Five Of The Best Movie Indie Podcasts: Nobody Does It Better

 There is an inverse proportionality between movies and movie podcasts. In essence, there is a multitude of excellent movie podcasts (Indie and network-backed), yet only a handful of excellent movies are being released. Currently, we're in a mini-bubble with Superman, Lilo & Stitch, F1, Sinners, MI: Final Reckoning, and The Materialists, but summer is prime time for movie releases. By late September, moviegoers will be forced to choose between a film about a doll that eats human big toes or a haunted house where all the ghosts are realtors who previously sold the house with a seven percent commission.

The five movie podcasts we covered below are all indie podcasts featuring talented creators and hosts who combine exhaustive research with narrative skill, keen critical analysis, and a quirky sense of humor.

 The five are: Unequal Sequel, Verbal Diorama, Every Single Sci-Film Ever, The Industry, and Stars of the Golden Age. 

 

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Unequal Sequel Podcast: Can A Sequel Ever Vanquish The Original Film?

Only in modern cinema could a podcast like this exist? Fifty years ago, there were few sequels. Today, sequels dominate the movie release calendar, from Marvel superheroes to video games. 

That's why the Unequal Sequel podcast is so entertaining and timely. 
Here's the show's marketing pitch: "We are a film podcast where the premise is very simple – we ask our guests their best ever sequel, worst ever sequel, and finally their dream sequel." 

On the show, we join Dave and Rich, two U.K. blokes, who mix in humor, wit, sarcasm, and exasperation when discussing these sequels. 

Here are some clips from the show. 

When reviewing The Accountant 2, the sequel to 2016's The Accountant, the co-hosts say: "It has been nine years since that first film, and let's be honest, we forgot it was a thing. On a plus, we like Ben Affleck and John Bernthal, so fingers crossed we like this one..." 

 On Final Destination Bloodlines, Dave and Rich intone: "This is the sixth film in the Final Destination franchise and the first one since 2011. It's a series we aren't experts on (and fans of, to be honest), but fingers crossed this is good!"

Dave and Rich also warn listeners: "On a side note, we do dive into spoilers, but it’s very clear when that happens because we do give out a big warning. So if you don't want it spoiled, then stay clear of this episode."

 For Gladiator 2, they smirked: "Not gonna lie, I didn't think we would be getting a sequel to Gladiator after 24 years, but here we are. I hope it's worth the wait..."

Dave and Rich have also jumped into another new project, which they are calling Unequal Remake, and that means one thing: they are now reviewing remakes. 

Dave and Rich banter: "And first up is Snow White! Yes, that's right, Disney has gone and made a live-action remake of 1937's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs! Sounds like a bad idea, let's see if it was!"

This show is a lot of fun. Dave and Rich play for laughs but don't neglect the insights in the sequels. Check out Unequal Sequel. How many times have we engaged in a friendly debate about whether the sequel was better than the original film? 

By the way, Aliens was one of the best sequels ever made. After that, the franchise fell apart. Don't get me started on the Jaws sequels! 

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 Verbal Diorama

  Ceator/Host Em explains: "The modus operandi of Verbal Diorama is simple: movies are tough to make! The coming together of a team of people from all walks of life to make something to entertain, delight and educate us for 90+ mins is not an easy task, and yet so many succeed at it. That must be something to celebrate. I'm here to do just that - to celebrate movies. Their history and legacy, and why they remain so special to so many of us."

What's great about this podcast is that Em's critical and historical eye has a wide angle lens. She covers films in numerous genres, from romantic comedies to superhero flicks, and horror films to sci-fi movies.

Some of her best episodes include Aliens, Hidden Figures, The Wizard of Oz, and Raiders Of The Lost Ark.

"I started the podcast in 2019 after a pretty turbulent couple of years, marred by a marriage breakdown and a family bereavement," shares Em. "So Verbal Diorama was basically born from grief and trauma, which I find tends to be one of the best forms of therapy (I jest, everyone should go to actual therapy!)"

Em continues with the origin story of the show: "I've always been fascinated by film history, and I'm an overwhelmingly positive person for the most part - I can find things to love about most movies, and I still find it miraculous that any movie actually exists. And that's why Verbal Diorama exists - to celebrate everything about filmmaking, and highlight the incredible stories behind the scenes." 

Listeners can also enjoy how creator/host Em finds a connection between actor Keanu Reeves and whatever movie she is discussing that episode. It is truly "Six Degrees Of Kevin Bacon" on steroids! 

Check out Verbal Diorama. It is truly one of the best film history podcasts in the audio verse, and one of the best all-around independent podcasts. 

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  Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever

 Ayesha Khan, creator and host of Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever, whose continuing mission is to explore strange old films, seek out the experts, and boldly bring them to you.

The Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever* podcast, which began in March 2024, looks back at more than a century of films, beginning in 1902 and working towards the future. Each episode focuses on a film, director, or theme and brings in experts to discuss its history, politics, and influences.

"We began our journey with an episode dedicated to finding out what science fiction actually is. Then we move to Paris, 1902, to watch and discuss the first sci-fi film ever: Le Voyage Dans La Lune. Occasionally we will take some detours," says Ayesha Khan.

 Khan continues: "Each episode plans to put the film I watch into context of the time, society and people it was borne of. I do the research, I find the experts and I bring them to you! And then you all cheer, or chase me with pitchforks. To clarify, I would prefer the former. But alas, sometimes the things we create have unexpected consequences."

Here's just a partial list of the movies that Ayesha has covered so far: Metropolis, King Kong, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Thing From Outer Space, Them, The Blob, Godzilla, Creature From The Black Lagoon, and so many more. 

Ayesha confides: "I love science fiction films and history and enjoy learning about society, culture, and politics. I adore films, music, and the creativity of all sorts. I’m an optimist despite being very affected by the mess of the world, although, like everyone, there are days when the optimism definitely fades!"

This podcast is hitting its stride, with recent excellent episodes on On The Beach, Teenagers From Outer Space, The Tingler, and The Wasp Woman by Roger Corman. As always, Ayesha and her band of sci-fi film experts make the connection between the film and the social, moral, sexual, and cultural mores of that time. 

 I highly recommend Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever if you're a sci-fi fan. The host, Ayesha Khan, is fascinating and passionate about the topic, and she mixes humor with her sci-fi discussions.

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 The Industry

The Industry podcast, sponsored by MovieMaker magazine, has been around since 2018, producing a compact 6–10 episodes a year. 

What's the podcast about? In a sentence, the stories of filmmaking that you've probably never heard of. Director Elaine May and her temporary theft of unedited movie film for 11 weeks. The chaos on the set of The Wages Of Fear, directed by William Friedkin, fresh off two dazzling successes such as The French Connection and The Exorcist. 

These tales of filmmaking gone very wrong are expertly conveyed by veteran podcaster Dan Delgado. In a deep, gravelly voice dripping with portent and intent, Delgado crafts the narrative in every episode so that listeners are kept on the edge of their seats, so wrapped up in the episode that they are listening at work instead of, well, working.

What I liked best about The Industry podcast is Dan's superb narrative skills. The man knows how to weave a tale. His choice of oddball and long forgotten tales of filmmaking chaos also warrants credit. The episodes are short, averaging 25 to 30 minutes. Dan makes his words count. 

My favorite episodes include Elaine's Mayhem from November 2023, Blake Edwards Strikes Again also from November 2023, The Linguini Incident from February 2025, and a great episode from 2018 on one of the biggest TV flops in history -- Supertrain. 

I highly recommend The Industry podcast. You don't even have to be a movie fan. These lesser-known tales of movie-making are so engrossing, with Delgado expertly steering the narrative and editing the show, that simply enjoying great storytelling will be enough to make the show enjoyable. 

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  Stars Of The Golden Age

 Indie podcaster Erin Carlson offers listeners a compelling elevator pitch for Stars of the Golden Age. "It's a show that highlights the lives of legends from film, music, and the birth of television during Hollywood’s Golden Age and the few years surrounding it. I will dive into the early lives that led to stardom for some of the biggest names in Hollywood’s golden age… and I’ll shine the light on some lesser-known names as well."

Carlson began the podcast in June 2024 and started strong, with an episode on actress Vivian Leigh of Gone with The Wind fame, but who suffered from mental illness for much of her life. Since then, she's kept up a consistent release schedule, and her show is technically solid with superior sound quality, and Carlson is an outstanding narrator. She doesn't rush, adds pauses, so the listener can reflect, and inserts just enough of her views and experiences to be interesting without being disruptive.

To be clear, Carlson focuses more on the star's personal life than their acting career. Therefore, it's not a movie review podcast. I don't know Erin Carlson's day job, but she's a good psychologist because she analyzes these stars quite effectively.

My favorite episodes so far are about movie stars I knew little about. For example, the April 8th show on Robert Mitchum, who was decidedly one of the unlikeliest people to become a movie star. 

Check out Stars of the Golden Age. Learn more about the people who act in the movies we love. 

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