This week we review the 2016 American period drama film Fences directed by Denzel Washington. It stars Washington and Viola Davis (who won best supporting actress) in the main roles. It follows a working-class African-American father who tries to raise his family in the 1950s, while coming to terms with the events of his life. If you love good qual…

This week we review the 1997 American epic romantic disaster film directed and written by James Cameron. It is based on the account of the sinking of RMS Titanic in 1912 and stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as members of different social classes who fall in love during the ship's maiden voyage. Finally, some class comes to the podcast with …

This week we review the 1985 American indie teen coming-of-age comedy-drama film The Breakfast Club written, produced, and directed by John Hughes. It stars Emilio Estevez, Paul Gleason, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, and Ally Sheedy. The film tells the story of five teenagers from different high school cliques who serve a Satur…

This week we review the 2004 American sports drama film Million Dollar Baby directed by and starring Clint Eastwood. Winner of 4 Oscars - best picture, best director, best actress (Hilary Swank) and best supporting actor (for Morgan Freeman), the film follows Margaret "Maggie" Fitzgerald (Swank), an underdog amateur boxer who is helped by a grumpy …

This week we review the 2013 American thriller film Prisoners directed by Denis Villeneuve. The movie stars Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhall, Viola Davis, Paul Dano and Terrence Howard. It's a simple premise. You child is kidnapped. What would you do to get them back? This is a vigorous podcast. The boys are feisty. Tensions are at an all time high. W…

This week we review the 2017 American psychological horror film Get Out written, co-produced, and directed by Jordan Peele in his directorial debut. It stars Daniel Kaluuya as a young black man who uncovers shocking secrets when he meets the family of his white girlfriend. We are delighted to have the Scotsman's eldest son Max making his debut on t…

This week we review the 2019 American biographical film Richard Jewell directed by Clint Eastwood. We promise you - this is the movie you didn't know you had to see. If you have time try and watch before you listen to this podcast. It is one of our favourite movies and reviews of all time - an incredible injustice story. It had us angry, it has us …

This week we review a 1975 American psychological drama film One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest. The film stars Jack Nicholson as a new patient at a mental institution, alongside Louise Fletcher as a sadistic nurse with a great supporting cast. Winner of all 5 Academy Awards it was nominated for including Oscars for Nicholson and Fletcher this is an a…

This week we review the 2023 fantasy comedy film Barbie directed by Greta Gerwig. It is the first live-action Barbie film and it stars Margot Robbie as the title character and Ryan Gosling as Ken, the film follows them on a journey of self-discovery through Barbieland and the real world following an existential crisis. It is also a commentary regar…

This week we discuss the 2013 American biographical black comedy film The Wolf of Wall Street directed by Martin Scorsese. The story is based on Jordan Belfort's 2007 memoir of the same name. It recounts Belfort's career as a stockbroker in New York City and how his firm, Stratton Oakmont, engaged in rampant corruption and fraud on Wall Street, lea…

This week we review the 2019 American drama film Marriage Story written and directed by Noah Baumbach. It stars Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver as a couple going through a bi-coastal divorce complicated by custody issues surrounding their son. Laura Dern, Alan Alda, Ray Liotta, Julie Hagerty, and Merritt Wever appear in supporting roles. Neither…

This week we review and compare the original 1989 Patrick Swayze, American action film Roadhouse directed by Joel Silver and the 2024 remake with Jake Gyllenhaall and Conor McGregor. The Aussie had not seen either of them and the Scotsman interrupts his intro and accuses him of chat GPT-ing his words. It's an up and down ride from there - lots of b…

This week we discuss the 2008 movie Taken starring Liam Neeson and Maggie Grace. Rohan had not seen this one but both boys love it. So much so they recreate the famous "I don't know who you are" monologue. Who does it better? Let's be honest The Aussie butchers it- the Scotsman is mildly better. We discuss parenting along the way - and ask how old …

This week we review the 2012 French action-thriller film Taken 2 starring Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen and Rade Šerbedžija. It follows retired CIA officer Bryan Mills as he takes his family to Istanbul, where he is kidnapped, along with his ex-wife, by the father of one of the men he killed while saving his daughter two years earlier. I…

This week we review the 2014 English-language action-thriller film Taken 3 directed by Olivier Megaton and written by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen. It is the third and final installment in the Taken film series. A co-production between France, Spain and the United States, the film stars Liam Neeson, Forest Whitaker, Maggie Grace and Famke Janss…

This week we review the 1982 American action film Rambo directed by Ted Kotcheff and co-written by and starring Sylvester Stallone as Vietnam War veteran John Rambo. It co-stars Richard Crenna as Rambo's mentor Sam Trautman and Brian Dennehy as Sheriff Will Teasle. Rambo is a troubled and misunderstood Vietnam veteran who must rely on his combat an…

This week we discuss the 2005 American biographical sports drama film Coach Carter starring Samuel L Jackson and Channing Tatum (in his film debut). This is a 98.5% accurate representation of basketball coach Ken Carter who made deadlines in 1999 for suspending his undefeated high school basketball team due to poor academic results. This is not a p…

This week we review the 2000 American biographical legal drama film Erin Brockovich directed by Steven Soderbergh. The film is a dramatisation of the true story of Erin Brockovich, portrayed by Julia Roberts, who initiated a legal case against the Pacific Gas and Electric Company over its culpability for the Hinkley groundwater contamination incide…

This week we discuss the 1995 epic historical movie Braveheart directed by Mel Gibson. It stars Mel Gibson as William Wallace with a great supporting cast. As you can imagine the Scotsman is in his element. He is fired up. Riffing monologues. Telling stories about Glasgow and how he ended up in Australia. There's goosebumps and tingles galore as th…

This week we discuss the 2013 biographical drama film 12 Years a Slave directed by Steve McQueen and starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Paul Giammatti, Lupita Nyongó and many others. With 9 Oscar nominations this is a must watch true story. An incredibly important story about inhumanity, injustice, survi…

This week we are reviewing the 2014 epic science fiction drama film Interstellar directed and written by Christopher Nolan. It stars Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Matt Damon, and Michael Caine. Set in a dystopian future where Earth is suffering from catastrophic blight and famine, the film follows a group of astronauts who t…

This week we discuss the 1978 American epic war drama film The Deer Hunter directed by Michael Cimino. Nominated for 9 awards and winner of 5 - best picture, best director, best sound, best film editing and best supporting actor for Walken. This is a must see for all movie aficionados. This movie is about a trio of Slavic-American steelworkers whos…

This week we review the 2022 American psychological drama film The Whale directed by Darren Aronofsky. The film stars (Oscar winner) Brendan Fraser, Sadie Sink, (Oscar nominated) Hong Chau, Ty Simpkins, and Samantha Morton. The plot follows a reclusive, morbidly obese English teacher who tries to restore his relationship with his teenage daughter, …

This week we discuss the 1996 British American fantasy action adventure film Highlander starring Christopher Lambert, Clancy Brown and one of the Scotsman's favourites , Sean Connery. The film chronicles the climax of an age-old war between immortal warriors, depicted through interwoven past and present-day storylines. It is the first film in the H…

This week we have one of our specials "the best sequels of all time". Now there are lots of great movies that have sequels - but are the sequels better than the original? That is the question we question on a few of our choices. There are sequels on superheroes, Lethal Weapon, 48 hours, Mission Impossible, Austin Powers, Terminator, Indiana Jones, …

This week we review the 1985 American science fiction film Back to the Future directed by Robert Zemeckis. Set in 1985, it follows Marty McFly (Michael J Fox), a teenager accidentally sent back to 1955 in a time-traveling DeLorean built by his eccentric scientist friend Emmett "Doc" Brown (Christopher Lloyd), where he inadvertently prevents his fut…

This week we are reviewing the 1986 American coming-of-age drama film Stand by Me directed by Rob Reiner. Based on Stephen King's 1982 novella The Body, the film is set in Oregon, in 1959, and stars Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O'Connell (in his film debut), as four boys who go on a hike to find the dead body of a missing bo…

This week we are reviewing the 1986 American war film Platoon written and directed by Oliver Stone. Nominated for 8 Oscars and with 4 wins this is one of the most realistic war movies on film. Based on Stone's experiences from the war, follows a new US Army volunteer (Sheen) serving in Vietnam while his Platoon Sergeant and his Squad Leader (Bereng…

This week we have another special with the Aussie, the Scot and the Doc. Doctor Andrew brought in a surprise quiz for us to play. "Battle of the Baddies " We start with Andrew's top 16 baddies and then we play them off against each other, we vote who we think is the scariest - until - as they say in Highlander "there can be only 1" The Aussie is a …

This week we are reviewing the 1990 American romantic comedy film Pretty Woman directed by Garry Marshall. The film's story centers on Hollywood escort Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts) and wealthy businessman Edward Lewis (Richard Gere). Vivian is hired to be Edward's escort for several business and social functions, and their relationship develops duri…

This week we review the 1994 American independant crime film Pulp Fiction written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It tells four intertwining tales of crime and violence in Los Angeles, California. The film stars John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Tim Roth, Ving Rhames, and Uma Thurman. The title refers to the pulp magazines and hard…

This is the first - and the best - in the series of The Karate Kid movies - the original 1984 movie directed by John Avilsden (the oscar winning director of Rocky). It stars Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue, and William Zabka. The Karate Kid follows the story of Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), an Italian-American teenager from New Jersey w…

This week we discuss the 1995 crime thriller film The Usual Suspects directed by Bryan Singer. The plot follows the interrogation of Roger "Verbal" Kint (played by Kevin Spacey), a small-time con man, who is one of only two survivors of a massacre. Through flashback and narration, Spacey tells an interrogator a convoluted story of events including …

This week we are reviewing the 2024 American superhero comedy film Deadpool & Wolverine directed by Shawn Mendes. Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman respectively star as Wade Wilson / Deadpool and Logan / Wolverine, alongside a cavalcade of star cameos. In the film, Deadpool learns that the Time Variance Authority is set to destroy his universe and par…

Today we are reviewing Cast Away a 2000 American survival drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Tom Hanks and Helen Hunt. The Scotsman starts to tells the story of how this podcast started before the Aussie shuts him down. The Scotsman hasn’t watched Cast Away since it came out and thought he would be bored but boy was he impressed. H…

Today we are reviewing what we think are the best Australian movies of all time. And there loads to choose from. What a great selection of Australian movies there are. We rattle through a lot of films before discussing our top 10. Will we agree or disagree on our number 1? Do you have a favourite? Could it be Baz Luhrman's big budget Australia with…

Today we are reviewing the 1994 American comedy drama film Forrest Gump directed by Robert Zemeckis. Winner of 6 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor for Tom Hanks. The film follows the life of an Alabama man named Forrest Gump (Hanks) and his experiences in the 20th-century United States. It also stars Robin Wright a…

Today we review the 1999 American psychological thriller film The Sixth Sense directed by M. Night Shyamalan. It stars Bruce Willis as a child psychologist whose patient (Haley Joel Osment) claims he can see and talk to the dead. The Scotsman is triggered - it reminds him of the time he was locked in a cupboard as a child. The Aussie - well let's j…

Today we review the 2022 oscar winning coming-of-age comedy-drama film CODA written and directed by Sian Heder. It stars Emilia Jones as Ruby Rossi, the child of deaf adults (CODA) and only hearing member of her family, who attempts to help her family's struggling fishing business while pursuing her aspirations to become a singer. This podcast does…

Today we are reviewing the 1996 American sports comedy-drama film Jerry Maguire starring Tom Cruise as the sports agent Jerry Maguire, alongside Cuba Gooding Jr. and Renée Zellweger. Spawning several catchphrases into popular culture, such as "Show me the money!" ; "You had me at 'Hello'"; "You complete me" and "Help me help you" this is one of the…

Today we are reviewing the 1992 American legal drama film A Few Good Men written by Aaron Sorkin, directed by Rob Reiner, and starring an ensemble case including Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Morre, Kevin Bacon, Kevin Pollak, J T Walsh, Cuba Gooding Jnr and Kiefer Sutherland. The plot follows the court-martial of two U.S. Marines charged with th…

This week we discuss the 2000 epic historical drama film Gladiator directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe in his Oscar winning performance with Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Djimon Hounsou and other huge stars. Winner of best movie and best actor for Crow and guess what the Aussie does not like it! He doesn't rate this …

This week we discuss the 1999 American black comedy drama film American Beauty directed by Sam Mendes in his directorial debut. Winner of 5 oscars this movie stars Kevin Spacey as Lester Burnham, an advertising executive who has a midlife crisis when he becomes infatuated with his teenage daughter's best friend, played by Mena Suvari. Annette Benin…

This week we discuss the 1997 American romantic comedy drama film As Good as It Gets. It stars Jack Nicholson in his oscar winning role as a misanthropic, bigoted and obsessive–compulsive novelist, Helen Hunt in her oscar winning role as a single mother with a chronically ill son, and Greg Kinnear in his Golden Globe winning role as a gay artist. N…

This week we discuss the 1994 American prison drama The Shawshank Redemption starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. The film tells the story of banker Andy Dufresne (Robbins), who is sentenced to life in Shawshank State Penitentiary for the murders of his wife and her lover, despite his claims of innocence. Over the following two decades, he befr…

This week we discuss the 1990 American biographical crime drama film Goodfellas directed by Martin Scorsese. It stars Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco and Paul Sorvino. The film narrates the rise and fall of mob associate Henry Hill and his friends and family from 1955 to 1980. This is one of the Scotsman's favourite and the A…

This week we discuss the 2018 American musical romantic drama A Star is Born directed by Bradley Cooper and starring Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga, Dave Chappelle, Andrew Dice Clay and Sam Elliot. You will be surprised by both Rob and Rohans reaction to this one - one of the few movies Rob had not seen and there is a good reason for it. He hates this!!…

This week we discuss the 1988 American action thriller film Die Hard starring Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman and Bonnie Bedelia. Is this Bruce Willis's best film? We think so. Is it a Christmas movie? We discuss. "I loved it as a boy and I love it as a man" just one of the profound statements from the Aussie in this week's review of an all time classic…

This week we disuss the 1989 American coming of age film Dead Poets Society directed by Tom Schulman and starring Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke, Josh Charles, Kurtwood Smith, Norman Lloyd and Lara Flynn Boyle. There's no messing around in this podcast. No hello. No story. They just get straight into it. This is one of the only fi…

This week we discuss the 1976 American sports drama film Rocky written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the first installment in the Rocky franchise and also stars Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, and Burgess Meredith. In the film, Rocky Balboa (Stallone), a poor small-time club fighter gets an unlikely shot at the world heavyweight…