Best Jack Ferdman Podcasts (2025)

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CODA (2021) 1:23:59

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12d ago1:23:59

1:23:59

The Oscar for Best Picture is usually given to films that are epics or biographies. On the rare occasion maybe a western or a thriller. But it is extremely rare for a film that is sweet and somewhat small in scope. But in 2021 there was a film that grabbed the attention of audiences, and film critics got on board as well. That film was Sian Heder's…

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West Side Story (1961) 1:30:04

26d ago1:30:04

1:30:04

The passion of music and choreography in film was never more prevalent than in the Best Picture winner of 1961. West Side Story is a story about love, gangs, cultural wars, and ultimately tragedy. But mostly it's about the music and dance. We remember all the songs ... incredible tunes including Tonight, I Feel Pretty, Officer Krupke, and of course…

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Slumdog Millionaire (2008) 1:20:03

1M ago1:20:03

1:20:03

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire was a huge game show that started in 1998, and then it became a global phenomenon by around 2005. Soooo .... it isn't surprising that a film that was made based on that show. But no one could have imagined the huge success this small film that had a hard time getting any funding to be made, about that game show in Indi…

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The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) 1:15:34

2M ago1:15:34

1:15:34

The Best Years of Our Lives made an impact when it was released back in 1946, both on the Academy with its numerous nominations and wins, but also on the movie-going public. William Wyler's film brought real-life issues of the men returning home from battle in WWII and dealing with acclimating back into society ... into the world they once knew, ye…

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Braveheart (1995) 1:33:38

2M ago1:33:38

1:33:38

Biographies are very interesting. The are hundreds that have been made over the years that have not only been entertaining but also are educational in some way. Learning about an event or a person that has made an impact in some way in the past, in a movie, has always been something fans have been going to the theatre ever since the start of cinema…

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Patton (1970) 1:46:13

3M ago1:46:13

1:46:13

Biographical films can be incredible ... that is if they delve deep into the main protagonist's character based on their past. Their influences growing up drive who they are and why they became the important figure, we are watching being analyzed on screen. In 1970, there was a larger-than-life war hero, who for better or worse was a strong force f…

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Bonus Episode 11: Oscars 2025 Recap 1:02:11

3M ago1:02:11

1:02:11

Another Oscar broadcast for the history books! Download and listen to Jack's take on the 97th Annual Academy Awards that took place on Sunday, March 2nd. Anora rocked the night with 5 awards including the big prize. Conan O'Brien did a great job with his first time hosting, but who will come back next year? Jack recaps the night and gives you his i…

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Bonus Episode 10: Final Oscar Predictions 2025 40:37

3M ago40:37

40:37

Only two more days until the big night, so I guess it's time for film critic Jack Ferdman to make his final picks. He has seen all the films ... that's not surprising. But what is, are some of the predictions he has made for what will win each, and every one of the 23 little golden statuettes that will be given out on Sunday, March 2nd. Will he pic…

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On the Waterfront (1954) 1:24:21

3M ago1:24:21

1:24:21

There is no doubt that this film has a backstory that is fairly controversial. Director Elia Kazan testified to Congress and the HUAC hearings, and named names. There are many people who became his enemy, and never forgave him. However, undoubtedly, his film On the Waterfront is a true classic. A great story about redemption, incredible direction, …

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Birdman (2014) 1:31:38

4M ago1:31:38

1:31:38

Films usually have a nice structure to it that makes us feel complete ... the movie has a beginning, a middle, and an ending that kind of wraps everything up neatly. And then there are a few that just don't do that. LOL! The Academy Award-winning film for Best Picture of 2014, Birdman, doesn't do thta. The film is as open-ended as can be. However, …

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Bonus Episode 9: Oscar Nominations 2025 51:22

4M ago51:22

51:22

Well ... another year has passed and we finally are here.: The announcement of the Academy Award nominations for the best films of 2024. Yes, there weren't many shockers ... but there are always a couple that stir the pot. Fans lose their minds and they complain and complain about their favourite films or performers not getting recognized. The Acad…

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All Quiet on the Western Front (1929/30) 1:13:56

5M ago1:13:56

1:13:56

There are very few extra-special films in the history of cinema that not only stand the test of time, they really changed the way we look at history in general ... fictional films that make us see real life in a truly different manner. Lewis Milestone's All Quiet on the Western Front did just that. It took our perspective of war and turned it on it…

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My Fair Lady (1964) 1:34:05

5M ago1:34:05

1:34:05

The 1960s was the last true decade of the Hollywood musical. Yes, there were others since ... however, they were few and far between. And in 1964, the third of that genre to win Best Picture in those ten years was the huge box office smash hit, and film adaptation of the Broadway hit, My Fair Lady. This Rex Harrison/Audrey Hepburn film was loved by…

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It Happened One Night (1934) 1:19:52

5M ago1:19:52

1:19:52

Romantic-screwball comedies had to start sometime ... and that sometime was early 1934. And there was a film that took Hollywood by storm ... Frank Capra's It Happened One Night. This film is one of only three films to home the Big 5 on Oscar night (Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, and Screenplay). So many great scenes, great lines, wonderfu…

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Parasite (2019) 1:23:20

6M ago1:23:20

1:23:20

It took over nine decades for the Academy to award the Best Picture of the year to a foreign language film. And although there were hundreds of brilliant masterpieces that could have won, including eleven other films that were nominated prior to 2019, it was well worth the wait! Parasite is truly a special film full of incredible performances, grea…

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Ben-Hur (1959) 1:26:13

6M ago1:26:13

1:26:13

Well, here's a film that won the Best Picture Oscar that was actually a remake. The was the epic silent version in 1925, but it's the 1959 Biblical classic that everyone remembers. Ben-Hur ended up winning 11 Academy Awards that year, which is still a record that stands until this very day. There is so much to love about this film ... the acting, t…

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All the King's Men (1949) 1:42:53

7M ago1:42:53

1:42:53

Here is a film that is eerily similar to what has been happening in the United States political world since 2016. The movie is All the King's Men, a story about greed, corruption, and those who blindly fall prey to those in power. Great direction by Robert Rossen, wonderful acting, and a script based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, launched this…

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12 Years a Slave (2013) 1:27:45

7M ago1:27:45

1:27:45

Listen to film critic Jack Ferdman's take on it as he analyzes everything about 12 Years a Slave as well as many other films from that year, and hear which film he gives his Rewatch Oscar of 2013. Download, listen, and share ALL Rewatching Oscar episodes. SUBSCRIBE and FOLLOW Rewatching Oscar: Website: https://rewatchingoscar.buzzsprout.com Apple P…

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Gandhi (1982) 1:32:08

8M ago1:32:08

1:32:08

Another year ... another biopic wins Best Picture. This time it's Gandhi's turn. A film that covers 50 years of a man who has been revered by millions upon millions of people around the world. The performance of Sir Ben Kingley as this small, meek person with no position in government taking on the British in order to get India its sovereignty is a…

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Gone With the Wind (1939) 1:51:30

8M ago1:51:30

1:51:30

There literally was no other year like it. When you look at the list of films that were released in the calendar year of 1939, well, the films most people would consider brilliant classics are in the dozens! You can spend weeks upon weeks watching movies from just that one year, and you would be completely and thoroughly satisfied. The Academy, how…

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Bonus Episode 8: TIFF2024 1:07:40

9M ago1:07:40

1:07:40

Film critic and historian, Jack Ferdman, loves this time of year! He's a proud Torontonian ... so why wouldn't he love early September? It's not just because of the beauty of fall in his hometown. It's mostly because he goes to his favourite event every year ... The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). And 2024 was no different. It's one of …

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A Beautiful Mind (2001) 1:32:46

9M ago1:32:46

1:32:46

Biopics Biopics Biopics! The Academy loves biopics. There are so many that have been nominated for Oscars ... and even some that have won the top prize, Best Picture. And in 2001, there was one that did just that. Ron Howard's A Beautiful Mind won the hearts and, pardon the pun, minds of so many film fans worldwide. It was a huge box-office success…

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The Great Ziegfeld (1936) 1:17:55

9M ago1:17:55

1:17:55

There are a lot of Best Picture winners that are big, bold, and epic in size. Well, in 1936, MGM made something pretty big ... and long. A film that brought people to the theatre to enjoy the spectacle of Broadway, especially if they weren't able to see a show live ad in person. The Great Ziegfeld, at the time, was the longest talking film ever mad…

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Amadeus (1984) 1:20:58

10M ago1:20:58

1:20:58

There were tons of great films that came out in 1984. However, there was one that took away 8 Oscars at the Academy Awards. Amadeus won the hearts of both fans and critics with its amazing story and brilliant performances by Tom Hulce and Oscar winner F. Murray Abraham. However, 4 decades later, should it still be regarded as the best film of 1984?…

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Going My Way (1944) 1:13:55

10M ago1:13:55

1:13:55

Bing Crosby was the biggest star both in music and in film of the 1940s. Going My Way put him on an even higher level of popularity. The film earned him the Best Actor Oscar, which was the first of three nominations in his acclaimed career. His charm, his demeanor, and of course his beautiful voice, was a huge reason for the movie's success. Howeve…

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Bonus Episode 7: Ranking Meryl Streep's Oscar Nominated Performances 1:25:58

11M ago1:25:58

1:25:58

Here is another Bonus Episode, and this time it's all about ... the one, the only ... Meryl!! Meryl Streep is undoubtedly one of the greatest performers to have ever graced the silver screen. From her start on Broadway to her stints on television, it's her brilliance in movies that we know her work. She has been nominated for an astounding record 2…

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The Deer Hunter (1978) 1:27:39

11M ago1:27:39

1:27:39

Many great films came out in 1978 ... several because Hollywood began to tell stories of what soldiers experienced both during the Vietnam war that had just ended a few years before, and also how they dealt with coming home. The Deer Hunter was one of those films. Director and screenwriter Michael Cimino created a layered, powerful, and very raw fi…

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Oliver! (1968) 1:28:52

12M ago1:28:52

1:28:52

First, it was the famous novel by Charles Dickens back in 1838, then it hit the silver screen with many silent and sound ones. Then it hit Broadway with the well-known musical version ... until finally it came back to theatres and won the Oscar for Best Picture of 1968. Oliver! is the fourth musical of the 1960s to win the top prize. Its mixture of…

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Ep. 53 - Nomadland (2020) 1:15:34

1y ago1:15:34

1:15:34

The year 2020 was a very strange one ... for all of us. The world for all intents and purposes, felt like it was put on pause. COVID-19 was really the only thing on our minds. And because of it, even movie theatres and the film industry as a whole struggled. Filmmakers began making films that were more personal, more meaningful, ones that represent…

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The Hurt Locker (2009) 1:20:31

1y ago1:20:31

1:20:31

In 2009 the Academy Awards increased the number of films that could be nominated for Best Picture. For over 6 decades there used to be only 5 films selected. However, the Academy decided that more films should be at least acknowledged with being honoured with a nomination. So from here on out, there would be at the very least 5, and at the most 10,…

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The Broadway Melody (1928/29) 1:08:27

1y ago1:08:27

1:08:27

There have been good, great, and even brilliant Best Picture winners over the past century. Many stay with us forever, and we love watching them over and over and over again. And then, well, there are films like The Broadway Melody. Those who have seen it understand. However, its importance and influence in the history of cinema is undeniable. It w…

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Midnight Cowboy (1969) 1:19:55

1y ago1:19:55

1:19:55

What an incredible year in cinema! There were so many great films to close out the decade. It was a time when Hollywood turned a new page and began making deeper, darker, and more rich films. And one of those films was this classic starring Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman ... Midnight Cowboy. This movie rocked a lot of people when it came out with it…

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The Silence of the Lambs (1991) 1:21:47

1y ago1:21:47

1:21:47

There have only been three films that have swept the "big five" Oscars. And this one, the ONLY so-called horror film to win, is the last to win Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, and Screenplay. The Silence of the Lambs scared us all when we first saw it in the theatres in 1991 ... and we keep coming back for more. We love the story, we are bl…

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Bonus Episode 6: Oscars 2024 Recap 37:25

1y ago37:25

37:25

Another Oscar broadcast for the history books! Download and listen to Jack's take on the 96th Annual Academy Awards that took place on Sunday, March 10th. Oppenheimer rocked the night with 7 awards including the big prize. Jimmy Kimmel did a great job in his fourth time hosting, but who will come back next year? Jack recaps the night and also gives…

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Ordinary People (1980) Including 2024 Oscar Predictions 1:21:05

1y ago1:21:05

1:21:05

In 1980, legendary actor Robert Redford made his directorial debut with a film that moved so many and gave us great dramatic performances from Donald Sutherland, newcomer Timothy Hutton, and even comedy sitcom star Mary Tyler Moore. The film is of course the moving Ordinary People. It took home four Oscars, including Best Picture. However, after mo…

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You Can't Take It With You (1938) 1:05:47

1+ y ago1:05:47

1:05:47

Many directors fit certain categories of filmmaking ... when you think of films that focus on the little guy overcoming obstacles and beating corporations or banks or the rich ... well, you think of Frank Capra. Capra won three Academy Awards in 5 years and the last win is likely his least-known film for movie fans of today, You Can't Take It With …

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Unforgiven (1992) 1:14:28

1+ y ago1:14:28

1:14:28

Westerns are not as popular amongst movie-goers over the past 40 years ... but there is one that changed the way we look at the Wild West. Clint Eastwood gave us Unforgiven. It's a film that turns the Western tropes of the past on its head. It's a wonderfully written, acted, and directed film that blew everyone away. It was nominated for nine Oscar…

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The French Connection (1971) 1:18:27

1+ y ago1:18:27

1:18:27

The 1970s were the dawn of a new generation of filmmakers. The era between 1967 and 1979 is known as New Hollywood cinema. Directors and screenwriters began making films with fewer reigns on them and trying new riskier stories, with styles used predominately in European films. The French Connection is a perfect example of how darker and edgier stor…

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Bonus Episode 5: Oscar Nominations 2024 29:43

1+ y ago29:43

29:43

Well ... another year has passed and we finally are here.: The announcement of the Academy Award nominations for the best films of 2023. Yes, there weren't many shockers ... but there are always a couple that stir the pot. Fans lose their minds and they complain and complain about their favourite films or performers not getting recognized. The Acad…

1
Mrs. Miniver (1942) 1:14:28

1+ y ago1:14:28

1:14:28

There were a lot of films that were released after WWII from all different perspectives of what went on during that time. However, during the early 1940s, many films did the same DURING wartime. There were several that were extraordinary. Mrs. Miniver (1942) was one of those special films. Although very much a propaganda-like film released not only…

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Titanic (1997) 1:20:55

1+ y ago1:20:55

1:20:55

Well ... season 4 starts off with a bang! One of the BIG Oscar winners of all-time. It's epic in size, and was loved by so many when it came out. Is this romance/disaster film still all as great as it was all those years ago? Was it ever that great? Are the effects by Director James Cameron really just a mirage for a screenplay that isnt that very …

1
An American in Paris (1951) 1:15:47

1+ y ago1:15:47

1:15:47

Jack loves being a film critic ... analyzing both the good and the bad of everything that is cinema. The Best Picture Oscar winner of 1951, An American in Paris, covers both ends of that spectrum. The music of George Gershwin, the dance sequences, and many of the scenes really project this film forward ... but was all of that enough to deserve the …

1
Schindler's List (1993) 1:20:49

1+ y ago1:20:49

1:20:49

Sometimes films go above and beyond just being a source of entertainment. Some movies are not just pieces of art put on celluloid for all film lovers to watch, but they are important ... educational, and even a piece of historical reference. Schindler's List is not a documentary, but it feels a lot like one. Steven Spielberg's epic 3+ hour story ab…

1
The Shape of Water (2017) 1:11:54

1+ y ago1:11:54

1:11:54

There are films that seem strange when you read the plot outline. You think to yourself, why would this be made? Then you find out that the perfect guy for this story is the director, so you think it could work. Well, Guillermo del Toro made this fantasy about a mute woman in 1962 who falls in love with an Amphibian Man. The Shape of Water is a gre…

1
Shakespeare in Love (1998) 1:10:54

1+ y ago1:10:54

1:10:54

It has been 25 years, but there are still many who believe that the 1998 winner for Best Picture should NOT have been Shakespeare in Love. Jack revisits this controversial winner and tells us how good it is after all these years, and if it deserves the terrible reputation it gets from those who love the Oscars. Which film does he think is the best …

1
Wings (1927/28) 57:01

1+ y ago57:01

57:01

It all started with this one. The first Best Picture winner was also a silent film ... the only completely non-talkie to ever win the top award. Yes, even The Artist (2011) had some words at the film's end. But more importantly, Wings is a great film, from its direction, its incredible combat sequences, and the beautiful Clara Bow, known by everyon…

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Bonus Episode 4: Top 20 Jack Nicholson Performances 1:05:42

1+ y ago1:05:42

1:05:42

Rewatching Oscar with Jack Ferdman Here is another Bonus Episode, and this time it's all about ... JACK!! No, not the host of this show (although he may want you to think it is), but about the one ... the only ... Jack Nicholson!! What a career he has had. 64 films, tons of accolades, and unforgettable roles. As for those roles, which ones were his…

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One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) 1:15:32

1+ y ago1:15:32

1:15:32

This is one of the great films of the last 50 years. Jack analyzes this film in depth, talking about how it came about, as well as themes of authoritarianism. This movie not only has an incredible screenplay and great direction, but the acting is second to none. The question is, did the Academy get it right by honouring One Flew Over the Cuckoo's N…

1
The Apartment (1960) 1:09:53

1+ y ago1:09:53

1:09:53

Billy Wilder is one of the greatest directors in cinematic history. Here Jack talks about one of his gems, The Apartment. The screenplay, the direction, the acting, and the cinematography are all remarkable and truly make this film timeless, despite being over 60 years old. Will it be good enough for Jack to give it his top prize as best film of 19…

1
Chicago (2002) 1:07:14

1+ y ago1:07:14

1:07:14

Well ... it took the Academy a while, but finally, 34 years after the last musical to win Best Picture, the Rob Marshall blockbuster Chicago took home Oscar's biggest prize in 2002. What makes this film special? It all starts with the director's vision. However, the cast, the editing, and of course the incredible songs and score helped make this Br…