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Cinema history is bloated. Most "must-watch" lists are just prestige taxidermy—movies people respect but nobody actually wants to watch.

The Essential Cut is an audit designed to trim the fat and build the only definitive collection: The Essential Cut Watchlist.

Every episode, hosts Ian and Michael put cinema's heavy hitters through a three-phase inspection:

Emotional Connection: Does the film’s "pulse" still beat in 2026?
Cinematic Importance: Which filmmakers has this movie inspired?
Entertainment Value: Beyond the art—is it actually entertaining?

The verdict is binary. One film is Saved to the Essential Cut Watchlist. The other is Deleted forever. Welcome to The Essential Cut.

An Up Left Media Production.

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