The Next Reel Film Podcast

TruStory FM
  • 4.7 (87)
  • FILM REVIEWS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

A show about movies and how they connect. We love movies. We’ve been talking about them, one movie a week, since 2011. It’s a lot of movies, that’s true, but we’re passionate about origins and performance, directors and actors, themes and genres, and so much more. So join the community, and let’s hear about your favorite movies, too. When the movie ends, our conversation begins.

  1. Big Eyes

    4H AGO

    Big Eyes

    “Sadly, people don’t buy lady art.” A painter's work becomes the center of a husband's fraudulent claim. We close out the True Lies series with Big Eyes, Tim Burton's biographical drama about artist Margaret Keane, whose distinctive big-eyed waif paintings were claimed by her controlling husband Walter throughout the 1950s and 60s. The story unfolds against mid-century gender dynamics, when women artists faced skepticism in the commercial art world and wives' agency within marriages was culturally constrained—context that shapes Margaret's complicity in the fraud. We argue about Burton's surprisingly bland visual approach and whether his restraint serves or undermines the material. We debate Christoph Waltz's theatrical performance choices—does he fit this grounded domestic coercion story, or is he miscast? We praise Amy Adams for carrying the film with emotional clarity even when the movie around her wavers between genuinely threatening sequences (lit matches through the keyhole) and predictable courtroom comedy. We track how the film works better as Margaret's survivor narrative than as a typical fraud story, and we explore alternative casting scenarios that might have changed the tone entirely. We have a great time talking about it, so check it out then tune in. The Next Reel—when the movie ends, our conversation begins! 🎬 Watch & Discover 🎥 See Our Full Conversation on YouTube🍿 Watch the Film: Apple TV | Amazon | Letterboxd📽️ Original Theatrical TrailerSupport The Next Reel Family of Film Shows: Become a member for just $5/month or $55/yearJoin our Discord community of movie loversThe Next Reel Family of Film Shows: Cinema Scope: Bridging Genres, Subgenres, and MovementsThe Film BoardMovies We LikeThe Next ReelSitting in the DarkConnect With Us: Main Site: WebMovie Platforms: Letterboxd | FlickchartSocial Media: Facebook | Instagram | Threads | Bluesky | YouTube | PinterestYour Hosts: Andy | PeteShop & Stream: Merch Store: Apparel, stickers, mugs & moreWatch Page: Buy/rent films we've discussedOriginals: Source material from our episodesSpecial offers: Audible

    1 hr
  2. Catch Me if You Can • Member Bonus

    5D AGO

    Catch Me if You Can • Member Bonus

    “Sometimes, it’s easier living the lie.” The most audacious con in the story isn't the forgeries—it's the autobiography. Catch Me If You Can, our second member bonus episode in our True Lies series, is Spielberg's crime comedy-drama built on a biography journalist Alan Logan has since largely debunked—which makes the film more fascinating, not less. Set in a 1960s America where a uniform commanded automatic trust, it was Spielberg's first film about a real living person, and he leaned into the parts that felt most personal: fractured families, absent fathers, and the distances between them. We dig into whose story this really is—making a strong case that it's more Spielberg's than Abagnale's—and track the father-son dynamics running through both the Frank/Frank Sr. relationship and the unlikely surrogate bond with Carl Hanratty. We also argue about what makes Christopher Walken's performance so quietly extraordinary, and why the role couldn't have landed the same way with anyone else. The formal elements get serious attention too—Janusz Kamiński's glossy cinematography, John Williams's jazz score, and the Kuntzel + Deygas opening title sequence as a Saul Bass homage that sets the film's entire register before a word of dialogue is spoken. If you've shelved Catch Me If You Can as lighter Spielberg fare, this is the conversation that earns it a second look. We have a great time talking about it, so check it out then tune in. The Next Reel—when the movie ends, our conversation begins! If You Want to Keep Going The Next Reel Tom Hanks series: Pete and Andy have covered a number of films in Tom Hanks's filmography—find the full series hereMore Spielberg on The Next Reel: Browse every Spielberg film the show (and a few others) have covered hereTrue Lies series: Catch Me If You Can is part of the ongoing member bonus series on real people who lied, fabricated, or constructed false identities—explore the full series right here 🎬 Watch & Discover 🍿 Watch the Film: Apple TV | Amazon | Letterboxd📽️ Original Theatrical Trailer📚 Adapted from Catch Me If You Can: The True Story of a Real Fake by Frank W. AbagnaleWant More? This is a member bonus episode! While we'd love your support, you'll love what membership brings: monthly bonus episodes like this one, ad-free listening, early releases, exclusive Discord channels, and voting rights on future member movies. It truly pays to be a member.Ready to join? Visit TruStory FM to learn more about supporting The Next Reel Film Podcast through your own membership.

    11 min
  3. Quiz Show

    FEB 26

    Quiz Show

    “We’re gonna put television on trial.” A celebrated academic steps into a television booth and discovers how easy it is to compromise. We continue the True Lies series with "Quiz Show," Robert Redford's examination of the 1950s scandal when NBC's Twenty-One was exposed for feeding contestants answers. The film captures a moment when quiz shows were pitched as inspiring educational programming while sponsors and executives rigged outcomes behind the scenes. Charles Van Doren came from an intellectual family, making his involvement particularly devastating when a lawyer begins investigating the fraud. We dig into why this is the first film in the series where we genuinely sympathize with the protagonist—Van Doren's descent feels natural rather than desperate, enabled by institutional pressure rather than need. We track the emotional core through four father-son scenes between Charles and Mark Van Doren, examining Paul Scofield's devastating wordless moments. We argue about whether the film lets Van Doren off too easily or whether that discomfort is the point, and we explore how the executives at the top are the real villains, comfortable with lying while lower-level employees take the fall. The iconic isolation booth shot with its dolly-zoom effect becomes a visual metaphor for moral pressure closing in. We have a great time talking about it, so check it out then tune in. The Next Reel—when the movie ends, our conversation begins! 🎬 Watch & Discover 🎥 See Our Full Conversation on YouTube🍿 Watch the Film: Amazon | Letterboxd📽️ Original Theatrical Trailer📚 Adapted from Remembering America: A Voice from the Sixties by Richard N. GoodwinSupport The Next Reel Family of Film Shows: Become a member for just $5/month or $55/yearJoin our Discord community of movie loversThe Next Reel Family of Film Shows: Cinema Scope: Bridging Genres, Subgenres, and MovementsThe Film BoardMovies We LikeThe Next ReelSitting in the DarkConnect With Us: Main Site: WebMovie Platforms: Letterboxd | FlickchartSocial Media: Facebook | Instagram | Threads | Bluesky | YouTube | PinterestYour Hosts: Andy | PeteShop & Stream: Merch Store: Apparel, stickers, mugs & moreWatch Page: Buy/rent films we've discussedOriginals: Source material from our episodesSpecial offers: Audible

    1 hr
  4. The Hoax

    FEB 19

    The Hoax

    “He gave me a prune. Howard Hughes gave me a prune on the beach at Nassau.” A charismatic writer spins an audacious deception at the highest levels of the publishing world. In "The Hoax," part of our True Lies series, we explore Lasse Hallström's examination of the notorious 1971 literary scandal surrounding Howard Hughes' alleged autobiography, featuring compelling performances by Richard Gere and Alfred Molina. We dig into how Gere's layered portrayal captures both Irving's magnetic confidence and psychological unraveling, while tracking the fascinating dynamics between the fraudulent author and the publishing industry's willingness to believe his elaborate lies. The film raises provocative questions about institutional complicity and self-deception, with Molina's grounded performance as Irving's research partner providing crucial moral counterweight. The way the film builds Hughes' presence without directly portraying him creates an atmospheric tension that drives the narrative forward.We have a great time talking about it, so check it out then tune in. The Next Reel—when the movie ends, our conversation begins! 🎬 Watch & Discover 🎥 See Our Full Conversation on YouTube🍿 Watch the Film: Apple TV | Amazon | Letterboxd📽️ Original Theatrical Trailer📚 Adapted from The Hoax by Clifford IrvingSupport The Next Reel Family of Film Shows: Become a member for just $5/month or $55/yearJoin our Discord community of movie loversThe Next Reel Family of Film Shows: Cinema Scope: Bridging Genres, Subgenres, and MovementsThe Film BoardMovies We LikeThe Next ReelSitting in the DarkConnect With Us: Main Site: WebMovie Platforms: Letterboxd | FlickchartSocial Media: Facebook | Instagram | Threads | Bluesky | YouTube | PinterestYour Hosts: Andy | PeteShop & Stream: Merch Store: Apparel, stickers, mugs & moreWatch Page: Buy/rent films we've discussedOriginals: Source material from our episodesSpecial offers: Audible

    59 min
  5. Shattered Glass

    FEB 12

    Shattered Glass

    “Did I do something wrong? Are you mad at me?” Trust is the whole engine—until the details start to wobble. In the True Lies series, we dig into "Shattered Glass," Billy Ray’s newsroom drama about journalism under pressure and the fragile machinery of verification. Along the way, we talk about why the film’s structure can feel like it drops viewers into the “third act,” and how that choice shapes who the audience instinctively follows. We unpack what the movie shows about fact-checking workflows, where trust can quietly replace proof, and why that’s so unnerving to watch. We argue about Hayden Christensen’s performance choices (charming, off-putting, sometimes read as whiny) and why Peter Sarsgaard becomes the film’s steady source of tension. We also get into the online-vs-print friction the story carries, plus a subtle directing idea about shifting camera stability that may be working on viewers even if they don’t notice it. If you like movies where process becomes suspense, this conversation makes the craft and the discomfort click. We have a great time talking about it, so check it out then tune in. The Next Reel—when the movie ends, our conversation begins! 🎬 Watch & Discover 🎥 See Our Full Conversation on YouTube🍿 Watch the Film: Apple TV | Amazon | Letterboxd📽️ Original Theatrical Trailer📚 Adapted from the Vanity Fair article “Shattered Glass” by Buzz BissingerSupport The Next Reel Family of Film Shows: Become a member for just $5/month or $55/yearJoin our Discord community of movie loversThe Next Reel Family of Film Shows: Cinema Scope: Bridging Genres, Subgenres, and MovementsThe Film BoardMovies We LikeThe Next ReelSitting in the DarkConnect With Us: Main Site: WebMovie Platforms: Letterboxd | FlickchartSocial Media: Facebook | Instagram | Threads | Bluesky | YouTube | PinterestYour Hosts: Andy | PeteShop & Stream: Merch Store: Apparel, stickers, mugs & moreWatch Page: Buy/rent films we've discussedOriginals: Source material from our episodesSpecial offers: Audible

    1h 4m
  6. Can You Ever Forgive Me?

    FEB 5

    Can You Ever Forgive Me?

    “I had a book on the New York Times Bestseller list. That has to count for something.” A small crime with big nerves: words, money, and trust under pressure. In True Lies, we dig into "Can You Ever Forgive Me?"—Marielle Heller’s understated character study, anchored by Melissa McCarthy and Richard E. Grant. Because it’s adapted from Lee Israel’s memoir and set inside a tiny collectibles world, the details matter: what “authentic” looks like, who gets believed, and why the hustle feels so tempting. We unpack how the film treats literary forgery as something stranger than paperwork—more like stealing voices. We argue about the push-pull between desperation and hubris, and how compulsion (drinking, stealing, self-sabotage) shapes the people at the center. We also track the craft: the process beats, the quiet tension in dealer interactions, and why the restraint either sharpens the discomfort or keeps the story at arm’s length. If you like true stories where the mess is interpersonal and the scam is built from language, this conversation is a great match. We have a great time talking about it, so check it out then tune in. The Next Reel—when the movie ends, our conversation begins! Watch & Discover See Our Full Conversation on YouTube! Watch the Film: Apple TV | Amazon | Letterboxd Original Theatrical Trailer Adapted from Can You Ever Forgive Me? A Memoir of a Literary Forger by Lee Israel If You Liked This, Try These Other The Next Reel Episodes: Life of the Party (Guilty Pleasures series) for more comedic Melissa McCarthy Hudson Hawk (Guilty Pleasures series) for more comedic Richard E. Grant The Diary of a Teenage Girl (Coming of Age Debuts series) for more Marielle Heller Support The Next Reel Family of Film Shows: Become a member for just $5/month or $55/yearJoin our Discord community of movie loversThe Next Reel Family of Film Shows: Cinema Scope: Bridging Genres, Subgenres, and MovementsThe Film BoardMovies We LikeThe Next ReelSitting in the DarkConnect With Us: Main Site: WebMovie Platforms: Letterboxd | FlickchartSocial Media: Facebook | Instagram | Threads | Bluesky | YouTube | PinterestYour Hosts: Andy | PeteShop & Stream: Merch Store: Apparel, stickers, mugs & moreWatch Page: Buy/rent films we've discussedOriginals: Source material from our episodesSpecial offers: Audible

    54 min
  7. The Informant! • Member Bonus

    JAN 31

    The Informant! • Member Bonus

    “There should be a TV show about a guy who calls home one day and he's there, he answers, he's talking to himself, only he's someone else. He's somehow divided into two, and the second one of him drives away and the rest of the show is about him trying to find the guy.” Corporate deception spins out of control when an executive's cooperation with the FBI takes unexpected turns. In "The Informant!", Steven Soderbergh directs Matt Damon in a darkly comedic true story that pushes the boundaries of unreliable narration. As a member bonus episode of our True Lies series, we explore how this 2009 film uses innovative voiceover techniques and tonal shifts to keep viewers questioning every revelation. We dig deep into Soderbergh's careful visual approach to corporate environments, examining how Marvin Hamlisch's playful score creates fascinating tension with the serious subject matter. Damon's against-type performance as Mark Whitacre anchors our discussion of how the film handles complex questions about truth and perspective in whistleblower narratives. The way "The Informant!" balances its comedy with serious themes about mental health and corporate malfeasance makes it a uniquely compelling entry in Soderbergh's experimental period. We have a great time talking about it, so check it out then tune in. The Next Reel—when the movie ends, our conversation begins! 🎬 Watch & Discover 🍿 Watch the Film: Apple TV | Amazon | Letterboxd📽️ Original Theatrical Trailer📚 Adapted from The Informant: A True Story by Kurt EichenwaldIf You Liked This, Try These Other The Next Reel Episodes: The Next ReelOur True Lies seriesOur Oceans Franchise seriesContagion (part of our Disease Films series)The Film BoardSide EffectsMagic Mike’s Last DanceWant More? This is a member bonus episode! While we'd love your support, you'll love what membership brings: monthly bonus episodes like this one, ad-free listening, early releases, exclusive Discord channels, and voting rights on future member movies. It truly pays to be a member. Ready to join? Visit TruStory FM to learn more about supporting The Next Reel Film Podcast through your own membership.

    11 min
  8. The Letter

    JAN 29

    The Letter

    “With all my heart, I still love the man I killed!” One shot can change everything—and the shadows don’t let go. In our Bette Davis series, we dive into "The Letter," directed by William Wyler, a studio-era crime drama where a shooting sparks a legal scramble and a single letter becomes leverage. Along the way, we track how Production Code pressure and the film’s colonial framing shape what the story can show, what it chooses to tell, and how the audience is guided (or misdirected). We dig into the movie’s exposition-heavy early stretch and debate what it gains—and loses—by leaning on characters recounting events instead of playing them out on-screen. We also argue about who the film really positions as the audience’s anchor, and why the attorney’s moral pressure becomes the most compelling engine. And because it can’t be separated from the experience, we confront the film’s racist stereotypes and “yellowface” casting choices, even as we celebrate the moody black-and-white craft that makes key sequences feel electric. We have a great time talking about it, so check it out then tune in. The Next Reel—when the movie ends, our conversation begins! 🎬 Watch & Discover 🎥 See Our Full Conversation on YouTube🍿 Watch the Film: Apple TV | Amazon | Letterboxd🕸️ Our Bette Davis Series📽️ Original Theatrical Trailer📚 Adapted from the play and the short story The Letter by W. Somerset Maugham📣 If You Liked This, Try… Our 1950 Best Actress Oscar Race SeriesWilliam Wyler episodesOur Film Noir SeriesDark Victory (1940 Best Picture Nominees)Support The Next Reel Family of Film Shows: Become a member for just $5/month or $55/yearJoin our Discord community of movie loversThe Next Reel Family of Film Shows: Cinema Scope: Bridging Genres, Subgenres, and MovementsThe Film BoardMovies We LikeThe Next ReelSitting in the DarkConnect With Us: Main Site: WebMovie Platforms: Letterboxd | FlickchartSocial Media: Facebook | Instagram | Threads | Bluesky | YouTube | PinterestYour Hosts: Andy | PeteShop & Stream: Merch Store: Apparel, stickers, mugs & moreWatch Page: Buy/rent films we've discussedOriginals: Source material from our episodesSpecial offers: Audible

    55 min
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4.7
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87 Ratings

About

A show about movies and how they connect. We love movies. We’ve been talking about them, one movie a week, since 2011. It’s a lot of movies, that’s true, but we’re passionate about origins and performance, directors and actors, themes and genres, and so much more. So join the community, and let’s hear about your favorite movies, too. When the movie ends, our conversation begins.

Information

  • Creator
    TruStory FM
  • Years Active
    2011 - 2026
  • Episodes
    802
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © TruStory FM
  • Show Website
    The Next Reel Film Podcast

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