What Are You Watching?
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!
Episodes
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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Send mailbag questions to whatareyouwatchingpodcast@gmail.com
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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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.
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...
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(!), ...
“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...
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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Send mailbag questions to whatareyouwatchingpodcast@gmail.com
“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 th...
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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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.
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 ...
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...
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!
Follow @WAYW_Podcast on Twitter and Instagram and Letterboxd.
Send mailbag questions to whatareyouwatchingpodcast@gmail.com
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,” ...
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 wi...
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 ...
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...
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 ...
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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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.
Follow @WAYW_Podcast on Twitter and Instagram and Letterboxd.
Send mailbag questions to whatareyouwatchingpodcast@gmail.com
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