The Reel Marathon Podcast

Judas and the Black Messiah - Ep. 004 - 2/12/2021

Episode Four - Judas and the Black Messiah - 2/12

Intro

News

Events:
Episode Five - Wolfwalkers - 2/19

Episode Six - Nomadland - 2/26

Episode Seven - Small Axe - 3/5

Episode Eight - Minari - 3/12

Episode Nine - Another Round - 3/19

Review - Judas and the Black Messiah

List:

Steve McQueen

Spike Lee

Ryan Coogler

Barry Jenkins

Ava DuVernay

Trivia:

1. Shaka King initially thought of Judas and the Black Messiah as The Departed inside the world of the Counter Intelligence Program. Which famed director won his first Best Picture with The Departed in 2007?
2. Daniel Kaluuya, LaKeith Stanfield, and Lil Rel Howrey all worked together in Judas and the Black Messiah. They previously worked together in what 2017 horror thriller?
3. Martin Sheen portrays J. Edgar Hoover in Judas and the Black Messiah. What Academy Award-winning actor also portrayed him in the Clint Eastwood 2011 biopic, J. Edgar?
4. Fred Hampton made an appearance in another Oscar-worthy film in 2020 and was portrayed by Kelvin Harrison Jr. What was the name of that film?
5. There have only ever been six Black directors to be nominated for Best Director at the Oscars, none of which have won. Can you name the six directors? The first was nominated in 1991.

Sundance 2021 - Ep. 003 - 2/7/2021

Intro

1. Jockey - 4 1/2
2. Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) - 4
3. Rebel Hearts - 4
4. Flee - 4
5. CODA - 4
6. Judas and the Black Messiah - 4
7. Land - 4
8. Together Together - 4 
9. Try Harder! - 4
10. Homeroom - 4
11. Mass - 4
12. Passing - 4
13. Wild Indian - 3 1/2
14. In the Same Breath - 3 1/2
15. Cusp - 3 1/2
16. Knocking - 3 1/2
17. Fire in the Mountains - 3 1/2
18. On the Count of Three - 3 1/2
19. Amy Tan: Unintended Memoir - 3 1/2
20. Life in a Day 2020 - 3 1/2
21. Users - 3 1/2
22. John and the Hole - 3
23. At the Ready - 3
24. I Was a Simply Man - 3
25. All Light, Everywhere - 3
26. Censor - 3
27. A Glitch in the Matrix - 2 1/2
28. Mayday - 2
29. Superior - 2

News

Events:

Episode Four - Judas and the Black Messiah - 2/12

Episode Five - Wolfwalkers - 2/19

Episode Six - Nomadland - 2/26

Episode Seven - Small Axe - 3/5

Episode Eight - Minari - 3/12

Episode Nine - Another Round - 3/19

US Dramatic Competition: Jockey, CODA, Together Together, Passing, Wild Indian, On the Count of Three, John and the Hole, I was a Simple Man, Mayday, and Superior

US Documentary Competition: Summer of Soul, Rebel Hearts, Try Harder!, Homeroom, Cusp, Users, At the Ready, and All Light, Everywhere

The Rest: Flee, Land, Judas and the Black Messiah, Mass, In the Same Breath, Knocking, Fire in the Mountains, Amy Tan: Unintended Memoir, Life in a Day 2020, Censor, and A Glitch in the Matrix

Trivia:

1. Though this year’s festival was held remotely due to the pandemic, the Sundance Film Festival moved to its permanent home in what U.S. city in 1981?
2. In 1985, Joel and Ethan Coen made their directorial debut at Sundance when they won the Grand Jury prize for Best Dramatic film for what film?
3. What director got his start in 1992 at the festival with his crime thriller starring Harvey Keitel, Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi, Chris Penn, and Tim Roth?
4. This film made with a budget of just $400,000 premiered at the film festival and paid its main star a measly $1000. In the end, the film ended up grossing $46 million and became famous for its dance number performed to a Jamiroquai song.
5. Lucy Alibar received her first writing credit at the Sundance Film Festival in 2012 with the film “Beasts of the Southern Wild.” She has since been tasked with adapting what best-selling novel written by Delia Owens about an outcast woman surviving in the marshes of the deep south?

Collective - Ep. 002 - 1/29/2021

Episode Two - Collective - 1/29

• News
• Events
  • Episode Three - Sundance - 2/5
  • Episode Four - Judas and the Black Messiah - 2/12
  • Episode Five - Wolfwalkers - 2/19
  • Episode Six - Nomadland - 2/26
  • Episode Seven - Small Axe - 3/5
  • Episode Eight - Minari - 3/12
• Review - Collective - 4 stars
• Best Docs of 2020
  • 1. The Painter and the Thief - Benjamin Ree
  • 2. Collective - Alexander Nanau
  • 3. Boys State - Amanda McBane and Jesse Moss 
  • 4. Dick Johnson is Dead - Kirsten Johnson
  • 5. All In: The Fight for Democracy - Lisa Cortes and Liz Garbus
• Trivia
  • Former President Barack Obama released a list of what he considered to be the best films of 2020. He included four documentaries that were mentioned at least once on today’s podcast. Name the four movies.
  • What film became the highest grossing documentary ever following the 2009 death of its main subject?
  • What was the name of the band who was performing at the Colectiv nightclub on the night of the fire?
  • Stacey Abrams, the subject of All In: The Fight for Democracy held public office from 2007 to 2017. What office  did she hold?
  • Documentaries are often forgotten, can you name the documentary that won the award for best documentary at the 2020 Oscars?

Promising Young Woman - Ep. 001 - 1/22/2021

Episode One - Promising Young Woman - 1/22

• News
• Events
  • Episode Two - The Collective - 1/29
  • Episode Three - Sundance - 2/5
  • Episode Four - Judas and the Black Messiah - 2/12
  • Episode Five - Minari - 2/19
  • Episode Six - Nomadland - 2/26
  • Episode Seven - Small Axe - 3/5
• Review - Promising Young Woman - 4 1/2 Stars
• Best Directorial Debuts in 2020
  • 1. The Sound of Metal
  • 2. The Vast of Night
  • 3. The Forty Year Old Version
  • 4. Palm Springs
  • 5. One Night in Miami
• Trivia
  • The title of Promising Young Woman is a reference to what Stanford student who convicted of sexual assault in 2016 and was referred to as a promising young man by his sympathizers?
  • What film discussed today broke the record for largest purchase ever at the Sundance Film Festival for a total of $17,500,000.69, breaking the previous record by 69 cents?
  • The Vast of Night’s title was taken from what play by the famous William Shakespeare?
  • Riz Ahmed, the star of Sound of Metal, hoped the film would encourage more people to learn what language?
  • One Night in Miami was released on Amazon Prime on January 15th, 2021, the same day as director Regina King’s birthday. How old did King turn this year?