The Every Movie Ever! Podcast

Ben and Rob step back into the arena with The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013), the sequel that proves it’s anything but a middle movie. Directed by Francis Lawrence, this chapter doesn’t just continue the story, it sharpens it. But what is it that makes Catching Fire feel so complete, so essential, rather than just a bridge between beginnings and endings?

They dig into the making of drama, from the high pressure director switch to the challenge of elevating a global phenomenon. How did those behind the scenes shifts help shape a stronger, more confident film?

Ben and Rob descend into the stark, vertical nightmare of The Platform (2019), the Spanish sci-fi thriller from director Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia that turns a simple premise into a brutal, unforgettable allegory. Set within a mysterious tower where food and morality cascade from the top down, the film strips human behavior to its rawest form. But how did this claustrophobic concept become such a sharp reflection of the world outside its concrete walls?

Who is Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia, and what inspired his vision of a society defined entirely by levels, luck, and survival? What makes The Platform feel so disturbingly...

Ben and Rob step into the fractured districts of Panem with The Hunger Games, the 2012 phenomenon that turned a brutal dystopian novel into a cultural lightning strike. Directed by Gary Ross and led by a breakout performance from Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, the film walks a tightrope between blockbuster spectacle and unsettling social commentary, but how did it all come together?

Who is Suzanne Collins, and why did Hollywood take a risk on her bleak, unflinching vision of a future built on control, sacrifice, and survival? What drew Gary Ross to the material, and how did...

Ben and Rob wander into the whimsical streets of Montmartre and a carefully constructed fantasy with Amélie, the 2001 French sensation directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Starring Audrey Tautou in her star making role, alongside Mathieu Kassovitz and a kaleidoscope of unforgettable side characters, Amélie blends romance, surrealism, and meticulous visual storytelling into a film that feels as handmade as it does magical.

Why was Amélie made, and what alchemy of planning, design, and happy accidents brought its hyper-stylised world to life? How did its now iconic score become one of the most beloved in modern cin...

Ben and Rob return to childhood (and possibly psychological warfare) with Matilda, the 1996 family classic directed by and starring Danny DeVito. Featuring Mara Wilson, Pam Ferris, Embeth Davidtz and DeVito himself, Matilda blends Roald Dahl’s dark whimsy with a surprisingly chaotic energy, serving up a story of genius, neglect, and just a hint of revenge.

Do our hosts have wildly different reactions to this so-called “kids’ film,” and does it hold up as the classic many remember? How does Danny DeVito balance warmth and menace both in front of and behind the camera, and why does his vers...

Ben and Rob bring the saga to a close with ‘The Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn Part 2’, the 2012 fantasy finale that ended one of the most talked about franchises in modern cinema. Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Mackenzie Foy, Michael Sheen, Dakota Fanning and Anna Kendrick, Breaking Dawn Part 2 delivers the final chapter of vampires, werewolves and eternal love, while wrapping up a cultural phenomenon that defined a generation.

Does Breaking Dawn Part 2 actually deliver as a franchise finale? How do the cast and pacing hold up, and does that infamous final act work? What was the...

Ben and Rob head back into the Frankenstein mythos to tackle The Bride! (2026), the bold, chaotic, and very Maggie Gyllenhaal take on one of horror’s most famous monsters. Before diving into the film’s wild ideas, the pair rewind to ask the obvious question: what exactly is this movie trying to be? A gothic romance? A feminist monster movie? A gangster road film set in 1930s Chicago? Somehow, it’s attempting all of them at once.

From there the conversation gets stranger. The boys unpack the film’s radical attempt to give the Bride a voice and agen...

Ben and Rob head back to Forks to crack open Breaking Dawn – Part 1, the strangest chapter in the Twilight saga. Before getting into the chaos, they rewind to ask the obvious question: what is this film actually trying to be? The pair unpack the cultural moment surrounding its release, what critics made of it at the time, and why a movie that feels like it has three completely different acts somehow still counts as one story.

From there the conversation gets weirder. The boys dig into the Mormon influence behind the Twilight universe, the fingerprints of purity cu...

Ben and Rob crack open the lab and fire up the lightning rods for their trip into Frankenstein, the long-gestating passion project from Guillermo del Toro, and things get stitched together fast. Before they even get near the operating table, the pair dig back to the source, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, unpacking the Creature’s original, deeply human motivation and how often adaptations miss the tragic point entirely.

From there, Rob unveils a chaotic brand-new segment (almost definitely probably returning… maybe) in a heroic attempt to keep the episode on the rails, before the conversation lurches through cine...

Ben and Rob head back to Forks for The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, the third (and somehow most openly unhinged) entry in the glittery supernatural mega-franchise. The one where the love triangle becomes a war movie, the subtext becomes text, and everyone suddenly starts giving speeches like they’re in a fantasy epic instead of a rainy teen melodrama. Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner (now operating at full shirtless protector mode), Eclipse finds Bella caught between eternal vampiric marriage and extremely mortal werewolf abs, while Seattle is being terrorised by an army of newborn vampires and the fr...

Ben and Rob hit the road with Rain Man (1988), and this week they’re graciously joined by dear friend, Amber of the Ctrl Alt Critique podcast to unpack one of the most celebrated (and complicated) Best Picture winners of the late ’80s. Starring Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise, the film follows a fast-talking yuppie who discovers he has an estranged autistic brother with extraordinary abilities, then drags him on a cross-country trip that slowly turns from a selfish cash grab into something resembling a family reunion.

The gang are getting into; How did this movie go from belo...

Ben and Rob return to Forks for The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009), the moodier, louder, and somehow even more emotionally chaotic sequel that turned a teen vampire romance into a full-blown blockbuster franchise. Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner (now with significantly more screen time and significantly fewer shirts), New Moon finds Bella Swan reeling from heartbreak, spiraling into supernatural depression, and discovering that if one dangerous immortal boyfriend disappears, there’s always a pack of extremely buff werewolves waiting in the wings.

What is New Moon, exactly? a breakup drama, a monster movie, or tw...

Ben and Rob dive into Sinners, the intense, genre-blurring drama that’s become one of the most talked about films of the year and, remarkably, the most Oscar-nominated movie in history.

Often mistaken for a vampire story but driven more by themes of guilt, faith, and morality than horror, Sinners uses its haunting atmosphere and tightly unified style to tell a story that feels uncannily contemporary, even though it isn’t set in the present. With every department working in striking harmony, the film’s look, sound, and performances create a singular, deliberate vision.

But what i...

Ben and Rob sink their teeth into the endlessly debated phenomenon of Twilight (2008), the moody supernatural romance that launched a franchise, a thousand memes, and an entire generation of Team Edward vs. Team Jacob discourse. Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner, Twilight follows an awkward new girl who moves to a rainy town, falls for a mysterious classmate, and quickly discovers that eternal love comes with fangs, glitter, and some deeply questionable life choices.

What is Twilight, really? A tragic romance, a paranormal soap opera, or an accidentally hilarious teen melodrama; how does the film’s...

Ben and Rob plug into the charming chaos of Short Circuit (1986), the beloved sci-fi comedy about a military robot who accidentally gains self-awareness and discovers the joys and dangers of being alive. Starring Ally Sheedy, Steve Guttenberg, Fisher Stevens and the unforgettable Johnny Five, Short Circuit follows a runaway robot as he escapes government capture and learns about humanity through pop culture, friendship and an endless appetite for input.

Why has Short Circuit endured as one of the most lovable robot movies of the 1980s; how does the film balance slapstick comedy with surprisingly sincere questions about...

Ben and Rob chart the final moments of ‘Life Of Chuck’, Mike Flanagan’s Stephen King adaptation that has quickly become one of the most talked about life affirming films of the year. Starring Tom Hiddleston, Mark Hamill, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Matthew Lillard, Jacob Tremblay and Mia Sara, Life Of Chuck tells the story of an ordinary man whose existence unfolds backwards through collapsing worlds, childhood dance lessons and the small moments that define a human life.

Why has Life Of Chuck become such a powerful Stephen King adaptation for modern audiences; how did Mike Flanagan turn a...

Ben and Rob abduct ‘Buffalo 66’, Vincent Gallo’s 1998 cult drama that sits uncomfortably between love story, character study and anti movie. Starring Vincent Gallo, Christina Ricci, Ben Gazzara, Mickey Rourke and Anjelica Huston, Buffalo 66 follows a deeply broken man staging a fake relationship to impress his parents, while quietly becoming one of the strangest and most divisive romantic films of its era.

What makes Buffalo 66 so unconventional when compared to traditional romantic dramas; why is this film so intensely polarising for audiences; and how much of its discomfort is deliberate rather than accidental? How does the insane real l...

Ben and Rob take stock of cinema with their best films of 2025 episode; a sprawling, argumentative and occasionally unhinged reflection on a year that refused to be tidy. From blockbuster expectations to quiet character pieces, franchise sequels to left field surprises, this episode circles titles like Weapons, Sinners, Sisu 2, Bugonia, Good Boy, A Real Pain and Superman, alongside many more films that shaped, disappointed or completely blindsided them over the last twelve months.

Did all of these films make the list; did none of them; or did some sneak in while others were left in the cold...

Ben and Rob turn it up to eleven with ‘This Is Spinal Tap’, Rob Reiner’s 1984 mockumentary that permanently rewired comedy, metal, and how musicians see themselves. Starring Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer, This Is Spinal Tap follows England’s loudest and least self aware heavy metal band as they tour America, argue about amps, lose drummers at an alarming rate and accidentally create one of the most influential films of all time.

How did Rob Reiner and Christopher Guest invent an entirely new comedic language; why is metal as a genre uniquely perfect...

Ben and Rob phone ‘Frankie Freako’, the latest low budget creature feature from Steven Kostanski that completes an unofficial trilogy of modern cult chaos. Made with rubber puppets, absurd creature designs and pure genre conviction, Frankie Freako leans hard into the legacy of VHS era monsters, late night cable movies and franchises like Ghoulies, while proving once again that small budgets and big ideas can still thrive outside the studio system.

Is Frankie Freako a love letter to genre movie making or a deliberate test of audience patience; how does low budget filmmaking become a stre...

Ben and Rob meet ‘The Wizard Of Oz’, the 1939 fantasy musical that became one of the most recognisable films in cinema history. Starring Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley and Margaret Hamilton, The Wizard Of Oz tells the magically bizarre story of a girl whisked away from Kansas into a land where witches rule, monkeys fly and nothing is quite what it seems.

What are the versions of this story that you do not know? How is this film older than you can ever imagine; and what makes the world of Oz so stra...

Ben and Rob unleash the chaos of ‘Psycho Goreman’, the cult cosmic comedy from director Steven Kostanski that blends Saturday morning cartoon energy with head-splitting intergalactic violence. Starring Nita Josee Hanna, Owen Myre, Matthew Ninaber, Adam Brooks, Alexis Kara Hancey and a whole army of rubber-suited nightmares, Psycho Goreman tells the story of two kids who accidentally awaken an ancient alien warlord and promptly make him their best friend.

Where did Psycho Goreman come from? What makes this such a rare movie universe; how does a film this bizarre feel so strangely coherent; and how many blink and...

Ben and Rob dive deep into Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World, directed by Peter Weir and starring Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany, and, of course, Russell Crowe (with even more Russell Crowe to come). They unpack why this film grabbed them so powerfully on first watch, why politics usually stay off the table for them, the incredible making-of craft behind the production, and the bizarre yet undeniable parallels between this tightly focused nautical adventure and today’s sprawling mega-franchises.

Why does this film hit so hard right from the start? How does such a co...

Ben and Rob enter The Void (2016), the cosmic horror fever dream from director Steven Kostanski and the Astron 6 collective. We talk about who Steven Kostanski really is, how he went from practical effects legend to full blown cult horror auteur, and why The Void became one of the most impressive low budget horror triumphs of the 2010s.

We break down how grief and trauma bond every character in The Void, how the film uses loss as its emotional architecture, and why the personal suffering at the centre of this story makes the cosmic elements even more terrifying...

This week, Ben and Rob step into the perfectly staged world of The Truman Show (1998), Peter Weir’s masterful satire starring Jim Carrey at his nuanced best. From the meticulously constructed Seahaven to the hidden puppeteering of Truman’s life, this film gets the lads asking one big question: how much attention is the right amount for you?

The lads explore how Peter Weir, yet again, finds greatness in the people around him - from cast to crew - and drop some behind-the-scenes gems that will make you appreciate every frame. Meanwhile, Andrew Niccol’s script continues to ast...

This week, Ben and Rob dive headfirst into the radioactive rubble of Roland Emmerich’s Godzilla (1998); the overblown, rain-soaked, fish-filled blockbuster that nearly killed the King of the Monsters. Starring Matthew Broderick, Jean Reno, Maria Pitillo, and Hank Azaria, this was Hollywood’s first crack at bringing ‘Godzilla’ to the West… and oh boy, did it go through development hell.

We talk storylines that make no sense, studio interference that redefined excess, and the moment Toho themselves declared this version of Godzilla “not actually Godzilla.” But is it really as bad as legend claims? Could this misunderstood monster movie...

This week, Ben and Rob stand on their desks (metaphorically) to take on Dead Poets Society (1989), Peter Weir’s quietly devastating classic starring Robin Williams, Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leonard, and Josh Charles. It’s the story of young men learning to think for themselves and one teacher’s battle to keep their dreams alive in a world built to crush them.

But as always, the lads don’t quite see eye to eye. Is Dead Poets Society a masterpiece of inspiration or a manipulative tragedy wrapped in nostalgia? Why did the first attempt this movie go up in ve...

This week, Ben and Rob get stuck on Groundhog Day (1993), Harold Ramis’s timeless classic starring Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, and Chris Elliott. What started as a quirky rom-com has become one of the most beloved and philosophically rich films ever made; the blueprint for every time-loop story that followed.

How did Groundhog Day even come to be? Why are time-loop movies so endlessly satisfying? Just how long was Phil Connors actually stuck reliving the same day ten years or a thousand? And underneath all the laughs, is Groundhog Day secretly a deeply spiritual movie about enlightenment, ka...

This week, Ben and Rob get Caught Stealing (2025), Darren Aronofsky’s crime thriller comedy that feels like a lost ’90s gem dusted off for the modern screen. Starring Austin Butler, Zoë Kravitz, and Matt Smith, Caught Stealing reintroduces us to exaggerated neon-light New York, hustle, danger, and characters who carry regret like a heavy coat.

Why does Caught Stealing feel like the director’s first great film in ages? Is Austin Butler the best new actor working in Hollywood right now? How does Caught Stealing recreate what audiences have forgotten about the ’90s? We also get into Darren Ar...

This week, Ben and Rob slither into Anaconda (1997), the gloriously over-the-top creature feature starring Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Jon Voight, Eric Stoltz, and Owen Wilson. What should’ve been a throwaway B-movie about a giant snake somehow became one of the most iconic (and endlessly rewatchable) jungle horrors of the ’90s.

Why does Anaconda work so well as a B-movie? Was the legendary animatronic snake actually more convincing than its CGI counterpart? Which big-name stars almost joined the cast—and would it have changed anything if they had?

And here’s the real question: is Anaconda...

This week, Ben and Rob sink their teeth into Knives Out (2019), Rian Johnson’s razor-sharp murder mystery starring Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, and Toni Collette. A modern riff on Agatha Christie, Knives Out blends old-school detective tropes with wickedly funny satire and a cast firing on all cylinders.

But who is Rian Johnson, really? Why was Knives Out written in the first place? How does the film prove Johnson is a master liar, using misdirection to keep audiences guessing until the very last moment? And how did th...

This week, Ben and Rob slam right into The Fanatic (2019), the bizarre thriller directed by Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst and starring John Travolta and Devon Sawa. It’s a fever dream of celebrity obsession, questionable choices, and Nu-Metal energy that has us all asking: why was this film even made?

What on earth were Travolta and Sawa thinking? Is The Fanatic based on a true story, or just Fred Durst’s wild imagination? And the real kicker—is it good, bad, or that sweet spot of so-bad-it’s-good? Maybe it even succeeds on its own bonkers B-movie...

This week, Ben and Rob chew their way through Troll 2 (1990), the infamous “worst movie of all time” that somehow became one of the great cult classics. Directed by Claudio Fragasso and billed as Italian horror, Troll 2 is a feast of wooden acting, baffling dialogue, and vegetarian goblins that has been confusing and delighting audiences for decades.

Why is this film actually like this? What strange alchemy turned incompetence into schadenfreude gold? How do our own shameful pasts inform how we should watch Nilbog’s cursed townsfolk? And could there be (hidden beneath the green slime and bizarre choice...

Ben and Rob dive into The Toxic Avenger (1984), the gloriously trashy horror-comedy that turned an ordinary nerdy janitor into a mop-wielding mutant hero. Created by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz, The Toxic Avenger is the ultimate mix of DIY guts, anarchic satire, and midnight-movie magic; the kind of cult classic that’s still shocking and oddly sweet nearly four decades later. Trace the Toxic Avenger’s wild journey from VHS obscurity to pop-culture demon with us, through action figures, cartoons, comic books, and midnight screenings.

How has The Toxic Avenger aged in 2025—does it still hit like a body...

Ben and Rob board the Event Horizon this week, diving into Paul W.S. Anderson’s genre-bending science fiction horror that flopped hard at the box office; only to rise like a cosmic demon into cult classic territory. Featuring powerhouse performances from Laurence Fishburne and Sam Neill, Event Horizon remixes haunted‑house tropes, cosmic dread, and cyber‑Gothic design into a spaceship of nightmares.

Can a haunted spaceship film feel like Alien, Hellraiser, and Solaris all in one? How do Fishburne’s grounded reactions and Neill’s unraveling physicist elevate this twisted space‑horror ride? And what about Paul W...

This week, Ben and Rob dive into Together (2025), a tangled, self-aware horror-drama that asks big questions about love, identity, and whether two people can ever really exist as individuals or if they’re doomed to dissolve into one another. It’s part relationship study, part metatextual puzzle, and part… something else entirely.

Is Together a sensitive exploration of codependency, or a two-hour therapy session disguised as cinema? What does Michael Shanks’ short film Rebooted have to say about his writing/directing style? Are we living in the golden age of horror or just the golden age of f...

This week, Ben and Rob suffer through War of the Worlds (2025), a baffling “screen life” style disaster starring Ice Cube and directed by Rich Lee. It’s a modern retelling of the classic H.G. Wells War Of The Worlds; except instead of tension, thrills, or coherence, we get glitchy video calls, insane leaps of logic, and a lead performance that suggests Ice Cube might secretly be a sociopath.

Is War of the Worlds the first alien invasion film to be completely derailed by Zoom windows? Why should director Rich Lee escape this mess blameless, and how did Ic...

Ben and Rob head deep into the woods with Black Bear (2020), Lawrence Michael Levine’s tense, layered meta-drama starring Aubrey Plaza, Christopher Abbott, and Sarah Gadon. It’s part relationship breakdown, part filmmaking fever dream and maybe part psychological horror told in a way that proves three might actually be the magic number.

What does the black bear itself really symbolise? How does the film’s final frame rewire everything you thought you understood? And is this Aubrey Plaza’s best performance, or just her most unpredictable?

The lads break down the shifting realities, meta-narratives, and emot...

Ben and Rob lock and load for Warfare (2025), the haunting, hyper-realistic war film co-directed by Alex Garland and former Navy SEAL Ray Mendoza. Known for cerebral sci-fi like Ex Machina and Annihilation, Alex Garland shifts gears into combat territory—while quietly stepping back to share authorship in a way that feels as radical as the film itself.

Who is Ray Mendoza, and why did Alex Garland hand him the reins? Is it even possible to make a truly anti-war film in an industry that so often glorifies violence? And how does the bone-rattling sound design help Alex Ga...

Ben and Rob strap in for Titane (2021), the brutal, brilliant body horror from writer-director Julia Ducournau. Following her breakout debut Raw, Ducournau returns with Titane, a genre-defying mix of horror, surrealism, and melodrama that left one host completely wrecked—in the best way, the other in the worst.

Is Titane about love, loneliness, or absolutely nothing at all? What happens when your gender, identity, and skeleton all start to shift at the same time? Why does the film feel so personal for Ben, even while it so gleefully leaves Rob cold? And how exactly does Julia Ducournau ma...