The Woody Allen Retrospective Podcast

Donald Wunder & James Daniel Walsh

Cinema loving schlubs that discuss, review, critique and debate the finer points of EVERY Woody Allen production. Alternatively, we also talk about other film projects we find has adjacent qualities to Woodys work or writing style - this includes submissions and suggestions from our lovely subscribers and humble listeners

  1. 1d ago

    Woody Adjacent – Emma Thompson, Daryl McCormack, Sophie Hyde & Katy Brand - Good Luck to You, Leo Grande (2022)

    Welcome back ladies and gentlemen to the Woody Allen Retrospective Podcast!   Before we get into this month’s adjacent title, we’ve got quite a bit of podcast business to get through.   Today is pretty much the final episode of what we’d call the second era of the show, well, aside from next month where we will be discussing the latest Woody Allen book - that will TRULY be the final part of the second era of the show.   The first era was the early years with Simon, when we were still figuring out the format, the editing, using the very ugly Microsoft paint looking artwork and, quite frankly, we were still figuring out what the podcast even actually was doing long term.   This second era has been the James Daniel Walsh years, where the show found a new rhythm and started the Woody Adjacent Project.   ...and now we’re getting ready for the third and final act of the podcast.   From October we begin the Woody Allen RE-retrospective, where we’ll be going back through every single Allen film or off cut odd special release ala non woody directed movie etc   We will be hitting you with fresh conversations, improved production and everything we’ve learned from doing this podcast for so many years.   Then, when that final retrospective is complete, that will bring this podcast itself to a fitting end.   The podcast feed will still be active but myself and james will likely be starting a new podcast about film and television (to be decided later)   We really want to make this last run of the show the best version the podcast it possibly can be.   As part of the new final era, we’ve got brand-new podcast artwork, a dedicated YouTube channel, a new email address and a number of other updates coming as we freshen everything up for the road ahead.   Today, we also explain why August is going to work a little differently moving forward.   August is always a hectic month for me personally, with family birthdays, holidays and a lot of podcast admin happening behind the scenes, so moving forward, August will essentially become our annual pre-recorded month.   There will still be an episode in August, but it may be a solo recording by me Don, something James and I have cobbled in advance, or a different type of episode that gives us the space to work on anything else woody related - at the very least it will be a Q&A episode / AMA type episode.. we’ll figure it out later   Putting all that aside.. we also make a small request to our listeners.   James has been using the same microphone for around ten years, going all the way back to outside work he was doing on his manic expression animated movie,   Before we begin the final retrospective go around I would really love to upgrade his audio gear.   The microphone I’ve picked out for him is the Elgato Wave 3, which should give him a substantial improvement in sound quality and help us make this final run through on Woody’s filmography sound as professional as possible.   This request is not aimed at our existing Patreon supporters, who already do a great deal for the podcast and have our genuine thanks. This is simply an opportunity for anyone else who enjoys the show and has ever wanted to support us directly help out.   Whether that means making a small one-off contribution, becoming a new Patreon or even donating suitable equipment to us directly, every bit of support would help us get James the updated microphone he deserves.   ==========================================================   James also shares some very exciting news of his own.   He has already begun an ambitious fifteen-month rollout of new creative work, with fresh material being released every single week and, at times, several releases within the same week.   By the time this episode reaches you, his stories Bloodshot, The Last Spike and Faded should all be available through Amazon, alongside his original song Constellation, which can be watched for free on the Manic Expression YouTube channel.   other links to James’s work, the microphone fund and the various ways to contact or support us will be included below.   SUPPORT JAMES HERE    >>>>>>>>>>>    https://linktr.ee/manicexpression1980   ==================================================   That all said, we now return to the Woody Allen Adjacent Project with a listener-requested film that we’ve wanted to discuss for quite some time :)   Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is the 2022 comedy-drama directed by Sophie Hyde, written by Katy Brand and starring Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack.   The film follows Nancy Stokes, a retired teacher and widow who decides that there are certain experiences she has missed during her life and may finally be ready to pursue.   What follows is an intimate, largely two-person film built around a series of meetings between Nancy and Leo Grande   In this sex dramadey we consider the strengths of contained, dialogue-driven films, the natural chemistry between the two leads, and the question at the heart of every episode in this series: What exactly makes thisWoody Allen adjacent?   Thank you, as always, for reading, listening, supporting the show and joining us as we prepare to enter the third and final era of the Woody Allen Retrospective Podcast.   That was one hell of a long read aye :P - we really do hope you have a great rest of your summer!   ==================================================   For full cast details, user reviews, and more background on the film, check out:   📌 Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Luck_to_You,_Leo_Grande   📌 IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13352968/   📌 Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/good_luck_to_you_leo_grande   ===============================================================   A VERY Special Thanks to The Woody Allen Pages Website & The Woody Allen Subreddit for their continued support and info — check them out for the latest from the Woody Allen fan community!   https://www.woodyallenpages.com & https://www.reddit.com/r/woodyallen   PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT on this or any other episode using our comment section video link here >>> https://bit.ly/warpcom   If you like the show, please consider buying us a coffee / giving us a tip via our Patreon campaign >>> https://www.patreon.com/woodyretro   Thanks for listening as always! We would also LOVE a review on iTunes or a 5-star rating via Spotify or whichever podcast platform you are listening on.   Please find all our connected links below: https://linktr.ee/woodyretro

  2. Jun 29

    Woody Adjacent – Stanley Tucci, Oliver Platt & Alfred Molina – The Impostors (1998)

    Welcome back to the Woody Allen Retrospective Podcast for another episode of Woody Allen Adjacent!   As we get ever closer to the re-retrospective coming this October 2026 we carry our Adjacent series and this month it’s James’s pick he’s chosen Stanley Tucci’s possibly overlooked 1998 comedy The Impostors—a loving homage to the golden age of slapstick, screwball comedies, and classic double acts like Laurel & Hardy and the Marx Brothers.   Packed with an incredible ensemble cast including Oliver Platt, Alfred Molina, Steve Buscemi, Tony Shalhoub, Lili Taylor, Isabella Rossellini, Billy Connolly and even a brief appearance from Woody Allen himself, this is one of those films that has quietly built a passionate cult following over the years… while leaving plenty of other viewers completely baffled.   Along the way, Don discovers that he may never have truly understood what defines a farce until finally sitting down with this film, while James makes the case that Hollywood simply doesn’t take creative swings like this anymore. Whether The Impostors is a forgotten comedy gem or an ambitious experiment that doesn’t quite come together… it certainly gave us plenty to talk about.   Thanks as always for listening!   ==========================================================   Links mentioned in this episode:   James Content Rollout Announcement Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEFovWooMuA   Stanley Tucci’s The Impostors (1998) Interview - https://freshairarchive.org/segments/actor-director-and-writer-stanley-tucci-imposters   ==================================================   For full cast details, user reviews, and more background on the film, check out:   📌 Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Impostors   📌 IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120823/?ref_=tturv_ov_i   📌 Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1085404-impostors   ___________________________________________   A VERY Special Thanks to The Woody Allen Pages Website & The Woody Allen Subreddit for their continued support and info — check them out for the latest from the Woody Allen fan community!   https://www.woodyallenpages.com & https://www.reddit.com/r/woodyallen   PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT on this or any other episode using our comment section video link here >>> https://bit.ly/warpcom   If you like the show, please consider buying us a coffee / giving us a tip via our Patreon campaign >>> https://www.patreon.com/woodyretro   Thanks for listening as always! We would also LOVE a review on iTunes or a 5-star rating via Spotify or whichever podcast platform you are listening on.   Please find all our connected links below: https://linktr.ee/woodyretro

  3. May 28

    Woody Adjacent – Kristen Bell, Kelsey Grammer & Lauren Miller Rogen – Like Father (2018)

    Welcome back to the Woody Allen Retrospective Podcast for another episode of Woody Allen Adjacent!   James actually kicks things off this month with a long overdue announcement regarding one of his major personal projects — something we know some listeners will be very interested in hearing about, while others may understandably just want to jump straight into the film discussion itself.   So for those purely here for the Woody Adjacent conversation, feel free to skip ahead to:   ⏩ 20 minutes, 02 seconds   Down the line, James and I will likely do separate discussion episodes covering some of our future non-Woody creative projects and ideas in a bit more detail.   As always, we genuinely appreciate the continued support — whether that’s for the podcast itself, our side projects, or simply just taking the time to listen in the first place.   Anyway…   This time around, we head back into the AI recommendation list — that ongoing collection of Woody-esque films selected and defended by our ever-persistent podcast AI assistant. So far we’ve tackled quite a few picks from the list already, and now it was time for the AI to throw another one onto the table…   This episode’s choice: Like Father (2018), directed by Lauren Miller Rogen and starring Kristen Bell, Kelsey Grammer, and Seth Rogen.   What initially presents itself as a glossy Netflix dramedy about a workaholic woman reconnecting with her estranged father during an accidental cruise vacation slowly reveals itself to be something a little more reflective underneath — a film about emotional inheritance, loneliness, career obsession, disappointment, forgiveness, and the uncomfortable realization that sometimes we slowly become the very people we spent years resenting.   Naturally, this led us into a surprisingly thoughtful discussion about late-period Woody Allen comparisons while at the same time enjoying the Ai'\s justification for choosing this film as an adjacent pick. It’s fun to give artificial intelligence a chance to make its own case.. particularly when it fails miserably in the process :P    We're not saying that happned on this episode... or are we?   ______________________________________________________   For full cast details, user reviews, and more background on the film, check out:   📌 Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Like_Father_(film)   📌 IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7170950/   📌 Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/like_father_2018   ___________________________________________   A VERY Special Thanks to The Woody Allen Pages Website & The Woody Allen Subreddit for their continued support and info — check them out for the latest from the Woody Allen fan community!   https://www.woodyallenpages.com & https://www.reddit.com/r/woodyallen   PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT on this or any other episode using our comment section video link here >>> https://bit.ly/warpcom   If you like the show, please consider buying us a coffee / giving us a tip via our Patreon campaign >>> https://www.patreon.com/woodyretro   Thanks for listening as always! We would also LOVE a review on iTunes or a 5-star rating via Spotify or whichever podcast platform you are listening on.   Please find all our connected links below: https://linktr.ee/woodyretro

  4. Apr 29

    Woody Adjacent - Diane Keaton, Meg Ryan & Lisa Kudrow - Hanging Up (2000)

    Welcome back everybody to another episode of Woody Allen Adjacent!   Apologies first of all for the audio quality of our mics today. We had some uncontrollable peaking issues that i (Don) tried to fix in post - which helped alot but our mics on this episode do sound a bit tinny - maybe its just to my ears.. but i thought i would mention it off the top!    Regardless of that.. on this episode, we decided (as promised) to go back to our beloved actress and famed Woody Alumni Diane Keaton who passed away just over 6 months ago from the posting of this recording.    We continue to look at her few film directing efforts.. and this was actually her last movie directing gig. With a star studded cast.. and honestly good dramatic material to bring to adapt to screen.   unfortunately.. this one was panned by both critics and audiences.. and this turned out to be an.. interesting experience we just have to be brutally honest about..   It is an interesting one to say very least - Diane Keaton.. you are still.. and will ALWAYS be missed.   Thanks for listening as always, if you find time - please like, share and review the show on whatever platform you access this podcast from.     ================================================================   For full cast details, user reviews, and more background on the film, check out:   📌 Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanging_Up   📌 IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0162983/   📌 Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/hanging_up   =================================================================   A VERY Special Thanks to The Woody Allen Pages Website & The Woody Allen Subreddit for their continued support and info - check them out for the latest from the Woody Allen Fan Community!   https://www.woodyallenpages.com & https://www.reddit.com/r/woodyallen   PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT on this or any other episode using our comment section video link here >>> https://bit.ly/warpcom   If you like the show, please consider buying us a coffee / giving us a tip via our Patreon campaign >>> https://www.patreon.com/woodyretro   Thanks for listening as always! We would also LOVE a review on iTunes or a 5-star rating via Spotify or whichever podcast platform you are listening on. Please find all our connected links below: https://linktr.ee/woodyretro

    Woody Adjacent - Diane Keaton, Meg Ryan & Lisa Kudrow - Hanging Up (2000)
  5. Mar 28

    Woody Adjacent - Bill Murray, Richard Dreyfuss & Frank Oz - What About Bob (1991)

    Welcome back to another episode of Woody Allen Adjacent, right here on the Woody Allen Retrospective Podcast.   This time around, we kick things off with a bit of Oscar 2026 talk - because, of course, we couldn’t resist. Our good old boy Timmy C finds himself in a little bit of trouble, which we have some fun unpacking before getting into the main feature...   For this month’s Adjacent pick, James brings us a very special one: the 1991 comedy What About Bob? starring Bill Murray - an actor we wished had crossed paths with Woody Allen on screen.   Admittedly,  in the editing process for this episode, i (Don) wondered if we might’ve leaned into the nitpicking just a little bit too much :P … but honestly, that’s part of the fun of doing a movie podcast no?   All in all, it’s a lively episode, and a good one to revisit or discover for the first time!   Next month, we’ve got a special follow up - something we promised last year for a beloved actor   Thanks as always for listening and supporting the show - we know y'all are just as excited as we are to tackle Woodys filmography again - remember, that starts this October 2026!   ================================================================   For full cast details, user reviews, and more background on the film, check out:   📌 Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_About_Bob%3F   📌 IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103241/   📌 Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/what_about_bob   ================================================================   Hats Off Ent. WAB Video - https://youtu.be/hqvQwgGf0Gs?si=vhzk3S4WzoqBPotv   =================================================================   A VERY Special Thanks to The Woody Allen Pages Website & The Woody Allen Subreddit for their continued support and info - check them out for the latest from the Woody Allen Fan Community!   https://www.woodyallenpages.com & https://www.reddit.com/r/woodyallen   PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT on this or any other episode using our comment section video link here >>> https://bit.ly/warpcom   If you like the show, please consider buying us a coffee / giving us a tip via our Patreon campaign >>> https://www.patreon.com/woodyretro   Thanks for listening as always! We would also LOVE a review on iTunes or a 5-star rating via Spotify or whichever podcast platform you are listening on. Please find all our connected links below: https://linktr.ee/woodyretro

    Woody Adjacent - Bill Murray, Richard Dreyfuss & Frank Oz - What About Bob (1991)
  6. Feb 26

    Woody Adjacent - Zoey Deutch, Jonah Hauer-King & Ruby Cruz -The Threesome (2025)

    Welcome back everybody, to the Woody Allen Retrospective Podcast for another episode of ADJACENT!   Today’s episode came together in a really interesting way. It was sparked by an email we received from one of our listeners nearly a year ago...   An email Donald has actually been holding onto for quite some time, waiting for the right film to land in his lap so we could properly unpack it... That moment has now arrived!   This week, we’re diving into a movie that opens up a broader conversation - not just about the film itself, but about this particular sub-genre, that being.. the way pregnancy is handled as a devloping narrative on TV and Film   and sometimes.. when researching an episode, we stumble across some wild real-life events that later became movies in their own right - Yup.. its all related and brings things full circle   Thank you as always for listening - a special thank you to all of our patrons and community supporters.   ================================================================   For full cast details, user reviews, and more background on the film, check out:   📌 Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Threesome   📌 IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21187592/?ref_=ttnw_ov_i   📌 Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_threesome   ================================================================   The Pregnancy Pact News Story: Pact - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fvcJ0cnCV8&pp=ygUXdGhlIHByZWduYW5jeSBwYWN0IG5ld3M%3D   =================================================================   A VERY Special Thanks to The Woody Allen Pages Website & The Woody Allen Subreddit for their continued support and info - check them out for the latest from the Woody Allen Fan Community!   https://www.woodyallenpages.com & https://www.reddit.com/r/woodyallen   PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT on this or any other episode using our comment section video link here >>> https://bit.ly/warpcom   If you like the show, please consider buying us a coffee / giving us a tip via our Patreon campaign >>> https://www.patreon.com/woodyretro   Thanks for listening as always! We would also LOVE a review on iTunes or a 5-star rating via Spotify or whichever podcast platform you are listening on. Please find all our connected links below: https://linktr.ee/woodyretro

    Woody Adjacent - Zoey Deutch, Jonah Hauer-King & Ruby Cruz -The Threesome (2025)
  7. Jan 29

    Woody Adjacent - Jim Carrey, Ed Harris & Peter Weir - The Truman Show (1998)

    Welcome everybody, to 2026, here at the Woody Allen Retrospective Podcast we are very excited to start the year off with a HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT!   Well.. this announcement is actually something our listeners have been asking for pretty vocally in recent years.. and after much dilberation and calculation.. it actually makes a crazy kind of sense   WHAT THE HELL ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?!?!.. lol   Well… I am happy and a bit overwhelmed to let you all know that Myself (Don) and James Daniel Walsh are planning a RE-RETROSPECTIVE look at Woody Allens entire Filmography… yup it’s hapeening!   Well… its happening in October 2026 to be precise… why such a long wait.. well, there is a bit of prep work that is involved this time around, including creating a new YouTube channel and maybe even getting a fellow collaborator involved – its exciting on one hand and a bit stressful on the other.   Let’s leave it at that for now.. more updates will follow as things develop  we do hope you are happy with this announcement though!   Anyhow… putting that aside FOR NOW.. another year.. another adjacent episode ahoy!     Todays adjacent pick is from James and it is one we have put off for a few months due to one thing or another.. well, todays the day for us to talk about: The Truman Show (1998)   ================================================================   For full cast details, user reviews, and more background on the film, check out:   📌 Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Truman_Show   📌 IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120382/   📌 Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/truman_show   =================================================================   A VERY Special Thanks to The Woody Allen Pages Website & The Woody Allen Subreddit for their continued support and info - check them out for the latest from the Woody Allen Fan Community!   https://www.woodyallenpages.com & https://www.reddit.com/r/woodyallen   PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT on this or any other episode using our comment section video link here >>> https://bit.ly/warpcom   If you like the show, please consider buying us a coffee / giving us a tip via our Patreon campaign >>> https://www.patreon.com/woodyretro   Thanks for listening as always! We would also LOVE a review on iTunes or a 5-star rating via Spotify or whichever podcast platform you are listening on. Please find all our connected links below: https://linktr.ee/woodyretro

    Woody Adjacent - Jim Carrey, Ed Harris & Peter Weir - The Truman Show (1998)
  8. 11/24/2025

    Not Woody Actually 06: Diane Keaton - The World Without Annie Hall - A Tribute

    In this special episode, Don and James take a heartfelt pause to honour the life and legacy of the incomparable legend that is… was… Diane Keaton (1946–2025).   This outstanding actress, creative force, and undeniable muse to Woody Allen was one of the most charming and lovable souls ever to grace the world of acting - let alone walk the halls of Hollywood with her unmistakable wit, presence, style and charisma.   Her passing was truly shocking and deeply sad… and even though a few weeks have now gone by, we still feel the void left by her absence.   It was fascinating revisiting all the projects Diane created outside of her work with Woody.. and in this episode, our trusty AI Assistant also jumps in to deliver a thoughtful tribute, spotlighting her lesser-known pursuits as a photographer, director, author, and style icon.   Honestly, we could have spoken about her for hours… but we tried to keep this episode concise, knowing we’ll certainly be returning for future Diane-focused discussions. Stay tuned for that!   For now, we simply say: Rest in peace, Diane Keaton. You will be sorely missed. XXX   Please check out the related links below for everything we discussed on this episode, as well as additional materials we think you’ll enjoy.   _____________________________________________   This Cool Ai Time Lapse of Diane Keatons life!   E! Hollywood DK Tribute Video   The 'Heaven' Documentary (1987)   David Letterman Heaven / Hell Interview   A Charmingly Chaotic Interview On "The Colbert Report"   Keanu Reeves Recalls Diane Keaton's "Extraordinary, Unique" Acting Style   ___________________________________________   A VERY Special Thanks to The Woody Allen Pages Website & The Woody Allen Subreddit for their continued support and info - check them out for the latest from the Woody Allen Fan Community!   https://www.woodyallenpages.com & https://www.reddit.com/r/woodyallen   PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT on this or any other episode using our comment section video link here >>> https://bit.ly/warpcom   If you like the show, please consider buying us a coffee / giving us a tip via our Patreon campaign >>> https://www.patreon.com/woodyretro   Thanks for listening as always! We would also LOVE a review on iTunes or a 5-star rating via Spotify or whichever podcast platform you are listening on. Please find all our connected links below: https://linktr.ee/woodyretro

    Not Woody Actually 06: Diane Keaton - The World Without Annie Hall - A Tribute
3.7
out of 5
35 Ratings

About

Cinema loving schlubs that discuss, review, critique and debate the finer points of EVERY Woody Allen production. Alternatively, we also talk about other film projects we find has adjacent qualities to Woodys work or writing style - this includes submissions and suggestions from our lovely subscribers and humble listeners