20 years later, is Casino Royale still the best Daniel Craig James Bond film?

To celebrate the twentieth anniversary of one of the most acclaimed James Bond movies of the modern era, we return to 2006’s Casino Royale for a down-and-dirty investigation into the film that reinvented 007 for a new generation.

When Daniel Craig first appeared as James Bond, casting him was controversial. But Casino Royale quickly silenced many doubters, delivering a tougher, more grounded and more emotionally vulnerable version of the legendary British spy.

Two decades later, does Casino Royale still stand above the rest of the Daniel Craig Bond films?

In this episode, we investigate Martin Campbell’s hugely influential Bond reboot, looking at Daniel Craig’s performance as 007, Eva Green’s Vesper Lynd, Mads Mikkelsen’s Le Chiffre and the film’s celebrated action sequences, and character-driven approach to the Bond mythology.

We examine what made Casino Royale such a successful reinvention of James Bond.

And after 20 years, has the verdict changed?

CASE FILE: CASINO ROYALE (2006)

Directed by: Martin Campbell
Written by: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and Paul Haggis
Starring: Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, Jeffrey Wright and Judi Dench
Genre: James Bond / Spy / Action / Thriller

Cinema Sleuths is produced by Luke Deckard & Matthew Booth

Edited by Luke Deckard

Theme song by Luke Deckard

Logo by Phil Dragash

DISCLAIMER

All content presented in this podcast episode is the property of the podcast creator and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Any copyrighted material used in this episode is used under the principles of fair use for purposes such as commentary, criticism, education, and review. No part of this episode may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the copyright holder, except where permitted by law.

*All movie and TV clips used in this episode are the property of their respective copyright holders and are used here for the purpose of review and commentary under Fair Dealing / Fair Use. No copyright infringement is intended.*

The toys are alive!

Your Cinema Sleuths investigate Toy Story (1995), the groundbreaking Pixar movie that changed animation — and cinema — forever.

When Toy Story arrived in 1995, it wasn’t simply another animated family movie. It was the first fully computer-animated feature film, introducing audiences to Woody, Buzz Lightyear and a new kind of movie magic. Nearly three decades later, the question is simple: does Toy Story still hold up?

In this episode, we revisit Toy Story and investigate how Pixar’s revolutionary debut transformed the animation industry and changed the cinematic landscape. We look at the film’s story, characters, humour, technology, and emotional impact, and how Tom Hanks and Tim Allen brought Woody and Buzz to life.

But was Toy Story really the perfectly constructed modern classic we remember? With a huge team involved in developing the story and screenplay, were there too many cooks in the kitchen? And does the film still have the same magic for modern audiences?

We explore the making of Toy Story, Pixar’s breakthrough use of computer animation, its influence on Hollywood and the reason Woody, Buzz and the rest of Andy’s toys have remained so beloved.

CASE FILE: TOY STORY (1995)

Directed by: John Lasseter
Starring: Tom Hanks and Tim Allen
Story by: John Lasseter, Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton and Joe Ranft
Screenplay by: Joss Whedon, Andrew Stanton, Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow
Genre: Animation / Comedy / Adventure / Family

Cinema Sleuths is produced by Luke Deckard & Matthew Booth

Edited by Luke Deckard

Theme song by Luke Deckard

Logo by Phil Dragash

DISCLAIMER

All content presented in this podcast episode is the property of the podcast creator and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Any copyrighted material used in this episode is used under the principles of fair use for purposes such as commentary, criticism, education, and review. No part of this episode may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the copyright holder, except where permitted by law.

*All movie and TV clips used in this episode are the property of their respective copyright holders and are used here for the purpose of review and commentary under Fair Dealing / Fair Use. No copyright infringement is intended.*

Who are the greatest movie villains of all time? This week, Luke and Matt open the case file on five of their favourite cinema bad guys, from the quietly terrifying Noah Cross in Chinatown to Andy Serkis’s unforgettable Gollum in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

In Five Favourites Vol. 1: Cinema Bad Guys, we celebrate some of the most memorable, disturbing and downright entertaining villains in movie history.

What makes a great movie villain? Is it pure evil, intelligence, charisma, menace — or something more complicated? We discuss the characters who have stayed with us long after the credits rolled and reveal why these are five of our favourite film villains.

From classic Hollywood and crime movies to fantasy, horror and modern cinema, this is a packed list!

Who made Luke and Matt’s five favourite movie villains? Listen to the episode and find out — and let us know which cinematic bad guys you think belong on the list.

CASE FILE: FIVE FAVOURITES VOL. 1 — CINEMA BAD GUYS

Featuring: Khan (Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan), Magneto (X-Men) Noah Cross (Chinatown), Gollum (The Lord of the Rings) and more.

Cinema Sleuths is produced by Luke Deckard & Matthew Booth

Edited by Luke Deckard

Theme song by Luke Deckard

Logo by Phil Dragash

DISCLAIMER

All content presented in this podcast episode is the property of the podcast creator and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Any copyrighted material used in this episode is used under the principles of fair use for purposes such as commentary, criticism, education, and review. No part of this episode may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the copyright holder, except where permitted by law.

*All movie and TV clips used in this episode are the property of their respective copyright holders and are used here for the purpose of review and commentary under Fair Dealing / Fair Use. No copyright infringement is intended.*

Party on! Cinema Sleuths investigates Wayne’s World (1992), the comedy classic that went from a Saturday Night Live sketch to one of the defining movies of the early 1990s.

You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll hurl! Few comedies have had the cultural impact of Wayne’s World. More than 30 years after Wayne and Garth first hit the big screen, the film’s catchphrases, music, characters and irreverent sense of humour remain firmly embedded in popular culture.

In this episode, we ask why this seemingly simple comedy became such an enduring hit. How did Mike Myers and Dana Carvey successfully translate their Saturday Night Live characters into a feature film? Why does the comedy still work? And how much did Wayne’s World influence the movies, music and comedy that followed?

We also look at Penelope Spheeris’s direction, Tia Carrere's career from tv to the big screen, and Rob Lowe's perfect villain, plus the film's fourth-wall-breaking humour and its surprisingly affectionate take on friendship, romance, and rock ‘n’ roll!

So grab your finest air guitar, crank up Bohemian Rhapsody and join us as we party on with Wayne and Garth.

Schwing!

CASE FILE: WAYNE’S WORLD (1992)

Directed by: Penelope Spheeris
Written by: Mike Myers, Bonnie Turner and Terry Turner
Starring: Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Tia Carrere and Rob Lowe
Genre: Comedy / Music / 1990s Cinema

Cinema Sleuths is produced by Luke Deckard & Matthew Booth

Edited by Luke Deckard

Theme song by Luke Deckard

Logo by Phil Dragash

DISCLAIMER

All content presented in this podcast episode is the property of the podcast creator and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Any copyrighted material used in this episode is used under the principles of fair use for purposes such as commentary, criticism, education, and review. No part of this episode may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the copyright holder, except where permitted by law.

*All movie and TV clips used in this episode are the property of their respective copyright holders and are used here for the purpose of review and commentary under Fair Dealing / Fair Use. No copyright infringement is intended.*

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) turns 10 — but has time been kind to one of the most divisive superhero films of the modern era?

A decade after its release, we reopen the case on Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Was Zack Snyder’s ambitious Batman and Superman crossover always misunderstood, or was it really the stinker many people thought it was when it first hit cinemas?

We investigate whether Batman v Superman has improved with age, looking back at its story, characters, themes, performances and place within the wider DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Has the film’s reputation changed for us, a decade later?

We look closely at Snyder's portrayal of Batman, Superman and Lex Luthor, and whether the film went too far too soon.

To help us crack the case, we’re joined by Anthony Desiato, host of DIGGING FOR KRYPTONITE: A Superman Fan Journey & LIGHTING THE BAT-SIGNAL: A Batman Fan Journey.

CASE FILE: BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE (2016)

Starring: Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter and Gal Gadot
Director: Zack Snyder
Genre: Superhero / Action / Science Fiction / DC

Cinema Sleuths is produced by Luke Deckard & Matthew Booth

Edited by Luke Deckard

Theme song by Luke Deckard

Logo by Phil Dragash

DISCLAIMER

All content presented in this podcast episode is the property of the podcast creator and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Any copyrighted material used in this episode is used under the principles of fair use for purposes such as commentary, criticism, education, and review. No part of this episode may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the copyright holder, except where permitted by law.

*All movie and TV clips used in this episode are the property of their respective copyright holders and are used here for the purpose of review and commentary under Fair Dealing / Fair Use. No copyright infringement is intended.*

For our 100th investigation, we head deep into the jungle for John McTiernan’s Predator (1987) — the iconic genre-busting science-fiction action movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers and Kevin Peter Hall.

At first, Predator looks like the ultimate testosterone-fuelled 1980s action movie!

In this episode, we investigate what makes Predator such an enduring classic. How did John McTiernan transform a seemingly straightforward action movie into a tense science-fiction horror thriller? And how does it flip the action hero concept on its head?

CASE FILE: PREDATOR (1987)

Directed by: John McTiernan
Written by: Jim Thomas and John Thomas
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers and Kevin Peter Hall
Genre: Action / Science Fiction / Horror / Thriller

Cinema Sleuths is produced by Luke Deckard & Matthew Booth

Edited by Luke Deckard

Theme song by Luke Deckard

Logo by Phil Dragash

DISCLAIMER

All content presented in this podcast episode is the property of the podcast creator and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Any copyrighted material used in this episode is used under the principles of fair use for purposes such as commentary, criticism, education, and review. No part of this episode may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the copyright holder, except where permitted by law.

*All movie and TV clips used in this episode are the property of their respective copyright holders and are used here for the purpose of review and commentary under Fair Dealing / Fair Use. No copyright infringement is intended.*

Space. The final frontier! 60 years ago, STAR TREK was released on the small screen. And nearly 50 years ago, STAR TREK THE MOTION PICTURE hit the BIG SCREEN! To celebrate TREK, this week, you Cinema Sleuths investigate Robert Wise’s Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), the ambitious science-fiction epic that brought the original Star Trek crew to cinemas for the first time.

Starring William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols, and Walter Koenig, the film reunites the crew of the USS Enterprise for a mysterious mission involving an enormous alien entity known as V’Ger, which approaches Earth with seemingly unstoppable power.

Based on the television series created by Gene Roddenberry, Star Trek: The Motion Picture was written by Harold Livingston, with story contributions from Harold Livingston and Alan Dean Foster, and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Robert Wise.

In this episode, we put Star Trek: The Motion Picture under the magnifying glass, investigating the extraordinary journey from beloved television series to blockbuster movie. And we are joined by special cinema sleuth Ayesha Khan, host of Every Sci-Fi FIlm Ever podcast!

We explore the film’s troubled and famously expensive production, the pressure to bring Star Trek to the big screen after Star Wars' success, and the ambitious decision to make a slower, more cerebral science-fiction film rather than simply turning the Enterprise crew into action heroes.

We investigate the movie’s visual effects, Jerry Goldsmith’s iconic score, V’Ger mystery, philosophical themes and spectacular Enterprise flyby, and so much more.

We also look at the movie’s initial reception, its reputation as “the slow one”, and the reassessment it has received over the years.

CASE FILE: STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE (1979)

Directed by: Robert Wise
Written by: Harold Livingston
Based on: Star Trek, created by Gene Roddenberry
Starring: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols and Walter Koenig
Music by: Jerry Goldsmith
Genre: Science Fiction / Space Opera / Adventure / Mystery

Was Star Trek: The Motion Picture a misguided attempt to compete with Star Wars — or a bold, beautiful piece of science fiction that was simply misunderstood in its time?

CREDITS

Cinema Sleuths is produced by Luke Deckard and Matthew Booth

Edited by Luke Deckard

Music by Luke Deckard

Logo by Phil Dragash

DISCLAIMER:

All content presented in this podcast episode is the property of the podcast creator and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Any copyrighted material used in this episode is used under the principles of fair use for purposes such as commentary, criticism, education, and review. No part of this episode may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the copyright holder, except where permitted by law.