EVEN MORE EYES On the Screen: A Cinema Podcast

In this SPOILER-FILLED (no, seriously) review episode of 'Even More Eyes', Imo, James and recurring feature Fav return to Wakanda in director Ryan Coogler's highly anticipated sequel: 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' (2022), starring Letitia Wright, Danai Gurira, Dominique Thorne, Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Tenoch Huerta Mejía, Mabel Cadena, Michaela Coel, Martin Freeman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Angela Bassett. 

Is this a fierce and worthy follow-up to 2018's box office smash 'Black Panther'? The critics sink their claws deep when discussing the movie's depictions of grief, geopolitics and Afrofuturism, while reflecting on the loss of leading man Chadwick Boseman (1976-2020).

Marvel Film of the Year, or just a footnote in the seemingly forever saga of the MCU? 

Celebrating 'All Hallow's Eve', the nostalgia-haunted James and Imo bring you the final episode of 'Spoooooky Season' (or, perhaps more accurately 'Gay Christmas'). 

They discard any pretence at watching the horrific or terrifying by opting for the pure cringy-camp of Tim Burton's 'Beetlejuice' (1988). 

For one of our bone-chilled critics, this is their first time opening the lid on this surreal nightmare of a movie. For the other, it's been kept under their subconscious for a long time. Do they think it's an unhinged delight or just plain unhinged? Alongside discussing Michael Keaton's unrecognisable, grotesque performance, they also discuss the shadows the film casts on Burton's oeuvre. 

So, check out whether they think this last film of the season is a cinematic treat or trick! 

Darkness falls across the land...the midnight hour close at hand...the 'Even More Eyes' trawl in search of blood...to terrorise y'alls podcasthood! 

With Halloween coming next week, the two disembodied voices known as Imo and James decide to celebrate the festivities with 'Spooky Season' - three nostalgic retrospectives on childhood favourites that show the creepy, the spooky, the weird and the kooky! 

In honour of the late Angela Lansbury (1925-2022), they start off in unconventional fashion with 'Bedknobs and Broomsticks' (1971). 

What's so frightening about this childhood classic? Our spine-chilled critics discuss the film's narrative eccentricity, problematic representations, and what would happen if Quentin Tarantino got to do the inevitable Disney remake. 

So, turn that knob (oo-er) and enjoy the first (audio) haunting in this 'Spoooooooooky Season'!   

All steps of their journey have led to this: Imo, James and Fav chuck their final thoughts into the Cracks of Cinema Podcasting with this last episode on Peter Jackson's 'The Lord of the Rings'.

Yet, before they disappear beyond the silver curtain to a far green country, there's still time to debate about how the film version did Denethor dirty; why the film's protracted epilogue is a deep depiction of PTSD; and what this triumphant trilogy has to teach about adapting fantasy epics and male bonding.

So, enjoy as our triumvirate take you there and back again on this final foray into Middle-Earth...to a time before the three podcasters knew that 'The Return of the King' (2003) would concur spookily with actual events in the UK...

James and Imo's journey back to 'The Lord of the Rings' continues...and they're no longer travelling alone. Emerging like a certain sorcerer from an underground brawl with a Balrog, Fav has come back to turn the tide...or at least to discuss the second chapter of the franchise.

The three intrepid nostalgia-hunters try to find out what they think about Jackson's sequel adaptation of 'The Two Towers' (2002) today. In counsel, they debate the characters' growth, Middle-Earth geopolitics, and the revolutionary potential of Andy Serkis' Gollum. 

As they embark on the final stage of their quest, they start taking bets on which character is going to be their GOAT. 

This episode is now upon you...whether you risk it or not. 

In this SPOILER-FILLED review episode, Imo and James try to capture the perfect take on Jordan Peele's new horror movie 'Nope' (2022), starring Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun, Brandon Perea, Michael Wincott, Barbie Ferreira and Keith David. 

After attaining critical success with 'Get Out' (2017) and 'Us' (2019), what do the movie-gazers make of the director-writer's latest 'social thriller'? Does Peele's dose of freaky terror and social allegory suck you in or is it all a little difficult to digest? 

Just which type of dope is 'Nope'? Find out after the click!   

Back from their brief hiatus, James and Imo return for a SPOILER-FILLED review of the latest summer blockbuster from the MCU: 'Thor: Love and Thunder' (2022), directed by Taika Waititi and starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tessa Thompson,  Jaimie Alexander, Taika Waititi, Christian Bale and Russell Crowe. 

After the irreverent 'Thor: Ragnarok' (2017) twisted up the saga of Thor, son of Odin, does Waititi's sequel capture lightning-in-a-bottle again or does it prove to hit our critics like a blunt axe? Is it 'Thor 4-ever Mighty' or 'Bore: Cringe and Noise'? 

Buckle up - it's going to be a bumpy ride! 

After watching the whole era of 'Jurassic' films for their 'Dinosaur Dip-Dive', James and Imo offer their SPOILER-FILLED verdict on the epic conclusion: 'Jurassic World: Dominion' (2022), directed by Colin Trevorrow, and starring Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Isabella Sermon, DeWanda Wise, Laura Dern, Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum, Omar Sy, Daniella Pineda, Justice Smith, Campbell Scott and BD Wong.

As the dust settles on a near thirty-year period of dino-disaster films, what do they make of the finale? Does it hybridise nostalgia and innovation to make this franchise an apex summer blockbuster once again? Or is it a mediocre, mindless mash-up finally headed for a necessary extinction? 

Listen now to see whether our exhausted cinema-tologists give their endorsement. 

Day 4 of the 'Dinosaur Dip-Dive' sees James and Imo entering the new 'Jurassic' era: 'Jurassic World' (2015).

Fourteen years later- and despite a near extinction-level hiatus- the studios found a way and the Park was back! 

Do our two cinema-tologists find this rebooted, satirical entry a thrilling evolution now that it's packed with 'tame-able' raptors, striking set-pieces and Chris Pratt? Or is there still degradation in the franchise's core genes?  

Day 3 of the 'Dinosaur Dip-Dive' has Imo and James grappling with a fundamental question: what project did Sam Neill need funding to get him back for 'Jurassic Park III' (2001)? 

With their childhood memories of the briefest in the 'Jurassic Park' saga lost to the mists of time (small mercies), can our two intrepid cinema-tologists find any meat left on the bones of the 'Jurassic Park' concept in this post-Spielberg venture? Or is there really nothing left to salvage?  

Day 2 of the 'Dinosaur Dip-Dive' has James and Imo travel back to a film whose title already foreshadows their enthusiasm for the saga: 'The Lost World: Jurassic Park' (1997).  

Even with Jeff Goldblum given the leading role and designer stubble (but losing much of the signature eccentric charm) the two cinema-tologists try desperately to extract some interest from a movie that not only continues it's progenitor's defects, but also adds dinos going wild in San Diego. 

Was Spielberg's sequel already heading the franchise towards extinction? And if so, how will Imo and James survive the rest of the 'Jurassic Park' era?

With the grand finale of the 'Jurassic Park' franchise out this week ('Jurassic World: Dominion'), Imo and James decide to dust off a few fossils and resurrect the preceding five films over the next five days - a speed-run they're calling 'The Dinosaur Dip-Dive'. 

Day 1 begins with the 1993 iconic, original popcorn-muncher from director Steven Spielberg and written by novelist Michael Crichton and screenwriter David Koepp. 

The two cinema-tologists cast a beady eye back on their enthusiastic remembrances of the film from childhood...but do they now spot something more dubious in the famous dino-movie's DNA? 

From one galaxy far, far away to all galaxies in all times, Imo and James finish up this season with a spoiler-filled FILM REVIEW episode. They give their verdict on the unrelentingly action-packed and quirkily fresh new film from Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert: 'Everything Everywhere All At Once' (2022), starring Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, James Hong and Jamie Lee Curtis. 

What version of the multiverse are our critics in? The one that decides the Daniels' new film is a cinematic triumph that has the magnificent Michelle Yeoh kicking-ass and capturing hearts in her own multiverse of madness? Or is it another where they think the film crumbles in on itself to be about nothing, nonsense and is all over the place? Or is it both? Or is it neither?  

Adjust your headsets and click play to find out which! 

There is unrest on the 50th episode of the 'Even More Eyes' podcast as our four critics find it difficult to maintain peace and order when discussing 'Episode II: Attack of the Clones' (2002).

While overanalysing everything from score cues to the casting of classic cinema-villain actor Christopher Lee, the four do find something more unbelievable than the aliens and Machiavellian plot manoeuvres: the romance between beset leading actors Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensen. 

But, after twenty years and several seasons of the animated 'The Clone Wars' series, is there anything to fall for in this middle chapter? Have our critics softened to the film, or is it still coarse, and rough, and irritating, and goes nowhere? 

Listen and heed their wise counsel now after the click....

After a brief hiatus (recovering from 'Morbius'), James and Imo return to Marvel's ever-expanding universe in the next big-budget blockbuster: 'Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness' (2022), directed by Sam Raimi and starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Rachel McAdams and Chiwetel Ejiofor. 

In this spoiler-filled FILM REVIEW episode, the two critics give their verdict on Raimi's verse-hopping, horror-infused entry. Though there be madness, is there any magnificence in it? Or is the movie a multi-dimensional muddle? 

In addition, they debate whether watching Disney's leading multi-stranded, multi-platformed franchise means there's still something for everybody to enjoy or whether there's too much homework involved.

So, click play and listen to their latest cinematic diagnosis!   

Finishing off their 'Season of the Bat', James and Imo keep to their theme by reviewing the long-delayed, Sony-Marvel super-vampire flick 'Morbius' (2022), directed by Daniel Espinosa and starring Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona, Jared Harris, Tyrese Gibson and Al Madrigal.

With both critics having fond memories of the bloodthirsty Spider-Man anti-hero from their childhood, what do they make of this big screen origin story? Fangtastic or just mortifying?

Listen as they sink their teeth into that last man-bat movie they'll be watching for a while!  

Having fallen into the depths with their Batman retrospectives, James and Imo decide to rise by finishing on the widely acclaimed 'Dark Knight' trilogy, directed by Christopher Nolan.

In a vision that started to take the concept of Batman a little...more...seriousssllly, the critics find a lot to discuss - from aesthetic appeal, intense action, engaging acting and political allegory. 

They discuss how 'Batman Begins' (2005) is less restart than the start for Batman cinema; why the trilogy's towering apex 'The Dark Knight' (2008) still resonates today; and whether 'The Dark Knight Rises' (2012) was really as faltering as they remember.

Listen to our critics do what defines them...and next week, they see what happens when Sony-Marvel releases another man-bat from his cage...

Imo, James and the 'Bat-Fan' Alex return to discuss the mid-to-late 90's transformation of the Batman franchise under director Joel Schumacher. Brooding and burlesque are out, (neon) colour and campiness are definitely in! 

What lasting impressions did 'Batman Forever' (1995) leave on our dynamic trio? And is the notorious 'Batman & Robin' (1997) really the franchise killer that leading-man George Clooney has apologised publicly for? Our critics weigh up the good, the bad and the very bad in Schumacher's entries, while also revealing what these infamous films awakened in them during their budding pre-teen years... 

Flashing forward, the critics also review the first 'Batman Beyond' ('Batman of the Future' for UK listeners) straight-to-video animated feature film: 'Return of the Joker' (2000). 

So, grab a drink, click that play button, and chhhiiiiiiillllll...

James and Imo are joined by 'Bat-Fan' Alex to revisit the first feature-film adaptations of the Dark Knight - Tim Burton's 'Batman' (1989) and 'Batman Returns' (1992). 

They discuss whether the quirky director's vision of the dystopian, cyberpunk-y Gotham and its dastardly denizens still holds up. And while reminiscing about the iconic 'Batman: The Animated Series' of their childhood, James and Alex find time to uncover the first animated theatrical film: 'Batman: Mask of the Phantasm' (1993). 

Which one of Batman's first forays onto the silver screen flies highest and which ones are just bat-shit?

Join us for a dance with the devil in the pale moonlight!   

Imo and James are back with a vengeance...and so is the famous caped crusader! They suit up (no nipples) to deliver judgement on Matt Reeves' crime-thriller iteration of 'The Batman' (2022), starring Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright, Andy Serkis, Colin Farrell, John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard and Jayme Lawson. 

With its hellish aesthetic and grunge vibe, does this reboot successfully cast an impressive shadow over a franchise with an uneven cinema history, or is it as dim as its lighting design? 

This is the first episode in a new season - entitled 'The Season of the Bat'- discussing the highs, lows, and very lows of the Batman films, starting with Reeves' recent version. We'll discuss Burton's originals, Schumacher's follow-ups and the influential Nolan trilogy, with a few remarks on some of the notable animated features.       

Scraping the barrel for previously mentioned films on the podcast, Imo, James and Fav voyage back to 'Muppet Treasure Island' (1996). 

Unlocking this 90's Muppet classic, they discuss the film's marvellous meta-ness (Matrix 4 eat your heart out!); the adult jokes they didn't get as kids; the catchy shanties, and the iconic Tim "Professional Pi-i-i-raaat" Curry. Furthermore, Fav auditions for Broadway with a rendition he's being dying to share... 

Join us for this brief and booty-i-ful episode before the 'Even More Eyes's' first anniversary next week! 

As Imo and James start to round up the year before the first anniversary of the 'Even More Eyes' podcast, they decide to gush some more over Francis Lee's 'God's Own Country' (2017). 

After giving the film such a favourable reference in their review for 'Ammonite' (meaning they couldn't stop talking about it), further exploration of this raw, riveting love story was needed! They discuss how Lee's film is definitely not 'Brokeback in Yorkshire' and why it's one of the best romances of the decade... 

Oh yes, this is a gusher episode all right!  

For their first FILM REVIEW episode of 2022, Imo and James plug back into the infamous virtual hell-scape for Lana Wachowski's uncanny sequel: 'The Matrix: Resurrections' (2021), starring Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jessica Henwick, Jonathan Groff, Priyanka Chopra, Jonathan Groff, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Neil Patrick Harris and Jada Pinkett Smith. 

After almost twenty years since its conclusion, do the critics think this fourth entry is as thrilling and provocative as the original trilogy or an unnecessary 'restart' of a franchise well past obsolescence? They have thoughts. 

Pop that red pill (or just click to listen) and get ready to free your mind all over again!  

In this spoiler-filled FILM REVIEW episode, Imo and James finally get stuck into 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' (2021), directed by Jon Watts and starring Tom Holland, Jacob Batalon, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina, Jamie Foxx, Thomas Haden Church, Rhys Ifans, Marisa Tomei and Jon Favreau. 

Is this blockbuster for the festive season an enticing cinematic web that weaves all its action, humour and thematic elements together elegantly, or does it get tangled up in cheap nostalgia and plot contrivances? 

Swing in for the final episode of our 'Season of Spider-Man'! We'll be back in 2022!  

Err...plot twist! Day 8 of the 7 Days of Spider-Man! 

With one of our critics testing positive for COVID and finding there's No Way To The Cinema, James and Imo decide to delve into another multi-verse extravaganza instead: 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' (2018). They couldn't miss this one in good conscience! 

Such a web of parallel versions, variables and meta-narratives deserves more time for the two critics to explore. They discuss each of the film's  threads: the visuals, soundtrack, themes and, at the centre of it all, Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore). 

Does this film deserve to be called 'The Greatest Spider-Man Film of All Time'?