Ben and Rob get what they deserve for ‘Joker’, Todd Phillips’ 2019 character study smuggled into box-office history under a supervillains cape. Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Robert DeNiro, Zazie Beetz and Frances Conroy, ‘Joker’ tells the story of mentally unwell and financially destitute Arthur Fleck and his journey to become a stand-up comedian; a jo…

Ben & Rob lose touch with reality as they play ‘The Game’, David Fincher’s 1997 mystery thriller straring Michael Douglas, Sean Penn, Deborah Kara Unger and James Rebhorn. When merchant banker Nicolas receives a voucher for a game from his brother Conrad, he ends up fighting to keep control of his life and mind as the birthday present from hell has…

Ben & Rob Netflix & chill with the hosts of the Ctrl Alt Critique podcast for ‘Inseminoid’, Britain’s 1981 answer to the age old question: “Can you make Ridley Scott’s sci-fi classic ‘Alien’ but with a fraction of the budget, talent and schedule?” Well obviously not, but we’ve got Adam, Amber and Bailey from Ctrl Alt Critique in to help us dissect …

Ben & Rob open the box to find ‘Se7en’, their first episode covering EVERY David Fincher movie EVER!!! Following the disastrous results of his directorial debut, Fincher would have to wait three years before winning a second opportunity to make a full length feature. Written by Andrew Kevin Walker, shot by Darius Khondji and starring Morgan Freeman…

Ben & Rob point and laugh at ‘The Crow’, Hollywood’s latest insult to its own history as it constantly ruins everything good in this world. It may star Bill Skarsgard and FKA Twigs as Eric Draven and Shelly but the similarities end there - classic villain Top Dollar is gone, and now Eric fights demons with soundcloud raps. It’s also been a critical…

Ben & Rob dig up the original 1994 Alex Proyas directed goth classic ‘The Crow’. When Eric Draven and his fiancee are brutally murdered, he mysteriously returns from the dead with the help of a crow as it begins to guide him to his killers. This film represents the peak of 90s goth culture, with an astonishing soundtrack and acting performances to …

Ben & Rob drop a surprise mini episode mid-week to discuss the new film by legendary filmmaker Dean Alioto, all in support of their interview with the man himself! That’s right, we got the man who made ‘The Mcpherson Tape’ to sit with us and talk all things aliens, filmmaking and fear as he shares with us his latest feature ‘The Last Podcast’. Prem…

Ben & Rob conclude their Alien saga with Fede Álvarez’ latest franchise entry ‘Alien Romulus’! The film has been out for less than 48 hours and these boys have managed multiple re-watches and STILL recorded, edited and released a full one hour show for release weekend! Set between the events of Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986), Fede’s latest crime ag…

Ben and Rob stalk the streets of Ti West’s ‘Maxxxine’, the thrilling conclusion to his horror trilogy that started with ‘X’ and possibly peaked with ‘Pearl’. With an incredible cast that includes Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Halsey, Lily Collins, Giancarlo Esposito, and Kevin Bacon, ‘Maxxxine’ follows adult f…

Ben and Rob smash the vat of ‘Alien Resurrection’ as they birth the latest episode of their series covering every ‘Alien’ movie ever! Released in 1997, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, written by Joss Whedon, and starring Sigourney Weaver and Winona Ryder, ‘Alien Resurrection’ was a critical and commercial failure, but still represents a significant…

Ben and Rob travel back in time to 1918 with the second instalment of Ti West’s X trilogy ‘Pearl’. The origin story of the villain from ‘X’, Pearl lets us in on her young adult life and sparks a debate on whether violence is inherent by nature or nurtured within her by the nightmare that was 1918 America. We get a vivid insight into how Pearl LOVES…

The Breakdown Jake Murphy, a solo artist from Denver, shares his journey of becoming a solo artist and creating music. He started his music career in a band in Oklahoma and later moved to Denver to pursue his solo project. Jake collaborates with Tyler Ruhl and Elliott Post to create the instrumental tracks for his songs. He records the vocals himse…

The Breakdown In this episode of the ATX Metal Podcast, Ryan Rayle interviews the members of Lift the Curse, an alternative heavy rock band based in Austin, Texas. The band consists of Jon Yadon Jr. on guitar, and Ryan Hegefeld on guitar and vocals. They discuss their background, the formation of Lift the Curse, their songwriting process, and their…

Ben and Rob leap into the fire of controversy with ‘Alien 3’, the debut feature film of legendary director David Fincher and widely considered a staggeringly disappointing film both critically and commercially. Starring Sigourney Weaver, Charles Dance and Lance Henriksen, ‘Alien 3’ follows Ellen Ripley after her Sulaco escape pod crashes on a plane…

Ben and Rob get steamy with ‘X’, Ti West’s first movie in his trilogy of period piece horrors starring Mia Goth. With the all-star cast rounded out by Jenna Ortega, Martin Henderson, Brittany Snow, Owen Campbell, Stephen Ure, and Scott Mescudi, ‘X’ paints the screen red when an adult movie crew rent the airBnB from hell from a couple of rural farme…

Ben and Rob revisit LV246 for the seconds of their full Alien franchise series, this week tackling the sci-fi classic ‘Aliens’. Directed by James Cameron and starring Sigourney Weaver, Michael Beihn, Paul Reiser, Bill Paxton and Lance Henriksen, ‘Aliens’ is often cited as the ultimate sci fi action film of the nineteen-eighties and for setting the …

The Breakdown In this episode of the ATX Metal Podcast, Ryan sits down with the band Venustra. The band has a unique theatrical show and incorporates elements of shock rock, Japanese visual Kei, and swing music into their sound. They have faced challenges in defining their genre but strive to create a bigger sound that sets them apart from other ba…

Ben and Rob drift together and pilot ‘Pacific Rim’, Guillermo Del Toro’s homage to all things kaiju and gundam. When kaiju invade Earth through a hole in reality, it’s up to a plucky team of humans to pilot giant mecha suit Jaegers in order to cancel the apocalypse. Starring Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day, Robert Kazinsky, M…

Ben & Rob get sticky with Ridley Scott’s 1979 masterpiece ‘Alien’, starring Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm, and Yaphet Kotto. When the overworked and underpaid crew of the USS Nostromo dock on a derelict planet, what they find on the surface might just be the deadliest organism in existe…

The Breakdown In this episode of the ATX Metal Podcast, Ryan sits down with Eamonn Danzig, one of the creators of the Bat City Black Metal Fest. They discuss the origins of black metal, the message behind the festival, and the efforts to promote inclusivity and distance the genre from its tainted past. The festival will feature eight bands, live sw…

Ben & Rob watch ‘Godzilla Minus One’ wipe out our tissue box for ALL the reasons; 2023’s Japanese Toho franchise entry became a global sensation, winning the Oscar for Best Visual Effects and making over $100million at the box office. Directed by Takashi Yamazaki and starring Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe and Yuki Yamada, ‘Godzilla: Minus One’ te…

Ben & Rob take a bite of ‘Abigail’, the 2024 horror comedy from the directors of ‘Ready or Not’ Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. When six criminals kidnap a young vampire, they swiftly become child’s prey rather than child predators. Starring Alisha Weir as the titular character alongside Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton, Will C…

Ben & Rob roar back to life as they revive The Legendary MonsterVerse series, with this year’s box-office kaiju ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’! Despite an awkward name and a lukewarm reception from critics, this movie is not only the second highest grossing film of the series but of the entire 2024 box-office! Starring Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree …

Ben & Rob get cold feet on the finale of their series covering every Ghostbusters movie EVER, defrosting ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’, the 2024 Gil Kenan directed latest instalment in the franchise. Take a deep breath for the cast-list, as it features the talents of Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Celeste O'Connor, Logan Kim,…

The Breakdown In this conversation, Ryan interviews Dave Perry of Fear of Water. They discuss various topics including the music industry, radio stations, and the success of Fear of Water's music. Dave talks about the secondary market for radio stations and how they have embraced his music. He also shares his experience with imposter syndrome and t…

In a surprise twist, Ben & Rob stop by the ‘Little Shop Of Horrors’, an incredibly fun remake of Roger Corman’s 1960 original horror comedy, with a musical twist! Starring Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, Vincent Gardenia, Steve Martin, John Candy and Steve Martin, this animatronic wonder of eighties cinema tells a disturbing tail of space invaders, mur…

Ben & Rob dig up the dirtfarm of ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ as they continue to cover EVERY Ghostbusters movie EVER! Starring Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, and Paul Rudd as our brand new team of misfits, but also featuring wonderful reprise performances from Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, and Sigourney Weaver, ‘Gho…

The Breakdown: Glass Grinder is a metal band from Austin, Texas that combines elements of grindcore, deathcore, and heavy metal. They aim to stand out by not being confined to a single genre and experimenting with different styles. The band started as a three-piece improvisational group and eventually evolved into a five-piece band. They have relea…

The Breakdown: In this episode of the ATX Metal Podcast, Ryan and Josh discuss their foray into the world of reaction videos and their love for metal music. Josh, also known as Drifter Voyages, is a metal reaction content creator on YouTube and the frontman of a metalcore band. They talk about what they look for in reaction videos, their favorite e…

Ben & Rob take a jab at ‘Monkey Man’, Dev Patel’s 2024 brand new feature film; his first in the director’s seat, his first in the writer’s room and without question the best starring turn of his career. When ‘The Kid’ (Patel) is wronged by those in power, he will stop at nothing to find the justice he needs and the audience craves, fighting not onl…

Ben & Rob marvel at 'Ghostbusters: Answer The Call', the 2016 reboot of the Ghostbusters franchise starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon and Chris Hemsworth. Set in a whole new universe where the original cast briefly appear in different roles but still shout fan service catchphrases, this film was unfairly reviled an…

The Breakdown: A Means To An End is a metalcore band from Corpus Christi, Texas. The band has been together for about eight or nine years, but started taking their music seriously about five years ago. The band consists of Storm Galindo on guitar and vocals, Noah Delos Rios on vocals, Ralph on drums, and Kyler on bass. They describe their sound as …

Ben & Rob close the curtain on their Charlie Chaplin with ‘Limelight’, his 1952 movie about love and regret that proved to be his last American film before his exile for suspected Communist sympathies. Billed as ‘Charles’ rather than ‘Charlie’, Chaplin paints a poignantly tragic tale of a fading star mentoring an up and coming dancer and reflects o…

Ben & Rob sit on a throne of blood and discuss ‘Ghostbusters 2’, the hotly anticipated and much maligned sequel to the classic original that everyone loves to hate but can’t pinpoint why. Released in 1989, ‘Ghostbusters 2’ made Columbia Pictures over two hundred million dollars richer but was still considered a flop, despite bringing back the full …

Ben & Rob rage against the machines for the second episode of their Charlie Chaplin series with the incomparable ‘Modern Times’. Released to critical and commercial acclaim in 1936, this was Chaplin’s first ‘talkie’ whilst also arguably the very last movie of the silent era. Confused yet? Well hold onto your bowler hat; this rabbit hole only gets d…

Ben & Rob cross the streams for ‘Ghostbusters’, kicking off their series covering every Ghostbustin’ movie ever! Starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis and Ernie Hudson and directed by Ivan Reitman, this 1984 film was not only a smash hit critically and commercially but has been loved and revered since then,…

Ben & Rob shut their mouths and open their eyes to silent movies, with the first movie in their three part series on Charlie Chaplin, his films and his legacy. 1921’s ‘The Kid’ was a film of hundreds of movie firsts - the first ever film to mix comedy and drama, starring the first ever child star and featuring Chaplin’s first wife; what better plac…

The Breakdown In this conversation, I chat with members Dan and Tanner of the band Waterfront to discuss their background, education, and signing with Affiant Records. We talk about their musical influences and how they came together as a band. They also share their experiences in high school and university, particularly in relation to their music …

Ben & Rob pick at the stitches holding ‘Poor Things’ together as they finish their coverage of the 2024 Oscars season with the film Ben has been DYING to cover since we began. Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and starring Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe and many more, ‘Poor Things’ collected FOUR Academy Awards this year despite strong competiti…

Ben & Rob stay in school with ‘The Holdovers’, the Alexander Payne coming-of-age drama that’s nominated for no less than FIVE Academy Awards! Starring Paul Giamatti, DaVine Joy Randolph and Dominic Sessa in his debut role, ‘The Holdovers’ tells the tale of a curmudgeonly teacher having to stay in school over the Christmas break; to babysit students…

Ben & Rob cannot cover 'The Zone Of Interest'. Jonathon Glazer's latest film is uncompromisingly bleak, with even its slim glimmers of light only better illuminating our own guilt and complicity in society's continued evils. Starring Christian Friedel and Sandra Hüller, Glazer paints a cruelly slow picture of the commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Hös…

Ben & Rob get cancelled for ‘American Fiction’; the utterly hilarious 2024 Best Picture nominee that has every white person second guessing if they’ve been the wrong kind of ally to minorities! With an all star cast that features Jeffrey Wright, Sterling K Brown, Issa Rae, Erika Alexander and Lesie Uggams, ‘American Fiction’ challenges the culture …

Ben & Rob reconnect with each other over ‘Past Lives’, Celine Song’s directorial debut starring Greta Lee, Teo Yoo and John Magaro. It’s distributor A24 are better known for their independent horror movies, but this foray into romance has been cleaning up at awards shows all over the planet as well as making a tidy profit for them. ‘Past Lives’ tel…

Hello Grimlins! We are back again with another couple of outlandish stories for you! This week, Jenni tells the story of the Sandman and Taylor tells the story of the Ramree Island Massacre.

Ben & Rob slurp up ‘Saltburn’, the social media sensation directed by Emerald Fennell of ‘Promising Young Woman’ fame. Starring Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike, Richard E Grant, Alison Oliver and Archie Madekwe the film surfed a wave of buzz driven by it’s casts multiple prior hits (Banshees of Inisherin, Gran Turismo and Euphoria to nam…

The Breakdown In this episode of the ATX Metal Podcast, Ryan sits down with the band DSGNS to discuss their new record and their journey in creating it. They talk about the process of recording the album live and the challenges they faced. The band members also discuss their approach to playing chaotic music and their collaborative songwriting proc…

The Breakdown In this episode of the ATX Metal Podcast, Ryan interviews the band members Daniel and Stephen of Thumbscrew and delves into their journey as a metal band. The conversation covers their early years, the evolution of their sound, the transition to a new vocalist, recording and promotion challenges, touring experiences, and memorable mom…

Ben & Rob finish their trilogy of contemporary grindhouse with S Craig Zahler’s final movie ‘Dragged Across Concrete’. Starring famously disgraced racist Mel Gibson alongside Vince Vaughn as two suspended cops stealing money from a heist that’s not yet happened. Universally ignored upon it’s release by both festivals and wider audiences, ‘Dragged A…

It's February 1, also known as Season 2, Episode 1. What's to come? No one knows! Hold on to your bootstraps and enjoy this reboot of A Little Bit Grim! In this episode, Taylor and Jenni discuss the hiatus, their indestructible friendship, and of course some spooky fun stories! Taylor gives the details of her new homeland - Helltown, Ohio. Jenni te…

The Breakdown In this episode of the ATX Metal Podcast, Ryan interviews Kevin Hellestad from the Chord Progression Podcast. They discuss the importance of supporting the local music scene and how to discover new bands. Kevin shares the origin story of his podcast and his passion for promoting local artists. They also talk about the challenges of be…