The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!

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1974 - Get the Butter, this Oscar is Going to Sting!
02-03-2026 | 1 u. 20 Min.
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

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Bonus - The Incredible Indie Explosion of 1996
23-02-2026 | 1 u. 10 Min.
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")

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The Oscar Goes to The English Patient. “Just Die, Already!”
16-02-2026 | 1 u. 15 Min.
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

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ENCORE 1986 - Back to the Oscars (Again)
09-02-2026 | 1 u. 9 Min.
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
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BONUS - 2026 Oscars: Conversations about the Nominations
02-02-2026 | 1 u. 7 Min.
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!

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Over The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!

Ever watched the Academy Awards and thought, What were they thinking? You’re not alone. Join legendary comedian and writer of over 25 Oscar telecasts, Bruce Vilanch, and screenwriter/film nerd Adam “Tex” Davis (Just Friends) as they dive into Oscar history, unpacking the flubs, snubs, and surprises from Hollywood’s biggest night. From behind-the-scenes stories of A-list stars to insider insights on how the nominations and winners are really chosen, Bruce and Tex break down each Oscar ceremony year by year to reveal what the Academy got right—and what they didn’t. If you’ve ever questioned why your favorite movie or actor got overlooked, this podcast is for you. The Oscars: What Were They Thinking? Did you know that two of the Top 100 American Films of All-Time came out the same year but weren’t even nominated for an Academy Award? Or that the film often cited as the ‘Greatest Film of All Time’ didn’t win the Oscar in its year? Or that Cuba Gooding Jr. has the same number of acting Oscars as Al Pacino? Look, stuff happens. But if you’ve ever watched or read about the Academy Awards, you’ve probably been left scratching your head over which movies and performers won – and how many beloved films weren’t even considered. Why do so many Best Picture winners become some of the least remembered movies? How is it that legendary directors like Stanley Kubrick never won an Oscar? And why do great actors miss out on their best performances, only to win later for less impressive work? Sure, the Oscars aren’t sports – there’s no scoreboard to show the winners. But with so many Academy members voting, you’d think they’d get it right. Spoiler alert: They often don’t. On The Oscars: What Were They Thinking?, Bruce Vilanch and Adam “Tex” Davis take a deep dive into Oscar history, looking back at the biggest mistakes, controversies, and snubs. From Shakespeare in Love beating Saving Private Ryan to Dances with Wolves winning over Goodfellas, we’ll examine where the Academy went wrong. Along the way, you’ll hear incredible behind-the-scenes stories and never-before-told moments from Hollywood’s biggest night. We’re re-examining each Oscar ceremony, year-by-year, award-by-award, to see what the Academy got right, what they missed, and how we would “fix” the Oscars. Whether you’re a dedicated movie buff or just a casual fan, this is the podcast for you. Join us for The Oscars: What Were They Thinking?, where we break down the flubs, snubs, and forgotten gems of Oscar history.

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