The Rolling Tape

It's been a full six months into 2026, and quite a lot has happened. The Sundance, Berlin, and Cannes Film Festivals have come and gone. Greta Gerwig's Narnia has been moved to 2027. Luca Guadagnino's Artificial has been pushed to 2027, dropped by Amazon MGM, and acquired by NEON to go back into the 2026 slate. Michael has surpassed Oppenheimer as the highest grossing biopic of all time, and Obsession is the cultural box office phenomenon of the year. 
That means it's time for an Oscar Pulse check. 
Before Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is out in three weeks, we decided to do an episode where we check in on how we feel about the upcoming Oscar race for 2027. We give our updated predictions for the above the line categories, which include the four acting categories, Best Director, and Best Picture lineups. We discuss how they've changed, how they reflect the current mood of the overall race, and our overall gut check level on how we feel about the awards season so far.
On this episode:
Paul Rai
Danny Jarabek
Jacob Diedenhofer
Adam Patla
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Credits:
Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl Vincent
Artwork: Danny Jarabek
Editor: Danny Jarabek
Assistant Producer: Evan Miller

With the second film in the rebooted DCU now in wide release to pair with last year's Superman, we analyze the recent Supergirl movie, exploring its marketing, storytelling choices, and representation of female superheroes. With the film currently sitting at around 54% on Rotten Tomatoes, the reactions have been mixed. We discuss broader trends in superhero films, particularly with female superheroes, gender dynamics, and industry failures when marketing toward female audiences. 
On this episode:
Sara Ciplickas
Bobbi Miller
Sasha Raquel
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Subscribe for Early Access and Video:
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Have questions? Email info@therollingtape.com
Podcast Website Link
Website & Publications: www.therollingtape.com
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Credits:
Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl Vincent
Artwork: Danny Jarabek
Editor: Danny Jarabek
Assistant Producer: Evan Miller

Supergirl is the second film in the DCU created by James Gunn and Peter Safran, following Superman from 2025. Clayface will follow this year as the third entry of "Chapter One: Gods and Monsters" in the soft reboot of the DCEU which featured 16 films between 2013 and 2023.
Supergirl follows Kara Zor-El who joins forces with an unlikely companion on an interstellar journey of vengeance and justice when an unexpected adversary strikes too close to home. The film is directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Ana Nogueira and stars Milly Alcock as the titular Supergirl, alongside Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, David Corenswet, and Jason Momoa.
We review the film before doing a blind ranking of 25 randomized DC movies.
Our pre-episode Patreon exclusive conversation features:
Venice lineup predictions
Werwulf first look
Sense and Sensibility trailer
On this episode:
Danny Jarabek
Paul Rai
Joshua Mbonu
Ethan Dayton
Jacob Diedenhofer
Timmy Lee
Support the show
Subscribe for Early Access and Video:
The Rolling Tape Patreon
Listen Here:
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Have questions? Email info@therollingtape.com
Podcast Website Link
Website & Publications: www.therollingtape.com
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Credits:
Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl Vincent
Artwork: Danny Jarabek
Editor: Danny Jarabek
Assistant Producer: Evan Miller

In our continued conversation on Queer cinema for Pride, we look toward POC and International Cinema, two topics that often get left out of the Western canon. POC and International Queer cinema provides a platform to explore diverse identities and experiences, often absent from the dominant Western narrative with examples dating back to 1919. These films challenge stereotypes, broaden perspectives, and invite audiences into the lives of those who have often been sidelined. Understanding these narratives is crucial to appreciating the complexity of Queer experiences worldwide. 
We explore these stories and why they matter, with a Letterboxd list capturing the films we discuss.
On this episode:
Sara Ciplickas
Red Broadwell
Des Mack
Support the show
Subscribe for Early Access and Video:
The Rolling Tape Patreon
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Have questions? Email info@therollingtape.com
Podcast Website Link
Website & Publications: www.therollingtape.com
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Credits:
Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl Vincent
Artwork: Danny Jarabek
Editor: Danny Jarabek
Assistant Producer: Evan Miller

Now, are you watching closely? Let’s begin with today’s films.
RETRO//RANKED is a Rolling Tape network series ranking the individual entries of beloved franchises and filmographies, timed to major new releases. For season 7, we're diving into the complete filmography of Christopher Nolan, building episode by episode, two films at a time, toward the release of his latest film, The Odyssey.
The Prestige is Christopher Nolan’s fifth movie. It was released on October 20, 2006. This is a film that was once again co-written by Nolan and his brother Jonathan Nolan. The movie’s editing includes one hundred forty-six time jump cuts, in which the next shot either flashes back or skips ahead to another time period of the storyline.
The Dark Knight is Nolan’s sixth movie. It was co-written again by the Nolan brothers off a story by Chris Nolan and David S. Goyer. The film released on July 18, 2008. It was the first movie in his filmography to be released in that coveted July release spot.
Enjoy all VIDEO episodes of SEASON 7 one week ahead of their public audio-only release.
Our current collaborative ranking so far:
Memento
Batman Begins
Following
Insomnia
On this episode:
Evan Miller
Kam Ryan
Timmy Lee
Claire May Lewis
Support the show
Subscribe for Early Access and Video:
The Rolling Tape Patreon
Listen Here:
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
All Listening Platforms
Have questions? Email info@therollingtape.com
Podcast Website Link
Website & Publications: www.therollingtape.com
Social Platforms on Linktree
Credits:
Theme music: Eugene Rocco Utley & Karl Vincent
Artwork: Danny Jarabek
Editor: Danny Jarabek
Assistant Producer: Evan Miller