We are one week away from the new season but before we charge up the controllers and order a six-pack of energy drinks in preparation for Video Game Movies season, it's time for our traditional bonus review of a new movie. We settled in to watch Ari Aster's latest weirdo beardo offering, Eddington.

No spoilers! 

We are back next Monday September 8th for season 12 which is all about Video Game movies.

Would you like to see the full lineup for season 12? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup.

This episode was first published on Patreon and is an example of the extra content you can get over on our £3.00 a month tier. If you sign up for that you'll get access to all of our end of season wrap shows for seasons 1-11 and a minimum of 2 reviews of brand new movies each month.  

Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy.

If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show.  

Or come find us on social media:

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After eight weeks of cinematic exploration into the world of "drugs movies" for Season 11, Dan and Sarah are back to share some of our favourite moments from the season!

Sarah's season of drugs films has certainly been a 'journey', and not always the warm, fuzzy, hot chocolate kind. From the 'quintessential drugs movie' vibes of Trainspotting and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and the notoriously bleak Requiem for a Dream, to the time-bending drug trips of Synchronic and the chaotic highs of Pineapple Express, this season has had it all. And yes, we've even managed to shoehorn in a few tangents about the American Pie franchise, Herbie, and why we'd rather live in the American Sock timeline.

So, what can you expect from the "best of drugs movies" season, you ask? Well, apart from us probably weeping under the stairs, you'll get:

Make sure to mark September 8th in your calendar as that is when we return for season 12!

Would you like to see the full lineup for season 12? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup when it drops.

Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy.

If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show.  

Or come find us on social media:

Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube

Welcome to the Shoot the Hostage Season Eleven Wrap Show! After diving deep into the hazy world of “drugs movies” for eight episodes, Dan and Sarah are here to unpack all the highs (and occasional lows) of the season. From the gritty depths of heroin addiction to Climax-ing with LSD-infused sangria, this season was quite the trip!

Sarah, who bravely curated this journey into films featuring addiction, walks us through the complete lineup in order of release:

They delve into the diverse drugs movies covered, from imaginary time-traveling substances to the "everything under the sun" approach of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, examining both fictional and real-world issues.

As Sarah chose the theme, Dan decided to reveal his dream “drugs movies” lineup, which has few surprises for Sarah. And prepare to test your movie trivia as Dan has a quiz for Sarah based on the films she picked. Will she remember the footwear-based concern of Raoul Duke or what Adam and Zach were stocking up on in go?

This is just a taste of our Season Eleven Wrap Show – for the full version packed with more laughs, revelations, and a weird Greg Wallace based tangent, head over to our Patreon! You'll also get exclusive access to wrap shows for all ten previous seasons.

Make sure to mark September 8th in your calendar as that is when we return for season 12!

Would you like to see the full lineup for season 12? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup when it drops any day now.

This episode is a preview of our season 11 wrap show which is available in full, over on our £3 a month Patreon tier. If you sign up for that you'll get access to all of our end of season wrap shows for seasons 1-11 and a minimum of 2 reviews of brand new movies each month.  

Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy.

If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show.  

Or come find us on social media:

Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube

This week on Shoot the Hostage, Sarah and Dan are taking a hit out of the little brown bottle as they dive headfirst into the quintessential drug-induced fever dream that is Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998).

Join us as we navigate the most paranoid movie known to man, based on Hunter S. Thompson’s unreadably long-titled 1971 book.

We’ll explore why Johnny Depp’s portrayal of Raoul Duke might be his career best, topped only by his co-star Benicio del Toro as Dr. Gonzo, the lawyer who leads you astray, overpays for lemon meringue pie and steals every scene he’s in.  

Director Terry Gilliam was the perfect choice for this savage journey to the heart of the American dream, infusing it with his signature blend of surrealism, satire and more Dutch angles than you can shake a stick at.

What to expect from the episode:

Would you like to see the full lineup for season 11? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup.

If you do have some loose change consider signing up as a paid member. Our £3 a month Patreon tier will grant you access to all of our end of season wrap shows for seasons 1-10 and a minimum of 2 reviews of brand new movies each month. Plus the back-catalogue of reviews from 2023 and 2024. 

Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy.

If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show.  

Or come find us on social media:

Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube

For our seventh, and decidedly not warm and fuzzy episode in the season, Sarah’s crafty programming has us plunging into Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream (2000)!

Expect praise for Ellen Burstyn’s Oscar-nominated performance as Sara Goldfarb which had crew weeping on set. We unpack the performances of Jared Leto, alongside Jennifer Connelly, as their grand aspirations turn into a spiral of despair exploring the dark side of films about toxic relationships and the pursuit of happiness.

Was that Shooter McGavin?!

Find out how the film tackles the often-overlooked prescription addiction alongside street drug use, and how it uses split screen to underscore the pervasive theme of loneliness.

And why did Keith David show up late to the party?

What to expect from this episode:

Season 11 runs until August 11th with 8 episodes

Would you like to see the full lineup for season 11? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup.

If you do have some loose change consider signing up as a paid member. Our £3 a month Patreon tier will grant you access to all of our end of season wrap shows for seasons 1-10 and a minimum of 2 reviews of brand new movies each month. Plus the back-catalogue of reviews from 2023 and 2024. 

Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy.

If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show.  

Or come find us on social media:

Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube

All aboard the Pineapple Express! This week on Shoot the Hostage, Sarah and Dan are blazing a trail through the sticky green jungle of films about drugs as they unpack the 2008 stoner comedy, Pineapple Express.

Join us atop the podcast pineapple as we dive into the surprisingly long history of stoner comedies, from 1932’s Jewel Robbery to the anti-marijuana propaganda of Reefer Madness and how the abolition of the Hays Code in the late 60’s truly unleashed the genre with pioneers like Cheech and Chong.

Here’s what to expect from the episode:

Season 11 runs until August 11th with 8 episodes

Would you like to see the full lineup for season 11? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup.

If you do have some loose change consider signing up as a paid member. Our £3 a month Patreon tier will grant you access to all of our end of season wrap shows for seasons 1-10 and a minimum of 2 reviews of brand new movies each month. Plus the back-catalogue of reviews from 2023 and 2024. 

Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy.

If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show.  

Or come find us on social media:

Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube

Welcome back to another episode, where this week, Sarah and Dan explore Brokedown Palace (1999).

Join us as we break down the film’s shortcomings and unexpected moments. We delve into the representation of Thailand and the justice system depicted in the movie along with the undertones of American exceptionalism

We discuss the cast, including Claire Danes (My So-Called Life and Romeo and Juliet), Kate Beckinsale (Shooting Fish and Underworld), Bill Pullman (a current favourite of Sarah’s), Lou Diamond Philips (Chavez) and a blink and you’ll miss him pre tuna sandwich Paul Walker.

What to expect from the episode:

Season 11 runs until August 11th with 8 episodes

Would you like to see the full lineup for season 11? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup.

If you do have some loose change consider signing up as a paid member. Our £3 a month Patreon tier will grant you access to all of our end of season wrap shows for seasons 1-10 and a minimum of 2 reviews of brand new movies each month. Plus the back-catalogue of reviews from 2023 and 2024. 

Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy.

If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show.  

Or come find us on social media:

Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube

This week on Shoot the Hostage, Sarah’s taking it all the way back to grim-town as we confront Gaspar Noé’s Climax (2018).

We’ve arrived at the fourth film in Sarah’s season dedicated to movies about drugs. She explains why Climax took the fourth spot instead of the final one, which you would think, given the title, would be the natural placement.

We also draw connections between Climax's disorienting visuals and unsettling atmosphere to other controversial films seen on the characters' interview tapes, such as Suspiria and Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom. The influence of Andre Żuławski's Possession on Sofia Boutella’s intense performance is also discussed.

Here’s what you can anticipate from this episode:

Season 11 runs until August 11th with 8 episodes

Would you like to see the full lineup for season 11? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup.

If you do have some loose change consider signing up as a paid member. Our £3 a month Patreon tier will grant you access to all of our end of season wrap shows for seasons 1-10 and a minimum of 2 reviews of brand new movies each month. Plus the back-catalogue of reviews from 2023 and 2024. 

Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy.

If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show.  

Or come find us on social media:

Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube

Are you ready to GO all-in? This week on Shoot the Hostage our drugs season takes a detour intro the fast-paced, vibrant world of Doug Liman’s 1999 cult hit, Go – our third foray into the wild world of cinematic substances.

This film boasts arguably the most aggressively late 90s cast ever, functioning as a true ensemble piece even if some weren't A-listers at the time. We get into the raw talent of Sarah Polley as Ronna, a young adult making some truly stupid decisions over one wild night. We also delve into the magnetic Taye Diggs who improves the second act by at least 35% and the sheer chaos of Breckin Meyer.  

We talk about Go's incredible soundtrack with artists like Fatboy Slim, Steppenwolf, Massive Attack, and No Doubt. Despite Doug Liman's initial unfamiliarity with rave culture, the film's fast-paced energy and quick cutting brilliantly capture the hedonism of the time, without ever feeling preachy. The movie is infused with drugs, particularly ecstasy (or "X," which becomes a fun running visual motif throughout, and we unpack how the film blends crime thriller elements with ridiculous comedy.

Here's some other things we explore in the episode:

Season 11 runs until August 11th with 8 episodes

Would you like to see the full lineup for season 11? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup.

If you do have some loose change consider signing up as a paid member. Our £3 a month Patreon tier will grant you access to all of our end of season wrap shows for seasons 1-10 and a minimum of 2 reviews of brand new movies each month. Plus the back-catalogue of reviews from 2023 and 2024. 

Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy.

If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show.  

Or come find us on social media:

Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube

No need for a temporal displacement event on your end, because Shoot the Hostage is bringing one to you! As the second stop on our season of films about drugs, Sarah and Dan delve into the minds of Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson and their uniquely divisive independent film, Synchronic (2019)

Starring Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan as two paramedics in a New Orleans, Synchronic introduces a made-up designer drug that promises literal time travel. We get into why this independent film about a fictional drug has been so divisive, despite its perceived simplicity.

Is Synchronic a profound exploration of mortality and human connection, or just a little too straightforward for a time travel movie? We dissect the film's 'timey-wimey' mechanics (or lack thereof) and debate whether Anthony Mackie's self-medicating paramedic finds purpose while facing his own mortality. From floating coffins in New Orleans to statistically improbable encounters with woolly mammoths, we explore all the bizarre and brilliant aspects of this Benson and Moorhead film.

Learn why Sarah was an early adopter of Benson and Moorhead, what this film has in common with their other works such as The Endless and Resolution, and whether their experience on big-budget Marvel shows like Loki and Moon Knight might affect their future independent film projects.

Here’s what you can expect from this episode:

Season 11 runs until August 11th with 8 episodes

Would you like to see the full lineup for season 11? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup.

If you do have some loose change consider signing up as a paid member. Our £3 a month Patreon tier will grant you access to all of our end of season wrap shows for seasons 1-10 and a minimum of 2 reviews of brand new movies each month. Plus the back-catalogue of reviews from 2023 and 2024. 

Enjoy the show but can't support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you're reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven't given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It's easy.

If you've done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show.  

Or come find us on social media:

Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube