Episodes
Sorry about the relevancy of this week's episode... This week, the boys talk about the mockumentary-style film C.S.A: Confederate States of America, a film that presents a kind-of Ken Burns-esque program in a world where the south had indeed won the Civil War. Why are the seemingly racist fake ads a lot more believable now? What was Canada's role in this altered American Civil War? Do the film clips remind your hosts of real films they've already covered on the show? All this and...
Published 11/18/24
Published 11/18/24
The boys dig in once again in 1937's The Road Back, a sequel to 1930's All Quiet on the Western Front lost to the midsts of time (with ample reason). The war is over as Germany surrenders to the Allies but there is much uncertainty. As soldiers return home, the government is in chaos, unrest is in the streets and the only thing that helps is some out-of-place comedy. Good luck, listener. Next week: What if the South won? Questions? Comments? Suggestions? You can always shoot us an e-mail at...
Published 11/11/24
German thespian Tom Cruise stays true to his country by portraying Claus Von Stauffenberg in 2008's Valkyrie, a movie that takes a look at a lesser-known assassination attempt of Adolf Hitler. The guys talk about the importance of telling this story and they dissect Cruise's divisive performance, the spy movie tropes, historical accuracies and much more. Next week: All Quiet... 2?! Questions? Comments? Suggestions? You can always shoot us an e-mail at [email protected]   Full...
Published 11/04/24
Once again the stars of the FSACverse come together in a night of celebration, admiration, and entertation! [THAT MISSPELLING IS INTENTIONAL] Next week: we take the moustached man to Valhalla... the Hell kind. Questions? Comments? Suggestions? You can always shoot us an e-mail at [email protected]   Full List: https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/war-movies/the-100-greatest-war-movies-of-all-time Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forscreenandcountry Twitter:...
Published 10/28/24
Who better to tell us about the civil war than the 90s, Ang Lee and the singer Jewel?! This week, the guys discuss Ride With the Devil, a film quintessentially 90s but all about the battle between the North and South! Does this movie have the most obvious 1990s casting of all-time and/or is it secretly brilliant to cast Tobey in the role of a literal outsider? The guys also discuss the notion of having an outsider perspective on this war, the revenge subplot that is promptly dropped, a wild...
Published 10/21/24
Imagine - at the age of 15 or 16, you and your dumb friends were drafted into the army with one day of training. How would you handle that? It happened to boys all over Germany as the Allies advanced in 1945. Blinded by Nazi ideology and fueled by testosterone and machismo, a group of friends are ordered to defend an unimportant bridge as a favour to their beloved teacher. But when you go searching for a war... don't be surprised when you find one. This is DIE BRUCKE/THE BRIDGE. Next week:...
Published 10/14/24
What happens when you get Ridley Scott, the year 2001 and every single white male actor on the planet? Well, that's very specific so I guess you get Black Hawk Down. The guys discuss the confusion about all the similar faces and Ridley's noble attempt to make it easier for the viewers, they debate if there are any political opinions in the film and if they are drowned out by all the machismo and explosions, they discuss CGI usage in this movie versus now and much more. Next week: some German...
Published 10/07/24
A man's desire to quench his thirst is strong... strong enough to fend off bullets, Nazis and the desert itself. For some folks, a cold beer is a pleasure; for others, it is the only thing keeping them alive. What I'm saying is - please contact [email protected] for instructions on how to send us free beer. We will give you a shout out (the universal currency of those with neither money nor shame). Also, this week we check out Ice Cold in Alex or whatever. Next week: A lot of...
Published 09/30/24
Back to the list this week! This week, the fellas change gears and talk about a documentary on the Paste list - Restrepo. This is one intense close-quarters wartime coverage and the guys get into talking about the incredibly brave filmmakers, the lack of obvious narrative or bias, a very brutal on-screen emotional meltdown and much more. Next week: grab a cold one! Questions? Comments? Suggestions? You can always shoot us an e-mail at [email protected]   Full...
Published 09/23/24
What a doozy this week. We can't really be funny here. The story of Sir Nicholas Winton is simply a story that needs to be told. Hopefully this film and (in our own little way) our podcast covering it will bring more eyes to this part of history. Don't worry, we're as dumb as usual in the episode proper! Next week: back to the list with... a documentary! Questions? Comments? Suggestions? You can always shoot us an e-mail at [email protected]   Full...
Published 09/16/24
This week, the boys once again return to one of the most evil Nazis this side of the Reichstag... that being Reinhard Heydrich and the stranglehold he maintained over Czechoslovakia. Thankfully, these films are about him being killed! And do we have a doozy for you this week - 1965's Assassination, an honest-to-God Czech film about the whole operation which also comes with a bonus of some Czech actors playing Brits with hilarious accents! The guys talk about the most accurate representation...
Published 09/09/24
As the boys venture off the list, we present to you a new sub-series: THE DOGS OF WAR... for... you know... bad war movies. This week on Dogs of War: the kitchen is heating up as Jason and Brendan go to pawn their DVD player for a copy of 2012's Iron Sky on DVD. The problem becomes obvious when they get home and Brendan's VHS player won't accept the disc; this means war. Jason has dug a trench and erected many machine guns around Brendan's home as Brendan prepares to send his tiny doggy,...
Published 09/02/24
As the boys venture off the list, we present to you a new sub-series: THE DOGS OF WAR... for... you know... bad war movies. This week, we start off with Steven Spielberg's big-budget critical disaster 1941 starring everyone on the planet. Joining them is bad movie connoisseur Nathan Spavold from the What Were They Thinking? podcast. They discuss everything including the long scenes of destruction without a lot of laughs, the way in which the film wastes a scene with Slim Pickens, Christopher...
Published 08/26/24
The horror persists but so does Kaji! As the Reds advance and the Japanese Army begins to sacrifice itself on the altar of glorious death in battle, Kaji knows that this not the end for him. Somewhere, his beloved wife Michiko is waiting, the one desperate hope left as Kaji plows south. His humanist instincts remain, but Kaji is no longer the naive idealist that stepped out of school and into a labour camp. Hardened by reality and pragmatism, he still tries to save lives on his long, hard...
Published 08/19/24
The saga continues with Part 2 of this epic saga. This time, Kaji becomes a prisoner of sorts and is forced to be the one that relies on outside forces to be impartial and perhaps even helpful in his struggle. The guys talk about that as well as the similarities to Full Metal Jacket, the tragicomic suicide scene, the intimidating line of tanks emerging from the horizon and much more. Next week: the conclusion to The Human Condition saga! Questions? Comments? Suggestions? You can always...
Published 08/12/24
The day has arrived. Brendan and Jason finally dive into the first part of Masaki Kobyashi's monster nine-hour epic - The Human Condition! Allowing him to avoid the draft and marry his sweetheart, Kaji takes a job at a forced labour camp manned by Chinese prisoners. A modern man with modern ideas, Kaji tries to reform the camp system through better treatment of prisoners. Can he cut through the graft and the culture to make a difference? Next week: Part 2! Questions? Comments? Suggestions?...
Published 08/05/24
Marching forward on the list this week as the fellas discuss the Korean War and a return to director Samuel Fuller with Fixed Bayonets! Yes, the title DOES have an exclamation point - isn't that fun? Brendan and Jason talk about Fuller using small sets for big ideas, differences between this one and The Steel Helmet, the themes of bravery and responsibility, the insanely tense minefield scene and much more. Next week: it begins... the most daunting task on this list... Questions? Comments?...
Published 07/29/24
This week? Why, it's the big one with the little Austrian corporal in 2004's Downfall! As the Red Army closes in around him, cooped up in his Fuhrerbunker, Adolf Hitler tries to ignore defeat. Eventually, he does a good deed and puts a gun in his mouth. What more do you need to know? Next week: fix those bayonets! Questions? Comments? Suggestions? You can always shoot us an e-mail at [email protected]   Full...
Published 07/22/24
In which our fellas head back to Lebanon this time without the steel armour. Ari Folman was there in 1982 as a young man in the Israeli Defense Forces. His memories are fragmented, however sometimes crystal clear, others bits and pieces and some blank altogether. He knows he was present at the infamous Sabra and Shatila massacre but he remembers only a few images. Through conversations with memory experts and wartime comrades, rendered in a distinct animated style, Ari begins to reveal a...
Published 07/15/24
This week, the fellas ask the ultimate question: IS THIS MOVIE A WAR MOVIE OR IS THIS MOVIE NOT A WAR MOVIE? America's favourite gameshow commences with a discussion of Robert Bresson's A Man Escaped. They discuss Bresson's way in which he films hands, the slow, methodical and procedural style of showing the prison escape, the justifiable use of voiceover and much more. Next week: back to the list for a solemn dance! Questions? Comments? Suggestions? You can always shoot us an e-mail at...
Published 07/08/24
A podcast is a very delicate thing. Now then, know that it is the year 2024. This one, hosted by Brendan and Jason - the Fathers of Podcasting - is in tumult! Brendan, in search of the universe’s most valuable commodity - Sam Adams - descends upon Boston, a vile hive of scum and villainy. Ergo, this week, instead, the listener will be taken on a watch-a-long Voyage… to a special corner of the galaxy... circa 1984. The director is David Lynch. The planet is Arrakis, also known...
Published 07/01/24
Hey, thanks for coming to the podcast. Really appreciate it. You want a water? Soda? Orange whip? Just want you to be comfortable. Ok, so go ahead and lay down on the floor here. Yep - right on top of the pokey thing. Yeah, it'll be fine; it's like a massage. Cool, cool, great. Okay, don't move! Please, whatever you do! Good. Now, if you'll continue to stare at the dentist TV in front of you without even so much as moving a millimetre we're gonna watch this week's movie - 2001's No Man's...
Published 06/24/24
Sometimes ya just gotta kill some Nazis. It's as simple as that. Brendan and Jason grab their rifles and go out huntin' with Sisu, a film about a badass Lapland prospector who just wants to keep his gold and will kill any Nazis in his path. They gush about the insane and creative kills, the badass women hostages that get to have their own unexpected moments, the joy of a "meat-and-potatoes" movie and much more. Next week: stuck in the middle with you... Questions? Comments? Suggestions? You...
Published 06/17/24
We talked about Kanal so why not talk about another Wajda War™ film - Ashes and Diamonds. While this one focuses less on war itself and more of the implications of post-war and one's own morality, this is our podcast so don't tell us what to do, MOM!!! Ahem. Anyhoo, the fellas chat it up about this film and discuss the scene with very realistic (if not real?) drunk acting, the stark imagery particularly with religious symbols, the massive changes between this and the propagandistic source...
Published 06/10/24