Podcast Portal: This Had Oscar Buzz

Welcome to Podcast Portal: a spontaneous column that will highlight podcasts of all genres that are lesser known or new shows that are worth giving a listen. With the medium continuing to grow, it is hard to acknowledge all of them. However, I am going to try and find as many noteworthy titles as possible to share and hopefully expand your mind to the greatest growing medium out there. If you have any podcast that you feel is worth adding to the Podcast Portal, please make sure to inform me whether through the comments or through an e-mail (information in sidebar). 

SHOW: This Had Oscar Buzz
HOSTS:  Joe Reid, Chris Feil
NETWORK: Fighting in the War Room
EPISODE BEING DISCUSSED: "001. Mona Lisa Smile"


Every awards season has its fair share of winners. It's the one thing that is fun to think about: which movie will win Best Picture? For those who love to prognosticate, it's a season of playing strategically with the box office and critic reviews for every film, even from several months out. But the better question is this: what about the films that miss the cut? Every year has at least a half dozen at them, and they all become the forgotten punchlines of yore. The losers are just as interesting as the winners, in part because they're an example of how an Oscar campaign can go horribly wrong. Sometimes it's earned, others it's just a coincidence of playing the game wrong. That's where Joe Reid and Chris Feil come in.

Long time fans of Oscar punditry should know the name Joe Reid by now. His credits include work for The Film Experience, Extra Hot Great, and even guest appearances on awards podcast Little Gold Men. He has gotten around and knows a decent amount about what it takes to win. So instead of doing a show all about the struggles to be the best, he's decided to join Chris Feil in an attempt to understand, or even pay tribute to the films that didn't make it. What started as a Tumblr account highlighting the films that missed the cut is now officially a show, of which chose to start with a bit of an odd choice, but one that definitely plays into the strengths of the hosts: Mona Lisa Smile.
It's a film that time has forgotten despite its rich array of cast members. Everything about it on paper would suggest that the film would deserve some acclaim. Why not give some love to Julia Roberts? She's been on a roll for quite some time. This is only one of many things discussed about the film. Another thing included is a general understanding of where the film went wrong, which in part came from its male-dominated writing and directing of a film geared towards women. There was already a misunderstanding that played into the film's inability to fully understanding just what was going on. Still, the passion of the two hosts suggests that the show is going to not just be a scathing dismissal of the films that failed. It's going to be a loving look at why they didn't make it to Oscar night. 
In what is probably going to be the show's most compelling tool is the discussion of hypothetical. There is a strong focus on the career of Kirsten Dunst, whose career trajectory should've pitted her at least one Oscar nomination by now. Instead, it was a sign of missed opportunity. Similarly, there is concern over Scarlett Johansson missing out for a nomination from a film also released that year, Lost in Translation. There's definitely passion in the way that all things Oscar are discussed on the show, and it gives a nice, refreshing tone to the entire experience. These are experts and fans equally, and there's plenty to wonder about what an alternative for every category would look like. While the episode was predominantly about Mona Lisa Smile, it managed to cover the entire year in film in a way that made sense of certain things while adding questions to others. 
This Had Oscar Buzz is a great new show with a solid novelty pitch. Instead of covering the new Best Picture winner, it's about the films that missed the cut. While they technically aren't as prestigious to remember, they're arguably a lot more fun to talk about. The losers have a bigger story to share because there was a lot more effort put into their failure. They didn't even get to the finish line. So the question is whether or not the show will maintain its appeal going forward. Odds are that with hosts like Reid and Feil that the topics will always be interesting. The only issue is if less films stop having Oscar Buzz, though what are the odds of that happening?


OVERALL RATING: 4 out of 5
WORTH A SECOND GO?: Yes

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