We’re dancing in the dark this week, as we watch the new movie Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere and then study the film that makes a cameo in that rock and roll biopic, 1955’s The Night of the Hunter. Two bad fathers, two rivers, two tales of growing up poor. But which of the two features the sweatiest man? Which of the two has the most riverside wildlife? Which of the two is wearing twenty undervests and a fake chin? And which movie do we consider a mediocre film that everyone should watch? Plus a twentieth century ghost story, a short film about migration, a soccer semi-final, an almost silent music producer, a no-show for Courtney Cox and a forest’s worth of the King of England’s trees. If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media: BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub Contact us at tworeelcinemaclub@gmail.com Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

We’re doing a bit of fantasy programming at the Popcorn Counter this episode, as we reflect on last week’s encounter with two of the major forces in 21st century Hollywood film making: the Coen brothers and Paul Thomas Anderson. They’ve both straddled the arthouse and the multiplex, and they both have an outstanding body of work behind them. But which do we personally rate? Whose films would we prefer to watch? And why does one appeal more than the other? If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media: BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub Contact us at tworeelcinemaclub@gmail.com Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

At last, two good films in one podcast! This week we’ve watched One Battle After Another, the new Paul Thomas Anderson picture with Leonardo DiCaprio, and we’re comparing it to the film that it doffs its revolutionary cap to, 1998’s comedy classic The Big Lebowski. Two stoners, two missing women, two dirty bathrobes. But which film feels out of time? Which film made us reminisce over payphones? Which film is broadcasting the revolution on AM radio? And which film is a remake of The Big Sleep? Plus ripping up a copy of the Yellow Pages, the early pregnancy of Obama, a Monty Python Beatles spoof, Seth Rogan exposing Hollywood, Tom Hanks in a FedEx ad, George Orwell and James Baldwin, another film about rocks, and we play a round of the hot new game ‘Six Degrees of Aimee Mann’. If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media: BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub Contact us at tworeelcinemaclub@gmail.com Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

Welcome to Jeopardy at the Popcorn Counter this week, where we’re pretending to be Alex Trebek with twenty movie related answers, but can you guess the questions? Some of them are doable … and some of them are frankly not. Do you know your Mount Rushmores from your Nostromos? Play along and see if you can beat our score. If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media: BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub Contact us at tworeelcinemaclub@gmail.com Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

Success is hard to measure in life, but easy to measure in comedy: does it make you laugh or not? After enduring Spinal Tap II last week we’re returning to some of our favourite comedies at the popcorn counter. But what is in our top five, and do we have any overlaps? How does Justin Trudeau fit in to all this? Are popstars funny? Where did we go for Andrew Curtis’ birthday party? And is there a connection between being funny and being objectionable? If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media: BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub Contact us at tworeelcinemaclub@gmail.com Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

For those about to rock, we salute you this week, as we put on our poodle wigs and tune up our Gibsons to watch the new comedy feature Spinal Tap II: The End Continues and compare it to the film that started it all, 1984’s This Is Spinal Tap. Is the old film still funny? Does the new film live up to its predecessor? Which film sets up gags it never pays off? Which film has the cleverest cameos? And which film made us think of a martial arts movie? Plus an early Halloween treat from 2017, a Hollywood spoof with Seth Rogan, an amusing brush with cryptocurrency, Stephen King’s best book, echoes of Bill and Ted, another look back at Don’t Look Back, and an Eric Idle film from the 1970s. Rock on! If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media: BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub Contact us at tworeelcinemaclub@gmail.com Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

Join us as we sit in the darkness at the popcorn counter this week and muse on why Noir seems to be the second most enduring genre in all of cinema. After jiggling our brains a little, we think we can come up with a significant noir film from every decade of the last ninety years. But have we ever tried to write a noir project? And how do noir mysteries trace their origins to bible stories...? If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media: BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub Contact us at tworeelcinemaclub@gmail.com Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

We don’t know why a detective for hire is called a private dick, but we’ve certainly seen plenty of sexy investigators this week. We have watched the new Ethan Coen 'lesbian B-movie' Honey Don’t, starring Margaret Qualley and Aubrey Plaza, and we’re comparing it to Howard Hawks’ 1946 film noir that it tips its hat to, The Big Sleep with Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. Two gumshoes, two sets of murders, two seductive mysteries and two steamy romances. But which of these do we consider the most sexually charged film of all time? Which film is fifteen minutes too long, and which is fifteen minutes too short? Which film is 70% of the way there? Which film is hoping to flip your expectations? What did The Big Sleep change when compared to Raymond Chandler’s original book? And who did we leave the cinema wishing we were? Plus a video game made for four hands, some long scenes from Spielberg, a journey through the labyrinth of immigration, a trip to France with the Cliche Squad, and one of the greatest screen writing teams of all time. Just remember, we’re not enjoying watching these sex scenes. It’s our job. If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media: BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub Contact us at tworeelcinemaclub@gmail.com Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

Are there are any nepo-babies in the mainstream film industry? Perhaps we should be asking if there are any successful people who aren’t? We started making a list sitting at the popcorn counter this week and soon ran out of ink. But out of all the nepo-babies that we’ve seen at the movies over the last few years, why is Michael Douglas our most admired? We look back at his career and ask how he managed to consistently choose zeitgeist projects for more than thirty years. And out of all these timely pictures, which is our favourite? If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media: BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub Contact us at tworeelcinemaclub@gmail.com Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

We seem to be stuck in a loop reviewing films called ‘War of the Something’, because this week we’ve watched the new Olivia Coleman Benedict Cumberbatch comedy The Roses, and we’re comparing it to the Kathleen Turner Michael Douglas version of the same story, 1989’s The War of the Roses. Two divorces, two fighting couples, two ruined houses. But which one of these films wants to be Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf and which one wants to be Home Alone? Which character has nothing to do? Why does Michael Douglas love the rain? And how do they both compare to the original source novel from 1981? Plus a documentary about rocks, a return visit to a lost ark, some huge flowers, a Simpson’s tongue twister, a cardinal sin among comedians, a subtly optimistic lecture from Robert Reich, a box of ‘thank-you’ chocolates and a fridge full of deadly raspberries. If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media: BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub Contact us at tworeelcinemaclub@gmail.com Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

We’re dressed as clowns at the Popcorn Counter this week, as we talk about the crossover between comedy and horror. Why did so many of the most successful contemporary horror directors, including Zach Cregger, Jordan Peele and John Krasinski, get their start in comedy? What are the differences between the two forms, and how are they more similar than you might think? And what’s the single most horrifying thing to a writer? If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media: BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub Contact us at tworeelcinemaclub@gmail.com Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

Weapons is our new film this week, the sophomore feature from sometime sketch comedian Zack Cregger. It may have a great cast, a great premise and some great scares, but can it stick the landing? We’re comparing it to a film from 1995 that shares its premise and a lot more besides, The City of Lost Children. But which one is best described as Lynchian? Which one is stacked with zany action? Which one looks like a CD-ROM video game? And which one is about so many different themes that’s it’s almost about nothing? Plus, we watch Selena Gomez and Steve Martin in a New York podcast caper, we singlong to a Netflix K-Pop hit, we ask what a roustabout is, we wonder what happened to the pictures of missing children on milk cartons, and we try to define what ‘brassy’ means. If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media: BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub Contact us at tworeelcinemaclub@gmail.com Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

This week we dress up for concert night and dare to ask the question: how is it possible to not like John Williams? We scan through some of our favourite movie soundtracks and try to figure out what makes a good one. How broad is Hans Zimmer’s career? Why do we consider the gold standard to be Bernard Herrmann? What’s the best thing about Tron Legacy? What’s the right word to use to describe an Italian Western? What has Patrick Jonsson been doing in the Congo? And what soundtracks do we like to listen to while we write? If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media: BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub Contact us at tworeelcinemaclub@gmail.com Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

‘Damn!’ That’s what Ice Cube says about two hundred times in tonight’s new film, the Amazon Original feature War of the Worlds. It’s not often that you see a film that confesses, ‘It’s worse than you think,’ in the actual publicity material. But is this new sci-fi non-action picture really as bad as the online chatter claims? And how does it compare to the 2005 version of the same story, Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds, starring Tom Cruise and a ten year old Dakota Fanning? Which film makes it hard to tell the difference between the movie and the ads? Which film has something to say about the Attention Economy? Which film breaks the four rules of film making? Which film stars the senior gremlins? And which film features a man tripping over a chair? (Spoiler: it’s both of them.) Plus a 1960s superhero caper from Marvel, a pop star misadventure with St Vincent, some overtime for the Cliche Squad, a list of constitutional amendments that we don’t need to pay attention to any more, a Sega CD game from 1997, the invention of Narrative Atheism, and a moment when we go just a little bit meta…. If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media: BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub Contact us at tworeelcinemaclub@gmail.com Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

For once we actually agree with Martin Scorsese: there has been an observable degradation in the experience of going to the cinema over the last few years. But is it, as Marty suggests, the fault of unruly audiences? Or is our theory correct, that exhibitors are making things worse? Join us at the popcorn counter this week as we discuss some of the patents we’ve seen recently that are actively trying to make watching movies worse for everyone. Which are real and which are made up? And what can audiences do to resist? If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media: BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub Contact us at tworeelcinemaclub@gmail.com Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

(Warning: Spoilers for Superman from the start...) We’re seeing double at the Popcorn Counter this week, as take note of the cultural trend in cinema: actors playing more than one role in a movie. Everyone’s doing it: Superman, Sinners, Mickey 17 and Saturday Night have all used this trick in the last few months. But it’s hardly a new phenomenon. Who did it first, who did it best, who did it the most, and who did it so well we didn’t even notice? If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media: BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub Contact us at tworeelcinemaclub@gmail.com Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

We have been looking up this week, enjoying Superman new and old. This year’s Superman is James Gunn’s first film as head honcho for the DC Universe, and bears many of his technicolor trademarks. But how much does it owe to the OG, 1978’s Superman the Movie, starring Christopher Reeve and Gene Hackman? And does the original still stand up 47 years later? Which film has the longest opening credits we’ve seen in forever? Which film did we watch twice in the space of six hours? Which film takes an hour and nine minutes before we see any superfeats? Which film has the best toupees? And why, why, why, why, WHY do we keep saying ‘Batman’ instead of ‘Superman’? Plus: an alien invasion by CGI slugs from 2006, a hyper violent low budget superhero spoof from 2010, a happy week spent in a state park, two boxes of candy cigarettes, a concert with St Vincent, a very long single from Laurie Anderson, and some tantric advice for Sting as we join the Seven Minute Climax Club… If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media: BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub Contact us at tworeelcinemaclub@gmail.com Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

The New York Times recently published their list of the top 100 films of the twenty first century, and hoo hah, that has certainly stirred up some strong reactions! Does the list just reinforce our suspicion that cinema is on its death bed? Or is the list full of joyful surprises and incredible revelations? Which films on the list do we agree with? Which left us scratching our heads? And what are the conspicuous omissions?  If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media: BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub Contact us at tworeelcinemaclub@gmail.com Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

We’re strapping on our helmets and climbing into our bucket seats this week, as we watch maybe the most heavily branded film we’ve ever seen, the new Apple feature F1: The Movie, and answer the question: how much phallic imagery can be crammed into a single two and half hour period? We’re comparing it to the film with probably the most famous car chase in cinematic history, 1968’s Bullitt. But which film has the most montages? Which film demonstrates the power of casting? Which film touched us with a surprising personal moment? Which film has a cameo from friend of the pod Mike Primmer? And which of us had a unique personal experience while watching Steve McQueen blow up a car? Plus some geeky dinosaurs, some symbolic fountains, a low budget Hal Hartley tribute from Colin Trevorrow, a fine jazz soundtrack, and a surefire method to avoid police prosecution. Start your engines! If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media: BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub Contact us at tworeelcinemaclub@gmail.com Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com

There are good films with bad names, and there are bad films with good names. And sometimes, rarely, there are films that hit both targets dead centre. Join us at the Popcorn Counter where we’re discussing movie titles this week - ones we love, ones we hate, ones we’re proud of and ones we just don’t understand. Where did the name for Blade Runner really come from? Which is better, Snakes on a Plane, or just plain Plane? Which Kubrick film has two titles? And how did The Unbearable Lightness of Being re-emerge recently? If you enjoyed the show, find us on social media: BlueSky: @tworeelcinemaclub Instagram: @tworeelcinemaclub Contact us at tworeelcinemaclub@gmail.com Or come to our website, where we’ll be writing about the movies we cover in the show and a few more things besides: https://tworeelcinemaclub.com