Matthew, Author at Awesome Friday!

18 December 202224 December 2022

Podcast: Diaspora, Polaris, & The 2022 Whistler Film Festival (w/ Guest Host Rachel Ho)

Greetings programs! This week Rachel and I are speaking about the 2022 Whistler Film Festival. This is my third year covering Whistler, and Rachel flew out to attend in person! We’ll be talking about several films, but in particular, two Canadian releases: Diaspora from director Deco Dawson, about a young Ukrainian immigrant living in Winnipeg and Polaris from director Kirsten ‘KC’ Carthew, about a young girl surviving in a frozen post-apocalypse.

Join us!

11 December 202224 December 2022

Podcast: Something in the Dirt & Emancipation (w/ Guest Host Rachel Ho)

Greetings, programs, and welcome to a very special episode of the show. This week (and next!) Simon is on holiday, so Matthew is joined once again by our friend Rachel Ho of Exclaim.ca, ThatShelf.com, POV Magazine, and The Globe and Mail!

We’re diving into an indie darling and a big, oscar-bait action spectacle this week. First, Benson & Moorhead’s Something in the Dirt, which is finally in release after premiering all the way back at Sundance at the beginning of 2022. Then we move on to Emancipation, Will Smith’s first big release since “the slap”. One of these is quite good, and the other not so much. Listen to find out which!

4 December 202217 December 2022

Podcast: Troll & Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

Greetings programs! We’re breaking down two new Netflix releases this week on the show. First, we look at the Norwegian kaiju film Troll and then the new stop-motion adaptation of Pinocchio by director Guillermo del Toro.

Join us!

27 November 20225 December 2022

Podcast: Andor (reprise), Spirited, & The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

Andor, Spirited, & The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

Greetings, programs, and welcome to a very special Awesome Friday Podcast. This week we’re covering three things: First, we’re headed back to Ferrix to revisit Andor, which might be the best Star Wars thing in a long while. Following that, we’re kicking off the holiday season with a look at Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell in AppleTV+’s new holiday musical Spirited, and then a quick trip out to Knowhere for Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. This episode is jam-packed, so what are we waiting for?

After the jump, you’ll find podcast listings, streaming links for all three titles, and all of our other content.

20 November 202220 November 2022

Podcast: Bullet Train & Tar

Greetings, programs, and welcome to another week on the Awesome Friday Podcast. In this episode, we dive into the neon-lit, glossy action comedy Brad Pitt spectacle Bullet Train and a tour de force performance from Cate Blanchett in Todd Field’s TÁR.

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13 November 202213 November 2022

Podcast: Don’t Worry Darling & The Wonder

Greetings programs! This week on the show, we have a Florence Pugh doubleheader. First, we look at the now-streaming Don’t Worry Darling by director Olivia Wilde. When it was released, this one was laden with controversy, but is it a good movie? Only one way to find out! Following that, we have the new Netflix release, The Wonder, from Sebastien Lelio, who previously won an Oscar for A Fantastic Woman.

Join us!

6 November 20226 November 2022

Podcast: Weird: The Al Yankovic Story & Enola Holmes 2

“Greetings, programs, and welcome to the Awesome Friday Podcast for November 6th 2022! This week we’re diving into two new streaming releases: The Roku Channel Original” Weird: The Al Yankovic Stor” starring Daniel Radcliffe, and the Netflix Original” Enola Holmes 2″ starring Millie Bobby Brown. “Greetings, programs, and welcome to the Awesome Friday Podcast for November 6th 2022! This week we’re diving into two new streaming releases: The Roku Channel Original “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story” starring Daniel Radcliffe, and the Netflix Original “Enola Holmes 2” starring Millie Bobby Brown.

30 October 202230 October 2022

Podcast: Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities

Greetings, programs, and welcome to a very special episode of the podcast. This week instead of our usual two things, we are reviewing one or eight, depending on your perception of the universe. Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities is an 8-episode horror anthology that is now out on Netflix, and we are looking at all eight episodes. We both have strong feelings about them; listen in to find out what they are!

23 October 20225 December 2022

Podcast: Raymond & Ray & Decision to Leave

Greetings Programs! This week on the podcast, Matt and Simon take a look at a pair of wayward bothers in the new AppleTV+ release Raymond & Ray and the Cannes Film Festival Best Director winning Decision to Leave from the great Park Chan-wook. Will there be hot takes? Only one way to find out! Find links to listen (and JustWatch powered streaming links for each movie) below.

Join us!

15 October 2022

Podcast: Werewolf by Night & All Quiet on the Western Front

Greetings programs! This week the Awesome Friday Podcast is back with a look at two new streaming titles. First up is the latest Marvel experiment, the Halloween special Werewolf by Night. Following that, we look at the new adaptation of All Quiet on the Western Front, produced by Netflix.

You’ll find streaming links powered by JustWatch below, as well as our ratings and all our other content. Join us!

11 October 202222 October 2022

Bonus Podcast: VIFF 2022 Top Fives w/ Dakota from Contra Zoom Pod!

Greetings programs! We’re back after just a few days with a special bonus wrap-up episode for the 2022 Vancouver International Film Festival. This episode is also a joint episode with our friends Contra Zoom, Dakota from that show and Matthew are breaking down their five favourites from the festival together, and the episode will be going out on both of our feeds!

Surprisingly our top five lists only share one film in common, and you’ll have to listen to find out which! Below you’ll find JustWatch-powered streaming links for each movie and where to listen to both our show and Contra Zoom.

Join us!

8 October 202222 October 2022

Podcast: VIFF 2022: Viking & Triangle of Sadness

Greetings programs! This week on the podcast, we’re looking at two films that played as part of the 2022 Vancouver International Film Festival. First up is Canadian director Stéphane Lafleur’s new high-concept comedy Viking. Then we take a closer look at Ruben Östlund’s Palme d’Or winning satire of wealth and privilege Triangle of Sadness.

You’ll find a complete list of where you can listen to the show below and an embedded player if you prefer to listen right here on the site.

Join us!

25 September 202225 September 2022

Podcast: Blonde & Star Wars: Andor

Greetings programs! This week on the podcast, we are looking at the divisive new Marilyn Monroe movie Blonde, starring Ana de Armas as the titular blonde bombshell, before moving on to the latest entry in the Star Wars franchise, Andor. We spend half the episode swooning over one of these; listen to find out which!

JustWatch-powered streaming links, our ratings, and a complete list of where you can listen to this episode are below. Join us!

18 September 202218 September 2022

Podcast: Blank & Moonage Daydream

Greetings, programs, and welcome to another edition of the Awesome Friday Podcast. This week Matt and Simon take a look at the new high-concept indie thriller Blank and the new documentary about the life and art of David Bowie, Moonage Daydream. One of these movies is one of the best movies of the year, so listen closely to find out which!

You’ll find JustWatch-powered streaming links below, as well as our ratings, how you can listen, how you can support us, and all of our other content

Join us!

11 September 202217 December 2022

Podcast: Pinocchio & Saloum

Greetings programs! We’re back after a two-week break with two new movies, one hot off the presses from the largest media conglomerate in history and the other finally seeing wide release after a successful festival run last year. First up is Robert Zemeckis’ live-action remake of Disney’s Pinocchio, followed by the Senegalese action horror movie Saloum. One of these movies we really didn’t like, listen to find out which and then watch the other!

You’ll find JustWatch-powered streaming links below, as well as our ratings, how you can listen, how you can support us, and all of our other content. Join us!