EVEN MORE EYES On the Screen: A Cinema Podcast

In this SPOILER-FILLED (no, seriously) review episode of 'Even More Eyes', Imo, James and recurring feature Fav return to Wakanda in director Ryan Coogler's highly anticipated sequel: 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' (2022), starring Letitia Wright, Danai Gurira, Dominique Thorne, Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Tenoch Huerta Mejía, Mabel Cadena, Michaela Coel, Martin Freeman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Angela Bassett. 

Is this a fierce and worthy follow-up to 2018's box office smash 'Black Panther'? The critics sink their claws deep when discussing the movie's depictions of grief, geopolitics and Afrofuturism, while reflecting on the loss of leading man Chadwick Boseman (1976-2020).

Marvel Film of the Year, or just a footnote in the seemingly forever saga of the MCU? 

Celebrating 'All Hallow's Eve', the nostalgia-haunted James and Imo bring you the final episode of 'Spoooooky Season' (or, perhaps more accurately 'Gay Christmas'). 

They discard any pretence at watching the horrific or terrifying by opting for the pure cringy-camp of Tim Burton's 'Beetlejuice' (1988). 

For one of our bone-chilled critics, this is their first time opening the lid on this surreal nightmare of a movie. For the other, it's been kept under their subconscious for a long time. Do they think it's an unhinged delight or just plain unhinged? Alongside discussing Michael Keaton's unrecognisable, grotesque performance, they also discuss the shadows the film casts on Burton's oeuvre. 

So, check out whether they think this last film of the season is a cinematic treat or trick! 

Darkness falls across the land...the midnight hour close at hand...the 'Even More Eyes' trawl in search of blood...to terrorise y'alls podcasthood! 

With Halloween coming next week, the two disembodied voices known as Imo and James decide to celebrate the festivities with 'Spooky Season' - three nostalgic retrospectives on childhood favourites that show the creepy, the spooky, the weird and the kooky! 

In honour of the late Angela Lansbury (1925-2022), they start off in unconventional fashion with 'Bedknobs and Broomsticks' (1971). 

What's so frightening about this childhood classic? Our spine-chilled critics discuss the film's narrative eccentricity, problematic representations, and what would happen if Quentin Tarantino got to do the inevitable Disney remake. 

So, turn that knob (oo-er) and enjoy the first (audio) haunting in this 'Spoooooooooky Season'!   

All steps of their journey have led to this: Imo, James and Fav chuck their final thoughts into the Cracks of Cinema Podcasting with this last episode on Peter Jackson's 'The Lord of the Rings'.

Yet, before they disappear beyond the silver curtain to a far green country, there's still time to debate about how the film version did Denethor dirty; why the film's protracted epilogue is a deep depiction of PTSD; and what this triumphant trilogy has to teach about adapting fantasy epics and male bonding.

So, enjoy as our triumvirate take you there and back again on this final foray into Middle-Earth...to a time before the three podcasters knew that 'The Return of the King' (2003) would concur spookily with actual events in the UK...

James and Imo's journey back to 'The Lord of the Rings' continues...and they're no longer travelling alone. Emerging like a certain sorcerer from an underground brawl with a Balrog, Fav has come back to turn the tide...or at least to discuss the second chapter of the franchise.

The three intrepid nostalgia-hunters try to find out what they think about Jackson's sequel adaptation of 'The Two Towers' (2002) today. In counsel, they debate the characters' growth, Middle-Earth geopolitics, and the revolutionary potential of Andy Serkis' Gollum. 

As they embark on the final stage of their quest, they start taking bets on which character is going to be their GOAT. 

This episode is now upon you...whether you risk it or not. 

In this SPOILER-FILLED review episode, Imo and James try to capture the perfect take on Jordan Peele's new horror movie 'Nope' (2022), starring Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun, Brandon Perea, Michael Wincott, Barbie Ferreira and Keith David. 

After attaining critical success with 'Get Out' (2017) and 'Us' (2019), what do the movie-gazers make of the director-writer's latest 'social thriller'? Does Peele's dose of freaky terror and social allegory suck you in or is it all a little difficult to digest? 

Just which type of dope is 'Nope'? Find out after the click!   

Back from their brief hiatus, James and Imo return for a SPOILER-FILLED review of the latest summer blockbuster from the MCU: 'Thor: Love and Thunder' (2022), directed by Taika Waititi and starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tessa Thompson,  Jaimie Alexander, Taika Waititi, Christian Bale and Russell Crowe. 

After the irreverent 'Thor: Ragnarok' (2017) twisted up the saga of Thor, son of Odin, does Waititi's sequel capture lightning-in-a-bottle again or does it prove to hit our critics like a blunt axe? Is it 'Thor 4-ever Mighty' or 'Bore: Cringe and Noise'? 

Buckle up - it's going to be a bumpy ride! 

After watching the whole era of 'Jurassic' films for their 'Dinosaur Dip-Dive', James and Imo offer their SPOILER-FILLED verdict on the epic conclusion: 'Jurassic World: Dominion' (2022), directed by Colin Trevorrow, and starring Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Isabella Sermon, DeWanda Wise, Laura Dern, Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum, Omar Sy, Daniella Pineda, Justice Smith, Campbell Scott and BD Wong.

As the dust settles on a near thirty-year period of dino-disaster films, what do they make of the finale? Does it hybridise nostalgia and innovation to make this franchise an apex summer blockbuster once again? Or is it a mediocre, mindless mash-up finally headed for a necessary extinction? 

Listen now to see whether our exhausted cinema-tologists give their endorsement. 

Day 4 of the 'Dinosaur Dip-Dive' sees James and Imo entering the new 'Jurassic' era: 'Jurassic World' (2015).

Fourteen years later- and despite a near extinction-level hiatus- the studios found a way and the Park was back! 

Do our two cinema-tologists find this rebooted, satirical entry a thrilling evolution now that it's packed with 'tame-able' raptors, striking set-pieces and Chris Pratt? Or is there still degradation in the franchise's core genes?  

Day 3 of the 'Dinosaur Dip-Dive' has Imo and James grappling with a fundamental question: what project did Sam Neill need funding to get him back for 'Jurassic Park III' (2001)? 

With their childhood memories of the briefest in the 'Jurassic Park' saga lost to the mists of time (small mercies), can our two intrepid cinema-tologists find any meat left on the bones of the 'Jurassic Park' concept in this post-Spielberg venture? Or is there really nothing left to salvage?  

Day 2 of the 'Dinosaur Dip-Dive' has James and Imo travel back to a film whose title already foreshadows their enthusiasm for the saga: 'The Lost World: Jurassic Park' (1997).  

Even with Jeff Goldblum given the leading role and designer stubble (but losing much of the signature eccentric charm) the two cinema-tologists try desperately to extract some interest from a movie that not only continues it's progenitor's defects, but also adds dinos going wild in San Diego. 

Was Spielberg's sequel already heading the franchise towards extinction? And if so, how will Imo and James survive the rest of the 'Jurassic Park' era?

With the grand finale of the 'Jurassic Park' franchise out this week ('Jurassic World: Dominion'), Imo and James decide to dust off a few fossils and resurrect the preceding five films over the next five days - a speed-run they're calling 'The Dinosaur Dip-Dive'. 

Day 1 begins with the 1993 iconic, original popcorn-muncher from director Steven Spielberg and written by novelist Michael Crichton and screenwriter David Koepp. 

The two cinema-tologists cast a beady eye back on their enthusiastic remembrances of the film from childhood...but do they now spot something more dubious in the famous dino-movie's DNA? 

From one galaxy far, far away to all galaxies in all times, Imo and James finish up this season with a spoiler-filled FILM REVIEW episode. They give their verdict on the unrelentingly action-packed and quirkily fresh new film from Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert: 'Everything Everywhere All At Once' (2022), starring Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, James Hong and Jamie Lee Curtis. 

What version of the multiverse are our critics in? The one that decides the Daniels' new film is a cinematic triumph that has the magnificent Michelle Yeoh kicking-ass and capturing hearts in her own multiverse of madness? Or is it another where they think the film crumbles in on itself to be about nothing, nonsense and is all over the place? Or is it both? Or is it neither?  

Adjust your headsets and click play to find out which! 

There is unrest on the 50th episode of the 'Even More Eyes' podcast as our four critics find it difficult to maintain peace and order when discussing 'Episode II: Attack of the Clones' (2002).

While overanalysing everything from score cues to the casting of classic cinema-villain actor Christopher Lee, the four do find something more unbelievable than the aliens and Machiavellian plot manoeuvres: the romance between beset leading actors Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensen. 

But, after twenty years and several seasons of the animated 'The Clone Wars' series, is there anything to fall for in this middle chapter? Have our critics softened to the film, or is it still coarse, and rough, and irritating, and goes nowhere? 

Listen and heed their wise counsel now after the click....

After a brief hiatus (recovering from 'Morbius'), James and Imo return to Marvel's ever-expanding universe in the next big-budget blockbuster: 'Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness' (2022), directed by Sam Raimi and starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Rachel McAdams and Chiwetel Ejiofor. 

In this spoiler-filled FILM REVIEW episode, the two critics give their verdict on Raimi's verse-hopping, horror-infused entry. Though there be madness, is there any magnificence in it? Or is the movie a multi-dimensional muddle? 

In addition, they debate whether watching Disney's leading multi-stranded, multi-platformed franchise means there's still something for everybody to enjoy or whether there's too much homework involved.

So, click play and listen to their latest cinematic diagnosis!   

Finishing off their 'Season of the Bat', James and Imo keep to their theme by reviewing the long-delayed, Sony-Marvel super-vampire flick 'Morbius' (2022), directed by Daniel Espinosa and starring Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona, Jared Harris, Tyrese Gibson and Al Madrigal.

With both critics having fond memories of the bloodthirsty Spider-Man anti-hero from their childhood, what do they make of this big screen origin story? Fangtastic or just mortifying?

Listen as they sink their teeth into that last man-bat movie they'll be watching for a while!  

Having fallen into the depths with their Batman retrospectives, James and Imo decide to rise by finishing on the widely acclaimed 'Dark Knight' trilogy, directed by Christopher Nolan.

In a vision that started to take the concept of Batman a little...more...seriousssllly, the critics find a lot to discuss - from aesthetic appeal, intense action, engaging acting and political allegory. 

They discuss how 'Batman Begins' (2005) is less restart than the start for Batman cinema; why the trilogy's towering apex 'The Dark Knight' (2008) still resonates today; and whether 'The Dark Knight Rises' (2012) was really as faltering as they remember.

Listen to our critics do what defines them...and next week, they see what happens when Sony-Marvel releases another man-bat from his cage...

Imo, James and the 'Bat-Fan' Alex return to discuss the mid-to-late 90's transformation of the Batman franchise under director Joel Schumacher. Brooding and burlesque are out, (neon) colour and campiness are definitely in! 

What lasting impressions did 'Batman Forever' (1995) leave on our dynamic trio? And is the notorious 'Batman & Robin' (1997) really the franchise killer that leading-man George Clooney has apologised publicly for? Our critics weigh up the good, the bad and the very bad in Schumacher's entries, while also revealing what these infamous films awakened in them during their budding pre-teen years... 

Flashing forward, the critics also review the first 'Batman Beyond' ('Batman of the Future' for UK listeners) straight-to-video animated feature film: 'Return of the Joker' (2000). 

So, grab a drink, click that play button, and chhhiiiiiiillllll...

James and Imo are joined by 'Bat-Fan' Alex to revisit the first feature-film adaptations of the Dark Knight - Tim Burton's 'Batman' (1989) and 'Batman Returns' (1992). 

They discuss whether the quirky director's vision of the dystopian, cyberpunk-y Gotham and its dastardly denizens still holds up. And while reminiscing about the iconic 'Batman: The Animated Series' of their childhood, James and Alex find time to uncover the first animated theatrical film: 'Batman: Mask of the Phantasm' (1993). 

Which one of Batman's first forays onto the silver screen flies highest and which ones are just bat-shit?

Join us for a dance with the devil in the pale moonlight!   

Imo and James are back with a vengeance...and so is the famous caped crusader! They suit up (no nipples) to deliver judgement on Matt Reeves' crime-thriller iteration of 'The Batman' (2022), starring Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright, Andy Serkis, Colin Farrell, John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard and Jayme Lawson. 

With its hellish aesthetic and grunge vibe, does this reboot successfully cast an impressive shadow over a franchise with an uneven cinema history, or is it as dim as its lighting design? 

This is the first episode in a new season - entitled 'The Season of the Bat'- discussing the highs, lows, and very lows of the Batman films, starting with Reeves' recent version. We'll discuss Burton's originals, Schumacher's follow-ups and the influential Nolan trilogy, with a few remarks on some of the notable animated features.       

Scraping the barrel for previously mentioned films on the podcast, Imo, James and Fav voyage back to 'Muppet Treasure Island' (1996). 

Unlocking this 90's Muppet classic, they discuss the film's marvellous meta-ness (Matrix 4 eat your heart out!); the adult jokes they didn't get as kids; the catchy shanties, and the iconic Tim "Professional Pi-i-i-raaat" Curry. Furthermore, Fav auditions for Broadway with a rendition he's being dying to share... 

Join us for this brief and booty-i-ful episode before the 'Even More Eyes's' first anniversary next week! 

As Imo and James start to round up the year before the first anniversary of the 'Even More Eyes' podcast, they decide to gush some more over Francis Lee's 'God's Own Country' (2017). 

After giving the film such a favourable reference in their review for 'Ammonite' (meaning they couldn't stop talking about it), further exploration of this raw, riveting love story was needed! They discuss how Lee's film is definitely not 'Brokeback in Yorkshire' and why it's one of the best romances of the decade... 

Oh yes, this is a gusher episode all right!  

For their first FILM REVIEW episode of 2022, Imo and James plug back into the infamous virtual hell-scape for Lana Wachowski's uncanny sequel: 'The Matrix: Resurrections' (2021), starring Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jessica Henwick, Jonathan Groff, Priyanka Chopra, Jonathan Groff, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Neil Patrick Harris and Jada Pinkett Smith. 

After almost twenty years since its conclusion, do the critics think this fourth entry is as thrilling and provocative as the original trilogy or an unnecessary 'restart' of a franchise well past obsolescence? They have thoughts. 

Pop that red pill (or just click to listen) and get ready to free your mind all over again!  

In this spoiler-filled FILM REVIEW episode, Imo and James finally get stuck into 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' (2021), directed by Jon Watts and starring Tom Holland, Jacob Batalon, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina, Jamie Foxx, Thomas Haden Church, Rhys Ifans, Marisa Tomei and Jon Favreau. 

Is this blockbuster for the festive season an enticing cinematic web that weaves all its action, humour and thematic elements together elegantly, or does it get tangled up in cheap nostalgia and plot contrivances? 

Swing in for the final episode of our 'Season of Spider-Man'! We'll be back in 2022!  

Err...plot twist! Day 8 of the 7 Days of Spider-Man! 

With one of our critics testing positive for COVID and finding there's No Way To The Cinema, James and Imo decide to delve into another multi-verse extravaganza instead: 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' (2018). They couldn't miss this one in good conscience! 

Such a web of parallel versions, variables and meta-narratives deserves more time for the two critics to explore. They discuss each of the film's  threads: the visuals, soundtrack, themes and, at the centre of it all, Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore). 

Does this film deserve to be called 'The Greatest Spider-Man Film of All Time'? 

Ending their '7 Days of Spider-Man', James and Imo snappily check out all the sights in the second standalone Spidey-MCU film: 'Spider-Man: Far From Home' (2019). 

While the franchise gets further from the USA, it gets nearer to home for the two UK-based critics. They discuss all the inventive bumps along the next stretch in Holland's journey - from the excellent conception of Jake Gyllenhaal's Mysterio to the adolescent antics of the Spider-Gang on tour. 

Up tomorrow: Imo and James meet the multiverse. 

Day 6 has James and Imo on the home-run to their review of 'Spider-Man: No Way Home'.

And (sort of) like new Spidey-on-the-block Tom Holland, it's the two critic's first foray in the cinematic leviathan known as the MCU! 

They succinctly discuss all the optimistic changes in this neighbourhood-oriented version of the web-slinging hero in 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' (2017), including how Michael Keaton's bird-man reframes global arms-dealer Tony Stark...eh, sorry Iron Man. 

For a film that enjoys being down on the ground, there's plenty of highs!  

Day 5 has Imo and James taking stock of the good, the bad and the Gwen Stacey of 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' (2014). 

The two critics discuss the bunch of baddies who are squeezed into this sequel: from Jamie Foxx's bullied boffin to the ghost of Stacey's dead police papa to the Nazi doctor minding the patients at Evil Incorporated...sorry, Oscorp. 

They decide whether it was too soon for Sony to circuit-breaker the franchise, or if Garfield's iteration deserved to be flushed down the water spout after this divisive entry.   

Day 4 has Imo and James wondering about Spider-Man's totally new look...beneath the mask! 

Diving into 'The Amazing Spider-Man' (2012), they discuss whether Andrew Garfield is too handsome to play geeky Peter (among other things about the actor's take on the character) and how the sci-fi mystery-thriller vibes of this reboot compare to the original trilogy. Speaking of hybrids, the two critics explore how the villainous Lizard's insidious schemes don't quite add up. 

Also, there's the question of the bizarre serendipity in the director's name...a marketing gimmick, surely?   

Day 3 has James and Imo answering the vital question: just how wrong was ‘Spider-Man 3‘(2007)? 

They iron out all the issues with Maguire's final turn on the web-shooters, from the bloated baddie-fest to Tobey going all 'Saturday Night Fever'.

Are there any saving graces at all?

Day 2 of the 7 Days of Spider-Man has James and Imo deciding whether Raimi's 'Spider-Man 2' (2004) lives up to Spidey's first blockbuster outing.

Shooting through this sequel, they discuss Alfred Molina's tragic, tentacled figure, Peter Parker's pressurised double-life, and the big problem with Harry Osborn

In celebration for the impending release of 'Spider-Man: No Way Home', Imo and James suit up for a festive challenge:

7 Days. 7 Spidey Films. 7 Speed-Run Reviews.

Day 1 has the two critics jump off into the first of the Sam Raimi trilogy: 'Spider-Man' (2002), starring the sickly-looking yet sweet Tobey Maguire as the eponymous web-slinger.

They discuss dubious justifications for vigilantism, Dunst's damsel-in-distress, and the iconic cheek-bones of Willem Dafoe.

They're back tomorrow to discuss a certain tentacled terrorist and whether Spidey 2 is a worthy sequel!

In the last episode of their 'Season of Sand', James and Imo are set to lose their souls to the final entry in the 'Mummy' franchise: 'Tomb of the Dragon Emperor' (2008). 

With Fav too afraid to see this cursed, forced finale, the two critics decide to bury this film on their own. For one of them it's an experience they were thankful to forget, and for the other it's an unpleasant discovery. They discuss the franchise's late pivot to China; the movie's fun (if ironic) meta-moments; the problem with Brendan Fraser's clone-son, and how even Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh can't save this sorry end.

Listen in as they critically entomb a real living-dead monster movie mess. Thank god they never made any more, eh....

In this episode, Imo, James and Fav exhume the first step in Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's journey from popular wrestler to the legendary action star that he is today: the sword-and-sandals action-fest romp known as 'The Scorpion King' (2002).

What do they make of his debut as a leading man? And was this a successful spin-off-prequel-of-sorts to 'The Mummy Returns' or a fatal sting to a flagging franchise? Our critics don't have to dig deep to work out their thoughts and feelings on this breezy, cheesy entry that spawned a number of straight-to-video sequels... 

Live free, listen well!

Continuing their retrospective 'Season of Sand', Imo, James and Fav go back to a time when Dwayne Johnson was just 'The Rock'...and the worst CGI monster in movie history.

Was 'The Mummy Returns' (2001) a welcome continuation of the franchise, possessing the charming combination of gore and romp of the 1999 original, or just a case of diminishing returns?

Our critics unseal the sequel to discuss some of the fun...and all of the flaws. They unravel the film's contentious special effects, artistic licence with geography, annoying child prodigies, and the undercooked use of 'The Rock' in this film's ever-growing gallery of rogues.

Buckle up, it's going to be a bumpy ride!

On the next episode of their 'Season of Sand', James and Imo are joined by Fav to dust off a classic adventure-action-gore romp from the 1990s: 'The Mummy' (1999).

The critics pick up their critical 'archaeological' tools to excavate the film's story, cultural 'representations', acting and special effects. They unearth Brendan Fraser's enduring appeal, some bizarre plot-holes, and the curse of Rachel Weisz's eye-brows (what's seen cannot be unseen!) Should Universal have ever raised this franchise from the dead?

This is the first of four episodes on the camp, cheese and cultural fabrications of Universal's 'Mummy' franchise" 'The Mummy' (1999), 'The Mummy Returns' (2001), 'The Scorpion King' (2002) and 'The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor' (2008). 

In this spoiler-filled FILM REVIEW episode, James and Imo worm their way through the new adaptation of 'Dune' (2021), directed by Denis Villeneuve, and starring Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Josh Brolin, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Javier Bardem and Zendaya.

While one of our critics is familiar with Frank Herbert's dense, space mythology, for the other it's a fresh journey into the Dune Universe. They talk about the adaptation's story choices, cinematography and colonial analogies. Has the director tamed the infamous 'unfilmmable' novel or does does it sink to the level of David Lynch's hot mess from 1984?

Is Villeneuve's version the mind-thriller or just mind-numbing?

Listen in now for their verdict on the big-screen, big-budget blockbuster of the season.

After their Bond retrospective, the 'Even More Eyes' find time for a FILM REVIEW of the recent cinematic release: 'No Time To Die' (2021), directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga and starring Daniel Craig, Léa Seydoux, Rami Malek, Lashana Lynch, Naomi Harris, Ben Whishaw, Ana de Armas, Jeffrey Wright, Rory Kinnear and Ralph Fiennes. 

What do the critics make of Craig's swan-song as 007? A triumphant tribute to the lead actor's tumultuous tenure as a tougher, tenderer portrayal of the famous 'spy'? Or an overindulgent last outing for a clapped-out old franchise? Listen in now for their debriefing on Bond 25 and speculation for where the saga goes next. 

Special thanks to our fantastic guests, Josh and Fav, for their insight, erudition and humour! They're so good, we're afraid of putting them on again...

This is the final of four episodes uncovering the relevancy and remembrances of the late 20th Century / Early 21st Century Bond franchise. Featuring special guests and Bond aficionados Josh and Fav. 

In this “mini-episode” (cut from the original recording), Imo and Josh derail the conversation to debate on racial representation in the Bond franchise and place bets on the likelihood of Bond being played by a non-White actor - with supporting contributions from James and Fav. Tune in next Tuesday for the thrilling conclusion of this saga.

In this last episode of their retrospective, the 'Even More Eyes' take aim at the Bond films of the 2010s. The 50th Anniversary Bond bonanza 'Skyfall' (2012) generates a discussion around the franchise going-forward-to-the-past with a brand new Q, male M and Moneypenny. Are they inspired returns or needlessly regressive? Things also heat up as they debate the spy's belated bisexual reference. A few martinis later, all of the critics admit to being haunted by follow-up 'Spectre' (2015). With arched eye-brows raised, our group tries to untangle the questionable continuity and arguable queerness in Craig's tenure.

Catch this discussion just in time for next week's review of 'No Time To Die' (2021). 

This is the third of four episodes uncovering the remembrances and relevancy of the late 20th Century / early 21st Century Bond franchise. Featuring special guests and Bond aficionados Josh and Fav. 

Episode contains reference to: https://www.licencetoqueer.com. Please check out the blog!       

The 'Even More Eyes' (Imo, James, Josh and Fav) continue the retrospective by getting the 00's Bond films firmly in their sights. 

The 'post-9/11' Bond raises a number of questions for the critics. Does 'Die Another Day' (2002) celebrate Bond's 40th Anniversary with style or stupidity? What did the suited-and-re-booted 'Casino Royale' (2006) mean for the franchise's future? Along with the mid-decade revamp, what do our critics make of the new 007 - from debonair Brosnan to chiselled Daniel Craig? And, most importantly, which of these two films has slightly seduced one of our exasperated, non-fan critics? 

To get the intel on all these questions, listen to the next episode - No One Overanalyses It Better! 

This is the second of four episodes uncovering the remembrances and relevancy of the late 20th Century / early 21st Century Bond franchise. Featuring special guests and Bond aficionados Josh and Fav. 

Imo and James Return and they're shaking things up (not stirring...and there's more where that came from) in a new season of 'Nostalgia Hits Differently'! In anticipation of the new Bond film, 'No Time to Die', the critics have invited two 007 'specialists' on their latest mission to uncover the Bond of their youth. 

The group start with a curated retrospective on the 1990's: 'GoldenEye' (1995) and 'Tomorrow Never Dies' (1997), starring the boyish Pierce Brosnan as the signature 'spy'. After discussing the standard stunts, action set-pieces and cringe quips, they debate the post-Cold War 'undressing' of the cultural icon.

Who was James Bond in the late 20th Century and what is he today? Gym-bro ideal? Human drone? Embodied Britishness? Drag act? 

Grab your licence-to-chill and check out this latest season. 

This is the first of four episodes uncovering the remembrances and relevancy of the late 20th / early 21st Century Bond franchise. Featuring special guests and Bond aficionados Josh and Fav. 

Imo and James' retrospective-review feast ends with the 'Hannibal Lecter' franchise's unwanted hors d'oeuvre: 'Hannibal Rising' (2007). For one of our critics its a return to a rotten meal not digested since the film's release. For the other, it's another fresh bite into this last entry. Through the haze of their two parallel hangovers, the critics find themselves surprised by the final film's treatment of continental trauma, troubling transference and the 30-minute transformation of a disturbed knee biter into Hannibal the Cannibal ™. It's 'ta-ta!' on this retrospective season!    

James and Imo find ooooodles of time to discuss the next course in the 'Hannibal' franchise: 'Red Dragon' (2002). Do they find this prequel as bittersweet as 'Silence' or a sour mouthful as 'Hannibal'? And was it worth one critic mastering their fear to continue with this cornucopia of serial killers, highfalutin cultural references and dubious innuendos? They discover how the representation of 'evil' has progressed between the movies; whether Dr. Lecter is dark hero or demonic accomplice (in Hopkins' last outing as the campy-cannibalistic-therapist); and when Ralph Fiennes channels his inner Chad but can't charge down one of the flimsiest doors in Hollywood. Join them for another one of these little chin-wags.  

In this next episode of their retrospective, Imo and James carve up the eponymously titled sequel: 'Hannibal' (2001). While for one critic this is an old film to chew on, for another it's their first bite into the franchise's next chapter. The critics discover an uneven follow-up, filled with silliness, symbolism and highly questionable representations. Are the friends just getting a bit tired of the lambs now? Tune in to find out how much veeerry sssserious thought they're giving it.   

In this new retrospective season, James and Imo exchange quid pro quo over a highly influential film from their teenage-hoods: 'The Silence of the Lambs' (1991). After co-host therapy from last week's argumentative episode, the two critics start bleating about the 30-year old psychological thriller's terrifyingly intimate cinematography, thought-provoking depiction of psychopathy, and whimsical excesses. This first of four episodes will chew over the characters and depiction of 'evil' in the 'Hannibal' quadrilogy. Grab your liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti to tune in...or some baked beans and Ribena for the non-serial-killer-cannibals among you! 

In their latest FILM REVIEW episode, Imo and James give their verdict on Disney's recent revisionist, anti-hero romp: Cruella (2021), directed by Craig Gillespie and starring Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Joel Fry, Paul Walter Hauser and Mark Strong. For one of our critics the film's fashionable brilliance knocks their wig off, while for the other the infamous villainess' character is firmly on the leash. So, is to see it to get a sudden thrill or is it more Cruella De Nil?  

Everything that has a beginning...has an end - and James and Imo have reached the end of their return to the 'Matrix'. This final episode has the critics journey to the core of the movie's philosophical themes in the grisly, apocalyptic, divisive finale: 'The Matrix Revolutions' (2003). They decide, once and for all, whether the film is anticlimactic or the apex of action-thrills and thematic depth. Why, Even More Eyes, why? Why do they persist with this franchise? Listen in to find out.  

In this third episode of their ‘Matrix’ retrospective, Imo and James judge the expansive, propulsive, challenging 2003 sequel: ‘The Matrix Reloaded’. The critics have already made their choices about whether they like the movie or not, now they need to understand why. They drill ever deeper into the philosophical themes, world-building and Hugo Weaving’s deviously hilarious ‘copy + paste’ antagonist. 

In the second episode of this retrospective on the 'Matrix' franchise, Imo and James deep dive into the disparate, bridging anthology film: 'The Animatrix' (2003). The critics wonder around the inside, outside and distant past of the Matrix's multi-realities as depicted through the nine animated shorts. But are the recording's glitches mere technical hiccups or is the System starting to listen in??  

In this new retrospective season, Imo and James prepare to go down the rabbit hole again - into the Wachowski's cyber-noir, millennium classic 'Matrix' franchise. In this first episode, the critics rewatch the 1999 original to begin a chin-stroking discussion on the film's heady, philosophical themes (as if there can be any other way to discuss this film?) Reality and illusion, predetermination and free will, and the prescience of its encompassing virtual world are all meditated over. Would the critics take the red pill or the blue? Plug in to find out!  

In this FILM REVIEW episode, Imo and James load up the remake of Mortal Kombat (2021), directed by Simon McQuoid. While one of our critics spent their childhood mashing buttons on the martial-arts-meets-gore-fest video game, the other is a total noob. Is this adaptation of the beloved franchise a knock-out hit or a messy cinematic fatality? 

In this FILM REVIEW episode of EVEN MORE EYES, James and Imo review Francis Lee's raw depiction of class, gender and queerness in 'Ammonite' (2021). Starring Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan as two 19th Century women who find love in clammy Lyme Regis, is it a sensitive excavation of emotional truths or a dreary day out at the beach? Listen to get the critics' verdict...alongside unavoidable digressions about Lee's previous film 'God's Own Country' (2017). 

This fourth and final episode of the season has Imo and James pondering whether the ends-justify-the-means...not just the characters' morality but the critics rewatching the entire franchise! They discover that despite the close of the story, it leaves a lot of awkward social, moral, political and emotional questions open and which trio of characters really conquer the 'Deathly Hallows' (2010-2011). Finally, they reveal the biggest contrivance that destroys the entire Potter-verse! The retrospective-that-lived...has come to die! 

The third episode of this Harry Potter retrospective has James and Imo noticing how 'H'Angry' and 'Horny' Potter suddenly emerge at the franchise's denouement. They get a strangely familiar feeling discussing the crisis-denying, dissent-crushing government in 'The Order of the Phoenix' (2007), debate whether Hogwarts going 'Snogwarts' was the right tone in the dark-fantasy/rom-com mash 'The Half-Blood Prince' (2009) and, in chin-stroking fashion, ruminate on the nature of evil in the Potter-verse. It's all about angst, authoritarianism and an alcoholic teacher in this penultimate instalment!      

This second episode of the new season has Imo and James observing that the 'Harry Potter' franchise is maturing - demonstrably so in the rapid ageing of its adolescent cast (getting a razor soon, Potter?) They discover not only one plot/world-shattering device in 'The Prisoner of Azkaban' (2004) but two; why the 'Goblet of Fire' (2005) was a trial too tedious for one of the critics, and how Michael Gambon's performance as the formerly serene Headmaster suggests that Dumbledore's certainly got piles. The misadventures continue!  

In this next season of 'Nostalgia Hits Differently', James and Imo are off to revisit the 'Wizard Boy Wonder' of the 2000s: Harry Potter. In this first episode, the critics return to the first two instalments of the saga. They discover that the 'Boy Who Lived' seems to have a death-wish in 'The Philosopher's Stone' (2001); why prejudice is okay when it's systemic in 'The Chamber of Secrets' (2002), and how Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry couldn't be more of a health and safety violation. This is the first of a four part retrospective overanalysing the themes, character development and gaping plot-holes across the eight films of the 'Harry Potter' franchise (2001-2011).  

In their first FILM REVIEW episode of the EVEN MORE EYES podcast, Imo and James give their opinions on the latest Disney Princess adventure: Raya and the Last Dragon (2021). Hot off their discussion of Princesses past (see Ep # 1-4), the two critics focus on how the franchise continues with Raya's representation and relationships. Do they think the movie is fire or flop? Tune in to find out. 

In this final episode on Disney Princesses, James and Imo realise how far they've gone. Entering into the Revival period (2010s), the friends finally lay down their 'critical weapons' - before picking them up next week to review Disney's latest Princess movie: Raya and the Last Dragon. This week though, the exhausted critics discover how 'Brave' (2012) barely features any problems from the 'Disney Princess' model; why one of our critics is left totally cold by the villainy in 'Frozen' (2013); and, finally, how 'Moana' (2016) charts a new course for the next generation. This is the fourth and final episode of a series of overanalyses on Disney's representations and values in the Princess franchise.

In this third episode, James and Imo confront that they were growing into adulthood when these films came out - but then, so was Disney. In its Late and Post-Renaissance Period, the critics find the unexpected: a positive turn in the canon. They discover how 'Mulan' (1998) reflects intelligently on gender roles; where the studio worked cultural tourism and meta-narratives into 'The Princess and the Frog' (2009); and when 'Tangled' (2010) straightens out some toxic relationships while having major hair problems. This is the third of a four part series that will overanalyse how the representation and values of the Disney Princess franchise have changed from the Classic Era (mid 20th Century) through the Disney Renaissance (late 20th/early 21st Century) and into the Revival (2010s).

This second episode has Imo and James return to the '90s! Disney wanted a 'Whole New World' for the next era of Princesses, but it's not quite as wholesome as they remember. Focused on the next four Princess franchise films, our intrepid critics discover why King Triton's concerns for Ariel might be justified in the unknowingly genocidal The Little Mermaid (1989); how Beauty & the Beast (1991) is NOT a tale about Stockholm Syndrome but captive to other gendered conventions; where Aladdin (1992) makes progressive steps forward for Jasmine despite drowning in racism; and how Pocahontas (1995) paints intercultural conflict and romance in broad strokes while marking a turning-point for the Princess model. This is the second of a four part series that will overanalyse how the representation and values of the Disney Princess franchise have changed from the Classic Era (mid 20th Century) through the Disney Renaissance (late 20th/early 21st Century) and into the Revival (2010s).

In this debut episode, James and Imo dig up a hell-scape from their childhood: Classic Disney. Concentrating on the first three films of the Disney Princess franchise they discover how Snow White (1937) establishes a problematic model for princesses to come, when Cinderella (1950) put more agency into the rodents, and why iconic villain Maleficent reigns supreme in the snore-inducing Sleeping Beauty (1959). This is the first of a four part series that will overanalyse how the representation and values of the Disney Princess franchise have changed from the Classic Era (mid 20th Century) through the Disney Renaissance (late 20th/early 21st Century) and into the Revival (2010s).