In this very special episode, I'm recapping the 2026 Oscars with NO ENCORE wunderkind host Dave Hanratty and discussing the downfall of Timothée Chalamet's Oscar campaign, the justice of Amy Madigan taking Best Supporting Actress, the inherent pointlessness of awards season in the wider context, and basically just yakking about the whole thing.

Elsewhere, we get into a thorny enough subject - influencers and content creators in the film space. Are they simply mercs-for-hire by studio marketing machines, or are they simply an evolution in the age of social media from journalists and critics? Would you trust a review from an influencer over a journalist or critic? Let us know what you think in the comments and don't forget to like and subscribe! See, I'm no better than any of them looking for engagement like this. Christ, I make myself sick sometimes.

We're back after a v. short hiatus - it was one week, folks. It happens.

On this week's offering, I'm looking at 'Inside The Manosphere', Louis Theroux's new doc about the internet douchebags who you most likely have encountered and ignored but still feel their sickly presence throughout your time in this hellscape. We're also talking about Ryan Gosling's trip to outer space with a rocky alien named Rocky in 'Project Hail Mary', we're skimming over 'How To Make A Killing' and our classic movie - well, it's a modern classic anyway - is none other than Bennett Miller's 'Moneyball'.

Do it up! Like and subscribe! Enjoy the podcast! More exclamation points!!!

On this week's show, I'm talking about how I didn't get to see 'Scream 7' and how it was probably for the best that I didn't because who can honestly look at what happened to Melissa Barrera and act like it's business as usual.

After that, I talked about Mona Fastvold's 'The Testament of Ann Lee', starring Amanda Seyfried as religious leader Ann Lee, and pitch myself as the screenwriter for a musical biopic based on the relationship between Joni Mitchell and Sam Shepard. No, really. Call it 'Coyote', let's start casting Sam Shepard right now.

And for our classic movie, it's 1988's apocalyptic romance drama 'Miracle Mile', starring Anthony Edwards and Mare Winningham.

But then again, maybe it isn't? Who knows.

On this week's show, I'm going into 'The Moment', the new mockumentary from @Charli xcx and that it entails. I'm also going into 'Cold Storage' with a strange and wonderful cast in this horror potboiler, and if that wasn't enough for you, I'm also reviewing 'If I Had Legs, I'd Kick You', the new comedy-drama that's actually more like 'Jacob's Ladder' somehow.

Elsewhere, my old movie of the week is 'The Paper' in honour of the passing of the late, great Robert Duvall earlier this week.

OK, that title needs a little setup. So basically, there are two movies out this week that I'm talking about - the first is Bart Layton's 'Crime 101', starring Chris Hemsworth, Halle Berry, and Mark Ruffalo. It's good! Kinda unoriginal, but hey, it's a potboiler and those are fine.

The other movie, which is the one everyone's talking about, is 'Wuthering Heights' - the latest adaptation by Emerald Fennell. So naturally, put those two titles together in the form of an episode title and you get what you get there. See, it's always better for a joke when you have to explain it.

On this week's episode, we're washed ashore on a remote island with Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien with Sam Raimi pulling the strings in 'Send Help', the gory slice of horror comedy that asks the question, "What if 'Misery' put in some place warm?"

Elsewhere, I'm talking about the fallout of 'Melania' and its fucking dismal box office figures and the utter callousness of Amazon and Jeff Bezos. Speaking of fallouts (heh heh), I'm also talking about the finale to 'Fallout' Season 2 and how it's a case of fan service done right, if it even is that at all.

Come and get it, Screenlanders!

You might think to yourself, there's no way he could possibly spend a total of 48 minutes shredding Brett Ratner's documentary about the wife of Donald Trump to pieces, right? It's nothing to me, pal. I could do this all day. And I did.

I went to the very first public screening of 'Melania: 20 Days To History' at the Cineworld in Parnell Street, Dublin with a group of journalists - including friend of the pod and @NO ENCORE host Dave Hanratty - to see this unrelenting piece of crap. Come and be dazzled as we witness the golden nail in the coffin of American soft power with a documentary! Feast your earholes on comparisons between Brett Ratner and Leni Riefenstahl! Amaze yourself with tales of horrifying incompetence and thievery on his part! Be transformed! Be horrified! All hail the new flesh!

The Oscar nominations have JUST been announced (well, like four hours ago) so it's high time I got up off my ass and nailed my colours to the wall with some predictions on this year's Awards Meat Parade.

Elsewhere, 'Mercy' and 'The History of Sound' go under the microscope for analysis and dissection, along with wading very tepidly into the Brooklyn Beckham / Victoria Beckham delulu drama as a treatise on the death of celebrity. No, really.

Full disclosure, I asked a fucking AI piece of shit to write this synopsis because I am just exhausted at this stage. Here goes.

Buckle up for a wild ride through the highs and lows of the latest on screen and in print, where we’re dissecting everything from zombie apocalypses to high-stakes hockey romances. We kick things off by checking back in with the undead in '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple', debating whether this latest evolution of the franchise still has some bite or if it’s just dragging its feet. Then, we shift gears to the powerful and deeply moving 'The Voice of Hind Rajab', a project that demands your attention and sparks some heavy-hitting conversation.

On the lighter side of life, we’re diving headfirst into the locker room drama of 'Heated Rivalry', discussing why this beloved MM sports romance has us all hot and bothered. Finally, we’re heading back to Westeros (no dragons required... yet) to talk 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms'. We break down whether Dunk and Egg have what it takes to carry the mantle of the 'Game of Thrones' legacy. Whether you're a fan of gritty survival, intense documentaries, or swoon-worthy rivals-to-lovers tropes, this episode has a little something for everyone. Grab your headphones and join us for our honest, unfiltered, and probably too-loud opinions on the stories you shouldn't miss.

Wow, that's absolutely dogshit. Generative AI is ruining the planet, and that's just more proof of the same. Are you even reading this? Be honest.

This week on 'Screenland', I’m starting things off with a double feature of new reviews. First up is 'Hamnet', where I dig into whether this adaptation captures the soul of the novel, followed by my thoughts on 'Song Sung Blue' starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson. We’re looking at whether that star power translates into a hit or if it’s just hitting a familiar note.

Then, we have to talk about the elephant in the room: the teasers for 'Avengers: Doomsday'. I’m getting honest about why I think we’re seeing diminishing returns for Marvel and why the "big event" strategy might be losing its spark. After the MCU rant, I’m shifting gears to the brand-new 'Anaconda' movie. With Jack Black and Paul Rudd leading the way, this is a completely different beast than the 90s original, and I’ll tell you if this comedic reimagining is actually worth the watch.

Finally, I’m closing out the show by diving down the rabbit hole with the "Conformity Gate" theory for the 'Stranger Things' finale. If you’ve been wondering how they’re going to wrap up the story in Hawkins, this theory about social pressure and the Upside Down is a total game-changer.

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