Jesse McAnally

Jesse is a Michigan-based film critic who has dedicated to film, media, theater, and storytelling. He’s been online for years with the long running podcast “Musicals with Cheese” where he covers theater and film. Growing up in Metro-Detroit, Jesse fell in love with all forms of storytelling, with the goal of not only critiquing and engaging with art, but making it myself. Not only a reviewer, Jesse is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker, and his feature film debut “The Daughters of the Domino” has played at over a dozen festivals, and has given him a new appreciation of the world of film criticism.

For years, Jesse has shared his unique voice through his long-running podcast, Musicals with Cheese, where he explores the intersection of stage and screen. But his expertise is not merely academic; he is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker whose feature debut, The Daughters of the Domino, has screened at over a dozen festivals. The experience of bringing his own film to life has given him a rare, firsthand respect for the challenges and triumphs of the filmmaking process.

Jesse is a frequent guest on media podcasts, where he connects with audiences and shares his infectious enthusiasm for cinema. His work with the Broadway Podcast Network has allowed him to interview some of the industry’s most notable talents, including Alex Brightman (Beetlejuice, Hazbin Hotel), Kelli O’Hara (The Gilded Age), and Quiara Alegría Hudes (In the Heights, Vivo).

Through his podcast and critical analysis, Jesse advocates for a deeper appreciation of artistry. He adores the theatrical experience and thrives to find new and powerful moments in a dark room with strangers — the way cinema was meant to be. He is so grateful to have experiences on both sides of the camera so he knows how truly hard it is to make any film.

Where to Find Jesse:

Top 10 Movies:

  • All That Jazz
  • Moonstruck
  • The Silence of the Lambs
  • Zodiac
  • Ed Wood
  • Mulholland Drive
  • The Sound of Music
  • Hedwig and the Angry Inch
  • The Last Temptation of Christ
  • A Nightmare on Elm Street

Latest Posts:

  • BONUS: John Carpenter's In the Mouth of Madness
  • The Wedding Singer (feat. Brent Black)
  • BONUS: Alien (1979)
  • Michael (2026)
  • BONUS: Citizen Kane