The Lorehounds

Elysia and guest Logan take a tour that begins with this year's five Oscar-animated features before turning to other highlights from the surprisingly short eligibility list, the most surprising exclusions from the eligibility list, and Logan's thoughts on this year's animated shorts and a few final recommendations and general Oscar picks and predictions.
Origin and rules (00:03:49)
The five nominees (00:11:57)
The biggest snubs (01:17:34)
Beyond the eligibility list (01:46:43)

Note: All film discussion in this episode is spoiler-free.

Links discussed:
This year's 35 Oscar-eligible features
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (with Logan)
Last year's Tech categories (with Logan)

Animated Feature nominees:
KPop Demon Hunters (USA) – info (Netflix)
Zootopia 2 (USA) – info (to rent, later Disney+)
Elio (USA) – info (Disney+)
Arco (France, USA) – info (to rent)
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain (Belgium, Japan) – info (to rent)

Other films discussed: Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2021, USA, Plex / to rent), Hoppers (2026, USA, in theaters)
Lost in Starlight (Korea, Netflix), The Bad Guys 2 (USA, Peacock / SkyShowtime), Scarlet (Japan, to rent soon), The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006, Japan, HBO Max), Belle (2021, Japan, HBO Max), In Your Dreams (USA, Netflix), Boys Go to Jupiter (USA, HBO Max), Endless Cookie (Canada, to rent), Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle (Japan, to rent soon), Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc (Japan, to rent), 100 Meters (Japan, Netflix)
Ne Zha 2 (China, HBO Max), Lesbian Space Princess (Australia, various streamers), The Colors Within (Japan, HBO Max), Predator: Killer of Killers (USA, Disney+/Hulu, our coverage [subscriber bonus]), Predator: Badlands (live action, USA, Disney+/Hulu, our coverage [public]), Prey (2022, live-action, USA, Disney+/Hulu, our coverage [subscriber bonus])
“The Three Sisters”* (Russia/”Cyprus” [no spoken language], trailer), “Butterfly”* (France, YouTube), “Forevergreen”* (USA, YouTube), “Retirement Plan”* (Ireland, YouTube [US] / Disney+ [NL]), “The Girl Who Cried Pearls”* (Canada, YouTube: English, French), “Snow Bear” (USA, YouTube), “Playing God” (Italian / French, Vimeo), “Hurikán” (Czechia, Vimeo)
The Girl Who Stole Time (China, trailer, our coverage [subscriber bonus]), Another World (Hong Kong, trailer, our coverage [subscriber bonus]), The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep (USA, Netflix)
*Nominated in the Animated Shorts category.

The 98th Academy Awards will air Sunday, March 15, 2025 at 7 pm ET (on ABC/Hulu in the US) – where it's aired around the world
Check how many Oscar nominees you've seen at OscarsDeathRace.com – or with extended stats and access to the animated shorts via DeathRaceTracking.com

Oscars 2026 coverage
Nominations + Best Picture preview
Live-Action, Animated, & Documentary Shorts 
Production Design, Costumes, Makeup & Hair
International Features
Documentary Features
Animated Features (this episode)
Score & Original Song
Cinematography, VFX, Editing, Sound
Adapted & Original Screenplay, Director
Lead & Supporting Actor & Actress, Casting
Ceremony reactions + Best Picture rankings

Deep dives into 2026 Oscar nominees
Sinners
One Battle After Another – pt. 1, pt. 2, pt. 3
Frankenstein
Weapons
Shorts: “Two People Exchanging Saliva,” “Jane Austen’s Period Drama,” “The Singers,” “Retirement Plan,” and “The Girl Who Cried Pearls”
For subscribers: 
Leiden IFF – WhachaWachin (Sentimental Value, If I Had Legs I Would Kick You, Arco)

Additional awards coverage
BAFTAs shorts
BAFTAs features
Independent Spirit Awards

Revisit Oscars 2024 & 2025: links in these show notes

Contact Us
Questions or comments? Visit us at our website where you can use the contact form or use the voicemail feature. Or, send an email to [email protected].

Links to Patreon, Supercast, Discord, and Network Affiliates
linktr.ee/thelorehounds

Any opinions stated are ours personally and do not reflect the opinion of or belong to any employers or other entities.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

John and Elysia set sail on the East Blue and recap One Piece Season 1 before the live action Season 2 premieres on March 10. They discuss the Hope-Punk of Luffy, the theme of found family, and the absurdity of the production.
Contact Us Questions or comments? Send emails to: [email protected]
Or, send us a voicemail! You can use the voicemail tool on our website, thelorehounds.com/contact OR record a note on your smartphone and email it to us at the same address.
Links to Patreon, Supercast, Discord, and Network Affiliates
https://linktr.ee/thelorehounds
Any opinions stated are ours personally and do not reflect the opinion of or belong to any employers or other entities.

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David welcomes Ian from The Captain's Pod and John from the Dune Minute podcast for a wide-ranging mid-season conversation about The Pitt Season 2. The discussion explores Langdon's recovery journey and the spectrum of forgiveness he encounters from colleagues, the authenticity of addiction representation on screen, and why Dr. Robbie's guilt over failing his mentee creates such powerful tension. They compare the emotional intensity of Season 1 versus the more sustainable pacing of Season 2, debate whether Ogilvy will ever get the three-dimensional character treatment that Joy recently received, and wrap up with a spirited "Baby Jane Doe" accent challenge from Lorehounds community members.

View our Free Show Guide Online
https://thelorehounds.notion.site/the-pitt-show-guide
Referenced in This Episode
The Helm's Deep comparison video John mentions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lsc8mGKkP5I
Guest Information
Ian hosts The Captain's Pod with Danae, currently covering Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.
Find the show at: https://redcircle.com/shows/5f72ad75-deb6-4dc7-a031-27c333355883
And support them on Patreon
Follow Ian on Bluesky at @captainspod.bsky.social
John co-hosts the Dune Minute podcast, a minute-by-minute deep dive into Denis Villeneuve's Dune films and the 2000 Sci-Fi Channel miniseries. With over 400 episodes exploring lore, behind-the-scenes details, and technical filmmaking, it's essential listening for Dune enthusiasts.

Find all their links at https://linktr.ee/theduneminute and follow them on Bluesky
Contact Us Questions or comments?
Send emails to: [email protected]
Or, send us a voicemail! You can use the voicemail tool on our website, thelorehounds.com/contact OR record a note on your smartphone and email it to us at the same address.
Links to Patreon, Supercast, Discord, and Network Affiliates
https://linktr.ee/thelorehounds
Any opinions stated are ours personally and do not reflect the opinion of or belong to any employers or other entities.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Elysia is joined by documentary and TV editor Rebecca June Lane (IMDb) to break down highlight's from the year in documentary filmmaking, starting with this year's Oscar nominees and expanding to recommendations (or anti-recommendations) for more of the most talked about 2025 documentaries and beyond.
The five nominees, and related docs (00:06:58)
More recommendations (01:11:21)
More fun docs (01:29:43)

Note: All film discussion in this episode is spoiler-free.

Documentary Feature nominees:
Come See Me in the Good Light (USA) – trailer, info (Apple TV)
Cutting Through Rocks (Iran) – trailer, info (DocPlay in June)
Mr. Nobody Against Putin (Russia) – trailer, info (to rent)
The Perfect Neighbor (USA) – trailer, info (Netflix)
The Alabama Solution (USA) – trailer, info (HBO Max)

Other films discussed: André Is an Idiot (USA, in theaters: Mar 6 [US]), Viva Verdi! (Italy, Jolt.film), Prime Minister (New Zealand, HBO Max), My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow* (Russia, Mubi: Apr 3), 2000 Meters to Andriivka* (Ukraine, to rent), Coexistence, My Ass!* (Israel/Palestine, on tour), Holding Liat* (Israel/USA, NPO [NL] / select theaters [US]), The House I Live In (2012, USA, to buy), “Classroom 4” (USA, PBS), “Armed with Only a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud” (USA/global, HBO Max), Apocalypse in the Tropics* (Brazil, Netflix), Yanuni* (Brazil, to rent: Eventive), Predators (USA, Paramount+), The Librarians (USA, PBS), “The ABCs of Book Banning” (2023, USA, Paramount+ / Roku), I’m Not Everything I Want to Be (Czechoslovakia/Japan, Metrograph), Cover-Up* (USA/global, Netflix), Vice Is Broke (USA/global, Mubi), Riefenstahl (Germany, Hoopla / Kanopy / Kino / to rent), The Propagandist (The Netherlands, NPO [NL] / to rent: OVD [US]), Afternoons of Solitude (Spain, Mubi / to rent), “Marion” (2024, Spain, Vimeo), Grand Theft Hamlet (USA, Mubi), Diane Warren: Relentless (USA, Hoopla / Kanopy / to rent), The Life Ahead (2020, fiction, Italy, Netflix), Tell it Like a Woman (2022, fiction, various countries, YouTube / etc.), Sally (USA/space, Disney+/Hulu), Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore (USA, Kanopy / Kino / to rent), Deaf President Now! (USA, Apple), My Mom Jayne (USA [mostly], HBO Max), LIZA: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story (USA, NPO [NL] / Hoopla / Kino / to rent), Secret Mall Apartment (USA, Netflix), Unknown Number: The Highschool Catfish (USA, Netflix)
*Other shortlisted doc features: Folktales (Norway, Kanopy / to rent), Mistress Dispeller (China, Kanopy / to rent), Seeds (USA, on tour)

The 98th Academy Awards will air Sunday, March 15, 2025 at 7 pm ET (on ABC/Hulu in the US) – where it's aired around the world
Check how many Oscar nominees you've seen at OscarsDeathRace.com – or with extended stats and access to the animated shorts via DeathRaceTracking.com

Oscars 2026 coverage
Nominations + Best Picture preview
Live-Action, Animated, & Documentary Shorts 
Production Design, Costumes, Makeup & Hair
International Features
Documentary Features (this episode)
Score & Original Song
Animated Features
Cinematography, VFX, Editing, Sound
Adapted & Original Screenplay, Director
Lead & Supporting Actor & Actress, Casting
Ceremony reactions + Best Picture rankings

Deep dives into 2026 Oscar nominees
Sinners
One Battle After Another – pt. 1, pt. 2, pt. 3
Frankenstein
Weapons
Shorts: “Two People Exchanging Saliva,” “Jane Austen’s Period Drama,” “The Singers,” “Retirement Plan,” and “The Girl Who Cried Pearls”
For subscribers: 
Leiden IFF – WhachaWachin (Sentimental Value, If I Had Legs I Would Kick You, Arco + Rental Family, Left-Handed Girl)
Imagine Fantastic FF – WhachaWachin (The Last Viking)

Additional awards coverage
BAFTAs shorts
BAFTAs features
Independent Spirit Awards

Revisit Oscars 2024 & 2025: links in these show notes

Contact Us
Questions or comments? Visit us at our website where you can use the contact form or use the voicemail feature. Or, send an email to [email protected].

Links to Patreon, Supercast, Discord, and Network Affiliates
linktr.ee/thelorehounds

Any opinions stated are ours personally and do not reflect the opinion of or belong to any employers or other entities.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

David and John recap another emotional episode of The Pitt. The system is down, the whiteboards are up, and the Olgilvies are Olgilvie-ing.
View our Free Show Guide Online:
https://thelorehounds.notion.site/the-pitt-show-guide
Contact Us Questions or comments? Send emails to: [email protected]
Or, send us a voicemail! You can use the voicemail tool on our website, thelorehounds.com/contact OR record a note on your smartphone and email it to us at the same address.
Links to Patreon, Supercast, Discord, and Network Affiliates
https://linktr.ee/thelorehounds
Any opinions stated are ours personally and do not reflect the opinion of or belong to any employers or other entities.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy