An episode of traditions and tradition-shakers, not least that our Christmas Special marks the start of our new Season.
As per tradition (OK, for the second year running), Richard and Greg review two films that celebrate the Christmas spirit – and a third film that enjoys the Yuletide’s Dark Side.
And yet again, Greg brings Christmas crackers to mark the festivities. Our lawyers have advised that you shouldn’t listen to this episode while driving.
The Polar Express (2004) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-03-xmas-express 
Miracle on 34th Street (1947) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-03-xmas-miracle 
Gremlins (1984) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-03-xmas-gremlins

Richard and Greg again round off the season by discussing films that celebrate the Art of Cinema.
This time, they choose movies that use Animation – a technique usually reserved for childhood films – in the service of more adult tales.
Of course, Adult doesn’t necessarily mean Grown Up. These films are located across a spectrum between the reflectively bittersweet and the crassly juvenile.
And don’t “the kids” just love it!
The Triplets of Belleville (2003) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-02-10-triplets 
Anomalisa (2015) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-02-10-anomalisa 
Team America: World Police (2004) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-02-10-police 

Richard and Greg review three non-English language films that deal with big themes: Marriage, Family and Death.
“Monsoon Wedding” is a return visit for both of them – but then they each choose a film for the other’s first encounter.
Will this be the time when Greg (finally) likes one of Richard’s favourites...?
Monsoon Wedding (2001) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-02-09-monsoon 
After Life (1998) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-02-09-afterlife 
Ricordati Di Me (2003) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-02-09-ricordati 

Richard and Greg get “epiiiiiiic” in this “epiiiiiiisode”. No swords, no sandals, just three films set in the dramatic sweep of wartime.
But what makes them epic – is it their themes, settings or the fact that they run up to 4 hours in length?
Our dedicated reviewers put on the coffee, prop their eyelids open, and settle in for the long haul. They manage to agree on two of the three films. As for the other one…
Gone with the Wind (1939) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-02-08-wind 
Doctor Zhivago (1965) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-02-08-doctor 
The English Patient (1996) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-02-08-patient 

As Bugs Bunny said, “What’s Up, Documentary?”
Well, not really – but this episode IS about documentaries, although (sadly) none of them are about rabbits, doctors or even cartoons.
These films are windows through which you can look into the worlds of Politics, Cinema and Family. And Carrots (but not really).
Weiner (2016) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-02-07-weiner 
Salaam Cinema (1995) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-02-07-salaam 
Stories We Tell (2012) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-02-07-tell

In this Modern Horror episode, Richard makes Greg step out of his comfort zone and into a small dark room with suspicious fingernail-scraping noises.
Does Greg cope – or is this Richard’s revenge for the Modern Musicals episode?
And how on earth does a sentence like “I prefer my serial killers to be rational” fit into this context?
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-02-06-nightmare 
Scream (1996) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-02-06-scream 
The Babadook (2014) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-02-07-abadbook

Two proud Australians review three home-grown films of the last quarter-century in our “Aussie Aussie Aussie” episode. (But this episode probably should have been named “Eric Bananarama” – as two of these films star Eric Bana in very different roles, and the other is just Proof that there are still some Australian films that don’t feature him.)
Proof (1991) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-02-05-proof 
Romulus, My Father (2007) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-02-05-father 
Chopper (2000) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-02-05-chopper

Modern Musicals are in the spotlight this episode. (You can tell they’re modern, because this is the newest batch of films discussed so far.) Greg begins by putting Richard through a Musical Credentials test - and despite Richard’s score, they both go on to review:
The Last 5 Years (2014) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-02-04-years 
Dancer in the Dark (2000) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-02-04-dancer 
La La Land (2016) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-02-04-lalaland

Our "One-Take Wonders" episode examines movies where the camera purports to be uninterrupted. In homage to this filmic craft, Richard and Greg review three movies without the safety net of podcast editing... which probably explains why this episode is significantly longer than usual.

Rope (1948) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-02-03-rope

Russian Ark (2002) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-02-03-ark

Birdman (2014) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-02-03-birdman

This “Christmas Special” thing is in danger of becoming an annual tradition.
Three Christmas movies are reviewed: a holiday classic, a potential evergreen favourite, and an only-recent film.
Greg survives watching a horror film. Richard survives watching a musical. Both survive reviewing a film from last year.
They all live happily ever after.
Elf (2003) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-02-xmas-elf 
White Christmas (1954) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-02-xmas-white 
Krampus (2015) http://tinyurl.com/fmfw-02-xmas-krampus