Director Watch Podcast Ep. 10 – ‘Sicario’ (Villeneuve, 2015)
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 some of cinema’s greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you’ve got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. On episode 10 of the Director Watch Podcast, they discuss the next film in their Denis Villeneuve series, Sicario (2015).
After releasing Prisoners and Enemy back to back, Villeneuve returned the following year with his most confident film to date. Set around the U.S and Mexico border, Sicario dives deep into the murky waters of the ongoing fight to stop the drug cartels from moving their product into the U.S. Lead by an all-star cast that includes Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, and Benicio Del Toro, and stellar cinematography from Roger Deakins, Sicario ranks highly within Villeneuve’s filmography, showcasing a true sense of tension throughout each from of the film. Ryan and Jay break down the politics of the film, the rise of screenwriter Taylor Sheridan, Blunt and Del Toro’s magnetic chemistry, and even talk a little about the sequel, Sicario: Day of the Soldado.
You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more.
This podcast runs 1h38m. The guys will be back next week to continue their Denis Villeneuve series with a look at Arrival. You can stream Arrival on Netflix as well as rent via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let’s get into it.
Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and “B-3” from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro)
- Director Watch Podcast Ep. 131 – ‘High Life’ (Claire Denis, 2019) - December 22, 2025
- AwardsWatch Podcast Ep. 321 – Reviewing ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ - December 22, 2025
- ‘Fallout’ Season Two Review: Bring Back My Ghouls [A-] - December 16, 2025
‘The Testament of Ann Lee’ Review: Amanda Seyfried is Mother (Ann) in Mona Fastvold’s Miraculous Musical Drama [A] 
With ‘Song Sung Blue,’ Craig Brewer Pays Tribute to Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman, Joy Amongst Sadness, and the Creation of Art [VIDEO INTERVIEW] 
Director Watch Podcast Ep. 131 – ‘High Life’ (Claire Denis, 2019) 
Alliance of Women Film Journalists (AWFJ): ‘One Battle After Another,’ ‘Hamnet’ Lead