Screen Watching
By Screen Watching
Screen WatchingMar 30, 2024
Godzilla x Kong, A Gentleman in Moscow, and the best films of 1999.
What even is the name of the new Godzilla film? Is it Godzilla x Kong? Shouldn’t it be ‘v’? Otherwise, it is kind of like Joannie Loves Chachi, which might actually be better?
Oh, this week we review:
- Godzilla Loves Kong (in cinemas now)
- A Gentleman in Moscow (Paramount+)
- Perfect Days (In cinemas)
- Steve (martin) - a documentary in two parts (Apple TV+)
Ghostbusters, 3 Body Problem, Immaculate, Chicken Nugget
This week on the podcast we review so, so many things.
Among the titles:
- Ghostbusters: They get real chilly (in cinemas now)
- 3 Body Problem (Netflix)
- Immaculate (In cinemas now)
- Chicken Nugget (Netflix)
- X-Men 97 (Disney+)
- Road House (Prime Video)
Also, we messed up the video this week, so instead of our faces, we have a running track of classic TV commercials (without sound). Enjoy?
This week there are girls on a bus and we see Abe Lincoln shot - what a week
This week on the podcast we have a post-Oscars hangover. So, we offer a few post Oscars thoughts, then get onto the business of reviews:
- Love Lies Bleeding (In cinemas now)
- The Girls on The Bus (Max, Binge)
- Manhunt (Apple TV+)
- Millers Girl (In cinemas now)
- American Fiction (Prime Video)
Simon sings Hooray For Hollywood ahead of the Oscars
It’s our big pre-Oscars show as Simon & Dan discuss the nominated films that should win.
Oh, and there’s reviews too:
- How To Have Sex (In cinemas now)
- Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent (CityTV in Canada, Binge in Australia)
- The Gentlemen (Netflix)
- Spaceman (Netflix)
Cinema party: Dune, Shogun, Four Daughters, and… Peppa Pig?
Big week. Big titles.
What? You doubt these claims? Get a load of these films & TV shows up for review:
- Dune
- Shogun
- Four Daughters
And in our Intermission we talk about Peppa Pig’s Cinema Party.
Screen Watching is in the zone of interest
This week on the podcast, you can expect the following conversational powerhouse moments:
- We discuss Zone of Interest (in cinemas now)
- We deep dive on the new Hubbl streaming device
- We begin our ninja rap with Netflix’s House of Ninjas.
Madam Web, The New Look, and an argument about Australian movies & TV
Yeah, we have reviews:
- Madam Web (in cinemas now)
- The New Look (Apple TV+)
And then we dip into the mailbag for a listener question about the state of Australian movies and TV.
Force of Nature: The Dry 2 | Let’s Talk About Chu
This week on the podcast there are room elephants discussed and some reviews.
- Force of Nature: The Dry 2
- Let’s Talk About Chu
But if you think that’s all we discuss on the podcast, well, bub, you don’t know Screen Watching.
Mr & Mrs Smith, Argylle, Expats, and more
In this very special Groundhog Day edition of the podcast, Dan and Simon repeat all of their same conversational mistakes and opinions as they deliver their thoughts on:
- Mr & Mrs Smith
- Argylle
- Expats
- And a grab-bag of other titles.
Masters of The Air, In The Know, The Color Purple, and some Oscars thoughts
This week on the podcast Simon & Dan go deep on:
- Masters of The Air (Apple TV+)
- In The Know (US: Peacock \ AUS: Binge)
- The Color Purple (In cinemas now)
There’s also some chatter of the Sydney Sweeney film Anyone But You - because that just makes for a good podcast.
Oh, and we have a chat about Oscars - are they still relevant?
The best deaths on television. Also, reviews: Iron Claw, Death & Other Details
In this week’s Intermission segment we have a chat about the best deaths on television, inspired somewhat by Dan watching a lawyer plunge to her death in an elevator shaft.
The guys also discuss the Emmy Awards this week. Were they a proper flop?
And reviews:
- The ZIron Claw (In cinemas)
- Death & Other Details (Disney+/Hulu)
True Detective: Night Country, Dream Scenario, The Holdovers, and more
ATTENTION! Screen Watching is back for another week.
This week:
- Jodie Foster leads a new season of True Detective. Is it the best one yet? (HBO, Binge)
- Nicholas Cage gets meta (yet again) in Dream Scenario (In cinemas now)
We take a deeper look into the work of Jodie Foster. Oh, and there is discussion about The Holdovers (in cinemas), Criminal Record (Apple TV+), Nighthawks (Check your grandads vhs collection, kids), and more.
The Brothers Sun & Ferrari
Dan and Simon kickstart 2024 with more inane bickering. Oh, and they review TV shows and movies too.
Up for review:
- The Brothers Sun (Netflix)
- Ferrari (In cinemas now)
They were going to discuss the new Nicholas Cage film Dream Scenario, but got distracted. That’ll probably be next week - ignore the odd reference to it at the start of the podcast.
Oh, and the two look ahead to 2024 and offer some predictions and identify trends to watch out for.
The definitive list of the best movies of 2023
Simon Foster and Dan Barrett talk about TV and movies on the Scren Watching podcast. It is mandatory that they release an indulgent podcast of their top 10 movies of the year. It is so indulgent that each of them offer a list of 10 each.
Understand that these are the only best movie lists you will need in 2023.
The definitive list of the top 10 TV shows of 2023
Each week on the podcast Dan and Simon offer their thoughts on the new TV shows and movies of the week. They then occasionally get into petty squabbles as they work through their thoughts.
But what happens when each come to a table to proffer their lists of the definitively best TV shows of the year? Did you expect this to be a respectful, safe space conversation?
Simon chats with Woody Allen. Yeah, that’s right
Look, he’s Woody Allen.
Simon chats with him about his latest film Coup de Chance.
Rebel Moon, Poor Things, Society of Snow
It’s Christmas, which means the focus is on the big holiday release movies this week.
- Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon (Netflix)
- Poor Things (In cinemas)
- Society of Snow (Kind of in cinemas, but is on Netflix Jan 4)
There’s also chatter about Teri Hatcher, LA Law, and Highlander 2, among other things.
Maestro, Carol & The End of The World, Familia, and Wonka
We’re edging towards Christmas, but that isn’t going to stop the reviews and baseless opinion:
- Wonka (In cinemas)
- Familia (Netflix)
- Maestro (Netflix)
- Carol & The End of The World (Netflix)
And of course we do our weekly quizzes and other nonsense.
Reviews: Master Gardener, Obliterated, The Boy and The Heron
Dan and Simon take to the microphones.
We review:
- Paul Schrader’s new film Master Gardener
- New Netflix comedy Obliterated (from the team behind Coba Kai)
- The final (?) film by Hayao Miyazaki, The Boy and The Heron
Also discussed: Grand Theft Auto VI, Godzilla Minus One, Merry Little Batman, and Norman Lear
Bottoms, Leave The World Behind, Godzilla Minus One, and Faraway Downs
It’s the end of the world as we know it. And we feel fine!
On the pod this week we discuss our favourite end of the world movies. Oh, and reviews:
- Bottoms (In cinemas)
- Leave The World Behind (Netflix Dec 7)
- Godzilla Minus One (In cinemas)
- Faraway Downs (Hulu/Disney+)
The free Aussie streaming service Brollie. Reviews: Squid Game: The Challenge, Napoleon, Fargo s5, and The Royal Hotel
This week a new free streaming service launched in Australia. It’s called Brollie and it has a good collection of arthouse and cult movies. Dan and Simon offer their thoughts on the service and each choose some recommendations from the library.
Also… reviews:
Napoleon (In cinemas and soon on Apple TV+)
Fargo season 5 (SBS On Demand, or Hulu in the US)
The Royal Hotel (In cinemas now)
Squid Game: The Challenge
Simon Miraudo schools us on Australian film censorship. REVIEWS: Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, Hunter Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, The Curse, Saltburn
This week Dan and Simon are joined by a different film critic named Simon. It is Simon Miraudo who has just written the really fantastic Book of The Banned: Devilish Movies, Dastardly Censors, and the Scenes That Made Australia Sweat.
Also on the pod, we have reviews. This week:
- Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (Apple TV+)
- The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (In cinemas now)
- The Curse (Paramount+)
- Saltburn
The Marvels, 007: Road To a Million, The Killer, My Adventures with Superman
We kick off the pod with an extended chat about the resolution of the SAG-AFTRA strike and discuss what happens now. Then we dive into reviews:
- The Marvels - in cinemas now
- 007: Road To a Million - it’s streaming on Prime Video
- The Killer - David Fincher’s new film is on Netflix
- My Adventures with Superman - it finally arrived in Australia, streaming on Binge
How to fix Marvel? Also, reviews: NCIS: Sydney, Five Nights at Freddy’s, Lawman: Bass Reeves, and Fingernails
This week in the Intermission Dan and Simon attempt to fix Marvel with big brain ideas.
Oh, and then there are weekly reviews of NCIS Sydney (Paramount+), Five Nights at Freddy’s (In cinemas, Peacock), Lawman: Bass Reeves (Paramount+), and Fingernails (Apple TV+).
Killers of The Flower Moon | Bodies | Fellow Travellers | Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles
You will be SHOCKED by our thoughts on the new Martin Scorsese film Killers of The Flower Moon (In cinemas now, but on Apple TV+ sometime soon-ish). You will be CAPTIVATED by what we have to say about Fellow Travellers (Paramount+). You’ll be (in fairness) MIDLY INTERESTED in our thoughts on Bodies (Netflix). And then you will be IN A STATE OF UNBRIDLED NOSTALGIA as we discuss the Wiggles documentary Hot Potato (Prime Video).
Mark Humphries joins to discuss Upload, From, and the changing nature of funny TV
Mark Humphries from the TV joins Dan Barrett from Screen Watching for a very loose and casual chat about the show Upload (Apple TV+), he talks up the underrated show From (MGM+, Stan), and there’s a lengthy discussion about the changing nature of what is funny on screen nowadays.
Frasier (2023) and the weight of the mediocre sitcom
This week on the podcast Dan and Simon review:
- Frasier (2023) - Paramount+
- Love Is In The Air - Netflix
- Shayda - In cinemas now
Inspired by the Frasier revival show, Dan and Simon discuss some of their favourite mid-weight/mediocre sitcoms of years gone by.
Struggling with the return of US late night
This week on the show, Dan flies 100% solo on the worst week possible. With no new shows of note to discuss, he discusses what he watches while laying on the couch sick this week. It is an eclectic and weird grab bag of films and TV-related fare.
Oh, and then Dan carries on and on about why late night TV is no longer any good.
The Creator, C*A*U*G*H*T, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, While The Men Are Away
I really hope you enjoy asides and digressions in the middle of a conversation about new movies and TV shows, because gosh oh golly is that what takes place in this episode where Dan is joined by Melbourne-based critic Mel Campbell.
The two discuss:
- The Creator (in cinemas now)
- C*A*U*G*H*T (Stan)
- The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (Netflix)
- While The Men Are Away (SBS On Demand)
WARNING: Podcast includes some potty language.
The big reviews: The Continental (John Wick spin-off), Still Up, Retribution, It Still Lives Here
This week on the ol’ podcast Dan reviews the biggest TV show of the… week, I guess. The John Wick spin-off The Continental. Oh, he also talks up one of his favourite shows of the year, the new Apple TV+ show Still Up.
Simon reviews two movies that you will likely never hear mentioned again after this podcast is done: Liam Neeson‘s latest Retribution, and a horror film called It Still Lives Here.
The X-Files @ 30. Also, reviews: Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Blue Beetle, The Lovers, A Haunting in Venice
Last weekend was the 30th anniversary of the debut of The X-Files. Your two cool podcast hosts Dan and Simon look back at the show, discuss why it was such a huge zeitgeist hit, and recount favourite episodes.
Also, we have our reviews:
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (In cinemas now)
- Blue Beetle (In cinemas now)
- The Lovers (Sky Atlantic, Binge)
- A Haunting in Venice (in cinemas now)
Black Ops, Biosphere, The Morning Show, Theatre Camp, Shin Ultraman
Screen Watching is available as audio on your favourite podcast apps, but you can also watch it as video on Spotify and YouTube.
This week on the show, there are reviews:
- Black Ops (BBC, Bings)
- Biosphere (In cinemas now)
- The Morning Show season 3 (Apple TV+)
- Theatre Camp (In cinemas now)
- Shin Ultraman (In cinemas now)
There is also the weekly Intermission chat (this week we travel time/space to interview plumbers about I love Lucy, or something), This Week in History, and the Birthday quiz.
Simon age-shames Hollywood actors. Dan is respectful
This week we offer some thoughts on who the promising young actors are and which older actors just need to give it up.
Oh, and we offer some thoughts on the latest TV shows and movies:
- One Piece (Netflix)
- Past Lives (In cinemas now)
- Who is Erin Carter? (Netflix)
- The Equalizer 3 (In cinemas now)
Dan + Simon get cancelled. Also, reviews: Ahsoka, Haunted Mansion, First Slam Dunk, and Sound of Freedom
This week on the podcast Simon and Dan each list their most unpopular opinions about movies. Will it get the two of them cancelled? One can only hope.
In terms of reviews, expect conversation on:
- Ahsoka (Disney+)
- Sound of Freedom (in cinemas)
- First Slam Dunk (in cinemas)
- Haunted Mansion (in cinemas)
Who’s a good boy? TV and movie’s best dogs. Reviews: Heart of Stone, The Chosen One, Mother & Son, Blackberry
Up for review this week:
- Heart of Stone (Netflix)
- The Chosen One (Netflix)
- Blackberry (In cinemas now)
- Mother & Son (ABC Australia)
With Strays in cinemas now too, Dan and Simon ask: “Who’s a good boy?” And go through their top 5 dogs of film & TV.
Asteroid City | Strange Planet | The Last Voyage of The Demeter | Telemarketers | Gran Turismo
Another week, another Screen Watching.
We have the reviews:
- Asteroid City (In cinemas now)
- Strange Planet (Apple TV+)
- The Last Voyage of The Demeter (In cinemas now)
- Telemarketers (HBO, Max, Binge)
- Gran Turismo (In cinemas now)
We have the big news of the week
- Emmy Awards dated in such a way as to make the awards irrelevant
- Is the Barbenheimer effect real?
- How have the strikes screwed fan conventions
And there’s the usual On This Week in History and Birthday quizes.
The Meg 2, 61st Street, Hidden Strike, Captain Fall, and Pluto TV announced for Australia
This week we have the reviews of the week. We discuss:
- The Meg 2 (in cinemas)
- 61st Street (The CW, AMC+, and Stan)
- Hidden Strike (Netflix)
- Captain Fall (Netflix)
In this week’s Intermission segment, Dan deepdives into what FAST TV is and details the announced launch of Pluto TV in Australia.
This week: Talk To Me, Special Ops: Lioness, Sisu, Minx, Futurama, and Glitch: The Rise and Fall of HQ Trivia
Each week Screen Watching goes out with a video version. You can find that on Spotify and YouTube. As of this week there are new opening titles. How very exciting.
We have reviews this week.
- New A24 Aussie horror film Talk To Me (In cinemas now)
- Taylor Sheridan’s new TV show Special Ops: Lioness (Paramount+)
- It’s the WWII European John Wick - Sisu (In cinemas now)
- Rapid fire thoughts on Minx (s2), Futurama (s8), and new doco Glitch: The Rise and Fall of HQ Trivia
In our Intermission this week, Simon details the upcoming Science Fiction Film Festival he is curating across Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. Details and ticket bookings can be found at https://www.sydneysciencefictionfilmfestival.com.au
Dan and SImon argue over Barbie. But they also review Oppenheimer, Justified: City Primeval, and Command Z
This week on Screen Watching, there are the usual reviews:
- Oppenheimer
- Justified: Primeval City
- Barbie
- Command Z
As a special treat, Dan also argues with SImon why he won’t see a movie based on Barbie IP.
Oh, and then Dan and Simon expose their unwatched TV and movies in their watchlists during our weekly Intermission segment.
Movies to be Screen Watching with
This week Simon and Dan shamelessly rip off the Movies To Be Buried With with Brett Goldstein podcast format to discuss their own lives with film.
ALSO: Dan’s thoughts on Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning: Part One.
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Pt 1, The Horror of Dolores Roach, Nimona, and Gold Diggers
This week on the podcast Simon reviews the latest Mission: Impossible movie after attending a lavish media screening earlier in the week. Dan then reviews Gold Diggers (ABC Australia) and The Horror of Dolores Roach (which he watched in his house, like an everyman). Simon also reviews the new animated Netflix film Nimona, but he doesn’t disclose where he watched it.
Simon then asks Dan whether the days of the traditional media launch event are over and somehow expects that he will reply that things should stay exactly the same and that there is no better platform to launch a movie to twentysomethings than the TV news.
Crack that whip! Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny
This week on the pod Simon reviews the new Indiana Jones film Dial of Destiny. He then chats with Dan about all things Indiana Jones as the two discuss their favourite elements of the previous Indiana Jones movies.
Transformers: Rise of The Beasts, Secret Invasion, The Walking Dead: Dead City, I’m a Virgo, Reality
This week on the show Dan and Simon discuss whether superhero fatigue is really a thing.
Also, reviews:
- Transformers: Rise of The Machines (In cinemas now)
- Secret Invasion (Disney+)
- The Walking Dead: Dead CIty (US: AMC, AUS: Stan)
- I’m a Virgo (Prime Video)
- Reality (US: Max, AUS: In cinemas soon)
The Flash, Elementals, The Betoota Advocate Presents, You Hurt My Feelings
In this (slightly late) podcast episode Dan and Simon review some movies and TV shows:
- The Flash (in cinemas now)
- Elementals (In cinemas now)
- The Betoota Advocate Presents (Paramount+)
- You Hurt My Feelings (In cinemas now)
Yeah, it’s a bit quiet for new TV shows this week.
The Idol, Based On a True Story, To Catch a Killer, and The new Boy
This week on the podcast Dan and Simon take a look at beloved movies and shows from the first 100 years of Warner Bros. They also review this week’s movies and TV shows:
- The New Boy (In cinemas now)
- The Idol (HBO | Binge)
- To Catch a Killer (In cinemas now)
- Based On a True Story (Peacock | Binge)
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse, The Year I Started Masturbating, Deadloch, and The Boogeyman
It is a very special episode on the podcast this week as Dan and Simon go crazy for a new Spider-Man animated film - could it be a Best Picture film? The two also talk about a new Netflix film with a very saucy title.
This week’s reviews:
- Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse
- The Year I Started Masturbating
- Deadloch
- The Boogeyman
Intermission:
Dan and Simon discuss highpoints of masturbation on the screen.
“Just f**king end it already”
This week on the podcast Dan gets his cranky pants on about just about every show and movie discussed on the podcast. And then in the Intermission Dan and Simon ask what shows need to be put out of their misery and ended ASAP.
Up for review:
- The Little Mermaid (In cinemas now)
- Gremlins: Secrets of The Mogwai (Max in the US, Binge in Aus)
- FUBAR (Netflix)
- American Born Chinese (Disney+)
- Renfield (In cinemas now)
The Mother, High Desert, Limbo, Platonic
This week Simon takes a bold stance against reviewing Fast X. And Dan says ‘Good for you, pal”.
But then they actually do review some films and TV.
- The Mother (Netflix)
- High Desert (Apple TV+)
- Limbo (In cinemas now)
- Platonic (Apple TV+)
There’s our weekly Intermission segment where we ask what families we’d follow in a Family Stallone style reality show. And then Simon starts betraying the entire premise of the segment by pitching reality shows about foreign embassies.
Oh, and there’s also mentions of Smurfs at some stage.
Hypnotic, Muppets Mayhem, Still: A Michael J Fox Story, City On Fire
Expect a lot of discussion around Muppets this week on the podcast. So, so much discussion.
Reviews include:
- The Muppets Mayhem (Disney+)
- Hypnotic (in cinemas now)
- City On Fire (Apple TV+)
- Still: A Michael J Fox Story (Apple TV+)
Guardians of the Galaxy vol 3 | Bupkis | Olga | Silo | Slip | Beau Is Afraid
It’s a monster week for reviews this week with one especially huge Marvel movie at the cinema and some very big titles debuting on TV. Just two notes for this episode that I (co-host Dan Barrett) think are hugely worth making mention of:
1. We review both the TV show Slip and the movie Beau is Afraid. Both involve Zoe Lister Jones and somehow Dan neglects to mention this fact during the podcast. What a fool.
2. The review for Beau Is Afraid does involve some minor-ish spoilers. So, keep that in mind. The film is a few weeks into release, so if it sounds interesting, perhaps go see it pretty soon.
This week Dan and Simon review:
- Bupkis (Peacock in the US, Binge in Australia)
- Guardians of The Galaxy vol 3 (In cinemas now)
- Silo (Apple TV+)
- Olga (In cinemas now)
- Slip (Roku Channel in the US, Binge on Australia)
- Beau Is Afraid (In cinemas now)
Dan and Simon (that’d be co-host Simon Foster) also discuss the WGA strike - what do the writers want and how will the strike impact what we see?