Emma Dibdin

To help make sense of it all, whether you’re looking to keep up with the Oscar contenders, better understand the changing business or just dive into Hollywood history (the good, the bad and the baffling), here are seven movie-themed podcasts worth sampling.

‘Filmspotting’

One of the earliest players in the game, “Filmspotting” has been producing weekly installments of affable, insightful film analysis since 2005. Adam Kempenaar, one of its founders, has been a mainstay on the show from day one. His current co-host, Josh Larsen, joined him in 2012. Episodes typically begin with an in-depth discussion of one major new theatrical release, followed by a combination of filmmaker interviews, shorter theatrical reviews, top five lists and anniversary retrospectives on classics (“American Beauty,” “Being John Malkovich” and “Fight Club” are among the recent picks). A reliable highlight is the podcast’s Massacre Theatre segment, in which the hosts gamely reenact a scene and invite listeners to guess which movie it’s from.

Starter episode: “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood/Top 10 Tarantino Characters”

‘You Must Remember This’

A must-listen for history buffs and cinephiles, Karina Longworth’s rigorously researched and hypnotically delivered series will change the way you see Hollywood. What began as a passion project — to delve into “the secret and/or forgotten histories” of the film industry and its legends, from the cult of Charles Manson to the horrors of the Hollywood Black List — has become a hit. The best illustration of the show’s evocative power may be the “Dead Blondes” series (from 2017), which explores the stratospheric rises and tragic ends of bombshells like Veronica Lake to Marilyn Monroe. Longworth acknowledges the inherent challenge in telling the truth about an industry that thrives on spin and deconstructs the myths around silver-screen icons, conjuring them instead as relatable human beings.

Starter episode: “Charles Manson’s Hollywood, Part 1: What We Talk About When We Talk About the Manson Murders”

‘How Did This Get Made?’

You’ve most likely never seen most of the movies discussed on “How Did This Get Made?” — which is just one of the many ways in which this consistently hilarious show evokes the pleasures of “Mystery Science Theater 3000.” Actors Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael and Jason Mantzoukas host this irreverent weekly discussion that doesn’t aim to hate on cinematic duds so much as make detailed fun of them and semi-earnestly try to figure out how they came to be. Scheer, Raphael and Mantzoukas are such a winsome trio that the commentary doesn’t come off as negative; even when they discuss true duds like “Speed 2: Cruise Control,” their palpable love of movies shines through.

Starter episode: “Deep Blue Sea”

‘Scriptnotes’

Though billed as a show about “screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters,” “Scriptnotes” goes well beyond that remit to provide a deep dive into how the film business actually works. The two hosts, Craig Mazin (“Chernobyl”) and John August (“Big Fish”), offer specific advice on screenplay craft and structure, firsthand accounts of industry inner-workings, and conversations about the latest news — like the #MeToo moment, the Writers Guild of America’s continuing standoff with talent agencies, and the uprising among Hollywood assistants over low pay and abusive work environments. The show’s regular Three Page Challenge segment, in which Mazin and August critique a sample of a reader-submitted screenplay, is invaluable whether you’re an aspiring screenwriter or a curious film fan.

Starter episode: “Raiders of the Lost Ark”

‘Kermode and Mayo’s Film Review’

Easily Britain’s most recognizable and beloved critic, Mark Kermode is known for his trademark quiff, his encyclopedic knowledge of the horror genre and his infectious passion for cinema. His Friday afternoon film-review show alongside Simon Mayo, a BBC Radio mainstay, has gained a cult following on both sides of the Atlantic since its genesis in 2001. Though affectionately called “Wittertainment” (after its hosts’ tendency to witter in charming but aimless fashion), the show packs in plenty of substance alongside the charismatic banter into its two-hour episodes. Kermode brings his sprawling, idiosyncratic movie knowledge to bear on the week’s new releases, his impassioned raves and furious rants offset by the deadpan Mayo.

Starter episode: “Renée Zellweger, Joker, Judy and Good Posture”

‘The Rewatchables’

The Ringer network, founded by sports writer Bill Simmons, might still be best known for sports coverage, but don’t sleep on its pop-culture offerings. “The Rewatchables” taps into the universal joy of revisiting a favorite movie — and the less universal joy of doing it with a bunch of deeply knowledgeable friends. Each episode finds Simmons and a rotating cast of guests examining a movie that may not be an obvious classic, but is a culturally significant film that you’ve likely seen at least once. A recent discussion of “The Shining” addressed Stephen King’s hatred for Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of his novel; the movie’s lukewarm critical reception and subsequent rise to cult status; and the cottage industry of conspiracy theories surrounding it, all within a snappy 75 minutes.

Starter episode: “The Shining”

‘I Was There Too’

It’s notoriously difficult to get anything resembling the unvarnished truth out of Hollywood stars, who are often versed in public-relations speak, so comedian Matt Gourley (“Drunk History”) had the smart idea to instead ask the supporting players for their takes. Though most of the podcast’s back catalog is now behind a paywall at Stitcher Premium, a handful of standout episodes are still available free, including a candid “Star Wars” prequel trilogy conversation with Ahmed Best, who has the dubious pleasure of playing one of cinema’s most universally loathed characters, Jar Jar Binks.

Starter episode: “The Star Wars Prequel Trilogy With Ahmed Best”

This article originally appeared in

Fall is both the best and busiest time to be a movie fan, as we enter awards season — that thrilling period when the studios (and increasingly the streaming services) trot out their best hopes for Oscar glory. This year’s entries also arrive during a time of remarkable upheaval in Hollywood; a shaky summer at the box office and Disney’s takeover of the storied Fox movie studio were recent shocks to a system that has gone through seismic shifts many times before.

7 Podcasts for the Movie Buff

1. ‘30 for 30’

Since its genesis in 2009, ESPN’s “30 for 30” series has established itself as the gold standard of modern sports documentaries, and its relatively new audio spinoff is no exception. Much like the original, the podcast shifts nimbly in tone from episode to episode, telling self-contained stories on subjects ranging from the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry to the first all-women’s expedition to the North Pole. Last year the show ventured into longer-form storytelling with a compelling five-part series about Bikram Choudhury, the hot-yoga guru who developed a cult following in the literal sense and has been accused of wielding his position to manipulate, bully and sexually abuse his followers.

Starter episode “Bikram Part 1: Arrival”

2. ‘Gladiator: AaronHernandez and Football Inc.’

One of the most haunting tragedies in modern sports is brought to life in this rigorously reported six-part series from Wondery, the network behind the true-crime hits “Dirty John” and “Dr. Death.” Two years on from the death of Aaron Hernandez, the NFL star who was convicted of murder and killed himself in prison, The Boston Globe’s Spotlight team examines his downfall in the context of the league’s corporate machine and the physical risks its players take in the name of glory. Through interviews with Hernandez’s former teammates and coach, and extraordinary audio of the phone calls he made from prison, Gladiator explores the thorny subject of CTE and the overuse of pain medication in the NFL.

Starter episode “Hail Mary”

3. ‘Men in Blazers’

For decades, it looked as though the most popular sport in the world was destined to never catch on in the United States. But now that soccer — particularly the British Premier League — is growing in popularity, it’s hard to imagine a better companion show than this one hosted by two dry-witted British expats who still prefer to call it football. The hosts, Michael Davies and Roger Bennett, meet once a week to discuss the game they’ve long declared “America’s sport of the future.” Recaps are the show’s bread and butter, there are also interviews with soccer stars.

Starter episode “USWNT World Cup Champion Instant Reax”

4. ‘Throwback’

After the United States team’s groundbreaking and much-watched victory at this summer’s World Cup, this Sports Illustrated podcast examined women’s soccer’s long journey to the mainstream. “Throwback,” which began earlier this year, dedicated its first season to the origin story of the national team, featuring the voices of pioneering players like Mia Hamm and Julie Foudy, who vividly describe their experiences leading up to the 1991 Women’s World Cup. Like all the best historical sports stories, this is a gripping and educational listen that speaks directly to the present moment.

Starter episode “The Tsunami Hitting the Shore”

5. ‘Crime in Sports’

Even a listener who doesn’t care about the World Series or the Super Bowl will find something to engage with in this irreverent two-hander, which is really a true-crime podcast using sports as its framework. The hosts James Pietragallo and Jimmie Whisman delight in delving into the sins of athletes who’ve committed, or been accused of committing, crimes — particularly “the dumbest ones, the ones who really threw it all away.” And though the duo’s often brutal black humor is an acquired taste, their affable chemistry takes the edge off.

Starter episode “He Did More Than That — The Historicalness of O.J. Simpson”

6. ‘The Bill Simmons Podcast’

There is no voice more prominent in sports journalism than Bill Simmons, who was also one of the earliest adopters of podcasting (he created his first show for ESPN in 2007). In its fifth year, “The Bill Simmons Podcast” shows off its host’s ability to straddle the line between sports and pop culture — with an array of conversations with celebrities like Bryan Cranston, Charlize Theron and Jimmy Kimmel, and cultural water-cooler chat on topics like the controversy around “Joker.” But sports fans won’t feel shortchanged: Each episode features a solid hour of analysis.

Starter episode “Could China Cancel the NBA? Plus, Fox’s ‘Smackdown’ and WWE vs. AEW With Jason Gay and David Shoemaker”

7. ‘Against the Rules With Michael Lewis’

Earlier this year, the long-running public radio show “This American Life” aired an episode about injustice, in which the writer Michael Lewis explored the concept through the prism of refereeing in the NBA That segment turned out to be an introduction of sorts to Lewis’s new podcast, “Against The Rules,” which delves further into the relationship between refs and the public. Though refs are statistically better than ever at getting it right, complaints about unfair calls steadily rise. This seeming contradiction, Lewis suggests, points to a trend of public distrust in authority. Using referees as a jumping-off point to explore “all the poorly refereed corners of life,” Lewis mounts a defense of the adjudicator that is thought-provoking and wry.

Starter episode “Ref, You Suck!”

Commentary is integral to sports, and some of the best commentary out there now exists as podcasts. Whatever your game or your team, you can find a show — or several — with tailored postgame analysis, while other podcasts offer a deep dive into news stories with implications beyond sports itself, like China’s clash with the NBA. And since it was true crime that made podcasting mainstream, it’s no surprise that there are also plenty of deeply reported audio documentaries exploring the darker s...

7 Podcasts for the Sports Fan

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Emma Dibdin

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7 Podcasts for the Movie Buff

7 Podcasts for the Sports Fan