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We trace Robert Redford’s legacy beyond an MCU headline, then dive into why Avatar sells without a fandom, how trailers keep spoiling films, and where views don’t equal tickets. We unpack the muscle and mystery of PTA’s One Battle After Another, contrast it with The Smashing Machine’s safety, and finish with a joyous chat about Lesbian Space Princess and the future of adult animation in Australia.

• Redford’s impact on Sundance and independent film
• Why Avatar works as pure escapism despite quiet fandom
• Trailer culture fatigue and spoiler creep
• Views vs box office and the Morbius lesson
• PTA’s evolution and One Battle After Another’s themes
• Performances, cinematography and awards prospects
• The Smashing Machine’s missing grit and brand-safe choices
• Adult animation craft and the making of Lesbian Space Princess

Don’t forget: “Straight after this, a little bonus interview with directors Leela Vargis and Emma Hobbs for Lesbian Space Princess — you can still watch it at Nova”

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We dive into an exciting lineup of films, from horror franchises to festival gems, and share our personal top 10 lists for 2025 so far.

• The Conjuring: Last Rites successfully returns the franchise to form after a weaker third installment
• Darren Aronofsky's Caught Stealing delivers a thrilling 90s-style crime film with excellent performances from Austin Butler and Matt Smith
• Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) showcased impressive international cinema with standouts including Twinless, Dicinove, and Night Stage
• Queer cinema had a strong showing at MIFF, featuring films that explore sexuality and identity in nuanced ways
• Our top films of 2025 so far include Sinners, Weapons, 28 Years Later, and Superman
• The year has been particularly strong for what some call "elevated horror" with directors taking big creative risks

Join us next week for a special episode featuring our first interview with film directors from Lesbian Space Princess. 

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The Melbourne International Film Festival serves as a way to reconnect with the city and rediscover a love of cinema beyond franchise films and IP-driven content. Festival audiences approach screenings with curiosity and openness, creating an atmosphere where filmmakers can take risks and viewers can discover new perspectives.

• MIFF creates opportunities to experience films that challenge conventional Hollywood structures and pacing
• Films like "All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt" force viewers to sit with moments and focus on human connection
• Festival screenings generate organic word-of-mouth buzz rather than orchestrated marketing campaigns
• Last year's standouts included "Late Night with the Devil," "Substance," and "Inside"
• The debate between original stories and established IP reflects broader tensions in the film industry
• Social media virality has fundamentally changed how films gain momentum and audience attention
• Film festivals provide a vital counterbalance to mainstream cinema as a complementary experience

Go see Weapons, now showing in cinemas everywhere, and check out the Melbourne International Film Festival running from August 7-24.

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Zack Cregger's follow-up to Barbarian delivers a masterful horror experience that subverts expectations at every turn. This intricately structured film about 17 missing children builds suspense through overlapping perspectives, creating a mystery that grows increasingly terrifying as it unfolds. We also see Disney's latest Freaquel - Freakier Friday starring Jamie Lee Curtis & Lindsay Lohan. 

• Josh Brolin and Julia Garner deliver standout performances as deeply flawed but compelling characters
• The non-linear structure brilliantly reveals information in layers, similar to Pulp Fiction and Magnolia
• Several scenes stand out as masterclasses in horror filmmaking, particularly the basement sequence and car scene
• The film uses minimal music, relying instead on silence to build genuine dread
• Krieger blends genres confidently, starting as a procedural before shifting into supernatural territory
• The film joins Hereditary and Blair Witch Project as horror experiences that create visceral, physical reactions
• Despite its supernatural elements, the film maintains an emotional core that resonates beyond the scares
• The confident filmmaking showcases what happens when directors trust their vision completely

See Weapons in theaters now - go in completely blind for the full experience. Don't watch trailers, don't read reviews, just experience this original horror masterpiece as it was intended.

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This week on Three Scene Heroes, Alaisdair, Carlo, and Adam dive into Marvel's latest reboot with Fantastic Four: The First Steps, does the new cast soar or stumble? Plus, we break down the scorching new trailer for Avatar: Fire and Ashand try to figure out what James Cameron’s cooking up on Pandora this time. Expect opinions, mild chaos, and at least one rant about blue people and stretchy scientists.

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This week on Three Scene Heroes, Alaisdair, Carlo, and Adam sharpen their critical claws for two big releases that couldn’t be more different — the slasher sequel I Know What You Did Last Summer 2025 and the emotional drama Eddington.

Is the latest Summer slasher a killer comeback or a tired retread? And does Eddington hit you in the feels or just hit snooze? We’ve got takes hotter than a July box office chart and cooler than a killer in a rain slicker.

Plus, the guys break down all the latest movie and streaming news — with just the right amount of tangents and trash talk.

You can follow Adam on Instagram here

You can follow Carlo at This Is Film here

You can follow Alaisdair at Novastream here

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Your favourite trio of couch critics — Alaisdair, Carlo, and Adam — are here for the first (and very chaotic) episode of Three Scene Heroes! This week, we bring the movie and streaming news you didn’t know you needed, but now can’t live without.

We dive headfirst into M3GAN 2.0, where the sassiest murder-bot is back and somehow even more unhinged. Then it’s onto Jurassic World: Rebirth, where dinosaurs are apparently still a bad idea (who knew?). And we check out Ironheart on Disney+, because what’s one more superhero in the Marvel pile-on?

Come for the news, stay for the roasting — and yes, we do somehow end up arguing about AI ethics and Titanosaurus mating.