Join Scott Mason and an all-star panel of co-hosts for Back at the Movies, a weekly look back at some of the favorite films of noted critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert. Plus in-depth reviews of classics Siskel and Ebert missed the boat on and new movies where we speculate about what the iconic duo would’ve thought.
Episode #11 - The Last Picture Show (1971) w/Greg Renoff
This week, "Van Halen Rising" and "Ted Templeman: A Platinum Producer's Life in Music" author Greg Renoff joins the show to chat about one of the most acclaimed movies of the "New Hollywood" era, 1971's "The Last Picture Show" directed byPeter Bogdonovich, and starring Timothy Bottoms, Jff Bridges, and Cybil Shepherd!
We discuss the process of how the film got made, why the decision to make it a black and white film wound up being brilliant, the multitude of awards it was nominated for and why it holds up as one of the best movies of the decade, and a whole host of fun facts about the film that you may not know!
Plus, we talk Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert's reviews from 1971 and we answer the questions Siskel and Ebert were famous for asking themselves after every movie they reviewed!
Ranking on the year-end 10 best movies of 1971 list:
Gene Siskel: #5
Roger Ebert: #1
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This week, former WWE creative team member and former Soaps In-Depth writer Frank Scalise joins the show for a SPOILER FREE chat about the movie that won Cannes Film Festival's "Palme D'Or" award, Christian Mungiu's "Fjord," starring academy award nominees Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve!
We discuss a special Q & A with star Sebastian Stan, how the film came together, a spoiler free review of some of the movie's broad strokes, whether it is worth going out of your way to see, thoughts on if it deserved all the accolades it has been getting including early Oscar nomination buzz, as well as a whole host of fun facts about the film that you may not know!
Plus, we talk what we think Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert's would have said about the movie and we answer the questions Siskel and Ebert were famous for asking themselves after every movie they reviewed!
*Winner, 2026 Palme D'Or Cannes Film Festival
*Christian Mungiu becomes only the 10th director to ever win the Palm D'Or TWICE
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30 Sept 2026
Episode #9 - The King's Speech (2010) w/Andrew Benjamin
This week, actor, writer, and MMA podcast host Andrew Benjamin joins the show to chat about the 2010 movie that won the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival and Best Picture at the Academy Awards, "The King's Speech" starring Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, and Helena Bonham Carter!
We discuss the exhaustive research of the screenwriter that produced excellent storytelling, award nominating performances of all three of the top billed performers, what led to the movie winning top prize in Toronto and at the Oscars, plus a whole host of fun facts about the film that you may not know!
Also, we talk Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper's reviews (Gene Siskel had unfortubately passed away over a decade before the movie's release) and we answer the questions Siskel and Ebert were famous for asking themselves after every film they reviewed!
Ranking on the year-end 10 best movies of 2010 list:
Roger Ebert: #2
Richard Roeper: #9
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23 Sept 2026
Episode #8 - Chariots of Fire (1981) w/Frank Scalise
This week, former WWE creative team member and former Soaps In-Depth writer Frank Scalise joins the show to chat about the movie that won the Toronto International Film Festival's "People's Choice" award and the academy award for best ;picture, Hugh Hudson's 1981 drama "Chariots of Fire" starring Ian Charleson, Ben Cross, and Ian Holm.
We discuss how the movie navigated the time period in which it took place, the long list of awards it won including the biggest prizes at both the Toronto International Film Festival and the Academy Awards, the long lasting impact of the movie's theme song, as well as a whole host of fun facts about the film that you may not know!
Plus, we talk Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert's reviews from 1981 and we answer the questions Siskel and Ebert were famous for asking themselves after every movie they reviewed!
Ranking on the year-end 10 best movies of 1981 list:
Roger Ebert: #2
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16 Sept 2026
Episode #7 - Belfast (2021) w/Matt Ryan
This week, Film Studies and English teacher Matt Ryan joins the show to chat about a movie that won the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival and was nominated for 5 Academy Awards, 2021's "Belfast" directed by Kenneth Branagh and starring Jude Hill, Caitriona Balfe, Ciarán Hinds, and Judi Dench!
We discuss the movie's origin and semi-auto biographical nature, the sentimental storytelling and brilliant acting, the multitude of awards it was nominated for and why it probably deserved even more acclaim than it received, as well as a whole host of fun facts about the film that you may not know!
Plus, we talk Richard Roeper's review of the film (unfortunately, both Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert had passed away years before Belfast was released) and we answer the questions Siskel and Ebert were famous for asking themselves after every movie they reviewed!
Ranking on the year-end 10 best movies of 2021 list:
Richard Roeper: #1
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9 Sept 2026
Episode #6 - Movies that Inspired Hit TV Shows: MASH (1970) w/Allan Raible
This week, musician, music critic, DJ, voiceover artist, and former ABC News music librarian Allan Raible joins the show to chat about Academy Award nominated 1970 film that inspired arguably the most successful American sitcom of all time,, "MASH" directed by Robert Altman and starring Donald Sutherland and Elliot Gould!
We discuss how the movie brilliantly played off of the tension of the war at the time, the state of the art film making style, long lasting impact of the movie and how it was turned into a very successful television series, as well as a whole host of fun facts about the film that you may not know!
Plus, we talk Gene Siskel and Rogert Ebert's reviews and we answer the questions Siskel and Ebert were famous for asking themselves after every movie they reviewed!
Ranking on the year-end 10 best movies of 1970 list:
Gene Siskel: #2
Roger Ebert: #2
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2 Sept 2026
Episode #5 - Movies that Inspired Hit TV Shows: Fargo (1996) w/Andrew Benjamin
This week, actor, writer, and MMA podcast host Andrew Benjamin joins the show to chat about the 1996 Academy Award nominated Coen brothers film that inspired a multi-season hit televsion drama, "Fargo" starring Frances McDormand and William H Macy!
We discuss the excellent storytelling, all-time great performance of Frances McDormand, the long lasting impact of the movie and how it was turned into a very successful television series, as well as a whole host of fun facts about the film that you may not know!
Plus, we talk Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert's reviews and we answer the questions Siskel and Ebert were famous for asking themselves after every movie they reviewed!
Ranking on the year-end 10 best movies of 1996 list:
Gene Siskel: #1
Roger Ebert: #1
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26 Aug 2026
Episode #4 - Movies that Inspired Hit TV Shows: Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1975) w/Frank Scalise
This week, former WWE creative team member and former Soaps In-Depth writer Frank Scalise joins the show to chat about the movie that was nominated for 3 Academy Awards AND inspired a successful weekly sitcom, "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Ellen Burstyn and Kris Kristofferson!
We discuss how the movie brilliantly played off of the gender dynamics of its time, the outstanding performance that won Ellen Burstyn an Academy Award for Best Actress, the long lasting impact of the movie and how it was turned into a very successful television series, as well as a whole host of fun facts about the film that you may not know!
Plus, we talk Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert's reviews from 1975 and we answer the questions Siskel and Ebert were famous for asking themselves after every movie they reviewed!
Ranking on the year-end 10 best movies of 1975 list:
Roger Ebert: #3
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24 Aug 2026
Special Bonus Episode (No Spoilers Revealed) - Union County (2026) w/Andrew Benjamin
It's a special bonus episode as actor, writer, and MMA podcast host Andrew Benjamin joins the show for a spoilwe free review of the movie that took the Sundance Film Festival by storm, Adam Meeks' addiction and recovery drama "Union County" starring Will Poulter!
We discuss how the movie came into being, the strong performance of lead actor Will Poulter, the elements of the film that provoked a standing ovation from the crowd at Sundance, and some fun facts about the movie revealed by director Adam Meeks and star Will Poulter did a very special question and answer session!
Plus, we talk what we thinkGene Siskel and Roger Ebert's would have said about ther film and we answer the questions Siskel and Ebert were famous for asking themselves after every movie they reviewed!
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19 Aug 2026
Episode #3 - Movies that Inspired Hit TV Shows: In the Heat of the Night (1967) w/Allan Raible
This week, musician, music critic, DJ, voiceover artist, and former ABC News music librarian Allan Raible joins the show to chat about the movie that won best picture in 1967 AND inspired a successful weekly television drama, "In the Heat of the Night" directed by Norman Jewison and starring Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger!
We discuss how the movie brilliantly played off of the racial dynamics of its time, the excellent storytelling anchored by two of the finest actors of their era, the long lasting impact of the movie and how it was turned into a very successful television series, as well as a whole host of fun facts about the film that you may not know!
Plus, we talk Roger Ebert's review from 1967 (Gene Siskel was not yet a professional movie critic when the film was released) and we answer the questions Siskel and Ebert were famous for asking themselves after every movie they reviewed!
Ranking on the year-end 10 best movies of 1967 list:
Roger Ebert: #10
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12 Aug 2026
Episode #2 - The Last Detail (1974) w/Greg Renoff
This week, "Van Halen Rising" and "Ted Templeman: A Platinum Producer's Life in Music" author Greg Renoff joins the show to chat about one of the most overlooked movies of the "New Hollywood" era, 1974's "The Last Detail" directed by Hal Ashby, written by Robert Towne, and starring Jack Nicholson, Randy Quaid, and Otis Young!
We discuss the challenges the movie faced in getting made, how the film managed to stay consistently funny despite the serious nature of the subject matter, the multitude of awards it was nominated for and why it probably deserved even more acclaim than it received, as well as a whole host of fun facts about the film that you may not know!
Plus, we talk Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert's reviews from 1974 and we answer the questions Siskel and Ebert were famous for asking themselves after every movie they reviewed!
Ranking on the year-end 10 best movies of 1974 list:
Gene Siskel: #2
Roger Ebert: #5
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
7 Aug 2026
Episode #1 - In the Bedroom (2001) w/Matt Ryan
This week, Film Studies and English teacher Matt Ryan joins the show to chat about one of the best and most underrated movies of the 21st century, 2001's "In the Bedroom" directed by Todd Field and starring Tom Wilkinson, Sissy Spacek, Marisa Tomei, and Nick Stahl!
We discuss how the movie pulls off the ultimate bait and switch with perfection, the brilliant storytelling and acting, the multitude of awards it was nominated for and why it probably deserved even more acclaim than it received, as well as a whole host of fun facts about the film that you may not know!
Plus, we talk Roger Ebert's review from 2001 (unfortunately Gene Siskel was no longer with us by the time the movie was released) and we answer the questions Siskel and Ebert were famous for asking themselves after every movie they reviewed!
Ranking on the year-end 10 best movies of 2001 list:
Roger Ebert: #3
Richard Roeper: #5
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21 Jul 2026
Introducing 'Back at the Movies'
Join Scott Mason and an all-star panel of co-hosts for Back at the Movies, a weekly look back at some of the favorite films of noted critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert. Plus in-depth reviews of classics Siskel and Ebert missed the boat on and new movies where we speculate about what the iconic duo would’ve thought.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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