Shoot The Hostage

We hope you don’t get lost on the highway to this episode because we’re taking a detour into the obtuse, dreamlike world of 90s cinema with David Lynch’s 1997 head-scratcher, Lost Highway. As the fourth entry in our Liminal Spaces season, we’re trying to figure out if we’re on a road to nowhere or just stuck in a psychogenic fugue state. To help us navigate this noir nightmare. We’ve bought back Jamie from the Final Transmission podcast! You might remember Jamie from his debut in our Season 4 episode about The Blair Witch Project, and he’s returned to help us solve a movie that even the director refuses to explain. We tackle the ethereal dualities of Patricia Arquette, wonder why Bill Pullman is so committed to strobe jazz sax solos, and witness the final, heartbreaking performance of Richard Pryor. We also dive into the horror of the Mystery Man played by Robert Blake, discuss the 90s movies trend of circular plagiarism, and finally address why Balthazar Getty has been a rising star since the Filofax era. Plus, Dan reveals his theory that the script was written by Barry Gibb and we explore the cinema of industrial soundtracks featuring Rammstein, Marilyn Manson and David Bowie. What to expect from the episode: We debate whether Fred Madison is the alpha or just a gut with a very overactive imagination. Jamie explains why this is his favourite Lynch film while Dan struggles to find any evidence of someone being kicked from the head or jumping onto a helicopter. We explore the theory that the entire movie was subconsciously inspired by the O.J. Simpson trial. Discussion around David Lynch’s big hat and megaphone approach to on-set social distancing. We investigate the vampiric makeup choices and the quintessentially noir lighting of Peter Deming. This season has eight episodes, concluding July 6th Would you like to see the full lineup for season 15? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don’t need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup. If you’re a fan of the show and want more content, check out our £3.00 a month tier on Patreon where we release our end of season wrap shows and 2 reviews of brand new movies every month. Plus you’ll get access to our back catalogue from 2023 onwards. Enjoy the show but can’t support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven’t given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It’s easy. If you’ve done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show. Or come find us on social media: Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube

We didn’t want to leave you all searching for a missing pig before the new season begins on March 2nd. Which is why we’re releasing part two of our three-part best-of 2025 clips shows. For cinephiles who love a good disaster, we’re diving back into our “Flops” season – a true comedy of errors where we learned that even Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro aren’t immune to box-office bombing. Whether you’re a regular cinemagoer or a film observation nerd who lives for a good spreadsheet, this episode has a Thing or two for everyone. We’re dissecting the mastery of John Carpenter, the “freakiness” of Clive Barker and why Kurt Russell is correct when he states he is “tired of everyone’s shit”. What to expect from the show: We discuss why John Carpenter’s The Thing is the second-best thing from 1982. Questioning the costumes worn by Dolph Lundgren whilst playing He-Man. Unpacking the scientific logic of Master of the Universe and breaking down the meaning of a “Chromon” Tales of creative accounting leading to the bankrupting of production companies. A look at the “Clive Barker freakiness” and the three different versions of Nightbreed. We debate if anyone in the world actually prefers Jim Davidson to a disembodied AI voice. We are back March 2nd for season 14! This time the theme is ”Identity” Would you like to see the full lineup for season 14? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don’t need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup. If you’re a fan of the show and want more content, check out our £3.00 a month tier on Patreon where we release our end of season wrap shows and a minimum of 2 reviews of brand new movies every month. Plus you’ll get access to our back catalogue from 2023 onwards. Enjoy the show but can’t support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven’t given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It’s easy. If you’ve done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show. Or come find us on social media: Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube

Yes, it’s February! Yes, it’s a bit late for an end of year show! But we refuse to let the calendar dictate when our cinematic celebrations conclude. This week we’re unleashing our top 5 movies of 2025 where we use a bargain bin blu ray toss to decide their ranking. Beyond the top five, we get into the nitty-gritty of 2025 movies, asking the tough questions like: does Aaron Taylor-Johnson have a modern face or wondering where the Bill Murray documentary is. We’re not just reading lists; we’re also dissecting tracking shots, analysing “dangerous weirdo” performances from the likes of Benicio del Toro and Amy Madigan while also praising the technical brilliance of Danny Boyle. What to expect from this episode: Dan makes a series of excuses for why his year doesn’t officially end until January 32nd. Sarah details her pilgrimage to High Wycombe for the Labyrinth Experience. Tales of inflatable-based cinema rejection. Announcing our individual top 5 movies of 2025. Somehow combining our list to come up with our official top 5 films of 2025. Honourable mentions of films that almost made the top 5. Movies we missed and films we still want to see. 2025 documentaries we watched A look at 2025 Stephen King adaptations. Worst films of 2025. We are back next Monday 9th February for season 14! This time the theme is ”Identity” Would you like to see the full lineup for season 14? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don’t need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup. If you’re a fan of the show and want more content, check out our £3.00 a month tier on Patreon where we release our end of season wrap shows and a minimum of 2 reviews of brand new movies every month. Plus you’ll get access to our back catalogue from 2023 onwards. Enjoy the show but can’t support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven’t given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It’s easy. If you’ve done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show. Or come find us on social media: Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube

We are committing to our final sentence as we deliver a verdict on our true crime films season. Before we shred the documents, please enjoy this sneak peek regarding our malfeasance-themed recap. We traversed the globe – from desert landscapes to separate nations to investigate these dark stories, making the last eight weeks feel like a life sentence. Sarah explains how her academic path in behavioural science and shock-value tapes from her youth sparked an interest in true crime cinema. She also explains why she dragged us through the grim streets of Snowtown and the high-stakes fraud of the Wolf of Wall Street. Whether you’re looking for true crime podcasts or just want to hear us argue about whether Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci is a masterpiece or a total train wreck, this episode has you covered. We give our final verdict on the performances of Margot Robbie, Charlize Theron and even that Zac Efron Ted Bundy movie we can never quite name. What to expect from the episode: The sound of the traditional can opening to begin the show which was definitely a real can. A breakdown of the full season lineup from Monster (2003) to the flamboyant House of Gucci. Sarah explains how a teenage interest in psychology led to a season full of serial killer cinema. Dan reflects on how analytical shields helped him endure the depressing nature of the lineup. A look back at our “long road” recording across different countries and how it aged us. The ultimate paradox: how one film can be both terrible and a favourite of the season. Our traditional wrap show quiz, this time, prepared by Dan. Details on how to access the full episode and the new season which begins February 9th. We shall return! February 9th sees the beginning of season 14 which Dan gets to choose this time. Be there or be square! Would you like to see the full lineup for season 14? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don’t need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup when it drops any day now. Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube

It’s time to cut to the chase as we dive into episode seven of Sarah’s true crime movies season! This week on Shoot the Hostage, we are venturing back into the world of Korean cinema with the 2008 breakout hit, The Chaser. Sarah is continuing her trend of making Dan watch the best serial killer movies he’s never heard of, though Dan is still recovering from his time in Morocco and feeling like a bit of a “soulless husk”. We’re breaking down the feature film debut of Na Hong-jin (The Wailing) which stars Kim Yoon-seok as Joong-ho, an ex-cop turned pimp who is trying to find “his missing girls”. Inspired by the real-life case of the “Raincoat Killer”, we also follow the Seoul Police force as they Mr Magoo their way through the investigation while young women are preyed upon by Ji Young-min (Ha Jung-woo). What to expect from the episode: Sarah explains why this film is a pivotal entry in modern Korean cinema. We discuss director Na Hong-jin’s knack for making incredibly dark feature films. A look into the grim real-life crimes of the South Korean “Raincoat killer” Sarah defends the character progression of the protagonist. We analyse the “Keystone Cops” energy of the fictionalised police force. Dan wonders why there weren’t more “Banderas-style” guitar-case rocket launchers. Would you like to see the full lineup for season 13? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don’t need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup. If you do have some loose change consider signing up as a paid member. Our £3 a month Patreon tier will grant you access to all of our end of season wrap shows for seasons 1-12 and a minimum of 2 reviews of brand new movies each month. Plus the back-catalogue of reviews from 2023, 2024 and 2025. Enjoy the show but can’t support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven’t given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It’s easy. If you’ve done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show. Or come find us on social media: Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube

It’s time to settle in for the fifth episode of our true crime season! While Sarah is dangerously underslept and Dan is recording through a case of Moroccan flu in a noisy Casablanca hotel room, we’ve found a way to joke about the monstrously dark 2003 film, Monster. This isn’t the Gareth Edwards sci-fi flick Dan was hoping for, but a gritty look at one of the most famous American serial killers, Aileen Wuornos. We dissect the chameleonic performance from Charlize Theron who avoided the trap of a mere impression to truly nail Wuornos’s mannerisms. Sticking with cast we discuss the rebellious era of Christina Ricci leading to her inclusion in Monster. We also look at some of the supporting cast including Bruce Dern, Lee Tergesen and Scott Wilson. Never missing an opportunity to discuss female directors, we dive into Patty Jenkins career and what we make of her trajectory from Monster to Wonder Woman. Planning every detail of her projects, Jenkins only commits to films she is truly passionate about which is showcased here in all its glory. Drawing on her own background in a military family, Jenkins infused the script with a deep understanding of PTSD, creating a sympathetic bridge between the characters of Aileen and the veteran, Thomas. What to expect from the episode: Sarah discusses her intense hyperfixation on Aileen Wuornos and her favourite documentaries on the case. Dan argues that the film feels less like a biopic and more like a vigilante origin story, making a bizarre comparison between Aileen Wuornos and Batman. Comparisons of abuse and neglect to the trauma suffered by veterans. We dive into the psychology of female serial killers and specifically here, the systematic failures that may have led to the tragic outcome. We discuss the ”nature versus nurture” argument and the ”childlike optimism” found in the film’s opening. Tangents and rabbit holes including trying to connect the cast to The Walking Dead and Wayne’s World. Would you like to see the full lineup for season 13? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don’t need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup. If you do have some loose change consider signing up as a paid member. Our £3 a month Patreon tier will grant you access to all of our end of season wrap shows for seasons 1-12 and a minimum of 2 reviews of brand new movies each month. Plus the back-catalogue of reviews from 2023, 2024 and 2025. Enjoy the show but can’t support us financially? We get it. You could submit a review on the podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Or if you listen on Spotify and you haven’t given us a five-star rating yet, what are ye waiting for? It’s easy. If you’ve done some or all of that and still want to do more, we would love it if you tell a friend about the show. Or come find us on social media: Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube