Reviewing movies and the culture that surrounds them.
This podcast is no longer in production.
Published 27 April 2016 • 38 minutes, 8 seconds
Based on the true story of British skier Michael ‘Eddie’ Edwards who became a sensation as the only British ski jumper at the 1988 Winter Olympics. Starring the charm offensive of Taron Egerton and Hugh Jackman, this is a classic underdog sports movie in the very best sense. Two of the happiest hours you could spend at the movies. This episode contains zero chill and several excellent puns.
Published 20 April 2016 • 40 minutes, 2 seconds
The first of two live action (CGI-assisted) adaptations of The Jungle Book due out this year, this version is from Disney and features Neel Sethi in the lead, with vocal assistance from Idris Elba, Bill Murray and Ben Kingsley. A thoughtful adaptation featuring excellent visuals and great acting, it’s another great family film from the house of mouse.
Published 13 April 2016 • 35 minutes, 11 seconds
A thoughtful film that gives us the last live action performance of the great Alan Rickman, EYE IN THE SKY takes a well-researched deep-dive into the ethics of drone warfare. Helen Mirren is the bellicose British colonel in charge, Aaron Paul pilots a drone from the Nevada desert and Rickman’s General tries to convince his political overlords of the merits of a military solution. Meanwhile, newcomer Aisha Takow humanises the people in the collateral damage radius.
Published 6 April 2016 • 29 minutes, 46 seconds
We go back and look at the first film of hot young director Ryan Coogler, and his first team-up with Michael B. Jordan. Fruitvale Station tells the story of the last day of Oscar Grant, who was shot and killed by police in Oakland in the first hours of 2009. The film is affecting, charming, humanising and real, and should be compulsory viewing for law enforcement and in classrooms everywhere.
Published 30 March 2016 • 39 minutes, 48 seconds
The feel-bad flop of the summer has arrived. Zack Snyder’s follow-up to the also not-well-liked MAN OF STEEL tries to atone for that film’s mistakes, not altogether successfully. Some good actors struggle with mediocre material and uncharacteristic characterisation as DC makes yet another misstep in its attempts to counter-program the Marvel juggernaut.
Published 23 March 2016 • 1 hour, 37 minutes
A long listen for your long weekend. We had so much fun talking Jessica Jones, that we decided to do another TV episode, this time reviewing the second season of Marvel’s Daredevil on Netflix. We invited our friend Mathew Groom from the Ranger Danger podcast to join us to discuss the good and bad of the new season and why Katie is just so mad at Matt Murdock.
Published 16 March 2016 • 29 minutes, 33 seconds
Disney animation studios has a new film out, and it’s surprisingly progressive, telling the story of the city’s first ever bunny cop, and the lessons she learns along the way.
Published 9 March 2016 • 33 minutes, 51 seconds
Over our summer holidays we caught up on this sweet indie starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw as a pop star trying to make her way in the difficult music world. It’s an excellent vehicle for Mbatha-Raw, if a little lacking in finesse, and it gave us something different to talk about.
Published 2 March 2016 • 36 minutes, 25 seconds
Less than 24 hours before it was named the year’s Best Picture by the Academy, we watched and effusively praised SPOTLIGHT, a subtle, clever, well-told look at the journalists who uncovered the story of systematic child abuse and cover-up in the Catholic Church in Boston.
Published 24 February 2016 • 31 minutes, 37 seconds
The Coen brothers take on Hollywood with an absurdist 1950s-era tale of a guy who ‘fixes’ the messes made by his high-strung talent. When his top star is kidnapped (George Clooney, charming but not fully realised), madcap antics ensue. If you’re a Coen brothers fan, you’ll probably love it, and we sure got some good laughs out of it, but it’s a fairly flimsy effort that could have used its talent and ideas more effectively.