Director Watch Podcast Ep. 92 – ‘A New Leaf’ (Elaine May, 1971)
Welcome to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of... Read More
Ryan McQuade
Ryan McQuade is the AwardsWatch Executive Editor and a film-obsessed writer in San Antonio, Texas. Raised on musicals, westerns, and James Bond, his taste in cinema is extremely versatile. He’s extremely fond of independent releases and director’s passion projects. Engrossed with all things Oscars, he hosts the AwardsWatch Podcast. He also is co-host of the Director Watch podcast. When he’s not watching movies, he’s rooting on all his favorite sports teams, including his beloved Texas Longhorns. You can follow him on Twitter at @ryanmcquade77.
Director Watch Podcast Ep. 91 – ‘Angels in America’ (Mike Nichols, 2003)
Welcome to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of... Read More
AwardsWatch Podcast Ep. 280 – Oscars Retrospective of the 53rd Academy Awards
On episode 280 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello as well as AwardsWatch contributors Jay... Read More
Director Watch Podcast Ep. 90 – ‘Charlie Wilson’s War’ (Mike Nichols, 2007) with Special Guest Tom O’Brien
Welcome to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of... Read More
AwardsWatch Podcast Ep. 279 – Reviewing ‘Black Bag’ and ‘Mickey 17’
On episode 279 of The AwardsWatch Podcast, Executive Editor Ryan McQuade is joined by AwardsWatch Associate Editor Sophia Ciminello and AwardsWatch contributor Karen Peterson to... Read More
SXSW 2025 Reviews: ‘Fantasy Life,’ ‘Slanted,’ ‘Uvalde Mom’
For the third dispatch from the 2025 SXSW Film Festival, we take a look at three films centered around female-led stories, two films in the... Read More
SXSW 2025 Reviews: ‘The Dutchman,’ ‘$POSITIONS,’ ‘We Bury the Dead’
Sometimes you go to a festival and they aren’t all winners. Over the last couple of years, I’ve gone to film festivals and seen some... Read More
Director Watch Podcast Ep. 89 – ‘Closer’ (Mike Nichols, 2004)
Welcome to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of... Read More
SXSW 2025 Reviews: ‘The Threesome,’ ‘Forge,’ ‘The Rivals of Amziah King’
A complicated romantic dramedy, a cat and mouse thriller involving art forgery, and a slice of life epic from the South make up the titles... Read More
SXSW 2025 Reviews: ‘Another Simple Favor,’ Death of a Unicorn,’ ‘The Accountant 2’
In my first dispatch for the 2025 SXSW Film Festival, I take a look at three of the headliners from the festival line-up that features... Read More
Producers Guild Awards Nominations for Sports, Children’s and Short-Form Programs 
Wim Wenders to Lead 76th Berlin International Film Festival Jury 
2026 Oscar Predictions: ADAPTED SCREENPLAY and ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY (December) 
San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS) Nominations: ‘One Battle After Another,’ ‘Sinners’ Lead