The Midnight Run

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At the time of recording and according to the internet, Samuel L. Jackson is the highest grossing actor at the box office (We are not counting Stan Lee). The main reasons for this are his association with the Marvel and Star Wars franchises, but he also appeared in Jurassic Park, which would have helped. He also had appeared in (at least) 140 films, which meant that we had our hands full in watching as many as we could on preparation. Any film that he ever appeared in counted for our lists, regardless of his performance, or how significant his role was, so the net was cast wide. Would we have the same no1? Why does Lewis like Coming to America so much and which Shaft film was the best? These crunch questions are answered along with which actor our eldest niece likes the most and the usual quizzes for Matt. He even has a stab at performing a theme tune for our show. 

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There are so many elements to a musical. The choreography. The big show-stopping numbers. The wow factor it creates, along with a great story in it's own right. A musical is an attack on the senses. Our strong musical upbringing is discussed, along with our favourite numbers and performances. We decide on our favourite decade and reveal our top 10 lists, resulting in 2 quite  different number 1s. Along side that there are 2 quizzes for Matt and we bring up Lewis's most embarrasing moment on a stage and perform our different character impressions of Che from Evita. We also reveal where Matt was when he sang "On the Street Where you Live" and which film landed him in hot water with his girlfriend for watching it. Lewis surely wins the award for the most ridiculous way to tear a hamstring. We may also break into song at any moment.

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Steven Spielberg. A master craftsman. Unsurprisingly we are big fans on this show and it has been a difficult task picking our top 10s from his current list of 33 feature films (yes, we are including Duel in that number). Which of his films resulted in the creation of a new classification in American cinemas and why did you not see the shark in Jaws until the second half of the film?  A number of films have been watched in preparation for it, including a trip to the cinema for both of us. Also featured on the show are remarkably difficult topics such as our favourite scene, performance and musical theme. Two quizzes for Matt this time, just in case the first is too easy and who were we with when we were separately stopped by the police?

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Our festive episode. We tackle the difficult question “What is a Christmas film" the best we can, but also talk about our favourite Christmas songs and TV special episodes. Which films were watched in preparation (many in Lewis's case) and what non Christmas films do we like to watch during the festive season. Is there a connection between JFK and Freddy Krueger? Why did Irving Berlin write “White Christmas”? Which Home Alone villain suffers the worst injuries are also covered. The  top 10 lists are more varied than any so far, which shows how much categorising a Christmas film is determined by the beholder, but Die Hard gets in both. Merry Christmas.

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If ever there were a film series that would be good for a list it would be Bond. So many to discuss, such as villains, songs, opening sequences, stunts, ladies and the Bond actors themselves. All of which make up what a Bond film has to offer and why we like them.  A devilish quiz for Matt and insight into the back stories of the films demonstrate our family Bond film upbringing. Questions raised are why was Never Say Never Again made and why was Casino Royale made so late in the series, considering it was the first novel? Most importantly, which Bond film music did we once dance Ian Botham's 1981 Ashes success as a comedy sketch? A much smaller pool of films (25) to pick from this time, which made the final 10s much more cut throat and brutal. A bit like Daniel Craig’s Bond.

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What is war good for? Nothing apart from the creation of some incredible films that show the best and worst of ordinary people.  Often brutal, visceral experiences that can be a tough watch, but at the same time powerful and memorable. The madness of it is also depicted in terrific comedies too. Another tricky quiz for Matt to overcome and some topics to ponder such as Are The Last of the Mohicans and Braveheart war films? Is Casablanca? How many new films did Matt watch in preparation? Matt's RADA audition and our Mother's driving capabilities are also discussed. Which films made the top 10s and how many made both lists? Not many this time.

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The 1980s was the decade that we grew up in. The decade that introduced us to the magic of the movies.  So many titans of cinema were released in the 80s, so much so that making our final (and quite different) top 10s was extremely difficult. Does Midnight Run get in? What films just missed out? Which little gems do we recommend? Can Matt successfully navigate another tricky quiz? What is his opinion on crocodiles and why was Michael Caine not at the Academy Awards to pick up his Best Supporting Actor award in 1987?

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Animation. Such a rich and varied form, with no rules and all genres covered. Many topics are covered in the tense and often heated conversation, such as which films influenced us growing up? Which famous films have we not seen? Which scene in Fantastic Mr Fox made Lewis laugh uncontrollably? Can Matt ace the particularly difficult quiz? Do we prefer classic animation or Pixar? Which film did Lewis cough up hard cash for in order to watch again for the first time in 25 years and is it better the second time?
So many questions. The answers to these little gems (not the lettuce) and many more subjects are found in this episode, culminating in our top 10 favourite films, which proved to be the most difficult selection so far.

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A top 10 with a difference as we reveal our favourite films seen on the big screen. Some classic films, some unforgettable experiences. Some of them dreadful. What is the preferred cinema snack? Which film have we paid to see the most? What is the one (different) film that we each fell asleep in?  What is the most ridiculous Steven Seagal character name? The answers to these questions and others are revealed in another nail biter of an episode. 

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Are Paint Your Wagon and Back to the Future part 3 westerns? Can you name every Clint Eastwood western and what in our humble opinions are the best castles for hide and seek and strongest salt and vinegar flavoured crisps? These heavy topics and more are discussed, culminating in our top 10 films in the western genre. The podcast contains 2 uses of mild explicit language.