The Lorehounds

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

Elysia is joined by Mexican film critic Héctor Serrano to tour the best cinema of the year from around the world, from this year's five Oscar nominees to highlights from the shortlist and beyond:
Best International Film – history & rules (0:04:02)
The 5 nominees (0:16:54)
Shortlisted films (01:02:55)
Other awards & more recs (01:26:16)

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

Find Héctor Serrano at: El Cinéfilo Latino

Nominees Discussed:
International Film nominees:
It Was Just an Accident (France [Iran]) – trailer, info (VoD)
The Secret Agent (Brazil) – trailer, info (VoD, theaters)
Sentimental Value (Norway) – trailer, info (VoD)
Sirāt (Spain) – trailer, info (theaters, VoD likely March)
The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia [Palestine]) – trailer, info (theaters, VoD March 10)

Other films discussed: A Useful Ghost (Thailand; to rent), The Sea (Israel; to rent), No Other Choice (South Korea; to rent), “Close Your Eyes, Hind” (The Netherlands [Palestine]; NPO [NL only]), Four Daughters (2023, Tunisia; Hoopla, Kanpoy, Kino), The President’s Cake (Iraq), Sound of Falling (Germany), Left-Handed Girl (Taiwan; Netflix), Kokuho (Japan), Homebound (India; Netflix), All That’s Left of You (Jordan [Palestine]; to rent), Nouvelle Vague (France; Netflix), On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (Zambia; HBO Max), A Poet (Colombia), Rietland (The Netherlands; to rent [NL]; Elysia’s review), The Propagandist (The Netherlands; NPO [NL]), We Shall Not Be Moved (Mexico; Disney/Hulu, Kanopy), The Things You Kill (Canada [Turkey]; Hoopla, Filo), Banzo (Portugal), Sore: Wife from the Future (Indonesia), The Ugly Stepsister (Norway; Hulu, AMC+, Shudder, Mubi, Philo), The Last Viking (Denmark), Resurrection (China; Elysia’s review), Magellan (The Phillippines [Portugal]) 

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 (this episode)
Documentary Features
Score & Original Song
Cinematography, VFX, Editing, Sound
Animated Features
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

John is joined by Marilyn R. Pukkila to discuss Of Túrin Turambar, the twenty-fourth portion of The Silmarillion. They discuss the Norse origins of Túrin, the effects of curses and expectations, and the changes in Thingol.
Marilyn's Website
Marilyn R. Pukkila, Research & Instruction Librarian Emerita, Colby College
Links to Patreon, Supercast, Discord, and Network Affiliates
linktr.ee/thelorehounds
Deep lore questions, comments and/or thoughts to share? Send us an email at [email protected]
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

The Triarchy of John, Elysia, and David are briefly joined by Anthony to recap the finale of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. They discuss anachronistic music, cold but kind fathers, and subtle digs are George Martin.
Contact Us Questions or comments? Send emails 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

Elysia is joined by Lisa (aka RedZippy) to put her theater and costume expertise to work evaluating this year's line-up in the 2026 Oscars' three art-direction categories: Production Design, Costume Design, and Makeup & Hairstyling – the last of which especially is secretly one of the most exciting list of nominees in the race.
Note: All film discussion in this episode is spoiler-free.

Nominees Discussed:
Production Design (00:04:35)
Marty Supreme – Production Design: Jack Fisk; Set Decoration: Adam Willis – trailer – to rent, later HBO Max 
Sinners – Production Design: Hannah Beachler; Set Decoration: Monique Champagne – trailer – HBO Max 
Frankenstein – Production Design: Tamara Deverell; Set Decoration: Shane Vieau – trailer – Netflix 
Hamnet – Production Design: Fiona Crombie; Set Decoration: Alice Felton – trailer – to rent, later Peacock  
One Battle After Another – Production Design: Florencia Martin; Set Decoration: Anthony Carlino – trailer – HBO Max 

Other films discussed: The Fantastic 4: First Steps (our coverage), Tron: Ares, Wicked: For Good (our coverage), Hedda, The Testament of Ann Lee, Kiss of the Spider Woman  

Costume Design (00:50:13)
Avatar: Fire and Ash – Deborah L. Scott – trailer – in theaters, eventually Disney+ 
Sinners – Ruth E. Carter – trailer – HBO Max  
Frankenstein – Kate Hawley – trailer – Netflix 
Marty Supreme – Miyako Bellizzi – trailer – to rent, later HBO Max 
Hamnet – Malgosia Turzanska – trailer – to rent, later Peacock 

Makeup & Hairstyling (01:12:19)
Sinners – Ken Diaz, Mike Fontaine, and Shunika Terry – trailer – HBO Max
Frankenstein – Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel, and Cliona Furey – trailer – Netflix 
The Smashing Machine – Kazu Hiro, Glen Griffin, and Bjoern Rehbein – trailer – HBO Max 
Kokuho – Kyoko Toyokawa, Naomi Hibino, and Tadashi Nishimatsu – trailer – in theaters 
The Ugly Stepsister – Thomas Foldberg and Anne Cathrine Sauerberg –  trailer – Hulu, Shudder, Mubi, AMC+  

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 (last year's link)
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 (this episode)
International Features
Documentary Features
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, and 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