To all movie lovers who, like me, haven’t had enough time to spend several hours in the cinema or in front of the computer screen lately. Summer is supposed to be the time to relax, and I’ve certainly had my fair share of coffee shop seats, strolls along the Charles River, and evenings out with friends. But I was also busy with internships, summer jobs, normal household chores and preparing for another upcoming school year. When evening falls, I usually only have time for a short TV show (currently Only murders in the building) before inevitably falling asleep with my laptop on.

While trying to catch up on the latest movies — including No, Marcel the shell with shoes on, and even dr Strange in the multiverse of madness—In the meantime, I have satisfied my thirst for films with a detour via the medium: film podcasts. blockbusters is one of the most well-known movie podcasts, aptly focusing each episode on diving deep into the movies and careers of some of the biggest movies and filmmakers in the world. Making it: women in film is also a great place to educate yourself if you’re interested in learning more about the past and present of women in the film industry.

My favorite movie podcast right now – and arguably my favorite podcast in general right now – is Brett Goldstein’s Movies to bury. After devouring the first two seasons of absolut Teddy Lasso Last year, I immediately scoured the internet to find everything I needed to know about the actor who played grumpy but golden player-coach Roy Kent. I was so pleased to discover that he is not only an award-winning actor, but also a writer, comedian, and full-time movie enthusiast who has dedicated an entire podcast to cinephilia.

Movies to bury certainly catches your attention as Goldstein’s demeanor is vastly different from the brooding Roy Kent for which he is most famous. But once you get over the initial shock that he’s actually (seemingly) humbledly cute and sarcastically hilarious, so is the podcast’s entire premise: he’s telling various podcast guests that they’ve died, discussing with them the concept of the death and the afterlife and then asks them questions about movies.

The beginnings of each podcast is certainly thought-provoking to hear what each guest has to say about their fear of death and belief in the afterlife. While some answers are certainly more silly and sound like the plot of a comedy/action Film, other reflections are more thoughtful, prompting you to stop and reflect on what your own thoughts are on these introspective subjects.

The ups and downs of Ted Lasso Season 2

After discussing death and the afterlife, Goldstein and his guests switch to talks about film. Guests are presented with questions, but the answers usually go beyond simple answers, leading to a lively discussion from each guest about each of the films themselves and the medium of film itself. The episodes always begin with the question of what was the first film, that the guest remembers, and the questions usually follow a superlative style, such as which film is objectively the best film, which film made the guest cry the most, which film was made the guest laughs the most, and as a real crowd puller which movie is the sexiest movie.

The great thing about the 45- to 60-minute film talks is that the guests come from all walks of life, entertainment professions and age groups. The films reviewed cover a wide range of genres, styles and eras, and are approached from a perspective of absolute love and adoration rather than technical or critical ability. Don’t get me wrong, I think rosters from top-tier film institutions have obvious perks, and I might love awards shows more than average, but I also love simply appreciating films for how they make people feel, rather than when it’s critical than Hit is considered or worth noting. It’s great to hear the adoration that so many people have for the film simply because it’s entertaining or emotional or resonant.

Aside from being just a great reminder of the simple joys of movies, Movies to bury is also a great platform for sharing insights into the personalities of various celebrities: some who themselves have often been seen on screens big and small, and others I’ve never heard of originally but are leaving the podcast as a huge fan . In over 200 episodes, Brett has interviewed a variety of people with whom he has worked in comedy or television, as well as other actors, directors, comedians and celebrities of whom he is a fan.

Some of my favorites were his episodes with Brendan Hunt (#174), Bill Hader (#202) and Punkie Johnson (#195). Brendan Hunt’s episode is great, and not just because of the golden camaraderie between him and Goldstein that they’re working on Teddy Lasso together over the past few years, but also for the deeply emotional discussion of how film and entertainment has helped Hunt through several difficult times in his life. I’m a long-time fan of Bill Hader, so it was great to hear him talk about some of my own favorite films and get some behind-the-scenes information from his SNL days. Punkie Johnson has also been on my radar recently for SNL, and it was inspiring to hear a little more about her life as a black woman in comedy and entertainment.

The focus, however, is on how Movies to bury challenges you, the listener, to think about your response to these questions. You’ll be called back to the movies you grew up watching, take notes, and compile a list of great movies you like should Watch and remember fondly some of the films that mean the most to you emotionally. It’s a podcast that touches on the greatness of films over the years, but also the personal connections almost everyone has to that wonderful, often indescribable, sense of film magic.

Each episode ends with Goldstein asking the guests what the one movie they would take to the afterlife to watch for the rest of eternity is. As a listener, you can’t help but sit back and reflect on yourself, your life and that one great movie that defines you and excites you more than anything else in the world. For me, this movie would definitely be Monster Inc…and you?

Watch all episodes of Movies to bury on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Acast. New episodes appear weekly.