Why Wasn't It Better?

Despite featuring one of the greatest ensemble casts ever assembled, spectacular aerial photography, and an extraordinary commitment to historical authenticity, Battle of Britain was a box office failure. This week, we examine why. We discuss the film's incredible flying sequences, its documentary-style approach, the challenge of telling such a massive story without a central protagonist, and why audiences in 1969 may have been looking for something very different. Is Battle of Britain an overlooked masterpiece, or a technically brilliant film that never quite soars? Guest Paul Kind joins to discuss.

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It's time for another ranking episode! Guest Kai Wang joins as we sort out the Pierce Brosnan James Bond films.

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Despite being a high-profile dramatic retelling of the biggest environmental disaster in American history, Deepwater Horizon was largely ignored by audiences in 2016. Director Peter Berg assembled a tension-filled, highly accurate portrayal that plays as one part docudrama, another part horror movie. Why didn’t this get more attention, and why has it still failed to leave much of a cultural impact nearly a decade later?

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With a new remake on the horizon, we're covering Cliffhanger, aka Die Hard On A Mountain. In need of a hit, Sylvester Stallone teamed up with director Renny Harlin for a high-altitude thriller packed with death-defying stunts, brutal violence, and one of the most memorable opening sequences of the decade. Add in a scenery-chewing performance from John Lithgow and you've got all the ingredients for a classic action movie. But does it still hold up? Guest Garret Ohringer is back to hang on.

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Enjoy this sneak preview of our Tron: Ares episode. The full episode is available right now for our supporters over on Patreon. The full episode will not be available for another month. So if you want early access, head over to patreon.com/wwibofficial and become a Patreon!

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A Patreon request! Few filmmakers are as instantly recognizable as Wes Anderson, and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou may be the moment his style fully took over. Part ocean adventure, part midlife-crisis comedy, part tribute to Jacques Cousteau, the film follows the eccentric Steve Zissou as he sets out to hunt the mysterious shark that killed his best friend. The result was Anderson's biggest box office failure. It's since become a divisive cult classic. Guest Ben Hill is here to discuss.

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Despite a massive voice cast featuring Will Smith, Robert De Niro, Angelina Jolie, and Jack Black, Shark Tale has aged into one of the strangest animated hits of the 2000s. Released at the height of the DreamWorks Animation vs. Pixar rivalry, the film throws everything at the wall: celebrity impressions, mafia movie references, pop culture jokes, bizarre worldbuilding, and fish with human lips. Here to discuss is returning guest Nathan Perry.

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Enjoy this sneak preview of our Ranking thee Pierce Brosnan Bond Films episode. The full episode is available right now for our supporters over on Patreon. The full episode will not be available for another month. So if you want early access, head over to patreon.com/wwibofficial and become a Patreon!

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After making his MCU debut in Civil War, Tom Holland was given his own full-length cinematic debut with Spider-Man: Homecoming the following year. It was a big success for Marvel and well-liked, but what purpose does it serve beyond wedging everyone's favorite neighborhood superhero into the overall MCU? Guest and industry insider Ivan Calixto joins the pod to talk about his experience working on the trailer for this film.

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Cahill U.S. Marshal is one of the lesser-known late-career John Wayne westerns, and for good reason. Released during a period when the Western genre was rapidly evolving, Cahill feels caught between old-school Wayne heroics and the grittier, morally complex revisionist Westerns audiences were beginning to prefer. Why didn’t it leave more of an impact? Why has it largely faded into obscurity among Wayne’s filmography?

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