“We're as real as a f**king donut!”

Join Ian, Liam & Beadle Steve for our 307th episode as we cruise down Sunset Boulevard, slip into our moccasins, and take a long, nostalgic look at Quentin Tarantino’s sun-drenched fairytale Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019). Megs and Kev? They’re not with us this week — Megs got invited to a last-minute audition on a Spaghetti Western set outside Rome, and Kev got lost trying to hitchhike to the Playboy Mansion. We wish them both luck. We're also waxing poetic about Jay Glennie's excellent history of the film with "The Making of Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time In Hollywood" available everywhere now.

This week we discuss:

• How Tarantino utilises revisionist history and a clear late sixties aesthetic into his most affectionate, laid-back film yet.
• Leonardo DiCaprio’s turn as Rick Dalton — insecure, electric, and oddly sympathetic.
• Brad Pitt’s Cliff Booth — stuntman, handyman, maybe-murderer, absolute legend.
• Beadle Steve weighs in on the film’s leaving of breadcrumbs and its toasty payoff
• How the film handles Sharon Tate with grace, warmth, and unexpected emotional weight much to Liam's appreciation
• The Manson Family sequences — slow-burning dread done right but where is Charlie and why does Ian argue it's the right call for the film?
• Ian breaks down Tarantino’s structural choices: meandering brilliance or indulgent reimagining?
• The film’s controversial ending — catharsis, fantasy, or simply Tarantino being Tarantino? Does it help if you know the real life history? Someone argues it doesn't matter and the film still works.
• Nostalgia vs. narrative: does the film rely too heavily on vibes, or is that the point?
• We question whether OUATIH is a buddy film, a fairy tale, a love letter, or all of the above.
• The “Rick Dalton meltdown” scene — one of the great comedic acting moments of the decade?
• Which parts got combined and then split again on account of scheduling conflicts
• Who was supposed to be in the film if not for tragedy occurring?
• And finally, whether Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is the Best Film Ever — or just Tarantino’s most beautifully crafted hangout movie.

Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE. Buy Jay Glennie's book at https://amzn.eu/d/fTGfDBu

We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support:

• Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM
• Hermes Auslander
• James DeGuzman
• Synthia
• Shai Bergerfroind
• Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most
• Andy Dickson
• Chris Pedersen
• Duane Smith (Duane Smith!)
• Randal Silva
• Nate The Great
• Rev Bruce
• Cheezy (with a fish on a bike)
• Richard
• Ryan Kuketz
• Dirk Diggler
• Stew from the Stew World Order podcast
• NorfolkDomus
• John Humphrey's Right Foot
• Timmy Tim Tim
• Aashrey
• Paul Komoroski

Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/.

Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor

Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/

“Which would be worse… to live as a monster, or to die as a good man?”

Join Ian, Liam & Kev for our 306th episode as we board the ferry to Ashecliffe and plunge headfirst into the mist, trauma, and unreliable memories of Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island (2010). Megs? She’s not with us this week — she insisted on exploring Ward C “just for a quick look” and the gates slammed shut behind her. We’re hoping she’ll be released pending evaluation.

This week we discuss:

• How Scorsese blends noir, horror, and psychological drama into one of the most atmospheric films of the 2010s.
• Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance — genius unraveling, or a masterclass in controlled chaos?
• Mark Ruffalo’s deceptively calm presence — partner, puppet, or something much more unsettling?
• Are we naturally prejudiced to think Ben Kingsley is the villain because he's British?
• How does Scorsese take a psychological thriller and masquerade it within both a whodunnit and a conspiracy film
• Which special effects had us marveling at their ingenuity and which ones had us reaching for our Resties ballots?
• How could the narrative alignment choices made by Scorsese have gone terribly wrong
• Ian breaks down the film’s narrative structure — why repeated viewings make the film richer, not clearer.
• Liam asks whether the film asks too much from the viewer
• How trauma, denial, and memory shape the film’s psychological core — and why the story hits different every rewatch.
• B-Tech Kev picks up on some subtleties and asks if we saw what he saw whilst Ian talks about how the ability to pause and rewind has changed cinema
• Genre blending: is Shutter Island a detective mystery, a horror film, or a psychological portrait of grief?
• The lighthouse reveal — one of Scorsese’s most tension-filled sequences.
• We debate the meaning of the ending, Teddy’s awareness, and that final chilling line.
• And finally, whether Shutter Island is the Best Film Ever — or simply the most beautifully disorienting mind maze Scorsese ever built.

Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE.

Find out more about Juleen's nephew, Castor, and how you can help at https://gofund.me/73a67a9d6

We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support:

• Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM
• Hermes Auslander
• James DeGuzman
• Synthia
• Shai Bergerfroind
• Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most
• Andy Dickson
• Chris Pedersen
• Duane Smith (Duane Smith!)
• Randal Silva
• Nate The Great
• Rev Bruce
• Cheezy (with a fish on a bike)
• Richard
• Ryan Kuketz
• Dirk Diggler
• Stew from the Stew World Order podcast
• NorfolkDomus
• John Humphrey's Right Foot
• Timmy Tim Tim
• Aashrey
• Paul Komoroski

Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/.

Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor.

Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/

“They’re heeere…”

Join Ian & Megs for our 301st episode as we grab the remote, face the static, and step into the spectral suburbia of Poltergeist (1982). Liam and Kev? They’re not with us this week — the house they were recording in was built on an ancient podcast burial ground. We haven’t heard from them since, but we’re getting some weird interference through the TV…

This week we discuss:

• 301 episodes in — how did we make it this far without getting dragged into the light?
• How Poltergeist terrified an entire generation while redefining the modern haunted house movie.
• The age-old debate: how much of this film was Tobe Hooper and how much was Steven Spielberg pulling the spectral strings?
• Why the film’s suburban setting hits harder than gothic castles or spooky mansions — horror in the heart of normality.
• The infamous curse surrounding the film’s production — what’s real, what’s coincidence, and what’s just chilling.
• Is Poltergeist actually a family drama disguised as horror, and why does that emotional core make the scares land harder?
• Ian breaks down the film’s special effects and practical wizardry — how they still hold up decades later.
• Ian also shares about some childhood traumas regarding losing beloved toys at school while Megs reminds him that's why you don't bring valuable stuff in
• Why Poltergeist manages to be scary without ever really being gory — and whether that balance is what makes it timeless.
• Why do they have a magic remote control and was the guy costuming Dana a creep?
• And finally, whether Poltergeist is the Best Film Ever — or just the reason we still side-eye our static screens.

Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE

We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support:

• Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM
• Hermes Auslander
• James DeGuzman
• Synthia
• Shai Bergerfroind
• Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most
• Andy Dickson
• Chris Pedersen
• Duane Smith (Duane Smith!)
• Randal Silva
• Nate The Great
• Rev Bruce
• Cheezy (with a fish on a bike)
• Richard
• Ryan Kuketz
• Dirk Diggler
• Stew from the Stew World Order podcast
• NorfolkDomus
• John Humphrey's Right Foot
• Timmy Tim Tim
• Aashrey
• Paul Komoroski

Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/.

Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor.

Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/

“But I tried, didn’t I? Goddammit, at least I did that.”

Join Ian & Liam for our 305th episode as we get ourselves committed to one of the greatest American films ever made: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975). Kev and Megs? They won’t be joining us this week — Megs was last seen challenging Nurse Ratched’s medication schedule and Kev tried to lift the hydrotherapy console to escape. Security is “having a chat” with both of them.

This week we discuss:

• How Miloš Forman’s direction created a sense of art imitating life. But who was Miss Ratched and who was Mac?
• Jack Nicholson’s legendary performance as R.P. McMurphy — charming, chaotic, and dangerously alive. But is it just Jack playing Jack?
• Louise Fletcher’s cold, controlled terror as Nurse Ratched — is she evil, institutionalised, or the product of her system?
• The film’s astonishing supporting cast — from Danny DeVito to Brad Dourif — and why the ensemble might be one of the best ever assembled. Who asked for asshole Doc Brown?
• The real power struggle at the heart of the film: rebellion vs. routine, individuality vs. institution.
• Ian breaks down the film’s narrative structure and why one sequence isn't necessary
• Liam reflects on the humour, the heartbreak, and the explosive final act — does any other ending hit quite like this one?
• Is Mac crazy? How would someone pretending to be crazy present themselves in this environment?
• We discuss the film’s legacy: its Oscars sweep, its influence on pop culture, and its place in the “Great American Films” canon.
• Is McMurphy a hero, a catalyst, or a cautionary tale?
• What was Milos Forman trying to say in the film based on his personal lifestory?
• And finally, whether One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is the Best Film Ever — or simply one of the boldest critiques of power and conformity ever committed to screen.

Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE.

Find out more about Juleen's nephew, Castor, and how you can help at https://gofund.me/73a67a9d6

We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support:

• Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM
• Hermes Auslander
• James DeGuzman
• Synthia
• Shai Bergerfroind
• Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most
• Andy Dickson
• Chris Pedersen
• Duane Smith (Duane Smith!)
• Randal Silva
• Nate The Great
• Rev Bruce
• Cheezy (with a fish on a bike)
• Richard
• Ryan Kuketz
• Dirk Diggler
• Stew from the Stew World Order podcast
• NorfolkDomus
• John Humphrey's Right Foot
• Timmy Tim Tim
• Aashrey
• Paul Komoroski

Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/.

Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor.

Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/

At last… our pod is complete again.”

Join Ian, Liam & Megs (she always goes last), along with Friend of the Podcasters: Beadle Steve, for our 304th episode as we sharpen our razors, roll out the pie dough, and dive into the gothic, gory glory of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007).

This week, we’re not just talking Burton’s blood-soaked macabre attempt at a masterpiece — we’re also sharing our collective memories from our very own recent production of Sweeney Todd! Expect behind-the-scenes stories, backstage laughs, and maybe a few stories about trap doors and jettisons of blood

This week we discuss:

• How Tim Burton’s adaptation balances musical theatre grandeur with cinematic horror — and where it falls short.
• Johnny Depp’s take on the title role: tortured genius or just Burton doing Burton again?
• Helena Bonham Carter’s Mrs. Lovett — delightful, deranged, and determined to make the worst pies in London.
• How Alan Rickman and Timothy Spall manage to be both repulsive and magnetic - but can they sing? Who do we think could've done it better?
• The use of colour, lighting, and sound — and why did the crew need so many garbage bags?
• How Sweeney Todd manages to turn tragedy into operatic spectacle without losing its emotional sting.
• We discuss at great length a couple of elements that one of us just couldn't overlook
• We share our favourite moments (and biggest mishaps) from our own stage production — from what it's like to be reviewed ourselves to unexpected laughter in the wrong places and if you can imagine it - Ian flexing in the spotlight
• What it’s like performing Sondheim’s music live — the challenge, the rhythm, and the glorious chaos.
• Beadle Steve joins us to talk about his experience, his favourite scenes, and whether he’s still hearing “Ding Dong!” in his sleep... and what happened to the ensemble anyway?
• And finally, whether Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is the Best Film Ever — or just the bloodiest musical we’ve ever loved.

Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE

We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support:

• Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM
• Hermes Auslander
• James DeGuzman
• Synthia
• Shai Bergerfroind
• Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most
• Andy Dickson
• Chris Pedersen
• Duane Smith (Duane Smith!)
• Randal Silva
• Nate The Great
• Rev Bruce
• Cheezy (with a fish on a bike)
• Richard
• Ryan Kuketz
• Dirk Diggler
• Stew from the Stew World Order podcast
• NorfolkDomus
• John Humphrey's Right Foot
• Timmy Tim Tim
• Aashrey
• Paul Komoroski

Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/.

Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor.

Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/

It’s another edition of See It or Skip It, and this time Ian is back with Friend of the Podcast Ryan Kuketz as they grab their scorecards, pack their peanuts, and head north for Who Killed The Montreal Expos? — Netflix’s deep-dive documentary into the tragic rise and fall of Canada’s lost baseball team.

But does Who Killed The Montreal Expos? knock it out of the park, or is it just another rain-delayed nostalgia trip? Ian and Ryan dig into the story of how a beloved franchise went from fan favourite to relocation heartbreak — and whether this doc truly gets to the bottom of who’s really to blame.

Is this a gripping investigation into corporate greed, MLB politics, and fan betrayal — or just a sentimental bunt down memory lane? The lads examine how the film balances hard facts with heart, whether it gives Montreal’s baseball faithful the justice they deserve, and if it finally answers the question that’s haunted Canadian sports fans for two decades.

How do you tell the story of a team that died twice — once in the standings, and once in spirit? Is this a love letter, a post-mortem, or both?

All this and more in this week’s See It or Skip It review of Who Killed The Montreal Expos? — and of course, Ian and Ryan will let you know if you should SEE IT or SKIP IT.

“Sometimes the most beautiful things in life don’t make sense.”

Join Ian & Liam, along with BFF of the BFE: Ariannah (Who Loves BFE the Most™), for our 303rd episode as we ride through the heart and humanity of Peter Bogdanovich’s Mask (1985) — the moving, funny, and unforgettable story of Rocky Dennis, his extraordinary mother, and the people who refused to let difference define them.

This week we discuss:

• How Mask walks the perfect line between sentiment and sincerity without tipping into melodrama.
• Cher’s powerhouse performance — fierce, fragile, and absolutely magnetic but was she well directed (or even well written?)
• Eric Stoltz’s stunning transformation and how the film lets his humanity shine through the prosthetics.
• Why this might be the most compassionate film of the 1980s — and what it still teaches us about empathy today.
• Ariannah joins us to talk about how disability and difference are portrayed on screen, and why this one hits harder than most.
• The use of music (and that classic Springsteen debate) — how the soundtrack shapes the film’s emotional DNA.
• We rip on Bogdanovich’s simplistic direction and how his brevity is far from the film's greatest strength.
• Ian wonders whether the film’s emotional punches still land as powerfully for modern audiences.
• We talk about how Mask redefined expectations for family drama and biopic storytelling.
• And finally, whether Mask (1985) is the Best Film Ever — or just one of the most human films we’ve ever covered.

Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE.

We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support:

• Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM
• Hermes Auslander
• James DeGuzman
• Synthia
• Shai Bergerfroind
• Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most
• Andy Dickson
• Chris Pedersen
• Duane Smith (Duane Smith!)
• Randal Silva
• Nate The Great
• Rev Bruce
• Cheezy (with a fish on a bike)
• Richard
• Ryan Kuketz
• Dirk Diggler
• Stew from the Stew World Order podcast
• NorfolkDomus
• John Humphrey's Right Foot
• Timmy Tim Tim
• Aashrey
• Paul Komoroski

Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/.

Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor.

Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/

“We all float down here.”

Join Ian & Kev, along with BFF of the BFE: James DeGuzman, for our 302nd episode as we descend into the sewers of Derry, Maine, and confront childhood trauma, red balloons, and Stephen King nightmare fuel with It: Chapter One (2017). Megs and Liam? They said they weren’t afraid of clowns… right up until Pennywise offered them a balloon. We’re hoping they resurface soon.

This week we discuss:

• Why It tapped into a new generation’s fear of clowns — and whether it’s earned or just clever filmmaking.
• Bill Skarsgård’s terrifying turn as Pennywise — physicality, psychology, and drool.
• How the film balances coming-of-age warmth with soul-shaking horror — friendship vs. fear.
• King’s original novel vs. the adaptation — what gets streamlined, what gets lost, and what gets under your skin.
• Does this film prove that horror is strongest when it’s tied to universal childhood anxieties?
• How the film is able to position that early coming-of-age feelings of romance without coming across as creepy
• The Losers’ Club: perfect casting? We break down who stands out and who feels underserved.
• Why the sewer sequences and the house on Neibolt Street raise the bar for modern horror set pieces.
• Ian talks about narrative structure and why splitting the story into “kid chapter” and “adult chapter” was the smartest possible move.
• James brings the expert scare analysis — and takes the BFE to task over their anti-horror bias
• Does Pennywise’s final reveal hold up — or does CGI drain the fear away?
• And finally, whether It: Chapter One is the Best Film Ever — or just the best nightmare you’ll keep watching anyway.

Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE

We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support:

• Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM
• Hermes Auslander
• James DeGuzman
• Synthia
• Shai Bergerfroind
• Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most
• Andy Dickson
• Chris Pedersen
• Duane Smith (Duane Smith!)
• Randal Silva
• Nate The Great
• Rev Bruce
• Cheezy (with a fish on a bike)
• Richard
• Ryan Kuketz
• Dirk Diggler
• Stew from the Stew World Order podcast
• NorfolkDomus
• John Humphrey's Right Foot
• Timmy Tim Tim
• Aashrey
• Paul Komoroski

Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/.

Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor.

Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/