The Reel Take Podcast

It's that time of year again when although there may be many things from which we have not profited, I dare say, when it has come round, I have always thought of this time of year as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when Sinead, Ross and Niall seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. (...plus, it's the only time of year when THE REEL TAKE hosts do a ridiculous Christmas episode). And therefore, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that this podcast has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!

It has been a little difficult to get this episode out in a timely fashion as we had recorded it when the seventh part of the series was still in cinemas... ...and taking on all seven films in the MI franchise could be said to be taking on a mission that some might see as difficult... ...and there's three podcast hosts that on their best days could be called difficult... ...but then this is not Mission Difficult, so difficult should be a walk in the park. Death defying life, endangering stunts from Ross, cool and collected instructions from Sinead and a giant ego who knows he's the reason people return to the franchise again and again from Niall. Mission accepted.

It's time for spotlight, and this week we're shining it on the 2017 thriller directed by Tommy Wirkola WHAT HAPPENED TO MONDAY starring Noomi Rapace as not one, not two, but seven characters. In a world where overpopulation has compelled governments to adopt the one-child policy, a set of identical septuplets live a hide-and-seek life, swapping out their central identity on different days of the week, but when Monday goes missing, they embark on a search for their missing sister. What Happened to Monday? Not just something Ross asks when he goes drinking Sunday night and wakes up Tuesday morning.

This week we have noticed a gap in the podcast market. No one seems to be discussing Star Trek! So who better than three podcast hosts to fill that gap... Niall who has seen every Trek episode, film, animated series and owns several collectibles... Sinead who doesn't know her Treks from her Wars from her Gates and Ross who just wants to get lost in Chris Pine's deep blue eyes. We're going to need some help, so we've put out a distress call and the amazing Seán Ferrick, writer, presenter, content creator and expert on all things Trek has beamed in to educate, illuminate and elucidate on Trek culture!

THE SNAPPER turned 30 this year and has probably got a job in the finance sector but will never be able to afford their own house! Based on the novel by Roddy Doyle, part of the Barrytown trilogy that also brought us The Commitments and The Van, the story of 20-year old Sharon Curley and her unexpected pregnancy is a classic slice of 90's Ireland. Starring Tina Kellegher, Ruth McCabe and the living legend that is Colm Meaney, it's film that never fails to put a smile on your face, and crying with laughter. Jaysus I haven't cried since I was a kid. Sober. Sharon. Sober. Drunk doesn't count.

It's the spookiest time of the year.... but that doesn't mean we can't have a good old guffaw. This All Hallows Eve we're back and looking at some great Horror Comedies! (...mostly because we're big old fraidy cats). Frights and laughter go hand in skeletal hand this episode as we talk about some great movies that will bring a rictus smile to your zombified face this Halloween. Mwah-Ha Ha! So if there's something strange, in your Netflix queue... what ya gonna do? Just watch it! (We don't do Ghostbusters).

Worn Out, Played Out, Strung Out. No, not your three podcast hosts, but the characters in Baz Black's DUBLIN CRUST, the story of a punk band who reunite for one last gig. After our summer holidays we're back with a bang and a special guest. We don our Doc Martens, pull on our tartan trousers and stick a safety pin through our nose as we talk to Actor/Writer/Producer/Drummer Baz Black about his career, one of his favourite films and DUBLIN CRUST, out in cinemas now.

They said it couldn't be done.... they said it shouldn't be done. But yes, THE REEL TAKE has hit 100 episodes... So what better time to sit back, take stock, and indulge in a well deserved round of self congratulations. We've covered topics as diverse as 'Films we love but everyone else hates' and 'Films we hate but everyone else loves', we've shone a spotlight on many an under-rated gem (and Blank Check), we've murdered enough scenes to get life and we've had some fantastic guests over this last century of takes. So as we reach this milestone, we invite you once more to sit down, and grab a glass. Sinead, Ross and Niall have made 100 episodes of their podcast!

Leonardo DiCaprio is an earthy type who wants to come up in the world. Kate Winslet is a free spirit, unwilling to confine herself to the norms of society. But this time there's no big boat, and no tragic end. After their icy dip Kate and Leo reunited for 2008's REVOLUTIONARY ROAD, based on the novel by Richard Yates and directed by Sam Mendes. It's the story of Frank and April Wheeler, a young couple who meet at a party, get married and create a suburban life with a nice house, a manicured lawn, "modern" furniture, two kids, a job in the city for him, housework for her, and martinis, cigarettes, boredom and desperation for both of them. It's not really 'What would have happened if Rose scooched over and made room on that doorframe for Jack', but it's a close as we'll get. So join the morning march of grey men in grey suits and grey hats to a job you hate, or spend your day vacuuming and dreaming of a better life in Paris as we put the spotlight on REVOLUTIONARY ROAD.

This week we welcome back guest SNILLOC NOSAJ to finally put to bed the question of whether Christopher Nolan's time bending 2020 film TENET is a classic of cinema or just too difficult for Ross to understand. The case for the prosecution features Jason and Ross, who spend the entire episode repeating over and over "We didn't understand it, it's a bad film" and scratching their heads in confusion, whereas the distinguished defense counsel of Sinead and Niall put forward an ironclad argument as to why this somewhat divisive movie might ask a lot of its audience, and need more than one watch (and the on subtitles at some point), but yields great reward. So strap yourself in, because voices get raised, tempers get frayed and nothing is sacred as we ask if TENET is worth a watch... then a rewatch backwards... then a re-rewatch forwards... then a re-re-rewatch backwards.

This week Niall and Ross are a pair of renegade Chicago cops (one's funny and one can tap dance), living on adrenalin and the edge as they take down the bad guys. But when the duo have one close call too many, their hard-ass captain Sinead rips them a new one and insists they take a vacation. Cut to a montage of roller skating/drinking/fishing all set to an 80's classic by a Doobie Brother. Will Niall and Ross get to retire to the sun kissed Florida Keys and run the bar they dream of? Will they make sure their last two weeks on the mean streets see them bring Gonzales to justice? Will Sinead stop being such a hard-ass? And what exactly is a 'Man Sized Love'? This week we answer all these questions and more as we spotlight 1996's RUNNING SCARED from director Peter Hyams and starring Billy Crystal and Gregory Hyams. Before there was Murtaugh and Riggs, there was Costanza and Hughes.

RMS Titanic sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912, and has fascinated the world ever since. Not least of all James Cameron, whose multi million blockbuster TITANIC, made for an estimated $200 million is now 25 years old. "I made Titanic because I wanted to dive to the shipwreck, not because I particularly wanted to make the movie. When I learned some other guys had dived to the Titanic to make an IMAX movie, I said, 'I'll make a Hollywood movie to pay for an expedition and do the same thing." The crew were unwittingly dosed with PCP laced chowder, Cameron threatened to fire employees who took bathroom breaks so Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet have admitted to relieving themselves in the on-set water tank, and it should have been a disaster. But it wasn't. It was a film to remember.

This week we're heading off for a relaxing getaway south of the border. Lots of sun, salsa and cerveza as all our troubles melt away. Actually, we've been recruited by an elite government task force to aid in the war on drugs as we put the spotlight on Denis Villeneuve's taut and tightly wound thriller from 2015, SICCARIO. Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro lead a top notch cast in a film wound so tightly you'll need a relaxing vacation afterwards... just maybe not to Juárez.... and suggests that the longer we cling to our morals, the more susceptible we are to becoming sheep in a land of wolves.

For the week that's in it, as Ireland's premiere film podcast (are there others? we're not aware...) this week we thought we'd serve you up a bit o' the old blarney as we look at Walt Disney's 1959 celebration of Irish folklore and myth DARBY O'GILL AND THE LITTLE PEOPLE starring Albert Sharpe and Jimmy O'Dea along with some Scottish fella. From the director of MARY POPPINS and BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS, it was the film that brought a young Sean Connery to the attention of Bond producers, was wheeled out every March 16th in classrooms around the country and traumatised an entire generation of schoolchildren with a still very scary banshee. Slip through the portal with us now as we visit the realm of the wee folk, fiddle our hearts out and make three wishes, the last of which is that you have a Happy St. Patrick's Day!

It's time for another spotlight episode kids! And as some certain Banshees of a certain Inisherin are getting such acclaim, we thought it a good excuse to look at 2012's SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS, from director Martin McDonagh and Colin Farrell, among others. Colin Farrell is Marty, a man in search of a screenplay. He has a title but no story to go along with it. His friend Billy played by Sam Rockwell makes a living by kidnapping rich people's dogs with his friend Hans (Christopher Walken) then returning them and collecting the reward. But when they kidnap the beloved pooch of a gangster (Woody Harrelson) the fur flies. Sharp dialogue, gleeful violence and a sly commentary on the state of cinema, as one character points out: “This thing's got layers.”

We're back baby, for a whole new season in 2023 and what better way to kick things off than discussing one of the most seminal film directors of the last 50 years. A certain Stephen Allan Spielberg... perhaps you've heard of him. His new semi-kind-sorta-autobiographical film THE FABLEMANS is still in cinemas and is poised to take home a few little gold men, but whatever happens, it's undeniable that his influence on cinema has been just as epic as his films. Whether he's turned his lens on aliens, sharks, whip cracking archeologists, dinosaurs or Tom Hanks, you're guaranteed value for the price of your cinema ticket. Mister Spielberg, we salute you.

Inspired by VIOLENT NIGHT (in cinemas now) we decided to devote this year's Yuletide episode to Christmas Action Movies! And of course, if there's one of the Reel Take triumvirate who loves an actioner, it's Ross Leahy! He's hoping to spend Christmas with his estranged podcast hosts who have gone on to bigger and better things, but when a group of international thieves... I mean terrorists, they're definitely terrorists, not thieves, take over the newly opened Reel Take Podcast Tower, one man must crawl through air ducts in his bare feet to save the day. We may even get to discuss a few films. Yippee-ki-yay, melon farmers.

This week we're turning our attention to 1988's Midnight Run, a buddy action comedy in which Robert De Niro finally got the chance to fully try out his comic talents. In a cinema landscape of Lethal Weapons, Beverly Hill's Cops and 48 Hours', Midnight Run remains a forgotten gem. Director Martin Brest brings the brest out of De Niro as bounty hunter Jack Walsh, happy to subvert his tough guy persona and his quarry, deadpan master of drolery Charles Grodin as ex-mob accountant Jonathan 'The Duke' Mardukas. There's a rogues gallery of great character actors lending able support, but the show belongs to De Niro and Grodin.

One of the premiere names in film for the last 50 years, Martin Scorsese has just turned 80. So it's about time he got a little scrutiny from The Reel Take. If you think he's all about gangsters and gritty crime drama, we can't blame you. But there's a lot more to his CV than that. Unfulfilled wannabe singers no longer known at this address, yuppies who go into the wrong part of town after dark, and Emergency Medical Technician's who are haunted by their failures...and that's just scratching the surface. Happy Birthday Marty!

Anthony Hopkins became history's oldest best actor Oscar-winner in 2021 for his role in THE FATHER from writer/director Florian Zeller. The story of Anthony, a mischievous 80 year old, living defiantly alone and rejecting the carers that his daughter, Anne (Olivia Colman), insists he needs. Adamant that he doesn't need help, Anthony's grip on reality is unraveling. Or is he being gaslit by those closest to him. As the viewer experiences the ebb and flow of his memory, the film blends genuine fear with overwhelming sadness, and asks the question 'What is it like to grieve for a person who is still alive'.

Film: a series of static images creating the illusion of movement. And what purer form of that definition is there than animation. In many ways, it could be argued that all film is animation. A trompe l'oeil, deceiving the brain into thinking that what the eye sees is a representation of reality. If all that seems a little high-brow, it's because this week we're taking a look at animated movies aimed at adults. And if you're still worried it's a little high brow, fear not, apart from searing socio-political commentary about life in Afghanistan, and a deep examination of existential angst that makes you question if it is ever possible to relate to the world, there's also horny hot dogs, sexy buns and racial stereo-types to beat the band.

This week we're looking at Edward Norton's 2019 neo noir MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN. He produces, he directs, he stars, he adapts the original novel! No wonder people find him difficult to get on with. Based on Jonathan Lethem's best-selling crime thriller published in 1999, Norton liked the book so much he got a copy of it before it was published, immediately bought the rights and proceeded to transplant its contemporary setting to 1950's New York. Every private detective needs a flaw and Lionel Essrog, an unlikely gumshoe with Tourette syndrome, a tic that means he will convulsively yelp disjointed phrases, is our hero as he tries to unravel the reason behind his bosses murder and gets embroiled in a conspiracy that goes all the way to the top! Forget it Lionel, it's Brooklyn-town.

This week it's order up as we get you to pull up a booth and look at those iconic movie scenes set in Diners. Whether you're a criminal cartel planning a heist, a group of muppets trying to make it big on broadway, or just a pair or friends faking an orgasm, there's no better place to sit down, grab a cuppa kwoffy and some grub and progress the plot of your movie. So sit right down and make yourself at home as we fire up the grill and get you started with a little dirty water, hold the yum yum.

This week we turn our attention to the 1992 gem SNEAKERS. Robert Redford leads an all star team of a high-tech (for the time) hackers in this caper made in a post-cold war, pre-internet world when virtual reality was in its infancy and fears surrounding domestic surveillance and cyberwarfare were mounting. Luckily we don't need to worry about that 30 years later! So spill out all the scrabble tiles and discover the truth about 'Montereys Coast', 'My Socrates Note', 'Cootys Rat Semen' and 'Seetec Astronomy'.

Well, Guys and Ghouls, it's the most Spooktackular time of the year once more! And do you know what the most shocking thing bout this Halloween is? It's that your three terrifyingly terrible podcast hosts all have blind spots when it comes to famous horror franchises! So despite their fraidy cat hearts, they have undertakered to watch those pillars of the horror genre which they have heretofore avoided. So on this spectral special, Niall will be trying against all odds to stay away in the hopes that a certain Frederick Bartholomew Kreuger doesn't invade his dreams as he looks at A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, Ross will be learning a valuable lesson against the hazards of unsafe nail-gun use while attempting home DIY as he watches HELLRAISER and Sinead will wake up in a dingy basement bathroom, chained to the wall with a stranger and a dead body (so just a usual weekend for her) and she'll also watch SAW. Happy Halloween!

Acting! The craft! To inhabit the soul of a character and bring it to life is a talent not granted not many. Yes, medical professionals and first responders may save lives, yes, scientists may work to discover solutions to humanity's problems... but an actor Acts! And there's nothing an actor likes more than those rare occasions when they are given a chance to give due respect to their chosen profession and portray a fellow performer. So on this week's episode we salute those sons and daughters of Thesbis who, egoless, have allowed themselves to be transformed, to become another of their calling... to perform as a performer... to act the actor! (...and scene!)

This week we're using the power of friendship to overthrow a sadistic regime and throw a spotlight on Indian Telugu-language epic action drama R.R.R. (Rise! Roar! Revolt!). Set in 1920s India, the film follows two historical figures in the resistance to the British empire: Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem. They never met in real life, but this film asks, what if they did?... and what if their intimate friendship, their almost super human fighting skills and their desire for freedom lit the spark of rebellion? It's a film that goes toe to toe with the biggest Hollywood can offer, and like its two central characters, although you might think that the odds aren't in their favour, you' just might be surprised.

With the recent release of Olivia Wilde's DON'T WORRY, DARLING, all the speculation on the behind the scenes going's on, all the scrutiny of its Canne premiere and all the talk about who hates who, we thought it a good opportunity to look at some of cinema's most troubled productions. We discuss wet-movies, opulent-movies, sweaty-movies and dangerous-movies, all with one thing in common... they were hell to make. And we ask the question we ask ourselves every time we post a new episode... the ultimate question. Was it worth it? But don't worry darling listeners, no matter how much hell we go through making great pod for you every week, no matter how sweaty Niall gets, how diva like Sinead's behavior is or how many times Ross threatens us with an axe, the answer's always yes.

This week it's time for another spotlight episode as we figuratively travel back to early 20th century Florence and cinematically travel back to 1985 to look at one of Sinead's famourites, A ROOM WITH A VIEW. When Lucy Honeychurch and her aunt Charlotte discover that they have been assigned a room 'sans' view in the Florentine pensione, the Emersons come to the rescue. She quickly falls in love with the impetuous George Emerson, but back home in England her fiancee awaits her return. In the same way that 2008's Iron man kicked off a cinematic universe, this 1985 film brought about a Merchant-Ivoryverse, where the gentleman were impeccably dressed for dinner, the ladies prone to fainting spells and the poor, well, we didn't really talk about the poor.

Beloved '80s classic E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial is getting a theatrical re-release this year to celebrate the film's 40th anniversary, so what better time to take a look back at the film that went down in cinema history and launched a plethora of less than stellar knock-offs. This week it's a case of E.T. and Mac and Me, and Nukie and Xtro (the black sheep of the family) as we look at not only the little alien who was afraid, totally alone and 3 million light years from home when cinema goers took him into their hearts in 1982, but also all of his cursed brethren. Burn them. Burn them with fire.

A rambling loner teams up with a group of misfits to bring justice to a lawless landscape. But enough about our podcast! This week, it's time to saddle up as we shine the spotlight on 1985's SILVERADO, written and directed by Lawrence Kasdan. Scott Glenn, Kevins Kline and Costner, Danny Glover, Jeff Goldblum, Brian Dennehy, John Cleese, Linda Hunt and more find their fates entwined in the troubled town of Silverado, when four drifters tangle with a greedy rancher, a gang of guns for hire and a corrupt Sheriff who has unfinished business with one of their number. Yee-Haw!

After our summer sabbatical, we're back baby! And since at this time of year everyone gets fixated on the return to school, we thought it a good time to look at some of cinema's less than perfect mentors. Whether they've actually obtained their teaching qualifications and stand at the head of the class with a lesson plan, or they're more of a mentor who takes an impressionable young charge under their wing, the one thing these characters have in common is that they shouldn't be allowed impart any of their dubious life lessons on the younger and more impressionable. So pare your pencils, pack your lunches and keep your wits about you as we get a bad education and look at some of cinemas worst teachers.

In our second special episode on the inaugural Boyne Valley International Film Festival, which took place at Droichead Arts Centre in August of 2022, we talk to many of the film makers whose work was shown as part of a great weekend of short film. Set against the beautiful backdrop of the Boyne Valley, curated by filmmaker and Boyne Valley native Frank W. Kelly and Collette Farrell, Droichead Arts Centre Director, the two day event featured some amazing short films from around the country, and the world, and made in the region. We caught up with producers, actors, directors and had an amazing time. Can't wait for next year.

The inaugural Boyne Valley International Film Festival, takes place at Droichead Arts Centre over Friday 12th and Saturday 13th August. Set against the beautiful backdrop of the Boyne Valley, curated by filmmaker and Boyne Valley native Frank W. Kelly and Collette Farrell, Droichead Arts Centre Director, this two day event features the best short films from around the country, and the world, with a special focus on films made in the region. And as the premiere film podcast based in the Boyne Valley, it would be remiss of us if we didn't elbow our way in and share some of the glory, so in the first of two special episodes focusing on the festival, we caught up with Frank to talk about the #BVIFF, his experience as an independent film maker and some of the films he loves.

It's the final episode of the season so your podcast hosts are off to recharge their batteries; Ross will be letting it all let it all hang out at an exclusive nudist beach, Sinead will receiving a complete blood transfusion at a luxury Swiss spa resort and Niall shall be seeking enlightenment at a remote monastery in the Himalayas. But before we take our leave, we thought it would be a good time to look at some of the great final performances committed to celluloid. It is always sad when beloved actors pass away or retire from the business but an actor's body of work remains that fans can enjoy for years to come. It's always very special when an actor leaves the audience with one final great performance to end on, to show the immense talents of the actors that have moved on. Whether in the midst of a career that ended too soon or the perfect culmination of along legacy, this week is all about memorable farewells. But you're not getting rid of us. We'll see you soon.

FM104's Thomas 'Crossy' Crosse is used to rubbing elbows and hob-nobbing with the celeb great and good from all over the world, (hanging out in Disney with some Marvel Movie stars... check! Getting the low down on the celebs that are not as nice as we'd like...check! Finding out what people shout at Julia Roberts in the street...check!) So we're were delighted he had a window in his schedule and deigned to slum it with us as our final guest of the season! We also managed to tear ourselves away from all the hot red carpet goss to talk about his favourite comfort film, which made us simultaneously hungry, spiritual and romantic (as well as making us wondering if we should get our teeth done). We had a great time talking with Crossy, we're sure you'll have a great time listening.

All work and no play makes Calvin a dull boy in this week's spotlight film, 2012's RUBY SPARKS. From the directors of Little Miss Sunshine Johnathon Dayton and Valerie Faris, it centers on author Calvin Weir-Fields (played by cinema's favourite weirdo Paul Dano), who after a prolonged episode of writer's block, writes a scene about a woman named Ruby Sparks, (played by the film's writer, Zoe Kazan), his ideal partner. After writing about Ruby and feeling she's almost real, Calvin dreams about her and when he wakes up, she's in his house. As much a psychological horror story as it it a romance, this movie puts the manic into manic pixie dream girl.

This week we pop in for a quick pre-podcast sharpener as we look at drinking movies! And whether your tipple of choice is a glass of vino while touring the vineyards of California, an aged malt from the Highlands or something a little fruitier served up by a Top Gun, we are sure to have something that will quench your thirst and help you leave your troubles behind. We usually write a bit more for these show notes, but to be completely honest, after all that we're feeling a little fragile.

I've heard of updating your operating system, but what 2013's HER from director Spike Jonze posits is 'What if you could date your operating system?'. It's time for a spotlight episode and this week we're looking at the story of one man and his love for an artificial intelligence. Joaquin Phoenix is Theodore Twombly, a man desperate to connect, whose profession is composing beautiful handwritten letters for people he'll never meet, and Scarlett Johannson is Samantha, the OS that has read all his e-mails, looked in that folder called 'Tax Documents', but still seems to love him despite all that.

Grosse Pointe Blank, the 1997 movie about assassin Martin Q. Blank, played by John Cusack, who begrudgingly returns to his hometown for his 10 year high school reunion, is 25 years old! So it's the perfect opportunity to talk about this hit man experiencing an existential crisis, and a few others, who it's fair to say, aren't. When did the hired killer become cool? Whether it be Alain Delon in trench coat and fedora in Le Samourai, Vincent and Jules talking fast food in Pulp Fiction, or Lil Natalie Portman proving you're never too young to learn a trade in Leon, cinema loves a cold blooded professional without a moral compass or a compassionate bone in their blood spattered body. They're all about the job and usually like to keep things strictly business... until things inevitably get personal. The contract killer is a cinematic cultural icon, a legitimate lynchpin of film; from action to drama, comedy to something more complicated, they know their target audience.

In this week's episode we shine the spotlight on 2001's HEIST. As intricate as a Swiss watch, David Mamet's tale of a veteran thief out for one last score before he retires might not sound like it's anything new, but with a stellar cast like Gene Hackman, Delroy Lindo, Rebecca Pidgeon, Sam Rockwell and Danny DeVito firing off zingers like bullets - (plus firing off actual bullets), it's must see for fans of cunning crime capers. So join us as we get the crew together, go over the blueprints one last time, make sure we've planned the perfect get away and most importantly of all, look out for the double cross and we'll see you at the rendezvous to divvy up the loot. Honest.

In the words of Joshua, the super-computer from the 1983 film Wargames, shall we play a game? Much like Global Thermonuclear War, when it comes to Hollywood's attempts to adapt video games into a successful movie franchise, the only way to win might be not to play. It's a world-wide billion dollar industry with a built in devoted audience, recognisable characters and visuals that should be right at home on the big screen... but despite trying and trying and trying again, it seems impossible to make a good movie based on a computer game. From moustachioed plumbers to hooded assassins to street fighters to raiders of tombs (charted and un), the response of filmgoers to most if not all film adaptations of best selling video games ranges from 'meh' to 'my God what a mess!' Always willing to accept a side-quest and level up for a big boss fight, this week your three intrepid podcast hosts are tackling video game movies! Let's hope it's not Game Over.

For this week's Spotlight episode we travel to 2005 in order to actually travel back to the mid 70's to talk about Catherine Hardwicke's LORDS OF DOGTOWN, a fictionalized take on the true story of a group of brilliant young skateboarders raised in the mean streets of Santa Monica, California as they perfect their craft in the empty swimming pools of unsuspecting suburban homeowners, pioneering a thrilling new sport and eventually moving into legend. We recommend you wear the appropriate safety gear as we're not liable for any injuries incurred in listening to this episode.

Cinema's history is littered with criminals making film goers an offer you can't refuse... to take a seat at the table and carve out a piece of the action. Gritty or romantic, coolly silent or loaded with tough talk, gangster movies are the films where crime pays.... at least for a while. Although it came many years after the gangster explosion of the 30s and 40s, Francis Ford Coppola's 1972 masterpiece is arguably the godfather of them all, and as it celebrates it's 50th Anniversary, it would be a sign of great disrespect if we did not offer up this tribute, an episode on all things gangster! Join us for our tour of speakeasies, gambling dens, back alleys as we look for a big score and spend some time with cinema's criminal classes.

For this week's spotlight episode we put on our Asics Gel-Nimbus 24s (Runner's World Best in Test 2022), cue up our 'Thumpin Techno' playlist on Spotify and hit the streets to talk about 1998's Lola rennt (Run Lola Run). Forget Sandy and Keanu on a bus, this is one of the finest depictions of speed committed to film. At once a high octane breakneck thriller that leaves you gasping for breath, Tom Tykwer's film is also an existential examination of free will versus determinism. We only have 50 minutes to reach the other side of the city and encapsulate why we love this film so much! Join us, won't you, if you think you can keep up.

This week we forgo the flashy thrills of Hollywood to take you around the world in 80 minutes (actually closer to 90) as we look at some gems of International film. And there really is something for all tastes on our menu this week. Fancy a pitch black comedy about a couple that may just have irreconcilable differences, all the way from the fjords of Norway, well then may we recommend I ONDE DAGER (THE TRIP) from 2021. If something a little grittier is more to your tastes, you'll find 2002 was a very good year CIDADE DE DEUS (CITY OF GOD) from Brazil, a brutal look at what it takes to survive in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. And for the stylish and impeccably dressed romantics out there, might we draw your attention to 花樣年華 (IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE) from 2000. A tale of stolen glances, desire and unfulfilled promise all the way from Hong Kong. Plus, we talk about one of the best love letters to cinema ever committed to celluloid, 1988's CINEMA PARADISO. 1988 ‧ Drama ‧ 2h 35m

You know the kind of movie that never gets old and whenever you see it you laugh just as hard as you did the first time you watched it. For some people it might be a workplace comedy about a group of teenagers trying to save a music store. For others it might be a tremendously problematic children's movie about how consumerism and venality are things to aspire to. And for other's it might be this under rated gem. Sandwiched between Wayne Campbell and Austin Danger Powers, Mike Myers made this romantic comedy (heavy on the comedy) about a man facing up to his fear of commitment (and axe murderers). So tell the Heid in front of ya to move their giant bonce and let you see the telly, 'cos we're watching 1993's SO I MARRAID AN AXE MURDERER.

It's that time of year when the whole world turns green and all eyes are on the island of Ireland. So what film classic have we chosen to mark St. Patrick's Day this year? The classic John Ford film THE QUIET MAN, showcasing the Duke's on screen chemistry with our own Maureen O'Hara? Nah. DARBY O'GILL AND THE LITTLE PEOPLE, a film that traumatised generations of Irish schoolchildren with it's depiction of the Banshee and Death Coach (and Sean Connery singing). Nope. This St. Patrick's Day we wanted to shine a light on the 2012 Horror Sci-Fi film GRABBERS. Imagine if John Carpenter set THE THING on Craggy Island and was everyone was drunk.

With a title like She's All That, you would be forgiven for thinking this might be a spotlight episode on the 1999 teen comedy of the same name, but as it's being released on International Women's Day, we thought it a perfect opportunity to spotlight the career of one of the most International of Women in cinema, Meryl Streep. Polish in Sophie's Choice, English in the Iron Lady, Australian in A Cry in Dark, Italian in The Bridges of Madison County, Danish in Out of Africa, Irish in...well we won't talk about that. Meryl can do it all. And she does it so well. Action movies, comedies, romances, gut wrenching dramas, musicals... she excels at every genre of film. Nominated for an Oscar a staggering fifteen times, she has three on her mantle. Out of nineteen Golden Globe nominations, she has nine wins. She received three primetime Emmys for her work in Television. But now she will receive the highest accolade of all. An episode of The Reel Take dedicated to her films. Meryl Streep. She is indeed, all that.

The world of film is about to go batty once more with the long awaited release of THE BATMAN, from director Matt Reeves and featuring Robat Battinson as Bruised Wayne. So it's the perfect time to take a look at the cinematic career of the caped crusader, stretching all the way back to 1943 when he first appeared in the Columbia Pictures serial BATMAN, right up to his most recent iteration in what has become known as the Snyderverse. We get in depth on a few of the Bat-films, speculate on our hopes for the new one and generally have a good old time chatting about all things Batman. Join us, won't you.

This week we travel back to 1994 and ask the question, what if Kevin McAllister was actually an even less likeable materialistic sociopath as we look at the film that made a wide eyed young Ross Leahy into the covetous, selfish, venal, avaricious egomaniac he is today. Disney's BLANK CHECK tells the story of twelve-year-old Preston Waters who after a run in with a criminal, receives a blank check for one million dollars, which he promptly cashes. Can he enjoy his windfall, evade the gang of thugs who want their money back and win the girl? Girl? She's a grown woman! She shouldn't be kissing a twelve year old! More importantly, can Sinead and Niall survive this hideous blot on the landscape of film and can they convince Ross to get the help he so badly needs.