Sean does his best to put together a coherent review for the Doctor Who Christmas Special 2024, but it's fair to say, he wasn't impressed. Sean likens the episode to "a sh*t sandwich from a corner shop".

Discussion Points:

-Sean discusses why he can't be bothered to review Doctor Who anymore.

-If you make good TV, people will watch it.

-The issues with pacing.

-Using a fly to introduce a character's name.

-The lack of seriousness in Doctor Who now.

-The part of the episode that Sean found distasteful.

Raised Questions:

-What was all this all about?

-Has Ncuti Gatwa been miscast?

-Is this episode soulless?

-Why is Doctor Who so political now?

-Why did this episode feel like a bottle-episode?

Shout-outs:

-The Nerdstalgic Podcast.

-The Sense Sphere.

Thanks for Listening!

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Instagram: reviewityourselfpodcast2021

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReviewItYourself⁠

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Merry Christmas from Sean and Sarah!

Join them for an extended look into the 1998 Christmas Classic Jack Frost (1998). Sean and Sarah wonder why this film was decimated by critics but loved by audiences. They unusually look at the criticisms from around the time the film came out and address the ridiculous views of the critics.

Is Jack Frost (1998) really 'sloppy', 'repulsive', 'charm-less', 'preachy', 'manipulative' and does it 'prove that Hollywood is in the hands of the minions of Satan'?

Discussion Points:

-Sean and Sarah spend the first 30 minutes reading bad reviews.

-Sean destroys any chance of ever becoming a Rotten Tomatoes critic.

-Sarah and Sean compare the rating of Jack Frost (1998) and Captain Marvel (2019).

-Why people ignore 'professional critics' nowadays, in favour of Podcasters and YouTubers.

-Sean brings Luke from The Nerdstalgic Podcast opinion's into the discussion.

-Whether or not a film can be 'over-emotional'.

-The loss of a male role model.

-Sarah watches the film's trailer for the first time.

-Sarah and Sean discuss father and son/mother and son family dynamics.

-The quiet strength of Gabby Frost.

-Sean and Sarah discuss their traditional Christmas films.

Raised Questions:

-Which rating did Sarah think was "f*cking criminal"?

-Do the reviews about this film disgust you as much as they did to Sarah and Sean?

-Have you ever met anyone who is negative about this film?

-How many times does Sean take aim at how Americans spell English words?

-Do you think this film "ticks all the Christmas boxes"?

-How had Sarah never seen this before?

-Should Mac have been there at the end?

-Did you like that Charlie comes out fighting with a hairdryer?

-What do you think of Elf (2003)?

-Is the film "a little bit too Disney Channel' at times?

Random Film Recommendation:

-The Perfect Storm (2000).

Random Tangent:

-Lindt chocolate:

Thanks for Listening!

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X: @YourselfReview

Instagram: reviewityourselfpodcast2021

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReviewItYourself⁠

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Sean and Sarah continue their nuclear film exposure, with 1979's The China Syndrome; a tale about the power of the media, the dangers of nuclear energy and the effects of corporate indifference and greed.

Released just 12 days before the real 'Three-Mile Island' nuclear incident, this film was discussed by everybody in 1979.

Sean and Sarah wonder whether this brilliant film has had the cultural impact that it should have had, before delving into what the modern day film industry is failing at (It's pretty much everything).

Discussion Points:

-The DVD read-through returns.

-The almost-perfect timing of the film.

-Sarah wonders about the impact of timing, how this film "was everywhere but then nowhere", similar to Avatar (2009).

-The impeccable writing and the intelligence of all the characters.

-Sarah and Sean struggle to explain just how good this film is.

-"We can't go back to living like Hermits", Sean wades into the debate around the future of energy.

-Sean and Sarah name their price to give up work for a year and just watch modern films.

-The death of "taking-a-risk" films.

Raised Questions:

-Has this film been forgotten?

-Does the title (meaning nuclear meltdown) harm the film?

-Do you love films that show the behind-the-scenes "manic-ness" of live broadcasting?

-Is there anything more ominous than a shaking cup of tea?

-Would a soundtrack have been out of place?

-Is Sarah incoherent?

-What was the film Sean saw at a mystery screening?*

Events:

-The San Bernadino Train Crash and 'The Duffy Street Incident' (1989).

-The accidents on American Airlines Flight 96 (DC-10) and United Airlines Flight 811 (747), and the crash of Turkish Airline Flight 981 (DC-10) when cargo doors failed.

-Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station partial nuclear meltdown on 28th March 1989.

-Dresden Nuclear Power Plant 'false high pressure signal' incident on June 5th 1970.

-"Counterfeit Plane Parts": The crash of Partnair Flight 394 (CV-580).

*The film that Sean thought was "bloody awful" was Joy Ride (2023).

Time Stamps:

0:08

Welcome to Review It Yourself

1:22

The China Syndrome Overview

5:36

Exploring the Title's Meaning

8:13

Behind the Scenes of Broadcasting

13:18

The Characters and Their Dynamics

19:17

The Nuclear Incident Unfolds

25:14

Tension Builds in the Control Room

35:07

Corporate Greed versus Safety

43:23

The Cultural Context of Nuclear Power

46:44

The Climax: Racing Against Time

50:27

The Final Confrontation and Truth Revealed

51:44

The Interview Distraction

52:52

Consequences of Choices

54:37

The Complexity of Storytelling

56:47

The Pressure of Public Speaking

59:11

The Weight of Communication

1:01:20

The Tragic Break

1:04:06

The Nuclear Dilemma

1:05:10

The Value of Depth

1:15:05

Intentional Filmmaking

1:30:08

Enjoyable Cinema Experiences

1:34:30

Disappointment in Modern Films

1:36:09

The State of Current Filmmaking

1:39:16

The Quest for Quality Films

1:43:37

A Call for Support

Thanks for Listening!

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Review It Yourself's first ever guest returns! Ryan Walker from 'The Walk The Line Podcast' joins Sean and Sarah to discuss the fourth (and planned last) film:

The Final Destination (2009).

Will Ryan and Sarah remain unimpressed by Sean's choice of film?

Check Out Ryan's website here: https://www.thewalkthelinepodcast.com/

Discussion Points:

-Ryan is practising for Loose Women or This Morning, after his BBC Radio Essex Interview.

-Sarah was unimpressed by this film.

-The way the film jettisons everything that Sarah loved, plot, characters etc.

-The lack of importance for the women's names.

-Ryan loved the tyre death.

-CGI ruins the party, again.

-Treat yourself to the deleted scenes.

-The really poor script.

-The 'Death By Caffeine' Coffee Shop rubbish coffee puns.

-This film is so good that Ryan, Sean and Sarah start discussing Commando (1985): "90 minutes of pure adrenaline"-Ryan Walker.

-Ryan is annoyed at the CGI dust.

-We do not endorse spreading hate, we were laughing at the idiotic guy-just in case you missed the sarcasm, nuance and humour.

-Sean is outraged that the main character doesn't get his face spattered with blood.

Raised Questions:

-What's with Sean's saucy introduction?

-Did you know there were 5 Final Destination films?

-Did the film go totally go off the rails with this one?

-What is with the acting?

-Are we supposed to die?

-How strong was that fence?

-Did death save the best for 3-D?

-Why is Sean against the C-word?

-Why did they use George's backstory like that?

-Why are the visions so rubbish?

-Why does no-one emotionally react to any of the deaths in this film?

-Why don't they go for a cheeky Greggs?

-Would a Final Destination spoof, similar to Scream (1996) work?

Thanks for Listening!

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X: @YourselfReview

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Savon, formerly of Coffee and Comments podcast, returns to review a classic film, The Indian in the Cupboard (1995). Based on the 1980 book by Lynne Reid Banks, the story sees Omri, a young kid who lives in New York City, discover his cupboard brings his toy American Indian to life.

Discussion Points:

-How the book became a staple of British Primary Schools.

-The DVD read-through returns.

-Sean is confused by American foods.

-Savon and Sean discuss the differences between the book and the film adaptation.

-Savon describes how 90's the film feels and was surprised to see an Abacus.

-The differences between the book and the film adaptation.

-The tumultuous story of the American West.

-Savon and Sean discuss the unexpected emotional depth in the film.

Raised Questions:

-Who chooses the books you read at Primary (Elementary) school?

-Why do we read so many American based stories in Britain?

-Do Americans get fed up with films based in New York?

-Is this film more 'Field of Dreams' (1989) than 'Toy Story' (1995)?

-What happened to skating in films?

Corrections:

-*Frank OZ played Yoda in the Star Wars films, not C3PO.

-*Alan Abernathy was the character in Small Soldiers, not Lewis.

Thanks for Listening!

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Ben from 'Push Pull Health' returns to the podcast after two years, complete with booing, to help Sarah and Sean review Final Destination 3 (2006).

Discussion Points:

-Sarah feels this film is a return to form after Final Destination 2 (2003).

-The solid opener with the rollercoaster crash.

-Ben thinks the characters are "awful" and "stink".

-The shocking amount of times Wendy gets her face spattered with blood.

-Little Timmy from Final Destination 2.

-The return of the memorial service.

-Sean thinks there were too many 'splatty' deaths.

-Sarah, Sean and Ben wonder how the series managed to stay fresh.

Raised Questions:

-Has Sean sold out?

-Is Ben worth the wait?

-Why didn't Ben feel as nostalgic about this film as he thought he would?

-Are we meant to care about these characters?

-How long is the duration of the premonition?

-Would you prefer Sarah to calmly tell you that she's had a premonition?

-How many times does the word 'derailed' get used?

-Was it a good idea to go with a primarily all-teenage cast again?

-Were you rooting for Wendy?

-How many baby wipes is Wendy using?

-What's with that gym?

Time Stamps:

0:08- Welcome to Review It Yourself

0:49- The Return of Ben

2:02- Final Destination 3 Discussion

3:53- Tanning Booth Death

6:55- The Characters and Their Fates

9:56- Deaths and CGI Effects

15:51- The Roller Coaster Incident

17:55- The Gym Scene

22:24- Memorial Service Chaos

26:50- The Next Fatalities

28:55- The Train Disaster

36:09- Exploring the Deaths

37:59- The Final Train Scene

40:10- Reflections on the Franchise

40:30- Anticipating Future Instalments

48:28- The Podcast Journey

51:17- The Future of Horror Films

55:14- Wrapping Up the Discussion

1:05:32- Closing Remarks and Thanks

Thanks for Listening!

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X: @YourselfReview

Instagram: reviewityourselfpodcast2021

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Thomas Lynskey, actor, writer, and director of The Last Signals joins Sean to discuss the story behind the making of his independent film.

The film explores the actions Titanic’s wireless operators, Senior Operator John ‘Jack’ Phillips and Junior Operator Harold Bride, throughout Titanic's voyage.

The story of the making of the film is as amazing as the film itself, as Tom describes how his family and friends worked to bring the film to life!

My Guest:

The Last Signals is available on Tom's YouTube Channel 'Part Time Explorer': https://www.youtube.com/@PartTimeExplorer

Discussion Points:

-The incredible collaborative effort it took to build the sets, assemble the cast, and scout the locations over two years!

-The inspiration behind the film, the 'geeks' of 1912, the wireless operators, and why Tom didn't originally plan to star in the film.

-The length Tom and the cast went to, to achieve historical accuracy.

Raised Questions:

-Do limited resources create the need for creative film-making?

-Where did the inspiration for the film come from?

-How did the cast end up filming from 2am-4am in a Titanic museum?

-Will the footage of Tom's Dad as Senator Smith ever be released?

-Was there a culture of defending fellow White Star crewmen who died during the disaster?

-What can you do to make your parent's pool look like the North Atlantic on screen?

Massive Thanks to Marv from 'Pods Like Us' and Ryan Walker from 'The Walk The Line Podcast' for their advice about interview podcast episodes. Go check out their awesome podcasts!

Time Stamps:

0:05-Welcome to Review It Yourself

4:01-The Last Signals Overview

9:13-Filming Challenges and Set Design

15:10-The Story Behind the Characters

23:10-Accents and Performances

31:57-Exploring Historical Accuracy

40:54-The Impact of the Collision

47:14-The Fate of the Wireless Operators

51:30-Current Projects and Future Endeavours

57:57-Closing Thoughts and Reflections

Thanks for Listening!

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Instagram: reviewityourselfpodcast2021

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReviewItYourself⁠

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Sarah continues her first-time viewing of the Final Destination series, with Final Destination 2 (2003).

Discussion Points:

-The tonal shift from the first film to it's sequel.

-The truck with the log that haunts a generation.

-Changing the formula of death's design.

-Sarah discusses her love of kitchen-based deaths in films.

-TANGENT: Sean and Sarah discuss Chinese food.

-Sarah is not happy with how Kimberley treats Clear Rivers!

-The actor who plays Officer Burke is 5 years older than the actress who plays Kimberley.

-"Right. NO. I'm going to stop you there!"-Sarah vehemently disagrees with Sean about Eugene's reaction.

Raised Questions:

-Does the tonal shift guarantee the film series longevity?

-What did Sarah think of the film?

Where's the memorial service?

-How old is Tim supposed to be?

-Do you find the character dynamics refreshing?

-Did you notice the sigh is missing?

Coming Soon:

-Final Destination 3 (2006).

-The Final Destination (2009).

-Final Destination 5 (2011).

Thanks for Listening!

Find us here:

X: @YourselfReview

Instagram: reviewityourselfpodcast2021

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReviewItYourself⁠

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.