Review It Yourself

Which film trailer/previews make you want to spend your hard earned cash at the cinema?

Let Sean and Sarah help with that, by reviewing trailers for upcoming films and a few old favourites.

Welcome to Preview it Yourself.

This time around, Sean decides to show Sarah the trailer for Gladiator II (2024). He apologises first.

Discussion Points:

-Lower your expectations. 

-The long muted Gladiator sequel ideas. 

-The justification for making the film. 

-The horrendous soundtrack for the trailer and why Hans Zimmer hasn't returned to score this film.

-Whether the cast can elevate this film like Russell Crowe did with the original.

-Sean and Sarah also review the Gladiator (2000) trailer.

-A mini-review of The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008).

-Sarah and Sean try to remain positive.

-The downgrade from tiger to rhinoceros.

-Sean and Sarah agree to eat humble pie if the film is good. 

Raised Questions:

-Is it mean to make someone watch this trailer?

-Have we gone backwards in making films?

-Who the hell signed off on the music?

-Why does the trailer make the film seem like a pantomime?

-Why would you even dare to make a sequel to such a behemoth of cinema?

-Would you watch "Aqueduct Shark"?

-Did the Romans ever have two Emperors at once?

-Is the cast of Gladiator II too big?

-Why does Sarah refuse to go camping?

Quotes of the episode:

-"What the f**k is this film meant to be?".

-"If this film is better than Gladiator (2000) then I will shut the podcast down".

-"This is so 2024 it hurts...what are you doing!?".

-"I'm making a lot of assumptions on [an awful] trailer".

-"I don't think people know how to make trailers anymore".

Shout-out to Dan from Casting Views for his feedback on this Preview It Yourself side-series. 

Thanks for Listening! 

Review It Yourself is now on YouTube!

Find us here:

Twitter: @YourselfReview

Instagram: reviewityourselfpodcast2021

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReviewItYourself⁠

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sean, Sarah and Paul from 'History Rage' reach the final, pitiful end of the Jaws franchise. 

Discussion Points:

-Sean didn't feel this was that bad.

-The DVD read-through returns. 

-Paul finds the DVD cover description hilarious.

-The serious lack of deaths in this film.

-Sarah sends her thoughts in for Paul and Sean to discuss.

-Sean was really with the film... for 12 minutes.

-Sean compares the sharks in Jaws and Jaws: The Revenge to pigeons.

-Paul and Sean can't abide the Michael Brody character.

-Sean doesn't like being pestered.

Raised Questions:

-Did Sean watch a different film?

-Has Sarah binned off the podcast for work or because it's Jaws: The Revenge?

-Where are the deaths?

-Can Ellen Brody actually cry?

-How many flashback does a 90-minute film need?

-How much do they love Christmas in Amity?

-Why does the coffin look so fake?

-Is the shark nose-heavy?

-Is your Dad a binfluencer?

-Why "Tourist on the Loose"?

Thanks for Listening! 

Review It Yourself is now on YouTube!

Find us here:

Twitter: @YourselfReview

Instagram: reviewityourselfpodcast2021

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReviewItYourself⁠

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Dan Ellin, Historian and Archivist from the International Bomber Command Centre, joins Sean to discuss The Dam Busters (1955).

Discussion Points:

-Dan discusses his love/hate relationship with the film and it's portrayal of Operation Chastise.

-The absence of major motion pictures about RAF Bomber Command.

-The importance of collective memory regarding the Second World War. 

-The use of the Dam Busters march at 'Bomber' Harris's funeral.

-The enemies in the film: bureaucrats, Whitehall and red tape.

-The fantastic casting in the film.

-The incredible flying during the making of the film.

-Putting RAF Bomber Command into historical context.

-The lack of the raid on the Sorpe Dam in the film.

-The impact of the Official Secrets Act on the film.

-Sean does his best to translate very English aspects of the film for American listeners. 

-The optics of history and the loss of nuance. 

-The influence on this film on George Lucas when he was making Star Wars (1977).

-The things that Britain leans back on in times of adversity.

Raised Questions:

-Do people see RAF Bomber Command as either 'Dam Busters or Dresden'?

-Are the historical details faithfully intact?

-How important are myths to a country?

-Was it really difficult for Barnes Wallis to get the idea for the raid accepted?

-Why do the British love an underdog story?

-Did the Americans have better PR and spin?

-Would you love to see Peter Jackson's The Dam Busters?

-Does the film tell the story of what happened rather than what was meant to happen?

-Why is Guy Gibson portrayed a certain way in the film?

-Does the film lack nuance?

-Does the film serve as a good starting point for people who may not know the story of the Dam Busters raid?

Further Reading Recommendations:

-'Guy Gibson' by Richard Morris.

-'Dam Buster Barnes Wallis: An Engineers Life' by Richard Morris.

-'The Fire' (Original Title: Der Brand) by Jorg Friedrich.

-'The Strategic Air Offensive Against Germany' by Noble Frankland and Charles Webster.

-The Weirdstone of Brisingamen (1960) and Elidor (1965) by Alan Garner.

Film/Documentary Recommendations:

-They Shall Not Grow Old (2018).

-Dambusters Declassified (2010) with Martin Shaw. 

-Inspector George Gently (2007-2017).

-Judge John Deed (2001-2007).

-The Guns of Navarone (1961).

-The Heroes of Telemark (1965).

-The Carling Black Label adverts.

Podcast Recommendations:

-History Rage.

-Never Mind The Dambusters.

Thanks for Listening!

Find us here: 

X: @YourselfReview

Instagram: reviewityourselfpodcast2021

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReviewItYourself⁠

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sean, Sarah and Paul from History Rage are here to continue our Jaws series, it's downwards and downwards for Jaws 3-D (1983).

Will Sean, Sarah and Paul be impressed or unimpressed with the film?

Stick around for 'The Worst Shark Film You've Ever Seen' section, with responses from podcast friends of Review It Yourself. 

Discussion Points:

-Sarah went from Jaws (1975) to Jaws 3-D (1983). 

-Sean paid £2.49 to rent this film and still didn't get his money's worth.

-Paul discusses the Victorian Invention of 3-D and wonders why we haven't mastered it yet. 

-The dreadful water skiers and the obsession with millions of gallons of water.

-The Brody family ageing phenomenon continues. 

-The idiocy of putting a shark in a petting pen. 

Raised Questions:

-Is this the perfect litmus test for a podcast?

-How did this get into cinemas?

-Why is the transfer so bad?

-How is that floating fish head still alive?

-How on Earth did SeaWorld approve being in this film?

-Can Leah Thompson cure aquaphobia?

-Did Mike and Katherine ever go to Venezuela?

-Do you have "Prometheus (2012) levels of disdain" for your audience?

Thank You for your contributions:

-'The Podcast That Wouldn't Die'. 

-'Sci-Fi Chronicles YouTube Channel'.

-'Stew World Order' podcast.

-'Coffee and Comments YouTube Channel'.

-'Cinnamon Toast Crunch YouTube Channel'.

-'Seismic Cinema' podcast.

-'Talking SMAC: Superheroes, Movies, Animations and Comics Podcast'.

-'Dissect That Film' podcast.

Thanks for Listening! 

Review It Yourself is now on YouTube!

Find us here:

Twitter: @YourselfReview

Instagram: reviewityourselfpodcast2021

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReviewItYourself⁠

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"I'd award [the shark] an assist... I do not watch a Jaws film to have people NOT killed by sharks"-Paul on the inefficient shark in this film.

"More of the same, just sh*tter"-Sean on the Jaws sequels.

Paul from History Rage returns to join Sean, and they begrudgingly continue their journey through the Jaws film franchise.

Brace Yourselves, it's Jaws 2 (1978).

Will Sean and Paul be impressed or unimpressed with the film?

Discussion Points:

-Sean thinks he will be the positive one but it doesn't last long.

-Paul is disgusted by the lack of character development.

-The defence of Mayor Vaughn returns.

-The lack of blood in this film.

-The shark claiming 'assists'.

-The insanity of pointing directions at sea.

-The confusing age of the characters, it's only been four years!

-The depiction of trauma in the Tina character.

-The beach scene. 

-The strange use of John William's Jaws 2 score.

-The deleted scene between Brody and Mayor Vaughn and how impactful that would have been.

-PG-13 was brought in, not for ET (1982) but in 1984 after films like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Gremlins and Poltergeist created the desire for a new rating.

Raised Questions:

-Where the hell do you start with Jaws 2?

-Is Jaws 2 "100% unbridled sh*te"?

-How does the Jaws lower the bar at every turn?

-How did every film in the Jaws franchise make a profit?

-How impressive is the Amity Tourist Board?

-How do they miss that lighthouse?

-How many Jaws 2 characters can you name?

-Why is the shark so poor at hunting?

-Did they not have Roy Scheider available for parts of the film?

-Why are there 22 minutes of shots of sailing boats sailing?

-When a tagline of a film is infinitely more memorable than the actual film, how good is it?

Thanks for Listening! 

Review It Yourself is now on YouTube!

Find us here:

Twitter: @YourselfReview

Instagram: reviewityourselfpodcast2021

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReviewItYourself⁠

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Anatomy of Jaws (1975) finds Sean joined by Paul from 'History Rage' to review the first film in the Jaws film series.

Enjoy this, as it's all downhill from here as Sean, Sarah and Paul review all four films for September 2024.

Discussion Points:

-The emotions encapsulated by the characters in the film.

-Paul defends Mayor Vaughn.

-The reluctance to begin an evacuation.

-The lack of a briefing for the beach lifeguards bothers Sean.

-Watching Jaws in IMAX.

-The politics of a seaside town.

Raised Questions:

-Is the shark the least interesting thing about this film?

-Did you know how blockbusters got their name?

-What annoys Sean about this film?

-Do dogs eat sharks? 

-Is this film all about blind bureaucracy?

-Is coffee ice cream good for shock?

-Does Quint deliberately destroy his own engine?

Book Recommendation:

-Twelve Days of Terror: A Definitive Investigation of the 1916 New Jersey Shark Attacks [2001, Lyons Press] by Richard G. Fernicola.

Thanks for Listening! 

Review It Yourself is now on YouTube!

Find us here:

Twitter: @YourselfReview

Instagram: reviewityourselfpodcast2021

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReviewItYourself⁠

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sean and Sarah take on Alien Romulus (2024).

Franchise reinvigorator or poorly executed ?

Will they remain unimpressed by the newest film in the Alien franchise?

Discussion Points:

-Sean struggles to sell the podcast.

-The anguish of late night cinema showings.

-The distubring tonal shift in the film.

-The mystery characters in the film.

-The dreadful CGI in the film.

-Characters making stupid decisions because the plot needs them to.

-Whether the film had interesting ideas and fantastic production values, but poor execution.

-The quick, unsatisfying deaths.

Raised Questions:

-Why Sean bothered to go and see Alien Romulus?

-Do you know how you feel about the film?

-Was the film best before any of the Aliens arrived?

-Is there anything left to do with the Xenomorphs?

-We've got Alien (1979), so why do we need this?

-Does the film pull it's punches?

-Why did they mark this as a horror film?

-Is Prometheus (2012) better?

-Did the film need a good editor?

Film Recommendation from Sarah and Sean:

-Life (2017).

Thanks for Listening!

Review It Yourself is now on YouTube!

Find us here:

Twitter: @YourselfReview

Instagram: reviewityourselfpodcast2021

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReviewItYourself⁠

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Review It Yourself: The Podcast with the sigh.

Film reviews for the eternally unimpressed.

Clayton from 'Men Who Like Men Who Like Movies' returns to continue The Donna Noble Chronicles. This week Sean and Clayton discuss The Fires of Pompeii (2008).

Discussion Points:

-Peeking behind the podcast curtain.

-The production values of this episode.

-"It's Doctor Who, I'm not exactly going to sit here and moan about it"-Sean shows a shocking lack of self-awareness.

-Trivia and facts about the Ancient Roman city of Pompeii.

-Clayton and Sean's opinions differ greatly regarding the new series of Doctor Who (2024), particulary costumes.

-The dynamic between The Doctor and Donna Noble.

-Marcus Nonius Balbus was a prominent figure in Herculaneum, nearby Pompeii.

-The CGI stone 'Transformers' in this episode.

-Treading the line between entertainment and being respectful to a disaster.

-The moral dilemma at the heart of this episode.

-Sean and Clayton discuss the new series of Doctor Who (2024) and their opposing opinions.

-Clayton brings controversial Indiana Jones opinion, whilst Sean shocks with his Jurassic Park opinion.

Raised Questions:

-How many times does Sean mention that he's been to Pompeii?

-What does Veni, Vidi, Vici mean?

-Why did size matter to the Romans?

-Does the TARDIS perception filter apply to clothes?

-Do you agree with Clayton that the Thirteenth Doctor dressed "like a toddler"?

-Do you miss when the Doctor had some "bite" to his character?

-Does it get chilly in Italy?

-Do you ever skip to the loo?

-Does the Gladiator II (2024) trailer make the film look like a pound-shop version of Gladiator (2000)?

-Could this episode have worked without the Pyrovillian monsters?

-Is the Chief Augur just a "Roman Mystic Meg"?

-What was the drinking age in Ancient Rome? [Apparently there was no age restriction].

-Is this peak Doctor Who?

Sean Recommends:

-Pompeii: The Last Day (BBC Docu-Drama 2003).

-Pompeii: The New Dig (BBC Series 2024).

-Torchwood (2006-2011).

-Jurassic Park: The Lost World (1997).

Clayton Recommends:

-Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008).

-Jurassic Park III (2001).

Apologies for some audio issues during this recording, we were using a different recording platform than normal. Lesson learned!

Thanks for Listening!

Thank you to the following for their contributions:

-Brendan and Jamie from 'The Sense Sphere' YouTube Channel.

-Brandon from 'Cinnammon Toast Crunch' YouTube Channel.

-Jon Youlden.

-Rachael from 'Chat About It Don't Shout About It' YouTube Channel.

-Satsu from 'Chatsunami' podcast.

-Luke from 'The Nerdstalgic Podcast'.

-Marc from 'Mr & Mrs Who Podcast' (contributions will be used in a future episode).

Thanks for Listening!

Review It Yourself is now on YouTube!

Find us here:

Twitter: @YourselfReview

Instagram: reviewityourselfpodcast2021

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReviewItYourself⁠

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The revamped Review It Yourself continues. The podcast with the sigh. Film reviews for the eternally unimpressed.

Sean goes it alone without Sarah, already!? I know.

Sean is joined by Marv from the 'Pods Like Us', 'When They was Fab' and 'Toppermost of the Poppermost' podcasts to discuss the classic Ealing Studios film The Titfield Thunderbolt (1953).

Will Sean and Marv remain unimpressed by the film?

Discussion Points:

-Marv describes how his Grandad introduced him to hours and hours of train films.

-The heart behind the film, the classic British "small force against adversity" story.

-The strength in a simple yet effective story.

-A libellous, passive aggressive float: what's not to love!

-An accidental shotgun shoot-out.

-Sean enjoyed the film, so his notes are horrendous.

-The subtle social commentary in the film.

-Marv and Sean seriously discuss the social impact of closing a railway to a small village, and The Beeching Cuts (1963-1965). The Beeching Cuts were a series of major service changes and line closures, headed by Richard Beeching of the British Railways Board.

Raised Questions:

-Have they ever bettered Technicolor?

-Is this one of the most quintessentially British films ever made?

-Does the humour work if you live outside of the UK?

-Is this film sweet or quaint?

Was the film prophetic?

-How had Sean never seen an Ealing film before?

-A perfect film for a rainy day with a cup of tea, with cake and sandwiches?

-Does the length of the film help with rewatch-ability?

Podcast Shout-outs:

-Stew from 'Stew World Order'.

-Bill from 'Bill Reads Bad Reviews'.

Sean and Marv will return to review Passport to Pimlico (1949).

Read Marv's Blog Here: https://marvsmidlifemeanderings.blogspot.com/

Thanks for Listening!

Review It Yourself is now on YouTube!

Find us here:

Twitter: @YourselfReview

Instagram: reviewityourselfpodcast2021

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReviewItYourself⁠

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The revamped Review It Yourself continues. The podcast with the sigh. Film reviews for the eternally unimpressed.

Will Sean and Sarah remain unimpressed by this week's film, Dracula (1958)?

Film summary:

"There's no Whitby, there's no ship, there's no Demeter, there's no bats, there's no wolves, there's only one out of the three brides, and they whittled it down and took out a lot of the supernatural and in a way distilled it to this really, really great film and great simple story through necessity of we don't have the money for it".

Discussion Points:

-Sarah brings in her extensive knowledge of the depiction of vampires.

-Painkillers appear to make Sean even more rambly and scatter-gun in his approach, enjoy!

-Sean brings Blu-Ray documentary trivia about the film's production.

-The Hammer Horror formula and the introduction of more salacious elements.

-The performances of Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Melissa Stribling, Carol Marsh, John Van Eyssen and Michael Gough.

-The difficulty in adapting Bram Stoker's novel.

-Ingenuity from necessity.

-The lack of horror clichés.

-Sean brings Natasha Kaplinsky trivia (She's the President not the Vice President*).

Raised Questions:

-Did streamlining the novel make the film better?

-Should studios today make only one film at a time?

-Are budget constraints sometimes a good thing?

-Can you fake screen presence?

-Did you spot the redressing of the same set?

-Are horror films more frightening when things are more plausible?

-Who will be his Bride to-night?

-Why are Technicolor films the most beautiful looking films ever made?

-Did Gary Oldman's Dracula (1992) accidentally leave his rollers in?

-Will anyone be watching Jordan Peele's Nope in 70 years?

Thanks for Listening!

Podcast sting: Marv from Pods Like Us.

Review It Yourself is now on YouTube!

Find us here:

Twitter: @YourselfReview

Instagram: reviewityourselfpodcast2021

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReviewItYourself⁠

This podcast is a member of the PodPack Collective, an indie podcasting group dedicated to spreading positivity within the podcast community. For further information, please follow the link: ⁠https://linktr.ee/podpackcollective

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.