Screen Drafts

Our first annual Noirvember kicks off with Noirvember founder Marya E. Gates and Caught Looking Magazine co-founder Kate Hagen at the Draft Table, ranking the best NOIR films directed (classic or neo) directed by WOMEN! Also at the Draft Table is Official Sponsor Lauren James (https://mediamagpies.com/), providing the trivia round and her own recommendations for Noir films directed by women!

Want more Screen Drafts? Become a Booster! For just $5 a month get ad-free Main Feed episodes, plus monthly installments of The Franchise mini-Super Draft, The Marathon, Speed Drafts, and the Cool Kids Criterion Club Corner. Or, become a Lodge Member to get all of that, plus the brand new Mid-Budget Masterpiece Theatre! Visit https://www.patreon.com/screendrafts to join the Club and support the show!

It's the grand finale of SCREAM Drafts VIIII! Writers Alan Sepinwall (Serling: A Journey into the Twilight Zone with TV's First Visionary), Emily St. James (Every time a Bell Rings: The Legacy of It's a Wonderful Life, America's Most Beloved Christmas Film), and Daniel Kraus (Whalefall, Angel Down) join us at the Draft Table to competitively / collaboratively rank the 13 BEST episodes from the Rod Serling era of The Twilight Zone!

Want more Screen Drafts? Become a Booster! For just $5 a month get ad-free Main Feed episodes, plus monthly installments of The Franchise mini-Super Draft, The Marathon, Speed Drafts, and the Cool Kids Criterion Club Corner. Or, become a Lodge Member to get all of that, plus the brand new Mid-Budget Masterpiece Theatre! Visit https://www.patreon.com/screendrafts to join the Club and support the show!

This week, SCREAM Drafts is a Franchise-Free zone! Third-time Guest GMs Scott Reynolds (Dexter: Resurrection) & Josh Miller (Violent Night 2, Best Movies Never Made) join us at the Draft Table to rank the 7 BEST SLASHER movies that didn't spawn sequels or prequels!

Next Week: TWILIGHT ZONE mini-MEGA with Alan Sepinwall, Emily St. James, & Daniel Kraus

Los Angeles! Come to Screen Drafts LIVE with Dr. Rebekah McKendry & Elric Kane on Saturday, October 24th! Tickets at screendrafts.com

Screen Drafts is LIVE in Los Angeles in ONE WEEK!

Come join us at the Lumiere Cinema on Saturday, October 24th at 2pm for the COLLEGE HORROR Draft with Dr. Rebekah McKendry and Elric Kane from Colors of the Dark! It's our first live show in LA since 2019!

And tickets are only $15!

Go to https://www.screendrafts.com to find the ticket link. Hope to see you there!

SCREAM Drafts 2026 continues with William Bibbiani (Critically Acclaimed Network) and Alexandra Heller-Nicholas (1000 Women in Horror) competitively / collaboratively ranking the 7 BEST films ever made ABOUT HORROR MOVIES! Joining Clay as guest commissioner is the writer of a film about horror movies, Drew McWeeny (John Carpenter's Cigarette Burns)!

Want more Screen Drafts? Become a Booster! For just $5 a month get ad-free Main Feed episodes, plus monthly installments of The Franchise mini-Super Draft, The Marathon, Speed Drafts, and the Cool Kids Criterion Club Corner. Or, become a Lodge Member to get all of that, plus the brand new Mid-Budget Masterpiece Theatre! Visit https://www.patreon.com/screendrafts to join the Club and support the show!

Awwwwwooooooo!

SCREAM Drafts returns with a vengeance as guest GMs Clarke Wolfe, Billy Ray Brewton, and Chris Thomas Devlin competitively / collaboratively rank the 13 BEST movies ever made about one of the most legendary monsters to ever terrify humankind: the WEREWOLF!

Also at the Draft Table to talk lycanthropes is guest co-commish Graham Skipper!

Next Week: MOVIES ABOUT HORROR MOVIES with William Bibbiani & Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, and guest co-commish... Graham Skipper?!

Want more Screen Drafts? Become a Booster! For just $5 a month get ad-free Main Feed episodes, plus monthly installments of The Franchise mini-Super Draft, The Marathon, Speed Drafts, and the Cool Kids Criterion Club Corner. Or, become a Lodge Member to get all of that, plus the brand new Mid-Budget Masterpiece Theatre! Visit https://www.patreon.com/screendrafts to join the Club and support the show!

Screen Drafts rookies Karina Longworth (You Must Remember This) and Alex Ross (The New Yorker) join us at the Draft Table to competitively / collaboratively rank the 7 BEST films from the filmography of MONTGOMERY CLIFT, one of the primary subjects of the new season of You Must Remember This, "The Bisexuals!"

Next Week: SCREAM Drafts 2026 begins!

Want more Screen Drafts? Become a Booster! For just $5 a month get ad-free Main Feed episodes, plus monthly installments of The Franchise mini-Super Draft, The Marathon, Speed Drafts, and the Cool Kids Criterion Club Corner. Or, become a Lodge Member to get all of that, plus the brand new Mid-Budget Masterpiece Theatre! Visit https://www.patreon.com/screendrafts to join the Club and support the show!

Film & TV editors Darrin Navarro (Apple's Cape Fear, Screen Drafts All-Star) and Josh Ethier (Buddy, Screen Drafts Rookie) meet at the Draft Table to competitively / collaboratively rank the 11 feature films directed by editor-turned-director HAL ASHBY! Also joining us is Draft Official Sponsor Frank Berman!

Next Week: MONTGOMERY CLIFT with You Must Remember This host Karina Longworth and culture critic & writer Alex Ross

Want more Screen Drafts? Become a Booster! For just $5 a month get ad-free Main Feed episodes, plus monthly installments of The Franchise mini-Super Draft, The Marathon, Speed Drafts, and the Cool Kids Criterion Club Corner. Or, become a Lodge Member to get all of that, plus the brand new Mid-Budget Masterpiece Theatre! Visit https://www.patreon.com/screendrafts to join the Club and support the show!

It's the epic conclusion of the ROBERT ALTMAN SUPER DRAFT! After facing off with each other GM individually between November 2025 and June 2026, Ryan is now joined by ALL THREE (Mitchell Beaupre, Walter Chaw, & Emily St. James) to competitively / collaboratively rank the 14 BEST films directed by ROBERT ALTMAN, thus completing the full 35-film ranking of the great director's entire feature career.

Alongside Clay at the Commissioner's Table is Alonso Duralde, guest co-commish for the entire journey, once again providing color commentary, and, where necessary, some tough love.

This is the Draft that Ryan has been waiting for for over eight years. Will it be a moment of triumph, or heartbreak? There's only one way to find out...

Want more Screen Drafts? Become a Booster! For just $5 a month get ad-free Main Feed episodes, plus monthly installments of The Franchise mini-Super Draft, The Marathon, Speed Drafts, and the Cool Kids Criterion Club Corner. Or, become a Lodge Member to get all of that, plus the brand new Mid-Budget Masterpiece Theatre! Visit https://www.patreon.com/screendrafts to join the Club and support the show!

September 8th, 2026 is the 60th anniversary of STAR TREK, one of the most enduring and impactful franchises in the history of film and television. To celebrate, Clay gathered his Star Trek-focused Group Chat, Adam B. Vary, Bryan Cogman, Dave Schilling, and John Heard, for a 13-title mini-MEGA Draft of the BEST EPISODES in the iconic ORIGINAL SERIES!

Want more Screen Drafts? Become a Booster! For just $5 a month get ad-free Main Feed episodes, plus monthly installments of The Franchise mini-Super Draft, The Marathon, Speed Drafts, and the Cool Kids Criterion Club Corner. Or, become a Lodge Member to get all of that, plus the brand new Mid-Budget Masterpiece Theatre! Visit https://www.patreon.com/screendrafts to join the Club and support the show!

It's the grand finale of BROOKS MONTH! We are joined once again at the Draft Table by Filmspotting SVU co-hosts Matt Singer (Funny Business, out October 6th) and Jordan Hoffman (Starlog) for a competitive / collaborative ranking of the 13 feature films written & directed by (or starring & produced by) centenarian war hero comedy legend MEL BROOKS!

Want more Screen Drafts? Become a Booster! For just $5 a month get ad-free Main Feed episodes, plus monthly installments of The Franchise mini-Super Draft, The Marathon, Speed Drafts, and the Cool Kids Criterion Club Corner. Or, become a Lodge Member to get all of that, plus the brand new Mid-Budget Masterpiece Theatre! Visit https://www.patreon.com/screendrafts to join the Club and support the show!

Pre-order Matt's new book, Funny Business: The Old-School Wedding Crashers and Knocked-Up Virgins Who Changed Comedy Forever now! https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/790241/funny-business-by-matt-singer/

Brooks Month detours into more dramatic territory in week 3, as Screen Drafts Legends Ryan Marker and Oriana Nudo (Hollywood-ography) rank the 9 BEST films from Oscar-winning writer / director / producer RICHARD BROOKS!

Next week: MEL BROOKS SUPER DRAFT with Matt Singer & Jordan Hoffman

Want more Screen Drafts? Become a Booster! For just $5 a month get ad-free Main Feed episodes, plus monthly installments of The Franchise mini-Super Draft, The Marathon, Speed Drafts, and the Cool Kids Criterion Club Corner. Or, become a Lodge Member to get all of that, plus the brand new Mid-Budget Masterpiece Theatre! Visit https://www.patreon.com/screendrafts to join the Club and support the show!

It's week two of BROOKS MONTH! Screenwriter / Emmy nominee Eva Anderson (Margot's Got Money Troubles) returns to the show to competitively collaborate with Commissioner Clay on the definitive ranking of the feature films written and/or directed by Oscar winner JAMES L. BROOKS!

Next week: RICHARD BROOKS mini-MEGA with Oriana Nudo & Commissioner Ryan

Want more Screen Drafts? Become a Booster! For just $5 a month get ad-free Main Feed episodes, plus monthly installments of The Franchise mini-Super Draft, The Marathon, Speed Drafts, and the Cool Kids Criterion Club Corner. Or, become a Lodge Member to get all of that, plus the brand new Mid-Budget Masterpiece Theatre! Visit https://www.patreon.com/screendrafts to join the Club and support the show!

BROOKS MONTH is finally here! To kick things off, guest GMs Dave Schilling and Alison Herman competitively / collaboratively rank the 8 feature films written and/or directed by 20th century comedy icon ALBERT BROOKS!

Next week: JAMES L. BROOKS with Eva Anderson and Commissioner Clay

Want more Screen Drafts? Become a Booster! For just $5 a month get ad-free Main Feed episodes, plus monthly installments of The Franchise mini-Super Draft, The Marathon, Speed Drafts, and the Cool Kids Criterion Club Corner. Or, become a Lodge Member to get all of that, plus the brand new Mid-Budget Masterpiece Theatre! Visit https://www.patreon.com/screendrafts to join the Club and support the show!

Screen Drafts Legends Darren Franich and Graham Skipper Draft one-on-one for the first time, ranking the best films adapted from the most legendary stories in the Western canon!

Want more Screen Drafts? Become a Booster! For just $5 a month get ad-free Main Feed episodes, plus monthly installments of The Franchise mini-Super Draft, The Marathon, Speed Drafts, and the Cool Kids Criterion Club Corner. Or, become a Lodge Member to get all of that, plus the brand new Mid-Budget Masterpiece Theatre! Visit https://www.patreon.com/screendrafts to join the Club and support the show!

Marya and Robert are back at the Draft Table, this time joined by Booster Club Official Sponsor Eric Darling, to rank the 7 BEST films that have won the coveted PALME D'OR at the Cannes Film Festival since the year 2000!

Want more Screen Drafts? Become a Booster! For just $5 a month get ad-free Main Feed episodes, plus monthly installments of The Franchise mini-Super Draft, The Marathon, Speed Drafts, and the Cool Kids Criterion Club Corner. Or, become a Lodge Member to get all of that, plus the brand new Mid-Budget Masterpiece Theatre! Visit https://www.patreon.com/screendrafts to join the Club and support the show!

Kate Hagen (The Black List) returns to the Draft Table, alongside rookie Taylor Blackburn, to competitively / collaboratively rank all 8 feature films directed by groundbreaking auteur (and two-time Oscar winner) JANE CAMPION!

Want more Screen Drafts? Become a Booster! For just $5 a month get ad-free Main Feed episodes, plus monthly installments of The Franchise mini-Super Draft, The Marathon, Speed Drafts, and the Cool Kids Criterion Club Corner. Visit https://www.patreon.com/screendrafts to join the Club and support the show!

Former colleagues Drew McWeeny (The Last '80s Newsletter You'll Ever Need, The Hip Pocket) and Eric Vespe (The Kingcast, The Spiel) reunite at the Screen Drafts Draft Table to competitively / collaboratively rank the 7 BEST films from one of Hollywood's greatest entertainers, director JOE DANTE!

Thank you to returning Official Sponsor Damian Masterson for sponsoring this episode and kicking us off with top-notch Dante trivia!

Want more Screen Drafts? Become a Booster! For just $5 a month get ad-free Main Feed episodes, plus monthly installments of The Franchise mini-Super Draft, The Marathon, Speed Drafts, and the Cool Kids Criterion Club Corner. Visit https://www.patreon.com/screendrafts to join the Club and support the show!

David Thomson, the author of The New Biographical Dictionary of Film, Have You Seen...?, Rosebud: The Story of Orson Welles, and many more, is one of the most prolific and influential writers about film and film history. He is also the favorite writer of Screen Drafts Legend Darren Franich. When the opportunity arose to speak with Mr. Thomson about his new book, A Sudden Flicker of Light, we insisted on taking it, and created a whole new show just to do so!

Please enjoy this very entertaining inaugural edition of The Sit-Down with Darren Franich, an as-needed venue for culture writer Darren Franich to have in-depth conversations with the most interesting minds in film and television.

David Thomson's A Sudden Flicker of Light: A Revisionist History of Movies is on bookshelves now!

Multi-hyphenate Hollywood legend Rob Reiner had a run of films from 1984 to 1995 that are amongst the best that America has ever produced. Many are defining examples of their genre. All are imbued with the wit and heart of their director. Ranking these 9 movies could very well be a fool's errand, but if so, we have just the fools for the job: The Screen Drafts Legends! Join Clay Keller, Ryan Marker, Billy Ray Brewton, Bryan Cogman, Darren Franich, Graham Skipper, Drea Clark, and Oriana Nudo as they attempt to rank, via competitive collaboration, THE REINER RUN.

The Legends will return in... MOVIES III: THE ROTTEN, only in the Screen Drafts Booster Club!

Visit https://www.patreon.com/screendrafts to join The Booster Club