Flixwatcher: A Netflix Film Review Podcast

Alice Oliver and Josh Hallam (Just Films & That podcast) join Flixwatcher to review Alice’s choice The Big Short.

The Big Short (2015) is based on the true story of the 2007-2008 financial crash. Based on the book The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis and directed by Adam (Step Brothers) McKay.

The Big Short tells the story of the financial crash from three separate experiences. Michael (Christian Bale) Burry, a hedge fund manager with a love of drumming and Metallica, discovers that the housing market is extremely unstable and he makes a bet against the market. Jared (Ryan Gosling) Vennett, a Deutsche Bank salesman, finds out about Burry’s analysis and uses this information to profit off the crash. An accidental phone call brings in Mark (Steve Carell) Baum and his team who expose that mortgage brokers are selling bad mortgages and use this to their advantage and profit as well.

Watching The Big Short may leave you with more questions that answers, like why do they all have bad wigs, why is Margot Robbie in a bath and what exactly is a short?

Recommendation scores for The Big Short were very high, due to its dense subject matter and runtime it received lower repeat viewing scores to give an overall rating of 4.51.

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Thanks to the Episode #338 Crew of Alice Oliver and Josh Hallam

Please make sure you give them some love

For more info on The Big Short can visitThe Big Short IMDB page here or The Big Short Rotten Tomatoes page here.

If you enjoyed this episode of Flixwatcher Podcast you probably know other people who will like it too! Please share it with your friends and family, review us, and join us across ALL of the Social Media links below.

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Matthew Turner and Amelie Thomas (Fatal Attractions podcast) join Flixwatcher to review Matthew’s choice Paprika.

Paprika (2006) is an adult animated Japanese sci-fi fantasy film directed by Satoshi (Tokyo Godfathers) Kon. It is based on the novel of the same name by Yasutaka Tsutsui and it is claimed to have been a significant influence on Christopher Nolan’s Inception, although Nolan has never confirmed this.

Dr Atsuko Chiba is a scientist by day and a dream detective at night, working under the code name Paprika. When a device called at DC Mini, a device to the help psychiatric patients, is stolen Paprika and Detective Toshimi Konakawa’s dreams and reality begin to merge as they try to recover the device.

Recommendability for Paprika was mixed, although we all agreed the animation style was incredible and detailed. The complicated plot and surrealism isn’t going to be for everyone. Scores across the remaining categories give Paprika an overall rating of 3.54.

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Thanks to the Episode #337 Crew of with Matthew Turner (@FilmFan1971) and Amelie Thomas (@TheOnlyCleoLuna) (Fatal Attractions podcast)

You can find their website here https://t.co/iihRa2fX9V

Please make sure you give them some love

For more info on Paprika can visit Paprika IMDB page here or Paprika Rotten Tomatoes page here.

If you enjoyed this episode of Flixwatcher Podcast you probably know other people who will like it too! Please share it with your friends and family, review us, and join us across ALL of the Social Media links below.

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Petros Patsilivas and Darryl Edge (Getting Dafoe You - A Willem Dafoe Podcast) join Flixwatcher to review Red Rocket.

Red Rocket (2021) is a comedy drama from writer and director Sean (Florida Project) Baker. It stars Simon Rex as Mikey "Saber" Davies, an adult film actor, who returns to his hometown in Texas after a 17 year absence. The exact reasons for his sudden return are unknown but it is clear from the outset that trouble is always close by to Mikey. He manages to convince his estranged wife and porn film co-star Lexi (Bree Elrod) to let him back into her house and life. While visiting the local doughnut place he sets his sights on 17-year-old Raylee (Suzanna Son), who also goes by Strawberry. With whom he enters into a sexual relationship with and grooms her to move with him back to LA so he can get back into the porn industry.

Despite its dark themes, Red Rocket is pretty funny and at no point glamourises the life that Mikey is leading. As with Baker’s other films, his characters exist on the edges of society and from marginalised subcultures. We might laugh at Mikey but it is because of his behaviour not because of who he is. Recommendability scores for Red Rocket reflected the dark comedy and themes but strong scores for small screen and engagement give an overall rating of 3.80.

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Thanks to the Episode #336 Crew of with Petros and Darryl from (@dafoeyoupod)

You can find their website here https://linktr.ee/dafoeyoupod

Please make sure you give them some love

For more info on Red Rocket can visit Red Rocket IMDB page here or Red Rocket Rotten Tomatoes page here.

If you enjoyed this episode of Flixwatcher Podcast you probably know other people who will like it too! Please share it with your friends and family, review us, and join us across ALL of the Social Media links below.

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Catrin Lowe and Rich Nelson (Don’t You Want Me? podcast) return to Flixwatcher to review Rich’s choice Spencer.

Spencer (2021) is directed by Pablo (Jackie) Larraín and written by Steven (Peaky Blinders) Knight and stars Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana experiencing an existential crisis (nightmare) during Christmas 1991 when she spends the holidays at Sandringham with the British royal family.

The supporting cast includes Sean Harris as Darren McGrady, head chef to the royal for 15 years, Sally Hawkins as royal dresser Maggie (possibly inspired by Fay Appleby, Diana’s real-life dresser and loyal friend) and Timothy Spall as Equerry Major Alistair Gregory (an amalgamation of royal staff). It is important to note that while the film is inspired by a real-life moment in Diana’s life, it is based longtime rumours and real events, and is very much a work of fiction.

Recommendability scores for Spencer reflected the ambiguous nature of some of themes and the absence of a traditional narrative. Engagement scores were on the lower end due to the run time of over two hours and the vibes as opposed to actual plot, to give Spencer an overall score of 3.22.

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Thanks to the Episode #335 Crew of Catrin Lowe (@KittyCostanza) and Rich Nelson (@fantana275)

You can find their website here https://twitter.com/DYWMpodcast

Please make sure you give them some love

For more info on Spencer can visit Spencer IMDB page here or Spencer Rotten Tomatoes page here.

If you enjoyed this episode of Flixwatcher Podcast you probably know other people who will like it too! Please share it with your friends and family, review us, and join us across ALL of the Social Media links below.

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Marshall Shaffer (Slant Magazine, Decider, /Film, Marshall and the Movie Substack) and Rafa Sales Ross (Sight & Sound, i_D, BFI, Total Film, Little White Lies) return to Flixwatcher to review Marshall’s choice Widows.

Widows (2018) is a heist thriller from director Steve (12 Years A Slave) McQueen and screenplay by Gillian (Gone Girl) Flynn, based on a Lynda La Plante TV series. The ‘widows’ are Veronica Rawlings (Viola Davis), Linda (Michelle Rodriguez) and Alice (Elizabeth Debicki). Left to deal with the $2,000,000 debt left by a heist gone wrong, led by Veronica’s husband, Harry Rawlings (Liam Neeson), the group decide to carry out a elaborate heist themselves to pay back Jamal and Jatemme Manning (Brian Tyree Henry and Daniel Kaluuya). Cynthia Erivo, Colin Farrell, Jacki Weaver, Carrie Coon, Robert Duvall, Jon Bernthal, Garret Dillahunt and Lukas Haas also star.

Recommendability scores for Widows were very high, not only does it deliver on plot twists and heist tension but it is also a commentary on gentrification. It also scores highly across other Flixwatcher categories to score a very high 4.52 overall.

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Thanks to the Episode #334 Crew of Rafa Sales Ross (@rafiews) and Marshall Shaffer (twitter.com/media_marshall)

You can find their website here https://t.co/zYcTU3VrGF

And at https://www.rafiews.com/

Please make sure you give them some love

For more info on Widows can visit Widows IMDB page here or Widows Rotten Tomatoes page here.

If you enjoyed this episode of Flixwatcher Podcast you probably know other people who will like it too! Please share it with your friends and family, review us, and join us across ALL of the Social Media links below.

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Emma Kathryn and Paul Costello from The Yearbook Committee Podcast join Flixwatcher to review Emma’s choice Spirited Away.

Spirited Away (2001) is an animated Japanese fantasy adventure from Studio Ghibli written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Spirited Away tells the story of 10-year-old Chihiro who enters an enormous bathhouse for Japanese spirits (kami) after taking a short cut on her way to her new house. Her parents also take the short cut but are turned into pigs when they feast on the food left out for the spirits.

While in the bathhouse Chihiro meets many different spirits, including a polluted river spirit and No-Face, who ends up eating one of the bathhouse workers. There are also lots of other weird and wonderful spirits too complicated to explain here, it is best to just watch and enjoy.

Recommendability for Spirited Away was very, very high, it was the also the first Studio Ghibli watch for many UK fans. High scores for the other Flixwatcher categories gives Spirited Away an overall rating of 4.39.

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Thanks to Episode #333 Crew of Emma Kathryn (@GirlofGotham) and Paul Costello (@PaulCinephile) from (@YearbookPodcast)

Find their Websites online at https://linktr.ee/YearbookPodcast

And at  https://twitter.com/FatalAttractPod

And at https://www.twitch.tv/girlofgotham

Please make sure you give them some love

For more info on Spirited Away, you can visit Spirited Away IMDb page here or Spirited Away Rotten Tomatoes page here.

If you enjoyed this episode of Flixwatcher Podcast you probably know other people who will like it too! Please share it with your friends and family, review us, and join us across ALL of the Social Media links below.

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Natalie Jamieson (Bestsellers podcast, BBC Radio 1 & 2) and Genevieve Hassan (Celebrity Catch Up: Life After That Thing I Did podcast) return to to Flixwatcher to review Natalie’s choice In the Heights.

In the Heights (2021) is a musical directed by Jon (Crazy Rich Asians) M. Chu and is based on the stage musical of the same name written by Quiara Alegría Hudes and Lin-Manuel (Hamilton) Miranda.

In the Heights tells the story of a community of Dominican residents of a corner of Washington Heights in New York as they follow their dreams for a better life. Usnavi (Anthony Ramos) owns a bodega and is in love with Vanessa (Melissa Barrera), who dreams of being a fashion designer but can’t get an apartment as she doesn’t have credit. Kevin who owns the local taxi firm is selling off his business to fund his daughter Nina’s (Leslie Grace) University education. But Nina has dropped out due to the racism she has experienced and doesn’t want to go back.

With a run time of 2 hours and 23 minutes In the Heights is a long film. Recommendations were very mixed, without catchy numbers and a perhaps overly complex amount of characters it is a tricky film to warm to. The runtime negatively affected the repeat viewing and engagement scores to give In the Heights an overall rating of 3.52.

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Thanks to the Episode #332 Crew of Natalie Jamieson (@Nat_Jamieson) and Genevieve Hassan (Genevieve (@JournoGenevieve) / X (twitter.com))

You can find their website here https://www.celebritycatchup.com/

and at https://linktr.ee/bestsellerspodcast

Please make sure you give them some love

For more info on In the Heights can visit In the Heights IMDB page here or In the Heights Rotten Tomatoes page here.

If you enjoyed this episode of Flixwatcher Podcast you probably know other people who will like it too! Please share it with your friends and family, review us, and join us across ALL of the Social Media links below.

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Becky Darke (The Evolution of Horror, Don’t Point That Horror At Me and Return to Eerie, Indiana podcasts) and Joshua Tonks (actor and screenwriter, The Latent Image (2022)) join Flixwatcher to review Becky’s choice Cam.

Cam (2018) is a psychological horror thriller directed by Daniel (How to Blow Up a Pipeline) Goldhaber. It stars Madeline Brewer as Alice, AKA Lola, a cam girl with ambitions of being the number one ranked girl on the website FreeGirlsLive.

One day Alice finds herself locked out of her account and discovers a doppelgänger Lola active and performing on livestreams. Unable to access her account, Alice determined to get it back blurs the lines between Alice and Lola to find out who or what is has taken her identity.

Cam might start as a standard slasher film but it doesn’t go down the usual route. While the set up doesn’t quite match the ending it is still an interesting and chilling film that looks at identity, isolation and the role technology has on our lives.

Recommendability scores for Cam were high and with a runtime of 93 minutes, engagement and repeat viewing scores were also strong to give an overall rating of 3.74.

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Thanks to the Episode #331 Crew of Becky Darke (@bunnydarke) and Joshua Tonks (@JoshuaTonks)

You can find their website here https://t.co/wNsIwbxMs1

and at https://linktr.ee/bunnydarke

Please make sure you give them some love

For more info on Cam can visit Cam IMDB page here or Cam Rotten Tomatoes page here.

If you enjoyed this episode of Flixwatcher Podcast you probably know other people who will like it too! Please share it with your friends and family, review us, and join us across ALL of the Social Media links below.

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George Wood and Charlotte Sometimes (freelance film writers) return to Flixwatcher to review Georges’s choice Pom Poko.

Pom Poko (1994) is a Studio Ghibli animation written and directed by Isao (Grave of the Fireflies) Takahata. Pom Poko is the story of tanuki, which in Japanese folk lore are magical shape shifting creatures, also referred to as Japanese raccoon dogs which has led to the incorrect translation of ‘raccoons’ to the English version.

The film opens in late 1960s Japan, a group of tanuki (raccoon dogs) find their natural habitat threatened by rampant suburban development. Fast forward to the 1990s and the tanuki are facing reduced resources and space and resorting to fighting with each other for survival. A group of elders come up with a strategy to take back their land that involves killing of humans and learning the art of shapeshifting.

Testicles are also a prominent feature in tanuki traditions and they feature frequently in Pom Poko, if referred to incorrectly as ‘pouches’ in the English dub. Your enjoyment of Pom Poko rests largely on your tolerance of testicles or your interest in their versatility in battling against environment destruction.

Mixed recommendability and low repeat viewing scores, at nearly two hours it is a long animation, give Pom Poko an overall rating of 3.48.

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Thanks to the Episode #330 Crew of George Wood (@g_woody) and Charlotte Sometimes (@sometimesmovies)

You can find their website here https://filmtalkwithme.substack.com/

and at https://t.co/eyhWf8CFqh

Please make sure you give them some love

For more info on Pom Poko can visit Pom Poko IMDB page here or Pom Poko Rotten Tomatoes page here.

If you enjoyed this episode of Flixwatcher Podcast you probably know other people who will like it too! Please share it with your friends and family, review us, and join us across ALL of the Social Media links below.

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Neel Bhatt (Empire Podcast) and Lizzie Swindells return to Flixwatcher to review Neel’s choice Crazy Stupid Love.

Crazy Stupid Love (2011) is a romantic comedy drama written by Dan (This is Us) Fogelman and directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa. It stars Steve Carell as Cal Weaver. A middle-aged man who suddenly finds himself single after his wife Emily, played by Julianne Moore, says she has had an affair (with Kevin Bacon’s David Lindhagen) and wants a divorce. On one of his nights out he meets serial womaniser Jacob, played by Ryan Gosling in photoshopped perfection. Jacob teaches Cal how to dress and speak to women to up his romantic game. Law school graduate Hannah, (the effervescent Emma Stone) is having her own romantic troubles with her wet drip boyfriend.

Crazy Stupid Love succeeds where so many romantic comedies fall in being both romantic and genuinely funny, in this case actually laugh out loud. It also gave us the ‘laughing Ryan Gosling’ GIF.

Riffing on popular culture and referencing both Dirty Dancing and The Karate Kid and with a sweetness at its heart recommendability for Crazy Stupid Love was very high. Equally high was repeat viewing and small screen which gives an overall rating of 4.79. This means there is a new top film on the Flixwatcher leaderboard! Congratulations Crazy Stupid Love!

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Thanks to the Episode #329 Crew of Neel Bhatt (@_Neelsreeldeel) and Lizzie Swindells (@lizzie1708)

You can find their website here https://t.co/LMb3WDsDHt

Please make sure you give them some love

For more info on Crazy Stupid Love can visit Crazy Stupid Love IMDB page here or Crazy Stupid Love Rotten Tomatoes page here.

If you enjoyed this episode of Flixwatcher Podcast you probably know other people who will like it too! Please share it with your friends and family, review us, and join us across ALL of the Social Media links below.

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