Film Reviews Episodes

Fresh off another Tom Hanks film, Bob and Brad revisit Pixar's first feature film, 1995's Toy Story. A movie that was vital to both of their childhoods, this film prompts quite a bit of reflection as adults--is it a metaphor for parenthood? Aside from the philosophy of it all, Bob and Brad discuss how far computer animation has come in 25 years, as well as whether this one holds up against some of Pixar's best. Meanwhile, they sample a flight of three whiskeys provided by The Whistler. The show...

Bob and Brad watch Ron Howard's Oscar-nominated 1995 film Apollo 13, and wonder why this doesn't get more attention when it comes to lists of great American films. They discuss what it means that Howard makes movies about the Everyman, for the Everyman and as an Everyman, before delving into the rock-solid performances from Tom Hanks et al. Meanwhile, in a first for the podcast, they managed to get their hands on some Seagram's 7 Crown from 1969(!) and sample it side-by-side with a 2019 bottle ...

Bob and Brad continue their seasons-long journey into the world of Harry Potter with 2005's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. After last week's love fest over director Alfonso Cuaron, this week takes a turn into...much more lukewarm opinions. Meanwhile, they try another whiskey from the Jefferson's line of bourbons: the Jefferson's Reserve Pritchard Hill Cask FInish. Film & Whiskey Podcast. New episodes every Monday. 15% off Loot Crate click here and use the code ROBOTSRADIO. Be sure to us...

Bob and Brad continue their seasons-long journey into the world of Harry Potter with 2004's Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Spoiler alert: this one essentially turns into our two hosts fawning over director Alfonso Cuaron. In every conceivable way, this entry takes the franchise to new heights: the performances, the sets, and especially the cinematography. Meanwhile, they try their first offering from the Jefferson's line of bourbons. Both hosts have tried the expensive Jefferson's Oc...

Bob and Brad watch Martin Scorsese's Oscar-winning 2006 film The Departed, and comparisons to GoodFellas abound. They discuss who really is the "lead" performance between Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon, and whether Jack Nicholson deserved the criticism he received for his rather hammy performance. Meanwhile, they try another Irish whiskey, this time from The Sexton, a single malt with some beautiful packaging. Will what's inside the bottle be as impressive? Film & Whiskey Podcast. New episod...

Bob and Brad watch the 1951 Humphrey Bogart classic The African Queen. This is the third Bogart film on the podcast, and the second from director John Huston. The hosts break down the script, which featured both Huston and James Agee as writers, as well as Huston's quasi-nature-documentary directing style. They also discuss the buoyant lead performances from Bogart and Katharine Hepburn. Meanwhile, they try Bogart's Irish Whiskey, a blended product produced in collaboration with the Bogart esta...

Bob and Brad give their full review of the new DIsney+ release of Hamilton, the smash Broadway show. They discuss Lin-Manuel Miranda's incredible wordplay, his underrated acting, and the uniformly excellent cast before deciding whether or not this filmed production works as a movie. Meanwhile, they try three whiskeys from BC Merchants: Resilient 6-year Rye, Resilient 14-year Bourbon, and Further Straight Rye Whisky. One of these whiskeys gets Brad to a point where he declares it "maybe the best...

Bob and Brad throw it back to 1944 for the Billy Wilder classic Double Indemnity. This is their second Wilder film and their first true film noir. Aside from breaking down the excellent performances by Feed MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck and Edward G. Robinson, they spend some time on Wilder as both director and screenwriter, before diving into a discussion of what exactly constitutes "film noir." Meanwhile, they finish out the extraordinarily underwhelming Old Grand-Dad line with the 114-proof ex...

Bob and Brad watch the 2012 film Life of Pi, the winningest film at the 2013 Oscars, including Best Director for Ang Lee. They discuss the framing device of "older Pi" telling "younger Pi's" story, as well as the performances of stars Suraj Sharma and Irrfan Khan. Meanwhile, they try the 100-proof version of Old Grand-Dad and review what it means for a whiskey to be called "bottled in bond." 0:00 - Intro and Initial Thoughts 27:00- Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond Review 38:40- Analysis and Fina...

Bob and Brad revisit a childhood classic in 1971's Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. This movie is constantly on cable TV, but neither host has seen it in years. And they certainly have thoughts on how well it holds up into adulthood. Among the topic of conversation are Gene Wilder's title role, the crippling depression of Charlie Bucket's home life, and how to fix some of the film's glaring flaws. Meanwhile, they finish out a flight of Four Roses samples from their friend Austin Dupree ...

Bob and Brad kick off Season 3 with the 2001 classic The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the RIng, and let their nerd flags fly high on this one. They break down why they think it's definitely not the best of the trilogy, as well as how Peter Jackson grew as a director throughout the course of the three Rings movies. Meanwhile, they drink one of Bob's favorite whiskeys, Old Forester 1920. At a $60 price point, how will this one hold up, especially in their value scores? 0:00 - Intro ...

Bob and Brad wrap up Season 2 with the 1985 Robert Zemeckis classic Back to the Future, and let's just say they saved their hottest takes for the end of the season. The guys go in-depth on 80s movies, Lea Thompson's character, and the claim that this film has a perfect script. Meanwhile, they drink America's most popular whiskey, Jack Daniel's. The "Old No. 7" classic Tennessee whiskey is being compared to last week's similar black-label bourbon, Evan Williams, but this one costs twice as much....

Bob and Brad spend their Memorial Day holiday revisiting Steven Spielberg's 1998 masterpiece, Saving Private Ryan. This film has garnered a surprisingly negative reputation from critics over the years, so the guys want to know how it holds up, and whether it's been misinterpreted by its detractors. Meanwhile, the guys wrap up the Springtime of Swill with a bottle of Evan Williams, the flagship bourbon from one of America's most popular brands. 0:00 - Intro and Initial Thoughts 31:20 - Evan Wi...

Bob and Brad revisit the world of the musical with the 1965 Best Picture winner The Sound of Music. This is the second musical by director Robert Wise that the guys have reviewed, but how will it stack up to West Side Story? Meanwhile, they continue their Springtime of Swill series by finishing out the offerings from a familiar budget brand: Very Old Barton. They've appreciated every iteration so far, all the way up to the 90-proof variety. Will this 100-proof version top them all, or will it t...

Bob and Brad look back on 2015's The Revenant, known in kinder parts of the internet as the film that finally netted star Leonardo DiCaprio his Oscar. The guys are in the unique position of being able to compare it to the recently-viewed Birdman, and they discuss the recurring tendencies of both director Alexandro G. Inarritu and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki. Meanwhile, they continue the Springtime of Swill with Mellow Corn, the first corn whiskey they've tried on the show. This is a brand ...

Bob and Brad finish up their mini-series on the films of Robin Williams with a look back at his Oscar-winning turn in 1997's Good Will Hunting. How well has this movie held up more than twenty years after its int ital release? The guys discuss then-twenty-somethings Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, both as actors and as screenwriters, and whether notorious Oscar campaigner Harvey Weinstein got the movie over-hyped with his patented hype machine. Meanwhile, the guys continue the Springtime of Swill w...

Bob and Brad continue their series of Robin Williams films with the little-seen 1990 film Awakenings. Despite its several Oscar nominations, including one for Best Actor for Robert De Niro, this film seems to have been somewhat forgotten in the 30 years since its release. Our hosts discuss the ethics of the film's central medical drama, the highs and (very) lows of the script, and whether director Penny Marshall is able to stick the landing. Meanwhile, the guys plow ahead with the Springtime of...

Fresh off the heels of Mrs. Doubtfire, Bob and Brad relive their childhoods with 1992's Aladdin, featuring perhaps the best-known performance of Robin Williams. Naturally, the guys draw parallels to last week's film, but most of their debate focuses on where this movie falls in the hierarchy of the Disney Renaissance. Does it stack up against, say Beauty and the Beast or The Lion King? Meanwhile, the guys continue the Springtime of Swill with a low-cost Canadian whiskey: J.P. Wiser's Rye. They ...

Bob and Brad continue their Bad Movie Bonus series, and subjected their listeners to a watch party of the 2015 travesty Paul Blart Mall Cop 2. They're joined by a lucky listener guest host to go over the best and worst elements of this dreadful experience. Meanwhile, they sip on and review FEW Cold Cut, a whiskey that Brad describes as "one of the most memorable whiskeys we've ever had." Film & Whiskey Podcast. New episodes every Monday. Film & Whiskey Instagram Film & Whiskey Facebook Film...

Bob and Brad kick off four weeks honoring the work of the late Robin Williams with his best-known live-action character, Mrs. Doubtfire. This is Brad's first time watching the film in one sitting, and both hosts find the movie flawed despite Williams' brilliance. Of particular note is that this is the third film this season by director Chris Columbus. How will it stack up against the first two Harry Potter movies? Meanwhile, they continue their Springtime of Swill series with a familiar budget ...

Bob and Brad prepare for Bond 25, the upcoming No Time to Die, by going back to where it all started for the Daniel Craig era: 2006's Casino Royale. They discuss director Martin Campbell and how he stacks up against the golden boy of the series, Skyfall director Sam Mendes. They also go on a lengthy discussion of Craig as 007, and how much you can change about a character before he's an entirely different character altogether. They both, however, sing the praises of Eva Green, a counterpart to B...

Bob and Brad launch a new bonus episode series, Bad Movie Bonus, and decided to join a watch party with their listeners to screen the 2019 Tom Hooper travesty, Cats. They're joined by a lucky listener guest host to go over the best and worst elements of this Golden Raspberry winner for Worst Picture. Meanwhile, they sip on and review Blue Note Bourbon, a whiskey that's much better than the film it's paired with, and helps our hosts cope with what they can't unsee. Film & Whiskey Podcast. New e...

Bob and Brad return to the wide world of sports movies, this time to check out the 2011 UFC-themed drama Warrior. In particular, they focus on the outstanding performances from the three male leads, particularly Nick Nolte's Oscar-nominated turn as a recovering alcoholic. Meanwhile, they continue the Springtime of Swill with Very Old Barton 86-Proof, a cousin to the 80-proof variety they tried--and enjoyed--last season. How will this $11 whiskey stack up? 0:00 - Intro and Initial Thoughts 27:...

Bob and Brad are joined by frequent guest host Jordan McCain to look back on director Brad Bird's The Iron Giant, a non-Disney animated classic of the laste 90s. They discuss the dynamite lead vocal performance of Eli Marienthal, as well as the merits of a Jennifer Aniston vocal. They also wonder if the voice of the Giant, Vin Diesel, gets paid on a per-word basis. Meanwhile, they kick off the start of spring with a series they're calling the Springtime of Swill, where they'll be drinking legit...