Movie The Needle

This week we trek off the beaten track for the Sean Penn directed, coming of age docu-drama about a college graduate who gives up his life savings to hitchhike around America with the aim to live in the Alaskan wilderness - hippies and birds-eye cock ensues - It's Into The Wild! We talk all things Cast, Production and Plot, and there's an unfortunate return of Tag Lies (I've been VERY busy, sorry)...

We are well into awards season now, so before the Academy Awards hit on 3rd March, we go on the record with each of our predictions for the big event. We predict every single award....yes, even the ones nobody cares about! We've even made it into a little game to see who comes out on top. Play along at home, see how you do! In case you want to skip to the awards you care about, below is quick chap...

This week we are haphazardly dissecting a movie that we believe has been criminally underrated by critics with a Rotten Tomatoes score of just 29%. a1991 fairytale, swashbucking adventure from Steven Spielberg starring Robin Williams and Dustin Hoffman about a boy who grew up and became an awful father, and  when an old foe kidnaps his children he must return to neverland to reclaim his youthful s...

Movie The Needle goes to the Movies! Carl and Simon had another little date night, so thought we would record our reflections on the movie we saw, which was the erotic thriller starring Nicole Kidman, Antonio Banderas and Harris Dickinson (no I don't know either) -sauciness and saucers of milk ensue, it's Babygirl. All the usual sections you know and love but a more condensed format. It's bright,...

This week we return to Carl's one true love...Tom Cruise for his 2017follow-up to The Mummy,as he plays Barry Seal, an American pilot who became a clandestine drug runner for the CIA - zero-G sexy time and truth stretching ensues - It's American Made! We talk all things Cast, Production and Plot, and there's a game called American Made-Up, where we put Carl's knowledge of 'based on a true story' m...

Movie The Needle goes to the Movies! Carl and Simon had a little date night,so thought we would record our reflections on the movie we saw, which was multi-Oscar award nominee A COMPLETE UNKNOWN. All the usual sections you know and love(?) but a more condensed format. It's bright, it's breezy, it's still two morons who don't know what they are talking about. Enjoy! You can read our reviews of othe...

This week it's our first comic book movie as we tackle the 2010 Matthew Vaughn directed, Aaron Taylor-Johnson starring film, based on Mark Millar's graphic novel of the same name - gore and questionable parenting ensues - It's Kick-Ass! We talk all things Cast, Production and Plot, and there's a game called, where we put Carl's comic book movie knowledge to the test! Plus we reveal our top 3 Mark...

We return to the world of Richard Curtis rom-coms this week with Hugh Grant at his bumbling best playing opposite what can best be described as a piece of mahogany. We talk all things Cast, Production and Plot, and there's a game called, imaginatively "4 Xs and a Y", where Carl has to name 5 things relating to some movie-related categories! Plus we reveal our top 3 Hugh Grant movies. Let us know y...

This week, we kick off our 2025 episodes with the Jason Reitman directed 2009 movie starring a jet settingGeorge Clooney as a corporate downsizer training a young, ambitious Anna Kendrick - Talking Heads and generational clashes ensue - It's Up in The Air! We talk all things Cast, Production and Plot, and there's a game called, imaginatively "Up in The Air", where Carl has to differentiate the mov...

This week, we empty our sacks of our remaining listener questions along with a few final games to test how well Carl remembers 2024. So brace yourself for the reveal of our favourite Die Hard movies, the movies we are looking forward to most, our favourite actors and much more! You can read our reviews of other movies on Letterboxd - Look for ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CarlMTN⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

As it is officially the start of awards season, we thought it might be nice for us to pause our usual focus on the past and get right up to the current day for a mini-episode that captures our instant reaction to the winners and losers from the 2025 Golden Globes. There is of course, also a little Golden Globe related game and some Globes/awards rambling. You can read our reviews of other movies o...

This week, we are delving deep into our sacks and answering your questions and playing a few games to see how well Carl remembers 2024. We also have our first ever live phone in from a listener who brings their own game and Carl insults an entire nation. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ You can read our reviews of other movies on Letterboxd - Look for ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CarlMTN⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

This week, we are pitting the last 16 movies we have covered on the podcast against each other to determine an overall winner. We talk Cast, Production and Plot for each match-up, with the winning film progressing until there is one winner. We also test Carl's memory with a little game, whilst consuming a beer or three of Carl's choosing. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ You can read our reviews of other movies on Lett...

This week, we complete our Christmas block of episodes by discussing the Robert Zemeckis 2004 mo-cap adventure starring Tom Hanks, Tom Hanks and Tom Hanks - Hobos and hot chocolate ensue - All abooooaaard! - It's The Polar Express! We talk all things Cast, Production and Plot, and there's a new game, imaginatively called "Simon's Totally LegallyDifferent Christmas Movie Reveal Game”, all whilst co...

This week, we continue our Christmas block of episodes bytackling the 1989 Christmas Comedy starring Chevy Chase as a committed family man on a quest for the perfect family Christmas surprise squirrels and exploding cats ensue - It's National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation! We talk all things Cast, Production and Plot, and there's a game, "Tag Lies”, all whilst consuming a festive beer of Carl's cho...

This week, we continue our Christmas block of episodes by discussing the 1993 Henry Selick directed, claymation musical - shrunken heads and sandy claws ensue - It's Tim Burton's A Nightmare Before Christmas! We talk all things Cast, Production and Plot, and there's a game, imaginatively called "What’s This”, all whilst consuming a festive beer of Carl's choosing. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We also pick our to...

It's Christmas!!! Nearly! Sort of! This week, we start our Christmas block of episodes by discussing the 1988 dark festive comedy starring Bill Murray as a selfish, cynical TV executive who is haunted by three spirits on Christmas Eve to help him see the error of his ways - nipples and violent fairies ensue - It's Scrooged! We talk all things Cast, Production and Plot, and there's a game, imaginat...

This week we are mixing things up and are haphazardly dissecting the best picture winners from the 67th to 71st Academy awards, along with other associated nonsense from movies released in 1994 to 1998. Travesties and tearful speeches ensue - It's a Movie the Needle Oscar special! We review each of the nominees for each of the 5 years and then put forward our alternative nominees and select a winn...

This week, we're discussing the somewhat forgotten offbeat 2001 crime comedy which follows Brad Pitt as a small-time bagman tasked with retrieving an antique (and cursed?) pistol from Mexico, whilst his girlfriend Julia Roberts is kidnapped. Charismatic dogs and hitmen ensue...it's The Mexican! We talk all things Cast, Production and Plot, and there's a game, imaginatively called "MexiCAN or MexiC...

This week, we're discussing the 2008 Dark Comedy which follows hitman Ray and his partner Ken, who after a job gone wrong are awaiting orders from their ruthless boss in Bruges, Belgium, the last place in the world Ray wants to be – manky hookers and racist dwarfs ensue  - It's In Bruges! We talk all things Cast, Production and Plot, and there's a return of the game "Dead or Alive". ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We...

This week, it's a James Bond Extravaganza as we not only discuss Daniel Craig's second outing as 007 - Quantum of Solace - but also have some wider Bond chat about all previous (and future) Bonds movies. It's a beast of an episode, so we've released it in two parts. This is Part 2...the SECOND part...you should start at Part 1, which is available on our feed. We talk all things Cast, Production an...

This week, it's a James Bond Extravaganza as we not only discuss Daniel Craig's second outing as 007 - Quantum of Solace - but also have some wider Bond chat about all previous (and future) Bonds movies. It's a beast of an episode, so we've released it in two parts. This is Part 1...the first part...you should start here, probably. We talk all things Cast, Production and Plot, and play not one, no...

We are mixing things up and will be haphazardly dissecting a movie that we believe is overrated by critics and audiences alike and we will see whether we can mov(i)e the needle of opinion.  So, this week, we are discussing a 1939 Fairy tale musical starring Judy Garland about a girl and her dog swept away from their Kansas farm to the magical Land of Oz and embark on a quest with three new friends...

This week, we are discussing the 2016 Disney animation where a rookie bunny cop and a cynical con artist fox must work together to uncover a conspiracy in a supposed harmonious anthropomorphised world - sexy foxes and internet breaking sloths ensue  - It's Zootopia / Zootropolis! We talk all things Cast, Production and Plot, and play not one, but TWO little games, all whilst supping a somewhat lin...

This week, we are discussing the 2017 action thriller, starring Tom Cruise, which launched and ruined Universal's Dark Universe concept in one fell swoop - sandstorms and brain controlling spiders ensue  - It's The Mummy! We talk all things Cast, Production and Plot, play an little game of 'Who's The Mummy' where Carl has to identify the whether the mother-child pairing of famous actors is correct...