Let's Finally Watch This

Derailed Trains of Thought
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  • FILM HISTORY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

A podcast for casual movie fans who have always meant to watch classic movies. Hosts Nick Hayden and Timothy Deal guide you through film history as they highlight one movie from each decade for the last century, exploring how each film sits in its time period, why it's well-known, and whether it's actually worth your time. We're finally getting around to movies we've always heard about. Why don't you join us?

  1. 12/05/2025

    Season 4 Wrap-up & Epilogue

    It’s time to wrap up our fourth season of Let’s Finally Watch This. Looking back at our season of heavy-hitters (and a few oddballs), we consider some of the unexpected themes and this season's emphasis on directors. Then we dive into the heart of the episode–our Ranking of Essentialness for this season’s movies! We also share our personal favorites from the season. Thanks for joining us again for this exciting journey through the decades of film! Show Notes

    40 min

  2. 11/21/2025

    Episode 46 - Cinderella (2015)

    It's 2015. Franchises rule the box office. Disney, a powerhouse studio for decades, is in the middle of its current run of live-action remakes. This year's movie, Cinderella, is directed by Kenneth Branagh, known for his Shakespearean adaptations and portrayal of Hercule Poirot. The story itself is nothing new, but Branagh presents it with lavishly and directly, making it one of the best-reviewed of the modern remakes. What Cinderella offers casual movie fans who have always meant to watch classic movies: gorgeous costumes and sets; solid, traditional storytelling; a sincere, admirable heroine; and, arguably, everything one wants, and nothing one doesn't, in a Cinderella movie. Show Notes

    52 min

  3. 11/14/2025

    Episode 45 - King Kong (2005)

    It's 2005. Peter Jackson, director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, follows that triumph by remaking one of his favorite movies--King Kong. By taking the original, iconic 1933 film and expanding it with his own knack for special effects and epic-length storytelling, Jackson creates a version that, as critic Roger Ebert says, "is like the flowering of all the possibilities in the original classic film.” What King Kong offers casual movie fans who have always meant to watch classic movies: more of everything the original film contained; three tonally distinct stories (drama, action, and disaster); a timeless 1930s setup; and one intense giant-ape-vs-three-T-rexes battle scene. Show Notes

    47 min

  4. 11/07/2025

    Episode 44 - Jumanji (1995)

    It's 1995. Combining the blockbuster era with CGI creates the opportunity for all sorts of movies--including ones with jungle creatures rampaging through city streets. Director Joe Johnston, who started his Hollywood career designing spaceships for Star Wars, utilizes computer and practical effects to bring a malevolent board game to life in Jumanji, starring Robin Williams, Bonnie Hunt, and a young Kirsten Dunst. What Jumanji offers casual movie fans who have always meant to watch classic movies: the more sobering origin of the newer Jumanji movies; Robin Williams playing his patented boy-in-a-man's-body role; a largely effective blend of horror and action; and badly aged monkey CGI. Show Notes

    44 min

  5. 10/31/2025

    Episode 43 - Cocoon (1985)

    It's 1985. The culture is saturated with youth-targeted science fiction and fantasy films. And then there's Cocoon, directed by Ron Howard, a quirky movie featuring three elderly men as protagonists. Aliens disguised as humans are recovering cocoons from the ocean and storing them in the pool of a rented house when the old men discover that the water of the pool rejuvenates them. It's a fountain of youth, but will they share it? And will the aliens let them continue using it? What Cocoon offers casual movie fans who have always meant to watch classic movies: an exploration of life, death, and aging; a gentler, more compassionate portrayal of aliens; a plot that's not quite conventional; and lots of old people. Show Notes

    40 min

  6. 10/24/2025

    Episode 42 - Jaws (1975)

    It's 1975. No one knows it yet, but this is when the Blockbuster Age begins. It starts with a movie called Jaws, directed by an up-and-coming director named Steven Spielberg. If you don't know, Jaws is about a killer shark. It's the reason an entire generation feared going into the water. At the time of its release, it became the highest-grossing film of all time--and also the blueprint for a revolution in the filmmaking business. What Jaws offers casual movie fans who have always meant to watch classic movies: Spielberg's masterful, timeless directing; John William's iconic score; three men alone on the sea; the growing, largely unseen menace of the shark; and ""You're gonna need a bigger boat." Show Notes

    53 min

  7. 10/17/2025

    Episode 41 - Doctor Zhivago (1965)

    It's 1965. Three years previous, director David Lean released his masterpiece Lawrence of Arabia. Now, he returns with another historical epic, exchanging desert vistas for the mountains of Russia and the society of Soviet Revolution-era Moscow. Based on the Nobel Prize-winning novel, Doctor Zhivago follows the titular doctor (and poet) as his life and loves intersect with the violence and utopian dreams of the Bolshevik Revolution. What Doctor Zhivago offers casual movie fans who have always meant to watch classic movies: stunning, wide-screen cinematography; a sweeping epic in a period not often covered by Hollywood; a story of, um, romantic adultery; and a frustratingly opaque protagonist. Show Notes

    50 min

  8. 10/10/2025

    Episode 40 - Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

    It's 1955. It's a time we look back at with nostalgia, thinking it a simpler, more peaceful time. But in one of first important "juvenile delinquent" films, Rebel Without a Cause, director Nicholas Ray and actor James Dean explore teen culture and find that the kids are not all right. Following a little over 24 hours of the lives of Dean's Jim Stark, the disturbed "Plato," and Judy, the bully's girlfriend, the movie shows the search for meaning and mentors that seem to plague a generation of angry, confused, and lost teens. What Rebel Without a Cause offers casual movie fans who have always meant to watch classic movies: the iconic James Dean in that red jacket, a haunting lecture in an observatory, a tragic "Chickie Run," complicated child-parent relationships, and a surprisingly modern look at growing up from 70 years ago. Show Notes

    48 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

A podcast for casual movie fans who have always meant to watch classic movies. Hosts Nick Hayden and Timothy Deal guide you through film history as they highlight one movie from each decade for the last century, exploring how each film sits in its time period, why it's well-known, and whether it's actually worth your time. We're finally getting around to movies we've always heard about. Why don't you join us?

Information

  • Creator
    Derailed Trains of Thought
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    52
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2022 Derailed Trains of Thought
  • Show Website
    Let's Finally Watch This