Cover of The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!

The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!

The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!

By: Atomic Entertainment
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Ever watched the Academy Awards and thought, What were they thinking? You’re not alone. Join legendary comedian and writer of over 25 Oscar telecasts, Bruce Vilanch, and screenwriter/film nerd Adam “Tex” Davis (Just Friends) as they dive into Oscar history, unpacking the flubs, snubs, and surprises from Hollywood’s biggest night. From behind-the-scenes stories of A-list stars to insider insights on how the nominations and winners are really chosen, Bruce and Tex break down each Oscar ceremony year by year to reveal what the Academy got right—and what they didn’t. If you’ve ever questioned why your favorite movie or actor got overlooked, this podcast is for you. The Oscars: What Were They Thinking? Did you know that two of the Top 100 American Films of All-Time came out the same year but weren’t even nominated for an Academy Award? Or that the film often cited as the ‘Greatest Film of All Time’ didn’t win the Oscar in its year? Or that Cuba Gooding Jr. has the same number of acting Oscars as Al Pacino? Look, stuff happens. But if you’ve ever watched or read about the Academy Awards, you’ve probably been left scratching your head over which movies and performers won – and how many beloved films weren’t even considered. Why do so many Best Picture winners become some of the least remembered movies? How is it that legendary directors like Stanley Kubrick never won an Oscar? And why do great actors miss out on their best performances, only to win later for less impressive work? Sure, the Oscars aren’t sports – there’s no scoreboard to show the winners. But with so many Academy members voting, you’d think they’d get it right. Spoiler alert: They often don’t. On The Oscars: What Were They Thinking?, Bruce Vilanch and Adam “Tex” Davis take a deep dive into Oscar history, looking back at the biggest mistakes, controversies, and snubs. From Shakespeare in Love beating Saving Private Ryan to Dances with Wolves winning over Goodfellas, we’ll examine where the Academy went wrong. Along the way, you’ll hear incredible behind-the-scenes stories and never-before-told moments from Hollywood’s biggest night. We’re re-examining each Oscar ceremony, year-by-year, award-by-award, to see what the Academy got right, what they missed, and how we would “fix” the Oscars. Whether you’re a dedicated movie buff or just a casual fan, this is the podcast for you. Join us for The Oscars: What Were They Thinking?, where we break down the flubs, snubs, and forgotten gems of Oscar history.© 2025 All Rights Reserved Atomic Entertainment Group LLC Art
Episodes
  • 2001 - Oscars to the Maximus!

    2001 - Oscars to the Maximus!
    2 Nov 2026
    Hey Oscar fans, today Bruce and “Tex” are checking out the 2001 Oscars for films of 2000 and we must say, this century got off to a great start! All five Best Picture candidates are not only worthy, but still stand the test of time as do many of the other contenders or would-be contenders. And while this year isn’t perfect, it’s a lot better than most in terms of what was nominated and what actually won. But alas, just because they came close, doesn’t mean there aren’t some curious things worth debating and talking about. So, join as we do just that for this incredible year of movies. If nothing else, ‘you will be entertained!’ (Especially by Bruce’s backstage stories as he worked on this year!) As always, thanks for listening and being part of the fun! 2000 Movies Discussed *Gladiator (Gladiator II) *Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon *Chocolat *Erin Brockovich *Traffic *Almost Famous *Billy Elliot How the Grinch Stole Christmas *The Patriot *Quills *Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai *Wonder Boys *Cast Away *The Contender *Malena *O Brother, Where Art Thou? *The Perfect Storm *Pollock *Shadow of the Vampire *U-571 *You Can Count on Me *Before Night Falls *Memento *Requiem for a Dream *The Virgin Suicides The Emperor's New Groove *Dancer in the Dark *Meet the Parents *In the Mood for Love *Werckmeister Harmonies Battlefield Earth The Next Best Thing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 15 min
  • Bonus Episode - The Oscars vs Sci-Fi Movies

    Bonus Episode - The Oscars vs Sci-Fi Movies
    19 Oct 2026
    Hey Oscar fans! One thing we’ve noticed in making this show is how few Science Fiction Films win Oscars. In fact, only ONE indisputable Sci-Fi film has ever won Best Picture! And it took over 42 years for the Academy to even nominate a Sci-Fi film! In this bonus episode, “Tex” and Mark run down the science fiction films that were nominated (for BP and Best Director) and lost; and more importantly which great Sci-Fi films were overlooked completely. Along the way, we make the case whether or not there is genre bias against Sci-Fi and if the Oscars have finally come around on recognizing science fiction for more than just technical awards. Either way, we discuss a ton of movies (listed below) for you to check out or revisit. Enjoy and thanks for listening! Sci-Fi Films Mentioned Everything, Everywhere, All at Once The Shape of Water Star Wars Frankenstein Ex-Machina Annihilation Them! Godzilla Mad Max: Fury Road Dune Pt. One Dune Pt. Two Terminator Terminator 2 Alien Aliens The Matrix Blade Runner Blade Runner 2049 A Clockwork Orange Close Encounters of the Third Kind ET Jurassic Park Avatar District 9 Inception Gravity Her The Martian Interstellar Arrival Black Panther Avatar: The Way of Water Don’t Look Up Poor Things Metropolis The Day the Earth Stood Still 2001 A Space Odyssey Planet of the Apes The Empire Strikes Back Back to the Future Brazil 12 Monkeys Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Children of Men Tenet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Charley Starman Cocoon The Fly Moon Edge of Tomorrow Melancholia Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Kahn Galaxy Quest Primer Coherence Time Crimes The Man From Earth Safety Not Guaranteed The One I Love Gattaca Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 5 min
  • 1937 - The Great Oscar (and Plenty of Follies!)

    1937 - The Great Oscar (and Plenty of Follies!)
    5 Oct 2026
    Hey Oscar fans, welcome to just the 9th Academy Awards, AKA the 1937 Oscars for the films of 1936. Believe it or not, despite being nearly a decade ago, many of the movies from this year are still well known and have stood the test of time. And some of them even won Academy Awards. This is another one of those great early years for movies filled with hidden gems, some ‘must-see’ classics, and a host of smart, meaningful films that deserve to be seen and talked about today. There’s also some great historical context as this was the first year they gave out ‘Supporting Acting’ award. So of course, they made some crazy and curious choices right off the bat! Join Bruce Vilanch and “Tex” Davis as we have fun breaking down this surprisingly interesting year of movies. As always, thanks for joining us at the Oscars! 1936 Films Mentioned The Great Ziegfeld Anthony Adverse Dodsworth Libeled Lady Mr. Deeds Goes to Town Romeo and Juliet San Francisco The Story of Louis Pasteur A Tale of Two Cities Three Smart Girls My Man Godfrey Modern Times Fury The Secret Agent Come and Get It Pigskin Parade The General Died at Dawn Theodora Goes Wild Valiant is the Word for Carrie The Gorgeous Hussy These Three Swing Time After the Thin Man The Crime of Monsieur Lange Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 11 min
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