The Reel Debaters

This week on The Reel Debaters , we put the spotlight on one of modern cinema’s most fearless filmmakers: Paul Thomas Anderson . From the wild nights of Boogie Nights to the quiet tension of Phantom Thread , PTA has built a career on characters who burn, ache, and sometimes explode. Is he one of the last true auteurs working today? How does he slip so seamlessly between genres without losing his v...

What if Stephen King’s The Long Walk didn’t star a bunch of random teenagers… but instead your favorite TV and movie characters? We’ll debate: Who gets cast in this twisted endurance test? What cinematic levels, scenes, and rules shape the road ahead? What prizes could make the suffering worth it? Think The Hunger Games meets The Truman Show with a dash of Wipeout . It’s a mash-up only we could dr...

Five years ago, Steve and Michael cracked open too many drinks, fired up Bubba Ho-Tep on Tubi, and decided to attempt a watch-along. Blue Suede Booze is now being heard for the first time because, wow, can we get distracted and forget we're recording... What started as a casual commentary turned into ad-break insults, behind-the-scenes trivia, and the occasional (read: frequent) long pause of whee...

The Reel Debaters went full Minion mode this week as we set up shop at Movies in the Park for a live commentary on Despicable Me 4 ! In This Episode: -How we got kicked off the stage by a recording from our hosting duties -Should voice actors always change their voice, or is it okay to bring their own sound to the mic? -What really went on behind the scenes to turn a villain and his Minions into a...

This week on The Reel Debaters , we sit down with actor and stunt performer David MacInnis for a wide-ranging conversation about the craft, the industry, and his latest bruises courtesy of Bob Odenkirk in Nobody 2 . David is known for his commanding yet vulnerable performances. A highly physical and imposing performer, trained in both the martial arts and dance, he infuses his characters with a de...

This week on The Reel Debaters , we roll out the red carpet for Bob Odenkirk… well, not literally, but we do put on our Hollywood producer hats and pitch him the projects he didn’t know he needed. From a Mr. Show movie to a Broadway spectacle to the world’s least helpful cooking show, we’re giving Bob the career path no studio exec would ever approve. We break down the contenders, set the scene, a...

Nice Beaver This week on The Reel Debaters, we break down The Naked Gun Series —a masterclass in chaos that still sets the gold standard for spoof comedy. We’re talking best moments, why Leslie Nielsen is the GOAT of deadpan, and what makes this series so damn good decades later. Plus: with a reboot on the horizon, can it rescue modern comedy, or is lightning too weird to strike twice? Frank Drebi...

The cape is back, the tights are real, and that soundtrack! This week, we dive headfirst into James Gunn’s shiny new take on the Last Son of Krypton — the 2025 Superman reboot. We ask the important questions: -Is this Superman a Boy Scout or a bad boy with a heart of gold? -Is Lex still doing real estate scams, or has he upgraded to NFTs? -Can a modern Superman movie fly without crashing into a CG...

Start your engines and buckle up! This week, your pit crew gets behind the wheel for the ultimate garage showdown — the Best On-Screen Car Debate . From Batmobiles to Bond’s Aston Martin, the DeLorean to Dom Toretto’s Charger, we’re putting pedal to the metal to crown cinema’s most iconic ride. Who wins? Who stalls out? Who comes in 1st? Also in this episode: 🎬 Reviews: The Mortician - A Haunting...

With 28 Years Later infecting theatres, the Reel Debaters bunker down for the inevitable question: Can they survive a zombie apocalypse? This week, the panel locks and loads for a full-on Zombie Survival Draft, where each debater builds their ultimate survival kit AND argues which movie or TV character would lead humanity out of the undead wasteland. Think The Walking Dead , but with more yelling...

This week, the Debaters ask: Why remake perfection? From Disney’s CGI fur-fests to soulless shot-for-shot snoozefests, we're debating the highs, lows, and WHYs of live-action remakes of animated classics. Do they honor the originals or recycle your childhood for a quick buck? DEBATE TOPICS INCLUDE: The best and worst live-action remakes Should animation just stay animated? Is “The Photorealistic L...

This Week on the Reel Debaters: What if John Wick traded his Kevlar suit for pastel blazers and symmetrical gunfights? In honor of the release of The Phoenician Scheme, the upcoming Ballerina, the Wickverse spin-off, the panel plays casting director and reimagines the action-packed assassin saga through the whimsical lens of Wes Anderson. Fan Casting Highlights: Who does Bill Murray play? (Spoiler...

This week on The Reel Debaters Podcast , we’re cracking a two-four of cinematic nostalgia with director Sam McGlynn , the director behind Deaner '89 — the Canadian Screen Award-nominated film that brings FUBAR legend Deaner (Paul Spence) back for one more righteous ride. Filmed right here in Manitoba, Deaner'89 is more than just a throwback — it’s a love letter to late '80s mullet culture, prairie...

This week on The Reel Debaters Podcast , we’re cranking up the charisma and asking the fundamental question: Which Tom Cruise character would make the best cult leader? From Ethan Hunt’s death-defying loyalty to Frank T.J. Mackey’s hypnotic stage presence, we dig into Cruise’s wildest roles and decide who could lead the most devoted (and slightly unhinged) following. PLUS, we’ve got reviews on: Dr...

This week on The Reel Debaters, Michael and costume designer Laura Deluca talk about Santa's suit in Violent Night , working on the reboot of Silent Night Deadly Night , and building Frendo the Clown in Clown in Cornfield, premiering everywhere...TODAY! Head to your local theatre to watch the madness Starring  Costume designer in the film industry @Lauracostumedesigner on Instagram Laura 's W...

This week on The Reel Debaters, the cast celebrates May the 4th with an episode hotter than 2 suns talking about: -How the weight of Star Wars’ legacy is helping or hurting the franchise -The next generation of heroes, villains, and filmmakers -Can Star Wars reclaim box office domination? -Star Wars Day news What we used Star Wars Day Star Wars Confirms 6 Long-Awaited Movies In Development Star Wa...

This week on The Reel Debaters we dive headfirst into the evolving world of film reviews and movie criticism —from the glory days of newspaper columns and Siskel & Ebert to today’s TikTok hot takes, Letterboxd essays, and influencer-driven Rotten Tomatoes scores. -What does it mean to be a movie critic in 2025? -Are critics still tastemakers, or has audience reception completely taken over? -H...

This week on The Reel Debaters Podcast, the cast reviews The Studio , Wicked , Daredevil , and The Parenting and figures out which video game should be the next big series. Production Credits Recorded at Sick Bad Panda Studios Art by Micheal Petrow Hosts : Micheal Petrow, Jimmy Skinner, Martin Navarro, Charles Fernandes Production Credits: -  Producer : Micheal Petrow -  Editor :&n...

This week, the panel goes full sci-fi as we debate the greatest on-screen robot of all time —from killer androids to lovable AIs, who reigns supreme in the world of metal and circuits? Reviews: Daredevil: Reborn (Disney) – Does the Man Without Fear still pack a punch, or is this a hero past his prime? The Pitt (HBO) – A deep dive into HBO’s latest medical drama—does it live up to the hype? Adolesc...

This week on The Reel Debaters Podcast, the cast reviews Invincible S3, The Monkey, and Mickey 17 and debates as 3 childless men do...who is the best Disney princess is and what's the point of the live-action Snow White? Production Credits Recorded at Sick Bad Panda Studios Art by Micheal Petrow Hosts : Micheal Petrow Jimmy Skinner Martin Navarro Production Credits: -  Producer : Michea...

This week on The Reel Debaters, the cast discusses the movies that they grew up with, the movies their parents showed them, and the movies they saw well before they were "meant" to in a nostalgically laced episode about what makes a cinefile a cinefile.  Production Credits Recorded at Sick Bad Panda Studios Art by Micheal Petrow Hosts : Micheal Petrow Aaron Graham Rob Strachan Production Credits:...

This week on The Reel Debaters Podcast, the cast holds space for the SNL 50th anniversary special, James Bond and Amazon Studios, The Fantastic 4 trailer, and argues who will win this year's Oscars. Production Credits Recorded at Sick Bad Panda Studios Art by Micheal Petrow Hosts : Micheal Petrow, Martin Navarro, Charles Fernandes Production Credits: -  Producer : Micheal Petrow - ...

This week on The Reel Debaters Podcast the cast reviews Severance , Flow , Carry On , Emilia Perez , and debates which director could make the best version of someone else's movie. Production Credits Recorded at Sick Bad Panda Studios Art by Micheal Petrow Hosts : Micheal Petrow, Jimmy Skinner Martin Navarro, Charles Fernandes Production Credits: -  Producer : Micheal Petrow -  Edi...

This week on The Reel Debaters Emily Clark and her kids Zoey and Lilly join the show with reviews on Where in The World is Carmen San Diego, Wicked, From, Bobs Burgers and get their take on what kids are watching , what they want in their programing and their reviews on 2024 film and tv.  Production Credits Recorded at Sick Bad Panda Studios Art by Micheal Petrow Hosts : Micheal Petrow Emily Clar...

This week on The Reel Debaters the cast reviews A Real Pain. Primeval, Gladiator 2, debates the best dump month movies and a surprise end credit conversation on the status of James Bond and Amazon. What we used CBR dump month movie list  Production Credits Recorded at Sick Bad Panda Studios Art by Micheal Petrow Hosts : Micheal Petrow Ian Bawa Charles Fernandes Production Credits: -  Produce...