All The Right Movies

A score that never stops, a singalong that splits the room and a weather front nobody saw coming. Luke, Matt and Westy pick the story back up. Part 2 turns to Anderson’s 200-page script, Aimee Mann’s songs and Jon Brion’s score, before Earl’s deathbed confession, Frank’s homecoming and the night it rained frogs. Then it’s the Golden Bear, three Oscar nominations, the legacy and our final verdict and scores. Part 1 is where the body in the closet, Frank’s seminar and Stanley’s very bad day all begin. Umbrellas at the ready.

Telling the stor...

Nine lonely souls, three hours and one very wet day in the San Fernando Valley. Luke, Matt and Westy begin the story of Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia. Part 1 takes in a prologue of impossible coincidences, Coppola’s “do it now” advice and a cast led by Tom Cruise, Julianne Moore and John C. Reilly, through to Linda at the pharmacy, Stanley’s quiz show ordeal and Frank’s seminar coming apart at the seams. The frogs are still in the forecast. Part 2 has the crew, the finale, reception and legacy. Out now.

Telling the story of Hollywood, o...

The Psycho shower scene was a magic trick, and we’re revealing how Hitchcock pulled it off. In our first episode of Hollywood Stories, we go behind the curtain on cinema’s most famous 45 seconds: the killer who wasn’t on set, the blood that came from a kitchen cupboard, the piece of fruit that did the stabbing, and the music Hitchcock told his composer not to write. Then it’s into the decades-long row over whether Hitchcock even directed it. The knife never touched anyone. The chocolate syrup, on the other hand, got everywhere.

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A working flame-throwing guitar, strapped to a wall of speakers, bolted to the front of a truck. Somehow that barely makes the top five strangest things about it. John, Westy and Luke pick the story back up.

Part 2 turns to the crew who built the chaos, including editor Margaret Sixel and her Oscar-winning cut, before the finale, the reception, the six Academy Awards, the sequels and the legacy. Then the hosts hand down their final verdict and scores.

Not heard Part 1 yet? That's where George Miller, the cast and the first half of the run...

Fifteen years in the making, one long sprint across the desert, and barely a line of dialogue to slow it down. John, Westy and Luke begin the story of the action film that came back from the dead.

Part 1 takes in the opening, George Miller's return to the wasteland, a cast led by Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron, and the middle stretch that never lifts off the accelerator. Plus why the Namibian desert nearly ruined everything by refusing to stay a desert.

The War Rig isn't home yet. Part 2 has the crew, the finale, the...

ATRM return with a review of three brand new movie releases and recommend which are worth searching out.

Reviewed this episode:

Tune in for our spoiler free take on these new releases.

Three more reviews are waiting in the patron half of the show, alongside everything else in the ATRM patron package. Find it on Patreon, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

Four members of Queen writing a song each, a finale that nearly had a dragon in it, and a box office run only home video could save. Luke, Westy and John pick the story back up. Part 2 turns to the screenplay, the music of Queen and Michael Kamen and Gerry Fisher’s camerawork, then holy ground, the Silvercup showdown, the reception, the sequels (yes, even that one) and the hosts’ final verdict and scores.

Part 1 is where the Highlands, the long-haired extras and the Kurgan all kick off. We recommend starting there first.

A Frenchman playing a Scot, a Scot playing an Egyptian who swears he’s Spanish, and a seven-foot maniac with a broadsword. Luke, Westy and John begin the story of Russell Mulcahy’s Highlander, Westy’s lifelong obsession. Part 1 takes in the wrestling opener, the battle in the Highlands, Mulcahy’s music-video swagger and a cast led by Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery and Clancy Brown, right through to the castle assault and that 1783 brandy.

Queen, the Quickening and the Prize are still to come in Part 2, along with the crew, the finale and the legacy...

What's in the box? John, Westy and Matt finally get there, picking up the second half of David Fincher's Se7en where the first left off. Part 2 turns to the crew behind that rain-soaked look, the studio war over the ending (and the star who flatly refused to shoot it any other way), the reviews, the money nobody at New Line expected, and a closing scene that still knocks people sideways. Plus the hosts' final verdict and scores. Not heard the opening of the case? Part 1 is where the sins start stacking up, and it's well worth going back...

A killer working through the seven deadly sins, and a city where the rain never lets up. John, Westy and Matt open the case on David Fincher's grimy 1995 landmark, starting with the unlikely tale of how it reached the screen at all, including the admin blunder that accidentally handed cinema one of its darkest endings. Part 1 runs from the film's origins through Fincher clawing back after Alien 3 and a cast led by Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman, before the case turns properly grim. We stop just short of the desert. Part 2 is out now: the crew, the finale, the...

It started life as behind-the-scenes threads, and it's ended up on bookshelves.

All The Right Movies: The Stories and Secrets Behind the Making of 25 Iconic Films is out now, available wherever you buy books. Twenty-five films, five genres, and the real production stories behind every one — backed by the research you know us for, and exclusive interviews with the cast and crew who were actually in the room. John talks through what's inside, how it all came together, and the films that simply had to make the cut.

Get your copy: geni.us/AllTheRightMovies

A score paid for with money that had already been spent, a farmhouse the studio flatly refused, and a director looking into whether he could sell his credit on eBay. Luke, Westy and Matt pick the story back up. Part 2 turns to Tony Gilroy throwing out the novel from page ten onwards, John Powell's cold metallic score and Oliver Wood draining the colour out of Europe, before the finale, the reception, the sequels and four scores. Part 1 is where the trawler, the bank and the ride to Paris all kick off. Start there.

Telling...

Pulled from the sea with no name, no memory and four languages nobody can explain. Luke, Westy and Matt begin the story of the film that dragged the spy genre out of the gadget shop. Part 1 covers Doug Liman flying himself to Montana to the doorstep of Robert Ludlum, Matt Damon boxing for six months purely to change the way he walks, real US Marines clearing the Zurich consulate, and Franka Potente fixing a very nervous love scene with a bottle of Jägermeister. Part 2 has the crew, the finale, the reception and the legacy. Out now.

C...

Luke, Matt and Westy return with a review of three brand new movie releases and recommend which are worth searching out.

Reviewed this episode:

Tune in for our spoiler free take on these new releases.

Three more reviews are waiting in the patron half of the show, alongside everything else in the ATRM patron package. Find it on Patreon, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

Dozens of takes for a single line, a leading lady who terrified her director, and cinema's best closing gag. John, Luke, and Matt pick the story back up. Part 2 turns to the crew, the score and Jack Lemmon's maracas trick, before the reception, the awards, the sequels and legacy, plus the hosts' final verdict and scores. And yes, we finally get to that ending. Part 1 is where the massacre, the disguises and the dash out of Chicago all kick off. Well worth doubling back for.

Telling the story of Hollywood, one film at a time.

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Often crowned the funniest film Hollywood ever made, and it nearly killed everyone who made it. John, Luke, and Matt begin the story of Billy Wilder's cross-dressing, mob-dodging masterpiece. Part 1 takes in the St Valentine's Day Massacre opening, Wilder's choice to shoot in black and white, and a cast led by Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe, right through to Sugar, the bourbon and that yacht. The maracas, the millionaire and one very famous last line are still to come. Part 2 has the crew, finale, reception and legacy. Out now.

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Two composers were thrown off the film before Friedkin found thirty seconds of Tubular Bells by accident. Luke, Matt, and Westy continue the story, heading up the stairs to that bedroom.

In Part 2 we cover the crew, Blatty's screenplay and the real 1949 case behind it, Owen Roizman's flatly-lit refusal to hide anything from you, and Dick Smith, who get inventive when testing his mechanical. All of that before the exorcism, the reception and the legacy. Plus the hosts' verdicts and scores.

Part 1 is where the unease takes hold: Iraq, Friedkin, the cast. Worth starting there...

The set burned to the ground overnight. Regan's bedroom came out of it without a mark. Luke, Matt, and Westy begin the story of the film that dragged horror out of the drive-in and all the way to the Academy Awards.

In Part 1 we cover the prologue shot in 130-degree heat in northern Iraq, the casting of Burstyn, Blair and Jason Miller, and William Friedkin's methods for getting a performance, which ran from firing guns on set to hiding rotting meat around it. Standard directing.

Merrin hasn't arrived and nobody has been down those steps...

Luke, Matt and Westy return with a review of three brand new movie releases and recommend which are worth searching out.

Reviewed this episode:

Tune in for our spoiler free take on these new releases.

Three more reviews are waiting in the patron half of the show, alongside everything else in the ATRM patron package. Find it on Patreon, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

Another trip back to the editing desk, this time raiding January to March 2026 of the ATRM Classic archive. We've pulled out the strongest takes, the sharpest analysis, and the detours that turned out to be going somewhere all along. Consider it a sifting service: three months of deep dives condensed into the moments that landed hardest, with some moments a of pure hilarity. New listener trying to work out what this is? Old hand fancying a nostalgia run? Step right in.

Telling the story of Hollywood, one film at a time.

<...

Luke, Matt and Westy return with a review of three brand new movie releases and recommend which are worth searching out.

Reviewed this episode:

Tune in for our spoiler free take on these new releases.

Three more reviews are available in the patron half of the show, alongside everything else in the ATRM patron package. Find it on Patreon, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

The climactic chase reportedly held the world record for the most cars destroyed in a single film for decades. John, Westy, and Matt continue the story, careering towards that mass-pile-up finale.

We dig into the crew behind the film — the Aykroyd and Landis screenplay, the wall-to-wall soul and R&B soundtrack featuring Aretha, Ray Charles and James Brown, and the stunt and effects work behind the demolition — before breaking down the finale, the reception, and the film's status as one of the great cult classics. Plus the hosts' final verdict and scores.

Part 1 is where the...

It contains one of the largest car pile-ups ever filmed, and that's not even the most ambitious thing about it. John, Westy, and Matt begin the story of the musical-comedy-action-disaster movie that shouldn't have worked and absolutely did.

In Part 1 we cover the film's opening, director John Landis, the cast, and the second act — including Jake and Elwood reuniting on a mission from God, the legendary musical guest list, and a production that ran wildly over budget chasing Landis's vision.

The Bluesmobile still has a long way to drive, and Chicago hasn't been wrecked yet. Pa...

Part 2 of our video podcast episode on Michael Bay's action extravaganza The Rock. John, Westy, and Matt get into the crew behind the camera, the spectacular climax to the movie and answer some fascinating questions from our patrons including "who's the real bad guy?"

Telling the story of Hollywood, one film at a time.

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The Rock is on the rock! John, Westy, and Matt break down Michael Bay's 1996 action classic — Connery's swagger, Cage's chemistry quirks, Ed Harris's tortured general, and how a script nobody could crack became one of the 90s' loudest, glossiest, most quotable blockbusters. Big opinions, big laughs, and a lot of green smoke.

Telling the story of Hollywood, one film at a time.

Connect with ATRM: To join our fantastic community of film fans, support what we do, access our archive, listen to exclusive episodes, and a whole lot more, become an ATRM patron:

⁠⁠Join t...

It's all happening. Luke, Matt and Westy hit the road with Stillwater to tell the story behind Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous, his 1973-set love letter to rock and roll and arguably the greatest movie soundtrack ever made. We get into the decade-long script, the Brad Pitt casting saga, how Led Zeppelin cleared their music, and being a golden God. Big opinions and bigger laughs as we board the bus for one of the most beloved films of the 21st century.

Telling the story of Hollywood one film at a time.

Back to the Bates Motel for the second half. John, Matt, and Westy continue the story of Hitchcock's 1960 masterpiece, turning to the people who built the scares and the ending that rewrote the rules of horror.

We get into the crew behind the film — the screenplay, Bernard Herrmann's screeching score, and the visual craft — before breaking down the climax, the box office and critical reception, and the enormous influence Psycho had on cinema. Plus the hosts' final verdict and scores.

If you've not heard Part 1 — the beginning, Hitchcock, the cast, and the middle — go back and star...

Mother's not quite herself today… but we are. John, Matt, and Westy check into the Bates Motel to begin the story of Hitchcock's 1960 masterpiece — the film that reinvented horror, traumatised a generation of shower-takers, and proved you really can kill your leading lady 47 minutes in.In Part 1 we cover the film's opening, the Master of Suspense himself mortgaging his house to make it happen, the cast, and the second act. Expect chocolate syrup, screeching violins, big opinions, and big laughs.Part 2, covering the crew, the finale, reception, and the film's lasting legacy, is available now.

Co...

The monster's alive, and so is the second half. Luke, Westy and Matt pick up the story behind Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder's beloved parody, turning to the people who made one of the great comedies and the ending that seals it.

We dig into the crew behind the film — the screenplay, John Morris's heart-breaking score, and the gorgeous black-and-white visuals that recreated the Universal look — before breaking down the climax, the reception, and the film's lasting place in comedy history. Plus how Gene Hackman begged to play the blind hermit for free, and the hosts' final verd...

Luke, Westy and Matt give their creation life as we begin the story behind Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder's parody of the Universal monster movies — and one of the funniest films ever made.

In Part 1 we cover the film's opening, director Mel Brooks, the cast, and the second act, getting into why playing it dead straight is the secret and the moving hump nobody saw coming. What hump? Big laughs and big opinions throughout.

Part 2, covering the crew, the finale, reception, and the film's legacy, is available now.

Connect with AT...

The DeLorean's fuelled up and ready for the second half. John, Westy, and Matt pick up the story of Robert Zemeckis's wildly ambitious sequel, turning to the people who made the impossible look easy and the ending that sets up Part III.
We dig into the crew behind Hill Valley 2015 — the screenwriting, the score, and the groundbreaking visual effects that stitched past, present, and future together — before breaking down the film's climax, its box office and critical reception, and the lasting influence of the Back to the Future trilogy. Plus the hosts' final verdict and scores.
If you...

The future is now — and John, Westy, and Matt are here to tell you exactly how Robert Zemeckis built it. In Part 1 we go deep on the opening and middle of one of the most ambitious sequels Hollywood ever attempted: hoverboards, self-lacing Nikes, and a plot that required filming the past, present, and future simultaneously. (Doc would be proud.)

From the decision to make Parts II and III back-to-back, to the technical wizardry behind Hill Valley 2015, to the extraordinary challenge of recasting a central role mid-franchise — we cover the film's beginning, director Robert Zemeckis, the cast, and the...

The fire's still raging into the second half. Luke, Westy and Matt continue the story of Irwin Allen's all-time disaster epic, turning to the people who built the spectacle and the climax that brings the tower down.

We dig into the crew behind the film — the screenplay, a John Williams score from just before he became a legend, and the enormous practical effects work — before breaking down the finale, the box office and reception, and the dream that accidentally invented Die Hard. Plus the hosts' final verdict and scores.

If you've not heard Part 1 — the beginn...

Two studios. Two directors. Two DPs. Four camera crews. And two movie stars who counted each other's lines. Luke, Westy and Matt begin the behind-the-scenes story of Irwin Allen's all-time disaster epic.

In Part 1 we cover the film's opening, the directors, the cast, and the second act — including the McQueen vs Newman billing war fought to the millimetre, and William Holden outshining everyone in a burgundy dinner jacket.

Part 2, covering the crew, the finale, reception, and the film's legacy, is available now.

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We're back at the editing desk - this time raiding the ATRM Classic archives from June to November 2025 for the moments worth keeping. This highlights compilation serves up the sharpest takes, the most chaotic tangents, and the conversations that somehow held together despite all evidence to the contrary. From summer blockbusters to autumn classics, we've done the sifting so you can skip straight to the good stuff (and a few glorious misfires we couldn't bring ourselves to cut). Whether you're a first-time listener wondering what you've stumbled into, or a seasoned ATRM veteran looking to relive the highlights...

Back into 2027 for the second half. John, Westy, and Matt continue the story of Alfonso Cuarón's dystopian classic, turning to the people who pulled off the impossible and the ending that lingers long after.

We dig into the crew behind the film — the screenplay, the score, and the revolutionary cinematography of Emmanuel Lubezki, including those legendary long takes (yes, including that car scene) — before breaking down the finale, the reception, and the film's lasting influence on action filmmaking. How did they pull off shots that shouldn't be possible? Plus the hosts' final verdict and scores.

If...

We're in 2027 with Alfonso Cuarón to begin a dystopian classic. John, Westy, and Matt dive into the story of how Cuarón created one of cinema's most visually stunning achievements — a film that turned a difficult-to-adapt novel into a breathtaking technical marvel.

In Part 1 we cover the film's opening, director Alfonso Cuarón, the cast, and the second act, exploring Clive Owen's career-best performance (YMMV) and why the world-building feels so unnervingly real.

Part 2, covering the crew, the finale, reception, and the film's legacy, is available now.

Telling the story...

Back to the Thrombey estate for the second half. Luke, Matt, and Westy continue the investigation into Rian Johnson's whodunit, turning to the people who built it and the reveal that turns every convention inside out.We dig into the crew behind the film — the screenplay, the score, and the cinematography — before breaking down the climax, the box office and reception, and why this film made studios remember that original screenplays still pack houses. Plus the donut hole speech and the hosts' final verdict and scores.If you've not heard Part 1 — the beginning, the director, the cast, and the middle...

Luke, Matt, and Westy gather round the Thrombey estate to begin investigating Rian Johnson's modern whodunit masterpiece. We tell the story of how Johnson wrote the script on spec, assembled a murderers' row of A-listers, and turned every detective movie convention inside out.In Part 1 we cover the film's opening, director Rian Johnson, the cast, and the second act — including the casting battles and Daniel Craig's most gloriously absurd accent of his career.Part 2, covering the crew, the finale, reception, and the film's legacy, is available now.

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Back into the War Room for the second half. John, Matt, and Westy continue the story of Kubrick's Cold War satire, turning to the people who built it and the ending that detonates it all.

We dig into the crew behind the film — the screenplay, the score, and the visual craft — before breaking down the climax, the reception, and the film's lasting legacy as one of cinema's greatest pivots from drama to dark comedy. Plus the pie fight ending that never was, and the hosts' final verdict and scores.

If you've not heard Part 1 — the beginn...