Deep Dive Movie Reviews

Timothee Chalamet stars as renowned chocolate maker Willy Wonka in Paul King's origin story musical "Wonka". James & Steve give a full spoiler review and weigh in on whether the new film can stand tall alongside the 1971 classic "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" ** Deep Dive Movie Reviews contain spoilers **  0:00 - Introduction 1:45 - Willy Wonka origin story 2:05 - "Pure Imagination" 4:30 -...

David Tennant's return to the TARDIS for three special episodes marking Doctor Who's 60th anniversary has been both hailed as breathing fresh wind into the franchise as well as derided by critics who see changes brought by showrunner Russell T. Davies as being too "woke". James & Steve weigh in as they attempt to balance these varying perspectives and leave with the hope that the future of the Doc...

Angel Studios ventures into sci-fi territory with a unique reimagining of the Book of Job. Does this "faith based" story of a man who loses everything and trying to get back to the woman he loves hit home for its target Evangelical Christian audience? Steve & James weigh in. ** Deep Dive Movie Reviews contain spoilers **  0:00 - Introduction 0:45 - How well does The Shift "reimagine" the Book of J...

Based on a true story, Jim Caviezel stars as Tim Ballard, a Homeland Security Officer who, upon discovering a child slavery ring in South America, gathers a group of like-minded allies to see the cabal brought down. The Evangelical community in America came on in force for this film bringing the gross box office to a quarter of a BILLION $$$$ defying the expectations of a cynical Hollywood...but i...

Steve & James unpack the latest Mike Flanagan Netflix horror series "The Fall of the House of Usher". **. Deep Dive Movie Reviews contain spoilers **     0:00 - Introduction 1:45 - Edgar Allan Poe 4:15 - Is Mike Flanagan the new Stephen King? 8:30 - The casting is GOLD 17:42 - The subtext: choice & consequence 23:15 - Mark Hamill is a brilliant Arthur Pym 28:35 - Rating Mike Flangan's five Netflix...

James liked Gareth Edwards new sci-fi film "The Creator" but Steve found it lacking. Find out why in this episode of ScreenShots. We then move on to Mike Flanagan's new Netflix Halloween release "The Fall of the House of Usher". Along the way we discuss the works of Edgar Allan Poe and launch a new book club! ** Deep Dive does Spoilers**  0:00 - Introduction 0:43 - Why James doesn't watch many TV...

James gets a Masterclass lesson in all things Star Trek as fellow film critic and Star Trek aficionado Liz Kerr joins Steve as they swoon over the recent season of Strange New Worlds. We then move on to discuss the death of famed director William Friedkin, the 50th Anniversary of his iconic film "The Exorcist" and why Steve's Christian Evangelical background meant he never actually saw the film un...

Steve & James look at NPR's recent critique of "Oppenheimer" which highlighted its overly white cast and lack of gay characters. How should today's films be representative and diverse, yet not be held hostage to unrealistic stories or relationships? We look at some recent summer films and where they succeed or miss on ways forward.  ** Deep Dive Movie Reviews contain spoilers **

The boys return from a summer hiatus and pour a couple drinks before jumping into a banter on the biggest blockbusters of the season. We unpack the hits (Oppenheimer), the misses (We're looking at you Indy), the insane (Tom Cruise and that train), and of course Pink Patriarchy (Barbie). Along the way James explains why CGI has gotten worse in the last 15 years and Steve discovers his "tribe" in Ir...

When Steve learns that James has never seen an episode of "Black Mirror", he goes into action to explain to his friend why he must watch Charlie Brooker's dystopian fuelled anthology series stat! Along the way, Steve reviews the recently dropped Series 6 as well as some of his favorite episodes from past seasons. ** Deep Dive Movie Reviews Contain Spoilers **

Director Cheng Er's espionage noir film set in Japanese-occupied Shanghai in the 1940s about a group of daring Chinese who set up an underground network to undermine the puppet regime. Starring Tony Leung, Wang Yibo, Zhou Xun, and Huang Lei ** Deep Dive Movie Reviews contain spoilers **  3:10 - Complex layers of loyalties & secrets 11:28 - The Hidden Blade's "long con" 12:55 - Shanghai as a settin...

Ricardo Darin heads up this historical courtroom drama of a team of young lawyers who seek to prosecute those responsible for the atrocities committed by the military junta in Argentina from 1976-1983. Also starring Peter Lanzani, Alejandra Flechner and Norman Briski. ** Deep Dive Movie Reviews contain spoilers **  2:00 - Argentina 1985 speaks to 2023   6:20 - Rock solid film but missing something...

Writer - director Ruben Ostlund's satirical comedy skewers the rich & entitled when a luxury yacht goes down at seas marooning its passengers on a deserted Island. Starring Harris Dickinson, Charlbi Dean, Dolly de Leon, Zlatko Burić, Henrik Dorsin, Vicki Berlin, and Woody Harrelson. ** Deep Dive Movie Reviews contains spoilers **  1:50 - The vomit scene 4:45 - Subverting or reenforcing gender ster...

Hong Kong's Andy Lau joins Mainland action star Wu Jing in the sequel to 2019's blockbuster "The Wandering Earth". Based on the short story by Chinese novelist Liu Cixin of an ambitious plan to save humanity from our dying sun. Deep Dive Movie Reviews contain spoilers   1:50 - The premise of " The Wandering Earth 2" 10:50 - Story and effects are well balanced 17:04 - Andy Lau makes a welcome addit...

Todd Field wrote and directed this psychological - drama of a famed maestro (Cate Blanchett) whose power plays and sexual manipulations threaten her position as the first female director of a European orchestra. ** Deep Dive Movie Reviews contain spoilers ** Sight & Sounds Top 100 2022 referenced in episode can be found here: https://decider.com/2022/12/02/2022-sight-and-sound-greatest-films-of-al...

To celebrate reaching the milestone of 100 videos here on Deep Dive Movie Reviews , James and Steve have a discussion around one of the most iconic films in cinema history; Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane" ** Deep Dive Movie Reviews Contain Spoilers **  0:00 - Intro 2:40 - Citizen Kane is not your regular crowd pleaser 5:45 - Was Charles Foster Kane "evil"? 10:24 - Citizen Kane took years to finally g...

Donnie Yen directs and stars in "Sakra" based on the wuxia novel "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils" . Also starring Chen Yuqi, and Cya Liu. ** Deep Dive Movie Reviews contain spoilers **  0:00 - Intro 1:02 - Synopsis of "Sakra" 3:30 - Talking Wuxia 6:20 - Too much wire work? 11:20 - Is "Sakra" to generic? 15:30 - The crossover between Wuxia & the Western 20:21 - The female cast in "Sakra" 29:33 - Donnie...

This episode we are joined by special guest Josh Hurtado. A US-based film critic, festival programmer and authority on Indian cinema, Josh's latest venture Potentate Films is helping coordinate the awards campaign for SS Rajamouli's Telugu-language epic RRR.  In our wide ranging discussion, Steve and James talk to him about his passion for the region, his relationship with the filmmaker, and what...

Daniel Craig returns as super sleuth Benoit Blanc in Rian Johnson's followup to 2019's much lauded whodunit "Knives Out". In "Glass Onion" billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton) invites an eclectic group of friends to his private Island for an elaborate murder mystery party only to discover not everyone sees the murder as a game. Also starring Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica...

James & Steve recap the year of 2022 with their lists of the Top 10 best movies of the last 12 months. What did they miss? Where are they wrong? Drop a comment in the section below ** Deep Dive Movie Reviews contain spoilers ** 2:25 - #10 Best Film 5:50 - #9 Best Film 7:58 - #8 Best Film 10:45 - #7 Best Film 13:14 - #6 Best Film 16:12 - #5 Best Film 18:25 - #4 Best Film 20:25 - #3 Best Film 24:28...

Martin McDonagh reunites Brendan Gleason & Colin Farrell who play two Irishmen living on a remote Island in 1923 and the ensuing impact on themselves and their small community when one abruptly ends their years long friendship. Also starring Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan ** Deep Dive Movie Reviews contain spoilers **

Jordan Peele's new film NOPE is a genre defying sci-fi / neo - western starring Daniel Kaluuya & Keke Palmer as siblings defending their ranch from an extraterrestrial invader. Also starring Steven Yeun, Michael Wincott, Brandon Perea, and Keith David. ** Deep Dive Movie Reviews contain spoilers ** 2:27 - Why NOPE should be seen on the big screen 4:32 - NOPE is a mash up of genres 9:05 - NOPE is d...

James Cameron's much anticipated follow up to his 2009 blockbuster, "Avatar: The Way of Water" sees Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and his family on the run and seeking refuge with a water-borne tribe on the far side of Pandora. Zoe Saldaña, Stephen Lang, Sigourney Weaver, and Kate Winslet also star. ** Deep Dive Movie Reviews contain spoilers ** 1:59 - Visually stunning but….. 7:04 - Characters are...

Filmmaking duo Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead's thrilling sci-fi tale of two guys attempting to document a paranormal anomaly in their apartment. Suspicions & paranoia ultimately grow between them which threatens to unravel their relationship and their goal of solving the mystery. ** Deep Dive Movie Reviews contain spoilers ** 1:05 - Film synopsis 4:00 - Chemistry of the actors 7:49 - "A film abou...

Steven Spielberg's semi-autobiographical film tells the story of 16 yr old Sam Fabelman as he discovers a love of cinema and film making while navigating family trials, anti-semitism, and teenage love. Starring Gabriel Labelle, Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, and Judd Hirsch ** Deep Dive Movie Reviews contain spoilers ** 0:45 - "The Fabelmans" synopsis 2:38 - Capturing the magic of cinem...