Gaz and Mel review one of the biggest blockbusters of 2024, the sequel to the 2000 classic, Gladiator 2. There's a monkey fight, there's a rhino battle, and they even flood the colosseum, but is the movie any good? Is Paul Mescal a good Russell Crowe replacement? How accurate is the movie to the real story? Has Ridley Scott still got the old magic? Listen now to find out.
Mel and Gaz critique the true history behind the 2024 Netflix hit Scoop, the compelling story of BBC Newsnight's infamous Prince Andrew interview by Emily Maitlis. We talk about how the real Sam McAlister played her pivtol role, discuss the relationship between Jeffery Epstein and Prince Andrew and the reasons behind how their crimes remained covered up for so long.
Mel and Gaz critique the true history behind the 2022 film She Said, the compelling story of how NYT reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey investigated the sexual abuse and misconduct of film producer Harvey Weinstein. We talk about the brave women who inspired the worldwide #metoo movement, discuss the system of enablers that allowed Weinstein to stay in power, and provide insight into the real people.
Twister-fans, it's time to celebrate. Gaz and Mel review one of the biggest blockbusters of the summer, the sequel to the 1996 disaster classic, Twisters. Yes, there are tornadoes, there are explosions, and there's Glen Powell in a tight white t-shirt, but is the movie any good? Mel speaks to her deep love for the original movie. We dive in to talk performances, plot, and gender roles. Does it create a storm or is it just hot air?
This immigrant drama about the fictitious Hungarian architect László Tóth has the impression of real history burnt into its bones. Tóth’s story feels like a comes from a biographical tome by someone like Robert Caro, such is the richness of this type of seldom seen literary-cinema.
No Other Land proves the emotional power of visual evidence – of shaking phones running from gunfire, of cameras filming the discriminate destruction of small farming communities. It’s one thing to fight against the forces that mean you harm, but filmmakers Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor show us the heartless consequences of occupation upon those least equipped to fight against it.
The story of Lee Miller’s unbridled need to seek the truth through photography may be conventional in the spectrum of other biographies, but the substantive weight of its truth-seeking convictions provide it an importance we seem to have lost sight of, one that stares toward the specter of death.
It’s another occasion to celebrate 86 year-old Ridley Scott’s world building prowess. Again he builds us a very masculine, very brawny Rome with a bigger budget, better technology and a script that’s more summertime trash than awards prestige.
Your interest in this scrappy biopic of a transactional friendship rests solely on how much interest you still hold in uncovering the faint character building moments of Donald Trump.
