Space Opera Sequels. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen begin by discussing our reactions to Dune: Part Two, how it compares our perspectives of Part One and how the films connect to the source text. We talk about our opinions and connections to The Empire Strikes Back (aka Star Wars Episode V), and our experiences watching it growing up. …

Unpacking the Academy Awards. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss the 96th Academy Awards ceremony. We begin by talking about the presentation of the ceremony itself. Our conversation moves to the Best Picture category and we consider Oppenheimer, Zone of Interest, American Fiction and The Holdovers. We discuss the Sound category an…

Scandalous love affairs. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and Doug Dillaman discuss May December (2023) and Notes on a Scandal (2006). We begin by hearing each person's reaction to watching or rewatching Notes on a Scandal. We touch on the real case that both films are based on, focused on the relationship between Matu Kay Letouneau and Vili Fualaau. We …

Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss the films they watched over the December-January holiday period. We talk about Bluey (2018-Present), Wonka (2023), Ferrari (2023), Killers of the Flower Moon (2023), Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023), Rebel Moon: Part One - A Child of Fire (2023), The Holdovers (2023), American Fiction (2023), A…

Conductor composer biopics. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Maestro (2023) and Amadeus (1984). We begin by discussing the life and work of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and its connection to the film. We talk about the film itself and how it tells the story of Mozart, as well as fabricating its own cinematic narrative. We praise Maest…

The good, the average and the weird. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss their film and television highlights of the year, including each of their best film of the year, their biggest surprise, their biggest disappointment, their wildcard film or television season of the year and their best television show of 2023. Here are the film…

Ridley Scott historical epics starring Joaquin Phoenix. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Napoleon (2023) and Gladiator (2000). We begin by discussing Gladiator and our initial and most recent reactions. We talk about the strength of the performances, particularly Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed and Ric…

Dystopian prejudiced world, where a male protagonist escorts a young woman across war-torn lands. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss The Creator (2023) and Children of Men (2006). We begin by discussing The Creator and exploring its strengths and faults, especially how great the film looks and how it was achieved with a small budge…

Amateur theatre mockumentaries. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Theater Camp (2023) and Waiting for Guffman (1996). We begin by hearing William's fresh take on Waiting For Guffman (we had just watched the film together before our recording). We collectively praise Waiting for Guffman and trace its influence upon comedy for the f…

Barbie and Oppenheimer. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Barbie (2023) and Oppenheimer (2023). We begin by discussing the Barbenheimer phenomenon and the influences that contributed to making this cinema event happen. We talk about the musical qualities of Barbie, as well as the cinema homages. We move to discuss the representati…

Movies that made William. Jeremy and William discuss the most significant films in William's life in our series of Movies That Made Us. He talks about Who Am I (1998), The Iron Giant (1999), Les Triplettes de Belleville | The Triplets of Belleville (2003), Fantasia (1940), and Back to the Future (1985). If you enjoy our podcast then consider joinin…

Michael Keaton Batman films. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss The Flash (2023) and Batman Returns (1992). We begin by discussing the Tim Burton films in the late 80s and early 90s, including Batman (1989), Edward Scissorhands (1990), Batman Returns (1992), The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) and Ed Wood (1994). We talk about th…

Cross-political pop culture thrillers. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Tetris (2023) and Argo (2012). We begin by discussing Tetris: the game, the book and the film. We explore the wider world of video gaming and the development of technology. We shift to Argo and our initial reactions and our rewatching reactions. We discuss th…

Super Mario Bros. films. Jeremy Downing and William Chen are joined by friend to the podcast Billy Revell-Siō to discuss the recent The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) and the 30-year old Super Mario Bros. (1993). We begin by discussing our bafflement by the 1993 film... what did we watch?! We discuss the mythology of the Mario games and wider Ninte…

Triangle named films at sea. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Triangle of Sadness (2022) and Triangle (2009). We begin by discussing Triangle and how the successful the fils works on building the narrative on a small budget. We talk through the time loop logic in Triangle and how the central character is represented throughout. W…

Gerard Johnstone horror comedies. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss M3GAN (2023) and Housebound (2014). We begin by discussing the strengths of Housebound, especially how it references to many other horror classics. We talk through the horror tropes throughout the film and how successfully these moments intersect with the characte…

James Cameron two billion dollar epics. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) and Titanic (1997). We begin by discussing the themes of James Cameron films and how he captures big emotions in his films, and how these intersects with the representation of indigenous peoples. We discuss the performance cap…

Highs and lows of the year. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss their film and television highlights of 2022, including best film of the year (and runner-ups for best film of the year), biggest surprise of the year, worst film of the year, best time we had at the cinema and the best season of television of the year (and runner-ups f…

Detective thrillers from great heights. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Decision to Leave (2022) and Vertigo (1958). We begin by expressing our reactions to Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo, with a range of reflections. We discuss the representation of gender and power in the film, while trying figure out what the film is trying to sa…

Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss the films they watched while abroad, jet setting around the world. They discuss the following films: Lapsis (2020); Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar (2021); Bridesmaids (2011); Ocean's Eleven (2001); Game Night (2018); The Rehearsal (2022); The Lost City (2022); Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022); the S…

Florence Pugh thrillers. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Don't Worry Darling (2022) and Midsommar (2019). We begin by talking about our experiences and reactions watching Midsommar, both the first time and any subsequent rewatching. We discuss the film in connection to Hereditary (2018), Sing Street (2016) and A Nightmare on Elm…

Jam-packed genre films with Chris Hemsworth. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) and Cabin in the Woods (2011). We begin by sharing our honest reactions to Thor: Love and Thunder, especially how ridiculous film is - comparing to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022), Free Guy (2021), Black …

Baz Luhrmann's oeuvre. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss the most recent Luhrmann film Elvis (2022) and his first film Strictly Ballroom (1992). We begin by discussing Baz's visual style, especially his use of computer generated images. We move into a discussion of Elvis and how successful we each feel the film was. We move into a…

Looking back at the key films in our lives. Sarah Watt and Jeremy Downing are joined by special guest Dan Eichblattt to talk about the movies that made us: key films that have had an impact on our lives. We've organised these films into five categories:Film you’ve watched the most:Sarah: The Holiday (2006)Dan: Beetlejuice (1988)Jeremy: Strictly Bal…

80s films return! Directed by Joseph Kosinski. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Top Gun: Maverick (2022) and TRON: Legacy (2010). We begin by welcoming Sarah back to the podcast, hearing about two films she saw on her travels: The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022) and The Glance of Music AKA Ennio (2021). We begin our di…

Multiverse motherhood films. Jeremy Downing and William Chen are joined by Billy Revell-Siō to discuss Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022). We begin by discussing the horror genre elements of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, particularly harking back to the previous films of Sa…

Female-led Pixar films. Jeremy Downing and William Chen are joined by Phoebe Shum to discuss Brave (2012) and Turning Red (2022). We begin by discussing Turning Red, especially the strengths of its themes and confidence in setting. We turn to Brave and consider the strength in the visuals and animation, discuss the connections to Tangled (2010) and…

Animated refugee biographies. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Flee (2021) and Persepolis (2007). We begin by discussing Persepolis and our experiences of seeing the film, rewatching it recently and reading the comic. We discuss both films and their presentation of the refugee story and the cost of freedom, especially with both f…

Meta slasher films. Sarah Watt and Jeremy Downing, with special guest Doug Dillaman, discuss Scream (1996) and Scream (2022). We begin by discussing the self-referential and meta qualities of the Scream series, including Scream 2 (1997), Scream 3 (2000) and Scream 4 (2011). We link and talk about the films in regards to Drew Barrymore, Scooby Doo a…

Seven films from the summer for our 70th episode. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss the following 2021 films: Don't Look Up, Encanto, The French Dispatch, House of Gucci, The Matrix: Resurrections, The Power of the Dog and West Side Story. Don't Look Up: We begin with review by song, highlighting how much the satire was or wasn't …

Highs and lows of the year. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss their highlight films of 2021, including their biggest surprises, disappointments, wildcards, recommendations, runner-ups for the best film/television of the year and then each person's top pick. Here are the films discussed:• Biggest surprise: Werewolves Within [Willia…

Tony Leung films. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) and In the Mood for Love (2000). We begin by discussing Tony Leung's work in Shang-Chi and how much charisma he brings to the film, which weaves into a critique of the villains in Marvel films. We talk about the special effects of …

Virtual reality worlds. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Free Guy (2021) and The Matrix (1999). We begin by praising The Matrix, directed by Lilly and Lana Wachowski aka "The Wachowskis". We talk about various memorable shots and sequences, and drawing connections to manga, anime, Hong Kong cinema, Shrek (2001), Swordfish (2001),…

The White Lotus. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss the latest HBO limited series The White Lotus, created, written and directed by Mike White. We begin by sharing our initial thoughts, which are varied between the three of us. In our discussion, we work our way through each of the characters and the actors playing them, unpacking …

Disney theme park films. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Jungle Cruise (2021) and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), two action adventure films based on Disney theme park rides of the same names. We begin the discussion by focusing on Jungle Cruise, reflecting upon the circumstances of how we each saw…

The Fast & Furious saga. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss F9: The Fast Saga (2021) and The Fast and the Furious (2001), the latest and initial films in the Fast and the Furious saga. We begin by discussing Jeremy's lack of exposure to the films, with Sarah and William filling in the blanks. We talk to the legacy of the series, in…

Cultural change musicals. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss In The Heights (2021) and Fiddler on the Roof (1971), two musical films exploring the upholding of culture amidst social change. We begin by discuss the similarities of both films. We then talk to Fiddler on the Roof and its timelessness and its sense of reality. We then …

Robot uprising films. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss The Mitchells vs the Machines (2021) and Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991), two films detailing the robot apocalypse and dysfunctional families finding their way in the skirmish. We begin by talking about The Mitchells vs the Machines, comparing it to Phil Lord and Chris Mil…

Versus films. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) and Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), two films at the ends of the 'versus films' spectrum. We jump into Godzilla vs. Kong, unpacking the plot details, and connecting and comparing it to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), The Guest (2014), Transformers (2007)…

Academy Awards 2021. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss the Oscar nominations for 2021 a few weeks before the awards ceremony.Cinema in Context

Houseless on the road. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Nomadland (2020) and Into The Wild (2007), two films with protagonists who are houseless and on the road. We begin by discussing the real world connections inherent in both films, including the non-actors (but highlighting the skills and strengths of Frances McDormand), elem…

#MeToo revenge and road trips. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen are joined by Julia Craig to discuss Promising Young Woman (2021) and Thelma & Louise (1991), two films dealing with sexual assault, female revenge and the unpicking of society's complicity and encouragement of toxic, dangerous and misogynist behaviours. We begin by sharing …

Exploring the "greatest film of all time". Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Mank (2020) and Citizen Kane (1941). We start by comparing Mank to Joker and Alien3, and then jumping into a discussion of Citizen Kane, as the subjective greatest film of all time. We discuss the impressive cinematography and the strength of the cast, li…

Memorable film and television from an unpredictable year. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss their highlights from 2020, but because of the unsettled nature of 2020, we talk about both film and TV we watched this year, regardless of when they were released. We talk about and mention the films Babyteeth, One Cut of the Dead, Cats, C…

Aaron Sorkin scripts. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss The Social Network (2010) and The Trial of Chicago 7 (2020). We start by speaking about the real-world impact of the real-life stories of both films, especially Facebook and how its impact has changed over time. Our conversation then moves into the work of Aaron Sorkin, highl…

Two versions of Mulan. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Mulan (1998) and Mulan (2020), both available on Disney+. We start by discussing the state of Disney live action remakes and whether the new Mulan is a "cash grab". We discuss the talents of Niki Caro and what she brought to the live action film. We criticise the lack of int…

Christopher Nolan films. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing, Doug Dillaman and William Chen discuss two Christopher Nolan films, Memento (2000) and Tenet (2020). We start by discussing how we each saw Tenet at the cinema, with a global pandemic, comparing our respective experiences - especially the sound design of Nolan's films. Sarah unpacks elements of t…

Obsessive game competition documentaries. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss the Netflix+ distributed The Speed Cubers and The King of Kong (2007). We begin by discussing the despicable qualities of the people featured in The King of Kong, particularly Billy Mitchell, and the under-dog qualities of Steve Wiebe. We then talk about t…

Musical political figures. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss the Disney+ distributed, live-filmed presentation of Hamilton and Evita (1996). We begin by discussing Madonna, her cultural influence and her performance in Evita. We criticise the adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber shows to film, including Cats and Jesus Christ Supersta…

Treasure hunts in war. Billy Revell-Siō, William Chen and Jeremy Downing discuss the Netflix film Da 5 Bloods and 1999 film Three Kings. We begin by unpacking Da 5 Bloods, and how it doesn't work on a whole, but highlighting the areas that it does do well. We then talk about Three Kings and the commentary it is trying to achieve, the experimentatio…