Podcast · Film & TV

The Sleepless Cinematic Podcast

by The Sleepless Cinematic Podcast · English · Film & TV

Emilio, Madeline, and Julian love music, and spend their afternoons and evenings working for and teaching at a music school in midtown Manhattan. But they also really love movies. A lot. So when they're done teaching, they stay up late and discuss a movie, sometimes a few, that they've all agreed

New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 1 hr 54 min
Latest: 30 Sep 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

30 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 45 min

Hell's Coming With Us: 'Tombstone' (1993) with Jamie Homs

Justice is coming! This week, Emilio, Madeline and Julian welcome back friend of the podcast and delightful social media cinephile Jamie Homs to discuss one of her comfort movie of the 90s, and a first time watch for the three main cohosts - 1993's 'Tombstone', directed (somewhat disputed) by George P. Cosmatos, featuring an all star cast including Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Bill Paxton, Michael Biehn, Powers Booth, Sam Elliott, Stephen Lang, and many others. The group praises the cast a...

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

E102 · 16 Sep 2026 · 2 hr 59 min
A Lotta Ins, A Lotta Outs: 'The Big Lebowski' (1998) with Brendan McDonald
Julian, Emilio and Madeline welcome back Brendan McDonald, former producer of the medium-defining podcast WTF with Marc Maron, to kick off a new episode cycle comprising Comfort Movies from the 1990s with a "View-nanimous" discussion on one of the decade's definitive films, The Big Lebowski. From the iconic brother team of Joel and Ethan Coen, this 90s classic focuses on a worldly, middle-aged Los Angeles slacker known as the Dude, who casually falls into the role of detective when a case of ...
E101 · 9 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 13 min
Actors Who Should Play Dual Roles
As our Twins and Doppelgängers cycle comes to a close, Julian, Madeline and Emilio discuss actors they think are over due to play a dual roles in a film. They also share the portions of conversations with guests from this most recent cycle where they share their picks for actors they believe would be great playing multiple characters in the same narrative. A HUGE thank you to our guests this cycle for coming on to talk movies with us: - Maria Elena Tostado - Michaela Brady,...
E100 · 26 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 54 min
Our 100th Episode! Staying Up For 'Sleepless in Seattle' (1993)
For the podcast's 100th episode, Madeline, Julian and Emilio fire up Nora Ephron's classic rom com from 1993 'Sleepless in Seattle', starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan as strangers separated by thousands of miles who, if their subconsciouses and their curious companions have their way, may just have a date with destiny on Valentine's Day at the top of the Empire State Building. The group explores the underrated meta qualities of the film when it comes to media-influenced romance, the natur...
E99 · 19 Aug 2026 · 2 hr 26 min
The Many Faces of Tilda Swinton: 'Orlando' (1992), 'Okja' (2017), and 'Suspiria' (2018) with Sarah Ungerleider
To wrap up their cycle dedicated to films featuring Twins and Doppelgängers, Emilio, Madeline, and Julian are joined by Emilio’s longtime friend Sarah Ungerleider as they hone in on an actor who has played dual, triple, and even quadruple roles: the great Tilda Swinton. They first discuss Sally Potter’s 1992 film ‘Orlando’, based on the Virginia Woolf novel from 1928. Although Swinton plays a single character in ‘Orlando’, the title character’s very nature is something of a dual role in itsel...
E98 · 5 Aug 2026 · 2 hr 14 min
"We're Americans" - 'Us' (2019) and 'Sinners' (2025) with Mariquita Reese
Continuing their cycle dedicated to Twins and Doppelgängers, Julian, Madeline and Emilio welcome friend of the pod and always delightful guest Mariquita Reese for their "Two Shot" episode to discuss two recent horror-coded films rich with metaphors and themes pertaining to race in America, Jordan Peele's 2018 film 'Us' and Ryan Coogler's critical and commercial hit 'Sinners' from 2025. Though genre conventions and mainstream thrills are at the heart of both of these films, there is A LO...
30 Jul 2026 · 13 min
RIP Glen Hansard
July 29, 2026 was a heartbreaking day for music lovers, as we learned of the sudden and tragic death of Irish singer/songwriter Glen Hansard. His breakthrough performances in the 2007 film 'Once' are always front of mind for movie lovers, but Emilio was fortunate enough to have a core musical memory care of Hansard himself. That moment turned into a casual friendship for several years, where Hansard and his musician friends became a great source of encouragement to pursue a career...
E97 · 22 Jul 2026 · 2 hr 4 min
'Dead Ringers' (1988): Brothers' Keepers and Irons Men
Julian, Emilio, and Madeline continue their episode cycle focusing on Twins and Doppelgängers with a "Suggestion Box" episode about "Dead Ringers," David Cronenberg's film from 1988 which stars Jeremy Irons in an iconic dual role as identical twin gynecologists Beverly and Elliot Mantle. Loosely inspired by the true story of Stewart and Cyril Marcus, the film examines how a romantic entanglement disrupts the equilibrium of these two brothers in their shared profession as well as an illicit si...
E96 · 8 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 56 min
Many Lives To Live: 'Cloud Atlas' (2012) with Emilio's Sister!
For the Twins and Doppelgängers cycle "Mise-Unseen", Madeline, Julian and Emilio strap in and tackle 'Cloud Atlas', the 2012 film directed by The Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer, based on David Mitchell's novel. It features a truly head spinning array of actors playing multiple different characters spanning several centuries, and with help of Emilio's sister Maria-Elena, the group digs into the many different stories, the parallel editing, the way reincarnation seems to return these souls to ...
E95 · 24 Jun 2026 · 2 hr 4 min
When Life Gives You Orchids: 'Adaptation' (2002) with Michaela Brady
Julian, Madeline, and Emilio welcome back writer, performer, and Julian's longtime friend Michaela Brady to discuss the iconic meditation on the creative process that is "Adaptation" (2002), written by Charlie Kaufman, directed by Spike Jonze, and starring Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep, and Chris Cooper in an Oscar-winning role. As the "View-nanimous" entry in a new episode cycle focusing on Twins and Doppelgangers in film, the group members all re-watch this exceptionally meta movie to discuss ...
E94 · 18 Jun 2026 · 1 hr
Offbeat Movie Musicals We'd Love To See
We've spent the last several episodes discussing interesting existing Offbeat Musicals, but what about the ones that we'd love to see get made? For a bonus episode, Madeline, Emilio, Julian, and all the guests from our most recent episode cycle share their picks for movies they'd love to see adapted and turned into "offbeat" musicals, for film or for the stage, or both. We want to thank our guests for this cycle who joined us to talk movies and share their perspectives and picks! ...
E93 · 10 Jun 2026 · 2 hr 29 min
The Movie Musicals of Paul Williams: 'Phantom of the Paradise' (1974), 'Bugsy Malone' (1976), & 'The Muppet Movie' (1979)
To wrap up our episode cycle featuring "Off-Beat Musicals", Madeline, Julian and Emilio close in on a prolific songwriter whose career has notably dovetailed with film over the years: Paul Williams. An unconventional public figure with the gift of gab and an ear for making timeless music, Williams left his mark on the 1970s, penning memorable scores for some truly unique movie musicals. First, we cover 'Phantom of the Paradise', Brian De Palma's 1974 rock musical featuring William...
E92 · 27 May 2026 · 2 hr 13 min
Walkin' on the Wild Side: 'Velvet Goldmine' (1998) and 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch' (2001)
Madeline, Julian, and Emilio continue their cycle of Offbeat Musicals with a "Two-Shot" on a pair of turn-of-the-millennium glam-rock extravaganzas: Todd Haynes' "Velvet Goldmine" (1998) and John Cameron Mitchell's "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" (2001). Marking their fifth - yes, fifth - discussion on a Todd Haynes film, the trio begin by unpacking "Velvet Goldmine" and its refraction of the legacies of 1970s glam-rock icons such as David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, T. Rex, and Roxy Music. Presen...
E91 · 13 May 2026 · 2 hr
So May We Spark(s): 'Annette' (2021) with Kelly Autry
Continuing with the cycle theme of “Offbeat Musicals”, Julian and Madeline draw from the conception of their friendship with a joint suggestion - Leos Carax’s “Annette” (2021). Joining Emilio as a first-time viewer is actor and puppeteer Kelly Autry, a friend of Madeline’s since tweendom. Our two seasoned Sparks fans share their background with the musical duo, who write and compose the music for this film, and try their best to initiate those who are new to the band’s unique musical style. A...
E90 · 29 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 30 min
All "Inn" The Family: 'The Happiness of the Katakuris' (2001) with Lexi Amoriello
For the "Offbeat Musical" cycle's Mise-Unseen episode, Emilio and Julian come in brick cold (and Madeline a tad less frigid) to their selected film for discussion - 'The Happiness of The Katakuris', Takashi Miike's surreal horror/dramedy/musical from 2001' about a down-on-their-luck family banding together to run a struggling roadside inn, only to endure a string of unfortunate events. They are joined by cinephile and film recommender extraordinaire Lexi Amoriello, who had seen this wac...
E89 · 15 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 47 min
Don't Feed The Plants: 'Little Shop of Horrors' (1986) with Will Reynolds
This week, Madeline, Julian and Emilio kick off a new cycle dedicated to "Offbeat Musicals" with perhaps the pre-eminent offbeat musical movie: 'Little Shop of Horrors', released in 1986, directed by Frank Oz, featuring standout performances from Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, and Levi Stubbs as Audrey II, anchored by the iconic score from Howard Ashman and Alan Menken. It's a Viewnanimous pick, and they are joined by composer/performer/teacher/great human/"Little Shop" enthusiast Will Rey...
E88 · 10 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 35 min
Seventy Years of 'Written On The Wind' (1956) with Christian Garcia
This week, Emilio, Madeline, and Julian welcome in fellow podcaster Christian Garcia for a bonus episode to discuss 'Written on the Wind', Douglas Sirk's seminal romantic melodrama from 1956 starring Rock Hudson, Lauren Bacall, Robert Stack, and Dorothy Malone in an Oscar-winning performance. This was a first watch for everyone involved, but a welcome initiation to the aesthetic and thematic paths on which Sirk often tread. The group digs into the reach and influence that this film had on mod...
E87 · 25 Mar 2026 · 2 hr 17 min
A Neil Simon Rom-Com Trio, with James Codoyannis: 'Barefoot in the Park' (1967), 'The Heartbreak Kid' (1972), and 'The Goodbye Girl' (1977)
Madeline, Emilio, and Julian are rejoined by film editor and all-around great cinephile hang James Codoyannis to wrap up their cycle of Oscar-Worthy Rom-Coms with a "Close-Up" on three films written by the prolific Neil Simon. For the first "Close-Up" episode devoted to a screenwriter, the group bring their varied histories with Simon's body of work, on screen and on stage, to viewings of 1967's "Barefoot in the Park," directed by Gene Saks, 1972's "The Heartbreak Kid," directed by Elaine May...
E86 · 18 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 24 min
Our Rom Com Oscar Snubs
We've been breaking down Oscar Worthy Rom Coms for several weeks now, but what about movies that didn't get nominations or wins but absolutely should have? This week, Madeline, Julian and Emilio, along with their guests from our latest cycle, share their picks for romantic comedies that never got the Oscar love they deserved. These selections range from obvious snubs to cult classics misunderstood upon initial release to unapologetic personal picks from the heart. A huge t...
E85 · 11 Mar 2026 · 2 hr 6 min
Arrival of an Ingenue: 'Roman Holiday' (1953) and 'Pretty Woman' (1990) with Sydney Duncan
This week, Julian, Emilio, and Madeline are joined by comedian Sydney Duncan to discuss two films that launched their leading ladies to superstardom - William Wyler’s “Roman Holiday” from 1953 and Garry Marshall’s “Pretty Woman” from 1990. The group draws comparisons both salient and subtle, and examines the aspects of Audrey Hepburn and Julia Roberts’ performances that solidify these roles as their breakouts. The group also discusses the role that class plays in each of these films and the r...
E84 · 25 Feb 2026 · 1 hr 41 min
Remembering Rob Reiner with Matt Friedman
2025 ended with a real gut punch for us film lovers - the sudden and shocking death of Rob Reiner, alongside his wife Michele Singer. This week, Emilio, Julian and Madeline welcome back friend of the pod and musician extraordinaire Matt Friedman to the table to talk about Reiner and his legacy as one of the most beloved and important American filmmakers of the last forty years. The group discusses some of the famous individual scenes he helmed, unforgettable performances, Reiner's...
E83 · 18 Feb 2026 · 1 hr 59 min
A Human Interest Story: 'Broadcast News' (1987) with David Schwartz
This week, Madeline, Emilio and Julian continue making their way through Oscar Worthy Rom Coms and tune into 'Broadcast News', James L. Brooks' beloved 1987 film starring Holly Hunter, William Hurt and Albert Brooks. The group is joined by accomplished NYC-based film programmer David Schwartz to discuss at length what is special about this romantic comedy, and the ways in which it is both conventionaly satisfying and also subverting genre expectations. The strong lead performances...
E82 · 4 Feb 2026 · 2 hr 5 min
'The Apartment' (1960): Keys to Success, RomCom-Wise
Julian, Madeline, and Emilio continue their cycle of Oscar-Worthy Rom-Coms with a Suggestion Box episode focusing on "The Apartment," Billy Wilder's unforgettable multi-Oscar-winning film from 1960. The trio dig into this classic tale of work-related romance by discussing its iconic performances from Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, and Fred MacMurray, the dynamics of the love triangle it portrays, and how the film's transgressive qualities stand the test of time. Anchoring the conversation are...
E81 · 21 Jan 2026 · 1 hr 44 min
Starry-Eyed Bard: 'Shakespeare in Love' (1998) with Anna Stone
If podcasting be the food of love, record on! Continuing with their cycle of "Oscar Worthy Rom Coms", Madeline, Emilio and Julian fire up 1998's Best Picture winning 'Shakespeare In Love', directed by John Madden, starring the likes of Joseph Fiennes, Colin Firth, and Geoffrey Rush, with performances by Gwyneth Paltrow and Dame Judi Dench that also won them Oscars. It's a Mise-Unseen episode, so this is the main hosts' first time seeing this movie, but it's a rewatch for their gue...
E80 · 7 Jan 2026 · 1 hr 51 min
Gnomes, Pay Phones and Deux Moulins: 'Amelie' (2001) with Anu Valia
It's a new year, and Emilio, Madeline, and Julian kick off a new episode cycle of "Oscar Worthy Rom Coms" with 'Amelie', Jean-Pierre Jeunet's 2001 film starring Audrey Tautou that is as well-crafted as it is refreshing and life-affirming. They are joined by a guest that, like the film itself, blends meaningful personal connection with great insight and sincerity - Anu Valia, film/TV writer and director extraordinaire, and a dear friend of Emilio's through high school and college. ...
E79 · 24 Dec 2025 · 1 hr 46 min
Dolls in Toyland: 'Tangerine" (2015) with Edo Choi
Madeline, Emilio, and Julian wrap up their cycle of Unorthodox Holiday Movies with a film befitting of a Christmas Eve episode - Sean Baker’s “Tangerine”, released in 2015. Joining Emilio as a first-time-watcher is Edo Choi, Film Programmer at the beloved NYC independent theater, Metrograph. The group reflects on the way this film catapulted Sean Baker to prominence in the cinematic world, and discusses the unique style that comes through via Baker’s use of iPhone cameras. They also take time...
E78 · 18 Dec 2025 · 1 hr 52 min
The Criterion Disc Holiday Share
This week, Emilio, Madeline and Julian make good on something that has been in works for over two years - a conversation about the movies they gifted each other back in 2023! To be specific, these were discs from The Criterion Collection, acquired during Barnes and Nobles summer 50% Criterion sale. Madeline gifted Emilio 'House', Nobuhiko Obayashi's wild inventive horror/comedy from 1977. Julian gifted Madeline 'Being John Malkovich', Spike Jonze and Charlie Kaufman's breako...
E77 · 10 Dec 2025 · 2 hr 7 min
There You Are Peter!: 'Hook' (1991) with Rob McClure
Bangarang! Emilio, Madeline, and Julian fly, fight, and crow their way through this next "Unorthodox Holiday Movie" suggestion, and this is a special one, a movie suggested to them by multiple guests - "Hook", Steven Spielberg's take on the story of Peter Pan, released in 1991 starring Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman, Julia Roberts and more. The group welcomes back Tony-nominated performer, teacher, father, and "Hook" enthusiast and suggester Rob McClure to discuss this film from a...
E76 · 3 Dec 2025 · 1 hr 40 min
'Wicked for Good' (2025) Reactions with Down The Yellow Brick Pod and Courtney Iventosch
This week, Madeline, Emilio and Julian discuss the recently released 'Wicked For Good', the second part of a pair of films that together have brought the beloved Broadway musical to the big screen. After chatting a bit themselves, the co-hosts invite back their guests from last year’s conversation about 'Wicked Part 1' - EmKay and Tara from the popular Oz-themed podcast Down The Yellow Brick Pod, and Courtney Iventosch, a Broadway performer with years of experience in the cast of ...
E75 · 26 Nov 2025 · 1 hr 51 min
'Eyes Wide Shut' (1999): Escapade, Cavalcade, Masquerade
Madeline, Emilio, and Julian continue their seasonal cycle of Unorthodox Holiday Movies with a discussion about "Eyes Wide Shut," Stanley Kubrick's enigmatic final feature from 1999. Marking their first discussion about a Kubrick film, the trio take an appropriately late-at-night stroll journey through the many layers of EWS, including its touches of dream logic, commentary on class and wealth, and what the film has to say about observation and participation in potential acts of transgression...

About The Sleepless Cinematic Podcast

The Sleepless Cinematic Podcast is a English film & tv podcast from The Sleepless Cinematic Podcast. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: The Sleepless Cinematic Podcast
Language: English
Category: Film & TV
New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 1 hr 54 min
Latest episode: 30 Sep 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1714831829

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