May 7

Episode 61: Interview with Nicole Alyse Nelson

On the sixty- first episode of All the Film Things, I had the pleasure of interviewing actress Nicole Alyse Nelson! Nicole Alyse Nelson has been working in the industry, both behind and in front of the camera, for over a decade now. Upon moving to LA, she quickly began working on sets in various roles behind the scenes from doing script coverage to being production assistant and a boom operator. Nicole has appeared in films such as Love and Baseball and Deadly Daughter Switch as well as television shows including Glow and Swedish Dicks. Nicole’s first major role was as Dayton Reyes, the ride- or- die best friend to the titular character, on the Nickelodeon show I Am Frankie from 2017 to 2018, which continues to be beloved and regarded as underrated on the famous network. Nicole’s recent project in which she plays Vagianna, the youngest of the three sisters, earned eight awards, including the Audience Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. The acclaimed short went on to be nominated for Best Live Action Short at the Academy Awards this past March. Nicole's latest project "Jane Austen's Period Drama", in which she plays the youngest of three sisters Vagianna, earned eight awards, including the Audience Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. The acclaimed short went on to be nominated for Best Live Action Short at the Academy Awards this past March. You can watch this hilariously clever short now on YouTube by clicking here! Also, keep up with Nicole by following her on Instagram @TheNicoleNelson! In this episode, Nicole shares insight into her acting process, the challenges she's faced while transitioning into adult roles after starring on a Nickelodeon show, and how the dress she wore to the Oscars was unintentionally aligned with "Jane Austen's Period Drama". All this and much more on the latest episode of All the Film Things! Background music created and used with permission by the Copyright Free Music - Background Music for Videos channel on YouTube.

1h 18m

Apr 22

Episode 60: Interview with Monique Madrid

On the sixtieth episode of All the Film Things, I had the pleasure of interviewing festival organizer Monique Madrid! Monique Madrid, who some of us regard as “the queen of Jacksonville”, is an integral figure in the city as the visionary behind the LOL Jax Film Festival. Her involvement in film began with working behind and in front of the screen on films made by the Jacksonville- based production company Argylle Forest Films. She has been an editor and producer for their previously released shorts such as “The Real Housemonsters of Florida”, their upcoming debut feature Let Me Be Corey as well as worked on other films made by Jax filmmakers such as “Extreme” and “Mandy’s Voice”. Alongside her husband and previous ATFT guest Adam Madrid, she is the co- city producer for the 48 hour film project in Jacksonville and co- founder of the LOL JAX Film Festival, which has been named the “Best Film Festival” in Folio Weekly’s Folio 500 for eight years in a row. In 2021, Monique was included in Jacksonville Business Journal’s 40 under 40 and, two years later, the journal named Monique as one of the “Women of Influence” in the city. Aside from her work in film, she works with local organizations and schools including Don’t Miss a Beat, Inc. and Jacksonville Arts and Music School, or JAMS for short. Next month, Monique will be awarded the Small Business of the Year Art Award from the Cultural Council of the Greater Jacksonville in recognition of LOL Jax. The 10th annual LOL JAX Film Festival will be held on August 1 and 2 in downtown Jacksonville and film submissions are officially now being accepted until June 30. LOL stands which stands for both laughing out loud and loving our locals, is a celebration of artists and small local businesses. Be sure to go to LOLJax.com to learn more about how to submit your film and take a look at festival highlights from previous years. Tickets are not yet available for purchase, but follow LOL Jax on Facebook and Instagram to stay updated on when ticket purchases are live and all things LOL Jax! This festival sells out fast so you don’t want to wait to get your tickets! This is Monique’s first appearance on ATFT! After knowing her husband Adam and hearing nothing but the loveliest remarks about her for nearly two years, I finally met Monique this past August at a Women in Film and Television (WIFT) event! I was so excited to finally meet her and, just as we were all leaving, I told her that I’d love to interview her. I have always admired her, not only because of her incredible accomplishments, but to see what she has done for the city of Jacksonville is deeply admirable and inspiring. This interview was the first time she and I really conversed and my already high expectations of her were somehow exceeded. I am blown away by Monique and this interview is undoubtedly one of the very best interviews on ATFT yet. This episode was recorded on April 2, 2026. In this episode, Monique shares her road to discovering which role she wanted to pursue in film, remaining connected to loved ones who have passed on through cinema, and why this year’s LOL Jax Film Festival was almost the last. She also reveals which 2025 film she has already seen about 15 times, one of her favorite travel activities, and shares high remarks about three previous ATFT guests. All this and much more on the latest episode of All the Film Things! Background music created and used with permission by the Copyright Free Music - Background Music for Videos channel on YouTube.

1h 46m

Apr 10

Episode 59: All the President's Men with Izzy Dondero and Franklin Ritch

All the Film Things is BACK after a short break! On the fifty- ninth episode, production designer Izzy Dondero and filmmaker Franklin Ritch join me in analyzing Alan J. Pakula’s 1976 biographical political thriller masterpiece, All the President’s Men, to celebrate the film’s 50th anniversary this month! This episode is explicit and spoiler- filled. All the President’s Men is without a doubt one of the most significant films in American cinema for many reasons from the story at the center to being really the first film about journalism. The film, which is essentially a reenactment, follows The Washington Post journalists Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) slowly uncover the infamous story of Watergate scandal that led to the first and only resignation of a US president. This slow burn paranoid thriller is the final film in Alan J. Pakula’s paranoid trilogy and, considering the film ends, the paranoia is deeply felt within the audience. All the President's Men, which is based on the book of the same title by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, was published just two years before this film was released. Robert Redford secured the rights to the book before Woodward and Bernstein were even finished writing it because he was fascinated in what they were uncovering, and, even more so, in the two very different journalists who had trouble getting along in bringing this story to light. All the President's Men went on to win four out of the eight Academy Awards the film was nominated for, including Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Jason Robards' portrayal of Ben Bradlee. What speaks to the film's legacy more than its Oscar wins is that this film, this now legendary story of Woodward and Bernstein, inspired a generation to become journalists which has surely continued to this day. This is Franklin’s third and Izzy’s first time on the podcast! I interviewed Franklin in December 2024 (see Episode 34) and, last fall, he joined our friend Emma Catharine and I in discussing another 70s classic, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (check out Episode 50). I became friends with Franklin over two years ago and Izzy about a year ago at Film Bar but the two of them have been friends and collaborators for a decade now. All the President’s Men is a longtime favorite of Franklin’s as well while this was Izzy’s first time watching the film. It’s evident in our discussion, and audibly through our voices, we all are very passionate about this film. That passion is audible but, unfortunately, Franklin's audio had some technical difficulties so he sounds a little quieter than usual. This episode was recorded on March 19, 2026. Just this past weekend on April 4, Izzy produced ExHiBiT JAX where four Jacksonville writers, including Franklin, brought their short plays to the stage! It was a big success as the “one- time only” showing shortly became sold out so another earlier showing was added! You’ll have to stay tuned if they’ll make ExHiBiT JAX a series by following @exhibitjax on Instagram but, in the meantime, Izzy is also producing a production of The Sound of Music in St. Augustine! Auditions for every role will be held in person on April 25 but self- tapes can be submitted. Go to Limelight-Theatre.org for more details! In this episode, Izzy, Franklin, and I talk about what All the President’s Men is like to watch decades removed from the events depicted in the film, the peculiar prominent prop in Woodward’s apartment, the surprising number of humorous moments, and how journalism has changed in 50 years! All this and much more on the latest episode of All the Film Things! Background music created and used with permission by the Copyright Free Music - Background Music for Videos channel on YouTube.

1h 37m

Mar 5

Episode 58: 2026 Oscars Special with Emma Catharine, Taylor Donaldson, and Cole Echevarria

The Oscars are almost here! On the fifty- eighth episode of ATFT, my friends filmmaker Emma Catharine, movie lover Taylor Donaldson, and Emmy- winning photojournalist Cole Echevarria join this year’s panel to discuss the Oscar nominated films and share our predicted winners! This episode is explicit and spoiler- filled. As Cole and I discussed in the “2025 in Film” episode, this past year has been a solid, diverse year for cinema and that is very much reflected in the Academy Award nominees. This year’s awards season has largely been excitingly unpredictable, making the Oscar’s more highly anticipated than usual. The four of us share many of the same favorite 2025 films such as Hamnet, One Battle After Another, and Sinners. The latter, which reunited one of the best actor- director collaborators of our time (Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler), has already made history as the most nominated film in Oscars history. There were several actors who became first time nominees from Renate Reinsve to Teyana Taylor to Delroy Lindo. It’s a competitive year with so many great films and artists nominated. But there is one particular film and actor that we find overrated and it becomes a continuous topic of discussion… but you’ll have to listen to the episode to find out about what we’re talking about. This is the fourth annual Oscars special! Cole has been a part of this big episode all four years and this episode marks his 21st appearance on the All the Film Things! Since the Oscars is the “Super Bowl for film fans”, this episode was aimed to be more of a Sports Center/ panelist format. This is the first time Emma and Taylor have joined the Oscars special panel, making this Emma’s second appearance on the show and Taylor’s fifth! Emma joined our friend filmmaker Franklin Ritch and I for an analytical discussion on One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest this past September while Taylor hasn’t been on the podcast since the 1999 in Film episode, which was released a year and a half ago. This episode was recorded on February 17, 2026. It was originally 2 hours and 45 minutes so it really had to be trimmed down and, sadly, some hilarious moments, were left on the cutting room floor. After a sold out Cirque de Mort show in October, Emma will soon be performing in another aerial showcase for Jax Beach Aerial Arts this May! This spring showcase is in development so there will be more information to come! I’ll be sure to post about it on the All the Films Things Instagram but follow Emma on Instagram to stay updated! Taylor, who is based in North Carolina, is currently looking for a new job! Though she has a degree in film and experience in film production, she is very open to working in other industries. After working with her on a few projects, I can attest she is wonderful, hard- working, and easy to work with! Reach out to her on LinkedIn about potential job opportunities! In this episode, Cole, Taylor, Emma, and I go through each category sharing our thoughts on what should win and what will likely win, according to Gold Derby and Cole’s new favorite writer Scott Fineberg from The Hollywood Reporter. Cole, who continuously brings up Fineberg, shared great insight about the documentaries nominated this year. He also has a short rant about a film that shouldn’t have been nominated for Best Visual Effects. Cole and I's banter nearly hits our peak in this episode, partly because of those two reasons. Taylor reveals which Oscar- nominated actor bothers her, Emma shares her least favorite Safdie brother and I once again champion my favorite actor who has a chance at earning his second Oscar this year. All this and much more on this new episode of All the Film Things! ATFT Announcement!: All the Film Things will be back on April 8! Stay updated by following @all.the.film.things on Instagram! Music by https://www.free-stock-music.com

2 hr

Feb 11

Episode 57: Interview with Kim Krizan

On the fifty- seventh episode of All the Film Things, I had the pleasure of interviewing Oscar- nominated writer Kim Krizan! Kim Krizan is a California- based Oscar- nominated writer whose work thirty years ago has remained popular and continued to resonate deeply amongst audiences across generations. Her master’s thesis on Anaïs Nin piqued Richard Linklater’s interest whilst she auditioned for his film Slacker (1992). After that, the two became frequent collaborators in the 90s and 2000s. Not only did Kim star in Dazed and Confused (1993), she co- wrote Before Sunrise (1995) with Linklater and co- created the story of Before Sunset (2004), which earned her an Oscar nomination. Her creative writing expands beyond film as she has also written a comic book and two books, including Original Sins: Trade Secrets of the Femme Fatale which you could purchase by clicking here. Aside from her work on and for the big screen, Kim has been teaching creative writing around the world and at California colleges. For the past five years, Kim has brought her creative writing lectures to Patreon through her channel “The Magic Hour”. “The Magic Hour” is a virtual writing class accessible to people around the world who want to gain the inspiration to write and tell original stories. Some of the collections offered include analyzing films, personal exploration, and solving writing problems. Go to Patreon.com/KimKrizan to subscribe to “The Magic Hour” and unlock lessons that will inspire and improve your creative writing as well as attend occasional live sessions to get advice in real time from Kim. Both monthly and annual subscriptions are offered or you can purchase specific collections at various prices. This is Kim’s first time on ATFT! I reached out to her a few months ago and had been looking forward to this interview ever since! Both Before Sunrise and Before Sunset are two of my favorite films and, when I started preparing for the interview, the clearer it was how much of her voice is in the script. To have had the opportunity to chat with Kim will remain a true highlight and she was somehow even lovelier than I expected her to be! This episode was recorded on January 22, 2026. I wanted to ensure I could make this a good interview in the short amount of time we had so if I sound more nervous than usual, that is why. In this episode, Kim shares her passion for cinema from the silent era to foreign art films. Kim also talks about writing the Before Sunrise script with Richard Linklater in less than a month, how much the earrings she wore to the Oscars cost, and why she wasn’t involved in the making of Before Midnight. All this and much more on the latest episode of All the Film Things! Background music created and used with permission by the Copyright Free Music - Background Music for Videos channel on YouTube.

47 min

Jan 28

Episode 56: Top 10 Films of the 2020s (so far) with Kwestin Fisher

On the fifty- sixth episode of All the Film Things, film pundit Kwestin Fisher joins me in discussing our top ten films of the 2020s (so far)! This episode is explicit. Now that it’s January 2026, we are officially in the second half of the 2020s… if you can believe it! There have been a plethora of excellent films released in the past five years and, as we look to what’ll be hitting theaters this year, the second half of the 2020s will surely be bright for cinema. After reflecting on solely 2025 in the previous episode, I thought it would be fun to reflect on the 2020s as a whole as sort of a companion piece to that latest episode. This is Kwestin’s first time on the show! It’s hard to believe this is Kwest’s ATFT debut considering how long we’ve been trying to record an episode together. We’ve known each other for about four years now as we both were interns on the social media app formerly called Relevnt. We’ve stayed in contact ever since, most always discussing film. Because of our schedules and living in different time zones, it’s tough to set a time to record an episode together. Thankfully we were able to make it work this year and I’m thrilled to finally have him on the podcast! This episode was recorded on January 10, 2026. Kwest is the face and founder of Fish Flicks Entertainment where he talks about film, television, and pro wrestling. He is an excellent movie critic who really goes to see all the movies (well… all except Sentimental Value 😂) and doesn’t hold back in giving his honest opinion. He’s been consistent for years covering topical stories in film, sharing both movie and television reviews, out of theater reaction reels, and interviews on his social media accounts including Fish Flicks Entertainment on YouTube so all you movie fans will definitely want to follow him across all platforms! In October, he interviewed stars, including Lil Red Howery, on the Micheaux Film Festival red carpet! Earlier this month, Kwest launched a weekly show called FishReel that can be found on his YouTube channel! It’s an exciting expansion of Fish Flicks so be sure to follow @FishFlicksEnt on YouTube as well as on Instagram, Tik Tok, and Twitter/ X! You can find links to all things Fish Flicks by clicking here! In this episode, Kwest and I begin by discussing how the 2020s are shaping up as a decade in film before sharing our own top 10 lists. Kwest’s list is filled with blockbuster favorites including a few superhero movies that led him to recall significant movie theater experiences while my list contains films by some of today’s best filmmakers around the world. Between our lists, we only have one film in common 👀. We go on to discuss the Lily Gladstone- Emma Stone Best Actress Oscar’s race, reminisce about what a great year 2019 was for film, and our shared appreciation for Pedro Almodóvar. Also, Kwest sings a note from the beloved song from Sinners which you won't want to miss. All this and more on the brand new episode of All the Film Things! Background music created and used with permission by the Copyright Free Music - Background Music for Videos channel on YouTube.

1h 33m

Jan 9

Episode 55: 2025 in Film with Cole Echevarria

The first episode of the new year! On the fifty- fifth episode of All the Film Things, Emmy- winning photojournalist Cole Echevarria returns to look back and discuss 2025 in film! This episode is spoiler- filled. The 2025 films spoiled are Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, Bugonia, Caught Stealing, Hamnet, Jay Kelly, and Sinners.. While 2023 continues to set a high bar for the 2020s decade, 2025, in my opinion, was a pretty solid year filled with a fantastic variety of unique, original films and stories. Cole and I disagreed greatly in regard to 2024 in film, but when it comes to 2025… we still disagree. Early in the year, Michael B. Jordan reunited with Ryan Coogler for Sinners, proving that they are one of the best actor- director collaborators of our time while Robert Pattinson's long- awaited sci- fi film directed by Bong Joon- Ho, Mickey 17, finally hit theaters. While several prominent actresses, Scarlett Johansson, Kate Winslet, and Kristen Stewart each made their directorial debuts, Celine Song followed up her directorial debut, Past Lives, with another beautiful film that has endured as a favorite amongst audiences. And the Oscar season officially began with the return of two of the greats, Leonardo DiCaprio and Paul Thomas Anderson, for an epic, hilarious, and action- packed masterpiece beloved by film aficionados and general audiences in One Battle After Another. From then on, several brilliant films such as Sentimental Value, Hamnet, and Jay Kelly instantly became beloved by audiences and Oscar contenders. On previous year in review episodes, the concern of physical media's future was discussed and now, due to recent events, the future of movie theaters has become more grim than ever before. This episode not only marks the 101st (!!) episode of All the Film Things, but also Cole’s 20th appearance on the show! He is far and away the most frequent guest and I’m very grateful for his friendship, banter and all, as well as, of course, being a part of ATFT since the early days in 2022. This is the fourth year in review episode on All the Film Things and I always look forward to these reflective episodes, not only because I get to chat with friends, but also because these episodes will act as sort- of time capsules someday. This episode was originally 130 minutes so much had to be cut, which especially affected the tribute segment, but it was recorded on December 23, 2025. In this episode, Cole and I share our top five favorite films of the year and, much to our surprise since we never agree, we have the same number one pick . Weirdly enough, we have a few of the same films in our top five lists, though my fourth favorite of the year immediately made Cole laugh. We go on to discuss the favorite films of past ATFT guests from K- Pop Demon Hunters to Bugonia, ponder which other movie stars could have played the titular character of Jay Kelly, and pay tribute to the giant stars we lost in 2025 as well as two previous ATFT guests. You also won't want to miss Cole's Bob Dylan impression... because you won't be able to unhear it. All this and much more on the brand new episode of All the Film Things! Background music created and used with permission by the Copyright Free Music - Background Music for Videos channel on YouTube.

1h 35m

12/17/2025

Episode 54: The Apartment with Max Alvarez

Happy holidays! On the fifty- fourth episode of ATFT, film historian/ author/ lecturer Max Alvarez is back to join me in analyzing Billy Wilder’s 1960 comedy- drama masterpiece, The Apartment! This episode is spoiler- filled. The Apartment has been described by many as one of the greatest of all time, film- wise, and is regarded as the peak of Billy Wilder who had been making a string of masterpieces starting with Double Indemnity (1944), which was the focus of the previous episode. The Apartment revolves around C.C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon), a people- pleasing insurance agent, who is taken advantage of by his bosses most nights after work as they occupy his apartment to spend time with their mistresses. All the while, Baxter has a crush on the “best elevator girl in the building” Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine) whose mind is elsewhere, specifically on her married ex, and C.C.’s big boss, Jeff D. Sheldrake (Fred MacMurray). When Sheldrake begins to get in on the action to use Baxter’s apartment to be with Fran, the film takes a dramatic turn on the night before Christmas. The Apartment went on to win five out of the ten Oscar categories, including Best Picture. This is one of my favorite films and it has become a tradition of mine to watch the film on Christmas night, after Fanny and Alexander. Max will be leading a Q&A after a screening of Robert Wise’s 1958 noir film Odds Against Tomorrow at New Plaza Cinema in NYC on Sunday, December 21 at 12:15 pm where he’ll be joined by Dan Cahill and, a special guest, Harry Belefonte’s widow Pamela will be in attendance. Get your tickets now by clicking here! You can also watch previous Talk Back lectures led by Max, including one on The Apartment, on that same website or on the New Plaza Cinema YouTube channel. Max also gives the occasional online lecture at the Smithsonian Institute. His most recent lecture was focused on Burt Lancaster but click here to learn of Max’s upcoming lectures. Before we closed out the episode, Max shared an update on his directorial feature film debut Noirfilm which is expected to be in post- production this Spring! This is Max’s third appearance on ATFT! His most recent appearance was last year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Chinatown with an analytical discussion, but my interview with Max was actually the first wide- released episode of the show! I had been wanting to record another episode with Max this year and I actually asked him to join a prior analytical episode but I was surprised to learn he wasn’t a big fan of the film. With all the technical difficulties this year, this episode came together pretty quickly but I’m thrilled with the result because I believe this is one of the best episodes of the year. I’m thrilled to end another year of All the Film Things by discussing this film I hold so dear with Max. This episode was recorded on December 4, 2025. In this episode, Max and I talk about how The Apartment anticipates the New Hollywood era, the tightrope Wilder walks between comedy and drama, and the significance of setting the film around the holiday season. While Max recounts his experience attending a screening of the film with Billy Wilder, Fred MacMurray, and I.A.L Diamond in attendance, I take any chance I get to boast about Shirley MacLaine’s tremendous performance as Fran Kubelik. All this and much more on the latest episode of All the Film Things! Music credit: Rudolph by Lukrembo | https://soundcloud.com/lukrembo Free To Use | https://freetouse.com/music Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com

1h 19m

All the Film Things

Episode 61: Interview with Nicole Alyse Nelson

Episode 60: Interview with Monique Madrid

Episode 59: All the President's Men with Izzy Dondero and Franklin Ritch

Episode 58: 2026 Oscars Special with Emma Catharine, Taylor Donaldson, and Cole Echevarria

Episode 57: Interview with Kim Krizan

Episode 56: Top 10 Films of the 2020s (so far) with Kwestin Fisher

Episode 55: 2025 in Film with Cole Echevarria

Episode 54: The Apartment with Max Alvarez

Ratings & Reviews

Elizabeth is very passionate about film

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All the Film Things

Episodes

Episode 61: Interview with Nicole Alyse Nelson

Episode 60: Interview with Monique Madrid

Episode 59: All the President's Men with Izzy Dondero and Franklin Ritch

Episode 58: 2026 Oscars Special with Emma Catharine, Taylor Donaldson, and Cole Echevarria

Episode 57: Interview with Kim Krizan

Episode 56: Top 10 Films of the 2020s (so far) with Kwestin Fisher

Episode 55: 2025 in Film with Cole Echevarria

Episode 54: The Apartment with Max Alvarez

Ratings & Reviews

About

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