Podcast Assemble

Grab your mashed potatoes and start sculpting mysterious mountains—it’s time for another episode of Podcast Assemble! Tommy revisited Toy Story and was reminded that Pixar once had the power to emotionally devastate you with a talking cowboy. Meanwhile, DL checked out London Boulevard and highly recommends it: a criminally overlooked British crime drama that deserves more attention. Then it’s onto Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind - the film that convinced an entire generation to look nervously at the night sky.Timecodes:(00:00) Intro(05:46) What Have We Been Up To?(10:20) Toy Story(11:54) Studio Ghibli(17:04) MAIN TOPIC!! Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)(17:59) Stupid Plot Summary(18:40) Actual Plot(21:32) What Would You Do?(24:17) Who Stays Human If Everyone Are Muppets?(26:51) Do We Believe?(30:24) Themes(31:49) Favourite Scenes(39:52) Dislikes(43:53) Critical Reception(44:42) Better or Worse Than Aquaman (2018)?(45:26) Trivia True Trivia False(48:26) Final Thoughts(48:50) Wrapping UpMain Topic:Close Encounters of the Third Kind is Spielberg at his most optimistic, trading laser guns and alien invasions for wonder, mystery, and increasingly concerning behaviour from suburban dads. When ordinary people around the world begin experiencing strange visions tied to extraterrestrial contact, one man becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth. Tommy loved revisiting the film’s sense of awe and old-school blockbuster charm. DL, meanwhile, disappeared down an internet rabbit hole researching real-world alien theories and may not have fully returned. It’s thoughtful, ambitious, and a reminder that sci-fi used to be about asking questions rather than punching things.Is Close Encounters the greatest alien contact film ever made - or just the world's most expensive argument for hobbyist mountain sculpture? Let us know at thepodcastassemble@gmail.com or hit us up on socials. Bonus points if you can explain what Ghost actually does.Website || Instagram || Twitter || YouTube || Email****************************And while we've got you, we'd love it if you gave us a 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and let us know what you think of the show.#CloseEncountersOfTheThirdKind #StevenSpielberg #DisclosureDay #SciFiClassics #ToyStory #LondonBoulevard #podcast #moviereview #movietok

It’s the most inanimate time of the year! Kicking off our new Anthology series - Movies Set at Christmas, That Aren’t Christmas Movies - the boys revisit one of their all-time favourites: In Bruges (2008). Tommy’s been watching Diddy: The Reckoning (it’s… a lot), while DL’s juggling The Wheel of Time: Book 2 andTrue Grit the OG, both highly recommended. Then it’s time to check into Belgium’s darkest fairy tale, where the snow is festive, but the mood is not.Timecodes:(00:00) Intro(06:50) What Have You Been Up To?(20:50) MAIN TOPIC: In Bruges (2013)(22:00) Stupid Plot Summary(25:40) Plot(29:30) One human, the rest are Muppets?(30:38) Acclaim vs Success(40:40) Characters(45:30) Direction(50:31) Four Oscar Nominees...(51:53) TRIVIA: Fake or Not Fake?(57:17) Miscellaneous Notes(59:19) Tones & Themes(1:03:35) 3 Best & 3 Worst(1:08:17) Critical Reception(1:08:26) Better or Worse than Aquaman (2018)?(1:09:17) Better or Worse than Aquaman (2018)?(1:10:01) Trivia True or False(1:14:09) Wrapping UpMain Topic:In Bruges is Martin McDonagh’s pitch-black comedy about guilt, purgatory, and accidentally kicking a dwarf. Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson shine as two hitmen laying low after a job gone wrong, while Ralph Fiennes turns up to scream about principles. It’s foul-mouthed, funny, and somehow heartfelt, like Home Alone if Kevin had PTSD and a Browning. DL calls it a masterpiece. Tommy would probably fight someone over that opinion. Everyone agrees: this is not a Christmas movie—but it kind of is.Is In Bruges the best anti-Christmas Christmas movie ever made? Let us know at thepodcastassemble@gmail.com or hit us up on socials. Website || Instagram || Twitter || YouTube || Email****************************And while we've got you, we'd love it if you gave us a 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and let us know what you think of the show.#ChristmasMovies #InBruges #MartinMcDonagh #ColinFarrell #DarkComedies#podcast #moviereview #movietok

This week's episode is brought to you by No Country for Old Films! Tommy & Reg's new podcast - check them out on YouTube, Spotify and all the socials!Grab your contractually obligated Lycra and energy drink sponsorship - it’s time for another turbo-charged episode of Podcast Assemble! This week, the boys are joined by. Regs! Tommy’s been brushing up on L.A. Confidential (because noir never dies), DL’s still swimming with The Sopranos (he’s all in on gabagool culture). Then it’s on to the big reboot of the dystopian deathmatch classic: The Running Man (2025).Timecodes:Intro (00:00)What Have You Been Up To? (19:18)MAIN TOPIC: The Running Man (2025) (32:24)Stupid Plot Summary (35:43)Cast & Crew (39:28)Goofy IMDB Picture (40:56)About Running Man (46:31)Plot (54:07)Performances (1:14:23)Tones & Themes (1:15:51)3 Best & 3 Worst (1:22:04)Critical Reception (1:27:34)Better or Worse than Aquaman (2018)? (1:29:07)!! SPOILERS START !! (1:31:27)!! SPOILERS END !! (1:37:08)Trivia True or False (1:37:18)Wrapping Up (1:39:55)Main Topic:The Running Man (2025) reboots the Reagan-era bloodsport satire for a streaming-obsessed world—and somehow makes it feel even more plausible. Contestants now fight for their lives in a gladiator arena that looks suspiciously like a YouTube thumbnail. The new host is as bombastic, the deaths more algorithmic, but will the 1987 classic be getting a revival after this? DL thinks it has its moments. Tommy’s mostly impressed they managed to make it more depressing and more expensive.Is The Running Man (2025) a smart, savage update—or just Black Mirror with gym memberships? Let us know at thepodcastassemble@gmail.com or hit us up on socials. Bonus points if you can explain what Ghost actually does.Website || Instagram || Twitter || YouTube || Email****************************And while we've got you, we'd love it if you gave us a 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and let us know what you think of the show.#podcast #moviereview #movietok #TheRunningMan2025 #DystopianCinema #StreamingKills #BattleRoyaleReboot #StephenKingAdaptation

Lace up your fireproof spandex—it’s time for another dystopian episode of Podcast Assemble! This week, DL’s been to Egypt (queue tinfoil hat time), while Tommy’s was really disappointed with Peacemaker season 2. Then it’s time to drop into The Running Man (1987), where Arnie outruns death and network ratings—sometimes simultaneously.Timecodes:Intro (00:00)What Have You Been Up To? (20:21)MAIN TOPIC: The Running Man (1987) (33:32)Cast & Crew (35:38)Plot (37:20)Did You Watch This Growing Up? (42:05)Themes (47:51)Music (52:12)World-Building (53:40)Performances (55:38)Movie vs Book (57:15)Tones & Themes (07:20)3 Best & 3 Worst (08:51)Critical Reception (1:11:58)Better or Worse than Aquaman (2018)? (1:13:01)Trivia True or False (1:15:01)Better or Worse than Aquaman (2018)? (1:08:26)Wrapping Up (1:19:09)Main Topic:The Running Man is peak '80s dystopia: bright colours, big muscles, and a future so grim it's basically Tuesday. Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as a wrongly accused man forced into a televised murder gauntlet hosted by a smarmy game show host and patrolled by stalkers with the subtlety of WWE villains. It’s satire, it’s camp, it’s somehow prophetic. Tommy loves the campiness. DL still trying to process the Stalkers' outfits. Spoiler: there's an opera singing Christmas tree.Is The Running Man biting social commentary wrapped in neon lycra—or just a dumb, glorious excuse for Arnie to punch buzzsaws? Let us know at thepodcastassemble@gmail.com or hit us up on socials.Website || Instagram || Twitter || YouTube || Email****************************And while we've got you, we'd love it if you gave us a 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and let us know what you think of the show.#podcast #moviereview #movietok #TheRunningMan #ArnoldSchwarzenegger #80sActionMovies #DystopianCinema #StephenKingAdaptation

Boot up and log in—it’s time for another pixelated episode of Podcast Assemble! Tommy’s recommending Aunty Donna Live (imagine Monty Python got stuck in a Melbourne pub with Flight of the Conchords), while DL’s checkin-in on 'Wednesday' -Netflix’s goth megahit that somehow feels like homework, but for everyone. Tommy also watched MobLand, and can confirm: it exists. Then it’s time to jack into the mainframe with the OG computer-core fever dream: Tron (1982).Timecodes:Introduction: (00:00)What Have We Been Up To?: (15:32)Main Topic: Tron (1982): (31:12)Stupid Plot Summary: (32:08)Cast & Crew: (32:56)Plot: (34:48)Performances: (49:47)End of the Film: (54:51)Tones & Themes: (01:42)3 Best & 3 Worst: (02:30)Critical Reception: (04:43)Better or Worse than Aquaman (2018)?: (05:52)Trivia True or False: (07:26)Wrapping Up: (1:09:59)Better or Worse than Aquaman (2018)?: (1:08:26)Main Topic:Tron is a neon-drenched, early-'80s vision of cyberspace—equal parts arcade acid trip and philosophical head-scratcher. Jeff Bridges plays a dude who gets laser-zapped into a computer, fights for his life inside a glowing jumpsuit, and basically invents digital vibes. Tommy's impressed by the ambition (if not the pacing). DL's just here for cult legacy. It’s dated, daft, and oddly prophetic—like a tech demo with a god complex.Is Tron a trailblazing sci-fi classic—or just proof that no one in 1982 knew how computers actually worked? Let us know at thepodcastassemble@gmail.com or hit us up on socials. No identity disc required.Website || Instagram || Twitter || YouTube || Email****************************And while we've got you, we'd love it if you gave us a 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and let us know what you think of the show.#Tron1982 #JeffBridges #AuntyDonna #RetroSciFi #ArcadeAesthetic #podcast #moviereview #movietok

Octopus, Inc*st, and Existential DreadTime to spin the wheel as Podcast Assemble dive into an all new Anthology (not that we need another)! This week we delve into DL's IMDb list and chose quite possibly the darkest flick yet to be watched. Before that the boys recommend the Disney series Hit Monkey, along with something to even you out after the Main Topic, with James May: Our Man in Japan. Then it’s time to unpack Park Chan-wook’s cinematic gut-punch: Oldboy (2003).Timecodes:Intro: (0:00)What have you been up to?: (8:29)MAIN TOPIC: Oldboy (2003): (23:04)Stupid Plot Summary: (24:11)Cast & Crew: (24:45)Plot: (25:13)What did you expect?: (28:03)Big Concepts: (35:57)Cinematography: (44:34)Concept of Truth: (46:17)Fight Choreography: (48:44)Tones & Themes: (53:57)3 Best & 3 Worst: (55:18)Critical Reception: (58:57)Better or Worse than Aquaman (2018)?: (59:50)Trivia True or False: (1:01:07)Wrapping Up: (1:03:53)Main Topic:Oldboy is a brutal, operatic revenge tale soaked in hammer fights, live octopus eating, and existential dread. Part noir, part Greek tragedy, the film follows Oh Dae-su - a man imprisoned for 15 years without explanation, then released into a mystery more disturbing than his sentence. DL's all in on the filmmaking masterclass. Tommy can’t stop thinking about the hallway scene... It’s stylish, shocking, and not for the faint of heart - or the spoiler-averse.Have you seen Oldboy? Did it scar you the same way it did the boys? Let us know at thepodcastassemble@gmail.com or hit us up on socials. Website || Instagram || Twitter || YouTube || Email****************************And while we've got you, we'd love it if you gave us a 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and let us know what you think of the show.#Oldboy2003 #ChoiMinsik #KoreanCinema #SouthKoreanFilm #RevengeFilm #HammerTime #Movie #Review #Podcast

James Gunn kicks off the DCU!Grab your capes and questionable disguises—it's time for another heroic episode of Podcast Assemble! This week, the boys are talking - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (living up to the Game of the Year shouts) and DL returns toYellowJackets (to give it one more opportunity..). Then it’s onto Superman (2025) - James Gunn’s first cinematic foray into the DC Universe.Timecodes:Intro: (0:00)What are we up to?: (7:40)MAIN TOPIC: Superman (2025): (22:22)Stupid Plot Summary: (23:04)Cast & Crew: (23:34)Goofy IMDB Pic: (24:38)Plot: (26:50)How has Superman changed this time?: (29:25)A pre-built world, no origins: (38:06)Lex Luthor and The Plan: (43:03)Action: (47:39)How does it rank?: (48:45)Tones & Themes: (50:07)3 Best & 3 Worst: (50:41)Critical Reception: (55:20)Better or Worse than Aquaman (2018)?: (56:04)!! SPOILERS START !!: (57:49)!! SPOILERS END !!: (1:06:48)Trivia True or False: (1:06:50)Wrapping Up: (1:11:02)Main Topic:Superman (2025) reboots the Man of Steel with fresh ideals, a younger cast, and marginally less property damage. It's truth, justice, and… pocket dimensions(?), as Clark Kent juggles alien identity issues, with newsroom deadlines and caped crusading. Will it live up to Tommy’s hype, as one of his most anticipated for the year?Is this the hopeful Superman we’ve been waiting for - or just another DC reboot stuck in a phone booth? Let us know at thepodcastassemble@gmail.com or hit us up on socials. Bonus points if your mom’s name is also Martha. Website || Instagram || Twitter || YouTube || Email****************************And while we've got you, we'd love it if you gave us a 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and let us know what you think of the show.#Superman #LexLutor #JamesGunn #DavidCorenswet #DC #DCU #Podcast #MovieReview #Film #RachelBrosnahan

Shamble, sprint, or rage your way into this week’s episode of Podcast Assemble! The boys are back with recommendations for Taika Waititi's 'Jojo Rabbit', and recommending against the new Robert De Niro vehicle 'Alto Knights'. Then it’s on to the long-awaited, possibly unasked-for sequel: '28 Years Later'.Timecodes:(0:00:22) - Intro(0:01:54) - What's been happening?(0:07:58) - What have you been up to? (0:24:05) - Main topic NON SPOILERS(0:35:45) - ATJ’s Mid-Life Crisis(0:40:00) - The Alpha’s/ World Building(0:42:10) - Characterisation(0:54:10) - Tones & Themes(0:56:04) - 3 Best & 3 Worst(0:58:25) - Critical Reception(0:59:42) - Better or Worse than Aquaman (2018)(1:00:00) - SPOILERS(1:10:00) - Trivial True or False(1:13:35) - Wrap UpMain Topic:28 Years Later rises from the cinematic grave continuing the outbreak, with a new cast, and the same old trust issues. Set in a world where rage never really died out (relatable), this latest chapter asks what’s worse: the infected... or the survivors. The film trades quiet dread for large-scale dread; DL welcomes the bleakness and Tommy’s here to confirm running zombies are still terrifying.Is 28 Years Later the return to form fans have been dying for—or just another reanimated IP? Let us know at thepodcastassemble@gmail.com or hit us up on socials. Bonus points if you can explain what Ghost actually does.Website || Instagram || Twitter || YouTube || Email****************************And while we've got you, we'd love it if you gave us a 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and let us know what you think of the show.#28YearsLater #ArronTaylorJohnson #Zombies #Horror #DannyBoyle #podcast #MovieReview