At The Flicks

Welcome to the latest show from the At The Flicks team. In this episode we speak to filmmakers Mark Brown and Laura Rees. Mark has directed and Laura has produced an upcoming thriller called Dead On The Vine, which was made on a vineyard during the Covid lockdown period.  We have held this show back for a long period. The reason for that is, we chatted  to the talented pair just after they completed principal photography and we all felt the show would have more impact just prior to release.   Well, that later date has arrived, as Dead On The Vine is to receive it’s world premiere this November at Kevin Smith’s Smodcastle Film Festival.  This is big news.  On the basis of what we have seen of the film, we believe Dead On The Vine is going to be a winner.  As a bonus Mark also talks about his previous comedy film Guardians (trailer below) which you can watch on Amazon Prime.  We loved it and the script crackles with hilarious one liners.  Finally just a heads up.  There are some slight sound issues with thi

The ramblings team of Elijah, Graham and Jeff are back for another random walk through the world of the movies. At least we start off on an agreed course, talking about the latest Thor movie with member of the Marvel Taliban Graham.  The discussion takes an early left turn when Jeff brings in Waterworld to highlight his concerns about Thor Love And Thunder.   We stay with superheroes to give our thoughts on the now shelved Batgirl movie and the potential future of HBO Max. Finally, both Elijah and Graham have an in-depth discussion about the new Netflix series, The Sandman. After that it’s back home for tea and scones, relaxing after another satisfying ramble. See you on the next ramble or At The Flicks. Bye for now.

It’s been a quiet Summer (at least in the cinema), which means we have taken our time in preparing this review show for you. The good news is, in the time we have taken in getting the show out, all of the films reviewed are now on streaming or available to rent on demand. (For some of the other Summer releases, please check out our new rambling series). With this extra time, did we pick titles that perhaps we were all in agreement are future classics? Or they have some import into the human condition? Nope (and that isn’t a clue to one of the films), with one exception there were arguments galore in this episode. In other news, at least we have a quiz for you to start the show. Nice one Darren, although not too happy with the individual who won it and who is still parading around the At The Flicks office like a Gladiator winner. Let’s draw a discrete veil over that ungainly sight and focus on the not quite great movies under review. They are: Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness – I am sure

The ramblings team of Elijah, Graham and Jeff are back for another random walk through the world of the movies. At least this time we try and start at a current point – we discuss the finale of the Jurassic films – Jurassic World : Dominion.  There is a lot of plot to try to tie up this six film series.  Does it work? What do the ramblers think? Check the show to find the answer.  We ramble so we found we couldn’t just focus on one dinosaur film.  We drifted into talking about what films from earlier decades have influenced and entertained us.  Do you have any favourite dinosaur movies?  If we don’t mention them in our ramble, please let us know what they are. Of course, as we have Elijah and Graham on the show, it was only a matter of time before we drifted onto the subject of Lord Of The Rings.  This episode has some good (The War Of The Rohirrim) and some not so good (The Rings Of Power).   There were some other movie points before Elijah revealed to us the secrets of scabbard making – yes I said scabb

The show that has been years in the planning has finally arrived. Mel superfan Graham has been dropping hints for a long time that we should be putting together a tribute to the great man. The balance has always been trying to be objective alongside Graham’s excessive and sometimes frightening fandom. Then the idea struck us. Rather than look back, let’s look forward. What if we take two of Mel’s more recent films – films with merits but for some reason went direct to streaming? Having had agreement on that approach (initially reluctant from Graham), the next step was to find two films which were suitable for what was being called Mel Day. The choice was made, and a viewing day was chosen. First up was our morning’s entertainment – Force Of Nature. The Mel plays a retired cop refusing to leave his apartment home when a big storm strikes. The other problem is that the building is also under siege from vicious criminals. Graham relates to this as, after all, he lives in Cheltenham. But back to the

Having now passed our 200th episode, we from the At The Flicks show would like to say a big thank you to our listeners all over the world.  It is thanks to you and your continued to support that we are constantly inspired to find new ways to inform and entertain you about the crazy world of the movies. This is why we take a slight pause with this episode to talk about some of our achievements from the team in the year to date.  We talk about the festivals we have attended and our work behind the scenes. So the focus of this show is on one of our proudest moments, being invited to the opening gala of this year’s Cheltenham International Film Festival.  Jeff attended the gala as Graham was too busy planning an upcoming special he has arranged called “Mel Day”.  Graham has been working on that for years and the planning had reached a delicate stage that he was unable to take any time off (we believe he didn’t leave his technical room for a week while he put the finishing touches to the show and all food was sl

Welcome back to the continuing adventures of the At The Flicks team as they talk Star Trek movies. In episode 199 we discussed the disappointment that was Star Trek V. Thankfully, that didn’t put an end to the series and the original crew reunited one final time in 1991. We ask the question - was this a good send off for the pensionable crew? Guiding us through this discussion is our captain Darren (after all it was his idea), backed up by his science officer Graham who will be looking at some of the more technical aspects. Jeff is playing the crew member who develops a God complex and Neil is wearing the red shirt marking out the dispensable crew member who is not normally named in the credits. In this show our away team boldly go on to tackle such subjects as: - How much of the story mirrored real life events of the time? - Why was Sulu the only crew member who ever earned a promotion? - Why Kim Cattrall’s mind meld sequence is even more upsetting by today’s standards - How much did the on-screen si

Regular listeners will know that the main At The Flicks team are old (some older than others – not looking at you Graham). So, we don’t always keep as up to date with such things as reviews like other podcasts. We might be old, we might be slow, but we are always coming up with ideas . Therefore, as part of our OAP fightback, we are trying out a series of pod shorts, something to at least try to keep up with the kids! Our secret weapon on many of these will be to bring in our twentysomething reviewer Elijah. We will start talking on a theme or a film but, given our age, we will soon go off on random topics as we remember the “old days”, or, in Graham’s case “when Mel was king”. Take this episode, we planned to talk all about The Batman, but we went off track and also included Paramount plus, Halo and Star Trek! If you are looking for a bite sized and eclectic podcast, look no further. This is a new format we are trying and if you have any comments please let us know. Other wise we will see you At Th

Welcome to another Darren’s Dash, where we hand over the lead to reviewer Darren to give us his pick of the movies you may well have missed. And from this month there is a bonus, Darren will be providing a round up – a hyper dash if you like – of TV shows and streaming services of note. Included this month is Darren’s first excursion into Apple TV. What are his views and what does he recommend? Check out the show to get all the details. Ah, I hear you ask, but what about the movies, the main reason we listen to the Dash? What are Darren’s choices for this month? Fear not, there are four great ones, including one so scary that Neil had to miss the recording because he is still having the therapy for watching it. The films are: Boiling Point – A one take feature about a high-pressure night in a London restaurant. Slaxx – Why are there not more movies about killer jeans? Fresh – We convinced Neil that this is “safe” entertainment on Disney. It isn’t and he is still quivering! The Phantom Of The Op

The team are back and what a surprise, some of the reviews are very contentious. Like the berserkers in The Northman, some members of the team really go to town attacking certain films, while other, more courageous reviewers defend them. Let’s identify the warriors (or film watchers as others call them). Jeff goes full hatchet, Phil uses a broadsword, Darren comes in with the sly attack, Neil joins forces with everyone except Jeff and Graham puts on blue woad so he can become The Mel in Braveheart! Yes, it’s that type of show. To add more fuel to the fire of disagreement, requests have been made to bring back the quiz and drop the film news. These may have been random requests, or an orchestrated attempt from one of the team. Check out the allegations in the show and we leave that to you to decide the truth. As for the films being reviewed this month: The Northman – Robert Eggers – visionary director or a case of emperor’s new clothes? We have both opinions here. From claims of utter brilliance

Welcome back after a warp factor break, to the continuing adventures of the At The Flicks team as they talk Star Trek movies. After the huge success of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (At The Flicks episode 169), someone decided it was time for William Shatner to direct the next films. As we are about to discover that was to prove a huge mistake for so many reasons. Guiding us through this production is our captain – Darren (after all it was his idea), backed up by his science officer Graham who will be looking at some of the more technical aspects. Jeff is playing the dispensable member of the crew and Neil the dangerous alien with the oversized gun (I was going to say weapon but Neil would clearly misread that). So with a full crew we tackle such subjects as: Why was William Shatner allowed to both direct and come up with the story idea? Who is this God character they all keep talking about? What happened to humour in the future? Does anyone give a good performance? Why should TV evangelists of the 80’s b

Have you been wondering where Declan has been since our Christmas Carry On Streaming? Don’t worry, he has been in full viewing mode. A few days ago he emerged back into the sunshine to tell us he is ready to give us his recommendations for Easter. A British Easter of course – as it is a holiday when it always rains. So, if you are stuck inside with nothing to do, fear not, we have the perfect viewing menu for you. Love dramas, we have plenty for you, from The Responder to Slow Horses. Perhaps documentaries are more your thing – then maybe you would like to try Four Hours At The Capital. Or, especially if you have children also stuck inside and are “borrred”, then try animation – from Superworm to Bladerunner : Black Lotus (that last one for older children only). Thanks to Dec our show is packed with recommendations. Oh, and there is a mistake contained within. When Graham, yes Mel supporting Graham, mentions a show called Incredible, he actually means Invincible. Jeff, not wanting to correct Graha

After a few months break, Darren’s Dash returns. And what a return. Darren has picked four films guaranteed to get you viewing and discussing. They are: Belle: A stunning Japanese anime feature to rival the best from Disney and Pixar Encounter : Riz Ahmed stars in this intriguing science fiction feature Titane : A powerful French body horror feature The Eyes Of Tammy Faye : Jessica Chastain won the Oscar for her role in this true story. But is it any good? Find out what Darren has to say. Once again Darren picks an excellent and varied selection for the Dash. As always, if you have any comments on these movies, or anything talked about on the show, please let us know. Until next time, Darren says “see you at the flicks”

It’s a big welcome back for the At The Flicks review show! For the first of our 2022 review shows we discuss films from four masters of the craft, Paul Thomas Anderson, Kenneth Branagh, Guillermo Del Toro and Roland Emmerich. All of them famed in their particular fields. All back with superior works, which are Licorice Pizza – At The Flicks are not afraid to tackle the controversial issues surrounding movies head on. We discuss the big talking point of Anderson’s latest – what’s the difference between California Valley Girls and South Wales Valley Girls? Belfast – One of our reviewers was also growing up in Belfast during the film’s time period. We offer something unique in our discussion – a personal perspective on that time and place. Nightmare Alley – Why did this film noir flop at the box office? We ask our own Geek if Nightmare Alley has suffered an unkind fate. If only he could remember…. Moonfall – Controversial opinions rule once again. To some it was a typical, overblown Emmerich disaster featur

Welcome to the latest show from the At The Flicks team. In this episode we speak to young filmmaker Archie Shiels. Archie is an up-and-coming talent who is currently honing his craft. He spent some time recently talking to us about his first documentary short feature The Blue Flash. The Blue Flash is about an iconic sculpture – Blue Flash Power Box And Meshchips which a few years was threatened with demolition. Happily that situation is now changed and The Blue Flash as it is more locally known, will be preserved for future generations. The sculpture was designed by artist and arts educator John Gingell. Archie’s film is as much about the man as the image. We talk to Archie about what inspired him to make the feature (the answer may surprise you – it certainly did us!), and what does the preservation mean for John’s family. In fact, the heart of the documentary is about legacy – both external, to the city of Cardiff and internal, to his daughter Zoe. That is a hell of a lot to pack into four minut

Yes, we know a couple of months have gone by since the start of 2022 (although given recent world events it seems longer). However, after months of arguing, the At The Flicks team are now ready to unveil their latest creation on the world. The 2022 year start show. This is our annual look back at 2021 and a sneak peak of what 2022 has in store film wise (unless Putin presses that big red button on his desk). But before all that, Jeff has a new show section he wants to reveal (maybe Putin’s button isn’t the worst option this year). No, not his be nice to Marvel New Years Resolution (which lasted 10 minutes), it is his latest film news section. Film news off the beaten track. In this section you can learn why residents in Glasgow didn’t get a lot of sleep at the beginning of the year and what is Samuel L Jackson’s favourite food. Oh, and there is some actual film news as well. Then we come to the sombre part of the show – our obituary section, where each of the five contributors to the show, Darren, G

The Stroud Film Festival returns for 2022 with some exciting films and live events. To get the lowdown on what is happening this year, we spoke to Co. Director of the Festival, Andy Freedman. The festival launch is Friday 4th March at the Stroud Subscription Rooms (check out the link to the programme below). After that, you will find an event on most days up to the closing night of Sunday 27th March. In this podcast we talk about some of the highlights that make this festival such a unique experience. Amongst the films are a number relating to film music, including Sisters With Transistors (with a Q and A with director Lisa Rovner), The Tape, after which star and director Martha Tilston will perform a set and an event where local young musicians will perform new soundtracks they have written to classic silent films, including A Tri

Up until now, probably the biggest scandal around lost tapes involved the BBC and the Beatles recordings they misplaced. That scandal has now been surpassed as we reveal to you the even more shocking story of the At The Flicks lost tapes. OK, the reality is not that they were not lost per se, they were just irretrievable for almost two months thanks to one of our own. Like all great calamities it started simply, Neil was intrusted to put the recordings of our November review show in a safe place. These tapes were special – we had just spent a day and a half recording our reviews of some of the most acclaimed movies of the year – Dune, The French Dispatch and the latest from Sir Clint, Cry Macho. All Neil had to do was place them inside the usual vault. We all trusted him. Unfortunately, that trust was horribly misplaced. Instead of just placing them where they normally go, he managed to time lock them inside the safe, sealing them for six weeks. This meant two things, you, our listeners have had to wait f

So that was 2021. A year we are all pleased to wave goodbye to (just like Neil’s relatives after his extended Christmas stay). But what was it like for movies? In part one of our end of the year show, we spoke to some very special people about what films they liked. Now it is the turn of our review panel. Yes, our normal review panel of Darren, Graham, Jeff, Neil and Phil, have gathered to cast their critical eye over what happened in the film world and give their top five. Then Jeff, through a combination of magic, science and quantum mumbo jumbo collates everyone’s list and comes up with a group top five. As you will hear, at least one member of the team is not happy with that and asked for the Video Assistant Referee to review the decision. As with football, we are still awaiting the result of their deliberation. However, we just couldn’t keep you waiting any longer, so here is the show. You will find it no surprise to learn that this turned out like one of our standard review show. Neil admits

It’s almost time to say goodbye to 2021. Overall, not the best of years, but what was it like at the movies? With cinema closed for much of the first half of the year, and most watching done online, did that mean a drop in film quality? Or was 2021 a classic film year? To answer that question we have spoken to three friends of the show. We did cheat and also ask them to give us their top five movies and tried not to outstay our welcome when we asked what they are most looking forward to seeing in 2022. First up we spoke to Emma (and if you haven’t subscribed to her excellent film newsletter, may I take this opportunity to do so – the link is below). Emma is a serious film watcher (easily rivalling At The Flicks reviewers Darren and Phil with her seen amount for the year), and has wonderfully eclectic tastes. Her top five is original and well worth tracking down. Then there is Elijah, our American reviewer. Again, another first rate selection and one Graham almost completely agrees with. After that we hav