Ben Miller

98th Academy Awards Predictions (Special Episode) – Piecing It Together Podcast On this special episode, Ben Miller joins me to give our predictions for the 98th Academy Awards, happening on Sunday, March 15th. As in previous years, we’ll just cover a selection of the Oscar categ...

You're literally not allowed to be a movie podcast if you don't do an Oscars episode. Here's what will win, what should win and what should have been nominated for this weekend's Academy Awards! Featuring @nebisben.bsky.social www.piecingpod.com/home/98th-ac...

Final 2025 Oscar Night Predictions We're less than four days from the 98th Academy Awards, so it is past time for me to deliver my 100% guaranteed successful Oscar winners. We will start and the top and go from there.

It's been a wacky Oscars season, but the night is almost upon us. Check out my final predictions for the 98th Academy Awards so you can laugh at me later.

Final 2025 Oscar Night Predictions at IceCream4Freaks

Review: “Project Hail Mary” is Everything Big-Budget Filmmaking Should Be When you combine the filmmaking talents of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the near-unlimited budget of a massive studio, a well-received novel, and the unending charisma of Ryan Gosling, you get Project Hail Mary. A film where everything comes together to create the ideal Hollywood blockbuster.

This film is the perfect combo of high-brow sci-fi, crowd-pleasing entertainment, big-budget filmmaking, and movie star charisma. I wish all films with this kind of budget would keep getting made.

My review of Project Hail Mary (4.0/5.0) at IceCream4Freaks

Review: “The Bride!” Certainly Earns the Exclamation Point Punctuation matters in film titles. Whether it's the quotation marks in "Wuthering Heights" or the intentional commas of Crazy, Stupid, Love, these little marks go beyond simple grammatical correctness. Maggie Gyllenhaal's The Bride! puts an emphatic exclamation at the end of her title, and spends the next two hours earning every second of that elicited punctuation.

If you keep your expectations in check, this film may be a rewarding cinematic experience. It's certainly making an effort, and the whole cast and crew are having a lot of fun. I certainly enjoyed myself.

My review of The Bride (3.5/5.0) at IceCream4Freaks

Interview: "The Singers" Director Sam A. Davis - Blog - The Film Experience by Ben Miller Actor Mike Young and Director Sam A. Davis on the set of "The Singers" ...

For The Film Experience, I spoke with director Sam A. Davis about his Oscar-nominated short The Singers. We talked about dive bars, cinematic song choices, and if he sees himself as a director or a cinematographer (the answer: yes).
thefilmexperience.net/blog/2026/3/...

Review: “Hoppers” is Cute and Funny, and Doesn’t Have to Be More Than That The Disney/Pixar collaborations have broken our brains as moviegoers. When you are able to produce the Toy Story films plus certified classics like WALL-E, Ratatouille, and The Incredibles, expectations are going to be too high. Daniel Chong's Hoppers isn't trying to do too much other than be a cute and funny story. And frankly, that's refreshing.

This film is exactly the kind of film parents can take their kids to and enjoy the experience. It might not reach the highs of previous Pixar entries, but it certainly is fun to watch.

My review of Hoppers (3.5/5.0) at IceCream4Freaks

Review: “Viva Verdi!” Shows Why the Oscars Still Matter The reports of the demise of the Academy Awards have been greatly exaggerated. While it may have a diminished place in our cultural landscape, the Oscars still mean something. And nothing proves th…

This is a great, sweet little film on its own, but awards recognition only helps its profile. Oftentimes, films elevate the Academy Awards. But sometimes, the Oscars elevate the film. And thank god for that

My review of Viva Verdi! (3.5/5.0) at IceCream4Freaks
icecream4freaks.com/2026/02/25/r...

1) Anderson
2) Coogler
3) Trier
4) Zhao
5) Safdie

Bonus: Park Chan-wook, No Other Choice

Review: “How to Make a Killing” Misplaces Its Energy The elements present in John Patton Ford’s How to Make a Killing should combine for an effective black comedy, or a light drama, or for a biting satire. Unfortunately, the film can’t de…

This film should have at least been entertaining, but it doesn't land with any impact. There are effective versions of this film, just not any that were actually produced.

My review of How to Make a Killing (2.5/5.0) at IceCream4Freaks
icecream4freaks.com/2026/02/20/r...

I’m On A Podcast! – Glenn Close in “Brush with Fate” and “Strip Search” Listen in as I join Kevin Jacobsen on The World According to Glenn podcast, where we discuss the film career of Glenn Close.

I’m On A Podcast! – Glenn Close in “Brush with Fate” and “Strip Search”

Listen in as I join Kevin Jacobsen on The World According to Glenn podcast, where we discuss the film career of Glenn Close.

The TV movie era continues!

Had a great time with
@nebisben.bsky.social delving into Glenn's odd choices as a bespectacled history teacher in Brush with Fate, her committed turn as an FBI agent/interrogator in Strip Search, whether or not she elevates either film, and much more!

Review: “Blades of the Guardians” is the ‘Hell Yeah!’ Movie of the Year Yuen Woo Ping’s Blades of the Guardians might have set a record for the times I said, “Hell yeah!” during the course of a film. While that accomplishment is certainly not the lone…

This film is just too freaking cool. Don’t get too worried about the plot mechanisms, you’ll catch up eventually. Just sit back and take in the first-class martial arts action adventure.

My review of Blades of the Guardians (4.0/5.0) at IceCream4Freaks
icecream4freaks.com/2026/02/17/r...

Episode 37 of The World According to Glenn is out now, discussing Glenn's performances in Brush with Fate and Strip Search!

@nebisben.bsky.social returns to break down Glenn's starring turns in these forgotten TV movies of the early 2000s. Listen now!

linktr.ee/theglennpod

This Wednesday on The World According to Glenn, we’re covering two more TV movies starring Glenn, 2003’s Brush with Fate and 2004’s Strip Search!

With special guest @nebisben.bsky.social! Subscribe now on all podcast platforms.

linktr.ee/theglennpod

Review: “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” Tries A Lot, and it Mostly Works Gore Verbinski is never one to rest of safe convention. The director has built enough cache through the years that he can make anything he wants, as weird as he wants to make it. With Good Luck, Ha…

It might be an assault on the senses, but the film gets points for originality. It might not all work, but it's trying something, which is more than you can say for a lot of other films.

My review of Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die (3.5/5.0) at IceCream4Freaks
icecream4freaks.com/2026/02/13/r...

Review: “Wuthering Heights” is Unsubtle and Misguided One of the most unsubtle films in years, Emerald Fennel’s “Wuthering Heights” takes the bones of the classic novel and dials everything up to 11. Nothing is unspoken and everythin…

This film is big, bold, and completely obvious in what it is trying to do. It all ends up as an exhausting experience that diminishes the work of the craftspeople behind the scenes.

My review of "Wuthering Heights" (2.5/5.0) at IceCream4Freaks
icecream4freaks.com/2026/02/11/r...

Reviewing the 2025 Documentary Short Nominees Mass shooting aftermath, photojournalism, dead children, abortion clinic workers, and wandering donkeys. Everything you expect form an Oscar category. This year’s doc short category has it al…

Mass shooting aftermath, photojournalism, dead children, abortion clinic workers, and wandering donkeys. Everything you expect form an Oscar category.

Reviewing the 2025 Documentary Short nominees at IceCream4Freaks
icecream4freaks.com/2026/02/09/r...

Review: “Pillion” is a One-of-a-Kind Unorthodox Love Story Going into Harry Lighton’s Pillion without knowing what you are getting into is a bad idea. You don’t need to know the ins-and-outs of every story beat, but you also need to understand …

The film might be a bit much to take in, but if you give it a chance, you will be greatly rewarded as the film lays bare its ideas. It certainly surprised me.

My review of Pillion (4.0/5.0) at IceCream4Freaks
icecream4freaks.com/2026/02/05/r...

1) Sentimental Value
2) Sinners
3) It Was Just an Accident
4) Blue Moon
5) Marty Supreme

Bonus: Sorry, Baby

1) One Battle After Another
2) Train Dreams
3) Hamnet
4) Bugonia
5) Frankenstein

Bonus: No Other Choice

Reviewing the 2025 Animated Short Nominees While the Animated Shorts category can blend towards dark drama and lighthearted whimsy, this year’s crop features a good mix of it all. Check out my thoughts below as well as links to watch …

While the Animated Shorts category can blend towards dark drama and lighthearted whimsy, this year's crop features a good mix of it all.

Reviewing the 2025 Animated Short Oscar Nominees at IceCream4Freaks
icecream4freaks.com/2026/02/02/r...

Review: “The Wrecking Crew” is a Perfect Film for Streaming It's Saturday night and there's nothing on regular TV. You look over at your significant other for some suggestion to watch. Maybe it's late, and you've already had a few. The perfect film to watch is now on streaming, thanks to Ángel Manuel Soto's The Wrecking Crew. Grab another drink, turn your brain off, and enjoy.

Turn your brain off, grab a beverage, and enjoy this film on a late night. Few films are more perfectly made for the world of streaming, but this is exactly what the doctor ordered.

My review of The Wrecking Crew (3.5/5.0) at IceCream4Freaks

I’m On A Podcast! – “Octopussy” Listen in as I join Gavin and Chels on The Q Division podcast, where we discuss James Bond films through a queer lens.

I’m On A Podcast! – “Octopussy”

Listen in as I join Gavin and Chels on The Q Division podcast, where we discuss James Bond films through a queer lens.

a man with curly hair and a beard looks up at the sky ALT: a man with curly hair and a beard looks up at the sky

Ray Nicholson

Christopher Walken as Sensei Sergio St. Carlos
River Phoenix as the Creature
Louis Gossett Jr. as Delta Slim
George C. Scott as Col. Steven J. Lockjaw
Walter Huston as Gustav Borg

Olivia de Havilland as Agnes Shakespeare
Joanne Woodward as Linda
Anne Bancroft as Claire Sardina
Kim Stanley as Nora Borg
Shirley MacLaine as Michelle Fuller

Natalie Wood as Rachel Kemp
Patricia Neal as Agnes Borg Pettersen
Mercedes McCambridge as Gladys
Loretta Divine as Annie
Dorothy Dandridge as Perfidia Beverly Hills

John Garfield as Marty Mauser
Kevin Kline as Bob Ferguson
Leslie Howard as Lorenz Hart
Jim Brown as Smoke and Stack Moore
Max von Sydow as Anders/Mikeael/Fredrik

There's a new Alli Haapasalo film coming out soon, and I don't think we are hyping it up enough.

Reviewing the 2025 Live Action Short Nominees This might be the best batch of Live Action Short nominees we’ve had in a long time. Top-to-bottom quality. Check out my reviews of each as well as where to see them (if they are available).

This might be my favorite Live Action Short lineup since I've been covering the category. Top-to-bottom quality with no stinkers.

Reviewing the 2025 Live Action Short Oscar Nominees at IceCream4Freaks
icecream4freaks.com/2026/01/26/r...