The Third Reel: A Movie Podcast

We sent one man, one podcast, and an unreasonable amount of expectations into space… what could possibly go wrong?In this Reel Kwik Review, we’re diving headfirst into Project Hail Mary, the latest film from Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, starring the ever-reliable Ryan Gosling, some delightfully weird science, and yes… spider-shaped aliens. Because cinema.This was one of our most anticipated films of 2026, and with Dale being a full-blown disciple of Andy Weir’s novel, the stakes are higher than a malfunctioning spaceship hurtling toward the sun. So the big questions: does it do the book justice? Does it work for newcomers? And is this a genuine contender for film of the year… or just floating aimlessly in the void?We break it all down:First half: spoiler-free thoughts, hot takes, and whether it’s worth your timeThen: our verdict and recommendationsFinal stretch: full spoiler breakdown for those ready to go full galaxy brain 🧠✨Expect science, chaos, and at least one of us pretending we fully understand astrophysics.What film do you want to see covered? We want to know!Email us at thirdreelpod@gmail.com or through the socials @third_reel_podhttps://linktr.ee/thirdreelpodSupport our Patreon for more TTR! https://patreon.com/thirdreelpodTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 - Preamble00:10:00 - Spoiler-Free Thoughts00:33:03 - Full Spoiler Review

No, the robots aren’t writing the scripts just yet… they’re just helping build the set.This week on The Third Reel, we sit down with multi-award-winning filmmaker Toby Hyder, who’s quietly (and very cleverly) using AI not to replace storytelling - but to enhance it. Think less “AI takes over Hollywood” and more “AI carries the heavy bags while the humans make the art.”Toby breaks down how he writes and directs his films in the traditional sense - working with real actors, real performances, and actual human emotion - before using his custom-built motion capture rig to drop those performances into richly realised, AI-assisted worlds. It’s filmmaking that feels both cutting-edge and reassuringly… human.We dig into his multi award-winning short Bones of Yew, exploring how historical accuracy, performance capture, and AI rendering all come together to create something that looks massive in scale without losing its soul.Along the way, we chat: 🎬 Whether AI is best suited as a tool for indie filmmakers rather than a Hollywood takeover artist 🎬 How tech can support creativity without stepping on its toes 🎬 And why the future of cinema might be less about replacement… and more about collaborationIt’s a fascinating look at where filmmaking is heading - where the heart stays human, and the pixels just help it beat louder.Apologies on some of the sound issues heard during this episode, we did our best to clean it up. Email us at thirdreelpod@gmail.com or through the socials @third_reel_podhttps://linktr.ee/thirdreelpodSupport our Patreon for more TTR! https://patreon.com/thirdreelpodTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 - Toby's Background00:17:02 - AI in Film00:41:02 - Bones of Yew Deep Dive

New format alert! 🚨After a while tinkering in the podcast lab (and possibly knocking over a few beakers), we’ve emerged with something fresh for you lovely listeners: The Third Reel Tier List.You know the drill. The internet’s favourite pastime. Ranking things into neat little rows of judgement. S Tier, A Tier, B Tier… and the dreaded D Tier. Usually it’s chocolates, crisps, or the correct order of biscuits for tea dunking. But we thought… why not do it with one of the most beloved studios in film history?So this week we’re diving headfirst into the colourful, emotionally devastating, toy-filled world of Pixar.From the game-changing arrival of Toy Story to tear-jerkers like Up, modern adventures such as Inside Out, and every car, monster, rat and robot in between… we rank the entire Pixar filmography and decide once and for all:🎬 Which films deserve the S-Tier crown 🎬 Which comfortably cruise through A and B tier 🎬 Which land with a slightly awkward thud in C or D tier 🎬 And when exactly Pixar’s unstoppable golden run started to wobbleIf you love Pixar movies, animated films, movie rankings, and film podcasts, this episode is basically a giant animated playground. Come join us as we attempt the impossible: ranking Pixar.Which group of films do you want to see us cover next? We want to know!Email us at thirdreelpod@gmail.com or through the socials @third_reel_podhttps://linktr.ee/thirdreelpodSupport our Patreon for more TTR! https://patreon.com/thirdreelpodTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 - Preamble00:16:54 - Initial Rankings01:51:15 - Confirming Rankings

C is for culmination. C is for confrontation. C is for crowning a champion.Part 2 of our A–Z of Films C tournament crashes in with the remaining 16 contenders, all competing for the right to challenge last week’s victorious classic. Only one film can complete the conquest and be crowned the ultimate C movie.Will a cool cult classic cause an upset? Could a crime caper claim cinematic glory? Or will a critically certified cornerstone of the canon crush the competition?The wheel delivers chaos. We deliver confident commentary. You deliver the internal conflict.It’s the concluding chapter in our colossal C collision. The crown awaits. 🎬🏆Agree with the winner? Any ones you want to see included in future letters? We want to know!Email us at thirdreelpod@gmail.com or through the socials @third_reel_podhttps://linktr.ee/thirdreelpodSupport our Patreon for more TTR! https://patreon.com/thirdreelpodTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 - Preamble00:06:46 - Round of 1601:29:58 - Quarters01:33:57 - Semis01:38:45 - Final01:41:45 - Ultimate Final

C is for chaos. C is for cinema. C is for us catastrophically trying to crown a champion.The A–Z of Films is back and we’ve crash-landed on the most competitively stacked consonant in the canon: the letter C. Previously, Alien and Birdman bagged the lofty A and B belts… but who claims the coveted C crown?We’ve carefully curated (and mildly quarrelled over) 32 colossal C-class classics. The wheel of names spins with cruel, chaotic confidence, creating completely confounding clashes that we then attempt to critique with questionable credibility. It’s a traditional knockout competition, but make it cinematic carnage.In Part 1, sixteen contenders collide. Next week, the remaining sixteen complete the bracket, and the two survivors will clash for cultural supremacy.Will A Clockwork Orange commit its way to victory?Does Cool Runnings cruise past the competition?Is Chinatown truly the crown jewel of noir?Are there committed campaigners for Chicken Run?Controversy, conversation, catastrophically confident claims… it’s all here.Consider this your compulsory cinematic catch-up. Grab a cuppa, clutch your popcorn, and come cast your internal ballot.The canon is calling. 🏆🎥Are there any films you think we missed in our list of C films? Any ones you want to see included in future letters? We want to know!Email us at thirdreelpod@gmail.com or through the socials @third_reel_podhttps://linktr.ee/thirdreelpodSupport our Patreon for more TTR! https://patreon.com/thirdreelpodTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 - Preamble00:11:30 - Round of 1601:19:00 - Quarters01:29:30 - Semis01:37:37 - Final

In this Reel Kwik Review, we head to the windswept chaos of Emerald Fennell’s 2026 adaptation of Wuthering Heights, the film currently brooding its way across cinemas worldwide.Did it do justice to Emily Brontë’s gothic fever dream of a novel? Thankfully, Rachael actually read the book, so we have at least one qualified adult in the room. 📚We dig into whether Fennell’s version captures the tragic romance, toxic obsession and full throttle emotional melodrama that made the story immortal, or whether it swaps stormy passion for aesthetic quick cuts. We also stack it up against Saltburn, Fennell’s previous tale of wealth, desire and deeply questionable decision making.Are the performances as haunting as the Yorkshire moors themselves? Does Heathcliff brood effectively? Is Cathy iconic or chaotic? Most importantly, is this one worth braving the cinematic storm for?The episode is split into two parts:Part 1: Spoiler free thoughts, initial reactions and our honest recommendation.Part 2: Full spoiler breakdown where we dissect the major scenes, the bold creative choices and deliver our final scores.Love. Revenge. Mud. Intense eye contact. It’s all here.Press play and step into the storm.What film do you want to see covered? We want to know!Email us at thirdreelpod@gmail.com or through the socials @third_reel_podhttps://linktr.ee/thirdreelpodSupport our Patreon for more TTR! https://patreon.com/thirdreelpodTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 - Preamble00:13:56 - Spoiler-Free Thoughts00:54:05 - Full Spoiler Review

This week, we crank the volume on music biopics with the brilliant music journalist Sean Kerwick. From Robbie Williams’ latest cinematic journey in A Better Man to the genre’s all-time greatest hits (and, yes, the cringiest misses), we debate, dissect, and occasionally gasp at questionable wigs, bad accents, and plot twists that make you go “really?”We dive deep into the history of music biopics, from iconic classics to cult oddities, sharing our favourites, our least favourites, and everything in between. Then we speculate wildly about the future of the genre.But it’s not all films and hot takes. We also go behind the curtain of Sean’s career, exploring his path as a music journalist, his podcast adventures, and how we know him without being creepy.As Walk the Line wisely reminds us: “Sometimes you have to do what’s best for you.” — advice that works for musicians, biopics, and podcasters alike.For more of Sean’s music insights, check out his podcastWhat Song - https://open.spotify.com/show/664FoTBkhGNaeWudxBLUul?si=96dfa53d98d9421aand explore his journalism work here - https://shorturl.at/BjE0BWhat's your favourite and least favourite music biopic? We want to know!Email us at thirdreelpod@gmail.com or through the socials @third_reel_podhttps://linktr.ee/thirdreelpodSupport our Patreon for more TTR! https://patreon.com/thirdreelpodTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 - Preamble00:06:00 - Sean's Background00:46:53 - Music Biopics Deep Dive01:28:50 - A Better Man Review01:45:45 - Future of Music Biopics

The wall holds… until it doesn’t.In Part 2 of our Two Towers deep dive, we return to Middle-earth to cover Acts 2 & 3, our final thoughts, and the scores — and yes, this episode is absolutely dominated by Helm’s Deep.Often cited as one of the greatest battle sequences ever put to film, the Battle of Helm’s Deep didn’t just raise the bar — it obliterated it. Rain-soaked chaos, brutal scale, flawless geography, and tension that somehow escalates for nearly an hour without losing momentum. Hollywood has been chasing this high ever since… and mostly failing.We break down why Helm’s Deep works on every level: • Practical effects meeting early CGI • Character-led action amid overwhelming odds • Visual storytelling so clear you always know where you are (a miracle, frankly) • And a final charge that still gives goosebumps two decades laterBeyond the battle, we dig into the film’s emotional payoffs, its darker tone, the growing weight on its characters, and whether The Two Towers is actually the most important film in the trilogy, even if it’s unfairly branded the “weakest”.Is this the moment LOTR truly became untouchable?Does Helm’s Deep alone justify its legendary status?And how does it all land when the dust finally settles?Swords shatter. Horns sound. Cinema history is made.This is The Two Towers – Part 2. Ents. ⚔️🛡️🏰FULL SPOILERS FOR LORD OF THE RINGS THE TWO TOWERS IN THIS EPISODE. You have been warned.If you have any things you want to discuss about this film or Lord of the Rings in general, email us at thirdreelpod@gmail.com or through our socials @third_reel_podhttps://linktr.ee/thirdreelpodSupport our Patreon for more TTR! https://patreon.com/thirdreelpodAll music used in this podcast is for commentary and review purposes under fair use. We give full credit to the original composers and right holders, and acknowledge that we do not own any of the music featured.TIMESTAMPS00:00:00 - Preamble00:05:17 - Review: Act 200:59:10 - Review: Act 301:42:21 - Closing Thoughts & Scores

We’re back. The review series returns. The hobbits are traumatised, the fellowship is scattered, and Middle-earth is very much going through it.This week on The Third Reel, we begin our deep dive into The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, kicking things off with Part 1, where we tackle Act 1 only. Part 2 lands next week, covering Acts 2 & 3, our final thoughts, and the all-important scores.Often (rudely) labelled the worst film in the trilogy, yet somehow still considered one of the greatest films ever made, The Two Towers sits in a strange cinematic no man’s land. But is that reputation fair? Or is this the unsung MVP of Middle-earth?We break down the fractured narrative, the tonal shift from Fellowship, the rise of Rohan, and the film’s growing obsession with mud, despair, and extremely intense walking. And yes… we’re already warming up for Helm’s Deep - a battle so iconic it permanently changed how Hollywood stages large-scale warfare (and set the bar impossibly high for everyone else).Swords clash, Uruk-hai run in straight lines, and we ask the big questions: Is this really the weakest of the trilogy? Or is The Two Towers quietly doing the heaviest lifting of them all?Grab your lembas bread — Part 1 begins now. 🧙‍♂️⚔️FULL SPOILERS FOR LORD OF THE RINGS THE TWO TOWERS IN THIS EPISODE. You have been warned.If you have any things you want to discuss about this film or Lord of the Rings in general, email us at thirdreelpod@gmail.com or through our socials @third_reel_podhttps://linktr.ee/thirdreelpodSupport our Patreon for more TTR! https://patreon.com/thirdreelpodAll music used in this podcast is for commentary and review purposes under fair use. We give full credit to the original composers and right holders, and acknowledge that we do not own any of the music featured.TIMESTAMPS00:00:00 - Preamble00:08:34 - Review: Act 1