The Countdown

Countdown #480   Why celebrate one country's finest films when you can combine a whole bunch of them and talk the best films out of a particular continent? That's Wayne's thinking, at least. Or is it that he just hasn't seen enough films from Europe (outside of the UK)?   Find out this week on the Countdown as Wayne goes "Scandi"-crazy, while Paul cannot believe his ears at some of his co-host's c...

The man who does not age is back after 30 years in one of the role that made him famous. Yes, Eddie Murphy is Axel F and he's in Beverly Hills casing trouble for very obvious criminals, even when the other police officers from the previous films seem to have no idea re what's happening right under their noses.   Wayne is a big fan of the series; Paul less so. But are either of them blown away by t...

Countdown #479   This week the lads are all about those performers who are second-billed or lower and how they sometimes shine just a little more than the person with their name on top of the poster. In other words, this countdown is all about co-stars who stole the film (or, if you're Wayne, show).   With little to no agreement on the parameters of what constitutes a co-star, this one is primed t...

Shhhhh!   The boys are back to review a film which they can't talk about for fear of being ripped apart by Death Angels. But is it as good as the previous two films that they both loved, which were also about being ripped apart by Death Angels, or does this one promise much and deliver little.   Find out as The Countdown continues ...   Time Stamps: A Quiet Place: Day One NON-SPOILER Review: 0:00...

No new episode this week as the John Farnham-esque farewell tour stalls for Paul to travel to the eastern states, so instead go back to where the banter between the boys reached an all new level as Wayne causes Paul to lose his mind with one of the most infamous choices in Countdown history.     If you don't know the lore behind this episode, go in blind and "enjoy" what unfolds as the lads countd...

Countdown #478     This week the boys get into listing films they were not at all interested in seeing, but when they somehow sat down to watch watch them (ie. were forced), they ended up loving what they saw. How and why this is the case forms the bulk of this week's episode, which is more than a little revealing about each of the guys ...     Find out just how revealing - and hear one of the gre...

What does a Netflix rom-com about a guy pretending to be a hitman and the fifth film in a franchise about a reformed supervillain and his army of weird yellow minions have to do with each other?   Well, Paul dislikes them both, so there's that ...Find out just how much you side with Wayne on all things Richard Linklater, as The Countdown continues ...    Time Stamps: Despicable Me 4 NON-SPOILER Mi...

Countdown #477   The boys are in fine form this week as they examine the filmography of one cantankerous old man, aka Sir Ridley Scott (or, if you're Paul, just Ridley Scott).   Drawing films from every decade that he's been making films, the lads debate whether he's a truly great film-maker or really more of an exceptional production designer who doesn't know how to edit the scripts he works on....

In a film which comes uncomfortably close to mirroring the flagging staying power of The Countdown itself, the boys are this week reviewing Will Slap Smith and Martin Lawrence as they Ride or Die in the fourth Bad Boys film.     Wayne is surprisingly down on the film at review's beginning, while perhaps shockingly, Paul seems ready to defend what might fairly be described as a dumb action film. Bu...

Countdown #476     In the latest Top 10 Last 10, the boys mini-review almost 20 films for you - with most being recent releases - as they guide you on a journey of what to watch and what to absolutely skip ...     ... as The Countdown (to 500) continues ...     Check out the show's first draft of a website for your one-stop shop for all things related to The Countdown.     But if you want more spe...

Guy Ritchie has hardly been on a roll of late, but he's back with a story line on paper which sounds like an absolute cracker: The Dirty Dozen by way of Inglorious Basterds and based on documented fact... How could it possibly go wrong?   Well, let Paul and Wayne - who was so looking forward to this, he about cracked a sad when the film did not hit cinemas in Australia - tell you the multitude of...

Countdown #475   It's been a long time coming, but the Show v Show format returns this week as Paul and Wayne welcome Julio and Alex from The Contrarians podcast to do battle re a Top 10 topic. And that topic as nominated by The Contrarians is the Top 10 Memorable Moviegoing Experiences.   As you can imagine, not everything memorable is positive. Nor is it always PG. So strap yourselves in for som...

It's Paul's turn to get excited as the boys venture across the wasteland, braving marauding bands of cinema-goers, to see the brand new film set in the Mad Max universe, Furiosa!   Can the film possibly live up to Paul's eternal love for Fury Road? Will Wayne get over a film's runtime for once in his life? And is this THE film to beat in 2024?   Learn the answers to all these questions and more, a...

Countdown #474   Choo-choo, everyone! And welcome to the first ever Countdown about trains. Specifically train-based films in honour of listener Ben and his father who recently passed away.   Trains may not be square in the middle of the lads' wheel-house, but they make a pretty good fist of it, layering in enough inappropriate genitalia based humour to ensure that no-one will forget this is, afte...

The Apes are back and now 300 years later they run the joint. At least until one Ape group attacks another Ape group and apparently it all stems from, ironically, Apes being together strongly. (Or something.)   Anyway, one of the boys doesn't much care for this continuation of the highly regarded Ape film trilogy from last decade, and the other claims to very much enjoy it. At least until you hear...

Countdown #473   In this follow up to Episode 471, the lads get to their best ever travel experiences.   Of course, in this ying to the other episode's yang, there is plenty of inappropriate humour, and way too many references to Wayne spanking the monkey. But if you're in the mood for some laughs amid ideas on where you should travel to in the world and what you should do once you're there, look...

Despite a more apt title for this one being Boy Fails Studio, the boys went along to see this latest action spectacle, which promised to douse all and sundry with plenty of blood. But is it better than the box office return would have you believe?     There's plenty of ways to find out, but only one of those involves a single button press if you're reading this ... as The Countdown continues ...  ...

Countdown #472   Long time Patreon supporter and bona fide Chef, Ben Randall, joins The Countdown this week to lend some class and legitimacy to a topic he came up with - the Top 10 Food on Film Scenes.   Now, full disclosure, Ben forgot he suggested Top 10 Food in Film OR TV Scenes, but so did Wayne, so Paul is left high and dry with one television scene, while the other two are chowing down on f...

It's Ry-Ry! It's Emily! It's a film based on a TV show from the early 80s! And it's Wayne's most anticipated film of the year! What could possibly go wrong?   Well, for one, the boys incorrectly suggest Heather Locklear starred in that show when it was Heather Thomas, and for two, Wayne has apparently forgotten how to critically review something when he has (odd) affection for it.   Find out how T...

Countdown #471   Okay, so this one starts out as one thing ... and ends up as half of it.   With thanks to listener Andrew for the idea, the boys attempt to countdown their five and worst travel experiences. But by the 45 min mark of the worst stories, it becomes wildly apparent the episode is going to be well over two hours. So because no-one has time to listen to these two fools prattle on for t...

This week, two reviews for you because Wayne is too much of a wuss to see Abigail - the new horror film from Radio Silence - while Paul doesn't have enough time to sit through all the slow-mo in Zach Snyder's Rebel Moon (Hypen) Part Two (Colon) The Scargiver. Neither review has anything beyond the lightest of spoilers, but be aware things are mentioned that are plainly exposed in the trailer for A...

Countdown #470     This week the guys decide to cement the upcoming end of the show by taking aim at all that has gone wrong with the MCU, especially over the last five years.     Will you be like Julio and lose your mind to consider what the guys are suggesting here? Or will you be more like a Nicholas and be so ready for the lads to call out the MCU for all its faults that you're salivating read...

Englishman Alex Garland takes a stab at what a future North America at war with itself might look like, and the results are ... highly polarising.   Join Paul and Wayne as they this unpack some of the uncomfortable truths Garland is playing with, while offering their spin on what one of the guys calls "the best film of 2024 so far..."    Find out who that is and determine whether you agree with hi...

Countdown #469   This week on the show, the guys countdown the very best third films in any and all franchises. From the MCU to the Scary Movie Universe, most every big franchise gets a mention - and a couple of smaller ones, too - but which will the listeners ultimately crown the greatest "Threequel" of all time?   Learn the answer to that question and so many more as the John Farnham-inspired go...

Dev Patel seems like an awesome guy. And when the John Wick style trailer dropped for his debut feature film, Monkey Man, people collectively lost their minds.   Of course, than means Paul and Wayne were keen to be there front and centre to check this one and with thanks to Universal Pictures they got to do exactly that. Does The Dev deliver? Or will one of the lads come out critical guns blazing?...