Podcast Assemble

Assemble your resistance fighters and daddy issues - it’s time for another heavy-hitting episode of Podcast Assemble! Tommy’s bringing Naked Gun 2025 to the table (it exists, and somehow isn't terrible), while DL’s dusted off the spine of The Wheel of Time Book 1—because nothing says light reading like 800 pages of lore. Then it’s onto this week’s main event: Paul Thomas Anderson's latest spectacle One Battle After Another—the slow-burn epic with more trauma than gunpowder.

Timecodes:

• Introduction (00:00)
• What Have You Been Up To? (07:30)
• Main Topic: One Battle After Another (2025) (23:05)
• Stupid Plot Summary (24:28)
• What did I miss? (26:06)
• Plot (28:17)
• Performances (38:44)
• Tones and Themes (45:49)
• 3 Best & 3 Worst (47:05)
• Critical Reception (51:24)
• Better or Worse than Aquaman (2018)? (52:34)
• !! SPOILERS !! (53:28)
• !! END OF SPOILERS !! (05:26)
• Trivia True or False (1:05:29)
• Wrapping Up (1:08:18)

Main Topic:

One Battle After Another is not your dad’s war film. It’s part PTSD spiral, part arthouse endurance test, and full of actors staring into the middle distance like they’ve forgotten their lines—or their will to live. The film drops you into the trenches and never quite lets you out. The boys have some spicy opinions about those 100% Rotten Tomato scores that were flying around.

Is One Battle After Another a poignant portrait of soldierly despair—or a prestige drama trapped in slo-mo? Let us know at [email protected] or hit us up on socials.

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And while we've got you, we'd love it if you gave us a 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and let us know what you think of the show.

#podcast #moviereview #movietok

#OneBattleAfterAnother #LeonardoDiCaprio #WarMovies2025 #PrestigeCinema #NakedGun2025 #WheelOfTime

Boot up and log in—it’s time for another pixelated episode of Podcast Assemble! Tommy’s recommending Aunty Donna Live (imagine Monty Python got stuck in a Melbourne pub with Flight of the Conchords), while DL’s checkin-in on 'Wednesday' -Netflix’s goth megahit that somehow feels like homework, but for everyone. Tommy also watched MobLand, and can confirm: it exists. Then it’s time to jack into the mainframe with the OG computer-core fever dream: Tron (1982).

Timecodes:

• Introduction: (00:00)
• What Have We Been Up To?: (15:32)
• Main Topic: Tron (1982): (31:12)
• Stupid Plot Summary: (32:08)
• Cast & Crew: (32:56)
• Plot: (34:48)
• Performances: (49:47)
• End of the Film: (54:51)
• Tones & Themes: (01:42)
• 3 Best & 3 Worst: (02:30)
• Critical Reception: (04:43)
• Better or Worse than Aquaman (2018)?: (05:52)
• Trivia True or False: (07:26)
• Wrapping Up: (1:09:59)
• Better or Worse than Aquaman (2018)?: (1:08:26)

Main Topic:

Tron is a neon-drenched, early-'80s vision of cyberspace—equal parts arcade acid trip and philosophical head-scratcher. Jeff Bridges plays a dude who gets laser-zapped into a computer, fights for his life inside a glowing jumpsuit, and basically invents digital vibes. Tommy's impressed by the ambition (if not the pacing). DL's just here for cult legacy. It’s dated, daft, and oddly prophetic—like a tech demo with a god complex.

Is Tron a trailblazing sci-fi classic—or just proof that no one in 1982 knew how computers actually worked? Let us know at [email protected] or hit us up on socials. No identity disc required.

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And while we've got you, we'd love it if you gave us a 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and let us know what you think of the show.

#Tron1982 #JeffBridges #AuntyDonna #RetroSciFi #ArcadeAesthetic #podcast #moviereview #movietok

Assemble your courage and questionable life choices - and that's just to see our faces in 4K HD! DL’s finally gets his wish, as Tommy is up to date on Pierce Brown's Light Bringer (we have 🌶️ takes), while Drey also finished the Wheel of Time first book. Then it’s onto Weapons (2025) - Zach Cregger’s follow-up to Barbarian, and let’s just say... things escalate quickly.

Timecodes:

• Intro: (00:09)
• What Have We Been Up To?: (08:00)
• Lightbringer Spoilers: (19:17)
• End Lightbringer Spoilers: (37:25)
• MAIN TOPIC THEME: (38:29)
• Stupid Plot Summary: (39:14)
• Cast & Crew: (40:06)
• Goofy IMDB Picture: (41:33)
• Plot: (45:08)
• Which Character Would you Have as a Muppet: (49:06)
• Cinematography: (53:17)
• Tweaks & Shrieks: (55:05)
• Performances: (58:35)
• Action: (1:00:42)
• Tones & Themes: (1:02:54)
• 3 Best & 3 Worst: (1:03:37)
• Critical Reception: (1:07:19)
• Better or Worse than Aquaman (2018)?: (1:08:26)
• !! SPOILERS !!: (1:09:07)
• !! END SPOILERS !!: (1:21:18)
• Trivia True or False: (1:22:07)
• Wrap Up: (1:26:13)

Main Topic:

Weapons is a fractured nightmare stitched together from suburban paranoia, internet-age folklore, and the kind of vibes you get when someone asks, “Did you hear a noise?” but never turns the lights on. Think 'The Witches' meets 'Sinister' via Reddit rabbit hole. The film explores interconnected stories unraveling after a disturbing small-town incident, asking: what if your trauma had Wi-Fi? DL’s intrigued. Tommy’s uncomfortable - and that’s a compliment.

Is Weapons another indie-horror classic, or just Barbarian’s weird cousin who won’t stop talking about symbolism? Let us know at [email protected] or hit us up on socials.

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And while we've got you, we'd love it if you gave us a 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and let us know what you think of the show.

#WeaponsMovie #ZachCregger #BarbarianFans #HorrorMovies2025 #PsychologicalThriller #IndieHorror #MovieReview #Podcast

Octopus, Inc*st, and Existential Dread

Time to spin the wheel as Podcast Assemble dive into an all new Anthology (not that we need another)! This week we delve into DL's IMDb list and chose quite possibly the darkest flick yet to be watched. Before that the boys recommend the Disney series Hit Monkey, along with something to even you out after the Main Topic, with James May: Our Man in Japan. Then it’s time to unpack Park Chan-wook’s cinematic gut-punch: Oldboy (2003).

Timecodes:

• Intro: (0:00)
• What have you been up to?: (8:29)
• MAIN TOPIC: Oldboy (2003): (23:04)
• Stupid Plot Summary: (24:11)
• Cast & Crew: (24:45)
• Plot: (25:13)
• What did you expect?: (28:03)
• Big Concepts: (35:57)
• Cinematography: (44:34)
• Concept of Truth: (46:17)
• Fight Choreography: (48:44)
• Tones & Themes: (53:57)
• 3 Best & 3 Worst: (55:18)
• Critical Reception: (58:57)
• Better or Worse than Aquaman (2018)?: (59:50)
• Trivia True or False: (1:01:07)
• Wrapping Up: (1:03:53)

Main Topic:

Oldboy is a brutal, operatic revenge tale soaked in hammer fights, live octopus eating, and existential dread. Part noir, part Greek tragedy, the film follows Oh Dae-su - a man imprisoned for 15 years without explanation, then released into a mystery more disturbing than his sentence. DL's all in on the filmmaking masterclass. Tommy can’t stop thinking about the hallway scene... It’s stylish, shocking, and not for the faint of heart - or the spoiler-averse.

Have you seen Oldboy? Did it scar you the same way it did the boys? Let us know at [email protected] or hit us up on socials.

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And while we've got you, we'd love it if you gave us a 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and let us know what you think of the show.

#Oldboy2003 #ChoiMinsik #KoreanCinema #SouthKoreanFilm #RevengeFilm #HammerTime #Movie #Review #Podcast

Is there a movie coming out this summer that DOESN'T include Pedro Pascal or Joseph Quinn?

Assemble your first family - it’s time for Podcast Assemble to head back to the cinema! DL’s spiralling deeper into Alan Wake 2 (he swears it’s not just about the fleshlight), while Tommy’s hyped about Love, Death & Robots returning to melt minds and screens alike. Then it’s on to the MCU's Phase 6 opening: 'Fantastic Four: First Steps'—the film that hopes third time’s the charm.

Timecodes:

• Intro: 0:16
• What have you been up to?: 2:42
• Fantastic 4: First Steps (2025): 18:34
• Stupid Plot Summary: 19:20
• Cast & Crew: 21:56
• Plot: 23:19
• Great writing, Emotional stakes: 33:08
• Performances: 39:40
• Superman vs F4?: 41:07
• Tones & Themes: 43:17
• 3 Best & 3 Worst: 44:15
• Critical Reception: 48:40
• Better or Worse than Aquaman (2018)?: 49:37
• !! START SPOILERS !!: 50:15
• !! END SPOILERS !!: 1:04:06
• Trivia True or False: 1:04:10
• Wrap-up: 1:07:06

Main Topic:

♪FANTASTICCC FOUURRRR♪ First Steps reintroduces Marvel’s first family with fresh faces, new timelines (Earth 828), and enough "family" to make Vin Diesel proud. It’s part origin story, part interdimensional cosmic exploration, and all about making you care about Marvels first family. DL is impressed with emotional stakes, while Tommy’s dig's the earnestness. It’s hopeful, high-concept, and surprisingly human—for a movie featuring a talking rock.

Is Fantastic Four: First Steps a rival to James Gunn's Superman? Or just another invisible entry in Marvel’s back catalogue? Let us know at [email protected] or hit us up on socials.

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And while we've got you, we'd love it if you gave us a 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and let us know what you think of the show.

#FantasticFour #FantasticFourFirstSteps #PedroPascal #VanessaKirby #Marvel #MCU #Movie #Review #Podcast

James Gunn kicks off the DCU!

Grab your capes and questionable disguises—it's time for another heroic episode of Podcast Assemble! This week, the boys are talking - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (living up to the Game of the Year shouts) and DL returns toYellowJackets (to give it one more opportunity..). Then it’s onto Superman (2025) - James Gunn’s first cinematic foray into the DC Universe.

Timecodes:

• Intro: (0:00)
• What are we up to?: (7:40)
• MAIN TOPIC: Superman (2025): (22:22)
• Stupid Plot Summary: (23:04)
• Cast & Crew: (23:34)
• Goofy IMDB Pic: (24:38)
• Plot: (26:50)
• How has Superman changed this time?: (29:25)
• A pre-built world, no origins: (38:06)
• Lex Luthor and The Plan: (43:03)
• Action: (47:39)
• How does it rank?: (48:45)
• Tones & Themes: (50:07)
• 3 Best & 3 Worst: (50:41)
• Critical Reception: (55:20)
• Better or Worse than Aquaman (2018)?: (56:04)
• !! SPOILERS START !!: (57:49)
• !! SPOILERS END !!: (1:06:48)
• Trivia True or False: (1:06:50)
• Wrapping Up: (1:11:02)

Main Topic:

Superman (2025) reboots the Man of Steel with fresh ideals, a younger cast, and marginally less property damage. It's truth, justice, and… pocket dimensions(?), as Clark Kent juggles alien identity issues, with newsroom deadlines and caped crusading. Will it live up to Tommy’s hype, as one of his most anticipated for the year?

Is this the hopeful Superman we’ve been waiting for - or just another DC reboot stuck in a phone booth? Let us know at [email protected] or hit us up on socials. Bonus points if your mom’s name is also Martha.

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And while we've got you, we'd love it if you gave us a 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and let us know what you think of the show.

#Superman #LexLutor #JamesGunn #DavidCorenswet #DC #DCU #Podcast #MovieReview #Film #RachelBrosnahan

What you get if Chat GPT writes a Jurassic Park script?

Roar into another episode of Podcast Assemble with the boys! This week’s recommendations include Dept. Q from Netflix, an intense Detective thriller and Annihilation - the book not the movie, (actually go back and listen to our episode on the movie if you're interested). Then it’s on to Jurassic World: Rebirth—because apparently, life finds a way to greenlight sequels.

Timecodes:

• (0:00:22) - Intro
• (0:01:54) - What's been happening?
• (0:09:35) - What have you been up to? 
• (0:10:20 - 0:20:30) - Dark Age (A Red Rising Novel) SPOILERS
• (0:31:05) - Main topic NON SPOILERS
• (0:33:09) - Who’s in it?
• (0:34:09) - What on earth happens in this?
• (0:38:36) - Here’s how to save this franchise. 
• (0:48:10) - CGI
• (0:49:50) - Performances
• (0:52:58) - Tones & Themes
• (0:56:04) - 3 Best & 3 Worst
• (0:56:45) - Critical Reception
• (0:57:50) - Better or Worse than Aquaman (2018)
• (0:59:19) - SPOILERS
• (1:08:40) - Trivial True or False
• (1:11:07) - Wrap Up

Main Topic:

Jurassic World: Rebirth asks the bold question: what if we made dinosaurs even bigger and humans even dumber? As genetically-enhanced apex predators roam a world that still hasn’t learned its lesson, we get more roaring, more running, and more moral lessons ignored in favour of spectacle. This movie leaves the boys wondering how many times we’ll re-learn that weaponising dinosaurs is a terrible idea.

Will Rebirth breathe new life into the franchise—or is it just another fossilised script reanimated for box office glory? Let us know at [email protected] or hit us up on socials. Bonus points if you can explain what Ghost actually does.

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And while we've got you, we'd love it if you gave us a 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and let us know what you think of the show.

#JurassicWorldRebirth #JurassicPark #Rebirth #JurassicWorld #ScarlettJohansson #GarethEdwards

Shamble, sprint, or rage your way into this week’s episode of Podcast Assemble! The boys are back with recommendations for Taika Waititi's 'Jojo Rabbit', and recommending against the new Robert De Niro vehicle 'Alto Knights'. Then it’s on to the long-awaited, possibly unasked-for sequel: '28 Years Later'.

Timecodes:

(0:00:22) - Intro

(0:01:54) - What's been happening?

(0:07:58) - What have you been up to? 

(0:24:05) - Main topic NON SPOILERS

(0:35:45) - ATJ’s Mid-Life Crisis

(0:40:00) - The Alpha’s/ World Building

(0:42:10) - Characterisation

(0:54:10) - Tones & Themes

(0:56:04) - 3 Best & 3 Worst

(0:58:25) - Critical Reception

(0:59:42) - Better or Worse than Aquaman (2018)

(1:00:00) - SPOILERS

(1:10:00) - Trivial True or False

(1:13:35) - Wrap Up

Main Topic:

28 Years Later rises from the cinematic grave continuing the outbreak, with a new cast, and the same old trust issues. Set in a world where rage never really died out (relatable), this latest chapter asks what’s worse: the infected... or the survivors. The film trades quiet dread for large-scale dread; DL welcomes the bleakness and Tommy’s here to confirm running zombies are still terrifying.

Is 28 Years Later the return to form fans have been dying for—or just another reanimated IP? Let us know at [email protected] or hit us up on socials. Bonus points if you can explain what Ghost actually does.

Website || Instagram || Twitter || YouTube || Email

****************************

And while we've got you, we'd love it if you gave us a 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and let us know what you think of the show.

#28YearsLater #ArronTaylorJohnson #Zombies #Horror #DannyBoyle #podcast #MovieReview

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to join the boys for another high-octane episode of Podcast Assemble! This week, they’re recommending Shōgun (for the feudalists among you) and The Fall Guy (for anyone still clinging to cinema’s charm offensive). Then it’s onto the not-so-final instalment of Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning—which, shockingly, is not the final reckoning.

Timecodes:

(0:00:22) - Intro

(0:03:13) - What's been happening?

(0:09:40) - What have you been watching?

(0:29:10) - Stupid Plot Summary

(0:29:52) - Cast & Crew

(0:31:04) - Plot

(0:39:16) - The World Setting

(0:46:37) - Stunts and CGI

(0:49:07) - Tones & Themes

(0:52:15) - 3 Best & 3 Worst

(0:55:29) - Critical Reception

(0:56:16) - Better or Worse than Aquaman (2018)?

(0:56:32) - !! SPOILERS !!

(1:06:35) - Trivia True or False

(1:09:22) - Wrap-Up

Main Topic:

Final Reckoning continues Ethan Hunt’s decades-long vendetta against gravity, logic, and retirement. Tom Cruise sprints, dives, and motorcycle-launches his way through Part Two of what might be the world's most polite apocalypse, courtesy of an AI villain with a vague name and even vaguer motives. It’s sleek, it’s loud, and it’s still asking us to care about a rabbit’s foot from 2006. Tommy’s all in. DL’s wondering when Ethan’s knees will file for workers’ comp.

Is Final Reckoning a thrilling masterclass in action cinema—or just a three-hour reminder that Tom Cruise still does his own stunts? Let us know at [email protected] or hit us up on socials. Shout-outs guaranteed—disavowals optional. This podcast will self-destruct in 5.. 4... 3... 2...

Website || Instagram || Twitter || YouTube || Email

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And while we've got you, we'd love it if you gave us a 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and let us know what you think of the show.

#missionimpossible #finalreckoning #tomcruise #simonpegg #MI #movie #podcast

Join the boys for another covert mission into pop culture nonsense on Podcast Assemble! This week, they’re recommending Andor (good in-spite of it being Star Wars?) and Brett Goldstein of Ted Lasso fame's stand up special. Then it’s on to Marvel’s latest gang of grumpy misfits: Thunderbolts*.

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Time Codes:

• Intro0:16
• What have you been up to?8:10
• MAIN TOPIC: Thunderbolts*21:01
• Stupid Plot Summary22:38
• Plot24:02.114
• Characters27:47
• Practical Effects33:39
• Action36:30
• Tones & Themes40:05
• 3 Best & 3 Worst40:40
• Critical Reception47:04
• Better or Worse than Aquaman (2018)?47:50
• !! SPOILERS48:57
• Trivia True or False58:48
• Wrapping Up1:01:06

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Main Topic:

Thunderbolts* asks the age-old Marvel question: what if we put a bunch of emotionally unavailable quasi-heroes on a team and hoped for the best? It’s part espionage caper, part group therapy, and all very beige morally. Expect reluctant assassins, brooding super-soldiers, and a lot of talk about trust issues. Tommy was here for the chaos. DL, meanwhile, suspects it may be just another mission in Marvel’s long, slow crawl toward narrative closure.

Is Thunderbolts* the comeback the MCU needs—or just Suicide Squad with a glossier LinkedIn profile? Let us know at [email protected] or hit us up on socials. Bonus points if you can explain what Ghost actually does.

Website || Instagram || Twitter || YouTube || Email

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And while we've got you, we'd love it if you gave us a 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and let us know what you think of the show.

#Sinners #MichaelBJordan #RyanCoogler #horror #vampires #movie #podcast