That's Not How It Went Down

It's a common understanding that Disney only look inwardly for their animation film storylines, and most of them are born from a very small nucleus of an idea before taking our imaginations on a journey beyond reality. Occasionally they can be traced to a period in history but few are based on something quite as dark as this 19th century gothic novel, containing quotes such as: "I bear the dungeon...

Whilst Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson might be the highest earning actor on the planet, there was one genre it seemed he was never destined to grace: drama. Until now, that is. Having recently acquired shares in UFC's parent company, it makes sense that an MMA-themed movie with DJ at the helm would follow. The surprise came on the revelation that he would be telling the true story of a UFC pioneer, dog...

After probing the 'true' events of the first film in this franchise, I joked we could simply run the same episode again but add a '2' to the title. But in fairness to James Wan, his follow-up horror attempts to carve new ground instead of copying the same format of the first. But even though we're introduced to new scary characters, they are still somewhat familiar - a crooked man and a demonic fe...

This week we're holding our commandments dear and pledging our allegiance to the truth. The story of a soldier who refuses to bear arms, whilst saving the lives of dozens of his fellow men in one of the bloodiest battles of WWII was seemingly a tale so inspiring that Mel Gibson couldn't pass it by. But in telling the history of a simple carpenter travelling the world treating the injured, was ther...

Vroom vroom. Long before becoming the outlandish franchise that invited anyone with an action film on their CV, Dom Toretto's car obsessed, tank-top wearing posse of muscles were created from a surprisingly modest beginning. A good magazine article doth not a good film make - at least in the context of 'The Bling Ring' - but as Dom's crew would know, by tweaking one or two components here and ther...

It's seconds out… as we step into the ring to give a blow by blow account of one of the most critically acclaimed films of all time. Whilst Jake LaMotta is undoubtedly an all-time boxing great, can the same be said about the man outside the ring? A turbulent childhood, an unlikely rise to middleweight champion of the world and a history of abuse and assault all lie beneath the canvas. Did Jake rea...

Most CIA personnel when they retire probably explore other avenues as a consultant in the intelligence community, but Jason Matthews described wanting something productive to do and began penning novels inspired by his years of service. One of these was adapted into a 2018 film, starring the constantly impressive Jennifer Lawrence as a spy trained in the methods of seduction to obtain information....

The 1950s and 60s saw movie musicals sweeping the Oscars. "My Fair Lady", "Gigi", "Oliver!" and more all walked away with Best Picture. But after 1967 we were left with a 35 year wait for the next. Enter Rob Marshall and his ground-breaking smash-hit, "Chicago". But having read about the history of Murderess Row in 1920s Chicago I felt compelled to find the truth behind the razzle-dazzle. Was the...

"This is Sparta!"... or is it? Long before Zack Snyder polarised the fanbase of the DCEU, he started his career directing adverts, a skill which no doubt informed his style as an action film director. After receiving gentle praise for his 'Army Of The Dead' remake in 2004, he created a visual feast two years later by adapting a graphic novel about six-pack-boasting Spartan warriors. But what accou...

"Now, I know what you're thinkin'. How the heck does a 52-year-old, over-the-hill milkshake-machine salesman build a fast-food empire?" Simple. He capitalises on someone else's readymade formula. But just who exactly was the eponymous "Founder"? Was Ray a beleaguered multi-mix salesman? Did he divorce his wife over dinner? And who really created the Golden Arches?! Join us to find out on That's No...

When you weave a character indirectly inspired by real life explorers at the turn of the 20th century with mythical relics and the villainous fascism of pre-WWII Germany, you end up with possibly the greatest action-adventure film ever made. The gap between mystery and history is part of what makes this story so legendary, but what do we find in that gap? Is the Golden Idol a genuine artefact? Whe...

Everybody knows the story of the boy who never grew up. But how many can claim to know about the man behind Peter Pan and the inspirations that brought his imaginings to life? Was the true story filled with joy and laughter or was their more darkness lurking in Peter Pan's shadow? Was there a real-life inspiration for Peter Pan? Was JM Barrie chasing after a widow whilst still married? And was Nan...

Despite our cynicism, we're compelled to take a look at another film depicting supernatural occurrences. This could be the first of many visits to this franchise, as impressively, almost all of its storylines can be traced back to an historical account of some sort - and deciding which element of those accounts to tackle is half the fun. Who was Bathsheba? Where is the real house? And do all haunt...

There are very few literary phenomena as unique as "The Salt Path". The 2018 bestseller sold over 2 million copies and put first-time author Raynor Winn and her husband Moth firmly on the map as one of the most inspiriational couples in the country. But following up on an anonymous tip, the oldest newspaper in the world began it's own investigation, culminating in an exposé that would have reverbe...

This week we get bogged down in the mire of a groundwater contamination scandal that blighted a small community in California. After a spate of comedy dramas and rom-coms, Julia Roberts' turn as a single mother, single-handedly taking a large corporation to task over their single-minded disregard for public health earned her a much-deserved Oscar. But did the real life character deserve the same l...

In the wake of the 1992 LA riots, public trust in the world famous LAPD was at an all-time low. But following an independent commission into police conduct, it was hoped the cops could get things back on track. That was until a police scandal which rocked the city, featuring a cabal of corrupt officers taking part in crimes ranging from shooting unarmed citizens all the way up to bank robbery, wit...

By the end of World War Two over 120,000 people of Japanese descent found themselves interned in camps across the continental United States, despite the vast majority being US citizens themselves. But as the end of the conflict brought with it a new appreciation for Japanese people and culture, it wasn't long before martial arts began to find their footing in mainstream Hollywood movies and TV sho...

Despite being relentlessly marketed as a film shot in tandem with the actual racing season, "F1: The Movie" is technically not based on a true story. But since I desperately wanted the chance to hold this latest attempt by F1 to prove how exciting it is to account, I thought it best to take a look at one of its most famous rivalries. Sports films are often hit or miss - depending on how much the p...

Listen to me, listen to me! I'm the captain now... This week we return to the country of Somalia and explore the daring efforts of the pirates that boarded the Maersk Alabama in 2009. Not only did this event make waves in the future safeguarding of cargo ship personnel, it also inspired the ship's captain to document his ordeal in a memoir hot on the heels of Columbia Pictures' acquisition of the...

Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy episode… as we take a look at the best picture winner from 1950. Regularly lauded as being one of the greatest cinematic triumphs in Hollywood history, this is a tale of paranoia, subterfuge and ageing. It's no secret that age plays a huge part in the career of all actors, but just how much of this story of an ingenue usurping her idol is actually tr...

Insanity can be defined as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Perseverance is defined as a persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success. But when that 'delay' is 30 years and the 'difficulty' is a cocktail of jellyfish, sharks and tidal forces, does the latter drift towards the former? Diana Nyad stopped at nothing to achiev...

At the height of Russell Crowe's movie powers, many were surprised to see him take a step back from playing the Hollywood tough guy and take on the role of the undoubtably genius, but undeniably troubled, mathematician John Nash. It was a gamble that certainly paid dividends for Crowe's career, but just how historically accurate was the end result? Did Nash really imagine his roommate? Did he make...

Despite both being clued up on many sports - we are ignorant when it comes to baseball. So who better than a couple of English newbies to pitch questions about, cover bases on and take swings at the story behind the Oakland Athletics' innovative approach to player data. Was Billy Beane really that superstitious? Why was this approach so contentious? And are there any days in the year where MLB isn...

The tension is running high this week as we take a closer look at would could potentially be deemed one of the biggest "what if?" moments in modern history. There's no denying that not everyone was keen on the idea of a Hollywood spin surrounding one of Germany's most significant war heroes, but just how accurate did the filmmakers get? Did von Stauffenberg really wear an eyepatch? Was a bomb conc...

It's taken us this long to get over Braveheart and we feel energised enough to take on another infamously liberty-robbing telling of 'history'. Attempting to leave plenty in the tank to explore the other umpteen versions of this tale down the road, we do our best to stay on track to focus on what this 90's depiction gets right and, sadly more often, wrong. Who was Robin of Loxley? Where even is Lo...