Widescreen: Essential podcasts tackle Oscar snubs, Kurt Cobain's most iconic song

A monthlong change in format for "This Had Oscar Buzz" - a podcast that normally examines a high-profile movie that received zero Oscar nominations - has resulted in a highly entertaining five-part series that will culminate Monday with what hosts Joe Reid and Chris Feil feel is the biggest Oscar snub of all time.

Dubbed "100 Years, 100 Snubs!," the series has Reid and Feil each naming 50 performances, directors, craftspeople or movies wrongly ignored by the Academy Awards, and also choosing the nominated party they would exclude. In doing so, the hosts often give comedies their flowers; this week's episode offered up "The Birdcage" as a best picture nominee (1996) and Andrea Martin for best supporting actress in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" (2002).

Hear the final episode and catch up with the rest on Spotify, iTunes or your preferred podcast platform. Notable titles featured in the show's usual format include Martin Scorsese's "Shutter Island," Jordan Peele's "Us" and Wes Anderson's "The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou" ... among 200-plus others.

Also on your podcatcher

Music journalist Rob Harvilla's "60 Songs that Explain the '90s" returned with its 91st episode (yes, that's right, and Harvilla acknowledges the absurdity) this past week and finally tackled the biggest track of them all: Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit."

The episode begins with a Harvilla monologue that reckons with the entire "Batman" filmography, Chicago legend Wesley Willis and singer-songwriter Daniel Johnston before coming to Kurt Cobain's iconic anthem - and tying them all together. And then comes a rambling, electrifying interview with Cobain's widow, Courtney Love, who sings what she says are the song's original lyrics.

It's a landmark episode of the podcast from Bill Simmons' Ringer network, which boasts a large roster of sports and pop culture shows. (My favorite: Simmons' own "The Rewatchables," which seemingly channels my own barroom conversations about my favorite movies.)

What's in a name?

HBO Max, the streaming platform with the most prestigious brand-name in TV history, is now simply called Max. The tagline on parent company Warner Bros. Discovery's relaunch advertising: "The one to watch for HBO."

Man, the old rich guys who run entertainment studios these days (and refuse to pay their writers) are real geniuses, aren't they?

• Sean Stangland is an assistant news editor who would nominate "The Matrix" as the biggest Oscar snub of his lifetime for not being in 1999's best picture category. It's hard to think of a movie that has had a bigger impact on the industry over the last 24 years.