We don’t know about you, but Richard is flabbered and Greg is gasted that this is our Tenth Christmas Episode!  As usual, they review three Christmas films in search of that special seasonal something.  Two films are liked more by one reviewer than the other – whereas the third is universally found wanting, sadly.  This last outcome is likely to be a wee bit controversial.  As is perhaps the source of their disagreement about one of the others.

Richard and Greg grew up admiring one US and three Australian movie reviewers.  Back in 2019, US-based Leonard Maltin was asked by “The Movies That Made me” podcast to pick movies from each decade of the past century that he wished were better known.  Richard and Greg dare to pick up Maltin’s mantle to review three of these “sleeper” films for themselves (with apologies to Mrs Maltin for our presumption in naming this episode…)

Richard and Greg choose a film for three modes of transport (somehow forgetting about the 1987 Steve Martin / John Candy film).  Although the films are scattered across the 20th Century, our reviewers find that all stand up well to the test of time – suggesting that this episode should have been called “Transports of Delight”.  But which film had “the most obnoxious movie kids ever seen”…?

OTHER RESOURCES

Quo Vadis?  To see the new Gladiator film!  They may not have swords or togas, but Richard and Greg make the pilgrimage to a newish Melbourne cinema to see an ancient-ish Roman story.  What did they think?  Is it thumbs-up or thumbs-down?  (And if it’s thumbs-down, does director Ridley Scott get thrown to the lions…?)  You know that there’s only one way to find out: kick your sandals off and hit the Play button.

• Gladiator 2 (2024)  https://tinyurl.com/fmfw-minisode-04

Our reviewers take on three crime films set in Hollywood across the latter half of the 20th Century.  Greg admits to watching his first-ever Tarantino film.  If that’s not crime enough, Richard corners him into summarising the plot of David Lynch’s mystifying “Mulholland Drive”.  But Greg triumphs by bringing a credible explanation to the table that could possibly involve goldfish on a casting couch.  Or does he…?

Richard and Greg jump across the local “pond” from Australia to review three New Zealand films from world-renowned directors Lee Tamahori, Peter Jackson and Taika Waititi.  While they have similar responses to two of these films, our film reviewers are (South?) poles apart for the third.  Not to worry!  For Greg brings a “Kiwi moviegoer’s sensation on a stick” into Richard’s life, revived from a past Roman holiday.

AND THEN THERE WERE NUNS.  Richard and Greg “get the movie habit” by inviting a professional nun (Auntie Marie) to discuss Nun Films.  She shares her joys and deeper reflections for a comedy and then a drama.  But, like the Holy Trinity, we always do things in threes.  For her final choice (a nun-free film), Greg notes that “Not many people would expect a nun to love a film with mob murders and ladies of doubtful moral virtue”.  Which film is it?  Let’s just say that the sting is in the tale…

Following Broadway and TV precedents, DC Comics has just released its first musical feature film.  But it might not be the best idea for DC Fanboy Greg to see the new Joker film with the not-terribly-comical Richard…  Are they inspired to sing along with Lady Gaga?  Will Greg take the opportunity to get Richard doing the “Batusi” dance in the aisles?  And what exactly would the Joker sing – would it be too obvious to have “Send in the Clowns”, “Funny Face” or “These Clown Boots are Made for Walking”?

Joker: Folie à Deux (2024)  https://tinyurl.com/fmfw-minisode-03 

Our podcasters are back.  Finally.  But this seasonal opener is about firsts, not finals (despite the third film’s title).  Richard and Greg review three feature films that were the first in their day to use the latest technology – for sound, vision and movement.  But how do these films stand up today?  Does the technology serve or drive the story?  And what was the role played by Alka-Seltzer?

The Jazz Singer (1927)  http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-05-01-talkie
Westworld (1973)  http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-05-01-cgi
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001)  http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-05-01-capture

How appropriate that our second minisode has a double-barrelled name!  Tim Burton’s sequel has been 36 years in the making – but is it worth the wait?  Our dedicated film reviewers get down to the local cinema to find out.  Not wanting to invite disaster, Greg works hard to stop Richard from saying That Name three times in a row.  Enjoy this Minisode Minisode.  (We can say with confidence that there might be other Beetlejuice film reviews out there, but how many of them mention Mr Burton’s long-lost cousin, Ed?)

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)  https://tinyurl.com/fmfw-minisode-02