Is Netflix’s The Rip (2026) a slick high-concept thriller… or a film that feels like it was stitched together by an algorithm? On this episode of Mate Night, we dive into one of Netflix’s most baffling releases of the year and ask how so much talent ended up in something so fundamentally broken.

We break down everything from the clunky, contrived plot to dialogue that genuinely feels AI-generated, along with some truly questionable creative choices — including a moment involving Matt Damon that left us asking why on earth that made the final cut. Add in what might be a career-worst miscasting for Ben Affleck, and you’ve got plenty to unpack.

As always, we give our raw gut reactions before feeding The Rip into the world-famous Mate Night Machine to see how it ranks against its contemporaries — and actual classics.

In this episode, we cover:

The Rip Movie Review: Our honest thoughts on Netflix’s latest original.

AI Script Energy: Why the writing feels artificial and unfinished.

Ben Affleck Miscast?: A performance that never quite fits the role.

Plot & Dialogue: Contrived setups, strange decisions, and lines that don’t land.

The Mate Night Machine: The final, definitive verdict.

Whether you’re a Netflix completist or just morbidly curious, join us as we work out whether The Rip is misunderstood — or simply a mess.

Strap in, strap on, and let’s find the one true score.

Is Josh Safdie’s solo debut an absolute ace? On this episode of Mate Night, we’re doing a deep dive into the most anticipated A24 release of the year: Marty Supreme (2025).

We discuss everything from the staggering $70 million budget to Timothée Chalamet’s transformative and "unbelievable" performance as the legendary 1950s ping-pong hustler. Was it worth the hype, or did it miss the mark? We give our raw gut reactions before putting the film through the world-famous Mate Night Machine to calculate the one true score.

In this episode, we cover:

• Marty Supreme Movie Review: Our honest thoughts on Josh Safdie’s direction.

• Timothée Chalamet Analysis: Why this might be his most eccentric role yet.

• The A24 Factor: How the studio’s highest budget film holds up on the big screen.

• The Mate Night Machine: The final, definitive verdict on the film’s quality.

Whether you're a die-hard Safdie fan or just here for the Chalamet craze, join us as we break down the spin, the swerve, and the soul of this high-stakes drama.

Strap in, strap on, and let's find the one true score.

All About Eve (1950) — film podcast deep dive and review from Mate Night. We go behind the Broadway dressing-room doors: Bette Davis vs Anne Baxter, that legendary script, and whether this Oscar-winning classic really earns its “one of the greatest” reputation. Ambition, ageing, performance, gender politics and the film’s place in cinema history — what still lands, what creaks, and which bits fans are too kind about.

Wicked: For Good (2025) takes us back into the land of Oz — but this time things don’t quite add up. In this one-episode special, the Mate Night team explore why this massive finale feels like it’s on a completely different timeline than the iconic The Wizard of Oz (1939). We break down:

The character flips: Elphaba vs. the Wicked Witch, Glinda’s unexpected arc, the Wizard who can’t pick a personality

The plot explosions: Scarecrow on fire twice, slippers that teleport, and how the story only works if you ignore the original

The book origins: Gregory Maguire’s gritty novel that started it all, and how the musical and film diverge wildly

The parallel-universe theory: Why Wicked isn’t a prequel — it’s an entirely separate Oz

Our verdict: Fred’s take-down, Jambo’s defence, and whether fans of Oz should even bother

If you came out of Wicked: For Good scratching your head, thinking “This can’t fit the original” — you’re absolutely right. Tune in for the full breakdown, join the debate, and find out why sometimes the story you love needs a separate universe.

Subscribe to Mate Night for deep-dives, film debates, and podcast episodes every week.

Boogie Nights (1997) — film podcast deep dive and review from Mate Night. Paul Thomas Anderson’s porn industry epic gets the usual treatment: story, direction, performances, design, and whether it truly earns its classic status. Then we go off-set for the Burt Reynolds saga — the tension with Anderson, the almost-fight, firing his agent, and why he later distanced himself from the film.

One Battle After Another (2025) - film podcast review and deep dive from Mate Night. We pull apart Paul Thomas Anderson’s DiCaprio-led action thriller: politics, pacing, set-pieces, and whether it really deserves the “movie of the year” noise. Then we go back to Boogie Nights and the road not taken: DiCaprio nearly playing Dirk Diggler, choosing Titanic instead, and how that alternate timeline changes the way this new film feels.

Alien (1979) & Aliens (1986) - a deep dive double review from the Mate Night film podcast. We test Ridley Scott’s haunted-ship horror against James Cameron’s war-movie sequel: story, direction, performances, design, effects, score. Reputation vs reality, what truly holds up, and where the cracks show. Expect clear arguments, minimal spoilers, and a verdict that may upset both camps.

they're not actually film critics it just sounded better than film reviewers.

so it turns out the boys can read. they started the wheel of time - a 15 book long fantasy epic series. tune in to this mate night special to hear what they thought and also some other stuff.

ALSO

fred read the next book. poll below.