hard Eight *Lone Star *Bound *American Buffalo *I Shot Andy Warhol *Dead Man *Down By Law *Stranger Than Paradise Crash (Cronenberg's) *SubUrbia *Slackers *Walking and Talking *Stealing Beauty Girl Six *Scream *Gardener of Eden (written by "Tex") CONTACT US: info@oscars.wtf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Oscar Goes to The English Patient. “Just Die, Already!”

Hey Oscar fans, Bruce and “Tex” are back with a brand new episode looking at the Academy Awards of 1997 for the films of 1996.  As you may or may not remember, 1996 was a GOOD year for movies, but a GREAT year for Indie films!  In fact, 4 of the 5 Best Picture nominees are considered independent films — or as Bruce calls them, Tom Cruise and everybody else.  And while Elaine Benes from Seinfeld famously hated The English Patient, the Academy loved it — bestowing it with 12 nominations and 9 wins!  But did the right movie win?  And who got snubbed and why?  This is a great episode to stress-test our ‘test of time’ theory on — as this year was chock full of curious decisions and plenty of second (or third) guessing.  Let us know what you think and as always thanks for listening!  MOVIE LIST (*Recommendations) *The English Patient *Fargo *Shine Evita *Jerry Maguire *Secrets and Lies Hamlet Twister Independence Day *Flirting with Disaster *Trainspotting *Big Night *Sling Blade *Swingers *Bound *Walking & Talking *Bottle Rocket Dead Man *Breaking the Waves *The People vs. Larry Flynt *One Flew Over the Cuckoo Nest *Amadeus *Say Anything *Schindler’s List *The Birdcage *The Nutty Professor *Born on the Fourth of July Marvin’s Room *First Wives Club *Terms of Endearment Ghosts of Mississippi *Primal Fear *Boyz in the Hood Radio Men of Honor Boat Trip *As Good as it Gets Pearl Harbor *Kingpin *The Crucible The Portrait of a Lady The Mirror Has Two Faces *The Accidental Tourist Yentl The Prince of Tides *Lone Star *Raising Arizona *Blood Simple *When We Were Kings *The Celluloid Closet *Paradise Lost:  The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills Truth or Dare One Fine Day *That Thing You Do! Up Close & Personal *The Ghost and the Darkness *Once Upon a Time When we Were Colored  *White Squall *Michael Collins The Island of Doctor Moreau *Lost Soul:  The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley’s Island of Doctor Moreau Hardware Email: info@oscars.wtf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ENCORE 1986 - Back to the Oscars (Again)

Due to a scheduling snafu - we don't have a new episode ready for you today! So, we're replaying one of our favorites (and an early one many of you may have missed!) While Out of Africa and The Color Purple were battling it out (22 nominations between them) for Oscar glory -- another film was all but ignored in all the major categories -- despite dominating the box office that year. But if we could jump into a Delorean and go back in time -- would we perhaps bestow this beloved action/comedy with some Oscar love? We'll be back with the 1997 Oscars later this week! Thanks! Movies Mentioned Recommended *Out of Africa *The Color Purple *Kiss of the Spider Woman *Prizzi’s Honor *Witness **Back to the Future Rambo: First Blood Pt. 2 Ladyhawke The English Patient Evita Butterfly Trip to Bountiful  *Agnes of God Sweet Dreams **Tootsie *Cocoon Twice in a Lifetime Ice Pirates Murphy’s Romance *Runaway Train Jagged Edge Things Change *Trading Places The Story of Alexander Graham Bell Cocoon 2 The Way We Were *Absence of Malice *Three Days of the Condor **They Shoot Horses Don’t They? *Ran C.H.U.D. C.H.U.D. 2: Bud the C.H.U.D. The Official Story *Parasite *Mask The Phantom of the Opera *The Mask *Remo Williams: the Adventure Begins A Chorus Line *White Nights *Silverado *Young Sherlock Holmes Return to Oz The Black Hole **The Sting **Quiz Show *Ordinary People *Save the Tiger Last Tango in Paris *The Last Detail **Serpico **The Natural *Barefoot in the Park *Butch Cassidy & Sundance Kid *The Candidate *Purple Rose of Cairo *Brazil Rifkin’s Festival *Midnight in Paris *Radio Days *Crimes and Misdemeanors *Bananas *Take the Money and Run *Manhattan *Stardust Memories 12 Years a Slave *Do the Right Thing **Boyz in the Hood *Malcolm X *Glory *Training Day *A Beautiful Mind Scent of a Woman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BONUS - 2026 Oscars: Conversations about the Nominations

Hey Oscar fans — with the recent Oscar nominations we felt it was only fitting for our Oscars podcast to talk about them... Even though it goes against the theme of our show which uses the ‘test of time’ to see what really deserved to win or be nominated. Despite that, we still have thoughts and hot takes!  Join “Tex” and Mark as we discuss the nominees, make predictions, point out snubs and use everything we’ve learned making this show to try and understand what the Academy was thinking!  As always thanks for listening! Contact us: info@oscars.wtf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices