Exploding Helicopter

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt your threat.” On this episode Will is joined by Todd Liebenow from the Forgotten Filmcast to review Sixties mystery thriller Arabesque (1966). Among the topics of discussion, Stanley Donen’s psychedelia-inspired direction, the awkward chemistry between Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren, and what on earth the plot’s meant to be about. They also take a look at one...

“What do you say we play a little Bangkok rules?” On this show Will injects Nick Rehak from French Toast Sunday with a lethal virus and blackmails him into reviewing Escape From LA (1996). They try to figure out what the hell John Carpenter was attempting with this film and whether this it accurately predicts the American of 2017. And we of course examine the film’s futuristic exploding helicopter...

“Let’s kill ‘em all.” On this show Will and Dara bravely take on Courage Under Fire (1996). Among the topics of discussion, the film’s Rashomon-influenced structure, Matt Damon’s coming of age performance, and the stunning sight of Lou Diamond Phillips' jockstrap. They also attempt to tackle the thorny philosophical question of whether you can explode an already exploded helicopter. Episode 46.

“I thought Christmas only came once a year.” Will is joined by Joe Scaramanga of the Now Music Fan Blog to review The World Is Not Enough (1999). Pierce Brosnan’s third outing as 007 is regularly ranked as one of the worst ever Bond movies. But does the film deserve its reputation? Or was it an ambitious attempt to rejuvenate the formula that paved the way for the Daniel Craig era? They also discu...

“Blimey! I thought I smelled cabbage.” On this show Will and Dara dig out their thick-rimmed glasses, crushed velvet flares, and anachronistic social attitudes to review Austin Powers In Goldmember (2002). Does Mike Myers’ spy spoof comedy hold up? Did Jimmy Savile ruin this film? How to swear in Japanese, and a surprisingly heartfelt appreciation of the life and works of Susannah Hoffs. Oh, and n...

“Season’s over a55hole!” Will and Dara don their climbing gear and attempt to reach the summit of Sylvester Stallone’s action career, Cliffhanger (1993). On their route to the top they discuss the merits of John Lithgow’s robbery plan, the film’s bizarre lurch into stoner dude comedy, and the legend that is British TV hardman Craig Fairbrass. They also examine the film’s classic exploding helicopt...

“It’s a documentary, it’s all really happening.” Exploding helicopters are almost exclusively found in the action genre. But on this show we’re reviewing that rarest of all aviation animals: an exploding helicopter in an art house movie. Will is joined by Helen from the Flixwatcher Podcast to review Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004). So get ready for matching tracksuits, chi...

“You’re either SWAT or you’re not.” Will and Dara take a look at SWAT (2003) the big screen reboot of an old, long forgotten, Seventies cop show. After a considered discussion of the film’s puzzling structure and Hollywood’s approach to reboots, they try to answer such important questions as who likes Jeremy Renner and why Michelle Rodriguez always wears vests. Episode 41.

"Imagine the future, because you're not in it." Will is joined by Nick Rehak from French Toast Sunday to look at the cult classic Stone Cold (1991). It marked the movie debut of the former American footballer turned actor Brian Bosworth. In time honoured fashion, he plays a maverick cop who plays by his own rules trying to bring down a biker gang run by Lance Henriksen. The result is one of the mo...

“They hate us, because they ain’t us.” Will and Dara take a look at one of the most controversial films of recent times, The Interview (2014). They try to work out how on earth this film caused a diplomatic storm, an embarrassing email scandal, and how it became a totem for free speech. They also take a look at what could be one of the greatest exploding helicopters of all-time. Episode 39.

“We're going to make you indestructible - but first, we're gonna have to destroy you.” Will is joined by Bubba Wheat from Flights, Tights and Movie Nights to look at X Men Origins: Wolverine (2009). Among the topics of discussion why cool guys don’t look at explosions, heroes with under-powered superpowers and a personality free exploding helicopter. Episode 38.

“Well I told you what we had to do, shoot down the helicopters.” Will and Dara take a look at Charlie Wilson’s War (2007) a film which tells the true story of America’s involvement in the Soviet/Afghan war. Among the topics of discussion Tom Hanks’ weirdly sex scene free career, whether exploding helicopters were the key to ending the Cold War, and of course film’s six chopper fireballs. Episode 3...

“Oh brother, somebody gonna kiss the donkey!” Will is joined by Nick Rehak from French Toast Sunday to look at the most important film in the exploding helicopter genre BATTLESHIP (2012), a movie that features a record-breaking 8 (eight) helicopter explosions. Our intrepid hosts also discuss chicken burritos, old dudes kicking butt, and whether this alien invasion movie, isn’t really about an alie...

“God damn, if I’d just been a couple minutes early he’d be breathing now.” Will and Dara pull on their diving suits, hook up their oxygen line and plunge into nautical biopic Men Of Honor (2000). Among the topics of discussion: the strange demise of Cuba Gooding Jr’s career, Robert De Niro impressions, and one of the worst exploding helicopter scenes we’ve ever had the misfortune to witness. Episo...

“You just killed a helicopter with a car.” On this show we’re looking at Die Hard 4.0 (2007) a film that includes one of the greatest ever helicopter explosions. So, in keeping with the movie, Exploding Helicopter’s cranky old podcast presenter Will, is joined by an irritating youthful sidekick - Daniel from Get Reel Movies - for a show that’s a pale shadow of previous installments. Episode 34.

“What does it take to change the essence of a man?” On this show Will and Dara don eccentrically tasselled jackets and tie their hair into ponytails to look at On Deadly Ground (1994), Steven Seagal’s bizarre attempt to save the environment via the medium of action cinema. They also examine what has been described as “one of the screen’s greatest ever exploding helicopters.” Episode #33

“Do we get to win this time?” On this show Will sharpens his Bowie knife, ties on a bandana and perms his mullet in readiness to talk about Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985). Guesting on this show are Barry and Jairo from the True Bromance film podcast. Among the topics of discussion, revenge fantasies, the technical definition of a mullet, and Rambo as homoerotic icon. They also look at a spectac...

“This trip is going to make LSD feel like aspirin.” On this show Will is joined by Nick Rehak from French Toast Sunday to look at John Wayne’s infamous Vietnam War propaganda film The Green Berets (1968). Among the topics of discussion: what on Earth’s the film’s message is, whether it even has a plot, and the name of Hamchuk’s dog is. They also look at cinema history and the only scene to feature...

“When paradise became a battleground, she led the fight for survival.” On this show Exploding Helicopter looks at the at the frankly bonkers jungle adventure romp Sheena (1984), a film which features the strangest and possibly greatest chopper fireball of all time. Guesting on this show are Dec and Em from Two Takes. Amongst the topics of discussion: the Eighties craze for ‘white people in the col...

“Are we shooting people or what?” On this show Will and Dara take a look at Three Kings (1999) and try to work out if it’s a comedy, a drama or a war movie. They also examine a rare exploding helicopter featuring an unexpectedly combustible American football. Episode 29.

“Vengeance never dies. It only changes target.” When Robert Rodriguez made a fake trailer for part of the Grindhouse project with Quentin Tarantino, no-one could have guessed it would become a real-life film franchise. So, on this show Will and Nick Rehak from French Toast Sunday take a look at the Mex-sploitation action flick Machete Kills (2013). Among the topics of discuss who would make Hollyw...

"Pervert." On this show Will and Joe take a look at one of the classics of the 1970s wave of conspiracy thrillers: Capricorn One (1978). Or do they? What real evidence is there that they watched the film? Can you trust their opinions? And where's the proof it's even their voices on this recording? There is though one thing that you can believe in: that this film features an exploding helicopter. E...

“One ping only.” On this episode of Exploding Submarine we take a look at one of the big sea beasts of the genre: The Hunt For Red October (1990). Will is joined in the conning tower by Nick Rehak from French Toast Sunday. We discuss the appeal of the submarine genre, Sean Connery’s hairpiece, and the optimum number of sonar pings in an underwater film. We also talk about one of the classic explod...

“Terror goes into overtime.” After Die Hard rewrote the rules of the action movie, Hollywood started churning out thinly disguised knocks offs that replicated its plot in increasingly bizarre locations. So on this show Will and Dara take a look Jean Claude Van Damme’s Sudden Death (1995), which took the Die Hard concept and moved the action into the unlikely environs of an ice rink. Among the topi...

“I married Rambo.” Exploding Helicopter takes a look at the action classic True Lies (1994), which features one of the all-time great helicopter explosions (in case you’ve forgotten: a chopper is destroyed by a missile-propelled terrorist). Along the way, Will and Dara go all chin-stroking intellectual to discuss the film’s strange gender politics and equally weird geopolitics. But they quickly re...