Joe Bloggs About Films

It’s the final episode of 2022!.. Which means, it’s time to countdown my favourite films of this year. Thank you once again all who have listened to the pod throughout the year – let me know your top films of 2022, and I hope you all have a fantastic 2023!

Audiences return to Pandora, 13 years after the first release, for another spectacle and visually pleasing entry from James Cameron. I was never a big fan of the original, however I was blown away by some of the visuals we got in the trailers and was intrigued to see what Cameron had done next for this second instalment. Full spoiler free thoughts in this episode

We return to Springfield to discuss some of the best Christmas episodes courtesy of The Simpsons. Joined once again by my good friend, and Simpsons enthusiast, Joliver!

David Harbour is Santa Claus.. and there’s some season’s beatings to throw down! If you are a fan of Die Hard and Home Alone – or pretty much any action film ever (and a fan of Christmas), then I’m pretty sure you are going to have a fun time with this release. One of those ‘sit back, switch your brain off, and enjoy’ kind of movies. For the most part, it does work – there’s just a little padding...

Wednesday Addams returns to the small screen – taking Netflix by storm. Already breaking streaming records, this dark, murder mystery is a real treat with some wonderful humour as well as the classic Tim Burton gothic aesthetic. On top of all this, you have the absolute stand out Jenna Ortega who has a blast as the title character and fully embodies the character of Wednesday. Catch full thoughts...

The Guardians return for Christmas! The latest Marvel Special, brought to us by James Gunn, has a whole amount of fun, heart, laughter – and Kevin Bacon! Catch my thoughts on this latest release

The Walking Dead has aired its final episodes! With call backs, endless emotion and variant walkers, the send off was probably the perfect way they could’ve capped off 11 seasons of storytelling. There were a few things the last 8 episodes that didn’t work for me, but this didn’t hinder the final outing as it not only closed off the main show, but put us on a good trajectory for the spin offs that...

Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc returns to the big screen – this time swapping Autumn for Summer, as we find our lead, and the ensemble cast, heading to a private island where another murder mystery unfolds. Rian Johnson has yet again released a fun and clever mystery that has plenty of twists and turns (and laughs) to keep all entertained. I very much can’t wait to rewatch and pick up on things I mis...

Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy & Nicholas Hoult star in Mike Mylod’s 'The Menu' – cooking up a mix of thriller and comedy in suspenseful fashion. The film centres around this lavish restaurant where Fiennes’ Chef Slowik has whipped up some surprises in addition to his elegant food menu. A decent enough story with some top performances, 'The Menu' is certainly worth the watch if you’re a thrill...

'Wakanda Forever' is the long-awaited sequel to the brilliant first installment, but one that was surrounded by tragedy. Ryan Coogler and co have done the impossible and created a brilliant sequel with themes of grief and loss, but also has managed to honour Chadwick Boseman’s legacy. With that, lets dive into the film with lightish spoilers

Martin McDonagh reunites with Colin Farrell and Brenden Gleeson in his latest release 'The Banshees of Inisherin', bringing us laughs as well as the occasional gut punch throughout. With an excellent script as well as performances and cinematography, ‘Banshees’ sits perfectly on the list of top releases for 2022. Spoiler free thoughts in this ep

We return to Westeros in this week’s episode to discuss episodes 6-10 of 'House of the Dragon'! The first 5 episodes were solid, and the remaining episodes upped the intensity, bringing us closer to war for these characters. With fantastic performances from new cast members Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke, as well as tremendous storytelling, the show is going from strength to strength. Joined again b...

Closing the spooky season in style! Joined by my very good friend, and equal Simpsons enthusiast, Joe Oliver aka Joliver, as we go through our favourite 'Treehouse of Horror' episodes. Get comfy with a Duff and enjoy!

Dwayne Johnson is Black Adam. This film has been one that Johnson has been pushing and determined to release for a number of years, and you can certainly tell it’s a character he cares a lot about. The film has some excellent action sequences and set pieces, and even has a dash of some great comedy within, but more importantly, it has a good story – something not all DC releases have had. With cha...

Halloween decorations come to life in Netflix’s 'The Curse of Bridge Hollow'! Starring Marlon Wayans, Priah Ferguson and Kelly Rowland, we find this family make their way to a new town where a curse brings to life decorations at Halloween – and the fun really begins! With some nice laugh out loud moments and tongue in cheek action, this film is perfect for all the family to watch around spooky sea...

One of the more uncomfortable watches of late was sitting through 'Dahmer – Monster' which hit Netflix last month, created by Ryan Murphy & Ian Brennan. The show has caused a stir with critics and audiences – and, understandably, the families of the victims. The show reflects and presents Dahmer’s life, and the monster that he was – brilliantly performed by Evan Peters, but also highlights the...

In 2004, James Wan and Leigh Whannell unleashed the small indie-horror film 'SAW' into cinemas – and boy, did it go down well. Grossing over $100 million at the box office, the film generated sequel after sequel – taking over Halloween and becoming one of the most profitable horror franchises ever. The first film is still my favourite, and one of my all-time favourite releases. From tremendous act...

Directed by the fantastic Michael Giacchino, 'Werewolf by Night' is something fresh and new which is exactly what I have been craving from Marvel. With homages to 1930s horror and aesthetics and packed with some camp, but striking horror, 'Werewolf By Night' is a fantastic watch around the Halloween season. Giacchino certainly has showcased his directorial talent, whilst providing a lovely score a...

It’s episode 100!.. and you’re gonna need a bigger boat. Celebrating the landmark by revisiting and discussing my all-time favourite film, helmed by the incredible Steven Spielberg, 'JAWS' – creating the first ever summer blockbuster in the process! Thank you to anyone that has clicked, streamed, shared the podcast so far within the journey to 100 eps. It is very much appreciated!

What starts out as a typical 'teens go to spend the weekend in a cabin' scary movie, 'The Cabin in the Woods' takes some sinister, but fun, twists. This film blew my little mind back in 2011, with its meta horror, as well as showcasing it’s many influences. Serving as almost a love letter to the classics, 'The Cabin in the Woods' ticks a lot of boxes, as well as mixes things up and reinvigorates t...

The muchly anticipated spin off to Game of Thrones, 'House of the Dragon' has finally hit screens recently, and after 5 episodes I am HOOKED. The performances from Milly Alcock, Matt Smith & Paddy Considine - along with a fantastic supporting cast - have all been tremendous, as too the writing for this season. In this extended episode - I’m joined by my good friend Jamie W, as we discuss as mu...

We love a good murder mystery don’t we! ‘See How They Run’ takes us back to the 50s for this whodunnit flick, as the cast of Agatha Christie’s ‘The Mousetrap’ begin to fall at the hands of a mysterious killer – enter Sam Rockwell and Saoirse Ronan to solve the crime (Ronan absolutely steels the show with her performance). Directorial debut for Tom George who straight away shows the audience his in...

We return to Middle Earth as we discuss the first 3 episodes of the new series that has just hit Amazon Prime; 'The Rings of Power'. LOTR is easily one of my favourite stories and film sagas, and as mentioned previously, I have been a little unsure how this series would go. Safe to say it’s been a little bumpy, however there has been a lot to enjoy within the first 3 episodes – especially visually...

Finally managed to check out the latest release from the Russo Brothers, starring Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans and Ana De Armas; 'The Gray Man'. The film has SO many different locations as well as plenty of action to digest, and excellent performances from its leads. However, it can be a little over facing at times, and the film does feel longer than its runtime, but overall, I enjoyed this action/sp...

After being recommended by so many, I finally caught ‘Edge of Tomorrow’ at the weekend. I am extremely late to the party, however I very much enjoyed this sci fi/action flick starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt from 2014 – both putting in some excellent performances, as well as great chemistry between the two of them. The film has a familiar sense with its influences, however, it has something new...